From every wound there is a scar, and every scar, tells a story. A story that says, I survived.-Unknown.
"Why does my daughter have to be removed?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi heaved a sigh. This was what he wasn't looking forward to.
He had brought it to the Council's attention, that for the first time in ten years, someone was going to be removed from the ninja program. The shinobi part of the council were shocked, while the civilians didn't really care.
Sakuro Haruno was informed that his daughter, Sakura was being dropped, and the man lost it.
"Haruno-san, I have team seven's Jonin sensei here, as well as a Tokubetsu Jonin who accompanied the team on their last mission. They are prepared to give reasons to the entire council, should they be required," the old Hokage explained.
"Then bring them in!" the civilian man demanded, folding his arms in annoyance.
Sarutobi nodded toward the Anbu guarding the doors to let the two shinobi in.
Kakashi Hatake and Genma Shiranui walked in and bowed to the Hokage, before facing the council.
Kakashi stepped forward, "I am Jonin Hatake Kakashi, and I am Haruno Sakura's sensei. I have to report that she has made no improvements within the month since graduating. She spends her time following Uchiha Sasuke around and trying to get him to date her, instead of training."
The shinobi part of the council all cringed and rolled their eyes. This was what kunoichi were becoming. Kami help them all.
"She has no skills in anything. Even her chakra reserves are unnaturally low for a Genin. She lets her weaknesses known and is easily defeated because she isn't subtle. She has no respect for her superiors or her fellow Genin. The girl has no hope in becoming a respectable shinobi," Kakashi finished and took a step back.
Genma stepped up and cleared his throat, "I am Shiranui Genma, a Tokubetsu Jonin who was assigned as help to Team Seven's last mission. We were hired to watch the Fire Daimyo's special party because of all the important political figures attending. There was an attack by a band of rogue shinobi. Two of them being A rank shinobi. As expected, Uchiha Sasuke did exceptional in his fighting."
Fugaku straightened a little, in pride for his youngest.
"Uzumaki Naruko did exceptional as well. Unfortunately, Haruno Sakura, fainted from fear, forcing the young Uchiha to protect her from four shinobi at once. One of them being an A rank. Uzumaki, saved the Daimyo and his wife from a ninja and then rushed to the Uchiha's aid just as he had successfully killed one of his attackers. With the distraction, Sasuke was able to kill another ninja while Naruko took on the A rank on her own. Two more shinobi appeared and injured her while she was fighting, but she was smart enough to trick the enemy into killing them. She then delivered the final blow. After that, she and Sasuke joined Kakashi and I in defeating the last ninja," Genma explained to everyone.
The reactions were interesting. The shinobi were impressed that a Genin could take out an A ranked shinobi on her own. The civilians weren't all that thrilled about hearing Naruko's success.
Genma decided to finish with, "I was only with the team for three days, but that was enough to notice that Haruno is a spoiled brat that has never lifted a finger a day in her life. She complains about everything and puts Uzumaki down all the time. I found out from both Naruko and Sasuke, that when they have missions, Sakura never does anything and just makes up excuses to why she can't do them. She's weak, and put Sasuke in danger because of it. If she had been at least partially like Sasuke orNaruko, Sasuke wouldn't have had to take on four enemy shinobi on his own. Her intelligence level is mediocre and she, in my opinion, isn't worthy of being a ninja."
There was silence. The shinobi council were looking at Sakuro in disgust. They were appalled with the information. What was the man thinking letting his daughter become like that? Did he care about her at all?
Hiruzen sighed, "I have something else to add."
All attention was on him in that instant. What else could there be?
"Haruno Sakura has stalker like tendencies regarding Sasuke Uchiha. Two years ago, she was escorted to the police station by Itachi Uchiha, for sneaking into the Uchiha Compound and trying to spy on Sasuke. She got the wrong room though and instead, was discovered within Itachi's room. A restraining order was drawn up when Sakuro refused to punish his daughter for her actions. She cannot go anywhere near the Uchiha Compound, for the rest of her life," he told them all.
Genma's mouth had dropped, his senbon hitting the floor.
The others in the room were horrified. What kind of parent was Haruno Sakuro? Even the civilians were creeped out from the information.
"I'm sorry about this Sakuro, but I'm putting this to a vote. All those in favor of the removal of Haruno Sakura from the ninja program," Hiruzen announced.
All of the shinobi hands went up and half of the civilians raised their hands.
"All opposed?"
Sakuro's hand shot up, along with a few others.
Sarutobi looked at his advisors and Danzo. "You didn't place a vote, care to share your thoughts?"
Homura and Koharu looked at Danzo, who cleared his throat. "I would like to see the other members of Team Seven, in order to properly give my vote." The other two nodded in agreement.
Sarutobi sighed and ordered an Anbu to fetch the Genin.
A few minutes later, Naruko and Sasuke walked in the room, side by side. They bowed to the Hokage and continued to hold a very silent conversation with each other, ignoring everyone in the room. Sakura showed up ten minutes later.
Everyone took notice of how she didn't bow to the Hokage. She even had the gall to ask, "How long is this going to take?"
"As long as needed brat!" Tsume Inuzuka snarled.
The pinkette just rolled her eyes, ignoring the clan leader. Tsume growled at the disrespect.
Danzo spoke, "We have called you here, to clarify something. Uchiha Sasuke!"
Sasuke snapped to attention and looked at the War Hawk.
"Give us your opinion of your team," Danzo ordered.
Sasuke nodded and sighed, "Kakashi-sensei is good, though he has a horrible habit of being late. His hobby is a bit unnerving, but not something that really disturbs me. I trust him with my life. Naruko was Rookie of the Year. She has proven to be an exceptional ninja in my eyes, and even the eyes of my family. I don't have to worry when she'd around, because I know that she pulls her own weight. Even more, if it's necessary."
He stopped and took a deep breath, "Sakura is useless." He continued, pretending not to hear the offended squeak from said girl. "She does nothing to help. She drags her feet and whines all the time. I'm disgusted that she calls herself a kunoichi when she's an embarrassment to the real kunoichi out there," he finished, with a glare in the girls direction.
Danzo nodded his head and looked at Naruko. "Uzumaki, please tell us what you think about your team?"
She nodded, "I think Kaka-sensei is awesome! He's smart and definitely lives up to his title and stats in the Bingo Book. His views on teamwork and camaraderie are inspiring to me. I'd like to be like him some day. Without the porn addiction."
The shinobi in the room laughed. All of them knowing the lazy ninja well. Kakashi just waved a hand, pulling out the very object that had everyone laughing at him.
Naruko inhaled, "Sasuke is, as expected from an Uchiha, the perfect teammate. He trains hard every day and has proven that the Uchiha are the best. But he doesn't let his family name puff his head up. He isn't a fool, and has all of my trust."
Naruko's mouth went from the smile it had taken on when she spoke of the Uchiha, to a frown. Though the mask covered her face, everyone could tell how unhappy she was. The hard glare just proved it.
"Sakura should've never been entered in the academy. She has nothing going for her. She's a whiner, stalker and a spoiled brat. She doesn't do anything ever, and she thinks that she's the best, even though she is the dead last. I personally don't like her for many more reasons, but they don't pertain to teamwork. I can tell you though, that she puts everyone in danger, by having such a weak constitution. She also lets too much about herself known. Kaka-sensei took care of her easily on our Genin test, with just a Genjutsu that was centered on a bloody Sasuke, whereupon the girl fainted from fear. She doesn't belong in the ninja world, for she's a liability."
Danzo looked to Sakura who huffed, "Kakashi is lazy. Sasuke-kun is perfect in everything!" She looked at her crush with hearts in her eyes. She turned to Naruko, "Naruko's a bitch, who is jealous of how great a kunoichi I am. She tries to come off all cool with her mask as a way to get my Sasuke-kun's attention, when really, she's just a waste of space."
The occupants in the room looked at the blonde who was rolling her only visible eye. She was looking at the wall, as if it was interesting.
"She's just a pathetic orphan whose parents didn't even love her."
"Sakura!" Kakashi snapped, "What did I say to you about that?!"
The girl just shrugged.
Many noticed how Naruko had looked at Sasuke for a good moment. They were shocked to see him place a hand on her shoulder.
They had thought it was in comfort. But when Naruko started walking toward Sakura, Sasuke's hand pushed down as his other hand wrapped around her waist. Keeping her still.
Even the civilians knew that Naruko wasn't abandoned by her parents. The Hokage had explained that her parents were killed when fighting the demon that was sealed within the girl. Sure, they hated her, but they could tell that the Haruno was petty and they weren't impressed. To leave their lives in the hands of such a pathetic shinobi would be disastrous! They trusted the demon container more, even if it wasn't by much.
They couldn't really go against the girl anyway. If the blonde was backed by the Uchiha clan, she was then out of their reach. They could still hate her, but that was all they could do.
As for the pink haired brat, many of the people in the room were appalled by her behavior.
Danzo wasn't impressed. He'd been hoping that the girl was actually something that he could shape into a weapon, but she was worthless. He could tell that almost everyone in the room was for the removal of the girl. Only her father seemed to want her to continue being a kunoichi.
"Hatake, what say you?" he asked the young prodigy.
"I think Sasuke and Naruko have perfect teamwork. They fight well together and are apt pupils. Sakura, I tried to get them to work together, but she isn't working. I was hoping that it would all work out, but it didn't. She'd disrespectful and arrogant. I'm disappointed that she learned nothing in the past month when I was able to successfully teach the other two the tree climbing exercise and how to walk on water. I have to agree with Hokage-sama, and say that she needs to be removed from the program," the Copy Ninja said.
Danzo looked to Koharu and Homura, who both shook their heads frantically. "Hokage-sama, we have decided that the girl should be dropped."
Sasuke and Naruko both let out sighs. They gave each other a relieved look. The Kami were on their side.
Sasuke released the girl from his arms, slightly sad at the loss of warmth.
"Then by the power vested in me, as the Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, I hereby remove Haruno Sakura from the ninja program and therefore strip her of her Genin status. This meeting is adjourned," Sarutobi announced, much to everyone's delight.
Naruko and Sasuke were the first ones out the door.
"She's gone!" Naruko cheered.
Sasuke nodded, just as glad, but better at hiding his emotions.
"Now let's just hope that her replacement isn't inept," she added with a concerned look.
Sasuke shrugged, "Anyone is better than Sakura."
Naruko nodded, "You're right."
Free from the pink! Yes!