The warring states was a period where turbulent times molded those born to it. It was an era where legends were made, and those that couldn't defend themselves disappeared with history. The Fusae Clan had been a more prominent name throughout the fire country during these times, and out of this clan an heiress was born unlike any they'd ever had.

Chiaki Fusae would end up being that heiress, and despite all of the upbringings and overwhelming demands of her elders of how they wished for her to be, she had dreams she couldn't quite part with. Far off dreams she kept close to heart where she was moreover useful to the clan she would one day be tasked to maintain and protect!

Chiaki was a witty, lively and sassy woman. She went from pup to adolescent faster than the seasons came and went, it seemed. She sprouted into a fiercely loyal, more able-bodied members of her clan. Not that any strangers needed the knowledge, anyway! Not when concealing one's surname had been Shinobi law long before Chiaki was even a thought to be had. Not when she wasn't that experienced a fighter to be prowling around for trouble, anyway!

Especially not during the unfortunate and frightening times of being stumbled upon by enemy shinobi, and they thought they'd scored the jackpot discovering a solo and disarmed lady. Chiaki was absolutely not a very threatening looking individual by any means, but she could certainly do damage when it mattered!

In current times, however, the only functionality Chiaki seemed to serve was the dutifulness of ensuring the many grueling tasks given to her were always executed as they should be.

Of course there were those times that the idea of chores, and keeping up the 'model daughter' act was exhausting and made Chiaki visibly grimace against her better judgements, but those instances were few and far between!

Thankfully, the river Chiaki's petite frame was bent down near was desolate and provided her with a way to be cool as she scrubbed at the last article of clothing against her provided washboard. It was near midday and the scorching sun had her thick, black curls threatening to frizz with the Fusae making a mental note to bring a hair tie next time. The exposed skin of hers that was usually a delicate cream had a faint pinkness to it from being out too long, and her arms were starting to tingle from having heaved drenched clothes for hours.

The respite she was thinking about having Chiaki thought she had definitely earned..

Well, she thought she was going to have under the assumption she'd been alone at the water's edge.

After having deposited the remainder of her laundry in the basket she'd hauled with her, Chiaki weaved a few hands signs and a patch of grass sprouted from between the rocks along the riverbed. The grass grew tall enough for the Fusae to stomp it down into a soft cushion for her to take a seat near the water's edge where she closed her eyes and tried to enjoy the trickling of the lazy river. Chiaki allowed herself to relax briefly with the stresses of her everyday life washing away with the water's current.

The crystalline backdrop of the sky, and the few cirrus clouds that peppered it, was stunning and was nature's subtle way of making up for the harsh burn the sun had 'gifted' the Fusae. The gentle, cool breeze that moved along the bank was a welcomed aid that reduced the sharp stinging Chiaki was experiencing throughout the various parts of her body she foolishly left exposed during her rush to the river that morning. Exhaling a heavy sigh, Chiaki reminded herself to just.. dress more appropriately and wear her kasa the next time she was instructed to do the wash.

Nevertheless- the mood she had was just right, and the tranquil woman had only barely begun to hum to herself when she heard the faint 'snap' of twigs being crunched beneath the feet of on-comers. Chiaki swiveled her head in the direction she heard the rustling and placed a hand atop the surface of the grass she was sitting on. The water her chakra produced infused with the flora of the grass she was touching, and a vine sprouted forth as the result where she gripped the end secure enough to almost cut into her flesh. The surface of the it was riddled with thorns and ready for combat as the Fusae swiftly stood and readied herself for an impending attack.

Chiaki was focused. She was so fixated on the source of the commotion with the unpleasant idea in mind that she was about to possibly harm someone that when two younger girls burst forth from the brush, she had to take a double take before she could deal any damaging blows to them. Thankfully for the pair of ladies, Chiaki knew them. Unfortunately for them… well, Chiaki was familiar with them; with her being their eldest sister. That was why the moment she recognized them as Hirose and Azai, she wasted no time in jumping right down their throats to chastise them.

"You better have a good reason for being out here, you have no idea how close you were to being added to our body count!"

Chiaki hissed, the makeshift weapon of hers dissipating until it was the grass it started out being, slipping through her fingers like sand to find homes on the rocks once more. The abruptness of the encounter wound up startling all parties, and the littlest one ended up being upset the most over it.

"Mom sent for you-"

Hirose (the second eldest at twelve), was quick to defend herself and Azai (the youngest at six) against their sister's valid irritation over them being out this far.

"And, honestly, do you really think mother would dare let us leave without this?"

Hirose bantered back, although it came out a tad dry as the middle child brought a kunai out of the band of her yukata just enough for Chiaki to catch a reflection of the tip in the sunlight.

Chiaki scoffed as she promptly moved over to console a weeping Azai, and the hug she gave along with the numerous kisses peppered to Azai's crown seemed to suffice for the time being.

"Sorry imouto-chan, I'll make it up to you later; for now we need to go back, kay?"

Chiaki tried her hand to rectify the situation without coddling her sister too much. As much as it hurt her heart to do it to Azai, they didn't live in times that encouraged kindness and she thought she was only preparing her for the unfortunate reality of her future.

It appeared to work, though, and Chiaki was able to hear the faint submission of Azai stating she'd be 'A big girl' on the way back. This small victory allowed Chiaki to retrieve the basket of laundry before turning to address Hirose for a final time.

"Consider yourself lucky that mom sent you… and that I love you."

Chiaki teased, snickering at her sister's expense and earning a round of laughter and playful jesting from everyone as she safely escorted the three of them back to the village.

Back home, Chiaki wasn't granted the time to ask anything, let alone be allowed the time to properly change into one of the more formal Kimonos shoved her way she'd washed earlier that morning. After the basket she'd been holding was snatched by the hired-help (Keiko) and set aside for someone else to finish, Chiaki was pried away from her sisters. They looked just as perplexed as she was as Keiko ushered her along to hastily get dressed, and she had to give her sisters a stern look to keep them from making a fuss.

"I'll find you later!"

She called back to the other two that were being herded in the opposite direction of her. The chimes of their responses were faintly audible as the maid guided her further away to the room around the back of the house that overlooked the garden. This was Chiaki's room, and where she was told to strip and get ready for the guests they were expecting at any moment!

The announcement of guests was fresh news to the panicking Fusae, and the housemaid must've been paying close enough attention since the reaction didn't go unnoticed by her. She was quick to navigate Chiaki through her anxiety as she moved over to assist in making sure her kimono was properly in place.

"You must not have been informed, no need for alarm-!"

Keiko assured her heiress, stepping back to assess her handiwork with a brimming smile as an indication of a satisfied result. With little time left to spare, the maid turned around and shuffled over to where a water basin was on the edge of Chiaki's desk. She figured someone had brought it in sometime during the morning, and she didn't protest when Keiko gave her a quick wash to take away the grime of the work she'd done that day.

"Well, if there's nothing to worry about; why am I getting ready?"

Chiaki inquired, her tone confused as her coffee-hued eyes searched Keiko's own browns for answers. While Chiaki's interest was beyond piqued, she was also thankful for the brief time indoors and away from the watchful eye of others. Being safe from the sun gave her chakra an easier time mending the damage done to her skin, and the extra time to collect herself probably saved her from embarrassing the clan further on... probably.

After a moments healing, Chiaki was the same milky shade she was before she rolled out of bed that morning, and the sleeves of her Kimono were less scratchy against her arms. Keiko had just gotten done pinning Chiaki's curls back when she took a pause to admire the navy blue and gray colors that accentuated and complimented the young Fusae's features nicely before responding.

"Your father has written some letters requesting to solidify some alliances for us."

Keiko's register was soft as she relayed the information. Chiaki was… uneasy. Both of the women were uneasy, although it was Keiko's responsibility to be strong for them both and ensure that the heiress was composed before she was sent out to this meeting.

"Chin up, remember you're a Fusae! Just think of this as normal clan affairs, and you'll be fine!"

Keiko was firm, and Chiaki did as she was told since she knew it was important for her to carry herself in a way that didn't bring her family great shame later on that evening.

"Yes, Kei-Chan, I understand my part-"

Chiaki acknowledged the housemaid's words of advice, although the remainder of her statement fell on deaf ears as she was whisked down another hall to where her parents patiently stalled for her so they could finally get the nights events rolling.

It was around seven or so when the last clan arrived at the village, and Chiaki had been the only Fusae child allowed in attendance not that she went around flaunting it! with her sisters being taken to a separate section of the compound so they could be overseen by the housemaids until supper.

The pit stationed in the middle of the four families was alight with a roaring flame that illuminated the faces of everyone present. For a brisk moment, the air held a tension that was thick like tar, and Chiaki wondered if this gathering had been a good idea on her father's part.

And she faintly pondered if she'd been the only child in attendance given the lack of others there.. but the secondary adolescent tucked in at the side of the Uchiha's leader suggested otherwise!

"Good evening, I am Fusae Higa; thank you all for being here!"

Her father greeted after a quick clearing of his throat. The crickets broke the restlessness of the crowd, and Higa knew moving forward was best for all parties involved.

"I'm not going to waste time rambling, so I'll go ahead and address the letters I'm sure each of you have glossed over-" Higa was direct knowing the other clan head's deliberately carved time out of their own tumultuous and demanding lives to be here.

All heads there were on Chiaki's father, well almost everyone was giving her father undivided attention. She was anxious and could feel the coil in her gut wound so taut that Chiaki started feeling dizzy (although she played it off well!).

From across the way, her chocolate orbs met with the onyx ones that were staring her down as if the boy were trying to see right through her. The way he was observing her was like a Hawk monitoring its prey before the ambush made Chiaki.. uncomfortable. She ended up having to pry her gaze from his so that she could redirect her attention more on what her father was saying, but the Fusae still felt those eyes keeping watch over the subtle movements she made.

"Admittedly, we've called you here in the hopes we could seek your aid in defense. The Hagoromo clan has.. unfortunately dwindled our numbers, and it's becoming difficult to keep our women and children protected-"

Higa was upfront, even though his pride was hurting. Chiaki and her mother (Orio) could tell by the grimace and the way he kept having to clear his throat that Higa was struggling with the guilt of not being strong enough to protect his own people. Too many of them were simply being killed before the Fusae had the opportunities to reproduce.

Inevitability, the problem had became too much; and here they were. In a meeting with clans that were just as weary as the Fusae were over the arrangements being made. Chiaki's heart broke for her father when she noticed him swallow thickly while he seemed to perspire, and then she scanned the crowd once more to see that Higa had everyone anticipating what was coming next. Her eyes met again with the unnerving ones of the boy that stood beside the Uchiha's leader. The one that never faltered his attention from her throughout the duration of her father's speech. Only this time Chiaki didn't submit to his gaze.

"We can offer safe passage through our parts of the forest, supply our medical ninjutsu to your clans and come to fight should you absolutely need it!"

Higa extended his olive branch to the three clans present, and after a few murmurings and chatter amongst the clans the offer was accepted unanimously. Much to Higa's relief and steadily dropping blood pressure!

After another round of negotiations, the terms had been finalized. The Nara would gift the Fusae deer that would watch over them from the shadows, and if there any disturbances; the Nara would be there! The Aburame offered up a selection of bugs bred for the intended purposes of giving them to the Fusae. They had been granted permission to study their ecosystem and spent a few weeks raising hybrids that would thrive in the conditions of the Fusae territory. Likewise, if their bugs detected anything, they were there for backup as well!

The Uchiha, however, being closest to their camp and the heaviest hitters present offered their undying loyalty as their means of protection and solidifying their alliance to the Fusae. On the outside it didn't seem like much of a trade off, but anyone that knew better knew how much of a big deal it was that Uchiha Tajima was even offering his family up into a vulnerable position to begin with. Higa wasn't a daft man, and he knew when to take his win.

That was why Higa allowed all the talks of the newfound pact to eventually die out, and when everyone started mingling together to get better acquainted he motioned for the housemaids to start bringing out that night's supper along with the liquor only the adults could partake in.

It didn't take long after the meeting was over for Chiaki's sisters to locate her, either. She had slunk over towards the back of the compound where her favored cherry tree was. It was less cluttered underneath the Druid and the Fusae felt like she could momentarily breathe a little easier. Chiaki was in the midst of attempting to hush her rushing thoughts with some fresh air when she was glomped from behind.

"Aneki-chan! Tell me what happened, you gotta tell me!"

Azai was oozing with excitement, and Chiaki was just trying to hold it together after being overwhelmed for hours.

"I'll tell you what happened with me n' 'rose! We got to play with another little boy!"

Azai cooed, oblivious that half of her gushing was going in one ear and out Chiaki's other… that was until she doubled back to the word 'boy'.

Boy? What boy? The only 'boy' I saw was the one that… I can't seem to locate now…

Chiaki thought, combing through her mind to see if she could recall a secondary male, and she kept drawing a blank. Maybe he had a brother that, also, had been too young to be involved?

Either way, she allowed her imouto to continue her playful ministrations against her as Hirose came into view and greeted her as well. She was much calmer than Azai, and filled her in a lot better than the zestful child did. That was how Chiaki was able to confirm that there were two Uchiha heirs as well, and the timing of everything seemed uncanny when the younger of the those boys had seen where Chiaki's sisters went and followed them to their spot.

"Hi, I'm Uchiha Izuna, pleased to meet your acquaintance! Since we're now in an alliance I thought I'd run my face by you as well!"

Izuna was lively as he spoke as he came into view to courteously greet all three girls, although he was primarily making a move to engage with and gauge the sister his newfound friends were speaking so fondly of. Chiaki didn't feel immediately off-put by him. In fact, the little squirt was charming.. to a degree. Definitely more approachable than his brother in Chiaki's opinion, anyway.

"The pleasure's mine, thank you for being.. considerate."

Chiaki responded to him kindly, although she wasn't quite certain where the boy was trying to go with the conversation. Her siblings seemed to be quite smitten with him by the way the came across shy, but giddy all the same and Chiaki was coming to the conclusion that he'd come over to ask if he could continue playing with them? Izuna wasn't outright saying it was what he wanted, but the way his eyes flickered between all three ladies told Chiaki all she needed to know.

"Look, you've gotta wear your face better than that if you're going to be a shinobi"

Chiaki teased, leaning down to whisper this into the Uchiha's ear and making him flush a faint pink over being called out. It was, also, around this time that the other Uchiha finally meandered over after being dismissed from his father's side. He was swift to pick up on the giggling from the younger two girls, and he pondered why his brother's face was painted red although he made no moves to ask why.

"Yo, Izuna, what are you doing? Surely not bothering anyone and causing trouble?"

The older of the two inquired, although he didn't quite turn to directly ask his brother the question. His attention was still heavily fixated on Chiaki, and after having been under his scope for hours the eldest Fusae was becoming quite tired of being the object of his focal point.

"What, no Nii-chan! I was just being polite and-"

Izuna tried to protest. His face fell, and his shoulder's slumped a bit over his brother's assumption; but his brother wasn't having it.

"Good, you better not be being a brat while I'm not around."

The older one was a little cold in being dismissive, knowing if Izuna did anything that could embarrass their father he'd have to be the one to take the lashing.

The exchange was brisk, and Chiaki was able to make out the name of the older one (Madara, if she heard correctly!) when he ended up letting Izuna to go enjoy the company of his newfound friends while he still technically could get away with enjoying the simple pleasures of being a kid. If only for the night.

"Was that necessary?"

Chiaki chided the moment their siblings were out of earshot. She knew it was improper to get hot-headed with a stranger, let alone an invited guest, but with the way Madara had already been grating on her nerves had Chiaki's irritation seeping out just a little.

"Was what necessary?"

Madara's pits narrowed with dissatisfaction over Chiaki's nagging tone. He had originally come over to try and be cordial, but the moment the Fusae woman decided to pop off on him any ounce of friendliness dissipated. Women typically didn't scold him, and the friction it caused had the interaction turning sour rather quickly.

Chiaki clicked her tongue to suppress the real nasty comments she wanted to make, and instead she made a real bitter face when Madara spat another snide comment about 'needing to mind her own business' as he deliberately glossed over what it was she was trying to put in him check over.

"Don't play with me-"

Chiaki hissed, dropping her 'modest' act fully as her features completely lit up with unyielding irritation. The ruffled Fusae wasn't ashamed, and she didn't even know what possessed her to be so forthcoming with this obnoxious boy, anyway! Nevertheless, Chiaki wasn't backing down and Madara was entertained by the fiery attitude that Chiaki had.. even though he was beginning to find her annoying.

It was a different kind of annoyance. It wasn't one he had towards the other women in his life that he didn't really hold in high regards. It was a foreign confusion over being met on his level with a vexation unlike anything he'd seen exuding from someone as young as him! The baffling conflict over any concrete feelings for the Fusae heiress didn't mix well with Madara's usual impassive nature, and instead of finding any resolutions to how he felt he chose to simply label Chiaki as difficult for eliciting such perplexing feelings from him to begin with.

Thankfully, the encounter was cut short after roughly thirty minutes of flippant conversation exchanged between the two, and his father ended up calling over his sons so that they could say their goodbyes before anything other snarky comments could be made.

It was hard being excited for her sisters once everyone cleared out and it was just them in Chiaki's room. Hirose and Azai were so chuffed with Izuna, and Chiaki was to a certain extent as well. It was that other one, that Madara that had Chiaki's cheeks hot with traces of indignation peeking through her features.

Hirose and Azai didn't seem to notice (or care), and eventually ended up tuckering themselves out a little over an hour later. Chiaki inevitably returned them to their own beds after a long pause to unwind and she'd felt she'd done enough brooding for one night. She nestled in with the thoughts that she probably wouldn't be seeing Madara anytime soon, not knowing how funny the universe sometimes liked to be.

Madara, likewise, had been busy mulling over his own distaste for Chiaki; oddly enough. While Izuna had had no problems establishing connections, and his Otōto had also taken a liking to the other Fusae girls… Madara couldn't quite say he felt the same about them. They were just girls to him, something he didn't think too often about and probably wouldn't for the foreseeable future.

He was still just fifteen, after all!

Chiaki, however, had been a splinter under his skin since they left. Everything about her annoyed him, and every time Izuna opened his mouth to talk about them Madara's exasperation became more and more evident. Especially whenever Chiaki was mentioned and he'd had to tell his brother a few times to 'shut his mouth or he'd 'get tossed'.

His father seemed to partially understand that his son was having an internal crisis by the unusual outbursts over the Fusae girls, and made a mental note to check in on it at a better time. A time where it was at least just him and Madara so that he'd have a higher chance of coaxing his son's secrets from him and they were tired and stuffed from the generous hospitality they were shown.

Unfortunately, this was how everything started. With Madara finding Chiaki to be insufferable, and Chiaki thinking to be Madara insolent with no way for either to back out of escaping the eventual realities that they'd definitely be seeing more of each other now that their clans were allies.