Author's Note: Wow, it's been so long since I've written fanfiction. My other stories were all written when I was in junior high, and now I've just graduated from high school P . Please forgive me if my language and writing style is a bit, uh, too in depth, I just went through an AP English class and I can't get out of "look as intelligent as you can in your writing" mode. I ripped the storyline from Final Fantasy X, but tweaked it to fit Naruto, so obviously a bunch of stuff will be changed. I hope it's to everyone's liking. Just know one thing, the summoner will NOT be an original character/mary sue, I really am against those for the most part, she will be someone that is not necessarily well known, but is a Naruto character. That's all I'm telling for now P . Also, it took me forever to figure it out, but Sasuke will eventually appear in the story, so don't fret because he's not in there now.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, nor the plotline of summoners and sin, just the words that bind them together -

It's been fifty years. It's been fifty years since that hideous creature first emerged from the darkest corners of the earth. The monstrosity was punishment for humanity's arrogance and selfish nature. For far too long man had placed value in money and physical power, not in their morals or beliefs. Their spirits had been neglected and this crime was punished with the appearance of a horrible, rampaging beast that showed no mercy toward humans and desolated anything in its path. They called this beast sin.

The earth only has one hope; people with immense spiritual power have risen to fight against sin. These people, deemed summoners, have the abilities to summon the bonds they had formed with the deceased as powerful entities, aeons. The summoners must make a pilgrimage throughout the many lands and gather as many aeons as they are able too and eventually make it to the exiled lands, where sin first emerged. There, the summoner will receive the final aeon to fulfill their destiny and defeat sin. Unfortunately, every ten years after being defeated by a summoner, sin will return only to be the challenge of another summoner.

However, the summoner cannot make this journey alone; they require the protection of loyal guardians. Those who would risk their lives for the sake of the summoner and their journey, that is what a summoner needs for their long journey. For this purpose, many of the ninjas of the lands have put aside their other clients and duties and have trained specifically to protect summoners. The village hidden in the leaves is one such village where these ninja reside, and that is where this story begins…

Spirit of the Guardian Ninja- Chapter One

That Destined Assignment

Sakura had wondered the fields all afternoon. Somehow the sight of all of those tulips and dafodils had calmed her. They made her remember the old times, back when everything was simple and everyone could be together. She had no worries back when she was a child. 10 years ago…she was just six years old, Ino was her best friend, she thought boys were disgusting, and she believed sin to be a fairytale made up by some cruel mother to keep her children from wondering to far from home. Things had changed so much since then. She let the smell of flowers fill her troubled soul while the light breeze touched her cheek.

It wasn't just Sasuke that she was worried about anymore, it was everything. Sasuke was gone and she might not ever see him again, she knew that, but everyone else was doing their part to fight sin, and she felt as though she was of no help at all. Even Ino, the one she hated and despised in their savage attempts to win over Sasuke, had become a summoner, her guardians being her teammates, Choji and Shikamaru. Sakura remembered how the village had commended her for possessing such incredible spiritual capabilities. Her father was so proud, he had almost begged Tsunade to become one of her guardians, but with no success. Tsunade encouraged Ino to break away from her parents and that this separation would create more self reliance and strength. So Ino had left just last week with her two guardians and left the village of her childhood, perhaps never to return. Sakura had wanted to perhaps congratulate her, or tell her good luck with her pilgrimage, but she found it impossible for her…Ino was a friend in the past, a past which was torn apart by rivalry.

The streets were unusually quiet today. Only a few people littered the streets as she slowly entered the town on the way to the hokage's dwelling. Of course she knew that this was probably because of the many ninja that were recently sent out to guard the summoners or that had become summoners themselves, such as Ino. Just a handful were left and the rest were just average citizens of Konoha. She squinted as the blaring sunlight shined down upon her. She didn't know if she was quite ready for this assignment…to finally be assigned to a summoner. Tsunade had trained her hard for months on end, teaching her how to become a specialized healing ninja. Useful abilities for such a long journey. If Tsunade felt that she was ready, then Sakura thought that she should have more confidence in herself, if not for her sake, then her summoner's sake.

For some reason each step she took on those stairs to the hokage's office seemed like such a burden. It was as though each step she took, she was fighting against herself. 'Just nervous…' she told herself, 'this mission is important, my most important…'. Her mouth was so dry that she didn't know if she would be able to speak once she reached the Tsunade. Slowly she opened the door and cringed at the sound of the creaking door. Instantly her nervousness disappeared as the grinning face of Naruto came into view.

"Hey Sakura, you're getting the same mission as me, eh?" He chided "Looks like we'll be guarding over the same summoner!"

She couldn't help, Naruto made her temper flare like no other , "Naruto, this isn't some game, this is an important mission!"

Before Naruto could even reply, Tsunade cut in "Both of you, this is no time to argue, you both have the same mission and must cooperate and help each other".

Naruto and Sakura both closed their mouths without so much as a glance at one another, Tsunade smiled at her accomplishment, "Now, that's better…let's get to business."

She began, "I know you two believe yourselves to be strong enough to handle guardianship on your own, but I am not of this belief…you need another hand, and that is why your sensei, Kakashi Hatake, will be accompanying you on this pilgrimage." She sighed, "I had hoped he wouldn't be late for this…"

"Well, it's not like this isn't like him…" Naruto frowned as he remembered that Jiraya's latest volume of Icha Icha Paradise had been released to bookshelves.

"Where exactly is our summoner?" Sakura questioned, looking around.

"Oh!" Shizune spoke up from Tsunade's side, "She'll be arriving shortly, she had to travel from the land of the mist first."

"So hopefully Kakashi will arrive soon…" Tsunade trailed off.

A part of Sakura wanted to speak up to Tsunade, to tell her that she wasn't ready for this job, that she wasn't ready to leave her childhood completely behind. However, she knew that Tsunade would hear nothing of it. All of her peers had attended to their own individual duties in the fight against sin, and it was her turn. Still, her mind was troubled and nothing could put it at ease.

"Uhhh…Sakura, is something bothering you?" Naruto, who had apparently crept close to her while she burdened with her thoughts, gazed questioningly into her eyes."

"Na-"Sakura was interrupted with the creaking of the hokage's door.

"Looks like I'm a bit late" Kakashi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck slowly, "But better late than never."

"Well, at least you're here before she arrived" Tsunade spoke, "she'll be here at anytime now, so make yourselves comfortable, you'll meet tonight and leave at dawn tomorrow."

The three had no idea of who their summoner was to be or anything about her, yet they were to guard her with their lives. Such was the way of the ninja, and they were quite used to it. However, they would be spending a great deal of time with this woman, whoever she was, so perhaps it was a good idea to meet her first and then begin their journey. Even if it was just for a night, learning a little about her was better than knowing nothing at all…who knew how long they'd be traveling together as her guardians.

A/N: Sorry this first chapter was so short, it will be longer next time, this was just a chapter to get the story going -