In the Konoha spring, the trees that lined the avenue were draped with pink and white blossoms, and the fragrance of the jasmine flowers that lined the ground wafted through the air. To see the boughs that were so destitute in the winter become so beautifully adorned lifted Akira's spirits. The floral scents diffused in the warming breeze, and the young ninja held her head high to savour it. When their petals would rain down in a steady trickle a few weeks later, she would feel like a bride just to walk under them. As Akira slowly travelled from home to the Academy, she stopped to pick a few bundles of sweet and purple lavender. Their green stalks swayed in the wind as she walked, and Akira smiled peacefully, hair blowing around behind her back like the lavender in her hands.
Akira smiled peacefully. Nothing could disrupt the tranquillity that she felt at that moment; nothing except for the usual appearance of Naruto Uzumaki running down the street, two shinobi hot on his heels. Akira stood and laughed as he ran past and greeted her, a goofy smile on his face, and watched as he ran up to the rooftops to avoid his tailing company. Akira resumed her journey to the Academy with a shake of her head, admiring the freshly painted graffiti comically adorning Hokage Rock. Soon, the girl found herself on one of Konoha's main streets. The old traditional buildings stood firmly and remained colourful even under years of harsh exposure to the sun. While the main road was less peaceful, Akira loved to drown herself in the voices of happy villagers going about their day. She loved Konoha, loved its people, and while they didn't always feel the same about her, Akira vowed to protect them with her life. Some children joined the Academy for the thrill of it, like their parents, but Akira had enrolled for the sole purpose of keeping the village safe—she'd vowed it years ago.
A light tap on her shoulder pulled Akira from her thoughts, and her deep blue eyes were met with a familiar pair of honey-coloured eyes. Kai Manzo had been Akira's best friend nearly since birth. Before the Academy, they spent almost every waking hour together. And while their training and studies took up some of that time now, Kai and Akira still met up halfway to the Academy and walked together. Nothing was ever going to keep her from that boy.
"Good morning, Kai," Akira said brightly. She stuck a branch of lavender in Kai's white hair and giggled as it waved around in the wind. "Is that graffiti entirely Naruto's doing or did you have a part in that too?"
"Oh, no, that's all him," Kai laughed. "I suddenly decided to become a sensible ninja."
"Did you, now?"
Banter ensued, and it didn't stop until the two friends reached the Academy. It was one of the largest buildings in Konoha, comprised of several buildings erected over time. The large oak tree that stood in front of the main door was beautiful as ever, golden beams of sunlight casting a warm glow on the swing that swayed beneath the leaves. The Academy classrooms were large and had high ceilings, based on the theory that larger classrooms lead to extensive education, expanding even to the blackboard itself, which touched both opposite walls. In front of the blackboard was a podium, situated far from the students' desks and put in a position where the teacher could view everyone at once.
As with any school, students were taught a core curriculum of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and geography. These lessons were typically framed in a shinobi-context, and in fact, are learned to facilitate later instruction in tactics and strategy. Students learn the Shinobi Rules, how to strengthen their minds and bodies and receive special lectures from veteran shinobi. So far, Akira's favourite had been the visit from the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
In more practical classes, the students were taken through the handling of ninja weapons and tools, like shuriken and kunai, learning how to throw and wield them through target practice. They were also instructed on the basics of trap-setting, but Akira never paid attention during those parts. Academy students were likewise taught about chakra and how to use it, as well as how to make hand seals. In taijutsu class, students were engaged in physical activities to help train their bodies and develop their stamina. This was Akira's favourite part of the Academy. She loved sparring, manipulating chakra and beating someone in a match.
Kai and Akira entered the classroom together, and before Akira sat down, she put the small bundle of lavender in the vase on the window sill and then found her spot next to Kai. Desks were shared by three students and, as usual, her other friend Kiba Inuzuka sat on her other side.
"You're here early," Akira noted.
"Hana had to drop me off earlier than usual," he said simply.
"She's working this early?" Kai asked.
"Yeah, something about Naruto again."
"He painted graffiti on the Hokage," Akira chuckled. "Great impressionist work, if I do say so myself."
"I'm not surprised," a voice from behind said. "Iruka sensei is gonna be late because of him. What a drag."
Though lazy by nature and finding nearly everything 'a drag', Shikamaru Nara had a rare intellect that consistently allowed him to prevail at anything, whether it be a sparring match or a game of chess. Remarkably, he was able to get away with his laziness, spending his days in class, either sleeping or watching the clouds. He was easy to get along with, which is why he was another one of Akira's good friends.
"You think everything's a drag, Nara," Kai said.
"That's because everything is a drag, Manzo," Shikamaru said lazily, looking back outside.
"I just hope he doesn't get into too much trouble," Akira said, a little worried.
"There aren't many chances of that happening, Akira," the person beside Shikamaru said.
Sasuke Uchiha was, according to most girls, quite handsome, but every time someone made a note of it, Akira couldn't help but gag.
"Always the pessimist, aren't you, brother?" Akira said.
Sasuke glanced at her, then looked away silently. Akira sighed and rolled her eyes. Turning back towards the front, Akira noticed Iruka-sensei walking into the classroom, huffing and puffing, with Naruto trailing behind him.
"Daily routine, step four..." Akira began.
"Naruto's lecture," Kai and Kiba chorused.
"I'm at the end of my rope, Naruto!" Iruka shouted. It seemed as if he was continuing a conversation. "You failed the graduation test last time and the one before that. Tomorrow you've got another chance, and you're messing up again!"
As usual, Naruto wasn't having it. He turned his head in a huff, which earned everyone the joy of redoing yet another revision of the transformation jutsu. A collective groan was issued from the classroom, but everyone shuffled to the front and lined up. First was Sakura Haruno, one of the many girls who often made Akira gag if she was around Sasuke.
"All right, Sakura here! Let's do it—transform!"
She held her hands up in the appropriate seal and in a puff of grey smoke, Sakura was replaced by Iruka-sensei.
"You transformed into me?" Iruka said, baffled for a moment. "All right, good—next!"
"Yes, I did it!" Sakura said happily. "Did you see that Sasuke?"
"Ugh," Akira moaned, faking a gag.
Sakura glared at her before shoving past her. Akira rolled her eyes and stepped forward. She wasted no time in speaking and transformed into the Second Hokage.
"Oh, Lord Second—good choice! Well done, Akira. Next!"
"This is a waste of time," Shikamaru complained as he and Akira switched places.
"Shut up, Shikamaru," Akira laughed, returning to normal. "Everything is a waste of time with you."
"Yeah, we always pay for your screw-ups," Ino Yamanaka whined, pointing to Naruto.
"Like I care," he grumbled.
And it went on and on until Naruto went up last, as usual. And, again, as usual, Naruto couldn't pass up the opportunity to goof off. He stepped up to the front and placed his hands together, but instead of transforming into Iruka-sensei like most of the others, he transformed into a tall and entirely naked blonde girl who much resembled Naruto. Taken off-guard, Iruka shrieked as Naruto transformed back into his usual self and burst out laughing.
"Got ya! That was my 'Sexy Jutsu'!"
"Cut the stupid tricks!" Iruka-sensei yelled. "This is your last warning!"
The class was dismissed soon after that. Akira, Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru had to get past the barrage of Sasuke fans before they could exit the classroom, and Kiba wasn't shy to bust right through them. Naruto stayed behind with Iruka-sensei, and Akira saw them going off towards Hokage rock with cleaning supplies in hand as she and her friends made it to the outdoor training yard. While Shikamaru took a nap underneath a tree, Kai and Kiba practised their aim by throwing kunai at target posts, and Akira spent the rest of the afternoon hacking away at tree stumps with an old sword. A few students joined Kiba and Kai, and it soon turned into a not-so-friendly competition that Kai won.
"Hey, you only won because Shikamaru startled me!" Kiba complained.
"It's not my fault; I had a nightmare," Shikamaru sighed.
"What were you even dreaming about that made you scream like a little girl?"
"Your mother."
"HEY!"
The four bickering friends parted ways just before sunset and returned home, but Akira took a detour through town. Her and Naruto had a strange relationship. They weren't exactly friends, nor rivals like he and Sasuke, but she shared a strange kinship that she had with no one else. Passing by Ichiraku Ramen, Akira hoped to find him and see how he was doing. There, she found him slurping on a bowl of ramen beside Iruka-sensei. Akira smiled and approached, silently poking her head between both of them. Naruto screeched and nearly fell out of his seat.
"You've killed me, Akira!"
"Sorry, couldn't help myself," the girl laughed. "Can I join you?"
"Yeah, all right," Naruto said begrudgingly. "Just don't scare me again."
Akira took a seat beside Naruto and ordered her usual pork bone broth ramen. As she slowly began eating, Iruka resumed the conversation he was having with Naruto.
"Naruto, why would you do that to the Hokage faces? I mean, you know who they are, don't you?"
"'Course I do!" the boy said, then slurped the last of his ramen. "Everyone knows. They were the greatest shinobi of their time, right? The best of the best? Undefeated ninja champs? And the Fourth Hokage is the one who saved the village from the Nine-Tailed Fox—he was the most amazing."
"Then why did you—"
"'Cause I'm gonna be greater than any of them! Me, Naruto, the next Hokage—a ninja legend! Oh, Akira, you can be my advisor!"
Akira couldn't help but giggle. The boy's optimism was infectious, and it was always fun to see Iruka stare at him in complete confusion.
"So that way, everyone will have to stop disrespecting me and look up to me! Believe it!" Naruto paused, then continued a little awkwardly, "Uh, by the way, I have a favour to ask, sensei."
"You want another bowl?"
"I wouldn't put it past him," Akira chuckled.
"Hm, no," Naruto said after a moment's contemplation. "I wanna try on your headband! Come on, pretty please!"
Iruka reached for his forehead protector. It gleamed in the low light of the ramen shop, the engraving of the Konoha leaf contrasting with the shine of the metal it was etched on. Iruka laughed.
"What this? No way! You can only wear the Leaf headband when you finally graduate from the Academy and become a ninja. You've got to pass the test tomorrow!"
"I'm going to pass," Akira said, suddenly determined. Everything from the way she was sitting up straight to the tone in her voice showed it. "I'm going to pass, and I'm going to become the greatest I can become—no matter what!"