AN.

A semi-fluffy chapter since that mess left me all soul-searchy and weird.

I really can't think of any warnings besides the usual.

"Stay safe, Tokina-chan." One of the older female Branch Members called me despite me despite us just being really distant cousins. Maybe dad knew her. He was always so social. I was going out to find the meeting spot Yamanaka Taizo assigned for us since it was the first time he was going to lead a mission, and a very important one at that. It was a cold winter so I had a change of clothes in my pack when we enter the Land of Water. Maybe I wouldn't need them. They were dad's anyway. I always liked his oversized shirts over my girly clothing mom kept making me where.

Dad...

No. Come on.

I walked out of Konoha's gate with a sound genjutsu playing a song. It didn't consume much chakra and I could pass it off as "genjutsu (and to some extent), chakra control practice." I hummed walking through the dawn in the snowy streets of Konoha before I reached the woods, a muffler wrapped around my hoodie. I trudged the snow, going to the meeting place for the mission; the Land of Mud. Fairly easy, just scout and about for a week since a spy tipped us off with Kiri trying to negotiate with them. Either scout for a week or get any visible proof of their alliance. I was leaning on the latter part because the "Land of Mud" doesn't sound too comfy for my liking. It was in the border of The Land of Fire and the Land of Water.

Oh, I get it. Mud. Ha, ha, ha.

Couldn't help but reluctantly a chuckle at the disgustingly corny name. This was worse than Obito's jokes. I smiled at the memory of the kid. Damn, he was so love sick. It was enough to start a damn war. And Rin, she really was innocent. The life of a Kunoichi just ain't for her.

But she would be a damn fine doctor though.

Eh, it was her dream to save the world next with Obito. She should be cheering him on with Team Minato. I just need to somehow make Obito less lovesick than usual since the chances of going to that team are insanely small. I wouldn't want to be in Team Minato, anyway. With the father of Naruto in there, who knows what sorts of trouble I'd get myself into. If he was anything like his unlucky yet somewhat also lucky in the worst sort of way then I would literally sign the first resignation letter I could get my hands on and get reassigned to another team.

Because no way in hell was I going to let him die after my revelation that should have been thought of the moment I was born. Seriously, how fucking pretentious; irritated me to know ends. It Makes me cringe just thinking about it.

I am vain, not arrogant.

Or am I?

Whatever!

The point is the world doesn't revolve around me because I thought I was a special snowflake! I should be happy that I got a second chance in life even though it's in the middle of a goddamn war.

But that didn't stop the occasional bouts of apathy and crippling guilt that came out of the blue.

I wanted to cure myself out of this funk I was perpetually in. I still felt like the scum of the Earth but maybe, just maybe, I could finally open my eyes to what the people kept admiring about me and listen to the few people that cheered my name. Maybe I could convince mom to giving me some Anti-Depressants because I know that this feel good feeling is going to fade away.

I walked into the meeting spot, a forest clearing. The water was beautifully frozen and the lush green trees had white tinges of snow. I waited for a few seconds before I heard a rustling in the woods.

"Ready?" Taizo smirked from behind me, catching me by surprise. I let out a soft shriek before scowling at the boy. Dick. Here I am trying to not be fucking angst-y since I refuse to become a Sasuke and there you are, surprising the living hell out of me. Probably thought he was the funniest boy in the whole goddamn world. I need therapy not goddamn heart , he is a Yamanaka. Maybe he could help me. I thought about it for a second before dismissing the thought entirely. I was being racist.

Clan-ist?

Beside the point, it was saying that just because he is a Yamanaka means he should be a therapist. It's like saying just because you're a Hyūga means that you need to be a taijutsu specialist or just because you're an Uchiha means that you need to be an angst-y teenager with family problems. It is bad to stereotype but people like me couldn't help it. Sometimes jabbing on certain aspects is funny. Like how the Hyūga are always a victim to "are you blind?" jokes because of how their eyes looks like a giant fucking cataract or how Uchiha males (besides Fugaku, for some reason) are either hot or girly looking.

"Whatever. Let's go." I rolled my eyes at the Yamanaka. He smiled before briefing me of the mission and the plan. I nodded as he told me what to do. We were going to try and get a scroll not only for the fast mission but for extra brownie points with the Hokage. Taizo made a bet with Soma that he could become jonin at his age but I doubted that. If he did become jonin at that point he would at least be mentioned in the anime. The Yamanaka needs more badasses, really. The Abumare is already so strong, the Inuzuka are one-trick ponies, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio are creepy for scheduling when they're going to bang and the other clans with Kekkai Genkai are either filler or unimportant. We ran through the day, mid way changing clothes to suit the hot weather. I ticked in my muffler and stripped from my shinobi black, favoring the tight short shorts and thigh high boots. I adjusted my holster to fit which was brand new since I lost my old one. Hiashi gave me this one to make up for his attitude at the awaken you're Byakugan tradition reserves for firstborns and condolences for losing a parent so I know it's good,

Sugar daddy Hiashi? I repressed a laugh, choke and a snort all at the same time.

Disgusting,

"Pfff." I failed. At least my terrible sense of humor is there.

Oh who the hell am I kidding?

The badder the better, the cheesier the sweeter. Fuck anyone with a ten foot long pole who says otherwise. I met up with the cheeky almond eyed Yamanaka and we ran through the Land of Fire for a week, reaching multiple borders and avoiding conflict. Thank God or whoever put me here (and also a big fuck you but I've been cursing that for six years in a row now) that the Land of Mud was pleasantly warm. Damn snakes and butterflies making me sensitive to the cold and the whole lethargy bullshit when I'm in warm weather. It is bad in the work environment I was in right now.

To make matters way better, the gate to the Land of Mud was not covered in mud but in squishy land that squelched when we stepped on it. It was wet and damp but it was not mud which was a really pleasant surprise. The inner six year old wanted to jump up and down but I repressed the thought because there are people judging me right now.

Good people (Taizo, somewhat) and bad people.

"Kiri-nin. About five of them." The Yamanaka sensed. I nodded and muttered an "affirmative, checking now." Mechanically and activated my Byakugan without any hand seals. I scanned the area and found none. It was either he can see beyond my fifty meters or he's pulling my leg which is not something you want to do in a now professional environment with the potential of a fight. Wow, that was impressive, honestly. "It seems that our spy was right." He said, focusing.

"Sadly." I muttered casually next to him. He snorted.

"Mission Parameters only said spy right? No need to engage?" I reasoned hopefully. A chunin and genin against a cell of professionals sounds stupid, even if both of them cane from prestigious clans. Even if you remove the whole clan bit, we were outclassed because we were built for support with my genjutsu and eyes. I only got my first offensive ninjutsu recently and I still have trouble with it! Taizo, on the other hand, was a Yamanaka sensor. He was better as a support, and I wasn't being clan-ist. I'm sure he had a few ninjutsu and I know he can do well with his Fierce Claw style taijutsu but we aren't in the position to fight five goddamn nin.

He nodded, the fun-loving Yamanaka switched to cold and professional which was fueled by self-preservation. "Be stealthy. Observe only and engage when necessary."

I did the hand seals for Camouflage Jutsu. "Goes without saying," He smiled at the sad attempt to lighten the situation. At least he has a semblance of humor. I entered the village (sorry excuse for a thing) the ground was perpetually damp which was now disgusting and irritating when you're nerves are grating. I took to the wooden roofs, masking the sound of my boots.

Byakugan!

With what I could get from my X-Ray vision/binocular eyes, they were having a meeting with some other civilians. Probably to recruit them or something. Kiri was being suspicious, more and more hostility through the war. We were already losing the war, Konoha doesn't need another damned enemy. I hopped to the roof of the seemingly normal house. I channeled my chakra to my ears and pressed them down the cold roof.

"-now wait just a minute." One of the males said, probably civilian since his chakra went all nervous and fluctuates, not to mention how low the quality of his chakra was.

"We're not asking for much, all we need is a base to reside in." He threatened despite his flowery tones. "And maybe the Land of Mud's loyalty to Kiri but that can come after the war or unless you're feeling generous now."

Not good. A base near the Land of Fire? No, baby, no.

I heard a distinct shriek and a thud of the table.

"Are you feeling generous now?" I could imagine him smiling. Using my Byakugan to confirm my suspicions (and I was right because the man was in fact smiling like a lunatic), the fox like man was caressing a Kiri-kunai that was stabbed through in the middle of the table, all for the scared village elders to see. The table had a map spread out, Konoha being the one stabbed through the map with multiple broken lines (rotations?)

I stopped the chakra through my ears and kept my Byakugan on because fuck hostage situations. I dropped back to the bush with a suspicious cat that held too much chakra. I stroked his fur as I whispered.

"Rumor was right. They have a map in there." I stopped, thinking if I should say the second part. I sighed and continued my flimsy report. "It is Konoha's best interest to snatch it." I reported to the leader-cat.

He mewed and pawed his face in my lap. "But is it in our best interest?"

"Nope,"

"Then let's get it."

"Of course. Because the mission parameters said so,"

The yellow cat rolled his eyes (honey, those are going to stay at the back of your head if you keep rolling them like that) and with a poof of smoke, the cat-nin in all his glory came back. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. He moved his low ponytail to his back and dusted off the dirt and leftover fur from his transformation from his chunin vest.

"So, what's the plan?" I questioned in our hidey-bush, my Byakugan deactivating.

He smirked. "How good are you at those snake summons?"

This plan was simple and utterly stupid. With my Byakugan active and myself hidden with Camouflage jutsu and a subtle genjutsu for quick measure, I and cat-Taizo waited near the building where the meeting was supposedly at. The men (and most importantly the other nin) were still there, fighting it out. We needed at least one of the nin to get the fuck out so Taizo can possess them with his Mind Body Transfer Technique, put the impromptu decoy map (which was basically a piece of paper with a temporary Transformation seal on it which Taizo made from his fūinjutsu tools.) and get the fuck out, all the while me readying a quick escape and protecting Taizo's actual body which was fine because I had two gigantic brown spotted boas and a few snakes to scout. I wanted to summon butterflies for scouting but multi-summons still gave me a headache like never-before.

We waited and waited and waited.

I was contemplating on putting on genjutsu music before one of the other Nin stood up.

I straightened while Taizo who was leaning by a tree near the bushes gave me a raised eyebrow. "Look alive, Taizo-san. Fox-face is coming up." I reported with my Binoculars/X-Ray vision. Without sparing him a glance because the Byakugan was doing that for me already, I watched him nod and ready his Mind Body Possession Technique. He readied their clan's famed hand seal and waited.

Fox-face walked out.

"Mind Body Possession Technique!" Taizo muttered instantly before swaying. I caught and steadied his body while I saw the happenings of his possession. Fox-Face stumbled as well but regained his bearings. He gave me a thumbs up at my direction.

I let put a breath I didn't know I was holding in.

"Get the map and get out. Akinosuke-san will be accompanying you for a quick escape." I informed the Taizo-fox, handing him the decoy map. Many snakes slithered inside his Kiri Issued chunin Vest without much hesitation. He nodded and gave me a cat-like smirk even though I knew he was uncomfortable with all those snakes slithering around his body that did not go well with the middle aged man's face.

He took off and continued in with the meeting.

With my Byakugan, I focused on Taizo-fox while I paid no attention to the overly affectionate brown boas coiling around me and Taizo's empty body. I watched the scene as Taizo walked in the room. He slammed his hands down on the table just like how Fox-face would do it. I saw how he scratched his index finger with his middle finger, which was the assigned sign for some reason. I readied myself for the plan.

In three,

Two,

One,

The snakes instantly slithered out of Taizo's body, biting everyone, even the elders, that came in his path. Shrieks can be heard even from my hidey-hole while Taizo-fox used the Pandemonium to hurriedly replace the map with the decoy, kunai stab and all, before coming to me. He walked out of the meeting house and ran to me.

Now's my cue!

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" I muttered, three vipers hissing out of my sleeve in high speed. Taizo-Fox swayed, his eyes diluting before being hit by the poisonous serpents. His eyes refocused into a scowl while the real Taizo stood up, shaking his head to remove the drowsiness. The snakes dug their lethal fangs into Fox-Face's neck, arm and leg not giving him tome to shriek. I shrugged off the guilt for later because I knew this species of vipers were especially lethal. They returned to my sleeves while Taizo retrieved the real map.

"I know those Kiri-nins won't be hindered by snakes alone! Come on!" I ushered the disoriented chunin. He nodded, his eyes refocusing and we broke into a sprint, getting away from the poverty ridden village as fast as we can.

We reached Konoha border without any conflict which was really good. I felt very satisfied for myself and Taizo because that a really good mission. It could have been worse, honestly. We walked back into the safety of the Land of Fire which was heavily guarded by periodic patrols by Konoha because we are in a war. The Yamanaka and I walked through the snow with our snow gear on. I began reflecting on the mission before asking Taizo an important question.

"Hey Taizo-san, where's the map?" I asked for the umpteenth time. He sighed and wiggled the real map in front of my face before pouting. "Come on. We survived two missions together. You could at least drop the "san"." He caressed his cheeks. "It makes me feel so old."

I smirked at his vanity which I shared. It was the least I could do, though. I have been annoying him with that same question over and over again. So I was paranoid? You should be if you want to be a ninja. I deserve not questioned Anti-Depressants for this.

It was fairly obvious that we were losing the war. I knew that winning meant destroying Kannabi (which unlocks a whole new level of fucked up shit) and that was okay. I know that destroying supply routes is better than locating a supply route and knowing your enemies but I wanted to feel like I was making a difference. We were losing the war, sure but like, me and Taizo worked hard to get a map of trading routes and rotations that Kiri was planning to do in the Land of Fire under our noses so that must have amounted to something. The Hokage who was in his prime thanked us for the treat though so that was nice.

I hope Kannabi never fucking happens.

Fuck Kannabi.

Taizo bid fair well to my genin self as I immediately went through the lengthy process of spoiling myself which included sweets, clothes which a certain two headed snake recommended for me because wow do they have great fashion sense for glorified rope and romance novels. Lots and lots of romance novels. Give me all the cheesy romance.

I unpacked the books (majority), supplies I had, underwear and other variants if things that I would find awkward if I saw them magically in my room in this labyrinth of a compound. After fixing up the place by adding a few paintings, pictures and general sprucing up the place with my normally untouched money in my bank, I heard a two knocks. My mom was coming to this house after what probably felt like years for her so the least I could do was to clean the place and make it look good.

I contemplated whether to use my Byakugan or not.

It would seem rude...

I quickly went to the door and slid it open. "Tokina-san," Hiashi greeted as I bowed to him, my forehead instantly on the ground. This is such a weird tradition honestly "Hiashi-sama, It is an honor to have you. Please come in."

He assessed what I've done to the place before letting himself in. He gave me a speculative look. This couldn't be good.

He looked at me with a gleam in his eyes before speaking. "Your mother is arriving here after a few days." My eyes widened in hope and absolute joy. I felt a tug on my lips. A confirmation and reassurance was always nice. Hiashi took in my reaction, and I could have sworn from his cold exterior that it melted just a bit. "She will be bringing a few Yuki Clan members with her." He gave me papers. Like a lot of papers. "She told me to let you sign all the papers yourself and prepare for her coming."

I nodded and took the papers. He left me after finishing the tea. I saw him off before rushing to see what the papers were. It was strange why he couldn't just let a trusted Branch Member (like his brother for instance) deliver this to me. It must be very important. It was all clan shit that went way over my head but I assured myself that whatever my mom is making me sign, it's going to be worth it. I was about to start before I saw a non-formal letter at the very tip-top.

The top most one was a letter. It was from my mom.

I read her familiar hand writing, relaying all the instructions to me that Hiashi should have done. One by one, I began filling up those blanks. It wasn't a heartfelt letter that I was expecting but she must be tired from the mission so I can cut her some slack. When I finished another piece I eyed something I thought I wouldn't see until I was eighteen.

I groaned, staring at the personification of the hell that I did not enjoy as an adult. One look in a specific pieces of paper and I banged my head on the table. "Taxes," I started. "Why did it have to be taxes. I could kill myself-"

A painful bite to the nose by Akinosuke and an angry hiss from the two headed serpents who were lounging away, informed of my situation by the loud mouth butterfly.

"I'm joking! Stop!"

With my mom coming home soon and a potentially hard mission accomplished, the Hokage informed me that I could have a break from the missions I had. I didn't feel like training, reading or just lounging in the compound and Rin was off in the hospital studying to become a good doctor or something. The Academy had no school today so I thought, hey; why not hang out with one of the friends you made.

Which is exactly why I'm in this situation right now,

"Tokina?" Obito tasted my name in new light after I informed him that it meant "Climbing a mountain of vegetables." The taller kid snorted the Uchiha snort meaning, the sound every Uchiha makes when they are amused of your pitiful existence, at the discovery before full on laughing at the way to the Uchiha Compound for training, him teaching me how shuriken and I on chakra control since my whole fighting style revolved around the precision of the stuff. I already told him that mom was coming which he took happily. Boy couldn't stop jumping. But hey, back to shuriken training (fucking fidget spinner won't hit the damn target.)

It was a good trade-off, don't judge me.

He took the new news with more grace than me who loudly when I realized what on Earth Tokina meant.

"What was your parents drinking when they named you?" He accused good naturedly with a smirk. What was wrong with mom indeed? It was an okayish name unlike some of the names I heard like fucking Pepe or Bonbon. I mean it had a nice ring to it. It didn't sound all too girly for my liking and it doesn't feel strange on the tongue when you say it.

Until you realize it means to climb a mountain of vegetables.

"Who named you?"

"Mom,"

"Ew,"

But other than the whole veggie fetish? Grade B naming, mom. Slightly higher than Minato's goober jutsu names. If I remembered correctly, he named Sasuke's and Naruto's combination move something like Scorch Release: Halo Hurricane Jet Black Arrow Style Zero. It was so over the top and actually sounded it was from an anime. Minato is so cute sometimes. Kushina is such a lucky girl.

I pouted at him. "At least my name doesn't sound like it could end with butt."

"What?"

"Nothing, Obutto."

His face contorted into something hideous and disbelief which made me utter a giggle. The man he was destined to turn to was supposed to kill many people yet here I am calling him a butt. What if I fail let him turn into a Lollipop pedo and survive the Fourth Ninja War? How cool would it be to call him Obutto if I ever decide I'm going to join the war and not stay in my quaint little hut in the middle of a secluded hill in the Land of FIre? Imagine his face when he hears that.

Imagine all the ways he can kill me.

Obito frowned. "That was horrible."

"That was the epitome of my humor. You should feel blessed you heard it." I snickered as we walked through Konoha.

"Well two can play at that game! Tokina...Tokin...Toki...this is hard."

I waited for his muttering to cone to a close. Despite my mom not doing so well in her naming schemes, he gave me a foolproof name, without too many condescending nicknames to boot. Well, maybe I could come up with more better and witty nicknames for Obito given enough time.

"Yeah, I give up." He admitted defeat dejectedly.

"Vegetable girl one, Obutto zero." I flaunted over.

He scowled and pinched my cheek. "Owowowowow."

"At least I ain't fat!" He pinched harder, all the while me trying to slap his hands away.

"I'm not fat! I'm thicc! Now get your grubby hands off!"

The obnoxious swine of the seven year old I grew to emotionally invest in gave me the messiest raspberry possible and didn't let go of my plump and round cheek. He snickered at my obvious displeasure but I couldn't bring myself to seal the chakra points around his heart or trap him in a genjutsu so terrible it would make him pee his pants and traumatize him from uttering the word "genjutsu".

But that didn't stop me from threatening him.

The veins around my wyes bulged while two big brown boas known for their intelligence slithered out of my sleeves, wrapping the poor boy. He let out a girly shriek as the boas coiled around him, not too hard to break his bones but not too loose to make it seem like a pleasant hug.

He tried to look scared before he snorted despite his situation.

"I'm sorry; I really can't take you seriously when you have those big butterflies on your head and shoulders combined with your fat cheeks and thighs." He continued his snickering even though the snakes that used to creep the shit out of him was wrapped around his waist. They did their weird tongue thing when they wanted to smell and all Obito did was push the reptiles out of his face.

I pouted childishly at him. "These butterflies can kill you if they want to."I deactivated my Byakugan and released the grip on him, the boas hissed before slithering back to my sleeves, going back to whence they came from.

We reached the Uchiha training grounds while exchanging sarcastic quips regarding his name and me regarding my thicc-ness. He was just jealous he wouldn't get fine ass for the rest of his life. Rin was more of a boobs kind of 'gal anyway. We reached the training grounds and he began throwing shuriken like the machine gun he was, all of them missing the bull's eye but kind of close to it.

"Hmph, meanie..." I kicked the ground as another bout of apathy attacked me. I clenched the empty feeling in my chest. Obito, sensing the sudden change of mood, turned his back and looked at me worriedly with his big, young eyes. The bouts of apathy and tiredness was getting harder and harder to deal with when I didn't have anybody by my side. It was a good thing I had summons or I don't know what I'd do. So, to distract myself from the terrible feeling in my chest and to make an effort to get to know the person I emotionally invested on, I asked a cliché question.

"Obito..." I started reluctantly as the young boy approached me. He gave me a concerned look and uttered a "What is it, Kina-chan?"

"What's your favorite color?"

He looked dumbfounded at me. I mean, the mood shifted from bright and happy to dark and gloomy then all of a sudden, the girl asks "What's your favorite color?". I didn't blame him for staring at me the way he was but you have to cut me some slack because I am trying to connect with this world I knew from only pen, paper and from behind a screen. He looked at me before actually thinking what his favorite color was. When he decided what to say, I could have sworn there were tinges of pink on his cheeks and ears.

"It's actually…brown." He fidgeted uncomfortably.

I smiled at him. "I never would have guessed."

AN.

I'M ALMOST DONE WITH MY EXAMS Y'ALL!

ALSO 100+ FAVORITES I'M SHAKING.

Sorry if I'm late updating since I did promise Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Life as a graduating (well not really graduating since our shit president decided to be an ass and implement K-12 when it was my batch but whatever I guess) student is hard with exams, thesis...es, projects, plays and other stuff.

I refuse to post an unedited chapter.

Also, what do you guys want for a Christmas present? An omake of your request, a sneak peak in super later chapters a.k.a the ones I am currently writing (if this is chapter 15 I can guess what I'm writing is about chapter 30 I think) or...double post? I'll make a poll after I post this chapter later so yeah.

Happy holidays and enjoy life! :)

( , if your listening, I want my Christmas present to have the [-] sign not removed when I upload the docx when I edit because I use those as line breaks for my phone, ty)