Chapter Two

First Sight

Hiruzen Sarutobi is an old, old, old man. In my opinion at least. And yet- the social standing perk very clearly made itself known in the form of my existence.

The old coot knocked someone up. I couldn't fuckin' believe it when I woke up in the arms of the man himself. I stared up at his wrinkled face with nothing but curiosity. How? Who's guts was he re arranging? Doesn't he have a cane? I couldn't fathom it. He cooed a new name and traced his fingers across my barely there tuft of hair.

"Tsuru-Chan" he'd said.

Sarutobi Tsuru had a nice ring to it. There was no denying that.

I spent my time as a potato, I mean infant, listening and waiting. I couldn't help but thank the stars that I'd chosen Linguism considering I picked that before knowing where I was headed. I found out that I was born just before Naruto, because a very very far along Kushina came storming into my makeshift nursery in the Hokage's office demanding to meet me. She was impossibly pretty and loud like a boom mic. I only saw her that one time.

It wasn't long after that- the nine tails let loose on Konoha and the main man himself was born.

My father disappeared and a member of Anbu with a disturbing mask, one that reminded me of Shukaku, watched over me. I could sense and taste the demonic chakra in the air that night. It was invading my every sense. Sight, smell. I kept hearing screams. Even knowing that I probably wouldn't die having picked Vitality and just been born, I passed out thinking that was it. I woke up in a baby baking tank otherwise known as an incubator. Actually it looked low tech to put it nicely..let's just say that Konoha's got nothing on Kaiser.

Dad nearly ripped out what little hair he had, stressing when I didn't just wake so easily. It took a week for me to re stabilize. After that- I caught two conversations in which he told people that 'my ability to sense chakra affects me deeply' in wonderment and that I 'would be a strong kunoichi.'

I guess that's lucky.

I was so wrapped up in everything that on my first birthday; only then did I realize I forgot where I came from.

I forgot about the fact that people were back in my home world grieving me. I couldn't let that determine how I acted moving forward. I would have to work on remembering that time, honoring Elizabeth as I live my new life. Even when it hurts. It's not like I have time to be anyone other than Tsuru. That would get me or somebody around me killed; if I didn't grieve properly.

Sometimes I cried low and quietly when I was left alone. I knew the Anbu could hear it and my dad would always be aware. But I had to get the hurt out.

My first word turned out to be a first sentence and was said entirely on accident. Sitting on my playmat and pretending like my dolls are ninja- I didn't realize when I began voicing the little characters aloud. By age 3; I began molding chakra and dreaming up Ninjutsu. I didn't know what Hiruzen's (it felt odd calling him anything other than dad considering he wiped my ass) chakra nature could be….so I listened to hear any mention of it with baited breath. No such luck. Still.

I knew I wanted to make a seal to use on Sasuke, If I could figure Fuinjutsu out.

I'd seen a number of fan made videos discussing the hatred of the Uchiha clan and its link to Naruto being a reincarnate of Asura and Sasuke being one of Indra. Enough to know that if not for that and the cursemark- maybe the latter of the two would go down a different path. If I could figure out how seals work then I could make one with the ability to filter all foreign chakra from Sasuke's body as well as reject new seals. So when Orochimaru bit him- nothing would happen. I would probably end up enraging the snake sannin.

It was all just ideas anyways...the daydreams of an adult in a toddlers body.

From thongs and parties to diapers and rubber kunai.

I began to wonder about those downsides that woman mentioned. I hoped none of them would cripple me. Like Rock Lee's screwy chakra coils. Mine felt like they were in working order. I'd been able to (surprisingly) hold a leaf to my forehead. In fact, I could hold multiple. Controlling chakra came to me extremely easily because I recognized it as something in my body I had never ever experienced. Having tenketsu...its unlike any other feeling. Knowing my own biology pretty well from watching the anime was also a huge help.

If my father found me odd- I couldn't tell.

He never looked at me weird or voiced any concerns. I looked a lot like him with his complete set of facial features, just fuller lips and my hair was crazy different. When I first crawled over to a reflective surface- I fell over in surprise. Luckily the room was carpeted so I didn't crack my precious undeveloped skull. That wouldn't have been very lucky.

My nose and jawline, for a toddler, could cut glass. My hair curled in tight coils like I'd always dreamed of having but I didn't know where it got its color from. Dark blue. The same shade as Hinata's if my memory served correct.

I didn't talk often but when I did, I usually had something important to say.

""Otou-San '' I spoke up one afternoon, dropping my crayons with a dull expression "I'm bored. Can I learn something with chakra, pretty please?"

He looked up from his paperwork with an amused but withered smile.

"And what shall I teach you?"

I frowned and paused.

What should I learn? Fuck if I know...

"Hand signs?" I said simply.

Mastering them at a young age would make the academy a much less shitty process to go through, that much I was aware of. My dad laughed outright and nodded his head. I guess that was a weird thing for a toddler to ask to be taught. Even in a ninja village.

"Alright. Let's begin."

He walked at a regular pace, cane in hand, and placed the do not disturb sign on the door. He then made his way over to my leaf village playmat and plopped down. I was in awe. My old man, The Hokage. Just chillin with me.

For that time- I left behind all my worries and lived in the moment.

I just learned.

I entered the academy right after my 5th birthday.

With two baby blue lunch sacks in tow, a toothy grin on my face, and Asuma (my big brother) holding my hand- I was the picture of confidence. Our father tied back the hair out of my face with an adorable pair of butterfly clips like something from my life as Elizabeth, and shoved me into a pink kimono that screamed Hokage's Daughter. I didn't really care about how I looked in the slightest though.

I'm about to meet Naruto! I thought with feverish excitement.

"What're you most excited to learn, eh Tsuru-Chan?" Asuma asked, cigarette dangling from his lips, finger lifted up in mid light.

I wrinkled my nose in distaste at it but said nothing, since I smoked like a chimney when I was his age.

"I don't think the academy will teach me what I want to learn but I hope to make up my own awesome Ninjutsu, bring back the art of Sealing to Konoha...stuff like that. I also dream of having a really strong Summons. Like tigers!"

I truly sounded, and felt, my age for once. Aside from my advanced vocabulary. But that much could be written off due to my upbringing as a political figure.

Entrance Ceremony.

Ahead I could see the Academy and I forgot about the conversation- I grabbed Asuma's hand in a death grip and dragged forward with a gleeful kick off to start my running. He made a strangled sound of protest but didn't exert any force into getting away.

Only to hit a wall.

A wall in green. Bright green.

Oh, oh no.

"Forgive me, Hime!"

Authors Note: So after the first chapter- I couldn't decide what to do in regards of who her fam is and eventually while smoking I just said screw it and went with Hokage because I figured that's like 'the all' of alls. Hiruzen may not play a giant role in the story but being the daughter of the 3rd seemed to be the best option as far as resources and plotline.