• Four years later….
    “So, Koneko, are you ready to go?” Inuan asked. Koneko nodded. It was her first day at the Stone Village Academy, and she had been looking forward to it ever since her brother graduated.
    “Good luck, Koneko,” Nekoa said. “Work hard and do your best.”
    “Okay, Mom,” Koneko said, and she headed out. It had been four years since she witnessed the Nine-Tailed Fox attack on the Leaf, and she was hoping to forget about it.
    Later, Koneko, Inuan, and Okami met up with Koneko’s Academy teacher. “Ah, you must be Okami,” the teacher said.
    Okami nodded. “You already know my son, Inuan,” he said.
    “Hello, Kanto-sensei,” Inuan said.
    “I’d like you to meet my daughter, Kuriimuiro Koneko,” Okami continued. “She’ll be one of your students this year.”
    “Well, Koneko, as you already know, I taught your brother here five years ago,” Kanto said, “and he was an amazing student. Can I count on you to be just as good?”
    “I can try,” Koneko said. “Good,” Kanto said.
    Later, Koneko was sitting in her seat minding her own business when she felt something cold go down her shirt. “Hey!” she yelled.
    “Ha, ha,” a boy said. “Gotcha!”
    “Daisuke!”
    “Huh?”
    “How many times have I told you not to drop ice down Koneko’s shirt?” Kanto said.
    Daisuke stuck out his tongue. “It’s not my fault she’s afraid of water!” he said.
    “I am not!”
    “Are too!”
    “Am not!”
    “Are too!”
    “Daisuke, that’s enough!” Kanto said. “One more time and you’re staying after school. Got it?”
    “Humph.”
    “Sensei, can I get a drink?” Koneko asked. Kanto nodded and Koneko got up to get a drink. Stupid Daisuke, she thought. Just because my name means kitten doesn’t mean I’m afraid of water!
    After school, Koneko went to the training grounds behind her house and practiced her throwing. “Oh, Koneko,” Nekoa said. “How was school?”
    “Terrible,” Koneko said. “This kid named Tatsu Daisuke kept dropping ice down my shirt, even after Sensei told him to stop.”
    “So, you’re stuck sitting in front of the class punk,” Inuan said. “That stinks.”
    Nekoa sighed. “Try asking your teacher if you can sit somewhere else tomorrow,” she said.
    “That won’t work, Mom,” Koneko said. “He even bothers me at recess and during lunch.”
    That night, Koneko was asleep when she heard a rustling sound. She woke up and turned on her bedside lamp. “Is someone there?” she asked. The rustling continued.
    Koneko crept down the hall and out the door, following the sound. “If this is you, Daisuke, it’s not funny,” she said. She checked the bushes and saw nothing. She sighed.
    “Boo!”
    “Yikes!”
    “Ha, ha, ha! Gotcha again!” Daisuke said.
    “That’s not funny!” Koneko said. “How did you find out where I live?”
    “Girl, I live like two blocks away,” Daisuke said. “It’s pretty much a no-brainer.”
    “Go away, Daisuke!” Koneko said.
    “Why should I?”
    “Because if you don’t, I’ll get my brother, or worse, my dad.”
    A light went on in Koneko’s parents’ room. “Hey! What’s going on out there?” Okami said, opening the window. “Koneko, why are you out of bed?”
    Koneko pointed an accusing finger at Daisuke. “He was making a bunch of noises, so I came to check it out,” she said.
    “Daisuke, I suggest you leave immediately before I call your parents,” Okami said. “Someone in this family will have his first B-rank mission tomorrow.”
    Daisuke crossed his arms and went home. “Humph.”
    One year later….
    “Congratulations, Koneko,” Nekoa said. “I am so proud of you.”
    Koneko fingered her new Stone Village headband. “Thanks,” she said. “I can’t wait to see who my teammates will be!”
    “Well, we’ll know soon enough,” Okami said.
    Kanto went up to Koneko and smiled. “You did a fantastic job, Koneko,” he said. “You graduating near the top of the class, I couldn’t be any happier.”
    Koneko looked around. “Mom, where’s Nii-san?” she asked.
    Nekoa sighed. “Your brother has been acting strange lately,” she said. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”
    “That boy has indeed been up to something,” Okami said. “I’m afraid I don’t know what though. He’s been acting strange since you turned seven.”
    Later, Koneko was at home getting ready to go meet her team when Inuan showed up. “Oh, Nii-san,” she said. “Mom and Dad said you’ve been acting strange lately. What’s going on?”
    “That’s none of your concern, foolish sister,” Inuan said coldly. Koneko gasped. Inuan had never called her that before. “Nii-san, why are you…?”
    “I said, shut up!” Inuan yelled. His attire had changed along with his attitude. He began wearing dark gray more often, and his hair was noticeably longer. He glared coldly at his sister before walking away. Nii-san….
    “Good afternoon, students,” the teacher said. “My name is Fume, and I will be your sensei. Now why don’t you introduce yourselves, starting with you?”
    “My name is Nin Bomu,” a young boy said. “My goal in life is to be a splendid shinobi and one day serve Lord Tsuchikage.”
    “Okay,” Fume said. He turned to the other boy. “Now you.”
    “My… my name… is… Ha-Hamento A-Anton,” he said. “M-my goal is to, um, become a highly skilled J-Jonin.”
    “Interesting. Now for the young lady.”
    “My name is Kuriimuiro Koneko,” Koneko said. “Honestly, I don’t know what my goal is yet.”
    “Well, I’m sure you’ll figure it out as time goes by,” Fume said. “Until then, just do your best. Any questions?”
    No one had any. “None? Okay then,” Fume said, “let’s get started!”
    Later that day, Koneko was lying on her bed thinking about her brother’s behavior. Why was he acting so strange? What is he planning? Nii-san…. Why?
    Koneko heard a knock at her door. “Koneko?” came a voice.
    “Huh?”
    “Are you alright? You’ve been awfully quiet recently.”
    “I’m fine, Mom. I was just thinking.”
    “Okay. Well, it’s time for dinner.”
    “Okay, Mom.”
    After dinner, Koneko practiced her throwing techniques in her backyard when Inuan showed up again. He didn’t say anything, but Koneko knew he was there. She threw another kunai before turning around. The kunai hit the bull’s-eye.
    “Nii-san, why are you acting so strange?” Koneko asked. “Mom and Dad are starting to get worried.”
    “The same question will get the same answer,” Inuan said. “It’s none of your business, foolish sister, so shut up.”
    Foolish sister? Why is he calling me that? He never called me that before. “Please, Nii-san, quit acting this way,” Koneko said. “You never acted this way before.”
    “People change as time passes, Koneko, so deal with it,” Inuan said coldly, and walked away.
    ___________________________________________________________________

    “So wait,” Kare said, “you mean Inuan started acting weird since you turned seven?”
    Koneko nodded. “Back then, I thought he was just putting on an act. I had no idea that he was planning something against the Stone Village.”
    “I still don’t know why you had to mention Daisuke,” Naruto said. “I’ve had enough trouble from him already.”
    “Well, knucklehead, get over it,” Kare said. “It’s over and done.”
    “It’s a shame that you suffered a lot of trouble at the age of seven, Koneko-san,” Lee said.
    “That’s not even half of it,” Koneko said. “The worst part came when I was eleven. Inuan started isolating himself more often, especially in the months following my eleventh birthday.”