Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! (I would love to though)
In the Hospital, Megumi was sitting in his father's bed, talking about fireballs and chakra. The man, who was called Ryuuichi, looked at her daughter with such a tenderness that would make the grumpiest person in the world smile, Sakura thought.
"Is it okay daddy?" the girl asked in joy "Can I train to be a kunno-Kunoichi? I will protect you and grandpa, and Ryujii will heal everybody!" She looked at his brother who was sitting next to the bed on a small chair.
"You know how she is, she won't hear a 'no' for an answer" the boy said to his dad. "She's too stubborn, like mom" and he smiled sadly.
"Hey cheer up son!" Ryuuichi said "It's good she inherited that, it's one of the best mementos of her that I've got" he added and caressed her daughter's cheek. "I know what you are thinking, and no. We couldn't have done anything for Satomi. But now if you study and train hard, you'll help other women to give birth." The man said proudly to his son "Megumi-chan is right, you'll heal everybody, and I have faith in you. You saved me". He put a hand on the boy's shoulder who had his head low in bad attempt to hide his tears.
Sakura and Hikari were on the other side of the room with Ryuutaro-san looking at the small family interacting.
"My daughter in law passed away giving birth to Megu-chan" he explained to them. "We weren't prepared in the medical field we didn't even got this small hospital. A trained doctor was on his way to the Village and his team was intercepted by a Hyuuga patrol. They didn't do anything to them but caused a delay on his trip, which was fatal. When he arrived, Satomi-chan… she…" The man couldn't continue, not that he had to say more. The girls felt really bad about the younglings, but that made them realize that most of the people there might have some sad background, it was a though era. "I would be honored if you could train my grandchildren. This world is too harsh for them, and they need to be prepared to face it"
"We're working on that, we hope this new Village Uchiha and Senju are creating will make a difference" the pinkette said.
"I know" The old man said "That's why I made a proposal to move our village there. I already sent a formal petition to both clans, for I don't know where the new settlement is" he added smiling and scratching the back of his head.
"That is excellent news!" Hikari said "I believe it would be a really beneficial alliance. Please keep us informed how things are going"
"Of course!" he answered "Oh my, look at the time! It's getting dark! I shall leave you both ladies to continue your labors"
"I will go back to the barrier before it gets pitch dark" the brunette said "so I can get to chat with the night guard. Goodbye Megumi-chan, tomorrow we'll start our training. Ryujii-kun and Ryuuichi –san" she bowed "See you tomorrow" With that Hikari left the hospital and went to brief the night guard.
"I need to continue the rotation to check on other patients" Sakura said. Ryujii stood up to go with her. "Ryujii-kun, please stay with your father for the rest of the day. Tomorrow we'll start the official training. Come here by 7 am." She smiled at the family. "If you need anything please contact me, have a good night everybody" Sakura greeted and the left the room.
It was pitch black once they could return to their room at the inn. They bathed and then went to the dining room where the innkeeper was waiting for them with dinner. Once they were done, they returned to the room to get some rest.
"This was an odd day" Hikari said while leaned on her bed. "Who would have thought we'll get disciples" she smiled looking to the ceiling.
"True, I felt really weird when Ryujii Kun called me Shishou" The pinkette answered from where she was sitting next to the room's window. It was a small room, but comfy. There were two twin beds on each side, a small desk with a chair next to the window, and a small in suite bathroom. It was pretty modern for the era, but then again the merchant villages tended to have all kind of modern stuff product of the trading economy.
"It felt wrong" Sakura finally continued.
"Come on, you know we're stuck here" her friend answered. "I don't think Tsunade-Sama would get mad about that" she laughed "She might for more insignificant things though" and sweat-dropped. Sakura laughed hard, and then both sighed missing their old lives.
"I really wish this can work" the pinkette said. "I mean the Village, the Uchiha and Senju union. This Madara seems a completely different person from the one we've met"
"Well, he is indeed. As I've told you before, he hasn't experienced the loss of his only siblings left, and I believe he hasn't stumble upon Zetsu yet." Hikari said "It's a pity we don't know the exact story, but maybe it's for the better."
"Yeah, about that… what are we going to do?" Sakura asked. Her friend looked at her not understanding so she elaborated. "About the whole 'being from the future' thing. Hamura said that we might tell them our story."
"I've been thinking about that. Toka's joke made me feel a bit aware." Hikari said. "But it seemed just a joke, because if not she would just have continued on it" she added "I'll wake Hamura up so we can talk, that guy is only here when he wants to. But Madara's brother said in his letter that today they will start building the Village and I asked him to keep us informed, we'll see how that develops". Sakura nodded at her, unaware of the falcon that was approaching through the night sky.
An hour earlier on the Uchiha compound, Madara and Takato arrived and ate something. The Patriarch was debating on telling his brother about what he spoke with Hashirama, but went on and did it. He was one of the people he trusted the most, and also trusted his judgment, so he told him the whole conversation with the Senju.
"You really don't think Toka-san's joke can be true, do you? That they are from the future?" He said looking at his elder brother
"The other day you said to me that it felt that fate had been twisted." Madara said thoughtfully.
"Yes, and you mocked me saying that I believed in guardian angels…" Takato snorted
"That's not the point" Madara said seriously "You do remember what you said to me the day before that battle? Don't you?"
FLASHBACK
"Anija, do you have a minute?" his voice came from the engawa door.
"Takato, what's going on? You seem a bit pale, do you feel well?" The Clan leader asked his brother. He was looking through his weapons, and armor. Tomorrow they will fight the Senju one more time. It was so tiresome.
"I feel fine… it's ok but, you know I said some days ago that I couldn't feel everybody's chakra from tomorrow on? Especially Izuna" Takato said.
How could Madara forget? His brother was sensitive to feel people's and nature's chakra since birth; however he was not actually a sensor like Tobirama. He could just feel but couldn't identify who owned the signature; he could only put a face on it with his Siblings' and people he knew the most, like Hashirama or Tobirama. However this ability was scratching the supernatural: his range of feeling could follow chakra to the near future – just a few days-. He realized that when their father passed away: he had felt odd days before, like something was about to happen and that's when he knew what his sensing time range was. He didn't even know how he could feel the future flow. While growing up, he had trained it to not to interfere with his life but before some battles he used this ability as an advantage.
Two days ago he had scared the shit out of Madara telling him that he couldn't feel chakra anymore longer pass tomorrow.
"Yes I remember that" he finally answered.
"Well it changed." Madara looked at him a bit shocked and secretly relieved "I'm feeling everybody, even Izuna. And something else…" He stopped to try to find the words to describe it.
"What is that?" the patriarch asked warily
"I feel foreign chakra. Some chakra I have never felt before, like it suddenly materialized. I… I don't know, maybe they're new borns and I'm being oversensitive." Takato said smiling faintly. He couldn't understand how it could be possible that new chakra could appear from nowhere.
"That could be true, remember that we have some pregnant women in our clan that are about to give birth" Madara answered trying to calm him down. "Just be careful in the next battle, and everything will be fine" he finally said to assure his brother, but mostly to assure himself.
END FLASHBACK
"So you think that the chakra I suddenly felt was theirs?" Takato said and Madara nodded "What else do you think? That they travelled here and because they were going to save us that's why I could feel everything again? It seems like a very complex fantasy Anija" younger said.
"It can be a possibility… You weren't feeling anything, and when you regained that ability you felt chakra that wasn't here before…" Madara was lost in thoughts, and then he looked like he solved a puzzle because he suddenly said "Are you going to answer that letter? Because I wanted to send a gift to Sakura San as a thank you for saving Izuna and offering herself to be bait to the clans to set the arrangement."
"Yes…" Takato said eyeing Madara warily, his aniki was acting odd. "I will send it tomorrow because it's late for the falcons…"
"Don't worry, I will send it with Ōzora–sama." Madara interrupted rapidly.
"You will send Ōzora-Sama to such a vane mission? As in "the Lord of Falcons", a Sennin?" the younger intervened looking as if his brother had grown a second head.
"It's better with him because he cannot be detected" The questioned said "We can't afford to have Senju thinking we're trying to get and advantage in the creation of the village"
"You're just being paranoid" Takato sibling said "Izuna would say that you've lost it brother" he continued seriously "Or maybe that you just want to send her something embarrassing and you don't want to get caught by the common falcon service" and then he burst into laughter.
"Shut up Takato you're being silly" Madara fumed and stand up to go to the book shelf he had next to his desk. "I'm just going to give her one of our Uchiha Medicine books for her to research, she will be our medic soon and it's better for her to have access to some knowledge". He tried to play it cool but he knew he had failed miserably when he felt his cheeks growing a bit hot. Fortunate he had turned around so his brother couldn't see that. When he regained his composure he turned back and summoned Ōzora.
"Madara-Ōji" The falcon said with a deep voice "How can I be of help?" It was a regal big bird, almost two feet long, white with brown spots on its back and the outer part of its tail and wings. It had black pupil-less eyes, as if it was also an Uchiha.
"Ōzora-Sama I need you to deliver a message, if you don't mind" Madara asked politely. He loved falconry, and it was his most beloved summon.
"That is an easy task Ōji-san. I assume you need something else from me, am I right?" Ōzora said insightfully. Takato and Izuna looked at their brother, was there something else he needed from the Lord of the Birds?
"Yes you are. I'll tell you when we give you the messages. Can you wait for us?" The bird nodded, so the Patriarch said to Takato "Go and write your answer, I'm going to storage this book in a scroll and then seal it in your letter."
His brother felt suspicious about him, but compelled anyway. In ten minutes he was done and brought his letter to his brother, who didn't read it. He asked for him to put a post scriptum saying that in the seal at the end of the letter there was a gift to Haruno-san from him. Takato did what he was asked and Madara sealed the scroll.
"I'll send Ōzora-sama" please eat something and go to your room and rest. Tomorrow is going to be another long day. Takato looked at him suspecting. Once he was outside with the bird he said to it "I need you to check the receivers' chakra, if you fell something odd or out of place".
"What are you looking for?" the bird asked.
"I don't know yet, and I don't want to hint something that might not be there" Madara said. "Just watch and feel and then report every single detail to me".
"Hai, Ōji-san" Ōzora said and suddenly disappeared out of sight.
Sakura felt something approaching and turned to the window. "Well that was quick" she said out loud watching the night sky.
"What are you talking about?" Hikari asked her, she had summoned Hamura and was trying to get more information from him, but that man -well, spirit or so- was insufferable. He had just said that he'd help them when they had to tell the Uchiha and Senju the truth, and suddenly Sakura had spoken.
"I think it's your answer" the pinkette said casually. "I assume that's one of the Uchiha falcons they were talking about. It's carrying a message."
"I shall leave then, animals might sense me" Hamura said, and disappeared from the room.
An outstanding bird stepped into the window of their inn's room. It untied the message from its claw by itself and handed it to Hikari. Both girls watched this confused, no regular messenger bird was that independent, and it was definitely a ninja bird for it had chakra.
"Thank you" the brunette said absentmindly, and the she felt kind of silly. She took the letter and sat on her bed to read it.
"Hikari-San,
Since I'm allowed to call you by your name, please do call me Takato and not Uchiha-san.
Today we went to the Valley with my Anija, Hashirama-san and Tobirama-san and we worked evening the ground and building the limits of the Village. My anija had me chopping trees all day long, while he and Hashirama built the village's walls and gates. Tobirama just kept watch (That lucky bastard).
I'm glad to hear that our little messenger didn't give you both any hard time. He came back home a lot calmer and seemed happier. May I ask what happened to him in that Village? He should go there more often.
By the way, I'm sorry if my Otouto caused you any trouble by getting into the whole "from the future" joke. It was silly of him, but then again he is indeed kind of silly (But I have to confess it would be really incredible if you were not from this time)
Tomorrow we'll start the construction of the first buildings; I'll keep you informed of that.
Please do excuse the length of this letter, seems that I went a bit overbroad. I don't get to write another one because my anija is hurrying me to finish this since he has to send something to Sakura-san (of course that is not purpose of my answer, I was going to do so anyway).
Hope you're doing fine, are you comfortable there? Sorry for the late hour.
Kind regards,
Takato
PS: In the seal at the bottom of this letter there is correspondence to Sakura-san, just release it touching it and saying ´kai´"
As Hikari was reading this letter her expressions changed a lot, Sakura thought. She looked glad, then entertained, and suddenly her eyes open widely and looked at the falcon the pinkette was petting and giving some meat. Then she continued reading until her expression softened. She heard her say 'kai' as she touched the bottom of the page and with a 'puff' a scroll appeared.
"This is for you" Hikari got up from her bed and handled the scroll to the pinkette.
"What is this? What did you read that changed your expression so badly?" Sakura asked her. The Takishima walked past her and faced the bird; she focused on its chakra.
"I think I might know why you're here" she spoke to it "And I know you can understand me" she added as she petted its feathered head. The falcon felt this girl oddly familiar and looked at her curious. "I am also pretty sure that you can speak, but you won't." and like if it was plausible, the bird opened its eyes a bit wider. It tried to focus on the task Madara-sama ordered, but her petting was making him lose his concentration. Finally it could sense both their chakras and found some interesting stuff its Master may want to know.
"What is going on?" Sakura asked again "And why did you give me this?"
"That scroll was sent by Madara" she answered with amusement "seems he had something to give you" she winked at her.
"WHAT?" the pinkette blushed.
"Come on, open it, I'm curious" the Takishima said leaving the bird and looking at her impatiently. Sakura opened the scroll and she found a small note and another seal.
"Haruno-San
As you're going to be our medic in the new Village, please accept this book about Uchiha Medicine. Hope it can help you with your work.
Think of it as a small payment of the lifetime debt that I have with you for saving my brother.
Hope you're doing fine. If there's anything you need, just write.
Sincerely,
Uchiha Madara.
PS: release the seal with 'kai' and the book will appear"
Sakura was at loss of words. How in kami's name she had made Uchiha Madara be in debt with her! "THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE AWESOME, CHAAAA! OH I WILL TELL HIM WHAT WE NEED…" For the first time in long time, the pinkette couldn't even retort to Inner. "HEY! HELLO" Inner said "EARTH TO SAKURA, RELEASE IT SO WE CAN SEE THE GIFT", and with the kunoichi regained her senses. She put the scroll on her bed and released the seal. A huge brown leathered book with the Uchiha crest on its front appeared. It was really thick and when she opened she read the name "Uchiha Hanaki" in a beautiful calligraphy. It was full of recipes, and some diseases, and when she grabbed it to look at it closer some loose sheets fell off.
"What is this?" she said as she lifted them. "Uchiha no densetsu" she read out loud.
Hikari walked to her and took the papers, they were incomplete but they told some legends about the Uchiha Clan. They were difficult to read because they were written like in a hurry. But they could tell words like 'moon', 'fire', 'nature', 'sacrifice', 'princess' and 'rabbit'. For a moment the Takishima recalled the Third telling her about the story of the Ōtsutsuki brothers, surely Uchiha might know it. She would ask Hamura later once the Falcon was gone.
"Well, are you going to answer it?" The Takishima said to her friend "We could do it now so we can seize the messenger; she smiled at the bird who seemed to bow to her in aproval.
"I-I think so…" She said and looked for a piece of parchment and a pencil. Hikari did the same thing, to answer to Takato. It felt a bit awkward to write with the bird looking at them as it was impatient. 'Hey, you want it fast or good?' the brunette even said to it once she had looked up from her answer.
Once they were finished, they sealed them and gave tied them to the bird's legs. The animal actually bowed this time and flew away across the dark starry sky.
"HAMURA NII!" Hikari called when she felt the bird gone "Come on, appear right away I need to speak to you!" The mentioned did as asked.
"Imouto, what happened? Was that a messenger falcon?" the Ōtsutsuki asked.
"Yes, and I believe it was a Sage" she answered "It had chakra for sure and kind of like the Toad Sage's, and was too independent to be a common ninja hawk".
"A SAGE!?" Sakura exclaimed "Why would they send a Sage to such a simple mission?"
"That's what I want to know" the Takishima asked, and after a pause she added "I think they are really contemplating the possibility of us being from the future, even Takato-san mentioned Toka's joke in his letter". Hamura and Sakura looked at her confused. "Come on guys!" she said "Sakura, remember when nii san spoke about interdimensional chakra?"
The Haruno took a moment to get the memories back, and suddenly her face morphed. She clashed one fist on her other hand.
"Sage uses that chakra to travel, so they might sense it too" the pinkette answered explaining Hikari's theory.
"Is there a possibility of that? Is the trail still on us?" The brunette asked to the demi-god.
Hamura took a hand to his chin and thought about that. It could really be possible, and also it could be worse.
"Yes, I'm afraid that you still do have that trail" he finally said "and it's completely possible that the bird could sense it too." He added "What worries me most is that it may have felt your seal too. I mean, the Ōtsutsuki Chakra you have in you. The sages are really long-lived and most of them knew my siblings and I. Remember that the toad that made the prophecies is the one that trained Hagoromo-nii"
Hikari's face paled and Sakura couldn't was at loss of words. If the bird had felt that and told it to the Uchiha it would really complicate things.
Meanwhile the Falcon arrived to the Uchiha compound. Takato was already sleeping, but Madara was anxious to hear some news about Ōzora-sama so he was still up reading some scrolls. When he felt his chakra entering the camp, he went to the engawa with some raw meat and waited for him. He had made contract with the Bird some years ago, and he couldn't treat him as an animal, he had formed a kind of bond, like they were comrades and trusted him. That's why he gave that mission to him.
Ōzora landed flawlessly on the engawa and greeted the Uchiha. He untied the messages and left them on the floor. Madara sat on the floor too, handled the hawk the meat and took the letters; one address to Takato and the other one to him in what he thought was Haruno san's handwriting. His heart beat a little faster when he read his name, but he quickly composed himself. He left the scrolls on his side and spoke with Ōzora.
"Do you have something to report?" The Uchiha said. The hawk looked at him thoughtfully.
"Those women were a bit surprised to see me actually" Ōzora said, Madara didn't interrupt him; he waited patiently for him to continue. "They seem decent humans, and both had huge chakra reserves. One of them has an affinity to senjutsu; her chakra seemed familiar to me"
"That was the brunette, wasn't she?" the patriarch asked, the hawk nodded so he explained further "she is in fact a senjutsu user, trained by the toads"
"Gamamaru is training humans again? I thought he quit hundred years ago…" Ōzora answered surprised "anyway, I found something that maybe it was what Ōji -san was looking for" he continued, Madara was anxious. "They had traces of interdimensional chakra mixed with theirs on their chakra paths. Care to explain to me why they have it? The only possible reason is for them to have moved between dimensions as we sages do and that is unlikely".
"I'll answer you with another question" the Uchiha said "Did you feel anything suspicious almost a week ago?" Ōzora looked at the man seriously, and tried to focus.
"I believe I felt some disruption of chakra about six days ago. But when nothing seemed to happen I thought it was another Sage's doing". The hawk answered but looked at Madara waiting for him to elaborate.
"Well, Hashirama has a theory… that maybe they come from further ahead in time." The patriarch said dubious, but then again all of what Ōzora said made that theory make a bit sense at that moment.
"I always told you that human was insane Ōji -san" the sage looked scornfully to the man. "How can two simple kunoichi time travel? Even us that can move between dimensions are not capable to go back or forward in time"
"I can't explain that, I fact I didn't believe that theory first hand…" Madara said defending himself.
"But now you do…" The hawk mocked him.
"It's not that I fully believe it, but there are other issues. They really have advance knowledge in medicine and a lot of political and tactics experience. Also, Gamamaru said that neither he nor his kin had ever trained a kunoichi before." Madara explained. "Also, the Bull's Sage felt the same disruption of chakra that you did, and you have just confirmed that they do have interdimensional chakra on them. Is just that everything seems to lead to that theory. They appeared from nowhere".
"I've never heard of anybody with the ability of travelling in time in a very long time. Actually the only ones I knew that could do such thing died thousands of years ago" Ōzora said. "Maybe those girls have travelled to another sage's dimension and that's why they have that chakra"
"You knew somebody that could time travel?" Madara asked in awe not paying attention to the sage's theory.
"Yes" the hawk answered looking suddenly serious "but their ability died with them, because their heirs didn't inherit those powers. As I told you, it was thousands of years ago. We don't speak about that."
"Why not?" the Uchiha enquired
"It's not our problem, it was a human thing. We, the beasts, have suffered enough for a long time. And we've lost too much too. There was only one human that was considered as an equal to us, but was killed in a horrible way by her own kin" he stated dryly but the man could feel the pain behind his words.
Madara's head was starting to ache. It wasn't possible, but yet thousands of years ago somebody could do it. It had to be related, but Ōzora wouldn't tell him. It was obvious that this conversation had bothered him, and who was this 'her' he spoke about? Maybe he will try to ask about that some other time.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you with bad memories" The Uchiha apologized.
"Don't be. It's not your fault" The hawk said "We live too much and lose too much in proportion. The thing is that I haven't thought of that human in a very, very long time. I don't know why I'm remembering now" he added "I'm the one that should apologise Ōji -san. It's unusual of me to get this emotional"
"It's okay my friend" Madara smirked at the bird "You have fulfilled your mission, next time I'll send one of the ninja Hawks so I won't bother you with this petty missions anymore"
"There is not a problem, in fact I wouldn't mind if you send me again" Ōzora said. He wanted to know more about that senjutsu user and why she made him feel aware. "There is another thing I almost forget to tell you, I thought it wasn't that important but maybe for you it is"
"What is it?" the Uchiha asked.
"That brunette woman… I think she knew I was a Sage" the hawk stated.
"How come?" Madara asked again surprised
"She told me that she believed I could understand them, and that I could talk but I wouldn't" the bird paused and then continued "She also said that she thought she knew why I was sent there after she read master Takato's letter". The Uchiha opened his eyes widely.
"She actually said that!?" the patriarch was pretty surprised; he passed a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'll ask Takato tomorrow about what he wrote to her. Is it possible that she could know you were a Sage because of her senjutsu?"
"It can be, but she must be extremely tuned in with nature" Ōzora said after thinking a bit "It's been centuries since I've known somebody capable of that".
Madara thought that everything could be possible with those kunoichi. He didn't know why, but he felt that there was a lot more than the "time travelling" thing behind their appearance.
"Don't worry Ōzora Sama, I'll keep you informed if I learn something new" the Uchiha said to dismiss the hawk. He needed a time to think by himself. "Please go and rest, I will to because tomorrow will be another long day. Thank you for everything" Madara kneeled and bowed.
"At your service, Madara Ōji" Ōzora bowed and then disappeared to his own dimension.
The Uchiha entered the house with the letters in his hands. As much as he wanted to read Haruno san's answer, he really needed to rest, so he put them on his desk and threw himself to his futon. He drifted away thinking about time travel, senjutsu, sages, pink, and sharingan…
"Damn you Hashirama and your theories" he muttered and covered himself up instantly falling asleep.
In the Senju camp, Hashirama sneezed asleep. Tobirama awoke suddenly and went to check on his brother. He was sleeping spread-eagled with his covers on the floor. He picked them and threw them on top of his anija and went back to sleep. 'That idiot surely moves a lot while sleeping' he thought as he dozed off again.
***AUTHOR'S NOTE***
I want to thank all the new favs & follows. Also thank you #Guest (I don't know your name) for helping me realize that the summary was confusing. I fixed it, and it feels better now. I don't know how Beta works, I'll investigate about that.
Hope you like this chapter. Madara is a genius to me, but cautious. Hamura is back! and I loved writing Ōzora. There a lot of trails in this chapter that will lead to future content, so keep reading!
Ōzora means "big sky"
Ōji means "prince"
Osuushi means "bull" (Ch.13)
Hanaki means "Flower tree"