16.
The clan...the clan...it seemed to be a religious mantra that the Uchiha repeated. Every action was supposed to be for the clan.
Sometimes Yuna wished that she could be one of the maids. They were blessed with an incredible amount of freedom.
Rising high in the ranks would only limit one's world.
Before she woke up, the girl had witnessed a pleasant dream. It was neither special nor very creative.
In her dream, she was seated on a soft bed of grass. She had been a few years younger, her hair shorter and her body lacked the feminine curves they were blessed with nowadays. Her eyes had been startlingly clear.
Eiko had run up to her, with some flowers in her hands. Yuna had recognized them as the weeds that their gardeners fought hard and long to remove.
She felt her lips move, but not voice came out. Yet it seemed that Eiko could understand what she was trying to say and her expression fell. After that Yuna had taken the flowers from Eiko's hands and made a crown for her out of them, as an apology.
Yuna vaguely remembered putting the crown on Eiko's head. Completely meaningless...the flowers would be dead in an hour or two and the beauty would be gone. Those were weeds anyway so no one would even miss them. There were plenty more in the wild.
Her eyes shot open when an unwelcome chill ran down her spine. She couldn't remember falling asleep. Speaking of which, when or where did she fall asleep?
Yuna's eyes trailed up and she saw Madara, so focused on work that he hadn't even noticed that she was awake.
In the back of her head Yuna had always somewhat admired his beauty, even if she would never admit it out loud.
The Uchiha were generally blessed with incredible genetics, but Madara was on a whole new level. Perhaps she liked his features only because they were so misleading. No one knew the extent of cruelty those features were hiding.
Yet cruelty wasn't the right word. Wasn't everything done for survival?
People are so easily deceived because of beauty, which is exactly why women made the best spies.
"Are you hungry?"
Ah, so he had noticed. Yuna sat up; rubbing the shoulder she had slept on to get rid of the soreness.
"I had some food brought for you," he said monotonously, never looking up from the heaps of papers. Yuna had never really looked through them, but now she found herself curious of their contents.
The meal was simple, accompanied by a small cake and a pot of tea to wash it all down. Yuna didn't even bother to supress her smile. At this point, there was no point in hiding anything from Madara. She pulled the tray closer and touched the teapot carefully.
It was still boiling hot, causing her to draw her fingers back swiftly.
Perfect timing, she wouldn't expect anything less of him. She filled the teacup to the brim, and only now did she notice that Madara had cast aside whatever task was at hand to observe her movements instead.
"Is there a favour that you need? You've been suspiciously kind."
Madara chuckled and leaned back, "Perhaps I was mistaken earlier. There is indeed something that you can do for me."
He waited patiently while she was scarfing down the lunch.
"You want to know about Eiko's power," she finally said after swallowing the final mouthful.
"Well aren't you clever," he retorted sarcastically, earning him a nasty scowl.
"Uncalled for!" she snapped, before continuing, "I'm not completely sure, but I've heard of it. It's this ancient legend about the founder of our clan, Kunisada Hikari, who was killed by her sister; others say that her death was an accident, but the cause of death isn't important.
She became the leader because Hikari harboured a certain power, to see into your mind with only a touch. It's incredibly straining on the user and the victim and may cause extended blackouts.
Just a single touch granted unlimited access to the victim's mind, but it is a double ended sword.
When you looking through someone's mind you also gain the memories that you looked through, so to minimise the damage one has to know the exact 'location' of the memory. Filling your head with thoughts that don't belong to you…it'll drive you insane in the end.
It varies from person to person. Some have died because of their own stupidity, others because of a fragile mind. The Hikari from a few generations ago lived up to 52 years until she finally shattered and went insane. It was quite a bloody mess..."
Yuna paused and snorted in bitter amusement. Kunisada Hikari, her mother's namesake none the less, was killed by her older sister, now it looks like history is repeating itself.
Madara couldn't hide that he was surprise, why hadn't Yuna shared such a vital piece of information earlier?
It was common knowledge that the Kunisada clan possessed no bloodline abilities, but apparently they kept it well hidden. On second thought, they'd make excellent politicians.
"Perhaps that's where the overwhelming lack of warmth of camaraderie derives from," Madara noted sourly.
Yuna couldn't help but to laugh, just laugh it all out, but the bursts of laughter were transforming into sobs.
And they didn't stop, no matter how hard she tried to hold back. 'Not in front of him!' she thought.
Madara averted his eyes; the sight of women crying was repulsing.
"I fulfilled my role, it was time to discard me," Yuna managed between sobs.
She shook her head and covered her face with her hands, trying to cover up this display of emotion. It was embarrassing enough to cry, but to do it in front of him made it even worse.
Yuna had managed to keep her cool, almost, but the weight of her family's future was slowly suffocating her.
Madara groaned, "So, you're just going to snivel and give up?"
He wasn't generally used to dealing with crying women. What was he supposed to do, touch her?
His usual women were masochists of sort; they kept coming back despite being hurt over and over again emotionally. The cycle repeated itself endlessly. His train of thought was interrupted when he heard something shatter.
Yuna had taken the teapot and slammed it across the room with all her strength. It flew against the wooden pillar across the room. The shards flew everywhere around and the tea spilled everywhere, dripping onto the floor. Some shards had even lodged themselves into the pillar.
Madara scowled, so now she felt arrogant enough to start throwing fine porcelain around?
"I put up with all the shit they threw at me; I did every fucking mission they told me to. I've destroyed so many families, taken so many fathers from their families who need them and lived with the weight of my sins for years! The least they could've done was offer me a fair fucking fight instead of scurrying off like the cowards they are!"
By the end she was already screaming.
'Yes, transform your rage into fuel'
It wasn't directed to anyone in particular. At that moment Yuna couldn't give two shits about appearances. She was in dire need of violence and revenge.
Her outburst sent Madara into a state of nostalgia. Just how many families had he destroyed before?
How many children were left homeless because of him or had a missing limb because of the war that happened to take place on their meaningless countryside? Madara had lost count a long time ago.
Killing had become something as natural as breathing. It was for survival, to benefit the clan.
"You didn't answer my question."
Yuna miraculously calmed down. She looked up and smiled, "Oh quite the contrary, I'm a ball of joy and motivation, just waiting to be utilised."
"Would you help us with the war efforts?"
"I might," she admitted, "With what, specifically?"
"We need more information about Eiko's powers. I know that it is stored away there, somewhere. The compound is abandoned, but those libraries are meant to be hidden, and you know exactly where they are located."
Yuna wiped her face with the sleeve, drying the tears.
"Are you sure that they didn't take everything with them? They were obviously prepared to leave before they arrived here."
Madara smirked, "Well I was betting on the sisterly love between you and Eiko. She might've left a clue for you to find. It can't hurt to look."
Madara's opinion was purely tactical. It didn't take into consideration how hurtful this situation might've been for Yuna. Shinobi had no need of emotions; this situation was simply solidifying Madara's belief in that code.
"You really are emotionally constipated. Just because your emotional spectrum ranges from scoffing to sneering doesn't make it universal!"
Madara's fist slammed against the table, "Don't cross the line woman. Help us willingly or I will drag the information out of you."
"And this is your idea of cunning persuasion? Just how you've managed to keep the clan away from total destruction eludes me!"
That was a lie, but she was pissed off enough to ignore the possible consequences of her words.
He sighed and sat down and uttered one simple word.
"Please."
Her eyes widened in surprise and she couldn't find the words to form a snarky comment to throw back at him.
Uchiha Madara, the world's most arrogant man, and rightly so, was being reasonable…
"You're the only one left to help us. Izuna tried to recover any useful intel, but that was before we knew that Kunisada were guilty. The mansion was too crowded to snoop around successfully without casualties," he paused before adding, "Look at it as a way to prove your loyalty to the Uchiha and maybe win some of them over."
As hard as it was to admit it, he had a point. There was no way to ignore reason.
"Fine."
Madara was smirking, causing Yuna to scoff, "Wipe that smile off your face; you haven't won the war yet."
"A mere technicality, easily fixed."
Yuna wished to change the topic to anything but her clan.
"Sorry about the earlier display, it won't happen again." She said quietly.
Words were wind and this apology was as sincere as Izuna's politeness.
Remember when you bit that nasty kid when you were younger and your mother made you apologize? You did, even though the little shit had it coming.
But Madara's eyes were looking past her; the apology bounced right off him.
"If it makes you more comfortable I'm not going to send anyone to follow you, or in to the libraries, but hold back any information and you will regret it."
The threat was left hanging in the air and Yuna decided that had enough of Madara for one evening.
"Oh yeah," he added before she left, "If you see your guard, dismiss him. I'm confident that you can keep yourself safe should anyone bother to attack you."
She snorted, "Caring," she retorted sarcastically and shut the door without waiting for his comeback.
Madara leaned back in his chair, sighing. Someone should come and clean up his office, the shards were still sticking out from the pillar.
Yuna removed her shoes by the door, out of habit. As a child she had often ignored that particular rule and got scolded by her mother often. Yuna didn't think that she'd ever come back to snoop around in the libraries. Ancient history held little importance for her. She had only visited them maybe once or twice after all.
The girl saw Uchiha men stationed on the rooftops, keeping watch day and night just in case anyone from the Kunisada decides to return.
Yuna picked up the chakra signatures from around the house as well. Regular patrols roaming the halls.
The guards were notified already that Yuna would be coming but even she felt entitled to march right in. Besides being the clan mistress she was also the only Kunisada left to keep up the compound, though she thought the place should rot to the ground instead.
She looked around and nostalgia washed over her like a wave, filling her lungs.
It annoyed her immensely. It was hard to fuel anger with serenity.
The Kunisada mansion was much more modest. Every single detail about them spoke of humility and hid their true intentions.
True enough, they lacked in numbers, but made up for it with wit.
The halls were dim. The warm summer had smoothly switched to autumn, which meant early darkness, rain and beautiful golden leaves donning the ground.
Yuna passed a courtyard and stopped. The pride and centrepiece of it was an ancient tree.
She couldn't even guess what tree this was, it had never occurred to her to ask.
She stepped onto the grass; her bare feet were caressed by the cold grass. No one had taken care of it in weeks.
Yuna stopped under the tree and looked up. Some of the leaves were still green; a few had already fallen to the ground.
It reminded her of a time when she was younger, Hikari was 7 months pregnant with Eiko. Yuna was maybe around 6 years old. It was a chilly autumn day, just like it was now. She had been playing with the piles of leaves.
"Yuna," her mother had said, "dead leaves are like clansmen. Everyone has a part to fill, and after that they will be discarded. Make sure you don't become one." The woman's voice was calm. Yuna stopped playing and sat into a pile.
"Why do people think that autumn and winter are pretty seasons?" She asked from her mother.
"What do you mean, Yuna?" The meaning behind her daughter's question was unclear to her.
The small girl had pouted and crossed her arms over her chest because she hated being misunderstood, especially with her limited vocabulary at that age.
Putting emotions and thoughts into words was difficult for her then, "In the autumn everything is dying and in the winter everything is already dead...
Does that make death beautiful?"
Hikari couldn't help but to smile. Such a poet, that daughter of hers.
"I guess so."
The seemingly cold answer hadn't meant much for the six year old child. Not that it made much of a difference in the present.
Yuna lied down onto the grass, staring up at the tree.
What was her purpose?
None really. Just resting as this house seemed to gobble up all of her determination.
"Perhaps it's an artistic thing?" She questioned out loud.
"What is?" Yuna sat up and quickly whipped around, ready to protect herself from a possible attacker. She relaxed when her eyes landed on Izuna, who was leaning against one of the pillars with his arms casually crossed over his chest.
Yuna wasn't surprised to find his trademark smile on his lips. Her eyes darted lower and she noticed that he was barefoot. A laugh escaped her lips.
"At least your manners are intact," she said jokingly.
The jab had no effect on the Uchiha. He walked up to her and sat down next to her.
"I didn't think Madara could get your consent so quickly. It's good to see you up though; you had me worried for a moment."
Yuna's eyes studied Izuna's face, trying to dissect the meaning behind his words.
"Thank you for your concern," she replied dryly, "I'm fairly certain that Madara didn't assign you here for guard duty. So what are you doing here?"
Izuna's political mask dropped, a change warmly welcomed by Yuna. It was easier to deal with him this way.
"You're so straightforward, terrible at politics. A refreshing change from the usual bunch I have to deal with."
"Isn't that jolly," she replied dryly.
"Madara sent me because he doesn't trust anyone else to lighten your workload." Yuna's eyebrow rose and she tilted her head to the side.
"More like you will report every dirty secret right back to him. Sounds like Madara has little confidence in his influence over me, but I disagree. There is no way in hell I'd let your sticky fingers rummage through those documents." Yuna said sharply, earning a scowl from Izuna.
"Sounds like you're a tad too attached to your clan."
"Is that the official response?" she retorted, "This isn't about loyalty; this is about my ways of life. I have given my word that I will do my best to keep outsiders out. If I could I would kick every Uchiha from here."
She took a deep breath in, "I don't care about the people who share my blood, but there are things that are not meant for your eyes. We made a deal that I will find everything about Eiko's abilities, and that's all. Madara agreed with me, I go in, I gather everything you need to know and bring it back. You were never part of the deal."
Her eyes were stern, and for once it seemed like Izuna was genuinely pissed off.
To her surprise, he chuckled. She almost expected him to lash out.
"Well it's nice to know that you still have some respect for yourself. I expected something like this to happen…but I can be accommodating."
It was obvious that there was no way around this. Izuna would have his way.
"What do you have in mind?"
"Bring back everything relevant so we can review them together. I'll devise battle plans accordingly."
She sighed, finally resigning. It was obvious that Izuna wasn't going to take no for an answer, leaving her with no choice but to comply.
"The leave, and take the men with you. I'll be back by nightfall."
"Is that a promise?" he asked childishly and for a moment Yuna thought that he might actually demand a pinkie promise.
Yuna scoffed, "Just go already!"