The strongest Jinkuriki to have ever lived; the last Uchiha, possessor of the Sharingan; and the Byakugan Princess with her Tenseigan. The deadliest team that never was. An ancient prophecy about the three descendants of Kaguya Otsusuki unravels; untold secrets of the Uzumaki, Uchiha and Hyuga clans. Team Seven AU.
The sun shone over the freshly cut grass. It was an unusual request to meet at somewhere as mundane as the park about something as grave as the future soldiers of the Hidden Leaf, but the Third Hokage insisted he didn't want to spend another entire day trapped in the office. Kakashi sat beside the Third Hokage, his brows knitted in slight confusion at what he was told.
"Hinata Hyuga will be on my team?" Kakashi asked, his usual monotonous tone carrying an air of surprise. "I thought she was decided for Kurenai's specialist tracking team?"
"Kurenai's team specializes in sensory abilities, being a genjutsu specialist herself," the Third Hokage explained, "according to her results, it seems Kurenei can foster Sakura's natural talent for genjutsu. Though her taijutsu wasn't as great as her other subjects, with Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame, she will balance the team out."
Kakashi silently agreed.
Sakura was smart indeed, one of the best students to graduate the academy. Her genjutsu type would definitely improve and grow stronger with Kurenai as her mentor, and she would be motivated to improve her taijutsu from her fellow team-mates who scored highly in their tests. With Kiba's rash personality and Shino's introspective attitude, Sakura could be the bridge between them. He paused, recalling the information he knew about the disgraced Hyuga.
"But Hinata," Kakashi replied, his eyes downcast as he thought deeply.
A cold breeze flew past him. Several birds flew overhead as he carefully chose his next words.
"You must have heard the rumours that the Hyuga clan are thinking of relegating Hinata's position of the main heir due to her weakness."
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed a slow cloud of smoke. He lowered his tobacco pipe, a small smile on his face as if he decided to disclose a secret.
"Out of all the female students who passed the taijutsu exam, Hinata Hyuga scored the highest," the Hokage answered, watching Kakashi's grow imperceptibly wider, "she merely lacks the self-conviction, which both Naruto and Sasuke have plenty of. She will learn from them."
"I have a hunch that Hinata's poor confidence isn't the only reason for the change," Kakashi stated knowingly. After all, his hunches were usually right.
Sarutobi closed his eyes.
The peaceful ruffling of the trees around them was a pleasant sound he hoped he would uphold as Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. But peace was always short-lived, delicate thing in their restless world. The land and their warring factions, it was of great importance to create shinobis of formidable strength, but also to ensure that strength does not become a danger to themselves. They were devised to protect the village, but it was a very real possibility that th weapon that was supposed to protect them, could fall astray. Instead of being the Hidden Leaf's greatest strength, they could become its worst nightmare.
"As you know, Naruto has the Nine-Tailed Fox within him, and Sasuke will no doubt will possess the Sharingan in the future. His dojutsu to keep the demon in check. Hinata may be just as useful, more so than Sakura."
"And how exactly will Hinata be useful to Naruto and Sasuke? I thought the purpose of Sakura's presence in the team was to spur rivalry between the two so they would train harder?"
"Perhaps it was a rash choice to use childish attraction as the basis for Sakura being on the team," Sarutobi admitted, his mind recalling how that trick worked between Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru.
However, it might not work so well again, especially considering the same formula was used for the Fourth Hokage's team and that didn't end well. A small feeling of guilt stirred in Sarutobi as he looked at Kakashi. An image of the Jonin's younger self flashed in front of him for a split-second. Sarutobi glanced back at the trees.
"Hinata belongs to the Hyuga clan, and their secrets of their unique taijutsu."
"The Gentle Fist," Kakashi acknowledged.
"If Hinata masters such a skill, then she will be able to shut down a shinobi's chakra system immediately and effectively."
A silence passed between them as Kakashi pondered over the gravity of his words and the disconcerting meaning hidden in them.
"Lord Hokage, as deadly as it is, it's no match for the Nine-Tailed beast."
"That much is obvious," Sarutobi replied naturally, though his expression seemed strained, "but were something happen like before, this technique will buy us valuable time."
"I see," Kakashi noted, the cogs in his mind turning as he envisioned the three in front of him.
Naruto was the social pariah who was determined to prove himself to everyone. Sasuke: almost as gifted as his older brother and traumatized by the massacre of his clan because of said brother. The two already have a clear rivalry boiling between them. Add awkward Hinata, the meek heir of the Hyuga to the mix and it would make an interesting dynamic for sure.
"And if you teach them well," the Hokage said, standing up, "they have the potential to be the strongest team the Leaf Village has had since the Sannin." There was a note of finality as he left Kakashi alone on the bench in a slight daze.
Kakashi leaned back, watching his mask covering his small smirk at the idea of his new team. Two kekkei genkai users and a jinkuriki of unimaginable power.
"An Uzumaki, Uchiha and Hyuga," he muttered to himself, for the first time excited about the prospect of leading a team of genin. "I wonder how well they will do together."
Kakashi Hatake, the infamous Copy-Ninja, hoped he could be a great sensei to them like the Fourth Hokage was to him.
A/N: This was an idea I had to write up, since I didn't really like the original Team 7 at all. I thought Sakura being on the team was pointless really. Hinata, on the other hand, would have been better considering her skills and clan. There will be a stronger Hinata, and Naruto will learn more about the Uzumaki clan (yes, that includes sealing arts!)
As you may have guessed from the blurb, this fic will have a different take on the "Child of Prophecy". It will be similar to the anime with the first couple of chapters focussing on events that happened in OG Naruto, then there will be a time-skip and that's when we'll get to the juicy part of the story. Please stay tuned until then!
Also, although Japanese honorifics add a certain authenticity to writing, I won't be be those terms (I'm not too familiar with them sadly and I don't want to end up sounding awkward).