Leo was to join the academy today, and this made Jessica both giddy and nervous, a feeling she did not like.
"You do not have to go this year, you could stay back." She said as she nervously flitted around her adopted family.
"Big Sister, I am almost six, the academy is the next step to becoming a great ninja." The boy replied as he brushed his shoulder length blonde hair, "Besides you teach there so we will see each other, and you will teach me next year."
"I know" the woman grumbled out, upset at being outsmarted by a child, "That doesn't mean I need to be fucking happy with you growing up." She continued.
"I love you too big sister, now can you help me braid my hair?" He beamed up at her in English to comfort his sister.
Pulling the blonde into her lap and separating the hair into sections to braid each one, Jessica mulled over what needed done. She had to protect her little brother, but he also needed to be a strong ninja in his own right, or the village may find him useless later in life.
Then an idea struck Jessica, she would teach him everything she knew; martial arts, mathematics, stealth, even the more feminine arts like seduction and fashion. Everything that Jessica learned even before dropping in this world, she would make her little brother in the greatest ninja ever.
With that settled Jessica pulled her brother off her lap and helped him pack up a lunch for them both.
"Stewed carrots are gross" the little blonde pouted as he saw an extra helping placed into his lunch box.
"You say the about all vegetables," The woman replied "It is either veggies with lunch or no ramen for dinner."
"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!" the boy screamed out in horror.
As this exchange went on Kiko's mother came to drop off her daughter. Kiko would come to Leo's house before school and walk there with Jessica for the past year, with Leo being dropped off at a pre-school along the way.
That day being Leo's first day at the academy Kiko came later than usual, to give Jessica and Leo a little more time together. The young girl was brash and selfish, but even she knew that families needed time for important moments like this. Standing in the door way the seven year old copper haired girl watched Leo and Jessica interact. They were truly like siblings, with Leo pouting and Jessica verbally poking him. It was weird though, how they sometimes spoke in that strange language that no one but they understood.
With the lunches packed and the family ready for the day, the small troupe went along the beaten path to the academy. The thirty minute walk was relatively calm, with only a small outburst when Kiko pushed Leo into a puddle. Thankfully the puddle was not overly muddy and Leo would not have to change clothes, but he did retaliate by pulling one of the copper heads braids; this lead to a screaming match between the two for the last few minutes of the walk, and a frustrated Jessica throwing them at their respective home room teachers.
The day progressed quickly after that, and Jessica was able to pull her little brother out of his classroom for lunch.
"So how was your first day so far?" She asked the boy as he gobbled down the rice and mushroom mixture.
"Good, Miro-sensei is nice, but she said my writing was 'atrocious', what does that mean?"
"It means it sucks balls."
"Oh, can I get better?"
"Yup, we can practice writing at night after dinner." And with that lunch was finished and the two went back to their classes.
At three o'clock the classes were over and the students and teachers began to leave for the day. Leaving his classroom, Leo walked towards the exercise yard his sister was at, and attempted to sneak up on her.
"I can sense you, you little bastard." His sister singed out.
"Damn, I wanted to get you!" The rambunctious blonde shouted out.
"Well how about these apples?" Jessica replied as she lifted up her little brother and began to tickle him.
After a short tickle match, with Jessica winning by default, the two began to walk home, stopping in the market district to get supplies for dinner. Moseying from stall to stall Jessica picked out a few fresh vegetables and an attractively fresh fish, with Leo grabbing fruits and eggs. As the two were preparing to leave the market a book caught Leo's eyes, kicking Jessica in the shin he got her attention.
"I want that book" he said as he pointed to the book in question.
"Ninja Tactics: A History of All Ninja Arts, seems a bit much for a green-horn like you." She replied.
"But I can use it for the future." The little blonde pouted back, using his puppy-dog eyes on his sister.
"That is a dirty trick you little bastard." She mumbled as she went to pay for the hefty tome.
Getting home for the night and starting on dinner, Jessica watched over Leo as he did his homework on the dining table. Making pork ramen for her brother with tempura vegetables and salted fish they both sat down and began to eat. After the meal the two went into the sitting room and sat down under the kotatsu with Miso lounging between the two. The puppy had grown quickly and was now quite large; Jessica would bet a pretty penny he had some wolf in him. Once the small family was comfortable Jessica began to teach Leo the basics of calligraphy and writing and made him practice until his bed-time. As Leo's first day of school came to a close, Jessica couldn't help but wonder about how her little brother had grown.
Next chapter will cover what happened in konaha after Jessica left with her little bundle of joy.