Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
I know, short chapter, HOWEVER-I am already working on chapter 13, and I just wanted to get this chapter out ... my impatience was begging me to. Also, Madara has won the polls, so this is officially a MadaraxOC story.
"Ana-chan, what do you think those girls want from Aniki?" A younger Izuna asked the servant girl beside him. They stood in the center court yard that was flushed pink from all the fallen cherry blossoms. The elder Uchihas and nobles stood around chatting with sake glasses on hand.
Within the last hour, Madara had been whisked away from them by other females, and it was beginning to irritate Izuna and Kibana. Izuna pouted slightly as he watched his brother shake his head at the girl, and the girl nod her head with a frown and walk away.
Kibana looked at Izuna from the corner of her eye and shrugged with a sigh. "Madara-sama will be back in a few moments, Izuna-sama. Why not ask him when he returns?" She said softly as she turned to leave for the kitchens.
"Ana-chan, you are a girl, are you not?" Izuna said suddenly, his eyes looking to the ground and a frown on his face. Kibana looked over her shoulder to narrow her eyes slightly at the young boy, stopping in her tracks.
"I like to believe I am, Izuna-sama. I do take lessons from Hanako-chan for the very purpose of being a lady." Kibana explained, her mouth forming a thin line as Izuna turned to looked over his shoulder at her as well. She saw the gears in his head turning, but she could not pinpoint on what exactly was running through his mind.
"Will you be married and leave us one day, Ana-chan?" Izuna asked seriously. Both of the young teens wore blank expression, betraying no emotions or thoughts.
This was how Madara found the two, back to back, looking at one another as if they did not know who to trust. The silence carried on for a few moments before Izuna bared his teeth at the girl, who immediately bared her own fangs back in reflex.
"I will not leave, Izuna-sama, there is no reason for me to leave and be married off, my purpose if to serve the Uchiha. If that is all, I am returning to my duties." Kibana spoke with a tight voice, and narrowed, slitted eyes.
Madara watched as Izuna cursed under his breath, and the two rushed away from the other quickly. Madara stood there in confusion for a few moments before rushing off to find his brother.
"Chikushou, you need to focus in order to accomplish this jutsu!" Tobirama scolded from where he stood beside her with his arms crossed over his chest and a serious expression on his face as he studied the girl.
Kibana sighed and relaxed her arms to her side, as she closed her eyes and nodded.
"I know, Senju-sama. I apologize, I am still not feeling well." Kibana said as she touched her hand to her forehead lightly.
Tobirama grunted and nodded, before moving to stand beneath a tree. He looked to her expectantly and gestured for her to come as well.
"It is best to sit and rest, Chikushou. We will wait for the others to finish their work, and then you will be escorted to the healers." Tobirama explained as Kibana walked over towards him, he gestured for her to sit down and had her lean against the tree, before he too did the same.
The two sat in comfortable silence, while they watched the fire-users and Hashirama finish clearing out the deadwood surrounding the area they planned to use for the gathering hall. Kibana drifted off to sleep soon, and Tobirama watched her for a moment before he himself leaned his head back and closed his eyes as well.
However the peace would soon be broken he was sure, as he felt the chakras of Hashirama and Izuna approaching. He opened one eye to glare at the two in annoyance, which Izuna returned whole-heartedly.
"What is it?" Tobirama grunted, closing his eye again.
"I thought you two were going to be working on jutsu?" Hashirama asked, confusion coloring his voice.
"We were, but the Chikushou admitted to still not feeling well, and I am having her rest." Tobirama clarified as he realized he would not be getting any rest with these two hovering over him. He opened his eyes and moved to sit straighter to look up at the two.
He watched as Izuna's eyes widened slightly and he moved to hover over Kibana.
"Leave her be, Izuna. She needs to rest, not be bothered by your mother-hen tendencies." Tobirama snorted, and enjoyed watching Izuna move to glare at him and raise a fist.
"I know that! I'm not an idiot, Tobirama! I'm going back, Hashirama-san." Izuna grunted and with a final grimace in Tobirama's direction he walked away back towards the clearing site. Hashirama watched the exchange with slight amusement, before moving to kneel on the other side of Kibana. Tobirama quirked an eyebrow at his brothers movements, but soon relaxed back against the tree as he saw the familiar glow of green chakra surround his brothers hands.
"Mito-san will not condone your actions should you manage to damage the Chikushou further, brother." Tobirama said gruffly and Hashirama's eyebrow twitched in irritation.
"I'm not going to hurt Kibana-chan. I am only surveying for the cause... which is becoming quite.. well, strange. It seems she is not undergoing physically illness, rather than what appears to be something coming from her mind." Hashirama said as he moved his hands over the girls head.
"What do you mean?" Tobirama opened one eye to look at his brother.
"It seems stress has weakened her, and is what is causing her to be ill. Well.. I do not know for sure if it is stress, but I do know it is something in her mind poisoning her." Hashirama removed his hands from the girl and moved to stand. He tilted his head to the side as he studied the girl and quirked an eyebrow in confusion.
"I wonder what could be troubling her." He said offhandedly, before nodding in farewell to his brother and leaving to inform Izuna of Kibana's condition.
The weeks passed, and with each day that began the citizens of Konoha would wake with a growing excitement in their hearts. In three days time the Cherry Blossom celebration will begin!
"This will be the greatest festival that anyone has ever had the opportunity to attend!" Ayame cheered as she daintily ate her boxed lunch. Hashirama nodded excitedly with Ayame, his cheeks filled with food.
Tobirama, Izuna, and Kibana sweat dropped as they watched with deadpan expressions at their companions actions. Kibana stood from where the group sat by the river to eat their lunches, and patted off her kimono.
"I am heading back to the compound, Izuna-sama. I need to prepare for Madara-sama's return." She bowed to Izuna who grimaced at how quickly the girl resorted back to her 'professional' mode. "Thank you for the meal, Ayame-sama, it was delicious." Kibana bowed to Ayame, and then to the Senju brothers as well before saying her farewells and heading towards the Uchiha compound.
"I hope brother returns soon, Ana-chan does not sleep well." Izuna said with a sigh and a frown. "All she does is pace and worry whenever we leave, it is worrying." Izuna stood and looked towards the direction of the Uchiha compound. He turned back and bowed to the Senju and Ayame and uttered his farewells.
"I am going to spend the rest of the day at home.. We will meet again tomorrow, goodbye." Izuna said before flickering out of existence.
The remaining three look back and forth at one another before finally Ayame and Hashirama shrugged and returned to their meals along with Tobirama.