So here's the next chapter. The fact that most of my inspiration strikes when I'm unable to really act on it is kind of annoying. Such is life, I suppose.

There's more set up than anything in this chapter, but things should start picking up in the next one. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it.

On a different note...At first, I really hated the fact that Obito was turned into a bad guy. I felt like it took his character and spat on it. I still dislike the idea, to be honest, but the fanfic writer in me can see potential in it too, so it's a little more tolerable than before. That being said, "Bad Apple" from Touhou would be a pretty good image song for adult Obito, I think.

I do a lot of YouTube browsing when I'm writing chapters.

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Chapter 1

"Where are we going, Papa?"

"We're going to a village called Konoha, Chiko-chan. Mama told you about it, remember?"

"Oh yeah! Mama told me I can make some friends there!"

"Yes, I'm sure you will. You must be patient, though. It will be about a week before we get there."

"What? That long?!"

A warm laugh. "It will be worth it. You'll see."

...

...Who was that?

"-for another few days...no...staying...-nato."

They sounded so familiar...but I was pretty sure it wasn't the voice of anyone I knew.

"-won't...alone...up."

Then there was the fact that I was remembering something like that at all. As far as I knew, it had never happened. So...why was I remembering it? Was it even me that had been talking to that strange voice?

"Stubborn-..."

The rest of the words grew muddled as unconsciousness began dragging me back. Of course, this only made something in me panic, seeing as the last time I'd fallen asleep, I'd woken up to that nightmare and a half. To my dismay, my body didn't seem inclined to listen to me; all I could do was latch onto that gentle voice for comfort as I drifted off again.

"I'll be here when you wake up," it promised.

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The next time I came to was both better and worse. Better, because I would stay awake, and worse because I was waking up. Which meant that, as impossible as it seemed, this ridiculous situation wasn't a dream.

I was trying very hard not to panic.

I tried to take a deep breath, only to grimace at the smell that reached my nose. It was the normal hospital odors, only more intense- I felt like it was burning into my brain. Naturally, my first instinct was to try and block it, but my body still felt alarmingly weak, so all I managed was a fidget and a soft, frustrated groan. Fortunately, that was enough.

With a sudden movement (it was too smooth to be considered a jerk), Minato was sitting up in the chair by the bed and staring. By the look of it, he had been waiting there for a while, but I wasn't really thinking about that. I was still in shock at the fact that Namikaze Minato was real and sitting next to me.

"Rghlff."

Immediately, I closed my eyes and felt heat rush to my face. Of course the first thing that comes out of my mouth when confronted with one of the most likable characters in the series was a garbled, choked out mess. How embarrassing. To his credit, Minato only laughed a little bit before reaching over to the bedside table to pour a glass of water.

"Here," he offered while carefully helping me sit up, also steadying the glass when my noodle arms proved inefficient for the task. "You've been sleeping for the past few days, so your throat might be a little dry."

I nodded, glad for both the drink and the opportunity to think for a moment.

It was all pretty terrifying if, I had to be honest. At least back in the forest, I could pretend I was still on Earth (was this place called Earth too, or did it have a different name?). Now that the truth was being shoved in my face, I didn't really know what to do. I couldn't start just blathering away about what I knew- that was all kinds of stupid in a village of paranoid assassins, regardless of them being the "good guys." But then, where did that leave me?

For that matter, why was Minato here?

I vaguely recalled seeing him back in the forest, but being the one to find me shouldn't have been enough of a reason to stick around, more so when I took his appearance into account. He looked young- which meant that there was a good possibility that I'd arrived some time during the Second Great Shinobi War (if I could trust that, admittedly convoluted, timeline I'd read once upon a time). Had it already ended? If so, how long did I have until the next one started?

I hoped it was long enough to get used to this, but I doubted that was going to happen.

"Feeling better?"

No. Not really.

As if hearing my thoughts, he winced slightly. "Probably not the best question," he muttered to himself before attempting a smile. "I'm Minato. Do you know where you are?"

Probably Konoha, but it wasn't like I could tell him that, so I just shook my head. He frowned slightly and I saw his mouth open as if to say something else, but before he could there was a resounding crash from outside the room.

"I'M LEAVING AND THAT'S FINAL!"

Minato was on his feet and out the door in an instant, leaving me to stare in a mix of awe and disbelief at the empty chair. Funny how I'd never given thought before to how ridiculously fast ninja actually had to be in order to pull off some off the things they did. Gai and Lee's speed would probably be closer to instant transmission to my Earth based sense of physics and reality.

I paused for a moment to wonder if Gai had even been born yet. More than likely, but I couldn't be too sure. It would be weird if he hadn't, though. I just couldn't picture myself as being older than him...

Of course, it was around then that the door slammed open, making me jump. Since these hospital beds weren't the kind with the gates to stop people from rolling off...well...My face became painfully acquainted with the floor.

"Tsunade-sama!"

Minato sounded upset, which helped curb the tears that had automatically sprung up in my eyes. I wasn't sure if it was a byproduct of the pain or if it was due to my younger body and a young child's tendency to cry over just about anything, but it was something to think about in the future. For the moment, I just wanted to be left alone so I could pull myself together long enough to come up with some answers for the inevitable questions awaiting me.

...and maybe try to scrounge up the little dignity I had left.

"Sorry," she sighed.

I barely had the chance to sniffle before I felt myself being picked up and placed back on the bed. I blinked at the sudden angle change, then jumped at the foreign feeling that began flooding through me.

So this was chakra...

I'd never really given much thought to how it felt, to be honest, even when reading all the stories that tried to describe it. It started as a slight itch, then changed to...I guess the closest I could say was a cool tingling- like when you used those face cleansers -or even like when you splashed cold water on your face on a hot day. It spread from the tip of my nose to the rest of my face, quickly eliminating the sting I'd been feeling.

It was awesome.

Some of what I was feeling must have shown on my face because a corner of Tsunade's mouth quirked upward in amusement.

"Are you okay, Sachiko-chan?"

I blinked and turned to Minato in confusion. Jiraiya was behind him, standing in the doorway with a solemn expression on his face, but I pushed that aside in my mind for the moment as I tried to figure out who he was talking to. I'd never heard of anyone named Sachiko in Naruto, and there was no one but the four of us in he-

...Oh.

I should have expected it, seeing as I looked nothing like I remembered, but I hadn't. Hearing that name used to address me...knowing that it was supposed to be me...I felt like I wasn't me anymore. Like I'd lost an important part of myself, if that made any sense.

Fortunately, Minato seemed to interpret my troubled expression as something else. "I saw your name on the documentation your pa-"

He faltered here, his eyes widening slightly as he realized something, and stopped. By that point, however, it was too late. My brain had already made the connection on its own. That man and woman, the ones I'd woken up next to, had been my parents in this life.

I felt a sharp stab of loss, stronger than the one I'd felt when I first saw them, and the tears came without warning.

"O-Oh! Oh, no, I'm sorry! Please don't-!"

When I felt myself be drawn into an embrace, I didn't resist. Instead, I was trying to understand just why their deaths were affecting me so much. It wasn't like I'd really known them- not like the family of my other life anyway -so by all accounts, it shouldn't feel like I felt now. Maybe it was a combination of dual loss? The loss of the family I'd known and the loss of a chance to get to know my new one...It made the most sense to me, anyway.

I ignored the niggling feeling that I did know them. Somehow.

"Your student is an idiot, Jiraiya."

There was a protest from one of the males, possibly both, but it was a weak one. I didn't pay it too much attention.

"I'm sorry," Minato apologized once I managed to reign in my reaction a bit. "I didn't mean to upset you. Really."

I nodded in acceptance after a moment. I still felt off, but he really did sound sincere in his apology. He smiled at that, but the relief in his eyes confused me a bit. Why was it so important to him that I forgive him? It wasn't like I'd interacted with him for very long...

I was pulled out of my thoughts at the feeling of Tsunade running a hand through my hair. I sighed slightly, closing my eyes at the comforting sensation. It reminded me of my mother, and it helped to settle some of the chaotic thoughts and feelings running rampant within me.

"She needs a bath," she stated bluntly.

Well, no arguments there, although I did feel a pang of embarrassment. I could see how oily my hair was from the strands that crossed my vision, and I just felt plain dirty. When was the last time this body had had a bath? I mean- Ugh, I could see some sort of dissociative disorder developing in the future if I couldn't come to grips with this. The Yamanaka would have a field day, no doubt.

Actually, no. I didn't want a Yamanaka in my head at all. Best not to think about it.

I distracted myself by watching Minato flail about at Tsunade's suggestion, notably flustered and amusing as hell. Jiraiya...well, he looked uncomfortable about it for a split second before a leer overtook his expression.

"I take it you're offering to help, Hime?"

Her arms tightened around me, and I almost choked at how thick the air suddenly became.

"I swear, if I find you anywhere near the bath house...!"

Scary. Was this killing intent, or just regular threat intent? Because if it was just the latter, I never wanted to feel the former.

It seemed Jiraiya knew how to pick his battles with her by this point too, since he readily agreed.

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Taking a bath...was different.

"Isn't this nice, Sachiko-chan? You'll be nice and clean in no time."

It wasn't just that Tsunade was being strangely sweet (and trust me, that was odd enough on its own), but it was the process. Apparently, one had to scrub down and rinse before entering the tub or hot spring. It wasn't anything monumental to comprehend or difficult to do, since it kind of reminded me of using shower heads before entering a public pool, but it was just...different. Something I'd never had to do in my other life that seemed to emphasize the fact that I wasn't a part of it anymore.

Bath-time: the perfect time for inner contemplation.

I'm sure that, once everything really sunk in, I might even feel some more embarrassment at being a naked toddler in a room full of naked women, but for now, I could only feel a sort of blankness to it all.

I was in the Naruto world...

Nope. Still sounded crazy.

I'd read stories about this, sure. Who hadn't by the time I found myself here? But as all of them like to state, you don't really expect it to happen. Did the fact that I was going through this mean that all of those other authors were too? Different universes, maybe? Oh man, what did that mean for my stories? Was an alternate me in them? Was I an alternate me, and the real me was still in my reality, writing this out?

Oh, ouch. Major headache material right there. I was just going to shove that into a deeeep corner of my mind and never think about it again.

I probably wouldn't have the time, seeing as I'd be too busy trying to survive.

Was I panicking? I think I'm panicking now. I tend to ramble sometimes when I'm panicked.

At least it was finally sinking in...

"Breathe, little one."

I took a shuddering breath I hadn't realized I needed. I probably shouldn't have been surprised, but when I released it, it came out as a choked sob. It was the second time today, but I didn't care. I'd just lost everything I knew and loved with no way to get it back. I was in a world where it was stand up or be beaten down. Where, even though bonds of friendship and family were encouraged, so was violence. Killing.

I think that merited the right to a few more tears.

"It's okay."

There was that feeling again. The one of safety and "I'm here, it's alright" that I'd felt in the hospital. I think I remember it being called Positive Intent once, although I didn't remember where. For a moment, I marveled at it. It was such a simple thing, but...so amazing when I really thought about it. It reminded me that chakra wasn't just for killing. It could be used for good things too. To comfort. To heal. To protect.

I liked the sound of that more.

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but as I looked into Tsunade's concerned eyes and managed to smile, I thought that maybe things wouldn't be as bad as I thought.

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Jiraiya watched as Minato neatly placed the final pillow on the bed they'd bought. He honestly thought it could do with less, but far be it for him to ruin his student's good mood.

At least when it came to room decoration.

"You sure about this, kid?"

The blond paused, and it was only then that the trembling of his hands was really noticeable.

"No," was the whispered response.

He sighed and sat down on the bed, gesturing for Minato to do the same. He hated causing doubt in people he cared for, but this was a big responsibility. Minato had to be absolutely sure of himself for this to work.

"So why are you doing it?"

The silence dragged on. Long enough that he was starting to think that he wasn't going to get an answer. Finally, the teen ducked his head, his hands tightly gripping the material of his shorts as he gave a short sardonic laugh.

"I'm just being selfish, I guess."

"Oh?"

"I keep telling myself that this is the best choice. That, with the war just ending, people are going to be concentrating on rebuilding. That no one is going to be thinking about adopting, so she would be better off with me. But...that's not true. I just want it to be."

"Because of who she is."

"Is that wrong?"

His eyes were lost, and pleading. It had been a long time since he'd seen his apprentice so vulnerable, and a part of him let out a sigh of relief. He'd been afraid that the war would kill that bright inner light and leave just the cold, calculating shinobi behind.

"No," he told him, thinking of those he'd loved and lost throughout the years. "It's not."

"Okay."

The second silence was more comfortable than the first.

"Sensei?"

It also didn't last as long.

"What is it now?"

"Thank you."

He looked away, pleased and not wanting to admit it.

"Just go find the little brat and bring her here already, before Tsunade-hime decides to steal her instead."

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"If I wasn't leaving, I'd take you for myself," Tsunade hummed with a smile.

I paused in my contemplation of the two pigtails she'd tied my hair in and looked up. We were currently at a little tea shop not too far from what I thought was the Hokage's building, two cups of tea and a plate of senbei between us. I had to admit, I was a bit wary at first, as is the case when faced with anything new to eat, but both were surprisingly good. Or maybe I was just hungry.

"You seem like a well behaved child. Cute too."

I suppose I was a cute child, given what I remembered my reflection to look like, but it was so different from what I was used to that I had trouble associating that with myself. Among other things, I was supposed to have dark brown hair and hazel eyes, not blonde hair and green. Talk about a complete one-eighty.

Wait. There was something tugging at the edge of my mind, telling me that there was something to that.

"But frankly, I'm already going to be taking one small child around the elemental countries. Having another one is stupid, and besides, Jiraiya's brat claimed you first."

Wait, wait, wait. By "Jiraiya's brat" did she mean- and that he-?

"There you are."

Minato was standing there with a wide grin, completely unaware of my racing thoughts. Of the fact that I'd just realized I was probably related to him in this life...Don't get me wrong, being related to him was worlds better than being related to Kisame or something (brr), but...odds were I was going to be right in the middle of things regardless of what kind of life I chose to lead. Not that I really had a choice as to whether I became a ninja or not now- it was a matter of whether or not I wanted to live at this point.

...But I didn't know if I could.

"Sachiko-chan? Sachiko!"

I jerked and looked up.

"Are you alright?"

That...was a very good question. I couldn't say I was okay, but...it felt like I was dealing with this a lot more calmly than I should have been, earlier freak-out notwithstanding. It might just be that I wasn't as over my shock as I'd thought. Or, I really was in a dream (yes, please) and I couldn't feel the necessary emotions as strongly as if it wasn't- it was hard to tell. Still, in a place like this, it probably wasn't in my best interests to take the situation lightly. So...what to say? It probably wouldn't hurt to be as honest as I could, considering Danzo and Madara were able to manipulate so many people due to a lack of communication.

So, I shrugged hesitantly.

Eloquence, thy name is my own.

Minato sighed, exchanging a look with Tsunade before he kneeled down next to me.

"The Hokage- that's the leader of this village -said it was fine if you stayed with me," he began gently. "I-...I can't promise that it'll be easy, but I'll do my best to look out for you. You won't ever be alone."

Honestly, I had all the reason in the world to refuse. He might promise to never leave me alone, but I knew better. Namikaze Minato was going to die in a decade or so, leaving his loved ones behind to either pick up the pieces or run from the pain. Maybe it was selfish, but I didn't want to be one of those people. I didn't want to get to know him, because I knew I was only signing myself up for heartbreak if I did.

And yet...

There was something in his eyes that spoke of a similar pain, mixed with a sort of desperate loneliness. The same look that his own son would have in the future. Could I really just...turn away from that?

No. I don't think I could.

I doubted I could be a good ninja, but I could be family (what was I to him, anyway?). I could give Minato the chance to know what it was like, seeing as he'd died before he could in the manga. Then, if it came down to it, I could look after Naruto too. No child deserved the kind of life he'd led, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I allowed it knowing I was in the perfect position to actually do something about it.

And I guess...I was kind of scared too. The pain of being alone lasted so much more than that of loss, after all.

I sighed inwardly. I think I was just going around in circles at this point. It was hard not to, honestly, but I doubted the world would wait while I waged war with myself. It would be too busy giving me other things to fight.

I'm sure that one day, I'll be able to think back on this day fondly. Maybe. For now, I could only wonder just what I was getting myself into as I nodded in agreement and allowed myself to be led to my new home.

To begin my new life as Namikaze Sachiko.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End

So...there it was.

I honestly can't think of much to say about it. If you do have any questions, though, feel free to message or review, and I'll do my best to answer. Other than that, I hope you enjoyed it. Take care and until next time!