A.N. New chapter! Sorry for the delay, but I have finals and am finding less and less time to write. But, I was encouraged by Raskreta's review, which means I'm a sucker for attention. So, please review and I'll try to get the next one out sometime in the next two weeks. We're getting into the Chunin Exams, my favorite part of the original series!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, or the Itachi books. If I did, every damn person in the Leaf would know exactly what Itachi did to save them!
THEN:
Tsukiko once again had to find a new home. Their house, (and many in the same area) had been completely destroyed in the Nine Tails attack, and a new one was built further away. In fact, it was decided that the entire clan would live within a compound, a smaller village of sorts, versus the collection of houses spread all over Konoha.
They were now on the outskirts of the village, a fair distance from the center district where their first home had been, but the Nakano Shrine, where the clan originated, was within the new compound. Tsukiko was informed by Itachi that this one of the few factors that seemed to appease the clan. Before, the shrine had been outside the Uchiha neighborhood, which was very inconvenient as it held Uchiha clan secrets and had to be guarded constantly. Now there was no worry about thieves sneaking in.
Best of all, to Tsukiko anyway, was that since they were on the edge of the village, there was green all around them. Finding places to train was incredibly easy, and with just a short walk, she could cross the border of the village and see the rugged hills rolling across the landscape. It was a beautiful view, especially at night, and reminded her of her old village.
Perhaps a little too much.
Though she was still quite young, Tsukiko knew very well what it meant to be excluded from normal village activities. Before, the Uchiha clan had been fairly spread out, which was advantageous, as it meant police force could respond to any situation anywhere. But ever since it was decided that, instead of scattered, the members of the clan would be brought together and a new, mandatory compound built, a stream of young ninja had been coming and going from Fugaku's office, and police protection had dwindled significantly.
Discrimination.
Persecution.
False accusations.
She and Itachi heard only reactionary words from his father's room. And the boy was also well aware of the reason the adults didn't think this move was a happy one.
From the bits of conversation they'd overheard, they pieced together that the Nine Tails, a creature whose rampage was only stopped with the death of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, could only be controlled by an Uchiha's Sharingan. Due to this, one of their clan was suspected to be the perpetrator, and as a result, they had been pushed as a group to the edge of the village. And not permitted even a word to try to clear themselves.
Tsukiko wasn't surprised that the Uchihas were outraged. She would be too. But Itachi felt differently.
"Once something is decided," he said, throwing stones for her to deflect with her Earth ability. "That should be the end of it. Otherwise, fighting starts."
The two children were in their newfound training spot, a clearing quite a bit bigger than their previous one, framed by thick trees that held further obstacles in the form of cliffs, rivers, and dangerous animals. Currently, Itachi was circling her, small stones leaving his hands at random times to assault Tsukiko.
She had managed to force most of the stones to change direction, but still received several bruises. Itachi was quick to see blind spots and made full use of them, forcing her to adapt or be hit.
It was hard enough to actually use the Earth element, but to detect pieces of earth in the air? Nevertheless, Tsukiko was determined to master it. She had a range of about fifteen feet in any direction. Once a stone entered her invisible bubble, she could sense it. Deflecting it was the problem. She had to negate whatever force Itachi had used to throw the stone, and force it back at him. Easier said than done. Too much and she'd send it off course. Too little and she'd be hit.
Each of the stones, once moving, wanted to stay moving. She could use Wind to send them back, but had little control over direction. By actually taking control of the stone itself, she could direct them wherever she wanted. At most, she could manage three small stones at a time, and was working towards a fourth.
"That makes sense," She panted, waiting for his next throw. "The healthier choice is to think about how to make the compound better. I really like it here."
"The village is a disaster after the Nine Tails attack," Itachi agreed, moving silently around the clearing. "Many people lost loved ones, and even more lost their homes. Shouldn't the clan consider themselves lucky, given that that the compound was built for them before measures were taken for any of the other people in need?" Quickly, four stones shot out of his hand, coming at her in different directions.
"I think we're very lucky." The instant the stones entered Tsukiko's range, she focused on them. One aimed for her head, one for her body, and two for her legs. She forced her will over the stubborn element, demanding that they shoot back at Itachi, who stood still, waiting to deflect returning fire.
One.
Two.
Three.
F-
"Ouch!" She cried, holding her head. The fourth one had been under her control long enough for her to direct it away from her leg, but had shot up toward her forehead, connecting soundly.
"Are you alright?" Instantly, Itachi was at her side.
"Yeah," the girl responded, wincing. Her hand came away bloody. "Wow! I really whacked myself hard!"
Itachi gently touched her forehead, his hand warm against her skin. "It's already slowing," he noted, frowning with concern. "But you should take a break."
"Thanks," she sighed. "That last one got away from me." Her cheeks felt hot, and it was suddenly hard to meet her friend's gaze.
"You need to be more careful," Itachi ordered, becoming bossy. "I can't have an injured teammate."
"Yes sir!" Tsukiko saluted, using the movement as an excuse to pull away.
"A headband would fix that problem!" Shisui's familiar form dropped from a tree, grinning broadly. "You can throw as many stones as you want at it."
"Shisui!" Tsukiko exclaimed, delighted.
The older ninja gestured to them. "Come on, I want to show you two something."
"Wow!" Tsukiko breathed. "What an amazing view!"
The three were sitting on a cliff Shisui discovered outside the village, with Itachi in the middle, Tsukiko on his left, and Shisui on his right. In the distance, they had a perfect view of the Hokage monument, its four expertly carved faces watching over Konoha. Below the cliff, rising up perpendicular to the ground, there was a river that meandered along from behind the Hokage monument and flowed out of the village. By the time it reached the cliff, the water flowed much faster and deeper.
Tsukiko felt a rush of pride for the beauty of the monument and the collection of buildings beneath it. 'Konoha really is beautiful.'
Itachi nodded. "How did you find this place?"
Shisui shrugged. "I was looking for a place to cool my head, and just sort of wandered across it. Things have been crazy at the compound lately, not that I have to tell you guys."
"What exactly are the grown-ups doing so late at night?" Itachi asked curiously.
The older boy stared off at the Hokage Monument, a loose smile curling up the corners of his mouth. "I'm a genin," he began, turning toward the quietly listening children. "So I go to the adults' meetings."
"Huh?" Tsukiko asked, confused. Shisui was most definitely not an adult.
"They meet regularly at Nakano Shrine."
The white-haired girl wanted to ask what exactly Shisui was talking about, but an odd fear held her words in her throat.
Shisui looked down. "It's something you don't have to know about yet."
Uneasy, Itachi stared at his friend as he averted his eyes. "
'A heavy air's hanging over the clan…'
'Let me be wrong,' Itachi murmured over and over in his heart.
Now:
Tsukiko found herself, along with almost every other jounin in the village, summoned before the Hokage in his large office. A few days had passed since Sasuke's dangerous mission, with his adoptive sister fretting over him.
He complained a lot, but she knew he secretly enjoyed all her attention, especially since she treated him like a hero instead of a hurt genin, going out of her way to praise his actions as bravery. She even showed him a couple of new kunai moves and ways to dodge multiple projectiles. By the time she was called to meet with the Hokage, Tsukiko had ensured that he was perfectly healthy, and in a far better mood than usual.
"I have summoned you all for a very important purpose," the Third Hokage said, his expression far too serious for a simple meeting. "Seeing your fellow jounin here, I'm sure you realize what this is about."
As it was Tsukiko's first time as a sensei, it took her a moment to catch his meaning. 'The Chunin Exams?! So soon? That's...unusual.' The exams were usually held twice a year, rotated through the various lands. She knew that it was Konoha's turn, but it hadn't been a full half-year since the last exam, making this one early.
Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the Third Hokage, spoke up. "I take it the other Lands have been informed of the coming event?" He was a handsome man with dark brown eyes and sideburns that followed the line of his jaw to end in a goatee. And, like father, like son, he almost always had a cigarette in his mouth. "I noticed some of their genin have already arrived here in the village."
Tsukiko flushed slightly. She'd been so caught up with Sasuke and her own team, she hadn't noticed at all. It was very unlike her.
Next to her, Kurenai Yuhi, a gorgeous woman with long black hair and red eyes currently trained on their leader, also spoke. "And? When do we start?"
"We will begin in one week."
Tsukiko was pleased to notice that nearly everyone in the room was startled at the announcement.
"That's pretty short notice," Kakashi observed.
Nodding in agreement, the young woman crossed her arms. Normally, they would've been notified around a month in advance, especially since their village was the one hosting. She narrowed her eyes. 'Something's not right…'
Releasing a puff of smoke, the Hokage met their surprise with an even gaze, giving nothing away. "Take heed. Exactly seven days from today, on the first day of July, the genin will be gathered and tested. Only the very best will be selected as chunin."
He let his words sink in, giving a chance for all the jounin to carefully assess their teams.
Tsukiko bit her lip. It was far sooner than she would've liked, but she was already considering her squad, and this was a perfect chance for them to test their skills. They made an excellent team, even with just two of them, and they had done incredibly well on this last mission.
She nodded to herself. They were ready.
"Alright. It is time we chose our candidates for the Chunin Examinations. To begin, will those in charge of the rookie genin, step forward."
Tsukiko moved closer to the Hokage, in-step with her fellow senseis as the old man greeted them formally, his voice booming.
"Kakashi, Tsukiko, Kurenai, and Asuma. What do you say? Are there any in your squads you'd recommend, who are ready for the exams despite their inexperience? As you know, any genin who has carried out eight or more missions is technically eligible for the examinations. Beyond that, only you can decide when they are ready."
Tsukiko's lips quirked. Her team had more than double that amount of successful missions, and she knew that each of the teams belonging to the jounin beside her were around the same. Sasuke had complained about cat-rescuing missions at least fifteen times.
The Hokage continued. "Of course, most genin require a much longer training period, at least twice that many missions. So, Kakashi, you begin."
Kakashi held up two fingers close to his face, the rest of his hand curled into a fist. Similar to a Shadow Clone handsign, it was a respectful gesture. "I lead Squad Seven," he began formally, speaking loudly and clearly. "Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno. I, Kakashi Hatake, recommend all three of these genin for the Chunin Selection Exams."
Pride swelled in the kunoichi's chest as she mimicked Kakashi's hand sign and tone of voice. "I lead Squad Eleven," she announced, the familiar happiness selling up as she thought about her team. "Chiyo Mitsuru, Midori Hata. I, Tsukiko Amaya, recommend both of these genin for the Chunin Selection Exams."
There was some surprised murmurs from behind her, and Tsukiko felt her cheeks darken. Normally, two genin were not enough, and wouldn't be accepted without a third unless there was a special reason.
"A team of two genin will be acceptable this year, given the circumstances," the Hokage announced as if echoing her thoughts, his tone final.
Tsukiko sent the old man a grateful look as the other two jounin continued.
"And my squad is number Eight," Kurenai said. "Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame. And now I, Kurenai Yuhi, recommend all three."
"And my squad is number Ten. Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi. And now I, Asuma Sarutobi, recommend all three."
The office exploded into whispers and mutters from the other jounin. It was beyond unusual for one team of rookie genin to be recommended, even odder for a team of two. But for all four of the genin teams to be selected, it was madness. Still, the Hokage nodded in acknowledgment.
"Hold on, just a minute!" A voice demanded.
"Yes, what is it, Iruka?" The old man asked.
Tsukiko turned and was unsurprised to meet the angry and concerned face of Sasuke's Academy teacher, Iruka Umino.
He was a man of average height and build, with brown hair in a high ponytail and a distinct scar across his nose. Iruka was a polite, well-respected chunin who was recognized as an excellent teacher, despite his relatively young age of twenty-two. Tsukiko liked him well enough, having had several conferences to discuss Sasuke's remarkable talents, but she couldn't say she knew him well.
"Lord Hokage, with all respect," he said, his voice tight with anger. "The eleven names that were just given, were all my students at the Academy. I know their skills and abilities. Every one of them has great promise, but it's too soon! They need more experience before they are tested. If they try now, they're sure to fail the exam! Especially if there is to be a team of two!"
Warmth and hurt battled for dominance in Tsukiko's mind as she regarded the concerned man. Yes, it was obvious he cared about his students, which said a lot about his character, but so did she. She was their teacher now, not him. It had been several months since they were Academy students.
"When I became a chunin, I was six years younger than Naruto is now. And Tsukiko became a chunin on a two-man squad when she was two years younger than them."
"Naruto is nothing like you and Tsukiko!" He declared hotly. "And besides, Tsukiko was with—"
Before he could finish, Tsukiko was in front of him, fire dancing gracefully in her hand. "Watch yourself, Iruka," she warned, her expression dangerous. "It doesn't matter who I was teamed with, because I earned my rank on my own. Which is exactly how Chiyo and Midori will become chunin. Based on their own skills and merits."
"Tsukiko," Kurenai said softly, making the younger woman step back, her fire extinguished.
"Are you trying to destroy them?!" Iruka asked, unnerved but not backing down.
"Well, they're always complaining about not being challenged enough," Kakashi said calmly. "Maybe wiping out on the exams will teach them a lesson. A little pain is good."
Tsukiko agreed. If they were to be ninjas, they had to be pushed to their limits. Not that she wanted them to be hurt. She just had faith in them, unlike Iruka.
"Wh-What did you say?!"
"Oh, nothing fatal, of course," Kakashi continued, his voice calm but his words showing that Iruka was annoying him. "But seriously, Iruka. Relax."
The teacher spluttered angrily.
"Listen," the silver-haired man said placatingly. "I understand how you feel. It's very personal for you, and it upsets you, but—"
"Alright Kakashi," Kurenai ordered, not wanting him to finish that damning sentence they were all thinking. "Back off. You've said enough."
"On the contrary, Kurenai," Kakashi disagreed. "Iruka needs to hear this. He needs to realize that they're not his students anymore. They're mine."
The dark-haired woman sighed as Iruka growled angrily.
Tsukiko felt sorry for the man, but was far more annoyed. How dare he not trust them to want the same thing for these kids. They weren't trying to hurt them!
"But these exams could destroy them, you know that!"
"Iruka!" The Third Hokage's voice offered no room for argument. "You have made your point. I understand."
The teacher hesitated, then bowed his head respectfully. "Lord Hokage."
"Accordingly," the old man continued. "I have decided that the best thing to do would be to hold a special preliminary test."
Tsukiko tilted her head curiously. 'A preliminary test? My girls will be fine.'
"Iruka will run this test, seeing as he is the most concerned. Until the results of this test come in, everyone is dismissed. We will speak further about the other candidates at that later time."
Immediately, Might Guy, an incredibly strong and energized man with a black bowl cut, large nose, and enormous eyebrows, latched on to Kakashi and began badgering him. Those two had a strange rivalry of sorts, and it certainly kept things interesting.
"Tsukiko, one moment."
The young kunoichi paused, the voice of the Hokage making her turn back. "Sir?"
The remaining few ninja shot her sympathetic or satisfied looks as they passed. It didn't bode well to be called out like this. And soon enough, the only ones in the office were the Hokage, Tsukiko, and his two normal Anbu guards.
"Tsukiko, I'd like to hear a progress report on your team, particularly on Masuko Arashi."
Confused, as she had literally just put in a report on their latest mission a few hours ago, the young woman nodded and began immediately listing the strengths and weaknesses of the team.
Chihiro was powerful, and clever against her opponents, but she was headstrong and cocky. She had a tendency rush in without thinking, fists flying.
Midori was a natural leader, and tried to direct Chiyo's strengths where it would strategically give them an advantage. She was however, unsure of herself. She looked to Tsukiko or Masuko for reassurance or praise of an idea, second-guessing herself. Her medical ninjutsu was coming along, but wouldn't improve unless she gained confidence.
That was the reason Tsukiko wanted them in the exams. Chiyo would be challenged and pushed to her limits, and Midori would be forced into a situation where she couldn't look to authority figures. She would have to lead on her own.
"And Masuko?"
Tsukiko smiled. "I couldn't have asked for a more enthusiastic sensei. She and Chiyo are very close now, and Masuko has gone out of her way to give her extra training. I trust her, sir. On every mission, she's done nothing suspicious and nothing that ever made me question her motives. On the contrary, she's protected the girls several times where it would have been easy to allow them to get hurt with no consequences to herself."
Lord Third smiled warmly. "Good. One final question. Would you trust her to lead your squad?"
The gentle query shocked her. Lead her squad? Masuko? Was she herself not adequate?
"Don't misunderstand, Tsukiko," he said calmly, correctly interpreting her expression. "You've done a fine job. I have an assignment for you that will take you away from the team for a short while. I just need to know if you can trust Masuko to lead the team in the meantime."
Relief swept through the young woman, and she nodded. "Yes, I would definitely trust her. She loves those kids."
Steeping his fingers together, the Hokage regarded her for a long moment. "Very well. Now, your assignment. As I'm sure you've noticed, this event has been kept very secret."
Tsukiko frowned, listening intently. "Yes, Lord Third," she answered.
"That is because there are some unusual circumstances. For one, the Kazekage will be in attendance for the third exam."
Her brow furrowed further. 'That's not unusual at all,' she thought. 'Other Kages often come to see the exams, especially if they're close to each other.' And Sunagakure, the Village Hidden in the Sand, was only roughly three days away from the Leaf.
"And he is bringing a rather large guard with him, to compliment the usually large number of candidates put forth this year."
Understanding sparked in her mind, and she let out a small sigh. "And from our own allies, too."
The Third Hokage smiled slightly. "At this point, there is no other evidence to show a planned attack. The Kazekage has been very thorough with explaining the inconsistencies, and I am satisfied with his reasoning. It would be foolish, however, to not take precautions. As such, Tsukiko, I would like you to be my personal proctor for the examinations."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Sir? I don't understand."
"I want someone overseeing all three exams and reporting to me directly," he explained, lighting his pipe. "You would be a spectator, nothing more. A fake proctor, you could call it, merely there to ensure the safety of the genin."
"But why me?" She asked, cocking her head. "Surely there are several other jounin more qualified?" It was unlike her to question orders, as she knew very well that qualified or not, she was stronger than most of the other jounin. Still, the Hokage choosing her personally was...humbling.
The old man chuckled, pointing the tip of his pipe at her. "Well, Tsukiko. I chose you because you have a unique situation. You see, a proctor cannot be one of the jounin with genin in the exams, for obvious reasons. However, if we say that Masuko is actually the one in charge of your team, then no one would be able to object to your presence, especially since you will not actually be judging. But, because you do have a connection to genin on various teams, I can trust that you will do everything in your power to protect them."
"I see!" Tsukiko smiled, impressed with the crafty nature of their leader. "That makes sense. Very well. I'll have Masuko give Chiyo and Midori their applications, with instructions to act like they don't know me very well. But what about the other Leaf genin?"
"I'll have them be instructed to ignore you," the Hokage responded, leaning back in his chair. "They'll know that you are not grading, so there should be no problem. I would say disguise yourself, but I would rather the foreign ninja know that our Gensogan user is keeping an eye on things. They will have to be more cautious with their movement, and stand a higher chance of slipping up somewhere."
Tsukiko bowed her head respectfully. "Very well, Lord Third. I accept."
He smiled. "Good. Meet Ibiki and Anko to discuss the first two exams. If nothing has happened after that, we likely have nothing to worry about. But the children of the Leaf are our future, and I will take no chances."
Knowing that she was being dismissed, Tsukiko bowed once more before leaving the office, excitement and pride warring with determination and wariness. She would have to watch everything and everyone very closely, but...she would get to see Sasuke in action!
'Besides,' she thought, leaping from building to building. 'Even if the Sand attacks, I doubt any genin will be targeted specifically. If anything, being in the exam should keep them away from the brunt of the fighting.'
THEN:
Six years old.
Itachi and Tsukiko finally started at the academy.
It wasn't as if he was particularly overjoyed about school itself, though Tsukiko certainly seemed to be. It was that school held for him a concrete sense of achievement, the feeling that he was getting closer to the long-awaited goal of being a ninja. School would be completely different from the way he trained in secret with Tsukiko or Shisui. The days at school were the path to ninjahood. And that made him indescribably happy.
"Now then, please introduce yourself and tell everyone your dream for the future," the older male teacher said, looking out at his students. He had a forgettable face and nondescript clothing, with short blond hair and squinting blue eyes.
Their first class. The slightly nervous students looked at each other, confused. Itachi watched as the others chatted-"Hey, what're we doing now?"-still unfamiliar with one another. And then he thought, as if he were not a part of the situation himself, that it was no wonder they were confused.
They couldn't just get up in front of all these unknown people and spill out their dreams.
Itachi was seated next to Tsukiko, who was looking around with excitement at the bare walls and long tables that served as their seats. She had always been more confident than him when it came to making friends, which didn't bother him before…So why was he so irritated that she was already trying to get to know the people around them? Tsukiko had politely introduced herself to the girl next to her, and was chatting away in no time. Of course, as soon as the teacher had entered, she'd given him her full attention, but still.
'She has me and Shisui. How many friends does she need? It's not as if these...kids can teach her anything.'
"All right then, maybe we'll go by student number," the teacher said, loudly, rolling over the murmurs from all corners of the room, perhaps understanding how his students felt, perhaps not.
'Itachi Uchiha…'
He was going to have to wait a fair bit before he was called, but wasn't worried about what he would say. He'd had the same dream since he could remember. All he had to do was say it.
"All right, very well done."
The nth classmate was applauded. Her dream was to be a great ninja like her father.
'Be a great ninja like her father…' He imagined his own father. Fugaku was great. But Itachi felt like it wasn't enough for him to be the head of the Military Police Force. Which didn't mean he was rejecting his father; he did want to excel like his father did. But the place Itachi had his eyes set on was beyond that, and he couldn't say that his father was currently standing there.
"Alright, next is Tsukiko Amaya."
He jumped slightly at hearing her last name. He had forgotten that Tsukiko wasn't technically an Uchiha, because she wasn't adopted.
Her face also betrayed her surprise, and a slight disappointment. He knew she wanted to be a part of his family, but didn't feel like she was good enough. It irritated him that after two years, his father still hadn't recognized her formally as his daughter. Of course she was good enough! Why else would Itachi have chosen her to be his teammate?
Tsukiko's surprise wore off quickly, and she walked to the front of the class, where the teacher waited patiently. Itachi's mother had insisted that she wear an outfit more suited to a kunoichi while at school. So, she was dressed in a dark blue tunic with white designs and black pants, instead of the usual high-collared shirt. It was a striking combination with her white hair, and Itachi felt a strange protectiveness toward her as he watched his classmates take notice of the near hypnotizing sway of her white locks.
"I am Tsukiko...Amaya," she began, her pause almost nonexistent. "My dream is to be stronger than anyone else, and protect the people I love. I also want to protect the dreams of others." Her eyes were locked onto Itachi as she declared her desires, reminding him that he was one such person she wanted to help.
He felt a smile curl his lips, and burst of pride erupted in his chest. Of course she was good enough. She was his partner, after all.
"Well done," the teacher said, patting her head, just as he'd done for all the other students. The sound of bored, automatic clapping filled the air.
Tsukiko looked around, confused. And Itachi could easily guess why.
She had gotten the exact same response as if she had said, "I want to be the cutest ninja ever!" Obviously, the class gave no thought to ambition, no thought about what they said coming true.
Tsukiko returned to her seat, clearly disappointed.
"I know you'll succeed," Itachi told her quietly. "You're strong."
She smiled sadly at him. "Thanks. I just hoped we'd find people like Shisui here, people who understood."
"It doesn't matter," Itachi insisted. "We have each other."
Tsukiko was silent for a long moment, pondering his words. "You're right. The only one I need is you." She smiled sweetly, not realizing the powerful effect her words had.
A warm feeling filled the boy, and he couldn't help but return her smile softly. His heart began to beat faster, and for perhaps the first time, he really saw Tsukiko. Not as a teammate or training partner, not as a friend or adopted sister, but as someone precious to him. Someone who he could trust, and rely on. The only person in the world who understood him.
Distracted by his realization, he took no notice of the other people coming and going, his hands automatically clapping. It wasn't until he heard his own name that he was pulled from his mind.
"Itachi Uchiha." The teacher looked at Itachi and smiled.
With the thought that there wasn't much point in a self-introduction if their teacher had said their names first, as he had been doing the whole time, Itachi stood up and walked to the front of the class. The other students, the same age as he was, but with no motivation to speak of, turned interested eyes on him, and he felt a faint itching on his forehead. He heard a girl giggle, whispering to her friends.
"I'm Itachi Uchiha. My dream is…" he faltered.
The teacher and students cocked their heads, almost as if to ask what was wrong. Tsukiko's worried eyes seared him where he stood.
It wasn't as if he didn't have a dream. And it wasn't that he was having trouble choosing the dream he was going to talk about. And naturally, his mouth hadn't stopped working because he was nervous or anything of the sort. He just wasn't sure if he should actually talk about his dream in this place.
The dreams the people before him had shared were all so modest. 'I want to be like my father. I want to be a great ninja and do a lot of missions. I want to be a cute ninja.' This was the sort of dream the teacher and his classmates expected. Tsukiko's dream had been met with confusion. It was too grand, too different.
Itachi's dream was even grander and even more different.
"My dream…"
"It's alright, go ahead and say it," the teacher urged him.
He met Tsukiko's gaze. 'It doesn't matter what they think,' her eyes encouraged. 'I believe in you.'
"I want to be the greatest ninja ever, great enough that I can erase all fighting from this world."
He heard someone laugh in the corner of the classroom, saw Tsukiko's scowl whip toward the noise, before the pre-established harmony of applause.
"Well done," the teacher said, patting his head, as he had done to everyone.
Despite knowing how they would react, it was disappointing all the same.
Apparently it was just too absurd. No one (besides Tsukiko) believed him. They all thought it was a dream that could never come true. A delusional dream, that came from a young child's ignorance of the world. That's what they all thought, so they laughed at him, they clapped mechanically.
Out of all of them, only two of them-only Itachi and Tsukiko-were serious.
And his teacher and classmates would learn just how serious, in the days to come.
Tsukiko was bored. She had thought school would be filled with exciting new ninja moves, not realizing that all of the kids besides her and Itachi were new to training. They had to learn from the beginning. Which meant repetitive training sessions that she and Itachi had done over a year ago.
Currently, their task was a timed trial, in which students tried to hit the twenty human figures set up all over the school yard in the shortest amount of time possible. Each student was timed individually.
The classmates before her had all run around at top speed, managing to complete the task in just over five minutes, panting all the while.
She scoffed. 'That's ridiculously long, considering we were shown where all the targets were.'
They were in annoyingly obvious places, like the top of the tallest tree, or behind a half open window on the third floor. If she or Itachi had set it up, the figures would be hidden in the middle of the tree, or peeking out of a crack in a cliff. It was almost insulting how easy it was.
Until she'd seen her classmates. Then it all made sense. In retrospect, she should've guessed that she and Itachi were the only ones training constantly at their age. The kids around them had to be instructed how to hold and throw a kunai, something she had known since she was four.
This drill was ridiculously simple, and gave her no challenge. Still, to make it harder, she decided that she wouldn't use her Gensogan. If she didn't, she would hopefully gain something out of the exercise.
The students were lined up, waiting for their named to be called. There were several kids in front of her, so she decided to start planning her route.
Tsukiko and Itachi had developed a formula of sorts, a way of efficiently hitting all the targets in the shortest amount of time possible.
First, she divided the schoolyard into four circles from the starting point. The innermost circle had the ones that she could hit from the start, without having to move. For the others, she divided them further, trying to find the points from which she could hit multiple targets. There were twelve out of the twenty figures that she would have to move to hit, and four spots she would have to move to.
"Tsukiko Amaya." The teacher's bored voice called her name just as she finished.
She stepped forward confidently, hoping Itachi was paying attention. They'd been forced to line up in order, so he was somewhere near the end, no doubt running his own calculations.
Tsukiko pulled eight kunai out of her pouch, four in each hand. Behind her, she heard someone snicker. And rightly so. If she'd been normal for her age, she'd have trouble holding one correctly. Holding eight, she'd be sure to wound herself.
Luckily, she was not normal.
The teacher raised his hand. "Begin!"
Instantly, all eight kunai she'd been holding flashed in different directions, each hitting the figure right between where his eyes would've been.
Less than two seconds.
Tsukiko spun into the air, throwing two more. The figures in the tree and window were now identical to their eight companions in the yard.
Six seconds.
She landed and shot to her next location. Four more figures met their end with deadly accuracy. Never did Tsukiko wait to see if her kunai hit. She knew instinctively if her aim was true, and on such easy targets, there was no question. As soon as she threw, she moved to the next location.
To her classmates, she was a blur. Still for one moment, then gone the instant her kunai flashed.
Thirty-one seconds.
Too long. Itachi could do better, and Shisui would laugh at her slow speed.
"W-Well done," the teacher stammered, oblivious to her anger. "Alright, next up."
Furious with herself, she soundlessly materialized back in line. The students immediately moved away from her, stunned by her amazing performance. They whispered to themselves excitedly, bunched together like a cluster of twittering birds.
"If you had jumped three feet to the left, you would've gotten the tree, window, and the one behind the log." Itachi's voice was calm, the exact opposite of the other students.
"I know," Tsukiko sighed irritably. "As soon as I jumped, I noticed that. Shisui would've done better."
'You would've done better.'
"I would've run the same path," Itachi said, not realizing he was disagreeing with her thoughts. "I only saw the quicker way after you jumped. It's different thinking about it and actually doing it."
"True," Tsukiko sighed, watching the boy after her run around like a chicken. "That makes me feel better about it. Still, these targets are so easy…" Even looking at them now filled her with shame. How did she take so long on such an easy test?
"Is that why you didn't use the Gensogan?" Itachi asked, lips quirking. "Using Wind, you could've made the kunai fly farther, and maybe complete it in twenty seconds."
"That's practically cheating!" Tsukiko protested, bumping his shoulder playfully. "I only do that on the hard ones, like when you put a target in a hawk's nest!"
He shrugged unapologetically, eyes full of humor. "It had the added bonus of simulated combat."
The girl scoffed. "Next time, you can fight off a hawk and talk to me about 'simulated combat!'"
"Deal."
"Itachi Uchiha," the teacher called.
Leaving her side, Itachi took his place at the start, eight kunai ready. Tsukiko watched, ready to spot any other places they could shorten the time.
"Begin!"
He moved just as swiftly as she had, making the correction to his jump. As he moved, Tsukiko admitted that he was right. It was far different watching. In fact, she almost immediately saw where they could leave out one jump entirely. Still his speed was impressive, and Tsukiko grinned, happy that her partner was so skilled.
Thirty seconds.
"W-Wha-? W-Well done," the teacher said disbelievingly, wiping sweat away, as he watched the expressionless boy. "Next…"
The students were now squawking rather than twittering, their noise annoying Tsukiko as she frowned at the course, running a new calculation.
Itachi was scowling as he walked back over to her, reflecting on the results of the trial. "Shisui still would've been faster."
Tsukiko nodded glumly. "Yeah. And I noticed we could cut almost five seconds off if we…"
He listened to her explanation silently, eyes focused on the training course. "You're right," he said softly, ashamed at his immaturity. "We need to get better."
"Definitely. Let's set up a similar course at home. We won't stop until we can do it in under twenty seconds."
"Sounds good."
A.N. Whoo! Chunin Exams! Yay! I wonder how Tsukiko is going to handle the return of Orochimaru, who scares the crap out of her, and his interest in Sasuke? Hmm…
Side Note: As much as I want to go all out with their characters, Tsukiko's team (aside from Masuko, as she's important to this story) are going to get a lot of off-screen development. I want to eventually write their stories and make this a sort of trilogy that you can read in any order. What do you guys think?
As always, thank you for reading and please review! I love talking to you guys!