Along a Fading Path (Naruto/SI)[Quest Story]

Spoiler: Music

An ocean of tranquil, knee-high water surrounded me. Gazing into it's flat, mirror-like plain, I see my own reflection. Obsidian dots stare back at me.

Is this hell? Heaven?

The waters stir as I reach down, grasping at my own reflection.

Nothing.

The silence is maddening. Every direction is a flat field- the horizon stretches on forever.

And I am alone.

Ah... I died, didn't I? That's why I'm here, right?

...

It came out of nowhere, yet... I can't say it was a pitiful end. I died to save my brother. That's-

...

Damn it. I didn't want to die! Not again!

My palm smacks against flesh. Through moist fingers, I look down at my sorrowful reflection.

God damn it! Why?!

Alone and unheard, a grown man in the body of a small child lets loose a sob. It's curious how I see myself as Sasuke, rather than my old form. Had the years of isolation and insanity really warped my perception so much? Has my mind been twisted by the childish brain in your body?

...

I take a deep, calming breath and shut my eyes, trying to relax.

"What now..." What the hell can I do? Am I supposed to wander this place for all-

The dark ocean flashes for an instant, sending a cascading wave of light off into the distance. A small, crimson dot drags my gaze down towards my feet.

Sharingan.

Scarlet eyes stare back at me; the small, black dots within start to spin- drawing me deeper and deeper into the calm sea.

I fall.

The small reflection of my eyes rapidly expands. In the blink of an eye, my Sharingan has engulphed my reflection's body. It continues to expand untill the entire ocean is consumed by a wild, flaming pattern.

Water bubbles and sweat rolls down my face. Steam rises into the air, pulling my sight up toward the sky.

"Oh..."

A massive eye-shaped meteor spirals through the air- its target is right below my feet. The wind screams and ignites as it draws closer and closer.

What can I even hope to do against that?

As is punctures the cloud-line, evaporating the fluffy things, my body crashes into the ground. The very water is pushed aside, leaving me on a barren island. I stare straight into the red void, burning the image straight into my mind.

The ocean evaporates- my body buckles under the immeasurable weight, yet I... live?

Unkown sensations flow through me as my body passes through the meteor, coming to a sudden stop at its center.

"Sasuke..."

It whispers.

"Sasuke..."

What? How-

"Sasuke..."

This-

---------------

"Sasuke..."

My eyes snap open. A soft, tired voice calls out to me as tiny rays of light filter into the room.

An unfamiliar ceiling.

I hold back a pained groan and look around. White, sterile walls are bleached into my brain. I recoil at the bright colours, dragging my gaze down to the slightly duller sheets.

A hospital. I'm in a hospital.

I feel around my chest, wincing as my fingers brush against coarse fabrics. A glance down reveals layers upon layers of bandages. They're as white as the room, so that's something to be relieved about. Still, I'm now starting to feel the pain.

It hurts.

"Sasuke..."

Another mumbled call out finally has me looking at the small figure by my bedside. A blond head of hair rests by my side- Yue gently sleeping on her head.

I'm alive.

I smile and try to talk, only for a painful grunt to slip past my teeth. Breathing immediately becomes harder.

Ow...

Naruko's head snaps up instantly. Her azure eyes widen to the size of sauces as tears begin to bud from their corners.

"S-Sasuke!" She shouts, stopping herself just before nearly hugging me. "Oh! Sorry!" She sheepishly backs away.

Thank god. That would have hurt.

"H-How are you feeling? Are you alive? Are you ok?!"

I try to answer her. Seriously? Can't she tell just by looking?

Sadly, it hurts far too much to even speak a single word.

"Oh! Um, I'll get the doctor! Sit still, ok?!"

And just like that, she vanished.

Quick as the devil.

---------------

With Naruko's return came news. Both good and bad. I was alive and only due to luck. The sword had nearly killed me and the blood loss would have done me in shortly after.

"Your brother gave much of his blood and was in the other room." Thankfully, while he nearly died, he was ok. How he convinced a doctor to go through with that is beyond me.

Judging by the relieved and slightly nervous look on the doctor's face, it couldn't have been pleasant.

"He's gone home now and your mother is taking care of him." Which was why she wasn't here.

Sadly, while I evaded death twice, I wasn't entirely unscathed. The strike had cost you a kidney, so I wouldn't be drinking very much at all.

"But don't worry-" the doctor winked. "-I hear girls like scars."

He definitely shouldn't give up his day job...

In any case, visiting hours were about to end, so he sent Naruko home, much to her displeasure. Your mother and father would probably visit tomorrow, so untill then, you were to rest.

"M-Master!" I could practically fill a small pool with her tears. "I-I'm so happy you're alive!"

My face was bombarded with kisses and tiny hugs. And like that, I laid back and relaxed. As night fell, I thought to test something out. Grabbing a nearby mirror, I called forth my Sharingan and watched as it morphed into a new form.

Mangekyo.

I wasn't sure if this was good or bad. Right now, I was simply exhausted.

[Reward: Mangekyo Sharingan Get!]

------------------------

When I opened my eyes next, it was to Itachi, Fugaku, and Mikoto.

Everyone came, just for me.

"Welcome back, little brother." Itachi teased, even as he leaned on mother for support.

Tears swelled from my eyes.

"I'm back."

It was good to be home.

========

Everything hurt. Siting was fine, but the instant feet touched the ground, a crippling wave of pain rushed down your spine.

A cry left my lips, betraying the small amount of training I had endured. I wasn't a ninja yet, and even then, I'm sure grown adults would show some reaction from that.

"It's ok, Sasuke." The doctor said reassuringly. His hand leapt to my shoulder, sending me onto the wheelchair. "I know it hurts, but you have to be strong." A small lollipop found itself into my hand. The childish gesture got on my nerves, but honestly, I needed something to focus on aside from the pain.

I felt every bump, every turn, and every stop as I travelled the hospital's halls in my wheelchair. As it turned out, the lollipop did help me cope with the pain. There was a small tingling in ny mind, so I suspected it might have had some light painkiller in it or something.

Paying attention to my surroundings was extremely difficult, but I tried to look at my surroundings. The hospital was abuzz with patients.

"Another Uchiha?"

"Poor little guy."

Yue fluttered at my side, whispering soft, gentle words every few minutes. Her warm fingers pressed at my cheek, and through the thin sheet of pain, I could see the worried look on her face.

Ninja were insane. They had magic chakra cures and whatever, but they still had me start rehab so soon. It hadn't even been a week!

"We've healed most of the damage."

"All that's left is for your body to recover."

"The sooner you start, the faster you can go join your friends.

The doctor's words were filled with a thin veneer of anxiety and concern. But not for me. It felt like he'd be in more hot water than me if I somehow failed to heal.

"You are my son. You and Itachi are the future."

Fugaku's words came to mind. That was such a long time ago, yet I could clearly visualize them, even now.

Even starting now, it would take about a month or so to fully recover.

So much time.

"We're here, Sasuke." My wheelchair stopped. The door in front of me slid open, and as I was rolled inside, I saw something familiar. Two metal poles were parallel to the ground, supported by much smaller rods.

I 'm going to learn to walk?

"Chakra's an incredible thing." His words were calm, encouraging. "With it, we can push our bodies beyond its limits. We heal faster, jump higher, punch harder." His eyes feel onto my meek form.

"Can you make a fist for me?"

Taking a deep breath, I looked down at my right hand. I easily made the fist with my left, though, it was a bit painful. Gritting my teeth, tried to do the same with my right.

It was as if a searing rod was plunged into my right side.

It hurts!

"It's ok, no need to take it too fast." The doctor quickly said. "We'll take our time and get you up in no time!"

Complications sucked. At first, it was just my kidney, but in a few days, I learned that the sword had hit a small clump of nerves. I'd heal, but recovery would be painful.

"Come on, we'll keep trying, ok?" His gaze was hesitant, unsure of what I'd say.

He was scared to push me, to make the pain spurn me away from fast recovery. It wasn't hard to figure it out.

No one wants to be the one to ruin my career as a ninja.

"Yes." I answered. Talking hurt a little bit, but every day it became easier and easier.

I wouldn't falter here. There was far too much to do and focus on.

"I-I believe in you!" I whispered, rosy lips pecking my cheek.

A small, relieved sigh slipped out of the doctor's mouth.

"Good. Now, I have a few exercises to get you started."

This was going to be a long month. But I wouldn't just rollover.

[Reward: Gained Trait: Scarred]

=========

It was oh so tempting to use a wish to heal myself. My resources were very limited, though. Instead, I asked Yue to help my brother.

The face she made was complicated and conflicting.

"I-I'm sure he'll get better. You should focus on yourself!"

I wouldn't. Itachi risked his life to save mines. This was nothing compared to that.

"O-Ok." And thus, my last wish of the year was used on my brother.

----------------

The days in the hospital blurred together. All my friends from school stopped by.

Hinata brought some flowers.

"M-My mother used to give these t-to me when I was feeling down."

Shino brought me a small ant farm.

"While what you and I went through is different, focusing on taking care of this helped me out." I was sure that his ordeal had been far worse. To allow bugs to live in your body probably hurt a lot more than this, though, my pain-addled mind spoke on the contrary.

"We got ya a card." Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru all chipped in for said card. Amusingly, the card had scratch and sniff kunai and elements.

Ninjas were weird.

Finally, there was Naruko. She had gone out of her way to make you a homemade meal. My mother's handy work was all over it, even though Naruko denied anything of that sort.

"N-No way! I made that! You have to believe me!"

And so I did, digging into the pumpkin pie with gusto.

The days continued to pass, and while the number of visits went down, my friends never stopped coming. As for my family... one of them was basically always in the hospital every day.

After my little wish, Itachi had found his way into my hospital room the very next day. His eyes were red and there was a grim look on his face. The instant my face met his, tears flowed down his cheeks.

I was just happy to see him alive and he felt the same way.

"It looks like my little brother's no crybaby." He joked, stopping himself from hugging me.

I smiled, holding back tears of my own.

"No." I shook my head. "It looks like my big brother's the crybaby."

The two of us were alive. Mother, father... everyone had lived.

The future was dark and unkown, but I'd stand tall and proud.

There was much to do.

=========
Year 8 End
=========

Spoiler: Char Sheet

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 8 Years~

Stats
(4) Strength 2d6 (-1: Trait)
(5) Dexterity 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(5) Agility 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(9) Cunning 4d6
(6) Luck 3d6
(14) Soul 7d6 (+2: Trait)

Chakra: [40] = +24 [Soul*2] +5 [STR] +4 [Dex] +7 [Cun]

STR DMG: 7 = (STR (5) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.4)

Skill Points: 0
Wish Points: 0
Money: 250 Ryo

Spoiler: Jutsu

Clone (Normal) [1/10]: The basic art of making illusionary clones.
+Chackra Cost: 4
+1d6 to your next combat roll.

Fireball [1/10]: The basic jutsu of your clan. "It burns!!!"
+Chackra Cost: 20
+3d6 + Soul DMG if it connects.

Spoiler: Abilities

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

Spoiler: Skills

{Combat}

Taijutsu [2/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +3d6 to Combat rolls.
+Hakkyokuken [1/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.2 to Unarmed DMG Mod. (Naruko Knows This)
+Intercepting Fist [1/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +2d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)
Throwing [2/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +2d6 to Combat rolls.

{Utility}

{Life}
Dancing [1/10]: Your mom's a really good dancer. You kinda want to try it out. +1d6 to rolls.

Spoiler: Traits

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Chackra Cost: 8 Per Turn
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat +1: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen. This gain 1 bonus dice.
+Chackra Cost +2: Lowers The cost of keeping the Sharingan active by 10%
+Shift: You can decide whatever your Sharingan 'looks' like. This makes hiding them easy, as you can make them look like your normal eyes.

Mangekyo Sharingan: A powered-up version of your eyes that has some special ability. Using it supposedly makes you more and more blind.
+???


Chakra Nature: Everyone has one, though some have more.
-???: You're not sure what your original one is.
-Lightning (25%): You're working on getting this one too! Only 3 more points to go!

Scarred: You've been through some hardships. The experience has left marks on your body and soul.
+2 Soul!
-1 STR

Spoiler: Important People / Aquaintances

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?

Saeko Uchiha? The name you chose for your new sibling is a sister!

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Spoiler: Training

Family!
-1 Action (Personal Phase) | This is after the school/free action thing. You usually have 2.
+1 Extra SP per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year

Spoiler: Inventory

Elite Smoke Bomb X1: Adds +50 to stealth rolls.

 

Spoiler: Music

What was life? What did it mean to be? It was the greatest question on your mind for sure. One moment there was nothing and then, in the blink of an eye, you were thrust into a great cold. Everything felt empty. You couldn't form thoughts or even perceive your surroundings. Hidden inside your 'egg', you slept. However, even as a formless and hollow vessel, you could still feel that something was happening.

How long did you float through emptiness? Years? Decades? Centuries? Who could say...

But, all of that changed one day. Something or someone reached out and snatched you from the abyss. The cold slowly began to fade, replaced by an unkown sensation.

Warmth.

You felt it carrying you. Every day that passed you grew, both mentally and physically. The warmth you felt was something etherial- a soul. You didn't know how you knew, but of that, you were sure. It was warm, kind, and oh so full of fear. As it trembled and struggled, you tried your best to reach out and comfort it.

It didn't work.

How you tried to return the favour, yet nothing you attempted stuck. You had hoped to be free, but in actuality, you'd simply switched prisons to one that was more comfortable. The cold no longer seeped into your bones, making way for comforting warmth. But what did it matter if you couldn't do anything?

And so, you waited. You held back your growth and focused it. The shell surrounding you halted in its tracks as you gathered power. And then, finally, one night you thrust it out like a drill. A single, infinitesimally small crack raced across your prison.

You roared.

Your voice was but a squeak among a raging storm. Yet it worked! For the first time ever, you could feel the one that saved you from your icy prison. Their soul was farm warmer than you imagined. You could just make out their shape- that of a small boy. However, their soul was much larger, though it was shrinking to match this child-like shape of theirs.

Sadly, you could do nothing but watch and guide him to where you slept. With each step, your non-existent heart raced. Was this it? Would you really be freed? It was maddening!

Yet, in the end, everything went exactly as you wanted.

You opened your eyes, but only darkness greeted you. The consequence of breaking your shell. But that didn't matter! You were free! You could smell everything, feel everything, taste everything!

And it was all thanks to him.

You knew it from the moment he spoke. He was someone you would serve for the rest of your life.

He saved you... and you would do the same for him.

Your name was Yue, and you'd wear it proudly.

 

Spoiler: Music

My return to school was heralded by many smiles and greetings. Some of the students I hardly interacted with even showed up to welcome me back. Had I really been that popular? Yeah, there were a few 'fangirls' around, but most of the really obnoxious ones had flunked. Those left behind were actually worth focusing one. Still... almost everyone in my class was happy to see me again.

"Right! Calm down, everyone!" Our old, wrinkly teacher roared. "Good to have you back Sasuke, but I do have a class to teach."

My cheeks burned; following Naruko's wide, hazardous waving, I took a seat next to my best friend.

"So, did ya like my notes?" She started to whisper to me only minutes after our teacher started his lessons.

"Yeah. Thanks again." I quietly spoke back, subtly trying to nudge her toward the front of the class. Her notes had been a great way to keep up with the class and distract myself.

They were also super messy, disorganized and full of random doodles. Decyphering them was a challenge in and of itself!

"No problem! so, what sort of cool stuff did you do at the hospital?" A subtle glance from the professor told me he could hear both of us just fine. Part of being a ninja was noticing subtle clues like that.

"Did they show you your insides?" That meant that Naruko had much to learn. I gently elbowed her side and nudged to the teacher, who just so happened to have his back turned.

"Huh? Oh! Don't worry, he's really hard of hearing. I bet I could shout and he'd-" I saw it coming before it hit Naruko square in the face. I could have stopped it, but then she wouldn't learn this important lesson.

"Guagh!" Her head snapped back- a small, white piece of chalk bounced off her forehead and softly rolled onto our table.

"Miss Uzumaki... I know you're happy to see your friend, but class is in session." His old, stained eyes were boring holes into Naruko's forehead. "Please keep quiet untill lunch or after school ends."

"H-Hehehe." Her sheepish laugh wasn't fooling anyone.

Oh, Naruko. Why couldn't you learn to be just a little bit quieter?

...

I supposed loud, explosive, and powerful was more her style. Still...

"Sorry, sir! I'll zip it right up!" She answered far louder than before. The teacher simply sighed, gave her a warning look, and then returned to writing on the board.

Only a few more hours...

-------------------------

A part of me wondered if I'd have made a great teacher instead of a ninja. Sure, I had so many advantages for the later, but seeing Naruko follow my instructions perfectly was kinda fun. She didn't learn everything on the spot, but the sheer determination and desire to get better was a sight to see.

Anyways, after class had finished, I absconded with Naruko to our usual training spot. This continued on for the remainder of the year. It was slow, hard work, but I focused on shoring up Naruko's ninjutsu and book smarts. Both were challenging for their own reasons, but at least she made progress with her ninjutsu. She wasn't lagging behind the class anymore and was actually sitting at a comfortable spot.

That wasn't good enough for me, though.

Sadly, she didn't quite make the top ten by the end of the year. Still, she was really close. As for her studying... it was a nightmare. Sure, you pulled her out from almost flunking, but there was a lot of work to be done. By the end of the year, she was passing with a steady sixty-percent. Considering last year she managed a fifty-one, it was a success.

Oh Naruko...


[Reward: Naruko's Nunjustu skills trained! | Naruko's Intelligence trained!]

==========

"W-Where are we going, master?" Little Yue asked, wings softly carrying her through the air.

I smiled, an anxious wave rolling through my bones.

"It's a secret." It's also something I want to give her.

The little fairy nodded, meekly following my lead. Both of us went deeper and deeper into Konoha's business district. There were shops of all kinds around us. Flower shops, clothing stores, and a few ninja utility shops. Anything and everything one might want could be found here.

Yue's eyes leapt from store to store, curiosity and awe flickering within her gaze. And then, finally, we arrived at our destination.

"Hey, big brother... do you know where I could find a place that sells scale models of things?"

"Hmm? No, but I can find out."

As always, my brother never lets me down.

"H-Huh? What is this place?" I gently raised my finger, asking for Yue to take it. The little fairy descended, planting her soft rear on my⁶ index finger.

"It's where we'll find you something nice." Her eyes widened and she immediately snapped her head toward me. "It's your gift. The gift for always being by my side."

Her eyes burst like dams, flooding her face in rivers of tears.

"I-I no! Y-You don't need to do that."

I chucked and hushed her, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I know, so let's go find you a nice house. You pick, ok?"

She hickuped and gave a little nod, following me into the store.

I had already scoped the place out. They had three houses available.

-----------

I was left practically penniless, but Yue's smile threatened to burn down the store.

"R-Really?" Her voice trembled at the thought. "A-Are you really going to b-buy this for me?" She hovered around the small replica house. Its doors were just a tad bigger than her and opened as one would expect. All in all, I'd need both hands to lift it al the way home.

Though, considering my lack of muscle and my wound... maybe asking for help wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"It's yours." I whispered, a smile tugging at my lip. Turning to the shop owner, I pointed out our choice and asked for it to be rung up.

"Good selection." The elderly man said as his employees lifted the house and took it into the backroom for packaging. "If you don't mind me asking, what does someone your age find interesting about our work?" He was referring to his store; curiosity and intrigue sparkled in his gaze.

Umm...

"Well, it's for a friend- no, for family." Cause, what else Is Yue to me? The small fairy flutters closer, eyes looking up at me with soft warmth.

"Familly, eh?" The owner hums, stroking his chin gently. "It's always good to think of family."

Yeah. Where would I be without mine's?

...

It takes about a good ten minutes for the people in the back to finish and bring out a box that's about as big as me are. In short, there was no way I'd be taking that home. Sure, with chakra it'd be easy to lift it up, but there just wasn't any leverage. I'd probably break it by holding it over my head or risk dropping it or something.

"Ah, it's not a problem." The friendly old man said. "My boys will take it home for you." I wasn't expecting him to do it for free, yet his sons gladly took my gift all the way to the Uchiha clan.

"You're the clan head's son?!" Suffice to say, they were shocked when one of the passing security officers greeted me at the gates.

Speaking of the Clan- things had changed since my absence. The official story was that unkown ninja's had sneaked into and tried to assassinate the leadership. supposedly, a lot of our clansmen were affected by a strange jutsu that had them 'crazily' attacking their allies. Sure, there was some suspicions from a few ninja, but since all the other Uchiha backed up the claim, then there was nothing anyone could say about it.

Revealing that a small section of our clan was ready to perform a coup would have been incredibly stupid and it'd have a lot of consequences.

I really had no access to the goings-on inside the council and Hokage's inner circle, but things had changed. Those ninja that nearly killed me had to be working for Danzo. The fact that I heard whispers about the few dead Uchiha missing eyes was more than enough proof for me.

It was probably a lot of proof for the Hokage as well.

Sadly, I was just a child. The most I learned was from rumours and such. Itachi and my father were keeping silent, which no doubt was the Hokage's doing.

This was a secret they'd burry to their graves.

"T-Thank you so much, S-Sasuke." Finally arriving home, I placed the replica in my room and let Yue get to it. Her little hands cupped my cheek and she showered it with a barrage of kisses.

I grinned and returned the favour.

"W-Waghh!" Unfortunately for her, she leaned in at just the wrong time. "Gehg wme!"

I spat her back out, a sheepish look on my face.

"Sorry. But, now you can try out that pool?"

She giggled, striped, and jumped into the pool, eagerly awaiting water. Grabbing a cup, I headed for the kitchen.

Maybe I had nothing to do with it, but either way, my family is safe. The future is murky, but I still have to try. It's the only thing I can do.

[Reward: Became closer with Yue! | +4 WP! | Yue Gained - "Medium House Replica" | -3000 Ryo]

==========

It was finally time. Honestly, the whole situation absolutely terrified me.

"S-Sasuke! G-Go call your brother."

I panicked, eyes darting left and right. My mother groaned and her feet buckled. I rushed to her side, helping her up.

"W-We need to get to the hospital." She moaned.

What were the odds?! Both my father and Itachi had let not ten minutes ago! And here was my mother, about to give birth! I did not want to leave her alone at all.

"Y-You have to." Her free hand gripped my shoulder, nails biting into it. "B-Be a big boy and go call for help, o-ok?"

Taking a deep breath, I nodded and darted out of the room.

"Y-Yue, please look after mom!" The little fairy gave a nod and fluttered back into the house.

Finding anyone from my family would be incredibly difficult, so I went for the next best thing.

"Hey, you! I need your help!" He was just a passing by Uchiha, but more importantly, he was an adult!

"H-Huh? Sasuke-sama? What is-" I was at his side in an instant, fingers coiling around his hand. "My mom's about to give birth! We need to take her to the hospital!"

His eyes burst open.

"R-Right!" The two of us raced back into the house. Thankfully, Mikoto was still ok.

"Come one, help me walk her outside."

Our drafted helper gave a small nod as the two of us hefted her up. Now, I'm not a girl so I have no idea what it feels like, but still, I knew that giving birth is incredibly painful. Yet... my mother only lets out tiny grunts and such as the two of us dash into the hospital, practically screaming at the receptionist to get her a bed.

Thankfully, they have big ears.

And so, I find myself waiting as my mother goes into labour.

...

There's not much to do untill she finishes.

-----------

It takes about five minutes before I get absolutely sick of just standing around, waiting for something to happen. My mother is in there, doing her best, but all I can do is sit around, looking dumbly at the clock.

I take a breath and stand up, determination flowing through my mind. If I can't do anything here, then I should do something elsewhere.

"H-Huh? Where are you going?" Yue asks, fluttering closer. Her shimmering wings carry her through the air, leaving behind a gorgeous trail of sparks. It's something new and has me curious. She blushes at the attention, diving onto my shoulder.

"I'm going to find my dad and brother." They should already be here. Obviously, they're either very busy or on the way. Still, looking for them is better than just sitting around.

"Oh... they are surprisingly late." She hums.

I nod, stepping past a few orderlies and walking toward the hospital's entrance. Still curious about her sudden change, I ask about the sparkles.

"Sorry." She blushes. "They come out when I'm really happy." Her wings twitch nervously. "They've been doing that since you bought the house..."

What?

"How come I didn't notice?" I'd think something so obvious would stick out like a sore thumb.

"I've been... cleaning them." She stutters out. "We were in such a hurry today that I forgot about it..."

Huh.

"Is the dust dangerous? Or-"

"N-No way!" She interrupts, eyes widening nervously. "It disappears after a little bit, but it doesn't even do anything!"

Her childish, slightly scared expression has my lip quirking up slightly. Seeing her so panicked over something so simple is just too funny.

"Please don't laugh." She grumbles, tiny fingers prodding at my cheeks. "Besides, I've almost figured out how to stop it!"

Was this like some sort of fairy puberty? I had noticed her body changing little by little. It was hard, her being so tiny, but since I bathe with her every day, the changes did start to add up.

She must have grown at least an inch or two.

Konoha's busy streets come into view as we burst out of the hospital. Holding onto my shirt, Yue leaps into the sky and starts scouting out for my family. I do the same, sticking to the ground. the distraction keeps my mind off what's happening, helping me stay calm and slowing the ever keeping worry.

Even with ninja magic, or 'jutsu' there's still so much that can go wrong when it comes to childbirth. I barely know the specifics, but it's a very dangerous thing, especially for someone my mother's age.

Taking a deep breath, I rush through the streets, eyes leaping from one raven haired youth to the other. Sadly, even with Yue's help, our search bears no fruit. The sun starts to set; defeated, I return to the hospital.

"Sasuke..."

A great sense of embarrassment fills me as I step through a familiar set of doors.

"I heard you ran off." Fugaku hums, eyes looking at me with a mixture of concern and amusement.

Itachi nods, a curious look in his eyes. The ghost of a smile haunts his lip.

"Did you try looking for us?" He asks.

My cheeks burn. Why do I get the feeling I only just missed them?

"Yes. Did-"

Fugaku nods, arms crossing over his chest.

"We arrived not two minutes after you rushed out of the hospital. One of the receptionists alerted us to your sudden exit."

Itachi nods once more.

"I think she said 'your cute son ran off. I think he was crying.' Or so it was."

What?

"I wasn't crying!" That's a lie. Or maybe a daydream. That receptionist needs glasses...

Why's he smirking?

"We believe you," Itachi answers, eyes darting to the door separating us from our mother. Well, there are a few rooms in the way, but we're not allowed past this point. "Someone's coming."

No sooner does he finish, than a nurse steps through the door. Her eyes glide over me and the rest of my family.

"Just to confirm, are you the Uchiha family waiting for Ms. Mikoto?"

Fugaku rises from his chair, a stony look on his face.

"Yes. Can we see her now?"

A smile blossoms onto the nurse's face and she motions to the door.

"Yes. She's finished now, though a bit weak, so please keep your voices low." I can just about feel my heart explode out of my chest. As I follow Itachi through the door and the rooms behind it, each step has my heart speeding up. Eventually, we step into a room that reeks of disinfectant and cleanliness.

"H-Honey." My mom sits in a bed, skin pale as snow. Her lip is curved into the gentleness of smiles. Its as if she ran three marathons back to back without drinking a single drop of water.

The sight shakes me to my very core and has my stomach dropping.

"L-Look how c-cute little Saeko is, h-honey." She speaks to all of you, but the name slams into my chest like a hammer. My little sister.

Before anyone else, Fugaku's at her side, softly squeezing her fingers.

"She's beautiful." He whispers, a gentle smile splitting his face. Me and Itachi follow suit, crowding around our mother like lost puppies.

"Waaaaaa!" The tiny bundle in her arms begins to shriek, arms wildly flailing around in fear.

"Shh. It's ok s-sweety." Mikoto hums, gently poking at her cheeks. She starts to sing a familiar lullaby, one I barely remember. Distant memories from my birth come to mind.

Eventually, my new little sister starts to quiet down. Her little hand reaches out, snagging one of my fingers. She squeezes and as I stare into her Onix eyes, I can't help but smile; she does too.

A comforting silence fills the room. Before ww know it, both Mikoto and our newest family member are taken by sleep.

I'm not sure how to feel, but one thing's for certain.

She's my little sister, and her smile means more to me than anything else.

[Reward: Little Sister!]

 

Spoiler: Music

The small 'breaks' I'd often get from school were somewhat comparable to those of my old world. Still quite a bit shorter, though. At these times, I mostly spent my days home, relaxing and just taking in my family's presence. With the whole Uchiha scandal going on, the Hokage's eye was squarely focused on my clan. Thankfully, he was smart enough not to restrict them any further.

It was the distrust and separation that lead to the near-revolt in the first place. Doing the same thing twice would be asking for it. They weren't that dumb, right?

Anyways, my clansmen were somewhat nervous but gratefull for the end result. There were those that felt like traitors, but the smiles of their living children prooved to be enough to sway them. In time, those events would become like a blurry dream. No one would forget, but they'd slowly stop caring. Only those with a burning passion for revenge would truly remember, but I hoped no such person existed.

While I did bleed for this ending, it seems my wild flailing managed to accomplish something good. Tiny as it is, this is a victory I don't wish to let go of.

"Can you please bring me Saeko's bottle, Sasuke?" My mother asked a small, tired look on her face.

"Be right back." I answered, rushing out of the living room and into the kitchen.

Raising children was hard work. She constantly had to look after my little sister and practically turned into a slave.

I was back in a few seconds, bottle extended.

"Here." My mother took the bottle, giving me a soft smile before pressing its tip to my sister's lip. The loud, incessant crying ceased as she began suckling the bottle.

"Were I and Itachi this bad?" I was curious. While my childhood memories are almost all faded, I don't remember crying all that much.

...

At least not as a baby.

While exhaustion and stress cling to her face, the warm, motherly smile on her lip clears any misconceptions I might have. She's happy and doesn't regret a moment of the incredible ordeal known as parenting.

"Itachi, yes." She begins, a small chuckle leaving her lips. "He was nearly as bad as little Saeko at first."

The nostalgic tone sets the mood. I can't help but find myself smiling along with her.

"He stopped pretty soon, but there were many sleepless nights for me and Fugaku."

Her eyes fell on me.

"You were very quiet, though." She says with a giggle. "Gave us quite a fright, but you did cry, only when you were hungry or thirsty, though."

And poop. God, those are the memories I wanted to forget!.

"Oh, and when you pooped yourself." The laugh that leaves her mouth has my cheeks burning. "So much poop. If there's anything you beat your brother in as a baby, it was that."

She has to be doing this on purpose...

"Sometimes, when I looked into your cute little eyes, I felt you staring through me." Most would consider that creepy.. not her. Those eyes spoke only of cuteness and joy.

Blagh!

Mundane as these short days were, I loved all of them. And so my peaceful days continued. I spent some time with Naruko, exploring Konoha, playing a few childish games, training, and just being friends.

Yue was prominent as well. She started working on her own 'training'. The little weights I set up were nothing but a kunai or two with their points dulled or cut off. Seeing her set up her little gym by the house I bought was both adorable and filled me with pride.

Everyone was slowly working toward something.

And so, one of these normally peaceful days, I decided to take a walk through Konoha. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the townsfolk were frolicking. Sadly, Naruko was nowhere to be seen today. No matter how much I told her to keep the food in her fridge fresh, she sometimes forgot to clear out the expired stuff. Thus, she was sick at home, most likely on the toilet.

I stopped by a few times, and boy, did she make some noises I never want to hear again. If sounded like a lion!

Suffice to say, I stayed a bit, helped her out, but when it became obvious she wasn't getting better anytime soon... I went into town to buy her some more toilet paper. Thus, I found myself dropping the soft bundle at the doorstep of her bathroom.

Of course, I could only stay inside so long before having to take a breath of fresh air, which was what I was doing right now.

So fresh. So nice. It didn't stink!

I could do this any day, every day!

With that, I strolled through the streets untill I found a familiar face. It was young Hinata. She was walking around, apperantly alone.

Odd. I didn't think her father would let her go to the bathroom alone, let alone wander Konoha's streets.

Curious, I walked closer. The moment she spotted me, a relived, expression burst on her face. It was as if I'd saved her from some horrible fate.

"S-Sasuke." She whispered, scurrying closer to my side. "H-Hi."

I waved back, a small smile on my face.

"Hey, Hinata. What's up? I going for a walk?"

She hesitated.

"N-No. I was walking with my c-cousin, but we got lost." She whimpered. "I don't know where he went."

My brow furrowed.

"How is this cousin?"

She blinked, unsure of my point.

"Umm, maybe twenty-something?"

So he had a working pair of eyes, then?

"Can he use the Byakugan?"

Again, she blinked.

"Oh, um, yes-" The gears in her head went round and round. I'd be pissed, but she was confused beyond imagining. "But.. why? how?"

Was this some sort of test I'd stumbled upon? Most likely. Sadly, no matter where we looked, there was no sign of her 'cousin'.

"W-What should I do?"

Such a classic move- letting others, more responsible people make choices for you.

Hmm.

It's obvious Hinata was left alone as some sort of test or a sick joke, something which she's already figured out. Her face falls and shame begins to slither onto her cheeks. What sort of person needs to have a test like this given to them? I'm sure this is the very first question to jump on her mind.

They're telling her that this isn't normal; that she needs to be taught how to wander alone. It's not something any child wants to learn- that they're not normal.

Tiny tears begin peeking out from the edges of the young girl's eyes. I've known her for a bit, and while she was shy, I could always see the determined flame within her. Now, I'm reminded that while she's strong, Hinata was still a child.

It's become so easy to forget how old I actually was. This somewhat peaceful life of mine has dulled the edges, made me more childish. Just thinking about it, when was the last time I acted like an adult?

...

I can't remember. Right now, I'm nothing but a mature, yet childish boy. And what scares me is how easy it is to fall into that role. I knew trying to be the adult I was will only be met with failure.

What should I do?

Hinata fidgets in front of me, her embarrassment only growing by the moment. What I need to do is obvious.

"So, you seem hungry." I reach out, showing her a metaphorical way out. "Want to go grab something to eat?"

Its as if she were at the edge of a cliff, about to die and I reached out, helping her back up onto solid ground. The pinpricks on her eyes recede and she gives a small, slightly embarrassed smile.

"Y-Yeah. I-I'm a bit hungry." The young Hyuuga heir stutters out.

"Good. I knew a few places." God knows visiting the same ramen place with Naruko gets old fast. Yeah, the other establishments give her the stink eye every now and then, but only the idiots actually speak out. "What are you feeling for?"

While none of the other restaurants have been up to Naruko's standards, I have a feeling Hinata's going to be a bit different.

"Oh, umm, what do you want?" Throwing the question right back at me? The classic move of someone shy who doesn't want to impose. Naruko she is not. Thankfully, I have more than enough experience with a certain someone to know how to handle this situation.

"I-Is something on my face?" Yue asks, cheeks turning a red hue. "Do I have rice in my hair again?" Her little hands rove around, finding nothing.

I shake my head, turning to Hinata a second later.

"Come on, I've been to all of them before. Just tell me what you feel like eating and I'll pick a place."

Her eyes dart to the left, then to the right.

"W-Well, what do you-"

Just like Yue, but far worse. This is going to take a lot more than that.

"If you say the truth, I'll teach you something and even show you something secret."

That catches her attention. Maybe I should feel a little bad about tricking her like this, but this conversation would have kept going back and forth if I didn't. I know how badly Hinata wants to get stronger. She's quiet but works very hard.

"Really?" She asks, stutter conveniently gone.

"Yep. So, what do you say?"

Her pale eyes narrow in thought. Honestly, the Hyuuga's bloodline is less creepy than mine's thought. The first time I saw those eyes, I couldn't help but stare. Now, they're more like cool contacts than anything else. I've never actually seen them activated, but the veiny face thing is sure to look cool, though, I hear that's frowned upon unless there's a fight or it's related to security.

Believe it or not, X-Ray eyes aren't something people are comfortable being around!

"R-Rice." She finally stutters out. "I-I'd like something with rice and e-eggs."

Huh. That's surprisingly tame.

"Alright! I know a place!" I say, a bright smile on my face. She flinches as I grab her hand and start carrying her along.

Oh, right. I forgot.

"Sorry about that," I say with a chuckle, letting go of her hand. "Come on, it's this way."

I have to hang out with more people than just Naruko. Her weirdness is spilling over to my other interactions.

Speaking of which, I hope she's ok in that bathroom.

----------------------

"T-Thank you for the food," Hinata said, putting her chopsticks down.

This world needed forks. No- Konoha needed forks.

"You like the food?" Her reply was a meek, but embarrassed nod. The amount she had managed to put away rivalled Naruko's. Seriously, she had more than thrice the number of plates finished than me.

I looked down at my chopsticks and sighed. Thre's only a single pair of forks, but those are at my house. I remember buying them from some trader a few years back. Sadly, he's not returned since.

"So, now that we've finished our meal, want to go out and work off the fat?" She blinked, eyes dropping to her small stomach.

"O-Oh, yes." Hinata answered with an energetic nod.

Damn it, why were children so adorable?

With that decided, we paid for the food and jumped back out into Konoha's streets. The sun was slowly making its way down, but our first stop was the park. Thankfully, there were already a few kids playing ball there.

"Hey! You guys mind if we join?" I asked, shocking Hinata.

"T-Their n-normal kids, though." How she could tell that was up in the air, but also true. None of them wore clan markings and weren't moving around like the students I knew. Still, there was nothing wrong about playing with normal kids. I blamed her family.

"It's fine." I reassured. "It's not like we're fighting. Just hold back a little bit and let's have some fun. We can partner up."

With a hesitant nod, she followed me into the crowd. The small children gave bright smiles and agreed to let us play with them.

The game?

Freeze tag.

Spoiler: Music

"You're it!" One of the kids shouts. He's about my age and has a head of jet black hair. Unlike me, he's just a normal kid. I grin and give chase.

"Not for long!" I roar, feet carrying me forward. The small amount of chakra I can use to augment myself vanishes. He's faster than me.

"Slowpoke!" The boy taunts, tongue sticking out.

W-Was I always this out of shape?!

Gritting my teeth, I move my little legs even faster. He turns his head for a moment, and that's enough of an opportunity for me to strike.

Spoiler: Agility Roll

DC:10
Roll (3d6): 14 PASS!

"W-Wha-" Bam! I palm strikes his back with a meaty thwack. He tumbles and falls down. I stand over him, lungs screaming out in pain.

"G-Got you." A grin splits my face.

Grumbling, the boy stands and gives me a dirty look.

"I guess. But not for long." He smiles and freezes in place.

I take a deep breath and calm my racing heart. Around me, about half a dozen kids lay in a similar state. It had been a bit unlucky to be made 'it', but I managed fine.

"Yeah!" A happy shout has my head snapping around. There! I rush forward, intent on catching both the sneaky devils. Hinata leaps to the right, eyes wide as saucers and cheeks tingling with a red hue. The boy on her right rushes away, forcing me to make a choice.

"S-Sorry." My friend whispers, feet carrying her away at lightning speed.

"Smell ya later!" The boy jokes, moving away far slower than the swift Hyuga. Suffice to say, I aim for the weak link, catching him in a few seconds. "Aww man..."

Unfortunately, this is a losing battle.

"Yes!" One of the other "frozen" children shouts. The little girl sticks her tongue out and runs toward one of my captives. Hinata looks away, cheeks still red; the rising smirk on her face is something I nearly miss.

Hesitant at first, my little friend was unsure of what to do. She was the first to be caught, however, the others wouldn't let that stand. They had freed her the instant I took my eyes off the young girl. Perhaps it was that kindness that let Hinata move so boldly. Wherever I went, she followed, taping my captives before I could catch them all.

The worst part was how damn fast she was! She was as slippery as an eel and would just avoid my swipes!

For someone so small, Hinata had a surprising amount of endurance. She was more physically fit than me!

"Go for it Hyuga girl!"

"Free us all!"

The other kids roared.

That was it. I knew if she didn't fall, then this unending game of can and mouse would tire me out. Taking one more breath, I rushed Hinata. Her eyes widened; she was like a deer caught in a car's headlights. However... that didn't last for long. Each swipe was expertly avoided, and while my attention was on her, all the other kids were freed.

Nearing the end of my endurance, I gave it one last try.

Spoiler: Agility Roll

DC:16
Roll (3d6): 14 FAIL!

Sadly, even though her movements were sluggish due to our constant battle, mines was even more so. The other children had stopped running, deciding to just sit back and watch the two of us dance around the park. I fail.

"G-Gwah." I fall to the ground, muscles sore and out of energy. A second later, a panting Hinata joins me- her rear smacking into the sand.

"I-I win?" She asks, unsure of the outcome.

"Yeah." I joke as my lungs scream. "T-To fast."

Her lips explode into a wide smile, yet she stays quiet.

Everyone else rushes in, shouting in joy.

"Yes!"

"We beat the Uchiha!"

"Woo!"

"Take that!"

I refrain from pointing out the obvious and just lay back.

It was fun.

------------------------

After relaxing a bit, I go for one more round. This time, it's Hinata's turn to be it. Suffice to say, that was a quick game. And so, as that one comes to an end, everyone splits ways and heads home.

"T-Thanks for going with me," Hinata mumbles, walking by my side.

I give a tired smile and nods.

"W-What are f-friends for, right?"

So tired...

She gulps and nods.

"Y-Yeah. W-Were friends." Smiling like the sun, she keeps walking forward. Eventually, the two of us arrive at her clan's compound.

"W-Well, I got to go." Naruko's sure to be waiting for me. She's going to complain...

"B-Bye. A-And thanks again." Giving me a quick bow, Hinata scurries off into her home.

I smile, knowing she had fun.

Now, I've got a meeting with a stinky girl.

...

Blarg.

[Reward: Hinata Friendship up!]

=============
Year Nine End
=============

 

Life is scary, unpredictable, and dangerous. You never wanted to be a ninja. Hurting others wasn't in your nature, and while Mother did her best to keep you from that life, it was inevitable that you'd become one. As the first in line for the Hyuuga clan head position, it was your duty to become a strong person.

"Again." Your father said, a serious, calm look on his face.

You followed his teaching, learning all you could... but it was never enough. You might have had the genetics, but your ideology and talent were lacking.

"There are branch children that can already use our clan's gift. I won't allow you to fall behind."

And so, you trained and trained. It was monotonous, exhausting, and stupid! Yet you every time you thought about speaking up, a crimpling fear settled into your bones. What if you did say something? Would he kick you out? Maybe father wouldn't want you as a daughter anymore. And then there was also your mother- she loved you. She loved you so much that you were sure she'd go with you.

It was scary, so you did what you were best at; you hid your true feelings and didn't speak. Eventually, this became a routine, and as more time passed, you found it becoming the core of your personality. You became shy and the simplest of conversations were marred in self-doubt, second guesses, and uncertainty.

You were scared.

Nevertheless, the life of a ninja isn't an easy one. Even as fear consumed you, you kept walking forward. Your sister was born, but she took your mother away. For the first few months, you hated her. Mother was the only one that understood you. She was your anchor in this crazy life. These feelings changed one day during a terrifying storm. Hanabi's cries refused to let you sleep, so you sneaked into her bed so she stayed quiet.

There, as the two of you stared at one another- you glaring at her, she gazing at you, everything changed. Her crying stopped, and a sunny smile split her lip. Those tiny hands of hers griped your nose and she laughed.

She had your mother's smile.

As the storm raged outside, your emotions rushed out of you. In the end, Hanabi was the one to quiet your wails and tears.

She was your sister- the last thing left of your mother. And her smile was something you'd fight tooth and nail to protect.

Unfortunately, this resolution wasn't enough to change your situation. Father still wanted progress and when you stopped showing it, he turned his attention to Hanabi. You cursed your weakness at that point. No matter how hard you tried, you just weren't a fighter. Your burden was passed to her. You were of the Hyuuga, and there was nothing you could do.

But then... you met a certain boy. He was an Uchiha, yet acted nothing like one. As time passed, he showed your classmates with help and a friendly attitude. Not even you could escape this.

Surprisingly, he helped you learn that there was always more than one way to get stronger.

So you opened your eyes and looked.

You wouldn't let Hanabi suffer anymore! It might take time, but you'd show Father your strength.

For her.

 

Spoiler: Music

I was never really a physically gifted child. Just doing the basic training regiments and exercises practically tired me out. Dodging, though, that was my expertise. With the Sharingan, I could easilly dodge anyone and everyone in my class. Thus, it was a shame that I never actually used the fabled pinwheel-eyes anywhere but my house. Without them, I was back down to being just average or below everyone else. Sharingan aside, I excelled when it came to tasks that required cunning and chakra control. Often, I'd be among the first to master a chakra-based training exercise. When the basic Jutsu came up, I was the first to get it into a workable state.

Within me, Chakra was plentiful. Though, another talent at my disposal seemed to be my charismatic nature. Honestly, it probably had to do with my maturity, but talking to the kids and teachers felt so easy. I asked nicely and more often than not, they saw things from my point of view and helped me out.

"Sasuke's so cool!"

"Sasuke's the best!"

To my surprise, quite a few of my groupies or 'fan club' had somehow still managed to make it this far. By this point, Chakra control had finally started to be pushed and anyone that didn't have enough simply couldn't keep up. Still, Sakura hung on by a thread. She had just enough to make the cut-off point; the amazing scores she had on tests probably helped as well.

As for the stalkers, I personally really got annoyed by them. There's a saying about children being angels and demons- I saw them standing outside of the bathroom, waiting for me. They "just" wanted to eat lunch with me. Even after I said no, they kept badgering me over and over. Enough was enough, so I told one of the teachers. Suffice to say, the day after he talked to them, I wasn't bothered again.

"Sasuke! Come on, let's go grab some food!" Speaking of lunch, Naruko's appetite only grew as the months went on. I quickly noticed how she had overtaken me. Naruko was definitely going to be a lot taller than me in the future; a fact which she didn't fail to rub in my face.

"C-Can I come?" To my surprise, one day, Hinata asked if she could tag along with the two of us. Determination flickered across her gaze and I could tell what goal she had in mind.

Peacefull days continued, yet I knew that it'd be a difficult year. My muscles screamed as I strained them. Day after day, I focused only on taijutsu and basic strength training. It was an incredibly gruelling year, but the rewards would almost certainly be worth it.

A small bit of pain now so that I could avoid greater pain in the future.

If only I didn't have to feel pain at all! Blagh!

[Reward: STR +2 | Dex +2 | Agi +2 ]


=========

"What is it, Sasuke?" Mikoto, my mother asked. Her eyes were full of worry and her gentle hands squeased my shoulder.

"You said this was something important?" My father asked with a stern, yet warm expression.

"What surprise do you have in store for us, little brother?" Itachi hummed.

A heavyweight pressed down on my heart. It felt like it was being squeezed by a vice! How could I say this? I remember how surprised they were when I showed them my Sharingan. Now, I stand before them, ready to display my clan's greatest secret as if it were nothing. Children shouldn't have access to this power, yet here I am. I've barely even used the damn things. Fear of what I could do- of how they could hurt me have been staying my hand. I'd go blind, perhaps even kill myself if I wasn't careful. I was basically handed a nuclear bomb and told to be careful not to set it off. I lost so much sleep because of it and were afraid that I'd accidentally use them if I wasn't careful.

There was only so much I could take, and since I had no idea where to start, the best thing to do was to ask for help. Thus, I did.

Taking a deep, calming breath, I locked eyes with my Brother. He blinked, curiosity bubbling onto his face.

"Is there something in my hair?" He questioned, hands gliding through his obsidian locks.

"Do you remember that night? How I nearly died?" Three faces fell; my parents shared a look with Itachi.

Silently, my brother gave an acknowledging nod. His eyes hardened and I saw them flash red for a second. Even months after, the topic is still sore.

"Does this have something to do with that?" My father asks.

"Are you ok, sweety?" Mikoto moves closer, gently pressing her fingers against my palm.

I take another breath and focus. Like the very thing they're named after, my pupils slowly shift and begin to spin like a pinwheel.

"Our clan's eyes are special, right?" Fugaku nods. "But, is that really all there is to it?" I point to the three small black dots spiralling within my eye. Something pushes against the back of my eye. It feels like a scorching rod spears the point right behind the bridge of my nose; the world momentarily turns scarlet and everything sharpens.

My father and Itachi stare at me in shock. The former's jaw nearly hits the floor while the later grits his teeth in frustration.

"That's- How?!" Fugaku hisses, practically teleporting to my side.

I gulp and stare him in the eye. He flinches and looks away.

"I don't know. When I almost died... I had this really weird dream. I didn't know what it was at first." I pause. "Do... do you know what it is?"

Silence.

...

A sigh bursts from my father's lip.

"That is our clan's greatest secret." He says. "It's a dangerous weapon which will make you blind. After hearing that, do you still want to know more?"

The Mangekyo Sharingan, a forbidden power used by the Uchiha of old. Though technically speaking, those of this time period make as much use of it as my predecessors. Shisui, my father, Obito, and perhaps Itachi currently have this great and dangerous power. Though, I'm unsure if my brother would have it. Didn't he originally get it by killing many of his clansmen? Or was it from ending Shisui?

...

Tiny details like that escape me at the moment. Damn it...

"Sasuke?" My father asks, eyes tired and staring straight at me. The weight of my announcement is threatening to have him fall to his knees. Is... is it really that shocking? Itachi as well- both of them seem to think that this is the end of the world. My mother, while worried, seems to be the calmest and most collected person here. Saeko's sleeping in her lap and she's casually rocking her as if nothing's going on.

It's crazy to think she's always so cool and relaxed.

"Sorry." I cough, blurting out a quick apology. "I-I was a bit lost in thought." Swallowing the building spit in my mouth, I gaze deeply into my father's eyes. "Please teach me. I want to learn about these eyes." I dare not show them, lest it literally explodes everything. Seriously, I have no idea what they can do.

Fugaku takes a deep, calming breath. The tension in his muscles slowly begins to melt and he gives a small nod. Beside him, Itachi continues to panic. His face is casual and neutral, but his eyes tell me more than enough. Even after opening-up recently, he's still most at home when hiding his emotions behind a mask of calmness.

"How can someone so young achieve so much." Fugaku whispers. "It's not normal." He shakes his head and stares down at me sadly. "Such a thing... it's an incredible burden to bear for a child." His face falls as he says this and I catch him looking at my brother out of the corner of his eye.

"Perhaps it's for the best." Fugaku mumbles. "I'd rather you knew how to control that power if only so you can't hurt yourself or those you care." He nods takes a stand. "Follow me." I rise and quickly match his pace. Itachi, still conflicted, gives chase. My mother takes a look at Saeko and then shakes her head.

"Please don't do anything rash." Her words are soft and kind. "And remember, Sasuke, remember that you're my little boy."

It's honestly a bit too sweet, but my mother would rather smoother me in sugar than make me feel that she doesn't care.

"Yeah." I answer, a smile tugging at my lip. "I'll be back soon."

She returns my gesture and waves goodbye. Saeko babbles some incoherent words, suckling on her finger as she waves with her other hand. Gods... babies are adorable, but also terrifyingly ugly. It's a good thing my sister's the former.

Hopefully, this introduction doesn't take too long...

-----------------------

Deep beneath the Uchiha Clan's compound, there lay a hidden number of tunnels. We traversed the bowls of our clan, diving deeper and deeper into the darkness.

"This tunnel will lead us out into a secluded part of one of the training grounds." My father spoke, voice ricochetting off the walls that seemed to be closing in. The measly torch in his hand barely illuminated the path ahead, yet he and Itachi seemed to perfectly know the way. Not a single dust mite could escape their sight.

"We'll be going to a dangerous forest to test out your control." He grumbles, blowing a sigh a moment later. "I'd have liked to do so outside the Village, but something like that would attract far too much attention."

I nod. It makes some sense. Though-

"Forest?" I've got a bad feeling about this...

"Yes. The forty-fourth training ground, also known as 'The Forest Of Death.' Stick close to us and you'll be fine."

Wait, what?! Seriously?! Aren't there massive centipedes and snakes that eclipse the giant trees in the forest?!

"Don't fret, little brother." Itachi's hand presses down on my shoulder. "You're brave, so hold your chin up." He chuckles, yet the look in his eyes is dead serious. "Besides, we're here to protect you if anything goes wrong."

...

Great.

"He's right." My father adds. "The name's intimidating, but the creatures inside shouldn't be a threat to any experienced genin. Training grounds are often used for the Chunin exams, and this one wouldn't be too far off something like that." He pauses, a hum on his tongue. "you've learned about ranks and the Chunin exams, yes?"

I nod.

"Yes. They taught us about that stuff a while ago, but we learnt more detailed stuff this year." There's just so much more to it than the show explained. Ninja can't just up and go wherever they please. Depending on their ranks, there's a bunch of paperwork and licenses one needs to acquire in order to do certain missions, let alone enter other towns and villages. All of that makes my head spin.

Anyways, before long, my father stops me. It's odd, considering the hallway keeps going on and on.

"The exits above our heads. If we keep going this way, we'll end up at a dead end."

Wait...

"Is it to trick them?" I ask. His lip quirks up slightly.

"Correct. Now, come on."

Taking a deep breath, I hopped on my father's back and allowed him to take me up onto the ceiling. With a few movements, he pulled aside a secret door and then leaped up what seemed to be a long shaft. Of course, there were no handrails or anything of the sort. It was a passage that only ninja could take. Before long, we reached the top. After digging through a bit of grass, we emerged out into a shadowy forest.

The trees were massive and towered over even the biggest houses Konoha had to offer.

"Ok, we're here," Fugaku stated. "We'll move a bit away and then you can show us your eyes."

I gulped and followed. Soon enough, I stood before them, eyes blaring a deep crimson. Both my father and brother looked at me.

"Go ahead, use it." Fugaku nudged.

...

"I-I don't know how."

He blinked, brow furrowing. After a short hum, he gave me some advice.

"Close your eyes and think of something. Focus on it and bring it to the forefront of your mind. Once you've got that something, open your eyes and imagine that it's in front of you. Let chakra and your Sharingan do the rest."

...

That didn't tell me anything at all! How's that even supposed to work?!

...

Well, I don't have anything else...

Spoiler: Music

Confusion and fear slowly slither up my spine. Itachi and my father stare at me, a warm, patient expression on their faces. They don't expect me to succeed, only that I try. Yet, I feared the oposite. What if this does work? What if my eyes set the world on fire- a fire I have no idea how to put out. Not having any control is terrifying, and right now, I have no idea what's about to happen.

"It's alright, Sasuke," Fugaku reassures, a hand gently pressing down on my shoulder. "Whether you fail or succeed is not something you should be worried about." It is a rare sight, to see my father give a genuine smile. As of late, they've become more and more common, yet the smile he shows me now is one of the brightest. "You're my son, and nothing will change that."

Who'd have thought that the cold, calculating man that once wore that face would give such an honest and caring answer? Certainly not me. Nevertheless, this is the current reality. I thought my haphazard flailings would change nothing, yet the Uchiha clan stands united and my brother is no traitor. Other things changed, specifically that strange, mysterious gatekeeper I met on that fateful night.

Who was he? Obito?

...

I may never find out, but that doesn't matter right now.

I take a deep breath and give him an understanding nod.

"I believe in you, courageous little brother." Itachi chuckles, hand ruffling my hair. It's a bit annoying, but I'll let the gesture slide just this once. I huff and fix the unruly mop atop my head. Joke or not, it's really hard to keep the hair down. If I don't give it constant attention, it ends up looking like a duck's arse.

"Right..." I whisper and step away from the two people that brought me here. My eyes shut- chakra slowly trickling to them.


"Remember. Visualize a strong image and focus on it." My father speaks. "It matters little what comes to mind, only that you give yourself fully to concentrating on it."

It needs to be something powerful- something I won't easilly forget. Pictures of my family come to mind, but those fade rather quickly. I can't focus on a single one, as their faces jump around far too often. Yue comes next, but like everyone else, it's very hard to keep her in view. What else is there? My old world? No, its edges have started to blur slightly in my mind.

...

There's one thing. This world- the heroes that saved it. There's no way I'd forget the reason I'm here. Naruto. Sasuke. They're not here any longer- I've taken their place. For better or worse, the previous path to victory is lost. With me at the wheel of fate, who knows where everything will end up. Still, I won't just sit down at let the world roll me over.

Naruto and Sasuke.

Their silhouettes are seared into my mind. My eyes lay closed, yet its as if they were right in front of me. The heroes this world deserved. I reached out with my mind's eye, desperately trying to grab hold of even a fraction of their strength. Alone, this challenge would be near impossible, but if I could use their strength...

A massive wave of exhaustion rammed into my tiny body, nearly knocking me off my feet. Pain exploded in my right eye and I knew it had worked. Slowly, it opened. Something red and sticky ran down my face; blood?

Whatever the case, the image of Naruto and Sasuke remained in my mind, yet a semblance of that refused to leave. In front of me, a ghostly, glowing form hovered above the murky ground. His back was to me, yet I know that spiky head of blond hair and the etherial, orange cloak hovering behind him.

"That's-" My father's eyes went wide. Disbelief and shock threatened to consume him, just as they had for me.

Itachi was more reserved, and while it took him a bit longer to spot the resemblance, he still stared in surprise.

"The fourth?" He whispered, brow furrowing. No matter how many times his eyes bounced from me to the flickering apparition, I had no answer to give. It simply stood there, a large grin on its otherwise unremarkable face. Three whiskers sat on either side of his cheeks and eyes full of determination stared back at me as the spectre turned.

There was no will in its gaze- whatever this thing was, it only held a semblance of the great hero. I had sought for a fraction of their power to use as my own- so I found exactly that. My vision swam as chakra exhaustion began to set in. I could feel it in my bones; I'd probably be passing out in the next few moments. However...

"What sort of power is this?" Fugaku questioned. "Resurrection? No, while he looks similar, that isn't the fourth."

He stepped forward, cautiously staring at Naruto's phantom. Slowly reaching for a stone, he lobed it at the apparition. I had expected the lazy attack to pass right through him, yet the result was quite different. Swift as lightning, Naruto's phantom lashed out with claw of pure, orange energy, reducing the pebble to ash. I certainly hadn't ordered that, and neither did I order it to raise its hand against ny father. Yet, here it was.

Naruto's apparition was about to attack my father. Was there anything I could do? This was the very thing I feared...

The ghostly apparition, having taken Naruto's faded form, raises its kunai into the air. My father pauses, his hands falling into a familiar combat stance. His movements are far more refined than mine's. I'm a dull spoon and he's like a razor.

"Sasuke?" My father asks questioningly. "Did you summon this... spectre?"

Itachi joins my father's side, eyes spinning like crimson pinwheels. Whatever happens, they're both ready for a fight.

"I-I think so." I answer, gazing up at Naruto's phantom. His body flickers and tiny, orange embers sizzle of his strange form. The double raises a single hand. A deep, ominous chill races down my spine. Chakra visibly starts gathering at the center of his palm. It starts out as a small sphere, and then, a high-pitched whirring noise grates across my ears and echoes through the forest. A brilliant, blue, spiralling sphere shrieks in Nauto's hand. It threatens to grind away at anything it touches, like an industrial drill.

"How?" If my father was confused before, then he's absolutely flabbergasted now. "But thats-" He bites his tongue, and it feels like he'd snap around to face me were he not in front of an enemy.

"The Rasengan," Itachi mutters. "That's what its called, yes?"

Fugaku nods.

"The fourth's signature Jutsu. But, how?" It's a question I'd like to know as well. However, it doesn't seem like I'll be able to ask this ghost. Naruto hoves forward and then lunges at my father. His famed speed is sorely lacking. Fugaku sidesteps the blow, easilly sending a punch at the phantom's face, knocking him off balance slightly. In the next instant, Itachi's at his side, kunai flashing in his hand. The weapon sinks into where his ribs would be, yet the aberration does not fall.

Pain explodes in my right eye- Naruto's form flickers and appears a few feet away. He prepares for another attack.

No. This isn't what I want.

I take a deep breath and focus.

Stop! Stop attacking my family!

A silent command resonates within my soul. Even as the world slowly begins to fade around me, the order resounds in my mind.

Stop!

I fall to my knees, exhaustion tightening around my bones. Looking up, I find Naruto's ghost staring down at me. His hollow, lifeless eyes give a spark of recognition before he nods. And, just like that, he lays his arms down. The Rasengan pitters out into tiny strands of blue light, leaving behind not a single remnant of the great Jutsu. My summoned apparition vanishes shortly after, leaving only my exhausted body.

I collapse, darkness taking my mind. The world of darkness is strangely comforting. For a single, infinitesimally small moment, I can make out a voice. Like someone shouting in a deep cave, the sound is hard to distinguish and I can't make out more than a single word. Even then, it's distorted and hard to understand.

"...o....ive...up!"

It's familiar. I know that voice. It's-

Just as the name is on the tip of my tongue, consciousness sinks its claws into ny neck and violently rips me out of the dream-like world. Light assaults my eyes, and then a worried face comes into view. Small, growing wrinkles line his face.

"Are you ok, Sasuke?"

A meek, tired smile tugs at my lip.

"Y-Yeah." I answered my father. "Just super tired." The previously damp and dark forest trees have been replaced by cool, wooden architecture. The soft, comfortable mattress below me is one I'm intimately acquainted with. I'm back in my room.

"W-What happened?"

I ask, gently pressing a palm to my right eye. Damn, it stings! Thankfully, I can see just fine.

"You used your eyes." Itachi answers. Wait, was he always there? I didn't even notice! "Curiously, it has the power to bring forth the dead... or maybe their spirits?"

He and Fugaku share a look.

"We don't really know, and nothing else can explain why the apparition knew the fourth's Jutsu. That has to be it."

They're essentially coming to their own conclusions. If I wanted to keep quiet about the truth, all I need to do is stay silent.

Itachi and my father speak amongst themselves. They question if my Sharingan's ability is something related to an old, forbidden Jutsu.

"Once, there were rumours of the Second being able to revive the dead." My father murmurs. "I thought them just that- silly stories about him making a Jutsu to reach through the veil of life and death, dragging forth the spirits of the departed." His eyes glide towards me. "Now, I'm not so certain those stories were just stories." A pause. "If you can call the dead, then maybe we should look to the Second for more ideas?"

Itachi nods slowly, a question on the tip of his tongue. He thinks better of it.

"An Uchiha he is not. If anything, I've heard he truly distrusted our clan."

Fugaku blows a sigh.

"You're not wrong." He grumbles. "It wasn't exactly a secret that Tobirama Senju disliked the Uchiha. It's not like he hated all of us, but he could never truly trust our clan."

Hazy memories of war and children murdering each other came to mind. He and his brother fought the Uchiha as children, watching as their siblings were killed one at a time. I can't really blame the Second for holding a grudge, but such times have long since passed. Without the Uchiha, Konoha would not be as successful as it's been.

Yet... a small, cynical part of ne can't help but realize that he was right. The Uchiha would have shown themselves traitor had I not intervened. Granted, it didn't come without reason, but the facts don't change. A chunk of my clan was willing to kill anyone in their path to usurp control of the village. They paid for that with their lives.

"I don't think it brings back the dead." I spoke, voice solid and slightly nervous. As two sets of eyes bore down on me- one full of curiosity and the other of interest, I couldn't help but find the room just a tad warmer.

"Why do you say that?" Fugaku asked, brow rising.

"Did you learn anything?" Itachi questioned with a small smile.

Learn something? I suppose that's a way of putting it...

"I've... I've been having these weird dreams lately." I start, trying to find the best way to explain this. It's a good thing it isn't a lie, as the whole Naruto thing and Mangekyo dream were pretty weird, if a bit old. In the end, how can anyone explain that they're from another world without sounding insane? Ninja are paranoid, and nothing shows it better than my own thoughts.

"Dreams?" Fugaku hums. I give a gentle nod and shut my eyes.

"I... I dream of many things. One is of the man that appeared." Of Naruto.

"He's... he's a young boy who fought to save the world." I pause. What's the best way to prove this? The best way to show that I'm not speaking out my ass?

"His name was... Naruto? I think? There's this weird thing inside him- it kinda looks like a big fox or something."

My father and brother stiffen. It's a bit cruel, but distracting them with surprise and fear is the best way to get make them possibly miss my tiny lies.

"I've only seen scattered bits, but he grew up and learned that weird spiny, blue attack from some weird old guy that liked toads."

Again, the two men in front of me share a knowing look.

"I didn't call the fourth Hokage-" I stop, mumbling something under my breath. Something to sound confused. "I think I called Naruto."

Silence. Absolute silence. And then-

"That's... an interesting theory." My father answers, fingers digging through his chin.

I nod.

"He had whiskers on his cheeks, right?" I point out, hoping that the spectre had those familiar traits.

"Now that you mention it... yes, he did," Itachi say, coming to my rescue.

Thank god! That was perhaps the stupidest thing I've said. If he didn't have those whiskers, I'd have been in trouble.

"Something to think about." Fugaku nods wisely. "If your power isn't to summon the dead, then perhaps you can pull forth people from the future? People from your dreams?" He pauses. "There is no Naruto, after all."

Not in this world. But in my mind-

"Either way, I can see you're tired. Get some rest." With that, he stands; Itachi follows after him as he leaves my room.

A nice nap would be great about now. I lazily crawl into bed and allow sweet bliss to take my senses. Using those cursed eyes drained me completely...


In any case, my father and brother soon leave me to rest. The whole ordeals left me exhausted. Nevertheless, both share a piece of advice with me before they go.

"Don't become reliant on that power, son," Fugaku warned. "You'll go blind."

"That's true, brave little brother." Itachi nodded in agreement. "It's best to find other ways to gain power, lest you lose it all."

Good advice, and honestly, I might take it. Practicing to get a better handle on this might be good, but every second I spend refining it, is a second I use destroying my sight. And, I'm obviously not going to snatch Itachi's eyes to avoid the consequences.

It'd probably take a great deal of power to wish that particular problem away.

At my side, Yue flutters down with a small, worried smile.

"I'm happy you're ok."

It's just the two of us now. From what my father said, Mikoto practically lived at my side until Saeko called her away.

The life of a mother- of a parent is never easy. It's a good thing I'm not one.

I relax and sit back, allowing darkness to pull me under once again. The world swims around me. Voices batter my mind and body. Everything's so... heavy. This world, this life... it's not an easy one. Even though I've faced so much, it's nothing compared to what's yet to come. all I can do is hope I'll be strong enough to face those challenges.

Untill then, all I can do is train and hope that I end up strong enough to overcome anything that stands in my way.

[Reward: Learned More about Your Mangekyo Sharingan! | Gained trait: "The Price Of Power"]

==================

Spoiler: Char Sheet

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 10 Years~

Stats
(6) Strength 3d6 (-1: Trait)
(8) Dexterity 10/4d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(8) Agility 10/4d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(10) Cunning 5d6
(6) Luck 3d6
(16) Soul 8d6 (+2: Trait)

Chakra: [56] = +32 [Soul*2] +6 [STR] +8 [Dex] + 10 [Cun]

STR DMG: 8 = (STR (6) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.2 +.3 (Hakkyokuken) )

Skill Points: 2
Wish Points: 6
Money: 50 Ryo

Spoiler: Jutsu

Clone (Normal) [1/10]: The basic art of making illusionary clones.
+Chackra Cost: 4
+1d6 to your next combat roll.

Fireball [2/10]: The basic jutsu of your clan. "It burns!!!"
+Chackra Cost: 21
+4d6 + Soul DMG if it connects.

Basic Genjutsu (Sound) [1/10]: A simple genjustu that produces a sound at your desired location. Limited to simple and rudimentary sounds at the moment.
+Chackra Cost: 5
+Cun/Soul DC: 10

Spoiler: Abilities

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

Spoiler: Skills

{Combat}

Taijutsu [2/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +3d6 to Combat rolls | .2 toward Unarmed DMG Mod.
+Hakkyokuken [2/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.3 to Unarmed DMG Mod. (Total = 1.5) (Naruko Knows This)
+Intercepting Fist [2/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +3d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)
Throwing [2/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +2d6 to Combat rolls.
One-Handed Swords [1/10]: How to use one-handed swords. +1d6 to combat rolls.



{Utility}
Stealth [1/10]: Ninja Vanish! +1d6 to rolls.

{Life}
Dancing [1/10]: Your mom's a really good dancer. You kinda want to try it out. +1d6 to rolls.
Singing [2/10]: You've apperantly got a really good singing voice. Still, being called adorable by your mom's a bit humiliating... +2d6 to rolls.
Cooking [1/10]: It doesn't hurt to pick up a few cooking skills here and there. +1d6 to rolls.

Spoiler: Traits

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Chackra Cost: 8 Per Turn
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat +1: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen. This gain 1 bonus dice.
+Chackra Cost +2: Lowers The cost of keeping the Sharingan active by 10%
+Shift: You can decide whatever your Sharingan 'looks' like. This makes hiding them easy, as you can make them look like your normal eyes.

Mangekyo Sharingan: A powered-up version of your eyes that has some special ability. Using it supposedly makes you blinder.
+Image Gate: You can summon shades of Naruto and Sasuke? They're not as strong as they should be...
+cost: 40 Chakra + 5/ Round.

The Price Of Power: Using the Mangekyo is not a good idea. It'll leave you blind.
+[1/300]

Chakra Nature: Everyone has one, though some have more.
-???: You're not sure what your original one is.
-Lightning (100%): You've got the hang of Lightning Element chakra. (Lighting Jutsu gain bonuses | Higher Tier Lightning Jutsu Can be Learned)

Scared: You've been through some hardships. The experience has left marks on your body and soul.
+2 Soul!
-1 STR

Spoiler: Important People / Aquaintances

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
+Medium House Replica: A gift you gave her. He table-sized house she lives in. It has a pool!
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?
Saeko Uchiha? The name you chose if your new sibling is a sister!

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Spoiler: Training

Family!
-1 Action (Personal Phase) | This is after the school/free action thing. You usually have 2.
+1 Extra SP per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year

Spoiler: Inventory

Elite Smoke Bomb X1: Adds +50 to stealth rolls.

 

Spoiler: Music

Yue, my little fairy, was surprisingly mischievous at times. Oh, she mostly kept to herself, acting all shy, but the way she played with my little sister showed a different side.

"Poke!" The fairy giggled, tapping Saeko's nose. As expected, your younger sister could not see Yue at all. Her eyes were locked onto mines.

With a small smile, I joined Yue and poked at Saeko's cute button nose. She let loose a gaggling baby laugh and reached out, suckling on my finger. No longer was she just a ball of soft fat, now, she could crawl around like a little snake. Still, my little sister was a cute one indeed.

"She's so cute." Yue cooed, eyes trailing along the baby's cheeks. "Were you like this too?"

I recall the insanity that was my first few years of life. The memories have me recoiling.

"No."

Picking up on my distress, Yue wilts slightly and flutters onto my shoulder.

"So, it's a nice day. Do you want to go out?"

An interesting proposition. As I contemplate about her question, I first decided to ask her if she could grant a certain wish.

"Umm... I don't know what 'Furies are, but I'm sure I could make myself transform into a magical weapon." She said confidently. "Though, depending on how strong it's supposed to be, it'll take a lot more power."

"So you don't mind it?"

A grin splits her face.

"Of course not! I want to help you fight!" She proclaims." Right now, all I can really do is fly around and gather info." Yue blows a sigh. "If I could somehow help you fight better, then I'm all for it!"

I smiled and gently gave the small fairy a hug. Well, a finger hug, I suppose.

Anyways the day was young, and there was so much to do. With Yue by my side, we set out looking for something very specific, namely, quests. The odd phenomena was rather rare and I've only seen one or two so far. What causes them to appear? How could I get more of them? It was honestly something I wanted to learn, but none of my previous attempts really got me anywhere. What I knew suggested that they just showed up if I went looking for them, but not all the time. Sometimes they would pop up if I paid close attention to my friend's needs and such.

"T-The cities so peaceful." Yue hummed as we walked down Konoha's busy streets. The towns people carried on with their daily lives, watching the skies and enjoying the warm sun. I was prety sure some of them were actually ninja in disguise, as the best ninja were the one you didn't suspect. If there weren't some hidden amongst the civilians, then the Hokage was definitely doing something wrong.

Kind, trustful eyes gazed down at me. I could feel the cunning and experience burning deep within.

A sigh slipped from my lips as I remembered my meeting with the Hokage. The man scares me, even though he's done nothing to warrant that fear. A part of me feels a bit bad about that, but the more rational and frankly terrified part of me is screaming that he'll lock me away.

...

This world is incredibly unfair. It's not wrong to feel a bit of fear or be paranoid. That's what I think. I have to...

"Huh? Oh! Hey, Sasuke, what are you up to?" A familiar voice splits my thoughts. I turn, finding a somewhat chubby boy, a bag of chips in his hand.

"Ah... hey." Beside him, Shikamaru releases a sigh and gives me a friendly wave. He always looks so tired that it's a wonder he doesn't spend half of his day asleep. Though, is that for a lack of trying, I wonder? If my memories! is still somewhat reliable, wasn't his mother very pushy? To be fair, any parent would be annoyed if their child was as lazy as Shikamaru.

"Hey Choji, Shikamaru." I greeted the pair with a smile. Yue flutters closer, finding a nice perch on my shoulder. Her tiny head swerves around our surroundings, taking in the passing crowd.

The tubbier boy holds a bag of chips in his hand. Salt and vinegar, along with some kind of green pepper. The flavour is a strange choice, but my tongue sings out, drawn by the aroma clinging to the air.

"Huh? You want some?" Choji asks, eyes blinking. I stare at the offered bag of chips, curious as to what kind of texture and taste they might possess.

"Don't," Shikamaru suggests, head shaking left and right. "They're really spicy, sour, and salty."

I couldn't help it. Shikamaru might find all of that a bit too much, but I just had to try them out.

"Alright, I'll take some." I answered, sheepishly reaching in for a few chips.

Choji laughs and tosses me the whole bag. "Nah, take it all." He reaches into his mighty pockets and pulls out another bag. "I've got loads!"

...

Should I really be surprised? It seems like he's always eating something. Maybe the Akimichi clan has a technique to make their pockets bigger on the inside? Who knew they could control space along with their size and mass.

"Thanks." I say, placing one of the bigger chips on my tongue. The small, fried potato slice brittlely cracks under my teeth. Its tiny shards pepper the inside of my mouth, covering it with delicious goodness.

"Not bad." I reached for another, happily gobbling it down without a second thought.

"See! I told you the chips were fine." Choji bursts into laughter, gently pounding his knuckles against Shikamaru's shoulder.

"Bah. Both of your tastebuds are horrible." The young Nara groans weakly.

"I don't know." I replied, grabbing another chip and passing it to Yue. "Evidence suggests that you're the one with the faulty tastebuds." A chuckle slithers out of my mouth. On my shoulder, Yue happily grabs the large chip with both hands and starts eating it like a big cookie. It's odd; Shikamaru and Choji don't notice her at all, almost as if something was pulling their attention way.

It's not like Yue can do things without others noticing, as she's bumped into my mother once or twice. She definitely noticed and nearly took the little fairie's head off once or twice. Her particular brand of invisibility was weird. Maybe it applied to the things she held in her hands? But then again, my little sister definitely seems to notice when Yue's flying around with a sheet of paper.

"Ah! These are really good!" The small fairy proclaims. She gives me a hopeful look. I nod and watch as Yue dives into the bag. Loud crunching noises echo from within as it shakes in my hand. Not wanting to let her have all the chips, I grabbed a handful and start stuffing my mouth.

"See! He knows how to eat chips!" Choji jokes.

Rolling his eyes, Shikamaru shakes his head and lets out a sigh.

"Right." He clears his throat and starts looking around. As a neutral silence settles, I turn my attention back to the two boys.

"So, what are you two up to?" It's a genuine question.

"Oh, we're going to look for some treasure." Choji leans in and speaks in a whisper.

"..."

"Treasure?" I asked.

Shikamaru grumbles and speaks a bit more clearly.

"He got this weird map from one of the old people in his clan." The prodigy starts. "Apperantly it leads to, and I quote, 'super interesting treasure'" The young Nara says with a groan.

...

Ok, that definitely sounds like a grandpa trying to let a young boy have some fun. Still, a bit of fun is never a bad idea. As I think this, a small bit of knowledge pings in my mind.

A quest...

Spoiler: Quest!

[Quest: Treasure Hunt
Objective: Figure out the secret of Choji's treasure map!
Reward: 4 WP | Treasure? | ???]

Well, a quest is a quest! This was my intention from the beginning and it's not like I'll turn down the opportunity. As if agreeing, Yue flutters out of the bag of chips and lands on my shoulder. Tiny splinters of the delicious potatoes line her cheeks. She lets out a small, cute burp and sheepishly covers her cheeks.

"I-I think we should do it." The small fairy whispers meekly. "Y-You'll probably get a decent amount of energy for my wishes." She blushes. "I'm sure it'll help!"

I smile and hold back a chuckle. For someone so small and quiet, her words are quite heavy.

"Alright. I'll help you guys track down this treasure." I give my answer, watching the two boys' reactions. Choji raises his arms in triumph and gives a joyous "yes!"

"With your skill, Shikamaru's brains, and my, ugh, food, we'll get this done in no time!" The young Akamichi shouts, tugging me and the reluctant Nara closer. My heads nearly bounce off another. Surprisingly, the other boy doesn't seem to mind my presence much.

"Eh? Well, I'll definitely have to do less with you coming along." He lets loose a small sigh and slides himself out of Choji's grapple like some sort of eel. "Now, let's go before we catch any other tagalongs," Shikamaru says with a yawn. He looks at the crowd, eyes narrowed as if searching for something.

"The more people with us, the easier to be seen, after all." Indeed. The inverse laws of ninjas are a great weakness indeed.

"Right! Then let's go!" Choji announces and starts walking, but not before pulling out a bag of pretzels from god knows where.

"Want some?" He offers.

"I'm good," Shikamaru answers with a yawn, motioning for the boy's bag my way. When Choji turns to me hopefully, I looked at my own supply of snacks. A peek inside the bag of chips reveals that only tiny crumbs remain. Yue does her best to hide behind my head, wiping away the small bits on her cheek.

"Yeah, I'll have some." I chuckle and thrust my hand into the opened bag. The delicious, salty treats crunch as I pull away and stuff them into my own bag.

"Have some more!" Choji grabs my bag and shives the opening of his own into its mouth. Pretzels flow like water, filling my bag within a few moments.

"I've got lots!" If Choji is one thing, it's definitely not greedy or selfish.

"Thanks." I throw a smile his way and nab a pretzel. The brittle, tasty salted snack snaps in my mouth. I savour the taste and offer a few over to my nervous little companion. With hunger in her eyes, Yue nabs the pretzel and begins chomping down on it like a woodchipper. Then she grabs the net, and then the next.

Is she secretly part Akamichi? It certainly looks like it...

"So, where to first?" I asked the enigmatic boy. Walking in random directions sure won't get us to the treasure.

"Oh! Let me take a look!" Reaching into his pocket, Choji whips out an old, crumpled scroll. Within, ywe find a faded map and several words near the bottom.

Hmm.

"I'm guessing this is your clan home?" I pointed to the rudimentary drawing of houses near the top left. A nearly scratched out "Home" can be seen written just below the design.

"Yeah." Shikamaru nods as the three of us turn onto main street. "If we follow the path here, we should arrive at this forest."

But, there's no scale to the map. The only way to tell if we're even going the right way was by following the small markers written along the way.

"That looks like the Hokage's tower." I point to the center, right in the middle of the trail.

"Yeah- It's where we were headed before we met you," Choji says casually.

Well, maybe we'll find more clues after we get there?

At least, that's what I hoped...

--------------

The Hokage tower is just the same as always. Few people actually walk around this area, yet there's always someone going in and out every now and then. Whether they're genin or not doesn't make a difference; they all have to take the front door or risk being jumped by the highly trained and very stealthy elites probably hiding nearby. Seriously, it'd be stupid not to have guards around. Though, attacking the Hokage head-on is also pretty stupid.

"Right. so, it says we have to look for the spotted tree and then head east untill we reach the pond of a thousand sorrows." Choji recites.

Tree? There's not a damn tree in sight. And a pond? I knew a few, but none had such a crazy and edgy name. It's very anime-like, I suppose.

"The map is very old," Shikamaru says with a yawn. "Maybe we should ask someone as old?"

No...

"Oh! You mean like the Hokage?" Choji suggests.

No. No.

The pudgy boy turns to me with a large, hopeful smile on his face.

"Hey, Sasuke, you're pretty persuasive, right? Do you think you could convince the secretary to set up a meeting with him?"

Does he think I'm some damn silver-tongued devil? I'm just a kid!

"Normally I'd say that was a dumb plan, but Sasuke is the son of the Uchiha's leader." Shikamaru pauses. "With what happened a while ago, I'm sure he wouldn't mind trying to get on their good side."

If I didn't know any better, I'd think Shikamaru already figured out the truth. But no, he's just a child. Still, he makes a good point. It's very likely that the Hokage wouldn't mind meeting with me and helping out. As Choji said, all that needed to be done was to convince the secretary to let me through. Well, more specifically, to ask the Hokage if he's was fine with meeting you. If she just let me through, then she'd be out of a job sooner than I could say "fired." At least, I wouldn't want her as my secretary...

Hm...

honestly there were very few people who could really tell us about the past. Civilians might be our best bet, but I honestly had no idea where to start with them. As for ninja, yeah, well, it was really rare for them to live that long. War, schemes and paranoia would easilly lead even the strongest of ninja to an early grave. Thus, it's no small feat for the current Hokage to have lived to be a ripe, old man. Seriously, he's the only Hokage to retire after a long, eventful life. All the others died in battle, yet he stands above them all.

Sarutobi was called the God of ninja, and while that might not have to do with strength, it almost certainly has to do with experience. My fading memories could hardly recall anyone that's close to his age that's still alive, at least when it comes to his level of strength.

There's that old woman from Sand, the particle style user, and Sasori. I really can't remember anyone else, and Madara doesn't count, as he's an entirely different beast.

Taking a deep breath, I glance up at the Hokage tower. Its towering form is imposing and has my heart starting to race. No. I can't allow fear to grip my heart. Sarutobi is a terrifying man, but he's not moved against me yet. For all he and anyone else knows, I'm just a young, childish boy. If I allow this fear to guide my actions, then I'll never be able to grow, will I? Naruko treasures the man, and he was never a bad person in the original story. Still, this is the real world, not some fairy tale.

"Let's go up." I nod and head for the front doors.

"Nice!" Choji grins and stuffs his face, quickly matching my pace.

"You do all the talking." Shikamaru groans and joins his side. "It's really troublesome and exhausting talking to grown-ups."

I hold back a laugh. The three of us might not be the closest of friends, but we're friends. With them here, by my side, the fear within me didn't look all that big in comparison. Just like these two boys, I had a father and brother that would risk their lives for me. It might be a bit foolish of me, but would the Hokage really do something like kidnap me and have my mind scanned by the secret ninja interrogators?

I bit my lip, doing my best not to laugh. When I call them that, they don't seem all that scary, do they? And no, I don't think he'd risk angering my clan after the hell that nearly happened two years ago.

Two years. It seems so like it was just yesterday. Has it really been that long?

"Hello? Can I help you?" The secretary sitting at the front desk scans the three of us. Her eyes are honed, but friendly. Even someone as young as I can tell that she's no common secretary. My previous suspicions were false. Of course, the Hokage would have a ninja for a secretary.

"We'd like to see the Hokage." I step up, eyes confident and fear fading. There's nothing to be scared of. If the Hokage is as rational and logical as I assumed, then there's absolutely no reason that he'd take me, prisoner. Even if he did figure out my true past, how exactly would that make me an enemy? If anything, I'd be an asset. Still, I'd rather keep that knowledge a secret, least others knowing lead to... problems.

"The Hokage?" Her brow furrows. "He's a busy person, young man." She answers with a smile. "You better have a good reason to talk to him, or else I'll have to turn you three away."

Choji looks up to me hopefully, while Shikamaru shrugs. Confidence sparkles in his eyes. Man, this would be a whole lot easier if he didn't believe I'd succeed before even trying.

...

Spoiler: Persuasion Roll

DC: 20
Roll (5d6): 21 PASS!

"We're students from Konoha's ninja academy." I start, motioning to Choji and Shikamaru.

"And?" The secretary asks, brow rising in question.

"Well, we thought it'd be a good idea to get a headstart on our careers by speaking to the Hokage."

She opens her mouth to interrupt, but I beat her to the chase.

"We're not looking to learn secret techniques or anything." And we're not. What we want is something much simpler. Answers. "We just want to know a bit more about history, and the Hokage's the person you want to talk to for that. Am I right or am I wrong?"

She curls her lip down and blows a sigh.

"Alright. You've got a good tongue on you, kid, but that doesn't mean you'll get your way." She stands. "I'll go talk to him, but in the end, it's up to him."

Yes!

And like that, she gets up and walks through the nearby doors.

"You're so good!" Choji chuckles. "Good job man!" His meaty hands bounce off my back.

"Told ya it'd be easy if you did the talking," Shikamaru says with a sigh. "Just don't get me involved."

It doesn't take very long for the woman to return, and she comes back with good news. That's how we find ourselves talking to the Hokage. Surprisingly, the oppressive fear that crippled me before is naught but a tiny whisper now.

"The pond of a thousand sorrows?" The Hokage chuckles. "That brings back a lot of memories."

He's helpful enough to actually point out exactly where this "pond" is.

"About two decades ago it got turned into a hot spring." He hums. Of course, to keep up the charade, we listen to a few war stories from the old, hardened ninja. By the time we leave, all I see is a frail, nostalgic, and tired old man.

Whatever the case, our next course of action is clear. Inspect the hotspring, though, there's one problem.

"Who's going to check out the girl's side?" Choji asks.

Truly, what horrible luck I had.

=========

Spoiler: Music

Time was running short. The sun was already setting and soon; the three of us would have to split up and head back home. There were many things I feared, but Mikoto's disapproving gaze and sharp tongue were up there. She loved me and everyone dearly, but that didn't stop her from speaking her mind. If she said no, everyone had better open their ears wide and listen. God, I still remember how moody she'd been with Saeko's pregnancy. She'd snap at the smallest of things and read the "perpetrator" a scrip on how badly they messed up.

Being a woman is tough. I'm extremely grateful that I was born as Sasuke, and not the fanfic favourite of Satsuki. Just thinking about that got my skin crawling.

"I'm going in." I turn to Choji and Shikamaru. The former grabs a fist full of pretzels and raises a brow in confusion. The latter, however...

"You're mad!" Shikamaru balks. "I've seen how my mom acted when dad snuck up on her in the bathroom. She nearly took his head off!" Is that fear I hear in his voice? The apathetic and tired groan he'd give in the future was lacking. Curious. What changed that, I wondered?

"Wait, you're going to snea-" I was at his side in an instant, hand gently pressing up against our friend's chubby lips.

"Yes, Choji." It wouldn't do for him to shout out my plan. This was a hot spring that ninja often visited, of course. The more I thought about it, the worse this plan seemed. Unfortunately, I really doubted my chances of convincing the owner to just let us into the woman's side. Even if he did agree, what says he's going to give us the treasure? He can easily claim it as his own, after all, it was in his hot spring.

"Can't you, like, get Naruko or another of your girlfriends to check it out?" Choji suggests, casually scratching his cheek.

...

"Girlfriend?" What is he talking about? They're like, ten! Goosebumps scurry up my spine just thinking about it. No, he's just a kid- they're all kids. They have no idea what they're talking about.

"Huh? She's your friend and she's a girl, right? Doesn't that make you two boyfriend and girlfriend?" Choji dumbly asks.

Shikamaru shudders.

"I hope not. If it was that easy to get a girlfriend, then I'd have to avoid all girls." The Nara said cautiously. Ah... that's right, they are kids.

"What's so funny?" Shikamaru asks, eyebrows rising with a spark of suspicion. Let it be known that the genius is smart, but that doesn't mean he knows everything.

"Nothing." I shoot back with a smile on my lips. "But no, I don't have a girlfriend. Just because I have a girl as my friend, doesn't mean we're like that." It's such a childish idea that it didn't even cross my mind. Kids are silly, but that lets them think outside the box, I suppose.

"That doesn't sound right." Choji huffs, stuffing another fist full of pretzels into his mouth. "But you and Shikaramu are the smart ones, so I'll take your word for it."

Floating around us, Yue partakes in more of the snacks Choji handed to me earlier in the day. At the new term, she pokes her head out, tiny chunks of pretzels sticking to her face and wings.

"Girlfriend?" She hums. "I-I don't think that's good for you." She stutters out before diving back into the bag. I see her little legs waggle as she digs through the pretzels. "T-They distract you from being a ninja."

....

Taking a deep breath, I turn back to my team.

"Alright. Time's short and I think I'm the best suited to be sneaky." Just to make sure of that, I dump the remaining two Skill Points I had into stealth. Honestly, the weird user interface of this ability is something I rarely use, so sometimes I forget it's even there. No matter how much I fiddle with it, nothing new seems pop up and I'm no closer to figuring out how or why it's there.

"You do look like a girl from a certain angle," Shikamaru notes.

"Exac-" I nearly bite my tongue. "What?" I do not!

"Oh, yeah, that's true!" Choji agrees. "I remember Kiba pointing that out. Couldn't believe it until he showed us." He chuckles, though that stops the instant our eyes meet. "N-Not that there's anything wrong with that!" He stutters out. "I mean, it's not as bad as the duck-butt hair joke some of the girls made up!"

I'm not even going to justify that with a response. Though, perhaps I do need another haircut.

"Well, that might be good then." I grumbled out. If I looked like a girl, then maybe I could disguise myself as one?

Choji and Shikamaru share a look. It's for the good of the mission. That's what I tell myself.

"Let's go." They nod and follow me inside.

For the good of the mission...

------------------------

The first step of my plan, sneaking inside, already started to fall apart the instant I tried. There were two people at the front, so distracting one of them was no good. It'd look really suspicious if Choji and Shikamaru tried to mess with both of them, after all. Thankfully, I had a solution.

"Can I get a little help!" The panicked voice said from the door leading to the men's side. It was one of the simplest of genjutsu, but I was using it masterfully... or so I thought. Either way, it worked, and with one of them busy investigating, my friends distracted the other.

Spoiler: Stealth Rolls 1

DC: 20
Roll (3d6): 8 + 32 (10d6 [Sharingan]) = 40 PASS!

My Sharingan blazed to life, spinning like a crimson pinwheel. Yue's alteration hid it from sigh; anyone who gazed upon my face would only see a pair of black eyes. While only a small change, it had tremendous effects. Finding the right moment, I silently sprinted across into the woman's change room, swiping a towel on the way in. Honestly, it was a bit embarrassing getting my clothes off, but the bulges from it would attract too much attention. To be safe, I wrapped my head in a towel and tried to look as feminine as possible. Considering everything but my face and feet were covered, and I had pretty soft skin, the plan seemed solid. Still, I now had to look for a treasure.

"Seek the old sigil. It bears the tree of life."

The map's strange instructions came to mind, and just like that, I was off. Thankfully, a bit of snooping around and eavesdropping gave me a hint. Admittedly, there were a lot of... distractions in the women's side, but I tried my best to be civil and not look. Try is the word of the day here.

"Did you know that weird altar has been in here for years? I hear the owner found it in the spring when he was constructing the place!"

Just as the woman said, there was a strange, disk-shaped altar near the wall. Engraved on its surface was the depiction of a blooming tree. I had found my mark.

Spoiler: Stealth Rolls 2

DC: 30
Roll (3d6): 15 + 29 (10d6 [Sharingan]) = 44 PASS!

Through sheer luck and determination, I managed to sneak behind the altar and examine it. Overlooked by the owner and probably everyone else, a small, nearly invisible gap could be seen on its edge. I carefully proper it open and found a small scroll hidden inside. Swiftly tucking it into my towel, I scurried out of the spring and into the change room. This was it! I was home free!

Spoiler: Stealth Rolls 3

DC: 50
Roll (3d6): 6 + 32 (10d6 [Sharingan]) = 40 Fail!

"Oh? What do we have here?" Those words chilled my bones and glued my feet to the floor. Oh shit. "Tell me, little boy, why are you here?"

I dared not turn around.

 

Spoiler: Music

Ah shit.

Those thoughts practically shake my bones and have the enamel on my teeth peeling as I clamp my mouth shut.

Oh shit.

I've been found, and not by some normal civilian. Even though I'm still in school and not even a genin, I knew there wasn't anyone in the change room. I checked not once, not twice, but thrice before coming in here. How the hell could I miss someone!? No, whoever this is can't be a normal person.

I've been caught by a ninja.

"Well? What you up to, little boy?" The woman's voice slithers into my ear. She keeps a fair distance, yet her voice is no less menacing.

Shit!

How the hell do I respond to this? Being in the women's changing room is a sexual offence! They could fine me and-

...

Oh...

Wait. I'm a kid. I nearly chock as panic was threatening to swallow my mind. When I panic, I forget the most basic of things. It's why the first rule in emergencies is not to do that. I take a deep, calming breath and put on the best "innocent" look that I could on my face.

I'm just a kid. My mind is a cobbled mess of my last life and the childish musing of my new one. The more time passes, the less like an adult I felt, but, no one else knows that. To them, I'm just a child. A weird, maybe creepy kid, but still just a kid.

"Oh! Hello there." I turned Around, a small, casual smile on my lip. Lying? No, if she is a ninja, then there's no way I could deceive her. However, there's more than one way to hide the truth. Lying is just the easiest. "Who are you, lady?"

I look up, eyes meeting a dull pair of orbs. She wears a smile familiar to my own. That's not a good thing. Who does she have to deceive?

"Hmm?" She steps closer, bending down to get a better look at me. "That's what I want to know." Without hesitation, she reaches down and pats my chest. "You're no girl, so what are you doing in the girl's side?"

I swallow and answer as calmly as possible.

"Mom said that strangers touching me is against the law." I step back, hands rising to cover my chest. I needed time- time to think up a way out of this mess.

"Well, then she must have told you that going into the wrong bath is also illegal." Her violet hair spikes up into short ponytail. It feels like I should know this girl; she can't be older than twenty? Twenty-one?

I open my mouth, just about ready to ask her if this was the girl's change room. As her hollow gaze pierces into me, that quickly changes. I can't lie. It won't work.

"Well, I was on a treasure hunt, and I couldn't think of a better way to do it!" I'm not going to trick this ninja. The look in her eyes is like the Hokage's, but far less subtle. No doubt that it was her curiosity that had her speak to me. I've got to use that somehow.

"Treasure?" The young woman asks. "What sort of treasure?"

I shrug.

"My friend's grandpa said he hid something here a long time ago or something," I say, "I was going to try and find it, but, well, it looks like you found me." It's not what I say that matters, but what I don't say.

The girl hums, fingers digging through her chin. I could see the gears turn in her head.

"Ok," She answers, nodding in understanding. I hold back a relieved breath. "I believe that, but that doesn't change the fact that you snuck into the woman's side."

Ah shit.

"Umm... c-can you please not tell anyone else?" Time for plan B. I attach myself to her leg like a tick. Worst case, she kicks me away and calls the owner. Yeah, it'll look really bad and my mother won't be happy, but it's not like I'll go to jail.

I'm just a kid.

"H-Hey. What are you doing?!" She sputters, kicking her leg in an attempt to remove me. "L-Let go."

I hold on for dear life.

"N-Not before you promise me to keep it a secret!" As a child, I had the special ability known as "looking innocent." I've yet to grow old enough to lose it, so best to put it to good use while I can. "I-If you do, I'll do anything you want!"

A bit of a sacrifice, but I had to actually give her incentive to help me out. Honestly, If some kid pulled this on me, well, I wouldn't have helping them. Now, if they offered to do something for me, that's a different story. There's always trash to pick up or a wall to paint. Surely she's the same, right?

"What's that noise?"

"It's coming from the changing room."

"Does someone need help?"

My heart sinks as voices trickle in from the women's bath. Loud, wet footsteps bounce through the door and toward us. People are coming to investigate.

"Ah, shit!" The girl next to me curses. Her eyes snap to me, a frustrated spark burning within. "Fine, you're mine, kid!"

Before I could say anything, the world twists, bends, and my vision swims. Somehow, I find myself outside. I collapse onto my hands and knees, doing the best I could to hold in my lunch.

W-What the hell just happened?

"Don't be a pansy, you little bastard!" The girl's here with me and she doesn't look very happy. "Look, I saved your ass, so you owe me, ok?"

"W-Wha-"

She bites her tongue and glares at me.

"All I wanted was a nice, hot bath after a long mission." She crosses her arms and glares harder. "And you interrupted that, so I'll take that offer." She bends down.

"Now, I'm going to give you three choices. Pick one or I'll go to the highest spot in town and drop you." Her smile is wicked and curved like a dangerous scythe. "Don't worry, I'll grab you near the bottom, but listening to you scream, and maybe piss your pants should cheer me up a bit."

...

What a bitch.

"So, what's it going to be, little treasure hunter?"

==========

Spoiler: Music

"So, what's it going to be, little treasure hunter?"

Her words still stick in my mind, even as I stare down at her "pet."

"Well? Are you going to do it or not?" If this girl was one thing, it wasn't patient. Her brow twitched in annoyance as she glared at me, arms crossed. "Snake's not going to feed itself."

Oh, it would. The little problem was that I was supposed to grab a live rat and toss it inside the snake's enclosure. The poor, fluffy little rodent looked up at me, eyes watering and filled with fear. This... this didn't feel right.

"Don't you have something else?" A slice of meat? Some chicken? Heck, eggs would work.

"You interrupt my bath and now you're telling me what to feed my snake?" She huffs, brow rising. "Look, if you're not going to apologize, then get out." The girl huffs.

She clicks her tongue and shakes her head.

"God damned waste of time. Probably won't have a chance to bathe again till tomorrow night."

I flinch at her mumbled words. That bad? I didn't mean to screw her over that badly. Still, she's a bit of a bitch. Should I feel that bad?

...

A sigh slips from my lip.

"Is there no other way to feed it? I really don't want to kill this cute rat."

She shakes her head.

"Rats are ugly. Snakes are cute." She huffs and reaches into the box, nabbing a rat and tossing it into the snake enclosure. I could only watch as the large python strikes, instantly coiling around the rat and shaping its spine. Not missing a beat, "Sir Snakey" opens its maw and chomps down on the poor rats' head.

At least she can pick cute names...

I watched as the snake devours it whole and slithers toward the window, soaking up the evening sun's fading rays.

"Since you can't feed him, you're going to have to help me feed Ms.Slither."

...

"Am I going to have to feed it another rat?" I asked, somewhat disturbed at the thought.

"Rats?" The grin that splits her face sends chills down my spine. "Nah, we're going to need something bigger," she says with a chuckle, "don't worry though, I'll kill it first."

...

Great.

------------------

Admittedly, I did not expect to be entering the Forest of Death again so soon. Was she insane? I were just a kid!

"This here's the Forest of death." She tells you, a wicked smile on her face. "My friend's inside, and you'll be helping me feed him a cow."

A cow?! How big is this sna-

I bite my tongue. No, I knew exactly how big it's going to be. The creatures inside that place are nightmare-horrors. Do I really have to go inside?

"So? Ya pissed your pants yet?" The shit-eating grin on her face practically wipes any doubt in my mind. She's a right smart ass! Well, I'm pretty sure I've got an idea about who she is. Violet hair, a snake theme, and the fact that she stopped to grab some of those sweet ball things on a stick on the way here...

There's only one person she could possibly be.

"You know, if you kiss the ground and apologize, I don't mind letting you go." She says.

Really now? Well, I'm not backing down. Honestly, she's pissed me off a bit.

"Well, I don't mind going inside, Anko! Let's go!" She stiffens as I spoke her name, eyes immediately narrowing into slits.

"I didn't tell you my name..." She grumbles; I smile.

"You didn't!" And that's how I find her standing behind me, arm on my shoulder. She's really strong.

"Welp, I wasn't actually going to take you inside." She mutters. "Gota get permission and all that, plus people would be really pissed."

She's really starting to squeeze hard! I bite my lip.

"But, considering you're such a smart ass... maybe-"

"Anko?" She freezes as an unknown voice cuts through the entrance. "What are you doing?"

I slowly turn, finding a strange man walking toward us.

"Nothing." Anko curses, clicking her tongue. "I was just showing this kid Konoha's training grounds. He kinda ruined my bath, so I wanted to scare him a bit."

The strange man nods.

"Well, I think you've done a fine job at that. Best you leave before it gets dark." He motions back the way we came. It's hard to really get a good look at him, but his dark brown hair and plain face don't really stick out. He's not anyone I know.

"Bah. Fine." And with that, Anko slings me over her shoulder and rushed off. This time, I do throw my lunch away.

What a bitch.

------------------------

"Right. that's it kid, beat it." I get nothing more. She leaves me back by the hot spring and vanishes. Thankfully, I didn't get dragged into something stupid, but she definitely didn't look very happy.

Shikamaru and Choji find me soon enough, and then it's back to talking about the treasure. The three of us find a nice, secluded spot and I reach for the scroll. Before we even think of opening it, Shikamaru grabs my hand.

"What if it's boobie traped?"

...

A great point. Suffice to say, we end up looping a small bit of string around the scroll and setting it up on a tree. It's the forest and no one's here, so we dee8m it safe enough. When everyone's ready, we find a good, safe spot in the distance and pull. The scroll unfurls and the three of us hit the deck.

A minute passes.

Then three.

Then five.

All seems safe, so we head on over and start inspecting.

"Wait..." Shikamaru's eyes narrow.

"Is this-" Choji looks to me, then back to Shikamaru, a massive smile on his face.

I sigh and palm my forehead.

Why did I expect anything else? God...

"I can't believe it." Shikamaru shakes his head in disappointment.

"I know!" Unlike him, Choji is only filled with satisfaction.

"This is a super-secret cooking recipe! I can't believe we got this!"

And thus ends our treasure hunt.

At least I got wish points out of it.

Yue also had a lot of fun eating Choji's snacks.

Well, it could have been a lot worse.

And thus, ends my tenth year of life.

Nothing bad happened, which I really appreciate.

When school starts again, they finally go about teaching people a new Jutsu. Interestingly enough, they let the students decide what they want to learn.

[Reward: Quest Finished! +4 WP | Yue Happy! +1 WP | Shikamaru and Choji opinion up! | Anko met!]

 

Being a ninja was never really your dream. Honestly, lazing around and just enjoying things as they came was the closest thing to a "dream" that you had. Of course, your parents wouldn't have any of that. It was such a bother. Ninja or not, they wanted you to make something of yourself. Even if you were just a little kid, they knew you were smarter than average. Of course, they didn't t know how much smarter you were untill you'd outsmarted the grown-ups.

It was the first time you actually tried.

Genius.

Prodigy.

They called you so many things, yet those titles meant nothing to you. What you learned was that standing out had put a great deal of attention on you.

"We expect great things from you?"

"Do us proud!"

It was all so... bothersome and frustrating. Your days of lazing around and enjoying yourself vanished, leaving nothing but bookworm and studying. If it weren't for your parents, you'd likely still be doing that. They can be a bit of a drag at times, but in the end, you love them.

"We want what's best for you, Shika."

"Is all of this too much? If so, let us know."

The life of a responsible, disciplined, and charismatic prodigy was not one you wanted. So, knowing that your parents would love you no matter what, you took a match and burnt it all away. They called you lazy. They said you'd never amount to anything. They told you to straighten up or you'd end up like all the other dunderhead ninja running around.

In the end, they wanted a genius that would do everything for them, so you challenged them. A game of wits. It was extremely annoying, but if you didn't do something, everyone would keep badgering your parents. The Hokage signed off on it, and with him as your witness, you faced off against one of the Nara Clan's most wise members.

You'd like to say it was a close match... but it wasn't. Still, too great of a victory and you'd just expedite the issue. Thus, the story of Shikamaru Nara's victory won by the skin of his teeth became the truth. You just wanted a simple life, so, in the end, you settled for the life of a ninja. It was what your parents chose, and honestly, having shadows at your beck and call did sound kinda cool.

School was boring at first. The lessons were simple and you picked them up without issue. As the days passed, you found entertainment in watching your peers. They all had little quirks, but none were as interesting as one Sasuke Uchiha. Supposedly, he was another "genius," yet he didn't act like it. Rather than learn, it was as if he already knew half the things being taught.

You'd keep an eye on him, you thought to yourself. It was sure to keep the boredom at bay.

Eventually, you found a friend in Choji. He kept his emotions on his sleeve, and always carried around good snacks. As time passed, Sasuke himself became a friend. He was a friend to everyone and coupled with his odd behaviour, you got curious.

He looked at everyone as if they were children and he wasn't. The simplest of games bored him, but not the same way they bored you. You didn't find them mentally stimulating enough, but it seemed he saw them beneath him. And then there were his eyes. You'd never seen eyes like that on any other kid.

The more time you spent around him, the more you realized that Uchiha Sasuke was no child. There were childish sides to him, but the way he walked, talked, and interacted with the world reminded you of an adult. It was just a theory, but you suspected he might be an adult. Clearly, no one else noticed. Was it just you? Had he always been like that?

With nothing else to do, you went about investigating. It's surprising what people will tell a kid they don't think much of. Either way, It seemed he'd always been a bit odd, even from the day he was born. A part of you considered pointing this out to an adult, but something stopped you.

Surprisingly, for someone that was supposed to be an adult, Sasuke wasn't exactly the most confident of people. Quite a few things scared him, yet time and time again, he'd step forward if it meant helping his friends. Whether it was defending someone from older students or walking into a dirty bathroom, he'd still do it. The turning point must have been when you, Choji, and he stepped into the Hokage tower.

It was no secret that he was terrified of the man. No one wouldn't have blamed him if he changed his mind or went to find someone else. It would have been the easy answer, yet he stepped forward, scared and all. It seemed your friendship really mattered to him and that he'd gladly face his fears to help out a friend.

Someone like that couldn't be a bad person, you figured.

Sasuke was a true friend, and you'd take this theory of yours to the grave.

For, it was not he who charged headlong into combat without fear that was brave; It was he who raised his sword for his friends, fear in his heart, that was truly brave.

 

Spoiler: Music

When school starts again, they finally go about teaching people a new Jutsu. Interestingly enough, they let the students decide what they want to learn.

"Alright class, please fill out your forms and hand them to the front," Our teachers said. By this point, Iruka and Mizuki had been appointed as our teachers. The old man that taught us so well had chosen to retire. Hinata, of all people, had suggested throwing a farewell party for him. It was a good show of bravery from the often timid girl.

I wasn't the only one changing.

The girls had made the cards and all the boys signed it. To this day, I won't forget the proud smile on our teacher's face.

"I know you'll all grow up to be fine ninja," He had said, eyes slightly watering. "May the will of fire burn brightly within all of you."

The class had really caught him off guard, which was an achievement in itself. He chuckled about how he'd been losing his edge. On that day, everyone ate cake made by Choji's clan.

It was delicious.

"The strengthening Jutsu, huh?" Mizuki said, eyes glancing down at me as he hummed. In his hand was my paper. "A good choice, Sasuke." He gave a bright smile and started telling me how making up for my weaknesses was a smart decision.

The class had been split in two, and I'd been bundled with the traitorous teacher. Though, was he a traitor now? I couldn't recall when he became a turncoat, but perhaps a few subtle notes to the Hokage might help? Then again, nothing would be "subtle" when I'm dealing with masterclass ninja. They'd probably easily figure out who sent the letter and then track me down. Trying to explain why I knew what I knew would be a pain in the ass, that's for sure.

"So, let's start with something simple." Traitor or no, Mizuki was pretty good at his job. There was a reason why he was picked to guide promising ninja, after all. If he wasn't good, he wouldn't be here.

"Now, the basic hand signs are pretty simple, so just look at what do and try to memorize the movements." It was more than easy to get those down with my Sharingan, but knowing how to do something and being good at it were two completely different things. I put the majority of my focus on improving the strengthening Jutsu first.

Spoiler: Cun Roll

DC:10/15/20
Roll (5d6): 22 PASS!

Strengthening Jutsu Learned! | Strengthening Jutsu LV set at 3!

As I suspected, the Sharingan's copy ability was second to none. I easily picked up the basics, though I slowed down a bit to not stand out too much. Now, getting better at the Jutsu was a whole different thing. It wasn't nearly as easy, but by the end of the Month, I had made great progress. At the same time, I went around and subtly copied the other Jutsus, adding them to my repertoire. Of course, they weren't exactly well trained, but I at least had the basics down. The other students would no doubt surpass me in their individual choices, but, well, I had all Jutsu.

Of course, the more things change, the more they stay the same. One day, Narkuo called me out and showed off her new and original Jutsu.

"Hey, Sasuke, look at this!" She made a quick few signs and channelled her monstrous reserves into what seemed like a normal transformation Jutsu. "Sexy Jutsu!"

There was nothing normal about it.

Suffice to say, puberty hit me like a truck. My best friend wouldn't stop talking about the weird ways I crossed my legs. There were lots of laughter, and this marked the day where she'd try and surprise me with that Jutsu. Naruko loved getting a reaction out of me, and this had become her ultimate weapon.

It wasn't good for my heart. Not at all...

[Reward: Learned Strengthening Jutsu (LV3) | Learned Substitution Jutsu (LV1) | Learned Transformation Jutsu (LV1) | Learned Sharpening Jutsu (LV1)]

===========

Puberty wasn't as bad as I expected. The first part of the year had hit me like a sledgehammer, but things had slowed down since. My world wasn't a wild ride anymore, and likely due to my previous experience with this annoying part of life, I learned to adapt. Naruko constantly trying to mess with me definitely didn't help, though.

"Sexy Jutsu!" She had stuck to the transformation Jutsu like bees stuck to flowers. Hers, however, was somewhat unique. The normal Jutsu only made a very convincing illusion, but nothing tangible. She somehow managed to actually transform. There were many limits, chief amongst them was that she couldn't transform into anything too large or small. By the looks of it, it was based on her actual height, but there were just too many unknowns to come to an actual concrete answer.

Was it her massive amount of chakra? No, I doubted it was just that. If that was the case, wouldn't someone have figured out this sort of transformation a long time ago? I definitely couldn't reproduce it, even after taking a look with your Sharingan. There had to be another element I was missing.

In the end, I chalked it up to "Ninetails-Bullshit" as I called it. It was either that or some other bullshit I didn't know about, but honestly, they might as well have been the same thing.

"Want to have a taste of my pie, Sasuke~" I nearly bit my tongue trying not to laugh. Bless Naruko and her innocence. This was one of the reasons I had managed to get over the annoyance known as puberty. The boners were stupid and a bit embarrassing, but unless I was in class, they could be ignored. What really bothered me were the hormones that kept screwing me over.

"Or do you want to touch my melons?" couldn't- I burst out laughing and Naruko dropped the pie and melon onto the floor. Where she got them, I have no idea, but her misunderstandings basically made sure I wouldn't be embarrassed. Obviously, she didn't take kindly to me laughing at her attempts to poke at me. She huffed and gave an adorable pout. Before, she only smiled, but thankfully, that had changed with time.

Speaking of change, I wasn't the only one going through puberty. Most of the girls in my class were suffering through it. Naruko was as well, but she didn't seem to be affected at all! Honestly, if it wasn't for a certain event that shall not be spoken about, ever, I'd have been none the wiser. Suffice to say, as her best friend, I'm willing to run to her house and back. Though, if I were as smart as others said, I'd have just talked to a teacher.

Panic makes people do weird things.

Anyways, the other girls had started to notice boys. The few that had started developing were quickly also noticed by the boys.

"Did a bee sting your chest?"

"Ew! What happened to you?!"

"Ha! Did someone pinch you too hard?"

Idiots, the lot of them. They obviously weren't going through puberty, which was understandable; girls usually went through it a lot earlier. Thankfully, those idiots didn't talk for very long. Lead by Ino, the girls squeezed their lips shut. Sakura was by her side, showing that their friendship was growing; I hoped it'd stay like that, but things weren't that simple.

With the advent of puberty, girls started to notice boys more. I just happened to be one of the more "popular" boys in the class, so I got most of the attention. It was very disturbing knowing that little girls were looking at me like that, especially when they came up and tried to talk to me. Thankfully, I had a shield of sorts.

People said Naruko wasn't all that bright, and while she did lack book knowledge, she wasn't a dumb person. She easilly read between the lines and quickly learnt that I was very uncomfortable being approached by the other girls. Naruko had always stuck by my side, but with her making more friends, like Hinata, she sometimes left me to eat with my other friends. No more. She practically glued herself to my hip, and for a time, that worked to keep everyone away.

Ino, however, wasn't so easily dissuaded. She started appearing at our table and did her best to try and impress me. Unfortunately for her, I cared very little for what little girls found interesting. Still, my constant rejections showed a side of her I hadn't seen before. She was strong, at least mentally. Surprisingly, even after a number of rejections, she continued to eat with us and Sakura eventually joined as well.

My daily life became just a bit more interesting. Honestly, I hoped puberty would pass us by quickly.

If only that were the case. We still had a number of years left.

At the very least, I had a friend by my side to make every day a little bit more fun.

=========

It's taken me a few, long, hard years of training, but I'm finally at a level where physical exercise doesn't have me wheezing. I'm faster, smarter, and usually just plain more competent than my peers, but this was the only thing they had on me. Of course, there are outliers like Shikamaru, Hinata, Naruko, and so forth, but generally speaking, I was just plain better at most things in school.

I might be cheating, having the knowledge of a past life and all, but most of my strengths came from genuine hard work and effort. My number one weakness was my endurance. Thankfully, I recognized that and have been spending the last few years improving it. Long, gruelling runs across town. Asking Itachi to help me train when he's around. And just plain exercises. All of that's made my tiny body into something of a weapon. Of course, the average adult is still leaps and bound stronger than me- at least in this world. Still, for a child, I'm very much in good shape. Given a sharp knife and no chakra, you'd easily be able to kill a man if they underestimated me.

...

That's something I can't run away from. The life of a ninja is one where I take that which I protect and then take it from others.

Can I really kill a man?

Flashes of a dark, bloody night come to mind. If I stood still and did nothing, then Itachi would die. The searing heat that drilled through my chest, nearly ending my life. That's the fate that awaits me if I hesitate.

I don't want to kill people... but will they give me a choice?

...

It's a choice I've made before; one I'll likely make again.

The life of a ninja is marred with split-second decisions that could mean life or death. As much as I don't want to admit it- this world has changed me. I've killed or, at the very least, helped kill a man. It's such a distant memory it doesn't even feel like something I did.

Whatever the case, Konoha is doing a good job of desensitizing my class. It's a really morbid thought, considering something like this would have parents smashing down on the school. Teachers would be fired, law-suits would be fined. But not here. In the end, no matter how peaceful the city looks, the facts don't change.

Konoha is a dictatorship and they employ child soldiers. There's nothing I can do about that now; I'm not going to fool myself into believing that the entire world can be changed with a few words. Centuries of murder, betrayal, and hatred don't just vanish in an instant.

This isn't a story where a happy ending is assured. This is the real world.

With that in mind, I double my efforts in training. There's only so much I can do, and while my future knowledge helps in picking up simple methods, that doesn't help me when I get into the more advanced stuff. My growth will eventually slow, but untill then, I have an advantage on everyone else.

I have a headstart, and the only way I'll keep that advantage is by milking it as much as I possibly can.

It's time to train.

[Dex increases by 2, Str increases by 2]

Obviously, I also focused on increasing the skills at my disposal.

[Taijustu Lvl up! (2/10) -> (3/10), Sharperning lvl up! (1/10) -> (2/10), Dancing lvl up! (1/10) -> (2/10), Mangekyo Sharingan - Image Gate chakra cost decreased!]

==================

Spoiler: Char Sheet

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 10 Years~

Stats
(6) Strength 3d6 (-1: Trait)
(8) Dexterity 10/4d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(8) Agility 10/4d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(12) Cunning 6d6
(6) Luck 3d6
(16) Soul 8d6 (+2: Trait)

Chakra: [56] = +32 [Soul*2] + 6 [STR] + 8 [Dex] + 10 [Cun]

STR DMG: 8 = (STR (6) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.2 +.3 (Hakkyokuken) )

Skill Points: 2
Wish Points: 11
Money: 50 Ryo

Spoiler: Jutsu

Clone (Normal) [1/10]: The basic art of making illusionary clones.
+Chackra Cost: 4
+1d6 to your next combat roll.

Fireball [2/10]: The basic jutsu of your clan. "It burns!!!"
+Chackra Cost: 21
+4d6 + Soul DMG if it connects.

Basic Genjutsu (Sound) [1/10]: A simple genjustu that produces a sound at your desired location. Limited to simple and rudimentary sounds at the moment.
+Chackra Cost: 5
+Cun/Soul DC: 10

Substitution [1/10]: Move swiftly and replace yourself with a log.
+Chackra Cost: 15
+1d6+2 to your next dodge roll.

Transformation [1/10]: Cover yourself in an illusion made of Chakra.
+Chackra Cost: 20
+1d6 to your next disguise roll.

Sharpening [2/10]: Coat your weapon in Chakra, making the edge slightly sharper.
+Chackra Cost: 13
+Add +5 DMG to your weapon.

Strengthening [3/10]: Coat your muscles in Chakra, making you slightly stronger.
+Chackra Cost: 22
+Temporarily gain +4 STR.

Spoiler: Abilities

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

Spoiler: Skills

{Combat}

Taijutsu [2/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +3d6 to Combat rolls | .2 toward Unarmed DMG Mod.
+Hakkyokuken [2/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.3 to Unarmed DMG Mod. (Total = 1.5) (Naruko Knows This)
+Intercepting Fist [2/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +3d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)
Throwing [2/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +2d6 to Combat rolls.
One-Handed Swords [1/10]: How to use one-handed swords. +1d6 to combat rolls.



{Utility}
Stealth [3/10]: Ninja Vanish! +3d6 to rolls.

{Life}
Dancing [2/10]: Your mom's a really good dancer. You kinda want to try it out. +2d6 to rolls.
Singing [2/10]: You've apperantly got a really good singing voice. Still, being called adorable by your mom's a bit humiliating... +2d6 to rolls.
Cooking [1/10]: It doesn't hurt to pick up a few cooking skills here and there. +1d6 to rolls.

Spoiler: Traits

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Chackra Cost: 8 Per Turn
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat +1: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen. This gain 1 bonus dice.
+Chackra Cost +2: Lowers The cost of keeping the Sharingan active by 10%
+Shift: You can decide whatever your Sharingan 'looks' like. This makes hiding them easy, as you can make them look like your normal eyes.

Mangekyo Sharingan: A powered-up version of your eyes that has some special ability. Using it supposedly makes you blinder.
+Image Gate: You can summon shades of Naruto and Sasuke? They're not as strong as they should be...
+cost: 35 Chakra + 5/ Round.

The Price Of Power: Using the Mangekyo is not a good idea. It'll leave you blind.
+[1/300]

Chakra Nature: Everyone has one, though some have more.
-???: You're not sure what your original one is.
-Lightning (100%): You've got the hang of Lightning Element chakra. (Lighting Jutsu gain bonuses | Higher Tier Lightning Jutsu Can be Learned)

Scarred: You've been through some hardships. The experience has left marks on your body and soul.
+2 Soul!
-1 STR

Spoiler: Important People / Aquaintances

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
+Medium House Replica: A gift you gave her. He table-sized house she lives in. It has a pool!
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?
Seako Uchiha? The name you chose if your new sibling is a sister!

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Spoiler: Training

Family!
-1 Action (Personal Phase) | This is after the school/free action thing. You usually have 2.
+1 Extra SP per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year

Spoiler: Inventory

Elite Smoke Bomb X1: Adds +50 to stealth rolls.

 

Spoiler: Music

Saeko was almost two years old already. It felt like almost yesterday that she was crawling around on all fours. One thing that was plain to see was that she adored Itachi. Nowadays, I could see her waddling about, calling out "Tachi! Tachi!" whenever my brother was around.

If Itachi was in the house, you could bet she'd be on his tail. A part of me was happy, mostly because younger siblings were... well, not my thing, really. Babies were ugly and took up a lot of effort to look after.

And, honestly, I might have been dreading the fabled "little sister" archetype. Thankfully, once again, the world reminded me that this wasn't some story. Aside from my mother and father, Itachi was the one who took care of her, so she grew attached. Though, it's not like I don't love her or anything. She's my little sister and I'd gladly spend time with her.

...

It's just that I'm usually busy training or focusing on other things. Today was one of those days where I had nothing to do.

"Hey Saeko, how're you doing?" the youngest member of my family turns, jet black eyes rising to meet my own.

"Asque!" I winced at that. She had made small nicknames for everyone and mines was the worst for obvious reasons. Tachi just had a much better ring to it than that.

"Want to go play in the yard?" Her face lit up and she wobbled over, clinging onto my leg like a tick. My little sister was incredibly perceptive and could usually figure out what I was saying pretty easily. There were still a few times she looked super confused, but as they say, kids grow up fast.

Gently lifting her up, I headed for the pond in the back. It was a place I loved to sit down and relax in. Maybe I could watch the fish with her? Though, there were also a few other options.

Hmm.

========

"Oh? It's been a while, partner." Jubei scurries up from where I summoned him. He looks around, taking in our backyard. It's the biggest around, mostly because of my father's position. The adorable little cat summon had grown much since the time we first met. Still, he was pretty short, but the blades on his back promised pain to his enemies.

"Need me to train again?" He asked, eyes swiftly dropping toward the pound. Fish of varying sizes swim within.

Jubei's presence was rare, but the two of us met up at least a few times a month. Life kept me busy, but the small cat-ninja was my summoned partner. The head of the feline contract wouldn't have it any other way.

"Actually, I was wondering if you were up to help me keep my sister entertained?" Saeko struggled in my grip, and as I put her down, she wobbled closer to my partner.

With cute babbles and coo's Saeko latched on to Jubei's fur. The summon blew a sigh and allowed the small girl to crawl into his back.

"I expect many fish sandwiches for this." He was a grumpy cat, yet he stood firm.

"Fast!" Saeko yelled between giggles. "Fast!"

Jubei grumbled and began walking, giving my sister a furry piggyback ride. Honestly speaking, it did look a bit fun and the bright smile on her face had my lips rising.

"How much longer do I have to keep this up?" Jubei groans, tail trying to worm its way out of Saeko's grip. I winced and walk closer, pulling her from his back.

"Saeko, that's wrong." Jubei lets out a relieved sigh and begins padding the unruly mess that is now his tail. "You hurt our friend, so apologize,"

"Fast?" She looks up at me confusion fluttering across her face.

"No. Not fast," I say, keeping my voice neutral. "It's not funny or nice to hurt friends."

She reaches out for Jubei's tail and I pull her away. Of course, that isn't exactly what she wants. Saeko starts to sniffle and that soon turns into a low whine.

"This is why I don't like your kind's children," Jubei huffs, arms crossing as he stares at my sister.

I really don't have a counter to that. Saeko's incredibly spoiled. It doesn't help that my mother and Itachi give her just about everything she wants. Of course, it's not exactly as easy as telling her no. If Seako has one strength, it's the ability to make people feel really bad when she cries. For example, right now she's trying her best to get me to let her hop back on Jubei.

"No." But I won't. There are some things you're not willing to do, and letting her hurt my friend is one of them.

As if sensing my iron-will determination, her sniffling fades. Instead, Saeko looks at me with an amusing pout. She's smart, especially for a young child. Still, her adorable childishness never fails to bring a smile to my face.

-----------

After what feels like an hour, it becomes obvious that fish can only entertain a little girl for so long. Jubei also seemed to have eaten one... or two. He wasn't very open with the fact, probably because he thought these were my family's fish.

They technically were, but it's not like I paid for them. In fact, I'm sure Itachi fished out one or two from a nearby lake. If anyone would be upset, it'd be him. Which makes it a rather good idea to leave as soon as possible. I nab Saeko and start quickly walking away. She squirms in my arms and Jubai, sensing my worries, hurries after me.

"Something wrong?" The young cat asks, head snapping around periodically.

I do the same, making sure an annoyed Itachi isn't following me. There's no way he would, considering he should be out right now.

"My brother likes feeding the fish," and that's all Jubei needs to know. His face goes pale and his fur curls up.

I'm pretty sure he named some of the fish. I completely forgot about that.

"Did you eat the one with the red and blue fins?" That's his favourite. I don't think he really cared much about the others.

Jubei blows a sigh and shakes his head in relief.

"No," he says with a gulp. "It was a big goldfish."

...

Ok. I don't remember that one. Was that a new fish?

Whatever the case, a chilling realization strikes me. The small child in my hand had stopped squirming and as I turn, I see her staring at the both of us very intensely. Her eyes sparkle with the mischievous glint of someone that won't forget.

"Saeko... you're not going to tattle on your big brother, right?"

She lets out a cute giggle and turns to my right.

"Tachi!"

My heart nearly explodes, but no, Itachi isn't there. She turns back to me, a sly grin on her face.

...

My little sister is a damn manipulative little monster!

"Come on, Saeko, I'm your big brother!"

She hums and looks away.

"Tachi!"

...

I see how it is. She wants me to bribe her.

"How about my back?!" Jubei suddenly speaks up, a small hint of panic in his voice.

"Partner, I know your brother," he says with a deep breath. "I don't want to be on his bad side."

I couldn't help but let out a sigh.

My little sister is many things, but a scheming blackmailer wasn't something I expected. Though, to be fair, she's just a kid. Children are perhaps the most remorseless of all creatures. Jokes aside, she's got me in a little bind now, hasn't she?

...

Then again, Saeko's just a child. What would a decent brother do?

I take a breath and hoist the girl onto my shoulder.

"Want to try out swimming?" Her eyes sparkle with excitement. She's been eying our home's pond for several weeks now. Our mother even caught her trying to leap inside in some suicidal attempt at swimming. How the hell she got there when living in a house of paranoid ninja is beyond me. Though, honestly speaking, she probably just snuck out of her bed when mom was dealing with a visitor.

Since then, Saeko's been prohibited from swimming. It's a bit strict in the way that she's not even allowed near a body of water, but I can see why that is. Our mother is a worrywart and would likely skin my hide if anything happened to her.

"Wim?!" Saeko exclaimed, practically vibrating in my grasp.

I blew out a sigh and nodded.

"Yeah," I answered, eyes darting left and right. There was no one here- no mother or father that would leap out and punish me.

"I hope you're not expecting me to swim as well," Jubei said. He strolled by my side, furry arms crossed. As Saeko reached out for one of his ears, he stepped away.

"The grabby one is too grabby," he huffed, eyes narrowing. My little sister answered his disapproval with a frown. Once more, her eyes started to moisten. And once more, I refused her.

"It's not nice to hurt friends, Saeko," I said, turning her to face me. Held up just in front of my face, I could see her frown twist into a pout. If she didn't become a ninja, which I hoped she didn't, she'd make a great diplomat.

Honestly speaking, I didn't want to be a ninja either. Know the skills and techniques? Sure, that was amazing. But being held down by a village, anchored to their rule, and forced to murder as a basic part of the job just didn't suit me. Sadly, any and all ninja that deserted would be hunted down and killed. No exceptions. Those that lived were either incredibly powerful, stealthy, and smooth.

Whatever the case, my little journey with Saeko eventually leads us to a familiar building. At first, I was considering taking her to one of Konoha's many lakes, but that was a bit stupid. If something happened to her, I'd be incredibly far from help. Even with my new techniques, I was still pretty slow. Instead, I chose a much closer, and more importantly, safer spot.

"Hmm, have we met before, kid?" The friendly man asks. I smile and shake my head.

"No, sir," I lie, eyes turning towards the change rooms. Konoha's hot springs, home to people of all kinds. The memory of my last visit here is still fresh in my mind. It was close, but somehow, I managed to pull through.

The man's eyes fell to Jubei in his "normal cat" form.

"I'm sorry, but we don't allow pets," he said, giving us a small smile.

I stared at my partner. He stared at me.

"He's not a pet- he's a ninja trying to lay low."

The man looks at me, doubt practically seeping from his pores. Thankfully, Jubei transforms, taking on the appearance of a young boy.

"It's my day off," he says with a grumble. "I'd rather not be seen, if you get my drift."

Smooth, Jubei. Smooth.

With that, there's no hold-up and the three of us enter the hot spring. This time, I go to the appropriate side. The water is warm. The sun is refreshing. But, most of all, Saeko is in no danger.

"Wim!" She splashes about, standing in waist-high waters, at least for her. It's not exactly a swimming pool, but its enough for her.

Though, there's another matter on my mind.

"Since when could you transform?" I ask Jubei, eyes hovering around his face. The cat summon raises a brow and shrugs.

"You already knew I could transform," he said. "Why are you surprised?"

"I thought you could only turn into a normal cat!"

He rolled his eyes, stretching his body out as a cat would.

"Ok, fair point," my friend replies with a yawn. "It's something I picked up recently, but still, you never asked~"

I blow a sigh and shake my head. Even though he's not a normal cat, he sure acts like those lazy felines.

And so, I lean back, relax, and make sure Saeko doesn't do anything crazy. When she starts getting dizzy, I call it a day and nab her. She struggles and squirms, but by the time I've dried her off and put her in clothing, she's already asleep.

Like a little angel.

But, just like angels, devils existed.

My mother was, for a lack of a better word, pissed.

"You should have let me know." Her rage wasn't scalding, but frigid. Calm and sharp, like a knife. Thankfully, I had a secret weapon.

Saeko stirred in my hands, and with quick reflexes, I put the young child in Mikoto's hands.

"Moma?" Saeko yawned, a small smile on her lip. Reaching forward, my little sister planted a soft kiss on our mother's cheek.

Her spike of anger dimed, and I breathed a sigh of relief. With soft eyes, she returned the kiss and started whispering into Saeko's ear.

"I'll talk to you later, mister," Mikoto huffed, attention drawn away by my sister. "But for now, you can go to your room."

I hoped she forgot about this. But... our mother never forgets.

Slinking away, I gave Jubei one final glance. The tricky cat had turned into an actual cat and hid in the other room.

Well, there was still a bit of time left.

Maybe I could prepare some tuna sandwiches?

Those always tasted good...

 

Spoiler: Music

Times flew by faster than I could imagine. I was in my second last year of the academy. Next year I'd be pushed harden than ever for the year that followed. Graduation would likely be before I actually turned thirteen, but those were all just semantics. Eleven years, all in the blink of an eye.

It really felt so... short? Looking back on everything, it feels like I've grown so much. The days of nearly losing my sanity, to being engulfed in paranoia and fear. It took so long just to realize that the world wasn't against me. If whatever force or quirk of fate that brought me here wished me dead, I'd likely never have made it out of my mother's womb.

The world is cruel, harsh, and unforgiving. However, I've built a new life here, one where I have friends and family that can protect me. The future is a canvas with a shaky outline, yet that doesn't mean it can't all be erased and redrawn. If I want to prevent the coming horrors, then I need to do something. Standing around and hoping for what happened once to happen again is a fool's dream.

There's no Naruto. I'm not Sasuke. No one is going to help me with this.

I'm alone, but it doesn't have to be that way forever. First and foremost, I need to grow my personal strength and prove to those that I'm needed, that I'm necessary. I have to show the Hokage that I'm someone worth trusting- someone that wouldn't lie. Perhaps telling the truth won't work, so I'll find another path. Untill then, I need to grow and help those around me do the same.

Those that once became friends might end up becoming the worst of enemies. The most dangerous of foes might end up on my side. Nothing is set in stone and with a brush in my hand, I aim to help draw a future where everyone lives; everyone I can reasonably help, of course.

What sort of future do I want?

A future where I sleep all day, comfortably resting at home?

A future where I'm in a position of power? The power of the Hokage?

A future where zi read interesting stories? A future where I don't have to fight?

Or...

Do I simply wish a future in which I follow my friends?

...

Many things had changed as time went by. Perhaps my dream was one of them. Now, as I looked at the world- at my friends, I found a burning desire within me. Power and strength now coursed through my veins. I could leap from building to building, though it took a bit of effort. With a single swing of my hand, I could accurately pin a kunai to a target.

I could breathe god damned fire by making silly signs with my fingers!

Maybe... maybe I had been far too paranoid and cautious. Everything I did was to grow stronger and prepare. But now, having developed a bit more, feelings once buried were slowly coming to the surface. It was a silly dream- one I had in my old world. A dream in which I gained power and used it to better the world; to explore unseen sights and help those around me.

It was a childish desire, but one I wholeheartedly believed in.

This world was no fairy tale, but I had the power to do something. I would help those I could and make sure my friends were strong enough to make their dreams a reality as well.

Perhaps I'd change this dream in the future. Everyone changes and no one could see what laid in store for them. Still, untill that day came, I'd try my best at this.

With each step, I walk further and further from who I was yesterday. A new me is just around the corner.

========

Another day, another morning of hard work. With a yawn, I rise out of bed, heading straight for the kitchen. My mother is already up and frying up your breakfast. Eggs and bacon, not exactly the most traditional Uchiha breakfast, but one I liked all the same.

Speaking of tradition, the Uchiha have practically seeped themselves in it. A normal meal consists of rice, a few steamed vegetables and an even smaller amount of meat. I hear the Hyuga are even more strict when it comes to this. Hinata once told me it was supposed to instill discipline and help open their "third eye." She said it was just a legend, but I practically shivered at the thought of a certain moon goddess. Even old legends like that held some truth, though I doubted a diet would help anyone obtain that.

Anyways, the food was delicious. The instant I finished my plate, two more strips of bacon made their way there.

"You don't have to-" I began, only to be stoped as my brother raised a hand.

"You need it more than me," he teased, finishing up his food.

Maybe it was because I was the one who suggested more diverse meals, but he'd been doing that as of late. My brother had become quite the trickster in his later years. Mother always seemed to blame Shisui for being a bad influence, though I knew it's not just him. Izumi was as much at fault as that scoundrel. They say finding a girl you like changes you and that looked to be the case with my brother.

Though, it's not like his more expressive nature bothered anyone. Compared to the cold, efficient, and frankly terrifying Itachi of old- my brother was friendly, surprisingly easy to talk to, and a very good listener. He still had that silent air to him, but he smiled a lot more and spoke with the wisdom I only seen in his later incarnation. The brother who lost everything, including his life, had never come into being.

Instead, I had Itachi- the brave, overprotective brother who couldn't help but tease you. Oh, and he just loved to spoil Saeko.

"Thanks." I answered, poking the bacon with my fork and smearing it around in the oil and salt. I'd burn these calories just by doing my daily exercises. Being a ninja had its perks.

"Oh, Sasuke, are you stopping by your friend's house today?" Mikoto's sudden question had my mind turning.

"Naruko?" I rarely stopped by anyone else's house. There was that one time with Choji and Shikamaru, but it was quick and not really worth mentioning.

"Yep," she answered with a little giggle. "Last time she stopped by, she said she loved my pie, so I made one just for her."

A whole pie. Honestly, I was a bit jealous, but if anyone deserved it, it was Naruko.

"Sure, I'll drop it off in a bit."

Speaking of Naruko, her face had become almost a common occurrence at my household. She'd stop by to train with my mother every week and then just crash my training. Sometimes she went diving into my room and wouldn't leave untill I spent some time with her. The shy, meek, and scared little girl of the past was unrecognizable. She was more like a spoiled brat that would barge into a friend's conversation just so they'd talk to her.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Still, Naruko wasn't Naruto. She'd never be him. Whatever the case, I had a long day ahead. Today, I wanted to find another quest.

Hmm.

==========

The day was sunny, peacefully, and just ripe for exploration. I already had an idea of what I wanted to do, but first, there was a pie that needed to be delivered. Unsurprisingly, with it being the weekend, Naruko was just lazying around in her house. She hadn't even locked the door...

Again, while my friend looked like a clueless imbecile, she was surprisingly observant and quick to catch onto things. People still avoided her and quite a few parents wouldn't let her anywhere near their child. It had been nearly a decade since the nine-tails had been sealed, yet the cracks ran deep. Konoha was finally starting to get back on its feet, but its economical future was on shaky ground. Thought, this was just something I assumed based on overhearing my parents. I wasn't some sort of economist or something.

Anyways, I stepped into her house just as easily as anyone else could. Though, the truth was that no one would. Naruko knew this, as did I. While it looked all clear outside, I was sure there was a group of ninja stationed out of sight. Then again, maybe the number had shrunk to a single one? Naruko wasn't a helpless child any longer. Nevertheless, she was still a very valuable member of the village. To leave her unattended would just be calling for misfortune.

"Sasuke, that you?!" Her voice echoed through the small apartment.

"Yeah!" I answered. "Where are you?"

"Bedroom!" she replied.

Stepping through her house, I was happy to see it that there was barely anything out of place. Just remembering the pigsty this had been a few years ago still makes me shiver and gag. How the hell could someone get used to so much garbage being around? Whatever the case, as I stepped into her room, I came to an unusual scene.

...

"What are you doing?" I questioned, brow furrowing deep in thought. It looked like she was trying to touch her nose with her foot?

"Kunoichi training!" she answered like that would explain everything. Whatever, I was pretty sure those were just stretching exercises.

"How come they don't teach us those stretches in our classes?" Seriously, stretches weren't just beneficial for girls. Everyone would be better off being a little bit more flexible.

Naruko rolls her eyes and grins like a fox.

"Well, that's cause our lessons are super-secret!" she proudly announces, walking closer and gently flicking your nose. "There's no way you'd ever do the stuff we learn!"

Really?

"I don't think I want to dress up like a pretty girl and trick people into telling me their secrets." Though, it's kind of really god damn creepy that seduction classes are a thing. No, seriously, that's super disturbing. A least, that's what I assume those classes are, right?

"Bah! I don't like acting all nice and giving pretty eyes either!" Naruko huffs, arms crossing over her chest. "They make us practice how to serve tea, how to bow, how to make flower-hat things and a bunch of other stupid stuff!" That did sound really boring. Though, it sounded like it was more of an etiquette class than what I suspected. That was a very good thing. "Still, I'm trying to turn all that mushy stuff into something I can use- like these stretches!"

She then proceeds to draw a kunai from her shoe with her toes and hit a target on the wall.

"Did you see that!" She shouts gleefully. "Score!"

And that's how you learn about Naruko's new and interesting "technique." To be fair, no one would expect that. Either way, I quickly show her my mother's pie and got to eating. Of course, she gave me half and then ate her half with a cup of ramen.

No matter what I say, she's never going to stop. She's an addict at this point, surely...

With our stomach filled, I tell her about my plan.

"I guess extra lessons are never bad," she says with a whimper. Her tone betrays her. I'm pretty sure she'd rather be doing anything but training.

"You could always not come." I say.

Puffing out her cheeks, Naruko gives me the evil eye and shakes her head.

And that's how the two of us head for the academy. Unlike the actual story, Iruka and Naruko weren't all that close here. She was a prankster, yes, but not to the extent she could have been. More importantly, Naruko was actually a very good ninja in training. All that extra training I had her do paid off immensely.

"So, you want to train?" Naruko asked, fingers digging into her mouth. She made a wet popping noise as she suckled on her digits, cleaning off the last bits of pie. It was honestly very distracting and made my stomach churn slightly.

Those weren't human noises...

"Yeah," I answer with a nod. The door shuts behind us, and Naruko starts to walk away. "Aren't you going to lock it?" I call out, brow furrowing in frustration.

"Huh?" she turns around, a curious look in her eye. "I don't need to do that!"

I shake my head and motion her over. Naruko responds much the same and lets out a loud groan. "Come on! No one's going to steal anything!"

Ignorance is bliss, but I very much doubt Naruko is ignorant of the world. She knows full well what people can do. Though not quite as ostracised as Naruto, she's suffered her fair share of hate. Naruko's had me as a friend since she was tiny, and the list only grew as the years passed. If anything, the reprive has made her more shrewd than Naruto ever was.

Then again, he wasn't all that cunning, to begin with.

"Just because no one's done it to date doesn't mean no one's going to do it," I counter, a calm look on my face. Honestly, in the world of ninja, a locked door might as well be a wet tissue paper. Unless there are explosive seals or other crazy things like that, the door's basically unlocked. Still, that's not the point.

Normal people don't just leave their homes unlocked. It's a bad habit and one I'd rather my friend not have.

"Fiiiiine," Naruko groans, quickly rushing past me and reaching into her pocket. Out comes an old, scratched key. With a soft click, she buries said key in her pocket once more and gives me her attention.

"Ready?" she asks, a jovial tone in her voice. "Don't need me to wipe my bum or make sure I'm wearing underwear?"

Her childish taunts are like rain against an umbrella. I show no reaction aside from a raised brow. Perhaps if she'd transformed into that cursed Jutsu of hers, things might be different.

It was all fun and games when it was just a show. In real life, aside from the obvious discomforts, people will look at you weird and no one will ever forget. There's no difference from what she does and some random naked woman soliciting you on the street back home.

Thankfully, Naruko's intentions are purely innocent in nature. I wouldn't expect anything else from an eleven-year-old, but I have to make sure to keep my true feelings hidden. My face must be a stone wall that deflects all blows.

If she learns how to get me flustered, she'll keep at it. Like a shark smelling blood, she'll bite and not let go.

Truly, children can be the worst kinds of people. They poke and poke untill the bear howls in anger.

Thankfully, Naruko knows some restraint. She'll only prod and push untill it's obvious that you're upset. She stops short and then waits a while to do it again. A vicious cycle of teasing and trying to get a reaction out of me.

As of late, it seems like she lives for these kinds of things.

In a way, it's not so different from how Naruto made a fool of himself to garner attention. Indeed, some things never change.

"Well, you coming?" Naruko says, a huff leaving her nostrils. "We don't have all day!"

I bite back a smirk and nod.

"Yeah. Let's see if we can find anyone else on the way."

She wasn't the only one that found it fun to tease others. The childish part of me was just as bad as her, after all.

--------------------

As usual, Konoha's streets were filled with the bustling of merchants and people. It was one of the nation's most prosperous villages, even after the nine-tails attack. Things were slowly getting better, and the unfamiliar faces selling merchandise were more than enough proof of that.

Spoiler: Luck Roll

Naruko Roll (10d6): 45!

Coincidentally, I happened to run into Kiba as he was scouting out one of the new merchants.

"Huh? Training?" He mumbled my words, eyes leaping to the stall and then back to me. "Alright, sure." He answered with a grin.

"Let me just buy Akamaru these new treats and I'll come with!" The tiny dog lets out an excited bark and began running around the young Inuzuka.

"I won't let you beat me, Sasuke!" Those were Kiba's words of challenge, which I was certain meant he was going to try and fight me.

In any case, with one more person in tow, I headed for the academy. Curiously, Sakura seemed to be just sitting by a nearby bench on the way there. She had this look on her face that made it seem like her world was ending.

When I asked her to tag along, she gave a frail smile and nodded. I wasn't sure what was happening, but she could probably use friends to talk to or at least hang out with. Speaking of friends, it was a good thing Hinata was already at the school. It seemed she had much the same idea as me and was standing by the gates.

A nervous look flashed across her face as she contemplated whether to enter or to leave. Eventually, she made up her mind and stepped inside, only to nearly have a heart attack as Kiba greeter her with an almost ear-splitting shout.

"Yo! Hinata!"

The young ninja almost smashed her head into the sun with the jump that followed. Thankfully, it didn't take her very long to calm down. Still, she was squirming like a bug for a moment there.

"O-Oh, um, yes!" She was more than happy to join our little training session.

As for the actual training, Iruka was actually doing some grading. He said he'd help us all out if we did something for him. There were a number of tasks, and to keep things simple, everyone would partner up. Everyone but the odd man out, who'd help him.

Iruka was, for a lack of a better world, a very diligent teacher. He was one of those people that would gladly spend hours of his time helping a failing student catch up with his peers. He was kind, but also stern. So long as you weren't disrupting the class, he'd let you get away with very minor things. Yet, if you stepped out of line, he wasn't afraid to put his boot down.

This wasn't how he was during the first few weeks, but that swiftly changed. Class clown or not, Naruko was still pretty disruptive at times. She had a much longer attention span, but certain subjects just bored her out of her mind. Of course, this meant she turned to me for entertainment. That wasn't good- for me or anyone else.

"Training, huh?" Iruka mumbled, eyes darting from me to the rest of my friends, eventually stopping on Sakura. "That's a good idea," he said with a small smile.

"Mizuki's not here today, so you guys will have to rely on just me."

Kiba's lip splits into a grand smile.

"Ah well, you'll do fine!" he proudly announces. "That guy's ok, but you're the best!"

His words held some truth. Mizuki was much more charismatic than poor Iruka; he knew how to handle them better. Being children, not many noticed, but Mizuki was a very good at staying out of the firing line. Whenever Iruka went off on someone, he'd be the one to calm him down and then be the "good" cop to Ituka's "bad." Of course, no one likes the bad cop, so on a surface level, Mizuki just seems a lot more approachable.

Of course, anyone that spends some time actually trying to talk to both will quickly start to see the difference. Mizuki sticks around, but not nearly as long as Iruka. He helps but isn't nearly as involved. When you succeed in something, Iruka's right there, sharing your joy. Sometimes, you'd think he was the one that figured it out. Yet, Mizuki has an air of indifference. He smiles and gives congratulations, but never seems invested.

So, while Mizuki has a sweet, friendly surface, his innards aren't nearly as soft as Iruka's. It's for that reason that most of the "smart" kids go to him first for help or training. Though, that's not to say the others aren't smart; they're just children, and seeing through sweet masks is a skill that comes with age and wisdom.

Iruka chuckles at Kiba's praise.

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but you shouldn't be talking bad about your teachers," he fires back, gently striking Kiba's head with the flat of his hand. "Now, let's see how you can help me get all of this finished with so I can help you."

Sometimes, it really felt like my life worked on videogame logic. This was a great example; the oh so "important" fetch quests.

Hopefully, it all went by quickly.

----------------

The five of us were split into partnered groups.

"Work together and we'll be done within the hour!" Iruka said, a small smile on his lip. Say what you will, but the man was really good at his job.

Naruko partnered up with Kiba and Hinata stuck with Iruka. I went with Sakura, if only because I was slightly worried about her. Maybe things would have been different if she were some other student, but the fact was that she wasn't. I knew Sakura, or what she would become. She wasn't the person I watched all those years ago, but it was pretty hard to get rid of that sort of bias.

"Right, you two can go inspect the boiler room in the basement," Iruka said, eyes darting from page to page. The large book in front of him was imposing and full of endless lines of text. What was it? Unfortunately, that was something I'd not be finding out today. "It's been giving us some trouble lately and I wanted to check that out."

He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small little pamphlet.

"You don't need to touch anything-" I took the pamphlet and started flipping through it. "-just read it and jot down the information I need that's on the first and second page."

Basic reading comprehension and note-taking. This really was a very easy task, though I could see why he couldn't go do it himself. The amount of paperwork on his table reached halfway up to his shoulder.

"How come Mizuki isn't helping?" Kiba huffed.

Iruka gave a small smile.

"He has something really important to do."

I doubted that.

In any case, Kiba and Naruko headed off to clean up a few things in the attic. Poor Hinata was going to help Iruka with the paperwork. Just looking at that mountain made me wilt.

"Let's go, Sakura," I said, not wanting to keep everyone waiting. The sooner this could be finished, the sooner we could start training.

Sakura gave a half-hearted nod and followed after me. She dragged her feet and I had to deliberately match her pace, otherwise, I'd have left her behind. It was extremely obvious something was eating away at her- the real question was what.

"So, how was your day?" I asked.

I wasn't a therapist or anything, but I could be a friendly ear. Though, it was up to her to talk.

"Ok, I guess," she mumbled, a sigh bursting from her lip. The conversation died then and there.

This was going to be hard. I could tell.

---------------

The basement was easy enough to find, and honestly, Iruka's task was even easier than I expected. It took the two of us less than five minutes to write down all the readings and start our track.

The school was mostly empty, it being the weekend and all that. That made talking very easy, but Sakura still refused to open up. I couldn't force her and trying to just didn't feel right. Thankfully, she eventually said something.

"Sasuke... do you think I'm a good ninja?"