"Your hair has grown," Satoko's voice had Saruyama blinking slowly and looking her way. They had just been meandering through the compounds many little streets. It was much like a little bustling village, there was always something going on, people were always busying around. Those who weren't adverse in the ninja arts could often be seen tending to tasks which couldn't be done by those who did fight, just purely because they'd never have the time.

Most of the produce, bread, fish, meat was produced within the compound. There were makers here alongside those which were more inclined towards agriculture. There was a blacksmith, for instance, who was always busy working over his hot forge, turning the coals and keeping it just the right temperature to create the many weapons those within the clan needed and used, or broke and thus needed mending. There was also another smith, but this one was more inclined towards armour than weaponry.

One thing which wasn't exactly present was someone who would deal with things more inclined towards personal care, hairdressers predominantly were non-existent. Saruyama didn't know what Satoko was talking about before her words about her hair caught her attention. Truth be told, the similarly aged girl could see that Saruyama's thoughts were deep, she didn't pry and just opted to believe much like her twin, that if Saruyama had something on her mind that she wished to share, then she would in her own time. Satoko was patient, she didn't need to rush Saruyama into anything, and in all honesty maybe Saruyama's thoughts were troubling, something that even Satoko couldn't aid her in.

In a way this was right, because Saruyama still just found herself wondering what Tobirama and their father were discussing once she was out of the room. Tobirama would give an honest report of what he spied at the river, Saruyama knew that well enough. No detail would be missed by her brother, even though that troubled Saruyama more so. Fair enough, Butsama didn't question her relationship with Madara much, which was relieving but it was like what he didn't say said enough.

It was no lie, and a rather blatantly obvious one, with thanks to the girl beside her and her brother, she was slowly coming upon her teenage years, which meant that much to her father's unhappiness that she would perhaps be looking at those around her in slightly different lights at time. He seemed to accept that they had crossed paths, that they were amicable, and Saruyama had missed out details that neither him nor Tobirama needed to know, but surely it was something that had flicked across her father's mind?

Satoko mentioning about her hair was something Saruyama was aware to. Tobirama had dared to look at her and a pair of scissors before she grasped onto her head and left the room, one day. He wasn't amused. But she knew her hair had grown, what had been the length of her nape had slowly started to rest about the middle of her neck, almost just above her spine. Saruyama could admit it was purposely left, before she didn't mind Tobirama dabbling in being a hairdresser, but it was easy to admit since meeting a certain Uchiha, Saruyama had found herself maybe changing in more ways than one, that didn't just stem from thoughts and feelings.

"Yeah, I figured it'd be a change." Saruyama replied slowly, a change from what? Looking like a copy of her brother, just with different eyes and the shades of hair being on opposite sides. That was painful, a sharp pang shot through her chest. It wasn't just that, it'd be a change to look more feminine than the little boy disguise she had lived years in.

"It suits you, though granted you'll want to trim it up. Or else you might end up having hair like your big brother." Satoko joked with a gentle laugh, Saruyama grinned at that. No offence to Hashirama, but he was a force all onto himself, that happened with most things he did including his hair. She dared to trust Tobirama, and it relatively paid off, Hashirama however was happy to crack on doing his own thing, like usual. "Can I ask, why did you always have your hair so short?" Satoko never understood it really, she figured it was just to make the twins look more alike.

Saruyama looked up to the sky, she watched white clouds drift by without a care in the world. Somewhere there was a twittering of a bird, and she inhaled the fresh air before looking sidelong at the girl beside her. "It was Tobirama's idea."

"Figured," Satoko rolled her eyes with another laugh. She didn't mean anything by it, just when it came to things which involved some semblance of planning, it seemed to always stem and lead back to Tobirama. Hashirama was the optimistic powerhouse, Tobirama was the planner with his quick wits and thinking, and Saruyama was a mix of the pair, though she tended to drift more on the jaded side of things, Satoko had noticed since Itama passing, so she was more on the way to becoming a mini-Tobirama.

Saruyama laughed and waved her spare hand, the pair were still walking arm in arm with no destination in mind. "Tobirama has been in more fights than me, and I am guessing had seen that sometimes females weren't always killed straight off. He surely had seen or been privy to something, to make me try and disguise myself as a boy for all these years." Saruyama explained bitterly, it was painfully disgusting to admit that war had a habit of making monsters out of everyone, men were not above this, and women could sometimes be an easier mark in more ways than one.

"Did you want to do it?" Satoko asked, she was a contrast to Saruyama in a small number of ways. The pair had become sudden friends, through the loss of Itama. Both had admitted that keeping close came from slightly selfish standpoints, Satoko was a link to what Itama could've had and maybe grown up to marry, who knew? And Saruyama had enough of a semblance to Itama to still warm a hollow part of Satoko's heart.

"I never thought of it," Saruyama was honest, their differences were quite obvious. Saruyama in her hand-me-downs from either Itama or Tobirama, her haori over her shoulders and the long sleeves revealed long, lithe arms, her hakama were tied tightly around her waist, but narrow ankles and sandals poked out of the large leg holes. Even with her hair slightly longer than what it had been, she probably still looked like a young boy from a distance.

Satoko was the opposite, wide brown eyes that could look innocent if not for this depth to them, someone so young had seen too much and done too much. Her hair was long, perhaps when it was down it'd be about the middle of her back, rich and darker browns was the hue of her hair it sometimes looked lighter in the sun. Her attire, when not readying for a fight, was definitely more feminine than Saruyama's. Like the back of her haori, the back of Satoko's simple kimono had the Senju symbol embroidered on it.

Satoko rolled her eyes slowly and unlinked her arm to jump in front of Saruyama, she paused in a step and looked wide eyed. How did she move so fluidly in such attire? Saruyama remembered being in that blasted kimono she had been changed into too well, and it was so restricting and awful. She couldn't run, let alone suddenly jump like this girl did. Clapping her hands together, Satoko looked almost pleading, "Please, let me sort it out. Not saying I don't trust your brother, but I think if left to Tobirama he'd cut it really short again."

Saruyama's red eyes widened, she did blink several times. Well, this was something she hadn't foreseen, yet the thought of allowing Satoko to do such a thing seemed like a welcome distraction from her other thoughts. Smiling and giving a nod, Saruyama all but let out a startled yelp when Satoko grasped onto her wrist and turned and pulled her towards her home. She didn't think she meant right now, right this second, Satoko didn't agree, she was doing this now.

Satoshi all but jumped when the pair entered the house, he almost spilled his tea as he sat at the low table in the kitchen, the back door to the house was there and having them come bursting in took him utterly by surprise. "You look terrified, Saru." Satoshi commented when they went literally whizzing past.

She was going to comment on him shortening her name despite not really interacting much, but she didn't wholly mind. To her, her name was a mouthful. "Your sister is cutting my hair!" She all but managed to exclaim before finding herself shut in Satoko's bedroom and encouraged to sit on a cushion which had magically appeared. The girl moved fast, which made Saruyama more envious, kimonos were awful, why and how could Satoko move so well? Maybe it was a skill only she had? Saruyama didn't know.

Saruyama didn't envy the task though, white pieces of hair decided to flick up in places, much like Tobirama's hair, while the other side was rather sleek like Hashirama's. Trying to make both sides level and neat was something Saruyama didn't envy Satoko for, it made more sense why Tobirama just continued to cut it short, not just because of his want to guard and protect her.

"I like your hair," Satoko said suddenly, Saruyama went to look over her shoulder with a confused look. Satoko set her face forwards again with a huff, "We all sort of look the same, then there's you and Tobirama," she said awkwardly, she was going to mention Itama too, but not saying him didn't matter, Saruyama caught on. The three did look very unlike anyone else in their clan.

"My mother had white hair," Saruyama looked up at the ceiling, she died when Saruyama was still rather young, but she did have hazy memories of her. Hashirama helped fill in some blanks, Saruyama just sighed, her mother had been coming to mind more over these last few days and weeks than she had before. She didn't know why, maybe because the woman would've been able to help her figure out conflicting thoughts and feelings. She was the only girl amongst a household of males, she would differ emotionally and physically from them in more ways than one, and she doubted, bless Hashirama and Tobirama dearly, that they'd really know what to do or help.

Satoko was even more of a heaven-sent entity then, if Itama lived, if they grew close and became more intimate and perhaps even married, Satoko would've been like a sister to her. Saruyama would've loved a sister, she was in the same boat, after all, Satoko and Satoshi were the last in their family and would perhaps relate in more ways than one. Saruyama felt a comb go through her hair before Satoko hummed, "Give me a moment," she disappeared and left her kneeling there. Saruyama glanced around her room, her own room. Saruyama had always shared with her brothers, because of that, all of their things mingled together, but here, Satoko had little trinkets dotted about, things which were so quintessentially her. Like the low vanity mirror to one side, a mirror and little drawers with what seemed like little cosmetic things upon the surface.

Subtle makeup was something Saruyama had never seen Satoko wear, but then again, it was natural for them to be interested in things like that eventually. Just like the boy issue, as they grew things like this would become commonplace. Saruyama scrunched her nose up, makeup was of no interest, just like kimonos. She happily would grow her hair, but dressing more like Satoko just seemed like a pain.

Hearing padding footsteps, Saruyama looked back to the wall in front of her before Satoko turned her head. Yelping from surprise, Saruyama's shoulders hunched, Satoko laughed and wiped the drenched flannel over her hair. She had a small bowl with her that she put it back in and repeated the action. Saruyama sat with an unhappy expression, but she got it, her hair would probably be easier to deal with when wet, especially the pieces that flicked up.

"Do you remember her? Just...Satoshi refuses to talk about our mother. Losing her was hard for us both."

Saruyama's eyes dulled, to blacklist their mother, she couldn't even think of that. Butsama might not speak about the woman he loved and married, but he didn't deter them from talking about her. At times when he had caught some of the conversation, Saruyama would see this far off look in his dark eyes. He never recovered from her dying and that was a pain Saruyama felt, maybe not like that, she didn't know what it was like to lose a soulmate, but Itama was her other half, and that was a part of her which would always be permanently lost, let alone little Kawarama, her baby brother being gone too was more mental scarring to place on top of what was already there.

"Hashirama has to help me, sometimes. I don't remember her fully; she passed away when I was still young. Tobirama doesn't speak about her, but if I ask Hashirama about her, he's happy to talk about her. He seems pleased, that I still want to know about her now and then. People who pass on are only really gone, if we don't talk about them and forget about them, and what they meant to us." Saruyama felt the comb in her hair again, "Why do you ask?"

"Our mother's anniversary is today." Satoko said quietly, Saruyama went to turn but had the girl behind her stopping her. "We are much the same, I think."

Saruyama tilted her head back, much to Satoko's unhappiness because she was about to start cutting. But she ceased and lowered her hands when she had Saruyama's grinning upside-down face looking her way. "Want to be sisters?" Saruyama was not beating around the bush, Satoko's eyes widened before narrowing when she smiled and hummed, Saruyama nodded too and sat back up straight. Satoko's eyes looking a little waterier than what they usually were was not missed by Saruyama, she just looked up at the ceiling when the quiet sounds of snipping were all the noise which could be heard in the room.

Saruyama's eyes stopped staring at the grain of the wood to look at Satoko when she came around to sit in front of her. She hummed a few times, combing what was meant to be Saruyama's fringe several times. Saruyama knew her hair was awkward, not to mention parts were probably at different lengths. Regardless, Satoko seemed to figure out what she was doing, combed the hair and took to cutting away. Saruyama didn't much mind whatever was done to her hair, it was hair, it'd grow back. But also, it seemed like Satoko too needed something to distract herself from whatever thoughts were going through her mind.

Saruyama licked her bottom lip in thought, "My mother's name is Tsukiyama. White hair, red eyes, liked fishing, Hashirama said I am like her, and Tobirama too...he's got her seriousness, and I inherited her more carefree traits." She didn't know if it was the wisest idea, but clearly her own mother being a no go subject for Satoko on such a day like this was the worst. Anniversaries were times to remember that person, for what and who they were.

Satoko smiled, she understood what Saruyama was doing and sat back in her kneeled position looking over her handiwork. Saruyama just blinked large red eyes, she didn't know if her friend was finished, but she was and just sat there thinking for a moment. What was unruly white spikes here and there and different lengths of darker hair was now more under control, trimmed down neatly and would be a lot more manageable for her.

Despite joking about her hair being like Hashirama's that was more or less the end result, but just with a full fringe that rested above Saruyama's eyebrows; the cut suited her, Satoko had to admit, it suited her a lot more than it did Hashirama...but when Saruyama's hair grew into this cut, it would end up framing her face more.

"Sayumi. She had a habit of laughing at the wrong time, finding things funny which were perhaps not meant to be. And she always said it was because the world was and is harsh, that there isn't much laughter anymore." Satoko paused, tilting her head in thought before flicking her eyes back at Saruyama. "I miss her very much, but it sounds like I have more memories than you do of your own mother, and for that I am so sorry to bring such a thing up."

Saruyama waved her hands, she chuckled softly, "Eh, don't worry about it! Honestly, I perhaps had more memories of her than what Kawarama had, when he was still alive." Saruyama said, she felt awkward in saying that, but it was perhaps the truth.

The pair lapsed into silence then, Satoko shook her head and jumped up, grasping Saruyama by the arm as she did so. The small girl let her pull her up, she wasn't used to being pulled and tugged about, but Satoko did it in a gentle manner, even excitable. Satoko had appreciated her handiwork, but Saruyama needed to see herself. So Satoko encouraged her to sit in front of the small mirror and look at her reflection.

Saruyama blinked and leaned back before leaning forwards and tugged at the ends of her fringe, before patting the rest of her hair down. It wasn't what she was expecting but she ended up grinning and turning to throw her arms around Satoko's shoulders. The sudden weight and action had Satoko laughing and falling to the side.

"Well, when you need a trim, you'll know where to find me." Satoko laughed, she guessed Saruyama was a fan before feeling her arms retreat and her help her back to a seated position. "Did you mean what you said?" Saruyama tilted her head, she didn't know what she was referring to. "Being sisters," Satoko said it quietly, almost as if she was worried her brother would overhear and comment.

"The way I see it, in an ideal world I think you and Itama would've figured things out. Which means either way, you'd wind up being my sister."

Satoko clapped her hands to her cheeks, they definitely felt hot under her palms. "Oh my, well..." Saruyama tilted her head and leaned forwards, she even reached up to poke at one of Satoko's hands which were still over her cheek. Saruyama just beamed up at her, eyes narrowing jokingly at Satoko who just kept trying to wave her away.

"Listen, we're stuck being surrounded by boys. I love my brothers, but I know they can't help me with everything." Saruyama said, giving a little more context to why she suggested them becoming a little sisterhood.

Satoko lowered her hands, her cheeks still felt hot, but she found herself nodding. It wasn't like there were many adults in their lives which were going to be able to help them with certain things; if that was because they were too busy, or they had lost their lives somehow, they were better off trying to grasp onto each other for all everything is worth and conquer the hurdles which were going to be thrown their way.

—

Since returning home, Hashirama had failed to find either of his siblings. He didn't know where either of them was, the weather, though it was cooling with the afternoon, was still pleasant enough for them to be out and about, as opposed to shut inside. It was awful to say, that moments like this, Hashirama should've maybe listened to Tobirama when he was teaching Saruyama how to focus and track. Well adept in most things, but Hashirama wasn't brilliant at tracking.

It must've been by some chance luck that he soon spotted Saruyama walking down one of the little streets which made up the compound. He didn't know where she had come from, or what she had been doing, but Hashirama tilted his head slowly at the sight of her shorter hair. He smiled slowly, it suited her, made her little round face and eyes look more innocent, childlike.

She caught sight of him too and waved before picking up jogging, "Am I glad to see you!" She jumped at him when close enough, Hashirama caught her under her arms and held onto her. She was still small enough that he could hold her out at arm's length after a moment or two. Saruyama just hung there with a displeased look, the look grew when Hashirama put her down and ruffled her hair.

He just grinned and laughed, "It looks good!" He said, not that he was ignoring her previous words. He could imagine why she was happy to see him and was perhaps even thankful to see him before Tobirama or their father.

Saruyama smoothed her hair and sighed, "Hashirama-"

"Where's Tobirama?" Hashirama pouted a little and looked over her shoulder and around them. He let out a pained noise when Saruyama stomped a foot on top of one of his. She didn't like his act of playing ignorant and casual, Saruyama and Tobirama weren't joined at the hip. Hashirama stopped jumping about rubbing his foot and looked upset that she had done that before sighing and tilting his head, "Go on then..."

Saruyama pointed a finger up at him before grasping onto his arm and pulling him to one side. They meandered through the little streets, past houses and little businesses alike. When they were on the outskirts, Saruyama inhaled the fresh air, the trees and surrounding forest just had such a comforting scent that she gestured a hand at him. Hashirama pressed his lips into a thin line and walked over to the little graveyard here.

Saruyama hadn't intended to lead them here, but if they were caught whispering to one side people would surely comment. It would be less unusual seeing them whispering at the graves of their brothers and mother, not that they were buried near each other, many had perished in between the three of them passing away.

"I followed you too," Saruyama crouched down, she grasped a handful of weeds and pulled. She was disgruntled to see them growing on the graves of her brothers. She hadn't visited for a while and felt bad for it, the most she could do was clean their graves up not that that was even comparable to her.

Hashirama crouched too and wrapped his arms around his knees and leaned his chin against them. "I had a feeling you did," he said softly, watching her hand tug and pull at weeds before sliding his brown eyes up to her red ones. Saruyama looked confused, Hashirama chuckled, "It wasn't me that sensed you."

She smiled softly, Hashirama saw her nod at that explanation and figured she realised it was Madara too. "I didn't hear anything you were saying, nor did Tobirama. But did you know we weren't the only ones watching you?" Saruyama asked, chances are with how bad he was at sensing, no. Hashirama tilted his head and frowned at that, Saruyama raised an eyebrow and threw weeds to one side. "Ah...let me guess, he sensed them too?"

Hashirama looked around and briefly glanced at their brother's graves before looking back to his sister. "He wasn't his usual self. I can usually tell when something is wrong, and something was definitely wrong. He seemed more on edge than usual."

Saruyama nodded, "The resident Uchiha interpreter."

Hashirama shouldn't have laughed but he did and shook his head. "I wouldn't go that far. But I did realise he kept looking around, in particular spots. How many?"

"Two," Saruyama said while deciding to sit cross legged and facing him, Hashirama mimicked her position too and placed his hands in his lap. "Because I followed and because I was clearly recognised, Tobirama has told father. I had a meeting with the pair, I had to give my version of events."

Hashirama's eyes widened, he felt this weight drop inside him. He should've been there for her, knowing that if things didn't go his way, their father could be quite cutting. He had already hit her, after all. Hashirama inhaled sharply, Saruyama just sat there watching him calmly with a blank expression. "How much?" He didn't realise how in-depth this would've been.

Saruyama smiled and reached over, she clasped her hands on his shoulders. "Telling them that all we did was talk and train seemed dull, not what was expected, I think. I did have to say that it was clear you had met Madara before I appeared on the scene, I'm sorry." Saruyama was sorry about that, she exhaled heavily, "Father wanted to know how strong he was, and other such details."

Hashirama reached over and put his hands on her shoulders too, he gave a little fidget and scooted along the ground until leaning and resting his forehead against hers, he shut his eyes. "I'm sorrier that we couldn't have kept you out of it."

"I put myself in this position, I didn't wholly trust Tobirama to not misconstrue things."

"Are you accusing our brother of lying?" Hashirama smirked at that, Tobirama was truthful to a painful fault.

Saruyama shut her eyes to and rested her hands in her lap. "I was just worried that things would happen, not that I think I could've deterred anything, but I wanted to be present. It's hard to explain." Pausing, Saruyama couldn't help but broach the next topic. "Tobirama and father, I left them talking, so I am presuming they are planning the next steps. I am sorry, Hashirama, but I feel they will try and exploit your friendship."

"It is the most logical plan of action. I can get close to Madara without suspicion from him."

"Do you think you could hurt him?" Saruyama opened her eyes and watched as Hashirama's own eyes opened and stared into hers sadly. That said it all, he really didn't want to fight his friend, Saruyama wasn't sure Madara would feel as sentimental as Hashirama; she knew the boy, but loyalty would surely be more to his family and clan? Not saying the Senju weren't a tight knit clan, but the Uchiha, they took loyalty and such regards to a whole new level.

"I wouldn't want to."

"That could be your downfall," Saruyama smiled sadly, but she found herself nodding, even if that made their forehead bump together. "Maybe your stubbornness and the feelings of not wanting to fight can outdo his stubbornness of maybe wanting to fight." Saruyama sighed, she didn't want to state it, but Madara had never beaten Hashirama, training usually ended with Hashirama winning, the end of this whole friendship just gave the Uchiha maybe the go ahead to truly better himself to beat her brother. Saruyama couldn't lie, beating Hashirama would be hard, he was very strong.

"I'll just keep trying for peace, it's what we all want really. It might take days, or years, but I'll get him to listen to sense." Hashirama sounded so sure of that, Saruyama wasn't going to burst his bubble there, he seemed very hopeful that he'd be beside his friend again.

Saruyama was more realistic, this was going to be an uphill battle. She'd never forget her friendship with Madara, and the fact he made her stomach and heart feel funny while her brain tried to pipe up with sense but got quietened down. But no matter what Hashirama said, that Madara would wish for peace too, and she knew this already, it didn't mean he wouldn't concede the first moment he could. Saruyama wasn't joking, Madara may have been the first and only Uchiha she could talk to but believe her when she said his stubborn hardheaded ways was truly something, it would be easier getting blood from a stone.

Hashirama chuckled suddenly and leaned away from her, he put a finger to his chin in thought and looked cheekily her way, Saruyama frowned not knowing what had him laughing but also not appreciating the looks being sent her way. "We could do this together, Saru. You did like each other-"

"Even I'm getting fed up with listening to you right now! What are suggesting? I don't want to know, shut up, big brother." Saruyama said with a rushed tone, now she knew how Satoko felt earlier, her own cheeks definitely felt hot and warm, and she hid them behind her hands and pouted his way with an unhappy frown.

Somehow, she doubted Madara would listen to sense from her, if Hashirama failed, she didn't stand a chance, but this was just a snippet of sense trying to make itself known while she sat there feeling rather awkward about this. The overruling thing a part of her was wanting to bring up was that if they did, in fact, one day have peace, if there was truly no more fighting, would they band together? Become neighbours no longer at war, but neighbours which shared peace and aided each other.

It was just an extension of the little daydream she knew her brother and Madara had had before, but perhaps with Hashirama's persistence it could become a thing, only if Madara got to one point in the future where he would listen. Who was she kidding? If Hashirama was going to be the leader of the Senju, there was no way that Madara wouldn't wind up in the same position for the Uchiha; both were the strongest each clan had, and that strength did band people together.

Hashirama just laughed over her little embarrassed moment and blushing, Saruyama frowned darkly his way; would it be such a bad thing to think of having a continued friendship that would then no longer be judged by everyone around them? Perking up though, Saruyama tilted her head and smiled slowly, she jumped up and ran forwards, Hashirama watched her go and with less enthusiasm as he had earlier, Tobirama stopped her jumping up at him by putting his hand on her head.

Hashirama could hear her disgruntled moaning from the action, but as happy as she was to see their brother, no matter what happened the last time the pair were together, Saruyama held no ill will against Tobirama, but both knew what was coming next and in the grand scheme of things, if there was going to be one person who'd forever disagree with them being friends with Madara Uchiha, it was Tobirama.