Note: Since I've not added the disclaimer before here goes:
I don't own NARUTO it belongs purely to Masashi Kishimoto.

UNEDITED

Sakura had never really paid attention to Sasuke Uchiha even though it had been almost been impossible to do so with him in the fore front of everything during her Academy days. In Sakura's eyes only Hinata-kun existed. Though Sasuke was good looking in his own way she'd prefer the gentle Hyuuga any day.

Ino had once said that had she not seen Hinata-Kun first she'd probably have fallen in love with Sasuke. Sakura had simply scoffed and told her that, that very statement was why Sakura clearly deserved the Hyuuga boy more.

But it was true. Sakura had always put the value of behaviour over looks. Sasuke Uchiha was a looker, yes, maybe even more than Sakura's crush but he was rude and absolutely unmannered.

She did feel sorry for him having his entire clan murdered at such a young age was undoubtedly hard and yet in Sakura's mind the Uchiha had always been somewhat unattainable and cold, nothing like her precious Hinata-kun. But more than all of that Sakura was the tiniest bit afraid of Sasuke.

Maybe it was because of the intensity with which he did everything. Maybe it was because Sakura couldn't wrap her head around how anybody could see their entire clan murdered and remain sane.

But now after three consecutive D-rank missions chasing some ladies cat in the woods she'd started changing her view about him. Of course Hinata-kun was her one and only but she'd become tentative friends with him bonding over Naruko's antics and often having to work as a team to make sure that Naruko didn't get in a fight with the cat.

Well at least she saw him as a friend. Sasuke probably thought of her as a person he'd been force to do-operate with being on the same team.

Sasuke was a jerk mostly but sometimes and only sometimes Sakura felt that it was needed to handle their third teammate. Naruko was nice to everybody. Well... at least she tried to be. Naruko could be extremely blunt by saying whatever was on her mind but that was mostly because she was ignorant in the matter of demonstrating self control and not because she wanted to hurt somebody.

But if someone offended her, Naruko's smiling demeanour would go out of the window replaced by someone who would make sure to give her opponent a piece of her mind. In short, Naruko wore her heart on her sleeve. There was nothing that was a secret about her according to Sakura whatever the blonde girl felt she showed.

Sakura was well aware that Sasuke's subtle changes were Naruko's doing. Her personality was just as loud as her bright hair (although Sakura was the last person to judge someone based on the colour of their hair) and Naruko had the rare ability to pry even the aloof Uchiha out of his own world because she simply could not be ignored.

Sakura had a grudging sort of respect for both of them in her own way but she couldn't help feeling bitter that she was the one who had the least to contribute in the group. Kakashi-Sensei clearly didn't know how to handle Sakura and frankly she didn't know how to interact with him either.

Sakura supposed he didn't know how to handle girls that well in general, Naruko could hardly be fit into the category of other girls which is why Naruko's standing with Kakashi and the group was higher than Sakura's.

So Sakura had started reading up on various types of medical jutsus along with first aid and medicinal plants. What had started as a hobby thanks to Naruko's off hand suggestion had turned very important for her. The jutsu's were still advanced for her so she'd just have to wait to find someone to officially train, she was waiting for the right moment to ask Kakashi-Sensei but none the less she'd learned to patch up small scratches and bruises that Naruko almost always had and studied thoroughly about poisons.

It had taken her months to get to that point of course (learning real medical jutsu needed actual guidance) but it made her feel surprisingly validated to be able to do something, anything to help he group to actually show that yes, team seven didn't just consist of the hyperactive fox girl and the young prodigy but also had a pink haired kunoichi who contributed something to the team of oddballs.

Granted now her contributions were only being done in stupid D-rank missions where they were stuck chasing cats but at least it was something.

"How wide is her forehead?"

Sakura froze. She was on her way back from the library and it was early evening when all the kids were out to play. She'd been teased about the size of her unusually wide forehead more than often and as kids she'd been bullied a whole lot because of it. Sakura had tried to ignore them, tried to blend into the crowd but with her pink hair it was almost impossible to do so.

"Sakura-chan!" Sakura looked up to see a flash of orange with two blonde pigtails trailing behind her. Naruko on the other hand instead of blending into the crowd wanted to stand out of it and be noticed if her orange and white outfit was any testament to that.

Naruko stopped in front of her grinning, no matter what Naruko was always smiling unless she was dealing with Sasuke.

"Hi Sakura-chan!" Naruko said brightly,"Need help with the books?"

"Hey it's the fox freak!" Someone called out,"She even looks like one with those marks and that uniform."

"Too had she'll never be as smart as one!"

Naruko was almost immediate to respond to the kids who had hidden themselves while occasionally throwing insults,"Come out and fight me you cowards!"

Of course nobody did but none the less Naruko got her response when an egg was thrown at her. It splattered against Naruko's bright orange jacket and Sakura was ashamed to say that she shrieked when a few drops landed on her.

Naruko took it silently bot even surprised, simply turning around in the direction glaring at the kids who were up on the roof of one of the shops and pointing and laughing.

"Why you-!" Naruko started but they simply giggled and ran away.

Naruko could have probably given them a chase but instead she chose not to. Sakura found that to be quite curious considering Naruko's usual character.

"Aah I'm sorry Sakura-chan that's my fault. I wanted to help but I'm going to have to clean up." Naruko said looking sheepish,"I'll deal with those irritating kids later for dirtying you."

Sakura didn't pay much attention to Naruko's apology because she was busy wiping the drops that had landed on her and making sure that none of it reached her hair.

"Oh I almost forgot." Naruko carefully took out a scroll from her bag, delicately as to not dirty it as she handed it over to Sakura,"This was some paperwork we had to fill out for the mission."

And with that she took off running waving as she said a loud,"Goodbye Sakura-chan!"

By the time Sakura could even think about thanking her she'd long disappeared. Sakura sighed and opened the scroll only to find another similar scroll rolled up inside with it.

Naruko must have given her copy to Sakura by mistake too and considering the importance of the scroll and Naruko's speed with paperwork Sakura had to give it back to her today or she'd never complete it.

Sakura knew where Naruko lived, it had come up during one of Naruko's non stop monologues with her and thankfully it was at a time when Sakura had actually paid attention.

It was a small apartment complex and for a second Sakura wondered what it must have been like for Naruko to come home everyday to an empty house. It was probably the same for Sasuke too. Sakura had learnt from early on that family was a sore topic for the both of them and she steered clear of it.

When Sakura finally found the apartment she raised her hand to knock on the door but stopped when she heard a muffled sniffle from the other side.

Sakura froze.
Was... Naruko...crying?

To anybody else they might have thought that it was simply some sort of random noise but Sakura had enough practice hiding her crying as well as dealing with Ino's crying fits. There was no doubt, Naruko was crying.

Happy go lucky always smiling Naruko was crying.

Sakura shook her head, of course she would cry, who wouldn't if eggs were thrown at them and they were called a freak? Sakura herself had cried for far less.

But Naruko had taken it so casually that Sakura hadn't reacted at all. In fact looking back at it now she remembered how the adults had watched with a smug look on their faces doing nothing.

Was this how her town treated a twelve year old girl?

Sakura recalled vaguely how the adults had warned their kids to stay away from Naruko. Although Sakura's parents were hardly qualified to be even called ninjas so she'd never received a formal warning as such from them but Ino had told her how her dad had told her strictly to stay away from Naruko Uzumaki.

But... she was just a twelve year old girl. The same age as Sakura. What could have she have possibly done wrong for the entire town to hate her? For kids to throw eggs at her?

So that day as Sakura stood still outside Naruko's door, the scrolls clutched to her chest hearing the blonde girl on the other side cry, Sakura made a decision.

"What's wrong with you?" Sasuke asked the next day. His question was directed towards Naruko who was leaning listlessly over the side of the bridge where they were waiting for Kakashi.

Sakura was also late which was unusual for her but Sasuke didn't have time to ponder much on that because he had his hands occupied with a strangely quiet Naruko. When she wasn't talking Sasuke actually found her shockingly tolerable but he couldn't shake off how strange it felt not to mention her weird behaviour could quite possibly ruin whatever mission they went on.

When Naruko didn't bother to respond to him Sasuke shoved her which caused her to to lose her balance and tip off the ledge right into the water below the bridge. She fell with an almighty splash.

"What the hell you bastard!" She cried out surfacing her hands flailing about,"I'm going to kill you!"

And she was back.

By the time Sakura had reached the bridge she wasn't surprised to see both Sasuke and Naruko sporting several colourful bruises. In addition to all of that Naruko was dripping wet, her usual blonde bouncy pigtails hanging limply on either side.

"What happened here?" She asked.

"It was the bastards fault." Naruko complained,"He pushed me off the bridge."

Sakura glanced at Sasuke waiting for his excuse but all she got was a simple shrug. Sakura sighed, there was no point in inquiring further it wouldn't solve anything.

"Oh! Naruko chan!" Sakura said digging into her bag and taking out the scroll,"Here you go."

Naruko accepted it beaming. She opened it and gasped drawing both her teammates attention.

"But th-this paperwork is complete." Naruko stated wide eyed.

Sakura smiled and winked at Naruko,"I had some extra time so I decided to do both of ours is our little secret, okay?"

Naruko stared at her gape mouthed. And then she leaped and hugged Sakura tightly,"Thank you Sakura-chan!"

"Eh-Naruko-chan you're making me wet." She said awkwardly trapped in Naruko's hug.

"I'm sorry." Naruko immediately stepped back,"Thank you sooo much Sakura-chan. I'll pay back this favour, dattebayo."

Sakura nodded,"Well you can treat me to ramen in that place you're always going on about."

Naruko looked like she was going to burst with happiness,"Really?"

"Yup." Sakura nodded,"And Sasuke will be coming too."

Sasuke gave her a dry look,"No way."

"It will be a great team building exercise." Sakura said,"Besides I want to do something together that's not chasing after a cat."

That both Sasuke and Naruko could agree to.

"Say, why don't we convince the Hokage to give us better mission.' Naruko suggested,"I'm sure if we whine enough we can get the old man to give us something better than a D-Rank."

"Hn." Was Sasuke's response. By now both Sakura and Naruko had learned to decipher Sasuke's various monosyllabic responses and they knew that his nonchalant Hn was a yes.

They then proceeded, well they being mainly Naruko , to come up with a plan to ask the Hokage to give them better missions. Sakura hadn't found Naruko's plan a sure fire hit considering it consisted Naruko of making googly eyes and emotionally blackmailing the Hokage but she none the less decided to go along with it. Anything was better than cats.

When Kakashi finally arrived it was midday.

"I won't be able to join you for training today." Kakashi said, he'd sent a clone they supposed,"I'm sorry. Take the day off and meet me at the Hokage's office tomorrow morning."

And with a poof he vanished.

Sakura sighed. Figures, only their jounin teacher would make them wait for half a day and then tell them that it was a holiday.

"So how about that ramen?" Naruko suggested.

Sasuke had been dragged along by Sakura and Naruko. In the end he'd agreed because they wouldn't have let him go anyway and he had trained for an extra two hours that morning so he could afford to eat.

They walked through the town market with Naruko talking as usual. Sasuke was quiet through out the exchange least bothered about what she was saying and chose to survey his surroundings. He hadn't always been a cautious person, there was a time when he'd walked carefree through the streets just like his bubbly blonde teammate.

But things had drastically changed for him after his clans massacre.

Every step he took was calculated, every thing he did was so that he could achieve his goal. So that he could kill him.

After the massacre Sasuke had learned to live with the looks of pity that were directed his way but walking with Naruko he'd realised that the blonde girl was hated in a way that was almost unexplainable.

The looks that she received were ones of fear and disguise and yet she somehow had the ability to remain ignorant of all that.

At least that's what Sasuke had thought of at first. Lately he'd realised that Naruko simply chose to appear ignorant and she was more conscious of it than she let on.

"The fox freak is back!" One of the kids taunted as they made their way to Ichiraku's.

Naruko didn't hesitate as she marched up to the the boy and picked him up by the collar so that they were face to face, the little brown haired boy on his tippy toes.

"Hey squirt back off." She glared at him.

"Let go fox freak! You don't deserve to be a ninja." The boy struggled. She sighed and let him go and almost immediately the boy attacked attempting to kick the blonde kunoichi.

Naruko caught his kick without batting an eye and easily blocked the punch he'd thrown her way by catching it in her palm and then clenching her fingers around his hand making him unable to escape.

"I'm going to be Hokage one day." Naruko declared proudly,"And I'm the best ninja ever. You can't beat me."

The small huffed,"I'm going to become Hokage. A girl like you will never become Hokage."

"What? Are you underestimating me just because I'm a girl?" Naruko glared icily at the boy, an expression Sakura never thought that Naruko could make. She guessed that Sasuke's influence on the blonde had been far greater than what Sakura had previously assumed.

"I'll become Konoha's First Lady Hokage. And I'll show you what it's like to be a real ninja."

One of his friends, a younger boy held by glared at the blonde girl least bothered by her inspirational claims,"Let him go, don't you know that's Konohamaru Sarutobi the Hokage's grandson?"

Sasuke had figured as much. Although he'd noticed how the village had treated Naruko, they'd never been very open about their insults simply choosing to convey their feelings through isolating Naruko as much as possible. He supposed it had something to do with the Hokage's orders, the same ones were probably given for him. Which meant the little boy who was so openly displaying his antagonism against the blonde girl could only be someone who had the guts to defy the Hokage.

Naruko puffed not letting go of the Hokage's grandson,"You think I give a damn? You need to learn some manners squirt. My name is Uzumaki Naruko not fox freak. And throwing eggs is not cool, people are starving and you're wasting food like some idiot. You want to be Hokage? Then earn it instead of thinking you're entitled to it. And once you become a real ninja, come find me."

With that she left his shirt and marched ahead leaving the boy gaping in shock at her back.

Sasuke and Sakura who were watching the entire exchange mirroring the young Konohamaru Sarutobi's surprise. Sakura was surprised by how firmly Naruko had reprimanded the smaller boy, taking on the attitude of a big sister rather than her usual carefree airhead way of life.

Sasuke on the other hand was just appalled to realise that there was someone in this world who Naruko of all people could call an idiot.

The two of them followed after their blonde haired teammate all the way till Ichiraku's until Naruko finally lost it and turned around.

"Why are you following me?" Naruko turned around and glared at the little boy who'd followed the three of them to Ichiraku.

"Naruko-Senpai!" The boy looked at her, his eyes filled with determination ,"I want to be your apprentice, teach me!"

Naruko blinked.
Sakura blinked.
Sasuke simply walked ahead and ordered the food.

"What?" Even though the shock was dominant on her face the look in her wide eyes couldn't hide the hope that had blossomed.

Acceptance.

Was she finally being accepted?

"You're the first person who hasn't treated me differently once you heard who I was." The boy said fiercely,"And you blocked my kick and punch with no effort at all. You're a great ninja, Senpai!"

Naruko grinned, clearly flattered by the compliments,"I like you!"

"Me too Senpai!" The boy launched himself at the blonde,"I love you!"

The boy hugged her tightly latching his arms around her waist his head buried in the her chest , granted that a twelve year old girl didn't really have a chest to boast of but the entire breach of private space by a strange seven year old boy coupled with the fact that Naruko had only ever been hugged by Iruka Sensei once before caused Naruko to push him away.

"Get off me!" Naruko shrieked and hit the boy on the head.

"But senpai!" Konohamaru whined,"I love-"

"Go-"

"Dobe! Stop getting hair in my food-"

"Senpai!"

"Let go of-"

"All of you shut up, shannaro!" Sakura shouted halting everybody. It was a peculiar scene as the three of them froze.

Sasuke was holding one end of Naruko's twintail up while Konohamaru still had his arms around Naruko. The blonde girl in question on the other hand had both hands frozen one against Konohamaru's forehead in the process of pushing him away and the other trying to bat Sasuke's hand from her hair.

"All of you stop acting so immature!" Sakura continued,"You!"She was pointing at the smaller boy,"You can't go hugging girls around in public especially ones that you've thrown eggs at. Have you even apologised to her? It-"

Before Sakura could finish her rant a man had arrived in the scene and jerked Konohamaru from Naruko.

"Konohamaru-Sama you can't be seen with this kind of people!" The man repraminded and then threw a dirty look Naruko's way,"You should stay away from the likes of her."

Sakura's mouth dropped. Had this man's mother not taught him basic courtesy or kindness. Even Sasuke was nicer than this asshole Shannaro!

"Let go!" Konohamaru pouted and then called out,"Naruko Senpai!"

"Hey!" Naruko cried out,"You can't do that, you cant treat him like that."

The man simply glared at her and dragged the boy away. Naruko would have probably followed them and Sasuke was sure that he'd have to break up the fight that followed which meant that he'd be left with the responsibility of draging a beat up Naruko to the hovel she called home due to Sakura's incessant nagging about how girls should be treated.

So before Naruko could even think of following them Sasuke tugged on one of her pigtails pulling her back and said,"Naruko you're ramen is getting cold."

Naruko simply shrugged and turned. She'd only hesitated for a second looking at disappearing figures before she turned her attention to her one true love.

Ramen.
Not Sasuke.

Not that the clarification was required.

The next day in the Hokage's office team seven were determined to get a mission that did not involve cats.

"Oh come on Oji-chan, the lady should just let the cat go." Naruko whined,"Plus I think she's losing it on purpose nowadays just to flirt with Kakashi-Sensei."

Kakashi looked up from his Icha-Icha Paradise book,"I heard my name."

Sakura rolled her eyes. She was sure that her Sensei had being paying attention the whole time.

"Please Oji-chan?" Naruko pouted,"It would be nice to go somewhere and do a more advanced mission. Returning home to a cold and empty apartment... It would be nice to travel."

Naruko's tone towards the end had become pitifully wistful her eyes wide. She was no longer trying to guilt trip the Sandaime but had truly let slip what she wished for.

"Oh come on Oji-chan!" Naruko whined again and the Hokage's expression softened.

"Kakashi do you think they are ready for more long term missions?"

All eyes turned to to their masked Sensei.

Kakashi had to admit his team was advancing at an alarming rate.

Sasuke was every bit the prodigy that the Academy had promised if not more, he trained tirelessly everyday and was becoming even better by the hour that be honest.

And Naruko was hot on his heels. Of course she had a long way to go but she was developing by leaps and bounds.

Kakashi wasn't used to a kunoichi with her level of determination, Rin had been far more docile and Sakura reminded Kakashi of her at times, with her wholehearted dedication to the Hyuuga boy in Kurenai's team and her interest and aptitude for medical jutsu.

Naruko on the other hand was a headstrong fighter through and through and her level of determination to achieve her goals was something that could give Sasuke a run for his money.

She'd shown up at Kakashi's apartment, banging on his door demanding that he train her to do the Body Switching jutsu. The jutsu had been taught in the Academy, but Naruko had made him sit and recite all the rules, asked about a billion questions and then had given him several scenarios and then asked him whether it could be demonstrated in those cases or not.

Kakashi had truly been taken aback by the girl's potential and her way of thinking. Although her fighting style was head on and rather crude for a ninja in its own way it was unpredictable. She was far more intelligent than she appeared to be and even though her optimism was unparalleled she was well versed as to how the entire shinobi system was not only against her but was rather tough on kunoichi's in general.

None the less Naruko trudged on. Her fights with Sasuke, nine out of ten times she would lose. But she wouldn't give up and tire the prodigy out to the very end before pulling off some sort of unpredictable trick that no one could see coming.

She obviously retained her childish flair and immature pranks but that didn't take away anything from her potential to actually achieve what she was so tirelessly striving for.

"I think they can take on tougher challenges." Kakashi informed the Hokage. Of course Sandaime was well aware of both Naruko and Sasuke's progress so whatever answer Kakashi would give didn't really matter.

"Fine then." The Hokage announced,"I'll give you a C rank mission. It's the protection of a certain indivdual."

"Who? Who?" Naruko asked excitedly,"A handsome lord? A princess?"

"Calm down, I'll introduce you all to him." The Hokage said,"Tazuna-San you can come in."

All three genin turned to look at the man who'd just entered the room.

Elderly, with a bottle of sake in his hand and hair that stuck up in angles that made Sasuke's hair look normal, this man was definitely no handsome lord.

While outer Sakura remained pleasant enough, Inner Sakura was throwing a string of insults and judgements about the mans clear disregard for hygenine and his obvious drinking habits.

The disappointed and confused expression on Naruko's face mirrored exactly what she was thinking and although Sasuke remained passive as ever, his eye twitched slightly that made it clear that he was just as happy about it like the rest of his teammates.

"They all look like a bunch of brats." Tazuna commented,"Especially the short dumb looking girl. She looks like she should be off playing with dolls somewhere else."

"Dolls? I'll show you old man!" Naruko screached,"I'll kill you!"

Sasuke caught the end of Naruko's pigtails just in time and pulled her back.

Kakashi sighed at the struggling girl,"Killing the person we are supposed to protect isn't very smart Naruko."

"But-"

"Naruko. Stop picking fights." Sakura hissed trying to calm her teammate down.

"But he called me short and stupid looking. It's rude!"

"But you are short and stupid looking." Sasuke pointed out.

Naruko glared at Sasuke,"Am not!"

"Tch."

"I said I'm not!" Naruko shrieked.

"Midget."

"Duck butt."

"Idiot."

"Basta-"

Sakura simultaneously moved forward to shut the both of them up, by slapping her hand on top of their mouths. While she made contact with Naruko Sasuke dodged but he understood the message loud and clear and didn't say anything afterwards.

This was going to be a very long mission.

Naruko was bursting to the brim with excitement. They'd been travelling for two days now and the excitement had still not worn off. Wave country was quite some distance away but Naruko enjoyed the travelling. She had never been outside Konoha before and there was a strange sense of freedom that came with every step she took going further away from the village she grew up in.

As a kid she'd often entertained the thought of running away from the town where the people hated her but her sheer stubbornness had prevented her from doing so. She'd vowed that running away was for cowards and staying to prove them all wrong was much more her style.

She skipped along as Sakura talked to their client and Sasuke grumpily stalked opposite to Naruko in the formation while Kakashi brought up the rear his orange porn book in his hand.

While walking Naruko looked down for the billionth time since the start of the trip Naruko to admire her new shoes.

After the briefing with the Hokage on her way home her sandals had broken. Sakura had offered to take her shopping and help her pick up new shoes on the condition that she'd behave better and stop picking fights with Sasuke so that their mission went along smoothly.

Naruko had tried to argue that it was all the bastards fault but then her pink haired friend had proceeded to hit her on the head and glared at her till Naruko had finally grumbled out something of an agreement.

It had been worth it though. She'd got an opportunity to go shopping with Sakura-chan just like most girls did with their friends. It was an entirely new and exhilarating experience and Naruko would trade it for nothing.

She had a friend now.
She'd value them with her-

Naruko nearly stepped into a puddle but smoothly dodged leaping over it.

Ha! As if she'd let a puddle ruin the shiny new shoes which she'd bought with her friend.

Naruko paused looking at puddle puzzled. Had it rained recently?
No it definitely hadn't. She'd wanted instant ramen yesterday and to get the water she'd had to go all the way up to the river which had been half dried.

"Kakashi Sensei there is something weir-" Before she could finish something shot out at her from the water.

A whoosh of air and suddenly she was hurled backwards and in her place Kakashi stood the chains wrapping around him and then- blood-

"No!" Sakura screamed.

Naruko froze as a second ninja ran for her. She was still on the ground unable to move trying to come with the terms that she-she'd been the reason their Sensei had- had died.

This time it was Sasuke that protected her, deflecting the chain with his Kunai simultaneously pining it to a tree to restrict the attackers movement. He leaped over hero kicking both ninjas in the head sending them tumbling back as Sasuke proceeded to stand in front of Naruko in a protective stance.

H-how was he not afraid? How was he so calm?

One of them slipped past and headed straight for the builder. Sakura acted this time taking her kunai and standing in front of the builder. She knew that it wouldn't do much, her hands that were shaking were a testament to that but she would go down fighting.

And then finally Naruko acted.
She couldn't, no she wouldn't let anybody else die.
So she did he only thing she could.

A body switching jutsu.

Sakura felt a pop and suddenly she was in Naruko's position behind Sasuke who was keeping one of the ninjas busy and Naruko was in hers, in front of the builder facing the clawed ninja with a small kunai trembling in her hands.

Naruko barely had time to react but Sakura immediately threw the kunai in her hands at the ninja who barely managed to swipe at Naruko drawing blood from her hands that she'd been holding in front of her as if the protect herself. Sakura's kunai embedded itself on the ninjas shoulder and he jerked back and thankfully away from Naruko.

Naruko stood there shaking unable to move and the ninja even injured easily grabbed her wrist with his bloody hand and yanked her forward right towards his gleaming claws.

Was this the end?

Suddenly there was a flash of white and the claws stopped inches from Naruko's stomach. Kakashi had managed to stop the ninjas hand and then with one strong kick on the other the rogue ninjas grip on Naruko loosed and she crumpled into a heap onto the ground.

"Sensei!" Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as Kakashi made quick work of the clawed ninja as well as the one that Sasuke had more or less subdued.

Kakashi had used a substitution jutsu.

"Naruko I'm sorry you got hurt." Kakashi said,"I just assumed when you did the body switching jutsu you had a plan rather than just freezing up like that. Anyway Sasuke good job, you too Sakura."

Naruko's small form was hunched on to the ground her eyes was still shaking and Kakashi felt bad that he was so harsh on her but it was needed. Naruko had behaved recklessly without a plan and nearly got herself killed in the process. Kakashi knew Sakura wouldn't have handled the situation any better, she was hardly a close combat fighter and perhaps Naruko move of

Sasuke marched up to her his eyes narrowed,"That was really stupid you idiot."

Naruko didn't look at him though her eyes firmly fixed on the bleeding gash at the back of her hand.

"Back off." Sakura said firmly to Sasuke,"Naruko-chan thank you for saving me."

There was a tinge of bitterness in her voice, that wanted to say that she didn't need saving but Sakura was grateful none the less. Seeing Naruko trembling with the kunai in her hand,Sakura was sure she'd been like that too and she'd have probably gone down just as fast had Naruko not switched places with her. She was glad she'd saved her from the humiliation in a way.

Sasuke snorted,"Saving you? All she did was freeze up while trying to act like some sort of hero. I'm sure you could have handled yourself better than what she did."

Sakura blinked. Did he really have that much confidence in her or was he just angry that Naruko had recklessly put herself in danger when he'd tried to protect her by shielding her from the ninjas. Maybe Sakura had misjudged her place in the group both and the others had respected her far more than she'd previously thought.

"Why the hell are you acting like a jerk?" Sakura yelled. To hell with what they thought of her, Naruko had saved her if Sakura didn't stand up for th Belinda girl then she wouldn't be able to live with herself,"Not everyone can just jump into action like you can, Shannaro!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed,"Then why the hell does she want to be a ninja in the first place if she plans on freezing up and being nothing more than a scared little girl."

Naruko's suddenly shot up tipping her head up and grabbing the front of his shirt so she was looking directly at Sasuke.

"I am not scared. And I am not USELESS." Naruko yelled. Angry tears were glistening in her eyes and for a second Sasuke wavered.

And then he glanced down at the bleeding hand that held his shirt and his eyes hardened again,"Keep telling yourself that, scaredy cat."

"I was not scared!" Naruko yelled. She knew she was lying but she could not, would not bow down in front of the smug Uchiha.

"Then prove it the next time by beating me." Sasuke responded coolly.

Sakura was almost sure that Naruko would have punched him but instead she let him go and turned around.

"Tazuna-San." Kakashi started in a quiet voice,"Would you like to explain what's going on? These are chunnin from the Hidden Mist. I was under the impression that we were simply supposed to protect you from ordinary bandits."

Tazuna looked real guilty as he began to explain his predicament. He was currently in charge of building a bridge much to the chagrin of a businessman who ruled over his land ruthlessly. Being poor he couldn't afford to pay higher than a C-rank mission.

The touching story didn't particularly melt Kakashi or Sasuke's heart but the girls were clearly eating it up, their eyes wide and sighed.

Kakashi simply sighed,"Before making any decision we should get Naruko back to Konoha, their claws were poisoned."

Sakura examined Naruko's wound carefully, tilting it towards the light and proceeding to examine the tips of the claws of the unconscious tied up mist shinobi.

"I recognise the poison." Sakura announced,"It can be best method is to drain some of the blood from the wound first and make sure that the poison doesn't spread. That's-"

"I think it's best we go back." Kakashi interrupted.

"No!" Naruko protested loudly,"We aren't going back!"

"Are you questioning my skills Sensei?" Sakura's eyes narrowed. It was clear who Sakura sided with in this argument perhaps she felt guilty because Naruko had willingly taken her place and she was getting all the flak from the other two.

"No." Kakashi quickly said,"But draining the poison out can be quite a challenge."

"It's not." Naruko said stubbornly,"I can do it on my own."

I am not some weak helpless girl.
I don't need protecting.
I will never ever freeze up again.

Naruko repeated the mantra over and over again and then with that determination she took one of her kunai and stabbed into the wound.

"Naruko what the hell?" Sakura hissed but Naruko ignored her and looked straight at Sasuke, her profusely bloody hand held up.

"I am not a coward and I am not stupid." Her eyes were strangely glassy, but the fire and determination in them were unquestionable,"I swear I'm never ever going to back down from a fight and I'm not going to freeze up like that ever again. I won't need anybodies protection. So we are continuing the mission and I'll be the one to protect the old man."

For a second the effect of Naruko's fierce declaration had rendered all of her companions speechless but Kakashi recovered quickly enough.

"That's all well and good Naruko." He sighed,"But you just made it worse."

"What he means is that the poison might have drained out but you may die due to blood loss." Sakura clarified.

"I'm going to die?" Naruko shrieked jumping in panic her hand flailing around,"I'm too young! Shit! I'm loosing too much blood. I can't die here! I still need to become Hokage!"

"Tch, idiot."
Nobody noticed the small smile on Sasuke's lips.

AUTHORS NOTE

I know Sakura seems out of character but Ive always hated the way genin Sakura was handled. She's still a fangirl but since she's not obsessed over Sasuke her friendship with Naruko will be a much better. Sakura will help Naruko with the more girly things while Naruko will help Sakura mature into a better and more focused shinobi.

Oh and Konohamaru has a crush on Naruko. Lol.

Please tell me if you guys liked the chapter!