DISCLAIMER: The following work is fan fiction.  The Naruto world and all the techniques used in this story are based off the manga created by Masashi Kishimoto.  I claim no credit to the world, existing villages or the majority of the jutsus used in the following.  This story is a Naru/Hina, SasuSaku, and Shika/Tema fanfic but I have decided to approach it from a different angle.  I hope you enjoy.




Fiery Dawn Part 1:


The sun had only been in the sky for an hour and a young teenage boy was already sitting in a classroom.  The folded piece of paper in his hand only had two characters on it “4B” signifying that this was the room where he was to meet his future teammates.  He stuffed the piece of paper into his pocket before he propped his feet up on the desk in front of him and placed his hands behind his head.
He was a bit early so he decided to listen to his headphones so he could go over the song he was supposed to play at his father’s coronation later that day.  The soft melody of Hocchiku poured into his ears as he took a few calming breathes and began to mimic the finger movements of the flutes in the air.  He could see his reflection in the window a few feet away from him and he watched to make sure his form was right.
Soon his soft lavender eyes drifted away from watching his hands and began to scan over his own appearance.  He wanted to make sure he looked his best for when he met his new jounin team leader after all his mother did say first impressions were important.  He was wearing his dad’s old colors of orange and black to give him inspiration except his jacket did have a hood like his mother’s used too.  His new leaf headband was shined to perfection and his blonde hair was spiked.  He even had faint whisker birthmarks like his father but they were not as apparent.
“Uzumaki Naruki,” shouted a voice from behind him causing him to turn, “I’m teamed with you!  I don’t believe this!”
Naruki’s lavender eyes locked on to the one person in the whole academy that he did not want to be teamed with.  His rival had long blood red hair pulled into a ponytail and green eyes.  He wore a blue shirt with a symbol on the back that resembled a fan, khaki colored shorts, wraps around his forearms and his village headband held tight against his forehead.  He was referred to as a new village genius and his name was Uchiha Tekkan the son of his father’s best friend and biggest rival.
“You,” shouted Naruki pointing his finger, “What were they thinking sticking me with you!?  You’ll do nothing but hold me back!”
“Hold you back!  I’m…”
“Geez,” interrupted a girl’s voice causing the two arguing boys to turn, “I can’t believe I’m going to be shackled with two losers like you.”
Both of the boys’ anger grew as their eyes focused on the young kunoichi walking into the room.  She had light brown hair pulled into four spike ponytails and dark brown eyes.  She wore a light blue skirt that was split up the side, a light blue top, a mesh armor body glove underneath, a dark red sash around her waist and she wore her headband around her neck like her mother.  Her name was Nara Kimi and like her mother she carried a large iron fan on her back.
“Who are you calling losers,” shouted Naruki and Tekkan in unison.
“You two,” she replied pointing a both of them, “You two bakas are nothing but knuckleheads…Geez this is going to be troublesome.”
“Hey he’s the one you got to worry about,” spoke Tekkan as he pointed to Naruki, “After all I’m the new genius of the Uchiha clan.”
“Well if you’re such a damn genius then why did Kimi-chan score higher than you on the final exams,” retorted Naruki with a devious grin on his face.
“That’s it,” shouted Tekkan as he prepared to make a fist.
“Am I interrupting something,” spoke an eerie hushed voice.
A chill ran down each of the young genin hopefuls’ spines when the voice fell in the air causing them all to slowly turn their attention toward the door to the room.  Standing in the doorway was a large shinobi wearing a dark grey uniform, with a chest plate constructed of scarred and blackened steel, bracers on his forearms and shins made of the same metal, and a headband across his forehead signifying he belonged to Konoha.  His skin was pale with a tint of grey, he had long black hair similar to Jiraiya’s in style and his blue eyes were so pale they were almost white.
“I was hoping to find a room with three well disciplined graduates ready to become genin,” he continued to speak in a calm, cold voice causing the three to unconsciously move away from him, “But instead I find three loud mouthed spoiled brats who are nothing but a disgrace to the headbands they wear.  Before you even think of interrupting me my name is Taurus and I am the jounin who is supposed to lead this team but after what I have seen…I will do everything in my power today to make sure you have to repeat the entire academy.  You have twenty minutes to prepare and meet me at Training Area 3.”
The three watched in utter silence as the frightening jounin turned and left the room.  Even moments after his departure it felt as if the coldness of his words still ominously hung in the air.  Then without warning Tekkan turned to Naruki saying, “This is all your fault you baka!”
“My fault?!  My fault?!  You started it!  Dattebayo,” yelled the brash blonde haired boy as Kimi just hung her head in frustration.
Tekkan’s eye began to twitch when he commented, “You…you are not going to start saying that are you?  Is it not enough that your dad has to say it all the damn time…now you too!”
“Dattebayo!  Dattebayo!  Dattebayo,” yelled Naruki mockingly.
The two boys were nearly at each other’s throats when a large gust of wind flung them to the other side of the classroom slamming them into the wall.  Before they could recover a second gust sent a barrage of chairs crashing into them.  They both burst forth from under the furniture with rage washing over their faces to see Nara Kimi standing defiant in front of the window holding her fan completely open exposing the three blue moons on it.
“Geez you two!  Do you really want to go back through the academy,” questioned Kimi as her words seemed to reach the two angry boys, “We only have fifteen minutes to get to the training area and you two still want to beat the crap out of each other!  Grow up!  I don’t care what you two knuckleheads do I’m going to meet Taurus-sensei and become a genin with or without you…this is all too troublesome.”
“She’s right Naruki-kun…truce?”
“Truce.”


Taurus stood patiently beside the three wooden poles on the training grounds while allowing his mind to drift.  His thoughts regressed to his own ordeals, struggles, trials, along with every drop of blood spilt, every bead of sweat spent, and every tear he shed that brought him to where he is today.  It had been a long road of pain and hardship but now as he watched the three graduates approaching at full speed he knew it was all worth it.
Naruki, Tekkan and Kimi arrived with only 30 seconds to spare and each one of them was nearly out of breath.  The three genin hopefuls shifted uneasily under the scrutiny of the silent jounin.  He allowed them to catch their breath before he began, “Do you know why you are here?”
“To prove ourselves worthy of being genin,” answered Kimi as she stood up straight holding her head high with pride.
“That is something I’m sure all of your parents have told you,” he said in his hushed cold voice, “But I assure you that you will endure the harshest test this village has ever seen.  You are the children of some of the greatest ninja this village has produced.  Uzumaki Naruki, the son of Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata, you have those infamous Hyuuga eyes, their Gentle Fist taijutsu, a die hard never surrender spirit and the brashness of your father.”
“Uchiha Tekkan, the son of Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura, you have your father’s pride, the notorious Sharigan, knowledge of medical jutsu and your mother’s temper.  Nara Kimi, daughter of Nara Shikamura and the Sand Sibling Temari, you have your father’s intelligence, the Nara clan’s frightening shadow techniques, your mother’s attitude, and both of their tactical minds.  I am here to see if you are even worthy to be called their children but honestly all I see before me is weakness.”
“Weak!  Who you callin’ weak,” shouted Naruki, “I’ll show you how strong I am!  Dattebayo!”
“All ready to fight and no idea of what your objective is,” calmly retorted Taurus.
“Obviously you have done your homework on us,” commented Tekkan as Kimi grabbed Naruki by the shirt, “But we’ve never even seen you before.”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet Tekkan-kun,” spoke Kimi as she released Naruki since he was now calm and listening, “He’s former ANBU and by the detailed information that he has on us…he requested this assignment.”
“My Kimi-chan you have lived up to your father’s legendary reasoning,” stated Taurus with a sinister smile, “She is absolutely right…I personally requested this opportunity from the village elders and the Fifth before she decided to retire allowing the title to pass to Uzumaki Naruto.  He’s earned everything through body shattering hard work and determination and with the support of his friends.  It’s time to prove yourselves and show me you have the right to defend Konoha as they all did before you.”
The three watched with baited anticipation as Taurus reached into a small pouch on his side and removed a small, hand-sized jade cat figurine.  He held it out as he calmly stated in his eerie voice, “The rules are simple; retrieve this jade cat from my hand.  You may utilize every technique you know, every tool, every weapon, and every jutsu at your disposal.  The coronation of the new Hokage takes place in five hours…taking into account you will need at least an hour to get cleaned up and healed…that leaves a window of four hours for you three to get this little statue and I will not make it easy.  Begin.”
   


To be continued…