Inheritance

The Chunin Exams I

Naruto grinned, his features taking on a distinctive fox-like quality. "You have no idea."

"Well then, before we get down to working on our teamwork, and planning for the exams; what say we get... reacquainted? My Mum's been helping me prepare for the exams while you've been gone, and I have some new moves I've been dying to try out on you." The Inuzuka stated with a smirk, cracking her knuckles faux-menacingly.

"Heh, well if you think you can touch me, you're welcome to try. Just don't be whining when I put you down."

"Dog jokes, Naruto? Really? I thought you were better than that." She sighed dramatically, shrugging her shoulders to complete the look. "Now I'm gonna have to kick your ass."

* * *

The Day Before the Chunin Exams

"Basically, I hate midgets. Especially ones that are rude... Makes me want to kill them."

Sakura gulped heavily at that declaration - after all, the situation the annoying little boy being held aloft by his shirt was in, was mostly her fault. He had made some sort of vaguely insulting comment about her ability as a ninja - she didn't even really remember or care at this point - and she had chased him, fully intending to enact vengeance on the little brat. How dare someone who looked like they hadn't even enter the academy talk about her skill as a ninja!

But she hadn't meant for this to happen. She had apparently chased him right into the clutches of a pair of murderous foreign ninja. One was a blonde girl, perhaps a little older than her, wearing a plain white dress, tied with a red sash round her waist; and if Sakura had to guess, a metal battle fan strapped to her back. She looked utterly indifferent and fed up with the turn of events, as if strolling into a village full of foreign ninja and murdering a small child was nothing unusual, nothing to be concerned about.

The second, however, was the one that truly had Sakura scared. He was directing a fair amount of killer intent her way - something she still hadn't even learned how to do - and seemed utterly serious about killing the kid just for bumping into him. He was the same age as his companion, but wore a black full body suit, that even covered the top of his head, and had covered his face in white and purple face paint; that to Sakura, made him look entirely menacing.

She knew full well she was outclassed, and had almost descended into a minor panic. None of her team-mates were close, and he sensei, Hatake Kakashi, had been called away to the Hokage so there was no way he could help. She was on her own, and had no way of being able to help the boy, let alone herself if they decided to attack her as well.

"P-please, don't-"

"Begging?" The boy in black snorted loudly. "I knew Konoha Genin would be weak, but begging? Pathetic."

Sakura actually winced. This entire situation was preying on every insecurity she had developed since graduating, and finding out just how behind her team-mates she actually was. Of course she had known Uchiha Sasuke was better than her. How could she not? He was the last Uchiha - a famous, and powerful clan - and the Rookie of the year. He was undefeated in the Academy spars, aced all the tests, and even knew jutsu outside of those taught in the academy. He was a prodigy - a natural genius, born to be a top shinobi.

But she had been the second placed graduate, and even edged out Sasuke in a good many of the written tests. Her chakra control was, even according to Kakashi-sensei, superb, and she had always done reasonably in the academy spars. She had actually believed she would actually make a decent ninja.

And then she graduated. Saw first hand how much better than her Sasuke and her other team mate, Sai, were. She had witnessed Jonin level combat and stared death in the face on her first C-rank mission. And it had shaken her to her very core. She was very, very close to quitting all together. And then this had happened, and Sakura was once again completely helpless and out of her depth.