Hi. Whew, my first ever author note and I know I already have quite a lot to say. Where to begin? Well, most obviously, I'm not going to be the greatest. Or really, probably very good at all. I do imagine I'll grow as I continue, but it'll be a process, a commitment you guys have to make to me, just as I'll make to this story. Second of all, this will be a Naruto/Fem!Sasuke/Hinata story(I might be tempted to add Fem!Neji if there's enough interest, but...), and there will be OOC elements just naturally as a result of these character's stories being changed so early on. I don't intend that they'll be massively OP at the start, but let's not twist expectations here - they will be very strong, prodigies akin to Itachi and Kakashi.

Eventually. I also intend for this to be relatively pure 'ninja core.' There won't be any Kaguya-level threats facing them, and even a Madara/Pain level threat seems a bit extreme for my tastes now. I kind of miss this idea of Orochimaru being the biggest, baddest badass around, and I think I'll keep that theme unless something happens to change my mind. I wouldn't count on it.

This story also won't move very quickly, I think. I don't intend to breeze especially quickly through a lot of their training. Early on, yes, but whenever they form a genin team I think it'll be fun to explore the kind of preparation that needs to go into getting them out into the world. I don't want it to be a 'here's your chakra paper and a scroll for a jutsu' type of scene before they get out into the world. Let's have a little fun with this, shall we?

If you guys want to kick my ass into gear, or share opinions/ideas/thoughts, perhaps a Disc. server is in order? Here's the invite - 4CwWjt3A4g

Dear Mito,

I hope that this letter finds you well, and secure-though, I have taken precaution for the latter. I apologize for all of the security measures, but you'll find shortly that the measures involved are no less than absolute necessary. I don't doubt you've been privy to the turmoil plaguing our village, and I fear our struggles won't end any time soon. Located where our village is, we Uzumaki have always needed a keen sense of trouble brewing on the horizon!

I'm already aware that Konoha's forces are spread thin, too thin to assist us should the trouble stirring reach our coasts. I believe it's become prudent to not just take measures to protect our home, but to protect the future of our clan. Lately I've come upon a discovery that I've sought since my youth, some fifty years ago, well into my sixth decade.

I believe I've found a way to recreate bloodlines, with our sealing techniques.

These measures, Uzushio's contingency plans will see our next generation woven across the elemental nations. With each child departing, I intend to leave with one of these Kekkei Genkai seals. However, particularly with the seal I leave in your care, there are some things you should know.

I. While I understand that Kushina is soon to take your burden, and while the gift I'm leaving for Konoha within this letter would help her immensely with restraining the Bijuu soon to be sealed within her, I'm afraid it's not to be. This seal must be used while a child still resides within it's mother, and so I suppose the future of the Mokuton rests in the hands of Kushina's children-should she have them.

II. Mokuton, as I'm sure you're familiar with, is a bloodline that has only ever appeared once. I believe that in part, it's yet to manifest among other Senju due to the necessity of incredibly strong Yang chakra. This is partially the reason I leave the seal to you and Kushina, as both of you possess a vitality rarely seen even in our clan. It's my hope that Kushina's potential children will inherit this vitality, else I'm not certain they'll be able to utilize their inheritance.

III. I believe it would be best to keep this a secret, hidden from everyone but yourself and the Sandaime hokage. I do trust Hiruzen, but I fear for the potential that it becomes common knowledge that any children Kushina may bear have the famed wood release, even if they are unfamiliar with how it came to be. Condemning any child to a life as breeding stock should be utterly unthinkable, but you know as well as I do that there are powers intent on doing anything to keep it.

IV. The seal you see below is not entirely complete. I've left instructions to finalize the seal, and made certain the final steps are complex, so that only an accomplished sealmaster could finalize it. While it's not perfect, I do believe it's prohibitive enough to keep most from making use of it, even if our communications are intercepted.

At any rate, I do hope that the need to send Uzumaki across the elemental nations turns out unnecessary, but my gut tells me otherwise. Should this indeed turn out to be Uzu's final parting gift to Konoha, I only ask that you continue to instill our traditions into Kushina, so that perhaps one day she can pass on more than the wood release.

P.S…

!~!

Naruto Uzumaki found himself painfully bored. In the relatively chilly autumn of Hi no Kuni-insofar as the aptly named Land of Fire could be called 'chilly'-he found himself wandering aimlessly. Or, at least, mostly aimlessly.

Although he was never really allowed to participate-lest a parent snatch their child away or even scold him for assuming he could associate with other kids his age-it wasn't uncommon to find the four-year-old hanging out around any of Konoha's parks. It made him feel bitter sometimes, but he longed for human contact so thoroughly that even watching and fantasizing about playing with other kids had to be enough. He watched as a pair of children played on the swings, an onyx-haired girl and her older sister, both bearing an odd symbol on their back that he'd seen among Konoha's law enforcement.

It seemed like a silly thought, really. Were two girls so young a part of the police, or did the symbol bear some other significance he was unaware of?

He sighed wistfully. Of all of the park's attractions, he enjoyed the swings most of all, because he could at least get some momentum going all on his lonesome. It was really just a shame that he only ever had the opportunity to use it after everyone else had departed. That his time would be limited, until the sun departed the sky, and one of the animal-masked ANBU came to direct him to his empty apartment.

His chest felt tight, and so he turned away, wandering into the more heavily forested area of the park situated near the boundary of the village. Unbeknownst to him, his senses had always been just a tad keener than most. It was no wonder that he picked up on a strangled sob, or the jeering of children. He hardly had time to process the stimulus before his feet took him, because really, what more did he need?

Someone was crying. How could he allow that?

The scene he came upon was one that boiled his blood. Three older boys surrounded a girl that seemed to be his age. "Not so high and mighty now, are you, Hyuga?" The eldest sneered, his fist balled tight. Naruto wasn't sure whether or not it was that fist that brought the girl to her hands and knees in the first place, but he wasn't going to wait and see if the boy would repeat such a dire mistake.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He yelled, storming toward them with all the speed his little legs could muster, although the scarf fluttering in the chilly wind hardly aided in his attempt at an intimidating visage. Unfortunately, it wasn't until he was near nose-to-nose with the older boy that he realized he'd forgotten one critical bit of information.

He was four. He had no idea how to fight.

"Back out of the way, idiot." The eldest grunted, his hand coming down to grip Naruto by his hair and shove him aside. "You have no chance against us, we're academy students." The way his scalp throbbed, and the smugness in the boy's tone only served to aid the rage swelling in the blonde-haired boy's chest. "Besides, when you're older, you'll understand. Us civilians should stick together. It's the only way the lower class survives."

He hesitated after his tirade, when one of the younger boys brought a hand to his shoulder. "Hey, hey. Nikishimi, that's him. It's that kid." It took a moment for recognition to flash in the ringleader's eyes, but when it did, the smile he suddenly donned never reached his cold eyes. "Nevermind," he growled, stepping toward him. Naruto tried to scramble back, his building anger lost for the fear now rattling his chest. "I take it back. You're not one of us, you just pretend to be. You're a no good, snot-nosed little Dem-"His rising tone and cocked-back fist culminated together, uttering the word and aiming for a strike at the cowering child all in one beat.

P.S. Mokuton is a harder nut to crack than most. I imagine, in some part, that a prerequisite to controlling nature is being one with it. It's for that reason that I've included a secondary component, a little something that should help whomever inherits the effects of this Mokuton seal slowly regulate their consumption of natural energy as they age.

I call this component the Sage Seal.

Naruto's eyes slammed shut, preparing for the worst. His heart beat faster and his blood raced through his veins, though all at the same time there was an odd sense of calm that washed over him. When the punch refused to reach him, his eyes peeked open, and then wider in amazement. How was the boy moving so slow? It was like the world had found itself moving through molasses, and the punch seemed to take an eternity to connect the last few inches.

Naruto didn't understand his own strength. He sidestepped in the blink of an eye, and the older boy's shock hadn't even registered before a tiny fist was buried in his stomach and he flew. Clearing the ground for a few meters before he landed on the ground and rolled to a stop, cradling his stomach and trying to recover his breath. His friends were near-speechless, although two words – one from each – seemed to summarize their thoughts.

Strong!

Fast!

The look they fixed him with was horror, and they went to recover their fallen friend and scurry away. When the calm dissipated, he was left excitable and trembly. It was annoying that his hands shook so heavily, but the rush couldn't be denied. How had he…? Taking a deep breath, his original goal was not forgotten, as he found himself hurrying to the girl that drew him into all of this strangeness in the first place. She wasn't crying anymore, which was a marked improvement, but her pale eyes were wide and confused.

"H-How did you..?"

He never was one to beat around the bush. "I dunno," he admitted, offering her a hand and helping her up when she timidly accepted the gesture. It was the truth, he didn't really have an explanation. He was fast, of course. He's known that the strange animal-masked people that watched him sometimes have had to kick themselves into a higher gear to keep up with him. It would be gross exaggeration to suggest they had trouble doing it, but it definitely wasn't the leisurely touch-and-go upon each rooftop they adopted when he walked through the streets instead of blistering down alleyways.

But this? This speed, this strength… it was foreign to him, a well of strength he found intoxicating and just a little scary. He swallowed thickly, uncertain, and then he attempted to change the subject. He wasn't sure this development was welcome, the last thing he needed was to be ostracized any further.

"What was their problem, anyways?" It seemed like the wrong question, as the girl looked down and played with her fingers. "I… I don't know," she admitted, although both had some sort of clue.

Lower class-that's what the boy said, wasn't it? They were civilians, and she was… what? He wasn't sure, nor did he really care. There was no distinction for him between nobles, and commonfolk. After all, they all hated him equally. But this girl didn't, or… wouldn't, at least until she learned. Or maybe she already knew, and didn't care? It was a tantalizing thought, and one he squashed the second it attempted to worm it's way into his heart.

"T-They kept saying I u-um… my… eyes..." Fresh tears fell, and his heart yearned to comfort her. "Hey," he said, more insistently as his hand came to her shoulder. "It's okay, those guys, they were stupid anyways." When she looked up at him again, he took a moment to study her. "Besides, what's wrong with your eyes? They're a little weird-"

It didn't take a genius to see the way she seemed to shrink in on herself for a moment.

"-but they're pretty, too." His hand left her, and both came up to interlace his fingers behind his head. "'sides, I got whiskers anyway. I think I top the 'weird' scale, too." He beamed at her, which alongside his comment, forced a furious heat to her face, despite the cold. Mustering up all of her courage, she leaned forward slightly as she spoke.

"A-ah, well… y-your w-whisker marks are c-c-ute um… too." The shock at the comment didn't fully have the time to write itself across his features before they were interrupted.

"Oh."

Naruto's head turned slightly, surprised to find the older girl he'd seen pushing her little sister on the swings had approached. "That was a very impressive display," The dark-haired older girl complimented, and Naruto couldn't find the words to correct her. It was impressive, but confusing, and… She gave him a smile, one that was more eyes than her lips, and her hand extended his way. He took the offer for two, quick shakes.

"Izumi Uchiha." She introduced, and he hesitated in turn. If he spoke his name, would she…? "Naruto," he said softly. "Naruto Uzumaki." Her head inclined briefly, and her occupied hand brought her young sister around, a girl that seemed about their age that had comfortably taken up residence behind her elder sister.

"Sasuki." She mumbled, at the prodding of her older sister's gaze. Surprised he hadn't been turned away, it didn't take long for his naturally extroverted personality to shine through. "Nice t'meet'cha." He smiled at her enthusiastically, but didn't bother extending his hand. She seemed a little shy, and so he doubted the gesture would be welcome. "Oh!" He said, suddenly, whipping his gaze back around to the pale-eyed girl. "What's your name?" This time, when she spoke, he did offer a hand-although she was slow to take it, and flushed to high heavens.

"Hinata." She said, firmer now than she had been before.

"Speaking of, Hinata." Izumi spoke. "My sister and I are here because I believe we spied an older Hyuga seeking you. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" At the mention of her handler, Hinata found herself alert. "We got separated," she informed. Izumi took the information in stride. While normally, it'd be a trivial task for a Hyuga to seek someone out, the use of their dojutsu was heavily discouraged in public spaces. Locating the lost clan's heir would probably constitute a reasonable reason to use it, but kids are kids, and they were visiting a park. If she could be found without the use of their eyes and the risk of reprimand, that would be the preferred route every time.

"Well then, I believe we should reunite the two of you." Her free hand was extended to Hinata, who found herself reluctant to take it. "Wait, um… Naruto are you… here, often?" Surprise shook his encroaching sadness away. Just seconds ago, he was absolutely certain this would be the last he'd see out of any of them. Perhaps not the biggest loss, but for a boy with no friends to his name…

"Yeah," he said, a little more excitedly, or perhaps more desperately than he'd intended. "Basically all the time. If you come back soon, maybe we could meet, like… here, again?"

It was Hinata's turn to beam as she took the eldest Uchiha's hand and prepared to leave. "Tomorrow?" She queried.

"Tomorrow!"

Oddly enough, when they all departed, he didn't really feel alone anymore.

!~!

"What do you mean I can't?"

Then again, Naruto probably should have anticipated it wouldn't last. Hinata rounded on her guardian, a similarly pale-eyed man apparently named Ko. Hinata's outburst was the product of a rather predictable response when his newfound friend informed him that she'd be playing with Naruto.

It was a clear, resounding 'no.'

Naruto shrunk into himself a bit while the two argued, refusing to meet the older man's eyes. If he had, he might have registered the man's surprise at the Hyuga heiress' repeated objections, but no ground was being granted for her backbone. In his effort to keep his eyes from meeting the stoic, unyielding gaze of the older Hyuga, he was the only one to notice the approach of a dark-haired duo. "Izumi, Sasuki!" He said happily, surprised they'd shown. They certainly hadn't made it obvious they'd come along yesterday.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun." He smiled when the eldest Uchiha greeted him, and the fact that the younger girl was walking just a little more confidently now-beside her sister, instead of behind her. It faded slightly though, recalling the current predicament with Hinata. While Sasuki waved at him and he returned the gesture, Izumi found herself tuning in to the Hyuga's conversation. "I apologize Hinata-sama, but your father wouldn't-"

"T-That's not true!" Hinata returned with an insistent stomp of one of her little feet. "Father wouldn't mind be playing with a-anyone else, and you didn't before!"

Izumi figured that was about her cue to jump in. She detached herself from Sasuki as they passed Naruto, leaving the two to themselves as she approached. There was a brief flicker of satisfaction when Ko's eyes widened nearly imperceptibly. Although Izumi didn't quite have any ground to stand on, any rank to pull here… She was respected, and it tended to show. She offered Hinata her hand, which was taken shortly. "Good morning, Hinata-chan. I'm glad you came to play with my younger sister-sometimes I'm afraid she doesn't interact with enough people her own age."

The Uchiha prodigy cast a glance at Hinata's guardian. "You wouldn't mind if I take it from here, would you? Please, go and relax for a while, I assure you they're in safe hands." The hesitation was nerve-wracking, but eventually Izumi received a nod in turn. "I won't be far," he began. "There's a cafe just across the street from the park. Please come find me if Hinata-sama needs anything." With a short bow, he turned and left, leaving Hinata to smile up at her.

In fact, all of the children seemed quite happy. Even Sasuki, who was still a little distant for anyone that wasn't a part of her immediate family. Not that Izumi imagined Sasuki would mind playing alone with the little blonde boy, in fact after that brawl yesterday-

"Hey, how'd you fight that guy off yesterday?" She queried, an amusing sight mostly because the eldest Uchiha assumed it'd take just a little longer for her younger sister to open up. Sasuki stepped closer to Naruto, dark eyes studying first his face, and then his arm. Her hand came up to poke his bicep, frowning contemplatively. "I dunno how you hit him so hard… you kinda have noodle arms."

Well… let it not be said her little sister was any good at making friends. Izumi nearly facepalmed, until Naruto smiled brightly.

"Really? You think so?" How he managed to be pleased that he had 'noodle arms' was beyond Izumi. At least her little sister hadn't completely- "that's supposed to be an insult," Sasuki informed. "H-Hey, what the hell?" This time, she did facepalm. After the three settled down and began to chat, which was primarily led by the boy's admission that he had no idea how he hit so hard, they looked for a game to play.

"How about ninja?" It was Naruto's suggestion, and probably for good reason. It made sense for a child in a ninja village to potentially aspire to be a ninja. However, this was also a game he'd attempted to play with other kids in the past, only to be met with rejection time and time again. The eldest Uchiha had a better idea. "Why would you three play ninja?" She called, from the position she'd come to rest at, leaning against a tree. "I do believe our Hyuga friend here has had instruction in something much more appealing than just acting the part."

It took a knowing glance Hinata's way for the little girl to realize what Izumi was intending. It was a well known secret that in the Hyuga clan, chakra control methods are taught just as soon as the children can interpret the words to be instructed. There was little doubt in Izumi's mind that Hinata could ascend walls, or stumble atop her bathwater with ease. Chakra control is a very underrated skill. One she had every intention of teaching Sasuki, and one that Naruto would need to learn sooner rather than later.

Why not kill two birds with one stone, and bond the three closer together for it?

"Ugh, this sucks." Staring up at the sky for probably the fifth time in the span of as many minutes, Naruto prepared himself for another attempt as climbing the nearest tree. Hinata's byakugan was a massive help. Standing at the base of the tree and lowering his output ever-smaller until the pale-eyed princess told him he was using the right amount worked beautifully. Except, of course, that when he tried to raise his foot to step onto the tree, the chakra focused to his feet pulled up clumps of soil and grass attached to his foot.

After this incident, he took to running at the tree and attempting to mimic the amount she'd showed him before. Results were just a little mixed. He could make it a little ways up, but he found that he was impressively bad at maintaining the amount required, with constant fluctuations of increased output blasting him away from the tree. Sasuki was having plenty more success, nearly halfway up the tree, and many of her problems were fluctuations of lowered output.

Meaning, primarily, that her feet would mostly slip until she quickly righted the issue, instead of being thrown away from the bark.

It was frustrating, for sure, but Naruto had fun nonetheless. None of them, not even Sasuki noticed when Izumi vanished. By the time she returned, Naruto was sitting on the first, large branch he'd managed to reach, and Sasuki was sat next to him-having refused to climb higher for fear of heights, though she could walk up and down her self-imposed limit without much issue. Hinata, on the other hand, was underneath them, standing on the branch upside down because it was better practice, apparently.

"Zumi!" Sasuki was second to notice her sister after Hinata, and Naruto only came around when he caught his breath and dared to glance up at the sound of the younger Uchiha's voice. "Look, I got it perfect!" Happy to demonstrate, the raven-haired child descended the trunk, waiting until she was on solid ground to barrel toward her sister and hug one of her legs. "Good job," Izumi praised, beckoning the other two down with a gesture.

The hand hidden behind her back came around to offer the sight of a few items-blunted, stone kunai and shuriken. "Am I gonna get to practice with 'em?" Sasuki said happily, breaking away to cheer at her older sister's nod. "You're going to show your friends, too. You've become quite proficient in our lessons, I think you can take on two students of your own, don't you?"

When Naruto got closer, he inspected the odd ninja tools. They definitely weren't like any he'd seen before, especially given they were made of rock. "Why are these kunai so weird?" He questioned earnestly.

"Well, that's quite simple, actually. You three can't practice safely with sharper tools yet, nor could you practice very well if the weapons were always blunted. These are made with a special seal. Whenever they're near chakra, the residual energy is converted into earth-natured chakra by the seal, and it blunts the stone kunai. However, whenever it's not near anybody with chakra…" Quicker than his eyes could process, Izumi whipped the kunai toward the tree they were just climbing, and the kunai sunk into the bark like the end hadn't been smooth just moments ago.

"...it reverts back to a sharp point. They'll be perfect for little ninja in training such as the three of you." Awed by the sight, and only half comprehending the explanation offered, Naruto found himself silent as each of them were given a set of stone kunai and shuriken.

"I've set up some targets down there," Izumi said with a gesture. "I'll leave their instruction to you for now, imouto."

!~!

Naruto and Izumi rested against a tree as they watched Hinata and Sasuki move. While it couldn't quite be called a spar by any stretch of the imagination, it almost did look that way, with the two of them going through their respective clan's katas together. Target practice had gone well, he felt. Naruto wasn't a prodigy with thrown weaponry like Sasuki, but after a few corrections his accuracy was passable enough for his first try. All said, it was a good day, but Naruto couldn't help but feel just a little melancholy as he watched his newfound friends. Hinata had taught them a really cool skill, never mind how generally important chakra control seemed to be. Sasuki taught them how to properly throw shuriken and kunai. Naruto had nothing to offer his friends. He had no kata he could go through with them, although Izumi had promised she'd offer him something soon.

He also just wasn't sure what kind of ninja he wanted to be. Hinata was a short-range powerhouse, or would be anyways. Sasuki was certain to be a long-range monster, with that weird illusionary jutsu stuff Izumi told them about that Uchiha seemed to be so good at, her shurikenjutsu, and the long range fire techniques of her clan. Once again, it just begged the question:

What did he have to offer them?

"Ryo for your thoughts?" Naruto frowned when Izumi cut through his thoughts. With a quiet sigh, he realized it wasn't of any use to lie. That old man told him that he was an open book, a boy who wore his heart on his sleeves, an awful habit for ninja, a good habit for a man. "It's just..." He scratched at his cheek idly, his cheeks hot. It was annoying, having to admit his weaknesses. But how else could he fix them, if he didn't take advice from someone strong enough to better him? If he couldn't teach them anything, he'd learn, and learn, and learn so that he wouldn't hold them back, if nothing else!

"I just wish I could help them, too." He admitted finally. It seemed to plunge the two into a comfortable silence for some time, until Izumi hummed a query his way.

"Who says you can't?" She questioned, finally. "The other day you seemed shockingly fast, and strong. You certainly didn't seem weak." Izumi's lips pulled into a small smile. "...and maybe you have other skills you could teach them. Things that are useful for ninja, but not as flashy as being defiant of gravity, or hitting a bullseye every time. Can you hunt? Fish? Can you track down animals, or even enemy ninja? I've also happened to notice a boy with such bright eyes and blonde hair be rather stealthy, when he wants to be." Izumi smiled, reaching over to lace her fingers through spiky, blonde locks of hair.

His eyes had widened with every word - and why shouldn't they? Having the occasional stint as one of his ANBU guards, Izumi knew exactly where Naruto's skill shone best, and she hardly had the time to muss his hair before she was thanked profusely, and he was running off after a clumsy bow. It warmed her heart in a way nothing had since her visits to old battlefields from the third ninja war. She drew her knees up to her chest to watch them. No more need be done for now, except for nurture their progression as young ninja. The rest was taken care of.

The forging of an unbreakable bond between Uchiha, Hyuga, and Uzumaki.