Changing Fate

A thin stream of flame streaked out of Kinjo's mouth while he stood on the pond. His legs wobbled as he closed his eyes and churned his insides. The fire sputtered but continued to burn, a torch of progress that shone on the water's surface.

Another tremble, and his eyes flew open. He ran to the safety of the earth, his feet creating larger rings with each stride. Kinjo's feet sank into the water on the last few steps, dampening his sandals and legs as he scrambled onto the shore.

He flopped on the ground like a fish and checked his wristwatch. "Thirty seconds this time… Huh."

It was a few months after his second year in the Academy began, and he was about to turn eight. He had learned plenty in the past year, with Itachi and Izumi assisting his training immensely. He was confident that if he took the Genin test with his current abilities, he would pass it with flying colors. Yet, he still had much to learn; the last place he wanted to learn was on a battlefield.

The training was a new method to exercise his chakra control and his Fire affinity. While he could stand on the water for hours on end, he wasn't able to use any jutsu while water walking. His concentration and control were limited to one or the other. Hence his attempts to master both at the same time.

"If I can't do this much, then I can't start on the more advanced nature training," Kinjo grumbled as he jumped onto his feet and embraced the warmth of the sun. "Breathing it out of my mouth is hard enough… Summoning flames on other parts of my body or even turning my chakra into something like oil sounds tiring."

He had a big headstart on the other students, thanks to his rigorous training over the past year and a half. Nevertheless, there were limits to his training. Kinjo wasn't a prodigy like Itachi; it took him time to improve every aspect of his shinobi skillset. Chiefly, his ninjutsu.

After planting his feet and running through six hand signs, Kinjo opened his mouth. "Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu."

Half a dozen baseball-sized fireballs shot out of his mouth and whizzed around like fireflies. He furrowed his brows and used his hands to direct them to collide with targets drawn onto the ground,

All of them struck their targets, making him grin.

He had the first step nailed down. Now, he would need to work on the second step: infusing these fireballs with shurikens or other things to make them deadly.

Kinjo pulled out a handful of shurikens from a pouch in his pocket and placed them in front of his mouth. He held them loosely as he blew toward the sky. "

The shurikens left his hand and attached to the fireballs, spinning into the sky as he used his hands to guide them. The fire tugged and responded to his commands but struggled to carry the shurikens into the air. Instead of soaring to their targets, they bombarded the ground before him, making him leap back with a frown.

"So there's a limit to what I can control with the fireballs…." Kinjo grimaced as he picked up the shurikens. A few were dented from the impact as his hand instinctively reached toward his wallet. "That's another week of allowance gone."

He placed them back into his pouch and ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess it all comes down to practicing my nature transformation."

His hands weaved two hand signs: ox and tiger. He exhaled noisily and created a clone from the embers spewed out of his mouth. "Yojin Bunshin no Jutsu (Ember Clone Jutsu)."

"Yo," His clone waved at him after it finished forming. Occasionally, the clone flickered, revealing the intense flames beneath the surface. A thin layer of chakra held it together, completing the illusion of a solid clone. "The usual?"

"Yep. Make sure to keep a close eye on the conversion process itself."

The other Kinjo nodded.

"Here I go again," Kinjo clapped his hands together and focused on his stomach. His chakra swirled, changing its form and burning his insides. He maintained the fire while holding his breath, the flames tickling his throat.

He placed a single leaf in his mouth and allowed a small amount of fire to seep in. His face twisted as the taste of ash and burnt leaves invaded his senses. Small grains rattled around his mouth while the bitter powder pulsated heat on his tongue.

"Looks good. It looks much better than the first time we tried this thing." His clone mused. The clone was entirely made of fire and could sense the conversion of Kinjo's chakra. "We have the Great Fireball Jutsu nailed down already. Why are we training like this again?"

"It's good practice."

"Why have the leaf inside the mouth?'

"You're my clone; you know exactly why…." Kinjo belched, spitting out the ashes and rinsing his mouth with water. "We can't turn our chakra into ash if we don't get used to this feeling."

His clone scowled. "Just seeing you react makes me want to throw up."

"Don't worry, that's for next time."

"Now what?"

Kinjo dug out the remaining ash in his mouth with his hands. "Now, we try again. This time, we turn up the heat and use leaves to create a smokescreen.."

"I hate my job."

"You're me."

"You hate it too."

"Practice is practice," Kinjo shrugged.

He shoved several leaves in his mouth and ran through several hand signs. His words were muffled, but he managed to shout out the jutsu. "Hiding in Ash Jutsu."

Compared to the other Fire jutsu he knew, this one was technically the easiest. The instructions were simple: create a smokescreen using chakra-infused ash that blocked an opponent's vision and burned them if they touched the ash.

The snag was that converting his chakra into ash was a step beyond him. He could mold his chakra into fire relatively quickly now, but changing chakra into ash or any other substance was the next step in his transformation training.

He hadn't grasped that even after spending months of effort.

His solution was to… get creative. Which, in this case, meant using actual ash from his mouth to use the jutsu.

A spray of ash shot into the air, blanketing the air in a thick cloud. It followed the wind and whirled around, floating higher and disappearing after a minute.

"You can't control it 'cause that ash wasn't infused with chakra."

"I knew that." Kinjo retorted.

"You looked a little too happy."

"Yep, it's our first time trying it, and it worked."

"If the wind blows in the wrong direction, it's useless."

Kinjo tapped his head. "Spray it into their face."

"We put the leaves in our mouth, use the jutsu, and spray the ash into someone's face all in the heat of battle? Can we even do that when we're locked in close combat with someone?" His clone probed, grabbing a leaf from Kinjo and spewing out a smokescreen of his own.

"That's why we're going to practice both our ninjutsu and tessenjutsu. Our new toy might help us with blowing the smokescreen into the direction we want." Kinjo pulled out a flat weapon from his back and grinned. "It's time."

The weapon of choice for Uchiha Madara.

There were dozens of different weapons he could've chosen. Instead of selecting a more popular option, like a sword, he settled on the gunbai as he saw its potential. The fan would give him more defensive coverage and allow him to create space for himself in a close-combat fight. If he added a chain, he could use it as a long-range weapon. Additionally, he could use the fan to enhance Wind jutsu, which he could use to supplement his Fire jutsu. While that was a goal for the far future, he knew it would be a devastating ace if he mastered the fan.

The gunbai was the product of saving up money for a year. His allowance and his sale of jerky to Shin allowed him to gather around 5000 Ryo. It was just enough to purchase a gunbai from a weapons store, one that was made out of oak. While the fan was considered a weapon tailored to the Uchiha, it wasn't illegal for him to wield one. However, he had to search several stores to find a gunbai, and he would have to make a personal order for any replacements in the future.

It was dark green with crimson-red borders, resembling a burning leaf. The fan came up to his chest, and the handle was wrapped with black tape, making gripping easier. A small magnet was lodged into the middle, which locked the gunbai in place when he stored it on his back.

"Too bad I can't learn how to use it from the Uchiha… I'll need to find a teacher."

"Ask the man from the weapons store if he knows anyone. Maybe there's some other non-Uchiha shinobi that uses it."

"I was just going to say that."

While several Uchiha used the gunbai for combat, his request for a teacher was denied by Itachi as most of the forms and styles were considered hiden. The only advice he received was to practice with the gunbai and familiarize himself with the weight and length. After that, he needed to weave it seamlessly into his close combat techniques.

"Easier said than done," Kinjo held it with two hands and swung at his clone, who evaded his attacks. "This is surprisingly light, though."

"It's pretty thin and made out of wood. Imagine if we get one that's made of metal."

"That would be pretty… metal."

"I hate myself," His clone deadpanned.

The fan whooshed over the clone's head as it ducked away from a blow to the head, its form flickering from the sudden gust of wind. "How does it look?"

"You look clumsy as hell, like a rowdy drunk."

"So, nowhere near combat-ready."

"Three out of ten, if I'm being generous." The clone said as he dodged several strikes to avoid getting bashed.

"Then more reason for me to practice more." Kinjo jabbed the gunbai at the clone's legs, forcing him to jump into the air.

He whacked his clone while it was in the air, using the fan as a giant fly swatter. The gunbai went through the clone harmlessly, who looked at him in disapproval. "You were thinking of a fly swatter, weren't you?"

"What do you think?"

"That we're lame." The clone muttered before disappearing into a plume of smoke.

"Maybe I can ask Izumi about any sword styles that might help…."

"That was so cool! You made a copy of yourself and beat it up!"

He turned around to come face to face with his sister, who was looking up at him with a dazzling smile.

His sister had grown three inches in a year, and her hair was now beyond her shoulders. She was still smaller than he was, but she was definitely growing bigger.

"Mika? What are you doing here?" Kinjo asked as he attached the gunbai to his back.

"Daddy told me where you were! I followed his directions, and here I am!"

Kinjo groaned. "I shouldn't have shown him where the training ground was."

"I want to see more!" Mika cheered. "You said you can do fireballs! I want to see you make them!"

"They're not for show. One day, I'm going to have to fight to the death and use them to win."

"But I wanna see," She whined.

"Ok, but if I show you my fireball, then you have to promise you won't be a shinobi and stay at home with mom and dad."

"No!"

"Then no fireball."

She sat in a huff and crossed her arms, her eyebrows furrowing as she thought. After a few seconds, she had her answer. "Ok, fine! Just show me the fireball."

"You promised," Kinjo reminded her. "Great Fireball Jutsu!"

A fireball the size of a water-walking ball manifested on top of the pond, boiling the water below. Mika watched with wide eyes and a gasp as the fire swirled.

Kinjo cut off the jutsu shortly after, as he had already used up a considerable amount of chakra from his earlier training. "Happy? Now let's go home."

"Show me how to do it!" Mika demanded.

"It took me a year and a half to get that right. Besides, you haven't even started training your chakra."

"Then teach me!"

"Mika." Kinjo's voice deepened as he glared at his sister. "You promised."

"I had my fingers crossed!"

Instead of answering, he tossed her on his shoulders and walked out of the training ground.

She wriggled to break free from his grasp. "No! I'm going to be a shinobi!"

"I swear… I'm going to turn into mom one day." He grumbled as he carried her away.

+++++

"You too?"

"What, did Sasuke beg to learn the fireball?"

"No, but he has been getting too close to me when I'm training."

Kinjo, Itachi, and Izumi sat together in an outdoor yakisoba restaurant outside the Uchiha Compound. While the Uchiha district had many good restaurants, Izumi claimed it was "too stuffy" at times. Hence, they were in the center of the village, away from the eyes of other Uchiha.

A few weeks had passed since Kinjo ran into his sister at his training area, and she was still bugging him to no end. He had brought up this new issue with his friends and discovered Itachi displaying a sympathetic frown.

"Having siblings sounds tiring," Izumi observed as she flicked her chopsticks around. "How do you guys laze around at home?"

The two boys looked at each other and smirked. Itachi spoke up first. "We don't."

"It's either training, studying, or caring for our siblings," Kinjo added. "Or, in my case, working at the store during weekends."

"For me, taking missions."

She massaged her temples and placed her head on the table. "That sounds terrible! Even I relax for an hour or two before I go to sleep. How are you guys alive?"

"We sleep as well," Itachi said.

"Even when we're sleeping, we train. I wake up every day with a leaf swirling on my forehead."

"Weren't you the one that said Itachi needed a better hobby?" Izumi mused.

"I… enjoy good food?" Kinjo said.

"Right, good food." Her stomach growled as the scent of noodles and meat became sharper. She blushed while looking at Itachi. "That wasn't me."

Itachi stared at a passing couple and turned back to her. "I'm sorry. Did something happen?"

"You're a natural," Kinjo mused as he leaned back in his chair. "So, any interesting missions lately?"

He frowned. "My jonin leader refuses to accept anything difficult or go anywhere near the frontlines. We've been mainly doing C-rank missions that involve delivering messages to outposts."

"Sounds more exciting than sitting around here."

"Ooh, you've also been going to those meetings, right? What do they talk about?" Izumi inquired.

Suddenly, Itachi stood up and glared at Izumi, peeking at Kinjo while moving toward her. After sharing a few hushed words with her, he returned to his seat while she looked frightened. It was an unfamiliar burst of anger that he had never seen in him, as he was usually serious but friendly.

Even without knowing what they said, Kinjo understood what they were talking about; the secret Uchiha Clan meetings discussing their grievances against the village.

Since he became a genin, Itachi was busy on Saturday evenings, excusing himself for "personal training." Kinjo never questioned him about this to avoid suspicion but noticed Itachi's downcast expression whenever he saw him the next day. There were still about five years left before the Massacre occurred, but it was sobering to see familiar events beginning to happen.

Itachi smiled at him, his previous anger absent. "Sorry about that. It's clan stuff,"

"Sure, sure. I'm sure the Uchiha Clan has a lot of cool and top-secret clan stuff."

"It's more boring than you may think."

"Adults talking usually is," Kinjo acknowledged. "By the way, Izumi, do you know any sword styles that can be used for a fan?"

"Your gunbai?" Izumi pointed to the weapon strapped on his back. "I think I might know a few that can help…."

When their food was served, any mentions of the Uchiha secret meetings faded away.

As Kinjo dug into his inviting chicken teriyaki yakisoba, a boy walked up to their table and waved at Itachi. "Yo, Itachi. With your girlfriend again?"

"Shisui, you're finally back," Itachi smiled at the newcomer as he welcomed him. "You've met Izumi before, but meet Kinjo."

"This is your other friend, huh? Pretty small circle you kept for yourself." Shisui chuckled as he shook their hands. "Nice to meet ya. I'm Shisui, Itachi's other friend."

"You only have a few friends yourself," Itachi noted.

The older boy was taller than even Itachi, and his raven hair reached the bottom of his neck. His attire was similar to Sasuke's before the Chunin Exams, in addition to a tanto on his back. He was already famous, with rumors abounding of his ability to use the Body Flicker Jutsu to its utmost potential. Itachi had mentioned Shisui in passing a few times, but he was always busy with missions due to his talent.

Kinjo clasped Shisui's hand as he looked at his grinning face. He looked at Itachi, who looked content at his friends' presence, while Izumi was fidgeting at Shisui's comment with a bright smile.

A shudder ran down his spine as Shisui chatted up Itachi again. He looked at his plate with distaste, flicking the noodles as his eyes gravitated toward the other two boys.

It was a picture-perfect moment: a group of friends eating in the middle of a busy village, filled with bustling streets and shining into the evening sky with its electric lights.

The first step was coming soon in two weeks; he was prepared to use his knowledge to save a life. Just a single life seemed insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but every life was worth saving, or at least trying to save.

"Especially when I know what to do," Kinjo muttered to himself.

+++++

"With this treaty, the war with Kumo will now come to an end, and peace will rule the Land of Fire once more."

Cheers broke out at the Hokage's declaration as hundreds of shinobi and thousands of civilians assembled in front of the Hokage Tower celebrated the news. Next to the Hokage was a Kumo shinobi, whose right eye was covered by his headband. He waved at the crowd with a smirk, eliciting a loud response.

No one knew what the terms of the treaty were, but it didn't matter. After years of war, Konoha was now at peace. No more shinobi needed to die in a bloody struggle over foreign territory. No more civilians would be murdered, and towns would no longer be razed.

It was over; that's what mattered.

As if it was that simple. Even in the other world, it was never that simple.

Kinjo scowled at the arrogant Head Jonin of Kumo and ran away from the ceremony to a nearby public restroom. After it emptied out, he entered one of the stalls and focused his mind on an actor he remembered from his previous life. He flicked through two hand signs and transformed.

When he walked out of the stalls and to the sink, he was now Simu Liu with a flak vest and black pants. He touched his face in the mirror and smirked. "It's time for a crossover."

He patted his pants, which still carried the three envelopes he had prepared beforehand. Walking out of the bathroom, he ran to the Hyuga District nearby and examined his surroundings. A Hyuga shinobi wearing standard combat attire caught his eye, and he jogged over to him with an envelope in hand. When they were far from other pedestrians, Kinjo waved him to the side.

"Hello," Kinjo's deep, modified voice rumbled as he spoke. "Can I ask you for a favor?"

The Hyuga stared at him and raised an eyebrow. "Do I know you?"

"No, but I need you to help me with something. It's a crucial and pressing matter."

"What is it?"

Kinjo handed him the envelope and patted his hand. "Deliver that to your clan head. The content of this letter is sensitive, but feel free to open it to ensure it's safe."

"How about you open it and prove to me that it's not an attempt at Hiashi-sama's life?" He answered as he shifted his feet.

"Sure." Kinjo shrugged and opened the envelope. He took out the letter and flipped it. "It's just a letter."

"It will still be screened nonetheless." The Hyuga snatched the letter and stuffed it back into the envelope. "What is so important about this?"

"He will know. I am just an information broker, nothing more. Make sure he receives the letter before night falls. If not, this information will be worthless. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Before the Hyuga could ask more questions, he replaced himself with a log and watched the bewildered shinobi look at the envelope. Without opening it, he ran towards one of the mansions with due haste.

"Success? Hopefully," Kinjo muttered. "Still have to give these two out, just in case. Why hedge my bet on a single stranger?"

With that, he hopped away, looking for new targets.

+++++

Hyuga Hiashi gripped the letter and rested his head with the other. "How?"

He was sitting alone in his room, isolated from the rest of the mansion. This was the second letter he had received in two hours. The screening of the letters found no evidence of explosive tags or any written formulas that could threaten his life. The first was delivered by a breathless genin from the Branch family, and the second was sent to him by a doubtful chunin from the Main family.

Both had reported a strange Leaf shinobi who they had never seen before handing them the letters, urging them to hand over the letters as fast as possible. Once it became clear the letters were non-threatening, they were sent with due haste.

Hiashi could see why the letters required his attention.

He had already read the first letter with great interest, and the second letter was the same as the first. Yet, reading the content shocked him each time because it was impossible, improbable.

Placing the letter on the small tea table before him, his eyes scanned the words again.

"To Hyuga Hiashi-sama, with great respects.

I will get straight to the point. There will be an attempt to kidnap Lady Hinata by Kumo, who are after the Byakugan. The kidnapper will be the Head Jonin of Kumo, the very man that is leading the Kumo delegation for the peace talks. This entire negotiation is a ruse for them to acquire one of Konoha's most prized dojutsu.

Do not kill the Head Jonin, as I have discovered that Kumo may attempt to use his death as a negotiation piece to acquire the Byakugan if the kidnapping fails. Capture him, and let him be interrogated. He is the second-in-command of Kumo; he is bound to have plenty of information that can be used as leverage.

Additionally, I wish Lady Hinata the happiest of birthdays. I hope her birthday will consist of nothing but safety and joy.

Best regards,

Simu."

"If this… Simu is correct, then Kumo is more daring than I ever imagined." Hiashi grimaced as he imagined his daughter being kidnapped. "This seems too far-fetched to be true."

Why would Kumo choose today, out of all days, to kidnap Hinata? Due to her birthday celebrations, most of the Hyuga members, including himself, were within the district. If a Kumo shinobi attempted to invade his house, he and the others would know almost instantly.

Then he remembered... The festivities. Even the usual stoic members of the Hyuga Clan enjoyed the occasional celebrations. A large party to celebrate the war's end was planned to occur within the Hyuga Compound late in the evening. He had planned to attend as well, to honor the members of his clan that fought in the war and to raise a toast. The entire clan, including the Branch members, was expected to attend. Was it possible that someone within his own clan betrayed this information to unsavory informants?

And the peace treaty being a ruse to seize the Byakugan? Why? Kumo wanted peace just as much as Konoha did. The war over the Land of Hot Water had stalemated, and both sides were exhausted from the war. Perhaps Konoha desired peace more than Kumo, but the situation was not ideal for anyone involved.

"Even so, Kumo would've never acquired our dojutsu if the kidnapping failed."

The internal workings of the Hyuga Clan were a secret to protect the clan from outside threats. If information about the Caged Bird Seal became public knowledge, then it would threaten the security measures that were kept to keep the dojutsu safe. It was why the Seal, and all information about it, were hiden.

Not even the Uchiha Clan knew about the Seal; otherwise, they would've used it for themselves. If there was a clan that was more prideful than theirs, it was the Uchiha Clan.

"I will need to inform Hokage-sama about this information broker, but for now," Hiashi yelled out the window. "Atsushi! Keiichi!"

"Yes, Hiashi-sama!" The two Branch members flickered into his room.

"I want both of you to be on the lookout for any intruders tonight. Be vigilant, as someone will attempt to infiltrate our compound. Alert the guards as well."

"Of course, Hiashi-sama!"

"And if you discover the intruder, do not engage them and inform me immediately. I will confront him myself. No matter what happens, he must be captured alive to pay for his crimes. I will not tolerate failure."

As the two Branch members dispersed, Hiashi activated his Byakugan and looked around the house. His vision settled on his young daughter playing happily with his wife in the living room. Seeing Hinata made him grip his fists and slam them onto the table.

It was doubtful that Kumo would attempt such a blatant act of aggression, but if any of their shinobi did, they would pay.

He deactivated his dojutsu and stood outside the living room. For the next several hours, he tailed Hinata from a distance, ensuring she was carefree and happy instead of screaming in fear. Hiashi smiled as his wife laughed with their daughter, enjoying her third birthday.

When night fell, he reactivated his Byakugan and scanned the surroundings of his home. Every opening and potential entrance was carefully watched using the all-seeing dojutsu. As the minutes ticked by, a seed of doubt was planted in his mind. Was the letter just a joke to make him feel paranoid and angry on his daughter's birthday?

"Hiashi-sama," Atsushi appeared in front of him and bowed. "Someone has snuck into the property from the eastern walls. Keiichi is shadowing him as we speak, but the intruder is hasty and advancing towards the main building."

The eastern wing was where Hinata and his wife were sleeping.

Ice ran through his blood as he gritted his teeth. "Rally the guards and alert every shinobi in the vicinity. I will not allow this intruder to escape at any cost."

After the Branch member left, Hiashi bolted to the eastern wing of his house and swept the area with his Byakugan. From the corner of his eyes, he spotted a masked man leaping into the air and landing on the roof. Far behind the intruder was Keiichi, who had a kunai in hand and was prepared to strike the man down at a moment's notice. He noticed Hiashi in the distance and nodded.

Hiashi motioned to him and jumped onto the roof. The intruder sprung away, hurtling away from the mansion and toward the empty streets.

"You will not get away." Hiashi proclaimed as he entered his Gentle Fist stance and chased after him. "You dared to enter my house so brazenly; I assume you have an important goal in mind!"

The masked assailant turned towards him with lightning crackling between his fingers, but as he did, Keiichi dashed out of the shadows and attacked from the rear. Seeing that his opponent was temporarily distracted, Hiashi bolted into melee range and struck out his hands. "Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Keiichi blocked his escape with his body, throwing several kunai at the legs of the stranger to cripple him. The trespasser jumped and rushed Keiichi, but Hiashi was a step faster and stepped into his opponent's guard without hesitation. "Two hands!"

His hands slammed into the stomach and chest as he changed course. "Four hands!"

"Eight hands!"

"Sixteen hands!'

"Thirty-two hands!"

"Sixty-four hands!"

After the barrage ended, he crumpled onto the ground. Hiashi removed the mask hiding his face and saw an unfamiliar man in agony. He swiftly knocked him out before he could say a word.

"That… that is the Head Jonin of Kumo! What is he doing here?" Keiichi stammered as he inspected the trespasser's face. The stranger wasn't wearing any distinct gear to display his village loyalties, but the Head Jonin of Kumo had been seen in the ceremony just several hours prior. With that in mind, Hiashi believed in his clan member's words.

Hiashi held back a fist aimed at the Head Jonin's throat. If Simu was correct, and he was correct so far, then Kumo would use the man's death as leverage to force terms. The Head Jonin's killer would've been demanded, which would've been him.

And it was entirely possible that due to his position as clan head, his twin brother would volunteer to take his place.

It was a sobering thought.

Death was too kind for him; he would pay for his crimes with valuable information for Konoha. If given the opportunity, Hiashi would lead Konoha's forces himself to strike a crippling blow against Kumo.

A dozen Hyuga Clan members and ANBU landed in front of them. Hiashi shoved him to ANBU with a scowl. "Inform Hokage-sama that this man invaded my house and attempted to kidnap my daughter for her dojutsu. There must be repercussions for this."

As the group carried the Head Jonin away, Hiashi looked toward the eastern wing of his home with an unsteady smile.