She had never seen Gai mad before. He has always been a man who was naturally loud, but that stemmed from his passion and excitement. She had never even so much as seen Gai frown or look upset.

And perhaps she never will, because what she had seen wasn't Gai being annoying, or angry, or even pissed off.

Gai was absolutely livid after he saw her condition and heard what happened with Kurenai. Coming back from a stressful week-long mission in what was basically a warzone only to hear that your student was traumatized and mind fucked would probably do that to a person, especially if said person who put them in that state was a friend you entrusted them too in the first place.

She didn't quite remember seeing Gai, but then again she didn't remember much of those few days and was pretty unresponsive to most things. Even Itachi's visit didn't register nor Anko.

Hell, the boy was so upset he managed to unlock his Sharingan!

Talk about too op, plz nerf. He wasn't supposed to have them until he was 8 and Obito killed his team. Things were already changing, hopefully for the better.

Apparently she did have a bit of a reaction to Ichiraku's ramen though. Who would've thought that the heir of the famed Uchiha clan and a prodigious 12-year-old Chunin couldn't even compete with a bowl of noodles and soup?

She did manage to convince them that it wasn't Kurenai's fault. Well not completely. Still, the friendship between Gai, Anko, and Kurenai was understandably strained from the incident.

After two weeks of being hospitalized, she felt mostly better.

Incredibly paranoid that everyone she met wasn't who they actually were and a healthy fear of insects aside of course. Although it was completely justified paranoia, they taught goddamn 6-year-olds how to transform for god's sake. She still tried to subtly test Itachi and Gai to prove that they were who they say they were at times though.

Speaking of Gai, perhaps it was from all the guilt he felt having indirectly caused her situation, but he was spending far more time with her and was also more protective. It was both nice and horrible at the same time.

Even for her, there was only so much Gai she could put up with at once before her social batteries drained.

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Julia was currently in training ground 32. It was pretty boring all in all, just a bunch of dirt everywhere and a bunch of rocky outcrops. She was currently on top of an especially tall and flat one, standing in the tradition Horse Stance with her legs spread far and forming right angles. It has been 3 hours and with the sun beaming down on her head she was soaked in sweat. Normally such an exercise wouldn't be too much of an issue for her heavily conditioned body, that is if that was all she was doing.

On her head, wrists, thighs, and shoulders were full teacups. The slightest twitch or wavering in her stance would surely send them spilling all over herself and crashing on the floor. She was also holding onto two incredibly heavy dumbells, and did she mention that Gai finally got her a lighter copy of his infamous orange weights? Like an idiot, she also asked for a pair for her arms.

Oh, and she was also trying to keep this stupid leaf on her forehead while Shisui fucking Uchiha, the genius of the clan only matched by Itachi or Madara himself, was spamming Genjutsu after Genjutsu on her. It was complete horse shit that he could cast a Genjutsu in a goddamn second without any effort just by looking at her.

Seriously, he did it with such ease that he was laying on the ground reading a book! Every time she struggled to get out of one illusion he'd already be on the next chapter or two. A single glance at her and she'd be trapped once more and he'd simply go back to reading. He didn't even like reading! She knows for a fucking fact that he was doing it simply to mess with her, but by gods if it wasn't working.

Hax, complete Haxs I say!

It didn't help that she was only at half a tank in the Chakra department, thanks to her ingenious idea and no small amount of puppy dog eyes.

She managed to convince Gai to teach her the bread and butter of all Naruto fanfics and power fantasy. The Shadow clone Jutsu! She could make 3 max, but apparently that was already incredibly impressive since making even one was frankly considered impossible at her age.

Well unless you were a Jinchuriki perhaps. Or a monster like Kisame?

She was pretty sure Gai didn't actually expect her to be able to do it and was simply humoring her. It was a dangerous technique after all. All, all her Chakra control and training had paid off.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

While her real body was busy training on warding off and detecting Genjutsu from a pro, Itachi and her were having a Genjutsu match so she could also practice using it. Anko and her third clone were off doing who the hell knows what at this point.

She took a peek at the sun overhead. 

It was almost lunchtime. 

It's ok Julia, just a bit more now. Soon you'll be able to sit down and enjoy some good old Ichiraku... Then again it's really friggin hot. Was ice cream a thing in this world..? And if not, could I make it one? Honestly, I should learn to shut my goddamn mouth and stop giving hypothetical suggestions or ideas to the training maniac crazy enough to actually do it. Worst of all, or best depending on how you look at it, it was actually working! I almost feel sorry for Lee, the poor bastard doesn't know what's coming for him because of his amazingly smart Sempai keeps egging on Gai.

She managed to persevere through sheer will power, and no little amount of hypnotizing herself with images of all the food she could eat after this hell was over. Maybe she could convince Mikoto to take her and Itachi on a sweets binge eating session?

She'd need the energy for when they moved on to having her do this while water walking. 

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"You. Fucking. Treacherous. Whore."

The sheer venom within those words was almost palpable. The target of all her rage and hatred jumped in surprise at the sudden hiss before turning around and sending a deadpan stare at the girl.

"Wouldn't that make you a treacherous whore too, considering, ya know, I'm a clone of you and all?"

"Silence knave! Shadow clones don't even need to eat. Repent for your sins!" With a bone shatter kick, the clone was sent flying far into the sky before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Julia couldn't believe the nerve of the creature, sitting here and relaxing, eating her food, with her money, all while she had to work her ass off sweating in the goddamn sun and dealing with Shisui's smug grinning face.

The sound of a baby's giggle brought her out of her stewing thoughts.

"Well, hello there Sasuke, did ya miss me? Did ya?"

Judging by the giggle she got, due to no small part of her finger rubbing his belly, it was a definite yes. Mikoto didn't say anything and just seemed to be amused with the byplay she just witnessed. Thankfully she still brought out a fresh plate of fruits so that the real Julia could enjoy some this time.

"How did your training session go this today, dear?"

"Same as always, it sucked balls, but I can feel myself getting stronger so I can't complain."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find a way to do it anyway, kind of like how you just did five seconds ago."

"Well, you know what they say. Where there's a will, there's a way and all that jazz."

Mikoto simply quirked a brow in amusement at the unfamiliar phrase, but she was used to the weird girl by now and just nodded in acceptance. Julia couldn't be bothered to pretend to be normal anymore or watch her words. She had gotten close to the Uchiha family, heck the guess room was practically her's by now at this point. Plus she already learned that Ninjas weren't normal anyway and a few quirks here and there was actually less suspicious. Only weaklings and losers were neurotypical.

"So, got any more work for me today, Mikoto?" Julia had felt bad about basically freeloading off Itachi's family, she was still mentally an adult after all and mooching off someone and taking advantage of their kindness rubbed her the wrong way. Which was why she had taken to doing chores for them and helping around the compound.

Babysitting, cleaning up trash, gardening, picking up groceries, simply D rank stuff. And if some of them happened to insist on giving her free food or gifts, who was she to deny?

Granny Ami was really good at baking. Like really good. She had been trying to weasel the recipe out of the woman's bony death grip for weeks now, even dragging Itachi and turning on the Cuteness-o-Meter up to a 13 to no avail. She wouldn't give up though, one way or another Julia will get her hands on the secret behind those pastries. It was only a matter of time.

Julia practically knew everyone within the district by name and face by now and vice versa. It didn't hurt that the more they got used too or liked her the more likely she'll be able to influence them and prevent the massacre. Time to abuse the Shadow clones Jutsu.

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"Aren't you abusing the Shadow clone Jutsu too much?"

"Why, whatever could you ever mean mi compadre~?"

"Mi cumpaday? What?"

She had to suppress a giggle looking at his confused face.

"It's nothing, anyways what do you mean?"

Anko just gave a sigh at her friend's behavior. It's been a few months since they met and she still held firmly to the belief she had all that time ago.

What a weird little girl...

"I mean ya haven't gone to the academy once ever since ya learned it."

And that was absolutely true. She had better things to do than play around with stupid kids all day. Also, the bully Yaki made it a point to pick a fight with her every time they meet. The idiot just wouldn't learn and kept coming back like some B rated villain. If Itachi wanted to deal with it then good for him, but she'll pass.

"Why, whatever do you mean~? I haven't missed a single day! In fact, I'm there right now~"

Actually, Julia and Itachi already took the graduation exam ages ago. They could graduate whenever they felt like it. 3 Months to graduate from school has got to be a record, right? She was only still going in hopes that Itachi would change his mind about staying longer. On one hand, she slightly hoped to be on the same team, on the other she didn't want to change the future too much and invalidate her knowledge. Then again she already fucked that up in regards to Itachi since he unlocked his eyes two years early.

Ah, the dilemmas of knowing the future. 

"Stop talking all cutesy like that, it's pretty gross hearing it coming from a little shit like you."

"Your ass must be pretty damn loose then if something my size is considered little."

"What did ya just say, bitch?"

"I know you are, but what am I?"

Julia still insists that she would've won the scuffle if she wasn't unused to the weights. Anko is pretty certain that Julia looks adorable with her head poking out of a giant snake summon's mouth.