Hi, Ashley here. Welcome to part one of my Naruto fanfic Precious Memories. I hope you enjoy reading it. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its original characters and plot; all credit goes to its original creator.
It was yet another day for the village of Konoha. All of its residents went about their business as usual. At first glance it seemed like nothing out of the ordinary was happening. While this was true for many citizens, this day was completely different for a group of Konoha youths. These youths were ninja trainees who studied at the village's ninja academy. Today was finally the day that they had all worked towards since their first day at the academy. Today was the day that they would finally cease being ninja trainees and would finally become full fledged ninja. All that was left was to pass the graduation exam.
"For your final exam, you must each generate a doppelganger! Wait here until your name is called, and then come next door," Iruka-sensei's voice rang loud and clear through the room as he informed his students.
The classroom which on any other day was always filled with the low hum of the students' voices was now completely void of any such noise. All the students were focused on the task before them, this final test. Some students were confident that they could pass and just wanted their turn already, while others were plagued by nerves and fears of possible failure. Among the sea of students, one girl sat at her desk feeling the latter emotions.
The girl sat at her desk twirling a strand of her ash black hair around her right index finger. Her left index finger was tracing patterns on the desk. Both actions she did unconsciously; both were the result of her nerves.
The girl's vibrant violet eyes were unfocused, staring at her sensei, but not actually taking anything in. Her mind was wrapped in a cocoon of anxiety and fear. She wanted to pass. She could. She just needed to create a few doppelgangers. She had done it before, so she could do it again, right?
The girl's left index finger began to move faster, tracing more intricate figures as dark thoughts entered the girl's mind. But what if she messed up? She had done that before too, hadn't she? It would be so easy to mess up, especially for her. If she was not careful….
"Sachiko Aburame!" Iruka-sensei called.
The girl was pulled from her thoughts of failure by her teacher's utterance of her name. Her eyes become focused, her fingers stopped their fidgeting, and she banished all thoughts of failure from her mind. She inhaled and exhaled a breath of air to calm herself down.
I can do this. I just need to stay calm. To stay in control. To be careful. And to be precise.
With those encouraging thoughts, Sachi lifted herself from her chair. Being careful not to trip over her own feet, she walked through the aisle of students' desks and headed towards the front of the room. As her feet carried her to the door behind which her task awaited, Sachi quickly glanced up at her fellow classmates. Her eyes, as always, instantaneously found him, her brother Shino Aburame. Noticing her glance, he gave a nod of reassurance. With that nod alone Sachi felt a small smile flicker across her lips. Her brother's one nod calmed Sachi a whole lot more than inhaling and exhaling. Keeping her brother's encouragement in her mind, she entered the exam room.
Sachi closed the door behind her and then looked up. In front of the room at a small desk flooded with headbands, Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei sat.
"Okay, Sachiko, I need you to create at least three clones for me," instructed Iruka-sensei.
Sachiko nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She could feel her former apprehension starting to bubble back up within her, but she refused to let it take over again. She kept her mind clear, not letting any negative thoughts cloud it. She closed her eyes so she could concentrate better.
Focus. Focus.
Then with her mind focusing solely on the task at hand, she carefully and slowly began forming the hand seals. Finally she formed the last hand seal completing the combination. Almost instantly Sachi felt the air around her stir. Without opening her eyes, she could tell that she had did it. Regardless, she opened her eyes to confirm what she felt.
As her eyes saw the three clones before her, Iruka-sensei exclaimed, "Very good! You pass!"
His words made a smile appear on Sachi's face. She released the jutsu and at once she felt the drag in her strength. However, she kept the smile on her face, not letting the sudden exhaustion she felt show. She had learned over the years that showing it just made those she cared about worry.
She knew that she shouldn't feel a drag in her strength after performing such a weak jutsu. However, she did and that was the scary part. It made her dwell on the fact that she most likely was not normal. There was probably something really wrong with her.
"Mom! Dad! Look, I passed!"
"Congratulations son!"
"Oh my gosh! We're genins now!"
"Yeah, it's awesome!"
"I wonder what squad we're going to be on?"
"I wanna be on Sasuke's squad!"
"Me too! Me too!"
Sachi stood in the crowd of recent Academy graduates and their parents. She was trying to find her brother, so that they could go home to where their parents were waiting for them. However, due to her short height she was having trouble seeing over everyone's head. She could usually find her brother in a crowd in a second, but all the noise here was clouding her senses.
As Sachi was stretching on her toes in order to get a better look, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She knew right away who it was. She turned around to come face to face with her brother.
"Hey," she greeted him.
"Hey," he responded, "Ready to go?"
"Yes."
He nodded in acknowledgement of her response and then began to make his way through the crowd. Sachi hurried after him, following the path that he made. Soon enough, they were on the outskirts of the crowd. Sachi could now see the courtyard area with the big tree with the wooden swing. Her movements came to a complete stop as she stared at the morose boy on the swing.
He was Naruto Uzamaki, the only boy who did not pass the exam. Sachi immediately felt remorse for the boy. He was widely known throughout the village as a goofball and trouble maker, but Sachi knew that he was trying his best. She could tell.
"Sachi?" Her brother calling her name caused Sachi to look up, breaking her reverie.
"Coming!" She spared one last glance at Naruto then hurried after her brother.
When she was besides her brother she said, "Shino?"
"Yes?"
"Congrats on passing!"
"Thanks and you too."
His praise made her smile.
"Now, let's head home," her brother said.
"Let's," replied Sachi.
Sachi and her brother walked side by side down the streets of Konoha on their way back to their house. Their trip was done mostly in silence, however, the silence wasn't awkward, but comfortable.
The two were rounding a corner with a big tree when without warning a girl leapt from one of its branches into the sky. The airborne girl twirled through the air, a grin of excitement stretched across her face and her turquoise hued eyes twinkled with pleasure. The wind blew back her oak colored bangs and played with her two pigtails.
The sudden appearance of the girl did not startle neither Sachi nor her brother. Sachi knew without looking up who it was. Shino was use to this habitual occurrence in his life, so he too, without a doubt, instantly knew who it was.
The pig tailed girl landed gracefully on her feet, her hand made lime green dress with yellow ruffles flowing back over her legs. The girl greeted, "Sachi! Shino!"
The girl's energetic mood, infective as always, soon had Sachi smiling as well. "Hi, Reina."
Even Shino wasn't immune to her jubilance and found his lips twitching up into a smile as well. "Nice to see you Reina."
"You guys too!" Her eyes then landed on their headbands and her grin somehow became larger. She then spun around twice, her dress fanning around her ankles. Then she clapped twice and exclaimed, "You guys did it! You passed! Hooray! Hurrah! I knew you could do it! You guys are going to be awesome ninja!"
Reina's blatant praise caused Sachi to blush, "Thanks."
Shino added, "Yes, thanks."
"Your most welcome!" chirped Reina.
Shino addressed Sachi, "I'm going to head home. Head back when you're ready."
"Okay," Sachi replied. With Sachi's acknowledgement Shino started to head back.
Reina called after him, "Bye Shino!" In response, he raised a hand in farewell.
Sachi watched her brother's retreating figure. Even though he left, Sachi knew that he would be just up the road waiting for her.
"Oh! I have something for you!" At Reina's exclamation, Sachi's attention shifted back to the girl.
Sachi watched as Reina detached a scroll that was attached to her waist. She watched as her friend unsealed the scroll in mere seconds. Just as quickly her hands closed over the object that had fallen out of the scroll before Sachi could even get a glimpse.
"Now close your eyes," instructed Reina.
Sachi did as she was told. "Okay, now hold out your hands," Reina continued.
Sachi did that as well. She felt Reina slip the object, no objects, it was definitely two of them, into her hands. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."
With her eyes open, Sachi saw that the objects were two hair barrettes with wooden black cat faces on them. She noticed that each of the cats wore leaf head bands.
"Do you like them?" asked Reina.
"Reina, they are really cute," replied Sachi looking up at her friend, "You made these didn't you?"
"Yup! They are of Reina craftsmanship! Guaranteed to last forever!"
Reina's answer confirmed Sachi's suspicions. Reina was always making something. She had a talent for working with her hands.
"Want me to put them in your hair for you?" Reina offered.
"Please," said Sachi.
Reina moved swiftly to Sachi's side. Her hands nimbly took out Sachi's two plain black barrettes that were on either side of her head and replaced them with the cat barrettes. "There you go," said Reina, handing Sachi her old barrettes.
"Thanks," said Sachi, while tucking her old hair barrettes into the pocket of her black sweatshirt.
"No problem. When is orientation day?"
"The day after tomorrow."
"Cool. I bet they will put you on an awesome team."
"…Yes," answered Sachi.
Reina noticing the hesitation in her friend's voice encouraged, "Sachi don't worry so much. You'll be great."
"I know Reina, but I'm afraid I won't be good enough."
"Oh, you don't know that! You won't know unless you try, try, try!"
Reina's words made Sachi smile; those words were the same ones that Reina had used when Sachi had voiced to Reina her fears about not being strong enough to become a ninja. It was ultimately Reina who persuaded Sachi to enter the ninja academy in the first place. Without her advice, Sachi would never have passed the exam or even entered the academy for that matter.
Sachi had learned that Reina was usually right about such things.
If Reina says I can do it then I can.
"I know, Reina."
"Right! Now that's the attitude you need to climb the ranks! Before you know it you'll be a chunin then a jounin."
Sachi smiled at Reina's enthusiasm. "Of course. Though I still have a long way to go."
Reina nodded. "True, true. After all, I'm in the same boat."
Sachi rolled her eyes at her friend's modesty. "Reina, you so are not. You are already a chunin."
Reina grinned mischievously. "Mmmm, I am, aren't I? Though it doesn't matter, I still have a long way to go!"
Reina suddenly leapt forward and wrapped her arms around Sachi in a hug. "Anyways, you should probably get going home. Your parents are most definitely waiting for you at home."
Sachi returned her hug. "Yeah."
Shino opened the door to their house and entered with Sachi following behind him. As soon as Sachi entered their house, she was assailed by heavenly scents wafting from the kitchen. Sachi inhaled another breath of air. There were so many different scents mingling together. It smelled like her mother was cooking up a feast. Sachi's stomach growled making her glance at it in surprise. She hadn't noticed before, but she was actually famished.
"Sachi? Shino? Is that you?" Their mother's voice drifted from the kitchen. Moments after a woman appeared in the entryway that led from the living room to the kitchen. She smiled when she saw them.
"We're back mother," answered Sachi.
"We're home," added Shino.
"Welcome home," said their mother walking over towards them. Her eyes swiftly flitted over their headbands. "Congratulations, you two." She hugged Sachi and then Shino.
"Sachi honey, those new barrettes are adorable."
"Thanks, they were a gift from Reina," replied Sachi.
"How kind of her," smiled their mother, "Now, I'm making all of your favorites for dinner tonight. They will be done shortly and your father should be home by then as well. You two go wash up."
Both Sachi and Shino nodded in consent.
Sachi watched as her mother walked back towards the kitchen. She was always so kind to her. Her father was the same way. She was glad that they were her parents; she was very fortunate to have them.
But….
Thoughts that Sachi had tried to erase from her mind flowed. They weren't her biological parents.