Son's pov

„As expected of you Son. You saved my daughter's life." I felt a bit insecure under the watchful scientist eye. He was near the top of our hierarchy.

The remaining Uzumaki clan.

"I thought we'll be too late. I thank you from the bottom of my heart." And then he bowed.

I hurried forward and quickly straightened the poor guy. My crimson face like a street signal, announcing my unease to the outer world.

"Please Mr. Scientist... Do not bow to me."

He wasn't of the Uzumaki blood... but her wife was. He did so much for our clan, we could never repay him in full. Saving his daughter was only one thing on the list of niceties.

And Niah... It was time she came home. Where she could be protected. Where she belonged.

Time skip

Her frail body was strictly under constant observation by several people at a time. One medic, her father or some other scientist and some volunteers. Her body didn't want to live at the start and there were several moments when we tried to save her from herself.

Her hair darkened into the color of blood. I personally preferred her previous color, the color of fire she inherited from her father.

But maybe it will be easier that way... to blend in.

"Son... Go get some sleep... You are here for three days straight already..." Mako said. Mako is my assistant. My second in command.

"Oh gosh... And you stink! Go fetch yourself a soap and then straight to the baths!" She blushed every time she ordered me or tried to insult me... it pleased me greatly.

"What about you Mako... will you come and scrub my back?"

"... Sir. Don't tease me! Now go! I will remain here and guard..." She was such a cutie pie when trying to resist me.

My manly pride also didn't let me stink for long so I walked toward the baths. Fetching soap on the way just as Mako said.

"Ah... Mako, Mako... When will you grow up... So I can let you scrub my back..." I leaned at the edge of the bath, my shoulder length blood red hair constantly poking my eyes.

"And I need to take a haircut... Ahh... How troublesome..."

...

And it wouldn't be my spare time if someone didn't interrupt.

"Sir... The patient woke up... It's time for her to talk Sir..." The boy that delivered the message shivered slightly as I tensed my muscles. But then I sighted and he relaxed with it.

"Tell them I'll come in a few..."

"A few what Sir..." He had to ask... he just had to ask damn brat.

"Okay! Okay! A few minutes! Minutes!" Not that in a few hours wouldn't be just as fine...

"Okay Sir... Thank you Sir... Have a nice bath..." And he tip toed away.

"Nice bath my ass... I don't have even enough time to scrub my own ass you little piece of shit..." I grumbled to myself. Yes, my grumpy self always came out in solitude and when I'm off duty. I allowed it... otherwise... it wouldn't be such a good idea.

The elders liked people who can obey and don't growl at them at every second. I always had to play an uptight person in social rings... at least alone I can hate them and spit their names out of my mouth with ferocity.

"I have to get a hobby... I think too much..." And I downed under the water surface.

Time skip

Everyone of at least little importance was here. And it creeped even me out. Too much people... too noisy... too crowded.

How does she feel now? Overwhelmed? Scared?

I opened the door to the room where she resides and barely closed it behind me.

The elders eyed me, their expressions not really overly enthusiastic.

"He he... I'm here... now... shall we begin?" Sometimes I wonder why do they even regard me in the way they do. I am not of the rare kind. I am only commanding the corps and secure them.

Maybe they are as open as they are because of my heritage. I am from the most powerful Uzumaki family even if I'm not as powerful myself.

I walked forward, sending uneasy smiles but shut my trap when I lay my eyes on her.

If I whistle, please cut me down.

Well... I knew she was quite eye-catching but hell... You don't really regard a woman with perv-eyes when she is dying on you, do you? Do you?

Well I don't. And I have a clean conscious. I think. Mostly... Yeah.

Anyway.

"I am Son Uzumaki. We are somehow blood related, it makes me your distant cousin in an unknown knee or elbow... or how do you say it..." I pondered for a while and in between the Elders face palmed.

Another bad side of me. I always screw up when Elders are involved.

I closed my mouth and looked up. I met her forest green eyes.

Niah pov

This Son... Or how he named himself... Was he really my relative? Beside my father...

Uzumaki clan... Where did I learn of this clan?

My head hurts so much. I want to sleep. Uzumaki?

Was this red hair. Blood red hair? My eyes are still mostly black and white...

I knew someone like that. Who did I know? Who was like that?

I have so many questions... So many. But they can wait... I want to sleep.

I want to sleep...

"Niah... Honey... Please don't fall asleep just yet. We need some answers."

"Sleep... I want to sleep..."

"Honey... just a moment. Please. It is important..."

"I will try..." And they seated me up straight so I could eye each and every one of them straight on.

There were six of them including me, my father and this self proclaimed relative of mine... named Son? Yes... Son.

"Go ahead. Ask me..." I broke the ice.

3rd person pov

She was so frail and hurt, all the present people asked only the most necessary questions. Her eyes had a mad shine in them, eyes who has seen too much in too short of a time. Son felt attracted to her mystery like he hadn't for a really long long time. While he absorbed her face structure, conversation flowed.

"Niah... What did Mad eye do to you?"

"He experimented on me..."

"What kind of experiments?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Niah... Please. If something happens to you, we can help you out of it..." Father interrupted.

"I don't know if I want to be saved..." she whispered but then continued.

"He did horrible things..." and she turned her inner hands to show them. Puncture wounds where her veins are. Bony hands. Frail hands.

She then pulled her gown down her shoulder like it was nothing. Revealing her chest keyboard, her rib cage bones sticking out like some sick imitation of World war II. Bile rose in most people present.

Reading something like that in a report and seeing it by yourself is an entirely different story.

She revealed her belly which was strapped with scars as thick as Son's hand thumb. He wondered what she went trough. He wondered why he didn't see it when she lay on that God forsaken table, why he didn't notice.

Maybe because she was dying, maybe because then... he didn't care. He admitted in shame.

He closed his eyes and bit his lower lip to stop it from trembling. His anger and sadness could sometimes get the best of him.

"Honey... They have seen enough... Cover yourself." Scientist said and he helped her dress up again.

When she was done, questions were asked and answered in that breathy, tired voice of hers. Son could only listen and not look. For a manly man such as him only listening was enough.

He had a primal urge to kill and slaughter, he leaked killing intent like crazy until he forcefully calmed down.

"Did you... Did you jump the worlds Niah?" And here it was, the long awaited question.

"Yes. He made me." And she pointed a bony finger to the silhouette of her father. He looked every day of his age, guilt leaning heavily down on him.

"I'm sorry... Niah... I..."

"Severus..." One warning preventing him to continue his guilty act, he shut up.

"What did you... What did you see?"

"..." And she got this longing sparkle in her eyes... like she was far away from here. Like she was sorry.

"I met friends there. We formed Akatsuki."

"Akatsuki?" Some Elder urged her to continue.

"Akatsuki. A group of shinobi who strive to bring peace to the world. We failed though..." She chuckled... such a sad sound.

"So the world is at war there... Why did you fail?"

Tears welled in her eyes but didn't spill.

"I couldn't protect them. I should have... but I couldn't protect them all... Yahiko... Yahiko died in front of my eyes." A single fat and stray tear fell down her cheek.

"And Konan and Nagato are all alone now. At least Nagato and his rinnegan survived. At least they survived." Gasps and murmurs arose and questions about rinnegan almost woke up the dead.

"Did that boy had the rinnegan? The same circled eyes the Sage of the six paths had?"

"Yes... And he descended from Uzumaki clan. His bloody hair color..."

"Did you hear that! Rinnegan in Uzumaki clan!" And they shouted and screamed with joy these old bones oddly still possessed... but nobody saw that her heart was almost torn asunder by the mere thought of it.

"Shut up you old fools!" They stood agape in shock.

"Her comrade died... others are still probably dying and all you can do is cheer like you're on a football match? Don't you have any dignity? Any morals? Any brain for God's sake people... Did you go senile?" Son roared like the king of the castle... but at least he made them stop.

The Elders cleared their throats and then eyed evilly the little corps commander who just taught them about manners. They made a mental check about his proper punishment later on, but now acted accordingly.

"We are sorry Niah... but we didn't hear news from that world for such a long time... We acted on impulse and for which we are sorry..." The head Elder said.

"Just let me sleep... I want to sleep..." She closed her eyes, her lower lip trembling in effort not to cry.

They excused themselves. The scientist passed Son out of the room and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you..." and Son didn't regret a thing. He was the last one who left.