The day had come when they finally went back to the Academy.
She had undoubtedly gotten a lot done these past two weeks, but she missed going to class, and she missed using Shika's back as a pillow, too. She sat with Hinata and Shika today, as she grabbed the most comfortable looking chair she could find-which was right in between the two. They were all good friends and Hinata having so much support actually improved her stutter.
She jumped up to hug Iruka when he hurried into class, carrying a tied Naruto over his shoulder.
She sat down grinning, and kept doing so even under Shika's suspicious glare. Maybe it seemed too fake? She toned it down into a small smile but it did nothing except make him narrow his eyes. He had that familiar calculating look in his face.
He leaned over.
"What happened?" He whispered.
Miko didn't want to drag him into a possibly deadly scenario so she kept her mouth shut. Hinata poked her fingers together, looking at Miko worriedly.
How could she tell them about the kiln? How she was almost responsible for the very thing she was trying to prevent.
They must have sensed her down mood and Miko did nothing to hide it now. She pouted and was slow to pick up her pencil. They made efforts to cheer her up and it did work a bit.
The first day was over too quickly.
Sasuke went to Sakura's house, picked up by a man with pastel pink hair. He had gotten permission from Mikoto earlier. Miko was waiting at the academy for Akira to pick her up. Itachi was busy.
Hinata and Shika waited with her, and she smiled at the warm feeling it left her.
When she saw her uncle cresting the hill, she smiled. He was out of breath, paint spattered on his clothes. He threw out a lopsided grin, wiping his hands on his sweatpants, paint brush behind his ear.
"Hey Mo! These your friends?"
She nodded. He made her feel better, because he was suspicious of the kiln too.
"Well, lets walk them home too! I'll even get us some sweets form a vendor."
She was going to nod in agreement when she noticed empty the streets were. The dead silence except for their conversation. And, the prickling on the edge of her senses. The chill that crawled up her spine. They weren't alone. She grabbed Shika's and Hinata's hands.
"That's wonderful, but I think we should get back as soon as possible." Poor Akira didn't know what to say to that, so he shrugged and nodded. He jumped ahead of them, grinning and looking back. His eyes bulged. Miko couldn't scream fast enough.
A sword was sticking right through his chest.
Her eyes refused to believe what they were seeing. She didn't-couldn't feel Shika and Hinata pulling at her.
No. No way.
Her uncle slid off the sword and onto the ground. His mouth opened and closed and his paintbrush clattered on the academy steps.
No.
A spot of red paint widened and dripped from the center of his chest.
What would she tell Suzu?
She ripped her hands form them.
"Kai!" She screamed. But he was...still there. His eyes were glassy. Like the clay beads they made.
Distantly she heard screams.
A man completely covered in black, wearing a Konoha band stood holding a bloody sword. One of the sensei's were screaming. She ran.
More Konoha shinobi appeared surrounding them completely. She barely opened her mouth before the hilt of the sword cracked against her skull.
Screams followed her into unconsciousness.