Uchiha Izumi was emotionally distressed when the world shifted on its axis. It felt like waking up from a dream. When the two realities are still in existence but the mind cannot decide which one is reality and which one dream. The argument from the moment before felt like trivial and dreams of a lifetime clamored for attention. The perceptive kid sitting beside her noticed, how her kind and expressive face which was animated in pain and despair moments before suddenly clamed up and focused.
"As I was saying, following your father is no reason to be a shinobi", Itachi soldiered on.

"Oh Itachi, don't make your girlfriend cry", Shinko teased.

Izumi tried to control the bewildered look on her face and take stalk of her surroundings. 'Am I still dreaming?' she thought but chose to make a leading question instead, "Why do you think so?" Like her ninja training recommended, she was on full information gathering mode to quickly reorient herself to the new environment. Wait, Ninja training! What was she smoking? But she was a ninja, as was her parents, as was the boy next to her- Uchiha Itachi, the love of her life or was supposed to be. She remembered fawning over him and holding him to a higher pedestal. But Uchiha Itachi was the killer of the Uchiha clan and also the killer of one Uchiha Izumi, her! The thought was alarming.

Itachi was surprised. He expected an accusatory tone, but Izumi seemed to be genuinely curious. Her brows were furrowed in deep thought. As alien as that was in her face, the pensive look suited her. He decided to test the water by revealing some of his thoughts. "If you become a shinobi just because you admire your father, you will not be prepared for the difficult choices and painful experiences you will face. A girl like you shouldn't have to go through an experience like that". One less shinobi meant one less conflict, Itachi thought.

Izumi blinked. "Difficult choices, huh?" like killing your family? She wanted to say, "Why did you become shinobi then?"

"To bring about peace. The strongest will end the wars.

"By winning them you mean. But violence begets violence. Do you think the victims of violence won't seek revenge? Violence can never end wars especially when the Ninja villages thrive on war. Or did you mean only peace for ninja kids?"

That was beyond her years, Itachi thought, surprised. But then Itachi was also different.

Shinko cleared her throat. "Guys, I don't think you mean to criticize the village." That startled Itachi. But with unusual poise Izumi replied, "That was hypothetical of course, just like Itachi's suggestion about why I shouldn't be a Shinobi, right Itachi-kun?"

"I will see you later", she said without waiting for his reply and Itachi thought 'I will keep an eye on that one'.

Izumi left the tea shop deep in thought. She had two contradictory set of 'realities' in her head and sanity demanded she forget one like a bad dream while prudence demanded she pay heed to the warnings. Although, weren't they just wild allegations? Or part of a 'children's story', according to the 'reality' that warn of these. Then again her life up to now would be part of this 'story'. As she made her way through the village, entered the Uchiha district, the place at once seemed familiar and farthest from her reality. Buildings and clothes are not like this, not from where she comes from. Uchiha massacre doesn't happen, said another part of her mind. 'Hush, it happens, in the story of course', said another part. Well at least I haven't heard of a coup plan here, she thinks relieved. Her thoughts are interrupted by Uchiha Hikaru, a clan elder.

"If it isn't Izumi, the youngest to gain a Sharingan. It's disappointing you are graduating so late, considering." His disapproving look however turned to puzzled curiosity as he gave her a look over. Finally he seemed to come to a decision, "Well you can still be useful I guess. Why don't you attend the clan meeting tomorrow after your exam?" That sent a foreboding down her spine.

"Yes, Hikaru-sama." Izumi demurred.

"That night Izumi asked her mother, "Is the Uchiha planning a coup?"

Her mother was startled. Then she seemed to consider. "Have the elders approached you?"

"Hikaru-sama asked me to join the clan meeting. But there is a coup right?"

"I don't know how you reached this conclusion, Izumi, but yes, the clan is not happy about our persecution. We are barred from the elite ranks, sensitive missions and village administration because they have already unofficially branded us traitors. They blame us for the Kyuubi attack even though your father died to protect the village." This was personal.

"How do you mean to succeed? Konoha is mighty even without the Uchiha, this will lead to wholesale slaughter of us all." Izumi was thinking quickly.

"Don't you think we know that? But it is unacceptable for the Uchiha to be treated as such in a village we built on our blood and sweat. Besides, we will be slaughtered whether we take up weapon or not if this situation of suspicion persists. Do you really think the village will risk our doujutsu falling into the hands of their enemy? If it comes to that they will slaughter us to the last babe than let us separate from this village. So, you see we have no other choice. We have been herded into a pen like sheep for slaughter. At least with this coup we will have the element of surprise. Besides, we also have Shishui and Itachi."

It's not much of a surprise if the opponent knows about it, she thought. Wasn't it Itachi who gave out the information to the village? She struggled to come clean- to this woman, who was her mother, who has single-handedly raised her after her father's death. Surely she will understand. But when even she herself was not convinced about these foreboding thoughts, others will surely not believe. The Uchiha madness was rather infamous, no one wanted a reputation for that. "Is it wise to hinge the clan's life and death on only two people?" she hedged.

"They are the prodigies who comes once in a lifetime. They are our best chance." It felt like a prayer. They are kids with questionable loyalty to the clan, she wanted to say, but chose to let it go for now. Her mother was not the one to effect change in this clan. She was however an honest source of information whom she could ask without fear of reprisal.

Now that the coup was real, there was imminent danger in her future, whether Itachi was the perpetrator or not. Besides, she has to at least entertain the idea that the coup might be sabotaged from within. She was an old soul trapped in a child's body, trapped by inescapable circumstances. But she was also a ninja. She was not helpless. She just needed a plan.