Chapter Text
Tobirama took the empty seat and set the red hat in the empty spot. Tsume was grinning at Tobirama’s left while Shisui carefully kept his Uchiha Face up from Tobirama’s right. Tobirama interlocked his fingers together and just raised an eyebrow at the Kage, “So, are we just ignoring the fainted bodyguards?”
“How the hell?” Oonoki whispered before glaring. “Who are you?”
Tobirama deadpanned, “I’m not going to dignify that stupid question with an answer.” Tobirama looked away from the Tsuchikage to the Mizukage and nodded, “Morinao-san.”
“There’s no way you’re Senju Tobirama!” the Fourth Raikage yelled. “He—”
“Died?” Tobirama looked at the man. “I can assure you I did not. Did your village ever find a body, Raikage-sama?” Strangled noises came from the Raikage, “Am I safe to assume you follow the Kumo pattern and your name is A?” the Raikage stood, but the hairs on the back of his neck and arms stood up as the temperature dropped suddenly. “Please do remember that we are all here on the basis that we agreed to be civil and neutral. Sit down.” A slowly took his seat again.
Tobirama looked around the tense room before sighing, “I jumped forward in time. During my last battle, I discovered I unknowingly created a time travel jutsu. Are we all content now? I am Senju Tobirama, and I am more than willing to prove such, but I am holding my brother’s one wish with these meetings. Do not make me make my brother cry in the Pure Lands.”
“How do you unknowingly create time travel?” the Kazekage asked, eyes narrowed.
“Accidently,” Tobirama crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair as the other Kage gave him looks. “Do I look like my brother? I am not just going to give you answers that I deem are none of your business.”
“That sounds like a threat, Hokage-sama,” Oonoki spoke tensely.
“Well, then you must think anyone keeping secrets is a threat. How do you survive in a Shinobi Village, Tsuchikage-sama?” Tsume pressed her lips together tightly. Barely keeping the snickers from escaping, “I’ve told you what you need to know. I went forward in time due to a jutsu mishap. Whatever else you are wanting to know about the subject is none of your business.” Several mouths opened to protest, “And before you go on about the treaties from the Third War, I can assure you, I’ve read them all front, back, and in between. Nowhere does it say that any of us are required to give information because we are asked. And if I have, perhaps, misunderstood something, then let me ask this….” Tobirama leaned forward, keeping his arms crossed, “Why did Kumo kidnap our Jinchuuriki when you have two of your own?”
A opened his mouth, but then closed it, pressing his lips together. Tobirama looked around the room and all shinobi seemed unhappily pacified. He leaned back against the chair, “Then shall we get to the point of this meeting? Am I safe to assume it’s about Konoha?”
“Why have you hidden?” Morinao asked.
“Personal reasons,” Tobirama stated. “More or less. I was displeased with the turn Konoha took. I’m currently fixing it.”
“Why do you need to fix it?” the Kazekage, Rasa, asked. “Times have changed.”
“I’m more than aware,” Tobirama looked at the Kazekage. “But let me ask this. If your Shodaimes showed up, would they be proud of how you built your villages throughout the ages?” Oonoki and Morinao winced slightly. Tobirama hummed and tilted his head, “Exactly. How Konoha grew is not how my brother, Madara, and I wanted it to become.” Tobirama looked around at all the Kage, “Is there anything else anyone wishes to ask?”
“Are you going to answer them?” A asked.
“Depends on the questions,” Tobirama looked at the man. “If they involve what my plans are, no, I will not be answering them because it isn’t your concern. What happens within the infrastructure of my village is none of your business. Unless we’re suddenly in the mood to start spilling village secrets? Who wishes to start?”
“Well, you certainly haven’t changed since your last Summit, Tobirama-san,” Morinao folded his hands on the table in front of him.
“I’m not understanding why you think I would, Morinao-san, but I thank you for the compliment.” Tobirama stood up, “If we’re done with this meeting, I have much work to do. If you wish to get in contact with Konoha for whatever reason, you know the summons of my niece and her teammates, and I’m also certain you know my summons if you wish to speak with me directly. I am also going to leave you all with two warnings:
“Treaties are more than just paper they are written on. I am not Hiruzen, you break the treaty between Konoha and your village, then Konoha disappearing will be the least of your worries. Whatever you choose to do amongst yourselves is none of my business but come near my country with dangerous intent and you will discover how I’m fixing my village.
“Watch the hate within your shinobi. Hate towards another village can easily be turned onto yourself if manipulated. My second warning is this. There is an unknown that has been out for the Senju and Uchiha for longer than my generation. Do not believe it will just stay within Konoha to get to us.” Tobirama gestured for Tsume and Shisui to follow him, “And we’re done here. Unless you wish to discuss anything else?” The room remained silent, and the albino nodded before the Konoha Shinobi left the room.
It was silent in the meeting room for what felt like hours, “Did…did he just threaten and warn us at the same time?” Rasa asked.
“Sounds about right,” Morinao sighed. “Wonder if I can make Yagura Mizukage yet….”
Oonoki stood up, “I’ve heard enough of this nonsense. Next thing he’ll say is that the damn Fourth Hokage is his grandson!” it became dead silent. “Let’s all pretend I didn’t just speak that into possible existence.”
A groaned into his hands, “I need a fucking drink.”
Tobirama gave the final Inuzuka Contract to Tsume, “There’s your copy, Inuzuka-sama.” Tsume took the piece of paper, “And if you can make sure it doesn’t get misplaced this time.”
“Yeah, no worries there. I’ll make sure the next Inuzuka Head is well aware of where it is and in about…two generations to go through it again and make sure it doesn’t need to be updated.” Tobirama nodded and gestured for Tsume to leave.
As soon as the door closed, Tobirama leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He reached out with his senses, spreading them across the village. The Hyuuga Compound was less tense and there were only a few chakra signatures missing from the last time he checked in. That was good. Hopefully, Hiashi will be by sometime tomorrow.
The albino looked into the Senju Compound. The Hyuuga children and Naruto were running around the trees with the Hyuuga matriarch and Hizashi watching over them. Hiroka was with his daughter inside Obito’s current room. Tenten was in Obito’s lap and Kakashi was talking with Hiroka.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the Ame students were with Orochimaru in a lab just outside dangerous range of any compound. Tobirama smiled softly as a flickering, new emerging chakra was present. In about ten months, he would have a new niece or nephew. He was glad his brother’s family line wasn’t going to end with Tsunade because of his stupid students.
Shizune was in the hospital. She was irritated and was yelling at someone. Well, I guess I don’t have to add the hospital to my list. Tobirama looked at the door to the Hokage Office when someone knocked on it, “Enter.” Tobirama smiled at who walked in, “Hello, Iruka-kun. How can I help you?”
The 11-year-old shifted on his feet, “I was just wondering when Genin Assignments were going to be done.”
Tobirama hummed, “That does need to be done, doesn’t it?” he leaned forward resting his forearms on the desk. “Iruka-kun, can you tell me what was required to become Genin?”
“We had to do a written test, sparring, and we had to complete three Bunshins.”
Tobirama raised an eyebrow, “That’s it?” Iruka nodded and Tobirama massaged his temples. “Okay, no. Just…,” the Hokage sighed. “Shisui,” Iruka jumped when the Uchiha arrived in a swirl of leaves. “I want a complete list of all Jounin and ANBU ranked Shinobi on my desk, and I want all current Academy Instructors in my office in an hour. Also, inform Itachi to arrive with the instructors. I’m not standing for what’s become of my Academy.”
“Yes, Hokage-sama.”
“And Shisui,” the teenager stopped mid-hand seal. “Is your Academy teacher still teaching?”
“No, sir. She was removed when it was discovered what she did.”
“Find her and ask her to come see me as soon as possible.”
“Yes, sir. Anything else?”
Tobirama gestured to Iruka, “Bring Iruka-kun here to either Jiraiya or Tsunade. While I currently don’t know what’ll happen with his graduating class, I’m not going to let his potential in Fuuinjutsu fizzle out.”
“Yes, sir,” Shisui put a hand on Iruka’s back before bowing. Iruka followed Shisui’s example before following the older teen out of the office.
Tobirama leaned back against his chair. He closed his eyes and reached toward the Senju Compound again. Naruto and Tenten were now sitting in the kitchen with Kakashi and Hiroka. Was it lunchtime already? He found Ayame in Obito’s room helping the other teenager eat. Obito was arguing weakly, and he was embarrassed. Ayame was firm with him and Obito calmed slightly, allowing the civilian to help him eat.
Tobirama pulled away from the Senju Compound. He opened his eyes and turned to the stack of financial paperwork. He shook his head. He hasn’t had enough sleep to properly continue that work. Tapping sounds from behind him caused him to turn. He blinked at the 14-year-old sitting on the window’s edge. Tobirama nodded at him, “Enter,” the teenager Shushined into the office. “Can I help you ANBU-san? I don’t remember telling Shisui that I wished to see any ANBU. Yet, anyway.”
The teenager pressed his lips together, “I wished to speak with you before you found out some other way, Nidaime-sama.”
“Oh?”
The teenager nodded, “You know of Orochi—sorry, Danzou’s testing with Shodaime-sama’s cells?”
“I was not aware it was Danzou doing the testing. I had suspicions, but no hard evidence, so thank you for verifying that. What about those testing?”
The teenager looked around the room briefly before taking a deep breath and holding his hand out, palm up towards the ceiling. Tobirama went wide eyed when a flower grew from the palm, “I was an infant during the tests. I was also the only survivor.” Tobirama slowly rose from his chair, “Danzou had me believing he saved me from Orochimaru. I understand I’m not…not Senju and—”
“You are,” Tobirama came around the desk. “You are Senju. There’s no other reason you would have fully manifested like this if you weren’t,” the teenager looked confused. “Wood Release is just as much a Kekkei Genkai as the Sharingan or Byakugan are. Anyone of Senju blood is able to possibly manifest the Wood Release, but not everyone is strong enough to.” The teenager nodded slowly, looking close to tears, “What is your name?”
“I…was never given a permanent name. It changed depending on the mission I was given. Danzou didn’t believe in names being important to shinobi.”
Tobirama pressed his lips together, “We are more than just shinobi. We are human. And it would seem I need to put someone on finding all that Danzou did. Within his teammates’ knowledge or behind their backs.” The albino put a gentle hand on the ANBU’s shoulder, “Of the names you were given, is there one you liked above all?”
The teenager was silent for a minute, “I quite liked Tenzou, Hokage-sama.”
“Then Senju Tenzou you will be,” the teenager went wide eyed, but smiled softly. “Did Hiruzen know of your Wood Release?”
“Yes, sir. It’s what Danzou used to condemn Orochimaru.”
“Of course it was,” Tobirama sighed. “And it never even crossed their minds that Senju other than Tsunade would be alive and it wasn’t just luck that you survived the experiments, manifesting a bloodline limit. Did my son know of you?”
“Yondaime-sama?” Tobirama nodded and Tenzou shook his head. “No, sir. I think he suspected something, though. When Yondaime-sama was in power, Danzou constantly moved where I stayed. He said it was a precaution as my Wood Release was unstable at the time. But every time I moved, Yondaime-sama was always in the area for multiple hours for a day or two.”
“He sensed your chakra and the pull of natural chakra to you,” Tobirama explained. “You’ve probably noticed as well. You can feel a certain type of chakra, yes?”
Tenzou nodded, “Danzou always told me that I needed to stop losing focus, that there was never anything there.”
“It’s completely normal when you’re Senju, Tenzou-kun,” Tobirama ran his fingers through the brown hair. “We are just sensitive to natural chakra. You were never unfocused. You just had a power Danzou could not comprehend.” Tenzou relaxed and nodded, “Now, do you have housing you want to return to?”
“No, Hokage-sama. Danzou’s ROOT Members were required to live within the ANBU Headquarters.”
Tobirama just stared at the teenager, “What in Sage’s name is ROOT? I didn’t create that.”
“No, Hokage-sama. Danzou created it, it’s an offshoot branch of ANBU. Before Danzou’s death, none of the members were allowed to speak of it. We had a seal on our tongues that would literally paralyze us if we did.”
“You couldn’t even speak of ROOT to the Hokage?” Tenzou shook his head. Tobirama closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened them slowly, “Do you have anything of importance to you?” Tenzou shook his head, “I thought not.” Tobirama turned as Shisui returned, “Shisui, this is Senju Tenzou.” The Uchiha blinked once, “New information has been given about Danzou. I want you to show Tenzou-kun how to enter the Senju Compound. Do not just invite him in. Once inside, I want you both to collect Kakashi. You three are to collect everything Danzou has ever done under ROOT. Tenzou-kun, make sure you check all hideouts that Danzou used.”
“Yes, sir,” Tenzou and Shisui bowed before they vanished from the office.