Their first order of business was to get Sasuke to explain just what he had meant when he had said that Kiba's soulmate was supposed to be dead. And, when the Uchiha explained the story of how Madara had laid his life down so his younger brother would not be cut down by Tobirama Senju, Kiba felt a sudden need to rip out someone's throat.

(Had someone actually dared to hurt his soulmate? The nerve! He would make the dead bastard pay! He just needed to figure out how to bring back the dead from the grave. Seemed simple enough.)

"Well, I am not dead. Tobirama Senju was a fool that played around with time and space ninjutsu he did not understand. Maybe this is the result of one of his many failed attempts." Madara theorized as Akamaru slept on his shoulder, all the while Kiba rubbed his cheek into his other shoulder. They hadn't stopped cuddling even with Sasuke's appearance. Kiba refused to leave. Madara didn't protest. It was perfect, really. "I did not die. I was merely sent into the future, I am assuming."

Sasuke nodded dumbly, for once actually at a loss for words. Maybe meeting your supposedly dead ancestor was something that actually happened to be very surprising. Kiba wouldn't know- he was too busy rejoicing his soulmate's embrace and he'd never had an ancestor that was supposed to be dead appear out of nowhere. He would allow Sasuke this moment of looking like an idiot without commenting on it.

"How... How can I be sure that you really are Madara Uchiha?" The Uchiha bit with a slightly accusing bite to his words.

Kiba growled menacingly yet again, feeling himself puff up just a bit at his soulmate being challenged before his eyes. Madara lifted his hand up to the Inuzuka's head, began to pass his fingers through his hair calmly, and effectively shut down an Inuzuka rage before it had even commenced.

"Ask me any question you would think only Madara would know. I know that I won't disappoint- unless I have been bastardized and demonized in this place. That might prove to be a damper on this endeavor."

Smart words from a smart guy. Kiba liked him.

There was a beat of silence, then Sasuke grunted, "Alright. We'll head back to the Uchiha Compound and there I can find something that supposedly belonged to you. You should know whatever information was kept on you."

The body beside him stiffened for a moment, but soon relaxed. "Alright. But, pray tell, do you think it's a good idea for the rest of the Clan to see me just yet? You still have reason to doubt."

Ooh, he was caring too!

Did he dare think he was already falling in love?

(Of course he dared! He was an Inuzuka!)

Sasuke frowned at the mention of his clan and Kiba felt his heart tug slightly. He didn't like Duck-Butt, but that didn't mean he would ever consider a whole clan's massacre a subject ripe for comedy. The Inuzuka decided to step in right then and break the harsh news to his soulmate.

"There's only Sasuke, Madara. He's the last of the Uchiha Clan."

His soulmate's whole essence started to irradiate pain and anger.

Akamaru and he weren't able to stop the twin howls of agony that escaped them as the Uchiha around them stewed in their own pain.

His whole clan... Decimated.

He had always known this would have happened. He knew that the Senju would eventually destroy them if they didn't destroy those bastards. He had always known the Senju should never have been trusted... But he had been a fool and had allowed that damn fool, Hashirama, to befriend him.

The pain that struck him was expected; but that did nothing to soften the blow. Knowing that something would happen and then hearing about it were two very different things.

His soulmate and his partner howled in despair, sorrowful sounds that echoed the anguish that filled his whole being.

After a few minutes of silence and Madara forced himself to make some kind of peace with reality, the man lifted his head with determination.

"Then we shall bring my clan back."

Kiba vowed that he would do everything in his power to ensure he never had to feel his soulmate in so much pain ever again. Even if that meant working with Sasuke-Jerk, he would make damn sure Madara was only capable of happiness from now on.

"Kiba, we should finish the scavenger hunt." Sasuke bit out, clearly struggling to keep his emotions in control. "Madara, go ahead and return to the Compound... I... I believe you. There's no need to prove anything."

(Damn straight. Stupid jerk actually thought about questioning his soulmate?)

(No wonder Inuzuka were forbidden from working with their soulmates in the field. They would be liabilities!)

The boy nodded stiffly, then turned to look Kiba directly in the eyes. Onyxes met fangs and the world fell away from underneath him yet again. There was no one around them, no distractions, no nothing.

"Come to me once you are finished with your tasked."

Kiba nodded dumbly, smiled softly, and left a quick peck of a kiss on the other boy's cheek. Then he extracted himself from his embrace, picked Akamaru back up, and looked over at Sasuke.

"Let's get going."

The Uchiha nodded with discomfort clear in his features and soon took off so they could find the final item on the list they had been given to complete the scavenger hunt.

They beat Naruto and Shino to the last item by a hair's breadth. And if it hadn't been for Sasuke using a small fireball to trip Naruto up, they may have probably lost. But they reached the sensei before any other team with the correct items- which was a miracle in and of itself because Kiba honestly had no idea how much time he had wasted rejoicing in his soulmate's presence.

Naruto was pissed. Shino was annoyed. Sakura was livid that she had lost to Naruto. And poor little Hinata was just grateful that they had all survived the day without anyone killing their teammate.

"Alright, Kiba, Sasuke, you two will be free next week while these four complete some missions. And we'll try to do joint training exercises every month- just to build relations." Kurenai-sensei explained as Kakashi kept his nose buried in one of those dirty books his sister had forbidden him from reading.

"We'll win next time, Shino!" Naruto proclaimed, sneering at his teammate.

Kiba rolled his eyes and waved him off, "Maybe you'll stand a chance if you don't drag Shino down."

Shino grunted noncommittally and they were all allowed to leave and do whatever they wished with the rest of their day.

Kurenai-sensei hadn't finished offering her goodbyes before Kiba had booked it to the Uchiha Compound.

Abandoned ruins.

He had never seen the Uchiha Compound. Nor had he ever seen a Village of ninja. But it was not difficult to find the largest sector of said Village that seemed to have been forgotten in time.

(First order of business would have to be to create a plan with Sasuke to ensure the Uchiha Clan's revival. For this they would have to contemplate what to do with the whole of the Compound, for it was much too big for a small family. A smart move would be to sell or rent the lands until there were more Uchiha to take care of what needed to be done.)

(Second order of business would have to be to read up on Tobirama's notes and the history of this world to understand what had happened to him and his Clan.)

(But, before all of that, he would ask both of his contacts as much as he could to find out what they knew. First hand information was usually much more valuable than edited and censored history books.)

As he waited for Sasuke and his soulmate, Madara busied himself by traveling through every single home that had once belonged to one of his clansmen. He doubted he had known any of them, but that did not stop him from enduring immense pain. This was his family- known or not. Their deaths were not to be taken lightly.

He would make sure they were never forgotten.

By the time both boys arrived, they found him in the main house's (he assumed it was the main house seeing how it was much bigger and housed pictures of the Clan Leaders he could remember that had come before him). He was preparing some tea as he forced himself to breathe and relax. He was in a time other than his own that did not know who he was (at least, that's what he hoped).

He would ensure the Uchiha's return to power.

The rest of the night was spent explaining everything about Konoha and its inner workings to Madara. Kiba did what he could to fill the man in on history, but there was a lot about Uchiha past he just could not answer. Sasuke took over for the most part, but there were some things that he just could not answer himself.

Madara proclaimed that he would spend the next day inside of the Uchiha library, scouring through the texts to see if anything there was worth remembering.

"So, the leader of this Village set up by Hashirama Senju is called Hokage? And he is the undisputed leader?"

Kiba nodded as his whole body itched to plaster itself against Madara's side yet again. But he restrained himself, more than aware of how serious the whole situation around him was.

Madara wanted the Uchiha Clan to start up again.

That may be a problem considering they were both males.

"Do any of you have aspirations for the title?" He asked curiously and took a sip of his tea.

Kiba nodded yet again.

His heart fluttered when Madara smiled directly at him. It may have stopped for a second, actually, now that he thought about it...

"Then I shall aid you in your quest for the mantle of Hokage, soulmate. You are to come here every day from now on to learn battle strategy and how to be a proper leader. Those are both qualities I am assuming that are requirements for such a post."

In one ear and out the other- that's what happened to most of Madara's words. Kiba merely heard that his soulmate wanted to see him every single day and he stopped listening because he was just so happy that his soulmate wanted to be with him to actually pay much attention!

Sasuke ruined his happiness.

"I don't think Dog Breath would be good for that. Just... Well, just look at him."

Kiba frowned at the insult, but Madara merely took a calm sip of his tea.

"My soulmate will be nothing short of great, Sasuke. But, that is enough on an issue that has no space for argument. Tell me, where is your soulmate and why have you not married yet?"

Both genin were surprised to hear such a statement being said with little care.

"Married? Dude, we're twelve!"

Madara smiled softly, making Kiba's heart melt as he forgot just why it was that he had shouted out in surprise.

"We are ninja, Kiba. We live fast and die young. Finding your soulmate is a blessing and marriage should be consolidated as soon as possible to ensure at least a small amount of time in which you are together. It does not matter if it is days or years- marrying at such an age ensures at least a bit of solace in an otherwise arduous life."

"Kids haven't gotten married in years..." Kiba faintly heard Sasuke mumble something that might have been a good point against young marriage, but Madara made a whole lot of sense.

"Actually, now that I mention it, Kiba, how do you feel about being married?"

Yes!

Hell yes!

Marry me now!

The Inuzuka shook his head just slightly to clear it of such impulsive thoughts, cleared his throat, and diplomatically answered, "Give me another day to make sure you're as perfect as I think you are."

He didn't even bother to roll his eyes at the disbelieving scoff that came from Sasuke.

Madara chuckled lightly, nodded, and then turned to Sasuke once again. "Now, about your own endeavors to revive our clan-"

Kiba's fellow genin frowned and glared at Madara, "That is none of your business. Now ask something else or I'm kicking you out."

Ha! As if Sasuke could ever beat his soulmate! The guy had grown up during the Warring Clans Era! Sasuke had nothing on him.

"Yes, I do wonder, will you be informing your present Hokage about my presence?" Madara changed the subject with a final sip of his tea, leaving his cup on the small table in Sasuke's living room.

The whole Uchiha Compound was creepy, but Kiba did his best to ignore the feeling of wrong that crawled around. Instead he did his best to focus on how physically perfect his soulmate was. And his mind mostly wandered to that space in which they were cuddling yet again...

Sasuke hummed in disdain for a second, all the while Kiba unconsciously inched his way towards Madara's side of the table.

"I think we should tell him about this. If not just because there's jutsu at work that we don't understand, then also because we have no idea if it would be right to have you stay here."

By the time Sasuke had finished speaking, Kiba had somehow wound up with his arms around Madara's waist yet again and his face pressed into his stomach. Madara, in turn, dug his hand into the Inuzuka's hair and Kiba had never felt more at peace talking about serious things he didn't really want to care about.

"Tomorrow, then. I believe it is late enough, Kiba, shall you be returning-"

"No."

Sasuke growled but Kiba didn't care.

He had his soulmate. And he'd be damned if he was separated from Madara jut because night was supposed to be for sleeping and returning to your stupid house.

This was a world without the Senju Clan.

What a wonderful world.

This was a world where ninja had come together to serve under a singular power- the Kage- throughout the world.

What a wonderful world.

This was a world that was young enough for him to take control and manipulate one of the ninja villages so he could finally complete that which he had wished to do for most of his life: eradicate senseless suffering.

It wouldn't be easy, he knew. But he merely had to play his cards right when he came across those that may pose a threat to him.

(He would need to take some more time to himself to see just where his chakra reserves were and how far he could push himself. He doubted he could fight anyone on Hashirama's level at the moment. But he doubted he was completely vulnerable.)

Garnering support wouldn't be hard at all either- not if the Inuzuka Clan was still one of the bigger warriors around. And if he molded Kiba into his own image, there was no doubt in his mind that they would be able to take over this first Village. If they had allowed that idiot Hashirama as their first Hokage and allowed a strong of unimpressive names (that monster Tobirama, seriously?), then he was sure that this would not be a difficult endeavor to fulfill.

After that, the rest of this wonderful new world without a Senju Clan would be his.

~..~..~

I'm not gonna lie, folks, I'm seriously in love with this story. I hope you are too! Please review and tell me what you thought!