Disclaimer: "I solemnly swear that I do not own Naruto"
Please, forgive any misspellings and stuff. I just needed to update, I'll check everything later, promise =)
It was already dark outside when they finished the meeting. Madara and Hashirama said that they were going to meet the Daimyo to agree on the place to start building the Village. Tobirama and Takato will accompany them, leaving Izuna and Toka to report to their respective Councils.
"What are you going to do?" the Senju Kunoichi asked Hikari and Sakura.
"Tomorrow we'll gather some supplies and we're going to sneak up the Merchant Village to check how things are going" Hikari said "If there is no threat and no Hyuuga around; we'll go the next day there."
"How so?" the brunette said.
"There must still be injured people" Sakura was the one to answer now "We'd like to know if we can be of any help. And also maybe we can get small jobs to have some earnings to buy some clothes, food, and weapons".
"If you need anything you can ask me" Toka said.
"You're very kind, but we need a place to stay until the Village is done, and that's the most neutral one" Hikari said "Maybe we'll stay in an inn for the time being"
Hashirama pouted when he heard that.
"Please, tell me you are not expecting for them to keep living in this nest" Izuna said looking at the Senju as if he was mental. The man looked at him and his expression betrayed him, "Kami, you really are dull" the youngest Uchiha Sweatdropped. Madara rolled his eyes and all of them were shocked when they heard Tobirama snorting. Izuna looked at him surprised and the Senju returned to his stoic façade.
"What?" he asked.
"I never thought you could have sense of humor" the Uchiha stated simply. The outraged expression Tobirama had made everybody burst in laughter.
"We better be going if we want to meet the Daimyo early tomorrow" the albino said as he cleared his voice a bit embarrased.
"You're right, tomorrow we'll be at your camp's entrance at dawn, so we can go to his home" Madara said "If we get there early we'll be probably done by noon."
"Maybe when we are done, we could go as representatives to your Village with a white flag to pay respects to the council and formalize our part of agreement" Takato intervened.
"That's a wonderful idea!" Hashirama said. Madara looked at his brother proudly, he really had grown up fine in spite of all their father's mistreatment. "Tobi, we should do that too once the meeting with the council is finished." Tobirama nodded seriously, it was honorable from the Uchiha to pay respects to his Clan, and he won't deny that – nor he won't be less than them.
"We will be expecting you then" Kido-san said and bowed.
"Okay everybody, we should be leaving and let the ladies rest." Izuna said cheerfully. 'He really resembles Shisui', Hikari thought.
"We'll keep in touch" Sakura said. "If you don't find us here, we'll be at the village."
"Our falcons will find you, don't worry" Madara said confidently.
"OMG HE'S SO COOL" a voice in Sakura's mind said –"wait what?" Sakura answered the voice. "OH I'M INNER, DON'T YOU REMEMBER ME? YOU STOPPED LISTENING TO ME WHEN YOU STARTED TRAINING WITH SHISHOU". "Hn, I thought you were dead", "COME ON, YOU COULDN'T LEAVE WITHOUT ME, I'M VISIBLE IN EVERY SHANNARO YOU SAY". "Just shut up, I'm busy now.", "OK, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT SEXY UCHIHA MADARA LATER, CHAAA!". That conversation took only 2 or 3 seconds, but she felt like it was an eternity. The Uchiha looked at her and she blushed from the embarrassment, she might be looking like an Idiot!
"How come they can find us?" Hikari asked interrupting the scene, she thought Sakura was acting odd and would ask later about that.
"Hn, we know your Chakra signature, so we reproduce it to them and they'll found it." The patriarch explained.
"Wow, that's awesome. I'd love to meet those falcons some time" Hikari looked like a kid on Hanami. Madara chuckled at her and she suddenly felt aware. "I-I'm sorry I got all worked up" she said a bit shyly and out of character "It's just I have this bond with nature and beast thanks to the senjutsu…"
"AW! We're so alike!" Hashirama said clapping hands. She sweat-dropped. Did she just looked like Hashirama? She suddenly blushed feeling like an idiot.
"Poor girl if she's like you" Madara grunted crossing his arms in his chest. The Senju leader got instantly depressed.
"Come on Anija" Takato intervened "let's not start another war with that" he saw Madara chuckling and then he spoke to Hikari "Once the Village is done, we can introduce you to our falcons, don't worry"
That didn't help the Takishima's blush because she felt like she was being treating like a child, so she only nodded a bit displeased and said a small "Thank You". Takato sort of realized that, he thought she was cute.
"Hey, you're not like Hashirama, don't get mad" He said to her.
She looked at him and noticed that he was not meaning wrong, he was only trying to make her feel better. When she heard Hashirama saying "HEY!" she started to laugh and felt lighter.
"You're all so mean to Senju-san" Sakura said putting her hands on her hips. Madara looked at her carefully.
"Thank you Haruno San, you're the best" the mentioned said with tears on his eyes. She sweat-dropped.
"Man-up" she said "If you're always like this everybody will make fun of you" she remembered her days of being bullied as a child. She learnt that although you can't help bullies being bullies, you are the one that allow some things to hurt you or not.
"That's what I say to him always, but he doesn't listen" Madara said.
"But you also are the one that bullies him the most" She said looking at him scornfully
Madara felt bad about what she said – or maybe the way she said it- and blushed a little
"No I'm not" he defended himself "Tobirama is the one that bullies him the most" he said pointing at the albino. It was odd, it was like he was being fourteen again and fighting like kids with Hashirama. Somehow he felt lighter.
"You're all so childish" Tobirama said bored. "I can't believe we're all forming a Village together. I'm so stuck with you"
"Yes! You must feel honored" Izuna said smiling deviously. Tobirama sighed.
"Anija, Toka, let's go" he said "Good evening" he greeted and then turned away and jumped into the trees.
"Tobi-kun is so tactless" Toka said "don't mind him, good evening to everybody" she bowed and followed the albino into the trees.
"Arigato for today" Hashirama bowed. When he was about to leave he looked at them and smiled brightly "We'll make a better world together, believe it" Hikari and Sakura opened their eyes wide, it felt like they were looking at Naruto. "Good evening!" and he jumped into the trees.
"We shall be leaving too" Kido-san, who had been quiet watching al the interchange from the distance, said. "Good evening ladies" he bowed.
"See ya'!" Izuna said nonchalantly.
"Until next time" Takato added respectful, rolling his eyes at his younger brother's attitude.
"Thank you for everything" Madara said with his deep voice, looking at Hikari and then to Sakura.
"You're welcome" the pinkette said looking at him in the eye
They all turned and jumped into the opposite direction in the forest.
"CHAAAAAAA SO SEXY" inner said. Sakura blushed and jumped into the nest again, leaving Hikari clueless following her.
The next day the girls sneak up to me Merchant Village and found out that the threat was gone. So they would return the next morning to follow their plan.
"What was all that blushing when you spoke to Madara?" Hikari asked Sakura as they jumped back to their nest.
"W-what do you mean?" Sakura said blushing again.
"I mean this" the brunette said pointing the pinkette's face. "You get nervous, you blush… Do you like him?"
"I DON'T!" she almost shouted "He's our enemy for kami's sake!"
"Not in this timeline" the Takishima shot "He's not our enemy at this moment, everything that got him to be the Madara that brought disaster to our life has not happened yet, and maybe it won't"
"What would I gain liking him?" Sakura said a bit displeased but knowing that her friend was right "I just know him for three days or so. I can't like him"
"Maybe he just remembers you of Sasuke…" Hikari started.
"He doesn't" she interrupted. "I would not like him because he reminds me of someone else, that would be cruel. Also I don't think of Sasuke like that anymore and you know it" She added "It's just I feel aware around him, he's intimidating but cool, and of course he's handsome, but the problem was Inner"
"That silly voice on your head that used to fed you up?" her friend asked
"CHAAAAA SILLY VOICE MY ASS" inner said, Sakura sweat-dropped. "Yes" she said "She came back and kept telling me things like Madara was Sexy and stuff. It got me nervous"
Hikari started to laugh "WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS GIRL'S PROBLEM? Inner asked-"shut up" Sakura answered her.
"Sakura, inner looks like she is your subconscious. You are the one that thinks Madara is sexy, but can't accept it, so inner says this to you" the Takishima said as she calmed down.
"OK, MAYBE I WAS WRONG, SHE'S NOT STUPID"- "Just shut up inner, go away" Sakura debated in her mind. She was red as a tomato.
"He's handsome, but I can't be thinking he's sexy. It's wrong, it feels wrong" the pinkette answered a bit down.
"Hey, cheer up" the brunette said "If we're stuck here in the past, it's ok to move on. This timeline is already different than ours. Anything you do won't affect our present… well, past."
"I only think he is handsome, but nothing else…" she didn't sound sure though.
"Nothing else?" Hikari asked. "I remember you acted weird when he gave you the scrolls"
Sakura opened her eyes widely. She remembered that she felt odd when their fingers brushed. It was so strange, a feeling that was foreign to her but also felt so right. She decided to dwell on this later and not tell Hikari about it.
"I was just embarrassed, that's all" the pinkette said. Hikari didn't buy it, but she left her friend be.
"Ok, let's prepare everything for tomorrow and then sleep." She said, she would wait to see how things develop in this timeline. She suddenly thought of Takato and Izuna, and shook her head.
The day after the meeting in the nest, the Uchiha siblings arrived at the Senju compound at dawn. Hashirama and Tobirama were waiting them at the gates. After a brief greeting, they travelled to the Daimyo's compound arriving there almost at eight in the morning.
The Daimyo was surprised to see them together, and also that they came without an appointment, but let them tell him their story.
Madara and Hashirama told him everything, the Battle, the peace they wanted. They mentioned the Kunoichi but they only said that they were passing by the Merchant Village and as they were attacked, they diverted the Hyuuga to follow them so they didn't harm the people anymore, and that's when they stumble upon them. The Daimyo was impressed of their actions, and he didn't ask anything more, not that the Uchiha or the Senju knew more about them either.
They told him about this land that was a valley surrounded by a cliff, a river and a forest. I was a perfect place to settle a village. The Daimyo looked at his map and scanned the area. It was a nice spot of land that was inhabited; it could be an asset to have a Village formed by two of the strongest clans in the Fire Country in that part of the territory.
After some debating he decided to lend them the land, and they would arrange the taxes once it was fully operating.
Madara was right, and at noon they left the Daimyo's compound with a scroll that gave them the permission to build the Village.
Once they arrived at the Senju camp they went straight to the council room and suddenly…
"TAKATO-KUN!" an agitated voice shouted.
The mentioned turned around and saw Ichigo-kun running towards him. He almost tackled him with a hug. The Uchiha was shocked by his action, Madara too, and almost every Senju around was astound to watch this little boy hugging freely a man that was their enemy not so long ago.
"BRAT BE MORE RESPECTFUL!" an elderly woman came panting hard behind the boy. She stopped in front of the Uchiha and bowed to him. "Thank you for saving my grandson Uchiha-san, I'm Senju Keito, the boy's grandmother" as the woman stood up straight she fought the tears in her eyes.
Takato whom was still shocked and haven't return the hug yet, embraced the child with his left arm and with his right one ruffled his hair as he looked at the woman smiling kindly.
"I did no such thing Senju-baa sama" he said "Takishima-san and Haruno-san did so"
"But he keeps talking about you, and your worth that you saved an enemy" the woman said.
"I hardly could think of him as an enemy" Takato said chuckling
"You could have let him perish, and instead you offered to treat him and called back up when he was almost dying in your hands" Keito said seriously. "For him, and for me, you are a hero" she added as she grabbed Takato's hand from his grandson and hold them tightly.
Ichigo let the Uchiha go and hugged his grandma, who let the man's hands go to return her grandson's hug.
"Please be welcome Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Takato." Wata Senju said from the door of the council room "Care to join us?"
They did as said and they had to face a group of ten Senju council members, some of them had fought against their father. But still, they were kind. Takato's actions and Madara's interest in peace and creating a Village had been noticed by them, and made the Uchiha gained the Council's respect. The meeting was short. Madara paid his respects as a Clan Leader and read out loud the treaty they had signed one day ago. Also the scroll the Daimyo gave them.
Once they left the room, Ichigo was still waiting for them.
"Have you seen the Frog Princess?" the kid asked.
"Yes, yesterday in fact we all had a meeting" Takato smiled at him, knowing that he was speaking about Takishima-san.
"Could you send her my regards?" the boy said to him expectant "Do you know when I'll be seeing her again?"
"Sure kid, I will" the Uchiha said ruffling the boy's hair again. "She might be moving to this brand new village mi anija and Hashirama-san are going to build".
"Woow really?" Ichigo exclaimed "I'll get to see you both every day? That's awesome!"
"Ichigo-kun, Takato-san and Madara must leave now" Hashirama said to the kid "We have to go to their camp to reunite with their council too." The boy seemed down so he added "You'll be seeing him soon, we expect to have the village done in less than two weeks. Maybe Takato-san can come to the compound meanwhile we are working someday" he said this looking at the younger Uchiha.
"Of course I can come by before the Village is done" Takato said and Ichigo's face lit up.
"Thank you Hashi-nii sama" the kid said and bowed. "Bye Takato-kun!"
"See you Ichigo-Kun!" the mentioned said smiling, and left with Madara to wait for the Senju siblings outside the camp.
"The boy seems to have developed a crush on Takishima-san" Madara said to his brother "Jealous?" he mocked. Takato snorted.
"Looking forward to see Haruno-san again?" he teased his brother. This time the elder Uchiha snorted, but they were saved by Hashirama arriving with Tobirama.
"Let's go, shall we?" The Senju Patriarch cheered.
The four of them travelled to the Uchiha camp and were received by Izuna and Kido-san. The Uchiha were colder than the Senju, but that was because of Tobirama, they were aware of him. Hashirama was a bright idiot, but an honorable man. And he had saved a pregnant Uchiha kunoichi, and led his men to help their enemies. For them Tobirama was a cold hearted person, an assassin. But they knew that his brother could hold his leash. Because of this way of thinking they were surprised to see Izuna greeting him respectfully, and the albino acting the same way. It seemed something had really changed since that battle, and it seemed they had to adapt to change.
Majime-san was hateful as always but this time he had almost everybody against him. They really wanted this peace. Kido-san greeted the Senju and Hashirama did the same Madara did on their camp.
Once they were finished the sun was setting. The three Uchiha siblings lead the Senju to the camps entrance and bid their goodbyes to them.
"This is the last sunset of our dark history" Hashirama said to his brother while running back to their home.
"Yes it is brother" Tobirama said, Hope starting to bloom in his chest. "Yes, it is".
As Sakura and Hikari entered the Merchant Village they were greeted by a lot of villagers that knew them from the fight. One of them offered food and some water, and they ate while they walk. Suddenly they felt two familiar chakra signatures.
"Good morning ladies" Izuna's charming voice greeted.
"Good morning everybody" this time it was Toka Senju.
"Hey!" Sakura said "how come you are both here?" she asked them
"My, my Haruno-san that is so rude to ask, you should answer Toka's greeting as well as mine" the Uchiha said nonchalantly. Toka eyed him entertained, seemed like the Uchiha boy was being more carefree near them.
"Good morning you two" Hikari said sarcastically "are you both spying on us?"
"Of course not, I just wanted to see you" Toka said. "It's not common for me to find strong and interesting kunoichi to befriend. I just want to be your friend" she added.
"Also Tobirama-sama sent you, am I right?" Sakura retorted.
"You should be thankful I was the one to come, and not him" Toka answered smiling mischievoly.
"It's ok, care to join us on our breakfast?" the pinkette invited them. They all sat on a big trunk near the carpenter's store that was carved like a bench for the people to sit freely.
"So, how was everything yesterday?" the Takishima asked both of them.
"It was alright" Izuna said. "Our people has only issues with Tobirama, but they seemed to accept the fact that he's going to be a recurrent character on their lives."
"What about you?" Toka asked to him curious. Both girls looked at them questionly.
"I'll live with it" the Uchiha said bitterly. "Well, I heard everything was fine at your compound" he suddenly changed subject.
"Yes, your siblings were greeted kindly. Ichigo-kun was the greatest host!" the Senju laughed.
"Is he doing fine?" Hikari asked concerned.
"Sure! He's awesome" Toka said "Everybody was impressed of seeing Haruno-san performing such a surgery on battlefield. No one around has that knowledge". Sakura blushed a little with that.
"I'm sure you have medics that can do that" she said.
"Um, no we don't" the Senju answered "They can perform small surgeries, but to extract an entire organ without leaving any injury, or the patient dying, nobody can. Not that I know of them"
The girls looked at her surprised, and then looked to Izuna, asking him with their eyes if that was true.
"It's the same with our Clan. I've only heard that Hyuugas heal chakra paths, but they cannot perform big displays of medicine" he said.
"Maybe you are from the future" Toka simply said.
Hikari almost choked with her food and Sakura spat her drink. Both Izuna and Toka eyed them curiously.
"Very funny Toka-san, like it is possible to time travel" the Takishima tried to sound confident, but those two were perceptive.
"Yeah," Sakura added "Why would you think that?"
"Well, you do know a lot of things about biology and medicine that nobody here knows" Izuna reasoned, he could have never thought about that possibility but now that the Senju said that it was a plausible theory. A silly one, but still an option.
"Th-that is because our village was very advanced" Sakura said, failing to sound relaxed.
"And what about this village of yours? Maybe we can go and learn some cool stuff." Toka said-
"I told you it doesn't exist" Hikari answered feigning pain, 'yet' she thought "that's why we were here when the Hyuugas attacked, just passing by" she tried to sound like the village was destroyed so they stop asking questions, they weren't supposed to know yet, but that wasn't going to stop Toka Senju nor Izuna Uchiha.
"Ok, so your village doesn't exist, but what can you say about sparring with a Hyuuga?" Izuna added "Hyuugas don't spar, they fight and if they can, they'll kill you with no mercy, am I right Toka-San?" the mentioned nodded eagerly and looked at the girls. "How can you explain you being in good terms with one to do some friendly fighting? Maybe in the future Hyuugas become less stiff and not assholes". Toka laughed at that.
"I-I…" The Takishima was having a hard time trying to think of an excuse
"TAKISHIMA SAN! HARUNO SAN!" someone suddenly shouted. 'Saved by the bell' the brunette thought. A middle aged man was running towards them "I heard that you were there and I wanted to thank you properly for what you did the other day. The Hyuuga gang has not appeared since then" he said breathing hard for the running.
"Thank you Mr…" Sakura actually did not know who he was.
"Is Ryutaro Koji, I'm the leader of this village" he said proudly "I found your names at the inns registration book. We had been robbed by those men for years, and now they're gone. And that's all thanks to you."
"But they caused destruction and killed people, we couldn't do much" Hikari said apologetically
"You did more than enough, you saved more lives than the ones that were lost." The man said honoured. "Where are you staying?" he asked.
"In the forest" Sakura said "we were thinking of staying on an inn here, if possible" she added timidly.
"Then it's settled, you will be guest of honor in our Village" the leader said, please join me and when he was about to leave he realized who the people that were with them were. "Oh my, Senju-sama, Uchiha-sama, I'm sorry for my rudeness" he bowed.
"Calm down man, we just came to see our friends" Izuna said, surprising all of them.
"Oh, so you're friends with Takishima-san and Haruno-san, that's good" Koji-san said. "Is it true the rumor that you clans are going to build a Village together?"
"That is true Rytaro-san" Toka said "Our Clan leaders are starting to build it at this moment. We believe it will be done in two weeks"
"Once is done, the idea is to accept other clans to join it so it can grow" Izuna added.
"That's awesome!" the man cheered "Do you think it could be possible to us to join you? We could contribute with all our commerce, and we can benefit with your protection."
"I believe it is possible, let us speak with my brother and Hashirama-san" the Uchiha said.
"Let's celebrate, Takishima-san, Haruno-san, is there anything that you need before?" Koji-san asked.
"We were wondering if there are any job vacancies so we can have some earnings. We need to buy clothes, weapons and supplies" Hikari said.
"Also you will need shinobi armors" The Uchiha said.
"What?" the brunette asked confused.
"You will need to be properly dressed in case of battle" he answered.
"And some formal clothes for the Village inauguration" Toka added. The girls were worried that the could never pay for that.
"It's not a problem, you can order those things and pay them later" the leader said. "for Jobs, we need people in our Hospital, and also with our small security forces. We are in need of strengthen our perimeters" he added "you can start tomorrow and you'll be paid by the end of the week"
"That's very kind of you!" Sakura exclaimed touched.
They all started to walk around the village, they bought some clothes and finally reached the blacksmith tailor. Koji-san told him to build them her armors, and left them there for some minutes as he went to find more food and beverages.
"You should change on your new clothes" Izuna said "my brother's clothes don't look good on you" he smirked at the Takishima's faint blush.
"Come on, Izuna-san" Toka reprimanded him "you came all this way just to spy on them and mock them?"
The mentioned blushed embarrassed. He was used to Toka speaking to him bluntly, but it was different this time. It was like being in such a casual scenario was making everything more real. He ignored the thought that came through his mind and suddenly remembered another reason of why he was there.
"Of course not" he said "I also came to deliver this letter to Takishima-san" Hikari was a bit astonished by that, 'a letter?' she thought. "Its from my brother, Takato" he smiled deviously to her as he handled her the paper.
"Please Uchiha-san" she said taking the letter and trying to change topic "There is no need to be so formal since we are friends" she emphasized that word he had said not long ago. "It's Hikari for you both"
"The same here, It's Sakura, not Haruno-san" the pinkette said. "It's to formal and we're around the same age"
"Very well, it's Izuna and Toka for you both too" the Uchiha said.
"Hey!" the Senju exclaimed "How come you allow them to use my given name, that's mine to decide" she reprimanded him again "don't mind it girls, you just can call me Toka, please enter to the Tailor while I rip this bastard's head off" she pushed them inside the shop and started to shout at a very pale Izuna.
Once in the Blacksmith Sakura chose a dark green colored armor, while Hikari stood with a grey one. As she was in the dressing room, she took the letter and read it
"Takishima-san:
Hope you and Haruno-san are doing fine. I take the boldness to write to you because the yesterday I bumped into Ichigo-kun and he couldn't stop asking about you. He wanted me to send you his regards. He seems in high spirits and he is almost completely healed. The boy keeps calling you "The Frog princess", he is a nice kid.
I also think you'd like to know that we've settled everything with the Daimyo and we'll start building the Village today. We think it will be done in less than two weeks. It depends on how hard my aniki and Hashirama-san work with their mokuton.
I expect you both can settle fine in the Merchant Village until ours is done, and forgive me if the messenger is a bit bold, he offered to go as we will go to the Valley and start the construction. You'll find out that he is a bit difficult to dissuade.
Regards,
Uchiha Takato"
Hikari read the letter and absentmindly smiled. It was a nice gesture to tell her about Ichigo, and the Village. It still felt odd the way they all speak, though Izuna and Toka were less formal. She wanted to answer him so she stopped for a minute and asked the tailor if he had some paper and pencil. She wrote her letter and sealed it and then when they were finished with the measurement she reunited with Sakura and the others.
"Please Izuna-San could you give this to your brother?" She asked the Uchiha
"Sure, but don't get used to this. I'm the clan's heir, not a falcon" he answered feigning loftiness.
They spent the rest of the day wandering around the Village. Toka and Izuna were really fun, and it was surprising to watch them interact. It was like they had never been enemies. It was easy to see that they have both respected each other for a long time but it was the first time they could be themselves around each other. Once they had their weapons bought and were settled at the Inn, the odd duo left. They had never spoken again about the future-thing. But as Hikari had thought, that wasn't going to stop Toka Senju nor Izuna Uchiha.
*** Author's note ***
This chapter was a pain in the back to write, I don't know why, but I couldn't have ideas for it. All my ideas were for further chapters LOL.
Hope you like it, it took me forever, but next one is on the way!
Thanks for the Faves! Welcome to my story, and please if you like this, review ;)