A/N: This is my first Naruto fic, so please forgive any inaccuracy on my part with regards to using honorifics or the scattered bits of Japanese (mostly jutsu names). I had a few basic ideas for a NaruSaku fic as well as a Neji/Tenten fic, but ultimately couldn't get anything going. I know fics with OCs aren't usually popular, but this idea was really picking at my brain, so if you were wondering why I chose to write what's basically a side story - mostly original characters and a few major/minor characters - that would be the reason. Plus, the story takes place during the time skip, so Naruto and Sasuke are away from Konoha - Tsunade, Sakura, and a few of the other Rookie Nine will have some major/minor roles later on, though...Anyway, enjoy, and please feel free to leave reviews. I've got several ideas where to take the story if the interest is there.

Eventual spoilers for those not caught up with the current manga

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/places/etc...the OCs are, to the best of my knowledge,unique to me...

EDIT: (12/9) I changed a few things around structure-wise to make the chapter a little less formulaic - as always, please leave reviews if you have something to say, whether it's good or bad

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER 1

"ROOKIES"

"Damn it…" an exhausted boy lamented. "Missed..."

His gentle gasps for air quickly quieted as he reached carefully behind his head until he felt the thin piece of maple wood between his fingertips. Focusing what little chakra he had left, he closed his eyes briefly and concentrated.

"Katsugan (Keen Eye)."

A glowing blue aura enveloped the iris in each eye just as the sun crept over the horizon, it's golden glow radiating throughout the Hidden Village of Konoha. The shadows of twilight vanished as the sunlight filtered slowly over the village gates, illuminating the faces of the four Hokages forever etched upon the towering rocky monument overlooking the town. Most of the residents, with the exception of a few guards at the walls surrounding the village, were nestled at home in their beds. It was a rare thing in Konoha these days, the quiet. A pair of birds aimlessly fluttered around, enjoying the calm of the early morning, until the faint twang of a bowstring and the distant echo of steel piercing the bark of a tree shattered the silence.

Amidst the dew-soaked grass in a small open field along the western wall, sweat pouring from his brow, stood Zuboshi Takeo. As the morning sun caressed his tired body, the silhouette of his lean muscular form appeared on the ground behind him. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the metal plate affixed to the black fingerless glove on his hand as he raised it to block the brightness, showing his soft brown eyes as the bluish tint from the chakra faded. His medium-length brown hair was still untidily kept; a few locks were matted to his forehead and dangling over his eyes, while the rest swept around the side and back of his head. He quickly ran his hand through the wavy mess as he went to retrieve his arrows from the tree fifty yards ahead of him. A gentle breeze blew a few wisps back across his slightly rounded face as he plucked an arrow from its target and slid it back into the tan leather quiver on his back. He lightly tossed his sturdy oaken bow, still clutched in his matching gloved left hand, to the soil.

"Quarter of an inch to the left…again…" Takeo sighed, rubbing the frayed tree bark with his calloused index finger. "Damn it."

Exhausted, Takeo slid gingerly to the grass beneath the tree. He grabbed the Konoha forehead protector fastened on the strap for his quiver, lifted it over his head and left shoulder, and laid the leather pouch full of arrows carefully next to his bow. He unzipped his heavy dark green flak jacket, customary attire for a Konoha Chuunin, and tugged at the black sleeveless shirt beneath it. He closed his eyes briefly, the serenity and warmth of daybreak seducing him into falling asleep. His mind began to wander, drifting aimlessly through the darkness behind his tired eyes.

"Takeo!"

Startled from his brief slumber by a stern familiar voice, Takeo lifted his weary head and waited for the hazy figure to come into focus.

"Slacking off again, I see," the voice criticized. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised…"

His eyes mostly awake, Takeo recognized the brawny man in front of him. The grayed short hair…the piercing green eyes…and the noticeable scar running up his tanned cheek….

"Dad," Takeo chuckled. "Yeah, you know me."

Takeo stood up, stretching his arms high and then down, running his hands along his black pants and the white tape wrapped around his lower legs and ankles. He slipped his feet back into his black Konoha style sandals, and met his father's gaze as he stepped next to him, shoulder to shoulder.

"How long were you watching?" Takeo asked as he bent over to gather his equipment.

"Humph!" his father smirked, snatching Takeo's bow from his hand. "Long enough to see that you're still not keeping your elbow tight and centered. How many times have I told you that balance is-"

"Is the key to accuracy," Takeo finished sarcastically. "Only everyday for the last ten years."

"Then one would think I wouldn't have to repeat it anymore," his father retorted.

"But that would deprive me of the advice from Keigo, legendary ANBU archer and squad commander," Takeo replied with a grin.

His father glared at him and shook his head, before smiling and wrapping an arm around Takeo's neck.

"If you listened to the great Keigo's advice, then perhaps one day people will be singing the praise of the great Takeo," he said with a laugh. "Come. Your mother sent me to bring you home for breakfast. She's prepared something special in honor of your big day."

"She didn't have to that," Takeo replied, slinging his quiver over his left shoulder. "She works long hours and deserves to sleep in once and a while."

"Yes," Keigo sighed. "You know your mother, though. She can't enjoy a moment to herself without thinking of her family first. Besides, it's a special occasion – she'd kill me if I let her miss it."

"Right, right," Takeo relented.

Dawn had come and gone by the time Takeo and his father stepped inside their home. Though still early in the morning, the familiar sounds of pots clanging, knives chopping, and voices chattering resonated inside the small yet comfortable house. The delectable aroma of eggs, steaming rice, and miso tickled at Takeo's nose. Both he and Keigo smiled at one another before heading into the kitchen. Busily working at the stove, the slim, raven-haired woman turned at the sound of the pair of heavy footsteps entering the room and smiled tenderly.

"Takeo," she greeted. "I see your father finally found you."

"Eventually," Keigo replied with a grin. "Can't have him leaving to receive his first ANBU mission on an empty stomach. Everything smells delicious."

Keigo swiftly kissed his wife on her forehead as he stepped past her into the dining area. Takeo couldn't help notice his mother blush slightly. He had to smile. They'd been married nearly twenty years, yet he frequently caught them acting as if they were on their first date.

"Everything will be ready in a few minutes, Takeo," his mother said. "Shinji should be here with the tea any moment."

"Eh?" Takeo muttered, sneaking a spoonful of the miso soup.

On cue, a stocky boy slowly marched into the kitchen, proudly holding a tray with several teacups and a large ceramic teapot.

"I finished the tea, Hakumi-san," he stated, his rounded face beaming with pride, yet obviously exhausted.

"Yo, Shinji-kun," Takeo smiled as he playfully messed up the boy's carefully brushed blonde hair.

"Takeo nii-san!" Shinji exclaimed, nearly dropping his tray.

Shinji hurriedly set the tea down on the nearby countertop and raced back to Takeo, who was still sampling parts of his breakfast feast.

"Are you excited, Takeo?" Shinji eagerly asked. "Your first mission as an ANBU member is today right? What do you think it'll be? I bet it's something top-secret and classified and-"

"Settle down, Shinji-kun," Takeo interjected, folding his arms across his chest. "It's only my first mission; I doubt Hokage-sama will give us anything too dangerous or exciting."

Shinji looked down at the ground, a look of disappointment across his face.

"I should hope so," Hakumi sighed as she began plating all of the food.

"But even if she did," Takeo continued, "I couldn't tell you anyway. It'd be top-secret, right?"

Takeo winked as Shinji nodded in agreement.

"Takeo, you and Shinji-kun should join your father at the table," Hakumi said. "I'll bring the food in just a minute."

"Yosh!" the two replied in unison.

Takeo and Shinji took their seats across from Keigo along the cherry-colored table. His father busily studied the scrolls he had unrolled upon it, while Shinji continued to assault Takeo with questions. He politely obliged the youth's inquiries, nodding and smiling on occasion. Takeo fidgeted with the deep red band of cloth tied around his left bicep.

"Where's Toshiji-san?" he asked, halting Shinji's inquisition.

"Eh?" responded Shinji. "Dad? He's working guard duty again this morning."

"Sorry," Takeo said, catching Shinji's depressed expression. "So how are things at the Academy?

Shinji's face brightened to that question and immediately began regaling Takeo with events from the preceding week.

"And sensei said that if I keep training and studying, I should be able to pass the final exam next year," Shinji exclaimed. "You were almost twelve when you graduated, right Takeo nii-san?"

"That's right," Keigo answered, without bothering to look up from his scrolls. "Hard to believe six years have passed since Takeo first became a Genin. Quite an interesting journey you've had, eh?"

"I guess," Takeo muttered, slightly annoyed at his father's tone.

"Breakfast is served," Hakumi announced cheerily as she set down several dishes and bowls.

She took her seat next to her husband and the four of them took a moment to appreciate the large meal she had prepared. A large bowl of steamed rice sat in the middle of the table surrounded by freshly made miso soup, rolled omelets, and a mouth-watering assortment of fresh fruits. They glanced at one another before nodding.

"Itadakimasu."

As Hakumi took Shinji's plate and began portioning out some rice, Takeo took a moment to enjoy the normalcy that the meal brought to their home. Ever since he told his father about wanting to join ANBU, the Zuboshi household had been anything but normal. Keigo had prepared a rigorous exercise schedule for him and had personally made it is his mission to put Takeo through the toughest training he had ever been through. His mother, however, was understandably nervous about her son's decision; Hakumi put on a brave face as she always did, but even Takeo could see past her smiling façade. So it was a breath of fresh air for him to see his family truly enjoying themselves.

"Takeo?" Hakumi repeated cheerfully.

"Eh?" Takeo said, waking from his momentary daze.

"Your plate."

"Oh, right…thanks," he nodded with embarrassment.

After his mother placed an omelet atop the bed of rice on his plate and returned it to its rightful spot in front of him on the table, Takeo eagerly picked up his chopsticks. But before he could manage to grab a simple grain of rice, a loud, boisterous greeting accompanied a gentle knock on the door.

"Yo, Noppo (string bean)!" a deep voice called gleefully. "You awake yet?"

Takeo's head dropped in embarrassment and frustration as Keigo, Hakumi, and even Shinji glanced at him.

"Sorry," Takeo said, rising and turning towards the front door.

He swore under his breath as he quickly paced to the door, exhaling loudly as he violently pulled it open. "If I hadn't been awake I would be now, and so would everyone else in the house."

"Relax, Noppo. Hakumi-san said you would all be up anyway."

Rolling his eyes, Takeo reluctantly stepped to the side as the large youth entered his home. Kazumo Kintarou, though only a year older than Takeo, was nearly twice his size, standing a few inches taller and carrying a lot more weight. His Chuunin flak jacket that he wore over a navy t-shirt only enhanced his upper body width. As Kintarou regularly pointed out, however, most of his girth was muscle. And after Takeo had grudgingly fought him hand-to-hand, his bruised and battered arms and legs could attest to it. Kintarou slipped off his navy Konoha sandals. Even with his overly baggy navy pants, he could have been the fiercest Chuunin Takeo had ever seen if not for his small oval-shaped head with short spiky black hair, upon which the goofiest face constantly grinned. A small pointed nose protrudes just above his wide mouth and chin, which is covered in a fuzzy black goatee. Yawning, Kintarou rubbed his goatee with one of his taped up hands.

"What are doing here this early?" Takeo asked, swiftly closing the door with his hand.

"Hey!"

The door flew back open, knocking over a few scraps of paper, an old jacket that had been left hanging on the wall, and Takeo, who sat exasperatingly on the floor rubbing the bump on his forehead.

"Honestly," a soft yet gentle feminine voice chided. "Where are your manners, Noppo?"

"I don't know, Kaori," Takeo mumbled sarcastically. "Maybe you knocked them out of me again."

"I'm sorry, did you say something, Noppo?" Kaori responded, agitating Takeo with her emphasis on Noppo.

"Honestly, it's bad enough Kintarou still calls me that," Takeo said, standing up and gathering the items that had blown to the floor. "I guess I expected more from a beautiful and charming kunoichi such as yourself…"

Takeo smiled as he saw Kaori's face twitch with anger. Although he and Kintarou had come to enjoy teasing her, there was no denying Hirashi Kaori was one of the prettiest female shinobi in Konoha. Her shoulder-length sandy blonde hair flowed softly down her head, except for the two tightly spiraled braids from her temples that hung just below her cheeks. Her sparkling blue eyes, cute upturned nose, and thin-lipped smile accentuated her lightly tanned face, and combined with her slim yet curvy figure, made it nearly impossible for any boy to deny a request from her. And Kaori was well aware of that fact, flaunting her "assets" by wearing a snug-fitting short sleeveless white robe with a loose fitting slit navy skirt that unevenly flowed down her legs, the longer side touching the top of her black toeless boots below her right knee and the shorter just above her left thigh. It didn't take long for Takeo or Kintarou to learn this fact either. When they had first been assigned to work together during the recent Chuunin Exam, Kaori had somehow used her wiles to convince them both to fill-in at her family's restaurant while she spent the day training. Neither one had ever figured out how she managed to trick them.

"Hmph," Kaori scowled. "Fine, Takeo-kun…I won't call you Noppo anymore. Maybe I shouldn't speak to you at all…"

Kaori forcefully marched past Takeo and a grinning Kintarou into the dining area.

"Fine," he replied, knowing she probably couldn't hear him.

Takeo sighed, turning back to Kintarou.

"So why are you here so early?"

"Oh, right," Kintarou began. "Hakumi-san and Keigo-sama invited us to join your family for breakfast. They said it would be a good idea for us to get to know each other better since Kaori-san and I are a part of your team."

"We've worked together many times before," Takeo remarked. "Why not invite you two over before now?"

"This is different," Kintarou stated. "ANBU missions are nothing like the ranked missions we're used to getting. Not only are our lives on the line, but the safety of Hokage-sama and the entire village as well. Wouldn't you like to get know the people responsible for your son's life and the lives of the people here in Konoha better?"

Takeo couldn't argue with that logic. He had forgotten how rational and insightful Kintarou could be.

"Are those egg omelets I smell?" Kintarou wondered with delight.

Before Takeo could answer, Kintarou had already followed the aroma into the dining area, where Takeo quickly found everyone enjoying the delicious meal his mother has prepared. He noticed that Kaori had taken his seat next to Shinji, who was obviously having trouble staying calm around a beautiful girl. Takeo chuckled as he made room at the end of the table.

"What's so funny?" Kaori inquired.

"Hmm…ah, nothing, Kaori," Takeo replied.

"Kaori-san" she swiftly corrected him with a smirk.

"I thought you weren't talking to me anyway, Kaori-san," Takeo happily snapped back.

"I-I'm not," huffed Kaori, as she quickly turned and began conversing with Hakumi across the table.

Takeo smiled victoriously as he filled another plate for himself.

"Honestly," Keigo sighed.

Despite the interruptions, everyone eventually settled in and began enjoying the meal. Kintarou spent much of it talking with Keigo about his ANBU days, to the point where Takeo noticed his father becoming increasingly irritated. Kaori, meanwhile, was quietly having a long chat with Hakumi over something Takeo couldn't quite make out, though he guessed that was probably a good thing. With Shinji busy stuffing the last of an omelet into his mouth, Takeo found himself silently gazing around the room. He watched as his father politely gave Kintarou advice on becoming a squad leader. He nodded back at Kintarou, who had acknowledged him briefly before turning his full attention back to Keigo. Takeo started to rise, but stopped when cheerful laughter flowed from Kaori's side of the table. He watched for a moment as she and his mother shared what was obviously a pleasant moment. He met Kaori's brief glance with his own, and tried to suppress a smile as she gave him a condescending look before turning her head away from him. Takeo stared for a moment as her hair bounced softly around her neck, then quickly caught himself and continued gathering up his plate to take into the kitchen.

By the time he had finished rinsing his off, Hakumi entered the cozy kitchen carrying the rest of the plates. Despite several offers, she wouldn't allow Takeo to help her clean them, so reluctantly he headed back to meet with the others.

"Takeo nii-san," Shinji exclaimed, quickly rushing over beside him. "Kintarou-san was telling us about the time you guys caught the family of pickpockets in Wave Country. Is it true you really took out all eight of them in one shot?"

"Hmm?" Takeo replied. "Well, yeah, I suppose that's true, but Kaori deserves the credit for drawing them out as the decoy; and it was Kintarou's plan anyway. All I had to do was not screw up."

Kintarou proudly accepted Takeo's praise, grinning widely and scratching his goatee. Kaori looked taken aback for a moment, before nodding happily in agreement.

"It was a team effort," she added. "Like all successful missions, every member has a role to fill, Shinji-kun."

"Speaking of which," Kintarou interjected. "We should probably leave now if we want to receive our mission. It's important to arrive a little early if possible."

"Yeah, you're right," Takeo concurred.

Takeo turned to his father, who already had his gear ready for him.

"Everything should be set," he said, handing it all over to Takeo's waiting arms.

"Thanks," Takeo replied, slinging his quiver over his head and left shoulder. "Guess that's it, then."

"Be careful, Takeo," Hakumi called, walking in from the kitchen. "You too, Kaori and Kintarou…you three look out for each other."

"We will Hakumi-san," Kintarou affirmed. "Thank you for your hospitality this morning."

"Yes, thank you," Kaori echoed. "We'll be fine. I promise."

Takeo started to reply, but was cut off by his mother's embrace. He instinctively hugged her back.

"I'll be okay," he said.

Keigo smiled proudly as Hakumi released her grip on her son, and drew her in close with one arm as he waved goodbye with the other. As Takeo and his teammates headed outside, Shinji exuberantly cheered him on from the doorway in front of his parents. A sigh of relief escaped Takeo's lips as he, Kaori, and Kintarou took their first steps on the road to ANBU.