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One year into the aftermath of the war, Iruka once again finds himself in Kumogakure.
More specifically, he is one among several shinobi accompanying the Godaime in her efforts to reconnect the great nations. It is a very sparse escort party, which itself is an oddity. While Iruka is not a stranger to an A-rank mission, it is rare than he would be called for one when Konohagakure is not in crisis. However, as he understands it, he is present in the envoy upon special request of Kumogakure’s officials.
Iruka is not a combat specialist or naturalist like Yamato. He is not the Hokage-to-be like Kakashi. And though he admires Tsunade, he is not someone particularly close to the Godaime, as he had been with the Sandaime Hokage. He is a teacher and prides himself on being well-versed on the history of the villages and he is involved in enough mission administration to have some idea of the economic crisis they may have ahead of them as the rate of shinobi missions slows. However, there are shinobi in the treasury who are just as aware if not more than Iruka of Konoha’s financial restructuring. His last experience in Kumo was a futile effort to prevent Naruto from joining the battlefield. On a surface level, it is difficult to understand why he is here.
Yet, he is grateful. The scholar in him loves to hear about Kumo’s natural resource-based economy and geographical landmarks, marked by waterfalls, mountain ranges, and a surprisingly harmonious relationship with wildlife, despite the tricky the terrain of the village. But more so, he is happy to look upon this village where their jinchūriki is so beloved to the people that the Raikage names him brother.
So as the day winds down into dusk, Iruka finds himself staring at the myriad of mountains that is their landscape, wind in his hair, and a mind full of questions that have nothing to do with the matters they’ve been called to discuss.
“Your thoughts look as big as the bluffs,” a familiar voice interrupts him.
Iruka turns. “Kakashi-san,” he says, offering him a distracted smile. “What brings you here?”
“The Hokage,” Kakashi replies, in good humour. His eyes lift up above his mask. “And you seemed as though you could use some company.”
Iruka inclines his head, which Kakashi takes as his cue to join Iruka where he stands at the railing. As if tracking him, from around a corner a large orange tabby cat emerges, darting between both of their legs.
Kakashi picks the cat up and scratches the creature behind the ears. “Friendly, isn’t she?”
Iruka agrees. “It’s one of the things I’ve been thinking about. Do you know why there are so many cats in Kumogakure now?”
Shaking his head, Kakashi moves closer, offering his new companion to Iruka in introduction. The cat ducks her head and closes her eyes, which Iruka takes as his cue to let the tabby sniff his hand. “Nii Yugito, the Nibi jinchūriki. Her bijū was a cat. Killer Bee tells me they’ve given the felines a place of honour since they lost her.”
“A good way to honour their friend,” Kakashi agrees sympathetically. As if in approval, the tabby rubs her head against the front of Kakashi’s vest.
Iruka smiles. “Yes. It makes me wonder... how Naruto might’ve grown up, if he were in a village like this.”
Kakashi’s eyes lower, losing the telltale crinkle of his smile. Iruka knows better than to think he’s only looking at the cat. “Did you know this mountain we’re staying on has changed its name a few times? Kumo wasn’t always so temperate. There was a time, before it was a shinobi settlement, when all of these mountains were topped with glaciers. Back then, the kanji used for its name meant something like ‘Abundance,’ and with time, and water erosion, we now know its name to mean ‘Open Mouth.’”
Iruka does know. This particular mountain has been used as a diplomatic site many times, and even if it weren’t in the Academy curriculum, he has a personal interest in history. But he’s been a teacher long enough to know when someone is trying to make a point.
“Is that so?” Iruka asks. He reaches out to pat the cat on her head, waiting for the other man to continue.
“Darui also tells me that during the Third Shinobi War, the Sandaime Raikage’s final battle made such changes to the landscape of Kumogakure, they had to consolidate shinobi and civilian schools for a time in order to allow the children to navigate it.”
That isn’t in their history books. Iruka huffs out a laugh. It is times like this when he appreciates the freedom to travel between villages openly. Knowledge and ideas flow in a way he imagines it ever has done before, even in the Shodaime’s time. “That’s news to me,” Iruka admits, intrigued.
“Me too,” Kakashi tells him. He sets the cat down but she remains with them, still party to their conversation. “There’s an advantage to living somewhere your footpaths are changing. We’re lucky, in Konoha, to be repaving those roads and making it easier for the younger generation to walk.”
It has not been lost on Iruka for all of this time that his mission partners all share at least one thing in common, aside from the need for a vacation: A student who has been determined to make a path for himself and others since the day they met. Iruka grins earnestly now. Maybe he does know why he’s here.
Iruka opens his mouth to reply, but finds himself diverted by their animal companion darting away from them, only to press herself against the legs of another member of their attaché.
“Yamato-san,” Iruka says, while Kakashi greets him with another name that is carried away by a gust of wind.
Crouching down so that he can pet the cat, Yamato asks them, “Are you busy? Samui has invited us to observe one of the Kumogakure’s academy night classes.”
Kakashi and Iruka catch each other’s eyes and nod. Iruka stands up straighter, putting his hands on his hips. “No, I think we’re free to listen.”