Lord Tobirama,
I apologize for sending this letter outside of our usual schedule of correspondence, but we have urgent news regarding the patient.
Just a few hours ago, my team was called in by Lord Imada who proposed we conduct an operation on the patient; a dangerous, crude operation that would certainly have done more harm than good. Though we were able to talk him out of it for now, he seems intent on doing everything possible to help cure the patient, even if it involves severe damage to her being. Lord Toru, though we see very little of him, seems to be growing more and more concerned about the patient and we suspect it will continue like this if her condition does not improve, in which case he may inadvertently harm her in some way.
The procedure he proposed would have likely made her very unstable and therefore very unpredictable, under these conditions her abilities would no longer be of any use to you.
We will keep a close eye on Imada-sama and try to prevent any poor decisions on his part.
Agari
Tobirama leaned back into his chair as the words registered. Agari, being the oldest medic in the war-stricken clan, had seen no shortage of medical operations in her time: from the morally gray to the thoroughly unethical, he had thought nothing would be able to phase the old bat anymore. What was this procedure that Toru had proposed? He would have to ask her about it next time he visited the Imada village, something that would unfortunately have to happen later than planned. Hashirama seemed to have caught something and was now sick enough that the day-long journey was no longer an option. Though he had been assured that it was only a mild cold, with Mito visiting her family in Uzushiogakure and Tobirama's general mistrust of other people, he had decided it was best to stay put until his brother recovered, meaning they wouldn't be able to leave for the Imada village tomorrow as planned.
He was just about to write a letter to seer explaining they wouldn't be able to make it before nearly smacking himself upon realizing how pointless that would be.
"Mila, I want to take a walk."
The brunette turned towards her friend who sat on the other side of the open door.
"What? Really?" she blinked in disbelief. "Do you… need something? I can get it for you."
"No, I don't need anything."
"Are you looking for someone?"
"No."
"Are you bored? I can-"
"Mila, I just want to take a walk." Aroka smiled. "Is it really so strange?"
"I can't remember the last time you asked to go outside... but if you want to then let's go."
Aroka smiled at her friend and stood up, stepping out of her room and leaving it void of its usual chakra cloak. She felt a hand softly grip her arm and the two made their way out of the compound in a comfortable silence.
"It's getting cold, isn't it?" the younger woman glanced up at the sky, unseeing.
"This year's first snow should be coming any day now. We always get far too much of it during the wintertime though, maybe it'll be lighter this year."
"Hopefully, last year the snow nearly made the roof collapse!"
"It almost did! You warned the housekeeper about it though, I remember you didn't want Toru to know about it since you had Detailed to find out."
"Too bad she told him that same day and I got yelled at for my good deed." Aroka huffed indignantly. "Saved two people's lives and not even a 'thank you'."
"You know how he is, he worries."
"He worries a little too much if you ask me."
"Don't be so hard on him, he's only trying to watch out for you."
"Yea, yea. You know, Mila, sometimes I think you're too nice for your own good." she nudged her friend jokingly.
"Hey! I am not!" =
"Whatever you say…" Aroka chuckled amusedly.
"Hmph. Where are we going anyways? We've been walking for a while."
"Where are we right now?"
"We just passed the old stone fountain."
"Just a little further, then."
It was another twenty minutes of scattered conversation before Aroka came to a stop, brows furrowed as her eyes darted around.
"Do you hear that?" she asked.
"Hm? What is it?"
"I… I think someone's been injured." she turned towards the left, pulling Mila along with her.
Just as the pair took their first few steps towards Aroka's unknown destination, a faint sound drifted to Mila's ears.
"It sounds like someone crying." she frowned and quickened her pace.
Following the noise, the women approached a few rows of hedges and soon came upon a young boy.
The boy, no more than twelve years old, was sitting on the ground and bawling profusely. His right knee was scraped and bleeding, dirt covering the front of his clothing.
"Oh dear, what happened to you?" Mila asked, rushing up to the boy.
"I w-was chasing a r-rabbit and I fell!" he managed in between sobs.
Mila's brows furrowed in concern and she carefully examined the boy's knee. He must have landed on something hard since a faint bruise was already beginning to form. Though there were only a few scratches, one of which was bleeding steadily, she was sure the area would begin to swell soon.
"Don't cry, you'll be okay. Where are your parents? I'll bring you to them."
"M-My house is pretty f-far away." his cries had turned into sniffs now.
"Don't worry, I'll help you. Can you stand?"
The boy hesitantly pulled himself off the ground, careful not to lean on his injured leg too much.
Mila leaned down and draped one of his arms over her shoulder. She glanced back at Aroka and called for her to follow.
"I better stay here, you'll be able to get him back faster if you don't have to worry about me."
"Are you sure? Will you be ok?" she asked hesitantly.
"I'll be right here, just get him to his parents quickly." Aroka motioned for her to go.
Though reluctant, Mila agreed and they started off in the direction the boy was pointing.
"Why were you all the way out there? You need to be careful when you're so far from home." she chided.
After a few minutes of strained hobbling and muffled cries, the boy finally pointed towards a distant row of houses.
"I live right over there." he sniffed quietly.
"Alright, you'll be home soon, just a little further."
The two quickly reached the group of small houses and approached the one the boy had pointed out.
"Young man! Where have you been! You'r father and I were worried sick!" A middle aged woman dashed out of the house before they could even climb the front steps. She gasped upon noticing his disheveled state. "Dear! What happened to you!?"
"S-Sorry mom, I fell when I was playing by the bushes." the boy's eyes were glued to the ground.
"I told you always to be careful when we're not around! Come here, let's get you inside." She took him from Mila's arms before turning to her in exasperation, bowing deeply. "Thank you so much for helping him home. I don't know how I can repay you."
"No need for that, I'm just glad he's going to be ok." she smiled. "If you would excuse me, I have to get back to my friend." she bowed slightly before turning and heading back the way she came.
Walking at a brisk pace, Mila made it back to where she'd found the boy in just five minutes.
"Miss, I'm back!" she called out.
Glancing around the garden, she couldn't see her friend.
"Miss?"
Aroka sat on a large rock at the edge of the forest, eyes closed and humming softly.
She was a good distance outside the village gates which, from where she was, were obscured by a small hill. It had been a while since she'd last left the village confines and she was glad to be in a place devoid of people as it meant she could once again use her chakra.
The scattering of small trees that lay behind her grew to form a dense forest as she spread her chakra deeper into it. The trees' canopies were thinning out in preparation for the coming winter and the forest floor was covered in a blanket of leaves that must have been a beautiful sight to see.
In front of her was a plain field that stretched all the way up the hill and to the distant village gate. The grass continued rolling to the left and right further than she could ever know.
Aroka hadn't had a view like this in a long time. It must have been years since she last stepped foot outside those gates. It was just a shame she wasn't here for the scenery.
"Do you want to come down? It's going to be pretty hard to talk if you're all the way up there." she called, eyes still closed.
She felt a slight movement near the edge of her radius, then, in a split second, a human-shaped disturbance shifted the chakra right behind her.
"How long have you known I was here?" a deep voice questioned.
"I could feel you the moment you got here but I could see you coming from miles away."
"See? What can you see?"
"Why are you here, Madara?" she asked, ignoring his question.
"You're the seer, you tell me."
Aroka smiled in amusement.
"You know, you remind me of Tobirama. He's said those exact words to me before."
She could see his face twist into a frown.
"Do not compare me to that weakling." he warned sharply.
"I don't know, he might be stronger than you think." she shrugged halfheartedly. "But anyways, back to why you're here. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you want something from me. What is it?" She turned to face him, pale eyes meeting red ones.
"How have you been helping the Senjus?" he asked simply.
"They come to me with questions, I answer them."
"What questions have they asked?"
"Well there's been so many, I can't quite remember."
"Do not test my patience."
"If you're wondering whether I've been helping them in the war, the answer is no."
"Lies. Why would they need your help if not for the war?"
Aroka sighed impatiently.
"Look. I'm going to let you in on a little secret so listen carefully." She cleared her throat and lowered her voice dramatically. "There's no reason for me to help either side in your war."
Madara's frown deepened and his eyes gleamed dangerously.
"If so, what have the Senjus been coming to you for?"
"I can't tell you."
His eyes narrowed.
"I can't tell you because if I do, we won't get the right outcome."
The Uchiha studied her expression for a moment before turning around with a scoff.
"Useless..." He started back towards the forest, arms crossed.
"But I could give you some advice you might be interested in."
He stopped and glared at the woman.
"You have to answer a question for me first, though." Aroka smiled invitingly.
"Ask."
Her grin widened with satisfaction.
"All my life people have been uncomfortable around my chakra, shinobi especially. You didn't hesitate to come near me and it doesn't seem to bother you at all. Why?"
Madara smirked in amusement.
"Your chakra might be strong but it's untrained, in battle it would be next to useless. You pose no threat to me." he stated simply.
"That was harsh." she blinked at his response. "But I suppose that's what I should have expected. Well, a deal's a deal so here's my advice: go find Izuna."
Madara paused.
"What?"
"Go find Izuna" Aroka repeated. "I would hurry if I were you."
Madara, though suspicious of the woman's true intentions, turned and sped off into the forest, directly towards the western border of Uchiha territory where he knew Izuna would be.
As questionable as that woman was, he wouldn't take any chances when it came to his brother.
"Aroka!"
The woman flinched at the booming shout that called her name.
"Where in the world have you been!? We've been looking everywhere for you!" Toru ran up to her, grasping her shoulders and inspecting her for any sign of injury.
"I was barely gone for an hour, calm down."
"Something could have happened to you! You could have been hurt!"
"I'm fine, really. I can take care of myself."
"You can't just wander off like that, Aroka. Mila has been panicking for the last hour, running around everywhere looking for you."
"Ok, ok, I'll go find her. Just relax, I'm fine."
"No, I'll send someone to get her, you should wait for her in your room, ok?"
Aroka frowned.
"You do know I'm not a child, right?"
"Please?" he smiled his most convincing smile.
With a sigh, she reluctantly gave in, brushing past him and starting the trek to her room.
The only way for her to have been able to speak to Madara was to sneak out without raising any alarms. After playing with the timeline and carefully considering her options, she found that the best way to get out of the compound was with Mila's help, after that she just had to find a way to slip out from her friend's watchful eye.
It all worked out exactly as she'd planned, only now she had to deal with the inevitable earful she would get from Toru for the next few weeks.
'Its for the greater good.' she reassured herself, already feeling a headache coming.
