The Fail-Safe

by Athe-spirit

Story Adopted: "In that small amount of time that he'd been here with us he put the puzzle pieces together and devised a a fail-safe, safety-net if you will inside of the girl" A Time-Travel Jutsu was their last resort to save the world. Sakura would need to make sure that changing Madara's life around would change the outcome of the war they had lost in her reality.

8. Chapter VIII : Circumvent

Authors Note

This story has been adopted from the wonderful Forever Gypsy.

All characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi.

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Chapter

VIII

... Circumvent ...

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'I'll spill my guts for you' ...

He hadn't been able to take his eyes off her since she'd said that, his mind reeling as he tried to comprehend what she'd just told them, what she had just revealed to them. The words she had used, that had spilled forth from her, of all words she could have used, she chose those words. ... Words that were so pivotal to them, only he and Hashirama had ever used such a phrase in such a way to each other in their younger years. Looking over to Hashirama whom was pretending to be asleep then back to Sakura who was quietly paddling them through the river. Not allowing himself to take his eyes off of her for even a moment.

The woman in question sat on her knees, leaning just slightly over the rim of the makeshift boat, back towards them with her cloak covering her entire body, her entire head covered up by a black bandana. With no one speaking in the boat Sakura was completely focused on her mission to get them to their newly gained riches.

Hashirama was actually correct, something was wrong here, Sakura was ... It was as if she knew how to talk to their souls ... His soul.

Rubbing his forehead, he was beginning to feel like he couldn't breath in deep enough anymore, instead he took in quick shallow breaths to combat the feeling. Thinking over everything she'd said to them so far, what she had talked with them about ... Every time she opened her mouth it was as if she knew exactly what they needed to hear. Even the way she acted towards them was in a way that showed she knew how to deal with them, as if she'd known the two of them their entire lives.

Hashirama was right to be afraid, Sakura was dangerous not because she didn't belong, she was dangerous for a whole other level.

... Sakura could see into their very souls.

Had the old teahouse hostess actually been correct? Was Sakura a Living God? Who else could read into a persons soul and just know the words a person needed, the way a person needed someone to act, to be around them, how to keep them level headed ...

He'd seen her bleed though. ... 'Had he though?' She had no wounds on her person when they'd gotten her to a healer, everything had been healed by then. Her wrists though... She had cracked the seal and it burned her skin. 'Is she even truly sealed though? She'd taken Izuna right from under every Uchiha's very nose' That was correct to, nobody had felt her or her conspirators until they needed to get into the room. ... Was she truly that good at concealing her chakra? Was she concealing it now? Was she only pretending that she didn't have access to her chakra for their benefit? ... He'd seen the crack though, he'd seen Hashirama's chakra swirling within the seal keeping her chakra from being accessed. ... Right? Her Genjutsu though ... She was a master at Genjutsu, he'd seen her trap that told him of her capabilities, she could have been using a Genjutsu when he'd looked at the seal.

He had the Sharingan though. ... Why was he questioning his own abilities now?

... Who was this girl?

"The Daimyo's lands are about ten kilometers away, once we get there, we need to seal this away so we can use it once we get to the Haku river". She was talking again and he blinked as he let the words rush through his already cluttered mind.

Hashirama groaned as he pretended to stretch and turn towards him, keeping up his ruse, as if expecting she'd do something if she thought they were asleep. There was no doubt in his mind though that they wouldn't be able to catch her off guard anymore, she wouldn't let them after what happened in the shack. Sakura had closed herself off to them, even if she'd given them something that she felt they should know about her it still wasn't enough to tell them anything about her.

Human connection was important though, how had she kept stable with just herself and that thing inside her without going insane? If she was telling the truth, this girl was the sole survivor of a massacre that destroyed her entire life and she was still walking. ... Was she actually real and alive though?

From her soft aristocratic facial features, the dyed hair and the gem colored eyes one could almost forget...

The more that he looked at her though, the more he actually saw and when it all came down to it, all that was left of Sakura was a corpse. Dark circles on top of sunken-in eyes, sunken cheeks, sickly pale skin, long nails and a skeletal frame.

What would have happened to him if Izuna had died that day? What would have happened if Sakura hadn't healed him, saved him, fixed him?

He still had his clan though, he still had Hashirama, even if he would've wanted to kill Tobirama, he would of had his hope of a better future left still, hope for the rest of the clan. If Izuna had died, it would have hurt, he would've fallen apart, the biggest piece of his existence would have been turned to ash and he'd become the barely breathing embers leftover. He still had his dream, there were children that were still dying because of all the warring between clans and countries and he still had to stop that, he had to protect them, just as he had protected Izuna ...

Sakura though, she had lost everything she knew, her home, her village, her family, friends, teachers, even rivals ... Everything had been taken from her ...He couldn't have ever imagined becoming the living dead like Sakura, forsaken everything and not being able to move on from the past. Was it even possible to move on from that? To truly survive something so tragic?

What about Sakura's monster that had taken everything from her? What had happened to that? Was it still there in her home, sleeping beneath the ashes of the destroyed village? Or was it chasing Sakura to the ends of the earth?

Or was Sakura the monster? Could Sakura be the wolf in the sheep skin, was she staking out her next victims before she went in for the kill, herding all the people into a cage made of peace and security but was secretly leading them straight into the wolf's pack ready to feasts?

Was Sakura capable of killing though? She killed Senju Batsuma ... They were all gonna kill the Senju man though, Senju Batsuma was dangerous to the future of the Senju and Uchiha. Sakura hadn't killed the Senju because she'd wanted to, he couldn't see that, she'd been so willing to help Izuna stay alive without even knowing him, she saved the lives of the younglings on the battlefield according to Tobirama, not caring whether they were Senju or Uchiha, she did it because she wanted to save them.

Rubbing his face he continued with his small breaths, and looked over at Sakura who was still quietly paddling them along the river.

The more he looked the more he realized, Sakura wasn't a survivor, she was a wounded animal waiting patiently for the hunter to finish her off.

"Sakura-san" Hashirama was not faking anymore and he seemed genuinely interested in something, not even pretending to use the faux happy-go-lucky persona of his because he was that interested in whatever he was thinking about.

"Yes Senju-san". She didn't seem annoyed, her voice was even and her body language showed that she was comfortable, on alert but comfortable. So far from what he'd seen since they'd left the Uchiha Lands, Hashirama kept Sakura in a very tight posture and it was clear that he annoyed her the entire time. This time even she could sense that Hashirama was having a serious moment.

She could read them so well. "When we get to the Daimyo's lands, how will you out run the patrols? We all know that you cracked the seal, but there's no way you have enough energy to outrun the Daimyo's patrols right?"

Sakura nodded her head. "From what I can tell I've cracked the seal enough to give me just a bit of chakra to get around without it tiring me out anymore, but no I won't be able to outrun the Daimyo's patrol, I've already figured out a solution for that though".

She reached into her cloaks pocket and pulled out a small leather bag, out with the small leather bag she pulled out a razor as well, his eyes narrowed as she tore open the small bag with the razor.

Where had she been hiding that razor? Where had she gotten that razor? Better yet how long had she had it?

The theory that she'd do anything to get Hashirama's blood was officially off the counter, Sakura had to have come to realize quickly that Hashirama was a not shy in the fact that he loved a woman's body and she could have used that at anytime in order to get close to him with that razor and get his blood. Instead she'd been keeping him at arms length.

She wasn't as desperate to get the seals off as she was portraying herself to be.

Was she sending them to a trap? It was a long game she'd be playing though, waiting and watching for the perfect moment to integrate herself, saving his brother would ensure that nothing could happen to her within the Uchiha lands ... Saving the Senju's people, letting Tobirama see that she was a woman, letting Tobirama see her wondrous healing abilities, it ensured her coming out alive long enough to wait them out a little longer, long enough for them to come together.

The seals though, if she killed them she would have the seals on her forever though ... She'd cracked it within twenty-four hours, give her a fortnight to break the seals and he knew she'd have all of her chakra back by then.

She would have died though if she hadn't swapped places with Batsuma when they had fallen off the cliff. ... Had it all been apart of her game? It had cost her losing her chakra. ... Unless that was the plan? Let them think she was unable to hurt them, then when the perfect opportunity arose she'd strike.

Sakura hissed. "Ow", he blinked watching as she sucked the blood at her finger that she'd just cut with the razor. "Damned thing" She threw it over her shoulder then and he watched as it floated on the water.

... Well there went that. He looked back over to Hashirama who was watching Sakura closely too, all his attention on her, clearly he'd been having the same thoughts as he had been when Sakura had pulled out that razor.

Was there such a person in the world that truly only wanted to help them achieve their dream? Protect the children of the world from dying because of others pettiness? Was Sakura such a person?

Sakura plopped down and crossed her legs underneath her as she leaned forward and dumped out the contents of the little bag revealing four small black perfectly round balls. "I made these myself, but considering I don't have the necessary ingredients that they require to cover the taste or make them look pretty, they taste as awful as they look".

Hashirama took a ball from her. "What are they?" Sakura tilted her head. "They convert fat into chakra"

He rubbed his head, she's had those this entire time. ... His head was starting to hurt. She was confusing him. "Sakura-san". He looked over at Hashirama who was staring hard at Sakura's covered body then. "You don't have any fat on your body".

That was a good point. Sakura scoffed, amusedly through all this he smirked as she placed a hand on her hip, so very much like a woman insulted. "How do you know? Have you seen my entire body? I think not Senju-san, besides the female body has eleven percent more fat on their bodies then men do just for your information".

Hashirama may not have seen her entire body, but he had carried her to the Uchiha lands from the forest, women having more fat on them be damned, she weighed nothing, she didn't have fat, she was underweight, malnourished, skin and bones.

Hashirama turned to him then. "Will you try to talk some sense into her?" Sakura rolled her eyes as she continued. "It's fine, besides I don't have the necessary amount of chakra in order to outrun the patrols like I need, this will give me the necessary chakra for it".

He attempted, but it was futile in his opinion, he was learning that she was a very stubborn little woman, already committed to her plans. "You don't have enough fat to convert though, surely there is a consequence". Sakura waved him off, he had tried at the very least. "I take half of one, it'll use up the little bit of fat I have, then, the moment I get you two back to your clans, I can get my chakra back and combat the side effects of the pill, it's an easy solution"

Hashirama looked back at him and he sighed, just for hime he'd try one more time. "Sakura-san, have you ever taken those pills with the amount of fat you are claiming to have?" She looked away from them then. "No". He nodded his head, now they were getting somewhere. "So you have no idea what will happen if you take even half" Sakura did not seem to like the questioning, she looked outraged that she was being questioned. "Well no but"

"No buts, you don't know, you cannot take those". Turning towards Hashirama, he knew that he'd be on board with getting those things away from her.

He couldn't hurt her, he wouldn't hurt her, but he'd be damned if he allowed her to do something so idiotic as chance her own life. The Uchiha clan just could not afford that.

After she taught the healers what she knew about healing the damage caused by the Sharingan she could do whatever she wanted.

Hashirama's eyes told him that he agreed and they looked back at Sakura, her large eyes knowing immediately and as quick as can be she stuffed a pill down her mouth and his eyes widened as he watched her swallow one of the pills before they could make a grab for it. Her green eyes large as she realized what she'd just done.

Her green brows scrunched together in confusion and she turned away from them. "Did I get the mixture wrong? Surely I should have felt something ... It doesn't take over fifteen seconds to start working"

Sighing he relaxed when it showed that the pill hadn't worked, she looked down at the rest of the pills in her hands and Hashirama grabbed them quickly from her. "Hey!" He glared at her as he tossed them out the boat. Sakuras jaw dropped. "Are you insane! I need those!" "Obviously they don't work so they're useless to you".

Sakura stomped her foot then."Why are you such an" She stopped in her screaming and grabbed at her stomach, "Ow". She hissed again this time bending into herself. "Holy fuck that hurts". Her face turned red and his eyes widened. She crumpled down then and he bent down towards her, Hashirama crossing his arms. "I swear if you die, I'll pull you from the very depths of whatever hell that you crawled out of and kill you again".

Sakura screamed and whined as she clutched at her stomach. "Shut the fuck up!" She took in quick deep breaths as she attempted to call up on her chakra. The seal activating and burning her wrists and she bit her lip.

Even with the pills is still wasn't working. She must have been in serious pain, she crawled to the rim of the boat and leaned her head against the wood. "Sakura". She opened her eyes as she looked up at him, her eyes blood-shot, and her face even thinner that it had been before, what was more surprising was that her purple tattoo had reappeared for a single moment before it disappeared once more.

Letting go of her stomach she took quick breaths. "I'm okay, it passed". She leaned over then, eyes closed and she grimaced, her head twitching as she popped her shoulders. Her breathing evening out. "Gods that feels amazing" Her eyes opened then and they were bloodshot with the pupils fully dilated and a barely there green ring.

She reached over her hand and called up her chakra again and this time a small amount of blue chakra formed in the outlining of her hand. "Just enough". She smirked and looked over her shoulder. "One kilometer left ... we should get out now and seal this away we won't need this after all, the pills gave me enough chakra for the duration of the trip".

At what cost though? Hashirama would have to get behind him in line if she ended up dying on them because of those pills.

Sakura jumped out of the bowl then and looked over her shoulder. "Well come on then, you want to get back to your clans as soon as possible right?"

It wasn't a question really, the Hyuga had invaded the Uchiha lands and he was worried about what would happen if he was not there to lead the situation. Even if Sakura had claimed to have gotten rid of them. He needed to get back as soon as possible. Izuna was there and he couldn't lose him, not a second time.

What would happen with Sakura though? Now that those pills had taken the last of her body fat? What were the consequences to that, surely something bad was gonna happen, he only hoped that she made it long enough to get Hashirama back to the Senju lands in order to get the seals taken off of her.

Hashirama followed lead and jumped out of the bowl, turning around and pulling out a scroll from his pouch. The bowl boat disappeared with a puff of smoke and Sakura looked back at the forest. "I need a kunai".

He looked over at Hashirama, it was risky giving her a weapon, but considering that she had a weapon this entire time and hadn't used it to hurt either of them it seemed relatively safe to allow her one kunai. Hashirama nodded at him and he pulled out a kunai and she pulled out a seal at the same time. Sakura was quick and he watched as she embedded the tag with her chakra using a piece of string to tie it to the kunai. She handed it back to him then and he looked over at her.

"I won't be able to throw it from this distance without the proper amount of muscle mass that's needed to get it from point a to point b, all you have to do is give me a head start and follow my chakra signature".

Looking down at the kunai in his hands, he took in the kanji's written on the tag. 'Endure' 'Sunshine' 'Mirrors' 'Blood', The words seeming to have a hidden meaning that only Sakura would be able to understand amongst the formula that she used. With it committed to memory he handed back the kunai to Sakura, she could be playing the long game still and leading them into a trap. His gut though was telling him differently. Looking over at Hashirama he looked interested in what was about to happen, wanting to know what tricks she had up her sleeve.

'Let's see what she can do with her minimal amount of chakra'. He threw it as far away as his eyes could see into the dense forest of the Daimyo's lands and threw it. Before he could figure out what was happening Sakura disappeared from their sight, he looked over with wide eyes at Hashirama who's jaw had dropped at the sight.

"She just- that's nearly the same as! Oh my god!" Hashirama was grabbing at his hair again and he focused on finding her chakra signature and instantly he could feel it moving through the forest.

... It was a transportation Jutsu of some sort. "Let's go we'll figure it out when we get back". Hashirama was rubbing the side of his head as he nodded in agreement.

Sakura was fast moving, farther and farther into the forest, small amounts of her chakra were being pushed out, just enough to get her through the forests. From the way her chakra was jumping he could tell that she wasn't moving as far as he had thrown the kunai, just enough to get her moving through the dense trees and out of the patrols line of sight.

Sakura hadn't lied, her chakra control was impressive, she didn't have enough chakra to help her run through the forest fast enough to not be seen, but she was releasing the barest amount of chakra as possible to transport herself wherever she threw the kunai she'd tagged.

They got close to Sakura and his Sharingan recorded everything she did as she moved through the forest.

There was no doubt, not for a single second that if she had access to all of her chakra that they'd have a hard time tracking her movements, possibly only a Hyuga would be able to maybe even Tobirama. There was a thought, Senju Tobirama, he was faster than any shinobi he'd ever come across, faster than Sakura was definitely but the way that Sakura was moving, it seemed like something reminiscent of what Tobirama could do.

The edge of the forest was now in there view they were almost at the Haku river. Suddenly Sakura threw the kunai high into the mountain tops and they followed her right up and watched on as she threw the kunai into the mountain side.

'So that was how she was going to get across this river'.

She wouldn't be able to keep up on the river, following the seal on the kunai must have been easier to travel by with her chakra amount.

Hashirama and him continued to follow her path through the river, running alongside the mountain to keep an eye on her.

The kunai was thrown his way and he caught effortlessly and knew instantly that she wanted him to throw it far again. He did so and she disappeared once more with her chakra signature appearing at a fork in the river and disappearing towards the southwest of the fork again.

She just kept surprising him, from her healing, her fighting, her ninjutsu, her genjutsu ... It was no wonder her home was destroyed, her village had to have been ahead of their time in order to have created a shinobi like Sakura.

Sakura's chakra signature had stopped moving and they slowed down following it. The signs of the border villages obvious as they found themselves moving along the tops of roofs through a derelict civilian town.

Sakura actually hid her riches in such a poor town, that was a risky move, a very risky move.

As they came to the outskirts of the town, they saw her hunched over and breathing hard as she grasped onto a railing of a shack that looked as if it was about to fall apart.

She seemed to like shacks it would seem. They stopped and she took in a deep breath and pointed towards the door. He looked over at Hashirama who scrunched his brows in question. The chakra on the other side of the door was minimal, civilian at best, nothing dangerous, it seemed safe enough. They'd gone up against much worse.

Sakura sighed, Hashirama took the bait and knocked on the door. There was the harsh pitter patter of footsteps and suddenly the door opened a crack, the large green eye looked up at them through the crack then suddenly the door was shut hard and Sakura growled.

"Fucking brats" This time she decided to take the initiative and banged on the door madly. "Open up it's me". The door opened a crack then and he couldn't see anything as Sakura was in the way. A small whisper "What's the password?" Sakura shook her head. "There is no passwords!" another whisper. "Show me your hair". Sakura growled. "Open up this door or I'll tear down this entire shit-hole!"

The door swung open then quickly and they watched as a small white haired body swung into Sakura's with a squeal and she fell to the ground, her hood falling beneath her, the small body of a white haired little boy with jade colored eyes that matched Sakura's gem colored ones exactly with an addition of red birthmarks underneath their eyes smiled happily as they bounced on top of Sakura's stomach in joy. "Sakua-chama!"

The white haired childs baby-fat face turned swiftly towards the opened door. "Akira-nii I say twas Sakua-chama!" A groan from Sakura and the young child swiftly turned his attention back to Sakura's form that looked like it had nearly melted into the wood that made up the porch.

Gods she was even skinnier now then she had originally been. "Kiyoshi" He smiled so happily at Sakura then. "Sakua-chama! I knew twas you!" Sakura nodded her head a calm look on her face. "That's all great and all Kiyoshi but could you do me a big favor?" A twinkle in her eye and he couldn't figure it out. The boy nodded his head enthusiastically, shoulder length moon colored hair bouncing as he did so. "Anything fo Sakua-chama!" She screamed then and the boy scrambled quickly. "Get the fuck off me!"

Hashirama went to help her then and like a small fire noticing air the boy noticed them then and quickly hid behind Sakura's robs. Hashirama out of pure curiosity leaned down next to Sakura's hip and the small child went to Sakura's other side. Hashirama's happy-go-lucky facade back on, he wasn't all that sure it was a facade though as Hashirama genuinely looked interested in the child. "Who are you there?"

Sakura looked down at Hashirama then and grabbed his ear. "Ow ow ow". Clearly she wasn't comfortable with the Senju in her personal space. "Come on inside we have much to discuss" The young boy suddenly noticed him then and moved underneath Sakura's arm, tugging on her sleeves as he whispered harshly. "Sakua-chama we can n't let em in, they ur strange".

Sakura let go of Hashirama's ear then and grabbed the boys chubby hand with her boney one, using her other hand to move hair out of the young child's face carefully in a caring caress. "Yes they really are, now come on".

As she gently moved the boys hair, he froze at the sight of the large red dot tattoo's just above the child's glabella. His mind spinning as he looked back at Sakura's own face.

Hashirama noticed it too. "He's from" With eyes wide he placed a hand over Hashirama's mouth, "Don't" Sakura nodded her head. "Come now Kiyoshi-kun". She ushered the timid child into the shack and he let go of Hashirama, Hashirama eyed the door carefully. "I so did not see that coming".

Neither did he, he shook his head as he moved through the threshold and into the shack, watching as Sakura began to remove her cloak from her thin body. "Akira, Hoshi, I've returned". The young child in her grasp was quick to climb into her arms then, and he watched amusedly as Sakura steadied herself nearly tipping over at the additional weight. "Gods when did you get so fat!"

Another boy came from a room then, possibly around the age of ten or so, his hair the same shade of moonlight white and eyes apple-green with skin the color of smooth milk, the same red tattoo on his face and same red birthmarks beneath his eyes. Nearly an exact copy of the child in Sakura's arms, just with less baby-fat in his face. The child looked tired though as he bowed towards them. "Welcome back Sakura-sama, I apologize, I could not tell it was you".

The little boy in Sakura's arms wrapped his chubby arms around Sakura's neck then and leaned his head on Sakura's shoulder with a dreamy look on his face as he inhaled the woman's scent. His small voice a soft lull "Akira-nii I am right! Twas Sakua-chama! See, See!" The little boy nuzzled Sakura's neck, a dreamy smile on his face. He couldn't have been older than four or five with how small he was.

"Akira-kun, gather all your things". The boy looked them over for a second before he bowed once more before leaving. "Of course Sakura-sama".

Sakura adjusted the young child in her hands. "Kiyoshi-kun". The boy snuggled deeper into her with a frown, already seeming to know what Sakura was going to say. "No". Sakura sighed

She turned to them then. "Kiyoshi-kun, let's play a game" The boy didn't budge, not falling for Sakura's apparent antics. "No", "Kiyoshi" a small groan from him then and he lifted his head off Sakuras shoulder and tightened his arms around her neck more. "No! I miss you so Sakua-chama!" Sakura glared at the young child and what surprised him more was the glare that the young boy mimicked.

Hashirama broke up the glaring competition though and both large gem colored eyes glared over at him and he smirked as Hashirama squirmed underneath those green eyes. "I thought you said you didn't have family, are they your children". This time the young child glared at Hashirama with murder in his eyes. Sakura ignored Hashirama though as she turned her attention back to the young child.

"Kiyoshi" She attempted to put him down. "No!" She huffed and placed the child on the ground, he refused to let go of her neck. "Let go" "No!" "Kiyoshi let go" "No! Sakura-chama will leave gain"

The child jumped back into her and refused to let go. Sakura extracted him. "Remember what we talked about Kiyoshi-kun" She kneeled down onto her knees then and smoothed the child's pearl colored hair as she leaned over and began to whisper into his ear. "Really Sakua-chama!" The boy was happy again it seemed and he let go of her finally before bouncing away to a different room in the house.

Sakura sighed. "Gods that boy". She looked over at them then.

Crossing his arms over his chest he looked over at Hashirama whom had a calculating look in his eyes, the happy-go-lucky facade dropped and replaced with his real persona.

"You're a Kaguya" Sakura's brows scrunched together. "What-no! No! Wherever did you come up with that?" He cleared his throat then, capturing her attention and the child ran back into the room with a woven basket being dragged behind him. "Sakua-chama!" He ran straight into her stomach then and stopped to look up at them, seeming to try to burrow himself into his precious 'Sakua-chama'

A part of him was outraged that she lied, but then he understood it all too well, it was dangerous to speak about your clan to people that could kill you. Still though he was fascinated, he tried to keep it out of his words though. "They're your children right? Your coloring is the same and the boy is very clearly yours". Sakura looked down at the boy then and he looked up at her with those big bright eyes of his and then he looked back at them, speaking to them for the first time.

"Sakua-chama is Sakua-chama, Haha and Reiko-onesan waved us bye 'cuz they ot a present of shinny's" Sakura looked down at the child then "Kiyoshi-kun go grab more okay" He nodded happily. "o-k Sakua-chama!"

Sakura picked up the woven basket then. "There mother could not afford to keep all three boys, she had a daughter as well that I had wanted to take but supposedly the girl was already claimed by a family who wanted to wed her, even with the money that the family was going to pay for the daughter it still wouldn't be enough to help her keep her sons. She was planning to give them to a farmer as well, but with no contract made and my offer being higher, I was able to get them". She handed the opened basket and showed them what was inside.

Gold, a basket filled with gold. "The Kaguya clan was wiped out though" She nodded her head then. "Yes they were, thankfully the mother had escaped with her children intact ... and lucky for the two of you I was able to obtain the three boys left from the clan before they could disappear from my grasp ... Akira-kun the boy from earlier, is a carrier of his families Kekki Genkai, he's not been able to awaken it yet, but I believe it will be soon, his chakra has been fluctuating and even his physiology has been rapidly changing, I've been monitoring Kiyoshi as well but he may be too young to be able to show any signs of being a carrier, unfortunately Hoshi, the eldest of the three is already thirteen years and does not seem to be a carrier, but I do have great belief that any children sired by him will be carriers"

Hashirama spoke up then. "You were able to get three Kaguya children" Sakura nodded her head. Hashirama looked back at him. "Three boys from the Kaguya clan, along with the united Senju and Uchiha ... do you understand what this means?"

That would be a very strong village, they looked back at Sakura then and Hashirama pushed more. "You do understand how much these boys are worth right?" She nodded her head. "Of course I do, why do you think I used them as a bargaining chip. Don't insult my intelligence Senju-san".

The boy came back with an even heavier basket. "Sakua-chama is the smartiest!" He looked up at Hashirama then with his large green eyes glaring at him and he let go of the string that he'd been dragging the basket by.

His big eyes continued to glare at Hashirama then and Hashirama looked down at the child with a warm smile and the kid suddenly smirked at him before he kicked him in the shin. "Ow!" Hashirama hopped onto his foot and held his shin in his hand. "Why you little shit!" The kid stuck his tongue out then and hid behind Sakura. "Don't be mean to Sakua-chama you big meanie!"

Chuckling as he looked over at Hashirama who's jaw had dropped down then with a black cloud covering him and sweat at the side of his forehead he screeched as he pointed towards the Kaguya child. "That kid is evil!" Sakura scoffed. "He's four" "He's evil!" shrugging his shoulders as he looked back at the kid who attempted to mold himself into Sakura's body. "I think he's pretty smart for a four year old".

The kid continued to hide behind Sakura as he squeaked in a small whisper. "Sakua-chama he's being mean to me!" Sakura rolled her eyes. "You're all idiots".

She looked down then at the small child. "Kiyoshi-kun where's Hoshi?" The boy looked up at Sakura with his big eyes. "Hoshi-chan deaming ... he be deaming fo thee suns now!"

He watched as Sakura translated the words before she made a dash to the other room "Fuck!" The little boy whistled then and they looked over to him, his arms crossed and his head shaking gently, white hair swaying back and forth as he did so "Sakua-chama be speking in bad-bad words". He looked up at them with his big apple green eyes then "She going to bad-bad hell, she be tortureed real real bad-bad".

He chuckled as he watched Hashirama shiver. This kid had promise, real promise, that was for sure.

"I wonder if they were the gift ... it would explain why she was being so confident". The boy jumped into their conversation. "Sakua-chama has present fo big meanie and scary eyes! Sakua-chama present isis the room!"

It took them a second but they were able to translate his words into an actual sentence. "Sakura's present is in the room" The boy shook his head no. "No present isis the room!"

Now he was just not sure anymore, the child looked up at them, exasperated and huffed as he mimicked them and continued to keep his arms crossed, head continuing to shake back and forth. "Dum-dum" His big green eyes looked up at them then and he reached out with his chubby hands quickly grabbing Hashirama and him by the hands pulling them along with him.

"Kiyoshi show you present!" He opened the door then and they stopped, there a fourth of the floor boards had been taken off and underneath were rows of baskets. "See! See Kiyoshi show you present! Isis the room!" He went to grab a basket and looked back at them. "Twis heavy! Sakua-chama put lot a shinny here!"

Sakura appeared then and pulled him and Hashirama from the room by the collar of their shirts as she yelled at Kiyoshi while dragging them to the other room. "Kiyoshi-kun keep grabbing whatever baskets you can!" A childish yell back. "Kiyoshi will do Sakua-chama!"

She opened the door on the other side of the shack then, the boy named Akira was going through a chest stuffing clothes and such inside a basket Sakura continued to drag them over to a child that was laying down, his olive complexion looked sickly pale and was sweat drenched. "What's wrong with him?" Sakura shrugged her shoulders then. "I'm unsure without my chakra I can't even determine what it is".

Hashirama began to move the blanket out of the way then and scanned the boys body looking for something. "How long have they been here at the border?" Sakura looked contemplative. "A little less than a year". Hashirama sighed as he turned the boys body around and hitched up the boys bottoms up over his calves, sighing at something. "There it is, look, he's been bitten".

Sakura looks over at him before they both lean over and see the small insect bite on the back of the child's knee. "He's contracted the Ricia" That was not good, if one child was bitten, then the rest were infected as well. Sakura looked over at them. "What is Ricia?"

Hashirama put the boy slowly down. "Ricia is a sickness contracted from mosquitos ... Only one person needs to get bit in order for everyone around them to contract the disease. The moment it hits the human body it mutates from blood to airborne, those that breathe the same air as the first contractor always get sick, but it takes anywhere from three days to a fortnight for symptoms to appear.". Sakura looked confused.

"Mosquito bite ..." She looked down at her covered arms then. "You're talking about Ka" Her eyes were wide then as she looked over at them. "And none of you have been inoculated! They need to be sealed now".

Hashirama jumped up then. "We can't seal them their children, sealing them can cause severe affects upon their bodies!" Sakura's eyes were wide then. "We can't carry them all the way back to Hi no Kuni! The travel is too rough for them and Hoshi can't even move!"

Sakura continued then as she looked over to where the other boy was pretending not to listen in on them. "We can't slow down, we have to keep going, and they will slow us down, if I had my chakra I'd do it myself, besides I can't have any of these kids anywhere near people, others can get sick, if we seal them away until I can fix this then no one else will get sick! besides Hoshi is barely even conscious!"

Hashirama was not having it though, even if the girls words rang true. "What about the other two boys? They will have the potential to go crazy if they realize they've been sealed?" Sakura looked over to him then. "We'll put them under a strong genjutsu then".

Hashirama flipped. "Are you insane they're children! Children see through Genjutsu! If you don't fuck up there minds from sealing them away being locked in a Genjutsu they can see through will!"

He decided it was time to step in before Sakura attacked Hashirama once more, he doubted she would considering she didn't have much fat or muscle mass left on her but she was good at surprising them.

"Hashirama, I believe that if we want to get these Kaguya children back, we will need to seal them away, and I'll have to use the Sharingan on the two young ones".

Hashirama looked him over then a scowl on his face. "I'm not having any part in this, I'm gonna go seal the room away". He turned then and left the room and Sakura took a deep breath. "Thanks for that". He looked over at her, her entire body was tense and he knew then that she would have chanced a fight with the Senju.

"Let's get this done". She nodded her head just as the youngest Kaguya child ran into the room jumping in joy. "Sakua-chama". The child jumped on her back then and looked over at him. "Scary-san". Sakura looked over at him again before she reprimanded the child. "Kiyoshi-kun you're being rude". He nuzzled her neck.

" 'M sorry Scary-san" Sakura grabbed the child's hands from around her neck then and forced him to let go of her. "Kiyoshi go help the man in the other room". Kiyoshi nodded his head. " 'Course Sakua-chama, dum-dum will need Kiyoshi!"

He chuckled, this one was already growing on him. "Kiyoshi-don't be- just go and get all yours and your brothers things and give them to him". The boy ran out of the room then giggling as he did so.

Looking over at Sakura he watched as she was careful with making sure the other child was comfortable. "He adores you" Sakura scoffed. "He's an insane little teacup human". He smirked as he pulled out four scrolls from his pouch. Unrolling one next to the child. "Perhaps he loves you so much because you look alike".

"We do not look anything alike". "Pretty green eyes, lovely skin", "You're insane". "You have the same hair color to right?" Sakura frowned as she watched the child poof into smoke and disappear.

"What's with you and my hair?" He shrugged his shoulders as he turned and sealed the scroll into another one. "You make me curious by hiding it the way you do".

"You're insane ... Akira-kun get over here". She turned her head over to the child that was grabbing things from around the room. The boy, Akira, walked over with a basket in his arms and placed it on the floor next to him as he looked at Sakura and then him. "Yes Sakura-sama" She nodded her head to the floor. "Lay down".

"Are we moving again?" Sakura nodded her head. "Yes Akira-kun" He nodded then and laid down in front of them. Looking down at the child he focused on the Genjutsu he was using. Once he was sure the child was under he unrolled another scroll next to him as Sakura questioned him. "What sort of Genjutsu did you use?"

"He'll see through it, but he'll feel like he's caught in hypnogogia, better keep him in a state more believable than to create a dynamic dream he'll see through immediately" Sakura nodded her head and they watched as both the boy and the basket disappeared as he sealed them both. "That's a smart move". "You're not the only one that has a brain". She smirked at him. "Are you sure? You are friends with that Senju" He sealed the scroll with the other one and smirked. "It was a strategic move" Sakura scoffed. "Liar".

They stood up just in time to watch Hashirama get dragged into the room by the youngest Kaguya child whose large green eyes shined with hearts. "Sakua-chama! You missit! Dum-dum made the 'ole room poof!" He looked up at Hashirama then. "Twas so cool!" Hashirama blushed with matching hearts in his own large eyes.

He took it back, the kid had no hope. Hashirama then looked around the room, sobering at the sight. "So the two of you decided to go through with it after all then". His dark eyes focusing on him before sweeping over to Sakura accusingly. He sighed. "I'm going to get going then and get this into a safe zone".

Hashirama was not happy at all if he didn't even want to wait for them to seal the last child away. Nodding his head in understanding before Hashirama turned his back towards them and left.

Sakura sighed then as she sat back down and Kiyoshi jumped into her lap then, really trying hard to burrow into her. She lulled him gently then, running her thin fingers through his hair as he leaned his head on her chest, that dreamy smile back on his face as he breathed her in deeply. "Give him to me". She looked down at Kiyoshi then and leaned forward attempting to remove him from her person.

Kiyoshi held on tighter. "No!" Sakura's eyes were wide as she sighed in exasperation. "Kiyoshi" "No" She looked over to him then and he pulled her up, the child adjusting himself as he wrapped his legs around her stomach and leaned his head on her shoulder. "Kiyoshi-kun" "No Sakua-chama not leaving 'gain" She groaned.

It was better if she kept him like this, he just needed the boy to look at him. Moving around behind Sakura carefully as not to spook the child who was refusing to let go of Sakura. "Just let him stay like that". She tensed when she realized he was behind her, the woman so caught up with the child she didn't even realize he'd moved. Kiyoshi looked at him though, catching his eyes. His dreamy look resurfacing again and he nuzzled his nose back into Sakura's neck. His Sharingan moved then towards Sakuras neck and he caught the roots of thick pale, nearly there white hair once more and he blinked, moving back in front of Sakura.

"Did you do it?" He nodded his head as he bent down once more and unrolled a third scroll. Sakura attempted to remove the child, but even in his state he still continued to refuse to let her go. Reaching over Sakura's neck, the side of his hand smoothed against Sakura's cold skin at the back of her neck, she sucked in a breath and he pinched the nerve in the boys wrist, his chubby hands dropping instantly.

With his wrist still on the side of her neck he felt the goosebumps rise underneath, she took in a sharp breath as she looked up at him underneath her long lashes. The air around them seemed to still and he moved his hand to grab at her neck more and moved forward.

In response she clutched the child tighter to her and he remembered where he was. Letting go of her neck slowly he moved to take the boy from her, she turned her head away as she handed the boy to him.

Placing the child gently onto the scroll he saw that Sakura kneeled down next to him. "Uchiha-san". He didn't really want to discuss her rejection at that moment. "Why have you not had any children?"

Better yet, he didn't need to discuss that with her, he had discussed enough with his elders about that. He deflected as he sealed the child away. "Is that your way of offering me yours?"

Looking back at her he took in her wide eyes and scrunched nosed. "That's a disgusting thought" He smirked as he leaned towards her. "Sounds like a very pleasurable thought". She pushed him away from her then and he chuckled. "You're a pig".

Finishing with sealing the scroll inside with the others he placed the last scroll back in his pouch and followed after Sakura.

She moved about the dirty shack as she looked for something, she stopped next to him and picked up her cloak, he took the opportunity and grabbed her wrist pulling her into him.

He could see why the child was so taken with her now, the little bit of chakra that was flowing through her felt good as it pushed against his own, like a soft sweet caress it twirled about and he twirled her pushing her into the wall.

She placed a hand between them then. "I said no Uchiha" He leaned down, just wanting to see her reaction. She tensed when he ran his nose carefully against her shoulder. Grabbing her hand with his own and pushing himself against her frail frame. She took in a deep breath and looked up at him. "I said no". Not even a single amount of fear in her green eyes as she stared right into his Sharingan.

Was she brave? Was she Foolish? He wasn't sure, but one thing was for sure she used her green eyes as if they were her own Sharingan against him and he felt hypnotized. Wonderfully under her spell.

"Why though? I am the Chief of the Uchiha". Reaching up he caressed her cheek carefully. Sakura grabbed his hand then. "Because I'm not stupid".

He smirked reaching up to finger her bandana. "Izuna and I belong to you though, a life debt forevermore, others would take advantage of that" She grabbed his hand and removed his from her face again. "I don't want anything".

"Nothing?" He could feel it then, in her chakra, that purity that clung to it. "Perhaps you'd prefer my virginal brother, I would give him to you, a sip of what I can give" "That's a very tragic idea".

The words she chose to use, her body language told him that she truly did not want anything from him, still though she was handing them so much, she had to have a reason. He learned early in his youth that nothing was for free and he'd figure out what her endgame was. He looked down at her and continued to push her. "Not even that then ... Perhaps you'd want a Senju". Her nose scrunched. "I'm good with not catching any venereal diseases".

... What was a venereal disease? Mentally shaking his head at her odd words he laid it out for her in simple terms. Looking for her to respond in some way that would give her up.

"By giving the Senju and Uchiha the Kaguya children and the money to fund our village you understand that we belong to you don't you?" She looked up at him from beneath her feather like lashes then and leaned up on the tips of her toes her cheek caressing his as she whispered. "Then listen like a good boy and get away from me"

Those green eyes paralyzed him and he became victim to her as she moved quickly.

Her small hand ripped itself away from his hold then moving beneath his shirt and smoothed its way down his arm, the coldness of her touch leaving a white hot trail that had him shivering in both pleasure and uncomfortableness, her hand trailed down his neck, down his chest, he held himself together as he felt her fingers scrap against the hairs lay softly at the skin of his lower stomach, her fingers stopped then just lightly ghosting over the band of his pants. Her other hand moved to his neck then wrapping around him and she leaned back, continuing to look at him from beneath her lashes. "If you continue these unwanted advances I will cut you all the way from the scrotal raphe" at this her nail cut into his skin right there on his lower stomach at the line between skin and cloth and she ran her nail up, scratching deep as she did. "All the way up to the opening of your uretha" 'Gods that imagination', outwardly he groaned at the feeling and she leaned back further allowing him to see the dimpled smirk then and pushed her chakra into his skin as she dug her nail deeper into him.

Holding in the shock of pain that it caused she looked up at him fully with her large green eyes. "And I'll split you open and leave you like that". She pushed him away then with both hands and his eyes widened at how much strength she'd just shown him as she threw him to the floor and crouched down next to him.

"Can you do that Uchiha-san? Would you do that for me because it would mean so much to me". Taking in a deep breath he watched as she held out her hand for him and he glared. "Your chakra" She shouldn't have been able to have the strength for any of that.

"Don't confuse yourself Uchiha-san, the chakra that I was able to siphon from my fat is nearly gone, I'd have more but" At this she tilted her head and waved her hand over his body. "It was a necessary loss, I can't comprehend why nobody seems to believe what I say no matter how much I continue to say it. ... It's getting rather annoying actually".

Was it possible? Was he truly talking to someone that was truly selfless?

---

Going back through the Daimyo's lands was proving to be rather difficult for her, having to use the little bit of chakra against Madara was rather stupid, but considering that he wouldn't let up on her as if she was a bone and he was a needy dog. It was a necessary move, now though she'd end up passing out if she kept this up.

She just had to keep it up until she got out of the Daimyo's forest and then she'd let up on the chakra and walk the rest of the way. Her body was in too much pain, her bones feeling as if they were made of glass and her skin was overtly sensitized and she was beginning to feel so drained to the point of dizziness. The effects of the chakra-enhancing pills declining the more she used her chakra. If she tripped she was sure she'd brake a bone.

What surprised her the most was that Uchiha Madara wouldn't leave her be, instead of going ahead without her he kept a steady pace with her.

If he hadn't been such a pig she'd think it almost gentlemanly. ... This was Uchiha Madara though and he was anything but gentlemanly ... He was though everything but the Uchiha Madara that she'd met on the battlefield, it was almost surreal how different he really was.

With Izuna alive Uchiha Madara was kind in his own way, attempting to be at the very least reasonable and truly a considerate man and really with Hashirama and her he had to be. What was more interesting was that he was even more surprisingly tolerable to be around and just as surprising was that he was flirtatious.

That was more annoying than anything else especially when he continued to push her limit on that. She couldn't understand it though, she'd seen the women of the Uchiha clan now since she'd been close to their borders for some months and the women were exceptionally beautiful compared to her. Of course she understood that she was attractive, but she didn't believe she was as attractive as a woman that Uchiha Madara could get himself.

Which begged the question, Uchiha Madara for all intents and purposes wasn't just attractive he was a rather good catch when one really thought about it so why was he still unmarried and childless?

This Uchiha Madara had a good temperament that would allow him to be a good husband and father in these bloody times, he was healthy physically and even considering the era they were living in he was considered healthy mentally as well. The Uchiha Clan had money too, while they didn't flaunt their wealth like the Senju clan and Hyuga clan did it was rather obvious from the way that Madara and Izuna behaved themselves that the Uchiha Clan had paid for their heirs higher education and from the clothing, armor and weaponry she'd seen so far the Uchiha clan put the money where it mattered to a shinobi clan. Then to top it all off Uchiha Madara was good-looking, with strong genetics that women of the time would want their children to posses. He was an eligible bachelor so it didn't make any sense at all.

Hashirama she had found out had made an arrangement with the Uzumaki not too long ago, she assumed it was Senju Tobirama's doing as the vibe that she got from Hashirama wasn't of a man that wanted to marry anytime soon if at all. Even Tsunade-Shishou had stated that her grandparents had been an arrangement between the Senju's and the Uzumaki, something that was normal between clans. So she knew that Hashirama hadn't married out of love despite being from a clan that was claimed to be made of love.

Madara didn't give off that vibe at all. The two men had handled Kiyoshi very differently. Hashirama came off as a curious child himself, all too eager to get to know the new kid in class while Madara stood in the background like a father who was watching his child on his first hours at academy, even the way he physically handled the youngest Kaguya boy told her what she needed to know. Madara's paternal instincts were strong, he was a patriarch and heir but Hashirama and Tobirama didn't seem to have those qualities.

Senju Tobirama was a whole other ball-field she just wasn't ready to touch though, she didn't have the mental capabilities to even skim the surface of that subject just yet.

There was a hiss from beside her then and she looked over at the Uchiha whom was holding his neck just then and she stopped, Madara following her lead and she watched as he swayed on his feet.

What the fuck just happened? "Uchiha-san are you alright?" Madara pulled out a needle then with a small grimace on his face and he looked it over and she did too. 'The imperial guard and the Daimyo's guard didn't use poison'.

Looking back up at Madara she noted that his eyes were struggling and his Sharingan had deactivated. "Uchiha-san". He cleared his throat and she could tell that he'd never before had come into contact with poison. It was considered a woman's weapon and it hadn't come into play until the second Shinobi world war and it would be Tsunade-Shishou that would dominat the field for Konoha.

He slumped against the tree then and she moved forward. He had to get back to the Uchiha lands, she couldn't help him if she couldn't get him back, Hashirama wouldn't unseal her if she didn't get them both back in time.

But she couldn't do anything at this moment without her chakra as well, the chakra that she had been able to siphon of her body wasn't enough to break the seal on her chakra, it had been just enough to get her through the forest and since she'd used some of it to get Madara to back off of her she knew she would have barely enough to get him to the Uchiha lands and she'd have to pray that Hashirama would come through on his end because she would be incapable of demanding him to release the seal on her.

"Uchiha-san". He leaned his head against the tree then and looked down at her as he finally spoke. His voice heavy with tiredness. "Madara". Great now the poison was making him talk crazy. Going over to him she wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she attempted to help him. Without the muscle mass it felt as though she was carrying a house full of cement. "Gods Uchiha-san you're heavy".

He mumbled against her ear. "It' Madara" She rolled her eyes. "That's too personal". A small tired chuckle, he mumbled in her ear sleepily. "We'll be living together, I think it's rather fine". She grabbed his head and moved his neck to look it over. The needle had been small. "How are you feeling?"

"My chakra" He started then stopped as he tried to keep his eyes open, his words just a bit slurry. "My chakra's not right". A dozen different poisons came to her mind then, one thing in common. "You've been hit with a poison that attacks the chakra system, with your chakra I believe you'll survive I don't even believe it will last long".

"Poison?" She nodded her head. "The daimyo doesn't use poison". She already knew that. "I need you to use whatever chakra you can call up and get Hashirama back over here, if the poison is attacking your chakra then you will" She stopped as she realized that Madara had slumped against her and she grabbed his face in her hands and slapped him. "Uchiha-san stay awake". He mumbled quietly again as his glossy lashes fluttered as he tried to open his eyes. "Madara".

She groaned as she slapped him once more with no results this time. "Madara wake up!" She breathed through her teeth then. "Dammit!" Grabbing his hand she tried to connect her chakra to his. Her own though was wacky at best with it being drained quickly. Just a small connection and she'd be able to get Hashirama.

Madara's chakra was not cooperating at all with her own wacky chakra and having the Uchiha falling against her was not helping at all. 'He smells good' She groaned, she didn't need any of that right now.

When his chakra finally allowed her own to latch on she sucked in a deep breath, where Hashirama was a bottle of sunshine on a warm summer day, Madara was the exact opposite. His chakra raged inside him like an electrical storm, his chakra beat like a heart made of lightening and thunder on the cusp of a warm seashore.

Needing to ground herself she focused on attempting to manipulate it, ignoring the all consuming need to absorb his chakra completely. 'Take it, kill him'.

In a world plunged into bloodshed Uchiha Madara was innocent like the millions that shared his upbringing. She couldn't kill him, not without cause, she didn't kill the innocent.

Madara's chakra was not cooperative even after she attached her own to it, it took a bit before it finally allowed her to force it out, taking Madara's hands into hers and used the hitsuji hand seal when forcing out Madara's chakra as harshly as possible.

She heard it before she saw it though, a soft buzzing sound, almost just almost as if a bee was next to her and she was quick and she forced Madara's body in front of her own as her back hit the bark of the tree. The sound disappeared and she looked over Madara's shoulder, moving his hair to see beyond it.

'Amazing hair must be an Ōtsutsuki genetic trait'. She ignored her inner self and looked around the area, listening carefully.

A pop of chakra next to her. "Madara!" She actually felt relieved to see Hashirama. "What happened!"

Hashirama helped her by taking Madara and throwing him over the shoulder.

There was a sight she wasn't sure she'd ever see. "He's been poisoned, she looked over the Uchiha's body then and saw the needle on the upper back of his body, a small thin needle.

The first one had hit Madara directly in the neck hitting him squarely in the external jugular vein, this was wasn't near any veins so the poison wouldn't have worked as quickly.

That hit hadn't been meant for Madara like the first one had, considering the trajectory and the angle it had to have been aiming for her and it would have hit had she not put Madara's body in front of her own. "Poison!" She nodded her head.

"Yes, we need to get out of here, someone is targeting us". Hashirama regarded her for a moment and she didn't need to be a mind reader to know that he was trying to figure out if she had been the one to poison the Uchiha.

Hashirama's eyes widened then as he looked over at her and she stilled as she watched him reach over towards her, his fingers going directly to her neck then. She hissed as she felt him pull out the tiny needle in her neck.

She must have gotten hit at some point, unfortunatly this poison attacked the chakra circulatory system and she knew it was going to hit her hard eventually, but that would be much later on. "Madara will be alright, the poison attacks chakra, he's got enough to spare, we need to get him back to the Uchiha Lands quickly though".

Hashirama nodded his head in understanding as he bit his thumb, the signs he waved were very familiar to her and she took a step back as she watched a puff of smoke reveal a small white and blue slug appear and she couldn't help the small smile at seeing it. "Hashirama-sama, did you need us?"

She completely forgot that Tsunade had retrieved her summoning from her family, unlike Tsunade and herself Hashirama was the only person to have ever been taught Senjutsu by Katsuyu as he was the only summoner she'd ever trained that had the massive amounts of chakra necessary to reach and learn Senjutsu.

"We need to get to the Suijin river, go there and reverse summon us" "Hai Hashirama-sama". The little slug disappeared then and she settled her beating heart.

She wondered how things would have gone had she still had her connection to Katsuyu, maybe things would have been easier if she'd had something to go back to like Katsuyu and the Shikkotsurin.

Hashirama grabbed her by the arm roughly then. "This may feel uncomfortable".

It was too, not having used the reverse summoning in years the pull at her belly button made her nauseas and as they landed next to the Suijin river she dropped to the ground and breathed in hard. "Take it easy, it'll pass momentarily". She took deep breaths in as she tried to get over the nauseous feelings.

Hashirama flared his chakra then and she knew it would only be a few moments before the Senju got there and she was curious, never understanding how Hashirama had done it.

"Senju-san?" He smiled that bright smile of his as he dropped Madara onto the ground. 'That's gonna leave some nasty bruises'. Rubbing his neck nervously he looked over at her. "Sakura-san, please it's Hashirama".

She ignored that. "How did you go about choosing your animal summon?" His smile was bright. "Liked that did you Sakura-san? Eh well, I didn't choose Katsuyu, I had been working on my seals and then suddenly I was in a Katsuyu's home ... It turns out I had accidentally did the hand seals for a summoning but being as I wasn't contracted to anyone and Katsuyu being the wise and excepting one that she is she chose me to be her apprentice".

... 'Of course he'd done it on accident, apples really don't fall far'.

She rubbed her forehead, this man was just ridiculous. "Hashirama!" She turned quickly and watched as Tobirama appeared before them, immediately looking over his brother.

Tobirama then reached up behind Hashirama's neck moving his hair and plucked a needle from it. "That explains the state of your chakra". Her brows scrunched together.

Someone had deliberately tried to get all three of them, but they obviously didn't know that Hashirama's body was self-healing ... Unless his chakra was messed with in which case ...

"Unseal me now". The two Senju's looked over to her then and Tobirama sighed as he looked over at his brother. "It's your choice". Hashirama looked back over to her.

He smiled that bright smile again and she glared at him, she wasn't sure what the deal with his smile was but it worried her. "Okay Sakura-san just do me one more favor if you will?" She looked over to Tobirama whom looked interested just then, he didn't know either.

"No". Hashirama's face dropped then with sweat trickling down the side of his forehead. "Eh but I promise it's nothing horrible". For some odd reason she highly doubted that. "No".

He crossed his arms then and turned away from her, nose sticking high up in the air with his eyes closed, he looked so haughty then that it made her want to slap him. "Fine then, I'll unseal them once you get Madara back to the Uchiha lands"

That gall of this man and as she looked over at Tobirama she knew that he would back up Hashirama on this. "Fine" Hashirama turned back to her happily then, smile dripping with sunshine.

"My name is Hashirama". Great this one too, At the least it's not something perverse. "Fine Hashirama-san" "Sama" She looked over at Tobirama and wiggled her finger. "He's not my master". Hashirama only beamed. "It's fine, very fine! Really I just wanted to hear you say my name, Senju-san is so boring".

Maybe for him. "Yeah ... now unseal me". Hashirama seemed only too happy and considering she was sure he had believed she was the one who had poisoned Madara as well as she had tried to take his face off, his smile more than surprised her.

Thinking about his face, as he got closer to her she realized his scratches were completely gone. "Your scratches". She didn't need to be anymore specific he rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit that Naruto had as well.

"Well me and you are sort of the same, although I think your healing abilities are a lot more superior to mine, but superficial wounds only take an hour or two to heal so long as I get them cleaned up in time".

That was interesting to note.

Hashirama called up his chakra and she watched as it fizzled out, a sigh coming out as she watched Hashirama attempt it again, a frown forming on his face.

Tobirama actually sounded concerned for his older brother. "What's wrong Hashirama?" Hashirama looked down at her, his frown now reaching into his dark eyes.

'Almost an exact copy to Madara's ... apples, apples, apples'. ... Had Asura's chakra forced it's host to have a similarity to Indra's hosts? Was that even possible or was it just a coincidence?

"My chakra isn't working" Hashirama looked back over to Madara then as she explained her theory. "From what I can tell the poison attacks the chakra circulatory system, I had hoped your healing abilities would combat the affects, so it would seem your healing abilities are chakra based meaning that without your chakra your healing abilities are simply put nonexistent".

Tobirama was quick to take her from Hashirama's grasp then, his long paper white fingers turning red as he wrapped them tightly around her throat. "Tobi!" The white haired shinobi focused his sharp red eyes onto her then. "Poison! What have you done to him?"

She scratched at his forearms, he was going to snap her neck if he didn't let go of her. Thankfully Hashirama must have figured out that she wasn't behind it, he retched his brother off her and she dropped to the floor, her wrist snapping as she caught herself. "Stop it".

Taking in deep breaths she looked up at the white haired Senju. "You're an idiot! What logical reason would I have to stop his chakra from working! Are you dense! I need his chakra to unseal mine!"

Tobirama didn't look convinced with her truth though. "Without his chakra he can't heal as you've pointed out, you must have realized at some point and planned to murder him".

Gods these men were absolutely paranoid. "That's ridiculous, if I were to kill him while still being sealed myself then I lose all chances of the seal coming off, my chakra would be inaccessible to me forever!" Hashirama backed her up on this one. "She's got a point Tobi-chan, not to mention she's had ample opportunity to attack me and Madara". He stopped talking then and she watched as he swayed on his feet, Tobirama caught the action too. "So sorry Sakura-san I believe I'm coming down with something".

'Oh no'. She knew that the poison would begin to work on him, but she had figured that with his chakra attempting to heal the toxin effects that it would be a little bit. Now that she really watched her mind started reeling as it came to a startling realization. "Hashirama-san, how long exactly have you been able to heal the way you do?" His olive complexion was beginning to take on a pale sheen then as sweat started to break out on his face and neck.

Even Tobirama's harsh look turned worried as he walked over to his brother and felt his forehead. "You're burning up". Hashirama slapped his hand away with a snarl. "I'm fine, stop fussing".

'Fever, sweats, dizziness ...' "Hashirama-san". He looked as if he was ready to pass out, he shook his head before he looked back over at Madara's prone body before he wiped at his forehead. "Hashirama!"

He looked back over to her then as if coming to the same realization she had. "As long as I can remember". 'Fuck'. "What's wrong with him?" She looked over at Tobirama then. "Hashirama has never fallen ill before has he?"

Tobirama looked thoughtful then telling her all she needed to know. "You need to get him back home immediately and make sure the healers watch him at all times, without his chakra his healing abilities are gone which means that he's prone to diseases and illness and since his body hasn't ever built up the necessary resistance his immune system is getting hit right now and that's not good because without his chakra, without his healing abilities his immune system is weak, weaker than any normal persons ... He's going to get very sick until his chakra comes back".

"If the poison attacks the chakra though then his chakra won't come back". She nodded her head. "That is correct" Tobirama created a clone then, the real him going over to his brother to help him. "Will he die?" Hashirama's eyes went big then. "Will I die! Die! I'm sick for the first time in my life and immediatly the first thing you can ask is how long I have to live! What sort of person thinks that way!"

"Actually" Both the Senju brothers then looked over at her. "You will die, as I stated earlier you body has never had the chance to build up a natural resistance like normal humans have due to your chakra healing abilities ... What that translates to is that you're immune system, the thing that helps humans get over illnesses like colds and flu's for example is weak, very weak basically it doesn't exist because of the fact that you've had your healing abilities to combat everything for you and now you don't".

Hashirama's face seemed to lose all the blood completely and he looked nearly as white as Tobirama just then and he gulped. "I'm going to die?" She sighed. "Have your healers feed you their chakra, having their chakra in your system may confuse the poison and give you a chance to build your own chakra back up enough to start-up your healing abilties long enough to combat the poison".

'Hopefully' ... The Imperial Guard didn't use poisons, and were under orders to only step in if the Daimyo's life was in serious danger ... And the Daimyo's guard weren't trained yet in chakra and poisons in this era was considered a woman's weapon ... It didn't make any sense.

"Nee-san, let's get you back home, you look tired". Sure enough dark circles were already beginning to appear under the Senju Chief's eyes. "But Sakura-san".

Ah yes, her body was beat up from the sealing and from the effects of the chakra pills. "Don't worry about me Hashirama-san just take care of yourself, I'll be okay and so will you". Hashirama didn't look convinced, but still he nodded his head. "Very well then, Tobi-chan will you help me get back, I'm feeling rather tired". Tobirama nodded his head then and grabbed his brother by the collar before disappearing.

The Senju Tobirama clone walked over towards Madara's body then and picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. "Will he be okay?" She took in a deep breath, he really was concerned for his brother. "He will be, I'm not sure how long it will take, but the best I can suggest is to have your kinsmen with the strongest of chakra help out the healers with feeding chakra to Hashirama's body if you want him to recover quicker".

Tobirama nodded his head as he started walking in the direction of the Uchiha Lands. The walk was a comfortable quiet, something she was sure that the Senju appreciated, Tsunade-Shishou had always said that her uncle had always been a man of few words and more action.

She never though she'd be thankfully for her Shishou's drunken reminiscing as it had finally come in handy.

With the quiet though came the realization that she had no idea what she was going to do. The Kaguya children were infected by an age old virus that she had been protected from in her time, although she was unsure if her blood would help her considering the changes it had taken on in the recent years.

Then there was the fact that Hashirama and Madara were now sick as well with an unidentified poison that she couldn't help with because of her seal.

On top of it all she was still sealed and her body could at any moment give way to the effects of the pills and that would not be good because she couldn't heal herself from the pills with her chakra sealed.

"What happened?" She shrugged her shoulders as she turned to the tall man. "I'm unsure, we were passing through the Daimyo's lands when Uchiha-san was shot with a needle to his neck, the poison hit the bloodstream and chakra system instantly, Hashirama and myself must have gotten hit sometime afterwords".

Tobirama looked down at her then his red eyes calculating. "You show no symptoms". Of course she didn't Tsunade had drowned her body in poisons during her training, she was immune to nearly all poisons by now because of the mad woman.

"I have limited chakra access to myself at the moment, I'm sure if my chakra wasn't sealed it would have eaten away at my own as well".

Tobirama might have believed that but she would doubt, this man had created so many things in his short life, so many ingenious institutions, laws, regulations and even jutsu's and counter measures that she had to step carefully around him lest he figure out that she wasn't from this time and place.

"The Uchiha will think their Chief was purposely attacked by you and the Senju clan you understand". Fortunately she had already weeded out the person that could hurt her from the Uchiha Clan.

"Uchiha Izuna knows I wouldn't hurt any of his kinsmen nor yours and he's smart enough to understand that the Senju clan wouldn't chance an attack this close to a peace-treaty, I'll explain the situation to him, but it would be best if you were not in the area when the perimeter guards see Uchiha Madara and I at the boarder".

Tobirama nodded his head then as he stopped and dropped Madara onto the forest ground pretty unkindly at that 'More damage I'll have to heal once my chakra is back'. His red eyes looked down at her then as he looked her up and down before looking back at the forest that hid the Uchiha compound.

"I'm rather fascinated by the severe shift in psyche that's come over Uchiha Izuna, I have a feeling that you had something to do with that".

She wasn't sure if he was praising her work or if he was trying to get her to tell him what she'd done to cause Izuna's darkness to dissipate. "I'm sure the near death experience has forced him to open his eyes and see the crucial need to align the Uchiha with the Senju if not the advantageous opportunities that will come of it".

If anyone would know what it would feel like to nearly die it would be him, Tobirama hadn't become the man standing in front of her had it not been for a few near-death incidents upon himself and to include the death of his own loved ones as well, he would know all to well how that could seriously change one's outlook on life.

"It is a great opportunity for the Uchiha to align with us". She sighed, of course he wouldn't think of aligning himself with the Uchiha as an advantage. She looked down at the Chief of the Uchiha then.

That poison had hit hard, unlike Hashirama and herself Uchiha Madara did not have any healing abilities nor had he built up a tolerance for poisons. She was sure that no one would have been able to catch him so unguarded like this otherwise.

Whomever had created that poison had made sure that it was strong enough to get two powerhouses like Hashirama and Madara out of the way. That worried her, she knew her history on poisons and there were no records or tales of anyone creating such a strong poison, such an advance poison at that in this intricate time.

"Senju-san understand that the Uchiha have lost kinsmen, brothers at that to you and your kinsmen as well, this back and forth is unwarranted at this point and if everyone is just expecting the results to change without stopping the cycle ... From a medical viewpoint I would state that you're all insane by definition, if not extremely delusional and quite frankly a jaded perspective by this point.".

Those small red eyes seemed to get smaller as he glared down at her, she shrugged her shoulders and he changed the subject. "You stated that you were in the Daimyo's lands when you were all hit with the poison.

"Yes". That glare was gone and he looked thoughtful. "Ignoring the laws of the Imperial Guard, the Daimyo's Guard though, I've never heard of them using poison ... it's a woman's move".

'No shit'. "Yes I figured that as well, never the less I won't be able to help until I can get these seals off of me, but your brother should be fine for the most part, I'm sure that as long as you feed his body chakra that eventually his chakra will get a chance to build back up and allow him to heal from the poison".

Tobirama nodded then. "Will you be staying with the Uchiha until you're unsealed?" "Is that in invitation to stay with the illustrious Senju Clan?"

A snort from the white-haired shinobi then. "My brother may be charmed by you but I believe the Uchiha can have you for as long as they want, I already have to deal with Hashirama, I don't need an extra problem-child running around the compound".

He looked back towards the forest then and turned around the opposite way. "Uchiha Izuna is on his way, I'll be off, make sure that the Uchiha know to alert us when Madara is awake we still have much to go over".

With that he disappeared and she blinked. 'What just happened'. "Sakura-san!" She didn't have any time to ponder on that.

Izuna dropped down in front of her then and before she could say anything he caught sight of Madara's body. "Nee-san! What happened!" Izuna's Sharingan locked onto her then and she sighed.

"So you know I worked really hard on your eyes for you ... Madara was hit with a poison that attacks the chakra system, Senju Hashirama was hit with the same poison as well, unfortunately the poison is fast acting, fortunately though for your brother with his extreme amounts of chakra I can guarantee a full recovery so long as your healers do exactly as I say".

On the flip side of the coin though the unfortunate part of to the Uchiha problem was that for Hashirama the same couldn't be said even with his immense chakra, his body was now having to battle to stay alive, the only other option would be to hope that the healers and other Senju kinsmen feeding chakra to him would confuse and distract the poison long enough to get Hashirama's chakra to build up in order to kickstart his healing abilities.

"We need him to be healed quickly, the Hyuga will be back soon enough when they learn that Madara has returned". She shook her head. "Don't worry about them, the Hyuga clan won't make any moves against the Senju or Uchiha, they consider themselves the balance of powers, they won't step in unless the balance in the war shifts to one side, to them it must stay equal for all, in all honest opinion they're most likely afraid about the joining of the two most powerful clans coming together as allies instead of foes".

"You know a lot about other's clans". She shrugged her shoulders as she watched Izuna pick up his brother and begin walking towards the Uchiha compound.

"I've traveled a lot", "The Hyuga are a secretive bunch" She smiled softly at him then. "But haven't you noticed no one can resist my charms". He chuckled at that and it had her heart skip a beat. She hadn't heard that laugh in decades, not since before the Uchiha Massacre.

"Oh don't worry I've noticed". He looked and sounded so much like Sasuke that it was uncanny.

Yet Madara had died without heirs and supposedly so had Izuna so how was it possible that Sasuke had any sort of connection to this man if the bloodline had been lost? It didn't make any sense, genetically speaking Uchiha Madara from the war had even alluded to a possible connection due to their Sharingan similarities and at that mention Sasuke and Madara were direct descendants of Indra as well as his reincarnation, vessels for his chakra. They had to have been compatible because of their bloodline. Of course all Uchiha were technically compatible but Uchiha Madara from her reality had threatened to take Sasuke's eyes and that wouldn't be possible unless there was a direct blood connection between the two. So there had to be a blood connection somehow ...

"Izuna-san?" He looked over to her for a minute then, that indifferent look in his dark eyes that was so very Sasuke. "Yes Sakura-san". Might as well pretend it was a bandaid.

"Do you or Madara have children". It was subtle the way his body reacted to the question, but she knew that it must have been a serious subject to them. "I was curious, you and your brother are nearly thirty, well at least Madara is and to not be married and without true-born heirs by now is rather hard to believe and the same would apply to you as well as your are Madara's heir".

"As far as I'm aware Madara has no children, the elders wouldn't be on him so much if that were the case". He didn't include himself though. "What about you though Izuna-san?" He looked away from her then. "I told you this already Sakura-san".

That was right, Izuna was innocent sexually, he had told her that. "So what would happen if you and Madara died before continuing you're bloodline?" Izuna shrugged then not seeming to be too concerned about the question.

"The elders would be forced to chose our fathers last living bastard son as the Chief and marry him to an elders daughter or granddaughter in order to make sure the main clan's blood remained as pure as possible, it's happened before with our own grandfather, all his heirs died in battle and they died without having children".

Wait ... "You have a bastard brother?" She hadn't known that there was more to this bloodline. ... That was interesting. Something about mentioning the bastard brother displeased Izuna, she could see it in the tautness of his shoulders and lower back. He nodded his head. "There were three at one point, the other two are gone though".

The way he said that made her feel way to interested in knowing what had happened, taking in his position though she decided to not push the conversation any further. "I need a safe environment Izuna-san". He looked down at her again, she could see it in his eyes, the relief, he was glad she changed the subject.

"For what?" "I have three Kaguya children and one of them has caught Ricia, the others are most likely carriers as well as infected, if I teach your healers how to cure this and how to create a vaccine I will need to do it in a clean room".

"Kaguya children". She nodded her head. "No wonder you were so confident, beauty and brains". She rolled her eyes. "You're forgetting braun as well".

He smirked, that Sasuke smirk that looked so so tempting to get lost in. "You're right Sakura-san you're a triple threat". She smirked. "Don't I know it".

He looked around as he stopped at the large gates to the Uchiha compound. "After we get Madara to his room I'll have one of the guards escort you to the tomb, it's should be large enough for you to work in". She nodded her head. "I'll also need certain herbs and such". "Make a list of everything you need, I'll make sure you get everything you need ... What of my brother?"

She looked over at the unconscious Uchiha Madara as he dangled from his brother's shoulder. "Can't we leave him like this?" He wasn't being so un-Madara like in this state, though this state would be considered un-Madara like as well, but he was much more charming like this.

"Sakura-san". She looked away as they were permitted entrance, Izuna's reprimand hanging in the air she decided to give him what he wanted. "Have your strongest kinsmen begin feeding him small amounts of chakra if you want to accelerate his healing process, but I stand by my belief that he'll recover just as well on his own".

"I trust your judgement, but I'd rather have him up sooner rather than later". She nodded her head in understanding. "Very well then, you are his next of kin so we'll go by your word".

Following Izuna she noted how many of the Uchiha's were directed by the guards into their homes, many stopping to look and whisper, some looking out of their windows and pointing at her. She remembered then that her hood was still down.

Lifting it up she tightened it around herself, hoping to disappear, she always hated attention towards herself like this, thank goodness they hadn't seen her hair.

"You're hair is no longer green I see ... and it's shorter". Of course he would notice. "Unfortunately we came across a couple of miscreants, in order to protect the identity of your brother and the Senju I made a decision that required my hair".

"I think your natural color is better on you, the green just didn't sit right". What was wrong with the green dye? She thought she looked rather good with green hair.

"That's the second time someone has mentioned that". Izuna smirked back at her then. "Well maybe you shouldn't mess with what the gods have blessed you with". "Ridicule and torture? Yeah I'm pretty sure that the gods had decided to play a prank when I was born".

"Don't be so cruel to yourself, at least your unique, imagine being just another face". 'But you aren't just another face Izuna' ... "Sometimes I worry that people can't tell the Uchiha clan apart from one another, and in those times I thank the gods for Madara's in ability to cut hair properly, imagine if he had shorter hair or worse yet maintained hair!".

... Wait ... No ... Yes he did, Madara cut's his own hair! "Considering how much hair that man seems to have, I understand his dilemma, hair is so hard to care for or about once it makes it past a certain point".

Izuna shook his head. "I can handle my hair with no problem". She looked back at his hair and noticed then just how long and shiny his hair was. It must have been an Ōtsutsuki trait".

... I wonder what Indra and Asura's hair looked like ...

"Here we are!" Izuna slid open the shoji screen then and walked through the room that she now knew belonged to Madara, the younger sibling dropping his brother onto the bed as ungracefully as Hashirama and Tobirama had dropped him.

'Yeah there's gonna be some serious damage on him after this'. It was when Izuna began to undress the older Uchiha that she turned away from the sight, she did not want to see Uchiha Madara nude, not one bit.

"Ne Sakura-san, in that chest over there can you grab me a change of clothes?" While she had seen plenty of male bodies nude she had not wanted to see them and had tried everything in her power back then not to have to deal with those appointments at the hospital, now she was more so not wanting to see anybody undressed, it just felt so wrong for some reason.

Opening the chest she saw how neat the clothing was and couldn't help but wonder if it was the servants of the household or Madara that cared for how immaculate everything looked.

"Here". She could almost feel Izuna's smirk on his face as he undressed Madara's clothes. "Ne Sakura-san?" "Yes Izuna", "Could you help me out here?" She sighed. "I'd rather not". "Please Sakura-san I'm rather tired, I've been up all day having to deal with clan issues".

"I've been up for hours having to deal with the Senju Chief and the Uchiha Chief care to measure who's more tired between the two of us?" "Please Sakura-san".

Now that's just not right. "Fine!" Spinning around she stopped at the sight of Uchiha Madara's chest, it was littered with scars. "Woah". Old and new, small and large this was the the reality of the world she lived in now. Being a healer from the future she had been trained to be able to tell how old scars were and many of the scars that littered the older Uchiha's body were decades old.

She'd been living outside the reality for two years now, only seeing and never interrupting until now. Looking at Madara's battle wounds though made her sick to her stomach. Beyond the firm muscles and lightly tanned skin all that was left was a survivor, a human man.

Like those Uchiha children she had saved before, Madara had survived the same tragic body engulfing wounds from adults that had no rights to attack children that were barely a quarter of their size. What these men had endured their entire lives. What they were surviving through. That's what she needed to keep from happening, that was the cycle that needed to be stopped so badly.

"Not the reaction I was hoping for, what a pity". She looked over at Izuna then. "What do you mean?" He looked away from her. "Have you decided whether you wanted to stay with us or not Sakura-san?" She breathed out carefully as she helped Izuna put the long sleeved tunic on. "Right now my main priorities are making sure the Kaguya children survive and inoculating all of the Senju and Uchiha, hopefully soon Senju Hashirama will wakeup and be able to unseal me, when I'm done with all that I'll inform you of what I decide".

"Why not just ask the Uzumaki to help you? Ashina-sama was here not to long ago with the Senju's overseeing the development of the peace treaty, I'm sure breaking the seal that Senju Hashirama did won't be hard for him, he is after all a master at fūinjutsu".

Her neck popped as she turned quickly to look up at Izuna. "The Uzumaki clan are here? What are they doing here?" Tsunade had stated that the Uzumaki hadn't arrived until after the village had been built.

"The Senju had called them in, I'm sure they were worried about what Madara-neesan would have done had I died, my best guess the Senju decided to bring backup just in case".

That was never told in school or by Tsunade, had the Senju decided not to let people know that the last battle between the Uchiha and Senju had not been a fair fight. To bring in the Uzumaki clan would have definitely allowed the Senju to be able to outnumber and defeat the Uchiha, it would have been the defining reason why Madara wouldn't have been able to go head to head with Hashirama at that fateful battle that concluded the war between Senju and Uchiha, Madara would have had to gone through more than enough Senju and Uzumaki before he could get close to Hashirama to fight him whereas Hashirama and the rest of the Senju and Uzumaki only had the single clan to fight against.

Of course Tobirama was in charge of the academy and all that was allowed to be known, of course he wouldn't mention that the Senju had called in reinforcements from the infamous Uzumaki clan. He also knew what people would think if they had known that the Uchiha had went into battle not knowing that the Senju had teamed up with the Uzumaki and favor for the Uchiha would have risen if people found out about the unbalanced power the Senju had thrown at the Uchiha.

Not to mention that damned man hadn't even mentioned anything about the Uzumaki being there when he saw that Hashirama couldn't unseal her like they had promised.

That sneaky bastard. "I'm going to kill him". Izuna stopped then and looked over at her. "Who?" "Tobirama that rat bastard". A relived sight from the Uchiha. "Oh thank goodness, I had thought you were talking about Madara-neesan".

"Izuna-donno". She looked over at the shoji screen and saw a guard sitting beyond the closed screen waiting to be allowed to continue further. "What is it?"

"The elders wish to speak with you". A groan "Who is it?" "All of them Izuna-donno". a sigh, "Very well, I'll be there in a second". He turned to her then. "Sakura-san stay here and keep watch over my brother, I'll have the best healer report to you as soon as possible okay, just please watch over Madara".

She really didn't want to. "Fine okay".

Izuna turned his back to her then and it was oddly reminiscent what with the dark blue kimono he was wearing with the Uchiha crest emblazoned on it. So very reminiscent of times with Sasuke.

She could barely remember a time when he hadn't ever turned her back to her, his dead families insignia proudly displayed, she knew now that he had used that crest like a shield. Always keeping himself distant from all those who had wanted to help him. Always keeping her away.

The Shoji screen slid closed then and she was alone with the unconscious Uchiha Madara.

The very same man that had become the catalyst to the downfall of her world, the man that had stolen everything from her, everyone she ever knew, everything she had ever dreamed of, everything was gone all because of him and his grief driven mind.

Dropping her hood she released her hair from the bandana, the short curls now falling to just below her shoulders. With a sigh she laid back on the bed opposite of the sleeping Uchiha and turned to look him over.

A thick inky black lock fell in front of his face then and she moved it out of the way carefully with a quiet whisper, knowing he couldn't hear her. "You're lucky, had I gotten you in this position when I first came to this cursed place you would have not survived to see tomorrow, interesting what time can do to the mind don't you think?"

Of course he wouldn't answer her, but she didn't want him to answer her, she understood better than anybody that this man was not the same man that she had met on the battlefield, that had destroyed the world out of insanity. This was now only a man with battle-scars littering his body proving to her that he could be harmed, telling her that the demon she'd met on the battlefield had been created from the circumstances that life had handed out to him.

That same hair moved into his face again and she huffed, damned hair.

This man here had been given two lives before in her reality and now with this they'd given him a third, this third life nothing short of a miracle really, someone really had tried for this man and he didn't even realize it. "Be grateful Madara, the gods seem to shine on you more than anyone else out there, this time though there won't be a fourth chance and I will not allow you to squander this life like you did your others".

Everyone's death would not be in vain.