Sakura's match

All eyes were focused on the screen as the names started to slow down to the two randomly paired fighters for the match to be named. Some were more excited then others as Lee was shouting for the board to show his name like he was possessed, while Shikamaru, on the other end of the spectrum, couldn't care less.

As the board finally stopped moving, both names were shown clearly and it got varied reactions

Sakura Haruno VS. Zaku

"We'll be rooting for you, Sakura!", Hinata said, getting a nod from her as she started towards the steps leading to the ring.

Sakura stepped into the ring and faced the sound ninja before her with a determined look. "You're a pretty stupid bitch to be willing to fight me", Zaku said in a tone that held all assurance of winning this fight, even though it hadn't even started yet. Sakura settled into a fighting style, Kurenai had taught her not long after getting the team together to replace the basic style all ninja learned.

The proctor of the exam, seeing the two were ready to get at each others throats, raised his hand and yelled "Begin!". Zaku made the first move as he aimed his right hand at Sakura, fully intending to knock her out on his first attack and win the match.

Sakura however had other ideas as she began to run around the ring. "You stupid bitch, stand and fight like a ninja!", Zaku growled as he kept having to reaim his attack as Sakura moved to avoid it.

"You have to charge that attack to use it!", Sakura yelled as she made a hand sigh and three clones appeared around Zaku as they kept running. "I won't give you the chance to take the shot!", Sakura yelled with a smirk.

"Hehe, not bad idea, Sakura.", Ino commented as she and the rest of team 8 watched their pink haired teammate fight Zaku the best way she could, outsmarting him. "She's using those brain smarts of hers to outwit her opponent. Not that it is hard to do, considering who her opponent is.", Ino smiled, getting John to smirk as well, because even he knew that, even if Zaku couldn't hit Sakura, Sakura could hit him.

Sakura pulled out several kunai from her pouch and tossed them towards the sound ninja, making him have to dodge them and further preventing him fome getting his attack ready to use on the pink haired leaf ninja. "You bitch!", Zaku growled as he suddenly brought his other hand up and pointed them on opposite ends of the ring.

"I don't have to aim if I can knock you down!", Zaku said before hitting two of the three Sakura's as the other disappeared from view.

"This is bad.", Shikamaru commented as he watched his old classmate getting hammered by the sound attack Zaku used. "You two should be more concerned about Sakura. I don't think she is going to win this one.", the lazy Genin said. But he was surprised by the smirks on the faces of Hinata John and Ino.

"Nope, Sakura has him right where she wants him.", Ino said confidently as they turned their attention back to the fight.

Zaku approached the prone body of Sakura as she lay on the floor. "Hehe, I told the bitch I was going to take her out. Too bad she was such a waste of space. Just like those other three teammates she hung with.", Zaku said before he felt a very strong killing intent behind him. That happened just as the Sakura in front of him wavered and disappeared from her place on the floor.

Turning around, Zaku came to see the form of one very pissed off and very frightening Sakura as she gave a death glare at the unfortunate Otokagure ninja before her. 'CHA! KILL THE LITTLE PRICK!', Inner Sakura growled. For him even thinking to dare insult her friends at this point, especially after the... bonding experience they have, it was his death sentence.

"You fool, Zaku!', Dosu thought, knowing the end of his teammate was not far away.

{fb} gave a low whistle as Sakura advanced to the terrified and unmoving opponent before her. "Yep, I think we can safely say that Zaku is screwed.", Ino laughed.

"What did Sakura just do?", Shikamaru asked, wondering what the technique she used to get out of the attack was.

"Oh, you wouldn't know this, but our teacher is a genjutsu mistress, and she taught a few basic ones she knows that Sakura could pull off.", Ino explained as Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Genjutsu, huh?", Shikamaru asked as he thought it over. It made sense, with her control over her chakra, she could pull one off easily. Shikamaru grinned to himself. 'Well, looks like John team has been troublesomely busy training.'.

Sakura didn't give the ninja before her a chance to recover as she began to pummel the sound shinobi with strength. Zaku was like a ragdoll at the mercy of its cruel owners hands as Sakura not only beat him senseless, but took time to break his hands in several places, much to the audiences wincing looks.

Finally, Sakura grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and lifted Zaku off the ground before slamming him face first into the tiled floor. When Zaku didn't move for a good minute or so, the examiner walked up and observed Zakus lack of movement. "Well, I think it's pretty clear the winner of the match is Sakura. Haruno", he announced, making said Genin jump up and down happily as she shouted out her victory cheerfully.

"Sakura's gotten scarier.", Choji said as he watched her walk from the floor as the medic ninjas rushed to get Zaku taken care of quickly.

"You're telling me. All this work has made this years kunoichi troublesomely dangerous.", Shikamaru commented with a sigh.

looking at Hinata and Ino "remind me not to get her mad" John said.

"ok" Hinata said

"You were great, Sakura.", John grinned as he praised his teammate. Giggling in reply,

Sakura smiled happy to hear words of praise from his mouth. "Thanks, John.", Sakura said as the examiner got everyones attention again.

"We will now have our next two fighters chosen!", he announced before the names on the board once again began to spin, with two less names to count.

After that exciting and surprising first match, everyone was waiting in anticipation of who would be fighting next.