slyvixen
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The Scarecrow and the Crow
Chapter 5 - Passages
Konoha Jounin’s First Child Academy Discount.
Kakashi smirks seeing the ink smudged words on his admission form. He couldn’t forget the look in his father’s face when the Hokage suddenly crossed out the words - using a big black brush to add insult to injury. But then the Hokage grabbed his huge red stamp, signed his name on the form and using the same brush, wrote “FULL SCHOLARSHIP” in big, bold letters.
Hiruzen Sarutobi isn’t so bad, Kakashi thinks.
Before he met the guy, all that Kakashi knew about him (apart from an image of his face carved into the mountain) was his age and that he was called the God of Shinobi. He can already conclude that this man’s wisdom and experience surpasses everyone else’s in the village. After all, one must be a hell of a powerful man to be called a god. It was close to the truth, Kakashi found out seconds after meeting the man.
“Thank you for allowing us some of your time, Sandaime.” Sakumo bowed as soon as he entered the room. Kakashi followed suit. He lifted his head slightly to look up at the Hokage, curious of his reaction.
“My time is always well spent if you are the one visiting, Sakumo.” Hiruzen face was serious as he spoke but his eyes were somewhat smiling. These were the expressions of a stern yet caring man. He spoke like a grandfather that scolds and spoils his grandchildren at the same time.
Hiruzen made a nod in acknowledgement and Sakumo stood up. Kakashi did the same.
“I remember you told me once great Sandaime, to bring our child to you when he’s grown.” Sakumo smiled as he turned to look at him. “I have brought him today. This is Kakashi.”
Kakashi’s eyes met Hiruzen's. He admitted to himself that he felt a bit scared. The aura emanating from the man was different from his father’s friends who were physically intimidating. The Hokage looked at him as though he could read his mind and see his soul. Kakashi suddenly felt exposed and defenseless. It’s terrifying in a terrible way.
“Indeed you are their son.” Hiruzen greeted him after carefully studying his face. “The top of your head is your father’s but I see much more of your mother in you. Such is the resemblance when I see that mask.” Hiruzen paused to contemplate. “You have grown so well. It has only been four years since that night in spring when your mother had announced she was pregnant.”
“You are not mistaken great Sandaime.” Kakashi spoke to Sakumo’s surprise. “I am four and turning five in the autumn. I will participate in the exams to enter the Academy. If I will pass, I wish to join the spring class and train in the ninja arts right away so that I may protect our great village. In this regard, we would like to ask for...”
Kakashi can see his father from the corner of his eye. He could read his face that was clearly shouting “What are you doing Kakashi? Please don’t say anything embarrassing again! Not in front of the Hokage!”
Hiruzen took note of the awkward pause but still waited for the sentence to finish.
“…your guidance.” Kakashi finally uttered.
Sakumo breathed a sigh of relief. He had held his breath. He would not have known what to do if Kakashi said unnecessary things. The Hokage might think he had egged the boy to speak in such a way. Kakashi was too honest. Truthfully, Kakashi’s bluntness would be the end of him. What a relief that his son was able to hold his tongue this tim-
“Financially.” Kakashi added.
Sakumo’s jaws dropped.
Hiruzen raised his eyebrow.
Kakashi couldn’t forget the look on their faces after he said that one word. Taking a last look at the smudged letters, Kakashi submits the admission form to the proctor. He hopes the test would go as smooth as his mission that morning. Needless to say...
Mission accomplished.
-=oOo=-
Seriously?
What was Sakumo thinking?
Was he seriously worried about him for this?
After submitting the admission form to the proctor, he was sent to the laboratory for a physical exam. They measured his height, his weight, checked his teeth, knees and elbows. It was a general check-up - just to see if he’s healthy. At that time, Kakashi wondered if the tests will be difficult to the extent that they had to first examine if their bodies could handle it. It’s also possible that they’re making an inventory of your body parts. Who knows, you might lose a finger or two in the middle of the tests.
Right now, his head is currently submersed in a bowl of water. He figures this to check his lung capacity or some other test on that spectrum. It has been eight minutes since he started. He could hold his breath for another minute or two but he’s curious as to what the others were doing.
After a minute and a half, he lifts his head to find twenty pairs of eyes watching him. Some were clapping, some staring in awe and some were hissing for reasons unknown to Kakashi.
“Very good, Kakashi-kun.” The proctor writes his time in the clipboard he was holding. “Great job.” He gave Kakashi a towel to dry his hair.
“Isn’t he the White Fang’s son?” Kakashi heard someone say. His fellow examinees huddled together.
“I heard he’s only four.” Some more whispers.
Kakashi didn’t let it show but it delights him whenever he hears someone mention that he’s the White Fang’s son. Sakumo’s always been a goof as long as Kakashi is concerned. Recently however, the more he hears of Sakumo from other people, the more his eyes open up to view his father in a different light.
The minutes pass by; Kakashi completing everything that they threw at him. There was an agility test, involving transporting objects of different sizes, weights and shapes from Point A to B to C and so forth. There was also a test on wielding weapons. Despite his relatively young age compared to the others, Kakashi was the most skillful. After all, he grew up with kunais and bombs as playthings.
There were also weird tests. At some point, all twenty of them were locked in a dark room for a whole ten minutes. Kakashi thinks it's a psychological exam of some sort. Most of the girls cried and the boys were shaken up. Kakashi wasn’t sure but he might have taken a nap during this period.
There was also an exam about making choices. The proctor would show two pictures and you would have to choose one. It was random sometimes – like choosing between ramen and sushi. Kakashi had a particularly hard time choosing between the five elements and the four seasons. However, the hardest questions were somewhere in the likes of “If you could save only one, who would you pick?”
The test he just finished was a written and oral exam, or rather a test to check if you could read and write. Whereas the others had a hard time, Kakashi just breezed his way in this one. The depth and complexity of the words can’t compare to Sakumo’s encrypted letters that he had deciphered in the past.
“Please wait a minute as we prepare for the final exam.”
As the first to finish among his batch, Kakashi sits alone in the waiting room. Instead of stressing himself over the possibilities of what the final exam would be like, Kakashi spends his time thinking of what to eat for lunch. Sakumo said he would meet with his teammates and run some errands. If he finished and Sakumo isn’t waiting for him outside the Academy gates, he’ll just go home by himself.
“We’re ready for you.” The lady assistant ushers him inside the last testing room.
Kakashi walks in and finds himself face to face with the proctor.
“I just have a few questions.” The proctor motions for him to seat in the chair in front of him. "This is just a feedback mechanism so you can answer comfortably.”
“Okay.” Kakashi answers before sitting in the chair.
The proctor flips his clipboard once again. “Can you describe to me the room from where you just came from?” he asks. “You can just tell me what you remember - the color of the walls, the furniture or other things you might have noticed.”
“The walls were a light shade of green.” Kakashi answers without giving much thought. “The floors were white when I came in but it was gradually changing into yellow as the minutes passed. There were ten chairs made of wood - the one in the back had only two legs but it was still standing up. There was also a bookshelf opposite the door.”
The proctor was speechless for a second. He writes frantically at the clipboard. “Can you remember what books were there?”
“There is a hundred and one books. Twenty on each shelf except for the top shelf with twenty one books. A lot of them are books written by this Jiraiya person. Most don’t have the title in the binders. The others are just encyclopedia, from A to Z but missing one volume - GZ to JA.”
“Anything else?” The proctor inquires.
“Ah, and the air is different depending on where you sit. I sat on the menthol smelling part.” Kakashi could elaborate but guessing from the satisfied look on the proctors face, there was no need.
“I think that would be it.” The proctor finally flips his clip board close. “The results will be posted in the announcement board.”
“Can I go now?” Kakashi asks.
“Of course you can, the test is over. Will your father be waiting for you?” The proctor pointed to the exit door. “I’ll be sure to let your father know that you did good since the beginning.”
“How would you know?”
The proctor sat in his chair just blinking. “Excuse me?”
“How would you know if I did good since the beginning?” Kakashi asked him with straight face, tilting his head to the side just a bit. “You weren’t there.”
Kakashi didn’t wait for an answer. He bows before walking to the door and exiting the room.
-=oOo=-
“That’s one hell of a kid you’re raising.”
Sakumo sighs as he sat down. His errands took a lot longer to finish than he expected. When he arrived at the Academy the exams were already finished. He was late by five minutes and Kakashi had gone home on his own.
“He wasn’t such a punk when his mother was taking care of him.” Sakumo answers dejectedly. “I think I’m not doing it properly.”
“Don’t get me wrong.” The proctor’s words made him look up. “He’s the only one to notice the clone technique.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
A smile forms in Sakumo’s face. “That’s something good, isn’t it?” He stands up and decides to catch up to Kakashi on his way home.
After the incident with the Hokage that morning, Sakumo decided to get more of Kakashi’s favorite eggplant miso soup for an apology. He was disappointed at his son for embarrassing him but in the end Sakumo felt guilty. Kakashi has been helpful – who would think he could pull something like getting a full scholarship from the Hokage?
He might look it sometimes but he’s not a bad kid.
As what the wise Hokage had said - he is his father’s son indeed.
Chapter 5 - Passages
Konoha Jounin’s First Child Academy Discount.
Kakashi smirks seeing the ink smudged words on his admission form. He couldn’t forget the look in his father’s face when the Hokage suddenly crossed out the words - using a big black brush to add insult to injury. But then the Hokage grabbed his huge red stamp, signed his name on the form and using the same brush, wrote “FULL SCHOLARSHIP” in big, bold letters.
Hiruzen Sarutobi isn’t so bad, Kakashi thinks.
Before he met the guy, all that Kakashi knew about him (apart from an image of his face carved into the mountain) was his age and that he was called the God of Shinobi. He can already conclude that this man’s wisdom and experience surpasses everyone else’s in the village. After all, one must be a hell of a powerful man to be called a god. It was close to the truth, Kakashi found out seconds after meeting the man.
“Thank you for allowing us some of your time, Sandaime.” Sakumo bowed as soon as he entered the room. Kakashi followed suit. He lifted his head slightly to look up at the Hokage, curious of his reaction.
“My time is always well spent if you are the one visiting, Sakumo.” Hiruzen face was serious as he spoke but his eyes were somewhat smiling. These were the expressions of a stern yet caring man. He spoke like a grandfather that scolds and spoils his grandchildren at the same time.
Hiruzen made a nod in acknowledgement and Sakumo stood up. Kakashi did the same.
“I remember you told me once great Sandaime, to bring our child to you when he’s grown.” Sakumo smiled as he turned to look at him. “I have brought him today. This is Kakashi.”
Kakashi’s eyes met Hiruzen's. He admitted to himself that he felt a bit scared. The aura emanating from the man was different from his father’s friends who were physically intimidating. The Hokage looked at him as though he could read his mind and see his soul. Kakashi suddenly felt exposed and defenseless. It’s terrifying in a terrible way.
“Indeed you are their son.” Hiruzen greeted him after carefully studying his face. “The top of your head is your father’s but I see much more of your mother in you. Such is the resemblance when I see that mask.” Hiruzen paused to contemplate. “You have grown so well. It has only been four years since that night in spring when your mother had announced she was pregnant.”
“You are not mistaken great Sandaime.” Kakashi spoke to Sakumo’s surprise. “I am four and turning five in the autumn. I will participate in the exams to enter the Academy. If I will pass, I wish to join the spring class and train in the ninja arts right away so that I may protect our great village. In this regard, we would like to ask for...”
Kakashi can see his father from the corner of his eye. He could read his face that was clearly shouting “What are you doing Kakashi? Please don’t say anything embarrassing again! Not in front of the Hokage!”
Hiruzen took note of the awkward pause but still waited for the sentence to finish.
“…your guidance.” Kakashi finally uttered.
Sakumo breathed a sigh of relief. He had held his breath. He would not have known what to do if Kakashi said unnecessary things. The Hokage might think he had egged the boy to speak in such a way. Kakashi was too honest. Truthfully, Kakashi’s bluntness would be the end of him. What a relief that his son was able to hold his tongue this tim-
“Financially.” Kakashi added.
Sakumo’s jaws dropped.
Hiruzen raised his eyebrow.
Kakashi couldn’t forget the look on their faces after he said that one word. Taking a last look at the smudged letters, Kakashi submits the admission form to the proctor. He hopes the test would go as smooth as his mission that morning. Needless to say...
Mission accomplished.
-=oOo=-
Seriously?
What was Sakumo thinking?
Was he seriously worried about him for this?
After submitting the admission form to the proctor, he was sent to the laboratory for a physical exam. They measured his height, his weight, checked his teeth, knees and elbows. It was a general check-up - just to see if he’s healthy. At that time, Kakashi wondered if the tests will be difficult to the extent that they had to first examine if their bodies could handle it. It’s also possible that they’re making an inventory of your body parts. Who knows, you might lose a finger or two in the middle of the tests.
Right now, his head is currently submersed in a bowl of water. He figures this to check his lung capacity or some other test on that spectrum. It has been eight minutes since he started. He could hold his breath for another minute or two but he’s curious as to what the others were doing.
After a minute and a half, he lifts his head to find twenty pairs of eyes watching him. Some were clapping, some staring in awe and some were hissing for reasons unknown to Kakashi.
“Very good, Kakashi-kun.” The proctor writes his time in the clipboard he was holding. “Great job.” He gave Kakashi a towel to dry his hair.
“Isn’t he the White Fang’s son?” Kakashi heard someone say. His fellow examinees huddled together.
“I heard he’s only four.” Some more whispers.
Kakashi didn’t let it show but it delights him whenever he hears someone mention that he’s the White Fang’s son. Sakumo’s always been a goof as long as Kakashi is concerned. Recently however, the more he hears of Sakumo from other people, the more his eyes open up to view his father in a different light.
The minutes pass by; Kakashi completing everything that they threw at him. There was an agility test, involving transporting objects of different sizes, weights and shapes from Point A to B to C and so forth. There was also a test on wielding weapons. Despite his relatively young age compared to the others, Kakashi was the most skillful. After all, he grew up with kunais and bombs as playthings.
There were also weird tests. At some point, all twenty of them were locked in a dark room for a whole ten minutes. Kakashi thinks it's a psychological exam of some sort. Most of the girls cried and the boys were shaken up. Kakashi wasn’t sure but he might have taken a nap during this period.
There was also an exam about making choices. The proctor would show two pictures and you would have to choose one. It was random sometimes – like choosing between ramen and sushi. Kakashi had a particularly hard time choosing between the five elements and the four seasons. However, the hardest questions were somewhere in the likes of “If you could save only one, who would you pick?”
The test he just finished was a written and oral exam, or rather a test to check if you could read and write. Whereas the others had a hard time, Kakashi just breezed his way in this one. The depth and complexity of the words can’t compare to Sakumo’s encrypted letters that he had deciphered in the past.
“Please wait a minute as we prepare for the final exam.”
As the first to finish among his batch, Kakashi sits alone in the waiting room. Instead of stressing himself over the possibilities of what the final exam would be like, Kakashi spends his time thinking of what to eat for lunch. Sakumo said he would meet with his teammates and run some errands. If he finished and Sakumo isn’t waiting for him outside the Academy gates, he’ll just go home by himself.
“We’re ready for you.” The lady assistant ushers him inside the last testing room.
Kakashi walks in and finds himself face to face with the proctor.
“I just have a few questions.” The proctor motions for him to seat in the chair in front of him. "This is just a feedback mechanism so you can answer comfortably.”
“Okay.” Kakashi answers before sitting in the chair.
The proctor flips his clipboard once again. “Can you describe to me the room from where you just came from?” he asks. “You can just tell me what you remember - the color of the walls, the furniture or other things you might have noticed.”
“The walls were a light shade of green.” Kakashi answers without giving much thought. “The floors were white when I came in but it was gradually changing into yellow as the minutes passed. There were ten chairs made of wood - the one in the back had only two legs but it was still standing up. There was also a bookshelf opposite the door.”
The proctor was speechless for a second. He writes frantically at the clipboard. “Can you remember what books were there?”
“There is a hundred and one books. Twenty on each shelf except for the top shelf with twenty one books. A lot of them are books written by this Jiraiya person. Most don’t have the title in the binders. The others are just encyclopedia, from A to Z but missing one volume - GZ to JA.”
“Anything else?” The proctor inquires.
“Ah, and the air is different depending on where you sit. I sat on the menthol smelling part.” Kakashi could elaborate but guessing from the satisfied look on the proctors face, there was no need.
“I think that would be it.” The proctor finally flips his clip board close. “The results will be posted in the announcement board.”
“Can I go now?” Kakashi asks.
“Of course you can, the test is over. Will your father be waiting for you?” The proctor pointed to the exit door. “I’ll be sure to let your father know that you did good since the beginning.”
“How would you know?”
The proctor sat in his chair just blinking. “Excuse me?”
“How would you know if I did good since the beginning?” Kakashi asked him with straight face, tilting his head to the side just a bit. “You weren’t there.”
Kakashi didn’t wait for an answer. He bows before walking to the door and exiting the room.
-=oOo=-
“That’s one hell of a kid you’re raising.”
Sakumo sighs as he sat down. His errands took a lot longer to finish than he expected. When he arrived at the Academy the exams were already finished. He was late by five minutes and Kakashi had gone home on his own.
“He wasn’t such a punk when his mother was taking care of him.” Sakumo answers dejectedly. “I think I’m not doing it properly.”
“Don’t get me wrong.” The proctor’s words made him look up. “He’s the only one to notice the clone technique.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
A smile forms in Sakumo’s face. “That’s something good, isn’t it?” He stands up and decides to catch up to Kakashi on his way home.
After the incident with the Hokage that morning, Sakumo decided to get more of Kakashi’s favorite eggplant miso soup for an apology. He was disappointed at his son for embarrassing him but in the end Sakumo felt guilty. Kakashi has been helpful – who would think he could pull something like getting a full scholarship from the Hokage?
He might look it sometimes but he’s not a bad kid.
As what the wise Hokage had said - he is his father’s son indeed.
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I have a bunch of other ideas so please keep enjoying them ne?