Traekor

For now I'm on an extended writing hiatus.. Just have not found the time or really the inclination to jump back into writing. I may revisit it in the future however, I just do not know when that may be!

As for the "thanking" part... at least in the anime, the scene where Sasuke tells her the truth, Sakura considers to bring Naruto part of the snacks she had made while remembering him fondly. While this did not take pass (as he was not in town) - I think it's safe to say she would have shown some measure of gratitude toward him, in the form of friendship.

As for Sakura being a 'cold heartless b*tch" pre promise of the lifetime - I have to disagree. Yes in episode 3, she claims she 'hates' Naruto, and she seen doubting him (everyone does as their first impression). However, if she was a cold b*tch, would she actually have helped him when he proved her wrong asking her for advice about tree climbing, instead of giving up?

What about how at the written exam? She was prepared to make Sasuke hate her by giving up at the 10th question, just to save Naruto's 'foolish dream'. I don't think a 'heartless b*tch' would do that.

I can definately see signs of their blossoming friendship as early as the wave arc. Sure, she still has some rough edges, but she is one of the few characters who shows concern and care for Naruto's safety and dreams since the beginning of the series. Encounter with Orochimaru? Written exam? Fight with Zabuza? Tree climbing? Preliminaries?

Where is Sakura being a cold heartless b*tch?

At her intro, yes she blows him off and dismisses him to what she knows of him - an irritating nuisance getting in her way of her goal. But soon after her talk with Sasuke, she attempts to correct that behavior with an apologetic tone (though Naruto ruins it). I won't say she's without flaws - and she definately has a lot of rough edges in part one.

But calling her heartless and a b*tch is not giving her any credit to her character. She's one of the most emotional -first to scream for (even Naruto)- characters in the series.

It seems most writers don't really understand Sakura's character. They take her initial fangirl-ism, and how she blows Naruto off (especially in the earlier episodes) and expand on that using her as a plot device to push Naruto toward another girl.

Honestly, I never thought Sakura was that cruel to Naruto. Every time she 'hit' him, he was generally doing something deserving, ie pulling her for a hug, attempting to pee in front of her, saying something stupid (like with Konohamaru), etc. I never got the impression she goes around beating him up for the sake of it. She hits him yes - but its always in a comedic slapstick fashion, and not a 'cruelty' route people seem to take. I always saw her as being one of the most supportive people toward Naruto in part 1, even as early as the wave arc, she's shown as being doubtful of him at first but praising him in her thoughts.

As far as fanfiction goes though, since she isn't a popular character for a lot of people, they abuse her faults just as you have said - into a snobbish shallow b*tch.

Awesome!

I wish the Akatsuki crap in the manga was resolved this way for real