Chapter 8

It didn't take long for Sothis to realize that her ward's ability to see the unseen was a very recent occurrence. In fact, it took only a few steps away from Hokage Tower before the boy's attention was captured by something on the nearby roofs. Thankfully, through his eyes, she was able to see what he saw without suffering the humiliation of having to exert power to do so.

On each building were hooded figures wearing white blank masks depicting an animal. It was the first time she'd seen such figures, yet she would admit that the fact they were all looking directly at her ward put her off.

How did she know Naruto was the only one capable of seeing them? Simple: despite them being in plain sight, no one around them seemed to be observing the out-of-place figures looking down on them in broad daylight.

"Onee-san, why are so many ANBU looking at me?"

ANBU? Is that what they were? The Hokage's personal force and guards? The 'Black Ops' she'd heard about only in hush whispers? Why were there so many, and why were they all looking down on the boy? Did they somehow catch wind of their activities? If so, how? None should have been the wiser of her capabilities, nor what they'd been doing during a Pulse. So the question was: why were they here, and had they always been or was it after their activities?

"Onee-san?"

No, they didn't know. She was sure of it.

"Onee-san, are you there? W-what should we do?" The stutter in her ward's voice finally broke her from her pondering. Taking in the possibilities, she opted to take one of the safer routes without using another Pulse.

"...Stop looking at them, for one, and stop speaking out loud. I can hear your thoughts just as clearly." She immediately instructed, the boy following without question. "Now, walk straight home, and do not look up or back. If the worse should come, I shall bring us back to the morning." Naruto did as she asked without question, trusting that his friend knew what she was doing.

As expected, they were followed.

Even 30 minutes into their walk home, the masks still followed. Even when they were safely inside the house, the masks waited patiently outside. Even when the boy was safely inside his room, the masks were at his window.

Before, she was sure her powers were absolute. Everything that happened within her powers would go as she had ordained, and no force would be able to break through the flows of time or have any inkling of what had occurred before or after the Divine Pulse. Now, being surrounded on all sides just after their first true use of her power with the boy, she wasn't so sure anymore. It made an unwanted feeling rise within, and she hated it. What did she have to be nervous about? There was nothing these people could do to her; she knew this to be true.

Yet, she thought the same about her flesh. She was already proven wrong on that front, so what was so different now?

No, they couldn't. She was sure of that. Unlike that time, her current form was spiritual, and though she and her ward were one and the same, she had a chance at revival while he did not...

Her ward...

Was, was what she was feeling 'fear' for her ward? Fear for what may happen to him due to her own actions? Did she, a Divine, fear for someone? What did he think of her for getting them into such a mess?

The moment the thought settled was the moment she stomped it ruthlessly.

Absurd! Completely absurd! inconceivable! She did not harbor such insecurities! Ever!

But if it was not so, then what was it? What was she feeling and why-

"Onee-san, there's someone in my room."

The words had the Divine seeing through the blonde's eyes in an instant. From what she could see, the boy was still at the entrance of his bedroom. If she were looking through normal eyes, then nothing would have been out of the ordinary other than the fact that someone clearly neglected to make up their bed in the morning. However, through the Uzumaki's eyes, your eyes would immediately be directed to short figure currently looking down on him from the ceiling in the corner of the room just above his bed. Like the ANBU, she wore a dark cloak to cover her body, but unlike the Black Ops, her face was clear to see.

Widened, pastel-colored eyes stared down at his own. Her features were sharp, long, raven bangs covering one side of her face completely. In normal circumstances, Naruto would have considered the woman cute, probably cuter than even that Sakura girl he'd seen occasionally at the Academy.

But alas, they were not at the Academy. He was in his room, and she was hovering over his bed while clearly not expecting him to be able to see her. If it wasn't for the Konoha headband clear to see around her neck, then Naruto would have already bolted from the room. Instead, with the ignorance of a child, he opted to speak to the one who was clearly not supposed to be in his room.

"What are you doing in my room, Shinobi-san?" Instead of an answer, his intruder's eyes shot wide open.

What occurred next happened in a blur.

First, there was the shattering of glass from his window imploding, followed by something dark moving to the shinobi faster than he could blink. Before he could even cover his face on instinct, Naruto felt himself being carried before something pressed into the back of his neck.

The last thing he saw were ANBU restraining the intruder before his world went dark.

Hound, ANBU Captain, and the one currently responsible for the protection of the Jinchuuriki of the Leaf, looked to the now sleeping boy in one of his agents arms. Getting a nod from the agent, confirming the boy was indeed asleep, he turned to where the young intruder had been detained on the ground by two more agents. He didn't know if he should be surprised or not at who they had apprehended.

The girl, an heir, no less, did not struggle. It was likely because she already knew the severity of her crimes and did not wish to add more to her plate, yet if she was smart enough to know that, then why even do something so stupid and straightforward in the first place? And more importantly...

He looked back to Naruto, a new-found curiosity shining within. They did not catch anything out of the ordinary when the boy entered the apartment, nor did they catch any form of chakra being used within a 50-meter radius. If they didn't catch anything, then how did the boy?

Not long after that thought, a powerful chakra signature appeared in the living room of the small apartment. Turning, he greeted the wizened Hokage as he made his way into the scene followed by two of his own personal ANBU guards.

Hiruzen took one look at who the ANBU had detained before a heavy breath left him. "Kagero-hime, I know you to be a lot of things, but imprudent is not one of them." He spoke, sounding more disappointed than upset. "I'll allow you one chance to explain yourself before I have ANBU take you in for questioning."

Despite the threat, the young woman did not show any sign of fear. Face still on the ground, she peered up to the Hokage and explained herself cordially, "Hokage-sama, I had reason to believe that your lives, along with the lives of everyone in Hokage Tower, were at risk."

Hiruzen remained unmoved despite the claim. Despite who she was under and the clan she belonged to, he did not sense an ounce of a lie leaking between her words.

"Explain," he said simply, the girl not hesitating in reporting her findings.

"At 1400 hours, on my way to report a mission, I found the Jinchuuriki standing before Hokage Tower. I do not know what he did, but not long after, he released a large concentration of concealed chakra that not even I would have caught if not in the vicinity. Nothing seemed to come of it, but I was skeptical and wished to monitor him until I knew for certain what he had done. I do admit my rashness in decision-making and should have immediately reported it, but I swear on my name that I had nothing but the safety of Konoha in mind."

Hiruzen listened to the report with open ears and mind. Looking to one of the ANBU holding the girl down, he watched the gorilla mask give a shake of the head, confirming there were no irregular patterns in her chakra.

A hand came to rub the bridge of his nose shortly after. As much as he wished for this to simply be poor judgment, he knew he couldn't simply dismiss her claims. Despite her clan (and that man), her sensing abilities have proven to be far beyond those of her peers. Her confession may or may not be entirely truthful, but he couldn't see any reason why such an active Jonin would pull such a stunt other than having genuine suspicions.

A sigh left him, knowing the next few days would be a headache.

"You have not necessarily committed any major crimes, Kagero-hime. Your actions may have been rash, and some may argue that they break the 'No Contact' agreement between the clans, but I believe your testimony of 'reasonable suspicion'. However, I will still have a Yamanaka check the validity of your claims just to be sure. Will that be a problem?"

"It will not, Hokage-sama." She replied immediately, further throwing off any suspicion.

"Though you will not be charged, I shall still have you serve a punishment. I will also be reporting this to Shimura personally." A slight hint of fear faded as fast as it appeared; the mention of her clan head seemed to cause an emotional response where all else failed.

"I, understand, Hokage-sama."

Interrogation done, he gave a gesture to the ANBU holding the Jonin before they disappeared with her in a puff of smoke. From behind, Hound led Cat into the room, holding the sleeping form of Uzumaki Naruto. Placing the boy in the bed, Cat awaited Hiruzen's next order. Hiruzen gave the sleeping boy one last longing stare before giving his final order (hopefully) for the day.

"Take me back... And send a summons order to Danzo." Without preamble, the ANBU did what they were told, the personal guards taking the Hokage back to his desk while Hound took his place outside the apartment and Cat went to relay the message to the Shimura head.

Going unnoticed by all, an invisible figure hovered observantly over the blonde's sleeping form.

Location: ?

"What happened," was the boy's first question upon seeing his friend in their shared little world. "Did I die," was his second, not so unreasonable, comment.

"If you had, we would not be speaking, Child." Sothis reassured plainly, her thoughts still filled with what she had observed through her spiritual form. They hadn't been found out as she feared, yet they hadn't gone completely unnoticed. That woman, whoever she was, had felt her Divine Pulse, yet knew not what happened beyond it.

It was unnatural. No mortal should be able to sense the energy of a Divine. It was simply impossible. Unfathomable. Inconceivable. What exactly was up with this world and completely breaking her expectations?

"...Well, since you are here, I see no reason why we should waste this time. Head for the archive... Don't give me that look, go now!" Sothis urged, admonishing the boy when a hint of displeasure twitched on his face. The boy did as he was told, slumping in defeat as he made his way towards the door in the void.

Sothis followed close behind, but couldn't shake the feeling that their ordeal wasn't quite done just yet.

Next Day

Hokage Tower

She should have known.

Of course they wouldn't let such a thing go. It was in their nature to be paranoid, so she should have seen this coming.

Before her ward was the Hokage, along with three other figures. One was easily identifiable enough, being the shortest in the room and the one to nearly give the boy a heart attack not 24 hours ago. No longer bearing robes, the girl now stood in the standard uniform for a Jonin of Konoha. Next to her stood a similarly dressed blonde man with pupiless blue eyes, the only difference between the two being the red vest over the Jonin one. ANBU also lined every corner of the room, something her ward noticed immediately upon entering the room.

Finally, next to the Hokage stood a scarred man whose hair closely resembled that of a pineapple... Weird. She knew not who he was, but she could see the analytical gleam in his eyes, which likely meant anything said by her ward would be heavily scrutinized.

This was not good. Not good at all. She knew her bright child, which also meant she knew he lacked any form of subtlety. One blockheaded reply would likely be all it took to get them found out, the possibility might as well be inevitable.

She knew she should have used another Pulse yesterday when she had the chance...

Well, there was no dwelling on 'what should have beens'. Their worries were all currently in the present, so they would deal with them now.

Which was why the world around them was frozen, and she was looking sternly down at her little problem child (even if their ordeal wasn't necessarily his fault).

"Now, listen and listen closely, Child. When asked a question, you will repeat what I say and only what I say. No unnecessary remarks. Do I make myself clear?" The boy nodded furiously, yet it brought no reassurance to her. "Haaaaaaaaah, why do I get the feeling this is going to be a disaster..." She muttered, not at all feeling as if they would leave this office Scott-free.

"Don't worry, Onee-san. I promise to only say what you tell me, and I always keep my promises, dattebayo." Sothis remained unimpressed, even with the little slip of his verbal tick. Nevertheless, there was no reason to waste her power worrying over the inevitable. All she could do now was pray that the boy didn't get them into too much of a bind.

*CRASH*

The moment they came out of the Pulse, the Jonin from yesterday immediately had a hand on the sword behind her, prompting the other Shinobi (and shadows) in the room to suddenly be on guard.

'Ah, this one truly can feel my power,' Sothis thought, staring into the eyes of the mysterious Jonin woman, prompt and ready to cut her ward down if given the opportunity.

"Did you feel something again, Kagero-hime?" The Hokage, the only one unmoved by the woman's sudden hostility, asked calmly.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." She confirmed, getting furrowed eyes from the Jonin standing next to her.

"I did not feel anything, Hokage-sama." The blonde man said, the pineapple one also nodding in agreement.

Instead of answering the unasked question, Hiruzen made a wave of his hand, the shadows immediately sheathing their tantos at the gesture. "At ease, everyone. There is no need to be on edge. I promise everything will be solved before the day is done."

Immediately, the two male Jonin relaxed, while it took the woman until she was prompted again by the Hokage to sheath her tanto. Sothis felt the tension in her ward ease once the threat of death was no longer in the air. Hopefully, this will be the last time they put the boy on the edge.

"Naruto-kun, sorry to pull you away from the Academy at such short notice. I know just how important your education is. However, there are concerns we have with actions taken yesterday that we wish to put to rest."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Naruto replied, as his friend instructed him to.

Hiruzen's grandfatherly smile brightened at the answer and said, "Good, my boy." With that, he jestered towards the blonde Jonin, "Naruto-kun, this is Inoichi Yamanaka. He'll be asking you a few questions, and we need you to answer them all truthfully and to the best of your knowledge, okay?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

Getting the OK from the Hokage, Inoichi stepped forward until he was kneeling in front of the stoic child. If he hadn't been told before hand of the boy's permanent ashen expression, he would have immediately found it suspicious. Expressions on one's face were the quickest way of conveying emotion, yet seeing someone, a child, devoid of such a natural human trait was truly unsettling.

"Good evening, Naruto-san. To begin, all I need you to do is place your hand in my palm and we will begin." The boy looked down at the palm held out in front of him, yet did not hesitate to place his smaller one on the Yamanaka's. Immediately feeling the boy's chakra flow, he noticed just how unnatural the boy was.

His chakra flow was extremely slow, almost like a corpse. Putting a hand to his wrist, he felt for a pulse and was surprised to find none. He couldn't entirely hide the frown on his face. He wasn't a shadow clone—that, he was assured of. He also wasn't a Genjutsu either, which threw away any doubt that the boy before him was, in fact, Uzumaki Naruto. Hokage-sama warned him that the boy was special for a Jinchuuriki , yet he never knew the debt of such a thing until now.

Shaking away his thoughts, the Jonin began his questioning. "To start, can you tell me something true about yourself?"

Naruto did not answer right away. In fact, he didn't answer at all. Almost a full minute went by when the Yamanaka began to look uneasy.

*CRASH*

"Why are you just sitting there, you baffoon?!" Sothis yelled, suddenly appearing above the now-frozen Yamanaka. Naruto looked up to his friend and blinked.

"But you told me to only repeat what you say. You didn't say anything, so neither did I." The greenette's mouth opened and closed like a gaping fish, trying to say words but unable to get them out. He was right, in the literal sense, but completely wrong in the common. A hand eventually came to her face, not believing she had to spell it all out for the child.

"Within reason, Child. Within reason."

"...What does that mean, Onee-san?"

"It means that I expect you to use your own judgment. If you think what is being asked is simple, then you shouldn't need me to tell you what to say."

"But you said-"

"I KNOW WHAT I SAID-" Sothis stopped herself, fist shaking from wanting to bonk her bright little idiot over the head. Calming down, she looked down at the shrinking boy, hoping her next plan of action would solve their problems. "Ok, change of plans. If there is a question I wish to answer for you, I shall use a Pulse to do so. If not, then you are to answer it yourself. Simple enough?" The boy nodded in confirmation. Sothis put on a frown so her next words were taken seriously. "But be warned, the more I answer, the less chances you'll have to use a Pulse. Do not say anything that will compromise us, understood?"

"Hai, Onee-san."

Assured that the boy was ready once more, the Divine nodded in satisfaction.

*CRASH*

Back to reality, Naruto found Inoichi not in front of him, but back in his position next to the Kunoichi. Said Kunoichi was in that stance again with her hand on her sword, prompting everyone else in the room to ready themselves for the unseen threat...

Ah, they were back at the beginning.

Deja vu hit as they went through the previous 5 minutes all over again until Inoichi was kneeling before him asking that same question from before.

"To start, can you tell me something true about yourself?"

Remembering his friend's words, he replied, "I like Ramen. It's really good."

Inoichi smiled at the answer. "I see. Maybe I'll treat you to a bowl one of these days. Now, tell me something that isn't true."

"...I like veggies." The reply garnered a chuckle from both the Yamanaka and Hokage.

"Between you and me, I'd be happy to never see another vegetable in my life. Just, don't let my wife hear you say that, or we'll both be eating greens till there's no more in Konoha." Inoichi tried his hand at humor, a bit put off that the boy's chakra signature showed a very slight sign of joy, yet his expression remained unmoved. "OK, now I'm going to be asking you more serious questions. Make sure to answer truthfully, OK?"

Naruto nodded, ready for whatever.

"Good. To begin, start by telling me what you did yesterday afternoon. Specifically, around 1:45 PM."

Naruto's eyes went up, trying to remember everything he'd done before coming to Hokage Tower yesterday. "I had just left from Ichiraku's and was heading here."

"I see... And what did you come to Hokage Tower to do? We were told you were standing outside for quite some time."

*CRASH*

"...I wanted to see Hokage-jiji." The boy replied, not missing the subtle tense of the kunoichi..

"And why didn't you go inside?"

*CRASH*

"...I started feeling dizzy, so I went home."

"Dizzy? Do you know what suddenly caused it? Nervousness perhaps?"

*CRASH*

"...I do not. I just felt dizzy, Yamanaka-san."

"I see... And did you do anything when you arrived at Hokage Tower?"

"Ask him to elaborate." Sothis immediately voiced, the boy doing as his friend asked.

"Can you elager-" the boy paused. "Elag...E...e-elager..."

"Uh, sorry? Can you repeat that, Naruto-kun?"

*CRASH*

The moment they came out of the Pulse, the Jonin from yesterday immediately had a hand on the sword behind...her...wait...

Inside the blonde's head, he could practically feel the incredulous stare his friend was giving him.

"...Did you just use one of our Pulses because you didn't know how to pronounce a word?"

For once, Naruto was glad his friend was currently in his head. At least there, she couldn't see the blush of embarrassment on his face.

Once again, they watched things unfold until the blonde was asked questions once more. To Sothis's frustration, the boy didn't remember any of her answers, leading to yet another moment where the blonde was left staring wonderingly into the Yamanaka's eyes. One Pulse later, and a very stern talking to, they were back where they'd left off.

"Can you, explain, Yamanaka-san?"

"Did you, perhaps, perform a chakra flare, or any kind of jutsu while you were here?"

"I did not, Yamanaka-san." Suddenly, the man's brow furrowed, meaning nothing good for the blonde.

"Are you sure, Naruto-kun? Know that I can tell when you're lying, so please be truthful with me." He said sternly, a bit of nervousness creeping up within the blonde.

"He does not yet know you are lying, Child. Reiterate your previous statement." The reassuring voice of his friend cooled his worries.

"I did not use any jutsu yesterday, Yamanaka-san."

The blonde held his breath, the stern gaze of the Yamanaka staying on him for a brief period before he asked his next, and final question.

"Did someone else do anything? Someone, perhaps, we cannot see?"

Naruto was unable to stop the widening of his eyes before the Yamanaka's stern eye caught it. The way the blonde was too stunned to answer afterward was all he needed to make whatever analysis he was making.

"I see. Then there is nothing further for us to-"

*CRASH*

"Get a hold on your emotions, Child!" Sothis suddenly appeared in front of him, startling the blonde back to reality.

"S-sorry, Onee-san. I got scared." He admitted, shame filling him.

"What is there to fear? Did I not say you would be fine as long as you have me? "Does your trust in me mean so little?" Naruto sank lower into his seat, the accusation beginning to crush him from within.

"Its just, when he asked that, all I could think about was how I could protect our secret. Like, what if they take you from me? I don't have any other friends, so I'll...be lonely without you..." His voice trailed off until it was no more than a whisper. Inside, the genuine fear of him losing her spread. He feared not only for himself, but her as well. It was, touching.

Yet this was not the time to dwell on such insecurities. There was a time for such things and now wasn't one of them.

"I am not going anywhere, Child." She first reassured. "I am not only within you, but a part of you. Our fates are intertwined and not so easily broken, so cease these doubts. I am here to stay."

The boy looked into her eyes as if searching for a lie. When he found nothing but annoyance, he lowered his head in submission. "Thank you Onee-san. I, feel better now."

"Good." She nodded, already preparing to use the next Divine Pulse. "Now, prepare yourself. We have enough for one more Pulse, so make sure you don't waste it."

"Hai, Onee-san."

...

"Did someone else do something? Someone, perhaps, we cannot see?" Inoichi pushed, knowing this was the most delicate and dangerous question he was to ask. His chakra had given him no reason to doubt any of his answers so far, yet this could significantly change that. Like the Hokage, he hoped the Shimura was simply paranoid, but since when had anyone in that clan acted on anything that wasn't in the shadows?

'Gods, for once, please let it be baseless paranoia...'

"...I don't know what you're talking about, Yamanaka-san." Inoichi checked the boy's chakra flow. It was steady, as it had been throughout the rest of his questioning. Not finding any signs of a lie lifted weights off his shoulders he was glad to be rid of. He smiled at the blonde, giving a silent apology through his eyes. "Thank you for being truthful with me, Naruto-san."

"Just a moment, Yamanaka-dono. I'd like to ask one last question." Inoichi was about to stand and return to his position when Kagero's voice stopped him. He gave a glance back to her, yet her stern glare was focused entirely on the Uzumaki. "Uzumaki-san, if you had power, power strong enough to make a difference, how would you use it?"

It was a very straightforward question, yet Inoichi didn't see the need for such. Nevertheless, he observed the boy's chakra as he replied quicker than he'd expected.

"I would use it to change the world."

Inoichi looked at the boy in surprise, not expecting such an answer. With the things he'd heard, along with the boy's unfavorable living conditions, he expected anything but. However, it wasn't his answer that truly surprised him.

It was the way his almost dormant chakra suddenly came to life in what he thought was excitement. Where there was once a spark, there is now a small campfire. It was as if he wasn't simply answering a question but stating a dream.

What, a truly remarkable young man.

"...I see." Hearing the words from the Shimura, he smiled at the boy before saying, "You are going to be a remarkable Shinobi, Uzumaki-san." His peace said, he finally let go of the Jinchuuriki's hand and moved back to the young Shimura.

"Have your fears been appeased, Kagero-hime?" Hiruzen spoke in the conclusion of the interrogation. Kagero nodded to confirm, yet Inoichi couldn't help but feel the disappointment emanating from her.

"Hai, Hokage-sama. I no longer believe Uzumaki to be a threat to Konoha. However," the Kunoichi made sure to stare into the boy's curious gaze as she said, "I can't help but be disappointed in you, Uzumaki."

Inoichi turned to the Shimura, not understanding the need to push any further. He was about to voice such until he saw the Hokage's very subtle shack of his head in his peripheral. Silenced, he had no choice but to listen as the Shimura continued in a direction he didn't think was wise.

"You are to be the future of Konoha, yet your work effort is less than desirable. I'm told you wish to be Hokage one day, yet you don't even know what that means yourself. The title of Hokage is not something one simply decides to be. It is a title given to those who are not only strong in body and skill but also in mind. One who has gained the respect of their allies and the fear of his enemies. You say you wish for that title, that respect, yet you don't even have the mind yet to put your village first... A pity."

The words were spoken like a true Shimura—harsh yet not without truth.

Inoichi felt for the boy, yet there wasn't an ounce of a lie in her statement. It took far more ambition to become the Hokage than the boy likely knew. It took everything the Shimura said and more—most not even living to see such a dream. It was a lesson the boy needed to learn, yet, as a father, Inoichi didn't think it wise to reveal such a harsh reality when the boy still had room to grow into their world.

And the boy?

His features were stoic like usual, yet his fist balled and shook in front of him while his brow twitched uncontrollably. He didn't know if it was anger or frustration he was feeling, yet it was the first show of emotion he'd seen from the boy.

To further throw him for a loop, the boy didn't seem to argue any defense as a child typically would. Instead, his gaze broke from the Shimura and back to the Hokage before saying, "Can I go now, Hokage-jiji?"

"Ah, yes, my boy. An ANBU will be waiting outside to take you back to the Academy." The Hokage replied with his usual gentleness. Not giving any show of confirmation, the boy simply hopped from his seat and headed for the door.

Halfway there, he suddenly stopped. Before the Hokage even began to ask if something was wrong, the boy had turned around and began walking towards them.

He came to a stop right in front of the Shimura heiress.

Big, seafoam eyes stared up at the cold, indifferent eyes of the future head of the Shimura clan—both unwavering in their expressions. In the end, it was the Shimura who broke the silence. "Is there something you'd like to say, boy?"

"...I'm remembering your face." The flat response of the blonde caused a shiver to run up the Yamanaka's spine, while it only furrowed the brow of the young Shimura heiress.

"Is that a threat, boy?" She asked, the hostility in her voice unmistakable where the blonde's was absent. Still, Yamanaka Inoichi would swear to this day that he felt the words spoken next by Uzumaki Naruto.

"I just want to remember you as one of the people who'll one day acknowledge me as 'Hokage-sama'."

"...Well, that happened." Sothis spoke, feeling the need to fill the silence following their swift exit after the boy's 'declaration'. He had said nothing on their way out, and had barely had any thought other than frustration. Even now, he said nothing, despite her attempts at being amicable.

Opting to let the boy dwell in his emotions, she sat quiet as the ANBU waiting for them teleported them across the rooftops towards the Academy.

Upon their arrival, the ANBU wasted no time in making himself scarce, leaving the blonde standing in front of the Academy gates. Minutes went by, Sothis joining her ward in staring at the entrance in silence.

Eventually, the Divine could take no more.

With just a thought, the world stood still once more, and she was floating in front of the motionless boy.

"I think I've put up with your silence long enough, so talk. Get what you need to say off your chest and be done with it." She said sternly, arms crossed and finger tapping rhythmically against her arm as she waited for a reply. It took more silence, but eventually, the boy was able to put aside his frustration to ask his friend a question.

"Onee-san, you believe I'll become Hokage one day, right?"

Sothis raised a brow, not exactly believing that to be the root of his frustration. "Is that what's bothering you? A few words and you begin to doubt yourself and my judgment." When she received no reply, she let out a sigh.

Turning to the nearby tree, she motioned for the boy to follow, who did so without complaint. Arriving, they both sat under the shade, Sothis having to levitate her body less she fall right through the ground. They simply enjoyed the silence and shade for a bit before Sothis spoke, hoping this would be the last time she'd have to have such a conversation.

"I believe you can achieve more than just becoming the leader of this village, Child." She said honestly, the boy's eyes fully on her while she stared towards something only she could see. "I've told you many times before, you are a bright child. You work twice as hard as any other, a quality not seen in many. Your determination to succeed in a village that demonizes you is admirable. You are kind, where the world is cruel. You say things that can be childish, yes, but you've also said things that have even moved myself. You have a way about you that is unique, and I know those who truly know you feel the same."

Finally looking to the boy, she seemed to contemplate something. Eventually, her hand reached out to his cheek, surprising him further. A serene smile blossomed on her face before she said, "You've already proven your worth to me, Child, so there's no need to ever think I do not believe in you."

The way he looked at her was like she was the only one in the world. Despite it not being his intention, his expression brought a warmth to her heart she couldn't describe. It only seemed to grow when he suddenly leaned into her hand, whispering words that only made her emotions feel more out of place.

"If you believe in me, then I don't care what anyone else says."

What she saw next momentarily made her speechless.

Her ward, the stoic, hardheaded, stubborn, bright young man was, for the first time since she'd know him, smiling. It didn't split his face, nor did would it have been visible to most, but from this close, she could see it clearly.

She didn't know how, but it was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. Just as much as when she'd brought her first child into this world.

"I'm going to become Hokage one day, and I'll change the world like I promised."

And she believed every word.

A/N: As I said in the prewrite, yes. Kagero is exactly who you think she is (if you don't know, type in Fire Emblem Fates Kagero). She is the only OC/not OC in this story that will be mainlined in the story. Only difference between before and the rewrite is you see her a lot earlier (technically speaking) than you would have before.

Unfortunately, last chapter wasn't exactly received well, which is kinda It's a bummer but I do appreciate those who gave their thoughts. To those who didn't like it, the next two chapter will be the last you see of Byleth for a while if that helps. The story will focus completely on Naruto during the Genin arc.

Speaking of which, with this, we are about 3 to four chapters away until a time skip to Naruto's graduation. After graduation comes the Genin arc, followed by the Chunin exams. What will happen between that is a surprise that I hope you all are here for.

Thank you all for the follows and favorites. If you like this story, consider giving my other work 'The Fate We Have Chosen' a try. Reviews, both good and bad, give me motivation to write, so please keep them coming, and I hope you all have a damn good day.

Current Age in Scene:

Kagero: 13

Hiruzen: Too old for this shit

Byleth: 12

Naruto: 5