A/N: I was bored so I revised these chapters a bit in the hopes of getting inspiration to continue... Instead, it only gave me only inspiration to play Hanafuda Flash. Maybe soon...

Chapter 1.

Skillful Maple

When Senju Kaede was born she was normal child. Perfectly normal little baby girl for being born to one of the founding clans of Konoha. She was a bit to the shy side and sometimes a bit too aware of things around her. She didn't particularly care for other children of her age but did like watching older kids practice ninja skills they learnt from older clan members and in the recently founded Shinobi Training Facility which was also called the Ninja Academy. She wasn't trained. Not yet as she was only two years old. Things were different than they were over ten years ago when Konoha didn't even exist. When children were trained from toddlerhood to hold weapons and mold chakra so they could join the battlefield as soon as possible.

Yet there was something old and melancholic in her light brown eyes. When asked, she would say she was waiting. Waiting for what, they asked. She didn't know.

Kaede was three years old when the 'change' happened. It wasn't much but she was more attentive afterwards. Had more personality and was more active in general. She was still shy little thing and preferred to avoid louder children like her cousin couple of times removed Tsunade. The two girls were the same age but couldn't have been more different.

Tsunade was the Shodai Hokage's and also the clan head's granddaughter. Senju Hashirama wasn't that old yet since shinobi had their children while in their teens or twenties. The habit was from the Sengoku Era when constant fighting was a norm and anyone could die at any time and clans needed to be kept alive. The tradition continued in the newly-founded village. But it was for Kaede still weird to think about. Hashirama-sama could as well have been Tsunade's father if the place was anything like Kaede remembered.

And she did. She remembered being a girl in another world or in a different point of time. She remembered growing up and studying and being a civilian. She remembered practicing figure skating and enjoying gardening. She remembered reading and reading and reading. And she remembered story of this world. The world of the most unpredictable ninja, Naruto, and of those who came before him.

Currently the girl was sitting on the porch in front of their house in the Senju compound and simply watching the magnolia flowers in the tree nearby. The sun was shining and it was in all ways a nice spring afternoon.

"Kaede-chan? We are going to clan head's house for tea now." That was Kaede's new mother. Her name was Hanako. She was nice but a bit… She had lot of pride and quite distant. Clan pride for Senju and prejudice towards Uchiha. She was young and oftentimes felt more like a mere caretaker than a mother to Kaede.

"Hai, haha-ue." Kaede replied quietly before picking herself up. She was dressed in nice light pink yutaka. It was pretty even if the color was slightly too girly in her tastes. Kaede preferred cooler colors or at least darker reds instead of this… cherry blossom shade. But overall her life was nice. A bit monotone at times but ever since gaining her memories sorting through them, Kaede had found the world around her more interesting. It was peacetime. The First Shinobi war hadn't began just yet. Uchiha Madara had deserted the village but hadn't attacked it yet with the Kyuubi. So it meant that Hashirama-sama was still the Hokage. (And teaching Tsunade to gamble.) And Tobirama-sama had already established the first version of Academy and the Uchiha Military Police, not waited until he'd be Hokage. Timeline funnies…

"Come on now, Kaede-chan. Your father is waiting." Hanako hurried the girl who shuffled to the entrance hall and put simple sandals on. Not the ninja sandals that probably wouldn't exist for the next two decades but simple flip-flop lookalikes. What was the word again… Oh yes, zori. And the shinobi of this time often wore waraji.

Kaede stepped outside to see her father standing there in dark brown hakama over a kimono of a similar color. The girl didn't pay much heed on the men's clothing of this era, the women's wear was already complex enough. Instead, the man before her captured her attention, with his arms crossed and stern but dismissive expression. Senju Goro. His father was apparently related to the previous clan head Senju Butsuma. Second or third cousin or something… Kaede didn't remember the exact relation and frankly didn't care. Her father was a prejudiced bastard and already wanted to begin her ninja training so she could show up to any Uchihas in the Academy (not that he'd actually take care of the training itself). Not to mention that Goro thought himself above some of their own clan members simply because of that relation to the current head. He wasn't vocal about it but the way he looked at people around him said as much.

"Don't dally, Kaede." The man said.

"Hai, chichi-ue." Kaede replied. Complete obedience. That was asked from her as the man's daughter. Kaede was glad she didn't have any siblings. That her birth had been so difficult that Hanako could not bear more children. She didn't want to subject any of her possible siblings to those… versions of parents.

Hanako cooked and kept an eye on Kaede. Made sure that she didn't stray out of the house and… well, frankly did nothing. Didn't read to her, didn't teach her kanji, didn't even tell her about duties of housewife like Kaede would've expected her to.

Goro ran missions for the village and ignored Kaede when in the house. During mealtimes he might speak to Hanako about his plans for Kaede but usually it was just ranting about his inferior teammates. Kaede was air to him unless she was needed for show.

In her previous life Kaede had learnt to speak Japanese and write it too. She had also picked it up easily as a child when listening to adults so when she became… complete, she didn't have much difficulties in blending in again.

The three Senju walked towards the clan head's house where Hashirama-sama and Mito-hime lived in. Tobirama-sama lived at different part of the compound while Hashirama's son, his wife and daughter (Tsunade) lived right in the neighborhood. Naturally all mentioned parties and some more were invited.

"Kaede-chan, remember to be nice to Tsunade-sama." Hanako told the girl. As usual for whenever it was expected for the two of them to meet and interact. And it's so weird to hear a grown woman to call a… another three-year-old with 'sama' suffix. Let her be direct relation to clan head and Hokage or not…

"Hai, haha-ue." Kaede replied again. It was expected. And frankly, ever since she regained her memories of other life she completely decided that getting any actual love from her parents was a lost cause. They still had the Sengoku mentality on them. Hanako may have been a civilian but it didn't matter. She was born to shinobi clan and knew what they did and how likely or unlikely was one to come back from the battlefield. The woman didn't care whether Kaede remained as civilian or became ninja as long as she brought honor to family.

Outwardly, Kaede did resemble her parents. Her shape of face and bone structure in general was from her mother while she pretty much had her father's coloring. Slightly tanned skin, brown eyes and light brown hair that was pulled on a simple ponytail at the back of her neck. Sometimes adults fawned how Kaede looked so much like her parents… Kaede herself thought it was just good that she was such perfect blend that she wasn't a carbon copy of either.

They arrived to the clan head's house. It was the biggest in compound and had a large garden. Kaede had visited it a couple of times for tea parties like this but not yet after regaining her memories. But she remembered liking the garden. Maybe she could slip away again…

There were some other children. Senju and otherwise. Tobirama-sama's students were present too. Sarutobi Hiruzen, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. The three teens were nice, moving around the room and talking with people. The younger children were migrating towards Tsunade who was dressed in pretty peach colored yutaka. It suited her eyes and hair well. But Tsunade was also loud and bossy and… frankly spoiled. Not rotten but used to getting what she wanted. She was the princess of the Senju. Everyone wanted to get in her good graces. Even by themselves or through their children.

Like Hanako tried to encourage Kaede. The girl simply glanced at the gaggle of children and then the adults in the room. She was forgotten already, with Goro talking with some other Senju shinobi and Hanako gossiping with Tsunade's mother.

So the little girl made her way to the garden at the back. She had gone there so many times before. Well, many times considering the short life she'd lived thus far. She knew the route by heart already.

The garden was peaceful and beautiful. There was a little breeze going past the walls and dropping petals to the ground. There were bushes that would be flowering come summer. And there were already bright tulips in yellow, red, pink, purple, white… And white with wine red stripes! The ground had some walkways but was mainly grass.

Kaede slipped her sandals on and stepped on the grass. Honestly she wanted to just leave them on the porch and run and laugh and roll on the grass like normal children of her age. But she didn't. It was risky. Someone might hear. Someone might see. And then word would go to her parents. And Kaede would get in trouble.

Last time it happened, as soon as they'd gotten home, Goro had slapped her in the face and sent her to the floor. Kaede had cried for that and Hanako had scolded her for it. The girl learnt not to get in trouble after that. To keep secrets real tight.

Kaede walked through the bushes. She stayed away from the garden furniture. They were pretty but too tall for her and she didn't want to get caught in them. Petals were falling on her and the grass. It looked very pretty.

"If I just lie here, would anyone notice me…?" Kaede mused, carefully sitting on the ground and lying back. Her eyes flicked across the branches of lilac above her. "If I just die here, would anyone miss me…?"

Did anyone miss her in her old world? She had had friends and family. But she didn't remember whether or not she'd died. Or if she was just living double existence of sorts. But maybe it didn't matter.

"Whatever…" There was a prickling feeling behind her eyes but she pushed those tears away. Instead she closed her eyes and concentrated on her surroundings, sensing them and mapping them. It was a quirk that she'd noticed during the past days and was quite common with 'SI-OC' people. Yes, she had read many Naruto fanfics in her other life. And it made sense. No chakra before and now suddenly having it. It made sense that those people were sensors. And it was quite useful skill to have as a ninja.

Kaede hummed slightly to herself while 'looking' around. Currently she could 'see' the entire Senju compound. It wasn't all clear yet though, slightly muddle on the sides. She should practice this skill. Drifting away from those thoughts, Kaede dived into the vision again. It was like all black, blank canvas with living things shining on different colors and strengths. Shinobi were beacons. Civilians softer. Animals and plants very much background but did have their distinct shapes anyways. Children were smaller than adults. Elderly were fading, flickering candles.

Kaede pulled herself out of her concentration and looked at her right hand. She had felt something touching it. Pushing herself to sit up and pulling aside her sleeve revealed…

"A sprout of lilac bush?" Kaede had been lying on the ground next to lilacs that weren't due to bloom yet. In fact they barely even had leaves on them. But to a new sprout suddenly wrap itself around her wrist… "Mokuton?"

Kaede bit her lip at the thought. On one hand… cool power but was it actually realistic for her to have? On other hand… oh crap, definitely not telling anyone about this. Not to her parents because then she'd become a tool for better social standing more than she already was. Not to other people in the clan or in general in the village because… Well, it was Mokuton! While this wasn't the time when Orochimaru experimented with people to recreate the Mokuton, the fact was that currently only Hashirama-sama had it. And it hadn't been passed on to his son or granddaughter… Kaede swallowed. She knew from her clan history (only thing that Hanako had bothered to tell her though dripping in propaganda) that Hashirama-sama wasn't the first Senju to have Mokuton but he was the only one to have developed it for battle-use and make it famous. Or infamous…

The girl looked back at the little sprout and concentrated. She could feel her chakra running through her in steady but small trickle. It was the same than what other children had but Kaede had it closer to surface after doing her sensing trick. Maybe that was what had drawn the little sprout towards her.

"Go back…" Kaede whispered. "Let go…" She slowly retracted her chakra from her skin and finally manually unwound the sprout from her wrist. Once loose, the sprout of lilac straightened on its own, blending among its fellows. Kaede let out a sigh of relief before getting up and making sure her chakra was safely tucked in. While she didn't have much outward control over it, suppression came easily, returning the girl to the state that was familiar for her from the other life. Kaede brushed her yutaka and once making sure she had no grass stains in it or in her tabi socks, she went back to others. Time had flown and it was already time to go 'home'. Hanako worked like a clockwork and Kaede could instinctively tell when was time to leave.

Appearing on her mother's side like she had been there the entirety of visit, Kaede offered a bow along with her mother as Goro thanked for the invitation and bid good night.

The guests left one by one, leaving only the Senju brothers and Mito to the room.

"She is a sensor." Tobirama spoke up. Hashirama turned around from where he'd just closed the door after the last guests.

"Who?" The Hokage asked with an exaggeratedly oblivious smile on his face. The white-haired man sitting by one of the tables shot a dark look at his older brother's act.

"Kaede-chan."

"Kaede-chan?" Mito repeated. "Hanako-san's daughter? I don't think I saw her but at the beginning and when they were leaving."

"She was probably in the garden again. She always goes there." Tobirama shrugged.

"Keeping track on the children then?" Hashirama teased his younger brother as he sat down at the other side of the table.

"I'm a sensor myself. Unless I consciously shut down my ability, I keep tracking people nearby. And during this meeting her range brushed mine. It has happened a couple of time before when I've been at the compound but this time I could sense the source." Tobirama replied.

"She is very reserved for one so young, isn't she?" Mito frowned. "Considering her parents one would assume she'd be more talkative."

It was true. Hanako latched onto any piece of gossip she could and freely shared what she knew unless it was for blackmail. And Goro wasn't afraid to voice is opinion if he was with those he considered peers and equal even if he did filter some when in presence of people above of his station. Compared to them, Kaede was like a ghost. Especially when she kept disappearing and no one even noticed it.

The three sitting around the table had noticed this behavior.

"I think… that considering her parents it's surprising she is as visible as she is now." Hashirama spoke slowly, weighing his words. "Goro-san is very much like Butsuma was, isn't he?"

Tobirama paused to think. Yes, he could draw parallels. Temperament and opinions were very much the same. If Goro hadn't been born by the time Butsuma died, one could've suspected the man being the previous clan head's reincarnation.

"Kaede-chan is… She acts very much like Kawarama did at that age…"

Hashirama twitched. "Kawarama was withdrawn because Butsuma was the only parental figure for him. Haha-ue…" Their mother had died quite soon after Kawarama's birth. Itama had some memories of her but not much either.

"And what I could see from Hanako-san, she isn't much of a mother. Most of the women tend to talk about their children but Hanako-san barely mentions her daughter." Mito cut in. "No wonder Kaede-chan goes on her way to avoid them. I hope everything is otherwise alright for her."

"Yes…" Tobirama trailed off, his attention going towards the house where the family of three lived in. All three of them were inside but separated. Goro and Hanako were in one room while Kaede was in another. The only male in the house seemed agitated, maybe he should be given a new mission… Hanako in the other hand was calm, cold… And Kaede… The girl was keeping her chakra tightly tucked within herself, trying to be invisible, and was physically worryingly still. "I think there is no need for us to interfere. Not yet."

Other reason why the tea parties were held was to see if there were any internal disputes within the clan. Usually the guest list was rotated a bit. And thanks to the semi-regular meetings some arguments had been able to be solved before they reached explosive measures. During the war time one could let their pent out frustrations at their enemies as long as they didn't become too blinded and tunnel-visioned in the fight and got themselves killed. But now in the peace and with their once greatest enemy almost in the neighborhood and no regular battles… Even if there had been several years since the founding of Konoha, ideals and habits struck hard and things one probably didn't know about the other were revealed with more down-time for everyone.

But this was the first time there was a child involved so directly.

"I don't like this…" Hashirama muttered. "But I agree."

As soon as they were home, Kaede slipped into her room. She changed into sleeping clothes and folded her yutaka on a chair nearby. She could probably use it tomorrow again. Or maybe she could ask for clothes that were easier to move in. But Hanako probably wouldn't agree unless Kaede said she wanted to start training for joining the academy. And if Kaede said it, soon the whole compound would know and then she'd have no other choice but to actually start training.

"But would it really be that bad?" The girl mused, cocking her head to the side. Going to academy would mean better chakra control and something to actually do on her days. While eventually she'd need to graduate and start going to missions, it'd still mean that she'd have something to do. While the war might start at any moment…

"I don't want to be a useless civilian like Hanako. But I don't want to be a warmonger like Goro. I want to be just Kaede. Senju Kaede."

Next day Kaede told Hanako that she wanted to become a kunoichi. Unsurprisingly, the woman simply accepted it and after getting some simple pants, a short hemmed yutaka and waraji, she was pushed to the area where other children were practicing with the instructions from their family members. Goro wasn't there, he had left for mission early in the morning, before Kaede had even woken up.

So Kaede got some routine in her days. She'd run laps, do stretches, practice simple katas and go through hand seals. They were all simple things that she'd need to know instinctively when she was older so it was good to get used to knowing them even before academy.

After practice Kaede would go to wash up and put on clean clothes. Then she'd find some quiet corner where she'd explore her possible Mokuton. This far she could get little branches reach towards her and also push them back. If they were small and thin, she could carefully bend them into loops. And if she really tried, she could sort of write on wood by tracing characters with her finger and they became engraved. Kaede didn't dare to anything else in a place where she was in danger of discovery one way or another. Despite being already three, she had never left the clan compound yet. But when she'd go to Academy she'd have more freedom and more hiding places where she could practice her skills.

"Maybe I should combine my sensing abilities with Mokuton… I can sense the plants after all…" Kaede mused one evening. She should have been heading home after practice but had instead went to her quiet corner in the compound. It wasn't quite a park but it wasn't an open space either and was out of way so it was perfect for her. No one walked by it accidentally.

Kaede slipped into the shadows of the tree in full foliage and sat down by the trunk, leaning against it. She closed her eyes and sunk into her chakra sense. The world lost color but also came to vibrant focus. The tree behind her back was thrumming with life and so were the ones around her, shielding her from gazes.

And Kaede let go. It was like magic. The trees… seven she counted, were all she could see and with her chakra and mind she twisted and molded and warped them to the shape she wanted. With her eyes closed everything was so much clearer. And it was like magic how the wood with just a little resistance obeyed her.

She opened her eyes. The group of trees looked more like a circular little room with a gap between two of them functioning as a door. The trunk behind Kaede's back had some deep horizontal groves now and by using them as steps, she climbed into the 'second floor' formed by the branches woven together. She had space here. Even though she was just three years old now, there was enough for one adult to fit in the 'first floor'. Kaede looked around in the second floor. It had more light than the first floor and a roof made up by other layer of branches. The girl peeked out through the foliage at the compound. No one seemed nearby. She let out a sigh and only now noticed how exhausted she was. Her tiny legs gave out and she sat down on the floor that was also made of interwoven branches.

"Maybe… I should rest a bit…" Kaede laid down. Despite the floor being wooden, it wasn't that uncomfortable. And in no time exhaustion took her under. To the land of the sandman. Which probably should've been scary thought considering the world she lived in now.

"I heard Kaede-chan wasn't in practice today." Tsunade announced when she clambered to her grandmother's lap.

"She wasn't?" Mito repeated and pulled her kimono sleeves back a bit so her granddaughter wouldn't sit on them.

"Nuh-uh. I hear Akira-san say so. But he didn't seem worried 'cause everyone else 'pparently was there and Kaede-chan's okaa-san is civilian."

"Hmm… Maybe Hanako-san had something she wanted to do with Kaede-chan." Mito reasoned even though she greatly doubted it. She had seen the other woman just in the morning running errands and Kaede hadn't been with her.

"Oh, and last night was really weird. My skin felt all tingly and prickly." The blonde toddler noted. The red-haired woman nodded thoughtfully. There had been a chakra surge somewhere in the compound but no one had found anything different or anything that could've caused it.

"It was a strange night. But how your practices are coming, Tsunade-chan?"

"I'm doing great! Akira-san said so too! I can't wait to start in the academy!"

"That's good to hear." Mito chuckled while thinking that maybe someone should do a secondary sweep of the compound. Someone with actual sensor abilities like Tobirama who'd returned from a mission during the day but been at the Hokage Tower sorting through paperwork ever since then.

Kaede woke up when someone brushed on the edges of her range. While sleeping she still maintained about a ten-meter diameter range and usually alerted her if someone she didn't know that well approached. And now someone… No, Kaede knew this chakra signature. It was difficult to ignore at times. And it seemed like the person was heading towards her hiding place.

The girl held her breath. There were no steps heard on the dirt road but the person was still approaching. Natural, the person was a shinobi after all.

The person stopped and let out a surprised breath before apparently crouching to look inside Kaede's… tree house.

"Impressive…" The person murmured once inside the 'house'. Kaede pressed her palm against the floor and mentally followed as the person traced the patterns – characters – carved inside the walls. She didn't even remember putting them all there but now in new light and energy she could follow them too. Little proverbs and pieces of song lyrics of her other life.

Kaede took a deep breath and on her knees shuffled to the hole in the floor by the stairs and stuck her head out.

"Ohayoo gozaimasu, Tobirama-sama." The girl greeted the man crouching inside her tree house. The man gazed up at her upside down face.

"It's evening already, Kaede-chan." He replied. It was hard to tell what the man was thinking. Tobirama was highly practical and logical man. His face didn't show much emotions like Hashirama's did.

"Oh…"

"Did you make this place?

Kaede blinked slowly but replied truthfully then. "The trees already existed here but yes. I did it… last night I think?" She frowned in thought. She had no idea how long she'd been asleep.

"The people in the closest houses felt the chakra surge and Mito asked me to investigate." Tobirama spoke then.

"Oh… I'm sorry for the trouble, Tobirama-sama."

"I also heard you didn't go to practice today."

"I was tired. Sorry." Kaede retreated a bit back to the second floor and looked a bit to the left of the white-haired man, avoiding his gaze.

Tobirama observed the girl and considered her polite but avoiding answers. Smart kid. Unbothered by the fact her mother might've missed her but upset she might've caused trouble to anyone else.

"Does anyone else know about your abilities?" Tobirama asked then, even though he had a feeling the answer was no. Otherwise the whole compound would've already known. If only because Hanako and Goro would've bragged. And tried to get better standing.

"I didn't tell anyone and practiced alone… I didn't want them know." 'Them' being her parents. Tobirama could see that. He remembered the conversation he'd had about the girl and her parents around a month ago with Hashirama and Mito.

"Mokuton is a skill that takes time and preferably supervision when being trained. What you did was quite dangerous." He told the girl.

"I know. Sorry…" Kaede sighed. She seemed to contemplate something before speaking up. "Do you want to see the second floor?"

Tobirama blinked but nodded then. "Why not?"

The head of light brown hair disappeared from the hole and tiny hands seemed to stretch the opening wider. When previously it had been enough for a child to fit through, could now fit Tobirama's shoulders. The man moved to the hole and once getting his head and shoulders through it, simply lifted himself to sit on the edge of it. There wasn't much space in the 'second floor' either but enough that he didn't hit his head to the ceiling.

"You did this all at once? That's how Mito described the chakra surge." The jutsu inventor asked. Kaede nodded from where she was sitting by a window, perfectly in seiza.

"I sort of… tried something I came up with. I closed my eyes and let my mind and chakra to the work. I don't know how exactly it all worked but when I opened my eyes this all was how it is now." The girl gestured around, smiling for the first time Tobirama had found her. No, actually… this was the first time he had seen the girl smile at all. Her whole face lit up and her eyes curved shut. Her smile itself was soft but no less radiant.

"Did you combine your sensor abilities with Mokuton?"

Kaede looked up.

"How…?"

"Your range has brushed mine a couple of times when we both have been in the compound."

The girl flushed at that.

"I… ah… Yes?" She squeaked. Tobirama ruffled her already sleep-mussed hair receiving an indignant protest. Good, she was slowly unwinding from herself and relaxing. Everything Tobirama had previously seen of the girl – Just seen, never interacted like with many other children of the clan and outside of it – had told of reserved and quiet little thing. Respectful and maybe a bit scared towards people older and in high position. It was expected but… She was only three and thus it was sad too.

"Why don't we go to see Hashirama and Mito-san? I'm sure anija would like to know about you having the same kekkei genkai than him and maybe give you tips. And Mito-san was the one to tell me you were missing. She'll be glad to know that you are alright."

The girl looked up from where she was smoothing out her hair and tying it again on a ponytail. Her bewildered expression was amusing but also…

"Really? Mito-sama was worried of me? And Hashirama-sama would…" She was confused why anyone would pay attention to her. It was sad. Children were the future. Hashirama, Mito and Tobirama all went their way to get to know the children of the clan and Hashirama especially talked to other people of Konoha too.

"Yes." Tobirama nodded and slipped back to 'downstairs'. He made out of the tree house to see Kaede peeking out of the window that was quite well camouflaged from the outside. The girl was standing by it and coming to a decision.

"Catch me?" She asked sheepishly, unsure of his reaction. The bout of childishness from her was relieving. This time Tobirama smiled fully and extended his arms. And Kaede smiled again before launching herself from the window, laughing.

First thing Mito did, was to take a look at Kaede and usher her to take a bath.

"Let Tobirama-kun talk with Hashirama. You, young lady, need to wash up properly. Let me guess, you didn't do so between you training session and whatever stunt you pulled yesterday."

"Hai, Mito-sama." Kaede replied in the same bland tone she had usually used during the tea parties when she needed to reply in some manner. But this time there was a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"And none of that, Kaede-chan." Mito admonished her. "If you have something in your mind, you say it. I don't know what Hanako-san has told you but children are no dolls to be seen but not heard." And so on continued until the two females were out of sight.

"So?" Hashirama asked with a wide smile threatening to break out on his face. Tobirama huffed before sighing and running a hand through his hair.

"She has Mokuton and has been experimenting with it. Last night she apparently went a bit beyond her capabilities and passed out afterwards."

"Oh?" The elder of the Senju brothers mused before grinning. "I'll need to teach her then so she won't exhaust herself again!"

"Very true. With correct chakra regulation and hand seals to guide her, it should be safer for her too."

"There is something else that worries me." Mito joined the conversation when she returned to the room. "I sent Akira-kun to check Kaede-chan's house before asking Tobirama-kun to sweep the compound… Apparently Hanako-san didn't even notice that her daughter was missing."

"That… is worrying indeed." Hashirama frowned. "Maybe it's time to step in then?"

"Kaede-chan doesn't wish for her parents to know about her kekkei genkai." Tobirama reminded them.

"Why don't we say that she is taking calligraphy lessons from me then?" Mito smiled, with a cunning edge in her eyes. "Of course we need to ask Kaede-chan too but… I have a feeling she'd be glad to stay out of that house."

The house had no personality. Oh, Hanako took a good care of it and furnished and decorated but there was nothing that told a child lived in there too. Mito had investigated. She had found Kaede's room and the only thing that told the girl slept there was the child-sized clothes. There were no toys, no scrolls with pictures or stories in them, not even colorful decorative pillows. Just tatami mats, a futon and a set of drawers for clothing.

Mito wanted the girl out of that house, preferably yesterday. But if Kaede herself didn't want to leave, direct measures had to be exchanged for indirect ones.

They told the news to Kaede. She was in awe, disbelieving, surprised and finally burst in grateful tears. Mito was the one to soothe her as both men did not know what to do with crying girls.

Kaede found a new routine. During days she'd practice with other children as usual and during evenings she'd spend her time with Mito, Hashirama or Tobirama depending on who was available. And if no one was as they were important people with other duties, she'd explore the compound in peace. For the first time in her new life she was truly happy.

But happiness always comes to end one way or other. A year later alarm blared throughout the village when Uchiha Madara attacked Konoha with Kyuubi no Youko. Hashirama left to battle him with Mito following closely behind. They both returned but were changed. Mito had become the first jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi and Hashirama… piece of him had died along with Madara. That same piece caused his death on the battle field when the tensions around the nations terrorized by Madara erupted in the First Great Shinobi War.

Kaede was four years old and watched the world burn.

A/N: Here. New readers, I hope you liked. Old readers, I hope this is a bit better and refined than the previous version.