Author's note: I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Masaishi Kishimoto. The original characters belong to me.

Chapter 7: Today's the Day!

In the Uzumaki household, Leaf Village

Nashiko had just woken up from her bed and was heading towards her calendar. She smiled. Today they were finally allowed to use the forehead protectors. These items were very vital to every shinboi. Her forehead protector was carrying the symbol of the Leaf Village, the same symbol she had watched various shinobis bearing with. It represented every aspiring ninjas of the society. Today, she was finally going to become a real ninja! When choosing clothes, Nashiko decided to use the same thin clothes she was used with. She wondered how the others were feeling today. They were probably as much as excited as her, when it came to entering the world of ninjas.

Her door suddenly opened and in came Naruto along with Haruto. They both wanted to observe how much she had grown. Naruto gave her his usually goofy grin.

"Well somebody's excited today! I can't believe I'm seeing this! My little princess is finally going to become a grown-up ninja" Naruto remarked while tapping on Nashiko's left shoulder. The young pinkette blushed in embarrassment.

"Don't speak to me as I'm five, dad! I can take care of myself, you know!" she stated while starig up to her father.

"Hey big sis, why is your forehead protector on the top of your head?" Haruto asked in all curiosity.

"Oh, it's because I think it really suits me that way! Having it tied around the forehead makes me look silly!" she stated while being confident about her way of using it.

Naruto chuckled at Nashiko. "You are just beginning to resemble your mom! Not that you have the same personality or anything, but you get what I'm saying. I'm proud that you are tough enough to show everyone how pretty you are" he remarked while trying not to offend his daughter with comparisons to his wife.

Nashiko smiled sweetly. "Well I better eat and then I'm off! Today's gonna be so awesome!" she exclaimed, much to the amusement of her father and younger brother.

"Mom has warmed up some delicious ramen for breakfast! You know, since it's practically your day today!" Haruto stated, causing her sister to jump up in excitement.

"Oh boy, am I happy today?" she asked out loud while hugging her blonde-haired younger brother and his father at the same time.

"Yeah, yeah, calm down, Nashiko! Let's eat breakfast! I'm looking forward to eating ramen!" he stated with happiness, much to his children's embarrassment. Naruto was known to overact at specific subjects, especially when it came to…you know, ramen.

After eating breakfast, Nashiko left home immediately. Her parents and Jiro could barely bid her farewell, due to Nashiko being so keen on this day.

4 minutes later, at the Ninja Academy

Nashiko had finally reached her classroom and went inside. In the classroom, lots of aspiring ninjas were sitting on their desks waiting to know their teams. This was a special day for everyone, not just young Nashiko.

She sat on her seat beside Ochinko, who had his forehead protector attached to his forehead. He was acting calm and awkwardly as usual. However, he was always open to a little chat with a kind and gentle classmate such as Nashiko.

"Who do you think you will end up with?" Ochinko asked her all of a sudden.

She smiled sweetly before answering. "I don't know. Perhaps by coincidence, you and I get stuck on the same team!" she said with a giggle at the end of her sentence. Ochinko could not help but to chuckle at her.

"Well, perhaps I will end up with you or Minami. You never know when" he remarked while coming up with his guesses. Truth is Ochinko was much as excited for today as the pink-haired girl was.

At Minami and Takeda's seats, they were conversing with each other about who they would be teamed up with. In addition, they had also put on their forehead protectors on their foreheads. They had brought their dogs with them as well. Both Riko and Arata listened to their conversation with curiosity.

"So let me guess who you want to end up with. Is it with Inojin?" Takeda asked his twin siste teasingly.

Minami merely scoffed at his attempt to be funny. "Shove off! Who ever said of me wanting to be on the same team as him. anyway!?" she lashed back against her brother, who continued teasing her. "Besides, you are just afraid of ending up on the same team as Ochinko, right?" she taunted back with a jab directed towards Takeda.

"Tch, as if you know which people I get along with most! I only connect to Arata, well not counting off you of course!" he stated while slumping at the end of his sentence. Takeda hated to admit it, but he really had difficulties in bonding with other students of the Academy. His twin sister was the only person he ever communicated with. Minami on the other hand was much more sociable and charming to make new friends.

Shikaien sat beside Chouta who was to some of their classmates' annoyance, eating potato chips. But Shikaien kept his cool and studied the various students sitting in the classroom. His eyes were fixed upon those he knew most, from Nashiko to Inojin. He was in deep thought. His forehead protector was attacked to his left arm while Cheika to everyone's surprise had hers attached to her stomach.

"Hey Shikaien, are you looking forward to this?" Chouta asked while munching on her chips.

Shikaien yawned before answering. "Nah I don't know, Chouta. The big question is: will I survive this one, big drag?" he asked sarcastically while face palming. Chouta brushed off his expression and smiled.

"Well it's a start! I'm particularly excited for this!" she exclaimed while swallowing the chips in her throat.

At the Uchiha-twins' seat, both Inojin and Shunsuke were curious about the teams. They both had their forehead protectors attached to their foreheads. Additionally, Inojin had tied his long hair into a ponytail, which was smaller than the one his mother had. Truthfully, it resembled more that of his deceased uncle's.

"Brother! Do you think that if we are separated into different teams, we will face off each other one day?" Shunsuke asked his twin brother, who watched him with a surprised look on his face. Eventually, that surprised look turned into a confidential smirk.

"I'm afraid so, Shunsuke. But remember, once we join into these groups, we will begin training in order to become stronger. After this, then we can see which of us will win in a fight" he said lowly while facing his twin brother.

Although Shunsuke widened at his answer at first, he sucked it up and showed understanding. In fact, he was starting to get more confident in himself. "Oh I will prove to you I'm strong! I've always lingered under your shadow, but this time, I will reach the top!" he said confidentially much to his twin brother's amusement.

Saburou was sitting on his seat in silence. Since he was not much of a converser, he was in deep thought about what was about to happen. He stroked his blonde hair while adjusting his sunglasses. He was also carrying his forehead protector. As the observed the classroom and played with some small bugs beside his fingers, Saburou knew that this was very new to him.

"I can feel this new power glowing in me, but I don't know what it is. Could it be the power of starting something new? Most likely! I will have to like into this after today" he thought while sitting on his seat in silence.

Suddenly Iruka came in, holding a list in his left hand. He eyed his students with a smile on his face. At first, he expressed how deeply proud he was for doing this. And then he spoke about the various things on the teams, including the jounins. Every team would always have a jounin as a team leader and instructor. He or she would guide their students to become a strong and honourable ninja. Iruka also encouraged the students to be strong will going through the teamwork phase.

Since the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, every hidden villages of the world had expressed deeper cooperation amongst each other. It was no longer distrust and power that was in their interests. The only person to convince such, was none other than Nashiko's own father. While crime and corruption stil existed in the shadows, it paled before the openess that had begun to affect the world of shinobis. But right now, Iruka read the different teams up ranging from numbers.

"Alright, time to read up the members of Team 8! The three members of this team are:

Nashiko Uzumaki

Takeda Inuzuka

Shunsuke Uchiha

You three are hereby declared as members of Team 8!" Iruka declared.

"Wow! I'm partnered up with Takeda and Shunsuke? I'm impressed!" Nashiko thought while eyeing her forthcoming teammates. Shunsuke watched her and waved his hand while smiling.

Takeda was facepalming on his seat. "Oh man! I'm stuck with the troublemaker herself? I mean, Nashiko is so dim-witted! Shunsuke on the other hand, I don't know what to say, but its better getting teamed up with him than his arrogant twin brother" he slumped while taking a brief glance at the serious-looking Uchiha.

"Now let's move on to Team 9! The three members of Team 9 are:

Ochinko Nakano

Minami Inuzuka

Saburou Aburame

You three are hereby members of Team 9!" Iruka declared while he red up their names.

"WHAT THE HELL? I get placed on the same team as Ochinko and Saburou!? This is an outrage! They both act like complete wierdos! How will this end, Riko?" Minami though to herself while petting Riko. Takeshi could be heard laughing at her.

"Well, this was unexpected. But I gladly accept them as team members" Ochinko stated while smiling. He turned around to wave at Saburou as a support for the team. To his surprise, Saburou waved back at him in a friendly manner.

"I have to admit, I've always been a little bit interested in Ochinko and his abilities. So I take my chances and see where this team will lead me to. But I'm afraid I won't be getting along with a hothead like Minami, though" Saburou stated in his head.

"Next up is Team 10! The three members of Team 10 are:

Shikaien Nara

Chouta Akimichi

Itachi Uchiha

You three are hereby declared as members of Team 10!" Iruka declared once again.

"What a surprise! We're on the same team, Shikaien!" Chouta exclaimed while eyeing her friend right next to her. However, he was not listening to what he said. He was just in his own world.

"It's bad enough that I'm stuck with Chouta but….we're also stuck with Inojin! THE Inojin Uchiha! The meanest, toughest and coldest ninja I've ever seen! Wow! I guess this is my lucky day!" Shikaien mused and he turned his gaze to Itachi. He gave the young Uchiha a smirk, but Inojin soon turned his head away. Shikio sighed at this sort of behaviour.

"Well, it will take some time to know him more as a person" he said sarcastically.

Outside the Ninja Academy, 6 minutes later

When Iruka was finally done reading the papers, it was lunchtime and the students went outside to eat. They all wanted to sit with their new teammates in order to know them better. It was a good way of socializing.

Once Nashiko stood outside the Academy, Shunsuke approached her with his own food. The young pink-haired konuichi smiled at her newfound teammate.

"Hey there, Shunsuke! What's up?" she asked him.

Shunsuke tried to compose himself before he could speak. "Hey Nashiko….I was wondering….w-would you….like to eat lunch with me?" he timidly asked the pinkette he secretly had some feelings towards.

Nashiko smiled. "Sure! It will be very nice!" she said cheerfully. "By the way Shunsuke, have you seen Takeda? I was wondering if he could join us for lunch" she asked while looking for their long-haired teammate. Shunsuke was also noticing that he was here.

"I don't know! He doesn't have any much contact with us, including myself" he answered. Nashiko's face was changed into concern. She wanted to know why Takeda wasn't interested in joining them for lunch.

What they didn't know was that Takeda was eating his lunch on a tree along with Arata. The tree was located outside the Academy. While sitting among the leaves, Takeda munched on a salty rice ball. His dog partner was enjoying himself with dog biscuits.

"Aren't you two the lovely turtledoves, eh? I mean, Shunsuke here must be totally in love with you, Nashiko!" Takeda asked sarcastically. His voice was loud enough to attract his teammates' attentions. Shunsuke's cheeks reddened while Nashiko flipped out in anger.

"I-I have n-no idea what you're talking about. I'm not in love!" Shunsuke said while trying to hide his blushing cheeks feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Takeda, what the heck are you doing up there!? And don't call me a turtledove!" Nashiko asked while angered about his teasing.

Takeda smirked down at her."Calm down, you cherry bomb! Can't you even take a joke? And as for your question, I'm eating lunch here! It's just me and Arata up in the tree!" the long-haired boy said said.

"But why are doing that? Don't you wanna come down and eat with us?" Shunsuke asked curiously.

"Nah, I rather eat up here! I might be a Hyuuga, but I am also an Inuzuka! And Inuzukas never complain were they are eating! Right, Arata?" Takeda asked his dog partner who barked in agreement.

Shunsuke decided to climb up the tree and see if his white-eyed teammate would appreciate company. He sat on a branch close to the one Takeda and Arata were sitting on. Shunsuke smiled at his confused friend.

"Well, every human is different. I have to accept that. I might be an Uchiha, but I'm also a Yamanaka! Perhaps we share something in common?" he chuckled at his teammate. Takeda was eyeing the young short-haired Uchiha with wondering eyes.

"R-Right….I guess" the Hyuuga answered, still confused about what to say of Shunsuke's generiosity.

Suddenly Nashiko jumped up to a branch beside Shunsuke's. The young girl was at first confused about eating here. But she eventually admitted that it sounded like a little bit of fun. Shunsuke smiled at her while Takeda merely watched her unenthusiastic. Nashiko noticed this and became irritated.

"Hey! What's that look suppose to mean!?" Nashiko asked him while crossing her arms.

"What do you mean by that? I'm just tired, that's all" Takeda answered while yawning.

"Hey I have an idea! How about we tell each other about our parents? I'm sure they all know each other, not to mention the fact they were fighting in the cataclysmic war many years ago!" Shunsuke suggested. While Nashiko approved of this, Takeda did not, nor was he interested in it.

"I will begin! My dad's name is Naruto! He is very strong and will always protect me and my little brother against any who would do us harm. He is also known as the Toad Sage. In fact, my dad is one of the many candidates to the mantle of Hokage! I know he will achieve that title!" Nashiko explained to her teammates about her father with pride. "Now, what do you guys think?" she suddenly asked her teammates.

"What a lame title! I mean, Toad Sage? What family are you from, a bunch of toads?" Takeda insultingly asked her thus enraging the pink-haired kunoichi.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, JACKASS!?" she shouted hysterically with fiery eyes.

"Takeda! That's not a nice thing to say!" Shunsuke scolded his friend's behaviour. Takeda merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Wow! What a team I've been put into! I wonder how the others are doing" he thought while staring at his short-tempered friend in amusement.

At the Nara household

Shikaien had decided to introduce his new teammates to his parents. During lunchtime, students were allowed to eat home if they wanted to. So he thought eating there was most suitable for his trio. While Chouta was more than happy to oblige, Inojin took an issue with this. But with enough convincing and taunting, the young Uchiha eventually decided to tag along. Now it was too see how his parents would react at this.

"Mom, dad, these are my newly inducted teammates: Chouta Akimichi and Inojin Uchiha!" he introduced them to his parents. "I've been paired up with the cheerful one and the miserable one, respectivley!" he added with sarcasm.

"Hi there Mr and Mrs Nara, nice to meet you!" Chouta said cheerfully while waving her hand.

"What's up?" Inojin stated flatly without giving much of an eye contact.

Both Shikamaru and Temari eyed their son's teammates with surprise. For Shikamaru it was a really big surprise that Shikaien was paired up his best friend's daughter. It felt like he had seen something like this in the past. In the past, Shikamaru and Cheika's father Chouji were friends bound together by honour. But the most wary part for both parents was Shikaien's other teammate: Inojin. True, he was one of Ino's sons, but his father was none other than Sasuke Uchiha himself. The memories of the past came back to bite Temari and her husband. They had once been enemies in the past until Sasuke decided to protect the Leaf Village's legacy. However the relationship between Shikamaru and Sasuke was somewhat icy. Still, he tolerated his appearance due to his marriage to Ino.

"Hey there little miss! You're Chouji's girl, right?" Shikamaru asked her while patting her head. She smiled gleefully.

"Yes I am! But….how do you know my dad?" Chouta asked.

"Well, it's a long story, but I know your father, actually. I mean, we're close friends" Shikamaru shrugged while scratching behind his neck.

"In fact, you do remind us of him" Temari added, causing the young chubby girl to blush.

"Oh….I take that as a…..compliment" Chouta was out of words. "But then again, I do know that my dad has many friends. Guess you must be one of them" she added, smiling towards the Nara parents.

Shikaien's parents suddenly eyed Inojin, who was still leaning against the wall as if he was bored with the situation. While surprised at the young boy's lack of manners, they brushed it off. He could at least communicate with others.

"So you're one of Ino's punks, huh? Wow! Judging by your face, you remind me of your father!" Shikamaru remarked while studying Inojin's appearance. The young boy began staring at him widened and offended at the same time.

"Shikaien told you have a twin brother. What's his name?" Temari asked, trying to be nice as possible. Inojin glared toward the dark blonde-haired woman.

"How about you mind your own business?" Inojin asked while glaring. The grown-ups became outraged by his manner.

"Inojin, behave yourself!" Chouta stated while nudging against him.

Shikaien sighed in annoyance. "So he even acts like a jerk towards grown-ups as well? This is such a drag! How will he behave towards our sensei once we meet him?" Shikaien asked in his head while watching his cold teammate with rolling eyes.

At the Hyuuga household

Minami and her teammates were eating lunch together at her home. Of course, it was the Hyuuga mansion, so the boys were a little bit intrigued about the Hyuuga clan in general. When they had arrived in the house it seemed empty in general. Her mother was probably out on important affairs related to her fellow clansmen.

While eating lunch in her bedroom, Minami and her teammates were engaging in a conversation regarding upcoming events, including their function as a team. Riko was listening while lying beside his owner.

"Okay boys! Since we are on the same team, you better follow my lead! That is the only way in order to survive!" Minami declared. Saburou was giving her an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't you think before saying something reckless as that? If its one thing me and Ochinko don't need is your useless, short-tempered personality" Saburou pointed out to her. Minami glared at the bug-user.

"Really? Well, if you're so smart then why don't you come up with ideas, Mr. Calculator-pants?" Minami asked him annoyed. Ochinko stood in the middle of his bickering teammates.

"Don't start bickering with each other, my friends! As teammates we should be supporting each other, not do the opposite" he said, trying to reason with his teammates.

"I AM supporting you as a teammate, Ochinko. Unfortunately, Saburou doesn't!" Minami exclaimed while glaring at her blonde-haired teammate.

"Well I think not, Minami. Obviously you are just focused on your own strength, rather than teamwork" Saburou said sternly, much to the blue-haired kunoichi's anger.

"I AM NOT!" Minami shouted furiously and it was so loud that it went throughout the mansion itself.

"Shut the hell up before I come and beat you until you're peeing on yourself!" the angry and loud voice of Minami's father could be heard from his bedroom. Minami stopped while listening to her father's angry tone. She sighed irritated.

"Who was that? Was that….your father?" Ochinko asked with a hint of concern in his voice. Minami merely stared at the ground. She was not happy. That her teammates could tell. Riko climbed up to her lap while giving her a sad look.

"It's alright, Manami! You don't have to answer if you don't want to" Ochinko tried to lift her spirits.

Saburou sighed while adjusting his sunglasses. He and Ochinko gave Minami sympathetic looks on their faces. Usually Saburou wouldn't express any remorse towards others, but in the case with Minami he was obliged to. In fact, he was the only one of his teammates who knew that his father Shino Aburame was a teammate of Minami's parents. Shino had told his son about the problems Kiba faced once he got married to Hinata. But Saburou didn't want to bring up that subject to his teammates, especially in front of Minami. On another thought, he mused about the fact that he was put on the same team as her. Perhaps they could be close friends and allies like their fathers were.

To be continued...

Author's note: That was chapter 7! I hope you didn't mind the teams I made for each of the characters! Like I told you, this is not canon. Writing this story is exciting indeed. I admit I'm not good in describing appearances and how each person looks like. However, I will leave the imagining to you readers! Hope you enjoyed this!