"Madara, you can't kill them."

Izuna trailed after Madara as he marched in the direction of the council of clan elders.

Good. Madara didn't plan to.

"You can't hurt them either." Izuna pulled ahead of Madara and stared him dead in the eyes.

Oh, Madara most certainly could. It would be easy too, the senile bastards would never even expect it. He was a prodigy whose skills and potential likely surpassed his entire clan.

"They expect too much, push too hard. Her body spasms in her sleep." Madara said, his tone clipped, patience utterly worn out. "They see beyond Ikari's current appearance, and think only of a potential future."

Izuna had no response. For all his bluster to try and get Madara out of trouble with the clan, his personal feelings weren't so different.

Ikari had barely even started to move properly and walk on her own when she'd been caught by the clan elders practicing throwing kunai and shuriken. It showed that she had the potential to grow beyond a clan secret kept forever out of sight. This was from the standpoint of her initial diagnosis that she'd never lead a life outside the clan compound.

"You can't stop me, Izuna." Madara warned.

Izuna flinched, but he'd long since expected this. That's why he left it to someone with more influence.

"That's enough Madara."

Kei and Kagami appeared in a swirl of leaves, Izuna looking awfully guilty when Madara gave him the stink eye.

However, Madara soon focused on another observation that irked him.

His older brothers were wearing masks again. Hiding their faces.

The Uchiha were not fools who would flaunt their secrets out in the open. To begin with, there was no way to explain how someone who should be dead was alive, especially in the feud against the Senju. They would be the first to notice the faces of people they'd already killed returning to the battlefield. As such, the mask was only part of the countermeasure.

As if taking the portion of her memories that accounted for a specific person, Ikari could only use the effect of her eyes on a person once. From there on, no new memories of the person form which the Uchiha theorized was the reason for the limitation in her Mangekyo.

Those wearing masks, signify that Ikari had saved them once before, so if they died again, they were required to burn their bodies or faces without fail to prevent recognition. If one was unable to, the nearest Uchiha would do it on their behalf.

Neither Kei or Kagami needed to wear their masks unless on the battlefield.

As much as it was for secrecy, it made him remember that he'd already lost them once.

Madara's mood plummeted. "Why are you wearing your masks in the family compound?"

"It's a reminder," Kei said gloomily.

"We already died Madara." Kagami sighed, crossing his arms. "You don't know what it's like to stand in front of Ikari, and not be seen or acknowledged."

Madara felt saddened. In more ways than one, Kei and Kagami's death allowed them to share comradery with their mother, but their circumstances wasn't what this was about.

"You want to stop me?" Madara sneered. "Do you really think training her for battle is correct?!"

"And leaving her vulnerable is?" Kei knew Madara well enough to know to be direct and forceful or his stubborn ass would never see reason.

Madara glared, flaring his chakra, but Kei was more than welcoming for a challenge.

Madara was skilled, but Kei was five years older, more experienced, and had also been a child prodigy.

Kagami, as the eldest, moved to diffuse the bickering and interceded.

"Ikari has no recollection of ever using her power because she never remembers those that she used it on. We all know this. However, do you know how sad she looks every time she comes up with crazy ideas or jutsu and can only watch us while constrained to her bed? No, not even that; she's never made a choice for herself in her life. I don't agree with sending her to battle, but I can't condone you or anyone making the choice for her either."

Madara furrowed his brows, looking troubled at his eldest brother.

"She's suffering," he mumbled, disheartened and angry. "She can barely lift a rock the size of my fist, and they want her to do it every day? Even when she succeeds, no one praises her, but instead compares her to us because of some misguided notion of competitiveness!"

"Madara, father did that for-"

"She doesn't smile anymore!" Madara cut Izuna off, Sharingan flaring, the tomoe spinning.

"She's training. Did any of us smile during it? No, we bled." Kei tried to reason.

Madara wasn't having it as he'd practically raised Ikari and Izuna while Kei and Kagami were out on missions. Madara stepped forward, teeth bared.

Kagami pushed Madara back while Kei looked uncomfortable.

"Her weakness is caused by the imbalance in her physical and spiritual chakra." Kagami reminded, waiting for Madara to calm down before continuing. "If she's able to tough through her hardship, she'll finally set her foot on the starting line of a normal child. You can't take that away from her. Her world can't be constrained to just her room and yard!"

Madara was no fool. Of course, he understood the benefits Ikari's training could bring to her, but he dreaded the result that would come from that.

"I understand that already!" Madara bristled. "But rather than just focus on the ability of her eyes, those senile bastards are too focused on the fact she doesn't go blind! Is that something to be jealous of?!"

Kei surprisingly agreed with Madara on this point along with Izuna, but it was Kagami who seemed to know more. He was the designated heir after Tajima, and knew certain things about the clan the others didn't.

"More than you'd think Madara." Kagami's voice grew solemn. "The elders have access to the Clan Records, and know the secret of our clan's eyes. More than just Ikari's unique ability, there are certain abilities that all Mangekyo are said to possess. The fact that she doesn't go blind, and may be able to use the clan's strongest bloodline abilities without limit, is something the elders will never ignore."

"That's exactly why!" Madara felt as if he'd suddenly found leverage. "The elders will just push for more and more!"

"They will try." Kagami's voice grew cold, revealing that his personal thoughts on the matter differed little from that of his brothers.

"Your older siblings should be dead Madara, but we are not. We have more sway in the clan than you'd think." Kagami placed a hand on Madara's shoulder. "As much as we all dislike seeing the youngest suffer, she needs the training for her well being. Any more, and that's when we step in. That's a promise between brothers."

Madara looked at Kei, Kagami, and then Izuna before finally relenting.

"Fine."

He could only accept it.

P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious