Tobirama realised immediately that something had gone wrong. He felt himself being pushed, and couldn't resist it in any way. He drew in a deep breath, unaware until then that he hadn't been able to breathe, and his body went limp, held by huge, huge hands. His mind, in contrast, was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack. He poured chakra into his ears and eyes, desperately trying to hear something, see something. His chakra obeyed him, and he thanked all the gods he knew for it.

What had only been darkness turned into blurry shades of dark and light. His ears, though, got so much better that he almost sobbed. An infant was wailing somewhere, and a woman was speaking. "I name you Mizumi, in homage to the beauty of the sea in the god-forsaken land where your father lives. No matter what they tell you, my dear girl, I hope you'll remember that you were loved, that you were very much wanted."

Tobirama's chest ached and, as he drew a deep breath and the wails turned into small hiccups, he realised he had been the one crying. A pool of dread turned his belly ice cold. What the hell had happened with his fucking seal? He had made it to give life back to one who had lost theirs; nothing there implied he was going to get turned into a baby! And a female baby, at that.

No, this wasn't it. Not exactly. Something shimmered at the back of his mind, close to the Gates where his chakra was stored. Another source of energy, soft, young, purposeless. It had awareness, a mind of its own. After a moment of examining it with his chakra – thank the Hermit for sensor abilities – Tobirama realised that it was another being, a mind indeed. If the woman, who had to be the baby's mother, was right, then this was a little girl. How he had ended up stuck in her body, he had no idea.

"With this, you'll be safe, my love," the woman whispered, her icy, wet fingers drawing something on the baby's belly. With a mental jolt, Tobirama realised that she was applying a seal. He focused on her movements to know exactly what she was doing with this infant's body, what she was tying into her skin and chakra. She was using her own to push the seal under the surface of the baby's skin, thus rendering it permanent. It was rough, as far as technique went, but just as efficient as tattoo needles if one didn't have them at their disposal.

He was too weak to struggle. He had to lay still in her lap as the woman drew the seal that would trap him with that baby inside her body until death literally did them part. Still, she shouldn't have been able to grab his being, his soul, and use it as… what? A demon? Yes, it had to be. As he screeched in outrage in the prison this body truly was, he realised he couldn't lay a – metaphorical – finger on the child. If she died, he died. If she lost herself, she died, and he died. He wasn't a Tailed Beast. He wasn't even a Beast. He hadn't, through centuries of adaptation, learned how to possess his host's body without destroying it. He could do it, but only if she was totally willing; a baby, though, couldn't give any form of consent.

"They'll take you from me very soon, my love, but this will ensure you're never alone or powerless like I am now. This isn't the love you'll need to grow and thrive, but it's the closest thing I can give you in this situation."

That made Tobirama flinch – or as close as he could in this body he couldn't control. Those were the words of a parent preparing to die. He had heard something similar enough times to understand the intent and what the woman saw in her own, very close future. Just as he pondered his very limited options, a door opened and the woman curled around the baby to protect it.

"It's time, Uzumaki-san."

The voice was male, deep and gravelly. The woman holding the baby flinched, held it closer, maybe too close. The tiny thing started crying and, for the first time, Tobirama felt the upset oozing from the other mind he was there to protect. Little Mizumi knew that something was wrong. She didn't have the tools to express it, but she was aware of it nonetheless. Was it normal for babies to react to things around them, even when they were so young that their senses didn't pick up on anything?

Tobirama loved children. It was to protect them that he and Hashirama had built Konoha in the first place, so they wouldn't have to fight and die in endless, pointless wars. Many would argue that they had failed in this, but their attempt was better than nothing. That was what Hashirama always said. Tobirama always agreed with his big brother out of respect – and because maybe that way Hashirama would like him better than he did rotten Madara – but, secretly, he wanted more for the village, more for the children, than a half-success.

This child, this little Mizumi, was distressed, and Tobirama couldn't bear feeling it so starkly anymore. He curled his thoughts and chakra around her mind, rocked it like he would a baby of flesh. He would have to protect her, because if she died, he died, but that didn't mean he had to settle for the bare minimum. He had done so when still in Hashirama's shadow, and he wanted more. He was hungry for more. The drive to always do better he had quashed almost his entire life was back with a vengeance.

"Please, Morino-san, let me just hold her a bit longer." For the first time, the woman's voice was quivering. Something wet and lukewarm hit the baby's forehead and she brushed it away, the epitome of a loving, caring mother.

A heavy sigh answered her plea. "Fine. I can give you a minute, Uzumaki-san. Anything more, and they'll grow suspicious."

The woman relaxed slightly but didn't let go of her baby. Tobirama was trying to understand the situation, based on hearing alone. If only he could make sense of it, then he would know what to do to keep little Mizumi safe. After all, as long as she lived, he lived. He needed her to be alive if he was to try and get his beloved back again. Not having her body around would complicate things, but not overly so. And, this time, he had long enough to prepare, to make sure he didn't make any mistakes with his seal.

"It's time," the man said again. "Hand her to me now, Uzumaki-san."

"You… You'll protect her, right? Your oath, Morino-san. I need your oath." The despair in her voice made it clear that the woman was in no position to demand anything, but Tobirama liked the fact that she had the spine to do it nonetheless. He hoped the child was cut from the same cloth. It would make protecting her more challenging, but living with her would also be more interesting.

"On the Flame, Uzumaki-san. I swear on the Flame that I'll protect your baby with my life." He didn't hesitate, didn't waver, and his voice stayed firm. Just with that, Tobirama knew that man was a true believer, one who wouldn't come back on his word. At least he wouldn't be the only one to watch over little Mizumi. Since he was trapped inside her body and couldn't take control of it at will, his own range of action was extremely limited. Having an unsuspecting ally would help a lot.

"Then take her. Take her and keep your word or I swear on everything sacred that I'll reach you from beyond death to make you answer for it." Again this steel in her spine and her voice. Tobirama wished he had more time to get to know that woman. She sounded amazing and not unlike his grandniece, Tsunade. Hermit, he would miss her.

"You will not need to, Uzumaki-san. The executioner will be with you soon. May the Flame protect you, wherever you're going after this. Do you have a name for her?"

"Mizumi. With the kanjis for water and beauty."

The baby let out a heart-breaking sob as Tobirama mentally frowned. The executioner? Why had a prisoner been allowed to give birth? Not that he complained, but… It was very unlike the Konoha he knew to be doing that kind of thing. And he knew he was in his beloved village. Morino was the Konohajin last name for orphans, not the kind one would care to bear in a foreign village, and both the man and woman had sworn upon the Sacred Flame, the Will of Fire. Besides… He knew the chakra in the air. He was home, somehow, somewhat.

Of course, it wasn't his home, the village he knew. Two of him couldn't be woven in the same temporal cloth, which meant he had been transported beyond dimensions. It had to be a present or future to his time, since Konoha was there and people swore upon the Flame. Those things hadn't been before his time: he had founded Konoha with his brother, and had been the one to introduce the people to his faith.

"Goodbye, Uzumaki-san. Rest easy, Mizumi-chan will be safe. She'll live a happy life, a great life. I promise."

With that, the man took the baby from the Uzumaki's arms, and walked away. A heavy door closed; his steps, light as a shinobi should, still echoed in a way that suggested a long corridor. The baby fell asleep in the man's arms – Tobirama could tell how huge he was by the size of his hands and the length of his stride – but her guardian stayed wide awake. This was no time to rest, when the little girl was so vulnerable.

Sure, he couldn't do much through her, but his chakra was still there, vibrant, intense, raging as sea and storm together. It was his duty to learn how he could use it, and later lend his strength to the girl, to protect her. He was already realising how much more chakra he had now. It was as if all the locks and blocks of his mortal body had been lifted. Tobirama had no doubt that he was dead, that in his reality Hiruzen was preparing to become the Third Hokage. At least, in death, he had the power of a Tailed Beast. It was a small mercy, if any: it meant he would have to relearn a lot of things through the girl. At least, he could already tell that she had a strong affinity with water and wind, as well as something akin to the Wood affinity his brother had held. They were well-matched.

After a few minutes of walking, the man spoke again. "Here you go, little one. I'll get back to you as soon as I can." His voice was more gentle now, as if he was consciously trying to soften it. It was a nice gesture, Tobirama had to admit it. He tracked the man's chakra, warm and steady, as far as he could before the baby's meridians started to burn with too much stimuli. He would have to have her work on it when she was older; until then, there were things he could do to help her body adapt and get stronger.

Yes, he had a lot to do, and a lot of uncertainties to account for. The unknown variations between his world and this one were just the start, the child's temperament and willingness to work just a first hurdle, and that was not even considering his strange situation.

Well, with all of that waiting to make his life hell, he'd better get right to work. Getting ahead of the curve was second nature for him, and this wasn't even the worst situation he had found himself in.