Chapter ten – Bigot
'Bigot' derivesfrom the Middle Ages French term of abuse for religious Normans who would frequently use the term "By God". It refers to a person who refuses to discuss, consider or listen to beliefs or theories contrary to his own.
They came to the boarders of Senju land at nightfall half a day later. Hashirama invited them to sleep and eat before starting with the barrier since everyone was weary from the journey. But Mito refused and wanted to get the job over with.
So Hashirama and the Uzumaki started going over where the boarders should be and how people would enter, while the rest left for the village.
Naruto had gratefully accepted staying the night, but also told Hashirama she was leaving soon for her own self proclaimed mission. Which was basically to infiltrate the Uchiha village and start beating some sense into Madara without getting killed in the proses.
...Easy…
The Senju village gates was heavily guarded when Naruto, Kurou and Itama arrived. The blonde spotted ninjas following their every step like hungry hawks as Itama led them towards the main entrance. A ninja guard with spiky, sandy brown hair met them in front of it when they tried to get through.
"Itama-kun, it's good to see you back again. But where's Hashirama-sama?" He asked looking worriedly behind the Senju to his two guests while combing his hair with shaking fingers.
"He's right behind us, Tamotsu-san. Going over some protection shields with Uzumaki Mito-san who joined us back home." He said as they were given access to enter. "This is Uzumaki Kurou-san and Namikaze Naruto...-san. They came back with us from Uzushiogakure." He explained while pointing to the indicated person in turn.
He never used honorific when addressing Naruto, so he'd slipped up on her name when introducing her. The guard named Tamotsu looked relieved and gave them a nod before going back to his post.
"We should have some supper first. Come on, we can eat at our house before I show you where you'll stay." Itama suggested and led them through the small village.
Naruto whirled her neck around in every direction to get a good look around as they walked. She found out quickly that the atmosphere was pretty depressing. Most of the people outside their houses looked tired. Many were wounded and in general the most cheery guys she could find seemed well past their alcohol tolerance.
Ignoring the singing drunks by the only open bar, Itama led them to a two story building not far away from what looked like the town centre. Naruto noticed how many of the houses seemed abandoned. As if they once had been in a lot of activity and full of life inside the timber structures before their owners suddenly left them. It was a heartbreaking sight.
Inside the house they where met by Tobirama. "Welcome home Itama, where's brother?" He asked as soon as they had stepped across the door frame. The worry in his voice was clear to all of them.
Naruto was taken aback by how much Tobirama had grown. Long and slim, not yet as built as she knew he would become, but strong for a sixteen year old and probably the fastest of the brothers.
The thing that truly got her attention however, was the changes to his face. His nose looked to be crooked and he had a gash down the left side of his face. It reminded her of the scar Kakashi had over his eye, except this one was a lot rougher and clearly not from a kunai. It looked more like someone had beaten the hell out of him a while ago and he'd healed, but with a few reminders to spare. The Hokage monument nor the edo tensei Tobirama had those characteristics as far as Naruto remembered.
"He's coming soon, Tobi. He's doing some security seals with Uzumaki Mito right now. Do we have anything for dinner? We'll need to make enough for three extra people who'll eat with us tonight. By the way, look who I brought. We found Naruto in Uzu."
It was first now Tobirama looked at the strangers and noticed the blonde girl.
"Naruto? Mah, I thought you were dead." He exclaimed, looking at her with his head tilted to the side. After a second he seemed to realise what he'd just said. "Oh, I apologize, that was rude... Welcome in. I'll see if we can get something for all of us while we wait for brother." He said and ushered them inside.
Naruto and Kurou looked curiously around while Itama gave them a short tour of their home. It was a bare house with few possessions or ornaments. There was not even a couch in the living room, but in the window Naruto spotted two pictures that looked out of place in the empty house.
One was a framed wedding photo of a newly wed couple. Butsuma was easily recognisable, even with the uncharacteristic small smile on his face. Naruto thought the couple looked odd, one was stoic and firm while the woman looked filled to the brink with happiness. It was probably his mother Hashirama got his personality from, but took more appearance wise from his dad. Just like Naruto in fact.
It was also apparent that the situation was the opposite in Tobirama's case. He acted more like his father but was a male version of his mother in looks. Naruto concluded that Itama was a very obvious mix of the two.
The second picture was of four boys standing outside the house in better days, The house appeared new and filled with children toys around the front door.
Hashirama looked a little younger than Naruto had ever seen him, but not by much. He had his hand around another boy Naruto didn't recognise. He had dark eyes and a cross shaped scar on his cheek with light hair like Tobirama. Naruto guessed it was the last brother of the sibling flock who'd died. Kawarama, she thought his name had been.
"That was taken right before our brother died." Explained Tobirama from behind Naruto. She looked back over her shoulder to the middle brother and gave a small smile. "It looks like he was a happy boy." She told him genuinely. There was a wild grin on his face that mirrored Hashirama's exactly. Nothing like the way Itama and Tobirama smiled in the picture.
Tobirama nodded while he studied Naruto. "He was, but that's also what got him killed. Kawarama preferred to play games more than train compared to the rest of us. It's a brutal reality for a child around these parts." Tobirama told her and crossed his armss in front of him.
"I know." She muttered and looked away from his narrow eyes and back to the lively boy in the picture.
With a jolt Naruto realised Itama should have been missing from the household just like Kawarama was. It was stupid she hadn't thought of it before, but she'd never in her own time heard of a Itama Senju. Most likely he had died the day she met him and saved his life from the Uchiha. It was truly a sobering realisation for her, and one Naruto couldn't believe she had overlooked.
"Why didn't you stay with us when you saved Itama? Before the incident with Madara my father talked about letting you join our village." Said Tobirama and tilted his head to the side, as if a different angle would help decipher the mysterious young woman. "And then you joined Uzushiogakure. Was it because they're at peace and we aren't?"
Naruto straightened up and looked back at Tobirama. He was very good at reading between the lines, she remembered that very well from fighting alongside the older edo tensei version of him. She knew without listening to Kurama's advise that she had to be careful with her words.
"I needed to grow stronger Tobirama, there's little you can achieve without power for us ninjas. I share the same dream of Konoha as your brother, and he once told me that no one would listen without growing strong first. I now know that from experience too. I also had other obligations which forced me away from Fire Country." She answered, trying not to go into the details. Was there someone who would start questioning her intentions then it would be this Senju.
"And now you're strong enough?" Asked Tobirama with one raised eyebrow. His scepticism showing in his tone, but his face remained open and curious.
Naruto thought fleetingly about Black Zetsu and felt her fists clench. "No… Not yet, but maybe this is a war which has seen too much power as it is."
It was an unusual cheery dinner that night inside the wooden house in the Senju village. The three brothers seemed to enjoy the two and a half Uzumakis company. Laughter could be heard far into the evening as they caught up on the brighter things that had occurred in the last six years.
Hashirama and Mito had been effective. They had already taken up the barrier within a couple of hours, and when they returned it was to the smell of dinner ready on the table. Mito looked dead tired, but kept up with the rest until a little before midnight. At that point she simply fell asleep against Naruto's shoulder.
Deciding it was time for bed, Tobirama led them to the guest house they were to stay in while making sure they had everything they needed. Mito fainted as soon as her head hit the pillow, while Naruto, who shared a room with her, dozed of slowly.
But she didn't get to sleep for long.
Naruto woke up early. She'd already asked Kurama to wake her up around four, and the fox had enjoyed his task. Trying to rub away the sleep from her eyes Naruto rose from her bed and silently got dressed.
She had planned to go before any of the others were awake and start on her way to the Uchiha village. It was around a day's run over there and if she wanted to get there by next say around noon she would have to leave now. Naruto rummaged through their backpacks and rearranged things until she had everything she needed, and left the house while the other two slept on.
Before going she decided to leave a scribbled note by the Senju brothers door. Explaining exactly what she was about to do and hoping against hope they wouldn't be too angry. The chances were slim, but a girl could hope.
Naruto left through the gates with a wave to Tamotsu who was the only guards to see her departure.
Naruto stood shifting from foot to foot. Wondering how the hell she was supposed to do this.
She was hiding behind some boulders in viewing distance from the Uchiha village. The home of the Uchiha clan was located in the middle of a large field which stretched widely out on all sides before the field hit the forest. It must at some point have been trees here too, but the Uchiha had cut them all down to build their village. Today it looked like an open landscape with a village placed in the middle.
It was noon by now, and the sun was grilling the backside of her head as Naruto contemplated how to break entrance into the stronghold of one of the two strongest ninja villages in the world.
Should she just go up and knock on the door? The Uchiha had short tempers - Naruto had plenty of experience with that already - and they might try to shoot her down before she got a word in.
She could try and sneak in, but she suspected that could make her seem a little dodgy if she just appeared in the middle of the village. Between her and the Uchiha members her hair colour did stand out a bit.
'Just burn the damned village to the ground.' Suggested Kurama.
Naruto shooed at him, and stepped out from between the boulders.
Okay, she was just the messenger. Nothing to fear. None of them remembered she'd stabbed one of them in the leg once... Right? It was years ago. They probably didn't remember a thing.
Trying to seem more confident then she felt, the small, blonde and young woman marched up to the front gate and knocked without hesitation.
No one answered, so she knocked again. And again. And again.
They couldn't all be out. What sort of clan left their village unprotected? Definitely not the one Madara was in charge off. She could also plainly feel the hostility from the people on the other side of the stone door.
"Okay! Open up! I know you're just on the other side of this gate, dattebayo. Ten in front of me and two a little higher up!" She shouted through the stone gate.
It did the trick.
Naruto had barely finished shouting before the gate opened quicker then she had expected.
Next moment someone had grabbed her by the collar of her haori, and dragged her inside. The gate slammed shut behind her. Looking up she saw red swirling Sharingan on every corner, and felt a massive amount of killing intent.
"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here?!" Shouted the one who had her in his clutches.
"Oy! Let me go you bastard. What did I do, eh? Mah, you should start remembering your manners, mister. I came here to meet the Uchiha leader. I have a message or two for him."
"Oh, you want to see the leader, missy? You won't get to see anyone but the hilt of my chokutō if you don't tell me in this instance what the hell you're doing by our gate." He said and tightened his grip while the rest nodded along to his words.
"I told you, sir. I want to speak to the leader. Do you have problems with your hearing?" She fired back.
Naruto knew she was making the situation worse, but hell, these Uchiha were just too arrogant for their own good.
"Oy! Watch your mouth, bitch." Shouted another as the guy holding on to her haori raised his previously mentioned chokutō.
"And I thought the Uchiha was supposed to have great eyesight, you should have them checked, teme! A bitch is a female dog, not a human woman." Naruto continued, heeding the threatening blade by her throat little interest as she rambled on.
"I knocked didn't I? What the hell is a girl supposed to do to contact you Uchiha? Walk out in the middle of a battle? If this is you at your most welcoming, I'd hate to start reasoning with you during a fight. Geeeesh..." She whined to them, and with a swift, firm grip around her assaulter's wrist, she wrenched the arm away so his blade pointed to the side.
"Now... I think I have to make myself clearer. I wish to speak to Uchiha Madara, could you please point me in the right direction? Which I by the way know is to the left and about six houses down the street."
Unsurprisingly to anyone but Naruto, it didn't go very well.
She could hear Kurama groan when the blonde was led through the village with nine blades pointed at different body parts. She might be kick-ass, but they were still Uchiha. They could get lucky and actually hit something if she tried to get loose.
But at least they were finally doing as she asked. Marching her directly to the building Madara was located in. She knew it was the right one, since she'd noticed his chakra from her hiding place behind the boulders outside the village.
Being pushed roughly inside a very dark room with no windows, she was thrown to the ground by three of the ninjas.
"You bastards! I just said I wanted to see the leader, there's no need for violence. You don't want to be on the receiving end of my secret finger Jutsu: One Thousand Years of Death, dattebayo!" She shouted at the retreating backs. A couple gave her the finger, and she stuck her tongue out back at them.
"Naruto?" She heard a deep, husky voice say from somewhere in the dark.
It was eerily similar to the voice Naruto sometimes had nightmares about.
Immediately she was on full guard and stared wildly towards the voice. But the young man that met her stiff gaze was not the insane edo-tensei bastard she'd fought during the fourth war.
It was just Madara.
"You recognised me? Hashirama didn't, you know. How on earth can you see anything in this darkness? Have you heard of windows, Madara? I hear some light is good for you." Said Naruto, trying to ease the tense air in the room.
"You're alive..." He answered, not looking away from her face. Naruto got up to sit on her knees in front of him in the dimly lit room. Only a candle next to where Madara sat gave any light at all.
She noticed someone was sitting in a dark corner of the room. What the hell were they doing in here during daytime anyway? It was awfully dark in here, and it seemed strange to have conversation in such bad light...
"Well obviously! It takes quite a bit to kill someone like me, Madara. How are you doing? Quite the reception comity you have out there." She replied, rolling her eyes.
Naruto thought she herd him snicker, but couldn't be sure.
He got to his feet and moved closer, making her able to see him a little clearer. His hair had grown long and spiky by now, and he looked very different from the boy she'd met up on the Hokage mountain. Madara was slim and had started getting rings around his eyes, looking tired and haggard.
"You should sleep more, Madara. You don't look so good." She said studying his face with squinted eyes to see better through the darkness. It didn't help much.
"And you look beautiful." He answered simply. His voice as monotone as his face.
Naruto felt her cheeks heat up, and for the first time she had no reply. It was a deer in the headlight moment for her while she tried to come up with a witty reply.
"What brings you here, Naruto? I'm glad to see you alive and well, but I doubt this is a social visit." He asked, walking right up to where she was sitting. His feet almost touching her knees where she knelt, now having to crane her neck backwards to keep his face in view.
"Well, I also wanted to check up on you. You're my friend Madara, even if I'm not yours. I'm stubborn that way, dattebayo. But I also have some other business. First; Hashirama asked me to give you this." She explained and reached into her pockets.
The person in the corner tensed up at once and she heard him reach for his weapon, but Madara stayed calm. He just kept looking down at her.
She took out the envelope and handed it up to Madara.
"Another letter of reconciliation?" Asked Madara, and without waiting for Naruto's reply the envelope was on fire. She huffed angrily as she watched the letter burn to ash in his hand.
Getting to her feet she realised she was now shorter than Madara. Damn, she'd enjoyed being the taller for once when they where kids. It looked like that the happy times were long gone.
"Now listen here, Madara! He really wants this war to end and you once wanted that too! Why are you being so stubborn? Can't you see there's nothing to be gained by continuing this horrible battle?" She asked while stubbornly poking him in the ribs. Hard. He didn't seem to notice it.
Maybe Itama had a point when he said Madara had gone 'bonkers'.
"Are you here because of Senju Hashirama? Then get out, Naruto." He said, still maddeningly calm and without emotion.
"Of course I'm not here just because of Hashirama, I also came here to help you! To give you a hand in protecting this place." She said and crossed her hands across her chest.
"But I have to admit my welcome here has been a record low, and if you can't deal with my status as neutral, than I think I'll take that dismissal. Goodbye." Naruto huffed and turned on her heel, only to get whirled right back again by Madara.
"… Sorry…" He said awkwardly. Finally starting to resemble a human being instead of a zombie.
Whomever was lurking in the shadows stepped forwards so Naruto finally could see who it was.
"Izuna! My, you grew taller." She said and smiled widely at the boy who reminded her sometimes of Sasuke.
"Naruto, nice to see you again." He answered in a low voice, but not nearly as deep as Madara's.
"Glad to see you both alive and kicking! Well, partly I should say. Madara seems to be impersonating some sort of statue." She told the younger brother, but it was Madara who smiled. Really smiled.
"It is nice to see you again, Naruto. I'm sorry for our behaviour but you have to be the most reckless girl I've ever met. I could hear you all the way from the gates. You shouldn't pick a fight with the Uchiha guards. I knew you had a habit of speaking before you thought, but by kami, do you have no sense of self preservation?" Madara asked and stepped backwards a bit.
"I have no sense of self preservation? Who of us just burned down an offer of alliance and the way to stop your men from being killed?" Naruto retaliated, still pretty pissed off. Madara didn't seem to hear her anger, he just continued smiling.
Which freaked her out a little.
"You mentioned something about offering us some protection? What on earth was that about?" Asked Izuna, stepping forwards to stand next to his brother. Damn, even little Izuna was taller than her. At this rate even Itama was likely to grow taller than her.
"Yes, this." She said and picked up a scroll from the same pocket as the previous letter had been in.
Madara reached out his hand to take it, but Naruto snapped the paper away and didn't give it to him. "Sorry, but you can only look at it if you promise me and your brother that you will not activate your Sharingan. Oh, and your brother has to turn away." She said looking sceptically at Izuna.
"I promise on my honour as the leader of the Uchiha clan that I will not use my Sharingan to copy whatever is on this scroll." Madara replied in an exasperated tone.
Naruto grinned as she started to recognise her friend.
Looking pointedly at Izuna – who rolled his eyes but still turned around – she opened the scroll for Madara to see. He looked intently at it for a while, and as promised he didn't activate his Sharingan.
"This… Is a barrier shield…" He said, his voice sounding disbelieving.
"Yes." Naruto answered.
"A powerful fuinjutsu shield..."
"Yep."
"That will stop anyone not pre-approved from entering the village."
"Mhm."
"And you can activate it?"
"We'll find out."
Madara looked annoyed from the scroll and up at her.
"Hey! I'm pretty decent at seals. I've been taught how it's supposed to be used. I'll do it, dattebayo." She said confidently.
Kurama's grumbling rang inside her head.
She pocketed the seal and grinned to both brothers. "See, not so bad to catch up with old friends once in a while, eh' Madara?"
"I see Hashirama every other month, and I have to say it hasn't done me too much good."
"You two need to sort this out, dattebayo!"
Izuna seemed to get angry with her words and snapped. "Shut up. You don't know anything about this war. The Senju needs to be put down every single one of them. What would someone who's never had anyone know about loss." He muttered while staring daggers at her.
Naruto was so close to snapping at him. Telling him she knew perfectly well what that felt like. Yet here she stood, trying to help the man responsible for taking away everyone she'd ever loved.
Instead she took a step towards Izuna, her voice shaking to hold in her fury and said in a low, dangerous tone. "I think you are the one who don't know what you're talking about."
Madara cut in as the two was about to get into a real fight. "Okay, calm down you two. We don't fight in here. If you want to spar, the training ground is right around the corner." He said half jokingly. Naruto and Izuna however seemed to find this perfect.
Marching out the door and leaving a surprised Madara behind, he hurried after them.
The sunlight seemed harsh as Naruto stepped outside, and she was blinded momentarily from the contrast of the dark room.
Not knowing exactly where she was going, Naruto just tried to keep up with Izuna. Soon they were by the Uchiha training ground which had their emblem carved into a large rock on the side of the field. Madara followed, looking bemused from his brother to the pumped up blonde.
As they took their places she looked down at the ground before grinning wickedly to Izuna. "I won't even need to move from this spot, little boy." She taunted from her side of the field while pointing downwards at the earth by her feet.
"Oh yeah? I doubt you'll last five seconds." He replied with ire.
Madara rolled his eyes and lifted up his arm while both waited breathlessly at his signal. Sighing he let it sharply fall vertically.
Naruto and Izuna shouted in unison: "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" And next second both stood there with five clones each on their respective side of the field.
Madara snickered.
Turning angry like a tiger Naruto bellowed to their referee. "What the hell, Madara?! I knew teaching you that technique would come back and bite me in the ass!"
"Language, Naruto. The kage bunshin is quite a popular one on the battlefield, it has been for a few years now. After all, numbers mean a lot when you're in a war. All the Uchiha use it you know. The Senju too." All six Naruto stomped their foot in annoyance at the same time.
"See if I ever teach you a damn thing ever again!" She growled and the five clones charged.
Izuna mimicked her, damn take that Sharingan.
They met mid distance and a tajutsu fight broke out. Izuna seemed as talented in tajutsu as his brother was as he dispelled every clone he could manage. But Naruto was far from as inexperienced in hand to hand combat as she'd been six years ago. In the end she still had two clones left after dispelling all of Izuna's.
The two clones pelted at Izuna, who caught one by the fist and dispelled the other when he twisted sideways and kicked it hard in the ribs. He reminded Naruto a lot of Sasuke while he gracefully got rid of the remaining clone with a hand chop to it's neck.
Izuna turned with one eyebrow raised as if to say, is that all you got?
With an annoyed sound she started preparing her next move while Izuna went through hand signs.
Naruto grumbled and crossed her hands in front of her, mimicking Madara on the sideline. "Fine, I guess we both were wrong. Five seconds has gone by and it looks like I will have to move to beat some sense into you." Naruto shouted while Izuna got to his last sign.
"Katon: Searing migraine!" The Uchiha shouted and shot fire towards the ground. At first it didn't look all that impressive. The fire looked like something Naruto could have avoided by running quickly through it if it had been aimed at her. Once it hit the ground however, it spread like there had been oil littered across the training ground in a roaring inferno.
Naruto jumped high up in the air and held her left hand around the wrist of the other. She was focusing on the movements of chakra in the palm of her hand as she started going downwards again, picturing the flow and the seal as she landed softly in the only area still not being licked by flames. "Fuinjutsu: Katon absorption palm!" She said and hit her hand hard to the ground.
The seal expanded in waves outwards and drained the fire jutsu into itself while she took Izuna's confusion to her own advantage, and rushed towards him at top speed. He blocked her kunai with his chokutō but had no time to stop her left palm smacking him in the face as she cried; "Pressure intensifier, Seal!"
Izuna jumped backwards, but that was as far as he managed to go. Next moment his body felt like solid rock, and he collapsed on the burned ground as if a boulder had collapsed over him.
"Wha-" He gasped as he realised he could barely breathe any more. His legs caved in and he was forced heavily downwards.
The last of the fire in the corners of the training ground disappeared and Naruto was standing at a safe distance with a smug smile.
"You sure got good, Izuna! But it will take a little more time before you can land a proper hit on me, dattebayo." She gloated while bouncing from foot to foot.
"What… did you…?" He said through clenched teeth.
"What is that seal?" Asked Madara curiously.
Realising what the surging feeling to his chin had been when she'd slapped him, Izuna swore, or at least he tried his best to. It sounded more like moaning from the pressure which inhibited him from forming words.
"It is a gravity seal. Izuna feels a lot heavier now. Don't talk Izuna, you could damage something if you try and fight it. Just wait a second and I'll release you."
She walked over to the young man lying flat and helpless and put her hand to his cheek. "Release."
It was at this point Naruto noticed the spectators around the field. A few of them looked put out while others looked impressed. Madara seemed indifferent but stepped forwards as Izuna started breathing easier while staggering up on his knees.
"My turn."
He was standing with his left hand resting on the shaft of his gunbai Ushiwa and his right around a kama. The weapons were connected together by a long chain which rested on the ground.
For a moment that thing was all she really noticed.
The gunbai reminded her of a very brutal battle during the fourth war. Naruto wasn't sure it was the exact same one as Obito and Uchiha Madara had used to repel and return her own attacks against her, but it sure looked very much alike.
"Sure."
Naruto looked challenging back at him but felt far from as confident as she'd been with Izuna.
"Let's see how you've grown." She added and jumped back to her side of the field again while the still panting Izuna halted back to the sidelines. Seemingly still in pain from the seal.
"Keep in mind Naruto, that we're still in my village. Nothing too damaging if you please." Said Madara while putting one hand on his hip and lifted up the gunbai over his shoulder. The chain connected to the end of the shaft clinked against one another as he contemplated her. When his head tilted downwards his spiky chin length bangs fell over half of his face.
He looked almost like she remembered him now.
Only the red armor was lacking. Instead he was wearing a long, dark hippari with a wide collar and the Uchiha emblem on the back.
No one was giving the signal this time. Both stayed tense, waiting for the other's reaction.
Madara leaned backwards, and then charged.
Naruto didn't move. She stood with her legs spread evenly as he came at her with his kama. The sound of metal on metal echoed through the grounds as she met the sickle with her kunai far down on the hilt, almost as close to were his hand was gripping it.
A struggle of strength occurred, but Naruto, while not as strong physically as the Uchiha, had the kunai so far down that Madara couldn't use the momentum to his advantage. Instead he swung the gunbai in his left hand at her, and she had to fall back not to get blown over.
It would be difficult with a close range battle, and she'd known that from the start.
Madara threw the kama towards her and Naruto dodged again, before he retreated it by the chain while Naruto went through hand signs and inhaled deeply.
"Fūton: Vacuum sphere!" She shouted, and the wind chakra gathered in her mouth shot towards Madara. He retreated while he attempted to block her attack using the gunbai as a shield. But he was still thrown backwards hard, and crashed into a few of the onlookers.
He got up again with one eyebrow raised while dusting off his shoulder. It was so eerily familiar that Naruto had to swallow.
In unison they ran at each other, clashing in the middle with a loud smacking sounds of fists and metal.
Izuna was surprised by how intensely they where fighting.
Madara could actually kill the young woman if he wasn't a little more gentle with his kama. But in that moment Naruto managed to kick his brothers wrist, forcing his hand to loose the blade which clang as it hit the ground.
Both charging yet again and apparently forgetting that they both still had weapons, a taijutsu fight started up. Many of the Uchihas was cheering for their leader while Izuna remained quiet.
He watched as they danced, because it couldn't be called anything else. His brother had the Sharingen reading her every movement but hadn't let his Mangekyō activate. The spectators started shouting even louder.
"You can do it boss!"
"Go Madara-sama!"
"End her!" Shouted Katsu who'd been one of the guards dragging her in earlier.
But the younger Uchiha brother was now smiling.
For all his annoyance at losing to the blonde, he couldn't feel too bad anymore. Even his big bro seemed to be struggling to get a hit in. His older brother. The strongest Uchiha he had ever seen, and even better then his father when he was only sixteen.
They suddenly launched backwards, Naruto stumbling, while Madara landed gracefully. He took his opportunity and at full speed he was above her, in his hand was one of Naruto's own kunais which swung towards her head.
Izuna was about to shout at him to stop, he would cut her neck off if he didn't.
Half an inch away from her throat the blade came to an abrupt stop. The blond staring frozen up at the spiky haired young man who had her at his mercy.
Naruto looked up into Madara's face as she realised he'd won. She'd just lost for the very first time against her friend in this time line.
He removed the kunai from her neck and extended his hand. She took it and was helped up to her feet.
"That was fun, dattebayo! Man, you've gotten better, Madara. I knew you would be tough but I never thought you'd actually win." Naruto rattled while he let go of her hand and smiled. It was a rare sight for the onlooking Uchiha to see their leader looking so cheery.
"It sure was, Naruto. We have to do a proper match one day with less restrictions. I know you have more things up your sleeve." He said and lead her over to Izuna on the sidelines.
"Impressive, Naruto. To get that close to beating big bro. I spoke hastily earlier didn't I?" Izuna said sheepishly. Naruto nodded and looked back up at Madara.
"Now to that barrier. Should we get to it right away? I'll have to come back every other month to renew it, but it should be more trouble than the Senjus could break through." She said and looked around.
"People also has to be approved by the seal. If I cast it, and everyone you want to get freely through is inside the village, then they will get approved at the same time. The problem are those who're outside the village. They will have to be approved individually later. I have some seals you could activate yourself. It's basically just my signature, since I'm the caster it's my signature the barrier wants. I can leave them with you when I'm done so you to give them to the Uchihas still outside."
"That sounds good to me. I'll sleep better if I knew the village couldn't get infiltrated at night. It would give us all a long needed break." Madara said and started shoving her the boarders he wanted included.
"You look like you need it Madara." Said Naruto teasingly but clearly meant it. The rings underneath his eyes was contrasting his pale soft skin. She wondered how long it was since he got a whole night's sleep.
After the fight was over there was a round of applause for Madara while Naruto rolled her eyes. Izuna led them in for a quick bite to eat before they set to work. Soon Izuna found himself trailing the duo together with Katsu, listening to their light bickering while they found out where the barrier should go.
While still annoyed at her naivety and lack of understanding of the war, Izuna quite liked Naruto. His brother - who hadn't mentioned the girl's name once of own fee will in six years - seemed to have truly missed her.
Maybe his reluctance had been the sign Izuna had missed. As Izuna listened to Madara insulting Naruto's wardrobe he thought his brother looked more carefree then he'd been in the last two years since he took over the leadership of their military forces.
He only acted this relaxed in private when it was just the two brothers, but now Madara was like that for everyone to see. It seemed to do good for everyone's moral to see him so much lighter. It calmed their worried minds - Izuna's included.
One thing Izuna could read plain as day as he watched the two workers, was that his brother was smitten with her in his own awkward way.
Izuna couldn't give a damn if she wasn't an Uchiha and it wouldn't be appropriate. Anyone with fighting skills like hers was more then worthy for someone like his older brother who deserved only the best. But most of all he liked the idea since he suspected it would make the Senju furious.
Coming back into the village it seemed the events on the training ground had spread like wildfire. Everyone was out on the street and giving them a lot of attention.
When they came to the area where the sealing would take place Madara helped her find the best spot to work from. Naruto needed to be as centred according to the boarders as she could get to create the boarder. The village wasn't a perfect circle, but oval enough for her to envision how the borders would be placed, and needed as much symmetry she could get.
Naruto sat down and started working, but didn't take up the seal again. She just started going through hand seals, biting her thumb and started drawing on the ground with her own blood.
Izuna watched in fascination as the girl worked. On Madara's orders no one was allowed activating their Sharingan, as had been part of the deal. Izuna wondered why the girl took Madara's word without a second thought. He also wondered why on earth Madara seemed to take it for granted that Naruto wouldn't let the Senju in by giving them that signature she talked about earlier as well.
Naruto seemed to trust him completely whenever he gave a promise, and Madara didn't fail the trust. As she worked Madara stood a little behind her while keeping watch that no one broke their agreement. Izuna guessed Naruto would be needed later to recharge the barrier, and that she wouldn't if they started copying her abilities.
After ten minutes of constant hand signs, drawing in the dirt and many alarming spikes of chakra burst coming from the blonde, she clapped her hands together. Very similar to the way Senju Hashirama did when he used wood release.
"Seal!" She shouted, and at once it was like she was being dragged in many directions at once.
Madara stepped forwards while everyone else stepped back. Her chakra was visible in the air around her, going vertical and horizontally out from her chest and then in spirals. It looked slightly like a very violent chakra extraction.
Like something was drawing out her life force where she sat.
"Naruto." Said Madara alarmed, getting as close as he dared.
The girl didn't answer and gave no indication she heard him from her positing inside the chakra maelstrom.
Then it went deadly quiet, and everyone looked up to see a dome had appeared around them. First it was littered with black kanji all around, then slowly it faded and became completely transparent.
Turning back to Naruto to exclaim his happiness with everyone else, it was just for Izuna to freeze with worry. No words escaping him because of the scene in front of him. Naruto choked, her eyes rolled backwards in their sockets and limply she fell sideways unconscious. His brother running forwards to catch her.
Author note: Thank you so much for reading!
I have to admit I struggled badly with Izuna and Naruto's spar. I rewrote the whole thing several times and I'm still not sure if it works…
Please forgive any grammar mistakes, I try to avoid them, I truly do.
The weapons Madara was using:
Kama – a type of sickle.
Gunbai Ushiwa – A large, guitar formed non folding fan. Obito and Madara uses it in the manga.