AN- I was focusing on my other story a little too much and almost forgot about this baby of mine here, pets Dune. Sorry little Dunie, I forgot about you huh?

(Edited: 5-09-08)

Disclaimer Note – The only thing you have a right to sue me for is taking too damn long to update!

The least movement is of importance to all nature. The entire ocean is affected by a pebble. - Blaise Pascal

Chapter 11 – Steps of Training

If I was born to make people happy, to love, to die…then why can’t I get this fighting thing down right?

Falling to the ground and panting, pink strands of hair fell down on both sides of Sakura’s face. Beads of sweat gathered on her forehead, and she even began to feel moisture gathering at the corners of her eyes. How depressing, she still couldn’t create the right Jutsu she wanted. Her body wasn’t completely up to par with her new training program either.

She felt like Lee, no matter how many push-ups, punches, or cruel and unusual techniques she managed to come up with she couldn’t perfect her ninja.

“Damn it!”

Hitting her hand on the ground in anger she almost blushed when a yell interrupted her thought process.

“Need some help?”

Looking up with a flush on her face, Sakura stared at the chocolate eyes in surprise. Why in the world would this person want to help her?

“K-Kankuro? What are you doing here?”

“Ah well,” rubbing the back of his head sheepishly he looked down with lowered lids as he spoke.

“I felt bad…about…what I said…about you not being a good ninja…and I well…you do kind of suck but-...”

“I think you should cut this short.”

“Wait! I didn’t mean that you suck…you should just…hone your skills a bit more? I mean its okay, plenty of ninja aren’t that great and your just a medic-…”

“Leave,” Sakura turned her back on the flustered purple ninja and began walking to the opposite side of the training room.

“Would you just wait!” A sweaty chubby hand closed over Sakura’s and yanked her back around.

“Why would I wait? So you can continue demeaning me? You’re such a UGH! GO A-W-A-Y! And you know what…your tattoo…SUCKS!”

Putting a hand over his face as if the remark actually slapped him, Kankuro hunched over his shoulders and began walking away.

“I was just going to offer in helping your training…bitch.”

“WELL I DON’T NEED IT!” could be heard as the door shut behind the sullen purple ninja.

“Who does he think he is” hit, “stupid prick”, break, hit, double hit, “coming in here and offering ME training like I am a joke”, kick, double hit, duck, “son of a…”, hand slides and hits floor…hit, “BITCH!”

Holding her now cramping hand Sakura winced as blood flew from the smashed fist. That wouldn’t look pretty tomorrow.

She had a class to teach as well…

It didn’t matter she had to keep training, she just had to beat them all. At least now even if it was almost too late, she would win.

“Good morning class!”

Sakura walked into the classroom, a white kimono covered her frame with flecks of gold dust covering the sleeves and edges of it. Butterfly wings were sketched on the back of it in a realistic 3-D style that made it seem as if they were shimmering and moving while she walked. Her hair had been draped across her back in a single braid…what the hell was she doing?

Today the class seemed to be more on edge…as if they had been waiting for something, maybe a counterattack? Whatever it was, the sight of the kimono seemed to make it worse.

“What is that ridiculous outfit you have on?”

Envy…the name sent roots of anger down her spine. She would have loved to strangle the girl, and with her new program, which wasn’t entirely working for her, would still have managed to get the job down.

“Well Envy, in since you asked, I think you can come up to the front so we can show the classroom.”

Envy bit her lip as the rest of the class stared at her, to say no would be to lose face. Clenching her hands, she stood up, dusting her spotless uniform and then coming to the front.

Whispers from the back filled the room, “What does she have planned?”, “Want to make another bet?”, “Haha I bet Envy is about to have her ass hammered.”, “That kimono must have cost a fortune.”, “Hey when’s lunch?”

Sakura faced the classroom with a finger to her lips and then grabbed Envy by the sleeve. A small sound or protest was made from the girl before Sakura but her hand over her mouth to silence her.

“Today we are going to learn the art of flower picking, in order to know the art, you should probably understand what art really is. Envy, in since you are suppose to be at the top of your Herb and Garden 

classes, I figured you would be able to help in the pickings of plants for our salves and medicines we are going to create in class today.”

Envy narrowed her eyes, it was true that she was at the top of her classes but she hadn’t expected this nobody teacher to bring it up here. She had something planned…to have something planned…or was she that stupid? Did she think she could try playing nice?

“Why would we learn to create medicines and salves when we can just as easily learn a technique with our jutsu’s that could heal people…Ch, pointless.”

Sakura smiled brightly as Envy spoke, and the wider she smiled as she finished her sentence, the tighter Envy clenched her fists.

“I was waiting for someone to ask that exact question,” more like I stayed up thinking of every little hole this bitch would come up with, “and Envy…I was hoping with your high grades in your classes you would already have figured this out…you are such a little genius after-all.”

Flicking Envy’s forehead as she walked by her, she began gesturing toward different pots of and containers of plants she had brought to the class before it had started. Some students had noticed them of course but they had just begun to wonder about them for a few seconds…minutes at the most.

Sakura held up a container of green plants, “Does anyone know what these are?”

A boy in the back raised his hand and spoke at the same time, “Botany right?”

“Correct,” Sakura turned and glanced at Envy as if she should have known the answer and then quickly turned to the front of the class again, “they can cure coughing, gas pains,” a few giggles came from the class at that one, “headaches, tuberculosis, and even other small things like bathing…”

“But,” Sakura held up one leaf and placed it against the back of her palm, “did anyone also realize there have not been any jutsu’s created for some of these things, or that to perform certain jutsu’s of healing you in fact need certain herbs or plants?”

Realizing she had just been standing there, and been ignored, Envy stalked back to her seat and sat down…and was for once quiet.

“Okay ready?”

It was minutes later that the whole class had their measured amounts of herbs and right pieces of equipment. All of them had their eyes on Sakura, and strangely Sakura was enjoying herself.

“Now when I tell you to pinch this over your burner’s do it.” Every student now held a piece of grass in their hands, ready to mix it with the other various components that made up their concoction.

“AH!” Everyone looked up in shock at Envy began flapping her arms around and hitting at her head.

When all was said and done, Envy resembled a roasted bird. Her face was red as if sun-burnt, her eyebrows gone, her hair remarkably shorter, and her outfit wet with water and some frosting left by the fire extinguisher.

“YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE! You’ll see! I’ll get you for this!” Giggles erupted from the classroom as she stomped out of the classroom with a still mystified Sakura in her wake.

Sakura turned again to the class who had yet to finish their salve for fire burns, it would probably come in handy for Envy.

“So…shall we resume where we left off?”

“UGH! This still isn’t right!”

I can find the right equation to make my students love me within a week but I still can’t get this damned Jutsu! DAMN!

Placing both hands together again in a pray position, Sakura closed her eyes and focused. Gritting her teeth as the energy began gathering in her all her muscles, the chakra flowed through-out her body causing all her muscles to become clenched up.

“AH!” Flying backwards into the ground again, Sakura thumped her hand against the ground. Damn it all.

“Ch, at this rate you will never keep the promise to my brother.”

Startled at the voice she glanced up and then proceeded to stare dumbstruck…Gaara.

He held himself up again with that impossible grace leaning against the doorframe to the training room Sakura currently was in. He had changed himself into a tight black t-shirt with baggy black pants. Perfect for working out in.

Gripping a hold of her hormones she picked herself up off the floor and began training again.

“I’m training can you come back another time?”

“Ah, is someone in a bad mood? By the way your forefinger needs to be straight.”

“What-…” Looking at the position her hands were in, she sighed, it did need to be straight, “Thank you…”

But when she turned around he was gone.

Story Notes –

Why so long on the update? I totally answered this in the Author Note…crap thing.

WHHHHHHHHHEN ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE SEX? Um, some time outside my story? Haha.

So is Sakura going to be in the tournament next chapter? Oh definitely, it all begins in the next chapter.