8 Waste Not

"What's wrong with ramen dattebane?"

"Nothing is wrong with ramen. I just think we should eat something else today. Having ramen for most of the week can't be good for you."

"How can you say that? There're plenty of flavors and each one has meat and vegetables included. It's totally a balanced meal by itself!"

"Fine, we can get ramen tomorrow. Let's go get some barbeque today. It's on me!"

Ignoring the fated couple, I analyse the fuinjutsu book Minato got me a week ago. Along with a few anatomy books, he brought some fuinjutsu and general survival books the day I tried to test out. At first, I thought I wouldn't touch the anatomy and survival books before becoming a novice fuinjutsu user. Well, I was wrong. The problem is that the first paragraph says that the fuinjutsu characters themselves can vary from person to person so the characters in the book are strictly just guidelines. Basically, there is no concrete alphabet and the hardest part of analyzing a seal is interpreting the intention. What I may write as 'explode' may read like 'release' to another. The only fixed rules are the geometrically perfect orientation that each seal has to follow in order of complexity.

Circles are instances we create and the lines perpendicular to each circle are parameters. Each circle can hold infinitely many parameters, but for the fuinjutsu to function the space between parameters must be the exact same. In the center of the seal is something that represents one of the main themes for the seal to the creator. It's like leaving a comment like, "Hey, this thing is for storage, or this one explodes!" That's the simple part.

Back to the problem! To start, I need to hammer down my own language. I might be able to use the generic characters, but for my future endeavors, I'll need something a bit more complete and versatile. If I could get into the Uzumaki village, I might be able to snag a copy of the complete language, but let's be real. I won't get a chance at that for another few years. Unless I get drafted before I graduate, as the village burns down, I won't be visiting for quite a while.

The only other option is using raw math and equations for most of my language and figuring out how to piece it together with a written language. I could just use the written language to direct the seal and numbers to specify how it works, but the downside is that it's much easier to decipher. Yes, I'll probably create what I want, but I can't let anyone else see my seals.

Tiredly leaning back against a colorful maple tree trunk I stretch my arms out. Baby Kakashi is a pretty big deal right now. Although most people haven't seen either him or his parents, everyone knows that Konoha's White Fang has a son. Call it propaganda. Call it a smokescreen. It doesn't matter. It does feel better knowing the plot will happen. Minato's ten years old now, which means the war should start a year from now. Give or take a few months of course, but there are rumors of border altercations.

The sand just launched a border raid exercise, obviously scoping our border. The stone has increased activity in the land of grass and waterfall while the mist is silent like usual. Only the Cloud has started aggressions. There have been quite a few stories detailing teams going missing in the Land of Hot Water without any traceable evidence. Just rumors right now, but all indications that things are changing. One year to get myself into shape and polish off my first seal. Less probably since missions and patrols will take most of my time once I graduate.

Running a hand through my faded purple hair, I sigh. Picking the fuinjutsu book back up, I move on to the first chapter; simple instances.

++++++==+++++++

Jogging to the academy, I suddenly throw myself at a freshly painted fence. Hearing the sound of a kunai digging into the ground, I send a pulse of chakra towards the kunai's origin. Frowning, I feel my assailant squatting on a tree. Reaching out to the branch below him, I create an anchor below his sandals. Using the anchor, I push chakra into his apparel and create anchors on his clothing and equipment. Checking my chakra, I let myself fall off of the drying fence. Half of my chakra's left, but all my preparations are finished.

Three shuriken in his back pouch, one kunai in his hand, a couple of sealing scrolls, and a hidden needle in his trousers. Nothing too hard to deal with, but with him having higher strength and speed, I need to act first. Feeling him moving, I quickly adhere the branch to his sandals. I'm sure he's surprised, but there's no time to gloat. I'm no villain and I definitely don't have plot armor. Pulling at his tool pouch and belt holster, I rip the shuriken and scrolls away. I can't do anything about the Kunai, but the needle is different.

Dashing towards his tree, I keep my connection alive by making sure one foot is always on the ground. Yes, it looks weird dragging my feet while running. Yes, It's inefficient, but I haven't figured out how to stay connected while away from the ground without expending much more chakra. The solution I found is creating chakra strings, but chakra strings are two times less efficient at transporting chakra. In short, I'd probably be drained by now.

Smirking as I hear him panic, I pull at his needle driving it right through his foot and towards my anchor in the branch. Hearing him squeal, I cut my connection and sprint to him. Grabbing two needles from my hair, I hold them over my opposite shoulder. One between my index and middle fingers and the other between my middle and ring. Seeing his pathetic flailing body fall, I aim for his kunai hand before letting the needles fly.

Reaching him as he lands, I grit my teeth in frustration. It's my old instructor. Well, he's no longer an instructor since his flak jacket's gone. Only one of my needles found its mark. The other kept going into the foliage. Do you know how hard it's going to be to find it if I run out of chakra? Pushing chakra into my foot, I punt him into the tree trunk. Grabbing his dropped kunai, I slip it into my pack. Waste not, want not. Huffing out in frustration, I slowly approach the bruised pencil pusher. Glancing at the slightly damaged tree bark, I gloss over his prone body next.

Men are genetically stronger, even if he stagnated at chunin and stopped training, he is stronger than me. I really shouldn't get arrogant here. Smashing my foot into his ribs, I grab his head by the hair. Smashing it against the tree trunk, I wait for him to focus his eyes on me. Seeing that I've got his attention, I pull the needle out of his foot. Chuckling as he whimpers in pain, I rip my own pink needle out of his forearm. Apparently, texture matters in both aerodynamics and the type of wound created. My light blue needle is sleek and simple whereas this pink one has much more traction. Even taking it out of my hair can become a problem if I wrap it too tight.

"Stop, I didn't even try to hurt you!" he wails. Cleaning the needles on the grass, I walk around the tree and grab his shuriken pouch and storage scrolls. Glancing at the disappointing pencil pusher, I roll my eyes. Didn't try to hurt me? Anyone who picks up a weapon intends to use it. It's the first thing we learn in the academy. Holding a weapon we don't intend to use only has drawbacks. Checking my chakra, I smile wryly. Just enough to find my other needle.

Pulsing my chakra towards where my light blue needle disappeared, I slowly comb through the sea of chakra signatures. It's like radar, but I can only sense the residue of my chakra in objects. Vague shapes are all I can sense right now, but it's more than enough to find a humanoid shape. Imagine looking at a swimming pool and finding a black hole inside. That's what other people feel like. Since my chakra can't compete with someone else's in their body, it just ignores their body. Sure, if I grab them and push my chakra into them, I could probably do something. The only catch is there isn't much information on the method itself. I don't know if they could turn it against me.

Sensing a few out-of-place objects in the sea of grass, I crawl towards them slowly. The problem with finding weapons is you don't want to stab yourself looking for them. Nasty cuts can get infected and cost you quite a bit to get patched up properly. No room for wasting money right now. Slowly sliding my hands over the foliage, I find two rusty shuriken, and a water bottle before finding my needle. Cleaning it off, I slide both needles into my hair again. Running my fingers over the rusty shuriken, I try putting them in my new pouch before deciding to hold them. Another problem is that storage is finite. Just like real life, pockets can't infinitely stretch.

Tucking loose strands of hair behind my ear with my free hand, I walk back to my prey. Stopping a few steps away, I watch him. Head looking down, breathing raggedly, and completely tense. He's still trying to get me. Huffing, I flick one of the shuriken at his right knee. Not paying attention to his abrupt screeching, I flick the other at his left knee. Watching him carefully take out the shuriken while pushing himself away, I push chakra into my foot. Slamming his head back into the tree trunk, I light a smoke signal and set it on the ground.

It would be convenient if I could flare my chakra, but I'm pretty low right now. I won't kill him, that's just asking for trouble. I'll wait for the Uchiha Police and explain myself. Grabbing the bloody shuriken, I start wiping them on the ground. Yeah, they barely even cut into him, but scrap metal can be sold. That, and it would be nice to have some metal to experiment with. I wonder if transforming shuriken into needles or senbon would destroy them. If not, I may be able to try other materials and eventually get accessories that I can hide on me. Imagine wearing rings that can be transformed. Talk about concealed weapons right?

Hearing a few people dashing my way, I slowly sit on the ground. No need to confront them since I called them. Seeing the flashing red eyes jumping around roofs and tree branches, I grin. I really don't know how that can be scary. Imagine a couple of wimpy-looking guys doing acrobatics while wearing glow-in-the-dark contact lenses. That's all it is. So most ninjas don't need muscle, I still think having a good amount of natural muscle can only be beneficial. When I run out of chakra, I don't just faint. Yes, my head starts pounding and I feel nauseous, but I can still walk away. I might puke if I run, but I definitely could.

Watching as the Uchiha land in front of me in formation, I lazily point at the wasted weirdo. "I beat him for attacking me" I slowly mutter. The one in front, the leader, signals the left wimp to check on the body. "I'll need you to come with me to the station to give your testimony" he states. So monotone. So boring. "Nope. Sorry, no can do! Not unless you can help me out" I beam at him. Tilting his head slightly, he continues staring at me. This is why I think these guys went extinct. They're all anti-social. Staring back, I eye him challengingly. Sighing, he spreads his hands, "I'm not saying I'll help, but want do you need help with?"

Smirking, I say, "I need you to deliver a report to the academy administrator. Just say Aster sent it and she'll understand." That's Right! I finished that report. Just in time too, since it's actually due today. Reaching into my backpack, I give the report to his other lackey. Signaling his subordinates to move, one lifts the body, and the other rushes away with my report. At least they're competent.

Grunting, he inspects the surroundings, "Is there anything else or can we go to the station?" Blinking at his practiced body language, I shrug. I can't just ask him to carry me can I? I definitely could just run to the station, but I did just finish my workout an hour ago. Looking at his arms, I squint. Now that I'm getting a closer look at him, he doesn't seem that thin either. "Carry me" I demand with my arms akimbo.