Fuuinjutsu was an obscure shinobi art most shinobi did not study extensively due to the research needed to master it. It was also notorious as being one of the most dangerous branches of the shinobi arts to learn. You would think an art that didn't involve physical training – but a brush, ink and paper – was not dangerous. However, it was proved throughout the years as the most accident-prone art. Those who died learning Fuuinjutsu didn't die in the battlefield but in their own workshop. Even a small glob of ink in the wrong place could trigger a dangerous outcome. It's understandable why the Uzumaki clan was one of the few clans specialized in it; they had both the brain and vitality to survive and master the art.
The art was said to have an endless amount possibilities, which was not a stretch of the imagination considering they could contain the most powerful creatures that ever graced mother earth. However, unlike the three main Shinobi Arts: ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu, fuuinjutsu was not an art you could master by forming hand seals and training your ass off. If you survived learning the art by copying what's been done before, you were nothing more than a copier and never a master. Seals were like a machine in the form of ink; thus to create a seal, practitioners had to understand each part and the correlation between them.
Mathematics, chakra theory, and calligraphy were the three basic skills one should achieve first before even thinking about picking up a brush and making their first stroke.
You have to master calligraphy not with flourish but with precision, not with a graceful stroke but a swift one. If a practitioner was a frontline seal master, one stroke could decide life and death.
Chakra was the energy that powered every seal, thus every shinobi who learned fuuinjutsu had to understand the nature of the energy. How it would move, mold, change and so on when flowing through a seal, and how chakra with a certain nature could have different results when channeled, like explode.
Mathematics was an abstract study of topics encompassing quantity, structure, space, and change. This subject was essential to the array of each component of the seal down to its very location. One had to practice step by step to reach a logical conclusion. Mathematical structures were used as models of seal mechanisms. A seal master should use mathematical reasoning to provide insight or predictions about the nature of the seal they were working on.
...
They sat back in the living room while Jiraiya had pulled the boy onto his side, much to his embarrassment but Jiraiya wasn't taking any of it, he was leaving tomorrow, so might as well enjoy their time together as father-son. Jiraiya placed his chin over his son's head and pulled open the calligraphy kit, getting down to business now.
He showed him the proper way to rub an ink stone and showed him how it was done so he could follow in his lead.
Kajirama did as he was instructed patiently, rubbing the required ink off the stone for their practice session, Jiraiya wouldn't tell him right now, but this was a moment every seal master cherished when he decided to take on an apprentice.
Jiraiya took a brush in his hands, instead of using the support between his index finger and thumb, he placed it in his hands on merely his fingertips for the added precision that was needed for the art of sealing.
Kajirama looked at his father's hand with narrowed eyes and took a brush in the same way in his left hand, once more surprising Jiraiya with a new edge he found in him.
"Alright Kajirama now watch this closely alright?" He spoke with a teaching tone in but a whisper feeling his head bob up and down under his chin. Jiraiya's hand expertly traced the Kanji for 'Fire' on the blank sheet in front of him. Kajirama tried to do the same, though his ending strokes came a bit sloppy as was expected of someone trying their first hand at the art of calligraphy.
At the side, Biwako smiled, sipping on some tea she had poured from the kettle she had prepared for refreshments along with some cookies for Kajirama, she watched on the boy's shaky hands take their first steps into the obscure field of sealing. She was still surprised that even after two hours straight of silent whispers and the finesse laced brushwork, he didn't seem to be letting out any discomfort anytime soon. She had tried to do the same with her son Asuma but alas the kid was a bit too hot headed and loved taijutsu instead of the boring art that was 'sealing', maybe if it was Hiruzen that would instruct their son on it, then maybe he would put some attentiveness on the art, however, Hiruzen was becoming so busy lately that the Hokage didn't have enough free time for the boys. It was fine for Kajirama since he was such an understanding child, but Asuma was showing dissatisfactions towards Hiruzen and Biwako saw much of it since she watched over their son within the house most of the time.
...
[Late in the night]
Kajirama was tucked comfortably on his bed. Jiraiya sat beside him looking over with a smile sporting his face. "You're doing well gaki."
He was talking about his son's shinobi training, his characteristics and trait as a child was splendid to say the least. When Jiraiya trained him this past few months, he found out more and more how Kajirama was such a shinobi driven child. It worried him, as he firsthand knew how cruel and vicious a life of a shinobi was. The most logical way he could only provide his son was training and the materials he needed to prepare himself, the notion of him being civilian when the clan he was born in was made up mostly of shinobis was dumb, besides, shinobis may be the people who would experience the cruelty of life, but then also were the one who protect it.
Kajirama also knew this, his view was further broadened when he read through the monument earlier, that was inscribed on the tree he chanced upon, the Yūjō no Ki.
Kajirama hesitated, and Jiraiya saw this so he asked curiously. "What's wrong gaki?"
Kajirama pondered for a moment before he finally asked the question that was conflicting him. "Otō-san, do you know of the name... Madara Uchiha?"
The room engulfed in silence, the only thing that could he heard was the duo's breathing. Jiraiya blinked, he frowned slightly and asked back. "Where did you know that from?"
Perceiving the somewhat displeasure in his father's tone. Kajirama froze, his hands tightened on the bed sheets, he evaded his father's eyes and wondered if he'd ask something bad.
"I..."
Seeing this, Jiraiya's eyes soften. 'Kajirama might have just stumbled upon the name... I wonder where.'
"Come on, gaki. Tell me." Jiraiya spoke with a gentler tone in his voice. Making Kajirama more relaxed, still he was indecisive, nonetheless, he spoke the truth.
"Well Otō-san... I found some sort of a monument from the Shodai, Hashirama and what seemed to be his best friend that was named, Madara Uchiha, on the far edges of the forest between the north and east border of the village." When he got to this point, Kajirama's tone carried wonder and amazement. "I read some of the history books, but there wasn't any Madara Uchiha that I found. Say... It also stated that this Madara Uchiha was the one who named Konoha..."
"That..." Jiraiya's eyes widened a bit. This was new knowledge to him, a monument of the Shodaime and that man? Jiraiya had to ask his former mentor, slash, father-in-law about this later before he'd leave for his mission, he only have some knowledge about Madara, but he wasn't that knowledgeable as Hiruzen, since the old man was taught by Tobirama and Hashirama themselves back in the days, so he might have some inkling about this. For now, he should inform about the limited knowledge he had to his son about the man.
"I don't exactly know about that, gaki." Jiraiya put on a pondering look, as he touched his chin. "However, to my information, Madara Uchiha was the patriarch of the Uchiha Clan, back when the the era of villages was first put out."
"I see..." Kajirama nodded owlishly.
Jiraiya smiled. "Now go to bed, it's already late. You wouldn't want to be tardy on your first attendance of the Academy don't you? Although, it's just some boring stuffs for me. Goodnight, gaki."
"Goodnight, Tōu-san."
...
Biwako offered to take Kajirama and Asuma to the academy on the first day. Strangely enough, Asuma refused to accept that offer and headed out of the home early. It was disappointing to Kajirama, to see Asuma acting like that. He had thought they would hang out together during breaks in the academy. But from the looks of it, it was clear to the Ogata child that Asuma didn't want to associate himself with his younger nephew.
Kajirama's disappointment must have shown on his face because Biwako gave him a tight hug. He returned the hug gladly and they both stepped out of the house to go to the academy.
On their way to the academy, Biwako was greeted by several villagers. She returned their greetings with warm smiles and genial words. Soon, they reached the entrance of the academy and a lot of parents were milling around the gate waiting to see their kids off. There was a chunnin waiting for the new joinees at the gate and Biwako handed Kajirama over to him with a warm smile.
They were all ushered onto a large clearing for the Hokage's welcome speech.
Hiruzen stood on the small platform as he over looked the academy ground as well as the new academy students stood in front of them all with looks of concentration on their faces. At the back, the parents stood as they watched this proud moment that a lot of them had been waiting a long time to see.
"Today you make your first steps into becoming a shinobi and your first step to becoming the protector of our dear village, Konohagakure no Sato. All of you will start your journey on the road to becoming a shinobi that will protect Konoha and all of the Land of Fire; but what does it mean to protect? Why should you protect this village and country?"
"That is a question you will eventually have to answer yourself; however, being a shinobi is a serious job so not do so lightly. Your comrades and this village depend on you; so do your loved ones. One only becomes strong when they have something that they are willing to protect to the death. Step forward today and makes us all proud."
The new academy students clapped loudly as did the parents as the Sandaime Hokage gave them all a grandfatherly wave from all the cheering they were giving him before suddenly he disappeared with a shushin.
As he disappeared, a familiar head of white hair looking down at the ground and just gave a tiny sigh as he watched his grandfather disappear.
"You okay Kajirama?" His friend Obito, who was standing beside him asked as he had seen him sigh when the Sandaime had flashed away. Kajirama merely nodded.
"Yeah I am fine. I was hoping he would stay so he would inform me about Otō-san, is'all."
As the instructors began to call out names signaling for what person would be in whose class, Kajirama stared behind him to see a lot of the parents conversing with each other and happily talking with one another.
His Obā-chan and even Kashin were there, as they gave him a small wave when they saw him look in their direction. Kajirama gave them a half smile and waved back.
He looked over a little ways to the right of them and saw Obito's grandmother standing there. Who also gave him a kind wave when she noticed Kajirama's glance.
As he scanned the mass of parents he had noted that a certain Sannin was not at the ceremony which was one of the reason he felt so down right now.
'Otō-san didn't promised, but... I was really hoping he would at least see me off on my first day... I guess he already left for his mission.'
"Kajirama Sarutobi-Ogata." Kajirama heard as the noise went silent and all watched as Kajirama walked over to the man who just called him. He was a fat man in his late-twenties with black hair and eyes wearing the standard chunin uniform.
"Ogata-sama I will be your instructor for the next four years. I am Itamo Oba."
"It is nice to meet you Oba-sensei. Please look after me." Kajirama said bowing a little and in a polite tone.
Kajirama got in line with some of the others kids that were in his class. He smiled when Obito and Rin were called by their sensei which meant they would be in the same class together. He was happy to have his two friends with him.
"Kakashi Hatake." When Obito heard this name called out, his face noticably scowled, which earned the Uchiha a chuckle from Kajirama.
After about twenty minutes the parents all said their goodbyes as well as Biwako and Kashin who gave Kajirama their good luck and goodbye before they left.
Walking though the academy, they arrived in their class room and quickly took their seats. Kajirama, Obito and Rin sat on the far window side behind.
As they sat in their seats and listened as their new sensei explained the life of a shinobi and elaborated on the speech Hiruzen had given them earlier, Kajirama took a look around the room to see if there was anyone he recognized.
Other than Obito, the only two boys he recognized was Kakashi and his little uncle, Asuma.
Kajirama also noticed a classmate he now have, which has long black silky hair and a noticeable white blank eye.
"A Hyuga." Kajirama whispered to which Obito heard and nodded.