That night he had another dream in the body of the teenager.

It left him bewildered afterwards, not only because the dream was incredibly vivid but because he had dreamt himself dying as the other person.

In the dream he had been strapped up in a saddle, flying hundreds of meters in the air on top of Tessarion, the dragon. It was absolutely terrifying, and then exhilarating, as the other person whose body he had shared kept a calm but firm grasp over the dragon, using a mixture of feelings, telepathic will and commands to guide the magnificent creature.

With the benefit of daytime he could finally admire Tessarion's beauty. My blue queen, the prince had referred to her, for surely she had to be a queen of all beasts?

He had thought so, but then he had been joined in the air by another two dragons - one a brilliant silver white, the other furious in bronze. The two of them dwarfed Tessarion, and perhaps their riders had meant to intimidate dragon and prince alike. But he had kept his nerve and met them on the ground, where an army camp had set up their tents around a walled town.

The architecture, what he saw, was foreign to Itama. The town's gatehouse was destroyed, the houses behind it burnt out. The town had been sacked.

Itama misliked the two men, Hugh and Ulf, and it was clear the prince did as well, keeping them both in his view and never turning his back to them.

The three of them entered a giant tent, where a gathering of lords was taking place. Banners had been placed about, completely unfamiliar to Itama and very different to the clan mons he had been forced to memorize.

My prince they had called in unison, before the dream ended.

—

The boy had to take some time to process his dream. He debated whether to talk about it with his brothers or father, but shuddered at the latter and felt unease at the former. They were already fussing about him, what was the point of telling them about these dreams? No, for the time being he was better off holding his secret close to his chest.

They felt precious too, and far too intimate.

The rest of the day, and the week that followed, was spent on preparing for his diplomatic trip, in accordance with his father's instructions. He met up with auntie Matsuyo, receiving a refresher course in courtly etiquette and manners.

Interleaved with these were meetings with cousin Tamotsu regarding the mission. The man had looked surprised at Itama when he had approached him and demanded to be briefed of the mission, clearly having expected the older and serious-beyond-his-years Tobirama to accompany him. But the new presence was quickly accepted and he went ahead with the briefing.

They discussed the finer details of the negotiation; a minor adjustment to an existing treaty they already had with the Amago. The uptick in skirmishes with the Uchiha meant that the "overall chakra expenditure" of the clan had increased. Raids on caravans. The Senju food granaries had fallen uncomfortably low and they needed to act on it.

Food was almost always the biggest cost and concern for a clan of shinobi, Tamotsu informed him seriously, chakra being energy after all ninjutsu being energy wielded and transformed into jutsu. History was rife with examples of powerful shinobi clans in focusing on creating spectacular jutsu arsenals being brought low by "weaker" enemies targeting their food supplies. Without proper food reserves, supplies or the logistical means to transport them, the clans would be unable to properly recover their chakra for their powerful techniques, become emaciated and make for easy pickings.

It was also why weapons were so important. The Land of Iron experienced heavy snowfalls, rendering their agricultural output low. But they had access to great veins of ore - great in that they did not require energy to pure, like the Uchiha could do with their katon - and thick woods. Great metallurgy and weapon-making traditions had emerged, and thus the land produced powerful samurai who had little need for energy-intensive ninjutsu.

As it so happened, the Senju clan had recently been able to secure a favorable contract with a supplier of kunai from the Land of Iron. Hence, Tamotsu had the idea - with Butsuma's approval - to lower the amount of coin they wished the Amago to pay for the Senju's services and instead offer more rice, wheat and pork.

If that offer was not enough by itself to adjust the contract, the Senju clan had another card up its sleeve. The neighboring Ouchi family holdings were in significant turmoil following the death of their previous lord. A succession crisis had broken out between the son of the wife and the oldest son, whose mother was the favorite concubine.

The Senju had been able to collect intelligence reporting that an outlaw had been amassing power, on lands bordering the Amago. If Lord Amago proved uninterested, that was a card they could use, a mission they could throw in to sweeten the deal.

"We need to be really careful, however," Tamotsu cautioned, "Lord Amago might have plans to intervene in the succession crisis itself, and may want us to join in the war alongside his troops."

If they were pressured by Lord Amago to intervene decisively on behalf of one of the brothers, especially by coming across as needy, it would no doubt escalate the conflict and pull other clans in.

Other topics of discussion included the potential routes they could take, the supplies they should pack and which shinobi would make up their party. Granted, all of these things had largely been decided on already by Tamotsu, Itama's father and other elders. But Tamotsu nonetheless took the time to explain everything in detail, treating every question he posed with respect.

Unlike his brothers, who treated him like the baby of the family, he made Itama feel seen. Perhaps Tamotsu was able to read his feelings in his expression.

"You have bled and killed for this clan, Itama. You avenged my nephews. In my eyes, you have more than proven yourself."

—

A week later, a group of twelve shinobi set off to the castle of Lord Amago. Since Itama had taken Tobirama's place they had to make arrangements for a man named Hideki to come along. Despite being almost ten years Tobirama's senior, his range was only just fifty meters bigger in radius. Itama marveled at what range his older brother might be able to cover one day.

It took two and a half days for the group to reach the castle, having purposefully taken a somewhat circuitous route to avoid an ambush. They also kept a slow pace that maintained their battle-readiness, slowing especially for Itama whose ability to stick himself to things had greatly diminished.

The sight of the castle on the hill reminded Itama of the walled town in his dreams, and the small and stout castle of stone that had overlooked it. The architecture was entirely different.

A pair of shinobi greeted them, introducing themselves as Shiranui Aki and Hagane Iwaishi. The pair were familiar enough to Tamotsu, the three of them sharing a greeting before they were ushered along inside.

They passed under gates and walls manned by rows of soldiers, brought to a large room and asked to wait for the lord's summons.

Half of their party took the opportunity to sleep on the tatami mats while the other half stayed alert. It was hardly luxurious, quite bare in fact, but it suited paranoid shinobi much more than a well adorned, well furnished room would have.

A servant arrived inviting them to make use of the baths before their meeting, and Tamotsu gratefully accepted the offer for himself and Itama. Another two of Itama's distant cousins came along, while two remained to keep watch over their resting comrades.

Dinner was a sedated affair. Tamotsu and Itama met with the lord and his wife, their heir and daughter, along with three attendants. Shiranui Aki loomed tall in the corner, arms crossed, watching them with a feigned air of nonchalance.

Auntie Matsuyo had taught him that it was considered rude to discuss "business" while eating. Instead, the topics were kept light, discussing the latest gossip from the capital. Itama was impressed by how long his father's cousin could maintain a conversation about the latest fashion in the daimyo's wife's court with the lady as long as he did, before the lord asked him what the Senju thought about a comment the minister of the left had made about a proposal on tax reform by the minister of the treasury.

Of course, as a non-noble shinobi clan, it was not really their place to make comments on the proposal itself. Tamotsu could however provide a "shinobi's intuition" of how he believed the Akimichi and Hyuga would respond to it, and grudgingly added a comment about the Uchiha as well. The Aburame were too insular for him to make an educated guess, but their main source of income stemmed from the silk they produced, and silk articles were exempt from the proposal.

The attendants shared a brief look. Lord Amago hummed, before nodding.

One tea ceremony later and all appetites satiated, it was finally time to talk about their own affairs. Tamotsu produced a scroll from his robes containing the details, but gave the summary of their proposal orally. They wanted more food and less coin. As Lord Amago was a major producer of food and had to sell it for coin to merchants, it was to his benefit. But of course they had to hammer out the exact monetary value of the foodstuff.

Offer received, the lord dismissed them, obviously wanting to discuss the proposal with his attendants in private.

The next day Itama was invited to socialize with Lord Amago's heir and daughter, guarded by Hagane Iwaishi and two Senju shinobi.

They walked in the gardens, giving Itama the chance to recite poetry his aunt had drilled him on, earning him a blush from the girl. The heir challenged him to a game of shogi, which Itama lost. But only barely. Tobirama would have destroyed the teen.

The negotiations went by fast, the terms not really controversial. The only point of contention was the ratio of rice and barley. Tamotsu counted them lucky that they did not even have to throw in the mission to eradicate the outlaw on their border, the outlaw apparently having enough cunning to not harass Lord Amago's land.

They made the trip back in just under one day, employing a much faster pace now that they were on their way back to their safe place. Hideki took point, straining himself to extend his range as far as possible while maintaining the pace. He was just as eager as the rest to sleep in his own bed.

Itama had struggled to keep up and, to his shame, had to spend part of the trip being passed around the others' backs.

"Your son did well, Lord Butsuma," Tamotsu reported. "Both during the mission, where he charmed both of Lord Amago's children, and in the preparations for it. His temperament is well suited for these types of diplomatic and client-facing missions. More so than Tobirama."

Itama ducked his head, deciding to forgive the man for man-handling him like a rucksack.

Tamotsu's acknowledgement of Itama made something settle in his mind. Suddenly, he could see a path before him.

Hashirama was the heir and would ascend to leadership, leading their forces in battle. Occasionally goofy and naive to a fault, but no doubt terrifying to face. Tobirama was also strong, with incredible sensory abilities that could be wielded to detect intruders and track down enemies. But as a person, as much as he loved him, could be a little prickly and standoffish.

Itama could joke and play well with almost anyone. He could recite poetry to the daughters of lords, if that would endear them to the Senju, or recite the classics to their fathers. He could learn to collect intelligence and idle gossip, like Tamotsu, and negotiate for his clan and represent his father.

He would need to improve his chakra control, however, he needed to be able to stick to surfaces again. Without it he couldn't travel as fast.

So he threw himself into training that skill in addition to everything else, including new duties under Tamotsu and his father. He began with one leaf, then multiple leaves, then a mix of leaves, stone and twigs.

His tenth birthday went by, quietly celebrated with his brothers and Touka. His father did not bother, busy out of the clan and then not bringing it up once he was back.

When he finally was able to stick a tree only with his heels, the part of the body that was most difficult to manipulate chakra through, he eagerly waited for his brothers to return so he could share the good news.

They returned with great fanfare and excitement, to Itama's relief. It meant things had gone well and there had been no casualties. The reason why quickly became clear.

"You should've seen your brother Itama!" Touka spoke, eagerly. "We were fighting the Fuma clan when all of a sudden - Hashirama leaped in front of everyone and slammed his hands on the ground." She mimicked the gesture in the air. "All of a sudden, roots burst out of the ground! The roots wrapped themselves around our enemies and crushed them, forcing them to retreat!"

Roots? Like tree roots? Itama thought, not understanding.

"Don't you see? Hashirama awakened the Mokuton! We haven't seen that in our clan for generations!"

"Oh."

Itama felt utterly silly. While he had been celebrating completing a beginner chakra control exercise, his brother was busy obliterating their enemies with a legendary bloodline technique that had not been seen in two hundred years.

Still, he forced a grin on his face and joined in the merriment, heart heavy.

Another six months went by.

The conflict in the Ouchi family had seemed to be winding down, the oldest son of the favorite concubine seemingly willing to swear himself to his brother. Only for his mother to be assassinated.

Enraged, he contracted the Shimura clan, sending them to kill his step-mother. They succeeded, but failed to deal with his brother, who had just gotten the Hagoromo clan involved.

The Senju did not particularly care for the Shimura clan. They were completely neutral to them, which in the Era of the Warring Clans only meant they would hesitate before attacking them. But the Hagoromo clan were allies of the Uchiha, making them an enemy of the Senju.

Worse than that, they had been responsible for the death of Kawarama, Itama's little brother. The one who had been the baby before him.

And so, against the advice of both Tamotsu and Hashirama, who cautioned restraint and peace respectively; and against the wishes of their close ally Lord Amago, who had been happy to let the conflict play out where it did nothing to affect him; Butsuma began supporting the Shimura.

It began with medical aid, lending out healers. Then they sent a team of heavy hitters, including Hideki, to help guard their lands, allowing them to send more of their own to fight the Hagoromo.

As soon as Izuna and Madara were seen fighting on the side of the Hagoromo, however, the whole thing began escalating into a proper Uchiha-Senju war.

To the horrification, but perhaps not the surprise, of everyone observing the conflict, the Ouchi lands were completely devastated. Entire villages flooded and washed away in mudslides. Fields upon fields of precious crops, burnt to a crisp. The Ouchi family castle briefly turned into an arboretum, only for the kindling to serve as firewood for a bonfire of massive proportions.

Whatever the sons had been fighting over, well, the victor would be inheriting a wasteland.

Tamotsu formally took Itama under his wing. He studied information gathering, acting, disguise, stealth and finally assassinations. The less chakra used, the better, in these clandestine activities, and Itama's chakra condition made it all the easier to pass for a civilian. Or a simple levy.

Lord Amago, who Itama would go on to remember fondly, was, despite the best efforts of the Shiranui and Hagane shinobi families, successfully assassinated. His only crimes being that he allowed his lands to serve as a forward base for the Senju.

The new Lord Amago VIII's first order of business was to call up his forces and launch a ground invasion, demanding land in recompense for his father's death and in exchange for his assistance.

Itama participated in the mission to wipe out the bandit nest that Tamotsu had originally thought to propose to Lord Amago VII. Relying only on his sword, his kunai, his stealth and pathetic bunshin, he was able to take out twenty five bandits.

Itama turned eleven.

Both of the Ouchi sons had been killed by this point. The conflict was now between a grandson of the Ouchi, who had sworn himself as a vassal to the Uchiha, and Lord Amago who had married a granddaughter and wished to annex it all.

The Hagoromo and Shimura clans had whittled each other down, the latter wishing to bow out.

Under a clever henge, made easier by his chakra reservoir being permanently small, Itama pretended to be a simple foot soldier and snuck into a camp. With a vial of poison he had made himself from the herb gardens, he contaminated the water supply. Three Hagoromo clan members died, including most crucially the nephew of the leader.

Kawarama was finally avenged.

The satisfaction was short-lived, however.

"Itama," Touka greeted when he entered the camp, the atmosphere downtrodden more than usual.

"Come."

She took him to a tent, nodding at the guard.

Hashirama and Tobirama sat seiza around a futon occupied by a person. Or rather, the charred remains of one.

If it weren't for the distinctive red armor, melted in parts, he would not have been able to recognize it as his own father.

"Father is dead." Tobirama stated, obvious.

"Wha–, how?" Itama responded, dumbly.

"Uchiha Tajima," Hashirama responded, grimly.