A Perception of Reality

by knightchaser

There is a belief that states for every action taken, the alternative action is played out in another dimension. In one reality Itachi succeeded in killing his clan, in another, he failed. This is the story of what happened when he failed.

18. Chapter 18 The Reflection In Her Eyes

Last week Madara returned the injured Sasuke to Konoha, where he recovered from his wounds.

Thanks for all the reviews and favs

Wow, can't wait to see what Danzou is going to do to Konoha... makes me wish the manga came out 2 or 3 times a week.

It's been very sunny and hot here in the Village Hidden in the Rain, I guess it's because Pein is gone now. I hope Konan knows that rain jutsu or everyone here is going to go crazy. We're not used to all this sun… it's… scary… xD

This chapter is mostly from Aya's perspective. The ending goes back to Madara so if you are one of those people who hate OC's then just skip to the end.

Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns Naruto

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter 18 – The Reflection In Her Eyes

The small, wadded-up taffy wrapper sailed through the air in a high arc before landing approximately one foot away from the garbage can, joining about three dozen others lying in the same general position. The candies themselves were then tossed on the carpet next to the floor-to-ceiling glass wall where they promptly began melting on the polished wood floor. It was quite a mess, and one Aya was very proud of. After all, if Kyoko was going to call her "childish" she was definitely not above living up to the accusation.

Besides… the fruit flavored melting taffy smelled really good. Plopping a piece in her mouth she leaned back against the black enameled headboard of her bed and contemplated her handiwork. This was unlikely to chase the woman away. After all, any maid in a ninja village could use jutsus to clean. It would annoy her, but when all was said and done it would only take about fifteen minutes to clean up.

Sighing, Aya stood up and made her way to the living room. The doors were open to the garden and a soft breeze blew in, carrying a hint of the "moldy rain" scent that usually accompanied the persistent fogs that wrapped themselves around the village hidden in the Mist.

Finding her book still sitting where she had left it on an end table, she picked it up and began reading. More vampire novels. She had started reading them out of boredom – having picked the first one off a shelf by closing her eyes and grabbing whatever book she touched first – but now she was quite fascinated with the genre. At least until she got bored again. She tended to switch between different types of books quite frequently and suspected it was due to a short attention span. However, it was now early June and she had been reading the series since April or perhaps March. She wasn't sure anymore.

"Today is Itachi's birthday." Aya muttered to herself. "I hope he's okay. I'm sure… at least I hope… Lord Madara would tell me if he wasn't." Closing her book she looked outside for a few minutes, "I guess he's fourteen now. Sheeta will be fourteen next month. And Sasuke will be… let's see… nine." Her face fell as a wave of homesickness passed over her. Ever since her little sister had been born the two of them had been inseparable. Only three years older she would often be tasked with carrying the infant on her back because her mother, older brother and sister needed to be able to fight to defend them. But now… it had been over two years since they had seen each other. However, Madara had said a few months earlier that he would arrange for Sheeta and Itachi to visit.

And maybe Nui could come as well. She would be twenty now. "I wonder if she has a boyfriend… or if she's married?"

An hour later Madara wandered in and sat on the deck with his legs hanging over the edge. Kyoko followed him a few minutes later, obviously in a bad mood. She was carrying a tray with a sake bottle and cup and wearing a very fake smile. Daintily, she set the tray next to the Mizukage and, in an overly-sweet voice, asked if he would like something to eat.

"I have some taffy, Lord Madara." Aya set her book down and stood up, lifting the bag of wrapper-less candies so he could see.

Madara nodded absently, his mind obviously on other matters, "That sounds good."

Holding the bag open Aya watched Kyoko out of the corner of her eye as Madara selected several pieces and transferred them to the tray. He made no indication that he had noticed the naked state of the chewy confections.

Kyoko's fake smile was replaced with a look filled with so much loathing that Aya was half-way surprised the woman didn't attack her then and there. Instead she walked back into the room and stopped at the table, glancing at the book.

"More vampire novels. I checked, you know, and they are on the list of banned books the Daimyou put together. He doesn't approve of Kekkei Genkai abilities and sees such literature as a glorification of human perversity."

Aya blinked a couple times, trying to process what she had just heard, "What do you mean?"

"Kekkei Genkai. He's in a campaign to wipe them out. Thousands have already been killed, thank god."

Aya blinked again. "Killed? Just because of that?"

Kyoko snorted with disgust, "It's not like they're human after all. I wouldn't worry about their 'feelings' if I were you." She picked up the book and looked at it carefully, "Just like the people in this book."

Aya wondered if that was why the Uchiha were staying "under the radar" – so they didn't get exterminated. It would certainly be a better explanation than just hiding from Konoha. She never did understand that logic and suspected Madara was still keeping information from her.

"Leeches who suck the life force of those they 'pretend' to protect, instead placing themselves in positions of power and bragging about how much better they are than everyone else."

"You know some?" Aya inquired quietly.

"No."

'How can that be?' Aya asked herself. They were in a Shinobi village after all. Some of the housekeepers even had Kekkei Genkai. And, for that matter, hadn't she noticed the Sharingan? Though, as she thought about it, she couldn't remember ever having used it around the woman and Madara could probably just use a Genjutsu to make her forget seeing his.

Shaking out her long black hair, Aya shrugged her shoulders, feigning disinterest and sat down to continue reading her book. She had an idea about how to get rid of Kyoko, and had been acting somewhat on it, but now… Now she was going to teach that bitch a lesson before she killed her. And she would kill her. Not because she hated her guts (which she did, vehemently) but because she couldn't get her hands on this "Daimyou" that the woman was quoting. She had a feeling there was more to Kyoko than met the eye.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Mizukage mansion came equipped with a rather large basement that stretched almost the entire length and width of the property. Unfortunately, it was not very "basement" like. At least, it didn't look like the basement in her aunt and uncles house. There were no dirt floors, spider-webs, mice, or dark corners. It was finished with finely polished wood, marble, granite and ceramic. And some of the trim on the doors looked like real gold.

"May I help you Lady Aya? You appear to be lost." An elderly man who looked not too unlike an Uchiha asked in a shaky voice.

"Umm…" She hesitated; a little surprised he knew her name even though she had never seen him before. "I would like to use a room down here… how do I go about requesting one?"

"Hmm… you can use room eleven near the end of the hall…"

Aya interrupted, "Is there a room thirteen? Can I use that one?"

"I… sure. Don't see why not. Most of the rooms in this part of the mansion are empty because they are close to the guest rooms. It was too easy for guests to get down here and spy."

"Oh. Well that makes sense." She turned around to look down the hall, "May I ask what your name is…" Turning back to the old man she stepped back suddenly in shock. He was no longer there. "Well that's playing dirty. He didn't even introduce himself before jutsuing himself out of here. Oh well." She laughed suddenly, "Maybe he's a ghost!"

Room thirteen was about forty feet by twenty feet with a wood floor and dark paneled walls. The only furnishings consisted of a beautifully black lacquered cabinet. Nothing was mounted on the walls and three weren't even any mats to sit on. It was the epitome of plain. Which was just as well, considering what she was about to do.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Over the course of the next week Aya pried up the floor in one end of the room with some tools "provided" to her by one of the housekeepers. When asked why she need them she had responded "Kyoko" and within an hour she had a crowbar, two different sized shovels, a pick, a rake, a hammer and nails, gloves, goggles and a jutsu scroll detailing how to heal bruises and blisters. That last item proved invaluable as Aya set to work and quickly discovered that gloves were useful, but not as much protection as she was led to believe.

The floorboards came up first – about a third of the room was now bare dirt. Correction. Bare, compact, hard-as-cement dirt. Returning to the housekeeper she explained her dilemma as generically as possible and received an answer the next day: Pour water over the area, let it soak in, then break it up with the pick, add more water, and repeat until you could dig up what you wanted. She was warned it would be slow, since the dirt had likely not seen water in decades and would have trouble absorbing it. But she persevered, carrying water from a restroom a few doors down until she could dig.

By the end of the second week she had dug two three foot deep "graves", side by side, each with a long, loose pile of dirt next it. She spent a lot of time evening out the rectangular holes, not wanting them to look haphazard.

Decorating the room took a few more days. Aya didn't want to carry down a ton of furniture, especially since she didn't have anyone to help her so she decided on a traditionally ancient Japanese style of mats instead of chairs and individual trays instead of a table. She wasn't sure it fit the genre though… most of her vampire stories were very Western. Then again… there were no Westerners included in her plan – she, Kyoko and Madara were Asian after all – so it should work. After all, if an Asian man were to become a vampire why would he suddenly develop a taste for Victorian ornamentation? Well, she hoped Kyoko would see it that way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Returning to her room she stretched out on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a couple minutes before she realized the heater was on and the room was unbearably hot. No doubt Kyoko's doing. Getting up she turned it off and opened the sliding door. The early afternoon mists swirled around the posts on the deck and cast the garden beyond in a ghostly white glare. Above the mists a soft yellow glow was trying to force its way through as the sun attempted, unsuccessfully, to burn away the fog.

Returning to her bed she lay on her side so she could watch the battle between fog and sun. She had to admit, she had gotten very used to the weather and her room and the garden beyond it was beautiful. Suddenly, she wondered if she really wanted to return to Konoha. Yawning, she closed her eyes and stretched, falling asleep quickly.

A futon lay in the middle of the floor; it's blue cover was embroidered skillfully with falcons, eagles and hawks. It was daylight, but the blinds were pulled, casting the room in dark shadows. A woman Aya had never seen before sat next to it, wiping her eyes with a cloth. She appeared to be wearing her sleeping clothes and her hair was disheveled.

The door to the room slid open and Aya gasped as Madara, dressed in full combat regalia – red armor, black pants and shirt, and long hair flowing down to his waist – walked hurriedly to the other side of the futon. Throwing the cover off he lifted a small child into his arms as he dropped down to the floor.

Aya looked closely at the boy. He looked just like Sasuke and she felt her heart clench in fear.

"He has pneumonia my Lord. About four other clansmen already have died of it and eight others are still ill." A man, a little older than Madara and walking with a pronounced limp spoke from the doorway. "Your other three children have been quarantined and do not show any symptoms."

"His breathing…" Madara spoke quietly.

"He will be dead by nightfall."

"Don't say that!" The woman screamed. "Don't you dare!"

Madara ignored her. "Prepare his coffin Sora. I will bring him… later."

Sora sighed, "Madara, I am sorry." He turned around and left the room.

"How could you?" The woman hissed. "He's your oldest son, your favorite. And yet you already prepare for his burial before he's breathed his last breath."

"And what is he to you? When he is gone you loose your position as head wife. My second son and his mother will be promoted past you. I have a feeling that bothers you more than your son dying."

"How dare you!" She screeched.

Madara ignored her, instead focusing his attention on the child whose breaths were now coming out as gasps. His flushed, gaunt face was covered with sweat and he appeared very thin.

Aya watched the scene, transfixed by the drama playing out in front of her. It was a side of Madara she was unfamiliar with and for some reason, she felt hatred toward the child's mother. But as she looked closer at the woman it was as if she could see into her soul and the hatred changed quickly into pity. The woman had used her son to further her own ambitions, but now, all she felt was the loneliness and sorrow that would follower her when he no longer walked beside her. She had realized, too late, that she did love her son.

Madara gasped and stood up, the woman ran to his side and then fell to the ground sobbing. He buried his head in the boy's chest and held him tight before turning around and walking toward the door.

"Not yet! Don't take him yet!" She begged tearfully.

"Then what am I supposed to do with the body?"

Sitting up quickly Aya jumped out of her bed, only to trip over her feet and fall to the ground crying. "It was a dream. It didn't happen. It didn't happen." She heard someone in the hall and quickly ran to her en-suite bathroom and slammed the door. The dream had been so real.

After a few minutes she washed her face and brushed her hair. She was still shaking as the images refused to leave her. Sitting down on a chair she leaned forward and rested her forehead on the cool marble counter. It had seemed so real. And Madara… he didn't have to take body so soon. He could have left it for a few minutes so the child's mother could be with him.

"Why did I dream that?" Aya asked herself again as she wiped the wet washcloth across her face to dry the tears that were threatening to spill again.

"Princess Aya? It's snack time." Kyoko knocked cheerfully on the door. "No need to stay in there and hide your pimples, everyone expects teenagers to have them so don't feel too self-conscious."

Aya clenched her fists in anger, but quickly released them when she realized how much Kyoko had looked like the mother in the dream. A selfish woman, who wasn't really selfish but locked into her own set of unfortunate circumstances without a key.

"Was that the meaning of the dream?"

Sighing she stood up and looked at herself in the mirror to make sure she looked "normal". "I guess there's no real reason to kill her. Perhaps I'll just… scare her into leaving."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She had to wait two days before the sun appeared again. Madara, luckily, had left that morning to attend some meetings in another building. As usual he wore a cloth to cover his face and his body was covered with the white robe of his office. Seeing him off, Aya had warned him about the sun and reminded him to keep covered up. His aid had assured her that he would take care of him for her. She wondered why everyone was playing along with a plan they couldn't possibly know the details to. Perhaps they were just humoring the bored teenager.

However, as she turned around to return to the living room she heard the maids giggling quietly about something and when she glanced at Kyoko the woman had appeared to be deep in thought.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So how long is this going to go on my Lord?" The aid asked, half laughing. The early morning streets were busy with people bustling off to work or opening stores, but in deference to their position, none of them looked their way.

"That room she 'decorated' appears to be finished, so whatever it is must be happening soon." Madara answered, also laughing.

"So why couldn't she just go through the standard one-on-one fight like the other kids?"

"She's from Konoha. The Uchihas there gave up that right of passage when they moved into the village. In order to force her hand I had to set her up with a rival she could identify with. I cast a Genjutsu on her the other day, she believed she had a dream, but it had the desired effect. She now sees Kyoko as a person instead of a target."

"But will she still kill her?"

Madara smirked, "Kyoko won't leave her a choice. Don't worry. Everything will fall into place and then she can be indoctrinated officially into the clan just like any other teenager. Just because I'm going about this from a different angle doesn't mean she's getting any breaks."

"Everyone is looking forward to meeting her." The aid grinned broadly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Large squares of bright sunlight filtered their way onto the deck outside the living room. It had turned out to be a beautiful, warm day and Aya was bursting at the seams to go outside and lay in the warm grass or perhaps go swimming in the pool. She could hear the fountain with its rhythmic "clunk" as it emptied itself of water and the soft rustling leaves of the maple and cherry trees.

Standing up Aya rubbed her eyes. "Man, I'm falling asleep here."

"Perhaps the child should take a nap then?" Kyoko had walked into the room followed by two other maids.

Aya ignored her and walked out onto the deck, being careful to avoid the sun. She glanced once at Kyoko and caught her eye, casting a quick Genjutsu as she did.

The other maids stopped working and smiled, as if they knew something was about to happen. Aya shrugged it off, after all Kyoko wasn't well liked by her colleagues.

Kyoko dropped her cleaning cloth and stared straight at Aya, unaware that she was caught in a Genjutsu. She watched closely as the teenager gingerly moved her hand closer and closer to the patch of sunlight. She moved slowly, as if afraid of what would happen should she touch it.

Finally, Aya submerged her hand fully into the sun. She looked at it curiously as she turned it around, gazing at the appendage from all angles. Soon, however, a thin stream of smoke appeared, slowly growing heavier. Kyoko moved closer to the deck and stood a couple feet behind the teen. The smoke was definitely coming from the girl's hand.

Stepping back a few paces Kyoko covered her mouth with a shaky hand. Why would someone's hand start smoking in sunlight?

"I guess I really can't go out in the sun anymore." Aya mumbled, then shrieked in pain as her hand suddenly caught fire. Standing up she grabbed a pitcher of water off a table near the door and used it to smother the flames.

Kyoko stepped closer and saw her hand was covered with blackened, charred flesh. "Oh my god! Oh my god! What… What did you just do?"

"Huh? Oh, you saw that?" Aya asked calmly. "You are nosy, aren't you? You do overstep your position as a servant quite frequently. Perhaps you should curb your curiosity?" Her calm demeanor disappeared as her hand spasmed, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Here you go, my Lady." One of the maids produced a bandage from a desk drawer and started to wrap it around the hand that, to her, looked normal. "Like you said, you must stay out of the sun. Don't worry, we won't mention this to Lord Madara." She looked over at Kyoko with a meaningful glare, "Will we Kyoko?"

"N..no… of course n…not." Kyoko stuttered, then ran quickly out of the room. The two maids broke out in fits of laughter as they went back to their cleaning. Aya smiled in gratitude before returning to the couch to read. Her hand was perfectly fine of course. The only one who could see the blackened flesh was Kyoko. However, she would have to leave the bandage on for a while.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Over the next three days Aya altered her sleeping habits, sleeping in the day and waking at night. It proved to be harder than she thought as she struggled to stay awake through the long early summer nights. Although there were benefits.

The garden at night was beautiful and the jasmine and lilies seemed twice as fragrant as they were by day. She spent hours walking around or sitting and listening to sound of the small rivers, ponds and fountains. There were even birds that sang all night. The mists were also less noticeable and she wondered, once again, if she really wanted to return to Konoha. She started to imagine herself playing in the garden with her children, or having Sheeta and Nui and their children come to visit. The fantasy was so pleasing that she could almost hear the laughing voices of the children and the happy chatter of her and her sisters.

"Wishful thinking." Aya said out loud as the image of a sun filled day spent frolicking in the large garden was replaced by the reality of a dark mist-filled night. "I wonder if one can really live in both sun and shadows."

"If you are human, you already do." A deep masculine voice interrupted her thoughts and she jumped slightly in surprise.

"Madara! How long have you been there?"

He gave a short laugh, "It is pleasant out here. Are you enjoying my garden? It is young, as far as gardens go. Only around fifty-years-old. However, the planting have been planned out with the idea that they should last hundreds of years." He looked over his shoulder and smirked, "It was also designed to be enjoyed in the evening. After all – to those who prefer the dark a garden can be a frustrating experience. That is why there are many plantings of light colors and strong fragrance."

Aya glanced off in the direction Madara had just looked and smiled. Kyoko was lurking nearby, watching. "I love it out here, my Lord. I hope my sisters can see it soon. Are they coming? And Itachi?"

"Soon. Fugaku and I have ironed out a treaty and Itachi will be bringing your sisters to visit in a couple weeks. We set the details this afternoon, but you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you. Itachi is currently in the village hidden in the Clouds negotiating a treaty there."

"He's being kept busy. How is Sasuke?" Aya decided to take advantage of Madara's good mood and try to weasel some information out of him about Konoha.

The tall man sat down on a wood bench and stretched his legs. He was wearing a simple purple kimono trimmed with white silk. "He was injured quite badly a while back. I was able to stabilize him and return him to Konoha. But… Aya… he is my son. I want him here. With me. With us."

Madara's candid response took her by surprise and she blinked several times in shock. "You're… son…"

"Yeah. I even chose his name."

"Then you and Mikoto…"

"No… it wasn't like that." Madara sighed, then explained the situation that lead up to Sasuke's birth. When he finished he looked up at the sky. The mist obscured the stars, but the fact that they were still there nonetheless was a comfort.

"Mikoto dotes on him tremendously. If you were to take him it would break her heart." Aya stated truthfully.

"Yes."

"Hmm." Aya didn't know what to say after that. However, a rather strange thought went through her head, "So that means if we get married, then technically I'm his step-mother."

Madara chuckled, "Are you the good step-mother or the evil step-mother."

Aya scrunched her face up in thought, "I don't know… which would be the most fun?"

"You are a trouble-maker, through and through. But truthfully, it is proving to be very entertaining." Madara stood up. "Well, I've got some things to do. I'll see you later."

"Bye." Aya stayed where she was, waiting to see if Kyoko would leave. After thirty minutes she gave a short laugh and walked over to the woman.

"Kyoko, would you come with me, please. I have something I need help with."

"I'm… not on duty right now…" Kyoko spoke hesitantly.

"Yet you have time to stand here for hours on end following me."

"I… okay. What do you need?"

"Follow me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The quiet early morning mansion seemed almost foreign as the two women walked through its halls to a section that contained the guest bedrooms. They were usually empty as Madara preferred to keep guests in the hotels, but occasionally, a few times during the year, they would be occupied.

Pushing a hidden panel in a wall, Aya stood back and watched as a door slid open and revealed a dark staircase. She reached in a pushed a button that switched on a light. The stairs were circular, winding their way twenty feet to the lower floor.

Aya motioned for Kyoko to go first. The door shut of its own volition as soon as they reached the middle of the staircase causing Aya to snicker when Kyoko jumped at the noise.

"Jumpy, aren't you?"

"Not funny." Kyoko muttered. She quickly regained her composure though and looked around at the basement suspiciously, "So what did you want down here? It looks like a storeroom of some sort."

Aya noticed that the woman had lost her sarcastic edge and was now talking in a normal voice.

"It is a storeroom." Turning slightly she caught Kyoko's eyes and cast a Genjutsu. Possibly the most powerful one she had ever done, considering her inexperience. When she had played the part of an assassin in Konoha for Fugaku she had never had to use Genjutsu to lure her victims. They always came of there own free will. However, Kyoko was not that compliant.

Speaking calmly, Aya pointed down the hall, "We have to go to room thirteen, at the end of the hall. Lord Madara is waiting for us. He's probably very hungry by."

"Hungry?" Kyoko had a far away look in her eye as she followed the teenager down the hall. When the door opened she stepped in and smiled as Madara looked at her with a self-satisfied grin.

"It's about time you came. I'm starving." Madara stepped forward until he was directly in front of Kyoko. "You brought me a fine meal, Aya, but after this we'll need a new maid."

Kyoko's eyes opened in shock as she looked around the room. She saw the open graves, oriental furnishings and on a black-lacquered cabinet, two crystal goblets filled with red wine. There was also a man lying on the ground at an odd angle. Looking closer she saw two little holes in the blond man's neck. He groaned, causing Kyoko to jump.

"My Lord, you've started without me." Aya pouted.

Madara walked over to the cabinet and lifted one of the goblets, handing it to Aya. "I saved you some, my love. I wouldn't want you to disappear like the others."

"So kind." She tipped the glass back and drank the contents in its entirety.

"Is… is that… blood?" Kyoko cried in alarm, backing toward the door.

"Of course." Madara moved closer to her, blocking her escape. "And you have a lot of it. Enough for a week's worth of meals."

"No! You've got to be kidding! What is this, a joke?"

"No joke, Kyoko. This is definitely not a joke." Aya grew serious as she placed the goblet back on the cabinet and moved to the middle of the room. "My kinsman and I are vampires. I was converted a few weeks ago and Lord Madara here is taking the time out of his busy schedule to show me the ropes." She lifted her bandaged hand and unwrapped it. The skin was perfectly healed, smooth with a light olive tone and perfectly manicured nails painted blood red.

"Okay! Okay! I get it! I admit, I was sent here by the Daimyou of Water country to assassinate the Mizukage. I promise if you let me go I'll leave the country and you'll never see me again! Hell, I'll leave the continent!" She fell to her knees, "I swear! Please let me go!"

"Pathetic." Aya snorted with disgust, "I hate people who beg for their lives." However, inside she was suddenly very conflicted. This woman was an assassin. And she had been sent to kill Madara. Her future husband. The future father of those children she had, only a mere hour or two earlier fantasized running around happily in the garden. Not to mention the man that ran the village hidden in the Mist and was responsible for their continued welfare. This had suddenly turned into something much bigger than a simple grudge.

'I'm going to have to kill her after all.' Aya thought to herself with regret. 'I mean, she couldn't succeed anyway, he's too powerful, but then again… if she was chosen for this mission she must be worth something… Aya sighed lightly and looked up at the ceiling as the Genjutsu-trapped Kyoko continued to beg Madara for her life.

'Mikoto told me that kunoichi used their bodies to entice powerful men and then kill them. I guess that was how she was going to do it. Madara really needs to learn how to keep his pants on if he's going to stay alive.'

Stepping forward Aya pulled a kunai, "I'm sorry Kyoko, but I'm going to have to kill you."

The Genjutsu fell apart and Kyoko looked around the room in shock as Madara and the bloody victim disappeared, "A Genjutsu? Why?"

"I was going to scare you into leaving, but now that you have revealed your true nature I can't let you leave here alive after all. However, I have dropped the Genjutsu so we can fight on equal footing. I realize that's not exactly the way a kunoichi should behave, but I am also an assassin and… well… it just seems like the right thing to do."

Kyoko stood up and pulled a kunai out of a hidden pouch at the back of her shirt. "True. But I should tell you, Madara promised to marry me if I killed you."

"Humph. So he set us up." Aya stated plainly. "He obviously ferreted you out and then arranged for me to kill you. It is very like him to do something like that. You didn't actually believe this so-called promise did you?"

"We'll see how 'so-called' it is after I've killed you."

"Kyoko, use your brain. Madara is a powerful lord of the Uchiha clan and as such has the most powerful of Kekkei Genkais in the ninja world. He would never consider marrying anyone who does not carry the same blood-line trait. You are nothing more than a midnight tryst and as such I refuse to be jealous of you. I am and always will be number one woman in this house."

"How dare you!" Kyoko surged forward, kicking her right foot in an attempt to catch Aya off guard as she swung the kunai around with her left hand.

Aya used her hands to grab Kyoko's ankle and wrist then used the woman's momentum to swing her around and slam her into the wall. Kyoko quickly stood up, but Aya was too quick. She grabbed the front of her shirt and flung her across the room, then launched herself at the woman as she jumped to her feet. The two traded blows and kicks, blocking kunai strikes and dodging jutsus.

The small room prevented any big moves, both women knew that blasting the building apart would be a bad idea for several reason. Two of the big ones being Madara's anger over his home's destruction and the other being the pain they would be in when it fell on top of them. So they stuck to Tai Jutsu and small jutsus.

Surprisingly Kyoko began to slow down, obviously tired. Aya slowed down to match her, slightly disappointed. It had been a long time since she had sparred with a partner and she was quite enjoying herself. However, it probably was time to end it.

"Kyoko…" Aya said quietly, "I'm sorry. If only you had kept your mouth shut, you would have lived…" She brought up her kunai and sliced it across the woman's throat, severing both carotid arteries. Meeting Kyoko's eyes as the blood spurted out in a pulsating rhythm Aya saw the regret, sorrow and disappointment that cried out silently as the woman dropped to the ground and finally died.

But the one emotion that she hadn't seen… the one she had expected to see… was hatred. She had seen it in all the other people she had killed. It had been their last thought, the last emotion broadcast from the organ often called the "window to the soul". Yet Kyoko hadn't felt it.

Dropping to the ground Aya took several deep breaths as she tried to calm herself down. She was suddenly overcome with sorrow and wanted badly to cry, but she refused to give in. Madara had set this whole thing up, and she had no choice but to follow through. This was his fault. Or was it? Aya was undecided. Kyoko was an assassin here on a mission. No matter what she would have been killed.

But then again, why was she the one who had to do the killing? Her eyes burned, as if someone had thrown sand in them and rubbed it in. "Must be the dirt. It's dry and floating in the air."

She blinked until the feeling dissipated then opened the door and walked out into the hallway. The same old man she had met several weeks earlier was leaning against the wall smiling. His long white hair was loose and he was dressed casually in a light blue yukata with dark blue pants and plain sandals.

"You did very well Lady Aya. As the head of the Mist branch of the Uchiha clan I hereby grant you full membership status. You will be introduced to the clan tomorrow and included in all activities. We look forward to your imminent marriage to Madara and hope you can be happy here."

"Wh… what's going on?" Aya asked, her words tinged with panic.

"Go see Madara. He's the one who set this up after all. I'll take care of this mess."

"Kyoko… her body… Don't hurt it."

"She will get a proper burial, as do all who go through the test and fail. They leave people behind who mourn for them and we do respect that." The man stood up and Aya realized that he was taller than he appeared, at least as tall as Madara.

"May I ask what your name is?" Aya bowed respectfully, not wanting to be rude to an elder.

"Oh! How rude of me. I should have introduced myself." He gave a short laugh, "Sora Uchiha, at your service. I am, believe it or not, Madara's uncle. Although I am only a few years older than him, being just a young boy myself when he came into the world." He moved passed Aya slowly, walking with a very pronounced limp. She was suddenly reminded of her dream.

Turning around she ran at full speed down the hall, up the stairs and through the mansion until she reached Madara's bedroom. She grabbed the door to open it, but withdrew her hand when she realized it was held in place with a jutsu. Pounding on the door she called for him to open it.

"My dear little trouble-maker. You seem a little out of sorts…" His words drifted away as he looked closely at her eyes, "Unbelievable. I never would have believed you would be capable of it."

"What? Killing your assassin?" Aya asked sarcastically. "And what's this about me being set up? What was that fight about?"

"Aya, come here and look in the mirror." Madara placed a hand on the small of her back and led her forward to a long, floor to ceiling mirror attached to the front of an antique wardrobe.

She looked in the mirror, but her eyes suddenly started to hurt again. Closing them she rubbed furiously with her fists, trying in vain to get them to stop itching.

"Aya, sweetheart, please, just look." Madara gently removed her hand from her eyes and she blinked several times to clear her vision. Staring back at her was a teenage girl dressed in a thigh-length black kimono with long black hair pulled up in a messy bun and heavy goth make-up. However, as she examined her face she noticed something very odd. Her Sharingan, which she hadn't used at all that evening, not even for the Genjutsu, was an odd shape. It was a solid triangle instead of three tomoes.

"Congratulations, Aya. I knew you, out of all your siblings, would be the most powerful, but this is certainly above and beyond my expectations. Mangekyou Sharingan is indeed very rare. While all Uchiha teenagers must go through the same right of passage you just experienced, only about half of those with a Sharingan actually attain the Mangekyou state. When the clan finds out you will be very popular." Madara's voice was very proud and boastful.

"But… I was told… The man I killed in Konoha said Mangekyou was forbidden and Itachi would be killed if he was found out… that he killed Shisui…" This time Aya couldn't stop the tears and they fell full force as she turned and threw her arms around Madara, "Did he kill him? Please tell me the truth!"

Madara put one hand on top of her head and the other on her shoulder, "Shisui killed himself, Aya. It was unfortunate. He… I'll explain later. But a man – Danzou – was manipulating the clan and Shisui was… I guess you could call him 'collateral damage'. However, the emotions Itachi felt after his friends death were enough to bring on the Mangekyou. And it is forbidden in Konoha. There would have been very serious repercussions if he had been found out. Fugaku and Itachi's lives could very well have been endangered, if not forfeit. You did the right thing by killing that man, Aya. Don't ever regret it."

Aya nodded as she brought herself back under control, then jumped back and turned around. She covered her face as it turned bright red in embarrassment. "I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to get so close to you when you're not…"

"Oh." Madara gave a nervous laugh. "You're not going to believe this, but I forgot I wasn't wearing anything." He opened the wardrobe and pulled out a black kimono. "You can turn around now."

"S…sorry about that… I should have thought of that before knocking on a man's door in the middle of the night." Her face was still bright red and she couldn't bring herself to look at his face.

"Aya, you met Sora?"

"Yes. He… seemed very nice."

"He is. Much too nice to be a clan leader, but he is such an expert at politics that you wouldn't know it half the time."

"He… he's very old then."

Madara laughed, "He looks the same age as me, but for some reason he gets his kicks out of disguising his appearance. You'll see him tomorrow."

Aya took a deep breath, finally feeling a little better as the heat in her face faded and her heart rate went back to normal. "About the other day… did you cast a Genjutsu on me? I had a dream about a boy…"

"Yes, I did. I wanted you to think twice about what you were about to do. Often young Shinobi kill without understanding the consequences. They see death as the means to an end instead of a tragedy. You can't move forward until you realize the consequences of your actions effect the whole of creation and not just yourself. You are closer to realizing that now."

"I guess… I was mad… but thank-you. You're right. It's just… Sora… Lord Sora I guess I should call him… was in my dream… was that dream real?"

"Yes. That was my eldest son. He died shortly before Konoha was founded."

"The other children?"

"Measles, Influenza, and the youngest girl died of something we never did identify. Things like that weren't too uncommon back then."

"I'm sorry." Aya bowed her head and let out a long sigh, "I'll return to my room now. I'm really tired all of a sudden." She started to walk toward the door, then stopped and spoke with her back to Madara, "I underestimated you. I apologize for that."

Madara smiled as he closed the door after her and reset the protective jutsus. Aya was a curiosity to him. Often, when Kunoichis would take an assassination mission it could take months to execute. They would have to plan carefully, work their way into their targets household, study the victim's habits, plan a strike, and then, finally, kill him. Aya definitely had the patience and aptitude for such strategic maneuvers. Unfortunately, he needed her for other things.

"This definitely changes things, and for the better too. I might even be ready for Sasuke a little earlier than planned. Humph. Who would have ever thought my dear little Aya would be capable of the Mangekyou?"

Sora stepped out of the shadows at the back of the room. He had shed his "old man" persona and now appeared to be a handsome man in his late twenties with long, smooth black hair and a friendly face, "She is a paradox. But very few women with Mangekyou Sharingan ever use it to its potential, and since you are planning to have her bear your children it doesn't seem like much of a benefit to me. As for Sasuke… I haven't a clue why you returned him to Konoha. That's your fault."

"Yeah. Well." Madara suddenly laughed, "Things are a little strange right now. This Root Danzou started is really causing a lot of problems. I'm beginning to wonder if there is a way to get the Konoha Uchihas to move here to Mist."

"No. I won't approve that." Sora stated firmly.

"I know. Don't worry. It's not like they would ever agree to it anyway." Madara smirked as the other man disappeared, then spoke to the empty room, "But perhaps if they had no where else to go?" He gave a short laugh, "Yeah, like that would ever happen."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Next week Itachi is in Cloud with Jiraiya for a diplomatic mission. The question that needs to be asked is, will Jiraiya live long enough for Pein to kill him or will Itachi beat him to it?

Please review.

Updates on Fridays.