Disclaimer: Don't own. Was not written for profit.
Warning: Might contain alternative interpretations of canon events. Also, I haven't been keeping up to date with the series, so my information could be wrong.
Premise: Thirty times Minato was right about the future, and one time he wasn't.
Chapter summary: Minato is going to grow up to be the Hokage.
Thirty Prophecies
"Hokage"
Hikagi
Namikaze Minato is only ten years old when he graduates from the academy. It's supposedly a big accomplishment because there are other ninja and civilians whispering about it when they think he can't hear them. The instructors are saying that he's a genius – a prodigy – and that he's going to have a bright career ahead of him.
In truth, he doesn't think it's that big of a deal. He could have graduated earlier if he had so wished, but he feels that it's important to connect with the other members of his class. He's bright enough to know that sometimes, skill and prowess aren't good enough to succeed in life; sometimes, it's about the people you know.
Also, he genuinely enjoys spending time with his classmates, quirks and faults aside.
But now that he has graduated early (and they have not), he's not going to have those connections to fall back on. He's going to have to make new ones.
Fortunately, his teammates don't seem to mind having a slightly younger person as their third member. He recognizes both of them from his stint in the academy and familiarizes himself with them. The girl is eleven years old (courtesy of a late birthday), wary (probably because she's the only female on the team), and quite stubborn (if her frowns are any indication). The other boy is twelve, a little on the small side (possibly due to a late growth spurt or genetics), and nervous (his older brother had graduated two years ago and is considerably more talented). Minato thinks he will get along with them just fine; his tentative gestures at friendship are met with polite interest (from the girl) and enthusiasm (from the boy). They seem to be quite normal, given the circumstances.
Their sensei, on the other hand, looks to be anything but.
He has long white hair that sticks up in spikes, a bottle of what looks like sake in one hand, and a notepad (and brush) in the other. Of course, there are the appropriate weapons and ninja gear in the usual places on his person, but it's the little things (such as the fading bruise on one cheek, the splotches on his dirty clothes) that stand out.
It doesn't help that the man is muttering something (which sounds like, "Of all the times to lose a bet – why now? Especially to her?") under his breath and occasionally scratching his head with the edge of his notepad. Minato hopes that he doesn't get the brush stuck in his hair, or try to scratch his head with his other hand – the one holding a container of liquid. He doesn't fancy talking to a man who reeks of alcohol.
"Oi," the man says after a minute of grumbling. Minato thinks he could probably pass for a drunk or a crazy person with the way his hair sticks up in the back, courtesy of the haphazard scratching. "I'm Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Three. And you brats are my new team." He takes a swig from the bottle before gesturing to the only girl there. "You there. Introduce yourself."
Minato pays some attention to her, mentally filing away her likes and dislikes, her aspirations and dreams for the future. The other part of his brain is studying his new sensei and memorizing the small details he has missed in his initial assessment.
The sake bottle is not actually filled with sake. Instead, judging by the faint whiff he catches when the wind blows his way, Minato thinks it's full of a sort of herbal tea (most likely cold by now) – probably made at home, considering its unusual packaging. The splotches on Jiraiya-sensei's clothes, which Minato initially has thought to be traces of grime, wear, or negligence, actually turn out to be patterns; patterns which would most likely aid in camouflage in a situation where genjutsu would be easily detected. The extra scrolls around the man's vest could mean any number of things, but with what he knows about the Sannin and the Sandaime, he thinks they are for the various sealing techniques Jiraiya-san is famous for.
And the bruise… Well, that one actually looks more like a handprint, now that he thinks about it. And from its size, shape, and color, probably from a female ninja with an incredible amount of upper body strength.
With a sudden clarity, Minato realizes that this man is quite a character, and he might be able to tolerate Jiraiya of the Sannin as his sensei.
He thinks he will come to love this team with time.
"My name is Namikaze Minato," he says when it's his turn at introductions. "And one day, I'm going to be the Hokage."
fine
Author's Notes:
Minato is written as ミナト in katakana, which (if tilted at just the right angle) can also look like the kanji for 三十卜. 三十 is 30 (or more literally, 3 and 10), and卜can translate to "fortune-telling" or "divining" or "prophecy" (although it might not be grammatically correct - I wouldn't know). I had been brainstorming possible fic ideas, and while trying too hard to come up with puns, I resorted to writing down names in katakana/hiragana. Bam! Cue plunny attacks.
Thirty Prophecies was partially inspired by the twenty truths as well as the five things that never happened (and one that did) formats. Future chapters might contain more than one "prophecy", if the scenes are short. This chapter is testing the waters, so to speak.
February 29, 2012
Yatsuka Hikagi