Don't Close Your Eyes
Chapter 1: Falling
Naruto fell backwards onto the grass, laughing lightly as he landed on the ground. It felt so good to be outside, enjoying the fresh air, and the blue skies. He had been cooped up in an office for several weeks now, and was going nuts. He hated not being able to go on missions, or to even visit his friends in other nations on a regular basis. He hadn't even gotten a chance to visit the training grounds or the academy in the past two weeks. Damn that Tsunade, making his life miserable like this. The blond could hear kids in the distance, probably training, but he didn't feel like moving right away.
"Naruto-sama?" A girl that seemed to small for her age of 13 was bent over, looking at Naruto, and blocking his sunlight."Naruto-sama...what are you doing?" Sasori Yamanaka sat down heavily, brushing her short blond hair out of her light blue eyes. "You know, Shikamaru-Sensei will say 'you have a duty to do' and try to get you to work..."
Naruto laughed and rustled Sasori's hair, "Don't worry...I'll work. I'll help you guys train today. You know, it's important that everyone does their best, and makes sure our next generation of fighters is at their best!" Naruto sat up, adjusting his headband as he watched Shikamaru walk towards him, Tatsuchi and Kashi in tow.
"Daddy!" Kashi lunged towards Naruto, shoving him back onto the ground before he could fully stand up. "You got out of that stuffy old building!" Kashi turned to look at Shikamaru, her blue eyes begging him to be lenient today. "Please Shika-Sensei, let dad train with us today! I never get to spend time with him anymore, not since Tsunade-baa-chan decided to retire."
Shikamaru looked at Naruto, shaking his head, "Fine... It'll be a challenge at least. Alright, Sasori, Kashi, Tatsuchi, you better make sure you're ready. You'll be training with Hokage-sama today." Shikamaru glanced at Naruto again. He humored the children to much. It was one thing to take an interest in the welfare and training of the village's children, but he made a point of trying to be involved with every one of them.
"Alright guys, you heard him! Get ready for me!" Naruto quickly pulled off the white robe he had to wear as Hokage, and tossed it aside. His feet slide apart, giving him better balance as his blue eyes fell to each of the three students. Quickly, three star shaped pieces of metal rushed past Naruto's head, as Tatsuchi Uchiha rushed forward, drawing two more shurikan from the pouch on his right leg. At the same time, Sasori grabbed the large scroll strapped to her back, and unrolled it on the ground. The girl was getting quicker about summoning her butterflies. Hopefully she wouldn't rely on them to much, and let her other skills go to waste. Naruto moved smoothly forward, intercepting Tatsuchi, his knee landing hard in the boy's stomach.
Tatsuchi coughed as he doubled over from the blow and dropped the shurikan in his hand. Naruto's elbow came down on the back of Tatsuchi's head, shoving the boy to the ground. He was still to cocky, the boy just never learned. Sometimes, head on isn't the best tactic. Naruto had to laugh to himself a bit for even thinking that. It took him ten years to learn that!
"You're still not keeping your guard up Tatsuchi. You're fast, but there are faster people. You can't let yourself think you're safe, just because of your speed." Naruto turned away from Tatsuchi, facing Sasori and Kashi. Small, blue, and purple butterflies that looked like glass were circling Sasori, and Kashi had drawn that sword of hers. The damn thing was half the girl's height, and she loved it. The blue butterflies started to move towards Naruto. The blue ones were the triggers for her genjutsu. She was good, someone caught in it would believe they were being ripped to shreds. Naruto quickly stopped the flow of all chakra to his brain, then redirected it, to make sure he didn't get caught in her illusion.
Two kunai flew towards Sasori, catching the edge of her jacket, and pinning it to a tree behind her. Sasori squirmed a bit, then pouted in defeat. Without hesitating, Kashi rushed towards her father. Rather than slashing her sword at him, she planted the tip into the ground, and jumped, aiming both of her feet towards his chest. It wouldn't be good if she actually hit him, because the girl had an outrageous amount of chakra gathered in her feet. It would probably hurt, even if it didn't hit. Kashi had her father's chakra, and her mother's control, a powerful combination.
Naruto didn't have much of a choice, he gathered as much chakra as he could into the palms of his hands, and grabbed Kashi's feet. He pulled her towards him, yanking her away from her sword. He fell backwards as he pulled Kashi forward, rolling to throw her over his body. He stood up, and looked at the three chuunin. They knew the rules when they were sparring Naruto, if someone got out, then they had to stay out. It was supposed to teach them the importance of helping your team mates, and keeping them in the fight. Unfortunately, the only two in the group who worked together were Sasori and Kashi.
The girls didn't like Tatsuchi, they were there when Sasuke died, and remembered everything he'd done with Orochimaru. And Tatsuchi was to much like his father, he was stubborn and egotistical. Tatsuchi thought he didn't have to work with anyone else to win a fight. Naruto shook his head, sitting down heavily on the grass. They were almost as bad as he, Sakura, and Sasuke had been.
"That was sad...Shikamaru, what have you been teaching these guys?" Naruto looked at each of the kids again. Tatsuchi was rubbing the back of his neck, and Sasori had gotten herself unstuck from the tree, and Kashi was pulling her sword out of the ground. "You guys...I've told you before, you've got to work as a team. That didn't look anything like team work!"
Shikamaru shook his head, sighing, "Honestly Naruto-kun, you expect to much from them. They're children, and you are the Hokage...it's not really an even match." Shikamaru looked at his students, rubbing the back of his neck, "...You do have a point though...Maybe you should give them a mission Naruto-kun. It might do wonders, to send them on a real mission."
"I suppose you're right..." Naruto looked at the now expectant teenagers, and started to laugh. "I got it! I was going to just send a three man cell of jounin, but I guess I could send you guys, and team 4...Shikamaru, do think these guys could handle a high profile mission?"
Shikamaru smirked as he caught on to Naruto's plan. He knew exactly what the Hokage was talking about, and it might work. A princess from a powerful nation was requesting escort to her wedding. It was a highly political marriage, but that didn't matter to them. She had requested a full escort, with as many shinobi as possible. She probably didn't need very many people, and it would have been better to move her quickly and quietly, but she wanted to make a big scene. If Naruto insisted on saying the customer was always right, then this might be just what the young shinobi needed to boost moral, and work on teamwork. "Honestly Naruto-kun...something that big...you might want to send cell 3 as well."
"What is it? I wanna know!!! Daddy!" Kashi tugged on Naruto's sleeve, giving him the biggest, saddest eyes she could muster, "Please?" He rustled her black hair, laughing at how childish she could act.
"Yea! Tell us Naruto-sama!" Sasori leaned over Kashi's shoulder, trying her best to look sweet and innocent. Tatsuchi even managed to look interested, though he didn't move from his spot, and continued to sulk about being taken out quickly.
"You'll be escorting a princess."
The young girls jumped about in a circle, holding hands and talking in gibberish, like most teenage girls when they thought something interesting had happened. Tatsuchi sat up straight, eyes wide, a smile crossing his lips, "Really? Well, what are the details of the mission? What do we need to do, and where are we taking her?"
"Relax. I'll tell everyone, once we get the other groups together in my office as well." Naruto picked up his white robe, putting it back on. He also reached down and grabbed his hat, with the symbol for fire printed on the front. He had set the thing down before laying on the grass originally. It was kind of funny, how for so long he had wanted to be Hokage, to prove he was number one, and now that he finally was, he couldn't stand all the paper work! He finally understood what Old Lady Tsunade meant when she would tell him that being Hokage wasn't so great. He still loved the fact that everyone knew and respected him, and he loved being able to make changes to the village, that were for the best. He also loved seeing the children and young shinobi smile and greet him warmly. No one knew any of the fear he had felt growing up. The village was a much happier place.
Umeda Aburame
Gender:Female
Age:13
DOB:February 14
Parents:Shino Aburame; Emi ((From fire Nation))
Team:3
Favs:Ice Cream; Card Games
Hair:Black
Eyes:Golden
Height:5'6"
Kekkai Genkai: Control over Bugs
Summons:Bugs
Rank:Genin
Specialty:Ninjutsu/Genjutsu
Village:Leaf
Weapons:Kunai
Tejima Akimichi:
Gender:Male
Age:13
DOB:January 27
Parents:Choji Akimichi; Ayame((From the Ramen Shop))
Team:4
Favs:Pork; Ramen; Soup; Ginger
Hair:Red-Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height:5'5"
Kekkai Genkai: N/A
Summons:N/A
Rank:Genin
Specialty:Mednin
Village:Leaf
Weapons:Chakra control
Teriiko Hyuuga
Gender:Male
Age:13
DOB:February 24
Parents:Neji Hyuuga; Ten-Ten
Team:4
Favs:Camping; Curry
Hair:Brown
Eyes:Brown
Height:5'3"
Kekkai Genkai:Byakugan
Summons:N/A
Rank:Genin
Specialty:Taijutsu/Chakra Control
Village:Leaf
Weapons:Kunai and Katanas
Shuzaka Inuzuka
Gender:Female
Age:14
DOB:July 13
Parents:Kiba Inuzuka; Okyou((From leaf village))
Team:3
Favs:Spring; Apples; Hide and Seek
Hair:Brown
Eyes:Grey
Height:5'5"
Kekkai Genkai: N/A
Summons:Dogs
Rank:Genin
Specialty:Earth based Ninjutsu/Tracking
Village:Leaf
Weapons:Shurikan and Kunai
Kanko Nara
Gender:Female
Age:13
DOB:May 6
Parents:Shikamaru Nara; Temari
Team:4
Favs:Dolls; Rice Pudding; Clouds
Hair:Brown
Eyes:Green
Height:5'2"
Kekkai Genkai:Shadow Control Jutsu
Summons:N/A
Rank:Genin
Specialty:Wind Based Ninjutsu
Village:Leaf
Weapons:Metal Fans
Sasori Yamanaka
Gender:Female
Age:15
DOB: March 3
Parents:Ino Yamanaka; Father unknown; Adoptive Mother Sakura Haruno
Team:7
Favs:Sushi; Daisies; the color purple
Hair:Blond
Eyes:Blue
Height: 5'
Kekkai Genkai:N/A
Summons:Butterflies
Rank:Chuunin
Specialty:Genjutsu
Village:Leaf
Weapons:Kunai
Tatsuchi Uchiha
Gender:Male
Age:16
DOB: December 22
Parents:Sasuke Uchiha ((dead)); mother unknown
Team:7
Favs:Egg drop soup; Chess; Comics
Hair:Black
Eyes:Green
Height:5'10"
Kekkai Genkai:Sharingan
Summons:N/A
Rank:Chuunin
Specialty:Fire Based Ninjutsu
Village:Originally Sound; Now Leaf
Weapons:Shurikan and Windmill Shurikan
Yondai Uzumaki
Gender:Male
Age:13
DOB: June 6
Parents:Naruto Uzumaki; Hinata Hyuuga
Team:3
Favs:Sweet & Sour Pork; Girls; Sexy No Jutsu
Hair:blond
Eyes:lavender
Height:
Kekkai Genkai:Byakugan
Summons:Foxes
Rank: Genin
Specialty:Ninjutsu/Taijutsu
Village:Leaf
Weapons:Kunai and Two Swords
Kashi Uzumaki
Gender:Female
Age:15
DOB: October 5
Parents:Naruto Uzumaki; Hinata Hyuuga
Team:7
Favs:Ramen; Sports; Water
Hair:black/blue
Eyes:blue
Height:5'6"
Kekkai Genkai:Byakugan
Summons:Frogs
Rank:Chuunin
Specialty:Taijutsu
Village:Leaf
Weapons:Kunai and a Giant Sword
Team:X((Special team comprised of ANBU members from different villages))
Seimei Kane
Gender:Male
Age:16
DOB:October 31
Parents:Unimportant
Team:X
Favs:Oranges; Candy; Kids
Hair:Red
Eyes:Black
Height:5'11"
Kekkai Genkai:Meimei ((Allows him to use chakra to make his body completely invisible to the naked eye))
Summons:N/A
Rank:Jounin ANBU
Specialty:Genjutsu
Village:Sand
Weapons:Assassin Wire
Hitake Okana
Gender:Male
Age:16
DOB:March 2
Parents:Unimportant
Team:X
Favs:Reading; Blowing stuff up
Hair:Purple
Eyes:Green
Height:5'8"
Kekkai Genkai:N/A
Summons:N/A
Rank:Jounin ANBU
Specialty:Fire based Ninjutsu and Explosives
Village:Leaf
Weapons:Explosives
Sairin Ame
Gender:Female
Age:16
DOB:April 6
Parents:Unimportant
Team:X
Favs:Tempura; Seimei
Hair:Blond
Eyes:Golden
Height:5'4"
Kekkai Genkai:N/A
Summons:Snakes
Rank:Jounin ANBU
Specialty:Sound Based Ninjutsu and Genjutsu
Village:Sound deserter
Weapons:Medical Needles and Kunai
