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Naruto's limbs flew through a flurry of punches and kicks, each one just as vicious as the last. Her expression screaming rage and frustration. Madara watched from the tree line wondering what this female was so worked up over. He had never seen her face twisted into such a dark emotion in the few times they had met. It was surprising to see her like this, she was normally so bubbly and happy. He felt a twinge in his chest as a dark thought of his friend having died crossed his mind. Reluctantly he stepped into view and went to confront to unpredictable girl.

Naruto heard the dark-haired boy approach but didn't react or acknowledge him. She continued to take her frustration out on the tree. Hashirama put himself in unneeded danger just to prevent her from marrying some old man. It was reckless, childish and irresponsible. She could handle herself. He knew this and yet he still battled their father anyway. How childish could he be? She continued thinking of ways she could get back at him for his reckless behavior.

"I do believe the tree have suffered enough, don't you?" Madara finally spoke up after he noticed her bloody knuckles.

Naruto huffed and glared at him. "Here to set me on fire again? Cause I'm not in the mood, I'm angry and ready to murder right now."

"I will admit, I was hasty in my actions last time. But no, I do not intend to use any jutsu this time. I would prefer a taijutsu spar against you. It might help you work out some of your frustration." Madara offered.

He genuinely felt bad for using his clan's fireball jutsu against the young female the last time they had met. He thought she might have dodged but it seemed she didn't have that skill yet. He had spent the last week thinking of why he felt guilty. Finally, the answer came to him late last night, she was someone he could call a friend. She didn't know of his status or his clan name. Like Hashirama, he could be himself around her. He could just be Madara. It was refreshing that he didn't have to fight her or her brother.

"Promise? I don't want to lose hair or be covered in burns." Naruto looked at him skeptically.

"I give my word as a shinobi, no jutsu. Just a taijutsu spar." Madara said solemnly. He was one for honor even if his opponents weren't in the heat of a battle. Naruto stared at him for a little while before giving him a soft smile. She crouched into an unrefined stance and gave him a nod to show comradery. He scoffed at her stance before moving to help her.

"You're unbalanced. Any opponent could topple you, even an untrained child. Stand like this instead." He moved to reposition her feet for stability. He nudged her right foot back a few centimeters and bent her knee a smidge. "This way you can push off your back foot and spring into action." He then showed her how to balance on the balls of her feet. "If you balance properly this way, you can move in any direction. You could dodge or lunge forward. And by putting your feet shoulder length apart like this, you're stable enough to not be knocked over when you move." He moved her hands to be close to her chest. "With your hands here instead of in your face, you can see your opponent and react faster with a wider range of motion."

Naruto blushed lightly and looked at him with surprise. "I thought you didn't think women should be shinobi?" she tried to mock him.

"If you intend on following through with this ridiculous idea, you should at least look competent enough to hold your own in a fight." He retorted

"Don't let my brothers catch you like this. They might think you like me." She snickered.

Madara began to sputter as his face burned at the notion of liking this uncultured female. "That is preposterous! Who would ever like you! You may look attractive but once you open your mouth your looks are out shined by your uncouth words and idiotic ideas!"

After a slight giggle at his expression, "You think I'm pretty?" her arms dropped from their positions. She stared at him in shock.

No one her age had called her pretty before, it was mostly the older generation that noticed her. They mainly wanted her for the power she could bring them in the clan. They never saw her for her, she prided herself on being original and innovative in her ideas and thinking. Madara blushed a crimson red that covered his face and ears. Naruto couldn't see his neck past the high collar he wore, but she swore it went down his neck to his whole body. With a giggle and a soft blush, she tucked a stray strand behind her ear. She got a mischievous glint in her eye before throwing a punch at him.

Madara was got off guard and dodged her punch sloppily. "You witch!" Madara thrust a kick in her direction.

Naruto jumped back dodging his attack and giggled again. Lunging forward she brought her leg up to knee him in the abdomen. He blocked her knee with his leg, he threw a punch at her face in retaliation. She tilted her head to right dodging without disengaging and wrapped her arm around his bicep, trapping him with her grip. She then in a bold move head butted him and kneed him in the gut. He cried out from the sudden knee in his stomach as she released his arm and jumped away from him.

"Didn't expect that did you?" she chuckled again.

"You're going to regret that woman!" Madara growled and launched at Naruto.

He threw punches and kicks to through her off balance. She countered and blocked each of his attacks and saw her opening finally appear. She grabbed his arm at the elbow and used his own body against him to flip him over her should and pin him to ground.

"Guess I won again Shadow-San!" she grinned triumphantly.

"Hn" Madara's cheeks were dusted with a light pink that stood out on his pale skin. He could admit (to himself and no one else) that he did indeed like her. Though he would never give her the satisfaction of admitting it out loud. She would more than likely let his admission go to her head and annoy him like the girls in the Uchiha clan. He most definitely would not tell her brother, nor would he ruin this for himself. Hashirama was his friend, no matter how much it killed him to admit. These feelings would stay a secret he would take to his grave.

"Are you ready to talk about why you were angry in the first place?" Madara asked her.