Don't Stare at the Sun or You'll Go Blind

Interlude II

The day had started out so calm and bright. The sun was shining in the sky, but a cool breeze kept the village from getting too hot, a sign that summer was officially ending. Konohamaru had managed to finish a D rank with his team and Fujita-san was pleased with his perfectly weeded garden. Ebisu-sensei had promised to teach them each a new jutsu as a reward for how hard they had been working at their D ranks lately. Konohamaru had been looking forward to the training, intent on doing his best so that he could become as strong as Naruko-nee-chan. Konohamaru knew that Naruko had left the village for a few days on a training trip, and he was excited to see her progress once she returned and show her his growth as well.

Konohamaru had looked up to Naruko for years, choosing her as his role model and ultimate goal. When he had first met her, Konohamaru had been happy to finally have someone else around that knew what it felt like to be related to a Hokage. For his whole life, Konohamaru had always been treated differently because he was the Sandaime's grandson. Naruko was the daughter of the Yondaime and, like him, she wanted to break out from the shadow of the Hokage. For years, Konohamaru had been stuck in his privileged role as the "Sandaime's Honorable Grandson" without knowing how to break away from the title. But Naruko had changed all that with a few words.

"I don't care about that Honorable Daughter crap. Everyone's gonna know my name because I'm gonna be the first and greatest female Hokage, dattebayo!" she had declared just before being hauled away for drawing graffiti all over the Hokage Monument. From that moment, Naruko's words, nindo, and actions became Konohamaru's. He did everything he could to get stronger like her and set himself apart from his grandfather's legacy (minus the pranks on innocent villagers).

"Ebisu-sensei, can we have lunch before we start training?" Udon piped up with a loud sniff as they were leaving the mission assignment office.

"I don't see why not," Ebisu agreed.

"Does that mean you're paying, Ebisu-sensei?" Moegi asked with a catlike grin.

"Why would I pay when you all just got paid for your mission?" Ebisu pointed out and adjusted his shades.

"We're genin, Ebisu-sensei! We barely make anything from D ranks! And shinobi tools aren't cheap," Konohamaru pointed out with a pout.

Ebisu had been about to reply, but his words were cut off by a loud explosion to one of the buildings along the main street. Konohamaru lost his balance as the ground beneath him started to quake and chunks of the building fell to the street below. Konohamaru looked around as the people in the streets started to flee in all directions, some shielding their heads with their arms. "Konohamaru," Ebisu called out as he pulled the boy up from the ground.

"Ebisu-sensei, what's going on?" Udon asked and looked around with panic building in his eyes.

"The village must be under attack," Ebisu surmised after having a look around. In the distance, they all heard more explosions going off. Immediately, the screams from frantic crowd of people fleeing for their lives grew in volume.

"What do we do?" Moegi asked, her eyes wide in panic.

"What you were taught to do in the Academy. Genin are to help with civilian evacuation," Ebisu answered in a calm yet stern voice.

"What about you, sensei? I want to help," Konohamaru declared.

"You can help by getting the civilians off the streets and to safety."

It had been a hard thing to hear, but it had been Ebisu's final word on the topic before he left to join a group of passing jounin. Konohamaru had looked to his fellow teammates in the hopes that they would be on his side, but then Udon said, "I'll head to Block A to help with the evacuation there."