They arrived at Konoha in the early hours of the morning. Two men greeted Ibiki at the gate, then chatted with him about Kirigakure and Sunagakure before letting him go. Mizumi, now wide awake, was rendered speechless by the sight before her. The colours were unlike anything she had seen before, emerald greens and crystal blues, the sun warm but not scorching. She offered her face to its gentle light, amazed at the difference between this sun and Sunagakure's unforgiving one.
The buildings were also more colourful than what she was used to. In Kirigakure, the mist ate all the colours and left only grey in its wake, whereas in Sunagakure the buildings were made in shades of white and yellow to keep them as cool as possible in the middle of the desert. Here, neither restriction applied. The shops and houses all had their own identity, their own array of colours and decorations. Mizumi never ran out of things to look at.
"We have to stop at the Tower first. I know you're tired, kitten, but it really has to be done."
She nodded, hugging Ibiki tighter. Truth be told, she was exhausted. It had taken a full week for them to go from Sunagakure to Konoha, and only because Ibiki didn't bother with civilian speed. Still, he couldn't run at the pace a shinobi would be expected to, not with an infant in his arms, and not for such a long span of time. In the Desert, she would have had trouble breathing. Sure, he could travel that distance in three days when he was all alone, but he was responsible for more than Mizumi's life. Her wellbeing and happiness were paramount as well.
He stopped at the foot of a huge red building with several roofs of gold-painted wooden tiles. The windows were tall and wide enough for four adults to walk through them together; when she squinted, Mizumi saw bird-feeding stations where messenger hawks were resting. "What do you think?" Ibiki asked.
"I like it!"
"It's changed, a lot. I like this one better."
As time passed, Mizumi had realised that her Tobirama knew this world far better than she or a lot of adults did. This remark was just one of many; they didn't surprise her anymore. He'd give her the whole truth, one day. She just had to trust him and wait until he was ready.
Ibiki let out a low chuckle then took her inside the building. Ninjas and civilians alike were buzzing with activity and work. Her father breezed through the crowd, his gait more relaxed and nonchalant than Mizumi had ever seen before. He was really and truly home. Here, he could let a little bit of his guard down – nothing more, though. That would be careless, and Ibiki was anything but. Paranoia kept shinobi alive and carried them through conflicts both domestic and foreign.
"I can't believe you're finally back, sir!" The girl who had just spoken was at that weird stage between adolescence and adulthood. She had purple hair up in a short ponytail and brown eyes, a freckled nose and a wicked smile. Her clothes were showing quite a lot of skin, but she wore them with confidence, and they looked very practical to move in – except for her boots and their killer heels.
"I already told you to skip on the polite crap, Anko. It's just Ibiki for you."
"And who's this cutie pie?" Anko cooed to Mizumi, ignoring Ibiki's words. Not many people were this fearless around the man; Mizumi decided that she really liked her.
"My daughter, Mizumi. Do you want to say hi, kitten?"
Of course she wanted to say hi. Blushing a little, she beamed and waved at the woman, who smiled back then took her hand and shook it gently. "Nice to meet you, Mizumi-chan! I'm Mitarashi Anko, but you can just call me Anko. I'm your father's favourite student."
"More like the one who made me age a decade in the span of a year. Did you calm down while I was away, at least?"
Anko snorted. "Aaw, you really shouldn't ask questions when you know you're not gonna like the answer, Ibiki. Or keep it for the clients, at least."
Something Mizumi didn't understand passed between them with that sentence. Having Tobirama to ensure she matured quicker clearly wasn't enough for her to fully understand adults.
"Anyway, gotta go, Genma's waiting for his ass-whooping of the day. Come back to work soon, 'kay? We all miss you. Yamanaka-san's nice, but it's not the same."
"I'll be back as soon as I find someone suitable to take care of Mizumi-chan during the day, I promise. I miss you all too."
Anko went away with a wave and Ibiki took Mizumi by the hand again, leading her through the crowd. He was stopped and greeted again a few times, but didn't give those people the same attention he had offered Anko. She was probably special to him.
"Here we are. Now, kitten, you'll meet Hokage the Third behind this door. Be quiet in there, alright?"
"Wait, Hokage the Third? What the hell happened to those students of his? How the hell is it that neither Tsunade nor Jiraiya took the Fourth or the Fifth?"
"I… dunno?"
While she puzzled over Tobirama's reaction, Mizumi entered the room after her father. He had said enough for her to know it was better to act shy and meek here. Besides, Tobirama's sensor skills allowed her to feel four very powerful shinobi hidden in the room, probably in secret caches. She couldn't explain why, but it was so different from meeting Anko. She didn't have to pretend too hard to achieve what Ibiki wanted.
"Welcome back, Ibiki-kun! You were gone for such a long time. I trust that your mission went on smoothly?"
Ibiki bowed deep, keeping Mizumi behind him. She was clutching a fold of his shirt, her head kept down and hair hiding her face, the perfect image of a shy, introverted child. Thanks to Tobirama's hard work, she was indeed small and frail for her real age, just enough so that she could pass for one year younger. Yes, her development was quick, but this was a world of geniuses. One more wouldn't be surprising in the slightest.
"It did, Hokage-sama, although there was an unexpected development."
Mizumi felt the Hokage's eyes stop on her – she was still too busy staring at the floor to see it happen. Still, a shiver ran down her spine and she had to fight hard not to let it show. There was something about him, something she didn't like, something that – something that belonged to Tobirama. There. It made sense. Tobirama was so wary of that man, who was supposed to have the village's best interests at heart, that it seeped through the separation between their two beings to become a part of her as well.
"Who is this adorable girl, Ibiki-kun?"
Funny, how Anko had asked a similar question, and yet they were so different. Mizumi wanted to fidget to release tension, but she was worried the movement would attract attention. She focused on her breathing to keep it even and steeled her mind against the anxiety roaring in her belly. She didn't let go of her father, using his presence like a shield and an anchor.
"This is my daughter, Uzumaki Mizumi. Her mother is Uzumaki Asami, a kunoichi from Kirigakure. She doesn't wish to raise the child in such a dangerous place for clan kids, so she asked me to take her instead. She'll be my heir, if this is what she wants when she grows up."
There was no tenderness to his tone, but Mizumi didn't let that fool her. She knew her father loved her more than anything; he showed it to her everyday without hesitation nor restraint. He was just a very private person… and there was something more here. Something she could ask about in private if she didn't figure it out by herself before that.
"And how old is she?"
"Eighteen months old, Hokage-sama. She has already shown a quick development and intellect above her age. I intend on asking Nara Shikaku for help raising her."
"I see. Well, I didn't expect you to become a father, but I hope the role suits you. Since she is a clan child, do you wish to put in a request for shelter?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I'd like it to be announced as quickly as possible and open for a week, so clan leaders have time to ponder and extend an offer. I'll make my decision two days after the request is closed."
There was a ruffle of papers, then Ibiki and Hokage the Third exchanged pleasantries until her father bowed and left. Mizumi was relieved to escape the office and the sense of menace she had felt in there. Finally, she could breathe, she could think. Still, that didn't mean she should relax.
"Time to go home now, kitten. You'll have time to settle while I make sure the request is published today. I opened it for a week but I expect offers to come to us before the sun is down."
"Daddy, I'm hungry," she answered as they left the building. "Can we eat?"
"We sure can, kitten. We'll grab dumplings on the way and eat at home. Is that okay with you?"
"Yeah!"
Later, as she laid in bed by her father's side and listened to his breathing, Mizumi realised what was setting Konoha so far apart from Kirigakure and, in a way, Sunagakure. This was a village truly at peace. While all three villages were officially at peace, Kirijin and Sunajin people, civilians and ninjas alike, still had to fight for what they had. It wasn't the case here. The civilians worked, yes, but they could also relax, have fun, and even shinobi were allowed that small mercy.
"Is it a dangerous difference?" she asked Tobirama in her mind.
"Depends. It makes them soft, less prepared to fight for their lives than other villages. But it also gives them a purpose, a reason to stand up and fight. It gives them a notion of what a fair and peaceful life is, and that allows them to know when something isn't right and has to be stopped. Injustice only appears in contrast with justice, just like shadows only appear when there is light to cast them."
Mizumi let out a heavy sigh, rolled on her flank and hugged her father. He had said before bedtime that he'd make her her own room the next day, but she wasn't sure she wanted it. She was still plagued by nightmares, and Ibiki's embrace was the only thing, combined with Tobirama's whispers, that could calm her. Plus, she really liked watching her dad sleep. He was more relaxed than ever, his face free from the constant air of tension and focus it sported through the day. Still, even here, at home, in bed, he didn't let his guard completely down: a clone was standing watch by the windowsill.
It was sad, how even in his own cherished village, he didn't feel at peace. This, amongst all, was the one place where his over-awareness should have been allowed to slip away and rest. How could he not feel safe in his own home?
"He's seen too much to ever be at peace, Mizumi. I don't know any more than you do about him and his past because he's trying to shelter you while he still can, but I know his type. He's seen betrayal even here, in Konoha's core. He knows the ugliest of truths: you can never truly be safe, you can never completely trust, if you hold any kind of power."
"It's unfair."
"I know it is. But think about it this way: it's not for him that he maintains this constant vigilance, Mizumi. It's for you. So you can be safe, so you can trust, so you can hold power and grow and thrive. This is a sacrifice he's willing to make. For you."
"It's still unfair."
Tobirama let out a heavy sigh but didn't answer. He didn't need to: he was a part of her and, as such, he saw her new goal and wish as clearly as she did: one day, she'd turn this world into a safe place for her dad. For everyone she loved.