"Sato, don't be sad, I didn't mean it."
Domoi, the muscular tough looking guard gave Sato an awkward smile.
Sato twitched his lips but smiled back, it seems his silent pondering was mistaken as him being angry.
"It's okay."
Sato didn't really blame him, they were expecting the hyuga heir, and here comes a kid around her age with black hair, light skin and holding hands with their jinchuriki.
Anyone would be confused in this situation, his looks were identical to a Hyuga expect the eyes.
The guard must have missed his eyes because he was looking around.
But Domoi's mistake at least let Sato pin point what timeline he was in.
The Huyga incident happened exactly at Hinata's third birthday, and he was four years old this year.
So he was the same age as Neji, Lee and TenTen, a year older than Konoha 12.
'I can work with that.'
Sato thought, he would have preferred a time similar to Itachi's as that would give him the maximum amount of war free time, to train and gain strength.
But it is what it is.
"Haha, you are good, kid."
Domoi laughed as he grinned at Sato.
"You are alone right kid? Want me to show you around? We got institutions where you can live and train until you graduate."
Domoi kindly offered to help, but this wasn't appreciated by Sato or Yugito Nii.
Both of them didn't show anything but their hands holding each other become tighter.
"Sato.."
But it was Yugito Nii who removed her hand from his first.
She couldn't in good conscience force Sato to stay with her, knowing who she was.
But when Sato saw Yugito leave his hand he understood he needed to do something quickly.
"Institution? Domoi San, can't I live with sister Yugito instead?"
"Can I live with you? Sister Yugito?"
Watching Sato's expectation filled face Yugito's heart clenched but she did her best to ignore it.
Both Domoi and C had an unsure look on their faces as well.
Domoi looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't do so infront of Yugito.
But Yugito caught onto that and her heart became cold.
There will always be a stigma associated with being a jinchuriki, unless she achieved perfect jinchuriki there was always a chance of her going berserk.
It was for this reason her home was in a no man's land, away from the village center.
After all, nobody wanted such an unstable factor around them, it was human nature to protect themselves.
So she took it upon herself to tell Sato what she really was, before someone else does it for her.
"Sato."
Bending down on one knee, Yugito patted Sato's head and gave him a sweet smile.
"You cannot stay with me, sister has a monster in her stomach."
"Sister can't control that monster quite yet, sister would be very sad if that monster eats you one day."
Yugito Nii put her being a jinchuriki the best way she could.
But Sato almost rolled his eyes.
Yeah, Yugito Nii wasn't a perfect jinchuriki like killer B was, but she might as well be.
Her control over her tailed beast was very good, if not almost perfect.
Matatabi, the two tails was a softspoken cat girl, getting along with her was obviously not that hard.
Or Yugito wouldn't have become a jinchuriki at the age of 2.
Yes, she mastered her tailed beast at the age of 2, but she never quite got the title of perfect jinchuriki in the series.
'Danzo once named every perfect jinchuriki, but there was no mention of Yugito Nii.'
'There is clearly something stopping her from attaining that title, despite her skill as a jinchuriki.'
But Sato didn't care, whatever it was, it was a fact that Yugito was respected in the village with Killer B looking upto her.
If she lost control of her tailed beast often that wouldn't be the case at all.
It was safe to conclude she will not lose control, despite her not being 100% safe.
"A monster? That is really scary, but why didn't it attack me on the road then?"
Sato asked Yugito, who paused and didn't know how to answer the question.
She fumbled her words but managed to say.
"It's because sister didn't let her attack you."
Hearing these words Sato showed happy smile full of white teeth.
"Then what's the problem, if sister can stop the monster from attacking me once, she can do it again."
"I believe in you sister Yugito, you will protect me from that monster."
Yugito's heart almost melted away, she tightly hugged Sato.
She didn't like to show emotions before outsiders, but Sato saying this made her want to cry in happiness.
Of course, she didn't cry, but a hug was definitely happening!
"Ahem"
But her happy hug was disrupted by C's cough.
She wanted to glare at him but she realised she was still standing at the gate of the village.
Getting up from the ground, Yugito picked up Sato, before telling C.
"I am going home, I'll report to Raikage sama in a while."
"You go ahead."
*Swish*
And with that, Yugito flickered away, without waiting for C's response.
C looked speechless at the direction she ran away in.
Domoi didn't know what to say either, he was just a guard after all.
C didn't care much, he just waved his hand and walked away.
Leaving Domoi alone at the gate.
'I sure hope that kid doesn't die.'
'He's living with a monster in human skin.'
Domoi thought while shaking his head, before ignoring it and going back to his post, guarding the gate religiously.
*Swish*
Inside hidden cloud village, on a beautiful but deserted peak, Yugito Nii stood with Sato.
"How is it...?"
"This is my home."
"Do you like it?"
Yugito asked softly, silently hoping he didn't show rejection towards the empty area she lived in.
But Sato smiled widely before speaking with amazement.
"Are you kidding me sister, I lived 4 years of my life in the mud, I am happy with just having a bed."
"You gave me my own mountain peak."
"Of course I like it!"
Sato smiled and bowed to Yugito.
"Thank you for everything, Sister Yugito."
Yugito looked at him in silence before picking him up and holding him close to her chest.
"Don't bow to me, you are calling me sister so consider me one as well."
Sato gave a smile and nodded full of emotion.
If not for Yugito taking care of him, he would still be struggling for food.
He owed her a lot, the least he could do was be nice to her.
"Got it sister."
Sato said fluently, for which Yugito rubbed his hair with a smile.
But soon frowned while looking at his dirt filled hair and shrunken belly.
She sneakily smelled herself using her cat nose as well, it seems she also got dirty while digging around that swamp.
"Our clothes are full of mud and your belly is almost touching your back."
"Let's clean you up and then I will cook for you."
"It's going to be the best meal you have ever eaten!"
Yugito took Sato away without giving him a chance to struggle.
Sato didn't try struggle either, he was indeed very dirty, cleaning up and eating was necessary for his health.
He can focus on getting stronger only if he was full.
He still wanted to survive long enough to revive his parents after all.
And maybe, just maybe, become the first human to achieve godhood in this alien infested world.
This was the dream that was beginning to sprout within Sato, it was a simple idea in his mind right now, but soon, very soon, he will begin to act upon it.
Advanced chapters ahead on patréon
www.patréon.com/ImagineMaker