A.N. Without further ado, here's the next chapter!

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NOW:

Tsukiko bustled around the kitchen, listening good-naturedly to Sasuke's endless complaining as she made dinner. He had evidently been assigned to the same team as Naruto Uzumaki, a boy who had only barely passed.

'Naruto, hm?' Tsukiko didn't know much about him, other than his being the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki and that everyone despised him for it. Knowing what it was like to be hated within your own home, she had always felt sorry for the young boy.

Unbeknownst to Sasuke, she often went out of her way to leave food on Naruto's door step, especially ramen. Iruka had mentioned it was his favorite, and Tsukiko felt that it was the least she could do. Without her, Sasuke would be a ward of the Hokage, and have no one to care for him, just like Naruto. The thought made her incredibly sad, so she did her part to show him that someone cared.

"That loser's just going to slow me down," Sasuke muttered darkly, glaring at the table. "I get that they want to pair the best with the worst to balance out the team, but it's only holding me back."

"You never know," Tsukiko said encouragingly, scooping rice into bowls. "Maybe you two will motivate each other. From what I remember, Naruto is a pretty determined kid. And you know, it's incredibly useful to have a teammate that keeps you wanting to better yourself."

Privately, the young woman thought it would be good for Sasuke to have a rival. She often worried that he would eventually rely more on his Sharingan and other natural skills over those he had developed through training. Of course, it was possible she was being too hard on him. Sasuke wasn't like her, who trained every extra second of everyday. He wasn't like It—

Slamming the bowls of curried rice on the table a little harder than necessary, Tsukiko took her thoughts away from their dark path. Thoughts of old teammates were dangerous, especially with how easily Sasuke could read her expressions.

Sure enough, the younger boy's eyes flickered with agony for a brief moment. She knew that he knew she never purposely thought of the older Uchiha, but it was hard. They were living memories of that painful past, straining their relationship even at the best of times. He looked at her and saw his big brother's closest teammate and companion, and she looked at him and saw...

Silence reigned over their meal for a few minutes, until—

"Do you still think about him?"

Sasuke's quiet question sent a lightning bolt down her spine. "Who?" She asked, fighting to keep a smile plastered on her face. Her voice was a subtle warning. 'Not now, Sasuke. Please.'

"Itachi."

All of her strength seemed to drain away, and she slumped slightly, lowering her head to avoid the young boy seeing the anguish in her eyes. "I do."

Everyday, there were dozens of reminders of Sasuke's older brother, not including Sasuke himself. It was impossible for her to not think about the man she had loved with all of her being. Itachi Uchiha has been her world.

Until he'd destroyed it.

"So do I," Sasuke said angrily, his grip on his chopsticks tightening. "And that is why I can't be held back by anyone. I need to get stronger, strong enough to avenge my clan."

The young woman had heard this before, but rarely with so much hatred and desperation. 'He must've had another nightmare.'

Without thinking, she walked over and hugged the boy she had sworn to protect. Tsukiko loved Sasuke dearly, from the moment he was born, and it hurt her to see him like this. Silently, she cursed Itachi for breaking their promise, for turning this sweet little boy into a cold and angry genin. She cursed him for making Sasuke miserable, and she cursed him for making her wish he was still there with them.

Sasuke stiffened in her hold, not entirely comfortable with being hugged. "It's okay, Tsukiko," He said awkwardly, much of his tension fading as surprise took hold.

"Sorry," the white-haired woman said, releasing him. "I'm just...I'm so proud of how strong you've become."

Her words seemed to cheer him up considerably, and after a brief awkwardness, they spent the rest of the meal chatting amiably about the next day. Tsukiko was excited to meet her team, and Sasuke was impatient to meet his sensei. Tsukiko let it slip that she knew who it was and spent the rest of the evening dodging questions about it.

Eventually, she convinced him to get some sleep while she cleaned up the kitchen, teasing him that it would make a poor first impression to have bags under his eyes, and didn't he want to be "cooler than that loser?"

Now, a few hours later, Tsukiko was sitting on the front porch of her little house, a hot cup of tea steaming beside her as she allowed the cool night wind to soothe her nerves. She had done this since she was a little girl, unable to sleep when her own nightmares threatened to overwhelm her. The only two things that keep the monsters at bay were the night wind, and It—

'No, it's okay. No one is watching, no one is looking to see if you're thinking traitorous thoughts about him. I can think his name here. I'm safe.'

"Itachi," she sighed his name heavily, looking up at the stars above. "Why did you leave me?"

Memories all attacked her mind at once, the carefully repressed feelings surging forth. Tsukiko knew better than to fight them, so she just let them come, tears streaming down her cheeks as she got lost.

THEN:

"Tsukiko, this village is your home now," the old man before her explained. He was wearing white robes and a funny hat. Jiraiya told her he was the Hokage, the leader of Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

The trip from her village to the Leaf took nearly three days, most of which she spent with Jiraiya. Tsunade was nice, but got angry easily and was a little scary. Orochimaru terrified her, but she tried not to show it and was always polite. He didn't shout, at least. He was either dismissive of her or amused by her caution around him. Jiraiya was nice, and made her giggle with his poses.

The loss of her parents didn't truly seem real until they arrived back at the village. A part of her thought this was a dream, and her mother and father would wake her up any moment. It wasn't until she had been standing before the Hokage, a kind old man, that reality set in.

He had asked her to demonstrate her new ability, and Tsukiko was quick to comply. She could sort of activate it, but wasn't very strong. She could move a pebble, or make a candle-sized flame appear, but that was about it.

Nevertheless, the Hokage was very impressed, and told her that her parents used to live in the Leaf. He explained that they had kept in contact with Leaf officials over the years, and that Tsukiko was more than welcome in their village.

The young girl didn't know how to feel. On one hand, she was still hoping that her parents would wake her up, but the grownup part of her, born during her recent fight, told her that they were gone.

Sensing her discomfort, the old man knelt in front of her. "Tsukiko," He said quietly, making her look up at him. "What happened to you and your family was a terrible thing, a tragedy born of this monstrous war. I apologize that you were caught up in it, and I want to help you. Will you trust me?"

Tsukiko nodded slowly, wiping teary eyes on the back of her hand.

The old man smiled, turning to look behind her. "Ah, Fugaku, Mikoto, thank you for coming."

Looking over her shoulder, Tsukiko saw a strict-looking man with short black hair and onyx eyes, and a pretty woman with the same hair and eyes, though her hair was considerably longer. The woman had a bright smile on her face, and was noticeably pregnant, the slight bump on her stomach showing that she wasn't too far along.

"Is that her?" That man asked, his stern looks lightening with pity as he looked at the young girl.

"Yes," The Hokage answered, standing up to shake the man's hand. "Thank you for offering to take her in."

"It's no trouble!" The woman said, shaking her head. "There's always room for one more."

"Tsukiko," The Third Hokage said, turning back to her. "This is Fugaku Uchiha and his wife, Mikoto Uchiha. I'd like you to go live with them, alright? The Uchiha Clan's Sharingan is the closest the village has to your Gensogan, so perhaps you'll find a teacher somewhere amongst them."

Biting her lip, Tsukiko looked back and forth between the Hokage and the couple, unsure of what to say.

The woman, Mikoto, walked over to her and carefully knelt, mindful of her stomach. "Hi, Tsukiko," she smiled sadly. "I'm Mikoto, and well…" she paused. "This is a little embarrassing, but I need your help."

Now Tsukiko was confused. A grownup needed her help?

"I'm the only girl in my house," she said sighing dramatically. "And once this little one is born, I have a feeling I'll be hopelessly outnumbered. So, could you pretty please come stay with us? I need another girl to help balance out all the boys!"

Tsukiko giggled slightly, nodding her head. "Okay." She wasn't sure about Fugaku, but she liked Mikoto, who seemed kind and silly. And it wasn't like she had that many options.

Mikoto clapped happily. "Perfect!" She stood up and held out her hand. "I can't wait for you to meet Itachi!"

The little girl took her hand, finding comfort in the older woman's motherly presence.

Mikoto filled the walk to Tsukiko's new home with descriptions of what their house looked like and excitedly told her all about a son her age, assuring Tsukiko that they'd get along well. Fugaku Uchiha walked in silence, but seemed to be very proud of himself. A future shinobi of enormous power was placed in his household, where he could oversee the shaping of her loyalties.

When they reached the house, a pretty brown and white wood structure, there was a boy sitting on the front porch, watching them approach.

Tsukiko immediately felt unease. Any time she had been around children her age, they had been violent and abusive. She had no reason to believe this boy would be any different.

Mikoto smiled happily. "Itachi! I'd like you to meet our newest family member, Tsukiko!"

The young girl hid shyly behind the older woman, watching the boy approach.

He was a little taller than her, and had the same black hair and eyes as his family. There were two lines running down the sides of his nose, which, coupled with his unsmiling face, made him look quite intimidating.

"Hello," he said politely.

"H-Hello," Tsukiko returned uneasily.

Mikoto moved so that she was no longer shielding her from view. "Itachi, I want you to show Tsukiko around, okay? Dinner will be ready in around two hours, so you have till then."

Fugaju nodded in agreement, disappearing into the house to work.

The white-haired girl looked down at her shoes, not meeting Itachi's eyes as Mikoto left as well, leaving them all alone.

"Are you okay?"

She flinched, looking up to find him right in front of her.

Itachi cocked his head, his expression puzzled. "Are you afraid of me?"

"N-No!" Tsukiko said defensively. "I just—I'm not used to being around other kids!"

His expression was unreadable as he watched her. "Were they mean to you?"

Caught off-guard by his blunt question, Tsukiko answered without thinking. "Yes. They hurt me, because of my Gensogan."

Itachi nodded wordlessly, his expression never-changing. "Do you know how to hold a kunai?"

She blinked, shaking her head. "No."

He sighed as if he was doing some great favor to her. "Fine. Let's go."

"Wh-Where?" Tsukiko has never considered herself dumb, but she felt completely clueless around this boy.

He turned his back to her. "Mother will expect us to spend a lot of time together," he said a hint of annoyance in his tone. "So I might as well teach you how to be a good training partner for me. And that way, you can protect yourself from bullies."

She opened her mouth to refuse, offended by how rude he was, but her body froze at the word "protect." Wasn't that the promise she made to herself? That she'd become strong enough to protect others and herself?

"Fine," she heard herself say. "Teach me everything you know."

And so it was that Tsukiko Amaya was unofficially adopted into the Uchiha Clan.

"Wait up, Itachi!" Tsukiko demanded, following the dark-haired boy into the forest. The sun had barely risen above the trees, and daylight animals were just beginning to stir, while their nighttime counterparts settled down to sleep.

The little girl was used to being awake at this time, having lived in a farming village that awoke and slept with the sun, but the woods surrounding Konoha were still unfamiliar, and her guide seemed to have little patience for her trying to remember the path.

Several weeks had passed, and Tsukiko had acclimated well to her new home. She was polite and helpful around the house, which endeared her to Mikoto, and was often training with Itachi, which earned Fugaku's approval.

The Third Great Ninja War ended almost three months after Tsukiko's arrival in the Leaf Village, with an armistice between its principal aggressors, Konohagakure and Iwagakure. Although the war had been proceeding favorably for Konoha, Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, established a policy of reconciliation to bring an end to the fighting with an unprecedented offer to not seek reparations from Iwagakure. Advocates for the war opposed Hiruzen's seemingly weak decision, and to keep dissatisfaction in the village in check, he decided to step down as Hokage. This led to the selection of a new Hokage, and the hero of the Great War, Minato Namikaze, became the Fourth. With Hiruzen's retirement as Hokage, the village inched toward recovery after the tumult of the war.

Tsukiko had a very clear goal in mind: "Become strong enough to protect those you love." Her determination was only overshadowed by Itachi's.

Despite her initial reaction to him, Tsukiko soon came to really admire how strong the older boy was, and how he took the time to get her caught up to him so they could train together.

At first, she had been less than useless. She had never been taught any ninja arts other than her dances, and had to rely heavily on Itachi's impatient instruction.

Once she had learned what he knew, however, she became infinitely more useful. Her dances were actually forms of martial arts, and she soon discovered that her graceful movements worked offensively and defensively. She taught what she could to Itachi, and he mimicked the rest. Soon the two of them had developed drills that made use of the quick movements, eliminating the flowery "dancing" motions and focusing strictly on the combat style. Tsukiko however, couldn't lose the rhythm practiced with her parents, and was a lot more graceful and flowing than Itachi, who was already just as fast and controlled as her.

They trained every morning, without exception. Itachi always led the way and was usually in a hurry to get started. This morning, however, Tsukiko was trying to memorize the twisting route Itachi took, and was slowing to look for landmarks.

"What's wrong?" Itachi asked, slowing his pace. He was very mature for his age, and it was hard to believe he was only a month older than her. He was wearing his usual outfit, a blue-grey shirt and dark grey pants with the standard blue sandals worn by shinobi.

It had taken Tsukiko quite some time to get used to the high-collared shirts used by the Uchiha clan for training, but she soon found that she liked ducking into them like a turtle. Compromise. So, she was dressed similarly to Itachi, with a dark blue shirt instead of blue-grey. She thought the dark color looked good against her long white hair.

Tsukiko shrugged. "I always follow you to where we train. I want to know the way too, so I can keep up with you."

Itachi shook his head. "You're strange." Even so, he slowed down and pointed out some of the landmarks he used. He was always kind like that, despite his brusque nature, and Tsukiko was happy to have met someone like him.

The children in her old village thought she was a freak, and hurt her. Here, she was welcomed, even envied. Never before had she had a friend her age, but what else could she call Itachi? She knew he couldn't wait to develop the Sharingan that was famous in the Uchiha clan, yet was kind enough to help her train her own powers.

They practiced their forms and movements for hours, creating new scenarios in which they drilled maneuvers known and made-up. By the time they were tired, they were covered in sweat and dirt, and the sun was well on its way to setting.

"Itachi?" Tsukiko asked on the way back home, the late afternoon sky making the trees cast long shadows. "Why do you want to be so strong?" She hadn't dared to ask earlier, worried that he would think it rude.

They walked side by side, exhausted. The white-haired girl had managed to create and hold a flame in her palm for nearly a minute, a new record for her, while Itachi had worked on his accuracy using small stones aimed at targets. Confident in his aim, he wanted to ask his father about how to properly hold a shuriken. At Tsukiko's question, he turned an expressionless face to her.

"I want to become the greatest ninja ever, and eliminate war from this world."

His desire might've seemed grandiose and childish to an adult, but to another child, especially one who'd seen the effects of war first-hand, it was incredible.

Tsukiko's eyes widened, and she smiled excitedly. "You can definitely do that, Itachi! You're already amazing, and we haven't even entered the academy yet!"

Itachi smiled back at her, making her even happier. The older boy rarely smiled, but it was hard to resist Tsukiko. She often brought a grin to the expressionless child's face, which made her feel special.

"You think so?" He asked, intrigued that someone else believed in him. Everyone else he'd mentioned his dream to, his parents and a few kids his age, had treated it like a joke, or a game he would quickly grow bored of.

"Absolutely!" Tsukiko affirmed. "And since I want to be strong too, I'll protect you and help you achieve your dream! That way, everyone will be safe and happy!" She darted forward and gave the older boy a hug.

He froze in her arms, and she pulled back, giggling. "You look like a statue!"

He blinked at her, then began to laugh with her, his small body shaking with mirth.

The two children laughed and played tag on the way home, using their limited ninja skills to race after the other or gracefully dodge an outstretched arm.

"We're home."

Itachi quietly slipped off his shoes in the entryway and walked slowly down the hallway, Tsukiko behind him. Once they had reached the Uchiha compound, their laughter died, and they became properly solemn children, befitting Fugaku Uchiha's son and ward.

"How was your day?" Mikoto called when they passed the kitchen. Her stomach was even more swollen, a new life growing in her womb.

'Will it be a boy? Or a girl?'

Tsukiko was excited. She hadn't had any siblings, but she already thought of the unborn child as a little brother or sister. Itachi was excited too, she could tell. His eyes would brighten when the topic of his soon-to-be-born sibling came up.

"Were you training again today?"

"Yeah," Itachi replied, at the same time Tsukiko said, "Yes, ma'am."

Mikoto smiled at them. She had told Tsukiko to call her by name, but the girl insisted on using "ma'am" and "sir" to address her foster parents.

"Is Dad in his room?" Itachi asked.

"He is, but right now's a little…" Mikoto started, but Itachi was already stepping toward his father's room. He still had a question about his shuriken and wanted an answer right away.

Tsukiko bowed her head to Mikoto and hurried after Itachi nervously. In truth, she was a little frightened by the stern Fugaku, and would rather avoid him when possible.

"Why should the Fourth be Minato?!" The fierce voice on the other side of the closed sliding door stopped both children in their tracks.

"You don't know who could be listening," Fugaku warned in his even tone. "Keep your voice down, Yashiro."

"But I just can't accept it. The only name other than Minato put forward for the selection of the Fourth was Lord Orochimaru!"

Tsukiko felt a shiver down her spine at the ninja's name. The three who had rescued her had gone on to be named The Legendary Sannin and were quite popular in the village, but Tsukiko couldn't shake her fear of the snake-like man. She had developed a phobia of snakes as well, and couldn't help but freeze whenever she saw one. It was something she'd have to work on if she wanted to be a shinobi, but for now, she was terrified of the slithering creatures.

"Why did not a single person say your name, Lord Fugaku?" The man named Yashiro demanded of Itachi's father.

In Tsukiko's head, Yashiro's face popped up. A man with narrow eyes and closely cropped white hair. Although he was older than Itachi's father, he served him as a subordinate.

"It's just as you say, Yashiro. I cannot accept this either," a new voice spoke.

"Inabi…" Fugaku said, trailing off.

Inabi was a leading ninja in the Konoha Military Police Force. His distinguishing feature was his long black hair. He was also Itachi's father's subordinate. "Ninja from the other lands trembled at the mention of 'Wicked Eye' Fugaku during the Great War."

"The head of the Konoha Military Police Force. That is my position in the village."

"There's talk it's all the administration's plan!" Yashiro shouted, and then spat out, "Village officials don't want the Uchiha clan standing on the center stage. They said nothing in the village about all the work you did during the Great War, Lord Fugaku. Because of that, it was Minato and the Sannin, and even Hatake Kakashi-who has the Sharingan despite not being a member of the clan-who shone. And what did you get? Some war-orphaned brat who can't even control her powers yet!"

Tsukiko pulled back, stung. She was little! How was she supposed to control her power? No one was teaching her! Angry tears welled up in her eyes, and she felt her power surge, as it usually did when she was upset. This time, she fought it down viciously, trying to suppress the anger she felt at their cruel words.

"If the people can make a fuss over Minato and Kakashi, then your name should also-"

"Enough." Fugaku's controlled voice cut Yashiro off. "The children are listening."

Itachi winced slightly, glancing worriedly at Tsukiko. He was likely thinking what she was. The older men weren't going to be happy that the "war-orphaned brat" had been listening.

"What is it, Itachi?"

Gritting his teeth, obviously annoyed over having been caught, Itachi pushed the sliding door open, gesturing for Tsukiko to step out of view.

She stepped back, craning her head to glance inside the room. There were four men, including Itachi's father. Yashiro, Inabi, and one more, a man with a dot on his forehead. Another subordinate, Tekka Uchiha.

"What is it?"

"I wanted to ask you about shuriken and kunai."

"I'm busy right now. Ask me later."

"All right." Itachi quickly slid the door shut as he spoke, his young face betraying his concern.

The instant it was almost entirely closed, a crimson light grew in the eyes of the four men. Sharingan. The kekkei genkai inherited by members of the Uchiha clan.

Both children ran to Itachi's room, frightened. Or at least, Tsukiko was. Her Gensogan faded, and she shivered at the sensation that filled the air in Lord Fugaku's room. For some reason, it brought to her mind the empty farming village, a place filled with the anticipation of blood being spilled. And the body of her mother, drained of all that had made her warm and loving. The aura hanging over the men in that room was the same ominous feeling she got in the farming village. The feeling of a battle yet to start.

"What is Father thinking…?" Itachi murmured.
Tsukiko didn't reply, but couldn't stop herself from hugging the older boy, needing to feel a positive human contact. This time he returned her hug, creating the picture of frightened children looking for something good to hold on to.

A.N. Please, tell me what you think!