"I did not think you would come along, Mai." Spoke the voice of Tobirama as she walked up to him on the scaffolding of the ship. The crimson haired woman stood next to him. Her violet eyes centering on his well prepared form. She complimented him breathing in the February ocean air, "You are looking good... I have to come along... Kazui knows his mother... He doesn't know you though."

"If he takes after me he will know right away who I am."

"You are enjoying this aren't you? Tobira?"

"Indeed I am."

Tobirama took something from from a long case on the deck. It was glasses with oval frames. He placed them on her face, "Here this may help."

"Oh, Wow. Thank you..."

He mentioned looking her in the eye, "The time five years ago? Did you get what you wanted?"

Mai explained to him, "Yes, The unpleasant Lord of Nagi Island refused to marry a pregnant woman. My beloved Ūjitennō Shinya agreed we would marry soonly after my father disowned me. There after we traveled eventually coming into the service of the Lord Of Fire Fujitomo. Shinya and yourself look similar so I was unsure who was Kazui's father."

"How is Kazui? Personality wise?"

Mai praised their young son, "Much like his father he's a very smart boy. Preformed his first suiton jutsu a week before we were ambushed."

Tobirama smiled content with himself, "Yes, He did take..."

He felt her hand squeeze his behind, She finished for him, "After your fine tight ass!"

Her compliment gave him déjà vu, "Mai..."

Mai inquired vulgarly, "What? Sei doesn't give you that kind of attention? Or too little of it?"

"No. That's not it."

"Or she gives you much attention on the other side?"

Mai took his silence as an affirmation, "Hahaha! She grabs your manhood! Sei is naughtier than I thought!"

He questioned something unrelated, "What is your aim in this? Mai?"

She embraced his forearm, "I'm reliving unique memories."

"It's pointless to live in the past."

She sighed, "The past creates us to be who we are now and in the future... That night in the textile storage room we created a special child. My life changed after that. You never thought what we did together as something special? Or life changing? Or was it just a convention? Like agreed upon?"

He offered her a genuine reply, "I did not know a child of mine existed until you visited the village. After we retrieve Kazui, I would like to spend time with our son."

She muttered woefully, "I just..."

"Those feelings of loss and pain will do you no good. I will protect him."

"Heh, heh... You are the one that will need protection. Sei's going to be so jealous. She will be asking questions like 'won't you do the same for my children; our children?' That won't be the only thing she'll be jealous of." Mai winked lewdly.

"True, Sei will react like you say... Mai, I'm not joining you in your cabin tonight."

She grinned, "A man in a situation like your own can't be picky."

The alabaster Senju claimed, "I'm returning our son to you. You might as well pay me back somehow."

She leered leaning over the decks railing, "Fine, You are his father. It would be unkind to keep him away from you."

"You have made the wise decision."

"What were you going to do if I said no?" Mai trailed her fingertips against Tobirama's shapely shoulders.

He warned her, "Something most unkind."

She exclaimed, "Wooh, The danger..." Her hands changed direction toward his pectorals. "Such shapely muscles."

"Mai, Keep your hands to yourself." Tobirama warned her.

She squeezed his pectorals, "Oh, But my hands want adventure."

"You are the worst." Tobirama deflected her hands away.

She giggled, "You can do the same to me if you want."

He chuckled shaking his head, "I know you want me to... But I won't."

"Don't lie to yourself. Come on, Sei doesn't need to know. Why don't we go to the back of the ship and rekindle an old flame?" Mai purred. She looked away for a sec and Tobirama was gone. "I hate it when he does that. Of course, he would be one to leave a woman... making her feel lonely."

o()o()b

After escaping from the clutches of Mai Tobirama returned to the captain's cabin. With the intention to speak to Shichirō he opened the door after knocking. The thick muscled giant of a swordsman sat at the desk reading a detailed map.

Tobirama requested, "What did you find out? Shichirō?"

The swordsman gave him a scroll containing his findings, "From the information we gathered there has been children abducted by cults who worship the kyūbi as gods. These criminals seem to be going after children of specific lineages. Your boy Kazui being both Uzumaki and Senju must have been a prime person of interest for them."

Tobirama read the contents, "Yes, I have heard about these groups... They are rather 'out- in-the-open'... However their places of worship are unknown."

"We may find out soon." Shichirō moved onto something else, "The ravishing Lady Mai was giving you trouble... Or something more than trouble."

Tobirama ignored Shichiro's comments. Focusing on the map. "The islands south east is where we will find Kazui."

The swordsman of the mist elaborated further, "This was easier when we had a Hyūga aboard. Most of the time we did not need a map."

Tobirama suggested, "I will go back to the village and get one."

"Hurry, we'll be leaving port soon."

"I will return in no time."

()(ω)(_)

Inside a restaurant the couple Daisuke and Tora sat together on stools. The two ate delicious sapporo style ramen. They spoke of mundane things like their day and dreams. After finishing his bowl Dai spoke to the chef.

"So what are you going to name this place?"

The chef explained, "These recipes were my father's creation. I was thinking of naming it in his honor."

"Ah, I see."

"I think it's time you paid me back." Dai turned to his left where an all too familiar voice spoke.

He greeted Tobirama, "Ah, Hello albino Senju... I mean my sister's paramour... How may I assist you?"

"Come with me and I shall tell you."

Dai gave Tora a kiss, "Okay, I will see you when I return Tora."

Both Tobirama and Daisuke left walking up the street towards the gate. Tobirama spoke first, "Now is the time that you pay me back for helping you."

Dai welcomed the proposition, "Yes, Please tell the details."

He explained, "Your eyes are needed. Not long back my son was kidnapped. I am going to rescue him."

Dai remarked sarcastically, "You have a son? Even you have skeletons in the closet. Does my sister know?"

"Yes, She does know."

Daisuke suggested, "You might want to marry my sister before her pregnancy begins to show."

"That has already been decided. Our wedding ceremony is going to be private with the exception of four guests. The date is already set for two weeks from now."

"The four guests?"

He listed the attendees, "My elder brother and his wife, my sister, and your wife Tora."

Dai lamented, "My sister did not invite her twin brother."

"She thinks you would ruin it."

Dai did not deny it, "Her suspicions maybe correct... So yes, I will help you find your son."

The 'albino senju' wanted to test how truthful Dai was, "Yes, But before that I must clarify something with you... It must pointless to ask now but back when your father gave you over to my own... Did you spy on us for him?"

Dai could not deny this either, "Yes, I did. My father wanted to know the skills of the Senju clan and how strong your family's bonds were. For every possible situation my father had a plan. Assuredly, Your clan wasn't the only one I spied on."

His honesty surprised Tobirama, "Yes, That makes sense. Your father's total disregard for your well-being, your own cowardly demeanor and brother Hashirama's oblivious friendliness allowed you the perfect cover."

Dai exposed furthermore, "Exactly. Thanks to your brother too I got to know the Uchiha mentality as well... They refused to take up with a useless tool like me. My father hated that."

Tobirama smiled, "Excellent, Now prepare yourself. We will be gone for two days."

"Fine..." Dai requested enthusiastically, "But... Are we friends now? We are going to be brother in laws?"

Tobirama's answer still was, "No."

"Where have you been keeping the handsome male Hyūga, Tobirama? He kind of looks like Sei. " Mai requested as both men walked onto the deck.

"No where. He will be our eyes on this misty day."

Mai spoke to Dai, "What's your name?"

"I am Seihana's twin brother Daisuke."

Mai touched his arm, "So you are the male version of Sei... No wonder Tobirama has been hiding you away. Hmm, So this is what Sei would look like if she had different... assets."

Her comments caused Dai to step back a bit, "Umm, Yes. You are quite beautiful Ms... Uzumaki but I'm married..."

A sly giggle escaped her lips, "Oh... We both can pretend that you are not."

Dai did not fall for her tricks, "Did the captain hire you to be the ship's whore?"

Mai spoke against him, "Hmph! If I charged I doubt any of you could afford my 'services'."

Dai flirted turning her words on her, "So you don't charge for your services?"

"I have charged great fees for regional daimyōs ... But for you the first time is for free."

"So you are a courtesan?"

She smirked, "By profession; Yes."

Dai used his intuition, "So forth... You are spying on the Village Hidden In Leafs for the Lord of Fire."

Mai's glittering indigo eyes widened, "I would not call it spying. I'm just gathering information and getting my son back from insane cultists."

Dai crossed his arms sighing, "No wonder you've been trying to get into the albino Senju's pants... including my own."

She leered toward Tobirama, "I already got into his pants before. He is my son's father."

"Ah, That makes sense."

"Hmm, Now where were we? Heh, heh." Mai intimidated him by invading his personal space.

"Hey! Get your hand off my..." Dai exclaimed brushing her hands away. He cried for help, "Lord Tobirama, Please restrain her!"

Mai felt the Senju's arm hold her around the waist directing her away, "Come lady Mai, Let's take you to your room."

Both Mai and Tobirama ventured below deck to her room. Mai closed the door after them. Blocking the door by leaning on it. He sighed backing away from her sitting on her clothes trunk.

She giggled giving Tobirama a hot stare, "Soonly after we retrieve our son I will be leaving... If you have any desire for me make it known now because I will be going away, love."

Tobirama broke it to her, "You allow your mind to come to all these conclusions concerning our relationship. Or is it something else entirely? Yes, I know of your occupation but tell the truth Mai... I was only a tool you used to get yourself out of a distasteful situation. You tempt to deceive me with these flirty antics because you don't want to admit it."

Mai said tearing at the seams, "Back then you could not see beyond your own perfect nose to consider what was in front of you. When I told Sei I would never marry you I meant it. I could have discarded Shinya and came searching for you to marry the father of my son but I did not. You are not the type of man I would want as my husband."

He kept a straight face, "You are saying I'm full of myself."

Mai removed the mask, "Now you are just realizing it."

Tobirama stood up and closed in on Mai. He raised her chin with his fingers kissing her rose colored lips. Mai closed her eyes enjoying the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist directing her away from the doorway to the right corner of the room.

Mai moaned, "Tobira..."

He whispered after their kiss, "Soo... That is how it truly is..." He released her from his embrace. All too soon he was gone before she came to her senses.

Mai boiled up, "TOBIRAMA!"

After Tobirama left her cabin Mai immediately closed the door. That Hyūga bastard had just blown her cover. Mai took a paper and quill from her trunk. She wrote two letters one to her employer and one to Tobirama. When night had fallen she dressed herself in her traveling attire and hid her weapons in her clothing. Keeping to the dark corners Mai sneaked on deck. She called for her messenger hawk. In the matter of minutes her hawk had flown over head and perched on her gloved arm.

"Sora, Send this to Lord Fujitomo." She tied the note to the female hawk's leg. "I will be meeting him soon."

The Hawk nodded her head with compliance. Mai sent her messenger off into the darkened skies.

"That smug bastard can find his useless baby himself." Mai thought to herself. To that end she climbed onto the scaffolding's railing jumping off onto the icy water. She ran back north forward the land of Tea. Where forth just before the shore from the falling snow materialized a ghostly pale man with snowy long hair and flowing white robes.

Mai knew exactly who he was. She jumped into his arms, "My heavenly beloved yet devilish prince Shinya!"

"Did you take care of the problem?"

"Yes. But my other mission failed."

"I see. Let's return to our employer."

"Wait, How would you know where to find me?"

"As we agreed... I have been following you this whole time."

She took his hand, "Good, Let's go."

The next morning Tobirama woke up to a knock on his room's door. He opened the door to see a sailor who bowed to him.

"My lord, I saw lady Mai jump off the ship last night into the frigid waters."

Tobirama found this suspicious, "I must go to her room. Excuse me."

He ventured down to her room. Oddly enough the cabin's door was open. On her bed was a note. He opened the letter to read it.

"It's a suicide note. I find it unlikely she would kill herself." Tobirama could still feel her presence. He thought to himself, "She ran off... Faking your death and always running away, Mai... You never change... Your departure changes nothing... I will still rescue Kazui."