A small body squirming against her side woke her and Hikari opened bleary eyes to the darkness of her room, only slightly illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the gaps in the curtains. It was the fourth night that week and second time that night she'd been woken way before dawn and though she was getting used to it, she would have preferred a full night's sleep.

"Hikari-nee-san?"

Turning to lie on her left, Hikari smiled at Gaara, who took it as permission to burrow into her chest. In response, she wrapped her arms around him, humming lightly. The vibrations the action produced were soothing and the child relaxed, his shoulders slumping as the tension bled out from his muscles.

"Nightmares, Gaara?"

Her only answer was a short nod. Hikari bit back a sigh and instead ran a hand through the boy's hair. Being woken up by Gaara multiple times per night was becoming a regular occurrence; he wasn't used to sleeping for over thirty minutes at a time and shot up screaming due to the memory of Shukaku taking over his body if he ever crossed the one-hour mark.

Since then, his room had been marked with privacy seals, with a trigger to wake Hikari if Gaara ever had a violent nightmare. He never calmed down with Manami and the next day was filled with grumpy five-year-old zombies, something that was worse to handle.

Fortunately, Manami and Karin were on the floor above them and the privacy seals helped not bother Naruto and Kakashi. Hikari had taken on the responsibility to care for Gaara and she wasn't going to push it off onto someone else.

Not to mention only she was able to soothe the boy.

"Can you try going back to sleep now?" Hikari whispered, pressing a kiss into Gaara's hair. He nodded, fingers twisting into the material of her shirt. She never once pushed him away, always holding him close in the aftermath of a nightmare, letting him seek comfort and assurance from her presence.

Thankfully, Gaara drifted off in a few minutes, making the girl sigh in relief. It wasn't that she couldn't deal with him but he needed the rest. The lack of proper sleep in his life so far hadn't had much effect on his body and her Gaara had grown up well, but she still worried.

'Not sure if I'll fall asleep again though,'Hikari thought wryly, tugging the blanket over their shoulders. Most of the time, she never slept once woken, simply lying in bed until it was time to get up.

That was the case that day as well; the sun rose and the kids woke up, bright and cheerful. On a normal day, Hikari would have been just as loud and enthusiastic as them but the culmination of the last four days left her a little too exhausted.

Manami, bless that woman, took one look at the dull redhead and instantly took charge of the kids, distracting them while Hikari went about making a quick breakfast. Once the food was gone and Naruto and Karin were loudly debating what to do, with a quiet Gaara sitting next to them, Manami slipped into the kitchen to help with the dishes.

"Are you alright, Hikari-chan?" she asked, taking care to keep her voice low but unable to hide the concern on her features. A frown tugged at her lips upon noticing the drowsiness in the usually bright blue eyes and the faint dark circles. "You seem tired."

A short sigh escaped the younger redhead and Hikari set down on the plate she had been wiping, bracing herself against the counter with both hands. "I haven't been sleeping properly," she admitted, offering the woman a weak smile. "Gaara's nightmares…"

Manami winced, recalling the first night the child had spent at their home. He had woken up screaming bloody murder, even though the connection between him and Shukaku had been broken. Years of trauma didn't disappear that easily.

"I see…last night too?"

"Yeah. He's getting better; he drops off to sleep almost immediately but still wakes up at least two to three times every night."

Manami couldn't help but give a smile at the obvious but failed attempt at being positive. "That's good for Gaara. But not so much for you. I would offer to help but his reaction to me…"

"Hmm. I don't really mind though."

"Regardless, you're also a child, Hikari-chan," Manami said pointedly, raising an eyebrow when Hikari looked like she was going to protest. "A very mature and powerful one, yes, but a child nonetheless."

Hikari bit back the instinctive rebuttal that bubbled up, firmly reminding herself that she was in a nine-year-old's body, not the twenty-one she was mentally. She just did not have the endurance of an adult.

"…I suppose."

"Tell you what," Manami started, putting the dried utensils in their respective places. "I'll take the children out today, perhaps to that little clearing in the forest. You get some sleep."

"But-"

"Kakashi-kun and Tenzo-kun will be with us," she spoke over the girl, not allowing any objections. "We'll be safe, Hikari-chan; don't worry. Maybe we'll even make it a picnic and you can have the house to yourself for the whole day."

Hikari stared at the determined woman, equal parts amused and exasperated. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?"

That earned her a sunny smile.

"Nope!"


Shisui jumped from branch to branch, making his way to the Uzumaki house. It was the first time he was visiting in over a week, while he would have been there almost daily. The reason was the newest addition to the collection of redheads residing in Konoha.

The Ichibi no Jinchuuriki, Gaara.

He had not been present to witness it himself, but Shisui had heard the story repeated over and over by the other shinobi. Each person had had their own emotions and reactions, varying from pure awe to outright fear.

After all, whowouldn'tfear a girl who went up against an out-of-control Jinchuuriki and came out unscathed?

Shisui had wanted to see his friend as soon as he had heard the news but Hikari had asked him and Itachi to stay away, for a little while.

"Gaara is still emotionally unstable,"her note had said, which the fox twins, Kira and Kaya, had brought the two Uchiha boys."He almost had a breakdown at the sight of Manami-san and Kashi-nii. I'd appreciate it if you two could wait for some time, until it's safe for both of you and him."

Honestly speaking, Shisui wasn't worried about the boy hurting anyone. Hikari was a brilliant Seal Master and even if she couldn't fix Gaara's seal, she would have a way to help him at the minimum. He was more concerned about howshewas holding up. The redhead had a tendency to take on too much and he wanted to see if she was alright.

About an hour ago, a message had arrived, informing Shisui that he was free to visit the Uzumaki house. He had cheered, his patience paying off as he didn't have a mission and could go immediately. But Itachi had training with his Genin instructor, since he had been allowed to take the Chuunin Exams, despite not having a team.

'I suppose it's because the Exams are conducted internally and teamwork tests are a moot point when you're up against allies,'Shisui thought, snickering as he recalled the pout on Itachi's face when he realized he had other responsibilities. He had promised to come over as soon as training was over though.

Spotting his destination as the trees thinned, Shisui used a Shunshin to cross the remaining distance and appear right in front of the door. He had been keyed into the barrier around the house months ago and he was free to come and go as he pleased.

"Hikari-chan?" he called, slipping inside and kicking off his shoes. The house was unusually quiet; normally, there would be childish laughter in the air at this time of the day, Naruto and Karin playing or doing minor training exercises that Hikari passed off as games. But now it was silent enough for him to hear his own heartbeat.

"Hikari-chan?"

'Is no one home?'

Just as he was considering calling one of his summons to help find his friend, a voice called from the direction of the living room, "In here, Shisui."

Shisui blinked; Hikari's voice sounded strangely muffled, and was that a trace of exhaustion?

He stepped into the living room as instructed and stopped short. Hikari was pushing herself up, having been lying on the couch. One hand rose to rub her eyes or he assumed so; her hair was loose and all over the place, messy in a way it never was. A blue eye peeked out from the curtain of red, blinking once before the girl huffed and pulled her hair out of her face.

"Are you okay, Hikari-chan?" Shisui asked, tone worried as he strode over and knelt next to the couch. His sharp eyes didn't miss the faint dark circles under her eyes and he cupped her cheek, running his thumb over the purplish bruises. "You look very tired."

Hikari hummed, leaning into the touch and eyes fluttering shut. "You're the second person to ask me that today," she said, a little amused and annoyed that her poor physical state was so visible. "I just haven't been sleeping well lately."

"Why not?"

"Gaara. He has really violent nightmares and no one but me can get him to calm down."

Shisui winced. "Poor kid. Isn't he only five or something? Did Suna screw him over that badly?"

At his statement, Hikari's expression twisted into a scowl, fortunately not aimed at him. "His dad sent assassins at him and called him a monster, not to mention the Ichibi wreaking havoc on his mind. If he's fine after all that, I'd bemoreconcerned."

"…"

When there was silence instead of the reply she had expected, Hikari looked up to see Shisui watching her with an odd expression. "…assassins?" he repeated, tone deadly soft.

"Yeah. Pretty messed up, isn't it?"

Shisui only nodded tightly, not daring to speak in case he accidentally directed his anger at the girl in front of him. It took a special kind of cruelty to sacrifice a child to a beast then call the innocent a monster, to send someone to kill the child. Sometimes he had to wonder if the shinobi world would ever change its ways.

Taking out a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Shisui allowed the rage to drain from him, aware that it would do no good for anyone. "Good thing he's in your hands now," he commented lightly, grinning at his friend. "If anyone can help him, it's you. Although it'll be even better if you could take care of yourself."

"I'm trying," Hikari sighed, shoulders slumping. It wasn't her fault that most of her war habits hadn't faded in the least. Waking up to a disturbance only set her on high alert, expecting an attack or something of the sort. There was nothing she could to convince her brain that she was safe.

Eyeing her friend with a hint of contemplation, Hikari nodded to herself and tugged on his shirt, pulling him onto the couch. Shisui was amused but didn't protest the manhandling, grin widening when she pressed into his side. The redhead would normally hold everyone but the children and a few adults at arm's length, the only exceptions being himself and Itachi. She took every possible opportunity to wrangle a hug or cuddle out of them.

Not that they didn't do the same.

"You've grown taller again," Hikari murmured into the teenager's shirt, relaxing at the familiar warmth and chakra signature. Shisui had been only a few inches taller than her when they had first met. A few months ago she could lay her head on his shoulder comfortably. Now she barely came up to his upper arm. "Not fair."

"I'm four years older than you," Shisui pointed out, laughter in his voice at the girl's sulking. He managed to pull his arm free from her grip, wrapping the limb around her waist and tucking her into his side. "You have time to grow."

"Maybe…you'll still be taller though."

"That's a weird thing to be bothered by."

Hikari didn't reply immediately, eyes drooping as sleep pulled her into its embrace. Nestled into Shisui's side, she felt safe and that was enough to make her high-strung state start to ease. "…not bothered," the expected protest came, broken in between by a yawn. "Now shut up and be my pillow."

A chuckle slipped out his mouth at the girl's adorable actions and Shisui shot a fond look at the redhead snuggled against his chest. He settled on the couch, adjusting the two of them so that they were comfortable. Hikari needed the rest and he had nothing to do until Itachi arrived anyway.

"Sleep well, Hikari-chan."


It was near noon when Itachi appeared in front of the Uzumaki house, having finished his training. He considered the lack of noise and wondered if there was no one home before discarding that notion. The two chakra signatures he had become very familiar with over the years were present inside the house.

Shisui's shoes at the entrance also proved it and the ten-year-old followed his senses, finding his friends in the living room.

Itachi raised a questioning eyebrow at the sight that greeted him: Shisui was sitting on the couch, reading a book that he held in one hand while the other ran through crimson hair. For curled up tightly next to him, with her head on the older boy's lap, was a sleeping Hikari.

His cousin raised his head, dark eyes meeting a similar pair, and smiled. "Hey, Itachi," Shisui greeted, voice pitched low so as to not wake the girl. "How was training?"

"It was fine," came the reply. Itachi stepped closer to the pair, a little surprised when Hikari didn't wake but also aware that she never once considered him a threat. "Is she alright?"

"The Suna kid, Gaara, he has nightmares, or perhaps night terrors, to be accurate," Shisui sighed, dropping the book on the arm of the couch. "He apparently only calms down when Hikari-chan's present so she hasn't been sleeping properly."

Itachi nodded in understanding; upon a closer inspection, he had noticed the dark circles under the girl's eyes. "Where are the others?"

"Manami-san took them out to give Hikari-chan a chance to rest."

"I see. Wouldn't she be more comfortable on a bed?" Itachi asked, moving to a closet near the stairs to get a blanket. He draped it over the redhead's body, smiling faintly when she subconsciously grabbed onto it and pulled the cloth tighter around herself.

Shisui huffed, equal parts amused and exasperated. "She fell asleep before I could even try to tell her that. And as long as she gets some sleep, I'm not complaining."

He returned to his book, holding it a little to the side when Itachi perched on the arm of the couch to look at it. "Isn't this one of Hikari's Fuuinjutsu journals?" the younger Uchiha asked, recognizing the redhead's distinctive handwriting. Her calligraphy was beautiful, something that she said was necessary for drawing perfect seals. "Are you allowed to read it?"

"I have no clue."

Grinning when Itachi shot him a deadpan stare, Shisui continued, "If it's something we shouldn't get our hands on, Hikari-chan would have secured it. Besides, I don't even understand half of this stuff."

That piqued Itachi's curiosity and he skimmed through the first few lines, brow furrowing as he attempted to apply what he had learned in Fuuinjutsu over the past months. He could say that he and Shisui were fairly proficient in the art, but nowhere near Hikari's level yet. The girl simply kept learning more and more.

"Is she trying to… mix Iryo ninjutsu and Fuuinjutsu?"

"Triedmight be more accurate."

Both Shisui and Itachi blinked then looked down to meet sleepy blue eyes.

"Sorry, Hikari-chan; did we wake you?"

Hikari yawned, stretching until her toes brushed against the other end of the couch and shifted to lie on her back, head still resting on Shisui's thigh. "No, I was already half-awake from the time Itachi arrived."

Her eyes darted to the book in the older Uchiha's hands and a slight grimace twisted her features. "I don't mind you guys reading that notebook," she said in response to the boys' previous discussion. "It's a compilation of the various failed experiments I've tried over the years."

"Huh."

Shisui looked back at the book, taking in the scribbles and crossed out words, the margins littered with half-constructed ideas. For all that the writing was pretty, the content itself was a mess and rather chaotic. It sure did reflect the girl's train of thought.

"Was this really an attempt to mix Iryo ninjutsu with Fuuinjutsu?"

"Sort of? Medics aren't usually on frontlines and having something that could patch up serious wounds until a medic could be seen would have been nice."

Itachi took the book, studying the theories Hikari had written down and trying to make sense of it. "It seems like you had trouble in sealing healing chakra?"

"Yeah. Unlike elemental chakra, healing chakra isn't so easily contained and depends on the user. So the matrix collapsed on itself and rendered the chakra useless," Hikari explained, sitting up and leaning against Shisui so that she could see the book too. Experimenting with Fuuinjutsu was one of her favorite pastimes and even if most of her attempts ended in failure, they were learning experiences.

"I'm not saying it can't be done, just thatthatmethod failed. Who knows? Maybe there's something that would work."

The two boys exchanged bemused glances, wondering how their friend's brain worked and why she threw out completely groundbreaking ideas like they were commonplace. Shisui focused back on the book, squinting to read a tiny note at the corner of the page with the failed matrix. "It sounds like you abandoned the idea, though."

"I did. The one thing I did find out from that experiment was that it's easier to learn Iryo ninjutsu from scratch compared to mastering Fuuinjutsu enough to use such a delicate seal." Hikari waved a hand dismissively, stifling a yawn, "Why should I put so much effort into something that almost no one can use?"

"Point," the boy conceded.

"You have a lot of ideas in here, though," Itachi mused, flipping the pages as he skimmed the contents of the notebook. At least two-thirds of the stuff in it flew over his head but what he could understand was pretty interesting.

"Hmm…I suppose? They're just ideas. I haven't put much thought into most of those."

"Yet the fact that you've even thought of them proves that you have a very creative mind."

Hikari snorted, finally picking herself off of Shisui and sitting on the couch properly. "You're not the first to say that. Now put that away and come give me a hug, Itachi!"

Said Uchiha shook his head in amusement at the demand but complied, placing the book on the coffee table and stepping in front of the girl. Hikari wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight for a moment before withdrawing, pulling him down to sit at her other side.

"So how's the training for the Chuunin Exams going?" she asked the ten-year-old curiously. She had known from her world that Itachi had taken the Exams when he had been ten and joined ANBU a year later. A passing comment from Shisui a couple weeks back told her that it was the same in the current dimension.

"It's fine."

Hikari laughed, not bothered by the curt answer. She knew her friend well enough to understand that he just didn't know what to say. "I know you'll win the whole thing, so do your best."

Chuckling at the faint blush and the small smile on his face as Itachi nodded in response to the redhead, Shisui threw an arm around the girl's shoulders and pulled her into a half-hug, asking, "When are you going to become a shinobi yourself? You could have been a Jounin already!"

"I was actually planning to ask Jiji to register me as a Genin and nominate me for the Chuunin Exams this year," Hikari admitted sheepishly. Now that Naruto and Karin were a little older, with Manami there to watch over them, she had thought it would be a good idea.

"But you're not going to."

"No," she agreed with a short nod. "I can't leave Gaara yet. If I become a Chuunin now, I would have to go on missions outside the village and that's not viable."

Not to mention what Danzo would do without her presence to act as a buffer between him and the kids. Knowing him, the man was likely to be frothing at the mouth at the fact that yet another Jinchuuriki was out of his grasp.

"Aww, I was hoping to snatch you and Itachi for my team," Shisui complained with a pout. "Way to crush my dreams, Hikari-chan."

Itachi chuckled, interjecting himself into the conversation. "Even if she joined, you probably wouldn't be given two fresh Chuunin, Shisui."

"And you're ANBU, Shisui," Hikari added drily, raising an eyebrow when the teen startled. "What, did you really think I didn't know? You're not that good an actor."

"Seriously, I can't keep any secrets from you."

"You probably could if youtried."

"Meh, too much work. It's not like you're going to sell me out anyway."


Itachi glanced at the redhead out of the corner of his eye, wondering how he should frame his question. He didn't want to come off as rude or insensitive. Though there weren't many ways hecouldask, actually.

"Just spit out whatever you're thinking about, Itachi," Hikari murmured, glazed eyes staring at the scroll in her hands but clearly talking to him.

Meeting Shisui's eyes over her head and feeling distinctly annoyed when the other Uchiha only shrugged, Itachi asked quietly, "Hikari, how did you know how to deal with Gaara-kun?"

The Uzumaki stilled and dropped the scroll on her lap, gaze sharpening when she turned her head to look at him. Her eyes had lost that far-off look but he could see a trace of confusion in them as she spoke, "What do you mean?"

"Even though it appeared like you had charged in recklessly, that wasn't the case, was it? You knew what you were doing. You always have."

That last bit was a reference to what Hikari had done two years ago when she had first met Shisui. To the outside observer, it might seem like she had been improvising but those who knew her were able to tell that she had planned most of her actions.

There was no way she would have looked so assured otherwise.

Hikari stared at Itachi, face expressionless. The tension rose in the room as seconds ticked by in silence and just when Shisui was about to say something to ease the atmosphere, the girl chuckled.

"You're way more observant than I give you credit for," she mused, amusement battling for place with weariness in her eyes. At that instant, she looked older than her physical looks implied. "That's right; I did know what I was doing. Gaara has been hurt all his life and if I had let the shinobi attack him, I'm pretty sure at least a quarter of Konoha would have been leveled."

Shisui swallowed, not liking the implication that they almost had had a Bijuu loose in their village. "Is the Ichibi really that bad?"

Hikari tapped her chin in thought, trying to figure out how to word it. "I suppose he's the most bloodthirsty of the lot?" she said, giving up on being diplomatic. Her friends wouldn't care either way. "The seal Suna used only made things worse."

"Huh, really? How so?"

"Calling that rubbish a seal is an insult to Fuuinjutsu," the redhead's face twisted in disgust and anger, making the boys chuckle. "Suna is known for its puppets and poison, not for Fuuinjutsu for a reason. Sealing living beings, even if it's a sentient chakra being, isnotas easy as sealing inanimate objects."

That was something Shisui and Itachi knew, from their Fuuinjutsu studies. There was a reason why Hikari had been adamant that they understood all the theory and were proficient in sealing literally any inanimate object before even attempting to seal a tiny bit of chakra.

Chakra was never meant to be stagnant and storing large amounts of chakra without proper precautions and contingencies was a recipe for disaster.

"And sealing Bijuu in humans iswaydifferent from sealing them in an artifact of some sort," Hikari continued. "Suna originally kept the Ichibi in a giant tea kettle -don't look at me like that, I don't know why they did that- and Gaara is his third Jinchuuriki. He was the only one out of the Kazekage's children who was compatible with the Bijuu."

"Wait, go back a bit," Shisui interrupted, expression incredulous. "Compatiblewith the Bijuu?"

"Yep. It's not strictly necessary unless the Jinchuuriki intends to use the Bijuu's chakra but that was the reason Suna wanted a Jinchuuriki."

"I didn't know that."

"Of course you didn't. Information on Jinchuuriki isn't publicized."

"Why not?"

"The more important question is how doyouknow that, Hikari?" Itachi cut across Shisui, brow furrowed in confusion. "Even with your prowess in Fuuinjutsu, I'm sure that Bijuu and Jinchuuriki are on a different level."

That was indeed an important question, one that had an easy yet difficult answer.

But it wasn't time yet.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that yet," Hikari replied, apologetic but firm. "That goes for your original question as well, Itachi."

The younger Uchiha held the girl's gaze, studying her emotions. He noted that her apology was genuine but she wouldn't budge no matter how hard he pried. In the end, he had to concede and inclined his head in acknowledgement. "You will tell us one day?"

"One day," Hikari confirmed with a relieved smile. If things went as in her timeline, there was another two years before Shisui's death and three years before the Uchiha Massacre, something she wasn't sure would happen under the same conditions, if they even happened at all. Things were so different that she could no longer predict what could possibly happen.

Danzo's sudden silence was another foreboding occurrence.

With that, the topic of Hikari's foreknowledge was dropped and the boys pursued another line of questioning. "You implied that you know a lot about Jinchuuriki, Hikari-chan," Shisui started, draping himself over her back and resting his chin atop her head. "What did you do for Gaara then?"

Rolling her eyes at the older Uchiha's clingy behavior, Hikari dug an elbow into his stomach playfully, making him huff but he didn't let go. Resigned to having an Uchiha koala for a while, she replied, "I changed the seal containing the Ichibi."

"When you say 'changed'…"

"Removed the old one and placed a new seal. What else?"

Itachi stared at the nonchalant girl, wondering if she didn't truly realize the magnitude of what she had done. Even war veterans had cowered at a mere hint of the Bijuu's power, but here she was, casually saying that she had broken the first seal that had held the Ichibi back and replaced it with a better one.

"You aren't the slightest bit afraid of a Bijuu, are you, Hikari-chan?" Shisui asked wryly, tightening his arms around the redhead's waist a little. He hoped that her courage wouldn't get her killed one day.

"Nope!"

'After everything I've experienced, it would be silly to be scared of Shukaku.'

Feeling the faint pangs of hunger, Hikari poked and prodded the koala on her back until Shisui released her with a grumble. "Anyone want lunch?"

"Sure. What're you making?"

"Something simple, I think. Not in the mood for much."

Hikari slipped into the kitchen and examined the contents of the fridge. "Sandwiches fine with you two?"

"You should know by now that we'd eat anything you make, Hikari-chan," Shisui teased as he took a seat at the table. Itachi nodded in agreement; it was a proven fact that Hikari's cooking was delicious and the two Uchiha knew of at least ten fights that had broken out at the Jounin standby station when Kakashi had decided to share some of his food with the other Jounin.

Everyone knew that the Hatake was doing it on purpose, especially since he was technically ANBU, but when it was great food on the line, it was worth it.

While Hikari busied herself with preparing the fillings, the boys prepared the bread and tea. Since they were done first, they decided to continue their conversation from earlier. "Hikari-chan?" Shisui called to get the girl's attention. When she hummed in acknowledgment, he asked, "Can you tell us how you fixed Gaara's seal?"

"Honestly? I just used a powerful chakra suppression seal," the Uzumaki revealed absently. "I only needed the Ichibi to stay dormant for five minutes, max."

Shisui choked on the sip of water he had just taken, coughing to get the fluid out of his lungs. "You're joking, right? A chakra suppression seal on aBijuu? That's like using a sheet of paper to block a rampant river!"

When Hikari only turned to stare at him in confusion, Shisui's jaw dropped. "You were serious?! How?!"

"Like I said, it was a temporary measure. Breaking a seal is simple once you know what you're dealing with."

"You studied the original seal first and only broke it when you knew how to do it quickly," Itachi deduced, patting the other Uchiha's back. "Then you placed the new seal."

"Correct."

Shisui sighed, giving up on understanding the redhead. "Every time I think I've gotten you figured out, you turn around and do something like this. Alright then, what seal did you use?"

"The Shisho Fuuin."

Silence.

Itachi and Shisui stared. The Shisho Fuuin, or the Four Symbols Seal, required a high level of talent and technique to perform. Hikari was talented for sure, but they would have thought that the Shisho Fuuin would be above her current level.

Apparently,not.

"Why didn't you go the whole way and use the Hakke Fuuin instead?" Itachi muttered, uncharacteristically sarcastic.

"I did consider it," Hikari shot back, mouth curled in a mocking grin as she regarded the two Uchiha. She was well aware that she was shocking them but couldn't resist trolling them further. "But I decided to let Gaara choose for himself in the future if he wants it. There's a chance that he would not want to use the Ichibi's chakra, thanks to his bad experiences with it."

"Of course you did. Why are we even surprised? You got rid of the Caged Bird Seal and created a better one for the Hyuuga at seven; of course you can use the Shisho Fuuin and Hakke Fuuin." Shisui pointed the knife in his hand at the Uzumaki, attempting a threatening posture. "You are so teaching us everything!"

Hikari snorted and shook her head, turning back to her task of slicing tomatoes. "The two of you are already pretty good," she remarked, a hint of pride in her words. It was the truth; Shisui and Itachi were already halfway to Seal Master level. They only lacked experience.

Give them a couple of years and they'd probably be close to Jiraiya's skills.


The trio returned to the living room shortly after their light lunch, settling down for a quiet afternoon. Somehow, they ended up in a cuddle pile on the floor; Itachi was leaning against the couch, with Hikari's head on his lap and Shisui sprawled over the girl's stomach, the redhead not bothered by the weight.

"Are you going to sleep again, Hikari?" Itachi asked, glancing past the scroll in his hands at the redhead. Hikari's complexion was better and the dark circles had faded, thanks to the rest she had gotten plus her healing factor. A few more hours of sleep wouldn't hurt, though.

"I might doze off but I don't feel tired anymore," she replied, letting her eyes close. "On another matter, would you two like to meet Gaara?"

Shisui raised his head, raising an eyebrow in question. "Is that alright?"

"I asked first," Hikari shot back, poking him in the shoulder. "But I think it should be okay. The house is a familiar and safe place, so he's pretty much meeting you on his turf."

"Sure. Why not?"

"Good," the redhead smirked, "because the others are just outside the door."

"Wait, what?"

The sound of the door opening and childish laughter filled the air a moment later, followed by Manami's fond but exasperated voice, "Now, now; keep it down. Hikari-chan might still be asleep, you know?"

"Too late for that, Manami-san," Hikari called cheerfully, extricating herself from the two Uchiha and getting to her feet. "I'm already up."

"Nee-san!"

Three high-pitched gleeful shrieks rang out in response to the girl's voice and the pitter patter of tiny feet echoed through the hall as Naruto, Karin and Gaara ran into the room. Hikari laughed as they tackled her, allowing herself to fall to the floor at the impact.

"Hey, midgets," she greeted them, ruffling their hair before winding her arms around the trio. "How was the picnic?"

"It was great!" Naruto beamed, sitting on the older girl's stomach. "You should have come too!"

"Maybe next time, Naruto."

Karin tugged on Hikari's hair, in an attempt to get the latter's attention. "Can we invite Hinata and Ino next time? I think it will be a lot of fun."

"If they can come," the older redhead agreed easily with a smile. "Now, is that mud I see on your clothes, Karin, Naruto?"

The two aforementioned children exchanged wide-eyed glances and shook their heads vehemently, chorusing, "No…"

Unfortunately for them, Manami interjected drily, "Probably more than just mud, Hikari-chan. They made it a competition to see who could find and jump into the most puddles and ditches. I'm surprised they aren't dirtier than this."

"Mom!"

"Mana-oba-san! No fair!"

"Oh?" Hikari looked at Gaara, who was just as clean as he had been in the morning. "Gaara is squeaky clean though."

"He didn't participate," Manami replied, casting a smile towards the now shy boy. "He's an absolute dear, unlike two little devils I know."

Cue the protests.

Stifling her laughter, Hikari pushed Naruto and Karin off of her and towards Manami. "You two need a bath," she declared, not budging when the pair fixed her with puppy dog eyes. They might be adorable but no way was she caving to them. "Go on. If you're good, Imightbe convinced to get you guys some chocolate tomorrow."

The bribe did the trick; Naruto and Karin immediately perked up, eyes gleaming at the thought of a treat, even if it was for the next day. They raced each other up the stairs, Manami following them after briefing hugging Hikari and greeting the Uchiha boys.

"Those two are as lively as ever," Shisui remarked with a chuckle, staring in the direction the two kids had disappeared. He was aware of the other kid in the room but didn't want to put pressure on Gaara by staring at him.

Hikari hummed, patting Gaara's head when the younger redhead clung to her, peeking over her shoulder at the older boys. "Would you like to say hello, Gaara?"


Gaara watched the two strangers in his new home; they had a few similar features, like dark hair and almost identical eyes. Neither of them made a move to approach him or talk to him, which he preferred. He wanted to study them before he chose to interact.

If it had been his father, Gaara would have had to greet them regardless of his feelings, even if they glared at him, or flinched away from him. Those experiences had hurt and he didn't want to feel that again anytime soon.

Hikari was completely different from his father and even Yashamaru. She didn't mind if he woke up screaming or clung to her all the time. It was strange, the way she simply accommodated him and went about her work until Gaara felt stable enough to let her go.

She let him decide for himself when he wanted to meet and interact with new people, but insistent that he did so when he felt comfortable. If Gaara told her at that moment, that he didn't want to talk to the two boys in front of him, Hikari would accept his choice and let it be for the time being.

So, Gaara studied them.

They were clearly older than him, the boy with the curly hair appearing to be a few years older than Hikari and the one with long hair was around her age. Considering that Hikari was comfortable enough to have them at her back, she probably trusted them a lot.

And he was willing to trust her judgement.

After all, Naruto and Karin called him brother like Hikari had promised, were willing to play with him and talk with him. They were the siblings he had longed for in Temari and Kankuro.

Gaara had originally been awkward around Manami, her similarity to Yashamaru drawing him in while at the same time making him wary. But she had almost immediately dashed that impression, unafraid to touch him or to pull him into an embrace.

He had panicked at the silver-haired teen, Kakashi, but the latter had kept his distance and simply waved at him in greeting once Gaara had settled down, never approaching him on his own volition but willing to entertain the five-year-old if asked. A strange person, but someone Gaara was beginning to trust nonetheless.

That was why he nodded in response to Hikari's question and stepped out of the safety of her arms, staring at the two older boys. "Hello," he said a quiet voice, almost inaudible. "I'm Gaara."

The boy with the long hair was the first to respond, giving the little redhead a soft smile. "Nice to meet you, Gaara-kun," he greeted in an equally quiet voice. "My name is Itachi."

Gaara liked the other's voice instantly; it was soft and even, like the speaker rarely ever raised his voice. The five-year-old hesitantly returned the smile, shifting his gaze to the other boy.

"And I'm Shisui!" the older boy grinned, eyes crinkled in genuine happiness. Gaara wasn't privy to the teen's thoughts though, which were full of rage. While Shisui was happy to meet the newest addition to the Uzumaki house, seeing that Gaara was so small for his age stoked his anger towards Suna.

He kept a tight lid on it though, not wanting to frighten the child. Gaara was not responsible for the stupidity of ignorant people.

"Hello," Gaara repeated, smiling a little at Shisui. The curly haired boy reminded him a bit of Naruto; they had similar cheerful attitudes and a happy-go-lucky kind of charm. "Umm…the two of you aren't scared of me?"

Itachi and Shisui blinked, exchanging bemused glances before shaking their heads in unison. "Should we be?" Shisui shrugged, not quite sure why Gaara had asked that. "All I see is a cute and shy kid."

"…but I've killed people."

Gaara had wanted the answer to that question from a lot of people. Even though Naruto and Karin were the same age as him, they didn't have his experiences and he knew that they wouldn't understand. But older people would.

Hikari had already shown that she didn't care about the Bijuu in him and Manami probably knew as well, not letting it affect her actions.

So he wanted to know if Itachi and Shisui would be bothered.

Konoha was turning out to be different from Suna, where he was always glared at, hated and feared. Though there were people in Konoha who displayed the same emotions, most simply ignored him if Gaara didn't affect their life.

But if these people were going to be around often, Gaara would like them to behisfriends too.

Shisui chuckled, raising a hand slowly and setting it on the child's head when Gaara didn't react negatively. He gently ruffled the short strands, saying, "Perhaps, but I don't think you wanted to, kiddo. Those people were trying to hurt you, right?"

"But…"

"We won't judge," Itachi spoke up this time, reassuring the boy. He understood where Gaara was coming from and was a little upset that a child born in peacetime had to see the darker part of life so soon.

"My sand…I can't control it all the time…"

Shisui squinted at the boy, Itachi sighing resignedly next to him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you are looking for reasons to push us away."

Gaara's flinch and Hikari's expression told the two Uchiha thatthatwasexactlythe case, making them wonder how badly the younger redhead's psyche was affected. It couldn't be good for his mental health.

"Will you come here, Gaara-kun?" Itachi asked in a gentle voice, patting his lap. Gaara looked back at Hikari nervously, and when she only nodded encouragingly, got up on shaking legs to make his way to the younger Uchiha. He stopped in front of the older boy and Itachi didn't force him to sit down, taking his hands instead.

"You're worried that people might hurt you and if you kill them to protect yourself, we'll hate you. Correct?"

A timid nod.

That earned a chuckle from Shisui, the teen leaning to the side so that he was pressed against Itachi and in Gaara's line of sight. "First of all, I dare anyone to touch a hair on your head with Hikari-chan and us around. Second, you shoulddefinitelyprotect yourself if some idiot tries to attack you."

Wide teal colored eyes stared at the Uchiha, a hint of tears shimmering in them. "You'll protect me?"

Expression softening when the five-year-old's tiny hands trembled in his grasp, Itachi nodded, telegraphing his movements as he drew the little redhead into a hug, like he had seen Hikari do many times. "Always."

"It's a promise," Shisui agreed, his usually cheerful voice solemn as he wrapped one arm around Gaara's back in a comforting manner.

With that, Gaara broke.

He choked on a sob, throwing himself at the startled Uchiha Heir. Hikari silently activated a privacy seal around the quartet, not wanting to alarm the rest of the house's occupants. It was a private moment and she held back her own tears, looking down at her fists.

A hand came into her line of sight and Hikari looked up, finding Shisui smiling at her sadly. She took his hand, allowing herself to be pulled into the group hug. All three older children curled around Gaara, shielding him from the world as he cried his heart out.

It wasn't long before Gaara cried himself to sleep, head resting against Itachi's shoulder. The Uchiha didn't complain, simply adjusting to better handle the slight weight. The child was very different from his own brother; Sasuke wasn't one to internalize his negative emotions and pretty much everyone knew when he was upset. Gaara wasn't like that though, drowning in his pain while desperately looking for someone to help him but not expecting it.

"He needed that," said Hikari quietly, watching Shisui wipe Gaara's tear-stained cheeks with his sleeve. "I think he wanted to ask that question really badly, but he didn't need to do that with me, what with how we met. Manami-san and Kashi-nii also showed it via their actions, leaving him no one to verbally answer him."

"Did you predict this?"

Hikari shook her head, leaning against Shisui when the teen curled an arm around her waist. After the emotional breakdown she had witnessed, she needed a little comfort herself. "I knew he was holding something back, but I didn't know that it was this bad."

They sat in silence for a while, only broken when Shisui asked in a deceptively light tone, "If I asked real nicely, do you think Sandaime-sama will let me assassinate the Kazekage?"

Itachi and Hikari stared at the older Uchiha, who looked completely serious. Then they looked at each other and promptly burst into laughter.

"Hey!" Shisui pouted at their mirth, inwardly patting himself on the back for lifting the somber atmosphere. "I meant it, you know!"

Wiping a tear, Hikari chucked, smiling warmly at the older Uchiha. "I know. I'd love to rip into that bastard too, but let's not go that far, okay?"

She glanced back at Gaara, who was sleeping comfortably in Itachi's arms. Reaching out a hand, she cradled his face and the boy instantly leaned into the touch, so very affectionate despite all of his bad experiences. He would not have to grow up lonely this time, wondering why everyone hated him and giving in to the darkness just to be able feel something that wasn't pain.

"Why go after him when we already have a precious treasure here?"


Danzo leaned back in his chair, his cold expression hiding the fury simmering inside.'Damn that foolish Sarutobi!'he cursed internally.'Obtaining a powerful weapon only to let the boy play house with those brats!'

If the Suna Jinchuuriki had been placed with anyone else, Danzo would have been able to easily get him off their hands. The boy's weak seal and unstable behavior were landmines just waiting to be stepped on. Nobody in their right mind would be willing to house him once he started losing control.

But Hiruzen just had to give Sabaku no Gaara toUzumaki Hikari.

That damned thorn in his side.

Ever since she had appeared in Konoha, all of his plans had fallen apart, starting with the Uchiha.

Danzo had no idea how she did it, but Uzumakihadto be the reason that the villagers weren't buying into the rumors about the Uchiha Clan anymore. There were no signs that she had interfered in any way, no matter how deep he dug. Yet it was too much of a coincidence that the rumors had started losing traction the instant she had appeared on the scene.

She also appeared to have obtained Hiruzen's favor, the old Hokage treating her as if she was his own grandchild. First she got the Kyuubi no Jinchuuriki in her grasp, then managed to twistHatake Kakashi, of all people, around her finger.

If that wasn't enough, Uzumaki struck up a friendship with Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui. From the reports his men brought him, Danzo knew that they were very close. The trio bonded far too quickly and far too tightly for anything he could attempt to break them apart.

Then came the incident that brought the irritating redhead into the spotlight: the Kumo incident.

While Danzo had suspected Kumo's motives, he had thought he could use it to his advantage. That had been why he had leaked the girl's existence to the other village; there was no way Kumo would give up the opportunity to get an Uzumaki, after their failed kidnapping of Uzumaki Kushina years ago.

But those idiots had failed, thanks to ingenuity on the girl's part. She had outsmarted them even while at a disadvantage, rescuing the Hyuuga Heiress while at it. Her involvement in the incident had brought her to the attention of the Clan Heads, cutting down any possibility of whisking her away without anyone's knowledge.

If that wasn't enough, Uzumaki Hikari had called upon the Hyuuga's debt to her, somehow convincing them to get rid of their Caged Bird Seal.


"Is it true that the Hyuuga's Cage Bird Seal is no longer in use, Hiashi-dono?" Utatane Koharu asked the reserved Hyuuga Head, a hint of shock leaking into her voice despite her attempt to hide it.

Everyone had dismissed the rumors at first, unable to believe that the Hyuuga Clan that valued their traditions more than anything else, had abolished the use of their seal. An even more preposterous rumor had spread, stating that the Main and Branch Family system had also been discarded.

Most simply scoffed and refused to believe the rumors, rolling their eyes at those who insisted that it was the truth. It wasn't until the Hyuuga twins had appeared in public at the same time, no one being able to tell the difference between them without the Caged Bird Seal on the younger twin that the rumors blew up.

"It is the truth, Koharu-dono," Hiashi inclined his head in agreement, expression a mask of serenity even if he didn't actually feel calm. They had been able to hold onto the charade for a measly two months before the game was up.

"But what about the Byakugan?! We cannot allow it to fall into enemy hands!"

In response, Hiashi pulled back his sleeve to reveal his arm. There was the mark of a small bird in flight, wings stretched out, inked in black just under his elbow. "This is a seal that will lock away the Byakugan upon a Hyuuga's death, and can be placed anywhere on the body. Cutting off my arm will do nothing to stop its functionality."

He covered his arm, an impressive glare on his face when the Advisors made to say something. "And that is all I will reveal on this matter, respected Advisors," Hiashi said in a sharp tone, not willing to entertain the old fools. "It is a Clan matter, and it will remain as such."


Despite the Hyuuga Clan Head's tight lipped stance on the issue, Danzo's men had managed to unearth the truth, even it had taken them months to do so. One of the former Hyuuga Elders had been dissatisfied with the Clan's changing power dynamics and had all but been willing to spill the truth once sufficiently inebriated.

The information had only spurred Danzo to gain control over the Uzumaki girl but once again, to his growing anger, he had failed.

Rumors did not affect her, protected as she was on all sides by every shinobi clan in Konoha. He couldn't even get his Root to tail her anymore; Uzumaki was a sensor of unknown range and Danzo knew, as diligent as she seemed to be, she would have only improved her skills over time.

'Uzumaki Hikari is becoming dangerous,'he thought, gritting his teeth. Danzo recalled the fearless way the nine-year-old girl had charged into a sand tornado created with the Ichibi's chakra.'If I let her grow with no one to control her, she may become a threat.'

If there was no way Danzo could get Uzumaki Hikari under his control, then the only way forward, in his mind, was assassination.

"But even so, there is no guarantee I can get the two Jinchuuriki," the old war hawk murmured to himself, forcefully squashing his fury. It would do him no good to plan while emotionally driven. "Uzumaki Manami would probably be next in line for guardianship and if Uzumaki Hikari meets her demise, it is more than likely that the woman might seek protection from one of the clans."

No, the best option was for the girl to come to him of her own volition or coerced in a way that would not arouse suspicion from others.

Danzo decided to put the annoying redhead out of his mind for the time being, and picked up one of the reports on his table. Even if he could no longer keep proper tabs on the girl, there were many others in the village that he had his eye on.

It wouldn't do to ignore everyone else in favor of one girl, no matter how interesting she was.

"Oh?" The old man raised an eyebrow, reading through the report in his hand. It had details of a rather interesting development in the village. If he played his cards right, he could manipulate it in his favour. He had to be patient though; if he went too far too fast, there was a chance that he could lose the upper hand in the situation.

"Hinoe."

A masked man with mousy-brown hair appeared in front of the Shimura's desk, kneeling with his head bowed.

"Danzo-sama."

"I have a mission for you," Danzo stated passively, tossing the Root nin the report he had been reading. Hinoe caught it deftly, scanning the contents before placing it on the desk. "Have you understood the situation?"

"Yes, Danzo-sama."

"Your mission is to keep an eye on this development, and if possible, exacerbate it. You will be working solo, and there is no time limit. You will continue as you are until I order otherwise. Understood?"

Hinoe verbalized his understanding, preparing to leave for his mission immediately when Danzo called to him, "Send in Kinoto."

A few moments after the Root nin had left, another man appeared in the room. He did not wear a mask, the item currently clipped on his belt. His hair was black and spiky, narrow eyes dark and stern. There was a reason Danzo had called for this specific Root nin.

Kinoto was specialized in stealth and Kenjutsu, with some skill in Juinjutsu. For anything that required one to spend hours in the shadows and remain undetected, he was the best person for the job.

"I believe you are aware of Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi?"

When Kinoto nodded, Danzo continued, "Those two have great potential, especially since their mastery over their Sharingan is remarkable for their age. You are to follow them while they are in the village, prioritizing Uchiha Shisui. The only times you are allowed to let them out of your sight are when they depart for missions."

"I understand, Danzo-sama. Will we be recruiting them into Root?"

"That is none of your concern, Kinoto," Danzo reprimanded the man sharply, visible eye narrowed. "Your only priority is your mission. You start immediately. Dismissed!"

"Yes, Danzo-sama!"

The black haired man bowed once in respect and saluted, vanishing the next moment. Danzo sat back in his chair once he was alone in his office, satisfaction clear in his expression and bearing. The two missions he had just assigned might just provide the opportunity he needed.

Of course, depending on how the situation evolved, Danzo would adjust his plans. It was going to take a few months at least, perhaps even a few years. But he was a patient man. And if his newly-made plan worked, then it would be all worth it.