A.N. Hi guys! This is my first ever Naruto fanfiction, and has been edited as of 12/30/2022

Thank you all for reading! Please tell me what you think!

"Hurry, Sasuke!" Tsukiko called waving a spatula irritably at the closed sliding door that marked the young ninja's door. "You're going to be late for your exams!"
She received no answer, and raised an eyebrow in slight concern. 'He's not usually this late.'

Morning sunlight streamed through the window of the small apartment as the young female bustled about, muttering to herself grumpily about the luxuries of sleeping in. She herself had been up for several hours, having risen with the dawn out of habit. She was a tall woman, with delicate features and graceful, nearly dancing movements. Her long white hair fell in waves around her waist, bangs held out of her eyes by the shiny silver Konoha headband proudly glinting from her forehead, and her black eyes were narrowed in concentration as she carefully transferred an omelet from the hot pan to a plate.

Swiftly, Tsukiko set the plate down at Sasuke's usual seat, pouring him a glass of orange juice as well. Satisfied with breakfast, the kunoichi removed her apron from around her waist, replacing it with her ninja pack, a green bag fully equipped with kunai and shuriken, as well as some basic medical supplies.

The kunoichi straightened her uniform, a long-sleeved dark blue-grey shirt and matching pants with a second pack strapped to her leg to hold additional weapons, her boot-like sandals, and a green jounin vest. It suited her rather well, the bulky vest doing little to disguise her curved figure and small waist, or her toned muscles. Finding her appearance suitable, the young woman cocked her head slightly as she listened intently.

The whisper of a sliding door against the wooden floor met her ears, and she smiled happily as she greeted her charge. 'Finally!'

"Good morning, Sasuke. Breakfast is waiting at the table."

The young boy gave no sign that he'd heard her, his usual grumpy look fixed on his features as he entered the small dining room adjacent to the kitchen.

Sasuke Uchiha was a handsome boy of only twelve years of age, with onyx eyes like Tsukiko's that gleaned with intelligence and an awareness uncommon for his youth. Unlike Tsukiko, he had black hair, styled alarmingly like the back end of a duck, and a perpetual frown. He was dressed in his usual attire, a short-sleeved dark blue shirt with a high collar, white shorts, white arm protectors stretching from his wrists to his elbows, similar protectors guarding his shins, and the tall sandals that marked him as a shinobi.

"Thanks," he muttered, straightening the sheath strapped to his leg as he sat down.

Tsukiko sat across from the young boy, pleased to see a small flash of appreciation at the sight of his favorite meal. She smiled gently, resting her head on her hand. "Are you excited about today? It is the big test, after all!"

He shrugged as he picked up his utensils, disinterested in conversation. "There's not much to be excited about. The test is always over clones, and you taught me how to do those years ago. It's a waste of time for me to even be there today."

"Don't say that!" Tsukiko teased, leaning back in her chair. "Today's also your graduation ceremony, after all! And you're the valedictorian, so you can bet I'll be right in the front row, cheering you on!"

Pink faintly dusted his cheeks and he stared determinedly down at his plate. "Yeah, whatever."

Smiling cheekily, the older woman picked up his cleaned plate and walked over to the sink. "Alright, you'd better be on your way if you want to avoid the horde of admirers that usually appears in...about two minutes."

With a faint note of panic in his voice, Sasuke wished her a good day before grabbing the bento she prepared for him and leaping out of the window.

As soon as he was out of sight, Tsukiko felt her smile slide away, a melancholy sadness surrounding her. Her own graduation didn't seem so far away... Years and memories slid through her mind like sand in an hourglass, piling at her feet and threatening to choke her.

'When he acts like that, I can't help but be reminded of-No! Don't think about him, today of all days. It's Sasuke's big day, and I should be one hundred percent focused on him!'

Still, the young woman couldn't help the heavy feeling in her heart, filled with a longing she wasn't supposed to hold.

A sharp knock at her door snapped her out of her gloomy state, and she immediately did her best to appear calm and collected.

"Yes?" She asked, opening the door to reveal the hidden face of an Anbu Black Ops ninja.

"Lord Third wishes to speak with you," he said curtly from behind his white bird mask. "He said it's urgent."

"Of course," Tsukiko replied stiffly, stepping out of her home. "I'll go at once."

She immediately leapt into the air, eager to put as much distance between herself and the masked figure as possible. The wind whipped her long hair around as she bounced from building to building, heading for the center of the village. The feel of the cool air against her skin helped her to calm down, and gave her a sense of weightlessness, as if she were nothing more than a cloud.

All too soon, she found herself outside the door to the Hokage's office. Taking a deep breath, she knocked softly on the door before entering.

The Third Hokage was an old man with his age lined in his face. He had been forced to take up the role of Village leader after the unfortunate death of the Fourth Hokage during the infamous Nine-Tailed Fox attack on the village twelve years ago. Yet despite his age, he was still incredibly powerful and very wise, the aura of a kind grandfather emitting as he watched her enter, a mischievous twinkle in his eye that immediately put her on guard. That look usually meant he was planning something, and Tsukiko wasn't sure she wanted to be a part of whatever crazy plan he hatched.

Still, she trusted him implicitly, and would follow any order he gave her to the letter. The Third Hokage had saved her life twice in her short eighteen years of age, and it often felt like she'd never be able to repay his generosity.

"Tsukiko," he greeted warmly, smiling at her while his pipe continued to emit purple smoke. Personally, she hated the smell of tobacco, but she let no sign of this show as she returned his smile.

"Lord Third," she returned, bowing her head respectfully. "You asked to see me?"

"Yes," he nodded, a contemplative look on his features. "Tsukiko, how long have you been a jounin?"

Her answer was prompt. "Almost three years, sir. I was promoted after leaving the Anbu."

The old man nodded again, eyebrows scrunched in thought. His elbows rested on the desk as his hands crossed over one another. "I've been giving this some thought, Tsukiko, and I think I'd like for you to lead a team of genin from today's graduates."

Tsukiko's breath caught as excitement flooded her system. She had been wanting a team of her own ever since she became a jounin. It was the ultimate honor to be entrusted with the next generation of shinobi, and proved that the Third Hokage believed in her abilities, which was more than she could say for a lot of the other ninja she worked with.

The young woman was neither liked nor disliked in the village, being a war orphan with dubious ties to the now near-extinct Uchiha Clan. She got along well with Kakashi Hatake, Kurenai Yuhi, and Asuma Sarutobi, but that was about it. And since they were often busy with genin, that meant she was either paired with someone wary of her or was alone on missions. To have a team of her own, filled with new faces that didn't know her, was a dream come true.

Her happiness must have shown on her face, because the Third Hokage's smile widened. "Of course," he added, almost as an afterthought. "We won't know until later today who will be graduating, but it's fairly obvious Sasuke will be at the top of the class…"

Tsukiko was already shaking her head. "Respectfully, Lord Third, I don't think that's a good idea. This is Sasuke's chance to really learn from an upper-class shinobi and spread his wings. I train with him often enough that he knows most of what I can teach him. He needs someone new."

"Very wise," the old man said, refilling his pipe. "Well then, do you have a request for who you'd like him to be paired with?"

The young woman didn't hesitate. "Kakashi Hatake, sir."

With his head down, shadowed by the white Hokage's hat, she didn't catch his satisfied smile. "Why Kakashi? He's never passed a group of genin before."

"Be that as it may, he is the only one who can help Sasuke master his Sharingan. I know that he's awakened it, but I can't really help him with it, despite my knowledge of his capabilities. Kakashi is the only one who can do that."

When he raised his head, his expression was gentle. "Logical as always, Tsukiko."

She blinked, slightly taken aback. Her quick mind and instincts told her she had passed a test of some kind, but she wasn't sure what or why she had been challenged. "Thank you, sir"

Reaching into his desk drawer, the Third Hokage pulled out two files. "As I said before, we won't know who passes until later, but for now, these are the two students I'd like you to train."

"Two?" Tsukiko repeated, confused. A genin team of less than three was usually unacceptable, even with particularly talented students. In a case of numbers not matching up, there would be one or two teams of four plus a teacher, not two. Only truly exceptional circumstances would lead to such an occurence.

He waved away her concerns. "There will be a third member. A...transfer from another village. She won't be here for a few days."

Dubious, she picked up the files and flipped through them, her face concealing her surprise.

Both students were girls, which was highly unusual. Kunoichi were far fewer than male ninja, so to have a four-man squad of only women was incredibly rare. It was very curious indeed.

Tsukiko cast a questioning glance at the Hokage, who was watching her intently, waiting for her to say something. Returning her attention to the files, she skimmed through the basics of her team, her eyebrows rising as she read.

'First up, Chiyo Mitsuru.'

The picture showed a bubbly looking girl with a cocky smile and bright turquoise eyes that seemed to hold a fair amount of fighting spirit. Her black hair was roughly shoulder-length and fanned out around her face, two longer braids resting on her shoulders. A quick glance at her scores showed that she was reasonably intelligent, but far more physically inclined. Indeed, her strength was noted as quite formidable, her chakra levels several times higher than that of the average ninja.

Not to be outdone, the second girl, Midori Hata, was just as impressive. The picture showed a blushing girl with a shy smile, as if she was not used to being photographed. She had the greenest eyes Tsukiko had ever seen, and long blond hair that was pulled up in a high ponytail, a few strands framing her face. While average in physical abilities, she had impressive chakra control, and her family was known to be quite gifted in medical ninjutsu. She was also very intelligent, and worked well with others.

'A fighter and a healer...' Tsukiko mused, meeting the Hokage's expectant eyes. And both with above-average abilities, ensuring that she had her work cut out for her. Chiyo seemed to be quite cocky, and Midori was likely more reserved. Still, their personalities would balance each other out nicely.

"Very well," she said, accepting the assignment. "I think these two and I will get along fine. My only concern is the third genin on my team."

"Well, about that…" Once again, he lowered his head to hide his expression. "She's a special case. In fact, she's not actually a genin. She's a jounin from Kirigakure, who has been declared dead by the village."

Even the most reserved of shinobi wouldn't have been able to hide their shock at such an incredible statement.

"A jounin from the Mist?!" Tsukiko spluttered, at a loss for words. 'What is he thinking?! Inviting a spy into our midst is utter stupidity!'

"I understand your fears," the old man said, putting up a hand to quell her protests. "I was the same, at first. But in the condition we found her, she should be dead. Her body had several killing blows, and was only still functioning due to her will and considerable chakra.

"We found her three weeks ago near our border, and took her in for questioning. She claimed she was thrown out due to close ties with one of the infamous Seven Ninja Swordsmen who defected, and the village no longer trusted her, ordering her killed. She managed to make it to our border before she was attacked, and ended up killing several Mist shinobi before she succumbed. We found signs of bloodshed, corroborating her story, and she has spent the last three weeks recovering, as well as undergoing a rather harsh psychological assault to see if she's telling the truth."

"So we are accepting her into the village?" Tsukiko asked skeptically. "Near genin, no less?"

The Third Hokage pulled out another file, handing it to her. "As you can see, her skills are quite formidable, and I don't have the inclination or resources to keep a squad on her at all times. I need someone skilled enough to handle her by themselves. That being said, I don't want to deprive you of being a sensei, and I don't want to alienate our new arrival by placing her under a strict guard. This way, she will feel trusted, and also be watched."

Tsukiko frowned at the file. It made sense, logically enough, but she still didn't like it. The Mist and Leaf Villages had been on opposite sides of the the Third Great Ninja War, making any move by Kirigakure seem suspicious.

'Masuko Arashi,' she read, staring intently at the photo, committing it to memory. It showed a woman with short, spiky hair that appeared black at first glance, but was actually a deep purple. She had bright blue eyes that almost seemed to glow, and was quite pretty, her smile showing genuine relief and happiness. Her Leaf headband was on her upper left arm, displayed where the camera could plainly see it.

' She seems nice enough at first glance, but then you look at her abilities, which are more than enough to raise a few eyebrows.'

Her personality seen thus far was cocky and somewhat arrogant, but that was really no surprise, coming from the Mist. They always had admired physical strength over mental, which is why Konoha had come out victorious in the War. And Masuko certainly seemed to be the type of person they'd cultivate. She had an absolutely insane amount of chakra, and could use both Water and Earth Styles interchangeably. The former Mist jounin was intelligent and able to avoid enemy attention for long distances, as she had demonstrated by managing to make it from the Mist to the Leaf.

Immediately, Tsukiko saw the Hokage's train of thought. She would make an excellent teacher for Chiyo, who also had an overabundance of chakra. Whereas Tsukiko, who had slightly above average chakra, and perfect chakra control, would be a fitting teacher for Midori.

"So you plan on us both being senseis for the two genin?" She asked, raising her eyebrow.

He had the decency to look embarrassed. "In essence, yes. But, Masuko would be under your command, so it's your decision to have her train with Chiyo or not."

"I understand," Tsukiko said, stone faced. She knew that after only three years, it was incredible that she was training anyone, so the fact that she'd also be babysitting a possible threat to the village really shouldn't bother her as much as it did. And yet, she was frustrated. She was more than qualified to lead a complete team of genin on her own!

"Tsukiko," The old man sighed, sensing her reluctance. "You're the only one I can count on to do this. I know how skilled you are, which is why I have complete confidence that this will work."

Warmth for the fatherly Hokage shot through her, and she knew she couldn't refuse him.

"Very well, I accept."

The Third Hokage smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Tsukiko. You may go."

She turned away. "I'll see you at the graduation ceremony, sir."

Behind him, she heard him chuckle, no doubt refilling his pipe with the foul smelling tobacco. "Yes, I'm sure Sasuke's speech will be excellent. If I'm not mistaken, you were also valedictorian, weren't you?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Hiruzen wished he could pull them out of the air. He really was getting old, if he was forgetting such important details!

Tsukiko's back had gone ramrod straight, her shoulders shaking slightly. "Yes sir, I was the co-valedictorian in my year."

Hiruzen winced at the distance in her voice, sighing guiltily. Of course, she had been close to the Uchiha boy, the incredibly gifted shinobi to whom they owed their current peace.

"Ah, I apologize," he said awkwardly. "I didn't mean to bring up painful memories."

"I understand," she said shortly, nearly reaching the door before stopping once more. "Oh, and sir?"

"Yes Tsukiko?"

"I noticed your guard is different from your usual Anbu shinobi," she said, her voice cold. "When you relay back the results of whatever test you gave me today, please give my regards to Danzo."

And with that, she left.

Hiruzen blinked, lowering his head sheepishly. "She caught us," he murmured, amused and surprised. "I knew that she was an exceptional woman, but her powers of intuition are really quite uncanny."

Raising his voice, he calmly addressed the hidden Anbu in the room, the ones Tsukiko had noticed the instant she'd entered. "Well, you heard her. Tell Danzo she agreed to guard Masuko, and that she has no designs to warp Sasuke Uchiha's future to suit her own needs."

As the hidden ninja left, the old man stood up, walking over to the window to watch the peaceful village, pondering recent and old events. Indeed, he felt Tsukiko was the one most suited to help Masuko. That woman was also in a lot of pain, more emotional than physical. And they both had been betrayed by their villages.

His eyes darkened. He had never liked Danzo's plan, a plan that nearly wiped out an entire section of their history, and cast a hero into darkness. Tsukiko was not aware of the truth, and it was far better that way. If she was, who knows what steps she would take to get her revenge.

Hiruzen suddenly felt very old and wearied. For a long time, far too long, he had watched the futures of his ninja, his children, play out. Some were happy, and some were tragic. There were those who were on an easy path, then there were those like young Naruto, young Sasuke, and poor Tsukiko.

Over the years, he had truly come to care for the girl and her wellbeing, which was why he had pushed so hard for her to be a sensei. The Council and Danzo had been against it, Danzo especially. He argued that she would surely want Sasuke on her team, so she could continue to mold him as a weapon.

'He's far too paranoid.' And it was true. Danzo didn't believe that Tsukiko had miraculously moved on, and was biding her time to get revenge. And yet, she had acted out of nothing but concern for her young ward, having already decided on a suitable teacher who was not only exactly who Hiruzen had in mind for Naruto as well as Sasuke, but who was also incredibly loyal to the village. Sasuke was in safe hands with her, he was sure.

The Third Hokage stayed there for a long time, lost in thought about how the talented little girl with white hair and onyx eyes had come to the village.