Team Zero
by
Stray Cat Blues
I do not own Naruto or any characters therein, except for those of my own design
SBC- And welcome to another authors opening statement where me, the author, gets to try to convince you to stay around to read with my strange mixture of various styles and mad ravings in an attempt to decipher the hidden meaning.
I think at this point you the readers have realized that the way in which I write this is going to be a general bastard mix of an American version with slight Japanese flavorings, much like the author in some respects.
Anyway, if you've read this far I really hope you'll stick around for the rest, here's hoping you enjoy it!
P.S.- Chris and Davis if you read this, I TOLD you I'd put this up when I finished the third chapter, don't ever call bullshit on me again!
P.P.S- Ok fine, so I didn't get it out as soon as I finished the chapter...if my damn editor had done his job then it WOULD have been out then...call bullshit if you like but beware I do control your fates in this story!
P.P.P.S- Jesus Christ...this has got to be THE longest chapter I've ever written...I do apologize for any who read this and hate really long chapters like this.
And now (finally) for what you really came to see!
Team Zero
Cheap flashback chapter #1 or Trip the memory lane fantastic!!
Current Team Zero Status
Chris Mitarashi- Now 7 years old- wears a gray T shirt with black shorts- short unruly spiky light brown hair- Tallest/largest member of the team
Davis Mitarashi- Now 7 Years old- wears a dark green T shirt with black pants- Wears dark green bandanna over head-short blonde hair- Shortest/Smallest member of the team
Reese Mitarashi- Now 7 years old- wears a sky blue T shirt with matching pants- Wears a pair of goggles on forehead- Medium hair length straight Dark brown- Medium size/height
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( Team Zero, a new concept developed by both the Fourth Hokage and the Third Hokage, an experiment in using three foreign children of ninjas who lost their life in the war against Konoha seven years ago, an idea that these children would respond naturally with their hometown techniques as well as the ones Konoha provided and thus prove an unexpected surprise in Konoha's favor. Under the care of one Anko Mitarashi as both mother and teacher they have been given the somewhat harsh task of learning the ninja way at an even earlier age then most children would. Both teacher and student has had much to learn for this task, for Anko; studying what few techniques were known of the Rock, Rain and Grass villages. and for the children the basics of taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu that all ninja's must learn. It has been a rough year since Anko started their training at age six, but she has amazingly countered all the hard times the children have gone through by always being a warm and caring mother to them, anyone who knew Anko would have been amazed at how gentle and loving she had been with the children...of course due to her request no one yet knew of the children being hers, a weak cover story of her babysitting her missing sisters children was all that she told others when they went out in public, the most inquisitive were silenced by her stare which had the power to strike fear in almost any ninja, and the information lockdown implemented by the Third Hokage. In any case, Anko had indeed become a warm and caring mother to the children, yet even she had to dole out punishment once in a while...)
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Village of Konoha
Anko's New Apartment
4 o'clock pm
CRASH!!!!
"Mom, Reese broke your sake bottles again!!!"
"Chris you fink! tattletale! stool pigeon!!"
"YOU LITTLE PUNK I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
Davis Mitarashi simply rolled his eyes at his mothers yell, she wouldn't kill anyone or even hit them like some mothers would instead she'd just make Reese stay after tomorrows practice and run extra laps around Training Ground Zero. A special training ground set aside for them by the Hokage and built to their mothers exact specification. Most of course would call it a little slice of hell but Anko had declared it perfect for her sons to train in. Davis had to feel a little sorry for Reese, laps didn't just involve running...it involved running from large boulder covered in spikes that exploded on human contact, for thirty whole laps...
"THAT'S IT LITTLE MAN LAPS TOMORROW AFTER PRACTICE!!"
Wincing for his big brother Davis simply returned to his sky gazing, thinking it was much wiser to not even get involved or some of that anger might get taken out on him.
"Awww mom come on it was an accident...I'm really really sorry...please please not the laps again!!" pleaded the oldest (by two months) Reese, hoping for a small bit of pity in his mothers heart.
A slow grin and ,even to a child, a noticeable gleam in Anko's eye's shot that hope right out the window, but Reese always had a backup plan of sorts for these situations, after all he'd been the most troublesome of the bunch since before they could talk.
"Chris was standing right there and he didn't do anything to stop me! he totally like watched and didn't say anything to you or me...now is that fair? Reese tone changed from pleading to (as best as a seven year old could manage) a more reasoning tone. Reese knew that if he couldn't get out of the punishment then he was sure he wouldn't go down alone, fair or not.
"Oh ...well when you're right you're right Reese, I think someone needs extra shuriken dodging practice tomorrow..." A quick and meaningful look towards her other child sent the message in a hurry.
Chris, being the best behaved and self proclaimed leader of the Mitarashi brothers, shot a dirty look at Reese before looking at his mother with a subdued look " Yes mother"
"And just to make things fair, Davis you get to help them with both tasks"
"WHAT!?"
Anko grinned once more "You shoulda stuck up for your brothers, after all can't be a team with a teammate who isn't willing to stick with them through the bad times, so just consider this teamwork training for you"
A collective sigh emanated from the children as all three trudged towards their rooms in low spirits, tough training indeed...
"This is all your fault Reese, why did you have to try and taste her sake again, you KNOW she forbid it" whispered Chris as they entered their room
"Shut it mommas boy, I was just curious you know? see what she likes so much about the stuff" whispered back Reese
"You take that back you jerk!"
"Make me you bottle sucking baby!"
Davis just shook his head before flopping himself down on his bed. "Both of you idiots shut up before you make mom even madder, if you're smart you'll be quiet till she makes dinner"
The two brothers, fist's raised in the air ready to get into a fight over who was right, stopped and considered their youngest brothers words. Seeing the perfect (and most healthy) choice laid before them they lowered their fists and copied their brother in just laying on their own bed, each contemplating what tomorrow had in store for them and none of them liking it...
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Anko couldn't deny it anymore, she was extremely proud of her boys, after all not one of them had honestly tried to get out of their punishment (well except Reese but that was a given) and all three had accepted without much fuss (in front of her anyway). She figured she'd cut them some slack and remove the spikes from the boulder and perhaps set the shuriken launching machine on low, she'd also let them have whatever they wanted for dessert after tomorrow nights dinner. She knew how tough her training was but she also knew that her boys were tougher then most, after all with a mother like her they had to be!
Dinner wasn't till seven so she had a little bit of time to kill, except perhaps do something she once swore she'd never do. sitting in her favorite chair she reached under it and and with a few deft motions withdrew a photo album, now if anyone else saw Anko with a photo album they would be scared half to death of what horrible twisted things Anko would stop to take a picture for. Of course these people still didn't know that she had children and would succumb to the urge that all parents had and take pictures of her children through the years...
Naturally this calls for a few flashbacks...
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Village of Konoha
Anko's Old Apartment
Six years ago...
It had just been another day for Anko, a quick and dirty A level mission two days ago had given her the rest of the week off, something she was grateful for so that she could spend some time with her children. She had a...feeling... was all she could call it that perhaps today would be the day something unexpected happened...
Anko yawned as she slowly exited her room not finishing the thought, she had decided to sleep in and make up for the lack of sleep from the last mission. Quick and dirty didn't exactly mean she'd have the luxury of rest...such was the life of a ninja though and she completely accepted it. Making her way towards the kitchen to fix breakfast for her and the children she passed by their cribs, not really noticing that Reese was awake and watching her...
"Momma?"
A simple single word spoken in a innocent curious tone had the power to do what many now deceased ninja wished they could have done.
Stop Anko Mitarashi dead in her tracks.
She turned slowly towards the cribs with trepidation, surly she had just imagined that voice, she must still be groggy from just waking up and as far as she knew they were all asleep still. The sight of little Reese hanging onto the edge of his crib staring back at her gave her cause to smile, he was the little troublemaker, never staying to a schedule (even for a baby) and always trying to escape from his crib for some unfathomable reason.
Anko went over to his crib and picked him up giving him a warm wide smile that lacked any of her typical sarcasm or malice, "Awake again I see, since your up wanna help momma fix breakfast?" she said in a warm tone that no one outside her apartment ever heard.
Reese of course giggled and smiled back "Momma Momma"
Pleasant shock shot through Anko at these simple and innocently spoken words, she couldn't believe he was talking already! it had only been a month or so ago that they learned to crawl and now this...
A large and happy grin spread across Anko's face as she hugged Reese close to her, his first words in this world had been momma and they were directed at her, it was something that sent a powerful jolt of warm feelings coursing through her very veins. She only hoped that Davis and Chris started talking soon as well...
Reese, looking extremely pleased with himself, kept up what seemed a good thing. "Momma Momma Momma!"
Anko laughed lightly, a very pleasing and melodious sound that held none of the cynicism or pain she held for the world. "Ok you little scamp, keep it down or you'll wake your brothers..lets go make that breakfast hmm" she ended this statement by lightly ruffling her oldest's hair and heading towards the kitchen...
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Modern Day..
Such a happy memory that, Anko couldn't really match it with anything else in her life before she took on the children...little Reese had been so proud of himself that he soon learned many...many...many more words. she was grateful that her son was so articulate and intelligent, like any mother she was always proud of him for it.
Of course some of the words he learned tended to get him in as much trouble as they got him out of but that was a given and something she had put her foot down on, hypocrite or not, no one but Anko swore in her household and that was final...
Of course she had certain memory's of each of her boys, she didn't have many photos of the exact times but some of the one's she took couldn't help but remind her of the time Chris...
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Konoha Public Playgrounds
3 Years Ago...
It was a shame when the adults of a powerful clan let their ego spill over to their young ones, even those at such an early age, of course some kids didn't need any encouragement to be spoiled brats...
Anko reflected on this as she watched her kids play at one of the local playgrounds, of course she kept herself hidden in the trees, safe from the prying eyes of the villagers. It served a duel purpose as she seemed to fill the other kids (not to mention the adults) with unease when she was in plain view and it added credence to her cover story of just looking after her boys for her non existent sister. As long as she could keep an eye on them and their younger playmate Uzumaki Naruto, she was just fine were she was.
Of course she'd keep them safe from damn near anything that came their way...well except for certain other children.
One Uchiha Sasuke, terror of the playgrounds despite his young age for his bullying ways and general disdain for anyone he deemed unfit to share his sandbox. It was unfortunate that the rare times he crossed paths with the young Naruto it often led to open war.
A shadow fell upon the four happy young ones, spoiling their tunnel/castle project in the sand (Anko had preformed a low level water jutsu to make the sand just wet enough) all four turned towards the caster of the shadow and immediately the good cheer they felt evaporated.
"You're in my sandbox" was all the youngest heir to the Ucchia said.
"It's not your's you jerk, its public prop...prop..." The now standing Naruto turned to his best friend Reese for help on the hard word
"Property"
"Yeah that, so just go play somewhere else ya bully" Exclaimed the young blonde
"Make me dobe" and with that Sasuke stepped forward giving all the intent of pushing around a certain loud mouth.
From her perch in the tree's Anko sighed, it was almost always like this...Sasuke seemed to be a good kid most of the time but whenever he got around her boys or Naruto he tended to become a real brat. she was about to leap down and give him a scolding when Chris stood in between the two.
"Sasuke, if you push our friend we're going to push you right back...I don't care how good you think you are but don't think you can take on all three Mitarashi brothers at the same time. But if you're going to start, start with me...Now go find another sandbox to play in" Chris's words though spoken as a threat were conveyed in a soft reasoning tone, one that he had quickly learned to take when fixing disputes between Reese and Davis.
Sasuke simply stared at the four of them for awhile then with a "Whatever you losers..." he simply turned and walked away, leaving the friends in peace once more.
"Man that guy really burns me up..." Said Naruto
"Yeah...what a jerk" Agreed Reese
"Good job big brother, how'd you do it?" inquired Davis to his older brother Chris
"It was nothing guys...come on lets get back to building before the sand all drys up!" With this order the friends once again resumed their construction efforts as though nothing had really interrupted them.
From the tree's Anko couldn't help but smile a motherly pride type smile, after all her boy had just stood up to one of the biggest bullies of the playground and had managed to keep anyone from getting hurt. She was proud they her boy had used words first but was ready to back them up with action, he was acting much more mature then most kids his age...
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Modern Day
Anko still smiled at that day, after all it had proved to be a trend that Chris would act the most mature and responsible of the three, well for a seven year old anyway. She didn't want him to grow up too fast...
It was a damn shame what had happened to young Sasuke, he may have been a bit of a brat but no one deserved to have their entire family taken away by their big brother in one horrible night...she hadn't really seem him since that day...he had never returned to that playground.
Shaking her head to rid herself of such thoughts she flipped the page in her album one more time, coming to the more recent pictures. She smiled again as she came upon the one time she HAD gotten a picture of that certain memory with Davis...
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The "Usual Spot"
Konoha, Ichiraku ramen stand
One year ago
Naruto was glad that he had such a good friend as Reese, they had been looking out for each other since for as long as he could remember, and when he had offhandedly remarked that he hadn't seen their mutual friend Hinata Hyuuga in weeks Reese had gotten a look in his eyes that spelled trouble. Of course Naruto wanted to be a part of whatever he was planning but all Reese would tell him was to wait by their "Usual Spot" which of course meant the old man's ramen stand where they first met Hinata about a year ago.
It had been awkward at first with the young girl simply blushing and stuttering alot everytime Naruto tried to speak with her, he had been ready to just chalk her up as a weird shy girl and leave when Reese had stepped in and helped Hinata convey what she was trying to say. Which was that she wanted to be friends with them, had wanted to be friends with them for a while but was always to shy and nervous to actually go up and speak to the often rowdy pair. And the rest they would soon say was history, the three had enjoyed the rest of the day together before Hinata was forced to part with them, with the promise they'd see each other again
Naruto grinned as the happy memory washed over him, they had become good friends with her and every chance they got all three could be found hanging out together...
That was until Hinata's father found out she was friends with Naruto and Reese, ever since the news reached his ears he had added a confusing mix of trouble to the newly formed trio, sometimes Hinata was allowed out and if she just so happened to meet with them (not much of a accident as she actively sought out her only friends) was left alone to play and yet other times she was locked up tight in the compound, not allowed to go out. The only thing that was a constant was that neither of them were allowed near the compound either as a pair or separately. Naruto didn't know what the old man's problem was with him or Reese but he knew it was making his friend Hinata sad, and that was something that bothered him extremely...
"Still" Thought Naruto as he glanced next to him at the now smiling Hyuuga princess "If I had known he was going to stage a jailbreak I'd have gone with him, by the sound of those alarms he must have set the place on fire or something!"
But at lest Hinata had gotten out and was now free to do what she wanted and with whom, Naruto always felt bad for his friend...he couldn't imagine having almost everything about your life controlled. But it didn't seem so bad now that she was friends with him and Reese, she had stopped stuttering and blushing all the time, she even told people what was on her mind and let voice her opinion if she felt strongly about the subject (and when she was around Naruto and Reese), of course she was still shy around new people and fairly quiet even around her friends but she was far improved from when she was younger.
"I'd hate to think what she'd be like if she didn't have any friends...well friends like us anyway" He couldn't help give his trademark grin back at her. The shy and quiet Hyuuga heiress best friends with the two most troublesome and loudest kids in Konoha, perhaps the oddest group of friends to walk the streets of the leaf village
Hinata's voice broke his musings "Say Naruto-kun...I'm worried about Reese...I know my father will be angry and last I saw him he was being chased by some branch members...perhaps we should go look for him?" Her smile was gone as worry sunk in about her other friend.
"Hey don't worry Hinata-chan, if there's one person who can take care of himself it's my buddy Reese, why I bet he's already lost those goons and is on his way here as we speak" Naruto stated with utter confidence in his voice, they had been dodging adults ever since they started trying to prank some of the more stuffy grownups of the city and were experts at it by now.
"I just hope you're right Naruto-kun..."
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Random Konoha Alleyway
Near Hyuuga clan grounds
Same time as above events.
"Of all the rotten luck..." Reese had to keep himself from swearing the few swear words he knew, though in his mind the situation definitely called for it. "The next time I come up with another plan like this I'm going to have Chris club me over the head and tie me up..."
Oh it wasn't that it was a bad plan he mused, it was in fact genius and had come off without a hitch. He and Naruto missed seeing Hinata and he knew that she felt the same, the problem being that her family was basically keeping her locked up in the compound. Enter the superior intellect of one Reese Mitarashi, keeping Naruto at the meeting place to greet her he swiftly made his way to the Hyuuga compound. It was a simple thing to study the routes of the guards on duty and move accordingly (he had been lucky that the guards hadn't been using the Byakugan at that moment) before long he was at Hinata's window. An easy climb for a (Still in training) ninja later and he was at her window knocking.
The rest of the plan was just as simple, she'd make a run for it while he made a alot of noise to attract attention on himself giving her time to get away...
That part of the plan had worked too well.
Hinata had more then made good on his distraction and was long gone, the only good part of part B of his plan. However he'd managed to bring almost the whole compound down on him, only the fact that they thought he was some inexperienced punk and his mothers training saved him that time. He'd been able to get out of the compound and lose most of his captors...
All but the two that had been tailing him since he hit the streets, and despite his keen tactical mind he'd managed somehow to run right into a dead end. He didn't have to turn around to know they had entered into the alleyway behind him, he'd gotten even more unlucky by running into the ONE ally in Konoha whose fence was too high for him to jump and that there were no clear treebranchs within reach. "Well the best laid plans of mice and men they say...time to see if skillful negotiation abilities will work"
Reese turned around and put on his biggest most winning smile and tried too look as happy as though he just won the Konoha lottery. "Gentlemen, how are you this fine and lovely day now ...what can I help you wi...urk!"
He didn't get much further as the largest of the two pursuers reached out and picked him up by his shirt collar, the look in his eyes was clear enough, no talking his way outta this one.
"Listen here you punk, you tell us what you've done with Miss Hinata right this moment or by god I swear I'll break both your legs!!!"
Reese gulped nervously, the slime ball meant what he said and despite all the training he had undergone he was still outmatched AND outnumbered. his mind raced as he tried to think of anything at all that would get him out of the situation with both legs intact.
"Oi!, Hyuuga scum, why don't you pick on someone your own size... like a stray dog or something?"
The taunt was more then sufficient to draw both Hyuuga goons attention to the treetops where a young blonde sat in the trees.
It also gave the blonde a prefect chance to launch a small pebble into the right eye of the man holding Reese, something that he took full advantage of.
The man grabbed at his eye while at the same time letting Reese go, who promptly gained as much distance from the man as he possibly could, which wasn't far but better then hanging by his shirt collar.
"Davis what are you doing here!?"
The youngest Mitarashi brother simply shot his older brother a grin before turning his attention back to the now livid pair of Hyuugas
"You little prick, I'll kill you for that ya hear me!!" yelled the one who had taken the rock in the eye.
"Woah hey calm down man..." the smallest one started to look around nervously "You have any idea what she will do to us if we hurt her nephews...I don't want to end up like Shinichi man...no way"
Davis snorted as he readied his retort."You jerks touch my brother again and I'll kill you myself, no reason to drag my mo..aunt into this"
"Big words for a half pint, you're even smaller then that brat over there, what can you do to us?" challenged the larger man.
"Buy time" was all Davis said .
"Wha??" confused the larger man looked around and finally noticed that his prey had long since flown the coop, looking up he discovered the second kid was gone as well, leaving him and his partner empty handed and looking the fools for being tricked by two kids.
"Goddammit!!!" was all he could shout in the mockingly empty alleyway.
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A short time later...
"They gone?" a voice whispered seemingly from the fence.
"Yeah the coast is clear" whispered back a voice from the trees
In a flash a tree colored sheet and a generic fence looking sheet dropped and reveled both Mitarashi brothers still in the alleyway, Reese grinned as his little brother lept from the trees and into the alley with him. "Hey little bro, thanks for the rescue but I gotta ask, how did ya find me?"
Davis, his face it's typical somber self once more, shook his head. "When they raised the alarm at the Hyuuga compound I took a random guess that it was you and Naruto again and headed this way..."
"Ha ha ha ha, well I'm glad you guessed right, though this was a solo job this time"
"Yeah I know, me and Chris were passing by the raman stand as we headed towards the compound, he noticed Naruto sitting there with Hinata and pretty much guessed the rest...he's standing guard there now so those two can enjoy the day without worrying about getting caught"
"Well I'm grateful little bro, you really saved my butt back there and I owe ya one"
Davis sighed "You can pay me back by being more responsible for once and to stop ru.."
Reese cut him off by placing him in a friendly little headlock. "What? be more responsible? thats Chris's gig and you know it little bro, lighten up a bit eh hahahha"
"Ah big brother stop it! If you don't stop I'm going to get you back!"
"Ha ha ha ha just try it"
Their mixed laugher echoed through the seemingly empty alleyway, as the two brothers begin to wrestle in the way siblings do.
Neither brother heard the click of a camera going off...
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Modern Day.
Anko smiled at the photo, she had taken it just as Davis got out of the headlock and started to retaliate, but it wasn't the picture itself that made her smile, it was how proud she was of her youngest. How he had rushed to his brothers aid without a second pause or hesitation. She had been worried about him up to that point because he seemed like such a loner outside of the practice area and she figured it would be tough for him to function as part of the team but that day had showed her Davis's true team spirit in and out of the training grounds...
Her children had just begun their training that year when that happened, having covered nothing more then the basics like shuriken practice and tree jumping as well as using their chakra to enhance their physical abilities such as jumping and running. Using the cameo sheets to hide had been the latest thing they had learned and she was very proud of the fact they had used it with such success.
Oh she'd been there alright and saw everything that had happened in the alleyway, that awesome radar ability all mothers had in relation to her children (It had amazed her the first time it went off) and the general chaos and noise coming from the Hyuuga compound had led her to the same conclusions of her youngest, she had easily found Reese and when the large fool had threatened to break his legs she had been ready for some major bloodletting. She had drawn her kunai and was taking aim when she heard Davis land nearby her.
It had been worth it to see what Davis would do, the two Hyuugas got out alive (she'd been disappointed at the time) and her boys had gotten away mostly unscathed. They suffered more in their daily training then they had on that day and it gave her a sense of pride to know that perhaps mere months later Reese would have been able to handle himself enough to have gotten out of that situation with ease.
It brought back the time she first showed them where they would be training to become ninjas for the very first time...
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Training Ground Zero
Village of Konoha
One year ago
6:00 A.M
"May the Kami bless that old man, he even got the giant man eating snakes I asked for!"
Anko's smile was from ear to ear as she took in the wonderful sight before her...
Training Ground Zero was a place specifically created and made for the development of Team Zero (or it's future to be more accurate). This being a special project of two Hokage's meant that the funding and effort put into creating the ultimate training ground that would accommodate perhaps a new generation of Konoha nin was given no limit.
This place was designed to test the hearts of shinobi like never before.
This place was designed with much input from one of the (still) most twisted kounichi of the leaf.
This place was designed for the sole purpose of taking three people and turning them into awesome killing machines.
Naturally the subjects in question were still very young boys who were just starting their training, and the fact of the matter was that most of the training ground was a death trap for trained ninjas much less three kids who didn't know a shuriken from a kunai and weren't likely to last more then a minute in the multiple environment obstacle courses or the multitude of traps that tested a nins chakra control as well as physical ability. Not to mention the vast array of deadly or poisonous wildlife that had been transported to their appropriate obstacle courses, the giant man eating snakes not withstanding there were several painful ways to die horribly in Training Ground Zero even for a fully trained ninja.
Naturally there were several non lethal areas as well, places to practice the basics and learn to control chakra without havening to worry about getting eaten by something in the trees or traps being sprung.
There was a section of the forest "zone" that was cordoned off from the (deadly) wildlife to aid in various plant jutsus both advanced and basic until the user felt confident enough to test them under "adverse" conditions.
A small but strong river ran through the training ground as well, perfect place to test water jutsus of any kind as well as a place to test physical endurance.
A region of the grounds was covered with large rocks and bare earth, yet another place to test ground type jutsus, it also served as a great taijutsu training ground.
There were several other areas as well all various in their ability to kill their user but all with one single purpose in mind.
To help train the best damn ninja that Konoha would ever see.
This was Anko's dream, it was a combination of her desires as a mother to see her children be something great and as her pride as a ninja of the leaf to add to her villages prestige and power. She had been trained by a sannin (the strongest of the three in fact) and though she hated him and everything he had done to her in this life, she couldn't deny he taught her well. She was well versed in ninjutsu, genjutsu and taijutsu, she knew many styles and techniques of the aforementioned though she showed no overwhelming strength in any one category unlike some of her peers.
Her great strength perhaps was the same as her teacher, she picked up on new jutsus quickly and mastered them just as fast with enough competence to teach them to others, this was one of the reasons that the Third had picked her for this mission. She also knew more then a few forbidden techniques as well as those dealing specifically with snakes though she was under orders not to teach them.
"Which suits me just fine" Anko thought grimly as she surveyed the area once more "My boys will not go through the same things I did in order to learn those"
Turning around she went back towards the entrance gate to the training ground, she had left the boys there under the care of the ANBU guards so she could check it out one last time making sure it was ready...
This was to be their first official day of training!
The first day towards the creation of Team Zero!
Anko passed through the gate nodding towards the ANBU guards and motioned for her children to follow her through the gate "Come on, time for you guys to see where you'll be spending most of your days from now on" at that she turned and went back beyond the gate.
Chris, Reese and Davis looked at each other nervously, this place gave them some seriously bad vibes. To start off with it was in a entirely deserted part of Konoha, (near were the Uchiha compound used to be in fact) they couldn't even tell what was beyond the gate anyway because of the five story high wall that surrounded the grounds and the two guys dressed in black carrying weapons and weird masks that hid their face didn't make it any more appealing.
Little did the boys know that all this was done entirely for them though it was doubtful if they could have appreciated it at the time...
The area around were the now defunct Uchiha had their compound was considered a unlucky place for several reasons. The most notable was when Itachi had slaughtered every clan member there except his brother, it was only natural that many thought that the place was haunted with the ghosts of the slain members. Another good reason was that was the direction the Kyuubi had come from before committing itself to attack the village, finally the place was just plain creepy with the compound ruins being so close by.
Those reasons were what kept most of the villagers away.
Throw in that the Hokage had declared the area closed to all ninja but those of the ANBU and the engineering-nins who were sent in to build the training grounds in the first place, both groups of which swore a mighty oath not to reveal any of this on pain of death.
Now one cannot hide the fact that a training ground of this scope and complexity is being built, however one can insure that it's true purpose remain hidden by allowing a few choice rumors or misconceptions fly about.
Thus was the construction and true purpose of Training Ground Zero mired in mystery and intrigue within the ninja ranks, though none dared satisfy their curiosity, the Hokage had placed the strictest punishment for any save those ANBU sent to guard the area who dared go.
And the members and trainer of the future Team Zero naturally.
Of course all this the boys did not know...
All they knew was that their mother had dragged them out of their nice warm beds at six in the morning and sent them on a hike across town and to some deserted place in the middle of nowhere, sat them on a bench next to the guard station at the gate to whatever the hell those tall walls hid from view and told to to be quiet and wait while she disappeared beyond said gate for about ten minutes.
"Whatever...lets just get this over with" stated Davis as he followed after their mother.
"Aww come on..." moaned the eldest brother.
Chris just simply sighed and followed them.
--------------
"So what do you boys think eh?" Declared Anko Mitarashi with obvious pride in her voice her back to her boys "Brings a tear to your eye doesn't it?"
Silence was all that answered her
Put off by the lack of enthusiasm by her pseudo-offspring she turned to what she hopped to see was stunned admiration.
Of course life is always full of those little disappointments.
Davis shuffled around nervously, which was highly unlike him, and tended to avoid eye contact with anything but the ground, his face held a worried look that said "So this is how it ends?"
Chris remained stock still and desperately tried to keep any signs of emotion from his face, though he did a poor job, his left eye twitched like he had a nervous tic and he seemed to be sweating despite the coolness of the early morning air.
Reese had his right hand over his eyes as though he was too afraid to look anymore and seemed to be mumbling under his breath about how he must be having some sort of nightmare but was really safe asleep in his bed.
"Problems?"
Peeking through his fingers Reese fixed a stare on his mother."Yeah...I want ta live!"
"Don't be a smart ass!!" Anko exclaimed shaking her fist at her eldest.
"Ummm...mother...isn't this place...?"
"Isn't this place what?"
Chris coughed nervously before going on."Don't you think maybe...we're not ready for this place?"
"Do you think maybe we're not ready to die yet!!" cried out Reese using his right hand now to return the fist shake.
Anko stomped over to her eldest and held her hand over his mouth to stifle any more comments. "I thought I told you not to be a smart ass!"
"He's got a point mom..." chimed in Davis
"What point!?" she replied "I thought you all wanted to be ninjas...you can't be ninjas if you're not willing to take a little risk!"
Reese tried to say something again through his mothers hand but quickly put an end to it after being given the "last warning" stare.
"Yeah but mother...can't we go to a normal training ground first...doesn't this all seem to advanced for us?" questioned Chris, hoping to appeal to his mothers sanity
"No..."
All three boys sighed and hung their head.
Anko let go of Reese's mouth and took a few steps back before turning her back to them.
"I'm sorry..but thats just not possible..your training must be an absolute secret"
"Why?" that was Chris again
It was fortunate that they couldn't see the look on their mothers face.
"If I told them the whole truth then...but to lie to them like this.."
A war raged across Anko's mind, on one hand she had never lied to her boys about anything major and she didn't want to ever...her relationship with her own parents had been built on lies to say nothing of her time with her mentor Orochimaru...
Ok strike that first part...
She had lied about many many major things to her sons, she had known it was only time before they questioned her on certain things like who their father was or her past. She didn't want them to know that she wasn't their real mother, that she had no idea who their real parents were. And forget ever telling them of Orochimaru and what she had done as his apprentice and accomplice.
Their love for her meant far to much to lose it to such details of her life.
She had scoffed when the Hokage had said as much, that she would learn a new kind of fear and that was of losing them forever. And it was such a powerful quiet fear too, something she had never experienced in her life...
"It kills me inside everytime to lie to them...but for them to think less of me...for them to no longer love me..."
Anko released a long sigh as she prepared once again to dig her self deeper.
"You're special because you're my boys...because you're going to be part of a new project to determine if truly talented boys without a bloodline limit should be allowed to be trained earlier"
Of course this was a half truth which would hold up unless...
"Uh...that really doesn't make much sense mom...why US again??"
Anko swore internally over Reese's insatiable curiosity, she didn't want to reveal this to anyone, but it was her only way out and better this then telling them the actual truth...
She turned around and and dropped to one knee beside her eldest who just had to have a further explanation.
Smiling gently she placed one hand on his shoulder and looked him square in the eye. "Because I want you boys to prove the value of my existence"
That got her their undivided attention as well as even more confusion. Their mother had never seemed to give a damn what anyone seemed to think of her and always looked like she lived her life to the fullest and in the moment, always daring and never caring about anything except them and being a ninja.
Motioning for both Chris and Davis to come closer she started to explain what would best be called a semi confessional.
"You see, the Mitarashi's have never had some fancy or cool bloodline limit that could distinguish us amongst the shinobi world...and as a matter of a fact a large portion of ninja's share our fate"
She shook her head as she placed her other hand on Chris squeezing his shoulder ever so slightly.
"But people like us get pushed to the side by the Hyuugas and the Uchiha's and even lesser clans like the Innuzakas or Naras..."
She then locked her eyes square with her youngest, seeing his growing understanding of what she was trying to say.
"I want you boys to do what I couldn't when I was your age...I want you to prove it doesn't matter what the hell clan you were born in, it only matter's how hard you work and how much passion you have in your heart to be a powerful ninja"
She bowed her head to keep her children from seeing the lone tear that escaped her eyes, this whole cover story was becoming less and less of a cover all the time. It was bringing back memories of her youth...
Of times when she had been overlooked as a genin because she was on the same team as a Hyuuga...
Of times when she was always thought less of despite all her training and success...
Of the times of despair when it seemed like she would never be recognized for her talents...
Of the times before Orochimaru came into her life...
"No...I don't want you to just prove you're just as good as them...I want you to prove you're better...I want..."
She was stopped mid plea by a simple yet significant action on her children's part
Chris had grasped her hand and was holding it in his smaller ones tightly nodding to her words...
Davis had moved in and placed one hand on her right cheek, smiling into her eyes..
Reese held her other hand next to his heart and gave her a lopsided grin that always spelled trouble..
"Mother say no more!" said Chris Mitarashi.
"He's right Mom, you don't need to cry anymore" stated Davis Mitarashi in a gentle tone.
"Hey, we're here for you Mom, if us becoming the most awesome ninjas in the village is you're dream..." trailed off Reese Mitarashi.
"Then we swear right here and now!"
"To do everything we can to help you achieve that dream!"
"No matter what!!"
"..."
Anko Mitarashi was a woman who had stared death in the face too many times to count in her life and had brutally killed many men and woman in the line of her profession without batting an eye. A kounichi who had seen and done horrific things that would send lesser people to a nut house for life.
This woman was stunned by three young boys who had just given their lives and futures to her without a second thought.
It was the second greatest gift that had ever been given to her in her whole life.
The first being that she was ever allowed to become their mother...
She did the only thing a battle hardened ninja could do in that situation.
She did her best to gather all three of her boys into one gigantic hug and buried her face into the nearest shoulder and cried tears of happiness, quietly saying over and over how much she loved them with all her heart as she felt her boys return the hug without hesitation.
It was indeed the truth birth of Team Zero that day...
--------------------------------------------------
Modern Day
Anko's apartment
6:30 P.M.
That had been a very emotional day for her, and she was very glad it had been shared somewhere private. Naturally after all the formalities and the tours of the training grounds was done she took aside the ANBU guards at the gate and threatened castration of them AND their future sons if they ever told a soul about what they had heard.
It worked like a charm...like it always did.
The fear of Anko was strong indeed.
She had made them make one more promise as they went home that evening, in preparation for tomorrows real first day of training.
She made them swear not to reveal their training no matter what until she told them the time was right, the secrecy of the project demanded nothing less.
They had again agreed without any hesitation, trusting her completely.
She had almost broken down again.
Even now, a year later sitting in her living room she could feel stirrings from that moment, it touched her deeply to know that the boys loved her, truly loved her to the point of going so far to make an old and abandoned dream of hers come true...
Simply to make their mother happy.
A small voice in the back of her head told her that perhaps, secure in this knowledge, she could finally tell them the truth of their parentage and that they would still love her, still see her as their mother.
"I've lied to them so much...perhaps I should..."
Then that old fear struck once again at her heart, as accurate and deadly as any foe's shuriken.
So she locked away that thought in her "If I don't think about it, then it won't/didn't happen" file that she used for some of her most vivid memories of service with the snake.
Anko returned her scrapbook to it's hiding place in the underside of the chair and sat up and stretched, She'd make a good hearty meal for her boys in anticipation for tomorrow, it still surprised her how well she had taken to cooking...
"If anyone had ever told me I'd be cooking for a family of four ..."
Smiling lightly she entered into the kitchen, the sacred domain of all mothers since the dawn of time...
------------------------------------
The Next Day
Short time after Mitarashi training hours...
Naruto Uzumaki loved afternoons for the simple fact that it was when his best friend Reese was available to hang out and do stuff with him. It was also a great time to make jokes at his friends expense when he came from his mother's training all beat up and dirty. Naruto knew it was ninja training just as he knew Anko was Reese's mother. There were few secrets between the two friends, though Reese made him swear on the all holy ramen special at ichiraku not to tell a single soul.
And so he would wait by a fountain in a secluded place that was often devoid of people until Reese would either come walking up whistling some mindless tune and greet him with a hearty slap on the back or slowly limp his way up to him until he collapsed in a heap next to Naruto...
Grinning his typical foxy grin complete with his trademark squint at his best friend, Naruto had to hold back the laughter as his friend with a much suffering groan sat down next to him. Covered in both dirt, sweat, and a fair amount of dried blood from already tended wounds, Reese looked like he had just fought a couple of tigers and lost the match.
"Soooo..."
"Couldn't...outrun...boulder...last lap..."
"Ah"
Cue six seconds later and Naruto has howling with laughter at the withering glare his friend shot him at his noncommittal reply to his suffering.
"Can it you punk, you wouldn't be laughing if you had to do this everyday" grunted Reese as Naruto's laughter started to die down.
"Yeah well, I'm sure it will be like this when we get into the academy so you'll have plenty of time to get me back"
"HA, you bet I will, the academy stuff will be cakewalk compared to what me and my bro's are doing now!"
Laughing once again Naruto handed his buddy a rice ball he had been saving for him, to which the brown haired boy gladly accepted and began munching on.
It was their typical routine, come rain or shine or even how badly beaten up Reese was, that Naruto would make fun of his friend before handing him something to snack on while they chatted and joked before it was time he went home for dinner, often Reese invited Naruto to accompany him back home to eat with his family,It was something that the young Uzumaki enjoyed immensely. Though he lived on his own now with his own apartment set up by the Hokage, he thought well of Anko as she always greeted him a smile. Other then old man Hokage and Hinata they were the only people who didn't either treat him with fear or outright hate him.
They always welcomed him into their home and always made him feel like one of them, that whatever made the people of the village hate and fear him didn't exist...
It was the closest thing to a family he had ever known.
It was something he was extremely grateful for.
The two friends sat in comfortable silence that only served to enhance the calm and peace of the deserted square, each boy's thoughts turned towards the near future. The academy was barely a year away and it had overjoyed Naruto to know that not only would the Mitarashi boys be in the same class as him but his other good friend Hinata Hyuuga would also be in attendance. To the blonde loudmouth, the chance to learn the ninja arts coupled with being able to hang out with all his important people every day was a godsend. He would finally be able to start on the road to achieving his dream, it was a secret that he hadn't even told Reese for fear of his friend teasing him, he wanted to be the next Hokage because...
A sharp whistle cut through the air and disrupted both the peace and Naruto's train of thought
Looking up both boys saw the middle child of the Mitarashi brothers waving at them as he approached/limped. Chris had obviously fared better then Reese had but still carried his share of bruises and cuts. Still despite it all he carried his own cheerful grin of his own as he approached them.
"Hey guy's, Aunt Anko sent me to get Reese for dinner but said you were welcome to join us tonight Naruto" Stated Chris as he stopped in front of his brother.
Reese of course had never bothered to let his family know that Naruto was in the know about what was supposed to be a closely guarded secret from the public, he knew better then to risk the "punishment" his mother promised if they ever let it slip.
Even if she did like Naruto...
"What's she making?" was the blonde's only question
"Tonight's ramen night..."
"Nuff said!"
With a grin ten miles wide, Naruto lept to his feet and gave his best bud a hearty slap on the back to encourage him to get up faster, this caused an anguished moan from the eldest Mitarashi as his "best friend" struck a sore spot on his back.
"Gah...you jerk..."
Both Chris and Naruto laughed as they helped the most wounded member of their group to his feet, Chris lent his brother a shoulder to lean on as they began to slowly make their way back home.
A soft click, like the sound of a camera going off, went unnoticed by the trio as they continued on their way...
"Ah the memories...Kami, I'm going soft around these kids..."
Anko resolved to make the next training session twice as tough as before to compensate.
In two different parts of Konoha, three young boys suddenly shivered despite the warmth in the air...
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SBC- And here we go, the third chapter of Team Zero this one took me a long time to get out because of...technical difficulties in the creative process. Anyway if you've stuck around this long to read this then I really do appreciate it, writing is two parts I like to think, one for the writer and the other for the people who happen to like it. As you can guess I'm going to have the academy days for Naruto go a lot differently then before, there won't be any dead last this time around for our main man though he'll still be a general pain in the ass for those like Sasuke or teachers like Iruka (with his good buddy Reese of course and maybe a little bit of the new improved Hinata), so look for two parts (might even split into mini chapters) if any of y'all got questions or comments, you know how to reach me by reviewing, Stray Cat Blues out.
P.S After writing the OC info, I suddenly decided to write a Hinata info list, she's one of my fave girls and as I've indicated in this chap she's not going to be quite the same quiet mouse as she is in the anime, so I'll put that up and any other changes that might occur...as a added note, anyone who can draw out there is more then welcome to draw me and my friends characters or the slightly changed designs I might add to the non OC's, (if I don't mention anything as is the case of Naruto then their unchanged from the anime) it'd really give my friends a kick in ass to have them drawn and posted on the net or any kind of artwork for this story for that matter, anyway SCB out (for real this time)
Post Chapter Character Info
Naruto Uzamaki- 7 years old- bearer of the nine tailed demon fox Kyuubi-His cheerful and troublesome nature is more of a natural thing this time around then a desperate cry of a attention despite the fact the majority of the village still looks on him with hate and fear-Has formed strong friendships with both Reese Mitarashi and Hinata Hyuuga
Hinata Hyuuga- 7 years old- Heir to Hyuuga main house- looks basically the same from anime though with longer hair/bangs- Wears a pair the same goggles on her forehead as Reese and Naruto (only when around them)- More confident around people thanks to the influence of her best friends Naruto/Reese, still gets nervous around others like her father when her friends are not present- - Fiercely protective of her friends and will staunchly defend them against any who badmouth them in front of her (except her father).
Post Chapter OC Info
Large Hyuuga Goon - Now known as "Patches"- Hyuuga branch member with no training whatever in the ninja arts or in the families bloodline thus unable to use Byakugan , more akin to a beer joint brawler- More or less Slim's boss- Has a burning desire for revenge on Reese/Davis Mitarashi- Now demoted to toilet scrubber due to failure to capture the intruders in the Hyuuga Compound- Utterly devoted to "Miss. Hinata".
Small Hyuuga Goon- Now known as "Slim"- Hyuuga branch member has even less combat skills then Patchs, thus none- Has the fear of Anko in him- Does whatever "Patchs" tells him- Demoted to toilet cleaner along with Patchs-Also utterly devoted to Hinata.