Disclaimer: I own Akane and Akiko, the rest is Masashi Kishimoto.

It has been two days since that meeting. I spent most of my time working on various seals with my mom and testing my body's limits. I had to work on my chakra control once again and increase my reserves, because some of my techniques were too exhausting now. However, even if it was just everyday moves, like cooking of stuff like that, I realized my body had reflexes I had lost in my previous life when I had left Kiri.

But I missed the fabulous chakra control I had gained with years of fuinjutsu. I could make seals with my feet! Now I barely knew how to make seals with my hands on any hard surfaces! At least, I was still way past the needed scroll. But anyway, if I were to take part in any future events, I needed to train. Just staying in Konoha right now was dangerous, who knew when Danzo would know about my presence here and try something.

I left my bed and went in the kitchen. Mom was out because it was super quiet. I opened the fridge and winced when I realized it was empty. There was a note from my mother telling me she was out grocery shopping and that at least I had eggs. I didn't want eggs but that would do I guess.

"I'm home!" my mother said when I was cracking the second eggs in the pan, an eye on the notes my mom made on one of my seals.

"Welcome back," I mumbled.

"What are you reading?" another voice asked when a chin leaned on my shoulder.

"Oh God!" I yelled. I almost jumped out of my skin and knocked the pan down in the process. It's with my hand on my beating heart I turned around, to meet Shisui's smug grin. "Seriously!?"

"I didn't know you were so into reading that Aka-chan, sorry." Yeah, he didn't sound sorry at all that...

"What are you even doing here?"

"I met him when I left the store and he offered to help me carry the groceries. Thanks again Shisui-kun." my mother explained, setting aside some paper and other things from the vegetables. I squinted to get a better look at the non-eatable stuff.

"That was nothing Akiko-san! Plus, I wanted to see how you were both doing Aka-chan...Aka-chan!"

I didn't even spare him a glance and moved closer to what caught my attention. My eyes got wide and I was sure there were stars in them when I realized what it was.

"Mom you're awe..." I started, my hand almost grabbing the items. Almost, because she snatched it away when my fingers brushed it. "Mom!"

"Clean that mess first."

"But it's his fault!"

"Hey!" an outraged Shisui yelled in the background.

"Then make him help you." she told me with a smirk.

I pouted and got what I needed, giving to Shisui what he needed too. I glared at him when he tried to get away from this.

"I go down, you go down with me buddy."

He muttered under his breath about how evil and uncute I was unlike of how I used to be while we were cleaning and once it was done, I went to my mother's side.

"Soooo?"

"We have everything we need to make ink."

"Why not just buy ink directly?" the Uchiha inquired, and that made me sigh deeply. Why don't anybody understand the beauty within fuinjutsu and how preconceived ink is just...argh, just to think about it!

"A seal is more powerful if you draw it with an ink you made yourself." my mother started to explain calmly. "When you draw it, you must put some chakra in each stroke of the brush. With an ink you make yourself, you infuse it with your chakra before even using it. Then, not only it is easier to use, but also much more powerful."

"But what about Explosive Tags then?"

"It's neutral, and react to anyone who put a small portion of their chakra in them."

"If we have to explain the whole process of creating a seal, we will need hours and hours for each little details for every kind of seals existing today." I added with a nod. Shisui gave a side glance, to which I responded with a proud smile. "I told you fuijutsu is to the Uzumakis what genjutsu is to the Uchihas. They would spend their lives playing with it and trying to seal from the most insignificant thing to bijuus."

"Their whole lives..." my mother repeated under her breath, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Mom?"

It snapped her from her thoughts and she shook her head to me, telling me it was nothing.

"I came to tell you something too. Many things actually." Shisui informed me. He grabbed my shirt and pulled me in another room. "The Hokage asked me to explain what they planned to you. Or what Shikaku-san has planned."

"I'm all ears."

"We are doing nothing!" I gaped at him. "Kidding! Well, not totally. I don't know what memory he has seen, but from what Fugaku-sama told me, Inoichi-san joined forces with the Uchihas, like the Aburames. Well, as you can guess, the Naras and Akimichis followed. The Sandaime represents the Sarutobi clan, so it's obvious what they'll do. There is no Senju representative anymore. The Inuzukas were a little bit skeptical but it seems they're not Danzo's biggest fans."

"The Hyuugas?"

"Apparently, they were the hardest to convince, especially because they're rivals with the Uchihas and us planning a coup do not make us look like the nice guys. But they trust Sandaime's judgment."

I breathed out deeply, my mind barely registering I was holding my breath. Every clans are on the same page. That's good. But well, a clan's head has the duty to protect his clan. So, getting its members back from Root is logical when we know how the leader really is.

"We have your knowledge of how things could turn out. But we actually need proofs to attack Danzo's and his Root. So, for the time being, we are going to do as if you had told us nothing. We can't accuse an elder with no evidence he did something, and we can't use the Byakugan on him just like that."

"You were the first casualty." I reminded him, a lump in my throat.

"That's why I know all of this. Itachi and I could be in real troubles for treason against the Uchihas. But Itachi is Fugaku-sama's son and well...I have a way to be forgiven and prove I'm an excellent actor."

"You're an idiot." I said and punched him lightly in the shoulder.

"I'm a smart and handsome idiot," he chuckled "but we don't have much of a choice. We have to pretend you're clueless until the night I meet with Danzo. So, security measures concerning Akiko-san and you have been taken. You have to stay inside as much as you can, and if you go out an ANBU will be with you or look after you from somewhere. Because of the situation, it's better if it's people who know you so..."

"Kakashi-san and you?" I interrupted him with a deadpan.

"Yeah." he confirmed quickly. "It's especially for you, because he was interested in you before, so you have to keep a low profile okay? Can you promise me that?" He stared straight into my eyes and I gulped. He could be intimidating when he wanted to.

"I promise Shisui, I'll keep a low profile."

We kept staring at each other for a few seconds and he relaxed his shoulders. Running a hand through his hair, he gave me a sly grin.

"Fugaku-sama is going to have so much work, but I'm sure he can hint the Uchihas about what's going to happen. The real problem among the clan is the elders, but he can deal with them and find a way to calm them down."

"And Itachi?" I asked. Shisui lost his smile and crossed his arms over his chest. "He can't know, certainly not about me, you're okay with lying to him?"

"If it means he won't kill anyone, then yes. He's my best friend and I want to protect him too."

I found myself smiling fondly at that. When you think of Itachi, you're so sure he doesn't need anyone to look out for him or give him advices because he is so serious all the time. But now, he is still a child after all, and it seems Shisui is the only one who sees that.

"Aka-chan," Shisui called me, carefully watching my expression "you...really loved him that much, didn't you?"

"Wh...what?" I replied with a blush. Why is he asking me this out of sudden? "Why?"

"Once it's over, what are you going to do?"

"I...haven't thought about that..." I admitted, adverting my eyes from him. "I want to focus on what's going now for the moment."

He stayed silent for seconds that seemed to be minutes and nodded.

What I am going to do about Itachi huh...that's a good question indeed.

"Maybe it's because of the Shinigami seal," mom told me, her eyes following me. I was pacing, chewing on my thumb nail. "I don't see any other reason why you would feel it. Yamanaka-san knows what he does with people's mind."

Because I'm paranoid, I wanted to make sure what I know wouldn't end up in the wrong hands. So, I asked Shisui to take me to the Yamanaka shop and I asked Inoichi-san two things. One; that he made sure nobody would get in my mind by force, I would need to let them in, so he erected mental defenses. It took him a few hours and from how he was gasping for air, it was exhausting. So, the next day, I went back to ask him to finish the job. To allow me to keep my memories, but not to be able to talk about it. I honestly don't know how he managed to do that, and I don't really care. The important thing is that I did that because of Danzo, and I have a way to cancel it if I want to.

But ever since then, I've felt as if something was literally stuck in my head. And let me tell you that, it's one of the worst thing I've ever felt in my two lives.

"And speaking of that seal, is that the reason you practically brought the whole Konoha library home?" I asked her, glancing at the multiple books and scrolls on our coffee table and floor. I took one of them, about Uzushio history. "And here I thought you knew everything about the village because you were a kunoichi there before it was destroyed."

"A chuunin rarely knows everything about the village, no matter if they are part of an important clan or not honey." she replied. She was burying herself into another scroll and I sighed. I wouldn't get anything else from her I guess.

"I'm going to take a walk."

"Wait, you can't go al..."

"I know!" I cut her, opening the window. "Kakashi-san, stop reading porn and be my friend!"

A puff of smoke behind me made me smirk, and it was a glaring Kakashi-san I found. My mom apologized on my behalf, and he dared accepting it.

"Why did you want to go out anyway?" Kakashi-san asked me once in the crowd of Konoha. I counted how much ryo I had and smiled at myself. Enough to buy me a little treat.

"If I stay inside working on seals absolutely all the time I'll turn insane. Did you know there are like six hundred and twenty-five floorboards in our living-room floor?"

"You're that bored?" he sweat dropped at my wonderful achievement. "I thought you loved fuinjutsu." I hummed to approve and shoved my hands in my pants pockets. We act as if we don't like each other but I used to see him often when I was staying at Kushina's and Minato's, and when I wasn't trying to annoy him, I would ask him tips about ninjutsu.

"I do, but if it's the only thing I do for a long period of time I'll end up hating it and I don't want that. And when Shisui is there, he keeps asking things to mom and I about it, and it ends up in a fight."

He sighed at that. Uzumaki blood, not my fault if we get into fight easily. Even if in that case, it's verbal fight where we snipe at each other on or methods in sealing. I lost most of them to this day, because second life or not, my mom is still my mom.

I dragged Kakashi-san to a takoyaki stand and bought some, my stomach grumbling from apprehension. However, I never got to taste them, because someone bumped into me. Hopefully, Kakashi-san caught my arm before I fell, but the someone ended up on the ground.

"Can't you look where you're going?" a childish voice groaned, probably from the pain. I raised an eyebrow at that and looked down, ready to defend my innocence. But nothing came from my mouth. "First Nii-san doesn't show up at school and now this..."

I'm pretty sure when Shisui asked to keep a low profile, he included staying away from any Uchiha. But no, an eight-year-old Sasuke had to bump into me on his way back from the Academy. I coughed to make him raise his eyes to me, which worked. I gave him a knowing smile, and offered my hand to help him get up.

"You should make sure to be the victim before accusing random people." I told him. He blushed and muttered an apology. However, I wasn't expecting him to stare at my hand as if he didn't know what I was doing. "I'm not going to stay like that forever, you take it or you get up on your own."

He snapped out of his thoughts and took my hand, pulling a little bit too harshly to stand up. He dusted himself and the only thing I could think about is how cute Sasuke was when he was a child. A non-traumatized child! Dang it, I curse the Uchihas and their handsome genes that runs in the clan.

"I'm sorry miss." he apologized, still blushing. Wow, I never would have thought, in a million years, that Uchiha Sasuke was the shy kid with a stranger.

"No harm done, right? But be careful of your surrounding, no matter what your brother has done or hasn't done."

"Okay." he sighed, bowed and started to leave. Was that a sad sigh? Oh oh, a sad Sasuke? I don't want a sad Sasuke when his family is still alive!

"Hey, hold on a minute!" he turned at that and questioned me with big, innocent black eyes. I took his hand and put the takoyakis box in his open palm. "Here, food will make you feel better. And you can say to your brother that because he stood you up, a girl gave free food to you and not him."

He blushed again, harder this time, and nodded like a good boy. "Okay."

"Well, see ya then!" I waved at him and turned to meet up with Kakashi-san, but his voice stopped me.

"Thank you nee-san!"

I glanced back at him, to see him leaving and munching on one of the treat. Never thought Sasuke was the kind the call older people like that. Naruto is, even if when we met he was a teen, but Sasuke? Nah. Especially after I crushed his hand during labor.

"You do know that was the second Uchiha heir, don't you?" Kakashi-san asked me, not raising his eye from his book. I shrugged, images of takoyaki flying away from me in my mind. "Keep a low profile, remember that please."

"Sir, yes sir." I droned. It's not as if I prayed last night for Sasuke to bump into me today anyway. Oh, not to mention Itachi totally could have been here too. Now I'm thinking about it, we've already met at that point, now does he remember it? Only God knows. "Ne, Kakashi-san, is there a place for me to train chakra control?"

"A place huh..." he repeated. He raised his eye to the sky. "Well, the Third Training Ground should do the trick."

I followed him to the training ground. It did sound familiar, as if someone had told me about that place specifically, but I brushed it aside. However, when I saw the three wooden pillars in the center of the ground, I widened my eyes. Of course, Naruto told me about that place, where Team Seven truly was born!

"They don't have any training ground in Kirigakure or what?" Kakashi-san asked me with a roll of his eyes. I kept myself from doing the same.

"They have training ground, but the sun and dry ground are absent, when there is ground." I answered, walking to the river. I focused some chakra in my feet and went on the water. There's nothing better than water walking to improve my control for now, especially because to me, the most important for now is feet seals. I'd rather make seals with any parts of my body than on any surfaces. I formed the dog sign and felt chakra raising in the air around me. "Suiton: Water Shield!"

Water raised in front of me to create a shield big enough to cover my whole body. No matter how Yagura is a hard teacher, controlled or not, he is good at teaching. I hate to admit it, but because I'm a Hyōton user, I can use Suiton and Fūton. And when it comes to Water Style, who's better than the Mizukage himself to teach you?

Then, I moved my hand to form the bird sign.

"Hyōton: Freezing Technique!"

The shield in front of me froze instantly. Oh, I was quick at the time, more than when I died. Well, I had specialized in seals when I left Kiri.

"An Ice Release?"

"Dad is not a full Uzumaki, he is just too lame to...whatever." I muttered, gathering chakra in the palm of my hand.

I bent over and placed my hands on the water. Then I raised my feet up in the air and left my legs fall forward. When my feet touched the water, I stood up and repeated the same process, faster and faster. That's the best way to...

"Is that how you improve your control?" the gray-haired shinobi asked me crouching on the riverbank to scrutinize my movements.

"Yeah, the water flow and speed are forcing me to change the place and amount of chakra I need to stay on the water. And that can be a good warm-up for taijutsu." I explained, keeping my focus as much as I could.

He made some kind of approving sound before going to sit against a tree, book in hand. No matter how old he is, he will always read that stuff huh...

After a while, I stopped in the middle of my acrobatics after I had heard the faint sound of someone running. Running fast and toward here. I turned my head and squinted to try to catch a glimpse of anything. And I succeeded, because I caught a glimpse of something green.

"KAKASHI MY ETERNAL RIVAL, THERE YOU ARE!" a male voice yelled. I admit, it surprised me. As a result, I lost my focus and fell in the river. I swam to the surface quickly and went to the ground, shivering. "It's time for another of our battles!"

"Gai, I'm busy right now," Kakashi-san replied, not even sparring him a glance, "and you lost your focus Akane."

"I know, I know." I mumbled, slowly standing up. Shit, I'm freezing now, because that guy has never been able to keep it down!

"Oh, and who might this lady be Kakashi? Isn't she too young for you?"

Ignore it Akane, ignore it, just pretend he doesn't exist and everything will be fine.

"She is my mission, nothing else." the ANBU retorted icily. He got up and walked to me. "If you stay like this you'll catch a cold."

"I know th..."

"Why do I have the feeling I already have seen you?"

I jumped back because of how close and fast Gai got in front of me, two fingers holding his chin. I deadpanned at him and his stare on my face, my hand clenching in a fist. But the idea of punching him, and how I would embarrass myself by doing so, left me as fast as it came because of a book on my head.

"See you another time Gai, we're leaving."

"Ha but Kakashi, I ran all the way here after my report and...wait!" he cried after us whereas we were leaving.

"Eternal rival?" I questioned him in a low tone.

"No comment."

"I don't care." Sasuke proclaimed with a smug look. His brother simply raised an eyebrow at him, Shisui laughing in the background. "I had free takoyakis because you weren't there nii-san, and by a pretty girl!"

"A...girl?" Itachi repeated wit disbelief. He shot a quick glare to his loud cousin behind him and crouched in front of his baby brother. "I thought you weren't interested in girls Sasuke?"

"Girls my age are annoying nii-san, this one is older! But I've never seen her in the village before..."

That statement stopped Shisui from laughing. Of course, Itachi noticed that and made a mental note to himself that Shisui was indeed hiding something from him. But for now, he had to make sure Sasuke understand not to go after older girls until he was an adult. He wasn't going to have his first crush on a stranger, right?

"What does she look like Sasuke?"

"Hum? She's your age I think, and your height. Brown eyes and she has straight long hair, brown and red hair. She was wearing blue pants with a black tank top and black sandals and..." the young boy described her with enthusiasm.

"She wasn't wearing any forehead protector?" his brother interrupted him.

Sasuke mused for a couple of seconds and shook his head. "I didn't see any."

"It will be hard to find her and thank her then..." Itachi mused. He turned to his best friend, who obviously was trying to be forgotten by the two. "Shisui, you won't mind helping us, right?"

"Of...course not?" the latter retorted awkwardly and forced a smile under Itachi's sharp gaze.

I kicked into a nearby rock. Tomorrow is the night and the only moment I was allowed to go outside was for training with Kakashi-san. And Gai-san when he would find us. One more rock-paper-scissors game while I'm practicing feet seals and I'm killing somebody. Shisui had forbidden me from going out because Sasuke did brag about me to his brother and now Itachi is curious. I should have known he would be interested in meeting someone who met his brother but come on, that quickly!? Hopefully, Shisui managed to keep them off my back.

But, on the bright side, I can make seals with my feet now. I even had the joy to think Kakash-san was impressed by my achievement because he smiled! At least I think he did, because I couldn't see with his mask, but his eye softened briefly before he closed it and actually congratulated me. It reminded of the relationship I had with him before I died, the one where we became pretty close because he wasn't the stuck-up ass he was younger.

But back to the current situation. As usual, I'm hanging out with Kakashi-san on the Third Training Ground. For today, I thought I would practice water jutsu and chakra control. Again, I know, but that's so tricky! When you think you got it, you realize there's the next level. But this time, I don't have the surprise. And I'm determined to beat my old level of control.

I just need to reach it first to beat it.

"Kakashi-san?" I called him when he closed his book at look to some trees. I frowned and went back on the ground, my five senses fully aware. If Kakashi-san hadn't changed his behavior, I wouldn't have realized it, but...we're surrounded. It's so faint I can barely feel their presence.

"Stay here." he ordered me curtly. He jumped on a branch and disappeared from view.

I forced my breathing to remain calm and cursed the fact that I'm a hidden civilian here, so I don't have any weapon except...

I turned my head brusquely to my right and fixed the bush. Someone is there and is watching me. However, they didn't even think about hiding their presence. I quickly took a rock at my feet and threw it in the bush, just for a childish voice to reach my ears. I ran to it and widened my eyes when I recognized Sasuke.

"What are you doing here Sasuke!?" I asked sharply, getting on his feet so fast he stumbled. Shit, we're surrounded by hostile presences and I'm getting an eight-year-old to protect.

"I've been trying to find you since the last time nee-san, so when I saw you today I followed you! And you didn't even notice it!" he told me brightly, a smug look on his face. I didn't notice because I was trying to see if Jiraya-sama's book are as perverted as their reputation said!

"Why do you call me nee-san by the way?"

"Because you're older and nice," he explained shyly, as if I was scolding him "I shouldn't?" Gosh, he was a happy kid in need of attention before the massacre. I gave him some and here's the result I guess.

"No, don't worry about it, I just wanted to know." I kneeled down in front of him and grasped his shoulders tightly to whisper. "Stay close to me and keep your guards up. Be ready to run when I tell you to."

He widened his eyes at my words and nodded hesitantly. I stood up and turned my back to the child, my feet spread enough to make an offensive move or to defend. The field is at my advantage, I have water near me and my Suiton abilities are far better than my Fūton abilities, or even if I hate to admit it, Hyōton abilities.

"The scariest thing, once tamed, will be your best allies Uzumaki, never forget that about water or I'll make sure you don't bring shame to the village." Yagura told me once when I panicked because there was no ground in sight during training. He was right, water is one of the scariest and dangerous thing in my opinion, but once you understand how it works...you feel better. "Show yourself!" I yelled suddenly, startling Sasuke behind me who moved closer.

A man appeared in a whirl of leaves. I'd say he's around my age, but the white and red mask on his face does not let me know more about him. But except for his mask, he doesn't wear the ANBU uniform. Hmph, Danzo discovered I was in the village or does he want Sasuke?

"Sasaki Akane, you are to follow me to Danzo-sama, no matter what." he informed me, emotionless. So it's me huh...the old man is really power hungry. Tch, disgusting.

"I'm sure you know I won't go without a fight, especially if that douche bag is the demanding one." I taunted him, savoring the twitching in his arm. He took the short sword on his back.

"Very well."

I pushed Sasuke back with a light kick in his stomach and quickly formed signs for my water shield. It raised just in time to repulse the boy, and I ran to him. I threw a punch at his face, which he blocked easily with his blade, and my leg met his. Pain went through my leg because of the impact and I stumbled back. I got up immediately and went to the river while making signs.

"Suiton: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" as I said it, a huge water dragon raised in front of me and rushed to the enemy. He barely avoided it whereas a few trees are destroyed. If I make enough sound, Kakashi-san may hear it. I shot a look at Sasuke, who climbed in a tree and is just watching. But I can see, even from there, that his legs are shaking.

"Is that all? Raiton: Thunder!"

Many sparks of lightning flew towards me. Because I used a water jutsu and I'm still on water means I'm stupid enough to let myself being electrocuted? I gathered chakra in feet and jumped in the air, the tiger sign already made.

"Fūton: High Winds Technique!" I yelled as as a very violent wind passed on both sides of me. Those sparks of electricity vanished, and as I started to fall back, I looked at Sasuke once again. It would be okay if I was alone to fully fight back until backup showed up, but I have a kid with me. Shit, protecting others is not the main priority in Kirigakure, that wasn't the most important in my training or missions.

Fuck, the best I can do is take Sasuke and run to the village. But can I find my way back with the mist if I create it?

"Kid," said a voice in my ear, "Kakashi sent me, you must go back to the village." I glanced at my shoulder, where Pakkun was standing, his eyes on the Root member charging at us.

Sasuke was high enough, so after another series of hand seals, I shouted "Suiton: Great Waterfall Technique!" I landed on a tree branch as violent water wrecked the training ground. As the enemy disappeared from my sight, I went to Sasuke and made him climb onto my back, Pakkun trading my shoulder for his head. "You can lead the way with mist?"

"Sure." the ninken replied, and after the Ox, the Snake and the Ram, mist started engulfing the area.

"Hiding in Mist Technique." I mumbled before taking off.

I jumped from tree to tree and my heart wouldn't stop pounding wildly in my chest. I can't risk Sasuke's life. Which is why, even though this technique reduces my field of vision, the mist being created by my chakra allows me to detect to others.

A drop of sweat ran down my hairline when two other presences appeared. With Sasuke on my back, I'm not as fast as I could be.

"Nee-san, what do they want from you?" Sasuke asked with a quivering voice he failed to control properly. He must be terrified, at that point of his life he probably has never witnessed that.

"I don't know." The lie came smoothly out of my mouth. To be fair, I'm not a hundred percent sure what he would do with my abilities, and I'm sure he doesn't know about my ice kekkai genkai. "Pakkun, are they..."

"I don't know their smell." The dog interrupted me with seriousness. "You better hurry girl, it seems like they can see us even with that mist!"

"Shit." I cursed loudly. My eyes widened for a fraction of second when the sound of an approaching weapon reached my ears and I threw Sasuke down. I caught the weapon and threw it back to counter the other kunai and jumped to catch Sasuke before he touched the ground.

"Tell me next time you do this!" the kid hissed at me, making me chuckle lightly.

I clenched my fist when the presences approached us even more. I bite my lips. I think letting Sasuke with me would endanger him too much, Pakkun should be enough to lead him to the village. But he's a witness and splitting up would also put him in danger.

Shit, shit, what should we do!?

I raised my arm in front of my face and winced as I'm thrown in the grass. I tried to get up but someone crushed my face into the earth, almost choking me in the process. Hopefully, I'm smart so I grabbed Sasuke by his shirt and pushed him as strongly as I could when my water clone disappeared. A small smile came to my face, hoping Sasuke would make it, when someone hit the back of my neck. My body fell harshly on the ground as I was losing consciousness.

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