1 Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire
Promotion and its Bittersweet Rewards

"Morning, everyone!" In the sudden silence that followed this greeting, all ears could plainly hear the footsteps of the older woman as she crossed the classroom. Pausing in front of the teacher's desk, she perched on its edge and gazed over her students with a calm smile. "Today is the day you've all been waiting for – your graduation exams." The instructor took a sip from her coffee cup and glanced down at her clipboard for a moment before looking back up again. "But, before we get into that, I have some news for you!"

A click as the coffee cup was placed on the desk, and a rustle as the clipboard came to rest next to it. "This may come as a shock to some of you, but I've been promoted. That means a few things to all of us. First, if there's hope for me, there's hope for any of you – even you rejects of nature in the back row – yes, I'm looking at you. Second of all, this is the last graduation exam I'll be overseeing at this Academy. After this exam is over, I'll be moving on and most of you will never have to sit through one of my lectures again." Nervous mutters and whispers broke out among the students, soon to be silenced by an ice-blue glare from the instructor. "Stop your cheering. Notice I said 'most of you'... three of you will wind up becoming my personal trainees. And for the lucky three – don't think you'll have it any easier. You all should know I expect the best from my students, and that won't change once you're under my direct command." Savoring the fear visible on the face of each genin, she then favored them with a brilliant grin. "No pressure at all. Do your best!"

Hours later, after the conclusion of the exams and the requisite graduation ceremonies, the instructor made her way back to the faculty office and began the process of clearing out the small space that had been allotted to her. She placed the assorted texts and personal items into a duffel that she'd brought along for this purpose, then turned her attention to the in- and out-boxes that bore her name on a hastily scrawled label: "Yamataki Kotori." They never got around to changing it, she mused with a sad smile as she peeled the tape off of the tray and put it in amongst the other items in her duffel. She then noticed that the inbox wasn't empty; a manila envelope bearing the seal of the Hokage lay there amongst the dust, and Kotori carefully checked it to make sure it hadn't been tampered with.

She opened the envelope and slid the contents out onto her desk, noticing that one of the folded slips of paper was official correspondence stationery from the Cloud Village's leader, the Yondaime Raikage and one of her personal friends. "Dear Kotori," she read aloud, "I hope this letter finds you well. If I remember correctly, you should be wrapping up a class right about now and oh! That reminds me – congratulations on your promotion. I can only hope that attaining the rank of jounin is everything you hoped it would be, and I know that your father would be very proud. There's nothing special to talk about here in Cloud, other than that Kouhei sends his love and best wishes also. (I swear he almost fell over when he found out that you were selected.) The other one is doing j­ust fine as well, but it's getting harder and harder to keep him safe. I have a feeling that something is going to happen with him very soon – if you know what I mean, and you should – so be warned. Give a hug to Tomoe for me, and warm regards to the rest of the family. Take care, Taiki."

A frown briefly crossed Kotori's face as she read through this note, but she carefully pushed her emotions aside as she stashed the first note and brought up the second. It was briefer than the first, but carried just as much impact. "Kotori-san, the Hokage has requested your presence for a brief discussion at your earliest possible convenience." She squinted as she made out an addition to the message, added in tiny print that she recognized as belonging to her other former teammate, Naeko: "It's nothing serious, don't worry."

"Yeah, right," Kotori muttered, returning the second note to the envelope and placing the whole package into her duffel. She turned and would have walked out of the faculty office had a second person not stood in her way, and she backed up with a sheepish grin. "You caught me by surprise, Iruka."

"Should I mark it on the calendar?" Iruka looked past Kotori to the now-empty desk and sighed. "It's going to be strange without you here, that's for sure."

"You'll get used to it. Besides, you managed to get along just fine before I showed up, didn't you?" When this comment failed to assure, she made a face and grumbled, "Selfish man. You get to see me every day at home, so why should this change anything?"

This at least merited a snort and the muttered comment, "But we met here, and so many other things happened..."

Kotori moved to his side and gave his arm a comforting squeeze. "It's a raise in pay and status – don't tell me you're envious?"

A full laugh this time. "Not at all. I only have to teach them – you now have to field test them. With your luck, you'll wind up with the next Naruto in your cell!"

"Hush, you. Speaking of, I have to stop by his office and have a chat with him, so I may be a bit late. It's nothing serious, or so I heard." Shouldering her duffel, Kotori stretched up on her tiptoes and gave Iruka a light kiss on the cheek before breezing out of the faculty room.

-------

Naeko was the first person Kotori talked to upon entering the Hokage Tower that day. Her former teammate had gone into semi-retirement from her regular duties once she had started a family, and the girl whom Morino Ibiki had called "flakier than a box of breakfast cereal" was now a respected businesswoman and village advisor whom Kotori was glad to have as a friend. Naeko had set up a desk not far from the Hokage's office where she could intercept any and all official correspondence and visitors and thus screen them according to level of importance, as well as take orders from inside the office. She was busy writing a letter on an antiquated typewriter when Kotori walked up, but she paused briefly in her work to greet her colleague with a smile. "I see this life agrees with you," Kotori said. "Passive surveillance under an official disguise so that no one can accuse you of being nosy, eh?"

You read me like a book, Tori-chan," Naeko murmured, typing out the last few words of the letter and pulling it out from the machine to give it one last look-over. Sensing the pointed look of disgust this use of a nickname earned her, the dark-haired woman grinned. "Or should I say Kotori-san, the newest member of Konoha's jounin elite? I forget, you outrank me now."

"That's right. I'll forgive you if you bow down and kiss my feet."

Naeko glanced up and made a teasing face to match Kotori's own. "I think he might have something to say about that," she commented, pointing towards the door to the Hokage's office.

"Of course, Mrs. Hokage-sama," retorted Kotori, shaking her head a little bit. "Is he in? I came as soon as I got the message."

"He sure is. Just got in about five minutes ago from a lunch break, so your timing is perfect."

Kotori thanked Naeko for the information and headed to the door, knocking twice to announce her presence before being allowed to enter. Had she turned around, she would have noticed the pitying glance sent her way by her friend, but as is she was too worried to think about such things as she walked through the doorway. Closing the door behind her, she bowed deeply in respect. "Reporting as requested, Hokage-sama."

The figure at the desk looked up from a bit of afternoon reading and waved in recognition. "Relax, Kotori-san. It's just me." The white robe of office seemed at odds with its wearer's usual garb of orange and black, but the Sixth Hokage wore it with the easy satisfaction of having attained a long-sought goal. "Not like anyone who knows me calls me by my title anyway. Especially not her..." Naruto aimed a look at the door that Kotori could only guess was directed outward at the deskbound Naeko. "So why should you? We're on the same page, at least in this office."

Kotori grinned uneasily and nodded. "Point taken, Naruto-san. If I might ask, though, why did you call me here?"

"Oh, that." A brief shuffling of papers as Naruto searched for something on his desk. It took him a moment, but he eventually came up with three papers that Kotori recognized as dossiers for three of the village's newest graduates. "I promoted you not only because I thought you deserved it, but also to be in a position to tackle a problem that's come to my attention. Here, take these." Kotori did as asked and grimaced when she read the names. "I see you know them. To make a long story short, they'll be your subordinates as of tomorrow, so read up!"

"Not doubting your judgment, but may I once again ask you why? These three were some of my worst students at the Academy, and two of them barely even passed."

"Look a little closer, Kotori-san, and you'll see why. They're all special cases, especially the girl, what's her name?"

"Shingen. Shikan Shingen, a refugee from Earth Country who on the shyness scale could put even our dear Hinata to shame." Kotori gave the referenced dossier a closer look and then blanched when she came across a line of interest, giving Naruto a shocked stare. "That wallflower's a Jinchuuriki like us? No way!"

"Big surprise, huh? Like I said, a special case. Work with her because you know what it's like growing up with one of these critters inside of you, would you please?"

Kotori raised an eyebrow. "With all due respect, so do you."

"But I have things to do around here. You just got promoted, so you're perfect for it!" Seeing Kotori thus unconvinced, Naruto added, "Just think of it as another thing to put on your record: training a cell under direct assignment from the Hokage! It's not as bad as you think it is."

Kotori had no choice but to sigh and nod in acquiescence. "Thank you for the honor of such a request."

"No problem! That's all I have for you now, but I'll expect reports from time to time to see how you're dealing with your group. Until then..."

"Of course, Hokage-sama." Bowing once more in farewell, Kotori then made good her exit, this time noticing the pitying look from Naeko and choosing not to reply. "Why do I have to take the special cases?" she grumbled to herself as she made her way back towards her home.

-------

"Karma!" hooted Yamataki Takeshi, throwing a victorious fist up in the air when he heard his niece's news. "Oh, I have waited for this day for so long. So long!"

"But you don't understand, Uncle. I've had to deal with all kinds of creeps at the Academy, but Little Miss Shy Girl and the two class weirdos top the list. And now I'm expected to make something serviceable out of them! And stop snickering like that, you're disturbing me."

"I'm so sorry... well, maybe... no, not really," replied Takeshi with an unrepentant smirk as he turned his attention back to the pot of ramen he was currently cooking. "Finally you'll know what it's like!"

"Thanks for your vote of sympathy." Kotori accepted a cup of tea from Ayame, the waitress of the ramen shop and also Takeshi's wife. "Ayame-san, surely you can break him of this madness."

"Well," began Ayame with a thoughtful expression, "you certainly have a knack with the unusual types, considering you've raised so many of them..."

"I - " Kotori began to raise a hand in protest at this, but stopped when she realized she had nothing to contradict it with. "I see your point."

"Face it, the only normal parts of that zoo you call your children are Izumi and Ishii, and even they aren't on the level all the time," Takeshi mused as he poured the now-ready ramen into containers for Kotori to take home. "But I hear nothing but the best about them from their mentor, and they're the top rookies in their graduating group. You must have done something right after all, Kotori, don't give up now. Hell, I survived, so you can too." He loaded the containers onto a tray for Ayame to hand over to Kotori. "See you around, and don't stress out too much, okay?"

Kotori smiled, a tired but genuine smile. "Thank you, Uncle. You too, Ayame-san."

-------

Leaving the tray out on the kitchen counter for her youngest two to eat from when they got back from training with their team, Kotori tossed her duffel into the living room and then straggled up the stairs to her bedroom. Once there, she flopped down face-first on the bed in abstract agitation, paying no heed of the half-clad Iruka selecting a dress shirt out of the bedroom closet. "Something really must be up with you," he observed, looking back over his shoulder at the motionless woman. "I usually get at least a hug when you get home, sometimes more..." When even this failed to get a response, Iruka crossed to sit down on the edge of the bed and gave Kotori a comforting shoulder rub. "Oh, come on. What's wrong?"

"I must have really pissed someone off in a past life to catch all of the crap that I have in this one," was the muffled response, along with a faint murmur of pleasure as the tension in her shoulders unknotted under capable hands. "They weren't your students, but you might remember a group by the names of Shikan Shingen, Sanguine Umi, and Ijidendou Fujo..."

"Oh, you mean the really quiet girl, the prankster, and the medic boy? Sure, I've heard of them."

"They're my new students," Kotori finished, rolling over onto her back to stare up at the ceiling. "Our dear Hokage gave me the assignment because he thinks I can do something for them, but even I don't know if I can. Why couldn't I have gotten someone normal for my first cell, Iruka? Can you tell me that?"

"You've earned his trust, Kotori, and that's hard to do. Take that as a compliment and prove him right." Ruffling Kotori's hair teasingly, Iruka added, "Now get up and get yourself ready. Remember, I made dinner reservations tonight..."

"How could I forget," Kotori muttered, sitting up and smoothing her hair back down. "This'll be the first time I've gone out to someplace nice without the entourage in years!"

"And since we don't know when they'll be getting back, we might just have a few hours of alone time."

"In that case, I'll hurry up and get changed." Tilting her face to accept a brief, consoling kiss, Kotori then rose from the bed and went to choose what she would wear out to dinner that night.

-------

"Hey, I've got some news for you!" Sanguine Umi waved to his two compatriots from where he sat at a choice picnic table not far from the dormitory they occupied. The two, a startlingly white-haired girl and brown-haired boy, scurried over and sat down opposite Umi with their dinner trays, then leaned forward curiously to see what he had to say. "I've found out who our sensei is going to be."

"Really?" the second boy murmured. "I've heard some horror stories about the jounin elite, so I wonder who they've given us."

"I wouldn't take this so lightly, Fujo-kun. I overheard this when I was going to the Ichiraku to get dinner tonight, and what's more I heard it from the mouth of the woman herself."

"Our teacher's a woman?" the third member of the group wondered, musing, "There aren't too many female jounin on training duty..."

"Think about it, dear Shingen. Who just got promoted and made a big deal out of telling the class today before our exams?" Umi savored the low groan of terror from Fujo and fear turning Shingen pale. "That's right, our mentor is none other than Kitty-sama herself!"

"You mean Kotori-sensei?" Shingen shivered. "She called us rejects of nature!"

Fujo smiled comfortingly at the girl and said, "Don't take anything she says too personally, Shi-chan. She has to play the hardass to get people to take her seriously... wouldn't you say so?"

"Oh, definitely," Umi agreed, grinning fiercely. "Otherwise you'd say she's all boobs and no brain. An unfortunate perception, but a true one..."

"Either way, it should be interesting," reasoned Fujo. "I think we can survive this."