Sakuragachamon!

Pt1: Scarhead can do jutsu, too!

Lee did pass, when the day came. I gave him a pair of nunchucks as a graduation gift. He was probably going to wear them down before three months were past, but I couldn't resist it.

He got put in a classic three-man formation with a Hyuuga that was his class' 'rookie of the year', a girl that used throwing weapons and a Gai-sensei, who he really wanted to impress. He was a lot busier as a genin, so I'd barely seen him in the following month or so.

Which wouldn't matter too much, because my own end of year exams were around the corner. And I needed to do well in these.

The seventh and last year of the Ninja Academy was different from the others. It was shorter, only nine months ending with the graduation in January. Breaks were smaller. Very little new material was on the syllabus, the year was focussed on perfecting and testing what we'd been taught until then. And there was only a single class of students.

This was a bottleneck.

I found myself in front of a panel of teachers. My case was to be discussed. It was a familiar position for me. Every year I had to re-justify and prove my commitment to the ninja path.

"Haruno Sakura. Your theoretical grades are still excellent." Naturally, after getting a handle on the language. It wasn't like they required literally mastery from us. Memorization and math I could do in my sleep.

"Top ten in taijutsu, and good marks in weapons and tool usage." The teacher, a familiar young man that also had a large scar on his face, put down my papers. "There's been some improvement in your chakra control but... well, considering the handicap you are working with, do you think that's enough to become a genin?"

I took a deep breath. "Sensei, I-I have news actually. I've made progress with my self-studies."

The chuunins traded looks. "How so? Can you perform any of the three basic ninjutsu?"

"Kinda" I hurried to explain. "I can use Henge but only to transform into certain animals? But I managed to figure out my own fire jutsu and a genjutsu."

"Really. Demonstrate your transformation, please."

So I showed off my... horned seal. And horned fish. Ta-da, I could transform my body! The teachers gave off the distinct impression that they were scratching their heads about me. Because my transformations looked perfect, but their subjects were not. The main teacher rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Alright... How about your, fire jutsu, was it?"

"Of course." I turned to the side, since I didn't want to set them on fire, and ran through the four handseals that stabilized this move. "Honô-ton: Hinoko no Waza!"

An inhalation, and I spat out a plume of fire that wasn't quite strong enough to hit the wall of the classroom. The temperature of the room had spiked, and the suddenly dry air made me cough. First time using Ember in a confined space. Perhaps I should have modulated it better, but well... I sneaked a peak at the teachers. Eh. Eyes wide, mouths open.

I cleared my throat, noting how bad it was. That worked in my favor, I could only use it once a day. "I... don't think I can repeat that... but," cough, "hmmr! Genjutsu."

Suzume-sensei wrote down something on her papers. "Of course, of course. Drink some water, Sakura."

I thanked her. "Alright. I'll use my genjutsu next. Ready?"

I looked them in the eyes, seals woven. "Niramitsukeru no Waza." And I Leered.

My eyes, the whole thing, glowed red. My interviewer reacted in different ways, some shifting defensively, others stilling. I knew from using it on Lee and Ino that Leer's defense lowering effect worked somewhat like a genjutsu on people. Which meant it could be fought off mentally, but that chakra release techniques had limited effectiveness. I wasn't targeting their system with my chakra directly. Somehow. Moves got weird.

What followed were a series of questions about Niramitsukeru's effects, another demonstration, and more question how I had basically 'invented' my jutsu. There was little to say there that wasn't fantastical. My story was true, I'd gotten there by modifying handseals through trial and error until both the 'right' feeling and 'right' effect were achieved. I just applied them to the move pattern that a seemingly higher entity imprinted onto me. It was a tripartite venn diagram of frustration. I was getting better at it, my move and handseal sample pools expanding as I worked at it.

I passed, their complaints not void but attenuated. Sure, I still couldn't do the Academy basics... but I could do better stuff. Of course, now that I'd shown my hand, I was going to have to somehow improve on it.