Every nation could now breath easily now, as the now former Jinchuuriki of the Rokubi was finally struck down by the combined forces of Iwa and Kiri's hunter nins. What could have been a great victory, however, was tarnished by the theft of the freed demon's temporary vessel by unknown individuals the following night. After having put an end to Kamon Hyosuke's bloody trail through the Elemental Nations, however, and with no one stepping up as the culprit, the matter was left for a latter time until the land and peoples had time to heal from the ravage caused by the crazed rogue Jounin from Iwagakure.

Many civilian towns and villages were wiped off the map, and both Iwa and Kiri have suffered heavy losses, both in their populace and their infrastructure. The wilderness itself was also damaged by the last few months' events, forests burned to ashes, numerous bodies of water burrowed under a thick layer of cooled lava and a great numbers of craters of all sizes.

As a result of the betrayal of a Jinchuuriki still fresh in the world's mind, harsher security measures have come into place for the sacrifices still controlled by ninja villages. Those bearing a tailed beast in their body are also confronted by heavier persecution, the general populace terrified of another such incident happening again after all the destruction it has bought forth.




The yearly celebration in honor of the blooming of the nation's prized medicinal and aromatic flowers has commenced, the Fire Daimyo attending the celebration in the capital and giving a grandiose speech to those present for his public appearance. With the increased demand for skilled guards due to the expensive products sold and the important visitor present, a great number of shinobi were hired from all nearby village in order to reassure all attendees of their own along with their products' safety.

Konoha's Village-bound Shinobi decreased by 25%

Konoha's Coffers increased by 2 000 000 両

Fire Nation's Morale increased by 20%






The whole nation mourn the death of it's daimyo, Choukichi-dono, due to a mysterious illness last night. All is not lost, however, for the venerable lord's eldest son, Keitaro-dono, has now taken his late Lord Father's place as the new Wind Daimyo! Moreover, Sunagakure no Sato has also reason for rejoice, for the restriction imposed on the hidden village's fundings have been lifted, hopefully bringing a new era of prosperity to the nearly destitute village!

Suna's Coffers increased by 5 000 000

Suna's morale increased by 5%






The rogue Jinchuuriki's rampage through the land and the subsequent damage incurred by his capture and subsequent execution has destroyed most of the nation's crops, thus hurting both the economy and harvest of the land. As a result, many of the angry and demoralized peasant class of the nation have turned to petty crimes and banditry in order to survive. The Daimyo has been turning a deaf ear on his people's plight, and those merchant who could afford it have increased the amount of mercenary they hired for their protection along with that of their goods.

Kiri Coffers increased by 7 000 000

Kiri Village-bound Shinobi reduced by 50%

Kiri Morale reduced by 15%






Rumors of inner strife among the Daimyo's court are now widely spread in the relative anonymity of sake and tea houses, gambling establishments and in various red light districts around the Elemental Nations. The Lightning Daimyo is an unpopular man after his successful coup to overthrow his much beloved uncle, and it seems he has not managed to completely purge his court of dissenters. Is this the dawn of a civil war?




The Land of Earth, being the homeland of the deceased traitor, Kamon Hyosuke, has been the most affected during the last months, its lands ravaged by the Jinchuuriki's fury and its reputation heavily wounded by their inability to keep the vessel of the Yonbi in their control in the first place. Their is words that the Earth Daimyo is now considering retiring his support from the shamed Iwagakure no Sato.

The Festival of Flowers had begun once again. Arashi enjoyed this festival, with its colorful lanterns and the constant dropping of flower petals and just the overall cheerfulness. For the last three years he and his mother spent plenty of time decorating the shop with hand-painted lanterns and ornate tapestries featuring the famous flowers found in the Land of Fire. This year was slightly different however; because this time he wasn't permitted to stay up late decorating. Why? Because tomorrow he starts his training at the ninja academy! His parents were probably annoyed with him at this point considering he hadn't stopped talking about his excitement since the previous week. But nevertheless they listened intently and humored his enthusiastic disposition.

So the night before, Arashi ate a large meal and helped his mother and father finish decorating. Then his father, Kenshin Sarutobi, took him outside to talk with him. The sky was a beautiful mixture of gold and purple as the sun slowly receded behind the mountains. And the street outside the shop was brightly lit by mesmerizing lanterns of all shapes and colors. Arashi rode atop his father's broad shoulders as they traversed the busy street looking for a good place to sit and chat. Eventually Arashi pointed out an empty bench near a swing set and his father jokingly trampled over pretending to be some sort of fierce beast. He placed Arashi on the swing and leaned against the support bar watching his son rock back and forth. Arashi noticed his father smiling at the sky and asked, "What are you thinking, pops?"

"I'm very proud of you, Arashi." The statement caught Arashi off guard and he meekly responded with a quiet, "Thanks, dad." His father looked down at Arashi and ruffled his hair a bit.

"I really am, son. You've made a lot of progress. Ha! You're almost as strong as me now!" He let out a hearty laugh. Arashi jumped off the swing and pointed confidently at Kenshin.

"Hey! You're over here trying to tell jokes, but one day I will be as strong as you. Maybe even stronger," Arashi replied with a smug smile, his arms now folded against his chest. Kenshin paused for a moment, then laughed again.

"We'll see about that, shorty!" Arashi closed his eyes and let out an angry snort. But suddenly he was picked up and thrown in the air; his eyes opened wide from the shock but by the time he landed in his father's grasp he was laughing as well. The two of them wrestled for a few minutes more before returning home, where his mother was waiting impatiently. She rushed Arashi into the bathroom to clean himself and prepare for bed. After Arashi finished his nightly routine, he went to his room where his mother was now sitting on his bed.

"You okay, mom?" She smiled, but had tears in her eyes. "Mom?!"

"Oh I'm fine, Arashi." She sighed. "You're just growing up so fast. I can't believe tomorrow is your first day at the Academy." Arashi chuckled to himself while scratching the back of his head as if he were a comical character in some cheesy anime series. His mother suddenly hugged Arashi close to her for a solid minute, in which Arashi felt uncomfortable and attempted to fidget his way out of her hold. Finally she let go and her entire persona changed in an instant. "Alright, mister! Into bed. You've got a bust day ahead of you tomorrow and you need your sleep. No ifs, ands, or buts about it!" Arashi was taken aback. He could never get used to her not-so-subtle changes from sweet and caring to strict and demanding. He hopped into bed and threw the covers over himself. "Do your best tomorrow, Arashi," his mother said under her breath before switching off the lights and leaving the room. Arashi had his eyes closed tight trying to sleep, but his mind was alive with thought. I wonder if I'll know anyone in class. Who will our sensei be? Will I do well? But as often is the case, he eventually conked out and slept like a baby.

The next day...

Springing to life, Arashi jumped out of bed and immediately began preparing for the day! He changed into his day attire in a flash and dashed downstairs to eat breakfast. He scarfed down his food within minutes. Surprisingly he was still able to talk while eating so he was answering a random assortment of daily questions his mother routinely posed to him. Things like: Did you put on clean underwear? Did your new shoes fit properly? Did you see your father upstairs? Arashi quickly answered each with monotone yes or no answers before emptying his bowl completely and putting his dish in the sink. His father had made it downstairs now to say his farewells to Arashi and his mother. Kenshin had a received a mission a few days before and it was finally time to set off. Kissing both his wife and son before leaving, Kenshin waved goodbye as Arashi watched from the door waving back. Then it was Arashi's turn to leave! His mother was droning on about being respectful and minding his manners but Arashi was too excited to pay much attention. He broke away from the conversation as he saw other children walking in the direction of the Academy. "Bye mom, see ya later," Arashi exclaimed! He met up with some familiar faces and they set on their first day of school.

The process was actually fairly quick and organized. Within a mere 10 minutes or so, Arashi was sitting in a classroom staring down his new sensei. They introduced themselves as Kaede and Aoki. Two instructors, one for the girls and one for the boys. Arashi was incredibly excited and it showed. He could hardly sit still on his small cushion, and his fingers quietly tapped away at the desk.

"Now, once you are ready, please introduce yourself and tell us about your goal for your future career as a proud member of the Konoha Shinobi Forces." Oh yeah! Here we go, Arashi thought as he stood up with an overly erect posture.

"My name is Sarutobi Arashi. I'm a member of the famed Sarutobi clan and my family owns the local supply shop near the village entrance! My main goal is to become a great ninja, a Jounin like my dad. He's probably the best ninja in the whole Village! Besides... like, the Hokage, I guess. But yeah, I'm going to work hard to be the best," Arashi would say confidently ending his speech with a very unnecessary thumbs up gesture that he held for way too long.

The Kujikawa family, held in high regard in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, was known for being, if not a troublesome clan, still not one to be really calm, like at all. And that was proved once again now that they were having a big party with all of the clan's members that were now gathered in the main house of the clan. A big Japanese-style state, where the biggest and most imposing par of it was where the main family was stationed, and where the party wa being held.

Branches of the family were in there, drinking sake and whatnot, celebrating the fact that Chitose, the next head of the family, was finally going to enter the Academy to become an actual ninja. Haing proved to be not only a dilligent student and a rather intelligent girl with an incredible hunger for books, but also somewhat with a lot of latent talent for being a ninja, people expected her to be on a whole other level, compared to the other kids she'd be attending school with. Of course, all of this is wishful expectation as to what is to come. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, all of the family speaking between each other and the occassional stray drunk that approached the main family, and Chitose, who were sitting down and also, seemingly, a lot more sober than the rest of the family. That didn't stop Chitose's father from laughing loudly, though.

"Congratulations for your daughter's success!" They said to him everytime they approached him, and making the big man with crimson hair laugh even louder.

"Thank you, thank you! It is nice to have a talented daughter like Chitose!" The man had his face full of scars and was a sturdy, big man dressed in a brown yukata that, as it seemed, he used as pajamas as well. The routine continued like that while Chitose read a book not far away from there, and her mother stood behind her father simply smiling and bowing down to thank the people who approached her husband. After a while of that, Chitose seemed to finally be sick of that routine and closed her book rather forcibly.

"Dad, mom. I do not like you taking upon you my own achievements. And I also don't like being dragged into this kind of idiocy." The girl in question was wearing a simple, blue one piece dress along with the usual ninja footwear. She propped up her fake glasses and stood up with a sigh. "I do not understand why should a party like this should be held in the first place. It is nothing as important as you think, it is simply the course of things. Now, if you'll excuse me." Bowing down as a way to say goodbye, Chitose made her way to the door, whispering all the way under her breath, "Why must my family engage in such petty celebrations? It is but a waste of resources and time that could be spent in training. Dad just doesn't seem to understand that." She slams the door shut behind her as she leaves, effectively killing the mood.

"....." Nobody is sure what to say, and even her father has a stern look in his face, not to say anything about how confused he also was. And then, another of his loud, hearty fits of laughter broke the silence, and many others joined him. "What can I do with this daughter of mine?" He asked, between laughs. "In the first place, how did she learn so much complicated words? I barely understood half of what she said and she's only eight!" Pouring another cup of sake for himself and then lifting it up, he went on. "Now, boys, don't be disheartened! Let's get on with the drinking right away! For the cheeky brat that is known as my daughter, Chitose!" Everyone united in a single cheer for the toast.

Well, at the very least, they knew what kind of kid their next head was.

---

The next morning, not wanting to face her parents again because of what she said last night, Chitose made her own breakfast, a toast and some milk, and went out of the house on her own, being careful that none of the servants could see her on her way out while simply leaving a little note saying that she went out. She was also dressed the same a s last night, with a one piece blue dress, though now she had a purple headband on her crimson hair.

She hurried to school, and, to be honest, she was fairly early. She wondered where Aya, her friend, would be, but there was no use mulling over it now. She listened to the Sarutobi boy introducing himself with little to no interest. She was reading another book now, a book on what hand signs she could use to cast jutsus. She had already read it before, but reviewing the basics was never a bad idea. Even so, her attention was taken away from her book when the boy said things about his father being the best ninja in the village. Laughin under her breath and then letting out a loud, "Hmph." Chitose took her turn now, bypassing over everyone else who might have wanted to do so.

"Kujikawa Chitose. Daughter of the main Kujikawa family. My father is a ninja, a Jounin and my mother used to be one too, before she married my father. Now she is only a housewife. My dad goes out on missions and makes a living out of that, when he is not doing that... Well, my mother owns a restaurant near the Kujikawa estate, though she does not work there and merely makes a living out of it. She does check on it every now and then though. I plan on going over you and becoming even better than all of you, worthless peasants." Chitose laughed a bit as she mocked everyone else. She was indeed planning to do that, though. "Well, it is a pleasure to use you all as stepping stones." She bowed down while holding the sides of her one piece dress.

After saying that, she went back to her seat and started reading again. She was sure that more than one person would be surprised at how poisonous her tongue was, despite being only 8 years old.

At that time the Uchiha Clan's elite ninjas are scattered in every part of the village ensuring safety and that is a jobs for a Policeman, roaming around, roving patrols and helping those in need. Today is a big day and Uchiha Ayase's parents were also part of the patrol system but nonetheless she have her aunt to take care of her and accompany her to the academy and see it through with her. Aya talked with her mom and dad prior to that was told her about few Uchiha graduating at such a young age that it so call them as prodigies back in the old days. More than ever' she thought, Aya is determined to do her best but she is already at her best with that burning confidence. Of all people she is beaten to it by her friend and some random commoner Sarutobi boy. Aya feels so down yet fiery, she feels as if she didn't get the rite to be first, the rite to be number one for with strongest mode she is number one. She can't have it as in no one shatters the pride of an Uchiha, she wants to make her parents proud whether they are watching her right now or not but what matters the most is to be an asset to the village and ever burning like the phoenix, Aya is all for the best and one heck of a ride.

(Flashback)
She hurried to school, leaving her aunt out of the way but still catching up regardless of how fast Aya is for a hyperactive kid, Aya and her aunt made it through body of flicker all thanks to her relative. Aya is too fired up and eager to get the first bat of introductionintroduction.

From that point she realized that being the fastest does not guarantee being the first placer. The early bird catches the word, punctuality beats hardwork for hardwork intertwines with personality, atttitude thus punctuality with those brings better fruit of hardwork. As an Uchiha, expectations are high and Aya will do anything to make her parents proud. Calm is what states humility as a child it is moral values taught by the elderly making the child a better person to bring on the storm which means a full life.

Uchiha Ayase, daughter of the Uchiha Clan. Both my parents are Jounin and Policemen working in the Konoha Government to maintain justice and equality. Let us all work together and bring the best of us. Thank you!

This day should be a time of celebration for the family of Hozuki Yoshiru as both brothers of the young ninja to be had returned from the dangerous mission of bringing down the rouge Jinchuuriki that had been rampaging though the Land of Water. At the same time the youngest of the family had his first day at the Academy the next day and everyone was proud of him and would love to through a party but with supplies running low there were not many options of what could be done. After some debate the family decided that they would stay inside as the brothers recounted the mission with Anbu to hunt down the Jinchuuriki as they huddled around a small fire inside the house to keep everyone warm as the night grew colder outside.

The next day Yoshiru woke to the sound of rain hitting the wooden roof of their house and slowly rolled out of bed with a large yawn. It was still early in the morning and if there was a sun in the sky it would have just been creeping over the horizon to shine down on the mist covered village but instead the village was covered in the grey sheets of rain. He threw on his normal clothes before grabbing a water resistant jacket to wear over his clothes as he headed into the kitchen were his mother was preparing a light meal for the family with some of the food that was still left in the house before he left for the Academy.

Yoshiru tried to huddle under his jacket and clucked tightly to his water bottle with the Hozuki Clan crest as he walked down the street to the Academy. He enjoyed taking the water bottle with him wherever he went as it had been a gift from his father in hopes that one day he would learn the Hydrofication technique which was the signature of the Hozuki Clan. Even though Kekki Genkai was frowned upon with the entire Land of Water the Hozuki seemed to be able to maintain themselves within Kiri and were still established even with the disdain shown by some of the populace. It was this that was on the young ninja's mind as he entered the Academy and pulled off his hood to shake the water from his hair as he made his way to his classroom.

Yoshiru sat quietly on his stretcher as Yuzuki-sensei introduced herself before calling for the students to introduce themselves. He stood up from his spot and looked around the room at the others who were seated. "I am Hozuki Yoshiru, of the Hozuki Clan. I hope that we will all get along and I am also not a girl." He told everyone with a smile before adding the last part with a slight frown as he heard some of the other students mutter about him being a kunoichi.

Grey. If there was one word to describe Hiro's life it was grey. From the goulash they served in the orphanage, to the concrete alleyways that he would lurk in, either avoiding or ambushing those who would do him harm, or the near perpetual blanket of clouds that covered his home. Well, home was a stretch. Could you call a place that saw you as a cancer to be destroyed as a home? Hiro wouldn't know. He didn't exactly have a benchmark to compare it to. Looking down from his perch atop a building he watched as the people more dour than usual. In the wake of the Jinchuuriki's rampage many of the land's crops were destroyed. In a place that saw so little sunlight it would be devastating. True there was always the fish, but there was only so much that could be taken without risking long term damage. And so with empty stomachs the people of the village of Kiri didn't bother to hide their sour disposition.

It's like these people haven't gone without a meal before. Thought Hiro sardonically. It was then that the Hatori boy noticed his mark had turned their back. Since before the sun had risen Hiro had been sitting on this rooftop by the marketplace waiting for the baker who had set up his stand to sell. And so he had waited in the morning rain, not even daring to shiver for if he was seen he'd be weak -too weak- to make a stand today. And if I don't make a point of not being messed with at the academy now, I'll have to keep stealing just to survive the wolves that lurk those halls. thought Hiro grimly.

And so Hiro swung down onto the drainage pipe and slid down the pipe and casually made his way across the muddy street hands in his pockets making his move when the baker went to unload more goods from his cart. With one arm Hiro swept up as many of the small, individually wrapped foods as he could, stacking precariously on top of each other as he stuffed them underneath his shirt. It was a rookie mistake to grab something big, not only did it bulge but if you were caught you couldn't drop it to throw off your assailant without losing your entire stash. Rounding the corner Hiro started making long strides, making sure to press his foot down extra deep as he did so until he was in the grassy lot behind the building, where he hopped from patch to patched and started walking back towards the market, making sure to walk on the opposite side of the alley this time- only to see the baker tearing his way down the alleyway the middle aged man's face red, his mustache bristled.

"YOU THERE BOY! GIVE BACK WHAT YOU TOOK AND MAYBE I WON'T CUT OFF YOUR THIEVING HANDS!" he screamed

"I don't know what you're talking-" Hiro started but the man quickly boxed him in his left ear taking out a roll that was protruding from Hiro's hoodie pocket.

"LIE TO ME WILL YOU!?!? WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOUR LEGS ARE SO BROKEN YOU WON'T EVEN MAKE TO THE ROAD LET ALONE MY STALL!"

Hiro raised his hands in defense. "Easy gramps! It wasn't me honest! Some guy with purple hair did it. He gave me a roll to keep me quiet honest!" Filling his face with as much fear as possible Hiro gave him pleading eyes. It wasn't too hard to pull off. He had years of experience being afraid. The baker looked at him for what seemed like an eternity before his eyes wandered to the foot prints in the mud, and then those Hiro had made previously. "Alright," the baker said slowly. "I reckon I believe your story. But if I ever see you around here again they won't ever find the body, ya hear!?" Hiro nodded emphatically. As the baker started to follow his false tracks, Hiro called out, "W-wait!"

The baker stopped and turned to look at him but said nothing. Enough of an opening Hiro proposed. "I uh- don't suppose I could keep that roll, C-could I?" he asked wringing his hands nervously. The baker looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel before he let out a deep, belly-rolling laugh. "You got balls kid, I'll give you that." he said before tossing the roll in the mud before Hiro's feet. Without hesitation Hiro picked it up and began digging into it with a fervor he could only wish was acting before quickly scampering off in the opposite direction.

You have no idea Hiro thought as he hid his grin beneath his hood, all the while loading what was under his clothing onto the baker's cart before dragging all of it off.

*******************************
For the first time in a long time Hiro couldn't eat another bite. Filled with sweets, meats and other treats the tiny thief had made his most daring score with dashing success. And so with more food than he could ever hope for he found himself leaving it by the side of the orphanage with a simple note that only read "DONATION" While he would deny it was charity and that he was simply laundering the food so that it would be dry in a place where he could eat it later, the thought of the delicious food brought a smile to his face. Full, successful, and very nearly close to warm he had barely noticed the passage of time as he found his way to the academy. Soon he found himself in a classroom filled with his peers, and while his instincts screamed at him to sit in the back where no one could sneak up to him he clamped down on them. If he was going to make an impression on his teacher he would have to be up front, or at the very least not huddled up in a corner. And so as he and his classmates shuffled in he found himself about halfway up the room, taking the window seat. As everyone else filled in the other seats and settled down their teacher asked them introduce themselves the girl next to him stood up and said, "I am Hozuki Yoshiru, of the Hozuki Clan. I hope that we will all get along and I am also not a girl."

Hiro blinked. Well then. Maybe his class wouldn't be as cut-throat as he thought. At the very least he wasn't going to be the first person to get jumped. Well if there was ever a time to introduce himself, it was after the bizarre GUY. Standing up after the boy(?) Hiro stood up and bowed to their sensei before standing up straight. "My name is Hatori Hiro. Clanless. Some of you may know me," He said, making a point of looking up and several kids with broken noses and what looked like the claw marks of an animal all over their face, before turning back to their teacher. "Some of you may not. While I will not cause any issues among my class mates, I will end any that come up." And just like that he sat back down. Hiro was proud of himself. Not only had he made a point that he did not associate himself with his parents, he hadn't even pulled out the makeshift shiv that he had on his person at all times. His luck was beginning to change. He could feel it.

Like a single ray of sunlight breaking through the doom and gloom that was Kirigakure's default atmosphere, the Shirakawa family's household was a lively contrast to the unsettling silence that befell the town ever since the incident. There was loud singing, some of it good, most of it ear-shatteringly bad; loud chatter about the most nonsensical of things, like whether sewing needles could replace kunai knives in the standard shinobi artillery; and loud laughing from Anzu who thought everything was hilarious. While the rest of the village wallowed in the wreckage left in the wake of the rogue Jinchuuriki's rampage, reeling at the loss of valuable crops and lands, the Shirakawa family celebrated and splurged. They would worry about food when their private stock start running low, and that wouldn't be for at least a week. What was the point in dismaying now? It was the night before Anzu's first day at the academy, and her mother was fiercely insistent on throwing a party for the only child following in her footsteps, national food shortage or no.

Her father returned from his delivery just in time, bringing with him a pleasant surprise courtesy of the Konoha villager that had received the parcel. Apparently, the town had been preparing for their annual Festival of Flowers, and he had come at the most opportune time. With the villagers in high spirits, they were far more charitable than usual, and they treated him to a basketful of food and sweets. It normally took him ten days to travel all the way to Konoha, but with the sweets and his children's excited faces as incentive, he cut his time in half, recklessly tapping into his chakra reserves to do so.

He arrived completely drained, and he passed out within minutes, but there was a stupid smile on his face, so he probably thought it was worth it. At least that's what her mother said. Anzu and her brothers devoured the sweets he brought in a fraction of a second. In retrospect, that was probably the main source of all the loudness. Fueled by sugar, Anzu bounced about the house, making a mess out of everything in her path like a hurricane that was singing at the top of her lungs. She and her siblings sounded pretty well together, but then their mother joined in and the pressing need to wear earplugs arose.

The night passed in haze of laughter and nonsense and before Anzu knew it, morning came. She woke up sandwiched between her brothers and her father, all snoring away. Her mother was the only one up, rather unusually, and she was waiting for her by the dining room, looking a heck of a lot more somber than she did last night. She gestured to the seat across from her, the already permanent scowl on her face deepening. Anzu flinched instinctively. Uh-oh. She approached her mother cautiously, taking baby steps to stall until her mother cleared her throat threateningly. At that point, she practically crossed the remaining few feet in one giant leap.

Her mother began by pursing her lips, and she immediately expected the worst. "From today on, you'll be working on becoming a ninja. It won't be all fun and games, even if you try to make it. It'll be a lot of hard work and pain and perseverance." She rose from her seat and approached her, her limping always more apparent in the mornings. Anzu thought she would get her head roughly rubbed, as her mother was wont to do, but instead she was treated to a warm hug. "I want you to always do your best--promise me that. Be stronger than me."

Dressed in her trademark hoodie and rain boots, Anzu made her way to the academy, jumping from one puddle to the other. Everything was quieter than usual, she thought. It wasn't like Kirigakure was the most buoyant of places, but this level of bleak was record-breaking. Anzu hummed to herself to keep things light, but it did little to affect the gloom surrounding her.

She met with her friend and they entered their classroom together, taking the closest seats available. Their teacher wasn't at all the fun one Anzu had hoped. Like almost all of Kiri nowadays, she was tired and gloomy and had no time to waste for folly or fun.

Anzu idly played with her hood when the introductions started, pulling it up and down to keep herself busy as she listened. The first girl introduced herself as a child of the Hozuki clan, or the water people, as she knew them better. Anzu rarely saw this girl out and about the village, and it made her wonder whether the Hozuki clan was strict or secretive. Ooh, maybe they melted when they were outside for too long? That was kind of cool. She didn't have time to imagine Yoshiru melting, however, as the next thing she said would shock the tiny girl. Anzu all but gasped when Yoshiru corrected her thoughts, announcing that 'she' was actually a 'he.' She looked the boy up and down and stared at his face, the shocked awe in her own a little too obvious with the way her jaw dropped open and her eyes widened.

"Wow, you're cute enough to be a girl! Are you sure you're a boy?" she asked, rather loudly. The friend she sat with was someone who had taken to reining her in whenever she got out of hand, and he brought it upon himself to smack her upside the head.

"Don't be rude," he hissed at her before slinking back in his seat, the goody-two-shoes in him worried Yuzuki-sensei would reprimand him.

Anzu pouted but shut her mouth anyway. She pulled her hood all the way down so that it hid her face and mumbled about what a jerk her friend Kou was, barely listening to the next guy that did his introductions. His voice sounded very familiar, but she was too preoccupied badmouthing Kou to notice. Kou, on the other hand, ignored everything as usual and roughly elbowed Anzu so she would go next.

"Shirakawa Anzu!" she jumped up and put her hands on either side of her hips in a hero pose. "I have a scary mom and a funny dad and two brothers who are weird. Don’t tell them I said that. No, wait, it's okay. I think they already know." Anzu paused for a moment, tapping on her lips as she thought, before finishing on a slightly distracted note.

"I'm going to be a super awesome ninja that'll make my scary mom proud and—oh! Hi, Hiro! We're in the same class!"