Chapter 09 | The Underground Marvel

Madara pursued Mio half-heatedly. He did so because he was stubborn and he could not fathom that she had accused him of hypocrisy, but recognized that his wife silenced him. All of his fighting words were extinguished from his mouth and banished from his thoughts. Mio had only spoken the truth. It never would have crossed his mind to turn away from a job, even if it was a trap, if his brother was the one in danger. And it wasn't like him to turn a challenge away, so he felt a little more frustrated with himself that he didn't want to go because he had a gut feeling that this trap was going to be bad.

There was enough on their plate without needing to deal with the possibility of another Artifact War because the Mikazuki clan was alive to plot against them. It irritated him that Mio was so convinced that Mikazuki Rikuto would not consider laying a trap for her when the information Eishirou provided sounded like lies. However, nothing he said would change her mind. She was determined to prove the Mikazuki clan's innocence and rescue Yayoi's little brother.

He lost sight of Mio when she turned the corner to her left, following Yayoi into the courtyard. He ventured towards it at a slow pace, his sudden burst of anger ebbing as he reached the exit. He saw Yayoi sitting on a stone bench nearby bent forward with her face buried in her hands, and watched Mio walk around to take a seat beside her. He could hear the sound of Yayoi's sniffling and Mio's quiet reassurance.

"I feel so stupid," sobbed Yayoi, lifting her face to Mio. "I shouldn't have pushed the subject. It's too dangerous. I never thought about how dangerous it would be. I didn't even think you would be coming along. I just—I just—I have been so selfish lately. I'm so sorry."

Mio rubbed the priestess' back gently. "I don't understand," said Mio. "Why would you feel stupid? None of this is stupid. You shouldn't believe what Madara said. You know he's very paranoid."

"But he has a point," argued Yayoi. Tears fell from her eyes. He felt a little bad that he didn't expect to see her crying. The only times he had seen her crying was over a man that either dumped her, used her, or ignored her and she usually did it rip-roaring drunk. "He's right. It could be a trap. We can't risk you or the artifacts that we have with us. We shouldn't trust everything that pervert in there is saying. It's better if we just drop everything and go back. We have to take care of Saori and Nako. We don't have time leaving them alone."

"Think about yourself," said Mio strongly. "Think about your feelings. Think about the Sun Country where you last saw your brother and other members of your clan. Think the last thoughts that ran through your head when Madara took you out of the Sun Country. Remember it." In her brief pause, Yayoi lifted her hands to cover her mouth, hoping to muffle the pained sob that fell from it. "Madara worries to excess. He has so many people that he has to think about that sometimes he forgets about a few of them. I think this time he was thinking about all the people that would be at risk of dying if the Sun Country turned out to be a trap that he overlooked your feelings. You're allowed to have them. You're allowed to get angry because he was going back on his word. The rest of the Motou clan could be suffering or they could be fine, but you don't know that and you're carrying that uncertainty like a burden. You shouldn't do that alone."

Mio placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I am here if he is not. I will shoulder all of your burdens if you need me to, but don't give up on your brother. You can't ever give up on him or your clan. You have to fight for them."

"How can I do such a thing? I'm not the best medical-nin on this trip. I can't fight properly. I can only get in the way."

"No, but you are quite the important person," said Mio. "You are my Guardian. I asked you to become my Guardian because I knew you were more than just a pretty face and I will wait as long as it takes to see you become the Guardian I know you will. Don't rush. I am here to protect you. I am here to help you with your battles. So, we're going, whether or not Madara is, because we have gotten too far to go back now."

Yayoi started sobbing and Mio wrapped her arms around her, resting her chin atop the priestess' shoulder. Madara sighed, leaning against the doorframe. That was his wife and he would deny her nothing. Infuriating as she made him, she had committed herself to the correct path. Saving Ikki was something Madara owed Yayoi. He could not let her down again.

"You win, Mio!" he shouted, startling Yayoi into pushing away from Mio. Yayoi stared at him wide-eyed, rising quickly to her feet. He sensed she would ask that he ignore her tears and that she would wait for a better opportunity, but he cut her off before she started. "We leave in two days."

Madara removed himself from his place, walking back inside the castle to find his brother. Behind him, he heard Yayoi exclaim joyfully followed by the sound of her and his wife's excited laughter.

Izuna was sending a hawk out with a letter when Madara finally found him.

"Who are you writing to?" asked Madara.

"No one," Izuna answered suspiciously.

"Really?"

"Hey, brother, remember that one time you walked around forever looking for me because you wanted to tell me something important?"

Madara raised an eyebrow. "Your point?"

"Why did you come all this way? Did you have another fight with Mio?"

He bristled. "We're—"

But he stopped himself. He couldn't deny that all they had been doing was fighting. He hated feeling angry towards his wife. It ate away at him the entire time they were apart. He kept going back to the moment in which he accused her of toying with his brother's affection towards her by assigning him a sphere he wouldn't refuse and regretted the harsh judgment. It had tasted like bile on his tongue, but he had been too proud to apologize. Now, it felt like too much time had passed. He couldn't find the words.

They couldn't be fighting all the time.

"So you are," confirmed Izuna with a nod.

"I can't help it with her. Sometimes, I just blurt things out." Madara cringed at the memory of their first fight. "She just irritates me sometimes!"

Izuna laughed. "Isn't that the reason you love her? You like difficult women. They're the light to your moth, they're irresis—"

"Stop spouting nonsense!"

The mirth remained in his expression. "Honestly, brother, you should know her well enough already that you shouldn't be blurting things out."

"Don't pretend you wouldn't be this frustrated in my position—" Madara caught himself belatedly. He shouldn't have said that. It was insensitive to his feelings. He knew that his feelings towards Mio were going on strong and that he only gave up on her because he believed Madara could make her happy. How happy was she when they were fighting so much?

"You both obviously need to talk more," said Izuna, his comment going straight over his head. "Listen to whatever she says without saying anything until she finishes. You have a terrible habit of interrupting people—"

"I do not!"

"I wasn't done yet. See? You just proved my point."

Madara's face flushed with frustration.

"Just listen to her before I seduce her into having an affair with—"

He smacked Izuna upside the head.

"Ow!"

"Watch yourself," warned Madara, pointing his forefinger at his face.

Izuna rubbed the back of his head. "Too far, I get it, sorry." He started to move towards the entrance of Eishirou's castle with Madara following close behind. "Hey, a couple of the shinobi complained about a few of their possessions missing."

"How many are a couple?"

"Ten, give or take."

Madara sighed. "Have someone investigate it."

Jouji exited the castle, intercepting their paths. "There's no need. I apologize for eavesdropping, I was looking for you to speak about this subject," he said, joining them, regarding Madara in particular. "I received several complaints last night after Mio and Yayoi departed. I put Murakami on the job. He returned an hour later accusing Kuri."

"Kuri?" questioned Izuna. "That raccoon Mio has a contract with?"

Jouji nodded. "Turns out his services weren't free."

"He's a summon," Madara stated.

"Not a free one, it would seem."

"So, what?"

"He cleaned us out and went on his way," said Jouji. "According to Murakami, he would gladly offer his services for us at a discount next time."

"And you just let him?"

Jouji shrugged.

"I'll speak to Mio about this," said Madara, walking past them. "We will be leaving for the Sun Country in two days, be sure that our shinobi are ready to make the trip. We are likely heading into a trap."

"Yes, brother."

"Understood, Madara-sama."

Both Izuna and Jouji's responses rang simultaneously before they followed him inside the castle and then parted down different hallways to see to it that his message was relayed to everyone. He needed time for himself to think up a strategy for the Sun Country.

All signs pointed to the idea that they would be walking into a trap. They needed to be prepared to face it in the hopes that their actions protected more than they lost. War required losses—sacrifices—for there to be victories, but for an attempt like this, he expected the probability of death to be much higher. There was more at stake than before.

He preferred leaving Mio and Yayoi behind to ensure the safety of her artifacts. Mio would do better staying in the Fire Country, defending their village from any other attempts against her and her Guardians. He would hate leaving her on her own without his support, but he trusted she could handle herself. He doubted he could convince her, but he considered trying to do so tonight when preparations were underway.

Madara went upstairs to the room he had taken for himself yesterday and searched his things for a map he had of the Sun Country. He took a seat on the floor and spread it out before him. The ends of both of Eishirou's trade routes were marked along the coastlines. The two were located in obscured areas of the island nation, which made for discreet exchanges. One area, as he recalled from memory, was a beach full of rocks, close to where the Sanbi had been located, while the other was near the dead forest. The woods provided enough coverage for a surprise attack. The rocks made for a dangerous battlefield. They weren't very good options.

He spent the entire morning thinking up enemy strategies using his knowledge of the terrain in question as the foundation and tried coming up with counterattacks. He went through about a thousand scenarios by the time Izuna arrived to inform him that everyone was told about their departure and making necessary preparations to leave. He asked Izuna to join him and then called for Jouji and Mio as well. Once they arrived, they started to discuss their options. He offered his thoughts after listening to theirs.

Jouji believed they had a better shot if they went through the forest route, while Izuna thought the rocky beach was the better option. Mio hated both options and proposed they anchor the ship on the white beach sitting on the opposite side of the island. The arguments turned heated after several hours. There were plenty of ideas passing throughout the room until the sun started setting.

"We can continue the discussion tomorrow morning," said Madara, ending the meeting as soon as Izuna finished speaking. "Go have dinner."

"Great, I'm starving." Izuna got up after clapping his hands together.

Jouji rose, excusing himself before departing. Izuna followed close behind, sliding the doors shut behind him.

The silence made for an awkward atmosphere. Madara stared at Mio waiting for her to speak, but she only stared at her hands, avoiding his eyes.

"You should eat something," he suggested.

She lifted her eyes at him. "Will you join me?"

"If you would like."

Mio got on her feet and approached him, offering him her hand. He took it, but picked himself up before she pulled him upright. She released his hand while turning towards him. "There is a soba shop in town."

"That is fine by me," he said, walking to the doors and sliding them open, looking back to her, "but you will be paying."

"Okay," she said, following him.

"You seem to have no qualms about that," he observed.

"I am not stingy," she replied.

He grimaced. "Not the point I wanted to make."

Mio stopped him in the middle of the hallway. "Is there something you want in particular? You know that I would buy you anything. New weapons? I met a good blacksmith—"

"This is about the raccoon," he interrupted.

It took a moment for her to muster any words—or rather, a sound in acknowledgement. Her expression remained as blank as her utterance. "Oh."

"Is that all you have to say? He stole more than a few prized possessions. He took all our funding for this trip. If it wasn't for Eishirou's food stores, we would all be starving."

She took his arms, looked him straight in the eyes, and quite shamelessly said, "I am very sorry. Please, forgive me. I will do anything."

"Have him return everything he stole?"

She shook her head. "Anything but that."

"Mio, he's a raccoon."

"I'll take care of all the expenses from here on out. I have savings."

"The Kuronuma that you brought along also had their money stolen."

"I have savings."

"How much is that?"

She looked away for a split second. "We don't have to talk about it now, we have to get food. I'm starving."

She started pulling him along. Though he continued to question her about her raccoon summon, she avoided it. He found it alarming how easy it was for her to change the subject and how susceptible to it he was. He didn't understand it, but if she planned to take responsibility for that raccoon, he hoped it was a lesson to her.

They returned to the inn where she was staying with Yayoi. He figured they needed to talk and settle their disputes before moving forward with the mission.

The room she rented was small, enough accommodation for a single person.

"I didn't think there was any use in renting a larger room," said Mio behind him, as if she read his mind.

"We should talk."

"About the mission?"

"About us."

Slowly, Mio sank into a seat on the foot of the bed, staring up at him.

"I want to apologize for accusing you of taking advantage of Izuna's feelings," he started, walking over to sit beside her. "I said it out of anger. You are right. It is ultimately his decision whether or not he chooses to become a Guardian."

She reached for his hand and pulled it onto her lap where she encased it in the warmth of her hands. "I want to protect Izuna as much as you do."

"I understand that."

Although, he still had qualms about allowing Izuna to become a Guardian after what had happened with Saori and the reality that they were all currently in danger, this was not his decision to make. He did admit that Izuna was quite fortunate to have both of them arguing over his safety.

She squeezed his hand slightly. "I am sorry about Kuri. I told him you would take care of his payment. I only did it because I was frustrated by the fact that things were awful between us."

He felt his jaw clench as soon as she confessed, but held in his outburst. "We can discuss a real solution for that later. First, I want you to think about returning to the Fire Country."

"What?"

Madara clenched her hand. "The Sun Country is a trap meant for you. I think it would be best if you and Yayoi stayed in the Fire Country. I want you to be safe."

"But I want to go."

"Yayoi will understand. There is no need for you to be this stubborn about it. If you believe Mikazuki Rikuto has nothing to do with Saori's attack or the Ishiki clan, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but I would feel much more secure knowing you were in the Fire Country."

Mio left her seat, walking ahead a few steps before stopping. "This isn't about stubbornness. Call it crazy, but I have a feeling that I am meant to go to the Sun Country, but I also want to make sure that Ikki and Yayoi are reunited. I promised her that I would see to it that they are and I don't plan to go back on my word."

"Mio…"

"I don't think we will ever stop fighting," she said, turning around. "I think we will always clash. I hate knowing that you are frustrated with me because I hate being angry with you. I want to make this work. I want so badly to make sure that our marriage never falls apart."

He hated to hear her worry for their marriage as she did. The last thing he wanted was to find himself unhappy with her because they couldn't agree on anything. He shared her sentiment and desire to remedy it.

"We need to find a way to stop butting heads," he told her.

Mio nodded.

"I'll be patient," he promised.

She walked back to him, moving to stand between his legs. He reached to take her by the hips.

"And I will tell you all my secrets," she replied, smiling playfully at him.

"I look forward to hearing them."

"And maybe I'll stop being so reckless." She held her forefinger and thumb at a small distance. "Just a little bit."

"Only a little bit?"

"Just a little bit."

"Put more effort into it."

"I'll consider it."

"I won't be quick to anger and stop interrupting you," he added. "I'll hear you out."

"I can work with that." Mio's warm hand came to rest on his cheek. "Will you be returning to the castle tonight?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I want to stay here…if you'll have me."

"You will have to sleep on the floor. We don't fit in this bed together and I won't fight you for it through the night."

"I doubt we'll have any time to sleep."

She tilted her head, confused. "Do you have something planned for tonight?"

He wrapped his arms around her, resting his face against her belly. He only wanted to hold her through the night. It would be cramped and hot, but she would be near. "Nothing."

Madara had not anticipated the sleepless nights he experienced knowing Mio was elsewhere completing a mission. He imagined that after living for years without sharing a bed with her that it'd be easy to give it up. Since she had returned to the Fire Country, she had not slept anywhere other than at his side, except the day when he had gotten so angry he asked his brother to let him room with him. He had spent the entire night fuming. It hadn't been the greatest idea to sleep with the reason for their displeasure, but he had not been thinking when he had gone to vent.

He had asked Izuna if he would do anything for Mio that night. Izuna had stared at him oddly and had answered, "Why not? She's family." Madara had rephrased his inquiry to seem direr, but Izuna had continued to express that if it was within his power, he would do it because Mio was family.

"She has been for a very long time," Izuna had said. "You only feel it's official now that you've married her, but she has never been left out of anything to do with our family. She might not have been there when our father died, but she certainly thought about us and hoped we were doing well. Why wouldn't I do something that she asked if I could?"

That conversation had helped calm his mood, though it had taken almost the entire night to do so. As he did, however, he had wondered if she had been lying in bed awake. He had wanted to know her feelings. Had she been sad? Angry?

He missed her in her absence. No matter how angry he felt, he missed her.

Madara looked up at her. "I want you to consider returning to the Fire Country," he decided. Forcing her to go would herald another bout between them. "Consider it. Nothing more. Tell me your decision on the day we are set to depart."

Mio nodded.

"That said, I think we should make up for lost time,' he suggested, raising her shirt to kiss her stomach while looking up at her. "Yes?"

She sat down on his lap and kissed him. "Yeah. I think we have time."

Outside the moon shone bright. A bit of its illumination flooded in through the room's window. It hit her back, lighting up the scars she received long ago. She was lying on her side tucked in beside his body using his arm as a pillow. Their legs were tangled with the bed's sheets. She dozed off as soon as she made herself comfortable and he took to drawing circles on her shoulder, enjoying the softness of the skin underneath his rough fingers.

Her presence called back the memories of their argument into his mind—of the rage that blazed in her eyes after he accused her of not caring what she sacrificed for the sake of the artifacts, of the way, despite the presence of anger, her eyes looked glassy and about to explode with tears. The fragility of her visage had haunted him for the nights he had spent apart from her and her words had echoed loudly from the back of his head.

"I have already sacrificed everything I am willing to for these artifacts…I don't have any more sacrifices to make."

At the time, Madara had believed Mio had spoken about the first Artifact War and that she had referenced everything and everyone she had lost. He had begun to doubt his earlier assumption while making his trip through the Lightning Country to reach Eishirou's coastal province. He had remembered something Yayoi had said when they had been discussing Mio's meeting with Ayuka before her death.

"I think she knows exactly why her pathways are upside down."

Yayoi's words had called into question Mio's whereabouts for the three months she had spent tracking a merchant route from the Iron Country to the Swamp Country. Murakami Keigo had been called in to account for three weeks that she had spent helping with his grandparents' harvest and while he had seemed quite honest, that had not revealed what she had done for the other nine weeks.

Madara drew her closer, kissing the top of her head.

Mio stirred, groaning softly.

"Mio?"

"Hmmm?"

She opened her eyes and blinked up at him sleepily.

"Did you really spend three months following a merchant route from the Iron Country to the Swamp Country?" he asked bluntly, feeling her body tense beside him. She shifted and sat up, her hair falling from her shoulder to cascade down her naked back.

Mio reached for a shirt on the ground and slipped into it. She pulled her hair from inside the shirt and climbed on top of him, straddling his hips. "That isn't a lie if that's what you think."

Madara put his hands on her thighs, brushing the surface of her pale skin with his thumbs. He could see small bruises forming from how hard he had gripped onto them when he had been making love to her. "But you left out a detail or two?"

She touched the red string bracelet on his left wrist. He bought it for her during one of his travels and she asked him to wear it, saying it would protect him.

"Yes," she answered.

"What more is there to that story?"

"You asked me if I discovered a way to destroy the artifacts before we left the Fire Country," she started, eyes on his chest, "I said I did, but that it would cost my life."

Madara rose a little on his elbows, eyebrows drawn in confusion. "Yes."

"The reason I went to Ayuka was to confirm my suspicions about the creation of the artifacts," she continued. "I was convinced that whatever Kiyohime did to create the Time Sphere left a mark. I believed Kiyohime left more than just these artifacts and that she must have left something to explain how they were created—or at the very least, hint at it. I figured if I could find whatever that was, I could find a definitive way to destroy them without risking my life."

"And you did?"

"But it risked my life," she reminded.

"Where did Ayuka tell you to go?"

"The Kuronuma Temple." She sat back comfortably. "Kiyohime hid inside the underground temple for years and emerged with the Time Sphere."

"An underground temple?"

"In the Swamp Country."

"That's the reason you and Takuto are moving the Kuronuma clan to the Swamp Country?"

She nodded. "I convinced Takuto that it was a good option for us using other details, but yes, the fact the Kuronuma Temple is within the Swamp Country is the reason I wished to relocate the clan. Although, I also liked the location because it sits fairly close to the Fire Country, particularly the location of the Uchiha Village."

Madara grew tired of being propped up on his elbows and reclined back. He watched her continue to speak.

"I left the Iron Country with only two things in my mind and it was from an old story. The Witch arose from the depths of an ice mountain—the daughter of gods and to the mountains of her creation, she absconded for ten springs, and rose from the depths with a globe filled with storms." Mio set her hands flat against his abdomen. "Murakami Keishuu encouraged me to spend some time at his mother's home to clear my head. That was where I met Keigo and where my journey started."

"What did you learn on destroying them?"

"I learned I wasn't strong enough. I wouldn't be strong enough for a very long time," she admitted. "It would take more than my current lifetime to reach that point. However, I also learned that with sacrifice anything was possible."

He didn't like that tone of voice. "What did you do?"

"I can't destroy the artifacts, but I am strong enough to weaken them to the point that our descendants can do it for us one day."

Madara sat up, alarmed. "How?"

Mio took his left wrist in her hand and turned it over so his palm was facing up, the wooden beads attached to the ends of the ties clanked softly. "I created an artifact," she revealed, "an eleventh artifact."

He closed his hand into a fist, taking it from her. "You said you couldn't create another artifact. You said doing so would put your life at risk."

She smiled sadly. "I did what needed to be done," she told him. "I am reaping the consequences of my actions, but I promise you, that so long as I am Shugosha, so long as I carry this artifact with me"—she grabbed the black cord that held her Time Sphere—"the Time Sphere will not let me die."

xl: I have a heap of creative projects due this month, so I'll be busy. But school is almost over, so I'll be free after that.

Thank you to MelissaFairy, unknownher, Misora Asuka, FlameCore, Loteva, torikai, and kawaii-teddy for reviewing. I apologize if I forgot someone. I'm on a deadline!

Thank you for reading, and please, feel free to tell me what you think!