"It's not brainwashing. It's all my own reasoning. What the hell would you know?!"
Kimimaro
Madara could feel his body quaking. H was drenched in sweat. His chest was rising and falling like he was in battle. His mane of hair was starting to soak with his sweat as well. There was a gentle breeze wafting through the room, and the sweat pooling on him caught it with vigor, but he was still heating up with every passing second.
He had been tense these last few weeks. Everything was moving in such a fast motion that he could barely keep up with it. The Yuki and Kori joined. The talks had been anything but pleasant during that meeting, but the end result is what mattered. Still, it didn't keep his body from being tense and rigid, even afterwards.
Mikito's secretive nature didn't help things either. He knew full well that they had secrets they kept from each other. There's things she didn't tell him. There's things he didn't tell her. It had always been okay. They could respect each other's secrets and privacy.
But, after this recent event—he wasn't so keen on maintaining that line of privacy. Naturally, he couldn't and didn't want to spill his guts out to her. She didn't want to spill her guts out to him. But, he wasn't opposed to the idea of it, like he had been before. If there were any secrets kept between them, that was fine, but if they could speak on them…
He would very much like that.
His body bucked, and the back of his head beat off of the wall behind him. A light grunt left his lips as the small throb of pain made itself known.
"Mikito..." His hands were digging into her hips.
Her only response was to continue her movements. She didn't feel the need to respond verbally, because feeling Madara throb and sweat was all the response she needed. There was always great joy running through her during times like this.
To make her husband buck and squirm, and grunt, and hiss, and lose his composure. To make him feel torn and unable to rein in his most basic desires.
She mewled. Madara's fingers were clutching her hip bone, and she felt it shift under his strong grasp. He was close, she could feel him nearing release. She wanted to draw it out for her sake. Madara would accelerate the whole thing just to get that release. But, there was no fun in that.
He wasn't a patient man, after all.
"Fuck..." Madara sunk his teeth into her neck, hissing. His forehead, pooling with sweat, nestled into Mikito's collarbone.
Mikito drew him out of her. Madara didn't want to cooperate. He pressed her down and tried to rein her back in so she could embrace him. But, she would have none of it. She placed her hands on his chest, and with a graceful movement, she drew his length out of her.
Madara growled, and this time, he banged the back of his head on the wall. His woman was tormenting him and taking satisfaction in it. He could feel the smile on her face and the teasing of her subtle movements, but this was too much.
He drew himself back in with vigor. Mikito let out a long cry. He was pressing against her with all of his might. Even as her insides contracted and squeezed against him, it did nothing to stop Madara's movement.
"You have no idea what you do to me, woman." Madara rasped out.
Mikito managed to gather her breath to respond. "Oh, I do. I know exactly what I do to you."
The statement made Madara go over the edge. He wrapped one strong arm around her buxom body and swung her down on the bed so he was on top. No longer was he going to tolerate her in his lap, pushing every single button he didn't know he had in the first place.
"I'm close." Madara bit out, teeth clenched as every muscle in his body contracted.
Mikito could feel his need and desire, and she did nothing to fight against it. She found pleasure in her husband's pleasure. It was no longer about what satisfied her, but what satisfied Madara. She could feel him contract and throb, every muscle on his body was pressing against her, and she could barely keep himself under control.
It only got worse when he wound one hand through her long hair, and yanked back, forcing her head back. It wasn't enough force to hurt her, but it was enough to jolt her. His free hand came to the small of her back, and with no hesitation he pressed until her back bent.
Satisfied with their position Madara vented until he released. Mikito writhed and mewled beneath him. It only served to make him more persistent. She could do nothing to escape his grasp, and he enjoyed that fact.
Both basked in silence as Mikito felt herself release, just a few seconds before Madara found his own release. His hand in her hair gripped harder, and her back was bent even more until she had a sharp arch to her spine. It was as if her body was trying to conform to Madara's.
Madara rolled from atop Mikito, and snatched the glass of water from the nearby counter top. He chugged it, sighing loudly when he was finished. He stood up, running a hand through his hair before he gathered it up, and tied a yellow band around it. Normally, he didn't put his hair up, but considering how sweaty he was, it seemed like the smart thing to do.
He looked at the now empty cup of water, wishing he had more. His focus shifted to Mikito. She moved a bit suddenly. She made no move to cover her naked body from his eyes, and sauntered over into an adjacent room. After about a full minute she came out, holding two cups of water in her hands, and had two more pressed under her armpit.
Madara took one without a moment's hesitation, but this time, he savored the cool liquid. It would have been easy to chug it down like the first cup, but he wanted to exercise a little more control this time around.
"Better?" Mikito asked, setting the rest of the cups down before taking one.
Madara looked at her for a long moment before answering. He felt completely relaxed, and truth be told he would have been content to lay atop or beside her and sleep. His body was more than a little relaxed at this point, and the haze of euphoria was still clouding him.
He was definitely feeling better than he had been. Mikito had noted he was like a knotted muscle, though whether that was about how tense he was before they rolled around, or during their time of rolling around, he couldn't guess. Mikito had a knack for making certain comments that left him confused.
"You want some more?"
Madara swallowed slowly, watching Mikito carefully. She was sitting on their bed, looking modest and inviting. Her cup of water was to her lips, and he knew she was smiling behind it. Her eyes were shining with vivacity, and he could feel energy returning.
Still, it'd be about a couple of minutes at least, before he'd be prime and ready to go.
"Don't test me, woman."
"Oh?"
"Keep your hands to yourself."
Mikito grinned, setting her cup down. She approached Madara methodically, never once taking her eyes off of him. She enjoyed a challenge. She enjoyed Madara challenging her like he just did. Don't test me meant test me, to her ears. She could make Madara bang his head off of the wall again, but she'd be patient.
Madara hissed when she brushed against him. His fingers nearly fumbled with the cup of water, and he would have cursed if he dropped it. Mikito was testing him and he was tempted to throw her on the bed and take her right here and now.
"Enjoying your water?"
Madara grunted, moving away from his naked wife to slip on some trousers.
"I would like to enjoy it."
"What does that mean?" Mikito advanced on him again.
Madara growled. It was a growl of annoyance. This woman was going to kill him. She was going to fucking kill him.
"It means you're making it hard for me to enjoy it."
"Oh?"
"Oh? Don't oh me. You know exactly what you are doing, woman."
Mikito looked him up and down. He had yet to pull the trousers up to his waist. No doubt he'd be doing it in about twenty seconds. She could mess with him a little more before that. After all, he was calling her woman, and he knew just how much she enjoyed being called that.
She reached forward. She grabbed his length.
Madara almost dropped his cup. Some water went down his windpipe. He sputtered and choked, barely able to set the cup down in an orderly manner. He thumped his chest with his fist, letting out a loud, ragged cough.
"Woman!"
Mikito moved her hand.
Madara gripped her wrist, looking her in the eye. His Sharingan flashed, a sign of the intense emotions he was feeling at this moment. Her only response was a coy, playful grin. But, he could see the hunger in her eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"Every time you call me woman, I will make you throb. Understand?"
"Woman-"
Mikito found a rhythm.
"Stop, damn it!"
"Don't call me woman, then. You know I don't like that, bossman."
"That again..."
"Problem?"
Madara bit his tongue, hard. He almost called her woman for that little remark, and no doubt she would have moved her hand again. This time, though, he knew he would have shot back and knocked over the counter and his cup of water.
"Mikito, get dressed."
"I don't wanna get dressed. You can't make me, either."
Madara was exasperated. "Stop playing these games and get yourself dressed, right now!"
Mikito huffed. "I want to play."
Madara wasn't amused. "Playtime is over. Izuna is going to be around any minute and I don't need him walking in on us ass naked."
"We could cover up?"
Madara scowled. "He isn't going to catch you straddling me or me on top of you, either."
Mikito conceded with his point. It would be a little detrimental if Izuna seen them naked together. She was certain Madara would blow his stack and start snapping. She would also scream and run for the nearest cover to cloth herself from view. They would laugh about it later on, well she would, Madara wouldn't laugh about it at all.
Her fun coming to an end, Mikito moved to the side and began to get herself dressed. It was too bad Madara wasn't partaking in her antics, but he had a single track mind. The second he got focused on something, that was it. Unfortunately, he was focused on speaking with Izuna about the most recent event.
Well, she wouldn't hold it against her husband. It was about time they got down to business anyways and got this clear. She wasn't sure what Izuna's reaction was going to be. He was more composed than Madara most of the time, but Izuna could have his moments, of course.
Madara finished putting on his blue kimono, letting it hang low instead of tucking it in. "I'll be in the front room with the others."
"I'll be there in a second."
Mikito put on a simple green yukata with no designs. She tied the thick yellow obi around her waist to keep it closed and tucked it in on her left. She ran a brush through her hair, then gathered it all together, and wrapped a red band around it.
Madara was sitting at the table with his cup of water. There was nobody else present, but soon there would be a lot of people gathered. She took the time to observe him, and noted the scowl on his face. She must have riled him up a little too much, but it was more than a little amusing for her.
He took note of her gaze and narrowed his eyes. "Don't you start."
"Must you spoil everything?"
"We broke this table once before. It can't support our weight. You know this."
"I forget."
"It must have been when your head whacked the floor." Madara commented.
Mikito was ready to make a retort, but hearing a low growl echo across the room she held her tongue. Madara looked a little flustered by the noise. She kept her smirk down, knowing it was his stomach making all of that noise. It seemed he worked up an appetite.
She wondered if he would ask her to make something to eat, or if she would have to take initiative and ask him herself. Madara wasn't shy about asking her to make him something to eat. He would often say he is hungry, and then she'd prepare a nice meal for the two of them. He never talked. He was too busy stuffing his face.
Madara looked to the side, his eyes narrowing for a second. "Izuna is close."
Mikito approached him, and set a hand on his chest. "Are you hungry, husband?"
Madara nodded.
"Izuna won't be here for another ten minutes, about."
Mikito went about preparing him a meal. She knew his favorite food to eat, and began to make the fried tofu pouches with careful attention. Madara sat at the table, waiting expectantly for the meal that would be done in a few minutes. Mikito made a quick batch of tea, and set out some sake, before going back to finishing the meal.
Madara sipped his tea, savoring the sweet taste. "Can we talk about something?"
Mikito paused for a brief second. "Sure. Why are you asking?"
"Is that wrong?"
"One of the things I love about you, is that you speak your mind."
Madara watched as Mikito served him the fried tofu pouches. They were just right, and he could hardly wait to scarf them down like he always did. However, he wanted to talk about something that had been nagging him, and his meal needed to cool down a little.
He plopped one in his mouth, chewing. He watched Mikito bite into a large, blue, fruit. She was trying to be modest. Some juices got on her cheek and she was trying to wipe it off as discreetly as possible.
"It's over ripe!" Mikito snapped.
Madara chuckled, amused. "You are unbelievable."
"Stop finding humor in this and go on." Mikito groused, setting the fruit down and wiping her face with a handkerchief.
"It's about the Shadow Lands."
"Ah."
Madara arched a brow at the answer and nothing more. "When did you plan on going there?"
Mikito thought about it, and could admit she hadn't been thinking about it. She had been there more than once growing up, like every Domou. There were creatures, beasts, and monstrosities lurking about in that land. They could swallow a human whole like a morsel, and some were so gigantic they could swallow a Bijuu.
It was no exaggeration. She had encountered and battled four in the next region. There were beasts in those lands that dwarfed The Bijuu. The Bijuu could blast their way out, and scratch and claw, and bite, and thrash, but it didn't change the fact they were a lot smaller.
Every Domou had to go through the Shadow Lands at least once. Souji had gone through the Shadow Lands at nine years old, and had stayed in there for weeks on end. She had stayed in there herself for months.
They were a different breed, though.
"Whenever you are ready."
Madara thought about it. "I think after this would be a good time. It may give me an opportunity to advance my Susano'o."
Mikito stiffened a little upon hearing that. There was no advancing. Of course, when one made it out of the Shadow Lands alive they were much stronger than they were before. It was a different kind of strength, it wasn't the strength a lot of people were chasing after. People were after a strength that was realized in combat. One on one. Against a foe.
This is not the strength one gained going through the Shadow Lands.
Madara could and would advance his Susano'o. Of that, she had no doubt. But, he would need a lot more than that to survive. There were going to be days and nights where he was starving, there would be days and nights that he was eating, and then he'd get swarmed by the beasts and monsters. A fresh kill threw them all into a frenzy.
The smell of blood drove them wild.
But, curiosity got the better of her, for a moment. The last time she seen Madara's Susano'o it had been enormous, and appeared to wear or have a veil, something veil-like, made out of chakra. She had been a little shocked, but once Madara allowed her access inside…
That had been very, very fun.
"How far is it?"
Madara thought about it. "Not sure."
Mikito tilted her head, confused.
"What is with that look?"
"Usually you are much more eloquent than that when it comes to explaining your jutsus and techniques. You were sort of vague, just now."
Madara shook his head. It seemed Mikito had certain expectations for him. The thought amused him. Perhaps she adjusted to how he was, and whenever he'd deviate from his bluntness, like he had just a few seconds ago, she could spot it.
"It is really hard to say. I know I am just past the advanced stages. The problem is that my Susano'o right now isn't stable. What I mean is, the chakra isn't stable or condensed. It's free flowing. If I can stabilize it, I may be able to advance it further."
"How much further?"
"One or two stages, at the most."
"Four more?"
Madara considered it, then shrugged. "Can't be sure. I won't know until I go through with it."
Mikito mulled it over, humming. She smiled. "We can head there when we are done with what we are about to do. Do you think he will take it well?"
"Better than how I-"
"Ugh! What's that smell!?"
The person they were talking about forced them both to jolt.
"It smells gross in here! Is that tofu!?"
Izuna stepped through the door and was immediately thrown into a funk. He knew the smell of tofu a mile away and it was awful. Madara was seated at the table, and he could tell his brother was struggling to keep the drool from coming out of his mouth. Izuna would never understand why Madara liked tofu, but he wasn't going to ask.
"Izuna, shut up." Madara grunted. "You know I like inarizushi."
"That's worse than regular tofu. Why do you eat that slop?" Izuna took a seat, grabbing the cup of tea Mikito offered him. "Thank you."
"Welcome." Mikito hummed, going back to cooking.
Izuna sipped the hot beverage gingerly, looking around for a moment. "Where are Souji and Ahiko?"
It may have been a stupid question on his part. He knew exactly where Souji was. He was getting cozy with Kori. He couldn't blame Souji. Kori was very beautiful, and she had a grace about her. He had no idea Souji liked older women. For the longest time, he figured Souji never wanted to get laid.
He wasn't sure where Ahiko could be. Logic told him she was at the medical ward doing what she did best. Still, it didn't hurt to ask. And, Madara looked a little annoyed, so asking a bunch of questions seemed like the right thing to do.
"Ahiko is holding court with the rest of the women. Souji is with Kori to recover. Per my sister's insistence." Mikito offered.
Izuna nodded, sipping his tea. He focused on Madara. "You must hate Mikito."
Madara frowned. "What are you going on about now?"
"Having her fry tofu, and you know she can't stand tofu."
"Shut up."
"Don't be a big baby."
"Brat."
Mikito flicked them both with water, not looking amused. Madara didn't look amused either, but she started to glare. She had broken up their brawl, once. Quite frankly, she didn't want to get between them again. They wouldn't be brawling in this house, nor in her kitchen.
"You two better not start fighting again, or I'm going to hit you with a pan."
Izuna nodded quickly. He found nothing more terrifying than Mikito swinging around a pot or pan. Even worse, a butcher knife. She'd probably give him and Madara both bumps on their skulls after laying into them with a pan. The off chance none of that was available, she may got to a rolling pin as her weapon of choice.
Madara only grunted, but had enough sense to keep his mouth shut and say nothing more. He knew Mikito would grab a pan and start laying into them. She was very particular about how things were in the house and especially in the kitchen. If they brought disorder into the kitchen, well, they'd be suffering severe consequences.
"So..." Izuna ventured after a few minutes of silence. "What did you need to talk to me about? Chie and Mimori said it was something important."
"They're not here yet." Madara said.
Izuna looked between him and Mikito before a smirk stretched across his face. "I get it."
Mikito set down the fried tofu pouches in front of Madara, fixing Izuna with a curious gaze. She had no idea what was going through his head at the moment. "Care to explain?"
"Madara has some more ladies."
"You are a fool." Madara snapped.
Mikito shook her head, wondering where Izuna got half of what came into his head, and why he had no filter to keep it to himself. She listened to Madara call Izuna an idiot, and Izuna make a few retorts, which Madara claimed made Izuna all that much more of an idiot.
She laid out some broiled fish, sticky rice, and pickled vegetables. She arranged it all to her liking before she took a seat at the table.
"I would have no problem sharing Madara, if the woman truly loved him and couldn't be without him."
"Why are you entertaining his foolishness?" Madara asked.
"How am I doing that?"
"By giving stupid responses." Madara replied.
Mikito drew her brows together. "A woman loves with all she has. It is not right that I deny her the man she loves. I'm just saying. I know it won't happen because you are incorrigible, but my point remains. I am not heartless."
"So..." Izuna looked at the two of them. "Women are coming?"
"No." Madara bit out, glaring at Izuna and then at Mikito. "They are not. Mikito is my only wife and I intend to keep it that way."
Izuna wasn't surprised the slightest by that answer. If Madara had more than one wife, he'd have nothing but a headache. There's no way he could divide his time between Mikito, and another woman, even if they lived in the same house. Madara was far too inept to endure such a circumstance.
That's not including satisfying their needs. Izuna could see Mikito and the second woman getting Madara to throw them on this kitchen table and take them both at the same time. Madara would likely grouse and snap about the table breaking and not being able to support their weight. Honestly, they'd drive him up a wall.
The thought was amusing.
Izuna took one of the broiled fish and gathered some vegetables onto his plate. He picked at the fish and mixed some of it with the vegetables while putting some of it off to the side. He always enjoyed Mikito's cooking.
"If this isn't about you trying to have a harem, then what is it about?" Izuna asked after a few minutes.
"I never had the goal of having a harem, you blabbering idiot. And, it's just better that you see for yourself."
"So...It's women?"
Madara shook his head, tempted to stab Izuna with his chopsticks. "No. It has nothing to do with women."
Izuna shrugged, looking at a loss. "I don't know then. I'm all out of guesses. Mikito, would you care if Madara had a harem and you were a part of it?"
"Izuna-"
"It depends." Mikito didn't mean to cut Madara off, but he was getting snappish.
"On?"
"If they love him and can't be away from him, I wouldn't care. I'll share. A woman heartbroken is something I don't like to think of, and I don't want to be the one to jab her in the heart. All women deserve a strong and loyal man. I know Madara could make me, and all of his wives happy and satisfy us."
"Get off the fucking harem subject, now." Madara almost snapped.
"I'm just saying you're a good man." Mikito said, about to state her defense, but a couple of chakras caught her attention.
"I'll be back. Our company has arrived."
Once Mikito was out of earshot, Madara glowered at Izuna. He was getting so pissed off that he could hit Izuna upside the head with a pot or pan. His technique wouldn't be as perfect as Mikito's when he swung, but he'd use nothing but brute force.
Izuna's head would be sailing for the next two billion yards.
"What's with that look?" Izuna asked, looking a little surprised.
"You're always saying something foolish. How many times have I told you to stop talking about that damn harem nonsense?"
Izuna waved his hands in front of himself. "I'm not the one who was pushing that idea, that was the council. Remember they were going to set you up with twenty women, at least?"
"And I snapped on them every single time they brought it up. And, what they were talking about is concubines, and a lot of them. It was sheer stupidity. There were a few women who just happened to need to get into my room late a night, on occasion."
"How is that different?"
Madara couldn't believe he was having this conversation. "Mikito would want me to marry the other women. They wouldn't be concubines, they'd be my wives. I am not going to deal with so much headaches. I told those old bags on the council to shut up, and now I am going to tell you...Shut your mouth."
Izuna snickered, but didn't say anything else. That was the closest he had heard Madara come to saying that he loved Mikito dearly and she was the only woman for him. His brother was never good with emotions, or intimacy, but this was a good step. Amusing as it was, Izuna could see that Madara wasn't totally inept.
He at least acknowledged his feeling for Mikito, and deep down in his heart, he loved her. In the past, he would have never acknowledged those feelings he had for the woman.
"Let this be the last time you ever speak of me having a harem, do I make myself clear?"
Izuna was a little put off by the sharp tone. "Why do you sound so upset?"
Madara shook his head, looking towards the front door. Mikito would be back any minute, and he'd get to see Izuna fall backwards and hit his head on the floor. "I don't want Mikito to get any ideas."
"Fine, fine." Izuna conceded. "I'll never speak of it again."
Madara would zip Izuna's lips shut, literally, if he said anything about it again. He would take his brother's word for it, this time.
"I made enough for everyone, so please dig in."
Madara shifted a fraction as his eyes fell on Tsubasa and Hotaka
But the chakra caught Izuna's attention. He staggered back in shock, almost falling out of his chair, but reflexes allowed him to land on his feet and step back. Madara found himself taking a deep breath, eyes narrowed, and teeth grit to the point of grinding.
"Impossible!" Izuna hissed. "It...It can't be…"
The first young man had a head of long, two-toned hair. It was the strangest thing Madara had ever seen. One side being brown and the other half being white. It was abundant and just wild. His eyebrows bore the same two tones. He had dark eyes. They had a hard edge to them.
The second young man had a head of long, spiky light brown hair and black eyes. Part of his eyes were secluded by his bangs. He wore a white kimono and black hakama. He kept his arms folded across his chest, and his eyes were hard as stone.
The third was a woman, well beyond the age of twenty four. She had long, white hair and bright eyes that were rimmed with blue.
Izuna found himself staggering towards them, eyes wide, his hands clenched as he got closer. He could see them. He could see them clear as day. They weren't...They weren't dead. She wasn't dead. Their chests rose and fell with every inhale and exhale.
A little girl, no older than eight came was gripping one of the young men by his hakama, and he rested his hand atop her head. She had bright green eyes, pumpkin-orange hair, and a brilliant smile.
Two young men followed them in and they had different features than the first four to enter.
Izuna felt himself shaking. A raging storm of emotions was threatening to overtake him. It was about to. He could feel them suffocating his face in the heat of anger. His lungs contracted until it felt like they were going to burst. His eyes burned, flaring crimson.
"Tsubasa...Hotaka...Masaru...Souta...Kotomi…." Izuna's hands shook. "How!? How are you all alive!? You're supposed to be dead!"
"Impossible!" Izuna screamed, slamming his fists on the table. "Impossible! Answer me!"
Hotaka winced at the volume of Izuna's voice. "It is a long story, Izuna."
"Then start talking!"
His outburst caused everyone to jolt. Out of surprise or apprehension, everyone was put on edge. Izuna flicked his eyes onto the little girl with them. Her pumpkin-orange hair. Her brilliant green eyes. Her baffled expression.
Senju—she was a Senju, but it was clear she wasn't full blooded. Her hair was a little too thick, a little too abundant, and a little too wild. He knew those features well—he had seen it in Domou women and men, it was clear what her lineage was.
"What do you want me to say, Izuna?" Hotaka was exasperated.
"You weren't this emotional before." Tsubasa commented.
"Shut up!"
"Izuna-" Tsubasa started, but was cut off.
"I said shut up! Kotomi...Is that little girl..."
She stared Izuna in the eye, not flinching. "She is my daughter."
"Her father is Domou..."
"Yes."
"Is that why you were exiled!?"
Kotomi drew her brows together, not oblivious to the pressure Izuna was exerting. "I was exiled because I refused to send my children into battle. My husband, back then, had never touched me for any purpose besides squeezing out children to put on war zones."
Izuna growled.
"It took me losing two sons for me to realize my severe mistakes. Butsuma needed to be stopped, but he had too much of a following. Many objected his ways, but few ever opposed them openly. By the time Seju began to oppose him, it was too late."
Izuna turned to Madara, and without even saying anything, he knew that Madara knew about this. Clearly, it couldn't have been for a long time, but nonetheless, Madara knew about this. He had seen these people in battle, they were at each other's throats—all of their kin believed them to be dead, for years.
The young Uchiha took note of how everyone took a seat at the table, as if nothing surreal was happening, and Izuna could barely contain himself. This was ridiculous. How could they act completely nonchalant!? This wasn't just another walk in the park. This was anything but that.
Madara ate one of his inarizushi, and Izuna was tempted to smash the whole plate of the nasty fried tofu right in his face. It wasn't appropriate or mature, but he was building up with emotion, he could feel it, and if he didn't find someway to vent…
He opened his mouth to speak, but found that no words would come out.
His cousins….
Hashirama's cousins…
"Where is Satoshi?" Izuna bit out.
"He is sending messages to the Chibana and Tachibana clan leaders." Hotaka replied calmly.
"It'll be better if you don't disturb him." Souta said, tone a little stoic.
"You don't give me orders, Senju!"
"I am Domou." Souta said, not flinching.
Madara looked Izuna in the eye, and gestured to the empty seat. "Sit down."
"You will not go near Satoshi. If you interfere, I'll shove my foot so far up your ass Izuna, you're going to wish you never had one." Mikito said, tone low.
Madara glared at Izuna. "Sit."
Izuna looked at the chair, and a scowl stretched across his face. He looked at the chair with mild disgust and anger. How long had these people been alive? How long had they been in this compound? How long had he been living with them, but never seen them? How had they evaded his Sharingan. How had they evaded for so long?
It made no sense. It was ludicrous. It was even more ridiculous that Kotomi had a daughter. A daughter with a Domou man. The woman that had been so proud to be Senju, and would never think of marrying outside of the clan—married a Domou, and had a child with a Domou. There had been something about her going against the status quo years ago, but…
Izuna tried to push the thought away, but seeing the little girl in front of him made that impossible. She was living proof that Kotomi had went against the status quo. She resisted sending her children into battle. She disputed the Senju's ways. And, it was proof that she had been exiled. The Senju branded her as a traitor.
The Sarrutobi had found her, and Souta and Masaru. They had been killed.
"Mister?"
Izuna felt some of his emotions slink away. The little girl's voice, so soft and innocent, brought him out of his stupor and train of thought. He focused, and deactivated his Sharingan. There was something in the way she looked at him, that brought an eerie calm over him.
His rage and disbelief began to slink away. How he had fallen prey to being weak with children and the young was beyond him. For all the horrible acts he had seen, he should have been snapping at the little girl before him, but instead…
He was swallowing his emotions.
She looked a little unsure, but Kotomi gave her a gentle nudge.
"My name is Maaya. Will you..."
Masaru rubbed her head gently. "There's no need to be afraid. Go on."
Maaya steeled herself the best she could. "Will you sit and eat with us, mister?"
"His name is Izuna." Souta offered.
"Mister Izuna." Maaya said.
For a single second, Izuna was mortified. Here he was about to be sitting in the same room with Senju, and a Senju half blood, eating food. It was sheer fucking madness, when he thought about it. But, the more rational side of himself nudged him with vigor—Uchiha would join Konoha eventually, it had been one of his fears before.
Still, to be sitting in the same room with these people…
"I think I'm going to pack it and head out." Izuna replied, about to stand up.
"I don't think there will be time for this in the future. Why don't you sit down and eat?" Madara ventured.
Izuna blinked, a little shocked.
"I don't care for sentimental bullshit, but I don't take things for granted." Madara reasoned.
Izuna slowly took a seat, and just observed everyone gathered. He flicked his eyes onto Mikito, and though she didn't turn away from him, he could see something shift in her eyes. It made perfect sense now. She had shown Madara them first, and now that his brother had seen them, he was next.
He really shouldn't have expected anything less. This was the way of the Domou, after all. As much as they were misanthropes, they'd always bring people into their fold. Whenever someone was in need, and they were near, they'd help. But, this generosity wasn't just for everyone and anyone.
They had saved his cousins. Hashirama's cousins. Kotomi. Despite being enemies, sworn to kill each other on the battlefield.
They were all Domou.
Under the banners of sincerity and valor.
Izuna took a deep breath, and began to eat a piece of fish.
"Forgive me for my outburst." Izuna offered an apology.
"No harm no foul. It is a surprise, after all." Tsubasa said with an easy smile, eating some sticky rice.
Kotomi didn't speak right away. She let the atmosphere in the room calm, and even then she didn't speak. She waited until everyone was eating and found a rhythm in that. There wasn't idle chatter, like there would normally be, but after a few moments she didn't feel bad about breaking the silence.
"Izuna-san, how did the interrogations go?"
He looked at the woman, and something inside of him lashed out. Years of indoctrination. Never trust a Senju. Trust no one other than Uchiha. He grabbed that feeling, and squashed it. They were all beyond such things now, after all.
"I realize that Daishiro is a patient man. A little too patient."
Madara arched a brow. "Meaning?"
"He had three prisoners and had them tied to a tree. They were getting soaked to the bone, but still refused to talk. He was just staring at them when I approached him. I killed two that refused to talk, and that compelled the third to spill."
Mikito narrowed her eyes. "That is how Daishiro is. But, his patience is not as infinite as you're thinking, Izuna. He is extremely short tempered. If you hadn't shown up, I am certain he would have started removing their finger nails one by one."
"And, if that didn't work?"
Mikito didn't looked amused. "He would have started peeling off their layers of skin. And I mean the first, second, and third."
Izuna wasn't the only one to grimace at that, but his was the most visible grimace out of everyone gathered. Mikito on the other hand, didn't grimace at all. She had been dealing with the Shimura for years, and was used to Daishiro's ways.
Masaru picked at his fish, brows drawing together. "Did that third man say anything worthwhile?"
Izuna mulled it over. There really wasn't anything noteworthy that came out of the man's mouth. He was speaking about the basics, more than anything. It was likely his comrades knew the same exact thing he had spoken, which meant it was significant enough that it was hidden.
They had a lot more people to go through. Eventually, they'd find someone that knew something privy that others didn't know. Who that person was, or people, Izuna couldn't guess. The Tea damiyo's generals and commanders would know something but, nothing that was privy to that extent.
"I guess so. There's settlements on the north, south, and west. They pay for the land and the natives of the land sell them slaves. It's a win win for them, you could say. The east is just jungle and marsh, and there's dangerous predators lurking about. Other then that, I can't say the man said anything that can be considered noteworthy."
"This could be a little more complicated." Souta mused, brows drawn together.
"True, but patience is required." Kotomi said, thoughtfully.
"Unfortunate." Izuna muttered. "I don't like being patient."
"Between you and Madara, I always pegged you as being more patient, Izuna." Mikito commented.
"Well, I have my moments. Though they are far and few between, unlike my brother."
Madara suppressed his growl, just barely. "Shut up."
Ahiko blew on the steaming cup of tea, hiding her smile behind it. She was surrounded by mothers. Uchiha. Shimura. Nohara. Terumi. Yuhi. Kurama. Namikaze. Chinoike. Senju. Haruno. There were civilian mothers huddled around her as well. It had been a while since she got to talk with just ladies, and she was enjoying herself.
There were no Yuki and Kori women or mothers present yet since they were still being registered. It would seem like it was something easy, but both clans had populations well over ten thousand, and all of those names had to be logged.
They were some meters away from the aviary. The Domou aviary wasn't an actual aviary.
In the sense that it wasn't a building built into the top of a tall tree with a spiral staircase. It didn't consist of multiple bird cages lining the walls where the birds could rest. It didn't a long brown, or any color table in the middle, nor was there a circular platform on the ground where people could sit while waiting for a message to arrive.
The aviary was a massive patch of land, tangled in trees that rose high above the clouds. Their leaves billowed in the high winds, were soaked by the rain, and offered shelter to the lower levels that stretched beneath the canopy. Birds nestled themselves into their resting spots of their choosing, or glided high above near the clouds, enjoying their freedom.
All of the wounded and injured had been treated, and the reports of those injuries had all been filed away and finished. There were still some minor injuries that had to be listed, but they were minor and nothing more, so those could wait. It called for a little break, so she decided to hold court with the rest of the women in the compound.
Akane was next to her, sipping on her own cup of tea gingerly. Ahiko remembered the first time she had met the woman and her two little bundles of life. Her sons had held up four fingers after counting them to show how old they were. Before that, they just stared up at her in awe and confusion.
Ahiko had nearly smothered the older woman in a hug and exclaim how pretty and beautiful she was, but Izuna had brought that to a halt before she could even do such a thing.
"How's the training coming along, ladies?" Ahiko ventured.
"Very well." Was the mutual response from those gathered.
"Intense."
"Progressing."
"I'm almost ready for the next stage."
"I awakened my Sharingan." Aya said with a hint of pride, focusing some chakra into her optical nerves.
"Fully mature, too." Aimi said from her perch, looking a little miffed. "I still have two tomoe."
Aya smirked briefly, sipping her tea. "Patience."
"Easy for you to say." Aimi muttered. "Your Sharingan is fully mature."
"I admit I never trained in kenjutsu, but I feel like I am progressing. I like how the Domou train. It is real." Hisayo said.
Ahiko nodded in understanding. While they did train in everything, to maintain balance, the Domou's main focus of attack was close range. They also trained to defeat their foe in one move. Taijutsu and kenjutsu were stressed heavily along with jujutsu and other grappling arts. They did learn shurikenjutsu, but many opted not to advanced further than necessary in favor of close range combat.
They also learned the more esoteric arts. Like Kyujutsu and Sojutsu. Ahiko and a few others were experts with the bow and arrow, and Ahiko was feared and renowned for her use of the spear. No other clans beside her own and the Subatsu focused on the bow and arrow and spear. She preferred the spear over the sword, but she was skilled in kenjutsu, even though she preferred to use a spear.
So, it was a matter of adjusting, which could be tough. No one had to stick with one thing, and just that, but as time progressed, people would favor one, or a few arts, over others. There was nothing wrong with that, because they'd always work in tandem.
But, since there were Uchiha among them shurikenjutsu would become prominent in their ranks, in the near future. She had watched the women train and practice the art for hours and hours. They were getting to the point where they could fire more and a dozen, and ricochet them off of each other to cover blind spots.
It was impressive.
"I prefer shurikenjutsu, but I enjoy the intensity of the kenjutsu and taijutsu. I also like how we learn to fight in groups." Subaki admitted.
"I most enjoy learning to heal. I can't say I am extremely skilled in anything that pertains to battle, strictly, though I am more than competent. I have to be a combat medic, if the time ever calls for it. I can't save anyone if I can't protect myself. But. When I learned healing, it just felt natural." Akane spoke up.
"You did pick up things quick." Ahiko agreed. "That is your gentle heart."
Akane smiled. "A healer heals everyone, enemy or foe. That is what you teach."
Ahiko nodded, smiling in approval.
"I like the jujutsu and kyujutsu." Matsuko added in.
"What's your favorite thing about it?" Chisato asked, curious. She didn't care for the bow and arrow, preferring the sword.
"Kyujutsu is the accuracy and focus. I can't just fire the arrow without a care, because it won't hit dead on. Jujutsu I like because it focuses on the limbs, especially the wrists. If someone is swinging a sword or bladed weapon at me, or even in armor, I can evade or counter."
"It is economical, in that sense." Chisato. admitted.
"What about you, Mihoko?"
The dark haired woman sipped her tea, thinking it over. "I like bojutsu. Maybe because I'm short, but the staff feels natural in my hands."
"I like the staff too, it has good reach." Kazuha said. "I can sort of create a perimeter around myself."
"You can do that with kenjutsu."
"Shurikenjutsu too."
"Bojutsu allows me to attack a foe while outside of their range. I can even take on foes with swords and other weapons, when I am proficient enough."
"Well, we are training in everything, at the moment. That might be your forte. I know I am going to focus on healing and taijutsu, if I can." Subaki commented.
"Not going to focus on kenjutsu?" Meisa asked, tilting her head.
"I learn pretty fast, but there is a lot to it. I think I can focus on taijutsu and healing, but I won't shove kenjutsu to the way side. I just don't think that is my forte."
"Speaking of which...Are you feeling better, Chiasa and Masa?" Ahiko ventured, looking at the women.
"Recovery is going smooth, we haven't done anything strenuous per your order." Chiasa replied.
"My husband and I can spend time together. I can't complain." Masa added.
"I am relieved to hear that. Your battle with Atsushi left a lot of damage done. I am glad your recovery is progressing ahead of schedule, Chiasa and Mada. How are you feeling, Subaki?"
"Much better. Thank you for helping me out that day. I really owe you one."
"I hope you've been taking it easy."
Subaki's eyes were lighting up with mischief. "No promises, Ahiko-dono. Minoru has been more mindful. But, when I see him training, I wish he'd look at me like that when he is in that zone. I want him to lift me like he lifts those trees."
"Feeling their strength is enthralling." Chiasa admitted.
"Your husband is a giant." Aimi commented.
"Yes, he is." Chiasa had a secretive smile.
Akane looked between the two of them. "What happened?"
"Subaki got a little carried away. It happens every now and again, to the best of us women." Ahiko offered a modest answer.
She was speaking from experience.
"It happens." Aimi added, crossing one leg over the other. "I know it happened to me a few times."
Akane blinked widely as it dawned on her. "Oh, you're talking about that. What are you doing that you're hurting after embracing?"
"My husband has a third leg." Aimi replied without any shame.
"How is that possible?' Kiyoko asked, nursing her own cup of tea. "Is that like having six fingers?"
"She doesn't mean it in that way." Kuriko said, a sly smile crossing her face.
"Then in what way?"
"She means her husband is very endowed." Kozue replied, not looking amused.
Kiyoko gasped, looking at Aimi with barely concealed shock. "Have you no shame?"
"You tell me, Kiyoko? I know you never let go of your husband's arm. Every time I see you with him you have his arm nestled."
"That is different."
"How so? I'm sure it feels natural for you."
Kiyoko pursed her lips, struggling not to blush. She should have expected Aimi to show little shame in this topic of conversation. She had been expecting Subaki to lead off in such a manner, but the woman was content on just smiling that secretive smile.
There was an unspoken thing within the Domou, when it came to women. They had a tendency of grabbing their husband's arm. Some of them would grasp the bicep and wrist. Others would put it between their cleavage, Sometimes, whenever they were walking along, someone would make a comment.
The Domou woman would smile, and would only tighten their hold. It was a sign that they were rolling around in the bedroom or forest in their spare time.
Kiyoko understood it well. She had rolled around a few times with her husband in the wet grass.
Mayu shook her head at Kiyoko's reaction. "No need to be so modest. We're all women here. All of us had to at least be checked up by Ahiko-dono once. She's used to it. That is why we adore her so much. She is the kindest soul."
Every women voiced their agreement.
Ahiko laughed waving her hand. "You're going to fluster me, ladies."
"So modest, too. Just know all of us women, and those who come in the future adore you more than you adore our children. We will never be able to repay you for helping our children." Akane said sincerely.
"Thank you for helping me that day." Manami said, smiling.
"It is my duty." Ahiko offered, smiling in kind. "Friend or foe. Man or women. Child or elder. I will help all."
"I was able to walk thanks to you. I've been taking it easy since then." Manami added slyly.
Ahiko blushed at the memories. That was true, and most of her cases in the medical ward, barring the recent battle, were women unable to help themselves. Of course, their husbands were as much to blame since they couldn't control themselves. She firmly believed that, because it took two, and as much as the women got carried away…
The men were no better.
But, then again she couldn't frown at their actions because she got out of control herself with Hiyori from time to time. She could remember the first time Hiyori had given her a hickey and she returned the favor. By the end they both had a big, black and blue mark on their necks.
Needless to say, their parents weren't the slightest bit happy. Hiyori's mom had blew her stack, and her father had blown his own stack and some more. It had been harmless, if she had to be honest. But, they did have the marks on their necks for three weeks.
"Yes, and I hope all of you learned your lesson." Ahiko replied, her tone going soft.
"Like you don't lose control with Hiyori, Ahiko-dono..." Ikuyo said, laughing.
"I know you are modest, but certainly you lose yourself in that moment like we do." Ikue added.
"I keep my antics within reason where I am still able to walk afterwards. Hiyori can carry me, but..."
Aya laughed at the response. "Maybe that is because you are straddling Hiyori? Why not let him take the top?"
"I let my husband take the top." Michiko spoke up.
"Me too. I like to switch around, though." Kaho admitted.
Ahiko blushed.
Kaho flashed a grin, sipping on her tea. "Just saying. But, I know why you choose to straddle."
"That's all I do." Subaki added, amused by the looks she was getting. "Excuse me for being on the wild side."
"Why not tell us all of the finer details, Subaki?" Mutsumi remarked, more than asked, shaking her head.
"I would, but Ahiko-dono wouldn't appreciate that."
"We don't need to exchange intimate details." Ahiko said, trying to sound firm.
"Ahiko-dono, you are a fine woman." A few of the woman present said.
Others nodded in agreement.
"I don't know about sharing bedtime stories. Hiyori and I rolled around a lot, but talking about that makes me feel..."
"Flustered?" Aya asked.
"Among other things, yes."
"What about you, Chizuru?" Mayumi prodded. "You have stories to tell, right?"
The brown haired girl looked up from her tea as all the attention fell on her. "Nothing interesting."
Suzuka wasn't buying it. "Your husband is nearly two feet taller than you. You have nothing to say about your crazy times?"
"Well, we play Go. We also spar. I have an advantage since I have the greater center of gavity, but he is extremely strong. Sometimes he throws me and I'm flying through the clouds."
"You like it when he grabs you like that." Toshiko said, smirking.
Chizuru blushed. "And, my husband is six foot and ten inches. I am five foot and three inches."
"You are only proving our point." Momoko commented, eye smiling.
"Anyways..." Chizuru trailed off, letting the focus drift off of her, and the topic at hand.
"What do you think of the Yuki and Kori joining us?" Mutsumi asked.
"I'd rather have them as my allies than my enemies. I hope we can see the women's faces. I know the men all wear masks, but I seen a few women that don't wear those. Do you know why they wear those masks in the first place?" Subaki kind of rambled.
"So no one outside of their clan ever seen their faces. That's the common belief, anyways." Ahiko replied.
"I heard that Satoshi sent out messages to the Chibana and Tachibana clans leaders. I wonder what that's about." Aimi mentioned.
"Could be an alliance. I know when my clan leader got a message from this place it was a warning about Kumogakure, and the world changing at large. We didn't really believe it at first, but then the damiyo tried to corner us, with Kumogakure playing the muscle." Miku supplied.
"What clan do you hail from?" Aya asked, curious.
Miku closed her eyes, then snapped them open. A violent glow began to surge from them. The irises red as blood, the whites of her eyes were also red as blood, the pupil black, and in the center of her eyes was one purple line—bold in appearance.
A few of the women gathered looked stunned and shocked, some even shifted back a few inches out of instinct alone.
"The Ketsuryūgan? You're Chinoike?" Aya looked a little shocked. She heard stories about them.
"You've heard about my clan?"
Aya nodded. "The Chinoike are said to possess a genjutsu that is on par with the Sharingan. In some cases, it can cast a genjutsu even more powerful than the Sharingan. Tajima was wary of the Chinoike."
Miku shut her eyes, and opened them once more. Her dojutsu was gone. "Indeed, I am Chinoike, but clan and bloodlines mean nothing in this compound. We all gather under the banners of sincerity and valor. I am Chinoike by blood, though, and nothing will change that."
"I just thought of something..." Chizuru trailed off. "What if Chinoike and Uchiha have children?"
"That is interesting to think about." Ahiko admitted.
"It is." Risako added in agreement.
"Or if Uchiha and Shimura have children?" Tamiko suggested.
"It could happen in the future. Part of us joining meant members of my kin had to marry others. While we didn't marry any Uchiha, in the future, it could happen. It is likely generations from now will be mixed, unlike us. Our descendants three generations from now will be mixed." Miku stated.
There was a moment of silence as the women thought it over.
"How would their eyes look?" Subaki asked. "Would one have the Sharingan and the other the Ketsuryūgan?"
"Only time will answer that." Momoko said.
"There's also what if the Senju here and the Uchiha here have children as well?" Ahiko ventured, feeling a little giddy at the thought.
In the future, everyone would be mixed. Unlike herself, and everyone now, they wouldn't just be one thing. While clans and things of that nature didn't matter within the compound, that didn't mean that by blood—birth, they were born as Domou, Uchiha, etc. But, the children of the future would be different.
They would be mixed with Shimura, Yuki, and Uchiha. Senju, Terumi, and Domou. Namikaze, Haruno, and Uchiha. The list of possibilities went on. Eventually they would have to forget all of the clan names and just go on as people, and nothing more.
She would be long dead by this time, but she wondered if that is how things would do. Would her descendants take pride in her, and their ancestors alive at this moment. Will they hold onto those old ways, and not wish to abandon the clan name itself?
As blood, they would be born of mixed descent. They would be born Uchiha, Domou, and so forth. But, they would be under the banners of sincerity and valor.
"I don't know." Aimi thought about it. "There's so many possibilities now that I think about it. If I give birth, my sons and daughters will be mixed with Domou. Their children could be mixed with Yuki and Namikaze."
Ahiko looked up at the sky, noting the falcon gliding high above them. She made a clicking noise and pulled out some meat for the messenger. It swooped down upon hearing her make the sound, and landed on a branch just away from her.
She took note of the scroll tied to its leg. She gave it the meat, first, before she gently untied the rope from its limb and took the scroll.
The falcon cried out, taking to the sky with its meal before perching itself down.
Ahiko examined the scroll carefully, taking note of the Subatsu's symbol being stamped on it. She narrowed her eyes, and slowly began to unfurl it.
Ahiko or Souji.
Ahiko recognized the handwriting. She had seen Haji's narrow and swiftly written handwriting before. It wasn't exactly neat, but it wasn't a bunch of scratches and smears. Thankfully. If it had been Usagi there would have been ten scrolls on that falcon's leg because she wrote so big.
If she wrote small, it was chicken scratch.
It has been decided. We have gotten word that operation dominoes has begun, and we will make our move. We will not delay.
Ahiko controlled her strength. Instead of jerking, she only tensed her fingers on the scroll. Her brows drew together, and she could feel her heart thundering away in her throat. This was more than just a message, this was a confirmation.
Finally, after so long...It was about to happen.
We have the Mo and Hagoromo clans present with us. They will be a part of this, of course. Usagi will marry shin as it was decided before when we spoke. My brother had no objections to it and didn't raise a finger to fight against this. We decided that the marriage between Shin and Usagi should happen right away, to seal our union, and I am sure you are in agreement.
Below this are details of a meeting we had pertaining to our course of attack against the foreign lands and nations, the Water damiyo and all of those clans, and the two shinobi villages that are present at this moment—Konohagakure and Kumogakure.
Mikito is different than Syrus, so she will suggest we spilt into four or five groups. This isn't an option. We will discuss this further when the time comes, but splitting into two groups is economical.
Ahiko could barely keep herself stable enough to keep on reading the scroll's contents. There was a long discussion about the course of action. Syrus wanted two groups, and a lot of people were in agreement with him. Some others wanted three groups to attack instead of two, accounting for Kumo's and Konoha's unknown power.
There were arrangements for the marriage as well as Syrus's reasoning behind his strategy. There were a few other things mentioned that were minor. She really couldn't fault Syrus's reasoning for wanting only two groups to attack, but Mikito would likely suggest four if she didn't lash out in fury after discovering this.
She read the scroll three times over, and found herself unable to calm down the slightest. Apparently it was to the extent where her company could see it, and a few of the women were looking her way with tilted heads.
"Is everything okay, Ahiko-dono?" Akane asked, a little unsure.
"Yes. I just need to speak with my sister and brother, immediately."
"We understand."
"You are a pillar to them."
Ahiko nodded, thankful that Akane and the other women gathered wouldn't hold this against her. She would have waited to show any other message, but this wasn't one of the messages, and it wasn't one of those times where she could do that.
We know the Shimura have extensive knowledge of the outside lands and nations and are the only clan to possess such knowledge that is reliable. We have no prisoners like you do to interrogate, so we don't have much to go off. When we enter our union, information will be exchanged. There will only be one marriage, for now.
Haji Subatsu
Ahiko sprinted for her sister's chakra signature, uncaring of the rain that was falling down in sheets and the mud at her feet. It was going to start caking onto her tabi. It was going to suck her zori right off of her feet.
She pressed on.
She really couldn't move fast enough, even teleportation wouldn't be fast enough.