Academy Days.... Part 2

I woke up the next morning around 6 AM and got ready for the day fairly early

I cooked breakfast for the rest of the team, after waking them up which they hated me for, but totally forgot about once they tasted my french toast

French toast always wins the hearts of others, I dare you prove me otherwise

After our heavenly breakfast, we headed out towards the academy for our first day

"Damnit" Shinji complained "Why would you make us go to the academy again you jerk" he asked me

"I told you, the next few members of our team are attending the academy today. We need to convince them to join up with us somehow" I said to him. Shinji just grunted and looked front and center

"I don't mind it really" Nanami said from my right side "It means more research material that I can use for one, and two it means more friends" she smiled.

"At least one of us wants to go to the academy" I muttered

Yahiko and Nagato were excited however

"What the hell are you complaining about, man?" Yahiko questioned Shinji "This is a great place to make new friends, ya know!" He shouted with a huge grin

"I agree with Yahiko" Nagato said "I would also like to meet this other Uzumaki Nii-San talked about.. She seems fun" he smiled

Konan didn't say anything. I'm pretty sure she was just happy being with me

We were snapped out of our conversation by a big building coming up in front of us. It was a fenced off building with a large courtyard and on big tower off to its side, making it look sort of like a shoe.

"We're here" I said as we stopped in front of the academy building

"Well at least it's better than what Ame had" Shinji resigned

We entered the building and were taken to a sort of auditorium building with a podium and platform in the far side of the room. We were filtered into rows in front of the podium and waited there for a few minutes, waiting for everyone to come inside.

As soon as everything was silent and there was nobody filtering in, Hiruzen stepped up onto the platform from a hidden door behind the curtains

He got behind the microphone and coughed. Everyone immediately turned to give him 100% of our attention and Respect. He smiled

"Good evening Konoha" he started "today we all gather today to introduce a new leaf onto Konohas great tree, a new generation of shinobi beginning their careers. We are here today to welcome our new class of students into our shinobi academy! This is the day, that your lives change. It might be for the better, may change for the worse. But even through the challenges, and adversity, the Will of Fire burns through Every Konoha Civilian and Shinobi!" The cheering that happened at that was immense. It kind of hurt my ears...

"And even as our shinobi give their lives to protect those here in Konoha, the Will of Fire grows no less brighter than it was before! It is handed to the next generation and it safeguarded by the older generation, for days, months, and years to come! The Will of Fire will always stand! And you will be the next generation who carries it!" Another cheer.. Owwww

I've gotta admit though, Hiruzen was good - He almost hooked me in with that to be honest.. almost

I'll have to talk with the others after today and make sure he hasn't hooked any of the team in either

After the whole speech jig, he told us the the names and our classes were posted out in the lobby and we all lined up to see which class we were in.

Me, Konan, and Shinji were in the same class with Kushina and Minato, which was great. Nanami, Nagato, and Yahiko were in the class with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio which was kind of worrying, but I'm sure Nanami has it under control

The first day introductions went around

"My name is Akei Shinji. My hobbies are training and smithing, my likes are fighting and my friends Nanami and Jack" I smiled at that "I dislike losing and poorly made weapons, my favorite foods include Italian food and Ramen" I got him into ramen about the same time I did. I guess it's just in the Uzumaki gene to absolutely love the stuff "My dream for the future is to be able to forge swords equal to the 7 swords of the mist and to become the second strongest shinobi in the world" he grinned at me when he said that, to which I grinned back

Introductions went around, but in the background kids were muttering about mine and Kushina's hair color, just like in the anime

When it came around it was Kushina's turn

"Anou, My name is Kushina Uzumaki! My hobbies are pulling pranks, meeting new people and trying out new sealing formations, I like to cook new foods, and I dislike anything bitter. My favorite food is Salt Ramen, and my Dream is... To become the strongest Kunoichi in the world!" Not first female hokage? hmm...

Then it came to my turn "My name is Jack" I grinned before looking Kushina in the eye "Uzumaki Jack!" She went wide eyed and her eyes teared up a little. My grin widened before continuing "My hobbies are to Train, Compose Music, and Cloud Watch, I like my friends, sealing, and my sensei Hashi-Jiji, I dislike dictators. pricks who think they know anything about everything, and general assholes" Shinji laughed out loud at that "My Favorite foods are Pizza, Ramen, and Shells and Cheese. I reeeally love my shells and cheese, and My dream is to become the Most Powerful Shinobi in the world!" I Finished and sat down while Kushina was looking at me from her seat like I was somehow going to disappear and flitter away into the wind, I signaled to her that we'd talk later and she nodded, albeit reluctantly

Minato came up after us "My name is Namikaze Minato. My hobby is reading" I thought of Icha Icha when he said that, I really want to see what all the fuss is about "I like to study new subjects and and naming things, especially Jutsu!" Never let Minato name anything, if you want it to have 300 adjectives "I dislike being slow, My favorite food is the matrons homemade cooking at the orphanage" oh right he was an orphan too, that may be an advantage "And my dream.." he looked at me and Shinji and grinned "My dream is to become the third most powerful shinobi in the world!" Not the Hokage? Ok butterflies, show me where you are..

The introductions continued after that and our No-Name Sensei let us have time to interact with each other

Kushina tried to come up the stairs to talk to me but was stopped by a group of kids

"Tomato!" one kid cried out

"You're round and look like a Tomato!"

"We're going to call you Tomato from now on!"

One kid tried pulling on Kushina's hair before my own arm grabbed his and squeezed hard. He yelled out in pain from the Mid Jonin level strength

"Since our hair is the same color, you wanna call me tomato too?" I questioned the group of boys, and they all shook their heads, frightened

My eyes glinted and I gave a sadistic grin "Then don't call her that anymore, get it?" They nodded and ran off, one of them even pissing himself

The whole time Minato and Shinji were watching from the background - Minato looking curious and Shinji trying not to laugh, but failing at it

I was snapped out of my musings by two small arms pulling me into a bear hug. Kushina was silently crying into my chest "I... I thought.... I thought we were all gone..." she muttered into my neck

I just smiled "There's actually two of us here, another is in a different class" She looked me in the eyes, a hope brimming inside of them "He came here with me along with Shinji, over there" I pointed to him and he waved "Yo!" "My other teammate Nanami who is in the other class, and my friend Konan" I pointed to her and she waved with a small smile on her face "and Yahiko who is also in the other class" she looked at me, trying to pick out any lies from what I was telling her, and when she couldn't find any she barreled into me again laughing tears of joy "HAHA! We're not extinct anymore! I thought I was the only one left besides aunty Mito.." she hugged me tighter and looked into my eyes "You aren't going to leave me right?" she asked me, fearfully

"I will have to leave the village in around 2 years" She almost started sobbing again "BUT!" she looked hopeful.. yet again "If you train hard enough and graduate within that time, I'm sure I can get Hashi-Jiji to take you with me" She smiled and nodded determinedly, a fire brimming in her eyes before hugging me yet again. "Hey Kushina?" I questioned. No answer

"Kuuushinaaaa??" I said poking her a little, still no answer

I lifter her face from my neck to see her starting to drool and her eyes closed

I sighed 'Well I don't really blame her to be honest'