"I remember that day so clearly- everyone who enters into a bond does. The day that you stop being a lonely island unto yourself and acquire a life-long friend. Someone you can always trust, who will always watch your back, who would sacrifice themselves for you. In a shinobi war, where deception and manipulation were weapons just as much as kunai and katana, this was invaluable. We didn't realize how much so until later."

During the time when the clans still warred, before Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were born into the world, there were many clans who allied themselves with those in power. The Suishoku allied themselves with the Senju, whereupon they became an invaluable tactical advantage. Unparalleled in their sensory abilities, and immune to the offensive effects of the Sharingan, they altered the tide of the war in the Senju's favor. For a short while. In their strength was also their greatest weakness. Their blindness saved them from the powerful genjutsu abilities of the Sharingan, but, it also opened them up to close attack. They were targeted by the enemy, and easily destroyed if left unprotected. Their ninjutsu prowess could not match the Uchiha's taijutsu when they were near enough. It became a gamble to attempt to use the Suishoku in battle. Yes, they were valuable, but, they also required strong guards to keep them alive.

In response to this problem, Suitopi Hokkaido, the matron of the time, approached Hidoku Suishoku, the leader of the blind clan. She proposed a solution, a risky venture that, if successful, would be beneficial to both clans. The Hokkaido were famous, even then, for their formidable Kekkei Genkai, the Okami-nai. Within each Hokkaido, the matron explained, laid a slumbering wolf. Those who knew how to call their wolf could take its form in battle, making themselves into powerful living weapons. But, to become the wolf was to let go of one's anchor to humanity. If a Hokkaido remained a wolf for too long, they would lose control completely, becoming little more than a beast, a danger to everyone around them.

In order to stop this from occurring, the Hokkaido had developed a method of linking one person to another, using a sealing process in which the two individuals' chakra was shared and imprinted onto their partner. The bonding worked only for those who showed great personal compatibility, and who had enough control over chakra that, should a Hokkaido lose themselves, their partner could subdue them. This meant that the bonding had to take place between a clan member and an outsider, as the Hokkaido could not restrain each other. If one were to lose themselves, the risk that they would pull their partner with them was too great. Only a few bonding attempts had been successful, and the Hokkaido were losing more and more warriors to their inner wolves every day that the war progressed. Hidoku agreed to make the attempt, offering his own son as the first Suishoku to enter into a bonding with a Hokkaido. The young heir had struck up a friendship with the Hokkaido princess, making him a suitable candidate based on personal compatibility. The young pair underwent the ceremony with unprecedented success, and the first Hokkaido-Suishoku pair was created. When the two entered battle together, they fought more fiercely than ever before. With the princess guarding him, the Suishoku heir was safe to use his sensory abilities and skill in ninjutsu. With her partner watching over her, the princess was able to use her wolf form to its highest capability without the worry of losing herself. Spurred on by this victory, the clans began to work closely together, bonding as many of their members as possible. Even after the clan wars ended and the Leaf was founded, the clans remained close, protecting one another and creating a deep-rooted friendship that lasted for generations. Together, they faced the enemies that threatened the Land of Fire, staunch allies of the Village Hidden in the Leaves and invaluable supporters of the Hokage.

Kashikoi's voice was as mild and soothing as a cool brook in a forest as he recounted the story. It was one that all Suishoku and Hokkaido knew, the history of their long friendship. While the Hokkaido possessed written records within their Valley, which lay among those things that Yuri, the clan matron, continued to protect, the Suishoku's records were all passed by word of mouth. A few braille documents were hidden away on sacred clan grounds, but, the Suishoku did not read, and therefore did not keep written record. Kashikoi had memorized the tale long ago, when he was still very young.

The Suishoku clan leader knelt on a raised stone platform, his hands on his knees. He wore only a pair of ceremonial hakama, having been divested of his shirt. At his side knelt Suisen, dressed much the same way. On each man's left shoulder was a mark that seemed to pulse, like a heartbeat, wrapping around the joint and spilling onto their chest and back in a large circle. Kanji pulsed inside each. Kashikoi's was fiery red, the name of his partner in the center. Suisen's contrasted with a calm blue. In the ceremonial shrine, it was tradition that the marks of those who were bonded be visible, displaying the pair's pride in their bond and what it symbolized. Two other bonded pairs had joined them for the ceremony, arranged on stone platforms as well, completing a triangle formation. One comprised of a pair of women, Elders who had fought together during the second shinobi war and were too old to enter combat now. Their white hair hung freely down their backs, pooling around their feet. Each wore a wrap about her chest and a pair of the required ceremonial hakama, revealing the scars left by a lifetime of fighting for their village, and for each other. The other was a fairly young couple who, after bonding as teenagers, had recently been married. The woman's eyes were dull and sightless as she faced the middle of the stone room. At her side, her husband knelt, his expression calm. There had been others who wished to participate, but, only two pairs were needed, one old and one young, for the ceremony.

In the center of the room, kneeling together as their predecessors did, were Suitopi and Hinagiku. Sui's blonde hair was piled up on her head, a few shorter strands hanging around her face. Hina's was braided elegantly down her back, leaving her shoulder bare for the ceremony. Like the other women in the room, both girls wore only a chest wrap and hakama. Around them, carved in the stone floor, was a perfect circle, symbolizing how they were to be separate from others in their bond, two souls twined together, one meeting the other in endless revolution. The two heiresses knelt facing their fathers, expressions muted. There was none of their usual shrewdness, just pride, and a bit of fear.

"We continue the tradition of bonding today, so that we may continue to protect each other and our allies. From this day, until the day that one of you moves on from this world and into the afterlife, you will be as two souls combined," Kashikoi intoned, finishing the required preliminary liturgy.

Over Suitop's head, Suisen met the gaze of Umei, an elder within the Hokkaido clan. She gave him the tiniest of nods. It had been Umei, and her partner, Fuu, who convinced him of the safety of the bond. He had been wary, since his and Kashikoi's daughters had known each other only a short time, and because they were so young. The elders had laid his fears mostly to rest, assuring him that both Suitopi and Hinagiku were of strong enough will that they would be a successful bonded pair. Indeed, Fuu had said, they showed an extreme amount of promise. Not as much as he and Kashikoi, but more than usual, particularly for their age. He returned the nod. Then, he turned his gaze on the children before him.

"Daughters of the Hokkaido and Suishoku, gathered with you are those who have gone before you. They will ask questions of you now to verify your willingness to enter into this bond and your understanding of all that is included in this rite."

He looked to Umei. The old woman held herself upright and spoke in a voice roughened by age.

"Daughters of the clans, do you enter into this contract with full awareness of all that it entails, and knowing that, once it is complete, you will remain as one until death sunders the bond between you? If so, answer 'I do'."

The heiresses answered as one, Suitopi strong and sure, Hinagiku soft and firm. Kashikoi drew a deep breath through his nose, maintaining his composure. He, and, no doubt, the other Suishoku in the room, could see the way his daughter's chakra fluctuated with a carefully controlled fear. His instincts told him to go to her, to gather her into his arms and hide her away from the world. But, logic told him that this was necessary. And that she would experience far worse in the future.

Fuu turned her blind eyes on the girls, expression impassive.

"Daughters of the clans, do you swear to protect the traditions and sacred secrets of the clans as its daughters and to, in the future, fulfil your duties to step into the role of leadership? If so, answer 'I do'."

Again, the children answered as such. Kashikoi felt the barest flicker of sadness from his partner. If they survived the war, their daughters would later become the matrons of their respective clans. Suitopi would follow in the footsteps of her namesakes, and Hina would fill her father's position. It would not be easy, for either of them. But, just as with the war, their parents hoped that, maybe, the bond would help them in that task.

Haru, the young Hokkaido man on the other pedestal, straightened, hard muscle straining against his skin. He was one of the largest Hokkaido warriors, and one off the most skilled. A member of Suisen's squad, he would be joining his clan's consort on the battlefield the following day. His wife would accompany him.

"Sister of my clan," his deep voice rumbled like a thunderclap, stern and unwavering. Hina's head turned toward him, just slightly. "For generations, your family has guarded mine, shielding us from the darkness of the Wolf. Now, you will step into that role of your own accord. Will you swear to protect the life of my kin, Suitopi Hokkaido, as though it were your own? Will you, if need be, shed your lifeblood in her defense? Will you remain by her side, no matter the situation, though it may end in your own death? If so answer, 'I will'."

Hina turned her head back to its original position so that she faced completely forward again.

"I will."

Haru's wife, Kala, seemed unable to keep from smiling despite the serious nature of the ceremony. She had always been very cheerful, though, especially for a member of the famously reserved Suishoku. A long scar on her side showed where her last venture into combat had nearly killed her, but, she had lost none of her bright personality.

"Sister of my clan-,"

Sui kept her eyes focused on her father as Kala repeated her husband's question. It was her way of anchoring herself. He had told her before the ceremony began that, if she ever began to feel afraid, she could look into his eyes and use his strength. As she gave the correct response Suisen nodded to her, almost in approval. She relaxed.

The Hokkaido consort sat upright, pulling his eyes from his daughter's.

"Sister and Brother of the Hokkaido clan, my child, Suitopi Hokkaido, sits before you. Do you believe her to be suitable for the completion of this ceremony?"

Kashikoi couldn't help but hold his breath. He always did when that question was asked. As head of the clan, he had overseen many bonding ceremonies. Based upon the demeanor of those within it, those present would decide whether or not to complete it. For instance, if a member of a potential pair showed that they were unable to stand the intensity of the beginning portion, or demonstrated disrespect in their attitude, the ceremony would end there, with instruction for the offending individual to return when they were fully prepared. It had happened more than once. However, neither Suitopi nor Hinagiku had demonstrated any reason to be withheld from bonding.

Umei answered for both Hokkaido clan members at a nod from Haru.

"We do."

Kashikoi relaxed slightly before speaking.

"Sisters of the Suishoku clan, my daughter, Hinagiku Suishoku, sits before you. Do you believe her to be suitable for the completion of this ceremony?"

"I do," Fuu replied, short and to the point.

Kala smiled, her eyes squinting almost to closing. This was her first bonding ceremony, beside her own, and she was visibly excited. Kashikoi could see the way her chakra shifted and brightened as they drew closer to the bonding proper.

"As do I."

Kashikoi heard a rustle of clothes as Suisen stood.

"With the approval of the clans, I, Suisen Hokkaido, husband of Yuri Hokkaido, matron of the Hokkaido, and partner of Kashikoi Suishoku, leader of the Suishoku, sanction this bonding. Is my partner in agreement?"

"I am," Kashikoi responded, standing as well. His loose hair, dark as night, fell nearly down to his waist and brushed over his bare skin. He knew that Suisen had also forgone his customary tail. It was tradition that those who had already been bonded appeared in as close to a natural state as possible without revealing intimate body parts. This was to symbolize that, within a bonded pair, there was no need for secrets or for shame.

"Let us begin."

Kashikoi could hear Suitopi's breathing pick up as he and her father neared the circle in which the girls knelt. Her chakra pulsated with fear and something like determination. Hina seemed to have stopped breathing entirely. She was unnaturally still. He and Suisen took their positions, standing just outside the circle, Kashikoi facing them, Suisen behind them. The other pairs moved to complete a ring. In tandem, the Elders and the young couple began to chant, their hands moving through signs with purpose. Kashikoi laid a hand on Hina's head, the other on Sui's. Suisen did the same. The Suishoku leader's lips moved silently as his blind eyes slipped half shut. He could feel Suisen tapping into his chakra, preparing the seal. Meanwhile, Kashikoi used his chakra to draw on the girls'. Those whose Gosuto-kan was well-developed, and who had learned to use in conjunction with chakra manipulation, were able to manipulate others' chakra to an extent. It was similar in some ways to what the Hyuuga did with their Gentlefist techniques, and yet different. It was also part of the reason that the Suishoku had been the most promising clan to whom the Hokkaido could bond in the old days.

Suisen's hands shifted to the girls' left shoulders, Kashikoi's moving to cover them. Around the heiresses, the carved circle glowed. While Kashikoi and Suisen performed the seal that would link their chakra, the other four were charged with completing the secret jutsu that would truly bond them. Kashikoi reached for Suisen's chakra as well. The mutual act of doing so sent a rush through his body, as though he had suddenly become invincible, able to take on every enemy nation in the war and emerge victorious without a single scratch. It was a common side-effect. He felt Suisen's unspoken question of his readiness and gave a thought of affirmation. Together they spoke.

"Wolf God Seal!"

Kashikoi could feel Hina tense beneath his hand, no doubt fighting the urge to pull away as the fire nature of Sui's chakra burned her skin. He could remember the same sensation when he bonded with Suisen. At the same time, Sui shuddered violently, as though doused in cold water. It was directly after that the four others formed their last handsign.

"Secret Jutsu: Soul Bond!"

Both heiresses jerked as the circle around them flared, the jutsu taking hold. Then, they slumped, the force of the bonding rendering them unconscious. Kashikoi quickly caught them, taking a knee to do so. Sui draped awkwardly over his arm while Hina's small body slid against his side. It was not uncommon for young pairs to be unable to handle the suddenness of the bond taking effect, but, that didn't stop a worry bordering on panic from flaring within him. Suisen stepped back, maintaining his composure despite the same emotion building within him. Fuu and Umei both slumped, the effects of such a draining jutsu taking a toll on their elderly bodies. Haru shook his head, much like a dog shaking something off its nose. Kala continued to smile, though it was tinged with exhaustion.

"It is done," Fuu said, "The seals are in place. And I can see that their chakras are linked accordingly."

Kashikoi could see it too, the way that the warm colors of Sui's fire nature and coolness of Hina's water bled together under their seals.

"Suisen?"

The blonde man inspected each seal, so very similar to his and his partner's. They had already begun to pulse, their colors matching that of the other's chakra nature. Like a vibrant tattoo, the four characters of each name stood out on their partner's shoulder.

"Their seals have already settled. Everything seems to be progressing as it should. They just need to sleep to adjust."

He reached down and took Sui from his partner, swinging her easily into his arms. She laid limply against his chest, her childish face relaxed, her mouth hanging slightly open. His expression softened. This was how she should look, all the time. This ceremony shouldn't have taken place until after both she and Hina were at least twelve. The bonding had gone smoothly, but, would there be complications later, as their bodies changed with puberty? Only time would tell. He pulled her close, tucking her against his chest. The next day, he would leave for battle. In less than three weeks, the graduation ceremony for the academy would take place and the girls would be given a sensei and teammate to go into battle with. He pressed his lips to her forehead. The blue mark on her shoulder suddenly made it all the more real.

Suisen was barely aware of Umei and Fuu bowing as they departed, but managed to bid them goodnight and thank them. Haru and Kala followed after conversing briefly with Kashikoi. The two leaders were left alone, their unconscious daughters in their arms. Hina was still small enough that Kashikoi was able to press her cheek to his shoulder and hook one arm under her backside, the other tucked around her back so that his hand rested in her hair. He held her like a toddler who had become too tired to walk, subconsciously rocking her, his cheek pressed against her hair. Suisen took in the pained expression on his partner's face, the way his eyes were squeezed shut and his lips pressed into a thin line. Here, when it was just the two of them, Kashikoi let his true feelings show. He stroked Hina's black hair, as though soothing her as she slept.

"Will this even help, Suisen?" he asked, his voice a rasp, "Will bonding them like this ensure their survival?"

Suisen looked at his daughter again, taking in her sleeping face.

"Nothing can ensure a shinobi's survival…but, yes, this will help."

It has to.

The genin graduation ceremony was one of the worst experiences of Sui's life. Three weeks of worry over her father, and adjustment to the weird feeling of Hina being in her mental periphery, capped off with being forced to march across a platform in front of a crowd of people in order to pick up a headband and be patted awkwardly on the back by a teacher she'd never met before. It was only made worse by the fact that her father wasn't there. Her mother's absence was something she had grown accustomed to in the past few months, she understood why it was. But her father's return to war had hurt, and she still wasn't used to it. For nearly three weeks, she'd gotten up in the morning, expecting him to be there. Seeing only Hina's mother in the kitchen each day had hurt more than she thought it would. As had seeing only Hina's mother in the crowd of proud and worried parents of the other kids, though, the blow was lessened by the clan members who had thought to come in her father's absence. At eight years of age, she allowed the Hokage to hand her a Leaf hiate and congratulate her on joining the ranks of active shinobi, an echo of the 'thank you' he'd given her when she went to register two weeks previous. That had only been three days after the bonding ceremony.

The highlight of the day was when Hina walked across the platform. She reached to the teacher and turned the wrong way to allow him to shake her hand, extending it toward the audience. Awkwardly, he turned her to face him and placed his hand in hers. Then, when she reached the Hokage, she patted about the air in front of him, trying to find his hand until he finally grabbed her wrist and put her hand over his own to give her the hiate. Sui knew that she had done it on purpose, playing up being blind to annoy those around her. So did Shisui, if his grin was anything to go off of. When he walked across the platform, the gathered Uchiha clapped loudly, proud of the seven-year-old who had proved himself a genius. Hina had turned seven a week earlier, but, there had been only a small celebration, the joviality subdued by the war.

It had been Shisui who saved Hina's birthday. He had been with them nearly every day since their fathers' returned to the battlefield, and even stood with the girls at the gate to see the fighters off. Despite Suisen's scowl in his direction, he had remained upbeat the entire time, waving to those departing with a 'see you soon!'. Since then, he'd done his utmost to keep his friends from despairing. When Hina turned seven, the Uchiha had procured a number of small fireworks and taken the heiresses to one of the more secluded training grounds. Through methods that he refused to share, he'd infused each with a small bit of his own chakra so that, when they exploded, Hina would be able to see them in the warm 'colors' of his fire nature type. It was the most thoughtful thing anyone outside her family had ever done for her. She'd repaid him by throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his chest, surprising him. Still, he had returned her embrace and, for a moment, they had just been children celebrating together.

When Shisui had revealed that he too would be graduating to the rank of genin in May, both girls had expressed a desire for him to be on their team. Though none of the children really had a say in the matter, all would feel more comfortable interacting with those they already knew. In the month since they had met, they had grown close, driven together by circumstance. Fortunately for them, one Yuuki Suishoku had been listening one day as the children sat together in her kitchen, bemoaning their inability to coordinate their own teams.

Yuuki Suishoku was not as eloquent as her husband, nor did she have his natural talent for negotiation. But, before she had become a housewife, Yuuki had been considered for bonding with one of the Hokkaido heiresses, the girl who eventually grew into the Yuri Hokkaido of the modern day. It was her decision to give up her shinobi training that had ended her candidacy. Yuri Hokkaido was just as much of a burning ember as her husband, strong of will and spirit. And Yuuki, her childhood friend, was no less so. While she was quieter in bearing, she was tenacious and had an unbendable will. It was for this reason that a blind housewife was left as the leader of a shinobi clan while her husband was away. These things, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew. And it was because of these things that, when Yuuki Suishoku arrived in his office soon after her daughter had registered as a genin, he listened to her very carefully. She had explained to him, blind eyes blazing with a quiet determination, the bond that had formed between the heiresses and the young prodigy from the Uchiha clan. And what that bond could mean for the future.

"Our clans have been at odds since the time before the village's founding. Yet here is a friendship born out of the pure need a child has for companionship, and a similarity in levels of ability. They are all very skilled, and they have already trained together for nearly a month. Their chances of survival, and of mending the bridge between the Hokkaido and Suishoku and the Uchiha, will greatly increase if they are placed together. Politics aside, there is also the matter of Suitopi's Kekkei Genkai. It will awaken soon, and, if Hina is unable to keep her tethered to her human side, having an Uchiha present would be wise. If his eyes are as strong as they are hoped to be, he could cast a genjutsu on her in order to maintain her sanity, rather than losing the Hokkaido heiress to her inner wolf," Hiruzen opened his mouth to speak, assuming she was finished, but, she drew herself upright and continued, "My husband has reminded me time and time again that we are at war, and that this is the reason I must sacrifice my daughter. If I must do so, then allow her at least the comforts of being with her friend."

The Third Hokage pursed his lips, hearing the unspoken addendum to that. "If she should die, let her do so with the comfort of her friends around her". There was sound logic in her argument, as well as the desperation of a mother. Hiruzen felt a tug of pity in his heart and, after a moment of deliberation, gave a nod.

"Very well, Lady Yuuki, your argument is well made. If you believe that this will increase the children's chances of survival, so be it."

That was how the Third Hokage solidified a very old alliance.

Of course, the children were unaware of the matron's meddling and continued to hope that they would be placed together. Hina and Sui would, of course. What was the point in their bonding if they were not? But Shisui, the youngest of his class and still an outsider, disliked the idea of being put into a group of strangers. Believing this to be a distinct possibility, the children had remained side-by-side as much as possible, instigating a sleepover at Shisui's house at his insistence. His mother, an esteemed Uchiha kunoichi who had been held in reserve while her husband joined the war, showed no signs of dislike for the friends their son had found, despite the history of their clans. On the night between the graduation and the assignment of teams, she cooked a large hot pot meal and joined the children at the table so as to discuss jutsu, combat techniques, and the like with them.

Neither Sui nor Shisui saw the way her smile did not quite reach her eyes as she surveyed the trio of children who were about to become soldiers.

After the dishes were cleared and cleaned and it was time to settle in, the three built themselves a large nest of extra pillows and blankets, cocooning themselves on the floor of Shisui's room. They were far too young for his mother to worry about untoward behavior, and, so, she merely turned off the lights and wished them goodnight, chuckling softly as three little heads stuck up from the nest to tell her the same.

For a long while, the three lay in the darkness, Hina between Sui and Shisui. Sui had complained that he 'stinks like boy' and refused to sleep next to him. He had taken her insults in stride, as he always did, and laughingly reminded her that he was a boy. Grumbling, Sui had shoved Hina between them and they had bedded down. The only sound in the room was their breathing, too quick for any of them to truly be asleep.

Hina's small hands burrowed under the blankets to find those of her friends, her tiny fingers curling around them.

"We will be okay," she whispered, "Even if we're not on the same team, we will take care of each other. Always. And none of us are going to die."

Sui did not reply, though her grip on Hina's hand tightened. Shisui squeezed her hand briefly before relaxing his hold. By unspoken agreement, the three children huddled closer together in their nest, a tangle of small limbs nestled in the softness of the blankets. For a time, that brief time before sleep took them, they felt safe and secluded, as though the war didn't exist. As though nothing existed beyond the solitude of the bedroom. For a short while, they were able to drift away, content in the knowledge that they had each other and that, for now, they were safe.

*Crawls back eight months later*

So...summer was not free, and it was followed by the busiest semester I've ever had. And my muse for this one decided to do some kind of weird, spastic thing where it would pop in and then just leave.

Fortunately, my cowriter said 'move your butt' and gave me a few kicks and, viola. Here we are, the plot's finally taking off, and it's going to get very exciting very soon.

On to reviews!

Guest: Thanks for you kind words! I hope you enjoyed this (long in coming) chapter!

TheinfamousA0: I'm so sorry to keep you waiting! Hopefully, the next chapter won't take nearly as long!

As it's getting close to my bedtime, that's all for now folks. Stay tuned and catch us in the next chapter. And don't forget to check out some of my cowriter, Melissiaew's, amazing Naruto stuff as well!