The Adversity of the Warring States

When she was young, Mirai had been trained in equestrian and could tame wild horses to a certain degree when she began training to become a medic-nin in Uzushiogakure. This was no different for her. Even for someone of her caliber, who was used to traveling in palanquins, she preferred traveling on horse.

Placing her foot in the stirrup, she hoisted her body up to the saddle and gained control of her body weight by pulling on the reins. She could see the disappointment etched on Rei-sama's features as she stood by Elder Michiko and Hatori.

Despite Rei-sama's insistence that she travel in a palanquin or on the same horse as Madara for safety reasons, she refused. Earlier, she was introduced to the towering giant that she now rode. A tall female black horse with dark eyes who had lost her foal in the previous season and became rogue. The horse would only let Madara reign her in, yet with Mirai, she had instantaneously taken to her.

A few nights ago, it was decided that she would move to the battlefield with Madara to build the morale of the Uchiha and collude with the Uchiha medics due to their scarceness. The battle had already begun on the Senju lands, with the ambush of Izuna's battalion midway before he could even step into the Senju lands, brutally injuring him in the process. If any clan had been blessed with Tobirama's sensory prowess, it was a given.

News traveled fast through summons sent by a class of messenger birds. Madara's famous falcon circled behind them at a higher altitude, keeping watch of predators ahead and behind them.

Although Madara was supposed to lead the second battalion and should have been in tow after Izuna's large group of shinobi, Hikaru was placed in charge instead. The logic was to prevent an ambush on Madara and Mirai and have Hikaru act as a sheath to Madara's entourage.

Madara's entourage comprised eight shinobi in a double-line formation on their horses.

Madara was at the front on the left side of the entourage with Mirai's horse trailing behind him, followed by two other shinobi behind them. To their right was a similar formation of four shinobi on their horses.

The surrounding wind was crisp and chilled as the night sky approached them. So far, it had been four days of relentless ground travel, with a mixture of riding on their horses and walking. Yet, due to their nightly breaks, it would take them an extra day to get to the Senju grounds. The shinobi had become increasingly impatient with the news of the ambush on Izuna, so there were fewer breaks, and the pace had picked up significantly.

Mirai focused on Madara's form ahead of her. He was dressed in his signature red armor with dark underrobes. His gunbai lazily hung to the side of his horse. She could see his long hair tied in a high ponytail, blowing against the wind and occasionally exposing the nape of his neck.

Mirai wore a white haori and blue hakama with a lightweight black chest and shoulder plates. Although the armor drew unnecessary attention to her, it was so that she could be spotted easily amongst the Uchiha. She carried a kodachi tied closely to the sash around her waist. As for any long-range combat, she had to rely on the shinobi around her.

Madara's horse halted as he raised two fingers into the air, signaling for everyone to pull over for the evening. The previous four days had been similar: endless traveling through the day, visiting a bathhouse if one was available on the way for necessary needs, and resting at night in the wilderness.

Madara and two shinobi scoured the area. The other two had been assigned to night watch duty as the remaining two worked on setting up camp. Mirai felt useless.

She patiently watched them as they lit the fire and placed seating mats around.

The trees surrounding her had lost all their color and leaves. Just bare branches stood in her vision, reminding her of the staunch circumstances. She was headed to a battlefield where she would again face the Senju.

Or maybe not.

Her battle abilities were not well-honed or exceptional compared to those of the entourage shinobi around her. Although she had exceptional chakra reserves, she had never practically used them for anything but healing.

Over the previous two weeks, she had barely seen a glimpse of Madara – and for that, she was thankful because she had intended to stay out of his periphery. In their previous interaction in his study, much to her displeasure, he had treated her to a pleasurable experience single-handedly. At that moment, she had seen white as her mind had lost itself to his sultry ministrations. Yet, when she had gained her senses, she had realized that he had shown her how much power he held over her, and that too with only his fingers. It had set her on fire because she knew what he was trying to do.

His stoic behavior afterward indicated that he could control his needs willfully while she could not. She was still trying to figure out a way to navigate around him.

Instead, she had spent most of her time with Rei-sama, who had concocted a small training regimen to enhance her stamina and allow her to learn the basics of wielding her chakra and aiming it at targets.

However, there was little success because they could not figure out her chakra nature. Unlike the Uchiha's fiery chakra nature and the Sharingan's doujutsu, Mirai did not resemble such elements. Instead, she was given materials and scrolls to study chakra control. Being a pure-bred Uzumaki meant she had numerous abilities besides healing that she had yet to learn.

The two weeks had given her ample time to practice healing techniques and learn signs for summoning techniques. She had read amply about summoning jutsu, but she neither had a contract nor a pact with any such animal or supernatural being, so for the time being, she had decided she would not be able to summon.

She could feel the winter chill creep up on her shoulders as she rubbed her cool hands together for warmth, but it did little to help.

"The path is clear from this end. We should take shelter for the night and continue in the early morning. Based on Izuna's lot, the Senju are alert and will have most likely guarded most exits for the forest. Hikaru will signal earlier tomorrow so that we know which route to follow." Madara relayed as he disembarked from his horse.

All the shinobi acknowledged him.

Mirai was handed a bag of dried persimmons and a small wooden canteen of water for nourishment, which she took gratefully. Most of the larger food rations and her belongings had been sent with Hikaru's large group of shinobi, so they had to make do with the leftovers.

The sky was blanketed with stars and a full moon quite early due to the winter season. Mirai could see that everyone had busied themselves with their tasks and practices, such as sharpening their kunai or adding content to their scrolls. She fidgeted with her sleeves before finally deciding to get up. She intended to practice what she had learned in her training so far but remain within sight of the camp.

Tending to his horse, Madara could see her move from the corner of his eyes.

Although they had not verbally interacted in two weeks, Madara and Mirai had an unusual number of quiet interactions during the journey. It felt strange to her that he was tasked with her responsibility and protection when she felt most unsafe in his presence. During their night stays, they rested at tea houses, where he stayed close to her and provided her with the necessary rations.

Remaining at a safe distance, Mirai removed her shoulder plates and the rest of her armor. Standing between the decently spaced pine trees, she sharply inhaled and closed her eyes. Imagining the chakra flow in her body centered her. Concentrating on her fingers and hands, she drew a minimum amount of chakra.

After some time, flashes of mellow blue light engulfed her hands, contrary to the green when she would use her healing abilities. The chakra flow seemed inconsistent and would keep zapping her hands as if it were flickering and not stabilized.

Sighing, she released the chakra and tried it several times without much success. She would feel the chakra flickering, and her hands would tremble and numb each time, knowing that her hands were not immune to wars and battles. 'She was an heiress who was now a matriarch. How could she even think of mirroring shinobi?' she thought.

In her attempts to practice, she had lost track of time. She barely noticed that Madara had approached her in the opening.

His gaze observed her stance and what she had been attempting for some time. Needless to say, he noticed the flaw in her technique.

Seeing him approach her, she felt the warmth in her legs travel down to her feet—the feeling where she had wanted to half-walk or jog away, yet she froze. He took slow strides toward her, stopping a meter from her. She could feel him observing her sharply before she heard him criticize her approach.

"Those hand seals will not work with your ninjutsu," he said under his breath as he removed his leather gloves.

She was so dumbfounded by his interest in her jutsu abilities that she suddenly felt the urge to clarify what she had been doing. That was when her defense mechanism kicked in just in time.

"I-I was trying to draw in chakra with my hands, nothing I have not done before, I don't require any assistance" she iterated. This was the first complete sentence she had ever said to him, which was not following a reply to his harassment.

Madara always had an intimidating aura surrounding him, making speaking to and approaching him hard. Usually, she had felt fierce, but now, she felt simultaneously exposed in the middle of the forest. She knew that if something were to approach her here, Madara would have been her first point of safety, which was ironic because he had been the main assailant since she had married him.

She saw him circle her as he stopped midway behind her and stepped closer. She could feel his breath on her from behind. Her body screamed for her to act by turning around. She could feel a familiar fear engulf her mind with the thought that he was going to do something to her against her will.

What came next startled her.

Madara's warm hands encompassed the back of her cold hands, drawing her hands up and gently placing her fingers together in a tatsu position, most known as the dragon seal.

His gentle touch caused fear in her. She had been practicing the wrong hand seal all along.

"Breathe in deeply and imagine your chakra points igniting consecutively, beginning from the center of your body leading to your hands," he patiently instructed.

She could barely contain her paranoia. He had just spoken to her in a manner that she had never heard. It was void of any bitter intent that sought to egg her on for his entertainment.

It took a bit to register what he had said, and instead of reacting, she was finally willing to listen.

Following his instructions, she took a breath in and located her center. Feeling energy bursting at the seams, she concentrated on her chakra points on her shoulder, her elbows, and finally, her hands. Within an instant, her hands began to draw in a mass of chakra, which came out in stable blue waves.

Madara still held his convictions towards her; nothing may have changed in the previous few weeks. He had deliberately played with her body and mind to teach her a lesson, but he also knew she was undertrained for an experience in warfare with the Senju. His Oba-sama had wished for her to train herself, but she did not have adequate guidance in the matter whatsoever. He knew she held mass chakra potential and helping her hone her skills would be useful to the Uchiha and to him in the future. However, he had no intention of exposing his animosity toward her in front of his men.

He intended to tone down his hostility towards her and keep his private affairs separate from his clan's war. But also, his Oba-sama's conversation resonated in his mind.

It was right before they had left the stronghold, and she had specially called for him. She wished him well for the war and brought up the topic of his mother, which was unconventional even for her. She requested that they put their conflicts aside and that he protect Mirai just as his father protected his mother. His mother, the woman who silently accepted her role in the hierarchy and birthed him and his siblings without complaint. It softened him slightly to think of her horrid fate. Turning to his grandmother, he had briefly nodded in agreeance.

Madara observed Mirai from behind and her fascination with the little jutsu trick. He tried to consolidate the discord between what he understood her to be and what she behaved to be. Sternly turning his head away, he released his soft grip on her hands.

Mirai looked at her glowing hands in fascination. This was the first time she had acquired an ability since she had learned about medic ninjutsu years ago. Although, that required a different type of ninjutsu seal.

Suddenly becoming conscious of the situation, Mirai felt Madara loosen his hold on her hands and watched his form turn and walk toward the camp.

'Had he just helped her out of his own volition, and she had allowed it?!' She worriedly thought.

She watched him walk to the makeshift base. She could no longer concentrate on the purpose of her training after her interaction with him. She had so many questions in mind. His actions confused her.

She picked up her armor plates and began to assemble them onto herself, which was no easy feat.

The sky had darkened considerably as she returned to the glowing firepit in the distance. She could see four shinobi sitting around the fire, trying to warm their hands and converse with each other. The horses had been securely tied to the stronger branches of nearby trees. She could see two alert shinobi scanning the area consistently on opposite treetops. Madara sat by a tree, sharpening his sickle towards the end of his gunbai. She made herself comfortable in front of the fire.

Usually, the shinobi would not be in front of the matriarch so informally. But this was war and the only type of arrangement they could afford by strategy. Fur hides had been laid out by the fire for everyone to lay on. Hers was laid out near a tree and beside Madara. She rested her back against the cold bark of the tree as the warm embers from the fire reached her, making her form glow orange.

Senju Estates

Tobirama, through his various chakra sensory channels, had ambushed Izuna Uchiha. Initially, the ambush was meant to take down Madara's battalion.

All civilians harbored in the Senju estates had been evacuated to the neighboring allied villages. Hashirama had called upon the help of the neighboring Shimura and Hyuuga clans, who had agreed to fight alongside the Senju.

They had converted the Senju estates into a battleground headquarters within a matter of two days.

Despite Mito's insistence on staying, Hashirama sent her to the Shimura village with their twins.

Hashirama sat in his study, devising a battle tactic for his battalion, when Tobirama walked in.

"Anija, the Uchiha were unsuccessful in crossing into the estates. We were able to cap them at the beginning of the forest," he informed his older brother. Hashirama looked up from the countless maps.

"A feat I could only expect from you, Tobi… we are set to travel down the lands and begin our assault. I am beginning to think that the Uchiha had never wanted peace to have started this war with us. But we are in the wrong regardless because our elders concocted a plan to dispose of his matriarch and then him. I can understand his anger. I had hoped there was a solution to all this rather than fighting and killing each other; forgive me for being weak."

"Anija, you are not weak. You carry the Senju's burden on your shoulders. Had it not been for you, this clan may have perished. We were able to recruit the Shimura and Hyuuga clans as our allies, which was not easy, but they did it because they trusted your leadership." Tobirama countered in support of his brother.

It was true that Tobirama still felt bitter about what had happened in the recent month, but this was war, and he could not allow himself to be careless and let his clan suffer losses based on his selfish desires. He would ensure the survival of his clan.

Earlier, he had laid a devastating blow on Izuna in an ambush, which was the first step toward victory.

Hashirama stood up from his desk and walked over to Tobirama, patting him on the shoulder, "We will make it right again," he said determinedly.

'if only,' Tobirama grimaced.

In the Forest Bordering Senju Estates

The night had been uneventful as usual, and Madara's entourage was supposed to reach the Estates the next morning. Two Uchiha shinobi had been tasked with keeping watch over the night.

Mirai rested her back against the large tree behind her, feeling the warmth from the fiery embers on her cheeks as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

Late at night, Madara had made his way to the tree where animal hide had been laid for him to sit. He could see her lips quivering in the cold wind, her facial extremities, and her hands tinged red.

'He could not afford for her to defect at the front lines and embarrass him,' he thought.

Reaching out for a small woven blanket near him, he draped it across her huddled form.

He leaned against the large tree base as he thought about Izuna and the Ambush. Skilled were the Senju who could inflict such damage before the war had even begun. At some point, he felt himself drifting through slumber, but not long after, he felt the weight of her head lean on his right shoulder. He suspiciously eyed the girl beside him. Her dark, silky tresses had been tied in a tight bun, and her back had leaned against the massive tree trunk behind them. He could smell a bit of perfumed musk from her hair.

He had decided to let her be.

Feeling the cold morning draft pour in, she peered one eye open to look around her. It was still dark outside, and the sun had barely begun to peak through the horizon. Shifting her posture, she felt herself lean further into the warmth, enjoying the feeling.

Realizing the intrusive warmth in such cold, she jerked both eyes open in disbelief.

His coal eyes greeted her. She had been pressed against Madara's side, and her head had been resting on his shoulder for quite some time now, and he had not moved according to his own will.

She immediately tore her form away from his side, becoming extremely conscious of herself, and wrapped the blanket closer.

'Wait a minute… 'she paused and looked down. 'Blanket? A blanket?!' The last she remembered was that she did not have one. She suddenly stood from her seated position and shook the small blanket off despite freezing.

He observed her face changing into different emotions in a matter of a few moments.

"Keep it," she heard him say silently before he got up and put out the fire coals in the center.

By now, the shinobi had begun to wake up and organize their belongings. They would finally enter Senju territory and join Hikaru's group.

Mirai walked to a nearby stream and washed her face with cold water. As she returned to the base, the shinobi began to mount their horses. She hesitantly folded the small blanket that Madara had given her and placed it on her saddle before mounting her horse.

Their entourage followed Madara's lead until midday, when they finally saw a large encampment at the edge of the forest and went off into the open ground. Mirai could see innumerable tents perched on the ground in lines. A large population of shinobi and kunoichi was scattered around the area. It was almost like a small village operating without any clear village connection.

They had quickened their pace towards the encampment, and the shinobi around them acknowledged that their leader had finally arrived. Hikaru stood in the distance, watching them approach. He had spotted Madara's falcon some time ago.

Hikaru greeted them as Madara got off his horse and followed Hikaru's lead. A nearby shinobi took charge and guided Mirai to where she would be housed for the rest of her time there.

Hikaru led Madara through various paths, crossing hundreds of tents in the process before approaching a large tent.

"How is he?"

"The wounds run deep, but he's keeping a light mood on things," Hikaru explained.

Upon entering, Madara could see Izuna's bedridden form with bandages running from his shoulder to his torso.

"Nee-san…what a pleasant surprise," Izuna joked.

Madara shot him a serious stare.

"Alright… I should have been careful, but I took one for the Uchiha. Had it been you, I would not have been able to forgive myself," he retaliated jovially.

"Who did this?" Madara questioned. He could see that his bandages had already bled through, and flesh wounds surrounded his arms and hands from trying to use his fire jutsu in dire circumstances.

"Well… there is only one shinobi in that army with such stellar sensory skills that he could have tracked my hidden chakra- " Izuna shrugged.

"Tobirama Senju." Hikaru interceded.

"He must have a death wish…" Madara mused to himself.

"I can rest easy now that you are here. The Senju have grouped with other clans. Our intel tells us that the Shimura and Hyuuga have joined them in battle." Izuna explained.

"The earliest we get to them, the better. The Senju began this, and we shall end it." Madara grimaced.

"Is the heiress with you?" Izuna asked.

"Hn." Madara responded.

"I cannot fight at my full potential… mind sending her here?" Izuna requested quirkily.

Madara nodded briefly as he got up to leave for his tent, which was not so far from Izuna's.

In the middle of the encampment, Mirai was helped to where she would stay. She could see a black tent propped by the edge of the forest among other grey tents. The shinobi who had led her to the entrance briefly bowed his head and left her.

The tent seemed smaller from the outside, but on the inside, it was grand. Mirai took off her moccasins and stepped onto the large, dark, plush rug that covered the entirety of the tent. A few glass fire lamps were lit in the corners to lift the darkness. In the back, a large futon had been placed with a blanket neatly tucked into the sides. On the front end of the tent, she could see a few mats around a large kotatsu table with maps and an ink cartridge with various brushes. She could see a small medic pouch on the table's edge.

On the opposite side of the table, she could see a shelf of books, two large trunks that she assumed were her belongings, and a small wash basin perched on a marble stand by the tent's entrance.

It was a neat space for the most part, but she was unaware of the toils of war on the front lines. The tent seemed to provide a comfortable living, but she knew this was further from the truth.

Mirai heard rustling in the front of the tent, causing her to turn and face in Madara's direction.

That was right; she no longer had the stronghold to escape interactions with him. They were now residents of this tent until this war ended. She nervously looked at him, waiting for him to clarify his intentions.

"Izuna has been injured gravely in the ambush. You will fulfill your purpose as a medic in this war."

"W-wait.. you want me to heal him?" she asked in disbelief.

She knew the Uchiha medics were already settled in the encampment, but he had asked her to do the task.

"There is no validity of your medic skills. Consider this your first assignment," he said as he unclipped the shoulder plates of his armor.

Taking that as a signal, she briskly took the medic pouch from the edge of the kotatsu and rushed out of the tent.

Outside, Hikaru patiently waited for the Mirai to join him. Seeing her come out in a huff, he walked ahead, leading her to Izuna's tent.

Mirai entered Izuna's lair and noticed it was dark. She could smell fresh pine mixed with a heavy stench of blood. Slowly approaching the back, she saw Izuna lying on his futon. His usually well-kept appearance was in disarray. His long dark mane, usually in a low ponytail, was free of restraints, and his skin was pale.

"Izuna-san," she bowed her head in recognition.

Izuna waved his hand, dismissing her formality. "You do not need to be so formal with me… at least not on the battlefield when we're in such circumstances. You may call me Izuna if you wish."

"Hai," she responded quietly.

She slowly bent to his side to observe his wounds. She was well aware that she was inspecting his bare upper body, causing her cheeks to redden slightly. The biggest one she had to worry about was the deep gash running from his chest to his shoulder. She could see that he had been treated with a healing salve and bandaged already, but the blood had begun to leak through his bandages.

"How pleasant of you to join us on the battlefield." He told her half-jokingly.

Mirai wanted to refrain from commenting that his brother had towed her along with him to face the Senju.

"Would it be fair to the Clan if their matriarch was not there to support them?" she responded strategically, keeping her serious front up.

"You seem to have taken your role quite seriously," he chuckled, "but let us drop this act and speak on honest terms."

"I do not understand what you mean," she countered, shifting her posture to support her back better as she tightened her hold on the medic pouch.

Izuna's dark eyes looked deep into her eyes, "My brother forced you into this war as a punishment. This war was to set a precedent that no clan is exempt from the wrath of the Uchiha if their matriarch is attacked. So, you are the main reason…no?"

Mirai looked away from Izuna, almost afraid he would rob her of her secrets. She placed her medic pouch on the futon and organized her tools in order, but she could still feel Izuna's stare.

Her dainty hands went for the bandages, but she looked into his eyes before she could. Izuna nodded in her direction wearily. He could feel the relief of her cool hands on his burning flesh. Mirai slowly undid his bandages to reveal a large gash. His flesh wound was so deep that she could make out the angle of a few of his ribs.

She trailed her fingers over the steam burns on Izuna's upper arms—wounds caused by high-temperature steam, or, in short, the collision of a water and fire jutsu.

"Just give me a bit. I need to gather a few supplies before I treat your wounds." She said to him before rushing outside the tent to find Hikaru.

A moment later, a tub of boiling water, towels, certain leaves, and small tree barks were delivered to the tent.

Mirai tucked her hakama underneath her as she sat opposite him on his futon and began cleaning his wounds with the towels and hot water. Izuna had indeed lost a lot of blood from his wound. He watched her in close proximity as she tried to focus on his wound.

His eyes traveled down to her head, noticing how her hair had been tightly knotted behind her head and how her sharp eyebrows fell right atop her midnight eyes. From the moment he had laid his eyes on her at the welcoming visit of her engagement at the Uchiha stronghold, he knew his brother had scored well. He also knew she had her way of rebelling against his brother.

As Mirai cleaned out his wound, she could feel his stare burning into her.

"Izuna… If you do not mind sharing, how did all this happen?" he heard her call his name without honorifics this time, drawing his attention. To him, this sounded pleasant.

"One of our shinobi overstepped Tobirama Senju's sensory threads. Before we could make an offense, he attacked with his water style, colliding with my fire, causing the release of steam."

Izuna genuinely explained the circumstances to her, but he noticed that she clutched the towel harder as he called out Tobirama's name.

"What is your relationship to Tobirama Senju?" She had not expected him to be this direct, and her eyes widened a fraction at his request.

"Mirai-san, as you can see, he has caused quite a commotion." He could see her hesitate, but some resolve washed over her features, and she began to answer him in honesty,

"We were childhood acquaintances."

"Acquaintances?"

"Friends."

"Friends?"

"Yes." She responded pensively.

He restrained himself from questioning her further about him. He had received the answer loud and clear. There was a matter of contention there, but he would get to the bottom of it at some point.

Mirai had cleaned out his wounds and used her healing chakra on him.

"I have sealed your wound with my chakra. However, it isn't a magic solution. While I was able to seal your wounds and stop the bleeding, your muscles will still feel the strain. It could take you three to four days before it resolves. As for your steam burns, I have treated them as well, but like your chest wound, you will still feel the sensations for some time. I am leaving some herbal tea leaves; make sure to brew the tea and take it for symptoms of pain," she instructed. To which he gave her a nod.

Mirai packed her supplies and began walking towards the tent's entrance, but not before turning towards him again.

"We are now even… you have my gratitude for saving me on the night of the reception." And with that, she exited his tent.

Izuna stared piercingly at the empty space where she once was.

She was indeed fierce.