Chapter 24 Almost.

The massacre of the Uchiha clan became known to the public not long after the incident. It was frightening to know the Hokage could keep such an event a secret for so long. During the two days it took them to finish the autopsy of all clan members, and determine the cause of death, and secure the clan district to search for evidence, the public knew nothing of what had happened. They may have witnessed the barrier as most villagers did, but they were left in the dark concerning the matter.

News of the death of the Uchiha clan, a noble shinobi clan and a co-founder of the village, was announced on the last day of their investigation. The civilians didn't know the details, only that the Uchiha clan was massacred in a single night by an outside ninja. This news stirred panic within the villagers, and rightfully so.

The Uchiha clan was a noble clan and one of if not the most powerful in the village. If someone managed to kill them in a single night, that person would have to be stronger than the shinobi forces of Konoha. To make matters worse, they were an outsider. Everyone had the same chain of thought at that moment.

There's going to be another war.

If someone went out of their way to remove the Uchiha clan, surely they want to weaken the Leaf. As most of the Konoha's infamous shinobis were no more, they would be vulnerable to attacks. "Shisui of the body flicker" kept the hidden mist at by with only his Sharingan. "Wicked eye Fugaku" the head of the clan, was also feared by the surrounding nations. After the death of the Fourth Hokage, the yellow flash, the village was in constant worry that the stone village would attack.

They were right, of course, once news of the Uchiha clan's demise reached the surrounding nation: there would be movement.

Fortunately, depending on who you asked, they still had a defense. The remaining shinobi clans were by no means incompetent and would defend the village when the time came. The leaf village had a reputation of power, and so their enemies would have some hesitation in attacking them, even if they were slightly weaker.

And then there was him, Naruto Uzumaki, the Leaf village's Jinchuriki. He had the powerful demon fox sealed inside him. The monster that killed the Fourth Hokage a powerful shinobi. He could destroy any enemy forces, as well as the village he was protecting. His was a power to be feared, and they feared him, even as he took the form of a small boy.

The Uchiha clan members would be cremated the day after the autopsy was complete, as was the way of the Uchiha clan. The research and development team objected to this, claiming that the corpses were key in developing their military forces. They had the same claims in regards to the Senju clan and the First Hokage's body. So far, the only person to ever survive the wood-style experiment, was a young man the third Hokage didn't even know existed.

The research and development team lost their minds when Hatake Kakashi confirmed that a non-Uchiha could wield the Sharingan. They couldn't get the Byakugan no matter what, so they set their sights on the Sharingan, as there weren't enough members to oppose the proposal. However, the Hokage was having none of it.

"You will not find anything of value on these corpses, as their Sharingan was destroyed in the attack." He informed them.

Silence.

The head of the department tried to argue that their bodies might hold the key to making their own Sharingan, making the Hokage sigh. He really didn't like having these conversations. He was among the few that objected to the experiments using his sensei's body and wasn't a fan of human experimentations in general. His eyes saddened at the memory of his precious student doing just that.

Orochimaru was a genius that took the wrong path, and he would forever feel responsible for not being a better teacher. Had he been more vigilant, he may have realized the lone boy was becoming more distant from his teammates.

The Uchiha clan is down to two members. I will not sully their member by turning their remains into material for your grotesque research.

"There will be no experimentation of the Uchiha corpse," He said with finality. "Their Sharingan's are no more, and it would be a great dishonor to use them for our own end."

Left unsaid was that the village wasn't too fond of the Uchiha clan. His sensei, the second Hokage, was partially to blame, he knew. Tobirama lost many family and friends in the fight against the Uchiha clan. He was against the union, and even after the village formed, his mistrust remained.

Being the Hokage, showing mistrust towards anything, will influence the people you serve. And so the village too became weary of the clan. The Uchiha was shunned, and the future generations suffered the same faith.

"The funeral will be held tomorrow in the afternoon at the Uchiha shrine," he looked at everyone in the room; they cowered under his gaze, looking away in shame. Good. They should feel ashamed for what they proposed.

Times have change shine the Hashirama cells experiment got approved. There were no other Senju that could use wood style, and his children did not inherit the trait. It was considered a loss and a massive blow to their military might. There was also the issue of controlling the tail beasts, as Hashirama was the only one capable of it.

The Sharingan was capable of controlling the nine tails and perhaps the other tail beast as well, yet no one saw fit to us the Uchiha. It was their own fault for not relaxing the potential hey had. Now there were two. Should Naruto ever lose control as he did during the Uchiha incident, there would need to be at least on Uchiha to claim him.

His mind flashed to the young girl with pink hair surrounded by scrolls as she created a seal. That had been his first time seeing the mysterious girl that challenged her entire kunoichi class to a dual. According to Kakashi, she was skilled in the art despite being so young. His student Jiraya and Minato had also been skilled in the art.

A Jinchuriki, an Uchiha, and a seal master on a team under the watchful eye of a skilled shinobi, He smiled at the thought. Filing it away for a later time, he focused on ensuring his subjects didn't overstep their bonces. His eyes wandered to his old friend, who hadn't said a word since coming to the meeting. Usually, they would be arguing about the use of the Uchiha body, not the research and development leader.

He silently promised to prod his friend of what was wrong after the meeting.

I sighed in relief as the "bodies" I covered with genjutsu were burned. I learned from Fugaku the bodies were always cremated, which made my life thousand times easier. They would destroy the body and the evidence of my manipulation. The ashes would be sealed in an urn and buried tomorrow. I just had to hold out a little longer; my plan was almost complete.

I zipped my dress to the base of my neck, making sure to cover the scar. Hiding it with makeup was out of the questions; I would have to hide it with a genjutsu if I ever wanted to show my chest. Dressed in a dress white dress qipao dress with the Haruno on the front and pink loose-fitting pants under it, I slipped my feet into my sandal.

I was being released from the hospital as I didn't show any side-effects from my injury. They were probably waiting for me to suffer from PTSD. I was surprised I wasn't having horrible flashbacks as well, though considering that I already died, the concept of death meant nothing to me.

Those that fear death cannot live life.

I left my room to find my parents waiting in the hallway. They smiled at me as I approached, only walking when I was by their side.

"Everything okay?" Mom asked. I smiled at her in reassurance.

"I'm fine," I told her.

"You look it," father pinched my cheek, "you look more healthy." That was a given; you try to maintain a genjutsu you placed on the entire village. And that was before I had the parasite inside me. The thought brought me back to another pressing matter.

"Where's Naruto and Sasuke?" I asked. I had sensed them in the hospital with me until a day ago. Naruto was likely under surveillance, but Sasuke was with Itachi, and that man was a fortress. And then they left before I woke the next day, and I wake very early.

The question was easy enough; I didn't expect them to know where Naruto was if the Hokage too him, and Sasuke was a hit or miss. I expected them to say they didn't know or tell me where they believe they were. What I didn't expect were hesitation and worried glances.

I had a newfound respect for my new parents and wasn't about to hurt them, but I did slit myself and get impaled for them. As my exfather would say, they were an investment, and I wouldn't have someone touch what's mine.

"They're at the Hyuga compound."

As my parents flinched, I turned to face the man that spoke. Ash blond hair in a ponytail and light green eyes, a handsome face, and brilliant mind; Inoichi Yamanaka stood before me.

Well shit.

There was only one reason that the head of the Yamanaka clan would appear before anyone that wasn't his friend.

I was about to be mine-fucked.

My parents immediately in front of me, protectively and ready for a fight. This man could control us with a glance; what were they going to do against that?

Lucky for us, he wasn't here for a fight.

Inoichi chuckled at my parents' insanity and held his hands up in surrender.

"I can understand your paranoia, but I mean her no harm," He said, smiling that charming smile. It would have been attractive if not for the bullshit he just spat. Mean me no harm, ha! He was about to blow a hole in my bloody plans!

"Since Sakura was deemed to be psychologically stable, the Hokage gave the go-ahead for me to read her." He explained, making my parent relax, but I snarled internally. I didn't want him in my head. Without inner, I wouldn't have a way to keep him out of my business. My plan being discovered was the last thing on my mind; I didn't want him seeing my past.

My parents smiled at me as though that would make me feel safe.

"Everything is okay, Sakura," Mother lied. "He's just going to make sure your okay, mentally."

I wasn't stupid; I knew what a Yamanaka was and what they did for a living. I mentally kicked myself for not thinking ahead. Of course, they would have someone going through my head, my word was worthless, when they had someone who could get the truth.

Sensing my distress, mother patted my head, her chakra calming mine. Right, the mine wizard could sense chakra, couldn't he. He was looking at me with those eyes that looked like Ino's, making my eye twitch. I already knew he was her father, but if I was stupid, I wasn't blind. All clan members looked the same. All Yamanaka's had their hair in a blond ponytail, the color may vary, but its length was always long. Their eyes were also a giveaway of their relations, light, and pupilless.

I puffed my cheeks and crossed my arms, looking away in a huff. These were the only time I could get away with acting childish. I was so frustrated I wanted to stomp my feet and throw a tantrum. I worked so hard for this plan, and just when I was near completion, someone looking like my "rival" shows up to reck it. What's next? The Hokage is going to decide to make Ino Sasuke's to wife reproduce the Uchiha clan?

I lost my pout at the thought. I didn't want to entertain it, but the more I thought about it, the more my stomach clutched uncomfortably. The ground disappeared from below me, and I stared at my father, leaning in for a wet smooch.

"Gross, get away from me!" I demanded, pushing him back and moving my face far away from him.

It was no use; I was trapped. How was he so strong!?

"Momma help," I pleaded, only to be betrayed by the smile of a content woman. And right as after I had given them my respect.

Inoichi wasn't surprise when the Hokage approached him and ask him to read young Sakura's mind. His daughter had often complained about not being able to tell what she was thinking. From observation, she was overprotective and affectionate on occasions.

She was skilled in Fuinjutsu according to the reports and above average in taijutsu as she single-handedly defeated her peers. Inochi longed for the days when catfights were noting but pulling hair and clawing at faces. His daughter came back black and blue, nearly giving her mother a heart attack.

He understood why they suspected her of being an imposter; a civilian that talented was rare. Her parents weren't outstanding shinobis average at best. The last time a prodigy came from the civilians they got the Fourth Hokage, he was curious about what she would be.

He caught them just as they were leaving and made himself known. The Haruno couple were wary, but their daughter was horrified. She looked as though I had just told her she would be executed. Her chakra was in a panic, and a hint of fear, she knew the reason he was there and didn't like it, interesting.

He told them he was only giving her a psych evaluation, putting her parents at ease, but once again, she tensed. And then she pouted. She looked about ready to throw a tantrum. He was told she was mature for her age, but he supposes even his daughter throws tantrums sometimes. He found it rather cute, that was until the air changed.

Lost in thought, a look of horror frozen on her face, she leaked killing intent in waves. Her parents gasped in shock, looking down at their distracted child.

"Sakura?" Mebuki tried, to no avail. Kizashi lifted the unresponsive child and made loud smooching noises, which revived the child. She immediately rejected her father's affection, even calling for her mother's help. She received no help from the woman who only smiled at her. The whole thing didn't last a minute, but it felt Inocihi shaken. Maybe the girl wasn't mentally sound after all.

Red with embarrassment, Sakura buried her face in her father's chest, muttering about betrayal and loss of respect, as they descended into the underground facility.

Though he wasn't going to torture Sakura, he still needed to bring her to the room used for the act. Beneath the hospital was a medical facility for dangerous individuals. As they couldn't put their people in the path of harm, they opted to have the danger sealed below them.

The facility also served as a prison and torture chamber just in case. There was a long passage that led to other facilities littered around Konoha that the civilians are unaware of, as they were most happening in the village. The only reason he was taking them down was to gauge their reaction and get access to that room.

He stopped before an office that gave the illusion of comfort. Bookshelves lined the walls, potted plants placed in each corner, giving the office life. A desk sat in far wall scrolls and books strategically placed to imitate use. It resembled the Hokage's office say for the sofa in the center of the room, pine green and soft.

His former victims had found confusing; some would relax others tensed, wary. Sakura, however, looked at the room with a blank expression before snorting.

"How nostalgic."

She was placed on the ground and walked over to the sofa, lying down without instructions, her short legs dangling over the armrest. She could easily fit on the couch with room for more.

He looked back to her parents for an explanation but found them sighing in embarrassment at their daughter's rudeness. Filing the experience away, he took a seat in front of the sofa and smiled down at her. She stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

"Sakura," she looked at him. "I'm going to perform a jutsu on you. I'm going to need you to relax, okay?"

She blinked slowly. Raising a girl was impossible for him.

He placed his hand on her forehead, and she closed her eyes in a tired sigh.

He closed his own in concentration, and the world turned black.

Bet you didn't see that one coming.