Fated to Meet You
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hello! I told you to be on the look out soon. :)
It's been a difficult time trying to find my "why" to continue writing. I'm glad that you all are still here enjoying the story. I do have to admit, I totally lost the timeline for this story so if you find any mistakes, feel free to let me know if you are confused. I know the me a few years ago had a lot in mind for this story. But I scratched my original draft because it was just a slow, slooowww-burn and lacking tobiramaxmai moments.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.
Chapter Twelve: No Longer the Same Ways
Uchiha Hikaku finished the ranking of all Uchiha shinobi. From what the Hokage told him, news of Konoha's shinobi system will be completed in the next coming weeks. He could tell the village was still in the making. As much as the infrastructure of Konoha has been built, loose ends still had to be tied. And with the increasing amount of other shinobi villages appearing, Konoha had to tie these loose ends fast.
Tobirama received the list of shinobi's from all the shinobi clans and their rankings. His brother was across from him at the table. The sheer amount of these shinobi was almost overwhelming but the thought of waiting any longer pushed Tobirama to continue. The white haired Senju had to push his brother to continue as well. "Brother, you need to focus." Tobirama looked up from the sheet of paper in front of him.
Hashirama lifted his chin from the palm of his hand and smiled embarrassingly.
"Each shinobi here has been evaluated by their clan leaders as to why they fit the rank they fit." Tobirama put the sheet of paper he was holding down. "As Hokage, you need to decide whether they fit as well."
Hashirama let his arms fall to his sides. "What were the three ranks you were thinking of?" His brother has been the rock holding down the structure of Konoha from inventing the Academy and now this structure of shinobi ranking.
"Jōnin, Chūnin, and Genin." Tobirama stated. He spent the last few months over this shinobi system that Konoha would adopt. From structuring the entrance qualifications for the Academy to how these shinobi will move up their ranks. He did it all. And he was proud of it. Although, Senju Tobirama did not need nor strive for public recognition for it.
"Okay!" Hashirama raised his arms up. "Let's do this."
The Senju brothers, and Hokage and advisor duo, spent the day going through the list. Most shinobi seemed in their minds to not be in the genin rank since most of these shinobi have fought during the Warring States Era.
"Uchiha Mai." Hashirama held the paper in front of his face. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could tell his brother was nonchalantly setting the paper in front of his face down. Senju Hashirama read Uchiha Hikaku's evaluation of her.
...specializes in individual reconnaissance and assassination. Uchiha Mai has much more experience working individually than in a team, however, is adaptable. She is proficient in sensory and ninjutsu and has advanced genjutsu. Her taijutsu is slightly behind compared to other Uchiha shinobi. I recommend her to rank Jōnin.
Throughout this process, Senju Hashirama made sure to say each shinobi name out loud as his brother handed him the documents. Usually after the first second, his white haired brother would go back to work but this time, his brother stayed watching as Hashirama read. Smiling behind the sheet of paper, the dark haired brother peered his head to the side to see his brother's face. "Do you want to read it too?" Hashirama asked, trying to hold in his smile.
Tobirama's red eyes scowled at his brother. "Brother, this is not a playing matter."
The smile on Hashirama's face dropped immediately. Clearing his throat, Hashirama put the sheet of paper down. "Jōnin."
The brother duo continued on sorting each Konoha shinobi into their ranks.
Uchiha Mai received notice from Hikaku of the shinobi ranking system along with her ranking. During the Warring States Era, there were no such things as ranks since everyone fought in wars. So this was new to her. Additionally, she was no longer going to get missions from Hikaku. She would have to report to the Hokage if she did or didn't want to accept a mission. And when she talked about it to Hikaku, Hikaku merely said, "Clan leaders have too much to handle. And this way makes it easier since all the information was essentially going to the Hokage." Before she could even talk to Hikaku even more, he had to excuse himself to go into another long meeting with the Uchiha Elders.
Walking to the training ground, Mai contemplated the effects of these changes. Ever since Elder Mio's told her to stop looking for the scrolls Mai has been training more than she had ever done before. Elder Mio health was declining so the female elder insisted on her rest. Sometimes, Elder Jirou would come by. Basically, Mai had nothing to do other than clean the home, eat, train, and sleep. Reaching the training ground, Mai set her bag on the grass ground beside a tree. She tried out all the training grounds. This one was on the other side of the village from where Elder Mio's home was. And this one, she liked the most. It was further from the busy heart of the village, and it took her almost an hour of walking to get there. Not many people ventured this far from the village. The village had yet to build over into this area so most of it was bunches of trees with a large lake and a mountain range that could be seen further back. Mai trained alone most of her life with the exception of training with Hikaku after months of getting to know him, but lately it became redundant when she had been doing it almost every day for the past few weeks.
Bending back up, she glided her hand over the Konoha symbol on her forehead protector. She began putting on the forehead protector, and she liked it on her. It gave her a sense of belonging - just like what the Uchiha symbol sewn into the inside of her clothing did for her. But there was something more to the forehead protector than the Uchiha symbol, and Uchiha Mai still had to figure that out. She tied her Konoha forehead protector a little tighter before whizzing away to train.
Tobirama liked the Third Training Ground. It was further from most people. He hadn't been training for months since he was busy finalizing the last things for the village. But today, he wasn't training. He was fishing. He noticed a chakra signature enter the training grounds, and he knew this chakra signature. It was none other than Uchiha Mai. But he let it go. She still was a ways away from him. And even if she came too close, Tobirama knew when she would.
Uchiha Mai almost tripped on a tree branch when she noticed him. A chakra signature that was beside the river at the training ground. And when Uchiha Mai went to see who it was, lo and behold it was Senju Tobirama. Mai saw a spot of white at the edge of the river, and at first, she thought it was a reflection of light. However, squinting her onyx eyes, she found it to be a head of white hair. The man was wearing all black and sitting on the stones at the bank of the river. The man, Senju Tobirama, was fishing. The bamboo pole was held lazily but upright over the water. From behind the tree she was at, she stepped out and walked towards the white haired Senju, who was sitting casually on the rock.
"Have you caught anything yet?" Uchiha Mai asked all the while making her presence clear by making her footsteps audible.
The white haired Senju, with his back facing the Uchiha, turned his head. "Hm." And turned his head back to face the water. He mentally noted the Konoha forehead protector the Uchiha was wearing.
Mai walked closer to the bank and stood beside the Senju with just a couple meters in between them. She no longer feared the man. Mostly because out of the many times she'd seen him, he didn't kill her. And Hikaku spoke respectfully of him - but she didn't want to acknowledge that to be another reason why she trusted this man just slightly. However, she knew it was true that she trusted him. The man never tried to kill her after knowing who she was. And he always exchanged her glances, even if he didn't nod back to her like she did out of respect. Maybe it was his thing to never nod back. Mai peered into the water. "There's nothing here." The water ran past her and glistened when the light hit it.
"Fish only come when the sun is at its highest or at dusk and dawn." Senju Tobirama informed. But he wasn't here to fish. He was here to relax. And having to cast a line into the water gave him that sense of relaxation. In all his life, he knew that that kind of simplicity could only last temporarily. And he needed it after an entire few months of Konoha affairs.
Mai looked up at the sky. Her onyx eyes squinted slightly at the sun's light. It was a few hours past the highest sun. "Then why are you still here?"
"...Not everyone fishes just for the fish." He said nonchalantly and bobbed his line in the water.
Uchiha Mai turned her neck to face the Senju. The man had such fair complexion that she could see the gray under his piercing eyes. Even tired, the Senju man had a glare. Uchiha Mai let the silence fill the air between them and moved her eyes back to the river to where the wire was.
"Are you training?" Senju Tobirama asked while not changing his physical composure.
Mai nodded. "I am." She shifted her weight onto one foot. "You have a good day, Senju-san." She started to pivot around softly before the man stopped her with his next sentence.
"Let's train together." Senju Tobirama turned his head to face the Uchiha girl. His forehead protector meeting to face her's.
Mai blinked at the white haired man. What did he just say? Train? Together? What? She had a hard time comprehending that. Comprehending everything of what just happened, Mai asked, "Are you going to kill me?"
. . .
What did Uchiha Mai get herself into. Here she was standing in front of Senju Tobirama about to spar with the man. When his brother finished his Hokage duty for the day, Tobirama went back to look at Uchiha Mai's report. Tobirama could tell why she lagged in taijutsu. She was small for her age group. Mai watched as the tall man stood watching her. Putting her hands together, Mai conjured the seal of confrontation as per protocol for every shinobi when they sparred together. As soon as Mai did that, she vanished.
Kneeling down on a tree branch, Mai tightened her tail tighter and pulled out a kunai knife. Almost immediately, she felt someone behind her. Jumping out of the way, she landed on the grass ground facing the white haired Senju who took over her spot on the tree. Mai was strong, and she knew that. But in no way was she capable of standing against a man like Senju Tobirama. However, she wasn't going to let her mind get the best of her. In a spar, she was going to fight with her fullest. Throwing her kunai straight at the man, Mai leapt forward in his direction while pulling another out from her pouch behind her. Tobirama stepped to the side, dodging the kunai before stepping back in her line of attack and blocked her kunai with his. Almost immediately as she struck his kunai, Mai pushed chakra into the force of her hands and pushed the opposing kunai back before she lunged her kunai in the opposite direction towards the man. Tobirama reacted instinctively and let go of his kunai knife midair to the move and pulled his arms inward. Catching her wrist, Tobirama moved aside so that the woman flew past him.
Mai landed swiftly on the grass ground behind the Senju. Turning around, she immediately felt the Senju behind her. Bringing her kunai knife in front of her, Tobirama struck her with his and caused hers to fly out of her hand. Mai withdrew her hand and lowered herself. She was never that great in taijutsu. Pinching her right fingers together, Mai gathered her chakra there before expelling it towards the man's abdomen. Tobirama had to admit he was caught off guard when he felt himself being blown back. Immediately after completing his thought as he was still in the air, three kunai knives came toward him. Putting his hands together, Tobirama replaced himself with a nearby log.
"Heavenly Weeping." Water senbons swept through the air aiming at the dark haired woman. Mai looked up to the sky. She could see the small needles given away by the reflection of light aiming at her. Almost instinctively, she activated her Sharingan to dodge every senbon. Seeing where each senbon was going to land, she moved out of the way. But almost immediately as she moved out the way, right when she landed, she felt a kunai at her neck. At that moment, she knew the spar was over. Closing her eyes, she let her Sharingan eyes swirl back to her genetic onyx ones. Lowering her hands to her sides to signify defeat, she felt the kunai move away from her neck. The two shinobi stepped away from each other. Mai turned around to face the white haired Senju. Dipping her head at him before she faced him again.
Senju Tobirama withdrew his kunai knife away from the Uchiha's neck, spinning it in his hands before putting it back into his pouch. He lowered his head just slightly as Mai's head dipped. It was a quick spar. He wasn't expecting it to be long. At the same time, there were a few things he also wasn't expecting. She was skilled to be considered Jōnin level. If she was this skilled, why didn't she ever accept missions when she was at this level? The spar may have been short, but he gained a lot about Uchiha Mai's capabilities.
"Well," Mai started. "It was nice sparring with you, Senju-san." And not dying.
"I'm assuming you received your ranking." Tobirama stated.
Mai nodded. "I did." She fixed the hem of her shirt by pulling it downwards.
"You tend to favor your left." Tobirama nodded to her left side. "It's not detrimental, but it can be."
Mai watched in awe as the Senju man walked away back to his spot by the river. She looked down at her left hand before taking one last look at the white haired man who had sat down by the bank again, fishing rod in hand. Turning away, Uchiha Mai walked off the training grounds.
Tobirama sat there at the river bank until the sun began to set. The Uchiha woman was skilled. He had to really acknowledge it. He had never seen anyone use pure chakra as a weapon.
Are you going to kill me? Tobirama replayed the memory. He exhaled before dipping his fishing pole into the river. The fish were about to come out. "I don't kill comrades." Senju Tobirama answered.
Uchiha Hikaku sat at the head of the circle. Surrounding him, all the elders of his clan - his advisors. They had been in the meeting for almost two hours now, and nothing was decided.
"And these rankings," Elder Hagetaka started. "Uchiha shinobi should not have to report to a Senju."
Uchiha Hikaku took in a breath. Every meeting he had with the Uchiha Elders has done nothing but take the Uchiha clan ten steps backward. Half the elders were still on the issue of why Konoha had a Senju as a Hokage and attributing the growth of the village with the "dissolution" of the Uchiha clan. The other half argued to look at the prosperity the establishment of the village has done for the clan: stable income, living children, and protection. The Uchiha Clan Leader glanced over to his teacher who sat beside Elder Mio. The two looked as if they wanted nothing but tea.
"Elder Hagetaka," Elder Jirou started. "Most of our Uchiha shinobi are in the highest rank, which is what most of our shinobi should be with their skill set. As for reporting to the Hokage, is it not the village that Uchiha shinobi serve? None of this has anything to do with the possible dissolution of the Uchiha Clan."
"The Uchiha Clan will never dissolve. In fact, we are starting to grow more ways than ever before compared to when we were in the Warring States Era" Another elder chimed in.
"We used to report only to our clan leader." An elder spoke. "And now we will report to a non-Uchiha? I do not agree with this decision." This elder looked over to Hikaku.
"Times are different now." Elder Mio finally spoke. She had withdrawn herself from the debate over an hour ago. "We are no longer fighting against the Senju. In fact, we are fighting with them, side by side, as comrades of Konoha. The same can be said for the Sarutobi clan or the Hyuuga clan. We have lived in a world of war but we are not anymore. The Uchiha Clan will never dissolve. The young will carry forth our legacy and our history on their backs just as they do with the Uchiha Clan symbol. It is our duty to build this new world for them, working with Konoha and the Hokage, for them."
"Or they will brainwash this new generation into thinking like Senju's!" Elder Hagetaka added.
"Enough." Uchiha Hikaku interjected. "You all are dismissed." Meetings with his advisors were always like this. The pro-war faction turned into the anti-Konoha establishment, and the pro-peace faction turned into pro-Konoha establishment. There was nothing that could change these elders' minds. Hikaku watched as all the elders left one by one. Rolling up the scroll in his hands, he set it aside. All he wanted was to be with his wife and children at home but he was here. A bird called in the distance causing the Uchiha clan leader to turn his head in the direction of the window. Flying up to the window, a falcon landed. He knew who it was from.
Mai sat in front of Elder Mio in her usual tea room. Ayaka had just finished setting the tea kettle on the table before leaving. It had been five almost six years since Elder Mio took her in. And throughout the time, Mai could tell the physical effects time had done to Elder Mio. The fine lines on the female elder's face deepened. The scar on her forehead became more prominent. But her eyes, Elder Mio's eyes never waivered to time. "Lord Hikaku told me your shinobi rank." Elder Mio brought her cup of tea up to her lips.
Mai nodded. "Jōnin."
"I wouldn't have expected any lower." Elder Mio said with a small hint of appraise. She had trained the kunoichi for almost six years now. Instilled her almost her entire skillset to her apprentice. Each day with her, it was like Elder Mio was looking at her past. Elder Jirou was right. Uchiha Mai was like Elder Mio, in fact, she may even surpass the female elder. But since the establishment of the village, she knew her student's learning had slowed. The elder had no time to train her apprentice anymore. Her student needed more, and she was going to be there to guide her student just like how she had done for the past three generations of Uchiha clan leaders.
"I went to train at one of the new training grounds." Mai stated.
Elder Mio hummed before asking, "By yourself?"
"Well, I started by myself." Mai flattened her dark blue sleeve onto her lap before looking back up to her teacher.
Elder Mio lowered her cup down. She was curious. Ever since, well ever, her student rarely trained with anyone. The only person she would even train with was Hikaku. And the Uchiha clan leader had no time to train with her anymore.
"Senju Tobirama was there and we sparred for a quick minute." Mai told her teacher with just a little bit of restraint as if her elder was going to disown her.
"Did he want to kill you?" Those words came out of Elder Mio's mouth just a little faster than she could think about them.
Pausing for a bit, Mai had to process what her teacher just said to her. She practically said the same thing to the Senju. "...No. He gave me tips, actually." She loosened her shoulders just a bit.
Elder Mio hummed before bringing her tea cup up to her mouth. "And what did he say?"
"That I tend to favor my left." Mai stretched out her left hand in her lap.
Elder Mio swallowed her tea before agreeing, "You do. Although it's not detrimental."
Mai nodded. Of course her teacher knew.
"It's up to you if you want to fix it. You've always been adaptable. Even then, Senju's have a tendency for balance." Her teacher noted.
Letting out a breath of air, Mai nodded. "I'll work on fixing it."
"What did you learn from sparring with Senju Tobirama?" Elder Mio asked.
"He's incredibly fast." Mai noted. Of course the man was stronger than her, biologically. "Although, sometimes, he underestimates his opponent." Mai set her tea cup down on the table. "He's calculating. And comes back with a new plan in his favor."
Elder Mio nodded. She knew what kind of ninja Senju Tobirama. The man fought head to head with Uchiha Madara and Izuna.
"There really wasn't much that I could gain." Mai noted. The spar was literally done in minutes.
Elder Mio hummed. Of all the people her student could spar with, Senju Tobirama was the last person she would think of to be sparring with her. Not because her student was almost killed by him, nor because her student was an Uchiha and he was a Senju. But because he of all people knew his prowess could literally overpower her in a matter of minutes. "Do you enjoy this village?"
The question threw her student just a little off. And Elder Mio could tell. She had overheard her and Hikaku's conversation that day. Uchiha Mio knew at that moment that her student was having a difficult time letting go of the past era's ideology - something that her student had to change on her own.
"I do." Mai looked at her teacher. "It's growing on me."
"Good." Elder Mio put her tea cup down on the table.
"If I may ask, Elder Mio." Mai started and waited for her teacher's approval to continue. "How is it that you are not missing life in the Uchiha Village?" She knew her teacher was fighting for this village. She could tell. All the Uchiha's could talk about were the two elder factions and which side they sided on.
The female elder flattened her kimono sleeve onto her lap. "I have seen children and adults younger than me die yet I am still living… I'm not saying that my life is more or less valuable. The Warring States Era did nothing but kill children. And I see this village as hope for children like Kagami to live lives longer than the children before them."
Mai poured her teacher more tea from the kettle. The brown water falling silently into the cup with a trail of steam following behind it.
"You see, us old people are too stuck in the past. We lost a lot of loved ones." The female elder picked up her cup of tea from the table. "But the one thing that we need to do is put forth the importance of the lives of the children. To never let that happen to anyone else again." Uchiha Mio could see her student had one more question by the look of her eyes. "You have another question."
"..." Mai scrambled how to ask her question. "What about our secrets? We were taught to put the survival of the clan first."
"Our secrets will always be ours." As much as Elder Mio was willing to lend a hand to this village, if anyone dared to touch the Uchiha clan's kekkei-genkai, she would not hold mercy against them. Yes, the Konoha shinobi clans were one now. And what comes with allies are boundaries of respect. "But there is a fine line between the village and us that we now need to define."
"And what is your definition?" Mai asked.
"The prosperity and protection of Konoha needs our help." Elder Mio answered. "But things like our kekkei-genkai must respectfully stay within us." If anything were to happen to the Uchiha sharingan eyes, Elder Mio would never forgive them, ally or not.
Hashirama thought that if he were to meet with all the hidden villages Kages war could be avoided . He was wrong. No letter had been returned. So far, Konoha had caught three shinobi spies entering the village. One of them, thanks to Elder Mio, was able to spit out that his village was still building. And Senju Hashirama could only hope that the other hidden villages were still in their beginning stages as well. Still, the unknown still irked him. What was going to happen to his dream when Konoha and these other hidden villages finished building? Was there going to be war again? That was not what he, his brother, and Uchiha Madara had dreamed of.
The knock on the door brought the Hokage out of his thoughts. "Enter." The Senju said after clearing his throat.
Senju Takeshi entered through the doors of the Hokage's Office. "Hokage-sama, you asked for me."
"Yes, I did." Hashirama answered. Moving the papers on his desks aside, he gestured for the Senju to come forward. "What's the update?"
Senju Takeshi stopped in front of the Hokage's desk. "Lord Uzumaki Ashina told me to give you this." He pulled out a scroll.
The Hokage nodded and grabbed the scroll from Takeshi's hand. "Thank you. You may leave."
Senju Takeshi nodded his head and turned to walk out the door.
The dark haired Hokage waited until Takeshi closed the door before opening up the scroll. Senju Hashirama had to plan for peace. He just needed to gather a team to start it. A good team with the trust and capabilities that will ensure its success. But the mission was a risky one. And he knew that if anything were to happen, the entire team would lose their lives.
Word had spread quickly amongst the Uchiha Clan. Uchiha Clan Leader, Uchiha Hikaku, had disbanded the Uchiha Council of Elders. Uchiha Mai had asked her teacher how she felt. The female Uchiha elder merely said that they were too old and not getting anywhere. But Mai knew there was more to it. Elder Mio advocated for the new ways but did she approve of the disbandment of something that had been going on for centuries?
"Wow, he really did it." She was so in her thoughts that had the white haired man in behind wasn't watching her for a while, he would have thought she was going crazy talking to herself.
Senju Tobirama matched his footsteps with the Uchiha woman in front of him He was on his way to look into a part of the village that had yet to be renovated for the village, and he somehow ended up behind the Uchiha talking to herself, as if fate hadn't had enough of him meeting her within the week.
"Is he crazy?"
Tobirama scowled a bit into the back of the girl's head of black hair. Am I crazy? Was that statement about him?
"Elder Mio might really just kill him." The girl came to an abrupt stop.
Kill me?- The white haired man behind her, caught off guard, stopped jaggedly. His red eyes widened larger than usual at the sheer insane scenario he was in.
Flicking the hair on her right shoulder back behind her, Mai said, "Uchiha Hikaku, you really did it for yourself."
She wasn't talking about him, and Tobirama raised a white brow. What did Uchiha Hikaku have to do with the possibility of Elder Mio killing him?
Letting out a sharp breath, the Uchiha woman went on, "You really are a piece of cake. You really are just-" Mai tightened her hold on the scrolls in her arms causing one to fall out. "Uh." Uchiha Mai made an effort to reach for the dark red scroll that fell to the grown while holding onto the rest of six or so scrolls basketed by her arms.
At the same time, Tobirama bent down to pick it up before the Uchiha woman could.
Mai looked up before retracting her hand and standing back up. "Thank you, Senju-san." Her composure restored itself as soon as the two shinobi stood up.
Handing the scroll to her available hand, Tobirama asked, "What are these for?"
"They're Elder Mio's that were with Lord Hikaku." Mai answered before taking a good look at the man. The man was wearing the same simple black gear as the time she met him at the training ground. "And you, Senju-san? What are you doing this far out of the village?" She asked before adding, "If I can ask that."
The white haired Senju retracted his hand. "Lord Hokage wanted a report on how the land west of here looked like." Tobirama gestured matter-of-factly with his red eyes down the path where West was.
Mai followed the Senju's red eyes down the path of buildings towards far in the distance where the trees stood. The village had yet to still expand outwards to the Konoha borders. "Elder Mio lives in that direction," Mai commented.
"Elder Mio?" Tobirama repeated. So far, Tobirama only saw what he assumed were civilians based on their chakra signatures. From what he knew, a large portion of the Uchiha clan lived in a neighborhood that was in the opposite direction.
Mai nodded. "Elder Mio likes the terrain ahead."
"So you know the area west of here?" Tobirama asked. His red eyes landed suspiciously at the girl.
Mai nodded. "For only about a 30 kilometer radius from here." During the times where Elder Mio was busy with elder meetings, Mai ventured out to explore what was around the area. There really wasn't much but a river and more trees.
Senju Tobirama nodded at her answer. "Do other Uchiha's live over there as well?" Tobirama asked.
Mai shook her head. "No. Some civilian families in close proximity. A few shinobi ones further." She looked up at the white haired man. Even after all these years, he still towered over her. But there was less distance since the last time she first met him.
Tobirama nodded at her answer. He watched her turn slightly to the side signalling her intention to walk, and Tobirama stepped forward with her. "What is ahead from here?"
Mai looked down the path. A good number of Konoha residents were ahead of the two shinobi. "This path curves around a forested area." She pointed down the path with her dainty chin at the trees that were starting to poke into her view. "There's a river about fifteen meters into that forest."
Tobirama looked down at his side where the female was. "Do you need help carrying those?"
"No, that's okay." Mai stated. "I'm used to carrying this much."
And dropping them along the way? Tobirama thought to himself internally but nodded physically. "What is it about Lord Hikaku that makes him crazy?" Tobirama asked while looking ahead, but making sure to keep in view the dark haired woman for her reaction.
Uchiha Mai could feel her face freeze. Her onyx eyes widen more than a fraction. Did the man beside her hear her speak to herself? The embarrassment. Taking a deep breath as if to prevent the blood from flowing to her cheeks, she stated in the most steady tone of voice she could, "You didn't hear, Senju-san?" She couldn't even look up at the man anymore. "You of all people I assumed would be the first to know."
"Really?" Tobirama questioned. "You seem rather close to Uchiha Hikaku."
"Well," Mai started. "We are…- We used to be Elder Apprentices together."
Tobirama did know that Uchiha Hikaku was the student of Uchiha Elder Jirou. "And what makes this information relevant enough for me to know."
Senju Tobirama's comment made Uchiha Mai look up at the man. Her onyx eyes took in the man's sharp features before landing on his head of white hair. "Because like with Konoha changing our lives, Lord Hikaku changed the Uchiha Clan ways by a lot."
Tobirama narrowed his red eyes at the Uchiha who was looking straight at him. "What did he do?"
Ripping her eyes off of the Senju to look at the path ahead of them, she stated, ""Lord Hikaku disbanded the Uchiha Council of Elders."
Tobirama's red eyes stood still on the dark haired girl next to him for a very long moment. Silence filled in the space in time. Regaining his composure, he blinked away and looked at the path ahead. "Is that so." Tobirama did not think the Uchiha Clan Leader would do something as revolutionary as that. Elders have been advisors for leaders for years in all human populations of their world. Disbanding a council of elders was unheard of. The shinobi, even the world, depended on elders to continue.
After the silence lasted too long, Mai turned her head to look at Senju man. She had grown a bit and now was tall enough to line up to his mouth. "So you agree?"
Letting out a silent breath, Tobirama answered, "It's different." He was really still processing the fact that Uchiha Hikaku disbanded the Uchiha Council of Elders for the sake of clarity for Konoha.
The two shinobi reached where the path began to curve. Mai slowed her steps and Tobirama followed suit. "This is the forest." She looked into the forest before looking at the man. "Past the river, you would reach Elder Mio's home. So I wouldn't venture too far."
Tobirama took note of that and nodded.
"It's relatively flat like a lot of Konoha land. Although, in the distance there are some hills. I haven't ventured that far yet." Mai noted. She looked up at the man. His red eyes were still on the forest behind her. "If that is all then," Mai nodded her to excuse herself.
Senju Tobirama's red eyes moved back to the girl that had begun to walk away. "Uchiha Mai," Tobirama called for her. The Uchiha had already turned and began walking toward the direction of homes.
"Yes." Mai turned, scrolls encased in her arms. Her onyx eyes looking questionly at him.
Tobirama looked into the direction of the woods."Doesn't Elder Mio live in this direction."
Mai nodded. "Yes." She juggled the scrolls in her arms a bit to let her left arm go and pointed it down the open path leading towards the houses and buildings with Konoha residents walking through. "But this way is less suspicious." Ever since she clashed with Senju Tobirama a second time, she had steered clear of un-renovated forests. There was no way she was going to let the Hokage's brother and advisor catch her in the woods ever again.
Senju Tobirama could feel the corner of his lips twitch but he stopped it. Was this woman really going to bring up the past? Clearing his throat softly, he prompted, "Wouldn't it be more suspicious for Elder Mio to sense a Senju venturing close to her home?" He knew of Elder Mio's renown sensing abilities. Even though she was an Uchiha, he held a sense of respect towards the elder woman. He too was a sensor as well.
Bringing her arm back to hug the scrolls, Mai nodded. "Then you should take this path." She dipped her head to the open path. What was he getting to?
Senju Tobirama held his ever lack of emotion face. His red eyes naturally narrowed at Uchiha Mai's response. Was she not comprehending what he was trying to relay? He needed her to go with her to venture the forests so that her teacher wouldn't sense anything suspicious.
Mai's onyx eyes scanned the man's face. She winced a little at the sheer scowl he was giving until she deduced what the white haired Senju was indirectly asking. Giving in, she stepped towards the white haired Senju. "I'm afraid I might slow you down on your ventures, Senju-san." She walked closer to Senju Tobirama. "But for Elder Mio, I will come along."
Tobirama reached out one hand. "Let me carry some of those, Uchiha Mai."
A/N (AGAIN)
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