The real Reina was in the northwest region of the Land of Fire. ANBU Black Ops Team H was gathering information on a nearby village that was under repairs. By sundown, Team H had gathered in a forest clearing to discuss what they had learned.

"This village is almost completely fixed. They are functioning well economically and have the capability to farm and harvest. They have produced many goods, they have clean water, and they have rebuilt their shelter." The leader of Team H spoke. "Does anyone have anything else to add?"

One of the ANBU wearing a dog mask raised two fingers up. "I spoke with one of the village council members this afternoon."

"And? What did they say?" The leader asked.

"All they said was that the Miyashita clan stole goods from their village. No other items." The man said in a boyish voice.

"Not even mirrors?" The leader inquired.

"Negative sir." The man in the dog mask responded.

"I see." The leader turned to face Reina. "Is there any need to continue investigating this village?"

Reina shook her head in her black rabbit mask. "No. Not at all. Report back. Afterward, you will resume your next duty."

"Right!"

"Right!" All the ANBU members said in unison before disappearing in a flash.

Reina stood up, turned around, and walked further northwest. The sun dipped below the tree line leaving Reina to traverse the dense woods in complete darkness. The terrain became rocky, and eventually, Reina stumbled across a mountainous area. She hopped over various boulders and made her way around a mountainside until coming to a stone grotto. Resting peacefully was Kurama, curled up within himself.

Reina grinned and stepped closer. "Kurama…"

Kurama's ears picked up as he grumbled in his slumber. "Huh… grrrgrr…"

"It's me… Reina." Reina said softly.

Kurama's eyes opened with excitement, but he quickly composed himself and glared at her. "Can't you see I'm trying to sleep? Scram."

"Is that any way to greet a friend?" Reina smirked. "I know it's unprofessional, but I was on a mission so I thought I'd visit you."

"I see." Kurama stretched himself out. "Welcome to my humble abode. Now pet me."

Reina snickered and reached her hand out, scratching the fox spirit underneath his chin and down his chest. "Is this okay?"

Kurama swished his tails. "Oh yeah…" He grumbled. "I could fall right back to sleep."

"Not before we chat!" Reina stopped petting and pointed to scold him. "I have news for you!"

"You're pregnant. Yeah, I could tell." Kurama bowed his head. "Congratulations. Would you like to know the sex?"

"Wait, you can tell?" Reina looked at him stunned. "How?"

"I'm a supernatural being. I can't explain it." Kurama sniffed Reina. "Your hormones are shifting. You even smell a bit different. Like… nicer than you usually do."

"You trying to tell me I normally smell bad?" Reina raised a brow while crossing her arms.

"I'm not saying you smelled good." Kurama retorted.

Reina chuckled and sat beside him. "You're an ass."

The next morning, Madara woke up and rolled over on his side. He stared at the empty space next to him and sighed to himself. The bed felt so cold without Reina in it. The house was hollow. The village was less lively. Madara hadn't realized until she was gone, that Reina had essentially become the light of his life. She was his love, his warmth, his happiness, and his life. Reina had slowly become his everything. Madara tossed the bedsheets aside and climbed out of bed. He showered and dressed before heading downstairs.

Madara entered the kitchen and grabbed the empty tea kettle. He filled it with water and set it on the stove, igniting it to boil. Madara went through the cupboard and picked his favorite loose-leaf tea that Reina made for him. After the water heated just before boiling, he took it off the stove and poured the water into the teapot. Madara carried the tea set on a tray as he walked into the library. He set the tray down on a side table next to Reina's cozy chair. Looking around the room, Madara picked a poetry book he had received many moons ago. He sat down in the oversized chair and began reading.

After a few minutes, Madara poured himself a cup of the steeped tea and took a slow, morning sip. "Still not as good as Reina's…"

Tobirama was sitting in his office space deep within the ANBU Black ops hideout when there was a knock at his door. "Come in!" He called.

Two ANBU members, who guarded his door, entered his office and bowed on one knee. The one on the left spoke for the two of them. "Lord Tobirama, Team H has returned as per Lady Reina's orders. They've come to report their findings."

Tobirama stood up from his seat and crossed his arms. "Already? Hmph… Send them in."

"Yes, sir." The ANBU members opened the door and let the team into the room.

Team H filed in and they all bowed on one knee with the leader of the platoon at the front. "Good morning, Lord Tobirama. We have information to report from our mission."

Tobirama nodded. "Produce."

"Under Lady Reina's guidance, we surveyed village forty-two residing northeast within the Land of Fire." He tilted his masked face upward. "We interviewed the villagers and investigated the village, but the Miyashita clan only stole goods such as food and clothing. No mirrors were stolen and none were planted. No markings or seals were found. No lives were lost."

"So, there were no casualties?" Tobirama raised a brow.

"That is correct, sir. The village crops were almost depleted and some were unnecessarily ravaged, but the villagers worked together to quickly recover from the invasion." The man lowered his head. "We have come to the consensus that village forty-two does not require any assistance from the Hidden Leaf Village."

"Very well then." Tobirama nodded. "I shall relay the information you've provided to Lord Hokage. Now that you have completed this mission, you are dismissed."

"Yes, sir!" Team H said in unison before standing up to leave.

As the door shut behind them, Tobirama sighed and sat back down in his chair. He took out a list that was structured to input information on the mission in an organized fashion. He wrote down the information and compared it to the other teams that had reported back. "Thus far, only teams C, J, and P have returned. They all reported the same thing… why is the Miyashita clan being so quiet?" Tobirama muttered to himself. "This is frustrating. We won't get ahead with any of this."

Reina was west with Team R investigating a village that had taken significant damage from a Miyashita clan attack. The attack went completely under the radar, which was surprising due to the immense toll the villagers had taken. Buildings were crumbling and scorched, while some were splintered and completely collapsed in piles of rubble. It seemed as if the attack happened about a month prior and the villagers were still working to repair much of the damage that had been dealt. Their food and water supply were higher than expected, but still low in comparison to a perfectly stable, untouched village.

Reina approached the ANBU leader of Team R. "What have you learned thus far?"

The masked kunoichi nodded in acknowledgment of her inquiries. "It seems that this village has many more shinobi inhabitants than we originally thought. It could be that the village has its supply of essentials due to the shinobi here fighting for the village's protection. That would also explain why the surrounding structures are considerably damaged. According to the villagers, many fights broke out during the attack. They weren't ravaged as badly as the first village reported to have been attacked by the Miyashita clan, due to the fact that the shinobi here actually stood up to the enemy."

"I see." Reina nodded. "What else are you commanding your team to do during this investigation?" Reina inquired. Not only was she supervising each team, but she was also testing their skills throughout the mission.

"We are investigating the various damaged buildings to see if the enemy left clues behind. We are also scrutinizing the points of impact on vandalized areas to see if we can determine what jutsu were used to cause as much destruction." She sighed. "We also intend to get a detailed report of each person's encounter with the enemy. There's a chance we might be here for the full week allotment."

"That's fine." Reina nodded. "If you need more time than that, tell me. I will request an extension with Lord Hokage. We, the higher-ups, would rather you conduct a thorough investigation than cut it short due to a time constraint."

"Thank you." The ANBU member bowed.

"I'll let you get back to work." Reina disappeared from view and perched herself on a nearby tree branch where she examined Team R's work for the remainder of the day.

The sun was shining over Konoha, lighting up the white fluffy clouds across the vibrant blue sky. The streets were active as villagers hustled and bustled through their daily routines. Crowds were calm, but chatty enough to bring a lively spirit to the town. Among the crowd was Madara Uchiha, strolling through the village streets. He surveyed his surroundings, ensuring everyone was content as he passed by. Eventually, he found himself in front of the Hidden Leaf Village's brand new public library.

Madara smiled to himself. "Ah, here it is." He quietly marched up the steps and pushed the door open to enter the building. Unlike the village outside, the library's inside was quiet. The library was dark and cozy but had just enough light to be able to read. There were also reading stations with lanterns at each desk for more lighting if need be.

"Can I help you?" A voice called, interrupting Madara's thoughts.

Madara turned to face the direction of the voice. There was a young woman with glasses and light brown hair standing at a desk beside the entrance to the library. "I guess so." He strolled over to the desk and bowed his head slightly. "This is my first time entering a public library… How does this exactly… work?"

The woman nodded with a smile. "Ah, well, we can give you a library membership card." The woman handed him a card with a pencil. "Just fill out your information on this card. Then, you can rent out any book you would like."

Madara began writing his name on his library card. "I understand. Thank you for explaining."

"Of course. If you need help finding a book, please do not be afraid to ask me or any of our staff members." She bowed her head.

Madara nodded. "Thank you." He began walking down the aisle to the heart of the library. Once in the center, Madara looked up toward the vaulted ceilings to see that the shelves reached the sky. He frowned, already helpless, and not knowing where to look. He looked around for a staff member when he saw a middle-aged woman with her gray hair tied neatly into a bun. Madara quietly approached her. "Excuse me, madam?" He asked softly as not to disturb others.

The woman stopped placing books on the shelves and turned to face him with a warm smile. "Oh, greetings Lord Madara Uchiha. What brings you to the library of all places?"

Madara gestured towards the bookshelves. "Well, I actually wanted to know if you had any books on pregnancy and parenting."

The woman gasped. "Are you expecting a child, Lord Madara?"

"I am," Madara said with a cheeky grin and a nervous chuckle. "However, I have no knowledge of what my wife will be enduring and how to, well- nurture another human that cannot even speak… or eat on its own… or relieve itself."

"Awe, that is very sentimental of you to want to learn so you can properly empathize with your partner." The woman waved. "Follow me, we have a whole section dedicated to what you're looking for."

"Thank you." Madara bowed and followed her to a more isolated spot in the library.

"This entire shelf here has information on pregnancy, babies, parenting, nutrition… you name it." She smiled. "Also, in case you didn't know, there is a bookstore around the corner that gets brand new releases of books that we have yet to have access to. So, please, support a local business by stopping there afterward as well. I'm sure they'll have plenty of books you will be interested in."

Madara bowed. "Thank you very much. I appreciate it." As the woman left to return to her work, Madara began browsing the various books. He narrowed his eyes as something caught his interest. "Every Step of the Way with Her: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Wife's Pregnancy. That sounds like it'll work." He turned to walk away when another book caught his eyes. "Effects of Pregnancy on the Body of Kunoichi – A Medical Journal. Maybe this one too?" Madara tilted his head upward to see another book. "What's this one?"

Madara reached for the book, but it was too high for him. He was about to walk up the shelf but didn't want to dirty it with his boots. He turned his head and saw a sliding ladder leaning against the shelf. He pulled it over and began to climb. Madara grabbed the book he needed when he saw another one that piqued his interest. "The Psychological Effects of Parenting During the Warring States Era. That's rather profound." He rolled himself over and snagged the book. Madara stopped for a moment and pulled himself further across the shelf. He smiled at how he glided seamlessly to where he wanted.

Madara looked around, saw no one nearby, and began pulling himself in the opposite direction; letting go and enjoying the ride. "Why is this so fun?" He turned on his sharingan and glided from row to row, making a game out of swiping books off the shelf as he sailed with the ladder.

Eventually, Madara let his noble steed free and made his way over to the main desk to check out his books. "I would like to borrow these please." Madara set down a stack of books that thumped onto the desk.

The librarian smiled nervously. "Unfortunately, we only allow for three books to be borrowed at a time."

"Oh, he's Madara Uchiha, he can take out as many books as he wants." The older woman from before said as she walked over to the desk. "We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him and Lord Hokage. That and he's expecting a baby. Let him take out as many as he wants."

The younger woman nodded. "If you say so."

Madara bowed to the older woman. "Thank you for your generosity."

The leader of Team U turned towards Reina who was standing with her arms crossed. "Ma'am, what shall we do? This entire area is unscathed, though it's near many hotspots."

Underneath Reina's mask, she couldn't help but scowl in suspicion. "We shall monitor the land in case of an attack. After this week ends, I will contact Lord Hokage and ask if he wants these untouched locations to be monitored for a longer duration." Reina bit her lip. "Why on earth haven't they attacked this village yet? It's a prime spot. I don't understand. There's a shop that imports fine crystals, glasses, and mirrors. So, why wouldn't they invade just this place?" Reina gritted her teeth. "I don't like this."

Tobirama slapped the current ANBU report down on Hashirama's desk, the papers making a fluttering sound as they did so. "This is what we've got so far."

"Must you handle these so roughly? Reina took a good deal of time making these outlines." Hashirama picked up the papers and examined them with a sigh. He furrowed his brows as he slowed down his reading. "This is all?"

Tobirama nodded and sat at the edge of his desk with his arms crossed. "It is. Rather suspicious, wouldn't you agree?"

Hashirama continued scrutinizing the papers. "I agree completely." He looked up at his younger brother. "These villages are either unscathed or already beginning recovery stages."

"I believe we should send help to villages assigned to teams D, E, F, I, K, L, and O." Tobirama sighed. "One other thing is bothering me."

Hashirama stood up and met his brother's gaze. "Many of the villages that we would expect the Miyashita to attack are unscathed."

"It's unsettling, to say the least," Tobirama grumbled.

Hashirama placed his hands on his desk. "I have a feeling a fight is going to break out while Reina's on her mission. Unless everything goes seamlessly, there is no way the Miyashita clan won't attack at least one village."

"Do you believe they will attack even if Reina is around?" Tobirama stood up and casually straightened the papers on Hashirama's desk.

"I would think they would be sensible not to engage in a fight if they are aware of her presence. However, there is never telling what an unpredictable enemy such as they will do." Hashirama turned around to glance out the bay windows behind him. "Let's hope Reina can stop them if they do."

Two nights later, Reina was monitoring Team A in the cover of night. All was quiet and the villagers were at peace. It was one of the many zones that hadn't been attacked yet, which was suspicious in her eyes. Reina was deep in thought when the leader for Team A walked over to her hiding spot.

"Care for something to eat? You haven't had much in these past few hours." The leader offered her a small bento box of food.

Reina shook her head. "Thank you, but I'll be fine. Give it to a team member who is famished."

"But, you're pregnant." He held the box out again. "You should be eating a little bit more. Skipping meals might be unhealthy."

"It's not that I don't want to nourish myself, I simply don't feel my best for some reason." Reina shook her hand to refuse the box. "Please, I don't want to look at food right now."

"That's odd for you to say. Are you… nauseous?" The man inquired.

Reina started breathing heavier. "N-no. Well, yes, but I'm fine." She began fanning herself. "Is it hot out here or is it just me?"

"It is definitely you. Your pregnancy symptoms might be kicking in. Will you be alright?" The ANBU member placed a caring hand on her shoulder as she bent over. "Hey! Are you okay?"

Reina nodded her head. "Y-yes, I'm fine." She hunched over and placed her hands on her knees. "I'm not used to this. I haven't had any symptoms up until now. This is rather strange."

"Take it easy. This'll pass." The leader tilted his masked face when she didn't respond. "Are you-"

Reina brushed his hand aside and immediately bolted behind a tree. She removed her mask and vomited all over the ground. She dry heaved before expelling more bile. As she vomited she could feel her shadow clones disappearing across the Land of Fire from her sickness. "Why now of all times?" Reina muttered. "My shadow clones just disappeared!" She said through gritted teeth.

The ANBU leader held out a canteen of water for her. "Here, please wash your mouth out and drink." He said urgently. "You can make new clones and send them off later. Don't worry about it."

Reina nodded and graciously accepted the water. "Thank you. I'm so sorry you had to listen to me vomiting."

"Please, don't mention it. My wife and I just had twins. This is nothing new." He chuckled. "You should move away from the scent and have a seat in a quiet place. The aroma of vomit might make you feel more ill." The leader encouraged and walked her over to a bush. "Are you feeling a bit better?"

Reina sat down on the grass and sniffled as she wiped her eyes. "This is ass… I'm a bit hot and dizzy."

"Please, drink more water." The leader encouraged. "Take a few minutes to gather your strength. Until you can make your shadow clones, we will handle everythi-" Just as he said that there was a small explosion from within the village.

Reina gasped and put her mask back on. "We have to go! Now!" She stood up with haste.

"What about your health?!" The leader yelled as the two took off in the direction of the village.

"That can wait!" Reina yelled as another explosion hit. "Shit!" As they entered the village, the townspeople were running for cover and screaming for their lives. The ANBU members were protecting the villagers as they directed them to evacuate in clusters. Reina jumped over toward an ANBU member. "Where did the attack come from?!"

The member pointed to the center of town. "Over there!"

Reina immediately ran over toward the source of the attack and saw a group of shinobi flooding out of a home goods store that likely sold mirrors. She stood up on a rooftop and called down to the intruders in fury. "HEY!"

Through the smoke and haze, a tall, slender figure emerged from the blaze. He chuckled as he looked up at her, the lower half of his face covered by a black mask. "Aaaah, I see we aren't the only ones wearing a mask! What a coincidence!"

Reina growled and in an instant, launched herself at the man, kunai drawn. The man whipped out a kunai and blocked her incoming attack. The two began fighting one one-on-one, punching, kicking, and blocking each other's attacks. For some reason, Reina couldn't seem to land a solid enough hit. Her weakened state didn't help, but it was as if this guy knew her moves, and she knew his. Reina focused in on her opponent, remembering all that Jun taught her. She began moving more swiftly, blocking his hits with ease while finding more openings to strike. As the man sent a punch toward her stomach, Reina spun inward and sent a devastating palm strike towards his abdomen.

"Aaah!" The man stumbled back and heaved to catch his breath. "Shit, you're pretty good!"

"He's barely phased by my attack." Reina furrowed her brows beneath her mask. "Was he still able to anticipate my moves and applied a chakra shield to his abdomen?" Reina clenched her jaw, knowing she couldn't waste too much time with him. She held her hands up, fingers spread, and pointed at him. Bullets of bone began firing at him as he ran and ducked for cover to evade them all.

"Is that all you've got?! How disappointing!" The man teased but choked on his words as tree roots came up from the ground and imprisoned him in their twisted, splintering embrace. "What? Wood style? But, that's not Hashirama Senju… I know it!"

Reina activated her Rinnegan as a giant bone javelin protruded from her hand. "Take this!" She grabbed the javelin and launched it at the man at warp speed with the power of her Rinnegan.

It was as if the bone javelin was flying in slow motion. It was about a foot from its target when it was deflected by a forceful burst of lightning. The bolt struck her tree-like prison, igniting it to the point of crumbling. As her prisoner confidently stepped onto the ground, another man appeared beside him. He had a similar stature but appeared to be more reserved.

"You shouldn't be so reckless when fighting a new opponent." The second guy stated coldly.

"But she's rather fun to play with…" The other man chuckled. "Well, shall we take her?"

"There's a good chance we might lose." He stated.

The other man put a hand on his hip in disbelief. "What? No kidding?"

"Ma'am!" An ANBU member appeared next to Reina in an instant. "There's an emergency!"

Reina turned to face the man when she had to do a double-take. "Wait! You're from Team B!"

"Our village is under attack, but it seems you are also having trouble!" The man called.

Reina eyed her opponents while talking to the ANBU member. "I'll send reinforcements. While you're at it, do your best to migrate Team B's fight closer to Team C's territory. If they aren't under attack, they will jump in and help."

"Roger!" The ANBU member disappeared in a flash.

Reina removed her ripped, fingerless gloves and weaved various hand signs before biting her thumbs, dragging blood across each palm, and slamming them onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!" In a cloud of smoke, five transparent white rabbits with different eye colors pranced around Reina in a circle.

The second man who joined her original opponent froze as she summoned her rabbits. "We should not be here."

"Are you saying we should retreat?" The other man questioned. "I don't see how a cluster of rabbits could hurt us."

"Hello, mother!"

"Hello hello hello!"

"Good evening!" The rabbits all called as their wispy forms roamed around Reina.

Two white, glowing horns, reminiscent of rabbit ears, protruded from Reina's head as she commanded her rabbits. "Follow the man from ANBU Team B and protect their village at all costs."

"Yes, mother."

"But, of course, mother."

"As you wish." They all called as their ghostly figures followed the man on his trek.

The first man turned to his partner. "They're leaving."

"She sent them to our other location." The second man said quietly.

"Should we leave and back them up?" The first man inquired.

"No. Our platoons combined are outnumbered. We will surely perish if we help them." The second man stated as he clenched his fists.

"Alright, we'll let them die and flee for now." The first man shrugged. "What can we do?"

"What are you mumbling about over there?!" Reina called to her two foes. Just as she spoke, her ANBU members appeared beside her. "Let's get this over with!"

"RETREAT!" The first man roared at the remaining clansmen in the village who were alive.

The clansmen immediately flooded into the shop from which they came and disappeared from sight. Reina and the ANBU Black Ops entered the burning shop and couldn't see or sense anyone. "They got away." Team A's leader said.

Reina turned to the group. "Locate the enemy's corpses. We will gather intel that way."

"There's only one problem with your request." The leader spoke again. "When their heart rate reaches zero, their bodies are engulfed by a bright light and all that remains is ash."

Reina mentally cursed herself. "This was a learning experience for all of us. Try not to murder your opponents next time. Capture them near death."

"Right!" The members responded.

"For now, let's stop this village from burning down and aid the injured!" Reina commanded before pointing out of the shop. "Move out!"

Arata Mita sat on a boulder with his arms crossed. "I don't understand why we had to retreat. We could have taken them."

"And risk showing all of our cards?" Nao glared at his brother while pacing back and forth. He sighed to himself. "Last time I trained with Reina and she used that jutsu, she could only summon three elements and that was strenuous. Now, she can summon five with ease, and I'm sure she could summon more if she wanted."

"What do those bunnies do?" Arata inquired.

"They fight for her. They use the element they're designated as if they were the incarnation of that nature. They also know how to fight in unison." Nao lowered his head. "She would've had us at stamina alone."

"It didn't help that we went in with about an eighth of our men. We couldn't even successfully accomplish our goal." Arata grumbled. "However, I must say, she seemed a bit off."

"I was watching her. She succumbed to her pregnancy symptoms just before we attacked." Nao stopped and stared up at the stars.

"She fought us… while ill?" Arata stood up on his rock.

"Now do you understand why our plan has to work? Reina, Hashirama, Tobirama, and that wretched Madara Uchiha could take our men down alone if we don't play our cards right." Nao turned to face his brother. "Right now, with our reserves, we are no match for them."

The night after the attack, Reina and the remaining ANBU Black Ops teams reported back to the Hidden Leaf Village. Reina entered the ANBU hideout and made her way straight to Tobirama's office. As Reina approached the guards, she held her hand up applying chakra to her palm to reveal a seal that authenticated who she was. The two guards stepped aside and Reina knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Tobirama called from the other side.

Reina pushed the door open and shut it behind her. "Greetings, brother."

"It's been a while." Tobirama stood up from his seat. "I presume your mission went well."

"Not quite." Reina handed him the remaining reports. "Take a look."

Tobirama began flipping through the pages when his eyes widened with surprise. "This is… surprising." He looked up at Reina with a cold intensity. "Let's bring this to Hashirama and summon Madara if he isn't already present."

Reina nodded. "I agree."

The siblings made their way out of the ANBU hideout and to the Hokage's office. Tobirama knocked at the door and waited. "I hope he's in here."

"Where else would he be?" Reina inquired.

Tobirama closed his eyes with mild frustration. "It is lunchtime. I bet you he's with Mito or Madara taking a break." Just as Tobirama finished his sentence, both Hashirama and Madara rounded the hallway toward them. "There you are." Tobirama crossed his arms. "Where were you?"

Hashirama grinned. "Eating lunch with Madara. Oh! Reina!" He ran over to her and gave her a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're home!"

Reina sighed with a small smile. "As am I." As Hashirama let go, Reina walked over towards Madara. "Hey, I'm back safe."

Madara hid his growing smile and blushing cheeks by turning his head away. "W-welcome back."

Reina snickered and gestured towards the office. "Shall we? There's a lot to go over."

"Oh! Of course!" Hashirama hurried over to the door and held it open for everyone. "Please, come in." As the group entered the office, Hashirama shut the door behind them and locked it. "Alright, how did everything go? What information do you have?" He said while walking behind his desk.

Tobirama slapped the reports down onto his desk as per usual. "Here. Take a look."

Hashirama picked up the reports and began sifting through them. "Okay… I see…" He continued flipping through the pages when he froze with wide eyes. "You got into a fight?! Two fights?! I knew it!"

"What?!" Madara immediately ran over to his side and glanced at the papers before rushing back over to Reina's side. "Are you alright? Did anyone hurt you? I will kill them."

Reina waved her hand with a spreading grin. "I'm fine. Really."

Hashirama looked up at her. "They attacked so openly… and in the middle of the night. Village fourteen is a socialite's hub at night. What were they thinking? And village thirteen and the surrounding area is so peaceful in comparison. What does this mean?"

"That's what I was wondering." Tobirama crossed his arms. "Could it be that they are just that confident?"

"It could be." Madara spoke. "Or it could be that their jutsu or plan has an element of randomness that we have yet to uncover."

"That would make it rather difficult to track their movements if even they have to 'chance' their destinations. But shouldn't they be able to control where they transport themselves to as per previous events?" Hashirama inquired while reviewing the papers again. "There is something big we are missing. However, if they are fine with randomness, it is probably intentional and they are most likely very confident with their capabilities."

"That, and I am certain they weren't ready to fight Hidden Leaf Shinobi of our caliber. The two men I fought appeared to behave like the leaders of the attack." Reina stated.

"Do you think they were the clan leaders?" Tobirama inquired.

Reina shook her head. "That I am not certain about, because two attacks did happen simultaneously and unfortunately I fell slightly ill right before it happened. The leader or leaders could have been elsewhere and the men I fought were simply stepping in their place. They were definitely an odd pair."

Madara turned to her with slight concern. "What do you mean you fell ill?"

"Pregnancy symptoms." Reina said sheepishly. "They just started at that moment. Talk about bad timing."

"Regardless, that means they intentionally conducted simultaneous attacks to confuse any potential foes," Hashirama stated. "I also have a hunch…"

Madara looked Hashirama in the eye. "I do as well." He smirked. "If they ran into an adversary within the Land of Fire, it would most likely be a shinobi from the Hidden Leaf Village. That shinobi would most likely be someone of great power to be traversing these treacherous lands so freely."

Hashirama nodded. "If they faced a strong opponent they would want to have a set up where they could test their abilities and flee at any moment… The only shinobi they truly would want to test is the four of us in this room… especially you, Reina." Hashirama said while turning to face her. "How much of your hand did you show?"

"I showed some cards to intimidate them, but not nearly enough for them to know what I am fully capable of." Reina said sternly.

Hashirama nodded. "That's good. I am assuming from these reports and everyone's return that you were able to subdue the enemy during your fights, yes?"

Reina bowed her head. "Yes, we were able to both force the enemy into retreating and we also managed to kill some of their men."

Tobirama interjected. "However, it appears their bodies turn to ash after they die, which means we cannot use the Yamanaka clan's interrogation abilities unless we capture someone alive."

"And with their infiltrative abilities, bringing a Miyashita clan member into our village might be their ticket to an easy invasion," Madara added. "It would be risky to capture someone and willingly bring them here until we discover their method of transportation."

Hashirama nodded. "I agree. For now, all we can do is send help to more areas and have the remaining unscathed lands monitored. Reina, do you think you can organize that?"

Reina nodded. "Yes, I can send the teams out in circulation to guard any untouched regions. However, I think we should also investigate village thirteen more."

Tobirama furrowed his brows. "Why is that?"

"Well, as Hashirama said, village thirteen is so peaceful in comparison to a loud, lively town such as village fourteen. It is a possibility they attacked village fourteen as a way to distract us from being able to recognize that village thirteen was under attack and needed immediate assistance." Reina said seriously. "There could be something there that they wanted."

"That is a possibility. Leave it up to you to think that far. I will authorize you to further investigate village thirteen." Hashirama bowed. "This meeting is adjourned."

It was late in the evening when Reina was finally able to return home. She sauntered through the front door and locked it quietly behind her. She kicked off her shoes in the entryway and slid her feet into her comfy slippers. Reina could smell the scent of food and shuffled down the hallway until she made her way to the dining room. There, Madara was setting up a late dinner for the two of them.

Reina gasped. "Madara… you really do know how to make a grown woman cry."

Madara smirked. "I thought you'd be hungry. You've had a long day… well, week, actually." He walked over to Reina and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. "Come, let's eat."

As Madara turned away, Reina instinctively tugged at his yukata sleeve. "Wait-"

Madara turned to face her. "What is i-"

Reina pulled him toward her and wrapped her arms around his neck in a loving embrace. "I missed you." She pulled him tighter and leaned her head against his shoulder.

Madara wrapped one arm around Reina's waist and gently placed the other on the back of her head. "I missed you as well." As they pulled apart, Madara looked own at her and froze as he noticed her softly crying. "W-what's wrong? Why are you crying?" He said comically.

Reina sniffled and wiped her tears the best she could. "I-It's just… I'm r-really tired, a-and I'm really hu-hungry…" She croaked. "And- and I love you… and I'm-m a-a bit hormonal." She said the last part with a small giggled.

Madara chuckled. "Ah, I see. Well, let's get some food in you and talk about positive things." He said while guiding Reina to her usual spot at the table.

Reina nodded while wiping her tears. "O-okay." She smiled sweetly as she sat down with him. "I'm sorry for crying."

"Do not be sorry. It's okay to cry. Your body is going through a myriad of changes and I will be there for you every step of the way. Hormonal fluctuations followed by mood swings are natural and they may subside and becomes more manageable in your second and third trimester. So, do not worry about losing face in front of me, for I know it's because you're carrying our baby." Madara poured her a cup of tea.

Reina smirked and furrowed her brows in curiosity. "How do you know all of this?"

Madara pointed to a giant stack of books in the corner of the dining room. "I've been doing a little bit of research while you were gone."

Reina laughed in disbelief. "Color me impressed!"

"I know I will not be able to fully empathize with you, but I want to be the best partner and father I can be and support to the best of my abilities." Madara smiled. "Let's dig in, shall we?!"

Reina looked at him with both awe and appreciation. "That's incredible. You have no idea how much I take this to heart. I appreciate all that you do." She looked down at the food. "Thank you for making dinner. Let's eat."