Ayame- Iris- Fem Harry Potter

Shiriusu- Sirius – to-san/father

Ryu – Dragon – Draco- itoko/cousin

Miya – Beauty – Narcissa – oba/aunt

Asebi – Andromeda- oba/aunt

Takeo – Ted – oji/uncle

Maiko - Nymphadora– itoko/cousin

黒い村 Kuroi mura- Kuroimura- Black Village

Chapter 53

Team one was seated around the table eating breakfast on the first morning of the market, Hizashi was running through what their schedule would be for the week guarding the market.

"You'll be doing a 6-hour patrol of the market, from midday onwards then the chunin team will take over at 6 and do the full night shift, with team Miyamoto taking over at 6am. Either I or Miyamoto-san will be shadowing you throughout your rounds, after you finish at 6pm we will be having a joint training session with Miyamoto's team. Each morning will start with a training session, apart from today and you will then have 3 hours of time for yourselves, in which I expect you to have eaten, before you take over on patrols at 12-noon. Today will be different as I will be walking you through your patrol routes this morning, and I want each of you to pick something new you wish to learn while we are here.

"You are the first members of Class S and the new academy regime that have had contact with foreign nin, Konoha wishes to keep your skills as quiet as possible for as long as possible. This means we won't be working on what you are proficient in while we are here, and I wold like you to keep your skills under wraps for as long as possible. Your medical talents are already known and under the circumstances I cannot object, you all reacted quickly, professionally, and with an appropriate response. Miyamoto-san has already written a commendation to be placed on your files for your actions after the horse incident. Do any of you already have an idea of what you'd like to start learning?"

Ayame and Itachi shock their heads no but Ryu had an answer,

"Poisons."

Hizashi nodded his head, "We will head over to the market, there will be something for poisons there, and I'm sure you two will find something you wish to learn. Though not many shinobi will attend the market a lot of the stall holders sell ninja gear."

The pre-teens quickly readied themselves for the day and joined Hizashi-sensei for a walk through the market.

"As you know our camp is nearest the majority of the Konoha stalls, and this is the area you are supposed to be patrolling, the Suna and Tani nin will monitor their own merchants. It's not a long or difficult patrol route and I expect you to organise the routes you take yourselves. I want to see you mixing things up and not just taking the same route each time."

As the walked through the Konoha area the genin were greeted by name by most of the stall holders, Ayame responded in kind as the boys dipped their heads in nods to each greeting.

"You will be expected to deal with any issues that the merchants bring to your attention while you are on patrol, and even if you are not," Hizashi was interrupted by a merchant waving the group over to his stall.

"Ah, Shinobi-sans, thank you. I wished o give you these to replenish your stores after the help you gave us yesterday." The merchant handed over some rolls of bandages still sealed from his stall. When Hizashi and Ayame tried to object that they were only doing their duty and they didn't need any payment, the merchant waved them off.

"It's as much for my sake as for yours, I may sell bandages but I am not medically trained. If there happens to be another incident like yesterday I'd rather know that you, who are medically trained, have all the supplies you may need."

Ryu accepted the bandages and thanked the merchant before they continued on their way. Hizashi watched, perplexed, as nearly every stall holder called to his genin by name and Ayame spent a few moments speaking with each one. He had noticed his team taking time to introduce themselves on the journey and certainly hadn't seen them spend enough time with the merchants for them to be this friendly. He watched as the Hime said something that caused the Fabric merchant to giggle, the merchant's husband approached Hizashi.

"Kuro-hime is a joy, is she not? Every merchant in Konoha knows Kuro-hime, she must have visited each and every shop in Konoha at least once and she always has the time to stop and talk to the missus whenever she passes our shop back home. Always has time for a gossip does that little Lady, makes my wives day when she stops by."

"And all the merchants feel the same?"

"Of course! None of us would hear a bad word said about that girl, or the rest of the family, even that ridiculous father of her's. They're all such good people and they don't put on the graces the rest of the so call upper class do. Oh, you can tell they're high born people but they don't rub it in your face and treat you like you're scum on their shoe, like that Madame Shijimi, she's a right one for looking down her nose at people, throwing on the airs and graces when it suits her. No Kuro-hime is the true Konoha Princess."

Hizashi nodded as he followed his team to the next merchant that had called them over. He hadn't realised that Ayame had such a reputation with the civilians of Konoha, most of them were usually wary of Shinobi because of the abilities they had, but as he watched his team he saw how accepted they all were by the civilians around them he knew things would be different in the future.

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After spending a good hour or so wandering around the Konoha part of the market and chatting with each of the merchants there, team one headed to the other parts of the market. It was clear when the exited the Konoha part, the fabrics and strappings of the stalls changed from the bright Konoha colours to the more subdued colours of Tani or the earthen colours of Suna. Even the atmosphere changed, not just because they were Konoha nin and foreign to the stall holders but Suna especially had an undercurrent of hostility towards the young genin. Ayame was determined to find out why and so spent the rest of the morning visiting each and every stall and buying at least one thing from each as she spoke with the merchants; asking the clothier about the latest Suna fashions, the herbalist about the difficulties he faces growing herbs in Suna (he also had some interesting poisonous plants that Ryu bought), the weapon-smith about the difficulty he faces getting the oil cool enough, under the hot desert sun, to properly quench the blade and harden the steel.

Ayame bought a pair of earrings from the jeweller and commissioned a second set for her aunts. Ryu picked out a delicate silver bracelet to gift his mother with and Itachi found a beautifully painted fan for his mother. During their morning exploration Ayame happened to find a set of twin daggers that she fell in love with, Hizashi assured her that he could teach her to wield them. Itachi still had not seen anything that caught his attention, but Hizashi told him not to worry there were plenty of other stalls they hadn't seen yet.

Hizashi had watched on impressed as Ayame made inroads with the Suna population, just showing an intelligent interest in their work caused most merchants to open up, he supposed it also helped that Ayame had a lot of money she could spend as well. He watched on as two of the Suna merchants agreed to keep up a correspondence with the young princess, nominally about the latest fashions and jeweller's creations, but Hizashi knew the start of a spy network when he saw one, even if no-one else noticed. He'd talk to Ayame later when they were behind the camp wards and see if that was her intention, and if it wasn't he'd have to find her another tutor that could help her use these connections to the best effect. Jiraiya-sama was popping into Konoha more often now, Hizashi could ask him to spare half an hour to give Ayame some tips next time he was back within the village, if nothing else.

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"Okay, so here's the short-range communication sets that you'll need to wear during your patrol, so that you can keep in touch without being in sight of each other."

"Thank you, Kamizuki-senpai."

"It's Izumo, he's Kotetsu and that's Iruka, okay? No formalities, no -senpai, just Izumo, please."

"Hai, if that is what you prefer Izumo. I'm Ayame, this is my cousin Ryu, and my betrothed Itachi. It's a pleasure to be properly introduced."

"Hai, thank you. Now we had no trouble during our shift, nothing interesting at all happened, as it's the first day it'll be pretty quiet. It's the last day when the merchants cut their prices that the real trouble happens."

"Hn," Itachi slipped on his communication set and nodded to the older genin. He had already briefed his team-mates on what to look for when patrolling civilian areas, having experience with the police force and they were ready to start, the just needed to complete the change over with team Miyamoto.

"You'll be handing over to the Chunin team at 6pm, and then we'll see you for our first training session."

"Before you go," Kotetsu spoke "seen anywhere that sells syrup?" Izumo smacked his long-time friend around the back of the head as he dragged him off into the market, Iruka following his bickering team-mates. Ayame laughed quietly, she did in fact know where Kotetsu could buy some syrup; there were 4 stalls she had seen already two in the Konoha side and 2 in the Suna side. Team one was planning to explore the Tani merchants during their free time tomorrow. Checking that the communications devices were in working order, the three split up and headed to the different start points they had picked out for their patrol, during their wanderings earlier.

Their patrol area was excessively large, it took only half an hour for the genin to complete a full circuit. They soon decided to have Ayame walk the streets in public view as the point of contact for any merchants who needed their help. This of course meant Ayame was pulled into quick conversations with the merchants she passed until she explained that she was now working and couldn't stop for long. The boys took to the 'back paths' between the caravans, carts and stalls, making sure there wasn't anyone who shouldn't be there hanging around.

At 6 the team were happy to hand off the patrol to the Chunin team, 6 hours of being on alert and constantly moving was more tiring then they had thought, and they still had a training session to go. Luckily Hizashi had taken pity on them and their first joint session with Umino Iruka, Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo was spent with team one teaching basic first aid to the older genin. Something Tsunade-sama would be pleased with, she wanted every shinobi to take a basic first aid cause and it was now a part of the requirements to pass the academy to at least be proficient in first aid, if not the full field healing Class S had been trained in.

8 o'clock that evening saw all 6 genin and 2 jonin instructors seated around the Kuro's dinner table enjoying a meal provided by Ryu and Ayame. Miyamoto had finally asked to be called by his first name of Fumiaki and he was quietly conversing with Hizashi.

"What I don't understand is that I walked right by here earlier and I couldn't see any tents let alone this whole camp." Kotetsu made the point his more sensible partners wouldn't voice. To be fair to Kotetsu they hadn't seen team one set up camp at all during their travels, having been more focused on their own camp. "And how you managed to get so much here, I mean I didn't see you carrying tables and cushions but they're here."

"I'm an Uzumaki." This answer got Ayame 3 quizzical looks. "You had the old academy system, didn't you?" Sighing quietly Ayame continued with the history lesson that was now a part of the academy curriculum. "Uzushiogakure, The Village Hidden by Whirlpools, was the main home of the Uzumaki clan. The Uzumaki's were considered a sister clan to the Senju, Hashirama's (the Shodai Hokage) wife was Uzumaki Mito. Uzumakis were known for their dense chakra, longevity and talent in Fuinjutsu. Before the 3rd Shinobi war Uzushio was attacked by a combination of Iwa, Kumo and Kiri and completely destroyed, my grandfather managed to escape with my mother but they were one of the few that did escape. It was a massacre and Uzushio was completely destroyed. Konoha had sent help as soon as they had heard about the attack but the shinobi arrived too late to save their sister village. This is what started the 3rd shinobi war as Konoha declared war on those that had attacked Uzushio, and the red spiral of Uzushio was added to the standard uniform of Konoha as a reminder of Konoha's greatest failure.

"I'm an Uzumaki and I've studied Fuinjutsu. Everything you can see what sealed into scrolls to bring along. Even the barrier around our encampment is a fuinjutsu array meant to hide us for all the senses of those passing by."

"Seals can really do all that?" Iruka leaned forward interested. He knew you could store things in seals but didn't realise there was much more to seals then that. This led to Ayame and Iruka having an in-depth conversation about all the possibilities of fuinjutsu. Having sat with the Hime the day before as she had bandaged the old ladies arm Iruka was a lot more comfortable speaking with her then the silent stoic presences of the two boys. That night team Miyamoto were invited to bring their tents into the protected encampment and they gladly took the offer, and the added help to take down and set up their tents in their new places within the fuinjutsu barrier. Team Miyamoto slept more soundly that night then any other before on the trip, protected by a barrier then had seen the effect of.

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The next morning had Ayame running through katas for her new twin daggers that she kept sealed up her sleeves, and Itachi was running through his kenjutsu katas as slowly as he could. For someone who had committed the moves to muscle memory it was much more difficult to run through the katas slowly, but to onlookers it looked like Itachi was a beginner because of how slowly he was moving, which was the impression Hizashi-sensei wanted to give. Ryu was studying a herbology he had bought from the Suna merchant yesterday. The book focused on the plants and creatures that were mostly found in Suna, something that Ryu didn't know much about, he was hoping to find more materials for his potion experiments.

Ryu had discovered a flare for the magical discipline of Potions, he wanted to see whether there were replacements for the purely magical ingredients that the family had collected before their arrival in the elemental nations. He had already discovered that his potions were more successful on Shinobi then those created by the older Kuros, he theorised that it was because his magic was mixed with his chakra which meant that the recipients chakra was more responsive to the potions. Ryu hoped that using the plants that grew in the elemental nations as replacements would increase the success rates of the potions.

When training was over Ryu split from Itachi and Ayame, he wanted to see what other herbalist books he could find, while Ayame wished to wander through the stalls again. Itachi didn't have anything that he really wished to explore so was more than happy to escort Ayame as they wandered. Today they were exploring the Tani merchants and Ayame was making connections there as well, much like she had yesterday among the Suna merchants.

The pre-teens had another uneventful patrol and before they knew it they were sparring with taijutsu against the older genin. Izumo, Kotetsu and Iruka were soon overwhelmed by Team one in the group match. The teamwork of the pre-teens was impossible for the older genin to disrupt. When one was attacking another was watching their back and running interference. When they switched to individual spars the older genin were again out-matched by Team one.

Team Miyamoto left that training session feeling disheartened at how much more advanced the younger students were, and how much they felt the had to catch up on. Hizashi took the time to reassure the teenagers that team one was a team of prodigies that had had advanced training during their academy days and were therefore more advanced then was to be expected by their ages. This soothed the bruised egos and encouraged the trio to train harder so that they might catch up to Team One.

It was later that night that Iruka and Ayame were in conversation again. They were discussing the difference in their academy experiences and how much difference a dedicated teacher could make. Iruka revealed his wish to help train future shinobi, that he wanted to pass on the Will of Fire that the Sandaime Hokage had installed into him. Ayame promised to introduce Iruka to Reo-sensei when they returned to Konoha, she informed Iruka of how Reo had been teaching her and Ryu since they were young children and that when he took over their class at the academy how much the rest of the academy changed to incorporate his teaching practices. If there was anyone who would be able to show Iruka the best way to be a shinobi teacher it would be Reo-sensei.

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Itachi reached out, as quick as a cobra strike, and clamp his hand around the Suna-nin's wrist.

"Oi! Let go, what you think you're trying to pull?"

"Return it."

"What you on about?" Itachi just stared up at the foreign shinobi hand still clamped around the other's wrist and no matter what the Suna-nin tried he couldn't get out of Itachi's grip. By now the stall owner was paying attention to the two shinobi in front of her stall, and they had caught the attention of most of the near-by shoppers as well. The Suna-nin was starting to become unnerved by the blank stare he was receiving from the 11-year-old. Shifting the nin continued,

"I was only taking my payment."

"Theft is theft, return it." The stall owner gasped and frantically looked at her stall to see what was missing, it turned out to be an expensive diamond ring that was missing. The Jonin sensei of the Suna team appeared then.

"What's going on here?"

"This young man just stopped that shinobi from stealing an expensive diamond ring from my stall!" the stall owner frantically gestured as her voice rose to nearly a shriek by the time she finished her sentence. Looking down at the genin that was now looking away guiltily from his sensei.

"Is this true?" In response the genin just opened the hand of the wrist that Itachi still held and let the ring drop back onto the stall. As soon as the ring left his hand Itachi released his wrist.

"Get back to camp now." The genin ran off as soon as his sensei finished. The jonin turned to the stall holder, "I cannot excuse my charge's actions, I can only apologise and ensure you that he will be facing disciplinary action for his behaviour."

"I'm just glad that this young man was able to stop him from making off with such an expensive item."

Itachi stiffly bowed, "I was just doing my job ma'am."

"Nonsense, what's your name darling?"

"Uchiha Itachi, genin of Konohagakure, Ma'am."

"Oh, I didn't realise you were a shinobi too," The stall-owner was clearly shocked. The Suna nin interrupted before she could continue, "The name of your jonin-sensei please, I wish to ensure you receive a commendation for your quick actions."

"Hyuga Hizashi." The jonin nodded in acknowledgement of Itachi's answer before bowing and apologising to the stall-owner again.

"So, you're shinobi then, Uchiha-san?"

"Hai, Ma'am. I'm training to join the Konoha Police Force."

"Konoha has a shinobi police force? I didn't know that. I've never been to Konoha, Tani native myself. Was that other boy a Konoha nin?"

"No Ma'am, He was from Suna, a Konoha nin would never resort to petty theft." That wasn't to say they wouldn't steal, but that was for a mission and normally they were asked to steal something of vital importance, no self-respecting Konoha nin would steal a ring from a stall holder they were supposed to be protecting.

"Well I certainly won't be going to Suna if that's how their shinobi behave, is there anything you'd like to buy? I'll give you a discount for saving me from being stolen from." In fact, Itachi had been at the stall looking for a gift to buy Ayame when he had seen the Suna nin grab the ring out of the corner of his eye. Even though he wasn't on patrol his 'police brain' wouldn't let the theft happen when he had seen it. He pointed to the spiral pendant on the silver chain that had caught his attention. Not taking the offered discount, Itachi payed full price as his gift was wrapped and placed within his pocket. Swapping farewells and receiving more thanks from the stall-owner, Itachi headed back towards camp, if he didn't hurry he wouldn't have time to eat before rounds.

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"I had an interesting conversation with a Suna-nin this afternoon."

"Hn." Ayame sniggered and Ryu smirked at Itachi, he'd told them about the incident with the Suna genin before they had started their patrol round.

"Oh? What could he have wanted?" Miyamoto was obviously playing along with Hizashi's teasing tone.

"It seems our little Itachi has earned himself a second commendation, he caught a Suna genin in the act of stealing from a Tani jewellery stall."

"Ahh, so that's what all the gossip was about."

"Hn."

"Fine, I won't mention it again. You're all free to go from tonight's training."

"Hai, sensei." As the genin wandered back to their camp from the clearing they were using to train Izumo slipped in nest to Itachi.

"Weren't you worried? With it being a Suna nin and all?"

"Theft is theft." Izumo sent a confused look Itachi's way. Ayame giggled as she explained for her anti-social team-mate.

"Itachi's training to join the Police Force, so he doesn't really care about the subtle hostility that all the Suna nin's have been giving us, he saw a crime and stopped it. That's all."

"So, I'm not the only one who's noticed the glares Suna are giving us?"

"No Izumo-senpai, I've been listening to the gossip and the hostility is due to the Wind Daimyo choosing to hire Konoha nin instead of Suna nin. This shows that the Daimyo doesn't have faith in his own country's shinobi village, which means other high paying clients are following his example, I'm sure you've noticed that there are more and more missions available." Izumo nodded, as did the other 4 nin listening to her. "This leaves Suna with less missions, meaning less money, which leaves the shinobi force underfunded and it's also causing problems for Sunagakure itself. Being a desert village, it relies upon the commissions from shinobi work to be able to purchase vital products including fresh fruit and vegetables, things that it cannot provide for itself. This is not Konoha's fault but it seems that the Suna nin are blaming us anyway. Thankfully it doesn't seem like the civilians are following their example, I've faced no hostility from any of the Suna merchants whenever I've ventured to that area of the market."

"How'd you know all that?" Kotetsu blurted out.

"Gossip and political training," Ayame laughed as they breached the barrier around camp and went their separate ways to prepare for dinner.

AN: Thank you everyone for all your support, the response to Glad Tidings has been incredible and far beyond anything I expected. I will have the next chapter up soon

Aurora x