Chapter Text
Sakura thought herself to be a smart person. She was the student of Senju Tsunade, the Legendary Sanin and 5th Hokage, and the infamous Copy Ninja Kakashi of the Sharingan. However, she still had no idea what was going on.
One minute she was fighting on the battlefield as one of the last people alive, she was sitting at the familiar desks with the sounds of young genin(?) in the background.
Sakura slowly blinks her eyes open. No. This has to be fake, she thinks, staring at the loud young Uzumaki Naruto standing a couple desks in front of her. There’s no way that this is real…right?
She flared her chakra in an attempt to disrupt the genjutsu. Nothing happened though, and she scowled. Sakura felt eyes on her, and she turned to make eye contact with the 12-year-old version of Nara Shikamaru.
He gives her a look as if to ask ‘what are you doing?’ Sakura fixes her face into a smile, and sends him a look in response that says ‘just playing around’
She turns back to the front of the room, eyes locked on Naruto as he shows off his Hitai-Ate to their disbelieving classmates. ‘Did Naruto send her here?’ She couldn’t remember the things leading up to her being 12-years-old again, but she had a sneaking suspicion it had to do something with a certain Uzumaki and Uchiha. The last thing she remembered was fighting by their side, fallen comrades surrounding them.
At this thought, her mood darkens again. If this really isn’t a genjutsu and they found a way to time travel… then I can save people. Sakura lightens up, and starts to mentally make a list.
The first thing I need to change that I can has to be Naruto and Sasuke. I know how much Sasuke loves Itachi, even now. And Naruto can become so powerful, as long as Kakashi-sensei doesn’t neglect us again…
Sakura mentally winces. For how much she loves her sensei, he wasn’t always the best. I also need to become stronger. Sakura clenches her fist. I’m so weak right now. But i’ll change that. I’ll get stronger. For myself, my team, and everyone else!
Sakura didn’t notice when Iruka-sensei came in and started announcing teams. She startled out of her mind when she heard the voice of Naruto.
“Sakura, did you hear that? We’re on a Team together!” Naruto grins at Sakura, and she can’t help but throw a small smile back his way. ‘I didn’t know I missed how much louder he used to be.’
Iruka-sensei lets out a sigh, his pointer finger and thumb pinching the bridge of his nose. “Naruto, please refrain from talking until I’ve finished announcing all the teams.” Naruto pouts, turning back to face the front. “The last person on Team 7 is Sasuke Uchiha.”
“WHAT?! But I don’t want to be on a team with Sasuke-teme!” Naruto exclaims glaring at the Uchiha who glares back. Iruka-sensei lets out an angry huff as Sakura lets out a small giggle. “Naruto.” He says sternly, and Naruto looks down. He mumbles a short “Sorry.” then goes back to glaring at Sasuke.
“Now, on Team 8 is…” Sakura toons out their sensei, already knowing every Team. Instead, she starts thinking about what to do when Kakashi-sensei comes to get their team. Should I go get supplies during lunch, or wait until after Kakashi-sensei tells us about the bell test?
However, she didn’t get time to decide as Iruka-sensei released them for lunch. Sakura lets out a sigh, getting up and ready to leave when Naruto approaches her.
“Hey, Sakura! Since we’re in the same group we should eat lunch together!” Sakura takes a second to think, before an idea forms in her head. “That’s not a bad idea, Naruto! Let’s get Sasuke-kun too. We can do some team bonding.”
She turns and runs towards where she sees Sasuke walking away. “Sakura-chan, wait up!” Sakura ignores Naruto for the time, yelling after Sasuke. “Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun!”
She stops in front of Sasuke as he turns around, signature scowl on his face. “What do you want?” he asks, glaring as Naruto runs up behind her. Sakura stands up straight, determination in her eyes. Helping Naruto and Sasuke also means helping their relationship.
With this in mind, she grabs both boys by the wrists and starts dragging them. “H-hey!” Naruto exclaims, fighting against her. Sasuke also tries to escape her grip, but is unable to. “What do you think your doing?” He says, still trying to pull away.
“We’re all going to have Team lunch.” She says, walking towards where she remembered Ichiraku to be. “Why? We’re not even a Team yet!” Naruto says, though he’s given up trying to escape her.
Sakura spins on her heel and releases the boy's wrists. “Thinking like that’s never going to make us an actual team! We’re shinobi now Naruto, and we need to start acting like it. The most important thing for a shinobi is knowing how to be a team with their comrades!”
She watches as multiple emotions flash through both the boys eyes. Finally, Sasuke lets out a small sigh. “Fine. I guess.. You’re somehow right. But this won’t become a regular thing.” He glares at Naruto and Sakura, but starts walking either way.
Naruto jerks moving to follow him. “I don’t mind eating with you whenever you want Sakura!” Sakura smiles and walks after her boys. Good, they’re already getting along better than they were the first month we were a Team.
Maybe I actually can fix everything.
❁
Sakura sits at the end of the three person desk, a difference from what had happened in the past (or was it the future now?) She watches as Naruto puts the eraser in the doorway. He grumbles about how “You shouldn't be late on your first day.” Whereas Naruto was complaining, Sasuke just sat with his chin resting on his hands.
Why does he even do that? Your hands aren't anywhere close to any weapons, Sakura couldn’t help but think. She lets out a sigh, and was just about to tell Naruto to quit when the door to the classroom opens.
All three of their eyes widen, taking in their new sensei. Yes, Sakura already knew what he looked like. But the last time she saw him was…
No. Don’t think about that. You’re gonna change it and save him. Save all of them. With a look of steel, Sakura stands up and screams in unison with Naruto “You’re late!”
“Mah,” and Kami how she missed her sensei’s voice. “My first impression of you lot… You’re interesting. Meet me on the roof.” And with that, he’s gone in a whirl of wind and leaves.
“Wow.” She hears Naruto say. “Our sensei seems like a dick…” Sakura lets out a giggle and she can see Sasuke's lip go up, almost like a smile.
“While what are we waiting for? Hurry up, you two!” Naruto starts running out the door. Not one for being shown up, Sasuke immediately runs after him. Sakura lets out a sigh. Can’t wait to see their rivalry.
Sakura chases after them, and gets to the roof panting with her hands on her knees. “I hate being weak.” She mutters, moving to go sit down by Sasuke.
“Hm. Took you all less than five minutes. Color me… amused. Now, we’re going to introduce ourselves. I’ll go first. My name is Hatake Kakashi. That’s all you really need to know about me.” Sakura raised her hand before Kakashi could start another sentence.
“Sensei, it’s not very good for you to expect us to tell you things about us if you won’t also exchange information.” She lets out a huff and crosses her arms. “It’s quiet unfair sensei. I understand we’re not supposed to give info away so easily, but if we’re gonna be a team we need to know things about each other.”
Kakashi gives Sakura a slight glare, but she doesn’t back down. She returns the glare, and Kakashi eventually lets out a sigh. Sakura grins in victory.
“Fine. My name is Hatake Kakashi. I like dogs and eggplants and dislike people who don’t care about their friends. My goal for the future is to train you three into fine shinobi. You can go next, Pinkie.”
A glare once again takes over Sakura’s face. “My name is Haruno Sakura. I like sweets and learning about medical ninjutsu. I dislike people who betray their friends and put peoples lives unnecessarily in danger. My goal is to become a better kunoichi than Tsunade Senju.”
Kakashi watches Sakura with a look that most people wouldn’t be able to decipher. Sakura however knew that he was surprised. Hell, she’d be surprised considering her Academy file probably talked about how much of a fangirl she was. Sakura turns and looks expectantly at Sasuke instead of giving Kakashi any reaction.
Sasuke scowls at her. “My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don’t like anything. My goal is to restore my clan, and kill a certain someone.” Sakura lets out an internal sigh. Of course one team dinner wouldn’t let him loosen up enough.
“Is it my turn?” Naruto asks excitedly, and doesn’t wait for an answer before talking. “My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I like ramen and I hate the amount of time it takes to make ramen. My goal is to become Hokage!”
Sakura watches as Kakashi stands up and scans over the group “Mah, you’re a lively bunch. Meet at training ground 7 at 0700. There you three will be taking your actual genin exam.”
Naruto raises his hand at this. “Sensei, what do you mean actual exam? We already passed our genin exam!” Kakashi shakes his head. “It may be true that you passed the genin exams, but each Jounin-sensei gets to test their genin however they want.”
Kakashi pulls out two familiar bells, and Sakura gets a sense of deja vu. “My test is that you have to take these bells from me. It’s a survival test, and goes from 0700 to 1200. Oh, and don’t eat breakfast tomorrow. You’ll just throw it up.”
With this, he once again disappears in a whirl of leaves. Sakura lets out a sigh, standing up and brushing off her dress. I’ll have to get new clothes and also cut my hair…
“Well I’m off to go get ready. See you boys tomorrow!” Not waiting for an answer, Sakura starts running towards the shinobi market. I won’t let anything hold me back. Not others, and sure as hell not myself.