Redesign

by xLilim

Complete / Life is a fickle thing, but death is certain. MadaraOC

20. The War For Kurata 1

Chapter 20 | The War For Kurata I

---

As the shadow storm persisted, spring arrived.

---

Mt. Hyōga was as described, a mountain within a mountain where the Kuronuma settled on a stretch of flat land half surrounded by walls of ice. The harsh cold was an unwelcoming change. It took several weeks to adjust when the weather merely provided snowfall, but once the skies darkened and never lightened the land was assaulted by harsh blizzards that further proved the dangers invading armies would face in challenging the Kuronuma clan. A single wooden bridge separated the rest of the mountain from the alcove of snowy landscape of a bivouac that could easily be abandoned if met with imminent danger and running beneath the crossing, down a near thousand-foot drop was a black, bubbling river.

The inhabitants of Mt. Hyōga resided in yurts—homes of timber frames covered in layers of felt and canvas—that if seen from a hillside seemed like round gray dots cluttered atop a white mantle. All sat surrounding a plaza in the center where a great fire burned throughout the shadow storm, one that cast an opaque glow upon its backdrop.

Mio spent most of her time either in meditation or with Okimi and Enya assisting them with their twins. She even chanced a meeting with Musashi, the patriarch and Shugosha of the Kuronuma clan, upon her arrival and she refused to believe the man was her great-grandfather considering he displayed no signs of age since he first turned forty, though when she asked how old he was someone interrupted, and looked as robust as an ancient oak tree. He had olive skin to contrast the paleness of his hair and beard and pale rose eyes. He wore a necklace wrought of resilient black cord that held a sphere, one she could easily fit in her palm, with spinning grey smoke inside.

She found her eyes drawn to the sphere when he passed, unable to find the necessary courage to ask what it was because she thought it inappropriate despite the unsuspected welcome the entire clan had given her. Everyone wanted to meet her for being the last of Musashi's bloodline, a phrase she understood less than her curiosity about the sphere, and because most wondered if she inherited any bit of her grandmother's beauty, but it seemed to be universal knowledge that no one should approach her if not face Shin's wrath. So most eyed her from afar, whispering excitedly as she passed, and she wished none of them had listened to her grandfather and just talked to her until she came to the knowledge that Musashi enforced the rule as well and threatened extra labor for those who disobeyed. It was as if they sought to embarrass her to death and they were completely shameless about it. Shin had been more than enough without adding Musashi into the mix, and to her surprise, there were people that actually considered her position enviable.

She eventually adjusted to both the climate and the attention, and once the strain of both withered away into insignificance, she reached a sure conclusion to Mental Training without the danger of combining it with Heat Training, thus relieving Takuto of his duties.

Since then, spring brought fresh blooms and quaint weather for the world beyond Kurata and she gained a moment of respite before the start of Heat Training, which was known to be the shortest training she would do if undergone by the right person. She hoped she was the right kind of person. Of course, she was skeptical given the fact that she was more Uchiha than Kuronuma and the talk of this training only requiring the bloodline did nothing to alleviate her worries, but she tried not to worry about it.

Within Mt. Hyōga the skies had yet to lighten to their blue hues, the shadow storm ensued with no signs of relenting even though that morning the winds had silenced.

Mio returned home from a soak in the springs to share breakfast with her grandfather. She continued her morning runs on the mountain, favoring the flat landscape to the treacherous road she had in the Iron Country. She passed through the entrance expecting the usual sights, coals burning on a brazier for warmth, the fire in the pit alight with either a cauldron of broth or game cooking for the morning, but today, she found Musashi seated by the short table with a map of the continent set between himself and his son. There were cups on the table, leaving marks on the map, and the inexcusable scent of wine in the air.

"Did something happen?" she asked, venturing towards the table to get a closer look at the markings on the map.

"Something quite unfortunate," admitted Musashi, then gestured to a seat at the end of the table. "Join us. This affects you as much as it does us all."

She seated herself before the display unable to make sense of any markings on the map's surface until she followed one to where the Uchiha compound once stood. "Are these different clan territories?"

"Mostly clans we like to stalk," said Musashi.

"Observe, father, stalk is a filthy word," Shin corrected.

The Shugosha smiled at her, nodding. "Yes, yes, observe. There are various clans we like to observe."

"Why are you observing these clans?"

"Eliminating the unworthy," Musashi answered. "The Kuronuma want allies. Among the shinobi clans in existence, we wish to find five."

"Five different allies from a horde of shinobi clans that want nothing to do with each other?" she questioned, staring down at the marked options. "No one will ever agree."

"The Ito clan joined the Uchiha's side. The Motou clan traded the Senju for the Uchiha. You can't say no one will agree when it is not impossible, you have seen it yourself," he proclaimed. "Several other clans are forming friendships through hardships. I am simply searching for a specific set of allies—ones I intend to find through process of elimination. Trust, child, this isn't the reason I asked you to join us. We are faced with a different problem."

Shin sensed her curiosity. "In time, Mio, everything will be explained to you. Right now, we have the matter of Kurata to discuss."

Musashi replaced the world map for a topographic scroll of Kurata's snowy valleys that mapped every important location within it. She followed the trail between first and second village with her eyes only to find the third village at the pinnacle of the trifecta. The castle was marked red and the extent of the territory its lord possessed defined by a set of dotted lines that formed a sizeable square around it.

A drink was poured for her to sample; her great-grandfather called it honey wine and claimed it wouldn't cause the predicted repercussions. She searched Shin's countenance for approval and he merely inclined his head.

Its sweetened taste filled her mouth with a sip, far from her original expectations of wine. She set it aside on the only part of the table not covered in maps and waited patiently to listen for either of them to elucidate.

"Not long ago we provided protection for the whole of Kurata," Shin started, observant of her facial expressions. She knew the backstory of the treaty between the Kuronuma clan and Kurata Castle's lord. "We severed our treaty with Tasuku over conflicting principles. He despised our preferred method of protection, and our influence over the towns he claimed his own and we disagreed with how he disposed of his nephew on his climb to power. We gave him free reign of two villages, we have stayed far from his business, but it seems he is amassing a bit of an army to force the Kuronuma clan from Mt. Hyōga if we cannot come to terms with his demands."

"This man is incapable of reason," Musashi added. "He will declare war on us if we do not vacate Kurata."

"Ordinary men will not prove problematic to the great Demon clan, will they?" asked Mio. "He can build his army of warriors and bandits, all crazy enough to take on a whole clan of skilled shinobi, but that won't make a difference in the results."

Shin laughed. "You misunderstand, Mio, we have no intention of fighting Tasuku or his army of warriors and bandits."

"Or more accurately, these lands cannot see violence," Musashi continued, amused by her dumbfounded reaction. "Winter is our only protection here and if these sacred lands see bloodshed, it will melt away. The Kuronuma clan cannot be unprotected."

"Why?"

Musashi tapped the exterior of the sphere strung from his neck as if in answer. "Our clan is built on a sturdy foundation, one we desire to see persevere into the next generation, and it is our primary duty to protect it. The brittle wall that stands between the shinobi world and ourselves will one day crumble, but that day is not today. We will not fall to petty threats."

She watched the mist within the sphere darken.

"Do you wish to touch the sphere, Mio?" Musashi asked, rough voice snapping her out of reverie.

"Father, now is not the time—"

Mio reached to it, captivated by how the mist spun harder within its confides, but when her fingers touched the cool glass, she felt a deep surge of pain assault them and jerked her hand away. She clutched it to her chest, staring down at her blackened, smoking fingertips and the discomfort of the burn. She stared at her great-grandfather perplexed.

"It burned Eito once as well," he eased as if to reinstate hope. "The sphere rejects all but its Shugosha. However, once in a while, it makes an exception."

"Eito-san is the exception," she answered quietly. The young man was Musashi's terminally ill successor and a polite individual with an energy that set him apart from the rest of the world. He was also her cousin, son to her grandfather's youngest brother who passed away three years ago.

"You are as well."

"What does the sphere do?" she asked, completely immersed in the pursuit of knowledge.

"Binds the rest together."

"The rest?"

"Nine other spheres."

"Father," Shin interrupted firmly. "I do not think this is an appropriate time to school Mio on such matters, perhaps another day."

Musashi nodded. "You're right. Another time." He gulped down his wine and returned his attention to the map of Kurata. "We will allow Tasuku to do as he desires."

"Wouldn't it be better to nip this in the bud?" asked Mio. "It may be nothing now, but in a month or two, this could develop into something bigger, something out of our hands."

"It won't be," Shin replied. "We are in talks with a shinobi clan willing to do us a favor if the situation demands it. They require payment, but we are more than willing to offer them whatever they want so long as they do their job."

"I've never heard of a shinobi clan hiring another clan for protection."

"That's because we're not like other shinobi clan," said Musashi with a broad smile.

"What shinobi clan?" she asked with suspicion in her voice.

Musashi patted her shoulder and left his seat. "Everything in due time."

Mio watched him leave with a persistent suspicion and rounded on her grandfather. "You want to tell me what clan we're talking about?"

"I don't remember if I asked before, but do you have your ears pierced?"

"You're changing the subject."

"It's a yes or no question, well, I can check for myself."

Before Mio could bat his hand away, his fingers were already touching her ear.

"We should get them pierced."

Mio moved away. "I don't have any use for jewelry, not in my profession."

"Well, I want to pass down the family heirloom," he said, gesturing to the pair he wore. "I think you'd like to get your curious little hands on these."

She glowered. "It'll hurt."

Shin grinned, leaning over the table. "Interested?"

She said nothing.

"I can do it right now." His expression lit with morbid enthusiasm. "Let's do it right now. Let's pierce your ears!"

Shin was halfway across his home digging through one of his chests when she jumped to her feet in an attempt to stop him.

"You're acting crazy!" she snapped, pulling his arm out of the trunk.

"Do you know how hard it is to buy you a gift? There isn't anything you explicitly dislike unless it's living and everyone who knows you is smart enough not to give you a bird. But really, how do we know?"

"You could ask."

"Yeah, I could, and you'd just say, 'I'll be thankful with whatever it is.' So, I want to pierce your ears and give you this mysterious family heirloom," he said, tugging out a square box from within his belongings. "It even comes with a story. Ready?"

"No," she uttered.

"I'll tell you the story first."

"I'll pass. You're not a very good storyteller."

"I'm the best."

Shin made a beeline to the brazier, pocketing his box. He took a seat on the thick carpeting and tossed a cushion nearby for her to sit.

Mio reluctantly seated herself.

"Family heirlooms in this clan are different than most. You've seen Musashi's sphere—"

"I thought we weren't having this conversation today."

"I wanted him to leave is all," Shin admitted with a shrug. "He's very passionate about these conversations and they really wear him out, I'd rather not go there with him and his longwinded explanations."

She certainly thought "longwinded" whenever Shin explained anything. "So, we are going to talk about it?" she asked, to be sure.

"Yes," he said with a nod, then went on to elaborate, "The sphere is one of ten and they're called spheres, but only the one in question is an actual sphere, the others are really household items—okay, only one is a household item, it's a cup, but it's a very dangerous cup. Oh, and I wouldn't really recommend using it as a cup, I once tried and all my wine disappear, it was terrible. I couldn't find it anywhere."

Mio raised her hand to stop him, amazed when he silenced. She understood nothing. "Why are we talking about a cup?"

"The cup's somewhat important," he answered.

"How is it relevant to Musashi's sphere?" she asked, hoping to find some clarity.

"It's one of ten."

"Yes, the sphere."

"No, the cup."

"It's one of ten?"

"Yes, the cup."

"No, the sphere."

"Yes, the sphere."

"Not the cup."

"Yes, the cup, too. It's one of ten, the cup."

"The sphere."

"The sphere, too."

Mio grumbled in frustration. "We were talking about the sphere."

"Yes," he said edgily. "We are, but I am also telling you that the cup is like the sphere."

It finally dawned on her. He meant to say the cup, like Musashi's sphere was one of ten. Why didn't he explain it that way from the start? "Wait—it's a cup?"

"There's even a calligraphy brush."

"And these are family heirlooms?"

Unless that calligraphy brush doubled as a weapon or was made of black diamonds, she didn't see how it was an heirloom. The same thing went for the cup. Why would anyone in the right mind pass a cup down to future generations?

"Are they made of gold?" she asked, perplexed.

"No, they're made of what you'd expect," he laughed. "That's the beauty of it. It's always what you least expect it to be. It'll really throw a person off. I just really wish we could have gotten a wooden spoon in there."

"So, Musashi's sphere, the cup, and a calligraphy brush—they're the same?"

Shin touched the dangling earring on his right. "Don't forget the earrings."

"The earrings," she repeated.

"Oh, and the Dragon's Eye."

"The what eye?"

"You heard it correctly, Dragon's Eye," he reiterated. "We literally have the eye of a dragon. It's crystalized, so it's not as gross as it sounds."

She gaped. "You have a…dragon's eye?"

"The Dragon's Eye, Musashi's sphere, the cup, calligraphy brush, and the earrings—five of ten spheres."

Shin stared at her expression for a moment, nodded and waited for a response, one that came in the form of a very skeptical incline of her head and required more information to discern the exact subject of the situation. She expected a different sort of longwinded story to confuse her, not anything like this.

"Mio, there are people out there that can breathe fire and raise mountains—there is a whole family of bears outside that can have a conversation with you, I could introduce you to a handful of lizards that tell very inappropriate jokes—but you draw the line at a dragon's eye?" he questioned. "There are nine powerful tailed beasts scattered throughout this world, even one of them could give us a run for our money. This world is full of strange, mysterious things and you don't believe we have a crystallized dragon's eye?"

"This is all a very compelling argument, but I don't see why my skepticism is a problem."

"You don't believe in dragons and that's the problem."

"Because dragons don't exist and those tailed beasts are an old myth."

"Obviously the dragons died out, but those tailed beasts are as real as you and I. You know the story, right?" Shin attacked the subject with a furrowed brow. "The Sage of Six Paths saved the world from the Ten-Tails, sealed it within his own body until he acknowledged he'd be dying and then split the monster's chakra into nine tailed beasts. You, as an Uchiha, are a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths, of his eldest son."

"Father used to tell me the story, I know it, but it's not like anyone ever complained about a tailed beast in their backyard."

"Because they'd be dead." He shook his head as if disappointed. "There are a whole lot of people that aren't skeptics trying to capture the tailed beasts for themselves, you know, actively. It's not unknown, much like it isn't unknown that the Kuronuma clan have special artifacts."

"Dragon's Eye, Musashi's sphere, the cup, calligraphy brush, and the earrings—five of ten spheres," she repeated slowly.

Shin grinned. "Artifacts."

She unknowingly mirrored his smile. "They're not spheres, they're artifacts."

"And each one has a purpose to serve—Climate Sphere, Time Sphere, Universe Sphere, Nature Sphere, and Black Sphere, all in the order you named them."

"What do these artifacts do?"

"Everything they shouldn't and that is why my father wishes to find five capable shinobi from different clans worthy of becoming a guardian for one of the ten," he elaborated. "We need individuals that understand the danger they possess and how troublesome it would be for these artifacts to fall into the many unworthy hands seeking to take them."

Outside, the wind howled and the canvas shuddered against the hit.

"Why are you giving me the earrings?" she asked quietly, listening to the crackle of coals in the brazier. She avoided making eye contact with her grandfather in fear of the emotion she might find there. "The Black Sphere."

"Because you're going to protect them. It is your inheritance."

A shudder ran down her spine and her skin was covered in goose bumps. "Why me?"

"It has always been you, Mio, since before you were born. Since your mother was supposed to take on the duty herself. Since then. It's been you. It can only be you."

"What does the Black Sphere do?"

"The pearl here contains another sealed artifact, the Life Sphere." He touched his fingertip to the black pearl attached to the jointed hoop earring on his right lobe and in the light from the brazier she saw a seal carved in the center. He turned his head for her to see the flat, half-circle earring on his left lobe. "This one can teach anyone the secrets of our jutsu. Wearing it activated, one could possess the black water jutsu as if they had trained for it. If anyone, anyone at all took it and learned it, we could have a disaster on our hands. Combined, the two earrings hold this clan's secrets."

"You're giving me two artifacts to protect?" she asked fearfully.

"That's right." He nodded. "I have a lot of faith in you, Mio. So, do you want these earrings now? You've earned them."

He entrusted her with two Kuronuma secrets, each a heavier burden than the last, even after the way she acted a few months ago when she wanted to give up the training. She didn't feel worthy of them. She wasn't sure she could handle the burden or balance it out with what remained of her training.

"Are you sure?"

He laughed. "I'm sure. You didn't give up and you apologized for even considering it by working harder. There is no better reward to give you once you've reached the heat stage. It's good incentive, don't you think?"

Mio exhaled. This was a duty her mother would have taken if not for her death. That single thought fueled a little more of her resolve because she didn't have much left of her parents except the knowledge they passed onto her and the treasure trove of birthday gifts she stashed under one of the floorboards of the cottage. She could have the earrings if she couldn't find use for the information or be able to have her treasures with her. So, she smiled and washed away all the fears of it being too much. Like her grandfather said, the right incentive could make the impossible things easier to overcome. She was seeing it now.

"Yeah, it's a great incentive."

Shin never looked prouder.

She finally did something right. This was the way it was always supposed to be.

---

Mio stared at her reflection in one of Okimi's handheld mirror, one with a black metal handle. She definitely looked strange with earrings on. Besides her, Okimi's twins lay bundled up in furs and sleeping.

Okimi entered the home with a shudder. She pulled on another coat over her clothes and made her way across the living area to the fire where she held her hands out to warm them.

"How were they today?" whispered Okimi.

"Good, I just put them to sleep."

"What about you? Have your ears been bothering you?"

"No, I just feel they look weird on me."

"Earrings? They look fine," Okimi said cheerily. She left the fire to assume a seat in front of her twins. She caressed their cheeks and cooed sweet nothings at each before turning to face her. "Uncle is looking for you."

She picked herself off the cushion and exited through the entrance after a short goodbye. She tugged on her hood and pulled her scarf over her nose for protection against the harsh, wintry winds. The plaza's great fire didn't reach the eastern side of the mountain where Enya and Okimi's house stood, so the rounded streets were lit with torches placed within two meters of one another.

One howling gale swept through her and blew out several torches. She traveled in darkness for ten minutes, but during that time, she could see the constellations stretched out above her head.

The home she shared with her grandfather stood north of the plaza in an acre of land separated from the rest and closest to the main entrance to the caves of the mountain. There were several other openings aligning the walls that guarded the encampment and special passages hidden underneath layers of snow and trap doors all leading to the hot springs.

Shin awaited her arrival by the table. "Have you eaten?"

"Okimi fed me before she left to Takuto's," she answered. "Did something happen?"

"I received news from the other side that you might be interested in learning," he started, his tone even and solemn. "It's about the state of your clan."

Mio braced herself for the news, not uttering a word.

"Uchiha Tajima and Uchiha Hikaku are dead." He paused as though allowing her to process the gravity of the news. "The clansmen split between Taiga and Hiryuu, although, a sizeable group amassed under Madara and Izuna."

She wondered about the brothers and the knowledge that they no longer had a father. She worried for them, despite knowing how silly it must be to do so. They were no strangers to death and yet, she wanted to be there as if her presence could make any difference.

"What news is there of Sachiyo-sama?" she asked grievously.

"She is in the Fire Country fostering the Ito sisters, Saori and Hibari," he answered. "She is doing well enough on her own as always. You have nothing to worry about there."

"Then what do I need to worry about?"

She was at a loss.

"Yourself, your responsibilities, and your training without question."

"We are also having a bit of a situation with Tasuku-sama."

"One we have chosen not to acknowledge."

She hated leaving all those loose strings hanging, but that seemed to be the way the Kuronuma went around any hard situation.

"This won't have a pretty conclusion."

"Nope, but it'll be the right conclusion."

She sighed. "How is Taiga?"

"You shouldn't fixate on him, Mio. Let him do as he will." Shin served himself a warm drink. "You need to run around with people your age like Takuto."

"Forget I asked."

She went straight for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To run around with people my age," she remarked as she left.

.

.

"Mio!" called Takuto, hands on his knees and breathing haggardly. "I call a time-out! I'm really not cut out for this pace!"

Mio continued running on the mountain road beyond the residential structures. "I'm not waiting for you!"

"I don't think you were supposed to take it literally when Shinya-sama asked you to run around with people your age!"

Takuto caught up to her after catching his breath.

"I know what he meant," she snapped.

"You're just angry he doesn't want to tell you anything about Taiga!"

"I just wanted to run."

"The question is why doesn't your grandfather want to tell you anything about that man?"

"Because he wants me to stay as far from Taiga. He thinks I'll do something stupid."

"Will you?"

Mio glared at him before facing forward. "Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"I'll know when I see him."

She lurched forward and left Takuto in the dust.

---

The sky cleared to its brightest blue hues after the passing of the storm and the weather calmed, but the darkest news arrived in the early hours of the day. Mio was shaken awake by her grandfather and rushed to pull something warm on to venture outside of Mt. Hyōga for the first time in months to bear witness to something she could only describe as a tragedy, one that should have never occurred.

She saw plumes of black smoke rising from the homes and the pale snow darkened crimson. She witnessed the massacred remains of dozens of civilians and watched fire ravage the scene like an afterthought. She found women strung by the neck from rooftops, stripped naked and badly brutalized. She touched the cold cheeks of several children with blood pouring from a slit in their neck. She felt her stomach agonize at the sight of human pieces littered in the wide streets of the town, not knowing which arm belonged to what man.

She feared the worst for the safety of Sako and Minako who inhabited this village and whose home had been burned to the ground.

Takuto and Shin appeared beside her.

"Tasuku-sama has bared his fangs," she said absently. "Will you bare yours?"

"We must bury our dead," answered Shin, stepping away. He barked out orders to several of the hunters accompanying him, splitting up their ranks so that one group could search for survivors that might have fled into the pine forest and another to do as he commanded her.

"Come, Mio," called Takuto. He took her by the hand and gave her a gentle tug in the opposite direction. "I'll stay with you, but let's do something."

She let him take the lead, following him reluctantly to whatever bloodied scene awaited her as the fires were doused in water. She stood conflicted in what was expected of her. Was she supposed to burn the memory into her head and do nothing? She didn't understand why Shin didn't want to do something about it. What was wrong about putting an end to something this horrible? An entire town of innocents was overrun by death, its civilians dragged from their homes and treated to the greatest evil. Not even the children were spared. If she had ever seen a declaration of war before this was it.

Kurata Castle's Tasuku wanted war. He made his move and now it was the Kuronuma clan's turn. Perhaps Musashi's opinion differed.

Mio spent the rest of the morning in silence and helping Takuto investigate all the homes to survive the burning. Eito appeared to join them further into the afternoon, a feeble young man of eighteen complimented by the clan's trademark rose-hued eyes and snow-colored hair. He stood several inches taller than Takuto as most Kuronuma purebloods did, but without the usual built of others in his age group giving him the lanky physique of an underweight giant.

"Should you be outside the mountain, Eito-sama?" asked Takuto worriedly.

Eito regarded her with a small smile before answering. "I'm allowed to leave the mountain if yourself, Mio, or uncle are present."

Takuto pointed at himself in disbelief. "Me too?"

He nodded. "What can I help you do?"

She waited to see what Takuto would say because for the past couple hours, they had been carrying dead bodies out of the homes and raiding them for some form of identification. There was a small group of clansmen going around picking up the cadavers while another focused on turning a wide clearing into a cemetery to bury them.

Takuto scratched the back of his neck at a loss for words.

Mio reached for a nearby broom and handed it to Eito. "Sweep. I'll clean the floors."

Eito took it and stared at her a minute too long. He cocked his head to the side, smile wavering. "You're not feeling okay. Do you want to go back to the mountain?"

"I'm fine," she lied. "I'm waiting for news."

He looked at her in a way that assured her that he caught her lie, but had no intention of calling her out in it and for that reason she was thankful. He took the broom into the hallway.

"Thanks," said Takuto once Eito was out of earshot.

Mio nodded. She understood how intimidating it would be to put Eito anywhere in this sort of situation because he was Musashi's successor and rumored to be on the delicate side. Either the slightest scare or an unsuspecting dose of excitement could do him great harm.

A series of shouts emerged from the pine forest behind the house. She stepped outside in trepidation when the voice rang clearer.

"Do we have a medic?" called a hunter from the edge of the pine forest. "Is there a medic here? We've found survivors, but one is in need of a medic!"

"Takuto," she beckoned.

Takuto made his way to her with a quizzical brow.

"Takuto," came Shin's voice.

"Here!" Takuto shouted, scrambling outside to meet her grandfather on the street where a bloodied Hunter stood with him.

Mio called Eito and together they joined them.

"It's a small group, five adults, two children. One woman is badly injured," explained the hunter, starting down the path with Takuto in tow. "Come, it's this way."

"Mio, bring boiled water, as much as you can, and cloth—gauze, there was some in that house," Takuto shouted over his shoulder.

Mio placed a hand on Eito's arm when he made a move to follow. "Stay with your uncle," she said firmly.

She fetched the gauze and rushed outside to procure water from an untainted well. She filled two wooden buckets and built a fire to boil it in a deep pot. She carried everything out into the pine forest as snow fell atop the clustered, needle leaves, and walked a great distance while following the fresh tracks in the ground before she found Takuto, the hunter, and the group of seven survivors among the wilderness.

She found seven strangers, badly bruised and scratched—three men, two women, and two small girls—and the one woman that was being treated by Takuto. Everyone sat huddled together, shivering fearfully despite the presence of their claimed protectors, the same shinobi clan to let this horrendous ordeal befall them.

Takuto gestured her over hurriedly and she looked at the survivors a second time. She nearly dropped the boiled water when she recognized the first face—a smooth featured face that once smiled at her with dimpled cheeks on the way out of Sako's home. She opened her mouth to demand if he knew anything about Sako and Minako, but closed it immediately. It would be too selfish to make any demands after what he survived.

The hunter carried out his orders. He ushered the remaining battered survivors back to their town where they would wait for a Kuronuma shinobi to escort them to Mt. Hyōga where they would be accommodated.

"Give me a cloth, Mio," Takuto ordered, holding out a bloodied hand.

She gave her a long piece of cloth, the first she tugged out of the satchel.

He snatched it from her with a quick thanks, bundled it up and pressed it to a deep gash on the woman's side. Mio turned her face away from the blood rushing from the gaping opening on her side and focused on the woman's face. It was angular, all sharp edges and purple and green from a heavy hit, and her hair was long, a tangled mass of black hair that fanned out over her head on the bloodied snow. Her eyebrows were drawn in pain and for several waves of it, she couldn't keep her eyes open or her mouth from dropping ailing sounds.

"I need a knife," announced Takuto.

The dying woman sucked in a shuddering breath, terrified.

Mio provided a kunai from the holster tied about her thigh and heard the medic give a weary sigh as he slit diagonally across his forearm. Three droplets of sizzling black blood scorched through the snow before he let the cut hover above the gash. She watched in awe, despite her stomach raging in protest—saw a line of blood fall directly into wound and heard the woman muffle in protest.

Takuto pressed his palm to the wound from one end to the next, his chakra infused hand moved across the area slowly replacing the damage with smooth skin.

The woman exhaled and looked around wearily for a second before losing consciousness.

Mio sank into a seat beside him. "I feel sick."

"Too much blood," uttered Takuto, dunking his hands into the boiled water.

"No. Too much death," she admitted, heart thumping rapidly. "We should move her."

"Yes, I'll carry her," he said, pulling the woman into his arms as gently as possible. "We're going to need supplies and a clean house to treat others like her. We won't be able to move them to the mountain until they're healed."

"We'll be sitting ducks for another attack."

"We'd risk losing them if we moved them."

They lost enough already.

Mio pushed through the pine trees to reach the town's pathway and found it overflowing with Kuronuma taking care of different duties. She walked away from Takuto when he spotted another medical specialist and searched for Shin.

Shin was standing at the edge of a hillside overseeing the town. She trudged up to meet him unprepared for the sight he beheld. She glimpsed down despite telling herself not to since the elevation was starting to make her dizzy and panicky and followed the blood staining the snow in the center of the street. Someone took the time to write a message on the pale surface below in dark red and it took the form of the slashed crescent—the Mikazuki clan's insignia.

"He will plague us until the end greets him," muttered Shin, his tone indiscernible.

"Mikazuki Gouki." She whispered his sinful name and it disgusted her.

"Can I leave you in charge here?" he asked, finally regarding her.

"No."

"I'm doing it any way, keep an eye on Eito, and make sure everyone returns from the pine forest. You remember everyone that went in, yes?"

"Yes, but I'm not standing in for you, you're an authority figure…I'm just a—I don't know what I am."

"You're an authority figure."

He flicked her earring as if to stress the point, and when she turned to snap at him, he was gone.

"Mio-sama!" a Kuronuma called from below. She felt unworthy of the respect in his tone and the added honorific as she started her descent to meet him. "Another group of survivors appeared near the mountain caves beyond the pine forest, we believe your friends are among them. They've made it into town, some are wounded."

As soon as those words left his lips, her heart soared in the hope that they were indeed a part of that newly discovered group and she sprang down to see it with her own eyes.

Sako was the first person she saw, standing there with hunched shoulders and Minako in her arms. She called out to them, her voice a higher pitch and heart pounding in her chest. The blond woman turned and nearly cried as she made her way to meet her. Minako called out to her in a hoarse voice that sounded like she'd been crying up until that point.

She pulled the two into a big hug, unable to stop her limbs from trembling and with her hand clasped behind Sako's neck, she whispered a thousand apologies in a voice so soft and broken she couldn't recognize herself. Minako's tiny arms squeezed around her neck and her croaky voice blubbered in her ear about scary monsters.

"I was so scared," Sako whispered, sniffling. "I was so scared that this would be the end."

Mio pulled away from her with tears in her eyes. Sako gave her a brittle smile and reached up to Mio's face, wiping the first tear to drop.

"You're crying."

"I thought you were lost, both of you, and I'm happy I was wrong."

"We didn't think we'd survive the night," Sako went on. "Everything happened so quickly and Shou-san, oh, Shou-san was struck down by one of the invaders, a large man."

"Were they bandits or shinobi?" Mio asked firmly, rubbing the tears away. She unconsciously took Minako into her arms when she refused to return with her mother. "Shou couldn't have been killed by bandits; he's a highly training Uchiha spy—"

"He was killed by the shinobi," answered Sako, her eyes starting to wander. "One. I only saw one. Everyone else seemed to be invading mountain bandits."

"Sako-san!"

Sako let out a joyous cry and sprang off to meet her dimpled lover in the middle of the street. She hurled herself at him and he enveloped her in a sweet embrace that made Mio wonder what it felt like to be held so tenderly by a man you love and loves you back.

She shook the thoughts from her head and finally took notice of Minako in her arms. She hoisted her up comfortably and sighed. The relief was like a burden lifted. It felt good to see Sako in the arms of her lover, forgetting all realities, and know that apart from some scratches and bruising they were perfectly okay.

"I'm sorry, Minako," she whispered against her messy brown hair. "I should have been here."

Minako blinked up at her, the tears drying on her dirty cheeks. "It's okay. You're here now."

"You'll be coming to the mountain with me, though," she continued. "I'll be able to watch you every day."

.

.

Mio returned to the mountain late into the evening leaving the responsibilities with Enya, who would remain in town with several medical specialists, hunters, and shinobi to protect the surrounding area. She stepped into her home after ensuring Sako and Minako were accommodated in the new homes erected over a wide plane behind a block of yurts in the west for their new guests. She found both sleeping and chose not to disturb them further, turning away with a storm of thoughts. She formulated a plausible idea for the things that occurred, but she didn't want to think back to any of those terrible memories. She wanted a moment of peace.

Shin offered her a late meal, one she declined. She couldn't even think of eating after seeing that massacre. He pated the seat beside him and she took it, leaning over to rest her head on his shoulder. She needed to feel comforted. She wanted to shed so many tears without anyone questioning her about it. She kept all her feelings bottled up while staring at the dead that day because she didn't like what they reminded her of, especially after she knew, deep down inside, that Mikazuki Gouki played a part. He remained a tyrant in her nightmares.

"Something warm might help," Shin offered.

"He killed the men like he did my father," she whispered. "I walked around so many limbs wishing I could put them back where they belonged, but I couldn't stop thinking about how he killed my father. The way he did it. Tortured him with a slow death. The memory seems clearer now."

"Mio…"

"Every day, the memory unraveled differently," she continued. "It took months before I realized it. I spent years trying to remember it because I couldn't and I knew I should. Everything was a blur, a big giant blur that ended with my mother's blood soaking into my clothes. I didn't remember anything that they said, it all sounded distorted. I want to stop thinking about it, about the way mom sounded before she died. Because every morning before I wake up, I hear her voice and it just breaks my heart."

"We love you, Mio."

She pulled her legs into her chest and cried.

Shin wrapped an arm around her and held her tightly. "I would take your nightmares if I could," he whispered against her head in a troubled voice. "I would kill him a thousand times if it brought you peace."

What peace would his death bring? The imprint of his existence was all over her memories; he lived and thrived in her nightmares. She would never forget what he did. If his death took him from her memory, she'd ask for it, but it wouldn't.

Mio stayed enveloped in her grandfather's warm embrace. "I've never had a normal dream since then. I relive it every night," she started, every new tear gently traced across her cheeks. "Those people didn't deserve that. Nobody deserves that." She pulled away to see him in the dark and her voice turned firm for the tirade she didn't feel coming. "I don't know what he wants from me. Why doesn't he leave me alone? He's taken enough from me, why did he have to lash out on those people? To prove what point?"

Shin leaned in the opposite direction; his eyes watching the fires in the brazier steadily burn out. "People learn harsh lessons in life—seeing and experiencing horrendous things or simply observing and understanding that change is necessary for growth," he started, seemingly out of nowhere. "Some people learn with death because losing someone you love, someone close, sometimes even a stranger—death leaves an impression."

"That tells me nothing," she snapped.

"No, I just had a thought," he said calmly. "Perhaps, you shouldn't burden yourself with this tragedy despite Mikazuki Gouki's intent. He wants to get a rise out of you and he's accomplished it, you're falling apart, Mio, you've taken it to heart. You feel guilty for something that wasn't your fault and you have to understand that it wasn't your responsibility to take care of those people, thus your guilt is unfounded."

"But he's done it because he wants to chase me out."

"And he will continue doing it until he corners you. This won't be the first time something like this happens," he told her. "You can't do anything about it."

"What can I do?" she asked quietly, unable to see past it all being her fault.

Mikazuki Gouki would keep on looking for her, endangering everyone around her, plaguing her like a curse. She could choose the hermit lifestyle and spend as much time away from the rest of the population while steering clear of the man hunting her. She saw nothing wrong with choosing that direction except the amount of sacrifices she would need to make in order to go through with it. She didn't even think she could survive…not without completing the training her grandfather laid out for her.

"I can make you something to help you sleep, you'll drink it, it'll be warm and delicious—"

"Will it be a blood concoction?" she asked wearily.

"No, my blood would kill you. The black water, blood, chakra combination in every person is different, specifically in medical specialists like Okimi and Takuto, which is why they're rare. I'm from a generation when it was common for the Kuronuma's primary jutsu to be as scorching as it was poisonous."

"What generation is it now?"

"It's just scorching." He shrugged, stood, and headed off to the side to prepare his concoction.

Mio took the time to go behind the thick draping in the edge of the house and changed into something comfortable that didn't smell of blood. Once she stepped out from beyond the shielded corner, she could smell the mixture of herbs boiling in water.

She seated herself at the table and waited in silence with her thoughts. She listened to her grandfather. She felt too much guilt over what happened. Everything happened because of her. Mikazuki Gouki agreed to do something convenient for himself.

Shin set a mug in front of her and urged her to drink. "You'll be working with weights again, twice a week, starting this upcoming week. You will continue running every morning, five laps around Mt. Hyōga. You'll be on a healthier diet as well. After you go through your daily responsibilities, you'll spend two hours in the springs. I'll be your medium."

"Is this the Heat Training schedule?"

"Mikazuki will work with Tasuku to ensnare you and we can't allow him to antagonize the rest of the clan. He doesn't know what artifact he wants; he only knows you have it. Mt. Hyōga is securing nine of ten artifacts. He plunders the mountain and he finds a gold mine," he explained. "As a guardian-in-training, you automatically have permission to fight if someone threatens your life or jeopardizes the safety of the earrings. So if push comes to shove, you'll need to start learning the black water jutsu earlier than scheduled and training. Speaking of which, finding you a training partner will be difficult. Takuto would be a prudent choice since you could learn from one another, but I wonder if he'll have the time between his sessions with Okimi."

"Given the situation, Takuto will be extremely busy outside the mountain."

"I can help with the strength portion of your Strength Training, but the ninjutsu aspect will be impossible until you can defend yourself against the black water." He sighed. "I suppose we'll hit that bridge when we get to it. For now, finish that up and you'll be asleep before you realize it."

She didn't care, she just wanted the day to be over and if this herbal brew was the answer, she was all for it.

---

"You should have warned me about Heat Training," Mio grumbled to Takuto in the middle of warm-up exercises.

She left Mt. Hyōga on a whim, curious to see how the patients were doing nearly three weeks after the attack. Those with the most life-threatening injuries were almost completely healed and able to move around, but not enough to make the trip up the mountain.

With Okimi overlooking the other medical specialists, Takuto rarely stumbled across a break with redressing wounds and overseeing physical therapy for those that suffered nerve damage through broken arms and legs or dislocated wrists. It was apparently harder for him to treat non-shinobi because it was easier to worsen one's condition without the perks of a different chakra to work with. She tried to understand the dynamics of their strange healing techniques, which for the most part seemed to be the same as everyone else except when it came down to their blood concoctions and using mediums for fast fixes. However, they couldn't use their fast fixes on non-shinobi.

"Is it everything you wished for in Heat Training?" asked Takuto with a humorous smile. He held a square plate with his breakfast. "I bet it was."

"I looked like a prune when I got out of the spring," she remarked.

The two hours she spent in the hot water were tedious and she could have sworn the water started off clear and warm only to turn pitch black and boiling. She didn't bother questioning it because she wouldn't have realized the shift in temperature if she didn't run out of the spring the other night after hearing noise at the cave entrance, but it had only been a rock tumbling from the ceiling.

"I did Heat Training at eight, I don't remember much beside the heating water. It has healing properties and it's great for the skin."

"Eight?"

"We have weighted clothes from ages four to seven and pretty much skim through Mental Training. Heat Training is a breeze; it's the Strength Training that's the real problem."

She finally understood what Shin meant by undertrained. She was memorizing scrolls and maps when she was that age with the occasional training session in between. Her parents didn't teach her much ninjutsu. She arrived in Sachiyo's care with little knowledge of all the jutsu expected of her to know.

"That's impressive," she admitted. "I just don't understand how the black water enters the bloodstream."

"Kuronuma purebloods already have it in their bloodstream, but tend to have to drink a cup full of it during training to strengthen it. Kids like us have to soak it in naturally during Heat Training in the springs; you receive a steady spill of it throughout the two hours."

"Is that why the temperature rises?"

"Yes. You'll be there a while; it usually takes a bit before you absorb the right amount and once it gets into your chakra canals you'll be able to learn a jutsu to replicate it so you won't have to be jumping into the special spring for a refill. I mean if you wanted to be done quickly, you could drink the cup like the others, but I hear there are consequences, bad ones."

"So, I could use one of your techniques if I wanted?" she asked curiously.

"You could, but there's still a strain and it might be too much for you this early on in the stage."

Okimi entered the room. "Takuto, I'm going to need your help with something, and Mio, you have a visitor."

They exited the storage room at the same time, Okimi and Takuto went on ahead into the hallway while she made a turn towards the entrance to find Taiga and Jouji. She rushed up to greet them, relieved to see that both looked rested and perfectly healthy.

"Where's your grandfather?" asked Jouji.

"On the mountain, convening with the Shugosha. He's been busy; I doubt you'll see much of him." She caught Taiga staring at her mismatched earrings. "Sako and Minako are also on the mountain. They're both perfectly healthy despite Mikazuki Gouki laying waste on their town with a group of bandits."

"Shinya kept us up to speed," Taiga clarified. "We've learned the Mikazuki are in the midst of striking a deal with Tasuku of Kurata Castle. We wanted to deliver the information to him personally, but that looks to be a problem."

"I'll go get my grandfather," she decided, stepping out into the main street. "You can make yourself comfortable in the house so long as you don't disturb anyone."

Takuto peered out the window. "Going back up the mountain?"

"Getting my grandfather! Do you need anything from the mountain?"

"Better food, Okimi's a terrible cook."

"I heard that!" snapped Okimi. "And I don't deny it!"

"Why're you making a big deal out of it then?" she heard Takuto say in complaint.

Mio arrived on the mountain faster than she anticipated and discovered her grandfather in the spring caves behind their home in the middle of a bath. When she appeared from behind the dusky rock wall, she heard water splashing and something that sounded like a yelp coming out of Shin's mouth. She stared at him awkwardly submerged to the neck in the heated water, looking offended by her disruption.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked, putting one hand on her hip.

"Knock, Mio, I just wanted you to knock!" he snapped, swimming over to the edge of the wide pool.

"On what? The wall?" She gestured to the rough wall behind her and gave him an irritated look.

Once there he pulled a towel into the water to shield his torso. "You should be a little more delicate with these things."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware you were so shy."

"I'm not shy; it's just—at fifteen you should 'kyaa' and cover your eyes in the presence of a naked man!"

She rolled her eyes. "Stop making such a big deal out of it, you're just naked."

"Just naked?"

"Taiga and Jouji-san are in Kurata, they want an audience with you and I'm sitting in on it. I'll be waiting in the house."

Mio started to turn before recalling Takuto's request. "Did you make anything to eat?"

"No, but there's leftovers from this morning. Why? Are you hungry?"

"No, Takuto is and he's been suffering through Okimi's cooking."

"A fate undeserved by no one but her husband," he commented darkly.

"I fear for the twins."

Shin laughed and it resonated throughout the high molted ceiling.

Mio returned home and packed that morning's leftovers for Takuto. She rummaged through her things for warmer clothes after the adrenaline from her run died down. She had started to feel the extreme temperature of the mountain the minute she set foot on it.

She sat on the floor tugging on a pair of boots when Shin appeared at the doorway towel drying his hair.

"I've sent word to Taiga and Jouji-san; we'll be meeting them outside Kurata in a couple days," he informed her. "You should prepare for a week-long trip, but travel light."

"Should we be leaving for a week?"

"Definitely. We'll be making a stop at Kurata Castle to engage Tasuku-sama in a very overdue conversation. He won't dare attempt an attack against the Kuronuma clan for quite some time even if Mikazuki Gouki antagonizes him." Shin went to his scavenge through his belongings to start his packing. "We're also stealing Takuto, he rarely leaves the mountain and it's a terrible shame."

Bringing Takuto along with that sort of reasoning made it obvious what his intention was. He wanted an excuse to keep her far away from Taiga and the Kuronuma medic was the only person she could consider a distraction.

She pushed the knowledge from the objective at hand and she started to gather suitable clothes to wear outside Kurata. She appreciated never worrying about clothing in Kurata since she only really required sweaters and pants. It was all about the right layering and something she could deal with. She found many clothes that didn't fit her anymore and it made her wonder if she could edit them. She packed what she needed.

"I can appreciate how precise you are in these things," Shin commented, standing over her.

"In what?"

"Packing light, knowing what to take, and how you fit everything so neatly. Look, everything it like a little square. It's almost obsessive, it's fascinating."

She closed her bag, embarrassed. "Are we supposed to wait for Takuto?"

"He should already be preparing for the trip as we speak. I sent word with him too. The bear that delivered it wasn't happy about going down the mountain though. This is why I hate those stupid bears."

Outside, a deep roar echoed in response.

"The feeling's mutual, it seems."

---

Kurata Castle was an unwelcoming stronghold. The soldiers protecting the entrance refused to allow them any closer than five meters of the gate and even more reluctant about permitting them the audience they desired with the lord, but Tasuku knew better than to turn them away as his army planned.

Mio entered the tower-like structure in wonderment, discovering it for the first time since she was unable to enter it the first time she had some sort of business with the lord. Every open door they passed in the long hallways was heavily decorated in ancient heirlooms and great treasures until they were finally escorted into a gargantuan room made of screen doors and religious paraphernalia. Seated in the center was a sleek black table over polished floors and behind it sat an older man, face deepened with wrinkles, and combed grayed hair. He avoided meeting anyone's gazes by keeping his focus on his calligraphy, but she could see form her vantage that his eyes were a tad buggy and watery with a blue hue.

"To send the great Kuronuma Shinya to my home, I don't deserve this honor," Tasuku drawled, lifting his eyes to his audience for a short minute. "How unusual it is for you to bring companions, two outsiders in Kurata."

"Oh, you've earned this honor." Shin humored him, mocked the tone in which he regarded him feigning respect and interest in whatever words he planned to say. "I do hope you're comfortable with the allies you've chosen. A mercenary group like the Mikazuki clan can be difficult to handle."

"It won't be a problem, Mikazuki Gouki is determined," he answered, finally making eye contact with a smug look. "He is particularly interested in finding a lost Uchiha." His eyes wandered to her, the smile on his lips unwavering. "Would this be her? Not what I expected."

"I can assure you that I'm not lost," said Mio with an edge.

"Hmm," he hummed, a belittling sound, but his eyes were raking her body for the exposure her layered clothes did not provide. "I do see the appeal."

"I insist you respect my granddaughter before I remove your eyeballs and force them down your throat," Shin suggested with a chilling smile. The tone used contradicted the threat, but it did not make it any less of a threat and Tasuku stiffened upon acknowledging it for what it was and tore his gaze from her. "Honestly speaking, about the situation at hand, I do not care for your raised armies or your hired mercenary clans or whether you wish to continue wagging a petty war against the Kuronuma clan, by all means do it. I will however, inform you that my people will not tolerate another massacre. You so much endanger someone's dog and I will personally come here to melt the skin off your bones and tear this beautiful castle of yours to shambles. Are we clear?"

Tasuku stood his ground.

"I feel we're not yet speaking the same language, so let me be frank." Shin reached for the dagger on his belt and slashed a thin line across his palm. He drew a line in the space above the massive desk with droplets of his blood and within seconds the wood and everything on it begun to melt away until the weight of it forced the desk to snap in half. Tasuku scrambled back, chest heaving and eyes wild. "I see we've understood one another. Good. We'll be taking our leave."

Shin rubbed his hands together and showed him to the next guard that approached him only to have the aggressive male take a full step back.

There was a frightening quality about her grandfather on display, one that could easily be misinterpreted. He could be underestimated and obviously he was during that meeting given the awful tone Tasuku used to address him in a way that wouldn't honor his surprisingly famous name and today he proved he wasn't anyone's joke. If he wanted to burn the entire castle down, he would have it done in a heartbeat.

Mio admired the easiness of his character—how fluid change was as the situation demanded it. She met a different side to her grandfather today, the one that earned him recognition.

---

"You'd expect a monster," Takuto commented, not shy about eyeing Taiga from afar after a near two-day trip into a hidden rest town located on a border. "He looks perfectly normal."

Mio grabbed his forearm, forcing his attention to her. "Don't stare at him. He knows. He knows everything."

"I hope you're lying," he responded.

"I'm not."

"You could lie to me."

"I don't need to lie to you."

Taiga glared in their direction, specifically at Takuto before shooting her a disgusted look. In turn, Mio reached out to touch Takuto's hand and turned to the sandy-haired shinobi with an interested mien that earned her a glower that stabbed like a knife before Taiga walked towards a cobblestone path leading into inn's front desk.

"I can see why Shinya-sama wants you to stay as far from him as you can," Takuto commented, giving her a firm look. "I suggest you listen to him."

"Not if I'm the only one that can barter Sako's freedom."

He frowned insufferably. "Sako-san and Minako-chan are living in Mt. Hyōga, a place where he doesn't have the permission to set foot in; I think she's perfectly free without you getting involved."

"This is only temporary…until matters with Tasuku-sama are settled. What do you suppose will happen once the town is rebuilt and the people return to their homes? He will see her happy with another man and want to end it. Outside Mt. Hyōga she has no freedom and I swore to her that I would make the impossibility a possibility, for her sake," she said, reminiscent of the moment she swore it to her. "I promised to keep her happy and safe since I met her, she makes me want to do these things for her…she's so helpless, so clueless, she understands nothing. She's become so unbelievably naïve when it comes to Taiga that sometimes I want to shake her back into reason, but I won't need to. I'll take care of him. I promised for the sake of her happiness."

"What kind of deal do you intend to make with him?" he questioned with a great suspicion.

"Most likely a stupid one," she admitted. "Although, I haven't planned that far."

"How far have you planned?"

"Just the initial confrontation and that could get uncomfortable fast."

Truthfully, not a lot of planning went into anything involving Taiga. She was unusually driven by impulse wherever he was involved and she couldn't control it.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew."

Shin exited the inn and gestured them in for the information exchange.

The private meeting was held in a cramped, dank booth where everyone was seated around a short round table and she was sandwiched between Takuto and Taiga. Ideally, the restaurant backdrop should have served as a camouflage, but her grandfather was a hard man to miss when he dwarfed everyone around him and several customers were sneaking glances in their direction as if expecting the Kuronuma male to do something dangerous. Even the waitress appeared nervous when she took everyone's order, though nobody had any real intent of eating.

Mio tried hard to find a comfortable sitting position, one that didn't involve Takuto's elbow digging into her arm or the press of Taiga's leg to hers, but the more she moved the worse the discomfort. She settled on leaning more towards Takuto, though she felt every movement the ex-elder made on her left.

The conversation went on without purpose until after the steaming food platters were served and everyone in earshot returned to their original conversations.

"I partially handled the situation with Tasuku-sama," Shin commented. "I'm certain Mikazuki Gouki expected the reaction."

"You give him too much credit," said Jouji. "He expected a war."

"He'll get his war," added Taiga. "According to the information we've gathered, he's found a way to counter Mt. Hyōga's protection and if there continues to be no movement on your behalf, he'll be marching into your wintry shithole to get what he wants. Mio needs to be moved somewhere far from his notice."

"Mio can't be expected to be on the run forever," replied Shin.

"It'll be a terrible life to live, but what choice do we have?" Jouji asked in a grave tone. "I've spoken to the few men on our side that has had the misfortune of an encounter with the Mikazuki clan and no matter the circumstances, we are at a disadvantage. The little we know about them confirms that we are blind to them."

"The Kuronuma clan has lived on Mt. Hyōga for several decades and hasn't encountered an invasion," Takuto stated. "Mio will remain safest on the mountain with or without threats of an attack."

Mio eyed her grandfather's unchanging face. He wouldn't give up the black water's secret, not even by confirming or denying Jouji's statement. And yet, in that same moment, she was waiting for a split second in which everyone else stopped talking about her as if she wasn't squeezed between two opposing sides of a terrible argument. She'd appreciate it if somebody at least asked for her opinion on the matter and somewhat expected Takuto to pave the way for one, but seeing as he didn't even bother going anywhere near acknowledging her sandwiched form to his left, she decided to wait for convenience's sake.

"Mt. Hyōga is nowhere near impenetrable," Shin said, regarding Takuto before turning to the two Uchiha informants across the booth. "We won't be defenseless if Mikazuki Gouki really wants to invest his time in invading our territory. We'd be pleased to welcome him if he makes it to the main bridge, but Mio won't be running. She's going to stay on Mt. Hyōga and finish her training and we will continue trading information as arranged."

He smiled at Taiga in a way that said he would not be discussing it further.

"The question is what Gouki wants with Mio," started Jouji, expertly changing the subject. "Does he intent to simply finish a job he couldn't, or is there something that Hiryuu wants from Mio?"

She would never have that opportunity she desperately needed.

"Let's say, Gouki wants something he shouldn't and Mio's just the unlucky target and end the discussion," answered Shin peacefully. "You said Gouki's found a way to counter Mt. Hyōga's defenses, can you uncover what this idea of his may be? Perhaps, dig a little deeper and discover where he's getting all his information."

"The orders are already underway," Jouji said. "It will be quite some time before we come across that sort of information. It's hard enough to infiltrate Mikazuki territory than have to confront our own clansmen."

"Yes, that is quite a shame, but things are looking well for the Uchiha clan now that Hikaku and Tajima are dead," Shin said, earning a surprised look from the men across him. "You and Hiryuu are the last remaining powers, well, I'd count the brothers, but you don't."

"Skilled as they are, the majority of the clan split between the more suitable leaders. Madara is too wild, too impulsive, not even Izuna can rein him in—it's a recipe for disaster," said Taiga dismissively.

"Maybe because he's not an animal," Mio interrupted, completely irked. "He's impulsive, but he's not stupid and if he's managed to keep a number of Uchiha following him it's because they found a leader."

"What's this? You've never come to Madara's defense before," he countered, eyebrow raised.

"Maybe because I don't want you talking about him or Izuna."

Shin interjected before Taiga turned the situation into a death match. "Sometimes it's best to be weary of the young ones," he said simply. "Madara has convinced the new king of the Sun Country to wage war against the Senju clan and Izuna can have two dozen Ito shinobi at his disposal with the snap of his fingers. They may have just gotten the support of one-third your men, but they created alliances with two very dangerous clans, ones you couldn't afford fighting against with your numbers. What do you have, Taiga? A shoddy agreement with a man four times your age and an army of shinobi following you out of fear. You have no alliances and the only good thing you've got going is your information network. That is something your enemies lack. Choose your side carefully, Taiga, because that just might be your one good contribution to this internal war."

"Grandfather!" she snapped.

The fury marring Taiga's features was frightening and she expected the worst.

Taiga shocked the entire restaurant when he gathered himself in all his brooding, deadly silence and left the premises without issuing a complaint to her grandfather for the offense.

She stared out the doorway flabbergasted and the air seemed to have thinned. Takuto shuddered at her side and Jouji, very slowly, returned to his seat, his eyes straying over his shoulder following the path his leader took on his way out.

"Well, he took that better than I expected," murmured Shin, picking up his chopsticks to start on his all-meat platter. He shrugged at her exasperated look and merrily enjoyed his dinner.

"Jouji-san, I'm getting out," she said quietly.

Jouji edged out of his seat a second time and she made her way onto her feet.

"Mio," warned Shin.

She garnered enough anger to set off a large-scale explosion while everyone spoke about her as if she weren't in the room. She wanted to participate in the discussion, not for the subject to be her and for later not be required to offer an opinion with the speed everyone rushed through the conversation, one snippy comment after the next. She only had a chance at speaking out in Madara and Izuna's favor because that's the only opening she saw. If she learned anything about anger was that it made her do and say impulsive things, it clouded her judgment—she saw black and white.

Mio slowly turned prepared to disobey her grandfather about the one thing she was certain he didn't want to happen. "I'm not going to stay away from him," she confirmed, heightened voice and all. "I'm going to go out there and look for him and try to talk to him like a civilized person and if you try to stop or stalk me, I'll get angry and never speak to you again!"

"Mio, you shouldn't—"

"Stay out of this Takuto!"

She didn't bat an eyelash, she stared straight into her grandfather's strong rose stare and waited for his rebuttal, a list of reasons—anything—but he simply lowered his eyes to his plate and continued eating. He said nothing and she stormed out. If he had said anything, she would have shouted that she was in love with Taiga and that she'd follow him to hell to get a good reaction, but he didn't do any of the things she predicted. He let her go with a silent warning.

Did she want him to stop her? Probably.

Why didn't she say it aloud? She couldn't and bit her lip to keep her eyes from shedding the tears aching in them.

Mio wandered aimlessly in her search for Taiga until she exhausted herself. She slipped into a neighboring farmland decorated in sparse trees and overflowing in wheat that swayed to a warm spring breeze that brought all its surrounding scents to her. The smell of wheat and wet soil relaxed her convoluted emotions into a single knot made of nagging worry and uneasiness.

She reconsidered many of her decisions, specifically those having to do with Sako and Taiga's relationship. She remembered her grandfather suggesting she stay out of it because Sako would become dependent on her and rely that she solved all their problems. If it became that way, she wouldn't deny her. Sako held a special place in her heart. She wanted the woman to be happy, to be happy always, and she didn't understand the extent of it. Why did she care so much about her happiness?

Deep down inside, she knew it'd be prudent to stay away from Taiga, and yet, the first though to cross her mind after Shin insulted him and he left was to follow him. She thought she wanted to talk to him, but about what? Everything Shin said was true.

Did she want to comfort him? Was there some twisted person deep down inside that thought he needed to be consoled? Did she care about him in the same way she did Sako?

Taiga had been nothing short of intrusive in her life. She always wanted him to swallow a bucket of nails and die because he mocked her for many years. He belittled her and made it impossible to breathe comfortably. The only reason she followed him and acted complacent was because Madara asked her to do it. She was to make sure he stayed alive long enough to tell her all the secrets Eijiro entrusted him with. Was she still in that mentality? Was she being complacent because Madara told her?

Mio turned away from the wheat field and started back for the rest town.

"Why are you following me?"

She froze and followed Taiga's voice to a robust tree where he sat among the foliage, perched atop a branch staring down at her with curious eyes. Relief overflowed her senses and confused her more than she liked.

"My grandfather is known for his mouth, it's why he's never invited to important ceremonies," she blurted. "Everything sounded about right, but he should have at least talked about it behind your back."

Taiga snorted. "You think saying it behind my back would make a difference? He'd still be saying it."

"If he had and you never heard, it might've not hurt you," she responded hesitantly.

The smile fell away from his face and he dropped into the shaded area under the tree. "What makes you think that?"

"Because he doesn't have any tact, he just blurts it all out—he's hurt my feelings before and I know I'm doing a lot of things wrong and that I'm making a heap of mistakes, but I don't want to hear it."

"That's immature."

"I'm fifteen. I'm immature," she deadpanned. "I say and do stupid things."

The unexpected silence disconcerted her, but suddenly, Taiga's lips broke into a smile and he begun to laugh. She stared dumbfounded, unsure whether the reaction was good or bad, and that alone served as incentive to further his burst of hysteria. She said nothing remotely funny, but it wasn't the first time Taiga made her feel humiliated and not in the way she expected.

"You're surprisingly hilarious sometimes," he confessed once he quieted down.

"I was making a point," she grumbled.

He called her a brat once, laughed in her face for saying something she thought he wanted to hear. She'd never felt stupider than she did that day and swore she would stay as far that sort of situation if it presented itself a second time. And yet, here she was again after having chased him down to apologize for her grandfather's lack of tact. She had an ulterior motive, one involving the conversation she had with Sako before the town massacre and the nameless man that loved her so intensely he held her so lovingly when they were reunited.

She questioned her presence here.

"You really need to stay out of other people's lives, Mio," he stated. "I'm not as involved in Sako's life as you give me credit for."

"Well, she certainly can't keep a secret from you."

"Sako can't keep a secret to save her life."

She peered up at him and found humor in his expression, a lightness that smoothed his rough features. She always felt he was all sarcasm and that there was always a mask, one he never removed. She never tried to see past his façade, never expected to come to a point where he would show it to her.

He met her eyes and she quickly turned from him. She shouldn't have been staring in the first place.

"She can't," she agreed. "Minako is a secret hoarder, not in your life will she tell you a thing. So they have an interesting balance."

"Yes, but Minako is weak to the right influence."

"Don't look at me."

"She knows who'll keep her secrets."

"Do you worry for them?" she asked hesitantly, avoiding eye contact.

"I leave capable, trustworthy men to care for them and you were near. They were safe. They are safe now. I don't worry for them." He turned away from her, staring on ahead to the darkening horizon beyond the swaying wheat. "I do miss them."

He snuck a glance. "Both of them."

Mio couldn't believe her ears. "Why not tell them?"

"Minako knows," he told her with a secret smile. "She's just good at keeping secrets."

She smiled. She dreaded all talks with Taiga, but this one turned out pleasant. She could talk to him comfortably if he was always like this.

"Why tell me any of this?"

He stood directly in front of her. "Because you make me curious."

She steeled herself, eyeing him as if in confrontation. "Curious about what?"

"What it would be like to be a good opinion in your mind?"

Taiga touched her cheek, rough fingertips drawing a half circle until they fell under her chin. The discomfort returned—a different sort of uneasiness that made her want to hide under something rather than run from it or lash out.

"I don't understand…" she trailed off awkwardly. How could she? In this situation, the only thought running through her head was that she couldn't compare to Sako's beauty or womanliness and that Taiga's interest made absolutely no sense. She convinced herself that this was another of his games. He wanted to get a rise out of her and if her uncomfortable stance was any indication, he was accomplishing exactly that.

She remembered the way Sako was embraced by her lover and the rush of emotion it provoked from the two. She promised to make it a possibility.

"Sako is in love with a man," she whispered, her frightened heart beating a mile a minute in her chest.

"Ushio," he responded, eyes darkening. "A simpleminded man, the son of a merchant."

"I…I'll do anything for her happiness." She struggled to even out her voice and held her hands out to stop him when he slipped closer, towering over her. She was in over her head. She'd taken the plunge into dark waters. There was no leaving this situation. "I want her to be happy. Please, let her be happy."

Taiga leaned down and she imagined he would kiss her, but he didn't. "I'm not invested in Sako's romantic entanglements," he whispered roughly. "I only want a warm body to sleep beside when I drop by for a visit and you're great an' all, but I don't want that from you."

"Then why do you care what other men want with me?" she demanded. She didn't expect hearing what he said would sting. It hurt because she considered it a failure to the promise she made and for several reasons she couldn't understand. "Why do you have to glare at Takuto whenever he's with me?"

"I hate the way men look at you," he answered lowly. "The way they speak of you as they rake their eyes down your body." As he spoke the words, he did the action and she shrunk. "All of them. They surely noticed that the years have been good to you. Every time I see you, you're prettier than the last."

Recalling the way Tasuku absorbed the sight of her like a hungry beast made her shudder in disgust. He spoke of Mikazuki Gouki's interest in her and sexualized it, although, despite knowing his objective was the earrings she now wore, she couldn't shake the notion of it being as Tasuku hinted.

"Takuto is just a friend. There is nothing between us and there won't be—I've decided to be with Izuna."

Taiga bark out a laugh and left her side, shaking his head.

"Don't laugh," she mumbled. "I mean it."

"Oh, I don't doubt it," he remarked.

"Then why are you laughing?"

"Because Madara always gets what he wants."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"If you don't understand it even after everything I just told you, you're clearly not old enough to make requests of me," he said humorously, he took her firmly by the nape of her neck. He leaned down and whispered against her ear, every hot breath stole one from her lungs. "You're beautiful, Mio, but not enough to tempt me. I want a woman in my bed, not a girl."

In frustration, she grabbed him by the hair and pulled his face away from hers. She leveled her gaze with his. "Then why call my name?"

"Because you'll be mine." He pulled away from her grip. "That's a promise." He kept her hand in his. "In fact, let that be your solution. I leave Sako to her business and on the day that I want you, you'll become mine without complaint. That can be our deal. Oh, and you forget about your future with Izuna, he wouldn't know what to do with you."

Thoughtlessly, she nodded. He could be lying. He could mean it. She didn't know, but in her head, she had done something right.

It went against the future she planned to have with Izuna, but even that was hard to determine after the way she lied to him. By the time, Madara fulfilled his promise to her; Izuna might find another person, one that could love him more than she ever would. Madara was right and she hated it. Why else would she so willingly become another man's woman if she claimed to have wanted a different life with another? It shouldn't have been this easy and it pained her.

---

xl: Part 1 of 3.

The chapter split was inevitable with Summer being the longest season. I'm posting these chapters as I did the last two. I'm still editing the second part and it's way past my bedtime, so I'm going to replenish and come attack it once I'm done. I just want to leave you with this.

I'll also be writing in length about "The War For Kurata" as a whole in my LJ once the second part is posted, so you can look forward to some extra commenting I won't do here.

These three chapters in particular are picking up strings from the first couple chapters concerning Mio's parents and unraveling some of the interest in her. (On that note, I'm pretty positive I'll be able to properly express Taiga's surprising interest in Mio in this story, so it won't be featured in the side stories I have planned. All I need is for Kana to come back into the picture to get the ball rolling. Speaking of the side stories, I'm going to wrap up this mini-arc so that I can tackle the first story, which will feature Mio's mother as the POV character and its the real reason why I wanted to do them. It'll answer a lot of questions.)

You know a bit about the artifacts (spheres), more to follow later. Mio jumped the gun proving she still thinks she can fix everything and Taiga mentioned Madara right when none of you expected it. I made it pretty obvious what it means and it could either make some of you happy or other question why I would just throw that in there - don't lose faith. Madara's chapter is going to make it all up, but that doesn't come until the end of this year (I'll try to finish the first chapter of his POV this month). And you have officially seen a different side of Taiga...well, up until that deal.

YamiKitsuneKami, crazyuser, Aista, Aeryan, Loteva, and Aries01xD - thank you for reviewing the previous chapters.

I hope everyone enjoyed this one, and I'll see you in a couple hours!