Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Chapter Two.
Two months had passed since Kibana had made her way to the compound, and the Uchiha were becoming oddly... unaware of her. They were acknowledge her curiously as they passed her in the hall, but unless they began a conversation with her, she would bow to them politely, wait for them to pass, and then continue on her way.
The Uchiha had noticed Izuna was often missing, along with his brother Madara-though they knew Madara was off training in the forest, and they could find him easily if need be. Izuna however, was as hard to find as Kibana had become. Kibana was constantly changing positions, she never stayed in the same place at the same time. Hikaku Uchiha had countless times went to look for her, to ask whether she had seen Izuna or not, and every place he went he would just miss Kibana who would move on to her next job.
The Uchiha's found this frustrating as jokingly they gave her a collar with a bell, so they would always know where she was-and it had been working very well.
However, when Tajima Uchiha entered his compound and heard the racket of a bell, he lost his cool. The main hall to the main house was scuffed with black marks as he marched into his household in a huff, frustrated with the noise that he could not locate. The head maid bowed before him at the entrance, with a soft-spoken "Welcome home, Tajima-sama." Her head bowed low.
"Eriko-san. What is that infuriating noise I have endlessly heard through the compound?" He demanded, his eyebrow twitching in irritation-he himself had sought out what was causing the noise and was unable to locate the source.
"Ah, Tajima-sama, that would be Kibana-chan...Hikaku-sama, and some of the council had acquired a bell for her so they would always be able to locate her." Eriko spoke, lifting her head slightly to meet Tajima's eyes timidly. The older woman had been with Tajima ever since she was a child herself, and Tajima had become quite fond of her competence.
He gave a sigh of irritation at the explanation. He stared down at her, a signal they had long established that he required further explanation.
"Izuna-sama has been following Kibana-chan when he has time to spare, and... Kibana-chan practically vanished when anyone tries to look for her-not on purpose surely, but she becomes so focused on her work, that she does not realize she does it so quickly, and is never in one place for a long time. The men put the bell on her, so when they can find her, they can normally find Izuna-sama." Eriko explained softly.
"And who is Kibana?" Tajima asked gruffly.
"Father! Welcome home." Izuna appeared beside Eriko, bowing to his father. Tajima nodded his head at his son slightly in acknowledgement, hearing the chiming of the bell leaving the front part of the house, towards the eastern wing.
"Izuna. Eriko-san was just telling me of this.. Kibana." Tajima began and he saw Izuna's eyes widen in slight panic. "Where is Madara?" Tajima asked, noting his other sons absence.
"Aniki hasn't been around for some time, Father. He has been using the time to train by the armory in the forest since your leave..." Izuna replied softly. Tajima nodded his head, he should have expected that-Madara would train until his limbs fell off if he were given the chance.
"Eriko-san, please send for Madara and inform him of my return. Izuna, I believe you have reports to give me of the status of the compound." Tajima spoke loudly, his tone commanding. Eriko nodded, still bowed before the men, waiting for them to leave so she may send for the other son. Tajima and Izuna left the entrance way, heading for Tajima's study room, where he shut the door with a bang.
Eriko stood, and dusted off her apron before whistling quietly-Kibana and her chiming bell appearing next to her. "Yes, Miss Eriko?" Kibana said, her head bowed in respect to the older woman. Eriko smiled down at the girl, no matter how strange she was, she was sweet.
"Tajima-sama, Izuna's father..." Eriko began, informing Kibana of the head's return discreetly, "Has returned and has requested for Madara-sama's presence. Would you go and get him? He should be in the forest by the armory-Izuna-sama has taken you there a few times, I've heard."
Kibana simply tilted her head to the side, her eyes clouded with questions. "Yes, Izuna-sama has, Miss Eriko, however I must inquire as to who Madara-sama may be?" She asked quietly, and Eriko's eyes widened. She had forgotten that the girl had yet to meet the other son.
"He is Izuna-sama's older brother, surely he has told you of him." Eriko whispered, as if the topic was scandalous. Kibana nodded though, "Yes, but he had never given me a name nor a face to match. I shall go to the armory and retrieve Madara-sama, Miss Eriko. It should not take me long, I will continue my duties upon my return." Kibana bowed lowly to the woman, causing Eriko to blush slightly, before dismissing the girl.
Kibana was gone with only a chime of her bell to mark her even being there in the first place.
Kibana roamed the path towards the armory slowly, taking her time to enjoy her small break from the congestion she called the main house. The place was stuffy, with long winding hallways, and confusing floor plans that she believed she would never figure out.
After walking for some time, and coming upon the large stone building that loomed ahead of her, she stopped and scanned the surroundings, only to be met with eyes filled with annoyance. She startled, and then skimmed the boy over slightly, he was only a year or two older than herself, and therefore older than Izuna. He must be Madara-sama! She concluded before sending the boy an unsure smile.
"Mada-" She began only to be cut off by his harsh grunt of annoyance. "What the hell is that around your neck, girl?" He asked her gruffly, and her hand automatically reached up to touch the small bell the council had given her for convenience.
"It is a bell, Madara-sama." She informed him in a clipped tone, causing the boy to narrow his eyes at her.
"And why are you wearing such a thing, it makes the most annoying noise I have ever heard!" He replied just as shortly.
"The council would surely lose their heads if they thought to put a bell around Izuna-sama's neck, Madara-sama." She replied and then opened her mouth to continue with her job, only for him to scruff arrogantly.
"And why would the council think it appropriate to put a bell around my brother's neck?" He demanded. Kibana felt her jaw tighten, seeing the light of day waning and knowing she would be up until the late hours of evening before she were even close to finishing her tasks for the day.
"Izuna-sama is often running around, following me when I am doing my chores, Madara-sama, so the council asked that I wear a bell so he would be easier to locate-now Tajima-sama has returned, Madara-sama, and has requested your presence." She said curtly, having had rushed through her sentence since she saw Madara open his mouth to interrupt her again.
He closed his mouth before glancing around himself at all the weapons that littered the ground around him. Kibana studied his unruly black hair, and his training yutaka that opened to reveal his chest-which she noted had small cuts across the skin, scabbed over from days passed. He was a feral looking boy, for the age she assumed to be 14.
He finally grunted and then gathered the weapons at his feet, only to approach her with them. She held out her arms obediently as he dropped them into her arms. "Take those into the armory, girl." He grunted, before heading down the path she had just walked from. She nodded, heading to drop the weapons off into the armory.
A boy by the name of Hikaku she had become associated with met her at the door and he smiled at her fondly. "Kibana-chan! What a surprise to see you." He said, gathering the weapons from her to place them on a table beside him. He put his hand on the small of her back to lead her out of the building, she complied without protest.
"Hikaku-sama, it is a pleasure to see you again." She said, a small smile on his lips. He chuckled under his breath before giving her a lopsided-grin. Hikaku was by far the friendliest Uchiha she had met, besides Izuna, and she enjoyed his company greatly. He wore his hair short-rather for convenience sake or style she was not sure, though she would admit that the look suited him greatly. She saw his eyes sparkling in amusement and she could not contain the small blush that swept across her cheeks at being caught admiring him.
His finger swept the bell around her neck gently, and it chimed around them, echoing off the trees as they began towards the main house. "I heard you as soon as you stepped foot on the path, Kibana-chan." He announced proudly and she could only giggle at his words. It was true, no matter where Kibana was, or where she was heading-the Uchiha's knew.
Madara had slowed his walk as he heard the chiming of the bell approaching, along with the gruff voice of his fellow clansmen Hikaku. He glanced over his shoulder to see Hikaku carelessly carrying on a conversation with the little servant girl, and Madara rolled his eyes at his flirtatious ways.
The three soon began to walk in step with one another, Kibana walking three steps behind the men out of custom-though around Izuna and Hikaku this never occurred, but she did not want to risk Madara seeing her inappropriate nature.
"How is Izuna-kun, Kibana-chan?" Hikaku asked lightly, causing Madara and Kibana to start at his question. "He is well, I assume... he has shown no signs of illness nor discomfort." Kibana said softly, her eyebrows furrowing at the question.
"I thought I should ask, seeing as he spends the majority of his time with you, rather than I-his best friend, or his brother." Hikaku laughed at this causing his two companions to look at his in confusion, and a little suspicion. "I am glad to know Izuna-kun has romantic interests, but I feel a little left out." Hikaku said, a smirk appearing on his face. Kibana flushed red, and then her upper lip curled-an expression Hikaku could remember seeing from when she first walked on to the Uchiha compound.
"I assure you, Hikaku-sama, that Izuna-sama and I are merely friends." She snarled, before her bell chimed loudly and then silenced.
Madara and Hikaku glanced behind them to see the girl had vanished, and Madara looked at Hikaku in vague interest. He merely shrugged at the unasked question and waved his hand off, "Kibana-chan has shinobi-training, though she chose to discontinue it when she entered the compound." Hikaku explained as if it were common knowledge.
Madara stared at him longer, "and what you said of the girl, and my little brother?" he grunted.
"Merely speculation, and a bit of teasing-Izuna hasn't left her side since she arrived." Hikaku explained with a large smile. Madara's eyebrow quirked and Hikaku continued. "Arrived around two or three months ago I believe, not long after Tajima-sama left."
Madara nodded-no wonder he had not seen the girl beforehand. "Is she Uchiha?"
Hikaku shrugged. "She claimed to be, and she acts like a Uchiha woman-but only Izuna-kun knows of her full heritage, and he refuses to release any of the information until he has spoken to Tajima-sama. Izuna-kun isn't confident that Tajima-sama will allow Kibana-chan to stay, which makes me even more curious of her lineage."
Madara listened intently as he and Hikaku entered the back gardens. They bid each other farewell before Madara left to go and greet his father.