Chapter 9

Suiren followed the woman until they reached a pair of doors in the middle of a corridor. Shizune knocked quietly.

"Is that you, Shizune? Come in," A woman replied.

The doors opened to reveal a blonde lady with a purple diamond on her forehead, working on a mountain of papers at her desk. She glanced up as Shizune and Suiren walked to the front of her desk and raised her eyebrow when she spotted the little girl.

"Oh? Who's this little girl? I've never seen her around."

"Tsunade-sama, this is… err…" Shizune didn't know what to say because she realized that the girl still hadn't told her name.

Suiren glanced at Shizune and read her mind.

"… Uchiha… Suiren."

Tsunade's hand stopped writing and she sat up straight the moment she heard Suiren's last name. This time she gave her full attention to the girl in front of her.

"… Explain this to me, Shizune," She ordered.

"She was found sealed in a coffin to prevent her chakra from escaping, probably an attempt to hide her from that specific day…" Shizune continued explaining as Tsunade listened intently. After listening to Shizune's words, Tsunade sighed.

"To think that there would be another survivor…" She mumbled to herself. The elders would not let this situation pass by lightly if they found out… Not to mention the Danzo bastard.

"Who were your parents? Did you have any siblings?" Tsunade carefully asked.

Suiren was becoming impatient though. She had questions to ask as well.

"I only have one family, and that is my brother Uchiha Shisui," She replied curtly. "I would like to know where his body has been buried. And also, Uchiha Itachi's grave as well. In addition, I want to know what this specific day you two were talking about is."

Suiren stared at Tsunade with such intensity that Tsunade felt that she couldn't lie to her.

"… I'm sorry, but your brother's body couldn't be salvaged; his body disappeared in a river. As for Uchiha Itachi, he is now a wanted shinobi in the bingo book, for massacring the Uchiha Clan three years ago…"

Suiren's eyes widened as Tsunade explained everything that had happened. She was beginning to connect the pieces together. The sad expressions on both Itachi's and Shisui's faces, Shisui's wish for her to not watch Itachi, and his reason for putting her into a coma. It was all starting to make sense. But for gentle Itachi to have been the one to murder the clan… Could he have really done that? No, Shisui knew about it, Suiren realized. It's because he knew that he did what he did. Otherwise, he wouldn't have told me to look for Itachi…

Shizune interrupted Suiren's thoughts. "What should we do about this?"

Tsunade rubbed the purple diamond on her forehead. "We'll have to keep her identity secret. Register her as an orphan that was taken in. As for her education… How old are you girl?"

"14."

Tsunade did a double take. "… You don't look it. Going to the Academy would be a bit…"

"I don't need to go. Shisui already taught me everything about the Academy's teachings, and more," Suiren scoffed with a shake of her head.

"Hmm," Tsunade grunted. Since Shisui trained her himself, even if I haven't seen her abilities it wouldn't be a surprise if she turned out to be a monster…

Tsunade sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Alright, how about this: we'll have you take a test to receive your diploma for the Academy. If you pass, you'll qualify for the Chuunin exams next year in May. How about it?"

Suiren didn't really care about rankings. All she wanted was to search for Itachi as soon as possible. But she also knew that at this moment, she knew nothing of the world and would face tremendous difficulties if she went searching with no leads.

"Alright, I guess…" Suiren sighed.

Tsunade nodded. "We'll provide you a place to live in. Take the rest of the year to adjust and train. I'll find you a team."

At Tsunade's words, Suiren frowned. "I don't want nor need a team." Besides, I'll be leaving here soon enough.

Tsunade's eye twitched. She studied the girl. Hmm, not arrogance but lack of trust, huh? She's indifferent towards everyone but Shisui who's dead, and she's careful to distance herself to not waver.

"Very well. However, I will be assigning you a trainer until the exams, no objections."

"… Fine."

"Good. He will introduce himself to you soon. Shizune, take her to one of the open apartments." And with that, Tsunade waved the two away.

Suiren surveyed the apartment given to her. It was a simple layout, with the kitchen and living room part of one big space, and a small hallway that led to the bathroom and single room. She immediately trudged to the bedroom and flopped down onto the fluffy bed. She sighed and rolled over to stare at the ceiling.

So much had happened, all in one day. It was too much for her mind to process. She had woken up, only to find out that three years had passed and her loved ones were both gone, one permanently and the other a criminal. But Suiren believed in Itachi and Shisui's words. Her priority was to search for Itachi. Until then, she would have to train to keep her strength up and learn about the society she had been kept from. She would leave after the Chuunin exams.

Suiren felt drowsy due to taking in so much information in a single day.

"Just one year… Wait for me… Itachi-kun…" Suiren murmured as her eyelids fluttered shut.

-Dream

Suiren walked into a movie theater. All the seats were empty, and the screen was blank. Confused, she sat down in the front row. The moment she did, the screen came to life, sucking her in without warning.

"What?" Suiren cried. She was in a room filled with things she had never seen before. The girl in the room was also watching some sort of screen, crying. Curious, Suiren walked over and bent down to see. The moment she saw what was going on she reeled back. It was a scene of Itachi dying after a fight with another boy.

"What kind of joke is this…" Suiren turned away immediately to be blinded by a pair of bright lights. She felt the wind in her lungs get knocked out as she flew into the air and crumpled onto the ground. She coughed out blood.

"What's happening…" And why did this all seem familiar?

Suiren's pain abruptly disappeared as she was teleported yet again to a white room. The unknown girl was also there as well, talking to a glowing being. Suddenly, Suiren replaced the girl's position and found herself facing the being.

The god smiled knowingly. "It's time," He said as he extended his arms to her.

Suiren stared in wonder, then felt a wave of images hit her mind. She froze as the scenes played out in her head. Scenes of her fangirling over the Naruto series. Scenes of her dying from a car crash. Scenes of her demanding to be reborn overpowered to save Itachi.

"I… I r-remember…" She cried out as the dream world collapsed around her.

Suiren woke up with a burst, breathing heavily. It was barely morning; the sun had just begun to rise. She squeezed her eyes shut to calm herself down. She finally remembered everything. Her purpose for being in this world. The emotions she felt were indescribable. Just then, she sensed another chakra in the room. Alarmed, her eyes burst open to scan the room until it landed on a figure leaning against her window.

"Yo," The shinobi waved.