Author's Note: Hello everyone! I was going through some of my old stories from way back when and wanted to test a few and see what people thought. This is one of a few I was thinking about reviving. Let me know what you think in the review section or send me a direct message!

P.S.: This was never posted. I found this, and there was just a title and an old slogan I had attached to it. (I don't know what the slogan is anymore because I erased it.) Also, I took the title "Synchronicity" from another fic that I had a while ago.

Synchronicity: Chapter 1 – Elemental Academy

In their world, only those who were strong survived, and those who didn't have the means to protect themselves were left to die.

It was this ideology that caused a rift across the world. Long ago, those who were gifted used to dedicate their lives to protecting those who couldn't protect themselves, but as time carried on, the non-gifted began to abuse the gifted who would sacrifice themselves for another tomorrow. Tension began forming between the people and soon, it was no longer a matter of fighting the monsters and terrors that threatened their lives, but a matter of fighting one another for dominance.

For a time, the gifted seemed to naturally prevail over the non-gifted, but the tide turned when the non-gifted began using technology that gave the illusion that they had the same talents and skills as the gifted. The fighting quickly turned deadly, and lines were crossed. Those who were gifted were captured and experimented on in an attempt to harvest their Chakra, but it was impossible.

So, the non-gifted manufactured something like Chakra and used it as a weapon against the gifted to regain their dominance. Ultimately, in the end, the gifted proved themselves incapable of being controlled any longer and established a new world order that placed them at the top and those who can't use Chakra beneath them.

Several decades have passed since then, and the non-gifted who once thrived in lavish cities and away from the terrors of the world now live in dangerous and decrepit conditions while the gifted thrived in the cities they were once denied entry. Though the gifted's primary threat of being enslaved was gone, they still had to worry about the monsters that plagued their cities. And so, the Shadow Council, a group of powerful men and women, formed and met and came to an agreement that there needed to be a school dedicated to training young Sorcerers and Sorceresses to fight against these monsters. Thus, Elemental Academy was created.

Since then, Elemental Academy has proved itself a profitable endeavor. They've produced generation after generation of worthy and legendary Sorcerers and Sorceresses over its five-hundred-year history. Each graduating class seemed more powerful than the last, and the legacies left behind by previous students heavily influenced the school, and its students.

So, every day the students of Elemental Academy poured their blood, sweat, and tears into their training. Some days it felt like life or death. And sometimes it was. There wasn't room for failure, and those who proved incompetent were cast aside.

"That's enough!" Their teacher leaped down onto the arena floor and began to make his way towards his students. He snatched the sword from the standing man's hand and stuck it into the ground. "Mr. Uchiha, how many times do I need to remind you that you need to recognize when you've won a match long before you've crossed the line?"

The obsidian haired teen glanced over at his teacher. His eyes were just as dark as his hair, and there was something beyond his eyes that caused an uncomfortable chill to go down his spine, "If that were the case, then I wouldn't be wasting my time trying to fight in the first place, Hatake-sensei."

Before his teacher could scold him any further, the teen turned on his heel and began to head out of the arena. His silvered haired teacher watched him as he walked before turning towards the injured student. He reached out a hand and carefully pulled her back onto her feet, "You did well today, Ms. Haruno. Just keep up the good work."

She simply nodded in response while wiping the blood from her nose. She didn't bother looking at their teacher. She kept her emerald eyes fixed on the teen, and she spat some blood onto the arena floor as he exited.

"We'll call it a day here," their teacher called. "Good work everyone, we'll continue with these matches next class. Ms. Yamanaka and Mr. Akimichi, you'll be going first tomorrow, so please make sure you're on time tomorrow."

"We'll be on time if you're on time," the golden-haired young woman teased and her classmates chuckled in response.

Their teacher couldn't help but roll his eyes in response, "Very funny. Now go on. You all have been bugging me about getting extra time in the showers, so go." He waved as his students made their way to the locker rooms, and once they were gone, he removed his student's sword from the arena floor. He checked the blade before returning it to its sheath.

"Kakashi."

The silver-haired man looked up towards the seating area and saw an older man with blonde hair and bright blue eyes looking down at him, "Namikaze-sensei."

"Up here," he requested as he patted the space beside him on the wall. He hopped onto the ledge himself as Hatake Kakashi, one of the instructors for Elemental Academy's Alpha Class, joined him. "So, how were they today?"

"They're improving," Kakashi answered. "It's almost a little frightening when it comes to how fast some of them are improving; especially Uchiha Sasuke. Haruno Sakura is improving at a faster rate than normal, but I suppose we can chalk that up to her dedication."

Namikaze Minato, the Head Master of Elemental Academy and Lead Instructor for Elemental Academy's Alpha Class, gave a slight nod to Kakashi's words. "I wouldn't expect anything less from Mr. Uchiha. As for Ms. Haruno, I'm glad that she's managing to keep up with the rest of her classmates. I know it can't be easy for her. How about the others?"

"Hyuuga Hinata isn't progressing as fast as we originally had hoped," Kakashi admitted. "I suppose it's partially because of her Chakra Deficiency. I heard they're still researching ways to get it under control, but it'll still take some time. Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Chouji are all honing their skills as a trio, but I'm worried that they aren't as strong when they fight on their own."

"And Inuzuka Kiba?"

"He's progressing at the normal rate, though he does have a tendency to slack off in lessons sometimes," Kakashi responded. "I suppose with his entry into Alpha Class, the title has gotten to his head and he feels he doesn't need to work as hard when the opposite is true: he needs to work harder. I feel he's starting to realize it day by day though."

Minato chuckled, "Good. And what about Aburame Shino?"

"The same goes for him in terms of his progression. He's not necessarily exceptional, but he shouldn't be overlooked." Kakashi reached into the pouch hanging off his waist and removed a tablet, "Eguchi Tenten has continued to display phenomenal skills when it comes to weaponry, while Lee Rock continues to excel in physical prowess despite having the lowest affinity for sorcery. Hyuuga Neji also continues to progress rapidly, and it won't be too much longer now before he surpasses Uchiha Sasuke."

"So, everyone seems to be shaping up nicely in their own ways," Minato commented, and Kakashi nodded. "I'm happy to hear it. Send me the data from today's training, and I'll review it. I'm thinking of changing their training regimen soon."

"Of course." Kakashi watched as Minato turned back around so that he was facing the stands. "Namikaze-sensei?"

"Yes?" Minato stood and dusted off the seat of his pants.

"How are things with you?" Kakashi seemed to speak with a more relaxed tone.

Minato eyed Kakashi for a moment before giving him a soft smile, "Things are good, Kakashi. In the meantime, keep up the good work, and if you have any concerns, please come speak with me immediately."

In the beginning, Elemental Academy didn't have a tier system, but as time went on, it became clear that not every student belonged in the same class. The introduction of tiers intensified student rivalries, and when Alpha Class began to receive special privileges, it became the ultimate goal for many students.

Being a member of Alpha Class came with guaranteed enrollment in the Elite Special Forces which was an organization of powerful Sorcerers and Sorceresses that handled only the most dangerous of monsters. Members of the Elite Special Forces encountered monsters of legend, were acclaimed heroes and were treated like deities by everyone.

Aside from the guaranteed entry into godhood, the students of Alpha Class were treated like royalty on campus. Being a student of Alpha Class meant living in the Alpha Class dorm: Genesis. It was a luxury dorm with state of the art amenities and facilities. Each student had their own rooms with private bathrooms and living areas. Genesis had it's own dining hall and Alpha Class had their own personal chefs that cooked their breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On the campus of Genesis, there was a private training facility and gym that only students and teachers of Alpha Class were allowed to use.

Some privileges that came with being a member of Alpha Class are that Alpha Class students were often drafted for assignments to handle monsters just on the outskirts of the city which meant they were in practical situations almost every other week, while regular students didn't get that opportunity.

Not only that, Alpha Class students had permission to leave the campus of Elemental Academy on the weekends without having to submit a request first. Their weekly stipend was even twenty times higher than that of normal students.

However, being a member of Alpha Class meant you trained twice as hard and twice as much. During the day, Alpha Class followed the same class schedule as anyone else, but every evening they had extra training sessions with their instructors. But, everyone outside of Alpha Class didn't care; they just wanted the luxury that came with being a student of Alpha Class.

"I can't believe you went up against Sasuke-kun like you did, Sakura," Ino said in a voice louder than necessary. "I was sure he was going to kill you."

Sakura let out a heavy sigh as she let the water wash over her, "Really? If I'm honest, I can't help but feel like you were hoping that Sasuke killed me."

"What? Of course not," Ino feigned hurt. "The fact that you're accusing me of that is just outlandish, to say the least, Sakura. I would never wish harm upon my fellow classmates."

Sakura sucked her teeth and shut off her shower, "Blow it out your ass, Ino." She snacked her towel off the door and wrapped it around her before leaving her shower.

"So aggressive," Ino whined as she looked over towards Hinata. "Say, Hinata, don't you think Sakura's too aggressive?"

Hyuuga Hinata, a reputable beauty on the campus, shut off her shower and began to wring out her midnight navy hair, "You should be more careful about what you say to Sakura-chan, Ino-chan. You whine about her being aggressive, but you have to realize that the two of you may end up fighting one day, and Sakura-chan's going to take that aggression out on you."

Ino flinched and watched as Hinata grabbed her towel and headed out of her shower. She sucked her teeth and continued to wash her hair, "It's not like I'm scared of an Outlander like her anyway."

Sakura heard Ino's comment and stopped dead in her tracks. She clenched her fist so tight that the veins in her hand protruded out and her knuckles turned white. She turned, ready to march into the showers and give Ino a reason to be scared of her, but instead, she found Hinata standing in front of her. "Move."

"You and I both know that picking a fight with Ino isn't going to solve anything," Hinata said and watched as Sakura looked away. "Breathe."

Sakura took a deep breath followed by a long exhale. She saw Hinata give her a look of approval before heading over to her locker. She sucked her teeth before heading over to her locker. "Thank you," Sakura muttered.

"You're welcome," Hinata answered as she removed her towel and began to dry her hair. "You belong here just as much as the rest of us. And you wouldn't be in Alpha Class if you weren't exceptional, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise, okay?"

Sakura opened her locker, and on the inside, there was a picture of a much younger her standing with her parents. She stared at the picture for a little while before taking in another deep breath. Her exhale out was a little longer than the one before, but it was enough to calm her nerves.

After they were all showered and back in their uniforms, they made their way to their next class.

"It looks like everyone's here," a middle-aged man with brown hair and a scar across his nose muttered as he looked back and forth between his roster and the students in front of him. "Good, today's an important lecture, so make sure you pay attention.

"Today," he stepped to the side, and behind him, the board came to life, and ten images of Beasts appeared on the screen, "we'll be beginning our study of the Tailed-Beasts. You may also know them as Chakra Monsters. In order from one to ten, it is Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, Son Gokuu, Kokuou, Saiken, Choumei, Gyuuki, Kurama, and lastly Datara. Of these ten, Datara, is the deadliest. Nicknames for Datara are One-Eyed God or Ame no Hitotsu no Kami, Deidarabotchi, and Nation-Building God or Kunizukuri no Kami.

"Umino-sensei?" Eguchi Tenten raised her hand.

"Yes, Ms. Eguchi?" Umino Iruka served as Elemental Academy's resident Beastology expert. Everyone knew him as a quiet man that usually kept to himself, and he only really spoke with Kakashi more than he did with the other Elemental Academy instructors.

"All the Tailed-Beasts disappeared, didn't they?" Tenten asked. "I mean, it's been well over one thousand years since any of them have been seen, and then we aren't even sure if Datara even existed because there's no concrete evidence of them ever existing."

"This may be true, Ms. Eguchi, but just because they've disappeared doesn't mean that they won't reappear," Iruka argued. "Though I will admit, if they are due to appear in our lifetime, then many religious groups believe that it's the beginning of the apocalypse and that there isn't much that can be done to stop these monsters from destroying everything."

"That's pretty bleak, Umino-sensei," Sakura said aloud.

Iruka shrugged, "It's all folklore at that point. No one knows where they went, and no one knows when they're coming back. But, Ms. Eguchi, this lesson isn't necessarily for you to prepare against them so much as it is to inform you of The Progenitors."

"You know, there was a rumor a long time ago that the Tailed-Beasts were sealed into people," Lee Rock said aloud.

"There isn't a single person on this planet capable of having a Chakra Monster sealed within them," Sasuke commented, and everyone looked at him. "They're not called Chakra Monsters or The Progenitors because someone thought it was a cool name."

"Care to elaborate, Mr. Uchiha?" Iruka asked.

Sasuke let out a heavy sigh, "Well, it's widely believed that we gained the ability to gain Chakra because of the God Tree. In some instances of folklore, and even in some forms of religion, people believe that we gained the ability to use Chakra from The Progenitors. Others believe we learned it from the Sage of Six Paths. The most commonly believed one is that we learned from Outsutsuki Kaguya who ate fruit from the God Tree over several millennia ago."

"Very good, Mr. Uchiha," Iruka said as he came around to the front of his desk and leaned against it. "There's a little bit of truth in each of those so I won't say you're wrong, but you're not entirely right either. Records show that Outsutsuki Kaguya did indeed eat the fruit of the God Tree and gained the ability to use Chakra over several millennia ago. Historians found records stating that Outsutsuki Kaguya attempted to enslave the Human race in the beginning, and she succeeded for a time. During her reign, she gave birth to two sons. At the time of their birth, there was no sign of Chakra in their body. However, as they got older, it began to manifest, and as it manifested, they became stronger and stronger. They became so strong in fact, Outsutsuki Kaguya feared that one day, her sons would seek to overpower her. So in an attempt to retrieve their Chakra, she fused with the God Tree.

"She was hellbent on ensuring her rule lasted over several lifetimes, but when she fused with the God Tree, Datara was born. Her sons, Outsutsuki Hagoromo who is now known as the Sage of Six Paths, and his twin brother Outsutsuki Hamura, fought against Datara and defeated them. After separating the God Tree and Kaguya, Hagoromo and Hamura sealed their mother and freed humanity from her heinous reign.

"For a time, only the Outsutsuki Clan was gifted with the ability to use Chakra, but over time, Chakra began manifesting in others outside of their Clan," Iruka explained.

"So, where do the Tailed-Beasts come into play here?" Lee questioned.

"This isn't confirmed, but it is believed that the Sage of Six Paths absorbed Datara into himself and divided him up into nine parts, thus the first nine Tailed-Beasts," Iruka explained. "So, as for how Datara manifests, there are instances where it is the result of Outsutsuki Kaguya and the God Tree fusing together, while in other instances it's recorded as the tree itself taking on the form of Datara."

"That's a bit frightening," Ino admitted.

"Just a little." Iruka shrugged and made his way back to his board. "Okay, let's begin with the first Tailed-Beasts: Shukaku."

As Iruka carried out his lecture, his class took notes and asked questions. Occasionally, Iruka would ask questions that pertained to Shukaku, and though most of his students couldn't think of the right answer, Sabaku Gaara usually had the answer he was looking for.

"All right," Iruka called as he checked his watch, "it seems we don't have enough time for me to finish this lecture, so we'll finish up tomorrow. I'll be quizzing you on your knowledge of Shukaku, so make sure you study the notes you have, and if at all possible, do a little research tonight, so you're prepared for tomorrow."

"Yes sir," his students said in unison.

"Mr. Sabaku, thank you for your participation in class," Iruka thanked him.

"You're welcome," Sabaku Gaara, one of the most powerful students of Alpha Class, answered in his usual soft-spoken tone. He gathered his belongings and slipped them back into his satchel before standing.

"Enjoy your dinner," Iruka said to his students as they began to filter out of the classroom.

"I'm starving," Tenten exclaimed with a big stretch. She rubbed the back of her neck and looked to Hyuuga Neji who walked alongside her. "Should we eat here or go back to Genesis?"

"We might as well eat here," Neji answered.

"I'm going back to Genesis," Ino announced and several others nodded in agreement.

They parted ways after that. Half of Alpha Class got onto a bus back to Genesis, while the other half made their way to the dining hall. As they entered the dining room, all eyes were on them. None of them were phased by the stares as they made their way into the Alpha Class Lounge on the second floor of the dining room where they sat at separate tables.

Sakura let out a heavy sigh as she leaned back in her chair, "It's been a long day."

Hinata nodded in agreement, "It has been." She looked down at the main dining hall and saw several male students staring up at her. She shivered beneath their uncomfortable gazes, and before she looked away, she saw Namikaze Minato enter the dining room. "There's Namikaze-sensei."

Sakura looked down into the main dining room as well and saw Minato be approached by Kuramoto Sumika. She was one of the teachers that all the male students fawned over and probably dreamed about most nights.

She was a stunning beauty with striking grey eyes and full lips. She had a near perfect hour-glass figure that rounded out well at her thighs and bust. And it was well-known that she had a crush on Headmaster Namikaze Minato.

"Ah, Kuramoto-sensei, how are you doing today?" Minato questioned as he took an obvious step back from the approaching Sumika.

"I'm doing well today, Namikaze-dono," Sumika answered with a sweet smile. She closed the gap between them and leaned forward enough so that he could see her exposed cleavage. "Say, Namikaze-dono, will you allow me to cook dinner for you this evening? I know it must be hard sometimes, living on your own and everything."

"I do just fine on my own," Minato answered a little too quickly. "I'm sorry, that was rude. I didn't mean to answer like that. I do appreciate the offer though, Kuramoto-sensei, truly I do."

Sumika pouted, "Really? That's a shame then. I was hoping you, and I would be able to get to know each other better. I heard ramen was your favorite and I have a family recipe that I think you would love."

"Ramen?" Minato repeated.

Sumika eyed Minato for a moment, "Yeah? I'm sorry, is it not your favorite? I guess I assumed it was because I've seen you leave here with four bowls at a time on several occasions."

"Usually for nights when I know I'm going to be up a while," Minato said with a nervous laugh. "I was actually going to head home now since I have a lot that I need to review. Have a good night, Kuramoto-sensei."

"You too." Sumika watched as Minato left in a hurry, and she folded her arms across her chest. She poked out her bottom lip in a pout, "Honestly, what is it going to take?"

"I wonder why Namikaze-sensei rejects Kuramoto-sensei so much?" Sakura questioned. "Do you think he's gay?"

"Maybe?" Hinata shrugged.

That evening once all of Alpha Class was back in Genesis, they kept to themselves. Most studied while some went to bed early, and others continued their training. Luckily for them, it was one of those rare nights where their instructors collectively decided to cancel evening training. It was nearing eleven that night when Sasuke decided to return to the residential building from the training facility.

When he entered, he spotted Sakura heading towards the stairs with her books in hand. She spotted him in return, and the two of them stood there looking at one another for a brief moment before Sakura began to climb the stairs. He sighed and began to walk up the stairs himself.

Sakura made her way to her room, and once she was at her door, she scanned the black ban bracelet on her wrist. Once it cleared and her door unlocked, she entered and made her way into her living room. She dropped her study materials onto her coffee table before falling over onto her couch.

She let out an exasperated sigh as she stared up at her ceiling and focused on the silence that filled her room. She cherished this time of day most of all because she was away from her classmates and the judgemental eyes of every study of Elemental Academy. While in the middle of enjoying the quiet, she heard her phone ring.

She recognized the ringtone and scrambled for her phone. She placed it on her coffee table's tabletop and watched as a screen projected itself from her coffee table. She straightened up before answering, "Okaa-san, Otou-san."

"There she is!" Sakura's father, Haruno Kizashi, exclaimed with a ridiculously large grin. He smiled from ear to ear and Sakura was sure his cheeks had to hurt from smiling so hard.

"It's good to see you both," Sakura confessed with the strongest voice she could manage.

"It's good to see you too," Sakura's mother, Haruno Mebuki, spoke with a tone of relief at the sight of her daughter. "Are you doing okay in there? Are they treating you well? Are you eating right?"

Sakura smiled at her mother's concern, "I'm doing all right. Admittedly, some days are harder than others, but there isn't anything I can't handle. But seriously, you don't have to worry about me. How are in things in the Outlands? I tried to contact you the other day, but I couldn't get through."

"Things are as they always have been," Kizashi admitted. "We experienced a pretty bad storm here the other day, and all the communication lines were messed up. It took a few days before someone from Inside came Outside and fixed it. Today's the first day we've been able to use it since the storm passed."

"Is the house okay?" Sakura questioned.

Mebuki nodded, "The house is fine. There's a little damage, but it isn't anything your father can't fix."

Sakura pursed her lips together. She clenched her fist in her lap.

"Sakura-chan?" Mebuki noticed the sudden change in her daughter. "Sakura-chan, what is it? Is everything okay?"

Sakura let out a shaky breath and nodded her head, "Yeah. Yeah, everything is fine. I'll keep working hard here so that you and Otou-san can come Inside, okay? I'll get us a nice enough house for all three of us, and it'll be spacious, and clean, and warm. And safe. It'll absolutely be safe."

"Oh, I like the sound of that," Kizashi chimed. "And it has to have a basement. I've always wanted a man cave."

Sakura giggled, "And it'll have a basement. And a nice backyard so that you can keep gardening, Okaa-san. I'll make sure that the soil is good so you can work in your garden all year round and plant whatever fruits and vegetables you want."

"I appreciate it, Sakura-chan." Mebuki wore a warm smile on her face. "Just make sure you continue to work hard, okay? And no matter what, don't let any of those kids there treat you like you're less than they are because you are so much more than what they'll let you believe."

Sakura nodded, "I'll keep my head up just like you taught me."

"Good." Mebuki grinned.

"Ah, our time is running out," Kizashi muttered. "We're sorry Sakura-chan. Our next call will definitely be longer; I promise."

"I'll pay for the next call," Sakura offered. "I'm glad I got to hear from you. Take care of yourselves, okay? Stay safe, and don't do anything reckless."

"Hey, hey," Mebuki folded her arms across her chest, "aren't we the parents here? If our daughter is going to sit there and lecture us on how to take care of ourselves, then we aren't doing a good enough job as parents."

Kizashi chuckled, "Don't worry about us. Hopefully, we hear from you in a few days. Take care, Sakura-chan. We love you."

"We love you!" Mebuki declared. "Give them hell!"

Sakura nodded, "I will. I love you." Sakura managed to get the words out before the call cut out. As the screen went away, tears welled up in Sakura's eyes. She tried her best to keep herself from crying, but she failed. She buried her face in her hands, and she sobbed.

To Be Continued…