Sorry for the wait, everyone. Here's the next chapter for your reading pleasure! Hopefully I'll have the next chapters out sooner.

"..."- Talking
'...'- Thinking
Kyubi talking to Konoko
Konoko talking to Kyubi

Chapter 2

The next day at school I had the dubious honour of sitting beside Sasuke. Ino had been the one kind enough to let me sit beside him-she wanted to sit beside Sakura today. I shifted uncomfortably, feeling even more awkward than yesterday. This was Sasuke. I had never like the boy-mostly because he was such a snob to everyone here. And I got to sit beside him. J...eh?

I blinked when I felt someone tug on one of my stupid pigtails and turned to glare at Sasuke. He only smirked back at me and tugged on it again. I narrowed my eyes and thought of all the things I could do to get back at him when he let go, a small little smirk on his face as he turned back to the front. I scowled at him. He has no manners whatsoever!

This continued at the beginning of every class. I had a desire to throttle him but I just glared at him every time because I didn't want to get on everyone's bad side. Sasuke was the popular kid here and I doubted that anyone would like me if I yelled at him. Tch. No one else would care if I was myself right now. Hell, I wouldn't even be sitting beside Sasuke if I was myself. Err, my real self.

The day kept dragging on and on, making me feel even more irritated. I wasn't going to meet Iruka after class. He was busy so I had until this evening for my last day of freedom. Then I'd be meeting my new guardian. A loud, relieved sigh came when we were all dismissed from class. I wanted something to eat. Some ramen, definitely. I sighed as I headed out of the academy. This time there wasn't anyone playing games-everyone's parents were here. How nice. I watched as they were picked up and taken home one by one.

How...lucky. I wanted to throw a bit of a fit. They all had what I wanted so easily. They got to not be hated. They had people that took care of them and loved them and didn't hurt them. All I got was someone The Hokage wanted taking care of me. I bet a hundred bowls of ramen that they'd be as judgemental as everyone else when they found out that I was really Naruto. I sighed softly and sat on my swing.

Some of the parents looked at me sympathetically and I smiled at them before looking down. Look at how nice they were when I wasn't myself! This was ridiculous! Why couldn't they have been nice when I was myself?

And, answering my question, I heard some of the mothers talking softly. And though they didn't use my name, it was easy to tell who they meant by their snide and arrogant tones. And also because of the gratuitous use of the word 'it'. That's how most of the adults referred to me.

"I don't see it here..."

"Do you think they finally got rid of it?"

"I hope so. Having something like that close to our children is dangerous."

Another woman's voice chimed it. "I heard from my husband that the Hokage is sending it to a special training ground."

"No...! What is the Hokage thinking?"

"He doesn't have a choice in the matter. The masters there insisted that it be the one they train."

"Don't they know what it is? They want to train something like that? What if it comes back here and tries to destroy Konoha again?"

A-again? When did I ever destroy Konoha? I'd defaced property...once. When I was three. And I got rocks pelted at me because of it. I could have died then if some nin hadn't gotten in the way and saved me. It had been a weird man with white hair...I didn't remember his face. Any child in my place would have been gently reprimanded...but me... I squeezed on the ropes of the swing, biting my lip. They were so cruel! I hadn't done anything at all!

"We can't let that happen! There must be a way to stop it!"

"Maybe if we kill i..."

I looked up to see the three women who had been talking about me. They'd stopped and were staring at me. I blinked and stared back. It couldn't have been something I said. They all had the expression that was often on their kids' faces when they got into trouble. I blinked and turned around slowly. It couldn't have been me staring at them so it must have been something else.

And it was. My eyes went wide, staring at the stone-faced nin standing behind me. One that looked just like Sasuke but had red eyes. He looked down at me and pressed a finger to his lips. I blinked up at him and nodded before looking forward again. Everyone had left now... I looked up again and the nin was still standing there.

I stared up at the other for a moment longer. "Who are you?"

The nin crouched down so that I didn't have to tilt my head up. He stared me in the eye, as if judging me. "I am a Uchiha."

"Oh." I smiled slightly, though a little uncomfortable. So he was related to Sasuke. No wonder he looked like him. "I-I'm Yo-"

"Yohiro Konoko." The nin tilted his head to one side at my confusion. "The Holage isn't all-powerful. There are some secrets that can be discovered if one listens at the right doors and in the right places, _Yohiro-san_."

"O-oh?" My eyes went wide at his words. H-he knew who I was? T-this wasn't good! I panicked a little and looked around, but there wasn't anyone here. O-oh, I was so dead! A hand appeared in front of me and-

Flower.

I followed the arm back up to the nin's face. He was actually smiling at me! W-what? I blankly took the paper flower he present to me, unsure of what was happening. The nin seemed to realize my confusion and patted my head before disappearing.

"...W-weird." I muttered to myself and looked down at the oragami flower. He knew who I was...and he was kind. That was so...foreign. I hesitated for a moment before smiling a little. It was sort of nice. I guess... It was time to see the Hokage...

Entering the Hokage's office wasn't that hard. The old man had told the nin that were guarding the tower to let me in. And me, as a little girl, walked in without even being glared at. There were a few pitying glances though. What the hell did the old man tell these idiots?

One of the jounin standing at the old man's office door came in with me, announcing me to all of the old man. He was the only one in the office, from what I could tell. I sighed and walked over to his desk. "So why am I here, oj-"

A pig squealed from somewhere and I suddenly was lying on the floor with a pink growth on my head. "Ow..."

The stupid old man didn't bother checking on me but smiled at the big breasted woman who had appeared in the doorway. "Ah, Tsunade-hime. It's a pleasure to see you again."

The woman growled and sat down, ignoring me as well. "I came. So why am I here, ji-ah, Hokage-sama."

The old man smiled as I stood up, glaring with my new growth trying to hold on. "Tsunade, I would like you to become the guardian of a certain child. Yohiro Konoko. Take her with you and raise her as you see fit."

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh?"

Tsunade looked like she was in shock before glancing at me. "...Alright. I'll take her and train for a few years outside of the village."

"Bring her back in, say, three years?"

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?"

…3 Years ago, Konoha ninja academy…

"Alright everyone! Settle down!"

Hyuga Sen, a 12 year old of the branch family, found himself sitting between two girls. One he barely knew; a quiet, 9 year old who sat at the back of the class most of the time. The other, unfortunately, was Haruno Videl.

Videl was one of his many admirers. He had once complemented her analytical skills and she had been smitten. At least she hadn't made any blatant proclamations, unlike her younger sister that his cousin, Hinata-sama knew. Today, however, they were being separated into their genin teams and Sen dearly hoped that Videl wasn't on his team.

"Next, Team 5. Haruno Videl, Hyuga Sen…"

"Alright!"

Sen frowned, scowling. 'Great, just what I need… Exactly which god did I piss off this time?'

"…And your third member will be Yohiro Konoko. Mind that you watch over her."

Videl blinked, her enthusiasm waning. '…Another girl? What god did I piss off to be this close to heaven? This isn't fair! It should have been another guy, like with all the other groups.' She stood up in order to get the sensei's attention. "Sensei, who's Yohiro Konoko?"

"I am Yohiro Konoko. And I don't need to be watched over sensei. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself thank you very much." The voice was strong, angry and coming from his right.

Videl looked over to the girl on Sen's other side. Her blue eyes glared at Videl and Sen. Videl was in shock. "You graduated? But you're as old as my little sister!"

Konoko's glare centered on Videl. "Don't judge me just because I'm younger than you. I'm a hell of a lot better than your sister. Or you for that matter." Sen hid a smile as the girl proceeded to ignore the fuming Videl. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad, with this girl around. At least, it couldn't get any worst than it already was with Videl on his team.

…Wait. Who came up with these decisions anyway?