Um...so I really hope I'm not completely bullshitting you all with my changed plotlines...and I honestly didn't intend for the past couple of chapters to drag on as much as they have but...oh well I'm liking this! Hopefully I get the fight betweein Chinatsu and Ari resolved (finally) in the next chapter...which will then lead to climax which will then lead to end. Oh man, we're getting close guys! I'll try not to get sentimental just yet, but I want to thank you guys yet again for your continual support and extremely kind reviews! You all are the best!
Ari
"M-Mom…" I breathed in shock. My mother leapt off the Juubi's head, under Madara's control as she stood to face me.
"That bastard," Mom cursed, "how did he manage to summon me anyway? Much less control me?"
"It's called the Edo Tensei," I stepped forward explaining, "the Impure World Resurrection brings the dead back to life, controlling them like puppets. Madara was brought back using this jutsu as well…but he defied it. I guess he found a way to control you."
Mom jumped and turned her attention to me and she narrowed your eyes, "apparently you are the one I am going to be forced to kill. But just who are you? What is your purpose?"
My eyes widened and I faltered for a moment. Did she not recognize me or something?
"Wait a minute, you're supposed to kill her?" Naruto's voice cracked. He glanced at me nervously and I took in a shaky breath.
"It doesn't surprise me," I heard Dad say, "The Juubi is still incomplete after all and you and Hana both have massive chakra reserves, though the majority of it is blocked in your half-human state. And, after all Ari, your mother died when you were a small child and you've grown into an adult. Do not be hurt that she does not recognize you."
"That voice…Kurama?" Mom's eyes glistened. It seemed that she could speak to the Tailed Beasts through telepathy as well. "Boy, are you the current host of the Nine-Tailed Fox?"
"Y-yeah," Naruto gulped.
Mom glared fiercely at him and snarled, "then regardless of my orders, I will kill you as well."
"WHAT?" Naruto shrieked, jumping behind me, "why are moms always so scary?"
"Get a hold of yourself, Naruto," I growled at the boy. I then took a step forward and lifted my hand, "Mother, don't kill him. This boy is precious to me, and you are in a different era now. Naruto has befriended Dad, there's no need to feel hatred towards him."
At that, Mom gave me a confused look and only proved to me that I had inherited her analytical skills when she asked, "why are you calling me your mother? Just who are you?"
"I'm your daughter, genius!" I snapped, "It's me! Ari! Remember? You sent her 80-something years into the future for whatever reason?"
At that, Mom's eyes widened in shock as she panicked, "Ariala! What—what's going on? Why am I supposed to kill you?"
"Because it's Madara!" I snapped.
Mom then looked at Naruto and then glared at me, "Ariala, this boy has sealed your father away, why are you protecting him?"
"A lot has changed," I explained stiffly, "just trust me on this one."
"Listen to her, Chinatsu," Dad's voice came out of Naruto's mouth as he used the boy's body, "this boy is different from the others. He is like you and Ari. You can trust him."
Mom grimaced and unsheathed her sword, readying herself for battle. She looked back to me and said in a sad voice, "it doesn't matter whether I can trust that boy or not, I can't control my body. Ari, I'm going to kill you!"
"Not on my watch!" Naruto growled, switching with Dad, "Ari, we can take her!"
"No, Naruto!" I placed my hand in front of him, keeping him from charging. I then looked up at the unconscious Hana in Madara's arms and let out a low growl as my eyes turned a blood red, "this is my fight."
"But Ari-!"
"Your job is to stop the Juubi. Leave Hana and my mother to me. Please," I begged.
Naruto lowered his head and began to talk back to me when Dad spoke up in a sad voice, "she's right Naruto. If anyone can take on Chinatsu, it's Ari. The duty of the child is to surpass their parents, and the duty of a parent is to protect their child until they are old enough to surpass them. Only Ari can stop Chinatsu and save Hana at this point. Trust her."
"Alright fine," Naruto spat, but then he looked at me with sad blue eyes, "but that also means that it's my job to surpass you, Ari, you were practically my mom after all. So if you get in trouble, don't get mad at me if I try to help you, got it?"
I chuckled to myself. He really thought that way about me? "Alright," I said, "but protect yourself first. That's also the job of the child: not to die before their parents."
With that, Naruto took off towards the Juubi's head as Dad reformed, ready to face Madara and Obito. I looked up at the dynamic duo. I had to get Hana away from them somehow…but how? And what did they want with her?
"You don't need to concern yourself just yet, Ariala," Madara spat at me, "I cannot rip the chakra out of this child until she has awoken."
My eyes widened as he said that. Hana…whatever you do, don't wake up!
"Ari, keep your eyes on your opponent!" Mom ordered as she lifted her sword at me. I jumped and drew my twin swords. She then scolded as she charged towards me, "have you learned nothing in all these years of training and growing up?"
"Good to see you too, Mother!" I spat, deflecting her sword. Our blades clashed several times. Damn, my mother was strong! No wonder she was feared as the Woman who Tamed the Bijuu. We danced around each other for the longest time, neither of us able to gain any ground. I kept glancing back to Hana, hoping she hadn't stirred yet.
"How hard did you knock her out?" I asked Mom, "and how long ago?"
"I struck her in the pressure point on the neck," Mom answered, "though I wasn't fully conscious myself so I have no idea how long it's been."
Knowing Mom's strength, I figured she struck Hana hard enough to keep her out cold for a few hours in the least. But depending on how long it took her to get from Konoha to here…I gulped and hoped I could figure out a way to save her before she woke up.
"So that child…is she…your daughter?" Mom asked me, "Who's the lucky man?"
I frowned at that, allowing myself to get distracted. Mom saw the opening and sliced my shoulder then knocked me backwards with the hilt of her katana. I grunted as I flipped over and landed on all fours, skidding back a little.
"She's technically Tabi's," I answered her, "but with everything that was going on, she entrusted me to raise Hana."
Mom frowned, coming at me again as she asked, "so there's no man in your life?"
"Well there is," I answered, but then frowned, feeling as if I had been struck in the head with a wave of sorrow, "or…was…he died though…"
Mom narrowed her eyes and firmly gripped my lower jaw under my chin. I panicked as I thought she was trying to choke me, but memories of Itachi flashed through my mind in a blur and I realized she was probing my mind. She then frowned and sighed, "no wonder you're so grief-stricken. It wasn't his time."
"What?" I snapped in horrid confusion, "Mom, he had a heart condition!"
"That means nothing," Mom answered, closing her eyes as she prodded more into my personal life, "he wasn't meant to die…wait a minute…an Uchiha?"
Uh-oh. Mom's rage broke as she let out a really really angry roar as she unleashed her chakra chains, wrapped them around me, and then threw me as hard as I could. And I had a feeling that her attack wasn't exactly because she was being controlled.
"Mom! What the hell?" I growled back at her as I spat out some blood in my mouth.
"Why are you dating an Uchiha?" Mom snapped at me, "those bipolar bastards are so emotionally unstable! They're worse than a woman on her period! And look at what one of them did to your father!"
I groaned and hastily stood on my feet, "Well, if you had snooped through my personal life anymore, you would have been able to see that Itachi was a little different!"
"He destroyed his clan?"
"On orders!"
"He screwed his brother over, that's for sure…"
"Mom!" I snapped at her, "I don't think you're in the position to be judging who I can and can't love, Ms. I'm-Eloping-With-The-Nine-Tailed-FOX!"
Mom in turn groaned and gave me a mildly disgusted look as she said, "okay…you win. But watch out!"
I leapt into the air as mom came at me with jutsu after jutsu. First a fire style, then a wind style, and then a light release. What in the world? "How many elements are you able to use?"
"All of them!" Mom replied, "My father, Mito, and I were all gifted with the Light Release which is a combination of every single element. We could break up the individual elements or use combinations of two or more. That's part of what makes the Uzumaki clan so unique and also what allows us to use such powerful seals."
"Wait, can I do that too?" I asked, baffled as I dodged several of her attacks.
"Can you use Light Release?" she asked.
"Yeah!" I responded.
"Then you can use all of the elements!" Mom cheered, "that's the best way to defeat me!"
I groaned, "but so far I've only ever been able to use Wind and Water Style…and maybe a pitiful attempt at Lightning Style."
"Well you better figure out Fire and Earth pretty fast because even I don't know what I'm going to dish out next!" Mom snapped at me. She unleashed a long chakra chain and flung it at me, I responded with my own chain and as our collided, they tied together, causing the two of us to skid towards each other.
"Agh! Can this day get any worse?" I groaned angrily.
And as if to answer my question, I heard Madara chuckle, "finally, she stirs."
I jumped and looked up. Hana squirmed in Madara's arm and lifted her head. Looking around, her eyes widened in a panic and she let out a whimper.
"HANA!" I screamed. I took off towards the Juubi, which thrashed around violently. I managed to avoid its attacks and run up its arm, but Mom chased after me.
"Ari, look out!" she warned, but with my back to her, I failed to see her leap behind me and strike my shoulder again, causing the wound to open even deeper. I cried out as I collapsed on the Juubi, sliding back down its arm slighting. I maintained enough traction to stay midway up the monster's arm, but I was in so much pain in that moment that I could barely muster up the strength to stand.
"ARI!" Naruto cried out as he and Dad attacked the Juubi with full force, "Ari get up! We've got trouble!"
"I know that!" I growled, struggling against my mother. By this point we were wrestling and I struggled to keep her sword away from me. "Don't worry about me! Save Hana!"
"You're too late," Madara scowled. He lifted Hana by the back of her nightgown and held her in the air. A chord similar to the one which had been attached to his and Obito's necks came up and wrapped around the girl's waste. Hana let out a scream as it tightened around her. "The Juubi will suck up all of her chakra and destroy this half-breed within the hour. And then you're next, Nine-Tailed Brat."
Hashirama
He stared at this young Uchiha before him who demanded answers. He was elated to know that there was a fourth and even a fifth hokage. Though how Tsunade handled the job was a mystery…
"Itachi, my brother, was used by the village," the boy, Sasuke explained with a stern look, "but still he risked his life to protect it. He even died proud to be a shinobi of the Leaf. He killed his comrades and he himself died to protect the village. So just what is it? And the shinobi who created all this…what are they? I want to hear the truth from you, before making my decision…whether to take revenge on the leaf…or…"
The boy didn't finish, but his words were enough to rile Tobirama. "Revenge on the Leaf?" the second hokage asked, outraged, "you are so possessed by Uchiha's evil, brat! I am going to…"
Tobirama readied himself for battle, but Hashirama released a wave of chakra and warned, "Tobirama." The walls of the temple which they stood in cracked and started to crumble from the shaking earth that resulted from Hashirama's outburst as he continued, "lower your fingers."
Groaning, the younger brother did as he was told and sighed, "Fine. But you don't have to rouse your chakra so much, Brother."
At that, Hashirama smiled and he let out a hearty laugh, "Sorry! Sorry!" He then began to think, unable to keep his smile down. As tragic as this young man's life must have been, it made the Senju proud to know that there had been an Uchiha born with such a great resolve. What an empowering shinobi Itachi Uchiha must have been. "Anyway," Hashirama said, "You had a really great brother, Sasuke. He's a better shinobi than me! I can tell you about the village, but it's a very long story."
At that, Orochimaru stepped in and asked, "if possible, please only tell him what he wants to know. We don't have too much time."
"And what do you mean by that?" Hiruzen, the Third Hokage asked.
"We are currently at war," Orochimaru explained, "Madara Uchiha was revived and is planning to erase all shinobi from this world."
The four Hokage froze, remaining silent. Hashirama sighed heavily and said, "this world is always at war…"
But the chakra he sensed…he could definitely feel that at least two of them belonged to the Kyuubi and the Hachibi. But why were they running loose? The First Hokage then felt a pang of guilt, how he regretted having to seal one who had once been a comrade away. He was the lover of his younger sister, Chinatsu. And the father of his niece. But with the rampage Kyuubi had left, and with Chinatsu and Ariala both gone…what did he have left anyway? It was such a tragic ending…
But wait…Hashirama could've sworn that he felt Chinatsu's chakra as well, but her chakra was off, as if she had been revived and was being controlled. And this chakra she was fighting as well…it was that of an Uzumaki's that was for sure. But it wasn't…entirely human. That couldn't mean…
"Then we should head to the battlefield too!" Hiruzen spoke up, interrupting Hashirama's thoughts.
"You are being controlled by my Edo Tensei," Orochimaru then countered, "I can limit your movements. If you want to go there, you can do it after we finish talking."
Sighing heavily, Hashirama took a moment to break free of Orochimaru's control with a quick release of some more chakra as Hiruzen argued, "We can talk later! Do you understand how serious the situation is if Madara is back?"
"I am on the boy's side," Orochimaru answered, "if Sasuke is not satisfied, I might even use you all to crush the Leaf."
Hashirama cocked his head to the side. This fool wouldn't do that. But Sasuke…he was surrounded in hatred, if Sasuke wasn't satisfied, he would do more than try to take revenge on the Leaf. His love for his elder brother, for his family, was far too great. Itachi may have had the resolve of a Hokage as Hiruzen ahd said earlier, but Sasuke was still engulfed in his clan's curse.
"Orochimaru, I think you misunderstand," Tobirama spoke up. Hashirama grimaced, brother…just stop talking. Please. The Second Hokage continued, "Having improved the accuracy and efficiency of this jutsu was your mistake. This time we were brought back to this world at almost your full power and I will not let you restrain me. I was the one who devised this jutsu. It cannot be helped, I am going!"
Despite Tobirama's efforts, Orochimaru made a hand seal and froze the man in place. At that, Hashirama smiled and said to the Third Hokage, "Sarutobi, you've raised a fine shinobi. Well then! Do not worry, Orochimaru, I will free this boy from the ill feelings restraining him. I don't know what this boy will choose after hearing my words, but if I ignore him, he will undoubtedly become a new Madara."
"Aah," Tobirama groaned, "do as you want, Brother."
With that, Hashirama took a seat on the ground, but unable to ignore the three chakras he was sensing Hashirama asked to anyone in the room who knew the answer, "but before I begin…is there a girl with the name of Ariala Uzumaki living at this time?"
"Uzu…maki?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "You can't be talking about Ari Drake, can you?"
The Fourth Hokage Minato was the first to speak up, "yeah! Ari, she…well, my wife Kushina and I found her unconscious at the outskirts of the village several years ago. Because of her heritage, we told her to go under the name of Ariala Drake to keep enemies from discovering her. But I haven't seen her since she was a child. I don't know how she fairs now."
"She grew up to be a fine shinobi, Minato," Hiruzen answered, "she raised Naruto after you two died she and Itachi Uchiha were feared as the Ultimate Tag Team of the Leaf before Itachi left the village. Though when Itachi left…I'm not sure how, but I think she might have known about the real reason for Itachi's actions. His mission was top-secret, but Ari knew Sasuke's elder brother well enough that I'm not sure his reasons for the massacre convinced her."
At that, Sasuke stared at the ground, his eyes so full of sorrow, it broke Hashirama's heart as the boy said, "oh, she knew about Itachi alright. When I last saw her…after I found out the truth about Itachi…I found out that she had married him."
"What?" Minato asked. He then chuckled lightly and stated, "I guess Kushina and Mikoto were right then…"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Sasuke snapped.
"Oh…I'll explain later," Minato sighed.
Hashirama frowned, "So my niece is alive after all. That's fantastic! But…to have married your brother, I wonder what suffering she had to endure…probably as much as you have Sasuke, I'm sure. But anyway, I've distracted myself. To tell you about the village and shinobi, I must start with the Uchiha and the Senju…and I must tell you my story…"
Ari
I stared up in horror as the Juubi sucked chakra from Hana. Her eyes were rolled to the back of her head and her mouth hung open as if she were trying to scream, but no sound came out of her mouth. I struggled to reach her, but every time I tried to make a run for it…my mother was just too fast.
"No!" I wept, beginning to panic, "This can't be happening!"
"She's not dead yet!" Dad barked at me, "there's still time!"
"You think you have time?" Madara asked with a smirk, "Please. This child is as good as dead!"
"Hana!" I cried out for what was probably the millionth time. I was not going to lose my baby! In a desperate attempt, Naruto made a shadow clone which jumped out of Dad's mouth and made way to attack Madara and Obito with a Rasengan. He only slipped through Obito and Madara turned to stab him, causing the clone to disappear. I finally kicked my mother off of m with enough force to send her back to the ground and ran up the Juubi's shoulder. The monster chased me, spinning wildly trying to grab me, but I finally reached the top of its head, ready to face Madara head on.
"Let. My daughter. Go," I snarled.
Apparently I had said something absolutely hilarious. Madara began roaring in laughter as he glared at me with that hideous Rinnegan as he said, "You sound just like your father, you know that? Well, I guess you'll end up just like him then."
"You shut your trap, you filthy bastard!" Dad roared in response. He opened his mouth and unleashed a Bijuu Bomb, aiming it towards the Juubi's feet. It was just big enough to cause the Ten-Tails to fall backwards and onto its butt. The shock was just enough to leave a crack in the chord which was strangling Hana. This was my chance. If I could just pull her out of there…
I ran up to Hana and grabbed her under her arms and tried to pull her out, but the chord only tightened and Hana let out a small scream. A tentacle then came up and grasped me by the ankle and I yelped as it began sucking chakra out of me as well.
"This is the end for both of you!" Madara called out.
"Dammit!" I cried out as the chord wrapped around me so tightly that I couldn't move. My arm stuck out awkwardly, barely able to graze Hana with my fingertips. It was amazing how fast the Juubi was sucking the chakra out of me. It grew harder and harder to remain conscious. I had to get out of this…I had to save Hana…!
"Let her go!" Dad roared, he then turned back to the Eight Tails and pleaded, "Bee! Gyuuki! I need your help!"
"Right on!" Bee called out, rushing to Naruto's and Dad's side. They unleashed another round of Bijuu bombs, but it did little good, the Juubi's hold on us was too strong. It was growing harder and harder to keep my eyes open, it felt as if my very life was being ripped out of me.
"Hana…" I croaked, "Please…stay…alive…! I'll…save you…!" But as I struggled to form the words, everything turned to darkness.
"Ari, Hana, take some of my chakra," a voice called out to us from deep within the Juubi. Was that…Matatabi?
I forced myself back to consciousness and I began to struggle within the chord's grasp. The Juubi's thrashing stopped abruptly, its hand trembling as it tried to attack the army down below, but for some reason, its movements were all but halted.
"Auntie…?" I breathed out loud, "Is that…are you still alive…?"
"You can't take me down that easily!" I heard Auntie's voice say in my mind, "but I don't know how long I can stay conscious though. Yours and Hana's cries for each other woke me up."
"And me!" I heard Son Gokuu say.
"Aren't you a pretty little thing!" Shukaku cheered, slurring his speech, "take some of my chakra!"
"Mine too," Kokuo said.
"Take as much chakra as you need, from all of us," Choumei said, "but do so quickly, our consciousness is fading!"
"Right!" I nodded. I closed my eyes and attempted to pull my chakra out of the Juubi and back into my body. As I did so, I felt as if the flood gates opened as my aunts and uncles started pumping me full of chakra. I looked over to Hana who gasped as she woke up, a blue aura of chakra surrounding her as well.
"Hana," Matatabi said gently, "do not be afraid. I am giving you my power…use it well."
"M-Mother…?" Hana asked in awe. My jaw dropped as I saw a blue chakra cloak form around her in the shape of a cat and two chakra tails sprouted out from behind her. I then grunted as I released a wave of chakra, allowing my own cloak to take form as I shattered the chord which trapped me. I then sliced at the base of the chord surrounding Hana and pulled her free. Hana smiled as she looked up at me and cheered, "Mommy! You're okay! But your shoulder…" Hana's smile fell as she lifted her hand to find my blood was sticking to her skin.
"Don't worry about me, sweetie," I breathed, "I'm just relieved that you're alright!" I then looked up just in time to see Madara swinging his giant fan at me in rage. I yelped and jumped backwards, but Obito came around and attempted to attack me. I unsheathed one of my swords and bluffed an attack, taking the opportunity to slip right past Obito. I fell onto my back and then hopped to my feet, trying to get off the Juubi as several tentacles and chords sprouted, trying to capture us.
"Ari! Behind you!" Mom warned. I shrieked as she attacked me with a chakra chain which I barely managed to deflect before I fell backwards and off the Juubi's head. I screamed as I pulled Hana to my chest, hoping I could at least break her fall if I were to fall to my death. But then Dad leapt forward and managed to catch me in his hand, making his chakra form a little intangible to give his palm some give and cushion the fall. I panted heavily as I lied in Dad's hand on my back, hugging Hana tightly. My shoulder and my entire arm burned so badly I thought they were on fire.
"Are you alright?" Dad asked as he leapt away from the Juubi. I opened my eyes to see a shadow clone of Naruto with Dad's eyes staring down at me intently. Trying to catch my breath, I nodded and sat up, my entire body protesting me as I did so.
"Yeah…I'm fine…" I panted, "Hana, are you hurt?"
Hana shook her head, her gorgeous eyes full of concern, "No. But where am I? How did I get here?"
"You were taken," I explained, "You see those men up there? They want us for our chakra. But we can't let them have us, do you understand?"
Hana nodded, "I do."
"Stay close to me. Dad, how much longer do you have in this form?" I asked, gesturing to his massive Fox-shaped chakra.
"We're getting more and more time each time we use it," Dad explained, "last time we managed ten minutes and now we're encroaching twenty. But I'm not sure I can go much longer."
"Okay," I said in a low voice. I then looked down at Mom who still stood on the Juubi's head. Her arms trembled as she raised her sword to attack again. She staggered forward and then took a step back, grimacing as if she were trying to fight the orders given to her.
"She's trying to break free of Madara's control," Dad noted, "I just hope things don't get out of hand before she does."
"Yeah," I said. I stood on my feet, but grunted as my shoulder sent sharp pains though the rest of my body. I bent forward slightly, grasping my arm tightly before I took another step forward.
"Ari, you don't seriously intend to keep fighting her, do you?" Naruto asked me, his eyes full of worry.
"What choice do I have?" I responded. Hesitantly, Dad sent me back down on the ground as I stepped off his hand with Hana following me close behind. I looked down at her, concerned about where she could go that was safe. It only hurt more to know that there was nowhere safe for her to go. But she still had her little chakra cloak. I placed my hand on her head and her body glowed a light blue. That could at least keep her safe for a while. I took a deep breath. I was in pain, but I still had plenty of chakra left thanks to the Tailed Beasts trapped within the Juubi. I pulled my swords back out and lowered my stance. Mom groaned as she struggled against the jutsu. She was close to breaking free of Madara's control, I could feel it, but I had to hold her off until she could.
"Ari, get away from me," Mom grimaced, "I'm not going to hold back anymore and I don't know when I'll be able to wriggle out of Madara's grasp!"
"Then I'll have to keep you away from the others until you can," I answered, "and I won't hold back either!"
"You're stubborn like your father!" Mom cried out as she charged towards me, "you should have run when you had the chance!"
I ignored her pleas and closed my eyes. It must've broke her heart to be facing me in a battle such as this, and I understood why she wanted me to run away. I don't know what I would do if I was forced to fight Hana in a life-or-death battle. But what my mother needed to understand was that protecting those I loved meant more to me than protecting my own life for her sake. I clashed blades with mother several times, and each time my arm grew more and more fatigued, and the wound only opened wider with each blow. But I couldn't stop. I wouldn't let it end here.
Hashirama
"I first met Madara when we were only children. It started as an innocent game of skipping stones, but little did I know that the boy who I was eager to befriend and play with was the prodigy child of the rival clan, the Uchiha. My family was angry with me at first, for showing kindness to a boy who simply could not be trusted. But I didn't understand. Why couldn't I be friends with someone from another clan? I knew we were at war, but that didn't stop the Senju from cooperating with the Uzumaki.
"At around that same time, I had met the daughters of the Uzumaki Clan's leader, Mito and Chinatsu. You know, of course, that Mito later became my wife. She was so beautiful…and Chinatsu was practically a sister to me even before I was married. As I grew older, I began to see Madara more frequently, only this time, on the battlefront. I would find him occasionally in non-combat situations and I would greet him casually and offer for him to join me for dinner, just like an old friend. After all, with the frequency we saw each other, we knew each other better than anyone else did.
"Then on one night, we were sitting in a tea shop when Madara asked me suddenly, 'Why? Why do you treat me as your comrade? We will likely face each other in yet another battle come morning, so why ask me to join you in such a merry gathering tonight?'
"'Well, we aren't fighting right now, are we?' I responded, 'And this isn't morning yet, so we might as well be merry as long as the moon shines, right?'
"'Hashirama…you really are a strange one…' Madara groaned as he closed his eyes, sipping tea. And as we predicted, as I stepped forward on the land which the people of the Fire Temple had asked the Senju to protect, I was confronted with none other than Madara and the rest of the Uchiha clan. 'Don't you see?' he asked me as we fought, 'Why bother being friendly to a man who is destined to be your enemy?' This fighting will never end! I don't know how the Senju and the Uzumaki are able to get along so well, but just face it, members of different clans will never be able to mix! Not unless we all banded down on one government, but even then the hostility from our bloody pasts will be too great!'
"After that battle, I had gotten to thinking about Madara's words. He was right, clans would always war with each other. But even if we were of different blood, we still lived on the same earth, did we not? Why not band together under one government? True, there were clans who were hostile towards each other, especially the Uchiha and the Senju, but I bore no grudges against my brethren. If our two clans could get along, then surely other clans could coexist with us.
"At around that same time, there had been an emergence of natural disasters occurring throughout the world. The Tailed Beasts, which until recently had been only considered myths, had appeared suddenly and wreaked havoc on the world. The Kyuubi had even emerged in the midst of one of mine and Madara's battles and nearly obliterated both of our clans. Fear rippled throughout the Land of Fire of this demon's threat and I met with the leader of the Uzumaki, Kumo, to discuss what could be done to protect our people.
"'The Kyuubi must be destroyed!' Kumo urged, 'it will only continue to destroy our way of life if we do not put a stop to it!'
"I was in agreement with Kumo, I feared for the safety of my people. The Kyuubi's attacks were growing more and more frequent, and stories were traveling around about the other Tailed Beasts running wild. But it was Chinatsu who spoke up, feeling differently about the situation, 'What way of life, Father?' she asked, 'We live in a constant era of war. If you could call it living. We exist only to destroy each other, what kind of life is this if we cannot cooperate with other clans? We are still of the same people, are we not?'
"'I think you are missing the point, Chinatsu,' Kumo scolded his daughter. Kumo and Mito both had a habit of treating Chinatsu like a child, despite her wisdom, I had a feeling it was because she was the youngest, but also she saw the world differently than the rest of us did. Kumo continued, 'Even if we were to form stable ties with other clans, our efforts would just be wasted with this monster running around! We must destroy him!'
"'And why would we do that?' Chinatsu asked, 'He is still a living creature. He may be destructive, but his ways are no different than ours as we are now. Could we not just give him a chance?'
"'Chinatsu, I have had enough of your foolishness!' Kumo barked.
"'Wait,' I offered, 'she does have a point. We haven't even considered speaking with the Kyuubi yet and already we're jumping to the conclusion of killing him.'
"'And how are we supposed to talk to that beast?' Kumo asked. He then sighed heavily and said, 'Chinatsu, your sealing jutsu and Light Release are the best our clan has to offer. As much as I hate to do this, you are the only one who could possibly hope to face the Kyuubi alone. I want you to go out there and capture him. Subdue him, seal him away if you have to, and bring him back here. I will be the one to judge this beast's worth.'
"'Understood, father,' Chinatsu said, and with that, she left on her mission. But three days later, she returned empty handed. Kumo was outraged and demanded to know why Chinatsu didn't seal the Kyuubi when she had the chance. But each time he asked her about it, Chinatsu responded, 'He is not as we perceive him to be. I will get him to speak, I am just waiting for the right time.'
"Meanwhile, tensions between the Senju and Uchiha were starting to rise again. Both clans were exhausted from fighting, but our exploiters were only growing in hatred. We were all of one people, were we not? So why was there so much fighting? Why must there be war? I met with Madara on several more occasions, trying to convince him that the Uchiha could cooperate with the Senju, but despite our friendly encounters, the man which I called my comrade would not budge on his opinion. I was beginning to lose hope in there being peace between our clans myself. But then Chinatsu pulled off a miracle.
"She had been venturing off to meet with the Kyuubi just about every day, and each time she would come back with scrapes and bruises, smiling wide the entire way home. 'Chinatsu, why are you smiling? That thing could have killed you!' Mito would cry out upon seeing her sister.
"Chinatsu merely laughed the matter off and said, 'I'm smiling, sister, because I'm just that much closer to being able to see eye-to-eye with him. He will come around. We will make peace with the Kyuubi, and then we will make peace with the rest of the world. Just wait and see.'
"And make peace, she did. She had only been gone an hour, but as Chinatsu returned home, she held the hand of a tall, armored man with striking facial features and long auburn hair. His eyes were a blood red and his teeth were sharpened and long enough that his canines protruded from his lips slightly. He looked nervous, skittish and not sure how to interact with the strangers he was about to encounter.
"'Chinatsu, who is this man?' Kumo asked curiously, bowing to the new face politely.
"The man tensed and stepped behind Chinatsu, not sure how to respond, but Chinatsu in turn smiled up at the man before looking back to her father and introducing, 'Everyone, I would like you to meet our new friend the Kyuubi.'
"It wasn't until that day was I able to muster up the courage to offer a peace treaty to the Uchiha. If Chinatsu could sit down and speak with the Kyuubi as if he were a human being, an old friend, then I could get Madara and his clan to make peace with the Senju. He was hesitant to accept my offer at first, outraged at some points even, but once the Feudal Lord agreed to the treaty, Madara finally accepted my offer. With the Senju, the Uzumaki, and now finally the Uchiha all banded together, we extended our hand to any willing shinobi who wanted to join us as comrades. Clans such as the Sarutobi, the Hyuuga, the Haruno, and many others all wished to cooperate with us and end the senseless fighting. The Kyuubi had even rallied his brethren with Chinatsu's help and convinced them to cease their rampages against the human race. With the cooperation of all our people, we were able to find the stability to found Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
"Of course, what is government without a leader? In the early stages of the village's formation, Madara, Kumo, and I all worked together as a triumvirate, hoping to maintain stability by acting as diplomats for each clan. It was a temporary solution to make sure every one's needs were met until the people of each clan could meld together as one functioning team. For the most part, we were successful and agreements and compromises could be made with ease, but I couldn't help but notice Madara's growing unrest with Kumo and I. He was a little too protective of his clan, wanting the Uchiha to come first at all times when in reality, that simply could not be made possible. I understood where he was coming from as I felt the Senju were due a little more security in the unstable and early days of the Hidden Leaf, but with the growing number of people joining our alliance, sacrifices had to be made on everyone's part. But Madara wouldn't have it. And where he was the most agitated, I found, was the subject of the Tailed Beasts.
"'They're masses of chakra!' Madara had argued time and time again, 'they have no ideals nor intelligence! They cannot be trusted! And we still have enemies out there, so why can we not just use the Kyuubi's chakra and seal it away?'
"'Absolutely not!' Kumo argued, 'the Kyuubi is a trusted friend of the Uzumaki. He has been a comrade in many of our battles and he is a close friend of my daughter. I will not allow an innocent man to be exploited and tortured in such a way!'
"'A man? You call that demon a man?' Madara scowled, 'and why is it that the Uzumaki and the Senju always get what they want? Keep the beast around because he's a friend of the Uzumaki? What if he was an enemy of the Uchiha? What would you do then?'
"'But Kyuubi is not your enemy, now is he, Madara?' I asked, 'You are a member of the Hidden Leaf Village and the Kyuubi is a friend of this organization. He has protected us from many dangers. He is no enemy of ours.'
"'It is an unstable being,' Madara frowned, 'One day he will turn, you just wait and see. Especially you, Kumo. I would not consider that demon my friend if I were you, not when that fowl beast is just waiting to steal your daughter from you, possessing her and enslaving her as his own.'
"Those arguments seemed to end in just about the same way. And each time, Kumo and I would shake Madara off the topic, our stance firm. But little did I know that Madara had actually managed to get underneat Kumo's skin. He slowly started to grow weary of the Kyuubi, and very suspicious of Chinatsu. He refused to let her leave his sight, even though she was a grown woman. Outraged at his sudden restrictions, Chinatsu would leave the village for days, even weeks at a time. Kumo would demand to know where Chinatsu would wander off to, but the woman refused to speak with her father. Tensions began to grow and the Kyuubi was welcomed less and less by the Uzumaki. I tried to maintain a friendship with him, inviting him to dinner with Mito, Chinatsu, and I. I was almost cute at how unfamiliar with human customs Kyuubi was. He fumbled around like a child, but he stood proud of what he was, not ashamed to call himself different from others. I admired that about the Kyuubi, and for a while, he too became a close friend.
"But as tensions arose between Kumo and Chinatsu, the stability in the relationship between Madara, Kumo, and I only grew that more fragile. Madara stood alone on anything he disagreed with at pretty much every topic. But suddenly, when it came to the matter of the Kyuubi, Kumo took sides with the Uchiha, demanding that the Kyuubi be placed under the control of the sharingan or sealed away. He would not stand to see him run loose with Chinatsu any longer.
"'But why?' I had asked, 'give me one good reason why we should seal away and exploit a man who has done nothing but help us all this time?'
"'He is not a man, he is a beast,' Kumo answered, 'and he is poisoning my daughter!' Madara remained silent in the entirety of this conversation, only observing from a distance with his arms crossed. I continued to vouch for the Kyuubi's validity, and eventually won the argument but at the expense of straining the relationship between both my comrades even further. And things were only made worse when I returned home that morning to a crying Mito who told me the news of Chinatsu's pregnancy.
"I made my way to Chinatsu's home as fast as I could. I had known Chinatsu was in love with the Kyuubi, and though I didn't understand where that love came from, I wanted my sister to be happy. He may not have been human, but Kyuubi was a fine man still. He was a fine shinobi. But just because I understood Chinatsu's feelings didn't mean that others would. I had warned her to be cautious of her relationship with the Kyuubi, to not engage in any form of love until Mito and Kumo could at least see what Chinatsu could.
"I burst through the door of her small home to see Chinatsu bent over at the table, pouring herself tea as she stared up at me in confusion. Kyuubi sat at the table as well, mid-sip as he glanced at me. Chinatsu smiled and made her way towards me, her hand on her stomach. 'Hashi, please, come in!' the woman greeted, oblivious to the panicked expression on my face, 'what brings you here?'
"'Mito told me what happened,' I said in a low voice. I then looked up at the Kyuubi nervously. The Kyuubi in response narrowed his eyes and he bared his teeth, ready to attack me if necessary.
"'And what of it, Hashirama?' he asked, 'Afraid of something you don't understand?'
"'Kurama!' Chinatsu scolded. The Kyuubi in response closed his mouth shut and sat back down with crossed arms.
"I raised an eyebrow, 'his name is Kurama?'
"Chinatsu rolled her eyes and nodded, 'yes, yes! That's what I've been trying to tell you all for some time now…but anyway, is that all you came here for? If you want to see for yourself, take a good look! There's a baby in here!"
"I covered my face with my hand and groaned as I said, 'Chinatsu…I warned you that your family would not accept your relationship with the Kyuu—I mean, Kurama. Does your father know yet?'
"Chinatsu shook her head and sighed, 'No, he doesn't. I also thought you said you would speak with my father. But how is Mito taking the news?'
"'Well I can't say that she's not upset,' I grimaced, 'but she understands. But Chinatsu, Kurama, you aren't keeping the baby, are you?'
"'Why wouldn't we?' Kurama raised an eyebrow, suspicious.
"My heart fell. This wouldn't be good. Not good at all, 'Look, Chinatsu, I just finished speaking with your father and Madara. They're both about ready to seal Kurama away and use him for his chakra. Kumo practically wants him dead. If he finds out about your pregnancy…'
"'Woah, woah, wait a minute,' Chinatsu asked, alarm beginning to show in her eyes, 'what do you mean by sealing him?'
"'He means that the Uchiha want to control me with their goddamned visual genjutsu and if that doesn't work, seal me inside somebody and make them a vessel to use my powers as a weapon of mass destruction. That's what,' Kurama answered with a growl. He then glared at me and asked, 'and where exactly do you stand on this, Hashirama?'
"'I plan to protect you both, even if it costs me my life,' I answered sternly, 'Chinatsu is practically my sister and I only want her to be happy, and she's happiest with you. And you are also a friend of mine who has helped me overcome a great deal of obstacles. I won't stand by and let you get sealed away.'
"Kurama narrowed his eyes at me as he said, 'I wonder about that, Hashirama…you are human…can you really be that selfless?'
"It wasn't long after that conversation that word of Chinatsu's pregnancy spread. Her growing stomach only verified the rumors. Kumo was outraged and Kurama was forced to hide in the mountains somewhere that only Chinatsu could find. Obsessed with protecting his daughter's innocence, Kumo demanded that Kurama be slaughtered. Madara demanded that the Uchiha seal him away and use him as a weapon. The both of them were out of their minds. In the entire village, only Kumo and Madara were the ones who hated the Nine-Tailed Fox. Outside the Uzumaki clan, Chinatsu could walk the streets of Konoha freely and be greeted by enthusiastic friends who would ask her what gender the baby was, how the Kyuubi was handling the preparations to be a father, and other normal and peaceful questions that expectant parents should receive. But you wouldn't know that if you sat in the meeting room with Kumo and Madara. Then finally one day, I put my foot down and said, 'You are both obviously too emotionally attached to your own selfish desires to lead this clan successfully! From this day forward, I will lead this village and I alone. I will not allow Konoha to be driven to turmoil because of two hard-headed men's selfish desires!'
"Outraged with my final stance, Kumo and a portion of the Uzumaki clan left Konoha to form their own village: The Village of Whirlpools. But it wasn't until several months after one last attempt to rid the world of the Nine-Tailed Fox did they leave. It was a cold night, and Kumo had begged Chinatsu to abort her child, but she refused. So finally, Kumo and a few hired assassins from the Uchiha snuck into Chinatsu's home and attempted to kill her. Little did they know that Kurama had been hiding in her home at night, suspecting such a betrayal would arise. Her due date approaching, Chinatsu was unable to fend off her attackers on her own, so Kurama took her into his arms and fled the village, traveling far into the mountains where Kumo would not be able to find them. Rumor has it that Kurama met with the other Tailed Beasts and begged for them to help him, but very few did. They saw Chinatsu and their unborn child in the same way Kumo saw Kurama: they were afraid. But there was one who did lend a hand: the Two-Tails. I don't know why she did, but she helped Chinatsu give birth to a little girl who they named Ariala, and from that day forward, the young family of three was always on the move. After that incident, Mito would leave the village frequently to look for her sister. As Chinatsu was forced to keep from settling in one place, my wife was seldom able to meet up with her sister. But there were times when we could find Chinatsu and Kurama. Ariala was turning into quite a beauty the last time I saw her. She had her mother's eyes and her father's determination. And she was so full of kindness.
"But Madara…he didn't leave the village unlike Kumo. At least night right away. He attempted to take power from me several times, so in order to avoid any further disputes, I offered to hold an election so the people could decide who they wanted as their new leader. They called the position "Hokage" and the vote was almost unanimous for me. After that, Madara tried to rally the Uchiha against me, but failed. Unbeknownst to him, however, there were a few members who he managed to get under the skin with, just as he did Kumo, and it wasn't until several years after Madara's demise that his ideals came forth again in these individuals.
"It was a calm morning. As Madara had left the village a month before, Mito and I were trying to urge Chinatsu, Kurama, and Ari to come back to the village. They could live in peace under our protection. Chinatsu and her family had even visited us for the weekend just a few days before the incident. Their return to the village was all but certain.
"But there was a chill in the air and as I stepped outside, I saw Kurama rise into the gigantic fox that I had not seen in years. Madara rode atop Kurama's head, and I could barely make out the Bijuu's dilated pupils, but I realized then that Kurama had lost all of his freedom. I rushed to where Kurama was and found Chinatsu running towards me with Ariala in her arms. Chinatsu was badly wounded, her head bleeding profusely.
"'Madara…he…' Chinatsu tried to explain as she fell to her knees. Ariala was crying, burying her chest in her mother's arms, 'he got me from behind…and Kurama…Hashi…you have to stop him!'
"I nodded my head as I suppressed the sorrow at overwhelmed me. Chinatsu was dying, and I didn't know what would become of Ari. I fought Madara with all of my strength as he manipulated Kurama with ease. I had to free the Kyuubi, I couldn't let my friend be controlled. But Madara…he was my friend too, wasn't he? Why would he do such a thing? He refused to give his reasons for betraying the village, for betraying me, and he refused to see things from my perspective. I eventually managed to get close enough to place a contract seal on Madara, ripping Kurama free of the Uchiha's control. When I did so, the chakra was drained from Madara's body and I managed to score a fatal blow. But when Kurama awakened from his slumber, he looked around in a panic.
"'Chinatsu! Ariala!' he called out. He looked around, unaware of my presence. When he found Madara lying on the ground, unconscious, he merely stepped on the man's body and let out a ferocious roar. But that's when he also found Chinatsu. She was in Mito's arms by that point, her body cold and lifeless, tears hanging from her eyes. And Ari was nowhere to be found. At that point, we had all thought she was dead, only Chinatsu knew what really happened to the poor child.
"Overcome by grief, the Kyuubi let loose his rage and began to attack the Hidden Leaf. I tried to reason with the Fox, but he too refused to listen. Everything he had known that had brought him closer to being human was gone. All that mattered to the demon was destroying the world which took the people he loved most from him. It took another great battle, but I finally managed to stop the Kyuubi, exhausting him enough that Mito finally spoke up and said, 'seal him inside of me.'
"'What?' I asked in disbelief, 'Mito, are you crazy?'
"Mito lowered her eyes and said, 'Hashi, this is not the man my sister knew and loved. He is beyond our reach now. If you wish to protect this world, you will seal the Nine-Tails inside my body. My chakra can subdue him for a while.'
"It broke my heart to do so, but I did as my wife had asked. In one day I had lost my two closest friends, I had taken them from this world with my own hands all for the sake of protecting an idea called peace. Was it truly the right thing to do? I asked myself that question for years after that fierce battle. Looking back, I know it was. Madara was beyond my reach before I had a chance to save him and the only thing that could enable Kurama to see the light was an individual like Chinatsu who could sit down and see him as something more than a mass of chakra or an evil demon. To test the value of an individual and weigh it over the value of an entire people is the curse of a shinobi, but it is also our duty. To raise your hand against a comrade for the sake of peace…it sounds like a terrible idea, but at times it is necessary. You could call a shinobi evil for that reason and despise them. But I must ask you this, is it not better to raise your hand against a friend who has lost their way than to have never been their friend at all? In times of war, it is easy to give up and give in to the hatred around us, and it is our job to eliminate the individuals who have given up, the individuals like Madara. But what is important is that those individuals were given love and given the opportunity to find their way again before they are eliminated. As long as there is a pathway home, and as long as it is not covered in thorns, then there is hope. To love our comrades as we love ourselves, to love our enemies even, that is the gift of shinobi, and that job is even more important than destroying the lost souls we once called friends."
