"Sit here, Kimiko," says Uncle Iruka, gesturing to an empty space at the end of one of the front rows. Kimiko sits down, excited and scared to be in the ninja academy. "Now that we are all here," continues Uncle Iruka, glaring at the Konohamaru Trio, who shake in their seats. "We can continue our lesson."
Kimiko wonders what sorts of things ninja kids learn at school. She listens entranced as Uncle Iruka explains the Clone Jutsu. It is so exciting! Kimiko wants to try it, but for some reason her mummy was dead set against Kimiko learning the ninja arts. Kimiko wonders if her Daddy will let her learn. He's crazy, but then again, Kimiko's Mother wasn't exactly considered normal by most people.
Does everyone have crazy parents, or is it just Kimiko?
Kimiko will learn ninjutsu, even if she has to go behind everyone's back. Maybe Uncle Iruka will help her.
"And that is how you perform the Clone Jutsu," Uncle Iruka finishes his explanation. "Now would anyone like to be the first to try it?"
Kimiko glances around the room, trying not to be obvious about it. Who is going to volunteer? Kimiko is surprised when no one says anything. All the ninja kids just look at each other and elbow each other, and whisper to each other.
"Anyone?" asks Uncle Iruka. "Anyone at all?"
"Why can't the New Girl do it?" asks one kid.
New girl? Wonders Kimiko. Is one of these kids new to the class?
"New girl?" asks Uncle Iruka, sounding a little confused. Then he smiles. "Oh, you mean Kimiko. She's not part of the class, I'm just looking after her for a while." Then he smiles at Kimiko. "What do you say? Wanna give the Clone Jutsu a go?"
"Um…" Kimiko whispers nervously. "Mummy didn't want me to…" she trails off and turns red, embarrassed by all the kids staring at her.
Uncle Iruka smiles. "It's alright, Kimiko. I know. But I'm asking if you want to learn. Do you want to learn ninjutsu?"
Kimiko blushes and looks down at the desk in front of her, aware that everyone is staring at her. But she does want to learn ninjutsu! She really, really wants to learn ninjutsu! "YES!" Kimiko forces the words out, afraid of upsetting her dead mother, but unable to hold it in any longer. "I WANT TO LEARN NINJUTSU!"
"Come on then," says Uncle Iruka, smiling. "Come down here where there's room and try the clone Jutsu."
Kimiko scrambles out of her seat and runs to Uncle Iruka before she has time to stop and think about what she is doing. Then, following Uncle Iruka's instructions, Kimiko makes the handsigns for the Clone Jutsu. "Clone Jutsu!" she whispers nervously, screwing her eyes shut so she can't see all the ninja kids staring at her.
Poof!
Kimiko opens one eye, then the other to see if she made a clone. Standing beside her is an exact copy of herself. Kimiko grins. The clone Kimiko grins back.
I did it! Kimiko thinks happily. I did it!
"Woah, she did it on her first try!" one of the ninja kids yells. "No way!"
Kimiko looks out at the rest of the classroom and feels overwhelmed. She hides behind Uncle Iruka. The clone vanishes with a poof.
"That was very good Kimiko," says Uncle Iruka, patting Kimiko on the head. "Now does anyone else want to try?"
Kimiko is forgotten as the other kids scramble to try the clone jutsu, right there in their seats.
"IRUKA-NII!" Naruto's voice cuts through the racket as Naruto himself bursts through the open window. "GUESS WHAT!? I'M A CHUNIN!"
Uncle Iruka turns to Naruto and grins. "Awesome!" he says. "Now, could you go and tell Jiraiya that Kimiko is here at the Academy with me?"
Naruto sees Kimiko. Then he sees the Konohamaru Trio. "Oh, you guys were supposed to be at school," he says, laughing and scratching the back of his head. "Oops."
"Naruto, did you encourage them to skip class?" demands Uncle Iruka, suddenly very angry and scary. Kimiko isn't scared though.
"Hahaha… BYE!" Naruto shunshins away.
"NARUTO!"
"The new Hokage's inauguration is on Friday, in four days time," says Nagato. He is speaking to the man he left in charge of overseeing the village via the rings the members of Akatsuki use to communicate. "We will return once the ceremony is over. The Third Hokage requested that we remain to bear witness. He has also sent messages to all the Leaf's other allies asking that they send a representative to the inauguration ceremony."
"You have already been away too long," says the man, who was the leader of the uprising. "It is getting hard to cover your absence."
"If you need me," says Nagato evenly. "I can be there in a matter of minutes. Do not worry, just contact me if you need me."
"Yes, Lord Nagato," says the man, and ends the connection.
Nagato looks out over the village from his perch on the Fourth Hokage's head. The Leaf is so peaceful and sunny. Soon there will be a new Hokage, but who?
Nagato look up at the sky. He misses the Rain. Rain is cleansing. Rain washes away the dirt and grime of the past. Nagato casts his jutsu and the sky clouds over.
Rain begins to fall on the Hidden Leaf.
A messenger hawk arrives from the Hidden Leaf. Rasa reads the short missive and sighs. Whoever Lord Third selects, that person will no doubt hate the Uchiha clan. Everyone knows the Leaf hate the Uchiha because of Madara. Rasa will go to that ceremony and he will see the look of horror on that stupid Fukagu's face when he sees someone who hates him named the Fifth Hokage.
Rasa has no idea who the Fifth will be, just that there is no way it will be an Uchiha. Even people outside the Leaf know that no Uchiha will ever be named Hokage. They would call an outsider Hokage before they call an Uchiha Hokage. After all, what was the Fourth but an outsider who made the Leaf his home?
Rasa grins.
Then he remembers something important.
Gaara.
Rasa sighs and rests his chin on one hand. What to do about Gaara? Gaara hasn't been acting like his usual self since the Chunin Exams. He's more calm and less...violent and killy. In fact, Gaara hasn't hurt, let alone threatened anyone since they got back. Rasa is honestly more scared of the new Gaara than the old one. Rasa couldn't possibly leave Gaara behind in the Sand, not with the risk the whole thing is just a temporary side effect. But then again, if Rasa takes Gaara to the Leaf, he will open himself up to all their scorn. And damn, can Leaf citizens be scornful!
Potential danger to the Sand Village VS walking into a nest of scorn and ridicule.
Or Rasa could just send Baki.
But Rasa really, really wants to see Fugaku's face when the new Hokage is announced. Apparently it is a surprise for everyone except the Third Hokage and the new Hokage themself.
What if Rasa took Gaara, Kankuro and Temari with him? Maybe the Leaf will take it as a sign he's mending his ways. Not that Rasa's ways need mending. Not. At. All. Nope. No ways-mending needed here.
Okay, it is decided. Rasa is taking Gaara, Kankuro and Temari with him to the Fifth Hokage's inauguration. And he is gonna enjoy Fugaku's suffering.
Rasa rubs at his crooked nose absentmindedly. It hasn't been quite straight since Fugaku broke it.
"Hey Bro, what's that?" asks Killer B, leaning over the Raikage's shoulder.
A sighs. "It's a message from the Hidden Leaf," he tells B. "They want me to send a representative from the Cloud to attend the inauguration of the Fifth Hokage."
"Ooh, can I go? It'll be quite a show, fool, ya fool," raps B grinning excitedly.
A is about to refuse point blank when he remembers that B gave him no trouble during the Chunin Exams. No one even knew she was there, that's how quiet she was. Maybe B finally learned her lesson and won't try to throw impromptu rap concerts in strange villages. "Fine," agrees A. "But I'm going too!"
"YES!" B grins in a way that makes A want to lock her away In Case of Rap Concert.
"If you so much as rap ONE VERSE on the way to the Leaf, I will send you home!" growls A sternly. "And DO NOT even THINK about starting a rap concert while we are there!"
"Yes, Bro!" B salutes, still grinning. "I want more of their awesome RAMEN!"
Ramen? Is RAMEN B's reason for wanting to go back to the Hidden Leaf?
Ah well, it could be worse.
However, just to be on the safe side, A will arrive the night before the inauguration to give B less time for shenanigans.