Raven leans against the side of a tree grinning evilly at his four students as they grumble and moan about being forced to pick up every piece of trash in the park at five in the morning. Reflecting back upon the events of the past week he can't help but chuckle to himself as to the reason he was here so early with his students. 'I warned them there would be consequences if they got caught.'

0o0o0o0o0 Flash Back 0o0o0o0o0

"Alright class listen up," Raven tells the first years. "Today you're going to learn about cryptography," he informs them. "Now many of you may be wondering just what exactly is cryptography. In short it's the skill used to encode and decode information you don't want others to know about. The most basic form of cryptography is called a cipher and generally involves using symbols, numbers or other letters to replace the actual letters or words in the message. The secret to decoding a cipher is known as the key which contains the secret to unlocking the cipher whether in the form of corresponding letters and symbols or the use of key words and phrases."

Turning his back to the class he writes out a quick sample of a cipher and a key on the black board as an example before turning back to speak to them again. "What you see behind me is perhaps the most basic type of cipher and key you'll ever encounter in your life and is generally used by civilian merchants in one form or another," he tells them. "As you can see from the key each actual letter in the cipher has a corresponding letter in the key. In this case F replaces A and G replaces B and so on. Now using the key I've written on the black board I want you all to decode the cipher for me."

After only a minute or two everyone in the class has successfully decoded the extremely simple cipher and collecting their papers Raven smiles as he skims over the results. "Not bad," he says putting the papers on the desk. "Now I know what a few of you are thinking and if you think you can get away with it you're more then welcomed to try coming up with your own ciphers for your note passing," he grins shocking every student in the room, especially those that had actually considered doing just that.

Laughing at their expressions he decides to explain his reasons to them. "This is a ShinobiTraining School," he reminds them. "As such it is our job to prepare for the life of a Shinobi. One of the things you'll need to learn is how to get vital information into the right hands while at the same time preventing enemy shinobi from acquiring said information." He allows them a moment to let his words sink in before throwing them a slight curve in the form of a challenge that he knows most of them can not refuse.

"Think of it as a Training Exercise," he begins with an almost evil glint in his eyes. "You are a shinobi on a mission with your notes being the information and your friends are your contacts. We as your teachers are the enemy shinobi trying to intercept that information and it is your job to get that information to your contact without getting caught." The contemplating looks on their faces is almost priceless as he continues to reel them into his little game. "However," he cautions them before they get too far ahead of themselves. "Just like on a real mission there will be consequences to pay if you are caught," he says informing them of the rules of his game. "If you are caught passing notes you will be punished," he tells them, "And if we are able to decipher the message we will read it in front of the entire class."

This causes an uproar as everyone in the class cries out about how fair the terms are causing Raven to laugh even more. "Life isn't fair," he informs them, "And anyone telling you differently is lying. You don't have to participate if you don't want to and can just stick to the exercises, tests and homework we provide in class in order to learn this. However if you're really serious about learning cryptography and improving your Shinobi skills then I would encourage you not get caught and work hard on creating your own ciphers so unique that we can't decode them."

0o0o0o0o0 End Flash Back0o0o0o0o0

He is brought out of his memories a half hour later by the cry of "Finished" from one of his students. Leading them back to the Academy he can't help but chuckle as Kiba and Naruto bicker the entire trip over whose fault was that they'd been caught.

0o0o0o0o0

Raven's first few months at the Academy saw drastic changes to both the curriculum as well as to its teaching staff. Following the Council's approval for increased funding he had enlisted the Shinobi and Kunoichi of every Clan as well as several Clanless Shinobi and Kunoichi specialists to help teach the Students everything they would need to learn in order to succeed in the Shinobi World. The InoShikaCho trio were more then happy to pass on their knowledge to the younger generation and while they could not teach any of their Clan specialties at the Academy each was a Master of their own chosen field.

Shikaku taught Cryptography and strategy to the first year students in the form of board games such as Shoji and Go while Inoichi was not only the Academy's Councilor but also taught the finer points of Interrogation and Information Gather to the fourth year students. While the Akimichi are known to eat just about anything they can get their hands on Chouza proved that his Clan had an almost intimate knowledge of nutrition and was almost ecstatic to pass on this knowledge to as the Academy's Dietary Consultant.

For her part, Tsume almost jumped at the chance to get away from the headaches of paperwork and Clan Head duties to assume the role as the Academy's Wilderness Survival and Tracking Instructor along with her canine companion Kuromaru. Although neither Shibi nor Hiashi were able to get away from their responsibilities the way their friends were each had sent two of their Clans' Jounin in their place in order to help with teaching Tracking, Stealth and Wilderness Survival.

Among the Clanless Shinobi Instructors under his command Raven placed Anko and Gai in charge of the Academy's Physical Fitness Program, although he had regularly keep an eye on the two to ensure that they never went overboard with in the training. Kurenai was his primary Genjutsu Instructor while Kakashi easily fell into the role of Chief Ninjutsu Instructor after a few well chosen threats to his precious collection along with his manhood if he ever showed up more then a couple minutes late without an acceptable excuse.

Even though he had originally planned on teaching the Taijutsu class himself his other duties and proven to be more then he had originally expected, even with the use of Kage Bunshin, so he had enlisted his younger brother Asuma for the task. Like Naruto he had taught Asuma his Taijutsu style when he was still in the Academy and though Asuma was nowhere near Raven's level in its use (not that anyone ever would be) he was still more then proficient enough in its use to teach it at the Academy Level.

All in all things were shaping up well for the Academy and in a few years time the final results of all of Raven's hard work would be proven as his first Graduating Class joined Konoha's Military Forces as competent Genin.

0o0o0o0o0

Six months into his first year as Head of the Academy Raven was returning home late from the Academy after another long meeting with the angry civilian parents of his next batch of "cleaning crew" as he called the students that were to be punished the following morning by helping to clean up Konoha early the next morning before most of the citizens and even a few Shinobi are even awake. 'Kami I hate dealing with Civilians who know nothing about what Shinobi actually do.'

The first thing Raven had done once he assumed control of the Academy was speak with the Hokage about establishing a form of punishment they called "Community Service". The Community Service is actually a collection of D-Ranked Missions where the Students being punished would clean up a certain section of Konoha such as the Market District or the Park around five o'clock each morning so that some poor Genin Team didn't have to and in return the money that the Genins would have been paid for completing the Mission goes to the Academy.

'The Civilian School has detention and no one complains when a student gets sent there but when we give our students detention their parents throw a fit,' he groans mentally remembering the nearly three hour long meeting he just left.

0o0o0o0o0 Flash Back 0o0o0o0o0

Raven rubs his temples trying to alleviate some of the pain caused by his latest headache the source of which was currently sitting across from him. The Civilian parents of five of the twelve students that where scheduled to serve "Community Service" the following morning for one reason or another were currently yelling at him demanding to know the reason why their children were being punished and what sort of punishment requires children to be up at five in the morning.

"Okay let me get this straight," one of the mothers says as if her high priced kimono or his regal baring can intimidate the battle hardened Jounin. "You're saying that my sweet little Tensei-kun has to lower himself to picking up trash in the Market just because some no class nobody says he was copying off of her during some test?"

"Exactly," Raven sighs trying desperately to refrain from ripping the silver spoon from the woman's ass and beating her to death with it. "In accordance with the Academy's new Policy students caught in violation of the school rules or behaving in a manner deemed unfitting for a Shinobi are sentenced to Community Service and have to clean up a designated section of Konoha the following morning under the supervision of one of their Academy Instructors."

"We know what Tensei-san did," one of the other students' fathers says trying to defuse the situation. "But what did our children do to warrant receive…Community Service as you called it?"

"You're Kumiko-chan's father," Raven asks the man receiving a nod. "She and Minaka-chan were caught passing encrypted notes in class," he informs him and Minaka's parents. "While we do encourage our students to practice their cryptography and are even willing to let them pass alone encoded messages to each other they all understand that being caught passing notes just like being caught cheating," he adds looking at Tensei's mother, "Comes with consequences. In this case they're punished with Community Service."

"And what about our sons?" the mother of one of the other student's asks.

"Tomiko and Genki were caught trying to sneak out of class," he tells the woman. "They might have made it too if they had been a bit quieter when opening the window," he chuckles.

"So I take it that I'm correct in assuming that they are all being punished because they got caught and not because they were breaking any school rules?" Genki's father asks still trying to figure out just what the hell was going on in his son's school.

"Exactly," Raven replies. "We don't care if the students pass notes, sneak out of class or even cheat since those are skills that can help them later in their Shinobi careers," he tells them. "What we do care about is them getting caught since getting caught by enemy Shinobi on a Mission can easily result in not only the Mission's Failure but also in their death and/or Konoha Falling into enemy hands."

"Preposterous," Tensei's mother exclaims, "They're just School children and you're acting like they're soldier's going off to war with the fate of this village in their hands."

"They will be Soldiers once they graduate," Raven informs her. "Until then it is my job to make sure that they are prepared for the harsh reality of Shinobi Life."

"By turning every little thing they do into some sort of sick twisted Mission," she snaps at him. "My son is not a Soldier and I will not stand for you treating him as such," she tells him. "I'll go to the Council and have them over rule your insane and unfair treatment of our children."

"I regret to inform you that as long as I am Head of this Academy the Council and the Hokage himself no longer have any say in how I choose to run this Academy nor can they over rule the punishments I have assigned to any student under my care."

"You can always be removed from your position," she threatens.

"You are more then welcomed to try," he counters. "But until that day your son will either follow my rules, and serve the punishment assigned to him or he will be removed from the Academy's Student Registry."

"You can't do that," she bellows, "When the Council hears of this…"

"They will do nothing about it," he informs her. "Just as you are within your rights to pull your child out of the Academy because you do not like the way I am training him and he is within his rights to drop out because he no longer wishes to become a Shinobi I am well within my rights to terminate any student who I do not feel is capable of becoming a Shinobi of Konoha."

"Then I will find a COMPETENT Shinobi to take my precious Tensei-kun on as their Apprentice," she tells him causing him to laugh.

"Only the Hokage can authorize an Apprenticeship," he informs her between chuckles. "And even if he did agree to such a request all the eligible Jounin-Sensei not currently in active Mission rotation or Teaching here at the Academy already have their own Genin Teams so there is no one for your son to Apprentice under."

0o0o0o0o0 End Flash Back 0o0o0o0o0

A sudden flare of Chakra breaks Raven out of his train of thought as instincts born of decades of Shinobi training kick into high alert. With speed acquired over several years of active and inactive duty he races towards the source of the Chakra and gasps in horror at the sight before him. In all his years of battles and Wars never in his life has he seen anything even remotely close to the atrocity he is now witness to. Black flames dance across the streets and the roof tops of the Uchiha compound burning Uchiha Shinobi, both living and dead to ash as it consumes everything in its path. Women and children run in terror scrambling for escape as they franticly rush towards the gates.

A lone figure stands behind the black flames with a look of maniacal joy at the carnage it has created as its twin blood red eyes with their black three pointed shurikens gaze out upon the death and destruction. "Mangekyou Sharingan," Raven growls as he feels Hachibi's chakra beginning to flow through his coils. "EVERYBODY OUT," he shouts before leaping high into the air. At the apex of his leap channels the demonic chakra through his coils and out of his mouth spraying a demonic green flame towards the all consuming black fire. As the Demonic "Dragon Fire" collides with the Black Amaterasu Flames green consumes black before both fade from existence leaving only ash and debris.

"Shisui," Raven calls out the name of the man trying to eradicate his own Clan. "What they hell are you doing?"

"The Uchihas have grown soft and need to be purged," the Jounin tells him. "And you will not stop me from my chosen path." The Mangekyou Sharingan spins as Raven's world suddenly changes to a photographic negative version of the real world with a full blood red moon hanging high in the starless sky. "Welcome to the world of the Tsukuyomi," Shisui tells him. "For the next seventy-two hours you will watch as I destroy not only the Uchihas but also destroy all that you hold dear right before your eyes over and over again."

Raven gives the young Jounin and evil almost sadistic grin from his position. He is strapped to a large black and white cross in the center of the Uchiha Compound and even though the Genjutsu is powerful enough to shatter the minds of anyone caught within its effects it proves useless against the Jinchuuriki. "You think this little illusion can hold me," he asks with a sickeningly sweet voice. "Boy you haven't lived long enough or seen anywhere near enough of the horrors of this world to create anything anywhere near capable of breaking me," he tells the rouge shinobi. "Live a few more decades and fight a few actual wars and then maybe one day you'll be able to make me flinch," he adds breaking out of his restraints. "Too bad you'll never have that chance," he snarls as the photonegative image of an eight-tailed dragon overlaps his as he charges the shocked Uchiha before plunging his clawed supper imposed hand through the younger Jounin's chest ripping his heart out through his back.

0o0o0o0o0

Back in the real world several squads of ANBU as well as every nearby Shinobi feels the bursts of Demonic chakra emanating from the Uchiha Sector of the Clan District and rush to investigate what's happening. Along the way they encounter several Uchiha Civilians and the few surviving Genin who quickly tell them about Shisui's rampage and his attempted Massacre. They also tell them how Raven was still fighting the traitor when they left and how he used some kind of weird Kekkei Genkai to counter the Amaterasu's unbeatable black flames.

By the time the other Konoha Shinobi arrive a panting Raven is kneeling in the middle of the street while a no dead Shisui lays on the ground three feet in front of him with no obvious signs of injury. "Good," Raven says to them between pants. "You guys and clean up," he tells them before passing out from using so much of Hachibi's Demonic Chakra for the first time in several years.

0o0o0o0o0

It's been nearly two weeks since the incident everyone has dubbed the Uchiha Massacre and while most of the Civilian members of the Clan, Mikoto along with Sasuke and a total of seven Genin including Siefer survived the rest of the Clan including Itachi and the entire Military Police Force was laid to rest in a Mass Funeral three days later. Raven was unable to attend the funeral due to sever chakra exhaustion and wasn't released from the Hospital until two days after the Funeral.

As a result of the Massacre Mikoto was forced to resign her Teaching position at the Academy in order to assume the role of Head of her Clan until Sasuke was old enough to take over for her. For his part Sasuke had begun to withdraw from the other children at the Academy and became more determined to become stronger. His desire for more power was beginning to border on obsession when Mikoto asks Raven to have a talk with her only surviving son.

Raven calls the young Uchiha into his office just before the end of Class so that he can speak with the young Heir. "Your mother tells me that you're taking Shisui's betrayal pretty hard," he begins giving his student an understanding look. "I know you don't want to talk about it and normally I wouldn't pry except your mother is one of my best friends and she's worried about you."

"She needs to mind her own business and let me focus on my training," Sasuke almost snaps at the Jounin.

"You are her business Sasuke," Raven replies with an almost harsh glare. "Don't forget that while you lost your father and brother she lost her husband and son," he reminds the boy. "You're all she has left and you need each other if you're to get past this and move on with your lives."

"I don't need anyone," the raven-haired Academy student nearly snarls at his mother's former Teammate. "I need to become stronger so that no one ever forgets that the Uchihas are still a great and powerful Clan."

Before Sasuke can even blink he's lifted up out of his chair and slammed against the wall behind him. "I don't ever want to hear of you saying anything like that again," Raven growls as his eyes flash an eerie reptilian green for a second before returning to a cold hardened onyx. "It's that line of thinking that led to Shisui turning on your Clan and so help me Sasuke if you go down that path… not even your mother will be able to stop me from doing to you what I did to him."

"You leave her out of this," Sasuke growls, "She's got nothing to do with any of this."

"Wrong again Sasuke," Raven answers before dropping the boy on his rear before slowly walking back to his desk, "Mikoto-chan has everything to do with this and so does Itachi and the rest of the fallen Uchiha," he says as he sits down once again and signals for his student to do the same. "What happened two weeks ago was an unfortunate and tragic incident I won't deny it but you're taking your grief to a level that is entirely unhealthy not only for you and your Clan but for your friends and the rest of the Village and I won't allow that."

"What can you do," Sasuke snaps at the man, "Expel me? Go right ahead I don't care. I don't need your or this school I'll become stronger on my own and when I am everyone will no that the Uchihas' are a Clan to be feared and no one will dare mess with us again."

Once again Sasuke has no time to even register what happens as he once again finds himself pinned against the back room of the office as Raven's hand threatens to crush the life out of him. Looking into the boy's eyes the Jinchuuriki sees pain and fear hiding behind rage, anger, hatred and defiance and can't help but feel sorry for the poor boy that's lost so much recently. Dropping Sasuke to the ground once again Raven kneels in front of the young Uchiha and places his hand upon the boy's shoulder.

"It's okay to miss those that are gone and it is okay to cry," he tells the ravened-haired child. "Tears are a natural part of the grieving process and they help to cleanse away the pain we feel from the loss of a loved one."

"Bullshit," Sasuke snaps swatting the offending hand away. "Only the weak cry," he informs his Sensei, "And an Uchiha is never weak."

"Oh really," Raven inquires. "Tell me Sasuke, who's the strongest person you've ever known?"

"Itachi-niisan," Sasuke answers without a second thought, "And he never cried."

"Actually Itachi-kun used to cry quite a bit when he was younger," Raven tells him. "I also know for a fact that all three of the Legendary Sannin as well as every one of Konoha's Hokages has cried at some point in their lives. Hell I've seen the Yondaime himself cry when we ourselves were still students here at the Academy," he says. "Of course that was after your old man spilled his Ramen into his crotch," he adds with a small chuckle causing Sasuke to grin slightly. "The point is Sasuke, everyone cries and it's not a sign of weakness to admit that you're hurting inside. Or in Minato's case between his legs," he grins, "It just proves that you're still human."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Sasuke asks.

"Live," Raven answers without a second thought. "Live and grow stronger," he tells the young Clan Heir. "Not so you can prove that the Uchiha's are still the best but so that you can protect those you love so that they never have to feel the same pain you're going through."

"You're talking bout the Will of Fire aren't you," Sasuke asks referring to something Itachi had mentioned to him a few weeks before his death.

"Hai," Raven answers, "The Will of fire connects everyone one in this Village to each other. It's what allows the Shinobi of the Village to continue to push ourselves to our limits in order to protect not only Konoha but our loved ones as well. If you want to know what true strength is Sasuke," he says pulling out an old Photograph of his Genin Team from his desk before sliding it towards the Uchiha. "Then look at that and tell me what you see?"

Sasuke studies the picture for a few minutes before speaking. "I see you and Kaasan with a White Haired man and a blonde that looks a lot like an older Naruto," he tells the man.

"That blonde is Minato Namikaze," Raven tells him, "And the White Haired man is Jiraiya of the Sannin. That picture was taken after our first month as an official Genin Team."

"What does that have to do with this True strength you were talking about?" Sasuke asks him.

"The four of us were more then just Teammates Sasuke," Raven answers taking the Photo back before looking at it sadly. "In a lot of ways we were a family," he tells his student without looking up from the picture. "All four of us were orphans and while I was adopted there was still a connection and it was that connection that led each of us to continually push ourselves to new heights in our training. Neither of us wanted to be the weak link in the group that got the others killed and because of that we never stopped training never stopped growing stronger. It was our love and devotion for each other that was the driving force behind our quickly growing strength and skill."

"I don't follow," Sasuke informs his mother's former Teammate.

"Of course you wouldn't since you're still young," Raven informs him. "It's like this Sasuke," he says putting the picture away. "When you become a Shinobi you'll learn one unavoidable and potentially deadly fact," he says looking back at the young Uchiha Heir. "That fact is that for all your strength, for all your power and for all your skill there will always and I do mean ALWAYS be someone out there that is better then you. The only thing you can really do about it is to continue to train and continue to push yourself in order to prepare for this unknown enemy.

"This is what each of us did," he tells the boy. "Not for our own sakes but in order to protect our Teammates from this imaginary opponent."

"So that's it huh," Sasuke asks, "You became stronger by training for this imaginary enemy in order to protect your teammates?"

"Exactly," Raven replies.

"I don't still don't get it," the young heir admits.

"Let me put it this way," Raven begins trying to clarify things for the obviously baffled Uchiha. "The secret to unlocking real power isn't to find something worth living for but to find someone worth dying for. That person or persons you love enough to lay down your life without a second thought or a moment's hesitation. For it is only in that moment of complete surrender that a shinobi can fully unlock their full power."

"Someone worth dying for," Sasuke repeats as he rolls the idea round in his mind looking at it from all angles as if trying to dissect its full meaning. "I'll think about it," he promises.

"That's all I can ask," Raven replies before allowing Sasuke to go home.

0o0o0o0o0

A/N: That was a bit longer then I had originally intended but I hope you all enjoyed it.

Later,

Raven