"Whenever you live, there will always be war."

Hashirama Senju

Yuko was familiar with the strain on her body, even though it's only been two days since her training began she could say without a doubt she did not like the outfit. It looked fine even though the haori was like a jacket on her, but it was heavy, she was used to light clothing; but if this is what her training demanded she'd endure it. At least she managed to form a suiton jutsu just before it spiraled out of control and ended up soaking them both to the bone. If she were to be honest it was like heaven feeling that cool water just drench her. Then came the next part of the training, as if it was a punishment she had to run five hundred laps around the entire compound and wasn't able to take off her clothes.

So, as she laid down on the moist grass, she relished the coolness it brought to her hot and slick skin. It was getting later now long passed the afternoon and going into the late evening, another day of training finished. Releasing a soft sigh, she turned her head over to Ahiko who was seated next to her with both of her legs extended with a small bend to them, her arms easily supporting her weight. "Ahh..." She sighed lying her head down with a small smile on her face.

Her body was sore definitely sore, she was used to hellish training, but this was entirely something else. She never heard of anything having to do with her waist, or putting rocks in a bucket that were tied to her ankles and wrists and having to support them with her waist strength alone. Ahiko explained it was conditioning, but she honestly thought she was going to get bent around like a pretzel. She took a swig of water, the one thing she was starting to love and hate. Loved it becase it was hydrating her, but hated it since it was so difficult and drenched her to the bone.

"I'm really amazed." Ahiko's chipper tone broke her from her train of thought. She turned to the curly haired woman with a curious gaze, amazed? She heard a lot of things in her short lifetime but amazing was never one of those things.

"Why?" Yuko asked the question that was hanging on her tongue. Of course anyone else would take the compliment, but things like this were rare for her. Her father was harsh and strict, he expected nothing but perfection and rarely gave her praise; it was always we're going to train harder tomorrow. She wasn't so emotional that she constantly wanted his praise, but to hear his approval, her father's approval that's something any child would want.

"It's been two days and you're already grasping the suiton..." Ahiko smiled slightly, bringing a hand up to her long hair wringing out the moisture for the tenth time catching the sheepish look on Yuko's face as she did so. Both of them looked like they decided to jump in the pond with their clothes on and go for a swim. "I mean sure the jutsu spiraled out of control, but you were able to form and complete the jutsu itself." It would be considered great for someone to get the hang of the suiton in just two days being the second hardest element to use let alone master next to futon; herself it took at least a month to form one jutsu.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Yuko said with a small breath, sitting up and tossing a rock into the placid pond causing a ripple to spread throughout the body of water. Quickly the ripples spread out, before slowly casting outwards along the entire length of the pond. Maybe it was the high standards her father set her to, and in turn the high standards she held herself to since he passed; getting the hang of suiton in two days was great. But, she had a long way to go.

"I am always right!" Ahiko beamed a cheeky smile with a quick wink, sitting herself up and letting her elbows support her weight as she leaned back. Of course her brother would object on the matter bringing up dozens of examples of why she wasn't always right. Equally true and justified examples from their childhood, but it wasn't her fault she was so curious and wanted to explore, and those giant cats looked so cute and cuddly. She had no idea they were going to attack her and try to make a lunch out of her, and then there were those nasty caterpillars with the thorns on their backs and sides she only looked at those never tried to touch them. "On that note, how are you liking the outfit?"

Yuko nearly blanched, instead she winced as if she was hit in the gut with a boulder. This heavy outfit, the same outfit that caused her to almost fall face first into the pond when she was throwing a punch, the same outfit that made her walk awkwardly as if she had to learn again entirely from scratch. Thankfully that was just yesterday and she had the hang of walking with these heavy clothes on. "It's nice." She said carefully, not wanting to be rude and say that she really hated it, she didn't want to come off as ungrateful especially with someone so kind and bubbly as Ahiko. "How many rods are in this again, and how much do they weigh?"

"I want to say in total there's about a dozen or more, and they weigh seven pounds a piece." Ahiko answered without any hesitation, at this point Yuko knew that was normal for the curly haired girl. "So you're being weighed down by about one hundred to maybe one hundred and fifty pounds at the most, plus your own body weight." She turned her eyes up to the sky, it was so blue there was hardly a cloud in sight. She gave a small nod to herself. "That's about right."

"I see..." Yuko responded quietly, no wonder she almost fell face first.

Ahiko smiled seeing the look on Yuko's face, she knew that look. It's the same look she had when she fell face first into a patch of mud when she first got a similar outfit. Mirth tickled at her eyes, and she opened her mouth to retort but a soft voice broke her away. "Ahiko-san and Yuko-san." Ahiko turned around spotting a boy with messy hair and green eyes, she recognized him without even thinking about it.

"Iji-kun!" Ahiko said pleasantly surprised to see one of the younger members of the clan, he would help Mikito with her loads of paperwork whenever Souji wasn't able to or was training the units or out on a mission. Yuko turned around next, her eyes widening ever so slightly she recognized this boy. It was the same boy who gave her a map before she set out to the Water country, she could never forget those big green eyes. The two shared a glance and she swore she could see him blush, probably from the compliment he gave her back then about her eyes.

"I'm sorry to intrude on your training, but Mikito-sama requests an update..." Iji looked uncomfortable as the two girls made their way over, Ahiko beaming a smile at him.

"Iji-kun is that all?" Ahiko asked.

"Well..." He couldn't hide it from Ahiko she'd keep staring at him waiting for an answer or ask again and start fussing over it. "Madara-san and Izuna-san are here."

"Izuna?" Yuko asked, a hint of eagerness in her tone and her eyes beamed,

Mikito pinched the bridge of her nose, keeping her eyes closed as she didn't look at who was standing in front of her. The stench of blood was down right awful and consumed her entire room, Souji being mindful of his sister's state leaned against the window behind her with his hands resting in his sleeves. She really had too much going on, she got another letter from the Grass damiyo, she had a dozen requests for people to leave the compound for different reasons, another hundred documents for approval, and now she had Madara and Izuna in her room smeared with blood, and there was another Uchiha whom she didn't know of. The rest of their men were showed to a small closure where they could wait.

"This is pleasant..." She opened her eyes looking at Madara and Izuna with a blank but narrowed eye expression, she flicked them to Hikaku who didn't flinch or look away. She wasn't going to even ask why they had blood on them, she already had a good idea why and how it got it on them. But, did they really need to come covered in that much of it? She could imagine what her kinsmen were whispering now after seeing the famous Uchiha brothers. "I'll skip the idle chat, what brings you here?" She asked, sitting upright as she leaned back into her chair.

"Isn't it obvious?" Madara asked.

Izuna closed his eyes, yet again almost ashamed of his brother's lack of tact. Okay, Izuna at times had no tact but that was different he never talked to a woman like Madara just had. Sure, for some it wouldn't be that bad, in fact it wouldn't be bad at all; but this wasn't just any woman. This was a woman who was the leader of a powerful clan, and she wasn't weak by any stretch. "No need to be so formal Mikito-san." Izuna opened his eyes giving an easy smile. "We meet again, sooner than I expected." He could feel the annoyance radiate from Madara but chose to ignore it, he really liked Mikito she wasn't timid, but she wasn't head strong, and she didn't put up with his brother's crap. She was a very brave woman.

"It's good to see you Izuna-san." Mikito replied with a small smile, her eyes shining slightly as she turned to the younger Uchiha. "May I ask, who is your comrade?" She turned her gaze on Hikaku.

"I am Hikaku." He answered, his tone blunt but not disrespectful. "It's an honor to meet you Mikito-san."

My, my so polite. Mikito thought resisting the urge to giggle at the man. "You flatter me so Hikaku-san." Sending the man a smile, before turning her eyes back on Madara who had one eye narrowed as if he was restraining himself from having an outburst. And if his crossed arms were anything to go by she'd say he was rather impatient at this moment. Too bad. I wish I could same the same for this sour grape. Mikito thought, fighting off the scowl that wanted to grace her face, she could make a sour expression too, two could play at that game. "This must be important for you to come all the way here on such short notice too." She locked both of her eyes with Madara's one onyx black eye.

Is she patronizing me!? Madara thought, clenching his teeth slightly about to reply but a quiet knock on the door snapped his attention away for a moment. He turned around looking at the door as if it was the cause of his ire at this moment, Izuna looked at it with plain curiosity he seen a young boy run off that was in her office before helping with paperwork he wasn't sure where the boy went or what Mikito instructed him to do. Souji glanced out the window his arms much stiffer than before at Madara's swift retort as to why he was here, naturally he was irked that Madara would even speak to his sister in such a tone, but that was much smaller than what this really meant. "You have an idea why I am here, Mikito-san." He said sounding like he forced the honorific.

Damn that treacherous snake. Souji breathed through his nostrils, his fingers clenching around his forearm. He didn't want to put much thought into it, after all it was just a letter, well two letters now but it was just that. Mikito wasn't going to accept the missions, she didn't want to be within a ten thousand yard radius of the Grass damiyo.

"I do. Enter!" She called from her desk, not sharing the same reactions as the three men in the room. Izuna looked with slightly wide eyes, Hikaku stared almost dumbfounded, and Madara just retained his scowl through it all as Ahiko and Yuko entered, the red haired girl shutting the door. "I see the training is going well."

"Leaps and bounds." Ahiko answered, turning to the three men in the room giving a small bow. "My name is Ahiko, pleasure to meet you!" She beamed a smile, being polite never hurt anyone. Though, shinobi weren't known for their manners, they were known for their lack of manners.

"I'm Izuna. The one next to me is my older brother Madara, and the one standing over there is Hikaku he's pretty quiet. Nice to meet you as well Ahiko-san." Izuna replied giving his own bow of respect and smiling easily, he would save Madara the trouble of having to introduce himself and not to mention that sour expression he has on his face at this moment, and Hikaku wasn't one for words. This is why I am the ladies man, speaking of which... Izuna turned his eyes onto Yuko, staring right into her weary eyes. "Yuko-san. You're looking well."

"I'm...Better."Yuko said quietly with a small nod, she was tired, soaked, and sore; she was barely holding herself up, and there was the fact Izuna stared right into her eyes. He had to know the effect he had on her, there was no way he was oblivious to that; the way her heart skipped a beat and her legs losing strength they barely had. He had to know her reaction to seeing him standing in Mikito's office smeared in blood. "Alright." Madara said exhaling briskly, more than tired of this little get together. "We were attacked by the Shimura clan, I would like to know why. Also I have..."

"Excuse me." Mikito said with a soft tone, tilting her head to the side and smiling sweetly. "Yuko-san, your training is going well, yes?"

"Yes." Yuko replied, something telling her to answer and that's it.

"I am glad to hear that." Mikito clapped her hands once. "Ahiko, can you take Yuko to the cottage?"

"I can do that." Her sister answered with a careful look, not missing that sweet smile adorning her sister's face. "We were about to head back for a break anyways." She grabbed Yuko's hand, yanking her up and striding out of the room feeling her hairs standing up on the back of her neck. Izuna looked at Yuko for a long moment, never taking his eyes off of her, even as she sent a weary look his way he kept his eyes locked on hers.

"Madara-san." She turned her eyes on the grumpy Uchiha. "I'm sorry, as you were saying about the Shimura clan attacking you. I am not happy it happened, I'm sure Ajo was expecting me instead of you, but he'll settle for anything. We've been in a long conflict with the Shimura for about a decade, our borders are getting closer. They think they're going to move onto our territory, I don't like messes in our territory."

"Brother." Izuna looked at him with a weary expression, taking note that Mikito was still smiling with her head tilted. "I don't think she'd plan such a thing in the first place, and as much as I hate to admit this she isn't the type to lie or play games." He of course was saying this to avoid another argument between the two of them, it seemed they had a knack for riling the other up.

"Understandable the Shimura are pesky." Madara conceded. They were a thorn in his side having the gall to go against the Uchiha and Senju, but he wasn't aware they had a long standing feud with the Domou; though it made sense when Ajo called Mikito a witch among demons it appeared he downright hated the Domou clan. Well, he could relate with that since everyone had hard feelings against the Uchiha. "Moving forward." Pests aside. "I have received a request from the Grass damiyo."

"Is that so?" Mikito lost her smile, instead it was replaced with a curious expression.

"I don't know what the hell he wants, but I'm not going to turn down the job." He said with a firm tone, there were several reasons why he wasn't going to pass it up and pay was one. Souji only narrowed his eyes as he heard the words, the words he didn't want to hear escape his mouth. "He has promised a feast, wants us to put on a demonstration, as for what he wants that was not specified." He kept his gaze locked with hers awaiting a response, but that sweet smile from before came back in full effect.

"He never does. Never did." Mikito rested one hand on her desk, careful not to gouge it to pieces with her fingers. She didn't associate with the snake for a reason, he sent her barely any information worthwhile on the task, and he was sending half ass information to Madara. Games, he's always playing games... She glanced at her hand noticing her desk giving way to her death grip. "So, I take it you need my help?"

"The Senju and Subatsu were enlisted by another damiyo."

"Ah, so you do need my help?"

"We're allies." Madara said breathing through his clenched teeth, why was she asking the same question over again? He had an idea, maybe it was for him to get over his arrogance and admit that he needed her help, actually say he did need it. Well, she wasn't that lucky, he wouldn't admit out loud. "Allies help each other."

"Comrades..." Mikito retorted

"Sister, calm down." Souji whispered loud enough so only she could hear him, he didn't miss the small lines being formed in the desk from caving wood. Her strength was always surprising even to their father who they considered to be a brute, if she wanted to she'd rip the desk in two, but for reasons she was composing herself. Just as their mother instructed them from a young age.

"I am calm, whatever do you mean, brother?" Mikito asked in a sweet tone, but kept her eyes forward on Madara, making sure he had her full attention. Slowly, she lifted her hand off of the desk, placing a document over the small mess she made, she was going to need another desk after this. "We are comrades Madara-san, I will help you in this task." She tilted her head again, her smile didn't lessen. "Agreed?"

"Agreed." Madara replied, glancing around him for a quick second, feeling the temperature drop a few degrees around them, and were those finger marks inches deep in that desk? He turned his focus back on her taking note her head was still tilted and that sweet smile was on her face. "I won't expect nothing less of you than I do my men..." Madara said, he expected perfection and he wasn't going to change that because they were allies and she was a woman. She'd have to be perfect.

"No worries Madara-san, I'm sure this will go smoothly." Mikito took a small breath, standing to her feet looking at Izuna and then Hikaku. "I really need to get ready, so if you will..." Izuna nodded his head, something just told him to agree with the woman standing in front of him, trading a look with his brother they both rose, followed by Hikaku and exited the room silently, but Madara has an air of satisfaction radiating from his figure. With the door closed and her guests a good distance away judging from the thuds of their footsteps, Mikito clenched her fist looking at her desk with a blank expression.

"Now, don't go breaking the desk again. That'd be the third one in just three months." Souji said as if he was scolding her.

"I hate him..." Mikito breathed through clenched teeth. "He's no different than his treacherous father."

"We all do." Souji said, resting a strong hand on her shoulder. "Calm down for now... His time will come, soon."

Hashirama pulled on the hem of his kimono, it was a plain white with a painting of a tall tree with vine like branches running down the length of the back. Since he wouldn't be part of the demonstration, sadly, he got dressed in what was "appropriate attire" it was no secret he had no fashion sense, but this felt a bit over the top. He wore hakama pants that were light gray and a matching obi that held the entire together and kept his top closed. White tabi and zori completed the outfit. "Stop." Tobirama said smacking his hand from the hem of his kimono sending an annoyed glance at him.

Tobirama was dressed plainly, since he wasn't in the middle of the battlefield he didn't need his armor or full body suit. He wore a plain dark blue kimono with a pair of matching trousers that reached the middle of his ankles, his top was tied close with a plain yellow sash, bandages on his shins and sandals that were like boots completed his outfit. He kept on his utility belt under his top, that was one thing he wasn't going to discard for any reason."Stop messing with it!"

"But it's so uncomfortable..." Hashirama whined going to pull on the hem again, out of habit, but Tobirama slapped his hand away.

"Stop whining!" Tobirama looked blankly, as Hashirama started to sulk slightly.

"Yo!"

Hashirama brightened almost instantly as Usagi's chipper tone cut through the air, he looked ahead of him, spotting Usagi just cutting the corner and walking towards them. Her outfit differed from theirs just a bit, she wore a low collar tight fitting black shirt her sleeves like always were longer covering up her hands, for pants she wore a pair of black flowing hakama, with a white sash secured neatly around her waist, her hair was secured in a high ponytail like usual, but there were two ribbons woven on both sides of her face in addition. Black tabi and white zori completed her outfit. She had one sword resting on her right hip secured tightly under her obi. She didn't want to roam without her armor, but it was good she got to carry her sword along with her. "Usagi-san, you look nice!" Hashirama complimented with an honest tone and his usual smile. "Where are the others? Are they waiting for us?"

"Thank you... You clean up rather well, and that kimono fits you." Usagi said shyly not used to being complimented so much, she pulled on the inside of her collar fighting off a blush. Sure, her skills in combat and prowess was always complimented, but never were her looks at least until now. Is this why Syrus and Haji are always sending those nasty looks and glares at people? She wondered, it made a lot of sense if Hashirama complimented her, though he was just an honest and nice guy. "The others are all ready and waiting for us in the dining hall, the damiyo insisted on waiting until everyone is present." Of course, she left out the part where the maidens made sure everything was fitted, and even put the ribbons on both sides of her hair much to her objection.

"No need to thank me!" He offered a genuine smile. But, I clean up well?" Hashirama echoed with a look of confusion.

"Just forget it..." Tobirama sighed, his brother was rather dense, that meant with sayings too. "We've took long enough."

"It's only been a half hour." Usagi remarked, giving him a curious look.

"A half hour too long." Tobirama said swiftly, striding forward while yanking the two of them along.

"But..." Hashirama started, regaining his balance.

"That makes no sense Tobi!" Usagi finished.

"Both of you quiet!" Tobirama ordered with a stern look and tone, locking eyes with both of them. Hashirama immediately started sulking, a dark cloud hanging over his head. Usagi didn't sulk, instead she frowned almost as if she was pouting at being told what to do by Tobirama. "And don't call be Tobi!"

"You didn't have to yell." Usagi muttered, pulling her arm free from his death grip, smoothing out her now wrinkled sleeve.

"I agree." Hashirama spoke up. "There are other ways-"

"I said, be quiet!"