Things to Know For This Chapter:

POV

"Talking"

"Thinking."

Emphasis/Writing

Thoughts/feelings during memories.

Edited: 03/01/2017

THIRD POV

After Danzo leaves Tsunade feels worried. She knows her sensei's teammate is a slimy snake but she never thought he would kidnap a child. It's unsettling but he does fit the profile the Minato had drawn up. Also, Setsuka told her that the man who would approach her is dangerous and that she is trying to take him down from the inside. Setsuka pretty much told her without saying his name or really describing him, how clever. But what can she do with this information? No doubt if she told Minato and Kushina they would attack him immediately. While Minato is usually more sensible than Kushina, those two are exactly the same when it comes to somebody they care about. Not only could this ruin Setsuka's plan but it could also get her killed if Danzo managed to activate the seal before he dies. Tsunade decides to hold on to this information for a while.

Now she has a Hokage to see and a body to deliver.

She tells her sensei that she found the body months ago and has been using it to study the eight inner gates. Now that she's in Konoha she thinks that it's best she returns it. "Pay for the service using Senju clan funds," she tells him when the Hokage says they don't have the money for a funeral.

The ninja world has already made a mess of Setsuka's short life but Tsunade is hoping to make it a little easier on the girl by healing her father, aiding in getting her uncle buried, and making sure her family doesn't accidentally get her killed. When everything is done she'll leave again, she still needs time to mourn but something in her doesn't feel as twisted as it did before.

The last Saturday of July is when the funeral service for Duy is held. Setsuka notices that there's a lot more people there than she expected. "Most of these people use to make fun of Dai-oji and only after his death do they see his worth." When Danzo found out that Tsunade had turned in the body he was furious and ultimately it was her plan so Setsuka had suffered the consequences. Her hands shake as she thinks of the "deepdarkholeallalone" and the "sharpobjectsdigginginmebloodbloodblood." She shakes her head, stuff like that doesn't matter. Dai is being put to rest and Gai seems a little less regretful, those things matter.

She wasn't going to go to the service but she did. Seeing them like that makes her chest heavy and her stomach feel hollow. Still, the image before her makes her all the more determined. Kushina and Minato holding hands with the blonde laying a comforting hand on Gai's shoulder. Gai looking at his father's body with sad pride. Kakashi standing by Gai's side silently. And most astonishing, her father behind Kakashi with his hand on Gai's other shoulder.

Setsuka is filled with longing but she pushes it away there is more to do right now than wallow in self-pity. She has a plan that needs implementing.

After the funeral Gai returns to his home, before the emptiness gave him a chill now it doesn't feel as daunting. As he observes from the front door he gets a feeling that his house has been disturbed even though everything is in the place he left it. Brandishing a kunai he carefully walks in. When he walks into the kitchen he sees a note on the counter. With the kunai still in his hand he grabs the note.

Dear Gai-niichan,

I know I've kind of left you all hints and that Minato is probably close to figuring it all out. I have a feeling him and Kushina are trying to replicate and dismantle the seal on my tongue. I need you all to stop. I never wanted you guys to actually get involved in this if he catches wind of your digging mine and the other's seal will be activated or you will all be targeted. I am doing my best to protect all of you and I cannot do that if I get killed.

May be one day I will come home and I can stand there with my dad and the rest of our small family without worries. Although I don't think that will happen any time soon. Seeing all of you at Dai-oji's funeral made me realize that I haven't be doing anything at all really. There are so many things that are about to happen and I've finally decided to get help.

I should have seen it coming. I was too late. No, not too late. I hesitated. I'm so, so, so, sorry that I wasn't able to save Dai-oji but his last words are for you:

"Please tell Gai that I will always be cheering him on."

I miss you all,

Hatake Setsuka

Sakumo clutches the note in his writing is shakey, there are dried stains that look too much like blood for his comfort, and it almost sounds like a good-bye. His arm around his son tightens just a bit. It comforts the heir although he can still feel the burning in his eyes.

"What has Setsuka gotten into?" Sakumo asks no one in particular.

"We could have killed her! We could have gotten them all killed-dattebane!" Kushina cries into Minato's shoulder.

"Shh Kushina," he strokes her hair, "we didn't know."

"What do we do now?" Gai asks.

Kakashi sighs, "I-I don't think there's much we can do but believe she will try her best to come home."

Nobody asked the question lingering in the air: What if she doesn't?

FIRST POV

I take a deep breathe before crashing through the window. In a matter of seconds, I am surrounded by multiple ANBU and being stared down by the Hokage. It surprises me how young he looks in comparison to Naruto's time but it is quite obvious that the job has been wearing him down with the bags under his eyes.

"What is Danzo doing sending one of you to my office?" The grandfatherly tone I remember him using with Naruto is definitely not the way he is talking to me now. I know not to underestimate but the almost vicious voice catches me off guard.

I place my hands in the universal sign of surrender, "Danzo-sama did not send me here." It irks me that I still instinctively add that honorific to his name. Oh well, it can't really be helped.

"Only his ninja have masks like those and they wouldn't be able to come here on their own considering they have no free will. So tell me, who are you and how did you get here?"

I take off my mask slowly, any sudden movement and my head will be detached from my body faster than I can say Kyuubi. Once I have my mask in my hand he looks at me carefully. "My name is Hatake Setsuka and I was taken from my bedroom when I was four-years-old."

With a slight movement of his head he signals for the ANBU tie me to a chair, "How did you escape and where did you get that from?"

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. It's not that hard to come up with the answer of who kidnapped me from my outfit, was he really that purposefully blind? "I think the answer of my kidnapping should come to you pretty easily Hokage-sama."

He narrows his eyes at me, "And what proof do you have?"

I remain stoic, "Well I have a seal on my tongue that will kill me if I reveal any information relating to my kidnapper."

"Show me."

I open my mouth. His face grows grim when my chakra makes it appear. "Leave us, and bring Inoji Yamanaka." This is working out much better than expected.

"You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" A pale blonde who looks similar to Inoichi, Ino's father, comes in. His most distinguishing trait being the scar that goes across his neck that must be an interesting story. Once his eyes land on me his back straightens, there is still a war going on after all, he must think I'm a captured child spy. Hiruzen knows that Danzo takes in orphaned children with the potential to be ninjas for his Root program so I wasn't surprised that he didn't hesitate. I suppose using children for infiltration is not a rare thing during war.

"Go into her mind, tell me what you see." The Hokage tells him, "But do not harm her she may be an ally."

Inoji comes up to me with no warning he touches my forehead and we are sucked into my mind.

THIRD POV

Setsuka's mindscape is unlike any other Inoji has seen before him there is a never ending plain covered in snow. He crouches down to observe a patch of foliage that is sticking out and notes that there is a snowdrop. There are many growing throughout. "A symbol of purity." He find it ironic. He grabs a handful of snow, "Death and mourning. It seems to be pretty deep too, hardships. Hardships that are to come or the ones she has already experienced?" The sky above him is an ombre of purple to black, scattered with stars, and the moon is glowing softly. "Purple shows ambition, independence, and wisdom. Stars can represent sorrow. The red ones are a warning, a looming problem. The moon is subtle it almost blends in with the light of the stars."

"Do you put this much thought into every mindscape you come into?" Inoji turns around and comes face to face with Setsuka. She is wearing the same thing as she was when he saw her telling him she has a sense of reality.

"Not every mind, just the interesting ones. I've never seen such a complicated mindscape in a six-year old. Not even Hatake Kakashi's was this symbolic."

She shrugs, "I know myself way better than most people my age. Besides, I'm not six yet. Well might as well show you the way." She takes him to left side of the plain not too far from their starting point as that would lead him to her memories of her past life. He simply follows her, he's only here to see what she has experienced and going any deeper can cause her harm. Suddenly, a door appears before them. They both enter.

Warmth, love. "I'm sorry I can't take care of you Setsuka, but know that I love you. " Don't cry mom.

This is my father. "Kakashi, come and meet your new sister, Setsuka." Black eyes both looking down on me, family. Fear and reluctant love.

My father is cooing at me, making me giggle. "Setssuuukkkaa-chaaaan, your so cute," he pokes me on the cheek. Loving eyes. Kakashi comes home. Dad looks at him with love and adoration. Do you love him more? I don't blame you. I love him more than you too.

Dad leaves to a new mission. Kakashi sighs, "Looks like it's just going to be me and you for a while Setsuka." He picks me up and I give him a smile. He smiles back so wide it appears behind his mask, "I'm scared about taking care of you by myself but your my little sister and I won't let anyone else do it." I'll be good for you Kakashi.

Kakashi is holding me up by the arms, helping me take some steps. He let's go and I take a few steps on my own before losing my balance. He picks me up. "You just started crawling the other day. I think you're going to end up being a genius too." He kisses me on the cheek and his eyes look a bit sad. I know that he's thinking about father. Anger, why does he leave us alone?

Guilt. "I wuv you Kashi"

This is our toy. "Appy Birfday Kashi."

Keeping it clean for Kashi. I give it to him when he tucks me in and he smiles softly. It's already been a few weeks but this is his reaction every time.

Sakumo looks sad when he sees my growth. I was wrong, so wrong. You love me just as much as Kashi huh? I'm sorry, don't look so sad. "Miss'd yu Daddy." Determination.

Anger. Stop being a jerk Kashi. "Kashi you meanie! Say sorry!"

"Kashi's mommy gone and my mommy say bye-bye huh?" Rejection.

Kashi has a headband. Fear and worry.

We're training. I successfully hide from Kashi. Daddy looks proud.

Gai-niichan and Dai-oji are making me laugh so hard at breakfast I choke on my cereal. Kashi scolds them later. I laughed again and choked on my chocolate milk.

Minato comes to Dai-oji's house. Kashi is injured, worry. Minato is a little offended that he didn't know about me. I make him promise to help my dad too. "Your real pretty Minato-san." Content, laughter.

Kashi comes back with a vest. Resentment.

Long red hair calls my attention. Instant adoration. "Your hair is beautiful." Red face matches hair.

Minato and Sakumo are gone. Kakashi is gone. Loneliness and panic.

I overhear Kushina and Minato. Guilt, anger, grief, then emptiness. Why can't I protect them?

I wake up in darkness. "Welcome Setsuka Hatake, I am Danzo. You will refer to me as Danzo-sama. I have many plans for you and you will complete them to the best of your ability or else your father's will to live will come to an end." I make myself forget everything. "I'm sorry Kashi."

I don't know how long I've been in this hole. Someone with a white mask comes in with Danzo. They use senbon this time. Slowly one by one they push them into me. I wince. That means another session.

"You will practice these taijutsu stances until you get them right." Danzo hits me with his cane, my legs are already bruised from yesterday but I don't express my pain. That will earn me another session.

"Your codename is Okami." Okami because I can conceal my presence.

Kashi.

I unseal the Root bodies Danzo gave me and change them to look like two Rain ninjas, not before disfiguring them. I remember these two they were orphan twins from the Inuzuka. I'm sorry.

Dai-oji. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't help you. You're dead now. It's my fault I'm sorry.

Determination. I will find Tsunade-sama.

I'm at Amegakure. "Tell Danzo that I will take him up on his offer," Hanzo tells me.

Danzo asking me to help him plan, he wants me to take over Root one day.

I'm writing a note to give to Gai. I have multiple wounds on my hands. My hands are shaking but I manage to finish the note. I lay down, tomorrow I will go to the Hokage after the funeral.

The funeral. They are together. I feel so alone. But I will protect you all.

Inoji releases the jutsu right when the memory of the funeral ends. He is trained not to let memories provoke emotion but he will make an exception just this once. All this girl has ever does is worry about her family. She loves them so much that them being taken from her is her biggest fear. Instead, she was taken from them and forced herself to forget so that she could be more easily broken to protect her father. Then she was forced to remember, causing her personalities to clash which in turn made more internal issues. She saw her uncle figure die and carries guilt because she could have prevented it. He looks at her, not with pity but with respect. With all she's been through it's rather hard to believe she's not even six yet.

"Hokage-sama, Danzo is the one responsible for the kidnapping and torture of Hatake Setsuka."