Solar Eclipse *Rewrite*

Chapter 10

Akito was braiding his sister's hair, being gentle as his skillful hands weaved blades of seagrass into her long black hair. There was nothing unmanly about braiding, and no one could change his mind about it. His ribbons reached out to hold hers, happy to be near their sibling. It was Monday, he and Kai would be leaving in the afternoon. And as sad as she was about it, Koinu knew that it was necessary. So she instead enjoyed the last few hours they had left. The way his fingers carded through her hair, pulling it gently in one of the dozens of twists. "There. All done." He tapped her shoulder, handing her a small handheld mirror.

She took in her appearance. It had been a while since she had worn it this fancy, but as she traced every twist, pearl, and blade with her eyes, it was like she was back home again. "Thank you!"

"No problem." He patted her head rather than ruffling it as he would usually. No, he put too much effort into her hair to ruin it like that. "Come on, better get ready for the academy."

She pouted. Yeah, as much as she usually loved to go, it would be a long time until she would get to see them again. "Can't I stay home? With you? Just for today."

"Sorry. I can't let you do that. Besides, we won't be leaving until after you come back from the academy. I promise." His ribbons linked tightly with hers. A Gin Mizu promise. The pout on her face didn't go away but she agreed to get ready for the academy. Together, they walked to the academy.

Naruto stared at the picture in front of him. He had made a habit of looking over the seal every morning before leaving his apartment. Today was no exception. It had long since been burned into his mind, yet he still didn't understand it very well. Yeah, there was the symbol for concealment and the usual array setup for a pocket dimension. But it was way more complex than that. It was a seal meant to hold and contain a sentient creature, one of malice and epic power. As usual, a knock on his door draws him away from his train of thought. A sudden burst of energy shot through him like someone had injected pure caffeine into his bloodstream. It has been happening a lot lately.

Koinu pulled him into a hug when he opened the door. His chin was resting on her shoulder, allowing him to get a noseful of her scent. Saltwater, vanilla, and jasmine. His sense of smell wasn't as good as hers but he could still appreciate how nice she smelled. Kai chuckled and Akito quirked an eyebrow. It was almost like they knew something they didn't. Sasuke seemed to be in deep thought like he was trying to figure out what was happening. Eventually, Koinu pulled away. Her hair was done in a dozen braids, blade of seagrass, strings of pearls, and beads twisted in every other one. She looked pretty, and, to anyone who knew better, ready for a fight. Pearls were a lot more than just decorative pieces.

As per usual, Shikamaru and Choji were already in their seats when they got to the academy. The class was looking a little more crowded than usual. A knowing smile crept onto her face. Rumor had it that the academy had a bit of a staff sweeping. A large number of teachers had been fired for not reaching the new expectations for the new courses that the academy was hoping to start offering. Iruka-sensei passed with flying colors. Who knows? Maybe he'll end up with a promotion.

It is nice to see that he takes your suggestions to heart. She hummed, recalling their conversation yesterday.

"How is the academy?" That was starting to become his usual opening line for their Sunday meeting.

"It was fine. Though I do have some concerns."

"Concerns?"

"Yeah. I'm in class 10-D, Iruka-sensei's class. I can only give you context from his teachings, but what about the other sensei? They teach different ages. So what and how they teach is different from Iruka-sensei's. All the kids in class 10-D are seven to eight years old. Meaning that with the new law instated a few weeks ago, they will be eligible actually to take the graduation exam in four years' time. My main concern is about how the students are being taught, not when they are able to graduate.