Hey all. Hope you enjoyed the prologue and thanks for reading so far. So far, this story has a undecided pairing and I'm going to hold a vote. Here's the list. Oh, and thank you Could-Careless for the idea to hold a vote and for already putting in some votes.

Lee:

Neji: 1

Kiba: 1

Gaara: 1

Kakashi:

Itachi:

OC:

I would add Sasuke and Naruto but I'm sort of planning something for them, sort of. I hope ya'll vote and hope you enjoy the next chapter of Phoenix Rising!


The people calmly milled around the room as a young child, a child of a ruler, sat uncomfortably on the throne in the front. Every time the boy tried to shift around or move off the chair, the older nurse held him in place with a frown that she hid whenever someone looked at them or approached the throne.

"Kyouhei-sama, please sit still. It is not respectful to your guests if you act as a child!" the elderly nurse scolded quietly.

"Nurse-san, that's enough. Kyouhei-kun, are you tired?" Kyouhei's older sister, Hikari, said as she walked up. She took her little brother's hand and led him away from the crowd, missing a few looks from the servants. Hikari quickly changed Kyouhei out of his formal robes and into a sleeping kimono. "Otouto, get some sleep alright?" Hikari smiled. She went to leave but a hand grabbed her kimono. Her eyes met her little brother's pleading eyes. "Would you like a story, perhaps?" she jokingly said.

Kyouhei nodded. "Tell me about the Bunbuku Chagama!" he happily said, bouncing on his large western style bed.

Hikari smiled. "Well, once there was an old man who was walking down a long road back to his home. On the way, he found a tanuki that was caught in a trap. He helped the tanuki out before heading home. The tanuki followed the man and changed himself into a teapot, telling the man to sell himself for money. The old man did and sold the tanuki-teapot to a monk.

The monk decided to make tea one night and put the poor tanuki over the fire to heat the water. The tanuki changed back halfway and went back to the old man's house. The tanuki had another idea, telling the man to make him into an attraction. He became the……"

"The teapot walking the tightrope! He made the man lots a money and made him rich, right?" Kyouhei happily said, a tired smile on his face.

Hikari ruffled his hair. "Right bud. Now, get some sleep, alright?"

Kyouhei nodded and Hikari blew out the lamps. Kyouhei quickly fell into a contented sleep.

A shadowy figure silently crept into the young prince's room. A blade slightly shone in the moonlight as the figure swung downward. Suddenly, the figure froze and fell forward slight, another blade coming out the person's back.

Kyouhei heard the person falling a bit and sleepily sat up. He looked up and screamed.

Hikari rushed back into her little brother's room to find an Anbu standing over the dead body of the nurse. "What's going on?" Hikari yelled in worry.

"Nee-chan!" Kyouhei threw himself on his sister, tears falling.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?!" Hikari yelled at the Anbu.

"Hikari, enough." the cool voice of her father said from behind them.

"Dozoki-dono." The Anbu stood.

"I see you are just as good as your reputation, Makurayami-Tenshi-san." Dozoki said. "Children, tonight, an assassination was planned. It was for your life, Kyouhei." he explained.

Kyouhei froze and Hikari gasped.

Makurayami-Tenshi held the body of the nurse and nodded. "Send the money to Konoha. I must finish my job." Makurayami-Tenshi calmly said before disappearing with a small bit of smoke.

Dozoki hugged his son before leading his children away from the room.


Tenshi came up a few miles away. Tenshi studied the woman before performing a fire jutsu on the body. Tenshi calmly reached up and pulled the woman's blade from her shoulder before disappearing once again.


"So, what changed this year, Kakashi-san?" Tsunade jokingly spoke. Kakashi didn't find it funny.

Kakashi gave her a mild glare, his visible eye seeming a little dull. "I just want to again. Because of………." Kakashi trailed off, not being able to say it.

Tsunade nodded, knowing what he was talking about. "Kakashi, its been almost five years since it happened. Can't you let the past go yet?" she asked.

"Not until Sakura is found again." Kakashi mumbled as a poof of smoke appeared in front of him and a slightly bloody Anbu uniform appeared in front of him.

Tsunade groaned and gasped at the same time. "What the heck did you do this time?!" Tsunade shouted at the Anbu. "Answer me Tenshi!" she screamed in a bit of shock.

Tenshi blinked behind the mask and laughed a bit. "I have the scroll and the old man apparently can't keep his mouth shut. A lord heard I was there and had me help. His son was going to be killed and I had to kill off the person in charge. Her sword went through my shoulder."

Kakashi finally registered who the heck this was. "YOU'RE THE MAKURAYAMI-TENSHI?!" he yelled in amazement. He never thought that he would get to meet this famous Anbu who had been around for almost five years. "Wow, you are truly an amazing ninja, sir." Kakashi respectfully said.

Tsunade sighed. "Tenshi-san, I wish to speak with you briefly before I get back to Kakashi." Tenshi nodded. "You have completely more missions than anyone and unfortunately, it is not healthy. So, as of now, you are on Jounin Sensei duty." Tsunade smirked, hoping to get a reaction. She got nothing. "Oh, and pull off that bloody uniform parts."

Tenshi nodded slightly and pulled off the top part of her armor. The tight long sleeve shirt clung to Tenshi's frame, revealing that Tenshi was actually a woman.

Kakashi was floored. "You're a woman?!" he said in amazement.

Tenshi nodded before turning back to Tsunade. She didn't even blink behind the mask. "I am guessing Hatake-san is here to have a team as well?" she asked.

Tsunade nodded. "So far, teams 5, 9, and 10 have sensei's. Either of you can choose 7 or 11." she said, guessing which one Kakashi would choose.

"Eleven." Both Tenshi and Kakashi said in tandem. Both blinked, Tenshi from behind the mask, and looked at each other.

Tsunade sighed. "Tenshi, seven, Kakashi, eleven." She said. Kakashi nodded and bowed slightly before poofing away. "I'm sorry Tenshi, but it isn't fair to make him take that number." Tsunade smiled a bit. "Can I just call you your real name? Tenshi is annoying."

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade smirked. "Shut your cheeky mouth, cherry blossom. Sakura, you can't keep up like this." Tsunade said to her old student. "How long has it been since you took that yin yang mask of your's off of your face? When did anyone see those green eyes again?" Tsunade sadly asked.

Sakura sighed from behind the mask. "Tsunade-sama, I went 'missing' five years ago, remember? I'm twenty one now and you aren't my mother!" Sakura let some emotion show a bit before calming down immediately.

Tsunade sighed again. "Yes. That was the hardest thing to say to your friends. Sakura, just be at Iruka's classroom and three o clock sharp. Don't pull a Kakashi." Tsunade warned.

Sakura nodded and disappeared.

Tsunade sighed and reached for her Sake. She couldn't deal with this.


Sakura walked into her cold and silent house. Actually, it couldn't be really called a house. Sakura only came there to bath and change most of the time but now she would be living there. Sakura sighed as her hand met the yin yang mask. It had become her identity over the six years since she had been broken. It was a part of her and Sakura hadn't taken it in at least two months, even when bathing.

Sakura thought back to the conversation that had happened after Naruto and Sasuke left.

Tsunade looked at her student. "And just how do you plan on surpassing them?" She asked.

Sakura gave Tsunade a confident look. "I'm going to make it into Anbu as soon as I can." Sakura said.

Tsunade nodded. "I may be able to arrange the tests, if you wish. And someone will have to recommend you." she told her.

Sakura nodded. She was more than ready.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Congratulations Sakura! Was what the banner hanging in Tsunade's office said. The door opened and Sakura blinked at Shizune and Tsunade, who were smilingly widely.

"Thank you Hokage-sama." Sakura said in a cool voice. The trials had changed her.

Tsunade gave her a brief hug. "Congrats Sakura. You made Anbu in less than a year, almost breaking the record."

Sakura nodded and sighed in her head. She had to do it. "Tsunade-sama, I want to disappear. Send me on a mission and say that it went wrong, that I was never found." Sakura said it quickly, so she could get it over with.

"But why?" Shizune said.

"It still hurts. I have connections and that is not a good thing." Sakura simply explained.

Shizune went to protest but Tsunade held up her hand. "You are very serious about this, aren't you?" Tsunade asked, her voice grave. Sakura nodded and Tsunade sighed. "Very well, Sakura." Tsunade conceded before Sakura nodded and disappeared almost completely from her life.

Sakura blinked and shook her memories off. They could only be called a nuisance. Sakura laid down on her bed and fell into a light sleep, knowing that she would need sleep for her new 'mission' tomorrow.


"Team Seven is Kira Kainarasu, Kanaye Ikushuka, and Konan Tori." a slightly older Iruka spoke as he announced the last team. "I hope that I have taught you well and that you will all learn to be great ninjas." He said. The sensei's started to arrive and soon only team seven and team eleven were left. Iruka sighed and looked at the clock. It was almost three o clock.

Just as the clock turned to three, a small poof sounded in the room. A figure stood from the smoke, a woman wearing a Jounin vest, Anbu arm and leg guards, a black and white mask, and a hair covering.

Sakura stared through the mask and turned towards Iruka. "Who are team 7?" she stated.

Iruka blinked. "And you are?" he had thought that it would have been either Lee or Neji who would teach team seven, wait, not Neji, he had team 12 from last year.

"Tenshi. Hokage-sama assigned me team 7 yesterday so it isn't possible you would know, knowing the Hokage." Sakura said.

Iruka nodded. "Team 7, this is your sensei. Go with her."

Tenshi turned to whoever team 7 was. "The roof in five minutes." she said before leaving in a poof.

Iruka sat back down before sitting up straight, his eyes wide. "THAT WAS THE MAKURAYAMI TENSHI!!!" he shouted, startling the remain three students.


Sakura was impressed. The three students had made it up to the roof in three minutes flat. "Tell me your name, likes, dislikes, and dreams." she quickly said, not giving them a chance to say anything.

The girl of the team spoke up. "W-why should w-we?" she stuttered out, trying to sound brave.

Sakura sighed. "I am Makurayami-Tenshi, call me Tenshi-sensei, I have no interests, likes, or dislikes. My dream was to surpass someone. You now." she pointed to the redheaded girl.

"I a-am Kira Kainarasu, my and like are I-n m-my su-summons and Kaen-chan, I di-dislike anyone w-who thinks that su-summons are n-nothing. My d-dream is to ch-change my clans be-beliefs." she stuttered out.

Sakura nodded. Kira was from a clan of summoners and was obviously different from them. She had bright red hair, not as bright as the Kazekage's thought, and blue-green eyes. "Who is Kaen-chan?" she asked, subconsciously hoping that Kira was not what she thought Kira was.

Kira's eyes lit up. She whistles sharply three times and a small red form tackled her head. A small bright red dragon poked its head out of Kira's head and chirped a bit. "This is Kaen, my partner."

Sakura nodded and pointed to the boy next to her.

"I'm Konan Tori. My likes are birds and….." Insert blush and supposed to be subtle glance at Kira. "I dislike people who don't like birds." Insert glare at the other boy. "My dream is to someday have a summoning contract with the phoenix."

Konan was a boy with dark green hair and golden bird like eyes. He was slightly taller than both of his teammates.

Sakura didn't even have to point to the next boy.

"I'm Kanaye Ikushuka and I hate anyone who hurts the plants. I like…" he trailed off and also glanced at Kira. "…and plants. My dream is to breed the strongest herb ever, one that can heal any sickness." Kanaye's eyes got distant and he was obviously thinking of someone when he said that.

Sakura nodded. "Tomorrow, you are to meet at Team 7's training grounds at eight a.m. And I mean the team 7 from before you three. And don't eat at all or else." Sakura turned as she prepared to propel herself off the building.

"Tenshi-sensei!" Konan spoke. "Where is Team Seven's training grounds?" he asked but Sakura was already gone. "How does she expect us to get there when we have no clue where to go?"

"I will ask around town, baka." Kanaye haughtily said as he prepared to walk away.

"What did you just call me?!" Konan shouted. He ran at Kanaye but Kira quickly got in between both of them.

"E-enough!" she stuttered out. "I think that this is a test." she said without stuttering for once.

"And why would you think that?" Kanaye shot out.

Kira blanched. "Be-because Shi-shinobi a-are sup-supposed to lo-look und-underneath t-the und-under-underneath." she stuttered out. "M-my old-older cou-cousin to-told m-me th-that."

Kanaye gave her a cold look and was about to say something when Konan hit him in the head. "What was that for teme?" he spat out.

"Don't you even dare to say anything mean to Kira-chan! Anyway, I've heard that before too but what do you think we should do to find out?" Konan quickly went from one thought to another.

"I-I ha-have an idea." Kira said. "We sho-should ask Iruka-sen-sensei." Kira smiled.

Kanaye hn'ed and walked away. But he was actually heading towards Iruka's classroom.

Kira smiled a bit as Konan grabbed her hand to try and get her to catch up with Kanaye.


Iruka hadn't been expecting team seven to come back to his classroom. Team Eleven had actually only been half an hour late to be picked up. "Why are you guys back here?" he asked.

"Tenshi-sensei told us we had to meet at team seven's old training grounds but we have no clue where that is." Kira explained without stuttering again. This team seemed to quickly be helping her.

"Iruka-san, I could show them they way tomorrow, if you wish." a soft voice said from behind. All three of the children and Iruka jumped at least a foot in the air. Iruka spun around to see Hinata standing behind them. "I used to spy on one of the old team seven so I should know." Hinata smiled.

"That would be awesome!" Konan happily yelled.

Kira bowed and Kaen squeaked. "Th-thank y-you Hyuuga-san."

"Call me Hinata." Hinata smiled before walking away. "Meet here about ten minutes before you have to be at the training grounds." she called over her shoulder.

"Thanks, Hinata-sama!" Konan yelled while Kanaye groaned and pulled him away.

Iruka smiled after them. They were so much like the old team seven but at the same time so different. It was good to see.


Sakura was laying facedown on her sofa when there was a knocking on the door. Sakura groaned a bit and knew that if was who she thought it was that they would just come in.

The door opened and Hinata walked in. All the Hyuuga's knew who she was because there was no mask that could block the Hyuuga's vision. "Sakura-chan, why do you have a genin team?" were the first words out of her mouth.

"I don't know." Sakura sighed into the couch. "Tsunade-sama said that I had to, I would rather be going on my missions!" Sakura sat up, actually letting some of her emotions show. She knew that she could trust Hinata.

Hinata sat down and sighed. "Then this might not be the time for my news."

Sakura tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Hinata looked Sakura in the eyes. "Sakura-chan, Naruto and Sasuke are coming home soon."