Naruto: Better Beginnings

Authors Note: Hello to all my new readers. Checking my profile you'll see this is my first fic, so any reviews would be welcome to help grow my writing. I'd like to thank users Aberron, and LogicalPremise for inspiring me to get into this, and I urge you to check their Mass Effect works (if your into that). Welcome to Better Beginnings. The idea for this came from my desire to make a Naruto AU that fixed the things I didn't like about it. I would like to use this to grow my writing and will be using it to get some constructive criticism. Pairing is Naruto and Sakura, Naruto is also a bit smarter due to a more involved Hiruzen. Sasuke is warmer to Naruto as well. Kakashi actually teaches them stuff other than tree climbing. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Bold = Inner Sakura/Nine Tails.

Italics = thoughts or flashbacks.

"Dialogue"

Underline = Jutsu

"I should have known the trouble I was in after that bell test"

-Kakashi Hatake "Memoirs of the Sixth Hokage"

It was a beautiful morning at training zone 7. The zone consisted of several acres of forest. A field of grass and dirt broke the forest in half with a river running smackdown the middle. The sun barely crested over the horizon as three newly appointed Genin arrived from the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

The most noticeable, ironic for a Ninja, was a boy shorter than either of his teammates. He wore a orange jumpsuit with blue on the shoulders. His Kunai holster was on his right leg, and a pair of blue combat sandals were worn on the feet. His Forehead Protector sat proudly on his brow, the symbol of the Leaf on display. Spiky blonde hair sat on his head, his rounded face set into a smile. He had fleshy skin complexion. His cheeks each had 3 horizontal whisker marks, and his eyes were a deep cerulean blue. His excitement to get started clearly evident.

In contrast to the orange bullseye next to him, the next person wore a high circular collared dark blue shirt with white shorts. His kunai holster and shoes the same as Naruto's, as is his Forehead Protector. His pale skin in contrast to dark hair and eyes. His expression was blank with no emotion.

The final member of the trio was a girl with pink hair. Her wardrobe consisted of a red dress the hem reaching her knees but each side having a slit from the hip to the bottom allowing free movement. Shorts under this kept her modesty. She too had her kunai holsters and shoes the same as both her teammates, but her forehead Protector was tied as a hair band. Her green eyes complimenting her unusual clan hair color. Her emotions showed a hint of nervousness.

These three were teammates. Not by choice, but by luck. Their names are Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. The newest generation of ninjas, Team 7. The trio walked into the training zone and stopped at a tree. It being 5 in the morning meant that even their most talkative member kept silent. It was like this for half an hour until the number one knucklehead ninja couldn't take it anymore.

"Dammit! That Kakashi Sensei is late again. I thought Grandpa Third was just kidding" The other two looked at him, Sasuke silently watching while Sakura's interest was piqued. "Lord Third told you about our Sensei?"

Naruto nodded. "Mhm. He didn't tell me much, only that he's probably the strongest Jonin in the village, and is always chronically late" The young ninja reached over and put his backpack in his lap digging around for something before pulling out 3 high calorie ration bars and bottled waters.

Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of these. "Naruto, you heard what Kakashi Sensei said. He warned us not to eat breakfast"

For the first time Sasuke opened his mouth to say something. "Yes he did. However his reasoning was so we wouldn't throw up. Those bars are small enough as to not put weight in our stomach, but are packed with enough calories to keep us going. Not a bad idea for clanless trash."

Naruto just smirked at the insult. "Your just jealous you didn't think of it first arrogant bastard. Here." He tossed each of them a bar and a bottle of water.

The three ate in silence and continued to wait, for another four hours. Sakura tried conversing with Sasuke to no avail, and instead questioned Naruto on what he think happened the night before they're teams were assigned. The village went on high alert, with Lord Third's Guard platoon being deployed to search for something. Naruto sheepishly grinned and scratched the back of his head, saying he didn't know. Sasuke thought otherwise but Sakura took it without a second thought.

In a puff of smoke Kakashi Sensei arrived in his standard Jonin attire. Along with his face concealing mask and forehead protector. "Hi guys. Sorry I'm late this old lady needed help crossing the street and-"

His excuse was cut off by all three of his students. "YOU LIAR!" Kakashi sweatdropped and chuckled innocently. "Heh heh, well anyway time to get this grueling survival test started. I hope you took my advice or this won't be a pleasant outing"

His three students pointed to a collection of empty wrappers on the ground. Naruto speaks up "you said if we ate we might throw up. But how is anyone supposed to do a grueling test with no energy? I figured I'd solve the problem for us all with something that's easy on the stomach"

Kakashi sighed. "This is more fun when they're starving." "Well aren't you the clever one Naruto. Very well let me explain the test." All tree focused on their Sensei. "It's simple really. Here I have two bells. Your job is to get one of these bells before the timer goes off."

Sakura immediately had a question. "But Kakashi Sensei, there are three of us but only two bells. What happens if one of us doesn't get one?"

He turned his head to her. "I'm getting to that. The two who get bells will pass the test and be treated to lunch by me. The one who doesn't will be tied to a stump and forced to watch us eat in front of them. Oh and you get sent back to the Academy."

Sakura paled, Naruto had a flicker of worry and thought deeply. Sasuke simply thought it was too easy for him. The silver haired Jonin set the timer to go off an hour from now. "One last piece of advice. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you won't get the bells." The two boys had determination in their eyes. Sakura looked nervous and spoke up.

"But Sensei isn't that dangerous? What if you get hurt?" It took Kakashi half a minute of laughter to get over that one.

"Trust me. You won't." From that display Sakura now had fire in her eyes. She was surrounded by black as a unseen version of Sakura spoke next to her. "We'll teach that sensei to laugh at us! Hell yeah! CHA!"

Their Sensei looked at his students, grinning under his mask at how ready they looked. "Perhaps this team will be the first I ever pass." Turning back to the situation at hand Kakashi spoke. "Everyone ready? Then begin." All three students jumped away into the brush.

Sakura hid in a bush. Carefully watching as their Sensei stood doing nothing. A twig broke behind her and she turned, Kunai in hand ready to strike only to see a familiar orange blur. Naruto opened in a greeting. "Hey Sakura"

The pink haired girl sighed before speaking angrily. "You idiot! I could have taken your head off. Shouldn't you be trying to get a bell?"

He nodded. "That's exactly what I'm doing." She looked in disbelief muttering a "huh?" He explained further. "Think about it. They can't really expect a single fresh Genin to be able to take something from a Jonin. I don't think this test is about our own abilities, but our ability to work as a team."

Taking his first statement to heart she did think about it. Coming up with another conclusion the blond missed. "I just thought of something else, I've never heard of any Genin team with less than 3 members. The fact that there's only 2 bells is just to drive us apart."

The boy grinned. "See that's why you were always the smartest girl in the academy." That comment caused to girl to smile honestly. Naruto always seemed to have that effect on her. Sakura opens her mouth again.

"Let's go find Sasuke and come up with a plan." Naruto went to go and do just that before pausing and letting his eyes widen. "Uh bit of a hitch with that." Sakura turned to where he was looking and facepalmed. Sasuke was engaged with Kakashi. Naruto quickly explained.

"Ok quick plan. I'll go help Sasuke, your clan was good with Genjutsu right? When you have an opening cast one." With that he was off. Leaving a sputtering Sakura.

The last Uchiha watched as his "esteemed" sensei proceeded to pull out a book and read. "What a joke. Naruto must have been told wrong. No way this guy is our strongest Jonin." Seeing an opportunity he reached into his shuriken pouch and threw two groups in a left and right arc. The shuriken impacted, causing blood to fly for a split second only for the Jonin to be replaced with a log. Sasuke's eyes widened as he realized he just gave away his position, jumping to another branch just in time to miss several thrown Kunai. A fist too fast to follow launched him from the tree, causing him to skid on the ground to a stop. The Jonin jumped down several meters in front of him.

"You didn't think I'd go down that easy did you?" Sasuke said nothing, rapidly forming hand signs. "Fire release, flame bullet!" Sasuke partitioned the oil he had shooting three fire bullets. Kakashi in turn did Hand signs of his own. "Earth release, earth wall." The ground in front of him rose into a barrier. The flame bullets impacting with no effect. The Jonin leapt up throwing Kunai and shuriken at Sasuke's last known position, but the young Uchiha had already moved. Running at the now grounded Kakashi, he lunged into a Taijutsu battle. Sasuke threw one punch only to have it caught by the Jonin. His follow up kick was blocked as well by an arm. But he was now twisted in position to reach for the bells. His hand went for it, and Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise causing him to leap back. Before he could re engage Sasuke with one of his favorite Jutsus, a wind bullet impacted him.

Sasuke turned to see Naruto running up. "Let's take him down together Sasuke." The other boy wore an arrogant smirk.

"As if I needed a clanless loser's help." Naruto just smiled at the jab.

"Just shut up and look for the real one." While the two Genin were talking, the Kakashi that was hit by a wind bullet had turned into mud. A mud clone to be precise. The two boys looked around, not noticing two sets of Kakashi hands coming out of the ground below them. Muffled screaming reached their ears.

"Hidden leaf finger Jutsu! One thousand years of death!" Both boys faces widened in surprise before looking embarrassed as Chakra propelled them into the air and then into the river screaming all the way. Kakashi rose from the ground and Sakura observed in shock. "He better not use that on me!" Inner Sakura appeared to offer her own opinion. "That technique should be illegal! He tries that and I'll take his other eye! Cha!"

Underwater, both boys looked at each other in embarrassment and then in pure rage. Sasuke pulled out some shuriken as Naruto made several Hand signs for fire and wind Jutsus. The boys nodded in understanding and both readied their shuriken. Back on land Kakashi was reading his book. Several shuriken came at him in different arcs from the water. With his free hand he caught 2 on his fingers as he jumped out of the path of the others. All without taking his eyes off the book. That is until he heard a splash and looked up, sighing as some Naruto illusions jumped out and ran at him. "I have to give Naruto credit though, each illusion was perfect and he didn't forget to form them sopping wet either. They even left footprints in the mud- wait a minute" Before the silver haired Jonin could react a pair of arms wrapped around from behind. "What!"

The Naruto that had him in a full Nelson grinned. "Shadow clones Sensei! Bet you weren't expecting that huh!" He was quickly dog piled as the other clones held onto him. Sasuke and the real Naruto leapt out of the river already forming hand signs. The Uchiha calls out his seconds before the Uzumaki. "Fire release great fireball Jutsu!" "Wind release air bullet Jutsu" Both Genin inhaled as much air as possible. Sasuke fired first, the chakra in his belly igniting and coming out as a massive fireball. It moved to the subdued Jonin. Naruto's technique hit it not a second later. The chakra laced air hitting the chakra flames. Fueling the attack and causing it to fly at an undodgeable speed. Sakura felt the heat from her observation post, and over the roaring flames the sound of clones dispelling could be heard.

The attack dissipated, leaving nothing but blackened earth. Naruto felt a sudden instinct to grab Sasuke and jump away, so he did. Dodging a kick from their Sensei. Kakashi gave one of his closed eye smiles.

"Your not the only one who can use shadow clones Naruto." The two Genin looked at each other and nodded. Each pulling out a Kunai, Kakashi pulling one out in turn, they rushed at each other. Sparks flew and the clang of steel was heard for a few seconds as both Genin jumped away, Kakashi having extended his balance for a strike.

Sakura appeared behind him throwing Kunai with pink bags on the ends. The Jonin nimbly dodged or deflected each one. The pink bags revealed cherry blossoms falling all around him.

"This isn't some little girl game Sakura." "Are you even trying to hit me? I know this is your namesake but you can't possibly expect to do any damage with it." Sakura just grinned.

"Well Sensei maybe if you remembered my last name you'd realize the trap your in." She threw another Kunai this one with nothing on it into the ground a meter away. It emitted a faint hissing noise causing Kakashi to feel even more surprised. "Sakura Haruno. Genjutsu!" He quickly formed the ram sign to dispel it, taking in the fact that they weren't cherry blossoms but miniature explosive tags. He jumped as high as he could into the air. Crossing his arms over his body to shield him ignoring Sakura's call. "Sakura Blossom Bomb Jutsu!" The explosion washed over him, carrying him even further into the air and scorching his flak jacket. He landed on his feet near the stumps and alarm clock. Facing him, all three Genin readied Kunai to attack him. Kakashi reached for his headband. "These kids are making me go all out. I can't believe it." Before he could reveal his trump card, the Alarm clock went off signaling the end of the test.

The three students sheathed their Kunai. Naruto complaining. "Ahhh, I wanted to keep going" Sasuke agreed with him.

"Yeah that was the most fun I've had in months." Sakura also looked like she wanted to continue. Kakashi offered another one eyed smile. This one born of genuine pride.

"Congratulations you three! You pass." Sasuke smirked, Naruto fist pumped into the air, and Sakura giggled in delight. Kakashi directed them over to a stone. He sat his students down in front of it and turned to face them. "Does anyone think they figured out the purpose of this little exercise?" Unsurprisingly, which is the first time he could feel that today, all three raised their hand. It was Sakura who he chose to answer.

"It was a teamwork test. No single Genin could possibly get a bell. Only through teamwork would we ever be able to do it."

"Very good Sakura. The lesson in this exercise that I want all of you to take to heart is simple. Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum." He pulled out three sealing scrolls and tossed them out in front of each of his students. Unsealed were three blue flak jackets each sized perfectly for the wearers. There was also a small amount of money in Naruto and Sakura's gift. Kakashi spoke up. "I look forward to training and leading you all on missions. Report back here tomorrow at sunrise for our first assignment. Also Naruto, Sakura, use that money to buy a new outfit. Something that doesn't stand out too much. But before you do, how about I take us all out for BBQ?" With that the three team members bellies rumbled. Their ration bars having worn off from all the energy expelled. They smirked and agreed to their sensei's offer. Jumping up and following him away. All in all, it was a great start for Team 7.

Thanks for reading! Please review.