Author's note: Ugh, Kitsune, you described my whole struggle perfectly. I was trying really hard to work out a way to do that, but I think I maayyybee pulled it off. Let me know what you think!


Chapter 15: Politics


The steady pounding of rain pulled Umika from her dreams. Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at the faint memory of last night. She had waited so long to hear Madara admit that he loved her. She had waited so long for him to embrace her passionately again. It was like they had traveled back in time: to the first night they had spent in each other's arms.

She stretched out on the bed and let out a long yawn. Her eyes fell on the bay window. The book he had been reading during his recovery was gone. She sat up, frowning at the odd feeling in her stomach.

"Madara?" Umika called out to the empty house. There was no sound but the rain. She tossed aside the sheets and grabbed her kimono from the floor. She ran her eyes across the shelves. Two of his favorite books were missing. Her heart sank. She tore open closet doors and drawers, finding his clothes gone. "Madara!" She ran through the rooms in hysterics, looking for any sign of the man.


Tobirama jumped up at the strange feeling.

"What the hell is that?" he asked himself, running out of his office. He stopped in the hallway when he noticed Hachiro and Hashirama looking around, probably drawn out of their meeting by the same odd sensation. "You feel that, too?"

"I do." Hashirama said. "Anything, Hachiro?"

"I…." Hachiro turned in a full circle, looking past the walls of the Hokage's building with his Byakugan. "It's incredible…. It's a web of chakra extending across the entire village." He turned in another circle. "And it's moving. Like it's searching for something. Pruning away from the areas it covers to reach out further."

"Where is it coming from?" Tobirama pried.

"From…." Hachiro wrinkled his nose in concentration. "…Madara's house. It's Umika's chakra."

"Umika?" Tobirama gasped. He thought about the brief moments in which he had been able to sense her chakra. He had assumed what he had observed was just a fraction of her power. After all, the Uchiha were known to have unusually large reserves in order to use their Sharingan effectively. But he had never imagined that the girl could have released a steady stream of it across the entire village. He was not aware of anyone else with such a unique skill. Even he had to rely on disparate pulses to increase his sensory range.

"Shit…." Hashirama cursed under his breath. "We need to go to her. Immediately."

"What's happening, brother?"

"I did not have a chance to tell anyone. I met with Madara early this morning, before the sun rose. He admitted to everything Amata reported. He told me he had no interest in building this village and defected." Hashirama yelled over his shoulder, grabbing his ceremonial hat. "Hachiro—"

"I'll get Amata." the man understood the dire situation, taking his leave immediately.

"Slow down!" Tobirama called, running after his brother. "What exactly are you worried about?"

"She's going to see he's not in the village and follow him. She's going to defect with him." Hashirama explained. "I can't let her do that. It was the one thing Madara requested of me: to keep her safe."

"This morning?"

"No!" Hashirama stopped in the village center, trying to remember the way to Madara's house. The rain picked up. pounding down on the brothers. "No, he didn't say anything about her before he left, but he mentioned it when he asked about her marriage. He wanted her to be safe should anything happen to him." He took a moment to orient himself in the storm and then bolted toward the Uchiha district. "I couldn't stop him from leaving, but I will not let her get hurt trying to pursue him."

"Let me talk to her." Tobriama requested, grabbing Hashirama before he could enter the house. The black-haired man thought for a moment before nodding, deciding it would be best for her to hear the news from a familiar face.


Umika sniffled as she haphazardly shoved clothes into her bag. The only article she took care to wrap was her mother's white kimono. Once that had been secured, any manner of items were tossed in around it. She turned on her heel to grab a hair brush off her dresser and froze when she noticed the man standing in her bedroom's doorway. Water dripped from his white hair, matting his bangs to his face.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

"Defecting again?" Tobirama examined, glancing at the half-packed bag.

"You can't stop me." Umika protested.

"I could break your limbs and carry you to a prison." Tobirama snarled. She stepped back, teary eyes wide at his graphic description. He softened at her frightened reaction. "But that is not how I want you to stay. I want you to choose it."

"I choose Madara! I have told you this before!" Umika pushed back. She took a few brave steps to the dresser, reaching for her hairbrush. Tobirama grabbed her wrist.

"He does not choose you! He left without telling you. Why do you think that is?" She shook her head, trying to dismiss the painful truth. Tobirama's hands moved to her shoulders. "You have a home here, Umika. You have people that care about you."

"What do I have?!" she snapped, shoving his arms away. "The Uchiha shun me! Your people call me a whore! This whole village treats me like I am a curse! Madara was all I ever had!"

"I can…change that." Tobirama offered, pained by her words.

"How?!" She paced the room in frustration. "Can you give me my parents? Can you bring back Tajima? Izuna?" The name struck his nerves every time, consuming the Senju man with guilt. "No, you can't." Umika grabbed her bag, deciding to leave without the brush. "Just let me go…I have nothing here."

"Umika?" a voice called out from behind Tobirama. The man stepped aside to reveal the woman. She shook the lingering rain drops from her umbrella and leaned it against the hallway wall before entering the room.

"A-Amata?"

"Umika," Amata ran to her friend, embracing her in a tight hug, "Lord Hachiro told me."

"I'm going to find him!" Umika blubbered through her sobs. She buried her face in Amata's neck.

"Umika, please don't go after him."

"I love him! He—he loves me, too! He told me—"

"I know!" Amata pulled away and held the girl's face. "I know he loves you." She wiped away the building tears with her thumbs. "I don't doubt for a moment that you are the single most important person in his life."

"Then I-I need to—"

"Stay here." Amata finished for her. "Umika, he has tried so desperately to anchor you to this village because of how much he loves you." She offered her friend a weak smile. "You believe in his power, don't you?" Umika gave a small nod. "I do, too. The other Uchiha doubt him, but we know Lord Madara can see the forest for the trees." The girl listened intently to the sermon. "He has tried to convince them, but only time will tell, and until then, he is safest away from these back-stabbing traitors. He will be fine on his own. And he will sleep easy knowing you are here, safe."

"But I can—"

"You can help him by staying here. Integrate yourself into the village so that you can convince the Uchiha they were wrong about him." Amata urged. "That is how he can return. That is how you help." She reached for Umika's hands. "Besides…I need you here."

"You do?"

"Of course." Amata placed the girl's hands on her stomach. "I'm going to be a mother. Sho is always away on missions. The other Hyūga women would rather perish than admit the horrors of childbirth." The joke elicited a weak laugh from Umika. "I need you with me. Please, Umika. I am still here. I have not abandoned you. Please, don't leave me."

"It is so painful, Amata." Umika admitted through tears. "Living without him is so painful."

"Move in with me." she pleaded. "Stay in my home, and I will do everything in my power to help you change the Uchiha's minds about Lord Madara. I swear to you: we will create a place for him here."

"You have always been good at politics." Umika admitted.

"Is that a yes?" Amata leaned forward, pushing her forehead against Umika's. The girl hesitated. "Please, Umika. Show Lord Madara how strong his training has made you. Show him you can take command of the clan in his absence. And when he returns, show him you have always kept him in your heart."

"Yes." Umika agreed meekly.

"Good." Amata kissed her friend's forehead and gave her another hug. "Let me help you pack."

"I just need a few other things." Umika chirped, running out of the room and down the hall.

"You still remain loyal to the defector?" Tobirama prodded once Umika was out of earshot. The Senju man had been leaned against the bedroom wall, watching the exchange with crossed arms.

"My loyalty is to Umika. Whatever I have to say to keep her safe, I will." Amata's friendly smile disappeared when she turned to answer him. A cynical smirk tugged at the corners of Tobirama's lips.

"You are good at politics." he admitted with a little scoff.