Chapter 1-1: Team Naruto
Konohagakure, Training Area 7, a man in his early thirties with bright yellow hair wearing a leaf shinobi's uniform watching over three adolescents in their training. This man is Naruto Uzumaki, the Hero of the Leaf, Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox, the New Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, and one of the unofficial "New Sannin." The three children he is watching over are his students. One of which was meditating against a large wooden post while the other two, one boy with short black hair and a girl with long hair that was also black, were sparring. The one meditating had long black hair and wore a kahki jacket and black pants with black sandals and a headband bearing the symbol of the leaf around his head. He is Naota Hyuga, the son of Hyugan clan's genius Neji Hyuga and his wife Tenten, the Ninja tool mistress. The other two are Hikashi Rashinban and Sayoko Haruno.
Hikashi, like Naruto, came in dead last when he graduated the Ninja Academy, which he finally achieved after three times that resulted in abject humiliation from those that graduates. He weres black cargo pants, black shoes, and a black t-shirt with grey stripes going down the sleeves. His headband tied in the traditional fashion around his head. The other, Sayoko, is the only daughter of Sakura, the best medic and the strongest kunoichi in the village. She wears a navy blue, sleeveless cheongsam with the symbol for the haruno clan on the back, black shoes, and her hitae worn in a similar way to her mother's. Only her mother knows who her father is and cannot tell her under the decree of the Hokage. So she became a shinobi in order to find him one day. Their training went on until the early hours of the night.
"Alright guys, pack it in. We're calling it a day." The Jounin said to his students.
"Yes, Naruto-sensei." They all said in response.
*Naruto-sensei, I don't think I'll ever get used to that* he thought to himself, "Gather around, I got some good news for you guys".
Naota, done with his meditation, opened his eyes to reveal that grayish white irises. He had indeed inherited the Hyuga clan's famous Byakugan from his father and was already considerably adept at its use. He, along with his teammates, proceedd as instructed and lined up in front of their teacher.
"Now guys, as you know, the chunin exams are coming up. You've been training hard over the past few weeks and I'm proud of the progress you have made. Ad in recognition of the effort you've all put in," he said before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out three pieces of paper, "I've recommended you to take the Chunin exams." The look on their faces showed much excitment about what just happened.
"Man this is great, THANK YOU NARUTO-SENSEI!" Hikashi said excitedly.
"Hey it's not me you should be thanking, thank yourselves."
"But sensei, you're the one who helped us hone our techniques to what they are now."
"But you are the ones who developed those techniques." Naruto said in response, bolstering each team member confidence. He noticed that Sayoko was looking at her paper with an intense, but hopeful concern.
"Whats wrong Sayoko?" Hikashi asked her.
"This means, If I pass, I'll be one step closer to finding him." She told him.
"Who?" Hikashi asked.
"Her father," Naota said in response for the young kunoichi, "As you already know, she is the daughter of one of the New Sannin, Sakura. Her chakra control is unrivaled, as is her strength. Like mother, like daughter I suppose. But the identity of her father has been a mystery to Sayoko ever since she was born. Only her mother knows for sure, but she cannot tell her or anyone under the decree of the Hokage under penalty of exile. That's why she became a shinobi, to find her father."
"Damn that's harsh," Naruto said before walking up to her in an attempt to comfort her, "don't worry, Sayoko, I'm sure you'll find him one day and show him how strong you've become."
"Your right, I will find him and when I do, I'm gonna make him regret not being around to take care of me. Channaro!" she said re-affirming herself.
"That's the spirit, Sayoko. Alright, now when t comes to the exam itself, you don't have to accept, but if you do, you're in it 'til you're done with it. We'll meet here again tomorrow at noon. I expect your answers by then." Naruto told his students.
"You don't have to wait for my answer, Naruto-sensei, I'm in." Hikashi declared to him.
"Count me in," Sayoko told him.
"I'm in as well, Naruto-sensei" Naota said calmly, but assuredly.
"That's what I like to hear. I'll file the paperwork tomorrow, but for now, let's go to Ichiraku's to celebrate!"
"Alright!" Hikashi and Sayoko said excitedly.
*Great,* Naota thought to himself sarcastically, *although a miso pork ramen does sound good right about now*
While at Ichiraku's, some familiar faces came in. Hikashi immediately took notice of them, a red haied one carrying a large gourd on his back who looked insanely creepy, but also very powerful. The other was wearing a black bodysuit that had purple lines on his face carrying what looked like a dead body wrapped in bandages on his back. The one in black just put his index finger to his mouth and said "shhhh." The one with the gourd then held a handful of sand over Naruto's head and he was about to let it loose when all of a sudden,
"SENSEI LOOK OUT," Hikashi souted before tackling the redhead to the ground. He was about to punch him in the face but it was held back by what appeared to be a string made entirely out of chakra coming out of the black robed one's index finger.
"Uh-uh-uh, is that anyway to greet the Kazekage?" he said to him. Hikashi was shocked,
"K-k-KAZEKAGE!" He then got up, stood bolt upright, dropped to his knees and bowed in apology.
"I'm sorry Kazekage-sama! Please forgive."
"It's alright. Your student is very vigilant, Naruto" the red haired one said.
"Gaara! It's been too long how've you been?" Naruto asked his old friend.
"I'm fine." He responded. Naruto, glad to see his old friend, the Fifth Kazekage, after 5 years asked him "what brings you here?"
"Well, I'm here to see the Genin of the sand village compete in the chunin exams," Gaara said in response.
"And I'm here to see if our new Brother-in-law is taking care of our sister, as well as help my squad ouin the exams" the one in black added.
"Well if you must know, Kankuro, she's doing just fine. Our son, Shinnosuke, just graduated the academy and has been assigned to team Kakashi, they are currently away on a mission." said a voice from beyond the curtain. He had black hair that was tied to a ponytail, wearing a black shirt that had the Konoha emblem on his right sleeve and a flak jacket. With him was a tall blond woman in a black dress carrying a gigantic fan behind her and a sand headband around her neck.
"Shikamaru, Temari, good to see ya! Sasori here is just as excited to see you again after all this time," said Kankuro, presenting the puppetized corpse of an Akatsuki member to his sister.
"Kankuro, if you keep talking to your puppets like that, I'll drag you to the hospital and have your head examined." Said Temari.
"Sensei, I take it you know these people?" Sayoko asked.
"You bet! Gaara, Kankuro, and I go way back, back to when I first took the Chunin exams. You guys already know Temari."
"Of course, and how've you been Temari-san?"
"Just fine Sayoko-chan. Naota, are you managing to keep up with these two?" Temari asked.
"Yes miss Temari, but I'm afraid it is these two who are trying to keep up with me." Naota responded humorously.
"Spoken like a true son of a Hyuga." Shikamaru said in response.
"Easy Shikamaru, you forget, I'm right behind you." Said a man wearing white robes and with the same eyes as Naota.
"Otou-san!" Naota said.
"Naota-kun, come on, it's getting late. Finish up so we can get you to bed."
"Yes father." Naota slurped his last few drops of broth and headed out,
"I'll see you all tomorrow. Hikashi, I want to spar with you as soon as we have the opportunity. We need to be more than prepared when it's time for the exams."
"Alright, but don't expect me to go easy on you." Hikashi warned.
"I don't." Naota said in response.
"Alright, Naota, go on home, I'll meet you there. Your mother is waiting." Neji told his son.
"Yes father. Goodbye everyone."
"Good night, Naota!" everyone said in respone.
"How's he doing, Naruto?" He asked.
"Amazing, his skill with the Byakugan is improving greatly, he's even been working on some new Jutsu." Naruto responded.
"That's good. So, exam time already, huh? That certainly takes us back." Neji asked.
"Yep, all three of them have been recommended to participate in it." Naruto answered.
"So, Have you given any thought as to who you want to teach it to?"
"I already have, Hikashi here started in training to use the Rasengan last month. He's put everything he's got into it. And at the rate he's going, he'll master it in no time?" Naruto said while rubbing a beaming Hikashi's head.
"Good. Hikashi, if Naruto has decided to teach you that technique, that means that he trusts you a lot. That jutsu's power is limitless so use it wisely." Neji told the young shinobi
"Yes, Neji-sensei, I will." Hikashi said in response. Naruto, having just finished his tenth bowl, called for the check
"Well that's enough chit chat for the day, come on, let's get you guys to bed, you have a big day tomorrow," he said with a mouthful of noodles.