Shirushi: Aburame extrodinaire

Chapter 7: School Days

The time leading up to my entry in the Academy where frustrating, I was so close to give up on everything and live out the foreseen future as a civilian. But Anko made sure to keep me motivated through it all.

I was not sure if I should be grateful or disturbed, considering she did it mostly by threatening me, mostly of the time with things like sneaking snakes into my bed or even more effective by filling my room with bug eating plants. One thing I was happy about was that she had not discovered my fear for needles (more like a phobia sometimes) so it was somewhat bearable.

Thanks to her and my family I was able to reach the level I where at before but my endurance was still lower than I wanted it to be and my body still felt unused (best word I could find for it really and it fit).

To be honest, I was rather surprised to find I could manage to keep up with Anko for almost ten minutes when the time came for the both of us to enter the academy.

Our entrance into the academy was no big affair; there was only a boring speech about the duties of shinobi before we were divided in classes and have our first basic, very basic, overview on what we would be learning during our time at the academy and classroom rule. It was more or less like any other first day at a new school I have experienced.

The kids in my class gave me a wide berth because of my bugs (at least the ones that were not clan kids) and the only one I spoke with during the entire day where Anko and only because she refused to let me get away with being quiet. I was already seeing the traces of the person she would be in the future.

The class role call was boring as well as my class lacked any canon characters, the only names besides Ankos that I recognized were Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane. Those were the guys that were usually on guard duty and carrying around stuff all the time right?

As a side note, I finally found out something about the timeline. Seems like the Third Shinobi War had started already, no wonder there was no unnecessary ceremonies for entering the academy, the war was not to noticeable in the village yet (or more like I never noticed it as I only recently had been allowed to leave the compound).

I think the Third Shinobi War ended soon after the Kanabi bridge mission; did Rin die during the war or in its aftermath? Timelines was pain to keep track off, the only part I knew about with some certainty was after the Kyuubi's attack.

Anko hit her elbow into my stomach and the pain instantly puled me out of my musing. I managed to not groan in pain to loudly, Anko had very sharp elbows.

"What was that for Anko" I complained to her while glaring at my friend in the corner of my eye, just as we were dismissed for the day.

"Stop spacing out and looking so grim" was her sharp reply, our short time of friendship had made wonders for her self-confidence " you should try to smile more Shirushi."

I was almost sure the expression she gave me accused me for not smiling, like not smiling was some sort of crime.

"I am an Aburame, we tend to be unable to really smile, it is one of the clan curses I guess." 'That and being forgotten'.

Anko gave me a stare that told me that she did not believe that for a second.

"Show me a smile." She said in a tone that I knew meant she would not leave me alone about it if I did not.

I relax my shoulders in defeat and recalled how easy it was in my other body and gave it my best shot, how could smiling be so difficult in this bode compared to my old one?

As I thought, my attempt at a smile looked horrible if Anko's reaction was any indication. She had backed up a step and her expression was slightly horrified so I let my face go back to its stoic expression.

"Maybe that curse is true" Anko muttered before getting a determent look in her eyes "then I will break that curse. When I'm done with you, you will smile with no problem."

She grinned at me before dragging me towards the park and that smile let me know that she would not give up until she had taught me to smile properly, even if it would take her years.

AN: The last scene about Anko deciding to teach Shirushi to smile have been on my mind since I introduced Anko in this fic, but I found no good opportunity to put it in. I put it in here as I was at a lost as to what else to write for their first day at the academy.

No promises on when the next update is going to be (did not think I would find the inspiration or time to write this chapter).

On another note, I have almost no idée how the timeline for Naruto goes (only the events and small hints of in with order they occur) so the one I use is somewhat AU. Muta are for example younger in canon than he will be in this fic.