The table fell silent for a few seconds, then someone raised a cup. "Not bad, that kid."
"If Lord Third were still here, he'd probably be delighted."
"Wouldn't he just."
The cups clinked together with a crisp ring.
The night deepened, but the bustle in the streets showed no sign of fading.
Some ninja had drunk too much and stood outside the izakaya, loudly arguing over which villages' genin were stronger.
They argued about Konohamaru, then the Water Release girl from Kusagakure, then the boy from Amegakure who used the Summoning Technique. In the end, none could convince the others, so they simply slung their arms around one another's shoulders and went back inside for another round.
The woman selling dumplings had already begun packing up her stall, but the izakaya and noodle stalls were still lit. Laughter and arguments slipped through the gaps in the windows and drifted along the quiet streets.
Only in the small hours did the noise slowly ebb away like a receding tide.
The izakaya's lanterns went out one by one. The owner put away the last bowl and turned the sign over.
The ninja in the streets dispersed in twos and threes. Some supported one another, while others were still acting out the day's moves, muttering, "I'd have dodged left against that slash."
At last, even the stray cat on the street corner yawned, curled up in its nest, and went still.
Konoha returned to the silence of late night.
Only the windows of the Hokage Building still held a little light.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, Kakashi Hatake, and Shikaku Nara were holding a discussion in the Hokage's Office.
Inside the Hokage's Office, Jiraiya sat behind the broad desk, his Hokage robes draped casually over the back of his chair.
His hair was a little messier