A/N: I'm so sorry about that confusion guys, in my defense it was very late and I was very tired. Here's the correct chapter!
"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"You have a beautiful home Uchiha-san," I said politely as I shuffled into the Uchiha household. My nerves were shot, though I was doing my best not to show it. The older woman must have sensed my distress though because she gave me a warm smile and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Please, call me Mikoto, and it's a pleasure to finally meet you Ashi-chan." I scanned the living room and tried not to think about how new it looked like it hadn't yet been lived in. It made sense, it had been a month since the Nine-Tails attack and I knew the Uchiha were promptly moved to the corner of the village. I remembered that development from the series, it was the beginning of the end for the clan.
"You as well." I smiled, doing my best not to fidget. Not only was I in an unfamiliar home with a woman who I had watched die in a previous life, but I left Shiro and Yuki at home. Well, as "at home" as I could leave them, and that was the gates of the Uchiha compound. This was my first time visiting Itachi's house, and I wasn't sure that his parents would appreciate two hulking dogs in their home.
"Itachi is changing Sasuke at the moment and my husband is out attending to clan business, but he should be home soon," Mikoto informed and I nodded. "I'm going to start on dinner preparations, feel free to make yourself comfortable."
"Would you like any help?" I offered, and her smile widened.
"That would be wonderful Ashi-chan." From the look of beef and vegetables, she already had out, I guessed she was preparing Sukiyaki, it was one of my favorite dishes.
"I can cut the vegetables if you'd like, I help my mom in the kitchen a lot."
"She's lucky to have a daughter so eager to help." She commented politely, handing me a large knife. It was one of those moments where I realized just how different things were in my life. Of course, there were always the bigger, more obvious things, like talking dogs and my next-door neighbor breathing fire, but I was used to that. It had been my life for seven years. The small, day to day differences was what threw me off the most. The ease at which a grown woman just handed me, a seven-year-old, a knife would have been unheard of before. Now, it felt normal in my prepubescent hands.
"Cooking is so much fun!" I chirped happily as I went to work chopping the vegetables. I never learned how to cook in my previous life, I had a few recipes up my sleeve, but there was never enough time or money to learn how. Still, cooking was about the only thing familiar to me in my new world, the only thing that didn't change. A scrambled egg was still a scrambled egg, it was cooked the same way, no jutsu involved, and the quality time with Mom was an added benefit. Hana, my poor older sister wasn't any help in the kitchen, she was the type to burn cereal, so she tended to stay away.
"Hello, Ashi-san," Itachi said quietly, walking into the kitchen with a babbling baby in his arms.
"Hi, Itachi-kun!" I smiled, putting down the knife and wiping my hands before bouncing over to him. "And hello Sasuke-kun."
The fourth-month-old continued to babble happily as I put my finger in his tiny hand and gently shook his arm. Seeing baby Sasuke was always a sobering moment, knowing the possibilities that lie ahead for him, the pain, the darkness. He had no idea, not an inkling.
The infant suddenly lunged towards me, arms outstretch and a giant smile on his face. I giggled before taking him from Itachi's arms.
"Sasuke must like you, usually he stays glued to Itachi," Mikoto commented, undeniable interest in her voice.
"He's just the sweetest baby, aren't you Sasuke-kun?" I cooed, and he babbled happily, burying his head into my neck. I had always loved babies but never had much of a chance to be around them in my other life. Now, I had Kiba who I utterly adored, and Sasuke who took to me instantly, I was in heaven.
I tried not to think about another infant in the same village, orphaned and alone.
"Itachi, why don't you help me finish up dinner since your hands are free?" The older Uchiha brother sighed and gently patted Sasuke's back before moving to help his mother.
I never truly understood how Itachi could love Sasuke so much. To kill his entire clan, live his life as a criminal, and give his own life for him. It was romantic and heartbreaking, but I never truly understood it. I was an only child before, maybe it was why, through now, I understood. The first time I held Kiba in my arms, I knew. I understood that level of love. I knew without a doubt that I would move heaven and earth for my little brother, I would do whatever it took to keep him safe.
I took a seat in the living room, holding the now sleeping Sasuke in my arms. I would do what it took to keep him safe too, to save him from the tragedy that awaited him in the not so distant future.
"Ashi-chan, Itachi tells me that you are the top kunoichi in his class," Fugaku commented seriously from the head of the table. I met the man's appraising gaze and managed a polite smile despite the anxiety in the chest. It was Fugaku who planned the coup that led to the Uchiha massacre, and I was having dinner with him.
"Mhm, I'd be top in the class if it wasn't for him." I pointed out with a pout in my friends' direction. He merely rolled his eyes and I huffed.
"That's impressive Ashi-chan." Mikoto praised and I blushed.
"The two of you will likely be on the same genin team," Fugaku informed. Hopefully. I vaguely remember Itachi's genin team from the series, no one in our current class since he graduated early. I also seemed to remember some traumatic event happening that triggered his Sharingan. Fun.
"That would be wonderful, wouldn't it Itachi-kun?" Mikoto prompted. There was a strange look on her face that I couldn't figure out. A mother thing I guess.
"Hn." Was my friends only response. Ever the chatterbox and why were his cheeks the slightest bit red?
"What?!" Mom exclaimed, chair scraping against the wood floor and she got to her feet. My poor teacher, Daikoku Funeno, visibly recoiled, but I didn't so much as flinch. I was used to Mom's outbursts by now.
"The other teachers and I have agreed Ashi-chan is more than prepared to take the graduation test now. She picks things up at an incredible pace and masters skills in hours where it takes the other students' days. Keeping her here wouldn't be doing her any favors." He explained.
Mom was still for a beat before a wolfish grin spread across her face and she began laughing.
"That's my girl!" She shouted, wrapping an arm around my neck and pulling me against her side. "So, when will she be taking this graduation test then?"
"Next week. I'll administer it to her and the one other student who is up for early graduation outside of class. If they both pass they will be assigned to a genin team immediately, there were actually just two dropouts, so it would work out nicely."
"Well don't you worry, my Ashi is going to pass all right. Isn't that right, pup?"
"Of course, Kaa-chan." I smiled, still pressed against my mother's side.
"Great, then I will see you in class tomorrow Ashi-chan, and thank you for your time Inuzuka-san."
"Good job pup." Kuromaru praised quietly and I rubbed my hand through his surprisingly soft fur in thanks.
After saying our goodbyes, Mom and I began our leisurely walk home, ninken trailing behind us. "Early graduation huh? That's pretty impressive, Ashi. When you pass, that means you're going to become a real shinobi, from your early graduation, that's putting a target on your back. You'll be on missions leaving the village, and though the Inuzuka aren't as targeted as the Hyuuga or the Uchiha, there are still shinobi who would like to get their hands on one of us or our ninken. We share a unique bond with them, and there are those who want to study that bond."
My attention was focused on my mother. We'd never had a conversation like this before. Hana was next in line to become the clan head, so she was the one that Mom had more serious conversations with. I wasn't expecting this.
"You are also the daughter of a clan head, which puts a target on your back for those who would seek to kidnap you for ransom. Not to mention I myself am a seasoned Special Jounin, I've killed many people, made many enemies, and they would love the chance to get back at me through you." Mom sighed before stopping and squatting down to my level. "I'm not telling you this to scare you, but to prepare you. Clan kids have many advantages over non-clan kids, but the one thing non-clan kids have that you don't, is anonymity. You have to watch your back ten times more than them."
"I understand Kaa-chan," I said seriously, and she smiled, though it barely reached her eyes.
"Alright, kiddo let's get home. I'll cook you something special."
"Yay!"
My nose was buried in a scroll when a piercing scream broke the previous quietness of my home. I was home alone, besides Yuki, Shiro, and my now screaming little brother. I knew it had been coming, I'd heard Kiba getting restless, but I was hoping he would just fall back asleep. No dice I guess.
Yuki and Shiro moved to get to their feet but I waved them off. I was just going to the other room.
"Now why are you making all that racket?" I asked as I walked into the nursery and saw my fussy little brother thrashing around. I smiled before reaching in and picking up the incredibly tiny baby, holding him against my chest and gently rocking him.
Kiba's cries persisted, refusing to be calmed by my rocking. Stubborn. I would have to resort to extreme methods.
"A dream is a wish your heart makes
When your fast asleep
In dreams, you will lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep."
Now, I could not carry a tune in a bucket. I couldn't sing, at all. That wasn't me being modest, it was me being honest. Anyone who heard me sing would say the same. However, for whatever godly reason, Kiba calmed down when I sang to him. He liked my croaking, and I wasn't going to question it as long as it got him to stop crying. It was an added bonus that it gave me a chance to reminisce, and to share something from my old life with someone.
"That's much better." I sighed when Kiba was finally back asleep. I could have put him back in his crib, but there was something about having a sleeping baby in my arms that made me feel more at peace in this world than I ever had.
"I think Tou-chan finally left. Kaa-chan must've ran him off." I informed my sleeping brother. My father's lack of presence became more and more noticeable the last few weeks, no one commented on it, but I saw the way Hana would look every night when he didn't come home. She was closer to him than I was. Knowing of his eventual departure, I made sure not to get too attached to the man. I just made sure to spend a little more time with my older sister.
"Your big sister is going to become a Genin soon." I continued to talk, knowing Kiba wouldn't understand a word of what I was saying, even if he was awake. "That means missions out of the village, real danger."
A real chance of getting killed.
The thought didn't scare me as much as it should have.
A/N: Still alive, still writing, Hope you all enjoyed, love you!
Edited by Empress Crowillow