"Thought Or Telepathy"
"Character Communication"
"Loud Speaking"
"Emphasis 'On' A Word."
Madara: A New Journey
It's a few hours before dawn and the faintest signs of light are peering over the horizon, casting shadows equally as faint as the light. Along wooded trails, a young boy who appears to be around thirteen years of age walks with a girl a year or two younger. This boy goes by the name of Hiroi and accompanying him is his kid-sister Mika.
These two are children from the local village known simply as Tonohata village. Originally part of a family of six but no longer, accredited to their father's disappearance some time ago on a trading venture to a land that rests on the outskirts of the infamous peaks of demise, and with such a foreboding name many would assume him dead within the first week.
The young boy, however, didn't believe it at first, but weeks turned into months, and then into years, and soon, even he faltered. But it's not all bad, for Hiroi still has his mother Masaki, his elder sister Hatsune, his aforementioned younger sister Mika, and much to his distaste, his elder brother Kaba.
But make no mistake, it's not like he hates him outright, no not entirely. You see, shortly after his father's death he secluded himself, becoming distant from the family, and it only served to upset him further when his elder brother tried to take over as the man of the house so to say, like his father was never going to return one day, shame that turned out to be the case.
When he eventually faced the harsh reality his family supported him all the way, and their bond grew closer because of it, although he still doesn't think Kaba has what it takes to live up to his father's name.
Mika rubs her eyes and looks up at her big brother. He holds fishing supplies consisting of a bait basket and two bamboo fishing poles, along with a leather knapsack strung around his waist, and clearly owns a look of someone in deep thought but she neither notices nor cares. "Hey," She yawns never having been awoken this early before. "why do I have to be up so early?"
He snaps out of his thought and replies half-heartedly, not really in the mood to invest the effort it takes to convince her. "Kaba asked me to teach you how to fish." He shrugs the bait basket well regretting the decision to bring extra supplies.
Hiroi's been the one fishing for the family for years, he's gotten rather adept at it for the most part. He'd assumed Mika would be attending housework or tending the crops for the family, but apparently, Kaba has other plans.
She drags her feet. "I don't wanna!" She complains in a slight tantrum as why should she have to wake up this early to do something she hasn't had to before. "Fish are slimy and gross."
It's been this way for a long time; the girl is spoiled, as compared to him always having to do the stuff that she didn't, but he turns around nonetheless.
This was supposed to be an easy and typical day. "What?!" He asks with a miffed expression. " Fish is your favourite food, or did you forget. Well, If you don't like it take it up with him. At least you like the pond, don't you?"
It was a desperate attempt to convince the stubborn kid but it might just work. She stands there looking the other way with a pout – cheeks buffed out to the max, making her displeasure known as he waits eagerly for a response. "Your right," She exhales, releasing her pout. "but I'm not touching any fish."
Facepalming with a groan at the silly behaviour, he continues. "Alright, whatever." He heads on, glad to have avoided going home again as she happily trails behind.
The two reach a large pond about two minutes later. Cutting through the bushes with his hand Hiroi sets down the supplies near the edge while Mika wanders off to play with some rocks.
He stretches out with a yawn as a skipping sound deflates the momentary peace. He seizes his head in frustration as another stone goes into the water, falling short of skipping across. "Hey!" He yells. Mika jumps. "Sorry," He says in a softer expression and tone. "our goal is to catch something to eat, not to waste time."
Mika flops down with a bashful expression adorning her face once again. He squeezes the bridge of his nose while internally screaming at the ruining of his beloved routine.
"Kaba, why did you make me bring her." At first, he thought it was as he said - "teach her about fishing." - It made sense, breakfast for them normally consisted of the things they made or found, with an assortment of vegetables grown from the farm and fish or wild game, but now he's thinking something along the lines of "Prick did it to mess with me."
He sighs. It's too late to change anyone's mind. "Okay let's learn how to tie a basic knot." He explains, reaching into his leather knapsack to get hooks and string, grabbing a little extra, figuring he would be restringing a few. He turns back seeing a semi-eager nod in return, perhaps this would be easier than he thought.
Hiroi goes through the basics of fishing with Mika, showing her several knots that could be used. It's twenty minutes later before she is able to get the knots down and tie it to the string without poking herself or "failing in epic fashion" as she called it.
"Yes!" She pumps her fist into the air, expressing her vast accomplishment to the morning creatures. Some birds nearby fly away in terror.
He facepalms and shakes his head. Over theatricals runs on the female side of the family. "Only fifty-eight knots left to learn..."
Mika deadpans. "Fifty-Eight! You're kidding me! How many ways can there be to tie a stupid knot?" She waves her hands around frantically to better get the point across.
"Okay…okay, I get it." He chuckles, having had his fun. "Ready?" He gestures towards the pole that she strung up herself. She snatches it up with a determined expression, forgetting any prior apprehension she may have had.
As the two make to cast a rather strange light shines above, increasing in intensity. Both look up as it's far too early for a light that bright, especially when taking into consideration that there's no orbiting celestial body for the planet as of yet.
The light fades and their eyes adjust. There is an orb of a solid blackish colour, emanating crimson light around its edges, similar to the peak of an eclipse. Powerful winds flow from the orb shaking the surrounding tree. Grasping hold of Mika, Hiroi runs to the treeline nearby. Both peer from behind it to watch the object with curiosity, neither saying a word.
The light dies out shortly after, along with the breeze. Both wait in anticipation, but nothing happens. Gazing upwards with mouth wide agape, Mika is the first to speak. "What do you think it is?"
"I don't know, but I think we should leave…" Hiroi is interrupted when the object pulses which vibrates them in an unusual way and collapses in on itself, dissipating into nothingness, but not before emerges quickly; a humanoid figure splashes into the water below with considerable force.
"That looked like a person!" He says in a panic, bolting to the edge of the pond and searching desperately, running back and forth, again and again, unable to see anything even as the water calmed. He steps back, He can't believe how much of a coward he was there; he just let that person drown.
Suddenly a gloved hand surfaces to dig into the soil and drag the body of a man out. Water splashes down his body as he shakily rises onto his elbows and then his arms, coughing violently. With as much focus as he can muster, he gets to his feet, breathing heavily and clearly in pain.
Madara has arrived, but what is his destination? "Did I, make it?" Madara throws his head back with a long exhale. Soaked hair covers his face, splitting down his nose leaving only one eye visible, but eerily covered by shadows. He takes large gasps of air in, lips curling into a small smile regardless of the pain he - and particularly his head - faced.
He's done the impossible and managed to escape and break free from the shackles of time itself, and made it back to his childhood days.
His face then gains a distasteful look, turning his attention to his body the reason is shown. "Tsk, a parting gift." A long deep slash that leaks excessive amounts of blood adorns his chest. He falls back down to his hands and knees, coughing blood this time. The pain increases dramatically.
The wounds aren't normal, otherwise, they'd barely be noticed in the time it would take to heal. No, these wounds are deeper than the physical aspect.
It was something that happened during his transition, a momentary lapse in control as he was pushed past bounds even the reaper was unable to go through, but it still managed to get a passing hit. It could be over, a hit from the reaper is bad luck personified and it may prove fatal even for him.
The sound of a twig snapping to his immediate turns his gaze to the unnoticed and unspoken presence. It's a small boy talking to an even smaller girl before she runs off. Neither is wearing clothes that fit what children wore in his era.
A small detail, yes, but it's immensely concerning. He feels the pit of his stomach drop. The unsettling feeling building up upon countless others.
Hiroi looks back at Madara having sent his sister to the village for help. "Are you okay? He approaches step by step with caution. "Help is on the way if you're hurt. That was a stupid question, of course, you're hurt." He laughs nervelessly, scratching the back of his neck.
The village isn't far away so help should be here at any moment, but this man could be dangerous or as it appears to be, on death's door.
Madara signs and bites down the unsettling feelings. "Child, what land are we in?" He asks with sharp eyes from beneath his blanket of drenched midnight hair. He's got something to confirm.
Hiroi is confused for a second but answers none-the-less. "We're in the land of Ancestors near the north border of the land of That." He's also surprised by the man's calm voice in a situation he couldn't imagine. I mean how can anyone be that calm when they're bleeding that much?
The land of That he knows about, During his era, it was a Senju controlled region bordering the land of Fire and the land of Rivers. However, the land of Ancestors he's never heard of. "Wait, the tablet." Eyes widening at the recalled information.
What's gone wrong, everything was set up accordingly, but something went wrong. Then, it connects; he'd used the chakra of Hagoromo to construct the jutsu and that chakra must have acted as an anchor to time, a time different than his childhood, a time that Hagoromo lived, at least that's his guess.
"What happened to you?" Hiroi pulls him from his speculations. "You just appeared from nowhere."
It would indeed be like he appeared from nowhere from the outside perspective, although the truth of his travels cannot be described to beings who remain tethered by time.
He parts his lips to reply with a lie but is then struck with another wave of pain far worse than ones prior. He shudders at the pain, quickly losing the strength to support himself as he drops into his own pooling blood. He hears the sounds of an approaching group of people as his consciousness fades, unable to focus on anything but pure pain.
The concerned mother and elder brother of Hiroi have arrived, along with a few villagers who must have been rallied up to join them. Both Masaki and Kaba check him over from head to toe, ensuring he is unharmed as they both ask him "what's going on" in unison.
It wasn't the time for details. "Look!" He points towards the man. "He's hurt really bad."
Kaba gasps at the sight. "Quick!" He jumps into action, moving to the man's shoulders. He'll need to act fast, the blood, the blood is overwhelming his senses with its distinct smell of fleshy iron, but he manages to drag him out. "One of you go get the doctor. We need to be careful in moving him as it will accelerate the blood loss, but it's the only option at this point."
The villagers do exactly as Kaba says because of his medical training from his close relationship with the village doctor Watanagi, and two being an overall extraordinary respected young lad.
Hiroi tries to help but is stopped. "We got this covered. Go to the house and prepare a room." Again, Hiroi has been ordered around by Kaba.
Kaba and the other men begin to handle Madara. He can feel himself being picked up, moved, and carried off somewhere as he drifts in and out of unconsciousness, before finally succumbing to the darkness.
Two weeks have passed since Madara had appeared in critical condition, and subsequently brought back to Tonohata village. It's been two weeks filled with many strange happenings.
On the first day - the day of his arrival - he was rushed to be checked over by a, or should I say the only doctor. Nothing was wrong, not a hair out of place. The wounds from earlier that day had up and vanished, the dry blood that covered him being the only proof injury at all.
Another day went by, another, and another. It was becoming clear that he wasn't destined to wake anytime soon. The doctor did more examinations throughout this time but resulted in similar findings.
It wouldn't be long before changes occurred. Strange symbols manifested on his body on the fifth day: nine black magatamas in rows of three with a black multi-circular symbol above surrounding a centred dot on his back, and a group of black magatama from the ends of his collarbones, connecting through his chest like a wide necklace.
A day after, on the six-day, the same circular pattern that rests on his back but with the slight altercation of red in between each black line appeared in the middle of his forehead. And when the first week had passed, his long black hair turned a greyish crimson. This was a mystery that didn't concern the family, outside of his health.
The rest of the village didn't share that outlook, they've become fearful of what his appearance might mean, and the consequence nursing him to health may present. Demon, monster, signs from God, such words are being thrown around. A dire situation is at hand before he can even awake.
Another day has passed into anew. Masaki currently heads for the room which contains Madara, a bucket of water and a rag in hand. She walks with intent, maybe excitement. "I wonder if today's the day he wakes." She ponders halfheartedly not knowing if he'll wake at all. She enters the room and moves to the bed, setting aside the bucket.
She looks at Madara, only his steady breathing distinguishing him from a corpse. His long crimson hair flows down his chiselled body and the sheets like a sea of blood spilt over pure white sand. The contrast is strikingly beautiful, something she has thought many times.
In fact, he's taller and more muscular than any other man she's ever laid eyes on. Maybe it's because of her husband's disappearance that such shameful desires are surfacing. "It looks like he could wake up at any moment." She pauses before bending down to soak a rag in the bucket, straining it out as she pulls the sheet down to let it rest at his waist.
Masaki hardly stops herself from staring with a slight blush; it felt dirty. Like a predator, she lusts over a helpless man whose very life is in her hands.
However, there's still something she hasn't done. The idea of this something made certain areas on her tingle. Just a small peak. It's eating up at her. "It's not wrong if 'I' do it right?" She kept telling herself while rubbing her knees together.
Masaki figured that she was also tasked with washing his entire body, along with taking care of him, just a quick check-over to make sure everything's in order. Yeah, that would be the responsible thing to do.
Once safely confirming that no one is watching with a glance around, she reaches for the sheets, intent on lowering them to do a "check-over", but her hand with great surprise is lightly yet unmovingly taken by the wrist as soon as it makes contact with the sheets.
She changes to a colour not unlike a tomato as she realizes that the man has woken up just as she was doing something very dirty. She looks into the calm black eyes that stare back, unwavering in their piercing analytical behaviour.
Awakened, at last, not to mention by a woman trying to sneak a peek at his lower region with a massive blush plastered on her shame stricken face.
Comical is the only word for this situation. "Are you the one responsible for taking care of me?" He asks in a calm tone while he stares at her shocked and embarrassed expression with no returning emotion visible, although he had an abundance hidden. He glances down and continues. "Could I get clothes?"
Releasing his hold, she quickly stutters out a response. "Y-Yes, R-Right away!" With that quickly said, she exits the room as fast as humanly plausible. Madara pins the sheets to the waist and gets up with a slight groan.
A push with a hand to the side of his head garners a sharp crack. Madara has no idea what happened during his time passed out, or even how long that time is, but, it seemed to have worked itself out somehow. He groans again and lets out a long breath. His body is loose, the strains lifted, the weaknesses withdrawn.
Trailing a finger over the symbols on his chest he realizes the changes that have occurred. He has Six Path's powers and his chakra supply is incomprehensible similarly to being the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.
However, the Ten-Tails was a force of chaos that tears at its Jinchūriki by solely existing, this is why it's improbable to not instantly be torn apart from the inside and die trying to tame it. Not being burdened by the Ten-Tails would make his power incomprehensible, even Madara, although simplistic in concept to tame the Ten-Tails, was still weakened at that difficult task.
This brings a burning question into the mix, if not the Ten-Tails, then where did this power originate. "I should…" The door reopens tearing him from his thoughts.
Misaki holds clothes consisting of a white kimono with a wide black cloth belt, a black collard shoulder cape, along with the clothes he had on arrival: black pants, gloves, and open-toed combat boots as she enters the room. "I think these will fit you, and here are the ones you had. I'll just put them on the bed for yo…"
She stops for a second. The sheet does little to hid his lower abs and obliques that cut out from the sheet, leading to his well-defined abs marked by his rib-cage, chest, and shoulders. She stops her stare and sets the clothes on the bed with a blush still present, avoiding eye contact altogether. She bows awkwardly before exiting the room.
Weathered by countless battles, lonely nights, death, and even reanimation, a pair of black gloves have been with him through every step and action he's taken. He felt naked without them really, so he throws them on first, then the rest.
Once fully dressed, a loud growl echoes from his stomach. When putting thought behind it, the last time he ate food was slightly before being connected to the Gedo Mazo to extend his life past the natural length after his fight with Hashirama in the valley of the end, some sixty years ago. This is the first time he's been hungry in that time.
A wonderful smell permeates the room. His enhanced sense of smell indulges in that new scent, increasing his lustful hunger in till it's too irresistible to resist any longer, and so instead of fighting he follows the scent, exiting and moving along the hallways. He takes note of how lavish the home truly is for the time.
During that long slumber the memories that had caused him such pain and likely the reason he was even slumbering in the first place, became increasingly easier to understand, although make no mistake it wasn't easy.
If anyone but Madara were to be subjected to the same, their mind would likely shatter into a million different pieces with the distinct lack of ability to differentiate between the memories of themselves and that of others, they'd be insane.
Even so, he's only able to make out enough to determine he's one or two thousand years off his desired time, definitely wasn't as planned, but beggars can't be choosers, it could, in fact, be favourable depending on whether he missed a few crucial events or not but that'd be something he'd have to find out.
He has to duck under a door frame as he reaches the smell, laying eyes on the women from earlier and two children, the same ones he saw on arrival, the young girl and the slightly older boy. "The Kusumoto family welcomes you," Misaki says. He watches with slight interest as she pulls the youngest girl between her bosom. "This is my youngest daughter Mika."
"It's nice to meet you." Mika says with quick timid glances at him from in between her mother's ample bosom.
Laughing off her daughter's timidness, she gestures towards her son and continues, "This is my youngest son, Hiroi." Madara knew something was different about Hiroi as soon as he laid eyes on him. Hiroi's hands shake ever so slightly.
This shaking is attributed to the boy's strange affinity with nature. He's sensing the overwhelming power akin to standing in front of an infinitely deep underwater abyss with thousands of monstrous sea-creature enthusiastic to drag him to the deepest point of infinity.
"Run, danger, death!" Every fibre of his body screaming to escape the man in front of him, the man in his own house.
A nudge in the side by his mother takes him out of his stupor. "Sorry, I spaced out. It's nice to see you are doing better mister." He tries to laugh it off, rubbing the back of his head as he manages to get the shaking under control, but for not as one glance into cold investigating eyes, narrowed and piercing his very soul, his shaking returns.
Madara had narrowed his eyes because he knew. "This child, something about him…is different." He makes a mental note to investigate further.
"Likewise, it's nice to meet you." He pauses, lowering himself slightly. "Mika, Hiroi, and…" He turns his gaze to the older women. "I never did get your name."
Realizing she forgot to give her own name due to the earlier perverted event and eagerness to introduce her family only serves to raise the embarrassment. "My name is Misaki." She tells him with a small blush.
"You have a nice family, Ms Misaki." He raises himself to his full height. "Can I ask where I am?"
"Certainly. You're in Tonohata village within th…" She's interrupted.
"The land of Ancestors." He intervenes with a hand caressing his chin while recalling prior events. Mika takes the moment to walk up to him and tug at his clothes to garner his attention.
He looks at her with a raised eyebrow. "What's your name, mister?" Her tone of voice is adorable and innocent.
He gives a small back of the throat chuckle, unable to resist the erg to pat her head gently with his gloved hand. "My name huh, I suppose I also forgot." He hums in thought as he decides a name to tell along with a fabricated backstory should he need one. "I'm Okumura, Ryuu Okumura."
"Mr Okumura, what happened to you?" Hiroi asks in a respectful tone. Both Misaki and Mika wait for the answer that intrigues them equally as much. He gazes down to the floor as if in deep thought.
It would be comical to see the reaction to the truth; I'm a time traveller who ascended to Godhood and fought the entire world but still failed to reform it thousands of years from now.
That wouldn't go over very well, would it? "I can't remember, the furthest memory I have is of battle; a village being burned. I can still hear the screaming of woman and children. Everything just went black and I was dragging myself from a pond."
Misaki is horrified at the horror this man must have gone through. "That sounds like a nightmare. You don't remember anything about yourself?" Misaki heads behind the counter, checking a fire and the pots suspended over that with a metallic grill.
He shrugs, following her with his eyes as she stirs a pot. "For now."
She moves contents of rice from another pot onto four wooden plates, dropping various unknown spices with it. "I'm sorry, I couldn't imagine not knowing where I'm from," Her eyes narrow, "or who I even was." She says with a saddened look. Grabbing the soup pot as she scoops the curry that it holds onto the rice before bringing them to the table.
"It's not your fault nor your problem." He replies honestly. The two children take sits at their chosen chairs at the table.
"Nonsense! When you're in my care, of course, it's my problem." she puts her hands on her hips. A half-second flash of his mother appears over her before dispersing. She pulls back another chair at the table with a smile. "Now, you must be hungry, come eat." He approaches the seat, hesitating with an outstretched hand that half reaches the chair.
The truth is a painful condition, many have wished to stay ignorant. When exposed one may find themselves devastated for various reasons. Madara's lived a false truth up till now doing terrible things in search of his answer, and admittedly he does plan on resetting the clock to do similar things in search of a new answer.
However, he never accounted for this hesitation. A line stands before him – Is this okay? Is it okay to interact and be like a normal human being regardless of being a monster who's killed hundreds of thousands over the decades he's lived, one that doesn't require food, one that'll live for eternity and has fought for seemingly longer than that?
A hand touches his arm. Another person image flashes over Misaki, this time someone different. He hasn't seen this one in a long time, but he could never forget. "Is everything okay?" She asks. The illusion dissipating.
"I am." He replies with a small but genuine smile. He's going to need to evolve along with his goal if he's gonna truly be the savior he desires. He grabs hold of the chair and takes his seat, leaving her to take the seat across from him.
The food looks better than good, his mouth salivates at the smells that touch him. The rest wait eagerly on him which he comes to notice. "Thank you, for the food." He says with a twitching eye at the unfamiliar words. He picks up a wooden spoon and takes his first taste of food in a very long time.
The flavour, the depth, and the spice mix into an explosion of flavour. He takes another bite, another, and another. It quickly turns into a ravenous eating spectacle. He leaves the plate without a single grain of rice as the rest have barely started.
Mika clamours at her new role model and tries to eat faster, only resulting in a coughing fit. "What are you doing?!" Hiroi pats her back. "Eat slower, you idiot!"
"Whatever." She replies with a pout but has hidden appreciation Having finished the food, Misaki begins taking the dishes away to be washed at a later date, which would mean bringing it to a nearby stream seeing how personal plumbing doesn't particularly exist in mass.
Mika continues bugging Madara, pulling him from his chair and onto the ground, asking question after question to which he answers mainly with a grunt or "I can't remember.". But, he puts up with it, finding it tolerable, if at the very least endearing. Hiroi and Misaki also join in, asking their own questions as Hiroi manages to lose some of those earlier feelings of dread.
Although this was equally an opportunity of his own to ask questions and discovers some key details along with learning more about this family and comparing it with the memories of Kaguya.
Three millennia is a long time; that's the difference between when he'd planned to arrive, and reality – a predicament, but not necessarily a bad one; coming back so early affords him ample time to understand his new boundary conditions, limitations if any.
And most importantly, an opportunity to interact with the very beginning of chakra, the Sage of the Six Paths, the foundations of the Uchiha and Senju, and much more if he so chooses. A small grin expands over his face as he realizes that. "So Mr. Okumura…" Mika tries to say something but is interrupted.
"Mother!" A fast-approaching cheery female voice echoes through the halls. A younger woman enters the room with Kaba trailing behind. "I'm finally home." This is Hatsune; a sixteen-year-old with short blue hair and a body similar to her mother if only slightly smaller.
Mika tackles into the belly of her elder sister squeezing around her waist. Hatsune kneels over as a gasp escapes her. "Whoa, not so fast." She laughs, patting the head of her little sister whom she hasn't seen in over two weeks due to a trading venture with another village.
She feels a hand on her shoulder. Following the hand she sees Kaba, looking ahead with wide eyes. "You look like you saw a gho-" Her eyes also go wide as she sees the reason. "-st"
"Welcome home." Misaki hugs her daughter and releases it. She continues with a gesture towards Madara. "He actually woke up today, a mere hour ago actually."
Hatsune's eyes widen even further. "You mean he's been out for the whole two weeks I was gone?!" She's in disbelief, that was far longer then she expected, something must have been really wrong with him.
Kaba is equally surprised that Madara is awake, he thought him dead in all but body, a vegetable doomed to rot away slowly. "I thought he may have been brain dead, but I guess...I was wrong."
Madara dips his head down and chuckles slightly. "I sure hope so."
Kaba gets in front of Hatsune in a defensive posture. The man was alarmingly intimidating and Kaba has no idea what he's like or who he was. "Stay behind me."
Hatsune moves Mika behind them. "Is he dangerous?"
Madara looks up with a bored confused expression. "Stop it!" Mika runs from behind them and to Madara's side to cling onto his hand with a fury of emotions such as embarrassment and anger, "He's not dangerous. Mr. Okumura is very nice. He's my new big brother!" She sticks out her tongue at Kaba.
"New big brother?" Kaba exhales in a devastated tone. "Then what does that make me?!"
"Old, stinky, annoying big brother." She replies. Kaba always and still is a sis-con, although not in a sexual way. in the overly attached sort of way, so it's not surprising that he's reduced into a sopping mess, each word strikes him like a thousand daggers.
"Okay enough of that, we're not adopting and you're being rude to our guest." Misaki gives a cringed look over at Kaba. "And learn some self-respect for yourself, Kaba."
Kaba dies on the inside from the shame to the point of standing in a corner and muttering to himself.
"That was certainly an interesting exchange." Madara put his hands forward and out, a small sign of peace in many ways and times, showing one isn't armed so too speak. "There's no need to fear me. I'm not much for hurting people with no reason behind it."
Kaba exhales in relief from his corner. Hatsune approaches Madara. "Then it's nice to meet you…" She cocks her head to the side and hums. "Mr. Okumura?"
Madara gives her a quick once over before answering. "That's right, Ryuu Okumura."
"My name's Hatsune, don't bother with formalities. Do you mind if I call you Ryuu?" She asks in a semi-seductive tone while taking a momentary glance at her mother with a cheeky half-smile. She receives a nod of consent.
Misaki narrows her eyes. Hatsune clearly didn't understand the battlefield she just stepped within.
"So Mr Okumura, what happened to you to end up up the way we found you?" Kaba starts up the conversation. With a gesture to follow, he says. "Walk with me and I can show you around well I hear what you have to say." As the two begin to walk around the house with the other in toe, Madara explains his lack of memories yet again.
He learns of the ludicrous - although not too far from the truth - theories the village had made when he remained comatose, and subsequently he's enlightened on the segregation the family has undergone.
Some even going so far to try to have him thrown to the wind in hopes of avoiding the wrath of the Rabbit Goddess; a rumor that had spread throughout this land, and as far as the people were concerned it was a god with untold power.
Ironic, that a being surpassing that which they revere as a god is right beneath their nose – but then again, he expected it; humans no matter what the era, are foolish, imperfect creatures who claim superiority, yet show the contrary.
Kaba also tells him of his physical condition and changes and asked if he had any clue for the cause. In truth, he had no idea, only theories, and a hypothesis. He needs to seclude himself from these people to test his condition.
So, why hasn't he left already? Why masquerade in this village like a clown? For one, Madara knew that it wouldn't be beneficial to try to change yourself if you live in a state of repeated actions in constant limbo, that's insanity. However, that isn't the only, nor the main reason. There's a nearly immeasurable amount of consequences lacking "delicacy" could cause.
It's all down to time, it's a finical concept if the recent misshapes are anything to go from. Him taking action this far back could and most likely will have unforeseen consequences, at the moment, for the time he can't predict these consequences, it wouldn't be wise to risk it. In fact, he may have already irreparably changed the future for all he knows.
And in a worst-case, his actions may bring the attention of a powerful being like the rabbit goddess, known to a select few as Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. It's not like he fears discovery, but fighting isn't the goal, not without a fully fleshed-out reason, and he can't begin to layout the foundation for that reason without understanding his new limits.
Deciding this little tour has gone on long enough, he stops and looks out from the pathway he was walking along and into the garden. "My appearance has caused you…trouble, and yet you didn't kill me whilst I slept. I can repay you…" He's interrupted.
Hatsune wraps her arms around his and squeezes it into her breasts. "It's really no problem!" Madara shows no sign of notice, although he's aware of the situation, he can hear her heartbeat rise and can, unfortunately, detect almost every single detail - both internal and external - of all living creatures, though the pheromones in the air are rather, obvious.
"How would you know, you weren't even here," Kaba remarks bitterly.
She shoots him a dirty look and he quickly looks away. "What was that?" She asks in a sickly sweet tone. "I couldn't hear you."
He huffs in disbelieve. "I bet." He replies, knowing not to push it.
Misaki steps in between the two and speaks. "Despite what he says it really wasn't a problem. I always believed…well, we all believe, that if someone has the power to change something that's wrong, or to lend a hand, then they have a moral obligation to do so." The whole family looks at Madara from behind with a nod of approval.
He glances up at the red sky well-remaining silent. "A moral obligation to do so" He recounts the words slowly.
"Hey, Ryuu, why don't you and I go to the bathhouse together?." Hatsune abruptly asks.
"What?!" Kaba yells. "Are you stupid or something, even if they're separated by sex that's just..."
"Now now, there's no need to call her stupid." Misaki says, but blushes when she remembers that she never did give Madara that bath. "that's right I was supposed to give him…I just..." Her blush deepens a few shades of red.
"Why not?!" She turns back to Madara. "Don't you want to go?"
He takes his attention from the sky and towards Hatsune. He could use a bath being mostly human or at the very least contains all the inner workings of one, but it could also give him someplace to meditate and relax for a moment. Before he can say anything though the cheery voice of Mika is made known. "Why don't we just all go together." She suggests.
"I guess it's settled then, we're all going together…yay." Hatsune is slightly annoyed at having to go with the rest of her family, normally she'd enjoy going with them but right now it just feels like they're getting in the way, she didn't understand these feelings herself.
As this little excursion was set into motion, Madara was told to wait at the entrance, he didn't really care why. To be honest, he was already drowning out this insignificant subplot. He had more important matters that he could focus on at a quicker pace if he was alone. Once his patience was truly tested everyone returned and they quickly left.
Madara who has been saturated in darkness is struck by the powerful lights that penetrate the nearing darkness of dusk as they exit into the outside. The place he left behind resembles a monastery of sorts. It rests at the highest point in a mountainous region, giving a perfect view of the ever-expansive lands.
There are people working in the fields below as the last rays of light cut over the mountains and valleys. Stands and shops with services and products for sale are the main sources of light with lanterns hung upon strings and the shops themselves, illuminating the town in orange light.
Travellers pass through with caravans or shops on wheels, children run around lividly and carefree, monks praying for some fictional god – a successful village, all and all. "Impressive, right?" Kaba asks. "Our father was the one who made the village like this."
Madara can see the persecuting glances already. Is this the village that he envisioned? Did it really shape out as their father wanted? "It looks peaceful, at a glance. But…"
"He's dead." Misaki says this with a matter of fact tone but that tone of bitter sadness that comes from losing a loved one was present.
Then it's true after all, a vision twisted in absence from an outside force most likely. Madara knows the dangers of a vision that lacked continued guidance. "I see. I wager he was a good man, one who cared deeply for his family."
"He was, but let's just move on, okay." Hatsune says in a happy-sad sort of way, now holding onto him slightly tighter as they move through the village.
Despite the nice outwards appearance of the village, an unsettling feeling definitely lingers just beneath the surface. An eery oppression judging from the way the people react to him: parents grab their children, shops close, disgusted or fearful glances are shot in their direction, people leave in a hurry, priests yell nonsensical's from their gospels.
The tension is palpable. His appearance in the open does little but agitate the situation, or for a few women to show some sort of interest before repeating the aforementioned actions. In all honesty, he isn't truly bothered, but it angers him that someone else is already suffering from his actions.
It took a few moments to reach the place. A wooden building with courtyards divided and surrounded by bamboo walls, and an entrance that leads to two doors, a blue and pink curtain hanging over each with the symbol for male and female, a front lobby with a reception desk of sorts just before those.
Mika bolts ahead to ring the bell at the reception desk. A tan grey-haired slightly fat older man exits from the back. "Yes yes, I'm here." He answers lazily.
Mika jumps up and down to see over the counter. "Hello, Yuji!" She says ecstatically.
"Oh, hello young lady!" The now named Yuji leans against the counter after calling her by the usual nickname. "What can I do you for today?"
Misaki approaches with the others in-toe. "To unwind from an eventful day." She says.
"Ah, if it isn't the boss herself!" He says turning to the others and laying eyes on Madara. "Wow, is that…?" He's interrupted.
"One and only." Misaki establishes.
He hums well gripping his bearded chin. "Sharp look. You sure don't disappointing as this so-called demon." He slaps his leg with a laugh. "Oh man, I bet they were avoiding you like someone with an incurable disease on the way here."
He curves his head slightly. "Although, the ladies may have a different reaction, judging by the way a certain someone is attached to you."
Hatsune sticks her tongue out at him and Madara lifts his eyes towards the man. "What do you think?"
Yuji pauses for a moment. "You're dangerous alright, but I'm not one to believe the cries of the masses, all I know is if they're looking after you then you must be a friend." He stops his lean and slaps the counter. "And any friend of theirs is a friend of mine. Whelp, you guys own the place, so it's all free as usual. Enjoy your soak!"
Hatsune reluctantly releases Madara, he himself happy to be free of the nuisance as he heads beyond the male curtain with Kaba and Hiroi, and she heads into the female section with Misaki and Mika. Yuji watches them go in, before turning to head into the back, but his vision goes black as something collides with his head.
Having followed Kaba to the undressing room. Madara removes his shoes into a shoe locker at the entrance, before removing the rest of his clothes and folding them into baskets on another shelve. "We're done, gonna head-on." Kaba leaves the dressing room with Hiroi.
Madara strings a towel around his waist whilst rolling his heels on the tatami floor. He pinches his nose, sighing. "It's odd that the technology of this era isn't vastly different from my own." His eyes widen from the memory that flashes before him from the depths of his mind. His face contours into a solemn one, the memory was of a battle, a titanic battle between mother and child.
The memories of Kaguya only extend up to the sealing, the effects caused after elude. Yet not being a fool, it's not to difficult to predict the outcome that not only will this village be wiped from existence, but most likely a good portion of life with it during the battle between beings of similar chakra.
This could be enough to separate nations and halt the advancement of humanity for a while, it also means. "These people are already dead." He says with a small smile as he travels beyond the dressing room and into the bathhouse.
Beyond the dressing room, a basin stretches across the wall with buckets strung along with it. Kaba and Hiroi are washing up. Madara takes a seat and uses a bucket to pour some water over himself. The water pours down his body, soaking into his hair and onto the floor to drain.
Kaba looks over at the sound of the water and is shocked. "How did he get a body like that?"
Dropping another bucket of water, Madara glances from under his hair, the water dripping from his nose as he does. "You do remember, that I don't, right?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.
Kaba winces. "Was I thinking-out-loud?"
It quickly became apparent to Madara that Kaba didn't think out-loud but instead he somehow read his thought. Madara's eyes widen momentarily. With a sharpening look, he stands. "Are you two ready?" He glances at the entrance as if expecting something.
"Yeah, we're ready." Hiroi replies. As they begin to exit four thuggish looking men enter the washroom. Looking to the corner of his vision as he exits behind Kaba and Hiroi, a smile twists onto Madara's lips at this rather interesting development.
For whatever reason, he can read the thoughts of others as if they were his own. Normally, one could sense small amounts of emotion from someone releasing vast amounts of chakra, as chakra is partly made from mental energy, and the mind-state of someone directly affects their chakra, leaving a trace of emotion.
The people of this era possess no such chakra, nor is he particularly skilled in the art of sensing on emotions not directly focused such as killing intent which is blatant.
Ahead of him, Kaba pulls the sliding door leading into the hot-spring open. A bamboo wall divides the sexes, steam twists around the carved black stone that contains the spring.
Entering the boiling hot water leaves them exhaling in relief. The minerals it holds relenting the strain upon already weary muscles. A few minutes is all the peace Madara will have, that is the time it will take before his hands will once again be drenched in blood, it's enough time to learn a little about his new condition.
Madara looks to the other two. "I wish to be alone for a bit" He walks away from them as Kaba and Hiroi give a nod as they separate. Madara goes to a flat rock that rests a few feet below the water level at the other end of the spring. It's a good spot away from the other two, and out of sight.
Madara breaths deeply and looks down at his reflection. The strange symbol that adorns his forehead is seen for the first time, immediately the Rinne-Sharingan comes to mind, it shares many characteristics, a seal perhaps, but that brings another question to mind.
Pulling down an eyelid with his middle and index fingers, he infuses the needed chakra to activate the Sharingan but there is nothing happening.
Why, why is there nothing? A brief moment of slight panic washes over him when he infuses more chakra, enough to activate the Rinnegan, and although staring back at him is indeed the Rinnegan, the addition of six tomoe in each eye, three on each of the two most inner rings made sure it's anything but ordinary. "Sasuke's eye?"
That Psuedo Rinnesharingan eye seemed to be capable of using Sharingan abilities in tangent with Rinnegan abilities which would explain the loss of his Sharingan, it must have been absorbed. It's strange, what causes this eye to come into existence, is it the natural evolution to the Rinnegan or a consequence of his new ability?
He rests for a moment, deliberating on a course of action. This eye was given to Sasuke as we all know by the Sage of Six Paths, meaning he had correlation and causation as the only link between Madara and Sasuke, that being the case, his other changes would likely be associated.
But all of it can't be linked, before coming into contact with Hagoromo he already gained that strange ability that allowed him to "absorb the essence?" of Kaguya and Hashirama, which he probably received from Kaguya in someway. Either way, both of those beings exist in this current world, it would be wise to pay them a visit.
He is pulled from his scheming upon hearing the voices of the women talking on the other side as they enter the bathhouse.
Hatsune stretches out with a towel around her body, whilst getting into the hot-spring with Mika already having jumped in, completely naked. "It's quiet today." she releases a sigh that she was withholding and continues. "It sucks that I can't show off my body to Ryuu though." She says this while rubbing her hands down her breasts, removing the towel in the process.
Two large objects then push into Hatsune's back, knocking her down. "Oh, you think he'd be looking at you, that's optimistic." Misaki mocks. The towel stretching to a breaking point as it tries to hold two mountains at bay.
She swings upright and confronts her mother. A torrent of jealousy overwhelming her as she's dwarfed in certain areas by the older women. Hatsune's breasts are being pushed down indiscriminately by the superior pair to which the owner of smiles victoriously. How it's even possible that a mother of four could have the body of someone in their twenties pisses her off.
Mika suddenly tackles them both at the hip level. "I want to play too!"
Hatsune pats Mika's head. "At least I can win against you." She replies taking the momentary victory but then she remembers just how she compared at that age and finds that she's dwarfed there as well. She grits her teeth while damning her genetic misfortune.
Misaki says this while stepping into the water. "At that age, you were much flatter if I remember correctly."
"I know that already!" She whines, dropping into the water and blowing bubbles of defeat with a cloud of depression forming above. She grasps hold of her breasts. "Stupid mother, stupid average boobs, stupid…stupid, ah!"
Misaki rests a hand on Hatsune's shoulder snapping her out of the cloud. "Hatsune," Hatsune looks up curiously at her mother as she continues. "I think we need to talk."
"About what?" Hatsune asks.
Misaki's cheeks turn slightly red but she maintains an adult aura. "Do you know how s-sex works?" She stammers out.
Hatsune blushes heavily. "W-W-What, why would we need to talk about that?!" She says finding anything other than her mother more appealing to look at.
"You're at that age and I've noticed..." Misaki pauses trying to find her next words. "I mean I understand if you are, you know, interested. He's something special, and he's been nothing but kind and respectful, and around here all you'll find is perverted old men."
Hatsune doesn't really know, the only thing that comes to the mind is the feeling she gets when she's around him. "N-No, I don't know." She's embarrassed through and through.
"You don't understand how you feel, that's normal and nothing to worry about. I don't think you should rush into anything but I lost my virginity around your age to your father and I know how much a man like this can affect you, so I think it's time I explain a little more on the inter-workings on sex, you know, just in case…" Misaki is interrupted.
"What is sex?" Mika asks having eavesdropped.
Hatsune looks to her mother with a worried expression. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to explain, not that she'll understand." Misaki says with a calm expression and so begins "the talk".
Having heard enough, Madara shuts out the noise and takes a meditative position on the rock earlier mentioned, infusing a tiny bit of chakra and moving it throughout his body. This time with precise control - scrutinizing, illuminating, but as he has been, keeping it contained within himself to avoid detection, small a chance as that may be.
An expansive cylindrical chamber comes into view, Madara in the middle, so massive this room is that it's difficult to detect the curve and see either side, similarly to detecting the curve of a planet. Beneath him is a crimson-coloured water only a few feet deep, absolutely tranquil, that likewise expands out of sight.
It's a valve with an infinitesimally small fraction of chakra flowing through compared to what imaginably could. This place, the walls, and even the water are a representation of the chakra pathways and chakra flowing within, given imagery by their real counterpart.
"This is not possible. How did it become so large and why is the water not moving." He illustrates. Before all this, Madara would come to this place to get a visual on his progress, it was nothing like this, water used to rush by like a raging torrent in building length tube.
He stands atop the water with his mind-expanding towards the greater network at hand, that this massive area is but only a small fraction. He doesn't know why, but something is urging him to do his following actions, like an itch he cannot scratch he feels the need to absorb nature energy.
He pulls in on nature itself, absorbing nature energy as it bends to his will, snapping from day to day activity to become a waterfall, relentless in its flow as it moves into his body. Becoming a Sage, which involves taking nature energy and mixing it with chakra, is an inherently unnatural state despite how ironic that may seem.
All things living and non-living produce nature energy, it is cosmic energy and exists everywhere, in many ways lifeforce is one and the same. However, only living creatures carry a life force, which sustains their life, determines lifespan, amongst other things, it is not, however, the soul of a being.
Creatures are not supposed to take in nature energy that does not come through naturally or belong to them as a Sage does, it often has extreme consequences, like residual memory imposed on the energy from its past inhabitants, such as other creatures like toads and snakes, resulting in deformities and weakened powers, if not death.
Hashirama was able to create the strongest and most pure form of Sage Mode with his delicate control, resulting in minimal outside influence, of course, Madara himself managed this with relative ease after stealing Hashirama's Sage chakra.
A lot of questions about these fundamentals bugged Madara, things he wanted to know, like the difference between nature energy, lifeforce, and a soul? Maybe both lifeforce and souls are formed from nature energy like a compound formed from complex structures or maybe it needs some sort of transformation, maybe they are separate forces altogether.
Perhaps all things possess a soul too, but only beings capable of the higher-level thought can form a true soul in a way that matters, intelligent beings so to speak. Although the next level to that would be maintaining your soul after death without dispersing into nothingness or being sent to some divine realm.
The true burning question to it all this is what created their boundary conditions in the first place, who decided how these energies worked, was it by natural process or was it God-designed? Madara is going to find out even if it takes him an eternity of anguish.
As Madara was in deep thought and absorbing nature energy, Hiroi had stopped mid-conversation with his brother, a face stricken with fear. A cataclysmic affliction is taking place on nature, but he doesn't have time to think or react as a fist collides with the side of the head, landing on the edge of the spring, unconscious.
"What the..." Kaba charges at the assailant with his fist drawn back. "You bastard!" His arms are snatched from the sides and pulled behind by the two other men. Two sharp objects are pressed against his back, bladed weapons on some sort. There are four guys, two holding him, and two others. What did these guys want?
The man that hit Hiroi walks up and grabs him by the chin. "I'll make this real simple for you, boy." He says this with a sickly smile while scratching his fat ass. "I have three men that will kidnap those girls you were with if you don't tell me where this demon is?"
The ones holding him laugh disgustingly. He grits his teeth with a ferocious expression. "You…" He's interrupted as the man clicks his tongue.
"Not the answer I'm looking for. Kill the boy!" The man orders. The last one not holding him moves towards Hiroi with a dagger in hand.
"Stop!' Kaba begs in a defeated tone and his head cast down. "He's around the corner on the other side, just don't hurt my family, please!" A punch is delivered into his abdomen as they drop him. He coughs violently as they head towards the meditating man with various weapons.
Outside of this little conflict, people began to notice flowers wilting to death and trees shedding their leaves, but Madara is too invested in studying his newfound abilities to notice the damage, just as he is unaware of the approaching men.
"This is it!" He claims in an Ecstasy-like state, just starting to comprehend what this new command over nature energy is – it is clear, incredibly complicated at the same time, two things that most of the time don't fit together. It will take time, decades, maybe longer to understand it all.
He is disturbed as he vaguely feels his shoulder grabbed like an insect is trying to move him, and sure enough, he isn't moving an inch.
With a slow-motion of his hand, at least to him, it was slow, but to that man, a quick blur would be a courtesy. A line of blood spatters off Madara's arm. "Wha-Wha" The man tries to speak but falls short as a bloody diagonal line appears through his chest, sliding in two pieces with a thud. The water soaks up the blood like a dehydrated sponge.
The wind stops blowing as the nature energy stops its flow. He lays his metallic-purple six tomoe Rinnegan eyes upon the men before him and Kaba who peers from around a rock. Madara waves his hand and Kaba slumps down unconscious.
What just happened from the men's perspective seemed impossible, the guy was just sitting there with his eyes closed, and within an instant, he bisected one of his men. "You…You really are a demon!" One of the henchmen yells with wide eyes filled with fear as he bounds his knife at him. With a finger moving in its path, it comes to an abrupt stop, the sound of metal hitting metal.
Madara pinches the blade with another finger. "Those words are thrown around so readily, human, monster, hero, villain..."
"No human could do that!" The attacker counters. Trying to pull his weapon free his attempt is surmounted to moving a mountain. "With just two fingers?!"
Suddenly the man's eyes fill with even greater fear when Madara speaks directly at him. "Silence! It's all just a matter of semantics. Someone could call themselves a hero while walking around killing scores in the name of some justice or God. Someone else could be labeled a villain for trying to stop them."
"~Plenty of humans are monstrous, and plenty of monsters just know how to play human. Just like you, I'm human, isn't that the scariest part."
He releases the knife and stands to his full height as they back away. Madara disappears for just a moment and reappears in front of the rock he just stood upon with a wipe of the air to follow. "I wonder which of you will fight a meaningless struggle against an unavoidable death?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.
A look of sheer terror on all their faces, but none more so than on the leader. "You fools don't just stand there, kill him!" He orders in a panic as he turns his back and runs for dear life.
The henchmen actually listen, a surprising action in Madara's eyes, he figured these men for traitors and cowards, but apparently they have some conviction, even in this weak and pathetic leader? No, probably not him, probably someone else, a real leader and a man of greater power than himself in their eyes.
One the men had moved to stab him in the midsection and had powerlessly broken against his skin in his thought. The man looks up knowing that death is upon him. Madara slaps the head of the man and it snaps to the side, his spine protruding and pushing against the skin as it does.
He slashes his hand through the torso of another, before plunging his other hand into the last and ripping his heart out through the other side. Dropping it to the ground, he pulls his hand out. Before the bodies could even hit the ground he disappears from the spot in a flash.
The leader runs out of there as fast as he can, seeing light he exhales in relief a momentary part of him thinking that he has escaped certain death, but something isn't right, where are his other men, they aren't here. "Did they go in without my order?" He asks in anger.
As he gets beyond the curtain a fist smacks into his nose from around the corner. It took him by surprise and causes him to fall on his back. Looking up with a teary face he sees Yuji standing over him, a black left eye and many bruises all over his body from the beating he had been given at their arrival. "Do you know who I am!"
"No, and frankly I don't care, get out of here, never come back or I'll see you dead!" Yuji demands standing over menacingly, fist clenched tightly, conviction ablaze within his eyes.
Tears roll down his attempt at a proud face. "Fine! But I will be b…" He's interrupted, something is behind him, a cloud of black death behind him grasping out as something penetrates his back to grasp hold of the spin. Blood sprays from his mouth as he lets out a suppressed scream.
Madara appears from the shadows of the curtain lifting the leader into the air with one hand as his other held both Kaba and Hiroi. "Reflect on your cowardice, for it's your last act…" Madara's interrupted by the pathetic worm.
"A-Ah. W-W… Please don't kill me! I never wanted to see anyone hurt, you should go save the women, my men, t-they are rapists. I never gave the order, I swear" If he can just convince this monster to leave him maybe he can crawl away or find someone to take pity and accept a reward in exchange for saving his life.
If one were to look into the female bathing section they would see a bloody misted bath, remains, and also the slightly bruised, unconscious but un-raped women. "They're already dead, as are you." As Madara says this all hope this man perhaps had is shattered into dust and the last words that went through his mind are, oh.
After removing spin and skull with the greatest of ease the corpse is dropped onto the ground with a squelchy thud. Yuji possesses a horrified look but Madara waves his hand over him which causes the man to sink into a deep sleep. Madara sets the other two down next to Yuji. He stood over them for a moment but then something shocking happened.
Suddenly, Madara felt hunger like never before, a vial and repulsive one, the erg for flesh consumed him. The blood covering him is sucked into his skin as if it were a thirsty vampire. He gives in to the hunger, progress is rarely made without doing something morally adverse.
But, he won't eat the ones before him, there are plenty of remains nearby, he just has to collect them which is easy enough for him.
He prostrates his hands out with closed eyes. The mutilated bodies in the area are further mutilated and compressed, even the blood-soaked into the water is pulled into a mist and then a stream of blood that flows into his area like undulating snakes, joining into a singular orb of a reddish color before Madara.
This is sick, it's taboo! What this hunger is, no clue, but he isn't willing to turn down his instincts at these crucial moments of discovery.
He waves the orb into his grasp, pushing it past his lips and swallowing it with a displeased, and disgusted expression. His hunger now satiated, he waits with open eyes, nothing for moments but then out of nowhere he feels a rush. A mist-like vapour flows from him. He can immediately feel that his life-force and physical energy are boosted very slightly.
His bones were breaking repeatedly and healing instantly to his natural healing factor. Although he hasn't used chakra to strengthen his body or in general since he came to this world, due to his physical energy being so high his natural body should still require tremendous force to hurt him, let alone continuously break his bones.
The mist-like vapour exiting his body didn't stop either, nor is he able to control it. "I shouldn't stay here, I'll return to that house for now." He disappears from the spot with the bodies of Mika, Hiroi, Kaba, Misaki, Hatsune, and the body of Yuji moving behind the counter, not a single trace is left of them there, not even their clothes are left.
Eyes open, frantically seeking the men that tried to kill them, but nothing, not a single trace.
In fact, they're home, their living room to be exact. It's pitch black suggesting many hours have passed and although they can hear the panicked breaths and clothes being constricted from everyone else, they still can't see each other. "Hold on, I'll try to light the candles." Misaki tries to find them with her arms stretched out to avoid hitting anything.
Then the three candles in the room light simultaneously. They can see each other now, but it's still very dim. "That's better!" Hatsune says while holding onto Mika.
"Yeah, but it wasn't me…" Misaki says.
"I-It was me." A dry, tired, and dark voice sounds from the dark corner closest to the doorway, starlight pours through revealing a tall silhouette of blackness with strange glowing red orbs that move unnaturally around it, but not illuminating much of the body.
Misaki grabs hold of one of the candles to bring it closer. "Ryuu is that you?" Misaki is forcefully stopped by some invisible force. Hatsune and the rest get up to face this imposing figure.
"Don't come any closer." He demands between laboured breaths.
Hatsune is confused, why is she not allowed to come closer? "What do you mean?"
"It'll only frighten you." Each breath he takes is deeper and more strained than the last.
"What are we doing back here?" Misaki fights to move forward and she can just barely move a few inches, the light revealing more. "Why do you think we'd be afraid of you?"
Madara is struggling to hold back this girl without killing her, which showed to himself how weak he is right now. "You were attacked, although their goal was me."
"I remember now, you killed those men didn't you. I saw you do it to one as I blacked out." Kaba remembers. "What do you remember Hatsune?"
Hatsune recalls to the best of her abilities. It seemed foggy and unclear but she remembered this. "Some men came into the spring saying horrible things and mother tried to stop them but was hit. A red mist then covered the area and we blacked out."
A pained cough from the corner and Misaki no longer feels compelled. Now free, she moves the candle to illuminate the corner. Everyone gasps at the sight before them. "My God…"
Madara: A New Journey