Uchiha Clan Head

Summary: A different take on the forming of Konoha when people are not aware of Uchiha Madara's greatest secret that should have really been too obvious. Hashirama's an idiot, Toka and Mito are disbelieving, the world is completely unprepared, Izuna is amused and Tobirama is lovestruck.

Tobirama had done many things in his life that deserved to be regretted, but he actually had very few regrets. As such, those few regrets he did have were almost unbearable to deal with. For instance, he regrets never telling his moth 'I love you' as much as he should have. He regrets not having trained more often with Kawarama or playing enough with Itama or calling them ignorant as much as he did. He regrets not being fast enough to save either of them from their untimely deaths. He at times even regrets telling Butsuma about Hashirama's meetings with Madara and ruining their friendship. He regrets almost killing Izuna, too, but that was an almost so he was happy to ignore it until his nightmares reminded him of what it might have become.

He has a way of dealing with all of those regrets. It came with time of coaching himself to sleep through those nightmares instead of losing sleep over them and looking like death warmed over the next day.

But the one regret he still doesn't know how to deal with was his treatment of Uchiha Madara after the night they have spent together in bed.

He had just been too overwhelmed by the realization that not only was Madara a woman and the fact that Uchiha Madara had allowed him to do what he had done, but it had also occurred to him that he could finally have a family of his own if he courted the fiery Uchiha right. He had not known what to do, for the first time in his life, and he had floundered and he had messed up. He had been avoiding her for a month and had never been able to pick up any signs that something was wrong before Madara one day just went out for a morning walk and never came back. There was a note for Izuna and for Hashirama and the younger Uchiha would have killed the Hokage had his note said that it wasn't anyone's fault but just that Madara had left because there was something she needed to do. Izuna still blamed their Hokage and most of the village for his sister leaving but he didn't take retaliation against them, so that was good.

And at least they still had some form of contact with the Uchiha Clan Head, even if it was in the form of paperwork and the rare letter she replied to. Still, six years later and there were no signs of where Madara was, when she will be coming back or if she will at all and all they could do was wait and hope for the Uchiha Matriarch to return before her clansmen decide Konoha really was responsible for her absence and decide to take vengeance. Love and Pride, an Uchiha indeed.

Tobirama knew that he was partially at fault for Madara leaving, despite her never saying or indicating as much. He could only be grateful for that because not only would Izuna hunt him down but Kagami might grow to resent him as well. Tobirama had grown rather fond of the small Uchiha and it wouldn't really leave him unaffected if Kagami no longer looked at him as his Sensei. Worse yet, he didn't want the boy's bitterness with him to pass on to Hiruzen, Kohaure, Homura, Torifu and Danzo, who were the only friends the Uchiha had, his own clansmen still deeming him a bad omen despite Madara and Izuna being living proof that that was a load of bullshit. Although with Izuna's near death experience and Madara's leaving the village might not have convinced them otherwise. And both were - to an extent - Tobirama's fault. He was just lucky Kagami didn't see it that way.

Yet.

Tobirama had been surprised when Hashirama had one day called him to his office only to find Izuna and the small boy in his big brother's office, Izuna looked like he'd rather be anywhere else and the boy looking both nervous and bordering on depressed. The adult Uchiha had sneered at him but said nothing as Hashirama explained that Kagami had been assigned to his ever growing genin team on Madara's behest. Tobirama was surprised Izuna was going through with said request but the Uchiha had only sneered at him one more time, muttered something about actually listening to his own older sibling before leaving after ruffling the child's hair.

Wishing to get to know his newest student and charge, he took the day to spend with just him, letting his other students have the day off while he and Kagami did some basic training. The boy was talented and very promising and well taught so far. He learned that was Madara's doing, as she had been his Shishou before she left and suddenly, the almost depression that clouded the boy's ever present smile made sense. When Kagami let it slip that he was all but adopted by the woman, Tobirama felt like he had been punched in the gut, because he had chased this boy's mother away. He vowed that day to make sure that h looked after Kagami as best as he could and he promised the boy that he would make him a fine shinobi so that when Madara returns - when and not if - she would be proud of him.

Six years have passed since that day. Kagami and the rest of his students were all fourteen, thirteen and fifteen (only Torifu) years old and were going all around Fire Country on missions without him, fine shinobi that they were, and Madara had yet to come back. Today was their first mission outside of the Land of Fire and Tobirama couldn't help but share some of his brother's worry. Many other villages built after Konoha's example were sending ninja out on missions and there were already some defectors, so it was a lot more dangerous. And no other village has put a limit to killing kids, so yes, he was rather worried.

But the Mizukage's son had asked for their help instead of his own fellow Kiri ninja, agreeing to pay quite the price for the mission. He and the Mizukage himself had arrived just two days ago, requesting for Konoha to accept this mission, making the Senju brothers and Izuna and Hikaku exchange glances, startlement and suspicion warring between all four of them. The mission consisted of finding a kunoichi in the Land of Rice Fields who had singlehandedly beaten up a platoon of Kirigakure's best ninja for ''no reason at all'' on their last mission and then the group that had been sent to apprehend her, too, where the Mizukage's son nearly died as he had been a part of that group. Seeing that they can't deal with this kunoichi on their own, they had decided to ask Konoha for help.

Hearing the mission had Hashirama accepting before anyone else could say anything, obviously thinking what everyone else from Konoha was. There was only one kunoichi who could do something like that with such a large group of ninja and come out unscathed and she had left the village six years ago. So Tobirama's students were chosen to go, hoping to find that the kunoichi is indeed Madara and that Kagamai could convince her to come back home.

No one outside of the Uchiha and Hashirama would admit it out loud, but they were all hoping that they would be successful.

Tobriama couldn't wait to see his love interest again after such a long time.

00000

Kagami was all but vibrating out of his skin, annoying the hell out of Danzo, Homura and Koharu and not giving a damn. His Shishou, his surrogate mother, was just a day's travel away and he couldn't conceal his excitement at finally seeing her again. Hiruzen and Torifu humored him and even asked him questions about Madara-sama that he gladly answered, even dispelling some of the horrible rumors people have started about her in the years up to the creation of Konoha. It was a relief to talk about her with someone other than Izuna-sama and Hikaku-sama after so many years and it only became better, sweeter, the closer they got to their destination. The Mizukage's son described this kunoichi who had floored his platoon perfectly to fit Madara-sama and Kagami couldn't wait to see her again and show her how much stronger he had gotten. He honestly just wanted to talk to her again.

Conversations with Madara-sama were very unique indeed.

"Do you really think it's her?" Hiruzen had asked him and Kagami had replied without hesitation that only Madara-sama could defeat such a platoon of shinobi on her own in such a short span of time while also utterly humiliating the men in question. Having seen or spoken to Madara only a couple of times before her departure, no one but Kagami could be sure of the identity of who they were tracking. But, like Izuna-sama, Hokage-sama and the other founders, Kagami was as sure as any Uchiha would be that it was their clan head they were going after.

"Will she want to come back, though?" Koharu asked next, a frown on her face. If it really was Uchiha Madara they were going after, no way were they going to be able to force her back, even if they had all of Konoha's jonin with them as backup.

"We won't know until we try, right," Torifu optimistically replied, looking hopefully at Kagami, who didn't even register what they were saying, eyes wide and fixed on a point just by the shore of a little lake, the clear waters reflecting the clear sky. That which held his attention so much was actually a who, as his teammates realized when they looked over after he nearly ran into Danzo, much to the grumpy teen's displeasure. They all stopped and stared at the sitting figure on the small wooden dock, eating lunch it would appear, wild black hair covering their entire back, dark sleeves covering pale skin. Only the person's hands were visible as they reached for a dango stick, a serene air surrounding the person only a civilian - or a shinobi so skilled and knowing they were so skilled that no one could challenge or sneak up on them - could produce.

"Is that her?" Homura asked uncertainly, recognizing Uchiha features even from the back. From this far away, it was unclear how tall the person was and with that wild hair, one could not see their build or gender. It was still unclear as to who it was. Still, Kagami didn't hesitate to walk up to his Shishou, forgetting all about her sensory skills and that she would have definitely sensed them miles away. He came right up behind the person and reached out with a hand to touch her shoulder, about to call out to his Clan Head, when a hand snapped up, catching his reaching limb before he could even touch her. Reacting automatically to such a sudden movement, Hiruzen and Danzo drew out their kunai and shuriken, launching them at the possible threat before Kagami could yell at them not to do it.

But he needn't worry about her getting hurt, as the long haired person jumped out onto the water with a flip, the weapons sailing right underneath her but not grazing even a strand of spiky hair. Before she landed on the surface of the water, she fired her used up dango sticks at Hiruzen and Danzo with skill, precision and speed that were enough to catch Danzo in the chin and stab Hiruzen right in the thigh. Torifue was using his family's secret jutsu a second later, trying to catch her when a stream of fire met his hand, burning him like no one's business. While the Akamichi tried to recover from the sting, Homura and Koharu ran to the water and moved to engage her directly, but she moved with a grace that belied her skill, blocking Koharu's kunai on her left while simultaneously almost gutting Homura on her right. To their combined surprise, she jumped into the air when Danzo joined the fray and put her hands into the dog sign along with a few other hand signs and a huge water dragon formed out of the lake, startling them with her talent for two completely different chakra natures. The fire she had breathed had been huge and the water dragon rivaled Tobirama-sensei's in size.

While she was occupied with the others, Hiruzen started making hand seals that Kagami recognized were for a restraining jutsu and he knew it was going to take time, so he formed hand seals of his own and ran in to engage what he was still sure was his Shishou. Madara-sama was a genius of Hashirama-sama's and Tobirama-sensei's caliber. With how many times she'd seen Tobirama-sensei do that jutsu, she was bound to have picked it up at some point and she had enough chakra control and big enough reserves to make a water dragon nearly as big as sensei's, especially since there was a rather large body of water right under her feet. If they can just make her stop long enough to recognize them as people who don't want to hurt her ...

Kagami breathed out a giant fire ball just as a second dragon rose from the water, meeting black eyes from across the steam that appeared from the collision of their attacks with his own Sharingan red ones. His eyes widened as he registered what he was seeing and his mouth dropped open. The Uchiha was just about to call out that this was not his Shishou when Hiruzen finished his jutsu and a blinding light engulfed their opponent, something akin to chains made of a purple chakra appearing where the tendrils of light had wrapped around the other. The chains wrapped all around her, from shoulders to waist with two crisscrossing over her legs and tying around her ankles again. Had it been ordinary chains, she would have fallen right into the water and been in danger of sinking and drowning. As it was, Hiruzen just drew her back to shore and set her down, securing the chains until they became black and solid as he placed a seal on them.

When Koharu, Homura, Torifu and Danzo joined them, Koharu's hair was a mess, Homura was drenched, Torifu was treating his burns and Danzo's new cut had a companion that made it look like an askew X and was scowling like there was no tomorrow. They all just stood there and ... stared at the scowling girl, no more than maybe five or six years old, just slightly older than sensei's niece Tsunade-hime. She had naturally pale skin, somewhere between Madara-sama's and Tobirama-sensei's shade, if you asked Kagami - and he was the best one to ask, since his Sharingan saw the differences the clearest and remembered them the best - with hair the same shade of black and style as Madara-sama's used to be, only with the exception of the bangs covering one black eye. They were white, a stark contrast to the midnight black mane the girl sported. Her features were rather sharp but her nose was petite and her lips were full. When she grew up, she was probably going to be so hot that men will fall to their knees at the sight of her. 'Just like with Shishou,' Kagami thought, still staring at the girl. She was tall for her age and very fit, no doubt a result of her shinobi training.

"She has very large chakra reserves," Hiruzen said after a long moment of silence. "And is rather good at controlling her chakra. But at least we caught her, right?"

To their surprise - mostly to Kagami's, who nearly had a heart attack at the gesture - the six year old rolled her eyes at them as though they were the stupidest creatures she had ever laid eyes on. "Oh, wow! You caught a six year old! You must be so proud of your own incompetence, when there is an equal number of you as I have years. Real powerful shinobi you must be." She curled her lips in a disgusted snarl. "Weakness disgusts me."

The gesture was so Madara-sama that Kagami for a moment doubted his Sharingan has failed him and this was just a genjutsu or a Henge and this was actually his Shishou in front of him.

Danzo's scowl deepened and he stepped forwards to tower over the girl, hoping to intimidate her. The girl only gave him a dry look. "We went easy on you. Our village has a policy against killing children."

She was not impressed with the lie he tried to sell. "You had no idea I was a kid and going easy on a potential enemy that will aim to kill you is stupid. Idiotic. I was under the impression Senju Tobirama believed in taking care of a threat before it became a threat, not letting it kill him or his companions."

"How do you know Tobirama-sensei?" Hiruzen asked curiously even as they all grew as tense as any shinobi would become when some secret of their's was revealed or their cover was blown on an important infiltration mission.

"And how did you know we are his ... companions?" Koharu asked next, voice stern and a rather scary scowl on her face. Neither had an effect on the girl.

"Kaa-chan told me that Senju Tobirama is the greatest suiton user in the world and that if I ever sense large amounts of water natured chakra I should go the other way because it means that he is around. If anyone feels like there is some residue chakra still clinging to their person, then they have been spending a significant amount of time around him and I should avoid them as well if Kaa-chan isn't around. I honestly thought you'd leave me alone so I didn't bother leaving, a mistake on my part, as it would seem you have no decency to let a girl finish her lunch." She replied as dryly as a six year old could while still in the stage where kids liked to talk quite a bit more than they will when they grow up a bit more.

"So you're a sensor?" Homura asked, the first to understand what the girl was implying. The 'No shit, Sherlock' look she sent him was very clear and sassy enough to make Danzo's scowl twist some more. "And your mother is, too?"

"Kaa-chan is and she said Chichiue is, too. They're both strong sensors so it was only logical I would become a decent sensor myself." The child nodded, as if her answer was the most obvious thing in the world. And it kind of was. "And you guys reek of water chakra that is not your own. What are you, his lackeys?"

"His students," Torifu offered. "I am Torifu, the scowling one is Danzo, the one that looks like a monkey is Hiruzen-"

"Hey!"

"The kunoichi is Koharu, the one with the glasses is Homura and the Uchiha is Kagami." They all waved after they were introduced and Kagami noted that the girl locked on him in a peculiar manner. "Might we know who you are?"

The girl opened her mouth, to answer or sass them some more, they will never know because a young boy's voice cut through the tense air in that exact same second. "Toda-chan! Are you beating up senior shinobi again? Joo-sama won't be pleased!" They turned around to see a boy maybe a year older than the so called Toda-chan with golden blond hair, sun kissed skin and startlingly blue eyes that rivaled the color of a bright afternoon sky. He looked built for speed and was very nervous as he looked from one chuunin to the other. "Should I go get Joo-sama? This is the first time I ever saw you lose, Toda-chan. Are they troubling you and Joo-sama like those creepy big guys did a few days ago?"

Realization dawned on Danzo first and he Shunshined to the blond's side, capturing him with ninja wire before he could even yelp. That got Toda-chan acting, a vicious snarl leaving her lips. "Leave Hisake alone!"

"She is the one we came for." Danzo said when his teammates went to protest. "She is the kunoichi who almost maimed the Mizukage's son. We need to bring her back to Konoha."

"You're working for the guy who tried to proposition Joo-sama!?" The boy, Hisake, asked incredulously. He turned to look at his friend. "How hadn't you maimed them yet?"

While Toda-chan scowled, Kagami turned to the blond and squatted down in front of him. "And who is this Joo-sama?" Must be some great Lady or a woman many respect for her to be called queen. Or a powerful kunoichi that helped the people here. Kagami still hadn't given up the hope that Madara-sama was around.

"I hadn't known they worked for that teme." The girl snarled, glaring at them in a manner that reminded the Konoha shinobi a startling amount of their sensei when he was murderously angry. The tone she used, however, reminded Kagami more of his Shishou than of his Sensei. "If I had, they would have gotten the same treatment."

"That's definitely our target, then." Homura confirmed. "What should we do with the boy?"

"He's a shinobi, too - you can feel it by his chakra reserves, bigger than any civilians as they are - so we will have to take him with us lest he alert her mother that she was taken and make more problems for us, and then we can bring him back after the mission is over." The Shimura answered realistically. "What happens to the girl is up to Hokage-sama now."

"But she's still a child!" Hiruzen predictably protested. "Sensei and Hokage-sama forbid harming children!"

"We won't harm her. We'll just bring her to Konoha and let the Kage deal with what will happen to her." Danzo replied coldly. "We cannot abandon our mission when our relations to Kirigakure are at stake. Don't forget what she did to that squad."

"Danzo is right." Koharu agreed and Homura nodded along. "The diplomatic relationship with Kiri is far more important than one stray shinobi."

"I don't think we have much of a choice, Saru." Torifu threw his own two cents in hesitantly. Kagami glared at them all but didn't say anything. Right they might be about the importance of this mission, but he still didn't like this. Tobirama-sensei didn't condone such behavior and Shishou would have the heads of anyone who dared attack or treat children like this. But the vote was clear and he and Hiruzen alone won't be enough to oppose the others in this decision.

Kagami didn't like it at all.

00000

They came across a pale, silver haired young man a year or so older than Hashirama-sama with green eyes and a scar on his left cheek that looked to be from a burn a few hours later as they reached the border with Konoha. He was dressed in a similar fashion as the children - plain clothing practical for training or labor in the rice fields and easy to clean - which immediately gave him away as a villager from their home village, which his familiarity with them gave further away. Hisaki and Toda-chan didn't look too optimistic at meeting a familiar, friendly shinobi, though.

His obsession with Toda-chan's mother might be the reason.

Still, they captured him and herded him along with their other two captives towards Konoha, tying him up and contemplating gagging him, but since he was currently their best source of information on this Joo-sama - 'Dara-chan' he called her, his lady love, to which Toda-chan snapped at him every time that her mother didn't allow him to call her as such and he replied that he didn't really give a damn what she allowed and what she didn't - they let him talk as much as he wanted. Kagami was still unsure why he wanted to gut the man every time he spoke of Toda-chan's mother but he resisted the urge never the less, heroically so.

"So, Toda-hime, what did you do this time and should we worry about Dara-chan's reaction when you don't come back home for dinner?" The man, Takomochi Tanima, asked the six year old kunoichi with a half amused, half dreadful expression.

"They're taking me away for beating up those suiton users last week." Toda-chan replied with a long suffering sigh before she turned to Hiruzen, who was walking behind Torifu, currently carrying the little hellion. They had untied her legs so she can walk by herself, only for her to somehow shatter the chakra chains, steal one of their katanas and nearly cut them all down with the speed and precision they wouldn't have been able to stand up to had they not been trained by Tobirama-sensei himself. As it was, they stopped her attack and threatened the lives of her friends until she let them tie her up in chakra reinforced ninja wire so she can't escape. As such, they took turns carrying her every hour or so. "And it was my turn to cook, since Kaa-chan was out on a mission for the Daimyo. She'll be back by tomorrow morning and you better pray that she doesn't fry you all to a crisp and a pile of ashes."

"We're not afraid of some stray kunoichi. Tobirama-sensei will match her fire with his water easily." Homura said proudly to that before returning his focus to the road.

"How are you so good with both suiton and katon jutsus?" The Sarutobi asked when he saw Toda-chan looked ready to sacrifice her hands future mobility if it meant she got to stab Homura now. Better avert her attention away before she bleeds out to death on them.

Black eyes focused on him as the little kunoichi answered. "Kaa-chan says her family is naturally partial to fire chakra while Chichiue is apparently the same with water, so I have an affinity for both through them. Kaa-chan says I inherited both of their genius and then proved it by teaching me both as best as she could, since she didn't exactly have much talent for water and hadn't ever used it before until she had to teach me. She said she had to teach me some of Chichiue's best techniques because it was only fair that I have something of Chichiue's."

"What do you mean?" The Uchiha asked. Tanima rolled his eyes and answered instead of her.

"Dara-chan arrived in our village heavily pregnant and just settled there. A couple of months later, Toda-hime here was born and Dara-chan wouldn't tell anyone who her father was. Toda-hime never met her father so she calls him Chichiue as opposed to calling him Tou-chan like she does Dara-chan Kaa-chan." The man shrugged, ignoring Toda-chan's furious glare or the scandalized look Hisaki was giving him. "She lives at the edges of the Namikaze family's grounds but not even Hisaki and his family know who the father is. Although I like to think Dara-chan is one of my past drunken escapades so Toda-hime is mine, but I'm pretty certain no amount of alcohol could ever allow a man forget the beauty that is Dara-chan."

"And now I get why Toda-chan hates you." Koharu said with a disgusted tone and expression, glaring over her shoulder at Tanima, who only shrugged.

"It's a possibility."

"An impossibility, since my Kaa-chan has far too refined tastes to choose you." Toda-chan sniffed, looking down her nose at the man despite her position. "Besides, she told me a lot about Chichiue. His affinity is water and yours is earth. He is a genius and you are an idiot. He is good with a katana while you prefer spears and bamboo sticks. And he is a sensor with a reach that exceeds Kaa-chan's. You can't feel what's right in front of your nose for shit."

"Would you like to meet your Chichiue?" Torifu questioned, turning his head a little to partially meet Toda-chan's eyes and she nodded with a small smile that looked both sad and wistful.

"I'm not sure if I'll ever get the chance."

"So, what's your Kaa-chan like?" Kagami asked, both to sate his own curiosity and to draw her thoughts away from a topic that saddened her. The girl paused to think, articulating the words that would best describe her mother. From what they gathered so far, the girl was possessive, overprotective and very much idolized her mother and would do anything for her, which is why she beat up the Kiri nin in the first place. They had been acting in an unsavory manner towards her mother and she had reacted how she was used to reacting when drunken men tried to proposition her beloved mother. The chuunin doubted her mother, a kunoichi who taught such a fierce student, needed her protection but it was still provided it would seem.

"Kaa-chan is beautiful, both inside and out, but she hides it behind a scowl and her scary temper." Toda-chan began, a fond smile on her face. "She can be loud or broody and she can hold a grudge like the best of them. But she's really smart and can be both patient and impatient. Family means everything to her and she would do anything for her family. She likes fighting so don't challenge her unless you mean business, because she's really, really good at it. She hates stupid or arrogant people and she likes anyone who could offer her an engaging argument. She likes kids and is very protective of the few friends she makes. And she loves exotic, big animals." The predatory grin that came with that last comment kind of put the other ninja on edge. Tanima snorted.

"You can say that again. You should see Dara-chan's 'petting zoo'. You're bound to run away screaming."

"Sounds like she's, eh, quite something." Hiruzen offered with a tight smile, exchanging a wary glance with Danzo. Kagami wasn't sure what that look was supposed to convey but Danzo nodded and picked up his pace, the others following him. Kagami ended up needing to pick up Hisaki so he wouldn't fall behind and their haste sped up the trip, arriving in Konoha five hours faster than normal. They were greeted by baffled guards at the gate, the Uchiha one frowning in confusion when he saw Toda-chan and Hisaki. He knew, as all of the Uchiha should, that their Clan Head didn't condone children being harmed but Danzo's brief report had him letting them pass anyway. Kagami exchanged an uneasy look with him, both of them shuddering at the thought of what their Clan Head would do if she were to find out before Kagami followed his teammates further into the village. It was his turn to carry Toda-chan, anyway.

"Oh wow, Kaa-chan was right." The girl in question breathed, staring up at the Hokage Mountain overlooking the village as they made their way towards the Tower. "It is stupid."

"What?" A startled laugh escapes the Uchiha, well aware that both his Shishou and Sensei share that opinion. It was one of the reasons Madara-sama was more than happy that she hadn't ended up with the Hokage's position, right behind the scary amounts of paperwork Hashirama-sama had to deal with on a daily basis.

"It looks silly." The little kunoichi said with a snort. "And it's stupid. You're practically inviting assassins to kill your leader by giving away his identity. Anyone who wants to kill Konohagakure's Hokage only needs to look up and see what he looks like and then it's hunting time."

"They wouldn't make it pass the Fire Country's borders without being detected first." Torifu said in answer to the - scarily enough - same argument Tobirama-sensei had given against the monument when Hashirama-sama had suggested it. "Tobirama-sensei is the best sensor in recorded history. No one can enter Konoha without him noticing them and acting accordingly, if they feel like a threat and the such."

Toda-chan rolled her eyes at the answer. "Yes, and what when someone finally figures out how to hide their chakra signature even from great sensors like the Uzumaki, Senju Tobirama and Uchiha Madara? Then what? What will happen then? Or if Senju Tobirama isn't close enough to warn you all in time?"

"Tobirama-sensei's Hiraishin would allow him to return to the village in a second." Danzo replied haughtily. It earned him a glare from the six year old. "And since his reach is across all Five Great Nations and further, he will still sense the threat coming."

"And there have been no jutsus that can fool a sensor in centuries." Koharu countered, opening the door for the rest of them when they finally reached the Tower.

Toda-chan sniffed in disdain. "Doesn't mean it can't happen now or a few years into the future." The girl retorted. "And even that aside, speaking of the future, what will happen when Senju Tobirama eventually dies? Who will tell you of threats then?"

"Even when one day, in the far away future," Danzo said saucily, clearly in a snit that this child was making all the best arguments their Sensei had, too, upon hearing about the monument . Toda-chan rolled her eyes at his tone and attitude. "There will be other sensors and other ways to detect threats to the village."

"If you say so." The little kunoichi answered sarcastically and then fell silent when they arrived in front of the Council meeting room. The Hokage and Mizukage have been informed that they had returned upon them being within a mile of the gates and an emergency Council meeting had been called. As the group took a deep breathe to steady themselves - most of the council members had become downright unbearable after Madara-sama's departure if interrupted, Kagami bitterly thinks; Madara-sama had never allowed them to think themselves above other village matters, especially not ones returning shinobi or children bring - the other two outsiders shifted uneasily. The wire around Toda-chan was carefully removed and she was set down before they knocked and entered the room.

00000

Tobirama and Hashirama were sure they weren't the only ones staring at the kunoichi the former's students had brought in. Izuna and Hikaku were even gawking with open mouths as they took in the little girl's features. By some cruel twist of fate, it was not Madara who had been brought back before them, but a child who could have been her carbon copy if not for that tuft of white hair falling in her eyes. Everything else, from the proud lift of her chin to the defiant glare in her eyes was so Madara that the two Senju brothers' and the two Uchiha cousins' hearts ached. She was not who they wanted her to be yet her miraculous resemblance to the Uchiha Clan Head was undeniable and very cruel.

"That's her!" The Mizukage's son, a young man with dark brown hair and brown eyes, yelled, pointing a finger at the little girl, who only arched an impressive unimpressed eyebrow at him in a manner that greatly reminded Tobirama of himself. "She's the little she-devil that had attacked us!"

"You sound way more proud than a man who got his ass handed to him by a six year old should." The said she-devil retorted snidely and Tobirama heard Izuna snicker at her sass. He had to agree, though. "Besides, you guys deserved it." The girl went on, the snideness in her voice turning to venom. "You don't deserve to so much as look at Kaa-chan, let alone demand her hand in marriage!" The his was so poisonous that Konoha's shinobi were quite surprised the Mizukage's son wasn't dead on the ground a second later.

"It is not against the law to propose to someone!" The young man shot back, marching over to the girl and shoving their faces together.

"It is when Kaa-chan is practically married already!"

"You never said anything about a stepfather." Koharu accused and the girl shot her a look that clearly suggested she thought her an idiot.

"According to Kaa-chan's family's traditions, Kaa-chan said her vows when she laid with my Chichiue. Besides," the snide look was back as she looked the Mizukage's son over and arched an eyebrow that said she clearly found him lacking, raising his hackles. "You're not worthy of someone like my Kaa-chan, anyway. You lack skill and intelligence to entertain Kaa-chan, let alone challenge or woo her. And the way you shamelessly propositioned her right after she turned you down says just how slimy of a human being you are. You would not be loyal to Kaa-chan and she deserves ten times better than you."

"Like your forever absent father?" Tobirama was appealed at the low blow and was going to call him out on it but the little hellion took it in stride and didn't miss a beat.

"Seeing as he is a genius and a shinobi worth his calling, I'd say he's at the very least better than a rat who hides behind his daddies henchmen like you." In a flash, the man grabbed her by her throat as if to choke her but that's when Tobirama had enough and grabbed his wrist even faster, forcing him to let go and pushing him away.

"That's enough." He said icily, glaring at the Mizukage's son with all of his pent up frustration and anger. "She is a child and you will not treat her like that. If you try anything like that again, I will break every bone in your body."

"Senju, what is the meaning of this!?" The Mizukage yelled, glaring at both the Hokage and his younger brother. The steely look in Hashirama's own eyes suggested that he won't allow for such actions either and the Mizukage flinched when that look was directed at him at the same time Tobirama shifted his glare to the man, too.

"For a second there I thought Konoha had lost its direction that Kaa-chan spoke about." The black haired girl said in the following tense silence, studying the pale man before her. "She said Konoha was all about the children and peace. It might actually spare you her inevitable wrath when she sees I'm not home."

Tobirama turned his attention to the little girl, studying her with all of his senses. He wasn't sure if she felt more like boiling water or like one of those underwater volcanoes he's read about bit one thing is for certain. She had an almost equal affinity for both katon and suiton jutsus, two opposing forces in equal measure and the white haired Senju had little doubt she could switch between the two with an ease even some Sharingan users lacked when copying jutsus. It was such a rarity that Tobirama had to admit he was impressed. Her chakra coils were also very well developed for her young age and it had him wondering who was teaching her. Only Kagami had felt this well trained out of his students or any other child that he had met and Kagami had been trained by Uchiha Madara herself. It was a scary thought that there might be another shinobi like Madara somewhere out there. The girl's reserves were also impressive. She currently felt like she was around Toka's level and she was so very young. By the time her chakra is fully developed, Tobirama suspected she'd maybe be his equal or even surpass him.

She remained silent and unmoved as he studied her and he couldn't help but grunt in approval. "What's your name?"

The girl lifted her chin proudly and met his eyes square on, earning his respect as many adults still didn't have the nerve to do that, no matter their age or experience. His eyes resembled the Sharingan in color and his glares were intimidating at best. She was definitely a special, brave little girl. "My name is Todara. Kaa-chan said I should never reveal my family name, though, so you can just call me Todara."

"Hey!" Hiruzen whined in protest. "We asked you the same thing and you told us your name was Toda-chan!"

"No," Todara drawled in a manner very similar to Tobirama's own when he was not impressed in the least. "I never said my name was Toda-chan. Hisaki arrived before I could give you my name and he called me that. It's not my fault if you wrongly assumed that was my name. Besides, who would name their child Toda? Certainly not my Kaa-chan, that's for sure. She has some dignity. And pride."

"How did you first encounter that man and his entourage?" He asked next, indicating with his eyes at the Mizukage's son. Todara followed his red gaze with her own black eyes before looking back at him.

"I saw him hitting on Kaa-chan. He was lucky that I stepped in before she took out her katana. Or kunai. Or katon jutsus." She arched a perfect black eyebrow. "Like I said, she is practically married. She never regretted what happened between her and my Chichiue even if she had to leave home."

"Your mother left home?" Izuna asked, coming closer and looking down at the girl. "Why would she leave home?"

"Family conflicts," was all the child replied with, her hesitance in forming the words showing that she didn't really understand the reason she was giving. Her mother must have just told her that much to quell her curiosity and hadn't explained further than that. "She said half of them were being stupid about it and Chichiue's side was also being stupid so she left before she could start screaming at them. Or beating them up."

The Uchiha Heir chuckled at the answer, a small, bitter smile coming to his lips. "You sounded like my Nee-san right there. She used to say our Clan Elders were being stupid for berating her about letting an Uchiha boy play with Senju children but Nee-san would just yell right over their complaints, saying that was the whole point of our peace, kids forgetting old grudges and making friends. And Nee-san was very good at yelling at the Elders. Things used to be so much easier, used to get done so much quicker."

"Where is she now?" In true child fashion, Todara asked innocently, tilting her head in curiosity. It looked a lot like how one of Tobirama's snow leopard cubs would act when asking something they didn't understand about humans. "She's not ... ?" The girl trailed off awkwardly, obviously already knowing loss. Hisaki turned away his gaze in pain and Tobirama wondered what that was about. Had Hisaki lost a sister? A cousin? "He lost his Mama before he was a year old." Todara answered when she saw him looking at her friend. "Kaa-chan has practically taken him in as her own. He's my brother in all but blood and family name." The little girl then turned her attention back to Izuna and he chuckled while shaking his head no.

"Nah, Nee-san is far too strong to die." He said reaching out a hand towards the ninja wire. "Is this hurting you?"

The little kunoichi shook her head. "Kaa-chan taught me how to coat chakra into the restraining strings so that they neither restrain my chakra nor do they cut into my skin."

"Wait, are you telling me you could have escaped at any time?" Koharu asked, utterly impressed and very angry that she had not managed to secure her as throughly as she had wanted to after she had nearly gutted them all on their way here. ''Why didn't you?''

''Because, one, you had my friends trapped and Kaa-chan taught me to never leave a comrade behind.'' Izuna and Hikaku nodded approvingly at that and it was a well known fact that the Uchiha fought hard for every one of their clansmen's corpses, let alone injured or captured comrades. ''And second because, quite frankly, you have brought Kaa-chan's wrath upon you and I thought you might deserve it.''

''Toda-hime, are you sure even your Kaa-chan can survive attacking a shinobi village?'' Tanima asked uncertainly in a shaky voice, green eyes darting left and right. ''And one as big as Konoha?''

''We'll never know until she arrives.'' Todara said with a little shrug. Tobirama exchanged uneasy glances with Hashirama, Izuna and Hikaku while the rest of the council and the Mizukage and his Kiri nin shifted uncomfortably. ''Besides, these guys are so idiotic they might need a good scare to get their heads out of their asses. I've seen them do like, five or six things Kaa-chan would throughly disapprove of that might be for their best interest to fix. Like simply letting us come through the gates without checking to see if your own shinobi weren't fakes.''

''The Uchiha have a Kekkei Genkai that allows them to see through illusions.'' Tobirama replied in answer, turning back to the little girl. ''That's why there is always at the very least one Uchiha guard at the gates at all times. Besides, I am a sensor and I would notice if someone who is not from our village were to enter it.''

''I am a sensor, too.'' Todara replied with a snort and a huff. ''You know how much that amounts to when someone wears chakra suppressants to appear civilian enough for you to ignore them? Or when they disguise themselves for the guards? Absolutely nothing. You'll be too late to stop them from infiltrating the village and someone might die.''

''I have my Hiraishin. I can appear at any point that has my mark on it and come to their aid.''

''And what if you don't have a mark close enough to someone in peril? What if you're too late to realize what you were sensing? Because there are shinobi with naturally civilian-level chakra reserves. What would you do then?'' Tobirama couldn't exactly fight that argument, not when he had raised it a few times himself.

Izuna snickered as he watched the back and forth between the little girl and the younger Senju brother. It was a rare thing to see anyone other than his Nee-san or a Nara holding their own against Tobirama in an argument.

''What would you have us do?''

''What Kaa-chan did,'' Todara said with a nod of her head, wild locks of hair following the movement. Her tone of voice made it clear that she thought what she was saying was obvious. ''She had the Namikaze place protection and alarm wards all around our property. That way, even if Kaa-chan isn't around or I don't notice something because I am yelling at Tanima to leave, we will remain safe.'' She squinted her eyes at the white haired man in speculation, pursing her lip in a very adorable manner. The Senju swore Izuna was going to make the deadly mistake to coo at her. ''Aren't you supposed to be good with seals? Why don't you make a big barrier around the village to protect everyone?''

Tobirama turned his head enough to meet Hashirama's eyes with a deadpan look in his own. ''Anija, a child understands the benefits of such a barrier and yet you don't. I think we found the Nidaime Hokage and I am tempted to put her in her position right now.''

The long haired brunet man crossed his arms and pouted, which was surprising enough, since he would usually curl up in a depressive ball with a dark atmosphere clouding around him. ''You're so mean, Tobi. My own brother is so mean to me~!''

Todara took one look at him, arched an eyebrow and drawled in the most unimpressed voice Tobirama had ever heard not coming from his own mouth. ''I take it he was the one who suggested the face in the mountain?'' Feeling his lips twitching up in a smirk, Tobirama nodded and watch the girl roll her eyes heavenwards, as though asking for patience. ''I swear he is as big a fool as that childhood friend of Kaa-chan's that claimed they were best friends but hadn't realized Kaa-chan was a girl until she told him fifteen, sixteen years later.''

Izuna dissolved into startled howls of laughter upon hearing this and even Tobirama was repressing chuckles futilely while Hashirama was staring at Todara with wide eyes. Tanima snorted from where Tobirama's students were still guarding him and the little blond boy Hisaki.

''Toda-hime, I honestly think she was exaggerating or even making the story up. No one can be quite that stupid ... Can they?'' He asked hesitantly when they saw the amused looks the younger Uchiha of the two present was throwing their esteemed Hokage. ''I mean, come one. Dara-chan is a gorgeous woman, very curvy, very blessed. Men and women both stare after her when she walks by. There is no way anyone could mistake her for a male!''

''The same could be said for my Nee-san!'' Izuna managed between rasping, labored breathes, still rolling around with laughter. Tobirama didn't blame him in the least. It was far too funny to be true. ''A-and our e-e-esteemed Hokage didn't manage to f-figure it out - oh, my stomach,'' he interrupted himself as he got stomach cramps from his violent laughter. ''He didn't mange to figure it out until she told him despite how often he used to hug her and cling to her like a leech. Oh my god, I can't believe there is anyone as stupid as the Tree-man around!'' He went right back to his snickers after he finished speaking. Hikaku just shook his head at his Clan Heir but even he was still working on suppressing his own snickers.

''Hey, in my defense, her hair used to be short like a boy's!'' Hashirama, now red faced with embarrassment, complained. ''And the armor hid her figure! How was I supposed to know? And besides, no one here had figured it out until she said as much herself!''

''You've got to be kidding me.'' Hisaki muttered in astonishment while Tanima looked like he had gone brain dead in the face of such stupidity. ''And entire village didn't realize a woman was not a man? How is it again that Konoha is the strongest of the Five Nations?''

''Who ever said they were the strongest?'' The Mizukage sniffed and Tanima snapped out of it long enough to roll his eyes at him.

''Of course they're the strongest. The Senju and the Uchiha founded it. Even Dara-chan says that they are the two strongest clans in existence.''

''So, what, just because she says so it is so?'' The man's son asked with a derisive snort. Todara glared at him with a lot more venom than a small body like her's should be able to manage.

''Pretty much so.'' Hisaki answered before his friend could start insulting either of the foreigners. ''Joo-sama has a wide informant network. Tou-san is always impressed by it.''

''Wait, so you seriously didn't realize your own best friend was a girl?'' Tanima returned his attention to Hashirama, more interested in such an oddity than talking with the Kiri ninjas. ''Not until she told you in black and white?''

''It's obviously a mistake anyone could make!'' The older Senju brother protested, flailing around. Tanima went back to looking as brain dead as he had a moment ago.

''Dear Kami-sama, there are people who can be that stupid. I will never doubt the word of Toda-hime ever again.''

Said girl just rolled her eyes, exasperated at his antics. Tobirama had stopped snickering by this point, realizing that he really was not one to judge. He hadn't realized Madara was actually a girl not even when the proof of such was literally shoved in his face. Some genius he turned out to be. He hadn't even realized that Madara was displeased with something - probably with Tobirama himself - before it was too late and she had left. He had messed up as spectacularly as Hashirama had, if in a different way. Some things that he had always written off as stupid coincidences had stared finally making sense. Like how Izuna used to call Madara An'ki. Not Aniki, not Aneki. An'ki. Izuna said his father used to make him call Madara that outside of their family's compound after he had once made a mistake as a six year old when lacking a front tooth. Madara and their mother had found it adorable and Izuna still at times slipped and said it when speaking of his older sister. Or how the Uchiha never said they had a patriarch, but a Clan Head, a leader. Or the way Madara always looked strangely at anyone who said she had a nice ass for a man. Or the way Madara always hammered Hashirama into the nearest wall when he tried following her when she went to the bathroom. Hashirama had thought his best friend had a shy bladder when the fact was she was a girl and she was definitely not letting a boy, or a grown man, see her while she was taking care of her natural urges.

Hashirama had had a hard time explaining that to Mito, later.

When Izuna heard he had been doing it at all, he screeched 'pervert' at the top of his lungs as he took out a katan and charged at him in rage for his sister. Tobirama was just glad Toka had stopped him because Tobirama had been in no state to do so. Mostly because there was a jealous, possessive part of him that screamed Madara was now his and he wanted to bash his own brother's head in for peeking, even if it was unknowingly and long before he had fallen into bed with the beautiful Uchiha.

''Sometimes I wonder if it is even worth it to live in this world.'' Todara said in a long suffering tone that sounded suspiciously a lot like the one both Tobirama and Madara used after spending too many hours dealing with Hashirama's idiocy. Well, to be fair, even Mito sometimes used that tone of voice, only she was a lot more subtle about it. And if Mito used it, too, all poised and polite as she was, a proper lady, than you can just guess how often that tone was used in Konoha. Tobirama was surprised the little girl knew that tone as well - she was six! - when he saw her mouth freeze just as she opened it to say something, eyes going as wide as saucers, as if startled.

Just as he was about to ask her if she was okay, a wave of killing intent strong enough to cause a heart attack in fright and an enormous fiery chakra washed over the village, rage boiling in the signature,a type of blood lust Tobirama had grown accustomed to in his younger years of life only to be lulled after getting used to it. Half the room and more than half of the village fell to their knees under the oppressive force of the emotions behind the signature, rage and betrayal and panic and a cold, steel determination that must have sent even the bravest of Senju fleeing for their lives just a decade ago. The Kiri delegation looked ready to crap in their pants. When the roar came, one of the Kiri nin even fainted.

''HASHIRAMA!''