"What?" The words came from a flummoxed Haruno Mebuki, whether they were at my outburst, or Danzo interfering I didn't know.
"You son of a bitch!" Auntie Biwako snarled, rushing into the room and seizing hold of Danzo's collar.
"That." I spoke, moving to stand beside my aunt and glare daggers at the Advisor.
"You have no authority here, Advisor Shimura." Auntie Growled out, good lord she looked ready to throttle the old man.
"Hidden Leaf Educational Code, chapter 4, subsection D. 'In order to qualify for early graduation within peacetime, the pupil must attend a minimum of 90 days of Academy Classes, or Alternatively, 90 Days of instruction under a qualified Shinobi of the Leaf. Dictated by Hashirama Senju." Danzo spoke calmly.
"He's my pupil." Auntie snarled out. "We have a written exception from Lord Fourth."
"You were in a coma until three weeks ago. Sekitangara Ryunosuke is not a Shinobi of the leaf, he is a prisoner of war out on parole. Not a qualified instructor. Finally, Lord Fourth is Dead. Without him or his Confidant here to validate, young Isshin remains ineligible for early graduation at this time." Danzo spoke, brushing off Biwako's hand from his shirt with his cane.
"Do you seriously hate my grandfather so much that you'd snub Sarutobi-Ooji this way? Keeping me from becoming a Shinobi is a waste of a resource the Village can use right now, and you know it. Burning what goodwill you have with my Uncle even more so." I countered, stepping forward to glare at the man. He met my gaze without so much as a flinch.
"Contrary to what you may think, young man, I do not hold any ill-will towards Sekitangara Ryunosuke. No, the reason I am here is simple: you will be a more effective shinobi when given proper instruction." He responded, and I scoffed.
"You're full of shit." I deadpanned, Auntie Biwako nodding alongside me.
"Believe what you will, my purpose here is done." He spoke, and left just as abruptly as he came. Biwako gave a heavy sigh and followed suit, leaving me with the three proctors.
"Fucker." I muttered in a terse growl before taking a breath and turning to face the three proctors.
"Never thought I'd ever see a six year old cuss out Shimura Danzo." The bored chunin spoke up, finally losing that apathetic expression on his face in favor of an intrigued one.
"I never thought I'd see Shimura-san try and stop someone from graduating early." Haruno-san spoke, whilst flipping through what seemed to be a handbook rapidly. Finally, Chunin Oniwa let out a deep breath through his nose before speaking.
"Hidden Lead Educational Code Chapter 4, Subsection E: the final decision on whether a pupil is allowed to graduate is upon the proctor of the exam itself, to prevent interpersonal feuds from preventing the Village Hidden in the Leaves access to resources necessary for the prosperity of the Village." He speaks firmly, Haruno-san finding the section and nodding in agreement. Oniwa leans forward in his seat to look me in the eye.
"So tell me, son. Are you a resource necessary to the prosperity of our home?"
I square my shoulders and meet the chunin's eyes.
"Necessary? No. The village can and will do fine even if I don't become a shinobi at all." I spoke, earning a few raised eyebrows.
"However, here are things to consider.
One: Do you want an unsupervised pyrotechnician running around?
Two: Do you want the Hokage up your ass about not allowing his Nephew to graduate despite passing the tests?
Three: Do you want Sarutobi Biwako up your ass alongside him because you listened to a certain one-eye?
And finally, Four: do you really want to miss out on this chance to spit in a higher up's eye and get off scot free? Auntie is likely already talking to Sarutobi-ooji, and you'll have him backing you up."
Am I abusing the political nature of my family ties?
Yes. Yes I am.
Was it the right call?
According to the headband Chunin Oniwa just handed me with a grin, I'd like to think so.
"I like the cut of your jib, kid. Report tomorrow for team assignments, see if you can get Lord Third to throw in a salary increase for me and my two co-conspirators, eh?"
"Don't drag us into this lunacy, Gyobu!"
"Leave me out of that crap, Oniwa!"
I walked out of that room with a grin on my face and the headband on my head. Auntie's face lit up in a vicious grin that she shot directly at Danzo, who was sitting in a chair with his hands on his cane.
"Persuasive, but with a rebellious nature." He noted, and I scoffed.
"I'll be more effective above-ground, Shimura-san." I spoke, keeping my gaze on his.
"Perhaps. Time will tell. You are a curious specimen, Genin Sekitangara, I can only pray your Jonin instructor will impress upon you the importance of obeying your superiors." He spoke, and I gave a light shrug.
"Mission First, People Always."
"Interesting. Good day, Genin Sekitangara. I will be watching your career with great interest." He spoke whilst rising from his seat and beginning to walk away.
"I'd rather you didn't."
"Too bad." And with that, he turned the corner out of view.
"Shimura Danzo. Hiruzen's teammate, and one of the coldest bastards I know." Auntie spoke, and we began our walk to relay the good news to Pop Pop.
"Control freak, War Hawk, Arrogant, and secretive. I hate him already." I muttered, earning a ruffle of my hair.
"Always have to show how smart you are, don'tcha?"
When we met back up with Grandpa, and he saw the headband with the sigil of the leaf on my head. He moved faster than I'd ever see him before, crushing me in a one-armed hug as his shoulders shook and tears wet my hair.
"We did it, Shion." I heard him whisper as he clutched me to his chest. He was far away, so all I did was return the hug.
"Thank you, Grandpa." I spoke softly, feeling the hug tighten.
"Thank you, Isshin. For proving those old bastards wrong." He took a shaky breath and wiped his eyes with his hand before pulling back and giving my shoulder a shake. "Shion would be so proud of you."
"Shion'd be proud of him the moment she heard him tell Danzo he's full of shit." Auntie chirped
"He said that to his face?! HA! That's for my arm, you bastard." Pop Pop chortled before I suddenly found myself hoisted onto his shoulder, my protests falling on silent ears as I was toted around and the three of us made our way to the Sarutobi Compound.
The second party in as many months for the same kid.
Itachi did show up for this one though, first time I saw him act his age was when he got a taste of Ma's Kakiage, devouring it with a gusto that I'd expect an Uzumaki to have.
Then again, when I tried Mikoto's Spicy Udon later that day, I just about flashed back to Abuelita'shouse, so I have no room to cast stones.
Y'know. I smelled a rat the moment I walked in to the room for team assignments.
Outside of being singled out as the one dude that didn't go to class with the rest of them, I was also a chibi. Well, more chibi than them. So, I did what felt natural to me.
I went to the one person I knew in the room and pulled up a chair.
Itachi and I mainly stayed quiet after exchanging a few nods of acknowledgement. I figured that maybe the team selection would go the same.
Itachi would be on Team 2; with Tenma and Shinko, whom I spotted sitting next to each other in a row further down, caught a fair bit of stink-eye from Tenma.
"Damn prodigies." He whispered. Gotta work on that bud.
Whispers and general chatter died down once Bored Chunin walked in and started listing off names.
I didn't really pay attention until Team 2, which is what I expected Itachi to be on.
"Team 2: Inari Shinko, Izumo Tenma, and Ashina Gyoubu, under Munazuki Yuki. Report to classroom 4B."
Yeah. Now there's some bullshit. I smelled Grunkle Sarutobi's fingers all over this. I leaned forward, now paying much more attention.
The teams continued being formed, more and more people filtered out the room.
"Team 12: Uchiha Itachi, Nara Yara, and Sekitangara Isshin, under Sarutobi Nanako." Yeah. Definitely the Hokage pulling some Horsepiss. "Report to Classroom 9B."
Having never step foot in this place prior to yesterday, I followed Itachi. The Nara girl, Yara, was older than us both by about two years or so. She was tall for her age, wearing a green shirt with her dark hair in a spiky ponytail, she wore her forehead protector around her neck. She had an aristocratic face, a light amount of freckles, and vibrant brown eyes.
"I've never seen you here in class? Sekitangara-san, right?" She asked as we walked, and I nodded.
"I had a private tutor." I replied quickly,
"Must be pretty good if they let you graduate with the rest of us early grads on a private voucher." She spoke, and I let out a small chuckle.
"There's a bit more to it than that." I spoke, and Itachi let out a scoff.
"That's putting it lightly, Sekitangara-san."
"You two know each other?" Yara asked, and I nodded.
"Neighbors. And call me Isshin, damn it Itachi. If I call you Uchiha-sama in public half the block is gonna turn and ask who's calling for 'em."
"We're on duty, that would be improper. We're here-whoa!" The door to the classroom we were supposed to go to opened and out walked Nanako. Now sporting a Jonin vest, and a wicked grin on her face.
"Hello, maggots!" The former(?) ANBU called with a grin, "Keep up!" And with that, she was off, rushing through an open window in a blur.
…..
"Shit! Let's go!" I called, and rushed after her through the window, Itachi and Yara blitzing after me as well.
Nanako limited herself, but kept enough distance to show off how big the gap was between the three of us and herself. Shunshin'ing from place to place and that damned smug grin on her face.
I'm gonna give her bad shooting advice now. Freakin try and humble me, eh primá?
"I said 'Keep Up' not 'Catch Up', Nerd!" She called and I bit back a grumble.
"Screw you, Cousin!" I shouted, earning a piece of fuckin' chalk bouncing off my forehead with enough force to stop my momentum and send me into the dirt of one of the many training grounds.
"That's 'screw you, Sensei' now, Isshin." Nanako spoke, casually popping a pouch of chewing tobacco into her lip and tucking away the tin in her vest.
"Honestly, Isshin, did you think you'd escape Mom just because you got that headband?"