AN: Okay, here we go. Big hugs and thanks to
--wolfrider93 (Thanks. You have no idea how long it took to figure all the names out!)
--John1993 (Honestly, I don't think I'll be doing future fics along this vein…but I'm trying to make each successive chapter as comprehensive as possible. Keep me updated on how you think I'm doing.)
--lindon2
--Tobi'sgoodgirllovesSasuSaku (Hehehehe…yes, I'm planning to write about Sanosuke's conception in my wedding fic once I get all this out of my head. Heehee :3)
for reviewing the last chapter. And, I realize that it's a lot to keep track of, but I'd really appreciate it if you guys could tell me if I'm doing the characterization right. It's been bugging me. Disclaimer: Do not own Kishimoto's characters, just their offspring.
Chapter 3: Team Kurenai
The year after Minato, Mikoto, and Shikaru were born was fondly known as "The Year of the Girls" in the Uzumaki-Uchiha-Hyuuga-Nara group. Three little girls, born within three weeks of each other, to three of the most powerful clans in the Leaf Village appeared that year, and they promised to keep life exciting.
The eldest was Sayuri Uchiha, the image of her mother from cherry blossom hair to jade green eyes. One thing alone physically set her apart from Sakura—a normal sized forehead. Ino Inuzuka got a real kick out of that single distinction between mother and daughter, and she never let Sakura forget it.
Personality-wise, Sayuri was much more lively than her older siblings. She was a happy-go-lucky little girl, the kind of person you could tell would grow up with the ability to get high on life. She was independent, too, even though she adored being with Sanosuke and Mikoto—Sayuri wasn't scared of not having a lot of friends or of what people thought of her, a trait much admired amongst the rest of her family (though she never knew it). Sayuri also had a temper, and though it took a lot to get her mad, when she did, calming her down was like trying to stop a boulder from rolling down a mountain.
Flashback:
The older, nameless boy shoved Sayuri to the ground, laughing when she cried out. "Don't you say that about my father!" she screamed, tears of rage pooling in her eyes.
"Why don't you get up and make me?" the boy retorted. His little gang of bullies, crowded behind him, laughed appreciatively. "Sasuke Uchiha is a traitor—he doesn't deserve to be an ANBU captain!"
"Take it back!" Sayuri shrieked, catapulting off the dusty ground and launching herself at her tormenter. She felt her flailing fists connect with his pudgy bulk a few times before meaty hands grasped her shoulders and threw her to the ground again.
"And I haven't even gotten started on your mom," the boy leered. Sayuri's breath caught. "She's weak for having married a traitor like Uchiha. She hardly even goes on missions anymore, does she? Just works at the hospital all day…a real sannin would do more for their village than sit at a desk and do paperwork all day!"
"Shut your fat mouth!"
"And your brother? A genius? Please! I was in his class at the Academy, and he was no genius—that's all the Uchihas will ever be, idiot traitors destined to leave their friends for power."
"SHUT UP!" Sayuri flew at the bigger boy more furiously than before, her eyes flashing red once before she leapt among the horde of bullies and started going at them with the moves she'd seen Mikoto practicing earlier that day. The older kids were surprised, at first, but then they got their act together and tried to dog-pile her. Sayuri felt one of them knock the wind from her stomach, and a sharp pain in her scalp when another pulled her hair, but she didn't care, just kept hitting anything she could get her hands on. She just wanted them to hurt, so they'd know never to say those things again.
Suddenly, the crowd dispersed, and friendly hands helped her sit up. Sayuri struggled blindly, not wanting to be seen beaten and embarrassed, with enraged tears streaming down her dirty cheeks.
"Sayuri, calm down!" That voice stopped the little eight-year-old cold. Sayuri looked slowly up into the eyes of her older brother, Sanosuke. Hovering behind him were Kiyomi Uzumaki and Hizashi Hyuuga, their expressions kind.
"Sorry, Sanosuke," the little pinkette muttered, looking away. Now she'd been beaten in front of her brother and his teammates, three of the few people she respected. Perfect.
"Sayuri, look at me." When she didn't comply, Sanosuke's firm fingers found their way under her chin and turned her face to his. The oldest Uchiha conducted a brief inspection, examining Sayuri's skin for bruises.
"Are you hurt?" Kiyomi asked in her direct way.
"Only my pride," Sayuri replied bitterly.
Hizashi chuckled. "Well, I can't say as much for those other guys. You whipped them good."
"It's a poor reflection on those genin when an Academy student can give them a run for their money," Kiyomi added with a grin.
One side on Sayuri's mouth quirked upwards in spite of herself. Sanosuke extended his hand and helped her to her feet. "Go on home, now. Mother will fix you up."
"Sanosuke?" Sayuri said as her brother turned away. He looked back, his eyebrows raised. "I'm sorry. I got mad because they were badmouthing Mother and Father."
Sanosuke, Kiyomi, and Hizashi's expressions instantly turned stony. "What did they say?"
Sayuri shook her head furiously. "I can't repeat it—it was too horrible."
"Please, Sayuri?" Kiyomi asked.
Sayuri bit her lower lip and shut her eyes tight. "The big one called Father a traitor and Mother weak and Sanosuke an idiot," she said hurriedly, the tears resurfacing with the abominable words. She held them in as best she could—Uchihas were strong, Uchihas didn't cry.
A warm palm landed on her shoulder. Sayuri looked up, surprised, to see Sanosuke standing in front of her. "Good job, little sister. Do you mind if we finish your work?"
Sayuri grinned. "As long as you don't get caught!"
"Save it for the training yards, Sanosuke," Hizashi advised. "Then no one can say we were out of order."
Sanosuke nodded his dark head in agreement. "I'll see you at home, Sayuri. We still have a little work to do with Shikamaru."
"'Kay, bye!" Sayuri skipped off gleefully, happy that she'd made her brother proud.
Kiyomi cocked her red head at Sanosuke. "Are you really going to wait until the training yards?"
"Nope."
Hizashi chuckled. "I knew that was too easy."
End Flashback
Sayuri brought life and vivacity into the Uchiha household, along with a renewed sense of pride and determination; for no matter how many times she failed at a task, Sayuri always got back up and tried again and again, until she mastered it.
The second of the three girls born that year was Izumi Nara, daughter of Shikamaru and Temari. With her dad's dark brown hair and her mom's blue-green eyes, Izumi was pretty in a sharp, angular way, thin and quick even in her crawling years. In a variation on her mom's hairdo, Izumi's signature style was two spiky-edged pigtails at the base of her neck, complete with short bangs.
As for her personality, Izumi was as smart as her dad, as take-charge as her mother, and as sarcastic and witty as both put together. But that was only on the surface—deep down, Izumi had also inherited her parents' strong sense of loyalty to their friends and family. And, contrary to how Temari behaved in battle, those closest to her could see that Izumi also had her mother's preference for diplomacy over thoughtless fighting.
Flashback:
Izumi frowned as a band of new genin ran past her open window, skidding to a halt in the playground not far away. They braced their hands on their knees, breathless. The biggest one recovered first—he laughed cruelly as soon as he had the breath.
"Some ninja they are, if they can't keep up with us," he sneered. "Apparently the Hyuugas and Uzumakis are as worthless as the Uchihas."
"You go too far, Dai," a dark-haired girl in sunglasses said in a monotone voice. "You shouldn't have baited the little girl."
"I didn't hear you rushing to her defense, Chika," Dai snapped.
"To my great regret," Chika replied calmly. "But I also did nothing to harm her."
The boy at her side snorted. "Not that that'll save you from Sanosuke," he said nervously. "Everyone knows how protective he is of his sisters. We shouldn't have gone after Sayuri."
Izumi's dark eyes widened: did these people have a frickin' death wish? 'Cuz if Sanosuke Uchiha had caught them bullying one of his beloved sisters, that's exactly what was in store for them. Izumi raced out of her bedroom and onto the roof, rushing over to her brother and placing herself between Shikaru and the clouds he watched.
"Sanosuke Uchiha is coming to pummel a group of genin out by the park," she announced. "Mom and Dad aren't home—are going to do anything about it?"
Shikaru raised a blond eyebrow. "Are you?" he asked.
"I think so," Izumi decided.
Shikaru sighed. "All right, all right. But don't expect me to do much."
"Just stand there and look pretty," his sister advised, holding the door open.
By the time Izumi had towed her lazy brother downstairs and onto the street, they could see three child-sized figures walking up the road.
"Kami," Shikaru cursed. "Kiyomi and Hizashi are with him." He glanced down at Izumi.
"Yes, I'm sure," she told him firmly, reading his mind as she often did. "I have a plan." Shikaru followed her out into the middle of the conveniently deserted street, a well this should be interesting look smeared over his countenance. The Nara siblings stood in the dusty road with their backs to the small park, Izumi's posture straight and alert, Shikaru's slouched and bored.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" someone demanded behind them. Neither Izumi nor Shikaru saw fit to respond—their eyes remained fixed on the oncoming trio. "I said—"
"Put a sock in it, Dai," the girl Chika drawled. "Before my dung beetle friend puts something in your mouth I know you won't like."
"That's Sanosuke coming down the road!" the nervous boy exclaimed suddenly. "Quick, we've gotta…"
"Face them honorably," Chika interrupted again. "If we run, they will just give chase again, and we will make them more angry."
Izumi smirked at Shikaru, who returned the glance; everything was going according to plan, and the eldest Nara felt a growing respect for his baby sister.
Sanosuke, Kiyomi, and Hizashi's pace didn't slow until they reached the Nara siblings. Team 8 halted in front of the two younger kids, wary but oddly relaxed.
"Well?" Kiyomi asked finally. Shikaru smirked again—leave it to an Uzumaki to break the silence.
Izumi cocked her head curiously. "Did Sayuri say all of them had bullied her?" she addressed Sanosuke.
An ebony eyebrow lifted against pale skin. "She may have mentioned that 'the big one' did most of the damage," he conceded tonelessly. "How did you…?"
"Window," Izumi replied dismissively. Kiyomi and Hizashi flicked their eyes at the second story of the Nara residence, but Sanosuke kept his gaze locked with Izumi's. "Well, that solves a lot of problems, since I'm sure we can agree that Dai here is the biggest of the lot." Sanosuke glared at the space over Izumi's shoulder, and the hair stood up on her arms and legs even though the look wasn't directed at her.
"That doesn't change the fact that they were all beating on Sayuri when we got there," Hizashi commented darkly.
"Really?" Izumi asked. "Every last one?"
"Mm," Kiyomi hemmed. "A few of them weren't." Searching the faces of the cornered genin, the redhead identified three genin who hadn't participated in the struggle. The group included Chika, the nervous boy, and a boy with a senbon tucked behind one ear.
"What's your point, Nara?" Sanosuke growled. Shikaru shifted on his feet, uncomfortable with the older boy talking to his sister like that.
"Revenge isn't righteous to begin with," Izumi informed him smoothly. "But if you can't resist, at least take it out on those who truly deserve it." Shikaru sighed to himself—really, he'd stopped cloud watching for this?
Kiyomi and Hizashi waited as Sanosuke examined the little band being guarded by the Nara siblings, his piercing green eyes taking in every twitch and facial expression. Finally, he said, "Whatever." Three voices murmured their thanks and three sets of sandals click-clacked away from the scene. Shikaru turned to go inside, knowing his sister's goal had been accomplished. Izumi followed, satisfied.
As she passed Dai, the genin snarled and lunged for the eight-year-old, enraged that she had condemned him to the brunt of Team 8's wrath. Sanosuke, Kiyomi, Hizashi, and Dai's remaining companions leapt to restrain him, the former three because one too many little girls had been hurt already that day, the latter because they feared Team 8's reaction if they did nothing.
Dai landed on his back in the dirt, with Izumi resting one foot smugly on his chest, before the other genin could lay a finger on him. "Next time, attack silently," the girl advised her larger opponent. "Battle cries are dramatic, but indescribably impractical." Leaving three amused, five bewildered, and one thoroughly embarrassed genin behind her, Izumi climbed the two steps onto her stoop. Shikaru waited just inside the door, smirking; he was the only one who hadn't bothered to move. After all, Izumi was her mother's daughter.
End Flashback
Izumi soon earned a reputation for being ruthless in combat, a status she held with no small amount of pride. Whenever the subject came up around Shikaru, however, he'd roll his eyes and say, "Try living with her. Waking up to a demolished stereo because you turned it up too loud the night before is such a drag."
With Sayuri and Izumi as vivacious and tenacious as they were, the Leaf Twelve let up a small sigh of relief when the Uzumakis' little girl was born.
Tsukiko Uzumaki was her mother in a miniature, with the same glossy blue-black hair and pale blue-gray eyes. Her complexion had a little more color in it than Hinata's alabaster skin, but Tsukiko was just as quiet and shy as her mother had been as a child. The only difference was, Tsukiko never had a stuttering problem—she just took more pleasure in observation than in action. However, when provoked into action, the beautiful little girl would take on her opponent without a second thought, rarely ever truly afraid.
Sayuri and Izumi noticed this when the three girls entered the Academy at the same time; the very first day, Tsukiko settled under a tree to watch her classmates interact, instead of meeting them herself. Sayuri and Izumi, as the most outgoing of the class, felt it their duty to make friends with her. The three very different girls hit it off at once, spending all their time in and out of school together. And, because there was an excess of kunoichi enrolled that year, Sayuri, Izumi, and Tsukiko took it upon themselves to go where no shinobi had gone before…
Flashback:
"You want to do WHAT?" Naruto asked incredulously, positive he hadn't heard correctly.
"We want to form an all-girls genin team," twelve-year-old Sayuri replied firmly.
"There aren't enough boys graduating from the Academy," Izumi added in her statistical tone. "Just enough to keep the traditional arrangement with the rest of our class if you're willing to let us make our own squad."
Naruto leaned back in his chair, reluctantly thinking it over. "Why you three?" he asked at last. "I can't put you together just because you're friends."
"It's not about us being friends," Sayuri protested.
"It's convenient, though, that you're only willing to propose the arrangement if it's you three in the all-girls team."
"That's not what we said," Izumi cut in. "We leave it to your discretion, as Hokage, to choose who's in the all-girls team. We're just volunteering for the job."
"And why is that?" Naruto wanted to know.
"We're the strongest kunoichi," Tsukiko spoke up. All heads in the Hokage's office turned to her; she flushed a little, but went on. "We're the three strongest kunoichi in the graduating class, Lord Hokage." She always addressed her father as such in matters like this. "We can handle not having any males on our team."
In the following silence, Naruto sighed wearily and pinched the bridge of his nose, somehow resigned. "At least you agree with my reasons," he murmured. In his normal tone, he continued, "Very well. Report to training yard 4 first thing tomorrow morning…Team Kurenai."
Sayuri laughed and bounced up and down, Izumi smirked, and Tsukiko grinned. They bounded out of the Hokage's office, Sayuri and Izumi chattering while Tsukiko smilingly brought up the rear. Naruto laughed quietly and shook his head.
"Lord Hokage, sir?" his head secretary asked.
"Three of the most extraordinary young women I have ever known just walked out of my office," he mused, uncharacteristically pensive.
"But why put them under Kurenai's tutelage?" the secretary wanted to know. "She hasn't taught a team since Lady Hinata, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame made jounin rank. There are others who could've taught the girls—Lady Hinata, Sakura Haruno, Tenten Hyuuga, Temari Nara, Ino Inuzuka…"
"I know," Naruto interrupted. "But Ino doesn't have the temperament for teaching, and I want to give the girls someone who will be harder on them than someone who knows them as well as the others do. Besides, Kurenai likes teaching. I can tell."
The secretary bowed her head to hide a smile. "Yes, Lord Hokage. If you will sign this, please?"
End Flashback
As early as Sayuri and Izumi's encounter with Dai, the young ninja of the Leaf Village knew not to mess with the fiery kunoichi-in-training. Tsukiko's involvement and the formation of Team Kurenai only added to the girls' prestige, and the three-woman squad quickly became known as the most formidable of their year's teams.
Two years after Tsukiko's birth, a dark shadow passed over the happiness of the Leaf Twelve, staining it with bitter memories and sleepless nights. A threat rose from the ashes of a haunting past, taking Naruto (not yet Hokage), Sasuke, Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, Shino, Chouji, Lee, Sai, Kakashi, Yamato, Gai, and countless other jounin away from their homes and families for a two-year-long mission. Kurenai, Hinata, Sakura, Temari, Tenten, Ino, and other kunoichi and chuunin were given the equally important task of protecting the village while their men were away. In defiance of the stereotypical implications, the women saw as much combat as their men, battling ferociously against an adversary once presumed defeated.
AN: Ooh…cliffy. Hope the flashbacks aren't too long and the timeline isn't too confusing—actually, the only reason I have it figured out is because I have it all laid out somewhere. XP Let me know if you'd like an outline or something to keep all this straight.
Review, people. Or I'll tell Lee you love Gai as much as he does. *deliciously devious smirk*