Author's Note: So sorry for the wait, everyone! Things are hopefully going to start picking up soon. And in a few short chapters, a fondly thought of friend may have an appearance. XD Let me know what you think! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Warnings: Nothing much, maybe language.
Word Count: 5,514
There was a long pause between them until Sakura finally stood up, having scooted off the tree trunk to the forest floor. She smooths out the back of her pink battle skirt, before turning to Madara. "Thanks for the talk, Madara-sama, I really needed it."
Madara nods, pushing himself off the fallen trunk as well. "It's fine. Where are you going now?"
"Back to the village," Sakura says, running a hand through her hair, reluctant to do just that. "I promised Hashirama-sama that I was going to start Salma and Aya's training today. I'm a lot of things, but not a liar."
Madara tilts his head a bit to the side. "He will understand your reluctance to return. You don't have to force yourself," Madara says simply.
Sakura shakes her head, stretching her spine until she hears a few pressure relieving cracks, before relaxing again. She turns to look back at Madara, smiling as brightly as she can, even if it is a bit forced. But she channels her inner-Naruto and makes it as believable as humanly possible. "I know, but I won't go back on my word. I said I'll do it so I will."
Madara looks away from Sakura, but the corners of his lips turn up ever so slightly, as if pleased by her words. "Good," he murmurs, then looks back over at Sakura, face falling blank again. "Since I'm heading back as well, I can send the girls your way."
Sakura nods briskly. "That actually works in my favor. I was going to take them to the river anyway for the beginning of their lessons, so, if you don't mind...?"
"I'll let them know. Good day, Sakura," Madara says, walking passed her toward their slowly growing village.
Sakura bows at his retreating form. "Thank you, Madara-sama." She waits until he's gone, before she straightens up and turns toward the river. It's not the same one that she woke up in. This one is actually Konoha's main water supply. It's a lot bigger than the one Sakura awoke in and it's where Sakura is going to find the fish needed to the training.
From what she knows about Salma, the girl has a little medical experience from assisting in one area or another, but no official training. Her skills have variety but aren't stable enough to let her do field work. As for Aya, who's a little younger than Sakura, about fifteen, has no experience either way. She was one of the few girls that was battle trained but she hadn't participated in any major battles before the war ended. She apparently had amazing control over her fire nature which allowed her fire style jutsu to be extremely powerful, but she also held a secondary nature in water, which was also rare.
That surprised Sakura in how much it reminded her of Itachi Uchiha. She's a more distant cousin of Madara's branch, so that was supposedly very surprising.
Sakura sits down in front of the river, falling into her meditation stance and closing her eyes, letting her mind go blank as she takes in the world around her and starts gathering chakra and converting it to Yin chakra to place behind her forehead. She hadn't gathered nearly enough for it to make the jewel appear yet, but Sakura casts a small genjutsu over the area. The last thing she wants right now is for anyone to notice anything different about her and start asking questions. No doubt people will be more careful about what they say, but it still won't stop the questions.
Sakura will feel a lot better when her jewel is fully charged. She'll be okay with that ace in the hole.
And because it has become inevitable ever since Sakura started working to make her own seal like Tsunade, the nagging question that comes up whenever she starts meditating came back. Because the chakra that shinobi use every day is made up of an equal balance of Yin and Yang chakra, when she pulls the Yin part of her chakra out to put in her seal, is there something she can do about the Yang chakra?
She often thought about that but had little to no skill in sealing, just the bare minimum, and wouldn't know how to store the Yang chakra anywhere. She didn't know if it was somehow similar to Yin or if that was just naïve to think. Since Sakura's probably going to be here for a while, she should probably try and hone some of her skills more for when she returns. She'll have to see if she can mentally work her way through this little dilemma.
"Sakura?"
The pink haired girl pulls from her meditation to look over her shoulder at Salma and Aya. Both stand a few feet behind Sakura, shifting their weight on their feet apprehensively back and forth, as if half expecting Sakura to lash out and punch them too. She wouldn't blame them. She is kind of a loose cannon. Any sudden, or wrong move could set Sakura off.
"Hey girls, are you ready for training?" Sakura asks, turning back around to face the rushing water. Both of the girls inch forward, still a bit weary.
"Yes ma'am," both girls say at once.
Sakura straightens up, moving to stand. She walks out into the water and looks around, carefully, and with lightning fast reflexes, she reaches into the water and grabs out a fish. She pulls out a kunai and kills it, before tossing it onto shore and then repeating the process until she's caught and killed eleven fish in total. Five for each of the girls and one for Sakura before walking out of the knee length water.
She puts the kunai away and sits back down in her original spot, holding her own fish.
"Girls, sit on either side, take five fish each," Sakura orders, slipping into her meditative position, but places the fish in front of her knees. It flops around a bit. Aya and Salma obey, sitting at Sakura's sides. "Watch closely." Sakura puts her hands over the fishes body, sending healing chakra into it, healing the cut she made in it. Once the fish is healed, Sakura picks it up and throws it into the water. "I killed the other fish," Sakura says looking between the two girls. "Those we can take back to eat or something."
Both girls nod in agreement, setting to work right away. Sakura takes this time to continue her meditation, only stopping to help when the girls either don't start progressing after a few minutes or have questions for her. It's about mid-evening when Sakura finally stops them. Salma is progressing a bit further than Aya. But that was to be expected. Salma did originally have some idea of how a bit of medical ninjutsu worked. She was able to heal all five of the fishes simple cut wounds, so Sakura made the damage a little more extreme, easing the older Senju woman into more and more deadly wounds.
Keeping in mind that Sakura did kill those dish, merely because it's inhumane to cut them up and leave them alive. At least in Sakura's opinion. Even dead, Sakura is able to tell if they could survive from the healing, which they would have - if they healed them faster, but that was something that will come with time and experience.
Aya is starting to figure out how to heal, it's hard because her fire nature is mostly getting in the way and she ends up toasting the fish rather than heal it, much to her chagrin. But she's slowly starting to find her secondary water nature, which makes it easier for her to use healing ninjutsu. In a way, this is teaching Aya two skills; strengthening her control over her water nature and teaching her medical ninjutsu. Ultimately a win-win for Aya, no matter how much it's currently annoying her.
"You two can head on home for today. I'm going to stay and keep meditating," Sakura says, settling back into her meditating position.
"Do you want me to stay with you today, Sakura..?" Salma asks softly, running her fingers through her long brown hair over her left shoulder. "I don't mind..."
Sakura smiles at her. "It's okay. I'm only going to be meditating, so don't worry. You two return tomorrow, at dawn to continue training. See you then," she says, waving her hand around dismissively.
"Okay then," Salma says slowly. "See you tomorrow, Sakura."
"Bye, Sakura-san," Aya says, waving her hands in farewell.
"Bye girls," Sakura says, closing her eyes and relaxing her body for meditation, slowly converting her chakra to Yin chakra. She barely hears the two girls depart in her deep level of meditation. Her internal clock alerts her that about an hour and a half pass before she feels the presence of someone approaching her from behind. She opens her eyes and glances over her shoulder, tensing up slightly.
The sunburst array of orange, yellow and red skylight behind Tobirama casts a shadow on his face and hair, slightly discoloring it. He stops a foot behind Sakura, making note of her position.
"Meditating," he says, making it sound more like a statement than a question.
"Yeah," Sakura says, stretching out her legs, wiggling them around as they crack and pop. "Did... did Hashirama-sama ask you to talk to me?" She asks shyly, looking over at the running water, hoping it'll distract her from looking into Tobirama's intense red eyes.
"Hashirama?" Tobirama says, tilting his head slightly. "No, I haven't spoken to my brother at all today. I've been on patrol of the lands since morning. Why? Is there something I should talk to you about?" Tobirama asks suspiciously.
Sakura shrugs her shoulders a bit, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "I'm not sure. There was a bit of... um, drama in the village today involving me. I spoke with Madara-sama earlier about it, but I sort of thought that Hashirama-sama would also come talk to me, but I suppose not. I'm sure you'll learn all about it when you return to the village."
There is a long pause. Sakura glances over at Tobirama from the corner of her eye to see that - yes - he was giving her an extra intense look than usual.
"Is it something I should be concerned about?" Tobirama asks.
"I can return to the village if that's what you're asking," Sakura says softly. "I'm out here less for punishment and more because I kind of don't want to return just yet."
The crease that formed between Tobirama's crimson eyes relaxes and smooths out. "I see. Can I ask what happened?"
Sakura shrugs her shoulders. "I don't really want to talk about it. But I hit that Uchiha Kana, woman. Like in the jaw. Pow, and she was down." Sakura smiles a bit when Tobirama huffs in amusement.
"She was definitely testing you while you were healing Kaido," he murmurs, lowering to the dirt next to Sakura. "It's about time you show her where she stands with you. And you already spoke with Madara about this?"
Sakura nods. "Kana... said some things that stepped over the line with me and so I hit her in the jaw. Madara-sama must have agreed with me. I just..." she sighs. "I just hope I didn't somehow make things worse. I know Madara-sama said I should own up to my own words, but it doesn't man I can't somehow regret them. And I suppose I do a bit. I said some uncalled for things, but I was hurt." Sakura rubs her forehead dejectedly. "Master always said I needed to have better control of my emotions. Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black, huh?" Sakura murmurs that last part to herself, rolling her eyes.
Tobirama tilts his head slightly. "That Tsunade woman, you spoke of earlier?"
Sakura nods. "That would be her."
"Brash, is she?" Tobirama murmurs.
Sakura huffs a bit, nodding again. "You can say that again. She's a lot like me. Or maybe I'm a lot like her. But she's a lot better than me in controlling herself. She knows what she wants and she's a lot more confident in herself." Sakura smiles faintly, remembering her beloved master's haughty attitude. Sakura really did love and appreciate the woman that helped make her into the shinobi, and the type of person, that she is to this day.
"I see," Tobirama says simply, looking down at the water, watching a fish jump out only to fall back in.
On a whim, Sakura looks over at Tobirama. "Tobirama-sama, may I ask you something?"
"Very well, but I may not answer," he says, not looking back at her.
For some reason, that makes her laugh. She's not sure why she's surprised by that. It seemed like such a Tobirama-like thing to say. "Do you know anything about Yang chakra?" She asks, mildly amused, smiling faintly over at the someday Second Hokage.
Tobirama seemed a bit surprised by that question, obviously not having expected it. "Hm, it's an area of study I have interest in. Why?"
"I want to try and create a seal that stores Yang chakra, but I'm not sure how it truly differs from Yin chakra. I mean..." Sakura sighs, running a hand through her hair. "I'm not explaining this well. I know the difference between the two but when sealing them in separate places, I wondered if there was anything different about the process."
Tobirama got that look about him that he seems to get every time his brilliant mind began working. "Hm. That is a very good question. While I don't know everything about the highly advanced studies of both Yin and Yang chakra, my elder brother knows a great deal about both of them too. If I can't help, then maybe he can."
Sakura could have slapped her face. Duh, she thought, of course Hashirama was well known for his control over Yin release. He's able to mix it with his wood style chakra that allows him to create wood from nothing. Same with Tobirama and his water style. Sakura hoped that the answer would be relatively simple and not so different than moving and manipulating Yin chakra.
Sakura barely knows the fundamentals of Yin chakra and next to nothing about Yang.
"Can I ask you for some advice about Yang chakra and seals?" Sakura asks politely.
Tobirama nods. "Yes, you may."
So, Sakura tells him about how she's separating her chakra and storing her Yin chakra into a seal - but not specifying for what reason or where the seal is - and the fact that she does next to nothing with Yang chakra. Sometimes she just leaves it in her body and she naturally recreates the Yin half, but then sometimes she just expels the chakra out. It makes Sakura feel weird to have more of one half of part of her chakra. Losing chakra is natural but having half of some of her chakra leaves her feeling extremely unbalanced. Like she's going to throw up.
Tobirama made a face at that which makes Sakura laugh.
"Sorry, a little too much information?" Sakura asks between giggles.
"No," Tobirama says, shaking his head. "It's just a bit strange how open you are. Most young ladies would say 'unwell' or 'uneasy' but you went straight to the nitty gritty of it."
Sakura stares at him with bright green eyes, unable to stop the large grin to keep spreading over her face more. "Is there someone here that's a little squeamish around throw up? Or even the thought of it?" Tobirama doesn't respond, just clears his throat a bit and avoids eye contact. Sakura laughs, bumping her shoulder with his. "So he does have a weakness!" Tobirama grunts, shaking his head and folding his legs neatly in front of him, cross legged.
"It's fine to expel the Yang half of your chakra. All the Yang half is just physical release of chakra," Tobirama explains, looking at the water, seemingly content with being lost in the specifics of chakra. Sakura listens quietly to his explanation. Sakura was an adept at medical chakra theory, making and understanding medical ninjutsu on the deepest levels, where Tobirama was a master at chakra theory and jutsu creation in general. It's because of him that so many different, powerful ninjutsu exist in the future.
All Sakura's life she learned about the impressive prowess of the First Hokage and all the wonderful miracles that he could do. He was a god among shinobi, unrivaled even to Sakura's day by normal humans and shinobi alike. But thinking back on it, there was a lot less known about Tobirama. Sakura knows some of the basics. He never married, is said to be a player, the younger brother of the First Hokage, held great mastery over his water style chakra, things of the like. People even mentioned how he was able to create a lot of jutsu but sitting there now, Sakura was really seeing jutsu ideas form in the Second's mind. And it's unreal.
"Based on the type of seal that you want to use, you can make a joint seal between the Yin and Yang chakra, but still manage to keep them separate so that you can have access to one or the other without affecting the other half of the seal," Tobirama murmurs, then narrows his eyes in thought. "No, that wouldn't work right. If you are thinking of using the Yang chakra to enhance physical parts of your body..."
Tobirama crosses his arms over his chest and looks up at the darkening sky, mumbling something to himself. He looks as though he's trying to see something in his head, multitudes of different outcomes for a single solution before he seems to find the most adequate answer to whatever he was trying to figure out.
He looks at Sakura with intense red eyes. "Yang chakra, while equal with Yin chakra, is considered less malleable. It's harder to mold on it own and harder to move. The reason you feel off kilter when you store up the Yin chakra and leave the Yang is because the energy is harder to contain but also acts like glue. It likes to stay in one place. The thing that allows it flow is the Yin aspect of it. With chakra control training, one can begin to strengthen the flexability of the Yang chakra while increasing the amount of Yin. Naturally out bodies will fill in the missing aspect. Did you know that?"
Sakura stares, wide eyed. "No... I mean, I knew that our bodies would replace the missing half without any detrimental affects..." she shakes her head, "but I didn't know that meditation did that to our chakra. I thought it just expanded the amount of chakra we had by either compressing the chakra or expanding the reserves. Chakra's amazing."
Tobirama nods in agreement. "That is a true statement. But if I'm thinking this through correctly, putting a seal in one place would, at most, enhance that single place. Whether it be a limb or your torso."
Sakura nods slowly, thinking about that closely. "So, you're saying a seal on all four limbs and then one on the main body? That would cover all the bases? Even my head? As a medical shinobi, I know how dangerous it is having uncontrolled chakra swirling around in the brain. The seal I have keeps the power in check, I know, but I'm not confident enough in my seal making skills to know if I was making a Yang seal that would be able to protect mind. So, what should I do?"
Tobirama reaches up and scratches the red paint (or whatever it is, Skaura didn't know) mark on his left cheek in thought. "I think... I think that it's fine either way. I can help you craft a simple seal that can do that, or you can just avoid that all together and just put the seal on the torso near your head so that when you activate it, it can flow to your head, but the energy isn't always stored there."
Sakura leans back on her hands and looks over at the water. "Like the back of the neck or throat area?" Sakura wasn't exactly a huge fan of riddling her body with seals, but she wanted this done right. If this was the route she was going to take, then it was going to be done in the best way it could.
Tobirama nods. "Probably. Let me think a bit more on this and I'll let you know."
Sakura didn't know what to say. It was honest curiosity on her part, but Tobirama seems to be deeply interested in the way this conversation headed. At this point, if Sakura had to guess, he appeared to be greatly interesting the mechanics of the manipulation of the Yin and Yang chakra. It reminded Sakura of herself. When she found something interesting in the medical field, different ideas on how to help people or cure poisons or other ailments, she becomes so focused on that, it's insane. So it makes her feel better knowing that she isn't the only person that becomes like that.
Plus, having Tobirama helping her is just two more added bonuses. One being that she can learn even more about this legendary warrior and the second being that it would most definitely be done a lot better with his help as opposed to if she had done it alone.
"It's getting dark out," Sakura says, pushing herself to her feet. "I think I've avoided the village enough for today. Thank you, Tobirama-sama. I wouldn't have been able to do this without you."
Tobirama stands as well, glancing down at Sakura with his usual intense gaze. "I'm not qualified to say whether you would be able to do this with or without me, but you are resourceful, Sakura, you'd have figured it out eventually."
Sakura's entire body tingles. Was this the first time Tobirama had addressed her by her name? Sakura couldn't remember. But for some reason if he had before, this time feels different. It's like they entered a strange, new stage in their relationship. They... they might be... be becoming... dare Sakura think it? They are becoming... allies? Two people working toward a mutual goal? Tobirama gets to learn the mechanics of her jutsu, while Sakura gets the jutsu.
"Thank you, Tobirama-sama," Sakura says, smiling up at the red eyed man.
"Come. Let us return to village," Tobirama says simply, turning toward where Sakura assumes is their home - she has faith in his direction skills, he's an actual sensor type - and starts walking. Sakura follows at his side. The return to the village is silent for the most part. It's only when the village comes into view that Tobirama spoke again, "Delegates from the Sarutobi and the Yamanaka clans will be coming to the village some time tomorrow. Whatever the issue is that you had with Kana will be resolved by tomorrow?"
Sakura shrugs her shoulders. "I think it was resolved today. I just..." Sakura shrugs her shoulders again. "I won't make an issue out of this, if that's what you're worried about. I won't do anything to jeopardize your building relations. I'll be out of the village for most of the day tomorrow anyway training Aya Uchiha and Salma."
Tobirama nods slowly. "Very well. Allow me to walk you home."
Without waiting for her response, he started off in the direction of Sakura's new home. "I can look after myself," Sakura says simply just to point it out. She's not at all offended that he's being a gentleman and assuring that she's getting home safe. It's more of a way of asking him why he's doing it.
Tobirama doesn't dispute her words. "My mother always taught my brothers and I that kunoichi like to be treated as kunoichi and ladies like to be treated as ladies. It's proper to learn when the woman that you are interacting with is to be treated like a kunoichi and when she is to be treated like a lady." He said the words so simply that it left Sakura a bit confused. She heard rumors that the Second Hokage was a ladies man and kind of flirtatious, but hearing him now, seeing him now, it leaves Sakura wondering how true that really is.
"Your mother sounds like a lovely woman," Sakura says softly, hoping that she wasn't going to trip over an invisible detonator.
Something else that made Sakura feel weak and warm. Tobirama called her a lady. After hearing that everyone think she's a whore, that was literally all she needed to hear. His eyes never roamed her body, nor did he make any sort of show of trying to avoid looking at her. And while his eyes when looking at her are intense, she finds solace in knowing that they are always like that. That things between them haven't really changed. That not everyone was thinking or talking bad about her.
"She was," Tobirama agreed. "As I'm sure you are aware, kunoichi are still... a new idea around here. Very few women of both the Uchiha and Senju clans ever see real combat. It was during my father and Tajima Uchiha's time that the need for more warriors pulled exceptional women from both clans to the battle field. Hashirama and Madara both continued this out of respect for the women who grew passionate over battle and because neither side could afford to lose even a single body on the battle field."
Sakura hums softly under her breath in understanding. "Perhaps I'm biased, but women have a lot to offer the shinobi culture, just like men," she says. "Some of the most powerful shinobi I've met are women. Men too, but you're right. Women in battle situations are new, but women in positions of power," Like Lady Tsunade and Lady Mei, "is revolutionary. Women have a power over men that I wonder if men realize."
Tobirama stops and turns to her, tilting his head slightly. "Explain."
"When you spoke about your father, you spoke about the necessity of needing women on the battle field. It was just a fact and you spoke like it was. But when you spoke about your mother, you, in the face of kunoichi acknowledged that I am a lady. Because of the words your mother told you and your brothers as children, allows you to stand before me today and say, to my face, that you acknowledge that I don't have to sacrifice my femininity to be a kunoichi. That we can exist as one in the same," Sakura says, staring up into crimson eyes.
Tobirama's eyebrows pull together, as if he didn't understand.
"You really can't see it? Moreso a few years ago rather than now, but women had to beg for the rights they got in your mother's time. To be able to speak at a man's table. To be able to deny a man. Even now, some of that stuff is still frowned upon. But your mother is really smart. I mean, really smart. I don't know the timeline, but I'm assuming by the time you guys were born, either women were already allowed to join the war or they would within the next few years, yes?"
Tobirama nods, not specifying to which, though. He seems more interested in her point.
"Well, your mother did something really smart. Since I'm assuming she was the one that raised you and your brothers, she went right to the people that would be deciding the future for kunoichi and women of the Senju clan in general to spread her beliefs, whether she meant to or not," Sakura says, hoping he's understanding what she's saying and not finding it insulting in the slightest.
"Us," Tobirama murmurs, mind working.
Sakura nods, stepping a bit closer. "Yes. Your mother's words are revolutionary! I'm not surprised at all that this alliance ended up happening," that my future takes the shape it will, Sakura thinks, "since day one your mother has been teaching you guys about equality. And it's working. To this day. Some odd twenty years later or whatever. Your mother wanted you to know that a woman is still a woman and a man is still a man. Be damned the titles," Sakura says, eyes wide. "Your mother is truly amazing! All of this," Sakura gestures toward the make-shift village. "This all started because someone said that they were finally done hating someone else. Someone finally said they were done being treated like less. And you, Hashirama-sama and Madara-sama are making it come true.
"You never once denied me my abilities as a shinobi," Sakura says, smiling brightly up at the future Second Hokage. "You embraced my medical arts, for whatever reason, that's not the point. Yet knowing that I am armed with similar weapons that you carry and knowing that I have chakra, that's significant to any shinobi, flowing through my body, you still acknowledge me for what I am, beyond all of that. I am a woman. That is something I will always be. Same with a shinobi. Both of those things are who I am now. And I don't think you guys realize how much you could be different if your mother never said such things to you."
Tobirama shakes his head, a strange look in his eyes as he stares over Sakura's head to the forest beyond. "No," he murmurs, seemingly lost in thought. "I think I am able to deduce how different I would be. And I'm not so sure it pleases me to know that about myself."
Sakura reaches out and touches Tobirama's shoulder, lightly, worried that his lightning fast reflexes would snap her forearm in two if she's not careful. But he doesn't react, not at first. He just stares over her head for a few moments before blinking and focusing in on her face in the fading light. She forced herself not to look for the glowing white orb that'll be in the sky.
"Don't think about the person you could be, Tobirama-sama," Sakura says softly, keeping her eyes on her face. "Think about the person you are. Right now." She smiles brightly before pulling her hand away, not wanting to push her luck. "Now, I'd better head on home. I've got an early day ahead of me."
Tobirama makes a noise in agreement and continues to walk Sakura home until they are standing at her porch. He tips his head a bit in farewell before turning on his heel and walking away without another word. Sakura has given him much to think about. And he has given her just as much. Sakura prayed that the talks with the Yamanaka and the Sarutobi go well tomorrow.
She also prayed that now that the issue between herself and Kana is at a moot point at the moment, that it's considered "resolved" and it can just fade to the back of Sakura's memory for a few weeks and then slip out when she's not looking. Either way, Sakura will do absolutely nothing to ruin the chances of the village she loves being formed. There may have been a bit of disillusionment earlier that day, but Sakura was still willing to bet everything on the way this village will eventually turn out.
If Sakura gives up hope on the future, she's got nothing left.
For the Reviewers:
1. TheseBattleScars: Haha, thanks! Yeah, I still wanted there to be a bit of roughness around the edges, so I'm glad it's not too weird! :D
2. RogueAngel82: Haha, yeah, right? Yeah, it's going to be hella hard to choose between them. I am not looking forward to it. Thanks!
3. LChan3706: Oh, I'm glad you liked it. ^.^ Aww! Thank you! I hope I'm not stretching the boundaries too much. Obviously there wasn't a lot of good Madara in the show, so I wanted to try and forge the personality that could turn one way or the other. He could become good, or he could follow his destined path as Sakura saw it. Thanks!
4. Guest 1: Thank you!
5. guest1707: Thank you!
6. StarKiss666: No way! You flatter me too much! Hm, I'll have to think about recommendations. Remind me again, I have to do a bit of looking around. ^.^ Oh no, I wouldn't say it's in a class of it's own! That's too much! You are seriously making me blush! / Yes! I am so happy that you like it! Sorry it's strange, but not sorry that you love it! XD They do have a bit of female ninja, but they are few and far between. ^.^ The talk with Hashirama is going to be in the next chapter. :)
7. Sai Hikawa: Thank you very much!
8. Guest 2: You liked it? Truly? Oh yes, Sakura showing her true strength is going to be coming up, and it is going to be epic! I actually had a good laugh about it when it came to me. I thought it up and was like, "Yeah, it has to happen that way. Any other way and it wouldn't feel right." Haha! Madara: What does the winner get? Sakura: *points to chest* Me, of course! Haha, thank you so much!
9. Haruka Kasumi: Yeah, I was thinking about what to do about Zetsu. I'm still a bit on the fence about what will ultimately come of this story. I agree! Too much of something is too much. :3
10. RedGoddessEclipse: Thank you!
11. Roningirlkisa: Uh, I don't know... I'm not sure what that is. Sorry.
12. Alyssa Heloise: I'M SO TERRIBLY SORRY! Haha, yeah, sorry about the wait! :)
13. spiderqween1: Yeah, Kana, for the rest of the story... well, she's just like that. That is such a nice thing for you to say, thank you! Even if it doesn't end up being the pairing you like, I will try my hardest to make it an amazing story!
14. Cami-chan23: Oh, thank you very much!
15. Konohamaya Uzumaki: Thank you! There will be a pairing... one day. Haha, I'm still on the fence about what to do, but there will be a poll on my page, soon where people can vote.
16. NarutoXHonoka: Sweet mother mercy. I... I don't know what to say. O.O Kana has brought about a lot of rage from you. I'm glad you like this side of Madara, though. XD
17. dreadwings: Oh yes, the names in all my stories, if they are not cannon, will somehow sound strange and unusual on the human tongue. I suck at making up names so I make them up in such a way that people will just skip over them. Haha. XD Thank you!
18. LoonyTuned: More violence! I know. Who would have thought? Madara, likeable? Pff. Yeah, nothing can be super easy. Unfortunately. Yeah, she does- oh good lord, LoonyTuned. Kana is already down for the count! It's believed to be provocative for men and unsightly behavior of a lady. Thank you!
19. silverwolfighter00: Oh no, I love it when people focus on the funny. It helps cast the illusion that I am, in fact, funny. XD Oh no, you're fine. Just taking the time to read and enjoying it is good enough for me! Thank you! They aren't bad. I like reading them! Haha!
20. Madame de Victoire: Aw! Thank you! Haha, yeah I know, I'm a bad author! I take a long time to update. DX Haha, see? This is what I love about people commenting! It gives me the chance to see how they perceive what's going on! I'm not sure why, but I just love it! Haha, I love that! "By not liquefying Kana's head." That is perfect!
21. Mandioca: Hehehe, maybe! I was going to make a joke about him being able to see her ankles, but then I realized that she wasn't showing her ankles and that was that. XD
22. animefan36: Thank you so much! Finally! A way to bring Madara and Tobirama together! Their genuine annoyance for Sasuke's hair! It's perfect! Why hasn't anyone thought of this sooner? Haha, yeah. It's a little bit in this chapter, but there will be a bit more in hopefully the next few chapters, I'll have to see if I'm willing to either make the next chapter extra long or not. Thanks!
23. Guest 3: I'm sorry. I don't understand the question about Madara and Tobirama. As for Izuna, I have yet to decide on what I want to do with that.
24. Kihoko-san: They are starting to form a cute couple, aren't they?
25. VeronicaLee00: Haha, thanks! I just find it so hard to believe that Madara could just be completely evil. In the anime, Hashirama straight up said that Madara was different because he was cursed. He HAD to be a good guy at one point. At least, in my opinion. He was just handed the short stick and didn't handle it well.
26. HaPPy2901: Hehe, thanks. I'm not sure about Katsuya. I hadn't thought about it before. Thanks for bringing it up. I'll have to weigh my options.
27. TheBestGuest: Ooh, thankies. :3
28. Guest 4: Aw, poor Tobirama. XD
29. britneybish: Thank you!
30. Taraneh Rose: I know, I suck. Eventually there will be love. I'm just horribly indecisive and will eventually leave it up to the readers, so yeah. Haha.
31. Mameha: It's okay! :3 Thankies!
32. Mistra Rose: I'm so glad that you like the story so far. Hashirama, in the next chapter, will explain why he didn't say anything. Sakura's role within the village is going to become more and more prominent. There may be attempts on Sakura's life, but I haven't decided. And yes, the Uzumaki will be appearing one day. XD Thanks for the review, it was wonderful to read!
33. SweetestChick: Yeah, I wanted to try and write him out in a different light. I'm happy that people like him. For all of you Hashirama and Sakura fans, you'll really like what Hashirama's got to say in the next chapter. XD
34. GuestnamedLuppy: Haha, I'm happy to hear that. XD
35. GaaraRules29: Thank you so much!
36. WhenICanThinkOfSomething: Thanks so much!
37. CherryPie: Haha, once again, Tobirama is shot down. XD
38. Guest 4: Yes, depending on the pairing is depending on the Mito. XD I know, I'm horrible.
39. Mishil: Aww, thank you! Hm, curious thinking you've got there, Mishil. I wonder if you might be right. XD You may or may not be. Haha! I'm so glad that it helps you out!
40. Pink Shattered Glass: If you like Hashirama and Sakura moments, you are going to love the beginning of the next chapter. :3
41. BACOON: Yes'um. I have yet to decide on a pairing. Thank you so much for your input!
42. RedToast: Thank you. I love how in point #2 you avoided saying Hashirama. :3 There is a reason for that. Not a very good one, but a reason nonetheless that will come out. Someday. Thank you. Yes, I know it would be easier in past tense, but I physically am unable to do past tense anymore. I've drilled it into my brain to do present and I can't stop it. Perhaps in the future I will go back and rewrite this story, making it past tense. Who knows. Ooh, thank you! I wish I was patient enough to get people to help me, it would be awesome, but as soon as I finish with the chapter, I just have to post it. I think I'm sick. x.x Thank you!
43. Guest 5: Yes, I agree. But in future chapters you will come to see why any pairing will ultimately be okay.
44. Cheesecakeforgot: *squints* Are you Guest 5? o.o And true.
45. DeadlyDarkAngel: And it got one! XD
46. True Guardian Angel: Thankies!
47. Lyndeydan: Haha. I'm hearing that a lot.
48. Vampirelover12100: Because I'm a sadist. XD Not really. Yeah, as I told RedToast, essentially, I can't write in past tense, I am so stuck on present, it just comes out. I may try and go back one day to change it. Thank you!
49. MoonlightShadowsofWolves: Oh gosh, thanks. :3
