Disclaimer: I own the OCs in this fic, the rest is Masashi Kishomoto's. Sorry for any spelling mistakes.

Character age:

Akane, Itachi: 18

Naruto, Sasuke: 12

Shisui: 21

Kakashi: 26

I looked at the paper.

At Yagura.

The paper.

Mei-sensei.

Yagura yawned and lost interests in me, finding his paperwork more interesting.

I looked at Mei-sensei.

I showed her the paper.

"You approved of this?" I asked her quietly, my eyes glaring daggers at her sweet, sweet, smile.

"You've become a powerful and respected kunoichi since you came back, and your progresses were even faster than when you were younger. It's only normal for you to, one day, teach the future generation of our village, don't you think?" she replied warmly, too warmly. It was almost the voice she used when on missions we were confronted to a guy she found cute but that she had to melt. If I said 'no', I would regret it later. Not as if Yagura would let me though.

"Why don't you put me in the Academy then?" I inquired at Yagura.

"You're too efficient on the field to be kept in the village." A compliment? Wow. "Mei and I trained you personally, you can pass your knowledge to genin on the field directly. Those three will be your charges starting tomorrow, Uzumaki-sensei. Now out."

I walked quietly next to sensei outside, and glared at her once we were out. The usual mist and cloudy sky, rain would soon follow, making the atmosphere even more electric.

"You stabbed me in the back! And I didn't even know the third one was still a genin!" I yelled at her and she barely moved, humming quietly in pride instead . "Sensei!"

"Akane-sensei," she purred with a dangerous smile, "look on the bright side: it's the start of your army!" Was it how Kakashi took it when he passed Team Seven? His future army? "Now you should tell them to meet you tomorrow at Training Lake 2 by eight o'clock sharp. If you'll excuse me."

She left, my hair moving with the air she created. I was sure if she was so happy of my distress, it was because I accidentally made a comment on her love life. I apologized though, so she should have forgiven me! She always told me we had to help one another between kunoichi! It wasn't fair!

The next morning, I found myself on the lake, facing a sleepy Suigetsu, a curious Haku and an intimidated Chōjūrō, under the laughing eyes of my first team.

Fuck my life.

I sighed in front of the circus show in front of me. Talk about an escort mission. We had to escort someone from the smallest island in the country to the fishing harbor next to Kiri, and now we were on the boat. Suigetsu, being the brat he was, forced Chōjūrō into a sword fight. Haku sat in front of me and asked me to continue his training.

"Remember, just before you use an Ice jutsu, you feel your chakra building up inside of you. You need to stop yourself there and focus to find the two elements," I reminded him, placing a pack of chakra paper in front of him.

"How did you get the control to do that sensei?" he asked me with big brown eyes filled with interest, knowing he could only make the paper wet but not cut it. With time, I think he realized he could bond with other people too, and that he wasn't just a weapon. I was doing my best to make him realize this, and I was pretty sure Mei-sensei had a word with Zabuza-san about that.

"Fuinjutsu. I've been learning it all my life and seals require a lot of chakra control if you want them to work perfectly."

"You must have had a great teacher for being so good at eighteen." Minato oji-chan's face flashed in my mind. He pretty much set the basis of my fuinjutsu whereas mom and Aunty Kushina helped me reading and writing it.

"Yeah, he was something." Haku offered me a comforting smile at my use of the past tense. But we both ducked our heads when bullets of water passed where we were, headshoting the thugs who wanted to get on board. "You really needed to get out of Kiri, I agree."

"See!" Suigetsu emphasized, his straw in his mouth. "I was going crazy!"

"Hopefully, we'll have more missions outside now," Chōjūrō added with a shy smile, just to tense when Suigetsu glanced his way. For now, he was far from the Rokudaime. We had been a team for a month now, and I smiled to myself when I heard Haku chuckling.

Yeah...Zabuza-san asked me that too. In the case he didn't make it to see the new Kiri, to make sure Haku will keep on living. Something about my kinsman, because that's who he was no matter how much he tried to deny it when that subject was addressed, being kinda suicidal.

Come on, as if he would try to take a Chidori for Zabuza-san!

"Hey...Sasuke..." Naruto said slowly, eyeing his best friend who barely sparred him a glance, leaned against the barrier of the bridge, "don't you want to know what Itachi-nii does with his girlfriend? He didn't even show up at your mom's dinner yesterday!"

"Itachi-san has a girlfriend?" Sakura repeated and she saw Sasuke winced a little with a scowl on his face.

"I couldn't care less about her," Sasuke replied, hoping his sensei would finally show up. "She's barely his girlfriend, she's so annoying and clingy."

"You were too before you started your 'I'm-too-cool-for-you' phase," a new voice snickered behind them, and the young Uchiha flushed before glaring at his older cousin, crouched on the barrier. "You don't scare me you know."

"Shisui-nii!" the Uzumaki exclaimed with a grin. He highfived Shisui who had raised his hand. "You're a surprise teacher for today?"

"No, I was going home. Kakashi-senpai's not here yet?"

"He's always late! Hey, do you wanna go on a tailing mission!?"

"Naruto!" Sakura tried to scold him, but stopped at the Uchiha's mischievous grin.

"Itachi and Izumi right? Count me in Naruto, and anyway you guys will be here waiting for a long while."

As Shisui managed to get Team Seven to follow him, he gazed at his younger cousin with a knowing smile.

"I know that if Naruto had talked about a 'sabotage' mission you would have accepted Sasuke, so what's the matter with Izumi?"

"She's not right for him. She's too...plain, she doesn't stand up to him," Sasuke muttered under his breath, his mouth hidden behind his collar. Sakura and Naruto were already plotting, one with a dreamy look on her face and the other one wanting to prank the couple.

"Maybe you should give her a chance you know Sas-"

"No, she'll never be right."

"Who then?

"Nee-san."

Shisui stared right in front of him, a grim look on his face. Yes, Akane and Itachi, they looked good together. They would...they probably would have ended up together at some point. And he would have gotten Akane's sorry smile on the day of their wedding, with Itachi knowing look on him to know if he was okay.

"Do...do you think she's dead?" Sasuke continued in a lower voice, raising his eyes to look at him.

"I...I don't know Sasuke," he replied honestly with a blank face. "I hope not."

When they found Itachi and Izumi, the Uchiha heir felt them right away. Shisui took it as a cue to leave the three genin dealing with their doom.

"Suiton: Wild Water Wave!" A blast of water came out of my mouth, the dose of chakra in it making it break the rock in front of us. Haku finally managed to get to his Water Release pretty well. Not the Wind yet, but it was faster than expected. "Ideally, I'd like you to know one water based jutsu and one wind based. I'm not teaching you anything by saying having a kekkai genkai is a great advantage but should be used really if your opponent is strong. It's your surprise card."

"How many things can you do as a kunoichi?" he asked me slowly with a frown on his face.

"Well, I've learned fuinjutsu all my life, when Hoshigaki-san brought me here against my will I unlocked my Ice release. I learned how to use fuinjutsu in an offensive way, Mei-sensei taught me how to control my kekkai genkai and Yagura-sama taught me Suiton and Fuuton. Because it's Kirigakure, and Mangetsu being who he is, I knew how to wield a sword when I was a jounin. I'm still better with water and fuinjutsu."

"You're very powerful," he complimented me and I shrugged.

"I wanted to survive."

I went up to my other students, and I explained Chōjūrō how to expand his chakra in water to succeed his Great Waterfall Technique. Suigetsu was working on a move Zabuza-san told him about, apparently he was thinking Suigetsu would be good with his precious butcher knife. Our beautiful morning was cut short though as a shinobi appeared in front of us, one of those sensei knew we would fight later on.

It was strange, to see people everyday and still knowing soon we will fight them.

I wonder if old Itachi felt that way too, walking in his own home everyday when he was thirteen.

"Mizukage-sama requires your presence Uzumaki," the shinobi told me bluntly and poofed away.

"If I die today, Suigetsu know your brother is my favorite. Even if you're basically five-year apart twins. Keep training!" I body flickered away and found myself in front of the Kage building. Hands in my pockets, I was basically walking in here as if I owned the place by. And instead of putting my head down under people's glares, I was...like Dai would say, I didn't give a shitty fuck about it anymore. I was too used to it.

I knocked and entered when I was allowed to.

"You've asked for me Yagura-sama?"

"Yes. You've had your team for two months now. How is it going?" he asked me and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Good. They all had prior experiences and they form a good team. Mine was a little bit similar so I know some tactics that work with their techniques," I explained straight as a ramrod. "They're way above genin level."

"Good, because you're taking them to the Chuunin Exam." I gawked like an idiot and he rolled his eyes. "You look stupid, stop it and be professional. Don't make me beat you up again." I winced at the many painful memories. I loved being a pain in the ass but I was docile now.

"I wasn't aware you were planning an Exam."

"I'm not, your team will be the only team representing the village in Konoha." Crap, when I thought I would go to the Chuunin Exam I wasn't serious. It...it was a joke! I can live without Orochimaru! "The first part will be held in July. Don't hide your identity, I want Konoha to fully understand that if they wanted to get their hands on you they should have done it before. Your team will be in the third part of the exam. I'll make you come back before you leave for more information."

"Fine, Yagura-sama." I nodded thoughtfully, took the papers on his desk and started to leave.

"Uzumaki." I halted my hand inches away from the door knob. "You're from the Bloody Mist above everything else. If I hear otherwise I'll make you regret it." I gulped at the threat lacing his voice.

"Very well, Mizukage-sama."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding once I was outside, the coolness of the air hitting my throat. Fuck, was I even ready? I mean, it has been two years. Two years in which I kept myself from thinking about them as much as I could. It wasn't difficult knowing my insane schedule but...I don't know. I knew Naruto and Sasuke would be there, like Kakashi but...I was half expecting the Uchiha compound to be empty and Naruto to still live on his own.

I...I don't know, it's weird. Almost as if the changes were just dreams.

I bit my lip. In Konoha, they knew Sasaki Akane. However, in Kiri, it was Uzumaki Akane they knew. I was Uzu here, feared apprentice of the Fourth and spy of the rebellion led by the future Fifth. I was despised but at the rebellion people started to see me for who I was and not for who trained me. Shit, I...I used to hate Kiri but since I got back, I had a purpose, dared I say a dream for this place. I had friends too, who knew me. Sure, in Konoha I had my family, Itachi and Shisui, but...but I wasn't sure how they would react if they knew half of the things I've done in my life. Heck, half of the things I've done these past two years.

Kakashi...I strangely felt as if he would understand.

All of this to say, I...kinda liked being in Kirigakure. I felt actively useful y'know? I could share the headache of the rebellion with many people unlike the clans' headaches in Konoha.

I missed teaching the midgets though. I missed the sun too. I could only see it and feel it on some islands or on missions. Even though, because of my kekkei genkai, my body can handle cool temperatures and humid weather pretty well. The desert of the Land of Wind no, but the dampness of the Land of Water? Heck yeah!

Now I had to tell the news to the kids.

Well kids, Suigetsu was Naruto's age, but Haku and Chōjūrō were only two or three years younger than me.

I facepalmed with an amused grin dancing on my lips. Konoha doesn't know what's going to hit it.

"WHAAATTTT!?" I plugged my ears and almost fell on Utakata-senpai, who was doing the same thing. I was pretty sure all the hideout heard Kimou's scream. The door to the 'kitchen' flung open and Kiri, an iryo-nin around my age, appeared, ready to strike.

"I think I'm deaf," Senpai muttered next to me and I nodded along. Kimou grabbed me by the shoulders and looked at me with watery eyes. Behind her, I saw Dai arriving and telling Kiri it was just Kimou being herself.

"The Chuunin Exams in Konoha? But...but we need you here Uzu! What if one of those Uchiha keeps you there huh!? What if they stole your heart huh!?" By now she was shaking me.

"The Mizukage's orders Kimou, you've got to accept that and don't make us deaf!" Senpai snarled at her, his eyes glaring daggers at the illusionist. She glared back and I took that opportunity to leave the room. Sensei told me she sent a message to Jiraya saying I would be in Konoha soon, so I would probably end up meeting with the Hokage at some point during my stay.

Mom will scream when she sees me. If I could see her. Chief Dward asked me to be the kunoichi he turned me into in Konoha, so I would probably have to...be cold to them if I see them.

When I see them. We're the only team from Kiri, and with the past tensions between us and Konoha, we would be under big surveillance. There was no way I would not see people I know. Damn Yagura, you sadistic bastard. He really wanted to rub me in their faces.

He hated it when people touched what was his. I wondered what Tobito could gain from this though.

"What's up people?" Ao-san glared at me when I entered the 'reunion' room and I involuntary shuddered at the memory of him and many anbu trying to break the confidentiality seal on my wrist when I was sixteen. Too bad even his Byakugan couldn't get through the seal.

"We're thinking about asking the Waves to shelter the civilians we will evacuate," Sensei explained to me in serious voice.

"We did help getting ride off the asshole in the country," Mangetsu continued, making some room for me to sit, "and Zabuza-senpai let them have the money. They're reconstructing, if he goes there to talk to that bridge builder it could work."

"When are you planning on leaving Mei?" Zabuza-san asked her with a grim look in his eyes. "If you come with me, it would be simpler to explain it to them. They won't accept if they become a target."

"I was thinking starting the attacks around the village after the Exams. I would need to be sure to have Konoha's help," Zabuza-san and others snorted at that and she shut them up with a death glare, "so that I know how many forces I could focus here. If Konoha was willing to help us protect the civilians it would mean more of our shinobi to get our village back from whoever is controlling Yagura-sama right now." Yeah, Ao confirmed it with his Byakugan. "I don't think he will go down without a fight, and he also has shinobi who like the system in place for the moment who won't surrender. I'm not taking any risks against an unknown number of enemies." Nobody spoke up, dared to say anything. That was the Godaime Mizukage here, the most powerful kunoichi in the village and the one who took it upon herself to start the fire Zabuza-san had tried to light. I shared a knowing smirk with Mangetsu. We knew sensei would not take 'no' for an answer.

Kami, shit was about to get real. But it was damn time.

It was damn time for the Bloody Mist to die.

"Do you truly believe we can make it to the final part?" Chōjūrō asked me shyly, his lack of self-confidence showing through.

"I believe it and I know you will get to the final stage of the Chuunin Exams. We are the sole team representing Kiri, the Mizukage asked of us to be worthy of our reputation," I replied coolly, my hands crossed over my chest. "You all have experiences. None of you is weak, your fighting skills are those of a chuunin, I have no doubts about it. I trust you to work as a team and to be able to use each of your qualities, physical and mental, at their best. You compliment each other, don't forget that. We will evaluate more than just fighting. Now, I'm not saying to go on a murder/slicing spree," I added, smirking at Suigetsu whose face fell immediately, "but show them you're way above their levels. Especially in Konoha, expect to be confronted to dōjutsu users. They will be tricky to beat, be careful."

"I have had an encounter with the sharingan before coming here," Haku told his teammate more than me, "he could see me in my technique." That got Suigetsu's attention. "I'm sure his team will be in the exam from their level."

"It's exciting then," Suigetsu said with a carnivorous grin on his lips showing his sharpened teeth. "If some Konoha softies managed to beat you then maybe they're worth something."

I caught a glimpse of wonder in Haku's eyes before it was replaced with the usual hidden annoyance he felt when Suigetsu was bragging. Haku displayed his intelligence and skills pretty well in training and missions. Even Zabuza-san complimented him on his progresses and he bowed an incredible numbers of times. However, he was also kinda the team leader. Suigetsu's restlessness but also cowardice in front of stronger than him clearly annoyed him. Chōjūrō was skilled and with great potential, but his lack of self-confidence could cause harm.

There was a good development between the three though.

"Now we will train for the rest of the afternoon. Suigetsu, I will go with Nuibari against you. Chōjūrō, I want you to use Hiramekarei with just enough chakra to cut through Haku's Wild Water Wave technique. Haku, you gotta keep him from doing that." They all nodded and I found myself gripping Nuibari's string to swirl the sword in front of Suigetsu, whereas Haku and Chōjūrō were further away. "Ready Blobby Blob?"

"How come you've never call Mangetsu like that!?" he yelled at me, charging me with his sword. I grabbed Nuibari at its handle and blocked the blow, taking a step back at Suigetsu's strength. We smirked at each other.

"Your brother was stronger than me when I met him and I never had to look for him in the sea." He flushed in shame and we exchanged another blow. "With Nuibari, I can see how good you are at liquefying yourself."

"That is if you can touch me."

"You think you and Chōjūrō are the only one your brother taught?" I took kunai and threw it away to teleport to it.

"Hey I thought you didn't use that in training!" I smirked at him and infused chakra in my sword. I couldn't use it like Kushimaru but I could tie him up. And I did. Nuibari flew around him and my chakra called it back. Suigetsu tried to move and I tightened my hold on him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A few seconds passed until he started to liquefy himself, which from afar could look as if he was melting. He exploded in water and reformed himself a few meters away from my thread, breathing heavily.

"You did it faster this time, but you're exhausted afterward," I grumbled more for me than him. With Gaara, who knew if my seal was still on knowing I saw a Suna-nin in Oto, Suigetsu's ability could be his winning card. Even if because of its composition, his body, like his brother's, were more affected by poison than the rest of us, they both could deal with physical damages.

"Okay, why the long faces guys?" I put the secret orders from Yagura in my back pouch as we stood at the gate of Kiri. We would go to the port and directly reach the Land of Fire.

"Konoha Uzu, Konoha," Dai replied in an angry voice. I rolled my eyes and searched Mangetsu's for help but he averted his eyes from me.

"Don't count on me, I'm not their biggest fan either." Yeah, you bet it was because Shisui's saved his life and hurt his pride. The very same guy who was responsible for the grave bearing my name in the cemetery.

"I'll come back you know."

"It's not whether or not you come back, it's how you'll be in there that worries us," Dai told me and knocked his knuckles on my head. "I seriously hope the Mizukage will send us for the third stage of the exam. I don't want you to get on an Uchiha dick without protection." Mangetsu sighed and I facepalmed. Dai and his need to say sexual things. He kept justifying by saying 'I'm a doctor!' but it just irritated his sister even more.

"Give it some time and you'd give that Jiraya a run for his money." I heard Mangetsu mutter under his breath, purple eyes saying 'I'm done with this shit'. I chuckled a little bit until I heard Suigetsu's voice coming our way, Haku and Chōjūrō close behind. Haku had changed his sandals for a shinobi pair, much more like Zabuza-san's. As for Suigetsu, he wore basically the same outfit as his brother only with a dark purple top, almost like in the picture of old Suigetsu in Taka. Chōjūrō also wore a similar outfit that in the picture of old sensei becoming the Mizukage, but his hitai-ate was on his forehead and his pants were not cowed-printed but stripped and gray. "Suigetsu, don't whine on the way!"

"I don't 'whine' Mang!" came the angry reply. His brother snorted and shot him pointed look.

"And be sure she doesn't lose her head!" Dai added to the three of them. I fought the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose. Was it how Utakata-senpai felt when I was around? Nah, he loved me too much!

"Okay people, let's get our asses to the Hidden Leaf!" I yelled and raised my fist in the air. Suigetsu followed me. Chōjūrō too with a little delay. But Haku just smiled politely and stared at me. Oh gosh, I was rubbing off on him. He thought he was too cool for it now.

Well, time to head to the Chuunin Exams!

Oh...

Oh right.

Shisui did confess to me right before I left, didn't he. Maybe it was just the situation.

Yeah, that was definitely the situation. Shisui...Shisui is not in love with me.

Oh boy.

Hey! Thanks for reading! Please review so that I know you liked it :)

Ederisu: :)

nevvy: Thanks :) yeah the Arc was short but well, she wasn't going to do a lot more than her mission anyway :) and I'm glad you like her interactions with the Mist shinobi, she is a kunoichi from the Mist after all

Yuelliya21iy: Thanks :) and you should like the next two chapters then :)

Bye!