A/N- Hey guys! I have never written a Naruto fan fiction before, so I hope that my writing will fit with the character's respective roles in the series. And if anything seems off-character then it is merely the results of the situation they are currently standing in, their actions and words are based off of the way I think they may handle it.
Info- The story takes place 2 days before the academy students become a genin and are assigned into their respective teams. There may be similarities to the events in the timeline.
I will be updating on a weekly basis. But if I'm really in the mood, you can expect 2 chapters ;).
Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto series.
Enjoy the story!
Chapter 1
The Chosen Guardians
"Today is the day, huh?"
Hiruzen walked down the narrow halls thinking back to the time every academy student would become an official genin, it put a smile on his face. He folded his hands behind his back and stopped in his tracks to view the sun lighting up the whole of Konoha. His skin welcomed the warmness that it brought with it. He fiddled with the stone in his hand as he decided on continuing his walk towards his office.
The joy of every ninja earning the title of a genin always thrilled the Hokage. The growing warmth from the jewel sadly interrupted the pleasant feeling. The closer he got, the more intense did the gem in his folded hand become.
"If just this part was as easy," he said, squeezing the eager crystal to subdue its thirst for the chakra hidden behind the closed doors. A quick remembrance of the meeting held at the Sand Village, with the elders included, made him hesitate.
"It just had to be this year."
He pushed the door handle and was welcomed by 12 illuminating gem stones, each with their respective aura circling around the center. He brought his own jewelry to sight and felt as the massive amount of chakra flowing through his veins was response enough, he nodded to himself.
"The Guardians are chosen."
The sun was nearing its downfall. Hiruzen had summoned the previous Guardians and informed them of the clans that were chosen by the Will of Fire to carry out the mission they were destined to accomplish.
"This is quite the mix," said the Copy Ninja. Hiruzen could only agree with his statement. He shifted his attention to Asuma, who was rather confused by the 2 crystals consisting of the same clan.
"I know how you feel, I've never experienced anything like this and nothing in the scrolls mentioned anything. I can only hope that it won't cause any misunderstanding within the clan."
Kurenai seemed to be fond by the crystal that shone lavender, she picked it and examined it thoroughly. In a way, she felt at ease at how calm of an aura it had despite the immeasurable amount of chakra it had stored inside of itself.
"You like it?" She snapped out of her connection with the crystal as it reminded her of her own.
"No, yes.. It's been such a long time since I re-connected with the spirit of my crystal." She lay it down again and backed away from the jewels.
"It's unfortunate for the other genins, they were so excited to expand their chakra. And now, that unless they are the chosen, improving their chakra mass will be tougher than simply walking on water. They're left to overwork themselves." The sentimental speech from Iruka gave Sarutobi the feeling of being useless. If he could share his chakra with the remaining ninjas, then everything would be easier.
"Iruka, if I could change history then I would, but it is as it is." Iruka simply lowered his head in sorrow. He was quickly comforted by Kurenai.
Kakashi took a step forward and carelessly chose the crystals he found interesting , "This could be an interesting outcome," Kurenai sighed from Kakashi's lack of situation sensing.
"Put them down."
"Hai."
"Have you selected the team leaders?" He nodded to Gai's question. He took a deep breath before appointing the senseis.
"Kakashi, Kurenai, Gai, and Asuma." As he waited for them to step forward in a line, he arranged the crystals so that each sensei took 3 for themselves.
"Jeez, Hokage. Those were the ones I chose before, why tell me to put them down then?" The gray-haired adult lay the gems in his pouch on his left chest.
"Sense of situation is the answer to that." The previous Guardians chuckled from Sarutobi's monotonous scold, leaving Kakashi puzzled.
As Hiruzen discharged them and they all were heading home, night came upon them.
After being assigned into their teams, fighting with Naruto and purposely embarrassing him in front of his crush, Sasuke found a quiet place, the abandoned factory. He leaned against the window frame and took another rice ball out of his bento.
I need power.
"Man, what does she see in him?" Naruto kicked a rock as the ideas of getting revenge on Sasuke for not only embarrassing him in front of Sakura but for playing the cool kid who everybody adores and loves.
"But how?" His thoughts wandered through the many possibilities.
Capture... Sakura... Impress... Sakura... Binding.. Sakura-chan~~!
"Robe..." He muttered.
"Of course, a robe!" A devilish grin beamed across his face. He sprinted back to his home and found the needed material.
"Now, to find the lover boy," Naruto checked Ramen Ichiraku.
"Old grandpa, have you seen a guy this tall, spiky blue hair, gloomy-looking?" Naruto imitated every description he mentioned, but Ichiraku hadn't seen any guy similar to him.
"Okay, thank you," Naruto sighed from his failed attempts on finding the Uchiha.
"Jeez, how can he be so hard to find? He is the only teme in this village," he scratched the back of his head, rethinking every location Sasuke may be. He spotted a figure in a window 2 ft. from where he was standing, his appearance fit with the target.
"Gotcha!"
Naruto successfully tied up the Uchiha. He tightened the robe, just in case Sasuke had a trick up his sleeve.
"Who's the cool guy now?" He performed the hand signs that turned him into his rival.
"Time to ruin someones reputation." Naruto exited from the window and continued phase 2 of his plan: Act like a fool in front of Sakura.
"Mhm... Mmm!"
That idiot! What is he planning?
After the disappointing outcome of the teams, Hinata took a stroll around Konoha. Maybe she would encounter Naruto on this peaceful daytime.
I wonder how Naruto feels with his team. He is surrounded with top students. Sakura-chan and Sasuke-kun.
She walked past the old weaponry fabric, it had been closed down because of the improper work it delivered to the ninjas who were assigned on A- and -S-rank missions. It has been deserted ever since. She used to run around here with Kurai, her childhood friend. She felt the urge to enter the factory from the nostalgic memories flowing through her mind.
She already found the place where they used to draw the most wicked but sweet symbols. One of which were the symbol of love. She removed the dust from the little corner were the heart was drawn, the initials were still there. M + K. Hinata giggled.
A loud thumb from upstairs startled the young Heiress.
"What could that be?"
She climbed up the stairs. A sudden cold spread through her body from getting closer to the sounds of robes being twitched.
What is this? It wasn't so cold before.
She managed to get herself up the stairs despite her legs freezing to death. She was shocked to witness a boy who resembled Kurai. Could he be?
"What the-" Sasuke quickly turned towards the voice.
A sudden heat ignited inside of his stomach. He curled into a ball to tame his troubling tummy.
"H-H-How did this happen?"
Oh, Kami! Can't she see that I'm tied?
Sasuke had no other choice but to moan through the tape that kept him from giving. Hopefully, she would get a hang of what he wanted first and foremost.
"Oh, your mouth was bound too," She knelled down and removed the tape.
"Untie the robe!"
"H-Hai!" He was gone in a poof as the robes started to loosen.
That was weird.
The weirdest thing was, the cold was gone.
That damn Naruto, he will pay!
Sasuke spotted his doppelganger and caught him in acting like an idiot in front of his team mate and brutally blew his cover, and that resulted in another beat up from Sakura's part.
On his way home, Sasuke stopped and felt his stomach. It was gone. The pain was gone.
What's happening?
Darkness surrounded the entire room, even the sunlight that usually shone through the curtains were blocked from disturbing the dreams of the Hyƫga Heiress who was struggling to wake up from her blissful dream. The door quietly slid open and a maid walked in. She separated the blanket that kept the sun from entering.
"Hinata-sama, it's time to wake up. It's your first day as an official ninja. You shouldn't be able to sleep any longer than you already do." She smiled at the young mistress as she greeted her with a giggle and later a smile.
"Hai, Nana."
Nana brought her attire out and proceed into the bathroom and prepared a warm bath, she made notice of her leave and closed the door behind her. Hinata could only smile from Nana's positivity. She made her way to the bathroom, stripped down and relaxed her muscles in the snug water.
"I''ll finally get stronger." She hugged her knees tightly around her chest as she fell into the state of being alone. It hasn't always been like that, though.
She sighed. Her mind wandered onto a certain blonde, which made her cheeks form a shade of red.
Hinata zipped her jacket up. She smiled at her reflection as she was all set for the day her path as a ninja starts. She touched the strand of her hair and remembered the silky long hair her mom possessed when she was still alive.
Hope it'll grow as long as yours.
As she arrived at the academy, the classroom was empty.
"How weird, was I too early?" She decided on taking a seat, and draw circles with her finger tip on the desk.
Sasuke, with his hands in his pocket, grunted from the ticklish feeling in his stomach that began the minute he woke up. It had been the third time since he woke up. He made a turn to the right and saw the academy, the ticklish feeling grew stronger.
Why is this happening again?
He massaged his stomach, hoping that the displeasure would settle down for a bit. As the irritation had cooled down, he took a step into the hallways and dragged himself to the classroom.
Hinata sighed from the silence that seemed to never end. That was until she was startled by an object that landed on the floor, it was her ointment which she had brought with her in case something or someone may hurt themselves. It happened to roll away from her, in her attempt of getting a hold of it.
"Hey," she accidentally slipped on the chair and fell on her bum with a thumb.
"Itai~" She rubbed her sore bottom and spotted the ointment. The door opened as she caught the lotion, excited upon who the person might be, she instinctively raised herself up but knocked her head on the tables edge, leaving her to groan over the newly implanted pain.
Sasuke, who was distracted by the irritation in his stomach, took a sit on the second row. He sighed in relief as the tickling had finally settled. Hinata tried to recognize the person from the sigh.
"Who's there?" That voice was familiar. Without putting any more thought to it, she raised her head from her hiding spot and came in contact with pitch black eyes. Her heart skipped a beat from the emptiness in his eyes. Sasuke sharpened his glare as the hair style began to ring a bell.
She's the one from yesterday...
He looked rather familiar with spiky hair, "A-Ano, could your name be Ku-," before the heiress could finish her sentence, the doors opened and the newly entitled genin students barked in, settled on a spot and filled the room with their gossip.
Hinata looked at the raven and attempted on asking him again but a large group of girls surrounded him, confessions, plead to marriage, and something with a Sasuke were the only things that came out of their noisy mouths. She probably mistook him for her childhood friend, whom she used to meet at random occasions.
"He seems busy." She took her sit and placed her ointment back in her pocket.
Her sensei, Kurenai, had reserved a classroom for her team. The introduction went well, in a way she felt relived that Naruto wasn't there, it would've been a total mess otherwise. She still felt a little empty though, knowing that Naruto wouldn't be there to see her grow stronger. He brought the atmosphere to life, too. And that is what she needed: Energy.
"Now, time for the difficult part," Kurenai presented 3 carved jewelry, each with their own shape. Hinata was particularly fond with the tear-drop shaped gem. It's aura shone solid light purple. It gave Hinata a state of safety. Before Kiba and Shino could comment on the spectacular objects, Hinata asked for permission if she could hold it, which Kurenai nodded to. It was warm. It gave her this inexplicable feeling. It made her smile.
Kurenai smirked from Hinata's curiosity, she handed the remaining out.
"What is this?" Kiba asked. Kurenai took a deep breath before cutting her attention off of her reflection to her squad.
"These are the gem stones that each year are given to the chosen Guardians, who-"
"H-H-Hold up, guardians?! Who are they? Are they us?"
"I will answer everything if you would let me," Kiba grunted but gave her space to start again, "as I said. The Guardians are shinobis as well as kunoichis, who are chosen every year to be the protectors of the scrolls." She could sense a question from Kiba regarding the scrolls and thought of explaining every new term that she would mention.
"The scrolls consists of the 5 elemental nature transformations. We already lost one long ago, so the 4 were sealed in case it happened again." She could feel her team getting a grip of the system. She smiled from their curiosity, seeing as Kiba and Hinata had leaned further off their seats without being conscious of it. Her expression quickly altered as the truth was far from told.
And she knew she couldn't expose them.
"Why are we in need of Guardians, if they already sealed the 4 other scrolls?" Kakashi crossed his arms in front his chest.
"Because they aren't only after the scrolls. And if they achieved the scrolls, they would need the crystals, your crystals. That's why they are given to ninjas, who were destined to take the task of a guardian," Kakashi could feel the disinterest in the Uchiha's expression.
"But the cool thing about being a Guardian is that you have access to immense chakra, which is also why the Guardians are set to these tasks and why they are assigned on higher rank missions." Sasuke raised an eyebrow to the mentioning of "immense chakra", which amused Kakashi.
"Immense chakra?! Will I become stronger than the rest and the teme?"
"Hm."
"The chakra isn't just given to you, you unlock it."
"Unlock? How," Sakura looked at her cherry-blossom sculpted antic. It warmed her palm, "the fact that it's warm, does it mean anything?"
"Yes, it's responding to your will." Naruto and Sakura wowed from their gem's brilliance increasing in seconds after Kakashi finished. The sensei observed the raven, who remained at the very same spot with his crystal dancing with the breeze around his neck.
"Sasuke, what do you think of your gem?" Sasuke simply shrugged.
"I find it a waste of my time. Why protect something that is sealed? If you lost a scroll, then you should've retrieved it back, like any other ninja." He stood from his seat and with a poof, he was gone. Kakashi sighed, he expected that reaction.
"Sasuke-kun..."
"Teme, thinks he's all that!" Sakura eyed Naruto before imprinting her palm on his cheek. He moaned while rubbing his swollen cheek.
"OW! Sakura-chan~ What was that for?"
"Baka!"
Again, Kakashi let out a tiresome sigh.
"Hey, you said that there were 12 crystals? Does that mean that there are 12 of us?" Kakashi nodded to Naruto.
"Where are the remaining 9, then?" Never did he expect a question like that. He went a hand through his gray hair, thinking about the answer thoroughly without revealing too much.
"Well they are," He scratched his jawline wrestling between the 2 options he had in mind, "dead?"
A/N- Thank you so much for reading! And bearing with my English. If there were any missing words or a sentence that didn't make sense, then please correct me if you feel like it.
If there're any questions, I would gladly answer them.
Love you all ^^
