Once again the heavens released their tears as the rain cascaded down, hitting the roofs of the rain village, but their onslaught of misery did not fail in ensnaring that of a dark cloak. Dark onyx eyes stared out in the village deep in thought. He closed his eyes and sighed as the rain soothed his mind, but a flash of white hair graced his sight beneath his lids. Annoyed with himself he opened them, but the image stuck. A young woman with blue eyes and white hair stood in front of him like a mirage. But then she wasn't a woman, she was struck into a young child no older than three, then she began to grow again until she looked like she was ten, and grew again to her current age of sixteen. He shooed the image of her from his mind. This woman was just a distraction, she was not an underling of his nor was she under his command. She was just a female he happened to keep seeing during his secret visits to Konoha. But for some reason she would find a way into his mind and stay there… sometimes for days on end, and he had no clue as to why.

His mind again flashed to when he first saw her. He sighed and submitted to the memory that wished to come forth.

He was walking the streets of Konoha maybe… twelve or thirteen years ago, gathering information on the Kyubi. He knew he should not go near any houses owned by the Uchiha, but if he happened to find someone who knew where the current Kyubi host was, well that would make his night. He already knew of Kushina and her approaching birth, and also knew about the seal, but he couldn't find that pregnant woman, which put a real damper on his plans.

He sighed and thought to himself; trying to place faces of people that he had seen talking to during the times he came to gather information on the host beneath the village's very nose. He looked on the deserted night street and peeked into a nearby alleyway. It was then he saw a familiar face. It was a man seeming to near his thirties just leaning against the side of the house he assumed belong to him. His hair was white and cropped short. He wore a robe that symbolized that of a clan leader. Casting a simple genjutsu to occupants in the houses on either side of the alley he made sure they were in too deep of a sleep to interfere in case noise was made, then he step into the alley and made his presence known to the man. Once he saw the man's smoky blue eyes he knew which clan the man lead. The Sincera clan was infamous for having light almost whitish hair and a verity of blue eyes for their dominate traits. The Sincera clan leader looked at Madara with surprise.

"Are you the leader of the Sincera clan?" Madara asked just for clarification.

"My name is Makoto Sincera and yes, I am clan leader. Why do you ask?" the man replied.

"Well my name is Madara Uchiha, and I'm currently looking for Kushina Uzumaki, or otherwise known as the Kyubi's host," Madara responded walking closer to the man. Makoto blinked, recognizing that name, and then did an ushering motion to something on the other side of him. Curiously Madara walked closer and saw a young white haired girl behind the man's leg. She looked at the Uchiha with curious and innocent blue eyes as she gripped the pants of her father. Her white hair was lighter than that of the clan leader's and it was tied into two little pigtails on either side of her head. Makoto's shaky breath brought Madara's attention back to him.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Makoto replied returning his gaze to Madara.

Madara almost chuckled in amusement. "You don't know? Are you certain of that?"

"Yes," the man replied as he straightened his back and put a hand behind him to keep the little girl close.

"Are you sure you should be lying to me? I'm giving you one chance to tell me Kushina's location willingly or else you may regret it."

"I cannot tell you what I don't know," the man replied stubbornly. Madara activated his sharingan and looked at the Sincera clan leader, but the man had turned his gaze from him. Of course, he would know that looking into Madara's eyes he would be cast under a genjutsu and give the immortal any information he desired.

"Do you fear me Sincera?" he mocked, "Not even able to look me in the eye?"

"I'm not stupid," Makoto muttered, but the next thing the man knew was that Madara was next to him standing between him and the white haired child. "W-When did you-?" but Makoto made the mistake he had been trying to avoid and looked at Madara's mask and straight into the sharingan.

"Daddy? Daddy?" the girl cried, alarmed by being separated from her father and seeing the gazed over look in his eyes. Madara glanced at the child and used a genjutsu to put her to sleep with a genjutsu without a second thought then turned his attention back to her father.

"Now Makoto… tell me where she is," Madara ordered. The man blinked and looked at the Uchiha before he replied.

"I don't know exactly… but Kushina and one of the elders left through the west gate, saying something about being far away from the village and barriers and seals… That's all I know…"

"Good man," he said releasing the genjutsu and letting him fall to the ground unconscious. He pondered for a second then realized where his target must be being kept; he turned to leave but glanced at the small child. She had curled up into a ball a few feet away from her unconscious father; she seemed so scared and alone… Madara blinked in confusion of his own thoughts. Why was he feeling pity for the child? Despite himself he picked her up and moved to place her with her father. When he felt her move against him he almost froze and looked down at her. She was cuddling into his chest with a small smile on her face. Was this child dim? Couldn't she sense his malevolence and power? She was probably in too deep of a sleep to notice anything. Shaking his head he placed the girl next to her father before disappearing into the night. What became of them Madara didn't really care to know, he found his target and released the Kyubi, but because of that meddling 4th Hokage he was stopped before he was able to destroy the village.

The next time he saw the girl was seven years later, in disguise he walked around the forests inside the gates of the leaf village thinking of new ways to seek his vengeance against the Uchiha. He heard a familiar clashing of metal nearby. He smirked and walked to it masking his presence, the familiar sounds of two ninjas training greeted him as he peeked out at a clearing. He saw one with long raven hair and the other with white hair clashing their kunai knives together then breaking apart. He blinked recognizing the white haired female's face as she stared down her opponent panting. It was the same girl he had held for information years ago, only not so small and innocent anymore. Her hair was held back in a high ponytail with bangs framing her face, her body was that of a typical ten year olds, but he managed to notice the budding bosoms her tight shirt had shaped over. A scuff was on her cheek and more scuffs and cuts were on her knees and clothes showing that she had been training with this partner of hers for a bit of time. He could admit she had grown, but then his attention shifted to the other. He moved from his position to get a better view.

The boy was older and his hair in a similar style to Eri's only a bit longer and his ponytail was lower, his eyes were onyx and he held himself like a self-respecting shinobi. With a quick look over he knew that the boy was winning this spar, he was calm and patient watching the girl catch her breath.

"Damn Itachi," Eri huffed, "You're getting tougher…"

"And you've barely improved," Itachi retorted. Eri frowned and got up.

"Well I'm sorry Protégé, but I'm told I'm getting pretty good," Eri pointed out.

"First off that would be Protégé-san to you since you have yet to beat me, and second I said you've barely improved, not that you didn't," he explained. Eri rolled her eyes.

"Oh, my apologies Protégé-san," she said. The comment got a kunai thrown at her. Eri's eyes widened and she dodged the weapon by a lock of hair. The white silky lock floated to the ground with Eri glaring at it. "Ok that was uncalled for."

"That was for rolling your eyes at me Sincera," Itachi smirked. Eri frowned and went in for another attack. Madara had noticed the boy that was watching them. He had short white hair with reddish streaks running through it and looked to be a couple years older than Itachi. He watched them with almost a sad look on his face until he seemed to sense someone coming towards the field, also sensing the presence Madara stayed where he was.

"Fugaku-san…" the boy greeted him.

"You should be able to address me with more respect than that Yoichi," The Uchiha clan leader stated.

"Sorry…"

"I don't see why you are letting her train Yoichi, as a kunoichi she'll be put in unnecessary danger, not to mention she won't be a ninja for long."

"I realize that… it's just she wanted to go so badly and I didn't have the heart to tell her no. She wants to be able to protect others and see the world, how can I say no to that?"

"You and I know what her destiny is, so why try to change it?" Fugaku answered looking at the sparing couple.

"It's not her destiny… It's a piece of paper you forced our father to sign…" Yoichi kept himself from snarling.

"Forced to sign or not your father signed it in his own blood and made it legally binding. Your sister will be under my charge when she turns sixteen and then learn to be a proper wife to the Uchiha I deem to be the most fit to sire the union our clans have worked on for centuries. I will pull her out of ninjutsu to keep her out of danger so why throw her head first into it? Isn't that why you're complying with your father's wishes? To protect your only flesh and blood left?"

"Father would never have signed such a thing if you didn't force him to…" Yoichi almost snapped looking at the clan leader with stone cold blue eyes, "I only agreed to it to protect her yes, but I will let her be who she wants to be until that horrible day you snatch her freedom away."

"You will be silent," Fugaku stated sending the Sincera a glare, "Do you really thinking it's better for her to taste freedom then as you put it 'have it snatched away'? She'll be left longing for it and be impossible to control thus making herself more miserable. You Sinceras and your 'freedoms', your father thought the same way and look what that got him. You're so naïve to how things work…"

Yoichi didn't reply and just turned to watch Eri and Itachi, he didn't know how to reply to such a statement. Feeling that he had gotten through to the boy Fugaku glanced at the couple.

"Itachi will make a good husband to her… don't you worry about that… she'll be in good hands," he said.

Yoichi's looked darkened as he turned away. "That's not what I'm worried about," he muttered walking away from Fugaku shoving his hands in his pockets.

Madara sat back now very interested. They were still trying to unite an Uchiha and a Sincera despite all the previous failures? The only reason the Uchihas wished to unify with the Sincera clan was so the Sincera clan's bloodline healing ability would be added to the Uchiha's arsenal of power. Many years ago before even Madara was born, the Sincera clan was a target for other clans. A peaceful clan that they were it was their blood ability to heal that attracted other clans to them and steal away their members. Their healing ability resided in unique properties in their blood that accelerates the member's ability to heal, they can also donate their blood to an injured person and they in turn will be healed as quickly as their donor for a short period of time. It was because of this that members were captured and bleed to death so members of other clans can gain the ability for some time. In desperation the leader of the Sincera turned to the Uchiha and offered their loyalty and services to the warrior clan in exchange for help fending off the advancing clans. The Uchiha leader at that time had accepted, but asked that the Sincera clan offer their woman to Uchiha bachelors so the Uchiha can also gain their ability to heal through becoming kin. Knowing that the Sincera could face extinction if an alliance wasn't made, the Sincera leader accepted. Though unfortunately the unions that were attempted proved unfruitful for producing a child, or the couple met a tragic end. There has been no successful union between Uchiha and Sincera even after all this time, and eventually that part of the deal was forgotten…

Madara looked back at the white haired child interested. Did she know she was in an arranged marriage? He frowned and dismissed the possibility; she wouldn't be acting as she was towards the boy if she knew she would one day marry him. It seemed that Itachi didn't know ether. He watched the girl and started imagining her at sixteen, a kunoichi growing towards her prime, only to be told she can no longer practice ninjutsu. It almost seemed like a waste if she was to be any good at it. Again he found a temptation to steal her away, but shook it off. She was too young to be of any use to him now. But this Itachi on the other hand… he could use him.

Months later Madara felt the most satisfied he had felt in years as he looked at the streets filled with his vengeance. He stepped away from the dead Uchihas and put a hand on the shoulder of his student. "Only one remains… shall I leave him to you?" he said. Itachi only nodded. Madara smirked, "Meet me when you finish."

Then he made his way out of the village, he knew he could take his time with it. Itachi volunteered to kill his own brother… Madara's expression darkened a bit remembering Izuna. He sighed then listened to the silence of the night, hoping to forget that dark memory. Casually he went to the roof tops and walked on them hoping to get his mind off it. He looked ahead and yet again saw that girl. He stopped and masked his presence so to not reveal himself. The girl was lying back on the roof of her home causally. Then he heard the elder Sincera's voice.

"Eri where are you?" he demanded. Eri peeked over the rooftop and looked down at her brother.

"Up here Yoichi!" she called. Yoichi looked up and upon seeing her, his eyes widened a bit.

"Eri get down from there you can fall and get hurt!" he panicked.

"I'm fine," Eri pouted but to put her brother at ease she climbed down from the roof. Once she touched the ground she found herself in her brother's arms. "Yoichi…?"

Yoichi blinked and looked down at his younger sister, "S-Sorry… you know I get worried about you…"

Eri smiled and hugged him, "You worry too much."

The elder Sincera smiled a bit and hugged her back, "Yeah I know… come on its late let's get you to bed…"

Madara watched them go inside, he silently wondered if Yoichi would be happy to know his little problem was taken care of, Fugaku and the other Uchiha were dead and Itachi was leaving with him, there was no one to bind his sister to a contract anymore… He shook his head a bit and figured it was none of his business before he got up and left to where he was supposed to meet Itachi. Over the years he had more visits to the village sometimes it was to collect information or to reminisce in old memories her would happen to spot her and note how she had grown since he last saw her.

The last time he saw her was a couple of months ago. He was scouting out for the Kyubi host once more, knowing that it was the blonde boy that was the child of the 4th Hokage. While doing this causal search his eyes happened to notice her yet again. A sword strapped to her side and a Konoha band tied in its proper place on her forehead. Watching her walk by he noticed how she had matured, suddenly he had forgotten why he was wondering about the village. He remembered Fugaku's and Yoichi's conversation six years ago and knew that if the Uchiha clan hadn't been wiped out as they were she wouldn't be how she was now, a proud kunoichi free to marry who she chose. A thought went into his head wondering what kind of man she would choose, but stopped himself. Cursing his mind he left telling himself he'll send Itachi and his partner to search for the host instead. But simply avoiding her was doing more harm than good now that he had created the Akatsuki and thus adding stress to himself.

Madara sighed yet again and decided to turn in for the night. Obviously the rain would not calm his mind this time, nor distract him from his problem concerning this woman. The more she grew the stronger the temptation was to steal her away. Her face was burned into Madara's mind as he told himself again and again that she was not to be of any use to him yet. But of course a physical attraction towards the kunoichi began taking its toll as well. When he saw her development towards womanhood or thought of it for that matter, and well with all the work he's done he hadn't set aside time for his needs. It was almost maddening but he did his best to keep his distance to avoid unnecessary distractions. It worked until one night he awoke in a wet bed. Panting he looked over the embarrassing situation and groaned softly as reminisce of the dream made him imagine the girl's naked body next to him. He gave a deep sigh and ran his hands over his face.

"Fuck…" he muttered softly. He looked up at the ceiling and knew that whatever this woman was to be to him, whether it be a onetime shot or something more… she was doing him no good by staying in the leaf like the stranger she was.