Fourth Hokage and Son

The Pre-Test Part 1 (Editted)

Minato stood within the group of parents. They all chatted amongst themselves for a time until the academy doors flew open and out came the fourth year students lead by their instructors. Following their children, everyone slowly made their way from the school to training ground seven. Naruto's blonde hair could be picked out of the throng of students quite easily... which was the only reason Minato was able to find him despite his height.

The familiar obstacle course had been set up at the training ground. It was customary for the fourth year students to begin and end the school year with a performance test involving a written portion and a physical portion on the obstacle course. The class had already taken the written exam, which determined the order for the physical portion. With Naruto second to last in line, Minato was reminded of the conversation he'd had with the nine year old the day before.

"I bombed the exam today." Naruto was sitting on the counter in the kitchen while his father made stir fry on the stove next to him. "If I fail the physical, I'll be placed in remediate."

Being placed in remediate meant before school class time and extra homework until the student was on par with the rest. For Naruto it meant less sleep and more headache.

"Just do what you can, this is only a preliminary exam for the year- to provide a baseline for your instructors. The performance test isn't until the end of the term and if you need a little extra class time then that's what you need. The tests today and tomorrow have no impact on your placement."

"Maybe not right now! But everybody knows those who get in remedial this year end up in the basic course next year!"

"What's wrong with the basic curriculum?"

"I want to be in the regular course with everyone else! I don't want to be that kid who needs help, who everyone has to look out for. The kid no one wants on their squad!" Naruto wasn't angry, his face was a little red, but he was more agitated than anything else. And more or less, his father understood his justified frustration. It wasn't uncommon for those stuck in remedial to end up in the basic course, and after the academy they rarely made it beyond genin.

"Then do your best... but remember to just be you tomorrow."

The obstacle course consisted of a fifty meter sprint onto a balancing beam then across money bars and up a twenty-five foot rock wall. During the sprint the students had to weave in and out and over various items keeping a constant pace. The balance beam and monkey bars were placed over mud pits to give the students some incentive not to fall. The students were not expected to complete the rock wall, only to go as high as they felt comfortable... and the higher they went the steeper the wall. All of this was to be done as fast as they could manage, but also before the time constraint of five minutes.

Minato watched as the tests began, each student going through the course one at a time. Parents were always invited to watch the physical exam so that they would be aware of their child's current skill level and to insure judgement remained fair. Minato made note of a few students he was already familiar with: Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru, Huga Hinata, and Inuzuka Kiba. The Uchiha had performed brilliantly, as expected, and had the fastest time yet at 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Shikamaru was his usual self, making it through the test just under five minutes without trying for a faster time due to a lack of initiative. Hinata had barely made it through the test under the time constraint, almost falling on the balance beam, but had made it through flawlessly on everything else. Kiba was currently the challenger for the Uchiha's time at 3 minutes and 18 seconds, now if only his written exam scores exemplified the same dedication.

A particular blonde now stood to take the test. Minato could see his son trying to calm himself down, taking deep breaths, and digging his nails into the palms of his hands- a bad habit of his when nervous or agitated.

With a whistle from Iruka the timer was started, and Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto stepped forward.

Sorry it's been a while, I had an intense four week summer course over the Holocaust... I was a bit too depressed to be creative. But there should be more updates at smaller intervals from now until school starts up again. Enjoy and comment please!