Due to the chunin exams being at the academy, or at least the first exam, students were released when we normally were freed for lunch. I went home almost immediately, I might've taken my time getting there, and went to open the book Shikako had lent me. I flipped through the first few pages before I decided that I would need a quiet place where I would be undisturbed.

There was a chance if I stuck around I would end up pulled into training or extra chores. Yet at least when I got home it was empty, mom was probably out doing one thing or another. Shikamaru and Shikako had probably left to meet with their teams.

I dumped a variety of things in my backpack. One thing I took other than a blank notebook was my drawing notebook. I kept it well hidden under my bed. No one could get to it unless they moved the bed, which if it ever happened I would know. Being small had many advantages.

What kind of ninja do I want to become?

Shikako was going to be a well rounded ninja, she would no doubt want to be an s-ranked ninja. With the shit storm that was our possible future, I didn't blame her. Shikamaru was tactical, he was strongest in the clan jutsu and probably alway would be. In the previous life, Shikamaru had been Naruto's adviser? Or maybe he had become the jounin commander like dad?

The details fuzzed, but there were faint impressions when I tried to think back. I admit the manga known as Naruto hadn't been a big part of my life. It had just been an interesting story. I had read it whenever I had the time. I wished I had paid more attention and had retained more knowledge, like the more important things.

Yet maybe I had and they were just fading now. Memories tended to do that. Memories linked to strong emotions lasted long, which some I were glad for. Others just made me realize that this world wasn't all that darker from the one I could recall. Sure this one trained children to be soldiers, but that just meant we were better able to defend ourselves.

I was stronger in this life, but still not strong enough.

Seals were supposed to be artistic right? It was what had caught my curiosity. The academy had barely brushed over it, but I had been highly artistic in my past life and that had filtered over. So if Seals were artistic then I had a chance at having an affinity for it, right?

I could've hidden myself in my 'secret' clearing. It was just a clearing that the deer had shown me. Anyone in the clan could've easily found it. Yet no one actually seemed to visit the area. Instead I headed to the clan library. I had a feeling that I would trying to get as many books of reference I could manage.

This was where Kako had pulled together her knowledge of seals. Her specialty was explosive notes. I didn't like the idea of explosives. Seeing limbs being ripped apart just made my stomach sour.

Shikako's book wasn't exactly informative. It gave brief explanation of all the different type of seals. It seemed that most seals were medical, at least the recorded seals. Ninjas and there secrets… if Seal Masters hadn't been so secretive and taught more than one person to carry on their knowledge.

Yet there was also a reason why there weren't very many seal master. This stuff was complex as hell. The kind of thing that took a lot of patience. If I had been a normal eight year old I would've opened the book seen it and instantly closed it with a big fat 'nope'. Still even with a mind or memories of an adult, I struggled through it all.

Nara R&D they did seal stuff.

To be honest I never was a very good desk studier. I managed well enough here, but I learned far more by hearing and if possible seeing it.

So after an hour I gave up on pushing through it on my own and collected my things. I scuttled out of the library and didn't have to go far to go to the Research and Development office.

"What're you doing here?" Kofuku asked her eyes jumping from my face to my bag. "Well boy? We're busy here."

"I need help," I said as if it should be obvious, "I want to understand seals."

"You and the world kid," The older woman scoffed and waved a hand for me to come in. "Try to narrow it down and I'll see what I can spare."

"I have a few questions," I warned and took a seat on a stool, "Are seals more like science, math, or art? Or is a mix of all three? Some seals have to have to have a general calculation for output or input. I suppose out of everything I really want to know how chakra and ink can create something that can explode or store a book. Or rather does someone have to understand these things to make them?"

The woman's face was pensive, then a smile cracked the expression.

"I should have known this wouldn't be easy," She sighed yet was still smiling, "Have you pestered Shikako?"

I shook my head, "She gave me the book but she got busy-now she has chunin exams."

"I should have known," She repeated a little more breathy, "I'm not fond of repeating myself so listen up."

I jotted down notes as she spoke, she delved into topics I hadn't asked about she was in some sort of sharing mode. I started stuff that had caught my intrested and seemed important at the time. Some of it, I felt completely lost. She must've seen it in my expression because she'd wave her hand and say that never mind that was way beyond my level.

Often she would get interrupted. People who were curious about what was going on and people who needed advice or something signed off on.

I was frowning over my notes as I waited. I had a headache of course, the same kind of headache that came to me when playing shogi. The kind of headache that told me I needed to take a break and that I couldn't just force myself through it.

"What're you got?" Kofuku demanded taking my drawing notebook, I had been using it to reinforce the notebook as I wrote. I paled as she opened the book. Those weren't things I shared. Her eyebrows shot up and she gave me a scrutinizing look. "These are yours."

I knew better than to snatch it back, but if I couldn't get it back I was going to bolt. The skill of art in that wasn't something any normal eight year old would be able to manage. In fact my art work was better than previous because my hands were so much steadier and I could be more precise.

"Yes ma'am," My mouth was dust. Then I flushed as I realized she wasn't looking at the scenery drawing, she was looking at the one I had done of my family. The twins were sitting side by side considering the shogi board carefully. Dad was playing against them. Mom was sitting down, she had been fixing a hole in my pants -or had it been my shirt-. It was one of my favorite, it had taken me about three weeks to get everything just right.

"You shouldn't be so reserved, this is the kind of talent you show the world." She flipped through a few more. I wondered if she had any intention of handing it back to me. My hand was a little shaky when she did hand it back. I was just glad that it wasn't one of my older drawing pads, ones where I had tried to recreate the world I had been from.

"It isn't a useful ninja skill." Instead of giving me the thing back she hit me on the head with it.

"Of course it is," She said, but offered no explanation on how, "Now go, I've wasted too much time and I have actual work to do. Run off and play with your friends."

I bowed my head politely, "Thank you for helping Kofuku-oba."

AN: I realized that I kept leaving this important bit about Masa out. Yes he is a ball of frustration when it comes to training, but he isn't always angry. He had a lot of methods to soothe himself, yet he doesn't draw in the open... which is his number one most effective way to calm down. Yet of course he doesn't always get away to a secluded spot. So of course he needs better methods to diffuse, methods where it doesn't matter who is around.

It may be the thing that gives him away to Shikako ~~