Upon uploading my last chapter, about 24 hours later I received a flame that said, and I quote: "Your si oc is pathetic af. Kill yourself, virgin."

First of all to whoever you are: charming; your parents must be so proud, and second of all: it's cowardly people like you who leave anonymous comments like this on a public website where anybody can view it. How do you know that I wasn't a highly impressionable person who is likely to take your words seriously AND follow through? Think before you act next time. VERY disappointing and EXTREMELY inappropriate.

While I understand that some people might not like my work, and I will get negative feedback which I accept as constructive criticism, if it is; the majority of my feedback thus far has been positive and/or helpful. I thank those lovely people for them :)

And now moving on from that sad rant; as always, I claim no ownership of Naruto or Hikari. Just this story :)

Constructive criticism is warmly welcomed and appreciated. Flames will be noted!

So without first ado. Here's the new update. Please enjoy and please review! :D

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL

"Never go backward.
Attempt, and do it with all your might.
Determination is power."
~Charles Simmons

~HIKARI P.O.V~

There are some things that really shit me about life; this sick, twisted reality that seems to get its jollies out of other people's miseries, heartaches and fuck ups. Take Naruto for example: people have the tendency to underestimate my best friend, particularly when he's in one of his hyperactive and loud moods. If you took the time (and patience, plenty of patience) to observe him, one would discover that he is actually smarter than he looks, and his observational skills could rival even the most experienced Konoha ninja when he puts his mind to it.

So I shouldn't have been surprised when Naruto suddenly 'cornered' me the moment we were alone.

"What are you hiding, Hikari-chan?"

That was the first thing Naruto said about twenty minutes into helping him pack for his extended mission. I straightened up from my squatt and blinked at him feigning ignorance.

"What makes you think I'm hiding something?" Naruto scowled at me as he shoved about five packets of Ramen into his knapsack – which I took three back out much to his dismay.

"The fact that every time we talk you dodge the question, or you're constantly staring into space." I grinned sheepishly.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Actually; I wasn't.

I was trying to figure out my plans for the rapidly approaching future, now that Team Seven had been disbanded indefinitely due to Sasuke's defection from Konoha. I was slightly peeved when Naruto announced that he was going to be trained by one of the legendary Sannin. The petty, abandoned part of me believed he was ditching me like Sasuke did and stranding me with the pink-haired wonder for three years. But as soon as I came off from my high horse, I realised, Naruto's training with Jiraiya-sama proved to be a smart move.

I came up with several paths in my 'fork in the road': a possible solution to my dilemma that I felt I might be good at. Unfortunately it probably meant that I'd be stuck learning with Sakura for three years. Since the Yukimura's were known to be adequate healers, I initially decided that my future lay in the advancing field of medical-nins. I was privately pleased that my Nan had been wise enough to teach me the basics of our family's healing jutsu before she was massacred along with the rest of my family back in Snow Village. But I didn't think I would be able to stop myself from actually killing the bitch, so I moved on to my second option.

That included learning how to become a Hunter-nin – a job that involved hunting down and killing missing-nins for large bounties.

But that would involve killing Sasuke…

For my third option, I deduced that I could earn the ranks of Chunin and Jounin, before becoming either a Jounin teacher like Kakashi, or become an Academy teacher like Iruka. But Naruto and I both noticed how much of a pain we had been with both our former teachers, so I decided – inspired by both Naruto and Sasuke – to inquire after Lady Tsunade about the chance to be specially trained one-on-one by an elite Jounin or ANBU. I could still train hard to obtain at least Chunin level, and hopefully be as strong as Naruto when he returned.

A hand waved in front of my face, and I flinched back in surprise.

"Hikari-chan, you're doing it again…" Naruto's annoyed voice pulled me back from my thoughts and to the present.

"Sorry. I was miles away." I mumbled before picking up a kunai and testing its sharpness. Naruto's hand touched my shoulder and I looked up to see him staring at me with concern and bewilderment.

"Seriously, cut the shit and tell me what's going on." I stared into his defiant cerulean blue eyes and saw the same determination Naruto only got when he was setting out to right a wrong. I sighed tiredly.

"I going to ask Lady Tsunade for a chance to be trained one-on-one like you and Sasuke." I admitted finally. To my surprise, Naruto smiled brightly and genuinely.

Seriously, what was I expecting? Disapproval?

Naruto is the type of ninja that would constantly be seeking extra training to better himself, just so he could one up Sasuke. Even more so if it included his friends as well. It was just exceedingly lucky that SOMEONE actually wanted to train him and personally sought him out. The fact that his soon-to-be teacher was aware about the evil fox entity and wouldn't be put off that Naruto had the Kyuubi sealed up inside him was a bonus.

"YOSH! That's a great idea!" Naruto yelled, nearly deafening me with his exuberant voice. "Who have you got in mind?" I shrugged.

"Dunno. I'll just have to ask Lady Tsunade who's available if she approves." Immediately, he grabbed my hand.

"Let's go ask now!" I grinned and nodded as he pulled me to his front door. I looked around the room as we went sadly. It was decided in Naruto's best interests, for him to move in with me into the 'abandoned' Uchiha compound. His apartment was constantly being vandalized and his possessions stolen just because the villagers felt it was their kami-given right to do so.

Naruto had no rights, so why should he have nice things? I thought angrily.

I remembered some of the louder, stupider villagers bragging about their pillaging of Naruto's things. He never got those possessions back either. However, Naruto had the last laugh after all, since he privately confided with me that he kept his most treasured, irreplaceable possessions hidden under a loose floorboard. Possessions like an expensive kunai and shuriken set Sasuke had given him for his birthday once upon a time; and what money he had saved up hidden in a sturdy leather pouch Kakashi had given him.

Also for his birthday.

By the time Naruto would have returned to Konoha, what possessions he still had would already be in one of the spare rooms in Sasuke's home.

Good riddance as far as I'm concerned…

Naruto and I skidded to halt in front of the Hokage Tower, with Naruto grinning excitedly at the Hokage's office window.

"HEY BAA-CHAN! ARE YOU UP THERE?!" yelled Naruto, apparently oblivious to the glares and venomous words being muttered about him. I glared back to the rude villagers, and most of them flushed or coughed looking embarrassed that they had been caught out bullying Naruto and scampered away like the cowards they were. Others just glared harder at me and then smirked, as though challenging me to 'punish them' for being ungrateful pricks.

I tugged on Naruto's sleeve.

"Naruto! Keep your voice down!" I urged, embarrassed. Naruto blushed and was about to apologise when a very annoyed but patient voice interrupted him.

"I hope that when you've returned from your training, that you learn to be more respectful and polite." It was Shizune who was holding a squirming Tonton in the crook of her left arm and a stack of documents in her right. She was scowling disapprovingly at Naruto who flushed and his scratched his head sheepishly. "What was it that you needed to see Lady Tsunade about?" she inquired professionally. I stepped forward.

"Actually, I was requesting an audience with her." Shizune looked surprised, but nevertheless nodded and indicated for us to follow her.

"What is the nature of your visit, Hikari, if you don't mind me asking of course?" asked Shizune politely. I shook my head.

"It's personal, sorry." We got to the Hokage's office and Naruto bashed his fist against the wood before Shizune could stop him.

"Oh, Naruto." She groaned, as both she and I winced.

He really was his own worst enemy.

"GET IN HERE, NARUTO!" yelled Lady Tsunade, sounding pissed. Shizune and I winced again and Naruto had the smarts to at least look scared.

"Well, it's your own fault." I explained before holding Naruto's hand for comfort. "You're a glutton for punishment." We pushed open the door together and ducked when something heavy and made of porcelain shattered against the door, narrowly avoiding our heads. Shizune sighed again.

"I'll get the dustpan and brush." She wondered off in search for the items as Naruto and I turned and saw an unamused Lady Tsunade glaring at Naruto who shrank back.

"Uh, heh heh. Sorry, Baa-chan." Naruto mumbled.

"Lady Tsunade," I jumped in before she could maim my well-meaning, well-intentioned but overly enthusiastic best friend. "I would like to request some one-on-one training like Naruto will be tomorrow." Tsunade looked surprised, but didn't immediately say no.

"Well, I shouldn't be surprised. Considering your teammates have been paired off with other teachers."

"So I can?" I asked, trying to force down the hopefulness making itself home in my gut.

"Well of course you can. I'm not completely heartless." She rolled her eyes, "Did you have a specific teacher in mind?" She pulled a list of all Konoha Jounin from the piles of crap on her desk.

"Anko Mitarashi."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, presumably because she thought my choice of teacher was unexpected, while Naruto shuddered. He was obviously still reeling from when she cut his face with her kunai and then licked away the blood during the second test in the Chunin Exams.

"Why would you choose her?" whined Naruto, "She's nuts." Tsunade scowled at him.

"Well, you're not going to be taught by her, are you?!" But then she leveled me with a hard stare. "But just out of interest, why did you choose her specifically?" Waves of hatred and determination filled me up before I could smother it.

"She was once one of Orochimaru's students." I replied, "And she has the same curse mark as Sasuke." Tsunade hummed thoughtfully. Naruto gasped, obviously having not known this little fun fact.

"So you've done your research. Commendable, but that can't be the only reason why you've chosen her." Tsunade pressed insistently.

"Orochimaru was responsible for the death of my clan in the Snow Village when I was five and before Mum and I fled to Konoha." I answered automatically, "I wish to take him down as revenge for killing my family, and for taking advantage of the fact that Sasuke was vulnerable and seeking more power to kill Itachi." I vowed.

Tsunade sighed sadly.

"I trust that you know better and are smart enough not to let revenge take control of you." She warned me.

"I am aware of that fact, milady." I promised faithfully.

"Very well. Anko Mitarashi isn't currently on any missions at present. So I'll summon her and let her know of your wishes." I smiled gratefully.

"Thank you."

"See ya, Baa-chan!" shouted Naruto before we both turned and made a break for the doors.

"Oh, and Naruto?" Too late. Naruto was done for. Her ladyship' voice was a little too sweet and unassuming. He gulped before turning and smiling sheepishly back, presumably hoping that he'd get a more merciful tongue lashing. It was too good to be true, up until this point. "Shout out like that again outside my office window, and I'll have your guts for garters." She promised. Naruto and I started to panic. Lady Tsunade was trying and possibly failing to control her temper … again.

"Yes, ma'am," replied Naruto, wisely choosing to be respectful for once.

The minute we were out of the Hokage's office and out of earshot, we both shuddered hard.

"That was freaky." I muttered to Naruto who had gone green at the image Lady Tsunade had just painted in our heads.

"No shit…" he agreed as we sauntered back to the Uchiha compound. Clearly Naruto had never heard that phrase before. My mum used to threaten me with that when I was little and tried to play ninja with my parents' newly-sharpened weapons. I had been caught red-handed and was severely disciplined for doing so. I reckon that event had me scared straight ever since.

"What's gotten you two so scared?"

Naruto and I turned towards the newcomer. Standing not too far away from us was my Uncle who was carrying groceries, and from the cuts and bruises he had it looked like he had just returned from training. But before we could answer, we heard Lady Tsunade cursing up a storm right above us and suddenly Uncle Mamoru looked like he understood.

"Never mind. May I accompany you home? I have something I need to give you."

"Of course." I replied, before Naruto started walking again and Uncle Mamoru trailed after us.

I observed my uncle as we walked, trying to work him out. He looked like a very intimidating person, and it was obvious he knew it because of his confident swagger and the way he nonchalantly carried his sword. He looked like the type that would have a rollie-cigarette wedged between his fingers and puffing away; if it wasn't for the fact that ninjas were advised not to puff while in public.

I saw my Nan reflected in his earth brown eyes which were hard like flint, but I noticed that whenever he looked at me or talked about Mum they seemed to warm into the consistency of melted chocolate. He was tall, lean and had surprisingly slender shoulders for the type of man he was, and he was tastefully buff in the biceps and the thighs. My uncle had an air of mystery and danger about him, made obvious by the simplicity but elegance of his attire which screamed nobility: the standard black ANBU pants, navy blue sleeveless polo necked shirt and matching navy blue Hanoi with a light blue Konoha leaf insignia on the middle of his back. He wore a black pair of the standard shinobi toeless boots and his long black hair had been tied back in a sloppy low ponytail that reminded me uncomfortably of Itachi Uchiha that day he attacked Naruto, Sasuke and I. He wore long black fingerless gloves and to my amusement, black nail polish.

I giggled catching Mamoru's interest.

"Something funny?" He asked as we finally arrived at the Uchiha compound and Naruto pushed open the front gates and darting down the small, white pebbled path to the front door.

"Nothing. You just didn't strike me as the type to wear nail polish." I replied, gesturing to his chipped nails. He looked slightly taken aback before he coughed uncomfortably and changed the subject.

"Hikari. I had been meaning to give you something that belonged to your mother." This peaked my interest as we removed our shoes and sat at the low guest table. "As you probably already know, your mum was once a member of the ANBU—"

"What? She was?" I interrupted, shocked. Mamoru looked unsurprised that Mum never mentioned this to me. "I was told that she had made Jounin and that not long afterwards she fell pregnant with me and retired."

I was confused.

Mamoru rolled his eyes.

"Well, anyway now you know your mother was an ANBU elite. Which is why this is for you." He presented me with a beautiful katana sword. One that was not standard ANBU issue.

"Wow…" I murmured, carefully taking the heavy sword from my uncle and examined it with genuine awe.

"Yep. She was going to give it to you when you were older." The handle was pale blue, and the katana had our clan's symbol emblazoned on the white hilt in silver. Naruto came into the room just as I was about to pull out the sword.

"Oh cool!" He exclaimed and came over.

"Careful." Mamoru warned as I pulled the heavy sword free and marveled at the length of the blade.

This can do some serious damage…

I quickly replaced it back into its holster and grinned at Mamoru who looked a little nostalgic, and the warm fuzzies I was feeling immediately disappeared and was replaced with awkwardness.

"Thanks for the sword. But why do you want me to have this? I'm just a Genin." I asked, carefully placing the sword on the table.

"What's that got to do with having a sword? And in any case, I'm giving this to you because I want to train you to use it." Both Naruto and I looked at each other with wide eyes.

"That's really nice, but Anko-sensei is going to be training me." I tried to politely decline, but Mamoru raised a hand to stop me from continuing my refusal.

"I'll have a chat with her and hopefully we can work together." He insisted and I practically beamed.

"Wow. Alright then!"

Naruto scowled at me enviously.

"Aw, man! You're so lucky!" I looked at him like he was nuts.

"What are you complaining about?" I retorted, "You're being trained by one of the legendary sannin. YOU'RE the lucky one!" Naruto looked unconvinced.

"Yeah, but at least your uncle and Anko-sensei aren't perverts!" He slumped to the ground Indian-style and scowled folding his arms across his chest, "I just hope he's gonna teach me something cool for those three years and not spend it drooling over naked ladies." He pouted.

Well, he has a point…

My uncle chuckled and ruffled Naruto's already messy hair.

"I wouldn't worry about that, kid. I doubt that Jiraiya-sama would promise to teach you and then take back his word once you get going. That's not his style." Mamoru reassured him. "Besides her ladyship would have his arse if he even tried to goof off completely without teaching you anything."

Naruto suddenly got this really crafty grin on his face, and for a moment I was concerned about what he was planning; because he only looked like that when he was planning his next prank; which nine times out of ten ALWAYS got him into trouble.

Two days after Naruto left the village with Jiraiya, I received a summons from her ladyship about my training with Anko-sensei. Feeling both curious and worried, I immediately went over to the Hokage Tower; hoping that Lady Tsunade had good news for me rather than bad.

I knocked politely at the heavy wooden doors.

"Come in."

"You wanted to see me, Hokage-sama?" I questioned, then realised that there was more than one person waiting for me. Standing against the wall opposite the door was Kakashi-sensei who was reading one of his novels, and standing at attention in front of her ladyship's desk was my uncle – who was looking really peeved off – and Anko-sensei – who was polishing off a stick of sticky odango balls – wearing a smug, amused look on her face which apparently was aimed at my uncle.

Lady Tsunade immediately turned her attention to me as I glanced at all the adults in the room wondering what was going on.

"Ah, Hikari! Prompt as usual."

"Am I missing something?" I asked. Lady Tsunade sighed heavily and massaged her temples. It looked like something had gone down before I had arrived.

"I had summoned you here to tell you that Anko has agreed to train you. But it seems that your Uncle has expressed the same interest in your training as well."

"With all due respect your ladyship, I had already discussed with Hikari that I was going to ask you if an arrangement can be made where I would help Anko train her." Mamoru butted in with strained patience, as Anko-sensei started chuckling in amusement beside him.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I think I'm perfectly capable of training any Genin student without any assistance."

"Oh really?" replied Mamoru dryly, "Do you use a sword in combat?" he asked casually.

Anko raised an eyebrow.

"Orochimaru used to my teacher, unfortunately." She muttered that last part under her breath, which illustrated to me that she clearly held regret in ever going to that creepy Pedo-snake freak for training. "If you've ever had the misfortune to have fought against him and lived, you would know that he's an expert in sword fighting."

I paled. That was something that I wasn't expecting to hear. Tsunade slammed her fist on her desk.

"If the both of you are quite finished, I was about to say that I've approved the both of you to help Hikari with her training."

That was great to hear, however…

"So why is Kakashi-sensei here?" I pointed out.

"I'm your teacher too, Hikari. I'm hurt that you've forgotten that so quickly." He replied without looking up from his book, "besides I'm quite amused by this childish fight we're paying witness to presently." A kunai embedded itself inches away from Kakashi's head and my masked teacher merely turned his head and glanced at it. "See now that's just rude." He pulled the kunai from the wall.

"You keep talking like that, and next time I won't miss." Anko promised with a sadistic smirk. Kakashi merely rolled his eye and sauntered to the window.

"Promises, promises. I know when I'm not wanted." He drawled before mounting the window ceil. "Be seeing you, Hikari-chan. Train hard." He saluted and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Lady Tsunade groaned in frustration.

"Well now that you've got your marching orders, everybody get out of my office. I've got shit to do!" The three of us bowed before turning and heading straight for the door. "I need a drink…" I heard her mutter as I disappeared down the corridor with my uncle walking beside me, grumbling about how disagreeable Anko-sensei was.

I snorted in amusement.

This should be an interesting three years…

A/N: And that's the end of Part 1. The next chapter will take place three years later during Naruto: Shippuden. The following chapters will follow canon briefly before venturing off to my own original works. Hope that you've stayed with us during this long (and slightly frustrating) journey.

Peace xx