So, I was on hiatus for a long time, but now I'm finally back. This is an AU story, which seems to be my speciality now, set in a modern universe, with Minato, Kushina, Itachi, Shisui, and the Uchiha clan alive, because Naruto and Sasuke deserve families. This story is inspired by Danny Vs A Month's Naruto Thirteen and Airheaded dude's Rippling Future.

Arc: Genin

Volume: #1

Chapter: #1, The Squad Assembles

As the sun rose on Konoha, a peaceful breeze blew the leaves around. The village slowly began to rise.

This is the story of Naruto, but not as you know it.

At 7:00 AM, the phone's wake-up alarm sounded. The resident of the bed, a young blonde boy, moved his arm around the desk, and eventually found the phone and got up. He put on his black shirt, sweatpants, and an orange zip hoodie with a black hood and arms, with a red spiral on its back. He put his phone in his pocket, He then told himself "today's the day". Indeed, today was the day that he and his class graduated and became real shinobi. He had been waiting for this for years.

In the kitchen, Kushina was cooking breakfast with a smile. His son would become a ninja today. She remembered all the effort he had put into his work and training, and hoped it would pay off. When she was done, she called him downstairs. "Naruto!"

The boy came rushing down. After finishing his breakfast, and grabbing his lunch he hugged his mother, well actually he hugged her, while she bearhugged him. Before he opened the door, his mother said to him "Naruto, whoever is on your team, treat them with respect, no matter what." with a straight face, which was strange for his mother. Naruto just grinned in return. And then he bolted out the window.

He was glad to be out of his mother's terrifying hug. He took out his phone and saw Hinata had sent him another message, and said to himself, somewhat playfully, "I wonder why she wants to talk so much recently." He then saw a message from his father, and he sighed.

"Well Dad, what have you got for me?"

On the other side of Konoha, a raven-haired boy named Sasuke Uchiha in a blue hoodie with a fan symbol and sweatpants was about to leave. He was excited, finally a chance to prove to the world that he would be a legend. He turned to go out the front door, but, before he could leave, an older boy in a grey flak jacket walked told him, "Sasuke, before you leave, I just want to say just how proud Mother and I are of you, little brother, and well, good luck."

Sasuke turned around and said to him, somewhat mockingly "Why, Itachi, are you growing soft?" At that, Itachi grinned, "It's a momentary show of weakness, Sasuke. Don't expect to see this ever again."

"Oh, I highly doubt that, but before either mom or myself kills him, please tell Shisui to stop leaving his shit here" he said with a smirk. And then he left his house.

He left his family's complex. He knew he would place highly with his grades, the only ones close to him would be his best friend Naruto, their friend Sakura Haruno, and that lazy ass Shikamaru Nara. As for team placing, he hoped to be on the same team as Naruto. They did everything together and he wanted to prove that he was the better out of the two.

He then thought to himself;

"Naruto, Itachi, Shisui, I will surpass you!"

Konoha Shinobi Academy

Sakura Haruno, a pink-haired girl in under-armor and a red dress walked in the front gate of the Academy, for the last time. She couldn't help but sigh. "I can't believe it's my last day here". She would miss everything from the swings, to the classrooms and even the teachers. She had some good times here, as well as some bad ones. She met her best friend, Ino Yamanaka, and their crush, Sasuke Uchiha here. She had other friends such as a certain blonde-haired dick, as well as Hinata, a timid member of the esteemed Hyuga Clan. Yes, she would miss this. Maybe she'd could came back as a teacher. But as the thought entered her head, she remembered she had a small amount of patience and she would probably lose it with her...less intellectual students.

If the goddess of luck favored her, she would be placed on a team with Sasuke. If she hated her, Sasuke would be placed with Ino, but then again she was a Yamanaka, part of the famous Ino-Shiki-Cho combination. Even though they are best friends, Sasuke was hers. And hers alone.

She braced herself. To enter the classroom, to get her results, to be placed with people she'd probably know for the rest of her life. She walked in the door.

One of the examiners, Genma Shiranui, gave an announcement to the class;

"Okay, class, your teams will be announced by me. But before that, keep in mind that you must treat your teacher with the ump-most respect. He is responsible for you and your survival. Also, not all senseis are the same. Might Guy... " Sakura shuddered at the name of the infamous bushy-browed jonin. "...will work you until you faint. Kakashi Hatake, on the other hand, will analyze your skills, and will be the only jonin who may potentially fail you. Okay, on with the teams". He gave an evil smile to the left row.

"Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyuga, and Shino Aburame". This statement left Kiba giving a large audible moan, and to say "Come on, I'm stuck with the shyest girl ever and a creepy guy who loves insects." Shino, who tensed up with that statement, replied with "I take offense to that. It is in the nature of my clan to have a keen love of insects, as it is in yours to love dogs. Speaking of which, you have a horrible stench that you need to clean off of you. And don't pick on Hinata-sama because she's shy, you mutt!" Which stunned him, and earned hysterical laughter from Naruto and Sasuke at the fact that the quietest guy in the class just owned the loudest.

However, Hinata began to cry and meekly said, "I-I'm sorry for being so sh-shy". This pissed off Naruto a lot. He yelled, very angrily, to the arrogant dog lover, "Kiba, you prick, you made her cry!"

Kiba then retaliated with "Shut up Naruto, you just want to defend your girlfriend!" It was safe to say Naruto and Hinata were blushing hard.

Naruto then told him, "She's cute, but she's not my girlfriend". He blushed even harder, and Hinata's entire face went red. But inside, she was really happy, "Narut-o-kun thinks I-I'm cute!?" That was a victory, somewhat small, for her. She was in love with him, and would always protect him.

Kiba and Naruto, however were screaming at each other, until Genma, at the limit of his patience, screamed at them "WILL THE PAIR OF YOU, SHUT THE HELL UP!" That silenced them immediately. He then told them, "I'd expect from Kiba, but from the Hokage's son?! Unacceptable!"

The pair, embarrassed, said in unison, "Sorry, sir."

"Uh. I hate this job sometimes. Anyway, the next team is Shikamaru Nara, Chouji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka. And Ino, if you so much as moan, I will personally kick you out."

The blonde frowned and gave him a death stare. Chouji and Shikamaru, on the other hand, were chatting away.

It took a while but the teams started to go down one by one, and finally, the one he'd been regretting was here.

"Uh, and today's last team, Sasuke Uchiha..." The Uchiha listened. Who are his teammates. The suspense was killing him. "...Sakura Haruno" He immediately wished he'd hadn't. The pink haired girl leapt up in delight. "...And finally, Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, the son of the Fourth Hokage". This led to Naruto whooping in joy, he was on a team with two of his best friends. And with Sasuke as a teammate, it would surely push him to improve himself.

He thought to himself; "Finally, a chance to prove to the world that I'm a great ninja, to surpass my father as Hokage, to be a legend! It will be a long and ardeous journey, but with Mom, Dad, Sasuke, Sakura, my sensei, Hinata, and my friends, at least I'll never be alone." He was near to the top of his class, and he was ready to face the world and it's terror. Sure, he was nervous, but as the old saying, No bravery is borne without fear.

Unknown

Somewhere, in a dark alleyway, flooded with water, lies a massive cage with a massive fox creature inside it. He growled and said, with no one listening; "I feel a storm coming".

Well that's chapter one. I hope to have these come out regularly, within 5-8 days of each other. This is my first proper attempt at a fanfiction and I would appreciate reviews and possible tips. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time.

September 11, 2015. Remember New York.