I closed my eyes, just lying there, feeling the chakra swirl around from ninja and civilians moving all around.
That is, when I felt one supremely imposing chakra signature that I could in no way ignore.
"Uchiha-san, what is it that you need?" I asked politely, sitting up from my position on the floor to look up at the infamous Uchiha Itachi. He had a porcelain ANBU mask in the shape of a weasel on. His hair was in a low pony tail, much how it was when I saw him in my timeline.
WHY THE HELL IS NOTHING GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN? My Inner yelled, probably ripping her hair out.
Maybe because we are the confounding variable in this experiment? I asked sarcastically. Of course, it was true. First, I meet Naruto ahead of time and end up taking him into my home and becoming his guardian. Although it was part of my plan, it was never really my intention to have it occur so quickly after my arrival. Second, the Uchiha finds me and manages to through the biggest kunai in the shinobi world at my plans.
Maybe I should have given up trying to control things and schedule them?
Itachi looked down at me, staring through the holes of his ANBU mask at me.
I was half expecting him to ask me how the hell I knew who he was, but then again, this was an Uchiha I was speaking to. And Uchiha's are way too cool for frivolous questions. Way too cool.
"The Hokage has designated me to be your training partner until you become accustomed to the shinobi way of Konoha, Uzumaki-san."
My mind, of course drew a blank.
Then after a pause, I realized exactly what his words meant.
The Hokage did something without my consent! He went ahead and made a decision that would impact all of my plans!
Then again, all I had was a sad little skeleton of a "plan." And the massacre was nearing so perhaps he made a decision without my input due to the relative lack of time we had to debate everything?
That, at least, I could accept.
I rose from my position on the ground and gave (soon-to-be?) mass murderer a tight smile. "Okay then, Uchiha-san, how should we start?"
The person behind the mask was simply quiet, and after a very awkward pause I could hear a faint "Hn."
I could have face planted right then and there.
After scrounging up some coherent, non-violent thoughts, I spoke again. "Should we begin with standard Academy introductions then? But I suppose for that we should move to a more secure location, Uchiha-san."
I waited for a response before he gave a curt nod and blurred off at a moderate speed.
Well, moderate for him. I struggled to some extent to keep up, before I began leading a steady flow of chakra to my legs so that I would at least get there without looking like I was out of shape. Resisting the urge to sigh, I kept pace with him. Perhaps I had made a bad decision when I put on my chakra weights this morning?
After a good bit of traveling, we arrived at a place that I would never have thought I would ever get to see with my own eyes.
The Uchiha compound.
We passed by the gates, then he led me through the whole place, getting queer looks from people how noticed…how not Uchiha-ish I looked.
From what I knew, it was really odd for clan compounds, such as the Hyuuga or Uchiha, to allow any outsiders in. I felt a moment of honor then quickly realized that it was probably not of Itachi's own volition that he was acquiescing with all of my suggestions. The Hokage (or hell—even the council) could have told him to try and go with what I said to create a more stable sense of teamwork.
But then again, was this arrangement going to be long term? Or merely an opening so that I might leech myself onto the Uchiha and manipulate them until a desirable outcome arose?
Before I realized it, Itachi had led me to a large house with the ever-present Uchiha fan prominently displayed. He indicated to me to sit down on one of the matts while he disappeared into the winding corridors of the house.
I stared around the room, noting the lack of decorations and the lack of knick knacks that would have given the house a more familial feel to it. I almost felt pity when I could locate none but some pictures.
Footsteps coming up behind me alerted me to another presence within the room.
I turned with a smile, looking at the woman before me.
"Hello, did Itachi-chan bring you?" she asked.
Did she just call this freaking powerhouse "-chan," Inner Sakura questioned.
I nodded, getting up and bowing to the elder woman. "Yes ma'am, I am Uzumaki Sakura, pleased to meet you."
She gave a slight bow of her head, "Uchiha Mikoto, nice to meet you too, Uzumaki-san. Did Itachi-chan leave you here all by yourself?"
"No mother," came the voice from another corridor, "I was merely getting out of my uniform."
"Oh okay, dear. I will leave you both to your shinobi business." And with that, she turned on her heel and marched off into the maze of a house.
Which allowed me to get my first real look at the Uchiha killer.
He was tall, about Sasuke's height when we were on Team Seven, with the same raven hair, two lines going down his cheeks and the almost feminine, perpetually staring black Uchiha eyes. If I squinted, he even looked like Sasuke to me.
"Forgive me for the wait, Uzumaki-san, my younger brother asked me for something. Now, I believe, introductions are in order."
I waited a second then realized he was waiting for me to clarify how we were going to introduce ourselves. "I believe name, likes, dislikes, and dreams for the future should be appropriate. I am Uzumaki Sakura, I like my otouto and healing, I dislike traitors and my dream for the future is to…protect those precious to me."
"I am Uchiha Itachi, I like my otouto and missions, I also dislike traitors and my dream for the future…is to live up to my brother's expectations." It was either he was ridiculing my choice in words or he really was a good person.
Likely the latter; judging from what I knew of Uchiha mannerisms (which was limited), they preferred you to notice that they were making fun of you and see you blow up. It was very entertaining to be a spectator to one of these types of situations.
Another set of silence.
I resisted the urge to sigh. It was going to be one hell of a long day.
So team by team, Konoha fell.
She had been fighting valiantly. Her fists flying at incredible speeds! Her jyuuken seeming impenetrable—the true heir to the Hyuuga clan! But then she met her match. It came blindingly.
I never would have expected it to happen, but somehow, Madara had managed to kill the heiress by accident. Just as a bystander caught in one of his attacks.
Who kills a Hyuuga by accident?
Only Madara
Hinata died from blood-loss, having been skewered by a two-by-four sent flying from one of Madara's attacks.
And then there she was. Her hair whipped through the air, and moments ago she had been fighting right along side her dad. Until he was taken down along with Morino Ibiki during this big technique that Madara implemented.
And yet, her death was simple.
Ino got a kunai to the throat.
He was one that I didn't think would be in that much trouble. I mean, he was on the verge of being promoted to Jounin and was on Naruto and Sasuke's tail when it came to his shinobi abilities. He had been attempting to track down Madara within the village, having just figured out how to track him even through he could disappear from the dimension with the ease that a snake ambushes and unsuspecting rat.
Of course, he didn't notice Madara on the side of a mountain, performing an earth jutsu.
Kiba was crushed under a huge boulder running to the aide of Akamaru.
They were fighting side by side, even though they were rivals who wanted nothing more than recognition for their efforts. And yet, a simple kick by on of Kabuto's revived shinobi caused the most gory impact that I had ever witnessed.
Neji head was caved in on impact upon slamming into Rock Lee's chest, as they were flung at top speed into the side of the crater that was Konoha.
A quick senbon was all that it took. It slammed into them with some unknown poison, that when I would analyze it, I would not be able to find and antidote due to the fact that all residues of the poison disappeared.
Shikamaru and Chouji were poisoned, their blood bubbling and leaking up to their pores and through their eyes until they choked on their own blood.
Shino was quickly eliminated once Madara made all of his allies disappear into another dimension.
TenTen was completely massacre when her kunai were reflected back at her.
Sasuke was right at Madara's side. And no matter how much we told him, yelled at him, crashed our fists into his skull, he still could not comprehend how Madara was using him as a puppet.
I woke with a start, Naruto yelling in my ear to wake up, tears streaming down my face.
It took me awhile to realize that I was not in the destroyed village anymore, the scent of death was not surrounding me, I would not be left alone again.
But still even as I looked at Naruto, I saw his death.
This was one I had not witnessed, but still I could imagine what Madara had done.
And I continued sobbing as I pictured the blood running down on his face, skin pale—drained of its red life source, his mouth twisted into a forever horrified scream…
I don't recall what happened after that, all I recall of the day is that Naruto had to leave my crying form to answer the door once, and in waltzed Uchiha Itachi.
He knocked me out of course, being merciful.
But I was not sure if in that brief moment my eyes met his eyes before then bled into Sharingan I saw a flash of sympathy.
Itachi died at the hands of his younger brother, to return honor to the disgraced Uchiha family.
Itachi was having something of a conundrum as he watched the blonde girl named Sakura run out of the training grounds to fetch her otouto-san, the red Uzumaki insignia on the back of her black shirt practically blazing in announcement of who she was.
How is it that this girl came to be?
She had run off after showing Itachi most of her abilities for her to be ranked and placed in the ANBU, as per the Hokage's instruction.
And she had just showed him her prowess, which easily placed her as a low level Jounin.
"Hokage-sama, the charge you assigned me to train, Uzumaki-san, she is mentally unstable." It wasn't a question, but a succinct fact. Itachi just kept a steady gaze on his leader.
He had been observing the girl, Uzumaki Sakura, and had learned much from her.
She was much more quiet than her lineage would suggest, the Uzumaki clan being famous for having boisterous members with outrageous personalities.
However the girl was very…reserved. Only on occasion he could sense emotional flares from the girl, but strangely they seemed more on the emotional side than anything. He tested her patience by being as stoic and unresponsive as possible, yet she barely showed any outward emotion in them.
And then her eyes…they reflected participation in war, great loss and hopelessness. But they also shone with stubborn determination.
"I know."
This, Itachi did not expect. Perhaps a surprised look, perhaps a stony order to do away with her or a mere raising of the eyebrow. He, however, did not expect for him to passively proclaim his knowledge of the fact and then for him to reach over and start smoking his pipe.
However, Itachi was not about to question his superior.
"She has great potential for ANBU with her abilities, though her reaction times are really inefficient along with her dodging, but nothing that cannot be rectified with some added training. Her tactical abilities are above average but not on point with any Naras. Yet, there is something that I would like to discuss with you. She has an odd chakra…almost as if she has the chakra of multiple entities. However, I have not been able to analyze the chakra of other Uzumaki other than the boy, and even then that account is made moot seeing as in reality he actually has multiple entities, or at least the residue of other entities, within his person."
Sarutobi drew a long breath, his gray eyebrows furrowing as he thought about the new development in the time traveler's story.
He had heard previously of individual's who had the ability to take in others chakras, but the ritual would…
He pinched the bridge of his nose, why did he not see it before?
The Village Hidden in the Whirling Tides!
I stared at the Chakra affinity paper, wondering how the hell I had managed to get such an odd chakra affinity.
Why would I have an affinity for water and wind?
Sure it had healing properties, but for Pete's sake I was born in Fire Country! I was expecting something a bit more dangerous than water and wind?
Hell, Sasuke got fire and lightening, but I get water and wind?
Then again, Naruto got only wind and he was one of the most dangerous and powerful shinobi I knew.
I sighed. Maybe if I researched it some more I would be able to figure everything out.
For now, I would focus on medical jutsu…
That is, the medical jutsu I could use as both healing and offensive.