A/N:
Hi. This is meant to be a serious story, so please do not despair if things seem slow at first. I want to gradually introduce you all to my take on the Naruto world, and the changes to canon will be numerous and aplenty, far more than just Sasuke being born female. I will answer a few common questions in the after note.
Enjoy!
A gentle ringing sounds through the domicile just as Mother is putting the finishing touches on dinner.
Father and Itachi sit by the table, engaging in quiet conversation. When the ringing reaches their ears, they pause; Father looks up with a curious glint in his eyes. Itachi does nothing but shift his weight.
"Sasuke, be a dear and grab the door, will you?" asks Mother.
She kneels at the opposite end of the table, with a book on Fire techniques in-hand. She's been on the same page for about five minutes now, however, with snippets of Father and Itachi's words taking up all the room in her head.
"Yes, Mother," she says without question.
Sasuke climbs to her feet—she indents the page she was on, then leaves the book on the table. With the smell of Mother's splendid cooking behind her and the two men returning to their talking, she leaves the room.
The feel of the hardwood against her bare feet makes her shiver. There are no windows in the Uchiha household—every draft is felt in the Winter, and every heat wave is felt in the Summer. It's mid-March, but that doesn't mean Winter's icy grip has loosened on Konoha just yet.
Whoever it is at the door, they're polite enough not to ring the bell twice. It's a big home; it takes Sasuke upwards of two minutes just to make it all the way to the door.
She's tall enough to see through the peep hole now, but opts not to. Sasuke pulls the door open.
She stares with perplexion at the man on her doorstep. He is a chūnin—his flak jacket gives it away. He could be a jōnin, but he does not have the demeanor of one. Tan skin and a distinctive scar across his nose and face stick out to her.
"Hello," Sasuke says, taking a cautious step back. "How can I help you?"
He gives her a gentle, if somewhat bemused smile.
"I can see that I wasn't expected," says the man. "It's a pleasure to meet you—my name is Umino Iruka. And you are—?"
"Sasuke," she says, the word sounding unfamiliar on her tongue. "Sasuke…um…Uchiha Sasuke."
"You're not used to introducing yourself to people, hm?" Iruka notes. "I suppose that makes sense, what with your clan's present circumstances. I, uh, I hope you don't see me as a threat."
"Should I?" Sasuke says with an icy look in her dark eyes.
He's nigh a foot taller than her, but she feels as if she could take him. One good Fire technique is all she would need.
"Of course not," Iruka says with a disarming wave of his arm. "Now, this may seem out of the ordinary, but I believe part of your household is expecting me. May I come in? I'm sure we can get everything cleared up."
Sasuke tilts her head thoughtfully. He is a hard man to distrust—his eyes are warm and his smile gentle.
"Sure," she says. "I'll lead the way."
"It's your house, after all. You leave me by myself and I'm liable to start running into walls. Lord Hokage did always tell me I should get my eyesight checked.."
Sasuke actually laughs a little at that. She smiles, and turns on her heel.
"Right this way, Umino-san."
She pauses in the doorway of the foyer as Iruka steps in. He closes the door behind him, wipes his feet, then kicks his shoes off, and carefully arranges them next to where Itachi left his earlier. Her lips curl upward again—perhaps outsiders aren't total barbarians.
He follows behind her, but keeps a careful distance. Sasuke can feel his calm gaze on the back of her head. Her high pony-tail sways with every step she takes, and a cold draft billows through her flowy blue shirt.
"You've had shinobi training," Iruka notes.
"A little bit here-and-there, Umino-san," Sasuke says. "I would like more, but my parents are always busy and my brother, well, if you know him—"
"Oh, I know him," Iruka affirms. "Who doesn't?"
Sasuke's lips press together.
"Well, as you can understand, he doesn't often have time to train me, either. So…I read up on the fundamentals and work on it whenever I can get away from my chores."
"Do you have a lot of chores?" asks Iruka.
"Er—" Sasuke rubs the back of her neck. "Nothing serious. A lot of the family is older, or er—" She swallows. "You know, disabled. They lost an arm or a leg on a mission. I go around the compound and help them with things they can't do on their own."
"That's quite noble of you," Iruka says.
"Don't try to make it into something it's not," Sasuke says calmly. "Mother and Father…it was non-negotiable when they asked me to do it. I would rather work on my studies most days."
"Somehow, I don't think that's true."
She holds her tongue. Are all outsiders this uplifting?
Soon, they're nearing the kitchen. Sasuke can hear the low rumble of conversation, and once again inhales the aroma of her mother's cooking. Iruka is silent as Sasuke pauses.
She turns towards him.
"Wait here a moment," Sasuke says.
Then she ducks into the dining room, where Mother gives her an expectant look.
"Who was it?" asks Mother. Father and Itachi are still talking, and pay neither the woman or the girl any mind.
"It's a chūnin. His name is Umino Iruka," Sasuke explains. "He says that one of us was expecting him—?"
Mother frowns—her gaze turns not to the door, where Iruka waits in the wings, but rather to Itachi. Father has fallen silent too, and both parents fix Itachi with a calm, but stern stare.
Itachi simply takes a sip from his tea. Sasuke thinks she's imagining it, but she sees something of a smirk playing on her brother's lips.
"Invite him in," says Father flatly.
Sasuke waves Iruka in. The chūnin steps in, offering the room a respectful bow.
"It's an honor to be welcomed into your home," Iruka says, smiling. "Itachi-san, it is always a pleasure."
"Same to you," Itachi says, cheersing with his cup of tea.
"How is the boy doing?" asks Father. "The one who threw his chair through the window?"
"Genta? He's been okay. A few issues here and there, but nothing substantial," says Iruka. "I'm surprised to see that you remembered. I'd imagine such a minor incident would be a drop in the pond when it came to the police captain's work."
Father chuckles.
"The boy asked to see my Sharingan," says Father. "After that, it's difficult not to remember him."
"I see."
"How can we help you today, Umino-san?" asks Mother. "As you can see, we were about to sit down for dinner."
"I apologize for the intrusion," Iruka says. "I, erm—" He clears his throat. "I suppose I was told an incorrect time. Fugaku-san knows of my occupation, as does Itachi-san, but I suppose I should enlighten you two ladies…I'm a teacher at the Academy."
Sasuke's attention was being to ebb, but the moment she hears Academy, it as if the world snaps into focus. She stares at Iruka, her black eyes serious.
Mother's lips curl up for a split second, but then her expression is wiped blank. She looks to Father, who is pensive.
"I see," says Father. "May we disregard the formalities, then? Itachi—" Father looks to her brother, his dark eyes unreadable. "You invited him here. I have one guess as to why."
"I did invite him, Father," says Itachi. He's never been one for lying.
Father exhales.
"We've talked—"
"You've talked about this, Father. I have never been given the chance."
Father's eyes narrow, but Itachi does not back down even a little. Sasuke can taste the tension in the air, so thick that it if she threw her book up she almost expects it to hang as if suspended in gel.
"Sasuke," Father begins. "Please go to your room."
"Sasuke should stay," Itachi says quickly. His eyes flit to his sister, then back to his Father. "This is just as much her decision as it ought to be anyone else's."
"I, uh—" Sasuke speaks up, and the words choke in her throat as all eyes on the room fall on her. "What's going on?" She pauses, as she looks back and forth between her family and Iruka. "I thought-I thought I wasn't allowed to attend the Academy."
"The only law on the books is that any member of the Uchiha family requires permission to attend the Academy," explains Iruka. "There is nothing barring you aside from the Hokage giving the okay. How do you think your brother and your cousin Shisui got into the Academy?"
"Well.." Sasuke swallows. "That's Itachi and Shisui. And I'm…me."
Iruka smiles. Father taps a finger on the table, and Mother turns to finish up the food before it burns upon the stove.
"Father," Itachi begins. "May I speak my piece?"
Father says nothing—he does not even nod. All he does is acknowledge Itachi with a menial wave of his hand.
Her brother clears his throat.
"There is nobody in the clan who is capable of teaching Sasuke the skills necessary to become a full-fledged kunoichi," Itachi says. "Either they're too old, too infirm, or—"
"Are these things you should be speaking of in front of an outsider?" Mother says.
"I'm giving him a chance to speak, Mikoto. Allow him that honor," says Fugaku. He looks back to Itachi. "Continue."
"Sasuke has potential," Itachi explains. "Even without the same help that I was given at her age, she is capable of things that people twice her age struggle with. We cannot leave her without a teacher for much longer. What harm would there be in allowing her to attend the Academy?"
"If I may say something as well, Uchiha-sama?" Iruka asks.
"Speak," says Father.
"I understand that relations between the village and your clan are still somewhat tense," Iruka says. "There's some reasons I can think of for you to not want young Sasuke here to attend the Academy. However, I give you my word that she'll be well looked after."
Father takes a calm sip of his tea. Itachi and Iruka say nothing, while Mother busies herself by putting together four heaping plates of food. Sasuke fidgets with the book she was reading earlier, bending and unbending the corner of the page she'd been stuck on.
"When we sent Itachi and Shisui off to the Academy, they required an interview with the Hokage first," Father says. "I assume this will happen through the same process?"
"Yes sir," says Iruka. "Technically the Hokage could rubberstamp it without any red tape necessary, but you know how he is. He likes to keep a thumb on the pulse of the village. I imagine it looks good to the Elders and the Council, too."
"Right," says Father.
"Does-does this mean—?" Sasuke dares not to speak further.
Father's calculating gaze swivels over to her.
"I see no further reason to keep you cooped up in the compound. Now, if this deal is the same as it was with Itachi and Shisui, attending the Academy does not mean that you'll have free rein to explore the village. I'm sure the Hokage will explain all the necessary the details."
"I, uh, I confess I'm not hundred percent sure what we'll be doing regarding that," says Iruka. "I imagine some of it we'll come up with as we go. Either way—"
"It will be fine," Father affirms. "Iruka, please send word to my office with a time and place for Sasuke's meeting with the Hokage. I do not mean to be rude, but it's been a long day, and—"
"Your food is getting cold. I understand," Iruka says, smiling. He bows low, then heads to the doorway.
"I can show him the way out," Sasuke murmurs, bounding to her feet.
None of her family say a word as she and Iruka head back out into the halls. They're quiet for a minute or so, or at least 'till they're long out of ear shot.
"I think that went well," Iruka comments, more to himself than to her.
Sasuke glances at him.
"So, you're going to be my teacher?"
"I imagine so," he says. "Granted, that's assuming your meeting with the Hokage goes well."
Sasuke gulps.
"The Hokage. Is he—?"
"He's a fair man," Iruka says. "Be yourself, and I'm sure he'll take a liking to you. Now, I did not want to hypothesize around your family, but I imagine that meetings going to take place the day after tomorrow. If the Hokage gives us the go ahead, then that means we can have all the paperwork and such filled in for your first day of at the Academy at the start of April. That's—"
"A week away," Sasuke murmurs.
Iruka nods.
"It'll go by in a flash," he tells her. "That, or it'll be the longest week of your life. Either way, it's going to be something."
"Yeah," Sasuke says in a whisper. "It really will."
Iruka makes his leave with a polite bow paired with a smile. Sasuke says nothing—she pokes her head out, and eyes him warily as he casually walks down the path. The chilly night air forces her to retreat back into the household.
Dinner is a quiet affair. Father and Itachi return to their past conversation, though there is an underlying tension in the air. Mother smiles and laughs, and does what she does best: liven up the room with her mere presence.
Sasuke's mind is a million kilometers away. She stares out of the window, and eats mechanically, the piping hot food not making a dent in her brain. It's good, yes, but all she can focus on is one thing, and one thing alone.
The next day, Father comes home. It is business as usual, and Sasuke stays cooped up in her room or out at her usual spot by the bank. Father acknowledges her for a single, solitary minute.
"You will meet with the Hokage at ten in the morning," he informs her. "A outsider jōnin will escort you. Dress sharp and be ready—you will be representing the clan."
"Yes sir," she says. And that is the extent of their interaction. The rest of the day passes by in a blur. Reading, exercising, dinner, and at last, a sleepless night staring out the window of her room.
Itachi is gone on a mission. Shisui's been gone for a month or so. And she knows that Mother would throw a fit if she tries to wake her up at this hour, and that's not even beginning to imagine what Father would say.
She is left alone with her thoughts. That is the norm these days, and she can't even muster annoyance at this point.
In the morning, she showers, and she exercises, and she dresses as carefully as she can. A high-collared lilac shirt with the Uchiha fan sewn into the back goes well with charcoal black pants. She stares at herself in the mirror, and eyes herself from various different angles. She looks acceptable. Bony, and skinny, and not at all intimidating, but she looks nice at least. Hopefully the standards for kunoichi aren't too high these days..
Her hair is a different story. Sasuke pads into the kitchen, where Mother has made herself cozy at the table with a book and a pot of tea. With Itachi gone, there's only the two of them in the household—Father, obviously, has left for the police station some hours ago.
"Mother, could you—"
"Of course."
Sasuke sits in silence at the table as Mother vanishes for a moment. She returns, having procured some basic hair care products. In between sips of teas and giggles as she reads passages in her book, Mother manages to tame the wild mane that is Sasuke's hair. It never flows quite as nicely as Mother's or Itachi's does…it's wild, and unruly, and she remembers being called 'Mini Shisui' with how it looked before she started growing it out.
It's nine-thirty by the time they're done. Mother shows Sasuke her hair with a mirror, and of course, shows her the back, too. It's perfect, and yet, what else was she expecting? Mother has never let her down once.
A quick breakfast later, and Sasuke is putting on her shoes and heading out onto that familiar street that she's known as home for all ten years of her life. A breeze blows through her hair—she clicks her teeth and stares this way and that. This is a strange time in the Uchiha compound. Everyone who is able-bodied and capable of work is already out-and-about for the day, and aside from a small blip for lunch around noon, won't be back 'till the later hours. Everyone else is stuck at home.
Mother is the exception. She is able-bodied and capable of police work, but the clan puts her up to other tasks, instead, usually in a fashion that lets her have her own schedule. Sasuke is not wholly sure what she does, but she often finds Mother poring over pages upon pages of what looks like numbers.
Sasuke sighs. She knows she is trying to distract herself from what is at hand.
She makes the long walk to the front gates to the compound, her heart thumping behind her ribcage all the while. Her legs feel like city buildings and her fingers tremor as she fixes her collar every couple of paces.
The gate looms in front of her. It's a heavy, oak door—in the old days there used to be guards. Now it is just one guard who smiles at her as she approaches. She recognizes those eyes even in spite of his helmet—it's a lad named Akira, who is about five years her father's junior. He's tall with a goofy smile and a long scar running down his arm. The nerve damage means he can hardly use his left arm at all, aside from flexing his fingers with considerable effort.
"So, this is it, huh?" Akira says, grinning at her. "Are you nervous?"
"Most definitely," Sasuke says, with a lump in her throat. "May I do the honors?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
She puts her hands on the doors and she pushes, she pushes with every bit of strength of her body. Bony shoulders threaten to pop, but eventually, the doors yield, and swing open noiselessly.
On the other side is a bridge that represents the division between the Uchiha clan and the rest of the village. It runs from east to west, and forms a perfect barrier. The Uchiha compound is something of a triangle if viewed from up above, fenced in by the city walls on two sides and by the river on the third.
She has never been outside these walls. She has never been past the river. She's never even tried, because she knows it is fruitless. The city walls are thirty meters high and the river is fifty meters wide. She's a ten year old who can spit a fireball—maybe two of them on a good day. She doesn't even know how to swim.
Sasuke gulps as she stares down the bridge. Akira chuckles as he nudges her forward with his one workable arm—those heavy oak doors shut behind her with a finality that reverberates through her very soul.
She takes a step forward. The wood creaks beneath her foot. Sasuke stares over the railing, and catches a glimpse of her reflection in the crystal blue water.
There's a shift in the air. With her gut tingling, Sasuke turns on her heel.
Someone is sitting on the opposite railing, a book in hand, his lone eye trained on her.
He is tall—very much so. Even taller than Itachi is. His silver hair spikes up into the air, and a calm brown eye stares at her without even a hint of emotion. His other eye is hidden by his forehead protector, shielded from view—also shielded from view is his face, which is covered up to the nose by a mask. He wears the typical jōnin flak jacket, all green and black aside from the swirls on the shoulders.
He jumps down from the railing. Sasuke stares at him, her fingers twitching at her side, as if reaching for a knife.
"Uchiha Sasuke," he acknowledges calmly. "I'm to escort you."
"Oh, uh—" Sasuke rubs the back of her neck. "Sure. I figured…I would find my own way."
"I imagine that would've ended poorly. Hence my presence here," he says. "Now, take ahold of my arm and let's—"
"Wait, wait, wait," says Sasuke suddenly.
The man's lone eye blinks.
"What is it?" he says.
"I know what you're trying to do. The Shunshin, right?"
Otherwise known as the 'Body Flicker'—higher level shinobi use it to propel themselves great distances. It's handy in combat, but just as useful outside of combat. She knows it because of—
"Ah. I should've known that Shisui's cousin would be familiar with it," the jōnin notes. "Do you object to the use of it?"
"Of course I do. I want—" Sasuke clears her throat. "I want to see the village. With my own eyes."
She stares over at the bridge, and beyond it, the Twelfth district. On many a night, she would sit on the river bank and stare out at the city. She's seen festivals and parties, and even occasional brawls. Even those dreary nights when not even a single person is on the street is interesting to her.
"I'm afraid that's not authorized," the man says calmly.
"Why not?" Sasuke says through gritted teeth.
The man eyes her carefully.
"I don't know why not. All I know is I was told to bring you directly to where we're supposed to go with the Shunshin. Must you complicate this any more than you already have?"
Sasuke frowns. She can spot a liar when she sees one.
"Very well," she says. 'I'll get a chance sooner or later. Best not to rock the boat.'
The man offers an arm—Sasuke puts a hand on it, only making contact with three of her fingers. She closes her eyes.
When they open, she is in a wholly different place. The journey wasn't as smooth as it would have been with Shisui, but still, she finds herself looking around with a glint in her eyes.
"Not bad," Sasuke says, chuckling. She's fully aware that she couldn't Shunshin two meters let alone halfway across the city.
The man's expression is unreadable, and that mask doesn't help. He takes a step back.
"I'll be on call to take you back," he says simply. Then he leans against a wall and whips his book back out, and Sasuke is sure she could sit there and wave in his face for a full hour and he still wouldn't acknowledge her.
Sasuke takes a breath, then examines her surroundings. The jōnin has taken the two of them to a small, residential hall—there's pictures and paintings on the wall, and a nightstand with an ugly orange vase atop, decorated with multi-coloured flowers. There's a couple of doors in the hall, but the one they're closest too is at the end and looks big and important with it's polished handle.
She takes a step towards it. When the jōnin does not admonish her, she knows she has chosen correctly.
The young Uchiha knocks thrice on the door.
"Come in," floats a gentle voice.
Sasuke twists the handle and lets herself into the room. At a glance, it is clear that it's a study—the whole room is dominated by a desk and file cabinets, with a bay window behind the desk that gives a lovely view of the village at large.
The Hokage sits behind his desk, with a warm smile on his face and an airy expression.
"Sorry about all the secrecy," he says. "The village would start talking if an Uchiha was spotted wandering around. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sasuke—I imagine you know who I am."
'Play the game,' Sasuke tells herself.
"I do," she says, bowing as low as is humanly possible. "It's an honor to meet you, Hokage-sama."
Most Konoha prospects grow up seeing the Hokage on a regular basis, whether at the Academy or out-and-about in the city. Not Sasuke. She remembers seeing him once some years ago, from a distance, on a rare visit to the Uchiha compound.
Other then that, this is her first meeting with the Namikaze Minato. Today, it seems, is the day of firsts.
"Take a seat," says the Hokage. "As Iruka-san ought to have informed you, you're here as something of an interview process for your entrance into the Academy. It's unorthodox, but alas, we did the same for your brother and cousin and I don't want to change it up just yet."
Sasuke takes a seat. It's built for someone taller than her, and her feet dangle a few inches above the ground if she sits upright and proper as she's been taught. The Hokage's smile does not waver.
"Itachi-san spoke very high of you," the Hokage continues. "I have little reason to decline your entrance to the Academy. Tell me, Sasuke-san—will I regret letting you enter into my Academy?"
She gulps.
"No, sir," she says. "You won't. I can promise you that, Hokage-sama."
"I believe you," says the Hokage. "You're ten years old, correct?"
"Yes, sir."
"The Academy tends to be a five year course. Now, we won't be starting you from the beginning—we'll lop you in with all of the upcoming fourth years. Obviously, this is not a typical thing that we do, but I imagine with Iruka-san watching over you, it ought to be a smooth transition."
Sasuke chews her lip.
"Hokage-sama, if I may..?"
"This is a conversation, not an actual interview," the Hokage says, smiling, his blond hair sparkling in the sunlight. "There's no need to ask for permission to talk, but if you're anything like your brother, I imagine that's a habit that won't be going away."
"Ri-right," Sasuke says. "Will I not be lagging behind the other fourth years if they received three years of education before me?"
"It's possible you might lag behind a few of the more gifted students," the Hokage admits. "But you're an Uchiha, and so, you tend to be ahead of the group anyway. I imagine within a month or so you'll be at your rightful spot in the class."
Sasuke nods.
"So…am I…am I in?" she asks quietly. "Will you let me enter the Academy?"
The Hokage smiles.
"Precautions will be made," he warns. "Your family has informed you why the Uchiha aren't allowed out of the compound without permission, correct?"
Father and Mother never spoke of it, and neither did Itachi. Shisui told her the basics one night when they were hiding out from a storm.
"Someone in our family caused the Kyūbi attack," Sasuke murmurs. "The culprit was never found."
"I trust your family," the Hokage intones. "I fought alongside the Uchiha in the Third War, and I would lay down my life if it meant protecting them. However, I am the Hokage of the whole village, and not just the Uchiha. I cannot be upset with them at wanting certain laws put into place owing to that fact that the culprit supposedly could still be in the village."
"You don't think he is?" blurts Sasuke. She turns white and her mouth snaps shut—she sits rigid.
The Hokage taps a finger against his desk.
"No. I don't."
Sasuke bites her lip, unsure of what to make of that response.
The Hokage smiles.
"You'll be given something of a curfew while you're a part of the Academy. From eight to six, you'll be allowed to roam the village as you please," he explains. "A jōnin will search your personal effects every time you reenter the Uchiha compound. No worries, it's not going to be a pat down or anything like that, just a little glance through your bag."
"Yes, sir."
"I, er—" The Hokage rubs the back of his neck. "I have a boy around your age. Chances are, you two might end up in the same class. If you have a difficult time adjusting…I'll make sure he looks out for you."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," says Sasuke. "You won't regret giving me this chance."
"I don't think I will," the Hokage says, smiling. "Kakashi will escort you back to the compound now. Iruka-san will drop by later today with some schoolwork and books that you'll need—I imagine he has some tests he'll want you to take to see where you're at concerning his curriculum. It'll be exciting stuff, I'm sure."
"Yes, sir."
The Hokage motions with his hand, and Sasuke rises to her feet. He stands as well. She bows low, and to her amazement, the Hokage returns the bow.
"I'll be seeing you soon, Uchiha-chan. Do your village and your clan proud."
With that, she is dismissed. When she steps back out into the hall, Sasuke makes sure to close the door behind her. She nearly trips over a toy kunai that is on the floor—the sight of it makes her smile. She remembers playing with one just like it when she was a couple of years younger.
The jōnin she now knows to be Kakashi looks up from his book.
"Ready?" he asks.
Sasuke nods. He offers his arm and she mirrors the interaction.
In the blink of an eye, she's back on the bridge that separate the Uchihas from the rest of the world.
When she turns, Kakashi is gone. He didn't even say goodbye—how rude.
Sasuke clicks her teeth and marches the short distance across the bridge and back to those heavy oak doors. She pushes them open with considerable effort.
Akira smiles at her, and helps her to open them once he realizes who it is. She feels bad needing a one-armed man's help to heave open the door, but she knows better than to try and decline his kindness.
"You're back already, huh?" he says.
Sasuke nods, smoothing out the front of her lilac shirt.
"Looks like I'll be headed to the Academy," she says, grinning with a nervous tremor going up and down her body.
"Hell yeah!" Akira pumps a fist. "You're going to do great things."
"I hope so," Sasuke murmurs.
The walk back to her house is quiet. She lets herself inside, and finds that Mother's shoes are gone. Maybe she's off on a walk around the compound, or visiting one of the elders. Either way, it seems Sasuke has the place to herself.
She opts not to do anything with it, though. All she does is grab a book and settle in to brush up on her Fire technique theory.
A few hours later, Iruka does turn up with a stack of books and a folder. Mother still hasn't returned—Father won't be home 'till the evening. The knock at the door startles her, but when Sasuke sees Iruka, she smiles.
"See, I told you it wouldn't be a problem," says Iruka. "How was your little showdown with the Hokage?"
Sasuke exhales.
"He's, uh- he's very different from the history books. I wasn't expecting someone quite so…laid back."
"It depends on the circumstances," Iruka informs her. "When it comes to serious matters, he's all business. It would be wise to remember that. Now, you'll be starting as a fourth year—"
"He told me," says Sasuke. "Apparently I need to take a test or something of that sort?"
"Something of that sort," Iruka repeats back to her, with a smile playing on his lips. He sets the books down on the foyer floor, then plucks up the manila folder on top. He thumbs it open, and offers it to her.
Sasuke takes it. The test on top jumps out of her. She stares at the first question:
'Who was the First Hokage?'
"You can't be serious," Sasuke says with a frown.
"That's the first year test. They'll get progressively higher," Iruka says, having to visibly bite back a chuckle. "I'll swing by tomorrow night to collect them. Class starts on Monday—I'll make sure you're kept appraised of all the necessary details."
"Thank you, Umino-san—"
Iruka wags a finger and Sasuke falls quiet. She bites her tongue, an indignant expression on her young face.
Then it clicks in her brain. She smiles, in spite of herself.
"Thank you, Umino-sensei," she corrects.
"Iruka-sensei is fine," he says. "I'll see you around, Uchiha-san. Remember, no cheating on those tests. I'll know!"
She nods, and he's off. Sasuke bends her knees and scoops up the books, which are heavier than they look.
Sasuke takes inventory in her room. There's history books, books on jutsu theory, books on various different forms of hand-to-hand combat. She opts to do the tests later, but glances over them anyway. Even up 'till the Fourth Year, she feels pretty confident about the questions. It's common sense stuff—or at least, in her mind it is.
She grins to herself.
'I'm going into the Academy,' she thinks. 'I'm really doing it.'
It's hard to quantify just how amped she is—there's a tremor and a quivering that shoots from head-to-toe. Her fingers twitch, and she has to manually control her breathing.
Sasuke stares at her hands, flexing her fingers experimentally.
'I was outside of the compound. For real.'
She exhales.
Then palms her face into her hands and bellows for all the world to hear.
Thankfully, there's no one in the house to overhear the outburst. Grinning like a madman to herself, Sasuke sifts through one of the text books and is already beginning to take in a whole host of new information.
The next several days speed by. Father never really acknowledges her impending entrance into the Academy—as for Mother, it seems to be all she can talk about. They pore over books together, and Mother helps her with the tests. She doesn't give her any answers, of course, but she supervises and help Sasuke back up the answers that she comes up with on her own.
Itachi is still gone on his mission, as is Shisui.
Finally, it is March the thirty-first, and Sasuke cannot sleep. She lays on her bed, staring out through the open window and taking in the distant sounds of the night. Crickets sing their song, and distant voices float in from the city proper. Sasuke sighs.
She doesn't sleep that night. The sheer excitement coursing through her veins stops her. At dawn, her Mother gently raps at the door.
"Sasuke~" Mother coos in a sing-song voice. "Are you ready for your big day?"
Sasuke closes her eyes and rolls over as Mother opens the door. She feigns sleep, because of course she does—Mother would harp on her if she found out Sasuke hadn't gotten more than an hour of sleep before such an important occasion.
Mother tiptoes over to the bed and gives her a gentle shake on the shoulder. Sasuke 'wakes up —she yawns quite loudly, and sits up, her aquamarine night shirt sagging down one shoulder.
"Morning," says Sasuke.
"Are you excited?" asks Mother, as she sits on the edge of the bed.
"I guess." Sasuke rubs her reddened eyes. She yawns, and that she doesn't need to fake. "Breakfast—"
"Will be ready as soon as you've showered and gotten ready," Mother says.
"You're the best, Mother."
"I know."
Mother pulls her close and presses a kiss to the crown of her head. She holds Sasuke for a moment, and though she isn't the most touchy feely of people, she lets Mother have this.
"I've spent ten years with you within a stone's throw," Mother murmurs. "Sending you out into that big bad village is not easy."
"It doesn't seem that bad. The Hokage was very kind." Sasuke swings her feet over and lets them dangle over the side of the bed.
"Let's talk more over breakfast," says Mother.
A quick shower is rather rejuvenating. Sasuke lets the water run cold for a good minute, and the shock to her nervous system leaves her wide awake and jittery.
She dresses simple, but crisp. A black, collared shirt and beige shorts. It's cold outside, but she'll manage, and she doesn't want to come unprepared in case they do physical exercises on day one.
Of course, the Uchiha fan is sewn into the back of the shirt.
When she emerges out into the kitchen, Mother has breakfast ready and waiting. A small bowl of rice with fish and hot tea to wash it down.
They say their prayers, then tuck in. Without the men around, Mother eats ravenously—Sasuke grins toothily at the sight. She's a quick eater, but not that quick.
When they're done, Sasuke collects the dishes and automatically goes to wash them. As hot water runs over porcelain, Mother leans against the counter beside her.
"The Hokage is a fair man," Mother says. "I don't blame him at all for our current predicament."
Sasuke frowns.
"I, uh—" She shrugs. "I don't know. Did an Uchiha really cause the Kyūbi attack?"
"We only have the Hokage's word to go off of. Him and his wife," explains Mother. "He never saw a face, only a Sharingan eye. There are many explanations: genjutsu, transplant, perhaps he was even mistaken."
"I don't know, Mother. It's not like I can do anything even if I was to. And—" Sasuke swallows. "I mean, they let me into the Academy, didn't they?"
"They did," Mother admits. "I was pleasantly surprised by that."
"You didn't think I was Academy material?" Sasuke says, three-quarters joking and perhaps one-quarter hurt.
"Oh, there's no doubt in my mind that you'll be top of your class." Mother ruffles her hair playfully—Sasuke blows her bangs out of her eyes, scowling playfully. "But with Itachi and Shisui…Hokage-sama didn't have a choice. Their talent was immeasurable to the point where it would have been a waste not to put them among the general population of shinobi."
"Yeah. Even I know I'm not on their level." Sasuke's gaze locks onto her feet. "Some day," she adds in a whisper, and she doesnt think Mother hears her.
"You're just a late bloomer," Mother tells her. "Remember what I told you about the Fireball technique? When your Father seemed disappointed at first?"
"I remember."
How could she forget?
"Sometimes it might take you a little longer to get there. But you'll turn into a kunoichi every bit as capable as your brother," Mother says. She takes Sasuke's hand and squeezes it affectionately. "Maybe more so—you've actually got an inkling of how to act like a human being."
Sasuke laughs.
"Brother tries," she says, smiling.
"That he does. But trying and succeeding are two different things entirely," says Mother. She presses another kiss to Sasuke's temple. "You'll do amazing my little tomato extraordinaire. Just keep your chin up. Okay?"
"Okay." A pause. "Don't call me that, Mother. You know I—"
"I'm your mom. I'm going to call you all the embarrassing, silly little nicknames that I want." And she adds a third kiss to Sasuke's crown for good measure. "Be wary if you opt to bring any of the tens of thousands of friends that you'll make back here~"
Sasuke laughs again. Her smile is broad and her black eyes twinkle.
"I'm glad one of us is hopeful," Sasuke says. "I should get going, I don't want to be late my first day."
"That's probably wise," Mother murmurs.
A couple of minutes later, and Sasuke is on her way. She isn't sure what to bring—should she lug those textbooks all the way to the Academy with her? She wants to ask Mother, but she's gone off on errands already.
In the end, she opts not to take anything but the clothes on her back. It's the first day of a new year. Even if it is the Fourth Year, technically, she's sure it ought to be relatively lowkey. Hopefully Iruka will take pity on her if she does show up unprepared..
A breeze catches her hair, which she has put into a low-ponytail. Sasuke stares at the cloudless sky, which is so blue that it genuinely confunds her.
It's early enough that there's a few people milling about the compound. They greet her with warm smiles. She sees her Great Aunt, who gives her a hug. Sasuke bristles, but does not complain at the contact.
The gates are as silent and as intimidating as ever. Despite having been through them once before, Sasuke does not feel at ease as she approaches them. There's a different guard in front of them today—his name is Haru, and to be honest, Sasuke does not know much about him. He's quiet and likes to read a lot—he lost his leg in the Third War and the bionic replacement they gave him cannot stand up to proper field work. So here he is, guarding the gates to a compound that only a hundred people file in and out of a day.
Haru gives her something of a smile as she approaches.
"Good luck, Sasuke-san. The Academy isn't so bad."
"I really hope so," she admits.
Haru helps her to push the doors open. Once she's through, he pulls them shut behind her—they close with a finality that sends a tingle down her spine. Sasuke tucks her chin up, and stares down the bridge that leads to the Twelfth District.
Then she sees a figure hop down from the railing to her left. Silver hair, one eye hidden behind a headband—
It's that same jōnin from the other day. What was his name?
Sasuke scowls as he approaches.
"No," she says firmly. "I won't be using the Shunshin to get to the Academy. I am perfectly capable of—"
He tilts his head thoughtfully.
"Let's tone it down a bit," the jōnin murmurs. "I'm not here to bring you to the Academy. I was just told to give you directions on how to get there." He withdraws a small scroll from a pouch on his leg. "Unless you wanted to wander around the village 'till you figure out where the Academy is.
Sasuke's eyes narrow.
"Do you enjoy being rude to someone a tenth of your age?" she says through gritted teeth.
"...I'm not even three times your age. Let alone ten times," says the man rather defensively. His lone eye looks wounded—she relishes the sight.
"Right. Because gray hair is genetic."
"It's silver. And—" The man exhales. "You almost got me. Here."
He tosses her the scroll and she catches it. Sasuke unfurls it, and a map opens up in front of her. The directions are clear and concise, and she can see the Academy isn't very far at all. Maybe a ten minute walk at most. If her mental calculations are correct, anyway. She's probably not the best at measuring distance considering her distinct lack of traveling, well, anywhere.
When she looks up, the jōnin is gone. Kakashi, she remembers now, recalling her conversation with the Hokage. His name is Kakashi.
'What a jerk,' she thinks.
Then she sets off across the bridge, the wind blowing through her hair, and her chin tucked up to the sky. Sasuke puts on her bravest face.
The water laps against the bridge supports. Occasionally, Sasuke will stop and stare into the crystal blue—she sees fish swirling around below. They're nothing like the fish she sees in her family's koi ponds.
All of the buildings on the other side of the bridge loom over her. They grow taller, and she can start to hear voices floating on the wind. Unfamiliar voices that send a shiver down her spine.
She attracts a few curious looks as she reaches the final leg. There's ten meters, then five, then two, than one—
And finally, Sasuke steps foot out of the Uchiha compound. For real this time. There is no Shunshin involved, no meeting with the Hokage looming over her head.
Just for her first day at the Academy with people her own age. Textbooks, practice kunai, teachers handing out homework.
She's unable to control the broad, goofy grin that spreads across her lips.
"Good morning, sweetie," says a kindly old woman who hobbles past her.
"Good morning!" Sasuke blurts.
Then she's off in a run, her legs carrying her faster than she ever thought possible. She thanks her genes for her great memory, because she doesn't have to stop to look at the scroll once as she makes her way to the Academy.
The sights she see are amazing. Tall buildings that tower three stories high. Shops and clothing stores, a library, a training ground, even a theater. She sees so many faces, and the fact that she doesn't recognize any of them is strangely comforting.
Sasuke heaves for breath as the Academy comes into view. At least, she assumes it is the Academy. Young children hand-in-hand with their parents flock to it—a crowd is gathered outside. She can men in chūnin jackets wandering amidst the people, stopping and talking to parents.
She lurches forward until she's one with the crowd. Iruka sticks out like a sore thumb—she seeks him out, the lone person in all this part of the village that she knows.
He recognizes her in a heartbeat.
"Uchiha-san! I'm so happy to see you made it," he says, his voice warm with affection. "How nervous are you on a scale from one to ten?"
"I'd say a solid eight," Sasuke admits. "Are you nervous, Iruka-sensei?"
Iruka chuckles. He reaches a finger up and scratches the scar on his nose. All around them, the rumble of conversation threatens to make Sasuke deaf. She fidgets.
"Of course I am. I haven't been a teacher half as long as some of these other chūnin…it's still a lot to take in." He exhales. "And you—I want you to know there's nothing wrong with being nervous about being around so many people."
"How do you—"
"We take a class on learning how to read people," Iruka says, smiling. He puts an affectionate hand on Sasuke's shoulder—she flinches, but only slightly. He retracts it after an awkward moment. "Listen. I'm hoping for the best, but if there's any issues…"
"I can handle myself, Iruka-sensei. I am an Uchiha, after all."
"Right."
Iruka reaches into the front pocket of his flak jacket, then presses a small paper into her hand. She reads it over in only a couple of seconds—it's a list of things she ought to know. How long class will last, when lunch will be, a place where she can go to sign up for extracurriculars.
"And, uh, the Hokage wanted me to pass something on to you," says Iruka. "Here."
He hands her a small note. Sasuke takes it, and the sloppy handwriting brings something of a smile to her face.
'Good luck, kid!'
It's simple and to the point. She appreciates that.
"Thank you," says Sasuke. "I'll see you at class?"
"Yeah. Don't be cross if I'm a little strict the first couple of days—I have to reestablish my authority, you know."
"I understand."
With that, they part. Sasuke heads into the building, and Iruka continues his rounds.
She reads the first paper again. Her classroom is '1—G'.
There's signs aplenty and clearly marked halls. Within five minutes, she's already at the classroom door. She peers through the glass to see that she isn't the first to arrive; that gives her some small sense of relief.
As she enters, she earns a few cursory glances, but nothing too much. These are all the goodies-too-shoes, she imagines. The quiet kids at the back of the classroom who keep to themselves.
The only ones that stick out to her are a pale skinned girl with blue hair and a quiet boy draped in a hoodie. The rest are nondescript and unremarkable.
Sasuke glances at the chalkboard, which reads 'Welcome back!' in strict, almost machine-like handwriting. A white-haired, yet young looking man sits behind a desk in the corner of the room.
She gulps. Then walks up to him.
"Erm- uh…good, good morning," she says.
The man looks up. Blue eyes burn into her with a quiet intensity, contrasting greatly with the warm smile on his lips.
"Good morning!" he says. "You must be Uchiha Sasuke. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Likewise, sensei."
"Mizuki-sensei," he informs her gently. "You've already met my colleague, correct?"
"Iruka-sensei, yeah. You two are both our teachers?"
"He handles the bookwork. I handle the physical stuff. For the most part—we work as a team where we can," says Mizuki. He sifts through the papers on his desk, before pulling out a small folder. She sees her name written at the top. "Your test scores were impressive, I have to say. Want to know where they put you in the class?"
"I guess," Sasuke says.
"Number four. Considering you've never had a lick of formal education, I'd say that's almost miraculous, Uchiha-san. You didn't cheat, did you?"
"No! Of course not!" Her ears turn pink, which she feels makes her look guilty even though she certainly wasn't.
His chuckle dispels the tension that curdled in her gut.
"I'm only joking with you," he says. "Feel free to find a seat. This first day is going to be a breeze, so I wouldn't worry about it."
"Thank you, Mizuki-sensei."
She turns to find that a few more people have snuck in while she was speaking to Mizuki. Several old friends are chatting it up—nobody seems to be paying attention to her. It's better than she could have expected.
Sasuke finds her way to a seat in the middle row, at a desk all to herself. There's about twelve desks each with sweats for three, but considering more-and-more people are filing in, she's sure that someone is going to wind up sitting with her eventually.
She keeps her hands on the desk, and her back rigid. People behind her whisper…when she turns, they look away. Perhaps someone has finally noticed the fan sewn into her back and all that it represents.
'I really hope they don't make a big show of introducing me,' Sasuke thinks. She has a good feeling that they won't, though. Iruka seems to be cognizant enough to not do something like that.
As the minutes tick by, more and more people file into the room and into the sets all around her. Iruka-sensei comes in eventually—he makes eye contact with her and smiles, before heading to the desk and engaging in a quiet conversation with Mizuki.
A blond boy walks in with a group of friends, all of whom are laughing. His blue eyes scan the room, and at last, they fall on her.
With a glint in those eyes, he walks up to where Sasuke is seated.
"Hey!" he says. "You're in my seat."
Sasuke frowns.
"What?"
"That's my seat, new girl," he affirms. "It's been mine for five years. Why'd you steal it?"
Her frown deepens.
"You've only been here three years," she murmurs. "And besides, your name wasn't on it."
His expression falters.
"Dang it. Dad was right about not being able to get anything past an Uchiha, huh?" says the boy.
Her lips twitch upward now.
"Your Dad sounds like a wise man," she says, and from the blond hair and the blue eyes, she has an inkling as to who it is.
She notices that there's a hush in the room now—the boy's use of her family name has attracted some attention.
Sasuke opts to focus on him.
The boy offers her a smile. Then, a bow.
"It's nice to meet ya," he says. "I'm Namikaze Naruto."
She hesitates.
After a moment, she returns the bow.
"It's Sasuke," she says. "Uchiha Sasuke."
A/N:
Thank you for reading. It really would mean a lot to me if even just a few of you could take the time out of your day to leave a review! I'd love to see what all of this hard work came out as!
Now, here's a few tidbits about the story that I thought were prudent.
(1) Honorifics and such-
I'm not well-educated on Japanese culture, however, I recognize that this story features in a Japanese setting. I leaned against using honorifics and such at first, however, I think the dynamics they can introduce are interesting, and can help to ground us in the setting. I did some research beforehand, but I recognize that I might have misused them in certain circumstances. If I did, and if anyone is educated enough to let me know what I can do to improve, please let me know!
(2) Changes to Canon-
I think we can all recognize, nigh ten years later, that the canon of Naruto has its flaws. Still, it is a tremendous work of art. Regardless, I want to make it my own, and that means making significant changes. This will not be a story where 'Kushina and Minato live' and that makes everything perfect. Things are going to be different; things already are different if you're paying close attention. Characters will be altered, and OCs will be featured somewhat regularly. This is a different world from the one that we all know and love. I just ask that you give it a chance to shine.
(3) More questions and answers-
I will try to respond to any reviews or DMs I receive, if I get any! I'd be happy to answer any concerns, comments, or to reply to any criticism that anyone has.
Thanks again for reading, and I hope you all have a wonderful day!