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 9 – Itchy, Scratchy

8-8

Two sisters, check. Three brothers, check. An additional three idiots that seem to be planning how best to become 'the best thing that ever happened to me', check – unfortunately. My babies, nieces and nephews, check. Only our people are still standing. The others are all wiped out.

Good. The assholes.

"Geez, little sister. You're being really demanding today," Yusuke says, huffing and puffing. She and Miyoshi might be the last ones (of their people) standing, but given they're sweating like pigs… well, they're not unscathed.

"Yu, Rai? Are you two able to continue?" I ask, just to mess with them.

"Momma, come on! Can I breathe?" Raiza complains, trying to catch her breath.

"No complaining, big sister! If momma says we're continuing, then we're continuing," Tanyu gets on her case. I smile, grateful my babies are keeping up better and better each time.

It's hard to believe it's been two years. Two full years since the plotting with the Senjus truly began. Raiza turns six in a month, and she's already unlocked her primary element. Tanyu still has a long way to go, but she's only been training with her chakra for four months, so I don't mind. Rei on the other hand… she's two months older than Tanyu, but she's easily keeping up with Raiza.

All I care about… is that tonight is another Senju night. And I have a present for Touka. One I know she'll love to pieces.

"Little sister?" I turn to Madara, wondering what he's even doing here. He looks nervous.

"Madara," I intone, motioning for him to get on with it.

"Father asked… to speak with us. In his chambers," he says, uncertain of himself.

"Uh huh," I noise, not missing his carefully hidden nervousness. "Rika, keep an eye on my babies while I'm gone."

"Alright. Can I take over today's lessons?"

"Of course. They're not nearly done, after all," I say, enjoying the pained groans begging for some other response.

"Ah… about that. Father wishes for Yusuke and Miyoshi to join us," Madara sounds less and less certain as each moment passes. Uh huh. This is about the Mangekyou, or about an arranged marriage.

"You heard him, let's go."

8-8

Walking down the corridors of this… place. I pass familiar faces, but not faces I want to be familiar with. Uchihas, all of them. I don't care, fuck them. I go over the options in my head. I go over the reasons I might not have thought of. But it's all pretty pointless, I'll know when he tells me.

Madara seems to grow less and less confident – almost to the point of fidgeting now that we're almost to our destination. I notice, I file it away, and I focus on the here and now. Here, because we just arrived. Now, because I sense another person in that room: Izuna.

Madara knocks, and father instructs us to enter. Madara walks in, Yusuke and Miyoshi kneel and shuffle in. I shrug, walking in as well. I close the door behind us, waiting for the sideshow to begin.

"Thank you for coming," father begins, studying us intently. "I will cut right to the point. Madara, have you unlocked your Mangekyou Sharingan?"

"… No father," Madara says, sounding frustrated in himself.

"Izuna?" Father presses on, unbothered.

"I have, father." Of course he has. He slaughtered his whole clan once.

"Yusuke and Miyoshi?"

"No, father," the sisters answer together.

"I thought as much, but this is not the end of the world," father says, sounding sure of himself. "Ai, I will need you to arrange for four eye transplant operations. Use only people you can trust. Madara and Izuna will exchange eyes. You will select one of your sisters to do the same with."

"Father?"

"If you unlocked it once, you can unlock it again, which would allow for you to achieve the Eternal Mangekyou. Same for Izuna. No lives need be lost. And this allows for our family to show our true strength," father explains, his eyes hard even though his tone is soft.

I shake my head, wondering how to explain this without causing a stink. Hmm. Nope, not possible. "Izuna, you know who he'd need to kill," I intone, not turning to the shitstain.

He activates his Mangekyou, focuses on Madara and mutters, "Tsukuyomi." A second later, Madara drops to his knees, Izuna's left eye is far redder, and no one has a clue what just happened.

That is, until Madara looks up, his Mangekyou finally active. Hmm. Three evenly spaced out red dots, surrounded by a black, circular band. But Izuna's is three bars almost looking like a peace sign.

I guess that means mine looks different as well, though I've never bothered to look. "Congratulations. Another brother. And guess what, this tactic will work on the other three as well. Then you can have a circle jerk of Uchiha power. Will that be all, father?"

"Ai. Don't test me, I'm not in the mood," father says, sounding annoyed. "Which of your sisters. Choose."

"Neither, father. I will not inflict that trauma upon them, and I certainly won't allow myself to think back on it. I've given you the tools you need to unlock theirs as well as your other three sons'. Please keep me out of this," I say, looking down to ensure none tries to capture me in a mind control jutsu.

"Daughter, I don't have the time for this. The Fire Lord has hired, among others, the Senju and Uchiha clans to drive out invaders from the north. I need to show our clan is at its best. We need to show the Senju that we are ever raising the bar," he explains. "If you cooperate. I will ensure that you and yours are stationed alongside that Tobirama of yours."

I sigh. Tobi, the shit I do for you. "Then I'm afraid you're too late. I've already traded eyes with Rika. The best you can now hope for is to activate these two's, and have them trade eyes as well," I explain.

There's a long, pregnant, uncomfortable pause… "Explain."

"Exactly what it sounds like, father. The issue with the sibling thing, isn't because your DNA cares. It's because of organ donor issues cropping up. Because of this, my group now has six active Eternal Mangekyou Sharingans. And are therefore not in need of your prodding to get it done," I say, shrugging. "And by the way. There is going to be at least a week between the operation and removing the eyepatches to lower the risk of infection. I do hope you're taking this into consideration."

"Show me," father demands. I activate my Sharingan. Then I activate my Mangekyou. I still don't know what the hell it looks like, and I really don't care. I look right into father's eyes, giving him an are-you-satisfied gaze. "Flower."

I sigh. "Is that all?" I ask, annoyed.

"No, daughter. It is not. Madara, Izuna."

"Father, they're your daughters!" Madara cries out, repulsed.

"Big brother, we know the price is great," Yusuke says. "But it is for the glory of the Uchiha clan."

"A price we gladly pay," Miyoshi chimes in. Lambs to the slaughter.

"Father, neither of them is ready for the battlefield," I announce, my heart racing for some reason. "All you do is assure their demise. Let them sit this out. I assure you, my people will balance numbers with quality."

"Little sister, it's alright," Miyoshi says, sounding at peace. "We know the risks."

"If I must, father, I will refuse them the operation," I warn.

Fuck! Ai, you weren't supposed to grow close to these fucking people!

"… Ai?" Madara, still on his knees, still reeling from whatever he just experienced, looks at me. He understands. "It's alright, father. Between Izuna, Ai, and myself? We will show the world that the Uchiha clan is ever on top."

Father stares at Madara, then shifts his eyes to me. "Which of your brothers is ready and able to join you on the battlefield?" father demands.

"All five of us, father." Madara says, sure of himself. "Though I would ask they be under my direct command."

"Ai? Of your sisters?"

"Neither is ready. Raiza and Tanyu easily outlast them even in training. It's a death sentence to send them," I explain, not pulling punches. "Truthfully, I'd argue the same for the other three as well. Only Madara and Izuna have what it takes to survive in a warzone."

"Madara?" father brings it right back to the idiot.

"I will keep them alive," Madara vows.

"Not good enough. This is about a show of force, not stumbling along. I want only the best of the best. Nothing less," father demands. "That goes for your people as well, Ai. If they cannot keep up, leave them here."

"If they couldn't keep up, I'd leave them here whether you order me to or not," I counter.

Father sighs. "I would prefer not having the sass to go with it."

"I would prefer not to go into a warzone," I counter. "But life's just fun like that. When do we leave?"

"Fourteen days," father says, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I do hope you'll make this insolence worth suffering through."

"I just saved the lives of five of your children. What do you think?" I snipe, glaring at him.

8-8

I slap Madara's hand, knowing he means to scratch at his eyes. "Stop it," I demand. "And Izuna, I will let you suffer through the infection. Don't fuck with me." He should feel honoured I let him in here at all!

"So, guys. Who's in?" I ask, getting back to the meeting Madara keeps interrupting with his stupid stupidity. I slap his hand again. "Madara, you had your eye drops not an hour ago. That itch is in your mind, not in your eyes. Stop trying to scratch it."

"I dunno, Ai. Our kids are really young for something like this," Kouji says, looking to Yoko, Rei, and Kaiya.

"That's what this meeting is about. Deciding. Father demands only the best of the best. If you feel they aren't ready, then we make arrangements to keep them safe while we work," I explain carefully.

"You mean we get to stay at the farm?" Kaiya asks, bouncing in her mother's lap excitedly. She's mentally five years old, so I don't blame Kouji for thinking she isn't ready for the hells of war.

"Isn't that risky?" Hibari asks, her demeanour dejected, her eyes showing so many worries at once.

"Relax, Hibari. Both Rika and myself can get there. And I have the seals set up, so you can check on your babies," I assure her. We've only been planning for this day for years, so of course we made backup plans for our backup plans.

Since Rika and I traded eyes, we have access to each other's Mangekyou jutsus. Meaning, we both have access to the pocket dimension of our Space-Time ninjutsu. Seeing as we didn't trust leaving our babies there with the risk of both of us dying, we tagged the house there with our seals, and linked those seals to Hibari's, Choco's, Tobirama's, Touka's, Itama's, and Kawarama's fans. We can each retreat to that place whenever we need to. So we know it's going to be alright.

And really, it's an excellent place to train and hold private meetings.

"Mom? What's your plan?" I ask.

"I'm holding down the fort, of course. I advise keeping Sahara and Shizune there as well, to ensure we have medics on call," mom suggests. I think about that. Keeping them well out of the fighting, but within reach at all times. Yes, that makes sense.

"Alright. Tanyu, I want you there with them. You and Rei will be my communications officers, so you have to take turns monitoring the chatter from the seal, okay?" I turn to them. They share a look, beaming that I'd trust them with something so huge.

"You can count on us, momma!" Tanyu gushes, beaming proudly.

"For sure, auntie! We won't let you down!" Rei agrees wholeheartedly.

"Good. Inaho, I'm going to need you there holding down the fort as well," I turn to her, getting a solemn nod. She's… still glowing from… her private… escapades with Tenzo…

I sigh. I've never wanted to go through the awkwardness of puberty so badly. I want that afterglow, damn it!

"You know, I still can't believe no one form the Senju clan ever missed him," Choco says, confused.

"They were expecting him to become suicidal from his injury. So, him turning up missing? Who'd be surprised at that?" I point out. That he's slowly building himself up after being bedridden for three years, well… I'd say the man is doing exceptionally well.

"Anyway. To the point. Raiza, I know you're willing baby, but you're not ready for the big times yet," I say, hoping she understands.

"I know, mom. I'll be training at the farm, and keeping uncle Tenzo in line," she accepts it with grace. Thankfully. "Besides, there's a good chance Kawarama's going to get the same hand dealt. So we can spar all day long."

"I'll speak with Tobirama when I see him and figure out what they've decided on their side. Choco, Hibari?" I move things along, hating that Madara hears even that much. Both decide they're better medics than fighters, so they'll be at the farm. I nod. "Rika?"

"Oh, you know I'm going to be out there kicking ass," Rika says, grinning. "And that's ignoring Kei's going to need someone to keep him on his toes."

"Works for me." Kosuke, is of course tagging along, Savana as well. Auntie Masa will be at the farm, and uncle Manabu as well.

"Would someone mind telling me what 'the farm' is?" Madara asks.

"No," we chorus.

"Ooh, Ina. I want you to start learning the Space-Time jutsu along with Tanyu and Raiza. I just so happen to have a spare fan you guys can train with when the time comes. But trust me, the theory will take your brains for a ride."

"Uh huh," Rei agrees, rubbing her temples. Kaiya laughs, but doesn't understand what the deal is. She's never been allowed to study the more… bothersome aspects of sealing arts. Nor has any of the younger ones – the mentally younger ones.

"Momma?" I turn to Raiza. She makes a face, tapping the spot where her seal is hidden. I nod, Tobirama wants to speak with me. "Isn't it time for lunch yet? I'm starving!"

"That's because of how hard auntie works us," Rei chimes in, blushing proudly.

"Ai, would you trust allowing our sisters to join your people at this… farm?" Madara asks.

"No. Now stop minding our business, or we'll kick the both of you out," I warn, taking out my scroll and poking the seal to see what has Tobirama in such a hurry.

-Yes, husband dearest?- I tease.

-You've been informed of the draft?- he asks.

-Naturally. We're here making plans for it. We deploy in fourteen days.- I relay.

-What are Raiza and Tanyu doing?-

-Right now, they're complaining about lunch. But they're staying at the farm for deployment,- I tease, knowing exactly what he means, but liking to rile him up sometimes anyway.

"Auntie, seriously. When are we eating?" Raiza asks again.

"I'll get us a snack, oh impatient one," Ina teases.

-Thank you. I don't think they're ready for this yet,- Tobi says, relief in his voice. -I've arranged for Itama, Kawarama, and Touka to stay there as well. They aren't ready.-

-I disagree. I think they are. But I don't want them in a warzone,- I say, being completely honest.

-Same thing to me. Father informed Hashi and me that we'll be the first generation of Senjus to work alongside the Uchihas. Says to watch our backs,- he teases.

-I don't blame the man's caution. Father says he's going to try stationing me with you, to get me to cooperate.-

-Sounds to me like you've been purposely misbehaving so you'll get brownie points when you don't,- he teases, sounding too amused for my liking.

-Would you focus? Who else is staying at the farm?- I try to steer him back on track.

-All the kids, obviously. Himono as well… Kei wants to know how stoked Rika is?- Ai, don't laugh. Madara and Izuna are literally right there.

-She plans on giving him a run for his money.- I tease, winking at Rika. She narrows her eyes, wondering what that's about. I mouth 'Kei' to her. She rolls her eyes, blushing. -We need to hold a proper meeting tonight. I'm kicking Madara and Izuna out, with orders to rest.-

-Why… are they there?- he doesn't like the sound of that. He knows my distrust has only grown over the years. And he certainly knows that I don't want them knowing much of anything.

-Sharingan eye transplant.-

-Well, that's a bit late. Didn't you do yours last year?-

-Yeah, but I'm the exception to every rule. Hey, do you think father and Butsuma are tagging along?-

-I know father is. But honestly, I wish he wouldn't. He's working himself up into a frenzy just thinking about working with Tajima.-

I snort, not quite catching the laugh in time. "Ai, would you mind not picking on us while we're here?" Madara sounds annoyed. "And tell Tobirama that I need to speak to Hashi before we deploy."

"Bad news, brother. You're my best link to speaking with him," I lie with a smile. "Or did you think that your efforts to block all contact have done nothing?"

"Ai, please don't lie to me. I know you've given him a seal. And I know you've been meeting up with him." Madara doesn't give up that easily.

"Then you know more than I do," I say, shrugging. I don't care, I don't trust you. And I certainly am not trusting you to honour your agreement with me.

"Little sister, please. I'm asking you to trust me."

"Is Izuna still alive?" I muse, enjoying their shared discomfort. "Pact honoured. You're welcome." Now keep it down, I'm busy not speaking to my husband.

8-8

Walking around, all I see is hills in every direction. Green. Grass, trees, shrubs, flower beds, the works. Well… the flowers and some of the trees have many different colours. But who's keeping track?

Not me. I'm too busy enjoy the simple, unspoiled beauty of it all. The gentle breeze kissing my face, the warmth of the sun on my face. No matter how often I come here, I can never bring myself to truly believe all this is artificial. That it's all something Rika and I conjured up, as a place to run away to.

The land is fertile. The rain that comes every other day honestly feels like the real deal. It gets harder and harder to return to the Uchiha compound each time I come here.

"Hey, love. I thought I sensed you out here," Tobirama calls to me. I sensed him arrive a few minutes ago, but I enjoy these walks too much to cut them short, even for him. He strolls up to me, casually draping an arm around my middle when he gets close enough.

I lean into his warmth, still just looking around. "I love it here," I murmur, still looking around. The sole river running through this valley, hearing its water flowing along. Smelling the crisp, clean air, free of war, of poverty, of corruption, of the stench of death and decay.

To see the world so pure… it's… jarring to realise it doesn't exist on the same plane.

"You aren't looking forward to the mission," he says, sniffing out my mood. I shake my head, no. Why lie? Especially to him, he can read me like a book. "You know I won't let anything happen to you."

"If it's in your power," I remind him. He winces, remembering at least one time when it really wasn't up to him. "Don't worry though. If anything happens, I'll come here."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks, knowing I'm not okay. Asking if I'm okay when you know I'm not is an exercise in futility.

"I've been saying to let the world burn. Now I'm going to be part of the reason it does," I muse, looking around. "I want nothing to do with them anymore."

"The world, or the Uchiha?"

I shrug, conceding his point. "Both."

"Was this a mission from the Senju archives?" he asks, figuring it best to change the subject.

"No."

"Does that worry you?"

"Not even a little. It means we've changed things. Given our babies are still alive, I'd say it's a win."

We continue walking together. Enjoying the trees Hashi grew for us. Enjoying the vegetable gardens Tenzo and the freed slaves have been growing, and are currently working in. I see a few of them waving to us, ploughing the soil to make it ready for whatever seeds they've chosen. We wave back, shouting back a greeting to them. I'm not so much enjoying the scent of compost, though. But the rabbit pen is cute.

"When?" Tobi asks, a bit out of the blue. I turn to him, confused. He stops walking, his red eyes taking me in. I stop a stride ahead of him, getting tugged back and into his arms. "It's wasted air to ask if you'll marry me. So, when?"

"The nineteenth of February in seven years," I say, not even having to think about it. He's right, after all. I said yes then, I won't even tease him by telling him no now.

"My sixteenth?" he asks, joy dancing in his eyes. I nod. "How?"

"If Madara doesn't live up to his end of the deal, then I approach whoever is the Senju clan head on my fourteen birthday. I'll offer my skills, my people's skills to the Senju clan. On the condition that I may marry you."

"I… may have mentioned it to Hashi already," he says, grinning but trying to play that grin down as best he can. "That an arranged marriage between our clans might well end the fighting sooner than previous history dictates."

"He laughed, didn't he."

"Like an idiot. He asked why I'd need to give him a reason to marry the love of my life," he says, his eyes glowing with a warmth I've only ever seen when he looks at me. "So. Married at sixteen this time. Babies?"

"Seventeen." I don't think about it. I've only been thinking about it for years.

"From the wedding to the honeymoon suite I take it."

"Post-haste." I nod, agreeing fully. "And if I sign with the Rabbits beforehand, we can bank on us getting twins."

"What if… I could arrange you signing before marriage talks?"

"I'd have to keep it hush-hush on my side. But I'm marrying you, and I'm signing that contract. So the order is irrelevant."

"Confident," he teases, grinning.

"I love you, Senju Tobirama. And we both know I'm dying to rid myself of my current family name." He laughs, his eyes lighting up with joy, his face completely transforming from the straight-laced man the world will come to know. "Just promise me one thing?"

"I don't sign blank checks, love," he teases, his eyes still smiling at me.

"No fighting without me. If you fight, I need to be at your side." I beg with my eyes, show him just how deeply this fear goes. I can't… I can't lose him again.

"Barring pregnancies, suspected or not. Deal."

8-8

"Alright, alright. Settle down, you hooligans," Hashirama teases, making more noise alone than all of us combined. Idiot. "Updates. Senju, Uchiha, Uzumaki, Hyuuga, Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Sarutobi, Inuzuka, and Aburame. These clans are confirmed to be participating in this joint mission. As the Fire Lord demands, only the best of the best of each clan will be taking part. So we need to use this as a chance to tighten alliances. So Ai, I want you close to Tobirama, so you'll be in a good mood."

Everyone laughs, knowing it's true. "I've already spoken to Uzumaki Ashina, who says his daughters Mito and Miho will not be taking part, but his three sons Tango, Daisetsu, and Yoichibei will. He's asked me to keep an eye on them, and if I bring all three back to him alive… marriage talks are all but assured."

"So that means, Tobi, Ai, I'm putting them with you. There will be other Uzumaki teams, no doubt. So let's try to keep everyone alive. But for the love of the gods, don't let those three get hurt."

"I'm putting this favour on your tab," I drone, teasing some chuckles from here and there.

"Say what you want. But you want Mito in our lives as much as I do," he counters. Point. "As well, I'm going to need everyone doing their best to make friendships. The stronger the bonds now, the better our chances of alliances later. And Tokomi, please stop poking Kawarama."

I look to them, seeing them blushing up a storm. Best friends in their last life. All but written off as married in this one.

"Moreover. I'm going to need everyone to stop talking about this place. Father's getting suspicious, and he's been demanding where we keep disappearing to. Not to mention wondering where we're keeping our people."

"Well, we could always tell him the truth," I deadpan, obviously being sarcastic.

Hey, dad. You know those Uchiha's you keep frothing at the mouth over? Well, Tajima's youngest daughter has a pocket dimension that looks like a farm. That's where we keep all the people we value, not to mention food, supplies, weapons, scrolls. The works! You should see it, it's awesome.

That'll go over well.

"How about no," Hashirama drones, missing the sarcasm entirely. To no one's surprise.

He keeps going over the details, but my eyes wander. I hear him, don't get me wrong, but there are only so many things he can figure out that I can't.

We're in the main hall. Easily fifty metres long, and fifteen metres wide. The entire place is covered in tatami mats, and this section has a series of low tables. The walls and paper screens are all washed light blue, the ceiling left bare to show off the wood this place is made of.

Everywhere I look there are little pieces of art. The kids' drawings, ink wash paintings that Yu and I work on from time to time, seals to monitor who is here and to announce to those with specialised seals that this place is in fact here.

There's also a fireplace, for the ambiance, with a fire going. The doors leading outside are kept open, to let fresh air in.

I know, though I can't see it from here, that there are six doors on this floor. One leading down into the cellar, where we store the food. One leading to the girls' bathroom, another to the boys' bathroom. One leading into the library. And the last two are on opposite ends of the room, leading upstairs, to the bedrooms. Hashi really went all out, building us a veritable mansion where we can live comfortably. Kosuke even remembered enough about plumbing to set up running water!

"Alright, well, that's about everything I can think of." You've yet to say anything remotely plans based other than: don't let the Uzumaki brothers die.

8-8

End Chapter 9

8-8

A/N: For those who haven't noticed. Yes. Action starts as of the next chapter. ^_^ Ciao