Heya guys. Between being depressed, having a writer's block that seriously fucked me up, trying to write my final thesis, and having overall troubles in paradise, i have been unable to upload a single thing. Besides all the above, does anyone know why my Mac won't upload on fanfiction?

Well as for all the questions that have been asked, i will not answer them in hope of the story doing so in my stead. Obviously this will not happen in one or two chapters.

Thanks and enjoy!

~Chapter 3~

The pain is real, as real as a thousand needles separating my coils. Hot venom is running through my blood as each and every cell tries to thwart its route. He just stands there, possibly with ill-disguised glee, his face marred with a slight evil grin that still looks too attractive for it to be mortal. I can feel my limbs shaking strongly with a determination to rip me free from my chains. A certain type of free I am not entirely too keen on.

"You should try to remain still" he hums. Thanks.

I want to say something, anything really, but it 's still in effect and so I can't for the pain is unbearable. I know he is asking questions, I know they could mean my death and right now please let this be my quick end.

I can see, but only slightly. All that is in front is blurred and yet awfully clear. The blotches my mind is forming to possibly protect itself are nauseating – I want to puke, but I can't.

Never have I been in such a situation. Never has Konoha felt the need to practice its most gruesome practice on me –the Kyuubi indulging my mind had never been a big enough reason. At least they are scared of me now.

Again his lips move, he grins I think, a nod and I feel my own moving. I can talk, but not as I want to. My mind screams in terror as yet another word leaves me, but my ears do not understand a word that's been said.

How long has it been?

My body is still burning; the only thing I feel is the acid boiling me from the inside. Though my Konoha was known for its prominent usage of mind-jutsus, its strength in negotiation, its kindness, and its fearsome power when in danger –this Konoha is not my own. There is no reason to rely on harmless mind-walking jutsus when in presence of a possible enemy. A serum burning the receiver from the inside while unknowingly speaking the truth to all that is asked is what The Land hidden in the Leafs had happily performed until the end of the Third War. Effective in both obtaining the truth as in measuring one's surviving skills.

How long has it been?

Still all is burning. I believe a few hours have passed and still I cannot hear a word he says… Even worse: in what way my mouth replies. I cannot tell them about the future. I cannot let them know I know all that is to come. He cannot know I am his daughter. And yet –if the right questions have been asked... this is exactly what they will know. Kurama. Kurama. Kurama. Kurama. Kurama. KURAMA!

How long has it been?

I think I have blacked out. I cannot feel anything anymore. No burning, no blurring, no heart pounding in my ears. Nothing. Still no Kurama.

How long has it been?

There is light scuffling behind me when I next wake up. I am pushed, not too softly might I add, into what my ears translate as a corridor. The eco of our footsteps –three guards I have never encountered before- resonates through the halls as step after step leads me to my possible death. What did I tell him?

His chakra is long gone and honestly I am unable to determine his location, as my own is well detained. I feel little in my veins, the pain is gone too and I wonder if that is something I should be joyous about.

Step after step I am taken somewhere, my doom, and my heart still hasn't made its presence. Is my fear gone? Is reality finally settling in? My mind wanders through my memories fighting to find the moment when I should have noticed that all would end in my death. With nothing else gone but a handful of former enemies I am left to chuckle in sadness.

Maybe this is my fate – to die a proper shinobi way in the shadows, as no one will ever know of my deeds.

If one were to know of my travels, they might wonder how it is I was caught; should I not have known of the possible dangers in coming back? How is it I am now with chains binding my wrists, ankles… my neck…? What is more, I was feared by the gods themselves and yet I am caught and detained as if a mere sheep.

Obviously I knew the day would come I would fall into Konoha's arms. That day was supposed to be a glorious one, caught and yet proven innocent. A new hopeful start on friendly leafy grounds for an Uzumaki that has lost all. I would prosper and guide Konoha to a new age of wealth, power, and hope, all while sporting hair reminiscent of the will of fire. And then? When the war has been dealt with? Who knows… Maybe I wouldn't have survived. Maybe my death would mean I passed as a hero –loved by all and praised by even more. They would know my actions have saved their country, nation, village, and whatnot. Then I would finally allow the God of Death's cloak to surround me as my soul forever wanders in its darkness.

We stop.

My eyes move up but a genjutsu has deemed them unimportant. It is funny knowing I have been stripped of all my chakra essence and yet still they fear me enough to restrain all my senses. Indeed I can hear… but that is all. I see nothing yet my head still moves up. This is where I die.

A door slams closed –not really, it was just a silent clink, and yet I swear my ears are drumming in pain. Though my chakra is limited, he's here. I know.

The guards have been made scarce and all but three besides me are left in the room. My heart is acting up again; sweat is lightly running down my back. I know these three.

I am pushed to my knees by a presence I know my eyes wouldn't be able to detect even without their suppression. It is his chakra; a potent pressure that is slamming my now vulnerable body towards where gravity only guides me. The sound it makes is like an ocean, calm yet oh so powerful. I feel like a pebble slowly being pressured into sand. My head hangs limp form my neck as my hair probably dangles in a gruesome mess.

Have you ever felt such fear you know your limbs are petrified? How embarrassing. A shinobi that is unable to escape –unable to move. I remember standing in front of the Iwa-nins, littlest gennin, chuunin, jounin… all of them had been terrified at my feet. None could reach me. What use is "flee on sight" if you are unable to move?

And yet here I bow.

Man up woman! Do you honestly believe you should die in fear? Embrace it!

"Minato, you may erase the genjutsu" His voice as emotionless as I can remember from the last time I had seen him. "But please, do leave her seals on" he chuckles drily; there is no emotion to be heard.

At least this man still holds the honour my Gramps was famous for. Or rather, he already is as honourable. Whatever. It truly is fascinating how my thoughts can scatter even while facing death.

I hear a noise to my left and know it is the other he. The one I should have known years ago and the one that should have been my shoulder to cry on. No, the one to protect me –ironically, he will probably be the one to end me.

I cannot feel a single thing, but my mind surmises that he touched my temple for a second later I hear a whispered "kai" and light blinds my eyes. Where before I could only wander in darkness, now light seems to be burning my senses.

Thank you, I quip sarcastically. This could have gone smoother.

I hear a chuckle and as my eyes start accustoming to their surroundings, I swear I can see a little smirk on the formerly old man's lips.

"I am sure it could. But where is the fun in that?" I hear to my right and it clicks into place –the genjutsu has been lifted and I can finally hear my own voice again. Apparently, so can they. His infuriating chuckle remains as disgusting as ever.

My eyes look up from my position on the floor, I decide to ignore the blond man next to me and rather divert them to the strongest presence in the room: the Hokage. His face looks even younger than it did in the darkness of my cage, his beard still holding its brown colour. There are only slight wrinkles here and there, but all in all I have to commend his appearance.

And then reality checks in again. Well, at least I tried.

His eyes are stern, but perhaps in positive naiveté I can see no fury. He seems emotionless and holds his trusted pipe in his right hand –it is slightly hovering in between chest height and his shoulders. Seems uncomfortable to be honest.

He hums a little; the man to my left shifts to his former position next to the leader's desk. On the other side, to the far right of the desk I feel another person, one with chakra so wild it seems to want to burst from her core. Ahhh, how I miss that feeling. But I do not look. She is the only one I do not want to sadden with my death. For it is highly probable they know (believe) I am an Uzumaki. The last of her family. Maybe I am a risk to Konoha or a traitor to another village, but to her: I am family nonetheless.

"You have undergone our tests." The professor states as if it were the simplest fact. I still do not know if I've passed. I know the first part had been a success. But what if the serum made me confess my memories had been partly fabricated? What did the serum even do? I know there has never been a truth serum that made one truly confess to all done crimes. But was it a simple yes or no serum? For if questions regarding my affiliation to Konoha were to be asked, I know my love for Her would allow me to pass. Or was it one where all things asked would be answered in greater depth? I do not want them to know I was the cause of future-Konoha's demise.

My heart throbs. I have always been prepared for death –my occupation disallows me any semblance of a peaceful death. And yet fear strikes my core.

"Is there anything you would like to come clean about before I tell you of my decision?" He asks and yet averts his gaze from mine. His body turns to the right and I can see him observe the village through the office window with a loving stare. He smokes his pipe as I am left to ponder his words.

Do not utter anything you should not. Silence is Gold.

"No, Sir. I do not. Your wish will be my death or saviour." Even if the motion was too fast for a normal eye, I can see his lips show the tinniest sliver of acceptance and approval.

The woman to his far right shifts in anticipation, her chakra fluctuates slightly and I can feel a second of relief wash over her –before she composes herself and holds true to her mask of Anbu. No matter how happy or excited, do not lose your composure!

Allas, she is still young.

But now I know. I know. Or at least I hope.

"Minato, you know what to do". Even though there now is a high chance I have passed both tests, even though I am almost certain I will survive (for why else would she be excited if not for the knowledge of another family member) my heart starts beating faster and faster.

Any moment now I expect to feel his hands on my wrists, I expect to be free of my chains –if only partly- I expect to be able to stand in pride once again.

But what I hear next frightens me to my core –he draws his kunai and then fast as light brings it to my neck. Ah. Oh well. All is done then.

I expect darkness –darker than the darkness of my closed lids-and pain; yet nothing of the sort is felt.

"Wha-?" My lips tremble slightly as I notice I can still feel every single presence in the room.

"Ah don't worry baby-doll, I'm just kidding" and with the elven-voice I will honestly come to hate, my captor chuckles to my left as he frees my wrists with a touch of his wind-like cold –and yet hot- chakra. Oh wow that feels amazing. It tingles through my veins and connects with little of my own in a battle of ice against fire.

It seems I am free… If only a little.

Enough chakra is returned to my limbs if only to move freely and I attempt to stand as gracefully as I can muster. My knees wobble slightly and my muscles quiver under my weight. How will I ever appear in dignity again?

To make matters worse, Minato feels my predicament and moves to help me.

"If you dare to touch me again, I will end you." I say coldly. I look at him for the first time since I got in this office and I can see a smirk grace his lips as he opens his mouth. But yet again a pressure fills the air (one I can handle this time albeit with effort due to my low chakra) and I hear a cold grumble say,

"Do not make me regret giving you your life back" Me and my mouth…

There is satisfaction to my left and I feel like murdering the childlike adult that he probably is. Well. That and him being the whole fucking reason I am in this mess, obviously.

"I am sorry, my Lord" I say and bend on my left knee. I can feel him nod in approval and a sigh wants to escape my lips. I keep it in.

"Do not think you have been proven trustworthy enough to be allowed freedom just yet, little girl" Honestly he is probably only twenty years older. "But being able to go head to head against Minato, your mastery with seals, your apparent intellect, and immense sensory skills –do not think I have not noticed this ability while even under suppression skills, you can not hide from me-, that along with what has proven to be a love for Konoha I am yet to understand, has made me believe you could be a huge asset to our warring fronts –if only as a scapegoat." He looks at me with a glint in his eyes that could mean anything and nothing at the same time.

But this is exactly what I wanted. If given the chance I am sure I can regain his trust.

"Though there are certain elements to your confession I am both curious and sceptical about" Fuck. What did I say? "Since you cannot be entirely trusted, I hope you will understand that for now your powers will be restricted greatly. Your chakra will be held back by the seals still on your body –only allowing enough for light seals and your sensory skills which will be needed in coming missions."

I nod in understanding. Honestly I do not think I will ever leave Konoha again, anyway.

"This will be until myself and a guard will deem you a non-threat to our society"

My heart drops. Please let it not be who I think he is assigning to guard me.

"Now obviously, though your chakra is restricted, a little bird has told me your taijutsu skills are quite extraordinary and so is your mastery over seals, which means your guard will have to be strong enough to –in the case of you foolishly believing you can stab us in the back- detain you."

No no no no. I can now clearly see amusement in the Leader's eyes.

"And who better to fulfil the job than the one to catch you?"

I know Minato can feel the frustration bubble within me, so can the Anbu to my left, and he chuckles lowly.

"Minato, my boy?"

"Yes Sir! I will allow this woman in my team of myself and I until she proves worthy of a Konoha headband!" Only him and I? How far have I gone back?!

And yet again the heaviness of the situation –this infuriating situation- smacks me in the head. Oh fuck me.

"All right then –dismissed"

A hand on my shoulders, the sound of leafs and I am left to wonder what the hell I am supposed to do, where the hell I am supposed to live, when the fuck this all was decided (surely this has not been something decided on the spot –surely ) and how the hell I am supposed to figure shit out. Isn't the Hokage supposed to help me with all the above?

How did I even pass the second test? What did I say?

I still have no clue of the secrets I told and somehow I know there have been quite a few. Question remains: what do they know and why do I get the feeling this too is all a test?

My feet touch the ground yet again and I am welcomed to the market street of Konoha –yet not as I remember it used to be.

I know nothing at all.

Well that's the end for now. I have started on the next chapter... but only time will tell whether or not my update will come quickly... Sorry :(

Tchüss!