Naruto is thoroughly fed up with having to sleep on the ceiling. Wrapped in his fuuton, seven feet off the ground, Naruto tries to sleep. Unfortunately, Naruto's head is too full of his first day at the Academy to sleep. Naruto had a miserable first day. It was fun at first, what with Washi sensei's reaction to his floating. However, sitting still studying for hours got boring fast.
Naruto misses learning with Iruka niisan. He also misses sharing a room with Iruka Niisan. Back in the old days, if Naruto wanted to talk, Iruka was right there. Now, he actually has to go looking for him. Naruto does not want to complain about his grandparents - they are the only blood family he has - but it almost seems like they are trying to separate him from Iruka niisan.
Naruto lays awake until he hears his grandparents go to bed. Then he carefully makes his way to Iruka niisan's room. Travelling by ceiling is an art Naruto has put many hours of practice into perfecting. Iruka niisan is drifting off to sleep when Naruto ceiling-crawls into his room. "Psst! Iruka niisan!" Naruto whispers.
Iruka wakes up properly. "What's up?" he whispers.
"Can I sleep in your room tonight?" Naruto asks.
"Of course," whispers Iruka, and pulls Naruto down from the ceiling. "Now, what's really bothering you?"
"I don't like school," whispers Naruto. "It's boring and the other kids were mean to me and Choji. Can't I go back to learning at home with you teaching me?"
"No, Naruto," says Iruka niisan. "You can only be a ninja if you go to the Academy. But I will still teach you, and I can help you with the Academy stuff you don't understand."
"Okay," Naruto droops. Then he asks, "When can I start level two fuuinjutsu?"
"When you pass the level two test you can start level two fuuinjutsu," replies Iruka niisan.
"What's the test?" asks Naruto, curious.
"The test is to deliberately summon a shinigami and successfully dismiss it without anyone having their souls stolen." Iruka niisan explains.
Naruto stares at him in horror. "That sounds like it should be a grown up test!"
Iruka smiles. "The grown up test, as you put it, is making the shinigami do something for you without it taking your soul as payment."
"Oh," Naruto thinks about this for a minute. "Do you know anyone who failed that test?"
"Um, your dad failed that test," admits Iruka niisan. "He summoned a shinigami to help him deal with the nine tails, but it took his soul as payment."
"What was that shinigami's name?" asks Naruto.
"His name was Steve," Iruka niisan says.
"Oh, he sounds nice," says Naruto. "How come we can't share a bedroom anymore?"
"Because, according to your grandparents, I'm too old to share a room with a six year old." Seeing the expression on Naruto's face, Iruka niisan says, "You'll get used to it. Besides, I'm just across the hall."
"Okay," agrees Naruto, and yawns. Then he curls up and goes to sleep.
Okami Uzumaki wonders how it is possible that she could have ended up as a slave to the Hidden Grass in everything but name. She was once a proud Uzumaki, capable of summoning shinigami at will. But now, here she is living in the Hidden Grass, being forced to treat all their sick and wounded with a power that was once as feared and respected as those born with it.
However, Okami cannot leave the Hidden Grass. Where would she go? And would her daughter handle the trip? But now, walking home in the snow, freezing cold and light headed, Okami is seriously considering leaving. If only there was someone she could turn to for help…
Hold on. She can summon shinigami. And one of them is VERY helpful. Right then and there, Okami draws a seal and summons Joe the Shinigami.
"Okami!" grins Joe. "Long time no see! What's up?"
"I need to leave the Hidden Grass," Okami says, getting right down to business. "Where do you think I should go?"
"The Hidden Leaf, duh," says Joe. "You can get free citizenship there. Why aren't you already living in the Leaf, anyway?"
"How can I get free citizenship in the Leaf?" asks Okami.
"Hmm, let me think," says Joe. "It could be the fact the the First Hokage's wife was an Uzumaki! Honestly, who neglected your education?"
"Oh, duh!" Okami facepalms, feeling like such an idiot. "I am an idiot to forget something so important!"
"Good, now that I've helped you see the obvious, can I go?"
"Wait, you actually want to go?" Okami is surprised.
"Yeah, I kinda goofed and now I'm stuck avoiding the last Umino and his side kick."
"There is an Umino left?" Okami asks, surprised. "Where is he?"
"Hidden Leaf. When you meet him, tell him Joe sent ya. Bye!" and Joe vanishes.
Stunned, Okami goes home and tells her daughter, "A shinigami told me we can get citizenship in the Hidden Leaf. Pack your s##t, Karin. We are leaving in the morning."
When morning comes, Okami takes her daughter and heads off into the snow. Woe upon he who tries to stop them from leaving. Well speak of the devil, here come some candidates to have woe reigned down upon them.
"Where do you think you're going?" demands the hospital lackey who came to see why she did not arrive at the appointed time.
"To the Hidden Leaf," says Okami firmly.
"Is that so?" says the lackey, amused. "And what makes you think you will be welcome there?"
"Uzumakis have automatic citizenship in the Hidden Leaf," says Okami, pushing Karin behind her. This could get ugly.
"Don't come come crying to us if they turn you away," sneers the lackey, and saunters away.
Relieved, Okami takes Karin's hand and pulls her along, almost running, until they are out of sight of the village.
"But can't I do it later?" Naruto whines as his grandma ties him to a kitchen chair so he can do his homework.
"No, you must do it now," says Grandma.
"But I wanna study fuuinjutsu now!" whines Naruto.
"You can study fuuinjutsu once your homework's done," says Grandma.
"Fine," grumbles Naruto. He just isn't in the mood for homework.
"Why don't you let him study fuuinjutsu?" asks Iruka niisan. "I can guarantee he won't be able to focus on his homework."
"If he can focus on fuuinjutsu he can focus on his homework," says Grandma with an air of finality.
"I don't think so," says Iruka niisan, shaking his head. "Don't forget: I've known Naruto longer than you and let me just say; if Naruto doesn't want to do something the thing does not get done."
"You must have spoiled him a great deal," says Grandma, frowning.
"I didn't spoil him at all," says Iruka niisan. "He just finds it hard to focus on things he does not want to do."
"Just like every other child," nods Grandma. "And just like every other child he must learn to do what he is told."
Naruto looks from his grandma to his bro and back again nervously. Iruka niisan's chakra is all fired up. Then Iruka niisan calms his chakra and sighs. "I guess adults know best," he says and turns to leave the room.
Once Iruka niisan is gone, Naruto finds it even harder to concentrate on his homework. Why had Iruka niisan's chakra got so fired up?
Okami and Karin stare around at their new home. It is a small cottage at the edge of town, close to the Uchiha district. There are two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a washhouse. Even so, it is bigger than their last house.
"Which room is mine?" asks Karin.
"Take your pick," says Okami absentmindedly. The man at the immigration office had told her that there is an open spot in one of the first year Academy classes. Apparently, a boy got beat up by a girl and ran home crying for his mummy on the first day. Okami thinks that maybe she should enrol Karin in the Academy. It would be good for Karin to meet other children - they were both rather isolated while in the Hidden Grass.
"I want this one!" Karin calls from inside one of the bedrooms.
"Okay," Okami calls back. "How would you like to go to school?"
Karin emerges from her newly claimed bedroom and says, "You mean with actual other kids? Not just learning fuuinjutsu at home?"
"Yes, an actual school with actual other kids," grins Okami. "I'll see if i can enrol you in the shinobi academy if you want."
"Yes!" Karin squeals, clapping her hands in excitement.