Chapter 1

*Ring*

As another day in the academy ends, the students fill the halls and begin their way home. The usual group of girls follow Sasuke in a dream like state, with Naruto following Sakura in his own. He ran to catch up with her and tapped her shoulder, bringing her back down to earth, momentarily.

"Hey, Sakura, you look realy tired, today." He said, "Everything ok?"

He could tell how strung out she was. She hadn't made a single snark to him all day and had barely even been able to concentrate on Sasuke until class was almost over. He could swear she had fallen asleep briefly, but she denied it.

"Yeah," she replied, "I just didn't sleep very well. I heard things coming out of my parents bedroom that no child should ever have to hear..." she shuddered and clung her books closer to her chest.

"Ah, well, at least we don't have to deal with stuff like that. Right, Sasuke?" Naruto had run up to Sasuke and went for a high five, but was met with a glare.

"You're an idiot." Sasuke stated, before suddenly stopping in his path and turned around to the plethora of girls. "You know, I'd really like to go home by myself, for once!" He exclaimed as the girls scattered, leaving only him the blonde spazz and pink-haired fan girl in the hall. He looked at them and continued on his way down the hall, and out the door.

"Hey, Sasuke, do you maybe wanna come over to my place, tonight, and watch a movie, or something?" Sakura asked as they made their way down the stairs.

"And listen to your parents going at it? No thanks." Sasuke dully replied.

"Oh, okay. I could bring one over to your place, if that'd be better..."

"Also, no thanks."

"Okay..."

"Hey, Sakura, we could watch one at my place. You can even stay the night, if you'd like. I'll take the couch." Naruto offered.

"You know, after the night I had, that does sound nice. Sasuke you wanna come?" She asked eagerly.

"You two can do whatever the hell you want. I'm going home." Sasuke voiced right as a person walked up past them towards the school. The three turned in confusion and watched the person in all black head towards the door.

"Hey, school's over..." Sakura called after them, but with no reply.

"Hey!" an annoyed Sasuke called.

"I heard you!" a female voice replied as they turned into the building. The three looked at each other confused and wondering who it was. They didn't recognize the person at all. Naruto ran back up the stairs, peaked his head around the corner and watched as Iruka lead them into the classroom.

"She went into Iruka's room." Naruto called back to them and the three immediately ran over to the window. As they creeped their eyes up over the sill, they saw the person sit down at a desk and remove the black hood from their head.

She had deep auburn, loosely curled hair, halfway down her back, with her black leaf headband tied above her head. Her eyes were a dark golden brown and she had the fairest of skin; like porcelain. She wore a black hooded jacket over a maroon tank top, with black shorts and shoes. And with one breath the three outside the window let out a "wow..."

"Who is that?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know, but I'd like to spend the night at her place..." Naruto replied. Sakura glared at him and hit him in the arm. "Oww! What was that for?"

"A minute ago, you were drooling over me. What the hell?" As the two argued, Sasuke just stared in silence. But she had heard them and slowly, he saw the girl turn towards window.

"Get down!" He exclaimed as he sunk down and grabbed their clothes to pull them down. They huddled under the window and Sasuke put a finger to his lips.

"Do you think they saw us?" Naruto whispered. Sasuke shrugged, right as the door to the school opened, and Iruka stepped out, glaring at them.

"Get out of here!" He yelled and the three made a break for it, heading their separate ways. Iruka went back inside, shutting the door and returned to the classroom. "So where were we?" he asked her girl sitting infront of him. She crossed her feet and gripped her hands tighter together, nervously.

"What's going to happen, now?" she asked. "With the teams?"

"Ah, yes. Well, that's where it gets a bit complicated." he let out a sigh and looked at her with sorrow in his eyes. He knew this was going to upset her. "The exams are next week and normally, you would just be added to a team. But the numbers didn't quite work out that way, this year."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they can only be broken up into groups of 3. And the class just had a perfectly divisable number, this time around."

"So what does that mean for me?"

He shifted his position, leaned against he desk, looking at her and gently crossed his arms. "Your addition to a team will have to be proposed at the next meeting and someone will have to volunteer to take you."

"But what if nobody volunteers?"

"Then we'll have to wait until the next round of students."

"But that could take years!" She exclaimed as she slammed her hands down on the desk.

"I know, Chihiro. But I don't make rules." Iruka replied to her. He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated. She wanted this so badly.

"I still don't understand why I can't train with the others. Or why I have to come after hours and take the exact same class, just because something might happen..."

"Damnit, Chihiro! It's the might that we can't risk!" he yelled. She flinched back at his sudden anger and her eyes becan to fill with tears. Iruka's face immediately softened at what he had done and he went over to put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know you don't understand." He apologized. She sunk down in her seat and his brow furrowed. He was angry at himself. She was only 12 and what was coming hadn't, yet. "Why don't we skip our lesson for today. Go home. Play with friends." he walked back over to his desk and she picked up her back pack and swung it over her shoulder, walking to the door.

"What friends?" she muttered to herself. Placing her hand on the doorframe, she turned to him. "You know, I'm not a monster." she quietly said, "Not yet..." she then exited the room with her head down and Iruka was left to an empty classroom. He sat at his desk and rubbed his forehead in frustration. He then reach down into a desk drawer and pulled out a clear blue bottle. Setting it on the desk, and with deep sigh, removing the cap.