Chapter 44: The Uchiha Clan

AN: Sorry that the delay was a little longer than expected, so please enjoy this chapter which is also a little longer than expected. :)

...

"Now the only thing left to decide is the path you will take from here," said Tsunade.

She was leaning back, regarding all of us with narrowed eyes above her steepled fingers. There was an assortment of unopened sake bottles on the corner of her desk, likely a personal reward for making it through this meeting. My clan and I were gathered together in her office, Karin and Haku included after I'd retrieved them. We were all still a little battered from the war, but at this point we just needed rest.

And to get through this meeting too.

"We have no intention of standing against the village," said Itachi.

"Any village," Obito added, as though to clarify the point because…yeah, it probably did need to be stated.

Sasuke inclined his head a fraction to display agreement and Madara offered no objection.

"I'm sure," said Tsunade dryly. "And I'm equally sure that the Uchiha clan head will monitor all of you closely to guarantee that you remain out of trouble."

She was eyeing Madara, who, despite having bandages around his empty eye sockets to mask his glare, was no less intimidating for his blindness.

Sasuke made a sound of protest.

"I must atone for my sins," he said. "I can't do that here, and it would only cause problems for all of us to travel together."

'Problems'.

That was one way to put it. The ragged remnants of the Uchiha clan on the move once more? That was bound to spike the blood pressure of every Kage, village head, and Daimyo on the planet, not to mention, well, literally everyone else too.

"I wasn't talking about you, brat," said Tsunade, and her gaze slid over to…me?

"Eh?" I asked. "Um, Hokage-sama, Nii-chan is the Uchiha clan head."

"He was the clan head before he defected from the village," said Tsunade. "Just as Madara was the clan head before he tried to kill the first Hokage. And Obito not only defected but he killed the Fourth Hokage as well."

Oh no.

Nononononono.

It wasn't that I didn't want to be the head of the Uchiha clan. It was that I really, really didn't want to be the head of the Uchiha clan. As the clan head, I would be responsible for the rest of my family. Responsible for four S-ranked former missing ninjas whose collective actions had turned the Uchiha into the most hated and feared clan in the Elemental Nations.

"Oh, but, uh, technically Onii-chan-," I began, a little desperate.

"—Murdered his clan head?" Tsunade asked darkly. "It would set a dangerous precedent."

I winced. In certain parts of the world it was common to murder the person in power to take their place. Ninja clans in Konoha had largely avoided that by refusing to acknowledge usurpers. If Tsunade accepted Itachi as the Uchiha clan head, it could possibly legitimize the practice here.

That couldn't be allowed to happen.

"By process of elimination, that leaves you because you were technically abducted and never officially defected," Tsunade continued.

She made it sound like there was paperwork and an exit interview that went along with desertion. The only difference between me and Sasuke was the abduction theater put on by Itachi when he spirited me away.

"Of course the choice of clan head is left entirely to the clans themselves," said Tsunade, spreading her hands as though to present the offer back to us. "But I'm sure you understand the potential ramifications if certain individuals are selected."

There was a long moment of silence.

"I accept Kiyo-chan as head of the Uchiha clan," said Itachi, perfectly pragmatic.

"Tch, whatever," said Sasuke, shifting slightly before settling back once more. "She was practically already the clan head anyway."

"I have no objections," said Obito.

"I abide by the will of the clan," said Madara.

I glanced at Karin and Haku. Though they were technically only vassals, they still deserved a say in this too. At my look, both of them nodded.

Well...that was that then.

Overall, it wasn't exactly a rousing endorsement, but I hadn't really expected one.

"Wonderful," said Tsunade flatly. "Congratulations on your new position, Kiyo. Is there anything you require immediately?"

I swallowed the abject horror building in my chest and took a slow breath.

First things first.

"We'll need a place to live," I said. "We need a place with…tolerant neighbors and private training fields."

I doubted that anyone actually wanted to live next door to Obito or Madara, which meant that we'd need something away from the village center. The training fields were a good idea too, less chance of unwanted confrontations or misunderstandings.

Tsunade considered my request.

"The former Uchiha district was never officially reassigned," she said slowly. "I believe they also had plenty of space reserved for training fields. Like the rest of the village, it was largely demolished during Pein's attack, but there are several buildings still standing. The space is yours if you want it, but it will need work to become habitable again."

Huh, I hadn't considered that. But yes, the district was at the very edge of the village, so it wouldn't have been as heavily impacted by Konoha's near total-destruction.

I glanced at the others to see their reactions. Madara showed no interest one way or the other, but Sasuke was scowling, and Itachi and Obito's faces were carefully blank. I could guess at the reason for their hesitation. That place held painful memories. But it was also the place best suited to our needs.

"It's worth a look," I said. "Then we can decide together."

The others agreed, and we headed out.

Tsunade hadn't been kidding when she'd said that it needed work. The buildings, which had been left to rot for almost a decade, had been reduced to rubble. Houses, shops, even the shrine, were little more than piles of wood and nails. There were a few dilapidated houses still standing near the very edge of the village, but I wouldn't want to risk stepping inside any of them.

"I didn't expect there to be this much left," I admitted, surveying the monument to my family's destruction. I toed a pile of wood to reveal the Uchiha crest painted on the underside. I wasn't sure what I felt here. There was sadness, yes, and pain. But it was distant, muted by time.

Sasuke grunted.

"It has adequate space for our needs," Itachi offered.

"Yeah, but that's about it," said Karin critically. "We're not going to be salvaging anything from the ruins. That's for sure. But, yeah, it has space. That's the important part."

"If this is where you wish to stay, Kiyo-sama, it would be better to remove the remains and build anew," said Haku. He was eyeing a partially caved-in house that looked as though it would completely collapse from the next stiff breeze.

"Maybe something close to the lake?" I asked. "There's a nice building site on the high bank that would have a lovely view. What do you think?"

I doubted that any of them really cared about the view.

"No, something further back in the trees," said Sasuke. He wasn't looking at the lake. Rather, he was turned toward the village, eyeing the tall buildings that had a direct view of the ruins. Right, while Root might have been disbanded, I could see why he wanted a bit more privacy.

"I saw a good building site there too," I agreed. "And we can always grow more trees."

With a pair of Wood-style users, it would be trivial, in fact.

"Obito, Madara, what do you think?" I asked.

"It makes no difference to me," said Madara. "One piece of earth is much the same as another."

Obito nodded in agreement.

Right, it was decided.

"Okay, I'll go tell the Hokage and submit a request to have utilities installed," I said, clapping my hands in finality. "Why don't you get started clearing the building site and seeing if there's anything we can use? We can start drawing up plans for a house and go from there. It would be nice to have something big and comfortable. I expect we'll all want our own space."

It was pretty common for ninjas to have multi-generational housing. Typically the smaller clan compounds were just one or two buildings that housed the entire extended family. So it made sense to start with one building and expand as needed. I didn't think it was a good idea to give anyone too much privacy. It left too much time for brooding thoughts, and that never went anywhere good. One big house would be enough to give everyone space while not feeling too isolated.

"And it should be defensible," I added as an afterthought. The village was pretty safe. It was a ninja village, after all, and it had various layers of security. But Obito and Madara both had huge targets painted on their backs, and it never hurt to have a safe place to sleep.

With that said, I went to talk with Tsunade.

As expected, she was pleased with our decision. The construction would likely keep us all occupied for some time. She signed off on expediting the utilities install to the building site, and I headed back in high spirits. Only to find the others puttering around a traditional seven-story mansion they'd built in the hour I'd been gone.

"What?" I asked, staring nonplussed at the new construction. It wasn't a full house, not really. It had the foundation, wood framing, exterior siding, roof, and floors. In other words, anything that could be made with Earth and Wood-style. But it completely lacked things like lights, fabric, and glass windows. Well, I'd heard of Yamato building houses instantly with a Wood-Release jutsu, so this clearly wasn't impossible. I just hadn't seen Madara or Obito display that level of fine detail and control.

"It will do for tonight," said Madara. He was standing with five of his clones as they blindly refined ornamental details into the woodwork. "The wood will need to be sealed and painted. Then there are the 'utilities' you mentioned and things beyond our ability to create."

Understandable. I doubted anyone could just justu-summon a refrigerator, but they'd still accomplished an impressive amount of work.

"Yeah, it's just…I mean, it's really…" I trailed off, craning my neck to see the ornate details on the mansion…no, the palace.

This thing would be impossible to clean.

"You wanted something comfortable, big, and defensible," said Madara with the barest hint of a bite.

His chakra was tense.

"It's amazing!" I said. "Did you design this yourself? I've never seen anything like it. It's so beautiful!"

Madara's chakra eased.

"Hn," he said. "It's a replica of Hazanakima castle. It belonged to the Kagami clan. I spent several years there when they hired the Uchiha as bodyguards. Recreating it was trivial."

"Huh, I've never heard of Hazanakima castle or the Kagami clan," I admitted. I'd read plenty of history books, but records from before the formation of the Elemental Nations were rare and spotty. And there had been thousands of minor countries and clans. Most had been lost to history as they rose, fell, and were incorporated into the modern nations.

"I burned it to the ground when they betrayed me," said Madara. "That was the end of their castle and their clan."

That brought me up short.

There wasn't any hatred or malice in his voice. Just simple fact.

"Oh, uh, well…" I floundered. "Let's see what else we have to work on."

They'd done most of the work already. Too much work. I'd been hoping to keep them occupied with construction for a few months while I figured things out.

"We'll need to go shopping for everything we can't make," said Karin, seeming to sense my distress and deducing its source.

Yes! Shopping. Perfect. There were thousands of minor decisions that went into interior design. I could use that.

We started with clothes shopping since that was one of our more immediate needs. But when we went out, it was impossible to ignore the stares and whispers from the villagers. No one said anything outright hostile, but our reception was far from friendly. Thankfully the tailor I chose was an old acquaintance of Fumiko, so he was professional enough, but it would probably be best to minimize excursions to the village. At least for now.

After ordering everyone an entire fitted wardrobe, the bulk of the shopping was done by Karin, Haku, and Itachi, who was, surprisingly, received with warmth that bordered on reverence by the other shinobi. Then again, he was known for sacrificing everything for the village, which was the ultimate display of loyalty in a military dictatorship like Konoha.

I tried to keep the others busy as well as I could. Overall, it ended up taking a month just to get the house up to code including utilities, furnishings, and modern amenities. We decided to leave most of the spare rooms empty just because there were so many of them. The house really was far, far too big for us, but that didn't stop me from requesting additions. I tried adding things to stretch out the timeline for completion, but that had very little effect. It only took Madara five minutes to add a dojo and one minute to add a gazebo by the lake. Obito added a garden with a pond in the inner courtyard after I mentioned it over lunch one day. The garden was done before Haku and I finished washing the dishes.

By then I was sure that they knew what I was doing.

But none of them objected. When the house was complete, I had to admit that it was quite impressive. We all had plenty of space and our own private quarters. We even had a library and a multitude of guest bedrooms, though I couldn't imagine anyone actually wanting to spend the night here. It wasn't like we had an abundance of friends, and the ones we did have mostly lived in the same village. But they were there regardless of whether or not we would ever use them.

On our first night post-construction, Itachi cooked dinner and we sat down together awkwardly. Well, most of us. Madara was standing on the seventh floor observatory despite the fact that I'd Hiraishined up to tell him that dinner was ready. He'd taken the liberty of commandeering the entire top floor for his own personal use, turning it into a penthouse suite and practically barricading himself inside. I wasn't terribly surprised that he skipped dinner. He'd always taken his food to his room to eat whenever possible, so I expected that he would sneak down for a bite when we were finished.

Dinner was a pleasant, but mostly silent affair. None of us were particularly talkative, and considering our past, awkward silence was probably one of the better potential outcomes.

However, the tentative peace was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Allow me," said Haku. He vanished for a few minutes before returning with a thick envelope. He set it on the table beside me.

"For you, Kiyo-sama," he said.

It wasn't polite to read mail at the dinner table, but something arriving this late had to be important, so I opened the letter with a sharpened piece of chakra and began reading. It was a short message, but I had to read it several times.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, impatient.

"It's a marriage proposal," I said, hardly able to believe it.

Sasuke's brow furrowed as he took the letter.

"I've never heard of the Kagezuka clan," he said.

"They're not ninjas," said Obito. "They're an extremely wealthy merchant clan from the Land of Birds. The head of the clan has many children, and he's married off several of his daughters for political advantages. The Akatsuki took missions for them occasionally."

Obito didn't elaborate on the type of missions, but the Akatsuki only really specialized in one thing.

"It doesn't say who the marriage proposal is for," said Itachi, taking the letter and frowning.

"Does it matter?" Karin asked, giving Itachi a worried glance.

She had a point. I couldn't imagine anyone actually saying yes to this.

"Maybe not, but he says that he'll be here tomorrow morning," I said. "That doesn't exactly give time for a polite refusal. I suppose I'll have to hear him out."

"Why bother?" Sasuke asked. "Just send him away."

"I think it's a good opportunity," I said, and when I was met with five incredulous stares, I added, "...to practice receiving guests as a clan head. Tou-chan had to do that sometimes."

I'd rather practice with a minor foreign noble than with someone who actually mattered...like the Kage who would be judging us all in less than a year. Sasuke and I didn't have any prior experience with playing politics. No one was interested in establishing a political relationship with a pair of orphaned children. But the current Uchiha clan, though now a tiny fraction of its former size, did not lack for power. Some might want to take advantage of that.

Obviously, since we'd gotten a marriage proposal almost before the paint was dry on our new home.

"Onii-chan, did Tou-chan ever mention anything about formal inter-clan etiquette?" I asked. There were entire books on the subject. I'd learned a bit during kunoichi classes, as we were trained to imitate noble ladies, but most of the lessons were focused on how to look pretty while eavesdropping. Lessons on hosting hadn't been a priority.

Itachi shook his head.

"Our family is not known for our diplomacy," he said evenly.

That was one way to phrase it.

I doubted that there was much in the way of clan-specific etiquette, but this would be my first attempt at taking over the role of clan head, and going in blind made me uneasy. The Kage might have decided to delay any decisions regarding the fate of my clan, but they would be watching us closely for any sign of trouble. If they saw something concerning, they might feel the need to act.

And that…would not be good.

For anyone.

I'd have to figure something out. It would be nice if I had someone to ask for advice. Itachi and Sasuke didn't have much insight to offer, and although Obito had been a leader of the Akatsuki, he'd done all of his work from the shadows and had left the official negotiations to Nagato and Konan. Well, there was one person left in this house who had experience leading the clan…

After dinner, I gathered a tray of food and went to see Madara.

"I thought you might be hungry," I said, placing the tray on a table. I had to move aside a few sake bottles. The table was covered in them.

Madara grunted, staring blindly out at the treetops. A sake bottle dangled loosely from one hand, and his breath smelled heavily of alcohol.

"You should join us sometime," I said. "The food will be warmer, at least."

"What do you want?" he asked.

Clearly my small talk could use a bit of work.

"A guest will be arriving tomorrow after breakfast to discuss a marriage proposal to someone in the clan," I said. Madara grunted again, uninterested. "I've never really learned anything about receiving guests as a clan head, so I was hoping that you could give me a bit of advice on how to turn him down without causing...problems."

"Have one of the vassals send him away at the door," said Madara. "Anything else is a waste of time for everyone."

Probably true, but...

"I need to practice acting as the clan head," I said. "It's important for me to show that I can interact with others diplomatically. But I need to know how to do that beyond just slamming the door in someone's face. I know that our clan has a reputation for...conflict, but we did form alliances. You formed alliances. I need to know how to interact with nobles and other clan heads so that I can show the world that we're not just a bunch of murderous traitors. Right now, that's the best way for me to protect you."

Madara let out a derisive snort.

"I do not require your protection, and it is you who has come to me for aid," he said.

True enough.

"Look, right now the world hates the Uchiha," I said, spreading my hands helplessly. All things considered, I couldn't exactly say they were wrong. "If I can shield our family from some of that hate by acting as the clan head, then I will. I am. I just…need a teacher."

Madara took a long drink from his sake.

"...When I left the village, I was alone because my clan would not follow me," he said as low level Killing Intent filled the room. "So if you want a teacher, then find another. Someone whose clan did not betray him. Now get out."

I winced. Oh, right. Of course the whole 'clan head' thing would be a sore spot for him. I was tempted to retreat, but Madara was the only one in this house who knew anything about being a real clan head. And the fate of my family depended on my ability to do this job well.

"All I want is to look after our family," I said. "I just need a bit of advice. Please."

I wasn't asking for much.

But Madara's Killing Intent spiked even higher. He set down the sake bottle onto the table with a heavy clack. Then he stood, advancing on me slowly and deliberately.

"You want advice?" he asked, his voice dripping with contempt. This time I did fall back, matching him step for step until he'd driven me over the threshold. "A clan head. Does. Not. Beg."

And he slammed the shoji door in my face.

…Well, that could have gone better. But what had I been expecting? I half-turned, ready to give up. But then I stopped.

Madara's chakra burned angrily on the other side of the door.

I had to try. Just once more.

"After the massacre, Nii-chan and I built a shrine for our clan," I said. "We gathered everything to make a proper memorial: pictures, trinkets, uniforms, whatever we could find to honor them. In that shrine, I swore that I would look after our family no matter what."

I'm sorry, Kaa-chan.

"And I know that a promise to the dead might not sound like much, but I made that promise with all the love I felt for them—that I still feel for them," I continued. "If I can keep that promise alive then maybe it's a bit like keeping a part of them alive too. Nii-chan, Onii-chan, Obito, Haku, Karin, and you…you're all part of my family now, and I will protect you even if you don't think you need it. So I'm going to keep doing my best with or without your advice. But it would be easier with your help."

There was a long, empty silence from the other side of the door.

What was I doing?

This was pointless.

I sighed.

"…I understand," I said. "Goodnight, Madara."

I left him standing at the door.

...

The next morning I knelt in the place of honor within the reception hall, a huge multi-story room in the very center of the castle lined with pillars and surrounded by viewing balconies on the upper level. I'd worked out the details of the meeting with the others over breakfast. Sasuke, Itachi, and Obito would remain out of sight because they all had reputations that might frighten our guest. Meanwhile, Karin and Haku would meet the man at the entrance and guide him inside because they at least had some sense of decorum. As for Madara, he hadn't moved from his room all morning.

That was probably for the best.

I was dressed in one of my simple kimonos. Ninja didn't really have much in the way of formal attire unless it was for a special occasion like a wedding, so kimonos were the ninja equivalent of business casual. This outfit was polite but not pretentious.

I smoothed the fabric over my lap as a cluster of unfamiliar chakras approached the castle entrance. Five. Two civilians and three ninjas, most likely bodyguards. Pretty standard for wealthy clients. The ninjas were tense, but in an I'm-on-duty sort of way rather than a battle-ready sort of way.

I stilled my hands as Haku and Karin guided them inside. I was so focused on them that I almost didn't feel Madara begin to move.

Huh? What was he…

I looked up as Madara descended through the castle, stopping at the second floor. He stood behind a rice paper screen on one of the viewing balconies where he would not be seen from below.

Oh great, he'd come to observe.

I thought about asking him to leave, but Karin appeared with the two civilians while the ninja guards remained outside with Haku. Karin gestured for them to enter before closing the door and retreating down the hall to wait. The two guests stepped into the light and scanned the room before their gazes settled on me. The first man was tall and stout with a rosy complexion and round face. The second man was little more than a boy, perhaps late teens at the most. He was reedy and pale with a horrible case of cystic acne painted over with a heavy layer of makeup. They were dressed in very formal attire with intricately decorated haoris and hakamas, the type of clothing more at home in the Daimyo's palace than anywhere in Konoha.

I suddenly felt extremely underdressed.

Nevertheless, I gave them a polite smile.

"Welcome to—," I began.

"Yes, yes," said the large man, waving away my greeting and looking around the room again. "When will we meet with Uchiha-sama? I am not accustomed to being kept waiting."

Eh?

"Pardon?" I asked.

"Uchiha-sama," the man repeated, which explained absolutely nothing. At my confused expression he clarified, "Your lord and master, the head of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Madara."

Lord and master?!

For a long moment I could only stare in disbelief. Then I cleared my throat.

"I believe you may have made a mistake," I said. "I am Uchi—"

The man scoffed, puffing out his chest in indignation.

"Mistake?" he asked. "I am Kagezuka Tukai, head of the Kagezuka clan. I have come from the Land of Birds to meet with Uchiha-sama and to broker an alliance between our clans. There is no mistake."

"I mean no offense," I said quickly. "But I am Uchiha Kiyo, the head of the Uchiha clan."

I half-expected Madara to object, but he remained behind the rice-paper screen.

Tukai's expression shifted from annoyance to confusion before he let out a deep, hearty laugh.

"Oho, I see," he said. "I did not realize that the Uchiha clan was one of humor and pranks."

"Tou-sama," muttered the boy, speaking up for the first time and looking at me nervously. "I don't think she's—"

"Nonsense!" boomed Tukai. "Uchiha-sama is an ancient and powerful warrior. And Kiyo-hime is likewise a noblewoman, not a…" He gestured vaguely at me. "This is clearly a joke. Now, the jest is played and we can get to business. When will Uchiha-sama arrive?"

Madara did not move.

"It's not a joke," I said, heat rising in my face.

How could I prove it, though? It's not like clan heads carried around badges. I didn't have a clan head certification hanging on my wall.

Tukai gave me a condescending smile.

"There is a time and place for humor," he said. "I can appreciate it as well as any man. But my patience has reached its end. If you do not answer my question, I will be forced to seek Uchiha-sama out myself."

Tukai turned back to the entrance, but before he'd taken a single step, Madara's chakra snapped into a genjutsu, capturing both men in an illusion. They froze, imprisoned within their own minds.

Madara finally stepped out from his hiding place and leaped lightly over the railing to land beside me. He was dressed in an intricately decorated haori and hakama, not unlike those worn by the two men. It was the nicest outfit I'd purchased for him, meant for some nebulous potential formal something-or-other. I hadn't actually ever expected him to wear it, but it did look nice. He might have passed for a lord if it weren't for the gunbai and kama slung across his back.

"What are you showing them?" I asked, suddenly wary. This could, potentially, be considered an assault. I stretched out my senses, trying to see if there were any ANBU nearby. Would they know if Madara tried anything? Tukai's guards remained blissfully unaware in the hallway, their chakras as relaxed as they could be in their situation.

"A false castle," said Madara. "They will wander it until it is time for them to return."

"And when will that be?" I asked.

"When you are ready to receive them as a true clan head," said Madara.

"But I thought—" I began, but Madara spoke over me.

"Authority is only granted when two parties meet in a contest of wills and one concedes to the other," he said. "As a clan head residing in your seat of power, the contest should have been over before it began. And yet here you are, pleading for the barest scraps of recognition in your own house. Pathetic."

I winced, but I couldn't exactly argue against his assessment.

"I told you I don't know what I'm doing," I said. "But I'm trying."

"Hn," Madara scoffed. "Your feeble attempts will only bring shame to the Uchiha name."

Oh yeah, I was sure that this was absolutely going to irreparably tarnish our impeccable reputation.

"I'm not giving up," I said.

Madara was silent for a long minute. Then he sighed.

"If you want advice then listen well, because I will not repeat myself," he said. That made me perk up. "The clan head is not a person, it is a persona, a mask worn to convey whatever embodies the ambitions of the clan. A clan that seeks power will have a clan head that projects power. Wealth for wealth. Diplomacy for diplomacy. For many generations the Uchiha clan embodied war and death. What do you embody in your cheap kimono with your false smiles and weak words?"

"I don't…wait, how do you know I'm wearing a cheap kimono?" I asked, squinting at him. "And smiling?"

"If you were dressed appropriately, either as a ninja or a lady, he would not have mistaken you for a servant girl," said Madara. "As for the false smiles…you project more Positive Intent when smiling. It's slightly more for a false smile and significantly more for a real one. Your lack of control makes your moods pitifully transparent."

Oh, that did make sense.

I bit my lip. I hadn't even realized that my Positive Intent output wasn't steady. I was projecting a mood barometer to anyone who might be paying attention. How embarrassing.

"Oh, right," I mumbled.

And that brought me back to Madara's question. What did the Uchiha clan embody now? We were a mixed bag of war criminals, missing-ninjas, and international terrorists. Reformed, in theory, though the world was still wary of us. What did we want? What was I hoping to achieve? There was only one answer, really.

"…Peace," I said after a long moment of thought. "The type of peace that Naruto believes in, one where people work together to solve their problems."

"War is born to protect peace," said Madara. "It is the curse of this world. If you desire peace, you must be strong enough to deter war. Only victors have the power to grant mercy."

True enough. Naruto might be famous for his speeches, but he'd always beaten some sense into his opponents first. Unfortunately, I didn't necessarily have that luxury.

"Antagonizing them with a show of force might make us enemies," I said. "Not just with these two. The Kages. The villages. They're watching us to see what we'll do."

"What does it matter to you if they're watching?" Madara asked. "If you desired it, these men would be dead at your feet. It is true for them, and it is true for any who would stand before you. The Kages? The villages? The world? It is all the same. You command the Uchiha clan. You command…me." He spoke the last word as though it caused him physical pain. "That alone makes you the most powerful person in this accursed world. With every word, every breath, and every gesture, remember that their life and death is at your whim. Remember that, and you will embody Peace. Because to stand against you means War. Now you will show these men the power of the Uchiha. Do not bring further shame to the Uchiha name."

Madara turned, obviously preparing to leave.

"Wait!" I called. "Will you, um, do you mind…staying?"

Madara paused.

"Command it."

I blinked. What? Command Madara? He wouldn't…I frowned. No, he was right. If I wanted to embody the power of the Uchiha, I had to command him. I had to believe that he would listen or I'd never be able to convince anyone else.

But this was Madara.

No one commanded Madara to do anything. Sure, during the war I'd manipulated him into doing what I wanted, but commanding him was different. The Hokage had agreed to release him at least in part because there was no prison that could contain him without his consent.

And he wanted me to command him?

Ridiculous.

"Madara, will you-," I began, feeling stupid.

"Command it."

I winced.

Right. Command.

How did leaders command things? I didn't think I could pull off the casual arrogance of a lord. I couldn't talk over people like Tukai had done, and I really didn't think Madara would appreciate being spoken to like that. But, then again, Madara didn't speak like that either. Madara didn't raise his voice or put on airs. He simply spoke as if he knew that they would listen to him. Because they did.

Command it.

I took a deep, slow breath and ordered my thoughts. If I wanted others to believe in my power, I had to believe in myself first.

Command it.

He wanted this. He would obey. He would.

Command it.

"Sit beside me, Madara," I said, my voice calm and firm.

For a long moment Madara didn't move. Had I done something wrong? Then he suddenly turned and stalked toward me. My eyes widened as he took his place beside me.

He'd listened. He'd obeyed!

"Stop. Smiling," Madara bit out.

I schooled my expression into some semblance of neutrality and reigned in my Positive Intent. Right, this was probably a real blow to his pride. A smile was just rubbing his nose in it. I opened my mouth to apologize, but Madara spoke first.

"Do not smile at them," he said. "This man has entered our home and insulted you. An insult to you is an insult to the clan. If he wishes for your favor, he will have to earn it. This man and his opinions are nothing to you. Make certain that he knows it."

And Madara dropped the genjutsu.

Tukai blinked, raising his hand in surprise until he saw Madara and me sitting before him. Then his face transformed into a look of jovial politeness.

"Uchiha-sama," he said, bowing deeply. The man behind him hastily followed suit. "Please forgive our tardiness. We went in search of you, and it seems we became a little lost."

Madara remained silent.

Right, it was my turn. What would Madara say?

"Kagezuka-san," I said, my voice firm and louder than before. Tukai glanced up in surprise before his eyes flicked to Madara. He opened his mouth, but I cut him off. "As I said before, I am Uchiha Kiyo, the head of the Uchiha clan. If you wish to speak with the clan head, then you will speak with me."

"Madara-sama, surely this girl—," Tukai began, indignant.

Blindness had done nothing to dull Madara's speed. He was standing in front of Tukai with his kama pressed against the man's throat almost before I registered the movement. To Tukai, it must have seemed that he'd teleported.

"Do not mock the Uchiha," said Madara, quiet and low as Killing Intent filled the room. I stiffened, prepared to save Tukai, but despite their position and the aura of death, I didn't think that Madara was going to follow through with killing him. Tukai wasn't worth it. This was just an intimidation tactic.

Please let it be an intimidation tactic.

Tukai stood frozen, his eyes impossibly wide and terrified.

"N-no, of c-c-course not," he said, his Adam's apple brushing against the blade as he swallowed. "I-I mean no offense, Uchiha Madara-sama. Please forgive me."

Madara held his position for a moment longer before returning to his place beside me. I let out a quiet breath of relief.

"State your business with me," I said. "If you have none, then you will leave."

At this point I couldn't imagine him wanting to stay. I fully expected him to take the opening and run. But I must have underestimated Tukai's desire for a deal because he merely bowed again, this time to me.

"Uchiha Kiyo-sama, I have journeyed from the Land of Birds seeking an arrangement that would be mutually beneficial to both of our clans," he said with only a small trace of fear. Impressive. "My clan is both exceptionally wealthy and well connected. We have contacts and influence across many courts and noble houses. Due to recent events, I believe your clan could benefit from the goodwill and resources my family has to offer."

'...Because the Uchiha clan was both hated and feared throughout much of the world at the moment' went unsaid.

"I propose an alliance of marriage," he finished, looking at me expectantly.

I could have said no, simply shooting down the suggestion then and there…but influence was a double-edged sword. For an ally, it was a boon. For an enemy, it was a threat. Madara must have picked up on that fact too, because his Intent became sharper.

Tukai swallowed, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.

"I see," I said. "And what exactly do you seek to gain from this proposal?"

"The Uchiha clan's ocular jutsu is legendary," he said. "As is your strength. Aside from that, your medical abilities are said to surpass even the Sanin Tsunade. That is why I have brought my third son for your…consideration."

I blinked.

Wait, what?

I glanced at the boy who was standing stiff as a board and staring hard at a point on the floor. Tukai was now sweating profusely. He'd obviously come here expecting to make a deal with Madara, a man whose death had happened before my birth. It wasn't unreasonable to think that he might be willing to trade my future for his own benefit. Instead Tukai met with me. No wonder he'd been so determined to take my claims as a joke.

Offering a third son to a clan head was a backhanded insult.

That coupled with the implied threat of an extensive network of influence painted a pretty damning picture, one that Tukai only seemed to realize now. But a curt refusal on my part could be seen as an even bigger insult. Even if Tukai was willing to let it slide, his clan members might not, and they were the type of people who hired the Akatsuki. He should have taken my invitation to leave when he had the chance. Now we were both stuck, him with having made an insulting offer and an implied threat, and me with having to find a polite way to turn him down or else risk the wrath of his clan.

My stomach clenched, but...

You command the Uchiha.

I closed my eyes, taking a moment to steady myself.

"…I see," I said, my voice blessedly calm. Okay, think. There had to be a way out of this. My eyes landed once again on the boy. "And what is your opinion on this matter, Kagezuka-san?"

The boy jumped, looking wildly between me and his father, who nodded expectantly.

"I-I, uh, I think…" the boy mumbled. "That is, I mean, eh…I would…be honored if you would consider me…but I understand if you want someone better looking...sorry..."

He trailed off, gesturing to his face with its pock marks and cystic acne. Yeah, that was pretty much a confidence killer when it came to romance. If Tukai was going around arranging marriages for his children, I couldn't imagine the dread of facing down prospective brides and seeing their reactions. He wouldn't even meet my gaze, so I had a feeling that I wasn't his first.

"Approach, Kagezuka-san," I said. The boy's eyes widened, but after some urging from his father, he tentatively stepped forward, kneeling so that he wasn't towering over me. I reached up and touched his face, running healing chakra through his body, removing the cysts, smoothing his scars, and healing his skin. When I was done, I gave him a small smile. "There, very handsome."

The boy reached up and touched his face, first tentatively, and then with growing shock. He produced a small hand mirror from his sleeve and stared in wonder at his reflection.

"Um, th-thank you," he said.

"Kagezuka-san, I thank you for the proposal," I said, speaking to Tukai. The boy hurriedly retreated, still glancing at the mirror and touching his face. "However, as the head of a ninja clan, I must take a ninja for my husband. I hope you will understand my position."

There was no such requirement. Sure, ninjas preferred to marry ninjas, but if I wanted to marry a civilian, who was going to tell me 'no'?

"Yes, yes, of course, of course," said Tukai quickly. "I respect your position and will not trouble you further."

I nodded, and he took that as an indication to flee, dragging his son by the sleeve. That wasn't exactly polite, but I wasn't going to begrudge his hasty retreat. I waited until Karin and Haku had guided them outside before relaxing.

"So…how was that?" I asked.

"Barely adequate," said Madara, standing.

"I'm truly grateful for your guidance," I said.

"…You are not the only one who has made a promise to the dead," he said. "I too swore to protect this family. I lost my way seeking peace, but I will not stray from my path again. Even if you are not the clan I left behind…you are still Uchiha. That is all...That is enough."

"…Thank you," I said.

"Do not mistake me," said Madara. "I did not do this for you."

"I know," I said. "Even so, thank you."

Madara paused for a moment but said no more before he turned away and left me kneeling in the reception hall.