After babyhood, there needs to be some kind of spice. So here it is - something that will advance the story.

I don't know if I did it right but I wish that I did. My ideas are often half-baked and more often than not, I mess them up when I start writing so please tell me in a review or a PM about your thoughts on this chapter. It's a huge turning point for the story's advancement and it's actually one of the chapters that I took a long time to write - if only for the sake of the sequencing.

Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Naruto or any of the canon characters. I only own my OC.

Kanji, kanji, kanji. My head was filled with kanji right at this moment.

I slammed my forehead on the book Kushina gave me.

This is downright impossible.

"No breaks for you -ttebane!" Kushina slapped the top of my head hard and I winced. Does she even know of the word mercy?

"But there's so many!" I whined, and it was true.

She told me to memorize the contents of the entire book – which was the size of a medical college textbook – in a week. There were five kanji in each page with explanations of each stroke, and considering that there are about two thousand kanji in the Japanese language, the book is about four hundred pages thick.

There is no possible way I could memorize the whole thing in under a week. No matter how much I loved books, studying was not my idea of fun. I did well in my previous school because I naturally retain information from what I read – but that's when it's informative like how Rayleigh scattering makes the sky blue and the sunrise orange.

This is basically trying to learn two thousand new words – all with different meanings and appearance.

There is just no way.

Kushina huffed. "I memorized more than that in less time when I was a kid!" she bragged, sitting on the floor beside me.

While I admit that's impressive, you probably did it when you were at least six years old – definitely physically older than me and didn't have the attention span of a fruit fly.

Her calculating gaze over my work in progress spoke volumes about something that screamed of a report to me. However, as my babysitter, maybe she did have to report back to the ones who gave her the job to let them know how I am doing.

I still don't have a clue who my parents are, but I'm not curious enough to even ask. For all I know, they'll wonder why I even know about having a mother and father.

I only glared at her before standing up to my pudgy feet that could honestly use a bit of physical activity. "I'm going to the bathroom," I announced, letting the book fall from my lap to the floor.

To be honest, I just wanted to go to the kitchen to grab some of the bread the Kushina brought home. I would need motivation, inspiration, and most importantly, energy to accomplish the task she has given me. I tried to push away the thought of selfishly skipping the lesson and just eating in the kitchen as I wiped the drool off my lips.

"Bring some for me too, okay?" was what I heard before I grimaced. How come she knew? She couldn't read minds, right? Nothing from the anime told me that.

When I was finished with my snack, I went to Kushina and Minato's room which was the room next to mine. I looked at the bookshelves that littered the room and grinned. Maybe I would be able to sneak some looks at Minato's scrolls today. I liked looking at seals. The graceful strokes fascinated me and I enjoyed stroking them with my finger.

I went to the bookshelf to the right of their bed and took out a random notebook, opening it also to a random page. Then the door was slammed open by none other than the Bloody Habanero who was looking far too smug to have caught me.

Oops.

"So that's what you've been doing this past week in our room." I sometimes forget that Kushina is a S-Rank ninja even when pregnant and that she was more than capable of catching me with my collar, because that's exactly what she did as I tried to run away.

I struggled in her hold. I've had enough of being held up by my collar.

"Woah! I'm not going to punish you -ttebane!" she dropped me and I dropped, face down on my stomach. I don't think dropping a toddler like this is normal but this is another world with different views and traditions so I won't be surprised if they even threw babies but it hurt. It really hurt.

I looked to my right, groaning in pain when I spotted a not too heavily hidden notebook under the shelf.

I reached for it at the same time that Kushina pulled me back up on my feet and the notebook ended up flying through the air and landing just short of the door.

"Huh? What's that?" Kushina's curiosity overtook her own sanity and she dropped me - again, might I add - before walking towards the notebook.

I can understand her curiosity, though. Why would Minato, whose notebooks were open for Kushina to see until now, hide one from her? It undoubtedly sparked my curiosity and I also ran towards where the notebook landed.

Kushina only turned a few pages before she settled on one. I watched as her face twisted in a confused expression before her body tensed, her eyes widened into impossible degrees and gasped as she promptly fainted.

I stood there, in shock before I finally gathered my bearings and started to think. What happened? Why did Kushina faint? What did she see to make her react so much? Fainting like that isn't good for the baby. I have to call Minato.

But before that, I placed the notebook under the shelf again, however haphazardly, brushed Kushina's hair off her nape and tried to summon my chakra to push into the seal I knew was Minato's Hiraishin.

Why did I have to neglect trying to reach for my chakra? It's only making it harder for me now!

I searched and pushed inside my consciousness for a moment before I started to see a bright blue light.

It was my chakra.

I pulled.

Minato arrived a split-second later, a pen still in hand, with an abnormally alarmed expression painted on his face.

I stared back at him in relief.

He took the scene in for a moment. My breathing was ragged, I was touching Kushina's nape where his seal was located and most importantly, Kushina was pale and unconscious. He took Kushina in his arms, sent me a look that promised interrogation, and promptly vanished in a yellow flash, leaving me there with my heart still beating erratically with adrenaline.

No wonder he was the Hokage. That only took two seconds even when including the time he appeared.

There was a lot of grunting, swearing and screaming.

I stood still in the corner of the cave as Kushina gave birth.

"Augh! Damn you, Minato! Damn you to the deepest part of hell! You better take care of this one because I won't do this for you anymore -ttebane! Augh!"

Minato, as much as he wanted to reply, was far too busy keeping in check of the seal on Kushina's stomach. It seems that an additional problem appeared because as far as I remember, Minato could still talk back to Kushina in canon.

As soon as Minato left with Kushina, two ANBUs entered the room and whisked me away to a cave which I recognized as where Kushina gave birth. Minato was laying Kushina down on the stone table that was there and vanished, leaving me with the still unconscious Kushina.

He reappeared a minute later with a woman in her elderlies and another woman who seemed like an assistant.

Then it dawned on me.

Kushina was going to give birth.

And the Kyuubi was going to raze Konoha to the ground.

At that moment, Kushina woke up with different eyes and an expression I didn't recognize flitted on her face.

She looked at Minato with a shocked expression. Then she fixed her gaze at me. I could tell then, in her eyes, that she didn't know me.

That chilled me to the bone more than anything.

A final scream echoed inside the cave and a disgusting sound followed it. Biwako, as I caught her name, laughed in honest to goodness genuine happiness as she held up a crying baby into the air.

Naruto was born and I couldn't help but stare at the miracle of birth.

Kushina moved.

"Minato!" she barked, getting the attention of her husband who had taken Naruto in his arms.

"Leave a clone and take Biwako with you! Go to the Sandaime!"

Minato looked flabbergasted. "What are you-"

"Hurry!"

"But I can't leave you!"

Kushina growled. "Leave!"

Minato stared at her without comprehension before he touched both the sleeves of Biwako and her assistant and vanishing in a yellow flash.

I stared at the spot where the four had disappeared before settling my gaze on Kushina who was struggling to keep her breath in check.

"You, girl. Come here."

I was snapped out of my stupor at that. Her eyes were wide and alert, completely different from what they should be like after a woman gives birth. My instincts told me to obey her though, so before I knew it, I was in front of her.

"Let me take some of your chakra. My reserves need to be full for my plan to work."

I nodded. "What do you need me to do?"

"I have to bite you."

"Where?" She seemed shock that I was being completely cooperative but we didn't have time so I just raised my sleeves up and presented her my forearm. "Here, bite."

And so she did.

As oddly as it may sound, I felt my chakra being drained with unbelievable speed and at the same time, Kushina's face got healthier compared to the paleness she was sporting a moment ago.

When it came to the point that I was left with maybe only one-eighth of my chakra, she stopped.

"You're an Uzumaki, alright. What's your name?" she asked, sitting up from the stone tablet.

"I'm Haine."

"Uzumaki Haine...thank you," she spoke with a genuinely grateful expression on her face.

I nodded, not knowing how else to react.

I registered the grave look in her eyes and noticed how her lips were forming a sad frown despite her gratitude.

That was the moment my body just simply clammed up.

This Kushina didn't know me.

This Kushina wasn't the one who took care of me. This Kushina wasn't the one who laughed at my lame jokes.

This Kushina wasn't the one who tolerated my antics.

This Kushina was not of this world.

This Kushina wasn't mine.

This Kushina was the one from canon.

And with that realization, my lungs accepted no air as a throaty sound escaped my lips.

Where is my Kushina, then.

Obito appeared into the cave just as Kushina pushed me down, set up a barrier ninjutsu around me and knocked me out.

The last thing I heard was Kushina.

"I'm prepared this time! Uchiha Madara! Minato will live!"

I woke up to the sound of rain drops pitter-pattering on the windows and my eyes opened.

A blinding white filled my vision and my chest heaved in relief. I was in the hospital. I wasn't in that cave anymore.

I turned my head to the closed window. Somehow, it being closed unnerved me so I got up from the white, pristine hospital bed and opened it, not caring when the rain soaked the front of my shirt and my face. I looked outside the window and stared at Konoha's half-crushed state. Several Genin, along with the help of the civilians, were fixing up some walls and houses while Chuunin, as I guessed with their flak jackets, were collecting some casualties. Konoha was...

I don't even want to complete the thought.

"You're awake."

I turned around and saw Kakashi from outside the door. I didn't bother to put on a mask. There would be no point in putting one anyway, as it would crumble before I could put it to use.

"Kashi. Why am I here?" Questioning Kushina's whereabouts didn't register in my mind until after Kakashi answered and I doubt that I would have asked about it.

I think I already know what happened.

"We found you in the center of a collapsed cave just outside of Konoha. You suffered no injuries aside from an odd bite mark on your forearm and severe chakra drain."

A tense silence followed his answer as I thought over his words.

I didn't have any injuries and the bite mark was from Kushina. Her barrier must have protected me from the collapse of the cave. I didn't remember Obito destroying the cave to the point of collapse so I guess that Kushina was the one who did it.

"Haine."

Kakashi called my attention.

"Minato-sensei has instructed me to guide you to the Hokage's office as soon as you wake up. Are you ready?"

So Minato was alive. That information only made me paler.

I looked at my soaked white hospital robe and nodded. "Yeah. I am."

Somehow, I could tell that Kakashi wasn't surprised.

We entered the office with quiet steps, me following Kakashi as I tried to ignore the stares that the shinobis sent me when we walk through the hallways. It's the first time in this lifetime that I've seen so many people.

Minato was hunched over his paperwork, pen scribbling furiously on the papers.

"Minato-sensei, I brought her in," Kakashi drawled, immediately darting to the side of the Hokage and leaving me alone in front of the desk.

The Yondaime sat up straight. His gaze bore on to me stoically and I froze, not knowing how to react other than to return the stare with a confused one.

He set down his pen and interlaced his fingers together.

Then it started.

"You will listen to all that I am going to say today and you will not utter a single word."

I looked around the apartment that I was given with practiced indifference. Nothing and everything seems to makes sense.

Kakashi entered the apartment after me. "This…will be your home now. Your expenses will be paid by the Hokage and you will be given a hundred thousand ryo a month as allowance. ANBU will be around every time of the day so you don't need to worry about any danger."

I looked back at him. He was looking at me with eyes that screamed concern.

Hatake Kakashi is a ninja. However close I may have been to him, he was still bound to the orders of the Hokage and that included avoiding any sort of relationship but mentorship with me.

I hate Minato.

Surprise, Minato hated me too.

Minato cornered me, and I could only nod like a robot as I listened to his instructions – more like demands – that in normal circumstances, I would have questioned in fervour.

I was to be the fake jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi in place of Naruto.

Minato was to be my father.

My name was to be Namikaze Haine, exchanging surnames with Naruto which would be known as an Uzumaki. The purpose of that was so that if anyone would target the offspring of the Yellow Flash, I would be their first target because I was the eldest.

I would live separately from them under the guise that Minato is training me to become independent, which was entirely plausible because I was to live with Hatake Kakashi who would be my mentor.

As the daughter of the Hokage, Minato expected me to train hard so that his reputation will not be tarnished, and also so that I will be known and cover Naruto from enemies.

I was actually already two years old. I guessed that however I may have thought so, I didn't have proper grasp of how the time passed when I was in the care of Kushina.

I was actually supposed to be the jinchuuriki in place of Kushina – that's the only reason I was being taken care of - but as the bloody habanero left me in the cave and Naruto being the only baby available at that time, he was made the one instead.

If those above shocked me to the core, then this one had me trembling in relief.

Kushina was alive, albeit in a self-induced coma.

I made a deal with Minato.

I would obey and act all that he asks of me but he had to allow me to see Kushina anytime I wanted.

Minato, I'm sure, was hesitant. I could tell because he looked away and actually expressed it other than staring at me like I was the root of his problems.

I know that he isn't actually mad at me. He's just confused and his helplessness and shock at Kushina's coma and Naruto being turned into jinchuuriki shook his very mind and hurt him. So he just redirected all that, turned them all to anger and reasoned to himself that I was the one at fault.

I was the one who gave Kushina the chakra and confidence to face the Kyuubi.

I was the one who accidentally found his Death Reaper Seal and made Kushina look, causing her to use it instead of him.

I was the one who Kushina talked the last with before she fell into a coma.

I was the one who spent the most time with her during her period of pregnancy.

That didn't mean that I would take his misplaced anger quietly.

Minato isn't actually a saint as everyone claims him to be. Most of that saint attitude is an act. He wanted to be liked by everyone and he wanted to be perfect. Only Kushina, Jiraiya, and the Sandaime knew of that quirk of his. He was already partly insane but that came with geniuses so that actually didn't' surprise me.

It was a good thing Kushina told me about it that one time. It really helps in trying to understand everything that's going on right now.

Then I remembered Kakashi's presence behind me. He seems to be waiting for a reply from me.

"Okay. Can you go shopping for furniture and clothes with me now? Yondaime-sama only had my books delivered and nothing else," I asked him, deciding that avoiding contact with Kakashi would do me no good as he is the only one who would be living and training with me from now on - other than Honda who still hasn't shown his face since he left for a mission a month ago.

Or was it really a month ago? I don't know. I really need to get a calendar.

Kakashi looked surprised for a single moment, it was gone the next. "Are you alright with being outside?" he asked as he followed me out of the apartment.

I smiled. "Yes. There are far scarier things than those outside."

I'm hoping that it was more or less enough spice for your tastes. I know where I'm going to go with this, but I know my writing is quite confusing so I'll spend some time correcting and editing the later chapters for clarity. I have a lot to hide in this story for the latter part of it, and if anyone has guessed, I'm a fan of using the Unreliable Narrator style.

Sorry, I guess?

Please tell me your thoughts in a review or a PM! Thank you for reading!
EDITED: March 29, 2018