Out of the Ashes

Chapter 5

Take A Hold

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Fushicho is my baby though.

I was blinded when I woke up. There was a light above me that was shining down and I had to close my eyes immediately after opening them. I sat up slowly and misjudged the distance between the light and my head. After almost cracking my head open on said light I peered around the room through half lidded eyes.

I wasn't in a hospital room. At least not a resident room. The floor was white tile and the walls were gray. There was a dark window to the side and the only light came from the one above me. The door was closed and I was laying on a gurney.

What.

Then the door opened before I could begin to think about where I was and what had happened. Walking in was a man in a lab coat followed by a strong familiar presence. The Third Hokage moved slowly like a feeble old man but I could taste the power from him as he followed the medic to my spot. He tasted of cigar smoke, trees and what could only be described as power. The medic behind him wasn't nearly as interesting, only tasting of mint and that gross grape or cherry medicine you had in the old world.

"Fushicho-chan, I'm glad you're awake." the Hokage told me with his kind eyes hiding what he was thinking and feeling, "What do you remember?"

I felt like I was already in an interrogation but I figured it best to answer as close to the truth as I could, "Ita k-killed everyone." Add a few stutters to make it seem like I was emotionally distraught. Not that I wasn't effected, don't get me wrong. I just watched my brother die. But at the time I was running on autopilot. I was a logical person even if I did have a temper and stupid moments.

"How do you know he killed everyone? You only found your brother when he was injured." the Hokage inquired.

Well shit.

I couldn't tell what his motive was but clearly he came in here to mind fuck me (At least in my eyes that's what he came in here to do). I had to stop and think for a few seconds and I stared at the Hokage as I thought. My mind was a bit muddled.

Finally, I just let my temper spark.

"How do you know what I saw?" I hissed, "You weren't there. You didn't see Ita covered in blood and Sasu dead on the floor-" I paused and looked at the Hokage oddly. There was no way... I was clearly imagining the odd situation and my idea wasn't reality. I mean, it couldn't be. Not after what I saw.

I took a chance, "Sasu's... alive."

The medic spoke before the Hokage, "Yes. Uchiha Sasuke recently got out of surgery and is in stable condition."

I actually burst into tears as I felt a good deal of my tension melt away. The Hokage and medic politely waited until I managed to stop crying. I wiped my eyes on my arm and looked at the Hokage, "He'll be okay?"

The Hokage exchanged glances with the medic and then the Hokage took a seat on the edge of my bed. They didn't tell me Sasuke's future, but not answering gave enough of an answer.

"You were correct, Fushicho-chan." he said softly, "Itachi killed the entire Uchiha clan except for two- you and your brother."

So the Hokage didn't know about that woman. Interesting, I wonder if Itachi, when reporting, said anything? Or... could she have been an acquaintance of Tobito? Tobito helped in the massacre so if he had an acquaintance this time around because of my meddling in the story...

"What will happen to us now?" I asked blandly. My mind was still reeling.

"Sasuke will be in the hospital for a long time, Fushicho-chan. We've cleaned the first few blocks of the Uchiha district so you can return home or you can take an apartment for yourself if you don't want to return. When the hospital releases you then you will be able to return to the academy." the Hokage paused to make sure I was listening. I found myself thinking that he was unloading a lot onto an eight year old who just witnessed her older brother kill her family and her twin get hospitalized but then again...

Ninja. Ugh.

I was released from the room after a few more minutes where the medic examined me with his burning chakra. As I left I turned and looked at the label above the door I left from.

Now the question is, why had I been in surgery?

The Hokage noticed me look at the sign but I tried my hardest to not show that I found the room odd for me to be in. The Hokage dropped me off at the room that I was sharing with Sasuke. Sasuke was... a sight.

They had somehow reattached his leg and healed all the chunks taken out of him with minor scarring. His eyes were bandaged and when I looked at his leg there were stitches holding his leg on with them still regrowing it back on. I sat on the edge of Sasuke's bed and grasped his hand gently with my own.

He was awake and immediately asked, "Who is it?!"

"Me, Fushicho." I answered to calm him. He relaxed.

"Shicho, the Hokage said everyone is dead... he said Itachi killed them." Sasuke whispered, his voice cracking.

"Ita saved me." I told him, "He didn't harm you. There was a weird woman there who was hurting you when I got there. She would have killed me if Ita didn't scare her off."

"But still... he killed everyone. What are we going to do?" Sasuke sounded like he was ready to cry.

I bit my lip, "Well, live. We're alive and we need to find out why that happened."

Sasuke was silent for a moment before he asked a simple question.

"Why?"

And this was a moment that would change everything. This was the moment I would change Sasuke's focus. Instead of focusing on hunting down Itachi and killing him, I would focus him away from that. I would focus him away from the hatred.

"Sasu, don't you find it weird?" I asked quietly, "Ita is strong. But Father was strong. Momma was. The other clan members. One strong ninja, against many strong ninja? No, something is weird here. And what about that woman? I've never seen her before."

Sasuke was silent.

I sighed and leaned over to kiss his forehead, "I'll take care of you now, Sasu. We'll get through this. We'll become ninja. And we'll learn what really happened, yeah?"

I thought Sasuke fell asleep from how silent he was. I was kind of annoyed that he would fall asleep during such a crucial moment but then, he answered weakly, "Yeah."

As it turns out, things would spiral out of my control pretty easily. First off, I was out of the hospital the next day and I had to return to the clan compound all by myself. I would be expected back in the academy the next morning and I was now a rich little brat. I had a majority of the money of the clan and I would also be getting money from an orphan fund. Sasuke and I both counted towards the orphan fund so we would get plenty of money to add to our already full account.

The clan compound was extremely creepy when I finally arrived back. Luckily our home was close to the gates and within the cleared blocks so I was able to return. But walking through our now cold home was hard. Momma wouldn't greet me anymore or make delicious food. Father wouldn't be there to silently observe and offer helpful advice or occasionally buy me a small gift. I had been his little girl after all.

Now, I was a little girl all alone.

Good thing I was also an adult stuffed into a child.

I locked Momma and Father's room so that Sasuke wouldn't get into it when he returned. I also set out into the village to get food that had spoiled. I also definitely needed cookbooks so that I could learn to make food.

Going to the shopping district made me a pariah. Everyone stared at me, one of the two Uchiha survivors, as I walked with my bags of groceries and an arm balancing three heavy cookbooks.

"Isn't that the girl...?"

"She's one of the two surviving Uchiha..."

"Poor child. Her brother massacred them all."

I didn't want to hear them talking about me. I already had to deal with their atrocious signatures so why did I have to hear them too? Pity. I didn't want their pity. Their pity was worthless.

In my angry loathing I knocked into someone and my books fell from my arms. I apologized and bent down to collect them.

"Maa, it's alright. I wasn't watching where I was going."

That voice was familiar. I looked up and my heart jumped. Gravity defying silver hair and a mostly covered face with a single dark eye observing me passively. Hatake Kakashi stood before me with his signature book held shut with his finger marking his page.

"I wasn't either." I managed to murmur, lifting my books and starting to go around him.

"Let me help." Kakashi offered and before I could deny him he grabbed my groceries and started to walk beside me.

We walked in silence until we reached the clan compound and I turned to thank him. Kakashi nodded to my thanks and disappeared in a burst of smoke. Expecting something like that I grabbed my groceries and put them away. That night I ate my poorly cooked first attempt at the easiest recipe of the easiest cookbook.

The next morning as I was getting ready for the academy there was a knock on my door. As I tried to brush my hair I rushed to the door and opened it despite the fact I was still shirtless with just my bindings wrapped around my ribs up. The Hokage stood on my doorstep and I looked down at myself, entirely unimpressed that I didn't think through answering the door like this. Greeting your military leader half dressed while brushing your hair certainly wasn't a good impression.

The Hokage didn't show any negative reaction, rather he smiled down at me like a grandfather would his grandchild and greeted me, "Good morning, Fushicho-chan."

"Good morning, Hokage-sama." I returned the greeting politely.

"Are you ready to return to the academy?" he asked as I gestured for him to come inside. As I was taught by Momma I set some water on the stove to boil for tea (If I could make the tea that would be great, hopefully we had cheapass bag tea around here) and I quickly pulled a random shirt on over where I had been finishing my bindings when I answered the door.

"You have an odd birthmark, Fushicho-chan." the Hokage mused as I hunted through the cupboards. My bandages were only half finished. Brushing my hair could tear them so I only wrapped up my chest before I finished my hair.

"Mhm."

The Hokage continued, "And your eyes."

"Mhm, ah hah!" I found the tea bags.

With the tea bags I was able to make tea for myself and the Hokage. As we sipped at our tea we stared at each other and the Hokage decided that today was another good day to mindfuck me.

"Fushicho-chan, did you know you awakened your sharingan?" the Hokage asked casually.

I started to sip at my tea to buy myself a moment to think, "I guess I did."

How did he know I had my sharingan? I was passed the fuck out when I was found. Did Itachi tell him?

"To learn to use your sharingan I've arranged a private tutor for you." the Hokage smiled and I paused. My mind thought back to me crashing into Kakashi the previous day and now I was beginning to believe that was no accident.

But, I gave the Hokage a wide smile anyway and said, "Thank you, Hokage-sama!" With Kakashi as a teacher, surely I would get some strength. And beginning early was definitely a plus.

"You'll meet your tutor outside the academy every day after your class ends. He will find you." The Hokage finished his tea and bid me a bright farewell. After he departed I pulled that shirt off and continued to try and finish getting ready. Of course there was yet another knock on the door and I didn't even bother grabbing a shirt again.

"Who could it be now?" I wondered. Figuring it at least wasn't the fucking Hokage this time I answered the door in my half dressed state again.

"Gah!" Bakuhatsu Obu, better known as Bu, jumped back a good three feet and fell back onto his ass. Bu looked like he was prepared for the academy with his pink hair left in a wild mess around him and his green hoodie and blue standard shorts.

"Bu?" I tilted my head to the side. Why would Bu be here?

Bu's face turned to the same shade of pink as his hair, "Put a shirt on!"

I looked down at myself and jogged inside to pull a shirt on. I returned to the door with a shirt and properly greeted Bu this time by inviting him inside. I didn't bother making tea for Bu and he made himself at home at the table while I continued to brush my hair. Bu's eyes scanned me several times before he broke the silence.

"So uh, my mom, she uh, sent me." Bu looked away.

I hummed, "What did your mom need?"

"She wants me to walk you to the academy." Bu answered. He shifted from sitting on his knees to sitting back with one knee raised and his arms hugging that raised knee.

"I know where the academy is." I retorted. Bu for once didn't rise at my tone.

"I know." Bu watched silently as I packed my bento (Another poor excuse for a meal, just like my dinner the previous night) and I grabbed my bag.

Bu gestured to his neck when I approached him to leave. I blinked and clapped a hand to my neck, realizing I forgot to finish my bindings. But I didn't have time to fix that so I just ducked my chin down into my high collar and Bu and I left my empty home.

"It's creepy how empty it is here." Bu said as we walked through the main street to get to the exit.

I agreed, "Yeah. It's like a ghost town."

Bu stared at a blood stain that couldn't be removed easily from a white screen on one of the buildings we passed.

"How can you walk through here so calmly?" Bu questioned, "I... I didn't even know anything here but you and I can barely breathe thinking about it."

"You want to be a ninja. Suck it up." I told him bluntly. Bu straightened his back and put on an air of pride. But I could still see through his facade.

When we broke out of the compound and into the village streets I still got whispers and stares. This unnerved Bu but halfway through our walk he grew a pair and turned to me.

"I'm sorry, you know."

"For what?" I asked.

"For what happened." Bu looked away from me.

"You don't need to be." I said.

Another block went by without conversation before Bu, once again, broke the silence between us.

Bu took a deep breath, "Um, I'm here for you. You know."

I didn't give that a response and Bu lost the rest of his nerve until we reached the academy. As we went to enter the building Bu, a sudden burst of courage, pulled me to the side and wrapped his tanner arms around me.

Bu was... hugging me?

"I'm sorry for what happened. I'm sorry I can't understand how you're feeling. And I'm sorry that I can't help you, even if I want to or not." Bu squeezed me a bit harder and this time, much softer he whispered into my ear, "But I am here. For you. So, talk to me if you need to."

Then he let go and left me standing there, my back rigid and my face heating up as I felt tears settling in my eyes. Damn my body for acting that way. I managed to get rid of my blush and tearing eyes after mentally chanting that Bu was a stupid nine year old and that I was an adult in the body of an eight year old. That I didn't need to cry over deaths I was prepared for and that I definitely didn't need Bu.

During class I went on with my day as normal. During lunch Naruto asked me where Sasuke was and Iruka called him away as soon as Naruto had opened his mouth when I couldn't answer right away. Instead of eating lunch in my usual spot where Naruto could find me I moved to the other side of the playground and behind a tree and some shrubbery and tried to eat my bento.

"That looks disgusting."

I nearly jumped. My heart did stop for a moment and I turned to find a boy had settled in next to me. He was a bit average with a heavy tan trench coat and dark curly hair that settled down over his eyes. I could see the bottom half of goggles sticking out from his bangs and dirt absolutely covered this kids clothes.

I almost replied with "You look disgusting" but I didn't have nearly that much pride in my bento to do that. Instead I looked down at my bento and agreed, "Yeah. It does."

"Here." the kid, from a bento he lifted from his side, pulled out a pair of chop sticks and lifted one of the octopus hot dogs that every kid had in their bento. I myself hadn't bothered trying to make one and just tried onigiri and some sashimi.

Can you get food poisoning from badly made sashimi? Oh boy. We're going to find out.

"It's fine-" I tried to insist but curly hair gingerly placed the octopus on top of my onigiri (It had fallen apart instantly and tasted a bit odd). I stared at it and it stared back at me with its sesame seed eyes.

I picked it up with my own chopsticks and plopped it into my mouth. While the burning definitely diluted its taste it wasn't the worst taste I had ever had before.

I didn't grimace at the burning so I managed a small smile to the kid, "Thanks."

He nodded at me and turned to face away from me. We sat there in silence until I heard footsteps heading towards our hiding spot. Curly hair tucked his head down into his collar and Bu popped his head around the tree.

Bu, his eyes landing on the boy next to me, gawked and gestured at me to come to him. I slowly stood, nodded to the boy, and was hastily dragged by Bu across the playground.

"Do you know who that is!?" Bu gasped, looking back towards the tree.

"No." I didn't really care either.

Bu looked scandalized, "That was Aburame Kyuketsu!"

I wracked my brain to try and remember what I had heard the name before. When I couldn't think of it, Bu shook his head at me. Bu leaned over to whisper to me, "Aburame Kyuketsu, but he's not a real Aburame. He's really creepy and all the girls in my class are scared of him. Wherever he sits the girls sit as far away as they can."

"So?" I retorted, "He seemed fine to me."

Bu gaped at me, "But look at him!"

I narrowed my eyes at Bu and jabbed an accusing finger at his hair, "And look at your hair! It's pink! Don't make fun of someone when they can easily make fun of you."

Bu took a moment to register what I had said then his mouth dropped and his eyes narrowed angrily. He grabbed my collar and yanked it down, pointing at the scar birthmark that was uncovered today.

"I can't believe how you can be!" snarled Bu, "You have no right to say that when you don't look entirely like an Uchiha!"

He paused, realizing he had probably just opened fresh wounds considering everyone had just died. But, Bu was stubborn, and instead of apologizing he pushed me away and stormed off. Unperturbed by Bu's outburst, I returned to class with little care towards Bu's feelings.

After the academy ended I nearly knocked into Bu when I was heading towards the trees to wait for Kakashi. Bu gave me the stink eye and made a show of avoiding me but I ignored him. I waited beside the tree until all the other kids were gone. When there was no sign of Kakashi after a few minutes I got out my review work and began to work on the history portion.

"Hey, you!" a child's voice called out, breaking me from my work. I looked up and found a pair of pearly eyes staring at me from the gate of the school. It was an eight year old Hyuuga Neji.

I blinked at him, "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Hyuuga Hinata, have you seen her?" the angsty brunette questioned.

I shook my head and he groaned in frustration. He headed towards the doors to the academy but paused and turned to look at me over his shoulder.

"You look familiar." he told me.

I shrugged, "So do you. You look like any other Hyuuga to me."

Neji's face got red and he sputtered at me for a moment before he slammed open the door to the academy and then shut it with even more force.

"Maa, that wasn't very nice." I jumped at the voice from right next to me. I turned and found Kakashi crouched beside me calmly with his eye focused on the Icha Icha book in his hands. As soon as my attention turned to the book, Kakashi slammed it shut and pocketed it.

"I don't care." I crossed my arms.

"I'm your new tutor, Uchiha-chan." he gave me an eye crinkle that I assumed was accompanied by a smile, "You should care that my first impression of you is a little brat who lashes out at others."

I started to pack up my review work but I gave him a stink eye as I did so, "And you haven't made the best impression on me yet."

"Why, I helped you with groceries yesterday, isn't that a nice thing to do?" Kakashi retorted.

I snorted, "That was as strangers. Now we're acquainted and you're rude."

"We aren't acquainted yet. You don't know my name." Kakashi stopped smiling and gave me a curious look, "Or do you?"

I smirked, "Hatake Kakashi, yes?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and I responded to the challenge, "You're known as Sharingan Kakashi, the Copycat Ninja. You're supposedly my tutor due to me unlocking my sharingan, yes?"

Kakashi didn't seem displeased, "Well. You're a well informed brat, at least. I might be able to work with you."

AN

I hate school. I don't have life anymore.

Fun Fact- Fushicho doesn't particularly like bullying but prefers to be a bystander than an upstander.

Thanks to the following for reviewing:

Enbi
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time-twilight
Thomas Drovin
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