A Measure of Darkness - indefinite hiatus -

ZERO: FIVE

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The Years Before Academy — Stress and Sorrow
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For the next month, medical school takes up 18 hours out of 24, leaving me with a whopping six hours of sleep Monday through Friday. Saturdays and Sundays are off—complete Saturdays if there's no tests and I don't have to make anything up. I've got to prepare for Academy lessons, too...

It had been a while, but I had covered the Ninja Academy's academic and physical curriculum with Marui, a woman my parents hired as my tutor. Marui expected to just give a slight nudge for a clan heir, but I blew through four years of Academy curriculum, only really struggling with third and fourth year math, as it creeps steadily towards high school math (the bane of my existences).

But, there are lots of things beyond that the Academy teaches. The Leaf Medical School, when not in war, requires that all students be seven and enrolled in full-time study—the Ninja Academy. The medical students in the Academy work shorter and slower days, coming down here after school lets out to work for a few hours and head home. With Sumomo and I staying so late in the Leaf Medical School (taking full advantage of it being open 24/6—you know, Sundays), we run into a group of them. Or... they burst into our study room.

Eight girls ignore our presence and huddle together, chattering. Unlike our lanyards and white coats, they wear casual clothes and smell like sweat and metal. Even though I try to study, I can't help but hear their words in the quiet room.

"—Miki thinks she's so cute throwing shuriken, you know? She knows just how hard every boy in class is watching her—"

"I can't wait for the cultural trip in two months! I've, like, totally planned everything out! If I can just get my prince to be my partner, I'll be set..."

"—okay, so, I took a quiz on where to place my forehead protector yesterday, and I got waist! You think a belt looks good on me? I have no waist to speak of!"

They speak of things I couldn't learn sitting in a desk. Hands on activities I only read summaries about—aside the forehead protector test thing. (Sounds interesting.)

To be seen as a genius, I need to be good in them, too.

I have to further breakdown my schedule: medical school and vital Academy training.

So, 12 months in a year, right? Itachi really proved how amazing shuriken and kunai are, so I'll spend four months mastering that. Tracking and outdoor skills aren't a big thing until year two and three, so a little every month will be fine. I've also got to study my math again... maybe in six months? Nine...?

What about ninjutsu? There so many techniques I want to learn! I have to get good at that. If I practiced every day, I'll be a pro before graduation...

And so on, until I take more notes on my future studying methods than I do medical ninjutsu.

I stop.

I'm light years behind everyone else. This is not the time for procrastination.

In two weeks, the first exam will be held on Saturday, an estimated length of two hours.

Since beginning, naturally I've gotten grades on homework, participation, labs, and lectures. Here in the Leaf, grades follow a different system.

F is a grade from 0 to 30. D is a grade from 31 to 50. C is a grade from 51 to 70. B is a grade from 71 to 80. A is a grade from 81 to 90.

S is a grade from 91 to 100.

Ds and Fs are still failing grades and not something I should ever get. The average students in class range between high Bs and low Cs, with Migaki being a high A.