When Konoha was founded, it was built under the shadow of a large mountain. The first clans began to settle down, building houses and streets. Eventually walls were built as well, however this didn't serve to separate people, so much as to keep wildlife from the forests around them from attacking at night. Over time, trees were cut down, and the city expanded. Districts were made, one for each of the Hokages at the time. And as time went on, it became the tradition to expand the village every time a new Hokage went into office. This not only boasted the largest population of the Elemental Countries in village size over time, but also the largest city. Walls were never built very high any more, only enough to contain the current size of the village.

Outside the walls, however, the terrain changed drastically. West there was a massive forest, many dubbing it the Forest of Death. To the East and south was less heavily foresty areas, with roads leading to far away cities. The North however was a sight no one would ever forget. Trees were blown backwards, the ones not uprooted forever in a bent motion. The ground was scorched with fire, hot to the point of rock melting and leaving odd formations. All lines drew back to a single point, like an explosion had taken place. This explosion was enormous, the outer rim of it touching the walls of the city, leaving the stones marked by crimson burns. At the heart of this, there stood a crystal formation. Crimson red crystal grew from the ground almost 10 feet into the air. Jagged branches reached out from it, making it almost look like a tree in some ways. Nothing grew here anymore, animals were never seen here, and people who walked upon this ground felt an odd presence.

Naruto stood before the tree, looking down at the stone tablet at the trees roots. Inscribed into the stone was a few words, that ever time he read them, tears welled up in his eyes.

Here is the monument to Kushina Uzomaki, Proud Ninja, Defender of Konoha, and Loving Mother.

"I did it Mom…" he said, his hand gripping the headband as tears slipped down his cheeks and touched the parched earth beneath him.

"I passed my Genin exam today… I'm officially a ninja. I'm gonna make you and Dad proud. I'm gonna protect this village…" He whipped his eyes with his free hand.

"Mizuki said that I was a demon… That I had the Kyubii sealed inside me… Well, that would explain why I keep getting nasty looks from some villagers." He took a breath. "But whether it's true or not… I'm still going to protect this village. I'm still going to be the best ninja this world has ever seen."

He took the headband and tied it around his forehead.

"One day they will respect me. I hope by then I would have earned your respect too… I love you Mom. I'll come back and talk to you some time."

Naruto turned and was surprised to see the Third Hokage not far from him. He quickly wiped his eyes and walked over to the old man. "Hey Gramps… What brings you out here?" The old man nodded to the boy. "I wanted to be sure you were ok after last night. Though with how fast you left your hospital room without checking out I'd say you're doing fine."

Naruto grinned and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I got a little ahead of myself. I just really… REALLY wanted to tell Mom I'd made it."

"I know she would be proud of you, Naruto. I am as well." His voice lowered a little bit. "However… I do need to talk to you about last night. What was said…"

"About the Nine Tails?" Naruto asked. Perhaps it was his silence, or the fact that he couldn't hide a flicker of regret from passing over his face that the young boy let out a sigh. "So it's true? I've got the Nine Tails inside me?"

The old man nodded. Naruto's face looked pained and confused. "I don't understand… When you told me who my parents were, I could get hiding my real name because my Dad had a lot of enemies. But… Why didn't you tell me about this? Why did Dad seal a demon inside me?"

The old man sighed and took a long look at the sky before answering. "Kushina was the previous host of the Kyubii." Naruto's jaw dropped. "And that meant nothing to Minato. They were young, they were in love, and they were ninja. When your father took the title of the 4th Hokage, he vowed to look after this village and all within it. And the night you were born… Somehow the fox was separated from your mother. And that alone left her near death."

Naruto was silent, listening intently.

"The only way the Nine Tails could be sealed again would be through Uzomaki blood. And though a new born, you still had your mother's chakra. Strong and vibrant like the Will of Fire." Sarutobi looked at Naruto and smiled.

"Your father made the hardest choice in his life that night. But in doing so he saved your life, and the life of the village. The Kyubii was sealed and the battle was over."

"That doesn't make sense though…" Naruto said, looking back at the crystal tree. "If Dad was successful, how did he get killed?" The 3rd's face grew grim. "That is still a mystery. We know that shortly after the Kyubii vanished, there was an explosion of red chakra. No one knows what it was or where it came from, but when people searched this area they found Minato slain, his body on its knees and almost in a defensive stance, this crystal tree behind him, and you between them. We don't know what killed him, and we don't know what became of Kushina. However whatever this crystal tree is… I'm sure it has something to do with her."

"What makes you say that?"

The old man grinned. "being around her was like standing in fire and not getting burned. It wraps around you and dances like butterflies. I still feel that in this place… I still feel her presence."

Naruto smiled a little. He always felt comfortable in this place… Even when others said it made them uneasy, he felt safe around here. He often came here in times of loneliness… It was nice. The Hokage walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

"Your parents loved you, Naruto. Never forget that. And while you do carry the Kyubii inside you, it doesn't make you a demon, no more than it made your Mother a demon."

The two parted, the 3rd going on his way, and Naruto lingering still at the tree, before heading home himself. Above them the crimson apperation watched, before following after the young boy.

Monday came sooner than Naruto could have thought. The days between his graduation was fast, with him celebrating with a few friends, training at his apartment, or spending every other moment looking at books and scrolls for new things he could learn. Ever since he had read the Forbidden Scroll, he'd had a hunger for knowledge. Maybe it was because he had beaten the odds and felt like he could do anything. Maybe It was because he'd been tapped out on chakra and knew he couldn't rely on it. In any case, he wanted to learn more.

The day of Team Assignments was here. All of the newly minted Genin met at the assigned classroom, and naruto was happy to see a lot of his friends had made it. And Sasuke. Of course he would make it. He also saw several of the normal faces he'd been used to seeing were missing, and several new faces had appeared. At least a good 12 he'd never seen before. Before he could ask any questions, Iruka walked in, followed by the Hokage. Everyone quit their idle chatter as the 3rd stood before the group of children.

"First, I want to congratulate you all on becoming Genin. It is no small thing for you to stand here today with your headbands. They are more than just symbols of ninja, they are symbols of this village. When you wear the hitai-ate, you are Konohagakure."

Naruto couldn't keep the grin from his face. He had to resist the urge to adjust his headband.

"You may notice that around you there are some unfamiliar faces. This is because of the recently implemented Genin Exchange Act. The surrounding countries that we are allied with have taken several of our newest graduates to their villages, and they will train with them there for the next few years. In the future, you yourself may transfer from your current team to study abroad as well."

So that explained the people he didn't recognize.

"But for now, you are Ninja of Konoha. You will preform your duties to the best of your ability, for the good of the village, and for the safety of it's people."

Iruka took a step forwards. "All stand!" At his words the Genin took to their feet. "Each of you will come forwards and pick up one of these packages. They contain the room number where you will meet your team, as well as your sensei. It also contains a fairwell gift from yours truly." Iruka grinned. "As I and the Hokage have said, we are both proud of you all. Dismissed."

Everyone made their way to the table with the pile of packages and found the one with their names on it. Naruto picked up his and headed out of the classroom, looking over the notes that was attatched to it.

"Room 206… Ok so second floor."

Instead of taking the long walk around, Naruto jumped out of the nearby window and climbed up to the second floor, slipping into an empty classroom. He quickly checked the hallway number, and was pleased to see he'd gotten into the right one. Since he was by himself Naruto looked through the package. It was a small first aid kit, a map of the Land of Fire, and a few notes on where potential hideouts could be made while on the move. Basic stuff, but none-the-less useful. There was also a kunai with a note attached to it. Naruto pulled out the note and unrolled it.

Naruto, I'm glad you made it to Genin. As a little trophy, I want you to have one of the first kunai that I got when I was a Genin. It's nothing special, but I hope that you can find a good use for it. Also, I would warn you to not let on to your teammates about the Nine Tails or your red friend. If the time comes and they need to know, always remember you are the only thing keeping the Kyubii from being unleashed. Never let anyone put you down and say your worthless or a demon. I'm proud of you ~ Iruka

Naruto grinned and folded the note away, putting it in his back pocket. He kicked back and propped up his feet, and about that time the door rattled a bit, then opened. He blinked at the figure in the door. "Well… I guess we're teammates."

Iruka stood behind the Hokage in his office, and in front of them were four Jonin Senseis, Kakashi Hatake, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, and Anko Mitarashi. The 3rd tapped out his pipe and addressed them.

"You are all here because the Genin this time around are unique. Not only do we have the heads of many of the clans in this year's graduating class, but we also have many exchange students in our ranks. That being said, the typically expected team roster has been changed."

He gestured to the papers in front of them. The Jonin each picked up the pages and looked at the details. "Are you sure about this?" Asuma said, glancing between his page and the others. "Some of the better team compositions are scattered across three different teams. I know some of the clan heads were expecting to have their kids fight together."

The Hokage nodded. "I know what you are getting at, but this is not time for convention. If we fall into habit we become predictable and easy to target. And though we have allies, I do not put faith in the words of people hundreds of miles away. The more diverse we can make our Ninja, the better chance we have of dealing with a threat."

Kakashi looked at his team and then back at the Hokage. "Are you sure about putting the Uchiha on the same team as this student? I heard-"

"It doesn't matter what you heard. You are their teacher now. If you still have problems after the first quarter, we'll discuss it then."

Anko raised her hand. "Um… Just curious. There is a fifth page for a team. Are we missing something?"

"Sorry I'm late!" The group turned and looked at the newcomer. A tall young women with silver eyes and long vibrant red hair, dressed in a black halter top and cutoff black pants plus Jonin flack jacket and sandals. The woman grinned sheepishly. "I got lost on the way here because I had to help an old man with his plumbing."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes as the others just chuckled. The girl just grinned and took a stand next to them. "Good enough for you, good enough for me, Scarecrow."

"Enough. Thank you for coming, Takara." Using his pipe he pushed the last page towards her. "This is your team, I suggest you all get to them now. And keep me informed if anything upsetting happens. Dismissed."

As they all left the office Takara skipped ahead and turned to the rest of the group. "Anko, Kurenai, we still on for drinks later?" Kurenai rolled her eyes but Anko gave her the thumbs up. "We'll be there Taka-chan!"

"Anko we're sensei now, can't you curb your thirst for a bit?"

"Ruby Ruby Ruby…" Takara said Kurenai's nickname before wagging a finger. "We are sensei now, trust me when I say I think we will be needing to drink whenever we get the chance!"

Asuma cleared his throat. "Um… Can I join you?" Takara and Anko stuck out their tongues at him. "Sorry Smokey, maybe if you didn't smell like an ashtray." The red head teased. Takara had always been the wildcard, and the others just got used to it.

"See ya after orientation!" and with that, the energetic Jonin bound away towards her potential students. Kakashi sighed. "That team is going to be interesting… Especially with the trio of students under her style of teaching."

Ino Yanamaka looked at Naruto, and couldn't hide the disappointment on her face. She was hoping to be on the same team as Sasuke! But instead she was on the same team as the Ramen Otaku. Naruto waved at her though.

"Well… I guess we're teammates."

Ino walked in and closed the door behind her. "I guess we are. Any clue who our sensei is yet?"

"No clue, when I got here the room was empty."

The Yanamaka took a seat at one of the desks and sighed. "I wanted to be on the same team as Sasuke-kun…" she mused. Naruto rolled his eyes. Fangirls. Ino glared at him. "What is that about?"

"What do you see in him?"

The question caught her off guard. Naruto spoke again.

"Is brooding, being rude, and wearing black all the time really that attractive?"

"We're ninja, we usually always wear black."

"You know what I'm talking about. I don't think I've ever seen him actually smile in the four years I've seen him at the Academy."

"He's got a tragic past! He lost his family and-"

"So what?" The new voice made their heads turn to the door. A skinny brown headed boy walked in, closing the door behind him. "My mom is dead and my dad is a sadistic prick. You don't see me moping about it. I got therapy and when the opportunity came for me to leave Kusa, I took it." He took a seat and crossed his arms, leaning back in the seat.

Ino was shocked silent and Naruto grinned. "So you're from The Grasslands?"

The boy nodded, smiling politely to him. "Shinji Akari."

"Naruto Uzomaki. The other one is Ino Yana-"

"Ino Yanamaka, thank you very much I can speak for myself." The girl huffed, crossing her arms. Shinji looked at the clock. "When do you think the teacher is gonna be here? I was kinda hoping to get this over and done with."

"Not eager to be part of a team?" Naruto with some sadness in his voice. But Shinji surprised him by shaking his head. "Not a fan of waiting indoors. I'd rather be outside walking or inside playing games or something."

"What kind of games do you play?" "I don't know… Poker?" Ino perked up at that. "You know how to play?" Shinji grinned and pulled out a deck of cards from his pocket.

A few minutes later the door burst open and Anko strode in loudly. "Greetings victims! I am Anko Mitarashi and I am now your Overlord! Bow before-eh?"

She blinked at the three kids huddled around a desk, cards in hand and a few ryo between them in a pile. She looked at each of them before pulling up a chair.

"I like you guys. Deal me in."

-=- 著者からの言葉 -=-

Something that has always bothered me when it comes to Naruto Fanfic is the fact that if people DO go back in time or do a retelling... It's always with the same tropes. They always go on Wave Mission, they always enter the Chunnin Exams early, they always follow the script. In SOME cases, they avoid familiarity, and in those moments I commend them. But when it comes to similarity, I want to be removed enough from the first story that this feels original, or if nothing else, fresh.

Something else I see is OC importance over common sense. If there is a new teacher, they are automatically Naruto's sensei, 1000000 times better than Kakashi, teach him all the same moves he would learn, and give him some BS new super power. I don't like that. Also, OC gennin who are always on Naruto's team, and together they unlock an unstopable force that will make Naruto the Immortal Hokage Supreme.

Pathetic.

These ideas take effort, time, and a heck of a lot of creativity. Just because you write something doesn't make it good. I know my work isn't, I'm not trying to be good. I'm just keeping in practice of writing so I don't go stale. I know I'm prolly ticking a lot of people off, but I'm not here to please everyone. I just like writing, and I'm trying to get better at it.