From the sweltering dry heat of his former home to the bracing breezes in the high altitude of the temple onto the crackling cold in the South pole was a jarring experience. He shivered near the entire second half of the journey. Of which had been on a Earth transport ship as opposed the very comforting steam fueled patrol ship of the Fire Nation. A necessary transfer, however, as the earth ship was bringing supplies directly to the southmost water tribe, then he may be able to find a kind man or woman of water to take him on their umiak or kayak to find his dear companion.
Odd was it settling upon the glacier that the Southern water people lived on, a sensation of nirvana grappled him for a moment at the near indistinguishable movement of the ice on the water. Still, it had educated him well-being someone of such pronouncement; regaining his balance came with natural ease, practice, not failing him. The air he began to hold in his lungs breathed through swiftly as he attempted to keep from swaying indignantly. Luck had it, that he had timed his departure to perfection, avoiding the stern faces of the helpful Earth Nationers placing supplies onto the snow, and smiling kindly at an older lady.
His body shivered violently, the cold was bitter, hurtful in its sneering graceful breezes. Barely suppressing the sneeze that threatened from the tickle of his nose becoming cold, freezing mucus together and causing such an annoying itch. The relief from self-control abated rather quickly as the sharp jarring prong of a fishing lance pricked at the back of his neck. Instinctively pacifistic he raised his arms and tried to pull forward just away from the point.
Whomever his assailant was allowed it, though a voice spoke with detachment not giving complete freedom. "Who are you?... Fire Nation?" Naruto held from the gasp, keeping the lump firmly in his throat, and not willing to die by the hands of an irate waterman, he turned with all the peace the monks had carried through and smiled.
Standing tall above him was a glaring man, the sharp quality that dominated his features as if he had been carved directly from the ice, an aura about him of hatred and malice, as accompanying as a glacier. Pale skin with just as pale features, sharp curved red toned eyes, shortened cut shoulder-length grey hair, tied behind in a warrior's knot, the rest cascading down in a sharp incline of an almost translucent quality. His mouth was thin and sneering, indicating clear his intention as he stepped forward threateningly. Awaiting a response, as Naruto opened his mouth to speak, to spin a tale as best he could without directly lying -commonly forbidden in the temples- a loud yell interrupted both of them.
"Little brother...Please stop threatening a monk." So charged in a peaceful voice to his aid. A young tall statured woman falling behind her apparent brother, twining her fingers together with nerves. Naruto had to blink, mainly for being recognized so far into the future, another for her disposition, she seemed outspoken yet slightly withheld.
The girl -woman- looked to be around the same age as her brother, younger, in fact, gave a smile and held out a hand blushing to the roots of her cocoa bean hair, beautiful however nearly matching her lightened caramel toned skin. With eyes of another darkened brown, obviously near the opposite of her rather frigid brother in both appearance and manner.
Glad that he hadn't been targeted yet -by an actual threat-, and that he could get out of the awful damp snow he graciously took it and stood with a grin on his face. Challenging the glare sent his way from the chastened boy behind. "I apologize for my brother, he thinks everyone we haven't seen before is a FireNation spy. I'm Hashirama… This is my younger brother Tobirama." Her tone was so soft-spoken compared to the man behind her that the thought of them bearing the same blood was a foreign idea.
Regardless, he had not lost his manner or conduct, and in freedom of being able to bow as he had been taught, he gave a hesitant yet instinctual bow. For her part, the woman seemed taken aback blinking in uncertainty while her brother came behind her with a firm grasp onto her arm.
Though while it was clear that the conversation was meant to be kept from earshot Naruto was a married man with a secretive husband, listening for under the breath mutterings had become a habit of necessity, so all subtlety was lost. "C' mon he's not a real monk, can't be, they died out a hundred years ago." Naruto wondered at how threatening Tobirama was with his boomerang. He himself never had taken much of a liking to the fans he held, much preferring the simple grace of hand-to-hand combat.
"Actually I just came from the Eastern Air Temple. I came to try and find my Spirit companion." The man looked perturbed. Though there were an equal balance in irritation from him and curiosity from his sister. "I don't think it will be to hard, they're a giant fox buried in some ice. I just need transportation. Then I will be out of your hair." Honestly, that was probably a bit of a deception, there were many things that could go wrong after all, but he was far from a pessimist so those occurrences didn't linger.
"Of course. My sister lost her pet raccoon last week. Very easy among all this ice and snow." He gladly nodded. Though it took only a moment to recognize the familiar sarcasm Sasuke depicted on occasion. Pouting because today's youth were all very rude, never mind the lack of help, he straightened himself and bowed once more before walking past them to continue on his own way. The crunch of snow followed him, and judging by its heavy fall it was Hashirama smaller frame. A large sigh could barely be heard from the roar of chopping water. "Big sister, you can't just follow him."
Ignoring his guests he jumped to the next platform of ice which luckily wasn't a large gap away. "I'm not letting him explore the South Pole alone! He's a foreigner he could get lost or fall in, or get attacked by a polar seal!" There was a grunt from behind, both of them following onto the plane of ice he was on. While he was displeased, the manner in which the waterwoman spoke gave him warmth at the kindness displayed.
"So could you. Hashi I promised father I would protect you, cease this foolishness." Naruto nearly stopped. That phrase he had heard many a time. Though the obscurity of that fact was not lost. As the last place he had heard that in frequent had been in the Fire Nation where his guards would follow should he leave the palace. Often reluctantly as he drug them along in a quest for a moment's reprieve.
Madara had always considered him weak not in personality but as a fighter. In all the gesture was one of love, but it had always bore down as repressive. That considered, he had no place to speak. Having never spoken against the action, though he'd wanted desperately to just slap the man occasionally for his many irritations. "He's probably crazy as it is. A giant fox, let's go home."
Being an Airbender did help one with matters of hearing, and speaking loudly, so it was not a stretch of his abilities to listen in on the conversation behind. "I really am just looking for my spirit guide, I don't want anything else." Considering his options, and knowing the mind of young prideful men, he had an idea. "But, now that you mention it, I could really use a big strong man to help me break the ice. I'd just be too weak to do it all by myself." He emphasized this by falling onto the next ice platform, faking having slipped on the snow-covered ice, and pretending to have trouble standing on his own, stretching the words with as much sincerity as he could. It had been a trick he used often on his husband back when they were young teenagers.
"Well, only because you obviously need help." Of course, he wasn't shocked to see it working on those of another nation, it seemed that charm was something he had crafted into art. Tobirama moved up ahead of him, and he carelessly brushed the snow from his robes having accomplished his goal. Beside him Hashirama came up, snickering behind a wool covered hand.
"How did you? I can never…" She whispered, and he guessed at the rest of her sentence smiling at her as best he could.
"The trick is to appeal to his pride. Trust me, do that, and you can have almost any man do what you want." She gave a bashful smile, her face turning a deep red, somewhat complimenting her long thick umber hair. He worried a slight bit for her health, for a woman to turn that shade so fast could not be normal or healthy. A scream rippled from ahead, and both of them rushed forward at the shrill sound.
They came across the knocked down tribesman, sprawled on the snow dampening his large parka with water as it melted, fur and leather getting equally wet. His hood sticking to the back of his head, Naruto almost found himself laughing if it weren't for the large portion of ice sticking up. Fully encasing his friend Kyu in it, as he recognized, he grinned as wide as possible hurting under the harsh elements. Happily gesturing for a small bit of aid in undoing the ice, what he got was an exclamation of astonishment.
"We cannot break that! We aren't Firebenders! Nor is my Waterbending anything to boast about." Naruto startled at that, happy that he was around a bender that didn't shape fire.
"You're a Waterbender!" Hashirama blushed at her brother's blunder, if nothing else the extra heat to her face would help against the biting cold, and Tobirama scowled at his slip up. The mountain ranges of the temples could be chilling but never so drastic, he envied for their parka's, and the fur trim hoods keeping the snow away. He then turned to the pouting man and looking longingly to the west. "Don't concern yourself, it should only be a thin layer, we need only break that then I can mount the air pressure inside." That at least he was certain of, though the detail of how they had been within different ice stalactites remained obscured.
Despite his explanation, he was faced with a scowl, alongside a face of wonderment. "You're an Airbender!?" Spoke the now invigorated woman, easily excited by the prospect. It was an odd fathoming, but he was near certain that both she and her disgruntled brother were around the same age as he and Madara, perhaps marginally on the younger side.
"No!"
They said in tandem, making him giggle at the difference between their approaches. "The Airbenders were all killed off, everyone knows that. Come on big sister we're going home!" That he pouted at, was it so difficult to believe for just a moment? Sighing as he knew that the truth remained hard to believe for any but himself. Regardless of her obvious reluctance, the umber haired woman gave him a pitied look and moved to follow her brother.
This he ignored, making himself focus instead on his guide before him. It was possible that he could mount the air without cracking the ice. So he crouched spreading his legs and shifting his stance slowly rather then the regular speed. Of course, pressurizing air was one of the hardest things to do as an Airbender, it had been several years since he'd practiced anything more advanced then a dismal trick on his sons.
Most movesets in his bending revolved around speed, this was slowed down to a more earthlike technique because of the strength involved. However, it was more complex because the leg movement was faster then the hands. Lifting the right knee up then bringing it down to shift onto the heal's weight. All while stretching the arms upwards pushing lower -with the feeling of a resistance- and shoving that away to a focused point twisting his palms up and staying like that until the air did what he desired.
Luckily his lack of practice wasn't so extreme to hinder his bending and he shifted his arms upwards to have the air breakthrough. Cracks rivening about the sheen in randomized order, from the top to the show and ice ground. Then blasting out shards the size of his body as he mounted everything to the left side away from his two water tribe acquaintances. Finally resting his stance, breathing a little shallowly because of his muscles for bending while being rusted.
"You are an Airbender!"
"That's, not possible…" The man muttered, his sister already showcasing admiration, hidden questions in her pupilless eyes. Which she did not proclaim, her forced withdrawn nature apparently keeping her silent. Though there was clear disbelief in Tobirama, Naruto ignored him in favour of glimpsing at a hill not far from them.
Eyes lighting into a more intense deep blue as he confirmed mentally that his mind was not tricking him. "Hashirama!" He smiled at the lady, "You must come penguin sledding with me! Its been years! Tobi come along with, perhaps it will melt some of that rigidity out of you!" The man predictably scowled at the suggestion, while the dark-toned woman looked to said penguins with a curious smile playing delicately on her features. Though she turned back to him solemnly. Clearly, she would be kept from enjoying herself for a reason he did not know, nor did he expect to understand.
Even while having been raised within a state of poverty, typically now he was far more adapted to a life of regality. In light of that his empathy for those not within the same positioning was marred. Though he could conceive that many things had to be done within a village by multiple parties, as had been by the monks or with his own considerable serving staff at the Imperial Tomoe Palace. Providence had blessed him with children he should not have, and burdened him with a husband that stole lives on a whim.
Kyu would be angry, and indeed they were rising from slumber with a roar of discontent and disgruntled irritation.
They arrived swiftly with aid from the giant fox to the Southern Water Tribe, though their journey there was barred slightly from an unwilling Waterbender, frightful of unknown creatures. His protests proving in need of competence of a skilled professional, whom had no fear of riding a beat larger then herself by at least three times. Fatigue also wore on them, as Kyu took not to flight but to the waters, gently swimming.
Naruto gazed about him with the revery of a foreigner, truthfully only having been about a Water Tribe territory whence he had been a young boy. At twelve this place had been far different, not merely the boulders of surmounting ice raised and attempting to touch the blue sky in a reunion of cyan. Many landmarks as were now remained Fire Nation ships that had been attacked and beached whence skilled Waterbenders had still roamed the land.
A sight the Avatar fitfully ignored in the apprehension of his placement in society. That is, the riders along with him could not keep their gazes, and this he noted with a wantful scold upon his tongue. Not in chastisement for their curiosity, more the fear lingering, a disturbance and defence of self and his family coming forth violently. Naruto had been there, during the very last expedition, a prisoner himself, and saved. The death he had inadvertently caused was stark on his mind exposing itself as a simple guilted weight upon his shoulders.
The ease of seeing the small and makeshift village was swaying of his psyche, and it soothed the harsh battle that raged inward. Glad to be home, Naruto watched as both his companions sighed in blissful contentment, a grin on Hashirama's face as she looked to her brother with compassion, while said brother seemed ill-content and merely rolled his gaze away. Naruto nearly found himself laughing at the familiar sibling display, an unexpected uprise of affection for those he barely knew settling within him.
Many children came running forth, eager and wanting of something untold, grasping small, fattened, mitted hands at the two older members of their tribe. Specifically the young woman with the cocoa brown hair who joined in joyfully with their smiling excitement. Watching her brother as he stood to the side with crossed arms, and blanketed expression. Naruto recognized it readily. Much amused that a Waterman could have so much similar with the Fire Lord.
Still, he watched on, content at the aura about him. More villagers drew near, welcoming home their fellows openly, and Naruto noticed staring at him. It was not unnerving being stared at, much the same had happened whence having been Fire Keeper. So he smiled to ease their minds, in the comfort that he was not a threat. Though he felt the need to leave as strong, for his past in the area was marked by death.
His companions bore no such hesitance, eagerly running forth to the adults within their village, well one of them did. Her brother saw fit to stand by him and watch how he maneuvered himself. Perhaps slightly disorientating, but not anything he could not readily handle. As once more experience bid him well, and a reminder of his time being courted by Madara crested to the tip of his thoughts. A continual company of guards, alongside hesitant advisers, watched him much in youth.
In the meanwhile Hashirama seemed to be excitingly regaling how he was indeed an Airbender, possessing all the fabled skills as legend proclaimed. While some of them did sound rather far off the mark from what he had grown up learning, Naruto was surprised to hear that nearly all of it was accurate. That considered, he wasn't certain he possessed the ability to climb up solid ice without aid, he could not imagine anyone with that ability least they be a Waterbender directly.
Many whom listened to the woman's tale looked to him in wonderment, and this made him slightly nervous. It had been many a year since he had done anything of extensive skill, however, by the way, their blue eyes were all widely staring, he surmised they wanted either proof or a demonstration -although the two could be organized into the same category in his mind.
So readying himself, he flicked forth his fans and jumped into the air. This was a rather simplistic trick that most Airbender's at a young age could perform, basically a levitation that involved minimal floating. That is before gently sinking back to the ground. If Naruto was honest with himself he missed doing so, just to dance in the air was now a luxury. As back home, he could not risk using anything but silly little bending movements, at risk of getting caught.
He did watch carefully as Hashirama interacted with her normal surroundings. Mainly as he had lived for many years in a royal household, and thusly his understanding of how the other Nations operated was limited. That is, he wanted to learn so that he could better travel. Albeit true that the Southern Water Tribe could not be considered a large example to find the truth within, nor that many would indeed follow their customs. He could not imagine he would be welcomed for long within the small hamlet.
However, he had expected more resistance from the men in the Tribe, that seemed not to be the case. Tobirama looked to be the only male fully grown, while Hashirama appeared to be the only woman not above fifty. Naruto saw no warriors about, and that puzzled him. For while he knew well Madara's expeditions upon the South were finished, surely they wouldn't leave the village defenceless?
Despite his confusion, and concern, he held his tongue firmly.
"So you are an Airbender." Spoke an elderly woman with eyes of the black coal as within the Fire Nation, and long shortcut cocoa bean hair tied in two identical side braids. Her skin was almost the colour of white algae, she far different looking from the people he knew in the Fire Nation, of course, he didn't find this imposing, if nothing else it was a mark of adventure beginning.
Though while Naruto could consider himself a man of considerable peace -death inadvertent notwithstanding,- many tyding thoughts clashed upon him. Mainly ponderings on his two new friends, Hashirama and Tobirama, while on the surface there was little, underneath he could read much hidden. Perhaps it was the intuition of motherly instinct, but years of watching the lessons between his husband and sons had taught him the marks of a warrior. While it wasn't insulting or bias against the man, when looking to Tobirama, he saw a Waterbender, reclusive and sheltered within himself, but there nonetheless, waiting to be released.
When his eyes strayed to Hashirama he saw the true warrior of the family. Naturally, her sexist brother could not yet glimpse what he saw, but Naruto knew the spirit of a fierce warrioress lurked underneath the gentle facade. As he had seen underneath young Karin many years ago.
Strange, at least in his eyes that they would deny themselves the truths of their own personalities. While perhaps it was slightly hypocritical for him of all persons to think such a thing, as he had done so for more then enough years. Theirs was a different truth, his was nation changing, and large scale, theirs a minor effect unto their own small gathering of people.
Mostly however, while he could empathize with Tobirama's reluctance to admit that he was a Waterbender. Hashirama's denial of her passional warrior spirit was perplexing. Putting herself into a position of housewiving duties was an insult to her own ability. Though he is also aware that simply confronting the two would not be wise, as the self-proclaimed fighter would denounce his own abilities, and Hashirama would merely bashfully deny his words as fantasy.
Instead, Naruto knew to go forward to someone they would both listen to keenly. Their Grandmother Ashura was clearly as wise as she was beautiful. So naturally before any other, she would recognize the truth of her own grandchildren better then he. It was a day later that he chose to speak with her, going into her hut with a warm rusted nomad greeting not used in a century at least. Her delicate hands were twinning with some dried herb, likely shipped from the boat he had arrived on.
"Mrs Ashura, I wondered if I could ask you something slightly… Personal?" Her pale hands paused their work, but she made herself out as calm and collected. Granting him a smile while she worked.
"If you wish to know about Hashirama's and Tobirama's Mother or Father I doubt I could be of much assistance. Betsuma should have never married that woman, I always thought he could do better. She was cold and calculative, and he- well, he could have found a better wife. I'll say that much." Fingers tightened to a crushing grip on the herbs she held, made Naruto think that there was more then simple bad blood between the two women. Though, he marked it down mentally as 'none of his business.' A mild concern rising for his two new friends as it couldn't have been pleasant to grow up around hostility as such.
It almost distracted him from the question at hand. "Actually, I was curious why Tobirama seems so reluctant to admit he's a Waterbender?" And why does Hashirama not bend to her warrior's heart?One question, however, seemed like enough of an explanation in his mind. Certainly, she would understand the intent of his curiosity.
"I never explained, and Betsuma -that is my son- didn't want either of them to know." Her words nearly echoed throughout the hut, but the ice seemed to absorb the sentences, as if fearful of her grandson or daughter hear. "Hatsuyomi my daughter-in-law- their Mother, was a Waterbender. She was also trained with both a Jian sword and a broadsword. She was so very skilled; wanted even, by our sister Tribe for their army, until they discovered she was a woman. She was later stolen from us by the Fire Nation in their purge just a year after Tobi was born. I doubt Hashirama even remembers her all that well, if at all. I hated the woman, but, she deserved more then she got." Regret or something akin to it flashed across her visage for a fraction of a moment, enough for him to be positive it had been there. Though mild, and not as proficient as it should have been something similar creased his brow as he considered his own action -or lack thereof.
Moving forward she ducked beneath a long curtain and pulled out a brown sheath. The long handle, that appeared worn, yet well cared for.
"This was Hatsuyomi's Jian, she always cared well for it. I never thought it would see daylight once more. However, I think its far past time Hashirama unsheathed it." Naruto took the blade cautiously, holding it tender and with both hands firmly gripping the leather cover.
It was a gift he had to bestow carefully, for if he did not present this with care then, Tobirama would no doubt show him distrust.
Perhaps it had shown without any notice of his own, his intention to take the two Watermen with him on a journey. Naruto was a fool, as he had so frequently been called, but he knew himself well enough that it would be necessary to have aid in attempting to save the known world of his husband's advance. -Despite his own selfish plan to never actually battle the Fire Lord, and merely show him the error of the war he was needlessly creating.-
As it so happened, it was the next day with the rising of the sun that he found a place to speak with the warrior-to-be. Hashirama was conducting herself about a fire, cooking some salted fish from what he could tell. Humming an unknown tune unto herself, the sound that of ancient Water Script a dead language. But one he had once spoken while among the monks. Some of the old songs must have been passed down to further generations of Water persons, even if their meanings hadn't been translated alongside.
It had been many, several decades since he had heard them spoken in proper tandem, back when the Southern Water Tribe had been a thriving metropolis, at least half a decade before he had found himself frozen. However, he could still understand some of what she said, though the translation was more then slightly shaky. 'Oh river coursing free, speaks plainly unto me, I dance through your fragile tide, shifting here the waters of time.'Alas, he had not gone over the ancient scriptures stating plainly the Water Script she now sang. Although, Naruto himself had learnt from an old friend who had been a Waterbender how to translate the delicate words into actual sentences. He hadn't thought of Ino in many a year.
Shaking free the memories now lingering in his head, he walked to Hashirama with the sword clasped by his left side. Non-dominant, in case she thought he meant to attack her. Caution had perhaps never been his most sought after attribute, always finding himself relying on Madara's overprotective nature instead. While residing as ironic protection, Naruto had followed his husband's guide as to not be killed by the Avatar. Or indeed any assassin's sent his way while pregnant with Itachi, and later Sasuke, in regards to attempts on his life, there had been a surprising amount, especially while with a child. A time, where Naruto held a firm belief that no one, even the foulest of evil should ever be attacked.
Hashirama turned to him on noticing his approach and bid him good morning with a brightened smile. He returned it as best he could, regardless of dimmed mood. Grinning at the cheerful woman, and handing her the sword her Grandmother had asked him to present.
"Mrs Ashura asked me to give this to you. Apparently, it belonged to your Mother." Naruto was unsure how such a blade worked. The types of blades he had been near were designed far different then the one he held.
What he was accustomed too were often thin. Sasuke had trained with a chokutō as he called it, while Itachi preferred his Firebending and a small tanto blade. Madara however, had been traditionally trained with many different katana, along with a nodachi, a tachi, and a long odachi, his favourite hadn't even been a katana, but a gunbai. Naruto was almost insulted that even his brother-in-law was trained in a different type of swordplay, while he, he knew how to cut with a pair of fans.
So, with all his questionable knowledge, he wondered how Hashirama who had never wielded a blade would manage herself with this. As he was experienced only theoretically in the way of completely different swords.
"My Mother…? She knew how to fight with a Jian?" As her grandmother had said, she seemed completely caught off guard by the information. In flicking his eyes to Hashirama's brother, he took note that he was, in fact, playing soldier, mounting a defence with a weakly built watchtower. An amusement sparked underneath his aqua toned eyes, there was something childish about the want-to-be-warrior, while his sister retained a childish innocence and mature disposition. An odd balance that they possessed, and he found it in comfort. "But I can't… I have to-"
"You can, and you will." Neither of them had seen the elderly woman sneak behind them, but she spoke with an absolution as if there were no question in her grandchild's future. "You and Tobirama both need to use your gifts. Your brother especially, as he seems to think it a curse." Feeling that he had no place in this conversation, the Avatar removed himself to sit on the sidelines, though his advanced hearing had him eavesdropping unintentionally as the stoic Waterbender joined in from playing in the snow.
"Nothing good comes from it GranGran. It may as well be." Naruto could tell that he was being candid with her, which was sad for so many reasons. His sister momentarily looked angered by his dismissal but said nothing in turn, a clamped silence taking her over, in a manner that certainly did not suit her boisterous -albeit hidden- personality.
"That. Is not what your Mother believed. Hatsuyomi always thought her bending a gift." That got a response. Both of them in synchronicity backed away from her as if she herself was the truth personified. One of them holding tight fists of anger a resolute want to deny. The woman of the two contemplating, but not rejecting the idea presented. "You may be angry at me for this, keeping it from you, but I never thought an Airbender would gift you with the opportunity to leave the South Pole."
Taking notice then, he gave a small smile, as he hadn't expected to be pointed too. Still, it was an offer he presented in his being here. Certainly, he could bring them to the North Pole where they could learn to use their skill sets more proficiently. Perhaps in doing so, he could claim some form of redemption for what he had done inadvertently to the South Pole and her people. At least the elderly Ashura who had likely lost many friends and family to the Fire Nation in their crusades.
For his own sanity, he had to remember that he was not directly responsible for such bloodshed.