Darkest Before Dawn

Here It Comes

Naruto slurped at his ramen with his face scrunched up in deep thought. He remembered Hidan from somewhere, but his identity was just slipping his mind. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice Sasuke and Itachi take their seats beside him . Sasuke called out his name twice before whacking the back of his head to gain his attention.

"Oh. Hey, Sasuke." greeted Naruto, "When did you get here?"

"A while back. I called your name, but you didn't answer."

"Ah, sorry, sorry. It's just... have you heard about someone named Hidan? He's a shinobi from Yugakure, has silver hair and pinkish eyes?"

"Hidan is one of the strongest shinobi Yugakure has to offer. He follows the Jashin Cult and is virtually immortal. The price on his head as of right now is 67.4 million ryo." Itachi informed in his usual, quiet voice.

"That's him! That really annoying bastard that Kakashi-sensei had to go on a joint mission with!" he exclaimed triumphantly, "It turns out he's another one of Sakura-chan's weird friends! I met him earlier and he's an asshole, dattebayo!"

Itachi's eye twitched at this revelation and set down his chopsticks. First there was Deidara, and now there was another one? He didn't know just how many fights to pick with these weird characters.

"Speak of the devil..." Sasuke muttered. Sakura's and presumably Hidan's voice fluttered through their ears as a pair of people walked past the shop. Sasuke and Naruto stepped out and watched them as they walked away.

"Why isn't he wearing a shirt?"

"That's what I said, 'ttebayo!"

When they returned to their stools, Itachi was gone and money was placed next to his bowl. Sasuke sighed and picked up his chopsticks. He remembered Hidan from far back and he was an extreme asshole. If he was anything like that Deidara from a while back...

He sighed again.

Why did Sakura have to pick such weird friends?

~

Hidan looked over his shoulder to see a black-haired man walking towards them, an irritated hue in his eyes. A smirk tugged at the edge of Hidan's mouth as he let his sclera darken to black and his irises fade to white. When Sakura turned around, she grinned.

"Afternoon, Itachi-san! What brings you here?"

Itachi was about to respond before Hidan burst into laughter, leaning on Sakura for support.

"Oh my fucking Jashin, are you serious?" he laughed. He wiped a tear from his eye and slowly regained his composure. Itachi's eye twitched, annoyed at the interruption.

"And what are you so giddy about?" Sakura asked. Hidan grinned cheekily.

"Tall, dark, and handsome has the most gold in his aura I've ever fucking seen. Hella adorable. He's yours, ain't he?"

Itachi didn't know what that meant. He knew the range of Hidan's abilities from the use of his scythe to his belief in Jashin. He had also heard about Hidan's sight and how he could see other people's auras. He had no idea about the colors, though. Itachi looked at Sakura who had blushed a furious scarlet.

"Shut up, Hidan. I've got Zetsu and Deidara on my case already and I sure as hell don't need you making fun of me either." she hissed. Gold. Love. She was ultimately finished with all the teasing. When Kisame got wind of this...

She shook her head and smiled at Itachi.

"Anyway, was there something you needed?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing. I heard that you had another... visitor." was his honest reply. Hidan started wiggling his eyebrows and Sakura elbowed him in the ribs. Hard. So hard actually that Itachi swore he heard something crack. Sakura paid no mind to Hidan's doubled over form and stepped around him, the smile still on her face.

~

Ibiki sat atop Hokage Tower with Jounin Exam papers in his hands. He couldn't stop staring at Sakura's results. She was far stronger that his expectations and he wasn't sure if he like that path she was taking. But it was her life and he had no right to meddle. Ibiki sighed and looked out over the city. From his spot, he could see Sakura standing at the wall before the Hokage Tower, talking with Itachi Uchiha, and a foreign shinobi clutching his side on the ground.

Another one of her friends, he supposed.

"Ah, Ibiki Morino, is it?"

Ibiki looked back and saw Tsunade walk up to him with an arm stretched over her head.

"Hai. Good afternoon, Tsunade-sama." he acknowledged. Tsunade took a seat opposite him on the railing and gazed out over Konoha herself. It felt nice getting some fresh air, especially after being cooped up in the hospital for so long. She ran her eyes down to look at the people on the streets.

"So she really is back, huh..."

"Tsunade-sama?" Ibiki questioned. She glanced up at him with nostalgic eyes.

"Sakura Haruno. She's told me a lot about her life before she left. Even about you-- the interrogator who brought her under his wing at the tender age of five."

Ibiki let a smile cross his face at the memory.

"I taught her everything I knew." he said, "I saw so much potential in her and tried to mold her into a better shinobi than I ever was. Heh. It really didn't take that much."

The smile was instantly wiped off his face when looked back down to the streets.

"I didn't think she'd come back." he muttered. Tsunade sighed.

"Neither did I."

~

Sakura eventually healed Hidan's ribs after she bid Itachi goodbye and before Hidan had to meet up with the Hokage. Alone once more, she planned on taking a trip down to the training fields to brush up on her taijutsu. She was lucky enough to pick up a sparring partner on her way there.

"Tenzou-san!" exclaimed Sakura. She gave her old friend a hug, "It's been so long since I saw you in Kiri!"

"It has, hasn't it?" he laughed, "Nowadays, it's Yamato. People don't really call me Tenzou anymore. Well... except Kakashi-senpai. Anyways, where are you of to?"

"I'm trying to get a quick workout before the second part of the exams. What d'you say, Tenzou-san? Care to join me?"

"Of course! But Sakura-chan, my name's Yamato now. Not Tenzou." he tried. Sakura smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up.

"Whatever you say, Tenzou-san."

~

The second part of the Jounin Exams came by the blink of an eye and everyone was crowded in the largest arena Konoha had to offer. The stadium was packed, and the remaining sixteen participants had absolutely no idea what was in store for them. Those competing stood in a straight line in the arena itself with their legs spread shoulder's length apart and their arms clasped behind their back. Minato was standing before them once more, a charming smile on his face.

"Good luck on getting this far, everyone." he announced. The area immediately went deathly quiet, "This place brings back memories, doesn't it? Just like the Chuunin Exams. I bet you're all wondering if you're fighting- and yes, you are. But not each other."

A door on the opposite side of the stadium and sixteen armor-clad ANBU filed in. The silver gleam of their arm guards flashed in the sun as they stood at attention. Minato gestured towards them.

"Jounin-to-be, these are your opponents. ANBU members who have taken time out of their busy schedules to help out with this part of the exam. Let's get started, shall we?"

Yamato was up in the crowd beside Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto. He was excited for the fights, just as everyone else was. But unlike everyone else, he was shaken up.

The day before he had agreed to spar with Sakura. He fully expected it to be challenging and adrenaline pumping, exciting even. But what he saw, what he was up against...

He didn't stand a chance.

Minato stood on top of the railing and announced the beginning battle.

"First fight, Weasel vs. Sakura Haruno!!"