Chapter 2

I never managed to figure out how to make a shadow clone, or an earth clone but I did manage to make a ton of water clones. Like a ton. I tried making one but it turned out to be 50 before I passed out. Either I have the worst chakra control, or I have Uzumaki levels of chakra. Neither of those options are good. Not good at all. But I can't focus on that today. I can't focus on who my family might have been. I'm alone. And it's time for me to start changing things. Even if I did end up being a background character in whatever happened in this world, I would do anything I could to save as many people as possible. And that starts today.

It's the first day to sign up to join the academy. As soon as I get to the building, I regret the decision immediately. The first thing I see is a boy my age, his back to me. On the back of his shirt is the symbol of the Uchiha clan. Beside him on one side is his mother, and on the other is his brother, a boy a little older than us, and beside the boy is their father. Of course I'd get stuck behind Sasuke and his family. This is great. Just wonderful. I know he's not crazy power hungry, but it's my first sight of an Uchiha. The first reminder of the upcoming massacre. How the hell had I forgotten about that? That means I have just under three years to stop it. I already feel a headache coming on.

And then I hear him. It's unmistakable, it's loud, and it's right behind me. I stop myself from flinching when I turn around to see the people behind him glaring down at him. It's a civilian family that I'd seen before, they had a market stall by the library. Naruto has finally finished his rant about becoming Hokage one day, his chest falling and rising quickly as his emotions continue to swell. I can't stop myself from glaring up at the father of the family before grabbing onto Naruto's arm and pulling him beside me in line. The man turns his glare to me and I can't stop myself.

"You're an adult, why do you have to be so mean?" I feel eyes on my back as soon as the end of my question makes its way out of my mouth. The man was so shocked that I called him out to respond to my question, so I just roll my eyes at him and grab Naruto's hand, turning both of us away from the man. I look over to Naruto to avoid catching the eye of the Uchiha clan head in front of us. There's tears in his eyes, and I realize that's probably the first time someone's stood up for him. It makes me angry, I feel my chakra flare, and out of the corner of my eyes I see an anbu in the tree for a brief second. Naruto looks scared at my reaction, and I immediately feel bad. I take a deep breath before talking to the boy that would one day be the savior of this world.

"It's nice to meet you, Naruto." I give him a tentative smile before continuing. "I'm sorry you had to deal with such a big meanie on an exciting day like today!"

"How'd you know my name?" He has a cute confused look on his face, the whisker marks on his cheeks moving slightly as he puffs his cheeks out.

"You just told them you were Uzumaki Naruto, the next Hokage."

"Oh, yeah." He scratches his cheek with his free hand. I can't stop my quiet giggle at his reaction as we step forward in line. While I don't feel the Uchiha's eyes on me anymore, I know I'm being watched carefully by anbu now. "Wait, what's your name?"

"Kojika."

The Uchiha have finished signing Sasuke up for the academy, and now it's our turn. The man at the desk to sign us up gives Naruto a nasty look, but he's too happy to acknowledge it.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and this is Kojika, and we're here to sign up for the academy, dattebayo!"

The guy looks so tired as he fills out the paperwork for us. Within minutes we're all signed up and walking through the academy halls towards the practice gym for our orientation. Naruto is bouncing with energy, and I can't help but join him. But then, we get to orientation. And it finally sets in. The room is filled with shinobi and their children. A few civilian families sit with their children. I can see bright bubblegum pink hair and immediately recognize Sakura. I feel a tug on my arm as Naruto tries to pull me to one of the bleachers, but I shake my head. I can't handle all these people. I look around the room, and eventually I look up to see the catwalk around the top of the gym. Only a few shinobi stand up there, all Jonin.

"Eh?" He questions as we start up the steps. "Where are you going, K-chan?" I smile briefly at the nickname.

"I don't like crowds." I tell him honestly. "I'll go up there!" I point to an empty corner facing the stage placed in the gymnasium. It'd be the perfect spot to watch.

"Okay," Naruto says, it's clear that he wants to sit in the very front with the way he's bouncing in his spot. He moves to follow me, but I shake my head.

"You don't have to come with me, Naruto, I know you want to sit up front."

"Are you sure?" He looks nervous, but I give him an encouraging smile and push him lightly towards the front.

"I'm sure, I'll see you in school!" He gives a sunny smile as he turns to run towards the front. I watch him go before heading towards the stairs. It seems like more Jonin are making their way up to the top and I want the place I'd chosen earlier.

By the time I get to the spot I wanted, there's a young Jonin standing there by himself. His silver hair is extremely messy, his back is hunched as he reads his book, seemingly lost in it. But I know he's watching every move I make. I act like I don't know that, or at least I try to act like that. I continue to walk over until I plop down in an empty spot beside Kakashi. Instead of standing like him, I sit down, dangle my feet over the edge of the catwalk and lay my arms on the supporting bar in front of me.

"You know you're supposed to be down there with all of your future classmates, Chibi-chan." A familiar voice teases me. I can't stop myself from pouting as I turn to look at Genma as he takes a spot on my other side, leaning his back against the upper railing.

"They said we had to be in the gym, Genma senpai."

"Another one, Genma?" A man says as he leans against the railing by Genma. The man has a weal-like scar on his face, but I can't remember his name.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Raidō." Genma says, but Raidō laughs at him anyway. That's when I remember him, he was one of the fourth Hokage's guards, along with Genma.

"You went and got yourself another kid." Raidō deadpans before turning from Genma and crouching down to look at me. "What's your name, Chibi-chan?"

"Kojika." I change my pout to give him a large smile. "It's nice to meet one of Genma senpai's friends." Genma groans as Raidō laughs. Kakashi is still silent beside us, but I can feel his eyes on me.

"What's your last name, Kojika chan? Where's your parents?"

"I don't have one, and I don't know, the orphanage said I'm a civilian orphan."

The welcoming ceremony had begun, pulling the attention of the Jonin to the front stage. The weight of everything I'd read and everything that had happened to me in this world was finally starting to hit me. Instead of crying or shaking, or any outward reaction, I just feel myself go cold. My entire body turns to ice as I start trying to map out multiple plans on people to save, on things to stop.

The Uchiha massacre. Finding a way to bring Obito home. Finding a way to bring peace without such a costly war. I already couldn't stop what happened to the Ame trio. I couldn't save Sakumo. I couldn't save Rin or Minato or Kushina. I need to focus on keeping people alive. Shisui, Lord Third, Asuma, Jiraiya, Haku, Zabuza. Naruto, Kakashi. Pack. The word pops out of my head, like someone spoke to me. I feel my chest start to heave a little before I feel weightless. I finally open my eyes and all I see is green. I can't hear anything from the ringing in my ears. My voice refuses to work if I could even think of a thing to say. I smell grass and dogs and eggplant and the smell of freshly polished weapons. Home. Pack. Safe. The voice continues in my head and I let myself go, dropping my head into the chest in front of me. Burying my head as close as I can, feeling the rough texture of a Jonin flak jacket as I move my cheek against it subconsciously. A hand rubs my back steadily as I succumb to the darkness.

I wake up to a dark room. It's filled with several different breathing patterns. And instead of the alarming cold I'd felt earlier, I feel overly hot. I'm pressed close to something hard. I move my head a little and recognize the texture of the flak jacket from earlier. I soon take in the similar scent and immediately feel myself relax. Although now the smell of dogs emanates around the room. I feel a weight across my stomach and legs, and then hot breath against my leg before there's a wet feeling.

My face scrunches up as I slowly sit up, trying not to awaken the sleeping Jounin beside me. I let my eyes adjust to the dark room before fully looking at what's laying against my leg. It is a very large dog. Who is also the source of both the drool that's on my leg, and the random snores that fill the room. I look closer to me, and the weight against my stomach is from a more slender dog with bandages wrapped around its head. Looking around I see five other ninken, and I barely stop myself from squealing. I was a sucker for dogs in my last life.

But they were literally the best. And being surrounded by a puppy pile after the long couple of weeks I'd just had? Closest thing to heaven that could possibly exist. But then I pause. Kakashi had eight ninken in Naruto. Not seven. Where was Pakkun? As soon as the question passes my mind, I feel a weight against the top of my head and a paw laying my head back down on the pillow behind me. I lean back obediently and cut my eyes upwards. Laying on the pillow above my head was an annoyed looking pug. I feel the smile creep across my face as he rolls his eyes before patting my forehead once more.

"Go back to sleep, pup." He says quietly.

"You can talk?" I whisper back quietly. Sure, seeing ninja walking in the streets, creating clones myself, those things were weird enough, but honestly? Could have just been my imagination. But hearing a dog talk? It finally makes me settle into the fact that I'm in the Naruto universe. I feel myself start to get worked up again. My chest grows tight. The telling sign of the panic attacks that plagued me in my last life. How would I ever become a ninja if I can't manage this? How could I-

My thoughts are cut off by a weight on my chest. Pakkun sighs as he lays down on my chest, resting his head on my shoulder between me and the Jonin beside me. I feel a muzzle move against my hand, nuzzling against it, and I immediately move it to pat the head of the ninken in question, not even knowing who it was. My eyes are shut tightly as I try to control my breathing. I feel a human arm wrap around my shoulders, pulling me closer to his chest. So much for not waking him up.

"Sleep, pup." A hoarse voice echoes Pakkun's earlier command.

"Where-"

"Hatake home." Comes the immediate response. But why was Kakashi here? Wasn't he supposed to live in Jonin apartments by Guy? Hadn't he left here after his father had-

"Tou-san will be home soon, imouto. Out for a mission." I feel myself freeze and Kakashi just sighs before pulling me closer.

"Tou-san?" My voice cracks but I don't even care. Hatake Sakumo was alive. He was supposedly my father in this life. And Hatake Kakashi was my brother. All the plans I'd been working on since I'd found out I woke up in this world just flew out the window. I have a family. I have a family. I have a family.

"Yeah, Tou-san." Kakashi whispers this time. I feel my tears start to fall as he drops a kiss to the top of my head. "We'll figure everything out, imouto. But you need rest after what happened earlier."

"I missed the ceremony." Kakashi snorts at that.

"It was just Lord Third saying the same thing he says every year."

"But I haven't been before. What if I missed something? I'm already not going to be as good as everyone else."

"Everyone else doesn't matter right now, imouto-chan." He runs a hand through my hair before reaching over and turning on the bedside light. I blink at the inclusion of the dim light in the room. I can see all of the ninken more clearly now, and I reach my free hand that's not petting Shiba? To reach up and pet Pakkun slowly. "You'll start learning things you need when you actually go to the academy. It's just another annoying ceremony we have to go to, you'll get tired of them eventually."

"I didn't like it today either." I pout to myself before looking up at Kakashi. His face is tired, but a small smile graces his face. Wait. There's no mask. He removed his mask at home? He laughs after a moment, his canine teeth showing to be sharper than the rest. That wasn't in the original Naruto. Of course I couldn't end up in the original universe. Only I could end up in a random alternate timeline. I feel my lip tremble a little before I see Kakashi's face turn from amused to worried.

"What's wrong, imouto?" He questions, but I just look away as I feel the tears burn at the back of my eyes. "I wasn't laughing at you, Kojika." He whispers after a moment, wrapping me up in a tight hug. "You just sounded like a true Hatake. Tou-san and I don't really care for ceremonies." The tears still fall, but I hear my giggles before I even realize I'm the one laughing. Kakashi joins me after a moment before I feel a large weight fall on top of both of us. I look up to see the large dog from my leg draped fully across both mine and Kakashi - sorry. Mine and my brother's legs. He gives us a chiding look that causes me to giggle even louder. I didn't know that dogs could even give that look.

"Alright, alright. Enough talking you two, it's way too early for this." Pakkun grumbles from my chest.

"Maa, I guess you're right Pakkun. Go to sleep, imouto."

"Easy for you to say." Kakashi rolls his eyes before leaning back over and cutting off the light.

"Goodnight, Kojika."

"Goodnight, Nii-chan." I whisper, staring at his chest. He holds me tighter for a moment before putting his hand back through my hair. Before I know it, I'm already asleep.