A/N: And I got the next chapter done. Frankly, I surprised myself.

Chapter 6: Gone

Time seemed to go too fast yet not fast enough. Certain days crawled onwards with a tense anticipation of when, when, when…

When was Shinju?

When was canon?

When would the massacre be?

She was about two years older than the Rookie Nine. She was in her third year at school when they started though.

They were five.

Shinju had known Japanese school began at age six approximately. She knew Sasuke had been about seven or eight when massacre happened, it being 'five years ago' when mentioned in canon. Post-graduation for the rookies but had they been twelve or already thirteen then?

Additionally, Shinju had thought the Massacre took place within the first year of Sasuke's schooling.

Thus she was completely lost as she watched through second floor window at the new crop of students and families milling on the yard. There was a pack of dogs with Inuzuka Tsume and Hana escorting Kiba to the entrance ceremony. There was a blond head in the side-lines alone – obviously Naruto. There was another distinct blond head but on a long high-tail. Yamanaka Inoichi with his daughter. There was the newest Akimichi clan heir. There were the Hyuugas with Hinata trying to hide behind her father without actually doing so.

And then there were the Naras. Shikaku and Yoshino and Shikamaru…

And a girl.

A girl Shinju had never seen before. Someone who definitely had not existed in the canon she remembered. Because if not in the present timeline, at the very least Shinju should've seen her in the flashbacks from Shikamaru and probably the rest of the Ino-Shika-Chou.

Shinju did not know what to think about this.

"Shikako-chan is Shikaku-sama's second-born." Fusae had answers to her questions though. The first day back ended early but Shinju had remained behind to help cleaning up and to ask for information.

"Is she Shikamaru-kun's twin then if they started the Academy the same time?" Shinju asked from where she was collecting self-assessments sheets from the seats. Papers where the students wrote on what they thought on their skills, where they were good at, what they needed to improve on… and also what they wished to learn either in school or at some point in their careers.

"Yes. I hear she was diagnosed hyper-sensitive to chakra at first thus was not intended to attend Academy." Fusae sighed. "Considering that her survival in October had been slim… I'm not surprised by such choice."

The Kyuubi. Shinju might've awakened then and she still remembered the terror of that night but she had been aware enough to push it away and then focus on learning her new environment. Shikako would've been only… few months? When was Shikamaru born again? But very young anyways. Regardless if Shikako was like Shinju or not, her situation would've been much different. And considering how many children had died during that night, maybe it was reasonable to guess there had been a divergence that allowed the other Nara child to live.

"That's why I was unsure if you were alive as well." Fusae said quietly. Shinju looked up from the papers she'd been arranging alphabetically.

"Fusae-sensei…"

"The uncertainty was probably the worst in the situation. But it was also one of the few things motivating me afterwards. Why I became a teacher and all." The woman quirked a crooked smile. She accepted the papers from Shinju. "Run along now. Your family is surely waiting for you."

As Shinju left, she couldn't help but think… Fusae was very lonely, wasn't she?

()

Shinju flicked the flames between her fingers. It was an exercise of low chakra requirement for dexterity and ensuring your own flames did not burn you. Simple flames such as this were coming easily to her now and Hatori was considering teaching her tricks of her primary element. The prospect excited Shinju but right now she was feeling pensive.

Seeing the Naras had reminded her of the technique scroll she'd received from Ikoma through Fusae. About shadows. Her birth right. She'd pushed them away in favour of everything else. In favour of Hatori and Shisui and what they could teach her. And she would continue pushing until she had no time with them anymore.

She transferred the flames from hand to hand, keeping the ball of them consistent. Back and forth, back and forth, the pace increasing gradually until it was more like holding the flame in both hands and only alternating which hand had more. Like holding a tube of water and tilting it side to side.

"Hatori-ojiisan… Am I a prodigy?" She asked eventually. It was the impression she'd gotten during the years when training. How Shisui and Itachi compared her pace to their own and tried their best to slow down even when she did not always need it. They never actually said the words and Shinju was far from their level but… She had no proper comparison with her peers since she only saw them at school and her friends each had strengths in subjects that she could not exceed.

"Possibly. You certainly have the aptitude to be on the very top of your year rankings." Hatori replied from where he was raking the yard. There weren't much leaves littering it but enough to stand out.

There had been three classes was twenty students when Shinju started school. Now there was two classes of twenty-six. She suspected at least four more students would drop-out before graduation. Some of the orphans would probably be transferred to shogakko on stipend. That happened occasionally. Since they'd already gone through certain courses and learnt things, they'd be able to continue schooling to become productive members of society instead of go to the trade schools like the orphans who didn't start Academy.

"Should I start applying myself more then?"

"I think better question is, are you satisfied with the pace you are going now?"

It was a good question. Shinju supposed she was satisfied. She was learning a lot of different things. Taijutsu, kenjutsu, shurikenjutsu, basics of ninjutsu and other chakra manipulation… She had already advanced to elemental transformation last year and could almost infinitely improve there. Additionally, Hatori had been teaching her the usage of ink brush for painting and calligraphy. It was meditative and something to relax her body and mind with.

"I think I am. As long as I don't stagnate, I'm satisfied with myself." Shinju separated the fire into two balls and began slowly to juggle them. It required yet another aspect of hand-eye coordination. "And there is still a lot for me to learn from you."

"I'm thinking of letting you sign the Crow summons next year or the year after that. Your chakra levels are a bit too low for repeated summoning training yet but it will help you to get acquaintanted with the Sansokuu clan."

Shinju fumbled the catch and a fire ball fell on the gravel ground, dissipating with a hiss. She looked up at her grandfather. The remaining fire ball wobbled on her palm.

"This early?" In canon, Naruto had the summons as genin only because of his chakra stores. She had understood (mainly due fanfiction) that people generally were at least chuunin when trying to acquire summons. And yeah, Shisui and Itachi both had signed the crow contract but Shinju did not know how early in their careers that had happened.

Hatori was quiet but there was something heavy in his gaze when he turned away to continue raking.

"I think you'll be ready for it."

Of course, Hatori was not the only one to decide on a sort of a deadline when to start teaching her a new technique.

Shisui had decided to start instructing her on Body-Flicker once he had the chance to be off the mission roster for a week or more. Which meant he was about to engage in several back-to-back missions in order to earn that down time.

Shinju had an inkling of what some of it could be about but the exact reasons escaped her. She was fairly certain it was about politics though.

It was months later that she asked about it though.

From Itachi.

Because why not.

Hatori had been tied at some investigation or other and working over-time recently so Shinju had been spending time with whichever Uchiha boy happened to be free. Usually, Hatori had written instructions left somewhere in his yard for them to find. That day Itachi and Shinju had been sparring with live blades with Shinju having been instructed to use Body-Flicker as often as possible. It was hard. Concentrating to destination and moulding chakra for the technique while at least one of her hands was engaged in the clash and in general having to divide her attention so… It was really challenging. Especially with Itachi being so much better than her and having gotten even better during the past years. And he was only ten! But then again, he had been recently promoted to chuunin. And he would join the Anbu soon.

"Itachi-san, are Shisui-senpai and Hatori-shishou pushing me for advancements sake or because of something else?" Shinju asked as she parried a strike. She ducked and rolled under the next one and then flickered to gain distance.

"…Both." Itachi replied at length. He lowered his blade. Shinju waited a moment and then rose from her crouch and lowered her blade as well. This was apparently something that could not be discussed in the middle of a spar. At a silent signal they went to the edge of the clearing where they had left their bento boxes and water bottles.

"So?" Shinju plopped to sit down on a fallen log that had shed all of its bark, making it a smooth and clean bench-equivalent, and opened her lunch. It was full of her favourites. Mitsuru had a day off and thus was indulging in sushi making. Shinju loved both tamago and inari nigiri in addition plain salmon ones. And there was plenty of gari as well!

"Shisui and Hatori-san are certain you can take what they intend to teach you. A lot of things they've started you on in the past years are things you build on gradually. The individual count is high, especially considering that you are still attending Academy as well. But they support each other rather than hinder you that's why you are able to keep up with it all." Itachi stated. He did not say a word about Shinju's ability to absorb the knowledge and apply it to other things she was being taught. Normally children of her age had pretty much one-track mind. He had seen it on Sasuke. He had seen it on other Academy students when Itachi was still attending.

"And the other part? Does it have something to do with clan stuff? They don't know about my… talents and speed of learning though, right?" Shinju frowned.

"They do not as you are not recognized as an Uchiha. Chichi-ue certainly does not know I help you train. Neither does haha-ue or the elders. Uchiha Katsuki exists but at the same time does not…" The boy sighed. "There are tensions rising. It is nothing bad but Hatori-san is preparing for the fallout already. Shisui is following his lead."

"Tensions?"

"Between the clan and the village. And within the clan as well."

"…" In preparation to the coup then. Mistrust being sown and Uchiha being pushed aside more and more. But how would that affect Shinju then? Or Hatori and Mitsuru?

"Hatori-san is making sure that when everything comes to head, you'll either be folded into the clan or then all connections will be cut."

Shinju could see the shape this situation was taking.

"If the Uchiha come on top, Hatori-shishou wants to leverage on my inclusion based on my skills. My mother cannot be included because of the seal and the clan not allowing Hatori-jiisan and Katsuki-baasan marry – or recognizing any bonding ceremony they went through… But I have him, Shisui-senpai and you to vouch for me. Or if the Uchiha suffer, Hatori-shishou can sever the ties so I won't be affected in the fallout but still have learnt at least most of what he wanted to teach me." Neither option sat well in Shinju but she could see the wisdom in them.

"Exactly."

They finished their lunch in silence and then continued sparring. Shinju may have vented a bit. Itachi let her but still trashed her in every bout.

Naturally, Shinju threw her everything into training and trusted her mentors to stop her before she got too far. They seemed more aware of her limits anyways. This life was skewing her sense in every aspect. On one hand, her current body was that of a child… but on other hand she was a ninja child with chakra and enhance herself.

She was still learning though.

It was during one of her treks around the Uchiha compound from one training area to another that she met Sasuke for the first time.

He was at the same pond that Shinju had once been, practicing the Great Fireball. There was some success but spluttering. Probably a combination of Sasuke being lightning natured and Fugaku not bothering to give much instruction. Seriously, one demonstration and showing of hand seals and then walking away when the first attempt didn't succeed? Man had way too high expectations and not enough patience. And was probably emotionally constipated.

Shinju made an impulsive decision and with a light jog headed down to the lake. She deliberately made her footsteps loud when hitting the pier. Sasuke straightened up from his hunch and looked at her. He was very adorable!

"Hi, you training with the Great Fireball?" Shinju smiled, coming to stop a few meters away from the boy. She rocked on her heels a bit. It was a bit strange moment. She was wearing a blue shirt just like Sasuke but hers was without the upright collar. Her training pants were black compared to Sasuke's light grey shorts… but otherwise they probably could've passed for siblings. Maybe. Possibly. Shinju was still a child and thus didn't know how she would look like as she grew up or which side of her family she resembled most… Black hair was pretty standard and common in all three families, fair skin as well… She knew she got her eyes from granma Katsuki though their deep colour was from Hatori. There was something of Ikoma in her face that Fusae had recognized, too…

"Yeah?" Sasuke said a bit warily.

"Want some tips? I got some from Shisui-senpai when I was starting and they really helped me." She asked, figuring that rather than accepting proper help, Sasuke wanted to figure things out himself and thus make his father proud.

"Sure." Sasuke nodded. With that permission, Shinju approached the boy and began talking about the things Shisui and Hatori had told her on that day she learnt her first elemental jutsu. The boy eagerly listened and then tried out the technique again with their help. Shinju supervised and was glad to see improvement.

"Try for constancy first and then for size. This is your first nature transformation after all."

"The tiger seal is a good mind focus for any fire jutsu."

"When you up size and intensity, check your footing. It also gives you surety."

They stayed there until the sun was starting to set and they realized their families were waiting them for dinner.

"What's your name?" Sasuke asked when they were parting.

"Katsuki."

It felt like she was running out of time. One day she was going through the basics of Body-Flicker, the next signing the summoning contract. The crows Hatori summoned to meet her were very taken with her though they agreed to wait a few years until she would start practicing the summoning itself. School year turned to next, Shisui became a jounin even though he had already been Anbu with Itachi. Shinju somehow managed to avoid meeting the Nara twins and rest of the clan heirs at school.

She was just shy of her ninth birthday when Hatori took her to Naka Shrine. Shinju had been dressed in kikyou-iro kimono with ryusui – flowing water – pattern that had maple leaves as well. It was nice. Maples were found in the October cards of Hanafuda and that month also had deer in one of them. Additionally, the pattern used in her obi was kanoko – fawn – in golden brown. It was very expensive. The leaves were embroidered, the kanoko was hand-dyed… She had a maple kanzashi in her hair.

Mitsuru had dressed her, smiling wistfully all the while.

"I made my oath a bit before graduation. It wasn't official or anything as I wasn't recognized as an Uchiha… But it was family and something to dedicate myself to since all I knew of Katsuki-kaasan was what Hatori-tousan told me. Kinoshita family had been dying for a long time…" She explained. "I snuck into the shrine on my own and came up with something appropriate based on what I'd learnt of the Uchiha traditions."

At the Shrine, there were people waiting. Shisui, Uchiha Fugaku and… a kunoichi Shinju had probably seen at some point.

"Fugaku-sama, Uzume-san, Shisui-kun." Hatori bowed. "Konbanwa."

"Konbanwa." Shinju echoed, mimicking the bow.

"Let us proceed." Fugaku stated and turned around to enter the shrine. The kunoichi – Uzume – smiled.

"Glad to see you again, Hatori-ojisan. And nice to finally meet Katsuki-chan. You've been hiding her." The accusation sounded playful but the weight of the look Uzume gave Hatori, spoke more than the words said.

"Glad to be here." Hatori replied evenly. "I was afraid you'd poach yet another student of mine."

"It was co-teaching! Dependent on who was free!"

"And you taught Obito-kun and Shisui-kun very well."

Shinju was confused. She had thought Hatori had been the sole in-clan teacher for the two boys. Uzume was… maybe a bit older than Mitsuru. While Hatori was probably busy at work and child-rearing, had Uzume taken over? Had Uzume been his student alongside Mitsuru? Maybe when Hatori was teaching Yamashiro Aoba, Uzume had focused on Obito?

The last question gave Shinju a pause. With the exception of Aoba, all the other students were Uchiha more or less. Or was Aoba out of clan Uchiha as well? Had his sharingan been sealed like Mitsuru's? Had Aoba ever considered an oath like Mitsuru did or was he satisfied being just Yamashiro?

So many questions, not enough answers. Or time to ask the questions as they walked inside the shrine. Shisui was next to her, holding her hand and occasionally squeezing it reassuringly. And maybe a bit apologetic too for never mentioning Uzume. Or maybe Shinju was reading too much into it.

Fugaku was sat in front of the altar inside the shrine. A bit to the left. Uzume took a seat bit to the right. Shisui sat behind her. Shinju took her seat between Fugaku and Uzume, with Hatori sitting behind her.

"We are here to confirm the new presence in our clan." Fugaku began. "We are here to welcome a daughter of the Uchiha. We are here to hear her oath and witness her worth."

Shinju got on her feet and approached the altar. There was a candle waiting for her, unlit. She did the hand seals performatively slowly and the breathed a steady but delicate stream of fire to light the candle.

"I, Uchiha Uzume of Yatagarasu line, witness fire in the daughter's heart. I recognize her as an Uchiha."

Shinju then took an incense stick and lit it from the candle, carefully using one hand to hold her kimono sleeve back from the flame. Before sticking it to the sand bowl, she used the smoke rising from it to draw the uchiwa fan into the air. It was hard and required finetuned chakra control to make it stay still until the picture was completed.

"I, Uchiha Shisui of Kotoamatsukami line, see the daughter's dedication to our arts. I recognize her as my student."

Shinju deliberately did not react to that proclamation. While not forewarned of this, she saw that it was another tie for her. If she were to be inducted to the clan properly (she did not think that it would require the coup succeeding) Hatori would first and foremost be her grandfather and not her teacher.

Instead, she kneeled directly in front of the altar and first flared her chakra as wide as she could, and then suppressed it deep inside her core. She pressed her palms against the tatami flooring and bowed, her forehead brushing the flooring.

"I, Uchiha Hatori of Ouyamatsumi line, have taught the daughter the traditions of the Uchiha and deference to our gods. I recognize her as my family."

It warmed Shinju very much to hear those words. It was something she'd already known but hearing it here and in this situation, somehow meant more.

"This one is called Uchiha Katsuki." She began and slowly rose from the kowtow. She lifted her right hand to press against her heart. "Venerated gods, honoured ancestors, I give my oath to always protect my family, stand by my brothers in arms, and be of the service of the noble Uchiha Clan and the Village we joined in the years past. As long as fire burns in my veins, I will abide by this promise."

"I, Uchiha Fugaku of Amaterasu line, hear the daughter's oath. I recognize her as my clansman and welcome her by the blessing of our gods and ancestors."

There was… a feeling, perhaps. Some sort of warm pressure that intensified for a moment and then dissipated. Shinju relaxed her chakra, returning it to its normal state and then turned around whilst kneeling. She bowed.

"Thank you very much, Fugaku-sama, Hatori-ojiisan, Uzume-obasan, Shisui-senpai. I'm honoured for your acceptance."

"You are very welcome, Katsuki-chan." Uzume smiled.

"No need for thanks." Shisui added.

"The honour is ours." Fugaku stated.

It was only a week after that when it happened. Shinju was still in a bit of a high over the ceremony. She met Uzume a couple of times as Shisui was on a mission and Hatori in meetings with elders. The woman was quite nice and so was her partner (Work partner, almost-married or platonic life-partner? Shinju didn't know) Hyuuga Amano. What Shinju deciphered between the lines was that Amano was probably in Anbu and Uzume had been as well. She heard also that after the ceremony Fugaku had thanked Hatori of the help Shinju had given Sasuke with the Great Fireball technique. The boy hadn't talked about it to his father but Fugaku had heard Sasuke confessing to Mikoto about it.

Shinju tried not to be embarrassed over the teasing.

But then it happened. Shisui didn't come for the promised visit and when Shinju went to look for Itachi – she figured that as everyone in the clan head's household knew about her, it would be acceptable – she ran into the scene of Itachi attacking three members of the Military Police. They were talking but the words became white noise to her. Because she realized what had happened.

Shisui was dead. One of his eyes was in Danzou's hands while the other was in a crow. Any day now…

Whenwhenwhen…

Hurryhurryhurry…

Shinju was at Hatori's house. They were eating and talking what had happened during the day. They were also mourning. Shisui had been dear. For Shinju, Shisui had been like an older brother. He always made time for her when he was in village. He had declared her his student. He was after Mitsuru and Hatori the person Shinju loved the most. There were words that she probably should say. To warn Hatori and Uzume and everyone else. But what could she say? They are already aware of Itachi's erratic behaviour; they already know he probably had divided loyalties. But not even they could suspect a massacre as the next step.

There was a knock on the door. Hatori got up to open it. Shinju could hear him talk.

"Itachi-kun? What are you doing at this time of the night?"

"Hatori-san. Thank you for these years."

Chakra flared as Hatori dodged backwards into the house proper. Itachi's sword slashed through the space he'd been. Shinju clambered away from the dining table and out of the way.

"Itachi-san?" She whispered. Terror filled her. Why now? Why so soon? Despite Shisui's death, Shinju thought she still had more time. It had only been… How long had it been? Shinju could not recall.

"Itachi-kun, explain yourself." Hatori demanded. In his hands was a katana which had hung on the wall. Shinju had thought them decorative only. She should've known better. Hatori had lived through all the previous wars even if he'd only participated in the first one on field, fresh out of the Academy. The rest he'd sat out of in Intelligence department due his 'injury'.

"I'm sorry. But you are to die here. Both of you for being obstacles on my quest to strength." Itachi replied. It sounded like something rehearsed. Or maybe Shinju was biased due her knowledge.

"There is history of the Uchiha seeking strength through their kin." Hatori said slowly, his sharingan spinning to the view. "I will not let you touch my granddaughter."

"As an Uchiha, she will need to die as well."

"There is no Uchiha Katsuki." Hatori declared and Shinju could just see his sharingan changing shape before everything went black.

Mangekyou Sharingan: Ouyamatsumi

A/N: And that is the wrap of this chapter! I was very confused over the timeline. Mainly because I remember reading somewhere that between Shisui's death and the massacre was only three days? But after writing this chapter I reread the manga chapter flashback and apparently Fugaku teaching Sasuke happens in that gap and it takes Sasuke one week to master the skill. So this chapter does not strictly adhere to canon... but that was probably obvious anyways.

I do not own Uchiha Uzume or Hyuuga Amano. They are originally created by Pepperdoken and I've read about them in Dark Fire AU by waffelate.

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-alia00: Thank you. I hope you like the next chapters as well.