.
.
"Has this river always been here?" Tobirama asks. Beside him, Hashi shakes her head.
"I think that happened after Madara tossed that boulder," Hashi says, and she points to what looks like a broken-off piece of cliffside that Madara somehow hurled at her during their battle.
The landscape of the Valley is completely changed. What was once lush and green and verdant is now a long stretch of craggy rock cut in half by a river that was formed from the tracks of an errant boulder.
They are looking to expand the village, possibly adding settlements here. There used to be forests, tall trees, and wild animals, but since that fateful battle, everything is already leveled. "Half the work has already been completed," Tobirama said to the council, and the other members agreed to it.
"What happened here?" Tobirama asks, seeing the gouged-out crater that created a perilously deep cliff. Hashi looks.
"I think I did that with my Mokuton," Hashi says. "See those trees there?"
"Yes?"
"When I grew them, they made that hole over there," Hashi says, and Tobirama imagines the earth splitting violently, the trunks of trees surging out from beneath the smoke and fire and storm clouds. He rubs his head, frowning.
The sun is high in the sky, and Tobirama and his sister break for lunch. He unwraps a few rice balls from his pack and hands them to Hashi, sharing a canteen of water to drink. "So Madara has the Rinnegan," Tobirama says, after a long moment. Hashi nods.
"He's still trying to figure out how to use it."
"You mean that self-important jackass doesn't already know the jutsus associated with it?"
"It's just like when I first awakened the Mokuton, Little Brother. I had to teach myself." Hashi takes a swig of water. "Also, that jackass is my husband, so you know, watch it."
"Ugh, Sister. Do not remind me."
There's a warm silence. They eat and put away their things, when Hashi stands suddenly and points.
"There's our cave!" Hashi says.
"Your what?" Tobirama says.
"Our cave. We rested here after our battle."
Tobirama eyes her warily. "You rested. Meaning you both ran out of chakra and had a temporary cessation of hostilities."
"Something like that."
Tobirama exhales loudly. "Sister did you have carnal knowledge of Uchiha Madara in that cave?"
Hashi laughs. "Little Brother! That's not something you ask a lady!"
"The last time I checked, Sister, you are hardly a lady."
"You know who is a lady, though?"
"Who?"
"Uzumaki Mito."
"Dammit, Sister-"
And Hashi laughs, taking another swig of water.
