Chapter 7

*

In the home of Aphrodite and Kira Lake stood a pair of men within a well-organized bedroom. Everything from books to papers that seemed to be written upon incoherently with characters they had never seen before was categorized in some way. From what they could tell the books were separated not only by genre, and author but, also alphabetically. The papers though they couldn't understand quite what they mean were separated in some ways they could only guess were similar to the books upon the shelf. The bed was made so there wasn't a single wrinkle in the fabric, including the pillow. Out of curiosity, the closet was checked. All the clothing was separated by colors then in separate categories, one could only guess was by how much they covered. To the furthest right there was the blue section which hung blue two-piece bathing suits, shorts, skirts, then shirts. This girl owned practically no pants. It was either skirts or shorts and no dresses to be found.

Which would make one think that she doesn't like feeling confined. Yet, her tastes were different than most preteens her age. Her clothing looked more like what those in their late teens would be seen walking around wearing. Further adding to what they already knew. Her mentality was more developed than those her age. What they were looking at now though wasn't the books, papers, clothes, or weapons that were tucked away in her desk. But pictures pinned up on the wall behind said desk. They were all of a girl with long black hair and charcoal eyes. A couple even contained a conservative girl that looked the same age with long blond hair. "Their mothers?" The masked one asked more himself rather than looking for an actual answer. His viewable eye now resting on a photo of the black-haired girl dressed in a white elegant gown, made from material he has never seen before with a young light brown-haired fellow in a black tux. A wedding picture. Though even thinking it was her parents all of the other pictures that same boy and girl were in all the rest except for one. The black-haired girl obviously took this picture as she was leaning over a chair an older man was set at. Her eyes were alight with emotions and happiness that echoed with her smile. In blue writing at the bottom of the photo read -My Dad and I- If this was her parents then why aren't there any containing all of them including Kira?

"These are the photos that made me believe young Kira had lost her family before she even knew them. But, the girl in these photos are looking more and more like Kira as the years pass." The older man standing behind him smoking on his pipe spoke up.

"So either she looks exactly like her mom or they are somehow Kira herself." The masked one concludes now turning to face the Third Hokage.

"Yes, even though it is quite impossible." The Third said as he turned towards the window behind him and looked outside in thought. "If that is Kira then as the pictures show she doesn't age. All of them with the boy are all from different times. Even the last one of the old man holding the young girl close to him. The love in his eyes never changed since the one when they were teenagers. There is no mistaking that he is one in the same, however. The girl in those photos never ages which is also impossible. Kira was five when she and her cousin showed up and the girl in those photos... If they are real would be over 90 years old if not older by now."

"Why are you showing this to me, Lord Hokage?"

"Just like with Naruto, Kira is also in your squad. You will need to know about her situation to understand her. Also, you will need to watch over her."

"You mean because of Damen." The masked man interrupts the third Hokage.

"Hn. Yes, he is still out there. We do not know what he is capable of but if these pictures are true then he may somehow have the power to have made them kids again. If one man has that kind of power who knows what else he is capable of."

"Although, when you think about it. It was a smart move." The masked ninja says turning back to the pictures. "If you are against an enemy that reaches a certain age and time basically stops for her. Would it not be a good battle plan to change her to her most vulnerable state?" Even though he said that the fact of making someone five years old again was unbelievable. "If she is the one in these pictures. It is safe to say she was a good person. Full of love and compassion. Emotions that have eluded her while she has been here. This Damen guy going after a girl like her... Just wouldn't be right."

Turning when the Hokage starts to chuckle the Masked Ninja looks to his leader in confusion. "You see, Kakashi, this is why I brought you here. I doubt anyone else would even begin to think this is all possible." Pulling his pipe from his mouth he exhales a small cloud of smoke. "If this did happen. Is it wrong of an old man to find the mere chance of them being turned into their five-year-old selves fascinating?"

*Kira*

Sitting at a desk with my hands folded I think about earlier how I had let Sakura get under my skin. No matter how annoying and idiotic she can be, how I reacted shouldn't have happened. I guess I have to be careful. If I'm not it's quite possible I could resort to killing again. Closing my eyes I take in a small breath. Killing without using the death note, is harder because everything is more real. I can still feel my assailant's neck-snapping between my legs. Or how I felt the time I woke up from my blood haze soaked from head to toe in the red sticky substance. These feelings will never go away. They are forever engraved into my soul. As if a piece of myself broke and fell away with each death I had caused without simply writing a name in a notebook.

"I got him! He totally fell for it!" Naruto's sudden shout pulls me from my thoughts causing me to look towards the commotion.

"I'm sorry sensei I told him not to do it but he wouldn't listen, honest." Sakura tries to cover up how she obviously wanted this to happen before turning to him to start lecturing Naruto about making the Sensei mad at them. I watch as the silver-haired masked ninja bends down to pick up the eraser.

"Hmmm. How can I put this." He says in a rather bored tone raising his right hand to his chin and closing his eye. "My first impression of this group. You're a bunch of idiots." I stood walking down the steps to the main floor and lean against my desk, crossing my arms as I watch him.

"It's been a long time, Kakashi." I state as boredly as he was trying to seem to cause everyone to look at me. I watch as he smiles behind his mask closing his eye.

"Oh, Kira. So you're on this team too?" He questions as if he hadn't known, though the tone he used told me that he had been informed prior to entering the room.

"Yeah, you've aged since the last I seen you. Guess now you really are an old man." I smirk towards him as his shoulders slouch a bit. I knew that one phrase would get to him.

"Well, how about we go somewhere to talk then." We watch as he turns and walks out. Only I knew we were heading to the roof. The others following him obediently made me sigh. Of course, puppets to the very end. Even with that thought, I found myself following behind them.

*

As the others set on the steps upon the roof of the academy, Kakashi goes to the railing and sets down. I however choose a spot right behind my squad and lay down on the cement. This was going to be boring. "Why don't you introduce yourselves." Kakashi says in that same bored tone he always has in the anime. I tended to figure it was because he's always thinking about make out paradise and where he's at in his latest book. And his bored tone is also contributed to how he'd rather be reading it than what he is doing. Goes to show you how high in priority he ranks everything around him right?

"Introduce ourselves? What are we supposed to say?" Sakura asks as I close my eyes. Honestly, I can kind of guess how Kakashi feels. Instead of a book, I would rather relive the death note anime to see Light again rather than be doing anything else. Even though I know that it's wrong to stay stuck in the past and that I should move on I couldn't help it. Just thinking about Light makes my heart pound. Maybe… Just maybe one day I can get my mom to spill the beans or find another way to make Light immortal. Then maybe I could go back through the anime and keep him with me for eternity. Yup, truly selfish of me. I should just let him go. I already knew from the start that his time in my life wouldn't even be like a blink in time compared to my own existence. I knew I would long outlive... the love of my life.

Yet, even though I know that then... Why can't I let go? Imagining Light's face the day he asked me to turn him reminded me how helpless I felt. Truly powerless to stop time. Tch. Why am I even thinking about that day again? It's not like I can change it. "Kira, it's your turn." Kakashi's voice pulls me out of my thoughts causing me to open my eyes. "That's if you are done sleeping." Looking past my squad I saw Kakashi smirking. Damn it, he had called on me before he had even gotten my attention. Tch. I need to stop doing that.

"I wasn't sleeping." I state raising myself enough to rest on my elbows. Before I could say anything though Kakashi spoke up again.

"Sure you weren't. But, before you begin I should tell you that the Hokage would like you to speak more about yourself than your first day at school."

Rolling my eyes I sigh. Sure gramps would say that. I already knew he wanted me to come out of my shell. "Fine. I'm Kira Lake. I don't particularly care for much of anything. Except I tend to like physical activities because it keeps my mind clear. I hate fan-girls and fan-boys. My dream... Well, I don't feel like telling you, old man."

They fall silent again staring at me as if to ask if that was really all I was going to say before Kakashi clears his throat to get all of our attention. "Good, you're each unique and have your own ideas. We'll have our first mission tomorrow."

"What kind of mission are we going to have?!" Naruto asks while I was just relieved Kakashi had taken their attention off of me.

"It's a task the five of us will do together."

"What, what, what, what?!" Please Kakashi just come out with it so I can leave already.

"A survival exercise."

"Huh, a survival exercise?" Naruto questions.

"I thought we were supposed to have a real mission, not more practice." Sakura criticizes. "We already did this stuff at the academy that's how we got here."

"This is not like your previous training." Kakashi states watching the three directly in front of him.

"So uh, so uh. What kind of training is it then?" Kakashi starts laughing and I nearly gag. Yup I can remember this too including the reason behind this whole... Exercise.

"Hey hold on, that's a normal question what's so funny?" Sakura asks.

"It's funny because he's going to have a lot of fun making you all puke." I say causing them to look at me.

"What do you mean you all?" Sakura asks me. Shit. I left myself out.

"I've been training every day since I was five years old. I'm confident that no matter what he has planned it won't affect me." I try to cover up but Kakashi was giving me a disbelieving look. He knew I was hiding something.

"Truth is, out of the 29 graduates only eleven will be accepted as genin. The other 18 will be weeded out and sent back to the academy. In other words, this is a make it or break it. Pass, Fail test and the chances you'll fail is at least 66%." Yup, and saying it that way is definitely not obvious that gramps has already run the numbers and has already figured who was going to pass this test.

"That's crazy we worked hard to get here. Believe it! What was that graduation test for anyway?" Naruto of course asks loudly.

I give a sigh as I stand causing them to look at me again. "Isn't it obvious? It's because the graduation test was to select who could become genin. This. However, is the real test."

"You are quite the sharp one, Kira. Yes, the graduation test was to weed out who wasn't up for the task of becoming genin." Kakashi looks at the three on the steps in front of him and just laughs at the looks on their faces, before telling us to be at training ground 18 at 5 am. I watch as the others begin shaking. Yes, they're scared as they should be. Kakashi doesn't pass just anyone. "That's it you're dismissed." He says getting up and turning around. "Oh and like Kira said, tomorrow you better skip breakfast or else." He turns to look at them. "You'll puke." He then vanishes in his normal puff of smoke. Sighing from finally being free I turn my back towards them ready to just walk away and leave them there.

"Guys, I was just joking before. You won't puke. Kakashi was just trying to scare you." I say against my better judgment glancing over my shoulder at the three of them whose eyes were now on me. "Never skip meals. You all should know that when training you will need as much strength as you can get. When you don't eat you leave yourselves weakened. No matter what happens tomorrow. Remember why we were placed on teams. As the saying goes, there is no I in team." I try to make myself sound chipper with my last statement though from the looks on their faces. I didn't quite manage it.

"Why are you talking to us all of a sudden?!" Naruto shouts standing up. "As if you care!" It seems he really has forgotten all of the times I would waste my breath and utter words of encouragement to him. How troublesome.

"Well you forget Naruto, we are no longer in the academy." I tell him now turning to fully face their confused expressions. "We are now all on the same team. If what I know can help the team then I'll tell you guys. It is the only way we will not only survive missions but succeed in them." With that I turn and walk back towards the door of the academy, leaving them to think about what I had just told them.