The Ninja Academy
It has been six long years since that dark day on October 10th. During that time the village had been busy rebuilding the many homes and shops destroyed or otherwise damaged in the nine tails attack. From an outsider's perspective, the village was once again looking every bit as powerful as it did before if you were but a lowly villager and knew nothing about the true state of the village and the lasting damage left behind in its wake. But if one were a ninja or otherwise an observant villager they would worry silently in their homes or in hushed whispers on the streets.
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In a small clan compound on the outskirts of Konohagakure lived a small family of three. This family was none other than the Uzumaki family. Kushina had trained her two small children hard in preparation for this day in particular. This day was none other than their first day at the ninja academy. Kushina called out for her two children to come downstairs. The first of the two to appear before her was a small girl. She had long red hair just like her mother's that was done up in two long ponytails that made their way to her back. She also bore the same deep blue eyes as her late father. She was quickly followed by her slightly older brother. By a whole minute and a half. It was clear to the both of them that he was still very much waking up if his stumbling down the stairs and the rubbing of his eyes were any indication at all at his level of wokeness. He like his baby sister before him also bore the same deep blue eyes. However, he also inherited the same hair color as his late father. On both of his cheeks, he bore six thin cat-like whisker marks. Three on each. Kushina guessed they were a direct result of her son housing the nine-tailed demon fox but that was but a guess on why he had those odd markings of his. Kushina eyed both of her children with a critical eye. The eye of a highly skilled ninja. Today was going to be their first day at the ninja academy. She knew first hand that both of her children would have a fairly easy time given how lax the ninja curriculum had become over the years. Something she was adamantly against but was nevertheless powerless to stop as the village council had more or less forced it. But even so, she demanded nothing less than perfection from her two children. Once she was done with her observation she gave them both a happy smile. Their form was about as good as one could realistically expect given their age and level of training.
"Ok let's go kids. You don't want to be late for your first day do you"? Kushina asked her two children as she opened the front door before being quickly followed by the two soon thereafter.
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As the family of three slowly walked towards the village both Naruto and Naruko couldn't help but look at the many tall buildings all around them. They had never seen such tall buildings in their life. Living so far away from the village proper had meant that the tallest things they had ever seen were the trees and the distant mountain ranges that they would sometimes near whenever their mother took them on trips to the nearby fishing village of Nahama which was home to the biggest lake they had ever seen in all of their six years of life. The buildings of their home village were by contrast both fascinating and frightening to the two children.
As they continued to walk ever deeper into the village the many villagers would all wave or bow to them. Naruko all the while was busy hiding behind her older brother. She had always been the shy type even when the kind old Hokage would pay them a visit about once a month. Naruto himself mostly liked him. The only thing he really disliked about him was the look he would sometimes catch the older man giving him. A look the man would give only to him and to nobody else. A look that hinted at a mystery just out of his reach. He had first noticed it on his 5th birthday. The year before. But no matter how many times he would ask the older man he never could get an answer to his question. Just as that thought entered into his mind did he feel a light tapping upon his shoulder. Looking to see who it was he saw his mother pointing to a four-story brick and mortar building. Naruto eyed the building with some level of curiosity and awe. His late father had once attended this very school and he had grown up to be the Hokage. It had always been his life-long dream to one day become the Hokage just as his father had done years before. This was to be the first step to that dream.
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As the small family walked up they could see the many other major and lesser clan families standing just outside of the gates of the academy. As soon as they had walked into view all eyes locked on them. In less than a second a purple blur could be seen making its way to them. This blur was none other than one Ino Yamanaka better known to the village as Naruto's number one fangirl and who had a small crush on the only son of the fourth Hokage.
"Naruto-kun how are you today"? Ino asked in a happy-go-lucky tone as she hugged his arm.
"I'm fine, Ino". Naruto replied as he was busy freeing himself from her vise-like grip. Had he known giving her a simple flower on her 4th birthday would result in this he would never have done it. But the deed had been done and he now had to live with the dreaded consequences. Not that he really minded but she could be a bit too clingy at times. Just as she was about to ask him yet another question the doors to the academy opened to reveal a group of around twenty Chunin each holding up a number for all to see.
"Mommy, what are they doing"? Naruko asked her mother. Tilting her head like that of a dog. A fact that made her look all the cuter and ensured she would have many a boy chasing after her in the years to come.
"It's your classroom dear, you two are in number seven". Kushina replied before she quickly returned to her conversation with the matriarch of the Uchiha clan. What neither Naruto nor Naruko noticed were the eyes of a particular duck butt-haired Uchiha as he watched them from afar.
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Soon both Naruto and Naruko were inside their assigned classroom. Their sensei was a young man by the name of Iruka Umino. He had a nasty-looking scar that ran atop his nose and his hair was done up in a ponytail that sat fairly high on his head. He was currently busy handing out the day's assignment. It only took the two about five minutes before both Naruto and Naruko handed in their day's assignments.
"You two can't possibly be done already, I just gave you both your assignment a few minutes ago." Iruka said as he carefully took hold of both of their papers. Quickly reading over the two assignments he couldn't find a single wrong answer. He had never in his life seen such vast knowledge from one so young much less from two. Even more so when this was their first day of school and he had only covered the most basic stuff so far. Iruka couldn't help but eye the two children before him with utter amazement. It was one thing to have a genius in a class but having two was a virtual impossibility outside of the Nara clan. So he did the only thing he could do in this unusual situation and gave them both perfect scores.
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The following weeks progressed in much the same way. The pair would be given a task only for them to then proceed to shatter all expectations. Everything from their taijutsu proficiency to their high weapons mastery was shown for all to see. It didn't take long before both of them were the envy of not only their classmates but the school as a whole. Soon fan clubs were being formed. Ino being his fan girl formed the Naruto fan club that included the likes of Hinata Hyuga, Sakura Haruno alongside countless other powerful and influential future clan heads from both ninja and non-ninja clans. Kiba Inuzuka meanwhile formed the Naruko fan club that included himself and Sasuke Uchiha alongside many others. When asked why he had joined the fan club Sasuke promptly punched the dog-loving boy squarely in the face. From that day onwards he was never again asked that and he liked it that way.
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Meanwhile, inside the Hokage tower, Hiruzen was busy with typical administration business that came with the job of Hokage. Namely dealing with the endless towers of paperwork that entered his office. He knew from the many reports being sent his way that the two siblings would more than likely be pushed into the more advanced courses next year. That is if the ANBU didn't try making a play for the two before then. He knew Kakashi would do all he could to ensure the two were kept safe. But he also knew that an ANBU training facility wasn't really a place for a child much less two. But what could he do? He had to look out for the safety of the village as a whole. He knew that his attachment to the two would be seen as a weakness. A weakness he was sure his war-hawk of a teammate would no doubt try to use to better position himself as the next choice for Hokage. Such a world was best avoided at all possible costs. Just as he had that thought Kakashi entered the room donning his ANBU armor and mask.
"What news have you for me today"? Hiruzen asked the 23-year-old who at once dropped to one knee and began to speak to the older man.
"Both Naruto and Naruko have once again aced their tests". Kakashi replied before he continued with his report. "The ANBU commanders are all breathing down my neck at this rate". Kakashi told him with a sigh that he knew was caused by the stress of having to keep telling them no. Hiruzen wasn't at all surprised. Who would be after all the two had already shattered several long-standing records and it didn't look to be slowing down any time soon. If the pair kept going at the rate they were going he would have no choice but to jump them up to third-year classes.
"Tell them the two will finish the school year, we can talk about any possible moves after that and no sooner". Hiruzen said with a tired sigh. He wasn't nearly as young as he had been the first time around and his aging body was starting to degrade even with his daily training. He was by all means still a force to be reckoned with but he was a far cry from where he was in his youth and he was sure Kakashi knew that just as well as he himself did.
"What if they press the issue, sir? Kakashi asked the older man. "We can't keep putting this off. We both know that the pair will be in the ANBU forces if not by your order than by the village council". Kakashi said. His lone eye looked to his leader with a look the Hokage knew was born of worry and overall weariness. Hiruzen eyed the man before him long and hard. He was loyal to his Hokage. He knew that for a fact. But he also knew his power was becoming less and less each passing day. The nine tails attack had done a good job at fracturing the village as a whole and like blood from a recently made cut his power was slowly bleeding away to nothing. Hiruzen got up and slowly made his way over to the window that overlooked the village. He could see the first of the many street lights just now turning on. He had always hated this part of being the Hokage. But he had a role to play and he would play it out until the end.
"War my boy, we shall have war". Hiruzen said simply. The setting sun cast the room in long shadows that made the room feel colder than it actually was.
-
The school year was now coming to an end. It came as no great surprise to anyone in Konohagakure when both Naruto and Naruko were given the top student awards unanimously. Something that pleased their mother immensely. She could even be seen for days afterward talking the ear off of anyone who was foolish enough to give her the time to tell it. Something that made both Naruto and Naruko go red in the face. But not all was well in the village. Far from it in fact. The many factions had grown and it was now becoming increasingly more common for council meetings to become little more than a verbal battleground. If something wasn't done soon the village would likely be in a state of civil war.
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Meanwhile, across the village, Kakashi was currently pacing back and forth in his living room. Something he had been doing increasingly more frequently over the past few weeks. The commanders in the ANBU forces had all but stopped talking to him. Something was going on. Something big was definitely going on of that he was sure. But without any solid proof, he could do nothing but speculate what it was if it was anything at all. He was about to once more resume his pacing when his doorbell rang out. Upon opening the door he was surprised to see Naruto as well as his two biggest fangirls standing outside the door. Once he had hugged both Naruto and Naruko they both took a few steps back.
"Is something the matter"? Kakashi asked the two children.
"Mom is busy with a meeting so you're babysitting us until she is done with it". Naruto replied to the question. Naruko as always hid behind her brother. Kakashi simply nodded before turning his attention to the only other person standing just outside the small house.
<msreadoutspan class="msreadout-line-highlight msreadout-inactive-highlight">"What about you Ino-chan"? <msreadoutspan class="msreadout-word-highlight">Kakashi</msreadoutspan> asked the future Yamanaka clan head.</msreadoutspan>
"I'm with Naruto". Ino replied as if that was the most obvious thing in the world and would answer why she was here.
"Um...ok then, will make yourselves at home". Kakashi replied to the girl's odd response. "You two know where everything is right"? Kakashi asked the two Uzumaki siblings to which he received two nods. Kakashi eyed Ino's back with no small bit of bewilderment for a time before dismissing it. It wasn't his business to pry into the boy's life after all. Godfather or not.
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Hiruzen on the other hand was busy dealing with said commanders. The conversation between the ten ANBU commanders was heated. But just as the conversation looked about ready to come to blows the door to the small office opened slowly to reveal one Danzo Shimura.
"Danzo what on earth are you doing here"? Hiruzen asked his old teammate. His guard instantly went up. Nothing good had ever come from his old war-hawk of a teammate. Not once. Danzo said nothing, choosing to instead make his way around the small office eyeing the four portraits of the past Hokage on the wall.
"It's a pity what happened to Minato". Danzo said simply as he continued to eye the portrait of the man.
"That it was". Hiruzen replied carefully. He was ready for whatever game his old teammate was playing. What that game was he didn't rightly know but he would be ready. Whatever it was.
"When were you planning on telling us about the boy"? Danzo asked as he turned to face Hiruzen.
"I have no clue what you're talking about Danzo"? Hiruzen replied. No sooner had the words left his mouth that he felt the unmistakable sensation of ten deadly katanas being pressed up against his neck and various other areas of his body that would kill him in next to no time at all. If Hiruzen was surprised by the blatant act of treason he didn't at all show it. Choosing to instead follow his old teammate with his eyes.
"Hiruzen I, Danzo Shimura current clan head of the Shimura clan, and one of the three village advisers hereby declare article 11 subsection C of the Konohagakure constitution as outlined by lord first". That, however, did force a look of total surprise upon Hiruzen's face.
"You can't possibly be serious"! Hiruzen yelled out in rage only to feel one of the ten katanas cut into his back.
"Do you accept my challenge...or not Hiruzen"? Danzo asked knowing full well he had to. The public disgrace that would befall him and his clan would all but force it upon him. Seeing no possible way out Hiruzen began to slowly grind his teeth together before he replied.
"I, Hiruzen Sarutobi current clan head of the Sarutobi clan, and Hokage of Konohagakure do hereby accept the challenge of one Danzo Shimura for the sole right of Hokage". With that done the ten katanas that only seconds before were ready to end him were removed. Soon followed up by both the ANBU (Root) and Danzo leaving his office. Once they were gone Hiruzen fell into his seat eyeing the portrait of Minato as if he was telepathically asking the man for advice. The portrait said nothing. Hiruzen wasn't at all surprised by that fact.
-
The sun was now low in the sky by the time Kushina had come to pick up her two children. Ino having been picked up by her father hours before. However, her face held no joy that was typical of the woman. Kakashi upon seeing this quickly asked her what was the matter.
"Danzo...he". Kushina began before she broke out into tears.
"What about him"? Kakashi asked her once again. This time with an ever-growing concern.
"He has declared article 11". Kakashi could do nothing but be stunned by the bold declaration.
"When will it happen"? Kakashi asked hoping beyond all reason that this was all a joke. A terrible terrible joke. But knowing deep down that this was very much real.
"Noon tomorrow". Was all she could say before once more breaking out into tears. Kakashi could do nothing but hold the woman he viewed as a second mother in his arms.
"Damn you Danzo damn you to hell". Kakashi said under his breath.