Excerpt #1 from Still Waters Are Deep

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(Aged ~50; invasion attempt by Suna/Oto)

Hiruzen-sama had invited Rurimi to sit in his box for a better view of the final tournament round. After all, this year most of her only son's team would participate.

For the occasion, she had dressed in a comfortable emerald-green yukata with the Hatake clan mon stitched in-between her shoulder blades. Her long grey hair was controlled by a comb she had inherited from her mother. Underneath that, the experienced kunoichi wore a concealed set of mesh armor.

The Sandaime was certain she had hidden various scrolls containing her signature swords as well as several other weapons on her petite person. All in all, the middle-aged woman resembled her thirty-year-old version. Naturally.

When they were suddenly trapped by the strange barrier, the calm, collected Green Maiden appeared. Despite her progressed age, the veteran kunoichi smoothly slid into a defensive position, unsealing her tantō.

Orochimaru mocked the two old warriors, taunting them about their aged bodies while praising his own flawless one.

Suddenly, coffins appeared, opening like something stolen from a zombie-movie. The two reanimated males stared around, a little disorientated.

A nearly unnoticeable smile curled around Rurimi's lips. "Hello, Father. I've always been curious about meeting you, although admittedly I never thought it would happen this way."

Tobirama-sama's eyes focused nearly instantly on her own. Recognition sparked within his gaze, due to the unique color. He smiled as well, an exact copy of his daughter's. "Daughter," he greeted back with unusual warmth.

Hashirama-sama nearly choked on his breath a second time. "Tell me about yourself," her father requested, while fighting off attempts to control him.

So, Rurimi obliged his request. "Mother named me Rurimi, asking Tsunade-sama to become my sister. She is six years older than me, but we have always gotten along rather well; especially during our childhood. We fought in the Second World War together, although usually in different Divisions. I have a son, his name is Kakashi. He is a Jōnin and twenty-six years old. Unfortunately, the stubborn child denies me grandchildren of my own to spoil rotten... My husband died a shinobi's death on the battlefields of the Third World War."

Tobirama smiled sadly, expressing his regret about not having been present for any of her milestones. "You've married a Hatake then?"

She grinned impishly. "Yeah. Hatake Sakumo. He became a legend known as the White Fang which some still fear even today. We served alongside each other for a time in a special unit during the Second World War. That's how we met actually. Kin-oba-chan said Mother would have appreciated the cliché."

Her father chuckled. "Yes, Hoshiko always did love ironic clichés. Tell me more, my daughter."

They crossed swords once more, eyes gleaming identically. "I inherited Mother's health problems, but Tsunade-sama saved my life. Unfortunately, I could give my husband only one heir. Kakashi is a prodigy, he graduated only a few weeks after turning five, within one year of schooling at the Academy. He has inherited his father's looks so much so strangers used to think he was a henged clone. The Yondaime, a student of Sandaime-sama's student, became Kakashi's Jōnin sensei. He's the most precious person in my life."

Tobirama-sama sighed relieved, then smirked proudly.