Thank you for your kind reviews! We get a little extra time in "The Present" in this chapter and I had to throw a little ShikaTema in there because I love them. (Tell me if you have any good ShikaTema fic recommendations! I'm obsessed.)

I've changed the name of the First Shinobi World War to the Great Shinobi War, since, you know, the other wars haven't happened yet.

This chapter also features another little backstory about the origins of Uzushio. In the world I've created, Roka was a descendant of the Ōtsutsuki clan with two older brothers, a twin sister, and a younger brother. He and his sister Nami developed the basic fuinjutsu that all Uzumaki fuinjutsu is based on. Roka and his younger brother, Hayate settled on the island that became the Whirlpool Country and were the first Uzumakis. The two older brothers that remained on the mainland (The future Land of Fire) became the first Senju

Next Chapter will feature Kushina finally heading to Konoha… Time to get things rolling!

Chapter 4: The Shio Festival Part Two

Allies and Enemies

The Present

Naruto closed the book. It never occurred to him that his mother might have relatives. Of course, he knew that she had to have parents and family, but he'd always been so alone… He never thought that perhaps they could still be out there.

Whirlpool was gone; he knew that, but maybe… Maybe not all of the Uzumaki were gone. He checked out the book and marched to the only place where he thought he might get a quick answer.

The sun still hung high in the sky when he approached the old academy building. The administrative offices, including the Hokage's office, had just begun repairs. In the mean time, Tsunade had taken up residence in a classroom that remained undamaged.

Shinobi mingled and waited outside of the makeshift Jounin Standby Station. Naruto headed towards the temporary office for the Mission Assignment Desk. A few shinobi mingled outside the room waiting for their appointments. They took notice and grew silent. Naruto shifted awkwardly.

"Hey… uh..." He began as he nervously scratch the back of his neck. "Do you guys know if Tsunade-sama is at the desk right now?" The other ninja appeared somewhat overwhelmed in the presence of the village hero. Before any of them could respond a familiar voice spoke up.

"The Hokage is in her office at the moment." Naruto spun around to find Nara Shikamaru standing in the entryway to the Mission Assigment office.

"Aki Hiko, the desk is ready for you." Shikamaru said to one of the ninja waiting for a mission. He turned to Naruto. "I'm heading up to see Tsunade-sama now." He motioned for Naruto to follow down the hall.

"Do you work for the Mission Assignment Desk now?" Naruto asked.

"Sometimes. I've been assisting the Hokage mostly." The Nara man replied. "I'm trying to fill in for all of the work my father did…"

Naruto was silent for a moment while he tried to find the right words.

"I'm sure no one else could do a better job."

"Maybe." Shikamaru replied. "It's pretty troublesome though. The work never ends... And then I have my position in the Shinobi Union to concentrate on as well… What brings you here? I thought you were ordered to take it easy?"

"Huh? Well, you know. I don't take the easy way… I actually just have a question… But I couldn't think of anyone who could answer it except maybe Granny."

"Oh yeah?"

"It's kind of weird." Naruto said, scratching his neck again. Shikamaru said nothing.

"I found this picture in a book of my mom's family. She had a brother! I didn't know that… It just got me thinking…" Naruto explained.

"That you might have other family out there?" Shikamaru added.

"Yeah… Granny's grandmother was an Uzumaki too. Did you know that? I just thought maybe she would know something."

"You should talk to my mom some time." Shikamaru replied without explanation.

"What? I thought your mom was scary." Naruto questioned, confused. Shikamaru lightly chuckled.

"Yeah, she is." He said. "But our parents used to be friends. I didn't know until recently. I mean, I knew Dad knew the Fourth Hokage, but the Third Hokage ordered them to keep your identity a secret. When we were kids they used to always tell me to be nice to you… And I think she could use some company these days…"

Naruto quietly took this in. He hadn't considered this. They approached the door to the Hokage's office. Two guards were posted outside.

"Does Hokage-sama have a guest at the moment?" Shikamaru asked them.

"No, sir." One replied.

"Good. I'm dropping off this paperwork." Shikamaru knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Tsunade called. They entered the classroom-turned-office. Shizune sorted papers at a filing cabinet while Tsunade sat at a desk writing.

"Oh, Shikamaru. Good. You have the paperwork from the Mission Assignment Desk?" Tsunade said. Shikamaru nodded and handed her the stack of papers.

"What are you doing here, Naruto?" Tsunade asked.

"Uh, I just had a question but," Naruto eyed the stack of papers on her desk. "…if it's not a good time…"

"No, no, now is fine. I'm going to have my lunch." She replied. "Oh, Shikamaru!" She called out as Shikamaru attempted sneak out of the office.

"Sabaku no Temari is arriving this afternoon for a meeting tomorrow. I've assigned you as her escort. You're to meet her at the gate at 3:00pm." Tsunade instructed.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Shikamaru said looking distressed, but the slight upward turn of his mouth gave himself away. Naruto swore he heard the Nara mumble "Troublesome" as he walked out.

"Do you do that on purpose?" Naruto asked Tsunade.

"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked innocently.

"Always assign Shikamaru to escort Temari-chan." Naruto explained. Tsunade blinked.

"Oh, c'mon Granny! Everyone knows those two have a secret thing for each other!" Naruto lowered his voice and whispered. "I think they're secretly dating."

"Oh?"

"I mean, they deny it and I don't have proof, but I've got this feeling."

Tsunade laughed.

"Well Naruto, I'll have you know, a secret between you and me, Temari-san requested Shikamaru as her escort." Tsunade replied, mimicking Naruto's hushed tone.

"I knew it!"

"Now, what did you want to ask me?" Tsunade leaned back in her chair and folded her arms.

"Yeah… um…" Naruto paused. "It's about my mother and, well, the Uzumaki clan." Tsunade sighed and closed her eyes.

"I understand," She said. "There's a lot I've been meaning to tell you now that you know about Minato and Kushina… Hmm… I never told you this. I didn't know how to tell you when you were younger. I went on a mission to Uzushio when I was younger, before the Second Great Shinobi War." She paused, seemingly reminiscing. "I first met Kushina there. She was just a kid, maybe eight of nine years old…"

The Past

Kushina kept Masaru's harsh words to herself; she had a feeling that her father would not approve of eavesdropping. This didn't make sense to her; they were a family of ninja after all. Eavesdropping was practically their job.

But, she didn't want to risk getting in trouble during Shio and she could not help but remember Masaru's words. It is bad luck. The last day of Shio, the day that honored the dead they sent out to the ocean, was not a day to tempt bad luck.

Once again, her mother had dressed her in an uncomfortable traditional garb for the ceremony. She pouted in silent protest as her family gathered on the Uzumaki grounds. She tugged at her obi and fussed with her tamoto. At least she liked the color of this kimono; swirling shades of grey-blue and pale sea green made waves across the fabric. Her father had told her she looked beautiful before he turned to kiss his wife and say the same to her.

The Uzumaki clansmen gathered in the garden in front of Kushina's home, the home of the clan head. They carried baskets of gifts and totems of fallen loved ones. Kushina was trying to get Kouta's attention after he arrived with his family when Hama and the other clan elders motioned for the clansmen to be silent. Kushina's mother shot her a look that instructed her to stay still.

"It is the third night of Shio." An Uzumaki elder called. "A night of remembrance, a night of honor for those who have fallen in battle. A night of honor for those who have lived long lives serving Whirlpool. It is a night to remember our role in this cycle. We will offer gifts and memories to the tides. The whirlpools will bring them to our loved ones on the other side."

The Uzumaki began their procession away from the clan lands towards Uzushio and the ocean beyond. The musical members of the clan, led by Mura, played a somber folk tune. As the last of the evening light began to fade to dusk, candles were distributed among the clansmen. The guests from Konoha were not with them tonight; the final night of Shio was particularly sacred. Hayate had decided to exclude them from the Uzumaki procession. Mito-sama had been, of course, invited, but she chose to stay with the other Konoha shinobi and guide them to the ceremony on the shore separately.

As the walked, Kushina's grandmother told a story that all Uzumaki knew well.

"Long ago, before there was an Uzumaki clan or even a Senju clan, there was a young shinobi named Roka. Roka was the third child, having two older brothers. He had a younger twin sister named Nami and a younger brother named Hayate." Hama said. Kushina glanced at her tall father, his red hair combed flat and cascading down his back; he was named for Hayate, the younger brother of Roka.

"Roka's clan was embroiled in conflict with a rival clan over control of the forest they called home. The siblings had a short childhood filled with violence and hatred. They lived a nomadic life, traveling to where they would be safe and could survive.

The five siblings dreamed of peace by relying on each other for small moments of joy. Their companionship kept them from loosing the last of their childhood. Roka was especially close to his twin sister, Nami. Nami and Roka were born near the coast; their parents had named them for the power of the sea, Roka for the white crest of a wave and Nami for the wave. The two twins felt a deep connection to the sea that their other siblings did not. While other members of their clan preferred the dense forests, Nami and Roka found their power in the water of the ocean.

The two processed gifts unique even for their shinobi family. Roka was a skilled sensor that could easily identify any individual's chakra and suppress his own chakra signature. Nami possessed a life force so powerful that she could heal others simply by sharing her chakra with them. The sight of their striking red hair became an ill omen to their enemies.

Nami and Roka's affinity to the sea drew them away from their clan's home. Fūinjutsu is an ancient art and they had learned of it from their clan, but while watching the whirling tides near the sea, the two siblings understood and learned what their clan elders couldn't teach them. They understood that perfect balance was necessary for jutsu that altered space. They spent years studying the tides and developing their fūinjutsu; this would become the fuinjutsu of the Uzumaki.

They lived by the sea and defended their land from invaders. They dreamed of a land where they would one day be safe from conflict.

During a battle on the water, Nami was killed. An enemy did not strike her down; the tides overtook her and pulled her into a whirlpool. Roka, grief stricken, slaughtered his enemies, but he could not save Nami from the sea. She was gone.

Hayate, their quiet but wise younger sibling, rushed to the seaside once he heard of Nami's death. His older siblings, now the leaders of their clan, worried for Roka's well being.

Hayate found Roka on an island off the coast of their home country. The island was only inhabited by fishermen and hunters who lived in the mountains, the ancestors of the Sen and Souta clans. Roka had washed ashore on the island after Nami's death. The people there took him in and offered him kindness. They nursed him to health. Roka was surprised to find the island mostly untouched by war, the whirlpools and strong tides kept invaders away.

Hayate pressured his brother to return to his clan in the Fire Country; he had a duty to his clan. But, Roka refused; the sea, which had inspired his greatest ninjutsu, had also stolen his only sister. He could not be a shinobi if that was the cost. Hayate, instead of returning to his older brothers, chose to stay with Roka in the land by the whirlpool sea. He hoped Roka's mind would change like the tides.

But it did not. His grief remained. Hayate was walking along the cliffs of the island when he spotted his brother dive, intending to kill himself, into the churning sea below. A great maelstrom ravaged his body instantly. Hayate rushed to the edge of the cliff; attempting to save his brother would mean death, but he could not abandon his family. Hayate dove after Roka and was consumed by the sea.

But the sea would not let Roka die. In the churning waters of the whirlpool, he found an understanding that all Uzumaki know. The ebb and flow. His chakra formed, powered by the revelation, tangible chains that guided him gently out of whirlpool and to his brother Hayate's rescue.

Roka became the man who sought death in the whirlpool but instead found life.

Roka chose to stay on the island by the whirlpool sea. He developed the whirlpool's gifts to him, the Sashishiki and fuinjustsu there. Hayate stayed with his brother and learned fuinjustsu from him. They married women from the island and their children became the Uzumaki clan. When raiders threatened the island, the brothers shared their knowledge with the other people of the island who went on to develop their own skills and clans.

They kept close ties with their brothers in the Land of Fire and aided them in times of need. Their brothers became the Senju."

Hama paused in her storytelling. They could see the ocean now. The moon rose gently over the roaring waves. The water was calmer where the Takako river met the ocean. Already a crowd of villagers and other clans gathered on the shore.

"Roka gave himself to the whirlpool and found life. When he died, he wished to return to the whirlpool to be part of the ocean like his sister Nami. We continue this tradition to honor the ebb and flow. The whirlpool will give life and it will also take it."

The Uzumaki joined the other clans along the shore. They were quiet. Kushina spotted the Konoha ninja with Mito. Mito waded into the water and placed her basket of offerings atop the surface. The basket and her candle drifted out to sea to be pulled into one of the many whirlpools around the island. Members to the Uzumaki family did the same silently.

Kushina, guided by Hayate, offered her basket to the sea. They lingered, wading in the water, and silently prayed. The entire village of Uzushio stood silently by the water and watched the baskets and candlelight slowly drift out to sea. Later in life, Kushina would look back on this moment fondly; it was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen.

Kushina thought of Roka, the man who lived through a whirlpool.

She felt a twinge of fear in her gut at the thought of her own experience in a whirlpool; the memory of it was fresh but also blurred. How did she live? She had tried to ask her father about the chains that saved her, but he didn't have any answers. She couldn't understand it so she had decided to ignore it. Still she could not help but feel that whatever had happened was not good. As those bad thoughts clouded her head, Uzumaki Mura broke the silent prayers.

"Hayate-sama," She breathed heavily. Panic filled her face. "Something is wrong. I can sense…"

Kushina's father scowled at the young kunoichi for interrupting, but as he recognized her panic, his shoulders tensed. Mura was an excellent sensor; her panic was to be believed.

"Someone… bad." Mura continued. "In the village. We have to—"

A booming roar and a burst of light erupted from the village. Kushina covered her ears. Her father was suddenly gone and her mother was instantly by her side.

Somewhere, someone was blowing a horagai. The conch shell horn echoed a distress call. She watched her uncles, Hiro and Ichiro, share a glance and follow after her father. In the distance, she could already see her Uncle Ichiro's ravens flying towards the fire.

"Kushina, listen to me." Her mother spoke tensely, but she said no more as fire spread throughout the alabaster buildings of Uzushio. Kushina looked around at the panicked faces of the villagers. Her father was already out of sight. Many of the Shinobi, including even Jiraya of Konoha, rushed to the village to put out the fire. Her brother Kazuki immediately joined Mura.

"Can you still sense them, Sensei?" Kushina heard him ask before they ran off. She watched her cousin Jiro and her brother's teammate, Kaito Musashi rush to Mito and the Konoha ninjas. A raven landed on Jiro's shoulder and Musashi gripped his katana, prepared to draw it if needed. Shikawa was whispering something to Tsunade. The ninja surrounded Mito as if danger was near, but Kushina only saw fire far off in the village. The villagers scanned their surrounding; Kushina could feel the fear and uncertainty in the air. She looked up at her mother. Her eyes were closed in concentration. She noticed Kushina watching her and kneeled down.

"We're going to stay here and protect the villagers while the fire is being put out." Miko said to her daughter. Panicked whispers filled the air as the villagers grouped together for safety.

"…an attack. Just like the one on the canal."

"It can't be. How could they get here undetected?"

"Miko," Kushina's aunt Umeko was suddenly by their side and began speaking to her mother. "We need to move everyone somewhere safer. Too exposed here and…" Her eyes hinted at a direr situation.

"We need to do something to prevent panic." Miko finished. She looked out to the sea. "The cliffs. The cliffs will be safer. More hidden." Miko spoke in broken sentences as if lost in another thought.

"Right." Umeko replied. Immediately she was summoning the remaining shinobi to her side and giving instructions. Miko too began to give instructions to villagers and shinobi alike. She held Kushina close the entire time.

"…At this time we do not know if this explosion was an accident or something more sinister, but regardless the safety of our people is most important. We will be safe from the flames and hidden by the cliffs and caves to the east. We'll head out in groups. I'll be leading…"

Kushina suddenly noticed that Mito-sama, Jiro, Musashi, and the Konoha shinobi were gone. Had they too fled?

"Kushina, be brave now." Her mother told her as she led a group of villagers away from the shore and towards the forested area to the east. They weaved through roads and paths. Other groups took different roads towards the cliffs. Despite the tension, Kushina felt calm because he mother looked calm. Whatever was going on couldn't have been that bad, she thought. They took a path back towards the shore and soon the cliffs were in sight. They towered over them and were riddled with caves. The villagers walked between the sand and rocks at the bottom of the cliff. The roar of ocean waves crashing masked the sounds of their footsteps and whispers.

"Mom," Kushina tugged at her mother's kimono. "Are we hiding?"

"We are waiting, Kushina."

"But the village is—" Kushina objected.

"The village is here, Kushina." Her mother motioned to those around them. "The village is the people who make it a village. The most important thing, the most important, is to protect them. You must remem—" Miko stopped suddenly; Umeko was running towards her. She looked up at the rocks and cliffs. Fear filled her mother's face. Umeko was pushing people towards the shoreline. Miko pulled Kushina into her arms. The look on Miko's face struck Kushina with intense fear like she had never felt before.

"MIKO! MIK—"

The shouts of her aunt were replaced by another flash of light and a roar much louder than before. This time the flash was much closer; white nothingness took over Kushina's vision. If there were screams, Kushina couldn't hear them. If the rocks of the cliffs where crumbling and falling into the sand below, Kushina couldn't see them. The proximity of the explosion seemed to have robbed her of her senses. The only thing she was certain of was the feeling of her mother over her, holding her close, shielding her and a familiar cool feeling in her core. The earth quaked under them and the sand vibrated as debris and stone fell around them. She felt as if the world was moving slowing. The shaking ground felt almost like the rise and fall of calm ocean waves.

Shapes began to appear in Kushina's vision. A rumbling cacophony of noises she couldn't quiet make out entered her ears. She felt her mother shift. She could see her mother's blurred face attempting to examine her surroundings. She blinked and rubbed her eyes.

That's when Kushina saw them. The chains. The same gold chains from the day she fell in the whirlpool, the ones that had pulled her to the surface. They spilled out of her core and circled over her and her mother forming a barrier. Kushina reached out to touch its green, swirling, opaque surface, but, as if sensing her awareness, it disappeared and the chains retreated back inside of her.

Miko looked at her, trying to hide something in her expression. Suddenly, she wrapped Kushina in her arms again and rolled. A rock slammed into the sand next to them. Just as suddenly, Miko was on her feet, brandishing a kunai in one hand, and protectively holding Kushina behind her with another hand. It was then that Kushina noticed the screams. Sounds of terror and pain filled the air. Civilians ran in all directions, fleeing the explosions and falling rock. It was too much for Kushina to understand.

And there was Uzumaki Mito, standing calmly at the center of the action. Kushina hadn't seen her since they fled the shore near the village. Tsunade was running towards her but stopped when, out of Mito, they appeared:

The same gold chains that had saved Kushina twice now.

They grew out of her and formed a huge dome at the bottom of the cliff around the villagers. Mito was yelling something to Tsunade who then turned to run in the opposite direction.

"COME TO ME!" Mito's hoarse voice called to the remaining villagers, but that was all Kushina made out before her mother rushed her to where her aunt Umeko laid in the sand. Blood spilled out of a gash where her shoulder met her neck. Umeko's eyes rolled as if they couldn't focus.

"Miko?" She asked. Kushina watched the blood turn the sand sticky. Her vision blurred with tears.

"Umeko, listen to me. You know the drill. Bite." Miko, too, was crying. She placed her hand on Umeko's mouth and Umeko bit down hard. Even over the screams, Kushina heard the flesh break and her mother flinched.

"What are you—" Kushina began, but she watched as the blood stopped flowing and began to clot.

"It's a way of healing. Some Uzumaki can share their chakra to heal this way." Her mother quickly explained. Kushina knew her mother was a healer, but she didn't understand how this would help.

"Can you stand now, Umeko?" Her mother asked.

Color suddenly returned to Umeko's skin, although with great pain, she managed to stand. Miko, on the other hand, looked drained.

"Umeko, take Kushina and go join Mito-sama." She nodded towards the crowd that had formed around the elderly woman and her barrier. Kushina thought Umeko was going to object for a moment, but something changed her mind. She simply nodded and began to pull Kushina towards the crowd. Kushina found herself resisting. She could see the fighting happening beyond the barrier. Her mother couldn't be thinking of going out there.

"Mom! Don't go!" She cried, but Miko only winked and ran towards the edge of the barrier. Through the screams and panic, Umeko pulled her towards the center of Mito's barrier. Kushina was not paying attention to the crowd around her. She only saw the fighting outside the barrier. She did not understand what had happened. The explosion, the fighting… Where had it come from? Whirlpool shinobi engaged what she supposed were enemies in brutal battle. She had not seen an "enemy" before. They looked just like shinobi from her village. When she listened to stories about war, she always imagined the enemies as being dark and monstrous, but these shinobi held weapons just like the whirlpool shinobi.

She could not take her eyes away from the violence. She watched her mother chased down a man attempting to flee the fight by running out on the sea. She watched that same man loose his balance on the water, slip into a whirlpool, and not emerge again. She watched her cousin Jiro's ravens pick out a man's eyes, blinding him. She heard that man's screams. She watched Tsunade shatter another shinobi's face with a mere punch. Shikawa suffocated another with his shadow… Kushina felt dizzy. She felt sick. She was only eight years old.

She watched another enemy shinobi narrowly almost behead Musashi; a piece of his ear fell into the sand. Blood fell out of her cousin Jiro's mouth. She watched her mother form the hand signs for a seal; Miko placed one hand on her enemy and he instantly collapsed. She watched Musashi dive for an enemy and swing his sword across the man's torso. The enemy's guts spilled out into the sand. He collapsed.

Kushina collapsed too. She began to vomit into the sand. She could not control it.

This is war. This is the life of a shinobi. She thought. The gruesome images made her spill her guts again. The world turned dark. This is the life of a shinobi.

But, how could she have known? How could she? She was only eight years old. Times had been peaceful and Uzushio was a land filled with blue water, alabaster stones, lively fish markets, green forests, fields of flowers, rolling orchards, and calm, warm winds. How could she have known the world of the shinobi was so ugly?

How could she have known that her cousin's cute birds could peck out the eyes of another human? How could she have predicted that the sleepy Nara man could choke the life out of another without even touching them? How could she have known that humans were so fragile that in an instant their intestines could spill out of their body and on to the ground?

Kushina would never see the world the same way again. She had grown up knowing that a shinobi's life was spent protecting and enduring. She now understood what those words meant. She, at only eight years old, struggled to reconcile with the fact that in order to protect, a shinobi must harm others just trying to do the exact same thing.

Her mother's words echoed in her head.

"The village is the people who make it a village. The most important thing, the most important, is to protect them"

She did not remember anything after that.

Uzumaki Hayate stood by the large windows in the council room and looked out over a dark, silent village. The fires had been contained and the damage would be easily repaired in time, but for the first time since the founding of the village, there had been a deadly attack on their own soil. The other clan heads and councilors were scattered throughout the room listening to the briefing from Souta Takeshi, the jounin commander, and Uzumaki Mura.

"In total, we have accounted for sixteen enemies. Twelve have been identified as Kiri ninja, but the four apprehended by Mura, Hiro, Ichiro, and Kazuki on the Uzumaki land are from Kumo."

"Kumo?!" Barked Masaru, the head of the Sen clan. "I knew this day would come. I warned you, Hayate." Hayate held his tongue from responding.

"Continue, please." Instructed Souta Hoshi.

"It is not believed that any additional enemies were involved or managed to escape. Of these enemies, three of the four Kumo ninja lived and are being interrogated right now. Of the Kiri ninja, only three survived and are also being interrogated. The bodies of the dead are also being autopsied. While there were no shinobi casualties on our side, four civilians are currently known to have died in the attack on the cliffs. Seventy-eight civilians and twenty shinobi were injured. Most of the civilians injuries are not life threatening. If it were not for the protection of Mito-sama, the casualties would surely be higher. We owe Konoha a great deal." The room hummed in agreement.

"The school has been set up to handle any overflow from the hospital. The fire in the village has displaced seventeen families and six businesses." Takeshi finished. His green eyes hung low with exhaustion. Hayate took in the numbers from Takeshi's report and moved away from the window to the councilors table. He sat in his place as Chief Councilor, the head of the table. At the table sat eleven of the thirteen councilors.

Oshiro Aito, the Feudal Lord's representative, had departed from Uzushio before the Shio Festival began, and the Jounin Commander and Chief of Military, Souta Takeshi, stood by the door as he continued to brief the council. The large Chief of Commerce, Shimizu Kentaro, was whispering to the Sen Kayda, the Chief of Agriculture and Fishing.

"I told ya it would be Kiri. Those assholes have sunk and looted three of my ships just this year! They're tryna take control of our waters and limit our trade. We ought to lay waste to a few of their islands." Kentaro whispered. Hayate ignored it for now, he was too tired to fight Kentaro's fear mongering, but Takeshi's eyes locked on Kentaro. Takeshi was a straightforward, but compassionate man. Like all members of Souta clan, he saw a great value in life and thought it evil to wantonly waste or endanger any kind of life. That was why Hayate had nominated him for Jounin Commander years ago. Takeshi continued to speak, unapologetically interrupting Kentaro in the process.

"We are still trying to understand the motivation behind this attack while we interrogate the prisoners. However, at this time, I do have a theory, which is why I have asked Uzumaki Mura to be present." Takeshi paused; his eyes landed on Hayate and did not move away. "Kumo is after Uzumaki sealing techniques."

One by one, every councilor, even Hayate's own brother, Hiro, and his brother-in-law, Ichiro, turned to Hayate. Takeshi continued.

"We are all aware of the tensions with Kiri over trade routes, this is not new. But, Uzushio has seemingly been at peace with Kumo since the end of the Great Shinobi War. It appears Kumo and Kiri joined forces to orchestrate this attack. Kiri's attack on our village was to be the cover for Kumo's true purpose." Takeshi paused, as if finally understanding the severity of his own words. "Mura-san, please tell the council what you found when you apprehended the Kumo shinobi."

Mura was a small woman, but known to be strong and sturdy. Hayate had to admit that her skills with the shamisen were more well known than her skills with a kunai, but none-the-less, she was an incredibly gifted sensor, perhaps the best in the clan, and well on her way to mastering fūinjutsu. But now, battle weary and tired, she looked small and frightened.

"While we pursued the Kiri nin in the village, I noticed them. I only noticed because, for some reason, I thought 'How will we be able to pray at the Mask Temple after all that has happened today?' As I thought, I could sense them. Two foreign chakra signatures in the mask temple. Kazuki noticed my concern before I could even speak and pulled Ichiro-sama and Hiro-sama away from the flames to follow me." Mura gulped. "I could sense four of them. Hiro-sama instructed us to take them alive, but one of them killed himself first. All four of them had filled their bags with scrolls and books. Hayate-sama, one of them was found within your own home." Mura paused before she continued, as if searching for the perfect word.

"They did not have enough time to search thoroughly, but, based on what they took… It seems they were interested in fūinjutsu for sealing away… large amounts of chakra." Mura explained, wide-eyed. "Catastrophically large amounts of chakra."

The council was silent. The power of such fūinjutsu in the hands of an enemy could end Uzushio. It could end Konoha too and the entire balance of the ninja world. Hayate stood and made his way to the window once again. He knew what Kumo wanted and they would not be getting it.

"I suppose we shall have to vote." He said finally. "I intend to send both Kiri and Kumo a rather important message from the Whirlpool."

Hayate looked into his bedroom. His wife and daughter were sleeping soundly, holding each other tightly. His son was passed out on the floor, as if afraid to be in another room, unable to protect his family. Hayate sighed. It was not quite a sigh of relief, but it was something close to that.

It would be light in a few hours, but he had one last thing he had to do before he joined his family for a brief moment of much needed rest. He wrapped himself in his dark cloak and turned to go out the door of his home. His mother and his siblings waited for him there in the garden.

"Are you ready?" Umeko asked his older brother.

"I don't think he has a choice." Hiro answered for him. They walked through the Uzumaki lands and into the forest in silence. When they spoke, the conversations were short.

"Young Kouta lost a leg." Umeko said. Hama merely shook her head in sadness.

"Everything below the knee on his left leg." Umeko continued. "Miko and Fūso's husband tried everything, but it was too far gone."

"That boy will never be the same." Hiro said and the conversation ended. After the vigil on the final night of Shio, the Uzumaki clan always visited the Uzumaki Mask Temple to pray to their ancestors and, rather morbidly, to be reminded that death was merely part of the cycle of world. All of them would be given to the whirlpools eventually. While the circumstances certainly excused postponing a visit to the temple, Hayate went anyway. It was his duty as the head of the clan and he felt that he needed it.

They marched silently along the path through the forest until they approached the steps to the wooden temple. Umeko pulled candles out from under her cloak and lit them. They entered the temple. The Uzumaki whirlpool decorated the interior. Images of an angry, churning sea covered the walls and tapestries. One wall was covered entirely in monstrous looking masks. Hayate's eyes lingered on one mask in particular, the mask of the death god; he wondered sometimes if it was too much power for one clan to have. Perhaps the rest of the world was right…

Hama lit the lanterns in the temple and kneeled. The siblings all followed her lead. Hayate tried to formulate the words of prayers, but the thoughts of impending war clouded his mind. The image of his fourteen-year-old son, who still seemed so much a boy, slaying a Kiri shinobi earlier would not leave his mind. Innocence was so easily lost.

The image left his head when he sensed five people approaching the temple. Three of them paused outside, but Tsunade and Mito entered. Mito approached the Uzumakis and kneeled beside them. Tsunade copied her grandmother. Unable to remain silent, Hayate spoke.

"I thought you had already left."

"We will leave as soon as I have finished my prayers. I do not think I will be in the presence of the Shinigami Mask again in my lifetime." Mito replied. "And I must talk to you first, but it must be quick. The ANBU teams are getting antsy."

All remaining thoughts of prayer vanished from Hayate's mind.

"You know what this means, yes?" Mito asked the clan head. In her eyes, he was still young. Hayate said nothing. He knew, but he did not wish to say it just yet and certainly not in this holy place.

"Tsunade, dear, would you mind giving your grandmother a moment alone with her clansmen?" Mito asked in a way that did not sound like asking, but rather telling. Umeko and Hiro stood and exchanged glances. "Umeko, Hiro… You should keep Tsunade company. Please?" Mito added. Without a word, the two siblings followed leaving Mito, Hayate, and Hama alone in the temple.

"Thank you," Hayate said. "For protecting my people today." Mito waved casually.

"I merely did what was in my power to do and they are still my people too." Mito said. "You call me Uzumaki Mito, even though I have been Senju Mito for many years. You still call me Uzumaki because you know I serve both of our villages. I serve our alliance."

"Mito-sama…" Said Hama.

"You are going to war, Hayate. You may think you can prevent it, but Kiri is ruthless. The Blood Mist is not afraid of sacrifices. And Kumo… Kumo is desperate. They cannot afford another Eight-Tails jinchuriki to fail. Their village suffers because they cannot control the beast, but they also cannot risk standing against the other villages without it. Hayate, they are desperate and they will not stop. They see this as their only chance." Mito insisted.

"I do not intend to let them succeed." Hayate replied curtly.

"I know and even that fills me with fear…" She replied. "I will ensure that Konoha sends forces to aid in the hospital and rebuilding the damage. I also intend to appeal to the council to send more forces to the Kiri outpost on the coast of the Fire Country. These forces will be able to help Whirlpool patrol the waters. And…" She continued, "When it comes to war, Konoha will be with the shinobi of Uzushio."

"Thank you, Mito-sama." Hayate almost whispered. "But I intend to stop this before it turns to war."

"Then you better have a damn good plan." Mito said. "Hayate, I believe in you. I only wish to tell you what I have noticed going on beyond Uzushio. Konoha is your strongest ally and will always be your ally if I am alive, but it is also your only ally and I am getting old. Kiri and Kumo are not the only villages that fear and desire the power of our fūinjutsu. If Whirlpool wars with the Sand, Cloud, Stone, and Mist, you will fall. The shinobi of Whirlpool are skilled, but the country is small."

"Mito-sama, I don't understand, is that some sort of threat?" Hama, who had remained silent until now, spat.

"No, my dear Hama, it is only fact. Only love leads to peace and for our enemies, Hama, it is too late for love. War will come before we can love them… Konoha will stand by Uzushio, but Uzushio must continue to work towards a stronger alliance in the years to come or I fear relations may become strained… once I am gone. War is inevitable, trust me, I have seen too many wars. We must begin this war by strengthening the alliance between our villages." Mito stated simply.

"You will need to elaborate, Mito-sama." Hayate replied. "Uzushio will stand by Konoha as well, if it comes to war."

"I know." Mito said. "That is why I have come to ask Uzushio for help."

Hayate glanced at his mother but Hama merely blinked.

"I don't understand." Said Hayate.

"The balance that keeps the villages at peace is at risk. Konoha could be undone. Uzushio could be undone… We must maintain the balance." Mito explained.

"Mito-sama…" Hama whispered, understanding before her son.

"I am dying. It will still be some time, but I can feel it. I am dying. A few more years, perhaps, but I'd be of no use on a battlefield… You know the stories. You know what I am." Mito continued. "Hayate, the Nine-Tailed Fox cannot die with me or else Konoha and Uzushio will suffer. It must remain in the hands of Konoha… And Uzushio. The Fox keeps our enemies at a distance. It keeps us safe. And it keeps our two villages connected." Mito

"What are you asking?" Hayate stammered.

"Konoha need a new jinchuriki for the Nine-Tails." Mito said plainly.

"If you're asking for help sealing the beast, of course Uzushio will assist—" Hayate exclaimed.

"Hayate, my son… No…" Hama grabbed his shoulder and stopped her son. He felt tears in his eyes. He knew from the moment he watched her pull herself out of that whirlpool that is would come to this.

"Hayate, I need a host. It will be a hard life, but it can be a happy one. Mine has been—" Mito began.

"Who?" Hayate shouted. "Who are you asking me for?!" Hama's grip on her son tightened.

"Kushina." She answered. Hayate pulled away from his mother's grip too angry, too conflicted to speak.

"It must be an Uzumaki. We cannot risk an incident like the many in Kumo. We must choose someone strong enough, with the innate ability to contain the fox." Mito elaborated. "Hayate, I saw it today by the cliffs. Your wife and daughter should have died. The rocks should have crushed them, but she created—"

"Chakra chains." Hayate finished. "She possesses the gift. I know. I watched her get pulled into a whirlpool. The Adamantine chains formed and pulled her out."

"She survived the whirlpool." Hama stated, understanding something beyond all of this.

"Her unique chakra will be part of the seal. It is an integral part of the jutsu I've created—"

"She's not just a host!" Hayate shouted again. "She's not you're guinea pig for your—your jutsu! She's an eight-year-old girl! She never saw death until today and now you want her to suffer with that beast inside of her!"

"Uzumaki Hayate, you forget who you are speaking to." Mito cautioned. "I am the granddaughter of Uzumaki Ashina, the wife of Senju Hashirama, a fuinjutsu master, and the first jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Beast." Hayate's hair stood up as the old woman inched closer to him. "I have chosen your daughter because she reminds me of myself. She has an open heart and a fearless spirit. She is strong and determined. She sticks to her opinions while also keeping open ears. She is exceptionally good with people and she will be a fine leader and kunoichi one day soon. She is only eight years old and I already know this about her. Her chakra makes her a candidate, but her spirit and heart makes her the one I want to choose. I can believe in her."

Hayate was silent. He felt the tears on his face. He felt his mother's hand. She whispered to him.

"Put your faith in Kushina." It was all she said.

"Hayate, my husband shared the tailed beasts with the other villages in an effort to create a balance of power, to bring peace. Your service in the Great War may make you believe that the jinchuriki are meant to be weapons, but I believe that Hashirama's will prevails. They are bringers of peace."

There was nothing but silence for several moments. Even the lively sounds of the forest in summer had become muted.

"Give me one more year." Hayate said finally. "Let her stay here in Uzushio one more year and I will allow this." Mito nodded.

"One more year. After the next Shio, she will come to Konoha. We will say it is for inter-village relations. She will be a ward of my family, the Senju, and will live on our estate. She will attend the academy and study ninjutsu. I will be her personal fūinjutsu tutor." Mito explained. "She will be cared for and she will be with family. When the time is right, I will tell her about the Nine-Tails. Until then, no one will know. You understand?"

Hayate nodded, but said nothing. What could he say? Mito bowed to them and made her way out of the temple. She stole one last look at the wall of masks.

"Hayate," she said before she exited. "You are wise to believe in your daughter. She has been taken by the whirlpool and allowed to live… Kushina of the Whirlpool… My husband would have said she has the will of fire…" And just like that, Mito and the Konoha shinobi were gone.

Hayate looked up at the masks on the wall. Too much power, he thought.

It was a gruesome affair to begin with, but with an audience, it felt so much more vile. Still, he did not regret it. These men could not live, despite the objections from the Souta clan, who rejected the idea of penalty by death. If these men lived, only more would die. So, the council voted that they would die.

Still, Hayate was not sure their death wouldn't also result in many more dying. None-the-less, they would die. He did not find any joy in this, but it was necessary. It was necessary that he did it.

One by one, he swung the sword down on their necks. He could feel the eyes of those watching. Sen Masaru had insisted on making the execution public.

Hayate did not hesitate. He approached the last man. The man shivered, but made no sounds. Hayate repeated the words he said to the rest.

"The sea gives, and the whirlpool takes. The Council of Uzushio has sentenced you to death for crimes again the Land of Whirlpool. May you find peace in the whirlpool." And he swung the sword one last time. The head fell to the sand. The crowd was quiet and somber. The attack during Shio was still fresh in their memories.

And now the shinobi who caused such pain were dead.

Hayate gathered the heads of the Kumo nin and sealed them within a scroll. He did the same with the Kiri nin. He then gave the scroll to Ichiro who, in turn, tied them each to a raven.

One raven flew to Kirigakure. The other to Kumogakure.

Hayate wiped his katana clean and looked up at the dispersing crowd. He saw their faces for the first time. In the back he saw Kazuki holding Kushina's hand as she looked away.

When Kushina had left the house that morning, Hayate saw no point in making her stay at home. She would soon need to know how harsh the world truly was. All of the children would... They would soon be children of war.

"Sir, intelligence says this scroll contains a seal. It is not believed to be dangerous but caution should be exercised." His assistant informed him.

The Raikage held the small scroll in his hand. It had arrived on a raven that morning, but was inspected first because of who the sender was.

Uzushio.

The Raikage peeled the scroll open. There was a pop and a poof of smoke and suddenly a foul stench filled his office. Four severed heads now rested on his desk.

The Raikage scowled.

On the scroll there was also a short message written in neat calligraphy. It read:

"Raikage,

I thought it would be kind to return these to you. Unfortunately, the sea consumed their bodies. I have enjoyed this era of peace, but we of the Whirlpool have not forgotten the ways of war. I am certain you also have not forgotten what it is like to face the Whirlpool on the battlefield.

If you send more shinobi, I will send more heads back to you. The Uzumaki do not take kindly to finding armed strangers in our own homes. This ends now.

Do not attempt for navigate our waters or else you will drown.

Uzumaki Hayate"

The Raikage slammed his fist into the table with such anger that it splintered the wood.