A big thank you to those that reviewed! I would have had this one out a lot sooner but... life happens. I'll make the next one longer to make up for lost time!

Obviously nothing but the OC belongs to me.

Paper Stars
Chapter 3 - Hospitals are boring!

Orochimaru was a patient man most days, preferring to wait and watch for the most opportune moment to present itself before striking. Much like that of a snake, he could wait for long periods of time before finally deciding to move on to better opportunities. This time there was an exception.

It had taken him countless hours of research and months of trial and error to finally be prepared for the taste of sweet success... Only for it to be snatched away. How had they known where his research facility had been? There was really only one answer to that question and that was a double agent. Well, that or someone had leaked information. He had his suspicions but nothing to prove who it was quite yet. Soon, though, he would confront this deserter. For now he could just bide his time. There was no possible way to recreate this experiment. There wasn't enough materials or resources for another attempt. Not to mention the whole process took at least a year of preparations and a month of careful monitoring. A child's body is fragile, especially one that has been completely recreated by samples saved for an undetermined amount of time. Who knows if he'll ever come across such a treasure trove again?

His patience was wearing thin...

Hoshiko - Konoha Hospital

It's been 2 weeks since I've woken up in the hospital and I've grown terribly bored. I've been pretty much bedridden and unable to move around even when the boredom starts to make my legs twitch in anticipation of my daily physical therapy. As of five days ago my doctor, Takeshi-sensei, has determined that it would be best to start getting me used to walking around "again". I honestly don't know if this body even knows how to walk. Why do I think this? Well...

Today I was allowed to bathe alone for the first time. After helping me strip and showing me what everything was for (like a child who had never used soap in their entire life) the nurse left me to it and I took the opportunity to carefully hobble over to the mirror by the sink and get a good look at myself. It was a bad idea, honestly. I almost fell over from shock.

That's MY face! This body is MINE!

Looking away from the mirror, I shuffled back to the shower and sat on the stool left inside for me. The water was already running so I washed as I contemplated my latest discovery. So I wasn't reborn as a new person. Somehow I was reborn as myself? That doesn't make sense. How is this even possible? I must be dreaming but... didn't I die?

When the nurse returned, I had finished and just sat under the running water trying to wash away the growing anxiety. She shut off the water and helped me dry off and get dressed in another hospital gown before I was ushered back to bed to rest. Minato and his team had already come and gone today, so I didn't have anything to distract me from the mental onslaught that night. Idly, I pulled out the strips of paper I had received from them today and started making origami stars almost without thought.

Over the last week my Japanese had improved considerably but I still didn't attempt speaking after the day I got my name. To be honest, I was afraid of how I'd sound if I did. I didn't want to hear some little girl's voice that I didn't recognize, it would have freaked me out. Now that possibility was null and void but... but now I'm afraid of my own voice. After being silent for two weeks, I've begun to feel anxious at the thought of hearing my own voice again. Kinda silly but it is what it is.

Next thing I knew I had a small pile of stars in my lap and the sun had long since set. Putting away the paper and the origami stars, I got comfy in my bed and stared at the wall until I fell asleep.

This time I didn't find myself floating in space with a chatty younger self. It was far worse. It was dark and cold, I couldn't see anything. Or maybe my eyes were closed? I could hear voices but none of them were familiar.

"...too young... not enough... not stable... die again..."

"What about... if we can... she should... for a few years..."

The next voice, however, seemed vaguely familiar. It tugged at my heartstrings.

"Only...! ...doesn't deserve... too short... Should have lived... bastard who killed her!"

What? What was going on?

"We'll try... could take longer... years of research... You... never see her again."

It was quiet for a long time and then the familiar voice was loud and clear, like they were closer.

"We love you, Catherine. Everything will be ok. We'll see you again soon, promise."

And then all I could feel was this indescribable pain. I tried to cry out but I couldn't move.

Mom... why?

Team Minato - Outside Konoha Hospital

It was early, about 7:30am, when Team Minato arrived at the hospital. Obito had yet to arive but he was always late and they knew enough to expect it. Today, however, instead of the usual nurse greeting them with a pleasant "good morning" before escorting them to Hoshiko's room there was another nurse looking like a strong breeze had blown through the building quickly walked up to them after they entered.

She seemed relieved to see them as she fixed her hair and clothes. "Oh, thank goodness you're here. We've been trying everything but she won't calm down! Could you at least help us hold her down?"

Minato gave her a concerned frown. "Is everything alright? What happened?"

The nurse shrugged and turned to lead them to the correct room (though they already knew it at this point). "We're not sure. Her nurse went to check on her and she was sleeping in later than normal. She said she noticed that she was sweating and shaking and when she went to try and wake her up the child began to thrash wildly and her chakra levels skyrocketed. We're not sure if she's conscious but she hasn't settled down and we can't approach her. Every time we get too close something pushes us back."

They exchanged looks. "Something? Could you describe it?" asked their Sensei.

She shook her head and replied, "It feels like a strong gust of wind but the windows are closed. We think it might be her chakra but she shouldn't have enough to do something like that yet." Once they reached the room, she bowed and left them.

Inside they found Takeshi-sensei and Hoshiko's nurse, Rika, trying to coax her with gentle words but nothing seemed to be getting through. It was then that Obito showed up and asked what was going on. Minato explained the situation to him as the other two attempted to approach the child huddled on the bed in the room. Her eyes were wide open but unseeing and her hair was a mess as was her gown but that wasn't the part that worried them most. No, the girl was muttering to herself quietly. It was too quiet to actually hear over the swirl of wind surrounding her like a tornado but she was speaking all the same. Even Kakashi could barely hear anything with his heightened senses.

Obito decided to try something else. "Oi! Hoshi-chan! Can you hear me?" he shouted, waving his arms around and moving slowly toward her. He seemed to make progress until he got to the very edge of the bed and started to reach out to her. "Hey, what's the matter? Talk to me—"

Before he could touch her, her body was suddenly covered in a strange seal and the wind swirled faster and pushed him back with enough force to send him slamming into the wall.

"Don't touch me."

The words were unfamiliar and clearly in another language, so even if her voice wasn't hoarse from lack of use they wouldn't be able to understand her. The icy tone kept them from approaching her immediately; talking was no longer an option. Minato frowned, realizing the malice in her eyes was just a mask for her fear and... pain? It was then that he realized that she was clutching her arms tightly around her torso as if trying to protect herself. What was going on in her head, he wondered.

Something needed to be done quickly before she hurt herself. He waited for the wind to pull back toward Hoshiko before taking action. In a split second, he darted forward and knocked her out. The child immediately went limp and slumped back onto the bed like nothing had happened. Would she remember any of this? She didn't seem fully conscious, Minato noted.

"You three stay here and watch over her. She may not remember any of this if she wakes up. I'll return after I report this to Hokage-sama." he informed his students before turning and leaving the room.

Upon reaching the Hokage tower, he was immediately ushered into Hiruzen's office. Apparently the ANBU stationed outside Hoshiko's room had immediately reported to the older man when the girl had woken up because the first thing he said was, "I assume you took care of the problem?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I take it you have already been informed?" the blonde asked.

The older man took a drag from his pipe before replying, "All but what happened after you arrived at the hospital."

Nodding, Minato filled him in on the details. "I'm not sure what it was but the language was definitely one I've never heard before. The accent was also unfamiliar and I can only guess that it is her native tongue. Where she learned it is beyond me... but this brings up more questions than answers. This means she's not native to the land of Fire, or really any of the Elemental Nations."

The Hokage seemed to be considering something before Minato felt the privacy seals activate in the office and something shifted in the air between them. "There is more," his elder added, "to this girl than I think we're prepared for. The ANBU dug up what they could but it seems most of what they could find is coded. Or rather, it's in a completely different language. It was noted that the labs were strange in a sense that they were almost foreign. The air was stale and cold, like it had been there for longer than any of us could imagine. I'm not sure what to make of the entire situation but, for now, it would be best to treat the child as any other."

Minato remained silent for a few minutes, absorbing what was revealed to him, before adding to his previous report. "The medics said something that struck me as odd but I didn't think about it until now. Hoshiko's chakra levels baffled them; they said she shouldn't have so much chakra yet."

The Sandaime Hokage frowned and nodded before dismissing the blonde. "I will expect another report soon. For now, keep all of this to yourself."

Minato bowed and left the office, leaving Hiruzen Sarutobi alone to piece together the confounding puzzle that was Hoshiko.

Hoshiko - Konoha Hospital

When I woke up, I felt like my body was full of lead and the buzzing feeling you get when a limb "falls asleep" was all I could feel. Everywhere. I was uncomfortable and unhappy but I was not alone. I didn't know whether I should be uncaring or curse them for not allowing me to be alone with my misery. Either way I couldn't move and I wasn't going to try.

"Hey, how are you doing? Feeling better now? You slept for a long time today." I heard Obito say. Wait. What?

Since when was I able to completely understand them?

The shock forced me to sit up and stare at him, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. For the past two weeks of my recovery I had been slowly understanding more and more of their language, chalking it up to this body's memory. When I found out yesterday that this wasn't someone else's body but my own I realized that it didn't make sense that I was learning this language so quickly. But to completely understand it now? Was that why I felt like crap?

Not understanding my expression, Obito furrowed his brows in confusion and added, "You think she's still freaking out a little? Does she remember any of that?"

No, I most certainly do not. And then I realized that I knew the words to say but didn't open my mouth, too shocked to try. I must have paled because Rin's expression changed from curious to worried.

"I don't think so but maybe she needs another chakra transfusion?" she said, looking to Minato for guidance.

Their sensei was watching me closely as he replied, "No, her chakra is stable. She looks like she might be a little overwhelmed right now so maybe you three should go get some lunch. I'll watch over her."

I stared at the door for a good 5 minutes after the three left before turning toward their sensei and giving him a suspicious look. What the hell happened? Chakra transfusion? Why the hell would I need that? I haven't tried using it, so...

You had a bit of a spaz attack some hours ago. Freaked everybody out. Probably triggered by that nightmare of a memory. Probably best not to think about it right now though. You kinda blew away a dangerous amount of chakra and your reserves were near depleted. Currently channeling all available energy into regenerating, so we'll be ok but I wouldn't try using any chakra for the next few days. Oh, that memory also seems to have been connected to the part of our subconscious that held knowledge of the Japanese language. So there's a plus. Not sure how but... well, we'll talk about it later. Focus on the living for now. It was probably best to listen to myself. What an odd statement.

Minato watched me patiently but his blank face revealed none of his thoughts to me. Forcing down the barrage of questions in my head, I decided it wouldn't do me any good to hide the fact that I could understand them. He could probably see right through me.

After a moment, I summoned up the courage to speak but the first few attempts were incoherent because my voice-box was rusty from lack of use. Finally, still a little hoarse, I was able to greet him. "Hello, Minato-san. My throat hurts. Could you hand me a glass of water?"

I think he was in so much shock that he was unable to move for a long moment before realizing I had requested water and handed me one of the glasses of water on the bedside table he was standing next to. After gulping down about half of the glass, I handed it back to him and thanked him in a much clearer voice. It took all of my willpower not to flinch when I recognized it as my own even though the accent was completely different now.

Minato took back the glass and then set it back on the table before he took a seat on the chair next to the bed. "How long have you..." he trailed off, eyes narrowing a fraction.

Frowning, I shrugged and said, "I could only understand a few words at first. Then a few phrases. But... One minute I know barely anything and now I understand you completely. It's as baffling to me as it must be for you."

Minato shook his head and suddenly became serious. "Would you be able to answer a few questions?"

"I... suppose I might. Depending on the questions." My heartbeat picked up and my hands started to get sweaty at the prospect of answering whatever inquiries he may have. I knew this would be coming but I had hoped to push it off until much later. Perhaps I can give him half-truths and he won't pry.

He dived right in. "Your vocabulary seems much more extensive than I would expect from someone at such a young age. How old are you? Do you remember your name? Do you remember your family or where you come from?"

"The answers to your questions are all connected but I hesitate to give them to you." At his suspicious look, I added, "You see, I'm not completely sure myself."

The blonde hummed in thought before encouraging me to continue. "I see. Then tell me how much you do know."

Taking a deep breath, I collected my thoughts and carefully recounted what I could remember before tailoring my story and replying. "My previous name is of no importance because I don't remember it, so my name is Hoshiko. I no longer have a family, I expect they're long gone by now. Before you ask, I don't know how long ago they've been dead."

He looked at me like I was speaking in riddles, so I decided to continue while I still had his attention and we were alone.

"My last memory before waking up in the dark, strapped to a table was going to sleep in the tent I shared with my parents. I was 4 years old and we were on the road with a caravan because my father was a traveling merchant and it's safer to travel in large groups. After that everything is fuzzy. There was a lot of screaming."

His expression hardened, I could see he was looking for any traces of a lie but I knew how to make a good poker face. When he couldn't see anything wrong with my story, he gave me an empathetic smile. "Perhaps it is better you don't remember. You don't remember how you ended up on that table?"

I shook my head, this time completely honest. "I have no idea. And I don't know who it was that put me there. I remember speaking to him once but I didn't understand him and he didn't understand me. It was dark so I couldn't make out his face but his voice was deep, so I assumed he was male."

He didn't answer my silent inquiry of who it was but I already knew so I didn't push the matter. "Do you remember where you came from?"

This time I was unsure of how to answer. On one hand, he wouldn't know where or what California or the United States were but on the other I couldn't just name any off-hand village because they would investigate my citizenship. "We didn't really have anywhere we called home. We moved around a lot from what I can remember. The only extended stay I can recall was somewhere on the coast." Not really a lie since I did move around a lot, though I grew up on the beaches of California.

"I see. Do you know where you are now?" he asked. When I shook my head, he added, "You are currently Konoha. Have you ever been here before?"

I tilted my head to one side as I responded, "The name is only vaguely familiar, so I don't think so."

He nodded and relaxed in his chair. "That should be enough for now. My students should be back soon, so I think we should continue this another time when your memory is a little clearer."

Brushing a lock of hair out of my face, I asked, "Could you please keep all of this between us for now? And... I don't think I'll let them know that I can understand them for a while longer. I don't want them going into shock... besides, it might be fun."

He gave me a pleasant smile and nodded, promising to keep everything a secret, but I knew he would report everything I had said to the Hokage. It was expected, really, and I couldn't force him to keep quiet to his superior. Not five minutes later, the three stooges (as I fondly referred to them as) returned. My blank mask was back in place as I watched them shuffle in, talking amongst themselves.

Things are going to get interesting.

We spent the rest of the day playing games and Rin and Obito reading children's books to me. Now that I understood them, I found them horribly cliché and mind-numbingly boring. I found my attention drifting and when they noticed I wasn't paying attention, Rin decided to show me some new origami and when I finally got a decent paper rabbit done it was time for them to leave. Normally I would be a little disheartened when they announced their departure but this time I was feeling a little clingy. I knew there was a strong chance that I would be plagued by nightmares and stay up half the night worrying about my future and thinking about my past. I didn't really look at who I had attached myself to but it was the closest person and they had gone stiff as a board as I buried my head into their shoulder and refused to let go.

"Hoshi-chan, we have to go now..." soothed Rin from the foot of the bed. I only shook my head and refused to let go.

"I don't think she wants us to go." Obito remarked, patting my head.

Hm. That means I'm clinging to Kakashi. Mwahahahaha!

With the best teary-eyed puppy look I could muster, I looked up at Kakashi and said the first thing that came to mind. "Kakashi. Oniisan."

I thought it impossible but he actually stiffened further and looked down at me with the most dumbfounded expression I ever expected to see on the Hatake. My victory dance was interrupted at Rin's cooing and Obito's grumbling.

"What about me? I'm nicer than Kakashi and I play with you more." he pouted, poking my side. Unfortunately for me, I'm incredibly ticklish and my weakness was just discovered. I did my best not to twitch but the Uchiha noticed and a smirk spread across his face. "Oh-ho! Is our little sister ticklish?"

I gulped nervously and gave him a wary look when I noticed the evil look in his eye and he pounced before I could escape under my blankets. I wasn't strong enough to fight against him and so was at his mercy as he tickled me until Rin finally decided to take pity on my and pull the boy off of me.

When I regained my composure, I pouted childishly on the bed. Rin tried to soothe me but I wasn't having any of it. Dammit, I was a glorified toddler and I was allowed to be a brat.

"Hoshi-chan, we can't stay forever. We have our own beds to sleep in and visiting hours are almost over." she said in her best "mommy" tone.

I shook my head and hid under my blanket. I wasn't exactly dependent on others so much as I was lonely in my sick room by myself. I was just a kid and kids weren't supposed to be left alone for extended periods of time. Yes, I have an older psyche but my body wasn't nearly as mature. If I had to go through puberty again, I was going to take advantage of this for as long as I could.

Just then the doctor came in for my nightly check-up. The nurse trailed behind him with a clipboard with all of my files and looked around surprised. "Oh! You guys are usually gone by now, should we step out and wait for you to finish saying your goodbye's?"

"Ah, it seems Hoshiko-chan is feeling a little lonely and doesn't want us to leave." I heard Minato say.

I poked my head out from under the blankets and looked around at everyone. The doctor noticed me and said, "Yes, I was worried about that. She is still quite young, we were wondering what would be decided after she was strong enough to leave the hospital."

The blonde nodded his head and stated that he would talk to the Hokage about it and they all left after saying goodbye once more. I was decidedly depressed and didn't make eye-contact with my doctor or nurse until my dinner was brought to me. They were friendly to me but they were clinically detached and I couldn't blame them. That night was spent with a lot of tossing and turning before I fell asleep.

Minato - Hokage Tower

Once again the Yellow Flash found himself before the Third Hokage to discuss the anomaly of a child named Hoshiko. After relaying the information he gathered that day, the Hokage sat quietly in his chair absorbing his words. After a long moment of silence, the old man focused his gaze on Minato and raised a brow curiously at his subordinate.

"You think she is hiding something?" he asked.

The blonde shook his head. "I'm not sure. She seemed mostly genuine but holding back something important. Perhaps it is irrelevant or she doesn't know if she can trust us with the information. Either way, it doesn't seem Hoshiko is willing to part with all of what she knows yet. She is surprisingly intelligent, despite her age, and cautious. It isn't fear that holds her back per se, but she seems troubled and uncomfortable by her current situation."

The Hokage nodded but, after a moment of examining the young man before him, asked, "Is there something troubling you, Minato-san?"

Said Jonin hesitated before replying, "Hokage-sama we were all wondering what is to happen with the girl once she's recovered enough to leave the hospital? The doctors are concerned for her mental health as she is still quite young. She's always seemed sad to see us go but tonight she made it clear that she was unhappy to be left alone at the hospital. She craves mental stimulation, that much is clear. After regaining complete understanding of the language, she became completely uninterested in the children's books clearly unimpressed with their contents. She speaks clearly and more intricately than most children her age and her vocabulary seems quite extensive. I would call her prodigal but I don't know enough about her but she could become a great asset in the village."

Hiruzen thought for a few minutes before sighing and relaying his fears. "Inquiring about the girl in other villages will bring about unwanted attention. If her claims are true then her parents are died and there is no reason to validate her story until after the war. Whether she decides to become a ninja or not is ultimately up to her but perhaps we can push her in the right direction. She will need someone to complete her education and keep a close eye on her at all times. I have already dismissed putting her into an orphanage, it would be too risky. We cannot allow her to fall into enemy hands as there are still many more mysteries to unravel and we don't know what exactly was done to her.

Minato frowned and asked, "What other options have you come up with?"

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, the Hokage continued, "As you know, I will need you to return to the warfront soon. She will be vulnerable in the hospital, so she will have to continue healing elsewhere. I had considered getting her transferred to another village secretly but decided it too risky. The only other option is to get someone to take her in and watch over her until she is old enough to take care of herself."

The blonde eyed the older man curiously. He knew he wouldn't be able to care for Hoshiko if he was fighting in the war and the same went for most higher ranking ninja. "Who did you have in mind, exactly?"

With a blank expression, Hiruzen replied, "The only people capable of furthering her educating while also providing proper protection would be the clans. I have already spoken to each of them and the council will meet in a few days to decide who ultimately will be taking her in."

Things were going to get really interesting and Minato couldn't decide if it was the good kind or the bad.

As I mentioned earlier, I will make the next chapter an extra long chapter! I decided to cut this one off here because I wanted to get something out for you guys to read. I know I took forever to put this out but I've been busy finishing up college so I didn't have much time to write! I know exactly where this story is going so I'm not abandoning it anytime soon, don't worry! Also, if you're reading my other fanfiction, I'll have a chapter out for it too soon. I'll be graduating in a month, so I'll have plenty of time to write then!

Anyways, there will only be a few more chapters for Hoshiko's "child arc" as I'm calling it. It's mostly just for character development, so don't worry! Fun times are ahead! Promise! :D

Oh! And if anyone wants to be my beta or co-write this or another story with me, you should totally leave a comment or send me a message! ;D

~ Xero ~