Fated to Meet You
Author's Note: I had so many ideas for FTMY when I started it. As time went on, the plot changed and it became hard for me to understand where I wanted FTMY to go. I feel like I've dragged FTMY for a long time to get to this point in the story. I have an overall grasp of what I write but the details are still blurry. Thank you for your patience. I appreciate the support.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.
Chapter Twenty-Seven: First Great Shinobi War
Not to Mai's surprise, she was assigned to a team to scout the borders of the Land of Fire for possible signs of attack, whether that be to the Land of Fire or to the countries around it.
Leaving Senju Tobirama to carry on what they had decided to do on top of his workload. But as he always said, Tobirama worked fast.
"I have a meeting with Tōka." The younger Senju brother relayed to the older one.
"After that," the Hokage signed exhaustedly. "I was thinking about what you proposed the other day."
Tobirama waited for his brother to continue.
"To make another branch in the shinobi system for secret, covert missions and such." Hashirama continued.
"It cannot wait any longer?" Tobirama referred to the idea. He had thought of the idea to create another kind of role for shinobi. It was more dark, too dark for regular shinobi to apply for. Unlike his brother, who liked to focus on the good and more apparent tasks of building and maintaining a village, Tobirama liked to focus on both the good and bad. This group, he had already thought of a name for them: ANBU.
The role of this group was to maintain the peace and order within and outside the village walls. At a price, of course. Everything always came at a price. Tobirama knew that very well. That was why he only thought of recruiting the people that could handle that price.
Senju Hashirama paused to examine the perimeter before continuing. "Mito is with child." He whispered.
The younger Senju brother looked down to his older brother, almost depleted of energy but still vibrant with perseverance. Understanding completely, Tobirama nodded. "I'll see what I can make up by the end of the week."
This child would be Hashirama's third child. It was protocol for Mito to have bodyguards and it was also protocol for the matriarch to have specific bodyguards when she was with child. The first two pregnancies were difficult for Mito, and Tobirama would bet that this upcoming one would be more difficult than the two older ones - especially with Mito's current situation.
The Konoha team watched onward. They were past the Land of Fire border but not in unknown territory, at least not anymore.
Mai could feel chills on her bones, and it remained in place as if the chills were not to move anywhere else. The smoke was coming from where all four Konoha shinobi knew. It climbed high into the sky. A gray cloud on blue.
"Send word back to Lord Hokage!" Mai heard the Akimichi ninja and leader of the team. "Tell him, Takigakure has been attacked."
The Konoha shinobi were told that the hidden village that attacked them were now their allies. And if anything were to happen to Konoha allies, Konoha would fight with them.
"Now all five great shinobi hidden villages will be fighting." The Hyuuga team member noted stoically. "We're in this war now."
The Uchiha female could feel her chest rise and fall at every inhale and exhale. This was normal. War was as normal as it was breathing for her. Her onyx eyes followed the rising smoke. Again. She thought to herself.
The First Great Shinobi War has started.
Tobirama cut his meeting with Senju Tōka short. A team of injured Konoha shinobi passed through the sensor barrier of the village. It wasn't Mai's team. Tobirama checked to make sure with his sensory technique.
Senju Tobirama had this aura - no, rather he owned this particular aura. He did not demand attention, he held it. The moment he stepped foot into the hospital, it was like the shinobi around him knew what to do. "What happened?" The Hokage Advisor asked.
Tobirama knew every detail of every team sent out of the village. This team was sent on a recon mission to check on the current situation in the area bordering the Land of Fire and Land of Earth. "We were found, sir." The team leader answered.
"And the team's condition?"
The team leader's face was grim. His mouth straightened. "Two in critical condition. Hyuuga-san and I carried them back. Hyuuga-san is getting his arm checked right now. It might be broken."
"And you?" Tobirama's red eyes remained steady on the team leader. "Did you get checked?"
"Not yet, sir. I wanted to wait until I gave you the update."
Tobirama nodded, dismissing the konoha shinobi. But Tobirama remained in the area. Lately, more and more teams are coming back injured. It was making the citizens anxious. He had thought that when his brother and him negotiated with the tailed beasts to the hidden villages that it would calm the world even just for a little bit. But Tobirama didn't think peace would dissipate this quickly.
Mai returned just before the gates closed. When night came in Konoha, the village was practically engulfed in darkness with only the moon lighting the way. She couldn't sleep and so she laid outside. She liked the autumn night. The air was just cold enough and felt clean. And the skies were always clear every night.
Uchiha Mai laid on the wooden boards of her home. Her hair sprawled above her. She turned just slightly to face the full moon peeking from behind her tiled roof. "You know, I can never sense you when you do that." Uchiha Mai replied in response to seeing Senju Tobirama.
"How do you do that?" She craned her neck over to him. Uchiha Mai was a great sensor. She learned from her clan's best. But sometimes, Senju Tobirama was impossible to sense unless he wanted to be found. Yet, he could find her whenever he wanted. Mai really wanted to know what he was doing.
"A trick I have." Tobirama stepped into the home and sat down beside Mai's head, careful to avoid her black hair.
Mai peered up to the white haired man. She stared at him. From his white hair, to the back of his neck, and then to his jaw. The moon's light touched one side and casted a shadow beneath the jaw accentuating its sharpness.
When Mai stared too long, Senju Tobirama would look at her, causing her to look away. And this time, she stared too long again. Looking away, Mai took in the moment. It was a long day for the two of them. And both of them just wanted silence. They knew the other would give the other exactly that. But not just any silence. Comforting silence.
After a while, Mai had assumed the white haired man would leave. But he was still there. Senju Tobirama rarely changed the way the muscles on his face moved. Mai had internally joked that they had frozen in place after years of remaining in the same position, but she knew better. Senju Tobirama showed emotion, here and there. Even then, Mai never knew what the man was thinking about when they were together in the comfortable silence they built between each other.
"...It would be nice if we didn't have to rely on lit lanterns to guide our way through the streets at night, wouldn't it?" Senju Tobirama turned his face to meet his red eyes on Mai's.
Mai craned her head to think about it. "...Yeah, it would be nice." She nodded lightly at the thought.
Silence filled between the two again. Uchiha Mai stared at the white haired Senju. The way his body leaned against the home. The way the moon's light landed on his skin. Senju Tobirama made her feel safe. It was like his presence alone guaranteed it. And with whatever that got into her, she sat up and shifted over to where Senju Tobirama was. Tobirama lifted his arms and welcomed the Uchiha female onto his shoulder. He wanted this.
Tobirama held Uchiha Mai to his side with his hand on her arm. And he put his chin on her head.
Mai decided to visit Sumiko on her day off. She rarely saw them. In fact, the Uchiha kunoichi rarely walked through the Uchiha neighborhood. When she wasn't training or on missions, she was either alone or with Senju Tobirama.
"Okaa-sama," Sakiko swung her feet as she sat next to Uchiha Mai. "Is it my turn yet?"
In front of the two female Uchiha's were Sumiko and Kagami. Today was Kagami's day off from school. And before Kagami could whirl away to train, Sumiko grabbed a hold of him and told him today he was going to cut his hair.
"Mai-san," Sakiko peered up to the kunoichi. "Are you going to cut your hair?" The child's dark eyes gazed at the long dark black hair that was Mai's.
Mai touched her hair. "I don't know yet." She leaned down. "Do you think I should?"
"No," Sakiko answered, her voice high. "I like your hair." Sakiko reached out to touch Mai's hair. "It's pretty."
"Mai-san's hair is pretty, isn't it?" Sumiko joined in the conversation. "It's because she makes sure to take care of it." The Uchiha mother directed the last sentence to her son.
Kagami huffed in his seat. "I'm busy training! Like dad and Mai."
"Speaking of training," Sumiko said while snipping away at her son's curly hair. "Kagami is graduating soon, Mai."
"Is he?" Mai praised. "That's great."
"Isn't it!" Kagami exclaimed. "Soon I'll be as great as dad! And you, Mai. And almost as great as Elder Mio was!"
"Kagami has already passed all his tests. But the Hokage doesn't want to send children out to the battlefield yet. So, Kagami's going to keep learning for another year." Kagami was seven now, and Mai could tell the young mother was proud of her son to have achieved such great studies at his age. Mai was proud too, and she knew Elder Mio was as well.
"Well," Mai said proudly. "I guess it's time for me to start showing you some techniques I learned from Elder Mio."
"Really?!" Kagami jumped out of his seat, much to Sumiko's worry. "I can't wait!"
"Kagami, sit still." The Uchiha mother lectured.
"Will you come and visit us again, Mai?" The young Sakiko asked.
Mai didn't even remember when Sakiko had started talking. Was she away for that long? "Of course." Mai smiled at the young girl.
Mai was washing dishes when she sensed an old familiar presence. Walking out to the front, Mai expected the Uchiha Clan Leader. "Lord Hikaku." Mai welcomed the clan leader inside and set the tea room.
Hikaku wasn't invited much into Elder Mio's, now Mai's, home. But from his memory, the home didn't change. The decor remained the same from when Elder Mio was alive. "I hope I'm not intruding. I don't think your Senju Tobirama comes at this time." Uchiha Hikaku commented and gestured the kunoichi to sit.
It felt like a wave just hit Mai. "...You know." Mai stated. Her gears churned in her mind as to when the Uchiha Clan Leader found out.
"Kosei told me. And then I pieced everything together." Hikaku nodded his head to the space again to gesture to the female to sit down. "But I'm not here to lecture you about who you choose to talk to."
Mai narrowed her eyes before walking forward to sit down. "What is it?" She sensed the area around her the moment her hips landed on the tatami matted floor. Questions ran through her mind. Was she not careful? Did someone see them in her home?
"There's word going around that Kazuki is starting to grow a following amongst the clan." The Uchiha Clan Leader warned.
Mai waited for the clan leader to continue. She was still processing it all.
"I need you to be on guard for whatever is going to happen."
How was this related to Mai? What position did she hold in the clan when the Council of Elders were no longer needed. That meant that by default she was no longer needed. "Do you think he's going to start a coup?" Mai asked.
"No," Hikaku was confident. "If he's anything like Elder Hagetaka, he will use anything to get what he wants. But he will not start a coup."
The Uchiha kunoichi remained quiet. She didn't feel as connected to the clan as much as she used to. She spent more time with Senju Tobirama than she did with her clan. And she didn't even spend that much time with Senju Tobirama.
"I need you to be careful of what you do from now on." Hikaku leaned forward. "Especially on what's going on between you and Senju Tobirama."
The last sentence did not sit well with Mai. "The clan is different, Lord Hikaku." Mai rebutted. "We're not fighting each other anymo-"
"I'm not saying for you to stop seeing the man." Hikaku cut in. "I'm saying for you to make sure your actions are clear to the clan." Hikaku thought for a moment longer. He needed to word this carefully.
"You still hold a respectable position in the clan as Elder Mio's last apprentice. If word were to reach our people that you were seeing a Senju in the dark and inviting him into your home, that can be seen as betrayal," said the Uchiha Clan Leader.
There was division brewing amongst the Uchiha Clan. Uchiha Kazuki did not like it that the Uchiha Clan was working side-by-side with the Senju Clan. And Kazuki brought forward the countless Uchiha lives that were killed by the Senju clan. It was dividing the clan.
Uchiha Kazuki was doing something to bring back the rivalry and hate. Hikaku had a plan and had thought he had Kazuki under control. But if word of Mai's interactions with Senju Tobirama were to go public, he feared Kazuki would use it to further the divide.
Wording his carefully, Hikaku asked, "I would like to know what is your position to the clan now." Never did he think Uchiha Mai would pursue a relationship with a Senju. He had his suspicions but this wasn't like Mai. At least, like the Mai he had known in the Uchiha Village. Mai rarely showed emotion. She didn't get attached easily. She never seemed the type to be interested in courting.
Mai swallowed her words. This was Mai's first time in a long time seeing her clan leader and friend. He had aged. Hikaku's tanned face was more rigid and distant. And Mai knew that if Hikaku was not her friend, she would have been in a worse position than now.
This was her clan. The clan that supported her when her teacher died. Uchiha Mai had a respectable position as an Elder Apprentice when the position was still active. But the Uchiha Clan was traditional. It held onto old beliefs because it provided stability. It never occurred to her until now that her position in the clan could be on borrowed time.
"I am an Uchiha shinobi."
A/N (again)