"…smth…" – talking in Japanese before the main character learns it.
"…smth…" – words in Japanese the main character understood before learning Japanese better.
'…smth…' – thinking.
/Age:…/ - age of the main character (till the age of one year she didn't know her exact age, it's for us to understand the timeline).
See the end of the chapter for translations.
Warnings: Language, babies, mention of death.
Disclaimer: Ain't owning Naruto.
Childhood Arc: First year
There's no such thing as what might have been. That's just a waste of time. It'll drive you out of your mind. - Tim McGraw
Let me tell you, spending nine months in someone's belly may drive you crazy. You are neither sleeping nor awake, always in a state similar to euphoria. I spent half the time thinking about my death and what is to come afterwards, other half about the meaning of life. During the spare time I did what I tried to avoid the most: think about my past, my family. It tore me from the inside out. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't because it felt like nothing mattered. My life ended. I freaking died. Why didn't I leave? What about my parents? God, they must be so hurt. Their idiot of a daughter died in her room, getting dressed. I wish I could go back in time, but I'll never get the chance to apologize to them, to laugh at the dinner table, to simply live with them. I'm all alone.
Almost every single part of me wants to give in. I don't know what I should do, but if there is one thing I am, it is a survivor. I won't back down. Death is the end for many, but not me. I was given a second chance and I will make the most out of it.
This is why, after what felt like an eternity, I let go. My old life came to an end, but my new is just beginning.
After nine months of philosophical thinking, guilt tripping, self-loathing, forgiveness and acceptance, I was born.
It was incredibly disgusting. And it hurt like a bitch too!
Being squeezed out of… well, you get it. Having no control over my body (or a body in general) for almost a year, I was feeling manhandled.
God, couldn't my soul have been reborn after its birth?
After one of the most humiliating moments in my life, I felt something warm wrap around me. I couldn't comprehend what the people around me were saying, nor could I see them, the whole world seemed blurry. I was screaming out of pain and my infant body was quickly becoming exhausted. People felt like giants, their arms too big. Afterwards I felt like something – no, someone – took hold of me and pushed me into their chest. They started to say something, but, even though I couldn't understand, it was alright. The voice was gentle, most definitely feminine. The obscure words felt like a lullaby to my oversensitive ears. Soon I fell hostage to the world of dreams.
Though I didn't know it then, this was how I met my second mother for the first and last time.
/Age: one month/
Being an infant was highly embarrassing. I didn't have control over my body, which lead to not being able to do anything on my own. So I did the only sensible thing in my condition: I slept all the time.
During what seemed like the first few weeks I found out that the big blur taking care of me was almost always constant. I could make out the colors of their hair and skin, the form. They were rather pale and dark haired. The blur was also tall and big, and it had some facial hair I could feel when trying to touch their face. I tried to stay quiet, not wanting to cause too much trouble, but changing diapers and feeding was something I couldn't do on my own yet.
This is how I spent my first month of life with my second father.
I couldn't understand where the person with the angelic feminine voice went. It felt like she was my mother, but maybe I was wrong. I hoped I was wrong. I didn't want to think about what had happened to her if she was.
/Age: 1.5 months/
A while passed before I realized that I'd changed in more ways than imaginable. How it escaped me is quite shocking, but…
Wow. I'm no longer a female.
Let me tell you, being a baby means you can't feel many things and twist your head a lot; your body is too different from what it used to be as an adult. So when seeing my new body piece, I did the only thing a baby can do.
I blinked. Blinked once more. Then I started crying like it was the end of the world.
The hell, I'm a dude! What the fuck did I do wrong? For god's sake, spirit!
At the very least life couldn't get more fucked up.
(Somebody up there was laughing maniacally.)
/ Age: 3 months/
I take it back! Fuck! This is crazy! Hell no!
I do indeed know this fucking world. After all, it was my favorite anime.
I figured it out a few weeks after finding out about my gender swapping. It was dark in my room. I was in my crib, being the cute little baby I was. My vision and hearing kept becoming more coherent. At this point I could pinpoint that the language my Tou-san (because father was before) was speaking was indeed Japanese, the language I started learning a month before I died.
Back to the topic. Tou-san came closer to my crib. I could already make out his form quite easily.
"Hey there, little man. You okay?" He started to speak. I turned my head in his direction. He came closer and leaned in a little, so his face was even closer for me to see. "I'm so, so sorry, but your Tou-chan's needed at the front. It seems like the war is coming closer to an end, but every single shinobi must be out there. Be a brave kid, my Nee-chan, your Oba-chan, will take care of you. The Will of Fire shines brightly inside of you." At this point his face was mere centimeters away from mine, his eyes locked onto mine. They were watery, tears flowing freely."I hope I'll be back soon, Isamu-chan. Stay safe." I could make out a few words during the speech. What is he talking about? Shinobi? Oba-chan?
What is he apologizing for?
I started to mumble, trying to pronounce the word "Tou-chan" with my clumsy baby mouth, failing miserably. He laughed softly while picking me up and holding close to his chest, making me feel so safe and secure. The illusion shattered when I lifted my gaze to his forehead.
A hitai-ate with a familiar leaf insignia on a metal plate. Konohagakure no Sato's symbol.
My eyes felt like they'd pop. No. Not this world. Not where children are sent to front lines, where clans are massacred, where wars happens every ten years-
Oh.
So Tou-san's leaving for – hopefully – a mission and I'm staying at Oba-chan's.
I hope he comes home safely.
My soul just couldn't stay dead now, could it?
I wound up in the Naruto world. And I have no idea about where I ended up according to the timeline.
Well… It's not like this will break me. So while here, I'll wreak as much havoc as possible!
… Just come home soon, Tou-san.
/Age: 4 months/
Chakra. The power of life. A force that can give you an opportunity to do crazy shit that I couldn't even dream of.
Today I unlocked it. It feels warm. My reserves are incredibly small, not that it's a surprise. After all, I am a baby.
I closed my eyes and tried to feel it, but not touch it. No, I wouldn't dare play with chakra. The last thing I needed were crippled tenketsu. For the time being I wouldn't try to use it. But later on…
Just you wait.
/ Age: 4.5 months/
«Oi, Isamu-chan! Don't eat that! Wait- holy crap, how?!» Oba-chan's chin hit the ground from seeing me eating cookies… that were on the counter while I was on the floor.
Oh, yes, that's my new name, Isamu. I could already understand about one sixth out of what my Oba-chan's saying. All things considered, being an adult-baby has its perks.
It'd been a while since Tou-san left, give or take two months. Hiori-ba-chan is an angel in disguise. As my sight got better, I was able to see people more clearly. Oba-chan has short, curly, chestnut hair, icy-blue eyes like Tou-chan's and slightly tanned skin. She'd always stay home, which connects to her teashop. She's a very kind, caring and extremely patient person. She's single and lives alone in her small house, so the two of us got close very quickly.
Oba-chan usually took me down with her to the teashop, where I stole cookies using every method possible. After all, I was an inventor in my previous life, so stealing cookies isn't that big of a problem. And it helped me train my little chubby hands.
I tried to speak almost all the time because being unable to communicate was really messing with my life, and I was slowly getting there. But argh, being a baby sucks!
/ Age: 6.5 months/
"Ba-chan!" Finally! I did it! The torture came to an end, I can speak! All hail me! Mwahahaha!
Oba-chan blinked for a few moments before her outburst came in the highest pitched voice.
"Kawaii! Oh my god, my baby boy is all grown up already! And he gifted me his first word! You're so adorable!" At this point I realized my mistake. She was strangling me! "And so young! My god, aren't you a little genius! Your parents would have been so proud!" Gah, this woman is crazy! I couldn't get a single word out of it. So loud…
She suddenly put me down and started sniffling. Then, in a voice not louder than a whisper, she said, "Thank you, Isamu-chan."
You're welcome, Oba-chan.
/ Age: 7 months/
It was early in the morning, around five am, but Oba-chan was already awake. She took me downstairs and was preparing the shop for the day. She moved around so gracefully, simultaneously with dancing and singing. Snow White vibes...
"Ba-chan, what name I?" I asked in my baby-Japanese. I wanted to know my legacy, dammit!
She turned to me on her heels, her gentle smile in place. She leaned closer to me and started to stroke my hair while speaking, "Your first name is Isamu, meaning "courage". Your last name is Amachi. It means "wisdom of the skies". Always remember what your name is, it's your family's honor, as well as yours." She finished with picking me up and securing me on her hip.
Ah, my last name is way too ironic. Having the knowledge and wisdom of my previous life, it fits me perfectly.
And as for my first my name, it better work. I do need all the courage in this world to help things get better. Depending on where in timeline I ended up. Hopefully, I'm in Boruto's generation, but with my luck…
At least I'm in Konoha and not Kiri or Suna. Yay…
/ Age: 7.5 months/
My first steps happened a week ago. Oba-chan wasn't home, so I celebrated in silence. Finally, I can walk and communicate. Life doesn't suck anymore! Woo-hoo!
So that day was extremely special. Oba-chan was getting ready at the moment. She put on a plain brown yukata, tied it with a green obi. Her hair was up in a ponytail, her face a bit powdered.
She looked so beautiful, just like a model. I really hope I get her looks… And it doesn't matter that I'm a dude!
Two hours later.
We were passing through the streets of Konoha. I was in Oba-chan's steady hands, my head tilting from side to side. The mood was a bit tight outside, but people were still smiling. It was late afternoon, so the streets were pretty crowded. I've seen a few people with Konoha hitai-ate, but not nearly as much as I've expected. That's why my mind was so overwhelmed with different thoughts. 'Why are there so little shinobi outside? Why is everybody so poorly dressed? Why are the food stalls so… plain?'
"Ba-chan, why people sad?" My language skills were at the top of the… pit, I guess.
It took quite a while for my questions to get answered. At first Oba-chan's smile faltered, then it became too wide and strained. She even seemed nervous. "Isamu-chan, why do you say that? Everything is fine, don't you worry your cute little head about it." She flicked me on the forehead after saying that, giving me the most fictitious smile. It could only mean that things are bad enough to lie about it. Or that I'm a kid and explaining stuff to see is too... troublesome (Nara style!).
At least now I know that I'm not in Boruto's generation.
That is when we entered the central market, the place that gives us the view all around the village. On any other occasion I'd have loved to appreciate the beauty of Konoha, but my that day my visage was caught on one particular thing. The Hokage Monument.
There were three heads there.
Crap. The Sandaime's reign was before the Kyuubi attack. The one where two Shinobi Wars occurred. The one I was born into.
I'm utterly screwed!
/ Age: One year/
It was my birthday. By than I had heard the mention of the war that was going on and the Yellow Flash of Konoha enough times to estimate my position in the timeline, which is just before the end of the Third Shinobi War.
It should've felt great, the war ending and all, but Oba-chan and me were sad, oh, so sad. Even though she didn't tell me, I saw it in the look on her face, the tears in her eyes. She received a letter from the frontlines today.
Tou-san was not coming home.
-chan - honorific for a kid/girl
Tou-chan/Tou-san - father
Kaa-san - mother
Nee-chan - sister
Oba-chan/Ba-chan - aunt
Kawaii - cute
A/N: And shot! This is the beginning of the childhood arc. I was tempted to write a female turns male OC for a while already. I've read some great ones with the OC taking over a body of a canon character, but almost none with a non-canon body taken oven from birth. The characters from canon will take a while to come into the story.
So our protagonist is orphaned, but gets close to his aunt. From this chapter it'll be a he as well. I wanted to do it so the main character has can see the effects of war on his life. The chakra training will begin in next chapter, as well as many other things.
Hope you like it and thanks^-^