AN: Thank you all for the favorites, follows, and reviews so far. In response to the chapter length, for now, it's intentional. At the moment, I'm just trying to set up the story. After the first couple chapters, I promise they'll get considerably longer. I just want to make you all aware of one thing: this story is not about team 7; Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura. It's about Shirou, Rin, and Arturia. Naruto characters will have a big role in the story but I made these three a year younger than Team 7 so that I could ignore certain events in Naruto canon without making it to where they don't happen. I don't feel the need to rehash every event when we all know what happens, or throw these characters into events just for the sole purpose of getting them involved. They will have a role in many notable events but only for the sake of progressing their story.

For instance, since they are a year younger, they'll technically still be in the Academy during the Chunin exam arc. Part of my goal in this is so that I can get to the time skip without having to rewrite some things we've all read a million iterations of at this point. That said, I'll still try to make the next few chapters longer. Try.

The streets of Konoha were busy already in the morning, the sun just barely having crept over the Hokage Monument. Merchants were busy trying to move product and shinobi of varying rank could be seen running among the rooftops, out to accomplish whatever mission it is they had been given. People filled the streets with a wide variety of excitement. It seemed every marketplace was in for a profit on this morning.

The only apparent exception to this was Ichiraku Ramen, normally one of the more popular food stands in the village, now only playing host to two individuals. Naruto had dragged Arturia here in a tired stupor as soon as they opened, shouting obnoxiously about how great the ramen is. Admittedly, she enjoyed the food and had eaten her fill and more. Now she was lost in deep thought as Naruto continued to eat more than what she considered possible, and she was quite the eater herself.

She noticed quickly after meeting Naruto the treatment he received from the other villagers. She assumed it had to do with the monstrous entity sealed away in the boy. Ever since her rebirth, her senses had been dialed to 11 and she could sense the natural energy around her subconsciously as if it was attracted to her. It was as if nature itself gave her fuel when she needed it most. That said, she couldn't understand why the villagers had deigned to make him a pariah. Fear of that power, maybe, but anyone who exchanged a couple words with him could tell he was harmless. He's more likely to talk you to death than deal any real harm.

Her thoughts continued along this line until she noticed someone hiding behind a tree several meters away. She silently stood up and turned towards the spy, Naruto pausing momentarily to take notice of his friend's actions before shrugging and continuing to gorge himself.

"Step out now," she stated firmly. "I know you're there."

"Erk-!"

Slowly, a figure stepped out from behind the tree. She was of small stature, similar to Arturia herself, with black hair styled short and white eyes. Other than her shy complexion, Arturia didn't find any other notable traits of the girl.

"Oh, hey, Hinata!" Naruto, finally taking notice, called out to the girl enthusiastically. "Did you come to eat too? Come on, I'm buying! Old Man Hokage just gave me my allowance."

Hinata's face turned even redder but her eyes fell on Arturia, and instead of running away as she normally would, her expression turned to that of fragile resolve. She shyly nodded before slowly walking up to the counter and taking a seat.

"You know this girl?"Arturia asked, warily. Her obliviousness to social situations still evident from her past lives until now.

"Yeah! Hinata's in the same class as me, ya know?" Naruto beamed and slapped Arturia on the back. "This is Art, he's a friend from the orphanage."

Arturia's eye twitched and Hinata looked at her with a puzzled expression before Arturia turned to her and bowed politely.

"I am Arturia, no last name," she spoke in a formal manner. "Its very nice to meet you."

"H-Hinata Hyuuga, n-nice to meet you as well," Hinata sputtered out her introduction. "Um... i-if you don't m-mind me asking.."

Arturia raised an eyebrow before nodding for her to continue.

"Why d-did Naruto-kun c-call you a 'he'?"

"Eh? 'Cuz he's a guy?" If Hinata looked perplexed, then Naruto looked absolutely puzzled. Arturia, on the other hand, was beginning to show her frustration.

"As I've told you several times before, Naruto," she finally said. "I'm. A. Girl!"

You could almost hear the gears turning in Naruto's head before he gave a surprised shriek and literally fell off his stool.

"YOU MEAN THIS WHOLE TIME, YOU'VE BEEN A GIRL!? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!"

"I have tried to convince you repeatedly in the past."

Hinata broke out in a fit of giggles at the sight, the change in character causing the other two to pause.

"So, Arturia-chan," Hinata finally said. "Are you enrolled in the Academy yet?"

"I begin my training in two weeks," Arturia answered.

"Ah, my little sister will be in the same class as you," Hinata smiled, more comfortable around the blonde-haired tomboy now that she was aware of Naruto's misconceptions. She at first had worried that Naruto might like the girl but those worries disappeared quickly.

Truth be told, from Hinata's perspective, she could see how one might mistake Arturia for a boy at first glance but up close the girl had a sort of regal beauty to her. With short blond hair braided into a bun and piercing green eyes, the girl seemed more aware of things than most her age. She reminded Hinata of her sister in that way, though this girl was easier to be around.

"Is that so?" Arturia mused. "Then perhaps we shall be comrades-in-arms in the future then. What is your sister's name? I will greet her properly if we are to meet."

—

Sasuke wasn't sure if he was more worried or angry. His brother had yet to regain consciousness and although the doctors stated that he should be fine with rest, he refused to leave once his mother had finally allowed him a visit, especially when he met his brother's other 'visitor.' Imagine his surprise when he entered the hospital room to find a young Hyuuga girl at his bedside. A girl he was sure that Shirou had never met before.

He found the girl infuriating. She refused to leave and wouldn't answer any of Sasuke's questions; dismissing both the inquiries and Sasuke himself with a wave of her hand.

So now, after several hours and plenty of choice words thrown at one another, the two had non-verbally issued a stalemate and positioned themselves in a seat on either side of Shirou's bed where he slept, an uncomfortable silence between them. Tension so thick in the room, it was almost palpable.

Finally, the silence was broken by the door to the room opening and Mikoto and Itachi entering. Sasuke quickly got up to greet them.

"Mother, Itachi-nii, where is father?" Sasuke swore he saw his older brother hide a scowl before his expression became more jovial.

"Father has decided to stay at the compound to attend the clan meeting," Itachi replied, greeting Sasuke with his signature forehead flick before turning to Rin. "I see you are still here. Have you left at all since coming here?"

Rins expression became softer, though without losing its seriousness, as she acknowledged the eldest brother.

"I haven't," she said curtly. "I didn't want to risk not being here when he woke up."

"What care for my son you show, Miss Rin," Mikoto gave a warm-hearted smile to the little girl before continuing. "I'm Mikoto Uchiha, Shirou's Mother. When Itachi told me of your determination, I had to come meet you myself. I can see he wasn't exaggerating. How is it that you met my son?"

"He's helped me out a great deal in the past," Rin's reply was almost robotic though the smile on her face was genuine. "Though we haven't met since then, when I heard of his condition, I wanted to return the kindness he showed me."

"Oh? And what was that about lowering yourself to check on him and how grateful he should be?" Itachi was not without his suspicions but he couldn't hide his amusement at the girl's reaction.

"And as well he should be. Hmmph," Rin replied as if stating a well known fact. The only thing holding back Mikoto's anger at the girl's apparent insult directed at her youngest was the redness on Rin's cheeks that revealed all too much in Mikoto's eyes.

She was about to respond when the sound of someone stirring caused the four to freeze. Shirou began to move, slowly at first, then with increasing fluidity in his movements, he sat up and began rubbing his eyes. Rin, Sasuke, Itachi, and Mikoto released the breath they didn't know they were holding as Shirou opened, now fully awake, inspected his surroundings. He acknowledged his brothers' and his mother's presence before his gaze landed on Rin and he froze momentarily before his eyes gained a warmth in them that his family had never seen from the boy before.

"Hey, Rin, long time no see," Shirou was beaming from ear to ear.

Rin's face was hidden and her shoulders were shaking. Mikoto felt touched that her son had found a friend who cared for him so deeply. This feeling didn't last as Rin finally responded by walking up and promptly hitting Shirou hard on the head.

"Ow! What was that for!?" Shirou exclaimed, rubbing the top of his head so as to ease the pain.

"After all this time, that's what you have to say to me!"

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to be nicer to me," he grumbled his response, still nursing his still sore head.

"I was just making sure you were really awake that's all."

"Why does it feel like I'm being punished..."

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