After successfully joining the Princess Gale production, Akio naturally took Tsukika to meet the actress playing Princess Gale herself: Fujikaze Yukie.
As the heroine of the first Naruto theatrical movie, Akio still remembered Yukie better known as Koyuki Kazahana.
Back in his previous life, when the movie had first come out, the internet hadn't been nearly as convenient as it was now. Akio had gone through considerable trouble just to find a copy.
Needless to say, the movie had left an impression.
As he remembered it, Koyuki's personality had initially been terrible. She was completely different from the cheerful woman she portrayed on screen. She had spent years running away from her past and refusing to return to the Land of Snow.
It wasn't until Naruto gave her a very direct lesson in courage that she gradually changed for the better.
So Akio hadn't exactly been looking forward to meeting her.
Yet, to his surprise, the Koyuki standing before him had a warm, sweet smile.
She wasn't particularly enthusiastic about Akio and his strange title of "Great-grandpa," but she absolutely adored little Tsukika.
Akio stared at her suspiciously.
"She doesn't look like she's interested in an old man like me at all…"
"Where did I go wrong?"
Tsukika got exactly what every young fan could dream of: an autograph from her favorite actress and even a hug.
She was so happy that her little canine teeth were showing, and by the time they headed home that evening, she practically floated down the street.
Akio, meanwhile, was completely baffled.
He seriously wondered whether he was developing some kind of memory problem.
Had he somehow forgotten the entire story?
...
The Next Day — Kushina's Home
"Great-grandpa, Naruto said his team accepted a mission to escort the Princess Gale production to the Land of Snow for filming. They're leaving today, so…"
"Yep."
Akio smiled.
"I'll be looking after both kids for you at once. That means you and Minato can enjoy a peaceful month or two together."
Kushina laughed and shook her head.
"We're almost forty, you know…"
She paused.
"Minato is actually planning to take Tenten on as a student."
"Oh?"
Akio raised an eyebrow.
He gathered the bags of supplies Kushina had prepared for Tsukika and sealed them inside his storage space.
"That's a good idea. Tenten has Two-Tails chakra inside her. If she's attacked again someday, learning the Flying Thunder God Technique could give her a reliable means of escape."
"Flying Thunder God isn't exactly easy to learn."
Minato smiled from nearby.
"Believe in Tenten."
Akio nodded.
"Tsukika! Tsukika! Are you dressed yet? We're leaving!"
Tsukika emerged from her room one slow step at a time.
Tears shimmered in her eyes.
"I'm ready. Mom, Dad… I'm going with Great-grandpa."
This was the first time she'd be away from her parents for such a long stretch of time.
The little girl clearly wasn't ready to let go.
After a long, tearful goodbye, Akio finally took Tsukika with him.
Children recovered quickly, though.
By the time they were halfway there, Tsukika was already cheerful again.
"Huh? Big Brother Idiot is coming too? Seriously?"
Akio smiled and led her into the theater.
"Look up. Who's on the ceiling?"
Above them, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were standing upside down on the ceiling, chakra keeping their feet firmly attached to the surface.
They were apparently trying to watch the movie from the ceiling.
Tsukika stared.
Her huge eyes spun for a moment before she shouted:
"Big Brother Idiot! Sasuke! Sakura! Why are you standing on the ceiling?!"
The theater went completely silent for a heartbeat.
Then chaos erupted.
"Who let that brat in here?!"
"Are you trying to sneak in without paying?!"
Akio couldn't help laughing.
He grabbed Tsukika and hurried upstairs, leaving the chaos behind him.
His work here was done.
...
Now that they were officially part of the production, nobody stopped them.
The two made their way upstairs and found Koyuki.
And once again, she greeted them with that sweet smile.
But something else was strange.
Every now and then, she would suddenly giggle to herself with the dreamy expression of someone hopelessly smitten.
Akio narrowed his eyes.
"Something isn't right."
He remembered that Koyuki was supposed to flee after learning that the production would be traveling to the Land of Snow.
That was how she originally ended up crossing paths with Team Seven.
"Could I really have remembered the story that badly?"
Unable to shake the feeling, Akio decided to probe indirectly.
He turned toward Sandayū.
"We're heading to the Land of Snow to film, right?"
As he asked, Akio carefully watched Koyuki's reaction.
She didn't even flinch.
"That's right. The Land of Snow."
Sandayū nodded.
"It's a distant northern country with freezing temperatures. You two don't seem to have brought many winter clothes, though."
Akio waved his hand.
A large bundle of warm clothing suddenly appeared.
"Of course we brought some. Here they are."
He smiled proudly.
"You forgot. I'm a special-effects expert!"
Sandayū stared at the bundle.
...
He'd already seen Akio perform his "special effects" the previous day.
But he still had one burning question.
What kind of school had trained this guy?
Because Sandayū desperately wanted to enroll.
Koyuki, meanwhile, had seen Akio's trick for the first time.
She covered her mouth with one hand, staring in astonishment.
Tsukika giggled.
"Sister Yukie, Great-grandpa is amazing! He can even make tornadoes like the Demon King!"
She paused proudly.
"But you're still cooler! Great-grandpa can't even use Rainbow Chakra like Princess Gale!"
Akio covered his face.
This kid…
"Knock, knock, knock."
Someone knocked on the door.
Sandayū stopped and went to answer it.
"Cool~! Great-grandpa and Tsukika are here?"
The eccentric director appeared outside.
"The movie downstairs just finished. Everyone needs to gather so we can prepare to leave, Sandayū."
Akio pursed his lips.
The movie had already finished screening.
So Koyuki really wasn't going to run away.
The entire story had already changed.
Tsukika, however, was much more interested in something else.
"Director! What role did you give me?"
The director's eyes lit up.
"How about you play a princess too, Tsukika?"
"A princess?"
"A little princess from a fallen kingdom! You join Princess Gale's team and help her take revenge against the Demon King!"
He threw both hands into the air.
"COOL~!"
Akio covered his forehead.
Tsukika's eyes sparkled.
"Cool!"
Great.
Now she'd caught it from him.
...
The entire production crew gathered together.
Tsukika excitedly met one familiar face after another actors she'd already seen on the big screen.
She cheered every time she recognized someone.
If Akio hadn't kept a hand on her shoulder, she probably would have marched straight up to the actor playing the Demon King and tried to defeat him herself.
The crew also took the opportunity to meet their two newest members:
The child actress, Tsukika.
And the special-effects expert known only as "Great-grandpa."
Everyone warmly welcomed Tsukika.
As for Akio…
He didn't really care.
He had no intention of becoming friends with the entire production crew anyway.
He had standards to maintain.
Watching Tsukika's smile grow wider by the minute, Akio quietly muttered:
"This trip was worth it."
A short while later, the shinobi team assigned to escort the production finally arrived.
It was Team Seven.
Kakashi and the three genin.
And, exactly as expected
"WHOA! It's Princess Gale!"
Naruto's excited shout rang through the theater.
"Hey, idiot…"
Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the shoulder and pointed toward Akio.
Naruto froze.
"G-Great-grandpa?! Tsukika?!"
"That's right, Big Brother Idiot!"
Tsukika waved enthusiastically.
Kakashi rubbed the back of his head and gave Akio a polite nod before heading over to discuss the details of the escort mission with the director.
The three genin, however, were far too shocked to stay away.
They hurried over to Akio and Tsukika.
Naruto had already forgotten about Princess Gale.
"You're going to be an actress?"
He looked incredibly jealous.
"You're going to be in the movie with Princess Gale?"
He turned toward Akio.
"Great-grandpa, what's a special-effects expert?"
Akio chuckled.
"You know how the movie goes BOOM, BOOM, and suddenly there's a giant explosion or tornado?"
He gestured dramatically.
"I'm the guy who makes all that happen."
The three genin exchanged bewildered looks.
Kakashi soon walked over.
"Senior, knowing you're coming along makes me feel much better about this trip."
Akio laughed.
Something about Kakashi's tone suggested he didn't entirely mean it.
He was about to respond when Koyuki's excited voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Kakashi! It's been so long!"
Kakashi's visible eye curved into a smile.
"Yeah, Koyuki. It has."
Naruto's jaw dropped.
"Wait! Kakashi-sensei knows Princess Gale?!"
He looked even more jealous.
Akio stood there in silence.
Then his expression slowly changed.
Realization dawned.
He finally understood what had gone wrong.
Back when Koyuki had fled the Land of Snow, she had still been escorted by Kakashi.
But this wasn't the same Kakashi from the original story.
In the original timeline, Kakashi had been a cold, distant member of Konoha's ANBU.
But in this world, Obito and Rin were still alive.
Kakashi had grown into a warm, approachable big brother from Konoha instead.
The story of the Land of Snow…
Had been different from the very beginning.
---
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