Chapter 5: Little Dancer

His heart thumped relentlessly against his chest as he slammed his way through the nearest door

"NARUTO!"

Ignoring the calls behind him, Naruto pressed on flying down the stairs and quickly through the sparsely crowded streets. He couldn't believe it, he felt like he couldn't breathe. How could he?! How could his own father say that?!

How could he give up on his own daughter?

Naruto wasn't supposed to be listening in on his father's meetings, but he had gotten bored with bugging his father's receptionist so Naruto made his way to his father's office, but just before he was about to slam the door open and spontaneous announce his arrival, as per usual, he heard it.

They were making funeral arrangements for his little sister. The same sister he promised never to give up on; the same sister he knew was alive.

They had given up on her

His little sister

His twin

His other half

Making his way to the Hokage's mansion, the place he had come to call home, he sprinted to his room, giving the door a solid slam he made his way underneath his blankets and intertwined his scrawny arms around his Gama-chan. There he laid and cried his heart out. It wasn't true, he knew it in his heart.

No too long after he heard a knock at his door, but dutifully ignored it. After a sigh was heard the person on the other side, presumably his traitor of a father, left with no other interaction.

There in the silence of dusk Naruto Uzumaki made a vow. He would not abandon his sister, he would search the world for her 'till his dying breath. That would be the core of his ninja will! The first thing he would decree when he became Hokage!

After calming his heart and finally allowing his exhaustion take root, Naruto's eye began fluttering.

And there, in the silence as he let his own heart beat lull him to sleep, he could swear he heard two heart beats, fluttering in sync.

"Back so soon?"

I was greeted by a ceiling of pipes, and the all too familiar snarky voice. Lying there in the shallow water of the seal I tilted my head just enough to meet the eyes of the Kyuubi. Seeing my bold stare, a menacing snarl incased his mussel.

"Why did you stop me brat?!"

"Menma"

"What?"

"My name is Menma, not brat," I shot back as I lifted myself from the water, "and I stopped you because you were going too far."

"You don't tell me what too far is brat!" he slammed his massive paw against the gate, "I am in control!"

"No you're not!" I shouted back, just as furious, "I am in control, this is my body, even you heard Shinigami-sama."

"Are you really buying what that old hag of a god has to say?!" his incredulous voice quickly turned into a condemning one, "He was patronizing you! You actually think a half pint like yourself, with defective chakra coils, is anywhere comparable to old man Hagoromo? Get over yourself brat, you may have fore knowledge of this world and decent chakra control, but you're just a pathetic little girl who can't even defend herself!"

I knew my cheeks were burning at this point. He was right. I was weak, weak enough to bargain with a demon for some chakra.

Chakra

He mentioned chakra coils and deformity. Snapping my still red face up, I met his gaze once again.

"W-what do you mean there's something wrong with my chakra coils."

"It's just as I said brat. When that damned red eyed Uchiha bastard used his horrendous transportation jutsu, the surge of foreign chakra misshaped your still fragile chakra coils. With some of them not even pumping a decent amount of chrakra there's no possible way for a brat like you to release enough chakra to perform the most miniscule genjutsu or ninjustsu. Though it would seem that due to the fact you can manually siphon your chakra, your control over it isn't half bad brat, and due to the fact there isn't a large reserve of chakra in your neurologic system at one time, genjutsu of any level can't be cast onto you, but you will never have the capabilities of being a real ninja. Ever. Such a shame really being the spawn of the Fourth Hokage and the infernal loud mouth of an ex-host, you have a decent reserve of chakra of your own, but isn't that the irony of it all? The off spring of the strong turn out to be the most pathetic and weakest of the bunch. Heh! "

I let that all sink in, mainly trying to ignore his snide and condescending jabs, the ones I would never admit wounded whatever little pride I have left. I would never be able to perform ninjutsu or genjutsu. I would never be able to make shadow clones of weave an illusion, because of Tobi-no…

Obito

But then it dawned on me, Kurama didn't mention taijutsu or fuinjutsu, and that bit about genjutsu being useless on me was a plus. I didn't need to just be a ninja I needed to be strong, even if that meant I had to do it using unconventional methods.

"I want to make a deal with you Kurama," I whispered

"A deal entails a trade, what could a pathetic worm like you offer me?"

"Freedom"

That got his attention. Settling down he laid his massive head on his crossed paws. It seemed he was willing to indulge me.

"Speak"

"You didn't mention fuinjutsu or taijutsu, hell even kenjutsu, with these I can become a warrior, maybe not a ninja, but strong just the same. I don't care how I become strong, who I have to beat, what I have to do! I won't be weak," a large smirk twisted his features, "Help me become strong and I will find a way to get you out of here, especially if it pisses the Heaven's off. I want to stick it to them hard, even if it's the last thing I do in this life."

"Didn't you say that you would follow him without qualm? If you turn your back on the beings that gave you another chance at life, then how can I trust you won't turn your back on this deal?"

I couldn't help but think back to Shinigami-sama's words. What would have driven my last life to kill themselves? And why that was any of the Heaven's business, I would never understand, but there was one thing that was clear to me. I had suffered deeply in my past life, one wouldn't take their life for no reason, and I will be damned if I allowed myself to suffer in this life. With hind sight I made a vow then and there. There was no trusting in this world. My would be twin may have that mentality, but I didn't want the part of a hero, or even a judge. I wanted to be free. I would play along with the Heaven's game for now. At least until I could gain some strength of my own.

"You can't, but I am your only other option for getting out of this cage," leveling my eyes with him I lowered my tone, "Make me strong and I'll hold up my end, if I don't then I suppose you can enforce your own brand of vengeance at a later date, win-win."

He paused, his large red eyes glaring right back into my unwavering blue ones. He needed a little more of a push.

"And I will personally see to it that we rip apart the Uchiha who controlled you, limb by limb."

A malicious, slobbery grin broke its way onto his face. Apparently that's all he needed to hear because the next thing I know the bastard kicked me back to reality.

I was once again met with the sight of a ceiling, but this time it appeared to be a normal wooden paneled one. Slowly inching my way up I took stock of where I was now.

It was a fairly traditional looking room. Tatami mat flooring, rice paper sliding doors adorned with delicate flower prints, and simple wall scrolls. Craning my head to the left something caught my eye. Lifting my worn and sore body I made my way over to the far corner.

There sat a beautiful vanity

A black table top and equally black drawers with intricate nature carvings. On top sat a large oval mirror, a black frame surrounding it.

Taking slow steady steps, I eventually made my way to the front of it. Plopping my ass on the floor I stared into vibrant sky blue eyes, or at least that's what I was expecting to stare into. Instead I was met with dull half lidded blue-grey eyes. My once bright and playful, long crimson locks were now misshaped chops of a dulled red, matted with dried blood. The beautifully healthy tanned skin I once adorned was replaced by papery white, hollowed out skin, smeared with seat and grime. But the thing that drew my eyes the most was the angry red scar that now tattooed the front of my body. Even with the new yukata that wrapped around my body I could see a large part of it. The skewed jagged lines rippled over my once pristine skin. The right tip of the X reached the corner of my pale chapped lips, while the left side detoured off to my left shoulder. With slow shaky hands I undid the yukata and let it fall down around my naked form.

As a seven year old I had nothing to really gawk at. My chest was flat and no pubic hair covered my lady parts, but I could see promise. With a shorter torso than legs, I would have made a truly beautiful woman. But there, between my future breasts was the angry, fat intersection of the X. The bottom two points reaching my hip bones.

Too stuck in my state of shock I didn't even register that someone opened one of the screen doors.

"Oh my!" a soft voice cried from behind me. Still absorbing the shock of my appearance, I slowly craned my head far enough to see said intruder.

She was a pretty girl maybe four or five years older than me. Pale porcelain skin, a dainty frame adorned with a pale pink winter kimono with little yellow flowers at the hem of the sleeves and the bottom of the kimono. Her caramel colored hair was pulled into an elaborate hairstyle, with decorative pins holding it all together. Slanted forest green eyes zeroed in on the mirror currently reflecting my naked and now scarred body. With a light blush coloring her cheeks she quickly closed the screen door, and shuffled towards me.

"W-we need to wash you and fix you up before I can present you to aneue and oka-san," with that she wrapped me up in the yukata I undid, and ushered me to a large bath room. There with her help we gently scrubbed the sweat and grime from my body, careful to avoid irritating my still healing wounds. The girl, who soon introduced herself as Hinagiku*, filled the awkward silence with her soft rambling. Referring to me as 'little one', she didn't ask for my name, and I didn't give it. I was fine with that.

"We were all a little shocked when aneue brought you back with her. You see, aneue was entertaining a very important client at a wedding celebration in the very center of the capital, and on her way back she saw you in the snow, well not you necessarily, but that bright hair of yours. She took to you right away and soon convinced the oka-san to let you at least rest here. You were in quite the condition, we tried cleaning you up the best we could, but oka-san told us to leave you; that you would wake up soon enough. Though you did sleep a day and a half, I am glad to see that you are awake. Once I am done cleaning you we'll get you fixed up to visit aneue and her regulars next door at the tea house. And good thing we have kimono in your….."

It went on like that for a while as she rinsed and repeated the process; from what I gather I was either at a geisha house or a courtesan brothel, hopefully the former, or all the gore and killing I put myself through would have been for nothing. In the back of my head I could still hear Mai's scream.

'Monster!'

Clenching my hands together tightly I pushed the vivid scream even further down; to a place where it would never see that light of day again.

Once we were done cleaning me up I was dried and ushered back into the room I came from. Hinagiku opened one of the screen doors on the left and began pulling out kimono, asking herself which one would look best. Half listening to the rest of what Hinagiku was spewing, I glared down at my new scar. The seal must have still been tightly intact for that scar to still be this fresh. I guess letting Kurama take over didn't loosen it one bit.

"Aha!" came a victorious squeak. Looking over I saw that she had finally decided on a kimono. Even in the foul and depressed mood I was in, I could appreciate what a good choice she made. A cream colored winter kimono with a garden of red and white roses lining the bottom of the kimono. Green leaves poking out from the top and even more roses on the ends of the sleeves. Scattered in random spots, an array of petals. A deep crimson red obi with gold rope ties to pull it together. Yes it would look nice, if I didn't look like a fucking street urchin. She must have read my mind because the next thing she did was put the pristine kimono down, and guided me over to the elaborate vanity.

Now to fix your hair and put a little make up on you. Reaching into one of the drawers she pulled out a pair of sheers and a small comb. Looking up right as she cut the first piece I said goodbye to the hair I had once tried to grow out. The hair I wanted to look just like Iyako-neesama's.

With that the damns that I had been holding up for the past two weeks finally cracked, not by much, but even the smallest crack did its damage. Fat warm tears slid down my hollowed cheeks and I did nothing to stop them. I would indulge my feelings this once, but as I vowed before, this crying, this weakness would end. My face twisted up as I struggled to keep my trembling from interfering with Hinagiku's cutting. If she noticed she didn't say anything.

And for that I was grateful

"There!" turning me around Hinagiku allowed me to examine myself in the mirror, "What do you think little one?"

She did an amazing job. My once lop sided hair was now trimmed into a chin length bob, two longer pieces in the front fell to my chin framing my face, and straight edge hime bangs split in the middle brushed my brows, a white bow sat promptly on the top of my head tying it all together. A light dusting of white powder concealed my sunken in face and the majority of my obvious scar. A light red tint was put on the center of my lips and small red wings lined my eyes. With the kimono finishing it off I looked like a small doll again; not like a death camp survivor.

"You did a good job Hinagiku-san," my cracked voice whispered. Her eyes grew large along with her smile. It was the first time I spoke since waking up.

"Now to take you to aneue and oka-san!"

With that she guided me down stairs where we put on our okobo* and exited the large house. I soaked in every bit of our surrounding. The sign above the opening to the large dorm like building we just came from read, 'Flowers of the Land of Iron'. The sky was grey, once again, and snow was falling from it, once again. Men and women filled the streets, holding their kimono up as to not soak it with snow and slush. Shops and restaurants lined the streets and in distance I could see a large mountain that looked like three large open mouths, a tall castle near the top, and taller buildings lining the base of the mountain. I was in the capital of the Land of Iron, if my select memory serves me correctly.

Shuffling through the snow we entered the building directly next to the house. Once we entered and removed our okobo an older girl, probably a few years older than Hinagiku, led us to the back of the tea house, to a room filled with laughing and chatter. With the older girl opening the screen door we entered. Sitting at a low table was a group of three men, not very attractive and not very unattractive, and a group of three women, all very attractive, and in the corner playing the shamisen was an older woman, also attractive.

All noise ceased as we entered and immediately Hinagiku dropped into a bowing pose, gracefully placing her forehead o the tips of her fingers. I silently followed suit.

" Ume-neesama*, Kiku-neesama*, Suikazura-neesama*, oka-san, I brought the little one," Hinagiku softly announced. The one dressed in a plum colored kimono with gold embroidery and a gold obi lifted herself from her spot. Lifting my head fully I finally got a good look at her; this must be the aneue that Hinagiku was going on about. She was absolutely breath taking. Her black hair was split, the top put into the same extravagant style the rest of the women wore, but the lower half of her hair was let down, a pin straight curtain of ebony. Two pieces of the large bow at the top of her hair framed her heart shaped face; which was painted a stark white, with a fill lip of red and small round eyebrows that surrounded deep set cooper eyes. The plum kimono and gold obi (which thank God was tied in the back*), along with her black hair helped accentuate her pale small face. She must have been Ume.

How fitting

Using a small fan she pulled from her sleeve she gently guided my face up to meet hers.

"My, what a cute little thing you are, all cleaned up of course," a smooth alto voice came from her, it shocked me at first, but somehow fit, "Oh goodness, I do really want to keep you!"

She gently slid her eyes over to the elderly woman in the corner with a stern look on her face. She must have been the oka-san.

"I was told that if you were to stay you would have to present a talent," tilting my head even further up Ume made sure I was looking directly into her eyes, "A dog does not eat if it has no use."

I knew exactly what to say

"I can both dance and play the koto Ume-sama," sliding my eye to the stern woman, "Oka-sama."

Ume's eye lit up instantly. Letting my head go she glided back to her spot between two of the men. Waving her hand over to the oka-san she spoke.

"Then please, little dancer, show us your worth."

Straightening my back I made my way over to the small stage and waited for the oka-san to start strumming. Once the song began I let my feet weave through the Dance of Thanksgiving. I wasn't use to such a restrictive kimono when I did this dance but I managed, putting the little energy I had left I slid my feet with no pause, I twirled with no fault. Contorting my small body into lovely curves, I made every part of myself extend, just as Iyako-neesama taught me. At the end of the last strum I had ended the dance, the sleeves of my kimono wrapped around my arm and my head tilted down. Feeling a slight chill I knew that bastard Shinigami-sama had been watching.

The small room erupted into clapping as Ume gestured for me to come sit next to her. The men and other geishas praising m as they poured themselves some more sake. Ume gently guided me into her lap giving me a large smile. It was so freaking beautiful I swear I forgot to breath.

"Now to name you," she lightly brushed my bangs away from my now damp forehead, "Whatever your name was before is irrelevant, with dancing like that you will now join our little garden."

The men drunkenly chimed in with stupid names of weeds, assholes; I wasn't really paying attention at all the drunken rambling, what caught my eye was the small stack of swords in the corner. They most likely belonged to these men, smiling slightly I remembered something important to my current mission.

The Land of Iron was the land of samurai, which was perfect for a ninja flunky like me. Before I could start my master training plan though, Ume's firm voice caught my attention.

"Tsubaki!*"

"Tsubaki?" everyone else chimed.

"Yes Tsubaki! The reason I found her was because of this bright red hair, now that I think back on it, it reminded me a lot of wild Tsubaki, blooming relentlessly through the snow and frost of this land," still stroking my hair she nodded to herself, very satisfied, " Tsubaki of the Flower House of the Land of Iron."

After that announcement everyone soon lost interest in me and I was ushered back to the dorm house Hinagiku.

Tsubaki, that was who I was now not Menman Uzuma-no, no I was never Menma, I'm an imposter, wearing Menma's skin, right from the very beginning. Now I would be Tsubaki, now I didn't have to carry that stigma.

Tusbaki the silent flower

Tsubaki the flower that withers and dies unnoticed

Tsubaki the flower without fragrance

How fitting

Obito melted out from the shadows coming face to face with his little genius relative.

Little Itachi, captain of the ANBU, now stood before him sharingan blazing. In the stillness of the clearing he suddenly had the urge to bust out laughing. Danzo really did it! He really got to him!

Going through the tedious task of planning this little massacre went by quickly enough. Obito was sure Itachi could hear the smile in his voice, as a wicked grin twisted his now scarred features, as the plan grew in detail. At the end of it the little weasel turned to leave, but not before threateningly calling over his shoulder in a very Uchiha voice.

"Sasuke is not to be touched," Obito caught another flash of glowing red, "do I make myself clear Madara?"

"Crystal~"

Once the clearing was left to him, Obito blazed his own single sharingan, giving the immediate area a once over. With his grin growing behind his mask, he melted back into the shadows he came from. Leaving his wicked thoughts to echo in the empty space.

Soon Konoha would know pain and suffering all over again!

Soon they would know Hell

*Hinagiku- daisy

*okobo- thick geisha sandals, about 10 in thick

*Ume- plum blossom

*Kiku- chrysanthemum

*Suikazura- honeysuckle

* bow tied in the back means a geisha- an entertainer who dances, sings and practices all forms of elegant traditional art forms. No sex. But sometimes virginity or marriage is sold, but of the geishas choosing

Bow tied in the front- courtesan- a prostitute, practices some of geisha etiquette but not all and not to the same extent- usually sold to brothels. Abortions and sex against ones will.

*Tsubaki- commonly referring to the red one, blooms in the winter during snow and frost- ironically a flower despised by samurai, legend has it that they are bad luck for warriors due to the fact that if you pluck it all the petals fall at once, not one at a time.

A/N so I know it's been a while, I've been working all summer and this is literally my first week off. I'm going to try to update evening soon but my computer is acting up so it has to be sent to geek squad and anyone who has them knows it takes like ten billion years to get your computer back. Please review nicely and critique nicely. Some cool shit happening, and hopefully the mary-sue, OP thing is put to bed cause Menma is a sniveling brat. lol.

Cya next time!