Reunion
~*~*~*~
Walking around so far inland, in enemy territory, and in his weaker, human form, was a risk.
Fortunately, no one would think to look at him. After all, the Senju and Uchiha haven’t had war for ten years. No one would recognize him to be a Senju. Regardless of that, he still took care, wearing a hood over his head as he wandered around the Uchiha’s village.
A few people gave him a curious look, but otherwise no one gave him any mind. Seeing how prosperous the village was, most of them probably just thought he was just another traveller.
Pausing next to what looked like an onsen, Tobirama glanced up at the ring of mountains surrounding the valley. He remembered Madara talking about Castle Mount; the tallest and most majestic in their range, where his clan lived. Every now and then, he could see a winged shadow either land on or take off of said mountain.
Casting out his senses, he detected a lake on the other side of the protective circle the mountains formed around the village. That’d be a good place to lay low. He watched the crowds for a bit, taking note of how content everyone seemed to be. They were all active, chatting, laughing.
He didn’t know how long he lingered there, just watching, or what he was waiting for. But eventually, it paid off.
There was a rush of wind overhead, and he looked up. A few voices cried out in excitement, and everyone on the streets abruptly rushed to the sides, clearing a space in the middle of the road. With a deep, throaty rumble, the dragon swept around, stirring up dust with his wings, and landed.
He swung his head around, dark eyes scanning the crowd. Before his eyes could land on Tobirama, a gaggle of kids emerged from the crowd, shrieking towards the dragon. For a moment, just a moment, Tobirama worried.
He worried for nothing. The dragon hummed quietly, letting the kids run around his legs, climb up his tail, and clamber all over his back and shoulders. He even tipped his wings to the sides like little slides, letting the kids climb up and roll down.
“Good morning, Madara-sama,” a woman said respectfully. Tobirama smiled to himself as the dragon swung his head around towards her. The dragon looked different from this angle. Not quite so small, not as squishable. Tilting his head, Tobirama watched him.
He was only perhaps twice the size of a large work horse, but of course, that meant he towered over the village residents. The kids continued playing on him while he spoke with the adults. He looked calm, relaxed and at home. Dare he say even content.
A little girl reached up, patting his front leg until she got his attention. With a curious rumble, Madara lowered his head to her level, and she grabbed one of the spikes on his head with her tiny hands, pulling him further down. When she was convinced he would stay put, she took out a string of flowers, and started weaving them between the spikes, forming a flower crown on his head.
Then she patted his muzzle, and stepped back with a giggle and a happy grin. Madara lifted his head, setting his muzzle against her forehead and exhaling warmly, blowing her hair back from her face. She shrieked with laughter. “Thank you, Airyo,” he said, nudging her in the belly with his snout.
She giggled again, and shyly disappeared back into the mass of children surrounding him. After a few more minutes, Madara carefully raised his wings, wiggling himself to hint at the kids to get off him. With a swarm of disappointed whines and complaints, they let the dragon free of being their playground.
Rumbling with what might be amusement, Madara lifted his wings, crouching down like a hunting cat. Then he launched himself into flight, and with a mighty rush of wind, took off. He spiralled up and around, then made off towards Castle Mount.
Tobirama watched him go until he landed on the mountain, disappearing from sight. Then he abandoned his post by the onsen, and headed down the street, heading out of the mountain range and to the lake beyond.
~*~*~*~*~*~
It was nice to swim in freshwater instead of salt for a change.
He explored the bottom of the lake for a while to entertain himself, slithering through the aquatic plants, sampling their taste. It was vastly different than what he was used to in the sea.
As enjoyable as the lake was, it was small, and he quickly grew bored. A few villagers came to the lake now and then. Some swam and splashed around in the shallows. Others went out on small boats, either paddling around or casting small nets or lines for the fish populating it. Still more simply sat on the beach, watching the quiet waters.
Tobirama laid low when they came near, grateful for the technique he had learned from the Akimichi clan. The ability to control his size certainly was helpful. Of course, there were limits to how big and small he could make himself.
The lake activity died down as the sun set, and Tobirama let himself uncurl from the bottom of the lake, swimming through its murky waters. A tiny shadow overhead drew his attention, and he carefully came closer to the service.
Whatever it was fluttered around above for a little while, dipping its little claws in the water when it finally landed on a rocky patch in the center of the lake. Tobirama drew closer, circling the little island curiously.
It was a dragon, but a tiny one. It’s wingspan had to be barely 4 feet from wingtip to tip. From the front of its snout to the tip of its tail, it was probably only 4 or 5 feet long. He guessed it was just a youngling.
He couldn’t remember the last time he saw such a young Uchiha. Considering, he drifted even closer, lifting his tail and stirring up the water beside the hatchling. The little thing spun around with a squeak, lifting its wings and flapping them around.
It couldn’t be more than 4 or 5 years old. So young, so very impressionable….
Tobirama lifted out of the water, drawing himself high, and the dragon gave a terrified little squeal, cowering back. “Hello,” Tobirama said, wincing as he realized that the sight of him in the fading light, doubled with his throaty rumble, probably wasn’t the most calming or reassuring sight. “Fear not, little Uchiha, I won’t hurt you.”
He dipped lower, until just his head was sticking out of the water. The dragonling just stared at him, eyes wide and wings shaking in terror. Tobirama extended his natural abilities, manipulating a small portion of water to rise out of the lake, taking the form of a dragon. It flapped around the Uchiha, who watched it with a mix of fear and fascination.
He waited until the dragonling was significantly calmer. “How did you do that?” the Uchiha demanded, watching the water dragon fall apart and splash down on the rocks.
“Lot’s of practise,” he replied, and the dragon flapped its wings.
“I want to learn!”
“You can’t, you’re a dragon.”
The little one’s eyes narrowed. “What are you?” he asked, more curious than wary now.
“I’m a serpent. What’s your name, little one?”
The dragon’s chest puffed out proudly. “I am Kagami Uchiha!” he declared, wings snapping up and back, like a mock salute.
“It’s nice to meet you, Kagami. Should you really be here alone?”
“I come here lots! Madara-sama says it’s important to fly down to the lake sometimes, and then allllll the way back to Castle Mount. It’s good for our flight muscles!”
Tobirama glanced up at Castle Mount in the distance, on the other side of the village that the lake was. It was a fair distance away, and the elevation change was substantial. It would be quite a trek for such a little dragon.
“You know Madara?” he asked, coiling his tail around the island.
“Yeah!” Kagami said cheerfully. “Madara-sama is going to take over our clan! He’s been working really hard to get ready!”
“Madara is clan heir?” Tobirama asked, surprised. “I didn’t know that.”
“YOU know Madara-sama?!” Kagami squealed in delight.
“Yes, he is my...ah. Friend.” An idea crossed his mind, and he tilted his head at the little dragon. “Kagami, do you think you could tell Madara that I’m here? I need to speak with him.”
Kagami frowned seriously. “I will if you tell me how to make a water dragon,” he said firmly. Tobirama chuckled.
“Okay, little dragon. But only after I’ve seen Madara. Deal?”
“Deal! You stay right here, I’ll be back in no time!”
Kagami lifted his wings, and took off. Tobirama watched him flutter slowly off towards Castle Mount, his tiny form soon disappearing in the fading light. Satisfied, Tobirama slipped into the water, and waited.
~*~*~~*~*
“MADA-SHISHOU!”
Groaning, Madara glanced up, lifting his head from his paws. Kagami crashed onto his favorite ledge, panting hard, little wings shaking. “Kagami, shouldn’t you be home by now?” he asked, lifting one wing. Kagami staggered over to him, immediately snuggling against his side under his wing.
“I was at the lake, working on my flight muscles like you said!”
“At this hour?” He nudged Kagami’s neck with his snout. “Your mother will be worried. You should have gone to her right away, little hawk.”
“I have a message!” Kagami protested, sitting up. “The serpent in the lake wants to see you!”
Madara chuckled. “Hah, okay, Gami. You really should- Wait, a serpent?”
Kagami nodded. “Yeah! He’s big and white, and he says you’re friends, and that you haven’t spoken for a while. He’s here to visit you!”
Madara frowned. On one hand, Kagami could be making this up….He had a wild imagination, and often came up with silly stories. But on the other hand, if he was telling the truth…And his Senju serpent was really here….
He stood up abruptly, gently nudging Kagami with his wing. “Go home, little hawk. But Kagami, do not tell anyone else about the serpent, alright? Think of this as our little secret. Can you do that? Keep a secret with me?”
“YES!” Kagai screeched. “I can do that! We’ll have such good secret keeping!”
Amused, Madara spread his wings. “Good. Now, HOME. I’m going to go see your serpent.”
“Can I come-”
“No.”
“But-”
“GOOD NIGHT, Kagami!” He took off, shaking his head at Kagami’s offended yowls. Glancing back over his shoulder, he watched Kagami pout and pace before heading home.
It took only a matter of minutes for him to reach the lake outside of the Uchiha’s mountains, and he swept over the waters before landing on the beach. The sun had set by now, and the light of the moon bathed the lake and the trees surrounding it in white. It reflected off the water's surface.
He scanned the water carefully, but he saw no sign of any serpent. Kagami had probably just seen a big snake or something. With a sigh, he waded into the lake, enjoying its warmth against him. It was much calmer, and more pleasant than being in the ocean.
A ripple in the distance caught his attention, and he watched it until it faded away. Probably just a fish. Bemused, he shook his head, wading in a little deeper. While he was here, he may as well be productive. He swished his foreleg around, then lifted it out of the water, licking his scales. He always prided himself on being clean, and having his obsidian scales gleam. Beauty could be deadly, after all.
He had moved on to his other foreleg when he happened to glance to the side, seeing a white scaled face staring at him from under the water.
Later on, he would deny the unholy shriek he let out as he scrambled backwards.
The Senju emerged out of the water with an amused rumble as Madara reeled back in surprise, tripping over his own tail and very nearly face planting into the muddy shallows.
“Senju, what the FUCK?!” he screeched, scrambling onto the beach and whirling around to glare at him. The Senju just slithered closer, and Madara could have sworn he was smirking. “What are you doing here?”
The serpent lowered his head a little, eyeing him. “You were late,” he said simply.
Madara clamped his mouth shut, and stared at him.
“So you CAN talk!” he yowled, pointing a talon at him angrily. The Senju bared his teeth in a toothy, savage grin.
“Yes.”
“Why haven’t you said anything before?!”
“I didn’t need to.”
Madara hissed at him, loud and snakelike. “Idiot. Why are you here? Do you realize how risky this is?”
“You were late,” the Senju said again. “I was curious as to why you never showed up at our usual rendezvous.”
“I’ve been busy,” Madara said defensively, flaring his wings. The Senju snorted.
“I heard. Your friend Kagami told me you were heir to the Uchiha clan.”
Madara froze, and narrowed his eyes. “So what if I am?” he growled. The Senju’s eyes narrowed back at him.
“You should tell your clanmate not to divulge such important information. If I were to kill you, it’d be a great blow to the Uchiha clan.”
Madara growled quietly, smoke trailing out of his nostrils. “Would you do that, Senju?” he challenged, sitting on his haunches and glowering up at the serpent.
The other stared him down. “No,” he said finally, slithering closer.
“You look smaller,” Madara noticed suddenly, tilting his head. And it was true. Whereas before he could probably have sat on the Senju’s head, now the serpent was well under half his original side.
“A little trick another clan taught me,” the Senju said smugly. “Very convenient, for taking down a ship or two.”
“Or sneaking into a lake. How did you even get here?”
The Senju hummed. “That’s for me to know, and you to find out.”
Madara sighed, swiping his tail in the sand. “You shouldn’t be here, Senju. If anyone else from my clan was to see you, we’d both have our hides skinned.”
“No one will see me,” the other said smugly. “I’ve been hanging around all day. You’re good with children, surprisingly. Flower crowns suit you.”
Embarrassed, Madara looked away. “I couldn’t say no to her. You try resisting a 3 year old with puppy dog eyes.” Then he realized something. “Wait, how did you…. You saw that? When?” One would think he would have noticed a serpent in the middle of his village.
“You’re denser than a brick, Uchiha. Have you forgotten that the Senju are shape shifters as well?”
Madara blinked. “I...Oh!” That had totally slipped his mind. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours?”
The Senju snorted. “Not a chance.”
Madara shrugged, and folded his wings. “Eh, it was worth a try.” Then he glanced back up at Castle Mount, where the rest of his clan was resting. If even one of them just happened to go for a nightly flight and look over at the lake….
“Senju, I mean it. You should go. If anyone sees you, if any other dragon sees you…” He shook his head. The serpent growled.
“Will you be there next week?” he demanded.
“What, did you miss me?” he teased back.
He made a dismissive sound. “I like routine, and I don’t like when others don’t follow it. Be there next week.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll sink your ship and bite the dragon guarding it.”
Madara snickered. “Oh, I’m jealous. I thought that privilege was reserved for me.”
“Stop trying your luck or I’ll bite you now.” He narrowed his gleaming red eyes. “Be there.” With that, he turned around, slithering back into the water. Then, at the last moment, he paused, and glanced back at him.
For a moment, they stared at each other. “My name is Tobirama, by the way,” the serpent said finally.
The gift of his name sent something warm growing in his chest, a warmth that had nothing to do with the fire he breathed. “It’s nice to meet you, Tobirama,” he said.
The Senju -Tobirama - gazed back at him for a moment. Then he nodded once.
“See you next week, Madara.”
He dove into the water with a rumble, and disappeared into the waves.
Madara sat on the beach until the waves and ripples faded away and the lake was still again.
Tobirama.
‘The space between two doors?’
He snorted, standing up and raising his wings. What an absurdly boring name.
He took off towards Castle Mount, bypassing it and heading to his usual ledge. As he curled up for the night, he turned his head towards the lake. His thoughts drifted to the Senju, and he purred contently to himself, closing his eyes.
That night, he dreamt of waves and sea spray, and racing white scaled serpents.