Uchiha Aiko turned a page in the novel she'd borrowed from the library, paying literally no attention as her older brother, Uchiha Itachi, recounted some incident or another in shinobi history. If it was anyone else, Itachi would've corrected them for reading instead of listening, but he knew that his sister couldn't stand to listen to the textbook version of the history of shinobi. Not when she had her father's research on the subject memorized. Reading a book was the only way she wouldn't become frustrated by an urge to correct any inaccuracies in the curriculum.
"And that's how the students of Lord Third came to be known as the Legendary Three." Itachi finished. The school bell at the Academy rang two seconds later and Aiko put down her book, redirecting her attention to her brother. "That's all for today." Itachi told the classroom full of fifth-year students, "Remember that next week is the last week of the school year, so I'll be giving you your final exams on the 27th."
Nearly the entire classroom groaned for various reasons. Some were terrified of the exams themselves while others were just put out.
"Huh! I bet Aiko's looking forward to the exams!" A girl said to her twin brother.
"Yeah, it's another chance for her to show off." The boy replied before smirking in Aiko's direction, "Not that it matters. It's not like she'll ever gain any acknowledgement from our clan for that."
Aiko made no indication that she'd heard either of them, even as they scampered out of the room upon receiving a warning glance from Itachi. As soon as the room was empty of all other students, Aiko sighed while closing her book bag.
"You shouldn't let it bother you." Itachi told her.
"I don't." Aiko replied. "They're just covering up their own insecurities by projecting their frustrations about their shortcomings onto me." This statement alone fully displayed the eleven-year-old's intellect and deep understanding of psychology, "They probably get a lot of criticism from their father and Danzō for not getting better grades than me. I just wish everybody would stop treating me like an outsider. Even I'm not looking forward to the finals, although I admit it's for different reasons. You and I both know I could've passed these exams if they had been given to me the day I entered the Academy."
Itachi offfered her a sympathetic smile, "I know, but we can't help how it is, Aiko. Your mother advocated the abolition of early graduation because she didn't want young children to be exposed to things too soon."
Aiko raised a brow. "And what exactly could I possibly be exposed to that would be worse than watching my parents die right in front of me, nearly being abducted by the Hidden Stone, and having a rogue member of my own clan try to kill me, all before I even entered the Academy?"
Itachi chuckled awkwardly, "You know we can't make an exception on the basis of things like that. Besides, there was more to it than that. You're eleven-years-old now, and unlike when I was your age, you've never faced the choice of your mission or your life, nor have you ever faced any of the other difficult decisions that even genin have to make. When you graduate, you'll enter the world of shinobi with a properly developed brain that can handle the emotional weight of those decisions."
"And not wind up like Shisui-san, blaming myself for the death of a friend that I don't know for sure I could've prevented?"
"Exactly." Itachi said with a nod.
Suddenly the door to the classroom slid open loudly as Uzumaki Naruto burst in and dashed over to Aiko. "Aiko-chan! You've gotta help me! The graduation exam is next week and I still can't do Bunshin no jutsu! If I don't pass this exam, I won't graduate with everyone else!"
"Calm down Naruto-kun." Aiko said, removing her frantic childhood friend's hands from her shoulders. "I'll be glad to help you. To be honest, making you do Bunshin no jutsu is just cruel, because your chakra composition is completely unsuitable for it, but I have another idea of how to get you through that exam. And if Iruka-Sensei makes a fuss, I'll remind him that last year's class had a graduate who can't use ninjutsu at all. It wouldn't be right for them to fail you on the basis of a jutsu that is physically impossible for you."
"What do you by impossible?" Naruto asked in confusion.
"I mean that you'd have a better chance at learning to use Katon than Bunshin no jutsu." Aiko said pointedly, "Significantly better, actually. And that's saying something, because Katon is one of the nature releases that you are the least suited to."
"Can you really convince Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked.
"That will depend on how well you prove that you don't need Bunshin no jutsu." She told him, "Beyond that, it should be doable. Iruka-Sensei is reasonable, and I know a lot more about your chakra composition than you do, but!" She placed a finger against his nose, "I will only talk to him if you let me tutor you to improve your final grades in other subjects. Understood?"
Naruto nodded.
"Good." Aiko told him, "Your taijutsu grade is decent, but we should work on your ninjutsu to improve your grade there. There's no helping you with genjutsu. Your chakra composition is just as ill-suited to genjutsu as it is Bunshin no jutsu. If you get a good score on your written exams, you might manage to bring up your class attitude grade though."
"How?!" Naruto asked, "I study until I drop and I still have no idea what any of it means."
"That's because you're the type that learns with your body. Just reading doesn't do much good in your case." Aiko told him.
"I think you should just leave it alone, Aiko." Aiko's other brother Sasuke said as he came in the room, followed by another of their childhood friends, Haruno Sakura, "He's hopeless."
"What?!" Naruto practically screamed, "You jerk—" He was cut off by Aiko gently shoving him aside.
"Oh no. You don't get to be all full of yourself, Sasuke-niichan." Aiko said, "Your grade in cooperation is terrible. So is Naruto-kun's though, so you can train with him in that part for the next week." She smirked at him, "And your positivity grade isn't fantastic either. But it might improve if you tutor Sakura-chan in her practical skills. Her taijutsu is especially in need of improvement."
"Eh?" Sakura said in confusion, wondering how she got dragged into this. "I don't think that's really necessary..."
"Oh?" Aiko asked before smirking, "Ino-Chan doesn't have a single C. And her grade in ninjutsu is an A. Are you really okay with letting her out-do you?"
Suddenly Sakura looked both angry and determined, "No way! I train until I drop if I have to!"
"Thought so." Aiko said. "You can join Naruto-kun and Sasuke-niichan in the cooperation training too. Your grade there isn't bad, but it will be a practical way to hone your skills. Sasuke-niichan, if you want to improve your classroom attitude grade, Sakura-chan can help you study."
"Tch... my grades are fine..." Sasuke said before muttering just loud enough for only Sakura to hear, "But I guess studying a little and helping these two isn't a terrible idea..."
Having not heard him, Aiko turned back to Naruto and suddenly grinned, "By the way, as payment for me tutoring you, you have to at least try every dish I make today and tomorrow."
Naruto's eyes widened and he sweat-dropped, "Am I going get poisoned doing that?"
"Don't be rude!" Aiko insisted, "My cooking isn't that bad! Not... anymore at least..." She sighed in annoyance, "Look, the fifth-year kunoichi exhibition is on Sunday and while it doesn't actually affect my grades, it's imperative that I do well."
Naruto blinked. "Why?"
Aiko's cheeks turned red with embarrassment, "Because it... it just is, okay?! Failing to demonstrate proficiency in the skills needed by a kunoichi is not an option!"
"Um, Aiko-chan..." Came the timid voice of Hyuuga Hinata as she entered behind Sasuke and Sakura.
"Hm? What is it, Hinata-chan?" Aiko asked.
"Um... I-I was wondering..."
"If I could spar with you this week?"
"How d-did you...?"
"Not hard to guess." Aiko told her. "I don't mind, but in exchange, do you think you could help me practice my cooking for the next couple of days?"
"Oh, sure." Hinata said with a nod.
"Actually, now that I think about it..." Aiko hurried out of the classroom door and spotted Akimichi Chouji walking down the hall. "Ah, Chouji-san! Please wait a minute!"
"Huh?" Chouji turned and looked at the younger student.
"Would you mind sampling my cooking tonight and tomorrow?" Aiko asked, "You're really good at analyzing the flavor of dishes." She clasped her hands together and bowed her head, "Please!"
"Sure, sounds good." Chouji said.
"Have you ever tasted my sister's cooking?" Sasuke asked him.
"Sasuke-niichan!" Aiko said before her eyes suddenly widened in realization. "Ah! That's right!" She turned and looked at another student who was standing nearby. "Aburame-senpai."
"Shino is fine." The boy answered.
"Okay. Shino-san, would you like to join us at my house for dinner tonight and tomorrow? I'd feel bad inviting Hinata-chan and Chouji-san and leaving you out."
"I appreciate the thought..." Shino began, "But I must decline. The reason is... your house is made out of cedar."
"Oh! That's right!" Aiko said in realization before looking thoughtful, "Well, what if we ate in the garden instead? That way, you wouldn't need to come inside the house."
"In that case, I'll accept." Shino said with a nod.
"Perfect!" Aiko said happily, "Well then, Hinata-chan, Naruto-kun, let's head to the market before going to my house. I need to pick out ingredients. Naruto-kun, we can start your tutoring while I shop. Sasuke-niichan, please let Okaasan know that we'll be having guests tonight, that she doesn't need to make dinner, and that we'll be eating in the garden."
"Hmph, fine." Sasuke said.
"Come on, let's go!" Aiko said to Hinata and Naruto before hurrying off. Itachi quickly bowed to Naruto and the others' homeroom teacher Iruka, muttering a quick goodbye before he followed after his sister.
兄弟
After purchasing her ingredients—and giving Naruto a math lesson while she was at it—Aiko returned to her home to drop off the food and took Naruto and Hinata to the Uchiha training ground. She started by teaching him some math concepts by combining it with shuriken jutsu and then moved onto science.
"All right, Naruto-kun, first, use henge to transform yourself into a shuriken." She instructed.
"Huh? Why?" Naruto asked.
"You learn by feeling. Therefore, in order to learn the science concepts for your exam, you are going to literally become the shuriken." Aiko explained.
"Got it!" Naruto exclaimed before doing as his friend instructed.
兄弟
"Ugh... no more!" Sakura groaned, flopping onto her back in exhaustion just as Aiko and the others returned to the house.
Sasuke just stood there looking at her with an expression that read "this is pathetic".
"How can you be tired already? I know you don't have much chakra, Sakura, but I've been going easy on you." He chided.
"Sakura-chan, have you been skipping meals again?" Aiko asked with an annoyed expression, "How many times have I told you that that's bad for your health and a generally dumb idea for a shinobi? Failing to eat properly is a good way to put yourself and your comrades in danger on a mission."
"I-I... It's not that!" Sakura insisted.
"Uh-huh..." Aiko said with a tone that said she didn't believe Sakura at all, "Sasuke-niichan, go ahead and move onto your studying for now. Sakura-chan needs to get her energy back before that cooperation drill."
Sasuke nodded and moved to the engawa to work on his academic studies, Sakura following to help him.
Aiko looked at Itachi, who had basically coalesced out of nowhere when she, Naruto, and Hinata left the training grounds. "Itachi-niichan, would you mind using genjutsu to help Naruto-kun with history? He'll understand it and remember it better if he sees it."
"Sure." Itachi said with a nod.
"In the meantime, I'll spar with you like I promised, Hinata-chan." The youngest Uchiha said to her friend.
"Yeah." Hinata said, moving to face Aiko in the garden as Naruto sat on the engawa with Itachi.
"I'm going to be using my Sharingan." Aiko told her friend, "No offense, but I really don't wanna get hit by your juuken."
"I understand." Hinata said with a nod, following Aiko's lead and forming the spar sign.
兄弟
"Whew! That's enough, Hinata-chan..." Aiko panted a short while later. "I'm reaching my limit." Hinata nodded and deactivated her Byakugan just as Shisui came into the garden.
"Hey. Aunt Mikoto said I'd find you guys back here." The jonin greeted.
"Shisui-san?" Sasuke asked in confusion, "What are you doing here?"
"Aiko asked me to come help you guys run some cooperation drills." Shisui told him.
At this, Aiko nodded, "I don't have the energy to do simulation training with you guys after sparring with Hinata-chan, but Shisui-niichan should be a good opponent for you." She looked pointedly at Sasuke, "Even you should know that you can't possibly win against him by yourself."
Sasuke sighed in exasperation. "Why exactly are you insisting we do this again?"
"You and Naruto-kun both currently have Fs in Cooperation. You do know that even after passing the graduation exam, you still have to get your genin certification? That requires being able to cooperate with whoever your teammates are. Sakura-chan is probably okay on that front, but this is a good chance for her to hone her skills in a more practical way." Aiko told him.
"The fact that you can remember that much about how all this works scares me." Sasuke said as he stood up with Sakura and Naruto.
"You should be grateful that I do." Aiko replied.
"I'm scared that you know what all of our grades are." Naruto remarked.
"I happened to see your report cards in the teachers' office while waiting on Itachi-niichan to make the ones for my class." Aiko replied, as if it were a perfectly natural thing that she had each of her friends' grades memorized. Nobody actually believed that she "just happened" to catch sight of them, but they also didn't bother to ask why she knew theirs and not her own classmates'.
Sasuke sighed, "Shisui-san, Sakura and I will meet you around front. Our shoes are in the hall."
"You know, I think I'm already starting to get the hang of the stuff you've been helping me with, Aiko-chan." Naruto said as he slipped his sandals back on. "How did you get so good at teaching?"
"Mama drafted a manual for Academy teachers on the best way to help children learn depending on their personalities." Aiko replied with a shrug. "She never had the chance to have it published, but I read through it." She looked at her other brother, "Itachi-niichan, I need to rest a little before making dinner. How about a game of shogi?"
"Sure." Itachi said as he stood up. "I'll go get the game board."
兄弟
"A... Amazing, Aiko-chan..." Hinata gasped when Aiko clenched her victory on the shogi board, "You actually beat Itachi-Sensei..."
"You don't have to be so formal here, Hinata-chan." Itachi told her, "We're not at the Academy right now. As for Aiko, she's been beating me for as long as I can remember."
"It's not like you haven't improved, Itachi-niichan." Aiko said as she put the pieces away, "Your strategies have improved greatly since I was little. Now it's more a matter of predicting your movements. Since I know you well, I can predict several moves ahead. Shikakuku-san is a much more difficult opponent for me, not because of his skill, but because I don't know him as well. But one day, I'd like to watch a match between the two of you. Since you don't know each other well and you're both skilled strategists, I'd like to see how it would play out."
"You use a lot of unconventional strategies not listed in the book, Aiko." Itachi pointed out.
"I think about things differently than most players." Aiko told him as she stretched. "But I'd like to play against Naruto-kun sometime. He's way smarter than he seems, and even I find it hard to predict his behavior. He'd probably do something totally unexpected that would throw me for a loop. The problem is that teaching him the rules would be kind of troublesome."
"If you just taught him how the pieces move, he would be fine." Itachi told her, "Like you said, he's not one for following conventional strategies either."
"That's true..." Aiko murmured.
"Hey guys, we're back!" Naruto shouted as he came into the garden with the others. Sasuke was carrying an unconscious Sakura on his back. Aiko sweat-dropped.
"What happened to Sakura-chan?"
"She fainted." Sasuke said flatly, and Aiko sighed.
"That girl... I don't care if her grades are better than Naruto's. She's going to get killed on a mission if she doesn't build up some strength."
"It's not as if they send rookie genin into combat." Itachi pointed out. When Aiko raised a brow at him, as if to express the point that he'd been given an A-Rank assassination mission as a rookie, he amended, "Well, not usually."
"Genin level missions that aren't supposed to be dangerous can sometimes turn deadly." Aiko pointed out, "You of all people should know that. Sakura-chan has a tendency to underestimate what will be required of her after graduation." She shrugged to herself, "Then again, she's also never been exposed to the dangers of the Shinobi World and hasn't yet found a real reason to fight, so it's natural that she lacks determination. I should admend my first statement though. One way or another, she'll manage to survive. It may not be through skill, but she will."
"How do you figure that?" Sasuke asked, and Aiko turned to look at him.
"Although her reserves are rather small, Sakura's chakra is surprisingly complex. The small reserves are common in her clan, but the complexity of her chakra is not. I've never once noticed anything unusual about her parents' chakra." Aiko said.
"What do you mean by 'complex', Aiko-chan?" Naruto asked in confusion.
"It's hard to describe." She replied with a shrug, "Even though you're a sensory type, Naruto, these kinds of things are difficult to pick up on without very specific training and a general knack for analysis. At any rate, come inside. We're going to continue your math studies while I cook dinner. Division is easy to teach where food is involved."
"Okay!" Naruto said with a grin.
Finally got around to finishing this first chapter. This is basically the part that covers part 1 of the manga, but I'll be skipping any parts that Aiko would be uninvolved in, like the Land of Waves mission. I also started a little before graduation.
Oh, and yes, Itachi is Aiko's instructor at the Academy. It's easier for him to take the day shift on being her bodyguard that way.