Chapter 21- Lesson

Yama straightened his papers while standing at the lectern at the front of the class. Before he made any decisions though, he would have to get some more information.

"As this is my first day, I will need some help from the students to help this school year go well. Would anyone like to become class president?"

No one moved, and the class was silent.

"Any volunteers at all?"

None answered.

Yama looked around the room and studied each student a bit more carefully. He obviously recognized Mizuki and Iruka, but the other four he was only vaguely familiar with.

Tsubaki eventually became romantically involved with Mizuki in his past, but the Hyuga, Aburame, and Akimichi were only people that Yama had heard of, he had never personally known their older selves.

Mizuki and Tsubaki sat close together, and it seemed that they got along fairly well.

Akimichi Domaru had the classic Akimichi physique, stocky and strong, and his eyes were narrowed into slits.

Aburame Shimiko was quiet, as most Aburame were, and instead of the normal sunglasses that her clan would wear, she had a full set of goggles that covered both her eyes with a single continuous piece of material. The goggles were blacked out and reflective, and it was hard to read her face.

Hyuga Hikaru was obviously a member of the Branch family considering the bandage that covered his forehead. Yama was upset to see it though.

Iruka, though, his head down and unresponsive, evoked a gut-wrenching pain in Yama. In the same way that Iruka's parents had died before, they died again, during the Kyuubi Attack. Yama had tried to stop the fighting as quickly as possible, but he still could not save everyone.

Yama governed his emotions and moved on. No matter how he felt, with his current responsibility being to these kids as their teacher, he had to do the best job he could no matter his emotional state.

Yama asked a different question this time.

"Someone please explain your class's situation. I have not yet taken a look at my predecessor's lesson plans and notes, so I would like to hear from you all first about what you need to know and when you plan to grraduate.

Aburame Shimiko stood up.

"Our class is in its final year at the academy before we take the genin examination. All of us will be taking the exam next May. The exam includes previous academic scores, taijutsu perforamnce, and the ability to perform clone, substitution, and transformation jutsu."

Yama was a little surprised to hear that the exam was the exact same that he had once had to go though, and he smiled ruefully.

Yama continued.

"Thanks you for the information, Shimiko. You can now choose whether to accept the class presidency or abstain from it."

"I abstain."

Yama clapped his hands and looked at the other students.

"Okay, so one of you will be selected to be the class president then."

The students perked up somewhat; it seemed that their new instructor was a little capricious and would be forcing one of them to become the class president if no one volunteered.

Yama walked to the teacher's desk at the front of the room and started to rummage through it. After a few seconds though, he was exasperated. His predecessor was not very organized it seemed.

Yama stood up and walked back to the lectern before addressing the students.

"Today will be a mock exam. I wish to see your current abilities before I decide what to teach. Shimiko-chan, you're first. Come up to the front of the class please."

Shimiko stood up and walked to the front where she stood in front of Yama.

Yama gave her a once-over and nodded his head while holding his chin.

"Very good control of chakra from what I can tell. Reserves are good too, suggesting you've been keeping up with your exercises.

Show me your three jutsu, please."

Shimiko performed the transformation, substitution, and clone technique in rapid succession without failure.

Yama continued to nod his head while holding his chin.

"Yeah, you're good enough to pass already. You don't have to come to my lessons ever, and I'll pass you no matter what you do if you keep up your current standards. I wouldn't be surprised if you're the best in the class at this level."

The young girl'd expression did not change, but she did seem to straighten her back and stand a little taller.

"Feel free to study whatever you wish during school hours in the first half of the day. If you have anything you;d like me to help with, I can devote time to you specifically. Go back to your desk please."

The girls sauntered off back to her desk with a light skip in her step. By now it was evident that even though her face had not changed at all, she was happy to be recognized as excellent.

Yama looked down at his attendance list.

"Next would be Domaru-kun. Come up here please."

Domaru grumbled and made his way to the front of the class.

Yama took a quick look at him and started nodding his head again.

"You're pretty decent too. Not as good, but still good. Your reserves are excellent but your control is definitely lacking."

Domaru frowned at this statement.

"How can you even tell that, sensei, when I haven't even shown you my jutsu?"

Yama replied.

"Just a hunch, but if you can perform your jutsus as fast as Shimiko-chan did, II'll take it all back, okay?"

Domaru harrumphed and performed the three jutsu. While he was quick, he was obviously a little slower than the Aburame girl.

Yama simply gave him a knowing look, and Domaru looked away and didn't meet his eyes.

Yama said.

"The better your control, the faster you'll be able to do those jutsu, and besides, I don't even think Shimiko-chan was going for speed and she still beat you."

Domaru's frown got even bigger and he stormed off to his desk.

As he did however, the normally expressionless Shimiko stuck her tongue out at him, and Domaru exploded.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM, BUG GIRL? YOU THINK YOU'RE HOT SHIT? YOU ONLY HAVE BETTER CONTROL BECAUSE I HAVE MORE CHAKRA!"

and then Shimiko erupted.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING BUG-GIRL, FATTY? YOU LOOK LIKE A TRASHBAG FULL OF MARBLES YOU FAT SACK OF SHIT!"

Yama reached over to the chalkboard and grabbed a piece of chalk. Shimiko and Domaru got into each other's faces and continued their screaming match.

Yama hefted the chalk a few times before being satisfied with its weight and proceeded to rear back and launch it at Domaru.

It impacted his head from the side and exploded into a cloud of white dust that settled over his head. His head was whipped around from the impact, and he and Shimiko instantly grew quiet.

Domaru was in some serious pain right now, he head was throbbing, and on top of that he was now covered in chalk dust. He stared daggers at Yama.

"Don't you think that was disproportionate, sensei?"

Yama however ignored him.

"Shimiko-chan, please sit down, I have to test the other students."

Domaru got even angrier.

"What's the big idea, Yama-sensei? Why did you only ask her to sit down and you threw chalk at me?"

Yama looked at the boy like he was an idiot.

"Why would I throw a piece of chalk at a young, beautiful, pretty, and smart girl when you're yelling your head off and making my ears hurt?

Now sit down and be quiet. Hikaru-kun, you're next."

Shimiko positively preened at her desk and gloated over the unfair treatment of her rival Domaru.

Domaru plopped down into his desk and muttered curses under his breath that were definitely still loud enough for Yama to overhear them.

***"Stupid fucking geezer. fucking pervert. Who let this guy supervise children, a fucking idiot?"***

Hikaru came up to the front of the room and Yama once again gave him a look-ever.

"Decent Chakra reserves but control is excellent. I understand that the Hyuga clan prides themselves on control but you shouldn't go all in on that alone.

If your reserves were as big as Shimiko's you'd be as fast as her, but you don't have much of a chance right now.

However, I can see that your body is exceptionally well tempered, I presume I will see your area of expertise later this afternoon."

Hikaru silently nodded and he went through his three jutsu. He didn't even go for speed, agreeing with his Sensei's assessment.

Yama dismissed him.

"You are also exempted from my morning lessons with Shimiko. You can use that time as independent study and you can come to me for any personalized goals."

Hikaru walked back to his desk and sat down before Yama called the next person.

"Tsubaki-chan"

Tsubaki came up to the front of the room, but before Yama could even speak, she interrupted him.

"Let me guess, reserves are average, control is average, and physicality is also average."

Yama smiled and nodded. Tsubaki continued.

"It may seem lackluster, but once you actually review my grades and academic scores, you'll see that I'm the top scorer there."

Yama nodded again.

"I'll do my three jutsu, now."

Tsubaki cycled through her jutsu, and she was fairly decent at them. She only produced the requisite two clones to pass the exam, unlike the four that Shimiko had made, but it was still enough to be at genin level.

Tsubaki spoke up again.

"I wish to also be exempted from morning lessons, but I already know what I want to study otherwise. Please direct me in elemental chakra manipulation."

Yama thought for a moment.

"Okay, I can do that. I think I saw some chakra paper in storage, so we'll have to wait until at least tomorrow. Is that acceptable Tsubaki-chan?'

"Very much so, thank you Yama-sensei.

Tsubaki walked back to her desk and Yama was quite pleased with the girl. She seemed to be a hard worker and exceptionally self-aware.

Yama called out again.

"Mizuki-kun, if you will."

Mizuki walked to the front of the room, and Yama glanced over him. His chakra reserves and control were acceptable, and he should be able to pass the exam in the springtime, but something felt off.

Yama had become somewhat more in tune with peoples negative emotions since he had taken Kurama's burden onto himself. When he looked at Mizuki, he could feel something similar roiling beneath the surface.

It was nowhere near on the same level, but it was still negative emotion either way. Yama was sad to see it, and he hoped that he would be able to guide Mizuki away from his decision to betray the village.

Many people claimed that people were destined, tied to fate, and dyed in the wool, but Yama did not give them any heed. He held that everybody had the right to change.

"Your reserves and control are comparable to Tsubaki-chan, Physique is good. What are your thoughts about it?"

Mizuki performed the clone, substitution, and transformation jutsu in a row, succeeding on each of them before replying.

"I also wish to exempt morning classes, but I would like to learn some new jutsu if that is possible?"

Mizuki couldn't completely hide the look of greed on his face, but Yama didn't mind. It was normal for people to be greedy, and as long it was controlled, rather than letting it control the person, it was okay.

"I've definitely got enough jutsu to keep you occupied until graduation. If you try hard at it, you could graduate with the most jutsu of anyone to ever leave the academy."

Mizuki grinned widely and hurried back to his desk.

The moment that everyone in the room had been dreading had come. Everyone was aware of what had happened to Iruka's parents, and his classmates were giving him a wide berth.

The only reason Iruka was at school was so that he didn't have to stay at home and be reminded of his parent's passing wherever he looked.

However, Yama completely glossed over it, and didn't even attempt to call Iruka to the front of the class. Everyone exhaled simultaneously.

Yama spoke up and addressed the class.

"Shimiko-chan, Hikaru-kun, Tsubaki-chan, and Mizuki-kun are exempted from morning classes and are allowed to self study.

Domaru-kun, you're under remedial lessons, and I'll be making sure you improve no matter how much you wish to slack off."

Domaru sat at his desk, face red, head shaking in anger, clenching his fists with rage. Externally silent, but inwardly, Domaru was rather irate.

THIS FUCKING SHITTY OLD MAN. I DID THE THREE JUTSU SECOND FASTEST, WHY SINGLE ME OUT YOU FUCKING RETIREE?

WHICH FUCKING GRAVEYARD DID THEY EVEN DRAG YOU OUT OF. YOU LOOK LIKE A CORPSE YOU STUPID JERK.

Yama continued to speak, not seeming to mind the obvious displeasure of a Domaru-kun.

"We still have 2.5 hours of morning lecture. I'm going to prepare the self-study material. Until then, the four of you exempted may do as you wish, but please come up with what you want to self-study if you haven't already told me.

Domaru-kun, do you know any chakra control exercises?"

Domaru silently nodded his head, not trusting his tongue to say the right words in his worked up state.

"Which ones do you know?"

"Levitating a leaf."

"Okay, then do that until lunch time while I work on the other kids."

Domaru didn't verbally acknowledge but still brought a fake leaf out from his school supplies and floated it above his palm.

Shimiko, Hikaru, Tsubaki, and Mizuki sat in a corner and quietly conversed by themselves.

About an hour later, Domaru was sweating profusely. He had been levitating the leaf continuously the entire time, a near herculean task.

Each time that the leaf had started to waver, Yama-sensei had chosen that exact moment to look up from his desk and monitor Domaru.

Each time, Yama spoke up.

"Why is the leaf so unstable? Continue until it is stable."

Doamru gritted his teeth and through them, a reply eked out.

"Its normally stable, you're only looking at it when my concentration slips for a moment."

"That sounds like an excuse."

"It's the truth."

"Whatever you say Domaru-kun. Its because of an attitude like that that you're in remedial classes while everyone else can self-study."

As soon as Yama said that, a burst of chakra came out from Domaru-s palms and shredded the leaf.

Yama looked on as the green confetti rained down through the air and settled onto Domaru and his desk.

Yama simple sighed and waved a dismissive hand at Domaru.

"Again."

and with that, Domaru continued to float the leaf, and Yama turned back to his desk work.

Around 11 am, Yama finally called the attention of the class back.

"Okay, tell me what you wish to self study, Shimiko-chan."

"The insects of my clan. I do not believe you will be able to help me much with this, but I can bring in the clan references to study during school hours."

"Very well, we'll do as you say, but please keep up your reserve and control exercises.

"Of course, Yama-sensei."

"Hikaru-kun, what about you?"

"I would like to learn advanced forms of chakra control."

"I'll teach you a few under one condition: You must spend half of your self-study time each day practicing your chakra reserve exercises."

"Yes, Yama-sensei."

"Mizuki, come on up, I already picked out your next jutsu."

Misuki practically ran to the front of the room and held out his hands.

"Which one, Yama-sensei?"

"Body Flicker technique, or Shunshin, it allows you to seemingly teleport through the use of chakra. Here's the scroll. I'll check on your progress weekly as well as whenever you ask me to. I hope you will not slack in your efforts."

"Of course, Yama-sensei! Thank you very much!"

Yama smiled at Mizuki's enthusiasm. No matter what had happened in the past, the child in front of him was just that, a child. One without blame or sin, and to maltreat him due to crimes he had not yet even committed would be the height of folly.

"Tsubaki-chan, come on up please."

"I thought it would take until tomorrow?"

"As did I, but I seem to have found some help along the way."

While the student were otherwise preoccupied, Kakashi, who had been observing the classroom stealthily, left to go find chakra paper, which he then delivered to Yama without anyone noticing.

"If you will, Tsubaki-chan, please flow chakra though this."

Tsubaki held the piece of paper in her fingers and ran her chakra through it. It quickly inflamed and burned to ash.

"Fire release, and a fairly strong one too judging by how strongly the paper reacted."

Tsubaki happily looked at the remains of the paper before turning back to Yama.

"Do you happen to have fire release, sensei?"

"I once did, but I can't demonstrate much to you anymore. I can however offer you some tips and tricks though."

"Many thanks, sensei!"

Kakashi, who was listening to what went on in the classroom from his hiding spot was surprised to hear the last part.

He hadn't expected that Yama would have practiced any elemental affinities, and he once again evaluated the man.

More and more pieces of information were falling into place that suggested that this man surpassed genin level strength without being promoted.

Eventually the class broke for lunch, and Yama slipped off to talk with Kakashi.

Kakashi was somewhat surprised by Yama's teaching style. He had expected the man to be more inclined to lecture the students, and Kakashi did not expect that he would let the kids self-study of all things.

"So Yama, why the whole self-study shtick? is it just to get out of your responsibility to teach?"

Yama laughed.

"Do you think it's really less work to supervise 5 independent courses of study than to teach everyone the same thing? If anything, I'm adding to my workload.

Besides, eventually they will have to train themselves, and we should be preparing them for that.

You're no different Kakashi, you have to trrain yourself too, though I din't expect you to stick around and monitor my lessons."

"It was just today. I'm actually quite surprised by your teaching approach so far, and I'll only check in randomly from now on. Most of the time I'll be off by myself, but I'll still be monitoring your position.

The Hokage trusts you to teach the kids, so I don't have to worry too much, but do mind yourself because you are still under observation."

Yama chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

At 1230, Yama and the six kids reconvened at the training fields.

"Free-style shuriken practice for 30 minutes. Everyone choose a target. I'll wander around a judge."

All six of the kids went to their separate areas and began to throw their kunai and shuriken at the targets.

As Yama wandered around to observe, no one in particular stood out. There was no one like Tenten, and no Uchiha either, so everyone was fairly average.

Yama was pleased with their display and called everyone back to the central area when they were done.

"Did everyone loosen up a bit with shuriken practice?

Next, each of you will spar with me, I'll be using taijutsu only, but feel free to use your entire arsenal.

Shimiko-chan, you're up first."

Shimiko jumped up onto a nearby sparring platform and started to prepare herself. She wanted to show off as much as possible in front of her new sensei, and first impressions were important.

Yama slowly walked up and readied himself as well.

Off in the distance, hidden, and observing, was Kakashi.

Yama stood still, and raised a single hand to form the seal of reconciliation.

Shimiko mirrored him, and likewise, made the seal.

Yama nodded, and Shimiko burst into motion.

The first thing she did was retreat as far as the platform would allow her, and soon after that, a cloud of bugs started to fly out from her sleeves.

Using her mental link with the queen and some pheromones, she ordered them to attack the man in front of her and steal his chakra.

However, she was a at a complete loss. Her Kikachu didn't respond.

The bugs simply released an certain pheromone and started to fly in place.

Target Unclear, Waiting...

Shimiko once again ordered her insects to attack Yama, but again, they only flew in place.

No target available.

Before she could figure out what was going on Yama had closed the distance and started to engage her in Taijutsu.

Though it was not her preferred method of fighting, she was still proficient at it.

That being said, she was having an extremely difficult time facing off against Yama.

The man was putting on a clinic. He moved at the same speed as Shimiko, but he always positioned himself in the right place, and his timing was exquisite.

The man seemed to pop up in her blind spot time and time again. She would lose track of him the second her vision changed focus. He was always where she would least expect it.

When she struck at him, he would evade with simple turns and shifts, the minimal amount of movement necessary.

Shimiko soon found herself on the ground, sitting on her butt after receiving a soft kick to the midsection. She hadn't even grazed his clothing the whole time.

Yama thought for a moment before giving his verdict.

"Mid genin level at the bare minimum, but your senses need work.

I don't know too much about the Aburame clan, but maybe ask you parents about what happens to ninja that depend too much on their insects for their senses."

"Yes, sensei."

"Domaru-kun, you're next."

With a roar the young Akimichi leaped onto the dueling stage, hastily made a seal of reconciliation, and then charged at Yama.

The old man had been a jerk to him all morning, and now that he was sparring, he was sure to get a few licks in while he could.

Akimichi Domaru was not exactly a prodigy in taijutsu but he was close, and extremely well trained due to his upbringing in the Akimichi clan.

That being said, he ran into the exact same problem that Shimiko did.

He just couldn't make contact with Yama at all. The man wasn't moving fast, but he just always seemed to be out of reach.

After 15 minutes of chasing Yama around the ring, Domaru realized that the man had no intention of ending this spar.

The man was just playing with him, and wouldn't let the fight end until Domaru was so tired from his own exertions that he would drop in exhaustion.

Domaru was already panting and soaked in sweat by the time he realized Yama's plan.

He immediately threw his hands into the air and forfeited the fight.

Yama called up Hyuga Hikaru next.

The two made the seal of reconciliation and started the spar.

Hikaru's first move was to activate the Byakugan.

As he did so, he froze, and Yama took the opportunity to lightly push the child on the shoulders, and Hikaru fell to the ground.

Hikaru continued to stare at Yama without a word.

After enduring the intense stare for a few more seconds, Yama scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

"Cat's out of the bag, huh?"

The other kids looked on in interest.

Hikaru broke his silence.

"You don't have any chakra."

Yama smiled.

"It's from an old injury, and it part of the reason I retired."

Hikaru mumbled under his breath.

"How are you even alive?"

Yama reached down to help the boy to his feet.

"I'm not dead yet, don't go cursing me like that."

On the sidelines, Shimiko had an epiphany, the reason her Kikachu didn't attack the man during their spar was because he didn't have chakra. To the insects, he might as well have been a rock.

It was no wonder that they couldn't find the target.

Domaru frowned even more.

Oh great, he's a cripple too, and this geezer is teaching me chakra control. this is fucking ridiculous.

Hikaru made his way back to the sidelines, and Yama called up Tsubaki, then Mizuki, knocking both of them down lightly. He did not call on Iruka.

After the spars concluded, Yama called everyone's attention.

"Everyone here is already at passing level already for genin. I have been given some of the base martial arts of the village, which I have yet to learn.

Tomorrow I will have personalized training plans for everyone here. But for now, we will break. Just do some light physical training until its time to go home, and I will see you tomorrow.

And with that, Yama left the children to their own devices.

Iruka soon left to go off by himself.

The other 5 started to talk amongst each other as soon as Yama was out of earshot.

"Who the fuck does that old geezer think he is? He's just a perverted crippled idiot."

"Don't get mad just because he doesn't like your attitude, Domaru."

"Yeah, and besides, just because he's nice to us girls doesn't mean he's a pervert, right Shimiko?"

"Right, Tsubaki."

Mizuki spoke up.

"I like him pretty well too."

Mizuki, Tsubaki, Domaru, and Shimiko continued to banter and disagree over the pros and cons of their new teacher.

However, Hikaru, a man of few words, spoke up, and being surprised by his voice, the other four quieted down.

"I don't think you guys really understand what I saw.

Yama is dead. He is not alive. I cannot explain it."

Shimiko spoke up.

"Don't be so melodramatic. Maybe he just had a technique that fools the Byakugan."

"There is no such technique. Besides, even your insects agree with me."

Shimiko didn't want to agree, but she had no choice, indeed her bugs had not seen the man as alive, much less as a human.

The five of them continued to speak with each other, and when the school day ended, they split up and went home.

"Shimiko, how was your day?"

"It was good, Mom. We have a new teacher, and he is letting me choose my own topic for self-study."

"That sounds nice."

"So can I bring in some clan references for that?"

"Of course, Shimiko."

"Thanks, Mom. By the way, he asked me to ask you something."

"Hmm?"

"What happens to Aburame that depend on their insects too much for the senses?"

Her mom stiffened at the question. She was unusually serious.

"What makes you ask that Shimiko?"

"I was sparring with sensei and I kept losing track of him, and after the spar, he told me to ask you that question."

"I see. In that case, we'll have to do some training on our end. If you can't even keep track of your sensei in a spar, you are definitely falling behind."

"Uggggh, but Mo~~~~om ...."

"No buts, we'll be training you on your own sight, smell, and hearing during the weekends."

"Okay."

and with that, Shimiko grumbled and trudged off.

Her mother however was still lost in though. Shimiko's sensei had asked a very important question that was one of the important lessons for any Aburame.

What happens to Aburame that depend on their insects too much for the senses?

They die to the first person they meet that can evade the insects.

It was actually somewhat of a clan secret, but the Aburame put equivalent amounts of time into their own senses as that of their insects.

An Aburame would probably make a somewhat decent sensor-nin even without their bugs.

It was good for an enemy to assume that they only had to worry about the insects but not the person themself.

"How was school, Domaru?"

"Fine."

"That's good."

Domaru stomped off to his room immediately when he got home.

His mother watched him and smiled.

Fine my ass.

Hikaru. when he got home, immediately went to the branch library and tried to find any information he could about Yama's appearance.

Maybe there was a way to fool the Byakugan?

He would have to find it.

The only other hypothesis he had was the Yama was dead, which was obviously not the case.