Disclaimer: -sigh- Naruto belongs to me…in my dreams only.
Thanks for reading, this chapter concentrates on the first five main characters, the rest will arrive in the next chapter. This also is more aimed to SakuSasu so; expect more of them and some with the other couples too in the next chapter.
Sankyuu!
First five character profiles:
Sakura – Quiet, smart, and calm. She often chooses studying over social situations and the like.
Ino – Sporty, pretty, and bold. She's boy crazy and she is big on gossip.
Sasuke – Strong, quiet, and competitive. He can get ANY girl he wants and often fools around with their emotions (naughty Sasuke!).
Naruto – Loud, hyper, and funny. He's happy-go-lucky and can cheer anyone up with his lame, but funny jokes.
Hinata – Timid, shy, and self-conscious. She stutters a little and has one heck of a crush on Naruto.
Chapter One
L a z y D a y
"Then of course, I met Sasuke and ever since then we've been just the cutest couple in our squad," a girl around 15 nuzzled the boy standing behind her.
"Ino, we're not a couple anymore," he said coldly.
"Sasuke-kun! You keep saying that, but I don't believe you mean it." She put her hands on her hips and scooted closer to the girl next to her.
"Oh, Sakura-chan! I can't believe I've never met you before, it's like we were bounded by fate to become best friends." Ino clapped her hands together and sneered at Sasuke who moved away.
Sakura nodded, though she had only met Ino five minutes ago and ever since then the eccentric blonde had been spilling out everything thing that sprang to mind. The truth was, though, that Sakura did almost envy Ino's golden hair and how it was smoothed back into a long, flowing ponytail that wrapped around one of her shoulders. And her gorgeous olive eyes tinted with deep blue. Sakura sighed, Ino too busy fighting with Sasuke to notice, and felt her own hair. Frayed and full of split ends, poorly pulled back by few red clips.
Ino waved her hands in the air again at Sasuke and attempted to punch his chest, but he just moved farther away. "Cruel, cruel, cruel! Sasuke-kun, you're so cruel!" she shrieked at him. She lost interest easily, seeing another girl walk across the bridge and sit herself down. Ino thought about how she had lavender eyes, and then she thought about how she wanted those eyes instead of her swampy, murky-colored ones. The girl had started to smile at her, but Ino was already mouthing off to Sakura again.
Sasuke surveyed Ino, but something caught his eye. Pink hair, just reaching her slouching shoulders. She looked frail and sad, her eyes fixated on Ino's hair. He smirked. Ino. No way was he still going out with her. In fact, he never really went out with her to start with. They were training partners for a week…wait, no…five days. What was she going on about? He thought back at Sakura and the way she felt her own hair with a timid hand. She's jealous. He had her figured out now. Oh, now it would be so much fun to play around with her. But he wouldn't…yet.
Naruto glanced at Sakura, his childhood friend, and then at Sasuke. Sasuke was now his new rival, he had decided that when Sasuke first looked at him. Okay, when Sasuke first said a word to him…the word just happened to be 'baka' and it was for no reason either! Okay, actually Naruto tripped over a rock and landed on top of a really quiet girl who stuttered an apology for being in the way. Sasuke. He narrowed his eyes at the mysterious, dark-haired boy and how he was staring at Sakura-chan…and not just her face.
"OMG! Pervert!" Naruto jumped into action and slammed his fist into the Uchiha's face.
Sasuke leaned back a little in shock, but quickly regained his composure.
Hinata fiddled with her fingers and blushed intensely when Naruto leapt into the air. She didn't have the same sensei as him, but always saw him training late into the night. But, how could she talk to him when she always stuttered or said something stupid. She looked at the girl that Sasuke and Naruto were both staring at, occasionally glaring at each other from opposite sides of her. She was pretty and Hinata couldn't help, but think of how wonderful it would be to hair such pretty pale, pink hair and giant emerald eyes. And most of all, the attention of Naruto-kun.
Just then, a puff of smoke filled the air. Everything was covered by a sheet of dark, dank, bad-smelling fog. Ino screamed, Sakura bit her fingernails, Hinata cried, Naruto kept running into things, and Sasuke glared at the shadowy figure emerging from the mist.
"Yo!" A silver-haired man approached them, holding an orange book and waving.
"Damn you, Kakashi! You left me behind again!" A second man appeared, waving excess fog. "And would you quit with the fog. It frizzes my hair" he looked at the staring teenagers. "Youth!" he screamed and held out a hand for a high-five. No one participated and instead focused on Kakashi.
"Wow, a lively bunch, aren't we? Luckily this is only half of the bunch. The others will be arriving tomorrow," he surveyed them again. "I'm Kakashi is this is my rival, Gai."
"We've been here for two freaking hours!" Naruto practically wet himself.
"Clam down, don't lay an egg about it," Kakashi reassured the blonde who was pushing his fist in his face.
"You all know why you're here. You're unique with special talents, top of your classes, or just plain interesting. So, welcome to our new training program!" Gai filled in.
"Let's get the rules down. First, teams will be decided tomorrow evening when the other five get here. Second, there are four rooms and three bathrooms. You guys will all be in one room; the next group will be in the other. Of course, meal times will be scheduled regularly and so will the training sessions and missions. Oh, and chores. Each Saturday is chore day. You can't expect me and Gai to do this all by ourselves."
Everyone nodded, but no one was really listening.
"Ja ne, let's go!" Sakura beamed, seeing as Kakashi was already her sensei and she knew him well enough to talk to him.
Kakashi and Gai lead them across the ornate wooden bridge, through a garden, and into a small courtyard (cafeteria) with wooden tables and chairs. They finally reached a large house, empty fields and clearings full of equipment for training were all around them. The house itself was wooden, with sliding doors and glass windows. It was only two stories, one was underground and it was only the basement.
They were lead through a room with tatami mats surrounding a low table. When they reached a hallway, Kakashi opened the first door to the right and said, "This is your guy's room. Remember, arrangements are not permanent and might change. You're here for a whole year so you better stay and our good sides and don't break any furniture or stain the futons."
"Today is a free day, please feel free to explore and be ready and washed for dinner in one hour." Gai continued. "It's a Gai specialty tonight!"
When the teachers had left, Sakura closed the sliding cloth door and turned to Ino. "A Gai specialty? That can't be good." Sakura whispered. Naruto started cracking up and rolling on the ground only to be hit on the head by Sasuke. Hinata rushed to Naruto to help him up, but he bounced right back of his butt and raised a fist at Sasuke.
Ino started unpacking on top of one of the futons; Sakura chose the one next to Ino which was closest to the window. The sky was already darkening into a shade of pink, orange, and purple. "Ja, I'm showering once I find the bathroom." Sakura said to Ino.
"I'll come!" Ino said a towel already in hand.
"What is it with girls and showering?" Naruto pondered out loud.
"I think I'll shower too…" Sasuke watched the girls leave, Hinata had followed them already.
"I'm gonna eat before dinner," Naruto unpacked some pre-cooked instant ramen from when they were waiting on the bridge and settled himself on his futon by across from Sakura's. Sasuke 'hn' ed and took off his shirt. He grabbed another towel from the rack on the far side of the room and left, closing the door behind him.
Ino, Sakura, and Hinata were searching for the showers when Ino claimed the first bathroom they saw. Hinata and Sakura waved as she shut the door eagerly. The two remaining continued until they came upon the next bathroom, the second-to-last door in the hallway.
"You can take this one," Sakura smiled.
"W-why, t-t-t-h-hank –y-you," Hinata stuttered more than usually because she had just met Sakura.
Sakura sighed knowing that she wouldn't be able to shower because that the last bathroom had to either be in the basement, a place she's rather not go, or in Gai or Kakashi's rooms. She sighed again and turned back towards their room. She passed Sasuke, but only got a glimpse of his chest and his dark hair covering his eyes. She blushed and looked away, her heart pounding too fast to hear Ino complaining about her lack of conditioner.
Kakashi called them all to dinner after forty-five minutes. The sat around the table in the tatami room while Gai severed up his 'surprise'. It was green and orange and Naruto decided in was inedible. The only one who ate was Hinata who didn't want to be rude.
"That is soooo brave of you Hinata-chan," Naruto gasped in awe.
She nodded, her face turning pale green, either from nervousness or nausea.
Conversation was limited except for Kakashi discussing plans with Gai quietly in the corner. "You're right about that…" Gai muttered and glanced at the teenagers who all started sweating from his intense gaze. "We should talk about this in private, Kakashi," Gai murmured.
"Yep," Kakashi agreed. "Okay, off to bed you guys!"
"But, but, but it's only seven!" Naruto whined.
"You'll be up early to greet your new peers, Naruto. I'll wake you up to prepare for them."
"What time?" Naruto beamed. "I'm ready for anything!"
"Four in the morning," Kakashi replied.
Naruto fainted.
Thanks for reading! It's late and I wanted to finish this chapter. I might rewrite it once I'm confident I have a good plot. Please read and review!!