Fated to Meet You
Author's Note:
Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.
Chapter Nineteen: Tobirama's Second
Mai looked at the salted fried fish on a stick in her hands. "Three days with minimal sleep, and you want a fish on a stick?" If she had the power to choose what she wanted to eat, it would have been a bowl of udon. She could already imagine the power of the broth alone giving her the energy needed for the day.
She turned to the man sitting on the bench beside her. Senju Tobirama was already eating his fish. Turning back to her fish, she straightened her lips before giving in.
"It's simple." Tobirama said after swallowing his food.
Mai twirled the half eaten fish in her hand. "It is." Since Miss Ayaka's retirement, she had to make food for herself. But what most people didn't know was that Mai wasn't the greatest cook. Luckily, she knew how to make the simple dishes like fried fish. So, she survived off of that skill. She turned her head to look at the white haired Senju. The two of them were still adorned in their mission gear and she could tell that they both looked tired.
Uchiha Kosei was adamant that he was fine. Even the white haired Senju was surprised at how persistent the Uchiha was. Tobirama watched as the doctor shook his head as he walked out the hospital room.
"Team Captain," Uchiha Kosei began after watching the doctor fully exit the room. "This village. They call themselves, Takigakure."
Tobirama made his way to lean against the window sill. The Hokage had sent him in his stance to visit Uchiha Kosei, not that Tobirama minded. It had only been a day since Kosei was admitted into the hospital, and the white haired Senju wanted to check up on the Konoha shinobi.
"They are planning an all scale attack against Konohagakure." Kosei relayed.
Tobirama narrowed his red eyes. "Why Konoha?" They have at least four other hidden villages to attack.
"They want a tailed beast in exchange for peace." Kosei answered and leaned back into his pillow. "While they were trying to cast a genjutsu on me, I managed to cast one on one of them to get this information."
"Do you know when?" Tobirama crossed his arms.
"No." The Uchiha ninja looked at the white haired Senju. "I don't."
"KOSEIII!" Senju Jun's voice echoed into the hospital room. The door slid open and running in was the Senju himself. "I thought you were a goner!"
Mai had woken up with a bad feeling. And the moment she stepped into the Uchiha Headquarters, she could tell what the bad feeling consisted of: Uchiha Kazuki.
Their eyes met and she nodded at the fellow apprentice before making her way towards the Uchiha Clan Leader's office for her meeting.
But as she had expected, the fellow Uchiha began walking next to her. "I didn't know you were close with Senju Tobirama." Uchiha Kazuki revealed after a few footsteps in.
Uchiha Mai cursed herself. She was so exhausted that day that she was not sensing those around her. "It's dangerous to assume, Uchiha-san."
Uchiha Kazuki continued to walk with Mai. "Haa. So my eyes were tricking me?"
"I don't know. My eyes aren't your eyes." Uchiha Mai turned her face to look at the man beside her.
"You should be careful." The male apprentice stopped and Mai stopped with him to listen what the man had to say. "You and I have the same amount of respect and regard in the clan. What would happen if the clan were to find out that you are close comrades with Senju Tobirama. The man that killed so many of us."
Another thing Mai inherited from Uchiha Mio was the calmness she would have in her eyes. And Uchiha Mai stared into Uchiha Kazuki's own onyx eyes with so much nonchalance before replying, "I think the clan has evolved from that time period, Uchiha-san. Now, if you would excuse me." The kunoichi stepped back, nodded at the man, and continued her way to the Uchiha Clan Leader's office.
Uchiha Mai had years to analyze what kind of person Uchiha Kazuki was. And she knew, he wasn't done yet.
. . .
After Mai had dropped off the scrolls Hikaku had requested, she stopped to visit Elder Mio on her way to visit Kosei. Lord Hikaku knew what had happened to Uchiha Kosei and what Mai was up to the past couple of days as well. The dark blue hues under the Uchiha Clan Leader indicated his lack of sleep. And Mai felt for her friend. But Uchiha Mai was not in the position to tell her clan leader that other than to offer her support.
However upon reaching the cemetery, Mai let her head tilt slightly to the side. There was someone standing in front of Elder Mio's grave. Someone she did not know and had never seen before.
She heard footsteps to her right and ripped her eyes off of the unknown man to a familiar one. "Elder Jirou." Mai lowered her head to the said male elder.
Elder Jirou's onyx eyes moved to his old friend's resting place and back to the kunoichi before smiling at her. "Come." He began turning his body towards the exit. "Let's go on a walk."
. . .
"You don't usually visit Elder Mio on this day." Elder Jirou began as the two Uchiha's walked down the Konoha road.
"I don't." Mai admitted. "But neither do you, Elder Jirou." She said politely. Mai knew when Elder Jirou visited Elder Mio, and she made sure to never visit Elder Mio on the days Elder Jirou would visit.
The male elder chuckled. "Some people just have to have their specific day to visit someone as great as Elder Mio."
The Uchiha kunoichi smiled at the elder's truthful sarcasm.
"I heard Kosei is in the hospital." The elder continued the conversation.
"He is." Mai nodded. "I was going to stop by to visit him after I visited Elder Mio."
"I would visit him if you want a burst of energy." Elder Jirou replied. "You can literally hear that Senju boy's voice from a mile away."
Mai maintained her smile and locked her hands in front of her. "His name is Senju Jun."
"Is that so?" The male elder slowed his pace. "You and Kosei have gotten rather close with that team of Senju's."
Mai had relaxed her lips at that point. As much as the Uchiha Clan had changed most of its views for peace, it was still more difficult to imagine friendship between Senju's and Uchiha's than it was to imagine a peace treaty.
"Although, that is not a bad thing." Elder Jirou finished before turning to face the kunoichi to inspect her face for a reaction.
Mai let the tense air in her lungs out quietly. "It's different when you fight alongside each other rather than against." She said.
"It truly is." The male said softly as the two continued to walk and the hospital came into view. "Well," Elder Jirou perked. "You should probably visit Kosei for the day. That man tends to visit Elder Mio and remain for a while."
Really?... The female elder's student thought to herself. "Alright then." Mai turned and bowed to the Uchiha elder. She watched as the male elder walked back the way they came. The image of the unknown man in front of Elder Mio's grave played itself in her memory as she continued walking to the hospital.
Mai had heard from Jun when she went to visit Kosei that Kosei wasn't supposed to get captured. The entire team was making their way back to Konoha but Senju Jun had gotten injured and fell behind. The Uchiha teammate noticed and put himself in front of the enemy, allowing Kaito and Takeshi to get to Jun.
Kosei? Using himself to shield Senju Jun? Mai could not believe it. Kosei wasn't someone to do that unless he truly trusted the person. But Mai was a believer in Konoha and all of its shinobi. Things are truly changing.
The Uchiha kunoichi walked into the red Hokage building. Apparently, Elder Mio had left something in the building's possession before passing. With the village still building, it took a while for the workers to find and return it.
"I have a meeting to attend to. Give the Hokage my regards." An elderly man made his way out to the doors just as Mai was entering.
And she stopped.
This is… It was the man standing in front of Elder Mio's grave. Her memory was still fresh and she knew for a fact this was the man. He was taller than her and his graying hair gave away his old age.
The female stepped to the side, allowing the man to walk past her. But she kept her eyes on him. She watched the old man walk steadily, with no use of a cane, through the pathway towards the gates.
"Mai." A familiar voice brought the said person's attention back to the building.
"Tobirama-san." The Uchiha greeted as if nothing had happened immediately prior.
Senju Tobirama glanced at the back of the male elder leaving the gates of the Hokage Building. "Do you know him?"
"No," Mai answered. "Do you?"
The red-eyed Senju brought his eyes back to the Uchiha. "That's Senju elder Senju Hikotoshi."
Senju? Why would a Senju visit Elder Mio's grave? Mai thought to herself while she said, "Is that so."
"I'm sure you didn't come here to see Elder Hikotoshi." The Hokage Advisor continued.
"No, I did not." Uchiha Mai brought her eyes to meet with the white haired Senju. "I received a message that Elder Mio's belongings are here."
"Yes, she lent us a scroll a while back." The white haired Senju turned around and began walking further into the building. And Mai followed suit.
"Here." The Hokage Advisor handed her the Land of Tea scroll from over a year ago.
Taking the scroll, Mai thanked the man. She inspected the scroll before taking her attention off of it and bringing it back to the white haired Senju.
"Are you busy tomorrow?" Senju Tobirama asked the female.
Mai shook her head. "No."
"I have a new jutsu I want you to critique for me." Tobirama explained. "The doctor's are not letting Kosei out of their sight just yet."
"And you need someone with the Sharingan." Mai finished for him. Mai saw nothing wrong with lending a hand for a new jutsu. Plus, she was curious. She had asked the man in front of her once before about his transportation jutsu. Apparently, the man was quite the inventor. He had even taught her and Kosei a jutsu of his, the shadow clone jutsu. "Where?"
"Training Ground Three." The Senju answered.
. . .
The next day, Mai met with the white haired Senju. The sun had just made its appearance for the day and here Mai was standing in front of Senju Tobirama with her Sharingan activated. She watched as the white haired Senju conjured hand signs before everything around her turned black. But, her Sharingan eyes were able to cancel the genjutsu before the white haired Senju could land a hit on her.
"It's a good genjutsu." Mai critiqued as she twirled her fishcake skewer stick. "It makes the victim not see anything. Even I was taken back for a bit." When they finished, the two shinobi decided to stop at a street vendor for food.
"You mean, you couldn't see either?" Senju Tobirama asked and leaned back into the bench.
"I wouldn't necessarily say I didn't see." Mai answered before biting into her fishcake.
"It seems like the Sharingan can see what's actually happening beyond the genjutsu." Tobirama noted.
Mai was slightly taken aback. Another thing about Senju Tobirama she found, he was very knowledgeable about the Sharingan. But everything seems to point to his years of experience battling with the Uchiha Clan. "All I'm saying is it's a good genjutsu and catches people off guard."
Mai waited for Tobirama to finish chewing before asking her question. "What does Elder Senju Hikotoshi specialize in?" The Uchiha female asked the Senju beside her.
"You see the man once, and you're already curious about him." Senju Tobirama blatantly let the words slide out of his mouth. He put his fish on a stick down.
Another thing Mai noticed about the man, he was very blunt - almost brutal. "Twice, actually." Mai corrected. She pointed her wooden skewer with a piece of fishcake wounded through it at the Senju.
The white haired Senju laid his elbow on his knee. "During his prime, he was one of the Senju Clan's best. He didn't specialize in anything in particular. Why are you asking?"
Mai thought back to seeing the Senju elder standing in front of Elder Mio's grave. "I'll let you know when I know as well." She merely replied before biting into her fishcake. She wasn't a fan of the actual fish but she was a fan of fishcakes.
"Alright then." Senju Tobirama took another bite of his fish.
.
"I think you two have good teamwork." The dark haired Hokage commented.
Senju Tobirama stood in front of the large desk and had just got done reporting to his brother the rescue mission of Uchiha Kosei was a success. "We have a year of mission experience together, brother." The white haired brother stated a matter-of-factly
"I want to see if Uchiha Mai works well with other Konoha shinobi as well." Hashirama leaned back in his chair. "She really is one of the Uchiha Clan's best..."
Tobirama didn't answer. So far, Uchiha Mai has only really been working alongside the Senju Team and Uchiha Kosei. But he knew her enough to know what kind of kunoichi she was and who she worked well with.
.
"Are you ready for another mission?" The white haired Senju turned and asked the female beside him.
Uchiha Mai was in the midst of chewing."Hm." She answered through a mouthful. Wow did she need Miss Ayaka with her to keep her in check. Mai can already imagine the glare the former head maid would have given her if she saw her talk with her mouth full.
"You will be my second."
The Uchiha raised a brow. "I thought Takeshi-san was your second?"
Tobirama shook his head. "Takeshi is leading the team now. And Uchiha Kosei has joined the team in my stead."
"So, you demoted yourself?" Mai blatantly asked before she took another bite of her fishcake.
The white haired Senju narrowed his eyes at her and she winced back before smiling shyly at the man. "No, I have other things to take care of now."
"So, what will I do?" Mai asked, regaining composure.
"Whenever I need you on missions with me, I'll call for you. Other than that, you will be taking on missions assigned to you by the Hokage."
Uchiha Mai nodded to herself. "Understood."
Was his brother going to be unhappy that he basically took away most of Uchiha Mai's time? Yes. But Uchiha Mai was practically the only person, other than Senju Hashirama, that had gotten used to hiraishin no jutsu being used on her. Paired with her skills and Sharingan, she was befitting as Tobirama's second.
.
"Enter!" Lord Hikaku said from behind his desk.
Senju Tobirama walked in. "Lord Hikaku," The white haired man greeted and nodded his head.
The Uchiha Clan Leader finished writing his last sentence and put his brush down. "I'm sorry we had to reschedule. What can I do for you, Tobirama-san?"
"I wanted to ask if you had any plans for Uchiha Mai and Uchiha Kosei in your administration as clan leader." The white haired Senju got right into business.
Hikaku blinked at the Senju in front of him. Him and Senju Tobirama had gotten close. Not too too close, but close enough to relate together on similar views and ideals. "Other than the two being occasional support, nothing else."
"Occasional support?" Tobirama repeated and raised a white brow.
"Let me guess," The clan leader began, catching on to where this conversation was going. "You want to put them in a team of some sort."
"I was thinking of putting her in my team. And Kosei in replace of me in another" The white haired Senju clarified. "With that they have no other committed responsibilities, of course."
"Kosei in replace of you? And Mai in a team with you?" Lord Hikaku repeated back. "Am I missing something here?"
"As you may know, they have been working in a team with me for a year now. I think they both are well qualified individuals."
Upon hearing what the white haired Senju just said, Lord Hikaku was proud of them. The two of them had been his good friends and two of the Uchiha Clan's best in their fields.
The Uchiha Clan Leader placed his hands together on top of his desk. Did Mai and Kosei really have committed responsibility in Uchiha Hikaku's administration? No. Uchiha Hikaku knew that for sure. Mai was his occasional second-in-command on really the surface and Kosei was his aide when he was free. Once he stepped into the position, he found he had no space for a second-in-command and he rarely asked for their help. "No, they have no responsibilities in my administration."
.
Mai glanced at the white haired Senju and in her head was putting the pieces together.
.
"Mai." The voice of her clan leader stopped her from fully turning to the office exit. She had just dropped off the scrolls that the Uchiha Clan Leader requested the other day.
The Uchiha kunoichi looked back at her friend.
"An occasional second-in-command should come help out when they are free." Hikaku nodded at his friend before picking up his writing utensil and began writing into a scroll.
Mai smiled and nodded. "Always." Uchiha Mai walked out of the office knowing what her clan leader meant. Something was going to happen with her schedule in the next coming days.
.
Did Uchiha Mai like the idea of being Tobirama's second? Yes, she did.
A/N (again)
Leave a favorite, follow, and review!