No one was surprised, the following Monday morning, when Iruka announced the teams. Hitomi, who had never understood why it was a surprise in the canon, found solace in the certainty of her teammates' identity. The Genin – then students – had been separated into teams of three, always the same ones, for about twenty exercises throughout the last two years. On rare occasions, when they had to work in pairs or in larger units, their usual teams would be broken and rearranged, but those were exceptional occurrences.

This way of doing things was just so much more logical. The children had learned to work together, their solidarity forged and tried in the fire of hardships – sometimes very literally, like during the field exercise when Sasuke had awoken his Sharingan. Of course, their individual qualities had been developed too, but not to the detriment of teamwork, and that was the detail that mattered the most in Konoha, a Hidden Village renowned for its powerful shinobi teams. The ninjas who couldn't work in teams were condemned to stay at the very bottom of the social and military ladder for years or even their whole career, if they never gave in or died trying.

For Hitomi, the weekend had truly shed light on the team dynamic that was developing between Naruto, Sasuke and her. Saturday morning, the three teenagers had been made to rise with the sun by a very enthusiastic Kurenai and had discovered their new home in the warm light of a spring morning. It seemed big despite its two floors. The old bricks and wood had been neglected and the polish was falling out at some places, but those details didn't matter; they could be fixed.

All four of them had gotten to work immediately. Hitomi and Naruto had created solid clones. Despite the girl mixing Shadow and Water clones, her new brother had drowned the street in blond boys. After complimenting them for their initiative, Kurenai had also joined in with five copies of herself. Only Sasuke didn't know any solid clone technique, since his chakra reserves didn't allow him to learn the one Naruto would become famous for yet and the Fire Style cloning technique wasn't very well-known.

Taking all their belongings from one house to the other, with the help of such an army, only took three little hours. When their new neighbours had woken up and understood what they were doing, they had joined in – even Shikamaru, who only grumbled for show and made Hitomi promise that she would come and play shōgi with him in the evening – Shikaku making sure everyone was well fed while Yoshino and her Earth Release Clones pitched in with the Yūhi army.

Once their former house was empty, Kurenai and the three children went to a furniture store owned by several members of the Nara clan. A lot of the wood the village used came from Nara civilians who worked either in the Deer Forest, or in the land the clan held everywhere in the Forest of Fire and in the Fire Country in general. When ninjas had still been nomads, the Nara were already renowned for their mastery of wood – and of medicinal plants, of course.

Naruto needed a whole bedroom's furniture, as well as objects to decorate it. As for Hitomi and Sasuke, their new bedrooms were larger than the old ones, which also implied buying a few things to fill and arrange them like they saw fit. Hitomi had enough money to pick whatever she fancied: during the Friday feast in the Akimichi restaurant, one of the two gifts Kurenai had given her had been a thick file filled with all the relevant documentation about the money and properties her father had left her with when he passed away. Since she was a Genin, she was allowed to access and use it at will. Sasuke had received the same kind of file, since he had become Uchiha-sama the very moment he had been given his forehead protector. Naruto probably had an inheritance too, and thinking of it between Hiruzen's rotten hands made Hitomi ache. One day, he would get it back, she promised herself.

Once they were done shopping, their new things safely taken to the house by very diligent clones, they separated to organise their own room like they wanted to. One of Hitomi's walls was occupied by a massive window, which brought a generous amount of light inside. She decided to make the best of it by putting her king size bed right under the window, so she could lounge and read there when she had the time. She also knew her cats would love that spot.

She also found the perfect place for her desk and shelves and unrolled an absurdly thick and soft rug in the middle of the room, its pearl grey shade perfect with the pale wood floor and the lavender paint on the walls. Next to her door, she hung the pictures Chōgi had drawn for her over the years as well as a few pictures of her friends. She took the time to look around then. Her bed was still bare and her shelves and desk empty, but it already felt like home.

Somewhere along the line, Yoshino came to fetch everyone for lunch in the Nara household, which Kurenai accepted immediately. They ate, drank and laughed in the cramped living room, filling the time with light banter. Hitomi knew immediately that this memory would hold a special place in her mind, that she would try to relive it when hardship would come for her, when she would need comfort far away from home.

The meal and their last chores over, the three teenagers and their mother went to the most renowned armoury in Konoha. As Genin, they needed far more gear than they had as students, and they also had access to new weapons and traps that made Hitomi shiver with anticipation. She would also be able to get access to the labs, without adult supervision, between missions and definitely had work to do there.

The shop Hitomi was most eager to get to was the tailor's. When it was her turn, she climbed above the armoury, in a room whose walls were covered in mirrors, trying to look as expressionless and self-assured as a ninja should. A stool marked the centre of the room and two civilians, a man and a woman, were waiting next to it. "Yūhi-san," the woman greeted her, "come in. Your mother made the appointment for your brothers and yourself weeks ago. We're most honoured to create Kurenai-sama's daughter's outfit."

"You know my mom?"

"We come from a merchant clan from the Land of Earth. During the last war, we decided to move to Konoha and were attacked by Earth shinobi who, as long as we stayed in Iwagakure, had sworn to protect us. Your mother saved us."

Hitomi could understand that kind of gratitude. She felt something very close to it for Kurenai, who loved her without expecting anything in return. She had never known anything like that in the Previous World, and for the first years of her new life she had really struggled to simply understand. Her mother loved her because she was loveable. Because she deserved her love, despite any mistake she could ever make. It didn't mean her mistakes would be instantly forgiven, but it meant she would always be listened to, considered, and that in case of a great mistake a chance to fix it would always be given to her. It made her feel safe.

"We're going to start with a classic," the man said, "steel fishnet. Most new Genin neglect that piece of equipment, but it's very useful to deflect most projectiles and shocks. At your level, you shouldn't encounter opponents strong enough for steel netting to be a real help, but you never know."

Hitomi couldn't suppress a nervous giggle. At Sasuke's and Naruto's side, she was sure to have the worst of luck. She had had time to psychologically prepare for it, but this simple sentence reminded her that the Demon of the Mist was the next significant adversary she would encounter. She knew what she needed to do if she wanted to save him, to save Haku – in fact, she even had several plans, depending on how the situation would evolve – but, to get there, she would still have to fight against them. A terrifying perspective.

With the help of the two tailors, the girl put on a steel fishnet shirt and the matching leggings. With that, she'd be protected from the collarbones to the ankles against light to middle shocks and superficial cuts. It wouldn't save her life, but it would spare her from little inconveniences that could hinder her focus and lead her to death on the battlefield. The feeling of steel against her skin was strange, smooth, cold and surprisingly light. She would get used to it with a bit of training – training that would be mandatory anyway so she could grow accustomed to her whole battle outfit.

"Your mother said you want to become a Seal Mistress. A popular feature for our shinobi who like to use seals in battle is to hide them in layers of strengthening bandages around their limbs. Would you like to try it?"

Hitomi nodded, trying and failing to hide her interest. She had managed, with Ensui's help, to find a few seals she had been able to adapt to her needs and fighting style. Nothing, though, would be more useful in her opinion than having a shitload of storage seals filled with water at her disposal, so she wouldn't need to waste chakra creating it for her Water Release techniques. She wasn't Senju Tobirama, after all: generating water from the air or summoning it from way below ground was costly. She extended an arm and the man wrapped a bandage around her wrist, slipping a blank piece of paper between two layers so a little corner would stick out.

For a few minutes, the girl practiced pulling out that fake seal in a fluid gesture. She would need to repeat it until it became instinctive, but she had made up her mind. "Okay, I want those in my outfit. As for its general appearance, I'd like a short battle kimono, with sleeves large enough to hide my hands when I'm preparing a jutsu or an attack. Would it be possible?"

They knew their craft and started talking her through enough options to make her dizzy. She decided on a light leather kimono cut above the knee, the first layer a dark shade of grey while the second one was the exact same red as her eyes. The obi was red too, with a thin braid of black silk that would bear part of her tools while the rest, including her tantō, would be stuck between her obi and kimono. The cut fitted her closely, but was still comfortable enough for her to move around without problems. The sleeves were as wide as she had wished for and added flair to her movements. She was sure they would distract some of her opponents, at least a little.

Sure, she would have to come back to the tailors often to fit the whole outfit again, but it was a small price to pay to look like she did with those clothes on. The obsession with appearances had always been prevalent in the shinobi world, despite what some traditionalists tried to pretend. A ninja had to make an impression within the first moments of a confrontation and, for that, a well-chosen combination of outfit, hairdo and makeup could be very efficient. Sure, no one would be afraid of Hitomi wearing a battle kimono, but fear wasn't her goal. She looked like a little puppet, harmless and sweet, her wide sleeves and dark kimono emphasising how small and frail she was. Even the boots she chose, with their flat soles, insisted on the picture she was drawing of herself for the benefit of her adversaries: a fragile and superficial little girl. The very opposite of a threat.

When she went back downstairs, her usual clothes on her back and the new ones in a bag, Hitomi felt deeply satisfied. She had spent good money on this outfit plus variations for warm and cold weather, but she still had enough on her to pay for fūinjutsu equipment. Since she didn't need to pay for her friends' seals, bombs and such, she could afford to experiment with the pricey ink she fancied, and it would even be truer now that missions offered an added source of income.

Then it was Naruto's turn to go upstairs and come back the owner of a steel net shirt, black pants and a long, dark grey coat. The hems of the coat were decorated with orange flames, because Naruto wouldn't be himself without his favourite colour on his clothes. Sasuke took twice the time his siblings had spent upstairs, only to get down with the exact same outfit Naruto had picked, minus the flames and with an Uchiha fan on the back. The two boys seemed proud of their choice and were right to be: they looked young, yes, but they didn't have this "fresh from the Academy" look about them anymore. As for Hitomi, one would think she had never even stepped in the shinobi school in the first place. Perfect.

"Well, now that you have everything you need, we should head home. The first dinner in our new house is an important matter for the family." Kurenai was smiling, obviously satisfied with her children's choices.

"In that case, Mom, you should invite Asuma-san." Hitomi's words made her mother freeze. The woman stared at her child as if she was speaking a foreign language; but she had those in check: there was no way they could break free of her Library. She answered the look with her most innocent smile.

"Asuma? But…"

"Mom, please. I know it's really serious between you two, even if you try to hide it. If I had to guess, I'd say it's as much about us children than it is about the fact you'll both be leading a Genin team starting Monday."

"But how do you…"

"Asuma-san and Shikaku-ojisan meet at least once a week for months, and often more than that. Shikamaru mentioned it and I could see it by myself a few times. So, as I was saying, I understand why you don't want the whole village to know, the timing is not the best. But I know it's very serious between you, you really love him, and I can see how he loves you too when he looks at you. I'm not saying you should marry tomorrow. I'm just saying that, if you want to, you should really invite Asuma-san to have dinner with us tonight."

"Hitomi's right, Kurenai-san! Asuma-san is awesome, right Sasuke?"

"Hm."

"You see, Mom? Everyone agrees. As long as Asuma-san behaves, I swear I won't tease him too much. I'll even stop Naruto from pranking him.

"Eh!"

"Yes?" the girl asked him with her sweetest smile, her eyebrows slightly raised as if to dare him.

"Ah… Eh… N-nothing?"

Once Asuma arrived, dinner could start. Exactly as Hitomi had imagined, the evening meal was delicious. After dinner, she spent a few hours playing shōgi with Sasuke and Naruto, who teamed up to try to defeat her. The good strategy instincts of the former and the unpredictable tendencies of the latter weren't enough in the end: after all, Hitomi often played with her cousin and her uncle, both incredibly gifted, and her playing style was still impregnated with Ensui's pitiless and flexible style.

Gaara,

I hope your exam went well. Today, I went with my family to buy my ninja gear. I realised how much I've changed physically these past few years. Would you recognise me? I miss you terribly. I want to introduce you to my brothers, my mother, my girlfriend, my friends. I can't wait for them to be able to meet you and realise what an extraordinary person you are. When we were at the Academy, they often asked what I was writing in my notebook, and to whom. I didn't tell them about my creation, but I will tomorrow morning: I want us all to stay in contact. I hope a mission will lead me to Suna soon. I miss the desert, and I miss you even more.

Yours truly,

Hitomi.

Hitomi,

My exam was a mere formality. Ensui-sensei prepared me well and, thanks to Temari and Kankurō, I knew what to expect. I think the Academy students had the fright of their life when they saw me in the classroom. My reputation is still bad around the village. I hope it will change one day.

Your shishou, as you know, grew close to several Jōnin from the village who don't approve of my father's politics and general behaviour. One of them, Baki, will become the sensei for a team composed of my siblings and myself. It's very rare to have Genin teams in the village, but we want to try the Konohajin system because your mortality rate is much lower than ours for Genin. Ensui-sensei has decided it was time for him to leave us, since we're safe and able to look after ourselves. He's probably right. He'll leave tomorrow morning and should arrive in Konoha in three to four days, depending on the weather. I'll miss him, of course. He's been very good to us three. He made sure we would have a future within the village.

I miss you too. I want to see what you describe in your letters, to meet the people you love so much, to understand how your bonds with others work. Thanks to you and to my siblings, I think I understand bonds better – but there's always more to learn and discover in that field

Yours,

Gaara.

Seeing that message the following morning made Hitomi's heart soften. A quiet smile on her lips, she dressed, greeted the sun in the garden and, for the first time, tied in place the forehead protector that designated her as a Konohajin shinobi. During the weekend, her mom had sewn it to a strip of dark red fabric in accordance with the rest of her outfit. Her brothers came downstairs as she was filling their pouches with throwing weapons. Naruto was already brimming with energy, while Sasuke was frowning and pouting as he did every morning.

"I can't wait to start missions! Everyone will see that we're the best team!"

"Ah, Naruto, we won't exactly be able to show our talents to the village right away."

"Uh?"

"Well, the D-ranked missions we'll have to do in the beginning will be more like chores than real missions. Weeding a garden, delivering groceries, that kind of stuff."

"What?" He looked more crestfallen than angry, thank the Hermit. "But why do they give those kinds of missions to ninjas? We're ninjas!"

"For several reasons," Sasuke intervened. "The village wants to make sure we can be trusted before giving us more important tasks. They also help us learn how to function as a team in real conditions, but with low stakes."

"Sasuke's right," Hitomi continued. "We're the first generation of Genin who worked in teams in the Academy already rather than after graduating. We're test subjects, if you will. We know we're ready, but they don't and we have to show them. Besides, we're gonna get paid for those missions and become part of the village's economy. We pay for the services our civilians provide and, in return, when they need help, they hire us. Those missions aren't fun, Naruto, but I promise they're useful."

Naruto stared at the floor, scratching his neck with a pensive expression. "I get it, I think." He sighed then smiled, looking at Sasuke, then at Hitomi. "Bah, as long as I'm with you, I could even sort through rice grains for a whole day without feeling tired!"

"Aaaaw, Naruto, you're so cute!" Hitomi chirped as she hugged the living hell out of him. "Right, Sasuke?" She threw the Uchiha boy a look, raising an eyebrow with her sweetest, most threatening smile. He jumped slightly, an expression of fright appearing on his face as he frantically nodded. His eyes were so wide he looked like a hunted deer.

"Hitomi," Kurenai intervened as she walked down the stairs, "stop upsetting your brothers this early in the morning."

"But Mom, it's so easy!"

"Exactly. Find yourself tougher prey to play with. That would be more gratifying. Come on, children, it's time to eat breakfast if you don't want to be late for the Academy."

The three new Genin obeyed, sitting around the table to enjoy the breakfast Hitomi had prepared after greeting the sun. Even Sasuke had a hard time hiding his impatience under his usual impassive mask: his eyes were gleaming, his movements were quicker and less precise than usual, signs people who knew him understood sometimes better than he did. Naruto, of course, was far more obvious and easy to read. He was twitching in his chair and spoke loudly, exuberant and joyful to finally advance towards his dream.

He had had a talk with Kurenai, as the woman had promised her daughter they would, during the week-end. She hadn't told him about his family – this secret was still foolishly protected – but she had explained about the demon fox inside him, about the way it would perhaps manifest in times of dire need. She had tried to show it under a positive light, with mixed results: at first, Naruto had been tense and ill at ease around Sasuke and Hitomi, as if fearing they would reject him. The girl had hugged him the way he liked, hard enough to squeeze the air out of his lungs, whispering in his ear that she knew, that it didn't change anything – and Sasuke had smirked, this discreet expression as clear as words.

They arrived at the Academy a bit before Iruka entered the classroom. They immediately went to mingle with their friends, welcomed with enthusiastic exclamations. Everyone knew Naruto had passed the exam: he mastered the tested techniques, except for the cloning, and he had something even better than it. No one was surprised to see him there, amongst his friends.

When the teacher walked in and asked for calm, everyone obeyed. No one wanted to disturb that final day at the school, after all. As usual, the Fellowship occupied the whole last row of desks. Iruka met Hitomi's eyes and smiled. She nodded in response, mutely thanking him for everything he had taught her, and he was thanking her for everything she had accomplished with her peers. Without her willingness to unite the most influential students within her year, the experiment he had attempted to make future teams start working together before graduation wouldn't have worked. The other students, once they had understood they wouldn't enter the Fellowship because they didn't want to work as hard as Hitomi made her friends work, had formed other groups. The teachers just had to look at their students to form teams.

There was no problem or protest as Iruka formed the teams. Quickly enough, the new sensei came in, called their teams and left, until Team Seven was alone with its former teacher in the classroom. Time slowly stretched from minutes to hours while Hitomi read a book and the two boys sharpened their weapons. Finally, Iruka let out a heavy sigh and stood up, disapproval clearly appearing on his features. "Well, children, I have to go. Can I leave you to wait for your sensei?"

"It won't be a problem," Hitomi answered. "If we make sure not to miss him coming in, can we please use one of the training rooms while we wait?"

He seemed to hesitate then, probably remembering that Hitomi was his most serious student, he nodded. "Sure. Here, take the key to Room Two, it should be empty right now. I'll come and get it tonight, just give it to Kurenai-san when you get home."

"Thank you, Iruka-sensei! See you later!"

The three kids watched as their former teacher left the room. When he was beyond earshot, Naruto turned to Hitomi, visibly curious. "How do you want to watch out for our new sensei while we train in another room?"

"Oh, that's right, I didn't tell you… Last week, I was training with the Shadow Clone technique and I noticed something weird: when my clone disappeared, I always received feelings and memories that didn't belong to me. I asked Mom about it and she explained it was one of the things the technique can do. Since you have the most chakra, you'll leave a few clones next to the entrance of the Academy, on the roof and in the corridors and if one spots an unknown ninja, he'll just have to dissipate and you'll know."

"Woah! The Shadow Clone technique is the coolest of all!"

"Don't you say that in front of Kiba. He'd be so wounded that you think any technique is better than his clan's."

On those words, the children left the classroom behind them, Naruto creating clones who'd stand watch for them.