(A/N: Play music for more effect.)

What am I supposed to say? Sakura asked the voice in her head.

It's rude to pick on someone!

"I am not injured fatally," She said, dusting herself off. "But it is not fine to pick on others. Leave this boy alone."

The leader sneered, and picked her up roughly by the collar of her dress. "Oh yeah? And what will you do about?"

Sakura said nothing as she stared into his eyes, never breaking eye contact, or blinking. He shifted uneasily. "Huh? I asked you! What are you going to do about it?"

It is interesting. Judging by the way he targets younger kids suggests insecurities. The physical contact he makes suggests physical abuse. There is something that this boy is hiding.

"I am aware what happens at home," She said, finally breaking the silence. "I know."

The boy's small black eyes widened more. "W-what are you talking about?" He shook her, making her jolt, and Naruto yell again.

"I know..." Sakura impersonated the signature piercing stare she had seen Anko make when she didn't receive the correct amount of money from the cashier working at the dango shop. All the while, her voice remained monotonous like usual.

"You don't know anything!" The pinkette was thrown to the ground, earning a surprised cry from Naruto, who was still hanging on a branch by his black shirt.

"I know I do. And I also know you shouldn't mess with me," She said coolly, eyeing them scrutinizingly, before making a move to stand back up.

When they saw her beginning to move, the three boys ran away. One of them sneered over their shoulder and yelled, "We'll be back for you, Uzumaki freak! That is, when that weird ghost girl's not there to protect you!"

Sakura glanced over to the base of the tree and spotted a flat stone. Impassively, she picked it up and threw it at the one that had yelled. Far away, they saw him fall down before scrambling to get back up. "Wow! You're so cool! I'm Naruto Uzumaki! What's your name, —ttebayo?"

She answered shortly with a clipped tone, showing she didn't want to speak. "Sakura."

"Oh! Well, that fits," He said sheepishly, rearranging his goggles. "Thanks for defending me, dattebayo! When I become Hokage, I'll make sure you're in a position of power! Anyway, that throw was amazing, —ttebayo!"

Hokage? What makes him think he could be Hokage?

I was right, you know. I told you that if you did something for him, he would return it! And that's when he's Hokage...

There is no guarantee that he will become Hokage.

Touché.

It is common sense.

"A-ah, could you help me, —dattebayo?" Naruto was still hanging on a branch.

Wordlessly, Sakura nodded looked for a spot on the branch where she could hit for him to be released. When she successfully freed Naruto, he beamed at her. "Thanks, Sakura-chan!"

The pink-haired girl simply bobbed her head, then went back to staring at the window where the Hokage's office was. "U-um, Sakura-chan?" She turned to look at Naruto. "Are you new? I've never seen you around...and you defended me. No one goes near me," He confessed, hanging his head sadly.

"Why is it?"

Some villages can be fairly aggressive to people that scare them. Perhaps he has a special talent or skill. Although, the whisker marks...

"I'm not sure," He said, playing with the hem of his shirt. Sakura took this time to study the boy. He had standard navy shinobi sandals, white shorts with a single strip of navy on each side, and a black shirt with the Uzumaki seal on the front. Nothing out of the ordinary, other than the goggles he wore.

Ah, it's what I suspected. He doesn't realize it.

What is it does he not realize?

No, you will find out soon enough.

"That is not unusual," Sakura finally remarked. "Villages do that to plenty of people."

Naruto looked up. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better, —ttebayo!"

I was not. It is completely factual.

Don't say that! Just—nod or something.

Sakura nodded to him. "Sakura! Let's go!" Anko barked as she walked down the stairs. When she saw the blonde, she hid her unease quickly. "Hokage-sama said that the village would pay for you. We just have to find one that qualifies for the Elder's requirements."

"O-oh, you're going? Will I see you again?"

Sakura nodded silently before saying, "The Academy. Goodbye."

"Bye, Sakura-chan!" Naruto waved at her. What does that mean? Waving?

It's a form of saying goodbye or hello. It's more informal, though.

Sakura made a small wave before turning to Anko. As the two walked, Anko spoke up. "You shouldn't hang around that kid. He's bad news."

"Why?"

"Just is," She replied. "Brat, what happened to your dress?"

"Three Academy students were fighting Naruto, so I helped him." And now I am left with a half-baked deal that may never come true. In addition, I have at least three enemies now, and they will bring reinforcements.

"Oh. That's strange. You haven't shown interest in others. And let's go find an apartment. Then we have to go clothes shopping. Again." Anko cursed and laughed maliciously, thinking of ways to get back at the brat.

"I did not want a dress to begin with. It is impractical and flimsy, especially if I want to become a shinobi."

"Eh? So the brat does want to be a shinobi? That's interesting. Do you know any..." Her eyes flashed. "Ninjutsu? Genjutsu? Taijutsu?"

Sakura shook her head. "No. I have not been exposed to anything. This is my first time seeing trees, plants...other people. I will most likely die from disease."

Anko grimaced. Orochimaru did a bang up job for making this kid's life hell. "Let's go into this district, see what's available there."

It was a fairly safe and clean district, the majority living in the area being civilians. "The only thing is," Anko grumbled as they had to turn down a fifth apartment, "The damn Elders made the budget very low. The only place that you could live in would be the slums."

"Slums: an overpopulated urban district or street that in inhabited by poor people."

"You're like a walking dictionary. First shinobi, and now this? You need to meet Shikaku and his son," She muttered. "Both very intelligent, both very lazy."

"Must I live in the slums? It seems the Elders are against my very existence," Sakura noted calmly.

"Not on my watch, kid," Anko promised. This is the least I can do, after what Orochimaru did.

"The sun is starting to set. It looks unlikely that I will be able to find a residence today."

"Oh yeah?" The chūnin grumbled, "Watch me find something, prejudiced Elders."

The next apartment was small, but had all the necessities. However, it was located in one of the nicest areas in town, so it costed more. "Damn them," Anko cursed. "They don't want you to find a place to live." Sighing, she gave the money from the Hokage to the landlady. Reluctantly, with comical tears in her eyes, she also pulled out her own money, and set out the right amount sadly.

Sakura and Anko headed back up to the new apartment. "You probably want to personalize it, don't you?"

The girl looked at her blankly. "Okay, nevermind, then." Damn brat doesn't even care what I did for her!

"I require clothes," She insisted. "This dress is horrific."

Anko snarled and gave up after ten minutes of Sakura explaining why she needed the right clothes. "Yeah, yeah, let's go already."

What do you think about Sakura's selfishness, or her outright disregard for other people, in general?

When will she see Naruto again?

What will happen next?