I'm back dear readers. I know it has been some time but I tried my best. Before we proceed with the second chapter, I would like to thank you for all the favorites, follows and reviews. I wasn't expecting that many of them.

The song used in this chapter is not mine. It's a Japanese Star festival song named Bamboo leaves are rustling.

Rating for this chapter: T for mild swearing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. Hisako and all the changes I make are mine.

Summary: Shakespeare. I never liked his plays. So how come that I somehow landed in my own twisted version of Romeo and Juliet, where the feuding families were replaced by warring clans and instead of honorable knights there were shinobi everywhere? SI-OC

Have fun.

Chapter 2

Of Innocence and Corruption

Do you recall, not long ago
We would walk on the sidewalk
Innocent, remember?
All we did was care for each other

But the night was warm
We were bold and young
All around the wind blows
We would only hold on to let go

Blow a kiss, fire a gun
We need someone to lean on
Blow a kiss, fire a gun
All we need is somebody to lean on

― Major Lazer, Lean On

Senju Butsuma was freaking awesome. No, forget that. Ninja were freaking awesome.

As a child I often imagined what it would be like to posses some kind of special ability. Like flying, teleportation, manipulating the elements. I believe that everyone thought at least once or twice about this. In the Before such abilities were nothing but unreachable dreams, here they were possible. I knew that since the moment I realized that I was in Naruto. Regrettably, knowing and seeing something with ones own eyes were two completely different things. Watching my father and one of my clan members train proved that. As childish as it may sound, I was awed. I don't think that there were really any words which could describe what was transpiring in front of me. Humans moving with impossible speeds, swords clanking together, dragons made of water flying through the air. Amazing, mesmerizing, marvelous. None of those words were good enough.

And so I sat on the sidelines of a training field, eyes wide in amazement and mouth open. My twin was on my right, not much more composed than I was. We must have given quiet the amusing sight, the giggles that left the lips of three girls that passed by us indicated that.

" Look, look!" Tobirama shouted while pointing at our father with his finger. I really needed to teach him some manners. But that could be done later, right now there were much more interesting things to do; like watching my father using doton ninjutsu. Or like I preferred to call it: Earth bending.

Physics don't mean anything in this world, this was the only thing going through my head as I watched giant stones flying in the air. With giant I mean ones as large as a house. Yep, never expected to see something like that.

"Close your mouth, Hisako. Such behavior is not acceptable for a lady." Ryumi scolded gently. A lady, my ass. I haven't been a lady in the Before and I certainly didn't aim to become one here. But I still obeyed the order, after all I did not want to cross my mother. Besides, the droll dripping down my chin wasn't pleasant.

I watched smugly as my mother scolded Tobirama after noticing that he was laughing at me. His cheeks flushed slightly and he turned away from us to continue watching the fight. Deciding that my brother didn't need any teasing, I started observing the fight as well. This was better than any movie I have ever watched. Just epic. And now that I think about it, I would really like to watch a movie. Curled against the couch in front of a large flat screen with some snacks at hand, that would have been fantastic. A girl could dream.

I was getting nostalgic again. Not good. Not good at all. Though, I really did miss modern technologies.

As I observed the friendly spar, hope bloomed inside of me. I hoped that one day I could be as strong as the two men in front of me. Strong enough to protect my family and friends. To withstand the horrible future that was awaiting us in this world. I had the genes to be strong. As the child of a shinobi, a clan head nonetheless, I had higher chakra reserves than a civilian. My body was different as well. Stronger if one might say. Even if my mother wasn't a shinobi, it did not change the fact that both of my parents came from a long line of shinobi. Their fathers, their grandfathers, their great-grandfathers all fought on the battlefield. It was their blood which now flowed through my veins, giving me strength to survive in this cruel world.

But before I would ever become a ninja I would have to solve another problem. Sexism. Being the only daughter of a clan head had its perks and cons. With a bat of my eyelashes I could particularly get everything I wanted. The problem were the expectations people put upon me. Here, I was to be an obedient wife. I was quiet sure that my father was already considering some arranged marriage which would benefit the clan.

I certainly wouldn't play along with such a spiel. There were other, more important things to do.

Like fighting. I would just have to convince Butsuma that I was strong enough for this lifestyle and that I would be and excellent addition to the clan forces. Then I would just have to fight against the preconceptions most in this world possessed. That would be fun. Note the sarcasm.

The fight was slowly coming to an end. Both partakers were panting slightly with exertion and had scratches covering their whole bodies. It was a wonder that they could still stand on their own. The spar had been going on for hours.

In a burst of speed the clan head appeared in front of his current 'enemy' and kicked him in the ribs. The loud crack was very audible. Matsuo, that was the name I heard my mother using earlier, was pushed backwards and sent flying through the air. He managed to block the next punch that father aimed at him, twisting in a way that must have fucking hurt his broken ribs. The small hiss that escaped his lips confirmed my suspicions.

Matsuo drew a kunai from one of his leg holsters and parried the shuriken father had thrown his way. The clang of metal vibrated through the air.

Butsuma was already on him before the last shuriken managed to make contact with the grass. In a flurry of attacks, which I couldn't follow with my untrained eyes, father managed to get the upper hand over Matsuo.

The spar ended with Butsuma holding a sharp kunai to Matsuo's throat.

No one clapped. I could only guess that something like this was deemed to be inappropriate. They did not train here to entertain someone, but to get stronger. This wasn't for fun. They did it to protect the clan and survive. Did you notice how I mentioned their survival after the clan? That was actually the Senju motto: The clan above all else.

And didn't that sound morbid?

Teething was a bitch. It started a few months after I was born and got only worse as time passed. At the beginning I didn't notice much of it, a slight tingling sensation. Maybe an itch. Soon the itching got unbearable and changed into pain. This lead to almost everything becoming my chewing toy. I couldn't help it, no matter how disgusting it was to chew on some old wooden toys. The only consolation was Tobirama, who suffered as much as I did. Was I a bad person for saying that? Hell no. More than once in all this time my hands had been chosen as my brothers favorite chewing toys and pain relievers. I wasn't a picky person but there were certainly things that I enjoyed more than my older brother salivating on my hands. Yuck.

I got my revenge by returning the favor.

However, teething presented me with new possibilities. Food. I still couldn't eat food which needed to be chewed thoroughly. I didn't have enough teeth for that. Nevertheless, it seemed like toddling and teething showed our parents that we were ready for something more solid than milk. Finally. Vegetable mash wasn't and never would be my favorite food but it was certainly better than milk. I didn't believe that I would be capable to drink milk again any time soon.

What this change in food brought with itself was a realization. I should have expected it but I didn't and so I was immensely surprised. My taste buds have changed. What brought this upon me were carrots. Or carrot mash. In the Before I had despised carrots with the deepest parts of my soul. I found them disgusting. I had loved bitter stuff and hated sweets. Now, everything has changed and the carrot mash proved that. After my mother managed to get some of that stuff into my mouth-which wasn't an easy task to accomplish-I couldn't get enough of it. And thus my sweet tooth was born.

This so called sweet tooth lead me to my current predicament. Ryumi did not like us eating sweets. With us I mean Tobirama and me. He shared my love for sweets wholeheartedly. Anyway, Ryumi was one of those people who liked keeping it healthy. Sweets weren't healthy. Butsuma wouldn't fight her on this. After all, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

And so we had to procure our daily dose of sweets by illegal means; sneaking into the kitchen and using our adorableness on the servants. I didn't feel guilty about it. Why should I? If they were stupid enough to let us manipulate them into doing our bidding, then they would have to pay the consequences. Besides, I quiet enjoyed the treats.

''Hisa!'' Tobirama pulled at my arm and dragged me into one of the many rooms which could be found in the mansion. Before I could begin to wonder why he did that, I heard the light footsteps outside of the room. I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I did not hear anyone approaching us. I held my breath and waited till the steps subsided. Sliding the door slightly open, only so that my head could fit through the gap, I looked down the hallway. No one was there, so I turned around and grinned. ''We safe. Come Tobi.''

I tugged on my brother's hand and started to guide him down the hallway towards the kitchen. We both were cautious and highly alert. This was a game we both enjoyed. The thrill of evading capture made us all giddy and the possibility of punishment did nothing to steer us away. We were little devils in disguise.

Tiptoeing around the floorboards that we knew would creek if we stepped on them, the both of us arrived at the entrance to the kitchen. I could already smell the delicious food which was being cooked behind that door. Fish and vegetables. Rice and noodles. Fruits and sweets. Success.

Sliding the shoji screen open, we crept inside. Our chosen target was at the other side of the kitchen, stirring something in a big pot. Senju Michiko, the kitchen matron. Our dealer. She just couldn't say 'no' to us. We moved across the room as if we belonged there to begin with. It's curious, I noticed that if one pretended to truly belong somewhere, people tended to not wonder about the intruding presence. Or they were just to preoccupied to care about the presence of two mere children. Either way served us well.

''One side, other side?'' I cocked my head to the left, watching our targets every move. Tobirama squinted his eyes and nodded his head seriously. And then we were on our way, each of us stopping by one of Michiko's legs. The woman was so busy that she never noticed us arriving. I liked to think that we were just that good at this whole sneaking thing. We tugged on the hem of her long kimono and looked up, cutely batting our eyelashes.

The kitchen matron startled and jumped slightly. A sign that showed us that she had no ninja training. It was easy to differ a shinobi from a civilian. Especially during such moments.

''Tobirama-sama, Hisako-hime. What can I do for you?'' It was so weird when people who were older than us-even considering the age of my previous life-treated us with such respect. Princess. I certainly did not want to be a princess. Particularly, because I knew what being a princess truly meant; being sheltered and treated like the most fragile thing in the world, having your whole life arranged by other people and becoming a very sought out incubator. Thanks, but no thanks. Sadly, being the only daughter and youngest child of a clan head warranted such title. For now I would have to live with it.

''Kami.'' I pointed at the freshly made, egg-flavored, rice flour-based sugary treats that literally melted in your mouth. I loved those things. They were divine. You get it? Kami and divine. No? Alright, I admit, that was bad.

''Kimi balls, Hisako-hime, kimi balls.'' She sighted exasperated. Michiko has been trying to correct that mistake for a few weeks now. It just never worked. For me those little sweets would always be kami balls. I enjoyed irritating her too much to change that.

Rolling her eyes, the kitchen matron used a pair of chopsticks to put a few balls on a new plate. She liked to coat them in honey which made the little treats extremely sticky. We did not mind. Together with Tobirama I used my fingers to stuff the sweets into our mouths. There they melted and I moaned in satisfaction. I loved those little shits. Regrettably, we did not manage to convince Michiko that it would be a good idea to give us another plate. It was worth to ask.

Following our little adventure, Tobirama was almost immediately bored again. That is till he found a stack of napkins to occupy him. No kidding, a stack of napkins. He put one of his honeyed hands against it and giggled. Then he turned around and looked at me. The mischief in his eyes could have been seen for miles.

While waving his hand in front of my face, the one which had a napkin stuck onto it, Tobirama grinned at me. ''Look Hisa. Chawa.''

''It's chakra, Tobi.'' I pinched his nose lightly. Ever since we have watched a few young clan members doing the leaf exercise he couldn't stop trying to repeat it. Our sticky hands gave my dear twin the perfect opportunity to play pretend. Who was I to destroy the fun?

Reaching out with my right hand I put it firmly against the stack of napkins, the other one I used to poke Tobirama in the forehead. For a second I froze. That was such an Itachi move. I shuddered. I did not have anything against Uchiha Itachi. Once upon a time he used to be my favorite character. Back then that's all that he was. A character in some unimportant story. Now, he was real or would be real. A boy of the so called 'cursed clan' who would give up on everything for the safety of his village and brother. I didn't believe that I would ever be able to comprehend his actions. But what I was able to comprehend was the love from and for a sibling. Unconditional. There wasn't anything I wouldn't do for my brothers. I could only hope that I would never end up like that boy. Never make the mistakes that he made. Because let's be honest, he made a fucking lot of them.

Continuing my previous actions, I ripped a piece of the napkin which was attached to my hand off and glued it to my brother's forehead. Clapping and giggling, I exclaimed, "Chakra."

Tobirama's eyes widened in delight, which looked quiet comical with the napkin piece stuck to his forehead. He repeated my actions and stuck napkins to every uncovered part of his skin. He made me do it as well. There wasn't any saying 'no' to him.

At the end we looked like a pair of wannabe mummies.

Shinobi training started early in life. Not many noticed it. The social conditioning and the small games were so imperceptible that merely shinobi themselves knew the truth about them. We were only sixteen months old when our father showed us a funny game. It was meant to help us with our hand-eye coordination and the future forming of hand sings. To make it more interesting for children the game was a competition, as well as teamwork training. Sitting opposite of each other, we clapped our hands together, my palms against Tobirama's. While doing this we needed to match the movement of our fingers in the rhythm of a song.

Bamboo leaves are rustling, rustling,
Swaying close to the roof's edge,
Oh,how the stars are twinkling, twinkling,
Gold and silver grains of sand.

Five wishes I have written
The stars are twinkling
and watching from the sky.

Obviously, it sounded more like garbage coming from our lips. Nothing else could be expected from not even two-years-old. Secretly I liked to think that we didn't sound so bad. Just a few leaning tones.

A shame it was that this game did not entertain me near enough, but knowing its purpose made me more willing to play it. Actually, I was the one to almost always initiate the game. Tobirama seemed quiet bored with it, however, I did not give him the chance to refuse me. This game would help him in the future, even if not by much. This was the beginning of our training. I wouldn't allow my brother to get lazy. Nope, I would make sure that the little brat became strong enough to protect himself. Strong enough to become the Hokage in the future.

Sometimes it was so easy to forget the things that I knew from the Before. Konoha. The leaders that my brothers would one day be. The loss we all would experience. It was so, so very easy. Then I remembered all the things that I could change. The ways in which I could help my brothers. And I knew that I could never forget. Forgetting would be unforgivable.

What was the saying again? Wait, I've got it.

Knowledge equals responsibility. That couldn't be anymore true. While I knew about the events that were awaiting us, no one else could. Imagine what would happen if this knowledge fell in the wrong hands. Uchiha Madara wasn't the only one who could seriously screw with this world. Imagine some other overpowered psychopath getting his hands on this knowledge. No matter what, this wouldn't end well.

Anyhow, I let my thoughts wander once again. What was I talking about the beginning? Hmm... Training, yes. Twice a day mother helped us train our body. A few stretches here, another set of condition improving there. Mother, I believed, was trying to help and teach us something as long as she could. Soon our true training would start and then there wouldn't be anything she could help us with. Being a civilian would hinder her in helping us train. Sad but true

Yep, I lived in a world were the only thing that was truly needed wasn't family or even money, but raw power. And intelligence, of course. But that should be obvious. Think about what would happen if a powerhouse like Uzumaki Naruto were to be completely stupid. Madara would have been the least of the United Nations worries, because there would have been only two possible endings for such scenario. The powerhouse, in this case Naruto, would have been to stupid and lazy to do anything bad and could have been killed easily or he would have started to destroy everything he disliked or that stood in his path. The later would have been a real problem.

There were three very important points on my to do list.

1. Protecting my brothers

2. Survival

3. Obtaining power

Written down like this it sounded like less than it actually was. I wasn't even convinced that I could actually protect myself. Considering this, how would I manage to protect two other people?

Better to not think about this right now. Not as long as I couldn't do anything about it. I have been doing this a lot in the last year. Pushing thoughts and concerns to the back of my mind, I mean. That couldn't be healthy.

Nah, I would be fine.

I hope.

Back to more important matters. Otherwise known as Hashirama who was currently 'chasing' me. He decided that it would be funny to threaten me with a tickling attack. If you didn't notice my panic yet, let me tell you that that I was ticklish. Like ultra mega ticklish.

My brother knew that, naturally. A little sadist, that's what he was. '' No, no! Bad Hashi! No!''

My shrieking could be heard through the whole compound, resonating through the narrow hallway. I almost stumbled a few times. However, my diaper would have cushioned the fall so I wouldn't have hurt myself. Those could be quiet useful.

Despite my small and slow steps, I almost managed to collide with a servant while rounding the corner. In the last second I caught her long kimono with my hands and pushed myself upwards. This unexpected predicament gave me a momentum, catapulting me down the hallway. An appreciated head start.

''Hisako!''Hashirama had exclaimed in shock as I ran against the woman. For a moment his face was pale as a sheet. I just continued to run and stuck my tongue out to him.

Turning around the next corner, I opened the door which was nearest to me and slipped into some kind of storage room. My brother's trampling echoed through the corridor as he passed the room.

You know when someone is being hunted in Horror movies-Most times it's some stupid blonde. Not that I think that all blondes are stupid. But I believe that it's quiet understandable why I have an aversion to blondes.-and somehow always hides in a closet or behind some furniture. Those times the victims always feel some misguided sense of safety, which is destroyed only moments later when their murderer arrives from behind them. Their heart, which had slowly started to calm down skyrockets and almost burst out of their chests. There are only two possible ways in which they feel. Uncontrollable anxiety or weary resignation.

At least I felt weary resignation-Not sure if those two situations can be truly compared.- when my brother slid the shoji screens violently open and gave me one of those creepy grins. Hashirama did not even give me a chance to plead for mercy, he threw himself at me and started to tickle my soul out of me.

I did not stop laughing for hours.

Rain was rare in the Land of fire. A heavy storm even more so.

Normally the rain only sprinkled, creating perfect conditions for the wide spread flora. The land's riches and temperature created the perfect place to establish a village. It must have been one of the reasons for why Hashirama once founded Konoha here. The almost perfect flora and fauna made the village highly independent. Which was good because relying on another country could easily become very deadly. Suna had really bad luck. My brothers would truly manage to snag the best land.

I am sure you're asking yourself why I am talking about the weather. After all it is one of the most common conversation topics. But well, we aren't holding a conversation. So let me tell you a most enjoyable story.

It was a few days after Hashirama's fifth birthday-which ironically has been celebrated-that another one of my so called panic attacks happened.

When I woke up that night, I did not know if I should be thankful or resentful towards whatever god that sent me here (If it was a god, anyway). I never decided on one of those because an all devouring anxiety soon filled me. As silently as I could I untangled myself from the futon I have been using with Tobirama for about a week now and tumbled to the safest place I could find within seconds. It happened to be gap between the wall and some furniture.

And so I could only hide between the closet and the wall as the lightning boomed outside. With my palms pressed against my ears, I tried to blend out the loud noise. The ominous sound just wouldn't stop. Moreover, the bright light that flashed in front of my terrified eyes, each time a thunderbolt hit the earth, only served to increase my anxiety. I was trembling, so very, very much.

Sparks flew everywhere. The electricity passed through my veins, my blood served as a perfect conductor. Hot, burning pain, that's all I knew now.

I couldn't feel my fingers anymore. They were numb now. Or simply gone.

What did I do to deserve this?

Why wasn't there anyone to save me? Why did this happen to me? Why not someone else?

Would my family miss me when I was gone? How long would it take for them to notice that something was wrong? Would they ever find my body?

Would they ever catch the killers? Would they ever find out the truth about my disappearance?

Those cruel voices echoed through my head.

I hated them. I hated them more than I ever hated someone. I wanted them to be punished. To feel the pain and fear that I felt. For all I cared they could burn in hell.

Storms normally did not last so long. Did some higher being up there hate me that much? Maybe that was it. Maybe I have angered someone in a previous life. Knowing my luck this theory could be possible. Especially because reincarnation itself was possible.

If there are some remains left, I would like them to be cremated.

"Hisa?'' I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. My wide eyes focused on the form of my twin. I did not think, I reacted. Wrapping my arms around Tobirama, I started to sob. It wasn't loud, after all I didn't want to wake my parents. My brother, to my relief, did not immediately ask what was wrong. He pulled me in a hug and stroked my hair. Did he know how soothing it was?

It took some time for me to calm down a little bit. I was still trembling and tears were still rolling down my cheeks, but I wasn't sobbing anymore. Only then did my brother pry my small fists away from his yukata, so that he could look into my eyes. They were so familiar and understanding. Sometimes they seemed older than he actually was. He still did not ask, but I could see the inquiry in his ruby red depths.

I answered his silent question with a whisper. '' I'm scared, Tobi.''

He turned his head and looked out of the window just as a lightning bolt struck the earth. Tobirama did not even flinch. Wasn't I pathetic? I was panicking over something my almost two years old brother didn't fear the slightest. I felt like an idiot.

''It just light. It can't hurt Hisa.'' My twin leaned his forehead against mine. I could feel the warmth radiating off his skin. Ruby eyes, so identical to mine, held my gaze. ''I protect Hisa, no matter what.''

A wobbly smile crawled onto my lips and I closed my eyes peacefully. ''Hisa loves Tobi.''

Tobirama grabbed my right hand and pulled me onto my feet. He steered me towards the window and said, ''Tobi loves Hisa.''

And wasn't he adorable?

I would have cooed because of his cuteness if it hadn't been for a thunderbolt lightning the sky. The only thing that kept me from panicking was my brother's secure hold. He stopped moving when he felt me tense. We were only a few feet away from the window.''See. It can't hurt you.'' My brother tugged on my hand. He could be quiet stubborn if he wanted to be. The little brat wouldn't ever stop before he got what he wanted.

Which meant that he did not give up until we were seated against the wall under the window, wrapped up in a blanket. Tobirama made me stay there till the storm was over.

Somehow, this did not bother me as much as it should have. I could not say that this therapy really helped me.(In the Before Tobirama would have been a good psychiatrist. The only problem with this was that my dear twin wasn't a nice person. There were only a handful of people he liked. The rest was unlucky enough to often end up at the end of his wrath. Being a toddler stopped this 'wrath' from being very elaborated. I could only imagine how it would be in the future. Shudder. Poor people.)

But with him by my side, I felt stronger than ever. Didn't that sound cheesy? Yep, it totally did.

My introduction into society wasn't anything grand. It was unspectacular and irritating. After all, mother decided that it would be a great idea to introduce me to the wives of two clan elders. They were two ancient hags, who just couldn't keep their mouths shut and their hands to themselves. Niriko-sama and Noriko-sama, a pair of identical twins. Or like I preferred to call them: Loony and the ice block. This actually sounded like the title of a very bad comedy show. It's such a shame that my life wasn't a comedy. That would have been nice.

At least nicer than my current situation. Niriko(Loony) found pinching my cheeks very exciting. Why did she even start doing this to me? People generally disliked being pinched like this. Besides, I wasn't some kind of puppet or toy for her to be played with. And then there was the gushing. Kami, I may have looked like a child but I was mentally way older than that. Sometimes, I could hardly accept my family treating me like some cute little girl, but not some random woman. Her being a part of the clan did not change anything. I didn't know her. She was a stranger.

And so I may have gone against my mother's orders of being polite to the two ladies that we would be meeting. I just couldn't stop myself from slapping the old woman's hand away. The scandalized look she send my way pleased me more than it probably should have. But in my defense, they deserved it. After all they did not even wait till we sat down before they started throwing hidden insults at my mother. Apparently they did not like the fact that a woman not even half their age held more power in the clan than they ever would. Not that my mother really had much power, but as the Senju matriarch she had certainly more influence than them. This meeting did not start good and somehow I knew that it wouldn't end any better.

Using the opportunity that was given to me, I hurried to my mother's side and plopped down besides her. This behavior earned me a scathing look from Noriko( The ice block.).

A servant soon entered the room and served us some tea. With us I meant me as well. Did they really expect me to drink tea from such expensive looking cups? Firstly: That was just a waiting game for me to destroy the cups. My hands still didn't have much in the coordination department and I could seriously hurt myself if I accidental let the cup fall. Secondly: I don't believe that my taste buts would currently enjoy green tea. From what I remember green tea was often times at least a little bitter. I couldn't stand bitter things. Just eww.

I am sure that this will change in the future but right now there wouldn't be anything enjoyable about green tea.

''Your daughter seems to be quit the...wild one from what I have heard.''Did Noriko just really insult me? That fucking bitch. I wasn't wild. That sounded as if she wanted to say that I was some kind of animal. Which I wasn't. I liked to think that I was strong willed.

Ryumi plastered a fake smile on her face, eyes full of disapproval. '' I wouldn't call her wild. Strong willed, maybe. Don't you think, Noriko-sama?''

Hell, yeah. Go mamma, go mamma.

''Of course, Ryumi-sama.'' Noriko sipped her tea, while Niriko spoke up, ''I have heard that the girl has quiet a strong relationship with her two brothers. That can't be good, considering their different futures.''

She couldn't be implying what I think she was implying. No. I wouldn't let that happen.

My mother's hands clenched around her cup, for a moment I feared that she would break it. Then she became a picture of calmness once again. ''What do you propose then, Niriko-sama, Noriko-sama? To separate a pair of twins? I am sure that you especially know how gruesome such action would be.''

That seemed to hit a sore spot. Both elderly woman cringed. For a moment I pitied them, but then I remembered what they had implied and that pity became nonexistent.

Through clenched teeth Noriko answered, ''Naturally no.''

Ryumi clapped her hands once and an overly sweet smile crawled upon her face. ''Great. Now that we have finished talking about the way I am raising my children, why don't you tell me about the rumors I have been hearing? Supposedly your granddaughter has been seen wandering around with an Uchiha, Noriko-sama?''

And wasn't my mother just a fantastic woman. Maybe I would make her into my role model.

Anger was a powerful emotion. It made you do things that you would never do otherwise. Noriko loosing her composure and raising her voice was one of those instances were anger overruled rational thinking.''That's outrageous! I do not know where these rumors have come from but they are all a big lie.'' Her face was red with anger as she spat those words.

My eyes sparkled with mischief and I decided to interfere. '' Oka-sama once said that every lie is at least partly true.''

How I enjoyed the sight of Noriko sputtering dumbfound. It was totally worth the lecture I would be most likely receiving later. Yup, the warning hand on my knee indicated that.

Mother took a sip of her tea and smiled, "I apologize for my daughter's behavior." She did not sound sorry at all.

Both twins narrowed their eyes. For a moment the thought if Tobirama and I looked so similar as well crossed my mind. If they hadn't been wearing two different kimonos, one of them could have been mistaken for a reflection. Niriko opened her mouth, "That's quiet alright. The child doesn't know what she is talking about."

And now she was treating me like a stupid little thing. And earlier I had thought that I couldn't dislike her even more. It looks like I was wrong. Stupid old hags. If they wanted a war, then a war they would get. Just wait till I am older. You wont know what hit you, I thought vindictively.

Yep, I was plotting my revenge against two old woman. Maybe I was finally loosing it. With 'it' I mean my sanity, if you hadn't known. It's good that telepathy wasn't a thing in this clan or I might have been send to the asylum a long time ago.

Besides she was indirectly insulting my mother too. The nerve that woman had.

Picking up one of the little sweets (It looked like cupcakes, but I wasn't entirely convinced.) the servant had brought along with the tea, mother put in front of me on a small plate. She really did know how to shut me up. For a moment I weighed the pros and cons of stuffing that little thing into my mouth, such an action would have surely irritated the old hags, but the idea evaporated when I felt mother squeeze my knee in warning. I took small and deliberate bites of the heavenly biscuit.

''I believe the time has come for us to talk about something more...pleasant.'' And that was exactly when I stopped following the conversation. You know those all too great topics people use to talk about with someone they dislike. The weather. Their latest shopping trip. Gossip. I really had no interest in how inappropriate Mayumi, a lower clan member, looked in her kimono last Saturday or how a week ago someone had seen a male Kaguya sneak into the clan compound to watch our woman bathing in the hot springs.

And I was supposedly the stupid one.

Hashirama was only five years old when he was first send into the field. That day started like any other one. I was woken up by one of the servants and prepared for the day. She dressed me, did my hair and all the other things people tend to do in the morning. I was escorted to the dining room, where I would normally eat breakfast with the rest of my family. That day the rest of my family consisted only of my mother and twin brother.

I was surprised, but I didn't think much about it. After all, this had happened before. Sometimes father started Hashirama's training earlier than usual or made him do some special exercise. I wasn't even sure that I wanted to know what this extra exercise was.

The only indication that something was wrong was my mother's tense silence. Normally she would chatter continuously during breakfast. Once again I didn't think to much about it. Maybe she hadn't slept enough that night because of which she was in a bad mood? There were dark rings under her eyes, which supported that idea.

Deep down I knew that something was wrong, yet preferred to pretend that it wasn't. I lied to myself for the rest of the day. Through our daily garden exploration and lunch. I ignored the dreadful feeling which at times seemed to suffocate me. I was a very good liar and a master in ignoring my problems.

Dinner arrived and Hashirama still hadn't shown his face. Slowly Tobirama was noticing that something was wrong. How couldn't he? Till then there hadn't been a day we have spend without seeing our older brother at least once. It was already getting dark, but Hashirama still hadn't come for us.

And so he did the thing I dreaded the most. He asked mother.

''Oka-sama, where is Nii-san?'' It was such an innocent question.

It shouldn't have caused such a reaction. Mother's head snapped in his direction, her eyes wide. She was pale as freshly fallen snow and I could see the sweat slowly gathering at her temple. Ryumi gulped once, twice. ''What do you mean, Tobirama?''

I narrowed my eyes. ''Where is Nii-san? He wasn't here today.''

Her gaze moved towards me. She ran a hand through her long hair. ''Do you want some kimi balls?'' Not even waiting for an answer, she turned towards the door to call out for a servant.

''Oka-sama!'' I pressed before one word could even leave her mouth. I was becoming hysterical. ''Where is Nii-san?''

Just for a second, Ryumi froze. Her lip trembled slightly as she looked at us. ''He was taken outside of the compound for his first mission.''

For a moment everything stopped moving. Then this crushing weight was pressed to my chest and I couldn't breath. Black spots appeared before my eyes. The world was spinning.

I fainted.

Hashirama came back approximately two days later. The mission had been a patrol just a few miles outside of the compound. No complications occurred during this mission. My elder brother was still smiling when he came back. His eyes still held their childish innocence in them.

But for how long would he be able to keep that innocence?

''What do you mean Oka-sama? I am already an older brother.'' Hashirama shook his head, not understanding what our mother wanted from us. But I did. I knew exactly what she meant. You're all going to be elder siblings. Two older brothers and one older sister, Ryumi had told us just seconds ago. She was pregnant. But how was that possible? And I did not mean the birds and bees. I knew enough about them. Just like I knew enough about this world. The future of a whole generation. The truth about a past not many knew about. But I did not know this. What did that mean for my younger sibling?

I should have been delighted about this news. I was going to be an older sister and I was sure that I was going to love this new sibling just like I loved Tobirama and Hashirama. Instead of being happy I was terrified. I did not know about this sibling. Was it going to be a girl or a boy? How will it look like? Will it survive in this cruel world?

And that was my problem. What did 'not knowing' mean? Was it just too unimportant to be ever mentioned? Have I forgotten about it like about many other things of my previous life? Did my presence here change something? Or will my future sibling die before it can be ever remembered?

The thought of him or her dying before it reached adulthood scared me. The thought of loosing someone precious to me scared me. Yet I knew that it was inevitable.

I shook my head and looked at Ryumi. She seemed anxious. ''Yes, you are Hashirama. What I meant with this is that I am with child.''

My oldest brother looked confused. He did not seem to get what our mother was saying. I wasn't even certain that he knew where children came from. The birds and bees weren't a familiar concept. Poor Ryumi. ''There's a new sibling growing inside my stomach.'' She sighted tiredly. ''Maybe you remember that before Tobirama and Hisako were born my stomach was really big?''

Hashirama rubbed his head thoughtfully. ''You mean the time when you looked like a watermelon?''

A laugh escaped me. I couldn't stop it. Especially as I watched a dark red blush coloring Ryumi's cheeks. This was just too precious. What made this funnier was that Hashirama did not even know that he just insulted our mother. Hail young children and their obliviousness. Or maybe it was some weird ninja thing. Maybe every generation had an oblivious idiot. That would explain Naruto.

''Yes, that time.'' Ryumi said, using her left hand to pinch one of Hashirama's cheeks. The dark haired boy ignored this completely and stretched out one of his hands. With slight admiration he asked, ''Can I touch?''

Instead of answering Ryumi started to open her kimono. Luckily it wasn't a formal one. They were really hard to take off. I have been a witness to it once and could only hope that I would never have to wear one of those. I already missed the jeans and shorts. As a ninja I should hopefully be able to wear some trousers or leggings.

Mother managed to open it pretty fast because she only had to unbind a sash. Her stomach was still flat but now that I knew what to search for I could clearly feel the small and weak new chakra building up there. Being able to feel my new sibling so early was astounding. This small energy bubble would become my little brother or sister in only a few months. The chakra itself was actually quiet similar to Hashirama's and Tobirama's. Water was their primary nature and right now it still wasn't developed enough to show big differences. It was calm, yet it had the potential to become dangerous. There wasn't any other way to describe it. From the feel of it the unborn child would be water-natured as well.

Ryumi took Hashirama's small hand into her own and put it gently against her stomach. For a few seconds nothing happened. Then my brother's face scrunched up in confusion and frustration. ''I can't feel anything.''

Ryumi laughed with humor. ''It is still too young and small, my child. Right now we can't even tell if it is a boy or a girl.''

I stepped forward and put my hand next to Hashirama's without asking for permission. Tobirama copied my actions and frowned slightly. I have never touched a pregnant woman's stomach before. It was...weird. Logically, I knew that there was this new life growing inside of her. One day it would be a human being. I could even feel its chakra. However I was disappointed. I had no idea what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't this. Nothing happened. I pouted. ''I can't feel.''

Tobirama nodded his head. He shared my opinion.''Me neither.''

Our mother's tired laughter followed those statements.