A/N: Hello, I would like to personally thank you for your interest in this story of mine. Please read this Author's Note if you can as I will explain a few caveats about this particular story that should be stated.

Number One: This is an attempt at a complete re-write of at least Part One of Naruto with my personal flair to it as well as OC. I do want to do the whole story re-written, including Shippuden, but this is just the first chapter so lets not get ahead of ourselves (myself?) here.

Number Two: I will try to flesh out side characters and female characters that did not get the attention or care that they deserved in the manga. *Cough* All the female rookie 11 members *Cough*

Number Three: Kid Naruto's character will not be as stupid as he was in cannon (at the start at least), as I believe Kishimoto made him that dumb on purpose so he could explain how the power systems and fighting mechanics of the universe work to the audience. Naruto readers and fans don't need this basic explanation so Naruto will not be handicapped in this regard.

Number Four: There is no Asura/Indra cycle in this story. Period.

Chapter 1

Approximately Twelve Years After the Kyuubi Attack on Konoha. Second Day of Spring, March 21.

The sun, at its zenith, hung in the cloudless spring sky over the Land of Fire. A light breeze whistled through the countless branches and lush green leaves of the country's signature tall trees; it ran along the rushing rivers and dirt roads that weaved across the countryside. Roads that lead to a certain village hidden within the leaves. To the average citizenry of Konoha today was an ideal day to indulge in all the the village had to offer. Children paraded around in the crowded streets, their laughter echoing into the bustling shops and down dead-end alleys. Many travelers and traders, local or abroad, were conducting commerce within the myriad of Konoha's establishments or in the heat of the midday sun. Their clinking of coin and exchanging of words, a few heated but most pleasant, swirling together with the other goings-on into a buzz of steady ambience that invaded the ears of one Anko Mitarashi.

The kunoichi managed to barely crack one eye open before being assaulted by the light of high noon streaming in through the crack in her small purple bedroom curtain. Groaning loudly and rolling away from her assailant, she curled her pillow around the back of her head and over her exposed ear.

Moving hurt.

Trying not to move hurt.

Thinking about not trying moving hurt.

Everything just fucking hurt.

She groaned again, drawing her legs up to her stomach and curled into herself. Her hands balled into fists as she tried to push the pillow into her ear canals to silence the droning noise from the outside world. Even with her eyes shut tight she felt the world lurch sideways as an intense wave of nausea let loose a string of whispered profanities from her pursed lips. Which she instantly regretted using her vocal cords. Why did her throat feel like the arid sand dunes from the Land of Wind? She stayed motionless for several minutes, drawing in labored breaths. Each second passing by in union with the dull thudding of her headache. After a painful eternity she tried to slowly sit up. Her stomach churned violently in protest and she felt bile rising in the back of her throat.

Anko was going to puke.

Oh no.

Light brown eyes wide, she sprang up from bed and made a mad dash from the bedroom to get to her bathroom. It was still fairly dark in her apartment proper and Anko tripped over herself in her haste; falling into the kitchen countertop while rounding the corner. She thought she heard a shattering of something glass as her hands franticly tried to push herself upright but the incessant feverish pounding inside her skull held her full attention. That and the vomit rushing up her throat.

Her bare feet striking the wood floor as she ran into the bathroom, flicking the light on before practically diving for the toilet. Anko managed to get her head into the toilet bowl a half-second before retching up a stream of bile. After the third round between fits of coughing Anko's vision finally stopped swimming. Standing up on shaky legs and taking a deep breath she steeled herself, placing both hands on the vanity, before taking a long hard look in the mirror.

"Well shit." The words coming out as a raspy croak. Damn, she really needed some water.

Her disheveled mauve hair was spiky in all the wrong places; her fanned-out ponytail losing its rather unique look. The corner of her mouth twitched upwards into a small smirk. She was sort of impressed. Anko inspected the rest of her person, her eyes roaming over her figure. It seemed that she had passed out with the usual attire on minus her shin guards; silently taking note of her wrinkled tan trench coat, fishnet mesh undershirt and orange mini-skirt. Her skin was damp and sticky with sweat and she was fairly certain she smelled foul. She was a mess, but damn at least she was a hot mess. Her humor only staved off her terrible morning for a few moments though, her smirk turning into a frown. Who was she fooling? Anko looked as good as she felt; like shit. The kunoichi sighed in exasperation and rubbed her temples. Her headache wasn't getting any better.

"What happened last night?" she muttered to herself. Anko tried to recall the events that transpired the previous day but to no avail. Just flashes of color, a choir of unintelligible voices and darkness. Shaking her head she slowly walked out to the kitchen, too absorbed in thought to notice the glass minefield she was approaching as she rounded the corner into her kitchen.

"Ow, fuck!" Anko roared, more in surprise than pain, when a large shard of glass imbedded itself into the bottom of her unsuspecting foot. She hopped away backwards on her one good foot, leaving thick droplets of blood across the floor. Her other bodily pains were temporarily numbed by the sting of lodged broken glass and in that moment of clarity, the shock of the injury melted away as her jaw clenched in teeth-shattering rage.

Oh, that was it. She was so done with this shit.

"FUCK THIS FUCKING SHITTY DAY! DAMN IT!" she screeched at the top of her lungs, her voice cracking from the strain on her bone-dry vocal cords. A deathly silence enveloped the small dimly lit abode as Anko's well-toned frame shook with narrowly contained fury. Then a knock on the door.

"I-Is everything okay in there?" she heard a muffled soft voice call out.

"Does it fucking sound like everything is sunshine and rainbows?!" Anko seethed, angry eyes snapping up from her foot to the door. "I've got the world's largest shard of glass stuck in my foot, I can't remember anything about yesterday and...and! Fuck!" She yelled at the door, too angry at her current situation to continue forming coherent sentences. She just wanted to punch something right now. Very very hard.

"Well Anko, I can help you." the voice stated, a tad meekly. Clearly trying not to provoke her ire. "It's me Iyasu, your next door neighbor. I am a medical-nin, remember?"

Anko's eyebrows unfurrowed. Yes, she did vaguely recognize his voice in hindsight. Before responding, Anko felt something wet touch the side of her of uninjured foot and looked down. Blood was beginning to pool underneath her. She visibly deflated at the sight, her shoulders slouching. All her energy and anger turning into dismay on the spot. "There is a spare key underneath the potted plant on your right." she began. Her current mood dripping into her words a little too much for her liking. She paused for a brief moment and her voice was firmer when she continued. "The door swings outwards. Be careful not to set off the tripwire near the doorframe when you come in. You don't want to find out what happens if you do."

Her trained ears picked up the medical-nin muttering 'Tripwire..?' A few seconds later the mechanisms of her front door lock came undone; her apartment door swinging open with an audible creak of the hinges. Midday golden sunlight bathed her little apartment in illumination as Anko locked eyes with Iyasu. The slightly taller man giving her a pleasant small smile and Anko returned with a weak half smile in kind.

"Thanks Iyasu. I-"

"Pleasantries later." The medical-nin said; bringing his hand up in a gesture to stop. His eyes were already surveying the scene. "Sit down on the couch and put your foot up on the table. I'll clean up the blood after we get your foot properly treated." Not wanting to delay any further Anko nodded, hopping over and taking a seat where she was told. As she did, the living room light turned on and Anko heard her front door close. "There is a first aid kit under the sink. There should be plenty of bandages." she called out to Iyasu.

Iysau successful avoided the boobytrap, the remaining glass shards littering the kitchen floor and had the kit in hand by the time Anko had elevated her injured foot on the glass coffee table. She watched him as he approached. He was short for a man at his age of twenty-one. He was just an inch or two taller than herself and she had teased him on more than one occasion for it. Short spiked black hair and an average build, to expected for a non-combat medic ninja such as himself. She also recalled that he was always rather soft spoken and formal during their sparse interactions. Anko was a bit surprised that he wasn't wearing the typical uniform of his profession. His current attire being that of a normal civilian. More so, that he wasn't at the Konoha hospital at this time of day.

"Is there a reason you aren't at work right now?"

Iysau merely smiled curtly at the question. His hands were already maneuvering her foot so he could get a better look. Anko barely noticed the pain when he gingerly pinched the bloodied glass between an index finger and thumb; her instincts and training blocking it from her thoughts. "You look like you did have a terrible morning. You sound like it as well." Anko was suddenly aware of her own appearance. She wrapped her form deeper into her tan coat and tried to fix her hair. "Did you forget we have the same day off?" he said, his soft voice flat. Brown eyes flicking to hers for a moment before going back to the wound.

"N-No I didn't forget." Anko pouted, her white lie out in the open. "Today has just been a huge pile of shit. I just woke up almost puking on myself." The female ninja sunk lower into the cushions. A slight blush of annoyance dusting her cheeks as she turned away to stare at the wall. If his skills weren't so damn helpful at the moment she would have given him an angry earful for teasing her. When Iysau said nothing in response she looked back at him. He was too focused on his task to properly reply, but she could tell he was concerned by the deep furrowing of his brow. She winced slightly as the glass came free with trained dexterity. It was almost immediately replaced with a steady flood of heat as healing chakra spread across the wound. She felt the warmth deepen into the middle of her foot. The gash must have been a tad deeper than she thought.

A few minutes later and her foot was expertly wrapped in white bandages. She rotated her foot to-and-fro and wiggled her toes in a slowed controlled fashion, eyeing the medical-nin's handiwork. Said medic was competent; it felt almost as good as new. Anko wished the rest of her body felt the same way, although she was felling better than when she awoke. Iysau had cleaned up the stray blood and glass in record time and was standing a few feet away watching her clinically.

Anko looked over at him, the hint of a genuine smile gracing her lips. "I really did mean it. Thanks Iysau." The man waved his hand dismissively, his eyes darting away from her as he did so. "No need. That is what...friendly neighbors are for." he said, pausing to find the right words to describe their relationship accurately.

A tiny pang of guilt blossomed in her chest. She really should have touched base with him more often. She hadn't talked to the man in a few weeks and when she had, it was usually brief pleasantries in passing. Her bad habit of not keeping in touch with those around her was rearing its ugly head. Anko bit the inside of her cheek to keep from letting out a heavy sigh. The last thing she needed right now was self-pity.

"Now what's this business about you being ill enough to vomit when getting up?" Iysau said. His question dragging Anko out from her inner stormcloud.

Anko regurgitated the events of the past twenty or so minutes to Iysau. The medic listening intently and taking mental notes throughout the retelling.

"Well you've got all the symptoms of acute veisalgia. Although it could be a number of other things as well, but given your escapade last night my educated guess would seem to be the most likely."

Anko raised an eyebrow at him, squinting her eyes ever so lightly in a hint of irritation. "Normal human vocab-." she began only to stop herself as her eyes widened in realization. "Wait, you know what I was doing last night?" she exclaimed, her hoarse voice cracking again. She stood up swiftly from her spot, pointing her index finger in an almost accusatory manner in his direction. The bottom of her foot burned when she suddenly put her weight onto it and she hissed a profanity under her breath. Iysau cleared his throat mildly and gave her a knowing look but kept his vocal protest mute. "In simpler terms, it means you have a hangover. You went out for a celebration with your fellow exam proctors last night. I saw your group leaving while I was coming home after a late shift at the hospital." he explained. "Something about the start of spring and a birthday."

"Oh!" Anko blurted out suddenly, pounding her fist onto her opposing palm in remembrance after momentarily fighting through the still present fog in her mind. "Ibiki's birthday!" Her smile then faded as quick as it appeared. "...I still don't remember anything about last night though." The female ninja slumped down on the couch, seemingly defeated that her dilemma was not solved immediately. Iysau shrugged his shoulders a little in response to Anko's antics, not sure what to make of them. His job was done and he was looking forward to spending the rest of the day not utilizing his talents.

"Your memory should clear up soon and that foot of yours will be fine with some rest. I suggest staying off your feet for the remainder of the day." he told her, making his way towards the door. She made a rude noise in the back of her throat and made a shooing motion with her hands. "I know, I know. I don't need a lecture from someone younger than me." The male medical-nin heard a clicking noise from below that didn't seem to come from the door being opened and he looked down to find his foot snagged on the tripwire. In that instant a puff of white smoke erupted around him and he shouted in surprise. Iysau accidently inhaled the smoke has he frantically backpedaled away, coughing as he did so. Anko watched, mouth agape, as her neighbor crumbled into an unconscious sleeping heap of limbs mere moments later. She leaned forward from her seat, head dropping into her hands, her shock giving way to pure distilled frustration. All Anko could be was speechless. How had her day gone so wrong so quickly?

X-X-X

Iruka Umino was not having the best of days. He would say, with a good measure of confidence, that he was having one of the worst days out of anyone in the village. The man was sweating buckets as he ran and jumped across the rooftops of Konoha's Hokage district, brown ponytail bobbing as he did. Chakra pumped through his legs and arms as he tried to keep up with the number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja Naruto Uzumaki. The little rascal had gone and painted over Hokage Rock again in a sign of celebration from graduating from the ninja academy. The boy had declared that he was going to be Hokage and that the previous leaders were going to be no match of him. Naruto had made this loud proclamation when Iruka caught him defacing the Fourth Hokage's face with a red spiral. Said ninja was currently evading capture as pranksters usually do; a bundle yellow and orange in his trademark jumpsuit as he whooped and hollered from his location atop a water tank on the building in front of Iruka.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto shouted, one of his hands cupped around his mouth. "You can't catch me; never in a million years. I'm a full-fledged ninja now!" The nine-tails jinchūriki laughed in excitement waving a red paint-dipped brush back and forth over his head. His newly adorned headband glistened in the afternoon sunlight and Iruka couldn't help but smile despite his annoyance. "Naruto, I know you are happy but if you don't get back here this instant I will be forced to go inform Lord Third about your misdeeds!" The academy teacher yelled back after catching his breath. Iruka was fairly certain the Hokage was fully aware of what Naruto had done already but Iruka knew that Naruto, in all the boy's reckless abandon, did not. The blonde boy took a step back in shock on response. "Gah, not Gramps!" Naruto whined childishly. "The last time Gramps got mad I couldn't eat at Ichiraku's for a whole week!"

"I'll personally make sure that it will be for an entire month this time." Naruto heard a voice behind him say. A voice that sounded very much like the current leader of the hidden leaf village. The boy whirled around to find the Third Hokage appearing behind him, remnants of white smoke rising into the air from the Body Flicker technique, garbed in the official Hokage attire, pipe in hand and an expression of controlled displeasure befitting one of a teacher catching a disobeying student. The current Hokage sighed heavily as the fresh genin started to bawl and beg for forgiveness, clinging to his Hokage robes.

"Gramps, please! Anything but Ichiraku Ramen! I swear I'll never pull another prank as long as I live!"

Hiruzen had to fight the urge to sigh again. He wondered how many times he had heard that one before. The elderly man reached down and pulled on Naruto's ear to get the boy to stand up, much to Naruto's chagrin. Iruka managed to arrive below them on the roof and stood a good distance away, giving the Hokage a wide berth. The chūnin simply crossed his arms and smiled a small knowing smile.

"Naruto listen to me." Hiruzen began his voice hard as stone as he let go, cutting off the boy's grumblings of a sore ear. "As of today you are a ninja of the Hidden Leaf. You have a duty and responsibility to keep to not only your fellow shinobi but to all the people of this village."

Naruto's cerulean blue eyes tore away from Hiruzen's own orbs as he looked down at his feet. "I know. I know, but-"

"That means not tarnishing the legacies of those that came before us Naruto. Those faces are more than just a monument, they represent the collected will and determination of all the leaf shinobi since its founding. If you want to have your face up there amongst them, you will need to bear the Will of Fire within your heart and carry it into the future. Not drawing on the Hokage Rock with paint." Hiruzen stated, taking the paint brush from Naruto's hand without resistance, his voice never wavering as he looked down at the blonde jinchūriki.

"I understand Gramps." Naruto said, his voice deathly quiet after a long silence passed between them. The boy's eyes were still trained squarely on his feet. "I know that you and Iruka-sensei do but the others..." Naruto's voice trailed off quietly. Hiruzen's eyes softened at Naruto's words. He didn't have to finish for the Hokage to hear the unspoken words. It was no secret amongst the most of the adults in the village what lay dormant within the young boy and with that knowledge, bred fear and hatred. Those adults also happened to be parents and their prejudices had stuck with their children. The road Naruto was walking down was far from an easy one. The Third knew though, that he didn't have to walk down it alone. He hoped the team that he had hand-picked for him, the one that Naruto would soon find out in one day's time, would show him that.

Naruto felt something land on his head and looked up with wide eyes to find the Hokage's hat placed squarely on his blonde hair, the white shawl draping well past his shoulders and down his back. It was clearly too large for Naruto's small body but in that moment Naruto was too shocked to even notice or care. A kneeling Hiruzen was in front of him, showing a kind smile that tugged at the man's wrinkles.

"How does it feel Naruto?" Hiruzen simply asked, taking in the range of emotions that were as clear on Naruto's face as the the blue sky above them.

It took Naruto several moments to process, his mouth slightly agape, but when he came to tears formed in the corners of the boy's eyes and his lower lip quivered.

"I-It's h-heavy." Naruto choked out, his tears spilling over and down his whiskered cheeks. He brought his forearm up to rub his eyes on his jumpsuit as he cried. The Third took his hat back and placed a comforting weathered hand on Naruto's head.

"I know." Was all Hurizen said as he looked out over Konoha. He was silently thankful for a brief moment of privacy from their perch atop the water tank.

X-X-X

Anko's thin eyebrows scrunched downwards as she read the note in her hands for what seemed like the hundredth time. She was currently sitting cross-legged in Ibiki's office at ANBU's headquarters, waiting for the man to walk through his own door. She knew his schedule and that he was a very diligent worker. He would not miss a day of work even if he was as hungover as she had been. She highly doubted that Ibiki even got buzzed at his own birthday party. He probably just ordered water like the killjoy she knew he was. She chuckled to herself at the thought of it.

The door opened and in stepped Ibiki, long black trench coat and bandana in tow. If he was surprised of her sudden appearance he didn't show it. "Mitarashi." He greeted flatly. "Care to tell me why you're showing up here of all places on your day off?" He asked, walking around her to his own chair and placing a large stack of case files on one side of his oak desk.

"How was your morning?" Anko asked, stuffing the note into her own coat pocket. She hoped he didn't notice.

Ibiki raised a single eyebrow at her question, his stone-cold expression unmoving. "I fail to see how that's relevant to you being here. In my office. On your day off." He repeated, now sitting in his chair.

Anko merely huffed unladylike at his refusal to answer, her good foot tapping the wood floor to voice her displeasure. "We went out last night for your birthday to celebrate, remember?"

The man nodded as he reached for a case file, flipping through the contents as he scanned them. "It was not my idea to go. You all showed up on my doorstep in the late evening."

"Well, we wanted to throw you a party. I think."

"You think?" Ibiki's eyes darted to hers over the open folder he was holding. She avoided his gaze, settling to watching her finger twirl her purple spiky bangs instead.

"Yes, I...Ineedyourhelp." Anko said so quickly Ibiki almost didn't hear it despite his extensive experience as an interrogator. The imposing man's usual stoic appearance gave way to the tiniest of smirks. This was not something he was expecting out of the proud kunoichi. Anko caught this small change when she dropped her hand from her hair and looked back at him. Not many could tell, but she could. She had been around Ibiki enough to see the little changes in his normal stony expression. If a person saw the same rock for long enough, they would start to notice the little chips and groves that show up from time to time. She bristled at his smirk and hunched her shoulders, her hands digging into the armrests and her cheeks reddened in increasing amounts embarrassment and annoyance.

"You know what? Nevermind, I'll figure it out myself. Go back to reading your torture porn. Clearly it's more important." Anko fumed, standing up and turning around to stomp out the door.

"Sit down, Mitarashi." Ibiki commanded, shutting the file of a prisoner that he had been skimming through. "I'll forgive your little outburst just now if you tell me what's got you so worked up. Well, more than usual." He was slightly curious why she was so angry.

Anko spun on her heels, facing him. Caramel eyes boring into his own with brown fire. "Today has been shit. My day off has been shit."

Anko started pacing back and forth in front of Ibiki's desk, recalling the day's events since she had woke up. She didn't care that her foot ached with each stomp. She was making a damn point, her shin guards clanking with each step in agreement. "...and then after all that I find this on my countertop." Ibiki watched has the kunoichi pulled out a crumpled white slip of paper in her fist and slammed it down onto his desk. Her ample chest heaving slightly as she took short angry breaths through her nostrils. The commander of Konoha's Interrogation Force kept his eyes focused on the paper instead of looking up at her as he unlaced his fingers and motioned Anko to take her previous seat. Anko obliged, feeling a bit better having vented for over twenty minutes straight. Ibiki took the crinkled note, smoothing it out with his fingers and read aloud.

"To whomever owns this apartment. I found you passed out against your apartment door after our chat. I couldn't wake you up and you smelled of alcohol. So I found the spare key, don't worry I put it back where it was, and put you to bed. I left a glass out for you to have some water when you eventually wake up. Hope you don't have a hangover. J."

A long almost unbearable awkward silence hung over the two tokubetsu jōnin as Ibiki read over the note in his mind two more times, in utter disbelief that did not show on his stone face and Anko was trying desperately to disappear into the folds of her tan overcoat as she watched him scan over the words. She knew this was a bad idea. Stupid, stupid, stupid Anko.

Ibiki suddenly laughed, making her jump slightly in her seat from shock. It was a loud booming sound that drove the heat to Anko's neck, whole face and to the tips of her ears. "Shut up Ibiki." When he did not, her glare attempted to freeze the man solid. "I mean it, shut the hell up." her low hissing voice lashing out like venom-tipped fangs.

"Who is this J?" He asked, unperturbed at her threatening gaze and tone. Although his laughter did subside to a low chuckle.

"That's what I want to know. That's what I came here for. You were there and I can't remember anything." Anko expertly drew a kunai, twirled it in her hand and sprung from her seat to bring the sharpened metal down on the note, pinning it to the desk, right next to the one letter signature.

"Who the fuck is J?!"

A/N: Don't forget to please leave a review! Thanks.