Summary: Self Insert OC: In which dying wasn't part of the plan but neither was reincarnation. She was damned if she'd let herself be weak or let her precious people die. After all a flower that blooms in adversity is most rare and beautiful of all.

Warnings: Possible OOC characters (if you can't deal with that don't bother reading) and OPNESS. Angst and maybe dubious chakra explanations and shenanigans.

-XxX-

When she was born, there had been a hushed silence. It was the type of silence that no one could break, where the air was stifling with disbelief and horror.

She was a perfectly healthy child, with no deformities or any other issues except for the fact that she looked nothing at all like her parents. Her hair was a shocking white and her skin was as pale as snow but it was impossible to say how she got her coloring. There had been the thought of infidelity but the notion was impossible. The couple that had her were loyal to each other to the fault, so to say the least, they were baffled when they received the child.

What was also startling, however, was the color washed eyes. They were a grey-silver that bordered white and it had almost reminded them of the Hyuuga, except looking at the child's eyes was unsettling and they lacked the lavender tint that most Hyuuga had. Her eyes had a ghastly white film that made them look paler than they had any right to be. She made no sound and if wasn't for her steady breathing, they would have thought her dead.

It was a certainly an unsettling ordeal and the couple, an Akiko and Isamu Tsubasa, had looked at each other with uncertainty but they resolved to make the best of their situation.

"This is most… unusual, dear." Akiko muttered, her black hair sticking to her head with sweat. "I don't understand what happened."

Her husband put a comforting hand on her shoulder, looking at their child with furrowed eyebrows. "It's okay Akiko-chan, we'll figure this out." He looked away from them and to the medic standing a little ways from them. "Is it possible to have a paternity test?" He continued hastily under his wife's stare, "to see that there hasn't been any tampering due to the result of some jutsu or something…" he trailed off uncertainly but his resolve strengthened at his wife's nod.

"Certainly… I've never quite seen anything like this but we'll give you the results as soon as possible." The medic nodded before he swiftly gathered the DNA from the mother, father and child. "Being cautious certainly doesn't hurt, especially in these uncertain times." He sighed, packing away the samples before writing down a few things on a checkboard. "You'll have your results for," he squinted at the name printed for a moment, "Hakuoh Tsubasa in a week or two. We'll mail them to your residence, in the meantime you're free to go Tsubasa-san, along with Hakuoh-chan." The doctor said with a practiced smile, "Congratulations." The doctor nodded at them curtly before leaving with the samples.

There was a moment of silence between the two adults in the room, both staring at their newest charge with fascination.

"Well… I think we'll be fine, dear." Isamu reassured. "We'll be fine." He reassured but despite his words he still glanced uncertainly at the child in his wife's arms.

"Yes…" Akiko replied, just as uncertain, before slipping to the edge of the bed to stand up. "Let's go home dearest. I believe we've been here long enough." She said, wincing as she took a step.

"Are you okay?" Isamu asked, worry apparent in his face.

She waved a nonchalant hand. "It's fine dear, the labor was just…" The woman shuddered at the mere memory and Isamu winced.

The labor had certainly been an arduous affair. It had been nearly 30 hours of waiting and pain. They hadn't expected to encounter such complications, though they had known the possibility, they had been confident that it would have gone better than it had. Even the doctors had been quite baffled. Akiko had wanted to have a C-section but by then, it had been too late. She had to have a natural birth and it lasted hours, endured pain unlike that she's ever endured, and had almost screamed herself hoarse. The baby hadn't seemed to want to leave her and had resisted every step of the way but when Hakuoh had been born…

Akiko had felt it in her very being that something had been wrong, not with her but her with child but she dismissed the thoughts because what mother thought that way?

"Let's go home." Isamu gave her a smile full of love and Akiko felt the tension slip from her just at the sight of it.

-XxX-

Admittedly, she didn't understand what had happened and it took her a while until she had really comprehended the seriousness of her situation. She didn't feel bad that it had taken her some time to figure it out because the sheer impossibility of the situation was astounding. Reincarnation? Who believes in that and expects it to come true? There were some religions that believed in it but still… She hadn't expected it to happen to her. She remembered her previous life quite well. The memories welled within her and played behind her eyes like a movie remembering everything until that day.

She had been at the crux of her career. She had been a successful entrepreneur with an income that would satisfy her wants and needs just fine. She had been happy even though she had been alone. It was just who she was. Amelia Pendragon, a peculiar name but it was hers and it held great meaning. She was a red-haired beauty but her intelligence and awkward social tendencies kept others away. Amelia had been misunderstood, even as a child but she had coped with art, reading, exercise, music and an array of other things. She coped with anything she could get her hands on because it had occupied her mind, kept her from thinking about the stares and whispers aimed at her until one day she stopped caring. She stopped hiding, straightened her back and kept her head held high.

She lost herself to her music, singing and learning to play instruments, went to concerts where she felt at least at one with the others present. She learned and bettered herself, for herself and for the satisfaction of seeing the envy of others. When music wasn't enough, she lost herself in a frenzy of paint, watercolors, and sketches. When there were times of extreme challenges, she pushed herself to the brink of exhaustion in exercise. And when she wanted to just stop… she watched anime for a pastime, admiring the ideals and various ideas of power and concepts.

She had been alone for a long time, rejected by those around her but she persevered. She hated the way she had been treated but she knew right from wrong. She'd never inflict what had happened to another. That would have been… quite the hypocrisy.

She had died in a car crash.

One moment she had been in a taxi, going home from a long day of work. They were going down the street, as calm as one could be. The day was amazing, with the sun shining in the sky, the wind blowing and Amelia had successfully closed a deal with an exclusive company. Then, there was the sound of tires on the pavement before there was a scream and then, Amelia was screaming along with the taxi driver though she couldn't hear his own agonized yells beyond her own and the sound of her heart beat pounding in her head. The car was impacted with extreme force, sending the quaint taxi rolling repeatedly in the street.

She had passed out but then regained consciousness moments later. She had stared incomprehensively for a moment before her mind caught up with her. Her head pounded with a ferocity and there was a sharp pain radiating all over her body, so much so, that she couldn't quite figure out where the pain was coming from. Everything hurt but despite that, she gathered what meager strength she had to turn her head. The taxi driver was just regaining consciousness and although he had bruises and cuts, it seemed that he was fine.

The same couldn't be said for her however, and the look of horror that the driver had given her had really settled the seriousness of the situation. She looked down, hesitantly following the scared gaze of the driver. She had been impaled by numerous pieces of metal and shards of glass and it had quite horrifying to look at. Amelia didn't scream despite all the horror and pain of the situation. The only thing she felt was grim resignation.

It was quite clear to her that her wounds were fatal but despite all of that, she mustered her remaining strength and gave the driver a reassuring smile. "I-It's okay." She rasped. She swallowed heavily, tasting the copper taste of her blood as she distantly heard sirens and the sound of people yelling. "It's o-okay." She repeated.

The driver didn't say anything but there were tears running down his face, weather for her or for himself having escaped death Amelia didn't know. She remembered the sharp surprise when the man didn't attempt to leave the decimated remains of the taxi. Instead, he grabbed her hand, gently as if made of glass and stayed with her even when the paramedics arrived at their side.

"It's okay." He had croaked, attempting to smile even through the tears.

Amelia couldn't remember what happened next. She had felt oddly reassured even though she had been afraid. She took a deep breath, and then, the world turned dark.

For what seemed like an eternity, Amelia stayed in the darkness until one day the world caged around her. The oddly comforting darkness had suddenly constricted and she didn't know what was happening until a moment later her world of darkness exploded with light and the sound of screams. Her eyes could see nothing but blurry shapes but it cleared in a few moments. There were people towering over her and she understood nothing except that they were speaking in Japanese.

What just happened? She thought. It had been the first thought that she's had for a long time and she startled at the sound of her own voice. That wasn't the only thing, however. She couldn't move her limbs all that well and her head felt ten times heavier.

The man holding her passed her to another stranger, a woman with black hair and sharp green eyes that stared confusedly at her.

Amelia was lost to her thoughts, trying to figure out what was happening. She was confused, yes, but she kept her calm. All right, she thought. I don't know what happened. I don't know where I am, only that I had been dying… Amelia shuddered, not happy remembering the pool of blood, the sharp pain and feeling of grim resignation and fear. I died, didn't I? There's no way I could have survived so then… what happened?

With all the willpower and strength she could muster, she lifted a hand, almost slapping herself in the face. What greeted her was a pudgy, and impossibly small hand. She looked at it fascinated before her mind caught up with her and theories and questions filled her mind.

Was I reincarnated? The thought was certainly baffling, but considering what she was seeing it was a possibility. Regardless, she thought, this is only a theory… I might as well be in a coma, dreaming. She was broken from her thoughts when there was a sudden movement.

The two adults in the room were talking but their unsettled looks and worried voices made a feeling of dread well in her stomach. They were looking at her like that, and already she knew, knew that what laid ahead of her was going to be difficult to overcome.

Bring it, she thought determinedly, I won't go down easy. No… Never again, she promised.

-XxX-

And so, life went on.

Time passed like a blur of memories that she would have rather have forgotten. It was one embarrassment after another for her. She had no control over her body and she hated it, hated the damn diapers, the breast feeding and everything else that came with being a baby. She had been an independent woman and she had been reduced to this?

In this time, however, she came to understand a few things. Her name was Hakuoh Tsubasa, daughter of civilians Isamu and Akiko Tsubasa. She was three years old but she was progressing alarmingly fast for a child, determined to regain control over herself. Her home, was a two-story house, complete with a white picket fence and garden.

And in Konoha.

The name had rung alarms in her head, certainly… but she hadn't comprehended until she caught a glimpse of a distant mountain, a very iconic mountain in a certain anime series that she'd watched through to the end. She hadn't believed it at first but the proof was in her face and after days on end of having the same 'dream', she could say that what she felt, what she was seeing, was all too real.

It was hard to believe but after a while she had accepted it and the last vestiges of incredulity left her when her 'parents' mentioned the name Konoha and Iwa. There was a small amount of regret in her, for her family and the hard work she'd left behind but it had disappeared quickly.

This could be my second chance at life, she thought excitedly but the feeling was replaced by dread. But… this is Naruto. Horrible things are going to happen and I know what and when things are going to happen… Should I interfere? Is it my right? She debated, not for the first time. But I can save a lot of people from this destiny of despair. If I could end their suffering, save lives, become strong then, why shouldn't I? After all, she thought, glancing at her parents. Isamu and Akiko were engrossed in each other and the pure love they had for each other was evident. They're more than just characters now.

I'm going to become strong. Stronger than even the Sannin, she vowed.

Her resolve had only strengthened as time went on. She loved her parents. They were kind to her and seeing them interact with each other was interesting but she could see that they were weary of her and she couldn't understand why. The thoughts had plagued her mind but she dismissed the them. She'd find out later but for now, she was trying her best to show she loved them but emotions didn't come easy to her.

It was hard to express herself after spending a lifetime guarding herself against the abuse and ridicules of others. That, and the fact that mentally, she was older. She couldn't keep herself from completely acting like other children her age. She had always been mature, even as a child, and Hakuoh could never bring herself to tolerate other children. They couldn't hold a decent conversation with her, they ran around screaming and crying, and their energy was unending and impossible for them to stay still and calm.

To put it short, she had no patience for children.

She was mature for her age and she'd thought that her parents would appreciate the fact that she was self-sufficient. She didn't cry, she only bothered her parents with a tug when she was hungry and she kept to herself most of the time, amusing herself with trying to learn Japanese along with its challenging writing system.

She wanted to learn Japanese quick, after all, she needed to get to the academy and get started on reading material. She needed to, if she was going to save everyone from their destiny of despair.

It was what she was trying to do now by trying to figure out her chakra. She knew she had it. She could feel it everywhere and she'd always been quite aware of it. Maybe it was because she knew of it before hand or maybe it was because she lacked it before that she was quite aware of it now. The reason didn't matter, only that chakra felt amazing. She was meditating outside in her home's little garden. Her eyes were closed and her focus was drawn inwards, trying to find that pool of chakra. She breathed in deeply and out slowly. She repeated this a few times before she finally managed to sense a spark of it, feel it running through her body. It was like an oasis in the middle of the desert, cool and refreshing and as large as a vast ocean.

Her chakra reserves were bigger than even her parents, she was quite sure. Maybe it was because of her death or maybe because of her reincarnation, Hakuoh wasn't sure, but she was quite keenly aware of the chakra of other people, of her surroundings. Her parents were like little sparks, a small flame that was familiar in its warmth and movement. They were the only one's familiar to her. Given time, she'd be able to remember those of her friends and loved ones, if she made any that is.

There was the sound of a door opening and Hakuoh stood, stretching her numb extremities. She went back inside her small home, greeting her mother with a small nod. "Hello, Okaa-san." She said, watching as her mother put down her groceries on the table and begin putting them away.

"Hey, sweetie." She greeted, a small smile on her face. "Where's your father?" She asked, avoiding looking at Hokuoh's eyes. They unsettled her and she hated it.

Hokuoh shrugged. "I don't know. He left a while ago." She replied before she spotted something that caught her eye. "What's that?" She asked, pointing a pudgy finger towards a black book sitting atop of the table.

"Oh." Akiko turned. "That's a sketchbook I got you, sweetie. I noticed that you like to draw a lot so I got it at the market today."

"Really?" Hokuoh breathed, excitement leaking into her voice. "Thank you, okaa-san." She eagerly grabbed the book when Akiko handed it to her.

Her mother merely nodded. "Go play in your room sweetie. I'm just going to make dinner. Don't forget the pencils on the table." Akiko turned away from her afterward without a word.

Hokuoh stared for a moment. Gripping the book between her hands, she walked out of the kitchen, grabbing the box of pencils on her way out. Hakuoh didn't know what was happening. Encounters like these were becoming increasingly common between her and her parents and she didn't know why. She felt like they were becoming more distant and she didn't know what to do about it.

On one hand, it left her to her own devices but on the other her parents were becoming strangers to her. They were steadily becoming cold towards her and it hurt because they were her family. She was losing her family and it was because of her. She knew it was. Maybe it was because they lived in the society that they did that she was left alone. Hakuoh had noticed that it was an increasingly common thing as she saw more than a few children left alone. It might as well have been because of the vast number of shinobi around the village. The people of Konoha felt quite secure within the walls of the village. Or maybe it could have been because of chakra. Maybe it developed children faster.

She closed the door to her bedroom, taking a moment to look around. She had a bed in the corner of the room with a desk in another corner. A bookshelf hanged on a wall, overflowing with books and scrolls. Her desk wasn't that much different. It was covered in paper and numerous art supplies littered the desk and the ground. Finally, a guitar (special ordered) and piano occupied another corner.

Hakuoh placed her newest art additions on her desk. She debated on what to do before going into her closet and grabbed a box hidden inconspicuously in the corner. She brought it to her bed and carefully opened it. Inside were a few trinkets that were interesting to her but most importantly, her notebooks. She had three, each with a black hard book cover and thick with pages. She grabbed her newest notebook, sighing while she opened it.

She hummed to herself as she carefully traced over its contents. Inside were various doodles and writings, each meticulously made and written. Each page was filled to the brim with information a shinobi would kill for. In her notebooks, were all the events that would occur in the future, starting from the Beginning and ending with the Fourth Shinobi War. The Beginning, of course, was when Kaguya ate the forbidden fruit. Hakuoh had been incredibly careful in hiding its contents. She didn't want to know what would happen should any other person beside herself viewed its contents. That's why, in extreme and justified paranoia and precaution, she had written it in a series of languages and abstract pieces of art that'd only make sense to her. She didn't cut any corners. She used English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic and even added Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics.

There was no way anyone would decipher the contents of her books, unless they looked into her mind but Hokuoh was taking precautions for that too. It was a long and arduous process that was slow going but she was getting progress. Hokuoh was carefully protecting her mind by pushing her old memories into the back of her mind. She imagined a barrier for her mind, trying to see if other techniques such as the Occlumency of Harry Potter would work.

She was incredibly surprised when it did work.

During one of her sessions of meditation, she had started to put her theory to work. She had been frustrated many times when none of her techniques had worked so far, so in her frustration she decided to fuck it and try to do Occlumency. She began by meditating, closing her mind against the distractions of the outside world and reveling in the feeling of chakra. One moment, she was breathing deeply and then she was standing atop a vast ocean.

"Where the fuck am I?" she had muttered as she looked around her.

It was in her mindscape that she had finally seen what she'd looked like. It was ridiculous to think that she'd never seen her reflection before but her parents had never bothered to put her before a mirror. That, and she'd never been tall enough to reach one either and she didn't have one in her room either.

Her own face surprised her because she looked nothing like her parents.

She crouched down to take a closer look of herself on the water surface. The water reflected pale white hair, apathetic silver eyes, a cupid mouth, a beauty mark underneath an eye and extremely pale skin.

"This is what I look like?" She whispered to herself, a frown forming on her face. "Is that why they always look at me the way they do? Am I adopted?" She guessed aloud before giving a frustrated shake of her head. "What the fuck does it even matter?" She stood, glancing around.

The ocean was beautiful. It glowed blue with an inner light and the sky was just as amazing with a figurative Milky Way. There were hues of purple, pink, white, black and even some blue. It had reminded her for a moment like a mesh of watercolors, seamlessly blending together in a display of color along with stars and a moon that glowed brilliantly. There was a splash and Hakuoh quickly turned, her mouth dropping in amazement at what greeted her.

"Oh my god." She breathed out.

The tail of a whale splashed across the surface of the water, creating waves and ripples but despite that Hakuoh never wavered. It swam around her lazily, unafraid. As she took a closer cautious look, she was amazed to see it glow.

"Bioluminescence?" She said aloud. "This is amazing… And are those my memories!?" She smiled, happiness overwhelming her at the sight of such majestic beauty. Her hand brushed against the surface of a whale near her, and she received flashes of memories.

An Image of her mother-

Her first word. "Kaa-san."-

Her father carrying her securely in his arms-

"Everything will be fine, Hakuoh."-

"We'll be fine!" Her mother chanted repeatedly, a desperate look in her eye but why?

Whatwashappening?-

Hakuoh tore her hand away, staring at her hand for a moment before her eyes darkened with sadness. The ocean seemed to change with her mood as well as the sky. The waves became less soothing and more ferocious. The stars darkened and the moon was blocked out by clouds. Rain began to fall, slowly at first but steadily increasing in strength. It seemed more and more like a hurricane was about to develop.

Just what was happening with her parents? Once again, she pushed it away, swearing to investigate later. This couldn't go on any longer…

She took a deep breath before closing her eyes. She wanted a defense for her mind but she didn't want anything that could be easily bypassed. She needed something strong, something intimidating. She wasn't quite sure what to get but an idea popped into her head. Multiple barriers would be great but an offense would be amazing too…

There was an ocean before her… With a deep breath, she imagined the waters rising, overpowering potential threats, imagined torrential waters, and great beasts rising from the dark depths of the ocean, but most of all, imagined a main towering form of power and strength.

There was a moment and then Hakuoh felt her chakra, felt it like the vast ocean she felt in her meditations. She opened her eyes and gasped, eyes widening at what greeted her. There were massive tentacles rising, as big as the Hokage Mountain. She could distinctly hear a roar and then her attention was torn from it as she saw something move in the corner of her eye. There were various sharks swimming in the water, from Great White Sharks to Hammerheads, all swimming around the whales peacefully but that wasn't what caught her eye. There was a movement and then there was a peek of a curve. It was long and sleek, covered in scales colored a stunning blue, green and even purple. It disappeared for a moment before the water exploded upwards. Then, a creature burst from the sea with a ferocious roar. It was majestic, and easily bigger than even the village itself.

"A sea serpent!? Or is it a dragon?" Hakuoh gasped. "Oh, wow. I didn't think this would work." She muttered dazedly, watching in amazement as the dragon-serpent flew into the sky and disappeared into the clouds.

The surprises didn't end there, however.

The ocean rose, almost like a tsunami, and then the water took shape. There were arms, a torso, and then a face appeared, the bottom half was still water almost reminiscent of a genie. The details became sharper, color leeched into the water and then what seemed like a water god was standing in front of her!

He towered over her, just as intimidating as the Kraken and Sea Serpent. A golden trident was held in his hand, a golden circlet sat atop his head, golden arm bands, as well as elaborate armor. His features were those akin of elven king, with long black hair tied back elegantly, eyes as blue as the sea that shined with power, elegantly pointed ears, and pale skin tattooed with carious images and what looked like a language of some sort.

He looked at her, as if he was trying to peer into her soul. He crouched down, as though trying to not intimidate her though it didn't work as Hakuoh froze.

"I am Suijin," he said, his deep voice seeming to echo. It easily commanded power and respect, "god of this realm and element, one of the Five Conquering Kings and Queens and elemental spirits. I will guide you and protect you to the best of my abilities, Hakuoh-sama." He gave a bow, which left Hakuoh amazed. He gave a small smile.

Hakuoh shook herself out of her stupor and hastily gave a bow in return. Her mind was reeling at what she was told. Elemental Spirits? What did that even mean!?

As if hearing her thoughts, the water spirit moved toward her slowly so that she could clearly see his intentions. His hands scooped her up, gently cradling in hands that could easily kill her in a single instant. "I am but one of your five guardians, part of the Five Conquering Kings and Queens. Each of us have a domain that we reside over, each corresponding to our element." Suijin said, gesturing with a free hand to the vast ocean. He gave Hakuoh a secretive smile. "You'll meet us all in time. For now, you must return." The water spirit put her down on the ocean's surface.

Hakuoh stared at the other for a moment, surprise evident on her face. "Uh, thank you for everything Suijin-sama." She gave a small bow before a small smile formed on her face. "I look forward to meeting everyone and knowing more about you!" She nodded firmly, as if cementing her statement. The meeting was incredibly brief but it left her with much to think about.

"And I you, Hakuoh-sama."

She didn't have time to wonder about the honorific as she was abruptly returned to reality. She stared at the wall for a moment before a large smile formed over her face. I can't believe that just happened! Things are certainly interesting but I need to focus! She slapped bother of her palms to her cheeks, huffing out a deep breath. I need to get started on chakra exercises, my stamina, speed, and Kami knows what else.

A gurgle broke her from her reverie. "I should get some food first…" She said aloud before hopping down from her bed and leaving her room. Her steps were silent, to a civilian at least. She had wanted to practice her stealth and why not start now? Her steps slowed, however, as she heard hissed whispers coming from the kitchen.

"Okaa-san? Otou-san?" Hakuoh muttered to herself and she remained hidden from sight. She didn't know why but something in her told her that she needed to hear what was said. With that in mind, she crept closer, unnoticed all the while. Her parents were within her sight and she frowned at the agitated state both of her parents seemed to be in.

Her mother looked like she was ready to cry but there also seemed to be a frightening amount of anger in her eyes. Her father looked frustrated beyond belief too. He kept running a hand over his head, disheveling his normally composed look.

"Akiko, I don't know what you want me to do!" He said. "I know that you don't like─"

Akiko interrupted him, her lips pulling into a snarl. "Like? I don't like anything about her!" She nearly yelled and she batted away his hands as he tried to motion for her to quiet down. She lowered her voice but the anger in it was nearly palpable. "We tried for years to get a child Isamu! I was happy when I got pregnant but then everything fell apart! We got that─ that abomination!" She hissed.

From her hidden corner, Hakuoh could feel all the color leave her. There was a feeling of coldness spreading throughout her and she could feel her heart break repeatedly. It brought images of her past life, of taunting and bullying, the crippling feeling of loneliness, the feeling of despair…

"Have you seen what I have seen!?" Akiko continued, oblivious to her own daughter's torment. "She doesn't act anything like a child," she hissed. "She's more mature than any other child I've seen! And her eyes!" Akiko's hands were clenched into fists and tears ran down her face.

Isamu didn't dare to interrupt, knowing that what she said was true. He didn't know what to say to comfort his wife. Instead, he silently wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Her eyes are like the dammed, Isamu!" She said, desperate to make her husband understand. "The day she was born, she looked like she could understand everything around her! She looks nothing like us even though that dammed test said that she was our child! Why does she look that way?! No one in our families look the way she does so how is it possible? She's a demon Isamu, and I wish that I never had her!" Akiko yelled, a hand slamming atop of the kitchen counter.

Never would have Hakuoh suspected that something like this would have been said. It was cruel and it hurt. It hurt her deeply and so harshly that tears ran down her eyes, her heart broke, and she bit through her lip to try to keep her sobs from being heard.

Isamu pulled her into a hug in that moment. She fought his hold for a moment but she gave up a moment later. She began to cry and sob but her husband merely held her, whispering nonsensical comfort into her ears. "It's fine Akiko. You don't have to like her, I don't either. I just don't feel like she's our daughter… but we can't just get rid of her. That would raise questions…" he stayed quiet for a moment, a look of hesitation and consideration on his face.

Akiko leaned back a bit, eyebrows furrowing. "What is it?" She asked.

"Would you want to try for another child?" He said, cautious of his wife's reaction. He could see the surprise in her face when he mentioned the idea but there was also hope in her eyes. "I mean, maybe this time we might have a chance for another child, one that isn't like… her." He couldn't even say her name and maybe he should feel guilt for the hate that he feels for a mere child that has done him no wrong but he couldn't help it. He loved Akiko and she came first to him and he hated seeing her cry and would do anything for her. Maybe this time, they'd get a child that was theirs.

"You think so?" Akiko said hesitantly, but a smile was blooming on her face.

At the sight of it, Isamu smiled and nodded after a moment. "If something goes wrong… then we can just give it up for adoption. We can say that we can't afford another child or something…"

Akiko laughed, the sound comforting Isamu and torturing Hokuoh. She gave Isamu a hug, reveling in the warmth that he gave off. "Oh, thank you Isamu…" She gave him a kiss and for a moment she felt like everything was right in the world again.

Hakuoh closed her eyes tightly before she left her hidden spot carefully, unable to watch more. She ran from her house and outside into the streets of Konoha. She ran and kept going, uncaring of her destination. She probably should have seen where she was going as it was her first time going into Konoha beyond the gates of her home. She was tired and she kept bumping into people but she didn't care.

The sun was shining, the wind was blowing and Hakuoh wished she was dead again.

Why this? Why me? Why am I going through this again? Am I meant to be alone!? She thought hysterically, her composure broken. Maybe she was exaggerating but who said such things about a child? No, she wasn't exaggerating. She was within her right to such a reaction. Parents are supposed to love their children no matter what! And mine… Mine think I'm an abomination!

She collided against someone, the force of the hit throwing her to the ground. Her hands were cut a bit from the fall but she didn't even care at that moment. She shakily wiped her tears away to see properly only to see baffled blue eyes.

Hakuoh stared incomprehensively before her mind caught up with her. Her wide eyes took in the blond hair, blue eyes, and the expression of concern. She couldn't hear anything beyond the ringing in her ears. Is that Minato Namikaze? She thought dazedly but she couldn't bring herself to care beyond the pain in her heart.

"Hey, are you okay?" The Namikaze frowned as he crouched down to take a better look at the small little girl who still had not said a word. She was small, incredibly so, and she had shockingly pale white hair that made his mind flash to the Hatake Clan and eyes almost as pale as the Hyuuga. She wore a cute little black dress that only seemed to accent her pale features. She looked at him with wide eyes and there were tear tracks on her cheeks. "Hello?" He tried again as he hesitantly patted a hand on top of her head. "Are you okay?" He said, a look of concern forming on his face as he spotted the scrapes on her hand. He glanced around for a moment, watching the people pass by them without a glance. "Where are your parents?" He asked and at that question he finally got a reaction, though not one that he had hoped for.

Parents? Hakuoh thought hollowly, My parents think I'm a demon. She bit her lip and she looked at the blond. The man before her was a formidable shinobi, capable of great strength and ferocity but he also held a great capacity for love. He was the one who could have changed the fate of the shinobi world, the one who Naruto should have had in his life. Minato and Kushina had loved Naruto with everything they had, even when a demon was sealed inside him. He was a jinchuriki but he was still loved and yet Hakuoh…

Her eyes teared up and the feeling of despair resurfaced. Her hands shook and she tried not to let it get the best of her but she couldn't fight it off no matter how hard she tried. Her breathing was shaky and it seemed like it was getting harder to breathe and before she knew it, she was curled into a ball, hands gripping tightly at her hair and tears running down her face as heartbreaking sobs ripped from her throat.

Minato couldn't quite stop the panic that he felt as he saw the little girl start to break down right before his eyes. He couldn't stop the feeling of sadness that ran through him as he saw the absolute devastation on the little girl's face. He didn't know what caused it but he knew that a girl as young as her shouldn't have such a look. "Oh…" He didn't know what compelled him but he gathered her into his arms and he couldn't stop the frown on his face as he felt her latch onto him tightly with small hands, as if fearing that he might disappear.

He ran a hand down her back, trying to soothe her but all it did was make her cry harder. She wasn't wailing like a child would in a tantrum or one with a hurt. She was crying as if her heart was breaking and Minato could clearly hear it.

There was the sound of footsteps and suddenly, Kushina was by his side with a frown on her face. Jiraiya, Sakumo and a little Kakashi weren't far behind.

"What the hell did you do Minato?!" She hissed as she looked incredulously at the small bundle in his arms.

Minato looked at her nervously but he shook his head in response. "She ran into me!" He began, trying to explain. "I was just minding my own business. She had fallen when she had ran into me but then she began to cry…" He frowned as he felt the shaking increase in his arms. It seemed that she was crying much harder. "I can't find her parents but something tells me but something else that has her upset." Minato explained.

Kushina frowned as she could clearly see what he was saying. The sobs were certainly heartbreaking. "Well if you can't find her parents, we should try to find out where she lives if we can get her to calm down." She suggested.

Minato turned to Sakumo, and he could clearly see the man staring at the little girl with all the parental instincts of a concerned of a father. "Would you mind if we went to the compound, Sakumo-san?" He asked but he was relived at the nod he received.

"Of course, Minato." He said, running a hand down Kakashi's back as he seemed to sense the air of distress.

Without a word, the Namikaze instantly made his way to the compound with the others following at his back.

They made it to the compound in record time it seemed, but the journey didn't even ease the distress of the little girl in Minato's arms.

Sakumo lead them into the compound with Kakashi occasionally glancing back at the stranger every few moments. They all gathered into the living room with Kushina sitting next to Minato and Jiraiya hovering near him with a frown. Sakumo and Kakashi took up the other couch.

Minato coaxed the little girl to loosen her desperate grip on his flak jacket for a moment and they could clearly see her face for the first time. Her eyes were red and already more tears were gathering. Her breath kept hitching and the sheer force of her sobs had her shaking.

"Oh…" Kushina was instantly gathering her into her arms. "Oh dear, it's okay, -dattebane!" She tried to reassure but the little girl seemed too immersed into her sadness. "Minato, I think you're right. Falling didn't cause this." Kushina said, feeling rage at whatever had dared to hurt the precious little girl in her arms. "She could get sick if she doesn't calm down." Kushina said worriedly.

Sakumo came up towards them. "Do you mind if I tried?" He asked, eyeing the little girl in Kushina's arms and she hastily nodded. "Oh…" Sakumo frowned and he very nearly bared his teeth. "I've never sensed sadness like this in a child…" Sakumo said, glancing at Kakashi who seemed to follow his movements closely.

"What do you mean?" Kushina asked, confused.

"Her chakra." Jiraiya cut in, arms crossed over his chest. "It's unstable. Can't you sense it?"

Kushina frowned and then she concentrated, before a gasp escaped her throat. Glancing at Minato, she knew he had felt it too.

It was certainly unsettling. The little girl's chakra seemed to roil unendingly with her distress but the way it felt made Kushina shudder. It felt had felt impossibly cold and for a moment, dark.

"What could have caused such a reaction?" Kushina wondered aloud as she watched as Sakumo began to pace back and forth as he ran a comforting hand down her back repeatedly. She saw as he murmured comforting words to the little girl and a spark of admiration ran through her as she saw the little girl react somewhat. She imagined Minato in his place, with a blond or red-haired child instead and a blush immediately dominated over her face at the thought. She sneaked a glance towards Minato and a small smile bloomed on her face.

She could clearly see the relief on his face as the child finally seemed to calm down a bit, and with her, so did her chakra. It didn't feel as bad as before but there was a heaviness to it that was baffling. She let out a relieved sigh as the heartbreaking sobs stuttered out but she could still hear sniffles.

"You're fine Little Lady." Sakumo murmured as he ran a comforting hand through the pale white hair. It made him wonder for a moment just who her parents were for her to receive such coloring but he couldn't bring up the image of anyone like her. The only ones that had a resemblance to her were the remnants of the Hatake Clan, as in Sakumo and Kakashi.

Hakuoh could say that she did feel embarrassed about her little breakdown but she couldn't help it. She had finally discovered why it was that her parents were distancing themselves from her and never has the truth been so horrible. But… I wouldn't have wanted to have wanted to live in ignorance either. I'd rather have the truth than have them lie to my face, day after day. She took a deep, hitching breath and she swallowed past the ball of emotion in her throat. Her chest felt heavy and her head was pounding and she stared blankly at the past the shoulder she was leaning on.

She should have been concerned at the fact that she was in a stranger's home but she couldn't muster up the will to care, after all, her parents wouldn't care. She idly ran a hand through the waterfall of pale hair before her, wondering who it belonged to before her mind sluggishly caught up to her. She lifted her head and found grey-blue eyes looking back.

"Ah, have you calmed down a bit Little Lady?" Sakumo said with a smile as he took in the tear stained face, the red rimmed eyes, and flushed cheeks. Her light-colored eyes fascinated him for a moment before he discarded the thought away. He had to check over her first. "What's your name?" He asked gently, sensing the approach of his friends behind his back.

"H-Hakuoh." She stuttered out, taking in the sight of Sakumo Hatake in the flesh before her. Well… it certainly answered a few questions she had before, such as where she was regarding the timeline. She could see and sense that there were others with her and their sheer presence was a bit overwhelming but she pushed past it.

"She's so cute, -dattebane!" A curtain of red hair and green eyes appeared before her. "Are you okay?" Kushina asked.

Once again, Hakuoh stared. Huh, she thought, what are the odds of meeting some of the most influential characters of Naruto, all in one day? But they're more than characters now, aren't they? Staring at the famous kunoichi before her, Hakuoh couldn't help but remember her promise, the vow that she made. I swear, she thought determinedly, I'll save you.

"Are you doing better, Hakuoh-chan?" Minato asked, his concern evident on his face.

Hakuoh glanced towards the Namikaze, her eyes not missing the hulking form of one Sannin Jiraiya. Her breath caught in her throat and she only nodded. She tried to regain her composure. It wouldn't do for her to break down the way she had, again. Looking around the room, she saw the simplicity of the furniture and the scattering of a few toys and her eyes wandered until they came upon a tiny cloth covered face.

She stared.

He stared.

Sakumo stared between the two, a smile tugging at his lips. Glancing at the others in the room, he could see that he wasn't the only one amused at the sight. "This is my son, Kakashi." He introduced as he sat her down gently on the couch. "Kakashi, this is Hakuoh-chan."

Kakashi stared at the little girl in his father's arms. Kakashi was young but he was intelligent and mature. He could see that the girl before him had gone through an ordeal. What he didn't know.

"Kakashi." He said blankly.

"Hakuoh." She replied, just as blankly as he had.

Even though she had been crying not even a few moments earlier, she was already compartmentalizing her emotions. She'd get rid of them later, after all, she wasn't going to deny herself an emotional release. That was just asking for a breakdown later.

She glanced at her hands, noting the scrapes, dirt, and blood. Idly, she wiped them down her dress. She sighed before turning to the adults in the room, who were staring at the two quite avidly. She disregarded that, and turned to the blond shinobi who had brought her to what appeared to be the Hatake Compound. "Namikaze-san," She said, her hands twisting a bit with the lace of her dress. "I-I'm sorry for disrupting your day."

Minato looked at the little girl in surprise. "What? No!" Minato shook his head, a faint feeling of disbelief running through him. What was she apologizing for? "There's no need to apologize, Hakuoh-chan. I just wanted you to feel better." Minato said earnestly before his face became somber. "Do you want to tell us what happened, Hakuoh-chan?" Minato hurried to explain as he saw the look of hesitation on the girl's face. "I mean you don't have to if you don't want to!"

"It's okay, Haku-chan, -dattebane." Kushina added in.

Hakuoh glanced at the faces of those gathered around her. It was almost surreal that they were there before her, in the flesh no less. Just looking at them brought flashes of their deaths before her eyes. Sakumo, by committing suicide. Minato and Kushina by the claw of a beast and at hands of a brainwashed student. Jiraiya, impaled and defeated by Pein, his old student. Then Kakashi, dying once at the hands of Pein as well. Already, she could see what made them such amazing persons. She could already tell that she'd be heartbroken if they'd died.

Hakuoh looked away from them, hands tightening on the fabric of her dress. "It doesn't matter anymore." And it didn't. Her parents didn't love her and she hated it but she'd get over it. She couldn't forgive or forget their words. They didn't love her but she knew better. It wasn't her fault that they didn't love her, they had made the decision themselves and they were already seeking to replace her.

They weren't her family, not anymore. That didn't mean that she couldn't have one, however. I'll make my own family. I don't need them. She thought determinedly, eyes narrowed in anger. I know better than to let people like that get to me. Amelia was beaten down but she stood back up, better and stronger. I can do that again.

"Doesn't matter?" Jiraiya stepped closer, a white eyebrow raised. "What does that mean?"

"It means exactly what it means, uh─" she trailed off.

Jiraiya grinned. "My name is Jiraiya of the Sannin and Toad Sage!" He introduced, ignoring the eyerolls of both Kushina and Minato, and Sakumo's chuckle.

Hakuoh, of course, knew exactly who the man was but to hear the words coming from the Sannin himself was something else. "Jiraiya-sama."

"See, she knows when to give out respect!" Jiraiya threw an accusing glance to the others. "I can't same the same from the rest of you."

Minato ignored Jiraiya. "Ignore him, Hakuoh-chan. It's been a while since you've been here. Do you want to contact your parents?" Minato regrets the question immediately as he sees Hakuoh look away and frown, but there was a look in her eyes that made it clear that the subject was something she had no wish to discuss.

"Can I stay here for a bit? I won't get into trouble if you're worried about that…" Hakuoh said, a bit hesitant but she really didn't want to return to the reality that she now faced at home. Not yet, at least.

"Won't your parents be worried, Hakuoh-chan?" Sakumo asked gently.

"No." She said bluntly.

"No?" He repeated.

Hakuoh tilted her head, as if considering something. What to tell them? She didn't really want others to know what had happened, to know what her parents really thought her because while it still did hurt, she couldn't let it get to her and who knows how others would react? Would they react the same way? Think her abnormal, think of her as a demon?

If they think the same then they don't deserve to be my friends. I'll find people who love me for who I am, she rationalized.

"Okaa-san and Otou-san want another baby." She said and she could see that the realization fall onto their faces. "They were making weird noises so I left…" She shrugged, inwardly smiling at the awkward look on faces of Minato and Kushina and the look of panic on Sakumo as he kept glancing at Kakashi. "I mean, Okaa-san and Otou-san just leave me to myself sometimes."

"Why?" Minato asked. She was just a little girl…

Hakuoh shrugged. "I'm a big girl." She said simply, her high voice amusing them a bit.

"I see." Minato smiled. "Well, if you're so sure Hakuoh-chan." He sighed but then he blushed in embarrassment as there was the sound of a loud gurgle. "Uh." He said so eloquently.

Kushina turned to Sakumo with a smile. "Well, I guess it's lunch time then!" She announced with a wide smile. "Would you mind if I used your kitchen, Sakumo-san?" She asked, smiling but her eyes were daring him to say no.

Sensing his doom, the Hatake hastily agreed. "Uh, of course, Kushina-san." He gave a sigh of relief, echoed by the other adult males in the room. He turned to the two children sitting on the couch who were staring at them, one looking quite unimpressed and another fascinated. "How about you two get to know each other? I'll help Kushina─" He suggested.

"No thank you!" Kushina yelled from the kitchen.

"Or not," Sakumo muttered.

Both Kakashi and Hakuoh turned to each other, staring at one another and silent. Hakuoh wasn't quite sure what to say but she did know that Kakashi was mature for his age, a genius among his peers. Maybe she should get to know him, become his friend? Maybe this is my start, my chance at saving them…

Hakuoh sighed a bit before straightening her back. "How old are you, Hatake-san?" She asked. She didn't dare use the others name. They weren't that close and she knew how the other hated fangirls, not that she'd ever act like one, but she'd avoid treating him the way others did.

"I'm three." He answered simply. "You, Hakuoh-san?" Of course, he wouldn't use -chan and it wasn't like he knew her last name. She hadn't told them.

"I just turned three." She replied. She remained silent for a moment, unsure what to say. It wasn't like she had much interaction with other in her past life, or in Konoha. "Do you want to be a shinobi, Hatake-san?"

Kakashi glanced at her before nodding.

"Why?" She asked.

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed. What did she mean by why? "What do you mean?"

"Do you have a reason for becoming a shinobi?" She clarified. "I want to be one too, I have a reason for it too. I was just curious to hear what your response would be."

Sakumo ears perked, figuratively, as he heard what Hakuoh had said. Beside him, Minato and Jiraiya slowed their chatter. They were interested in what the two had to say, after all they weren't quite ordinary children that much was becoming clear.

"She's such a mature child." Minato muttered and the other nodded in agreement. "She reminds me of Kakashi-kun."

Sakumo turned back to the children.

"Maybe you don't have a reason to be a shinobi, after all, what more reason is there other than to protect Konoha? But maybe you'll understand what I mean if I explain my reason to you." Hakuoh said as she ran a hand through her hair and flicking it back in a move that brought images of a certain Magical Girl. Homura Akemi, her mind supplied. She remembered the promise the magical girl had made, all in the name of her one and only friend. Are they real too? she wondered. "I wanted to become a shinobi because I wanted to get stronger."

"That seems a bit selfish." Kakashi said and Sakumo winced a bit at the reply.

Hakuoh, however, merely nodded. "I suppose it is. I mean, I want to become strong and powerful… I want to have the power to be able to protect my friends, to protect my loved ones." She elaborated and smiled at the look of understanding that passed on Kakashi's face. "I don't want anything to happen to them."

"Why would you think that anything would happen to them?" Kakashi asked, genuinely curious.

Hakuoh turned her eyes to the ceiling, eyes glazing over as her mind flashed over the oncoming storm. The Third Shinobi War was about to start, Sakumo would commit suicide, Obito would 'die' and be seduced by the darkness, Rin would die, the Kyuubi would attack the village, thousands would die, Naruto would become an orphan… and the list went on. The chain of events that would soon come to be would bring so much pain and suffering that she shuddered at the thought of it. "Something tells me… that a storm is coming our way, Hatake-san. It's best to be prepared." And as if on cue, the sound of thunder was heard and torrential rain was pounding on the glass of the windows.

Kakashi stared hard at the girl before him. She stared back him, unintimidated and just as unsettling as the one before her. They were both mature beyond their years and it showed.

After a moment, Hakuoh seemed to deflate. She gave a weary sigh and at that moment she seemed years older, surprising the other males in the room who wondered how she could have gained such a feeling and look. "Think about it, Hatake-san. Perhaps you may doubt me, Hatake-san, but having loved ones and friends… they are the reason one is strong."

"They could also be a liability." Kakashi pointed out.

Hakuoh gave a self-deprecating smile. "That is unbelievably true, Hatake-san. There are some people in the world that feel love so strongly that should anything happen to it…" Her eyes lowered, her mind flashing once again towards Homura Akemi and to the Uchiha. "The amount of despair it could bring could be crippling but it could also motivate someone to strive to be better so they can never feel such a thing again, could drive them in a way that could either be disastrous or great… But I'll remind you, if you have someone to protect… it's all the more reason to get stronger."

Kakashi gave no indication of agreeing or disagreeing with her words.

Hakuoh gave a small smile. "The bonds you create from family, friends and loved ones… they don't make you weak, no matter what others would say." She glanced towards the kitchen, taking note of the delicious aroma that came from it. "Do you have a favorite shinobi art form, something you might want to specialize in?" She asked abruptly.

Kakashi merely went along with the change. He found that he didn't actually mind the conversation taking place. It was certainly interesting and it gave him some things to think about but most of all, he found himself enjoying having a genuine intelligent conversation with someone. There were times where he found himself speaking to others around his age and found himself frustrated. They couldn't keep with him and the adults merely indulged him, smiling at him as they found it cute. He was treated like a child and he hated it.

Hakuoh though… she seemed almost like him. Maybe he finally found someone that could understand and keep up with him, someone that saw him for he was?

"Ninjutsu. I want to specialize in that but I also want to be a bit rounded out." Kakashi replied.

"That's reasonable. It adds an element of surprise." Hakuoh nodded seriously. "I want to be rounded out too but I want to one day be able to create my own jutsu." She had a variety of ideas, ones that she snatched from other anime and the like but no one needed to know that. "I also want to have a summons one day but that might be a bit hard." She did want one but the odds of finding one were slim. She knew of the salamander, crow, toad, slug, snake, dog, and wolf contracts but that was it. Out of all of them the wolves, snakes and crow sounded appealing. If there were a fox contract, she'd definitely consider it too.

"Do you have a summon that you'd like?" Kakashi asked. "I'm considering dogs and wolves."

Hakuoh gave a hum of agreement. "I would personally like crows, snakes, wolves, tigers and foxes. I like a few legends that they have, like the Ookami Amaterasu."

"I've never heard of that." Kakashi said, faint interest leaking through.

"Have you heard of Inari?" Hakauoh asked.

Kakashi shook his head and was about to reply but they were interrupted by Kushina. "Dinner's ready!"

"Come on, Kakashi, Hakuoh-chan. You can continue talking once we eat." Sakumo herded them to the kitchen table and inwardly, he found himself happy and amazed that Kakashi was finally, interacting with someone his age. Now, if only he could have her come around the house sometime… He didn't want Kakashi to regress once she was gone. He really worried for his son, truly.

They all sat around the table, eyes roving over the assortment of food on the table with Kushina standing beside it with a proud smile on her face. "Well, what are you guys waiting for! Come eat, I worked hard for it -dattebane!"

They all did as ordered and sat down. Hakuoh sat between Sakumo and Kakashi. Jiraiya sat next to Sakumo and Minato and Kushina sat across her, both sitting next to each other.

"Itadakimasu!" they all chorused, hands clasped together for a moment.

Hakuoh ate her food slowly, savoring the assorted flavors. If anything, it was interesting to compare the culture of the Japanese like Elemental countries and the American culture. There were remarkable differences of course, such as the food. It was significantly healthier for one.

"Haku-chan?" Kushina said, eyeing the little girl with a look of consideration. It was interesting to see the two men and two children sitting next to each other. They all held a passing resemblance to each other with their pale hair, although the Hatake's hair were a few shades darker. "Does your family have your coloring too?" She asked curiously, taking a bite of rice as she did so.

Hakuoh slowly shook her head in denial. She ate slowly, unwilling to talk about the recent events that transpired in her own home. "My parents look different." She replied with a shrug.

Kushina raised an eyebrow. "Are you adopted then?" Kushina asked.

"That's a bit private, don't you think Kushina?" Minato frowned.

Realizing this, Kushina gave Hakuoh a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry Hakuoh-chan. I was just curious."

"It's okay," Hakuoh replied. She hesitated slightly before looking at Kushina with a small unsure smile. "I think it might have been recessive genes, I can't be too sure."

"I gotta ask, Haku-chan." Jiraiya interrupted. "What is it that you want to protect? I mean, I admire your view. It's not every day that a girl as young as you have a philosophy like that, much less understands…" Jiraiya trailed off, staring consideringly at the little girl. She was a piece of work, he'd give her that. It made him wonder just how she came to be the way she was. He'd bet she learned it the hard way and looking into her eyes, he thinks he might be right no matter how much he wishes he wasn't.

"I read your book." Hakuoh replied, as if it explained everything. What she said was true. At home, in a small hidden cabinet. The Tale of the Gutsy Ninja was a book that she'd lovingly taken care of because it was that great to her. She'd teared up reading it because of the plot and because reading it reminded her more of Jiraiya's impending doom.

"You did?" Jiraiya said, interested and surprised.

"What?!" Kushina yelled, slamming a hand on Minato's back as he choked on his drink. He kept coughing but he composed himself a moment later to stare accusingly at Jiraiya.

Hakuoh nodded, disregarding the looks of disbelief that the two Hatake gave her. "Yes. The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja was really a good piece of work, Jiraiya-sama. I found it on accident though and there was only one copy that I found, which surprised me because I thought that there should have been more…" That was kind of true. She didn't exactly find it on accident. She had been looking for it because she had been interested in what the book was about and simply because it was one of Jiraiya's works. She had been completely immersed in the book once she had started reading it and was just amazed. It was like reading Naruto's autobiography which it might as well have been. A tale of a ninja named Naruto vowing to break the cycle of hatred… it was admirable and it connected deeply with Hakuoh because it made her consider her goals as well.

She wanted to stop the events that would transpire in Konoha and lead to the Fourth Shinobi War, but right now the Third Shinobi was well on its way. She hated that war was happening in general and she wasn't even sure why exactly war was being waged. It was something that she didn't really like to think about because politics just really annoyed her. She knew that no matter, where or when, politics were troublesome. People were dying, for what she didn't know but she'd bet that people fought to protect the 'Will of Fire' or whatever propaganda they thought to be true.

Don't even go there Hakuoh, she thought. "It made me think about a lot of things, Jiraiya-sama." She said vaguely, before sneaking a glance at a window. It appeared that the rain had finally let up. "Thank you for the meal, Kushina-san, but I think I should be getting home." She gave a small bow of gratitude to the red head, ignoring Kushina's embarrassed sputtering.

"Do you want me to take you home, Hakuoh-chan?" Minato asked but already he could see the protest in the little girl's face. "I insist, Hakuoh-chan. It won't be any trouble." He said kindly.

"Do you want to come too, Kakashi?" Sakumo asked quietly. "I mean, I'm not sure if you like her, but it might be a good idea to see where she lives so you can talk to her every once in a while. We can invite her over too, if you'd like." Sakumo dearly hoped that Kakashi would agree. He really wanted Kakashi to have friends, even if it was only one. He just didn't want Kakashi to be alone.

He was very relieved when he saw Kakashi give a small but hesitant nod.

"I'll tag along if you don't mind, Little Lady." Jiraiya decided. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to keep an eye on this one. He had a feeling that things would get interesting soon.

Hakuoh wasn't sure why they all wanted to see her home. Personally, she'd preferred if they didn't know where she lived. She didn't want them to see how her parents looked at her but she knew that it couldn't be kept a secret forever. She just didn't want to care anymore but she did. Sticks and stones, Hakuoh. Sticks and stones. Either way, she nodded hesitantly to Jiraiya.

"Let's go then!" Kushina yelled, already going out the door.

Hakuoh gave a defeated sigh but then she let out a shout of surprise as strong hands gripped around her and pulled her up only to place her on a pair shoulders. "J-Jiraiya-sama?" She stuttered, small hands gripping firmly but gently at the surprisingly soft long mane of white hair.

"Let's go!" Jiraiya announced, a grin stretching over his face.

Honestly, Hakuoh wasn't even sure what was happening anymore but she didn't fight it. It was useless and she didn't have the energy to stop it either. The entire day had been trying for her and she just wished to forget what happened. Hakuoh gave a tired sigh as she leaned closer to the Sannin but she was careful not to not bother the other. She enjoyed being atop of the other's shoulders really, the view was great. It felt like she was actually being a child… and not a reincarnated woman who died horrifically in her past life.

They were all walking together with Hakuoh telling them where she lived. She took in all the little shops, people and such. She memorized the road and marveled at the village because she didn't get to enjoy it last time. Konoha was really amazing in its own way. It wasn't the huge cities with skyscrapers and abundance of cars that she was used to but it was certainly a nice change. She took in the shinobi, watched them navigate the rooftops with awe and faint surprise.

Being with them… with Minato, Kushina and the others… It feels surreal. I still can't believe that I'm here. I can't really believe that I died. Hakuoh tilted her head back, staring at the sky with a blank face. If I die here, or when I die… will I be reincarnated again?

Was such a thing possible? Would there be a continuous cycle of reincarnation for her? She wasn't sure what to think about such a thing. It was intimidating to her but would it really be bad? There was a chance that she could go insane. That was a concern, especially if she remembered her previous life like she did now, but would she be able to overcome such a thing?

She glanced towards her companions and smiled slightly when she saw Minato blushing slightly as he talked with Kushina. She felt warmth and the slightest bit of envy at the fond look that Sakumo was giving Kakashi. And Jiraiya…

Yes. If she always had a reason to fight, had loved ones alongside her, she felt that she could overcome any obstacle set before her.

"Well isn't this an unpleasant surprise." A melodic voice said.

Jiraiya stopped walking, surprising Hakuoh a bit and startling her away from her thoughts. "Well, I never thought I'd see you here Orochimaru." Jiraiya replied, a bit of coldness seeping through his tone as he stared at his old teammate.

"Orochimaru-san." Minato greeted, a look of surprise on his face.

"Orochimaru-san." Sakumo greeted as well but he had a look of faint curiosity on his face. Kakashi was staring at the other Sannin calculatingly, well as much as three-year-old could, before glancing back towards Jiraiya and then the cycle would start again.

Orochimaru looked the same as always, dressed in his uniform. He was still pale as ever with a waterfall of black hair and unsettling gold eyes.

The Snake Sannin frowned at the other Sannin, a feeling of faint disbelief coursing through him. Was Jiraiya really that stupid? Then again, the pervert hadn't even been in the village for a while not that it would have mattered anyway. Jiraiya would have ignored Orochimaru, abandoned him just like Tsunade did and leave him at the mercy of those who didn't understand him. Is this what a team is, Sarutobi? What happened to the so called ideals that Konoha stands for? Are they to be abandoned so easily? Orochimaru thought angrily.

"I've been in the village Jiraiya. I can't say the same for you." Orochimaru said scathingly but his attention was caught by a pair of pale eyes staring straight at him. "Did you steal someone's child, idiot, or did your perverted ways finally backfire on you?"

Jiraiya frowned, a white eyebrow twitching. "No!" He protested, ire clear on his face. "This Little Lady here is just a new friend of Kakashi's, that's all. We were just escorting her home and─" A small hand kept slapping his cheek gently but persistently. "Brat, I'm talking with the snake bastard, what'd you want?" He looked up a bit only to see Hakuoh leaning a bit closer to his face.

"Is that Orochimaru?" She asked quietly, her voice no mere than a faint whisper but Jiraiya heard her perfectly.

Hakuoh couldn't quite believe that the Snake Sannin was right in front her. He looked more other worldly in real life and it amazed her. Back when she was Amelia, she'd thought over his character before she decided that she had liked him. She felt that she had connected a bit with the other and was frustrated when others had misunderstood the man. It was clear that he was different and the villagers didn't really like different. It was very apparent that they feared what they didn't understand and it was something that had really galled her because Konoha spewed so much crap about team work and such but when it came down to it, Orochimaru was ostracized, Sakumo became a pariah for protecting his teammates and driven to suicide, and Itachi, a pacifist at heart, was forced to kill. Konoha was full of hypocrisy and she hated it.

"Yes?..." Jiraiya answered, a bit uncertain and surprised at the little girl's reaction.

Maybe this is my chance? Hakuoh thought a bit mischievously. But seriously, Orochimaru could have had so much potential. He could have stayed in the village but then Jiraiya had left him alone… and so had Tsunade. I'm a bit disappointed in Jiraiya… He had chosen to train those kids in Ame over his team and Tsunade had let her grief drive her down. She's probably drinking her ass right now… They've all done wrong but maybe that can change.

"Can you introduce me to him?" Hakuoh asked.

"Why'd you want to know a bastard like him?" Jiraiya asked, genuinely curious. That wasn't a reaction that Orochimaru usually garnered.

"Because."

"Because?" Jiraiya repeated, an eyebrow raised. He sighed heavily but he was a bit curious as to what Orochimaru's reaction would be. In a flash, he pulled Hakuoh from his shoulders and shoved her towards Orochimaru, forcing the other to take a hold of Hakuoh lest he drop her.

"Jiraiya, you imbecile!" Orochimaru hissed, awkwardly holding the newest addition in his arms. Of course, Jiraiya would do something like this.

Jiraiya simply laughed. As he watched Orochimaru and Hakuoh, he couldn't help but wonder where his team had gone wrong.

"Would you like to join us afterwards, Orochimaru-san?" Minato asked kindly. He didn't know the Sannin of course, but it wouldn't hurt to offer. Orochimaru was a fellow shinobi and he didn't know much beside the rumors, which made him feel a bit ashamed honestly.

Orochimaru glanced towards the blond before tuning his gaze back towards the child in his arms who looked unflinchingly at him. It surprised him. Children usually had negative reactions to him. It was very unusual and it was a change that Orochimaru wasn't quite sure how to interpret. "I don't think I have a choice, Namikaze."

Minato merely nodded and smiled. "This way, Orochimaru-san."

The Sannin sighed, following after a moment with the others following closely at his back. He wasn't used to being surrounded by so many people. Usually, he was left alone and that was the way that he liked it. That way, he wouldn't have to see the judgmental stares of others, their looks of fears, and the whispers behind his back… He hated it and he hated this godforsaken village.

Orochimaru shifted the grip on the child in his arms. She was small but it wasn't unusual considering her age. He glanced at her and found her still staring straight at him. "What is your name child? The imbecile didn't tell me."

Pale eyes blinked slowly. "Hakuoh, Orochimaru-sama."

At that, Orochimaru stared in faint surprise.

Beside him, Jiraiya looked in disbelief at Hakuoh. Minato sighed, wondering why he expected something different. Kushina stifled her laughter while Sakumo smiled absentmindedly.

There was a tug on his arms and Sakumo glanced at Kakashi who was looking at him oddly determined. He pointed a small hand toward Orochimaru and said, "I want to talk to him."

Sakumo didn't know what to say. "You do?"

"Yes. Pass me to him." Kakashi demanded.

"I don't think he'd like that Kakashi." Sakumo replied sternly.

Kakashi merely stared at Sakumo and Sakumo stared back. After a few moments, the White Fang of Konoha hanged his head in defeat. He gave a soft sigh before hurrying his steps to be beside the Snake Sannin. "Orochimaru-san." Sakumo gave the man an apologetic look before he tactfully shoved Kakashi towards him and retreated behind Minato who stared at him as if he was insane.

"Hatake!" The anger on Orochimaru's face caused a few of the people around them to back away and scatter in fear. Already there were people staring at him and whispering behind their hands.

"Orochimaru-sama," Hakuoh said, wrapping an arm around the Sannin's neck fearlessly while her other small hand gripped at his flak jacket. "Don't mind them. I have found that at times, trying to understand them is futile."

Kakashi, seeing what she did, mimicked her. "She is correct Orochimaru-sama."

"Is that so? Did you include your father in that as well?"

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama." Kakashi replied with a nod.

Orochimaru didn't reply. He wasn't what say. This wasn't something that he was used to.

Hakuoh, glancing at his face, could see the lack of emotion but his golden eyes were clouded over in turmoil. She could see that they unsettled him, that much she was sure of anyway. But as she paid a closer look to her surroundings she could see what unsettled him… and her.

The villagers were glancing at them repeatedly. Many of them had looks of discontent and anger, but most commonly fear. They looked toward Orochimaru with fear, Hakuoh realized. Focusing more closely and concentrating a small amount of chakra to her ears, Hakuoh could hear them more clearly.

"Look! It's that snake!" A person hissed.

"Oh my, it's him. Don't look at him!"

"He's a monster─"

"Do you see him? Why does he even have children with him? I could understand that little demon but the Hatake?"

Wait, what?

Hakuoh twisted her head and honed in to a villager. It was a woman dressed in a simple kimono and she had a fan in front of her face, as if to hide the fact that she was talking.

"It's her!"

"Oh my, Ren-chan. Listen to me, don't you ever go near that beast. Do you understand?"

"Of course, that little monster would be with that snake. They belong with each other!"

Hakuoh wasn't aware of her hold tightening on Orochimaru, but she was now aware of the looks of confusion that were thrown her way. She stared at the group of villagers and as if sensing her stare, they all looked away from each other and into Hakuoh's eerie pale eyes.

"Oh my god, she's staring at us. What─"

"Don't look at her!"

"Let's get out of here. You know what they said."

She had known that her parents hadn't loved her but this? They couldn't have known much about her since she was pretty sure that many hadn't known of her existence. The only way that the villagers would talk about her the way that they were was if they had told others of her oddities, of her unusual and mature ways. But why would they go this far! To make her out into a demon, a monster, not only to themselves but in the eyes of others as well simply because of her differences… It made her angry but she also wanted to cry, but she didn't have the energy for it. She was just so tired.

"Hakuoh?" Kakashi asked, eyebrows furrowed and a look of confusion on his face.

She glanced towards him and Kakashi looked in confusion at the smile that she wore. Hadn't she heard what they were saying about her? Kakashi was young, but he certainly wasn't stupid. The words that the villagers said had confused him and angered him because why would they say such things? And why would she just wear a smile on her face all the while? Had this been the reason why she had been crying earlier?

"…Are you fine?" Kakashi asked, hesitant. It was obvious that things weren't fine but regardless, he had to ask.

"No." Hakuoh said bluntly. "But I'm going to be." She remained silent for a moment, taking in the stares and whispers that others threw their way as they made their way to her home. "You can choose to listen to them if you want, Kakashi."

"Why would I?" Kakashi said coolly.

"Others fear what they don't understand." Hakuoh said, her weary tone made Orochimaru glance towards her. "Ignorance is bliss." She muttered.

Kakashi shrugged. "I'll make a judgement myself."

Hakuoh leaned on Orochimaru's shoulder, feeling extremely weary all of the sudden. Her shoulders felt heavy, as if she was Atlas carrying the world atop of her shoulders. She took a deep breath and released it slowly before humming, lowly and melodically. "Far over the Misty Mountains cold," she sang softly, eyes shutting out the world before her. "To dungeons deep and caverns old, we must away, 'ere break of day, to find our long-forgotten gold. The pines were roaring on the height, the winds were moaning in the night, the fire was red, its flaming spread, the trees like torches blazed with light…"

A snake slid from the folds of Orochimaru's clothing and for a moment, the Sannin thought that it'd bite the children in his arms but he was surprised when it coiled around the pale little girl. He was further surprised when the child didn't panic, but instead, merely petted the smooth scales as if everything was perfectly normal.

"I like thiss one." The snake hissed, enthralled by her voice and surprising Hakuoh for a moment before she smiled slightly.

"You are a lovely snake." She said, uncaring of the now horrified looks thrown her way. She kind of liked it now… honestly. I don't need to cry over them. They can remain in their ignorance.

Kakshi leaned closer, faint interest on his face. "Is this one of your summons, Orochimaru-sama?" Kakashi asked running a hand gently on the pale, smooth scales of the snake that was long enough to be twice his size.

"Oh. I like thiss one too!" The snake said happily and in an… oddly cute manner.

"Yes." The Sannin answered simply.

Minato couldn't help but marvel at the sight before him. Never before has he seen the Sannin the way he was now and by the look on the others faces, neither had they. He didn't spend much time with the Sannin before but hearing the whispers that they had thrown his way along with the looks they had… It had angered him. Their judgmental looks irritated Minato and hated that they had the gall to say such things, considering that the Sannin had won many battles in the name of Konoha. And the way that they had looked at Hakuoh! That they could talk about a little girl in such a way─

Minato felt a hand placed on his shoulder and he looked to the side to see Kushina slowly shaking her head but there was a look of determination on her face that confused the blond for a moment. Her eyes shifted from the Namikaze to the Snake Sannin. Oh. Oh!

Kushina gave Minato a blinding grin.

Minato raised an eyebrow in response.

Kushina's smile turned into a smirk.

I guess we're adopting Orochimaru-san. Minato mused. He glanced to his companions and there was a look on Jiraiya's face that spoke much of deliberation and thought. Sakumo had an expression on his face that bordered on cold anger that surprised Minato for a moment. The look wasn't aimed at the Sannin, Minato realized, but at the villagers, specifically to the villagers that had spoken ill of Hakuoh and Orochimaru. I guess we're not the only ones then, Minato sighed and glanced around before realizing that they were near their destination.

"It seems that we're close." The Namikaze said aloud before turning to Hakuoh. "Do you see your house, Hakuoh-chan?" He asked.

Hakuoh couldn't quite stop the frown from forming on her face. Silently, she pointed towards the familiar two-story house with a white picket fence. She wiped her face free of emotion, unwilling to show anything to her parents the moment she was reunited with them.

Orochimaru swiftly approached the door before carefully settling down Hakuoh. The snake was still coiled around Hakuoh but it hissed menacingly when Jiraiya tried to remove it from Hakuoh's person. It didn't want to leave, not yet. There was something amiss and he could taste it quite clearly in the air. He kept flicking out his forked tongue, trying to determine what exactly was amiss. Orochimaru firmly knocked on the door, not saying anything as Hakuoh gripped at the fabric of his pants.

There was a moment of silence within the group before they heard the sound of laughter and approaching footsteps. "One moment please!" A feminine voice called out. Not even a minute later, the door opened and a smiling woman with long black hair and bright grin eyes greeted them. Her smile faltered for a moment before it returned but it was quite clear to the others that it was forced.

"Yes?" Akiko greeted. She had been with her husband, enjoying his company and planning on the addition of a new child. They had been throwing out all of Hakuoh's baby items such as the old crib and clothes, unwilling to be reminded of Hakuoh's failure, of her oddities. Now, they were interrupted by a group of shinobi and among them she spotted her demonic spawn and dread pulled at her stomach along with anger.

"Uh, hello." Minato greeted with a friendly smile. "I believe you are Hakuoh-chan's mother? I'm sorry for interrupting you but we had ran into each other a while ago, quite literally I might add, and I'm sure you must have been worried about her─"

Akiko scowled at the man, the shinobi. "I'm sorry, can you get to the point?" She snapped. "I was busy with my husband before you interrupted us."

Minato was going to reply but there was a tug to his hand that made him look down. Hakuoh slowly shook her head.

"Okaa-san." Hakuoh said, garnering the attention from her mother. "I got lost but these shinobi took care of me and they took me back home."

Akiko stared blankly at Hakuoh. The smile was completely gone from her face and she said nothing for a moment. It wasn't until a moment later that she spotted the intimidating white snake curled around the demon's shoulders. She felt a flash a fear before she pushed it down until only anger remained as she remembered the conversation that she had had with her husband earlier in the morning. This was the last thing she needed. "You were gone?"

There was a feeling of incredulity that flashed through Sakumo before he remembered exactly what Hakuoh had said earlier when he asked weather her parents would miss her. He thought that she'd been exaggerating but she had said it so bluntly but seeing it in person… Was it because they trusted her that much? Because she was mature?

"I've been gone since morning, Okaa-san."

Akiko gave a wan smile to Hakuoh but felt a bit unsettled at her blank face. It made her shiver because her eyes held absolutely no emotions. It was like looking at a doll's eyes. "Right." Akiko turned to the shinobi crowding her door. "Thank you for bringing her back." She wouldn't have minded if she or they never came back.

"You're welcome, ma'am." Minato replied.

"It was nice meeting you, Haku-chan!" Kushina said before she gave Hakuoh a fond pat on her head.

Minato came closer to Hakuoh, feeling his heart lurch as he remembered how they had first met and now looking at her… She had a guarded look on her face. It was like she was resigned. Maybe it was because she still wanted to spend time with them? He wasn't so sure. So much had happened today. "It was nice meeting you too, Hakuoh-chan, but something tells me this won't be the last time we'll see each other."

Hakuoh nodded along with their words and a warm tentative feeling pooled in her stomach but she didn't dare show it in front of her mother.

"Take care kid. Make sure to come around now, would ya?" Jiraiya said, a big grin stretching over his face.

Sakumo came down closer to Hakuoh's level so that they could be eye to eye. He stared intently into Hakuoh's unique pale eyes. "Please be sure to visit the Hatake Compound, Hakuoh. I would love to have you over again and so would Kakashi."

Hesitantly, Hakuoh nodded. "Of course, Hatake-san." She said politely.

"We'll pick you up sometimes too, if you like." Sakumo gave Hakuoh a gentle smile, a smile so full of love that it made Hakuoh look away. She wondered how'd it look like on her father's face but the possibility of such a thing was impossible.

Hakuoh nodded as Sakumo moved away from her. She turned to Orochimaru and gave the Sannin a small bow, surprising the Sannin. "It was nice meeting you, Orochimaru-sama." The Sannin merely nodded in response. "It was nice meeting you too, Kakashi-san. I hope we can talk again."

Kakashi said nothing for a moment. "Make sure to come to the compound." He requested… well more like demanded.

"Of course." With one last glance to the shinobi around her, she turned and disappeared into her house. She felt dread but she swiftly expelled it. She wasn't going to weak. She wasn't going to let her parents drag her down, no matter how much they had hurt her.

Hakuoh didn't turn as she heard the door close. She didn't turn around as she heard steps walking away. She went to her room and softly closed the door, unwilling to let disappointment get the better of her as her mother let her walk away, not even asking her any questions about her whereabouts, not even showing any concern for her safety.

"Family of choice is a real thing Hakuoh." She murmured to herself, taking a deep breath and curling her hands into a fist. "I'll show them. They'll see what they lost," she promised, eyes glinting with determination. "Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate," she said in English. With that promise in mind, Hakuoh sat at her desk and began to plan.

I couldn't help myself.

I haven't updated other stories because I have once again hit a roadblock but the main ones I'm trying to do is ANBU Rewind and Tsunade the Medic, though that's not to say that I'll abandon the other stories. It's just incredibly hard to write sometimes. I'm not that much of a great write and sometimes I have plot holes and things that don't make sense but I'm not trying to be perfect, you know?