CHAPTER TWO

"No".

Despite the years of experience with Fukurou's antics, Fugaku still the felt creeping sense of disquiet and disbelief at the response. "I must have misheard you. Do you not wish to join the Academy?"

"No." Seated across the dining table, his son looked as serene as ever. An expression utterly at odds for a boy who had barely crossed their sixth birthday. "Nope. Never. Not happening." His lips split into a bright smile. "Am I clear now?"

Fugaku felt his temper rise with his struggle to not shout at his son. Itachi was such a well behaved child and his twin was an utter terror.

Mikoto placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "Fukurou, don't you wish to join your twin? Itachi agreed to start at the Academy this year."

"No." All the innocence in Fukurou's expression vanished. "The only reason Itachi is joining is because he wants to make you proud, and because I could not convince otherwise."

Fugaku struggled to contain his frustration. "Itachi understands the importance of his role and his responsibilities for the clan. Unlike some who wish to waste their time growing weeds."

"Fugaku!" Mikoto took on a scolding tone.

In contrast, his son's eyes shone with something that no six-year old should possess. "…Were you born this stupid or did you have to work at it?"

His wife turned towards Fukurou with disappointment and anger. "Fukurou. That is not how you speak to your father. Apologise now."

The utter lack of care in his son's voice sent a shiver under Fugaku's spine. "Right after the two of you accept that you are sub-par parents, I will apologise for being the only sane one in this room."

As Mikoto started berating their son, Fugaku stared at Itachi's elder twin.

Ever since his birth, Fukurou had been different. As an infant, Fukurou had spent the first few months in silent tears. Mikoto had been alarmed and had tried everything to calm their son but nothing had worked. Three months after he was born, Fukurou had simply stopped crying, except in cases where he was hungry.

This was in stark contrast to his twin, Itachi, who had never been a fussy child and was quite biddable.

As the twins grew, the traits shared by their brothers emerged. Both his sons had started speaking their first words by their first year and were able to read by their second. By the end of their fifth year, it became blatantly obvious that his sons were geniuses of their generation with both Itachi and Fukurou performing the Grand Fireball jutsu in a single try.

The entire clan had celebrated their success and were looking at them as the second coming of Madara and Izuna.

Yet, that was where the similarities between the brothers ended.

Where Itachi was quiet, Fukurou was outspoken. Where Itachi followed the teachings of his parents like a good son, Fukurou railed and rebelled and questioned and insulted his parents at nearly every turn.

Itachi would spend hours honing his skills at the shinobi arts, whereas Fukurou would only spend the minimum time mandated by Fugaku before focusing on meaningless pursuits.

And the worst part was that Fukurou got along better with his wife's best friend than he did with his own family.

Startled out of his contemplation by his wife's raised voice, Fugaku decided to cut the mother-son argument short. "Fukurou. Do you understand the importance of your role in the clan? You have responsibilities and expectations you must meet-"

His ever frustrating son raised his hand, palm up. "You can either accept my decision and learn to be proud of what I will become or you can choose to hopelessly break your head against changing my mind." Fukurou's expression appeared to be pleading them. "Please choose the right option."

Fugaku snapped. "If not the Academy, what are you going to do? Spend the rest of your days growing weeds like you do right now? I will not allow my son to-"

"Better than breaking the founding tenets of Konoha like the rest of you fools."

"The tenets of Konoha?" Fugaku felt his wife shift away from the rage in his voice. But to his rage, his brat of a child stayed unrepentant.

"You know, the one where the Tree-planter and Schizophrenic maniac founded the village to stop sending children into battle. The thing and the rest of his insane village does every single year."

Fugaku suppressed a shudder at the rage in his son's voice and the indescribable look on Fukurou's face. His felt his wife shiver.

His son sighed. "You do understand that we can do things with chakra other than fighting, right? Hell, I could run a very successful one-man construction business."

Fugaku wanted to tear his hair out. "You think you are the first person in all of shinobi history to get that idea?"

His son scratched his head in apparent frustration. "How about a bet?"

Fugaku stilled. His son had a habit of creating insane bets with people to get his way. It had proven to be quite a useful channel for Fukurou to challenge his intellect and for members of the clan to lose quite a lot because his son never, ever lost a bet.

And if he was choosing to invoke this now, Fugaku wondered if he should take the offer because it was very likely that Fukurou would stubbornly refuse the Academy otherwise.

Mikoto's frown was quite severe. "This is not the time for one of your little bets, son."

Fugaku decided to take the plunge. "What do you propose?"

Mikoto looked scandalized. "Fugaku! Don't entertain him."

"You and I both know our son is stubborn enough to outlast rocks."

Fukurou smiled. "If I lose, I will go the Academy with Itachi. On the other hand, if I win, you let me handle Itachi's current and future education."

Mikoto interjected. "Fukurou, you have no idea what you are asking for."

Fukurou shrugged.

Fugaku wondered if his son had taken leave of his senses. "What kind of wager would convince us of to take your offer?"

Fukurou smiled brilliantly. "How does the demonstration of a lost ninjutsu in two weeks sound?"

Fugaku wondered if he should be hopeful that his son was telling or truth or pray that he was lying. "Which one?"

"Does the First Hokage's Wood Release work?"

Fugaku closed his eyes at the statement. He really needed a drink or ten right now.

X-X-X-X-X-X

A/N: Well, Fukurou is starting to break history here. I am going to be just as surprised as you are as to what might happen next.