The Exam

Spoiler:

The day had started just like any other. The child had found themselves standing outside the Konohagakure's ninja academy. How had they gotten here? No clue; however they did know why they were here. Today was the day that the students of the academy would be taking the examination in order to officially become Genin of the village. What was a Genin? Yet again they had no real idea. Apparently it was an important thing; the instructor had drilled it into their head for the entirety of the time they had spent in the academy. The entire reason they had been there was to become a Genin so obviously they had to attend this examination.

It was a long walk down the hallway that led to the classroom. The child had walked it many times during their academic journey. Now it felt different though. They couldn't quite place why this was the case. Their heartrate picked up as they got closer and closer to the door leading into the room. Was this what being nervous felt like? It was a foreign feeling to the child. They often felt confused and was not used to feeling anything different. Stopping at the door they paused in the midst of opening it. Staring at their hand in confusion they noted it was shaking. Was that normal? Several seconds passed as they examined their own hand before finally opening the door and entering the room.

It was empty barring the lone stranger sat where the instructor had often been lecturing. The child's mind flashed back to the last time they had seen the room this empty. It had been the first day of the academy having arrived first. It was nostalgic, almost. The proctor motioned for the child to come forward which they did. "This is your final examination for you to become a Genin." They spoke, looking at the sheet that they held in front of them. "To pass you must show what you have learned and perform the following techniques." There was a pause, perhaps for dramatic effect, before the proctor continued on. "Technique number one, the transformation technique. You must copy my appearance as best you can. You will be judged on accuracy." Another pause as the proctor glanced up from their paper to see if the child was paying attention. "Second technique, the clone technique. You must create at least three accurate clones of yourself. Do that and you pass, understood?" The proctor finished.

Silence followed. The child stared, the proctor stared back. This continued for several more seconds before the proctor spoke again, "Do you understand?" They asked once more, perhaps in case the child had not heard them the first time. The smallest of nods before the child moved to take centre stage.

There was a moment of pause before the child moved quickly into action. Except there wasn't really anything quick about it..or much action for that matter. The large cloak that covered their body obscured their hands and thus their movements from eyesight. So to the proctor the child simply stood there with a vacant look in their eyes at the wall behind them. What was happening was the child's hands coming together in a shape they had seen many times before. The instructor had taught them this many times, so so many times. A constant motion that had been drilled into the tiny minds of every single delinquent that had attended that class. Even someone who paid basically no attention, such as the child right now, understood the hand seal that was required for the technique. They didn't know what it was called however since the names weren't really important. Regardless the child performed the seal and in a puff of smoke their visage changed.

It wasn't an exact copy of the proctor that stood infront of them. They were ever so slightly shorter, somewhat wider as well. At a glance however it was likely good enough. The child observed the proctor write something down on the sheet without making a sound. Was that all? Did they have to do it again? Such questions sprung into the child's mind for a moment before the proctor finished taking notes and spoke once more. "Next technique." Another puff of smoke followed as the child's appearance shifted back to normal.

Making a copy of one's self always seemed like a novel concept. The child didn't understand why it was so important to learn. What was the need in having two of oneself? Is one not good enough? One of life's many mysteries it seemed. However instead of questioning the existence of such a technique, or their own, they just moved on to finish up this examination and go back to doing whatever it is they do when outside of the academy. What was it they do? The child had no idea, they simply showed up every day without much idea of how they got there or why.

Their hands came together once more, shifting about until it got into the form of the second most familiar hand seal to them. The instructor had really stressed how important it was that they remembered these two hand seals. Something about them being the foundation for all jutsu ever, maybe they had been exaggerating but who knows. Another puff of smoke appeared, though this being to the child's left. Another two followed to their right. Once the smoke cleared their stood three identical..ish copies of the child standing there. The proctor gave a slight nod and continued to write their notes.

"Examination over." The proctor said after several moments. The verdict didn't take that long at all because as if by magic, some slight of hand trick perhaps, they produced a headband from behind themselves and tossed it over to the child. "Saku, pass." They said without any fanfare at all. "Keep working and go become a great ninja and all that." And with that the child was ushered out of the room.

[1003]

Promotion to D-Rank/Genin
10 Chakra
1000 Ryo
5 AP
1000/1000 Quickdraw

Saku wrote:

Spoiler:

[1003]

Promotion to D-Rank/Genin
10 Chakra
1000 Ryo
5 AP
1000/1000 Quickdraw

Approved