Uzumaki Nari

Somewhere in Konoha

Nari was going to meet her new team. Although they had already gone through the Chunin exam it seemed that not all of them were going onto the finals. She was super excited because she would be with her brother throughout it all. She would be learning the same stuff as him, go on the same missions and generally spend time with him. They could even have a competition to see who could best the other. Of course she would have to get a lot of training in to reach his current level. She wasn't even a genin yet. But that was why she had a scroll with her from the Hokage to her new sensei.

The message inside the scroll was to confirm that she be trained in the basic skills needed to pass the first exam, the genin exam. Then she would have to be trained in correspondence for the next Chunin exam which would be later on in the year. She already couldn't wait for it. Naruto was happy for her as he was grinning from ear to ear like a cat who found his cream.

'I can't wait for you to meet my team, nee-chan.'

'Nii-chan, didn't I already meet your team?'

'Huh?' he said looking at her. 'What do you mean?'

'That gathering, weren't some of your team there?'

He scratched his head as he walked. 'Yeah, but you haven't been properly introduced.'

She smiled. 'I hope they're nice people.'

They faced the front. Naruto was all fine as he confidently led the way to the meeting place. Nari clutched the scroll in her hand. Fear consumed her as she tried to fight from running away. It wouldn't do any good if she started to appear weak. It wouldn't be good for Ryuna either to think she was weak. Speaking or Ryuna, was she what Hokage-sama had said? Was she a demon like Naruto's Kyubi? Or was she something else? She had mentioned that she hoped Nari kept the same opinion of her when she found out what she was. Could she have meant finding out that she was a demon?

All more consuming was meeting Naruto's teammates, making her fear agreeing to this even more. Were they nice people or were they rude and mean? Were they like that pink haired kunoichi who hit Naruto on the head? Was she a member of his team? She hoped not. Her thoughts on that girl weren't very high at all. Then there was that blonde kunoichi. She didn't look very nice either. Nari was only defending her brother when she hit the pinkie. Why the blonde glared at her with hatred was beyond her. Could those two be best friends?

Again, fear turned her stomach inside out the closer she walked towards the meeting place.

'Nari?' her brother's voice jolted her out of her thoughts.

She stopped walking, almost colliding into him. She blinked at him. 'What's the matter?'

'Are you alright?' she nodded. 'Do you really want to do this?'

'I need to face my fears, Naruto.' She said with a light smile. 'What better way than to overcome the fear of meeting new people?' her smile grew but it was fake.

You're not really fooling anyone.

But she was fooling someone. She was fooling her brother. He took her false bravado into stride, grinned back at her and continued leading the way.

I stand corrected.

Do I really have what it takes to be a ninja, Ryuna?

You only have the potential if you believe you do. Anyone can become what they want to be as long as they work for it. The same applies to you.

What if I realise I wasn't cut out to be a ninja? What if I don't like it after all?

There's only one way to find out.

You're right. I'll do this. If I'm not cut out to be a ninja then I'll just focus on something else.

Ryuna chuffed. As long as you believe you are doing the right thing then I will follow you always.

Thank you, Ryuna.

Team Gathering

They finally made it to the rendezvous point. Nari stopped and stared at the group gathered there. That jonin with the silver hair and face covered with a mask stood to the side, one hand stuffed in his pocket and the other holding a book in which he was completely engrossed in. The other male of the team was a dark haired boy wearing a blue high collar top and white shorts, his hands were stuffed in his pockets and he looked at nothing with disinterest. The kunoichi of the group, she discovered, was the very female she had hoped wouldn't be there. It was the pink haired girl with green eyes, pink dress and green shorts. She was chatting to her teammate who didn't appear to be listening to her.

The sensei looked up from his book. Snapping it shut, he stuffed it back in his back pouch. He made his way over to them. The other two remained oblivious to his actions.

'Naruto, glad you made it.' He turned his attention to Nari. 'I'm glad we finally meet, Nari. I'm Naruto's sensei, Hatake Kakashi.'

She bowed. 'Pleasure to meet you, Kakashi-sensei,' she said handing over the scroll. 'Hokage-sama asked me to give this to you.'

Taking it, he unravelled the scroll until all its contents were bared to his sight. His expression didn't change. Once he finished with it, he placed it in his back pouch where his book was and smiled down at her.

'Welcome to the team. I'm sure your new teammates wouldn't mind helping you with the basics they learned in the academy. If there is anything you need you only have to ask me.'

'Thank you,' she said, forcing a small smile on her face. Nerves were starting to jumble up inside of her.

'Are you ready to meet your teammates?' he asked, searching her face for any signs of regret.

She nodded stiffly. 'I can overcome this fear,' she muttered to herself. Breathing deeply, she slowly released, steeled herself and walked with Naruto and her new sensei to her new teammates.

At their approach, the two turned to face them. The girl's face turned red with anger and humiliation as she saw Nari. The boy's face didn't change. He was a master at facial expressions at only twelve years old. She should have known someone like him would be on this team. If there was anything she learned from her brother it was how they paired the teams. The strongest was paired with the weakest. The girl looked to be the weakest but she had a feeling that category fell down to her brother. If her brother was the weakest, then this boy was the strongest.

'You!' the girl snapped, fists clenched and ready to fly.

'Watch it!' Nari growled deadly.

Ryuna! She scolded.

Ryuna tsked. The girl deserves much more than a simple growl.

The girl flinched but she quickly tried to mask it. Nari saw it however and smirked. If she was hoping to intimidate this genin she was doing an excellent job. The girl should be more of a ninja yet she still seemed to be stuck at the academy level. Already she knew that the girl was going to be annoying. First impressions really were the worst. Nari wondered what her first impression had done to all of those ninjas she met the time before.

'Sasuke, Sakura, this is Uzumaki Nari. She'll be joining our team from here on out. Hokage-sama has asked that we teach her the basics so she can graduate to genin.'

'Wait a minute!' the girl exclaimed. 'Why doesn't she go to the academy?'

'Because Hokage-sama didn't wish it,' sensei replied. 'Nari, these are your teammates, Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura.'

'Don't expect special treatment around here,' Uchiha Sasuke stated, barely glancing at her.

'I take it you already have a problem with me?' she said with a frown.

'If you're anything like your brother, you'll slow us down. You better keep up.'

Challenge him and show him what you're made of!

Nari couldn't have thought of a better idea. 'Kakashi-sensei?' the silver haired jonin looked down at her. 'You know for my first training lesson, could I have Uchiha Sasuke teach me?'

Naruto was about to protest when she turned to him, grinned and winked. He snapped his mouth closed and tried to stifle a laugh that caught at the back of his throat. She turned to face Kakashi who was assessing her for her seriousness. He saw she was deadly serious. Looking at Sakura she saw the girl was infuriated. Oh it looks like the girl has a major crush on the Uchiha and didn't like anyone else having their hands on him.

'Sasuke?' the boy turned at his sensei's voice. 'You wouldn't mind giving her the first lesson?'

He turned till he was fully facing them. 'I'll show her the difference in our strengths and how it's done. You best watch closely and take notes. You're going to need them.'