Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

An Upward Trend

On a graph, an upward trend would be depicted as a sloped line increasing with height. An upward trend can signify something growing in value or amount. It is pleasant to see both on a graph and in real life. Although, on a graph, an upward trend shouldn't be a surprise. Especially if you are the person who graphed it.


Haku did not waste a single moment. By the time Tazuna finished his bridge, Haku had assembled a small army of kids. Though they better resembled ducklings the way they followed him around. Haku couldn't be happier. And other than the random moment of grief, that much was clear.

It wasn't Haku's mission to protect the bridge. So, we didn't see him during the day. Just in passing or during the evening meal. "We'll need to build a school", Haku pondered aloud one night. Though the way he looked at Tazuna made it obvious he wanted the old man to hear.

Tazuna chewed and swallowed before asking, "What's wrong with the school we have?"

"Oh", Haku started as if having been broken out of his thoughts. "Nothing". He smiled sweetly. "But we'll need a separate school for teaching the shinobi arts".

Surprise made me choke on a mouthful of rice. There's no way I heard that right.

"And a dormitory too", Haku continued as Sasuke eyed me disdainfully. "Not all the children have suitable living conditions".

"That's a great idea!" Naruto exclaimed as my eyes watered from the strain. I was coughing, but still, it didn't feel like my airways were clearing. It's not a good idea.

"You want to open a ninja academy?" Sakura asked; genuinely intrigued. Meanwhile, Kakashi thumped me on the back as he sat tensely next to me. He understood. A ninja academy would eventually lead to a new hidden village. And even though that would take years, a new hidden village means a new player. Something I'm not sure the higher-ups would appreciate Konoha shinobi having a hand in it.

Haku nodded before answering; eyes focused on Tazuna. "Some of the children have already asked for lessons. And this way, with time, the Land of Waves will be able to protect itself".

That was enough for the old man. Crossing his arms, he nodded; a thoughtful look on his wizened face. "I'll start drafting plans after the bridge".

I felt Kakashi twitch when he removed his hand. "But I thought you didn't like being a shinobi", I interjected. Haku's smile slipped off his face as he frowned down at his hands. "Do you really want to teach kids how to kill?"

"No, I don't" Haku agreed. Much to Kakashi's and my relief. Though it was short-lived. "However, I recently learned there is more than one way to being a ninja". Haku looked up with reignited confidence and directed a look at Naruto. "Zabuza taught me his ninja way. I will teach my own way".

Naturo observed Haku's determination with awe; eyes gleaming and mouth slightly open. He looked as sold on the idea as Tazuna did. "What is your way?" Kakashi asked; tone cautious.

Fixing his attention to Kakashi, Haku's posture exuberated resolve. "To use my strength to nurture, not harm".

"That's nice", Naruto breathed, blue eyes glistening a little. Sakura appeared to be of similar thought. Though Sasuke seemed just as wary as Kakashi and I.

"It will take at least a decade to raise competent ninja", Kakashi pointed out. "Opening an academy without a military force to protect it may make the Land of Waves a bigger target".

But Haku had thought of that too. "I know some rogues who might want to stop being rogues".

Staring down, at my half-eaten meal, I felt myself become daunted. Filling out a report for this mission was going to suck.


The bridge was done and our bags were packed. Tazuna, his family, and Haku saw us off as we were the first to walk across the aptly named, Haku's bridge. Blissfully, nothing happened on the journey home. Kakashi read his book. Sasuke and Naruto baited each other. Sakura tried to flirt. And Naruto made plans with me to get ramen with Anzu after Sakura refused him. The only interesting thing to happen was a brief lesson in how to run in the trees; jumping from branch to branch. It sure made the trip a lot shorter.

The moment the mission desk cleared us for a mission complete, I separated from the others. Naruto wanted to immediately get his ramen fix and our written mission reports wouldn't be due until tomorrow. If I hadn't been traveling for days, I'd have run back to our apartment.

"I'm home", I called out; letting the front door swing open. I expected to see the Spartan style of our apartment. I thought Anzu would be sitting at the table or maybe standing in the kitchen. Instead, I came home to a couch, a mostly empty bookcase, purple curtains hanging in the windows, a bunch of house plants, and no Anzu. Strange.

Narrowing my eyes, the door closed behind me as I let my travel pack slip off my shoulders. It landed in the entranceway with a solid thump only I was around to appreciate. "Sis!" I called; pulling off my sandals. Maybe she was in the bedroom or the bathroom. Straining my ears to hear… anything, I padded over to the closed bathroom door. "Sis". I knocked twice. Nothing. Slightly bothered, I moved over to the bedroom and stuck my head inside.

It was… Well, it wasn't nothing. In the bedroom, there were teel curtains instead of purple. Our futon was gone and in its place were two twin beds crammed against each wall and a small dresser between. But no Anzu.

Eyeing the bed closest to the window, I scratched my nose with suspicion. What happened? I mean, I guess it's good Anzu wasn't sitting around waiting for me. But where could she go? Readjusting, I took in the sunlight shining through the window. It was midday. She could've met up with some old friends if they were brave enough to venture out of the red-light district. Or maybe there was shopping needing to be done.

Still, glancing around at my very-much furnished apartment, my thoughts ran in circles. I didn't leave her that much money. My budget included food and rent. Just in case I didn't make it back in time to pay the landlord (Which I hadn't). So, how had Anzu managed to buy all these luxuries?

Moving back to the kitchen, I became aware of the extra weight in my pocket and felt grateful for it. A C-rank elevated to an A-rank meant an increase in pay. Even though the village had to eat the cost of it since Tazuna only paid for a C-rank. I had enough for two months' worth of rent. One if the groceries were calculated in. Reaching for the overhead cupboard above the sink, I stood on tip-toes until tall enough to pull out an old tin that used to hold hard fruit-flavored candies long before I was born.

I haven't checked in with Ibiki yet. Meaning I didn't know my work schedule. But picking up a few D-ranks should be possible if Anzu spent more than we could afford. The tin was light and lacked the sound of jingling coins which made me fear the worse. Maybe it was time to explain our finances to Anzu. There hadn't been a need before now because… well, we never had money to spend.

Prying the lid off with my fingers, I was pleasantly surprised. The tin was full. And not with loose change. But with paper cash. Dropping the tin and its lid onto the kitchen counter, my forehead wrinkled as I was confronted with my biggest pet peeve; things not adding up. Feeling like a banker, I pulled out the wad of cash and counted it as fast as my fingers could flick through it. The amount was only slightly less than I left her with. Then, how did she pay rent? My eyes scanned the kitchen and living space for a second time. How did she buy all this?

Dropping our savings back into the tin, I drummed my fingers on the countertop; not sure what to do. Anzu must have answers. I needed to talk to her. But where was she? I stood there for a moment longer, trying to think of what to do. Short of hunting Anzu down, which felt extreme, what else was there? With nothing to do except wait? I sighed and began to unpack.


The sound of graphite against paper acted like white noise to my ears as my pencil wrote words and numbers in even columns. Assuming rent was paid in full for the month, we had a surplus of Ryo. The cupboards and fridge were full when I checked. Meaning the weekly cost of food didn't need to be factored in right now. Most of my kunai and shuriken had been recovered. And they were still in working condition. So, I wouldn't have to purchase more. Besides, stealing some from Shibi or Shino was always an option. I'd do that the next time I went back to the compound.

Ninja wire was something I was running low on. One or two spools would suffice. That would cost about 2,000 Ryo a piece. How much would paper bombs cost? I wouldn't mind experimenting with them Especially with my new chakra manipulation technique… Which I should probably talk to someone about. Understanding it and mastering it was still a long way off.

The sound of giggling and approaching footsteps pulled me from my musings. Eyes flickering to the door, I watched the doorknob as it turned. "A picnic was a great idea", Anzu said as an inky black head of hair came into view; her face directed away from me. Interesting choice. Anzu usually preferred more vibrant colors when dyeing her hair. "I didn't realize there were so many open spaces in Konoha". She lingered in the doorway, talking to someone. I was on the edge of my seat. Who?

The voice that followed caused befuddlement. "There is much to explore and I shall be your guide, my radiant beauty". I shivered as if someone ran their fingernails down the height of a blackboard. Despite a lack of exposure, I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

With a tittering laugh, Anzu fully opened the door. Her eyes locked with mine and a broad grin stretched across her face. "Rion, you're home". Abandoning the door, Anzu just about ran to reach me; her long skirt wrapping around her ankles as she did so. "You were gone longer than I thought you'd be". Kneeling, she pulled me sideways from my chair for a hug.

Raising my hands, I returned it by barely pressing against her shoulder blades; mindful of both my pencil and our audience. In the doorway, standing akimbo, teeth gleaming was Gai Maito in all his glory. "Yeah", I spoke slowly as Anzu pulled back; never taking my eyes off the intruder. "There were some complications. Anzu, why-"

"Complications?" Anzu's grip on me tightened. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" Her hands moved up and down my arms and shoulders as if making sure. Gai didn't move once. He seemed to be emotionally intrigued by the scene of domesticity happening before him.

When it became clear I didn't possess any broken bones, nor was I bleeding, Anzu moved on. "Is Naruto alright? Where is he?" She moved as if planning to march next door and find out the answers herself.

"He's fine. Everyone's fine. No one's dead or hurt", I said; grabbing Anzu's arms before she could leave. No way was she leaving me alone with Gai. Anzu sighed and Gai's smile brightened. Both were expressions of relief which I tried not to let irk me. "The mission ended up being an A-rank instead of a C-rank".

"What does that mean?" Anzu asked, unfamiliar with the mission ranking system. Noticeably, Gai flinched. Genin and A-ranks were not a recommended combo.

"Uh…" My brain cut me off; eyes dancing across Gai's face as he looked at me with understanding. Maybe things would've been different if Haku had died alongside Zabuza. But instead, he was planning to take in orphans and rogues to give the Land of the Waves its own military force. A new hidden village. As such, most of what happened was now classified. "Naruto's going to want to tell you all about it". I deflected deciding that was a tactful escape. Let Naruto explain why we couldn't talk or let him break village secrets as long as I wasn't involved, I didn't care. "Why is Gai-Sensei here?"

It was Anzu's turn to become tongue-tied. Her grip on my arms loosened as she glanced over her shoulder at the man who shouldn't be there. The expression Gai gave her in return could only be described as encouraging. When Anzu faced forward, she was all smiles, brimming with happiness. "I got a job".

My muscles froze as Gai beamed with pride in the background. What… Why?! My breath hitched in my throat. Anzu's face showed the moment she realized what her words implied. "No. No. No". She panicked; waving her hands in the air as if that would clear away the confusion. "Not like that. I met Gai at work". My face must have done something alarming because Anzu caught on quickly that she hadn't said anything better. "He isn't work", she interjected. "Gai doesn't pay me".

Something inside of me snapped. Flicking my wrist, my pencil barreled through the air like a dart; aiming for Gai's left eye. He snatched it out of the air without so much as flinching. Though at least he had the decency to sound a little nervous as he said, "I promise. None of my actions have been dishonorable".

Anzu gawked; trying to figure out how Gai ended up with my pencil without her noticing. "I may not be strong enough to fight you", I retorted. "But for the right amount of dango, Anko's willing to do anything". Now, Gai appeared unnerved.

"Maybe I should start at the beginning", Anzu wondered aloud; moving to take the chair diagonal from mine. Anzu's story went like this…

The day after we left, there was a knock on the front door. When Anzu opened it, she encountered the bespectacled form of my very introverted brother. "Oh, hello" Anzu greeted; eyeing the plant my brother held with curiosity.

"Good afternoon", my brother returned in kind. "I am Shino Aburame. Rion asked me to visit while she is away. Why? Because I am her brother".

If Shino came off at all territorial, Anzu didn't report it. "Nice to meet you. I'm Anzu". Although an introduction from her end was not needed. Shino clearly knew who she was. The two stood silently and awkwardly with the doorframe in between them. Anzu shifted her weight from foot to foot as Shino stood like a statue; staring. "Would you like to come in?" Anzu tried.

"Yes, thank you", Shino replied. Only moving once Anzu stepped aside. "This is for you", Shino held out the potted plant for Anzu to take. Once she had it, he removed his shoes before stepping further into the apartment. (I'm told every time Shino visited, he brought Anzu a new plant).

"Um… I was about to make lunch. Would you like to join me?" Anzu offered as Shino eyed our apartment with great scrutiny.

He accepted the offer as cordially as he was capable of. And Anzu quickly got to work. She didn't say what they talked about. But knowing Shino, I'm guessing there was an abundance of painful silence. When Anzu presented Shino with lunch, brother dearest took one look before blandly stating, "This is inedible".

"I was so embarrassed", Anzu expressed as Gai slowly inched further into our apartment until he could close the door behind him. I narrowed my eyes but decided to allow it for now. "Shino suggested we go out to lunch instead".

Shino took Anzu to an Akimichi restaurant. Specifically, the one Chouji's mom ran. "I'm not sure I'll be welcomed in", Anzu shared nervously as they stood before the entrance.

"Why?" Shino asked. His tone expressed neither disinterest nor curiosity. Anzu flushed red, her hands smoothing her skirt. Other than her dyed hair, Anzu looked different than she did before we moved. Her clothes were newer and cleaner. She stood taller and appeared healthy. The marks of the red light district had been washed away. Appearance-wise, there was no reason for Anzu to be turned away. But there was little to do about the lingering feeling of not belonging. Or the fear that this would be a place where she'd run into an old client.

Luckily, Shino didn't let his question hang in the air, waiting for an answer. Instead, he offered Anzu a carrot. "This is Rion's favorite restaurant". It's not. "It belongs to her best friend's family". I wasn't aware I had a best friend. "She comes here often".

That endorsement was enough to get Anzu to enter. Reportedly, they had no problem being seated. "The food was so good, Rion", Anzu gushed. "I want to learn how to cook like that".

As was her habit, Chouji's mom came to their table after they were done to thank them for their business. "Chiharu was very nice", Once Shino introduced them and made sure Chouji's mom knew who Anzu was, apparently, she had a lot to say. From how I used to help Chouji with math assignments to how I was a good eater. At least it was all nice things. Anzu didn't need to know about the times I climbed through Chouji's window to avoid going home. Or the time I broke a lot of dishes when attempting to help Chouji get his chores done faster.

"Did you really sneak into their house at night?" Anzu asked at a lower volume. Not that it did anything. Gai would've been able to hear no matter what volume Anzu chose.

I tried not to heat up. Guess that means Chiharu didn't hold anything back. "Yes", I admitted. "But I did that with my other friend too". I quickly added before Anzu could get any ideas. Besides, it really couldn't be called sneaking. Both Choza and Shikaku knew I was there before I ever placed a foot in their sons' rooms. They were just humoring us by pretending I wasn't there. Well… Choza was. Shikaku probably pretended just so he wouldn't have to do anything.

Anzu looked a little concerned but decided to move on. "I told her how proud I was of you and everything you've done to… to help me", Anzu rubbed the back of her head; keeping her eyes studiously on me so she could ignore the man taking up our entranceway. "And how I wished I could contribute too".

Chiharu hadn't even hesitated. Or so I'm told. "I'm looking for a new employee". Meanwhile, Shino looked on as a silent observer; his money already on the table to pay.

"Oh", Anzu straightened her spine. "I've never worked for anyone before". Because Daichi sure as hell didn't count. Her eyes turned downward. "I can't read or write", Anzu shared.

Knowing my story, Chiharu could guess at Anzu's and she remained unshaken. "Can you wash dishes and clean tables?"

Anzu slowly nodded.

"You're hired. You can work Friday through Tuesday and I'll pay you 960 Ryo an hour", Chiharu had said.

Stunned, it took me a moment to remind myself to respond. "That's wonderful". And it was. Though I couldn't help but wonder how much of this was due to personal connections. How much did I now owe the Akimichi family for this kindness?

"It really is", Anzu celebrated. "I've been working since you left. And I've been able to buy the curtains and the bookshelf. Shino helped with putting the bookshelf together".

"But that doesn't explain…" I trailed off; eyes flashing over Gai who still stood by the door.

Anzu followed my gaze, beaming when she looked at Gai. "I met him at work". Which wasn't a scary statement now that I had the right context. "He's a regular. So, I got used to seeing him and…" The color in Anzu's cheeks grew. "We became friends".

Uh-huh…

For some reason, Gai took this as permission to join the conversation. With a thumbs-up and a blinding smile, he said, "Friendship is one of the most youthful endeavors a man can hope for!"

Taking in Gai with a dead stare, I tried to sort out what I was feeling. However, my mind drew connections instead. Gai was now familiar with my sister. Kurenai had Shino on her team. Azuma instructed both Chouji and Shikamaru. And this last mission definitely put me on Kakashi's radar… I would never be allowed to get away with anything ever again.