eina, Madara, and the Uchiha clan council attended a family dinner with the Senju clan leaders and their council, and the Uzumaki clan and their council. The dinner party was a formal occasion to celebrate the Uzumaki clan's last night in Konoha before they departed to the Land of Whirlpools. Typical gatherings wouldn't include the council members, but as the three clans were of high importance and pivotal decisions and occurrences transpired in rapid succession, every clan member with status needed to attend the departure dinner. Not only that, but tonight was a special night.

As everyone's plates were collected and conversations rambled on, Hashirama stood up from his chair and cleared his throat. "May I have everyone's attention please?" The table quieted down and a faint blush struck Hashirama's face as everyone's attention was brought to him. "Before the dessert course, I would like to make a toast. As the leader of the Senju clan, co-founder of the Hidden Leaf Village, and Hokage, I would like to thank the Uzumaki clan for visiting the Hidden Leaf Village. It is always an honor to host such a benevolent clan. You have our gratitude as you are selfless and never shy from aiding others. I can only speak for myself, but I'm certain that Lord Madara Uchiha, my best friend who helped me found this village from a childhood pipedream, could agree when I say that we are eternally grateful for all that you've done and we cannot wait to have you back." Hashirama raised his glass. "To the Uzumaki clan, cheers."

"Cheers!" Everyone chimed in.

Hashirama grinned. "I do have one more special announcement to make. Lady Mito, would you please stand by my side?"

"Of course." Mito stood up and positioned herself next to him.

Hashirama held her hand in his. "Lady Mito and I would like to announce that, thanks to Lord Ashina's blessing, the two of us are engaged!" The table clapped and cheered as Hashirama and Mito held each other in a loving embrace.

Reina didn't know if it was because of her hormones, but tears began to well up in her eyes as she clapped for the couple. She picked up her napkin and wiped her tears away as Madara rubbed her back. Reina closed her eyes and leaned forward as tears streamed down her cheeks. She was profoundly delighted for the young couple, but something else tugged at her heart. Though she and Madara had progressed into a functioning relationship, she couldn't help but be ripped from the present and propelled into the past. Reina had to suffer through an essentially staged suitor party. She was constantly left in the dark. She had to endure an arranged marriage that began as a toxic union. Reina had to work unnecessarily hard to get to where she is today. However, in front of her were two people who found a connection, desired to establish a future together, and received a blessing from a clan lord and council as opposed to an irrevocable order. It was beautiful. It was freeing. It was unfair. It was bitter.

Reina swallowed her tears and cleaned off her face, smiling for her brother and best friend's announcement. She stood up from her chair with Madara and Tobirama and walked over to the couple. They all hugged and shook each other's hands as they welcomed the wonderful news. After the announcement, dessert was brought out along with more drinks. As the night grew on, Madara and Reina decided to depart.

Reina walked over to Mito. "Lady Mito?"

Mito smiled and shot up from her chair. "Are you leaving?!"

"Yes, it's time for the three of us to get some rest." Reina giggled. "Again, congratulations. I couldn't imagine having anyone else as my sister than you. I'm so excited to welcome you into the family and…" Reina's throat became hoarse as she cried in front of Mito. "I love you!"

Mito began crying with her. "I love you two." She grabbed Reina's chin and looked deep into her eyes. "You mean the world to me." She pulled Reina in and held her tightly. "I'm staying in the village so we need to make time for each other. Okay?"

Reina nodded. "I promise." She pulled apart. "Have a good night then."

Mito nodded and waved to Madara. "Goodnight, Madara. Treat her well."

Madara gave a curt bow. "With pleasure."

Reina and Madara slowly made their trek through the village streets hand in hand. During their silent walk, Madara couldn't help but look over toward Reina. She looked almost absent, but not as if she wasn't mentally present, but rather buried in her thoughts. Madara lightly squeezed her hand pulling her attention towards him.

Madara gave a sentimental smile. "What are you thinking about, Reina?"

Reina shook her head. "Nothing really." She sighed. "Just taking in the surroundings… Happy people, twinkling lights, energetic sounds, and delicious smells."

Madara could tell she was being truthful. "I guess I just wanted to know why you were crying as much as you were. It was… unlike you."

Reina shrugged. "Perhaps hormones?"

"That's only half of it. I know you." Madara squeezed her hand again as they made their way towards their house. "You can tell me."

Reina looked up at him with a saddened expression. "I just… Seeing them, so happy and knowing that they had the freedom to-" She sighed. "I don't even know where to begin."

Madara unlocked their front door and brought her inside. "Let's go out back to the garden." He took Reina's hand, walked her through the house, and brought her outside to the garden. "Okay, continue what you were saying."

Reina inhaled the scent of flowers and sat down on one of the benches. "I… I love you… I love you so much. I wouldn't want to be with anyone else. I know that now."

"Reina…" Madara's heart nearly leaped out of his throat when she said that. It was all he wanted to hear from Reina and more. However, he remained composed to give her his undivided attention.

Reina cleared her throat. "Though our relationship started off in a rather unconventional manner with things being dysfunctional at first since neither of us desired this union for the right reasons, or desired it at all… I'm so proud of how much we've both grown." She lowered her head. "However, seeing Hashirama and Mito being able to freely orchestrate their future, without any struggle, with all of the support from anyone alive and breathing, it made me feel slightly bitter. It flung me into the past when I was frustrated and fearful. I went through those times with as much strength and determination as I could muster up, but when they made their engagement announcement, I finally, truly understood how badly I was mistreated." She wiped her eyes. "That was all. I love you and I don't want you to think otherwise. This isn't because of you."

Madara sat down next to her and pulled her into his chest. "I know… You're more emotional lately but you're never nonsensical."

Reina grinned and punched his abdomen. "Rude."

Madara kissed her head and rubbed her arm. "I love you, Reina. There isn't anyone else I would rather be with either."

Reina smiled into his embrace. "That's music to my ears."

Madara closed his eyes and rested his head against hers. "I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you." He rubbed Reina's stomach. "And you too."

A loud clap sounded as Reina struck a target on the ground with a lightning bolt. "Again!" Jun called through the dirt cloud that wafted over toward them.

Reina did as told. "Lightning Style: Fang of Justice!" She yelled; summoning a massive bolt of lightning from the sky and lowering her hand as it slammed into the earth.

Jun nodded in approval. "You have the idea. Keep trying to conserve your chakra by maximizing what you use during a nature transformation."

Reina panted and nodded her head. "Yes, sir."

Jun turned around as he heard footsteps coming their way. "Oh, Lord Madara!" He bowed. "What a pleasant surprise.

Reina turned to face Madara and bowed. "What brings you out here?" She said while catching her breath.

Madara walked over to the two shinobi. "I wanted to check your progress." He smiled. "I've never seen you this winded. Jun must be working you to the bone."

Reina panted some more. "You could say that. This is much more difficult than I thought." She took in a deep breath. "That and I don't feel like myself for some reason."

"What do you mean?" Madara furrowed his brows with slight concern.

"Oh, nothing major. I just felt a little bit nauseous after we started training. I'm sure it's just my body acting up again." Reina turned towards Jun. "What now?"

"Let's have you practice that jutsu some more." Jun and Madara backed away from Reina to give her space to train. "She's a natural powerhouse."

"Isn't she?" Madara crossed his arms with a smile.

"Her jutsu pack an extra punch today." Jun sighed. "She still has a ways to go when it comes to conserving her chakra, but she's steadily improving."

Reina struck the ground with another lightning bolt. As it hit, a wave of energy surged through her body, causing her adrenaline to rush. "What was that?" She took in a shaky breath before weaving her hand signs again. Reina raised her hand and struck the ground with a heavy smack.

"Again!" Jun called from the sidelines. He turned toward Madara. "Is it just me or did that lightning bolt have more energy than the last?"

Madara nodded. "You're right. It's almost overwhelming."

Reina weaved hand signs and raised her right hand. She focused all of her energy in the nature transformation and as she did so, she felt another wave of energy. "What is happening?!"

"Reina! Your baby!"

Reina brought her hand down. "Haaa!" She yelled as a clean, bright lightning bolt channeled itself into the ground. The lightning bolt split the earth so deep that water started erupting from the ground.

"She hit a spring!" Jun watched in awe as warm water erupted into the air and showered them like rain.

Madara smirked and watched the product of Reina's power with awe. "Well, done, Reina." Madara looked over toward Reina, who was kneeling on the ground, clutching her head. "REINA!" He ran over toward her and kneeled by her side. "Reina, what's wrong?"

Reina shook her head as she held it between her hands. "Make it stop!"

"Reina, it won't stop… Once it starts it will not cease until the process has finished. You have siphoned your baby's chakra into your own system and have begun absorbing its cells into your body. Eventually, there will be nothing left and you will miscarry…"

Reina lowered her hands to the ground and clawed her nails into the dirt. "Why does this happen?" She said as tears dripped onto the ground.

"Why does what happen?" Madara rubbed her back. "Reina, you have to talk to me. What's going on?"

Jun used an earth-style jutsu to close the spring. "Madara, is everything alright?" He said while patching up the ground.

"I'm not sure." Madara leaned in closer. "Reina, tell me what's wrong."

Reina shook her head. "No!" She cried out in dismay. Reina panted and coughed as she tried to catch her breath.

Madara rubbed her back to comfort her. "You have to tell me what is happening to you so I can try to help you."

"It's already too late." Reina sniffled and did her best to regain composure through her panting.

Madara moved in front of her. "Reina, look at me."

Reina slowly opened her eyes and raised her head to meet Madara's eyes. She froze at the look of shock on his face. "What's wrong, Madara?"

Madara couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Reina…" He leaned in and examined her eyes. They were purple with concentric circles surrounding her pupils. "You… you have the Rinnegan… how?"

Reina closed her eyes and lowered her head. "I'm ashamed of myself."

Madara lightly grabbed her chin and tilted her head back up so he could look at her eyes. "Let me see."

Reina opened her eyes with a blank expression. "You want to know how?"

Madara nodded. "You don't have Uchiha blood… How is this possible?"

Reina gave a bittersweet smile. "I…" Her head spun as her vision momentarily became blurry. "I… didn't mean it… couldn't c-control it if I-I t-tried."

"Control what?" Madara scooched in closer and held Reina in an embrace.

Reina leaned her head on Madara's shoulder. "I siphoned our baby's chakra and absorbed its cells." She cried into his shoulder. "Th-that's what ha-appened the last t-time I mi-miscarried. I get it now." Reina sighed, stressed out about the situation. "I have finally absorbed just enough to have both Uchiha and Senju DNA combine to awaken this ocular power." Reina looked up at Jun who stared at her in both astonishment and horror.

"Lady Reina…" Jun took in a deep breath. "Lord Madara, is that what I think it is?"

Madara held Reina tighter. "Yes, Jun… Please don't tell anyone about this."

"Absolutely, sir. You have my word!" Jun bowed.

Reina gripped Madara's shirt. "I'm sorry, Madara. I didn't mean too!"

"Sssh! It is not your fault, Reina." Madara pulled apart to look at her. "Let's bring you inside, okay?"

Reina sat on the examination table as both she and Madara told Doctor Yakushi what had happened. "Is this something you've ever seen before?"

Doctor Yakushi flattened her lips as she pressed them together. "I'm afraid not. As a doctor, we have been taught about uncommon abnormalities, but this one is practically unheard of. It's that obscure. I would say it happens once a millennium."

Reina chuckled in disbelief. She looked up at the doctor with her normal, brown eyes. "So, what do we do?"

Doctor Yakushi sighed. "To be completely honest, the only thing I can think of is to not practice ninjutsu until you deliver."

"That's completely out of the question," Reina said with the utmost disappointment. "I cannot afford to stop being a shinobi during these times."

"I understand this might be rather disappointing to you, but this is the only option that I am aware of." Doctor Yakushi gave a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, but I would recommend that the two of you thoroughly converse about this if you truly wish to have a family. This is a very difficult subject to work through, so if either of you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to stop by our clinic. For now, let's schedule your follow-up visits."

Reina lay in bed as she listened to the rain pour down onto their rooftop. The door opened and Madara entered the bedroom. "Hey…" Reina called quietly.

"How are you feeling?" Madara asked as he brought her some hot tea on a tray.

Reina slowly sat up from her position. "Empty." She muttered.

Madara set the tray on her nightstand and poured her a cup. "Here, drink up."

"Thank you." Reina took the cup in her hands and let its warmth radiate through her frigid body. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Madara sat down at the edge of the bed. "What are you going to do about this?"

Reina shrugged. "I can't stop working. I can't stop being a shinobi. I have two clans and a village to look after. I have the ANBU to coordinate. This isn't the time to cease being a shinobi."

"Are you certain you don't want to take time off to start a family?" Madara rubbed her leg. "It'll only be nine months."

"You of all people know how much can happen within nine months." Reina smiled sweetly. "I must be present, especially until this whole Miyashita shit blows over."

Madara nodded in agreeance. "You do bring up valid points."

Reina shrugged. "I suppose." She smirked.

"Well, I'll be downstairs preparing dinner if you need me." Madara stood up and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too." Reina sat in bed, left alone with her thoughts and the pitter-patter of the rain that drowned out the world around her.