CHAPTER 1

"Lady Tsunade?"

Tsunade, the Godaime of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, looked up for her paperwork and cup of sake at Shizune. "What is it Shizune?" she asked with an edge to her voice. Hm, am I drunk? She thought it was just a little after 9 am and her entire bottle of peach sake was almost through.

"She's here Lady Tsunade," said Shizune. Her excitement at the new arrival was evident.

"Who's 'she' Shizune? I really am not in the mood for visitors," Tsunade muttered with a frown.

"Oh for the love of…"started her apprentice who was starting to get fed up with the fact that Tsunade never remembers these trivial details.

Tsunade held up her hand, silencing Shizune. "Look Shizune, save me the melodramatics and just tell me who the hell is here!"

"Miss Sarutobi my Lady."

That got Tsunade's attention. After a year of scouting the terrain of all five lands, she was finally able to track her down. "Send her in now Shizune."

Shizune disappeared and a tall, dark haired young woman strolled in and came to an abrupt halt five feet in front Tsunade's desk. As Tsunade stood up, the girl bowed in respect. Gesturing for the girl to come closer to her, Tsunade walked around to the front of her desk to take in the newcomer's appearance properly. In the past ten years since she had left the village, she had grown taller, and by no doubt colder. By the look of her attire, she had traded her favourite colour, pink, for black and her dolls for the two gold hilted katanas strapped onto her back.

Tsunade offered her a seat and returned to her desk. She grabbed some open files in front of her to browse through while evidently awaiting her visitor to say something. And she did finally breaking the silence.

"I never would have thought I would end up back in this goddamn village, Lady Tsunade."

"Yes, well Yuri whether you like it or not you are back and under your new Hokage's orders," Tsunade replied with a sigh. She raised her eyes from the files she was consulting to the 19 year old elite kunoichi in front of her. "Nevertheless, Yuri, Sarutobi-sensei had preferred that his entire clan remain in and to defend their birth place. After all, the Sarutobi clan has, to this day, remained the most faithful clan as opposed to others in the village."

Yuri snorted, "That's rich. I remember there was a day when old man Sarutobi cursed this blasted village and couldn't wait to ship me of to the Lightening Country the minute I had learnt to hold a kunai."

As the young kunoichi scoffed at the Hokage, Tsunade grumbled angrily.

"Oh I'm sorry Tsunade. I forgot you sucked up to my grandfather so much you would never understand what kind of person my grandfather was or how he treated his family." She pointed a finger at Tsunade and continued hotly, "Don't look at me like that Lady Hokage! While I was busy being trained to be a powerful killing machine neither you or Hiruzen Sarutobi did anything to stop my ill-treatment," and with those words she pushed up the sleeves of her coat to show the word 'lightning' written in kanji that had been branded into her skin years earlier.

Tsunade was shocked. She had never realized that this had really happened to Yuri and had refused to believe the rumors of her training.

She had opened her mouth to utter and apology, but Yuri shut her up, "Never mind that. It was years ago and what stays in the past remains in the past so don't worry about it. So are you going to explain to me why I'm really here for?"

Tsunade regained her composure. "As you may know, the Akatsuki have started to mobilize in all of the five great nations in an aid to capture as many tailed-beasts there are in these countries."

"So what you're trying to insinuate is that I help you and the other shinobi of Konoha protect the Nine-Tailed fox? But isn't that Jiraiya's problem? Didn't he make it his business to train Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yes, but that's not your only job. Your job is the help Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Kakashi Hatake and your uncle Asuma in training their teams. Jiraya is not in Fire country at this moment, so Naruto as returned to Kakashi Hatake's care. Your aim is to make sure that these 10 genin and 1 chunin are promoted the jonin as soon as possible."

Tsunade handed Yuri the files that she was holding. "This has all the information about your new students. I would expect you to be at Training ground 14 tomorrow morning at 8 am sharp. Is there anything else you would like to know before the teams senseis arrive?"

Yuri opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by Shizune who had announced the arrival of four elite ninja. She stood up and faced the four shinobi, one of which she was already familiar with. Asuma's eyes narrowed on Yuri when their gazes met and suddenly, Yuri felt the hatred within her towards her clan had returned.

The room had become dead silent and the temperature might have dropped by several degrees. Asuma's eyebrow twitched and asked with that lazy yet deadly voice of his, "Lady Hokage, why is she here?"

Before Tsunade could even respond, I answered with my usual cold voice, "I'm here on orders by the Hokage that I was to return to the village immediately."

As we had continued glaring at each other, someone at Asuma's side sifted and patted him on his wrist as if to clam him down. By process of elimination, I had guessed that it was Kurenai Yuhi, the only kunoichi sensei and, by the way she was looking at Asuma, she was his lover. She saw me looking at her and she lowered her eyes to the ground awaiting Tsunade to speak.

I turned to Tsunade and said, "Well I'll be going now. See you tomorrow." And with the Tsunade's permission, I performed the necessary hand signs and left in my usual manner: a swirl of wind and white lily petals.

After Yuri had left, both Kakashi and Guy let out sighs.

"What on earth was that about Asuma?" asked Kakashi as he observed is colleague with his right eye.

Kurenai was still looking at him strangely with her red eyes and asked softly, "Was she Yuri Sarutobi?"

Asuma just looked at her and Kakashi and nodded. He then turned to Tsunade. "Why the hell is she here?" he demanded.

"You all know that our shinobi forces are weak and we need all the help we can get to whip your teams into shape," she calmly answered.

But he persisted. "I understand that but why her of all people? She has been allies with the Cloud village for years now. How are you so sure she would not sell us out to them?"

"Because I trust her," she replied, "and I'm asking that you put aside your family issues for now and try to trust her too. This is to help the village in case of and Akatsuki attack and she can definitely protect Naruto. Also Asuma, I'd like to ask you all permission to inaugurate Yuri as a shinobi of the leaf village in the presence of the council. So do I have it?"

"I'll think about Lady Tsunade."

"Very well then. If there are no more inquires you may all leave."

They all left immediately leaving behind a handful of leaves.

It was 4 pm. The students of the Konoha Ninja Academy were filtering out of their classrooms after what looked like another hard day of ninja training. Yuri Sarutobi sat on the old swing in the academy grounds, observing the young students milling around, clearly looking for someone. After her meeting with Tsunade, she had gone apartment hunting and with Tsunade's financial aid, she was able to purchase a condo over-looking Hokage Monument.

Konohamaru and his two best friends, Udon and Moegi, were the last to exit the building. They all stood a few metres away from Yuri commentating about their day's work.

"What did I tell you guys? Iruka-sensei fell for that trick hands down," laughed Konohamaru and he gave Moegi a high five.

Udon chuckled as well. He then glanced around, clearly looking for his mother only to see the alluring young kunoichi looking over at them. Yuri stared back at him and dragged her heels on the ground making the swing come to a complete stop.

"Uh, Konohamaru, who's she?" asked Udon with a slight shudder.

Konohamaru and Moegi turned in Yuri's direction evidently surprised. Moegi was the first to answer.

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen her before. Have you Konohamaru?" she asked turning to the third's grandson.

Konohamaru immediately started to walk towards the strange lady and said to his friends, "I think so."

Yuri stood up for her seat as Konohamaru neared her. She walked towards the group of advancing youngsters and met them half-way.

Konohamaru stood looking up at the taller ninja. He was silent for a second and then asked, "Who are you?"

A light breeze blew raising Yuri's silky black hair slightly. Her usual cold glares were softened as she replied. "I think you know who I am honorable grandson."

Konohamaru let out a gasp. Moegi and Udon were equally mystified. "Who is she Konohamaru?" they asked.

Konohamaru stared walking backwards. As he did he said with a rush, "No way! It can't be! They said you were dead! It can't be you…." He walked back until he had bumped into another shinobi. It was Asuma.

Asuma sighed at the astonished look on his nephew's face and he removed the cigarette from his mouth to say, "Yes Konohamaru. This is Lady Yuri Sarutobi, Honorable granddaughter of the Third Hokage. Yes Konohamaru. Your sister is alive."

Konohamaru stepped back, away for everyone, and while shaking his head, he sprinted away from them as fast as he could.

Hi there! i've just made some improvements to the 1st chapter. please review and give some fedback on this story. I'm new at this and this is my first story. So i hope you enjoy it!