Boulders

Schist

Oookay, I tried.

Time skip to the Chuunin Exams!!

▪▪▪

Where was the rest of her team?

The arena was absolutely packed.

Sakura felt a rush of nerves. She shivered, looking out on the hundreds of people gathering to sit and watch and felt panic grip her.

They were the first team to make it to the end of the exams together since the Sannin! People would be watching them for sure.

Naruto bounced up and down on the balls of his feet, brimming with excitement and energy. Sakura glanced at him sideways as he brushed her arm again on his way up.

What she wouldn't give to be a chakra powerhouse like her two teammates.

She caught the sight of a familiar head of black hair walking alone through the people. She made her way to the front and sank into a seat perilously close to the front.

Oh.

Oh, thank Kami.

If Gaara tried to kill her and her Earthbending failed, Toph-sensei would be right there.

Her teacher wouldn't let her die.

Sakura glanced around at the people clustered around the room. Besides her and Naruto there was Shino, Shikamaru, the puppet master and the spiky haired blonde, (siblings, if Sakura remembered correctly) and Neji.

Or, rather, Hyuuga-san. She knew it was petty but she still felt frigid about the way he had treated her after their fight. He called my Earthbending stupid...

Sakura counted on her fingers again. Shikamaru verses Temari, Shino and the puppet master Kankuro, Naruto and Neji, Sauske and some unnamed genin from Kabuto's team...

And her and Gaara.

Her stomach turned. It was supposed to be a tournament but her mind turned over the numbers as her hands shook slightly. There would be three at the end, and that would result in a three way battle or someone would have to fight a proctor or the like.

Oh Kami. She was so nervous.

Her eyes caught sight of a familiar blonde head of hair besides Toph-sensei. Hinata, Kiba, and Choji joined her.

Where was Sauske?

A new proctor stepped into the arena, a smoking cigarette in his lips. The crowd buzzed, chatted, and finally settled so that he could be heard.

She bit her nail and cast a glance at the pile of rocks sitting on the ground at the side opposite from Naruto. The proctor's voice echoed as he announced the rules, the first to fight.

Kami, she was going to throw up if she didn't calm down. Sakura grasped Naruto's arm before he could hurl himself down into the arena.

He squinted at her. "What's wrong, Sakura-chan?"

With a sudden fear, Sakura pulled him into a rough hug. "You'd better win, dummy."

He stared as she pulled back, then his whole face flushed a bright red. "S-sure, S-sakura-chan. Anything you say."

Still blushing, Naruto hopped out the window, missing his footing and falling to the ground. The crowd laughed and jeered, and she saw Neji facepalm.

Oh, gosh. They were all going to die.

She started pacing as the two began 'fighting'. It mostly consisted of Naruto yelling words rendered indecipherable by the distance.

Her team was so screwed.