January 3, 138 A.F. 7:45 a.m. MAGT – Hidden Continent; Fire Country; Konohagakure no Sato; Ninja Academy

Haruno Sakura sits among her classmates for the final time. She doesn't really have to be there, it's just a formality. Iruka-sensei will announce how I was recruited by the Konoha Cryptanalysis Team, and maybe it'll impress Sasuke-kun so much that he'll want to go out with me! She thinks with a smile as she flips her long pink hair over her shoulder.

As the rosette continues to daydream she doesn't notice when a blonde sits behind her. Yamanaka Ino makes herself comfortable as she leans forward and rests her head on her palm. "Well, well, Dekorin. I heard you got recruited by the nerds at the Cryptology Department."

"Ino-buta, you're so jealous that they noticed my potential that you've resorted to petty insults." Sakura says as she turns towards her rival, but her sly grin makes it obvious that there was no real bite behind it.

The blonde smiles in turn as she runs her fingers through her long ponytail. "So tell me, what're you doing here? Is it some last-ditch effort to try and get Sasuke-kun to notice you?" Said boy has yet to arrive, making most of the girls in the class anxious.

Sakura would've snorted if it weren't so unladylike. "Not exactly."

That she doesn't deny it makes Ino smirk, but she holds back her taunt. "Then why?"

"Well, I have to be here so that Iruka-sensei can announce it, then I'll get picked up by one of my senpai from the department when all of the sensei show up to get their teams."

"Okay. So, what? Is it like a publicity thing? Show everyone that there are other options besides being a field-nin?"

"Yeah pretty much, plus it's also to explain why they had to add someone from the class across from ours into our assignment session…"

"Hmm, well whoever it is I hope it's a guy." Noticing the rosette's look of surprise, Ino begins to laugh.

"What? Not that I'm not happy that you're willing to move on, away from Sasuke-kun-"

"You wish Dekorin! I just don't want more competition. It took too damn long to get everyone to back down save for you and me. I'm not letting some newcomer come and try to whisk Sasuke-kun away!"

Sakura nods in agreement. "Right! This is between you and me!"

"Yeah! You know Sakura I kind of feel bad that you're leaving, for you that is. Since you'll be stuck at the Cryptanalysis headquarters 24/7 you'll barely get to see Sasuke-kun, if ever! Which means I get him all to myself!"

"Don't get cocky Ino, I'll still be around! And you'll have to be assigned to the same team as Sasuke-kun first!"

"At least I have a chance!"

"Ino-buta!"

"Dekorin!" With that, the friendly banter comes to a close and girls are arguing once again.

January 3, 138 A.F 8:00 a.m. MAGT – Hidden Continent; Fire Country; Konohagakure no Sato; Ninja Academy

With more and more academy graduates arriving, it isn't long before resident class clown Uzumaki Naruto arrives as well. The young blond sits down in the back of the room, ignoring everyone's looks of confusion, and grinning all the while. He chooses not to think about the circumstances leading up to his graduation.

Naruto sits with his daydreams, not noticing when a disheveled Uchiha Sasuke slips into the classroom and sits down beside him.

Sasuke barely acknowledges Naruto with a glance. He sits with his hands folded in front of his face as a way to rest his head and to hide the bags he's sure are under his eyes. Sasuke is not having a good day so far, despite finding out that he is the Rookie of the Year. Last night he had made the mistake of getting overzealous with his training and ended up asleep on the tatami of the family dojo. Had it not been for a passing bird whose squawking woke him up, he probably would've been late.

The room is nearly full and it's not long until Nara Shikamaru approaches Naruto and questions his reason for being there. After sending the resident genius on his way, the blond finally becomes aware of his surroundings, particularly of the Rookie sitting beside him which leads to his crouching on the desk peering down at his rival. What happens next leaves an unwanted taste of peppermint mouthwash and miso ramen in each other's mouths.

Most of the girls become angry and want to take their anger out on the blond, as well as take the opportunity to steal his seat, but lose their chance once Iruka steps inside the classroom.

Iruka-sensei is with a disgruntled blue-eyed red-head trailing behind him, attracting the attention of a few students as well as Naruto and Sasuke. In a corner of the room a small gasp goes unnoticed.

Years of training kick in and they begin to observe the newcomer.

The red-head (their hair really more of an auburn shade) is nearly as tall as Aburame Shino, if not taller. It's still apparent that they're around everyone else's age though. They have long lashes and dark blue eyes. Their messy fringe stops at their collarbone, the rest is kept short save for the hair at the nape which flips outwards. They're lanky, dressed in an opaque full-body mesh armor suit with sleeves that reach their elbows. Over that is a teal vest with a brown stripe running vertically down the middle, and a pair of brown shorts. Their tan does nothing to hide the faded scars still visible on their skin. There's a set of pewter cuffs adorning each ankle and wrist. Their shoes and their ninja gear is standard and their hitai-ate (clearly frayed, most likely passed down) is tied like a bandana around their neck.

Their gender is not obvious.

They stood next to Iruka at the front of the room, but their reason for being there is unclear. They're not holding anything so they can't have followed Iruka to help him out.

From their seats Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino share a look.