I like this arc. We're heading into the dark, edgy part of my story now. X3 I like dark and edgy. The part where characters worst flaws are brought out. XD There are so flaaaaaaaws to be brought out. XD

Chapter Title: Frightened, I Tear Alone

Disclaimer: *Chiiiiirp* That was my hamsters saying I don't own Naruto. :)


Chapter Twenty-Nine

Frightened, I Tear Alone

Madara woke up alone, which was a strange role reversal for him. Somehow Yukiko had learnt how to wriggle away from him without waking him; either that or she'd drugged him. His leg was still constricted with pain although he only realized this when he tried to get up.

It was pointless at this point for him to do anything else but lie back down. He'd given up, he was injured. Sometimes even the great Uchiha had to be human and admit defeat when his body so sorely needed it.

"Oh, Madara!" Izuna chimed at the door loudly, holding a bowl with a look of pride. He couldn't quite tell what the bowl had in it though.

"What is it, Izuna? I'm…trying to think," he had to stop himself from saying 'resting'.

"Oh, yea, Yuki-chan said you'd be…thinking…" Izuna winked, bringing the bowl to his older brother. The smell of fish hit his nose instantly.

"What's this?" Madara eyed the bowl cautiously. It was shark fin soup.

"This…is a homemade meal! Like the ones you'd cook when we were living in that cabin by ourselves for a while," his younger brother laughed, handing it to Madara.

"Made by whom? It's not Atsuko again, is it?" he asked suspiciously.

"No, by Yuki-chan. Apparently her father used to cook it for her when…she needed to think," the young Uchiha winked before running out of the room yelling. "Have fun thinking! I've got work to do!"

To say he was suspicious would have been an understatement. Madara was becoming slightly paranoid. At the same time shark fin soup wasn't a food he'd usually avoid, that would be roe. However Yukiko had never made any attempt to say she could cook, always stating she wasn't sure what women were supposed to do if not fight.

Nervously he had a taste of the soup. It wasn't earth-shatteringly good but it was by no means bad.

As if by magic as soon as he'd finished the bowl the creator of the meal appeared at the door much less smug than his brother.

"What's going on?" he asked angrily, she shrugged her shoulders and took the bowl from him.

"Nothing," she laughed.

"I'm not…" his vision began to blur as he fell onto his back again. "You really did drug me…" he slurred.

"We've been doing this a few days now, Madara-sama, I'm very sorry," he heard her say, a gentle kiss placed on his cheek. "Rest well, Madara-sama,"

Yukiko sighed; she hated doing this to him. However Izuna had told them again and again that it was necessary in order for Madara to rest properly. As an expert in poisons she had to be the one to cook though, knowing the right ratio for the drug to be undetectable.

A medical-nin rushed in to work on his leg while they were sure he was asleep.

"I'll leave you to it," she muttered, heading down to Madara's office to get back to work.

Yukiko was actually starting to think of it as her office, having rearranged things for her benefit, even bringing Kibou's cage as she was spending much less time in his room.

Aoi was sat on a small desk she'd added helping with some forms as they prepared work that the Council would have been doing had they not all been imprisoned and awaiting trial…Which would have been presided over by the Council it had already been decided though that Izuna, Atsuko, Kohaku and Aoi would be taking over that role though if only for the trial.

"Aoi-kun, how are those statements coming along?" she asked, sitting down at Madara's desk and pulling out some notes to read over.

"Fine, Yukiko-san, we're just a few days away from being able to make a real case. How is Madara-sama?" she hesitated to answer him for a moment.

"Ah…He's resting just fine, he'll be fit and healthy soon!" she exclaimed, voice heavy with fake enthusiasm. Aoi looked at her with skepticism.

"You're worried about him, Yukiko-san," he pointed out bluntly.

"Maybe a little but I hardly see how that matters," Yukiko retorted with a glare. Aoi chuckled to himself at this though, surprising her a little. "Something funny?"

"You're both leaders but so…childish…" he laughed, trying to cover his mouth to hold back.

"Childish?" she scowled. What was there to be childish about? All she'd said was that it didn't matter if she was worried about him…

"Don't get me wrong, Yukiko-san, I respect you both greatly and my loyalty to Madara-sama is unyielding but…you both act so similar at times. Most of the clan don't say it but we really do think that this…attraction has blossomed into…"

"Get back to work, Aoi!" she snapped, cutting him off swiftly before he went any further and returned to her notes, quickly adding annotations and every now and again looking up to give him a stern look.

Yukiko didn't like being told other people's opinions on her situation. Every time Izuna pointed something out it would annoy her greatly now it seemed as though other people were going to join in.


Izuna wandered down to his own office, finding Atsuko sat in there alone reading a book.

"No work?" he asked, sitting behind his desk and glancing at all the tidied papers.

"No, Yukiko-sama has taken most of the work on herself, you could train, I suppose, Izuna-sama," the maid replied, yawning. Without Madara, she was growing as bored as Izuna.

"She's just too efficient. Actually, I've got an idea," he announced, standing back up and offering his hand to her. "Follow me, come, come," he beckoned. She couldn't help but smile as she took his hand.

"Where are we going, Izuna-sama?"

"To the Archives!"


Madara wandered aimlessly, through what seemed like an endless darkness.

"Madara-sama!" Yukiko's voice rang out through the lightless realm. "It'll be okay…We'll deal with this. I know someone who might be able to help,"

"Help with what?" he asked quietly. He couldn't shake this feeling of fear though, her hand on his. Was she right in front of him?

"Leave it to me, Madara-sama, please just trust me," she pleaded.

"Tch…Trust you?" he scoffed, feeling her kiss him.

"Trust me, I'll give you light," Yukiko whispered, placing her hand on his cheek.

"…Fine,"

"A light that will never fade, you'll be given it,"


"What'll we do when Madara-sama wakes up and realizes what's been going on?" Yukiko asked, having been called down to the Archives by Izuna.

"Oh I was hoping you could sleep with him, that'd get his mind off it," Izuna suggested only half-joking as he sat at his mother's desk.

"I doubt that'll even work and I'm not going to do that," she snapped although she couldn't help but wonder why he'd even brought her down here.

"Oh because you've never instigated anything," he laughed.

"Perhaps once…I hardly think it's your business, Izuna-san," Yukiko argued, turning to leave. The Uchiha grabbed her arm before she did though, pulling her to the desk.

"So moody, Yuki-chan, it's a perfectly fine topic of conversation," Izuna handed her a scroll. "Go back to his room and read this,"

She hesitated to move for a moment, not wanting to take the scroll from its Archives and if Madara found out they'd been back down here there'd be hell to pay, perhaps more so than after he'd figured out they'd been drugging him.

"You can go, Yuki-chan, there's nothing wrong with reading," he insisted, eyebrows raised and a smug look on his face.

"Alright," deep down all she actually wanted to do was get out of the Archives and away from Izuna if that meant going into Madara's room then so be it.

Yukiko had finally found a map to memorize which meant she didn't get lost on her way back up to his quarters at last.

Thankfully he was still asleep; she managed to relax a little bit as she spread the scroll out in front of her.

The Other Eye was the title and strangely had been written by Madara, meaning she had been right and he had managed to get into the Archives at some point and left this in there. However it wasn't all too clear what exactly it meant, having hidden real meaning in hints and clues.

To awaken the power, to gain the next stage, a non-brother's blood must be spilt and behold in its wake…The handwriting changed suddenly to what she presumed was Izuna's. The fall begins.

"The fall begins?" she muttered, glancing over at Madara's sleeping form. She got up, feeling brave enough to sit beside him. "What fall?"


"Nii-sama!" Tobirama yelled, rushing into his brother's room. "A daimyo is here to see you!"

Hashirama glanced at his wife who was stood at the door, Mito, for a moment who was fiddling with the seals in her bright red hair.

"Which daimyo?" he asked her.

"The Hot Water Daimyo and, perhaps more importantly, his wife Hisano-hime," she answered as she took a few steps forward and placed her hand on Tobirama's shoulder. "You should inform them that Hashirama is injured and as such they will have to take audience in here,"

The younger Senju nodded before leaving quickly.

"This will be about Yukiko," Hashirama sighed as he did so his chest ached; a well placed slice from Madara's sword had meant he was on bed rest for a week.

"I can't blame Hisano-hime for being worried, I would be if my niece was the lover of Madara Uchiha," Mito replied, sitting on a chair beside her husband's bed before taking his hand. "Are you really letting her stay there, Hashirama? She is…incredibly naïve at times,"

"She can be, but Yukiko is also much stronger than people give her credit for. Perhaps she can teach the Uchiha some compassion towards others," he explained, managing a smile. "No doubt we'll be seeing her again soon though,"

Keiji and Hisano entered the room moments later, Hisano opting to wear a formal kimono for the occasion in navy blue, silver floral pattern adorning it.

"Forgive me for the informality of this, I'm afraid I was badly injured in my last battle," Hashirama announced, taking his hand out of Mito's.

"Oh it's fine, Hashirama-san, we're not the formal type ourselves," Keiji had a frown on his face as he spoke though. "You're not too injured, are you?"

"Not at all, I'll be recovered in a few days I just needed some rest. What is it you come to see me about?" the Senju asked politely smiling all the while.

"We have a mission for the retrieval of Yukiko Ginhana,"


"You've been drugging me!" Madara roared in his office, Yukiko and Izuna standing before his desk with their heads bowed.

"Only so that you could rest!" Izuna argued. "And look! Now you're healed up and looking much better!"

"That's not that point, Izuna! I could have been training! And you!" now his attention was turned on the Ginhana who had managed to avoid most of his rage, just about. "How dare you go along with this!"

"In my defense, Madara-sama, I wanted you to be feeling better," she muttered. "But again I am very sorry,"

"Sorry! You're damn right you're sorry! I don't even know how to begin to punish the two of you!" he yelled, slamming his fist down on the desk with an echoing thump which made Yukiko flinch.

"Again, Madara, we were trying to help you! Sure we drugged you a little bit for about a week but that's not the point…The point is clearly you're feeling better," his younger brother countered, dragging his piercing gaze away from Yukiko.

"I may well be feeling better, Izuna, but that is only because my brother and woman decided they would drug me," he hissed. "Yukiko, go wait for me in my room. Izuna, you're coming with me,"

The brothers left, Yukiko sighing as she reluctantly headed back up to Madara's room.

His actual scolding of the pair had gone on for well over an hour and although it seemed to be over she knew he'd barely begun with her.

When she got up to his room she found a large eagle on his desk.

"Hey! What're you doing here!" she yelled, falling back against the door. The eagle screeched at her. "No, leave now. I mean it, go away," she snapped, drawing Kiyoshi.

The eagle flew straight for her, causing her to duck and roll as its talons gripped the door. It pushed itself off the door; its razor beck aimed for her face but instead collided with the side of Kiyoshi. She seized the opportunity to roll under the bed and pull out a kunai.

The eagle bent down, peering at her…


"Go away, Mishka!" a 12 year old Yukiko screamed from under her bed, a kunai in hand.

"Mishka!" Ritsuko ran into the room, calling the eagle back to her.

"Mother!" Yukiko wept, dragging herself out from under her bed, shaking.

"Yukiko!" the eagle flew out of the window as Ritsuko embraced her trembling daughter. "Honestly I don't know why that horrible aunt of yours insists on sending that filthy thing in here!"


"Hayate!" she yelled, the guard bursting into the room.

"Yukiko-sama!" she heard him shout.

"Go get Madara-sama, she only listens to trained bird owners," she ordered, the bird taking a snap at her while it could, cutting Yukiko's hand open. The eagle's golden eyes were watching her carefully.

"I'm an adult now, Mishka! Why on earth do you still insist on being like this?" Yukiko snapped, her bad day having reached the level of nightmarish.

The bird screeched angrily in response.

The door to the room opened once more, grabbing Mishka's attention.

"Madara-sama, this is my aunt's golden eagle, Mishka,"

"Get out of here," something strange happened in that moment. Mishka's eyes changed from gold into a Sharingan before quickly turning back to gold although her pupils were enlarged.

Rather dutifully the bird flew out and Yukiko crawled out.

"That was pathetic," he snarled.

"I actually agree," she muttered, cursing herself for still shaking at the sight of Mishka. "I'm sorry, Madara-sama, but she's attacked me ever since she was a chick and as she grew older she became more vicious and now it seems she wants nothing more than to kill me,"

"Bad people make bad birds," he recited earning a confused look from her. "It means that people who can't control their emotions train birds that can't control their emotions,"

"Can that really be true?" Yukiko asked as he, begrudgingly, helped her up.

"I believe so. Hoshi, like me, knows not to trust easily,"

She could hardly argue with him but she did retreat to the bathroom to clean her wound. Oh it felt so…nostalgic as she did so though.

She smiled gently to herself as Madara walked in, a bandage pulled out of his tool bag.

"Yukiko," he grabbed her wrist and quickly bandaged her hand. He still wasn't happy with her however he felt slightly better, she'd asked for him that's why. Something about her relinquishing control of a situation and asking for his help…

"Thank you, Madara-sama, and…I'm sorry but I'm glad you're feeling better," she admitted as she pulled her hand back.

"Tch, I'm going back to training. Try not to get mauled by anything else and just wait for me," he sighed, prompting leaving her alone again.

Yukiko yawned, opting to bathe instead of sleep though. It was that strange compulsion of hers to stay clean that always hit her when she was bored or stressed. Water calmed her.

She couldn't help but wonder, coming out of the bath and feeling remarkably relaxed to the point where she was lounging on the bed tightly wrapped in her towel reading a book Atsuko had given her about the Sharingan, if there was perhaps something that should have been taken from Mishka's sudden arrival.

Perhaps her aunt was passing by, a Daimyo and his wife would often travel around doing various peace and business talks and Mishka was always happy to follow Hisano.

Yukiko was so lost in her thoughts and learning more about the Sharingan that Madara managed to walk in there and look at her curiously for a few minutes before she realized, glancing up to the window to check the time and then noticed on the opposite side of the room was the Uchiha, trying not to laugh when she yelped in surprise and grabbed the bed sheets and almost rolled herself up in them.

"Madara-sama, you should knock," she muttered to him as he laid down next to her.

"In my own room? You need to learn your place," he laughed, the training having softened his mood.

"…Yes, well, maybe," she stuttered with a pink blush on her cheeks. Her hand clutching her towel very tightly as she got up and moved to his chest of drawers which she used one part of for her own clothes.

She quickly got dressed in the bathroom before finding Madara was watching her as she came back to bed.

"Why did you actually drug me?" he asked, his tone serious all of a sudden. She still had to be interrogated.

"I wanted you to rest," it was her honest answer, so why did he keep questioning her?

"Tch, what're you and my brother up to?"

"Absolutely nothing," surely his Sharingan would tell him she was telling the truth!

"Hm. I'll be keeping my eye on you, Yukiko," he growled, hating the fact that she was still willing to talk to Izuna…well part of him was.

"I have a bad feeling about Mishka," Yukiko sighed, her head on his chest like usual.

"It's just a bad bird. If it comes back I'll ring its neck," Madara threatened which caused her to laugh.

"I hate Mishka but please don't ring her neck. She's very beautiful," she couldn't help but enjoy that sweet lullaby of beats from his heart as she drifted off.

"Beautiful, yes, but much like your aunt…on the inside there's nothing but blood and bad blood at that," he murmured.

"That's not true…There are organs too!" she stated playfully.


"I don't get why you're looking so down, Nii-sama, we're getting Yukiko back," Tobirama boasted as he placed on his blue armour.

Hashirama sighed. "I realize that but it won't be without cost. Madara-kun will put up a fight and, I suspect, so will she,"

"Hey! We've known Yukiko for over 11 years not once has she attacked us…Well not to hurt us anyway," his younger brother tried to reassure him but Hashirama just wasn't comfortable with any of this.

No…If it'd been his choice none of this would have been taking place at all. He liked Yukiko and honestly he liked Madara as well, hurting both of them wasn't something he wanted but…It was never his choice to begin with.


Evening, Izuna-sama couldn't make it tonight as he was out training with Madara-sama so instead he asked that I do the author notes. I am Atsuko Uchiha. It does look like an awful lot is about to happen, doesn't it? Madara-sama won't be pleased with the Senju showing up, that's for certain. They were going to eventually. And Mad-kun isn't pleased with anythin'! Excuse me? We thought the segments were getting dull so we brought you guys in *yawn* They're still dull so now I'm here. Kagami Ryou, nice to meet 'cha. From another story, one that'll be on here at some point called Iris. Basically I'm from Mad-kun's future. Surely Madara-sama doesn't let you talk to him that way. Ah, you've got a lot to learn. Actually we've got somethin' in common. We're both maids although I double up as a healer too. I...see. Aren't you supposed to being askin' somethin'? If I stay here too long, Itachi-san'll realise I'm slacking, that won't end well. *yawn*

Right...Question time: Do you think Hashirama will actually go through with this mission? How will Madara-sama and Yukiko-sama react, do you think?

Nicely done. I hear the pitter patter of an Uchiha tracking me down so we'll make quick with the Chapter Title.

Next chapter title: Remember When We Were Young!