Ch. 11 The beginning after the end

"Can you believe it's been over five years since that night?" An old construction worker says to his coworker on their lunch break. The Village has been mostly repaired, however some structures are still being worked on or added to. The people had regained a sense of normalcy and though the hollows took many lives, the villagers had become closer while working to rebuild. "If not for Yo I don't know if the leaf would have survived."

"I still remember it like it was yesterday…I thought all of us were goners until he lit up the night sky with that ring of fire!" The other exclaimed.

"Yo's nothing short of a hero! I sure do miss the little brat. Any word on if he's awake?"

"No, nothing yet. I'm sure there's going to be enough of a commotion when he does wake up."

"It's a shame the boy's stuck in a hospital bed missing his childhood," the old man says with a heavy sigh. "More than that he's missing that baby brother of his grow up…"

"I hear he's a good kid too. I don't know if he'll be like Yo, but I hear that Benimaru is already shaping up to be a fine ninja and person."

...

In the Uchiha compound, Benimaru of five years is sitting on a rooftop reading with more books stacked up next to him when, "Benimaruuuu!"

He slams the book shut with an annoyed sigh. "I suppose it is about that time, but what does Sasuke want?" he says noting the sun's position in the sky.

"I thought I'd find you up here," Sasuke says climbing up to join him. "Shouldn't you be getting ready to go see Yo?"

"I'm going as soon as I put these books away..." Benimaru answers tying them all in a bundle.

"Can I come with you?" Sasuke asks.

Walking down the road to the hospital, the two of them walk in silence. Sasuke studies his cousin, trying to tell what he's thinking. It's not easy for him considering Benimaru often wears a stale face similar to his father, Fugaku. It's hard to tell if he's in a good or bad mood sometimes. "Hey Beni?"

"What?" Benimaru responds without breaking pace.

"Why don't you ever come play? Even just a little bit. You always go off by yourself or just read…"

"I'm a busy man Sasuke, it can't be helped that I have important business to attend to." Benimaru says as if its something he's told him countless times.

"What important business could a five-year-old have?" Sasuke reminds Benimaru he too is in fact still a child.

"Don't you worry about that," Benimaru says as he shifts the topic. "And I read because knowledge is power, the more I know the better I can prepare for the future." Benimaru explains. Unlike Itachi and Yoriichi, Sasuke actually has a child's intellect and demeanor. So Benimaru is stuck with the brat who asks too many questions because they're the same age. Beni loves his cousin dearly, but it was sometimes hard dealing with him because of the maturity gap.

"So being smart can make you a strong ninja?"

"It can make you a better ninja, but that doesn't mean you should neglect your training. Strength and smarts together will make you the strongest. Well maybe third behind Yo and I. Oh there's Itachi too. Maybe even Kushina's boy…" Beni chuckles.

"Don't make fun of me, I'll be stronger than all of you one day." Sasuke pouts. "Hey, speaking of strong, what if Yo wakes up today? It'll be the first time you get to talk to your big brother! What are you going to say to him?"

Beni felt he and Yo had plenty to talk about. Beni was curious about this other world Yoriichi claimed to have been from and it's plethora of innovative ideas. The end of the Uchiha, the hollows, world history, reincarnation and so much more he alone would know... if he's not just insane, kind, and strong. While Benimaru considers all the potential information that slept in Yo's head, a lady calls out to him.

"Excuse me boys do you think you could help me bring these bags of flour? My back isn't what it used to be haha…"

"I'm sorry but we are in a-" Benimaru starts to decline but the woman cuts him off.

"Oh it won't take but a second," she says giving Benimaru the first bag.

"Alright, I guess I can help..." Benimaru basically says to himself as the woman already walked away to do something else.

It was an easy enough job, especially when two clones helped move everything but the woman could talk up a storm. After showering Benimaru with praise for his clone jutsu and she sends them on their way with a few skewers a piece for their time.

"Such sweet young boys," the woman says watching them go on their way.

"These are delicious…" Benimaru finishes his snack in record time.

"When you're eating is the only time you actually look happy," Sasuke laughs eating his first one.

"Give me yours," he says with his mouth full and hand out.

"What!? No!" Sasuke says guarding his food.

"I'll teach you a new jutsu."

"…Three new jutsu," Sasuke says testing what he can get.

"Deal," Benimaru doesn't think twice, taking the dango immediately. Benimaru may have just found a new personal favorite. "We'll get more on our way back."

Sasuke wonders if he could have gotten more for the treat. "It's crazy that you can eat so much…."

"I need lots of nutrients if my body is going to grow big and strong," Beni says matter-of-factly.

"Then what about me?! I want to grow big and strong too!"

A little later on as they walk, the two of them hear a child crying. Beni and Sasuke follow the sound and see a little girl about their age crying as her stuffed animal floats down the canal.

"She must have dropped it… she should've been more careful." Benimaru starts to walk off when he notices Sasuke going for the railing.

"I'll get it!" Sasuke dives over only to have Benimaru catch his leg. With a casual toss, Sasuke lands on his butt over in the grass. "Ow that hurt!"

"I'll get it, without getting drenched." Benimaru says standing on the rail "With sufficient chakra control one can walk on inverted surfaces." Benimaru doesn't jump but walks down the wall. Sasuke watches in awe as he steps onto the water, "taking it a step farther, you can walk on water. Benimaru easily retrieves the toy and returns it to the little girl. "Don't play near the edge, it's dangerous." He tells her sternly.

"Thank you!" The little girl hugs him and takes the dripping toy. "These are my favorite candies, they're really good. You can have them," she says giving him the bag of candy and running on her way.

"Kids…" Benimaru sighs shaking his head, but still happily accepts the candy.

"That was awesome Beni! Will you show me how to do that!"

"Of course, that much should be basic to anyone who wants to call themselves a ninja. Why don't you try and walk up that wall. Focus a steady stream of your chakra into your feet and then the wall."

"Ok…here goes." Sasuke takes a minute to focus his chakra, and steps onto the wall. To his surprise it actually sticks as he takes his next step. "Haha! I did it! I-" he suddenly loses control and falls to the ground hitting his head.

"You have to maintain a steady stream of chakra, too much or two little and the jutsu won't work." Benimaru explains while Sasuke rolls on the ground cradling his head. "Let's not waste any more time," Benimaru says keeping an eye on the sun's position in the sky.

"Let me try again!" Sasuke pleads still holding his head.

"You have until I finish this candy."

"Got it!" Sasuke tries and fails again to look up and see Benimaru leaving, waving an empty bag.

"What already!?!" Sasuke exclaims trying to figure out how it all vanished so fast.

"I won't count this as one of your three jutsu either," Benimaru says leaving Sasuke. As they walk on they encounter several more civilians in need of help with various tasks, from quickly starting a fire to catching a runaway dog.

"He acts like he's pressed for time, but he's really just enjoying people praising him and giving him snacks…" Sasuke says aware of Benimaru's true intentions.

"Hahaha, I could believe that's Yo's brother." Sasuke looks up to see Kushina with Naruto watching Benimaru slice a fish with expert skill. "He would always show up late because he was distracted helping someone. Yo being late so often was an ongoing problem, but it made me proud he has so much compassion in his heart. We were just on our way to see him," she notions to the flowers and stuffed animal Naruto is holding.

"We are too, whenever he gets done." Sasuke says now bored of his cousin's showboating.

"Let's go together then," Kushina suggests.

Almost to their destination Sasuke and Naruto race ahead, Benimaru catches a little of Sasuke boasting about his newly acquired skills. Kushina goes on and on with stories about Yoriichi, Minato, and occasionally Naruto much to his embarrassment.

By whatever miracle allowed her to live, Kushina lost the immense chakra reserves and vitality she once had shortly after her recovery. Now she lived out her days as a mother, staying out of the fighting and politics. She remained a close friend of the Uchiha clan, letting Naruto visit from time to time. Though some higher ups had problems with the nine-tails just hanging around the Uchiha, they respected her enough not to act on it. Benimaru wondered what she was like in the height of her power, now though fiery natured she could hardly be called a threat. Fixing her affliction was entirely beyond him.