Chapter 1: Beginnings
Beginning: The act of starting something.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters except for my OC.
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Seventeen years after she was born,
she died.
Seventeen years after she was born and killed,
she was reincarnated as Kimiko Uchiha.
And thus she became the older sister of Itachi Uchiha and heiress to the Uchiha clan by mere minutes.
She didn't think she had ever felt more terrified.
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She can't remember the names of her parents. Not the ones that held her now, but the ones from before. It was strange, she couldn't even remember what they looked like. It makes her wonder if they were even alive during her first time of going through life.
Whether or not she'll soon wake up in a different hospital bed, she doesn't know. She stopped wondering about it a while ago though. It had proven to be as pointless as it was painful.
Every unrememberable fact about her old life doesn't matter now, she's decided. Everything except for the knowledge of this world has been wiped clean of purpose.
She knows who she is now. This is her new reality.
She is Kimiko Uchiha and if she didn't start changing things within the next thirteen years,
misery would be inevitable.
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She wonders what she is going to do when the massacre comes by.
Her birth has changed many things.
What will she do? What can she change? She wants to figure that out, but her eyelids often grow heavy and thinking is too hard.
She hates feeling sleepy.
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Re-learning to move is difficult and frustrating but it isn't impossible. At least, that's what she tells herself as she hugs the wall with trembling limbs.
The quicker she is able to move the better.
Kimiko takes notice on how her efforts are often on display as bright, curious eyes observe her struggles intently. She would have almost thought he was as aware as she was if it weren't for the innocent, knowledge searching aspect of his gaze. Even in infancy his character was as captivating as it was unsettling.
Kimiko takes another step.
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Their mother is beautiful and caring as she claps and congratulates Kimiko when she takes her first official steps with concentrated effort.
Their father, who is not yet worn by war and resentment, gives a pleased nod when Itachi soon follows.
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Her head is resting on her father's shoulder when she hears Itachi's first words.
"K-K-Ki-Kim-Kimi. Kimi."
Kimiko lets out a soft laugh as her mother's eyes widen with delight.
She can't wait for the day when he's able to say the rest.
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Her mother is beautiful and loving.
Her father is strong and proud.
Her brother is innocent and gentle.
Looking at them fills Kimiko with an undescribable warmth and her heart aches unbearably at the thought of their fate.
She wants to protect them, she wants to save them.
But how does one save the condemned?
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The years pass and their father wastes no time teaching them how to hold ninja tools and mold chakra properly.
Itachi is kind and patient as he guides her through what she does not immediately understand.
No matter how long it takes, all she ever sees is the same benevolent smile.
Chakra pulses through her fingers.
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The Third Great Ninja War.
It is chaotic and ugly and awful.
It is also horrific and real and way too much.
Her stomach is quick to betray her and it takes everything to keep herself from becoming sick on the ground.
They are different, their father says. They are smart and this is a lesson they must learn.
Never forget this sight, he tells them.
She couldn't if she tried.
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Their father's lesson on the workings of the world doesn't take on either of them as intended.
Instead of a shinobi who will become strong because of reality, he creates a pacifist who will become strong for peace.
Like her brother, she resolves to become strong to change a reality she never wants to see. However, unlike her brother, the reality she's looking at isn't the one of strewn out corpses before them.
Instead, she is staring at the anguished face of her benevolent, gentle, selfless little brother as he realizes the cruelty of the world. Instead she is watching a boy cry as he kills his family in the name of peace. Instead she is watching an innocent child forced to suffer an undeserving fate.
And that reality is more than enough to fuel the drive for power.
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Kimiko mimics the surrounding crowd as she mourns for the loss of Obito Uchiha and all the others who have fallen. Her eyes wander over the sea of black to find her brother, who has wandered towards a different aisle of graves until he is face to face with a traitor.
While he isn't a direct threat at the moment, Kimiko finds it hard to feel anything akin to calmness.
The man hardly acknowledges their presence while they listen to him speak. "Grieving over the dead is meaningless. If there's any meaning in death, it's to take advantage of it."
"What is the meaning of life?" Her brother asks the snake sannin fearlessly, unknowing of the twists in his soul.
He smiles down at him. "There's none. There's meaning in life if it's eternal."
"What if the purpose is to find your own meaning?" Kimiko wonders and Orochimaru's smile takes a condescending turn.
"And if you never find it?"
Kimiko remains silent as he turns away from them.
She supposes one could only call that a tragedy.
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"Nee-san...what did you mean about what you said earlier?" A small voice asks curiously into the dark, silent night.
Kimiko shifts on her mattress to meet the onyx orbs gazing intensely into her own.
"Well, what do you believe?" She asks him, "What do you want to fight for? What do you want to live for Itachi? Everyone has to find their own meaning in life; their own sense of purpose."
She smiles affectionately into the darkness. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just live life how you see fit and the answers will come."
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The first time she formally meets the future mother of Naruto Uzumaki is a month later.
She blinks in surprise upon toddling into the kitchen only for bright red hair to obscure her vision and hands to squish her cheeks agressively.
"She's so cute Mikoto-chan! I can't believe this is your kid! Minato's been keeping me way too busy!"
Her mother laughs in response to the pouting look on her friend's face. "It has been a while."
The unforgiving grip slackens and before Kimiko can rub the pain away, a large hand waves at her. "Hi! Nice to meet you! I'm Kushina Uzumaki, one of your mom's friends, ya know!"
Kimiko blinks into blue eyes and bows politely despite the uneasiness coursing through her veins. "It's nice to meet you as well, Uzumaki-san. My name is Kimiko."
"Ah, don't be so formal Kimiko-chan. Just call me Kushina." Kushina winks at her and Kimiko nods her head.
It is then when Itachi decides to walk into view. The woman before her is gone in seconds and has already begun enthusiastically greeting him.
"Hey Mikoto-chan! Can I take them out for the day?"
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She finds herself unsurprised as they are taken to the village's most famous ramen stand.
A large bowl of plain, miso ramen is placed in front of them to share. Kimiko looks up to lock eyes with the encouraging red-haired jinchuriki before taking the first bite.
She almost finishes the whole bowl before she remembers she's supposed to share it with Itachi.
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Kimiko meets Konoha's Yellow Flash a few weeks later when Kushina swings by again to kidnap her. Her reserved younger brother decides to pass in favor of staying home.
"Minato, this is Kimiko-chan! Mikoto's daughter."
She has to suppress a wave of shock and awe upon seeing another one of her idols face to face. "It's an honor to meet you Namikaze-san. I've heard a lot about you."
She also can't help but feel an overwhelming sadness build in her chest as Minato corrects her like Kushina had once done.
They were going to die soon.
And then she feels disgusted with herself.
What gave her the right to want to try to save her family but not his?
And then she feels helpless.
What could she possibly do with an event coming far too soon?
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The beginning of everything had already been set into motion and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
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Benevolent: Intending or showing kindness.
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Author's Note: 5/4/18
Hey guys, I know it's been a while—a really long one in fact— and I just wanted to start off by apologizing. I am really, really sorry I stopped updating even though I promised I wouldn't. I had a lot going on, and I still do, but I'm in a much better place than I have been these past three years.
I'm genuinely touched by everyone's enjoyment and support for this fic and although it may take a while, I want to complete it. I'm going to be pretty busy, as I will be a part-time student and part-time worker, so it may take a bit of time between chapter updates but this time I really do promise you guys I will get this done.
Initially when I started this story, it was on a whim. I didn't properly plan it out and as a result, I found myself at a loss early on. I'm currently trying to set aside the time to re-work myself through it. As some of you may have noticed, I'm in the process of rewriting Twisted Path mainly because I need to in order to finish the story. I also wasn't entirely happy with what I had and I personally feel like I can do better. It's not going to be perfect, as I've realized it would take another 10 years for me to achieve that, but it's going to be better. Thank you all for bearing with me and continuing to be patient with me.
-Kuraiame16