The Senju Guardian [Slow Updates]

| Chapter 7 |

Time skip.....few years later.

Time flew by in Konohagakure no Sato. People moved on from the death of their beloved Nidaime and accepted the new Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Said Kage was right now standing in the middle of training ground seven, in front of his three lovely genin.

"Cha! Now stop fooling around Jiraiya!"

A young, 12 years old blond haired girl called out to her white-haired teammate. This was Tsunade Senju, the granddaughter of the Shodaime Hokage, Senju Hashirama and grandniece of the Nidaime Hokage Senju Tobirama.

"Ow! That hurt Tsuna-hime!"

The said white-haired teammate yelped as the blond bonked him on the head, rubbing the sore place. This was Jiraiya, a young orphan who became genin along with Tsunade. He had white, spiky hair, dark eyes and red, vertical lines under his eyes. Next to him stood a white-skinned boy with long black hair and golden eyes. This was Orochimaru. Said boy sighted at his teammates' antics. He looked at his sensei pleadingly, begging him with his eyes to end his suffering.

The now older Hiruzen chuckled, shook his head then looked up slightly surprised. "Tobirama?" At the name, everyone present looked up as a cat, slightly bigger than a cub of a big cat, walked up to them. Red amused eyes watching as Tsunade let go of Jiraiya, who she was giving a noogie moment before he arrived. Said blond quickly let go of the other child and beamed at him. "Tobira! You're back!" She called out happily and rushed to crush- I mean hug him. He huffed as the blond put him in a bone-crushing hug, inwardly snorting as Jiraiya whined about how 'lucky he is'.Orochimaru smiled slightly at the large feline, he took a liking to the mysterious cat. "So came back from Uzushio eh?" Hiruzen grinned at his sensei, getting a smile and a nod in return. It's long since he got used to this, both of them got. Everyone lived a happy life, even Kagami now has his own children and wife to look after. Tobirama was incredibly proud when both he and Hiruzen got married. Tobirama then looked at his grandniece and her teammates, the two boys took a quick liking to him the moment Tsuna brought him with her after they became Genin at the age of 6.

Hiruzen then freed him from Tsunade's (bone crushing) hold and set him down. "Hope you can stay for a bit, we sure had missed you." Hiruzen smiled at him. Tobirama, however, shook his head slightly, he has been living in Uzushio with Mito, who had moved back to her home village shortly after his death. And since he promised himself and Hahirama to protect her, he will do just that. The war may be over but no one knows for how long. They must always be ready.

After a while of playing and training with the children he went on his way back towards the other Uzunin he arrived along with, seeing as they are now finished with whatever they had to do, he joined them on the way back, glancing back towards the gate where Hiruzen along with his team and Kagami with his wife and children waved at him. He smiled and looked back ahead, this was his life now.

Time skip....many years later.

Tobirama watched sadly as his sister in law was saying goodbye to him and the new Kyuubi Jinchurkiki.

"Don't you worry Kushina-chan, Konoha is a beautiful place, I am sure you will live there happily and besides Tobi-kun will go with you. He will protect you." The woman told the little red-head. Said red-head looked at Mito with tears in her beautiful violet eyes. "B-but Baa-chan...what if they don't like me?" The little girl asked. Tobirama rubbed his head against her legs in comforting manner, the girl responding by kneeling down next to him and hugging him around the neck. "They will love you my dear, don't you worry." Mito smiled at the scene, Tobirama has been with her all this time, and the only thing that changed is his size, he is now slightly bigger than before. About the size of a Serval or a Clouded leopard. "Tobirama, you take care of her got it?" He looked up and nodded his head, rubbing his head against the little girl's face. Kushina let go of him with newfound determination in her eyes. "A-alright!" She then hugged Mito and she did so in return, also dragging Tobirama in. He 'returned' the hug with a slight huff. So far it seemed, time has been good to him. He had not ever felt his age catching up to him, if it was thanks to his '9 lives' he doesn't know. After saying their final goodbyes the two of them along with an escort were on their way out of Uzushio.

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They finally arrived at the gates of Konohagakure no Sato, Tobirama looked at the gates with a feeling of nostalgia. Kushina smiles down at him, noticing his expression of recognition and familiarity. Tobirama looked up at his charge, giving her a soft smile upon seeing the uncertain shadow over her eyes. She inhaled deeply and crouched down with her arms outstretched, Tobirama jumping into her embrace on pure instinct. He knew that she gains comfort from holding him, she was doing it since she was very little. It was sad, her fate had been set in stone before she herself even knew it. With (unknown to her) the Nidaime in her arms the little red-head stepped inside the village along with her escort. Upon their arrival at the Hokage tower she looked at Tobirama nervously and he just smiled reassuringly and she clung to him harder. One of her escorts knocked at the door of the Hokage's office getting a soft "come in" in return. Once they stepped in Kushina looked up at the now much older Sarutobi Hiruzen, seeing the kind glint in his eyes she allowed her arms to relax, now holding Tobirama more gently. Said feline looked at Hiruzen with a soft smile, which however threatened to turn into a grin upon seeing the new wrinkles and grey hair on the Sarutobi. That only got him an amused eyebrow at his own situation. Tobirama looked up at Kushina and she released him, gently putting him down on the floor, the moment his paws touched the wood he walked up to the Sandaime and jumped on his desk getting a chuckle and a ruffle to his head in return. "It's good to see you too Tobirama, it has certainly been a while." The Sandaime smiled at him before looking up at Kushina. "Young Uzumaki Kushina, it is my duty to welcome you to our village. I hope you will find yourself having a pleasant life within our walls." The man told the young girl with a kind smile, getting a vibrant grin in return. "Thank you very much Hokage-sama, I will become a kunoichi and protect this village at all costs, dattebane!" The cheerful Uzumaki spoke with newfound confidence and blushed slightly as her verbal tick kicked in. Hiruzen chuckled and Tobirama let out a cat version of a laugh himself, to which Kushina gave the feline a playful glare and a pout. "Hmpf! Stop laughing at me Tobi-chan." She smirked as she called him with that dreadful nickname that Mito gave him. He huffed and glared at her playfully in return. Hiruzen almost choked on his own spit at hearing how she had called his sensei. Laughing at the name he haven't heard in years, getting himself a glare in return. Tobirama huffed again as both of them laughed at him. Shaking his head he swatted at Hiruzen with his tail before running out the door. "ooph!" Called out Hiruzen as his face got hit with the fluffy tail and chuckled as he saw Kushina running out the door after him with a yelp of "Waaait Tobiiiiraaa~ I am sorryyyy!" then she stuck her head back in. "Uh Goodbye and thanks again old man!" before running after the feline again. Hiruzen let out a shocked laugh at the nickname. This will sure be interesting.