The Will of Fire is jeopardized.
The Land of Fire compromised.
Heed the oath your kin gave mine.
I am calling for the sun to shine.
-S
Aged hands trembled as the men read the lines and stared at the sigil, he had only seen in the old history books.
He still remembered the story his grandfather had told him while he was but a child.
"They came to us with strong eyes and fire in their hearts. They spoke of peace and bloodless dreams, and their leader was carrying the power of nature itself with him. Many pacts were made this day, but none was stronger than the oath I gave to nature's bearer when he saved me from the brink of death. My father tried to stop me, but it did not prevent me from speaking the words. 'You have saved my life today. I swear by my blood that your grace will be repaid. If not from me to you, then from my kin to yours. May the sun bear witness to this oath.' He never called upon his favor, but the oath still stands till this day."
The Senju clan had never called for them, and then they had slowly faded away, he had all but forgotten about this story.
He had been secure in the knowledge that the only remaining Senju would never call on him. Senju Tsunade was only interested in drinking, gambling, and squandering her life.
But apparently, there was someone else out there.
Another Senju.
A clan head.
And he knew.
He sighed, placed the short note on his desk, and opened the letter.
"…and now we have delivered the letter to the daimyo," Naruto finished his report and nodded emphatically towards the tree. "I don't really know why your brother insisted on writing this strange poem, though," he added as an afterthought. "I mean he could have just written, you promised to help us out, so do it. But he says it has something to do with…psysto..psytochi…psychological warfare." He nodded again, proud about getting the words right.
The leaves rustled, and a single oak leaf floated down and rested gently on Naruto's head. It felt surprisingly warm and reminded him of a warm palm's tender touch.
It was strange. Even throughout the cold winter months, the tree had remained evergreen. According to Tobirama, it was connected Hashirama's strong chakra residue.
Naruto smiled and carefully plucked the leaf from his head.
The leaves rustled again and something else fell down.
Curiously, Naruto bent down to pick it up.
It was an acorn.
He grinned. "Thank you."
"Are you talking to my brother again?"
Naruto turned towards the voice and grinned. "Of course! I need to keep him up to date, you know."
"Of course, you do," Tobirama agreed. He sounded fond.
Naruto cradled his newest treasure against his chest and looked at the man he considered his closest relation.
Something was bothering the child. Tobirama could read it in Naruto's conflicted expression. He stepped next to him and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "What troubles you, child?" he inquired gently.
Naruto hesitated.
"I just had a study session with Itachi," he answered after a moment of silence. "He explained something about Konoha's inheritance laws. He said…that you need to prove your blood relation to be recognized as a clan head. But I… don't have your blood."
Naruto looked down. He seemed sad.
So that was what he had been worrying about. Tobirama moved his hand towards the child's chin and gently tilted the downed head up. "The legitimacy of a claim can be proven through more than just blood, Naruto. You are not obligated to have your blood tested. Clan-unique abilities can be used to verify claims. In your case, however, it is even simpler. Or have you already forgotten what I have told you about the compound's seal?"
"You said it can only be opened by Senju," the child answered quietly.
"Yes," Tobirama agreed, "this is what I have told you, and this is what everyone considers to be true." He paused a moment to regard the boy in front of him. His insecure expression made him look even younger than he already was. "I believe, it is time to let you in on one of our clan's most guarded secrets."
Our clan. Naruto loved the way it sounded.
"What I am now going to tell you, will stay between us," Tobirama told him sternly. "You will not talk with anyone about it aside from your chosen heir."
"I'll keep quiet," he promised quickly, and he was serious about it.
"I trust you will," Tobirama replied simply and withdrew his hand. Naruto felt cold at the sudden loss of the steadying touch and settled against the tree to make up for it.
"Now the Senju seal," Tobirama continued, "The seal that determines if you are Senju or not…," he made a short pause and fixed Naruto with a serious look "Is a lie. Or more a half-truth."
Naruto's eyes widened. "A half-truth?"
Tobirama nodded. "Yes, Naruto. The so-called 'Senju Seal' does not exist. It is part of the extensive protection barrier surrounding the compound that activates once the gates are closed. A seal is not capable of determining your clan affiliation, but it can determine chakra patterns. Once Senju reached the age of five, they were allowed to leave the compound. Their signature would be added to the detection array, and they were able to open the gates."
Naruto stared at him, not really comprehending the reason behind this. "But why? Why would you do that?"
"To weed out spies," Tobirama answered seriously. "Being able to open the gates was a secure way to determine if someone was being impersonated by an outsider or not. Remember, Naruto. My brother and I lived during a war-torn era, and we had to take measures to protect our own."
Tobirama's gaze wandered towards the village. "We did not publicize the workings of our barrier to anyone. So over time people simply started to assume that the gates only recognized Senju, which was true in sense, since only Senju were ever written in. This belief was probably further strengthened when nobody was able to enter after our clan had… faded away."
There was a moment of silence as Naruto mulled over his words. "And I can use this to prove I am a…Senju?"
"The seal does not lie," Tobirama replied dryly, "At least not according to a common consensus."
"That's…kind of… dumb," Naruto commented lamely. Honestly, they trusted something because they all decided it was true? Even he knew that this was a bad idea. His jiji had told him often enough that he needed to 'verify his facts.' "I mean, you added, Itachi, Shisui and me to it, and they are Uchiha."
Tobirama snorted, "Yes, it is," he agreed, "but it is also very convenient for us. When the time comes, this belief will prove your claim."
It was true. Being able to open the compound would be proof enough. But just in case, Tobirama was preparing contingency plans. He liked being at least five steps ahead of his enemy.
"Um...," the child suddenly interrupted his musings. Tobirama looked at him. "Yes?"
He blinked as Naruto extended a small acorn to him. "Can we add this to the necklace?"
His face softened, and he placed his hand on the child's head. "Of course. I will show you how."
Naruto barely allowed himself to breathe. He was cold and wet. Rain blurred his vision, and he could barely see.
He strained his ears. Was someone approaching? Or was he alone?
The thunderous rain confused his senses.
He centered himself and tried to listen for abnormalities. He searched for the loud, hungry slurps of footsteps on muddy ground. He searched for the wet gliding of drenched cloth scraping against wood, and for the short, silent clink of a sword drawn.
Rustling from the left.
Naruto's eyes snapped open.
He jumped and ran.
The world blurred around him.
Rain pounded down on him. Hard, and punishing.
He vaulted over the branch in front of him. His fingers brushed the rough, slippery bark.
Thump!
His pursuer's white mask appeared behind him.
Naruto pressed forward.
He could already see the clearing in front of him.
Just five more steps.
Four.
His pursuer was closing in.
Three.
He could hear him breathing right behind him.
Two.
An arm stretched towards him.
One.
Naruto jumped over the finish line.
Parrot appeared behind him only a breath later.
He had won! Naruto was very proud of himself. It was very rare that he got the upper hand during their trainings, even though it had been a very close one.
But he had won!
He had successfully escaped.
Naruto grinned as Owl threw his arm around his shoulders. "I knew you could do it!"
It was very touching that Shisui always seemed to believe in him. He was really fortunate to have such a supportive friend.
"Hmph," Parrot huffed in exaggerated irritation and crossed his arms. "I want a rematch!" he demanded.
Badger stood from the log he had been sitting on and gave Parrot's back several comforting pats. "There, there."
Somehow, Parrot managed to look extremely unimpressed despite wearing his ANBU mask.
Lion ignored his team's antics with practiced ease and tussled Naruto's hair. "Good job."
Naruto beamed.
Tobirama stared at his brother's unmoving frame. It pained him to leave him on this cold table. He wanted nothing more but to pick him up and take him far away.
But it was not yet time.
He brushed over the pale cheek. "Hold on a bit longer, brother. I will get you out of here soon, and then everyone who has hurt you will pay."
Tobirama took a deep, calming breath and threw a last regretful look at his brother's unmoving figure.
Then he turned away. He felt dreadful.
'I am not abandoning him,' he repeated mentally. He knew it was true. But it did not stop him from feeling guilty.
He felt like he was leaving Hashirama to the mercy of their enemy. It did not sit well with him.
Furious beyond belief, Tobirama left the laboratory and floated down the corridor, towards Danzo's office.
Danzo was present this time.
Tobirama saw him sitting at his desk, flipping through a report. A cup of steaming tea was standing next to him. It smelled like Gobocha.
Feeling very spiteful, Tobirama knocked it over, and the hot beverage spilled over Danzo's trousers.
The man let out a loud yelp and jumped up, quickly slipping out of his soaked clothes.
Tobirama smirked and used the man's momentary distraction to skim over the paper on the desk.
It was an observation report.
His eyes narrowed as he recognized the targets' names.
Uchiha Itachi.
Uchiha Shisui.
Uzumaki Naruto.
The report was short.
Mark One, Mark Two, and Mark Three have been seen entering the Hokage Tower together. Attempts at investigation were intercepted by ANBU captain Hound and were forced to retreat.
Mark One, Two, and Three continue to show close bonds. They have frequently been spotted having dinner together. Mark One and Two continue to evade their trails. As per instructions, Mark Three is currently not being pursued.
Danzo was keeping an eye on the children. It was not unexpected, but nonetheless very irritating.
He supposed that Mark One and Mark Two were Itachi and Shisui. He would have noticed if someone had tried to trail his child.
Tobirama would have to urge Naruto to exert even more caution.
Still, the part about ROOT agents trying to get into the Hokage Tower was perturbing.
The implications were grave.
Their forces had been further compromised than he had thought.
Once Danzo was gone, they would have to clean house.
Konoha had no place for traitors.
Danzo was about to sit down again. Tobirama absently tugged the chair away.
The man collided harshly with the floor and swore in a very vulgar way.
Tobirama raised an eyebrow at the creative swearwords leaving the man's mouth.
He looked rather pathetic in his white underwear.
Danzo stood up again. This time he kept a tight hold on the chair as he sat down and started to clean off the spilled tea.
Tobirama waited until he was almost done, then he subtly nudged the inkpot closer to the man's elbow.
Splash!
The entire desk was covered in a thick, black substance.
Danzo screamed.
Tobirama smirked. Sometimes, being a ghost was rather useful.
"What the hell is going on today?!" the man snarled as he picked his soaked reports out of the ink puddle.
They had become unreadable.
Good. That would delay whatever plans Danzo had at least a few days.
Danzo threw the drenched papers into his trash can and glared at the mess on his desk.
The frustrated anger on Danzo's face was amusing, but not really satisfying.
Tobirama's childish tricks only served as a momentary distraction from his ire.
It did, however, not stop him from activating the man's summoning seal, and leaving the door ajar, as he left.
The over-dutiful Root agents coming to report in got to see an entirely new side of their leader that day.
Beyond the veil, Senju Hashirama snorted in amused exasperation at his brother's antics and sighed. "Beloved, what did you teach my brother?"
A/N
Fun fact:
Gobocha tea is believed to have anti-aging effects. *grins*
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :D
Notice:
The next update will take a while longer. I am starting physical rehabilitation next Wednesday and I will probably be away for at least a month.