The would-be-3-ninja-squad met up regularly. They would hang out at each other's houses or go out together. Sometimes it was a quiet movie night at Kohaku's, other times it was a popular Konoha bar or a niche Uchiha village establishment.
It was around this time that Yasa rediscovered Hanabi's.
On her 20th birthday, she'd all but forgotten about the alleyway with the strange corner of corners entrance. But, she didn't rediscover it with the girls, rather it came up when she was with the boys at work. Tanaka, recognizing her baffled recollection of the mysterious alleyway she had landed in as a kid, was amused and offered to take her there.
"It's a gay bar," he told her, "just so you know."
Yasahashi nodded, "I guessed that."
Takamaru had recently come out as bi, and Yasa knew that Tanaka was openly gay as well. Yasa had just been questioning herself at this time, though her sempai seemed to have figured her out already. It was after her first or second visit to the bar that Yasa realized it herself: she wasn't the straightest urban planner around.
"Looks like the civil engineering department is kind of gay!" Tanaka would laugh when the three went out. They'd dance on the bar floor and perch at the bar.
Tanaka knew all the drag queens, he had dabbled in it himself, though since he wasn't a ninja, he constantly felt upstaged by their flawless jutsus.
"Ahhh," Yasa shook her fist playfully when he explained his dilemma to her, "Can't do jutsu? Well you'll die instantly on the stage! That's a guarantee." She and the other two boys cackled. Yasa learned very quickly that she was a light-weight.
The bartender, Tsiro, was dating Tanaka around this time. He'd lean over the bar and whisper something into Tanaka's ear, then burst out laughing. Takamaru and Yasa would then mimic the couple and whisper some crude joke about them to one another and have a laugh.
Takamaru was a wild drunk. He'd take his clothes off, make out with strangers, yell at the top of his lungs, and a couple times ended up stripping on stage, to the dismay of Miss Hanabi, who ran a tight ship. Eventually he'd stop going out all together from embarrassment, after all, Takamaru in the day time was quite opposite. But, until then he enjoyed experimenting.
"So, do you have anyone you're crushing on?" Tanaka asked Yasahashi.
"Crushing on?" she buzzed, "Oh, I just might."
"Anyone tonight?"
Yashashi pointed at Miss Earth Scroll and Miss Heaven Scroll on stage. The two queens, who's act was perfectly balanced between Heaven-scrolls holy looking angelic flutter, and Earth Scroll's more earthy, floral display, were the heart-throbs of the night. Everyone hollered for their attention and their tip jars were packed to the brim.
"Oh, which one? I can introduce you!" Tsiro offered, "Though, they might have a line at the end of the show!"
Yasa shook her head. "No, she's not here."
Takamaru gasped loudly, "Really? But there's sooo many beautiful people here!"
Yasa shook her head with a distant grin, "I mean sure, but you see, I know a girl in the daytime…"
"Okaaaay, and why isn't she here with you?" Tsiro teased.
"Because I haven't talked to her about it!" Yasa drunkenly exclaimed, "And also because, well, she's kind of uptight, I think…"
"My family never takes vacations," Kohaku Uchiha said on a sunny afternoon through perfect lips. The would-be-3-ninja-squad were relaxing in Kaeda's one bedroom studio and discussing the trip that the aspiring housewife had organized for them. Kohaku's back was straight and her expression was serious.
Yasahashi grabbed the travel brochure Kaeda had showed them and pretended to study it in order to distract herself from staring too much, "I've never been on vacation either."
Kaeda shrugged, rolling her eyes at her two friends, 'Well, me neither. The war was happening while were growing up, so… Kind of hard to get out!"
"Ah, right," Yasahashi said.
To Yasa also, the concept of a vacation was strange. At 20 years of age, Yasahashi had never left the village bounds before. For most of her life, the land outside of those gates was where the war was, where the soldiers went, it was the battlefield.
And so, on the overcast morning that the three woman were to pass through the village gate and head out on their fabled vacation, Yasahashi couldn't help but come to a stop on the threshold.
Behind her stood all the buildings she had touched and rebuilt after the ninetails, her father's hospital room, mother's dojo, Professor Ayame's classroom, and all the roads which she knew and traversed. Before her was the strange and imposing muddy earth. How could she leave everything behind her and step into this forbidden unknown?
Kaeda did not stop. She was smiling and strode through the gate like it was nothing. Kohaku took pause like Yasahashi, but breathed deeply and followed their friend.
Then she found herself just watching the both of them leave again without her. Stepping into the world which she was not qualified to explore.
"You coming, miss urban planner?" Kaeda and Kohaku looked back at her.
Seeing the reassuring looks of her two companions, she stepped outside the bounds and followed them.
They boarded a wagon to the Land of Waves. It was drawn by some goats, and there was an old woman and her grandson also riding with them. They had been visiting a family member in Konoha. The little boy ran around the inside of the wagon, looking from side to side at the sights they passed, inviting energy and chaos to the ride.
"I hadn't realized that you were confined to Konoha until now," Kohaku said.
Yasa nodded, "It feels strange."
"I've been out in the world after the war plenty of times on business!" Kaeda said.
"Oh, I know," Kohaku muttered, "business trips…"
"Yes, business trips," Kaeda smiled at the police officer.
"Hey," Yasa said, interrupting them, "Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if the three of us would have been made a ninja squad?"
The other two looked at her in surprise, noticing the tenderness which was normally uncharacteristic of the hot-headed Yashashi of younger days. Kaeda made note of how the years must have changed her somehow.
Kaeda smiled, "I'd personally be thrilled!"
Yasa smiled at Kaeda. She caught Kohaku staring at her and looked back at the woman, who's eyes were pensive.
"Do you still want to be a ninja, Yashashi?" Kohaku asked.
She woke up bright and early and took a shower, then tidied up her hair and clothes and headed to the ninja academy. When she got there, it smelled of floor cleaner and chalk. Three trees were missing from behind the school, which Yasa knew had been cleared for the renovations she had drafted.
"When you must cut down established trees to make room for improvements, always remember to include space in your plan to regrow that which was once loved." - Professor Ayame.
Sure enough, as she made her way to the other side of the building where the teachers lounge was, she saw them out the window: three young saplings that had just been planted. Takamaru had arranged them, as he had a soft spot for landscaping.
"Koizuma-san! I'm so glad you applied," Iruka bowed. Yasahashi bowed back.
"Of course. Thanks for suggesting that I apply."
She was led to the upstairs offices and into a room where the Hokage was sitting behind a long desk. Some other academy teachers were there with him, and Iruka joined his side as well.
"Yasahashi Koizuma," said the Hokage, "It's good to finally see you here."
Finally? She bowed. So this was what he had been getting at all this time…
Iruka spoke. "I was surprised to learn that you're actually an honorary genin. It seems you were made one at some point 6 years ago?"
Yasahashi nodded, "The third will remember."
The Hokage smiled.
"You teach taijutsus to civilians, and have been doing so since you were 16, that's impressive," Professor Suzume said.
"I am unofficially at chuunin level in taijutsu capabilities."
"You're also a prolific urban planner and had record mathematics scores back in the academy," Iruka said, referencing a paper infront of him.
"Overall, we think you're a great candidate for a sensei at the academy," Daikoku said, "However, it is upon the recommendation of the school board that all combat professors know and are capable of ninjutsu techniques, which you are not."
Iruka frowned, "We'd like to offer you a position, though. We are in need of basic math and science teachers. We know it's not what you applied for, but…"
Yasahashi blinked in surprise, "You would like for me to teach math to ninja kids?"
"You should be very proud of yourself Yasahashi," The Hokage said, "You're an asset to this village. No matter what you choose, I'm sure you'll end up on a path which is fulfilling to you."
Miiyako Koizuma retired from the ninja life soon after the war came to an end, and she opened up her gym. She had always been distant towards Yasahashi, but, she wasn't blind. Professor Ayame ran into her once in the streets and asked her about her daughter, about Yasa's home life, and her mother admitted that her eldest son wasn't the most supportive figure in the home.
But, it wasn't Yasahashi's professor who convinced Yasahashi's mother to take action.
"Little sister," Kimura said one day in the house, "Did you know that dad had to bribe the hokage not to pass you as a genin?"
"Kimura!" Shun yelled. Miiyako remembers being shocked by the usually soft-spoken middle-child's loud outburst.
They were all in the kitchen one weekend afternoon. Yasahashi was getting ready to go to the library to study and packing her lunch. Miiyako was cleaning a dish at the sink, her gym bag resting on the table between Shun and Kimura, who were going to train together that day. Their father would be back on Tuesday.
"No, it's true. Dad didn't want you to, because he knew you were so weak." Kimura looked to Yasahashi with fake earnestly, but then he smirked, revealing his cruelty.
Yasahashi didn't stick around, fleeing the scene with her books in hot angry tears. Not knowing if she should believe Kimura or not.
That's when Shun looked to his mother angrily, "Don't you care when he says those types of things to her?"
Miiyako looked to her angry son with recognition. The war had changed all of her children, it seemed.
Kimura stood up with a satisfied grunt and left the table, "Someone's gotta be hard on her, she'll be spoiled at the school she's at." he said, leaving the kitchen to the living room.
"There's a such thing as being too hard, Kimura." Shun scolded his brother. He left soon too, not looking at his mother.
He was right of course. She had been neglectful.
So, Miiyako, clasping her civilian daughter's smooth hand in hers, brought her to her gym.
Yasahashi was shocked at first "You want me to teach these civilians?" she asked.
"You know taijutsu, don't you?" her mother said, "I'd appreciate your help."
Yasahashi began to assist her mother in teaching on some weeknights after school. It seemed that Yasahashi enjoyed every moment of it. Her inner ninja now had an outlet. It was a chance to hone her fighting skills filled her with confidence, and, as she did, she began to stand up to Kimura more often. As she saw her daughter more often now, Miiyajo began to feel a pride grow in her heart. Her daughter was strong, in more ways than one.
Yasahashi's professor came to the gym one night, surprising his student and her mother. He was hilariously weak and struggled greatly with the lesson.
"What did they teach you growing up in the Rain country?!" Yasa laughed, as he was easily defeated by his sparring partner.
"Not as much, as you can see!"
Yasa grinned, "Ah, well. I suppose you don't need to know any of that if you're an urban planner."
He smiled, rubbing his sore back, "Tis true. And same is opposite, yes?"
Yasa's mother nodded, and spoke up, surprising Yasahashi, who wasn't accustomed to hearing her mother speak. "Ninja are designed for war, you are designed for peace."
The professor looked at her knowingly and smiled, "Yes, there are many kinds of strengths."
Yasahashi began to wonder what she was designed for.
It wasn't what she had envisioned, but she knew it made sense.
She walked around the village in thought. She wanted to help students. Help them like how Professor Ayame had helped her. Could she really do that as a math teacher? Of course, she could. It's just...
She envisioned meeting more students like Rock, like Naruto: Kids who are too stupid to give up. Kids who wanted to prove themselves. She envisioned meeting them, and telling them the truth: That they are worth more than kunai clashing in the moonlight; That they were worth more than their strength on the battlefield.
"Sis?"
Yasa looked up and saw Shun. He had bags under his eyes, and was in ninja uniform and heading towards the Hokage's tower to receive an assignment. She walked with him, and explained her predicament.
"You're going to take the position, though, right?"
"Of course," she muttered.
"Good."
As she was walking, she saw a building she had designed. She stopped and looked at it in surprise.
"What is it?" Shun asked, "You design this one?'
She nodded. "Looks like a full family is living there now."
Shun looked at the building, not really having an eye for that type of thing. He looked to his sister to explain more.
"I designed it as a multi-use building," Yasa said, "The bottom floor was supposed to be for a shop, top for apartments. But, as you can see-" she gestured to the scene. The store front window had been transformed into a living room window. It's new usage clashed greatly with it's design. Yet, she saw signs of the harmony which existed there as it became what it was meant to be for the people who lived there.
Shun ignored the urban planner's ramblings and picked up their earlier conversation. "I think dad would want you to take the position."
"Oh, everyone wants me to take it," Yasa said. But she didn't know why she said it like that.
"Do… you want to take the position?" Shun asked.
She nodded. There was no way she wasn't going to take the position.
And that's when Yasahashi realized, it wasn't just Rock and Naruto. She envisioned meeting more students like herself: A kid who was too stupid to give up. A kid who wanted to prove herself. As she stared up at the building she had designed and all it's rebellion, she imagined meeting the young Yasahashi, and telling her the truth: That she is worth more than blood-crusted kunai plunging into the enemy's neck.
Yasahashi didn't want to be a ninja teacher, she wanted to teach self worth. And if Professor Ayame could do it by teaching urban planning, she could do it by teaching math.
She stepped away from the building and looked to her brother, the two began walking again. "So what kind of mission you taking today?" Yasa asked.
Shun sighed, "Just a D rank. Mediating conflict between three neighbors. One of them claims the other to have built a tunnel underneath his property, it's really confusing."
"A tunnel?" Yasahashi mused, "you have to get special clearance for that."
"Yeah, I know. These guys claim they didn't build it though. It's really a mess. Someone's lying, but I can't tell who."
"Could cause a cave in," Yasahashi said, defaulting to her own musings of structure and urban planning.
"Yeah, or a violent fist fight between three angry men." he sighed.
"Hm, well whichever it is, I'm sure you'll be fine. You're good with that kind of thing."
"Thanks, sis."
All aboard Kakakshi's Prius! Today I combined two days worth of errands into one. It was really easy, I just had to give up my lunch break. Though, now I'm tired and my wheels could use some more air.
