Chapter 2
It had been two years since Rei had moved to Konoha, two years since the brutal murder of her family. After her release from the hospital, the Third Hokage had introduced her to a friend of her mother's, a woman who would become her guardian.
The woman was strikingly beautiful, with fair skin, long, straight black hair that framed her face, and piercing black eyes. She was dressed simply in a dark purple blouse and a red-plum skirt, a light-yellow apron draped over it. On her back was a symbol that Rei vaguely recognized but couldn't quite place.
The woman offered Rei a soft smile before introducing herself, "Hello, little one. My name is Mikoto Uchiha. Your mother and I were close friends. I'm very happy to meet you." Her voice was gentle, reminding Rei of her own mother.
Tears welled up in Rei's eyes, but she quickly wiped them away before introducing herself in return, "Hello, Lady Uchiha. It is an honor to meet you." She remembered her sister's advice on how to behave when meeting new people.
Mikoto chuckled at the formal greeting, "My, you're so polite and well-spoken. If I hadn't been told your age, I would've thought you were six, not three."
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, watched with a sense of satisfaction as Rei interacted with Mikoto. Despite her tender age of three, Rei's eloquence and advanced vocabulary were impressive. He made a mental note to monitor her educational progress closely. Once all the necessary arrangements were made, Rei departed with Mikoto to meet her new family.
As they left, Hiruzen sensed another presence in the room. His patience wearing thin, he called out sharply, "I know you're there, Danzo. Show yourself." He was in no mood for games.
From the shadows emerged an elderly man, Danzo Shimura. His black, unkempt hair and the bandaged right eye beneath an X-shaped scar on his chin were a testament to his turbulent past. He wore a white shirt under a dark robe that draped over his right shoulder and reached his feet.
Danzo's expression was stern, but Hiruzen had never known him to be otherwise. "Are you sure it was wise to entrust her to the Uchihas? You do remember her great grandfather, don't you?" Danzo questioned.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, "Of course I remember. I'm not senile," he retorted, irritation creeping into his voice. "Mikoto was close to Saya and Katsuki. Her family is the perfect fit for Rei."
Danzo's glare intensified. "The Uchiha clan is known for holding grudges, Hiruzen. Do you truly believe they have no ulterior motives? Not only could she potentially possess the Second's abilities, but she might also have inherited that beast's powers. The autopsy of her older sister revealed that she had awakened their father's cursed Kekkei Genkai. The Uchihas could exploit that power to destroy this village."
"That's enough, Danzo!" Hiruzen snapped, his eyes blazing with anger. "This decision was made in the best interest of a child who needs to heal emotionally. I trust that the Uchihas would never exploit Rei. The bond between Mikoto and Saya transcended their ancestors' conflicts. Mikoto would never let anything happen to Rei. I don't want to hear any more of this."
Danzo glared at him before bowing and exiting the room. Hiruzen knew this argument was far from over, but for now, he had other responsibilities to attend to.
Following that fateful day, Rei became a part of the Uchiha family for a year. She was introduced to Mikoto's two sons - Itachi, the elder one, who was 11 years old, and Sasuke, the younger one, who was just 5. Itachi welcomed her with a warm smile, while Sasuke greeted her with youthful exuberance. Although initially disappointed that Rei was not his age, Sasuke decided he could make the most of the situation.
Rei spent the remainder of the day exploring the clan compound with the two boys. As evening fell, they returned home for dinner, where Rei was introduced to Fugaku Uchiha, the clan leader. Out of respect, Rei bowed low and expressed her gratitude for being allowed to stay with them. This gesture surprised Fugaku, who responded with a small smile, asking her to rise and welcoming her to his home.
After dinner, Mikoto prepared a bath for Rei and Sasuke, and helped them get ready for bed. Dressed in some of Sasuke's old pajamas, Rei listened as Mikoto mused about the need for a clothes shopping trip. Rei remembered Mikoto mentioning her desire for a daughter, which made her giggle. She then crawled onto the futon that had been prepared for her, ready to embrace her new life with the Uchiha family.
After Mikoto departed, Rei attempted to surrender to sleep, but it proved elusive. Recently, slumber had become a battleground, haunted by the specters of that horrific day. She was on the brink of sleep when a memory of her family flashed through her mind, causing her to jolt awake. Tears welled up in Rei's eyes, a silent testament to her grief.
She tried to muffle her sobs, not wanting to disturb Sasuke, but he must have heard her. He crawled over to her, his soft black eyes filled with concern. "Are you afraid of the dark?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine worry. Rei shook her head, "I can't sleep... I keep seeing them... my family..." she confessed through her tears.
Sasuke moved closer, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace. "Mom told me about your family... that you're alone now. But you're not alone anymore. You have me and Itachi. We'll help you feel better, together," he said, his smile a beacon of hope in the darkness. He then stood up, extending his hand for her to take, leading her to Itachi's room.
It was as if Itachi had been expecting them, for he simply lifted his blanket, inviting them to climb in. The next morning, Mikoto discovered the three of them nestled together, sleeping peacefully. Itachi was sandwiched in the middle, unable to move but unwilling to disturb the tranquil scene.
Rei's time with the Uchiha family was abruptly cut short as she neared her fifth birthday. The news of her impending enrollment in the ninja academy alongside Sasuke brought her joy, as they had grown close and she relished the opportunity to learn alongside him. However, this happiness was tempered by the announcement that she would soon be relocated to her great grandfather's estate.
Rei was reluctant to leave the Uchiha family, but her wishes were disregarded. Hiruzen, witnessing her distress, was sympathetic but powerless to intervene. Danzo had been sowing seeds of discord among the other clan heads, casting doubt on the wisdom of allowing Rei to remain with the Uchiha clan.
The meeting with the clan heads was a tense affair. The room was filled with a palpable sense of unease as the clan heads gathered around the large wooden table. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and ink, a testament to the countless meetings that had taken place within these walls.
Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, sat at the head of the table, his face etched with worry. To his right was Danzo, his eyes cold and calculating. The other clan heads, including the Hyuga, Nara, and Akimichi, were scattered around the table, their expressions varying from concern to indifference.
Danzo was the first to speak, his voice echoing in the silent room. "We cannot ignore the potential threat that Rei poses," he began, his gaze fixed on Hiruzen. "Her abilities are extraordinary, and if the Uchiha clan were to exploit them..."
Hiruzen cut him off, his voice firm. "The Uchiha clan has shown no intention of exploiting Rei. She is a child, not a weapon."
Danzo's lips curled into a thin smile. "Perhaps. But we cannot afford to take that risk. The Uchiha clan's loyalty has been questionable at best."
The room erupted into murmurs, the clan heads exchanging glances. Hiruzen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This decision will only exacerbate the existing tensions," he argued, but his words fell on deaf ears.
The decision was made. Rei would be relocated to her great grandfather's estate, away from the Uchiha clan. Despite Hiruzen's objections, the clan heads were adamant. Rei's potential as a prodigy was too great a risk to ignore. And so, the meeting ended, leaving Rei to face her new future.
With a heavy heart, Hiruzen arranged for the news to be delivered to Fugaku. He also assigned a team of shinobi to refurbish the long-abandoned house that once belonged to Rei's mother, Saya. The house had been empty since Saya's childhood and required significant work to make it habitable again. This would buy Rei some additional time to spend with the Uchiha family before her inevitable departure.
Danzo may have believed he had the upper hand this time, but Hiruzen was far from defeated. He had another strategy in mind. Recognizing Rei's advanced abilities compared to her peers, he requested Shisui, a member of the Uchiha clan, to become her mentor. This would not only provide her with exceptional training but also ensure that she remained under watchful eyes.
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The shrill beeping of an alarm clock rudely roused Senju Rei from her slumber. With a groan, she rolled over, her hand blindly reaching out to silence the intrusive noise. Instead, she clumsily knocked over her bedside lamp, which retaliated by falling onto her head, eliciting a surprised squawk from her.
"Please, not now," she mumbled drowsily, "It's too early for a concussion..."
With another groan, Rei pushed herself onto her knees to finally silence the alarm, grumbling under her breath. She then stumbled into the bathroom to begin her morning routine, narrowly avoiding a collision with a stray bucket.
Rei was still adjusting to living independently, despite almost a year having passed since she left the Uchiha household. She had not wanted to leave, but the decision was not hers to make. After completing her morning routine and having breakfast, she prepared to leave for the academy. It was her first day, and she was filled with excitement. Not only would she be in the same class as Sasuke, but this was also her first step towards becoming a ninja.
Rei studied her reflection in the mirror. A four and a half year-old girl with unruly brown hair with lone white stripe on the right of her forehead and reaching down to her waist, stared back. Her eyes, one a bright blue and the other a reddish-brown, were filled with a shy expression. Her skin was tanned, and she was dressed in a light blue long-sleeved shirt, yellow overalls, and blue shinobi sandals. Unhappy with the shyness in her gaze, she practiced smiling, starting with a small one, then a normal one, and finally a big grin. She then began making faces at herself, laughing at her own silliness. With a small smile, she grabbed her bag and headed out towards the academy.
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"Everyone!" The teacher, Umino Iruka, entered the room, clad in his usual ninja uniform of blue trousers, a green Chuunin vest, and blue sandals. His dark eyes sparkled with joy as he greeted the class. "We have a new student today. This is Rei Senju. Please be kind to her." He scanned the room, tucking a loose strand of dark brown hair from his ponytail behind his ear. He then gestured to a seat next to a boy with brown hair, red triangular markings on his face, and a dog on his head. "You can sit there, Rei."
"Okay," she replied, making her way to her assigned seat. As Iruka turned to write on the board, Rei glanced at Sasuke and smiled. She was always happy to see him, even though they saw each other often. However, they hadn't had much time together since he started school earlier than her and she had been training with Itachi and Shisui.
"Who can tell me where the best place would be to strike to stop a target from getting away?" Iruka asked. Rei was surprised by the lack of raised hands. The other students avoided Iruka's expectant gaze, looking anywhere but at him. Suddenly Rei saw a familiar hand raise. Iruka called on him.
"Yes, Sasuke?" The class collectively sighed in relief, grateful to be spared from Iruka's random selection.
"A quick slash to the hamstrings should do the trick," Sasuke answered. Rei winced, imagining the pain of such a strike. Iruka nodded in approval and continued the lesson. Rei, however, lost focus and began doodling stick figures in her notebook. The boy with the triangular markings on his face and a dog on his head glanced at her paper and chuckled.
"You're really bad at drawing, you know," he whispered. Rei scowled at him, pulling her paper away from his prying eyes.
"You're really bad at maintaining oral hygiene, you know," she whispered back, delighting in his affronted expression. He scowled at her, then burst into a surprised laugh. At that moment, Iruka-sensei paused his lecture and shot them a stern glare. Rei lowered her gaze to her paper, grateful that her darker complexion concealed the blush that was surely staining her cheeks. The boy who had insulted her fledgling artistic skills quickly apologized to Iruka-sensei. Fortunately for them, he seemed appeased by the boy's contrite demeanor and resumed his discussion on how the velocity and trajectory of a kunai could alter the radius of blood spray.
She continued to doodle on her paper. 'Perhaps this character would look more appealing with a hat and sandals,' she mused, sketching them on. The uncultured critic leaned back towards her and scrutinized her drawing.
"Give him a hitai-ate instead of that peculiar hat. And perhaps make him taller," he whispered, offering her constructive criticism. She narrowed her eyes at him, searching for a hidden insult in his words. Finding none, she shrugged and added a forehead protector to the drawing. The slightly more refined boy squinted at the drawing and gave her a thumbs up.
"You're pretty cool. I'm Kiba. This is Akamaru," he introduced, indicating the white puppy perched on his head. Rei resisted the urge to pet the adorable pup as Kiba continued. "Are you new to Konoha? I've never seen you around town before. Your hair is quite memorable." She let out an indignant squawk and tried to tame her unruly hair. She knew her hair was unique, but she didn't think it was that conspicuous, especially considering there were people walking around with pink hair. Especially now that she wore it down, she thought she'd attract less attention than if she wore it up. He noticed her reaction and quickly corrected himself. "Not that it's bad or anything. It's just… distinctive," he reassured. Satisfied with his recovery, she decided to give this Kiba a chance.
“I haven’t ventured far from my great grandfather’s estate and I’m often at the Uchiha compound training, so I don’t get much time to explore as much as I would like.”
"Oh, that explains why I haven’t seen you around," he said, abandoning the whisper. Rei glanced at Iruka-sensei to ensure he hadn't heard Kiba's increased volume. 'Still engrossed in velocity.' She turned back to her new acquaintance and nodded.
"I live alone in my great grandfather’s house near the edge of the village," she replied nonchalantly. Kiba's face immediately turned serious.
"So, did your parents, like, die or something? And why didn’t you start with the rest of us?" he asked. 'No tact on this one,' she noted. Rei's face clouded with pain from the memory of her family.
"My mother and siblings were killed when I was three. And I’ve been training privately until the Third Hokage felt it was time for me to start at the academy," she explained, focusing on one of her pencils on the desk instead of Kiba.
Sensing that the conversation had taken a personal turn, Kiba changed the subject. "Well, do you want to play with me and my friends during lunch?" he suggested. "We're going to play ninja." Rei scrunched up her nose and looked back at Kiba.
"How do you play ninja?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Kiba grinned in response, which distorted the look of his red face-paint.
"I guess you'll have to find out," he answered cryptically. She opened her mouth to say that she didn't much care for surprises when Iruka-sensei dismissed them for break time. As everyone rose from their desks and grabbed their lunches, Kiba was suddenly surrounded by a couple of boys from their class. Rei studied each of them, wishing she had paid more attention to them so she knew what she was getting into.
"Who's this little girl, Kiba?" a boy with black hair drawled, a smirk playing on his lips. Rei shot him a sharp look, her small stature standing tall in defiance. Despite being younger than the rest of them, she was smart and she knew it.
Before she could snap back, another boy stepped in. "Ease up, Shikamaru. Girls can be tough too. Except maybe Ino," he added, causing a shared shudder between the boys. Rei made a mental note of this. The boy who had defended her extended a hand. "I'm Choji. The one who just insulted you? That's Shikamaru." Rei shook his hand firmly.
"Alright, guys, we've got some free time. I'm starving," Choji announced. Kiba, who had finished packing up, rolled his eyes and slung his bag over his shoulder. "You're always starving, Choji," he retorted, sounding slightly annoyed. Choji, unfazed, pulled out a bag of chips and offered one to Rei, who accepted it with a small smile. 'What a strange group,' she thought as they descended the Academy steps and entered the yard, the sound of children's laughter filling the air.
Kiba led them to a grassy area near the fence where a boy was swinging. Rei felt a strange sense of familiarity towards him but shrugged it off. "Naruto! Meet my new friend..." Kiba trailed off, turning towards Rei expectantly. "I never got your name. What is it?"
"Rei," she responded, a hint of unease creeping into her voice. Kiba flashed her a grin before turning back to the blonde boy. "This is Rei. She'll be joining us for ninja games today." Naruto eyed her suspiciously, his bright blue eyes narrowing. Rei met his gaze unflinchingly until he looked away. 'I've definitely seen him before,' she thought. Deciding to cut to the chase, she voiced her thoughts.
"I've seen you somewhere before," she mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. Naruto's tan cheeks paled slightly, but he remained silent. "I saw you in the village once when I was with Mikoto," she finally recalled. He relaxed a bit, nodding in confirmation.
"Why were you alone?" she asked, her gaze fixed on the visibly uncomfortable Naruto. "I don’t need anyone to accompany me. I'm responsible enough to live on my own," he replied, his response sounding rehearsed. His oversized shirt slipped off his left shoulder, revealing his thin frame. Rei frowned at the sight. He clearly wasn't.
"That's silly," she retorted, flicking her wild brown hair over her shoulder. Naruto's cheeks turned a shade redder at her blunt words. "You're a kid, just like me. No kid should be alone," she stated simply. Despite living alone herself, she was never lonely, thanks to the company of Shisui, Sasuke and his family, and the third Hokage. Noticing that Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji had vanished, presumably to play ninja, she walked over to the swing Naruto was sitting on and settled next to it, idly plucking blades of grass and watching them flutter in the autumn breeze.
"I hope I didn't upset you," she murmured, her gaze fixed on the grass beneath her feet. Naruto's expression softened into one of cautious acceptance.
"It's fine. I actually like living alone," he replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. "No adults dictating what I should eat, when I should sleep, or when to do my homework. I'm my own boss, believe it." Rei offered him a small, understanding smile.
Reaching behind her, she pulled out her bento box. "Would you like to share? I made too much." Naruto's eyes widened at the sight of the food, and he quickly produced a pair of chopsticks he'd taken from the cafeteria. As they ate, they chatted about everything and nothing, from Naruto's determination to beat Sasuke in their next sparring match to their shared disdain for homework.
When the conversation turned to schoolwork, Naruto's ears turned a bright shade of red. "I struggle with homework, especially when I'm alone. I just can't seem to grasp the concepts." Rei paused, considering his words.
"Well, if you'd like, I could help you. I'm pretty good with theoretical stuff." Naruto's face lit up at her offer, and Rei couldn't help but share his enthusiasm.
"Really? You'd do that for me?"
Rei nodded. "Of course. That's what friends do, right? They help each other."
"Great! We can study at my place after school today," he said, practically vibrating with excitement. "We can walk home together."
"Sounds good to me." Rei mirrored his excitement, thrilled at the prospect of making new friends. They continued their conversation, discussing various topics as they packed up their belongings to head back to class. When the boys returned from their game, they were surprised to see Rei and Naruto getting along so well.
"Sorry we left you two behind. You sure can talk a lot, Rei," Kiba said, wiping sweat off his brow. Rei shot him a glare and, deciding to try something she'd seen the boys do, punched him lightly on the arm. Kiba looked at her in surprise, rubbing his arm. Shikamaru burst into laughter, with Choji joining in shortly after. Naruto grinned as well.
"You're alright, Rei," Shikamaru said, still chuckling at Kiba's expense. "I apologize for my earlier comment. You're more than okay." Kiba just shoved his hands in his pockets and stalked back towards the Academy, muttering about traitorous friends. Rei listened contentedly as her new friends chatted about their recess activities. As she settled into her seat in the classroom, she couldn't help but smile. 'Friends,' she thought, 'I've made friends.'
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"To calculate velocity, you first need to— Naruto, are you even paying attention?" Rei asked, placing a hand on her hip and scrunching up her face in a way she'd seen her mother do countless times.
Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry, Rei. I got distracted. What's the formula for velocity again?" Rei huffed and repeated the formula.
They had been sitting on Naruto's worn-out couch for nearly an hour, going over their schoolwork. After class, they'd stopped by a convenience store to pick up snacks before heading to Naruto's apartment. Naruto had refused to enter the store, mumbling something about disliking the smell, so Rei had gone in alone. Once they'd stocked up on junk food, they'd hurried back to Naruto's place to study.
Rei and Naruto had agreed to divide their study sessions into two parts: theory work and practical training. Naruto seemed to be eagerly awaiting the end of the theory part so they could move on to the training.
Rei played with the end of her hair, working out a problem in her head. "Alright, Naruto. If a ninja throws a kunai traveling north at fifteen meters per second at another ninja who is hiding in a tree fifty meters away, how long will it take for the kunai to reach its target?" Naruto looked thoughtful for a moment before scribbling some calculations in his notebook. After a few moments, he circled an answer.
"The kunai would reach the other ninja in just over three seconds," he said, looking at Rei for approval.
"That's correct!" Rei high-fived him. Naruto grinned and laid back on the couch.
"This math stuff isn't so hard. I don't know why I was having so much trouble with it," he said, popping a potato chip into his mouth. Rei rolled her eyes and grabbed a handful of chips herself, careful not to spill any on the floor.
"It's all about perspective," she replied, her mouth full of chips. "You're smart, Naruto. You just need a little extra help and to apply yourself. I bet you could even beat Sasuke if you tried." She looked over at Naruto, who had gone still. She set her chips down on a nearby plate, looking at her new friend. He had tears in his eyes. Rei immediately began to stutter out an apology, worried she'd said something wrong. She didn't want to mess up her new friendship. But before she could finish, Naruto moved closer and wrapped his arms tightly around her. She looked down at his blonde head, surprised by his display of affection, before carefully hugging him back. When he finally let go, he looked away, his cheeks red with embarrassment. He wiped away his tears and looked back towards their forgotten homework.
She punched him lightly in the shoulder, not knowing how to handle his embarrassment. "Come on. It's time for physical training," she said, breaking the awkward silence. He looked at her, relief evident in his eyes, as they got up from the couch and put on their sandals.
Walking through the Hidden Leaf Village was always an experience, especially in the afternoon. As they made their way to the training grounds, Rei was overwhelmed by the smells coming from the various food places, clothing stores, and a cute flower shop near Naruto's apartment. Ignoring the tempting aroma of barbecue, they made their way to training ground six, which was reserved for Academy students. Seeing that it was empty, they claimed it for the next couple of hours and walked in.
Rei immediately dropped to the grass and began stretching, following the Academy's training regimen. Naruto looked at her in confusion.
"Aren't we going to spar?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. Rei looked up from her stretching long enough to snort.
"We need to stretch first unless you want to cramp up and have to be carried back to your apartment." She went back to her stretching, showing off her flexibility.
Naruto scowled, not liking to be outdone. He plopped down onto the ground next to her and started stretching as well. After they were limbered up, they ran through a few of the basic kata they'd learned at the Academy.
"You're going too fast," Rei pointed out a few minutes later, her hand on her hip. Naruto opened his mouth to retort that maybe she was just going too slow, but she rolled her eyes. "You start at the right pace and then speed up as you get more comfortable with the movements. That's how you build muscle memory."
Naruto grumbled under his breath but slowed down his movements, matching Rei's pace. They continued to practice, Rei occasionally correcting Naruto's form or offering advice. After a while, they took a break, sitting down on the grass and drinking water.
"You're a good teacher, Rei," Naruto admitted, wiping sweat off his brow. Rei looked at him in surprise, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Thanks, Naruto. You're a good student. You listen well."
Naruto grinned at her, his blue eyes sparkling with happiness. "I'm glad we're friends, Rei." Rei smiled back at him, her heart swelling with joy. "Me too, Naruto. Me too."
As they continued their training, Rei couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment.
"Alright, now that we're warmed up, can we spar?" Naruto asked, his tone bordering on whining. Rei turned to him, a shrug lifting her shoulders.
"Sure. But only Taijutsu," she stated, falling back into the standard Academy defensive stance. Naruto charged at her, emitting a peculiar battle cry. 'He's faster than I thought,' Rei mused, deftly dodging his initial attack by ducking under his right fist. He planted his hands on the ground, swinging his left foot back in an attempt to surprise her. Rei sidestepped instinctively, focusing on blocking and dodging his relentless advance. When he launched a particularly forceful kick with his right foot, she decided to turn the tables.
Catching his right leg, she pushed it back, throwing him off balance. She then darted forward, landing a punch in his stomach. He dropped low, attempting to sweep her feet out from under her, but she leaped back just in time. He grinned at her, charging once more, his strategy seemingly abandoned.
His flurry of punches came fast and hard, and Rei found herself fully occupied with evading their path. Spotting an opening, she let him move behind her before slamming her elbow back into his stomach. With a swift turn, she swept his feet from under him with a well-executed kick. She pinned him down, pressing his arm between his shoulder blades until he conceded defeat.
Helping him up, she was met with a sweaty grin. "Next time, I'll win, Rei-chan, believe it!" Naruto declared. Rei chuckled, leading him towards the targets for aerial weapons practice.
"In your dreams," she retorted, picking up some practice kunai that had been left out for student use. She threw one at a target, scowling when it barely hit. 'What am I doing wrong?' she wondered, as Naruto threw one that landed in the second ring. He cheered, starting to brag. Rei waved him off, telling him to keep practicing. She bit her thumbnail thoughtfully, trying to figure out the issue. This had always been a problem area for her when training with Shisui; he constantly had to correct her.
"You're flicking your wrist too much," a dry voice called out from behind them. They both spun around to see a dark-haired boy, a few years older than them, standing near the entrance. Rei's face lit up with recognition. “Itachi, you're back!”
"You know Sasuke's brother?" Naruto asked, his eyes wide with admiration. Rei laughed and nodded, explaining that she had lived with Sasuke’s family for a year before moving out on her own. She rushed over to greet Itachi, giving him a warm hug.
Before Naruto could start rambling about his plans to defeat Itachi's younger brother, Rei tugged on his shoulder. "Teach me how to throw kunai again," she requested, momentarily forgetting her manners. "Please," she added after a moment, her face heating up. Itachi grabbed one of the dull kunai from the pile and threw it masterfully, the blade sinking into the dead center of the target. He made a face at the blade.
"These aren't the best to practice with, but they'll have to do," he said. Rei grabbed one and eagerly moved beside him to observe his technique up close. He instructed her to get into her throwing stance and scrutinized her, offering critiques and adjusting her stance until he was satisfied. He nodded at her to throw, reminding her to keep her wrist relaxed. She took a deep breath and threw the kunai at the target, feeling a surge of satisfaction as it hit the center. She turned to Itachi, her eyes wide with awe, and he shrugged.
"You're a natural. Just keep practicing," he said, placing a gloved hand on her head in a gesture that felt like affection. He then disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Naruto immediately started babbling about how cool Sasuke's brother was and asking her to teach him how to throw like that.
Rei was about to reply when she noticed the sun setting. They had been out for a while. "Aw man, it’s getting late," she complained, hurrying to clean up the training ground. Naruto helped her pick up stray weapons until the place was exactly how they found it. She shouldered her bag and hugged Naruto. She didn't know why, but she felt like the kid didn't get enough hugs. "I'll see you tomorrow in class!" she said as she dashed out of the practice area and into the street in the direction of the market district. Naruto yelled his goodbyes before she got out of earshot and Rei smiled. As she sat in her bed, looking out the window and listening to the sounds of nature, she felt excited to go back to the Academy the next day. She had friends.