Kakashi was the worst patient. In a way, he reminded Akira of herself and she couldn't help but feel bad for all the nurses she'd walked out on—although that wasn't going to change the way she did things. Akira had been spending most of her time at Kakashi's house, neglecting a lot of her friends and training, trying to get Kakashi to rest. However, that was easier said than done. Kakashi was argumentative and stubborn, and he never let Akira help him unless he couldn't manage something on his own (which was often) and even then he'd argue with her. Asuma, Kurenai and Might Guy came to visit him a lot and, much to Kakashi's chagrin, they often sided with Akira when it came to patient care. Today was one of the days that Akira was off-duty, with Kurenai taking over. She'd woken up far too early, from unusually vivid nightmares of burning cities and red moons, and couldn't bring herself to visit Kakashi since she knew she'd somehow give it away—Kakashi somehow always knew when Akira was having an off day.
Instead, she wandered around the village after days and days of avoiding it. While life was bustling all around her and the village reconstruction was underway, the distinct lack of shinobi around the village was obvious and a stark reminder that they had been lost during Orochimaru's assault on Konohagakure. Seeing the few shinobi that were patrolling the village, Akira felt compelled to look away. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the strange nightmares getting to her, but Akira was feeling extra guilty. She wondered how many young and unprepared shinobi would have to graduate early in order to fill in for the ones the village had lost. She couldn't imagine the number of Chūnin that would have to be promoted to Jōnin in order to compensate for the losses, and she wondered how many Genin, like herself, would have to be promoted before they were ready. Shikamaru might have been ready, but Akira found it hard to imagine anyone else being mature enough to promote under normal circumstances. Even Sasuke didn't seem like an ideal candidate.
Akira kicked a rock and watched it skip down the road. When she came to it again, she kicked it once more and it went flying into a patch of flowers, ripping up all the plants it came into contact with. Akira let out an annoyed sigh.
Akira wiped the look of discontent off her face and turned towards the sound of the voice.
"Nothing. The flowers had it coming," Akira laughed. She bent down to pet Akamaru. "Hey, how you doing, boy?"
"Did they now?" Kiba chuckled. "Hey, where've you been lately?"
"Hm? Oh, I've been taking care of Kakashi-sensei."
"Kakashi-sensei? I thought he was out of the hospital."
"Mhm, yeah, he is. I've been stopping by his place a few times a week to make sure he isn't dead."
"At his place?"
Akira nodded and smiled. She looked back at Akamaru and ruffled his ears.
"And the medical-nin couldn't have helped him?" Kiba said after a moment. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "You know... at the hospital."
"No, not really."
"You sure? I mean, they're taking care of Sasuke—"
"Who's still out cold," Akira said with a chuckle. "There's not much they can do. Kakashi-sensei, on the other hand, was awake and I'm really the most qualified person to take care of him."
"Really now?"
"Hey, don't sound so sceptical. He went through something that I've gone through before," Akira explained. Kiba noticed her jaw clench a little. "So, I'm the only person—other than the passed out Sasuke—who knows exactly how to help him. Besides, it doesn't take any medical training to suffer through his whining when I won't let him out of bed."
Kiba's brows furrowed and he pulled a face.
"Right," he muttered.
"He's doing good. Looks more or less alive, now."
"Yeah, but you look exhausted."
"How dare you say that to a woman," Akira chuckled. "I look impeccable."
"Sure, sure," Kiba said a little awkwardly. He then threw his arm around Akira's shoulders. "Just don't work yourself too hard, again."
"All right, mom."
"Come on, let's go whack some dummies."
"So, I can't work hard but I can whack dummies? You're not making much sense."
"Oh, the dumies are Kai and Shikamaru. Hinata can watch."
Akira snorted and threw her arm around Kiba. They made their way around town to gather Kai, Shikamaru and Hinata, and the five of them went to their old stomping grounds. Kiba, Kai, Shikamaru and Akira all beat the crap out of each other (and the training dummies) for a good few hours, while Hinata cheered for Akira, much to her teammate's dismay.
For those few hours, everything seemed normal again. They were all kids once again, without Orochimaru, without any curse marks, without any pain, or village destruction—it was just five friends having a good time. Akira couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her friends' eyes gleam so brightly, or even the last time she'd felt so calm and peaceful. Everything had gone so wrong since the start of the Chūnin Exams, and everything had begun to change after her ordeal in the Land of Waves. Sitting there watching Kai and Kiba scarf food down like schoolchildren was refreshing, a throwback to simpler times, and Akira was happy that this peace lasted as long as it did considering the morning she'd had. However, all good things come to an end sooner or later.
As the five friends were leaving the resaurant where they'd had lunch, Shikamaru's father came to fetch Akira and his son. He was wearing his usual flak jacket, but an extra pin on one of the flaps told Akira that he'd been promoted. Luckily, Shikaku was one of those who was ready for a promotion, but the blues that had plagued her that morning returned to Akira the second she saw it. Shikamaru heard the heavy sigh from Akira and he tried to ask what was wrong, but the girl just shook it off and plastered on an unconvincing smile that told Shikamaru to stop asking questions.
Akira's focus shifted from feeling down to the Academy and Hokage's office that was getting closer and closer. On their way up the stairs to the Hokage's office, the three of them bumped into Lady Tsunade, her assistant Shizune, and Naruto. Tsunade went up to speak with Shikaku and Naruto came down to talk to Akira and Shikamaru.
"So, that's where you were," Akira sighed. "We were looking for you earlier for training and lunch."
"Woah, Akira, you're already out of the hospital!?" Naruto exclaimed, completely ignoring what the girl had just said. "How do you feel? How's Kakashi-sensei?"
"I'm all right. Kakashi-sensei is home resting. He's been looking better lately."
"All right!"
"Anyway, why are you here? Shouldn't you be somewhere stuffing your face with ramen?" Shikamaru asked.
"How about you, you're usually still asleep this time of day," Naruto countered.
"Very funny."
"Well, we were out to lunch and then Shikaku asked us to come with him," Akira said with a shrug. She looked over at Tsunade and Shikaku. "Do they know each other?"
"Yeah, who's the blonde?"
"That is Lady Tsunade, Shikamaru. She's here to treat injuries, I suppose."
"You guys didn't hear? She's the Fifth Hokage!" Naruto said. "And she's no girl—she's actually an old lady in her fifties."
"Well, that I knew," Akira said with a sigh.
She frowned looking up at Tsunade. No doubt having one of the Legendary Sannin as their Hokage was a good thing, and Tsunade's medical ninjustsu was incredible, but after her first impression back at the hospital, Akira wasn't sure she would like the new Hokage.
As Shikaku and Tsunade finished their conversation, Naruto ran off with her and Shizune, leaving both Nara men and Akira to resume their journey.
"That's really the Fifth Hokage?" Shikamaru asked, sceptical.
"Watch it Shikamaru," Shikaku warned. "That woman is one of the strongest ninjas you'll ever meet."
"True. I suppose that the Hokage being a Sannin is a good thing," Akira admitted.
"Yeah, but I mean, a woman Hokage?"
"Shikamaru!"
"Hey, you can never figure them out and you never know where you stand with them. The smallest things can put you on their bad side and they're always playing little mind games with you."
"I think you've just been spending too much time with Ino," Akira laughed.
"Listen, Shikamaru," Shikaku said. "Keep in mind that without women, you and I wouldn't even exist. And take my word for it, they make men better people than we'd ever be without them. Now, come on, you two."
"If my mother made him a better man, I don't even want to think about what he was before," Shikamaru said as his father walked away.
Akira let out a breath of laughter. She and Shikamaru followed his father all the way up to an office that resembled the Hokage's, but it was a little smaller, and there was a lot less paperwork lying around. On one side of the room, there was a giant bookcase filled with scrolls. Akira's eyes lingered upon it for a lot longer than she should have, mind racing as to what sort of jutsu were hidden inside. She turned her eyes quickly to the front, realising how long she'd been staring, and found that the two people sitting at the end of the room had been gazing at her. They were Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, old members of the second Hokage's advisory team, and for a moment, Akira wondered if they knew what she'd done with Orochimaru. If they did, no wonder they'd been gazing at her while she was examining the bookcase full of old scrolls.
Shikaku pushed his son further into the room, making him stand beside Akira. He bowed to Homura and Koharu, then left the room. The two advisors wasted no time in adressing Akira and Shikamaru.
"The events of the Chūnin Exams have left us weakened," Koharu said. "Many of our greatest shinobi have been left incapable of performing their duties or have simply died. Our city was partially destroyed, and our allies turned out to be traitors. We have been promoting shinobi who are good enough to support us in this time of need."
Akira glanced down at her feet and let out a quiet sigh. Good enough.
"That doesn't mean ready."
"No, it doesn't," Homura said darkly. Akira looked up and they held each other's gaze for a moment.
"But we feel that you are," Koharu interjected. "Ready that is."
"The Chūnin Exams may not have been completed in full, however, the Hokage and we the council have deemed that your talents are sufficient to earn you, Akira Uchiha, and you, Shikamaru Nara, a promotion to Chūnin."
Both friends raised an eyebrow, looking more surprised than pleased. Akira had no idea what was going through Shikamaru's brain, but her was flooded with memories of her dealing with Orochimaru. It tainted the achievement of getting this promotion and made her question if she deserved it at all. Then, suddenly, a look of anger crossed her face. Shikamaru could sense it and, when he looked over at her to see her reaction, he saw that her jaw had clenched again and that her eyebrows were furrowed in anger.
"Of course, you can decline our offer."
"No."
Akira had spoken more sternly than she'd anticipated. Koharu, Homura and Shikamaru looked at her a little surprised.
"No, I won't be declining your offer," Akira stated.
"Good," Koharu said with a single nod. "You possess the same prowess in the ninja arts as your predecessors, Miss Uchiha. Your power and potential should not go wasted. And through you..."
Koharu cut herself off and allowed a moment of silence for dramatic effect.
"I think that Konohagakure may find its respect for the Uchiha Clan once again."
That's right, Akira thought. She deserved this respect. It didn't matter that Orochimaru had had a hand in this. In the end, it was Akira that had done all the work. She was the one who'd given blood sweat and tears to be standing there. All that Orochimaru had been was an unfortunate stepping stone to achieve it and Akira couldn't let him taint this—she'd earned it.
"Well, if Akira's doing it, what the hell," Shikamaru said all of a sudden. "At least I'm not the only one of us rookies to be promoted."
"Then, to the both of you, congratulations."
Akira and Shikamaru were directed to an adjacent room where they were able to collect their new flak jackets. As she swung the jacket over her shoulders and put her arms through, Akira couldn't help the smirk that plastered itself onto her face. Shikamaru chuckled and shook his head, amused by his friend's enthusiasm. Once outside, Akira couldn't contain her excitement; she screeched happily, which scared Shikamaru, and she tackled him in a hug, even going so far as to lift him and spin him around.
"I did it, Shikamaru, I did it!" Akira exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.
"Yeah, yeah, put me down!"
Shikamaru couldn't help but smile even as Akira spun him for a little while longer against his will. He hadn't seen her this happy in quite some time and it was nice to see her smile so brightly again. Even as she put him down, Akira was still jumping and screeching a little until she suddenly stopped. Her eyes went wide and she held Shikamaru at arm's length.
"I need to tell Kakashi," she said quickly. "I'll see you later Shikamaru!"
Akira didn't even bother using the stairs. She jumped off the ledge and onto one of the lower roofs and bolted, covering the rooftops with such incredible speed that made her ankles seem like springs rather than the sinew and bone everyone else had. Through this excitement, Akira's strides were at least two of anyone else's and she barely broke a sweat as she sped across roofs and balconies. Once over Kakashi's building, Akira bent forwards, gripped the edge of the rooftop and swung herself down onto Kakashi's balcony. Akira's arrival startled Kakashi, who was standing just inside the door looking out, and he jumped and fell backwards. Akira winced.
"Sorry," she said sheepishly after opening the window. "Didn't think you'd be standing right there. Actually, I didn't think you'd be standing at all."
Akira manoeuvred herself into the apartment and then held out her hand to help Kakashi to his feet. He sighed and pulled himself up.
"Are you okay to be standing? 'Cause if you're not ready you might get dizzy and—"
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Kakashi chuckled, holding up his arms in mock surrender. "You're the one who scared the crap out of me."
"Right. Oh!"
Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows as Akira spun on the spot. She turned back to him and held out her arms on either side.
"What?"
"Are you blind or just stupid?"
After a few seconds of staring expectantly at him, Kakashi's eyes finally widened a little.
"Wow, took you a while."
"Is that—Did you—"
"Yup! Starting today, Shikamaru and I are both Chūnin!"
"And you're feeling good about this?"
"Oh, yeah."
The confidence had taken Kakashi off-guard. He half expected her to feel undeserving because of the whole Orochimaru situation, but the look in her eye was telling him a different story.
"I know what people think and I saw the way Homura and Koharu were looking at me—but I don't care," she said, sitting at the edge of Kakashi's bed. "Orochimaru is irrelevant."
"Well, I wouldn't say—"
"He is. I'm the one who did all the work. I'm the one who trained for hours and hours. I'm the one who beat herself up over new jutsu and techniques for days. No matter what anyone thinks, Orochimaru is just a stain on my record and I did earn this—with blood, sweat and tears. Well, plus a little bit of torture."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, you don't wanna know. Trust me."
Kakashi let out a breath of laughter and put his hand on Akira's head. She protested and smacked his head away as he ruffled his hair, but Kakashi was happy to see her laughing.
"You know... I'm proud of you."
"Oh, shut up."
"No, seriously, I am," Kakashi insisted. "You've come all this way, mostly on your own—"
"Thanks for rubbing it in," Akira said sarcastically.
"—and I know you're not going to stop until you get what you want."
"That's true. I'm stubborn that way."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
Akira stood and punched Kakashi on the shoulder.
"If you don't shut up I'll tell the hospital you had a mental breakdown and you've gotta go back."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Just try me, Hatake."