"Hokage-sama, Isn't it a bad idea to put this civilian with the last Uchiha? At best this is extreme dislike to disdain for a founding family."
Tapping his pipe to empty the ashes, the third Hokage exhales an unhealthy amount of smoke, "How is Naruto doing? He took the failure hard and with Mizuki revealing the monster inside, he needs all the comfort he can get."
Hesitating, Kakashi slowly lowers his gaze, "He's as excited as ever now that Iruka gave him a headband."
"Push and pull, some leaves need some comfort and some need confrontation. Sakura can adequately blend in with two headstrong boys with her own conflicting ideas. What they need is the basis for the formation of bonds and what better than ideological conflict?"
"What about teamwork?"
"Try if you can, but don't hold it against them if they can't. Sakura isn't in their weight category at all, Naruto may be a late bloomer, and that Uchiha brat is filled with hatred. Meaningful teamwork may be impossible. Remember Kakashi, one is the leaf's Jinchuriki and the other is the last Uchiha. They have to pass."
-_-_-_-_
"Uzumaki Naruto, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno!"
Fortunately, I'm still the filler teammate. Not getting into Team 7 would have been fine since Kakashi won't teach me anything other than tree walking. Getting out my study materials, I go back to reading. Thankfully my father's a chunin, so I can get some useful jutsu from him. I, having water and earth chakra types am only able to use his experience with the body flicker and the hidden-in-stones technique, but that's better than nothing.
One is an extremely useful movement technique that while being only D-rank was taken to extremes by Shisui Uchiha and the other is a decent introduction to genjutsu. Because the hidden-in-stones technique is a simple application of genjutsu and earth chakra, It's an ideal way to start playing with nature transformation. It also happens to be a simple version of the hidden-in-the-surface technique that Orochimaru uses. While hard to master, the theory is pretty simple, just project photons that match the magnitude and wavelength. Wavelength determines color while the magnitude or the sheer number determines brightness.
In chakra theory, it is explained as having the intention to reflect the light from the opposite direction. To act as a window that neither amplifies nor disrupts what others can see. While not simple, the gritty details are all done by the chakra itself.
I can currently create small illusions, but earth chakra is still hard to manipulate. What makes an illusion good is the chakra control needed to hide flaws. Since I'm only hiding instead of showing something that doesn't exist, I only need to work with tricking their eyesight. With something static like a rocky background, this is too easy. Tricking chakra sensors is where the value truly comes in, using earth style chakra you can mask yourself to appear inorganic, throwing off chakra sensors. Unless you have someone using scent, sound, or vibrations, you're practically invisible. Mostly. Probably.
How do I know this works? Simple, I've been giving Sasuke a bald spot for months to the kids behind him. Sometimes they see hair, sometimes they see scalp. I know I can make things invisible, but how effective is it to ninja chunin and higher? It's hard to say. I've stolen pens from Kotetsu the gate guard, but he might just be letting me get away.
Glancing up to find everyone but Sasuke and Naruto gone, I flick the page to the body flicker notes. Soon, I can see if the illusion will work on Kakashi. Maybe one of Naruto's clones, making any part of Sasuke disappear would be too obvious without more detailed work, but Naruto not only creates a cacophony but also can disrupt his vision making it harder for him to keep track of each clone. The problem is how to put him in a genjutsu. I can only use sight, and the medium has to be on me. Not finding a solution, I focus on the jutsu notes again.
Sasuke-kun!
-_-_-_-_-_
"My name is Sakura Haruno. I like myself, and hate violence."
Not a great personality for a ninja I suppose, but isn't it better if everyone just gives me what I want and leaves me alone?
"Hmpf! So you know you're useless. Just don't get in my way. I'm Sasuke Uchiha-"
"-an emo duckling that has a suicide wish. Piss me off again and I will make you eat your ears."
"Hey! Don't insult Sakura-chan!"
"Mah, you kids are so lively today. Continue Sasuke."
"...Hnn."
-_
"Hokage-sama, I don't think I can do this. The girl hates the Uchiaha and Naruto doesn't get along with him either. Additionally, Naruto hangs off Sakura's every word like a pup."
Taking a long and deep drag from his pipe, the Hokage slowly exhales, filling the room with smoke. "Kakashi, sometimes you need to trust in yourself and the younger generation. Give the leaves time to fly and who knows, they might even surprise you."
"...Understood Hokage-sama"
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Skipping to the third training ground, I chew on the three-colored dango. Sweet is justice! That and protein, but protein doesn't taste as good. Finding Naruto sprawled under a tree and Sasuke brooding in the next, I take the spot between them. Finishing the dango, I flick the stick away. Ignoring the floundering Naruto, I take a handkerchief out of my pocket and wipe my face. Dango is great, but the sticky sauce makes a mess.
"S-Sakura-chan! We weren't supposed to eat breakfast!"
Chuckling, I tuck my handkerchief away, "Kakashi-Sensei recommended us not to eat. He didn't say we couldn't. How am I supposed to pass the test if I'm hungry?"
"That's right! How come I didn't think of that dattebayo!"
"Useless and late, why don't you just go back home? Even the idiot is more useful than you."
Feeling my eye twitch, I hurriedly press it flat, can't have wrinkles this early now can I? "You would know all about that wouldn't you?" I sneer. Do I feel bad for bringing up his trauma? No! Should I feel ashamed for taunting a kid? Not a bit.
"What a minute-"
Hearing the creek of the tree branch, I roll to the side into a squat while grabbing a handful of dirt. Faking a punch, I throw some dirt in his eye before push kicking him into the tree trunk. Do I hate Sasuke? Not even a little, but he's just so easy to get a reaction from. Look at it another way, I'm giving him free anger management practice.
Don't hurt Sasuke-kun!
"Mah mah. Didn't you say you hate violence Sakura-chan?"
"Kakashi-sensei! You're late dattebayo!"
Sighing, I glance at the stunned Sasuke before turning to Kakashi, "I'm just proving that we're worth cooperating with. You might have missed it, but Sasuke did say that Naruto can be useful. Now that I've demonstrated my worth, we should be able to get along."
"That may be, but couldn't that be done without the violence you hate so much?"
I know this normally doesn't work, but there's nothing against trying. Tilting my head, I give him the cute and innocent look, "You know I hate violence Kakashi-sensei, but violence loves me!"