Sacrifice and Surrender

14: Outcome

When the slug Sakura had left him disappeared in a pop of smoke, a sense of foreboding came over Tobirama. If Sakura's chakra was so low that she couldn't maintain the summoning something must have happened.

"Lord Tobirama."

Shikaru Nara appeared in the doorway of the Hokage's office. Tobirama looked up at him.

"Yuri Uchiha and Takuma Senju have returned. They're going to the hospital, Yuri is injured."

Tobirama nodded.

"I'll meet them there." He eyed Shikaru. "Your son will be fine," he said, trying to sound like he meant it.

Shikaru pursed his lips.

"If he is, he won't be," Shikaru muttered. He handed Tobirama a scroll. "Here. An urgent message from the Uzumaki, it's been deciphered. Apparently, Mito sent one out before she left."

Tobirama took it and opened it with a frown.

"Ashina is coming," he said, reading it over and handing it back to Shikaru. "I hope Mito's back by the time he gets here. He might be an old friend and ally, but the Uzumaki temper is a force to be reckoned with."

Shikaru nodded in agreement. "Let's hope they're all back."

Tobirama left for the hospital, leaving Shikaru in charge in the tower for the moment. He easily located Yuri and Takuma, although Takuma was the only one he could speak too while Yuri was being checked over by the medics. Takuma explained what had happened. That Madara had defeated the Gold and Silver Brothers, while he and Yuri had taken on the rest of their entourage. Sakura had come after the battle, and she'd stabilised Yuri before he'd brought Yuri back to the village. On the way, they passed by Mito and a group of three young shinobi, and not long after, the Nine-Tails had begun to attack. They didn't turn back since Yuri needed treatment.

"So, the group of Kumo shinobi was defeated," Tobirama mused. "Tell me about them."

"They all wore matching headbands and jackets, much like we do," Takuma explained. He hesitated. "I don't know for sure, but they didn't seem like they were some crazed faction of warmongering shinobi."

"You think they were there on orders from their leader?" Tobirama asked.

Takuma nodded. "I do. But I don't have proof. We captured three of them, maybe the Yamanaka can find the truth of it."

Tobirama clenched his jaw thoughtfully. "Thank you," he said to Takuma. "If either of you thinks of anything else, come find me."

Takuma nodded. "Yes, Lord Tobirama."

Tobirama left, deep in thought. The political ramifications of this could be really troublesome. They were going to have to meet this new Raikage, and soon, before things became even more unstable.

*

Madara sat beside Sakura's hospital bed, his elbows resting on his knees, hands loosely clasped together and head lowered, staring at the ground. He couldn't get the image of her with a giant hole through her chest out of his head. He could see the world through her. The dirt, the blood, the feet of the people behind her. His eyes had captured that in his memories. But that look on her face, and what she said.

"You'll have to do better than that, Kurama."

Madara was only just now beginning to realise that Sakura had far more secrets in her head than he ever realised. More than she maybe knew what to do with.