Chapter 7: Free Flight

Hokage Tower, Konohagakure no Sato (1236 hours September 23, 7 AK)

Suzu and Naruto sat in front of the receptionist with anxious expressions on their faces. To ease their growing apprehension, they held hands, hoping to forget themselves in the warmth of the other's palm. Though the comfort was fleeting, their fears did not diminish in the slightest. Naruto's forehead was rolling with sweat, and Suzu felt her heartbeat increasing rapidly. This could be it for the both of them. Jiji-chan might never forgive Suzu for what she did to those boys, even if they deserved it. At the very least, Suzu held solace in the fact that, should she die, at least Naruto was there with her in her final moments.

She didn't want to think like that. She wanted to believe that she and Naruto had a wonderful future together. They were going to be the closest friends ever. Graduate the Academy together (hopefully), be on the same ninja team, grow stronger together, and protect the village with each other. Suzu was going to be by Naruto's side when he eventually became a Hokage. That was her dream. But, even her childish 6 year old mind knew better. She could not take back her actions, and this meeting will definitely determine her fate.

"Suzu-chan, don't be nervous. Everything's gonna be alright, believe it!" Naruto said with the largest grin he could produce.

"Naruto-kun please," Suzu replied. "I'm not the one sweating up a storm over here."

Both of the kids giggled nervously. It was the best they could to keep their minds off this sensitive topic. Once again, Suzu relished Naruto's companionship. It was a form of ease that she could retreat to in the face of her horrible life. She had amnesia, was prone to violent outbursts, and recently discovered she killed her own parents. These revelations would be too much for any ordinary child. In fact, even for brave little Suzu they were pretty hefty. Yet, Suzu believed with all of her heart that she was strong. That she can endure. And with Naruto's help, she could make it through anything.

"Suzu," Naruto suddenly said, snapping Suzu out of her thought process. She noticed how he did not refer to her using an honorific. That sole act made her blush hard. Naruto, too oblivious for his own good, did not take note of this.

"Suzu," Naruto said again. "No matter what happens, I'll always believe in you."

Her blush deepened. She was honestly touched by Naruto's devotion. It was enough to move her to tears. It's such a shame she vowed to never cry again.

"You are my first friend." Naruto said. He scratched the back of his head, as if he forgot something. "Well…you're my only friend…BUT THAT'S GONNA CHANGE!"

Suzu felt her heart stop. 'That's gonna change?' she thought to herself. 'No Naruto. I'm your only friend. No one else is good enough for you. I'm gonna be the one that's there for you. To protect you.'

"Anyways, that's beside the point." Naruto said, bringing the subject back to point. "Nothing is gonna ever change the fact that you are my closest friend. I'll always be here for you. Even if you change, just know that I'll…I'll…"

Naruto's fists began to tremble. Suzu, noticing this, placed her hands on Naruto's. Naruto's fist stopped shivering. He looked up at Suzu's face, with his cerulean gaze meeting her sepia. With determination in his voice, he made his proclamation.

"I'll NEVER abandon you! I'll NEVER judge you! You'll always be Suzu-chan to me, no matter what anyone says; no matter what you do!"

Suzu couldn't say anything. She stood in position, staring speechless into his eyes. Those were some of the most profound words anyone has ever told her. Even Jiji-chan could not compare with the genuine passion that his proclamation held.

The receptionist scoffed at the display. To her, it was disgusting that a monster was showing compassion to anything. It was equally revolting that someone was accepting the monster's "feigned" kindness.

Suddenly, a sudden sharp chill rushed down her spine. A cold sweat rolled down her forehead. Her breathing intensified, becoming rapid and uncontrollable. She never felt such dread before in her life. It was as if she was staring down at death itself. It was nauseating and she would have done anything to make it stop.

She found the source of all this terror. When Suzu heard the scoff from the receptionist, she immediately took it as a hostile disapproval from a meddlesome adult. At her age, she could do nothing but stare at her with remorseless contempt (especially considering the circumstances she's currently in). But her glare was overflowing in malicious killing intent. Her eyes sharpened devilishly, and her usual glint vanished, replaced with a blank, deathlike glower.

The receptionist could feel tears welling up in her eyes. The piercing glare was becoming too much for the fragile civilian. If Suzu didn't look away, the receptionist just might—

"I am ready to accept the children waiting in the lobby." A voice suddenly called out from the intercom. Naruto and Suzu recognized the voice as the Sandaime Hokage.

"Yes, please! Come this way!" The receptionist literally screamed. It was like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she shamelessly welcomed this fleeting feeling.

"Well, this is it Suzu." Naruto said, gulping tensely in the process. "Here we go. Are you ready?"

"Yeah." Suzu said lifelessly.

"Suzu-chan?"

Suzu snapped her head back, breaking away from her stupor.

"Hmm?" Suzu mumbled.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm…I'm fine…I'm just…ugh…" Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Don't be like that Suzu-chan! You gotta have more faith in yourself!"

"Y-yeah. I'm sorry Naruto-kun."

She slapped both of her cheeks simultaneously, in preparation for whatever came her way.

"Yosh! Let's do this Naruto-kun!" She said with all the confidence she could bring about.

"Yeah!" Naruto enthusiastically replied.

As the two children headed to the Hokage's office, holding each other's arm for comfort, Suzu looked at the receptionist one final time. Her apathetic, hostile gaze returned immediately, attempting to drop the receptionist from where she stood. It was only for a second though, returning her attention towards the Hokage's office.

When Suzu and Naruto were out of sight, the receptionist's legs finally gave out. She couldn't help but crumble to the floor in intense fear. She had heard rumors that the little girl had murdered her parents in cold-blood. But she couldn't believe it. Suzu was a nice, but quiet, girl. She didn't seem like she would kill anyone. That glare, however, told a different story. Those were definitely the eyes of a killer. No doubt about it.

Then again, anyone spending time with that demon could transform from a kind-hearted person to a bloodthirsty megalomaniac. It was entirely his fault for what happened to her. Obviously.

Suzu inhaled deeply through her nose the moment she walked into the Hokage's office. She's been here quite a few times during the month that she was away from the hospital, and she had grown accustomed to every aspect of the office. From the large bookshelves to the placement of the chairs, Suzu found this office to be a sort of second home. Taking in the scent of the room, she felt like she was reliving all of the positive things that occurred in her life. Or, maybe she was taking in this scent for a final time. Either way, she thoroughly enjoyed the scent of one of the only places in the world where she could feel ease.

Hiruzen was seated near the window, staring out in deep contemplation. Occasionally, he would exhale smoke from his pipe, sighing with relief for every smoke puffed. It was as if he had no care in the world.

"Please, have a seat." Hiruzen said, taking another puff from his pipe.

The kids obeyed his command and hesitantly sat in the chairs adjacent to his desk. Naruto stared down on the floor while Suzu impatiently tapped her hands on her knee. The waiting was becoming unbearable. Especially for Naruto. Naruto was not the pinnacle of patience, and considering that he wasn't the one in trouble, his tolerance was wearing thin. Suzu was his closest friend, and he would do anything for her, true. But inactivity is the bane of Naruto. Sitting around and doing nothing would sap his very essence of life away from him, leaving him as a shriveled corpse.

"Do you know why I love this village?" Hiruzen said, after some silence. "Do you know why, in spite of all of the pain and hardship I had to endure, including the loss of my sensei, my student, my wife, and my children, I value this village above everything else in my life?"

Suzu and Naruto did not answer. Not because they did not know the answer, but because both of them knew the answer was too complex for them to answer at the moment. They were only 6 years old. They had yet to develop a deep bond with the village, one that would transcend the boundary of mortality.

"I've lived for 63 long years. I was a mere genin when the Senju Hashirama took the mantle of 'Shodai Hokage.' When I was your age, we didn't have an Academy to learn the basics of a shinobi. It was my sensei, Senju Tobirama, the Nidaime Hokage, who established the Academy. Since then, I've seen the village grow and change, becoming ever better in pursuit of the Will of Fire."

"W…What's the Will of Fire?" Suzu asked.

"The Will of Fire is what keeps this village burning strong, little Suzu." Hiruzen answered with a smile. "Believe it or not, everyone in Konoha burns with the fiery passion of the Will." Hiruzen walked towards Suzu, who just stared dumb-founded at the old, but venerable man. He placed his wrinkled hands over Suzu's chest. "Even you."

"M-me?" Suzu asked.

"From your friendship with Naruto, I can tell that the Will of Fire burns bright within you. Your desire to never abandon Naruto-kun is most definitive of your own Will."

Hiruzen walked back to the window and placed a hand on it. He overlooked even the smallest houses and shops in his beloved village. It was one of his favorite pastimes, even if others found it mundane.

"I love this village because everyone has the opportunity to strengthen the Will that's burning deep inside. Everyone, from the greenest genin to the most talented jounin, strive to better themselves and each other. I wish to see the villagers inherit the Will, and I want to see it passed on to the next generation. This is why I protect this village with everything I got. This is why I love this village."

'Hokage-jiji is actually kinda cool, now that I think about it' Naruto thought in awe.

He turned from the mirror to look at Suzu with the kindest smile he's ever made.

"And this is why I have decided to spare your life."

Suzu's agape mouth was the only thing Hiruzen needed to see for her reaction. Her mouth began to fidget in disbelief, but eventually her disbelief transformed into euphoria.

"Naruto!" Suzu screamed in joy, hugging the blonde right next to her. "Naruto! Naruto! Hahahahah!"

"Woah, hey Suzu cut it out!" Naruto responded. His tone was friendly and playful. He was equally as happy as his closest friend. This meant that he and Suzu can hang out again. Just the thought of that made him tremble in bliss.

They began to frolic idyllically around the Hokage's office. Hiruzen couldn't help but smile at their childhood bliss. But he was not done with what he had to say. He had yet to implement his punishment on Suzu. 'I'll just wait.' Hiruzen thought. 'They are still children. Let them play for as long as they need to.'

They continued to enjoy their victory for several minutes before returning to their seats. They realized that there was more to be said from the Hokage, and that they shouldn't fool around for too long.

"Now then, about your living arrangements." Hiruzen said, bringing everyone back on topic. "Unfortunately, or fortunately considering your opinions, Komatsuzaki Homes has declined your readmissions to their orphanage."

Naruto just shrugged and looked away. He didn't have fond memories of that place, and, quite frankly, it was good riddance for him. Suzu, on the other hand, was more resigned to the news. Although she hated the place for what they did to her and Naruto, she still saw it as a home. Now that she can no longer return, where will she go?

"Naruto." Hiruzen called out. "Considering your…circumstances…I have decided that the best course of action is to provide you with your own apartment. You will move into your new apartment at the earliest convenience. Do not worry about rent; that's already been taken care off."

It was Naruto's turn to be genuinely happy.

"YES!" Naruto screamed. "My own apartment! Wow this is so exciting, I can hardly wait!"

"You'll be provided with a stipend, as was your time in the orphanage, plus a little extra for clothing expenses and food. Just…don't spend it all on Ichiraku's…"

"Uh oh, you caught me hahahahahah!" Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his head. Suzu also giggled at the subtle joke. "This is great Suzu-chan! We could live together! Man wouldn't that be sweet. That way, we'll always be together. Ain't that a good idea Suzu-chan? Huh, ain't it? It is if I do say so myself!"

"U-um Naruto-kun…" Suzu said flustered. Her face was as red as apples.

"What?" Naruto asked confused.

"W-we can't live together…" Suzu said silently.

"Huh? Why not?"

"B-because…Naruto-kun…why are you such an idiot?!" Suzu screamed out loud. She couldn't believe that her best friend was so thick-skulled.

"It's true Naruto-kun. You two cannot live together."

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks. He eyed Hiruzen wearily, wondering exactly what he was talking about.

"My deepest apologies Naruto, but this is what I have decided. You and Suzu will no longer be allowed to hang out with one another." Hiruzen told them. It broke his heart to forcibly separate the two close friends, but Suzu was too much of a threat around other people. Her quiet, innocent demeanor could be used as a ploy to lure unsuspecting victims, and other people may end up getting hurt around her, especially if they were around Naruto. She valued her friendship with Naruto more than anything else in this world, and while that maybe honorable, it also makes her dangerously unpredictable.

"W…What?" Both of the kids muttered in shock. Suzu had no words for this new revelation. The most she could do was blink her disbelief away.

"What are you talking about, old man?!" Naruto shouted in rage. He was ready to pounce on the old man for daring to make this condition his ultimatum.

Hiruzen tipped his Kage hat over his eyes. He could not bear to see the faces of his favorite children. He knew this was unfair to the both of them, particularly Naruto. But this was for Suzu's own good. She has demonstrated firsthand her propensity towards violence, and Hiruzen can no longer tolerate that.

"Suzu, although I have chosen to spare you, I cannot overlook what you have done. As such, I have deemed it crucial for you to be placed in solitary confinement. I have selected a secluded area for your residence, where you will live undisturbed from the outside world until you are of age to join the Academy." Hiruzen commanded. He really liked Suzu. She was a sweet, helpful, and considerate girl, in spite of the gruesome crime she committed only one month ago. But he could not place personal feeling in the forefront of his occupation. He may be a benevolent man, but he was not called the God of Shinobi because of his diplomatic stance or peaceful policies. He spoke to Suzu as he would to any of his soldiers in his army. No exceptions.

"Enough with the bullshit, old man!" Naruto screamed, clench his fist into a tight ball. He was getting really aggravated with the Hokage at the moment. How dare he split Naruto up from his closest friend! How dare he have the audacity to do such a thing? "You must be joking! There's no way you would do such a thing!"

"Naruto." Hiruzen merely stated. He figured this was going to be Naruto's reaction. He was always so brash and uptight. Of course he would be absolutely against the idea that they should be separated. But Hiruzen was the Hokage. His word was law and his punishments were to be handed out with no exception whatsoever. "Naruto. This is for best. I hate to say it, but Suzu is a serious threat to other people. She needs to be dealt with, immediately."

"How is she a threat?" Naruto questioned. "Suzu's the nicest girl I know! Sure, she might've gone a little too far, but who cares?"

"I care, Naruto!" Hiruzen shouted. The sudden shout surprised both Naruto and Suzu. Hiruzen never lost his cool before. He was always so calm and collected, and that was a trait both of the kids admired greatly. "Suzu severely injured two civilians. Two of the children that I vowed to protect with my life. I cannot risk her potentially hurting any other people under my watch. It pains me, as I love Suzu dearly, but I must do what I can as the Hokage of this village."

Naruto just stared wide-eyed at Hiruzen. As much as he wanted to refute it, Naruto knew that the Hokage was right in the end. Hiruzen was only doing what he did because he was the leader of this village. Naruto could not disrespect that fact; he, too, want to become Hokage. Just like his idol, the Yondaime Hokage. It was hard to take in, but Naruto sucked his teeth and turned away. His eyes were squeezed closed as he tried not to allow the tears to flow outward.

"Naru-"

"So that's what it's going to be."

Both Hiruzen and Naruto turned their attention to Suzu. She did not even spoke a word about this punishment. This was the first time she actually said something.

"That's how it's going to be, huh Jiji-chan?" Suzu said, shivering. She took nervous steps backwards while holding herself together. "That's how it's going to be…"

"Suzu…" Naruto said silently.

"Suzu-chan, I-"

"NOOOOO!" Suzu screamed in a bloodcurdling tone. "LIES!" She kept walking backwards, but she tripped over herself. Sitting miserably on the floor, Suzu grabbed her head from her temples. She stared blankly at the floor over her, silently whispering "lies" over and over again.

"Suzu…" Naruto said again. He needed to comfort her. She was not taking the news well.

Naruto walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulders. But she shrugged of the hand.

"Suzu!" Naruto screamed. He got on his knees and placed both his hands on her shoulders. "Suzu, it's me, Naruto!" He began to shake Suzu around, hoping that would get her to listen. "Suzu, don't you remember? I said I'd be here for you, no matter what happens! Please Suzu…" Naruto pulled Suzu face up, with his hands on her chin. "Please, speak to-"

Naruto stopped speaking. What he was looking at horrified him. It was Suzu's eyes. It was lifeless, void of her natural vigor. They stared coldly into Naruto's own eyes. No, stare wasn't a good word for the moment. It was as if Naruto himself wasn't there. She was looking at nothing.

These were the exact, same eyes she had when she was stabbing her thumb into that bully's eye. One with no remorse for anything, or anyone.

These eyes frightened Naruto.

He was terrified. His hands began to shake under her gaze. Naruto himself began to tremble under her sight. He let go of her head and scrambled back a couple of paces. She didn't seem to notice, allowing her head to simply fall limp, as if she were a corpse.

"Alone…" She whispered in monotone. "I'm gonna be alone again…"

She stood up in place. Struggling to stand up, she nearly fell flat on her face. But it did not bother her one bit. Nothing bothered her now. She was going to be alone, all over again.

"Suzu-chan, it's not going to be like-"

"LIEEEEEEEEEEES!" She screamed with all the rage she accumulated. The pure anger and hatred in her voice shocked even Hiruzen. Naruto could do nothing but stare in fright as his best friend was slowly changing from the fair and adventurous girl that he loved to…something else. No words could describe what she was becoming.

"Everything is a lie, isn't it Jiji-chan?" She said. Her arms were flailing about uselessly, and she stared at nothing but the floor. "My life…it's a lie, isn't it, Jiji-chan?"

"Suzu-chan, no it's-"

"PLEASE!" She screamed. "I know…These memories I have…IT'S ALL A BIG LIE!"

Hiruzen was not a fool. He knew where this was going. Danzō…

"Jiji-chan…Why did you lie to me? Why didn't you told me that I…that I…THAT I KILLED MY PARENTS!"

Naruto looked up. He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of Suzu's mouth.

"Why…and now you are separating me from Naruto-kun…"

She bit her teeth hard. She grinded her teeth with every ounce of energy she had.

"I HATE YOU! HATE, HATE, HATE!"

She began to jump and wail uncontrollably. This was all too much for her. Her "Jiji-chan" wasn't the kind of man that she grew to love. He was…a liar. And she detested him dearly for that.

Hiruzen just stood there and watched her. As a parent, he knew that kids would always throw fits if they did not get what they want. He knew full and well that this was merely a temporary tantrum, and that she would be back to normal with due time.

She collapsed on her knees, supporting her body with her hands on the ground.

"You…lied to me…never told me about my parents…separating me from Naruto-kun…" She looked up from ground and glared at Hiruzen. "And now, you are trapping me in a cage!"

Suddenly images flashed in front of her in blinding speed. Two blonde men…a ruined castle…rocks and debris floating around empty space…a large tomb…These images were going through her mind too fast for her to process.

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Suzu screamed in terror. She couldn't handle it no more. She broke into a run. Anywhere. Anywhere but here. She ran as fast as she could, ignoring the cries of her name; never looking back to the outstretched hands of that liar and the one she held closest to her heart.

She ran to a place where she could fly free from the cage that shackled her to this hell of a reality.

Tobirama Park, Konohagakure no Sato (1442 hours September 23, 7 AK)

Sparrows flew freely around the bench that Suzu occupied. Suzu watched in innocent curiosity as her favorite birds spread their wings and took to the sky. It was here where Suzu could just forget everything. She could forget that people did not like her. She could forget the weird gazes and glares that people shot at her direction. She could forget how truly alone she felt. She could forget about the tears that struggled to swell in her eyes. The life of a fledging shinobi was so much more difficult than she originally thought.

One of the sparrows landed near some bread crumbs spread near Suzu. It stared at the large human, twitching its head repeatedly to examine every aspect of the girl. Suzu returned the look to the sparrow with eyes that lost their meaning. Nothing mattered to the girl. Still, she always wondered why these sparrows could just live their lives without much concern about what is going on around them. That was another thing she admired about them; their apparent ignorance.

The sparrow, instead of minding its own business and eating the crumbs, continued to stare at Suzu. Trying her luck, she decided to outstretch her arm towards the small bird. She was certain that the bird was going to fly away, but she was pleasantly surprised when the sparrow perched itself on her hand. Her hand must have been very comfortable, as the bird rustled its feathers in bliss. Suzu brought the bird closer to her line of sight, and pet the bird gently with her index finger.

"You must be as lonely as I am." Suzu said to the bird. The bird rustled its feathers again in her hands before twitching its head in confusion. Suzu rubbed the underside of the sparrow's beak, much to the sparrow's enjoyment.

Suddenly, Suzu heard a choir of chirps heading her direction. The sparrow that nestled in between her palm quickly raised its head, trying to find where the noise was coming from. It answered the chirps with its own chirps, trying to disclose its location to the flock of sparrows coming his way. About nine to ten sparrows landed at the bread crumbs, chirping joyously as they were reunited with the lost sparrow. The sparrow on Suzu's hands flew off and joined with its family. All of the sparrows then proceeded to eat the bread crumbs merrily, a feast for kings among this petite family.

"Oh…" Suzu mumbled in sorrow. She lowered her head slightly so that her hair covered her eyes. "Figures."

In spite of the sorrow she felt after learning that the sparrow was not alone, she could not help but have a small smile on her face. She felt really happy for the sparrow, which seemed to be enjoying itself greatly.

"You know, she used to love sparrows too…" Spoke a voice seemingly from out of nowhere. The voice startled Suzu, who panicked and searched around frantically for its origin. The sparrows were also terrified, and soared off towards safety in light of this unknown threat.

"Wait!" Suzu called out to the flying birds. "Come back…Come…"

Suzu jumped a little when a hand tapped her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder to see who it was that was talking to her.

The man was really tall, despite his aged facial features. He had long, spiky white hair tied to a long ponytail. He wore a forehead protector with the kanji for "Oil," which was completely random and out of the ordinary, especially since Konoha shinobi wore their village's emblem proudly on their hitai-ate. With his green kimono shirt, matching pants, red haori and geta sandals, the old man certainly looked as if he came straight out of an ancient civilization.

"Oops," The man said, laughing away his little error. "Must've scared them off. Hahahahah!"

Suzu continued looking at the old man. He was an enigma to be sure, but he was also pretty interesting. No one usually had the courage to start a conversation, so she thought she might as well indulge him. Besides, what are the odds that he would know anything about her?

"Yeah, so like I was saying," The man said, continuing his train of thought. "Your mother used to love sparrows."

Suzu stood corrected.

"You know my mother?" Suzu asked.

"Of course I did!" The man said with confidence in his voice. It was the kind of confidence a parent would have if they were proud of their child. "I was her teacher way back in the day!"

"R-really?" Suzu questioned. This whole ordeal was just too good to be true. He must have been bluffing or something.

"What you don't believe me? Here, check out our team photo!" The man pulled out an old photo of 4 people. One looked like the old man, with his warts and his charismatic smile. Another one of the kids looked strangely like Naruto. It was an uncanny resemblance to say the least, but Suzu did not think too much of it. There was another shinobi, one she could not recognize in the slightest. His eyes were closed in a squint and he wore a mesh shirt. His head was shaven, but Suzu could tell that his hair was an inky black color. Finally, there was a kunoichi with black hair and red clothing, just like Jiji-chan used to describe her mother. She'd assume that was her mother, but she could not remember what she looked like.

The fact that she could not remember her own mother's face pained her greatly. After all, she was the one who took her life. And she didn't even know what she looked like.

"I'm…I'm sorry…" Suzu replied. "I…I don't even remember what my mother looked like." She did not want to tell the stranger that she had amnesia (which was forcefully induced upon her by the man she trusted with everything she had), but she honestly had no clue as to her mother's appearance. It perplexed her greatly and the more she tried to tap into the deepest regions of her memory, the larger the blank and the more painful the headache.

"I see…" The man said, returning his precious photo in his satchel. "Hey!" The man shouted all of a sudden, slamming his fist into his palm in an epiphany. "Tell you what. Why not come with me to go and see your mother's grave?"

"U-um, well…" Suzu said, taken aback by the man's offer. Surely he can't be this serious can he? How could she ever face her mother after what she had done?

"Oh come now," The man said, throwing his hands into the air. "I know that you know that your mother is dead."

This man didn't beat around the bush, that's for sure.

"I…I…I need to get back…" Suzu said, trying to avoid the subject entirely. "I ran from Hokage-sama, which wasn't really that nice of me. I'm sure he's worried sick about me, and I shouldn't keep him waiting. Please excuse me."

She bowed and turned around, ready to make a breakneck run back to the Hokage. But the old man grabbed her by the shoulders and kept her in place.

"Woah, hold it there Ojou-chan!" The man said, keeping his grip firm on his shoulder. She was facing away from him, so he couldn't have seen the blush that formed on her face when he called her "Ojou-chan." "You talking about sensei? Nah, he'd totally be cool with this. After all, I am his most favorite student." A flash of his teeth and a thumb up pretty much summed up the man for Suzu: He was hyper-sanguine and totally self-absorbed. Suzu sighed as she resigned to her inevitable fate.

"A-alrighty then," Suzu finally said, slumping her shoulders. The man released his grip on Suzu, to which Suzu rotated her shoulders around. He held on tightly and it caused her shoulders to go stiff.

She really did not want to do this. But when she thought about it, maybe seeing her mother's grave would bring back something. Maybe a joyous memory or what she looked like. Maybe it held the keys to finding out who Suzu really was. It was well worth a shot, and if this man can really get the Hokage's approval, then she might as well go for broke.

"Alrighty then indeed!" The old man said enthusiastically. "Let's be on our way! Maybe we could stop by a bathhouse along the way…huehuehuehue…"

Suzu had no idea what the old man was rambling about, but there was one small thing that was lingering about in her mind.

"I almost forgot!" Suzu took a deep bow as she readied herself for her introduction. "My name is Fujibayashi Suzu. It's very nice to meet you. What's your name?"

"What?" The man said in earnest surprise. "You honestly don't know me?"

The man suddenly struck many different poses, trying to find the best pose that exuded the most masculinity. A pose perfect for his introduction.

"How could you not know me? I am Konoha's greatest Toad Sage! The sexiest beast this side of the world could ever conceive! I am the great, magnificent, totally handsome, gallant Jiraiya-sama! Ladies, hold your orgasms."

Hey Y'all!

Thus concludes another chapter in Phact Phantasia. A lot of tension was built between Naruto, Suzu, and Hiruzen, after the latter's decision to separate the "inseparable" kids. Of course, Hiruzen had to think about the well-being of his village, but his decision could have far reaching repercussions in the long term.

This chapter concludes Naruto's stay in an orphanage. From here on in, he lives in his established and canon apartment, free from the persecution of other orphans and the orphanage staff. Will it be nirvana for the blond trickster, or just another excuse for people to ostracize him? Well, if you read the manga or watched the anime you would know, but this is a fan fiction of the manga/anime. So you'll just have to wait to find out.

Suzu meets with Jiraiya, the Gama Sennin, for the first time in this story. What exactly are Jiraiya's motives? Why does he wish to bring the girl over to her mother's grave? Being a master shinobi, one of the legendary Sannin, of course there lies ulterior motives for his plans...well, most of them anyways...

But this is the beginning of a relationship between him and the daughter of his deceased student. Who knows what he has in mind for the questionable Suzu.

Now, as I said before, I plan on explaining the Academy. My version of the Academy will be modeled after the typical Japanese Academic Year. Classes begin at April 1st (pretty funny, considering what day is today), and will work around a trimester calender. Now, unlike Japanese schools, Academy students will be going through 4 years of course material before taking the Graduation examination at the end of the year. The Graduation examination occurs once per year, and can be taken by anyone who feels they are ready, hence how there are students like Itachi and Minato who graduated the Academy in just a year.

Now, there is a key element to my Academy that is already established in canon: Naruto failing the graduation examinations three times. If, according to my Academy rule set, Naruto failed his graduation exams three times, this means that Naruto should have began classes at the age of six, much like Jiraiya did (except Jiraiya graduated within a year, unlike Naruto). As a result, it is highly likely that Naruto had previously met with Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten, before actually meeting them in canon. It's already established in my story that Naruto and Neji have a one-sided rivalry, similar to his rivalry with Uchiha Sasuke.

As such, in my story, the basic age for enrolling in the Academy will be 7-8 years of age. Typically, students will enroll on their 8th year of life, and they will graduate at their 12th year, which maintains a consistency with canon, as Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, as well as the rest of the rookies graduate at that age. Now you may wonder "Why doesn't Sasuke just graduate in a year then, considering this rule set?" Well my impatient reader, that will be answered at a later chapter. There will be a sensible reason why Sasuke does not graduate within a year like Jiraiya, Kakashi, Itachi, and Minato.

There is my brief explanation of the Academy system that will be used for this fan fiction. Don't you worry, fellow readers. We will be approaching the Academy arc of this story pretty soon. There will be a lot more action during that arc than there is in this one, which is merely plot progression and character development. So hold tight to your underpants.

Update on story stats: 12 Reviews, 12 Favorites, 17 Followers, 0 Communities, and 1,201 Hits. Thank you all so very much for allowing this story to break 1k hits!

Until next week,

-Blackrazgriz 4/1/2014 11:59PM EST