A/N: This is called Evening. I don't own it.

Sakura watched in her peripheral vision as Sasuke stiffened at the new boy named Gaara. She turned to study the obviously skilled boy that managed to surprise all of them. Not that she would show it.

"I told you," the raspy voice came again, "Not to bring attention to us." Out of nowhere, sand enveloped the redhead and he appeared up next to Sakura. He stared openly at her, then back to Kankuro and Temari. His sand reeks of blood. This boy most likely uses it as a weapon.

"Gaara, please! Kankuro didn't mean to—"

"Shut up, or I kill you."

"No hesitation to threaten," Sakura observed aloud. "And your sand smells quite fetid."

Sasuke blinked in surprise. His teammate hadn't spoken that much after the escort mission. Now that she mentioned it, the sand did smell especially bad.

Gaara turned back to look at Sakura and Sasuke once more in interest. "Let's go, Kankuro, Temari." His raspy voice sent shivers down Naruto and the Academy students' spines.

"H-hey, —ttebayo! From your headbands, and what Sakura-chan said, you're from Suna! What're you doing here, —ttebayo?!"

Temari turned and smirked. Her eyes flickered to the dark-haired Uchiha before going back to Naruto. "We're competing in the Chūnin Exams. Don't you know anything?" She turned back around, and the three genin began walking away from them again.

"Wait." This time, Sasuke spoke. "What's your name? The one with red hair."

The boy glanced at him, not turning fully. "I'm Gaara. I won't pretend that I'm not interested in you. What's your name?"

Sasuke smirked. "Sasuke Uchiha."

Gaara nodded, then looked at Sakura, who wore the same expressionless face. "And you?"

"Sakura." Her answer was curt, and then she turned and walked away from the questioning stares burning her back and Naruto complaining how no one wanted to know his name. This year will be interesting.

:::

Sakura sat in her and Shikamaru's usual spot. As soon as she arrived, he opened his eyes, nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then went back to napping. After an hour of Sakura studying her scroll, they both heard yells. "Shikamaruuuu!" And another. "Shikamaruuuu! Where are you, you lazy bum?!"

Then came the sound of eating chips. "Shikamaru's probably in the usual spot."

"Choji, do you ever stop eating? It's not good for you, geez!"

"I can't help it, Ino. I'm hungry!" The whiny voice was muffled from the barbecue chips he was eating.

Ino sighed, then spotted Shikamaru. "Hey, you lazy idiot! We've been looking for y—Forehead!"

Both Sakura and Shikamaru looked up. "Ino," the pinkette greeted before slipping the scroll into her wide sleeve and standing up. The lazy genius motioned for her to help him up, which she did.

Now on his feet, Shikmaru glanced at his two teammates. "You two are troublesome," he muttered, then yawned.

However, instead of paying attention to the brunette, the blue-eyed girl was glaring at Sakura. "I see you've got a new outfit to impress Sasuke-kun," she sneered, crossing her arms.

"Hn," the pinkette turned and began walking away from Team 8.

"I'm not finished!" The blonde yelled, and grabbed Sakura's small wrist. "You—!" Ino froze. "Your ear..." The males turned and looked in interest. "H-how did you..." She stuttered and immediately looked guilty for yelling at the other girl.

"Hn," Sakura grunted again, and turned, jerking her wrist away from the girl.

"Sakura..." The blonde stared after her supposed arch-nemesis. "What happened to her?"

Shikamaru yawned. "Mission."

As the three genin walked to the BBQ place where Asuma was waiting, Ino stayed silent in thought.

:::

"Duckbutt." Sasuke turned to whoever was calling his old nickname.

"Sakura."

The pinkette nodded to him. "Want to go on a walk?"

His eyebrows shot up. Sakura wants me to walk with her? The tips of his ears began to turn red; he could feel it. "Hn."

"You know, Duckbutt, how the Chūnin Exams are coming up?"

Sasuke glanced at Sakura weirdly. She was never this talkative, even before the mission. "Hn."

"Do you think Naruto will pass?"

Immediately, the Uchiha narrowed his eyes. Her speech pattern is off. Sakura never calls Dobe 'Naruto'. It's always 'Ramenboy'. And for me, lately it's been my actual name, not 'Duckbutt'. Which means...whoever this is, it's someone that hasn't encountered us since that stupid escort mission. But who would...?

"Duckbutt? What's wrong with you?"

They're sloppy. Sakura never uses contractions, either!

"Tch, that's a terrible copy of Sakura...Iruka." The fake pinkette failed to hide the shock on her face. "You're wearing the current outfit of hers, so you've already tested her," Sasuke decided. "Did she pass?"

There was a poof from the imposter and his old Academy sensei appeared. "Hehe," he scratched the back of his head. "She passed. With flying colours, too!" And she attacked my clones ruthlessly, Iruka thought to himself. Nothing noteworthy, however, only standard Academy taijutsu. Will Sakura make it?

"Hn." Sasuke grunted and turned away, continuing on the way to the Uchiha Compound. He ignored the concerned gaze on his back as he kept walking further down the road.

:::

"So, did my students pass?" Kakashi didn't try to hide the smug look on his face, already partially hidden by his navy mask.

"Did Team Seven pass, Iruka?" The Hokage asked, taking in another breath of smoke from his pipe.

"Yes..." The chūnin scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I'm surprised with Naruto's growth and maturity."

"And..." The old man and Team Seven's sensei glanced at each other. "Nothing particularly special about the others?"

"Both Sasuke and Sakura were excellent, as usual." But for the Chūnin Exams...

"Very well. The two of you are dismissed." Kakashi and Iruka both bowed and left together, walking side-by-side.

"You know Iruka...you don't have to worry about my little genin." The jōnin smiled at the brunette. "They'll be fine."

The Academy sensei smiled back. "I'm positive they'll be fine, now."

"Great!" The grey-haired man poofed away, leaving Iruka by himself.

:::

"The Chūnin Exams?! We get to compete, —ttebayo? That's awesome, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto began jumping around, flailing his arms and yelling how much ramen he was going to eat when he celebrated. "I'll get to show those stupid Suna guys what's up!"

"And you are certain we are qualified already?" Sakura questioned, her arms hidden in her sleeves as she crossed them.

As usual, their sensei ignored her, and as usual, no one said anything about it. "Here are your permission slips. Get them signed by...your guardians? Uh, either way, meet up on the third level of the Academy. That's where the first part is bing held. Make sure you have the slips." Kakashi scratched his head, unable to deal with the awkwardness of the situation. "Well, I've gotta go, bye!"

"Guardians..." Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other, then to Sakura. "What are we supposed to put down?"

"My guardian is not around. He will most likely not be around until next month," Sakura replied, turning away and heading to the training grounds to meditate.

"Sakura-chan has a guardian?" Both boys watched as the pinkette walked away, not making a sound. Sasuke turned. There's a lot we still don't know about her.

Chūnin Exams! What will happen during them?

What WILL HAPPEN NEXT?!

Guys I'm working on a mini-project I probably won't even post, but it is a superhero AU based off of Miraculous!