Sakura bounded in the direction he'd gone. What else could she do? So many things made no sense. But they made no sense in a way that suggested her lacking understanding rather than their sensei being whimsical. The egregious penalties, the choice to place them on teams but allow only one to pass, Sasuke's armband responding positively to her, but most of all... She glanced down at what had once been a geometrical pattern on the front of her armband. Right now it displayed the kanji for 'HEAL.' She had noticed Sasuke's armband undergoing a similar change but she wasn't able to catch the word before he ran off. Sometime during their fight, both their armbands had the patterns on them converted. That wasn't a coincidence.

This is the kind of thing I'm good at, Sakura thought. Noticing discrepancies. Piecing puzzles. Word problems. Sakura excelled at having a brain mostly.

Who are you dissing? Inner Sakura asked.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered to herself as the sound of his feet striking tree branches reached her. Then her lips quirked sheepishly as she realized she'd answered Inner Sakura's question.

You plan to get him to listen, don't you? She continued. You're such a fool. You'll probably make him lose his own shot at this with your dumb distractions. You should stay out of the way of people that have a chance at winning.

I don't need your commentary right now. I'm too close to the answer. Just leave, Sakura thought back.

What are you thinking, you're gonna get rid of me like that? I'm the rational side of you. As much as I want to distance myself from the human equivalent of trash that is your being, I can't. Suck it, Inner Sakura said.

Rational? she thought incredulously. Rational? Do you think I want you? All my life you've terrorized me. You've made it impossible for me to get anywhere or do anything meaningful.

Look at you shifting the blame. You're like this. You'll never take accountability for the way you are. Maybe that's why I'm here, Inner Sakura said. Since, you'll never change.

I don't care whether or not I can change. Not now. Not this time. This time, I have to win. Everything rests on these exams - so disappear, Sakura thought. Her throat throbbed. It was hopeless of course. Even if she receded for some time, she'd come back again. The torture never ended.

Okay then, Inner Sakura agreed. I'll go away. But you'll miss me.

You need me.

Sakura shuddered at the certainty that ring in those words. Not now, she thought. Don't let her get you today. It's the most important day of your life.

She stopped short of a clearing, lurching backwards to keep herself concealed. Sasuke was standing right in front of her, but it didn't look like he noticed. He looked frozen in place, but she couldn't garner much else since his back was to her. Ahead of him, Kakashi was speaking next to a... strangely immobilized Naruto.

"... Right now, you've lost, Sasuke. Maybe, if you two or you three had charged at me, maybe with your combined effort… "

What? Combined effort? The three of them? Kakashi had eradicated any potential for teamwork from the get-go. These cutthroat rules and shockingly cruel penalties left no ability to even think of getting close to the other members let alone fighting alongside them. To say such a thing now... Sakura clenched the side of her dress in her fist. How could he?

Wait.

This was too out-of-character. Even for Kakashi, it made no sense to bring up such a thing. Either this was another one of his methods to rile them up into losing their cool (it was working seeing that both Sakura and Sasuke - who was practically foaming at the mouth at this - were thrown off by it). But it was too nonsensical. Like all the other nonsensical things that felt like they should make more sense. If only she...

Now, Kakashi was proposing an even more ludicrous idea: Taking Naruto's armband while he was unconscious, and he was even willing to bend the rules to allow Sasuke to win for this action.

It's a trick, Sakura thought. He has no intention of letting Sasuke pass. He's just checking to see whether he'll cave. If I was in Sasuke's position...

She probably would. As disgusting as it sounded, there was such an insurmountable pressure after knowing that beating Kakashi was beyond any of them. She didn't even want to look down at Sasuke and catch a view of his face or posture right now. She was scared she'd end up judging him for simply wanting to win.

"Stop talking," Sasuke said in a pained voice in response to Kakashi's goading.

It was unintentional, but her eyes fell on him. This time, though, her eyes fell on his armband, specifically the words written on it.

'FIGHT'

She felt like she'd seen that somewhere. Just now. A moment ago. Where was it? It was right around...

Naruto's armband! It mirrored Sasukes' 'FIGHT.' Hers proclaimed 'HEAL.'

If they were meant to fight and she was meant to heal then...

Sakura raised a hand to cover her mouth.

Kakashi's armband brazenly screamed the answer to the test.

'TARGET'

.

"Take his armband while he's knocked out. I'll let you become a genin."

Sasuke drew his breath slowly, quietly, like that of a criminal waiting to be sentenced. "And how am I supposed to trust you on that? How can you just change the rules on your whims?"

Kakashi seemed to find this response amusing. "Firstly, like I said, you understand the test better than anyone else. The world of shinobi is dog-eat-dog. If you'll crush your pride, your honour and attack your own teammate while he's down - which I think we can agree is kind of a scumbag move - you'll prove to me that you've learned the lesson. The reason why I'm giving you this way out is because it's not really a way out. If anything, it's a test that competes with fighting against me for the armband, isn't it?"

He's right, Sasuke thought, nails digging into his palm, his blood drumming in his ears. Who could ever do that? There's no way I would ever... I'd ever... I couldn't imagine. I'd rather just lose.

"But then again," Kakashi shrugged, "if you can set aside that pesky pride, isn't it as hard as walking over here and tearing it off him?"

"Stop talking," he whispered hoarsely. "Just stop it."

"What was that?"

Sasuke was spared from having to repeat himself because someone tackled him from behind, grabbing him tightly around the middle, "Don't do it!"

"Let. Me. Go. Sakura!"

He threw his head back to smash it into hers but she managed to dodge. Thankfully, she lost her grip and fell back.

"What are you doing?! Are you losing it?"

"I'm so so sorry, I - no, wait!" She thrust a palm at his face.

Sasuke pulled his neck back distastefully.

"Don't look at me. Don't say anything mean. Don't. I won't... be able to explain. It's already impossible to talk to you. Please just listen. I think I've figured out the test."

He stole a glance at Kakashi, who was watching them intently, but didn't look like he planned to intervene. "Ugh, whatever. Make it quick."

She hopped to her feet but kept her eyes on the ground. She began talking fast, taking little time to even breathe, "This whole test is wrapped up in lies. Kakashi-sensei said something about deception. That's probably what's going on here. We're not supposed to be fighting against each other. We're all meant to band together to fight Kakashi. It's about teamwork."

Sasuke opened his mouth to try to counter the absurd statement but Sakura cut him off with the same palm in face technique - what was with her personality change? "Don't interrupt! The armbands are a clue. Mine says 'HEAL,' both yours and Naruto's say 'FIGHT' and Kakashi's says 'TARGET.'"

"But they're all patte... " Sasuke immediately stood corrected. There wasn't a pattern anymore, instead the kanji for 'HEAL' written on Sakuras'. Likewise, Naruto, his and Kakashi's patterns had all disappeared and been replaced with the corresponding words. "What... "

She lowered her voice, her words were charged with the same excitement from before (... when she'd clocked him across the face), "I'm saying he's trying to get us to fight between each other and lose sight of the real thing. It's not a battle royale. We have a common enemy. This also explains why instead of loosening your armband, my hits tighten it. It's because I'm meant to heal."

Sasuke turned to look at Kakashi, matching the level of her voice to keep him from overhearing. "Say you're right, then why can only one of us become a genin? Kakashi-sensei's only got one armband, so why would we ever team up?"

"I have an answer for that, too," she said. "He's been putting so much pressure on us to work against each other, but it's part of an act. If he's misleading us on so many things, the armbands all pointing to teamwork, then why can't this also be an act? Just think about it. Maybe those who work together can pass?"

"You're reaching because you want everyone to come out a winner. Because you don't want to accept the reality," he said and then sighed. "I have to win, and it doesn't matter to me if it's only me that gets to. You're on your own, Sakura."

She opened her mouth but was cut off.

"What are you two whispering about? Sasuke, would you rather Sakura get this offer? Maybe she's man enough to do it."

"Shut up."

"Oh, are you speaking up now?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and focused. "I'm sick of being manipulated. I'm sick of this stupid scenario. You can't call me any less of a man for refusing to fight an unconscious person - even if he totally sucks and deserves it. If anything, you're the one whose trash for suggesting such a thing. I'm not going to crush my honour to win. It's the only damn thing thats ever mattered to me."

He opened his eyes and ran headlong towards Kakashi. It came like second nature, he didn't even recall drawing the hand signs before he sucked in a breath and a ball of fire raced up his throat and burst out of his chest.

Kakashi let out a shout and jumped up to evade it, but a spark caught onto the ends of his shoes. He tamped it down hastily. "Ready to lose?"

"I'm not going to let that stop me from trying." He flung a few shuriken and Kakashi skipped out of the way and towards him. Sasuke smirked. He didn't mind fighting in close quarters. He threw a jump kick at Kakashi's chin from the ground. Kakashi grabbed him by the shin. Sasuke twisted his body and landed a solid hit from the side of his fist.

"But you're open now," Kakashi said, grabbing that wrist with his other hand. He shifted to fling Sasuke's body to the ground only to let go abruptly of his leg.

The reason was a kunai that flew straight through the space where they had connected. Sasuke used the distraction to wrest his wrist out too and skidded a safe distance backwards.

"She's helping you?" Kakashi said surprised. "How'd you convince her to do that?"

"Beats me," Sasuke said and then suddenly wished he hadn't said that aloud. He should've pretended it was planned.

Sakura had positioned herself further away so as not to get caught in the crossfire. Though from the looks of it, she was cautiously inching towards where Naruto was situated.

"Okay, then." Kakashi cracked his neck. "I'll get a little more serious."

.

Why am I even helping him? she thought.

She'd nearly talked reason into him, but she didn't have anthing substantial when it came to Kakashi's one genin rule. If he had deceived them so much then was it that much of a stretch to assume that only one genin passing was also a lie? She had hoped Sasuke would buy this. But he also had a point. Maybe her emotions were clouding her judgement, and she naively stuck to an outcome where the whole team could pass. Or maybe just her and Sasuke. It wasn't as though Naruto was going to listen to her patiently. He wasn't going to hold her hand and welcome her fantasies. Who cared about him, anyway? Sasuke was bad enough already. She couldn't dream of arguing with Naruto.

Ha ha ha... ha ha, Sakura thought, sweat running down her forehead as she ducked and ran forward. What am I even thinking?! Do I have a deathwish?

She had crossed the clearing following along the trees and was almost at Naruto's side now.

She threw a handful of shuriken to thwart Kakashi's dodging at the other end of the clearing. He must have expected it because he used Substitution jutsu to evade it and then appeared behind Sasuke.

Sakura finally reached him. His armband was a light pink now, even lighter than her hair. It had dropped down to his wrist. She clenched her teeth against a wave of dread.

He stirred.

Oh no, Sakura thought, no, no, no.

She couldn't have him waking right now. He would definitely misunderstand and take her armband off in no time.

It couldn't be helped. She procured a rope from the pouch inside her jacket and tied his hands together behind him as gingerly as possible. Sakura fought off a wave of nervousness as she prepared herself for the next part.

Naruto's head snapped up. Sakura stumbled back, and was rendered completely incapacitated by the emotion that poured out of his eyes.

Intense hatred.

This was... There was something wrong with him. There was something wrong with the amount of passion he looked at her with. Sakura hadn't done anything to deserve that look.

He blinked as it dawned on him that he was bound. Quietly, he asked, "Did you... do this? Or did Kakashi?"

Sakura swallowed. She couldn't let her anxiety ruin everything. She'd had the guts to speak to Sasuke. She could do it again. And besides, she didn't have time to hold back; his armband was turning whiter every second that passed. "I, I did it. But please, please hear me-"

"Do I look pathetic to you, right now?" Naruto asked, cocking his head.

"Huh?"

"Falling for a simple genjutsu. It must be tempting to take advantage of me. I guess I asked for it."

"B-But I didn't say any of that."

He continued as if he hadn't heard her. As if he were speaking to himself. His hair fell over those chilling eyes. "I've always treated you as beneath me, so you're making the score even."

"What? No, that's not it. You, you don't understand."

"Don't act so innocent. Don't try to convince yourself you're better. How satisfying must it be to have the arrogant Hokage's son be put in his place? To never be a ninja? To become a source of humiliation for anyone that knows him? You want that so badly, don't you?"

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. Yes. He scored far above her in many of the Academy's subjects. She couldn't compete with his taijutsu or his ninjutsu. She couldn't dream of being related to someone as important as the Hokage. Heck, she couldn't even imagine belonging to a ninja clan. Sakura had so much to be envious of. Sakura had so much to hate about him.

But she had never, ever wanted anything bad to happen to him.

"It makes sense. You finally got your chance while I'm knocked out. You'd never muster up the courage to fight me. You can't even talk to me without stammering. All this newfound confidence... it comes from seeing me down, doesn't it? Someone that looks so pathetic that they should be taken advantage of." His face changed. He wasn't looking at her anymore. He was looking at a thing. "You repulse me. You're so worthless and cowardly. You're everything I hate."

Until now, that is.

Sakura couldn't see him through the tears. Even though he was right in front of her.

What had Sasuke implied before? Maybe her best wasn't enough? Maybe Kakashi was right and she was too weak to be a ninja? Maybe... Maybe she had made all of this up, and there was no other meaning to the test, only so she could persuade Naruto and Sasuke to fight beside her, for her? Only so that she wouldn't be left alone. Weak. Helpless. Fragile.

Because all she had ever been in her life was worthless and cowardly. Somehow, she had the audacity to think she could be more. But whenever she tried, whenever she fought away the demons, she couldn't rest before more came to feast on her sorrows, to remind her of her place. She couldn't change. No one would allow her to. Not herself. Not the people around her.

I give up, she thought. She wasn't devoid of emotion. She lacked the capacity to process more than this. I can't face this world. If I keep going, the ugliness will get inside.

Please... please help me. Anyone.

Gladly, Inner Sakura answered from the darkest depths of her mind.

-/-

"When you say 'worthless and cowardly,'" she asked, "aren't you talking about yourself?"

Naruto's brow wrinkled at this change in tone.

"You're bound and completely at my mercy, so you'll say anything to get out of the situation. You think I'll fall for these cheap insults? That genjutsu must have cracked open your head. Or is it that I'm in a position of power for the first time, and the so-called son of the Hokage can't handle it, so he's blubbering out all he can to stall. He's trying to trash talk me down." She grabbed his collar, putting a knee down and pulled his face close to hers. "I bet I'd feel pretty 'worthless and cowardlyif I did something like that. Wouldn't you?"

His face had changed colour, as if a ghost was standing in front of him. "... Sakura?"

"Say hello, darling," she grinned savagely. "I'm the one inside."

I hope you guys enjoy the different takes I have on these characters. I know I take a lot of liberties, but there are reasons behind the changes that should make sense come time. Just be patient.

Trivia: Sakura never cut her bangs. She carries the same insecurities she had in her childhood.

As always forgive the grammar, write a review, thanks for your kindness.