Chapter 1: team 37

Property of Kishimotto

Sasuke Uchiha waited silently in the line that was buzzing with excitement. He starred off lazily as he tuned out the chattering around him. Everyone was both excited and slightly terrified. Even he couldn't deny that he was at least a little bit anxious. His life was about to take a whole different direction. He finally approached the desk where an old man with bonny hands and a sour face looked up at him with a bored expression.

"Name?" He asked gruffly.

"Sasuke Uchiha"

"Here's your number." He handed Sasuke a white piece of paper that had the number 435 printed on it. He strolled out of line and walked across the campus to the auditorium. He pushed the heavy metal door in with his shoulder, not wanting to take his hands out of his jacket. He wore jeans and a navy blue soccer jacket with black stripes running up the sides of them. It was much warmer inside and for that he was thankful.

He was on his way to becoming a Shinobi. Konoha was different from the rest of the villages. Their teams were assembled at the age of 15. Today was the momentous day that he would be set with three complete strangers and placed wherever they wanted in the world. He was hoping somewhere cold. He didn't really like the sun all that much. He took a seat near the back away from most of the eager students. He only new a few people from his previous school but now he was sitting in a room with 500 strangers. It wasn't fifteen minutes before a lanky man came walking out with loud slow steps. He stopped in the middle of the stage and scanned over the hyper active teenagers. After a few seconds the talking died down and all attention was on him.

'oh God…don't be….don't be what I think you are!!' Sasuke thought as his eyes widened with horror. But he was. He was Sasuke's worst nightmare, a motivational speaker. For thirty minutes he dragged on and on about the shinobi way. About how truth, loyalty, and blah blah blah blah blah blah blaaaah! Sasuke didn't know how much he could take of the monotone voice that was hazed over by the crackling of a cheap microphone. When he was done instead of a round of applause, which is obviously what he expected, it was a deep awkward silence. Two girls in front of him snickered as they tried desperately to suppress an onslaught of vicious laughter. The next person to come out was a small woman who shuffled along the floor and carried a clipboard. She cleared her voice and smiled much too sweetly.

"Now to start calling your teams!" She squealed. There was hooting and screaming excitedly as all the students stood up and jumped with happiness. The small woman shrieked in shock as she fell back. There was a roar of laughter as she scrambled to her feet, her face flushed. She dusted of her skirt and shot a dirty look at the crowed as she picked up her clipboard.

"Ok," She huffed." Team 1: 32,198 ,83 to Yuzumi. Team 2: 46, 238, 497 to Insama." This went on for a while as teenagers slowly filed out at the calling of their numbers. A team leader would proceed to stand from the row they were sitting at and walked away with his new pupils. Sasuke stayed alert for his number until it was finally called. "Team 37: 61, 362, 435, 222 to Kakashi." He jumped to his feet at the sound of his name and was instantly glad he had taken a seat near the back. He only had to walk up a few steps before reaching the doors. He pushed them open silently as he waited outside for the rest of his team. After a few seconds a blond boy came strolling out with a grin spread wide across his face. He wore jeans and a black and gray NorthFace jacket over an orange shirt that read "the misfits." After a minute another black haired boy came walking down the side of the building from where he had exited from the other side. He had jeans like the other boys and a black sweater with the sleeves pushed up. Then came a white haired man that towered over them and wore his certified jacket to signify his position as a sensei. He held the door open as a girl came slowly walking out.

She was different. Sasuke could tell right off the bat. She had long pink hair that she wore draping down over her shoulders in loose pigtails. She had a gray hoodie that read "NCA'S NATIONAL SCHOOL OF ART" It was too big but she didn't seem to mind. The sleeves were pushed up, revealing black bands that extended from her wrists half way up to her elbows. Her fingernails were painted various colors that matched her multi colored socks that reached her knees. Her black converse were untied and had piano keys drawn at the ends of them. She wore a blue and green catholic uniform skirt that was relevantly short for school. Her eyes were what attracted Sasuke's immediate attention. They were such a shocking green; he couldn't stop starring. Eventually she met his stare and frowned as she quickly turned her gaze to her pigeon toed feet.

"Well then!" Kakashi said as he clapped his hands together. "Shall we go somewhere to talk?"

"You bet!" said the blonde with far too much enthusiasm; Sasuke was going to hate him. He could easily see it.

"Of coarse." Kakashi chuckled as he pulled out a set of keys. They fallowed him to the parking lot and to a van that was obviously given to each teacher for their use while they stayed.

"Sexy car," Said the blonde with sarcasm dripping from the comment.

"Isn't it though?" Kakashi laughed as he unlocked the doors. He opened the front seat for the girl but instead she pulled open the sliding door to the back. After a second of confusion he just shrugged, leaving it open and letting the other boy slide in. After a few minutes of awkward silence they reached a road with many restraunts on it. "So where will it be?" He asked as he started looking around at the passing facilities.

"Who here likes Waffle House?" The girl grinned. There was a small sound of approval from everyone ranging from "HELL YEAH" to a grunt.

When the new team was settled down it was time to get to know each other.

"So," Kakashi said as he slapped down his menu. "I'm Kakashi as you know and now it's time to get to know you guys. He turned to stare at the blonde who was sucking vigorously at his straw that was stuck in a chocolate milkshake. He gazed up at all the eyes that were watching him.

He sat up and pointed with his thumb at himself. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I'm 15 and uh, let's see…. I play soccer, basketball, I surf, and I play the drums! I also love ramen." He grinned at everyone around him. "Anything else?"

"Where did you go to school Naruto?" The girl asked as she twirled her straw around with her painted nails.

"Oh I did some one on one training with Jeriah." He shrugged. "He's kind of a pervert but after elementary school my dad sent me to him. He even taught my dad when he was younger."

"I know Jeriah." Kakashi smiled. "And your father for that matter. He taught me a while back."

"Oh wow…"

"Yeah… small world! But anyways, how about you?" He asked the boy sitting across from him.

"Sai." He said with a lifeless smile. "My name is Sai and I am 16. I went to an art school for junior high and that's where most of my ninja skill lies, in the arts. I don't do many sports but I do skate and snowboard."

"Well it's nice to meet you Sai. And you?" Kakashi asked as he eyed Sasuke.

Sasuke took a deep breathe and exhaled through his nose. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I went to a normal middle school and I also play soccer. I wakeboard and snowboard, sorry Sai no artistic ability here. I also graduated top of my class."

Sasuke turned to look at the girl. He didn't want to show how interested he was so he kept his face blank. "You?"

She bit her lip as she starred into her lap and nodded quickly. "I'm Sakura Haruno and I'm 15." She said it so quietly that Naruto leaned in to listen. "I went to an art school as well and I don't do any sports. I play the guitar and I'm pretty much obsessed with music. I've lived with various foster parents so all of this isn't very new to me." She said the last part so quiet to the point it was almost a whisper. It turned really quite just like before as each team member starred in a different direction. Sasuke could practically see a light bulb flash above Naruto's head as an idea struck him.

"Wait," He asked curiously, "Where are we stationed."

Everyone raised their head to stare at Kakashi. They had completely forgotten about that part…

Kakashi's eyes darted around nervously. "Well," He said unsure. "I don't know if you guys would like this or not but…" He took a deep breathe, scratched the back of his head, and forced a smile. "What do you guys think about Rome?"