The next morning, Iruka took it upon himself to inform the genin that they'll be with him for the day. Therefore, he walked over the each of the genins' houses and knocked on their doors. Once he knew that all the genin were informed, he headed to the school.
Once the genin trudged out of bed and forced themselves to go back to the school, they sat in Iruka's classroom, in the three chairs put out for them in the corner, under the windows, waiting.
"Wow," Sakura stated, "I never thought I'd be back here again." She looked around the room.
"Yeah!" Naruto shouted, striking up into the air with his fist. "We're gonna spend the whole day with Iruka Sensei! Yes!" Naruto was so tense from excitement that he began to shake, causing his chair to move from side to side slightly.
"Naruto," Sasuke stated. "We're right next to you, you don't need to shout." He lounged back with his arms crossed.
As Sakura was scanning around the room, a brown object on the teacher's desk seemed to be out of place. "What's this?" Sakura asked herself and stood up, grabbing the attention of Sasuke and Naruto.
Naruto threw his hands behind his head and leaned back. "Eh, probably a grade book or something." He stated as if it was that simple.
Sasuke grunted and stood up to go look.
Sakura walked over and looked more closely at the book.
The book had brown leather covering it and was about one third meter tall by one point five thirds of a meter. It seemed to be full of something. It enticed her. She had to open it, and she did. She opened it up, the first page had signatures and stuff on the inside cover and the next several pages. Sakura flipped through them.
Sasuke came over to take a peak.
Sakura flipped to a page with a picture that took up the whole page. It was a picture of the chunin, jonin, anbu, and Hokage.
"Hey," Sakura said, Naruto looked at her. "Look at this Naruto." She looked over at him.
Naruto stood up, "What? Is Konohamaru failing?" Naruto asked hands still behind his head.
"No, look!" Sakura pointed to the picture as he came over.
They all looked at the picture in amazement.
"Hey!" Naruto stated, and pointed at the grey dog in the picture. "There's Rai!"
Rai was on the right hand side; she sat lazily with her left back leg stretched out, front left leg to the inside, right hind leg stretched out, and the right front leg outside of that one. She also had a panting smile on her face, as if she was actually happy to see the people peering at the picture.
"And there's Iruka Sensei!" Sakura pointed to him.
Iruka was in the front row, sitting down in the middle.
"And there's Asuma Sensei!" Sakura stated again, pointing to Asuma.
Asuma was in the second row, crouching down, on the end, with a cigarette in his mouth, typical.
"There's Kakashi." Sasuke pointed out.
Kakashi was in the last row, several people away from the end. You could hardly miss him.
"Heh, and there's the old geezer." Naruto exclaimed, pointing to the Hokage.
The Hokage was on the opposite end of the picture, not where Rai was.
"And there's Kurenai Sensei!" Sakura pointed out, she was in the second row, but only two people away from Rai. "She looks different, and why does she have a vest on?"
"That's before she was promoted to Jonin." Iruka's voice rang through the room.
The genin jumped and turned to the door.
Iruka was standing there with a stack of papers in his hands. He walked over to the genin as they calmed their racing hearts. "That picture was taken before Rai's death." Iruka stated setting the papers down on his desk.
"Death?" Sakura and Sasuke repeated, confused.
Naruto shuddered then pointed an accusing finger in Sasuke's and Sakura's general direction. "Aha! I knew it!" Shouted, accusing the two genin, spit flying.
Sasuke gave Naruto a squinted but annoyed look.
Sakura just stared at Iruka Sensei.
"I knew there was something strange about that mutt!" Naruto shouted. "Admit it Sasuke! I was right."
Sasuke wiped the spit off the right side of his face. "I'm sorry could you repeat that, I was having a hard time getting over the fact that you were spitting on me." He stated nonchalantly.
Naruto enraged, crossed his arms and pouted.
Sakura looked back at the photo of the group of jonin, chunin, anbu, and Hokage. "So... Is she a spirit or ghost of some kind?" She asked Iruka, who was also peering into the book.
Iruka smiled and chuckled slightly, "No. Well, at least not anymore."
Sakura had a confused look on her face.
Iruka raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Sakura?"
Sakura scratched her temple. "I remember reading, in the school rulebook, that no animals are allowed to come into the academy, let alone graduate!"
Iruka nodded, listening.
"But, my question is, how did she become a chunin?" Sakura stopped scratching her head and crossed her arms, still looking down at the picture.
Iruka had a serious teacher look on his face, "She's not a chunin." He replied, informing the mistaken girl.
"Jonin?" Sasuke asked.
Iruka shook his head as a 'no'.
"Then what is she?" Naruto yelled, spreading his arms and gritting his teeth.
"Special rank Anbu." Iruka replied, simply.
The three fell over. After a couple of minutes on the floor, they heaved themselves back up.
"How the heck can that mutt be an anbu?" Naruto pointed a finger at the picture.
"Naruto." Iruka warned. Iruka gritted his teeth slightly to stop himself from blowing a fuse. "You keep calling her a mutt, when she isn't."
Naruto got confused. His finger and arm went slightly limp. "What then, is she a pure breed?"
Iruka turned the book so it was facing the genin and so it was accessible to him to turn the pages. "Not even close." Iruka replied. He turned the page.
Sakura stopped him before he could turn the next page. "Wait!" Sakura looked at the picture.
Almost everyone from the first picture was there, and several new faces appeared, but... where was Rai?
"Sensei? Where's Rai?" Sakura asked, looking up at him.
"She's not in that one." Iruka sighed. "That was taken after her death, remember?" Iruka flipped the page back one to the first picture. "Every five or so years, the chunin, jonin, anbu, and Hokage hold a little party to celebrate our duty and loyalty to the village. This one here was taken about a month before she died." He turned back to the first page for reference, and then flipped the page back.
"So, she had been dead for about five years?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto was losing interest. He began to nod his head as if he understood.
Iruka nodded. Then he looked back at the book and began to flip the pages again.
Sakura noticed that there were pictures of the people that appeared in the first picture, but not in the second.
"Some of my former colleagues that died after the picture was taken." Iruka stated as he saw the confused look on Sakura's face. Iruka flipped to a page and then stopped.
The group leaned in and peered at the pictures.
"Hey, Sensei. Who's the girl? She looks nice! I'd like to get to know her." Naruto stated pointing at the picture.
"That's Rai." Iruka stated immediately. 'And I wouldn't be too sure about the 'nice' part, she does have a bit of a temper on her.' Iruka thought.
"That's Rai?" Naruto asked looking from Iruka to the book stunned.
"She looks so young." Sakura stated.
The pictures were of a young woman, looking to be about sixteen. She had long brown hair that went to her waist, and which was pulled back into a low ponytail at the top of her neck, while her bangs flowed freely framing her face. Her Konoha was tied in its proper spot, on her forehead, partly hidden by her bangs. She had brown eyes that looked calm and soft; a small smile graced her lips in the picture. Her skin was slightly pale, but not ghost white. She wore a black shirt that was tattered on the ends, both sleeves and at the hem. Her hands had black fingerless gloves on them, like Kakashi's except without the metal backing.
Sakura smiled. "She looks nice."
"I don't get it." Naruto stated scratching his head. "How can that mutt- I mean- wolf thing, be a girl?"
Iruka sighed. "I honestly don't know, Naruto."
As they glanced at the pictures, some of the faces of the current jonin began to pop up. It seemed that Rai was friends with the jonin, chunin, anbu, and the Hokage.
"All you guys look so happy. She must have been fun to have around." Sakura stated.
"Yeah," Iruka sighed. "I swear, Rai could change people." 'In a good or bad way.'
Sakura began to flip through the book. More pictures, what a surprise. As Sakura was flipping the page a picture caught her eye.
It was Rai, in wolf form. She was sprawled out on her back, head lulled to one side, fore paws straight up in the air and back paws spread eagle, and her tail slightly curled up along her side.
"So cute." Sakura muttered.
"That's a good picture of how lazy she can be." Iruka stated.
"She doesn't seem like the lazy type." Sasuke stated.
"She can be. She'd rather be sleeping most of the time." Iruka stated. "Besides, it was somewhat of a hot that day. So I wouldn't blame her."
Several of the other pictures were of her and Asuma, Anko, Kurenai, etc. Asuma had Rai, in wolf form, slung over his shoulder. Kurenai had her lay on her lap. Anko was probably telling Rai to do some tricks to get some chicken dumplings, because Rai, in wolf form, was sitting on her hind legs and front legs tucked to her chest. Another picture was of Iruka and Rai. Iruka was sitting on the ground with Rai, in wolf form, laying her head atop his, showing the true size of her head.
"You guys could learn a lot of things from her if you'd pay attention." Iruka stated. "She is an excellent Kunoichi. Once she became a jonin, she would not stop going on missions with Kakashi." Iruka looked down at the book. "All she said is that she wanted to learn, to build up strength. As she grew, her and Kakashi became an excellent team. They'd always win and come back victorious, they never lost a squad member on a mission, ever. Except, five years ago. That's when they met their match." Iruka was deep in thought. "A life for the sacred scroll... and that life was Rai's."
The genin shuddered a bit.
Sakura flipped the page. Her eye caught one of Iruka and Rai. Now she could really see the size difference. In her true form, Rai looked about a half a head height smaller than Iruka, who had his arm draped around her shoulder. Another picture caught her eye; it was one of Rai sitting against the base of a tree and lounging back, right knee up and right arm lying across it while her left leg was extended out in front of her. She looked so calm... so peaceful... so... happy?
"Wow," Naruto stated leaning in to get a closer look at the picture. "She looks prettier than Sakura."
"Grrr!" Sakura reeled her right arm back, preparing to punch the day lights out of Naruto for saying such a thing.
Naruto flinched, preparing to get his ass beat.
Suddenly, she stopped. "You know what?" Sakura calmed down real quickly. "You're right."
Naruto sighed.
"But that will only save you this one time pal!" Sakura warned angrily. She sternly pointed an accusing finger at Naruto to make sure he understood. "Got it?"
"Got it," was his meek reply.
Sasuke tsked, "Idiot."
Just then students began to slowly meander into the class, finding their seats.
Iruka sighed. Another day of work, "Alright, you three can just sit over there. I'll call you once I need you." He waved his hand in a shooing motion.
The three took their seats, Naruto trying to slowly inch away from Sakura, so that she didn't notice. But, somehow wound up very close to Sasuke, who just pushed him back the way he came.
Iruka put the brown book in his drawer behind the desk. As he picked it up, a loose paper fell from it and landed on the wooden floor in front of his desk.
Konohamaru came in the door way and suddenly stopped when he caught sight of Naruto. "Hey, boss!" Konohamaru shouted out and waved his hand up in the air. He took off over to Naruto. "Whatcha' doin' here?" He asked, once in front of Naruto.
"Oh, hey Konohamaru." Naruto said, he folded his arms behind his head and leaned back in the chair. "Nothing much, we're just going to be with Iruka sensei for the day."
"Oh," Konohamaru smiled. "This is going to be so cool!" He stated with excitement shaking his body before he ran off to find his seat.
"Why would that kid want to hang out with Naruto?" Sasuke asked Sakura, as if Naruto wasn't even there. "He can't even do a simple jutsu let alone teach one!"
Naruto got angrier and angrier every time something came out of Sasuke's mouth. By now, several huge pulse marks have formed on his head and it began to sizzle.
Sakura just smiled and chuckled, placing her hand on her mouth and closing her eyes.
"Alright settle down now!" Iruka's voice called over the mummer of the class. "Now everyone take your seats." Iruka was behind his desk, standing, but leaning on to it with his hands.
All the children migrated to their seats in a big blob and the mummer seemed to quiet as they each sat down.
Konohamaru went to sit down when he heard a fluttering sound at his feet. He glanced down.
There lay a picture, overturned.
He reached down, picked it up and turned it over, "Hey, what's this?" Once he saw the picture, an evil smirk crept onto his face. "Oh, sensei!" He called out mockingly.
The small boy in the front of his class, rather than the class itself, disrupted Iruka's attention. "Yes, Konohamaru?"
"Is this your 'girlfriend'?" Konohamaru stressed the girlfriend part, goofily.
Iruka suddenly became shocked, and a little embarrassed, a blush forming beneath his scar. He shook his head and coughed a bit to rid himself of the discomfort. "What are you talking about now, Konohamaru?" He saw the picture in the boy's hands. "Hand it over." He demanded and stuck out his arm, waiting for the picture to be returned to it.
Konohamaru impishly placed the picture in his sensei's hand.
Iruka grabbed it and looked at it. He closed his eyes and sighed. "No." Was his response, he opened the drawer and placed the forgotten picture in with the rest of its kind.
"Well, who is she?" Konohamaru asked, impatient and wanting a response, like all children want.
"She's dead." Was his stern response, as he closed the drawer.
The whole room went silent at his remark.
Even the genin in the corner were slightly shocked at his remark to the children. At their age, they wouldn't even understand death, but they know the word. The genin on the other hand, would.
"Oh." Konohamaru sighed, still not certain about his sensei's statement.
"Now, take a seat." Iruka stated to the boy.
As Konohamaru shuffled his way to his seat, Iruka began the class.
"Alright class..." His teacher voice projected over the class. "Good Morning."
The class responded in slight harmony, with several stragglers.
"Today, we're going to be talking about chakra control. And I also have several guests today, so be on your best behavior." He stressed best, as much as he could in the sentence without breaking it apart.
He turned around and began to draw on the chalkboard. A diagram soon appeared of a body and the chakra inside it. Another picture came up with a foot and arrows coming out of the bottom of the foot, representing chakra. He turned around and began to talk about the different types of chakra and the certain hand signs that release different chakras, then about the body's network of chakra.
Naruto was slowly nodding himself to sleep.
"Sakura!" Iruka's voice boomed.
Naruto jumped.
"Would you be so kind as to demonstrate for the class." Iruka asked with a slight smile.
Sakura stood up and walked almost to the center of the class, not blocking Iruka.
"I'm Haruno Sakura." She stated giving a slight bow. "Well, since you guys have been learning about chakra, could anybody name the elements of chakra?" She asked, after standing straight up.
The room was silent; nobody raised their hand.
A small bit of movement caught Sakura's eye. It was a small girl, who raised her hand very slowly and very low.
"Yes?" She asked the girl.
"Uh..." The girl quickly placed her hand down and blushed, "there's fire... and uh... wind... earth... lighting... and water..." Was her very meek response.
"Very good!" Sakura praised her.
"Could you possibly demonstrate some of the elements for us?" Iruka's voice came from behind.
The three genin looked at each other.
Sasuke sighed and stood up, knowing Naruto wouldn't do it.
"Everyone this is Uchiha Sasuke." Iruka stated, knowing that the boy wouldn't speak his name for the class.
Sasuke walked up in front of the class, Sakura stepping backwards, not wanting to get in his way. He made several hand signs to make a fireball.
"Notice that he does a certain combination of hand signs." Iruka stated, trying to inform the class as to what Sasuke was doing.
Tiger. Sasuke took up a stance and placed his hand near his mouth, "Fireball Jutsu!" He stated.
A small fireball, not a huge one to burn down the room, but a decent sized one, a little bigger than his head was created.
The students 'oo'ed and 'ah'ed at the marvel.
The three genin showed the class the other different elements; they also showed what chakra can do.
Naruto focused his chakra into his feet. He walked over to the wall and placed one foot on it. He glanced over his shoulder, looking at his comrades and Iruka sensei to give him a go-ahead nod, which they did.
Some of the class began to snicker.
Naruto then picked up his foot, that lay firmly on the ground due to gravity, and placed it alongside his other foot on the wall, and straightened up.
The class gasped and went silent.
Naruto continued to walk up the wall and onto the ceiling, where he stopped. "Hey!" He called down from the ceiling, placing one hand behind his head and waving the other. "I forgot how fun this was!"
"Now class." Iruka said, gaining back some of the attention of his students. He turned to the board and pointed to his earlier drawing of the foot and the arrows, which symbolized chakra. "The technique that Naruto is demonstrating for us requires a constant flow of chakra." Iruka highlighted the arrows in a blue chalk; he then took a white piece of chalk and drew a line between the foot and the chakra arrows, which symbolized a surface, like a wall. "With a soft object, like water, or some type of liquid, requires a bigger amount, can anyone tell me why?"
A boy with glasses and black hair raised his hand. "It's because a liquid isn't a solid object, and it can't hold our weight, so we need to balance it out." He called out.
"Very good." Iruka was a little shocked that the boy knew that. "The difference between walking on water and walking on a solid is different." Iruka leaned forward, placing his hands on his desk. "If you use too much chakra on water, you'll disturb the water, causing waves and a small water twister around you, tiring yourself out faster. If you use too little, you'll sink, or be half way submerged. If you use too much on a solid, like a tree or a wall, it'll break."
Naruto didn't notice that he started to lose his footing.
"And if you use too little-"
"AH!" Naruto fell flat on his face.
The class giggled.
"That's what happens." Iruka sighed, shaking his sweat dropped head with embarrassment.
"Idiot." Sasuke stated.
"Oof." Naruto pushed himself up off the floor and onto his knees.
"You alright Naruto?" Iruka finally asked him, the kids still laughing. "That was a pretty nasty fall." He glanced up at the ceiling, which was about 3-4 meters up.
"Yeah! I'm fine Iruka sensei!" Naruto replied with energy.
Iruka sighed with relief.
The class died down.
Iruka glanced down at the clock on his desk. "Oh!" He was a little shocked at what time it was. "Alright! Recess!"
All the kids yelled and ran outside.
The three genin walked over to the chairs, plopped down and sighed.