❀︎𝑰'𝒎 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒌...⚤ (𝖭𝖺𝗋𝗎𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝖺𝗇𝖿𝗂𝖼) (𝖿𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗁𝖾𝖽)

7~

As Sakura finished her last lap, she glanced at the sky and noticed that the sun had not moved much. Inner Sakura told her that it had only been an hour since she'd begun walking. Naruto and Sasuke had finished long since, and to keep them from bickering, Kakashi had told them to spar while he... well, read.

The first think the pink-haired girl noticed was that Sasuke was not moving as quickly as he usually did.

Serves him right, Inner Sakura sniggered. Those weights become him.

Sakura gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She narrowly avoided hitting her face with the weight bracelet. "Oi, Sasuke!" she called. "Let me take those weights off for you!"

Snarling impatiently at her, the raven-haired teen stomped over to where she stood and held out his arm, with some effort.

"Place your arm on my lap," Sakura commanded. "I can't hold it up." Sasuke smirked at her and complied.

"Kai!" Immediately, as he felt the weight lift, he withdrew his limb and gave her the other arm. While fighting with Inner Sakura, she dispelled the other weight bracelets.

Without thanking her, Sasuke whirled around to face Naruto and they picked up from where they had stopped. Gritting her teeth, Sakura resisted the urge to knock herself unconscious and let Inner Sakura out. She no longer "loved" him - hell, she hated him - but he could've at least shown some gratitude!"

I hate him! I hate him! Let me kill him, Saku-chan! Inner Sakura shrieked shrilly.

We can't do that, sensei would kill us! With that, Sakura stalked over to a practice dummy and glared at it.

Hey, hey, Saku-chan. Sensei said that losing your temper only blinds you. Calm down.

You're one talk, you hypocrite. We've completely switched positions.

Hey!

Anyway, I think my arm's gonna die at any moment now. I still have to do those push-ups.

Wincing, Sakura sat down and slowly and painfully completed the fifty push-ups. Her arms groaned in protest, but she pushed her body, screaming in her head that her arms hadn't done anything the whole day.

Now punches, Saku-chan! We need to work on our control, or else you'll end up hurting someone. Like when you almost knocked your own teeth out.

Starting out slowly, Sakura punched the dummy, increasing her speed - and thus, control - little by little. When her right arm just about fell off, she switched to the left. When that arm "died", she began kicking. Eventually, she collapsed to the ground, dripping with sweat.

Let's take a break, Saku-chan, Inner Sakura suggested. Even the guys have stopped. See?

It was true. Sasuke was leaning against a tree, breathing heavily, while Naruto sprawled, panting, where he had fallen.

"I'm going to walk around," she announced. And get away from you guys while I'm at it... she added in her head.

"Okay, then! See ya, Sakura-chan!" the blond Kyuubi container called, grinning and feebly waving a hand in the air.

Sasuke didn't even give her one of his usual "Hn" s. He just ignored her, looking at his bruised hands. The dark splotches resembled the curse marks that had faded with Orochimaru's death.

He's so absorbed in his own weakness that he can't even say "Hn", Sakura thought bitterly.

Let's go see Tsunade-shishou, Inner Sakura said soothingly. Then we can teach him a lesson.

There was a subtle hint of a promise in her answer, which made Sakura grin. Pushing chakra into her exhausted feet, she broke into a run.

In Tsunade's Office