Itachi and I celebrate Hana's eighth birthday much in the same manner we celebrate my birthday. We drag her to her favorite café, buy her lunch, and give her gifts.

I follow tradition and give her a cat stuffed animal for her growing collection, she started it by giving me a stuffed dog and so we give each other a cat or a dog every year.

I also get the Haimaru brothers, who have recently got a grasp on human language, matching red scarves where Hana can attach their Hitai-ite when she becomes a Genin.

Itachi, who actually gives meaningful gifts, gives her a book on medical ninjutsu. Hana actually tears up a little. She's been expressing interest in learning it for a while now.

The Academy is painfully monotonous and I soon succumb to the famed Nara tradition, sleeping through class. I already know everything they're going over, including algebra. Also who in their right minds teaches eight year olds algebra? It's ridiculous!

I continue to be a thorn in Maki-Sensei's side by scoring painfully average on everything, while still sleeping through class. In ninjutsu class, I calculate how well my classmates are going to do, and put myself in the direct center of the pack. Taijutsu, I display no hint of the Nara style, which I actually train in quite frequently with Hana and Itachi outside of class, and show only a modicum of competency in the academy style. In the academic classes, I only answer enough questions to pass. And so on like that.

The best part is, every single teacher at the academy knows what I'm doing, they just don't have proof and can't do anything about it. The chaos I'm causing is beautiful. Huh, Shisui was right in calling us agents of chaos.

"Hey, Yoruka, I have to go," Aunt Yoshino hands me a one year old Shikamaru, "take care of him for an hour or two please!"

I stare at him, "What am I supposed to do with a baby?" I question the empty house.

An hour later, Aunt Yoshino finds Shikamaru in tears and me sobbing hysterically, "What am I supposed to do?" I scream in frustration, which makes Shikamaru cry harder, and in turn makes me cry harder.

Aunt Yoshino sighs, takes Shikamaru from me, calms him down somehow and grumbles, "I didn't realize I was raising two babies."

Needless to say, I never babysat again.

Two years pass in much the same way, me annoying Obito, who's now on house arrest in the Uchiha district and talking to Kakashi again, Shisui, Hana, and I terrorizing the general populace as Itachi watches on in exasperated horror, and making the academy teachers miserable. It's my tenth birthday, and Hana and Itachi break tradition and throw me a big party.

I walk downstairs in my pajamas to find Aunt Yoshino, Uncle Shikaku, Shikamaru, Hana, Itachi, Shisui, Obito, and Kakashi not in ANBU gear. I blink in surprise, "Why is everyone here?"

Shisui snorts, "It's your birthday silly, and you never celebrate with anyone besides Itachi and Hana. So we decided to throw you one!"

"I didn't even know you knew Obito, Shisui. Also why is Hound not in ANBU gear?" I respond.

Obito snickers and Kakashi sighs, "Shisui decided he wanted to befriend the local brainwashed criminal about a year ago, and Bakashi was informed that it's impolite to wear ANBU gear to a birthday party by your delightful aunt." Obito says cheerfully. He and Shisui do give off the same aura of bad life choices.

Kakashi sighs again, "Thanks for blowing my cover, Yoruka. And how did you even know Hound and I were the same person?"

I shrug, "Body language, mostly. You're also with Obito so... And if you don't want me blowing your cover every time I see you out of ANBU, give me a name besides Hound to call you. I sincerely doubt your actual name is Bakashi, as hilarious as it is, and I'm not about to call you Obito's name for you. It's personal."

Kakashi shrugs, holds out a hand to shake, and says "Hatake Kakashi, happy birthday Yoruka."

Despite my dislike of crowds, it was a fun birthday.

Hana decides she wants Itachi and me to meet Kiba. Even after she laughed at my failure at babysitting Shikamaru.

Kiba is an obnoxiously cute three year old. Itachi falls for his adorableness the worst though. I look fondly at Itachi giving the little hellion a piggyback back ride around Hana's house. He's so easy to manipulate with a cute baby.

I glance over at Hana, wince at her mischievous smile, and decide she knows exactly what she's doing. She completely purposely manipulated Itachi into entertaining her little brother. I kind of feel bad for him, but he likes children, so he's asking for it.

I stare suspiciously at Uncle Shikaku over the Shogi board. He smiles at me and I shudder. He's definitely planning something. Something that I won't like. "That's checkmate, Yoruka!" He says cheerfully. "You are getting much better though, so I'll be able to hand Jonin Commander over to you with no issues whenever you become a Jonin."

I sputter, "I don't want your job, that's way too much paperwork, I'll just never become a Jonin. Hah! Your plans have been foiled!" My words run together.

Uncle Shikaku smiles serenely, "Don't forget Yoruka, I get to decide who displays the adequate skills needed to become a Jonin." I hate him, I swear I really do.

I laugh nervously, "Wouldn't Shikamaru be a better option? He is your son after all."

He snorts, "I'm trying to get rid of my job as soon as possible. You're seven years older than Shikamaru, so you get it."

I sigh in resignation, "Damn it..."

Uncle Shikaku, the ass, laughs at me.

A year passed, and it was time for the graduation exams. I decided to keep my impossibly average streak going, literally just to rub it into Maki-sensei's face.

"Are you sure you have no jutsus for extra credit, Yoruka? Not even a clan jutsu or a summoning contract?" Maki-Sensei knows full well that I do, but he can't make me use them on the test.

I grin viciously, "Nope!"

"Well," he sighs, "you pass." He sounds miserable as gives me my Hitai-ite.

When Hana sees me walk back into the room holding up my Hitai-ite in victory, she giggles hysterically. Itachi just sighs.