NOTE FROM AUTHOR:
I sincerely apologise for the delay in the update. I'll try my best to update it on time every week. Anyways here is the third chapter, hope you enjoy. I would love to know your views. Please give me feedback on instagram as the_ghost_of_uchiha
Chapter 3
Thread of the Past
"Seriously!" she yelled, throwing away the small wooden stick in her hands, "You couldn't guess that? It was so easy!"
"It is not our fault, you didn't draw it right. It wasn't clear! Don't blame it on us now. Huh." he stood up and folded his hands in front.
"What did you say?" she got up as well and narrowed her eyes, "It wasn't clear? It wasn't clear, or you two are too dumb to understand?!" she pointed at them.
"Oh, really? What kind of waterfall looks like a box place over a cloud?!"
"But your drawing skills aren't good, just admit that." added Hikaku.
"You aren't a fine artist either!"
"Still better than you!"
Soon everyone started talking and it turned into an anecdote. It was like any other mid-summer evening for these kids-Madara, Hikaku, Naozumi, Sayura, Tamiko, and Shoma. And today they had decided to play Pictionary. Two teams were made: Madara, Hikaku and Sayura in one, and Tamiko, Shoma, Naozumi in the other.
That's how it pretty much used to go. They all used to come in a jolly mood and end up arguing with the other. And on rare days, everything used to go well. They had become habitual to it, so had the forest surrounding them-it's birds, animals, trees and each branch and leaf. After all, it was like an everyday ritual. They used to come, play, fight, compete, chatter and enjoy the days of their childhood. For 7 years they did the same, but after that things had gone quite different.
But still, some memories of these better days were alive and breathing in their hearts. And perhaps this was the reason why Madara's senses got alert when he heard the similar talk.
The figure, which had appeared out of the bushes, stepped forward. A ray of penetrating moonlight contacted it and they were finally able to see the person. It appeared that she was a lady with her hairs neatly tied into a bun, the palms of her hands were wrapped with bandage, and the skirt of her outfit did not had a slit in front like most did and was a little shorter as well.
"So are you going to bring an end to this or not?" she looked towards Sayura.
". . . What are you saying?" she hesitated.
"You know exactly what I'm talkin' about."
"How would I know what you are talking about?" she rebuked.
"You're lying! Aren't you?" the tone of her voice raised and suddenly subsided, she looked her dead in the eye, as if she could pierce through her soul.
"Wh-Why would I be lying?"
"You're responding to my questions with questions-a clear sign of lying. You're lying, you precisely know what I'm pointing at, and you know you are not the real Sayura. Isn't that true?"
The Sayura Madara had met was sweating now, while he was watching this conversation like a spectator watching a match or kids watching a fight. The entire atmosphere was filled with questions and confusions that floated like clouds. Madara was quite as if his voice has resigned when confronted with all this confusion.
"No, I am the real Sayura."
"A liar always tries to avoid all type of eye contact, and you have been looking everywhere but our faces." she stepped closer to her. She leaned towards her, the distance between them was barely one foot and whispered into her ear which wasn't audible to Madara, but the moment she withdrew from the 'liar', her eyes widened and she gave a small gasp and immediately went away from there. Now Madara was alone with the other one. She moved towards him. Before she could take her sixth step Madara drew his sword on her.
"Do not step further." he declared. Sayura was at a loss, she couldn't comprehend the reason for this behaviour of his. She apprehended that what had happened might have created doubt in his mind and thought it better to remain silent and listen to him first.
"Aren't you going to give some reassurance of you actually being you?"
"It's no use, you're not goin' to believe me, I know that much."
"You really do deserve to be in the intel until."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, look at you, you are good at analysing people. You can tell if they are truthful or not, if they will believe you or not and who knows how many arrows you have in your quiver."
"Well I doubt if any of those will be able to pierce you, but even so I say: trust me, I'm Sayura."
He didn't speak for a moment and the said, "You were correct. It wasn't effective. But you know what will be effective? This."
He weaved signs for fire style: great fireball jutsu, Sayura managed not to get hit by it, somehow.
"Well maybe not this one time."
He did another attack and then another and another, while Sayura was still playing defensive, because attacking might worsen the situation**. Madara increased the intensity of the attacks. Now they were visible from miles away. And they caught the attention of Izuna, who was excessively tired after covering all that distance in the last 12 hours. He got worried, but had no stamina to continue. Even then, he kept crawling.
"Not long can you hide. You would need to come out soon." Madara said, "I wonder why you are being defensive, not like it is going to make me think that you are my ally or anything."
Sayura had securely placed herself on a bushy tree branch and stopped all her chakra flow. She had no idea what to do any more.
'It's true indeed, that I can't hide much longer, he'll find out where I am. How do I make him believe me?' she thought to herself.
"Found you." he said creeping behind her. She turned her head towards him, her mouth was ajar. He placed his sword place on her neck and said, "Now, it would be better if-", suddenly the girl poofed into a block of wood, "Substitution, I see."
He caught the glimpse of Sayura escaping the place. He went after her.
"You think you can escape? If you do, you're wrong." He waited for her to reply but she did not utter a word and kept on moving forward. "Fire style: Dragon flame song release jutsu"
"Water style: Ripping Torrent jutsu" She successfully counterattacked his jutsu and kept moving. He followed.
"So you can use water style as well."
"Up to a certain extent."
"Why would you tell me that?"
"We keep secrets from our foes, not our friends."
"Friends don't try to kill each other."
"You're the one focused on killin', not me. And misunderstandings, confusion and doubt often turn a friend into a foe, Madara. But a recovery is always possible."
"You are quite wise for your age."
"It's not a matter of age, you see, rather a matter of experience, and experience isn't a slave of age."
"So you think I am misunderstood yet you are not trying to clear it up, instead you are running off, that doesn't adds up."
"I would've loved to stop and explain, but looks like you're not ready to listen, you seem more interested in takin' my life, therefore I'd no choice."
"Well what if I am ready?"
She stopped and looked back skeptically. "Are you?" she tilted her head a little to the side and raised a brow. He had stopped too. "Alright then, what is it that'll make you believe I'm who I claim to be?"
"A duel will."
"A due-"
Both of their swords clanked** against each other. Madara had made his move even before she could complete her sentence.
"There is no time for chatting anymore, Sayura." he looked at her and spoke in a grave voice, "Defeat me and I will believe you."
She moved away from him and took a stance and tightened her grip on her sword. "It's a weird way to decide, but whatever pleases you. You must be aware though that my chances of beatin' you are slight."
"How can I believe you, if you can't believe in yourself?" he charged his sword towards her but she blocked it.
"There's . . . difference between . . . having faith . . . in yourself and . . . being overconfident." (They were continuously fighting, due to which they had to take a lot of pauses.)
"Well . . . said."
It was a battle to decide the best amongst the best. Both the competitors were skilled in almost all kinds of jutsus. Although they were at two slightly different levels but still the battle was worth watching.
Whenever Madara was overpowering Sayura, she with some quick actions would immediately turn the situation in her favour. And when she was the one with lead, Madara would take it from her. It was hard to decide who was to win, it was like a see-saw-sometimes one side would go up, and sometimes the other would.
They were attacking, blocking, defending, weaving signs, using jutsu and putting in all they had. They were fighting like true warriors.
Two hours elapsed like this yet no result came.
'Like this there'd never be a winner.' she thought, 'We'd have to keep this goin' on until one of us loses all their chakra.'
"This battle . . . will not get us . . . anywhere," she said pushing his sword away with hers, "you know this very well."
He came back at her, clank-sounded the swords, creating a cross between them {Madara & Sayura}. Madara didn't reply and kept overpowering her; he brought the swords nearer to her. In the effort of stopping them coming any closer, she placed her left hand on the middle of her sword. When she did so her sleeve went down revealing a band tied to her wrist. Madara noticed it.
"What is that on your wrist?" he questioned and stopped forcing it {sword} further.
"What does it look like?"
He groaned**, "Where did you get that from?"
"It's strange that you don't recall that, because as far as I remember, you had one of these too."
"Why is he late today?" asked Hikaku.
"He said he forgot something at home." Madara replied, "He will be here soon, be a little patie-"
"Hey, I am here!" came Naozumi, running from a distance waving his hand in the air.
"Finally, he came." said little Tamiko.
"I am sorry . . . for keeping you all . . . waiting. "He said trying to catch his breath, "But I made you these! I know they are not very beautiful but-"
He opened his tiny palms, which held six bracelets that were made out of the Uchiha clan's main colours-red, blue, white. They were hand-made by him and being a five-year-old, that he was, he wasn't that good at art. The bracelets were loosely weaved and knotted, some of the threads were coming out as well, yet everyone still adored them, because they might have lacked skill but one thing was abundant-love.
"These are lovely!" Shoma exclaimed.
"Absolutely!" Sayura agreed.
He had made one for each one of his friends and his elder brother too. All of them wore it immediately. Naozumi's face was lit and shone bright like the sun. He was bliss to know that everyone liked it. It was a reminder and memento of their friendship. But like the bracelet had faded and worn out with time turning into mere threads, so had their friendship.
"It's amusing yet saddenin' that you don't remember the gift your little brother made."
He removed his sword and putted it back in scabbard. "I ask not because I don't remember, but because I want to know if you do, Sayura."
Suddenly it dawned upon her that his purpose for asking was to see if she would know a little detail that probably only the six of them knew.
"Big brother!" Izuna called from a distance, with them there were five more men. One of whom was supporting Izuna as he was obstinate to meet Madara instead of resting for a while. He was dead tired. His limbs were wires hanging from a pole, his eyes were red as burning coal, each time he blinked it burned, and even then he didn't wish to sit for a moment.
"Izuna!" Madara ran towards him. Izuna was carefully placed against a tree. "Why did you come here? What happened to you? Did you even take rest today? You must have been working the whole day!" His eyes were filled with concern, his face was frowned.
"I am alright, big brother, don't . . . worry . . . about . . ." and Izuna fainted then and there.
