Chapter 18

AN: Kishimoto owns all except my characters-Kiminari, and Kimiko, and later characters. Also I'm probably not going to follow any of the story line except a few small things. I may take the characters outside their natural personalities, but that's because it's my story, and it'll add to it. Another thing: since I'm not following the story line of the series- All main (good) characters will start out the same age as they should be, but even though the Akatsuki will be around, the war will not happen until later; if it does at all. Again this is because I'm making up my own story line; it gets kinda boring when nothing has changed and, you readers would be able to guess what was going to happen all the time. So, enjoy, and please comment, review, rate, whatever you wanna do. :D

Time skip of seven years.

When I woke up this morning, I realized something horrible. It was my birthday again. For the past six years, starting with my seventh birthday, Sakura and her friend Ino, had been in charge of everything involving my birthday. At first, Sakura kind of scared me, so I didn't argue with her much over the matter, but by my tenth birthday, the only reason I hadn't made and attempt on her life over the matter, was due to Lady Tsunade's orders. "Please, Kimiko." She'd said. "Please just try to behave yourself this year. Sakura's only doing this because she and Ino see you as a younger sister. I know it gets irritating, they get on everyone's nerves over your birthday, but just try to appease them."

I'd unwillingly obeyed her request, if only to keep myself in good standings with her-ever since my promotion to jonin, nearly a month after I'd come to Konoha and then my promotion to anbu another month and a half later, she'd allowed me to pick my missions; most of which were to Suna. This year, however, I wasn't going to stand for it. On my twelfth birthday, last year, she made me wear the most hideous hot pink, sparkly, itchy kimono, I'd ever laid eyes on. This year I would be a teenager, and Tsunade was finally going to let me move into the renovated area of the old Uchiha compound, which they'd begun to rebuild and replicate in hopes that the clan would eventually be restarted; Kakashi, however had been way too fatherly lately. He had even said he would see if he could just get a bigger apartment, so I'd have my own room. I'd almost consented, but then I remembered the time that I'd hung out with Konohamaru and his team last year, and Kakashi had nearly had a breakdown because I was hanging out with kids six and seven years older than me; I didn't see his point, I mean, it wasn't like they could have done anything to hurt me, even if they had wanted to.

As I had maintained the exact same five outfits since I was six, –aside from getting them in a different size- I made my way to where I knew my blue kimono top was hanging. There was only one difference in my wardrobe. Tsunade had told me that when I turned thirteen, I did not have to wear my jonin vest anymore, because by now, everyone knew I was already a high ranking member of the anbu, and no one bothered to question me about it anymore. When I realized that I wouldn't be wearing the Uzumaki crest anymore, I'd taken my time one day to bring all my shirts to an alterations shop so that they could put my other family crest on top of the right shoulder of each.

When I'd found the shirt I was searching for, I took it off the hanger, then pulled a mesh shirt, and a pair of pants, and undies out of my drawer, then went to take a shower. Once that was finished, I put on my clothes and pulled my hair into its signature style: A bun with some hair fanning out on the top right and some shorter hair -down to my chin- framing my face. By the time I was done, Kakashi had woken up, so I went to the kitchen to prepare us each an omelet. Once we were finished, I told him my plans for the day, and headed out the door.

Today, I picked out my birthday yukata, then I went grocery shopping. Once I'd returned with my spoils from the day I showed my new kimono to Kakashi. It was a simple deep forest green with gold sparkles clumped into shapes resembling trees, and more sparkles dusted over the rest of the fabric. When he'd seen it, I put it away then told him what I'd been meaning to tell him all day.

"I'm going down to visit the old clan head home; the workers have finished refurbishing it, and Lady Tsunade told me to decide whether or not I'm moving in. She said if I am I need to tell her so we I can have the old furniture replicated." She'd told me that since I had no way of getting money from family, she would help to rebuild the old homes exactly as they were.

"Well, I had hoped you'd stay here," He stated, sadly. "But if that's what you feel is right, then go for it. Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, thanks. There's something I've been wondering about though. What happens if Sasuke does return peacefully? Wasn't his father the last clan head?"

"Yes, but yours was too at one point, and although you are only half Uchiha, if your father were hear, he would take leadership, followed by you. However, given the circumstances, you will be the clan head, unless Sasuke returns; and if he does, he will probably wish to fight you for it, even if you were to offer it to him- it's a matter of pride. You see, that position was always given to the person with the most wisdom and power; it just turned out that that person has always been the eldest living child of the former head."

I nodded. "Well then, if he comes back, unless he's on extremely good terms with everyone, I guess I'll just have to whip his butt." I said with a small laugh.

"Hey, Kimiko." Kakashi said as I was about to leave. "Don't forget you have dance tonight at five."

"Thanks, I won't forget; I never do." I said as I left the apartment. I had started dancing at a small studio around the corner, when I had turned eight. It had become my favorite thing to do. I loved it so much; and I was pretty good too. It had even helped me with my stealth. Once, last year, on a mission, I was working with Shikamaru and walked right up to our target without being seen or heard. Once he was down, his friend came around the corner, having sensed something wrong. When he began to attack me, I simply dodged him until he left me an opening. When I had him pinned up against a nearby wall, Shikamaru had asked how I had dodged him so easily, and how I'd snuck up on the other man. I had answered, jokingly that I was a dancer; I told him how I had been taking dance for four years. After that, it had become a joke amongst my friends and myself, that I was not a ninja, but simply a dancer; I was their little fairy, running stealth missions that only with real magic could have gone any smoother.

I had been walking towards the Uchiha compound, and my train of thought broke as I passed the first few buildings. Many of them were still damaged or in ruins. It made me sad to see it like this, even though I had never seen it when the clan was still alive.

As I passed a group of workers who were rebuilding a small meeting house, I gave a small bow to show them how grateful I was that they had agreed to do this; many had refused the offer, even considering how much it paid. When I reached the clan head home, my breath caught in my throat; they had only recently fixed and cleaned it up enough for Lady Tsunade to allow me to visit it. I was nervous and excited both at the same time; I knew that many great shinobi had lived here, and that when I stepped foot into the old home of my father and his family, that I would be placing upon my own shoulders, the weight that all the past clan heads had held, and more.

After removing my shoes I took a deep breath, steadying myself and slid open the door.

AN: Don't forget about the drawing entries! If you would like, I'm starting a competition. Just send me a link in the reviews, or on private messaging of a drawing, sketch, or painting of your favorite characters from my stories. You may include characters that are from the actual universe, but all entries must include at least one of the stories OCs. I'll start the first drawing on March 1, but if you're just reading, don't worry. I plan to continue this for a while