Water Goddess

"Senju Ai is now but a memory. A memory locked away in the mind of Uchiha Ai, youngest sister of Uchiha Madara… What could possibly go wrong?" Continuation of: Broken. WARNINGS: Strong OC, OC-centric, Dark, Gore. Rated M for: Adult situations (limes), language and shinobi business.

Arc 1 – Spring – Chapter 6 – Torrential Erosion

8-8

Of course, once my people find out I'm in a spar, there's a mad dash for everyone to get ready to be there as well – and be armed to the teeth to ensure they can provide backup should there be need of it. Including Raiza and Tanyu, each sporting a leg pouch no doubt filled with kunai to rain death on anyone that they feel deserves it.

I love my babies.

But, judging from the weary looks and all the additional leg pouches, it would seem that everyone, even auntie Masa, is not going to let disrespect slide. Kosuke, Shizune, and Savana are just missing some war paint – they have weapons, pouches, and their game faces – they're ready for a mission. And if I didn't know about better, I'd think that Sahara is mentally going over the contents of her pouch – like any true medic would before a mission.

All in all? I'm proud of my people. Well… most of them. I'm still not sure I caught the three new faces' names yet. But they're dressed with the usual high collar Uchiha shit I still can't stand seeing on Kosuke. Seriously, this is why I usually just wear standard kimono – iromuji, so I look ready for a tea party.

And my opponent? Six branch members. All fully grown men. They're fucked. "Thank you all for coming!" father starts this 'meeting of the minds'… for an Uchiha, at least. "I have asked for volunteer sparring partners for my youngest daughter, Ai. I see we have six such volunteers." I step into what seems to be a sparring ring, letting the clan know that I –the seven year old girl that I am– am going to be kicking these shit-for-brains' asses.

No one thinks I can do it, given the nervous chuckles I keep hearing. One man even offers his condolences to father. I don't react. "Father, just so we're clear. What are the rules of this spar?" I ask.

"Given obvious suggestion that you are going to die, it would seem this is all out. Try not to kill them, daughter," he says, amusement in his eyes. He looks forward to me putting these assholes in their place, it would seem.

I smirk.

All six men enter the ring with me. The youngest of them is twenty-one, in the prime of his life. The eldest is thirty-five – also in his prime, if old for a shinobi.

The first of them rushes me, not waiting for a 'begin' or anything like that. Coincidentally the youngest, eager, brash… how the fuck did he survive this long?

I unsheathe both snake swords, click them into snake for, and watch with morbid fascination –and active Sharingan– as the tip of one of my blades bitch slaps the dipshit. He's lucky this is late spring. Had this been winter? He'd have so much more to worry about that just rolling around in the dirt.

That sends the other five into a frenzy. Two are blazing through handsigns, getting ready to cast their jutsu. I wait, retracting my blades and clicking them back into sword form. I want to see what these assholes are going to teach me.

One is going for the Great Fireball jutsu, the other the Great Breakthrough. They do realise that there are people –their clansmen– standing behind me?

With no other choice, I click both swords into snake form again, and offer a wide swing, and the tips of each bash in their faces, knocking them out. "Assholes," I jeer, well and truly pissed off with them.

I once again reel in the lengths of my blades, focusing on the last two. Well, three, given the first one is up and back in the running. They try raining down kunai and a range of other projectiles down on me. But frankly, one Wind Release – Vacuum sword, and all of it is for naught.

Who do these morons think they're dealing with? An amateur?

So, deciding they've had enough warm up time, I Body Flicker behind them, wrap my blades around two of them, and pull. The two spin like mad tops, bowling the third over. Then I realise that they'd substituted with girls… children from the crowd. The two girls are… dizzy, but don't seem in any way hurt.

So, I'm dealing with that type of opponent, am I? Fine.

I reel in my blades, clicking them back into sword form, and I sheathe them. Then, I focus and promptly disappear. Little known fact? The Sharingan is not the Byakugan. They can't see me, and I know they can't sense me. After all, I've been training with my people, and we are expected to master this to the point mom thinks we're doing well enough. Meaning she can't pick us up through standard methods.

With my disappearing act complete, I skulk up to the first of the two assholes. He's at least twice my height, but that won't stop me. When I'm right behind him, I jump up and tap the back of his skull. He falls like a puppet with its strings cut, comatose, but alive.

Two pairs of Sharingan try to find me, but can't. At least another hundred pairs in the crowd tries the same, their eyes roaming over the ring, trying to spot me. And utterly, spectacularly failing to do so.

I skulk up to the next asshole, the one that tried making a girl suffer his fate. I don't know if they saw anything that hinted at what happened, I need to assume they did. So I walk up to him, and activate my Chakra scalpel, cleanly slicing both of his hamstrings in one go. He falls to the ground, unable to hold himself up. But by the time he does, I've already body flickered to another section of the ring. He tries waving his blade about, to hit me or chase me off. He succeeds at neither.

I once again skulk up to the same 'man', coming from the one angle he isn't preparing a defence for – behind him. He's too freaked out to think, it would seem. So I carefully focus my chakra, and place him in a coma as well.

That just leaves the one. The final one.

I drop my camouflage, 'appearing' behind the man I just knocked out. The last man, the eldest of the six, nods to me. A show of respect? I nod back.

"This need not end in violence. Do you submit?" I offer a peaceable solution. He shakes his head, no. I raise an eyebrow. He points to his Adam's apple, then draws an 'X' over it. He can't speak? I scan him a little closer, wondering about that. Osamu had a similar injury. But no, this isn't my Osamu.

"Very well. Can we agree to only use techniques that do not involve the crowd?" I ask. He nods, flicking his eyes to the two that stooped that low. I sense anger boiling up within him. Ah, the honourable sort. I can live with that.

I Body Flicker to him, engaging him in hand-to-hand combat. He offers me the same respect, and he isn't pulling his punches – or kicks. Still, I'm a much smaller target, and I'm trained to avoid all strikes, so he hits nothing but air.

I, on the other hand, am hitting his shins, knees, and thighs each time I lash out. It's during one such strike that I get him behind his knee and he falls. I take full advantage and unsheathe one of my snake swords, placing the tip against the back of his neck, at the base of his skull. He grunts, nodding to show he accepts the outcome.

"DADDY, NO!" A girl rushes out of the crowd to defend him. She puts herself between me and the man, arms held wide to act as a human barrier. "Lady Ai, I beg you. Spare him."

"I wasn't going to kill him," I point out. I see confusion in her eyes, then she looks to the two comatose assholes. I withdraw my blade, sheathing her. I turn to the two girls, still looking a bit woozy from their unscheduled tornado treatment. "If you are referring to the two assholes that thought a girl should better suffer their fate? They are in an induced coma. They sleep."

"… I… that…" She doesn't know what to make of that.

"Shizune, Sahara, please see to the girls," I turn my focus back to important matters. "I want to know exactly what injuries they've sustained."

"Of course, milady," they say, moving up to the two prone forms on the ground. If I know my techniques well enough, their inner ears are in disarray from the centrifugal force. But there could be far more going on.

"Kosuke, Savana. I want you two to take the four shit-for-brains that dared attack the crowd, and lay them at father's feet. It is his right to decide their fate," I continue dishing out orders. And again, I get nothing but compliance.

"Momma!" Two little blurs fly at me, jumping up into my arms. I find myself laughing and shaking my head, amused with my rascals. Tanyu to my left, Raiza to my right, and both bathing me in their warmth and kisses. They take turns telling me how awesome and badass I was.

"And, momma, you so have to train me to use the snake sword!" Raiza all but demands. "Could you imagine how awesome I'd be dual wielding like you?!"

"In time, baby," I promise her. "Just a year and a half to go and you'll be five, you know."

"Oh my gods, I know! I can't wait!" Raiza enthuses. Yeah, since I've had her –essentially– from the start this time, I've been able to shower her in love and affection. She's quite the motor mouth, just like my Yu.

"Momma? You didn't kill those men, did you?" Yu asks, worried.

"No, baby. At worst they'll have a concussion. And your auntie Shizune and auntie Sahara will be able to have them back on their feet in no time," I assure her. Well, if leaving out that father might want them executed. They endangered innocent bystanders, after all.

"Milady?" I turn to Shizune. "They both have a concussion. We'll need to monitor them for at least the next twenty-four hours."

"Of course. Please take them to our quarters. And if the parents of those girls could please stay here with me?" A single woman approaches me, her eyes teary, but anger in her chakra. No one else comes. "Your daughters?"

"Yes. They're… all I have, Lady Ai," she says, almost begging me to take care of her babies.

"Shizune, take her with you. Have her help with anything she can," I relay the new orders.

"Of course, milady. If I may also steal Inaho away? I could use her help," Shizune takes it all in stride. I nod, my eyes flicking to Ina. Without missing a beat, she goes over to them, already asking how she can help.

Shizune's and Sahara's hands still glow green, so they're still trying to ease the worst of it, focusing all their attention on the backs of the girls' heads.

I wait, carefully studying the situation I find myself in. I don't like how the whole clan is sizing me up. And I certainly don't like how they are sizing up those in my employ. Well, the four corpses are at father's feet, so: "Choco, Hibari. I want you, Sahara, and Kosuke to take everyone back up to our quarters. Kouji and Daichi will remain with me. As will my girls."

"Of course, milady," Choco and Hibari breathe, relieved. They're quick to gather our people, readying to usher them back into the main house, back to safety. Kouji and Daichi offer to hold my girls for me, but I shake my head, no. I don't want them to become needy in these situations. They need to stand tall, trust that I will break anything or anyone that tries to harm them.

"Milady, I ask you reconsider," Kosuke tries. "I would feel more at ease should at least Lady Tanyu return to our quarters. There… might well be… a situation?"

I consider his words. An execution. I turn to my babies. "Girls, those men that are sleeping at your grandfather's feet. They tried to hurt innocent people, so there's a chance they will be killed for it," I don't mince words, letting them know exactly what the situation is. "I have no say in the matter, and neither do either of you. If you stay with me, you risk seeing that. Now, what do you want to do?"

The girls share a look, but both shrug. "We're with you, momma," Raiza answers, Yu nodding to show she fully agrees.

"Very well. Kosuke, thank you for your concern. Please guard our people well," I ask, begging with my eyes.

"With my life, milady," he assures me, bowing respectfully. It's not a minute later that all of my people, other than the four staying with me, are gone.

We make our way over to father and Madara, who are quietly discussing something. When close enough, I bow, flicking my eyes to my group to make sure they bow as well. "Ah, there you are daughter," father greets me. "Quite the match."

I offer little more than a tight smile. He nods, understanding I'm here for the corpses, not his praise. "I am placed in quite the position, daughter," he says, his chakra showing he's still weighing the possibilities. "Those girls, they've been surviving off the kindness of the clan since their father's death. They have no money for a proper dowry, as such might well never wed."

"Father, I trust you aren't considering marrying them to their attackers," I intone, just barely not glaring at him. He narrows his eyes, the subtleties of his surprise colouring his chakra. He was considering that. "I have taken them in. I will provide for them."

"I see," he says, his shock no longer subtle. He's simply floored by it. "Madara, what say you of their fate?"

"Give them to me. I will… train them," Madara says, anger flaring up within him, though none of it shows.

"Hmm. In what manner?" father presses, wanting this to be a proper punishment.

"Forbid them from taking missions. Have them provide for our clan's widows and orphans. And I would take over their training personally, so as to ensure they are thoroughly re-educated in the ways of our clan," Madara explains, the anger roiling within him. He's clearly disgusted with their actions, and will break that habit, or break them trying.

"Daughter, do you find this acceptable?" father passes the buck.

"I do," I say, bobbing my head.

"Very well, please wake them up," he instructs. I nod again, flicking my eyes to Kouji and Daichi. They scoop up my girls, keeping them a healthy distance from the assholes.

I make my way to the first, the one with the cut hamstrings. I heal the damage there first, before poking them each with a finger and the correct jutsu to rouse them. They jump up, looking around and trying to assess the situation quickly. Father addresses them, informs them of their punishment, and all that fun stuff. When their eyes study Madara, when they come to the conclusion that they're getting a slap on the wrist, I step in.

"Big brother, it would seem these two have no faith in this being a punishment," I intone, glaring at them. "I would suggest you rectify this lack of distress quickly." As if on cue, Madara unleashes a torrent of killing intent, focused at only these two. Madara doesn't move a muscle, he doesn't alter his stance, nor does he seem to even notice I spoke at all.

And yet the two gloating 'a man would understand' asshats piss themselves. "For the rest of this week, the two of you are to report here at four in the morning. If I find out either of you are late by so much as a second…" Madara trails off. He's still bathing them in killing intent, as well. I like his approach. And I certainly feel better about their punishment. "Get out of my sight."

The two scamper off, embarrassed and with their tails tucked between their tails. I grin.

"As for the last pair," father trudges on. "I'm considering putting Izuna in charge of them, in much the same capacity."

8-8

Once back in our quarters, life continues as if that didn't happen. Sure the 'trek into the slums' got postponed, but those people aren't going anywhere.

Shizune and Sahara are teaching Rei and Yu how to best help someone who suffers from a concussion, even if they'd already dealt with the worst of it. And Raiza is pretty much just bugging me to show her a new kata – she has 'big sandals to fill', she argues.

I sigh, trying to act annoyed with my daughter, but she knows me better than that. "Alright, Raiza, you win. Kosuke, could you please inform Yusuke and Miyoshi that we'll be in the dojo, should they desire to join us. Head straight there once they've been informed, please," I say, ignoring Raiza who's doing a little happy dance.

"Of course, Ai," Kosuke says, immediately heading out to get it done.

"Shizune, Sahara, I assume you two will want your patients kept here?" I ask, trying to assess who will be joining us.

"Preferably, yes," Shizune chimes in. "I would also prefer if Tanyu and Rei stayed here to continue their lessons." I look to Yu and Rei, who nod, agreeing they should – or just accepting that they will.

"Alight. Who else will be joining us?" Not surprisingly, everyone wants to join us. Even the new additions – other than the two girls with a concussion and their mother.

"Little sister?" I turn to Madara… he followed us? That's weird. I figured he'd be brown-nosing with father and possible Izuna. I shrug, deciding it doesn't matter. "It's time to start your own training."

"My training started the moment I could walk," I say, motioning for those joining us to hurry along.

8-8

We set up a simple system, dividing out group into five subgroups. Raiza is training along with her cousins under Savana, who's showing them the next kata of the Two Sword School.

Madara, of course, decided he is taking those with active Sharingans under his tutelage for the day. And what does he do? Offer three scrolls, each with a different jutsu. Inspiring form of leadership, brother.

I take the first of the scrolls –essentially at random– and read it. Genjutsu – Sharingan. I can live with that. "Kouji, you're with Daichi. Choco, with Hibari. Rika, with me. We're starting with this one, cast it on your partner, give them a minute to dispel it, if they don't dispel it for them. Then switch roles. I want to see each of us at least mastering the Genjutsu Dispel by the end of this session," I dish out instructions, handing the scroll to Rika for her to read.

Once she reads it, it's handed to Kouji, and Rika and I get down to business. Casting this genjutsu isn't too hard, given it can only cast genjutsus we already know. Mostly it's learning to control the Sharingan well enough to make the tomoe spin that's difficult.

All in all, it takes less than an hour. Nothing special. So I grab the next scroll. Demonic Illusion – Mirror Heaven and Earth Change. Essentially analysing the genjutsu, then casting it back on the caster while freeing ourselves of it. Could be fun.

Now, I may be decent with genjutsus, but Rika is a fricking prodigy with them! So I have to work twice as hard to flip the script on her. Especially once she decides it's fun to flip it right back on me. It's like playing shogi using genjutsus.

Still, after another half hour passes, we decide we have this one on lock, and take the next scroll. Coercion Sharingan. I read through it, but quickly decide I'm not going be casting that on my best friend. Once she reads it, she comes to the same conclusion.

"I guess that means we're done for now," Rika says, almost sounding disappointed. "Fancy a spar?"

"Not yet. Brother, did you have more scrolls?" I try to assess the situation.

"No. But I could teach you new genjutsus?" he offers. Rika and I share a look, activate our Sharingans and nod to him.

8-8

After Madara shows us his almost scary portfolio of genjutsus, including four geared towards mind control, Madara decides he's not unhappy with us. Demanding much?

Sadly, it only takes like fifteen minutes, given we break out of the genjutsus quickly enough. So that still leaves us with time on our hands. So I decide I need to talk to Madara privately. We sit opposite each other and cast genjutsus on each other, sending messages back and forth.

I need to talk to Tobirama.

He'll be at the next meeting.

When is that happening?

Tomorrow. I've already discussed with father that Izuna and I will take you out into the wilderness to show you what we know about survival.

Kosuke, Kouji, and Daichi are coming.

Tell me something I don't know.

That father has yet to say anything negative about me marrying into another clan.

That… I didn't know.

He plans on having me take missions.

You're guessing now. He's said no such thing to me.

I'm not guessing, I'm predicting. He grows more and more curious as to my latent talent. He'll want to test that sooner or later.

Perhaps, but women aren't allowed to take missions. It risks too much.

What other role could I possibly play?

Many. But I will discuss that with you once you start teaching the branch member's children to read and write.

I'm not playing little miss fix 'em up.

Are you saying you won't help children learn to read?

I'm saying I need to train, idiot.

What about shadow clones?

I don't have the needed chakra.

You have enough to make one.

Which would leave me exhausted. No thanks.

How much time would you need?

Six months? Maybe a year?

Ai?

Madara?

I… need you to do something for me.

Are we back at this again?

I need you to reveal to father that you use Uzumaki sealing script, and that you need a proper tutor.

And how the hell did I learn this?

Ai, please. We need to start opening a channel to the Uzumaki.

So I need to figure it out.

Please.

Then you need to help me figure out a way to open a channel to the Senju.

We don't have the same history with the Uzumaki.

Do the Uzumaki know that?

Ai… please.

I'm not your gopher. You want my help in this, you bargain for it. I come up with a way to get father to contact the Uzumaki, but you need to help me come up with a way for the same thing to the Senju.

… I can't, Ai.

You fear I'll weasel my way into an arranged marriage.

I do.

Which can only happen at the minimal age of sixteen.

Exceptions happen. Doubly so when you're involved.

Well, good luck seeing Miho then.

Ai, please.

Trust is a two-way street, dipshit.

And yet you've shown almost no willingness to help the Uchiha clan.

I train my sisters, I train those three that got foisted on me. And I'll be training the extra three that were foisted on me.

You don't see them as Uchihas. You see them as victims of their fate. Not the same thing.

… Point. But still ignoring that I'm helping them without being asked to.

Ai.

Madara.

Please help me.

Please stop being a dick.

I need you, Ai.

I need my husband and my babies. I don't see you helping me with that.

I found Raiza.

Yes. And the other four? You know the ones you've consistently cock blocked?

Have you considered that I would stop if you would start helping me.

Have you considered that it will take me years regardless of what plan I come up with?

Yes. Then I realised that if you get desperate enough, you'd simply allow yourself to be captured by the Senju clan and worm your way in from there.

… That's not a bad plan.

My point exactly.

But it doesn't allow for my people, just me.

… I said 'desperate enough'.

I will never be desperate enough to abandon them.

Fine. Can we agree that you won't push for it until you're at least sixteen?

No.

Why not?

Because you're being a dick.

Damn it, Ai.

Point to me.

Stop playing around!

Stop trying to keep me from my husband?

He fumbles, not casting a genjutsu on me. Moreover, he's grumbling. "Sixteen and you win," he says, tired of these mind games. You know, the mind games he started. The ones he continuously thinks I won't notice he's playing. And the ones that he honestly thinks I haven't begun to anticipate.

Like him planning on speaking to father about not sending me on missions – unless he already has.

"Fourteen or Izuna," I counter, offering a tight smile. He flexes his hand, knowing I've got his ass cornered and he literally has no way out.

"Fine." With that, he storms off. Aww, poor widdle Madara no longer wants to play with me.

8-8

End Chapter 6

8-8

A/N: Hmm. I wonder where this is going? And how will the next phase of Madara's plan play out? More importantly, however... is Tajima truly in the dark of the goings on?