"There is but one thing I want from you, My student." From the shrouded throne commanded a soft yet authoritative voice.

She bowed, "What may that be? My master?"

"A soul."

Confused she replied, "A soul? What do you mean?"

"A soul and a life only you can give me." He judged by the confound look on her face she needed more explaining, "From your body I shall be reborn."

"You baffle me."

He closed his pale eyes saying, "By your female capabilities you will birth me anew."

Seihana chortled, "I am to repay you by giving you a new life?... I will need a man to help me with that."

He brushed his hand through the fur of the panther whom laid beside him, "The divinities have set you on a path which will cross his in time."

She noted sighing, "Hopefully whomever he is... The man is genuine."

A smug smirk animated his pale lips, "All the better."


Chapter 1- The Mask Of A Demon

Upon the uniting of the clans of Konoha and The Land Of Fire there was a banquet where old rivalries and great suspicions prevailed. In attendance, the leaders of the Senju, Uchiha, and many other prestigious families.

"Tobirama, Stop looking so tense." Hashirama chides patting his brother's back.

"Eliminating your enemy when they are unaware is great tactic to use in this stituation." Tobirama said matter of factly.

Hashirama laughed shaking his head slightly, "This is a banquet to celebrate our clans coming together as one entity. Let's enjoy ourselves."

"Besides, It would not serve in your enemie's hand if they attacked during a display of good faith... They would appear as cowards." It was Uchiha Madara who replied with an aura of coldness. His brother Izuna followed closely behind him. Taking his place beside the two.

Hashirama shouldered off that chill with a friendly reponse, "Yes. I agree, My friend."

"Lady Hyūga Seihana is soo beautiful... I have heard many wonderful things about her. She assisted her elderly father in the unification of the two branches of the Hyuga without bloodshed." Aikiku fawned over.

She idolized such a kunoichi.

The heads of the three men turned in the direction of where this Seihana would be sitting beside the other members of her family. The Senju brothers respected that kind of conduct in a former chaotic time. They expected no less from the likes of the ancient clan of Hyuga who were known for their unparalleled perceptiveness and wisdom. Some even considered Hyūga to be the 'philosopher clan' of all the shinobi clans that called the land of fire their home. It was not in the long-term benefit of survival for the Hyuga to be fighting amongst themselves and rival shinobi clans simultaneously. Fighting against an enemy who had a Hyūga in their ranks proved difficult because their kekkei genkai.

The tactical eye of byakugan could easily foil what would be a successful ambush, locate an enemy camp thousands of leagues away, and help a retreating army avoid pursuing enemies. In battle the eyes sensed chakra flow combined with the taijutsu juken made Hyūga a deadly enemy. The tactics Hyūga had at their disposal in the former chaotic time vexed Madara who preferred a more direct approach with an adversary. The sharingan was a mere parlor trick compared to the Byakugan.

While the Senju siblings averted their attention back to their former conversation. Madara centered his prying gaze onto this kunoichi who's conduct in the former wars was not of aggression or displays of power. Seihana's dark brunette hair parted in the middle (shaped her round face, accentuating her large pale eyes and the apple red of her lips.) and cascaded down her shoulders and over her clothing. Her layered robe streaming several different colors of spring concealed the hidden truths beneath. Her posture rigid, slender hands rested in her lap. Those distant crystalline eyes fancied a daydream thousands of leagues away from the ruckus of the feast.

'The weak always vie for peace during war... Granted her chakra feels like the dancing waves of low tide... It's quite comforting.' His thoughts betrayed him. Behind Madara's back Aikiku whispered Izuna's ear.

"Brother if you stare any longer at lady Hyuga... You might fall in love with her." Izuna wisecracked. Madara's ego took his words as offensive.

"Ridiculous... A majestic swan does not mate with goose... Its impossible even in nature for inferiors to find courtship with a superior." Caught off guard Madara whispered back to his brother.

"Who's the goose? You? Brother?" Izuna revoked with a restrained laugh.

"As if I was a goose..."

With that Madara left his brother's side and relocated on the right of Hashirama and left of Mitō Uzumaki who wanted nothing to do with their stupidity. The place where Tobirama once sat before leaving.

Izuna sighed at his brother's arrogance and sense of humor. He wasn't alone for long Madara's exit opened the way to the Senju sister whom he whispered in her ear slipping Aikiku a paper note. She would later read it after the party. Madara over heard her laughter and his brother's comly words. He hated how close his brother had become to Hashirama's blessed younger sister. Madara was unsure of when the two had become acquainted however he suspected it was during the time Izuna was held as pledge.

Gazing back at the Hyuga clan Madara recognized the man with bad dressing sense and hygiene. His name was Hyuga Daisuke of the main branch son of the clan head Shōten. As a child Daisuke had been a hostage his father had given to the Senju whom they had short alliances with. He had become friends with Hashirama during his time with the Senju and followed the boy wherever he treaded. Madara remembered him as a coward who was protected by Hashirama, an unabashed know-it-all who corrected him at any chance he could get, quite the trickster and yet he treated Madara as a friend expecting nothing in return. Now, After all these years he became a drunk? Being the political pawn of one's own clan did come with it's own emotional baggage that had the potential to destroy from the inside and out. Not all shinobi clans treated their hostages fairly. Madara knew that first hand with his own father, younger brother who had been the hostage of the Senju at one time and the hostages that were momentarily kept by the Uchiha. Still something seemed off about Daisuke's drunken demeanor. A behavioral deception even the power of sharingan could never expose.

He spoke to Hashirama inquisitively, "I did not know Daisuke had a sister..."

Hashirama generously nodded and spoke after taking a drink, "Daisuke told me his twin sister Seihana was chosen by 'The Onikage' to be his disciple when she was ten years old. For eight years, she studied under him and never returned to Hyuga until she was eighteen years old. Being separated from her clan for soo long I wonder if she considers herself Hyūga anymore or is trying to make up for lost time using what she had learnt from her sensei to benefit the Hyuga family."

As a boy Madara's father Tajima told him stories about this Onikage to warn him about places or creatures that were or seemed out-of-this-world. The mysterious Onikage was supposedly over eight-feet tall, his visage terrifying to gaze upon, flaming eyes capable of instilling fear even in the most learnt shinobi, strength of thousand men and lastly he possessed knowledge of the divine arts most shinobi would consider unreal or dream of possessing. Contrary to Onikage's fear inducing traits he was a teacher, a guide to his chosen one born into this uncertain world and a guardian before the entrance to Jigoku. The Onikage was no ordinary myth and knowing of a kunoichi who studied under this preternatural entity [A woman in the same room as him] interested Uchiha Madara greatly.

While back Hyuga Tora who rested beside Lady Seihana watched for possible mischief. She caught Uchiha Madara intently gawking at her lady. Without hesitation she informed her, "Sei, The Uchiha clanhead was staring at you."

Seihana stopped speaking to her father, nonetheless aloofly but harshly replied to Tora, "Hmph, How rude! That arrogant Uchiha... Is the most ill-mannered person here!"

Daisuke laughed after taking a sip of his saké, "By your reputation most men are terrorified to look at you. Besides wearing that colorful outfit you are asking for nothing but attention." He took another drink.

"I never knew you were soo desperate, Sister."

Her renown as the Onikage's current and past disciple bestowed fear and respect in those who came to acquire such knowledge. The Hyuga who fought beside her witnessed another side of Seihana who she tried desperately to hide. Such made her rather unpopular with the men of her clan who avoided her. Furthermore the colorful regalia belonged to their long deceased mother Hyūga Hotaru. Seihana wore this in respect and memory of her mother whom she loved very much. This robe Hotaru wore the first time she met their father. Seihana's eyes widened her brother had made her look the fool.

She refused to put her foot in her mouth, "Desperate? What am I? Brother? The Hyūga harlot?... I did not wake up this morning thinking: Will I get men's attention if I out-dress everyone at the celebration of the making of a community?"

Daisuke continued anyway, "Uchiha Madara is second only to Hashirama's might in all the clans... Quite the prestigious guy... Maybe you should go introduce yourself... I bet as masters of the universe you two would have much to speak about."

Seihana refused to fall for her brother's second ruse. Nonetheless she graced her peerless eye in the direction of this Uchiha Madara for a second and replied in a way the other Hyuga around her might agree with, "His face is too stern... Besides I'm not looking for a husband anytime soon... I have responsibilities that I must complete before I think of a possible husband... He will be a proper Hyūga, No doubt."

Daisuke challenged her, "Is there any Hyuga man 'good' enough for you?"

This was a hard question to answer. In her view there were no Hyuga bachelor in the land of fire who would equal her. Seihana reached for her inner self who expressed the daydreams of a romantic heart, "One day this dashing ninja, whom ever he is, will appear before me, lift me off my feet and carry me away to a secret place..."

"My lady? Are you reading Passion And Perseverance again?" Tora sighed closing her eyes. Passion And Perseverance were romance novels written by Lady Midori wife of the lord of the land of fire. These books were about a kunoichi whom must seduce the "lord of the gleaming court" to get his trust and then kill him. Alas, Her feelings for him become true and she cannot bring herself to kill him.

"Yes, I just finished the first book... And starting with the second novel..." Seihana offered a chaste smile.

Her drunken brother bursted out with a loud laugh which gained the attention of all the guests in the banquet hall. He jubilantly boasted holding his cup up, "The ninja who will have my sister will be the luckiest man in the shinobi world."

Seihana intensely blushed looking to her half empty plate. Everyone [except Shoten chose to listen and remember their banter, Madara who was in a bad mood and Tora remained on guard] rose their half filled cups and cheered in unison before a drink. "Blessed shall he be!!!"

Izuna Uchiha and Aikiku Senju had been seeing each other before the peace treatise had ever occurred. They met behind their brothers backs in non-shinobi towns and communicated by sending each other messages via courier hawks. Izuna feared Madara's reaction to their courtship (Even though there was a strong possibility that Madara already knew). A Uchiha man courting a woman whom wasn't a Uchiha was unheard of. Afterall, It was Aikiku who thwarted her brother's attack that would kill Izuna by pushing him out of the reach of the mortal blow with her 'Divine winds' jutsu. Ever since that kairotic moment Tobirama and Aikiku have not been on grounds of understanding. Tobirama had wanted retribution for the death of their younger brother who was a frail child when he was killed. Aikiku was only a child when he died but she remembered that her older brothers were very protective of their younger siblings even now. Childhood poverty had made the Senju siblings stronger but their brothers' deaths had made Tobirama unforgiving when it came to the Uchiha.

On the roof of the Senju family palace. They cuddled together on a blanket Aikiku gazed to heaven at the stars and moon. Izuna rested his head on Aikiku's chest listening to the thumping of her heart. She asked playing with his ebon hair, "Why did you let Madara have your eyes? Izu?"

He thought for a long moment and spoke, "Upon acquiring Mangeko Sharingan, I possessed more power, Yes. But the cost of it... How could Madara and I protect the Uchiha? If the strength that is required demands the deaths of those beloved onto us? The family we sworn to defend? I gave my eyes to Madara to make him stronger... My sacrifice was the only way I could protect Madara and the Uchiha... I thought you were dead."

"I thought the same of you... Tobirama carried me back home and Lady Mito healed my wounds... Mangekyo sharingan sounds alot like curse jutsu... To perform such techniques usually comes with a personal or external sacrifice... Though there are few curses that don't follow such terms those last for a lifetime..." She commented. Hex jutsu and the divine arts was something Aikiku had studied herself.

Izuna revealed to her, "Interesting... You cursed someone? For the reminder of their life's?"

"No I have not!... You are fine without looking at my face? Izu?" His girlfriend requested sweetly.

"Your face from the last time we met on the battlefield... It is like a painting in my mind." He smiled remembering the saintly beauty of the blood splattered kunoichi Aikiku.

She shuddered, "That was the last time we met! Please don't remember that me! It's too painful! Maybe the time we met in Suishima village and stayed the night at merchant Junryū's Inn."

The Uchiha chuckled thinking back to that precious getaway, "Aikiku, I don't need to look at you to love you! If I did! I would be a miserable shallow person! I love you for the unique woman you are!"

At those words Aikiku cried, "Izu..."

"Why are you crying?" Izuna asked as he wiped tears from Aikiku eyes.

"Crying tears of joy." She replied as she laid her lips on Izuna's kissing him.

In the new inner palace of the Hyuga family compound. Seihana sat on a pillow at her vanity desk removing her make up with a face clothe and water. Her free hand holding a book, her eyes following the words as muffled giggling escaped her lips. Just beyond her shoji door sat Tora on the pavilion playing with Seihana's fluffy and large (for a cat) black furred male cat whom she affectionately named Kuroichi. He pounced on a ribbon with a glittering rainbow toy fish tied on the end, holding the toy with his paws, biting the fish and scratching it with the claws of his hind-legs.

She spoke to Tora about the previous party, "I wonder who cooked the cuisine at the party... It was better than anything either of us could ever cook." Seihana mused removing her red lipstick. Most of the food she cooked burned or had too much or little flavoring.

"I heard it was Hashirama's wife Mito whom cooked all the food." Tora petted Kuroichi's chin.

"He's lucky to have such a talented kunoichi at his side... Uzumaki Mito is amazing." The insecure side of Seihana spoke out.

Tora rolled her pale eyes, "I can read your expression and hear your thoughts of inferiority... You have done things many man or woman would not have the courage to do. You saved Hyuga from self-inflicted genocide of main and cadet branches. You are a leader who will guide us into the future. This is what 'The Onikage' saw in your soul and why he picked you as his student."

It was actually her father who had written the peace treaties of Hyuga long before there had finally been an agreement. She and the other clan members of the main branch carried out his orders and communed with the leaders of the cadet branch for unification. Nonetheless it was the Senju's call for peace and fellowship that changed the stagnant perception of most clans including her own. Unfortunately even together the two families of Hyuga were separate.

"My solitary master did say something like that... I cannot denay the truth..."

Seihana modestly smiled, picked up heavy Kuroichi from under his arms and kissed his head, "I don't know what has gotten into me recently, Fur-ball."

Tora thought for a moment and spoke, "Is this about the clanhead of Uchiha staring at you or what your drunken twin said that hurt your pride?"

Emotion strung her words, "My twin brother is such an asshole. He is just doing this because he is jealous that I will be the next Hyūga clan head."

Kuroichi finally spoke up in his usual no claws retracted lyric, "Yes, That is true... I caught him talking about his jealousy towards you."

She kissed Kuro's head again, "Kuro, I don't know what I would do without you... I want you to continue to spy on my brother... Especially when he is drunk."

To Kuroichi his companion Seihana was the most beloved member of his pride. He trusted her completely and did every he could possibly do for her. Hunt food, spy on whomever she wished and offer trophies of his kill he left on the door entrance to the inner Hyuga palace. He always had her back and would for the rest of his life.

He purred deeply, "As you wish... Without me you would die."