Author's Note: I think this might be my new favorite story to write. Thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews. I appreciate them and you!

Answer: —None, as it would contain story spoilers—

© Anime by Masashi Kishimoto

Edited: September 5, 2014

Chapter Four

Ninja Academy

At a solid five years old, Haruhi had learned more than a child her age should know. There were others, like Kakashi, who knew just as much, but that was different. There were names for people like them, geniuses and prodigies. The clan knew of Haruhi because of Kagami, and they all looked at her in the same light. They saw her as a gifted child, a very smart young one destined for greatness. She was just what they expected, being her father's child.

But, little did they know, she was nothing of the sort. The reality of it was that she wasn't a genius, she had the knowledge of an adult and the spongy brain of a child. She wasn't a prodigy, she had the mentality to appreciate what she was learning; so she worked hard. She was different from the average person in this world, so on the outside she seemed to be those things. But on the inside, she was just so ... abnormal compared to many others.

She was different, odd, and it made her appear to be something that she wasn't. But there was no use in voicing her feelings out loud, there would be no point. Their image of her could be whatever they saw fit.

She was with Kagami now, standing around many other children and families for the Academy entrance ceremony. All waiting for the Sandaime to make his appearance, yet Haruhi's mind seemed to be elsewhere.

The dream, the spinning Sharingan, it was reoccurring. At least three nights a week she would have it, starting and ending the very same each and every time. It was maddening, the reason for her constant nightmare still so unclear.

She had it again last night, waking up a few hours before she was suppose to be up. She laid there awake the rest of the night, she couldn't fall back to sleep. The murmurs were just as unclear as they had been the first time, they were still so incomprehensible.

"Hello, Haruhi-chan." she heard Kakashi say, snapping her from her own thoughts. She looked up at his masked face and smiled.

"Hey Kakashi-kun," She looked up at Sakumo, about to tell him 'hello', but saw that he was speaking to Kagami. She looked back at her silver haired friend, "how do you feel about starting school?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, but I do know it'll be a breeze." he said, crossing his arms. "How does everyone else look to you?"

She actually hadn't acknowledged the people around her, too much on her mind to worry about it. She now looked around at everyone else, their were a few girls wearing frilly dresses ... they didn't seem like the ninja type. There were some, girl as well as boy, sticking very close to their parents. She couldn't really tell from the way they looked.

"Not sure, what about you?" she asked him.

"They don't look like much." he answered, aloof as ever. "Honestly, we're probably the only ones here with any real promise."

Sakumo seemed to hear that bit, as he looked down at his son. "That isn't a very nice thing to say, Kakashi."

The young boy looked up at him. "What? I was just saying dad, they look—"

"You should never be fooled by looks." Sakumo interjected. "A person can look weak, but could also surpass even me in strength Kakashi." Kakashi said nothing, not really understanding how that was possible. If they looked weak, then chances are they were. Right?

Kagami nodded. "That's right."

"How?" Kakashi asked.

"Because, sometimes things are never what they appear to be. Merely appearing that way for the sake of fooling you, only to surprise you with what's hidden beneath the surface." Kagami answered, and he couldn't have been more right.

Kakashi looked at Haruhi. "Do you believe that?"

She was very quick to nod, crossing her arms. "Yeah, cause my dad is neverwrong." she said, making the two adult men chuckle. Kakashi muttering a 'whatever'.

It didn't take much more waiting, for Hiruzen to walk out. With little wrinkles, the color in his beard still there. Kagami pushed Haruhi forward as Sakumo told the two children to go sit with the other kids.

"I wanna sit up front." Kakashi said, grabbing Haruhi by the arm and pulling her along. They pushed past many other kids, then were right there in front of the Hokage. Ironically, along with all of the other kids of Kakashi's year. Like Kurenai, Genma, Gai, even Rin. Yet, no sign of Obito.

Hiruzen smiled down at all of the potential shinobi, then glanced up at the parents. Many of them were clan members, some civilians. He caught sight of Sakumo and Kagami, who both smirked at him, then he looked down at their children. Kakashi and Haruhi.

"Welcome." he began, putting his hands behind his back. "Today, is the start of something new. The day that all of you work hard to one day protect this land, just as some of your parents have." His eyes flickered at Haruhi and Kakashi again. "To be the protectors of the ones who cannot protect themselves, the very backbone of Konohagakure. When I look at you all, I don't only see future ninja. I see the smallest of flames, ones that will grow to be even brighter than the sun. The greatest Will of Fire that any generation has ever seen."

Haruhi smiled, that made her confidence grow. The other kids probably didn't know what the Will of Fire was, but she did. Kagami told her, it was the will to protect your home. Konoha. To put it above all else, to protect it with every fiber of your being. That was what it truly meant, to have the Will of Fire.

"You will all do great things for this village one day, you will all make it proud one day. And for that reason it gives great joy for me, Sarutobi Hiruzen — Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure — to humbly welcome you all to the Academy. I hope your years here will be the best they possibly can." he concluded, and everyone clapped.

Some kids ran up to Hiruzen, while others like Kakashi and Haruhi walked back to their parents. When they got back to Kagami and Sakumo, they both handed the two kids each a small packet of papers. Already filled out.

"Be sure to hand this to your sensei." Kagami told her as she took them, it was her application form. Kagami kneeled down to her level, resting a hand on her head as he smiled at her. "... Do your best," he said, then brought her in for a hug. "I love you."

This was a little surprising, as Kagami normally wasn't one for sentiment. But all the same she hugged him back. "I love you too, dad." She really did.

He pulled away, giving her one last smile before standing back up. After Sakumo hugged Kakashi, him and Kagami left together. Along with all of the other parents.

All of the teachers were lining up next to each other, clapboards in their hands. It was now time for the classes to be assigned, shouting could be heard in the distance. It made Kakashi, Haruhi, and many others turn around to see what it was.

It was a little boy, orange goggles on his head, running up to the entrance. Once he was in, he skid to a halt in front of everyone, resting his hands on his knees and breathing heavily. He was a bit red in the face, and you could see some beads of sweat. He must have been running for a while.

"Oh ... man ..." he said, between breaths. He leaned back up, lifting his goggles to wipe his forehead. "I—I'm late! I missed ... the ceremony ... didn't I?" he asked as he put his goggles back down.

"Yes, yes you did." Kakashi answered, making Obito groan. Haruhi looked around, for where those admission packets were. Her eyes finally fell onto a table, where one more laid. She tucked her papers under her arm and jogged to it, quickly grabbing them at the same time someone else did.

Unsurprisingly, it was Rin Nohara. "Oh!" she exclaimed, a little surprised. "Um ... I-I'm sorry, but I think you have yours already." she said, glancing down at the packet under her arm. "That boy over there was late, and these are the last ones. So—"

"They're for him?" Haruhi finished first her, then pulled harder on the packet. Yanking them and making it slip from Rin's grasp, "Yeah, I know." she said, then walked away. Leaving the little brown haired girl wide eyed and a little stunned.

She was probably a little meaner than she intended to be, but she had her reasons. The fact that Rin was the purpose behind Obito becoming Tobi and throwing his life away irked her a little. She involuntarily took it out on the little girl however, that was wrong. She wasn't completely to blame for such a thing, but she could apologize to her another time.

She walked up to Obito, who pouted at the ground, and handed his form out to him. He blinked at them, then looked up at the smiling face of Haruhi. "These are for you." she said, and he took them.

"Oh, wow thanks a lot!" he said, skimming over it. He looked up at her again. "Who are you?"

"Uchiha Haruhi." she answered, making him beam. At the fact of her being from the Uchiha clan. "Who are you?" As if she hadn't known already.

"Uchiha Obito!" he exclaimed, then put his hands on his hips as he held his head high. "Otherwise known as the future Hokage!" he said, proudly.

Kakashi tilted his head, this kid seemed like he was a little too goofy. He didn't even fit the image of the usual Uchiha, forget about Hokage.

Haruhi giggled at how cute he was being, but he took it as her laughing at his dream, people usually did that when he voiced it. "Hey! What's funny, huh?!" he exclaimed.

"Nothing." Haruhi said, the smile had yet to leave her face. "It's just ... I believe you."

He gasped a little ... no one had ever told him anything like that before. The corners of his mouth twitched up, and soon he was grinning again. "T-Thanks!" he said, then shook his head. "I mean, you should! Cause it's gonna be my head on that monument one day, I'll show everybody!"

Some kids stared at him blankly, while Kakashi rolled his eyes. They all soon crowded around the teachers, as the names for the classes started to be called. There were six standing there, all men, and Haruhi didn't hear her name from the first five. Nor Kakashi's, that meant the last man would be their teacher. She was glad they wouldn't be separated, he was the only person she was familiar with.

"I am Tanaka Edo, and my students are ..." the last sensei — a man with black hair and light brown eyes — trailed as he looked down at his list. She didn't recognize any of the names when he started calling them. She heard Kakashi's, just as expected, then soon heard Rin's. "... Uchiha Haruhi, Uchiha Obito, and Yuhi Kurenai." he concluded.

The children were then directed to follow their respective sensei inside, and Kakashi immediately grabbed Haruhi's arm. Making sure she didn't step too far away from him, she was the only one here he was really use to (and comfortable with) being around. They both merged with their fellow classmates, and followed Edo into the building.

Obito jogged up to catch up with them all, as he'd just finished filling out his papers, and went straight to Haruhi and Kakashi. "So," he started, rubbing the back of his head. "Edo-sensei really lucked out huh? Having two awesome Uchiha in his class, I mean."

"And a Hatake." she said, nodding over at Kakashi.

"Hatake?" He repeated, then looked at Kakashi questioningly. "Like, HatakeSakumo? The White Fang?"

"He's my dad." Kakashi said as he nodded, and Obito grinned.

"Well then, it looks like I've got some competition!" He put his hands behind his head. "But I have to warn you, I'm pretty skilled."

"I don't really believe that ..." Kakashi muttered, then flinched when Haruhi elbowed him. The class walked into a big room with bench-like seating, the wall opposite of them made entirely of glass. Letting in natural light.

Some of the kids ooed, some girls commenting on how pretty it looked. "This will be our classroom," Edo said, taking the forms from the kids one-by-one. "over hear is where your lunches will go." he said as he stepped over to the cubbyhole. He showed them where ninja tools and many other materials were, then lead them out of the room.

He brought them outside, to a back portion of the Academy. This was where they would have class outside some days, there were posts, practice dummies, and targets put up. He broke down what exactly they would be practicing out here, like their taijutsu and throwing abilities.

"During this year, we will touch a little on chakra." Edo started, crossing his arms. "After that, we will be practicing the basics of taijutsu. As well as building your strength and knowledge."

"Basically, stuff that we know already?" Kakashi whispered to Haruhi, who nodded. From what she was hearing, the two of them wouldn't be learning anything new.

"I see that my class is big." he said, as his eyes swept over all of the children. "Things might sound like they're easy and simple right now, but from here on they will only get harder as the years go on. This is no game, being a ninja isn't 'fun'. I'm sure a lot of you thought so, but you're utterly wrong."

"The life of a shinobi is a demanding one, it isn't some huge party. You need to learn discipline and take your training as serious as humanly possible, if not ... then you don't belong here. Believe me when I say that, when it comes high time for you all to graduate, the numbers in this class won't be even half this large."

There was silence, with the exception of a few murmurs. Edo smirked. "Now, while I'm on the subject of graduation, I suppose I should inform you. The graduation exam is given every two years, starting with the one that will be held at the end ofthis year. In case of any early graduates."

His eyes had flickered over at Kakashi and Haruhi before sweeping over the other children. Haruhi had no plans of graduating right now, she wanted to stay and learn what she could. But Kakashi was set to graduate at five, he was still four (soon to be five) right now. He'd be gone by this year.

"Should you take it and fail," he shrugged. "well then there's always next time. It is, however, only optional. So I assume any of you would only take it with the full intention of passing." he explained. "Now, if you'll please follow me, I'll show you the rest of the Academy."

After the tour of the school was complete, Obito had been very eager to get his training started. But, to his disappointment, class wasn't actually starting today; but tomorrow. And before he could actually begin learning anything, he and all the other children had to unlock his chakra coils. As Haruhi had informed him, much to his dismay.

"This isn't fair ..." he muttered, crossing his arms. All of the kids were now outside, waiting to be picked up.

Haruhi put a hand on his shoulder. "It isn't the end of the world Obito-kun." He smiled at 'kun'. "You're still young, plus Academy just started. You've got to learn the basic stuff before you can learn anything else."

"You have to crawl before you can walk." Kakashi simplified, and Haruhi nodded.

"Exactly! I can even help you if you want." Obito raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean help me? You can't use your chakra yet either ... can you?" he questioned, and Haruhi giggled while Kakashi scoffed.

"Yes she can," the masked boy said. "we both know how to mold our chakra already."

"Seriously?" he asked, and Haruhi nodded. Then, he turned to Kakashi. "You can do that stuff too?!" he huffed. "Man ... that's so unfair!"

"It's not unfair, just because you didn't have anyone to teach you." Kakashi said, and Obito froze. His shoulders dropped and he got a sad look in his eyes.

Kakashi wasn't aware that Obito was an orphan, no one outside the Uchiha clan really knew about it. "Kakashi-kun!" Haruhi scolded. "Don't say that!"

He blinked, then shrugged. "Why? Obviously it's true" She ignored him, he was just a kid right now. He didn't know any better.

She turned to Obito. "I can help you Obito-kun." He shook his head, then forced a smile.

"No ... that's alright Haruhi-chan ..." he said. "A cool guy like me doesn't need any help, I'm gonna be Hokage remember?"

She nodded. "I know, but ..." she trailed, then shook her head. Giving him a smile. "I just want you to know, I'll always be here for you Obito-kun." she said, then held up her hand. "Besides, I wanna be right there by your side once you get there. As your trusted adviser!"

He stared at her, the sadness slowly leaving his face. That seemed to lift his spirits a lot, he grinned and gave her a high-five. "Well then consider the job yours!"

She laughed, and Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Oh brother ..." he muttered.

╰（￣▽￣）╭

After a week into the school year, and practicing all through class time, the other kids were now able to use their chakra. When Edo found out Haruhi and Kakashi's coils were already unlocked, he moved them onto the leaf exercise. Only to find out they could keep the leaf secure to their forehead without a problem, it was impressive.

But also what he would expect from an Uchiha and the child of the White Fang. So, for that moment, they did nothing more than school work while the other kids practiced the leaf exercise. It was pretty boring, especially for Haruhi.

The work was so simple that she didn't have to try at all, Kagami had given her much more difficult material than this. But her sensei wouldn't know that, she wouldn't tell him either. She would rather not be labeled the 'star pupil' or anything like it. Not only would she feel like a show-off, but it would separate her from the other kids.

She didn't want to be anymore different than she already felt, though Kakashi was a different story. He made his intelligence and abilities known and it impressed quite a few girls. He was gonna have a fangirl army at this rate. Which was actually weird, why would six year old girls care about boys? A barely even five years old boy at that.

This universe was a strange one.

"Man ..." Obito groaned, as the leaf slipped off again. Haruhi stopped what she was writing and turned to him, then he looked at her when he noticed she was staring. "... Have any tips?" She smiled at him, and he cleared his throat. "Not that I need them or anything. I just... you know, if I really needed them ... what would you tell me?"

"Hmmm ..." she hummed, as she tapped her pencil on her chin. "Well ... you just need to practice and concentrate, or start small."

"Start small?" he repeated. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"I mean start somewhere easy, like your hands." she answered. "That was how I learned, it helps." He started down at his leaf, the nodded.

"Alright ... thanks Haruhi-chan!" he said, then remembered. "F-For answering my question I mean."

She went back to her as assignment, jotting down the answers to the corresponding questions. "You're welcome, Obito-kun."

He did just as she said for the rest of class, sticking the leaf to his hands. And it was a little hard for him to do it that way, so he guessed this was where "practice and concentration" came into play. He had time for practice, a lot more time than he would like to have.

It was now lunchtime, they only had an hour and Kakashi had told Haruhi he wanted to train with her. So, they would eat their food quick and not waste a second. At least that was his plan.

They were both at the door, everyone but Obito were gone, and Haruhi looked over at the fellow Uchiha. Who stood alone at the cubby, his Bento in his hand. "Obito-kun!" Haruhi called, making him look up. "Would you like to eat with us?"

"What?" Kakashi asked, just as Obito agreed and hurried over. "What are asking him that for? I thought we were gonna train."

"We are," she said, when Obito stopped on the side of her. "but having someone else around isn't gonna hurt." she said, and he rolled his eyes.

"Fine," he said, then started to leave. "c'mon then." He didn't exactly want Obito around, not that he really had a problem with him. It's just that he preferred it to be just the two of them, he was accustom to things being that way. So Obito suddenly being added to their duo ... well, he kind of didn't like it.

Plus, he seemed like he would only slow the two of them down. He couldn't even stick a leaf to his forehead for crying out loud.

Haruhi and Obito both followed him out, Kakashi and her staying quiet while Obito rambled on about lord knows what. Haruhi could tell Kakashi didn't really care for Obito being around them, and it confused her.

He had been so open when they first met, he was a little different now for some reason. She shook her head, there were times when she didn't really get him.

╰（￣▽￣）╭

They were all outside, in back of the school instead of the front with the other children. Kakashi ate his food in silence, as did Haruhi. According to Kakashi, talking while you ate was time consuming. It made the time it took to eat your food lengthen, and they only had an hour for lunch.

The less they spoke, the more time they had to train. But Obito didn't like the silence, it made him a little bit ... awkward. "Hey, uh, Haruhi-chan?"

Haruhi moved her chopsticks away from her mouth. "Yes Obito-kun?"

"Can you ... you know, show me the leaf thing again?" He scratched his cheek, a tad embarrassed that he was even asking. "I just wanna see how you do it."

She opened her mouth to answer, but Kakashi did before she got the chance. "She can't, we're gonna be training after we eat." He looked up at him. "But she can't finish her food if you're distracting her with your talking."

"Kakashi-kun!" Haruhi exclaimed, and he shrugged. Resuming eating, she turned to Obito. "I'll show you, then you've gotta practice some more."

He nodded, then ate quickly. He was done before Haruhi and Kakashi, and she sat her food down to demonstrate the leaf trick. She stuck it to her forehead, and it easily stayed there. "There more practice, the easier it gets." She took off his goggles, then stuck the leaf to his head after pulling it from her own. "Ready?"

"Ready." He focused his chakra and she let her finger go, he cupped his hands below his forehead in case it fell.

"Remember, concentrate." she reminded.

"Yeah yeah, I got it. I got it!" he said, struggling to hold the leaf in place. Haruhi turned to Kakashi who stood with his arms crossed.

"We've got half an hour left, and I'm done. Are you done?" he questioned, and they both glanced down at her Bento. It was still just a quarter full, she sighed. She could finish it later.

"Yeah, I'm done." she said, squatting down to close it up. He uncrossed his arms, nodding his head.

"Great."

"Dang it!" Obito exclaimed, as the leaf had fallen off. "I'm not giving up!" he said, sticking it back on and trying again.

"And he's busy, even better." he muttered the last part.

"What did you want to do?" she asked as she stepped up closer to him.

"I actually wanted to show you something," he said. "my dad has been teaching me the Body Replacement technique. I wanted to teach you how to do it, in case Kagami-san hasn't yet."

"Oh." She shook her head. "No, he hasn't yet. How do you do it?"

"You basically replace your body with another object, it's a very useful thing in battle." he explained, and Obito began to listen. "It kind of creates an illusion, making the enemy think their attack was successful. From that, you can use the lag in the their attention to attack or run from the battlefield."

Obito pouted, that sounded cool. He wanted to learn it too, instead he was learning how to hold some stupid leaf.

"I can't show you much, but I can teach you how to do it. So you can practice on your own." He picked up a rock.

"Wait!" She held up her hands. "Don't you have to show me first?!"

He chuckled. "Of course I'm gonna show you, then you'll have to practice; by getting hit with stuff." This jutsu suddenly didn't sound all that great anymore.

Author's Note: And now Obito has been introduced, I wonder how many of you were waiting for that lol. Wasn't he just the cutest kid?

Question: If you could be any of the characters, who would it be and why?

Don't be a Ghost Reader, I'll call Ghost Busters. Thanks for reading, I'll see you next time!