Winter Night
Chapter 4
"Hey!" Fourteen year old Hashirama said, picking up a rock lying in the riverbed. "Look, it's purple and you can see through it! I wonder if it's worth anything… Do you want it?"
Madara snorted, looking at it over his shoulder. "That's nothing. It's probably just a plain old amethyst. It's not very big and it's not cut or polished yet. When I was little, my grandma told me there used to be a place called the Land of Crystal where there were diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires in every color in the rainbow everywhere- just laying around on the beaches! She said that it was a place where there weren't any poor people and that everyone wore silks and jewels every day. The whole island was an oasis of wealth unlike any other place in the world. They built huge temples to their gods and covered them in gold and jewels too!"
"I want to go there!" Hashirama said, carefully putting the amethyst crystal in his pocket. "We can look for the treasury!"
"Maybe. But she said that eventually they were attacked in wars by three much larger countries one right after another and they ran out of the jewels on the beaches trying to pay the soldiers. Then a gigantic earthquake caused massive tsunamis and struck the island where it buried all of the mines and the royal treasury. With their wealth lost, all of the people had to move away because during the wars the attackers put salt in all their fields and they poisoned their only fresh water supply. They couldn't afford to bring in food anymore. It's been about a thousand years, and all that's left are the ruins that were reclaimed by the jungle long ago. That's what I want to see! The treasure thing is kinda cool too. But a land untouched for a thousand years? She said it's haunted, but I don't believe it. We have to go there someday, you and me. Because if we find the treasure we could build our village!"
It might be silly, but Hashirama still dreamed about that day often. And this morning he awoke first, as usual. He was warm and Madara smelled good draped over him from behind. He squirmed around to face him and watched him sleep. He looked so handsome, as always to him but tired too. The temptation to pounce on him was strong and Madara might get mad if he didn't.
But they were really doing it! They were on their way to the Land of Crystal- together! Hashirama couldn't wait to check out the local dock. He wanted to see if there were any fishing boats in the village that might give them a ride down the coast to one of the larger towns. There they could find a faster boat that would take them to the Wind Country and then southwest to the mysterious Land of Crystal.
Madara had been the first one to tell him of the Land of Crystal, and he'd never forgotten it. The stories said that the place was empty but that didn't mean that it actually was! There were legends of all kinds of mysterious places across the world, some were actually abandoned, many more were not.
And even if it was empty it was still going to be an adventure! A lost civilization? Being the only people to set foot on the island in untold years? That was amazing all by itself! Add in the possibility that there was lost treasure there and it was irresistible!
And if the place was still populated so much the better, they could help everyone and meet a whole new ninja clan. Who knew what kind of powers they might have? But either way, once they got things under control, they would be able to relax and enjoy the beach for a few days before heading home to Konoha!
Anyway, as gently as he could he climbed out of bed and quickly got dressed. He wandered out into the main room of the cottage. A little girl and her mother were preparing breakfast on a primitive cookfire in the center of the room.
"Good morning, I'm Taeya. This is my mom, Mika." The child said, she looked like she was about six or seven. "Is your friend awake yet?"
"No, not yet."
The woman smiled. "That's alright you have some time yet before breakfast. As our only guests you are both welcome to join us since there aren't any restaurants here."
"Thank you," Hashirama said. "I'm going to go take a look around outside then."
"Okay! Then I'll come and find you when it's ready," The child said.
Hashirama smiled. "Thanks, Taeya."
He put on his coat and wandered out into the morning. The sun was not quite up yet and it was still chilly. But it was obvious that it was going to warm up considerably here as opposed to the frigid cold at home in Konoha. Perhaps they should have moved the village farther south. He sighed, after all the spot they picked was definitely the best for defense and security.
The dock on the water here was little more than a crude jetty and pier made out of random boulders and mud with a bunch of wooden planks stretching out into the water at the end. But there were several boats out in the bay fishing and there was another one sitting at the dock.
As he approached the lone boat, an old man poked his head out of the boat's small wheelhouse. "Who are you, what do you want?"
Hashirama smiled. "My friend and I are in need of a boat to take us to-"
The old man shrugged. "My boat ain't in shape for a trip down the coast. But that blue one out there in the water, her captain is often willing to rent it out for short trips. I can send my grandson out there to bring him in. By now Akira should have caught a few fish for dinner at the very least. You can ask him yourself."
After his initial refusal Hashirama was surprised that the old man was willing to help them after all. He smiled and bowed. "Thank you!"
The old man just waved him off as he lit a cigarette and wandered back into his boat. A moment later a boy of about ten poked his head out.
Hashirama smiled and waved him over. The boy hurried to join him. "Hey, Grandpa said you need me to go get that boat?"
"Yes," Hashirama said looking at the map he'd brought along with the letter yesterday. "We are at Gulf Cove, right? Well, we need to get to the city of Minseok. We need to go to the Wind Country and then farther south and west."
"Really? What for? There's nothing out that way," The boy said. "But why don't you just fly? That gigantic bird you were riding yesterday was amazing!"
"Thanks, I'll tell my friend that you think so," Hashirama grinned. "But we usually try to hide that we can do stuff like that."
"Oh! I'm sorry! I'll just go ask Akira if he can get you to Minseok. You're staying at the Inn, right? This won't take long."
Hashirama nodded. "Yes, thanks again."
"So, why didn't you wake me up this morning?" Madara growled behind him.
"Obviously, you're still tired. I was going to go come and check on you in a moment. Everyone seems nice here."
"They need the money visitors bring in, and obviously they don't get many of them. Half a dozen straw huts and a dock made out of toothpicks? Every boat out there looks like it's a few minutes from sinking. Why don't we just fly?"
"Relax and think of it as a river cruise."
"Yay, a slow boat ride in the land that time forgot. No doubt we can swim faster than your rental boat sails."
"Probably, but that little boy saw your pet last night. He likes it, but can we afford to keep making mistakes like that?"
"I admit, I could've landed a bit farther away from the village, but I didn't want you to stay out in the cold any longer. You fell asleep right away as it was. I am glad you didn't come down with a fever overnight."
"I wasn't cold that long," Hashirama rolled his eyes. "And since when are you a mother hen all of a sudden?"
"If we're going to an ancient island that may or may not be a warzone, I'm not dragging you there sick. Not when we could be doing things that are actually fun, fighting, like having sex on the beach or looking at the ruins."
Hashirama winced when a small voice giggled behind them. "Breakfast is ready!"
"Ignore him," Hashirama told the little girl.
The child giggled some more. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. And Mom and I already knew he was your boyfriend. Anyway, come on! Let's eat! We're having egg fried rice!"
"I'm going to start ignoring you if you're not careful, Hashi," Madara grunted. But he followed Hashirama and the girl home anyway. "But how would that woman know anything about us?"
"Well, we're still in the Fire Country and we're famous- both together and separately, maybe?"
"Infamous in my case," Madara sighed.
"I brought them, Mama!" The girl said quickly running to the table that had been set up in the corner of the room. She patted one of the small, thread bare cushions next to her. "Come, sit down!"
The woman brought the food to the table and they all sat down.
"So," She smiled as she dished up their food. "What are the Founders of the Leaf Village doing here? May I ask?"
"This is good, thank you. So, you must be a shinobi as well?" Hashirama asked.
"Yes. I actually grew up in Minseok, far from here. My parents ran a very large Inn there. But now I serve the Daimyo here. As small as the town is, this area is strategically important to the Land of Fire, joining us to the Land of Tea. I mean no harm, I was simply curious."
Hashirama nodded. "Well actually I was wondering if you've ever heard of the Land of Crystal?"
"N-No, why?"
He looked so disappointed that Madara snorted. "We're still far from it. My grandmother said that no one has lived there for a thousand years. He has heard that it is a warzone now."
"No, it's a place I've never heard of."
"A thousand years?" The child's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Really?"
"That's right," Madara nodded. "She said it was an island paradise of palm trees, with emeralds, sapphires and diamonds scattered everywhere. But then it was invaded and it's wealth was lost. Once the land was poisoned and became uninhabitable everyone left, leaving the ruins to be reclaimed by the jungle where it lies forgotten to this day."
Their hostess smiled. "I see, so it's a tale of the old world. But I don't understand what is the warzone you speak of?"
"Well, we received a-" Hashirama started to say.
Madara interrupted. "A report that the people in the Land of Crystal are being enslaved by bandits and warlords to work the mines left behind by the ancients. The bandits and the warlords are fighting over the mines."
"But why are you going there?"
"To help the people who are being forced to work in the mines," Hashirama said. "What other reason do we need?"
"As head of the newly formed Village Hidden in the Leaves, shouldn't you be more interested in it? After all, it's winter and I've heard you are low on supplies."
"Our clans were at war for so long that we don't really even know why we were fighting. When we started our village it was to become a sanctuary for us and any other clans who wanted to join us. A clan on this island is being hunted down and killed for its power and loyalty to their princess. They have asked for our help as they slowly starve. And once that is settled, a new, wealthy ally for our daimyo is always useful as well."
"But just the two of you?"
"You sound like my wife this morning," Hashirama groused.
Madara snorted. "We're strong enough to go alone. Besides, this way there are two less mouths for our village to feed."
"I see, I meant no disrespect," The woman said quickly. "I have heard the stories, I'm just surprised…"
"Which ones?" Hashirama growled. "There are so many to choose from…"
"T-The tales of your jutsu of course!"
"And yet she says you knew we are lovers even though we didn't come in together last night and haven't interacted at all?"
"You only used one futon!" The child giggled. "We know because we put it away for you."
"That's- true," Hashirama said, smiling sheepishly at her. "You're very smart. I apologize, I overreacted."
Taeya stared at him for a moment. "Are you sure you're a ninja?"
"He might not be the brightest ninja," Madara smirked, leaning down to whisper. "But he is the strongest."
"Are you sure he's strong?" Taeya still regarded him suspiciously. "How do you know?"
"I am Uchiha Madara and only he can defeat me."
She gasped but looked oddly happy. "You're really him? Can you show me your Sharingan?"
Madara smirked. "I don't typically take requests…"
"Please?" Taeya pleaded.
"Sweetheart, you know better than to bother our guests at the table, don't you?" Her mother chided gently. "I'm terribly sorry."
"But Mom-"
"It's fine, the little ones in our camp always want to see it too," Madara said as the Sharingan appeared, twin pools of fire for just a moment.
Taeya squealed happily. "So pretty! Thank you!"
Hashirama smiled. "You're right, they are beautiful, aren't they?"
"Yes! Very! The other kids are never going to believe me, but it's okay."
"Now, you probably shouldn't tell anyone and you should never look directly into a Sharingan, right?" Her mother cautioned.
"Yes, Mama," Taeya sighed.
Hashirama smiled. "This is a time of peace in the Land of Fire. Just this once it didn't hurt anything."
"Once word gets out that the mightiest warriors on the continent have left your little village, the peace you speak of will probably be short lived." Mika said.
"That could be a good thing. It will force my brother to work with the Uchiha in order to maintain it."
"It's more likely to tear the village completely apart," Madara sighed.
"Mito will be there to watch him. She wants to protect the village and she does not see your clan as the enemy."
"I don't understand how you can put so much trust in a stranger knowing he will try to change that."
"You and I were strangers once too. And Mito didn't grow up in the middle of our war. She's told me before that she sees it as silly and dangerous for him to keep trying to reignite it. I know why you are worried, I am too. But sometimes you just have to trust people."
"Because eventually the baby bird has to hop out of the nest on its own, in order to fly," Madara nodded and sighed. "I know. I just feel like it might be too early."
"Taeya, Mika? Are your guests there?" Someone called from outside the small house. Hashirama recognized the voice as that of the boy who went to speak with the boat captain for them.
"Well," He smiled. "We're about to find out. Breakfast was delicious, thank you very much, but we should get going." Hashirama said, and gave the woman a little extra money.
"Do you have to go?" Taeya asked.
Madara nodded. "Yes, we do. But we'll be back."
"Really? You mean it?"
"As long as your mom promises to make more fried rice," Hashirama said. The woman and her daughter returned to their house and he elbowed Madara. "We'll be back? We don't know where we are going exactly, much less what we'll find!"
"You're always telling me to be more friendly," He shrugged.
"Friendly, as in have a nice day. Not like, we'll be back next week. You can't lie to an innocent child! Now we have to come back. Visiting this village might not be in our best interests to get home now that Mika knows where we are going."
"You were the one who brought that up," Madara shrugged and followed him toward the flimsy looking dock to the blue boat where a middle aged man was watching them from the deck.
"Keep being sociable, by the way, you were absolutely adorable. And it made Taeya very happy."
Madara didn't get a chance to reply as they approached the boat.
"Sure took your time getting here," The boatman growled. "I could've been out on the water making money all this time."
Hashirama smiled pleasantly. "Sorry about that. But we were wondering if you could take us to the town of Minseok."
"So I heard, but what's in it for me and my crew?"
From the look on his face, Hashirama could see that Madara had several thoughts ranging from highly sarcastic to painfully violent. So he spoke first. "We'll pay you double what you would usually make in a day fishing."
That piqued the man's interest. He and the two other men on the boat exchanged odd glances that Hashirama pretended not to notice. "And it's just the two of you, right?"
"Yes," Madara said. "We'll give you half now and the rest when we disembark in Minseok."
Hashirama was surprised by the sudden stipulation but he kept his happy smile in place. If Madara sensed something strange he would tell him once they were alone.
"Well," The man said, "That sounds like a good deal to me. Welcome aboard, my friends. This is a small vessel, but it's home. You'll be bunking with them in the crew quarters. We've always got a few spare hammocks for the seasons when the big fish are most active. My name's Akira, what are yours?"
"Uchiha Madara," The three men suddenly looked like frightened children listening to a ghost story. Madara sighed.
"And I'm Hashirama, of the Senju Clan," Hashirama said, still pretending not to notice the change in atmosphere. Thank you, we appreciate this."
Akira nodded quickly but didn't relax. He looked more nervous than ever as he hurried to the boat's wheelhouse. His men followed him quickly.
"We should fly there," Madara said in a low voice as the three men started to untie the boat from the berth at the dock. "Why are we wasting time like this?"
"I know that would be faster, but didn't you say l that these people need the money we can give them?"
"Yes but that was before I started to wonder how many of their other passengers ever make it to their destination."
"What? Are you seriously worried about pirates- or slavers?" Hashirama tried not to laugh.
"In this day and age it's usually the same thing. Honestly, how are you still alive being this trusting?" Madara snorted. "They recognized our names and they're supposed to be full time fishermen? This boat will be stopped and searched by either pirates or slavers the night before we reach Minseok. They're afraid that we're stronger than their friends, the pirates that they sell their other passengers to."
"Don't be ridiculous. The old man on the other boat says this guy takes people to Minseok all the time."
Madara rolled his eyes. "I believe that. But do any of those passengers ever make a return trip- you know, back to wherever they came from?"
For a moment Hashirama looked confused then he sighed. "Why are you being so negative all of a sudden?"
"Instinct," Madara shrugged. "Some of us don't regenerate so we need to use our brains before we get hurt. We're not dressed as ninjas. They believed we were easy targets at first. They still want our money so they're helping us but they don't want to fight us or get caught helping pirates that's why they're scared."
"Well, if you're right then I guess it's a good thing we're here, because I've always wanted to fight a pirate. When we beat them up, we'll be protecting people up and down the coast I guess,"
"Yes. But don't let your guard down. They'll probably try to drug us to make us easier to handle. So we'll take turns standing guard at night. Only drink from your own canteen and don't let it out of your sight for a second."
"You worry too much. I bet your instincts are wrong this time. I think these guys are just regular fishermen who run the only boat in town capable of making the trip in one piece."
"Idiot. By now you should know better than to bet against my instincts," Madara purred. "You're a terrible gambler. So bad that I'm running out of ideas for embarrassing things I want to win…"
"I'm insulted. I don't lose- that often!"
"Yes, you do."
"But I won't lose this time! You're accusing these poor people of piracy! How am I the crazy one here?"
"Keep it down, idiot. They're clearly opportunists. And they are clearly up to something. They're working to prepare the boat but they're not showing us their backs like normal people who are working. Quiet whispers between themselves. They won't even look at me now."
Hashirama shook his head. "Next you'll be telling me they have cages in the ship's hold."
"Do I look like a Hyuga to you?" Madara snorted. "Crab and lobster traps maybe. But you've even said people have been disappearing up and down the Genzai Coast for months. There just hasn't been time to investigate."
"But why here?"
"Why not? No one would expect it and assholes can periodically be found everywhere. They aren't exclusive to large cities."
"Don't be silly!" Hashirama said. "If nothing happens between here and Minseok, you'll be wearing a sexy negligee to bed that night."
"Nope, Idiot. That'll be your job when you lose this bet. Honestly though, if you want to wear women's clothes that badly just go put something on now. I'm sure Mika has something you can borrow and I'm sure these guys wouldn't mind."
Hashirama just rolled his eyes and tried not to blush. "You're so stubborn. You never want to do what I want."
"Then stop trying to make a bet out of everything and just... convince me," Madara purred against his neck. "I seem to remember you used to be very, very convincing when you wanted to. Are you sure you don't want to just fly to Minseok now?"
"That's not fair… and they're starting to stare at you!"
"Who cares?"
"Me! I'd rather they not try jumping you. I'd rather not kill anyone today."
"We could make them jump you instead and I'll kill them."
Hashirama snorted, "Brat. Try to stay out of trouble. I'm going to go talk to our captain."