He felt the subtle surge of her warmed chakra approach, heard the grazing on the rocks from the kimono she wore. In a brutal attempt of will, he forced a glare to not form as he glanced her direction. A slight surprise twitched his shoulder as he noticed her hair down instead of neatly posed above her neck. The crimson tone over ivory reminding him of a fallen warrior, her stoicism impressive as she managed an unfazed glare down upon him. He said nothing as she walked forward, to the exact position wherein she stood daunt above him. Then, she made a great sigh.
Madara watched carefully as a smirk briefly crossed her visage before she turnt to look at the flow of the water. Chakra built in his hands as a familiar feeling crept upon him, distinctive as he recalled that of an enemy about to move forth in assault. Caution came over him then a sensation he had not felt lingering while around Mito. His left hand gripped slowly his scythe beside, irises already beginning to burn in preparation.
However, her delicate hand rested upon his shoulder instead, no sting or wisp of chakra stang at his nerves and the tension he had been building loosened minorly, still wary of her intent. A muscle gave a slight twitch within his shoulder in reflex. Mito looked upon him then in opposition to the river which had captured her interest, though Madara was near certain the woman had come to find him, not to simply walk along the shore. "Madara-sama, I apologize for my previous behaviour… I, myself, am greatly saddened by Naru's death. Though, I must mention I had noticed in previous, Naru..-sama had a… most peculiar chakra orientating from his abdomen." A heaving sigh came from the woman, her fingers twitched and she wore the expression of reluctance. Madara turned his gaze away from examining her peculiars, instead looking to the water and tracking the stone he skipped. Awaiting a prodding inquiry from the head Omega; one which he knew, he would not answer. "Do you know anything of it?"
He stood, uncaring of her hand falling away. Baring over her with his height, and near sneering down upon her entire visage as his hatred for the woman for once shone plainly for all to see. It was happenstance that the river was so far removed from civilization, a luck upon Madara's own repertoire, as she still bore higher position then he -to disgrace her would only burden his clan with a worse reputation. "I know nothing which is yours to learn Uzumaki-san" He emphasised the honorific, embers of anger had ignited under the span of the sentence, and a frigid cold had taken the air surrounding. "In addition, you have taken to dishonouring my bride several times, in both action and conversation; I highly doubt you to be a candid woman, least of all mournful of my hanayome's death. Actions betray you Mito... Curious is it not?: That you and Maiko happen to be acquainted in spite of your clan history, curious, that Miko-san decided to abandon the village, so soon before Hashirama mentioned an Omega of high standing within the Sarutobi who might lend assistance unto my situation." As he spoke, ire awakened his sharingan, baritone deepening under command of the anger slowly seeping through his voice.
Mito positioned her eyes to the direction of his wrist, staring upon it, the pale and pinkened cuts there with a burnt knowledge ingrained in her irises. Then, in odd form; sympathy, concern, came to dress her expression, a simper on her lips. "I do not think you know yourself Madara-sama. Are you of stable mind? Is Jiraiya-chan safe?" Madara backed, the form of their conversation twisting him. "You have self-inflicted wounds upon your wrist Madara-sama, it is well known that a man of self-harm cannot be of stable mind." He then understood her method, and his anger returned then at the dishonorable tactic she had chosen. "Do not worry Uchiha-sama, I will make certain to inform Hashirama-sama of my concern for your mentality." As she finished her sentence, he had a momentary, quite private panic within himself at the knowledge of what that may cause. Should Hashirama take action in concern for his health: His clan would worry for ability and likely proclaim Jiraiya as the official Patriarch, while having Naori run the family in his stead. His place as founder would be dishonoured as Tobirama made certain of his discredit to the village. But most certainly, Madara knew; Jiraiya would be taken from him in caution.
Naruto had known from an early age, as the understanding had come with a detestment of learning and the following years at the academy, he knew before even having read them; he hated textbooks. A position he maintained throughout all portions of his wayward life. While team seven had been whole, when it broke, when he'd become a traveller of the world, when he'd become a traveller of time and met the love of his life. Although, when he became a mother, he somewhat came to understand their use. His husband had aided in that, being as the man was one of education who harboured an experienced knowledge of the world; Madara had attempted avidly to teach his bride all the random facts he knew. Such as gathering herbs, hunting, building and repairing, how to identify clans by appearance. All information Naruto knew he wouldn't have cared for if learnt within the academy walls. However, the Uchiha did acknowledge that his homupowa had a special method of teaching, and were it not for the afterward nightly taijutsu he was taught upon a worn futon, he may never have paid a close heed.
Now, he was subjecting himself to the torment of learning through written information, somewhat in respect for his husband, but in another; searching for any scrapping of understanding as to how he may return himself to the village had come to love and that loved him, rather then the one where he remained hated.
Despite having found Jiraiya, he wished to see the boy grow, he held a hope for that to still happen for him.
The history textbook gave him a profound ire; for it was completely wrong. This was one which reviewed the time of the first Hokage, and it was the only period which Naruto knew well enough to declare as wrong: It stated several things, the first being that Hashirama had forged the idea of a settlement when he was a seasoned shinobi leading the Senju, and had chosen the Uchiha as partners for they would hold the most sway. The second being that Madara had no hanayome or children, which nearly had said matriarch punch through the table which he read; for Uchiha Patriarch's cannot simply die without an heir, the entire clan was dependant on the Patriarchal family, it also might have provoked him slightly that he had been said Matriarch and had quite proudly held the position.
Though that train of thought did remind him starkly that he should check on his son. The man was well enough to walk about, but not do anything tedious, and under the knowledge of whom exactly both his parents were Naru held the suspicion that Jiraiya was not exactly resting. It had been under heavy protest which he had brought the man back to Konoha, as it were -but after having received a hole to his chest, there was simply no manner in which Naruto was going to allow his only child to remain in the village of the enemy, let alone fight.
However, his lids were already dropping from the many hours he had spent in reclusive study, in worry for his son's wellbeing -even while he knew Tsunade's capability in medicine. He was quite exhausted, and the subtle humming from his futon had called him for a few movements of the shadows. While he regretted so much as saying it unto himself, he could acknowledge that this Hokage was a brilliant medic-nin, and that his son was a grown man capable of taking care of himself; Naru knew he did not need to check on him all the time to make certain he was sleeping proper.
So, he forced himself to bed.
He awoke on the cliffside, next to where the heads were -apparently- no longer carved. Hope sprung into his chest at that sudden realization. He looked around with a slightly fogged vision, the rock appeared as normal, but the trees around him were blossoming with pink sakura flowers. The scent drifting into his nose as he rose, a hyper panic beset within his mind and body. Naruto knew the vision he saw as that of the past, as that of the time where he had lived.
"N-Naru?..." He turned.
Before him came the most beautiful vision. The sight he thought he would not see again. He was different, as to be expected, his hair struck out in many and all directions darkened to the tones of the midnight sky. His skin was still a near stark contrast unto his own with the pale reflection marble remained jealous of. Two heads taller then his own minimal size, with muscles almost sprung from the summer yakata he wore. Naruto noticed more avidly that his ashen eyes were underlined far heavier then they had been previously with stress lines.
They gazed at one another.
"Madara…" Naruto heard his own voice break in relief and joy.
