"Furuya Mebuki?" A pink haired little girl was addressed, Sakura's mom? She called 'Here' eagerly.
A few others of no note were listed.
"Hyuuga Hiashi?"
"Here," Was his monotone reply.
"Hyuuga Hizashi?"
"Here," His reply was unsettlingly similar to the last.
A couple more were asked and then came the big one.
"Namikaze Minato?"
"Future Hokage is right here!" He yelled exuberantly back. A red-headed girl closer to the front scoffed.
Still more were read off the roll-call paper, even though there was no need; no kid wasn't there for their first real day of ninja school.
"Uchiha Isao?" This was the other honorable Uchiha in class, pun totally intended.
"Hn," The flat-haired raised his hand as he grunted his reply.
"Uchiha Nanashi?"
I showed off a little and smirked as I burnt a leaf in my hand, the smoke as my reply.
"Uzumaki Kushina?"
"Right here, get this over with already; you already know we're all here."
If I had to say… she's immaturely intelligent, translation: annoying.
Nevertheless, this is a rather prestigious year, in my eyes; to others it's just normal.
Of course, I expect none of my thirty-three classmates actually expect Minato to follow through; for now, it's best if I stay aloof, so as to not affect canon time-line over much.
It's sad that all the major members of my class except Hiashi die in a score of years or so. Perhaps I can change that.
The day began with an outline of what to expect and a schedule thereof, ostensibly so that the students could prepare themselves.
After this the teacher introduced us to the open circle a km in length. And then he promptly ordered us to run like it was to save Konoha, curiously, everyone sped up when he added that tidbit. I guess patriotism is strong in Hi no Kuni.
After we had exhausted ourselves within the time limit, we were called back and a professor style teacher came in, lecturing us on the Shodaime's legendary 'Will of Fire'.
The next day it seemed that I had caught a certain someone's eye.
"Hey noble punk, I'll run five more laps than you today!" It was, predictably, Kushina.
"I am indeed from the Noble Uchiha Clan; and while I resent the 'punk' label I am unable to refute it. In answer to your foolish statement, it matters little what you say you'll do, it only matter's what you can achieve." Hey now, that sounded pretty good, maybe once I graduate they'll start quoting that in this very room.
"Stuck-up clan-boy," Was her retort, having no answer to the latter half of my statement.
"Uzumaki-san, may I remind you that you also hail from a clan, if not as prestigious or well-known as my own?" Riling her up is just too much fun.
"Is that right, eye-ball freak?" Ah, of course the Sharingan would pop up.
To not seem speechless I answered, "My Sharingan is, sadly, not yet activated."
Any further bantering was cut short by the esteemed teacher who presided over today's physical activities.
"Shut-up and start running on three! Three!" I immediately spotted the loop-hole and lurched forward, "Two!" The rest of the kids caught on and took after me, causing the dirty blond sensei to smile and stop counting.
I ran just as fast as my tiny legs could carry me for a short distance, before evening out so that I could keep running for a longer distance.
Kushina, however, had no such reservations her active lifestyle helping her for a distance as she pulled into first place, sticking her tongue out at me saucily as she passed.
The redhead did not factor in the fact that we were going to be running for forty minutes and so she fell behind long before the end.
In the end a chunin's son placed second, with me a comfortable first; I did not, however, allow it to go to my head, beating brats less than half my mental age was no surprise; they had no form or strategy.
Arrogance has killed and will kill many.
*As a Ninja*
The unfortunate truth is… I need a shorter whip, after experimentally holding back a couple feet of my construct I found it much easier to use, whereas my tiny limbs could barely wield the two meter failing monstrosity.
So I took what was left of my ninja wire and cut three portions out, each one-and-a-half meters long and loosely braided it as before.
I looked at the ryo I had with me contentedly, my parents had started giving me an allowance after I entered the academy. And I now had what should be enough to pay for a handle on my idle new whip.
If I could only remember the blacksmith and the route we took to go there…
Oh well, I guess I'll wait until next weekend so that I can ask Hiroshi-sensei.
On that note, Hiroshi-sensei and I only meet on weekends to train nowadays, the academy taking the better portion of the day on week-days.
I looked down at the senbon in my hand with a face that said little of my anger at the poor thing. Fugaku had given it to me after picking it up in a training ground and had also said, "A whipping boy like you can use some 'real' ninja gear." I suspect it was mostly a joke but I still accepted it and began practicing throwing the thing, half the time I poked my palm with the double ended needle.
The other half my aim was off or the thing spun around and hit broadside first.
I muttered dejectedly as the battle-grade senbon fell down before it reached the target, the small flick of my hand muscles an insufficient propellant. Now that's an idea… propellant… pressurized chakra maybe? I needed a sturdy tube that was of correct size and I knew just where to look.
Gunpowder existed here already, if not in a few years, and could be used if I got my hands on some. On a separate string of thoughts… exploding tags were much more cost efficient and useful. Fuinjutsu… a tiny coin shaped object with the exploding seal carved on one side followed by a bullet? Maybe someday, if I get any skill in the field.
But really, guns under modern grade sniper and assault rifles are no good in a world of supernatural soldiers who can launch tsunamis in seconds.
And that brings us back to the senbon launcher, which could be useful, if it didn't need hand-seals or any hand interaction at all. If hidden on the underside of my forearm I could launch a palm strike followed by a high speed needle. That would be useful.
I put my Uchiha jacket on inside-out as I made my way to the metal junkyards. Just about any unused, unwanted, or just plain rusty metal in Konoha found its way here. Finding a pipe that snugly fit a senbon couldn't be too hard.
As only finding loose fits after hours could attest to, I am not infallible.
I brought the ones that could potentially be used with me and returned home before dinner.
After eating I was too tired to do any more than basic rust removal.
The following morning I slept in slightly, resulting in a morning rush as I hurried out the door to the academy.
It'd been two weeks since the academy started now and Kushina still challenges me every day, whereas Minato really does try to do his best. He's quite a kid, proclaiming his future rank of Hokage and yet not being as constantly loud as Naruto.
Instead he worked hard at his goal, really trying to be acknowledged.
Unfortunately for Minato, the blond boy really looked quite effeminate, as our class's resident tom-boy red-head can attest to.
"Uzumaki-chan, good luck with beating me today," It really grated her when people were arrogant and I have always found pleasure in provoking others, a poor trait to be sure.
And so I portrayed myself to her as a self-important prick.
"Little clan-boy hasn't taken enough of a beating yet?"
"Look at the record; you have yet to beat me in any way except for decibels produced per day and childishness." My chin was raised slightly and my eyebrow perfectly risen.
"I'll show you childish!" Her temper really is short; she lunged at me with a well-practiced punch.
To show my intense superiority I simply completely disregarded the motion – at least to untrained eyes – and the punch landed on my chest with no effect as I took my seat.
I smirked imperiously back at her and then moved my eyes to the door where the teacher had just arrived.
"Uzumaki, I saw that! Attacking classmates outside of spars is illegal, detention after school."
She scowled at the man and spat a little in my direction as she sat down in the closest opening.
Class was arithmetic; it was nothing more than addition and subtraction at this stage however. Childs-play.
After PE we were ushered back into the classroom where each student was handed a notebook and pencil before the history lesson commenced.
Before school ended we were all put through the unfamiliar katas of the academy taijutsu style, spars would begin in two weeks.
I mentally warred myself and decided that for academy spars I would use academy taijutsu.
This meant that I ran the risk of being defeated, but my course was set.
Of course, the other object of Kushina's attention was her rival, Minato; both proclaimed their future rank of Hokage and, naturally since they were the same age, both realized that one was wrong.
My honored classmates asked me which one I thought was more likely to succeed, and –being slightly chauvinistic- I said, "The strongest people have always been men, it's more likely that Minato will succeed."
This immediately rose the female in question's hackles and she angrily demanded why I thought that women couldn't be strong.
I had said, "I make no claim that they cannot be strong, I merely say they are not strongest."
Albeit I had a personal interest in infuriating the Habanero so perhaps I was biased, or maybe it was the fact that Minato really does make Hokage? It is of no consequence.
I went home happily and had a late lunch; I then found my shorter whip which had recently been finished by the friendly blacksmith.
I cracked it silently for experimental purposes. The sharp tip danced about as I lashed back and forth, I smiled widely; this could work.
I swung it around for a bit to get used to it before attempting to make a dance out of my moves. Unfortunately, I'm not much for dancing and so the session ended with drawn blood from my right arm.
I then went through the academy katas quickly before turning to my best tube.
The glaring errors were numerous, I needed one end closed or else it would be incredibly inefficient. The senbon didn't fit snugly either, which meant I'd have to use wadding.
Perhaps this really is too much for me? No! I refuse to give up until I've really tested it.
To close the end up I whittled down a stick to the appropriate size, I had to do this nine times to get one acceptably round; I then soaked it in water before sticking it in the end of the tube. Hopefully it would expand against the side enough to stay put.
I would wait two long weeks for the project to dry.
*As a Ninja*
"Clan-boy! I am going to beat you into the ground!" It seems Kushina is taking this 'rivalry' very seriously and is glad that we are going to spar.
My senbon launcher mark one is all dried out by now, I hope, and I want today's lessons to finish quickly so I can work on the blasted thing.
"I won't go easy on you, Uzumaki."
"It won't matter either way; I'll beat you into the ground!" Wow. Two words, worked up. I guess I've really gotten under her skin lately.
"We shall see how beats who in the ring." I ended the worthless argument and looked to the current fighters; Hiashi was demolishing a member of a lesser clan.
Next up was the chunin's son from day one and Minato, this could be interesting.
Minato obviously had trouble with the academy style, but at this point no one really expected anyone who wasn't from a clan do any more than sloppily flail about. So the fact that he used one combo from the manual was surprising, if not impressive.
Unfortunately for our class's blond Hokage proclaimer the other boy, Shin'Ichi, had received some instruction from his father; resulting in a resounding win for him.
However, the blue eyed Namikaze stood back up with a cheerful smile and thanked his opponent for the instruction as the teachers picked apart both boy's styles.
At length it was time for my match with the Habanero and we both strode confidently to the ring.
"Taijutsu only, yes?" I asked the proctor.
"Yes, Uchiha-san."
I made the seal of confrontation but Kushina did not deign to do the same, instead rolling her shoulder before taking a stance and smirking.
"I'll show you that women can be Hokage."
"I already know they can."
"Hajime!" Both of us ignored the call in favor of our bantering.
"Finally giving up? Scared because all you are is talk, huh!"
"Incorrect, I am merely stating that Konoha has no law for the prohibition of a female Hokage."
"You're persistent, clan-boy!"
"So I am, now, let's get this over with."
She jumped forward with alacrity, hoping to catch me by surprise no doubt; however, I haven't sparred with Hiroshi-sensei for nothing. I smoothly side-stepped to the left and symbolically kicked her posterior, angering her in the process.
She spun around with a kick of her own, impressively fast for a six year old and once again I lightly stepped away.
As she ran at me with a one-two punch combo I knelt, avoiding the blows and then launched an upper-cut to her stomach quickly, jumping back before Kushina's inevitable retaliation.
I then switched from my no-name style to the academy basic, waiting for her to make her move. She once again charged with a speed that belied her tiny stature, proving why she could beat up kids her age no problem.
Unfortunately for her success I was not just any kid, I swatted away her punches and kicks and then punched out before elbowing her in the face causing her to stagger backwards.
To say she was displeased with her failure to damage me was like saying that her hair was only a little red.
She jumped at me with a nicely executed flying kick that I dodged easily, kicking her back with a –whatever they call those 180 kicks- and she tumbled out of the arena.
"Winner, Uchiha Nanashi!" The teacher called as I offered my hand to the downed red-head.
"I don't need your pity!" She swatted my hand away.
"It's not pity; it's what winners do to losers to make them feel better." I shot her a smirk as I finished.
"I'm no loser!" She yelled, infuriated once more, ahh... it's good to have easy to manipulate people around you, she's more fun when angry anyway.
"That's right; you're the first female Hokage, yes?"
"That's right, eye-freak!"
"My money's still on Namikaze," I offered.
"The wimp? I'll beat him into the ground!"
"We shall see."
As with most days at school, it ended on a pleasant note, something to go home with a smile about.
I checked on my launcher when I got home and noted with satisfaction that the wood had indeed expanded, becoming quite tight. I procured two pieces of blank paper from the library and double lined the inside of the pipe so that the pressure would actually apply to the senbon.
Now I needed a way to make sure that there would actually be a chamber to build up pressure to launch the senbon with. I settled on wood once more, hollowing out one end of it I slid it down the tube and then shoved the senbon in after it.
Now for the hard part, I can't use fire or an explosion due to the partially wooden nature of my construct… I needed pure chakra, condensed to the extreme. I could then release my control over it; the dispersion of energy should shoot the senbon.
Well, that was the idea. Unfortunately, super compressed chakra takes a lot of control that I don't have, the senbon did little more than fly a couple feet really slowly before falling to earth.
Nonetheless, I considered it a success, after all the senbon left the barrel without the assistance of gravity.
Which brings us to our other problem, if you held the launcher at a low enough angle all the stuff inside would just fall out. This defeated the original purpose of being used as a nifty surprise in a taijutsu battle as one could scarcely not tip their arm down at some point or other in such an encounter.
And so I reached the obvious conclusion, I need a way to keep the senbon inside even if I tipped it so that it pointed straight down. I had some ideas on how to do this, none of them easy for a man of my resources.
But I was nothing if not resourceful and so I went to the one place I knew could help me.
"Hiroshi-sensei, I need help with another project."
"What now? Earrings that attack people on their own?" He joked pleasantly.
"That's actually a really good idea… but no, just a chakra powered senbon launcher."
I showed the work of art to his skeptical face. Then loaded and fired it, the senbon again going two feet before falling.
"It works! Let me see it… if you got this to work what do you need my help for?"
I reloaded it and then with great aplomb tipped it point down, the hollowed wood and senbon fell out.
"Ohh…" Was all he could manage, bloody useless.
"So you need a way to click in the senbon without making it impossible to launch?"
"Precisely."
"The simplest way to do that… You need a spring."
"Makes sense, where can I get one?" I let none of my apprehension show, how was I supposed to even install the spring! Sticking my hand down senbon width pipe four inches long didn't seem likely.
On a side note, I've never come to Hiroshi-sensei's place without him being there, is teaching me the only thing he does for a living?
It could very well be, maybe that's why he's so nice to me, 'As long as that clan head's son likes me and my teaching I'll have food to eat.' Is it that kind of thing?
But then again, Hiroshi seems like the genuine kind of guy. Maybe he just copied someone he knew with the Sharingan and now uses that as his basis for this personality?
Gah! Stupid conspiracy theories, it's doesn't matter, what matters is that spring.
"I bet I got one, I used to dink around with stuff like you when I was younger, still do sometimes." He smiled, so that's why he knows so much about random junk.
He brought out the tiniest spring I ever did see, sparking my reaction, "Is that tiny thing even going to do anything, sensei?"
"This thing may look small put its surprisingly strong, now… how to attach this?"
We puzzled over it for a while before concluding that the only way was to cut a hole in the pipe and then stick it in, something I was ill equipped to succeed in.
And so the project fell by the wayside, in favor of new thoughts and incentives.
While I regretted not being able to finish the launcher I looked at it as a learning experience: not all things will succeed.
And so I brought my attention back to my whip and taijutsu, practicing each for an hour a day.
Two months into school we had our first class rankings, the written test had been the day before, and I was proudly on the top of the list. This caused a grand smile within me, now Hiroshi-sensei would have to teach me my new jutsu.
"Hiroshi-sensei, I'm top of my class."
"So, you want your new technique then?"
"Of course," I grinned up at him.
"I'll demonstrate." He took a long piece of ninja wire and went through the full set of hand-seals for the technique and then fire took off down the wire as he spoke the name, "Katon: Dragon Fire."
I small flame went down the wire, grounding itself when it reached the end.
Hiroshi then told me the hand-seals and explained the technique, prompting me to use the same wire he had.
"Katon: Dragon Fire," I whispered in awe as the fire took off down the wire, with a small adjustment I could make my whip flame with this little trick.
Interestingly enough, when this technique comes in contact with flesh it causes a small explosion. I look forward to a burning whip indeed.
School the next day saw a rise in interaction between Minato and Kushina.
"Hey Namikaze! Let's settle this right now, you and me." So… thuggish.
"Of course, if you will acknowledge me when I win," Contrary to his meek appearance Minato was actually self-confident to an extent.
"No fighting in the classroom, brats." That was our dirty blond teacher Aoki Yoshiro, he was the primary instructor for our classes, as well as the teacher that I recognized by name here.
Fortunately for Kushina, she got her chance in the taijutsu section to beat him down, as they were matched up against each other.
"What a wimp," Was all the Habanero had to say as she stepped over the fallen body of her opponent. She really is quite vicious.
"Up Namikaze, my money is still on you." I encouraged, the little blond beamed back at me as he licked his wounds.
"WHAT! I just demolished him and you still think the wimp is going to beat me out for Hokage?"
"If neither of you get the title, he'll still be closer."
Crushingly for Minato, he now had to put up with daily taunts and near-daily pranks from Kushina now. It seems she really cares about my opinion? Well whatever, by the time we're jonin she won't even remember this.
The days passed by like a breeze, and by the time year two of the academy started the rankings were simple.
Uchiha Nanashi; I'm just that good, what can I say?
Hyuuga Hiashi; no surprise here, considering his status.
Hyuuga Hizashi; again no surprise, he is a quite talented individual.
Uzumaki Kushina, apparently she actually is rather good at basic multiplication and division.
Shin'Ichi; never did catch his last name, as everyone just called him 'Shin'.
Uchiha Isao, if he were any lower I'm sure he would have cried, honestly.
Namikaze Minato, to Kushina's chagrin he was actually intelligent and really quite good at everything he set his mind to.
The list went on but these were the persons of note.
Now seven, my whip wielding skills are actually skills, my genjutsu has improved and I've learned much about the art of illusions.
It is possible to insert chakra into the subject's brain at long range, without eye-contact or other sensory affliction.
Seriously, why wasn't that in my beginner's book? This method is actually closer to ninjutsu than sensory genjutsu, since it uses hand-seals to focus chakra, a necessity considering the chakra usage of such techniques.
I've also learned the more enhanced version of the henge, projecting a layer of chakra around other objects to transform them. While impossible to henge a ninja into someone else you can do it with a normal civilian, though I don't know a lot of civilians.
The reason you can't affect a ninja in this manner is simple, the human body rejects foreign chakra.
This is why jinchuuriki have an abysmal life-span normally, main exception being Uzumaki, who don't reject foreign chakra as harshly, making them easier to both heal and seal living beings into.
And also the easiest to project a henge onto, don't tell anyone. And so I followed Kushina home, changing her into Minato in appearance I waited for when she would wake up. I consider this just retribution for the pranks she's pulled on me.
Of course, Kushina has a surprisingly girly side and so she keeps a mirror which she brushes her hair in front of every morning. So when she groggily awoke and changed behind my respectful back and then meandered over to her mirror, the room we were both in was shaken by her scream.
If I had hands in this form they would be over my ears, but right now I'm just an amazingly mobile dirty plate. I really should have gone with the termite henge.
Having seen the fun I quickly became a scrambling bed-bug that slipped out under the door. The henge is really a reality defying technique.
Wrong! What really happened was that I transformed into the plate and then cast a genjutsu that played out the rest of the seen, sans what Kushina did of course. You didn't really think anybody could just conveniently henge into an unnoticeable bug did you?
Don't get me wrong, it's most certainly possible, just not for the current me, also the henge is no physical transformation, just a change in appearance to the naked eye.
Which is why doujutsu can see through them, as they are most certainly not the naked eye.
On the subject of the genjutsu I used, it really is not a very combat oriented one, basically what it does is make things in a certain direction appear the same for a few seconds, it's useless against skilled shinobi is a constantly shifting environment.
The bed bug was a personal touch.
Useful for pranking hot tempered as the redness of their hair Uzumaki though. I expect my projection henge will wear off soon. Nonetheless it was amusing to hear her horror at seeing herself as someone else in the mirror, and for real.
Well, it was mostly for a practical use of my new genjutsu skills, and if I may say, genjutsu is very useful.
In any case I still have class to go to.
*As a Ninja*
Kushina narrowed her eyes at her blond rival before making insulting gestures in my own direction and sitting down wordlessly.
My my, too speechless to talk this fine morning? Of course, I'm not stupid enough to say that out loud.
"I'll beat you up good, red-head!" That was Minato, and no matter how much I look at him those words should not leave his lips, he's such a small kiddo.
"You? Beat me? Wimp, that'll be the day."
Oh yes it will, I look forward to it.
"And when I do, you'll have to acknowledge me!" It's almost sad how Minato and Naruto in the academy both had the same reason for being Hokage.
"If you can beat me I'll kowtow before you, wimp, believe it!"
"Just make sure you remember you said that when I win!"
"I remember everything, blond."
Wow… that's some serious discrimination going on, throwing blond around like an insult and all.
"Hyuuga, I look forward to seeing how much you've improved."
"So do I, Uchiha."
"What about you Hizashi-san? Have anything to say?"
He cocked his head ever so slightly before speaking, "I also look forward to seeing how much we've improved, Nanashi-san."
"You guys are about as exciting as a blunt kunai."
"We do not need to be exciting; we only need to be effective."
"Of course, I leave it to your father's better judgment." Really though, the pain inflicting function on the Hyuuga branch members is unneeded and gross. I mean I respect that they don't want their doujutsu stolen but it's really too much.
While I can't say I'm on good terms with the Hyuuga twins – who can? – I will say that we get along fine. The two are nothing if not polite, though Hiashi throws subtle challenges and insults every so often, a result of the rivalry between the Uchiha and Hyuuga.
While by the time the Kyuubi attacked the Hyuuga were ahead in the political game they were not so now.
The lecture today was more of a 'gratz you made it through year one' kind of thing.
There were no spars today, mostly just a rerun of day one of entering the academy.
This year it seems we'll delve into the mysteries of chakra; having forgone most talk about it the year before, so that late bloomers could have a chance for the big expand.
Other than that it seems we'll get an extra teacher to 'help us out', more likely to keep us in line.
Curiously, hand stands will be a part of this year's curriculum. I suppose they told us so that skirt wearers would have a chance to switch to pants.
I walked home from school, confident in my ability to stay on the top for this year as well, and as I marched along a dreadful feeling hit me.
I began to run home, fearing that perhaps this dread was perhaps for a reason. I pushed open the doors to the compound and recoiled at what I saw.
Dead Uchiha, everywhere.
I frantically searched for my family but in their place stood a man, with an orange mask.
This was impossible! Obito wasn't even born yet, I carefully stopped the flow of chakra in my body.
"Kai!" Nothing.
"Kai!" A triple layered genjutsu?
"Kai!" Still nothing.
"KAAIII!" I began to mourn; it was real… but how? Had my presence changed so much? I looked around and saw a mirror. Only, it was not my expression that surprised me, not even my tears… It was the eyes, those cursed, red eyes.
The eyes of a pathetic avenger, the eyes of a murderer, the eyes of a worthless sensei… My eyes.
I gazed at the mirror, ignoring the orange masked man. Watching wordlessly as the hypnotic spinning of a single tomoe in each eye did not cease.
The world around me shattered.
A saw the faces of my family and my one true sensei, Hiroshi, a dream?
"Poor boy, this kind of thing can traumatize kids Yuu."
"That's what has to happen, unless we threaten his life."
"Sorry Nanashi, but by all accounts you should have had your Sharingan by now."
"What?" It was all I could manage.
Hiroshi-sensei continued, "Unless your Sharingan is activated by intense emotions or life-or-death situations, it should pop up on its own."
"The rarity on the popping on its own is so low though that we've come up with a system, once an Uchiha attains a certain level of strength we use this genjutsu on them."
"It's a Demonic Illusion that's layered and much more subtle than the easier and more common, Hell-Viewing."
"So it was all a fake to get me the freaky spin-eyes?" I asked, astounded.
"If you want to call them that, then yes, Nanashi. Now, remove the chakra from your eyes to deactivate them." My father - Yuu was it? – was the speaker.
I focused and deactivated my Sharingan, noting with interest that the world was no longer HD.
"I hope you don't blame us for this."
"Of course not, Mother." I smiled as wide as I could without showing my teeth, indeed I should thank you. No matter the method, doujutsu are too powerful to pass up.
"Good, Hiroshi-san will be instructing you in the use of your Sharingan starting tomorrow. For now, rest." Was he going to put me out? He was it seemed, I activated my Sharingan as Fathers blue hand came down, hoping to copy the technique.
My vision went black.
XXXX