Everyone had moments in their life when they thought what if? Mikoto had one of those moments right now, but all her what ifs circled around one, particularly bratty redhead. Whatever the alternative was, the Uchiha matron was sure that without the girl her son wouldn't be impatiently devouring his breakfast or glancing at a clock every ten seconds. He was a true Uchiha prodigy, at least before he discovered he was also a child. Mikoto was grateful that fate put the odd girl into their life; because of her Mikoto had a son.

The woman looked at her husband who deliberately ate breakfast at a rate comparable to a snail feeding on lettuce. Fugaku enjoyed tormenting Itachi and his new found impatience. The head of the Uchiha clan planned to lead the boy to the Namikaze household on his way to work – after their morning meal. To prolong his son's suffering the man started an offhand conversation.

"Today the Third is going to call all villagers for a meeting at the central plaza."

"Do you think he will officially announce the end of the war?" Mikoto asked.

"And most likely his successor."

"It will be Minato-sama." The small boy stated, hoping his parents would stop their musing and actually start moving. He was already late.

"Namikaze is one of the top candidates but nothing is sure yet, Itachi," Fugaku reprimanded his son. "No matter what Shiori-san says. You should not take her every word as granted."

"It was not senpai. Namikaze-sama said so yesterday."

Fugaku almost spat out his tea.

"What?!"

And so Itachi told his parents about yesterday afternoon.

Ω

"You at least should try to win. Otherwise what's the point in playing?"

Two golden pools lazily blinked at the shogi board and at the curly haired Uchiha.

"To make time fly faster? This home arrest is simply ridiculous. I can't even go to visit Orochimaru-sama. And why should I try to win, when Tachi-chan is so good at it? If I tried and lost I would feel stupid. I don't like to feel stupid."

Itachi was more than pleased that Shiori praised him but he couldn't believe he would win if she actually tried. He wanted to say so but a loud squeal from the living room interrupted him. Children glanced at each other and curiously trotted out of Shiori's room.

The source of the noise turned out to be no one else than Kushina, who Minato happily spun around in his arms while laughing like a maniac. It was hard not to crack a smile seeing them. Only Shiori managed it, becoming grouchier than before. Shisui noticed it and questioningly raised his brow.

"What? You think they actually cracked?"

"If only," the girl theatrically sighed. "Kushina –san is pregnant or Mini-nii got the hat. One option indicates sleepless nights and stinky diapers while other means Mini-nii will be so busy I'm going to see his face only on Hokage Mountain. In other words, both options suck, royally."

"I'm not pregnant!" The older redhead shrieked.

"So sensei has the hat?" interrupted Kakashi who silently entered the room with Obito.

"You know it, dettabane!" Kushina was more than proud of her husband but her mood flattened seeing all those tiny unimpressed faces. "What's wrong with you lot? You should be proud, ecstatic and everything; especially you Obito, you wanted to be Hokage once, no?"

The teenager awkwardly rubbed his neck.

"Well yes, but…"

"But what?" Minato was worried. Was it possible that the Kanabi event changed his pupils that they lost the will of fire?

"Devil-chan here explained to us what the job is truly about." Kakashi clarified pointing at the tiny redhead, who in retaliation kicked his leg.

"Yeah," admitted the blind Uchiha. "Now I'm not sure that all this paperwork is for me. I barely could make notes in Academy. Not to mention all those numbers and economy."

"And moody clan-leaders." Shisui added.

"Foreign dignitaries." Itachi thought the same.

"Not to mention all those morons in the Village." Before Kakashi's mind flashed an image of his self-proclaimed rival with horrid fashion sense.

Minato needed to sit down. Shiori had just successfully managed to draw away the most promising candidates for the next generation's Hokage.

"Shiori-chan, what have you done?"

"I told them the truth?" those golden pools blinked innocently, disarming all his grudges; only to harden into sharp blades the next second. "That will of fire or whatever is nothing more than a rather ingenious method of indoctrination. I won't allow any of my friends to be brainwashed." She added with a huff as if challenging both adults to say anything.

Kushina sat on the knees of her dumbfounded husband with a long-suffering sigh.

"Our shrimp-chan is the head of future political opposition. I feel sorry for you, Minato."

"I feel sorry for myself."

Ω

Itachi wrinkled his nose. He had seen mirth cross his father's features from time to time but he had never openly laughed, until now. There was nothing funny in what he said. The higher-ups manipulated all villagers, changing them in a flock of mindless sheep. It wasn't funny – it was awful. The boy didn't understand adults.

Mikoto snickered and patted Itachi's hair instead of trying to calm down her husband.

"She is precious. I really can't wait to have grandchildren."

After his mother's comment Itachi understood even less. What grandchildren?

Ω

The next day Konoha had a new Hokage. Namikaze Minato standing on the top of Hokage's Tower, before all the souls he was responsible now, took the title of Fourth Hokage. People were cheering, laughing and crying. Not only was the Third Shinobi War officially over, a new reign heralded new times and chances. And if Minato's gold locks and shiny smile were any indication, those times were equally bright.

Itachi stood with his mother, uncle and Shisui at the head of the crowd thanks to Shiori and her rigid clinging to Orochimaru's arm. Kushina was on the roof next to her husband but Obito's shouts were a worthy replacement of the loud Uzumaki. The presence of the Snake Sannin and Minato's team gave them a wide breath from the rest of the mob, making the gathering far more comfortable for the withdrawn boy.

Today the whole Village was talking about the ceremony and their new leader. Kushina and Shiori were invited to every clan's household (excluding Uchiha – Fugaku apparently thought that Uchiha heir constantly glued to Shiori's side sufficiently demonstrated their friendship and devotion). Both Uzumaki were too busy to spend time with their usual crowd and so Itachi feeling somehow abandoned, went to meet his second best friend. He found Shisui in a secluded part of park, surrounded by his classmates; however it was quiet obvious that for the curly-haired boy it wasn't a pleasant get-together.

"Shisui-san?" Itachi entered the clearing ready to interfere if it was necessary. All other teenagers were visibly older and taller than the two Uchihas, but the boys fought against a true, dangerous enemy before now; a bunch of children – older or not - was hardly threatening.

"Look, another almighty Uchiha." Sneered one boy who looked like an Inuzuka.

"Yeah, and he probably also knows Fourth's favorite dish and color," joked another.

"Don't forget about his favorite flowers. Maybe he even slept in his house?" Everyone burst with laughter upon hearing that.

Itachi's eyes were unyielding but mostly thanks to overwhelming his confusion. The more time he spent with other people the more he understood that his senpai as always was right. People were stupid.

Shisui's peers left them alone but parting one boy remembered something and shouted.

"Mr. Special, don't forget about your promise! Maybe this brat will help you, eh?"

When Itachi was sure they were alone he slowly walked to his disgruntled friend.

"What was that about?"

Shisui wanting to change the subject pulled itachi's hair.

"Nothing important, Tachi-chan. How's your training?" However the younger boy only crossed his arms and waited for an explanation. Shisui groaned. "It's nothing, seriously. They were talking about Namikaze-sama and I told them I know him. They didn't believe me and dared me to… to bring them his hat tomorrow." He finished embarrassed by his own stupidity. However he wasn't even in half as embarrassed as he became hearing Itachi's next question.

"Why do you let them bully you?"

"They don't bully me; they're just… somehow rude."

"Once at the playground other kids also were somehow rude to me." The tiny boy's voice was flat and nearly mechanic but Shisui could swear somewhere there, under layers of indifference instilled over the years, were hidden unlimited lodes of sorrow. "Senpai went all red and scared them, threatening to pour honey over them and bury them in a termite mound, after which she described with great detail how insects devour their victims. One girl puked."

"So she cares," Shisui joked, "In her own psychotic way but it's always something. However I'm sure you didn't need her help just like I don't need yours."

"I did not need it." The younger Uchiha admitted. "But senpai said that people can be very cruel. They can hate you for being too smart or too pretty; too popular with the opposite sex.; for looking different, being fat, or just because they want to pick on someone to feel better. That I have people who love me and nothing last forever. That in a moment those idiots will be out of my life and she will not. That one day I can have mature relationships, ones who are not involving nitwits full of bullocks. That, I needed to hear. It felt good. Are you feeling good?"

"That kid is odd even when she isn't here." Shisui mumbled. His words were quiet enough for Itachi not to hear them. "I don't feel bad, if that's what you're asking."

Itachi blinked. It wasn't clear if he believed him but the little heir decided to let it go, for now.

"How do you want to get Hokage's hat?"

"I have no idea, yet."

Itachi thought that Shisui, for someone who so frequently complained about Shiori's attitude, acted like her more often than he would like to admit. He wasn't so snarky or rude, but he hid behind a mask. Shiori used indifference, Shisui empty pleasantries, but they were both hiding. They were his friends and friends helped each other.

And that's why an hour later two Uchiha were lurking in a bushes, observing Hokage's Tower. They already tried to get inside two times and two times they were caught before they managed to climb to the second floor.

"Shouldn't we be happy?" asked the younger boy. "It means Namikaze-sama is well protected."

Shisui's eyelid twitched. Maybe Itachi was right (it was one of his more infuriating qualities) but Shisui was too pissed to admit it. Most times he was calm and collected individual but pressure of his peers was just too much sometimes. And this was one of those rare occasions. Was it so bad that he wanted to fit in, not completely because he knew it was impossible; but maybe just for a short while they could stop mock him and be civil?

"We need another plan."

"Plan of what?"

Both Uchiha jumped out of their skin hearing an unexpected whisper next to their ears. It was followed by a noise of fist connecting with a skull. Kakashi rammed his knuckles into Obito's hair a few more times for a good measure.

"You can't just go away from me whenever you hear something interesting. You can get hurt, idiot."

"You were writing stupid reports the whole day, while I was bored out of my mind." The blind teenager whined, trying to get rid of Kakashi's hand from his head. "They were whispering in the bushes, I was just curious what they're up to. You're just angry I managed to slip away from you unnoticed. In no time I'll be a super spy and you'll be as lame as ever."

"In no time you'll walk into a wall, you imbecile."

"I will not! And I discovered something. They're planning some kind of mischief – without Shiori. I'm so proud of you guys!" Obito hugged both boys, who were too dumbfounded to evade it. "So what can we do to help?"

Kakashi's fist once again bumped into his teammate skull.

"What we? Could you - just for once - don't drag me into another mess?"

"How can't I? You love it and you know it."

Kakashi massaged the bridge of his nose. Why, exactly, did he miss that idiot?

Ω

It was hell. Not even all those delicious sweets could change it. The reborn woman was never a rebel or anarchist. She liked peace and quiet. She couldn't care less about the poor and oppressed or their rich oppressors. But now, spending hours with a bunch of pompous bastards she herself felt pretty much oppressed. She glanced at an ancient Hyuga matron that resembled a concerned chicken. Shiori was impressed. She had met many buffoons in both of her lifetimes but Hyuga Kazumi was so elegant it was impossible to understand her. The old crone used not so much speech but rather modulated yawning. Both her sons, who continued the family trend, looked like two snobbish roosters. The only serene presence in that loony- henhouse was Hiyashi's wife. Unfortunately, the gentle woman was almost completely overwhelmed by Daymio's wife. Madam Shijimi was… well, Shiori could describe her only with two words: fat and abhorrent. Even her cat was allergic to her plump fingers, trying to run away every two minutes.

The little Uzumaki cringed inwardly when those fingers started to pull her cheeks again. Apparently Madam Horrible loved everything what was sweet, cute and shiny. To the girl's charging in her new, golden kimono Shiori met all mentioned criteria. She looked pleadingly at Kushina but the older redhead just grimaced. Both Uzumaki knew they had to suffer it for Minato. They were Hokage's family now. They had responsibilities; even if both redheads hated them with passion. Kushina's only consolation was the fact that Shiori had it worse. Even the fat cat saw it – not only that – the nasty furry ball was visibly grateful for it. Nasty, spiteful, bag of… The six-year-old took a deep breath. She shouldn't be thinking about this situation as if it was one, big, fucking bucket full of snakes. She should think of one snake at once and try to unravel them somehow. But then again which one to do first? All. Okay, she had to try another way and she had to try it fast. Little more mollycoddling and political talk and she was going to combust.

In spite of Shiori's usual bad luck, opportunity presented itself in the next minute. Tora, the cat, taking advantage of its mistress distraction, managed to slip from her clutches and run away.

"I'll catch the kitty!" Shiori shouted with her childish, sickly sweet voice and ran after the cat. She had no idea in which way the pet escaped, it wasn't important. The only important thing was the growing distance between her and Madam Shijimi. The reborn woman ran as far as her short legs allowed. Sadly, it wasn't too far, so to be sure she wasn't discovered too fast she hid in a store room. The girl shut the door and slid down to the floor.

Golden pools blinked. On the other side of the room sat the cat. The pet froze seeing the child. It would be completely normal if not for the bottle of sake in its paws.

"Meow."

Shiori scowled. How could she be so stupid?

"Nin-cat! You're a freaking nin-cat!"

"Shut up!" the cat growled with a voice harsh like fragmented rock in a hessian sack. Somehow it complimented his brown fur and head shaped more like a squashed pumpkin than proper feline skull.

The pet-ninja fixed the red bow on its ear; crunched its mashed nose and took a large gulp of alcohol.

"What are you looking at?"

Shiori had many questions but one surfaced above all others.

"Are you male or female?"

The cat switched its tail left to right as if to rid itself of the gathering tension.

"And what do you care, human cub? I'm the best Konoha nin-beast. You should be in awe of my sharp talons, puffy tail and graceful form."

"And that's why you're drinking instead of guarding daimyo's wife?"

The cat's paws curled tightly around the bottle, the animal could see the girl's small neck snapping in its mind and it felt good. Unfortunately, no matter how irritating this human cub was, she belonged to his new boss and was practically untouchable (author knows that here all owners of cats roll their eyes knowing that their pets don't recognize any authority, but… hell, it's a fanfic so deal with it).

"I need to report tomorrow. It means later some stupid genins will chase me across the whole Village. As if my life doesn't suck enough."

The reborn woman blinked like an owl. She vaguely remembered something from a manga about a running cat, but could it be the same animal?

"Why are they chasing you?" She asked seeing how miserable the creature was. She walked to it and sat down hoping for a drink.

"Supposedly that's practice of their tracking and hunting skills, or something." The cat mumbled drinking from the bottle, but not sharing.

Forgetting about the alcohol, Shiori scrunched her nose. Looking at the nin-cat she felt something she hadn't experienced for a long time – compassion. It was never something she felt on a daily basis. You either had it or you didn't, and the reborn soul was unbelievably happy that she was rather lacking in that department, because having it wasn't an advantage. Since the day of her rebirth she didn't connect with the pain she saw everywhere in this world, it was easier for her. Her skin grew a little thicker every day, her empathy shrinking to something you could more accurately compare to some kind of manipulation tool. Even Hatake, Obito and the rest of her minions stirred in her more pity than compassion. She cared for them all, she wasn't so blind to deny it, but it still wasn't the same.

Her melancholy was disturbed by the younger of the Hyuga twins, who just opened the door.

"Uzumaki-sama?"

Maybe Shiori was compassionate towards the drunk pet, but hardly enough to suffer for it; so she caught the feline, squeezing it so tightly that its whole last gulp was spitted.

"Look, Hizashi-san, I've caught the kitty."

The man smiled stiffly. This sweet kid with dimples in the cheeks was completely different than the gloomy cloud of silent anger that cumulated earlier during the meeting. He and Hiashi even had a little wager when exactly the girl was going to break and bite Daymio's wife.

"I see it, princess, but…" the man sniffed. "Why do you smell of sake?"

Shiori tightened her grip on the wriggling feline at the same time biting her lips. Hizashi could swear that those eyes glossed with unshed tears would be able to stop any marching army.

"It was the kitty's fault. Bad kitty!"

She squeezed harder.

Ω

Obito put his hand softly on the shoulder of his curly haired cousin as a token of his sympathy.

"Sorry, Shisui-kun, but I'm afraid you need to forget about the hat. Sensei is guarded harder than Kushina's soba secret recipe. Even my super-extra-hyper-plan failed."

Itachi had no idea how anyone could believe that Obito was some random lost blind guy. Not only no one could just walk around Hokage's Tower, everyone knew Obito and Kakashi-san's dogs.

"I don't understand Obito-san's strategy." He admitted.

Kakashi simply sighed. The young jonin slumped on the bench he shared with the Uchiha heir.

"There is nothing to understand, Itachi-san. Obito is an idiot, that's all."

Itachi nodded. They tried to get to Minato's office three times and three times they spectacularly failed. There was no sneaking around Anbu Black Ops; especially, when Obito was prone to bumping into the nearest wall every five minutes. Shisui would have to deal with his classmates without the hat.

The four of them weren't hiding anymore. They sat in front of the entrance to the Tower bathing in the sun and waiting for nothing in particular. In his life Kakashi had passed those stairs so often, his black shoes practically made a gentle pitter patter on the stone-flecked grey. However, today as he sat there they were anything but; the wind stirred dried leaves to pile up against them. They sang with hundreds of footfalls in a single hour, and stole a fraction of heat from every one of them. Waiting could do this, he guessed. It gave one time to examine the ordinary and ask questions of things they simply take for granted. For a moment he wondered if it was like that with those people, if they had become a part of his life Kakashi took for granted and viewed as something unchanging. And unchanged it would stay, if he had anything to say in that matter. Obito was back. He had sensei, Kushina and the devil's spawn. Shiori even dragged two more brats into his life. He also lost someone important. Rin's absence was clearly visible but the teen tried not to think about it. Everything changed as had he. Wasn't change the only constant they were all guaranteed?

"What are you all doing here?"

Kakashi smirked seeing how Itachi perked up hearing Shiori's voice. The boy drank her presence like a strong vine and enjoyed feeling tipsy. He watched her as if she had the stars in her hands and soft petals at her feet. Kakashi bit his lips to stop an upcoming snort. To think that from all girls in Konoha Itachi was infatuated with her… poor sod.

Before any of them could answer Obito jumped on her and with his usual blabber explaining what they were doing.

Shiori's eyelid twitched.

"Please, Shisui-san, tell me you don't want that hat for its esthetic advantages. That thing is horrid and whoever designed it should sizzle in Hell."

"It's Hokage's hat. It's a symbol, it has a purpose. It doesn't need to be pretty." Kakashi deadpanned.

Shiori's face fell faster than a corpse in cement boots.

"It doesn't mean it shouldn't. I know that beauty is an unquantifiable characteristic. The criteria are impossible to establish objectively. But some things are pretty and others aren't. That hat is hideous – it's a simple fact. Just like a fact that over ninety percent of the Uchiha clan is pleasing to the eye. That's genetic. And you," her accusing golden pools focused on the silver-haired teenager. "You, Hatake-san, are so unnaturally pretty it's freakish."

The girl stopped her rant, with verve she turned on her heel and marched to the Tower.

"Are you coming or what?"

The four boys strolled after her. Obito poked his apparently too handsome friend for fun while Itachi silently sulked in the back. His senpai thought that Hatake-san was pretty and even if she also used the word freakish, it still worried him. Shisui looking at all this madness started to believe that no hat was worth so much insanity.

Surpassingly no one questioned them when they were overcoming subsequent floors. Their unusual group was stopped by a young man only before they could enter Minato's office. A few years older than Kakashi, with weal-like scar on his face that ran across the bridge of his nose and down across the left side of his face.

"Shiori-san"

"Hey, Namiashi-san. I'm here to see Mini-nii."

"Mini-nii is busy…" The young bodyguard realized what he said and paled. "Hokage-sama! I've meant Hokage-sama. He's very busy and…"

In his fright Namiashi Raido overlooked when and how the little Uzumaki passed him and with childish glee and complete lack of concern for any consequences ran into the office.

Minato stumbled in the middle of the speech when his little ray of sunshine burst into the room. He, Inoichi and Shikaku were just talking about relocating their forces in the Land of Rain but now every detail of its topography flew away from his head.

"Shiori-chan what are you…?"

The girl glued herself to his leg and bounced, threatening to take his pants off, so he quickly took her into his arms. Then she glued herself to his neck.

"I missed you soooooo much, Mini-nii."

"I also missed you."

"But you're never home now. Don't cha love me anymore?"

Hearing it Minato's executive functioning was down to staring around with his mouth wide open, looking for help. The only support he got were looks of pity (Inoichi) and amusement (Shikaku); his students and Shiori's minions wore a suitable mix of the two.

"Of course not!" He soothed her stroking her red locks. "I could never stop loving you."

"So can we have dango for dinner?" Her distress disappeared as fast as it started. That Machiavellian smile was the blond man's undoing. Minato knew what Shiori was doing from the beginning. It was her favorite method of manipulation and he gave in every time. However it was before; now he had an image to maintain (especially when others were looking).

"We can grab some tomorrow. You shouldn't have sweets just before going to bed." Damn, why did her eyes turn glossy once more? Why she was sniffing? Minato was being reasonable and Shiori was all in for reason. Sadly, this reason not always concerned her.

"I… sniff, I understand sniff… but then maybe can I have Hokage's hat? Sniff Pretty please?"

"Yes, yes, of course." He agreed hurriedly.

"Great, thanks Mini-nii!"

The blond man stood flabbergasted when Shiori gave him a loud peck in the nose and broke free of his embrace. Somewhere in the next second Obito grabbed the hat from his desk and they were gone. Shikaku reassuringly patted Minato's arm.

"Women are a drag; even the pintsize one."

Ω

Itachi was happy looking how Shisui was going away with the ugly hat safely sealed in a scroll. They all observed as the curly haired boy disappeared around the corner.

"It won't do him anything good." Kakashi muttered.

"No, it won't." Shiori agreed. Her voice was flat and dispassionate again and that's why Itachi knew she was worried and when his senpai was worried she tried to make things better. Then everything was alright.

Ω

The air was so brittle it could snap, and if it didn't, I might. No-one spoke, what was there to say? False hopes wouldn't cut it right now. Yesterday they were all he could think of, anything to ease the terrible burden of anxiety. But now here he was - in the same clearing, surrounded by his classmates. And every single one of them was wearing the same stupid hat. They bought them in a gift shop. A few ryo and his place to belong was gone.

Maybe Itachi was right. Maybe it was as Shiori said. He shouldn't care. Those people weren't important. But then why did his fist clutch? Why did his lips tremble? Why did his eyes burn? Why did everyone go completely silent all of a sudden and why did he feel a big hand on his head?

Shisui's eyes went up where they met a pair of bright blue ones and a second shining like gold.

"Kushina-san is making delicious dinner. You must try pizza, I've made it and it's even better. Later we're having dango." Shiori beamed at him.

"Your cousin and my team are waiting for us. Are you done here?" Minato asked extending his hand.

The young lonely boy glanced at his peers and somehow in the middle of this clearing they stopped being important. Shisui took Minato's hand. He wasn't so lonely anymore.

I'm alive! I know it looked otherwise but I'm still here. Sorry for the delay. I have a new job and it's very time consuming. Designing apps and counting all those pixels isn't good for my eyes (pixel perfection is evill!).

No omake this time. I had no idea what to write about. Next chapter will have 2 – at least I hope so. If any of you have any idea I'll gladly hear it. Hmm… maybe about Inoichi's thoughts about Shiori and her manipulation techniques?

Thanks for reading and sticking with my story. Of course big thanks to my beta mrsmiawallace88.