Sasuke
"Now for the first match..." Hayate, the Third Exam proctor, coughed. The electric score board shuffled around some names then two showed up. "Ino Yamanaka vs. Sakura Kurosu." He bellowed then coughed…again.
Sakura smiled and shot an evil eye in Ino's direction and the blond growled. They took some time to talk each other's ears off before the match while we all retreated to the upper gallery of the warehouse before we got mixed into this. This was something no one wanted.
"Sakura-hime's fight is starting, Leader-sama~!" The voice was light and bubbly, but held the edge of a man's voice. I glanced sideways and caught sight of three hooded figures.
The one who spoke was tall with spiky brown-black hair and an orange mask covered his face. He stood beside a young couple; the woman had long blood red colored hair, blue eyes and a creamy skin tone and the man had spiked hair, like the masked figure, but instead his was the color of snow and his eyes were a steely grey.
"'Sakura-hime'?"
So many people seemed to call her that: Orochimaru, the teachers, the Hokage, sometimes Naruto...
The man with the orange mask turned to me and spoke again. "Yes! Sakura-hime is Sakura-hime. She is Leader-sama's and Konan-sama's beloved daughter and apple of their eyes~!"
These are Sakura's parents? I cocked an eyebrow. The man with the white hair turned to him and bashed his gloved fist on the masked man's head. Okay, now it's not so hard to believe.
"Shut up." He growled baring his teeth his snake-bite piercings below his lip and his ears glinted in the harsh lighting. The woman next to him chuckled; her ears and lip were pierced as well.
"Well, now we know where Sakura gets her violent nature." Naruto muttered and held his hand out to them. "Hi, I'm Naruto; Sakura's best friend and personal punching bag." The two stared at him for a long moment and Naruto arm, eventually, dropped.
The woman turned to Sakura's father. "Do you and Sakura have some sort of grudge against blond haired, blue eyed males?" The man shook his head.
"No, Konan, they're just so easy to kick around. No grudge, just fun of the sport." I smirked and his steely eyes scanned over me skeptically, like he knew who I was. And everything about me.
It was the same stare Sakura had given me many times before.
It was really starting to piss me off.
In the awkward silence Naruto slipped away to talk to Kakashi and I continued to stare.
The woman, Konan, stepped around her husband and leaned down to eye level with me and before I could stop her she yanked down the collar of my shirt and inspected the curse mark that Sakura had told/ordered me to keep hidden and tell Kakashi-sensei about later.
"I see the Snake Lord has taken an interest in the Uchiha's youngest member." She straightened her back and looked down at me, her cobalt eyes were chilling but held pity. I grinded my teeth together; I didn't want her pity. "Your brother won't be very happy about this." She muttered.
My eyes narrowed. "What do you know about Itachi? How do you all know so much about Orochimaru?" I growled. "I want answers, now."
"You will demand nothing of my wife." Her husband growled, his chakra washed over me, in one strong powerful wave, I took a step back. "And to be honest no one knows where he is. Now enough, my daughter's battle is starting." His voice held a swell of pride and as he smirked down at the arena.
Still shaking from frustrated anger, I turned mutedly and gripped on to the railing until my knuckles turned white. Once I'd calmed down enough I started to pick up what was happening in the fight bellow.
Sakura sent three kunai knives flying towards Ino at speeds that defied all science. She must be using that technique I'd seen in the forest. I called on my Sharingan to watch the match, only to receive a stabbing swell of pain at the effort and I decided to just watch like everyone else.
A moment later a cut appeared on Ino's knee and her upper arm. Then a long strand of blond hair fell to the floor. Ino gasped and murmured something as Sakura ran forward in her distracted state. Making two shadow clones they all jumped at Ino, but Ino seemed to be one step ahead of her and sent three of her shadow clones after Sakura's. Sakura –or the one I presumed to be real- charged on and tore through the clone sent at her.
Sakura's shadow clones disappeared and she landed a punch to Ino's jaw. Her lips moved to words that I couldn't make out and again with that technique she used in the woods, Ino fell backwards and skidded halfway across the room until she stopped.
She needs to say something for someone to fall back or come toward her. I noted. This information could be used to my advantage in the near or far future.
Sakura's father took a quick intake of breath. "She's learning to master your technique." Konan murmured to her husband seemed too surprised to say much of anything at the moment.
"What is she doing?" Naruto asked. The man glared at him.
"It's a family trait. Only my daughter and I can use it and its extremely dangerous when not trained properly." Naruto backed off and I held my ground, and then glanced back at the fight. And it's a kekkei genkai…I'll have to find out more.
Sakura grabbed a hand full of Ino's long ponytail and pulled her up in a sitting position. Then she took out a kunai and let the lamps catch the sheen off the metal. "Call me weak you pay the consequence." With that Sakura brought the kunai down; chopping Ino's long hair off.
Ino screamed and Sakura jumped back from her kicking, punching fury.
"Long hair is way over done." Sakura laughed. Throwing the long newly cut ponytail to the ground. Ino laughed, her lean fingers reached out and touched the discarded hair. Then the pale gold started to glow blue.
Sakura's smile disappeared and she jolted.
"I got you trapped." Ino sang happily. Sakura's eyes widened and Ino brought her arms forward, her fingers making a circle.
"INO! NO!" Shikamaru and Chouji wailed.
"I'll make your lips say 'I give up'." Ino hissed.
"Interesting," Sakura said she started to twitch and with great effort brought her hands together. But before she could do anything else, Ino's body went limp and Sakura's head drooped a little. Her parents didn't even flinch and they continued staring with their cold eyes as everyone else called to them.
"Urgh…!" Sakura grabbed her head and yanked on her hair by the roots.
"What...what the" the voice was higher, more feminine, Ino's.
Then another voice, Sakura's. "…Ino! Get out!" As if that triggered something Ino's lifeless body stirred and she jolted upward and stared at Sakura with wide eyes. "What did you find something in there that scared you?"
Ino said nothing and Sakura made a hand sign. And Ino fainted.
After a good, long five minutes of silence did the proctor coughed and stepped into the middle of the room. "The winner is Sakura Kurosu."
Sakura
In the back room I finished pulling on my new red dress. The old one was too worn and Konan said she wouldn't have her only child running around in rags.
The dress was red, brighter than the first, and didn't have the cuts on the sides. It was mid-thigh, fell off my shoulders to show my black tank top and had long sleeves. Also instead of the old leggings I wore fishnet stocking underneath.
Dad had started to argue, but he could never say no to both of the Akatsuki girls. My mother said I need to show more of my fair skin that she had given me and that beauty shouldn't go to waste.
I glanced in the mirror and started scratching my hair back into a ponytail.
It had gotten long on me and Tobi had asked me not to cut it. He said that I should exercise the rumor of the Uchiha's love for long hair.
Pein said they'd meet me back at the Hokage's house later to discuss my plans for the final round of the exam, which meant going to the Rain Village and training, training and more training. By whom, I wouldn't know until the end of all the matches.
I reentered the warehouse with my head held high and jumped back on to the catwalk to stand between Naruto and Tobi. "What did I miss?" I asked Naruto.
"You missed Sasuke's and Shikamaru's fight, they both won. And after Sasuke's, he and Kakashi-sensei left. Do you know anything about that?"
Yes, you see when you were knocked out in the Forest of Death Sasuke got bitten by this guy named Orochimaru, he's my parents' sworn enemy –don't ask that's a longer story. And anyway when Orochimaru bit Sasuke gave him a curse mark –again don't ask how I know about that- that could kill him if he doesn't learn how to control it. Yeah, I'd love to see his face after that. I sighed inwardly.
Sarcasm; one of the many joys in life.
"No, not really," I said with a faint smile. "Who's up next?" I asked. Naruto pointed at the score board and I glanced up at it curiously.
Finally it landed on two names: Rock Lee and Gaara.
"Yes!" Lee pumped his fist in the air and cheered loudly, saying something about 'reveres sociology' and Naruto laughed too.
"Not good…" I murmured, Naruto shot a glance at me and I looked up at Tobi. "Why couldn't it be one of those Sound guys instead?" Tobi shrugged.
"Tobi don't know, Sakura-hime-sama, but Tobi is a good boy, right?" I bit my lip and glanced at Naruto.
"This isn't going to end well."
~X~
I watched in horror as the medics took Lee away.
"His body is destroyed; he'll never recover enough to be a shinobi again." The head medic spoke softly. Tears sprang to my eyes and I got ready to jump the railing like Naruto and Guy had done.
"Sakura," Kakashi said making me freeze. I turned to my sensei with a questioning glare. "Don't. Your presence will only cause him pain."
Measuring his words in my mind I slowly I climbed off the rail and leaned back against the wall, my eyes finding Gaara's foam ones immediately from across the room.
Gaara had heeded my warning about killing him –mainly because I screamed it in his ear before the match could start and I was his longest term friend. He hadn't killed Lee, to be honest I didn't even think Gaara planned on really hurting him, this severely. But the way that Lee kept jumping around had provoked his inner demon –and Shukaku wasn't known for being merciful once annoyed.
And in result Lee was still able to stand, on sheer will power and stubbornness.
Gaara broke my gaze and half-listened to something his master said. My gaze quickly flickered over to Hinata who looked completely petrified and was shaking at the sight of all the blood and Gaara's demonstration of power.
You haven't lost her yet Gaara, Hinata may be fragile in appearance, but she's strong from years of abuse. I reassured myself in that and waited for the next match to progress so I could decide if I could go retch or not.
~X~
"And that's the end of the Third Exam." The proctor said. "All winners please step forward."
I jumped from the gallery and landed, flawlessly, in the front line. The next half of the exam was a tournament, I knew that much, and I could be fighting anyone.
I turned my head to glare at Neji.
He'd trying to kill Hinata during their match, which I'm sure Hiashi would understand if she died, both were evenly matched but Neji did hold the upper hand. But now, Hiashi was going to have a cow when he found out, but Hinata had gotten her revenge.
She had used the mark on Neji's forehead to throw him into a serious headache. This jutsu was her birthright as a Main Branch family member. Yet Hinata was weak at the moment and fainted a while after Neji's pain had set in, and he came to his knees in submission.
At the moment the male Hyuuga looked drained of all energy and I was more than ready to finish what Hinata had started for her sake.
Any permanent damage and you have one foot in your grave, Hyuuga. I silently promised and then someone stepped in front of my holding a wooden box –it was Anko. She looked battered and worn, plus the tiny scar forming on her cheek, but her eyes still held fire.
"Everyone pick a piece of paper from the box." My hand dove in a grabbed a piece of paper quickly. Once everyone else had done the same, I unfolded the paper to see a number.
Ibiki, the First Exam proctor, walked around and took our numbers. "This is the order you'll be fighting in." He held up the board for us to see, but Naruto had interrupted.
"What! That's how you're deciding this?"
He nodded. "The first fight will be: Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuuga. The second fight will be Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara..."
You're sending my teammates into death matches!
How the hell do you sleep at night?
"The third fight will be Sakura Kurosu and Kankuro. Fourth match Shino Aburame and Dosu Kinuta. And lastly Shikamaru Nara and Temari." I eyed Kankuro, the one who had harassed Konohamaru a week ago. I remember that he fought mainly by controlling puppets –filled with weapons and many other surprises. Lucky Sasori could help me train. He was quite the puppet master himself.
"The Finals will be one month from now. Train hard and get lots of sleep." The Hokage said before ending his speech.
~X~
"Sakura, your family is waiting for you at the main gate. Are you ready?" I glanced up to see the Hokage standing in my doorway.
"I'm all packed." I pulled my traveling pack onto my shoulders and exited my room. Konohamaru refused to leave his room when I told him I was leaving, so I'd slipped a note under his door saying that I was sorry for leaving and told him where Nala hid the candy. He'd come out of his room and tackled me to the floor with a hug.
Then the Hokage had come into the hall and laughed at the sight.
I haven't seen Sasuke since the Third Exams and Kakashi had gone missing too. Everyone knows that Sasuke broke out of the hospital to go train for the last exam. He'd more or less informed me of it himself because this morning there was a note tapped to my window.
Sakura,
You probably already know I broke out of the hospital to train. You can beat me to a pulp when I get back.
Train and don't make a fool out of yourself,
-Sasuke.
Well, at least he was learning manners.
Once we reached the main gate I saw my parents, still in there disguise, with Tobi. Looking up from their conversation they smiled at me.
"Good morning, Lord Hokage." Konan smiled charmingly and the Hokage smirked. "We'll have our daughter back by the end of the month for the finally exam."
"Will you all be attending?"
"Yes," Pein answered for her. "Us and the rest of our clan." He was so pleasant when he said it, it almost seemed innocent. I bit my lip nervously.
Hopefully he wasn't planning anything.
"SAKURA!" I turned and to see Naruto running up behind me.
In a blinding movement of my father's wrist Naruto was on the ground with too much unneeded force and he groaned loudly.
"Ugh, Sakura...?"
"Naruto, you idiot." I grabbed his forearm and pulled him to his feet.
"Ow. Sakura where ya going?"
"Home, I need to train." I quipped.
"But where you going?" He urged on. I'd told him many stories about traveling around the Great Nations, but I never told him where I'd spent most of my time.
"None of your business."
"Never heard of it," Naruto said dumbly. I rolled my eyes and he smiled. "But I'm going to miss your birthday!"
My birthday? Oh, I forgot my birthday was next week!
How could you? Saku asked accusingly.
I've been so busy with everything I hadn't noticed! I argued back. And where have you been?
"Don't worry I'll get you something when you get back." Naruto said smiling.
Yes, I'm very much aware of the spelling mishaps in the last chapter. My computer just won't let me fix them...long story short -it has a mind of it's own.
I'm not really sure I like this chapter that much. Yes, I'm setting up a GaaHina couple for the next story, but I don't want Gaara to be as monterous as he is in the Manga/Anime -although that's what makes him so cool. I want Sakura to have some sort of impact on him (and he will confess to killing the Rain ninja, they haven't been forgotten). And I don't like Sakura's and Ino's fight scene, very loosly based off of want really happened.
Anyways, I got my cell phone back after some begging and practically lived anywhere but home (That'd inculde camping. Very fun. Though I lost my match book.). And I made a semi-okay-ish trailer for this story's sequel 'Sakura of the Akatsuki: Dangerous Game' and if you go to my profile under For My Stories you'll find the link.
Please reveiw,
~QueenVamp