Note: The POV might change slightly throughout the chapter. I'm not adapted to 1st person, so it may be a little messy. In addition, this has been rewritten from a previous attempt at the same concept.

By becoming Himitsu Kamaboko a citizen within my village, I became a person with an automatically made visage of trust. I always know the possibility of discovery remained entirely feasible inside a village of moving shadows. Still, in walking along within my new body, I could feel a sense of safety in my new skin. I had made my hair a luminous red, and my body to look soft by a lack of training and a civilian lifestyle. Still, it is slightly uncomfortably strange to see that even as I cast a brightened smile to those I had angered in previous; they do nothing but smile simply back, there were no glares, and no heated stares of hatred involved, which I do find weird simply from having known it to be the norm all my life.

But now, I'm finding that this new version of myself, she is saving me from a continual torment, one that I never want to face again.

Actually, the concept of her had come through an unexpected discovery, which I had no warning of or experience with. So, it took me many months of confusion to figure out, and it hadn't been a pleasant experience either. All the symptoms had come before my understanding as it were:

See, my apartment was tiny; and yet I had somehow managed to throw up on to the floor before the bathroom came into view, that was how the weirdness began in itself. My kitchen -rather, my fridge, was bombarded constantly -by my own hands- as hunger began to strike me unusually frequently. Blood had stopped coming out from my virgina -which I had only relized by accident by looking into the toilet, which was gross,- and I had also started to have occasional stomach cramps, headaches, and random anger spurts which I could, -and still cannot,- explain. It was only when December came around and family holidays were beginning, that my hand accidentally crested over a lump which I hadn't noticed before on my belly that was shaping it oddly. Naturally I had checked in the mirror, and found that the bump was almost oval in shape, and when I pressed down, it was a very uncomfortable sensation.

However, that is when I had recalled the uncomfortable -boring- sexual education courses Iruka-sensei taught the class, and had maintained a continuous blush through, he had explained pregnancy and 'intercourse,' and the Seduction Division's job in detail to all of us, stating that as shinobi it was necessary information. At the time of the lesson I had found it gross and sleep inducing, but as I had stared into the mirror nearly two months later, I understood what was happening. The symptoms that Iruka-sensei had elaborated on were what I was having, and it made sense too. There had been a man who had forced himself on me two months prior to the class. -The entire experience is one I still avoid recalling.-However, I knew at the time that it was how babies came to be -that is... what he had done.-

So, I had looked into the mirror that day of December and concluded I was pregnant.

I am young and I know that well enough. But even in knowing that, it comes to reckoning that I had also taught myself how to live alone after the orphanage had kicked me away; I had taught myself how to cook, to clean, how to fix broken sinks and cupboards, how to bandage and clean wounds, I had tried to learn everything important -though I'm sure I missed a few things that only adults can do...- and it was only later that I had learnt: That apparently all my daily tasks were all normally the duties of parental figures, those people which I had never known. That is why, even though I know how young I am compared to all the adults around, this pregnancy is one which I have decided to keep. Sure it is a little bit of a worry, or a strain on my mind occasionally, I've never had a baby after all, but its a family, and I've wanted one of those since I learnt what they were. The whole concept is something which I cannot imagine being any different from raising myself.

But, I do know how slow I can be to understand things sometimes, which is why I'm now walking as Kamaboko to the local liberty. I'm certain there has to be some sort of book on how to parent properly, how to give birth at home, feed a baby, and all the extras which I still don't know about. I am a bit late in doing so, I'll admit. I had been focusing on perfecting my disguise as Himitsu Kamaboko before going to a public place so I don't get dragged out by the ears by the staff -again.

To my count, it had been six months since I had gotten pregnant or thereabouts, so I would be due to have the baby around May, or so. Lots of time to find out the information I need to properly care for the infant, and figure out what to do about academy classes and my shinobi career. I have no plans to quit, but I will probably need to take care of the baby once its born, at least for a short time; I can't imagine leaving it alone in an empty -and often robbed- apartment would be a good idea. So, even though I don't like reading much, I can, and do, recognize that studying is definitely a preferable option then just guessing my way through parenting.

And as I'm suddenly filled with an exuberance for knowledge I almost find myself running through Konoha to get to the library. A bad idea, as I do look like someone else and I can't let my cover be blown. But, it is a close call, and I sigh at my own brain as a result. Certainly, acting more mature is going to be one of the harder aspects of this new goal I've set for myself, necessary sure, but annoying and difficult.

For a 'place of learning,' the public library seems to be full of stingy adults who don't seem to want anyone within their walls. A weird perspective in my eyes seen as it's meant to be a place where all people can go, civilian or shinobi. Still all people have problems too, so I think it could have just been an off day for everyone, which is why I cast my brightest smile to the women at the counter. It's to my own surprise when they give me a hesitant smile back, the wrinkles under their eyes lift up and they look almost young, I suppose that's simply the power of not being a hated boy in the village.

So I decide to test it out, regardless that I don't normally speak to anyone outside of the academy, I do at least know it'll be important for me now. "Hi, um... where are the... pregnancy books?" It comes out crooked, probably because of the tight throat I ended up speaking in, squeaking my voice and making me sound younger then I appear, which isn't really ideal when I'm supposed to be fourteen. The elder reception-person gives me a blank stare, evaluating my entire figure, and I guess assuming I'm an overeager teenager. However, I am lucky in this body it seems, because her more youthful assistant moves forward and gets up, giving me a tiny smile before gesturing down an aisle. My grin comes naturally, and assumptive as it is, in following her I think that she might be a cautious teenager avoiding my exact situation.

The mumble behind us, to me, sounds annoyed, even angry. I'd heard something similar enough times to know the difference.

I look over my own unfamiliar shoulder to glimpse at the elder woman, I wonder at her reasoning. If I was Uzumaki Naruto it would be obvious to me; this time it isn't, and I can't say I understand it.

"This should be it." I'm almost surprised that she spoke, which is stupid, but I've noticed lately that my head is a little dazed occasionally, forgetting obvious things -even where I'd put my shoes this morning.

"Ah, thank you!" It was as a kid that I noticed smiling soothed people, so now I always seem to do it. I can't say I mind, it makes me feel lighter whenever I do. She nods to me, with a brief flicker of hazel eyes down to my abdomen before leaving back to her post. The glance she gave had almost annoyed me, but something inside me felt threatened. I don't know why, but I do know that my hand had already gone to protect my belly from prying eyes, while my ears had queued into how far away her footsteps resonated. She wasn't an enemy, but my body felt more alert, not merely with her I had noticed, but with everyone I came into short distance with. Its an odd thought, but I have seen mother's get twitchy when strangers were around their small children, especially if they wore a green vest.

My feeling of disease lessened the further she got from me, and I felt my hand loosen as my ears stopped being intent on her location. The sigh came automatic, I hadn't even realized my breath had been holding inside me, I gulped, I don't really understand instinct, but I was told that with shinobi it usually means there is a threat involved, and no matter how I look to it; as a kid, as a future mother... A mere librarian within my own village, was not a danger to me, even as Uzumaki Naruto.

I can't think about it without hurting my own mind as it is, so I let the aisle I came for direct my attention instead. Its probably the best choice, because I really don't want to go insane like that 'Madara' guy; seeing danger when there's clearly nothing.

Scanning the rows of books is a novel experience, not because my reading ability is really low, and I know it is. Actually, its because my long red hair keeps going into my face, and I'm not used to it, I'm also a different height and that in itself is weird. It doesn't help that I don't know what to look for, or what I need to read. There's too much stuff on the shelves, my head almost aches looking at it, all complicated and titles full of super long words I can't understand or begin to pronounce. One book does eventually catch my attention, 'Pregnancy, What To Know.' Pretty simple, and boring, but it does look like something I can read without wanting to scratch my eyes out.

The first chapter, according to the top says its about 'how to know when you're expecting, the symptoms.' I've already discovered that, and even Iruka-sensei had taught me that much, so I don't think I'll need to know that part. Which fills me with a little relief, the book is long judging by its size and I really don't want to read more then I have too. The second chapter is a bit strange in my view at least, 'Diet, how to eat for a healthy body and baby.' I guess I can understand it if I think about it a little more, the baby is in my stomach right? So the food it gets must come from me somehow, honestly, babies are weird, I still want mine, but they are weird.

I decide to start at the second chapter, as I've already been through the first. I'll have to take it home with me too considering how big it is it'll take me a few weeks to read. Though, I can probably sneak it into the academy and read it during the boring genjutsu class -that class doesn't make any sense to me anyway.

The first line states, rather firmly, that the mother must eat healthy with vegetables and a limited amount of salt. I know ramen has salt... does that mean I can't eat ramen?