A/N: So I got a comment from someone that seems to have concerns about MadaSaku's dynamic and there's no other way to address them than in a spot before the chapter's content. I want to start by saying, it's very important to only be consuming media that feels safe and comfortable to you. What we prefer to see in stories is so subjective and individual and I respect that. But also, I think maybe it's important to keep in mind this is a fic about ninjas who are, well, all a little crazy in some ways. I view Madara as unhinged in this story, but in a comical, not creepy way. Most of his antics are him wanting to be closer to Sakura but being so out of his depth in trying to create a romantic connection, that he blunders through half his attempts and is learning how to pursue her genuinely in his own way. Him breaking into her house, for example, is just an ongoing gag.
He eats her food, flusters her, drops off more food that he likes to eat to invite himself back, stuff like that. I don't view it as the serious breaking of boundaries this would be in real life. Him doing things like following Kagami to his academy training and being super obvious about the true reason why is also more or less for comedy. Madara cares for Sakura but deep romantic connections are new territory, and Sakura cares for him. As the writer, I will say the context of them starting out basically as enemies is important, and their personalities are also important to keep in mind.
She's heavily exasperated by him at times, but when it comes to the "manhandling", yes he flusters her and often catches her off guard as it's not something she's used to, but him pressing up into her personal space and asking for consent to rock her world is much different than a noncon situation, which this story most definitely will not have. In conclusion, if the way their dynamic is written is just something you cannot get past or you find it squicky, I think it's pretty obvious what you need to do. No hard feelings. I personally feel I am writing a reasonable enemies to more or less friends to lovers dynamic given the personalities involved. I am writing primarily for me at the end of the day with willing readers along for the ride. Take care.
It should not, repeat, should not be this difficult to locate something as noticeable as mountains. Sakura was growing a little frustrated, and if she didn't do something about the furrow in her brow there was a danger it could become permanent—never mind about that technically being physically impossible.
The map that was guiding her around was terribly outdated, some old relic that she suspected had been collecting dust in a chest, until shortly before Izuna put it in her hands. The weathered state of the paper was telling enough, as were the faded, hardly legible markers in some places. Mount Moya, home of the giant eagle species Madara's Summon Shinta belonged to, was supposed to be in the general vicinity of this region.
But hell, at the rate she was going, the pinkette figured she would be lucky if it turned out she was still in the right country. Had she crossed a border without realizing it? Surely there would have been some sign.
Suddenly, she remembered teasing Naruto years ago about not being able to find his way out of trouble with both hands and a map. Flushing, the kunoichi silently gave thanks her teammate was nowhere around to witness her struggle; the odds of him letting her live it down hovered somewhere between improbable and a figure in the range of zero.
"I don't know…it's not like I'm calling it quits before I even start, but the least the Uchiha could do is redraw their maps every decade or two." Sakura grumbled, snapping the nearly useless instrument of direction closed for the time being. Usamaro replied with a faint chirp, walking quietly in pace with her and then giving a yawn. She had expected the cat to spend most of the journey on her shoulders, but he seemed perfectly fine with walking. "And shouldn't there have been a fork by now? What's with this long, winding road? It's so overgrown with vegetation it's barely reasonable to call it a path at all." Pulling out a kunai, Sakura began to cut a path, grunting in vexation. So much for an 'easy, scenic trip' like Izuna had promised. When was the last time anyone even came out here? She watched Usamaro dive through the unruly undergrowth, his backside wiggling through as his puffy tail disappeared last.
'I could do that too if I was that low to the ground.' Sakura lamented, forced to continue using the more time-consuming method. By the time she had fought the last of the vines out of the way, her cat was well ahead, waiting for her at the top of an upward slope and casting her a calm expression as he meowed impatiently.
"Okay, okay." Sprinting uphill, Sakura came to stand beside him at the crest of the hilly incline, now able to see the terrain more fully. Her jaw slackened, taking in the stormy sky above the mountains in the distance, a huge bolt of lightning plummeting down. 'You're kidding me right?'
Everything about Mount Moya looked foreboding. Of course, she was a seasoned ninja, and she didn't plan on turning away with her tail tucked between her legs, but it was a far cry from the imagery Izuna had painted a picture of when describing it to her. Usamaro growled under his breath, pink nose puckering as a stray raindrop landed on him. Another fell, hitting Sakura's cheek. A storm, lovely. "Something tells me we made it…" she said drily.
He had to say, no one could accuse his older brother of not taking this planning seriously. Madara was probably more invested in contributing to Sakura's birthday celebration than he ever had been in contributing to one of Izuna's.
Not that he didn't understand the reason. His brother was, after all, vying to get into her good graces lately. He, on the other hand, had been stuck with Madara since birth. There wasn't exactly a return ticket attached to an obnoxious older sibling, so the older man was likely comfortable in the knowledge that Izuna was going to love him, jackass tendencies and all. Better to work toward permanently securing Sakura's affection. And work he was.
"And these are guaranteed to create a display visible from a three mile radius?" he asked, head bent as he carefully handled the unassuming sticks. Izuna was positive there were enough there to light up the entire southeastern region of the Fire Country. He'd never seen Madara go to these lengths…not to mention how sure he had been after sparring with Sakura that he was absolutely going to have her at his side. If he didn't know any better, Izuna might presume this is what Madara looked like when he took courtship…seriously.
"Oh yes, sir!" The young man running the outpost nodded eagerly, practically rubbing his hands together. "You made such a large order I arranged only the finest package for you. I've even thrown in two crates of sparklers as a bonus to thank you for your patronage."
Madara blinked slowly, then turned to him with a wide grin that had the once eager firework seller recoiling. Izuna sighed, gently using his index fingers to fix his brother's face into something less terrifying.
"Thank you." The younger Uchiha said, "We appreciate the generosity."
"I could say the same to you gentlemen," smiled the shop owner. "This is the best business we've gotten all year thus far. I can only hope whatever large scale event you're planning to use these fireworks for goes off without a hitch. Have a splendid time."
Izuna eyed Madara carefully, his brother continuing to peer into crates, paying neither of them any mind. His thoughts might as well have been projected above his head. The firework display was all but a bouquet of hand-picked flowers (that exploded) to shove under Sakura's nose.
The question was, should he try reining him in now, or wait until later? Or, was it worth trying at all? For the time being, he settled on elbowing his brother not so subtly, seeing as how the helpful shop keeper had been talking to the both of them. Madara launched up, staring the man down heavily and then distractedly grunting out a 'thank you'.
That settled, Izuna decided it was best he get going. Madara wasn't the only one who had a role in ensuring Sakura had an exceptional birthday. "You'll be okay seeing yourself back to the village, won't you?"
A petulant expression marred Madara's face. "Don't treat me like a child. I hardly need my hand held to get home."
The bell above the entrance chimed, and the seller quietly excused himself to assist the new customer. The brothers stood near all the fireworks Madara bought, their conversation not missing a beat.
"Of course not," Izuna replied, snapping the crate's lid closed and causing Madara to quickly retract his hand. "Just…wait until I'm back before you do anything too outlandish."
His brother hauled the crate he had been perusing through closer, expression stubborn. "I'm a grown man and I'll do outlandish things at my leisure. Worry about yourself; don't go wild in Sora-ku." He and Madara had left the village together, but their destinations were different. While visiting the firework maker was a simple stop not at all far from Konoha, Izuna was headed a bit further west.
Sora-ku had been where the Uchiha clan purchased the majority of their munitions for some time, but there were other businesses there as well. Some on the up and up, and some far less savory. Of course, he avoided the latter on every trip, and this time would be no different. Every place he planned on visiting was in relation to securing necessary materials for Sakura's big surprise.
That being the case, he had a response ready on the tip of his tongue when a short gasp interrupted them.
"Excuse me, but did I just hear you mention Sora-ku?"
The brothers turned as one, and Izuna was bewildered to see the color had drained from the faces of both the firework maker and the customer he'd been chatting with.
"Yes actually," Izuna nodded politely. "I'll be stopping there before going home."
"By yourself?" The balding man in the elaborate tailor-made kimono gasped, wringing his cap in his pudgy hands. If the Uchiha had to guess, he was some kind of merchant, and a well-off one at that.
"What he means is, the roads have gotten dangerous as of late." The shop owner clarified, sensing they were out of the loop. "The thieves and ronin have grown rather brazen. They've been accosting anyone they find who may be traveling with valuables. Merchants have suffered heavy losses, and many have been reported being roughed up and badly beaten. If things go on this way, well… no one's going to be doing business in the area after a while."
The brothers shared a look.
"Though you look quite formidable, I must say." The merchant added on.
"Yes!" The shopkeeper hurriedly agreed. "I only meant to warn you, but I hope you don't think I was implying that you can't handle yourselves. You're shinobi, after all."
"No, I appreciate the consideration," Izuna assured him, bowing. "I'll be on guard."
Fleet-footed and focused, she repeated silently to herself. It was the same wordless mantra she had been chanting for the better part of two miles, and while the bottoms of her sandals wore new calluses on the soles of her feet, Kagome was nothing if not determined. She had begged her sister for a chance, one opportunity to prove she was capable of handling a responsibility like retrieving goods by herself.
Masae was against it initially—the roads seemed more treacherous for merchants than they had been in nearly two dozen years—but with their uncle away on business, she was working overtime, minding two shops. Kagome was still learning the ins and outs about their proud merchant tradition, but what she did know about was how to run an errand swiftly and efficiently.
So with a little cajoling, reluctantly, her big sister had agreed. Though, this was as far from home as she had ever gone, by herself or otherwise. Allowing herself the briefest of breaks, the young merchant-in-training paused, swiping her brow with the back of her yukata sleeve, imagining her red face due to the strong pace she had been trying to keep. Masae was counting on her. This wasn't the time to get distracted, or give into something trivial, like a little exhaustion.
Hooking her thumbs under the thick straps of the large backpack she carried, Kagome tugged it up in adjustment, careful not to jostle its contents too much. Her sister and even the man who she had retrieved the parcel from had emphasized using extreme caution, a common necessity when dealing with valuables of a fragile nature. Holding her thumb out against the line of the horizon, Kagome poked her tongue out from between the seam of her lips, nodding. "Alrighty, home's…just about ten miles over the horizon!"
Knees to chest, the girl was off once again, thinking of what it would be like to see the gates of Sora-ku and know she had successfully completed her first solo trip away from home. Her older sister would be so relieved, welcoming her back warmly, maybe with a hot plate of food for her efforts. Kagome was most looking forward to kicking off her shoes, curling up with their cats, and settling in with her new novel by candlelight until her eyes grew heavy.
But first, she had to make it the long and lonely miles back to the city. Normally she would have run into plenty of other merchants coming and going, given that this was the most direct road to and from Sora-ku, part of a complex series of trade routes well-known and well-traveled by merchants for generations. Yet today, the path was eerily empty, prompting her not to dawdle.
Everyone was well aware of the rumors, bandits jumping out at defenseless travelers, beating them within an inch of their lives, and relieving them of anything remotely valuable. It was the biggest objection Masae had to Kagome running the errand. Their uncle had paid a pretty sum for the item she carried on her back, telling his nieces his honed appraisal skills sensed true value the minute he laid eyes on it.
It took quite a bit of heavy negotiating to get the seller to part with it, not to mention one of the rarest weapons they had in stock at the time. In short, to be entrusted with bringing home such a big acquisition was an honor not lost on her. With a hidden dagger attached to her thigh and an abundance of vigilance, Kagome would make it home unscathed. That was her hope at least, but she had to admit that rustling from the undergrowth at the side of the road caused her to lose some of her nerve.
She doubled her pace, ignoring her protesting feet, but the movement from behind the foliage only seemed to get more frantic. And then, something was lunging, and she was reaching for her dagger without hesitation. Only to stop the strike in the nick of time, eyes bulging at the sight of a beige feline with rounded ears and dark brown spots.
Kagome jumped back, gasping as its puffy tail swung agitatedly, the cat snarling as it stalked towards her. Despite the obvious danger this creature could pose to her, she just couldn't bring herself to strike it down. Her whole family adored cats, held them in high-esteem. Even wildcats.
Baring its fangs, the leopard cat sprung for her once more, the young girl just barely managing to avoid the lunge by leaning away and angling her body at the last minute. Undeterred, it came for her again, and Kagome threw up an arm to block, hoping the bite wouldn't be too terrible. Instead of the teeth sinking into her flesh that she anticipated, she heard the sound of cloth ripping, and a subsequent splatter as the remains of her lunch tumbled to the ground.
Realization came to the foreground as the animal sniffed at the tuna and salmon onigiri she hadn't finished, before lapping up the rice and flakes of fish enthusiastically. It was then that Kagome noticed the cat's malnourished state, ribs slightly visible in its heaving sides. She inched closer, seeing that the wildcat was paying her no mind as long as there was food on the ground.
"So that's all you wanted?" she whispered, the creature barely lifting its head to twitch its whiskers. Come to think of it, although leopard cats were only medium-sized wildcats, this one appeared to be a juvenile. It had probably only recently found itself out on its own, and evidently was struggling to find food if it was desperate enough to approach and attack travelers on the road in the open.
Sympathetic, Kagome crouched near its side, giving it a bit of space and simply watching it chew. When the leopard cat was done, it licked its lips, staring around with cunning eyes. "Still hungry?" Reaching for the pouch on her other hip, she dug into it and pulled out the handful of fresh wild berries she kept on hand. "Well then here, will these do?"
The cat sniffed her hand consideringly, drawing its face away and tilting its head. Just as she thought he wouldn't be interested, the ravenous animal licked them out of her palm, barely stopping to munch before gulping them down. Kagome grinned, offering another handful when he was done and watching her new acquaintance snuffle them from her hand too. His lips were stained bluish-black by the time she had emptied the pouch, causing the girl to giggle, far less nervous than she had been. Even with all the food gone, the cat didn't move away, licking her hand over and over in long strokes, grumbling quietly.
"Ah, cut that out," she chastised lightly, closing her palm and getting up. "I'm all out, but I hope you find a better meal soon." Waving down at the animal, who remained stock still, she turned back down the road left to travel. Surely her sister could understand the smallest delay, especially when it was to help a sweet, beautiful cat in need. But really, she wasn't going to push her luck. She needed to return. "Take care."
Kagome may not have been a ninja, but she didn't need finely honed senses to know when she was being followed. The light pitter-patter of feet also gave it away really. Finding the cat at her back, blinking at her when she gave it an inquiring stare, the brown-haired girl shook her head. "No, you belong here." She gestured to the vast openness of the outdoors. "This is your home, isn't it?"
Predictably, the leopard cat was silent. Not hearing so much as a growl of dissent, Kagome nodded, resolute in her decision, once again setting out for home.
She made it all of five steps before the same soft pattering reached her ears. Heaving a large sigh, she shook her head, turning to address the wildcat…only for it to pin its ears back and hiss, large eyes dilating. Bemused, Kagome watched it sprint off, scratching her head and shrugging.
Wind passed by her face in a whoosh when she pivoted around, a strangled noise of surprise leaving her lungs as three large figures dropped from the sky. Or more accurately, the thick cover of the treetops. Slowly, noiselessly, she raised her face, meeting eyes with three giants, mean looking men leering down at her.
"This one's just a kid." One spat, a battle axe hefted over his shoulder. "It's almost too easy."
Who they were was unclear, but Kagome knew one thing for sure. They weren't looking to get directions. Her hand flew to the dagger she had re-sheathed, barely wrapping her fingers around its solid hilt before the tip of a blade poked at the soft skin under her jaw.
"Feeling brave, brat?" Sneered the one in green armor. The sun had bleached his dingy blond hair, dulling it further. In Kagome's opinion, he was in desperate need of a shave, stubble roughening his face and neck. It was hard to look away from the milky depth of his left eye, the jagged scar slashed down that side of his face indicating the injury had been gruesome when fresh. The beady gray eye was just as menacing, just as mean.
Kagome released her dagger, and the man in armor reached down and ripped it away from her, examining it lazily. The girl held her arms up, realizing she was now unarmed and outnumbered. Her heart thudded dully in her throat, keenly aware that she may never see her cats, uncle or sister again. These men were the roadway robbers her sister and other shop owners told stories of, the kind who wouldn't hesitate to gut a merchant and strip their corpse. Ronin, lawless and merciless.
"That's the Hōjo crest." He pointed a thick finger at her family's crest, proudly visible on her yukata's right shoulder. "You're from one of them snooty merchant families in Sora-ku, ain't ya?"
Another man, this one with oily moss-colored hair that tumbled to his waist, leaned forward, his breath fanning over the bridge of her nose. It smelled of cheap sake. "What's in the bag, girlie?" They didn't wait for her to answer, one of the other two ronin jerking her roughly off her feet and shaking her right out of the backpack's straps. Kagome fell to the ground in a heap, reaching out in protest when they unfastened the flap. As rough hands manhandled her belongings, ripping through the wrapped package she had been handed and placed in her bag upon pick up, she felt her palms go clammy.
Assuming she made it home, how was Masae ever going to trust her to handle another acquisition, let alone run the shop one day, after this? "No!" Desperate, she surged to her feet, lunging recklessly for the item the ronin quickly hoisted high above his head. His comrade swung his leg out and landed a brutal kick to her stomach, one that had spittle flying from her mouth. Tears pooled in her widened eyes as she sank to the ground, curling in on herself in the dirt.
"That was your first and last warning, kid. This is ours now. Better crawl away while we're in a good mood, because you rush us again, you'll get up close and personal with the business end of my sword." Kagome could only try to suck in a breath around the pain, frustrated and powerless and trembling.
"What the—either of you lot ever seen a bow like this?" Though it hurt immensely, Kagome lifted her head up with a jolt, watching on as they continued to touch the weapon that had been safely tucked away before they showed up. Not even she had gotten a look at it before parting ways with the mysterious man her uncle got it from. Of course, she had her suspicions, namely because her family primarily dealt in munitions and from time to time, high grade weapons on the rarer side too.
Kagome had to agree with the perplexed thieves; that was no ordinary bow. In fact, maybe she was imagining the energy pulsing from in, drawing goosebumps across her arms. The weapon's black arc glimmered like onyx, its shape something peculiar, the curves reminding her of half-tucked wings, dipped in gold along the edges. Aside from its ornate appearance, it was large, not something the average archer would tote around.
"Nah, it's pretty though." The ronin in red mused. "Looks expensive too."
"Where are the arrows, Waka? And why's it not strung?" The third ronin, who had remained silent up until then, finally spoke.
"Who knows." The leader hefted the bow, shifting it from hand to hand. "Normally ya keep a bow unstrung when you're not using it. It'll be easy to string it up. And the buyer can get their own arrows. What's important is its condition and the price we can fetch for it. This looks like some kinda hana-yumi."
"If that's the case, then it shouldn't be in your hands." The trio of ronin tensed, weapons raised and at the ready.
"Don't know who you are, but don't interfere," Waka growled, Kagome weakly managing to lift herself onto her elbows.
The sun shining off the polished steel of a sharpened blade nearly blinded her as the light bounced back into her face, Kagome only hearing grunts and swears as she attempted to blink away the spots. The sight that met her vision when she was finally able to refocus it took her breath away, watching as a man with long, dark hair single-handedly engaged all three ronin at once. He moved with so much grace and power, watching him was almost like watching the trained dancing troupes who performed elaborate routines when they passed through Sora-ku.
Though there was no mistaking the crest fluttering in the center of his back as he moved. She had heard of the Uchiha clan, some of their best clients. Watching him in action, how easily he parried strikes from one rogue, able to headbutt and sweep the legs out from under another, she understood why her uncle always sounded so impressed with them. There wasn't a single wasted movement, each attack flowing smoothly into the next.
The trio of criminals were clearly growing frustrated, the appearance of this mysterious but noble shinobi waylaying their plan to rob her.
Kagome's eyes flashed, jolting at the realization that she still had to reclaim the bow! Her face crumpled over the fact that it lay gleaming in the dirt, forgotten for all its splendor in the midst of the raging fight. Dust kicked up by their rapid foot movements stuck in her throat as she crawled forward, trying to be as discreet as possible, eyes locked on her target.
Just as her fingers wobbled, hand almost brushing that hypnotizing obsidian and gold arc, an angry voice bellowed a warning, something about how she was going for the bow.
Having no choice, Kagome dove, arms scooping up and folding the odd bow tight to her chest just as someone seized her short hair. The rough handling was enough to cause a near instant headache, but still she held tight. "You little bitch," The hot musky breath felt like it was singing the top of her hair as he bared down on her. "Turn it loose!"
Pressure built behind her eye sockets, the nails digging into her scalp threatening to tear out hair and chunks of skin alike as one of them made to take the weapon she had risked her life for away. Kagome's eyes flickered nervously, catching on motion to their left, understanding seconds later it was the ninja from the Uchiha clan.
He had been attempting to use their preoccupation against them, and strike the one clad in red who was guarding their leader's flank. Unfortunately, his burly appearance belied trained reflexes, and his own sword not only swung up to meet the nin's, it nearly caught him if not for the dark-haired man springing away by a half step. His speed saved him from a gutting, but the lethal edge cut clean through the cord securing his inro.
Kagome could have sworn his face paled just then, his momentary lapse in focus all Waka and his goons needed. The Uchiha was punched hard in the jaw, a blow that had the young girl wincing in sympathy, her own face throbbing with phantom pain. The shinobi's legs were kicked out from under him, toppling him onto his stomach.
Before he could think of lifting himself up, the ronin in black armor reared his leg back, brutally striking the downed ninja in his side. Of course, cruel as they had already proven to be, it wasn't going to stop there. Maintaining the tight hold he had on her, Waka reached down to pick up the inro and turn it between his fat fingers, dragging Kagome sideways in the process. One of his associates slammed his heel into the back of the Uchiha's head, grinding it into his skull for good measure.
"Nice bobble you got here…" Waka mused, ignoring the way the man's nails clawed the dirt.
"Get your hands…off…" he coughed, silenced with another kick that had his head bouncing.
"Oh, you don't honestly expect it back now do you?" Laughed the ronin in black. "Once the boss decides he likes somethin' he sees, it's his kid. Besides, you won't need anything like this for too much longer."
Kagome trembled, wondering who they would kill first. 'I'm sorry nee-san.' She whispered in her mind. 'I'm sorry.'
"Take a look fellas," Waka passed it along to the ronin on his right. "This ain't an inro you run across too often. The materials, the quality…I'd wager it's worth a small fortune."
"Yeah, and ya see this?" The ronin gasped, as if he wasn't bearing all his weight on a poor man's head. "This some kind of…scale?"
Glancing down at the Uchiha, he cocked his head with a sneer. "Where'd ya get this boy?"
The returning snarl made something twist in her gut, the air suffocating with more killing intent than ever before. It was astounding that one person could be responsible for it all, when even the malevolence of these three hadn't come close. They were so intrigued by the stolen inro, it seemed for the time being save for the hand in her hair, they had forgotten about her.
Kagome's jumping eyes found the battered face turned in her direction, the thick trickle of blood coming from his split lip morbidly beautiful. She blinked the thought away. The trauma of her last moments had to be making her a tad deranged. Or so she thought, until her gaze met his. For all the odds against him, he didn't look like someone who might have a fractured cheekbone and dirt in his eyes. He looked like someone…that knew he had already won.
Her heart skipped a beat, gobsmacked over the appearance of the infamous doujutsu, the pretty scarlet iris as plain as day. His lips parted ever so slightly, slow seconds trickling by as Kagome registered that he was mouthing something at her. 'Just look away.'
So, to the best of her ability, she did, obediently complying by shutting her eyes, blinded to the bloodshed that came next.
He didn't spend half as much time as he should have worrying about scrubbing down after getting his face and neck clean. He ran on muscle memory, staring at his reflection in the stream but seeing beyond it. In that moment not so long ago, what he felt he could only describe as blind rage.
Izuna smoothed his thumb down the surface of the inro clutched in his right hand, refamiliarizing himself with its weight and smooth texture, reassuring himself it was still in his position. If he had lost it—something that had become valuable to him not because of its presumed monetary worth, but because of who he had received it from—there was no doubt he would have despaired. To look Sakura in the eye and tell her he had allowed her gift to be snatched away from him would have been impossible.
Luckily, there was no need. The rogues were dead, and the girl they had been targeting was safe. The girl… His eyes flickered to a few paces down the shore, where she sat with her knees tucked into her chest, staring off at nothing and cradling that bow.
He worried she had been traumatized by the events she had just witnessed. She was roughly the same age as Kagami and the others, and even they might have been affected by the sight of men descending into madness and brutally slaughtering each other (such was the pull of his Sharingan). She, however, was a mere civilian girl from a merchant family by his estimation.
Izuna had tried to spare her the worst of it. Once he came across her being accosted on the road, choosing to act was a simple enough decision. Engaging the rogues was the first step, protecting the girl by drawing their attention to him being his intention. He had expected her to run, fight or flight kicking in while he handled them away from her line of sight.
But instead, self-preservation had been cast aside, and she made a move to reclaim the item they had stolen from her, which allowed them to capture her once again. Frustrating as it was, Izuna hardly blamed her. She was just a child, and combat wasn't likely something she came up against every day. It was all still fine.
Izuna had survived the tide of horrible battles, immersed in bloodshed and unfair odds against adult and seasoned shinobi when he was just knee high. Three against one hardly daunted him. It was the minute he nearly lost the inro he treasured that distracted him most, something that was entirely his fault. The minute the cord had been severed, the Uchiha cast a genjutsu. Drawing everyone, including the nearby child into it for prime believability. They all had to be seeing the same thing. Him being beaten to a pulp under the heel of that rogue. When the time was right, he alerted her, gave her the chance to look away, and then allowed the trio to think they were each taking turns stabbing him to death, while they hacked and slashed at each other in a frenzy. By the time the illusion had dropped, so had their bodies, three carcasses dead on the road for the sun to bake and the buzzards and crows to feast on.
Of course, Izuna didn't leave them there for anyone to discover. He dragged them off into the woods, hoping to avoid traumatizing the unsuspecting traveler who might come across the gruesome sight.
The only thing left to handle was the little girl he feared would soon become catatonic; unfortunately there had been no way to keep her from uncovering her eyes too soon and catching sight of the bodies.
Standing slowly so as not to startle her, Izuna made his way for the girl, hoping his mere presence didn't terrify her. Just to be on the safe side, he kept a respectful distance, clearing her throat and offering what he hoped was a non-threatening face of sincere concern. "Are you…alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"No…" she whispered, monosyllabic and hollow. His heart sank. She was definitely in a state of shock; whatever was going on with her mental state, the right thing to do would be to take responsibility. He would walk her home, wherever that happened to be. Then, he would be a man and tell her parents or guardians exactly what had happened, apologize profusely for breaking their daughter or ward and…oh, was she speaking to him?
"But I…I wanna know what you did to them." she was saying, her voice tired but steady, "How'd you make them…you know," In spite of his attempt to remain straight faced, Izuna found a ghost of a smile appearing when she balled her hand into a fist and thumped it against her chest to indicate being stabbed through the heart. "Is it because of that thing you did with your eyes? You're a ninja, right? From the Uchiha clan?"
So, she recognized him. The clan crest to be more accurate, but either way it made things somewhat simpler. Izuna nodded, keeping his body posture loose and unimposing, "Yes, I am. My name's Izuna, and I used my Sharingan to put them under an illusion. I…" Here he paused and rubbed at his neck, embarrassed. "I had to put you under one too, at least at first. But I still did it, and I apologize."
She scooted herself to turn and face him, still seated and still holding the bow. "My name's Kagome of the Hōjo clan," she introduced, her voice gaining strength, "You saved my life. My uncle and big sister always told me that for a merchant, losing the trust of your patrons is a shameful fate worse than death. That's what would have happened if I lost the parcel to them."
Izuna listened silently, a bit stunned, but expecting nothing less from such a prominent merchant family that staked their reputation on achieving the highest customer satisfaction rate possible. It now made sense why she thought nothing of risking her life to dive after that bow instead of making an escape.
The Uchiha nodded slowly, "Kagome…I wish it was under better circumstances, but it's nice to meet you. Maybe a little bit of good fortune's tied up in our crossing paths. You said you're from the Hōjo clan, does that mean you live in Sora-ku?"
"Yes!" She nodded eagerly, a smile briefly surfacing.
"I was headed there, so I'll walk you home." Not that he wouldn't have done it even if he had been headed in a different direction. After everything she had been through, to leave this child to walk home herself would be highly reprehensible.
Before she could reply, the bushes just behind them rustled, Izuna reaching for and dragging her behind him on instinct. It only took a moment to see that what had appeared was no true threat, at least not to him. "A leopard cat," he said in wonder, watching its round little ears flicker before it honed in on Kagome and began trotting straight for her. There weren't many species of wildcat native to the Fire Country, but the leopard cat was one of them. This one didn't look fully grown to him, and when Kagome laid eyes on it, her face instantly lit up. The next thing he knew, Izuna was watching girl and animal greet each other with a touching of foreheads.
"I take it you're familiar…"
"Yep," she stroked the cat's back and shoulders with both hands as it lapped at her arm. "We met just before those bandits showed up. It was searching for food near the road."
"Seems like its taken a liking to you." Izuna observed, the leopard cat butting at her arm and crawling over her legs.
"Yeah," Kagome hummed, content to lavish the feline in the attention it was seeking. "It's probably because my family are cat people. We have been for a long time."
"Me too," Izuna had to admit he was intrigued. He leaned closer, careful not to agitate the cat clambering all over Kagome, and offered his hand. After pulling her back to her feet, he tilted his chin beyond the underbrush that separated the forest from the main road. "What do you say we get you home. I'm sure your family's concerned by now."
"Oh," Kagome collected her backpack and placed the bow carefully inside, "Nee-san's still waiting!" Staring up at him, she gave him the most pitiful eyes he had come across in some time. "Please, would you mind walking back with me if it's not too much trouble?" She bowed formally. "I'm really sorry for holding you up."
Izuna shook his head, patting her shoulder. "It's no trouble at all. I already offered." Neither of them said anything about the cat that was intent on following their every step.
There was very little, if anything, that had changed about the city since his last visit. Sora-ku still boasted its cold, towering buildings, architecture Izuna had never seen anywhere else. It still held its fair share of suspicious people skulking around promising rare products, or outright miracles. It still had a shifty air about it, back alleys a sensible person would know better than to hang around. And most importantly, it was still a place the Uchiha didn't plan to linger in if he didn't have to.
He let Kagome lead the way, the cat trotting at their feet unfazed to be so far from its natural habitat. When she brought them to a narrow shop with a spired roof between two ugly metal buildings, the feline bounded to the front door as if it had always called the city home. "Heh. He probably smells the other cats. Or maybe nee-san's made dinner already," the young merchant mentioned offhandedly. "Come on, Hayami, let's go inside."
"Hayami…?" Izuna paused, "Do you think it's a good idea to get so attached? It is a wild…"
Kagome started as the front door was flung open abruptly, a young woman rushing out and pulling her into an embrace. She and the brown-haired little girl looked startlingly dissimilar, the first thing the shinobi took note of being the long, thick salmon-colored hair in a high ponytail, a large purple bow decorating it.
Her pert nose scrunched, emphasizing the heavy smattering of freckles across its bridge and the apples of her cheeks. Though her wide, deep green eyes were clear and guileless, something told him she didn't miss a thing.
Izuna decided this must be Masae, the older sister Kagome had spoken so much about. "Ohh," Masae pulled away just to smack at the back of Kagome's head in a huff, "Where were you? You're not the scatterbrained type. Or at least not until now!"
"I can explain!" Kagome hopped a few steps back, hands out in front of her haltingly. "I was on my way back as fast as I could go, and then there were these bandits, see? And then Izuna showed up and—"
"You were attacked?!" Masae pressed both hands to her mouth, expression aghast. "I knew the roads were too dangerous! That's the first and last time you…wait, Izuna?"
Kagome nodded rapidly, turning to present him with a triumphant point. "Yeah, he rescued me, and the parcel. It was so cool."
He waved shortly, and the older girl fell into a graceful bow. "The Hōjo family owes you a great debt."
Izuna bowed back, his neck flushing with the utter gratitude shimmering in her eyes. "I don't deserve any special praise for doing the right thing, but you're welcome. I'm glad Kagome and the package made it home safely."
"So am I." Masae opened the door wider, and Kagome happily walked through the threshold with her new companion, Hayami. "Won't you come and rest?" Likely sensing his hesitation, she quickly added on, "Just for a bit."
Not wanting to be rude, Izuna told himself that a brief stop wouldn't throw him off schedule too badly. "Alright, thank you…"
The interior of the shop was surprisingly warm in its atmosphere, the scent of honey blossom tea drifting to them and mingling with the fragrance of noodles and fish. It should have been an odd, off-putting aroma, but the Uchiha found it only served to make the space feel homey and lived-in. "Apologies for the clutter." Masae spoke timidly, though there was no such clutter to speak of.
The shop's shelves were lined just so, everything in its place, labeled and organized meticulously in a way that was obvious even at a glance. On the walls behind the clerk's station hung impressive instruments, each hand-made and expensive. There was an absolutely gorgeous set of ceremonial drums on display as well, the kind that made dancers caught in the throes of revelry move their bodies to until they were dizzy. Izuna's eyes lit up. "No…it's okay. In fact, I just found exactly what I was looking for."
Masae followed his gaze and her mouth fell open. "Those? You…you're interested in them?"
"Yay," Kagome cheered, hopping in place. "You're the first customer to buy Masae's instruments!"
"You made those yourself?" Izuna moved closer, barely resisting the urge to run the hand not holding his inro over the tight skin of the middle drum, "The craftsmanship is exquisite."
"T-Thank you…" Masae bowed humbly. "My parents were merchants that specialized in making instruments. After their passing I had interest in continuing the tradition, but I didn't feel confident in my skill to put anything I made on display until very recently."
Fascinating. He would have thought that she'd been selling instrumental wares long ago. While he didn't play the drums personally, Izuna had been to enough Uchiha gatherings where they were heavily used in dances to know a quality set when he laid eyes on them. "You're well on your way to becoming every bit as great as I'm sure they were."
"You…really do flatter me." Masae waved her hand at him, pausing to sniff at the air. "Oh, dinner!" She cried. "Kagome, give me your bag and go check on the noodles and tea before they burn."
The younger sister dutifully took off her pack and passed it along to Masae, then hurried up the stairs in the upper far right corner of the room. Hayami the leopard cat followed as stealthily as a second shadow.
Izuna absently compared the architecture of the shop to the similar ones in Konoha. In the congested city of Sora-ku, many merchants tended to be so invested in their businesses it wasn't uncommon for them to live with their families above their shops. The Hōjo sisters were apparently no different.
"This…is what uncle was so excited about?" Masae had pulled out the stringless bow to examine more closely. "I mean it's pretty, but I don't see the fuss." Feeling him staring, she peeked up through her bangs, flushing. "That must sound ignorant to someone like you, a strong ninja."
While he hadn't been hiding his identity or anything, Izuna didn't think his occupation had been that obvious. Unless she had also guessed his Uchiha lineage like Kagome had. "I—"
"I'm new to weapon acquisition. I ran this shop as a general store, until I switched gears to try and become an instrument-maker, but that's slow going." She sighed wishfully, walking over to set the bow on the counter of the clerk station. "My uncle's the one who's been dealing in munitions since I was small. He knows everything there is to know…me and Kagome are just catching up."
Rubbing his chin in thought, the Uchiha ventured a guess, "Your uncle isn't Akito-san, is he?"
"That's him!" Masae confirmed. Tapping her forehead with the bottom of her palm, she shook her head. "Silly of me to think you wouldn't have known him already. Most ninja that come through Sora-ku do business with him at some point or another. He's the best." She said it as a statement of fact, but Izuna hardly found it to be cocky. Akito Hōjo did indeed sell munitions of such a high caliber it was hard to want to buy weapons from anyone else. The Uchiha had been using his shop for quite some time.
Masae's expression went from proud to fretful, "You're not…here to see him now, are you?"
"No, actually…I was hoping to procure some drums as nice as yours. The rumors spreading through Fire Country say that Sora-ku's instruments are a cut above the rest, because only merchants from this city know where to go to harvest the wood from the special trees that they're made from." He gestured to the gleaming instruments pushed out of the way.
The merchant smiled. "That's correct. If you want my drums, I'd be happy to sell them to you, at a markdown at that. It's the least I can do for saving my sister's life. Not to mention…I'm still a novice, so it wouldn't be right of me to sell them for full price yet."
"Are you sure? I could—"
"No, I seriously insist." Masae wouldn't hear any more about it, hands planted firmly on her hips as she walked away. "But, if it's alright to be a little nosy, is there any particular occasion you're getting them for?"
Here, it was Izuna's turn to grow bashful, staring fondly at the inro cradled in his palms. "They'd be for a celebration. A birthday, actually."
"Ah," Masae hummed, pulled the first drum out. "This person must be very special to you, if you've come all this way just to secure instruments for their birthday."
"She…is." His fingers wrapped around the inro, thinking of the day Sakura had shyly given it to him, the little note she'd included. "She always does her best to be sure everyone around her feels celebrated, and it's finally her turn." Chuckling, Izuna shook his head. "Although to be honest, she doesn't know what we're planning and I'm not sure how she'll take the attention. She can be a bit stubborn like that."
"Maybe so," Masae giggled, gently folding her hands, "but everyone feels cherished when people they care about put in effort to show the affection's mutual."
Affection…? How did she—
"She gave you that, didn't she?"
The ninja's eyes widened as Masae nodded her chin down at the trinket. "The cord's been damaged…" she frowned. "If you'll allow me, I should be able to fix that in no time."
For a brief, intense moment, possessiveness swelled in his chest, and Izuna had to stop his lips from forming some sort of rejection at the offer. Since the day it had entered his possession, it was always on his person wherever he went, save for when he slept, when it stayed safely tucked away in a drawer. No one had permission to touch it for fear they would break or tarnish it in some way.
Plus, a deeper and more primal part of him said that it was like a small piece of Sakura he was allowed to keep to himself. She was adored by so many others; he knew that for as long as he wanted to be near her, inevitably he would have to share. But the inro…it was just for him, directly from her. Still, knowing he couldn't tie the cord back together and expect it to stay, he reluctantly handed it over to the merchant, whose eyes were full of understanding reassurance. "Okay, give me just a minute," She bustled behind the counter, setting the inro down and beginning to dig through one of the boxes on the shelf. Pulling forth an identical navy cord, quick fingers began feeding it through the holes on either end of the small box.
Izuna tried not to hover as she worked, casually glancing around the shop. His attention had been temporarily seized by what he now realized were an assortment of handmade cat toys when her voice stole his attention again. "So, does she know?" Masae asked, her voice trailing off distractedly.
Trying to determine if he had heard her correctly, all he could do was stare like a deer facing down a wolf. "Hm?"
"About the way you feel for her?" Masae prodded.
Of all the questions she could have asked, why that one, Izuna wanted to groan aloud. "The thing about that is…the timing, and her schedule…" Even to his own ears, it sounded like he was floundering for a plausible explanation.
"I'll take that as a no." Masae tittered. "Well, don't leave her waiting too long. You clearly think very highly of her. I bet someone else does too." She caught his eye just to wink.
Izuna turned away to roll his eyes. 'Oh, you have no idea.'
"But of course, I'm rooting for you especially hard." She finished sweetly, holding up the inro dangling by its new cord.
Izuna accepted it reverently, instantly reattaching the item to its rightful place at his waist. "Thank you, Masae-san."
"Anytime." She began to put away the box she had taken the cord from, "By the way, that's a pretty wicked looking scale in the resin. Where'd you get it?"
"She gave it to me." Izuna said simply, the memory of the first time Sakura had transformed and nearly ripped his throat out resurfacing. To think even that would become a treasured memory of his time together with her one day… What…was wrong with him?
"Ah, and where'd she find it?" Masae dusted off her hands, putting the bow under lock and key with a complicated array of seals.
"She shed it." The summer-haired girl's head popped up so fast, she nearly hit it on the countertop.
"Oh, um…"
"It's a long story." Izuna wanted to hide his face in his collar the way he used to do as a child. "A very long story."
Masae coughed into her fist and turned her head, looking eager to move on. "I-It's alright. I'm sure things are just…different for shinobi."
Izuna forced a tight smile, nodding. 'Normally we still don't shed dragon scales, but thank you for letting that slide all the same.' He had long since gotten used to Sakura's godslayer status, momentarily forgetting how much it was to process for the average person who wasn't up to speed on the very complex situation they found themselves in.
"As for," he cleared his throat, smacked his lips for good measure, "telling her. It's not that I haven't tried. Maybe not in the most direct of ways possible but…I suppose you could say having these feelings for someone is a novelty to me. I never really thought too much about it. I'd hardly call myself any sort of romantic."
Not so long ago, he would have stared blankly at the notion. Romance. What was the point of it for a shinobi, the Izuna of the not too distant past would have said. After all, love could be potent to a shinobi, but for an Uchiha more than others.
Who had time to fully commit themselves to another person, to fall in love, never knowing what breath would be the last? Settling down, beginning a family. Big clans only had that luxury because there was strength in numbers, and also a constant need to pass on their bloodlines to new generations. To preserve their clan name and hold the line, people rushed to replace the fallen bodies of yesterday before the blood fully soaked into the soil. A grim but very plain truth.
Izuna never dreamed of growing old with someone special by his side. He knew that with the world around them fraught with peril, and the life expectancy of a ninja being so pitifully short, he would be fortunate to see more than a handful of decades. It was something he'd grown to accept. As long as he could support Madara and protect the clan, what more could he possibly handle caring for?
Sakura had flipped every perception he had about the way his life was meant to go on its head, in more ways than one. Realizing Masae was waiting with baited breath, he shrugged, "Being with her is like finding the right harmony in a song you've played a thousand times. You thought you'd perfected it but then, one day you realize you hadn't. Suddenly you can produce a melody you hadn't even imagined before."
Hearing a sudden sniffle, Izuna found Masae dabbing at her eyes. "If you…if you tell her something like that…" She wiped her eyes, "I bet she'd have the same reaction as me. Now, let's get you those drums."
When she returned to the village Izuna owed her a dessert of her choice, at the very least. She hauled herself up foot by foot, the darkened sky dumping a seemingly endless amount of rain that stuck her clothes to her skin. Usamaro was burrowed into her travel pack, safe and presumably dryer than she could claim to be.
Okay, actually Izuna could buy her an entire bakery's worth of cakes and it still might not be enough. But she was here now, and Sakura Haruno was no quitter. 'Thirteen nests.' she reminded herself. 'I get up there, I check them out, I leave.' And, as tenacious climbing would have it, through the water in her eyes and the wind whipping her limp hair around, the pinkette could just make out the jutting lip of a cave. She would bet a mission's pay that was her first nest. Perfect.
The ascent closer to the eagles' aerie was surprisingly quiet, causing Sakura to wonder if the nest was abandoned all together. It would make her task a little easier… There wasn't much time to breathe a sigh, the hairs on her neck rising. The kunoichi quickly rolled, pressing her back to the mountainside as her hands and feet stuck to the rocky surface with chakra to keep herself from slipping.
In an encounter that was entirely too close, a giant eagle had come gliding through the dark, battle cry shrill as it swooped down on her with the intent of ripping her head off. Seeing its first death strike had missed, the large raptor turned midair, talons outstretched, ready for another attempt on her life.
Sakura glared into the storm, sizing up the bird. Why had she thought this would be easy? When had her life ever had a task someone could deem easy as of late?
A second form joined the first, forcing her to crabwalk out of reach as the eagle's mate came into view. Oh yeah. Izuna had told her that this species of eagle tended to mate for life, and raised offspring together. Which meant each next had two defenders ready to feast on her eyeballs.
'It can't be helped,' she thought, channeling chakra into her fist. 'I know they're special birds but I can't just let them eat me.' Even in defense of her life, the thought of having to harm them made her feel terrible. They were only territorial for the purpose of protecting their home and unborn offspring.
Sakura decided she would hold back as much as possible, maybe just enough of a blow to stun them.
It just so happened that in yet another unforeseen development, punching them clean out of the sky proved unnecessary. Instead she watched a third raptor do the work for her, slamming into one and slapping its powerful wings at the other. Though the duo had been large, he proved to be even larger, and evidently, more powerful. Her eyes widened, recognizing the eagle hovering before her as none other than Madara's personal summon, Shinta. The sharp-eyed bird met her shocked gaze with a cool one of his own, lowering closer to her as the other eagles called a temporary retreat.
Sakura blinked, unsure what had just happened, or why the animal was studying her so contemplatively. Finally, having had enough of the cold wind whipping rain against her arms, she offered the bird a hesitant smile. "Thanks for…whatever that was just now. I guess I'll just…be on my way."
That answer didn't appear to sit well with Shinta, who made a noise resembling a scoff, fluttering to trap her in as she attempted to move on again. Sure, was she likely to run against the same issue? Yes, but knowing what to expect now, perhaps she could devise a better strategy than trying to go straight for their nests.
Wait…if the eagles had backed off after some pushback from Madara's summon, maybe he was something of the leader to the other raptors of Mount Moya. Her presence in the land they called home was likely the reason he didn't want her bothering any of the others.
Swallowing, Sakura attempted to explain, "I know I'm not a member of the clan, and I'm technically intruding. It's just that I'm trying to do a favor for Izuna. I don't mean any of you any harm…but, I'll go." she assured him. "I get that you're probably all wary already, and some stranger showing up and poking around my home would set me on edge, too." As much as it pained her to think of letting Izuna down, she also had to consider the feelings of these creatures, who just wanted to guard their nests in peace. "I'm sorry."
To her surprise, the bird got even closer, his back level with her legs. "I…don't understand," she mumbled. "It's almost like you want me to get oooh," With an impatient squawk, the raptor reached out and snatched the back of her clothing in his imposing beak, her life briefly flashing before her eyes. Wow, to see it from this height, the pinkette realized she had climbed farther up than she first thought.
Sakura dangled there before he tossed her onto his back, and then they were rocketing up into the sky with one powerful wing beat. Unable to help herself, the young woman squealed, clutching tightly to the feathers under her fingers as her stomach plummeted. It was a very good thing she didn't previously have a fear of heights, but at the dizzying speed they were climbing, it might not be too late for that to change.
Life on Mount Moya was well…pretty quiet. He lived with his brethren, a typical life not much different than their smaller and less impressive counterparts. They fought, hunted, reared young and flew through the always dreary skies. Most of the excitement happened when he was summoned, or when some human appeared to take the challenge decided upon by the Uchiha clan and the eagles of Mount Moya. That was far less frequent these days.
Shinta never could have anticipated that when next a human did show up, it would be the pink-haired lass he had last seen with Izuna and Madara all those many months ago.
What a hell of a battle that was. He'd never participated in anything quite like that, an enemy so immensely powerful that even his most base instincts told him weren't human. Not that it intimidated him. The eagles of Mount Moya were known for being fearless, and Shinta certainly didn't come from a line of cowards. Cooperating with his last master's sons was normally a task he would rather not do, when it was much more entertaining to ruffle their feathers. But, nevertheless, if they both died and Tajima's lineage ended, he would rather not have to see that stony face of disappointment in the afterlife. If animal and human souls even went to the same place, that was.
A thought for another time, the raptor told himself. Right now, he was trying to figure out what to do with the shivering human in front of him, blinking round green eyes up at his impressive form. He had been passingly curious about her since the last time he'd seen her.
Every so often he wondered who she was to the brothers, and where those terrifying abilities she had displayed came from. She too, had a reek of something not fully human. It was an almost noxious and suffocating aura back then. Now, there was nothing particularly scary about her. She was a small human female who was, put plainly, almost delicate in appearance.
But Shinta was a wise bird, too wise to let his guard down. It was dormant, but the tickle of something ancient and overwhelming still surrounded her. Easy to miss if he wasn't focusing.
He hadn't thought to go out of his way to seek her out—he didn't even do that for the brat he now called his master—but with her kneeling right in front of him, rubbing no doubt freezing hands up and down her equally freezing knees, the bird had to wonder…
It sounded like Izuna had sent her on the Sky Ridge Run. Funny, because given what he had witnessed before, he would have thought the younger brother cared about this girl quite a bit. Sending her off to get maimed and humiliated was such a strange way of showing it, but humans were strange creatures. His opinion on that hadn't changed, even after years of being partnered with them.
There was also the possibility that they hoped she could complete the rite and therefore prove herself worthy to become a new member of the clan. Not that the clan ever brought in much new blood, but Madara ran things his own way. If the end goal was for this girl to enjoy a high standing within the clan, those that held tight to their traditions would no doubt be impressed she could complete a Sky Ridge Run.
It had never been done before, to his knowledge, but there was no rule that said anyone of any age couldn't try the challenge. It was a necessary thing for any clan heir who wanted to hold the raptor's summoning contract. Remembering when some half-wild little welp had scrambled up the mountain and managed to succeed at the Run almost made him roll his eyes.
Try as he might (and he tried extremely hard), he just hadn't been able to knock Madara to his doom. That was when he himself was an adolescent eagle, just coming into his own, away from his parents.
Years later he was a fully grown raptor, the strongest one there. Yet he remained an unmated loner, building his nest away from the others, interacting with them only as much as needed. It didn't really endear him to the rest of his kind, but they left him alone, which suited him just the same.
Now here came this pink-haired girl, attempting to tackle a rite few Uchiha in the last few decades had succeeded at. Shinta's curiosity was further piqued, alongside his bafflement. She was either very self-assured or very stupid and overconfident.
The humble way she had addressed him and the offer to leave them in peace had him considering this could be more than a quest for glory to her, whatever her reasons were. Surely she couldn't have come just for the sake of Izuna? The boy wasn't as irritating as his brother by a long shot. In fact Shinta was a bit disappointed when Izuna hadn't attempted the challenge years ago. If he had passed it, he didn't think he wouldn't have minded becoming his summon.
All that aside, was he worth putting herself in danger for…just because he asked it of her? Was she fully aware of how vicious the others could be? They would pull her apart and feed strips of her to their young if given the chance. A pity, because that would mean no more opportunities to observe this one. A bird's curiosity could rival a cat's. It almost made him want to…help her.
The idea startled him, because since when did he help humans when there wasn't something in it for him? But the more he turned the idea over in his head, the more appealing it became. And, if she failed even with his help, then it meant she was truly hopeless, and the outcome wouldn't be on him regardless. There was nothing to lose, except his boredom.
He clicked his beak at her to draw her attention, noticing she had been spacing out. To even have the slightest hope at this, she would need to summon all her focus. Large verdant eyes looked him over, head tilting as she waited on him to speak. Not that she could really understand. Humans always needed everything spelled out for them.
He trilled, pacing back and forth as he went on to let her know that, without him, she was undoubtedly doomed. Therefore, for a limited time, he would offer his services, and help her survey each nest. The eagles who had laid or were about to would still be out for blood, especially as this was an outsider to the clan, as anyone could see. She would have to prove herself and earn their respect if she expected to collect a feather sample from each nest as proof of the deed.
"You're Shinta, right?" she asked, wringing out her hair. "I remember you…" Oh? Color him pleased. Not that a raptor as striking and magnificent as himself was easy to forget. "I'm Sakura." she added, jogging his memory on her own name. "I'm uh…guessing you brought me up here for a reason. Thanks again for defending me by the way."
He nodded, waited, let her get her bearings. His kindness knew no bounds today.
Pressing her lips together, she averted her eyes, hands falling from her hair to her lap. "It's kind of presumptuous, but since you're in a helping mood, would you mind…helping me out again?"
He perked up, cawing eagerly. This may be quicker to get an understanding between them than he thought!
Ever the showman, he extended one of his wings out, bowing in the limited space. 'Yes, yes little human. Revel in the fact that you have the most capable and fierce bird on this mountain as an ally, however temporary.'
Her backpack chose that moment to rustle, and out popped a little head, a yawn escaping as if it had just woken out. Oh, so she'd brought him a tasty morsel…this was going to be a worthwhile partnership after all.
He advanced, his eyes trained on the sleepy cat, until Sakura snatched up the bag, shielding it away from him. "No!" she protested. "Don't even think about it. Usamaro's not your snack."
Shinta glared. So it had a name? That meant she wasn't going to part with it. Fine. No snacking. For now. The cat looked entirely too smug though. All nine lives weren't going to be enough when he could end him in one gulp.
Shinta shook his head and, more grumpily, reiterated that he was going to aid her in her quest. Better to do it now before he changed his mind about the whole thing. Or ate the cat. Or both.
The last time she had been in the air wasn't the best time to appreciate it, being that it was a life-or-death situation and all, but the feeling of flight was amazingly liberating. It was no wonder birds always looked so carefree as they flitted around.
Not even the raging storm around them could fully stop Sakura from marveling over how easily Shinta rose up the mountain she'd had to maneuver slowly and carefully. 'Will I be able to do this soon?' She did technically have the ability to fly now, after all. At least in her Dragon State. And though she had briefly considered using it, something told her the birds who made Mount Moya home might not take well to the sight of her, scales and fangs and horns on display, coming towards their nests.
They barely tolerated her humble human appearance. Plus, there was the small fact that she had only really flown once, and activating that ability was something of a natural instinct at the time; Sakura recalled being in a sort of trance.
Reflection for another time, perhaps, the first nest she had attempted to check coming into view. She was grateful she'd had the foresight to read over the brief notes Izuna had written down on each pair of nesting eagles, because there definitely wasn't time to do so now, pouring rain notwithstanding.
The eyes peering down at them from the nest gleamed a menacing gold, the slightly larger eagle that was likely the male, Niko, swooping at them with an enraged cry.
Shinta coasted to the side, out of harm's way, but not out of Niko's line of sight. In fact, regardless of the terrible weather, neither bird seemed to be slowed down at all, their enhanced eyes providing them perfect visibility. Concentrating to control the transformation, the pinkette could feel her own irises contract, the world suddenly sharper and more vivid. Times like these, having the power of a dragon coursing through her was undoubtedly handy.
"He's just defending his nest, so I don't want to agitate him more than necessary." Sakura called above the howling winds.
The meaning of Shinta's reply was lost on her, her icy fingers holding on tight as he made a sharp plummet that nearly had Niko crashing into the mountain as he attempted to chase them away. She gasped, whipping her head to see if the raptor was okay. He flew in place, dazed, but relatively unharmed from what she could tell.
"What part of that isn't going to agitate him?!" she cried, swearing Shinta only scoffed. "Whatever. Their nest is just fine, so we should just keep…whoa!" Completely ignoring her, the haughty eagle flew in close to the aerie again, the kunoichi swallowing her nerves as the large mass of Niko's mate Taru tensed.
Her cry was shrill, her magnificent wingspan threatening as she sat up and postured in warning. It couldn't be any clearer to her that the eagle was giving them one last chance to go away, her body language promising she wouldn't hesitate to mercilessly defend her unborn chicks if they got any closer.
The moment Shinta dared to do it anyway was the moment Sakura considered that she may have put her faith in the wrong eagle. Shinta was, well, an asshole! Taru lunged, beak open and talons poised to dig into vulnerable flesh if given the chance. Although her wayward steed's speedy maneuvering evaded Taru's attack, the mother eagle's powerful wing clipped the edge of the nest. Sakura watched in slow motion as one of the well-sized eggs rolled precariously to the edge of the sturdily built structure. Too incensed to notice, Taru moved to attack again, and that was all it took. Sakura watched in complete horror as the egg fell, urging Shinta to go after it in a dive.
Miraculously, he complied, both raptor parents also chasing after the falling egg. The pinkette was hoping against hope it wouldn't be dashed to pieces before it could be saved. Though she wasn't even entirely sure how viable it would be after it was all said and done. What if it was already too late to save the innocent baby inside? Not only would she feel culpable for its demise, but she would have to report back to the village and inform Izuna that she was a failure, someone he should have never trusted with a task of this importance.
'Now's not the time for self-pity!' Sakura scolded herself, teeth gritting as she extended her hands toward the freefalling egg. 'Almost there!'
Her heart roared in her breast, fingertips almost making contact with the shell, only to miss by a few centimeters of space. Unable to accept the outcome of the egg crashing to its doom, Sakura dove from Shinta's back without thought, arms encircling the egg and pulling it tight to share whatever body warmth she could provide.
There was only a split second of thought about how fast and how far she was falling, her back facing the ground, before a firm and springy cushioning of feathers acted as a safety net. Keeping the egg secure with one arm, Sakura managed to roll herself onto her knees, free hand resting on the broad and sturdy animal, seeing that she had been saved not by Shinta, but by Niko, the father of the unborn nestling.
Adrenaline warred with lingering terror and a mountain of relief, unable to focus on any one distinct feeling until the male eagle flew back into the safety of the aerie, and Sakura slid gently from his back. Dropping on shaky knees, the young woman set the egg down in its pile of warm materials beside its two siblings.
Taru joined her mate and the human in the nest, their bodies blocking out the majority of the rain and managing to make her feel snug in spite of the chaos of the storm around them. Sakura sighed, confident the eagles no longer wanted to pluck out her eyeballs, taking a moment to catch her breath and process the wild sequence of events.
Shinta, nonchalant as always, stayed flying above the edge of the nest, and Sakura shot the monster bird a dirty glare. If she didn't know any better, she'd have thought that provocation was deliberate. Like summon, like master, she supposed.
Taru's piercing screech reverberated through her skull, the accompanying headache momentarily gripping her in its thrall, until she saw what had gotten the female eagle so excited. Her primary panicked belief that the splitting egg had broken in its tumble after all was soon replaced by building awe as the first sign of life broke through. Right there and right then, it was hatching, a bright orange beak tirelessly working to drill its way through from the confines of its shelled prison.
Time melted away as they all stood by and watched the first hatchling of the clutch to enter the world. Taru and Niko gave gentle, quiet coos of encouragement to their offspring while Sakura said nothing as it wriggled the rest of its body free. The exhausted chick was barely lifting its head before Shinta's impatient squawks called out to her.
Sakura rolled her eyes, knowing he was urging her to move on, and that he had a point. There were twelve more nests left to check, and who knew how long she had already taken. Still, the raptor's off-putting attitude made her reluctant to keep working with him. 'Too late to turn back now, I guess.' She conceded, hopping back onto the eagle. That didn't mean she wouldn't voice her annoyance with him when the job was done.
With one last tired smile at the cozy nest, mother and father snuggled into their new baby and the two eggs that had yet to hatch, Sakura tilted her head up to the miserable sky, and the next aerie up the mountain.
The only appropriate thought filtering through her mind was, 'what a night.' Sakura stared over her shoulder, Usamaro doing the same from his spot near her feet, as they glanced back at the formation of Mount Moya together. Wrapped in the embrace of a watery sunrise that chased away the gloom of the night before, she had to admit, the mountains didn't look half as frightening.
They were almost kind of…breathtaking. The jagged peak cut into the skyline, aswirl with fuchsia, orange and dappled with a rapidly lightening blue. Pretty enough to want painted and hung on her wall, but not a destination spot she was truly anxious to revisit soon.
Yes, she could stand and admire it now, having completed her task with feathers from each eagle to prove it. Strangely, after her harrowing rescue of Taru and Niko's baby, the other eagles of the mountain weren't as hostile to her as she was expecting.
Of course, there was a lingering trace of wariness in their body language, but they allowed her to see their nests, whatever Shinta communicated with his squawks prompting them all to offer her shed feathers. The big guy looked rather smug with himself throughout the excursion, now that she thought of it. As if he had a plan all along and everything had worked in his favor. Sakura would probably never know. Vexing, pompous thing.
Usamaro, having spent his time on the mountaintop safely tucked away in Shinta's cave until she came back for him, seemed just as anxious as her to leave. Knowing the intelligence her cat possessed, Sakura wouldn't be surprised if an innate sense told him his life was in danger the longer, he remained there. He was, after all, nothing more than a light snack for any hungry raptor who dared peek in on him. Much better he be with her, on the road home again.
Though even the thought of home couldn't keep the long, weary groan from tumbling past her lips. Sakura was positive she looked worse for wear. Her hair was a bird's nest of its own, still damp and standing on end. Her clothes were disheveled, though not damaged, the magical quality woven into every fiber of thread holding up as promised. There were a few scrapes and bruises she hadn't wanted to waste the chakra getting rid of, and most tellingly, a chilly, fatigued feeling that clung to her very bones.
Home, warm bath, meal, nap…in no particular order. Chanting that mantra in her head gave her just enough energy to sprint for home, the wind whipping through her locks, the stretch of road disappearing beneath her feet. Usamaro kept pace surprisingly well, at least for a while until he began to whine, indicating he wanted to ride inside her pack. Sakura even briefly considered flying, imagining she would be home in a wink if she did.
Nevertheless, she stuck to the traveled roads, almost drooling as she envisioned the quiet ways in which she could spend the rest of the day unwinding. The sounds of early morning and the blue sky adorned with fluffy clouds promised a lovely spring day, something she was never opposed to.
Maybe she could even check in with her friends, have them over for a chat once she'd rested up. Sakura felt the tiniest stirring from within her pack, knowing Usamaro had popped his head out by the wet brush of his nose she felt against the nape of her neck. The innocent meow chirped into her ear a few seconds later confirmed it. "You're probably ready to get back and find a sunny spot to nap in." She giggled, hearing him gurgle lowly, "But don't you think you've slept enough on this trip for the both of us?"
The pinkette smiled fondly over his responding, if not somewhat plaintive mew, a defense of his moral character if she ever heard one. "Don't worry. I was just teasing." She reached back and scratched behind his ear, the feline happily pushing his fluffy head into her palm. "…Huh?"
Rounding yet another bend in the road, Sakura could almost see a small group sitting at the bench of a rundown tea shop up ahead. When she had passed it on her way to Mount Moya, the pinkette had some serious doubts it was even still up and running. The establishment certainly didn't look open at the time. "I must need that nap more than I thought. I'm so tired I'm actually seeing my friends," she murmured under her breath. Usamaro gave an answering cry, sounding a bit curious himself.
Sakura blinked, running closer and further convinced of the plausibility that it was no hallucination at all; especially when a very familiar blond turned her way, a smile brightening her face as she shot up and waved.
"Hey, there she is!" Yurine called happily, shielding her eyes from the dust as Sakura skidded to an abrupt halt in front of them. "Whoa!"
Sakura heard the sound of someone clearing their throat, scratching her cheek sheepishly. "S-Sorry…"
"Really, what's the rush?" Naoko tutted, eyeing her up and down. "You weren't going to run past us, were you?"
Still a bit baffled over their sudden appearance, the pink-haired kunoichi glanced around. "I…honestly thought I was seeing things at first."
"No, we're here and in the flesh." Toka confirmed, as if that was still in doubt.
She nodded, trying to decide the best way to phrase her next query before going with a straightforward approach. "As great as it is to see you all here…I'm just wondering why you are…here…"
"For you, silly!" Yurine said, as if it should be obvious.
Sakura pointed a finger at her chest, head tilting slightly, "M-Me?"
"There's no one else we could be here for." Shikamarin finally got up from where she had been seemingly dozing at the table, stretching her arms languidly.
"Except maybe this cutie." Naoko cooed, reaching around and plucking up Usamaro from her pack. The cat went happily, ecstatic to be doted on as the Uchiha held him on his back and tickled his belly.
"But…we are here for you mostly." Susumu said in the soothing voice Sakura had come to expect, hands clasped just below chest level.
Sakura had to admit, she still didn't completely get it, but she wasn't saying no to their company. Her friends had come to meet her, and that meant a lot. Yurine reached out and took her hand, holding it up and staring at her nails. "So, we'll definitely be painting these."
"Should probably start with that hair though," Shikamarin threw in, shaking her head presumably at the sight of the pink rat's nest. Sakura placed her free hand atop her head subconsciously.
"It's not that bad." She defended weakly. Nothing a good scrub and then a thorough brushing couldn't get out anyway.
"Sure, but it's not that good either." Yurine smiled gently, patting her hand. "Don't worry, we'll take care of everything!"
"Should we get a move on?" Naoko had already started walking backwards, Usamaro snuggled around her neck and her thumb jabbed in the direction they were all headed. "The hot springs await."
"H-Hot springs?" Sakura stumbled after Yurine, who had began skipping after the others, tugging her along.
"Sure! Don't you think a good soak early in the morning before the night crowd comes is a good idea?" Her blond friend asked rhetorically. Evidently they had it in their minds it was what she needed, regardless of what she had to say about it. But given her plans back at the village had included a long bath anyway, what was the harm in doing so with friends?
"Right, point the way." Sakura grinned.
"Time for some pampering," Susumu hummed, clapping.
ASiT
Pampering was exactly what ended up happening. Sakura spent all morning and a good portion of the day doing whatever activity her friends could think of, and nearly everything involved indulgences. The time in the hot spring was just what she needed, easily warming her up and pulling the aches and pains right out of her.
Then, Yurine had arranged for them to have massages and facials. Sakura had to say, she was impressed with the results; her skin came away supple and smooth as a peach to the touch. The morning activities would have been more than enough to revitalize her, but her fellow shinobi weren't done there, oh no! Naoko led them on a shopping trip through the small civilian village they had stopped in, insisting they try on, of all things, beautiful silken yukata. Each of them had chosen a different pattern in the same luxuriant texture, Sakura marveling at what a beautiful group of people she had found herself among.
They, however, doted on her equally as much. Toka told her shyly that the pattern she had chosen—a creamy fabric with red and black blossoms of different sizes that contained firework designs in their centers—complimented her from head to toe. Susumu and Yurine were eager to dab her face in a modest amount of makeup. Soft pink lip paint and a powerful and alluring crimson eyeshadow that faded into a separate burgundy shade they also applied. This, the girls said, brought out the best angles of her face. While she looked incredible in her humble opinion, full credit to her talented friends, Sakura would have been more than satisfied to stop there.
She should have known that with friends as persistent as hers, there was no chance of that happening. It was actually Shikamarin who painted her nails, having the steadiest hand when it came to the minute details, which she applied with Yurine dictating the color and design. While they waited for them to dry, Naoko did her hair, humming something jaunty and expertly twisting a braid at the same time.
The majority of her long hair, now once again shining, the older kunoichi left to fall down her back. Thick bangs fell to frame either side of her face, reminiscent of when she put her hair up to work, but less messy by the pinkette's estimation. The braided area in the middle led to a well-secured bun, held together by a very familiar hair ornament. "Did that come out of my house?" she gasped, eyebrows lifting as Naoko tucked in the pale green kanzashi Hashirama had given her in Tanzaku.
"Well…" Yurine chirped, avoiding her eyes.
"Yes, it did." Shikamarin said simply, putting the final touches on her nail art. No further explanation was given, every attempt Sakura made to get answers being summarily ignored. Shortly after they bid the nice granny whose garden they had been goodbye, the older woman sighing wistfully about the vibrancy of youth.
"There's only one thing left to do now." Toka announced. Sakura didn't think she had ever seen the Senju with her hair fully down, her bang kept from covering her eye only by the work of several hair clips. In her red lip paint and moss green eyeshadow, a perfect match to the color of her yukata, she was beautiful, if not still a little daunting.
Naoko seemed to agree, judging by the way her eyes darted to Toka; but it appeared the Senju never noticed, and Sakura wasn't willing to be the one to ask. Given Yurine's propensity for sniffing out a romantic trail faster than a ninja hound, she'd be the most likely to have some idea of what, if anything, was happening there. The pinkette made a small mental note to pull her aside and ask later.
"Okay," Speaking of the excitable blond, Sakura could feel her presence closing in from behind, two smooth hands pressing over her eyes.
"Yurine!" she squawked, attempting to turn around, only to have the hands hold fast.
"No, no, no!" she scolded. "This is as far as you can go. We'll have to blindfold you the rest of the way."
"For what?!"
"Matters that require blindfolds are typically more fun if you don't know until the last minute," Naoko chimed in.
Sakura could sense a more hesitant present stepping towards them. "I…apologize about this Sakura-san." Susumu murmured, genuine guilt audible. "Please let me know if I secure it too tightly."
"Just be mindful of my work on her eyeshadow." Yurine stated.
Once again, any hopes for a reasonable explanation were dashed, and Sakura was left at the mercy of her friends and their strange machinations. Usamaro gently bumped her ankle every so often as Naoko and Yurine guided her along, everyone talking around her as though she wasn't being towed down the road like a dolled up hostage.
Well, at least they had been close to the village when the others lost their minds…
"I can practically hear what you're thinking," Yurine clucked. "But we worked so hard on all this, we wanted to be sure you had a genuine reaction."
"You are the woman of the hour." Shikamarin said simply, furthering her immense curiosity.
"The hour of?" Sakura pressed, hopeful for even some crumb of information. A half-clue would do nicely at this point.
"Your grand debut of course." Naoko said, her voice a large smirk she didn't have to see to recognize.
"Naturally." Sakura returned sarcastically. "How could I not have known?" The banter continued, the young pinkette ever surer that home had to be right around the corner. When the blindfold was tugged up for her, astonished eyes drinking in the sight of a village decorated in splendor, Sakura began to feel slightly lightheaded. "What is all this?" She breathed. "A…a festival?"
"Not just a festival. Your festival." Naoko declared, patting her butt, ushering her forward.
The pieces came flying together with audible clicks, the same time the day's date stamped itself in glowing neon color across her brain. How could she be that forgetful?! "For my birthday. All this is for my birthday?" she croaked. Through the watery film forming over her eyes and the lump in her throat, all Sakura could manage was a raspy chuckle. "Reira told you."
"It's a good thing she did. You certainly weren't going to." Toka narrowed her eyes, and the younger kunoichi shrank away in shame. Then, in a much gentler tone, her stern friend added, "Happy birthday, Sakura."
I have been waiting so long to write this, but I felt like I needed to be sure I had the inspiration to do the idea justice since it's gone on several years that I had the outline. Sakura is of course important to not only history at this point, but also so many lives. I wanted to be sure I could clearly convey that, while also doing justice to the many side plots you all know and have come to care about. Hehe This chapter introduces another character that features in canon with Kagome! I took liberties in giving her that name as well as the backstory that she has here, but I wonder if anyone can guess who she is based off the clues around her debut.
Anyway, although I missed an anniversary update, someone reminded me A Stitch in Time turned five this year. Much awe and big wow for us making it this far. Truly a team effort. I likely would have given up by now if not for the support I have received. That being said, engagement means so much to me as a writer. I can't even stress it enough. As long as they're not needlessly negative, I always appreciate people telling me what in the story has them hooked.
Moving on…the bow was referred to as a "hana-yumi" in this chapter, which means "evil-banishing" bow. And what's the mystery behind this strange, stringless bow? Well…
My favorite part of the scene though, was being able to write Izuna going feral for a minute. Not wise to try taking away a gift an Uchiha received from their special person.
I actually had plans to have all the events of Sakura's super big birthday in this chapter as well, but this is already long enough. I am trying to cut back for now and break down my usual into half, which still end up being very long when you think about it.
I hope everyone had fun reading this and is looking forward to the next installment~ How do you think the guys will react once Sakura is in front of them and it's finally time to shower her in birthday attention without holding back?
