The first law Jiraiya passed wasn't exactly well received, though then again, he already expected that reaction. The Clan Discrimination Bill was a law that harshly punished those who attacked, discriminated or ostracized anybody for belonging to a certain clan. It was painfully obvious that, even if it affected all clans, the point of this law was to protect the last three remaining Uchihas from the wrath of the rest of Konoha, particularly of those who lost somebody during the failed coup d'etat.
In fact, once the news that Itachi, Shisui and Sasuke were still alive, a mob formed headed to the Uchiha Compound (where the three of them were at the moment), ready to kill them, and eradicate the threat of the "Red Eyed Demons". Fortunately, the ANBU acted quickly and dispersed the mob before they could cause any harm. Jiraiya couldn't help but think that if it wasn't for Tsunade and him, similar mobs would have formed to kill Naruto. Maybe that was the reason as for why Sarutobi wanted to enact a law to stop people from even mentioning the Kyubi.
Jiraiya had a meeting with the two older Uchihas in order to discuss the future of the clan, which turned out more...interesting than he had anticipated. Shisui told him about his failed role in stopping the coup, and how Danzo had stolen his eye in order to obtain its brainwashing powers. But even after Jiraiya ordered Danzo's installations to be searched, he never found the eye. Naturally, Danzo dnied everything.
Given that Danzo has been very vocal about how they shouldn't trust the Uchihas, people weren't exactly pleased either with Jiraiya siding with the latter over the former.
Jiraiya appointed Shisui, being the older at twenty two, the new head of the Uchiha Clan. His first action was, as expected, to rescind Fugaku's banishment of Itachi. Shisui also handled most of the Uchiha Clan's properties to Konoha –including the entire Uchiha Compound– as a compensation for the coup, while in turn asked for a new house for them to live. Jiraiya bought them a four room penthouse near the southern gate. They moved there as soon as possible, since Shisui liked to see their new home as the symbol of a new beginning for the Uchiha.
Still, everything was far from perfect for the remaining Uchihas, especially the youngest one.
"Sasuke?" Itachi asked, not daring to enter his brother's room, despite the door being open. Sasuke's room, while big, only had a bed, a closet and a small bedside table. Sasuke was sitting on his bed, looking at the window. "I was wondering...would you like to go training with me?"
In the past, Sasuke would have jumped in joy whenever Itachi mentioned training together. But now, he hardly reacted.
"I see, you're not in the mood...so I saw that we have almost no food yet. Wanna go to eat out, the three of us together?"
Once again, it was as if Sasuke didn't even hear him. Despite wanting to get Sasuke to open up to him, Itachi took the hint and decided to leave.
"Well...if you ever want to talk to me about anything...just tell me, okay?" Itachi pleaded, hoping for an answer that never came.
Itachi left Sasuke's room, and were to the living room, which was rather big, but looked empty due to its bare furniture. At the very least, it had a couple of couches, one of them being occupied by Shisui.
"So, how did it go? Any progress?" the one-eyed Uchiha asked.
"No, still the same. But I can't blame him. How do you react when your older brother kills your father and half your clan?"
"Hey, don't beat yourself over it. He'll realize that you did the right thing. Right now, he needs some time alone to cope with this and deal with his feelings. Once he gets ready, he'll open up to you."
"You sound really sure."
"Come on Itachi, your brother worships the ground you walk on. He'll get out of his trance sooner or later."
"Still, I'm afraid that Sasuke will never be the same again. Nobody can go through an experience like this and remain unaffected. Things will never be like they were in the past. And that's not even taking into account the fact that almost all of Konoha hates us."
"So we will work to make things better! Come on Itachi, I know that what you did would left anybody scarred for life, but you need to be strong. Sasuke isn't going to get any better if his big brother is so sullen."
"And why are you so chipper? The guy who gouged out your eye got away scot free. I'd think you'd be seething in rage right now."
"And I would be...if I didn't have a date with the prettiest medic of Konoha," Shisui announced, his mouth forming a huge smile.
Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Shizune accepted going on a date with you? Did she lose a bet or something?"
Shisui crossed his arms. "You know Itachi, normally I wouldn't leave that jab unanswered, but that also means that you still have some sense of humor left, so there may be hope for you."
Itachi couldn't help but chuckle in response.
"By the way, I recently got a message from Nekobaa. She accepted my proposal of moving her shop to Konoha."
"Really? Those are good news," Itachi replied, smiling a little. "Right now, we're going to need all the possible allies."
"She said she was also doing it for Tamaki. That abandoned city wasn't place for a little girl. And she even said that she might enroll Tamaki on the Academy!"
"That's even better. Sasuke definitely could use a friend like her."
"Now that you mention it, Sasuke never made any friends in the Academy, right?" Shisui asked.
"Sadly, no. He was more preoccupied with his ninja training, and considered socializing a waste of time."
"That's awful. Maybe if he had some friends, they could help him deal with all this crap."
Itachi was pensive for a few seconds, when suddenly he realized something. "Shisui?"
"Yes?"
"Have you ever thought in getting an eye transplant? Because I'm sure Konoha has now plenty of Sharingan that nobody is using."
Shisui chuckled. "Funny thing, Shizune asked me the same. And the answer is that I don't want the eye of some stranger in my face, it feels creepy. I'll wait until I recover my other eye. In the meantime, I'll manage with one eye."
"That may never happen."
"Then so be it."
…
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly opened his eyes. He felt very weak. No, weak wasn't the word. He felt...numb. As if his brain barely noticed the rest of his body. Still, the sensation felt familiar. He probably guessed that it was the work of the many medicaments running through his body, as well as painkillers. Looking around, he realized that he was on a hospital room, lying on a bed.
And sitting besides that bed was a large, white haired man, glaring daggers at him.
"Took you long enough to wake up, you old monkey," Jiraiya spat at him. Sarutobi could see that his former student was angry at him, though he could also discern that it was the kind of anger born of worry.
Sarutobi chuckled. "It's that a way to talk to your sensei and Hokage, Jiraiya?" the Hokage weakly asked.
"It would be, if you were still Hokage," Jiraiya tossed a scroll at him. "You're in front of your new boss, sensei. And you tell your sons and grandkids that you love them."
Sarutobi opened the scroll, and immediately recognized it as his last will. "How can you have this? This was meant to unseal the moment I died."
"Oh, you were dead. For about three minutes, thanks Kami for our medics," Jiraiya said. Then his face morphed into a mask of fury. "What the hell were you thinking, sending your ANBU away and facing the Uchihas alone!? It's a miracle you're still alive!"
"Like I told Fugaku-san, I can defend myself, other people cannot," Hiruzen replied, meeting Jiraiya's angry stare with one of his own. "Speaking of which, what happened with him?"
"Dead. His brat killed him. As so are most of the Uchiha."
Sarutobi averted his gaze, and cursed inwardly. "That was...catastrophic, to say the least. Did at least any Uchiha survive?"
"Three, as far as we know: Fugaku's two brats, and Shisui. And hear this: Shisui claims that he was about to use some sort of Sharingan jutsu to stop the coup before it started, but he was assaulted by Danzo and stole one of his eyes. Do you know any of this?'"
Sarutobi sighed, and looked a Jiraiya with sad eyes. "Unfortunately, yes. Shisui was my trump card against the Uchihas. It would be a way to stop the coup without spilling blood. Fugaku told me that the last time Shisui was seen he was talking with some ANBU. This confirms my fears..."
"I already had Danzo and his installations searched, but the eye did not appear. Danzo claims Shisui's lying. Still, I believe that after what you said Fugaku told you we have enough evidence of his treachery to put him out of commission."
"Sadly, I don't believe that the testimony of an Uchiha, especially of a dead one, will hold much weight now. We will get Danzo, but not now. Just keep a close eye on him. Sooner or later, he will make a mistake, then we will act."
"I see," Jiraiya said standing up. "I better go back to the tower. I have a big-ass pile of paperwork with my name on it, and those two old farts of your teammates aren't going to give me the time of the day if I don't get started already."
"Ah, paperwork. That's something I'm definitely not going to miss," Hiruzen replied with a cheeky smile.
"I hope you enjoy the hospital food, because you're going to stay here a long time, sensei," Jiraiya mentioned, smiling back at him. "I'll pay you a visit whenever I have some spare time."
...
The next few days were hellish for Jiraiya. Between meetings, passing laws, approving missions, relationships with other villages and many other duties he had now, he swore he would go crazy at any time. He could almost hear the voice of Sarutobi, laughing at him from the hospital.
However, this particular meeting was something he was eager to get on with. In front of him was an androgynous looking boy –Jiraiya swore it was a girl before being corrected by the boy himself– who was a similar age to Naruto. Besides him, there was a tall, muscular man, completely wrapped in chains, and held in place by two ANBU.
"So, Zabuza Momochi," Jiraiya started, crossing his fingers under his chin. "You're quite far away from the Land of Water. Since your coup d'etat on Kirigakure failed, were you trying your luck in Konoha?"
"I have no interest in Konoha, Jiraiya. This was merely a job," Zabuza replied, not losing his cool. "By the way, what a surprise to see you here. My bingo book didn't say that you were back in Konoha, and as a Hokage no less."
"My promotion is a recent one. I got the job because your client put my boss out of commission. And honestly, I would have you executed right now and your head sent on a wrapped box to Yagura for helping the Uchiha. But luckily for you, this child here might save your sorry ass."
"Ah, yes, because of his Ice Release, right? Yes, Konoha has quite the fascination with the Bloodline Limits. Turn out Haku is an even better tool than I imagined," Zabuza said, chuckling.
After having his brain scanned by T&I the ANBU found the boy on a tent in the outskirts of Konoha. Apparently the kid was a survivor of the infamous bloodline purges from the Land of Water, and the last of his clan, no less. The opportunity to have another Bloodline Limit on Konoha was just too good to pass.
"So, the Demon of the Hidden Mist, your subordinates the Demon Brothers...is he the Demon Kid or something?" Jiraiya retorted. Then he regretted using that nickname, given that it was exactly how some villagers referred to Naruto.
"It would have been, had I have more time to train him properly," Zabuza replied.
"You're one of the last persons I'd imagine taking care of child, Zabuza."
"Haku has powers that I could have used in my goals, and I believe that you're going to do the same, right Jiraiya? Come on, let's stop beating around the bush and tell me what do you plan to do with us already."
"First of all, it's Hokage-sama to you, scum," Jiraiya spat, scowling at the Kiri Swordsman, while projecting some killing intent. "Now, this is what we're going to do. From the time being, you will be send to jail, and Haku here will attend our ninja Academy. Once Haku graduates, and if there's no incidents while you're there, you'll be out on probation. While on probation, you will carry out missions for the village. Once I believe your debt with the village is paid, both you and Haku will be released, free of any charge and to go wherever you please. As you can see, it's a pretty reasonable deal."
Naturally, Jiraiya didn't mention that his plan relied on the possibility of Haku growing attached to Konoha and not wanting to leave with Zabuza once the swordsman's probation ends. Zabuza already guessed this, but some things are better left unsaid.
"What if I refuse?" Zabuza tentatively asked.
"Then you will be immediately executed, and Haku will be send to a certain...acquittance of mine which will brainwash him into an obedient drone, and once he becomes old enough he'll be forced to have children with several women of Konoha in order to produce Ice Release users. Not a very good alternative for either of you.
"But this isn't just your choice," Jiraiya stared at Haku in the eyes. "What do you say, kid? Do you want to save your pal and become a Konoha ninja?"
Haku was trembling. He looked at Zabuza with fearful eyes as if looking for his approval. The Demon of the Hidden Mist merely nodded, and Haku echoed the gesture.
"Yes, I'd like to become a ninja of Konoha. But please, do not harm Zabuza-sama!" Haku pleaded.
"Zabuza won't receive any harm. He's going to go to prison. While it's hardly a pleasant place, I'm sure his reputation will keep him safe," Jiraiya said as he made a hand motion, and the ANBU took Zabuza away. Another couple of ninjas entered the office, a brown haired man that couldn't stop coughing, and a woman with long, purple hair.
"These are Hayate Gekko and Yugao Uzuki. They volunteered to take care of you as long as you stay here. I trust you'll be fine with them."
Haku looked at his new guardians, who smiled at him. Still, Haku's sadness did not disappear. He then turned back at the Hokage.
"Can I visit Zabuza-sama?"
"Yes, you can, as long as your legal guardians allow it," Jiraiya was already expecting that question, and had the prison visiting schedule on hand. "From what I can read here, you can visit him on Tuesdays and Fridays. Visits will be up to forty five minutes. Do you have anymore questions?"
Haku shook his head. "No, that's all, Hokage-sama."
"If that's the case, you may as well start to get acquitted with your new legal guardians."
Yugao took a step and grabbed Haku's hand. "Come on Haku-kun, now we'll show you your new home. You'll love living with us."
"I'm sure I will, Yugao-san," Haku replied, thought deep down he doubted it.
…
As Naruto walked towards the Hyuga compound, part of him screamed to turn back and return home. He knew that the Hyuga clan was among those most damaged by the coup, and they probably weren't in the mood to greet visitors. And even if they did, he wasn't sure if Hinata would want to see him.
But then again...he needed to see Hinata. Not because of him, but to check how she was doing and make sure that she knew he was there to support her. Seeing the compound entering his field of vision, Naruto sighed.
"Let's get this over with."
As expected, the gate was guarded by Tokuma Hyuga. Naruto smiled upon seeing that one of the few Hyuga he got to know besides Hinata and her immediate family managed to survive the debacle. He went to greet the gate sentinel.
"Hey, Tokuma! It's okay if I drop by?" Naruto asked, rubbing the back of his head. The Hyuga looked at him, and smiled.
"Of course, Naruto-san. You know you will always be welcomed here. Do you come here to see Hinata-sama?"
"Yeah. She was pretty down at the funeral, and I wanted to see how she's doing. Though maybe she doesn't want to see me..."
"Oh, I find that doubtful. While it's sure that Hinata-sama is taking Hiashi-sama's death as anybody would expect, I'm sure that seeing you would brighten her mood."
"Let's hope you're right," Naruto said, giving a hint of a smile. "If that's the case, then I won't keep her waiting."
As Naruto walked through the halls, he felt the compound was way more...empty than usual. The few Hyugas that ran into him often acknowledged him with a nod, but after asking them about Hinata, none of them gave him any clear answers. One of them told him that Hinata was in the main dojo training, but when he arrived there he found it empty.
"Are you looking for somebody?" a voice said behind him.
Naruto turned around, and saw another Hyuga. He was the boy Hinata would often spar against. Neji was his name, or so he thought.
"Yeah, I'm looking for Hinata. Do you know where she is?"
"Hinata-sama just finished her training, and is now having a bath. Hinata-sama likes to spend a long time in the bathtub, so I believe it will be at least half an hour until she's presentable," Neji explained. His tone was oddly neutral.
"I see..." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head again. "Your name was Neji, right?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Did you...did you lose somebody the night the Uchihas attacked?" Naruto asked.
Neji raised an eyebrow, taken aback by the boy's bluntness. But then again, whenever he heard his clansmen talking about Naruto, this was one of his perks they mentioned the most. The boy made quite an impression the first time Hinata brought him to the compound.
"No. Unless we count Hiashi-sama, my uncle. But then again, we were never exactly close, so his loss didn't have the same effect on me as if I lost my father."
"I didn't lose anybody either. Guess that we were luckier than Hinata."
"Luck has nothing to do with it. It was fate."
Naruto frowned. "Fate? You think Hinata's dad was meant to die?"
"I don't think it. I know it," Neji said, sure of himself.
"That's a bunch of nonsense! If Hinata's dad was predestined to die or something else, then he could have avoided it!"
"You're not getting it. I don't mean that I knew Hiashi-sama was going to die, but that his death was already set in motion by forces beyond our control, and there was nothing we could do about it."
"I'm not getting that either."
"Then allow me to use another example. Do you know about how our clan is divided?"
"Yeah. Hinata told me a bit about it, thought I didn't understand that either," Naruto replied, making Neji sigh.
"In that case I'll try to use the simplest terms possible. You see, in order to protect the secrets of the Byakugan, the clan is divided into two groups: the Main House and the Branch House. The Branch House is supposed to protect and serve members of the Main House. To ensure their obedience, and protect the Byakugan, we members of the Branch House wear the Caged Bird Seal," Neji pointed at the green seal on his forehead.
"Hey, I've been starting to study seals!" Naruto eagerly said. "What does your seal do?"
"When I die, the seal will destroy my Byakugan so enemies of Konoha won't be able to get it from my corpse. And a Main House member can use the seal to cause me an unbearable pain, should he or she choose to do it."
"But...that's horrible! Why do you allow such thing to happen?"
"Because we can't do nothing about it. You see, my father and Hiashi-sama were twins. But since Hiashi-sama was the older one, he got to be the clan heir, while his brother, my father, was marked with the seal, and made leader of the Branch House. That would mean that any children he had, namely me, would be fated to be part of the Branch House, and bear this cursed seal.
"Now, the night the Uchiha attacked, the Branch House members, such as my father, were tasked with protecting the children and the elderly from the Uchiha, and take them from the compound to one of the shelters, while the Main House members, such as Hiashi-sama, fought against the invaders. Many Main House members died that night, but almost no one from the Branch house.
"Had my father been born first, he would have died in place of Hiashi-sama. Do you understand it now?"
"I think I do. But I don't believe in that fate crap. So are you saying that me being Hokage or not has already been decided?"
"Yes. But I wouldn't worry if I were you. Your adoptive father has recently become Hokage, and his sensei was Hokage as well. Fate seems to be smiling at you in that regard, Naruto."
"That's nonsense! If dad became Hokage was because he worked hard to become an awesome ninja, not of because of that fate crap!"
"Believe what you want. That won't change the truth. By the way, your wait is already over," Neji said, looking at something or somebody behind Naruto. Naruto turned around, and saw Hinata in her usual clothes.
"Naruto-kun?"
"Hinata-sama, Naruto has come here to see you," Neji said, making a slight bow.
"Thanks for keeping him company, Neji-niisan."
"If you don't require anything more from me, I will take my leave then," Neji said. Hinata nodded, and her cousin left the dojo.
Now that Neji was out of the way, Naruto felt a bit more comfortable. "So Hinata...how's everything going?"
"It's...good. I'm trying to be strong. Thanks for your interest in my well-being, Naruto-kun. It means a lot to me."
"Hey, that's what friends are for!" Naruto replied, his mouth forming a foxy grin. "If you want anything, you only need to ask."
"You being here already lifts my spirits," Hinata assured, trying to smile. "So, what was Neji-niisan talking you about, Naruto-kun? I swear I hear him mentioning the Caged Bird Seal."
"Yeah, he told me about it. Why does half of your clan is forced to wear it?" Naruto said. He was clearly put off by such revelation. Hinata hoped that this wouldn't made him see her or her family in a negative light.
"It's...a tradition that has been present for generations. That doesn't make it anymore right. If I ever become clan head, I will try to convince everybody to abolish it. It hadn't done nothing but create strifes and misery, especially on Branch House members like Neji-niisan."
"So that's why he looks and acts so uptight?"
"Sadly, yes. Deep down, Neji-niisan is a kind and caring person, but the seal soured his spirit a bit. Back when we were little, he was the most cheerful boy around. He never stopped smiling."
"Well, guess what? Besides being Hokage, I will also help you become the next clan head so you can make the Hyuga better!"
"R-Really? That would be great, Naruto-kun."
"By the way, now that your father is...well...no longer with us," Naruto was struggling to address the issue in a delicate way, definitely not his forte. "Who's going to be the clan head? Your mom?"
Hinata nodded. "Yes. Fortunately, Mother also shares my views regarding the Caged Bird Seal and the division of the clan. Maybe together we can change things. Speaking of which, how is Tsunade-sama? I heard she was gravely wounded during the insurrection."
"Oh, she's fine! It takes something more than a blade to the gut in order to take mom out! She has to stay a couple more weeks at the hospital, but the doctors says she's fine."
Hinata sighed in relief. "Good to hear. I'd hate if you lost your mom."
"Hey, speaking of which, would you like to go with me to pay her a visit? He gets bored as hell in the hospital, and I'm sure she'd love seeing you."
Hinata smiled. "Of course, Naruto-kun. Let me change first into something more appropriate."
…
In the outskirts of Konoha, two figures were walking through a path that leaded towards the ninja village, one smaller than the other, and adult and a child, both redheads. One of them, the child, who wouldn't be older than nine, wore glasses.
"Look, Karin," the woman said, pointing into the distance. "Our long journey is finally over."
The girl, Karin, adjusted her glasses and narrowed her eyes to see the village better.
"Why do you think this place will be different from the others, mom?" Karin asked.
"Because I know that there's an Uzumaki here. Tsunade Senju, one of the Legendary Sannin. She will protect us."
"How can she be an Uzumaki if she's named Senju?" Kari asked, a bit flabbergasted.
"Because she also has Uzumaki blood running through her veins. Come on, once we meet her, she'll help us to set up a home in Konoha."
"I hope you're right, mom. I'm tired of being on the run all the time."
…
Once the ANBU allowed him to, Iruka entered the Hokage's office. Jiraiya was sitting on his desk, reading something.
"You called me, Hokage-sama?" the teacher asked.
"Yes, Iruka. Please take a seat," Jiraiya made a hand motion to an empty chair in front of him. Once Iruka sat down, the Sannin continued. "You see Iruka, I called you here because I'm about to do a...rather big reform on the Academy Curriculum."
Iruka shifted on his seat, feeling uneasy. "I see...and how big are we talking about?"
"Pretty big. You see, Tsunade-hime and I have been reviewing the curriculum and found it rather...lacking. But before we get into that, I'd like to discuss a big discrepancy when it comes to the Academy graduates."
"I don't think I'm following you, Hokage-sama."
"So far, the Academy graduation rate is nearly one hundred percent. Yet the True Genin Exam approval rate is just a merely 33%. From that 66% remaining, only about 5-10% actually return to the Academy to continue their careers. The rest decided to quit and move to civilian schools. That would mean that little more than about 35% percent of the Academy graduates actually become ninjas. Which means that 65% of the resources we invest in the Academy go wasted. Do you see where I'm going?"
Iruka's normally tan face paled. Much to his horror, he knew what Jiraiya was going to do. "Please Hokage-sama, don't cut our budget! It's small enough as it is! There are very few teachers, and we work as hard as we can to-"
"Whoa there, calm down, Iruka!" Jiraiya interrupted the panicked teacher, holding his hands up in defense. "Nobody mentioned budget cuts here. Just let me finish."
"Y-yeah. Sorry for the outburst, Hokage-sama. It was out of place."
"Like I say, relax. I know that you and your fellow teachers are doing your best. Now, with Tsunade-hime's help, we devised a new curriculum to make sure that the Academy Graduation Test will have the same approval rate as the True Genin Test. Take a look," Jiraiya said as he handled a folder to Iruka.
Iruka spend the following minutes carefully reading the teaching plan for each year. Turn out that Jiraiya wasn't exaggerating when he was talking about 'big' changes. He was unable to repress a couple gasps.
"Are you...are you sure you want to go through this? I mean, I even agree with some of these things like advanced chakra control, but isn't elemental ninjutsu too much for Academy students?"
"Why? Naruto is currently training to master his first wind jutsu, and I believe he'll have it down by the next month. And from what he told me, Sasuke Uchiha already knows the Great Fireball."
"It's not the same, Hokage-sama. Sasuke Uchiha has been trained by his clan, who was one of the most powerful on Konoha until recently. And Naruto has been trained by both you and Tsunade-sama. Other kids aren't that lucky."
"While I appreciate your compliments, you vastly overestimate me, Iruka," Jiraiya replied, crossing his fingers. Iruka raised an eyebrow, a bit confused. "Listen, while it's true that I can teach Naruto many things other Jonin can't teach their students, what I currently taught Naruto –and what the Uchihas taught Sasuke– is something that any Chunin can teach. I mean, you know elemental ninjutsu, right?"
"Indeed, Hokage-sama. fire and water."
"Then you're already qualified to teach such a thing."
"Still, I believe you're rising the standards way too much."
"Of course I am! We're ninja, in case you have forgotten it. We're going to send this children to situations in which they can potentially lose their lives. I did my best to ensure that Naruto had enough preparation to survive out there once he graduates, but now that I'm Hokage, all the village's future ninjas are my responsibility, and thus they're going to be held to same standard I hold Naruto.
"The Academy current curriculum is laughable. Seriously, all what it takes to be a ninja is three E-Rank ninjutsu? With a dedicated teacher, any kid Naruto's age will be able to master them in no time. I don't know why they don't teach them until the last year. No wonder the True Genin Test has such huge failure rates."
"While I agree with your reasoning, there's the problem of the schedule. There's no way to implement these new subjects without removing others."
"Then that's what we're going to do. I believe that the Academy focuses too much on theory, and neglects practice. While I believe that subjects like Maths or Geography are important, you have not just one but two subjects dedicated to explaining how Chakra works, yet neither include any kind of chakra control exercise. Same thing about this subject about the nature of genjutsus. Anyway, my plan is to implement this reform the next school year, so you may tell the news to your coworkers."
"I...of course, Hokage-sama. I'll tell them this the next time we meet," Iruka said.
"Good. If that's the case, then you're dismissed."
Iruka bowed his head before leaving the office. He didn't say anything in front of Jiraiya, but wasn't looking forward it. He knew that his coworkers would get really mad upon seeing all the radical changes Jiraiya was about to do.
Upon leaving the office, Iruka had the feeling that he was forgetting about something...something important he should had told the Hokage the moment he could talk to him...
…
Shortly after Iruka ledt the Hokage's tower, he was approached by a black haired kunoichi. He immediately recognized her as Tsubaki, Mizuki's fiance. This made him realize that he didn't see Mizuki again after the silver haired ninja decided to go into hiding. Tsubaki's worried face made Iruka realize that she shared the same worries.
Of course! That was what he was forgetting about. He didn't tell Jiraiya about Mizuki. With all the chaos that followed the insurrection, and how busy he was helping the village recover, he forgot about his silver haired coworker. Oh well, it wasn't too late.
"Ah, Iruka, can I talk with you?" Tsubaki asked.
"Yeah, sure, what do you need?" Iruka asked, even though he knew the answer.
"It's Mizuki...it seems that he has disappeared. Nobody knows anything about his whereabouts. You are the last person who saw him. Was he okay? Did the Uchihas wound him?"
"Well, during the battle, Mizuki and I...got separated..."
"What!? And why did you do such a thing?"
"We heard some criminals attacking civilians on different streets, so we split up in order to deal with them faster. But once I was done...well, I don't know where did he go..."
Tsubaki's last hopes of finding Mizuki slowly faded. Noticing her sorrow, the teacher decided to patch things up as best as he could.
"But hey, if Mizuki was dead, we would have already found his body, so I'm sure that he's somewhere, safe and sound.
"I...I guess you're right. I'll have to keep a positive mind. It's what Mizuki would have wanted."
"Indeed it is. Remember, if you need something, don't mind telling me."
"Yeah. Thanks Iruka. Now...I better go."
As he watched Tsubaki leave, Iruka wondered how much of what he said was actually true. He wanted to believe that Mizuki was still alive, but if that was the case...then where the hell was he? Anyway, he wouldn't be able to answer those questions on his own. Better he'd go back and tell the Hokage about Mizuki.
…
"HOKAGE-SAMA!" an ANBU with a rabbit mask frantically said as he burst into the Hokage's office. "Something terrible happened!"
Jiraiya sighed. Of course, something should go bad sooner or later. "First of all, calm down. And second, define 'terrible'. Unless somebody died, I'm sure we can find a solution."
"Well, we were checked the tower's inventory, and found that the Scroll of Seals is no longer here! Somebody must stole it during the coup d'etat!"
"What? Quick, alert all the ANBU! I want all the available squads to look for that scroll!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Jiraiya groaned loudly as he took his hands to his head. He wasn't even a month into the job, and something catastrophic already happened. In the wrong hands, that scroll could be a dangerous weapon. While he hoped the ANBU would find it, deep down he knew that the thief was probably far away from Konoha.
…
Far Away from Konoha
Mizuki walked through a small road surrounded by forests, with the Scroll of Seals tied to his back. During the chaos of the battle, he had sneaked into the very much unguarded Hokage Tower and took the scroll away while that old fool of a Hokage was fighting alone against the Uchiha. After that, leaving the village was easy.
He had predicted that they would take quite some time for the Konoha ninja to realize that their precious scroll had disappeared. Those days were all the head start he needed to avoid being captured.
Looking back, Mizuki felt a tinge of remorse for his actions. But said tinge quickly disappeared, and left no lasting impression.
"Konoha is pretty much on its deathbed. A ninja of my caliber has nothing to do on such a place."
As a last act of cutting ties with the village, Mizuki removed his bandana-style forehead protector, and tossed it away before resuming his journey.