13 Making Headway

"KINJOOOOOO!"

"Gai sens…?"

Gai grabbed Kinjo by the shoulders and threw him into the air, causing him to scream as he flew a few meters before landing on his feet. The jonin grasped his hand and shook it. "I knew my youthful student would become a genin easily! It is truly shameful that my mission prevented me from witnessing your grand entrance into the shinobi world three weeks ago. Tell me, did you show our combined passion and energy to your other sensei? Perhaps stun him with a leg-sweep or even a Dynamic Entry?"

"Actually, he tested us on our long-range abilities, and I wasn't able to show off any of my taijutsu," Kinjo admitted.

"That fiend!" Gai formed a fist with his right and stuck it out in front of his chest. "What sort of villain denies my student the chance to display his splendid talents?"

Kinjo laughed as he stood on his toes and patted Gai's fist down. "I'm sure there'll be chances to show off what I learned from you, sensei. He already knew I trained under you, so he wanted to test my team and me on other things. You don't need to act angry 'cause of me."

"Still, I expected him to give you at least a manly fight to prove your worth!"

"He's sparred with me a few times now and complimented me on my taijutsu abilities."

"Ah, but you need to impress! I'm sure he knows of this Green Beast of Konoha and expects more from you. I believe it is time for you to take the next step in your training!"

"Really?" Kinjo perked up. Was it possible that he could learn Gai's signature ability?

"Of course! You have trained diligently for over a year. Now that your fundamentals are set, I will pass down something much more advanced. This is something that only the most youthful have ever earned, so do not be disappointed if it does not suit you! You are still a great shinobi, no matter what anyone else tells you!"

"I'm ready.'

Instead of dragging him to their usual training ground, Gai took off his backpack and rummaged through it. Kinjo peeked over and saw the mess inside but leaped back when Gai pulled out something and raised it over his head. "I knew this day would come, so I had already prepared this for you!"

"Oh… shit."

"A very unyouthful word, Kinjo," Gai chided. "I will ignore it for now since I am sure you are in awe of its majesty."

Kinjo blinked and slowly nodded. "... Sure?"

The item wasn't a scroll or a notebook with techniques written into it; it was a green jumpsuit.

A mini green jumpsuit.

"Now try it on!"

"..." Kinjo stared at the jumpsuit and sighed. After some initial reluctance, he snuggled into his new outfit and turned to Gai. "How do I look?"

Gai circled around him, rubbing his chin and stretching out certain parts of the jumpsuit. After a minute, he rose to full height and gave him a thumbs up. "Excellent! You do not look as spectacular as me in that outfit, but I'm sure it'll grow onto you in time! It is an extremely durable and comfortable jumpsuit that will expand to fit the wearer's size. I'm sure you're falling in love with it already."

"It is pretty nice," Kinjo shook his limbs and noted the jumpsuit fit him just enough to leave some breathing room. He only wore it because he felt Gai's excitement and as thanks for his guidance, yet it was rather… neat.

That didn't mean he would wear it around everywhere. He was sure his mother would faint, his father would collapse from laughter, and his friends would tease him at every opportunity. Not to mention, no enemy shinobi would take him seriously if he wore it into combat.

No, his red hoodie and olive green shorts would serve him just fine. The jumpsuit would serve as a training uniform. After all, only Gai and Lee could pull off this stunning jumpsuit as their regular outfit. It complemented their... hair.

"Now we can work on what I mentioned earlier," Gai said. He tossed Kinjo a set of weights. "I'm sure some may argue that you are too young to utilize my techniques, but I believe you have what it takes. What I will teach you now is something dangerous, enough to cause you serious injury or even death. As you can already tell, you will need to use this ability sparingly only to protect something precious to you. Something precious enough to risk your life. Do you understand?"

"I do… but how hard is it to learn?"

"For the next few months, you will need to wear those weights around and be comfortable enough to fight in them without impeding your movements. My techniques strain the body to extreme limits, so you must learn to withstand it. You will need to be able to use every muscle in your body as if it is second nature to you, so that you can activate the techniques on command."

Kinjo grabbed the weights and attempted to lift them, his knees and arms buckling at the immense pressure. Beads of sweat rolled down his face as he felt as though he was moving through molasses. He strapped them on after a few moments of struggling against the weight. He took a light step, which felt like he was walking into quicksand. He attempted to punch, but his arms felt like he was pushing boulders with each hand.

He sank to the ground and felt the soil tremble beneath his feet. Kinjo huffed as he lifted his trembling arms toward Gai. "Is there a way to adjust the weight?"

"As I thought, starting you off with the training for the Fifth Gate is far too much. Seep your chakra into the weights and think about Brains as you do."

While sitting on the ground, Kinjo placed his hand over his weights and followed Gai's directions. Soon, the name on the weights shifted from "Guts" to "Brains."

"Good, now strap one of them onto your head behind your forehead protector. The rest will remain on your limbs. As you may have already guessed from the name, the first part of the body you will train… is your brain! Strengthen the muscles on your neck and focus on balancing your head. In time, you should feel a strong tug within your head, almost like a button being pressed. That will be your goal from now."

"Aren't you supposed to train the brain by memorizing things?"

"Nonsense! Your brain is both brawn and brain!"

"... I'll trust you, Gai sensei."

The weights were much more manageable, allowing Kinjo to move with only a tugging sensation on each area of his body. He kicked while balancing his heavier head and jerked back, feeling his thighs and calves protesting the movement. "I can do this."

"Of course, you can!" Gai flashed him a smile. "All efforts are pointless if you don't believe in yourself! You may be young, but I know you can do it! And I will be here to help you kick through the ceiling. Now, do you think you can spar with those weights?"

"I won't know if I don't try," Kinjo grinned, stepping into his open-fist position.

+++++

Hayama clasped his hands with his index fingers and thumbs into the air and then interlocked them. "Ash Clone Jutsu."

A massive cloud of dust swirled out of the jonin's mouth and solidified into an identical clone, who turned and smirked at Kinjo. Hayama patted his clone's shoulders as he lectured. "An Ash Clone is not as durable as an Earth Clone, nor as malleable as a Water Clone. However, it will provide flexibility in your tactics and allow you to set up another jutsu or technique. For example, you can disperse the clone to create ash clouds to obstruct your opponent's vision, a long-range form of Hiding in Ash Jutsu. Or have the clone use their own jutsu to supplement yours. One advantage the Ash Clone has over the others is that you can infuse it with more chakra through your ash. Hence, you can make an Ash Clone have a tenth of your chakra or up to a third."

"Understood," Kinjo answered.

"Now, there are some weaknesses with the Ash Clone." Hayama breathed out ash onto the small pond below them and went through the hand seals. Instead of consolidating like before, the ash floated around the water. "If the ash makes contact with water before forming the clone, like rain, then it is all but impossible to form an Ash Clone. High humidity areas will also generally lower their performance, as the Ash Clone is a Fire jutsu."

"So if a shinobi uses Water jutsu and dampen an area…"

"Yes. It's why more powerful shinobi generally use a Water Clone or an Earth Clone."

"I knew fire had its weaknesses, but wow."

"Even a jinchuriki with a Fire affinity will struggle against a skilled shinobi with a Water affinity, yes," Hayama reassured. "Which is why you should be vigilant around shinobi that show even an inkling of knowing advanced Water jutsu."

The two were training within Training Ground Twenty-Five, a small forested area with a large pond and sizeable clearings. They were standing at the center of the pond as Kinjo practiced his chakra control while learning new Fire jutsu from his sensei. In the background, Izumi tried to walk on water but failed after reaching the halfway point between the shore and the center of the pond. Meanwhile, Shin attempted to walk up a tree but only managed to reach a bit above halfway before tumbling onto the ground in a heap.

"How come Kin gets to learn cool stuff, and I'm here getting drenched?" Izumi whined as she slipped under the surface and swam back to shore.

Even from a distance, Kinjo could make out Shin grumbling in a loud voice. "At least you can walk up a tree."

"Keep it up, you two! You're letting a nine-year-old beat from a civilian family beat you in using chakra?" Hayama barked. He glanced down at Kinjo and whispered, "It's just to motivate them. I have nothing against non-clan kids."

"He's teaching me something really cool, Izumi! I think you would like it a lot!" Kinjo hollered.

"Not funny, Kin!" Izumi yelled back.

Kinjo turned back to his sensei. "No offense taken. Now, back to Fire jutsu?"

Hayama chuckled. "Right. Since you can already make ash with your chakra and you can control your chakra decently well, an Ash Clone should not be too difficult. I'm impressed you've taken the second step into your elemental training already."

"I started when I was six," Kinjo admitted. "What would be after ash?"

"Oil. Gunpowder would be the final one, but that's usually reserved for members of the Sarutobi Clan. It is considered one of the highest levels of chakra transformation within the body and is also very dangerous. If used incorrectly, it can explode in your mouth or stomach."

Kinjo winced as he recalled the few times when his chakra accidentally transformed into fire while training to create ash. "That… doesn't sound very safe."

"Which is why only a few shinobi attempt to reach that stage. An oil burn in your mouth is much different than a violent explosion." Hayama grunted. "It is believed that the Sarutobi Clan has a safer method of transforming gunpowder, but they keep it close to their chest."

"So, will I be learning oil-based Fire jutsu after I learn the Ash Clone?"

"No. First, master the usage of ash. It is useful as a distraction or screen during a fight. We will also expand the number of jutsu in your arsenal so you have more variety instead of relying on Phoenix Sage Fire or the Great Fireball. Even your Phoenix Flash Fire can be countered if an enemy sees it more than once. A predictable shinobi is a dead shinobi."

"Could I learn another element like Wind to empower my Fire jutsu?" Kinjo reached to his back and flashed his gunbai.

Hayama frowned. "One step at a time. While your fan may help your main affinity in the future, it is important to master that first before jumping into other elements. Even a jonin will only utilize two or three elements at most. Molding your chakra into oil is not the final step for your Fire transformation; you must also learn how to make Fire with other parts of your body. Considering your tutelage under Gai, I would assume that would also be important to learn. It can increase the power of your taijutsu significantly."

Kinjo placed his hands under his chin and pondered on that thought. "That does sound deadly. Flaming hands combined with punches…"

"It will allow you to deflect kunai with your hands." Hayama lit up his hands with fire and punched the pond, creating a loud sizzling noise along with smoke. "And even cut wires and chains. After intense training, it's even possible to create fireballs with your hands alone. There are limitations, as breathing out fire will always be more potent and easier. However, it is still incredibly useful and powerful. That is the peak of Fire mastery."

Despite hearing what his sensei had just said, Kinjo closed his eyes and focused his chakra on forming fire in his palms. A warm sensation flowed through his veins, tickling his arms and hands as an intense heat grew more prominent with each passing second. Despite urging for more, his chakra faltered and refused to burst out of his skin.

Hayama patted his back. "You'll have to work for it. Come on, let's go check up on your teammates. After all, I can't show favoritism."

"At least it'll be useful for keeping my hands warm."

The pair ran to the shore, where Izumi was resting on the ground while Shin was leaning on a tree and snacking. Hayama clapped his hands and gathered his students around in a half-circle. "Good work today. A bit of sparring, along with physical conditioning and chakra control practice. Izumi, since you've made tremendous progress with your control over the past week, I'll have you join us in our next ninjutsu session. During our next meeting, I'll have you practice your genjutsu on Kinjo and work on your kenjutsu. Shin, you'll need to practice a bit more, at least to the point where you can walk some distance on the water. Keep training your clan techniques at home whenever you have the chance, as that is beyond my expertise. "

While Izumi cheered and Shin groaned, Kinjo glanced at the tree Shin was practicing on before. He noted a long scratch on the top quarter of the tree and gave his friend a reassuring thumbs up. Shin returned it with a tired smile. It looked like Kinjo's previous tips on tree walking helped, as he was making good progress.

"What cool jutsu are you going to teach me?" Izumi questioned, running up to him with a bounce in her step.

Hayama smirked. "Well, I was placed as your team's jonin instructor for a reason; my main affinity is Fire."

"I thought it was Wind or Water?" Kinjo inquired.

"No. I only know a few Wind jutsu, mostly involving my sword. Unfortunately, I do not have much talent for Wind. As for Water, that was the second element that I learned. Water is a very useful and malleable element."

"Huh."

Shin raised his hand. "Uhh, but I have an Earth affinity."

"I know more than a few jutsu for Earth; it's the element I've been working on myself. Don't worry, I'll train all of you into the finest team in Konoha. None of you will be left behind the others."

The team waited patiently as Hayama cleared his throat and continued. "Since you've trained with me for exactly a month now, we will go on our first mission in five days. I've already picked up a mission suitable for our team."

"What will the mission be about?" Izumi asked.

"Will it be helping out at a restaurant? Maybe assisting a bakery?" Shin added.

Kinjo made a guess of his own. "Pulling weeds?"

"No. You kids think too lowly of yourselves. Sure, all of you can use more training and practice, but so far, you three have been the most advanced bunch to come out of the Academy, at least for me. We'll be going on a standard escort mission to our allies in Yugakure. It's a C-rank, so the pay will be nice, especially since our client is wealthy. None of you have been outside the village before, correct?"

All three shook their heads, causing Hayama to grin. "Excellent. It'll be like a field trip. The worst thing we'll need to worry about is a bandit attack, which I'm sure my excellent pupils will be able to manhandle. Regardless, prepare yourself physically and mentally, as we will be on alert throughout the entire trip."

"Don't genin usually do D-rank missions?" Kinjo questioned.

"Usually, but our village has been taking on more missions with reduced manpower, so most D-rank missions are handled by the Genin Corps or less prepared genin teams. I think all of you will do just fine on this mission. Besides, you have this crusty old war veteran to protect you in case anything goes wrong."

"We're definitely ready!" Izumi pumped her fists. "The start of the legendary Team Five! We're going to be the best shinobi ever!"

Kinjo leaned back and smiled as his teammates traded fist bumps. Finally, he had a mission to start his shinobi career and earn money.

+++++

After training with his team, Kinjo remained at the training ground and meditated. He closed his eyes as he focused on his other senses and leaned in to feel the world around him. He relaxed as he felt the rough bark of the tree branch under him and enjoyed the soft howls of the wind as he processed what he had learned. The shade of the oak tree provided additional comfort as the sun bore down on the village with increasing intensity, and the faint smell of daffodils calmed him.

"Heya," a familiar voice called out. Izumi hopped onto the same tree branch and tapped his shoulders, making him stir.

"What's up?"

"Nothing much. I'm bored, so I thought I would sketch while hanging out with you," Izumi replied. He heard a rustle from her canvas bag as she pulled out her art supplies. "Sitting still like a statue again?"

Kinjo smiled. "It's called meditating. It's a good way to wind down after training."

"Just shoot out fireballs or something; you'll be winded in no time."

"Pfft. Where's Shin?"

"He said he had to go help his mom at his family's restaurant, but he might come by later."

"We should visit sometime soon," Kinjo remarked.

"Maybe after the mission. If I go right now, I'll stuff my face and use up all my allowance."

"Sure. We'll invite Itachi and Shisui along too. After all, who doesn't like barbeque?"

"Weird people?"

"Weird people," Kinjo agreed. "And maybe after that, you can visit with just Itachi."

"As if," Izumi snorted. "He's way too busy."

"I'm sure he has time for a date."

He wasn't able to see her expression as his eyes remained firmly shut. However, he imagined her rolling her eyes at his remarks and continuing to sketch the forest. The pond would be a nice centerpiece of her drawing.

After meditating for a few moments in silence, he heard a muffled footstep near the base of their tree. "Shin?"

"Uh, Kin? A creepy old man is staring at us with one eye."

Kinjo blinked and looked down. There, he saw a person he had hoped to avoid for the rest of his life.

Danzo looked up at him with an awkward smile. It was as if he was twisting his facial muscles to do something unfamiliar, which Kinjo guessed was an attempt at looking 'friendly.' Kinjo bit back a curse as he raised his voice. "Did you need something?"

"... Takashi Kinjo. I would like to speak with you. Come down," Danzo stated calmly.

"I may be a kid, but I'm still a shinobi."

"I am well aware. Which is why I wish to discuss something with you."

"... You're going to stay there until I come down, aren't you?"

"I am. So please, come down so we can have a chat."

"I dunno Kin, he seems kinda weird," Izumi whispered.

"Yeah, well, I'll try to make this quick," Kinjo replied.

He jumped down from his branch and landed in front of Danzo. The elderly man scanned him with his lone eye while his false smile remained plastered on his face. "Perhaps you have heard of me, but I am Danzo. I was once the Hokage's teammate."

"Ok?"

"I've heard that you were a talented shinobi. It is quite impressive that you graduated at the age of nine."

"I know my life story, thank you."

"You have an attitude, good. It will help you weather some of the more difficult times during your shinobi career." Danzo wheezed out a chuckle. "Some of the greatest shinobi had very peculiar personalities, including Lord First and my teacher, Lord Second."

"That's very interesting, but I was in the middle of relaxing, sir." Kinjo deadpanned.

"Ah, I've rambled on for too long. It must be due to my old age. I'll let you go back to your friend after you answer a question for me. If there are ten men, and one of them is sick with a contagious disease and is beyond saving, what would you do?"

Kinjo frowned. "Why should I answer a cryptic question from a stranger, even if he is a former student of the Second Hokage? And how do I really know if you're who you claim to be?"

Instead of looking annoyed or angry, Danzo only widened his smile. "One must always be paranoid at the slightest hint of danger. I admire your caution, despite your inexperience. For showing some fine shinobi qualities, perhaps I can be of assistance to your training."

"I think I'm fine."

"Oh, I think this may be something that interests you."

"I'm sure it has some strings attached, so no thank you."

"The only string is the one holding this scroll closed." Danzo pulled out a scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Kinjo. Instead of grabbing it, he stared with his arms crossed defiantly.

Taking the hint, Danzo pulled it back, only to loosen the string and open up the content within to Kinjo. "I have forgotten many things due to the passage of time, but I have retained some useful knowledge. Knowledge that I hope can be passed on to the next generation and be used to defend Konoha. This is a scroll containing the instructions for sealing basic ninjutsu. I've heard that you have some interest in that area."

Despite his mind replaying what Danzo carried out in canon and screaming caution, Kinjo perked up at the mention of fuinjutsu. His hands twitched, but he kept them firmly within his arms. "For all I know, it could be something that explodes in my face once I draw it."

"Do not look a gift horse in the mouth," Danzo warned as a slight crack appeared in his facade. He whipped out an empty scroll and painted it with the same seal shown in the instructions. He ran through a series of hand seals and poured an unfamiliar Wind jutsu into the scroll, which sucked it in like a vacuum cleaner. "Do you believe my words now, boy?"

"... Where did you even pull out that paintbrush from?"

Danzo ignored him as he recomposed himself with a grimace. He stepped back and placed the first scroll on the ground. "Proceed with caution, but do not ignore those who are seeking to help. This scroll is yours to keep; do as you may with it. I have an urgent business to attend to, but I'm sure this won't be the last time we meet, Kinjo."

With that, the elderly man walked away, leaving Kinjo with a complicated expression and a confused Izumi, who witnessed the scene. "I knew it; he's weird."

"Yeah, he is." Kinjo picked up the scroll and tossed it up and down. "He certainly is."

+++++

"I don't think I can eat anymore, mom."

"Nonsense, you're still a growing boy. Here's another rice bowl."

Kinjo groaned as he slumped onto the table, a stack of empty bowls towering over his head. Mika giggled as she poked his sides, making him complain louder. "Mom."

"Kinjo." His mother's words were cold enough to make Kinjo's skin crawl.

He sighed and picked up his spoon. He was hungry due to his team training earlier on in the day. The key word being 'was.' Now, he felt as though he had swallowed a beach ball. "I'll still be eating on the trip."

"Well, you won't eat my cooking for weeks!" Aya exclaimed. "You need to have your fill to make up for that time."

"Dad."

"Listen to your mom Kinjo," Makoto said without looking up from his own food.

Aya ignored his words as she turned her attention to Maki, feeding the baby with some mushed food. She also stroked Satoshi's head as he spoke. "Yumi sensei said that my pictures were the best and that I used colors coolly!"

"Your art is excellent, Satoshi. Draw more and show them to mommy, ok?"

"Ok!"

When Satoshi continued to talk about his pictures, Mika waved her spoon and spoke up. "Mom! I did really well on my Hiragana test! I'm even fifth place in the class!"

"That's nice dear," Aya cooed. "I'm sure that'll be useful if you decide to become a teacher or maybe even a novelist!"

"Don't wanna! I'm gonna be a shinobi!"

"Mommy said that girls shouldn't be fighting. I don't like fighting either." Satoshi said.

Mika glared at the second youngest Takashi family member. "Being a shinobi is cool."

"Nu-uh."

"Yuh-huh. It's cause you're too young to understand."

"Hey!" Satoshi turned to their mother. "Mommy, she's being mean again!"

"Now, now. Mika, that wasn't very nice. Apologize to your brother," Aya chided.

"He started it!" Mika huffed.

"Aya," Makoto chimed in. "Let it rest. If Mika wants to be a shinobi, then we should support her. Don't make them fight each other."

"She still has time to become interested in other things. I won't give up on my daughter so easily, Makoto."

"Until then, let our daughter do what she wants. You wanted to be a painter when you were growing up. Then you got interested in cooking, then weaving…"

"Aren't you even worried in the slightest about our eldest children?"

Makoto gripped his spoon tighter. "Is that even a question? I know how you feel, but we can't shield them from the world forever. They need to find their own path. Kinjo has already found his; Mika and Satoshi need to as well."

Aya sighed. "And if all of them want to become shinobi?"

"We'll have the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Hokage in our house then."

"Makoto."

"Have faith. Kinjo will be fine during his mission. When he comes back, he'll go right back to caring for Mika and the others. He'll make sure to train Mika and protect her. Right, son?"

"Right," Kinjo asserted. He felt as though a line had been drawn on the dining table, an invisible barrier separating his parents. Yet, he was relieved that his dad was relentless in his defense of Kinjo's decision.

His mother, on the other hand…

"Kin, I love you, which is why I want the best for your future and health. So please, be extra careful during your trip," Aya remarked with a warm smile.

Kinjo nodded wordlessly.

Two different parents with very differing views of their children's ambitions. Both loving and caring for their children in their own ways. In the end, all he could do was hope their schism would end.

+++++

Mika bounced around Kinjo as they strolled down the streets of Konoha and enjoyed the afternoon air. Mika glanced around eagerly while Kinjo held her school bag, weaving through the weekday crowd buzzing around. There were only two days left until he left for his mission, and he was spending as much time as he could to train and watch over Mika. "Where are we going, big brother? I thought we were going home?"

"Since mom is home to watch Maki today, we're going on a little trip by ourselves," Kinjo replied. "I'm going to introduce you to a few of my friends; I think you'll like them."

"Oooh, are we going to a weapons store? Or maybe a beef bowl shop?"

"A ramen restaurant."

"Aww… Is there a beef bowl shop near the ramen shop?"

"We could look for one while we're walking around, sure."

"Yay!" Mika cheered.

Kinjo patted her head affectionately and held her hand as they explored the streets near the Academy. A block from Ichiraku Ramen, Mika tugged his hand and dragged him toward a small hole in the wall shop. She tip-toed to see the steam rise from a row of buns sitting on the stall's counter and took a deep sniff. "That smells really good!"

"Beef and vegetable buns. They do smell good." Kinjo agreed.

"Hello!" a young woman ran out from the back and skidded to a halt in front of them. "Do you want some? They were made fresh just minutes ago! Only fifty ryo for five!"

He looked down at his sibling, who was staring at him with wide, pleading eyes. Kinjo pulled out a handkerchief and wiped a bit of drool leaking out of her mouth while he chuckled. "We'll take five."

"Excellent. Here you go!" the shopkeeper handed him a bag after he forked over some money.

He winced as he felt the piping hot buns prickling his skin and blew on it carefully before handing it to Mika. If she noticed the heat, she didn't show it as she bit into the bun with savage ferocity.

"Slow down, Mika. You'll choke if you swallow without chewing," Kinjo scolded.

The shopkeeper laughed. "She's a big eater, isn't she?"

As Mika demolished the first bun and begged for a second, a small girl with twin hair buns and short bangs peeked out the entrance of the kitchen and ran up to the shopkeeper. Mika saw her and jumped. "Tenten!"

"Tenten?" Kinjo wondered out loud as he watched Tenten jump over the front counter and land with her hands pushing outward.

"Mika!" Tenten squealed as she hugged her. She saw Kinjo looming above and widened her eyes. "You helped me in the bookstore that time!"

"You know my big brother?"

"Yah! He helped me find my mom when I was lost. He's nice."

"He's the best brother!" Mika boasted as she huffed out her chest. "Tenten is in my class, big brother."

Kinjo glanced at the name of the shop and read 'Liu Bun Shop.' "A bun store? Isn't she more…"

Tenten tilted her head. "Huh?"

"It's nothing. I just thought you would like weapons for some reason."

"Nope! I want to be a medic-nin and surpass Tsunade-sama!"

"Right..."

"Big brother, can Tenten come on our adventure too?" Mika asked as she hugged his leg. "She's my friend!"

He glanced over at the woman he presumed to be Tenten's mother, who clapped her hands together. "That sounds great! Tenten, you can go with them as long as you promise to finish all your homework once you come back."

"I will, mom!" Tenten answered as she drifted next to Mika.

They waved at Tenten's mother as they walked away to finish their journey to Ichiraku Ramen. After a few minutes of listening to the kids talk about everything from food to classes, he finally saw a familiar sight and herded them inside.

Unlike the last time he was here, the restaurant was packed with patrons slurping down noodles. Teuchi and Ayame were running around to accommodate all the guests and make ramen, so he silently slipped in and looked around. He saw Izumi, Itachi, and Sasuke sitting at the end of the counter and guided the two children toward them. Izumi noticed him first and waved her hand eagerly. "Kin!"

"Izumi!" Mika abandoned her talks with Tenten and bolted to tackle her with a hug. She pointed at Sasuke with a curious look. "Who's that?"

"I'm Sasuke!"

"And I'm Itachi, his older brother. It's nice to meet you, Mika," Itachi greeted her with a hint of a smile.

Mika quivered and ran behind her older brother. Itachi's smile faded into a confused frown as she hugged Kinjo. "He's scary."

"He doesn't bite," Kinjo promised. "Come on, you'll like them. You like Izumi, and you've only met her a few times, right?"

"Still! Maybe I'll play with just Tenten and Izumi."

Tenten grabbed Mika's hand. "Then let's go to the park and play tag!"

"We can go to the park after. For now, introduce yourselves," Kinjo stated firmly.

"... I'm Mika."

"I'm Tenten!"

"Why is your sister so afraid of me?" Itachi asked.

Kinjo sighed. "... Do you really want me to answer?"

"Anyways, Kin! Why are we here? The ramen seems good, but it's super busy," Izumi interjected.

"A play date for the kids while we watch them and hang out. There's one more kid coming. He should be here soon, but maybe I should've gone to his apartment to pick him up…"

Before he could continue, a loud voice boomed through the restaurant. "Scram, kid! Can't you see that you're making people uncomfortable?"

The restaurant fell quiet, as even Teuchi stopped working to look up. He saw Kinjo and gave him a friendly wave, though Kinjo barely had time to respond before he walked outside to deal with the situation.

As expected, Naruto was fidgeting near the entrance of the shop while an older man scowled at him. Nearby civilians walked past them or frowned in disapproval at Naruto. "I… I was only…"

"Only what? Trying to bother us while we're eating?" the man shouting at Naruto was tall and imposing, with short brown hair and serious grey eyes.

Kinjo stepped in front of the boy and held out his arm protectively. "Leave the kid alone. He's allowed to eat here like the rest of us."

"Don't stick your nose into things you don't know anything about, child. Now move out of the way so we can shoo that boy away."

"I would suggest you step away," Kinjo gripped his gunbai with his right hand and held his left hand out into a Rat seal. "Some of us are trying to have some peace and quiet after training."

The man noticed Kinjo's forehead protector and bared his teeth. "Did you think I would be scared because you have a headband?"

"..." Itachi walked out and placed a hand on Kinjo's shoulders. Kinjo turned to see his friend's eyes glowing red, an intense glare that pierced into the man. He swore he saw all three tomes swirl in fury. "Step away."

The man's face paled as he stared at the Sharingan up close and personal. Instead of continuing his tirade, he marched away while grumbling profanities, leaving the three children alone. The crowd dispersed as soon as they saw Itachi talk down on a man several decades his elder.

"Thanks."

"That's what friends are for," Itachi said, his familiar onyx-black eyes gleaming in the sunlight.

Kinjo looked down at Naruto, who was holding his red hoodie with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry… I was about to go in, but… you were all having fun…"

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Naruto." Kinjo smiled reassuringly and patted Naruto's shoulders. "You did nothing wrong. That man was an idiot and a bully. Come on, let me introduce you to the others."

He caught Itachi's curious glance as he urged Naruto to go in. "You do know who that is, don't you?"

"... Do you care about it?" Kinjo asked.

"No."

"Then what's the issue? Come on, let's get the kids fed before they bounce off the walls and run around the shop."

Itachi nodded. "Sure. Sasuke, come say hello to Naruto…"

+++++

"How are they not exhausted?" Kinjo wondered. "They've been running around like that for hours now."

"Aren't they all shinobi in training? We were pretty active at their age too." Izumi said. She winced when Kinjo bumped her into Itachi, who stared at him. "What was that for, Kin?"

"Nothing. Anyways, if you two want to sit by yourselves at the pier over there, I'll stay behind and watch the kids."

Itachi groaned as he gently moved Izumi away from him and toward Kinjo. "No thanks. I need to watch Sasuke as well."

They were sitting on a bench in a sparse park near the Uchiha Compound. After the encounter at Ichiraku Ramen, they decided to take their ramen to go and eat at the park for an impromptu picnic. Thankfully, despite some initial reservations and awkwardness, the four younger children bonded fast, with Naruto and Mika arguing about beef bowls and ramen while Sasuke and Tenten chatted about animals for some reason.

The three genin watched the others play tag while they sat and talked. None of them batted an eye when the kids jumped onto nearby trees for their game and zipped around like cheetahs.

Kinjo leaned away as Izumi scooted close to him. "So, what was your dad's reaction when he found out about the apprenticeship?"

"He smiled for the first time since I unlocked my Sharingan," Itachi replied. "After he announced it to the clan, we had a small celebration."

"I told you it would work out."

"Remind me to never doubt your words of advice."

Izumi waved her face in between the two. "The Compound is expanding too! My apartment is always noisy cause of all the construction happening nearby. They also said we can move out of the Compound in a few months if we want, and I'm gonna live by myself once I get enough money from missions!"

"... Izumi, you're ten," Kinjo said.

"I can live by myself!"

"You can barely get out of bed in the morning."

"I'll buy an alarm clock."

"What about your mom?"

"She'll be fine," Izumi reassured. "She knows I'm a big girl now."

Itachi and Kinjo shared a look and turned away. Izumi noticed their behavior and huffed. "I can totally live by myself."

"..."

"Bullies. Anyways, how about we train a bit here? I need to burn off some energy." Izumi asked as she stood up and dusted her black pants. Her attire had changed from her usual baggy clothes to a slim purple dress with a kunai holster strapped to her pants.

"... Do you want to give Itachi and me an aneurysm?"

"Why? We can do some simple stuff, like practicing Fire jutsu or walking on the lake."

"What he means is," Itachi interrupted. "Sasuke and Mika would strangle us both by hanging on to our necks while begging us to learn shinobi things. Which is why we have not mentioned anything shinobi-related this entire time."

"I think it's safe to assume Naruto and Tenten are probably the same. All kids that want to be shinobi act that way," Kinjo continued.

Izumi huffed. "Of course they do! They're trying to be great shinobi! I think if they want to learn stuff, we should teach them."

"If that's the case," Kinjo went through two hand signs and puffed out ash, which solidified into an Ash Clone. "I'll leave a clone behind, so you'll have some help handling them when they race over here."

A flock of crows flew around Itachi and formed into a clone. "I think I'll do the same."

Right on cue, the kids spotted them making their clones.

"Big brother! I want to do that too! Mom isn't here, so you can show me!"

"Brother, how come you're doing cool stuff by yourself while you won't even teach me the Great Fireball jutsu? Father said it's time for me to learn!"

"... Big bro Kinjo, that's super cool! I want to learn it!"

"Wait, can you three use medical ninjutsu? You guys probably can, right?"

"Here they come. Itachi, run for it."

"Right behind you."

The two disappeared into plumes of smoke while Izumi stared in horror at the stampede bearing down on her. She gritted her teeth and waved her fist into the air, "This is so unfair, guys!"