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. Please support the official release.

This story is inspired by Blood Bag by Traydox.

Chapter One : Commencement

Shinobi Academy, Hidden Leaf Village

Shinku had never been anything special.

He didn't hail from any of the revered ninja clans of Konoha. He had been born to shinobi parents and had been orphaned at the mere age of two after they died in the line of duty. He was someone of average intelligence, average looks, and a below average fighter. Nothing about him was special. Nothing about him had ever made him stand out before.

That was how he liked it.

"Team Seven will consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Satsuki Uchiha and Shinku Kyouya. Your Jounin Sensei will be Kakashi Hatake."

Things rarely went the way he liked.

As soon as those words left Iruka Umino's lips, Shinku felt his soul – his very essence – drift out of his body and his head hit the hard surface of his desk as he slumped forward. He had spent last night praying to be placed in a good team – a team that would fit him. But of course, why would Kami listen? Never once, in all his twelve years of life, had he been merciful to him.

Why the hell would he start taking pity on him now?

He knew it was tradition. For the students who had lower scores to be paired up with the students who had higher scores. From what he knew, it was to create a sort of balance in a Genin Cell. Shinku may not have been the Dead Last of this year's graduation class, but he was definitely positioned somewhere in the lower echelon of the class. So he had expected to be partnered up with some of the better students.

What he hadn't expected was to be partnered up with the best students of the class.

Shinku lifted his head high enough to catch a glimpse of his would-be teammates. They always sat in the front row of the class whereas he always took the seat in the back row, where he could be out of sight. He hated having attention drawn on him, much preferring his own solitude. And people were all to glad to leave him to it. If you weren't a clan child or someone important, nobody gave a damn about you.

They would definitely start giving a damn about him now, Shinku thought with a cringe.

Satsuki was the last scion of the Uchiha Clan in the village and the strongest female student in the class, having been granted the title of Top Kunoichi. She had been the first student who had completed both the Tree-Climbing Exercise as well as the Walking-On-Water Technique. All the boys in the class fawned over her – other than Shinku and Naruto – and all the girls in the class wanted to be her. In Shinku's personal opinion though, she was nothing more than a stuck-up jerk.

He was not looking forward to working with her.

Naruto Uzumaki was another story entirely. The ward of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi himself, he was a hard worker. He had always been revered by the other students as an unshakeable and perseverant youth who would complete anything and everything that he set his mind to. Everything he did, he did to the best of his abilities and always had a bright grin on his face when he did it. If Satsuki was a genius in talent, he was a genius in hard work.

Shinku could respect that.

From what he could see, Naruto appeared to be his usual cheerful self, grinning from ear to ear. He wasn't someone to care about who he was paired up with, eager to work with just about anyone – even Satsuki, despite their intense rivalry. Then there was Satsuki, seated with her arms crossed and a stoic expression, occasionally sending a glance at Naruto as if to gauge how much of a nuisance he would be. Then the black-haired youth suddenly ducked down when Satsuki turned her head and set her cool gaze onto him.

It was the first time the Uchiha had ever even looked at him.

He didn't even think she knew who he was.

Shinku kept his head lowered as he waited for Satsuki to look away and after a few seconds, she did. As soon as her gaze was off him, he relaxed a tad bit but still kept his head down. He could vaguely hear Iruka continuing to call out the rest of the teams, but he tuned him out for the most part, his mind drifting off elsewhere.

He was so immersed in his own thoughts, that he didn't even notice how much time had passed. He didn't even notice when Naruto came 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 Shinku's eyes did the black-haired youth finally snap back to reality and turned to look at him with slight surprise.

"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." Shinku said uncertainly as he sat up straight, rubbing the knuckles of his right hand with the thumb of his left. He was nervous, that much was certain.

Naruto yawned as he plopped down on the bench in the row below Shinku'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 very damn second!"

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

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

Satsuki blinked. "Gladly. If it'll keep me from listening to your stupid voice."

"Fuck. You." Naruto growled hatefully. The Uchiha girl simply hned at him and turned away while Shinku began wringing his hands uncomfortably. Then Naruto turned back around to look at him. "So, what's your deal? I mean, you're kinda quiet. You one of those secret badasses? Hiding in plain sight and stuff?"

Shinku blinked, startled by the sudden question. "Uh… no, nothing like that. I just…I don't like drawing attention onto myself." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling self-conscious. "I'm just a regular guy. My parents were shinobi, but they died when I was a kid. I've been on my own since then."

Naruto's expression shifted slightly, his grin fading just a bit. "Oh…sorry, man."

Shinku gave a small shrug, trying to dismiss the sympathy. "It is what it is. Anyway, I'm not some hidden talent or anything. I'm just trying to get by."

Satsuki let out a sharp, derisive snort, drawing both boys' attention. "Just trying to get by?" She repeated, her voice cool and condescending. Her dark eyes bored into Shinku, making him feel smaller under her gaze. "If that's your attitude, then you're already a failure. You'll just drag us down."

Shinku's heart sank at her words, even though he had expected nothing less. He'd seen her treat others the same way - her standards were impossibly high, especially for herself. But that didn't make her comment any less stinging. He bit his lip, unsure how to respond.

Naruto, however, wasn't as quiet. He shot up from his seat, fists clenched, and scowled at Satsuki. "Oi! Who the hell do you think you are, huh?" He snapped, standing protectively between Shinku and the Uchiha. "You don't even know him! You don't know anything about what he's been through, so quit acting like you're better than everyone else!"

Satsuki's expression remained unmoved, though her eyes flicked briefly toward Naruto. "Better? I don't need to act like it, Uzumaki. It's a fact." Her tone was dismissive, as if this entire conversation wasn't even worth her time. "And if you want to defend this weakling, then you're just as much of a fool as I thought."

Naruto growled, his face turning red with anger. "Shut up, Satsuki! You think you're so strong just because you're an Uchiha? You think that gives you the right to talk down to people? Well, it doesn't!" He jabbed a finger in her direction. "Shinku's part of our team now, so you better start treating him with some respect, or-"

"Or what?" Satsuki cut him off, her voice like ice. She stood up, her calm demeanour hiding a clear edge of irritation. "You'll fight me?"

Shinku watched the exchange, his stomach twisting. He appreciated Naruto's defense, but it only seemed to be making things worse. He didn't want to cause any more tension between his teammates, and this wasn't helping. The last thing he needed was to become a point of contention.

"Naruto, it's fine," Shinku said quietly, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "You don't have to-"

"No way!" Naruto turned to face him, his expression fierce. "You're part of this team, and I'm not gonna let her treat you like crap!" He looked back at Satsuki, his eyes burning with defiance. "We're supposed to be working together, not tearing each other down. We all need to get stronger, and that means helping each other, not acting like some stuck-up jerk!"

Satsuki crossed her arms, her lips tightening slightly. For a moment, she didn't respond, her eyes flicking between Naruto and Shinku. Then she closed her eyes, exhaling sharply through her nose. "You're wasting your breath. If he can't keep up, that's his problem."

At that exact moment, before things could get out of hand, the door to the classroom suddenly slid open with a creak. All three genin turned their heads in unison toward the door, expecting to see their new sensei. Instead, they were greeted by... nothing. An empty doorway.

"Well, that's just creepy," Naruto said, his anger momentarily forgotten as he leaned forward to get a better look. "Is there some kind of weird ghost in here?"

Satsuki rolled her eyes but didn't comment. Shinku, however, narrowed his eyes. He could have sworn he saw a flash of silver near the doorframe, just for a split second. Before he could focus on it any further, a hand appeared from around the corner, lazily waving at them.

"Yo."

Kakashi Hatake stepped into the room, his masked face and single visible eye giving away nothing about what he was thinking. He wore his headband slanted over his left eye, and in his hand was a small orange book, which he seemed to be thoroughly engrossed in. He didn't even look up at them as he casually made his way toward the front of the room.

Naruto's eyes lit up. "Finally! I thought you'd never show up!" He exclaimed, jumping up from his seat.

Kakashi's eye slid toward Naruto for a moment before returning to his book. "Hmm, sorry about that. I got lost on the road of life."

"Lost on the-?" Naruto blinked, clearly confused. "What does that even mean?"

Kakashi ignored him, strolling past the desks before stopping in front of the three genin. "So, you're the new Team Seven, huh?" His eye lazily scanned each of them. "You all seem...interesting."

Shinku wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a compliment or not, but he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he just kept his eyes lowered, avoiding direct contact with the Jounin. Kakashi didn't seem to mind or maybe he just didn't notice.

"Meet me on the roof in five minutes," Kakashi said, slipping the book into his vest pocket. "We'll have our official introduction there."

And with that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the three genin to stare at the spot where he'd been standing.

"Body Flicker…" Satsuki muttered under her breath before she stood up, making her way towards the door. Naruto was quick to follow her example, practically bouncing out of his seat and down the stairs. Shinku, meanwhile, stood up as quietly as possible, keeping his head low as he joined his new team. He wanted to melt into the background, to disappear entirely, but knew that wasn't an option anymore. Whether he liked it or not, he was stuck with them.

Rooftop, Konoha 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."

"Introductions?" Naruto tilted his head. "Like what?"

"Tell me your likes, dislikes, dreams for the future, and anything else you think is important," The silver-haired Jounin replied lazily, waving his hand in the air as if it was all no big deal.

Naruto's face lit up. "I'll go first!" He shouted enthusiastically. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! My likes are training, Saru-jichan, 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 Saru-jichan! And my dream for the future…is to become the greatest Hokage ever!"

The blond boy spoke with such enthusiasm and confidence that Shinku felt inclined to believe him.

Kakashi crinkled his lone eye. "Hokage, huh? That's a pretty ambitious goal." At his words, Naruto simply laughed and gave him a thumbs up. "You're up next, Miss Scowls-A-Lot."

The Uchiha girl scoffed behind laced fingers. She didn't seem particularly eager to participate in the conversation, but after a moment of silence, she uncrossed her arms and sighed.

"I'm Satsuki Uchiha." She stated, her voice steady and cold. "My likes…I don't really have any. My dislikes? People who get in my way." She paused for a brief moment, her gaze sharpening slightly. "My dream for the future is to restore my clan and…to kill a certain someone."

The rooftop air felt a little heavier after her words. Naruto stared at her, his expression blank and unreadable, while Shinku felt a chill run down his spine. The intensity in her voice was unmistakable, and for a second, he couldn't help but wonder who she was talking about. But then he remembered what had happened to her clan and he quickly pieced two and two together. The Uchiha Clan's massacre was no secret, and he had no doubt that the one Satsuki was after was the perpetrator of the killings.

But to have such a direct goal like that at her age…it was unsettling.

As soon as that thought entered his mind, Shinku quickly shook his head. He was in no position to judge; he hadn't gone through what she had. Sure, the life of an orphan wasn't the easiest, but it was nothing compared to what she had suffered.

Kakashi didn't seem the least bit fazed by her response. "I see." He said simply, not probing any further. "And finally…" His lone eye turned to Shinku.

Shinku felt his stomach tighten. He had been dreading this moment ever since Kakashi brought up introductions. What could he possibly say that would compare to the determination Naruto showed or the intensity Satsuki carried? He wasn't like them. Still, he knew he had to say something.

"I'm Shinku Kyouya." He began to say after taking a deep breath, his voice softer than he intended. "I like reading…and being outdoors, I guess. My dislikes…" He hesitated, not wanting to sound weak. "I don't like feeling useless."

Naruto's eyes widened at that, but Shinku avoided looking at him. He wasn't done yet. "As for my dream…"

His mind blanked for a moment. What was his dream? Did he even have one? All his life, he had just been trying to get by, trying not to stand out, trying not to fail. He had never really thought about what he wanted beyond that.

"I...I guess I just want to be the shinobi I can be." He said finally, feeling embarrassed. It wasn't grand like Naruto's dream, and it wasn't as fierce as Satsuki's. It was small, almost insignificant, but it was honest. His entire reason for becoming a shinobi was to follow in his parents' footsteps. Maybe it was stupid considering this was the profession that got them killed but it was what he wanted.

Kakashi tilted his head slightly, studying Shinku for a moment before nodding. "Not bad." He said, surprising Shinku with the casual approval in his tone. Then he pushed himself off the railing and stretched lazily. "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 five of us will do together. A survival exercise."

The blond boy frowned at his words. "Huh? I thought we were supposed to have an actual mission, not a practice exercise. We already did that stuff at the Academy, that's how we got here."

"Well, if you must know." The silver-haired Jounin began chuckling almost gleefully. "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."

Shinku felt his heart skip a beat. Was he serious?

He wasn't the only one who was surprised by the jounin's statement. Naruto's mouth had hung open in shock and even Satsuki was scowling harshly.

"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."

With that, he turned and vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the three new members of Team Seven staring after him in stunned silence.

Shinku's stomach twisted as a sense of foreboding fell on him. This wasn't going to be easy.

Not at all.

Here's my millionth 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 Shinku Kyouya, a seemingly average - maybe slightly below average - shinobi who gets stuck on a team with prodigies. As you can see, he doesn't have much confidence in himself nor any real dream to follow. Of course, that doesn't mean he is weak or useless. I mean he is weak but he will get stronger. I like stories where they feature the main character going from weak to strong.

Now onto other things. In this Sasuke is female and Naruto is...different. I don't really have any real reason for making Sasuke female other than wanting a female member on the team and I wanted to make a male OC. As for Naruto, basically the Third Hokage does a better job of taking care of him and takes him in as his ward.

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