Disclaimer: We don't own anything but Akane and Uchiha OC's, Masashi Kishimoto ©


With Senju Hashirama out on important business, his younger brother, Tobirama, was left to manage the rest of the clan, though managing the clan wasn't all Tobirama had in mind.

"Tobirama-sama," a shinobi said, knocking gently.

"What is it?" Tobirama set down the scroll he held.

"News regarding those spies you assigned."

"Come in." He moved to the door. "What is it?"

"Our target was spotted on the road with Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna."

"The brother I could have handled, but both…"

"What do you want to do?"

"We'll leave soon."

"But Tobirama-sama, you just said - Madara is there. Is this the best time? Especially with Hashirama-sama away."

"The fact he's away makes it the best time to do this. I don't need that idiot interfering," Tobirama said. "Me, you, and one other will set out within the hour, Kaname. Understand?"

"Hai."

"We'll just have to separate her from the brothers in order to avoid a big scene. The last thing I'm in the mood for is one of Madara's dramatic episodes."

"Understood. I'll arrange everything." Kaname began to leave but paused. "Word has it the Uchiha may have spies of their own. They might see us coming."

"Kill them."


"Madara, you stand out too much with your hair and all. Ever think about cutting it?" The Uchiha was in the midst of shoving dango in his mouth. He stared at her with dark eyes before turning his attention to the sweet dumpling in hand. He ripped it from the stick with his teeth before threateningly pointing the tip of the stick at her, expression never wavering.

"Don't ask stupid questions."

"Why is it stupid?" Akane pushed. He didn't answer, which made Akane frown. "Childish..." she muttered under her breath. Madara narrowed his eyes at the brunette for a short moment, but couldn't seem to hide the growing smirk, not quite sure if it was out of annoyance, interest, or both. He swore he would never understand how she could ridicule him so easily. The two ate in silence now, enjoying the bit of peace they could get. It was their only day off after all.

"Hang on, why did you give me the day off and then sprout some shit about me having to go to the clinic today?" Akane snapped, tired of all the frowning she'd done today. She wondered how Madara's face hadn't fallen off yet with all the frowning he'd done in his life, but she wouldn't dare ask him that.

"Shit?" Madara raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, shit," she said. He chuckled. Akane blinked in confusion.

"Not very lady like, Akane."

"I'm not trying to be ladylike at the moment."

"I find it quite rude. And you're complaining after all I've done for you."

"I'm sorry I don't behave the way you think a lady should, Madara. But I am grateful for what you've done. I'm just annoyed too. You're the one complaining about being here."

"I didn't complain about being here, Akane."

"Not here specifically, but here with Izuna and I. This mission," she said. He rolled his eyes, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.

"You're sounding like Izuna now. Shut up. I already explained why I came along," he said. Akane frowned, lowering her head slightly, and returned to her food. Madara looked at everything and anything but her.

"You know, I could say the same about you," she said.

"Hm?" he asked, only now glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"I don't understand you either. You do weird stuff. One minute you're being nice and somewhat sincere, then the next you're rude and nasty. I don't know which to take seriously. At least with Izuna he always treats me the same way. He's always kind." Akane's voice seemed to crack a little at the end, but Madara thought nothing of it.

"You aren't here with the Uchiha for us to be friends. You're here to aid us. Nothing more. Nothing l – "

"What if I want more!" She cut him off, tears threatening to spill, but she pushed them back. Madara turned to look at her fully now, his gaze, like usual, unreadable. He didn't say anything, which gave her a bit of confidence to continue. "What's the point of being here if - if it's not going to be any different than that piece of shit village I left? I don't want to be treated different because I'm an outsider! I've had enough of being the girl with no friends, the girl who can't stand up for herself." Her voice grew louder, though, she didn't notice it at first. Madara didn't say anything to stop her. Heads of passersby popped up and stared, but Akane continued on without a care in the world.

"I'm glad I found a few people here in this clan that treat me like a human being, but I'd really appreciate it if the person who brought me here - if he would at least treat me like I exist, like I have feelings, especially when I've done nothing for you to treat me otherwise!" Akane breathed, fists clenched tight. It was then she noticed all the faces staring in their direction. Why hadn't Madara just shut her up? She didn't panic. Not this time. She wouldn't.

Akane forced herself to calm down, at least on the inside, because if anyone looked at her, they'd see a flustered woman with quite the angry expression. Moving to her feet, she shoved the chair back under the table. She stepped passed the Uchiha leader and through the shop doors.

"I'm going back to the hotel," she said. Madara didn't say anything to her, not another word, and neither did she. Akane followed the way they came, taking long strides back towards the hotel. The brunette questioned how their conversation started off so joyous and fun, and made a turn for the worst. Her heart beat painfully in her chest. Never in a million years did she think she'd tell the Uchiha leader off in front of a crowd of people.

"I'm an idiot, aren't I?" Akane sighed deeply, looking back towards the shop. She half expected to see Madara strolling behind her, but he wasn't. She sighed again. Of course he wasn't. Why would he be? She was just a tool to him. Nothing more. Nothing less.


Instead of rushing back to the hotel, Akane roamed the local streets instead, exploring the tiny stores and stands to pass time and cool off. The sun lowered in the distance, and a cool breeze tickled the hairs on her arms. Every sudden noise, every presence she felt, she turned in hopes of seeing Madara, but he never showed, and she wondered what the feeling in her gut was: guilt for lashing out at him, or disappointment because he didn't run after her?

She glanced up to see the sun had set. Akane decided to head back, but instead found herself faced with a strange figure. She stiffened before the man, heart racing, images of her father flashing across her eyes. She took one step back.

"I need your help," the man said. She took another step. "I'm lost, you see."

"O - ok."

"Think you could help?"

"I'm not - I'm not really from around here. I wouldn't know -"

"Come on." He stepped out of the shadows to reveal a round face, short brown hair, and eyes just as brown, a deep brown, earthy.

"Please," she said, hand inching down her thigh to the weapons pouch. The stranger noticed but let her grab a kunai, figuring she wouldn't know how to use it any better than the average person.

"Since you're not going to help, you'll just have to come with me." The Senju lunged towards her. Akane moved out of the way, but he was quick and shifted to her other side, wrapping one arm around her neck and the other around her waist. Akane struggled against the larger body, and when she tried to swing the kunai at him, realized it didn't reach. That's when she remembered, remembered what she was capable of, what Izuna had helped her with. She stole a sharp breath, focused her chakra, and -

"You bitch!" he spat, stumbling away from her, both hands pressed against the gash in his neck. Akane gazed down at the chakra blade covering the normal kunai before glancing back at the Senju who now dropped to his knees. Nearly tripping herself, she turned on her heels and dashed off, never looking back.

After running for what felt like hours, Akane came to a halt, placing a hand on an old building as she took a moment to catch her breath, kunai still in the other hand. She scanned the area, cursing under her breath for ending up in a deserted part of town. It reminded her of the night her father attacked her outside of the hospital. Where was Madara to save her now?

Pushing the hair from her face, she started off again, but this time, when she felt someone lurking in the shadows, she didn't have time to react. Before she knew what happened, Akane was captured. Her eyes went dark, and all she heard were the deep whispers of the two men dragging her away. The kunai slipped from thinfingers, clanking against the cool ground.


Madara strolled into the hotel, a stick of dango in each hand. One for himself and the other for himself if Akane was still in that mood of hers. Biting his stick to free one hand, he opened the door to their room and stepped in. He immediately shut it behind him. No sign of Akane. Not a trace. He set the sweets on a small teacup plate and studied the room. Perhaps she left a note, but no. Nothing.

He stood in the middle of the room staring at nothing in particular, the gears in his head turning. He turned to the door.

"Madara, I'm spent!" Izuna jumped in. "Be a good Ni-san and rub my feet." He lifted a leg, wiggling it in his brother's face. Madara walked past him in silence. Izuna, losing and then regained his balance, went after him.

"What is it?" he asked, voice soft yet serious.

"She's gone."

"Akane? You lost her?"

"No."

"How do you lose a grown woman?"

"Izuna, silence. Something's not right."

"Hm?" Izuna looked up at his brother.

"We had an argument. She said she was coming straight here, but there's no sign of her. I can't sense her anywhere close by either."

"Oi, Nii-san, you don't think…"

"Senju are the only ones who know how valuable she is. To everyone else she's just an ordinary girl." Madara picked up the pace, marching out of the hotel. "If that dog Tobirama…"

"Let's go then."

"Ah."


Akane peeled open heavy eyes. She moved to put a hand to her throbbing head but found she couldn't. Glancing down at herself, she noticed her hands bound behind her back. Panic struck her. She sat up, mouth wide to scream, but Kaname, who sat nearby, moved quick, throwing a hand over her mouth. She squirmed against him, unable to hold back the few tears inching down her cheeks. She froze when Tobirama walked over to stand before her.

"Move," he told Kaname. Kaname was hesitant at first. "If you scream," Tobirama knelt to Akane's level, "well, do us both a favor and don't scream." Akane nodded, and Kaname pulled away. "Madara has you dressing like this? What else has he got you doing since kidnapping you?" he asked, eyeing her. Akane remembered her outfit, thinking she might have gotten a bit carried away when choosing.

"Kidnapping?" she said in disbelief. "He didn't kidnap me."

"You're telling me Uchiha Madara had nothing to do with where you are now?"

"Oh he has everything to do with where I am. He didn't kidnap me though." She sat up a bit more, wriggling her arms in discomfort. "You, on the other hand, you kidnapped me."

"Do you even know who I am, little girl?"

"Senju Tobirama," she replied, wondering where her confidence came from. It didn't matter. Confidence could be just what would save her.

"Does he talk a lot about me? Madara talks a lot. He's always saying something."

"He didn't kidnap me, back to your question. So if this is an attempt to save me, it's a mistake."

"So you just walk into the Uchiha compound to open arms and open homes?" Tobirama stood up.

"No. We made a deal. Madara helped me with….with an issue of mine, so I'm helping him in return. Hey, it's not your business anyway. Just untie me."

"I don't really feel like it," he said, picking at his nails. Akane narrowed her eyes at him. Tobirama had attacked her once before, Madara and Izuna hated him, and here he was again, belittling her and holding her captive. It wasn't confidence that drove Akane, but a bubbling - a growing hatred for the man.

"What - what do you want?" She dropped her shoulders with a sigh. Tobirama crossed his arms, chewing at his tongue. "Why am I here? You kidnapped me. I'm tied up. Please, I'm just - I was just traveling. I don't have anything -"

"Save it," he said. "You know we came after you before. I'm sure old Madara told you why. You've got skills we could use."

"So you attack us?"

"We're at war. Are you stupid? You think Madara would hand you over with a smile and thank you card? Honestly." He shook his head. "It just so happens that the valuable medic running around with the Uchiha also happens to be…" He formed a seal. Akane stared on with wide eyes, waiting for an answer. He never replied. Instead, Tobirama threw a summoned scroll at her. Akane, who earlier cut her bonds with a chakra blade, caught the scroll without meaning to.

"I know you cut yourself free. Don't look so guilty," Tobirama said. She turned to the document with a clenched jaw, scanning detailed graphs and notes.

"What is this? It…" She recognized many terms, but couldn't understand the product as a whole.

"Keep - keep going," he said. Scrolling through, she eventually made it to the end. She looked up at Tobirama, scroll falling from her hands. She aimed to speak, but nothing came out. Wanted to move, but couldn't.

"What - what is this? What does it - what?"

"You know full well. You may be stupid, but not that stupid. You're a medic after all."

"But this says - it says -" She couldn't find it in her.

"Yes, yes, Akane."

"My name? You know?" She crumpled the edge of the scroll without realizing, head spinning, heart hammering against her ribs.

"We have more in common than you think."

"No. No -"

"I'm your brother, Akane," Tobirama said.

"No. No!" She jumped to her feet. "No! I had one brother, and he died a long time ago. Is this some sick joke? A ruse to get me to join your side? No matter what, I'm not betraying Madara!"

"Sit. Down." He pointed to the ground. She fell quiet but remained standing. "Would I go to all this trouble? Forge a DNA test? What would even prompt me to think we were related? You're a miserable girl from a miserable town."

"You're sick! And you're at war with the Uchiha. You'd do anything to gain the upper hand. Anything to gain a weapon like my jutsu."

"Ho, Madara's trained you well. Brainwashed so quickly? I'm impressed."

"He didn't do anything!"

"The facts are in that scroll. We're related. I'm as surprised as you are. I didn't train my entire life in hopes of finding my long lost sister. It just happened."

"How?" Akane paced, tugging at her hair. "Tell me!" She pointed a finger.

"Some of that Uchiha charm is rubbing off on you…" He eyed her. "Stop yelling or I'll quiet you myself." Now he pointed a finger. "As for how Hashirama and I were graced with this sudden revelation, well you can thank Kaname over here." He pointed to the shinobi quietly standing by. Akane turned, eyes on Kaname. The name at first meant nothing to her. Just a shinobi with the same name as her dead brother, but now...looking at him, the way he stood, his eyes.

"You -"

"It's me, Akane."

Her world tipped, and Akane nearly hit the floor. She caught herself, clinging to the nearby tree. Tobirama sighed, irritated, tired. He formed another seal and the scroll vanished. Akane held herself, felt the knot twist in her stomach, struggled to breath.

"Kaname, grab her. We need to get moving." And just as Kaname moved to touch her, she shoved him back with a thrust of chakra and bolted. "Tch." Tobirama rubbed his face. Akane sprinted, praying her legs wouldn't fail her. She ran and ran, screaming when she hit a hard mass. She looked up, immediately falling quiet at Madara's stern expression, a finger held up to his lips in a shush.

She circled behind him, a hand on his arm.

"Senju Tobirama and one other shinobi," she whispered. "There was a third, but he's not here." She jumped, spotting someone to her right, but eased into Madara when she spotted Izuna's sharingan.

"You dropped this," Madara said, handing her the kunai from earlier. "You might need it." As Akane opened her mouth to speak, Madara threw an arm across her chest, pushing her back to dodge the blurred figure that zoomed by.

"I was trying to avoid seeing your face, but it doesn't look like things are going my way," Tobirama said, glaring at Madara.

"Oh? Why so mean?" Madara said. He cracked his neck, crimson eyes never leaving the white haired Senju.

"Well for one, you've taken what's mine." Tobirama pointed at Akane.

"And what would that be?"

"That medic."

"Sorry, but she's the last one. You'll have to look elsewhere."

"I'm not leaving, Madara. Not without the woman."

"Challenge me, and you won't be leaving at all." The Uchiha shifted the slightest bit, hand resting on the handle of his sword. Akane swallowed hard, kunai trembling in her hand - though she was more afraid of Tobirama mentioning they could be related than an actual fight.

"Tch, arrogant as always, Uchiha. I'll have you know -"And before Tobirama could finish, Izuna appeared, crouched low before him, sword drawn, ready for a massive blow. He swung, but Tobirama dodged, barely.

Akane stared on with parted lips, never before seeing a dead serious Izuna; an Uchiha intent on killing the man before him. It sent a shiver down her spine, the good sort, the thrilling sort.

With Madara and Izuna handling Tobirama, Akane was about to sigh in relief but held her breath instead, whipping around to see Kaname lunge towards her. Without much thought, chakra shot to the edge of her blade, and she readied herself to fight, taking a stance Izuna had shown her during one of their training sessions. Kaname charged, aimed to hit, but it never came. Madara was too close. Hidden up in the trees, Kaname realized the only way to get to Akane was to separate her from Madara, Tobirama's original plan. Swallowing hard, he moved in towards the Uchiha leader.

Akane stumbled away from the crossfire, pressing her back against a thick tree, knuckles white around the knife. Izuna and Tobirama battled not far off, the clashing of swords ringing loud. Madara sensed Kaname waiting to attack, and so he too waited to strike.

"Didn't think you'd see me again, eh?" Akane stiffened at the words, turning slowly to see the shinobi from earlier, bandages wound around his neck where she had stabbed him. Something about him, about his eyes, his voice, the way he confronted her the first time, too similar to her father, too unsettling. "We need you alive, but that doesn't mean I can't rough you up a little for what you did to me." He attacked, sending her back, hitting the tree hard. Akane dodged a punch and ran towards the others, but he appeared before her in an instant with his own kunai and twisted lips.

"Stay away -"

"I'm really tired of these games. Do me a favor and cooperate." He inched towards her. He moved again, quick, knocking Akane to the ground. He stepped over her, legs on either side, gazing down with cold eyes. He threw out an arm, closing a fist around the collar of her top and yanked her up aggressively, coming face to face. In that moment, something shattered in Akane.

Not a second later, a rush of chakra ruptured from her knee, nailing him, knocking the wind out of his lungs. And before either realized what was happening, Akane had him on his knees with a hand around his throat, hitting, once, twice, three times, four times, stabbing him until her arm up to the elbow was drenched in blood, stabbing him until he stopped squirming in her hold, stabbing him until she couldn't bear the ache in her arm.

She stepped back, watching the body fall over with a thud. Akane lifted both hands, gazing down at red stained palms. She stood numb, deaf, blind to all around her, suddenly dropping to her knees with a spine chilling scream.

Madara, after knocking Kaname back, turned, eyes widening at the sight. What had Akane done, and how had she managed to do it?

"Madara -" Izuna was not quick enough. Abandoning the younger brother, Tobirama took advantage of Madara's surprise and attacked. Though skilled and fast, the Uchiha could not fully dodge the Senju, Tobirama's sword tearing through his side.

Madara took a step, nearly stumbled, a hand pressed against the wound. He turned to Tobirama with a wave of his own sword.

"Now we're talking!" he said, lips curling up to that smirk of his. Izuna landed softly beside his brother.

"Tobirama-sama," Kaname managed between coughs, moving to his side. "We should retreat."

"We'll do as I say."

"Sir, we're outmatched. Madara and his brother? Two sharingan. And she killed Jirou. Let's pull back." Kaname waited, a hand pressed to his own wound. Tobirama eyed the brothers, turning his face with a click of his tongue.

"Fine. Let's go."

"Not so fast!" Izuna charged, but Madara caught him by the back of his shirt, keeping him in place. "Madara!" He looked up to see the Senju had vanished. "I had them. Now they're gone."

"Killing Tobirama won't be so easy. Don't get worked up," Madara said. "Besides, we have a mess of our own to manage."

"I told you, you ruin everything." Izuna brushed himself off with a huff. "You're wound doesn't even look that bad."

"I'm not the mess."

"Hm?"

"She is." He pointed to Akane, still on her knees. Izuna thought to run over, but Madara held him back again, this time pushing his brother to the ground.

"What the hell?"

"Now is not the time for your sappy words of encouragement and all that garbage you two partake in." Madara started towards her. "Give her time." Izuna sighed, taking a moment to gather himself while Madara handled Akane.

"Oi," Madara said. Akane didn't move, hands in her lap, a few lingering tears. Madara glanced at Jirou's body. A mess. Crouching, he picked the kunai from her fingers and tossed it over his shoulder. He closed a hand around her upper arm and pulled her up with him.

"Izuna," he called out, flinching at the sharp pain in his side, having forgotten about his own wound for a moment. "We're going."

"Ah." The younger jogged over and followed close behind Madara who led Akane off, fingers tight around her arm. Izuna too, glanced over at the body, a feeling twisting in his gut, one he didn't like; though, as much as it bothered him, he couldn't begin to imagine the toll it took on Akane.