Maelstrom of the Ash

Chapter 3: Team Placements

It's been another four years since then. Naruto wears a Konoha hitai-ate, with an orange cloth, with a tail that ends just passed his shoulders. He wears a black, unzipped trench coat that ends at his mid thigh. Under the jacket is mesh armor under an ash grey shirt. The blonde wears a black belt that holds a small gourd filled with ash. Said belt also holds up a pair of orange ANBU-style pants, and a pair of black shinobi sandals. He died his hair Uzumaki Red, and let it grow out. The redhead now has jaw-length bangs that frame his face perfectly.

In the four years, the Sandaime and Naruto still visited Suna. With Naruto getting a crush on Temari, Gaara's oldest sister.

Anyway, Naruto waiting for his Sensei, Iruka to get to class to tell his which team they are on, he remembers a spar with Gaara.

Two years ago, the Hokage is refereeing a spar against Naruto, and Gaara, with the Kazekage, and his other two children Temari, and Kankuro watching.

Naruto, and Gaara are just staring each other down, as the Sandaime says, "Hajime!"

Naruto then sends a tendrel of ash towards Gaara, whose automatic sand defence blocks the attack, getting said sand wall turned to glass. Naruto then says, "Washi no hai (Eagles of Ash)!" As ten eagles made of Ash appear above Naruto's head, diving straight at Gaara.

Gaara's sand defending him against each, and every eagle. Sabaku says, "Sand Shuriken." Ten shuriken made of sand shoots at Naruto, who blocks it with an ash wall.

Naruto says, "Haigakure no Jutsu!" The former blonde then breaths out ash, covering the training ground. Naruto then does some sneak attacks, and says, "Haiton: Uso Purūmu no Jutsu (Ash Release: Human pincushion Technique)." As the ash inside of Gaara's Sand Armor turns into solid ash senbon needles, knocking the boy out.

The cloud of ash dissipates, with Naruto standing in front of a knocked out Gaara sized pincushion. Which makes Kankuro almost laugh. Naruto then pulls all of the needles out of Gaara. When awake seconds later, he asks, "Naruto, do you think we could talk in private?"

Naruto nods, as they both disappear in an Elemental Shunshin. When in privacy, Gaara says, "I know that you like Nee-chan."

Naruto tries to deny this. He says, "I don't like Temari-chan. I'd never... One of you would kill me if I asked her out anyway. So what is the point?"

Gaara says, "The point is that If I accept anyone to date Nee-chan, it's you. Tou-san, and Nii-chan agree with me on this. That is what the meeting was about today. Apparently the Yondaime Hokage, and Tou-san made a marriage contract between the two of you. It's supposed to strengthen the Alliance that our two Villages have. When you, and the Sandaime leave Suna, Temari is to go with you, and become a Konoha Kunoichi."

Temari gets Naruto out from the memory, saying, "Naruto-koi, Iruka-sensei is here."

Naruto looks at Temari. She has sandy blonde hair pulled back into four pony-tails, and a black clothed Konoha hitai-ate around her neck. Temari wears long-sleeved purple blouse under a grey top, a dark blue skirt, and a long scarlet sash arranged in a bow. Under the clothes she wears over-the-shoulder mesh armor, that goes down past her skirt on her left thigh, and her right calf. With a giant war fan on her back.

Naruto then looks at Iruka, who says, "Team 7 consists of Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. Your Jounin-sensei is Kakashi Hatake. Team 8 consists of Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyuga, and Shino Aburame. Your Jounin-Sensei is Kurenai Yuhi. Tema 9 is still active, as Team Gai. Team 10 consists of Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi. Your Jounin-sensei is Asuma Sarutobi. Team 11 consists of Naruto Uzumaki, and Temari Sabaku. Your Jounin-sensei is Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin. You Senseis should be here after your lunch break." Iruka then leaves in a Shunshin.