Naruto: New Beginnings

[Rell]

The sun slowly rose over the horizon as it lit up the clear blue sky. It was a peaceful morning in Konohagakure, as the villagers began their daily routine. The sounds of conversation, music, and children playing started to fill the warm air. Today was an important day. It was the start of a new year at Ninja Academy and the ushering of a new generation of young aspiring shinobi. The start of what many would hope to the beginning of a new life.


Hajime woke to the sound of bird chirping at his window near his bed. His eyelids felt heavy as he tried to open them. As he turned to the window, his eyes were blinded by a beam of light from the sun shining in. His body was exhausted, but he forcibly sat himself up. His father, Hideki, had been stringently training him daily over the course of the summer. Hideki believed this strict regime was necessary for a Hyuuga, especially one who a child of the Head Family. Though it left him drained, Hajime's training gave him a strong start for the academy. His taijutsu was good and he had a decent grasp on chakra control. As he rolled out of his bed, he yawned and stretched out. "Well, the day is finally here. Today I become an academy student" he thought to himself.


After grabbing his clothes from the closet, Hajime went to the bathroom to wash up. He dressed himself in a blue long-sleeve shirt, black pants, tied his long dark-brown into a single ponytail, and proceeded down the hall to the dining room. His mother, Ayumi, had already made breakfast and set a plate on the table for him. "Good morning" Ayumi said joyfully as Hajime walked in. "Good morning, mother" he responded as he quickly sat at the table, anxious to eat his food. Ayumi chuckled as Hajime stuffed his face, "Are you excited for today?" Hajime nodded in agreement, his mouth too full to respond. With his mother, Hajime could goof around and be a bit playful, but not with his father. His father was an advocate for discipline and expected Hajime to act orderly. After finishing his food, Hajime sat up from the table, "Thank you, mother." Ayumi smiled, "Good luck today" she said as Hajime left the dining room and made his way to leave the house. As he approached the door, his father walked in. Hajime respectfully bowed and looked back up to him. "Remember you're a Hyuuga. There are expectations you must live up to. Understood?" Hideki asked sternly. "Yes, father" Hajime responded as he bowed once again. Hideki walked passed him and entered the house. Hajime left after he walked by.


After leaving Hyuuga estate, he proceeded to walk toward the academy. He passed by several stores and vendors on the way there, wishing he can buy some items. He hadn't been outside estate too often and didn't know any outside of the estate either. Hajime felt a bit anxious, since it was his first time alone outside his home and he would meet new people as well. It was his first step of being independent and although he was nervous, he felt he was ready.

 

[Ch3rryBlossom28]

Sora jolted awake by the sound of her alarm clock. Her breathing was heavy and she felt sweat drip from her face. She and another so called 'nightmare'. She only called it that because even though she didn't remember the dream her body did. Running a hand through the short part of her hair, Sora reached for the small towel that was on the wooden night stand next to her bed and then wiped the sweat off her face with it. Looking at the clock it said 6:00am. Sighing Sora got out of bed and changed into her dark blue kimono with a light blue trimming and tied a purple sash around her waist. After that she braided the longer part of her hair. Opening the top draw to her dresser she pulled out blue wrist/arm protectors.


After Sora finished getting dressed, she opened the traditional sliding door and exited her room. Her house was dark for no one else was up yet. Getting a quick bite to eat she headed toward the dojo. This required her to step outside into the darkness. The only way she could see were the small light on the side of the path. Sora only woke up this early to do some mediating. She generally hated her normal training in here. Just because she was and heiress didn't mean she excelled at everything. Her father would push her for hours till she could do something with the shadows. Her mother was still strict but a lot more lenient than her father which is why she liked learning medical ninjutsu.


Sora sat in the middle of the dojo in her meditated form. She could feel her chakra moving around her her body. It wasn't perfect control, after all she is only 9, but it was better than most her age. Sora sat perfectly still with her eyes close for about an hour and only went to move when she felt the sun on her skin. Getting up she stretch out her arms and back. She heard foot steps behind her. "I wasn't expecting you to be here father." She turned around to face her father, the head of her clan. He was wearing a tradition kimono and sandals. "I just wanted to see what you were doing. You've been getting up early for the past few weeks. I'm glad you are making use of that time to train. Even if it isn't the training I want you doing." Sora wanted so badly to roll her eyes at him but refrained from doing so. Looking at the clock on the wall she gasp. "I'm sorry father but I have to go." She bowed respectfully. "Ah yes today is your first day at the academy. You are not allowed to be late. When you get back you will have a training session Yukiko so come home directly after classes." "Yes father." She stood up strait and ran to her room to grab shinobi sandals from her closet before so ran out of the house.


Being outside the compound wasn't anything odd for her. The odd thing was that she didn't have an escort with her. Her clan didn't very much like interacting with other clans. Sora remember hearing stories about the Uchiha massacre and hoped her clan didn't become too secluded which is why she liked going out around the village and not just stay in the compound like many of her clans men do. Sora wa running for she did not want to be late. "Excuse me! Coming through!" She yelled out as she ran past a boy with long brown hair that was in a pony tail.

 

[Rell]

Hajime continued to stroll down the street, stopping several times at different shops to examine various wares on display. Large crowds of villagers and families, socializing and conversing, peacefully living together. His father had him so dedicated to his training, he rarely thought of the community outside of the estate. Though even among these crowds, he felt some loneliness in his heart that he couldn't explain. Hajime froze and came to a complete stop in the middle of the street. He turned his up to the sky, staring at the small clouds float by. The villagers and all the sounds seemed to fade, all that remained was the soft breeze flowing against his face. He continue to stand there, gazing at the sky, stuck in his thoughts until loud rapid footsteps started to approach him from behind.


"Excuse me! Coming through!" Hajime heard someone yell. He only turned around halfway before a girl wearing a dark blue kimono blitzed passed him. She looked to be his age, but she was running so fast he barely got a glimpse of her face. At that moment, he realized he was probably running late for the academy. His father would kill him if he knew he was late on his first day. Hajime snapped himself out his frozen state and began to sprint, his long hair being picked up by the wind as he gained speed. While maintaining his pace, he avoided colliding with people in the crowd. A few seconds later he caught up with girl that passed him earlier, running in the same direction. He gazed over at her while sprinting. Is she going to the academy too?, he thought to himself. He hoped so because he didn't want to appear like he was following her.

 

[Ch3rryBlossom28]

Running through the crowd of people was annoying. Trying to push around people was not fun. I should have just taken the rooftops. She rolled her eyes at the thought. Her father would kill her if she took the easy way out of thing. Looking up at the clear sky she thought of how beautiful today was and wish she could sit in the fields that they had in the compound. Suddenly Sora sensed someone come up next to her. She flinched when she saw it wss the boy she passed earlier. Maybe he is going to the academy too? "Are you heading to the academy too?" She called out. Her waist length braid whipped around and kept hitting her arm. As much as she loved her long hair sometimes it too can be annoying. As they got closer to the academy she could still see people crowding around with their parents to walk in. Being content that she was going to be late, Sora slowed down to a walk. "Thank kami. She mumbled."

 

[Rell]

Hajime turned his gaze to his front when he noticed the girl flicnhed, still sprinting toward the academy. He felt he may have bothered her for looking at her. "Are you going to the academy too?" she asked. Hajime turned his white irises back to her and paused before responding, "Yes" he said while giving a quick nod of his head, turning his eyes back in front of him. The academy started to come into view. A mass of students and parents were in the small courtyard in front of the academy. Wow, so many people, he thought to himself as he started to slow down his pace alongside the girl. A smile came across his face, feeling excited he s about to start. The girl beside him mumbled something, but he didn't understand her clearly. Hajime turned to her to get a clear look at her. She had a relieved look on her face, probably from knowing she wasn't too late. As he glanced at her he noticed marking below her left eye that resembled a S with a dot on the top left and bottom right of it. He had never seen that before and it puzzled him on what it could mean. He assumed it was a clan marking, but it wasn't his business so he didn't care to ask. "So, it's your first day too?" he kindly asked her.

 

[Ch3rryBlossom28]

"Yup, don't know why I should even bother. I could just learn everything from elders." Sora thought coming to the academy was worthless. She was learning just fine from her parents and the other elders of her clan. It was her mother that wanted her to go to the academy. She wanted her to 'socialize' with kids her age outside the clan. The only reason Sora agreed was because her father didn't like it. Walking beside the boy she walked into the academy. "I'm Sora by the way, Sora Araii." She had to maneuver around the crowd of students. "Wait...am I even going the right way?" She put a finger to her chin. She had never been to the academy.

 

[Rell]

"Hmm. I see your point." Hajime never thought to consider why he had to join the academy. It was decided by his father, like most of his decisions. Although his father was strict, Hajime always believed that his father's choices were always the best and never questioned them, believing it was always for his benefit. As he walked with the girl, he remained silent, keeping his eyes foward. This was his first interaction with someone alone outside of the Hyuuga compound and he had no clue on what to say. "I'm Sora by the way, Sora Araii" she stated. "I'm Hajime. Hajime Hyuuga" he verbalized lowly as if he was unsure of himself.


The courtyard in front of the academy was filled to capacity. The chatter of the incipient students loudly filled the air around them. Students were walking in and and parents were seeing their children off. Maneuvering through the large crowd, Hajime entered the academy, walking into the midst of another large crowd in the lobby. So many different faces. Most of them were happy, but it was apparent that some were just as nervous as Hajime was. It was somewhat comforting to know Hajime wasn't the only one feeling this way. "Wait...am I even going the right way?" Sora asked.Hajime was unsure of where to go as well. He paused and observed the lobby for a moment. There was a large bulletin board on a wall across from the entrance doors where many students were crowded. "I think there might be a list over there." He pointed his finger in the direction of where he was looking.