Disclaimer: I do not in ANY WAY own Naruto or Naruto: Shippuden.

A/N: Well, I think it's time I try my own hand at a reimagining of the Naruto world. I've read a few (some good, some bad, some awesome), and I finally think I have some concrete ideas for my own. So, let's experience this story together!

Also, please review!

Here it is:

To Be a Ninja (Chapter 1)-Team Formation

*DUH* *DUH* *DUH* *DUH* *DU-*

I immediately slam my alarm off and sit up in my bed! Today's the day!

Naruto Uzumaki is finally an official ninja of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, believe it!

I get out of bed and hurry through my morning routine. It's pretty much me on autopilot out of excitement when I take my shower, brush my teeth, eat my breakfast, and get dressed. It's only when I'm about to put on my headband when I stop and really look at it.

This was Iruka-sensei's headband. The official reason he gave it to me was because I was able to do the Shadow Clone Jutsu rather than the regular Clone Jutsu that they teach at the Academy, which I am unable to perform. But I think he actually gave it to me because I was a ninja then – I protected my comrade and my village against the traitor Mizuki.

Mizuki…

I was such an idiot to ever believe him. I should have known better. But he was my sensei at the Academy! Still, it is a ninja's job to see through deceit and to be always cautious. I swear that I will not fall for things like that so easily anymore. Last night was a wake-up call for me.

"Thank you, Iruka-sensei." I say softly before tying the headband on, and I look in the mirror. I must admit to myself that I do look rather handsome…

I give myself a 'thumbs-up!' before running off to the Academy. Today we're getting assigned to our Jonin sensei and are getting placed in teams! I'm leaving home early today just to make sure that I make it there on-time! I need to make a good first impression as a true shinobi, after all!

"Hey, Naruto!" I hear my name as I run past the Ichiraku Ramen stand. I stop and run over to the stand.

"Hey, Old Man Teuchi! Hey, Ayame! What's up?" I ask them. "Oh, and thanks again for the ramen yesterday!" I say with a smile and my arm over my shoulder.

"Oh, it was our pleasure! I just wanted to invite you and your team here after you guys are done. A free bowl for everyone." He says, drying a plate with a towel.

"Oh, man, really? That's awesome! Buy, why?" I ask. As a ninja now, I always have to be suspicious of things that seem too good to be true…

…Even if it is about ramen.

"While I would be giving away free food, if they like it like you do, they'll be coming back for more in no time, which means more money for me!" Teuchi says and laughs, rubbing his fingers together like he's rich. I laugh along with him.

"You people are always obsessed with money!" I joke. "Alright, then. Thanks, Teuchi and Ayame!" I say and wave before continuing my run to the Academy!

I get to our classroom and sit in my normal seat. The room is mostly empty, save for a few individuals. One of them is my friend Shikamaru Nara, whose head is down, snoring and drooling a little bit on his shirt's left sleeve. I'm a bit surprised to see him here so early, but I am not surprised to see him sleeping already! I would try talking to him right now, but I don't want to wake from his 'beauty sleep' as he calls it. My seat happens to be near the left end of one of the back rows, anyway, so I'd have to move back before we start.

Others that are here are Kiba Inuzuka and his ninja hound and companion Akamaru. He happens to be reading a manga from his backpack while Akamaru lays on his head. Among them are a few other people whose names I never bothered to learn because they never bothered to try to be nice to me when I tried to make friends in the past.

I look at the clock in the room and I have arrived fifteen minutes early, which is about fourteen minutes earlier than I usually would be. I wanted to make sure to change my ways starting today. I'm no longer going to be that prankster who causes trouble so he could be recognized. No, I am going to be the best damned ninja The Hidden Leaf Village has ever seen and I am going to be Hokage! Believe it!

Soon, people start piling into the room. Sasuke Uchiha silently takes his seat next to me on the very edge, and in no time I feel a punch on my head.

"Move, Naruto! Sit somewhere else! We don't have assigned seats anymore and I'm calling dibs on the seat next to Sasuke!" I hear shouted into my ear. I know that voice all too well.

"Sakura! Why would you even want to sit next to him anyway?" I say, glaring at Sasuke who just barely glances our way, expressionless.

"Naruto…" Sakura growls, raising her fist again, and I quickly take the hint to move to another seat. I decide to move to the very back at the edge, not saying anything anymore.

I don't get it! Why is she always so mean to me? I know I've been kind of annoying at times in the past, but I didn't even do anything this time. I was literally just sitting there and minding my own business. Why did I used to like her so much? She can be so sweet when she wants to be, but why doesn't she try to be a little nice to me sometimes? Doesn't she realizes how much she hurts my feelings?

Hopefully this will all change. Maybe once she sees the new me, the one who's going to take being a ninja seriously, she, and everyone else!, will start treating me like a person rather than just some sort of emotionless thing.

Thing…

It all makes sense now after last night. What Mizuki told me…it explains why so many of the villagers hate me, and why so many parents never let their children play with me. I have the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside of me. But that's it! It's only inside of me, it isn't me.

I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I'll do whatever it takes to show the entire village that I'm Naruto and only Naruto!

In just a few more minutes, Iruka-sensei walks into the room. He scans the room and nods at me with a smile when he sees me. I give him a small thumbs-up before he starts to speak when everyone else shows up.

"Alright, everyone. Congratulations on now being shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village!" He says and everyone starts clapping. "Because I am no longer your teacher, starting today, you guys are all Genin and will be part of a team under a Jonin sensei. Teams have already been assigned. I will read your names off and give you a room in which your team will go and meet your sensei. Any questions?" Iruka-sensei finishes, and I feel a couple of stares go my way, as if they assume I'll just ask a question, or pull a prank, for make a fool of myself.

I'm a different Naruto Uzumaki, now. I am not going to be some annoying kid, damn it!

"None, alright then." Iruka-sensei says and I don't really pay attention until we get to the names that I actually care about – the ones of my friends, friendly acquaintances, and others like that. "Team Seven will be Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Shino Aburame. You guys will be going to Room Five." Iruka-sensei says.

"Yes! Take that, Ino-Pig! I'm with Sasuke!" Sakura says, rising out of her seat, laughing, pointing at Ino, and doing a tiny in-place dance.

"Shut up, Billboard Brow! Sasuke likes me! You'll see!" Ino retorts, making Sakura fume. I look over to Sasuke, and he is obviously annoyed and, dare I say, embarrassed.

I'm so glad I got over my crush on Sakura. She was never any nice to me, and I eventually just realized it would do no good to like. It took time, but I did get over her. And I'm thankful I wasn't placed on a team with her or Sasuke. Sakura would never respect me as a teammate. She would only fawn over Sasuke like Ino and most of the other girls in our class do. And I would argue with Sasuke too much.

I'll admit that he's talented and a good shinobi for our age with no real experience, but he has too much of an ego. He doesn't think he could fail. Sure, I always said that I was the best whenever I went up against him, but I knew I could always be better (a lot better) than I was. He doesn't think so – he just think he's the best out of everyone. To him, everyone is just a 'loser' and that's it.

I actually feel bad for Shino and their sensei. Shino and I never really talk or anything, but he was never mean to me or treated me like I was below him. I feel bad for them because they're going to have to learn to deal with Sakura's obsession and Sasuke's ego. But, I believe there's hope for both of them, especially Sasuke.

"Team Eight will be Shikamaru Nara, Naruto Uzumaki, and Hinata Hyuga. You guys will be going to Room Seven." Iruka-sensei says, and I can't contain my excitement.

"All right! Our team is going to be the best and kick some serious ass, believe it!" I say loudly out of excitement in being in a team with my two true friends! Could this get any better?

Shikamaru and Hinata are some of my only friends. Sure, I am friendly with Kiba and Choji through Shikamaru, but they aren't really my friends. The funny thing is that Shikamaru and Hinata aren't really friends or friendly with each other; in fact, I don't even think they really have interacted at all with each other except for maybe knowing who each other are. I have made friends with them each individually.

I became friends with Shikamaru after he told Iruka-sensei about that trick a bully in the class played on me to pretend to let me into their friend group. If Shikamaru hadn't told Iruka-sensei, I probably would have died then because of an enemy ninja attack. But, I didn't! And I made sure to thank Shikamaru after, and we just sort of started hanging out after school and stuff. He's not that talkative, but he is a great listener and is just an overall awesome guy!

I can't really recall when I started being friends with Hinata. We were always friendly with each other, especially after that one time where I stopped some bullies from teasing and hurting her when we were really young. After I was old enough to leave the orphanage and live on my own in a small apartment funded by the Leaf Village, I occasionally saw Hinata and we waved and stuff. Once we entered the Academy, we just started talking and now we're friends!

These two people are amazing. I've been alone and hated for so long of my life. But whenever I am upset or sad I think of these two individuals, my friends. These two friends of mine are another reason I want to change – I want to be able to protect them and never let them get hurt.

"Team Nine is going to be a little different. Takeshi Sato, you are being placed in a team with two students from another class. They will be meeting you here in this room shortly. Their names are Heba Santiro and Akiko Yagami." Iruka-sensei says, and my attention is caught for a second.

Heba Santiro…

That name is so familiar. It can't be the same Heba, is it? Whatever, I guess I'll meet him eventually and I'll see then if it is him. But I don't think it's the same Heba. It has to just be a coincidence…

"And, lastly, Team Ten will be Kiba Inuzuka, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi. You guys will go to Room Eleven. You're all dismissed to go to your assigned meeting rooms. And, one more time, congratulations everybody! Make me and your village proud!" Iruka-sensei says and everyone starts getting up.

I run down the stairs and to the front of the room, waiting for Shikamaru and Hinata to get there from their own seats. It's only a few seconds before they are both there, smiling at me and each other.

"Hey, guys! Oh man, this is going to be so sweet. Come on, let's go to Room Seven and meet our sensei! I wonder who-" I say, but I am cut off from someone calling my name.

"Wait, Naruto!" I hear and I turn around to meet the voice.

"Oh, hey, Sasuke. What's up?" I am being polite. I'm a different Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm not going to be a fool and just anger the boy when he did nothing wrong.

"…As a part of Team Seven, I'd like to apologize on Sakura's behalf. She was out of line to hit you earlier, especially because you weren't even doing anything. It was unprofessional and downright embarrassing." He says, facing away and obviously annoyed, yet holding his hand out to me. I stare at it for a moment.

Wow. I guess I was wrong about him. Maybe his ego isn't that big. Sure, it's not exactly an apology from Saakura, but Sasuke does agree that what she did was wrong and actually took the time, swallowed his pride, and apologized to me. There really is hope for him, after all.

Sasuke…he's alright. I grab his hand and shake it in respect.

"Thank you, Sasuke." I say before he walks out of the room without saying anything else. I look over to my teammates, who only shrug at what had just happened. We all silently agree to head to our room.

I lead the way, but it's literally only two doors down so we get there in just a few seconds. When we get to the room, I just can't help myself with my excitement!

I run in and give each Shikamaru and Hinata a hug! Shikamaru, just being himself, lazily returns the hug while Hinata seems surprised but quickly squeezes me before we let go.

"So, am I to take it that you two are also friends?" Shikamaru asks. Just because he isn't Hinata's friend yet, doesn't mean he can't be in no time flat!

"Of course! Let me introduce you guys! Hinata, this is my very good friend Shikamaru. And Shikamaru, this is my very good friend Hinata. I now pronounce us all teammates and friends!" I say in excitement. They both laugh before they both extend their hands in a good-hearted handshake.

A/N: So, how was it? Obviously, this story will have a mix of canon (from manga and anime), anime canon (from filler), and my own imagination. And, I may include details that may eventually have no purpose (some in this chapter already possible), things may change and, and who-else-knows. This is my first attempt at a story of this magnitude. I hope you all stick along for this journey.

This story doesn't really have its own original plot with a specific goal, at least not yet. Right now, this is just a reimagining of the Naruto world. I definitely have some ideas for later on which will branch off, but right now, we're just going with the flow as I am coming up with this as I go along.

I'd like to mention that I try to update every two to three weeks. If I don't update in that time frame, feel free to send me a PM with any questions or stuff. I am someone who always finishes their stories, so this will not be abandoned.

Lastly, thank you all for reading and I hope you all review! :D