Akiri woke up looking into a pair of green eyes that she recognized all too well, though they belonged to another. Sakura Uchiha had taken over the Konoha Hospital and was looking at Akiri with the kind parental eyes Itachi had explained to her. The same look that Akiri's own mother, Hinata, gave her every single day.

"You're awake. Everyone will be pleased. Are you thirsty?" Sakura asked, smiling kindly.

"A little." Akiri croaked, her voice throaty as though she'd been smoking far too many cigarettes.

"Here." Sakura said, handing Akiri a glass.

Gulping down the fresh water, Akiri felt her body relax as the cool liquid slid down her throat and into her stomach. The feeling was soothing and Akiri had to stop the sigh of calm relaxation. And that's when her brother burst into the room, causing both Sakura and Akiri to gasp in shock and near jump out of their skin.

"Akiri!"

Eyes wide, Akiri watched her two parents walk in also. Naruto looked almost depressed whilst Hinata looked like she was at least trying to keep smiling for her daughter's sake. But Naruto knew the weight of what was happening, he knew the struggle that Akiri would go through because of the Kyuubi. With his own eyes, Naruto had experienced growing up with that very monstrosity and he had faced every single ounce of prejudice that had been thrown at him.

"I'm sorry, Hinata, Hinato, Sakura, but I would like you to leave so I may speak with my daughter. Alone."

Nobody questioned Naruto and each of them left and when the door was closed, the pain in Naruto's eyes became more evident. His blue eyes that mirrored her own were filled with a type of pain that you only felt had you experienced it first hand. He sat on the bed, looking at her with those pained eyes. Finally, he sighed before speaking.

"Y'know what this means, right?" Naruto asked, sighing.

"The kyuubi is in both of us, right?" Akiri asked, eyes focused on her parent.

"Well done sharp shit."

"That's right. But you haven't got the markings so I don't know how you're holding the Kyuubi inside. As much as I hate to say it, this is a path you have to walk alone. What you need, to survive, are friends who will stay with you. They will force you to continue when you feel like giving up. And when you think it's all over, they will be there." Naruto said. "I never had family, but we are here for you, so you do have family. You will live through the bastard that is the Kyuubi."

"Fuck you too."

"Alright? I just want you to know-"

"I know." Akiri said. "I'm more than ready to fight."

Naruto looked at his daughter and saw himself in her as she placed her hand to the ninja band on her head, keeping her blonde hair out of her face. She was his own blood, and he knew she would survive.

"My enemies won't even be able to touch my band."

Akiri grinned at her father, knowing he understood that she was going to be a great nin. Those had been the words of his close friend, Sasuke, though they had failed him incredibly. They would not fail Akiri. They were the complete truth.

Akiri was training. She'd been out of hospital for a week and already she was busily training to make herself better. It was as though the Kyuubi had lit a fire within Akiri and now that she was awake, that fire was more than alive. In fact, the fire was raging and taking over completely so she was filled with it's excessive heat and burning passion to become stronger, faster and better.

"The way I learnt was to imagine wind as two lines pressing against each other to make one thin line." Naruto said, watching as his daughter sliced through a waterfall just as he had done all those years ago.

"This is stupid." Akiri gasped when she'd finally done.

"Stupid shit. I'm helping you!"

"It took me nearly a week to master this, but it's taken you just four days, Akiri. Are you alright?" Naruto asked as Akiri pulled back the two hundred Kage Bunshin she'd brought in to help her. She gasped and fell to her knees, coughing up blood as she crouched there. Finally, after a moment of hacking up blood, she stood up and gave her dad a thumbs up.

"I got this." Akiri gasped.

"Y'sure?" Naruto asked.

"Definitely."

Akiri jumped down from the waterfall and swan dived into the water, landing with a tiny splash. By the time she'd resurfaced, her Father was long gone and Akiri nodded. She swam to the edge of the lake before heading toward the forest that surrounded the place she was when Akiri realized there was something missing from her training. She hadn't focused on her water chakra either, though she supposed it couldn't have been too hard now that she knew how to do it with wind.

So, Akiri began, eager to learn how to manipulate water. She focused on the water she was sat in and felt the heat rise up in her again as the Kyuubi tried to find it's way out. No! Water was cool, calm and relaxed.

"Come on! I can help and you know it."

Ignoring the tailed beast, Akiri began to spin, faster and faster until she closed her eyes and felt the water push away from her. And soon, she was on her feet, spinning, as the water in the lake pushed away from her. When she finally opened her eyes, she was stood at the bottom of the lake, looking at two massive tsunami waves on either side of the lake, giving her something like a valley to stand in.

"Wow. Nice one, kiddo."

Stunned, Akiri dropped her hands and the two waves came crashing towards her.

"Akiri!"

Akiri saw Itachi rushing toward her through the valley but he wasn't close enough. As the waves crashed down, she felt the calming effect of the water relax her. Body and Mind. In just seconds, Akiri felt the air make something of a bubble around her as the water ravaged the rocks and plants on the bottom of the lake. But, Akiri swam onward, searching for Itachi in the water.

"Accept my help."

"No!" Akiri screamed as she latched onto Itachi's arm and dragged him to the surface with her. She used Wind power to propel herself upwards until she jumped far out of the water, taking Itachi out with her.