"I don't own Naruto" disclaimer, just my OC's. Thank you.
Meanwhile
Harumi slowly opened her eyes, it is dark. To her left is a faint light, turning her head she sees a single candle flickering in the darkness. It looked like it is on a table or desk of some sort. Harumi moves her right hand to help her sit up. A sharp pain explodes across her arm and chest. A hiss escapes her mouth.
"Ah, you are awake. I wouldn't try to move if I were you, you are very injured," A deep voice called out to her from the shadows.
Harumi bit her lower lip and forces herself to sit up.
"You don't listen well, do you?" the voice asks.
"I would rather be sitting than laying down when introduced to someone," Harumi replied. Proud of herself for keeping her voice level.
"Oh, I see. Well then, would you like some tea?"
"No thank you."
"I won't poison you, I need you alive."
"That is not very reassuring," Harumi told him. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she is able to see that she is laying on the ground. The air is a musky, which means she must be in a cave or someplace underground. Pulling her knees up to her chest, ignoring the radiating pain from the movement, Harumi wraps her arms around her legs. "Who are you?"
"Oh yes, well you can call me Uchiha Madara," the voice says.
"Come into the light," Harumi says. Straining her ears, Harumi can hear the whisper of movement across the floor, she turned her head to the direction of the sound. Harumi's mouth drops open when a tall man, wearing the standard black shinobi black pants with socks almost the entire way up to his knees. He wore a skin tight black long-sleeved shirt with a high neck. Around his waist was a belt, on one side was a long leather holster for something and on the other was the more familiar pouches. The last thing Harumi noticed, probably by design from the man, was the orange mask, that was held in place by a large black cloth that wrapped the entire way around his head. He walked forward, Harumi saw the small tray in his hands, a small tea pot, along with two tea cups on it.
"I hope I won't have to restrain you, it would be a pity to damage yourself further."
"Why wouldn't you need to restrain me?" Harumi asked, steeling herself to get up.
"Well first of all, there is no way for you to get out, we are in a maze of underground tunnels. Secondly, you are currently in no position to be trying to get away. I did tell you that I need you alive."
"Why?" Harumi asked, forcing her chakra to heal the cuts and bruises, hopefully her capture wouldn't notice.
"You are the bait, you see," the man poured the tea into cups, "I have no problem with you. I just need Hatake Kakashi, the self proclaimed, 'perfect shinobi tool' to come here, once he has arrived, you will be free to go."
"What do you want with Kakashi?"
"We have unfinished business, he and I. But don't worry your pretty little head about it," the man turned with the two cups, he held one out to her.
Harumi glared at the cups in his hand.
The man sighed, setting the cups down, he moved his mask slightly and took a sip out of each cup, "There, see, no poison hidden inside."
Harumi shook her head, "No thank you."
The man shrugged, "Let me know if you change your mind."
"What unfinished business do you have with Kakashi?" Harumi worked to keep her voice steady, to keep the insult out of her voice, pretty little head indeed.
"If you must know, I will have to tell you a story."
Harumi glanced around, "I don't have any place to be."
The man leaned back against the desk, "I suppose that is true. However, once I start, I need you to not interrupt me and to know that this is the truth."
Harumi nodded, "I will do my best."
"This story starts with an orphaned Uchiha boy. He was raised by his grandmother, who tried her best, but she was old and had a difficult time raising a boy full of energy. While other children were learning how to control their chakra and the basics of taijutsu, this boy was learning how to help people. He would stop and help the elderly as they shopped. He would help little girls rescue their cats who were stuck in trees. He learned to smile, when others of his clan would call him worthless or stupid. He would laugh off their insults, because his grandmother told him that one day, he would be a great shinobi, a proud member of the Uchiha clan. Once his Sharingan was awaken, he would become the greatest shinobi in the world.
"It was this faith in him, from the woman who raised him, the boy brought with him into the Academy. It was this faith that created his dream to one day be Hokage." Madara leaned back against the desk, settling himself firmly as he crossed his arms across his muscular chest.
"The young Uchiha boy entered the Academy when he was five, just like everyone else. For Konoha had just ended a war, and they would need more soldiers to replenish those who had died. Such is the burden of those born during war, they must grow up quickly in order to fill the spots left by those who died.
"It was there at the Academy that the boy met Hatake Kakashi, who would later become his rival. The Uchiha boy wanted to befriend Kakashi, after all, they were both going to be great shinobi one day. However, Kakashi was full of pride at being the famous White Fang's son and he looked down on the Uchiha orphan who was late to the opening ceremony. But it wasn't the young Uchiha's fault, he stopped to help one of his grandmother's friends with her groceries and she walked very slowly.
"Time moved forward, the Uchiha boy worked hard, trying to master the things that were taught to him. He would consistently fail, but that didn't upset him, he just tried harder. He would ask for some tips from the prodigy Kakashi, but Kakashi had no time for one such as the Uchiha boy. Kakashi ended up graduating the Academy in just one year, leaving the Uchiha behind.
"Again, the Uchiha was left alone. The first person to actually look at him, not just through him, even if he looked at the Uchiha like he was a joke, Hatake Kakashi would look at him. Those in the Uchiha clan, didn't see the boy, because they saw him as weak. He would just be another useless Uchiha. The Uchiha would try harder, he would work harder, because he had a dream and his grandmother believed in him.
"Then one day, the Uchiha came home and found his grandmother dead. From what the police and medics said, the woman took a nap and just didn't wake up. The boy was now truly alone. The boy gained a new dream, to make his grandmother proud and to prove that he was great shinobi. To be the greatest Hokage the Leaf Village had ever seen.
"The years continued to move forward, nothing important happened, well except for one thing. The boy met a clan-less girl who would also look at him. She would talk to him and ask him about his day. She would also ask for his help with jutsus, while she would help him with school work. The boy fell in love with the girl. He changed his dream again, to be strong enough to protect the girl, to make his grandmother proud and to be Hokage.
"Then one day, the day had finally come! The boy was to take the final exam, to take that first step to finally achieve his dream! He passed the test and he was placed on a team. However, this team wasn't a normal team. The team consisted of the Uchiha, the girl and a chuunin, along with the jonin-sensei. This was unusual; however it wasn't unheard of. The chuunin was supposed to be some sort of prodigy, which would explain why he was the same age as the two-brand new genin.
"The Uchiha was excited! The first person outside of his grandmother to see him, was going to be on his team! Finally, Kakashi would see him as something other than an Academy child. They would be equals, at least closer than before. They would be shinobi of the Leaf. The Uchiha was excited! He was on a team with the girl! He could continue to see her everyday and to see her grow. He would be able to protect her."
Madara paused for a moment, shifting his position and crossed his legs, "What is that old saying about the best laid plans? Well the orphaned Uchiha learned very quickly that he wasn't the only person who had changed during the past years. The Kakashi he knew was gone. In his place was a person who was doing nothing but spouting rules like they were holy texts. Kakashi was still full of pride and still unwilling to help others, however he was willing to work as a team, when sensei told him too.
"Days continued and the tension between the two boys continued to grow. Everything Kakashi was, the Uchiha wasn't. Everything the Uchiha held dear, Kakashi scoffed at and looked down his nose at. This tension continued to grow, with each insult, with each sigh, with each punch. The team grew in strength, able to push aside their differences while on a mission, leading them to be a formidable team, one to be feared.
"Then one day it all came to a head, the team sensei was late and Kakashi said yet another insult, the girl once again defended Kakashi and the Uchiha boy just snapped. Kakashi and the Uchiha fought. Not sparred, which has rules and limits, but a full-on fight. The girl cried and yelled at them to stop. They must have caused enough of a racket, that their sensei jumped between the two and quickly buried both boys in the dirt, with only their heads visible.
"There the sensei gave all three of them a long lecture about working as a team. How teamwork was essential to survival. The boys listened, for one doesn't ignore their sensei when he is serious."
Madara turned slightly and picked up one of the tea cups, lifting his mask he drank before offering Harumi the other cup.
"No thank you," Harumi replied, caught up in the story. That poor child, all alone in the world, no one to believe in him. Her heart went out to him, all he wanted was for someone to see him and not give up on his dream.
Madara set his cup down and continued, "Things got better for everyone, it wasn't perfect, but at least some of the tension was gone. Then came that day. The day Kakashi was promoted, the day where everything fell apart.
"You see, Kakashi was promoted to jounin during the Third Shinobi War. This was a difficult time for the Leaf Village. War meant casualties, war meant promoting children faster and faster to ensure their forces were enough to continue to repel the enemy. However, once Kakashi was promoted, the team was given a new task. This one was vital to the war effort, this one could save lives!
"The Uchiha was excited to do this mission. It meant that he was one step closer to completing his goals. This meant that he was gaining the respect of the current Hokage, that his team was getting stronger, which means more important missions! The Uchiha was going to become a force to be reckoned with. He would awaken his Sharingan on a hard mission for sure.
"This mission was where everything fell apart. It was during this mission that the Uchiha finally gained his Sharingan, which was a cause for celebration. However, it was also the mission where the girl was kidnapped. The Uchiha had failed one of his goals. It was during the attempt to get the girl back that Kakashi lost his eye, the Uchiha had awakened his Sharingan. It was during this mission that the Uchiha gave his eye to his teammate. It was this mission where the Uchiha orphan, the child who worked hard to be strong enough to achieve his final goal of becoming Hokage, was left for dead.
"All he asked of Hatake Kakashi was to protect the girl, to achieve his goals, to grow up and make the Uchiha proud. Kakashi promised to do all those things. Kakashi failed in each promise.
"After the boy was left for dead, he was taken in by me, I healed him with some help. I brought him back to life from the brink of death. During his recovery, the boy would talk about returning home. How he was happy that Kakashi was there to continue to protect the girl. How together the three of them would become unstoppable.
"Then one day the boy heard that his teammates were close and in danger. The boy left to help them, I tried to convince him to stay, he wasn't strong enough to live through a prolonged fight, but he was insistent. He left to go and help his friends. He had trouble getting there and when he did arrive, he felt all that was good in him die.
"Kakashi, the one he gave his eye too. The one who had to do nothing but protect the girl. Had his arm buried up to his elbow, in the girl's chest. He murdered the girl! The only girl the Uchiha had ever loved! The Uchiha returned to me a broken man. He would sit on his bed, and stare at nothing. He would cry. Then he would rage. Rage at Kakashi for failing, rage at the injustice of gifting his eye to someone who couldn't even follow a simple promise.
"Eventually the boy was able to calm down and to think. Eventually he was able to start training, get himself back into shape. He decided that Kakashi would have to pay for his failure. The boy grew into a man, a man who is finally ready to face his foe, the one who failed, the one who couldn't protect the Uchiha's precious person."
Harumi stared at Madara, this story couldn't be true, could it? Kakashi would do anything to protect his teammates, even endanger himself. This didn't sound like him. But then she remembered, the rumors about Kakashi, just before she graduated the Academy. "Friend killer" they called him. Could this be what they were talking about? Shaking her head, Harumi stared at Madara's mask, "So all of this is because someone you care for is angry at Kakashi and has sworn vengeance?"
"Isn't that enough? Hatake Kakashi killed his most precious person, he failed the one promise that was given to him."
Harumi nodded, "I can see that. I also know that Kakashi is wracked with guilt over that failed promise. I know that Kakashi pushes himself harder and further than anyone else, just to ensure that his teammates will come home. It was a horrible tragic failure, but one that Kakashi is spending his life to ensure never happens again."
"So, because he has learned from his mistake, he should be forgiven?" Madara's voice dripped with contempt.
"Of course not, however, it should be taken into consideration. At least his feelings and reactions should be. Just as the Uchiha's thoughts, feelings and reactions should be considered."
Madara scoffed, "I will leave you to think then. Food and water, along with tea will continue to be brought to you. You are safe here. As I have just explained, I need you as bait. You would be inefficient as bait if you were dead. I would like this to be a comfortable stay for you, however I am not opposed to retraining you if needs be." With that final sentence, Madara walk away, back the way he came, disappearing into the darkness.
Harumi leaned against the wall, trying to figure out what she was going to do. The shinobi rules for being captured filtered through her thoughts.
1. Don't get captured.
2. If captured, stay silent
3. Look for any means of escape
No where in the rules was there something about chatting with your captures. However, this could be a good shinobi bad shinobi lesson, or even more likely this is a way to become friendly and to create bonds between Harumi and her captures so that she is less likely to cause trouble.
The main question though, is this whole thing really about Kakashi? If Madara were to be believed, and Harumi had her doubts on that, then this whole kidnapping thing was orchestrated because Madara's student wants revenge. Again, not sure how believable the whole situation is, but Madara was insistent.
Now what was she supposed to do?
How could she use this to her advantage?
Harumi leaned her head against the wall behind her and started to think. She would need to focus and work hard to ensure she thought of every single possibility and create a plan for that. Because no matter what Madara said, Harumi was sure she wasn't going to get out of this situation alive without some help.
AN: Alright, I decided that we should have a couple more chapters before radio silence from me, so here you go, the first chapter. What do you think? I hope I kept this close to cannon, let me know if I left major holes in it. Don't worry, more will be revealed as we continue along. We will also be changing point of view more often, so expect shorter chapters, just to keep everything clean.
Also I am putting a quick poll up on my profile. If I were to write a birthday party omake, similar to the Christmas on, whose birthday would you like to see?