Hello everyone! this is Spiritwolf98 with her first fanfic. I have read so many good stories in which I was like, "if that was just a teensy bit different, it LOVE it" that I decided to write one. Maybe I'll even get better at writing! So I'm starting off with the totally unoriginal ANBU go the Hogwarts idea(I've read them ALL), and though there have been one in which Naruto was the damaged soldier, none of them have been about a TEAM of damaged soldiers. So me with my twisted mind decided it would be best to torture MORE than one character and make them all like Sai before he got changed, just a bit less creepy. In this story, I'll mostly play the shinobi as the superior to wizards as a whole, and the conflict will be more society vs person, will less fighting and more conversations. If you've noticed, I ramble a lot, though I hope that doesn't dissuade you from from reading my story, though I don't know if you can call it that. So, without more words, here is chapter one of The Shadows.

A lone figure stood in the middle of the office, his golden hair the only distinguishing feature apart from his mask. As he knelt down in one smooth movement, the only sound was the soft rustling of the black cloth in between the padded armor on his body. His head looked down at the floor in respect of his superior present in the room, not a muscle moved, a prime example of a being in complete control of his body.

The Gondaime Hokage sighed. It had been a long day for her, she reflected, and this was the last mission assignment of the day, but it would also be the most important. She brought her tired brown eyes to the space behind the figure, and watched as still air filled out to the shapes of four other people. She took a long look at them, and her eyes settled on the figure in front, and with a gesture of her head, all five stood up as one, each in synch and in tune with each other.

The grinning mask of a Fox stared back at her, and the Hokage remembered another time she had seen that face, when it was streaming with tears from a loss that not all could understand. The pain of killing a friend, rival, and someone who had repented at the very end, and let the killing blow be dealt with a smile on their face. This had shattered the innocence of team seven, and hardened them like no survival training could have.

Her eyes wandered to the figure behind the leader, the Grizzly on her face representing a lot more then the eye could see about this young women. Her hair in a pony tail for convenience, her clothing was standard except for the brown sash on her side that marked her out as a medic. Tsunade recalled of a time the cloth was as white as the personality of the wearer, but it had changed to all the battles, blood being a hard color to remove.

She looked left to another women, her dark indigo hair swaying just at the small of her back. Any longer would be a burden to a mission, and as this kunoichi knew very well, all was sacrificed to the mission. Her teammates and her virginity had payed the price, but it had gotten the job done, and that was all that mattered in the world of the shinobi. Her Ferret mask showed how her standing had changed, quiet, but extremely fierce if provoked. No, Tsunade thought, that was not someone she wanted to corner, even if her strength was greater.

The last two figures in the back were a typical case from the war. Rare was a team that had not suffered a loss, and they were no exception. The dark hair of the man standing to the right blended in with his Raven mask, and like its namesake, intelligent eyes stared out at her, observing and analyzing constantly, a habit from the battle field that was impossible to turn off.

The Panther mask next to him stared at her with not as much intellect as passion. Her hair, once long, had been cut in a recent fray to free herself, and was in a short, pale braid.

Tsunade remembered when these adults were still children, just a year ago. Powerful, but still children. The Fourth Shinobi war had changed that. It had hardened them into the weapons that any country could be proud of. And if any moralities had been left, they were crushed by the harsh realities of ANBU missions.

One part of Tsunade mourned the loss, but it was nonexistent next to the fierce pride of having these powerful soldiers, capable of anything, and stronger than any foe that might oppose them. Even though 9 had whittled down to five, they were her best.

But no matter. What had happened was not important, what was going to was. She slid her hand forward, letter underneath.

"A letter arrived yesterday from an unknown benefactor, with a mission calling for my best soldiers for an undefined amount of time, for whatever cost."

Silence filled the room, the ANBU knowing that their opinions had no importance in this scenario. Tsunade thought to how a strange owl had flown into the falconry, wings softer than any of the quick-witted birds Konoha owned. A letter had been tied to the foot of the unnecessarily big predator, and Tsunade mentally scoffed at the owner. Such a big bird would be easily seen, and shot down, the Academy students knew that. But her interest had been piqued when she opened the paper, and the deep green scripture had slowly changed into recognizable kanji. It was highly suspicious, the whole thing emitted a weak sense of chakra, but the inspection and intelligence agency had deemed it not currently dangerous, and that was enough for her.

"Besides the actual mission, this is an opportunity to find out about the client, an opportunity I plan to take." She sat back into her seat. "You will be leaving in three at least six months supplies. You know where to meet. Dismissed."

No approval from the ninja was asked for, and none was given. Tsunade looked out the grand windows in her office into the afternoon sun of Konohagakurge, and when she looked back into the shadows of her office, they were gone, disappearing as seamlessly as they had appeared.

o0o0O*O0o0o

The Konoha Jinchuriki's sandals made no sound as he padded to the standard apartment that all ANBU received. He walked in, no locks on the plain wooden door, indistinguishable from the ones next to it. It had recognized his chakra, thus keeping the traps that would decimate a foreign signature safely in place.

The room was devoid of all decoration, reflecting his face as he took the smooth porcelain and set it down gently on the table beside the futon on which he slept. It stared cruelly back at him, reminding him of the reason it was given to him

The rain fell harder on his already sodden body and he held in his arms the person who had wormed his way into his heart, shrieking as something in him br-

He shook his head. All emotion was to be crushed, wrapped in an iron hold, as was anything that distracted from the objective. The pack containing all of his sealed supplies was grabbed from its customary spot, and he was gone, leaving the memory along with the settling dust in the shape of a mask.

o0o0O*O0o0o

The shadows seemed to swallow the limber figure that was leaning against the wall, unmoving. When a women walked past with her dark, sweat soaked hair, only then did he shift, a tiny movement almost unnoticeable. The individual made no move to acknowledge him other than a blink of the eye, and she continued right on her path to the other side of the room, the only sound the light crinkle of her white training clothes.

The grace with which her feet glided across the hard floors made clear that this women was no civilian, and the bokken on her side confirmed it. She unbuckled it from her waist, and slowly lowered it onto the table, resting the lacquered wood on her fingers, her grip tightening until her fingers turned white.

"How long?" she hoarsely whispered.

"Nine months," was the faint answer. The women's grip tightened still, but otherwise, nothing was said. Finally, she set down the bokken, and almost mournfully took out the tanto she had made and finished for the shadow on the wall.

"For you" was said, those two words trying to convey a rainbow of emotions, and the tanto was held out. The man took it gently, and turned his back, receding into the shadows. The women stayed in that position for a long time, finally acknowledging that this man was no longer her's, but the Hokage's, for the leader to do as she pleased with her soldiers.

o0o0O*O0o0o

When she had joined ANBU, she had always assumed that she would choose her mask, maybe an animal that she liked, or represented. But when she had passed initiation, she had been given one instead, a mask that apparently was suppose to suit the personality of the wearer and some of their values. At first, she was baffled at their choice. There was no semblance between the wild ferocity of her creature and her, she thought. But as time passed, the similarities became blindingly obvious, so much that she became amused that at first, she had been so blind. She only respected all the more their Hokage for knowing something that not even she had known herself.

The house was empty as she walked though it, allowing her mind to wander in a way never accepted anywhere else. The residence that had lived here, the people who had raised her, had been one of the many, many innocent lives lost in the war. She had refused the apartment she had gotten in favor to live in a place that held all her memories. Most ANBU did the opposite, making her a rare case. But this way, she had at least an illusion of peace, which in her mind, was better than none at all. But the house still had a military look to it, for no matter how hard she tried to make it softer, she had become so use to hard beds and sparse conditions, comfort became suffocating.

The supplies were all sorted out, weapons already sharpened, rations sealed. All that was left was to leave, which she did slowly, her eyes lingering on the fierce expression of a bear in the window before her foot dug in, and she sped off.

o0o0O*O0o0o

The family compound that she refused to leave even in ANBU was full of activity, everyone in a hurry. Before it happened, everyone had been smiling, laughing. Now it was a much more intense type of movement, the task had become more important than the journey. Many grieved over this, but may believed it strengthened the bonds between people, making it more real. But she believed that it had just been what it was, change. Not good, but not bad. Of course, when it actually happened, her opinion was much different. Then she changed. In ANBU, she learned that a lot of things change. But she would never forget her father, that wouldn't change.

Most people didn't notice her, carrying on with their duties, oblivious the silent guardian watching over them. Only one person did, and he only nodded his head, and continued. She stared after him, watching him recede. In another life, their relationship would have been very different, but it was not to be. Ninja and civilian did not mix, not in work, and especially not in love. Ninjas protect, civilians provide. That was how it worked. Most things change, but some don't.

No matter how hard she tried, her memories wouldn't change, and of all people, hers should have. If it didn't work for her, it had to be set in stone. This was not arrogance, but a fact.

With nothing left to do, already having prepared for anything before going to the Hokage's office, she turned around and walked away, her woven hair too pale to reflect the sun.

o0o0O*O0o0o

Silence was the greeting the last team member got as she walked to the meeting spot. Not an unpleasant silence, but a practiced silence, a one comfortable for all of those present. Even though it was still hours before the due time, she got a reprimanding look from the leader for wasting time by taking an hour to come, though she had an apartment in the ANBU dorms. She gave it no attention, she could make it up by her actions in the mission. The dark haired women made no attempt to explain to him that she had only been preparing a new scouting jutsu for the mission, and had practiced it one more time before coming to the lush hollow where they were all gathered at.

The forest surrounding Konoha had recovered quickly after the war, the fires clearing out all the weeds while the mighty giants stood on, and competing plants getting more sunlight. The air was fresh, full of oxygen as was expected from the middle of the grand forest, and the leaves closed the canopies quickly, making the village once again, hidden in the leaves.

All the ANBU knelt as the Hokage appeared in a twirl of leaves, and she walked into the middle of their circle.

"This mission is a guarding mission, your client wants a boy who is being targeted protected. This comes from some place I have never heard of, the only instructions being for all of you to grasp this letter at six a 'clock, and it will use a time space method to transport you to wherever you will go." Here she paused, and pulled out the letter in question.

" If this is a trap, I trust you all to be able to handle yourselves. We will be able to communicate via summons, backup will not be able to be sent. That is all."

Tsunade Senju watched as all the shinobi grasped the letter tightly, and in a few seconds, were sucked into space. The words 'come back' that were on the tip of her tongue were not allowed by their profession, and she could only hope that she had made the right decision, and not sent them of to their deaths.

So, how was it? Overdone, cheesy, flat out depressing? If you want me to change, or just want to hate on me, do it! I need ALL the feedback I can get. Don't be shy! And hoped you liked it!

-Spiritwolf98