"Meeting him was like walking into a previously unknown glade of flowers after wandering through a dark forest. If I were to describe the glade, it would be wide and welcoming, cheerful in the sunlight and quietly comforting in the night, with all sorts of wonderful scents and colors. He was the breath of fresh air in the overpowering iron-scented time. And exactly who we both needed, though we didn't know it then."

The following week, Suitopi and Hinagiku became acutely aware of the crowdedness of the Suishoku compound. With the houses being so very full, most of the inhabitants preferred to spend their time outdoors. Wherever there was space. Which meant that the training grounds were no longer properly usable. The pair's few attempts to practice their combat skills within the compound had been thwarted by the sheer number of people within its confines. The training grounds had been turned mostly into a play area for the young children of the clans. There was no room to practice their jutsu, weaponry, or even chakra control. When they had tried, the pair had been mobbed by little ones clamoring for a demonstration of "something cool". These requests had been joined by encouragement from some of the older clansmen who had come along to watch the children. Hina had felt the need to pull Suitopi out of the situation before the elder decided that a truly direct demonstration of her fire jutsu was necessary.

After that, they had sought permission to go to the more general training grounds used by the genin of the village. As both their fathers were working on securing land for the Hokkaido, it was the Suishoku matron who granted their request. Though, she did so with a mandate that they be home in time for dinner. Grumbling about annoying kids, Suitopi led Hina through the compound gate, wary of losing her once the blind girl was outside territory she knew well. Despite having grown up in the Leaf, Hina had rarely left the compound due to her inability to find landmarks and thus be able to guide herself. Her sensory skills would not develop to the level necessary for the memorization of routes for some time, even as promising as her progression was. Thus, Hinagiku was as unfamiliar with what lay beyond the gate as her new friend.

It was as they marched into the village that Suitopi was met with this realization. Aside from a few visits to the Leaf in her earlier years, she was quite unfamiliar with the village. She paused as soon as they reached the intersection at the end of the road leading up to the gate. Hina stopped behind her, blinking at her curiously. After all, Suitopi had started off with such confidence that Hina had assumed that perhaps she knew her way around despite only having been there a handful of times. Unfortunately, Suitopi's overconfidence didn't allow her to stop for long. Sensing her younger companion's curious gaze on her, she huffed and started off in a random direction.

Pride was, and always had been, a sin of which the Hokkaido clan found themselves guilty. The nature of their Kekkei Genkai led to them being veritable powerhouses on the battlefield, and with that strength came a feeling of invincibility. This clan pride, partnered with the natural need to for a child to prove oneself, was what drove Suitopi to move on without assistance from one of the numerous Suishoku adults within the compound who would be able to give the pair directions.

It was also due to this pride that, only ten minutes later, the two girls found themselves hopelessly lost within the civilian bustle of Konoha. They had set off in the early afternoon, which meant that the midday lunch rush was still in full effect and that the majority of the village was full of people hustling about. Though, there was a noticeable lack of shinobi among the crowd. It was through this bustle that an irritable eight year old shoved her way. One hand clutching Hina's, Sui rather rudely cleared a path, growling at people to move aside and pushing past them. To her blind friend, the world was a whirl of innumerable chakra signatures, scents, and sounds. Without Suitopi to guide her, the heiress would have been overwhelmed by the input of information. Unfortunately, the girls had wandered onto one of the main roads, where restaurants, and their patrons, were plentiful, and were thus caught up in the crowd. No matter how Suitopi pushed and growled and shoved, they were pulled along with the tide to the point that they went in a full circle around one of the blocks. It was Hina who noticed this.

"Sui," she called in a small voice, "I recognize that smell…there's a tea shop over there cooking cinnamon buns. We've already passed it once."

Sui stopped for a moment. Then, she pushed sideways instead of forward. A few moments later, the pair staggered from the crowd and came to a halt before a cheerfully colored sign that did indeed proclaim that the shop served tea and pastries. Sui's eye twitched as she took it in. Then, in a fit of frustration, she stomped one foot into the ground and clenched her free hand into a fist.

"Son of a bitch!"

A number of the passing pedestrians and shop patrons turned disapproving eyes on the child who had so loudly vented her hard feelings for her situation. Hina regarded her friend with a dull look, blinking once in a way that bespoke silent judgement

"…you could have asked for directions at any time."

Sui shot her an agitated look. She could have. They both knew that to be true. But, that would mean she would have to admit she was lost. Kami forbid that ever happen.

"I don't need directions. We just need to wait until the crowd dies down and then go find the training fields. They can't be far."

Hina stared in her direction for a moment. Then, she heaved a sigh, turning her blind eyes away from the chakra signature that, to her, was Suitopi. The already warm 'colors' flared darker as the sigh raised the elder's ire.

"You have a problem with that plan?" she ground out.

Hina raised one small shoulder in a shrug, the action almost delicate if not for the amount of impudence it contained. The older girl's eye twitched as the mocking disdain that rolled in waves from the tiny child. While Suitopi was short for her age, she was solidly built at a normal size that matched her height. Hina, on the other hand, could only be described as dainty. Everything about her was small and oddly graceful, almost pixie like. Her pale skin, dark hair, and starkly blue eyes gave her an almost ethereal appearance, making it seem as though she really might be some sort of nymph child that had wandered from the forest and taken up residence among the mortals around her.

"It's a stupid plan," she said bluntly, "If we just asked, we wouldn't have to wander around. We could actually get training in and then be back in time for dinner."

Ethereal appearance or not, Hina did not have the personality of any sort of beautiful mystical being.

Suitopi scowled deeply, annoyance mounting. She took a breath, preparing to tell Hina just where she could shove her comments.

"You won't have to ask if I just tell you."

The playful statement came as such a surprise that Sui forgot what she was going to say to her diminutive companion. Together, the girls turned, seeking out the source of the voice. Standing behind them, where he most certainly had not been a moment ago, was a boy. Sui's green eyes narrowed as they fell on him, immediately sizing him up. He was tall for his age, practically towering over the two girls, and had the gangly figure of a youth who had a while yet before his transition to manhood. His dark, messy hair writhed from his head in a manner that bespoke boyish nonchalance and his black eyes were laughing despite only a small smile tugging at his lips. Sui, ever the one to seek out the flaws of another person, immediately picked out his somewhat wide nose and big ears, thinking to herself that they made him look a bit like a monkey.

Hina's blind gaze came to rest on where she sensed a bright rush of chakra. She didn't really need to face the person in order to sense them, but, her parents had said that if she 'looked' at someone when interacting with them it might make them feel more comfortable. She didn't particularly care, but, she'd been scolded enough to comply. From what she could sense, the boy was a shinobi. Those who had the ability to control and use their chakra often had stronger signatures than those who did not. A citizen's chakra was like a small, still puddle. A shinobi's was like a rush of fire. This boy was definitely the latter. She easily picked out the warm 'colors' of his fire chakra type, not so different from Suitopi's. Rather than being tinted with annoyance, however, his were lightened by good humor. Hina immediately felt that she could trust him. After all, there were few who could fool a Suishoku, even if they were among the best of liars. Chakra told no lies.

Sui's lips pulled down slightly in a frown as she folded her arms over her chest. Her blonde hair had been pulled back in the same style as her father's, and she further imitated him with the way her eyes narrowed in distaste.

"We aren't lost," she said firmly.

The boy's small smile widened, his eyes squinting as it turned into a full grin.

"No," he agreed, "You just don't know where you're going."

Suitopi's frown immediately turned into a scowl. The boy's chakra signature flared with amusement at her response. Hina cocked her head slightly, already even more inclined to like this newcomer.

"You said you'd tell us where to go?" she asked, turning to face him more fully.

Around them, the shop's customers came and went, ignoring the three children holding an odd sort of meeting near the entrance. The pedestrians on the street were equally ignorant of the goings-on. A meeting that held much more impact on the future than anyone could ever guess.

"I might," the boy's eyes shifted to Hina, taking in her blind gaze and dark hair, "What's your name?"

Not caring if he was really speaking to her or not, Hina gave him a smile and inclined her head, as her father had taught her to do when formally introducing herself. She even offered him a small curtsey, holding the edge of her short purple qipao as though it were a longer kimono.

"Hinagiku Suishoku. A pleasure to meet you," she stood upright, smoothing out her clothes again, "What's yours?"

The boy grinned, jamming his hands into his pockets, his dark eyes forced shut by the intensity of his smile.

"I'm Shisui Uchiha. Nice to meet you too!" he missed the way Suitopi's expression darkened when she heard his name, "You're from the Suishoku clan? That must be why I haven't seen you around the academy, then. Your clan trains their own, right?"

Hina gave a nod.

"We do. Father says it would be unfair for us to make the teachers try to compensate for our blindness in the classroom."

Shisui nodded, looking thoughtful.

"I see. That makes sense," he looked to Suitopi, blinking in surprise at her dark look, "What's your name?"

The air around her practically tinted with the negativity that suddenly rolled from her in response to that question.

"I'm not telling you, Uchiha."

Shisui frowned at her, the first unhappy expression he'd made thus far. He knew very well the history of the Uchiha and Suishoku. The latter had allied themselves with the Senju during their wars with the Uchiha. Their blindness had been a great advantage, as it kept them from being affected by the Sharingan's genjutsu. They had been invaluable with their sensory techniques and ninjutsu prowess. However, this girl was not a Suishoku. She did not bear any of the clan's physical traits, and was obviously not blind. She shifted slightly, placing herself a bit more between him and her blind companion. It was then that something clicked for him. Because of their blindness, the Suishoku were poor short-range fighters, weak in taijutsu and kenjutsu. The Uchiha had begun to target them in order to destroy the Senju's advantage over the Sharingan that came with the clan. In response to this, a clan that was friendly towards the Suishoku, the Hokkaido, began to act as their protectors. The Hokkaido were known for their close-combat capability and balanced out their blind counterparts' range techniques, making them a truly fearsome team.

Shisui was always observant. He quickly put together who this rude girl was in his mind. He knew that the Suishoku had recently welcomed the majority of the Hokkaido clan into their compound. He also knew that Suisen Hokkaido, whom he had read about in his history books, was currently serving as the head of the clan while his wife remained in Suitopi valley. Based on the resemblance this girl bore to the man pictured in the book, he was quite sure that she must be the clan leader's daughter.

His smile returned full-force with this conclusion in his reasoning.

"That's alright! I think that you're Suitopi Hokkaido…is that right?" Shisui asked cheerfully.

There was a mischievous look in his eyes as she glowered in return. Behind her, Hina smirked. The tiny girl admired the way he had managed to sound so nice while obviously returning Suitopi's verbal fire. She liked him already.

"Wow, Sui, he's good."

Sui cast Hina a glare in annoyance.

"Shut up, you midget."

Hina's smirk didn't diminish. She was unaffected by Sui's antagonistic speech, having put up with it for a week already. She pressed on, ignoring her older friend.

"So, Shisui, now that we're introduced, will you tell us how to get to the training field?"

Shisui gave a nod, unseen by the young heiress.

"Even better: I'll take you there," he paused, "But only if you let me train with you."

His voice was light as he made the stipulation. Light enough that Hina couldn't tell if he was teasing. She doubted he was, so, she shrugged.

"I don't mind," she said, at the same time Suitopi deadpanned a "Hell no."

The two girls looked at each other. Rather, Sui scowled at Hina while the latter turned her blind eyes on the mass of chakra where Sui was standing.

"Training with an Uchiha? You know our clans' histories! They can't be trusted!" Sui hissed to the smaller girl.

Hina frowned.

"That was like, a hundred years ago…It doesn't even matter anymore. We're all part of Konoha. And you're being rude. First you wouldn't introduce yourself, now you're saying we can't trust him because of his family name. He's being very nice, you know."

Sui opened her mouth to reply. Hina raised a hand to stop her before continuing.

"I will be going with Shisui, since he seems to have some sense. And a lack of prejudice. You can stay here and be lost if you'd like, since the only one who's offering us help is an Uchiha, who you dislike so much."

She stuck her nose up, looking every inch the spoiled brat, and marched over to Shisui. The boy had been watching the short exchange with something like amused confusion at their dynamics. There were others who didn't trust the Uchiha. He wasn't surprised by Suitopi's reaction. What did surprise him was Hina's defense. He'd been more than prepared to shrug and leave them to themselves. He didn't expect her to march over and, with some fumbling, wrap her tiny hands around his arm.

He looked back to Suitopi, who was glaring at Hina heatedly for having put her in an uncomfortable position. After a long moment of fuming, she growled out a "fine".

"Are you sure?" he asked, maintaining his light tone, "I don't want to cause problems between you-"

"We're sure," Hina cut in, smiling up at him, "Lead on."

There was a brief pause in which Shisui gauged the situation. Then, he smiled back at the diminutive girl. Sensing the shift in his emotions and taking it as her cue, Hina trailed her fingers down his arm until she could wrap her hand around his. She then extended her other hand to Sui. After a moment of glowering, Sui complied, grumbling about how they were all "too old for this hand-holding crap". Shisui chuckled and pulled them from the tea shop, back into the only slightly diminished crowd.

XXX

Suisen could tell that Kashikoi was tense. Outwardly, the Suishoku leader was as calm and collected as ever. His pale, blind eyes were as blank as the reflective pools to which he was so often compared. His dark hair had been pulled into a high tail, held with a purple ribbon. The nearly imperceptible press of his lips was made all the more visible by the severe style. He sat upright, his back straight. To anyone who didn't know him, he would merely look pensive and attentive. He was the Great Kosho. He had been working on appearing perpetually calm for years. But, Suisen had known him for far too long to be taken in by that façade. The blind man was on edge. As on edge as Suisen had seen him in a long time. Not that he blamed him. Their reason for being where they were was enough that the Hokkaido consort had felt the need to meditate beforehand to avoid an outburst. That wouldn't help his clan's cause at all.

The Storm took in a breath through his nose, steepling his fingers, his elbows on the armrests of the chair. Normally, shinobi visiting the Hokage stood while the village leader sat, a show of deference. But, as Kashikoi and Suisen were respected clan leaders who were there to discuss serious business, they had been offered seats. Kashikoi had accepted gracefully, but, Suisen knew that he had been much more relieved than he allowed others to see. He had pushed himself to keep up with Suisen's speed on their way to the Hokage's tower, carrying his cane rather than truly using it. He had paid for his actions, Suisen could sense that he was in pain. Still, he had been able to keep up. Which had been impossible when he first received the injury.

Suisen's expression tightened as he remembered that moment. It had been so sudden. They had been cornered, separated from their comrades. Tired, bloodied, and sore, they had strained their bodies and chakra to the limit in battle against their foe. It was all Suisen had been able to do to maintain his Kekkei Genkai, the Hokkaido clan's Okami-nai. It was a transformation jutsu of the highest caliber, so potent that it was almost shapeshifting. Suisen's was especially impressive, and very recognizable. His transformation of a golden wolf that stood at nearly the same height as a man when on all fours had made it obvious who he and Kashikoi were, and they had been heavily targeted. He had done all he could to protect his blind counterpart, holding the enemy back. Kashikoi had sensed their allies rushing towards their position and, when he told Suisen, distracted him for a moment. That moment had been all it took for an especially fast opponent to slip through his guard, appearing at Kashikoi's side and slicing down his leg with a bloodied katana. The pain had been blinding, passing through their bond and rebounding like a thunderclap. Suisen had reacted immediately, whirling in a flash of gold fur and tearing into the enemy's throat with a bestial rage. The damage was already done. Kashikoi had fallen into the blood-made mud, one hand clutching his leg. The only reason the wound hadn't been fatal was because his heightened sensory ability had warned him a split-second ahead of time, allowing him to shift and avoid a more devastating slash to the torso. The proud leader had been rendered helpless by the blow, pain clouding his sensory abilities. He was truly blinded. Suisen was forced to retreat with him, dragging him onto his back and sprinting away with the speed of a wolf that was not a wolf, leading the enemy into the line of reinforcements.

"And that's that," the snap of a folder closing pulled Suisen back to the present, to the office in which he sat and the old man across from him, "I would say that, within a few days' time, the Hokkaido will be able to move into a newly constructed compound near the wall."

Hiruzen smiled across his desk at the two men. Suisen nodded in gratitude.

"Thank you, Lord Third. It means a great deal to us that you personally handled this matter. I dread to think of what kind of issues would have arisen had you not."

He didn't miss the way Kashikoi's brow twitched, almost like he wanted to cock it but had refrained. Suisen could speak well when he wanted to. He just usually didn't care to.

The Third Hokage gave a sigh.

"Yes. That was my worry. But, fortunately, I was available for this undertaking. If I may speak bluntly, it will be good for the village to have such a powerful clan living within our borders, especially in conjunction with those already here….and particularly since the Suishoku already reside within Konoha. I understand that the Valley is important to the clan, but, know that, after this war ends, I will most certainly attempt to convince you to stay," Hiruzen gave Suisen a small, almost sly smile.

Suisen's returning smile was tight.

"You will have to discuss that with my wife."

Hiruzen nodded.

"I thought as much…" he trailed off and there was a brief pause, "Ah, yes. I believe we have another matter to attend to, do we not? The honoring of the agreement between your clans and the First Hokage."

If Kashikoi had been stiff before, he became nearly petrified when Hiruzen spoke those words. They were the words both men had been dreading. The meeting had begun in a relaxed manner, with the procuring of land. It was progress, a good thing. Refuge for the clan. But, both had known what would come next.

The offering of their daughters.

Suisen's fingers turned white as he laced them together tightly. If Hiruzen noticed, he gave no indicator.

"Yes," Kashikoi responded, his voice steady, "Our unregistered ninja who are of the proper capability will be added to Konoha's registry…" he trailed off.

His sightless eyes were fixed on the opposite wall, behind the Hokage. Suisen was almost jealous. Kashi could get away with it, being blind. Suisen had to work to hide his emotions.

Hiruzen nodded.

"I know this time will be…difficult for you, Suisen," he rumbled in his gravelly voice, "Your daughter, Suitopi, has already seen battle…and, I'm sorry to say, she will most likely be cleared for duty because of that…I have limited power over who is sent…" his eyes grew sad, "I suspect many of this year's graduates will be enlisted as combatants."

Suisen's nails dug into the backs of his hands as he worked to control himself. His natural inclination was to lash out, snap at the old man. But, he knew he was right. Combatants were needed. And the Hokage couldn't go around keeping certain individuals from the field. Especially not when Suitopi was already showing signs of awakening her Kekkei Genkai soon. Still, he couldn't help his fervent desire. She was still his baby. The day she had been sent into the field had torn him apart. He had nearly been injured in his own fight to protect the Valley while worrying for her during battle. Fortunately, she had emerged unscathed, and with the blood of the enemy on her kunai. Apparently, she and a few of the other young ones had gathered to form a makeshift squad and worked together to overwhelm their foes one by one or two by two. Some of them had fallen. But not Sui. Her spirit did not seem to be diminished by the deaths she had witnessed, and caused, but, he wasn't sure that she hadn't just buried whatever reactive emotion she'd had deep inside and refused to deal with it. Whatever the case, he didn't want her back in the fray. There were nights when he, a seasoned shinobi, woke up in a cold sweat, kunai in hand, his mind reliving past battles. He didn't want that for her.

He glanced over to see that Kashikoi had gone pale. Hiruzen seemed to have noticed as well.

"Kashikoi…has your daughter been approved by your elders?" he asked.

Kashikoi paused. Then, he nodded once, slowly.

"She has…she is very naturally gifted…and her Gotsuto-kan is developing well…she will be a powerful clan leader…"

He left off, and the unspoken ending of his sentence hung in the air: "If she survives". Suisen felt the darkness within him, that part of him that was the Wolf, rear its head and snarl. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to remain in control.

Hiruzen nodded, his expression somber.

"It pains me to ask this of you. But, the treaty that was made between your clans and the Village states that all children that meet the agreed standards will become registered Leaf Shinobi…regardless of age…or the political climate at the present time," he frowned, "In fact, it is even more important that this treaty be honored in times of war. The Suishoku and Hokkaido bond pairs are exceedingly valuable additions to our fighting forces…when you were injured, Kashikoi, there was a great deal of trepidation. And I know that there are many who are gladdened by the news of your progress in healing."

Kashikoi gave no response. He and Suisen knew very well what the treaty entailed. Just as they were aware of their position in the scheme of the war. They were clan leaders, among the most powerful shinobi of their families. And they, specifically, had made themselves into the legends they were. Not even in their thirties and already in the history books for their past deeds. They were influential politically, socially, and in the field of battle. Kosho to Arashi. Feared by the enemy, loved by their allies, respected by both.

Hiruzen continued.

"Are there any others who will be registering next month?"

Suisen took a deep breath, relaxing as best he could in the chair. He was almost sprawled in it, trying to keep himself calm and at ease.

"Yes. A handful from my clan. Many of our fighters are already registered and will be returning to the battlefield once the clan is settled properly. By next week, I will personally lead them back out. Yuri will remain in the valley, protecting our clan's secrets."

Hiruzen nodded and turned his gaze to Kashikoi. The blind man sensed that it was his turn and replied.

"One or two others from our side. They are both currently engaged in the preliminary bonding process."

Suisen made an affirmative sound. The Hokkaido were more numerous than the Suishoku, and bonded pairs were valuable because there were only so many to be had. A Hokkaido clansman was lucky indeed to find a good match among their sister clan. A bond required personal compatibility, as well as that of chakra. Then, each individual of the bond had to be strong enough to serve their purpose as a bondmate. It was a complex process, often beginning with a promising pair of children or young teenagers being introduced to each other so that they could enter into a friendship. If they were compatible, their relationship would progress to the bonding ceremony. The prospect of new pairs was always exciting for multiple reasons, not just their fighting prowess.

"Speaking of bonding," Hiruzen fetched his pipe and a cleaning cloth from a drawer, "Have your daughters shown any promise on that front?"

The two clan leaders exchanged a glance. It was habitual, as Kashikoi didn't actually have the ability to glance.

"We believe so. They appear to sometimes show animosity towards each other, but, we believe it to be the butting of two strong personalities and a bit of rough play," Kashikoi replied, "They're already quite close. They've hardly left each other's' side in the last week."

Suisen refrained from commenting. Neither child had many friends. They were isolated by their social standings. The clan children who played with them held them in esteem, not true friendship. When they'd found another child who understood what it was like to be an heiress, not even the small age gap and clash of their personalities could keep them from becoming friends.

"That is good," the Third Hokage said, not looking at his pipe as he cleaned it, "I suspect they will be a strong pair. They might even rival the two of you."

His lips quirked in a smile. Neither father responded, and the small joke fell flat. There was a brief, somewhat awkward pause. Then, Hiruzen sighed.

"I will ask that you bring your registrants her to sign their names in person, please. As soon as possible. I'd like the academy to have their information when teams are arranged."

Both clan heads nodded in agreement.

"We will do so," Kashikoi said in a neutral tone.

His stomach roiled and he fought an urge to place a hand over it.

The Hokage nodded in return.

"Very well…If we have nothing else to discuss, then, I formally dismiss you. I wish you both well."

Suisen stood quickly, feeling the need to get out of the office quickly. As images of his little Suitopi in battle flooded his mind, the Wolf within growled angrily. He could do nothing to spare her what she would undoubtedly witness. He moved to help Kashikoi up, unnecessarily, as the man wavered only slightly when his weight was put on his bad leg.

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," the Great Negotiator said, "Good day."

Together, the two men left the office, both wrapped up in thoughts of despair. And the innocence that would soon be rent away by what the war would bring upon their daughters.

"We have to bond them," Suisen muttered as they left the tower, "We can't afford not to. If they step into battle without a bondmate, they'll die."

Kashikoi nodded in agreement, limping along with his cane.

"Yes…But we will give them a bit yet. We should propose the idea to them tonight and let them think over it. Then, we will decide on our course of action."

Suisen gave a 'humph', but said nothing else. He would leave this plan to his friend, who had always been the one to strategize their plans on the field.

Together, they walked side by side, back into the village and towards the Suishoku compound, not another word exchanged between them.

I just about killed myself busting this chapter out. The thing about this story is that all the chapters are important, even the fun filler ones we've planned have serious character development. And they're each supposed to be at least ten pages on Word Doc., if not more, to keep things moving. Which takes quite a lot more effort than SaS. Good grief.

As I'm sick currently, I don't have much to say about this. Aside from that I just love Shisui. He's so freaking adorable. And he's going to be popping up a lot.

Hope you enjoyed! Please, leave a review!