Encouragement is Defiantly Needed

"Naruto stop!" I wheeze out my free hand clutching my chest as we arrive at the front gate of school.

It's good for me to work out, I need to keep my heart strong so I can continue living, but suddenly running for basically a mile nonstop isn't what's best for me. I just don't have that kind of stamina.

I glance up as he turns to look at me, I can only imagine my face being flushed and covered with a thin sheen of sweat.

"Ah! I'm sorry Sakura-chan! I forgot about your heart!" he exclaims, his eyes wide with worry and fear.

"It's okay," I breathe "because of you we got here with enough time to walk to class together." I smile weakly in encouragement.

Frantically Naruto looks away with a light blush to his cheeks, or maybe he's just as flushed as me? I don't know.

"You bastard! You could have killed her!" Inner explodes at the blond causing him to jump in shock.

"Inner!" I snap, shutting her up with my sharp tone "meet me where mom picked me up yesterday."

She didn't respond she only continue to roast the poor guy alive with her gaze.

"Inner!"

She looks my way with a serious expression on her face, giving me a slow nod of acceptance she stalks away. Calling out over her shoulder, "Idiot you better protect her until I come pick her up!"

Insulted Naruto yells out, "You bet I will! Believe it!" Causing the rest of the stragglers who are also in danger of being late to turn and stare.

Hastily I pull him towards the entrance, hoping that despite my pink hair nobody will notice me.

It's a nice lie, I think.

We make it to class just as the bell rings.

Luckily enough our first period is with Kakashi-sensei who, Naruto explained to me, is always late.

So that's why it was so funny yesterday when we were later than him.

Sitting in the same seats as yesterday I twist towards Naruto.

"Hey listen Naruto," I whisper "if Inner or any of the other…things we see try to talk to you don't talk back in a public place." I haven't told him the things he sees are demons, I don't know how he will react, especially when I have to tell him about the demon locked away in his body/

"Why?"

"Because otherwise you might be sent into a hospital like I did. I don't want that to happen to you so I'll help you with…whatever is causing you to see them now okay?"

He smiles, closing his brilliant eyes. "Thank you Sakura-chan!"

"Hm."

The hum causes us to look up at Sasuke, who surprisingly enough is actually not looking so well. Is it because he left his body last night?

"Sasuke-kun are you okay?" asks a female student with short black hair.

He grunts ignoring her and taking his seat.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah bastard you don't look so good." Naruto lifts his hand reaching out to Sasuke's forehead as if to check his temperature.

Sasuke flinches then smacks the startled blonds hand away.

"Don't touch me," he hisses keeping his face down.

"What the hell? I was just seeing if you had a fever!"

"Well I don't!"

I lean forward, stilling Naruto's hand from slamming on his desk. I look towards Sasuke, about to ask him what's wrong when I see that's he's staring intensely at my hand.

"Sakura…are you okay?" he asks.

I blink, "well I'm pretty tired. I couldn't get a lot of sleep last night." I glare at him. "Too much on my mind."

He grunts then the door open, Iruka-sensei walks in with Kakashi-sensei following him, a pout on his face.

What the? Never mind, I think. How come Iruka-sensei is here?

A fuzzy noise comes from the speaker in the ceiling.

"Ugh! Not the speech again!" Naruto complains as Sasuke sighs.

"Hello students of Konoha High School," speaks an old strong voice that sounds vaguely familiar, "for those of you whom do not know who I am this is your Principle Hiruzen Sarutobi. I hope that you all enjoyed your summer vacation and first semester here, made many friends and are ready to embark on our interesting program."

"For the last twelve years this school and many others throughout the continent have been a part of the National Interlinked Northern Juvenile Assembly."

I blink, the National…doesn't that spell out NINJA!?

"This program was created in an attempt to help prepare students for live after high school and college in response to the tragedies that have befallen us all. Though each Elemental State has its own set rules and regulations we all have a status quota. And that is to bring each other closer together. As such you students have all taken questioners to help your teachers and I choose whom you shall be working together with this semester."

Why is our so called 'peaceful program' spelled after stealthy assassins who have a thing for socks? Doesn't that get rid of the whole hand holding teamwork image? I wonder.

"Once you're placed in your team you will have the opportunity to go out on assignments to help the less fortunate and gain rewards that can go from a week of no school to college scholarships. Some assignments for special teams may even be out of our country. While out on these assignments it is important to be respectful and dignified as you are a representative of our school. The ranking of these assignments go from D to S in standards of simplicity with D ranking of common community service to S as tutoring an ambassador's child. This is a fun program but it is also school work as well so do your best and don't forget detention and other punishments will be given to the whole team instead of the individual so you learn to understand the consequences of your actions."

That's black mail and bribery isn't it? Do good we pay for your schooling do bad see how others around you are suffering? What the hell? Who even came up with this program?

"I would also like announce that this year's Chuunin Exam will be held at our school. For those of you who do not know the Chuunin Exam is friendly joint festival held between all the Elemental State where their most advanced teams will be sent to one another's gifts in hopes of achieving the opportunity to go to each of our privileged ANBU College's. The exam will be held in eight weeks you have until the end of the month to qualify to be one of the selected teams to represent out school. Your homeroom teachers will now call out your teams as they will be your guardians while you are out on assignments. Have a pleasant day."

The speaker clicks off, killing the fuzzy white noise.

With a loud clap Kakashi-sensei calls out to the class

"Alright my students here are the names of your teammates, Jiro Nakamura, Iko Narumi and Shinku Haruka you are Team 1…"

I bite my lip as I look down at my hands that are fiddling with the edge of my skirt. I wish Inner was here I could really use some of her in site because I can't help but feel like there is something wrong with this program. It doesn't feel peaceful, it feels sinister…

"Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha you are Team 7." I jerk up, looking at my strange perverted teacher with relief filling me, whatever the problem is with this school I can at least be with my friends. "Please wait after class in order to receive your first assignment as a Team."

"Hello Iruka-sensei," I smile in greeting. My teammates and I are currently standing in front of the classroom while Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei are smiling kindly to us. Obviously they don't think this whole situation is strange. Is it because I didn't grow up in society but in a hospital? I mean I love to help people but…this just seems too good to be true.

"Hello Haruno-san, Sasuke-kun and Naruto." The scared man greets. "You three are lucky you are given the first assignment of the semester, like always it is a D rank so it isn't very difficult to do." I raise my hand.

"Yes Sakura?" Asks Kakashi.

"I was just wondering what about other class's homework and how will we be doing these assignments during school hours?"

"Good question Haruno-san. Well the way it is that each Team will have one assignment a week. If your assignment requires you to not attend school for any amount of days you will have to go onto the school's website and do the assignments your teachers schedule while you are away and turn them in digitally unless said assignment tells you otherwise. However simple D ranks are basically afterschool activities so you will not miss any unwanted days of school." He concludes with a kind smile.

"That being said I was told to come here and explain your situation to your Team as you are a special case. Of course will every Team the students have the right to refuse an assignment but in your situation I have to know what it is you feel comfortable in doing or not."

"Hmm well what situation does my cute student find herself in Iruka?" questions Kakashi-sensei in a teasing voice and an eye smile.

"Her health is in question. She must take multiple medications a day I want to make sure neither of her teammates will try to take any."

"Awe! Come on Iruka-sensei!" complains my blond friend to my right "I know better than to take any unknown medicine! Besides I've never been sick before in my life!"

I look at him questionably. What about last night when you had your fever?

The pony-haired man sighs. "I know Naruto but you caused your Team the last three semesters to be stuck on D ranks. I need to know that your ticks won't end up with Haruno-san losing her medication."

"Tch, don't worry about this moron. I'll make sure he stays away from her medication."

On my left stands Sasuke, who still looks somewhat ill but not nearly as bad as before.

"Good, now Haruno-san I know you don't have a seventh period so the school would like for you to wait for your team every day you have an assignment in classroom 103 so you can all participate. So today after school please wait there." I nod and assure him that I will. I hope before we leave I can find Inner.

"Now your first assignment is…you must find the governor's wife's cat Tora."

A/N:

Alright! I finally figured out the programs name! NINJA ha! I know cheesy but come on! It's a Naruto Fan Fiction!

And this my readers is how the Adventure will be introduced…by finding a lost cat that everyone in Naruto hates haha!