A walk in the park

It was a warm fall day as Herozen finally finished his day at the academy. In his studies, he found that the very basic jutsu were the transformation and clone techniques. If this is how to become a shinobi, I’ll ensure I learn them quickly. Herozen was in deep thought as he exited the academy. He watched as all the children from the academy found their way to their friends or their parents. He noticed a few children showing off what they had learned and a few pranking at each other. It was times like these he wished he had joined the academy at their ages. He found it hard to find anything in common with them. He was older, very much older. He found himself listening and being more alert in class than the rest of them who daydreamed and slept the classes away. Did he find the classes boring, and did they usually go over stuff anyone with a Shinobi family would know? Yes, but he was there to stay as long as the staff felt he needed to be there. This was the curse of being an adult in a child environment.

He decided to go to the training grounds and practice the two techniques in the genin exams. This way, he might impress the powers that be and be promoted without having to suffer the mundane classes with the children who weren’t taking the class as seriously as he was. He was old enough to be a jounin; hell, even his mom was a jounin years before he even thought about becoming a shinobi. I guess these classes would be good for those with no context or clue about being a shinobi. Not many adults had the idea of changing their profession this late in life, especially in this hard of one. Herozen was a Uchiha, but his family allowed him to try a different profession since his brother was interested in becoming a shinobi. He knew his parents loved him, but he wished his parents had pushed him to become a shinobi earlier in his life; that would have spared him the humiliation of being taught by children half his age.

As he approached the training grounds, Herozen pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He looked around to make sure there were no children close by. It appeared a few others from the academy had thought of the same idea he had. Observing no one close enough to be affected by the cigarette smoke he was about to produce, he flicked the bottom of his pack and lifted a cigarette about an inch above the rest. He placed it on his lips, pulled the lighter from his other pocket to the tip, and lit it. Observing the other academy students practicing with their clones and transformations actually motivated him. If these bums can get this done, so can I. Herozen thought as he puffed away on his cigarette.

Okay, I’ll practice on the water today; that should help me focus my chakra. These are very basic jutsu; learning them shouldn’t take too long. Herozen thought as he flicked his dying cherry onto the ground, smothered it with his foot, and placed the butt in the pack so he could throw the whole thing away later.

WC:553