No Longer Alone

PART I:
The Beginning

"There it is! That building right there! What's that?"

Glancing up from his sandaled feet, Nara Shikamaru followed the pointing finger of his classmate, blonde-haired Uzumaki Naruto, and was face-to-face with a huge, obviously expensive compound. The elegantly sloping roofs and awnings looked like the waves of a paneled, clay ocean in the air; the white walls gleamed as if made of fine marble in the bright sunlight.

"That?" Shikamaru muttered, raising a thin black eyebrow over one black eye. "You had me skip class so you could ask me about a building? Why didn't you just ask one of the other villagers? Ask a neighbor or something. Why drag me such a long distance for such a troublesome question?"

Naruto pouted, crossing his arms over the spiral design on his black t-shirt. "'Cuz all the villagers're stupid. I asked 'em. I asked a whole bunch of 'em. None of 'em wanted to tell me. So I figured, since you're so smart, you might know. Is it a secret or something? How come nobody'll tell me?"

"It's no secret," Shikamaru said. "That's the home of the Hyuuga Clan, one of the oldest families in Konoha."

Naruto's eyebrows rose as he looked back at the compound. "Hyuuga? Sounds kinda familiar...who're they?"

"The Hyuuga Clan was one of the founding families of this village. The first members of the clan were a band of very successful mercenaries. It was partly because of their vast wealth that the first Hokage was able to establish the village."

Naruto frowned thoughtfully. "Yeah? Rich guys, huh?"

"Yes."

"So what made these mercenaries so special? I heard of mercenaries before...none of the ones I ever heard of had enough money to make a whole village."

"The Hyuuga retain a highly advanced bloodline limit, called the Byakugan."

"Bloodline limit?" Naruto echoed. "What's 'at?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Don't you ever pay attention in class? Iruka-sensei has gone over bloodline limits several times. It was on last week's test."

"I failed that thing. What're bloodline limits?"

Shikamaru sighed. "You ask such troublesome questions...a bloodline limit is a special ability passed down by blood. No one knows how they started, but once one is established, every member of that family will have that same bloodline limit. It's an abnormality in the family's DNA...I haven't studied them much, but that's enough for you to get it."

"So the Hyuuga Clan's full o' freaks."

"Don't treat them lightly, Naruto," Shikamaru warned. "The Hyuuga Clan is not only one of the richest clans in Konoha; it's also one of the strongest. Some of our best shinobi have come from that compound. The Byakugan--"

"Byaku-wha?"

"Byakugan," Shikamaru snapped. "The Byakugan is a doujutsu--"

"A what?"

"A doujutsu, a shinobi technique using the eye," Shikamaru said sharply, glaring at his classmate. "Kami-sama, you don't know anything about shinobi, do you?"

"That stuff's boring."

"Then why are you asking me about it?"

"I dunno. Anyways, what about this Byaku-thing?"

Sighing again (Shikamaru sighed often, especially around Naruto), the young genius continued: "The Byakugan is a doujutsu that allows the shinobi an almost 360-degree field of vision and also, from what I've read, allows him to also see the chakra circulatory system of his opponent."

"Chakra...that's the energy a ninja uses when he does ninjutsu, right?"

"Yes."

"And this...circula-what's-it system is..."

"It's like the blood stream, except instead of pumping blood, it pumps chakra."

"Oh."

"Anyway, this ability is why the Hyuuga Clan has its own style of taijutsu--"

"Hand-to-hand combat, right?"

"Yes...you do pay attention to some things, I guess...anyway, the Hyuuga Clan's taijutsu style is called Jyuuken. Instead of focusing on breaking bones and damaging muscles, like the sort of taijutsu most Konoha shinobi use, Jyuuken is designed to damage the chakra circulatory system, thereby crippling an enemy shinobi's ability to mold chakra, thus stopping them from using techniques. Without being able to use ninjutsu or genjutsu...that's illusionary techniques...most any enemy will fall rather quickly."

"Wow...so these guys are super strong, huh?"

"Yes."

"And they all live in there? The whole family?"

"Yes...at least, as far as I know."

"How many people are in the clan?"

"I'm not sure."

Naruto was studying the Hyuuga compound with intense curiosity, arms still crossed over his chest. "Is anybody from this clan in our class?"

"One," Shikamaru said. "Hyuuga Hinata. You know her; she's the small, shy girl who always sits in the back. She has gray eyes with no pupils...or at least, you can't see them. That's the mark of a person with the Byakugan bloodline limit."

"Oh, yeah...I think I know who you're talking about...I seen her sometimes when we're out doing physical training...she don't seem so strong."

"Maybe not yet, but neither are any of us. Well, there are rumors going around that Uchiha Sasuke can perform a fire jutsu, but I don't know that for sure. We just started at the academy, Naruto. It's only been a few weeks. Nobody's strong yet."

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "I think...I think I know that guy. Ain't he the one who all the girls are talking to all the time?"

"I guess. I don't really pay attention to that sort of thing...it's just troublesome."

"He knows ninjutsu already? I wonder if he'd teach me how to do it..."

"I doubt it...and I don't even know if he really can. It's just a rumor."

"Maybe I'll ask him about it..."

"Whatever," Shikamaru said with a shrug. "Can we leave now? My feet hurt."

"Yeah, yeah, sure...thanks, Shikamaru."

"Uh-huh."

"There you two are!"

Naruto jumped half a foot in the air and whirled to face the glaring, narrow eyes of his teacher. Iruka stood, arms crossed with a deep scowl on his lips. Shikamaru sighed and lowered his head, muttering about how troublesome this was.

"Uh...h-hey, Iruka-sensei," Naruto mumbled, a nervous grin on his face. "Um...how ya doin'?"

"Don't play cute with me!" Iruka snarled, gripping Naruto and Shikamaru by their arms and dragging them off toward the Konoha Shinobi Academy. "You two have skipped my class nine times in the past three weeks! How do you intend to become ninja if you don't learn!"

"I already know it..." Shikamaru muttered. "My dad made me study all that stuff in our library before I came to the academy...it's boring and troublesome..."

"It's also impossible to become a real ninja without graduating from the academy! Naruto, you always tell me how you'll become the best ninja Konoha has ever seen...how do you intend to do that if you never become a ninja!"

"I'll be a ninja my own way!" Naruto snapped. "Your lectures are boring, Iruka-sensei! Why don't you make them interesting?"

"I was praised for how well I give lectures that interest the audience," Iruka shot back, "so just feel lucky you have me or they'd be even more boring! Keep up! If you fall behind, it's your loss! I have a big announcement to make today, and if you miss it, you'll lose a big opportunity!"

Naruto sighed, thoroughly bored. "Probably one of those boring extra credit announcements..."

"You could use some of that!" Iruka growled. As he approached the academy, he let the two boys go and threw open the bright red double-doors and stalked inside. "Get in here!"

Naruto and Shikamaru shuffled inside and took their seats, leaning on their desks as Iruka took his place in front of them.

Heaving a sigh, Iruka wiped his hands on his pants and then crossed his arms over his chest. "All right...now that we're all here," he glared pointedly at Naruto and Shikamaru again, "I can announce today's at-home assignment."

The gathered students - on cue - groaned. Several whined about having too much homework, about how Iruka was a slave driver and how they never got a break. Others protested that they had too many chores to do at home and didn't have the time for homework. One boy even claimed to have recently been diagnosed with a severe allergy to paper.

Iruka waited until all was silent again before speaking. "Is everyone finished now? I'm going to assign this regardless of anything you come up with..."

The students grumbled and nodded, as if they were a single, ill-tempered body with twenty heads.

"Good. Now, Hokage-sama recently announced his scheduled meeting with the Kazekage, from the village hidden in the sand. I have been chosen as one of his escorts, therefore I will not be teaching this class during the time of his meeting."

Gasps of delight and half-whispered cheers sounded throughout the room. Iruka took a deep breath and studied the fingernails of his right hand until the room quieted down.

"Hokage-sama is leaving in a week from tomorrow. However, he has decided to do something else this year...every year Hokage-sama meets with the Kazekage, but he usually only selects a small group of chuunin and jounin to accompany him. This year, he will do something different."

Slight interest passed the students' faces.

"Hokage-sama has decided that it would be beneficial to this year's academy students to visit another village. As a learning experience, you see. So, he has doubled the number of chuunin and jounin traveling this year, and wishes to know how many of you wish to go as well, to spend a...small vacation, I suppose you'd say, at the village hidden in the sand."

"Will we have to take notes or something?" one boy asked irritably.

"Yeah," another boy said, "is there gonna be a test on sand stuff when we get back?"

"No, no," Iruka said, smiling slightly. "This is not required. Those of you who wish to stay here may do so. However, I highly recommend that you all take Hokage-sama up on his offer. I know many of you have never been outside our village of Konoha, and to see another shinobi village will be an important experience, a way to prepare you for when you become true ninja. After all, not all missions take place within this village...very few do, actually.

"This won't be a time to work. I'm not going to make you take notes or conduct interviews or anything like that. You'll just go with us, see the sights, meet new people, understand a different culture, all that. Now, I can see many of you are probably planning to pass. If it's not required, why do it? Right? Well, go ahead and stay here if you wish, but this has never happened before. You all should be honored that Hokage-sama has deemed you mature enough to handle such a journey. He will likely look favorably on you all for it, and it may give you an edge when the time comes for you to graduate."

As Iruka had figured, Naruto was now at attention; his eyes gleamed, his fists clenched. Iruka smiled. He wasn't sure at all if such a journey would give them an edge, as knowledge of other villages was not considered nearly as much as strength, intelligence, stamina, and teamwork were when considering candidates...but just by suggesting it, he had all but assured Naruto's willingness to participate. Any chance at impressing his superiors, Naruto took.

Uzumaki Naruto was a strange person. Though he was perfectly willing to perform any physical feat in order to further his own ability, he was nearly incapable of sitting still and working his mind. He often claimed he wished to become the best ninja ever and that he would do anything it took to do so, but he also barely ever paid attention in class. Iruka had the feeling that Naruto, like so many other young people, had made the false assumption that being a ninja meant being physically strong, and that was all that mattered.

This was the first time Iruka had had Naruto's complete attention in over a week. The blonde-haired boy was practically standing. He was excited, as Iruka had figured he would be. To go outside of the village, to go on a journey with the Hokage himself, to visit a place he had only ever heard of in lectures...it had Naruto completely enthralled.

Iruka smiled. Quite a few of the others had the same excitement on their faces. He had a feeling that hardly any of his twenty students would be staying home now that they realized they were special.

"Okay, now...for your assignment, I want you to speak to your families about this journey and get their permission to go...if you want to go, that is. Naruto, Sasuke, you - obviously - are exempt from this. If you wish to go, you may go."

Both boys nodded.

"All right, then. Class is dismissed. Naruto, Shikamaru, I'd like to have a word with you both."

Naruto's excitement was gone in an instant, replaced by complete disappointment. He stared at the floor as he dragged himself forward, hands stuffed into the pockets of his orange pants. Shikamaru had that same bored expression he always had.

Now..." Iruka began once the other students had left, "...which one of you would like to explain to me why you skipped my class today?"

He tapped his foot as he waited for an answer, mostly for effect.

"Well...uh...you see, Iruka-sensei... I, uh..." Naruto stammered, searching for the right words to explain, "...that is...well, see, there's this big old building on the other side of the village, and I wanted to know who lived there. It's a big place, ya know, and so I figured they must be real rich or something...but when I asked people, nobody would answer me. They'd just...go away. I thought maybe it was some secret or something...and since Shikamaru knows a lot of stuff, I thought he might know. So I asked him."

"And you couldn't have waited until after class to ask?"

"But I really, really wanted to know! And besides, everybody always goes home right after class. Nobody ever hangs around. They all got families to go to 'n stuff..."

Iruka found he wasn't angry anymore...not even irritated. Naruto had simply wanted the answer to a question, one nobody would provide him. So he had asked one of his classmates during the only time he could: during class. Because Naruto was right; the other students never stayed around after school was dismissed. They had families, friends...Naruto was an outcast. He only knew Nara Shikamaru casually, and Iruka had a thought that the only reason the young genius had consented to answer Naruto's questions was because it presented an opportunity to skip class.

Iruka sighed. "Fine...I guess it isn't too big of a deal...and did you learn anything from Shikamaru?"

"Oh, sure!" Naruto said. "He talked about, uh...bloodline limits, and, uh...doujutsu, and...and chakra 'n stuff."

"...Where did you go?"

Shikamaru finally spoke up. "The Hyuuga Clan's compound. Naruto wanted to know why they were so wealthy, so I told him about the Byakugan."

"Hmmm..." Iruka murmured, rubbing his chin. "Well, that's a start, I guess. I suppose I won't punish you, since you did learn something...but start coming to class more often, would you? You won't become a ninja if you don't learn the basics, Naruto. And Shikamaru...you may know the topics I talk about already, but that doesn't mean you don't have to graduate."

Shikamaru nodded. "Fine, fine...can I go now? My dad said he wanted to meet with me after class today."

"Fine."

Shikamaru left the room.

"So, Naruto..." Iruka said, and Naruto looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Do you remember all that Shikamaru told you?"

"Um...well, he said that the first guys in the Hyuuga Clan were mercenaries, and that's how they got all their money...and he said the...Byaku-whatever was a special...doujutsu that lets you see your enemy's, uh...chakra circular system--"

"Circulatory," Iruka corrected.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it...and he said the Hyuuga Clan's got this special taijutsu...the...uh...Jyuuken! Yeah! And...it focuses on damaging the...that chakra thing...so your enemy can't use jutsu, and that makes him easy to beat."

Iruka was impressed, and he didn't bother to hide it. "Well, it seems that you had a productive day despite going truant...at least it wasn't wasted time. What do you say we go over to Ichiraku and I buy us some lunch, huh?"

"Huh!" Naruto exclaimed, eyes widening. "Seriously!"

"Sure."

"Awesome! Let's go now!"

Iruka chuckled as Naruto shot out the door, singing a song about ramen to himself. The boy was a ball full of energy...it made for some very...surprising situations.

"One minute he's walking so slow you'd think he twisted his ankle...the next he's bouncing off the walls...you sure keep me on my toes, Naruto...always on my toes..."

He laughed silently to himself as he followed his undedicated but highly spirited (it seemed like an oxymoron, but somehow Naruto pulled it off) student to the restaurant.

"I should have offered to make him something..." Iruka muttered as he heard Naruto rattle off the various things he wanted to eat, "...one of these days all the sodium in that ramen is going to kill him...and it would have been cheaper, too..."

Somehow, Iruka knew he'd end up with no money by the end of the day.