Chapter eleven – Whistleblower

A whistleblower is a person who exposes any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, dishonest, or not correct.Whistleblowers also face stiff reprisal/retaliation from those who are accused or alleged of wrongdoing.

Naruto was screaming her lungs dry. Rocketing downwards into an abyss with no control of her body, while flipping as she fell. But through her panic she registered there was absolutely no wind.

"You have to fix this…" Said a voice all around her, it was deep and ringing in her ears. But right now she couldn't deal with the voice, she had more than enough with herself.

She screamed, Naruto didn't like the feeling at all. She couldn't see the ground, nor the top of where she had fallen from.

Where was she? How did she end up here? Where was everyone?

"Help me!" She shouted, but no one came to her rescue.

"Naruto… You have to fix this." Said the voice again, and this time Naruto thought it was coming from somewhere below her.

"No! You have to fix this! I'm falling!" She cried as she felt her head start getting dragged downwards.

"I can't do that I'm afraid, I'm the one who pushed you. Now it's up to you to save yourself."

Naruto didn't understand what that meant at all, but as she tried desperately to find a way to stop this endless drop and was surprised when she felt herself slow down. As if her thoughts was enough to stop gravity from causing harm.

She was almost still now, and tried to sit up only to realise she wasn't sure what was up or down anymore. At first it felt like she'd been falling with her head first, but now she realised that up and down didn't matter in this place. One angle felt as right as the next one.

"Where am I?" She asked the voice while she looked wildly around. What was this place?

"Your mindscape."

She stuttered, this didn't look anything close to her mindscape.

"You are dying Naruto. So your mindscape took on another appearance for the time being. It is a deeper level than the one you share with Kurama. So now I finally get to talk to you again Naruto, I had hoped to do that sooner then this though." Said the voice. This time she thought she heard something familiar about it.

"What… No..." She muttered and stopped searching. "Hagoromo?" She whispered, the silence that followed wasn't long but spoke volumes of sadness without a word being said.

"Yes, you are finally weak enough for me to talk to you again. You just fell unconscious in the living realm after doing that fuinjutsu barrier. I think you are still falling. For the moment your heart has stopped beating, but I am sure Kurama is working hard to save you. So I would not be too worried. This isn't like the last two times." Hagoromo explained, even though Naruto had no idea where he was.

"Two times? What do you mean? I just saw you once dattebayo, and where the hell are you?" Naruto growled and twirled on the spot.

"Unfortunately I can never take form again. What I did to you was very difficult. Much harder than anything I have done before."

"Did… You.. You did that. You sent me back?" Naruto whispered and looked horrified and clenched her fist so not to start screaming at him.

The voice took a break before talking again. "I had to, you were going to die, Naruto, and without you the others died soon after. It was the end of the world and in my desperation I sent my yang chakra back in time. Since I had already given that to you, it meant you would go along with it. I am simplifying matters of course, but the end result is the same." Hagoromo's voice said gravely.

Naruto tried to take in what he'd said. He was the one who'd sent her back so far into the past. The one who separated her from her friends. Naruto wouldn't have minded dying, but she would have minded her friends dying too over her short comings.

"Why just me? Why not Sasuke too? He had your yin power!" She shouted, getting more and more frustrated.

"He would not have survived it. You have inherited the strength and vitality from Ashura, you also have Kurama to help you. It was risky just sending youhere, I was not sure at all if you would survive. We talked about this before, but it was very short and I see you no longer remember it. But trust me when I tell you that it truly was the only option, and that when we talked the last time, going back in time was yourdecision."

Naruto couldn't remember seeing or hearing from the ancient dude since the last time she was dying after Kurama was extracted from her by Uchiha Madara. And more disturbing was that she couldn't remember wanting to go back in time, which according to the ringing voice was her own wish.

"And you want me to fix things?" Naruto asked, crossing her hands in front of her as she looked pointedly straight forwards. It was odd talking to a voice without a body.

"I do. You have already started, I know that much. You have to find Black Zetsu and seal him off before he can do any more damage. I am still weak, but my powers are slowly coming back to me. I don't know if I will be able to help you again Naruto. Hopefully you will remember this encounter and understand better the situation you now live in. Black Zetsu needs to be finished for good. My mother must never be released again."

"I know that, dattebayo! It's what I've been working towards for the last twelve years!" She shouted, now angry even though she couldn't understand exactly why. It was like he was trying to make her understand some subtext she couldn't get. Naruto had never been good at that stuff...

"Black Zetsu is in the Fire Country now. He can feel you Naruto, he is confused and weary of your presence. Do your best."

"Of course I'm doing my best. I need to save my friends!" She shouted, but was met by a long silence this time.

"You have already altered time greatly. Things that was will never come to be now."

Naruto inhaled and exhaled deeply before she talked again. "But… Hiruzen… the sandaime. He was born… I saw him myself… I hoped..." She muttered, and felt dread rise up in her. Was this what he'd been trying to hint at?

"Sarutobi Hiruzen is a member of a clan you barely interacted with. Their path never altered much because you stayed awayfor long enough. But others might not be so lucky. It would be a miracle now if for example Senju Tsunade was to be born, or even Sasuke."

Naruto felt herself start to hyperventilate. She'd though that fleetingly, but had hoped... Wanted to believe, that time didn't work like that. Hoped it was a thing that worked itself out. That the people who were born would always come to be.

"There is still a chance Naruto, they were born once and might do so again. I have never altered time before but now that I have done so, I see that some things are just impossible to alter. However, you have to keep strong Naruto. In the other time line you were all dying. This is your chance to save those who can be saved."

Naruto burrowed her face in her hands and shook all over. She couldn't cry, she had to stay strong. For those who might yet be saved….

"I can't seal him… I can't find anything permanent enough… Except the death ripper seal. I'll do it if I get the chance but he is soslippery. You have to help me… Couldn't you get Sasuke?" She asked weakly. Naruto already heard why he wasn't here, but she couldn't stop the question bursting from her lips.

"I am afraid not Naruto, Sasuke is already dead to you now. This is a task given to you, and I believe you will find a way to seal him up for good."

Naruto looked up from her hands with wet eyes, but managed to hold the tears inn. "I'll never see them again will I?"

"None of us know that yet, they might still be born. But the people you knew will live other lives now, become different people according to how their life play out. The ones you love is currently with me in the realms of souls. Except Hiruzen of course, he is back with you on your side." His voice said with some warmth in them.

Naruto felt herself start to evaporate and looked at her hands. They were turning transparent.

"It is time for you to leave Naruto, your heart has started beating again. Do your best, and good luck."

Feeling a headache like she rarely had experienced in her life Naruto groaned and opened her eyes. She wasn't sure at first if she had, since everything was still pitch black.

"What happened?" She asked aloud to what she assumed was the empty room. That was before she felt a presence close by, Madara's presence.

"After you put up the barrier you fainted, at least that what it looked like. You've been out for a while." He explained. "It's late Naruto, I brought you here to rest. You're welcome to stay as long as you wish to show our gratitude for what you did today." Muttered Madara in his low voice.

Naruto still couldn't help the shiver that went up her spine when she only heard that voice. The blonde couldn't yet attach it to her Madara, the good Madara. It also felt like there was something looming right underneath her foggy mind, as if there was something she'd forgotten.

"Oh… It worked then?" She asked pleased and sat up.

"Yes, everyone can get out, but only those who was inside when you put up the barrier could get in again. We had some very confused men outside the village when they returned to home this evening." Madara explained and suddenly she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Naruto. I know you must have done this for Hashirama too and that's the reason you did it for us as well, but it still eases my mind." He said softly.

"I knew it would, dattebayo." She said and grinned in his direction. It was impossible to see him in the pitch black room.

"What's the time? And can we get some light in here? I can't see my own hand in this darkness." She asked waving her invisible hand in front of her face.

Naruto heard him get up, and faintly saw red eyes activating in the blackness. So that's how he moved about, she should have guessed.

"It's around two in the morning." Answered Madara as he lit a few candles on a table in the corner. Looking at him she noticed he wasn't wearing the same as earlier. He was clad only in black pants and an equally dark turtle neck sweater where he'd pushed up the arms.

He smiled down at her. Looking so much like she remembered him as a kid she smiled heartedly in return.

Madara sat down next to her mattress without deactivating his Sharingan. "Where have you been? Since when were you a fuinjutsu master?" He asked her quietly, never taking his red eyes away from her blue ones.

"I'm not a fuinjutsu master, but I'm good with seals. I've been a little everywhere in the last years. Wandering and gathering news. Doing small good deeds whenever I could. I saved a family from ninjas who was trying to rob them you know. I have explored the Lightning Country and crossed the waters, all the while trying to gain some insight into how people can resolve conflicts peacefully, dattebayo." She said and looked pointedly at him.

"And now you've returned for me and Hashirama." He concluded.

Naruto shook her head sideways. "I came back for Konoha."

Finally his eyes released her, turning to the left while he looked disturbed for the first time. "Konoha… It… I don't think that's possible any more. Might never have been in the first place. We've taken different paths. Too much death and violence. I can't see us working out an alliance."

"I can."

"I've said this before Naruto… How could you possibly know? I don't see you trying to make friends with the ones who killed your parents. Destroyed your village. Made you a fugitive and forever a wanderer across the five nations." He said annoyed, not unkindly, but trying to make her understand.

"You don't?" She asked silently. Looking at him intently with fierce eyes. Madara paused, wondering what the words had meant.

"My village used to be where your new prison is located… Or I guess it's a few years old by now." She said with one eyebrow raised and a sarcastic crooked smile while she watched his reaction. It was a lie in one way and true in another, she was trying to fit Konoha in Itanika village's place.

They had similar fates after all.

Madara actually choked on his own tongue in surprise. He looked at her with calculating eyes as his Sharingan turned to the Mangekyō. Naruto stared back unblinking, but a shudder ran down her spine at the red and black design. It was the eyes of some of her worst imaginations.

"You… We… We were desperate, we didn't mean-" He started but Naruto held her hand up to stop him.

"I know. I know you were starving. I understand why it happened, I already know all that. But do you understand why I can ask such an impossible question now? Do you understand why I can feel and understand your pain?"

He didn't answer, but still looked dubious.

"Do you know how my parents died, Madara?" She asked quietly. He shook his head while Naruto knew perfectly well that he didn't know.

"They didn't die during the attack. They died somewhere else, some other village that disappeared just like Itanika. My mother was just about to give birth to me and my father took her outside the village when she was due. She had barely held me for the first time before they were attacked. That was an Uchiha too, you know. I've since heard that the man held me hostage while threatening my parents. I was not even half an hour old, Madara. They were both killed by the aftermath of that attack. My dad managed to bring me back to the village, and I'm not sure how I ended up in Itanika, but believe me. I know how difficult it is to forgive. I recognised you as an Uchiha almost immediately. But you weren't like him. You were just like me and at the same time not at all. But you were kind, and stubborn, and arrogant and most importantly we had the same dream." Naruto took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down while she explained her past to Madara.

"I still want to help the Uchiha and the Senju. There will never be lasting peace through domination and violence. You have to accept the alliance Madara. Please." She said urgently.

Madara's Mangekyō swirled as she talked. Not detecting a single lie in her words, not that he had suspected her to lie though. He felt conflicting emotions rushing through him. Horror, at the idea of his clansmen's action. Holding an infant hostage…

Naruto being chased out of her home in Itanika. It was odd to realise they must have been neighbours as kids. Maybe he'd even seen her on one of his visits to the village with his mother.

Then he saw all the horrors of his life. His mum and brothers, his father, the Senju… But through it all he also felt warm. Listening to Naruto was the warmest he could ever get. Her presence comfortable and unstrained. Pure. Something nothing else seemed these days.

"It's not just my decision, Naruto. An alliance would have to be wanted from the majority of the clan. No one wants it, too many has been lost during the war."

"But if you started trying. If you actually attempted to explain why it would be good move." She argued, leaning towards him.

Did he have no affect on her at all? Did she not know she was making his head spin by being this closeto him?

"I still don't think-"

"It doesn't matter what you think, it's the will to never give up. The will to endure. You're the leader of a fire clan Madara, now prove you have the will of fire, dattebayo." She said passionately.

He averted his eyes.

Madara didn't know exactly what the will of fire was, but it sounded fitting. Fire nation, the will to endure. Making impossible choices. A better future. A flickering flame of hope.

"You're distracting me. I can't think properly, Naruto." He said getting to his feet. He felt it again now. That dream rising to the back of his mind. Protecting Izuna… Becoming Hashirama's friend again, and Naruto… Naruto and him.

Naruto was confused, not sure how she was distracting him, but allowing him to walk away without continuing her speech.

Madara paced back and fourth on the floor in front of her with a hand covering his mouth as he thought.

"I'll try… But I won't betray my clan, the people I protect. Naruto-" He halted, seemingly not entirely sure how to continue.

"Why do you care so much?"

"...I'm not sure… All I know is… When you two are hurting, I hurt too." She said smiling sadly up at him. It had been the same with Sasuke.

"Do you love him?" Madara asked before he could stop himself.

For a moment Naruto thought he'd meant Sasuke, but then realised who he must be referring to.

"Who, Hashirama?" Asked Naruto, her voice going up an octave as she looked at Madara's controlled and curious face, he waited for her to continue.

"Well yes, he's one of my precious people, dattebayo." She answered a little confused at the abrupt change of subject.

Madara sighed and clarified. "I mean… Are you in love with him?"

Naruto stared dumbfounded back at him. Where the hell did he get that idea from? When had she ever acted like she was in love with Hashirama? She remembered how the girls back at home acted whenever they declared their undying love for Sasuke, and shuddered.

No, she had not acted anything near to it.

"What on earth makes you think that? Hashirama is as dear to me as a brother." Or spirit brother, same soul. It might sound romantic, but in her and Hashirama's case they actually contained the same soul.

How that was possible she nor Kurama understood. But neither did they understand how two Kurama's could exist either, or how on earth she'd ended up in the past. Not to mention that reincarnation was as far fetched to Naruto as being in two places at the same time. Which when she thought a bit about it, was something she did almost everyday when she used the shadow clones.

"I see..." Madara answered and continued his pacing.

"Why did you-?" Naruto started but trailed off. Something in the back of her mind went off like an alarm bell.

Why was he asking something like that? Why would he care? Madara couldn't be… jealous? There was no way… She was being stupid.

Naruto got to her feet while he continued walking, not sure if she should change the topic or not.

Deciding he needed to stop this endless pace she stepped forwards to block him. It was pointless walking around the problem, she would demand him to tell what was on his mind. She had always preferred to talk straight out. Naruto would never be any good with mind games or trying to guess what others were plotting while expressing something else.

Before she could do more then take a step however, Madara suddenly halted in front of her. His black eyes intense as he read her blue ones in the dim light. "I love you." He said so abruptly and matter of factly, he sounded like he was stating the weather.

Naruto didn't have time to ponder the claim before he came closer, her eyes still staring into his as she felt his mouth on her own.

He kissed her.

It was soft but with no hesitation. A quick kiss which was over before she comprehended exactly what had happened.

He didn't move away however, just tilted his head back to look at her closely.

Naruto couldn't speak, it was like her mind was having an utter meltdown while attempting to understand this unexpected turn of event.

For a few seconds they just looked at each other. Madara's face more unreadable then ever as his hand rose up to her hair, twisting some of the spiky strands around his finger while he studied it. Naruto fleetingly wondered why he found her hair so interesting, but then he leaned in again.

This time it wasn't gentle. It was a passionate and fiery kiss that made her head spin as she realised it felt good. Really good.

She'd never thought kissing could feel like that, the only one she'd ever lip locked whit had been Sasuke, and that had been pure accident and a memory she still wanted erased from her mind. The memory of her no longer existing team mate drifted out of her mind as her eyes closed in unison with Madara's.

His hand was in her hair, combing through it before resting at the back of her head while the other hand sneaked around her waist, pressing her closer.

Naruto wasn't sure how it happened, but her own traitorous hands found their way around his shoulders. His hot mouth hungrily met her own as she felt his tongue enter her mouth.

Her head rapidly spinning out of focus, Naruto felt a warm fluttering sensation in her stomach when she felt Madara's rough hand stroke up and down her waist. The hand at the back of her head was clutching at her hair, tugging it slightly as he made her neck tilt backwards to gain better access.

Both were breathing loudly through their noses, and a shudder went up Madara as he pushed her back against the wall, his searching hand sliding down to her neck. Never releasing her from his clutches as he continued his hungry assault on her bruising lips.

Slowly their lips parted again, their faces was still only a breath apart from one another as their eyes opened.

With dawning realisation Naruto got her senses back. Blushing like Hinata, Naruto stuttered. "W-what.. You kissed me?" She seemed genuinely surprised at her own words, and whatever mood had been between them broke. Madara didn't answer her question, instead he let his hand trail down to her hand and squeezed it.

"Stay here. You can stay here, Naruto. You wouldn't have to wander the lands any more. It makes sense. I care deeply for you and I have since we were children. I'm not one to run around in circles, you came back but I suspect you're planning on leaving again, there's no need for that. Stay."

The last word was like a command as it rang through the room. Naruto in the meanwhile was having a heated argument with herself, and partly Kurama, whenever he got a word in.

'I kissed Madara! I kissed fucking Uchiha Madara! What the hell? Since when have I thought of kissing him?But it isn't him, not yet. Wasn't this sort of what I was aiming for? Not the kissing part but the changing Madara to become less of a mad man? Boys having crushes on girls wasn't unusual right? At least it's healthier than plotting the end of the world.'

'You incomprehensible, moronic, fucking air headed Uzumaki! What the hell got into you!?'

'I kissed Madara?'

'Yes, I noticed. Now get the hell out of here!'

'What? I can't just… leave…'

'Fix this!'

'How?'

'…'

Looking down from his ink dark eyes she studied his neck instead, noticing how quick his pulse was. How easy it would be to kill him in that instance. How easy it would be for him to kill her as well.

To trust someone to be this near you, where that one move with the wrong intention was the last thing you might experience.

She rapidly grew mad at herself for allowing this to happen. People where right, she was too naive, too trusting.

She took back her hand from within his grasp.

"No. I won't stay. Madara, this wasn't smart of us. You're in a war against one of my closest friends, a war that needs to end. Staying here would make things worse. I'll continue keeping the shield up, but us… That can't… I'm not good for anyone, I shouldn't even be here, shouldn't exist-"

Naruto bit her tongue at her last word. The hand still on her waist gripped tightly before Madara stepped away. His face becoming emotionless once again. Naruto could still tell he was affected though.

"Well, it's not like I was expecting you to feel the same." He said vaguely.

Neither was looking at each other, both still and unmoving as the tension between them rose again. Never having been god with heavy atmospheres like this, Naruto started babbling.

"Anyway, it's not like it matters is there? I mean, I'm not getting hitched with anyone, dattebayo." Said Naruto and chuckled uneasily to ease the tension before she noticed the odd look on Madara's face.

"You know, I have enough with dealing with myself as it is, I'm not really girlfriend material yah' know. My friend Sakura-chan always said- You know what?! Forget I said anything okay? I'm really sleepy again, dattebayo. I think I need to sleep a little longer. Sleep is good. All right if I stay here until morning?" She said and plopped down on the mattress while getting underneath her blanket again.

Madara wasn't sure how to deal with her sudden cheery rambling. Gazing searchingly at the now flustered girl hurrying underneath her covers the young Uchiha shrugged.

"Sure, see you in the morning Naruto." Madara answered and blew out the candle before he headed for the door.

Laying down properly she heard as his footsteps halted for a moment by the door. Heart beating harder than was strictly allowed for someone as stationary as Naruto was, she held her breath as he took a step back towards her.

'Don't say anything, don't come back…'

Then he left the room, and closed the door silently behind him.

Madara stood outside the door of her room. Not sure if he should let Naruto sleep in any further or actually go in and wake her up. Naruto had once mentioned she liked to wake early, but that was years ago. He had liked to sleep in once, now he barely slept at all.

Things changed, she might not appreciate being woken up, she might change her mind and stay, maybe she would if he made breakfast? She usually devoured anything like a hungry lion when they'd been young. Maybe the smell would wake her? He'd never made a meal before but it couldn't be that hard, right?

Or maybe he was acting like a love struck idiot.

"Why are you just standing there?" Asked Izuna from the entrance door.

"Ah!" Madara exclaimed and wheeled around.

For a moment Izuna wasn't sure what to say. He'd never, ever, in his life, sneaked up on his brother.

By Kami he had it bad….

"I don't think she's in there, big bro." He said and rolled his eyes.

"What, no, I mean. She isn't? Where did she go then?"

Izuna laughed and patted his shoulder. "Sorry big bro, but she left early. Said she had a lot to do and things to see. Something along those lines. I got the impression she was trying to sneak out before anyone noticed her. Any idea why that might have been?" Taunted Izuna to the now grumpy looking Uchiha.

"None of your concern, brother." He answered and left out through the entrance door.

"I'm just asking, since she seemed a little off. Almost flustered, you know?" Izuna taunted as he followed out after him, pushing his advantage. It was hilarious that his brother, the mighty Uchiha warrior who never let his guard down or his emotion show, seemed out of his depths with something as simple as a girl.

"Drop it, Izuna." Madara ordered in reply.

"No way! Do share, big bro. I want to know why you're so evasive." He snickered and Madara whirled on his feet. Izuna was struck by the expression on his face.

"Nothing! I just figured out the Uchiha was the ones who killed off her village, family and friends. She still helps protecting us though, and I was stupid enough to… It makes me wonder if we can't..." He trailed off and turned around again.

Izuna stared at Madara for a long moment, the words finally restringing slowly.

The Uchiha killed her family? He had not seen that one coming. And she'd still helped them, at least that's what they presumed as long as she didn't give out the entrance to the Senju.

Madara had said he wondered something… What? If they could forgive like she seemingly had?

No, Izuna couldn't let him think like that, he couldn't allow for the blonde to manipulate his brother through guilt.

Naruto walked up to the gates of the Senju village, which was visibly less guarded then at her arrival. She was dreading the welcome reception she'd receive on the inside.

"NAMIKAZE NARUTO!" Came the howling voice of Mito as she saw the blonde come through the front door of the gust house. She was even more of the hooks then during the unexpected birth of Hiruzen in the woods. Naruto had never seen Mito so angry or loud in all the time they'd known each other.

Naruto spotted Kurou, Tobirama and Hashirama in the main lounge but the view was obscured by the towering furious red head.

"Have you lost your mind? Have you gone insane? THIEVING from me?! I wasn't sure if I wanted you dead for that trick or not! You could have died! You just protected the Uchiha! What the hell is wrong with you?! How could you do this after my grandfather specifically did not get involved because he didn't want to deal with the Uchiha? Didn't want to get caught in this mess?" She growled while hitting the girl hard repeatedly in the shoulder.

Naruto didn't resist and let Mito take out her anger on her. Naruto felt she truly deserved it after the mess she left in the Uchiha village.

"You did something very stupid, Naruto-san." Said Tobirama with his arms folded in front of him, while Kurou looked disappointed but luckily didn't voice it.

When Naruto's shoulder had turned yellow, Mito calmed down. Naruto was just appreciating that Mito didn't pack the same force in her hits as Sakura had done.

"Explain yourself, Namikaze!"

"It's only right. There's civilians in both villages. I didn't come back here so you could win the war, I came back to try and prevent more people from dying. The Senju getting super protection while they didn't was unfair. And I never let them copy it. I made Madara promise to keep everyone's Sharingan deactivated while I did the sealing. He never found out the Uzumaki had anything to do with it. Your name or home never came up, dattebayo!" She hissed as she touched her tender shoulder.

"It still gets us back to square one. Since you are my brothers friend and I believe you don't mean us any harm, and I won't actually attack you. But you just aided the Uchiha clan. I can't allow someone like that to stay here. I will demand you to be banished from this village, Namikaze Naruto." Said Tobirama sternly while Hashirama slumped unhappily in his chair.

"That's not necessary, Tobirama." Said the eldest brother, but Tobirama seemed to get even angrier from that.

"How can you say that? We're at war with those bastards! If she'd been a member of our clan she would have been executed for treason!" Exclaimed Tobirama angrily.

Naruto sighted and gave the fuinjutsu scroll back to Mito.

"No worries. I just came to give this to Mito and to say bye. I'll leave now. I'm sorry for upsetting you, I knew this would probably happen, but I still believe I did the right thing. Sick, wounded people shouldn't be killed in their sleep. It won't help achieving peace in the long run. Thank you for your hospitality though, I appreciated it." She said and turned to leave again.

Mito hurried after her, followed closely by Kurou. "Naruto! Where are you going? Come back, we'll come too." Mito said worriedly as the two Uzumakis walked fast to keep up with Naruto.

It had been such a bad day.

Naruto's mind was starting for real to remember what had happened in her mindscape with Hagoromo.

The idea that everything she was doing to help the future was also working against her, made her an emotional mess. The guilt because of what had happened with Madara ate at her mind, and now this. This was just the icing on the cake.

Even though this hadn't been unexpected, it still stung that she'd banned from the Senju village.

Naruto stopped once she was outside the gates and turned to the two red heads. "I'm sorry I deceived you. I truly am, but I would have done it again. This war… This war has gone on too long as it is. If it's ever going to end with some hope for the future, then both clans need to get through this as wholesome as possible. The Uchiha is as much to blame as the Senju. They're equal in every aspect. I believe Hashirama can get through to Madara eventually. They were once best friends and I was a friend of both of them. I still am. I will personally apologise and take my punishment as Ashina seems fit. You two stay here. As long as you stay unseen the Uchiha will continue to presume I was the one who cast the protection barrier over the Senju village."

Hashirama and Tobirama had caught up with them and heard her speech. "You're a great friend, Naruto. I'm not angry at your action. I would have applauded you if it wasn't for the circumstances." Said the village leader and looked sourly over at his younger brother.

"I understand your conviction, Naruto-san. But we can't allow you to stay here any longer, we have rules." Added Tobirama without heeding his brother in the slightest.

"Where will you go?" Asked Kurou worried as he looked at the blonde.

"I'm not leaving the area. I've been away for too long as it is. It might be best if I keep out of sight for a while though." She added with a grimace.

"What? What happened? They didn't attack you, did they?" Asked Mito looking her over for injuries, ignoring the most obvious one she'd inflicted herself.

"No." Naruto said and blushed furiously. All of them looked confused at her strange reaction.

"They weren't very welcoming at first, but I left voluntarily. Even got a friendly wave from the guy who had his blade to my throat when I arrived. I just knocked Izuna around on the training field, talked with Madara for a while, gave him Hashirama's letter of alliance. Unfortunately he was idiot enough to burn it before he actually read it, but I explained more or less the content in person. I stayed over and then I came here. I just think Madara might be a little angry with me. So it looks like I've wronged both village leaders in one go." She said and waved her hand as to say it was nothing at all to piss off two of the strongest clans in the world.

Hashirama chuckled with a sad smile and came up to her. "Whatever you did I'm sure Madara will forgive you, I already have. It's just who you are, you've never been very subtle, Naruto."

"Neither is Madara." She muttered, clenching her fists as her cheeks heated up again. None of them noticed though, since she turned at the same time.

"See you sometime, stay safe, and I think I got my point across to Madara. But as he said; this is more then just his decision. There has to be a majority of votes in favour of an alliance for the Uchiha to agree to it. While Madara might not admit it, he wants an alliance though he won't agree to one before the others are convinced." She said while looking into the darkening forest. It was already nightfall and she was starving from not eating in half a day.

She felt Hashirama's hand on her unhurt shoulder. "Thank you, Naruto. I'm sure Madara will sleep a little better with the protection you gave his people. And maybe he won't be so cranky from now on. He sure has been looking tired lately." He said and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

She smiled back at him grateful, and with a genuine; "Take care" Naruto disappeared into the forest.

Sitting in her old cave which didn't look altered from the last six years of inhabitation she leaned against the hard rocky sides.

Naruto was trying to think of a way to deal with all of this. How she was supposed to stop all this fighting and come to terms with the fact that everything she did had effects on time. Naruto knew Hashirama would get through to Madara eventually, even though she had never known how he'd done it originally. All she knew was that Izuna had plaid a big role in Madara's defection from Konoha.

She needed to stop this war before the wrong people got killed. She'd already changed the time line and it was no longer predictable.

What if Tobirama died instead, how would his brother cope with that loss? Maybe he would get so angry he would stop trying to get Madara over on the right path. And what if Hashirama died? Then Konoha would never come to be.

She sighted and went into her mind scape, Kurama had been trying to talk to her for a while now.

'I've been thinking…' Said the demon fox slowly, his tails swishing lazily back and fourth.

'A plan? Great! Tell me! Because I'm all blank.' Naruto replied eagerly.

'The Uchiha devils crush on you could work in our favour.' Replied Kurama grinning wickedly. That smile always meant trouble for Naruto.

'Eh? How on earth could you think that?' Asked Naruto with her hands on her hips, daring Kurama to say the wrong thing.

'Seduce him. I've seen how the female talking monkeys control their mates. You get him attached, then it will be easier to convince him. Make him want Konoha, since you won't agree to be with him before the village is agreed to. Before the Senju and Uchiha is united.'

This wasn't great at all, and Naruto blushed red as Mito's hair at the indications Kurama was hinting at.

'Are you crazy? Then I'd had to actually be with him! It's not like I love him. I mean, I do, but just as a friend!' She exclaimed waving her hands around as she disagreed.

'Are you sure? You enjoyed his advances.'

Naruto stuttered in denial.

'You forget I've had two female jinchuriki's before you Naruto. In a way I guess I know more about romantic love then you do. While I always hated them, I still knew their feelings even when I couldn't see anything outside. They made their mates do heir bidding, and in exchange they loved them.' He explained.

Naruto had the feeling Kurama didn't understand love at all.

'What? You make love sound like an exchange of tasks. You don't get together or married to someone because you want to ease the daily chores. You do that because you.. I don't know… Feel connected with someone more then anyone else. Trust them, care for them, can talk and confide in them!' She said getting angry.

'If that was the case you could get married to a dog.' Said Kurama getting grumpy.

'Argh! You're impossible!' Growled Naruto, sounding a lot like the demon fox.

'Think about it. You do feel all those things for the current Madara. You do trust him, since he is still reasonable, you care for him and you confided in him, earlier you almost let it slip that you shouldn't be in this time line. Isn't that the criteria you explained was needed to pick a human mate?' Said the fox seriously.

'He is dangerous Naruto. You've gotten emotionally involved enough now that you'll have problems killing him, just like the other Uchiha brat. But unlike the other bastard, this one is still somewhat sane.' He said annoyed and lay down with his head on his paws.

'For now.' He added.

'If he tilts over you will have to kill him.' Warned the fox while his eyelids drooped.

Naruto gaped a him before leaving the mind scape.

Getting back to the world of the mortals Naruto grumbled to herself. Angry at Kurama's stupid suggestion. She soon got more interested in the food she was preparing as her stomach growled angrily.

As she ate she considered what she was going to do next.

Just observe? Help where she could? Convince one by one that this was not how it was supposed to stay? Fight for Konoha, for the future.

She felt a little like she was doing like Itachi by trying to solve everything on her own. Hadn't the edo tensei version of him told her, a little before she ended up here in the past, that she should never try to do it all on her own? That she would end up like Uchiha Madara if she relied only on her own power?

Trusting Madara was the riskiest thing she'd ever done. Naruto had seen what he could turn into. But maybe the point was to make Madara trust in other's as well, let him see how strong you could be united, instead of divided.

He was a power hungry bastard, that hadn't changed. Proud of his skills and lethal. But so was Hashirama and Naruto. The difference was that they already knew that they needed others and Madara had to realise that as well. Or keep realising, he seemed to trust his clan at least.

In his other life he'd lost everyone he loved. He'd been shunned by the people he'd given his life and honour for. Alone with Black Zetsu for a long time, slowly going more and more inhuman like Kaguya.

She let the spoon fall down in her bowl as she thought of his last fate. She wouldn't let that happen, there was just no way she'd let him go down that path once again. Things were already set in motion, and Naruto had to attempt - stumbling and scrambling if necessary - to make sure all the pieces fell in their rightful place.

Author note: Thank you so much for reading!

Alright, some romance scenes presented to you by yours truly. My, that was harder to write then I assumed it would be… When it comes to romantic love I feel Naruto needs to get it hammered into her to take notice, and Madara would be very forwards. He's never exactly seemed shy in the manga, and usually goes for what he wants.

About Naruto's reasoning in general: Naruto have problems separating the Madara she knows from the one she hated. In this story I have a habit of calling evil Madara for 'Uchiha Madara', and the nice one for just 'Madara'. Now that he starts looking and sound more as when she first met him she struggles even more. It's also a factor that she's reluctant to unnecessarily mess up time, which basically means she isn't interested in getting in a relationship with anyone.

And I found some ironic fun in how Naruto was introduced to the Senju and Uchiha village respectively, and then how she was shown out. She was welcomed by the Senju but thrown out with shame later on, while in the Uchiha village she was more or less taken captive at first before leaving of her own free will, even with an invite to return. There's something about that set up which made me smile. The roles being switched somehow. The Senju being angry at her while the Uchiha is happy about her.