A/N: All contents are not beta read.

I do not own Naruto.

._._._.

"Do you recognize this body?"

"I-I yes…"

._._._.

Chapter I

"Today your test is to steal one of these scrolls from me. The deadline for the completion of this task is during morning class at the end of the week. You get caught in the act, you fail. If I catch proof of you being the one to steal the scroll after the fact, minus 50 points. " Nara-sensei announced first thing in the morning, while lazily cleaning out his ear with his pinky. His other hand holding up a number of scrolls, presumably equal to the number of students in the class, with a thick rope coiling around each one to bind them together.

Majority of the class groaned. Ninja Tactics class was always hard to pass- what with Naoki Nara-sensei's unpredictable and often difficult tests.

It was one of the classes where being a paper ninja would never get you anywhere. Being a paper ninja in the first place, would just get you killed, if you even passed into the rank of gennin. Sakura Haruno knew this well. She knew this after the very first year she started training to become a ninja.

Sakura Haruno also knew where her skills lie and exactly how to accomplish the task without lifting a finger.

She shoots a coy smile at Naruto Uzumaki's direction, which he returned with a big smile and a thumbs up—he knew what to do. She also made sure that Kiba Inuzuka saw their exchange, who was seething at the site—just as insurance of course. She couldn't afford to fail this test just because of their propensity for blunder.

._.

"Those who did not even attempt to steal the scrolls, leave the room immediately. Those who I caught and apprehended during their attempt, leave as well." Nara-sensei states, first thing in the morning of the task's deadline. He's sprawled on his chair, lazily flipping through a book, while waiting for all the students whom he dismissed to leave. By the time the last disqualified student had gone there were only ten students left.

Sakura surveys the occupants left in the room; her keen viridian eyes almost glowing in their calm assessment.

Sitting next to her was the Yamanaka Clan heiress, "Ino-chan", who is known as her best friend. Sakura doesn't really care for the title and more times than not, gets annoyed with the overbearing blonde. But someone to take the attention away from her is a must and getting close to an heir to a major clan is also favorable. Surprisingly, the blonde is a good source of information—when it wasn't about her "Sasuke-kun".

A couple of seats to the left near the front of the classroom was Hinata Hyuuga, the Hyuuga Clan's heiress. She's very timid, stutters, impressionable and weak. Sakura wonders if she would have turned out like the pathetic Hyuuga if she had not realized that she wouldn't live to turn fourteen years old during her first year at the academy in her current state. Maybe. But then again, maybe she'd have quit by now. Sakura brushes the thought aside, there was no use in musing about what ifs.

Hinata feels eyes on her so she turns to Sakura's direction. Sakura, upon being caught observing the timid girl only smiled kindly and sent her a small wave. Hinata blushes and bows her head before raising her hand timidly in return. She turns back to the front with a small smile.

Sakura continues to look in her direction and wonders how she got a scroll. An accomplice? Hyuuga connections? Sakura cuts off her train of thought, it was no use speculating, she can just ask the timid girl at a later time.

Sakura then turns her attention to Naruto Uzumaki, who sat beside the Hyuuga, he had his head down on his arms and was snoring quite loudly. Sakura allows her lips to curl upwards slightly, he stayed up late last night, executing his plan of stealing scrolls which took him nearly the whole week to prepare.

He never did share how he did it, only saying that a little ninja wire came a long way. She will have to prepare something in return for him as thanks. A bento will most likely do.

The good thing about the Uzumaki was that he was attention-starved, naïve and often times simple-minded. He doesn't know how to utilize other's feeling of indebtedness to his advantage; this is why I always have him do things for me. Such a nice pet, that one.

A couple seats behind the snoring blonde is Kiba Inuzuka, he's an impulsive piece, always acting brash without thinking. He didn't like the pinkette at first, suspicious of her really—must be his animal senses warning him.—but a small act of "kindness" goes a long way. Especially if one just so happens to be present and able to help when his dog got injured on a training camp.

He was so cute when he tried to give her a scroll, saying that it was an extra- that he mistakenly took two. He may be bristly and brash but he too, is a good pet.

In the far right corner to the front of the class sat Shino Aburame, he hails from a clan of insect wielding shinobi and is very stoic and quiet. He keeps to himself, mostly because the other students do not like insects and found his silence and appearance quite unsociable. Sakura rather thinks that he's just blunt, more than a little awkward and loathes being left out of things.

It's not a surprise he got a scroll. His ability is a particularly useful weapon. Sakura makes a note to endear herself to the Aburame more.

Sakura trains her eyes to Shikamaru Nara next, his form slouched over the table, most likely sleeping once again. Sakura's rather surprised that he made an effort to pass the test. He usually finds these things too troublesome. Sakura slides her eyes back to Ino who alternated between ogling her precious Sasuke-kun and shaking her fist at the sleeping Nara. She probably convinced him to actually try for this one. Ino, despite being a bit vapid, was well informed of academy proceedings, especially since Sakura always reminds her of such things—she must have told Shikamaru that if he didn't pass this test that he would be signed up for remedial classes and that he's more liable to repeat the year. If there's anything that the lazy Nara hated it was getting more work and being pestered by troublesome women. But his intelligence will be of great use in the future, just as long as there is something to motivate him to do any actual work.

Beside the sleeping Nara was Chouji Akamichi. Looking at him, even before they got acquainted, Sakura could already tell of his insecurity—anyone with functional eyes and a working brain can, really. He's conscious of his weight; he was big and wide, towering over everyone.

All ninja must be fit and able to slip in and out tight spots, however the exception to this rule is the Akamichis. Akamichi clan members must eat copious amounts of food in order to replenish their vast chakra stores which are vital for their combat techniques. Sakura honestly doesn't understand why everyone in class was shallow enough to ostracize an Akamichi for their size. Sakura finds that Choji's abilities will be handy in battle if a war were to break out.

Choji must have noticed her staring because soon he was offering her some of his chips over Shikamaru's sleeping body. Sakura politely refuses, telling him that he needs it more, to reward himself for doing a good job at getting the scroll. Choji smiles widely in return, then turns back to his chips.

Sakura wanted to shake her head at how easily manipulated everyone around her is.

And lastly, the one sitting right in front of Sakura's chair was the Uchiha brat. Sasuke Uchiha may be exceptional as compared to everyone else in this room by academy standards but compared to the prodigies that his clan has cranked out in the past generations; Sasuke wasn't really anything particularly special.

Honestly, he is Sakura's goal here. She needed to get close to him, become his friend. So far her efforts seemed in vain. Although he seemed to be considerably less rude to her because she frequently hung out with Naruto, he also resented her presence because of Ino.

The blonde was a rabid fan girl. A waste of air in Sasuke's eyes.

Honestly, Sakura thinks the same but she is smarter than Sasuke in the aspect that she knew that although the Blonde's personality leaves less to be desired, she had utility. Sasuke is ignorant of this, ignorant of how much he can take advantage of people who worship him. This is how Sakura knows that although Sasuke Uchiha was outwardly cold and stoic, his mentality is naïve and self absorbed. He doesn't take notice of others because he finds them beneath himself and he doesn't manipulate or use his influence over others for his own gain because he has never thought to do so—hence naïve.

He's the perfect stepping stone for Sakura's goal—to become the matriarch of an influential ninja clan.

Then lastly, Sakura switches her gaze towards the last student left, Ami Kurotama. She sat at her chair, smirking confidently to herself.

Ami was one of the people who really helped her get to where she was today. In a way, Ami was one of her nurturing pillars. If the arrogant little princess didn't bully Sakura, she may not have opened her eyes to the reality of her putrid helplessness as a child. Ami helped Sakura realize that everyone only cares about themselves—when no one came to her rescue when she was used for shuriken practice by Ami and her little followers—and that people are easily manipulated to serve one's own needs.

The purple haired girl feels her gaze and turns to Sakura's direction showing her an arrogant smirk and a thumbs up. Her actions reasserting the fact that she had no idea that the scroll that Sakura 'stole' for her was a counterfeit. It was a well made counterfeit, thanks to Sakura's affinity for genjutsu but it wouldn't stand a chance against Nara-sensei's keen eyes. Sakura smiles back at her; this arrogant little whore will get what's coming to her.

"Alright, I see that only ten of you are left; form one line in front of me and show me your scrolls." Nara-sensei orders, gesturing in front of him where he wanted the first student to stand.

He makes short work of inspecting the scroll's legitimacy, but when Ami turns her scroll in, approaching the keen Nara in a leisure manner with a triumphant look on her face—he throws a kunai at her. It slides past her, nary an inch away, taking wisps of purple locks with it as it embeds itself onto the wooden door.

"Kurotama Ami, what do you take your sensei for? A fool? Admittedly the genjutsu work you've put on it is on a higher level than what I would have expected from you but ultimately you have failed. Minus ninety five point. Leave the room." Nara-sensei tells the shaking girl. The girl is shaking in fear and frustration but ultimately, anger won out.

She immediately lashes at Sakura who did nothing to defend herself. Ami slaps, punches and scratches but the pinkette just holds her arms in front of her face—having a beautiful and unmarred face is vital to a Kunoichi.—while crying out from the pain.

In an instant Ami is lifted off the injured pinkette by Choji while Naruto holds up Sakura carefully in his arms and Kiba and Akamaru bare their fangs in Ami's direction while blocking her view of Sakura.

Sakura lets tears fall from her eyes and pretends to try and hide them; using a small voice to try and reassure everybody that she was fine while contradicting herself by flinching and shaking when Naruto so much as moves her.

Ami was shouting insults and curses at the pinkette's direction, spouting nonsense about how Sakura betrayed her—no one bothered to listen to her, the normally gentle Akamichi heavy handedly taking her out of the classroom.

After the commotion dies down, Nara-sensei continues on to congratulate the remaining students for passing. He informs them that each scroll contained a c-rank concealment genjutsu for them to learn. Some rejoiced and others groaned but either way, by passing this particular test, they've cemented their right to take next year's gennin examinations.

Sakura smirks as she keeps her head bowed over Naruto's shoulder as he soothes her by rubbing her back.

Everything was going according to plan.

._._._.

"This is… this is Sakura Haruno."

._._._.

Kurotama is translated into "Black Soul". The original character of "Ami" was not given a last name, therefore I took my own liberty with her last name.