Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

POV: Iruna

The first that I leave my hospital room, wearing at least a plain shirt and shorts, I was brought into a windowless room the only light coming from the light bulb on the ceiling. It didn't have a table and two chairs on opposite sides, but something else. There was a half-dome metal structure in the middle of the room with seal patterns on it. There was one person inside, and he hid his emotions well. His eyes were blank, but his features tell me he's a Yamanaka.

I grimaced. I was only told to go with the anbu guarding me. They could have asked me if I'll willingly undergo interrogation, but with my situation they would need evidence. Either innocent or not, this would be the fastest way for them to know. The only worry I have is the person learning of what I know of what's to come.

I was ordered by the attending interrogator or torturer to step towards the half-dome. I had no choice and did as I was told. I yelped when the metal structure enclosed my body with only my head out. I shivered as I felt water meet my skin. The interrogator placed his hand on my head and met my eyes. What followed was just darkness.

"You will always be under watch. If you come with me you would be free." The masked man said from the branch after I threw his katana back at him, and missed by a foot.

"Whatever you say won't make me go with you. I'm not leaving my home village." I shouted at him. "You're only telling me lies!"

When I came to I was back in the Hospital Room, the ever present anbu still there. There was at least something different, on the bedside table was a book. I grabbed it right away to read the title 'Tale of a Gusty Shinobi', why is it only now they decide to give me something to read? I've been bored out of my mind from being kept in the room with nothing to do except exercise and work on my stances and katas alone! That didn't mean I wouldn't read it.

I closed the book once I was done and I couldn't help but smile. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was good in its own way. I hope Naruto still keeps his loud and energetic streak. I wonder how Minato-san will bring up Naruto. I sighed then when will—

"You didn't like it?" A voice came from the right side of the bed surprising me.

I snapped my head to face Minato-san there smiling.

"Minato-san, I didn't hear, er, see you come in." I said flushing. I'm a shinobi. I should be alert at all times.

"You were engrossed with reading. I've heard that you've been exercising or practicing your stances. You must have been bored in here." He said. "I had them leave you a book to read."

"Oh, thank you."

"What do you think of it?"

"It's a nice story, not the best, but I like it." I replied. "The protagonist doesn't know when to quit."

"How are you doing so far?"

"Good, but I want to go outside." I replied.

"Soon, for now you have to stay here."

"Am I still under suspicion?"

"The elders and the other shinobi clans are still deliberating if you are innocent or not. I'm sorry that you weren't told that you were going to be brought to T & I, Iruna-chan. They needed evidence, and by word doesn't really have enough weigh on it by only one. Even though I believe you, I'm not that powerful to make every decision."

I nodded. I understood that so I was to remain in the room as a prisoner still.

"It was necessary." I replied looking at the front of the book on my lap.

"Is there something you want to ask or pass along or a favor?"

"I…" I want to visit Kushina-senseis' grave site and Fathers' was what I thought, but I wasn't allowed to leave yet. I wouldn't want to remind Minato-san of his late wife either. "How are Obito and Kakashi?"

I listened as Minato-san told me that Kakashi entered anbu a month from the Kyuubis' attack and was working on becoming squadron leader. Then there's Obito, still a chuunin, and has been coming and leaving the village. He's shared a camaraderie rivalship with Guy. I can bet that they already have a number of silly competitions done while I was asleep.

"Minato-san, why was I in a coma?" I asked him.

I've been wondering about that one and the dream about the orange chakra. It doesn't make any sense.

"Maybe when your better Iruna-chan."

"I am better." I replied. "Not that I can take missions, but that I'm awake instead of in a coma."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." I asked meeting his blue eyes that were a shade darker than a Yamanakas'. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I'll come again when they've made a decision." Minato-san said rising. "Don't work yourself too much. I'll be sure to send another book since you're done with that."

I was left alone (sans the anbu) in the white room I hate. My room wasn't white…my room…do I still have a room? I was ex-communicated, what does that mean entirely? I can guess that I'm not welcome to the Uchiha compound anymore.

Ha, not only am I kicked out of the clan. I'm also kicked out from our house. Great. I have some of my seal tags at home. Mother can't hand those to me like clothes I have my sealing tools sealed with my blood and chakra. I would have to look for an apartment to move-in, if the landlord or lady doesn't hate me. I can live in the forest…from a house to the forest. Ha, the life of a shinobi, or my life right now.

Minato-san kept his word and after reading the 'Tale of the Gutsy Shinobi' again that day, it was replaced with another book this time it was a romance novel. I tried to read it, but after the first three chapters. I got bored with the story, and I left it on the side table. I went with exercises and katas for most of the day and pestering the anbus as much as I can. I tired myself out that day, and slept earlier leaving the romance novel there. If that's one of the books Minato-san read—I'll just think that Kushina-sensei owns the book.

Two days after reading 'The Tale of the Gutsy Shinobi' did Yamanaka enter my room.

"Hello, Iruna-san. I am Yamanaka Inori." She said smiling.

"Hello, are you going to look through my memories?" I asked right off. I'm not going to play this game of fishing for answers.

She was taken aback from her eyes widening.

"No. I'm not here to look through your memories."

"Then, why are you here?"

"Iruna-san, you must be in a state of shock."

"What?" I don't understand what she means. Shocked, maybe I was, days ago but not anymore.

"Iruna-san, I understand that the Hokage has told you some unfortunate news."

"Ah, you mean that I'm kicked out from my own clan and that I'm currently the number one most disliked by the village?" I said indifferently.

I'm still a shinobi. Everyone is doing fine. The only problem is what they would decide about me.

"Yes, but you also lost your father."

"I lost my sensei too." I added.

"Yes. You did."

"The villagers also lost someone important to them."

"Yes, but were not here to talk about them."

Ah, I get it. She's here to see how I'm thinking or feeling.

"Is this really necessary?" I asked her.

"Do you believe it isn't? No one was there to soothe your feelings. You may be a chuunin, but you're only a child. It must have been devastating to know that you lost your father, and you were kicked out of your own clan."

I would have snorted really. My mind is of not a child's. Only my body is. Also, I wasn't devastated to be kicked out. I'm more worried of what those old geezers would force on my family, and especially Itachi.

"Of course there wasn't, the anbu was present but they're here to watch me not to feel sorry for a child like me." I said evenly. I don't even believe that she's here to help me with my feelings. "I'm a prisoner."

"Do you really think you're a prisoner?"

"With the anbu watching? Yes, I do believe I am one. The anbu just doesn't watch anyone unless they were ordered by the Hokage or anyone that is authorized to order them to do so. They don't allow me any visitors or to speak to anyone. I'm a child, but I am not an idiot not to know that. I am a shinobi still."

"Will you help protect Konoha if there was an invasion?"

"What kind of question is that?" I asked her. It seemed to confuse the Yamanaka with me thought. "Why wouldn't I protect Konoha? It's my home village."

"Between Konoha and your family who would you protect first?"

So they want to know where my allegiances lie. Damn them for making me choose between the place I love and the persons I love.

"I'll still protect Konoha. I know my family will be fine."

"And if it were your brother who is attacking Konoha?"

I stared at her. "What are you trying to say?" I asked gritting my teeth.

I am not going to let that happen. That isn't going to happen. I swore to protect Itachi and Sasuke, too.

"It is only a question, Iruna-san." She replied.

"I'm going to stop them." I replied meeting her eyes, which widened a bit, but I won't let anyone kill them.

"Do you trust anyone?"

"I trust the Hokage, and a number of persons."

Yamanaka Inori left after a few more question, none of them were really to alleviate any feelings I have. I think the goal was to irritate me further.

Four days after the Yamanaka came to visit me, the door to my room opened again.

"Iruna-chan!" Obito-nii said as he entered.

"Iruna-san!" Guy said right behind him.

I blinked at them. I wondered if I was dreaming or not.

"Hi" I said a bit loss for words. I looked at the two anbu in the room. They remained in position and weren't budging. "Should you be in here?"

"Iruna-san! With the Hokages' orders we are to escort you to his office." Guy said with the same energy as I can remember. "It says right here in this scroll." He added opening the scroll with the mission written inside.

"Erhm, I don't have any clothes." I said.

"Oh, here" Obito-nii pulled out a scroll from his utility bag and handed it to me. "We dropped by your house and your mother handed this to me."

"Thanks." I said taking it and heading inside the bathroom to get changed.

I unsealed the contents of the scroll, and I couldn't help notice the lack of the Uchiha clan symbol on them. Iruna, the ex-Uchiha, I wonder if that's what they call me outside of these walls.

I came out of the bathroom wearing the shirt and the shorts with it, my hair up in a ponytail.

"I'm ready to go." I said finding Guy doing push-ups, and Obito-nii was reading the book left to me yesterday.

"Yes! Let us depart!" Guy said getting to his feet.

Obito-nii closed the book and left it on the bed as we left the room. I walked in between Guy and Obito-nii as we walked down the hallway. We came across two medics on the way out, and by the waiting area were five civilians. I wouldn't be surprised if they glared or gave me scathing looks, but with Obito-nii and Guy next to me they blocked any sights of me from the civilians.

We reached the Hokages' office without any troubles, but there were some glares directed at me from the other shinobi we passed by. Minato-san sat behind his desk reading, and he only looked up when the door closed behind us.

"Ah, Iruna-chan" Minato-san smiled at me. "Obito, Guy, you can wait for Iruna-chan outside."

Obito-nii gave me a pat on the shoulder, while Guy gave me a thumbs-up before they disappeared behind the door.

"Glad to see you outside of the hospital room."

"Glad to be finally out of there." I replied smiling or trying to. I don't have a place to go return to anymore. "So, why did you have Obito-nii and Guy bring me here?"

"Why don't you sit down for a while?" He said gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. I wonder if there's a seal that brings that chair out when the Hokage mentions it or he releases minimal chakra to bring it out.

I took the seat and turned to him.

"I had them bring you here because I couldn't leave my office." Minato-san replied, and I don't doubt him with the mountain paperwork on his desk. I suppose all the kages' have the same problem of paperwork. "Yesterday it was decided that you are innocent from accusations of the destruction of Konoha."

I nodded. That's great if I had been guilty…I'd rather not think of that.

"While your status as chuunin is returned, you are under probation."

"For how long?" I asked.

"Three months"

It's not bad, I still have to retrain. It was only months of being in a coma and my body became weak.

"What are my restrictions in regards with my former clan?"

"They left me with a scroll to hand to you in lieu with your ex-communication from the clan."

I snorted. They couldn't even bring it to my face. Without me being an Uchiha, I won't be sullying their name. Probably the reason they kicked me out of the clan they couldn't stand to have an Uchiha named as the one to bring destruction to Konoha. Throwing me out was the easiest to do, to save the clans face. What's next they're going to blame the heir for the clans ruin?

Minato-san pulled the scroll out from his drawer and handed it to me. When I touched the scroll, I felt chakra come alive.

"Minato-san the window!" I said holding the scroll.

He didn't ask for questions when he threw the window door open behind him. I got to the floor and with all the strength I could muster I threw the scroll out of the window just as it exploded in the air. Killing me off would be the likely option. The door behind me flung open with Obito-nii and Guy entering.

"What happened?!" Obito-nii asked.

The explosion was loud enough for everyone within range and in the tower to wonder what happened.

"Nothing to worry about." Minato-san said smiling. "Just a faulty explosion tag."

Obito-nii and Guy left without question.

"So…is Kurama with Naruto?" I said sitting back down like nothing happened. I'm no longer an Uchiha why bother kill me off? They washed their hands off me.

Minato-san blinked at me before he shook his head. "Yes, he is."

"The seals worked?"

"Not all of them"

"Which one?"

"The redirection seal"

"Then, is the Yang Kurama in the belly of the Shinigami with the Sandaime?"

"No."

I was confused, how can the Yang Kurama not be in the Shinigami when the redirection seal didn't work.

"The redirection seal didn't work and like the Yang Kurama your chakra was also being pulled by the Shinigami. You could have died then."

Oh. "But I'm alive"

Minato-san nodded. "Yes, you are. It's because of Kushina. She used some of her chakra to reinforce the redirection seal to help you send the Yang Kurama to me, but because of the surge of chakra along with the redirection seal and the tug with the Shinigami instead Yang Kurama was destroyed and his chakra dispersed. Some has entered your chakra channel."

"What?" I snapped my attention to him. How's is that possible?

"Iruna-chan, haven't you been dreaming of orange chakra?"

"Is that what they found out in T & I?" I asked.

"It's true isn't it? You've been dreaming of orange chakra."

"I have, but what does that mean?"

"You should have noticed that you're chakra control has lessened and that there are changes with you physically."

That's true. There were times my control was a bit shoddy, like I couldn't control the chakra I placed onto my feet. Then there's my brownish hair.

"Iruna-chan, have you looked in a mirror with your sharingan on?"

I shook my head. Minato-san handed me a hand-mirror and told me to activate my sharingan. I did and I gasped looking at my reflection. My sharingan while it had two tomoes that wasn't what surprised me. My sharingan were like…how is that possible?

"The time you were in a coma." Minato-san spoke up. "My theory is that while you had been in a coma and Kuramas' chakra was passing through your chakra channel it passed along some Kuramas' features while your body was adapting to the foreign chakra."

I still stared at my reflection, and while I didn't have whiskers or whisker like features. My sharingan showed a lot of him inside me while it might be small it brought about some changes with my features. Maybe that's why Yamanaka Inoris' eyes widened, my sharingan came out. Forget, three months, I need four or five months.

"I won't be able to take missions even after my probation." I said.

"You can still take missions, but lower ranked ones. You can use those to train yourself, like the Tora mission."

I gave Minato-san a withering look. While that was true, I didn't fancy chasing that stupid runaway cat.

"Can I even take missions? A lot of the villagers would know about me and they wouldn't want to give me missions."

"I'll be sure to hand you missions from the Shinobi clans, sans the Uchiha clan. The Tora mission is always open for you to take."

I sighed in defeat, no use complaining. "What about my stuff at my house?"

"I'm sure Obito-kun can get them for you."

"Not everything, I have my sealing tools sealed with my blood and chakra. I need to be there to get them."

"You can always disguise yourself the way you and Kushina do in your reconnaissance missions."

"I suppose." I replied recalling our missions which consisted of wearing contact lenses, and dyeing my hair with a different color. "Can I go around the village?"

"Obito-kun and Guy will go with you. Be sure to return before it gets dark."

"Yes, Mo—ahh, Minato-san." I said bowing to him then leaving the room.

When I closed the door, I think I saw Minato-san frown, maybe because of my slip up? I replied as if I was talking to Mother. I guess I won't be hearing those words from Mother anymore. I won't live under the same roof as her, Itachi and Sasuke. How will Sasuke learn to call me Neesama? While the thought was supposed to be amusing, somehow it was a wistful one.

Obito-nii and Guy were willing to go with me around the village. The first place I said I wanted to go to was the cemetery, but not without buying some flowers. I wanted to be the one to buy them, of course with Obito-niis' money, and even though I suggested buying from the shop run by the Yamanakas' Obito-nii insisted that he buy the flowers and we wait by the entrance to the cemetery.

"Guy" I said staring ahead of me.

"Yes, Iruna-san?"

"You and Obito-nii should know that I would find out that the villagers hate me when you two aren't around and I'm by myself. I'm not going to disguise myself that would just be running away. I understand why they hate me. They just want someone to direct their hatred at. If it's a way to help them, then I don't mind."

I heard a sniffle next to me then. I turned to find Guy with his arm over his eyes, and I can see that there were tears falling down his chin.

"Iruna-san!" He faced me, tears and snot. "I commend you for your honorable choice! To face such hatred onwards, you are truly a remarkable person! I, Maito Guy, support you and will help you with your training!"

With my training? "Ah, that's not—"

"I will help you Iruna-san! With me helping you, you will be back in shape in no time!"

"Guy, you don't have—"

He grabbed both of my hands and held onto them pumping it up and down. "I will be sure to be at your doorstep by four in the morning Iruna-san!"

"I don't—"

"I'm here!" Obito-nii said holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Ah, Obito! I leave Iruna-san to you! I must prepare for tomorrow!" With that Guy left with a trail of dust right behind him.

I groaned out. I don't even know where I'll be staying! How is he supposed to show up tomorrow?

"What did I miss?" Obito-nii asked.

"Nothing much, just Guy being Guy."

We entered the cemetery and the first we went to is Fathers' grave. It was there surrounded by the grave of the other Uchihas'. I took three flowers from the bouquet and placed them on top of the grave. I'm grateful to Father that he taught me and Itachi our family taijutsu and the Great Fireball jutsu. While it was once that he cooked for us, it even tasted bitter. It was one of the occasional moments that he was our Father and not the clan head.

"Hi, Father. Sorry it took me a while to visit. I was in a coma for a couple or so months. You must be disappointed in me. I've been replaced. Itachi is the current heir not me. Also, I'm no longer an Uchiha. I just go by Iruna now. You don't have to worry about Mother and Sasuke, Itachi promised to look after them. I'll do the same when I get stronger. I hope your okay there on the other plane."

After visiting Fathers' grave, I went to the memorial stone and searched for senseis'name. A lot of people died that day, and I was an instrument for that destruction. I placed the bouquet ontop of the name plaque. I stared at the name 'Uzumaki Kushina'.

"Hello, Kushina-sensei. I…I'm okay. I've been in a coma for a while, I'm awake now. It was a long sleep. Something you wanted for me to sleep early and longer, so I won't stunt my growth. I'll be sure to sleep longer while I'm retraining myself and I'll eat properly." I swallowed and cleared my throat. "I…I'll still work on my seals. I'll get better with fuinjutsu theories and with the kenjutsu stances you showed me. The Uzumaki style you mentioned has missing stances, but you completed them and by then you had the name 'Red Hot-Blooded Habanero'. It just means not every movement will be the same for a person. I will be sure to master it and make my own style. I had a wish actually. A wish I know wouldn't really happen. You told me that once I've finished my apprenticeship with you in kenjutsu that you'll present me my own katana. It's just one of my wishes that won't come true anymore." I choked a laugh and rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. "Kushina-sensei, thank you for accepting me as your apprentice, the times I spent with you weren't all the best, but—but it's something I would cherish dearly. You opened the path of fuinjutsu to me and helped me. I'll get stronger and I'll protect those I love. I'll also look out for your son. He's going to be in the same age group as my little brother."

I bowed down up to my waist, my tears falling down onto the dry ground.

"Goodbye, sensei. Thank you for everything." I said with my crackling voice.

ooo

After visiting the cemetery, Obito-nii brought me to a dango shop and we ate inside. We had two sticks of dango to finish and tea. I was on my second stick when the owner of the shop approached us.

"Are you Uchiha Iruna?" The man asked his eyes were hard and cold.

AN: Hey guys! So, I have some news. I'll be updating every two weeks from now on. Reasons? One, I'm still sick, but I'm on the way to recovery. Drink ginger guys! It has a lot of health benefits! Two, I need to make time to study so I won't have everyone telling me 'not to give up' and so I can show it to them that I can freaking pass that exam! It's annoying really their persistent nagging for me to start studying. For the record I'm not giving up! KORA! Just because I haven't started studying means I gave up on my life! No way am I giving up on my life! Sorry for the rant, but I can't rant in fb or other social media anymore, because my aunt and father will see my status. They'll start giving me advice again. While I love them and undestand where their coming from. I have to make them stop with action. Until the next update! Thank you for reading!~burst-enna