Darkest Before Dawn

The Academy: Day One

   Sakura stared at the large red doors of the Ninja Academy and sighed. The sun was barely peeking over the Hokage monument and no one was on the streets. Class started in about, oh, three hours.

   It was 5:30 am.

   She silently cursed her sensei. If he hadn't made it mandatory to be up and about by five o'clock three years ago, she could still be curled up in her blankets fast asleep. She rocked herself back and forth on the swing beside the building. Being in the Academy would be far too easy for her, but she knew it was the right way to go. If she took the full term being a late entry, she wouldn't be suspected as a prodigy or someone special.

   "And here you are- all alone. Honestly, how much more suspicious can you look, brat?"

   Sakura swatted at the tree lazily, hoping half-heartedly to whack Zetsu in the face. He knocked her on the head and poked out the tree halfway.

   "Good morning to you too." she pouted. "And for your information, I'm just waiting for school to start."

   "School?" he echoed. A green eyebrow raised, "You're eight years old and you're only starting school now? I thought that in Konoha you start school at six? Hell, I've known you for three years, I'm pretty damn sure that you don't need to go to the Academy. You've completed S-Class assassinations for crying out loud! You're basically an ANBU already!"

   "I know that Zetsu-san. But you know, why not?" she shrugged. Zetsu rolled his eyes.

   "Should've expected that answer. So with your brilliant mind, what are you going to do? Graduate in a year or take the standard four years?"

   "Standard four."

   He nodded in understanding. It was a good plan to slide through the system as a normal Academy student even if her ability did stash her up with the ANBU of the village. The less attention she drew to herself, the less she had to worry about. Zetsu kept her company until the first teacher finally came two hours later.

   "Oh my, you're rather early, young lady! You must be the new student in my class, um, Sakura Haruno, correct?"

   Sakura's eyes slid to the right and up at the grinning man. He was probably chuunin by his lack of him cloaking his chakra or by the slight heavyness of his footsteps. She smiled back at him.

   "Hai~! Nice to meet you!" she exclaimed. She held her hand out. Jun shook her hand unreluctantly and motioned towards the building.

   "Likewise, Sakura-chan. I'm Jun Furukawa, the third year teacher. Should we get into the building then? Since you're here so early, I'll see how well you understand first and second year curriculum- with you being a newcomer and all."

   Sakura nodded and followed Jun into the building. She walked a few steps behind him and watched his every movement. Suddenly, she sighed and stopped in the middle of the hallway. Jun stopped as well and looked over his shoulder curiously.

   "Is something the matter Sa-"

   "Stop faking your heavy footsteps, Jun-sensei. It's unbefitting of a high ranking ninja like yourself to house rather poor acting skills. So instead of pretending to be my sensei, can you please tell me why you're here?" she demanded lightly. The corner of Jun's lips quirked up as he let the genjutsu go. He revealed himself to be a ROOT ANBU.

   "Very good, Haruno-san." he stated blandly, "You discovered my disguise in a lesser time than I had expected. I am Hawk, one of Danzo-sama's shinobi."

   He disappeared.

   Sakura shook her head and sighed again. A ROOT operative had just tested her genjutsu detecting skills for reasons unknown to her. But she knew a bad situation when she saw one. She pinched the bridge of her nose and entered her classroom to wait for the real Jun-sensei to show up.

   What a great start to the day.