Chapter two is ready to begin! But of course, it's not that simple. First you must all listen to me rant, although it's not as long as usual. But I know how you all love to hear it so here it goes.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters and stuff. It all belongs to the amazing Masashi Kishimoto (bows down to his awesomeness).
Also thanks to all my fans, and those of you who have left reviews. I am very much excited for this chapter, because it is the introduction of a very important character… Naruto!
… Oh, and Sasuke too.

There isn't very much to this chapter, still kind of an introduction of characters. But it is still very interesting, so let's read!

Redwater: How about not…
Me: My muse, your back! I love you!
Redwater: Can we talk about what we're going to do with Gaara now?
Me: That's not Gaara, it's your clone remember
Redwater: Oh… yeah, my clone *nervous laugh*
Me: Yeah lets-
Naruto: Let Gaara go!
*Giant Explosion*


As I thought back to that night, when my grandmother had discussed her plan with me, I remember what a brilliant idea it was. In fact, it was still a brilliant idea. We had cut my long strawberry hair until it rested just above my chin, and now it was pulled up into a dusty old cap. A few loose strands hung over my eyes, but I paid them no mind now. I was dressed in men's cloths, like usual. That was the part of the plan I loved most, being able to wear such comfortable clothing.

One point of her plan I did not enjoy was having my breasts bound tight to my chest with bandages. Doing so was the only way to hide them, and Grandmother had warned that once they starting growing more it would become painful. I would deal with the pain though, if it meant getting revenge for my family.

Another thing I couldn't stand was my traveling partner.

Sia.

Never had I meet a man who was as rude and arrogant as him. After having cut my hair, bound my breasts, and changed into men's cloths the day I left from Grandmothers, I had been ready to meet the man from the Raven family. My first impression of him was actually decent. I had decided he was very handsome, with dark hair, cut short. He was tall and lean; I had thought his only fault was his skin which was far to pale. But then he had opened his mouth.

"When I imagined a Wolf man I saw someone big and bulky in the shoulders, not this little shrimp," he had said without emotion.

All respect and admiration I had and would have felt for him dissipated.

It only went downhill from there too. When we had departed, mounted on two large warhorses, and pulling along a single packhorse, he had commented on my poor horsemanship. A ludicrous comment at that! I had been riding horses ever since I was old enough to walk, and the very horse I had rode on was the one given to me by my father on my birthday three years before. The very horse I had trained myself.

After a few days of travel he decided we could stop for the night to rest, and he said, "If you weren't so weak we wouldn't have to stop, and that horse of yours is in no better condition."

I had held onto my fierce temper with every ounce of willpower I had, after all, it wouldn't do for me to go shouting and screaming at the man who was so high ranked in the Raven family. How he came into the position as third in command of the Raven soldiers was beyond me. If he treated everyone the way he treated me, I wonder why he hadn't been murdered yet. But I had a feeling it was only me, after all I wasn't a Wolf, or a Dragon. I was a girl… err boy… with mixed blood and human blood. I didn't belong and Grandmother had warned me I would most likely be given the cold shoulder by many. Thoughts like that made me so angry I could throttle Sia right now and not care about the consequences.

Such thoughts were going to have me sent to prodigy.

Anyways, the fortnight it took use to travel was finally over. Our horses picked up their pace, as if they knew that soon they would be able to rest and eat. My eyes remained glued to the path ahead, only to move when we rose over the hill. And there stood the Raven fortress.

Just as big and impressive as my grandmothers. Built of black stone the walls reached up to pierce the sky; three layers of high open windows whispering of three floors. Three towers rose on above the castle and the forbidding walls that surrounded it, and a sudden image of hair trailing out of one window had me holding back laughter (1).

The forbidding look that hung over the castle was softened by the flat grasslands on which the fortress lay. Wildflowers grew randomly in colorful bunches; I couldn't help but admire the lay of the land. I also couldn't help the urge to dismount and pick the lush colors from the ground. I could imagine the wonderful smell they would let off even as Sia and I rode toward the open gates. Faces appeared over the side of the battlement, I could not see them from such a distance so it was hard to judge their expressions. They let us pass without challenge thought, most likely because Sia was the third in command.

Shadows feel over us as we passed under the wall, and a sudden chill caused the hair on my arms and neck to stand on end. Why did I feel as if this were my last chance to turn back? I felt as if my life were changing course and if I did not leave this particular road my fate was doomed.

What foolishness. I was just nervous. I had every right to be; after all I was dressed as a man, and about to join an army. I could very well be killed here. Or even worse, found out. In which case they would most likely torture me and then kill me.

Yeah, way to cheer yourself up, idiot! (2)

With a heavy sigh I straightened in my saddle, ignoring the curious look that was thrown my way. I was glad Sia did not speak; I was weary of having to deal with his rude comments, and tiered of keeping my own comments to myself.

The sun bore down on us once more as we moved out from the shadows and into the outer courtyard. A crowd had gathered to witness our entrance and I openly stared at the faces of men and women, just as they stared at me. I knew they were curious, wondering how this scrawny boy was with one of their own. I was relieved in this moment, glad they didn't know of my bad blood, it was a feeling that wouldn't last long. With every long stride from our horse's legs we grew closer to the castle and to the moment my presence would be announced for all to hear…

**two days later**

I felt as if I had been here for weeks rather than the two days that had passed since my arrival. Training was scheduled to begin today and I was anxious, wondering what grueling tasks the commanders would have set up for us. But no matter how hard I tried to concentrate my thoughts were interrupted by the loud burst of laughter from my comrades. I glanced over at them, clustered together a few yards away and I felt a surge of irritation and loneness.

Irritation because half of the men over there did nothing but constantly pick on me and loneness because even though they were jerks I wanted to be able to laugh without a care in the world. I ripped my gaze away from them, staring down at the sleeping form at my feet. It had been my grandmothers parting gift and I hated it. It never did anything I said and was constantly bickering with me. I had half a mind to throw it in the lake.

Another burst of laughter interrupted my thoughts and I glared over at the merrier group, startled when I found their gazes on me.

"Hey, why are you sitting all by yourself? Come over here!"

It was Naruto Uzamaki that spoke. The golden boy, or at least that's what I called him. He was all smiles and laughs, it didn't seem that anything could bring him down; the sun was always shinning around him. His hair was given to spike out in all directions, warm and golden in color. It framed his face nicely and when he wasn't looking I couldn't help but stare. He might irk my nerves but there was no doubting his beauty. With brilliant blue eyes, a color I don't think I had ever seen on any human being. He was also different from many of the others. He didn't glare at me, or make snide comments about my mixed blood. If he wasn't so annoyingly loud and unaware of everything I would like to be his friend.

Not wanting to arouse any unwanted comments I started toward them and the lithe wolf pushed to its paws, following at my side with ease. I expected her to make some nasty remark about my submissive behavior but when she didn't I glanced down. Her dark eyes where blinking up at me and irritation swam within them, I stuck out my tongue.

She looked ready to snap at me but I didn't care. Turning back to the group of waiting boys I gulped. I had much bigger problems.

"What do you want?" I did my best to sound surly instead of nervous and I was glad I accomplished my goal. Naruto, however, was unaware of my annoyance.

"Just didn't want you sitting all alone that's all! You know Sia, right? You rode with him here from your family's land… Tell us what he's like, we want to be prepared."

Hearing the pale man's name my throat tighten in anger, and I could feel myself warming to the topic as I opened my mouth to speak.

"He is an idiot. An emotionless jerk who doesn't' care about others. If I could I'd throw him off a cliff, I mean, he doesn't seem to care about anything or – "

"Listen to how popular amongst the new comers you are, Sia."

The voice wasn't a shout, barely above a whisper, and yet we all heard it. Now I had even bigger problems. Turning, face frozen in a mask of surprise and fear, I faced the Raven clans two highest rank commanders. Sia I had already met, and I already know I disliked him. He was everything I had said he was. Arrogant, rude, and stubborn. Of course, the people of the clans thought of those things as complements.

The other, higher up in rank than Sia, I had never met. All I knew was that he was brother in law to the Raven leader and that he was well known for his skill in battle. But as I lay my eyes upon them I knew he was perfect. Tall, lean, fair skin and a head full of dark hair.

I was given to daydreaming, and romantic thoughts, much to my grandmother's distress and right now I was having one of those daydreams. Of him sweeping me off my feet and carrying me o-

"You, girly. Come here."

I changed my mind in the blink of an eye. Sasuke uchiha was staring at me just like everyone else did. With disdain and contempt. My daydreams were destroyed and I was pissed.

The other trainees stepped aside as I stalked passed, my arched brows pulling down over my emerald eyes. I didn't care if they knew I was angry. How dare he insult me? True I was a girl but never have I been girly. I stopped only a foot from him and was forced to tilt my head back so that I could stare him in the eyes. Dark, smoldering eyes. I waited for what seemed like forever for him to speak, the silence drilling in my ears.

Finally I couldn't take it. "Wha-"

A fist slammed into my stomach with the force of a battering ram before my feet where swept out from under me. I crashed into the dirt, curling into myself as pain vibrated through my middle. What the hell! Why had he…

"You speak where spoken to and not a moment before."

None of the trainees laughed for Sasuke had turned to them, one of his feet resting on my back as if to keep me down. "This is our battle field and what we say goes. Talk out of turn and your going down. Don't do as your told and your going down harder. Got it!"

Everyone was quick to agree and when I said nothing his burning eyes turned on me and he pressed me further into the ground. "Got it?"

"Ye-yeah. I got it," I wheezed and was immediately hauled to my feet. After giving me a shove toward my comrades he continued. "Sia here is going to take you to the wall. There you will start with stones. Picking them up and putting them into the pile."

Without further instruction he turned and stalked away and I glared daggers at his retreating back. He wasn't perfect at all. He was an ass. An arrogant, stuck up ass.

Sia has turned as well and was leading them to the new wall that was under construction, and I followed still holding onto my middle.

"Pretty gutsy thing you did Taku."

I turned to Naruto, grunting. Although I wasn't sure if I was agreeing or disagreeing. He didn't seem to need a specific answer for he had already turned the topic. "This here is Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi. They, like me, are from the Lion Family." Turning he pointed to a rather quite boy, one he introduced as Shino Aburame of the Spider Family. He seemed too had heard us to for he raised his hand in greeting but didn't bother to turn around.

"That there is Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee of the Equidae Family." The two dark haired men turned at the sound of their names. Neji, with his long hair, reminded me of a woman but his face was that of a man and his piercing gaze seemed to miss nothing. He nodded sharply and turned away. Rock Lee however was more curious and friendly. He waved vigorously, his bushy brows high over his dark eyes. "Hello there! It is good to meet you Taku Haruno of the Wolf Family!"

He wasn't at all quite in his greeting and many turned to stare at both him and me. I felt my face heat in embarrassment but he seemed to take it all in stride as he turned back to Neji.

"There all a bunch of great guys, weird, but great," Naruto said his grin back in place. A contagious one at that; It wasn't' long before a grin was on my face. Perhaps my time here with these giant men wouldn't be so bad after all.


Isn't that nice, Sakura seems to be fitting in. It's too bad She had to get beat up :P
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I can promise that the next chapter holds much excitement *grins evilly*
Leave reviews!

(1) - For some strange reason she thinks all those fairy tales such as Repunsal and Snow White are hilarious...
(2) - That there was inner Sakura. Hehe, Sakura's evil conscious :P