[TOMO POV:]

During my time as the Sarutobi clan's matron, I've met many kids, each of whom has had their own stories and dreams for the future. However, even with my extensive experience, I've yet to figure out Aoki.

Sasuke, for example, is a headstrong boy who marches forward with bullish pride. The boy dreams of making a name for himself and living up to the expectations of his late parents, even though he never talks about them, I can tell that he loved them very much. The boy's been here since they both were lost in the third great ninja war and since then he's never once taken a step back from his goal to be a powerful ninja.

The kids who've moved on from this place share many characteristics with Sasuke and each other, the new one however barely does.

Sometimes he acts with maturity not expected of someone his age, at those times I think that maybe he has the makings of a genius… but at other times…

I looked over at Aoki teasing Sasuke about his bald head once again while running away with a crooked smile on his face, he had found a tick that would incite the bald boy to give it his all and had been using it relentlessly.

'At least he livens the place up…' I thought, a small smile forming. Occasionally kids would live here temporarily while their parents left for missions, Sasuke never tried to befriend them before but since Aoki was staying, they had quickly grown close.

I hoped that they would brush off on each other. Sasuke could do with a little help in the intelligence department and Aoki had lots of that to spare, Aoki however needed to act a little more his age, sometimes the way he acted reminded me of more of the geezers living in the compound than a kid. I remember almost chortling the first time I walked in on him sipping a cup of coffee while reading a newspaper, the boy's feet couldn't even touch the ground from the couch he sat on! It was ridiculously funny.

I enjoyed watching the kids have fun, but my smile fell as I realised what it was that they were doing. To most, it might've looked like the boys were running around and playing but the occasional throw of a pebble at a target combined with the roughhousing made it clear to me. They were practising.

The dream to be a ninja was the one shared quality that Aoki had with the other children she met, as smart as Aoki was, he knew nothing.

These boys knew nothing.

The villagers knew nothing.

Even the Hokage knew nothing.

It was me who spent time with the next generation, it was me who got to know them, it was me who actually talked to them… I knew them best. And they are not killers. They are not ready, they never were.

How many times have I waved goodbye to a child only for them to never return? How many times have I opened the door to meet another lost baby, deserted by their parents? How many grieving wives and husbands have I met, abandoned by their partner?

A flash of a memory appeared in my mind, the life I lived back then felt so alien from this one that it might as well not have been mine, I had to physically shake my head to throw the memories off, right now it was the kids who mattered.

I know I cannot stop them.

Aoki is too arrogant, a child declaring himself a ninja who will go on to surpass Hiruzen, how many have said that before? None have even come close. Sasuke is too headstrong, wanting to avenge his parents, but he may find himself joining them soon. I was especially nervous as the end of the school year was coming up, and Aoki would join in a couple of months…

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I looked over at the twins, one was tossing a ball around while the other buried his nose in a book. They too would one day try to become ninjas.

How did the village elders live with themselves? The teachers at the academy, have they no heart? Taking children in, teaching them the bare necessities and throwing them out into a hungry world; to either be devoured or grow strong enough to become the devourers… it's sickening.

I stopped scrubbing the pot, unconsciously I had scrubbed it clean off a few layers of clay. With a sigh, I placed it on the rack and went to brew myself some coffee.

Maybe I think like this… because I too am weak.

I don't know.

I wish I had someone to talk to…

I looked down at my hand, the ring finger that was coated in soap was otherwise barren, I had taken the band off long ago. Was it after the tenth or twelfth child that I gave up? I didn't know.

This world is cruel. And I could do nothing about it.

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[AOKI POV:]

*BOOMF!*

My back hit the ground with force as I was thrown down, I wasted no time in rolling over and recovering, getting up quickly to see what my opponent was up to.

Sasuke's face was focused and laden in sweat; he sported a similar stance to the one he was in when we started, however, I could notice how tired he was. His arms weren't held as high as they should be, his elbows were tucked in too far and his legs were straight as opposed to having a slight bend that would allow him to move quicker.

It was time to make my move.

I slammed my foot down on the floor and all but leapt towards Sasuke, I will not waste the small window of opportunity I've finally been given.

In both skill and experience Sasuke was much better than me, not only had he received specialised training from academy instructors, but he had sparred with people close to his skill level and honed his decision-making in fights.

I didn't have any of that, but I still had confidence in winning.

I ran forward, not hiding my intentions of grappling the boy, my energy still as high as it was at the start.

*THOOMP*

I wrapped my arms around Sasuke's waist and tackled him to the floor, as I was about to press my palm to his neck to cement my victory, Sasuke twisted his body, his snakelike legs wrapping around me and somehow switching our positions. Even with how tired he was, Sasuke pressed his palm to my neck, signifying his victory.

I had lost.

Sasuke rolled off me, taking deep breaths next to me on the dirt floor as I just lay there contemplating my loss. We had come to the outskirts of the clan compound to try out sparring away from prying eyes, the dirt floor didn't provide the best environment for it but it was good enough. I was able to think clearly about the match as birds tweeted and trees rustled around me.

'My idea of attacking him when he was tired was correct, waiting for him to catch his breath would've just dragged this fight on longer… maybe I would've won that battle of attrition but… ah I guess I was too impatient.'

I didn't let this loss bog me down though, I had lost the spar but it wasn't the end of the world. This was only our third spar, in the next one I wouldn't make the same mistakes I did now. I turned to Sasuke to ask him if he was ready for another one but judging by how much he was sweating, I let the boy have some more time to rest.

"Wh-ugh… when you start… the academy… you'll be a freak…" Sasuke said between breaths. The word "freak" kinda surprised me but I knew he didn't mean anything bad by it so I took it as a compliment.

I smiled and helped Sasuke up, the sweat made his bald head shine even more in the sunlight, I wondered if he could ever use that as a weapon someday…

I stacked that in my 'Ways to annoy Sasuke' folder I created in my brain for later use, the boy's temperamental nature was fun to mess around with.

Sasuke and I sat around for a little while longer, chatting about the academy, its teachers, when the school year was going to end and so on. I learned from him that winter break was coming up soon, there would be a month-long break for Sasuke and the other kids before they opened the school back up, and it was then that I would receive the chance to join.

I almost wished I could press fast-forward on my life to a couple of months later, it seemed so far in the future and I knew that because I was so excited to start, it would feel like even longer.

We decided to call it quits for the day and headed inside when we arrived, we were both stunned to see the visitor who had arrived.