For anyone who's still confused with the timeline:

Ken is currently 2 years old, and he is younger than Kakashi (obviously) by 5 years. Obito is currently 10.

Ken's estimation of where he is in the timeline is soooo off because one) at the time he can't see the Hokage Mountain and two) he's a baby, babies can't stay awake for long, he couldn't process it fast enough.

If you have any questions or if you just want to clarify something, just send me a pm and I'll do my best to answer them. Anyways, on with the story~

O The Genius and the Kind O

part three : end

Kaya Ushijima's POV

A messenger pigeon landed right in front of the open room I chose, the one in front of the garden and hopped onto the open window, black paper rolled and haphazardly tied to it's limb. It had a large wound (a dead giveaway that someone tried to kill it on it's way here) on it's back, and I figured it will not live for anymore than three minutes. I cradle it to my chest and push a little bit of chakra into my fingers, going over the poor bird's back in an attempt to numb the pain so he could die peacefully. It relaxed in my hands, snuggling closer as if asking for warmth. I know the feeling, the overwhelming coldness when your death is near. The sudden numbness of your mind and it forces you into a state of pseudo-calmness, as if telling you to be quiet. It finally fell asleep, and I keep it close as I open the rolled message.

Middle of crossfire. Don't worry. Be back by dinner. Damage might be higher than 10 mil. Sorry ma.

I sigh and put the letter down, smiling in front of death is my son, acting like they are best friends. Such confidence. I snicker. So they finally made a move, huh? I thought they'd be much more subtle. Inside the Ushijima Compound is where the weakest Ushijima becomes jōnin-level and outside the Ushijima compound is where the strong becomes even more stronger. We might be known for being a close associate of the Daimyō, but our prowess in battle is comparable to any ninja clan in Konoha. I stand up, grab a stone shaped into a bird and head to the garden, where I shall bury the sweet little bird. It's heartbeat long since stopped, breathing in a standstill. There was no reviving him now.

A figure was sitting on the bench in the safe side of my garden, a familiar quiet but dangerous aura surrounding them. What a surprise! Not. Even I have the confidence to fight, because inside these clan walls, we are strong. Carefully, I move the earth off the side where all my poisonous plants grow. Gently, I lower the bird down, the earth closing slowly as if it was mourning. Maybe he is, maybe I am. The bird marker fit perfectly ontop of the makeshift grave, and I turn back around to face the person still sitting on my garden bench. If he were any other person, I would have thrown him off of my land and banned him from ever coming again. But I can't. Not when I have something to talk about with him.

"I see you're still well, Aburame Sato-san."

He bowed his head and stepped forward, the smell of death slowly spreading like a black cast on my garden, like a wall of kikai surrounding all the escape routes. His movements were sluggish, like his muscles atrophied and his bones were on the process of developing still. He stretched out his arms in an invitation for a hug, and I quietly comply. He reeked of burnt and decaying flesh, a maroon substance still dripping from his body, staining my clothes. He gargled before words came out of his mouth, and it surprised me that he could still talk, what with his face being halfway burnt to the bone and the mouth down to his jaw were all bone left.

"My child?" He asked, voice quiet and scratchy, like he hadn't spoken in forever. I tightened the hug and he went still. "My child?" He repeats, albeit a little louder.

"Alive and well. Ken is two years old now." I say and he sagged into my arms. Drops of wetness soaked my shoulder, and I sigh weakly into his chest. What did I do to deserve such a father for my child?

"My child?" He repeats and let go, voice excited and a visible change in his gloomy atmosphere earlier and using his hands to smoothen my ruffled hair, and gripping my shoulders. "Ken is in hiding right now. Konoha is under attack and someone got through the gates." He frowned, or well, atleast how I think someone in his situation would frown, and he let go of me. "My child?" He inquired, going past me and walking to the main house. I followed, heart racing. On his back were different wounds that spelled derogatory words, and it broke my heart to see him so desperate for his son. It would help the aching in my heart if I showed a picture of Ken to him.

"Come, I will atleast show you a picture album of his." I beckoned him and gestured towards the room I was in earlier. I pull a pretty new album full of Ken's pictures.

Shakily, he reached out and took it, as if he was so excited he couldn't stop himself from trembling. He sat on the ground and opened it carefully, immediately met with the picture of Ken in my arms holding Kazuhiko 's finger. He looked like he was about to cry and breathelessly muttered, "My child." I nod politely, keeping my distance. He ran a finger on the picture, eyes longing with want to see his son in the flesh.

He flipped the page over to the page where Ken first walked, and laughed. "My child!" He exclaimed in glee, after turning the page over to where Ken happily posed for the camera holding his toys. Most of the pictures, Ken had pasted a piece of paper under, and what he felt when the picture was taken. We spent almost half an hour with him just looking at that photo album while I quietly watch him. My heart was in pain. It was being broken, pieces crushed as the father of my son cried when he reached the end of the album, where Ken took a photo of himself, eyes bright but glossy and a sad smile on his mouth was displayed. The picture was taken on the village's Father's Day. Underneath the picture was a piece of paper Ken had written himself,

"I don't have a papa right now because he went to fight bad guys. I wish papa hurry up so we can play together."

My heart broke even more as he clutched the album to his chest, the both of us knowing that he may not have the chance to see Ken in his current state. Even if Ken was a naturally smart child, he's still a toddler. Even I, a clan head, am scared right now. "My child..." He sobbed, voice scratchy and cracked. He turned to me sharply, eyes red and sharingan spinning.

Wait, sharingan?

My legs remained frozen on the floor.