Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit fan-based story. I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. Only the Original Characters and any Original Plots are mine.

Chapter 1 : First Steps

Shinobi Academy, Hidden Leaf Village

Perfection.

That is what Yuichi worked for every day. It is what he strived for. He had to be perfect – the perfect son, the perfect student, the perfect shinobi.

Being the last of the Senju, there was no room for failure in his world. There was no room for weakness. He refused to tarnish his clan's image more than it already had been. He wanted to bring glory and honor to his clan, to fix the bloodied reputation it had been tainted with.

The infliction of madness that his father had left behind existed to this very day.

Where once his clan was the heart of the village, now they were nothing more than it's shame. A dead clan. A hated clan. A clan that had fallen into ruin since the death of Tobirama Senju. A clan filled with traitors, murderers and illborns.

A cursed clan.

He aimed to change that. He had to change it. For his forefathers and…for his own sake. He had to believe that there was hope for the Senju. That they deserved to be placed back on the pedestal they had once stood tall and proud on.

If he couldn't do even that then he would be just another name within a long lineage of darkness.

"Bunshin no Jutsu." He uttered without a single shred of emotion and in a burst of white smoke, five mirror images of him appeared, carrying that same stoic expression.

Today, he would take the first step towards his goals.

"Perfect as always, Yuichi." Iruka Umino applauded with a beaming grin on his face.

The Bunshin no Jutsu was the last of the three Academy Basic Ninjutsu which students had to learn in order to pass the graduation exam, the other two being the Henge no Jutsu and the Kawarimi no Jutsu. As they were only E-Rank techniques, they required very little chakra to perform and almost all students were capable of executing them. Emphasis on almost. There were some…exceptions.

Yuichi stoically accepted the gleaming headband that he held out for him.

"You've earned this." Iruka said kindly. "I know you'll succeed out there in the field and make the Leaf proud."

The Senju paused for a moment and blankly stared at his Chunin Instructor before muttering a quiet thank you. He then turned around and exited the room where the final test was being held.

Senju Clan Compound

The Senju Clan Compound had a visitor today, something which rarely happened. The lanterns around the compound were lit, casting light on what would otherwise be dark grounds. Yuichi sat on his knees, dressed in his civilian garbs, and poured hot water into a cup filled with tea leaves for his visitor.

"Ah yes, Sencha tea…" The Third Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village hummed wistfully as he gazed at the bright yellow color the tea faded into as the leaves uncurled. "…A Senju specialty, I recall. Tobirama-Sensei always used to make me drink it during the rare times we were not training or on missions. It has quite an exquisite taste."

Yuichi said nothing as he placed the pot of hot water back on the table before shifting in his position, his stoic blue eyes staring intently at the head of the village. Hiruzen met his eyes calculatingly before the old man sighed.

"You are the splitting image of your great-grandfather, Yuichi-kun. From your looks down to your personality. It's rather…nostalgic. Almost as if Lord Second were here himself." Once again, Yuichi said nothing and Hiruzen shook his head and sipped his tea before deciding to stop beating around the bush. "While I came here to congratulate you on passing the Graduation Exam, there is also another matter which we must discuss. It is one that regards the Senju Clan."

"…" Yuichi continued to stare intently at the Third Hokage without a word spoken.

"In our village, clans are only known as such when there are two or more people who have claim to the name. Of course, two of these three cannot be married or engaged to each other." Hiruzen paused, looking at the young Senju to gauge his responses to his words. It was barely perceptible but he spotted how Yuichi's body stiffened and his features tightened. "The two members have to be part of the village, and due to the circumstances of the Senju Clan, there aren't two members within the Leaf's walls."

"I see." Yuichi spoke for the first time, the words sounding almost robotic as they left his lips. "So the Senju Clan is not currently considered a…clan. Is that what you are trying to tell me, Lord Hokage?"

Hiruzen sighed. "Not quite. The Senju Clan has been a staple in this village since it's creation. Even now, it has a seat on both the clan council, village council, and central council due to the position of the clan in the Hidden Leaf's history and what they have brought to our village, even if they are vacant. Which brings us to our issue: the leadership of the clan."

"I will take the mantle." Yuichi said almost instantly and the Third Hokage chuckled.

"Yes, I figured you would say that. Not that there was any other option available to us seeing as the only other eligible member has not been in the village for close to nine years now." Hiruzen noted how the young Senju's fists clenched when he mentioned his disillusioned student. He found it difficult to blame the boy for his reaction though, seeing as Tsunade had all but abandoned the Senju Clan to fend for themselves. Had she been present in the village, perhaps she could have done something to fix the clan's reputation but…

Hiruzen shook his head clear of such thoughts before he looked at the young boy who was an eerie replica of his former master. "I believe there will be no argument in appointing you as Clan Head of the Senju. However, bear in mind that you will not be able to sit on the council until you are at least of Chunin-Rank."

"…I understand." Yuichi said with a nod. And he did. It wouldn't make sense for someone who just started their career as a shinobi to sit amongst the most influential ninja of the village. He was a green boy as of now, after all.

The Third Hokage seemed satisfied with his response as he continued. "Now, on to other matters. As you have risen to Genin, you now have access to what your parents left behind for you, and as Clan Head, you also have access to the Senju Clan funds. Furthermore…" Hiruzen reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll, placing it on the table. "Within this sealing scroll is a private library of what I assume to be different techniques which only those with Senju blood can access. It will not open for anyone else."

Yuichi's stoic mask broke for a split second and confusion peaked through as he looked down at the scroll. "I was with the understanding that all the Senju Clan's Jutsu were made public to the Leaf?"

Hiruzen nodded. "Yes, most of them have under the order of the Second Hokage. However, every clan has their secrets and the Senju is no exception. I do not know what you will find in there but whatever it is, it now belongs to you."

"Thank you for informing me, Sandaime-sama." Yuichi said as he took the scroll almost gingerly and placed it next to him.

"There is nothing to thank me for, my boy." Hiruzen replied with kind eyes. "I am simply doing my duty, nothing more. Now then, it is getting quite late and I believe you have a long day tomorrow. I will take my leave."

Yuichi stood at the same time as Hiruzen did and escorted the Third Hokage out of the Senju Clan Compound, sending him off with a bow.

Tomorrow was indeed going to be a long day.

The Next Day

Shinobi Academy

"Team Seven will consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Sayuri Uchiha, and Yuichi Senju. Your Jounin Instructor will be Kakashi Hatake."

Yuichi looked up from his scroll at the call of his name and clicked his teeth. He had expected to be placed on a team with Sayuri given that she was the Top Kunoichi and he was the Rookie of the Year. Naruto was a bit of a wild card.

Four years back, he remembered the blond being completely hopeless – a loser. Yet, he had somehow managed to turn it all around after their second year at the Ninja Academy.

No longer could anyone consider him a hopeless shinobi. His aim with the Shurikenjutsu had become far greater than Yuichi could have thought capable for him. The Bunshin no Jutsu, which he had once been terrible at, he managed to learn and execute with0out too much trouble. And there was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was top dog when it came to Taijutsu – at least among the boys. Even Yuichi had trouble beating him when he wasn't serious. The only thing that Yuichi believed kept him in the lower echelon of the class were his terrible scores in the written exams.

The Senju Clan Head turned his attention back to the scroll he was reading as Iruka continued to call out the Genin Teams. Last night, before he had gone to sleep, he had decided to take a look at the private library he had been given. It wasn't anything too extensive but included secret techniques only those of Senju blood should know. He had only skimmed over them before one scroll caught his eye.

The Hyoken otherwise known as the Fist of the Leopard. It was the traditional Senju fighting-style comprised of five different forms – the Kyushu or Pounce, the Kamaeru or Claw, the Musei or Silent, the Hyaku or Leap, and finally, the In'ei or Shadow. It was clear that the style drew inspiration from the movements and characteristics of leopards and incorporated all of that into a Taijutsu style focused on agility, speed and precision.

It would be a challenge, Yuichi knew, to shift his fighting-style from that of the Academy's to this new, complex one. But it was one that he was willing to tackle head on.

He was so immersed in his reading that he didn't even notice how much time had passed. He didn't even notice when Naruto come up to him with his arms crossed behind his head and a look of boredom plastered across his face. Only when the blond boy snapped his fingers in front of Yuichi's eyes did the young Senju finally tear his attention away from the scroll and to his male teammate.

"Yo!" Naruto grinned at him and held his hand up, his fingers forming the victory sign. "Our sensei isn't here yet and the bitch…" He jutted his thumb at the Uchiha girl who sent him a scathing glare from the corner of her eye. "…has a rod shoved so far up her ass that she can't hold a civilized conversation with anyone who has a heartbeat."

"We don't really have any other choice than to sit here and wait." Yuichi stated as he furled up his scroll, ignoring Naruto's dig at Sayuri. He would much rather be reading but having a good relationship with his teammates was important too. If he was going to be stuck with them till they became Chunin, he might as well get along with them. Sayuri would be a challenge for sure but Naruto was an easy-going kid. He'd probably jump at the chance of making new friends.

Naruto yawned as he plopped down on a chair in the row below Yuichi's and swung his feet onto the desk. "Yeah, you're right about that. With my luck, our sensei would walk in the second I leave. The damn second!"

"Then maybe you should leave." Sayuri voiced drily and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you go back to brooding?"

Sayuri smirked. "Gladly. If it'll keep me from listening to your stupid voice."

"Fuck. You." Naruto growled hatefully. The Uchiha girl simply hned at him with a superior smirk and turned away.

Yuichi just stared at his teammates. They hadn't even been a team for a full day and yet the bickering had already started. He wondered if they would even be able to make it a week. He doubted it. Either they would end up killing each other or he'd go insane and kill them.

Whatever the case, he was really not looking forwards to being on a team with them. Unfortunately, he had no other choice.

It was another nearly half an hour later, when the door opened and a silver haired Jounin entered the room, his one visible eye gauging the reactions of the three would-be Genin. Then his eye crinkled up into what was clearly a smile.

"Let's meet up on the roof, shall we?" He voiced lazily before disappearing in a burst of white smoke. Yuichi was the first to move, slipping his scroll into his blue jacket before walking towards the door. Naruto and Sayuri were quick to follow and the three of them made their way to the roof without uttering a word to each other.

Rooftop, Shinobi Academy

Kakashi leaned against the railing of the rooftop, his lone flinty eye drifting over each of the would-be-Genin, taking in the expressions they all wore. "Alright…Let's start with some introductions. I want to know your names, your likes, your dislikes, your hobbies and any dreams you might have for the future. Whitie, you're first."

Yuichi blinked at the nickname he had been given before he began speaking, his voice practiced. "My name is Yuichi Senju. I like drinking tea, reading and training. My dislikes include loud and arrogant people in general. My hobbies, like I said, are reading and training. As for my dream, it is to bring honor back to my clan and mend the mistakes of my predecessors."

Kakashi hummed as he eyed him with interest. "Straight to the point. I like it. You're up next, Goldie."

Naruto grinned as he fiddled with his headband. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! My likes are training, Hiruzen-Jiji, and ramen! My dislikes are people who would threaten those I hold precious and tangerines! My hobbies are comparing different types of ramen, learning new techniques and spending time with Hiruzen-Jiji! And my dream for the future…is to become the greatest Hokage ever! That way, the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody important!"

Yuichi stared at Naruto for a moment. He wondered what his blond teammate was talking about at the end of his speech. He knew that the other kids used to make fun of him in class but the whole village? He didn't get it.

Then there was the fact that Naruto seemed to be so close to the Third Hokage. Yuichi, as well, held a reverence for the great ninja veteran but the way his male teammate spoke about the man, it was as if there was a far stronger connection between the two. That meant there was something about Naruto…something that made the Hokage so protective over him.

Kakashi's eye crinkled. "I see. An ambitious dream for sure." At his words, Naruto just grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "And now, for the last member of our group, Miss Prissy."

The Uchiha girl scoffed behind laced fingers before beginning her introduction. "My name is Sayuri Uchiha. I like tomatoes and that's about it. I hate fanboys and fangirls, and dislike mostly everyone I meet. My hobbies are training and my dream…it is to restore my clan and kill a certain someone."

The Senju Clan Head frowned upon hearing her words. Of course that would be her goal. Much like himself, Sayuri was also one of the last scions of her clan and as was the case with the Senju, the Uchiha as well had fallen tremendously from grace after their near extinction at the hands of one of their own, Itachi Uchiha. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it was he who Sayuri wanted dead. Judging from the lack of shock on both Kakashi and Naruto's faces, they knew as well.

Kakashi suddenly clapped his hands drawing all eyes on him. "Good. Each one of you is unique and you have your own ambitions and ideas. We will be having our first mission tomorrow."

Naruto immediately perked up. "What kind of mission will we be handling, Kakashi-Sensei?"

"It is a task that the four of us will do together. A survival exercise." The silver-haired Jounin declared almost gleefully. "You see, out of the twenty-eight students that graduated this year, only nine of them actually become Genin. The others will be weeded out and sent back to the Academy. In other words, this is a pass-or-fail test, and the chance that you'll fail is at least sixty-six percent."

At his words, Naruto's mouth fell open, Sayuri scowled harshly and Yuichi's entire body suddenly twitched as he was caught off guard.

"That's crazy! We worked our asses off to get here! What was that graduation test for then?!" Naruto exclaimed heatedly.

"Oh, that? That was just to select the candidates who might become Genin... or not." Kakashi responded calmly as ever. "In any case, be at the entrance of the Training Ground 3 at 5:00 am sharp. Don't forget to bring your ninja gear. Oh, and I suggest that you all skip breakfast, otherwise you'll puke."

And with that said, the silver-haired Jounin disappeared, leaving his potential students to their thoughts.

Jutsu List

Bunshin no Jutsu / Clone Jutsu - E-Rank Ninjutsu. This is a basic technique that every shinobi can use. Users create one or more afterimages of themselves to move alongside them. Unlike most other clone techniques, these afterimages have no substance and thus are incapable of damaging opponents.

Henge no Jutsu / Transformation Jutsu - E-Rank Ninjutsu. This technique is most often used to disguise the user as another person, but they can also turn into an animal, plant, or inanimate object; it is most difficult for users to transform into inanimate objects, and users are shown familiarizing themselves with an object's weight and feel before assuming its form.

Kawarimi no Jutsu / Substitution Jutsu - E-Rank Ninjutsu. The instant before they are to be struck by an attack, the user replaces themselves with a block of wood or something similar.

Here's my attempt at an OC in the Naruto world. This story is going to be majorly AU for reasons that will be revealed in all the other chapters. And before anyone asks any questions, please wait. I know what I'm doing and you will get your answers. Every decision I have made for this story has been for a reason.

The OC in this story is Yuichi Senju, the last scion of the Senju Clan or rather the last scion of Tobirama's bloodline. As you've seen from this chapter, the Senju Clan hasn't really had the best reputation since the death of the Second Hokage. They are almost as bad off as the Uchiha and a clan once great has fallen from grace. Yuichi's goal is to restore his clan's honor and bring glory to the Senju name.

In this story, Sasuke is female and Naruto is...different. Our favorite blond knucklehead also holds the Third Hokage in high esteem. Again, the reason shall be revealed as the story progresses. Though Yuichi is the main character, I will introduce many POVs from different characters so you guys get an insight on them and their thoughts.

I just want to make something clear: I am not thinking about pairings as of yet. Each of the main characters in this story have a ton of baggage to deal with and romance is the last thing on their minds. Besides, they're kids. Let them enjoy their lives as much as they can before the timeskip.

I am really hoping that I finish this story but I can't make any promises since life always tends to get in the way. If you've liked what you read so far then feel free to drop a favorite and a follow!

Until next time! :D