Tachibana is tired, but happy. For a start, Uncle Madara is holding his hand rather than his wrist for the first time. Tachibana had a fun time at the Academy. He managed to run alright after he got the hang of it. He's always been afraid of running. The chance he would run into something was too high. But he managed it by following Kimiko. The rest of the day was difficult for Tachibana. Shuriken throwing was beyond him, because he cannot sense the targets. But then Uncle Madara stepped up and made a shadow clone for Tachibana to practice on. So, once Tachibana was able to sense the clone, he could practice throwing shuriken at it. Then, while the rest of the class got given worksheets to do, Iruka-sensei started teaching Tachibana tenji, a set of characters for blind people to read with their fingers. Tachibana has homework: memorising the letters he learned that day.
Finally, Uncle Madara and Tachibana reach the hospital. They head up to the ward where Sekitei, the twins and Ajisai are. Tachibana remembers that the twins are in surgery to separate them - whatever that means. Sekitei came back from surgery in pain with a strange, hard case around her twisted foot. Tachibana is not sure if this surgery business is good or bad. Ajisai had it, but Tachibana is not sure what difference it made. He has not held her because of all the strange things attached to her. He does not want to accidentally pull one and hurt her.
A medic with strong, intelligent chakra is in the room, cradling Ajisai. "Oh, hello, Uncle Madara," says the medic.
"Oh, it's the Pink Nerd," says Uncle Madara disapprovingly. "Hi."
"My name is Madoka," says the medic with an annoyed growl in his voice. "And I am here to tell you that Ajisai is strong enough for you to take her home with you!"
Uncle Madara's chakra gets a bit irritable. "I already have my hands full keeping this brat from tripping over the air," says Uncle Madara. "Can't you keep the baby in here a bit longer?"
"Nope, doctor's orders!" says Madoka cheerfully. He gets up from what Tachibana assumes is a chair and walks over to them.
"Tachibana!" says Sekitei, excited. "You haven't touched Ajisai's face yet, have you? You need to!"
Madoka holds out the little baby to Tachibana. Nervously, Tachibana reaches out and gently runs his fingers over the baby's face. He freezes as his fingers touch her mouth. Where there was a gap, there is now only smooth skin and a faint bump. "She's...how?"
Madoka laughs. "That's what we do here at the hospital," he says. "We help people as much as we can."
"So how does this cast-thingy help me?" demands Sekitei.
"You'll see when it comes off," says Madoka mysteriously. "Now, Uncle Madara, do you know how to feed a baby?"
"...yes," says Uncle Madara. "I used to feed my youngest brother...after our mother died…"
"So no need for a tutorial, then!" says Madoka cheerfully. He forces Ajisai in to Uncle Madara's arms. "She's all yours! Now I need to go and make sure the kid in ward 12 hasn't wet his bed again." Madoka rushes out the door. A moment later, he sticks his head round the door and adds, "Oh, and if you leave the baby behind when you go, I will bring her to your house."
"When do I get to leave?" demands Sekitei, grumpily.
Iruka is pleased with how well the day went. Kimiko and Burifu walk home with him, chattering the whole way. On the way, they encounter the Hokage. "Good Afternoon, Lord Hokage," says Iruka.
"I'm almost afraid to ask," says Fugaku. "But how did Madara go at the Academy?"
"Uncle Madara sensei is cool," says Burifu. "He let the blind kid throw shuriken at him, since Tachibana can't see the target posts, eh."
Fugaku blinks a few times. "...What."
"It was just a shadow clone," says Iruka quickly. He doesn't want Fugaku to think Madara is trying to create reasons to hurt people in 'self-defence'. "And the clone caught every shuriken. It was really very impressive."
"Uncle Madara was unimpressed with everyone except Burifu," whispers Kimiko. "I think he thinks we are all weak."
"He probably does," says Fugaku, rolling his eyes.
"He seems to have decided that, if he must teach, he will make sure every kid graduates as a certified badass," says Iruka, who noticed Madara studying the kids like he wanted to turn them into adorable little killing machines.
"Well, so long as he doesn't brainwash them into helping him with the Kaguya thing, that's alright," says Fugaku, relieved.
"There is one other thing that might interest you," says Iruka, remembering Madara's reaction to the news that Hashirama cried over the Academy. "When I told him that Lord First cried during his tour of the Academy, Madara looked...well...sympathetic. Almost like he might've reacted the same way if he remembered how to feel emotions."
"Maybe exposing him to the Academy was the right way to go," muses Fugaku. "We might be able to change his mind yet." He claps Iruka on the uninjured shoulder. "Keep up the good work."
After a brief tutorial on how to properly use a baby sling, Madara leaves the hospital wearing one brat and pulling the other along behind him. He heads home, incredibly grumpy about the situation. Ajisai won't stop staring at him and her intense gaze puts Madara's shinobi senses on edge.
They are about halfway home when Madara senses a familiar chakra strolling leisurely towards him.
Soon, the Hokage comes into view. He sees Madara and heads over. "Hi, Madara," he says. "I see you have two of the kids now."
"Hello Hokage," says Madara. "I'm pretty sure this baby is judging me."
Fugaku peers into the sling to look at the baby. "She's definitely judging you." He straightens up and turns to Tachibana. "I heard you joined in with a class at the Academy today."
Tachibana nods. "I did."
"Blind shinobi are very rare," says Fugaku seriously. "I will be very impressed if you make it."
"He'll make it," says Madara. He has a sudden desire to make sure the kid makes it, and is powerful.
Fugaku and Madara lock eyes for a few seconds. An unspoken challenge passes between them. Madara will make the kid strong, and Fugaku will not interfere.
Fugaku smirks. "Good luck," he says, and walks away.
Madara continues on his way home, filled with a new determination to train Tachibana. Then, quite suddenly he stops in his tracks as he remembers that he is going to revive Kaguya. Well, he reasons. They will be alive in the perfect world of the Tsukuyomi. Everyone will be.
Until Kaguya kills us all.
"Uncle Madara?" says Tachibana, tugging Madara's hand.
"Yes?" says Madara, looking down at the boy.
"Do you really think I can make it as a ninja?" asks Tachibana. Madara cannot see his face because, being blind, the boy saw no need to look at Madara while speaking to him. However, Madara can see that the question is weighing on the boy's mind.
"If you want to be a shinobi," says Madara, deciding to train the boy as much as he can in the next year. "I will help you train. Train hard, and never give up, and you will make it."
Tachibana throws his arms around Madara. "Thank you, Uncle Madara!" he says, grinning.
Madara freezes. It has been a long time since anyone hugged him like this. Madara awkwardly pats Tachibana's head. "Sure, kid. Now let go or you'll crush the baby."
Tachibana lets go and they head home. By the time they get home, both brats are hungry so Madara gives one some cookies and the other a bottle of milk. Tachibana munches happily, enjoying his cookies immensely. Ajisai drinks her milk and stares at Madara adoringly. She is kinda cute, Madara thinks. It's been a long time since I've even touched a baby and now they want me to look after a newborn. Ninjas these days are crazy. Madara grins to himself. The boy can't see him grinning, so he doesn't bother to hide it.
A happy expression crosses Ajisai's thin face. She kicks her legs and reaches up to grab at Madara's sleeve. Madara realizes the baby thinks the grin is for her. A baby who isn't scared of him? Madara's grin widens. This time, the grin is for her.
"Uncle Madara!" calls Tachibana. Madara looks over to see the boy searching the table with his hands for his last cookie. "I can't find it!"
"To your left," says Madara. "Down a bit. There you go."
Tachibana picks up the cookie and practically inhales it. "What were those?" he asks. "I've never had them before!"
"Cookies," says Madara. "The Fourth Hokage made them. He left them here with a note saying you kids might enjoy them."
"We should take some to the others tomorrow." Then Tachibana asks, "Who's the Fourth Hokage?"
"He's one of the people who orphaned you," says Madara, subconsciously bouncing the baby a little. "Minato Namikaze."
"Oh!" Tachibana's face lights up. "He's the one who killed the Leader and the Second Leader. I want to thank him."
"You sound awfully happy about that," remarks Madara, before remembering what Sekitei said about Minato and his posse arriving in time to stop Tachibana's initiation into the Order. "Just how much did you want to leave the Order of Joe?"
"A lot," says Tachibana, heading over to Madara and cuddling up against him. "I don't think I was orphaned. I think I was rescued."