Hinata woke up early, as to not disturb anyone in the makeshift compound. She snuck through the silent halls and slipped out through the front. She smiled and looked over at the Hokage great stone faces. Tsubaki hummed in anger as she stared over at the faces engraved in the side. She frowned. "Tobirama and Hashirama are the cause of your problems aren't they?" she asked and the blade's hums slowed and she felt saddened by the blade. "You were meant to be a Hokage… but instead you became the traitor…." She said and all hums stopped.

She glanced at the blade and began unsheathing it, the reflection of him that was always there was completely gone. She had said something to upset him she guessed she frowned and made her way to the library, but stopped outside the doors; she had already read everything they'd had to offer on Madara Uchiha. Her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed. She bit her lip with a frown. Maybe she would come back later, but she needed more information on Madara, not the first and second Hokage.

She turned on her heel and walked around the empty morning streets of konoha for a while. She knew that the one person who would have any information at all on Madara would be passed out at her desk at the moment, her assistant probably sitting oddly in her chair asleep as well. She walked by the old Uchiha district and her heart fell. She walked over to the old rusted gates and shoved them open gently. She walked through the old homes which had succumbed to the weather.

She had come here as a young child, her father had been trying to combine the Uchiha and Hyuuga. It would have been her and Itachi, she didn't mind the fact she was going to have been forced to wed the Uchiha. He had been a very attractive young man, he had been polite and respectful to others. They had actually gotten to get to know each other, despite the age difference between them; they got along just fine. She hadn't loved him, but she would have rather married him than someone she had never met.

She didn't dare go in any of the buildings, no matter how much they called out to her to enter and fill their space with life once more. The house at the end called out to her more than any of the others did. She bit her lip and reached for the door and shoved it open after she walked up the familiar steps. This had been Sasuke and Itachi's home. Her heart felt so much pain by her fingertips just brushing the door to slide it open, it broke her heart to see the reddened stains on the floor when she opened Fugaku and Mikoto's room door.

Tsubaki began humming louder than ever before when she walked around the stains in the center of the floor. She stepped over towards the area which the sword hummed the loudest and her fingers brushed over the floor and the secret trap door moved. There were a few scrolls in the floorboards. She delicately lifted them out of it and closed it back. 'Father's room.' A voice echoed in the air around her. The voice had been deep, mysterious and alluring. She had never heard the voice before and she couldn't figure out where it had come from.

Hinata sat on her feet with her knees against the floorboards. She unraveled one of the scrolls and there was a drawing of Madara and Hashirama. Her eyes went wide as she realized this was the only recorded moment of the Senju/ Uchiha treaty being formed. Her jaw became unhinged a bit as she further unraveled it and there was writing underneath the drawing of the two, whose hands were locked in a handshake, signing the agreement. Her brows furrowed as her eyes scanned over the writing. 'As is here declared by both Uchiha and Senju, this agreement is the end of the warring states of this area. To bring peace among others, the Uchiha/Senju treaty is to be followed by the building of a large settlement made for both the clans to live in peacefully.'

A small smiled crossed Hinata's lips, but the smile soon vanished as she unfurled the very bottom of the scroll. In very masculine and angry handwriting someone had written something at the bottom. 'I, Madara Uchiha, hereby declare… this pathetic treaty demolished. You speak of peace and eternal happiness, but you see… there is no humane path towards those hopeless dreams. Through strength, I will fulfil my true dream.' The handwriting looked angry, and she could feel the hatred in the way it was written.

She rolled the scroll back up and unraveled the second one. There was a drawing of clan crest on the page. It wasn't one she had seen before, but it looked familiar. The Uchiha and Senju crests were scrawled at the top of the page above it. "H- Hagor- Hagoromo… she pronounced the name carefully with a frown. But then she remembered the name from the scrolls she had found in the library. "Oh… that's what that symbol is… an account of the warring clans…" she said softly and rolled the scroll back up.

She stood and walked out of the room, but before she could leave the building a door to her right creaked. Her eyes flickered over to the door and she slid it open slowly. 'My room…' the voice whispered solemnly around her… there was a closet on the far side of the room and she felt she needed to head over there. She crouched and lifted the hidden panel on the floor to reveal a box. It was locked with a key and she furrowed her brows. Her eyes went wide as she realized that she had seen Mikoto with a key.

Tsunade now had the key, but the key wasn't a key; it was a brilliant red jewel. Much like the one Naruto now wore… Well, had worn. He now carried it around with him in his pocket. The jewels had been created for the sole purpose of subduing chakra, one subdued the nine tails chakra, she knew that. She furrowed her brows and fiddled with the jewel shaped lock. It didn't budge so she knew she had to go see Tsunade for more than one reason.

She tucked the box under her arm and gently grabbed the scrolls once more. She strode swiftly from the Uchiha's home. Her footfalls echoed through the dusty streets of the district. The feeling of the place brightened significantly just by the sound her feet made. She smiled up at the sky as it had begun to turn blue instead of the purplish color it had been. "Good morning everyone." Hinata said with a smile as she slid back through the gates of the Uchiha district.

Hinata knew she had to be subtle with who she asked information on Madara. She didn't want anyone getting any ideas about following her or anything like that… Hinata sighed and rested her head in her hands. Izanagi's face appeared in her mind and she frowned. She could return to before he died, but then they would have to go through introductions all over again. She sighed and blew the hair from her face. She stood and made her way to Tsunade.

Her feet fell rapidly on the stairway leading to Tsunade's office. She heard voices in the office already and she knocked lightly on the door as the guards outside the makeshift office greeted her. "Good morning ms. Hyuuga." They said with a small bow and she smiled brightly. "Good morning, Ichiru, Kenta." She greeted them by name and they offered smiles back at her. "Come in." Tsunade called and Hinata slid the door open slowly before she stepped in, only stopping to slide the doors shut behind her.

Tsunade smiled as Hinata walked in, Tsunade knew that it was important from the look in her eyes alone. "What can I help you with?" she asked. "I was wondering if you had any information on Madara. Something has felt off ever since I realized that Tsubaki was his sword, and that she holds a piece of his soul within her. But just today I went over to the old Uchiha district and found a few more things that made me wonder… I was just wondering if there was anything you could show me to get a better feel as to who I am dealing with…" Hinata said and Tsunade's eyes never left the blade, but knowing of it she didn't reach for it either.

The sword was already humming its displeasure at how close Tsunade was to it. Apparently it knew she was a Senju and didn't like Senju. Hinata frowned down at the blade; it didn't seem to be in the best of moods today. Hinata turned and set the tiny rectangle box on Tsunade's desk. Tsunade blinked and reached for the tiny box but before Hinata could stop it, Tsubaki flew from the sheathe and Tsunade had to yank her hands away from the box before her hand was removed by the blade inplanted in her desk. Hinata and Shizune stared in shock at the blade. Hinata yanked the blade from her desk and bowed in apology, apologizing profusely.

"Heh seems Madara still has a grudge against us Senju…" Tsunade muttered upon hearing the sword's angry hum, from Hinata's grip. "He doesn't want me touching the box I guess..." Tsunade sighed and Hinata frowned and looked down at the blade, where within the smooth surface, Madara sat cross legged, his arms folded across his chest; a nasty glare in his eyes and a sneer on his lips. Tsunade saw him within the blade and rolled her eyes. Hinata seemed surprised that Tsunade was still so calm about the fact the blade had just attacked her on its own. "please forgive me Hokage-sama…" Hinata pleaded and Tsunade laughed.

"Don't worry, I'm guessing he only wants you touching his things though. Here…" Tsunade said and handed Hinata a red jewel on a string, much like the one Naruto, Nawaki, Dan, Hashirama, and Tsunade herself had worn. "This was Madara's. Mikoto had found it when she was a child while rummaging through the Uchiha household." Tsunade said and Hinata reached out and gingerly brushed her fingers across the jewel before she grasped it firmly. A flash of what appeared to be a woman flickered across her gaze.

She couldn't tell who the woman was, but she could tell she was Uchiha; just by seeing the flicker of her ruby red eyes. Hinata inserted the jewel into the box and it opened revealing a pile of old renderings of people Madara must have known. As Hinata shuffled around in the box, she found a ring. Madara's chakra flared within the blade as she touched the ring. The blade rumbled in excitement. "Is this what you were wanting to see?" Hinata murmured as the blade seemed to purr in contentment.

Hinata felt for the deceased Uchiha now, it seemed he had lost so much already… to find out he truly had lost a lover made her feel even worse for him. She rubbed her thumb over the band of the ring once before she placed it back into the box. She had begun flicking through the pictures of the people as Tsunade eyed the treaty drawing with wide eyes. "Hinata… you just stumbled on a solid piece of history… this is amazing!" Shizune stammered in excitement as Tsunade smiled.

"Hinata, I also have some other scrolls on Madara if you wish to see them. Hinata's eyes widened and she stopped sifting through the photos under her fingers. "Yes, please." She said softly and Tsunade smiled and nodded. They heard a knock and Tsunade had handed Hinata the scrolls as Mei Terumi walked in. Tsunade looked up at the female Mizukage. "Lady Mizukage, you're early…" Tsunade said and Mei smiled. "Oh sorry. I just heard of a young woman wielding Madara's sword. I had to come see for myself." She said and her eyes landed on Hinata.

"I am the one, pleasure to meet you Lady Mizukage." Hinata said, holding the sword at her side as she bowed respectfully. Mei shook her head as Ao followed her into the room. "Do not bow to me miss Hyuuga, you are an important person now too, you know." She said with a smile and Hinata blushed lightly. The moment Hinata's eyes clashed with Ao's Hinata's brows knitted in anger. Mei and Tsunade frowned as the two who held the Byakugan were caught in a glaring match. Tsunade knew Hinata wasn't one to be unnecessarily mean, but when it came to her clan Hinata would kill and/or dismember someone who threatened the safety of the clan. Tsunade knew Hinata would made the best clan head the clan had ever seen, she would probably be better than the clan founder.

The room was silent as Hinata held Tsubaki's point straight towards the hollow of the man's throat. "You are lucky that I am here for other reasons. You are lucky that I don't place the clan seal on your eye, then actually remove the eye itself. Those outside the clan who hold our eyes, deserve no mercy. Especially not from the heiress of said clan." Hinata said her visage one of a fierce woman; despite the fact everyone knew she was usually calm and mild mannered; she had that flare within her when it came to her clan.

Hinata huffed lightly and set Tsubaki on the table beside her, the sheath still tied to her left hip. The angry air became mellowed and Mei and Tsunade knew it was safe for the man to talk. Mei motioned for him to speak and he bowed lightly to Hinata, who stared at him, anger still in her eyes. "Please forgive me, Lady Hyuuga, I had no idea you would be here; so I hadn't thought of the eye patch." He began but she sighed. The angered twitch of her brow made Tsunade and Shizune resist a small smile.

"I would have still known. I have seen so few who had managed to get a hold of my clan's eyes, I must commend you for being the first fool to succeed. But do not take this as a sign to steal more of them. The Sharingan has been allowed to fall into the hands of whoever wanted it. Danzo had quite a few of them, and Kakashi has Sharingan. But knowing that my clan's eyes are safe, makes me a little less worried, but if you allow anyone access to your eye, I will end you to protect my clan. I'm not mean, I'm not a ruthless killer either, but I am not one who will sit by and watch as people spread the secret of my clan throughout the ninja world." Hinata said and Tsunade smiled. "You have grown a lot Hinata, years ago you wouldn't have even been able to look this man in the eye with anything but fear, no matter how harmless he seems." Tsunade said and Hinata smiled at her lightly.

"Well years ago I didn't have a scary guy living in my sword glaring at everyone but me now did I?" Hinata asked and Mei looked at the sword. "So he lives in there?" she asked, seeing a glimpse of Madara, which surprised her. "He has been glaring at me ever since she pulled the blade from its sheath." Tsunade said then snickered lightly. "The hundred year grudge lives on." she joked lightly as she rummaged through drawers. Mei watched as Hinata sheathed the blade. "Don't you fear that he will find a way to remove his soul from the blade?" she asked Hinata, who looked up at the pretty woman. "I do… it was scary enough he can project himself into a full size mirror and look around as if he weren't in the blade… but I don't think he will. I think he is searching for information on to where he is and who surrounds me…" Hinata said and Mei looked to the blade once more.

"So… is he handsome? I heard the Uchiha are always handsome. The one I fought the other day when Danzo was one of the kage was quite the looker, so I have no doubt." Mei said seductively with an enamored lick of the lips, catching Hinata off guard. Hinata blinked and giggled as well. "I'm scared out of my mind and you ask me if he is cute?" Hinata asked, her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. Mei smiled at her. "Well it got you to think about the eerie scary guy in your sword though. And it made you smile; pretty ladies like us should always smile! We brighten the world." She said and Hinata smiled.

"Thank you lady Mizukage." Hinata said, bowing once more to the woman. "Here is the rest of his file, Hinata. This is everything we have on him, classified information as well, and Mei, there is a picture in there too." Tsunade said and Hinata nodded. Mei hovered over Hinata's shoulder as Hinata flipped open the file. The picture lay on top. He wore armor over his Uchiha clothing, his skin was pale and his face unscarred. His features were stern, much like how she always remembered Itachi as. His eyes were fear inducing all their own, but Hinata could tell he hadn't become what she saw without reason. She frowned and looked up at Tsunade. "He looks only a few years older than me…" Hinata said and Tsunade nodded. "He was supposedly twenty-five in that picture there." Tsunade said then shifted through the file and pulled another picture out; both the pictures were old and worn and held no color.

The second picture had him and a younger male in it. "That is Izuna right?" Mei asked pointing towards the younger male with the shorter spiky hair, who resembled Sasuke to a point. Tsunade nodded and Mei frowned. "He was so young… both of them were so young." Mei said solemnly. "So I can make a guess that Izuna was Madara's little brother?" Hinata asked; she already knew the truth about Itachi. She was one of the few, but she only knew because she had seen the mission be given to Itachi thanks to the veil of time, and now she was determined to learn the truth about Madara.

"You can take those home and read them if you wish, there is no sense in you spending the night here to read that. Everything you could ever hopefully ask to know should be in there. It's not everything but it is all we have." Tsunade said and Hinata nodded. She closed the file and she stood. She bid the Mizukage and the Hokage good day and left.

-:-:-:-

Hinata arrived home and set Tsubaki beside her, the sheath still on the blade. 'You are interested in me?' a deep voice echoed in her mind. Hinata frowned. "Great, you scare the daylights out of me and NOW you want to talk… just wonderful." Hinata sighed and became silent once more, leaving him to chuckle to himself within the blade. She sighed and looked away from the file, only to grit her teeth and close the file when Tsubaki rattled within the sheath.

She unsheathed Tsubaki and held the blade in front of the mirror so he could project himself into it. "So you finally want to speak face to face?" She asked, frowning at him. "Why do you wish to talk now? You never talked to me before… is there something you want to say?" Hinata asked and the mirrored Madara smirked and faded away. 'Hn.' was his reply and Hinata growled to herself and angrily sheathed the blade. "Ugh! I see where Sasuke got it from… Cocky Uchiha… screwing with everyone's lives and then walking away smirking." Hinata complained and sat back in front of the file.

She completely ignored him as he continued to rattle within Tsubaki's sheath, trying to get her attention so he could 'Hn' her to death. She flipped through the top file, which was pretty much what she already knew. She knew who he was, why he was feared, what he had done… all of which she knew. But when she opened the second folder within the file, her eyes softened. It was a folder solely there to describe his personality and how it changed. A knock at her door jolted her from her saddened thoughts.

"Come in." Hinata called and Ino slid her door open with a smile. "Hey girl, how's your top secret research going?" she asked, in a whisper for once in her life. "Good, want to read with me?" Hinata asked with a smile at her blonde friend. "Hey, sure! I'd love to learn about this guy you seem so caught up on." she said with a smile. Hinata handed her the first subfolder that was about Madara. Ino was silent as she read over the file. Whenever she thought something was worth being serious about, she was completely serious. Hinata smiled and looked away from her friend to read her current file.

The first page described his personality when he was younger through age 19. 'Madara Uchiha was a kind hearted young man who had wanted nothing more than the end of the war. He wished for peace and dreamt of finding a way to obtain it without violence. He was a well humored young man, despite knowing all he did. He put his heart into what he did. He was smart, attentive, strong willed, and was an overall playful and protective person. Madara enjoyed making rivals, and throwing friendly taunts at those he held close. As everyone knew, his brother Izuna, was his entire life. Izuna Uchiha meant the world to Madara, being as Izuna was the youngest of the five brothers and the last of them. His other three brothers had been killed in the clan wars. To Madara, his own life was nothing, it was all about Izuna. Protecting Izuna from the war was his main goal in life.

Madara would drop everything and go to Izuna if he were in trouble. The two brothers were closer than any human could ever be to another. The two could have possibly been split from the same person, they were so close. Many times, Madara would make it known that he would give his life for his younger brother. Izuna knew that the best friend he could ever hope for or even receive, was Madara. Madara was overly protective of Izuna, and when Izuna was killed, everything changed for Madara.'

Hinata read the folder with a deep frown. She looked over at Tsubaki, whom of which Madara had stopped rattling. "So you were a good person… things just happened to make you change." Hinata whispered as she opened the folder that held the files describing Madara, after the death of Izuna. Ino turned to look at the blade and her lips were pursed in a deep sorrowful frown. "I feel bad for him, you know?" Hinata's normally loud, blonde friend asked softly, her baby blue eyes filled with sadness as she eyed the old faded picture of Madara and Izuna.

'Madara Uchiha has become cold, unfriendly, he trusts no one. His dreams of a peaceful village obtained by peaceful interaction have become distorted. He now says he will obtain eternal peace, forcibly. His emotions no longer show on his face, it is as if he had become a statue emanating power. His eyes had become colder than ice. This change is believed to be caused by the sudden death of Izuna Uchiha by the hand of Tobirama Senju, who showed no remorse after killing Izuna. Madara knew that Izuna's death wasn't swift, presumably causing the change in the elder Uchiha brother.

Madara's views had changed as well as his way of doing things. He trusted no one after Izuna died, not even his family, who had turned their backs on him because they disapproved of the fact Izuna gave Madara his eyes willingly, instead they claimed that Madara had forcibly taken Izuna's eyes moments before he passed. There is still debate on whether the eyes were gifted or stolen from Izuna, and that debate is also what lead to the lack of trust in the clan's leader. Later after he accepted the truce from Hashirama, he had become a little more trusting with Hashirama, but only because Hashirama had opted to kill himself to gain Madara's trust. Once more this all changed when due to Tobirama and the daimyo, Madara was declined a position as Kage, which Hashirama had promised him as his friend. Madara had known that no one trusted him enough to allow him to be the protector of the village, much less the right hand of the hokage.

Hinata quite reading there, her head was still trying to wrap around the fact that all this had really happened. She had never read of so many strong individuals clashing, when the strongest of them shared the same views… Tajima Uchiha and Butsuma Senju had no qualms about striking down the other clans' children, but the eldest of their sons had tried to reason, they just wanted to end the war without any more suffering, but then Tobirama killed Izuna… all thoughts of a peaceful reconciliation was far beyond their grasp after that.

Hinata grit her teeth as the sound of his sigh echoed in her mind. "I wish there was a way I could rescue you from this fate, but some things are just far too dangerous for even me." Hinata whispered as she opened the next sub folder within the file. She handed the previous folder to Ino, who read through it thoroughly. Ino was just as saddened by the recorded life as Hinata was. "Poor Madara. There was so much betrayal and loss, no wonder he lost it…" Ino said softly and Hinata nodded in agreement as she went back to reading the next folder.

This one held important days in his life, such as his mother's death, each of his brothers' deaths; Izuna's death being first mentioned. Every fight he had with the Senju was mentioned as well. The date of which he had received his brother's eyes, his defection from the clan, and even the day he attacked Hashirama because of the Hokage title were mentioned. The exact date he had defected from the village was unknown, but the exact date he returned, bringing the nine tails back with him, was mentioned. Because not only was that the day he controlled the nine tails, it was also the day his life ended. Hinata furrowed her brow, there was no mention of the woman Madara had forged the blade for anywhere…

Hinata set the sub folder aside so Ino could look through it when she was ready and searched for the folder that held the names of the ones who Madara had worked with. There were pictures in this folder as well. But most were of Hashirama, Tobirama, Tajima, Izuna, and others; but not a single photo of a woman was found. Hinata furrowed her brow and studied the pictures closely, trying to discern where they had been taken and who all was in them. In one picture that had Hashirama in it, there was a person clothed in white with dark colored armor. There was no katana at their hip, but a blade tied behind their back and tilted to the right hip.

Hinata could tell this person was female, her body shape said so clearly, but her hair was styled like a man's, same for the rest of her, she was clearly dressed as a male. Hinata figured it was to keep from being found out as a woman. Hinata could tell she had dark hair, but her eyes were dark as well. She couldn't tell what color exactly, but Hinata knew that her eyes were nearly black. Hinata sighed; relieved that this woman hadn't truly turned out to be her, as she had feared since she was chosen by Tsubaki.

Although she was relieved it hadn't been her that died supposedly trying to save Madara from Hashirama like everyone had told her, she felt regret that it wasn't her. If it had been, Hinata would have tried her best to help him… save him from his cold fate. Hinata eyed the picture of Madara and Izuna. Izuna was smiling and Madara was grinning. Despite the times they had lived in, the two teens seemed truly happy just to be by each other's side. Hinata couldn't even bring herself to imagine how broken she would be if Neji were to be killed, Neji was her best friend, but she knew not even they had a bond like Madara and Izuna. Hinata went through the pictures and looked them over.

She blinked and opened the box laying across the floor from her. Ino watched her in curiosity as she opened the box once more. She scattered the pictures across the floor and her eyes went wide as she found a group of pictures with the same person in it. Ino set her folder down and grabbed a few of the pictures with the strange woman in them. "Whoa… Hinata… if it weren't for the age difference and the eye color difference… this woman could be you." She said and Hinata looked at the pictures.

There were many different pictures. Some had the woman dressed in formal Uchiha attire, some in armor similar to Madara's with a mask covering her face, and some where it seemed as if the woman didn't know she was being watched. There was one picture where they had drawn her with her mask pushed up to just above her eyes, another where she had her hair in a low ponytail and dressed in formal Uchiha clothing with a frown etched into her features. She was lovely, that much Hinata was sure of. Ino pulled two pictures that had been stuck together, apart, and both their eyes went wide.

This one was much different than any they had seen of the woman before, this one was one where the woman had seemed to be hurt, or spattered with the blood of another. It was unnerving and Ino had to shove it back in the box. They had noticed that all the pictures were labeled Okami. Ino picked up a picture of Madara and with a wiggle of the brows she flipped it around to show Hinata.

She raised a brow as her eyes landed on the picture of a nineteen year old Madara. "Lady Mizukage… you have soiled my mind with your entire 'The-Uchiha-Are-Woman's-Gift-From-God' theory. They are in fact very easy on the eyes…"Hinata grumbled as she scowled at the ceiling. Ino burst out laughing at her friend's complaint. The husband-desperate woman had ruined her. Mei Terumi needed to stay away from her with her thoughts of who is hot and who isn't… Hinata sighed and closed the folder taking one last look at the picture of Madara before she closed the file for good.

The veil of time wrapped around Hinata and she sighed. She appeared before Tsunade, five hours earlier, Hinata had to give the file back using veil of time because Tsunade had gone for preparation of war... She handed her the file and Tsunade knew instantly what had happened. Mei and Ao walked in and Hinata didn't even raise her blade to him this time, she just vanished in a swirl of leaves, just as Mei complained that the girl who wielded Madara's sword vanished. Hinata found herself walking down the streets of the newly rebuilt konoha that was still being built upon.

In just a few days, she had gone from a cabin to a compound once more. The builders were highly impressive. Hinata was tired, but she knew she couldn't go back to her exact time just yet. Every time she jumps it expends a little chakra, and if she had been working beforehand, it was tiring. Ino ran up to Hinata with a scowl on her face. "I know what you just did." She whispered accusingly and Hinata smiled lightly. "I still remember." Ino scoffed crossing her arms over her chest with a hmph.

Tsubaki hummed in an upbeat manner at her side. Hinata and Ino eyed the blade that rested on her hip. "You really confuse me… why tell no one of the woman?" she whispered and the blade rattled. 'Because the woman was special; in a way she was the hero of our time, well she would have been… had she not failed.' A deep voice rumbled in Hinata's mind. Her heart began to race and she froze in place. Hinata opened her mouth, but no words could find themselves in her mind.

"Oh, uh, Hinata. I gotta go help dad, see you later!" Ino called as she walked away, Hinata didn't wave at her friend, nor did she really realize her friend had left. Her hands were cold and her eyes confused. She looked down at Tsubaki; who had stopped humming completely. The blade had stopped rattling within its sheathe and Hinata pulled the blade from its place so she could see the blade just a little bit. She could no longer see his reflection in the blade, or hear his words in her mind. She released the blade and slowly regained her composure. Her heart slowed from the surprise his voice had given her. "I see… You have said all you could say… there is nothing more you can say is there?" she asked and the blade hummed with chakra.

Hinata nodded understanding that his limited speech had hit the end. "So, A hero huh?" Hinata asked, she knew the fact he had called her a hero had to have been because she could have saved the world from its cruel fate, but why didn't she? "What could have caused her to fail so miserably in her endeavors?" Hinata mumbled, trying to figure out how exactly the woman could have failed. It was nerve wracking to think about. The woman whom Madara had so obviously been enamored with had failed him so miserably and he'd still had hope for her. Hinata sighed and teleported out of sight.

Hinata appeared in her room, not even taking her time to sit cross legged in the floor, she just flopped onto the floor soundlessly. Someone knocked at her door and she gave them to go ahead to enter. Her father stood in the doorway holding a green vest in his hands. He sat on his knees in front of her and handed it to her. Hinata smiled and gently took the vest. "Thank you father." She said and he nodded. He stood and walked out, leaving the door open behind him. He walked back in shortly after, a bento in his hands. He handed it to her and she smiled. "Thank you again." She said and he nodded.

"Knowing you, you have been in here reading up on people and using your special jutsu. You are just so eager to learn about anyone and everyone you can. It doesn't matter if they were dangerous or even more harmless than a one winged fly; you want to know about them and their lives." Her father sighed, a prideful glint in his eyes. Hinata smiled as he sighed. "May I ask who you were reading on this time?" he asked and Hinata nodded. "Madara…" she said and he nodded in understanding. "So what did you find out about him?" he asked and she looked at her father, she knew he was trying to see if she were going to go to the past and stay.

"I don't plan on going to his time, father… and if I did… I surely wouldn't stay." She said and relief flickered through his eyes. "But I would help, if there was a way I could. I just… I just feel so bad for him. He would have never been the way he was… had the Senju not slain his younger brother… he was never power hungry or evil… he just wanted peace. He wanted the fighting to stop without casualties involved… but his father wouldn't agree to a truce of any sort, and neither would the Senju… Madara only wanted the one thing he could never obtain without help… he just wanted for all the fighting to stop, for everyone to live peacefully. He had hoped for a village where you were sent out based on rank and skill… not availability…" Hinata said and hiashi frowned.

"That is quite a lot to take in… and I believe that you could do it… just not now… not while we need you here. You could change the world and make it a better place with that kind loving heart you hold. You are the exact opposite of what the Hyuuga is, and I am glad we have you. If we didn't, I believe the entire clan would have become colder than it already is. But with you… the entire world could be different. Never let anyone tell you that you are not special, because even I regret saying that to you." Hiashi said as he stood. Hinata's eyes felt as if someone were pricking the back of them with pins… she bit her lip and stood. Her father was mid-stride out of her doorway as she wrapped her arms around his waist, her tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Thank you for believing in me father…" she whimpered and he nodded. "I believe in you because I believe people like you are what this world needs most. People who don't care about what you have done, why you did it, or how… but instead… you think of who the person truly was; You see the good in everyone, despite the bad they have done… But you… you can fix these things in an entirely different manner. You can actually go and stop something from happening." Hiashi said and Hinata embraced him tightly. "I'm sorry I never believed in you before." He said and Hinata sniffed and wiped her eyes as she released her father. "It is alright… I don't blame you. As long as you believe in me now, I know I could change the tide of this world. Hopefully one day I could stop that curse of hatred that lingers in the Uchiha. I want to fix it all, make this world a better place, but I know I can't do it alone." She said and her father offered a small smile.

"If you have to go to his time Hinata, be careful. Watch your back, and know we will be on the battlefield observing the changes you make. Do what you have to, and we will do what we have to. Either way, both of us are making a difference in our own way." Hiashi said and Hinata nodded. "You be careful too… I don't want to be clan head just yet." Hinata joked lightly. Hiashi chuckled lightly and ruffled Hinata's hair. "I'm off to go make sure your sister is following orders and going to bed, goodnight Hinata. I will see you when this war is over." He said and she nodded.

Tsubaki hummed from the floor and Hinata sighed. "Yes, we head out tomorrow morning. Naruto and Killer bee should be on turtle island by now." Hinata said as the blades humming died down. Hinata lay down and drifted to sleep, her father's words had been exactly what she had needed to strengthen her resolve. Her soft snores echoed through her room, but not everything was caught in sleep. From within Tsubaki Madara watched Hinata confused. There was nothing he could do of course. But he knew this girl was special as well.

He could feel her strength, but she hesitated in using it. He couldn't figure this girl out at all. He could feel the hidden strength deep within her, but he figured he could only feel it because he had become bonded with her chakra though. He had caught a glimpse of it when the pink haired girl, her chakra had surged through her and he had relished in the feeling of her hidden powers. That sudden surge of power made him almost feel real once more, almost. He Hn'd to himself and his reflection vanished from the surface of the blade completely, allowing the humming chakra to become silent.

:-:-:-:-:

Hinata took a long glance at her home and with a sigh, she turned to the group she was leaving with and a sorrowful grimace crossed her lips. There were thousands of people around her; all held the same look as she did. That saddened, longing look; no one wanted to leave their home but they knew they had to in order to protect the civilians and the younger generations of shinobi. Hinata furrowed her brow and began walking; she was the first in her area to get the courage to move.

People around her looked at her in surprise, none actually expecting the shy young woman to get the guts to go on ahead of them. She watched as her father smiled back at her from where he had already gone ahead. Neji gave her a prideful glance as well as she passed him and Tenten. Lee got himself together and the three started forwards. Kurenai watched from the balcony of her home as the young able shinobi left the gates. The red jewel swung loosely around Hinata's neck as she took to the trees, following after the rest of the group.

Her determined aura made those around her stop trembling in their fear. "That's right… we are fighting to save Naruto… we have to be brave." One man said as he landed on a tree branch near Hinata. "For Naruto!" another man yelled and the pace of the crowd quickened considerably. "For the entire shinobi world!" one woman yelled and Hinata's chest swelled. The entire village was fighting for the cause of protecting Naruto, and for all shinobi alike. She had never been as proud of her village as she was right now, no one was arguing; but instead they were all working together to fight for the one person who saved them from the akatsuki.

They all met up in a large area set aside just for everyone's group placements. She looked around for a familiar face to motion for her to be in their brigade. No one waved her over so as they all fell into placement she was off in the very back all alone. Everyone turned to look at her and her heart began to race. Some people where whispering and asking if she was dumb enough to forget her placement. Her heart twinged and her eyes watered.

The other shinobi were scoffing and talking bad about her and each other. Most of it was directed at her and she held her hands to her chest in an insecure manner. Her lower lip trembled and she took a few tentative steps backwards before sand swept her off her feet and lifted her above the crowd. "Forgive us, Hinata for not giving you your placement details." Gaara's voice boomed across the crowd. Everyone turned to see the sand set her down in the front of the five brigades.

A blush coated her features as she fiddled with her fingers. The attention was still on her and it made her nervous, but this time… everyone was silent. She slowly turned on her heel and looked at the groups behind her, with an uneasy look on her face. Her fingers were wrapped tightly around the blade in her grasp as she shifted from one foot to the other, while listening to the amazing speech Gaara had. She could tell it have come straight from his heart.

He meant every word he had said and it made her heart swell because there was someone else who saw Naruto in the way she did. She adored the blonde, he had motivated her in ways no one else ever had before. She understood that he hadn't felt the same as she had felt for him, but she also realized that he was more of a brother to her than anything else and he saw her as a sister. She smiled softly up at the red haired male until her name left his lips.

"This young woman here is one of my most respected friends. Before Naruto had defeated the orange haired akatsuki, she had always seen just how important Naruto truly was. From our genin days and even now, she still holds him over herself. She was prepared to give her life for Naruto, and almost did. But now, not only are we fighting for the fate of the shinobi world and Naruto, but this woman as well." Gaara said and Hinata's eyes went wide and when all eyes were on her, her face darkened three colors of red.

"That blade in her hands is one of the lost blades, more powerful than any one of the seven swordsman blades." Mei Terumi said as she ran a finger over her lips with a prideful look. The beautiful woman was no doubt scanning the crowds. "We have high hopes for the young woman, because the blade she holds… It Belonged to Madara Uchiha himself." The Raikage said and Hinata fiddled with her fingers and she bit her lip. "Please… Please do not hold me so high…" Hinata said as she turned swiftly towards the kage and bowed in respect.

"I will do my best, but I am no stronger than any of these shinobi behind me. I was j-just ordinary little Hinata before I found the blade… so please… don't treat me any different. I'm here to fight for the shinobi world, not earn praise." She stammered, but her voice held a loudness most never thought she could manage. Tsunade smiled at her softly and turned to the kage. "Listen to the poor girl, you're embarrassing her in front of every shinobi who knows her, and you're giving everyone else a scapegoat by saying she is something of kage stature. Hinata, you are strong, but you are still yourself. You have always been strong. Don't let this guys up here try and give you a big head." Tsunade said, but then her smile faded and she scanned over the crowd.

"Now… Gaara… I think we should all get going, don't you? We have spent enough time dilly dallying. This war won't fight itself." Tsunade said as she turned on her heel and walked back into the building. But… not before whispering in Gaara's ear. 'Do not reveal her gift. You will end her if you do.'

:-:-:-:-:

Hinata took a deep breath and followed the group with Kiba, Shino, and Neji. Her father went in a completely different direction, along with Ino and her other friends. Deep in her heart she knew this was going to get bad, something was screaming deep within her that it would, but she wasn't going to let it get her down. She was going to do everything in her power to help win this war. She looked up at the sky, it wasn't even midday yet and still she felt the chakra but no one had advanced.

She scanned her surroundings and her eyes narrowed as a Zetsu tried to get around her. She struck swiftly and to call out the sighting to the rest of the group, but once she turned around she saw they were already fighting. She unsheathed Tsubaki and began taking out the Zetsu's in groups. More than once she had appeared behind an ally and taken out one of the Zetsu that had begun crowding them. They fought for hours some people getting separated from the group by the Zetsu.

She continued to fight even as the Zetsu had begun to slow their onslaught. She struggled to regain her breath as she looked around and saw people had begun fighting each other. She couldn't quite figure out why they were doing it. She hadn't heard any insults or anything, her brows furrowed and she struck one man that had lunged for her. It was a fatal blow and his skin had begun changing colors. She panted and held her ground, anyone who came close was either knocked out or hit with her empty palm to keep them at bay. Neji had been taken to the medics and she furrowed her brows. She didn't like this anymore than she had when she had arrived.

The sun fell beneath the horizon and she looked over at Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino. They saw a Zetsu flee to a cave and they followed she ran to follow, but before she could catch back up to them, the cave fell in right in front of her. She skidded to a stop and her eyes went wide. "Kiba! Shino!" she yelled, but received no reply. She activated Byakugan and sighed in relief when she saw their chakra. She began trying to dig through the rubble but it wasn't working very well.

She sighed and watched as they fought within the collapsed cave. Her eyes went wide as Kiba and Akamaru did their fang over fang, causing the collapsed part of the cave, to collapse further. The rubble slid out from under her and she screamed as she fell down there with the rubble. She shoved a few stray rocks off of her and she became frantic. She couldn't find Tsubaki anywhere. She jolted to her feet when wicked laughter that sounded similar to her own.

She saw the imposter grin at her and she furrowed her brows at it. "Well, seems you've given me quite the gift… just wait until Kabuto and Tobi see this…" the imposter said with a smirk. Her fingers brushed over the blade's hilt and Hinata's eyes went wide. She opened her mouth to say something, but then she shut her mouth. This was her enemy and she also wanted to know what the blade would do. The imposter held the blade up and unsheathed it. Hinata could hear and feel the anger radiating off the blade.

Hinata pushed herself to her feet and took a few steps backwards and she shielded herself as the chakra exploded from the blade and ripped the Zetsu imposter to shreds. Chunks of the Zetsu hit the ground and Hinata's heart raced, that could have been her; had the blade not chosen her. She breathed a sigh of relief as she lifted the blade from the ground. 'idiot.' The blade scoffed and she frowned. "That w-was not my fault…" she muttered and his laughed echoed around her.

'I wasn't talking about you.' His amused voice echoed from the blade and she blushed in embarrassment. Her blush vanished when Kiba lunged at her. "Kiba-kun!" she squealed and jumped away from him. "How can you even call me that!? Imposter!" he yelled and she swiped Tsubaki from its' sheathe. "This is how you tell it's really me!" she stammered and he and Shino halted their assault. "It's actually you?" Kiba asked and she nodded. "Where did the imposter do?" he asked and Hinata jolted lightly.

"U-uh… Tsubaki was taken from me by the imposter…" she started and Kiba furrowed his brows. "But… I don't understand. How do you have it then?" he asked and Shino made a noise of recognition. "Ah… I see… so the rumors of you being the only one to touch it are true." He said simply and she nodded. "Whoa… so what happened to the poor bastard?" Kiba asked and Hinata bit her lip. "The chakra within the blade seeped out and r-ripped the imposter into bits." She stammered and Shino made a surprised movement while Kiba's jaw unhinged.

"No shit… seriously?" he asked and she nodded. "P-part of his f-face stared at me." she stammered and rubbed her arm while looking at the ground. "Well I think we need to get back to the rest of the group. I'm guessing you're going to be moving on to the next group in the morning, huh?" Kiba asked with a sigh and she blinked. "Hm?" "Oh… so they couldn't reach you? Command says you will be needed elsewhere, so you should head on over first thing in the morning." Kiba explained and Hinata nodded.

"No… they didn't reach me… I'm not sure why though…" she said softly and she heard Madara's laughter echo in her mind. Her brow twitched and her nose scrunched up. She figured he had done something… she followed Kiba and Shino back to their camp to await the morning. "So… Hinata… what do you think is going to go down tomorrow?" Kiba asked and Akamaru whined by his side. "I'm going t-to guess more fighting…" she whispered with a frown and Kiba rolled his eyes. "That wasn't what I meant." He groaned and she frowned.

"Why do they need you to move around…? It is as if they suspect something even worse is coming at us…" Kiba said and Shino nodded. "I'm not sure. I've always had this feeling that its going to only get worse… but I don't actually know…" she said softly and they nodded. Hinata hugged her friends before retiring to her own tent for the night, while one group stood guard. Hinata fell asleep with Tsubaki by her side, pulled close to her so she would feel if it were taken.

She felt something move not even a few hours later and she jolted awake. Her hand swiped Tsubaki from the sheath as the person tried to take it from her by wrapping it in a sheet as to not actually touch the blade. "W-who are you?" she snapped, although it was hardly intimidating. Her blade was digging into the hollow of the man's throat and when he gulped it dug in deeper. Hinata glared at the person and yanked the sheath from his grasp. "What did you think you would earn by taking this blade?" she asked, her voice a little stronger now.

She was beyond tired and was not in the mood to be dealing with this man and his thievery. "Kiba-kun!" she yelled and the man turned to make his escape but Akamaru tackled him to the ground. "What happened, Hinata?" he asked frantically. "He was trying to steal Tsubaki." She said and cradled the blade closer to her. "So… I take it you haven't heard of the poor bastard who tried to take it last night… well you'll definitely fare better, I guess. Unless you aren't actually human…" Kiba said with a sharp toothed grin.

The man's featured began to distort and he lunged for Kiba, but was only stopped when the sound of the hilt hitting the rim of the sheath was heard. "I guess you don't take thievery very lightly… do you Hinata?" Kiba chuckled nervously as the two pieces of the Zetsu hit the ground and shriveled away. "No… I don't take too kindly to those who hurt my friends…" she said softly and tied Tsubaki to her back securely. "Well, I guess this is goodbye huh?" Kiba asked and Hinata blinked.

"No! This is n-not goodbye. T-this is I will see you later, I promise." She said and he grinned and hugged her. "Go kick ass!" he yelled as she hugged Shino really quick and vanished from sight. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her and she skidded to a halt at a Cliffside overseeing the ocean. She jumped down and landed in the group. Her father, Choji, Ino, and Shikamaru all nodded at her, acknowledging that she had finally arrived.

She watched as the Zetsu flowed in from the sea and her heart began to race. So many familiar faces were in the crowd of Zetsu. Some of the akatsuki… and… and her… her uncle… Hizashi Hyuuga… the previous jumper of the clan. "Reanimations… that's why they wanted me…" she whispered in surprise.