"Giving birth to a baby is easier than worrying about it." It's a Japanese proverb my grandmother used to say- it means 'fear is greater than the danger, sometimes an attempt is easier than expected.' That's all I'll be thinking the whole time- since I'm completely free balling this life crap. SI OC, AU, Uchiha clan saved (Obito gen.)
Prologue
Kaigetsu.
That's what they called me in this world.
Yep you read that right, I'm in another universe.
One moment- I'm behind the register at work taking an order from a customer. The next- the door swings open and a man yells get down. Then a bang. Then nothing.
Now...this.
"What is your name?"
In an all white, padded, interrogation room at age 5. I stared up at a character. A fictional character. Morino Ibiki, or Ibiki Morino if you're Canadian/American/Australian/etc.
"Hozuki Kaigetsu" I replied instantly.
The last name rolled off my tongue but up until a few hours previous, I hadn't known that's who I am. I knew my first name and I knew the people who took care of me. That's it. I hadn't realized I was in a ninja village let alone a clan and I never heard anyone say it around me. I was kept within the compound and rarely let outside. I must have been born an orphan or something, looking back. The way I shifted from set of arms to set of arms, stranger to stranger. That would explain the lack of schooling, human interactions, etc. It was pretty jarring and I'd given into the motions after a year of life- simply waiting to reach an age where I could finish growing up all over again on my own.
One morning, this specific morning, someone came to kill me. Actually the whole fucking place was covered in blood.
"What happened to you, Hozuki Kaigetsu?" Ibiki asked next.
My breath caught without meaning to, and I flinched. I put a hand up to stroke my tangled and soaking wet blue locks.
"I woke up to screaming" my eyes glazed over as I relived the horror "there was a masked adult with a blade. He or she was going from bed to bed, killing all the children one at a time. I was the last. Well one of the last. I shoved the other kid in front of me and ran out the door."
I could have lied.
But because I didn't, I hoped to earn some points for honesty.
His face sat unchanging, unblinking. So I continued.
"Right outside was a stream and the person guarding it was distracted" I furrowed my brow "I was going to swim away seeing as the compound exits were occupied, 'cuz I'm a great swimmer. The killer came to get me though. Then I...I turned into the water. I'm not sure how."
"I-I did not know I was a part of a ninja clan. I knew of clans and ninja, that they existed. And that's it. I am an orphan" I tried to stress the importance of these words.
This is more talking than I've done thus far.
My throat itches. I want a drink despite being drenched and freezing.
Insanity.
"By the time I was able to go back to being a solid- your people found me."
That's how I realized where I am, the Naruto universe, and who I am, a member of the Hozuki clan. When I became a solid and a team of Anbu knocked me the fuck out.
My memories flashed through the forefront of my mind all over again, even though I hadn't forgotten them, specifically one of a purple eyed boy hosting a smirk. Suigetsu. I didn't and don't know anything about him or his clan. I just know that they're the only ones with the ability to do what I did. Kishimoto, thankfully, had been fairly clear about his kekkei genkai in his writings. It also explained my own mouthful of a name. I might have realized sooner if they hadn't sheltered me like they did. Oh well, they're dead now. No use in being mad at ghosts.
"How old are you?"
Wow, another question I know the answer to. I'm 3 for 3. The adult in me finds the horror of my situation amusing.
"I'm only five" staring into Ibiki's eyes is like staring into an abyss. I don't waver or look away in fear of giving him the wrong impression.
"What will you do now?"
Oh.
Now that one stumped me.
I deflated visibly, like a balloon. My forehead crumpled. I began voicing my thoughts aloud- knowing the only way out of the man's destructive path would be honesty.
I fumbled nervously with the blood stains on my shirt.
"Well...whoever the killer was or whoever hired the killer expected not a single one of us to live. I'm sure they were tracking me down the stream until you guys showed up. In other words: I'm a dead girl walking. The only villages I can think of that would be able and willing to protect me would be Iwa or Konoha."
I shrugged weakly.
"If I got to stay here- I'd become stronger and take care of the weak. If I was thrown out- I'd probably try my damndest to get to Iwa without being slaughtered and then pursue the same ideal. If you decide to kill me or something" I shivered "there would be nothing I could do about it."
I didn't bother trying to hide my usage of big words or my understanding of advanced topics.
They'd be more likely to keep a prodigy.
Ibiki abruptly stood up, his mask of indifference still in place and giving nothing away, and then left me alone with my thoughts. I hadn't been given a chance to accept the fact that chakra is real, and I used to it to survive genocide in Kiri. So I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes.
I wasn't necessarily sad and I know I should've been. I didn't feel guilty for pushing that equally as terrified little girl to her death in order to save my own skin. I pondered my lack of empathy. I took note, I was excited to be in Konoha. Even if I didn't get a warm Ichiraku welcome.
I'd been lucky. To be entirely unaware and escape unharmed. To end up in the, arguably, nicest of the hidden villages.
I felt glad that I didn't have a Kaa-Chan or a Tou-San, that I wouldn't have to mourn anyone.
The door didn't open but a shuffling sound occured followed by a gust of wind. They probably muffed or hid the entryway with genjutsu so I, and other foreign ninja, wouldn't know when they were coming or going. Smart.
I smiled and lifted my head.
"Why are you smiling?" Ibiki snapped, probably looking the most scary he had thus far.
I flinched.
"Because I survived a massacre" my smile turned into a frown "I ended up in a normal village" I spoke slowly as if he was a child or someone of low intelligence.
Ibiki glared down at me, a towering shadow.
He snapped me up by shirt collar and a new urge hit me. My insides seemed to want to turn to goo the minute that I got scared. I fought the sensation not wanting to piss him off any more than I already had.
"Where are we-"
I was cut off as the oxygen got punched out of my body and the world became a fuckin' blur.
So this is what a shunshin feels like….
I decided I don't like that feeling.
Imagine being socked in the stomach right before going on a merry go round.
When we eventually came to halt, I was dropped onto my ass.
I hissed and rubbed the offended area, shooting Ibiki a look like 'really?'
He stared straight ahead.
So I sighed and took in my surroundings, eyes wide.
The Hokage's office.
I met eyes with Namikaze Minato and then promptly turned into a puddle with a garbled 'Sorry!'
I hadn't been expecting him. I thought I'd be seeing the old man since Minato was only in charge for a select period of time. It gave me a very clear idea of the timeline. Well, not exact, but as close as one could hope.
The blonde sent Ibiki away laughing while I flooded the floors of his office both trying to contain myself and come back into my solid form.
It took me longer than I would like to admit.
Once I did- I stood dripping and unamused. I flatly stared at the blue eyed hero.
"Hozuki Kaigetsu, but you can just call me Kai" I shrugged "I didn't even know I could do that until this morning so I apologize for the...disaster I've turned your office into."
Ironically, my voice was the driest thing about me.
Minato began howling, doubling over and wheezing. I pouted.
What's so funny? I wanted to snap. I bit my tongue with my abnormally sharp teeth. A bad habit I picked up once I realized I had the fuckers. I just figured I'd been born with bad genetics.
Turns out it's for survival.
"S-sorry- it's just hilarious to me, how similar you are to my kohai."
Kakashi?
I didn't know whether to be insulted or flattered.
I decided to stick with being dead inside.
"Did he escape brutal slaughter by turning into h20 as well?"
Well that did it- Minato couldn't contain himself anymore. He began hitting the desk and falling over.
"Clearly I've been deemed not a threat" I mused, watching him giggle "which is cool since I'm almost as useless as a civilian."
That cut the room in half, silence suddenly taking over. I cocked my head. I was surprised to see his light hearted attitude shift into what I could only assume was Hokage Mode.
"That depends, Hozuki-Chan. Did you mean what you said?"
Waves of killing intent poured off of Minato letting me know just what was going on. I checked out in all the other areas so now I needed his approval.
A normal five year old would have shrunk In fear, maybe even cried. I didn't really mind the suffocating air.
"I don't say things I don't mean" I explained.
"That settles it!"
Minato clapped and jumped to his feet with a new and sweet smile, dispersing the intent and heading towards a folder sitting on top of a mini fridge.
Damn.
What a 180…
Note to self- don't get on his bad side.
"Hozuki Kaigetsu, you will become a citizen of Konoha so long as you stick to your promise of becoming strong and protecting the village. In return we will provide you with everything we would for a normal orphan going into the academy."
Relief flooded my system.
"Fucking bless. I thought for sure you lot would end up scraping me off the streets of Iwa" I began shaking the water out my hair, a lot more relaxed.
Minato snorted and opened my file, plopping down into his seat once more. He picked up a pen.
"You will be living with a trusted ninja of Konoha that way we don't have to keep anbu on you all the time. Once you become a proper citizen you'll have plenty of money for your own place and you'll no longer be under lock and key. So to speak…"
I waited for him to finish and then placed a hand on his wrist, doing my best to put my whole heart into what came next.
"I sincerely thank you for not turning me away. I promise to become strong and protect the village."
I felt truly indebted to him. I felt like if Hiruzen had been in charge, Ibiki would've been dropping my ass outside of the gates next. Maybe. Maybe he would have kept me for my bloodline. Maybe that was the only reason Minato was keeping me.
It didn't matter.
I'd live and that tanto wielding, serial killing, ape would never get me.
Minato held a thumb up and grinned toothily.
"I'm glad you didn't die, Kaigetsu-Chan. You seem like a good, smart, kid."
I removed my touch as fast as I'd initiated it, not liking human contact very much and having short little arms.
"So who will I be living with?" I asked curiously.
"An orphan with a coveted ability who's your age just entered the academy, Uchiha Obito, and his caretaker is a trusted infiltrator. That's the place I think you'd do best, with a companion your own age where I don't need to have you tailed 24/7."
I swallowed.
Don't turn into a puddle, don't turn into a puddle. Why god? Why me?
It's not like I could say no.
"Anywhere is fine with me. I'm in no position to be picky. Thank you, Hokage-Sama."
Minato hummed and tossed his work into the drawer.
"Anbu Butterfly."
A masked figure flickered into existence next to me and I jumped away on reflex, my head making a thump noise as it collided with the wall.
"Send for Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Sayuri. Tell them Kai-Chan is ready."
How long was I out for? I wondered, thinking back to the team that found me knocking me unconscious. I turned into a fucking body of water again as I realized I'd be meeting the Obito right then and there.
Minato laughed.
"Now that won't be getting old any time soon."
Author's Note: I've made it so Minato got elected as Hokage way earlier than he does in canon for the sake of the story because I didn't wanna deal with Danzo hearing about her arrival. Minato would know to hide it from him, would know not to trust him, whereas Hiruzen would let him know first thing without thinking of it as bad. He'll still be a sensei, the sensei, he'll just be a more hyperactive and sleep deprived sensei lol.
I hope this was an interesting and well written start. This fic is where I'm gonna ball out with the most artistic freedom so dont be surprised in the future when things get murderous and hectic and also insane.