"Iruka, put that away," the Hokage referred to the kunai sensei held. "There is no need for that."

"Sandaime! I-I did not expect to see you here!" Iruka exclaimed immediately putting his kunai away.

"Yes, well," he started walking towards Naruto and I, "I had a break in paperwork and thought I'd stop by the academy." Jii-chan patted Naruto's head affectionately as he passed and then knelt in front of me. I blinked tears out of my eyes and seeing this, he wrapped me into a hug. "Oh, Hoshi. You're both quite protective of each other, aren't you?"

Jii-chan's presence caused a sudden sense of relief to overwhelm me and I relaxed my shoulders hugging him back. A small pop was heard and I looked back up to see the chain burst and drizzle down my blue chakra. As some chakra droplets came down on me, I stared fascinated as they reabsorbed themselves into my skin. Some even landed on Jii-chan and absorbed into his skin as well. The rest simply fell to the ground and dissipated. Eyes wide at this, I looked up at Jii-chan and asked worriedly, "Am I in trouble?"

"No," he pulled away with a smile. "In fact, I believe congratulations would be in order!"

"Huh? Jiji, what are you talking about?" Naruto cut in loudly.

"Congratulations?" I tilted my head. Did I seriously just get praised for punching Hibachi and kicking his glasses friend in the nuts? "I thought I'd be in trouble."

He chuckled. "Why would you be in trouble for something you can't control? Hoshi-chan, you've just awakened your kekkei genkai," Jii-chan clarified while getting back up turning to Iruka.

Loud chatting broke out in the circle of onlooking students, but I just looked to Naruto and whispered, "What's a kekkei genkai?"

Bloodline limit. Genetic traits.

Naruto shrugged just as confused as I was, "I dunno. Although, whatever that chain was, it wasn't coming from your seal. He's probably talking about that."

The Hokage began talking with Iruka-sensei away from our hearing. Iruka seemed very surprised about whatever they were talking about and quickly nodded only to walk over to us. After a slight hesitation, he knelt in front of us and took a deep breath before he requested, "No more fighting, okay? I can't have either of you attacking other students."

Naruto humphed crossing his arms and I simply replied with a request of my own, "Next time, can you give us a lesson that almost everyone is ready to do? Right now, most cannot do the clone jutsu so try giving us chakra exercises. Not only would we increase our chakra reserves, but we'd strengthen our chakra control for performing the jutsus we'll end up using as well."

Iruka blinked at my detailed suggestion and scratched the back of his head, "I'll be sure to do that?"

"And I give no promises to your previous request," I added bluntly.

Iruka-sensei sighed, "Wait until we get to sparring sessions next year if you can, especially you Naruto."

"Did you just give us an excuse to beat them up a year from now?" Naruto asked excitedly with a grin.

Sensei's eyes widened, "I never said that!"

"Sounded like that to me!" I giggled.

"Ah, Iruka," the Hokage interrupted us and sensei stood back up. "Would you mind terribly if I borrow Naruto and Hoshi for the morning? I'll be sure to bring them back after lunch."

"Yes—I mean no! I don't mind!" Iruka gave both Naruto and I a gentle push towards the Hokage.

Jii-chan glanced at the two brats I had attacked that were still over on the edge of the clearing. Glasses friend seemed to have recovered and was helping Hibachi with his broken nose. A few students had gathered around them, some laughing and others trying to help as well. "I believe Hibachi is in need of some medical treatment."

"Of course, Hokage-sama! I'll take him to the hospital," Iruka replied then considered the rest of the class who still were chatting and yelled out, "Everyone, this has just become a free period! Please use this time productively and return to class after lunch!"

The Hokage waved this off. "There is no need for that. I can take care of this," he said as he walked over breaking through the circle of students before kneeling in front of Hibachi who was clutching his nose. Running over, I shoved through the other kids and watched as Jii-chan's hand became surrounded by blue chakra and after a moment turned green. Placing it over-top of Hibachi's nose, I was amazed when his hand eventually pulled away and the nose was completely healed.

Hibachi rubbed his nose with his face down before mumbling a thank you towards the Hokage. I was oddly satisfied to see him completely flushed in embarrassment, but was too interested in how his nose had just been healed to enjoy the moment of victory. I mean, I knew that once you went to the hospital that they had some miracle heal that could mend broken bones or close wounds; I just didn't know how. So, curious for answers, I walked over and asked, "How did you do that?"

"You could say that one of my old students was very…insistent that I know basic medical ninjutsu," the Hokage stood and eyed me with a side smile as we walked back over to Naruto. "You should recognize her by the title Nee-chan."

"Tsunade-nee was your student?" I gawked. "But you're too old to be her sensei!"

"I recall you said something like that to me before," he gave me a reproving expression. "Something along the lines of me being too old to be the Hokage?"

"I did?" I blushed as I heard Naruto laugh clearly remembering the apparent conversation. "I'm sorry, Jii-chan!"

"It is in the past," he sighed before pulling out his pipe and lighting it. "Are you both ready to go? We have much to talk about."

"Un," I smiled following as he walked ahead. The other students stared at us whispering when we began to leave, but abruptly paid attention to sensei instead since he began to give directions for something along the lines of chakra exercises.

"Can we go to Ichiraku's?" Naruto asked excitedly once we left the academy grounds.

My eyes brightened at the thought, "Yeah! Can we?"

"Didn't you go to Ichiraku's after visiting me yesterday?" the Hokage asked Naruto with a raised brow.

"Yeah, but it's the best! So, are we going? Are we going?" Naruto tugged Jii-chan's arm in the direction of the restaurant and I grabbed the other arm joining in the tugging.

"I suppose we can go," he gave in.

"Yatta!" we cheered and ran ahead.

Naruto burst into Ichiraku's with me only a second behind. Teuchi who was behind the counter was startled and jumped, but quickly grinned at the two of us. "Well if it isn't Naruto and Hoshi! I haven't seen you in a while young lady. And Naruto, are you skipping class again?"

"Actually, he has a perfect excuse not to be in class today," Jii-chan pushed a cloth aside to walk in.

"Hokage-sama, what a nice surprise!" Teuchi grinned. "So what can I get for you all?"

"Miso!" Naruto immediately called and then looked over to me. I nodded. "Make that two!"

"I suppose I'll have the same," the Hokage decided.

"Alright! Three miso ramen coming right up! The shop just opened so the water's still heating up, but I'll have it right out in a few," Teuchi waved as he walked into the back.

"So what'd you want to talk to us about, Jiji?" Naruto turned and asked.

"And what's a kekkei genkai?" I questioned. "Is it that chain that came out of my back? It was weird and made of my chakra."

"Well, this is actually what I wanted to talk to you both about," Jii-chan said. "A kekkei genkai is a jutsu or technique only available through inheritance in blood."

"Uh," I gave a blank face. "So my blood is a jutsu?"

"I don't get it," Naruto rested his chin on the palm of his hand.

"How about I put it this way," the Hokage looked up in thought. "Kekkei genkai is a general term for a jutsu only a single family can perform due to it being passed down by their family."

"So it's like the Yamanaka mind techniques?" I asked.

"No. Although that is a close guess. Those are hiden techniques that are taught to each of the family members through specialized training. The Yamanaka mind jutsus, as well as other hiden techniques of other clans, are technically capable of being used and taught to others outside their clan. Most clans tend to keep these techniques secret, but the some don't. The Yamanaka clan is such a case, but they are quite masterful at their jutsus compared to those outside the clan that have attempted them."

"So what's a kekkei genkai then?" Naruto asked.

"A technique or ability passed down genetically or through blood relation. It isn't necessarily taught so much as instinctively done," Jii-chan explained. "You recall the Hyuga's eye technique, correct?"

"The Bwakyucan or something," Naruto answered easily. "Of course I remember! They always knew where I ran when they used that."

"It's called the Byakugan and that is a kekkei genkai since no other person outside the clan is capable of using such a technique unless through…other means," he finished with a small cough. "The Uchiha clan's Sharingan is a kekkei genkai as well. These two kekkei genkai have a more specific name since they both revolve around their eyes. They're called dojutsu."

"So I awakened a kekkei genkai?" I asked. "That chakra chain is a kekkei genkai?"

"Yes and no," the Hokage sighed puffing his pipe. "I believe it is a kekkei genkai and others will now know it as a kekkei genkai, but whether or not it is one is questionable. It is a relatively new technique that had started sprouting up in the Uzumaki clan years ago, but only in a small minority of females. It was for this reason that it was never classified as a kekkei genkai."

"So, I can't get it?" Naruto frowned. "Damn my masculinity."

I laughed at this, "You could get it! You never know."

Jii-chan looked down to Naruto. "You mother had been able to use the chains. It was the reason she was here in Konoha actually," he revealed then looked to me. "Her elder sister, your mother, was said to be a user too. So, I am not too surprised the trait appeared in you as well."

"Why was my mom in Konoha?" Naruto asked engrossed in the conversation. "What'd the chains have to do with her being here?"

"That is a story for another day," the Hokage exhaled some smoke and then gave a small smile to us.

"But I wanna know now!" Naruto jumped up just as Teuchi returned from the back carefully balancing three bowls in his arms.

"Here you go!" Teuchi grinned setting the bowls in front of us. "Enjoy!"

All of us grabbed chopsticks and broke them apart. Naruto dug into his bowl after saying a quick itadakimasu while Jii-chan and I ate at a more moderate pace. "Ne, that green chakra is medical ninjutsu, right?" I asked Jii-chan.

He regarded me with a pleased expression, "That's correct! Are you interested in it?"

"Inoichi-sensei said Nee-chan was the best at it," I thought out loud. "Do you think I can learn too?"

"If you want, I can even set you up for lessons at the hospital," the Hokage nodded thoughtfully. "They always are looking for younger kids to join the program, especially those still in the academy. It means they have a longer time to train future medics more thoroughly."

"I've never been to the hospital before," I muttered. "Oh! Did Hound-nii have to go to the hospital?"

"Is he okay?" Naruto chimed in.

"His fever broke this morning," I added, "but he wouldn't wake up."

"He's fine," the Hokage assured us. "I asked a nurse to stop by and she reported that he was simply over-exhausted. Probably from his last mission."

"So he just needs rest," Naruto whispered. "That's good."

"Jii-chan, what were you really doing at the academy?" I changed the topic. "You never leave the office this time of day."

"You would know, wouldn't you?" he smiled over at me. "That chakra sense of yours is quite a gift."

"Don't avoid the question," I puckered.

"It's just as I said to Iruka," Jii-chan held. "I had a break in paperwork and thought I'd visit the academy for a bit."

"Uh huh," I narrowed my eyes and flashed my chakra sense. "Your chakra has lie written all over it."

"Another bowl please!" Naruto called.

A reply of, "On it," was faintly heard from the back.

Jii-chan blinked and chuckled, "So your chakra sense is capable of such things too! Well then, I came to check on how Iruka was doing with his new class and to see how you were enjoying your first day at the academy."

"Or you were using us as an excuse to get out of some paperwork," Naruto pointed out as his new bowl of ramen was set in front of him.

"Or that too," the Hokage said guiltily. "That obvious?"

I smiled and lightly smacked his hand, "Bad, Jii-chan."

Shaking his head, the Hokage turned to Naruto, "So that clone jutsu you did earlier…you said that you did the jutsu just fine before. Care to elaborate?"

Naruto finished a slurp and scratched the back of his neck, "You saw that? I can do better, I promise! I did twenty clones before and was able to bring the amount down to ten after some more practice!"

The Hokage raised his eyebrows, "Twenty you say?"

"Yeah, I just haven't been working on chakra control so I flunked it today, but I bet after a few hours of practice, I'd be fine again!" Naruto defended.

"He can," I verified. "I was there when he did, but his chakra is starting to get too large to control again. That's why he couldn't today."

"Really now?" Jii-chan looked between us as he pushed his finished bowl away. "It seems both of you have been working hard lately."

"Of course!" Naruto sat back having finished his second bowl as well. "I have to take that hat from you one day because I'm going to be the best Hokage ever dattebayo! So I have to practice!"

"You sure will," Jii-chan nodded setting his pipe back between his teeth.

Naruto looked up at him wide eyed. "You really believe that?" he asked hopefully. "You really think I'm going to be the best Hokage?"

"I don't see why not," he replied. "It's not easy though. It involves a lot of paperwork…which I should probably be getting back to."

I snorted and finished my own bowl. "I guess we better get going then," I said. Pulling out my wallet, I was about to pay when Jii-chan covered my hand and placed money on the counter himself. I smiled up at him and hopped off my stool. After a quick goodbye to Teuchi, we all left the restaurant and headed back to the academy where the Hokage was going to drop us off.