Summary: She was different from them, in every way. But to be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you into something else, takes courage. It takes courage to stand alone. To ignore the stares. Being different isnt easy. Especially when you're the daughter of Konoha's Orange Hokage.

Disclaimer: As of yet, I do not own Naruto...sigh, wish I did though, then I'd be hella richer.

"To the well-organized mind, Death is but the next great adventure" - Albus Dumbledore, HP

Chapter 1

Darkness

That's all I felt around me

Time and space seemed to be floating by

Ba-dump, ba-dump

I could hear a heart beating, rhythmically. It was soothing. Like a lullaby, lulling me into eternal sleep. I also heard voices, though muffled, around me. One was delicate and sweet. The other was masculine and soft. I like that voice.

It feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket after swimming in the cold ocean.

Death felt almost the same.

It's amazing how humans are more concerned with having than being, that they fail to see how imperfect human beings truly are. Many of us don't realize that in our mindless activity we are missing out on what truly matters. It's almost sad to think about it.

What we know is just a raindrop, what we don't know is an entire ocean.

I died. I knew I did. In fact, I was waiting for death the same way you'd greet an old friend after a long journey. But it seems like I wasn't ready for Death. Or Death wasn't ready for me. I'd already lived through the worst. Why should anything frighten me now?

Like people have once told her, the only certainty in life is death.

For all that, what the child didn't know was that she will be born as the eldest child of Naruto Uzumaki – the child of prophecy and the savior of the shinobi world.

A Phoenix must burn to rise again from the ashes, as a stronger and wiser version of oneself.

She is born in Konoha, the hidden village of the Land of Fire. Where the Will of Fire was born and bred.

Usually, when a child is born, it is treated as a joyous occasion. And it was.

Uzumaki Minako came into this world on a cold day in January.

Her name -picked months before she was even born- a momentum to her late grandfather.

As soon as she felt it, she was gone from the little safe-haven she was comfortably situated in. The child started picking up noises coming from every which way. They spoke in a language she couldn't understand. The child whimpered at the loss but didn't cry.

Abruptly the child was bound and cocooned in some soft material. She was handed from one pair of arms to another until she found herself to be in the arms of a woman. The woman's chest rumbled as she cooed in my ear and said something in that delicate and sweet voice she heard in the darkness. The voices spoke so quickly, she had barely enough time to listen. They sounded gleeful, and as if in celebration, started clapping.

"Is," began a hushed tone, "Is that her?"

When a finger slowly started tracing the child's features and stroked her cheek, she couldn't help but lean into it. A low, wet but masculine chuckle could be heard when the child grabbed his finger, as if the man was crying.

"Come on you guys. Show us the baby," a strong feminine voice said impatiently.

"Don't be in such a rush Sakura. Besides, with Naruto's genes, the baby's bound to be butt-ugly," a wolfish voice snickered.

"OI!"

Chuckles could be heard all around.

The peace didn't last however.

The child found herself to be in great discomfort. Maybe it was for the fact that the temperature out of nowhere changed or that it wasn't peacefully silent anymore. Or maybe it was the fact that she found she couldn't breathe. Suddenly the child found that trying to breathe has never been so hard.

Her mouth dry, she started gagging, trying to get as much oxygen as she could but found herself short of it. As she continued to whimper, she heard the voices around her begin moving.

"Where are the healers?! Sakura! What's happening?!"

The chuckles around her died down, and she felt herself in the arms of someone who was neither the delicate voice nor the masculine. She found herself surrounded by an unfamiliar scent. It smelt of anesthetics. A hospital maybe?

All of a sudden, noise started picking up all around again, and the child was going through a vicious cycle of being handled around, until finally being carted off into a different room. Something was shoved down her throat and goddamit it hurt! On the other hand, her breathing started to even out so she can't really hold it against them, even if it hurt. After a few moments it was removed and plastic tubes were shoved up her nostrils as a glowing hand was pressed on her chest.

Distinctively a voice called out.

"What are you doing?!" he all but shouted, "What's wrong with my daughter?!" his demanding inquiry went ignored as the medics surrounded the child.

The man kept desperately calling out to his child. No one could blame him. Breathing is a sign of life after all.

But the child stayed silent.

He was pacing behind the door his daughter had just been taken through by the medic-nins, wringing his fingers. They told him everything was going to be okay, but he still didn't feel any more relieved than a few moments ago.

His daughter

His little Mina-Chan

She was just so beautiful, like her mother. With a small tuft of hair on her head and two little whisker marks -like his!- on her tiny pudgy cheeks. Even though he didn't yet have the chance to see her eyes, he could bet that they were just as perfect as the rest of her.

She had a small nose, small ears, ten small chubby fingers, everything about her was just so…small and fragile.

He remembered when Hinata had told him that she was pregnant and he, of course, was over the moon about it…after promptly fainting, not that he'll ever admit that to anyone if asked.

He also remembered all the times he had pressed his ear to his wife's stomach just to hear her move, it never ceased to amaze him, the feeling of life thrumming beneath his hand. He sometimes whispered to her to come out as soon as possible because everyone was waiting, 'ttebayo!, to the amusement of Hinata.

This life that his magnificent wife brought to the world, to him. His blood runs through her veins now. He didn't know how he'll be at the job, at fatherhood, and -in all honesty- it scared him. But he was confident that with Hinata and his friends by his side, he'll overcome any obstacle in his way.

He wanted to know what was going on. He wanted to help, but –Damn it! His precious child was in trouble!- he didn't know how and was getting more and more frustrated with each second that passed.

"Usuratonkachi," came a cool voice behind him, a voice he knew exactly who it belonged to. Looking over his shoulder and sure enough his old rival, Sasuke was there. One of his arms missing but no matter how many times Naruto had offered to help him, he won't accept. He's stubborn and proud like that.

Sasuke Uchiha was pardoned from his crimes after the war based on his service in helping undo the Infinite Tsukuyomi, along with a good word from Naruto – just a few years ago he had been the most hated person in Konoha, if he could change their minds and gain their acknowledgement then he could change their minds about Sasuke!- and Kakashi. Though Sasuke left Konoha to wander around the world, curious how different it will appear to him now that his outlook of the world has changed and also to protect his village from the shadows, like his brother once did.

"Sasuke? What are you doing here?"

"Don't get all excited," he put his arm on his hip, "I had important information to give to Kakashi. It's just coincidence that I returned in time for your wife to give birth. Speaking of, what are you doing here? You ran out after those medic-nin in such a rush that you left everyone tending to your wife whose worried sick," he pointed back to where the maternity ward was.

"Argh! Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed and started running to his bed-ridden wife, only to run back right away, "But Minako!"

Rolling his eyes at the antics of his brother in everything but blood, Sasuke deadpanned, "Don't worry. I'll stay here and wait."

Stopping in his tracks Naruto stared at the E.R room and the maternity ward back and forth before coming to a decision and sighing, turning to Sasuke, "As soon as you hear something, come right away!" he demanded, pointing his bandaged index finger at him.

"Got it," Sasuke replied, firmly nodding his head.

Dropping his hand, "Thanks," Naruto said in a softer voice before turning on his heels and running to his wife.

The idiot's so out if it, he didn't even think to use shadow clones, Sasuke shook his head, wondering for the umpteenth time how such a dim-witted knucklehead could have possibly fathered a child when he himself is a child.

But he would be lying –and not for the first time- through his teeth if he said he wasn't even slightly curious of the baby. Although everyone else –except probably Shikamaru- hadn't noticed, for being a newborn, the baby was strangely silent.

The medics were working on the child and though her breathing rate has returned to normal somewhat, it was still very concerning that she hasn't opened her eyes. The child must've sensed this for –with much struggle on her part- she opened her eyes. The medics gasped and sighed in relief, patting each other on the back for yet another successful save.

A large hand took the baby from the nurse's hands, "I'll take her back," holding her awkwardly but tightly against his chest. She opened her eyes once more and stared up at him. He must've noticed her stare for he stopped in his strides and gazed into her eyes. Time seemed to stop between them as he quite blatantly stared at Minako while she just gave a blank stare in return.

"OI! Sasuke you said you'd tell me if they've healed her up!" an annoyed shout came from the end of the hall, swiftly ending their little staring competition.

Sasuke resumed in his track, seemingly walking purposely slow, "Calm down, dobe."

"Come on already!" Naruto was getting restless, he wanted to hold her already.

"Here," Sasuke stiffly held her out to him with his lone arm. Naruto flamboyantly took her, "Finally!" he grinned at her. He just couldn't get enough of her.

"Come, you have a lot of people to waiting for you," he cradled her into his arms and took her into a room which sure enough was packed with people of all kinds.

The reincarnated soul tried to keep her eyes open but the heaviness of her eye lids won over and she closed them but kept her ears open.

"Hey don't hog her all to yourself! Let us see!" a bratty voice whined.

"Patience Hanabi," Hinata quietly chided, "And please don't shout." An understandable request as she was still quite exhausted and still had sweat sticking on her forehead.

And as the baby was passed around, Naruto never failed to hover over the holder's shoulder, making sure no one dropped her on accident. Not that anyone would, Naruto was just nervous, while his wife giggled in the background, still very much charmed by him.

Hinata Hyūga has never been as happy as she was today, her wedding day coming to a second place. As she watches the other girls hold and squeal and coo over her first child, even though she herself only held her once, the joy of even having a child with the man she used to admire from afar, was more than enough. At first she was scared something went wrong with the birthing –she even tried to follow Naruto who went after the medic-nin, but her body was still weak from birthing- but seeing and getting to hold her in her arms was exhilarating. It was so good to see everyone in high spirits, even her father and sister who never left her side when guests were allowed inside their hospital room.

She only wished Neji was here as well, to share their happiness.

Meanwhile Naruto seemed to have a burst of passion as he had an –in his mind- amazing idea.

Sweeping her out of Hyūga Hiashi's arms, he teleported on top of Kakashi's huge head on the Hokage monument and held her out for the whole village to see, "YOSH! I'M A FATHER NOW!" he gleefully yelled, for the whole village to hear.

Then the baby started loudly crying, no doubt frightened.

"NARUTO!" Everyone gathered at the hospital yelled out the window in unison, some in anger and some in exasperation.

Naruto just laughed at them and snuggled his baby closer to him.

Uzumaki Minako, he couldn't wait to be her father.

A/N Had this idea stuck in my head for a while now and thought to hell with it, let's make a fanfic about an SI as Naruto's daughter. Gomen, I just had to write it!

So what do you think this OC should look like?

R&R

Figuring out what to write in the next chapter,

XOXO, Kamigami