(A/N: Play music in media for more effect!)

Sakura watched disinterestedly as her teammate and old acquaintance fought against each other:

"I won't let you win, Neji!" Naruto panted heavily, clutching his shoulder. It hurt like hell.

"How can you win if you aren't able to access your chakra? It's your destiny to lose, and always be a dead-last," the bitter boy sneered, then turned away. "You can barely stand as I speak." Neji turned to Ibiki. "This match is over. The idiot can't even use his chakra."

The proctor stared at the blonde, who was breathing hard from picking himself off the ground of the arena. "D-don't..." Naruto croaked quietly.

The sadistic T&I proctor smirked. "The match isn't over just yet." Prove them wrong, kid.

"Hmph, I'm not wasting my time." Neji still refused to turn around, even when he heard the scraping of dirt as his opponent got up.

"Don't," Naruto repeated. "Don't ever turn your back on me! This fight...isn't over! I'll prove you wrong once and for all!"

The brunette raised an unimpressed eyebrow, then finally turned. "If that's what you want, then come and get it." He smirked as Naruto made a hand sign generally used for conjuring chakra, shaking his head pitifully, listening to the shouts of frustration. Come on, you stupid fox, lend me some chakra!

Suddenly, all watching leaned over the edges of their seats when an orange aura-like thing surrounded the boy. "That's the Nine-Tails brat," a man whispered to the person beside him.

Did Jiraiya manage to teach Naruto to control the Nine-Tailed Fox? No, he couldn't have done it in a month, the Hokage decided as he watched the jinchūriki move quicker than ever.

Everyone watched as the once annoying, troublesome child of hatred managed to beat the Hyūga prodigy and defy everyone's expectations using sheer determination and willpower.

Above the match, Shikamaru whistled. "Naruto, that idiot, just stumbled right into a big political and ethical controversial topic. That's just like him to want to change a system without even understanding it." He glanced over at Sakura. "What do you think about destiny and whatnot?"

As always, her face remained blank. However, her answer was not at all what the Nara heir was expecting. Instead of a logical explanation, it was much more...philosophical.

"Fate cannot be broken or evaded. It will continue its course. It is something that is incorruptible, because it is out of mankind's hands. It takes what it wants and gives as it is pleased. There is always fairness when fate is around, albeit it is hard for someone in the situation themselves to understand. However, for an outsider, it is very ironic to watch those two quarrel." Her green eyes gleamed with interest, causing a shiver in Shikamaru. "They have many things in common, yet continue to put each other down."

How ironic it is for the two caged birds to envy each other's lifestyle, one an outcast from the village, and the other a reject from a brach family. They will never truly understand the other unless they are able to walk in the same footsteps.

The two watched silently as Naruto finished his quiet speech to Neji. As it came to a close, Shikamaru spoke over the applauses of the crowd. "Heh. I didn't think Naruto would win."

"Ramen-boy would win. He had the advantage of containing strong chakra reserves." It felt the same way with the bridge builder mission. Suddenly, Sakura felt the same pressure on her neck that one day, and it began to be hard for her to breathe. Warily, she rubbed it subconsciously, then readied to hear who would fight next.

"Shino Aburame and Kankurô of Sunagakure!" Both genin glanced at the two that were called out. Bug-boy is eager to spar with the Sunagakure shinobi, she observed quietly, seeing him already in the center of the arena.

Kankurô, on the other hand, seemed to be arguing with his blonde sister, Temari. Finally, he sighed in defeat and called out, "I forfeit from my match!"

Ibiki frowned. "You're forfeiting?" He watched the Sunagakure boy nod, then grunted. "Kankurô has forfeited his match!"

Instantly, there were shouts of protest, obviously wanting to see how good their rival country's shinobi were. Sakura's eyes were still set on the two siblings, watching them talk. Temari seemed annoyed, in addition to her brother. Perhaps she will forfeit as well.

"Right...Shino Aburame automatically wins this round, then!" There were still yells and loud protests made by the crowds, and the said boy made his way slowly to the reserved area for the genin competing.

"You must be disappointed, Bug-boy. You seemed very eager to spar against that boy," the pinkette said, making him sink further into his high-collared coat.

"I'm disappointed. Why? Because I trained just to be stood up," he said, his voice muffled.

"Hm...consider it a freebie. You're lucky you get out of fighting and wasting your energy," Shikamaru muttered, "Because guess who's up? Me." He groaned and leaned in the railing just as Naruto climbed up the stairs with plenty of energy to spare.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, Shikamaru, dattebayo! Did ya see how awesome I was? Pervy-Sage taught me how to use the power I have correctly, —ttebayo!"

"Mmph," the lazy boy replied, then was shaken from his half-asleep state by Naruto.

"It's your turn! Why aren't you more excited! If you make it past that Suna girl and Sakura-chan, we might even fight each other! Isn't that cool, —ttebayo?!"

All the while, the large audience was getting impatient. "Come on!" One civilian yelled, "What's the hold up?!" Naruto grinned and decided it was a good idea to shove Shikamaru over.

"I swear, Naruto..." The Nara heir sighed and hung by one hand still on the red rail. He looked up to see Sakura standing there with an interested gleam in her eye.

"Consider what I am about to do an experiment," she said monotonously, then pried his fingers off one by one until he free fell to the ground with a dust cloud.

"How troublesome..."

:::

Shikamaru sighed, looking up at the leaves of the tree above him. What would my future look like? I want to be a chūnin, but that's probably it for me. I don't want to be too powerful, but enough to be considered somewhat of a threat.

After that, I'll marry a civilian woman that's not too pretty, and have two kids at the max. They'll grow up being something that still contributes to society, but probably not shinobi.

Shikamaru blinked, then avoided the five kunai that were sent towards him. "How troublesome is this fight going to be? Sakura was right...fighting is too much effort." But...if I get promoted to chūnin now, a part of my goal with have already been completed. Guess it's time to impress the Hokage, then.

:::

Sakura watched as Shikamaru planned out his every move carefully from behind the large tree. "He will take advantage of the holes you created," she told Naruto. "The Nara family specializes in the hidden art of shadow manipulation. Those holes with be able to extend his reach."

After a few minutes, Naruto shouted in surprise when he did exactly what his teammate had predicted. "Sakura-chan, you're a genius, dattebayo!"

"Hn." Sakura turned back around and stared blankly at Temari's large fan. I must rid of that fan, and then everything else will fall into place.

"H-huh?! Shikamaru just forfeited his match!"

Sakura blinked, then refocused on the scene in front of her. It seemed Shikamaru had managed to catch Temari and get them close enough to stand only a few meters away, across from each other.

Ibiki smirked, remembering the current Nara clan leader, and announced, "Shikamaru Nara has forfeited! Temari of Sunagakure has won her match!"

There were cheers, most probably from relief that the boring match was over. Shikamaru groaned, then immediately slouched and made his way up the stairs.

"You were really cool, —ttebayo, and then you just quit! Shikamaru, that was so lame!"

"Aa." Sakura nodded in agreement. "For those with low intelligence, they did not comprehend your match of wits. They only appreciate action."

Shikamaru smirked, then nodded to her, understanding that that was her way of telling him he had done a good job. "Yeah," he agreed, "but isn't Sasuke's match up? If he doesn't show up soon, then he'll be disqualified from fighting Gaara."

"I wonder what they'll do next, then," Naruto muttered. Suddenly, he gasped. "What if you have to fight Gaara?! It would make sense, —ttebayo, because there was an uneven amount of people in the first place, and—!"

"That's probably the most intelligent thing I've heard you say, Naruto," Shikamaru said, then scratched the back of his head. "Is that possible, though? I would think they'd try to stall his match, seeing that's what the majority of the audience came for—to see the lone Uchiha fight for his clan's dignity."

"I disagree," Sakura interrupted blatantly. "I will most likely fight Temari next, or Shino may fight Ramen-boy. Sasuke and Kakashi will eventually show up, but for now, Ibiki Morino can only stall."

As of to prove her point, the proctor shouted, "Due to complications, we will skip Sasuke Uchiha's match for now—next, we have Sakura of Konohagakure, and Temari of Sunagakure!"

"I believe the saying is, 'I told you so'," Sakura said, then moved towards the stairs, where her opponent was already waiting for her. I have the advantage. I know her abilities, and she is lower on chakra than I am. If I am able to be smart with chakra usage, I will be able to exit the fight with chakra left over. There is one thing that has left an unsettling sense—Kankurô was ordered to forfeit by an anonymous authority, but Temari is being allowed to fight against me.

"We're rooting for you, Sakura-chan," Naruto called weakly. "I hope she'll do okay, —ttebayo."

Over at the Kage lounge, the Hokage and Kazekage leaned forward in their wooden chairs in apprehension. I hope Sakura will fare well. That Sunagakure kunoichi was particularly feisty with Shikaku's son.

Right next to the Hokage, someone with entirely different thoughts was grinning with excitement. Now is the time to prove yourself, Experiment 528! I set you up against that girl for a reason...

When is Sasuke going to show up?!

Was Sakura's analyzation of Naruto and Neji's fight what you expected?

Why is Sakura being placed against Temari? WHY?!