It was a early morning in Konoha, just as the sun began to rise over the east horizon. Much unlike the other mornings, this one was terribly loud. Shinobi and civilian alike gathered at one of the biggest training grounds as several people sparred at the centre.
Fire danced, tall and proud, casting brilliant red, orange, blue and purple hues. Water rose into the air from nothing, like a mighty beast as is dances like a spirit. Earth rose like castles, and at some point there was a lake in the ground. The genin retreated as the lake turned into lava, and no one dared to go back into the match.
Tama stood in the centre, knee deep in the lava as surveyed the genins' swift retreat.
"Use your chakra to avoid getting hurt! I'm about to send a devastating jutsu your way!", she called.
"No way! You're trying to kill us!", Naruto cried. Sakura stealed her heart and performed a series of hand signs. Warm, thick liquid earth filled her throat and mouth. She opened her lips slightly, allowing it to pour onto her feet.
"Earth style: mud armour jutsu!", she called. The mud immediately rose up her body and encased her. It hardened and she immediately put one foot on the lava. Taking in a deep breath, she directed her chakra to her feet and ran at Tama. Naruto wasn't up for it. Instead, he used a water jutsu to create a path for himself.
"I thought you said Naruto was an idiot.", Tsunade said.
"He is.", Kakashi replied. The boy was indeed an idiot, but where Tama was concerned, he couldn't afford to slack off. Tama wasn't afraid to break bones.
"Tama-chan is a merciless teacher. His mind seems to work better when training with her.", he said. Jiraiya chuckled.
Akira took in a deep breath and blew out a jet stream aimed a Tama, landing it perfectly.
"They all can use large scale water jutsu without water nearby to act as a source?", Tsunade asked incredulously. Those were Jōnin level children, at best. The last person who could do such was her grandfather's brother, the second Hogake.
"Senpuu no jutsu!", Karin called, and a ridiculously large whirlwind appeared before where she stood, right where Tama was. She went through a set of hand signs.
"Wind style: Crossing gale jutsu!", she called as she brought her arms to cross before her.
The jutsu should have killed Tama, but when everything died down, she was already collecting the genin, one by one. Sasuke was already down, and so was Naruto.
An armoured Sakura met her halfway and sent out a kick. Tama easily evaded, and Sakura braced herself for impact. Tama didn't disappoint. With a screeching Naruto secured in one arm, she leapt into the air and landed on the girl's head. Sakura did everything in her power to not immediately fall in a sorry pile.
"Hold. Circulate. Don't lose that connection!", Tama instructed. Sakura grunted as her chakra wavered. Using it to sustain the armour jutsu and her strength was overwhelming.
"Hold! Keep steady! Throw me!", Tama said again, this time, she jumped up and down on the girl's head. Sakura did as she was told, stepping aside and making to catch Tama's foot as she began to fall. She was too slow, Tama kicked her right in the face before she could, and she was sent flying and hit a tree.
"Oh my goodness!", on blue eyed, blond haired woman said from not far away. Tsunade looked at her curiously, and realised she bore a striking resemblance to the girl.
"That's Haruno Mebuki, Sakura-chan's mother. They're not shinobi, so this is actually not something she's used to.", Kakashi explained. Tsunade pursed her lips.
"Why is she here?"
"Tama-chan had the kids meet at two o'clock for extensive training before she finally leaves. She didn't think it was safe to let the girl come alone, so she came with her.", Kakashi replied.
Sakura worked to find her footing quickly, and when she did, Karin was in a water barrier protecting herself from a Dragon flame fireball jutsu. She gawked, when compared to Naruto's one had to be ten time bigger. Tama's Dragon flame fireballs jutsu could easily take down a few housing blocks, at best.
When the jutsu died down, Karin had already retreated several paces back in order to redice the impact it had on her, but you didn't need to look twice to tell that she was badly worn out. Luckily, Akira was quicker on her feet, and she took Tama on in close combat, allowing Karin the chance to breathe.
She was so quick that one would expect her to land a hit on Tama, but Tama only got faster and faster with each move. Akira switched styles, taking on a more aggressive offence. Tama must've adaped before she could even begin, because Akira still couldn't land anything. If anything, it looked like Tama was happily dancing in a field of flowers. All this without activating the Sharingan.
At this point, Naruto had been shaken and flung around to a point that he had fainted. Somewhere in the trees, Sasuke was in a similar state because he thought he could take Tama in a Sharingan battle. Tama didn't even bat an eyelid as she kicked him right into dreamworld.
What a shame.
...
The girls blushed profusely as a black haired male studied them intently. He then turned to face Tama, a small smile on his face.
"They're older than I thought. Are they sisters?", he asked, in something of a carefree manner.
"Cousins, raised as sisters.", Tama replied. The male looked at them again.
"Girls, this is Shisui-san. Growing up, he was like a brother to me. Please say your greetings.", Tama said softly. Shisui paused and looked at her thoughtfully. Whenever he went to her house, Tama was either not there, sleeping, or about to leave. It was always, 'Hello Shusui-kun, see you later.', or Mikoto saying, 'Could you boys not train too far away? I need to go now and Tama-chan is sleeping. Don't be too loud, okay?'
The one that took the cup was Itachi sternly saying, 'Tama-chan hates noise, so let's be quiet. She's really delicate, you know.'
Shisui had asked why they couldn't just go and come back later. Surely Mikoto wouldn't notice and Tama wouldn't tell. Itachi's sheepish response was; 'If we do that then she'll run away when we can't see her.'
It was for this reason that Shisui believed that Tama was a troublemaker, because she had a caretaker who watched her every move, made sure that she went to her lessons, and made sure that she was never near a where the boys trained. Ultimately, he knew nothing about her at all.
"Hello Shisui-san, we're pleased to meet you.", the two girls said, although Karin's voice was especially barely audible. Shisui smiled at them absentmindedly.
"I'm pleased to make you acquaintance, as well, girls."
"I'm Karin, and this is my sister, Akira-chan, by the way.", Karin finally said. Shisui chuckled at how bold she was as compared to her sister. It was funny because the sister held a sharper, more calculative countenance.
"Right, let's get going. We need to get there as soon as possible.", Tama said as she began walking.
"We've collected your brother now, nee-san. So, where are we going?", Akira asked excitedly. Tama cast her a quick glance and turned her gaze back forward.
"Uzushiogakure no Sato.", she declared. The girls screamed.
Startled, Shisui stopped in his tracks and looked at them as they had a panic attack... Or whatever was happening. They were laughing, so it could have just been excitement. Tama continued forward.
"No way, nee-san! Not even our mothers would take us there! Well, we were super poor, but still. Isn't it dangerous?", Akira screamed as she ran up to Tama's side. Karin hesitantly walked past Shisui, and only then did he begin walking again.
"It is, but as long as I'm around, you girls are safe.", Tama said. The girls broke into a chatter. Recounting all that their mothers had told them about the place.
"You know, the medic commander drove our mothers to their graves. We didn't even get to burry them. It was only a matter of time until we also ended up like dead in a mass grave.", Akira suddenly said. Tama cast her a glance.
"Why did he send you two to Konoha if you were so valuable?", she aked, ger tone far from inquisitive.
"He wanted us to become Chūnin because the Otokage said it was required in order for him not to get arrested when Sunagakure came to survey the barracks. I suspect it was a ploy for the Otokage to get us when we were out in the open.", Karin said, earing her a shocked gasp from Akira.
"I'm not surprised. Orochimaru gets up to all sorts of madness.", Tama said as she turned her gaze back forward. Of course she knew this, she just didn't think that they did.
Shisui hummed in consideration. Knowing the Snake sage, if he really wanted the girls, then he was probably still looking to get them.
"Shisui-san, can you use Kotoamatsukami to see ahead of us? Something is coming our way.", Tama said. Shisui paused. She was a sensory nin? How? Also, how did she know about Kotoamatsukami?
"How do you know about that?", he asked, and Tama just smiled a small smile and sent him a mischievous wink. He blushed and looked away, activating his Sharingan. No less than a second later, a crow flew overhead.
"Brace yourselves.", Tama said. Shisui also followed her instruction, considering he had no idea what she was about to do. She seemed like she was about to do something.
"Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame are coming this way.", Shisui said. Tama smiled.
"Please alert them of our presence.", she said as she pulled out several seals. She turned around and placed them on everyone except herself.
It wasn't half a minute later that Itachi and Kisame stood before them. Itachi stopped his companion from attacking them, but the girls were on high alert after he leapt into the air an aimed for Tama.
Now, Itachi and Shisui were locked in a battle of crimson red gazes. Itachi was wide eyed, while Shisui had an easygoing expression.
"Are you shocked, Itachi-kun?", Shusui asked after a long moment of silence. He stepped forward and came to stand next to Tama, effectively putting the girls behind the both of them protectively. Itachi pursed his lips as bile rose into his throat. He took in a deep breath.
"I am. I initially found it hard to believe that you were alive but, after seeing Kotoamatsukami, I have no doubts. My sister is more a genius than I thought.", he said, shifting his gaze to Tama.
Karin and Akira immediately came to her side, ready for a fight if the need arose.
"Easy now, this is not a hostile encounter, girls.", Tama said softly as she placed her hands on their shoulders.
"Would you believe me if I told you that I'm being held hostage?", Shisui asked, laughter clear in his tone of voice. It was amusing how the mighty could fall to such a lowly state. Itachi quirked an eyebrow.
"How so? Didn't she save you?", he asked. Shisui finally smiled at his best friend.
"Why would I jump off a cliff if I wanted to be saved?"
There was a long pause, and Kisame visibly grew more and more restless as the silence stremtched for a full minute. He lifted Samehada to rest upon his shoulder, and sighed impatiently.
"Kisame, we're not here to fight.", Itachi warned, the older man finally stepped back dejectedly.
"Now then, the sun is setting. How about some tea before we set up camp?", Tama suddenly asked. Karin and Akira looked up at her incredulously. Shisui must've been caught off gaurd as well, because his brows furrowed in confusion.
"Excuse me?", Kisame finally asked.
"What? Was I wrong to assume that we all wouldn't mind tea after travelling for a long time?", Tama asked as she knelt down and brought out everything sge needed.
"Of course not.", Itachi said, having caught where this was going. He immediately knelt down and watched. Growing up, Tama had an odd love for tea and, while he could easily say it was because of his parents, he found it wasn't the case. The way Fugaku and Mikoto made their tea, the kinds of tea that they drank, Tama paid little mind to that. She always preferred a very specific kind, and much preferred to make it herself, and Itachi always found he was intrigued whenever she did.
Soon, there was a little stove, two kettles, a dish of tea leaves, and several teacups before them. Everyone begrudgingly sat down as she got to work, and at some point, watching her had them all especially captivated for different reasons.
For Itachi, he was taken back to a simpler time, when it was Tama and him against the world. When absolutely nothing could get between them.
For Akira, she didn't realise that such a simple thing had a great calming effect. The way Tama was going at it, she seemed like she suddenly had not a single worry in the world. It was a tranquil sight.
Karin always thought Tama was a lover of chaos with the way she trained them. Now, seeing her so relaxed in the silence of the forest, with the occasional yip of a fox or howl of a wolf, she realised otherwise.
Kisame... Well he rrally didn't know this kid but for the few encounters with her. He hadn't realised that she and Itachi were related until now. They had the exact same expression on their faces as they waited for the water to boil. To him, that said something about their relationship.
Then there was Shisui, who wondered if things would have been different if ever their clan wasn't so villainous. Perhaps Tama would have come around and finally made peace with her parents. Perhaps Itachi would stop worrying all the time about the village. Perhaps both of them would have made time for Sasuke when they had the chance. Perhaps Tama would've noticed when he...
No. It would never happen.