"Every damn time...That's not something you say to me...If they can kill me, I wouldn't be happier. Although...I don't think they can!"
Hidan
Mito came back in one piece.
Hashirama was filled to the brim with relief.
He never doubted Madara, or Mikito, but with the current state of things she could be attacked for no reason...At all. If she ran into Sasuke, Tunoichi, or Rikudo forbid Daishiro again...It wouldn't bode well and she'd be in pieces around the region with the rest of the corpses.
Tobirama found himself oddly surprised, but he wouldn't complain seeing her completely unscathed after being around the Uchiha and Domou. Strangely enough she didn't look the least bit scared or daunted, it was quite the very opposite in fact, her eyes were beaming, and that secretive smile on her face spoke volumes. It was clear whatever she had intended to do, was complete just to her standards.
"So..." Hashirama started, relief clearly evident on his features. "Things went well, I take it?"
"The Domou and Uzumaki will not go to war." Mito said, casting a glance at both of the brothers-eyes lingering on Tobirama for just a bit longer. He had called Mikito a monster, but that couldn't honestly be any further from the truth, and was quite a bit shortsighted on his part. Hashirama, from her observations didn't have these...Prejudices that Tobirama did. He encouraged her to go after what she wanted to do, but Tobirama simply scoffed at it.
"Are you so sure about that?" Tobirama asked in a snide manner.
"Brother..." Hashirama's tone pitched with clear and grating annoyance.
"I'm most certain." Mito locked eyes with the white haired Senju until he decided to look away. It was clear he had his grudges after seeing Mikito in action and feeling her wrath-his nose did look a little crooked. In combat...Well, Mikito was simply put a monster, she didn't hold back and there was no ounce of hesitation. Once she got going, that was the end. Tobirama found that out the hard way. "Madara even...Well...Simply put...The Uchiha and Uzumaki will never go to war either." She felt a bit smug seeing that wide eyed look from Tobirama.
"Lies." Tobirama said with a baleful expression.
"I have no reason to lie." Mito practically glowered at him. "Control your tongue, Tobirama..."
"I see no reason to do that."
"You better find one then, before I give you one." Mito retorted. "Or your nose is going to be even more crooked or your jaw, and it won't be because Mikito bashed your face in."
"Seriously? Madara, he..." Hashirama asked, carefully, hoping to cut through the tension. Madara...Well, he just shut him down every chance he got. Ever since that day at the pond...Madara was always falling on deaf ears, no matter what he said there was no getting through to him...He knew his old friend couldn't have given up on their dream, but Madara wasn't exactly making the best effort to go in the right direction...But...He basically said he has no focus on the Uzumaki clan, and in short that meant the Uchiha clan as a whole wouldn't have any focus on the Uzumaki. "Madara...He really did that?"
"Yes." Mito nodded feeling a little weary of these questions. They were well warranted, considering she had been dealing with the Uchiha-the Senju's arch rivals and mortal enemies, but Mikito had been present. Even if Madara didn't wish to have peace between their two clans, Mikito desired to have peace between the Uzumaki and Domou, and that's what counted...Madara agreeing, somewhat, in a strange way came as a great surprise. "But...Mikito still views you, Hashirama and Tobirama...The Senju as her enemies, but despite that she won't target the Uzumaki due to our alliance and lineage."
"And what about that Uchiha?"
Mito looked at Tobirama. "He's of the same mind."
"How did you do it?" Hashirama looked at her with wide eyes.
"And, you're sure she isn't lying? And, Madara...You trust what he says?" Tobirama questioned again. If either of the two were going to make a comment or retort, that chance had been shot and thrown out of the window. "You can't trust them to-"
"Tobirama, there will never be peace between our clans if you keep on-"
"They don't want peace, brother!" Tobirama seethed with annoyance.
"With you and so many of our kinsmen being so bias..." Hashirama glared heatedly at Tobirama. "They won't even trust us!"
"They've killed our-"
"We've killed each other, Tobirama...Nobody has done anything to break the cycle until now!" Hashirama snapped, finally losing his patience/
"Mikito and I were very good childhood friends." Mito's statement broke through the thick clouds of tension looming over the two men before her. "Tobirama-san, whatever you may say about her or the Domou...It won't hold any merit with me or my clan. There will always be peace between the Domou and Uzumaki. It's set in stone."
She hated to put it so bluntly, but Tobirama appeared to have a pure dislike for the Domou, and even worse when it came to the Uchiha, therefore she couldn't allow him to interfere with what was between her and Mikito. If he started trying to rally people in her clan to take action...The young generation were always impressionable. "As for how I did it, Hashirama-san...I simply spoke with both of them face to face." Though her conversation was mostly with Mikito, she did speak with Madara, and she made certain to keep her expression stern and unflinching when she was.
"I'm just relieved there will still be peace between your clans despite these...Awkward situations that will start happening." Hashirama said, genuinely happy. Awkward was the lightest way to describe them, at this point it was only a matter of time before they collided with the Uchiha and Domou again, the Sarutobi and Shimura right there along with the latter two.
"As am I..." Mito trailed off, looking at Hashirama carefully. He looked a bit pensive, as if he had made some huge mistake and was just starting to realize the gravity of the entire thing. Unless he was the type to brood, and she wouldn't put it passed him, while he was quite jovial and boisterous he was also very mindful. From her first observation, he was an idealist and desired peace. The way he wasn't pushing this conflict, remaining underground while everyone else mobilizing and already mobilized at this very moment "I am sorry that I couldn't...But, it wasn't my place to speak with Mikito about such things without you or your brother present."
Hashirama nodded in understanding. Naturally, Mito couldn't speak of anything about the Senju clan if him and Tobirama weren't present, and more importantly neither of them were present at that moment. Somehow, Mito made it sound so simple, she came to a common ground with Mikito. The Uzumaki and Domou had a common ground. Being childhood friends seemed to have helped, but then why did it need to be the exact opposite with him and Madara? They were childhood friends, but now they were spending all of their time battling to the death.
However, it brought up another fact...
"Are you saying..."
"I don't know..." Mito looked unsure. Mikito had shown a very strong...Resolve to battle Hashirama, Tobirama, the Senju as a whole. She never put her focus onto conflict strictly, unless something severe happened. Like with Daishiro and the Shimura. "From what I seen, it seems that you've already tried getting a truce between your clans..."
Tobirama scowled dangerously. It was one thing for Hashirama to go out of his way with Madara-that man was extremely dangerous, but he wasn't going to tear his brother's arm clean out of its socket or even worse! Madara would come with all intentions to kill, but he wasn't going to rip Hashirama apart with his bare hands, and Mikito would do just that. He wasn't sure when Hashirama had started pursuing this with Mikito as well, it somehow went straight over his head, and now he was suffering because of it.
He could break Hashirama's neck right at this moment, and had the urge to do so.
"Did you really do such a foolish thing!?" Tobirama barked.
"I did..." Hashirama admitted, eyes suddenly heavy. "I...I messed up though."
It was as easy as speaking to Mikito face to face...But...He didn't do that. He didn't even think of that, because well...That's was just too easy, too simple...Too dangerous.
"Listen, I can't do anything now..." Seeing Hashirama look so down was a bit depressing. But, her hunch was right. Hashirama tried and in the end failed...But, what had he done? Send a letter and be vague...That was the worst thing he could possibly do, he could send a letter explaining everything but even that wasn't the right move...Because, Mikito was too intuitive...If he really wanted to have peace with Mikito, he should have spoke with her face to face...But...Clan boundaries and enmities were interfering...What she feared would have happened with her clan and the Domou in time. "But...When this conflict in the region is over with...Perhaps I-the Uzumaki clan could be the middleman so to speak."
Hashirama couldn't go there to speak face to face for the simple fact there were Uchiha...And, Uchiha wouldn't hesitate to cut down a Senju. The Domou were also allies of the Uchiha-permanent allies and they couldn't run the risk of anything happening. It was a simple precaution, and Tobirama seemed to be more than aware of all of these things, and was taking his own precautions...Though his...hatred for both clans was clearly clouding his judgement-another part of the enmities. Mikito would sooner kill him than even speak with him for a minute...
Hashirama it'd be a little different.
They were both so alike but so different now that she really thought about it.
"You'd really do that?!" Hashirama was almost in tears, looking at Mito with a whole new reverence. He would never ask to take such a risk, if there was any type of backlash it'd be centered around her clan and he couldn't allow her or the Uzumaki to deal with it...When in the end it was for his own want, his own desire to have peace in the world...To have peace between the Uchiha and Senju. The shinobi clans at large. However, it was clear to him that there wasn't any sort of chance he was going to do this alone. "I could never ask you to take on such a task..."
"Of course." Mito nodded in assurance, a bit surprised to see those starry eyes on Hashirama's face. Was he bipolar? "If you had just spoke with her face to face from the beginning, though..."
"And, run the risk of one of them gutting my brother, not a chance." Tobirama retorted sternly. "The Uchiha are cursed and the Domou are nothing but monsters..."
"Perhaps the risk would have been well worth it." Mito retorted back a bit hotly. Tobirama really had a mouth on him, and she was honestly a bit tired of him badmouthing the Domou because he simply misunderstood them. The Domou put being together above everything else, it's brought both of their clans together to find a common ground. The Domou were reclusive, they never just ransacked clans or villages. "You could be at peace with that cursed clan and clan of monsters, but you don't desire peace, no, you just wish to control and dictate...You're a ruthlessly pragmatic man."
"I'll be keeping an eye on the situation on the surface." Tobirama opted to walk away.
Mito felt herself smirking. Tobirama was a bit of a brat.
"I'm really sorry about him." Hashirama started. "He's always had this issue..."
"It's fine, Hashirama-san." Mito waved off his concern. She was used to dealing with snotty people, her younger siblings could be a bit snotty themselves. "I just won't allow him to misjudge or misunderstand the Domou...The Senju and Uzumaki have always been allies and are distant relatives...Yet, the Uzumaki have had peace with the Domou clan for as long as any of us can remember."
"Mito-san." Hashirama's eyes lit up. This woman truly amazed him. She made the impossible seem possible. "So, it won't be impossible...Even if it's not now..."
"It's very possible." Mito managed a smile. "You both have one thing in common...You both adore children..."
Perhaps...That's the only thing we need in common. Hashirama mulled silently, but felt a burning confidence. The number one reason he wanted to form the village...Was pushing Madara, speaking to him every single chance he got was to save children from dying young. Many clans didn't send off children anymore, but there was still the fact children died, and some clans still did it...He wanted to put a stop to it, for good...
But, he was an idiot...
"I made a huge mistake..."
"But, we learn from our mistakes."
Madara picked up his stride as he moved down towards Izuna's chakra signature. He struggled not to be so vexed, but a small part of him couldn't help but flare up and bristle like a porcupine. The Uzumaki were nauseating and just plain morons, that would rather waste their time, than take anything seriously. Quite frankly he didn't want anything to do with the clan even remotely. Attacking them was a waste of time. Being in...Whatever with them was just a grating migraine. Then it'd be Uzumaki marrying Uchiha and they'd stick around like leeches.
It wasn't entirely strange though, that Mikito had childhood friends...After all Hashirama had been his friend. But, he had thought she'd...Tell him she had been friends with the heiress of the Uzumaki clan just because that was a big fucking deal! She brought up the point he didn't tell her everything there was to know about him-the fact he had been friends with the Senju heir-it wasn't snide or accusing on her part, but if she just asked...Badgered and pestered him, he would tell her his secrets. They always had been honest, brutally honest with each other, and he didn't want that to change.
Not clashing with the Uzumaki was favorable...There wasn't any need to go after never slighted the Uchiha, never wronged the Uchiha in any sort of way. His focus was on the Senju, and the clans that were coming from all sides against the Uchiha-Sarutobi, Shimura, Hyuga, Akimichi, Hatake, Hageshii, Shainingu...The Subatsu were far away from them for the moment, but it'd be nothing short of stupid to think they wouldn't be a serious problem.
But...Being on friendly terms with the Uzumaki...It just made him shiver.
Mikito had been good friends with Mito...
She was also having nightmares...Muttering Gentatsu again...He had been curious way back when.
Now he needed to know just who Gentatsu was...He heard about him when he was younger, but he was younger than Gentatsu by at least six or seven years.
Mikito had so many secrets...
He shook the thought away for the moment, steering his focus back to the present as he stopped in front of a line of the damiyo's soldiers. They were all stoic, almost like statues. Their armor was shining, glistening against the sun's light, their weapons glinting from the same rays brandished and at their sides. There were Uchiha and Domou in the mix, some with the damiyo's soldiers, others just huddled or lined up together. Souji was directing traffic so to speak, what little of their kinsmen weren't in groups were being given specific tasks. Izuna was off to the side with a scroll in hand, writing or drawing something intently.
Hikaku, Bunji, Mitsuki, Aito, Misaka, Chiasa, Masa, Yuto, Isami, Isao, Isamu, Arata, Hayami, and Hiro were all a few feet ahead of the larger number of their forces watching over them with stern eyes-they'd be leading them in due time and would all be leaders of their own units so to speak. Yuko would have been one of them leading, despite his near refusal to accept it, she had proven herself to be very capable. But, she was off on that important mission.
Ahiko was best kept with the medics-her skills and prowess bellying her appearance, but her true expertise was in the medical field and she could heal very well. She was with Souji at the moment.
"Brother." Izuna turned towards him for a moment. He seemed to consider something, as he began to walk towards him after a few seconds. "Everyone is just about organized as you can see. Souji is really something else, I never expected him to be so on top of things. Ahiko too for that matter."
Madara nodded in approval. True to his word, everyone was just about organized. Of course there were Uchiha and Domou-that got along-huddling together and talking among themselves, and there were even some of the damiyo's soldiers speaking with them as well. but this was a good thing. Seeing his kinsmen speaking with the Domou without reservations, it was relieving. And, if they weren't talking to each other they were sparring, which was something both seemed to favor over simple small talk. "What are you doing while Souji is directing everything with the damiyo?"
"Working on something." Izuna seemed so nonchalant, he had a good idea he was getting on his brother's nerves. "Besides, I don't think Souji or Ahiko needs any help. We took care of the big stuff while you and Mikito were both over here before, now it's just smoothing things over."
Madara's brows knitted together. Izuna had been giving him a very hard time as of late, marrying Yuko-getting the Council in an uproar had to be the icing overall. It was also his...He wasn't sure if Izuna planned it, but there was...Reciprocation between the Uchiha and Domou just as he had said long ago, they now had a rapport with each other.
Izuna couldn't have had anything to do with the marriage between him and Mikito-they had been stuck together the moment they laid eyes on each other. But, their respective kinsmen, who would get married...He couldn't say without doubt it wouldn't be Izuna's doing. "I'm going to need you to be more specific about what it is you're working on, because I've had about enough of this, Izuna..."
"Brother, do you have to sound so angry?"
"I'm angry because I give you an inch and you go and break off into a fucking sprint! Your well beyond miles at this point!" Madara fumed. Normally, the saying was give an inch take a mile, but Izuna was well beyond miles!
"That's not true!"
"What are you working on..." Madara repeated, impatience clearly getting the better of him. "I am not in the mood for your folly."
Izuna sighed heavily. Clearly, something was bothering Madara, or he could just be his usual self. Normally he'd kind of play along with him for a few moments, but Madara was getting straight to the point. Maybe it could be the fact he had been off to the side, appearing to just be dawdling with a drawing or something...Which he had been working on something, but it was important. He wasn't just doodling.
"I'm waiting..." Madara pressed.
Izuna bit the bullet, opening the scroll and showing Madara what he had been working on. It was a complete layout-many rough drafts of incorporating his clan's and the Domou's crests together, some were a little...Cheesy, he could admit. There was also the uniforms themselves-what they'd wear during combat and just when they were lounging around-what it consisted of.
The Domou favored, what one would say Samurai attire or very traditional even old world. The hakama, kimono, obi, zori and tabi, the haori worn over the kimono-their crest stitched on the middle of their back, their sleeves, and their shoulders. Of course, they wore the standard armor as every clan and Samurai did, but he was willing to bet it was two thousand pounds.
The Uchiha favored the high collared tops, or the high collared with the split mantle, pants-trousers, depending on what terms one used, and sandals. They didn't wear zori, though when he was just inside the compound he'd wear his zori. Since they didn't have an obi they used straps, and several belts to keep their weapons on their person. Which, wasn't a bad thing, or even an inconvenience-but the Domou could draw their swords just a millisecond faster because their swords were always just a flick away.
He honestly couldn't see Madara walking around in a haori or an obi...
The Domou only used purple and blue for their haoris, but their kimonos varied from blacks to reds.
His clan favored black, blue, and purple when it came to colors for their uniforms.
"Clothes..."Madara's tone began to grate. "Fucking clothes, Izuna!"
"It's uniforms both clans will wear." Izuna corrected. It was just like Madara to not see the real significance of something so trivial, in his eyes. Madara didn't care about clothes or attire, but this was far more important. This would force those still resenting this alliance to give up their gripes and just deal with it, because it wasn't going to change at all. It was also good, because while they could identify each other in battle, this was a sure fire way to recognize each other even from just a chanced glance. "You can't even try be mad at me, brother. Honestly, do you even care enough about such a thing to give it any thought?"
Madara's prolonged silence before answering was more than enough. "No."
"I didn't think so. That's why Mikito and I have taken it upon ourselves to do this."
"Neither of you have bothered to tell me about this?"
"Both of us are more than aware that you don't even care..."
"That's still no reason..."
"There are still members of our clan that resent this alliance...There's a short few in the Domou, but there are more within our clan." Izuna started in a serious tone, catching his brother's now sharp gaze pointing straight onto him. "This will keep all of them in line and force them to deal with it. They won't resent this any longer. Brother, I know you don't care about these sort of things, just leave this to me...You worry about destroying Hashirama if Mikito doesn't beat you to it."
Madara ruffled through the drawings with his eyes. Izuna always had a talent for drawing and art in general, something their mother taught them from an early age. His father surprisingly didn't object it, explaining that it'd teach them skills that weren't learned on the battlefield. Which was true, it was a skill, a talent, and whatever they learned from that could be applied to battle. This was also a great way, now that he really thought about it, to keep those Uchiha still resenting this in line and just make them deal with it. Because, when it really came down to it they were all wearing the same uniform, they were all of one mind.
He had to admit Izuna's sketches were very good, some much better than others...The uniforms didn't look all that bad if he had to be honest. But, their crests being fused together, well most of those sketches just looked cheesy. He also wasn't sure if that was a good idea-The Uchiha very much enjoyed their individualism. "You should try coming up with something new..."
"Hm?"
"That merging of crests is a bit lame, Izuna. Besides, the Uchiha's and Domou's crests should remain the same..." He trailed off, thoughtfully staring at his feet. "I can't see it going over well with either clans...It should be something different."
"I'm not so sure." Izuna replied, he would normally agree with Madara, but this would be one of those times when he had to disagree. "I think it'd be better if there's some sort of merging."
"It should be something...That...Puts...Brings our clans together..." Madara waved his hand around, as if it's put emphasis on his point or show it. "It has to show...That we are together as one mind...Both Uchiha and Domou...Together."
"So..." Izuna narrowed his eyes, mind ruffling through a thousand things at once. "Something that symbolizes both of our clans...Both of our clans coming together as one mind..." Izuna pressed a hand to his forehead. "That is a tall task brother..." Since he couldn't use their respective clans' crests it was going to be even more difficult... Perhaps I should leave that one to Mikito, or ask Ahiko. I'm sure between the two of them they'll be able to think of something. I'll just focus on our uniforms...
"It looks like you're favoring the Domou's uniform though." Madara pointed out after a few minutes of drawn out silence and watching Izuna jot several things down.
"That's not true, I included our high collared shirts and split mantles."
"Hakama, tabi, and zori..." Madara drawled, pointing to the sketches that had all three, save for one which had pants but kept the haori and kimono. He had a pair of zori back at home, and even tabi, but hakama...He hadn't ever really worn hakama unless it was for a special occasion or some ceremony. He could move just fine in them, but they were just a bit odd, and they required special care-and he wasn't going to waste his time with clothes like that. If he just let them lay around for five seconds those things would be a pain in the ass to bring back to even. He could just throw on a pair of pants and save himself the hassle.
"Obi..." His eyes fixated near the waist, the design was unmistakable-this was one thing that really only Samurai wore...To carry their long sword and short sword. Shinobi just used straps and belts to carry their weapons.
Izuna sighed. "Before you make a comment about Samurai..." There had always been a bitter rivalry between the two factions, both constantly competing for missions and work. The Samurai with their holier than thou attitude, their diluted honor in serving their lord-even if he's a piece of shit to the very end. Cutting open their bodies to preserve their honor-cowards unable to bear any type of same. Shinobi endured. Shinobi only served their clan, they were loyal to only their clan. Not a lord. Not a damiyo. They lived on, enduring, instead of taking the easy way out and spilling their guts. "This is practical."
"You expect me to walk around with that thing on?"Madara almost spat.
"Draw."
Madara obliged, hand flashing towards his waist, smoothly drawing his blade in one smooth motion.
"See my point?" Izuna stated more than asked, glancing at his brother's hand with the blade clasped before turning his eyes towards his waist where the sheath remained. The obi kept the blades right above the waist, or completely dead center. A Samurai was prepared to die at anytime, all it took was one quick draw to end the duel. Their hand needed to move as little as possible from start to finish.
His brother's sheath was just below his waist if not a bit lower. He had to move his hand a little too much on the way down to clasp the blade, and the draw was quick, but the stroke should be blinding-too fast to see or feel, the only indication of its movement being gleaming crimson.
The foe couldn't even feel the blade cut it was so fast. So quick.
Of course him being so dedicated with kenjutsu, he knew these very small and subtle things that made all the difference in life or death battles. Madara was amazing in kenjutsu, but it wasn't his forte he was more apt in ninjutsu. He'd just burn someone to a crisp instead of clashing blades, or he'd use his sickle and gunbai as a deadly combination, but that was a bit more ranged in terms of combat. He preferred to get up close and fight full force. Clash blades and smash fists.
"You have always been gifted when it comes to kenjutsu, even surpassing me." Madara's scowl and answer was more than enough to answer Izuna's question. He could clash blow for blow with Izuna, naturally, but Izuna's strokes were so much more fluid and precise than his own. He found himself pacing back at times when Izuna really caught his stride, he could also change his grip seamlessly. "You're very insistent about this and it has to do with more than just the aspects of Battojutsu and Iadio...You're not fooling me."
"It needs to be done." Izuna told him plainly, giving none of his true intentions away. Mikito already knew or had a good idea of what his intentions are, and Madara would figure it out, eventually. Until that time comes he could move without worry. "Just let me handle it like I said before..."
"..."
"Brother..." Izuna said in a soothing manner. His brother's glare was starting to get heated. "Don't think we're going to go out and get the uniforms made tonight."
"We have more important things to be doing!" Madara snapped, finally losing what tolerance he had this entire time.
"I know. I'm agreeing with you." Izuna gave him a blank look. "Now, let me get back to work. Why did you come here anyways?"
Madara took a moment to rein in his annoyance. Izuna always had an objective, always a purpose, he just didn't do things to do them. That's what he shared with their father, both of them were apt at acting and planning, but they kept it close to their chests as well. What Izuna and Mikito were doing wasn't bad, but he'd love to know Izuna's reasons for going through with this...What his objective was. He already knew why Mikito wanted to do it. Izuna was another topic altogether. "I came here to see how things were progressing, with the way things are we'll need to set out at a moment's notice."
"As long as Bijuu, Cyclops, or any other sort monsters aren't running around I'd say we're good." Izuna mused.
"You're too flippant, brother." Madara admonished. "I'd say those are the least of our worries..."
"So, how'd that go with the Uzumaki?"
"As well as it could I guess." Madara scowled. He was still a bit miffed over the whole thing, and getting a bit more miffed with Izuna's dodge. "Mikito did most of the talking...Guess her and Mito were childhood friends."
"I don't really care about the Uzumaki as long as they stay away." Izuna said with a light frown.
"I said the same thing." Madara shrugged, he was of the same mind. As long as the Uzumaki didn't interfere in their battles he couldn't care less about them...But, the minute they decided to get involved in any type of way, he'd tear through them. But...This just brought up another point he needed to take care of. "I'm going to speak with Mikito."
Izuna looked him over carefully for several seconds. He seemed very driven and focused about something. "Has she talked about the red bands she wears?"
"Not a word." This was just another thing he wanted an answer to...He never felt so blind.
"Brother, listen..." Izuna locked eyes with him. "If she doesn't want to talk about it...Don't push her..."
"She's my wife, Izuna." Madara scowled, almost sneering.
"So, you know not to push her. She may just twist your head off like a bottle cap."
"I'll worry about that."
Things were eerily quiet. She never complained about things being quiet, but with the most recent events-and the Wind damiyo's show of his military strength she was anticipating all out war to break out the moment everyone seen the display. There were no battles raging, she would have been able to sense to pricks and flares of the chakras all around her.
The Hyuga-Daiki made the declaration it wouldn't be more than thirty six hours before their was retaliation. It had long passed that time frame, and the Hyuga weren't taking any action as of yet but they would very soon. However, it wasn't Daiki that was her main concern-it was Sasuke and the Sarutobi, Daishiro and the Shimura, Hashirama and the Senju. Sasuke, known to be hot blooded and hot tempered, wasn't raising hell, and while she could feel his massive chakra in the distance it wasn't flaring which meant he wasn't in combat. Daishiro, who she had come to the conclusion masterminded this entire thing, was in the same boat. His chakra wasn't flaring, and while he was with the Wind damiyo's Imperial army he had yet to make a move.
Lastly was Hashirama and the Senju clan. She could feel Hashirama's abundant chakra, it was lucid and calm, much unlike when it was raging like a storm when he was in combat. Though, he did seem to prefer negotiations over conflict and tried by any and all means to avoid bloodshed, she wasn't convinced with his facade. It was always easy to bend and meld one to one's own whims. Hashirama used emotions while Daishiro used brute force. The Senju were her main concern overall, and she was keeping her focus right in the Desert country-if they made a move she'd be the first one there.
A heavy breath escaped her lips as she turned her eyes up ahead onto the stars. From her spot they looked so high up, no matter how hard she tried-no matter how hard anyone tried they'd never be able to touch those bright gems glistening in the darkness. From here, she, everyone in the world must have looked like mere grains of sand-insignificant. A part of her grew irate, she couldn't change the natural order of things, but feeling so worthless-watching those gems beaming down at her tauntingly knowing she'd never be able to reach them...It just made her want to send one of her wind spheres one after the next above until they collided.
But, it also brought her a small measure of relief. No matter how much things changed on this planet, the ideals of people, the clans, the very earth itself...The stars would always remain where they were. High above them. The sun would always rise and set, the moon would always rise and set, there would always be day and night. Yes, no matter how much things changed-there were always certainties, things that would never change.
I want to create a village... Mikito mulled the one thing that stood out to her in that letter. Hashirama...He wanted to change things. Overturn them. No longer would just be about the clan-clans, but a village. A place where all clans could come together and live in peace. A place where children wouldn't be sent off to battlefields-but he wanted missions given according to rank. Children, by all means would still be trained to kill, they may not be on battlefields but they'd still be out there. It was foolish to think they wouldn't become casualties, so long as they were out there they'd always be at risk. Give them a little rank, it wouldn't change a thing, only inflate their egos.
Either Hashirama was so incredibly shortsighted he couldn't see the contradictions and faults of this entire thing, or he just simply refused to see the contradictions and faults of it...It wasn't a bad thing, but nothing would truly change, it'd go from clans battling to these villages battling, and while it may not be so frequent, there would be war and children would still be killed...She wasn't naive enough to think children wouldn't be sent off out of 'necessity' or promoted to whatever rank this fool would come up with just so they'd be sent out to the battlefields.
Nothing truly changed. And, there was also the fact he'd try to cooperate with the damiyo-and that would only lead to the damiyo holding all of the power in reality, even if Hashirama became the leader of this village he'd be nothing but the damiyo's dog, and more importantly...Shinobi would still be dogs of the damiyo. She wanted to do away with the damiyos, the local lords that hired them for their services-without these pompous and greedy fools shinobi wouldn't fight any longer...Though, there was no damiyo in the west, so she didn't need to worry about that.
She jumped just a bit when she heard the door to her room slide open. She had been aware someone was coming, and judging from the powerful chakra it was her husband, but she was always prepared.
"Mikito we need to talk..." Madara's tone was even and solemn as he looked at her plainly. He kept his anxiousness at bay, tightly wrapped under his mental and emotional conditioning.
"About the Uzumaki?"
Madara remained silent, and slowly made his way over to her spot and took a seat a few inches away from her. The windows were wide open, no doubt her doing, and the cool breeze was wafting through unhindered. This had nothing to do with the Uzumaki, and even though he wanted to question her about her ties with them, Mito in particular, and he would, he had other questions that needed answers. "Not exactly."
"Well, if you want to have kids you'd better get busy. A woman's immune system can mistake sperm as germs. " Mikito gave him a blank look, and he returned it with a dry look of his own. "Okay...So it's not about having kids or the Uzumaki..." She looked him over, up and down, he didn't seem disheveled or worried. Then again Madara would never allow himself to be so overcome with worry that it'd show on his face and through his body language. "Then what is on your mind?"
Madara tensed just the slightest, bracing himself for a strike if she lashed out in a blind rage. "What are...Those...?" He pointed to the red bands on her arms and the one long one tied to her head. She never took those off, and they reeked of blood. He didn't have the nerve or guts to tell her to take them off, or that they stink and she should take them off. He got the feeling if he said something so out of line Mikito would twist his head a whole seven hundred and twenty degrees until it popped off.
Silence.
"Mikito..."
"What brought this up?" Mikito asked softly, but there was a firmness to her tone. She had told Izuna, but that was because...Well, Izuna had empathy and could understand he wasn't like Madara in those aspects. Also, Madara just never cared to ask or even take notice in the first place and if he said one wrong thing she would beat him into a sardine can and crush every single bone in his body.
"Is what wrong of me to ask..." Madara narrowed his visible eye.
"You never cared to ask before, why are you asking now?"
"If you asked me..." Madara trailed off, staring at her with a mysterious expression. "I would tell you..."
"I never pressed you, Madara." Mikito replied, searching his expression for...Something. "We all have our secrets that are kept close to our chests."
"But, we're married." Madara looked at her dryly. "Aren't we supposed to spill our guts to each other..."
"That's a pretty funny way of putting it..." Mikito tilted her head. A husband and wife didn't keep anything from each other, but that didn't mean they knew all there was to know about each other. People always had secrets, things they didn't want to tell anyone-not even their family. "Spill our guts to each other, huh...Why are you so curious about this now...Why press for this now?"
"We're husband and wife...I don't want any secrets between us."
"We all have secrets Madara, even you do." Mikito shook her head. "It's only natural, after all...We're only human."
"Well...I won't keep them from you anymore."
Mikito stared at him long and hard.
Madara grimaced. He had a feeling they were going to go back to the good old days when they couldn't have a simple conversation without being filled with tension. He honestly enjoyed what they had now, and while he did enjoy ruffling her feathers and their verbal spars and the sex, he did not want to go back to when they were at each other's necks and at war over every little thing. "You never take those off, even when you're sleeping, and every Domou here has at least two of them...Souji has the same amount as you...I've never seen or heard of such a thing."
"So, I'll spill my guts, and you do the same."
"Okay." Madara said firmly. "I'll spill my guts."
"It's a Domou tradition..." Mikito started, meeting his critical gaze for a moment before turning her eyes away from him. She wasn't sure why Madara wanted to do this now of all times. "When a comrade...close friend, loved one, someone very close to you dies alongside of you in combat...You soak a white cloth in their blood and wear it into battle in remembrance."
Madara rarely felt shock in his life, but he felt it in full effect now. It was almost like the Uchiha...Losing a loved one, experiencing something painful and traumatic-their Sharingan would activate itself, and whatever the scene was that made them awaken it would be forever burned into their memory. The Uchiha didn't soak a white cloth in their blood and wear it into battle in remembrance-they just didn't do that...It was bad enough it'd be forever sealed into their memories. The Domou did and it showed that the Domou were born and bred warriors since birth, just like the Uchiha...But, it also showed just how...Burdened they were. Just as the Uchiha carried the weight of death on their shoulders, the Domou carried the hopes...The dreams...The love...The hatred...Everything of these precious people in that soaked red cloth. "Do you care if I ask..."
"These four..." She gestured to the bands on her arms, staying silent for several long moments as she collected herself. She showed emotion, but never sadness...And every single time she thought of her parents. Her silly sister and stern brother it'd sting her heart and make her tear up and before she knew it she was sobbing in private. "Are in memory of my mother and father-Heisuke and Karei...Both of them were great warriors." She trailed off, pointing to the other two bands. "As well as my siblings...Akemi and Koto..Despite their age they were truly brave and extraordinary..."
Madara nodded, silently telling her to continue. Her voice was so soft and if he wasn't listening carefully he was certain it would have all went over his head. He could see she was struggling to remain composed, and she was shaking, so he didn't push. He knew better than anyone...Every single time he thought of his dead siblings...He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted to rage out and burn the world, burn everyone that took them away from him...Burn the world for not giving them another choice, a different route. If there was no war...No hatred...Then they'd still be here with him...Not rotting away, long gone.
He felt too many things and he couldn't shed tears, he didn't have the luxury. He couldn't show weakness, he was the leader of the Uchiha clan. A mountain of a man, he didn't waver and he didn't budge...
Perhaps...He shouldn't have asked in the first place...This was bringing back horrible memories for the both of them.
"And...This one." She pointed to her headband. "Is in memory of a brave and very powerful ally of mine he...Died on the last mission I was on before I became leader of my clan...Had he survived he'd be the leader of the Domou...And not me."
"Don't sell yourself so short..." Madara's tone softened just the slightest. "I admit I underestimated you, at first, but you're fearsome..." And that was being light about it. "Even the Uchiha admire your prowess in battle. Which isn't an easy feat."
"I can't compare to Gentatsu." Mikito chuckled softly despite her worsening mood and her eyes starting to water. "Gentatsu was...He was someone born once in a trillion generations, everything he did was...Amazing, his chakra was enormous-even more than mine, he excelled in everything...There was nothing he couldn't do if he applied himself." She truly loved him from the bottom of her heart, he helped her see that anything...Anything was possible as long as one put all of their effort, all of their self into it, there was nothing out of grasp. "He was so ahead of the times, and could see the world, the way it was...What needed to be changed...He was the only one..."
Madara stayed silent but began to shift restlessly.
"He was the only one that could have...That could have brought the Subatsu and Domou together...To join our hands together and..."
"Stop the bloodshed." Madara finished for her...It seemed him and Hashirama weren't the only ones who dreamed of such a world.
As naive as it had been.
Mikito barely nodded. "He was very good friends with Syrus-Syrus considered him and still does consider him his best friend..." She didn't look Madara in the eyes as she said this, though she hadn't looked in his eyes save for a few times during this whole thing anyways. She couldn't look him in the eye for this because it'd just cause more memories to surface she didn't want to entertain. "He wanted to create a shinobi village...A village founded by shinobi, created by shinobi, for shinobi...There would be no damiyos, no division, it'd be a place where one could get lost...Go to escape and just disappear. And...Eventually clan boundaries would dissipate and we'd all live in harmony side by side. Cry together, laugh together, sing together, eat together, and die together..."
Madara stayed silent. Gentatsu...He could understand why he had such a high place in Mikito's heart, he was truly extraordinary in every sense of the word even surpassing Hashirama in every single aspect. He could only remember hearing about Gentatsu, the unreal prowess the man possessed in battle-nobody could match him. His chakra was out of this world, but he was a...Different sort of man, he never reveled in chaos and mayhem. Never reveled in the foes he cut down and seeing their blood splatter. Even more extraordinary he wanted to create...A village, but it was much unlike his and Hashirama's...
It would be for shinobi, founded by shinobi. There wouldn't be a damiyo, and it would be...Worldwide. A place where all shinobi, any person could go. To escape. To disappear. It was a sanctuary...A safe haven...
"You say he was good friends with Syrus...?" Madara eyed her carefully.
"It was because of him that Syrus and I...We could finally..." Mikito sighed heavily. She wasn't used to having these heart to heart conversations except with Souji and Ahiko and that's because they were siblings. Madara being her husband should have made this easier, but it made it more difficult. "But...Before we could ever...He was killed in battle and I...I can't forgive Syrus and just the same Syrus can't forgive me...Even after all these years we still...Can't forgive each other...And, I don't think that will ever change."
Madara nodded slightly...He felt that he understood. Syrus and Mikito battled tooth and nail because...Because they both lost their best friend, their precious person. Gentatsu had such an impact on their lives, him being ripped away was just too much...They blamed each other for it and never sought to forgive the other instead battling to the death every chance they got and forcing their battles to always end in a stalemate.
He couldn't exactly relate because while him and Hashirama had been good friends-there wasn't someone that brought them together...It happened all on its own, by fate, destiny, or some freak coincidence. He wasn't sure if he could battle someone so bitterly if Hashirama had been killed-he was a Senju after all, and nothing would change that. The world wouldn't weep-he wouldn't weep if there was one less Senju.
"I lost my brothers..." Madara said softly, turning his eyes onto the stars above. He didn't want to get choked up, but it was incredibly difficult not to. These were his brothers they shared blood, they laughed and cried together. "There names were Hideki...Jin...And Tora. I'm the oldest of five and Izuna is the middle child. Hideki and Jin died the same day..." He gnarled his teeth, fists clenching until they turned white as the memory surfaced. All the rage he felt in that moment surfaced as well.
Mikito stayed silent, not meeting his gaze.
"He was only ten fucking years old. When I seen my brother just...lying there...I just...The only thing I remember is clenching a kunai and being drenched in blood my own and the Senju's...I couldn't stop screaming. I couldn't stop stabbing...All I could see was red...Izuna told me a few weeks later that I had stabbed the Senju in the throat so much that there was pieces of the man's windpipe covering me...And, I wiped out a portion of both the Senju's and Sarutobi's forces...There wasn't a spot on me that wasn't drenched in blood it was even on my teeth..."
He inhaled sharply. His rage was starting to get the better of him, but he couldn't help it. Thinking about the Senju who went on and on about love-love being their strength...Contradicting themselves as they killed just the same. Hiding behind their bullshit ideals...
This was also when he made it a point-a fucking priority to kill any Senju he came across, especially the adults. He enjoyed seeing them choke to death on their own blood.
"And...Tora..." He felt his rage flare up even more. Tora's death was the least violent, but it didn't change anything. He was still dead. He was ripped away from him far too early. "He died on his bed from poison..."
Mikito barely nodded, shoulders slouching forward.
"That's why...I...I can't..." Madara shook his head. Deep down he wished Hashirama and him could reach their dream, but...It'd never work...He didn't want to be around the Senju, he didn't want peace with them. He wanted them exterminated, every single one of them, and he wanted to do it with his own two hands. He wanted to snap their necks and burn them to a crisp. He wanted to see the fear and agony on their faces as he plunged his blade deep into them. "I don't care how many letters he sends...I don't care how many times he says it, he can say it until he's blue in the face...I don't want...I won't..."
Silence.
"I love Izuna..." Madara narrowed his eyes, focusing on a bright star. "He's my only brother still alive...I will do anything to make sure..."
Mikito couldn't smile, and she wouldn't in this situation, but hearing those words...Madara wasn't as bad as people made him out to be, and she knew that from first hand experience. But, it only affirmed her answer in that Madara was a kind man, devout, and loved Izuna dearly. He'd go to the ends of the earth, fight a million people, tango with all nine Bijuus, battle the Jubbi...Just to ensure Izuna was safe. He'd walk to hell and back and go back all over again. Yes, Madara wasn't the model husband, but he was the best husband she could ever have-scowling glory and all.
"We were never able to find Tora's necklace with the pendant..." Madara looked like he was somewhere else entirely.
Mikito's heart squeezed in on itself. For some reason she thought...It was Madara's, at one point he must have had a goofy grin on his face. But, the necklace given to her... Entrusted to her...It was Tora...It was Tora's. Tora entrusted it to her, and Tora loved her deeply. "The Uchiha's crest is a fan...It's a sign for all to know that the Uchiha are versed in fire jutsus...The Domou's crest is a grouping of mountains showing that we are immovable, and represents the most important things to us...The Subatsu's crest is a ripple with a wolf in the center, showing their long standing relationship with the wolves summonings and their likeness to wolves...But the Senju..."
It was almost too coincidental...The Senju's crest fit that clan perfectly...
"The Senju's crest means an indestructible and irresistible force." Mikito's brows creased together in a frown. "It represents the fact that any who try to oppose them will fall...And who do not want their influence will fall...It shows that since the beginning of time they've had their noses in everything...Trying to control and dictate everything and everyone..."
Madara nodded slightly. His crest, the Domou's, and the Subatsu's showed their reclusive natures. It only concerned them and just them, but the Senju's was down the board in a sense. They would control every single clan, and if a clan resisted they'd be met with crushing force and wiped off the map completely. They'd control and dictate. Truly, the Senju were a sickening clan. Going on and on about love, but they pushed for conflict all the same.
At least his clan was honest...Clans in general were dead honest. But, the Senju were the biggest liars out there. The silent oppressors. They were so full of shit it was coming out of their mouths.
"I have Tora's necklace..." Mikito said softly, meeting Madara's sharp eyed gaze. She would guess that if he wasn't as powerful as he was with chakra rippling through him, he might have just broken his neck turning towards her so quickly-at the very least get whiplash. She gently slid her hand down her kimono, revealing the sparkling red and white pendant. "He entrusted this to me and I rarely ever take it off...But...This is the last thing you have to remember Taro by, so I can't keep it any longer. It belongs to you."
"Keep it."
"Madara I can't..." Mikito shook her head. If this was the last thing she had to remember her siblings by...The last thing of her siblings... "I can't do that..."
"Tora...Entrusted this to you..." Madara said softly, eyeing the pendant before he traced his fingers over it. It was just like his own. He was tempted to take it, but he couldn't besmirch Tora's memory and wishes. He truly loved Mikito-even though he didn't know what love was back then. Tora would be her husband and not him...It belonged to Mikito as much as it belonged to him. "He was always going on about some sweet girl with the biggest eyes he'd ever seen, I guess that must have been you."
Mikito nodded. She didn't want to speak about Tora for several reasons but the biggest had to be she didn't want anything else surfacing in Madara or herself. They were both introverts and kept everything bottled up inside. Thinking about Tora brought even more pain to her heart, he was such a sweet boy, always smiling and grinning, he always made her laugh and smile. She didn't know what else to do or say. Her heart hurt.
Those fucking Senju..." Madara sounded like an animal ready to tear into its oppressor.
"Hashirama is a pessimistic and boisterous man that will eternally seek the good in people...An emotion within them to latch onto until they're ready to give in to his stride...Until they're ready to give in to his ideals..." Mikito mused out loud. "Tobirama is pragmatic, what he fears-what he can't control, he wants to control and if he can't he just wants to do away with it...Oppress and suppress it." Just like the crest of their clan, both brothers were opposites, but they were very similar in the fact they didn't stop or quit. They didn't know when to stop or quit, forcing all to give in to their ideals and step in their stride...Like they owned the whole fucking world.
And like Izuna said before...Eventually, there will be Uchiha who are swayed by Hashirama's words and give in to his stride, into his ideals. There were a few Uchiha being outclassed by the Senju, and she knew in time they'd bend their backs...When that happened they'd defect from the Uchiha or desert the Uchiha, more than likely join the Senju in the grand scheme of things and step with Hashirama's stride. Like a pack of sheep. It couldn't be avoided.
A part of her grew furious...For members of the Uchiha to even dare to defect and desert their clan...To betray Madara and Izuna who gave everything they had for the clan, who fought tooth and nail to ensure the Uchiha prospered even in the most dire of times...It was unforgivable! Where was their pride and honor for the Uchiha!? Where was their gratitude? Where was their love and dedication for the Uchiha?
Now she understood just what Izuna's true intentions were. That's why he was doing what he was doing now, once they all wore the same uniform...It was going to be a matter of time before the Uchiha had to follow her clan's ethics and code-the austere and ascetic. When those Uchiha started to defect and desert, siding with the Senju no doubt...Forgetting their pride and honor...Forgetting their love and dedication...They'd be held accountable and suffer the punishment. There would be no exceptions.
"Mikito I..." Madara met her gaze, losing the words he wanted to speak.
"I guess it is possible... Mikito met his gaze, smiling the best she could. "To spill our guts to each other." She was always dead honest, but revealing everything...That's just something she couldn't do-and she knew it was like that for everyone shinobi or not. There were always things that couldn't be said or spoken for any number of reasons...That's when one needed to feel. There needed to be emotional content! "Husband, I love you."
Madara turned towards Mikito, mouth just a bit open at her declaration.
"We have a little time." She looked him in the eyes, watching them shift from black to crimson. A sign that he was brewing with emotions since the Sharingan activated all on its own. "I'm yours, husband. Take me."
Madara smirked taking hold of her and laying her down. He was feeling a million miles beyond emotional, and this was a great way to vent. He needed a release. Mikito would be his rock.