"Yo! I'm Jiraiya! You can send me the love letter later!"
Jiraiya
Kagami huffed and puffed, face flushed from exertion, and his hands could barely support his weight as he braced them against his knees. They were slick with sweat, so much so that his trousers were becoming drenched the longer he braced against his knees so he didn't just collapse like a stack of bricks. His confrontation with Noguchi left him more than a little angry, but he pushed the thought of that man and his rant to the back of his mind and focused on his objective.
His grandma.
If she was really sick, and at her age it wouldn't take much for that to happen then he had to hurry. The Uchiha were crap when it came to the medical arts and healing, in fact they were worse than crap. They didn't even have the foundations for healing, and their medical specialties were severely limited to the point that it was almost laughable. This was only pertaining to physical injuries-sickness and disease, well the Uchiha had no clue where to begin, and it was the main reason why some would die from disease. Because, they were so focused on killing and focusing on techniques that have to do with killing, they forget their priorities.
If she is sick, she had to be at the Domou compound. Their medical expertise was extremely advanced and they'd be able to help her if it wasn't too far along.
The Domou compound was very, very far away from the Uchiha compound which was located almost dead center in the Fire country with the Senju compound several dozen miles away just across the valley and river. The Domou compound was in the far west, thousands upon thousands of miles away which made it nothing short of treacherous to navigate. The west was a place no one ever ventured towards-not even the Uchiha dared to tread near it until recently, and that's only because of the alliance with the Domou.
Their environments varied extremely, so much so that it alarmed him seeing it firsthand and not being in a rush to get back home to his grandma.
The first and most noticeable difference was that there wasn't any snow-not even a single flake. The ground was moist and lively with vegetation-the trees were wider than entire village blocks and towered high into the sky, appearing to go right through the clouds themselves. There were mountains dotting every few feet to miles varying in height from modest to sheer gargantuan, even making the towering trees look small. The grass was even taller than him, easily, and he had to literally swim his way through it just to make some headway and get on a path that wasn't a never ending plexus.
Even though there wasn't any snow, there was a steady fall of rain that slowly turned into mist that showered everything from the towering canopy all the way to where he was at ground level, before it turned into a sheer monsoon that only had one goal in mind and that was to drench every centimeter in moisture forming entire sheets.
The second thing was that there seemed to be more oxygen in the air than in his compound-in the Fire country in general. It was to such a high degree he was becoming lightheaded, of course it could be due to running here as fast as he possibly could without even taking a two second break, the rain that was pelting him relentlessly, but he'd go with the increased amount of oxygen. After all, trees, leaves, vegetation and anything of the sort didn't get this colossal without lots of oxygen; it was extremely verdant, a sprawling plexus that went on and on and on with no conceivable end in sight.
The Fire country had many forests, it was even saturated with them, but they weren't nearly as massive or sprawling as this. There was also the fact he could feel that he was getting higher in altitude, while there was more oxygen, it was also thinner because of this.
He was aware of this, because his nose started to bleed, and high altitudes will do that.
Whether one is a shinobi or not.
The third thing was the fact there were so many different animals, so many different creatures, that he couldn't begin to try to name them. The ground shook almost repeatedly because of their steps, the leaves brushed violently because of the critter's movements-some peeked at him with wide eyes before scurrying away, wary of presence, and the plexus of vegetation ensured that he couldn't get near them and these beasts couldn't get near him. Even if he tried to squeeze his way through the maze, eventually he'd be stuck because it was that sprawling. It was on such a colossal scale, that even the leaves of the trees dwarfed him.
His lungs scorched him, it was extremely painful, but he endured the pain as he sucked in deep breaths. Rain mixed in and he found himself coughing lightly as some went down his windpipe, making catching his breath even more of an arduous task than it had been before. He looked at his uniform, not at all surprised to see it was absolutely drenched and the sleeves were sagging towards the ground making him look a bit ridiculous wearing such a thing.
With a second wind he sprinted forward, Sharingan activated, his chakra sense flaring to its most acute level searching for anything that would show him that he was getting close to the Domou compound. Even if it was just a faint flare, a faint glow, anything that could ensure him he was moving in the right direction would be more than good enough. It'd be more than enough. However, he couldn't see any glows or flickers, and his chakra sense was buzzing sharply, but none of them were human. It was just the animals and other critters around him.
He could feel tears burning behind his eyes as the minutes passed by and there was no change, before those very tears burned through his eyes and stroked his cheeks. Uchiha were very fast-their training focused on speed, speed, and more speed. He was one of the more swift Uchiha-young and old, but there was one thing the Uchiha didn't focus on that was coming back to bite him. Endurance. They focused on speed in order to take out their opponents within just a few seconds, the need for endurance was negated by focusing on one hit kill attacks.
It was great because the Sharingan predicted and anticipated movements-even from the most minute twitch it'd open an array of possibilities to him and every Uchiha that awakened it. It allowed them to execute one hit kills with ease, even if the person dodged-they had the dodge scouted and would strike them just as they executed their movement. But, it was a problem when it came to situations when a foe was an equal match and the battle would turn into one of attrition and endurance.
"Agh!" He tripped himself up, right ankle rolling sharply sending a pang of pain all the way up his leg before it throbbed painfully all the way back down. He couldn't regain his balance, he couldn't gather enough breath to keep pushing himself, and so he slammed into the ground with brutal force sliding across the mud for several feet leaving a muddy trench.
He barely suppressed a grunt of pain as he clenched the moist ground with one hand, eyes blurred with brown since mud kicked itself up after he fell.
"Grandma..." He said hoarsely, hand sinking into the ground as he clenched it tighter to heave himself up. The sudden plummet sent him crashing back into the ground-this time completely on his face and drenching him in filth. He managed to lift his head out of the muck and drag himself a few feet ahead before his arms were just too engorged with lactic acid and the burn became too much to bear.
He strained, pushing his other arm forward with all of his will, but it trembled with fatigue and found its way to the wet muck as well.
He couldn't move.
Lightning crackled and thunder boomed across the dreary sky, before that very sky opened itself and released its fury.
He could feel his body sink into the ground.
Uchiha pride and more so the danger of natural predators prevented him from crying out for help. There were no humans here except for the Domou and Subatsu, the rest was nature itself and it would offer no assistance to him the slightest. No, it'd just keep going in its cycle, and eventually send a beast his way to consume him like a little snack. The lush floor would be clear of the hindrance and everything would take its course as it always did in nature.
He grunted in irritation, spitting out some muck that was sending a horrid taste to the back of his throat-why didn't the Uchiha focus on endurance too? Why was it so much about speed, and not an ounce was focused onto endurance? It was senseless to lament the shortcomings of his kin, he should have worked on his endurance himself, but he had other things to do that were part of the Uchiha curriculum, and lamenting on those shortcomings wouldn't bring him any closer to his goal.
Maintaining his grip on consciousness was becoming harder and harder, it was through sheer willpower that he didn't surrender to ink black, that he didn't fall into the blissful oblivion that was awaiting him, and that he didn't drown in the darkness every time he blinked his eyes. It would be so easy to surrender, it would be so easy to just lose himself in that darkness, but he couldn't afford to. He had to see his grandma. Had to see that she was okay. Had to make sure that she was alive.
Despite his willpower, his body simply wouldn't respond. It was too spent.
He spent his time catching his breath which proved to be the hardest thing he's ever possibly done, wiping away the muck the best he could that was mixing with his sweat, and let the drops of rain slide in with his sweat slowly washing it all away. He could smell himself, and normally someone his age really didn't have body odor-sure they could stink, but the odor just wasn't there, that didn't come until puberty and he had about five years before he entered that odd stage of life.
"Uchiha-san?"
He could barely register the voice-he couldn't even register that his ankle was still throbbing from twisting it before against the root that was practically a branch. But, he could tell it was feminine by the tone.
Footsteps herded towards him and he just pitched his gaze up staring into a bright pair of eyes. The rain and pain vanished, replaced by a warmth that coursed through him. It was like he was bathing in light. Her hair was long and abundant, a stark brown with some blonde highlights in it and her eyes were a bright shade of green with flecks of brown. There was so much vitality in her eyes, so much vivacity in her movements-like all Domou women. "H-Hina-san."
"Kagami-san, your ankle!" She knelt over him, gently straightening his leg and slowly moving his ankle from one side to next-careful not to apply too much pressure and watching his expression for any hints of agonizing pain. Pain was a given since his ankle was swollen, but there was a moderate level of pain-a sprain, and sheer agonizing-broken or completely shattered.
"I-I'm okay...My grandma..." He gasped out, gritting his teeth as pain pulsated through him in waves.
"You fool, did you run all the way here?"
Kagami couldn't hide so he just closed his eyes, avoiding her worried but reproachful gaze. It was stupid running all of this way without even taking a small five minute break.
"You did, didn't you...You're dehydrated and your muscles are going to start to cramp. You have a small sprain, but your ankle isn't broken." Hina shook her head at the boy scooping him up in her arms uncaring of the filth that got onto her, and being careful with his right leg as to not aggravate his minor injury anymore.
Kagami bit his lip to suppress his blush. Nobody really fussed over him like this other than his grandma.
"My grandma, is she okay?" He managed to get out, relishing in the cool air and rain that graced his broken body.
Hina looked at him for a moment allowing her eyes to drink him in for a moment before she considered her answer. "Your clan has split up, about half are at my compound and the other half are at your old compound. Mikito-sama and Souji-sama have yet to sort through your registry and check off who is present and who isn't, but tell me what is her name? There are a good deal of elders at my compound at the moment-most of them being women."
"Her name is Shurui."
"I think...She was one of the first people that we began to heal, she should be with the others in the first medical wing."
"Please, take me there."
Hina looked at him, shaking her head. "You're a blockhead."
"What a waste, none of them came with us." Madara's tone was bitter and almost biting, his eyes narrowed to slits as he traversed through the sprawling plexus keeping pace with Izuna.
"We knew it was going to happen." Izuna said softly, trying to pacify his brother.
He's been trying for the last two or so hours as they sprinted towards the Domou compound.
"I'm worried that they're going to try and do something."
"They won't attack us, we're still allies."
Madara growled.
He wasn't naive or stupid enough to believe that all of those Uchiha would follow him and Izuna, or even listen to him and Izuna, but he had been hoping that some of them would have at least heeded their words and took them to heart. He had been hoping at least ten of them came with, eight came with, even one of them came with-he risked his life for them day in and day out, the least they could have done is show some gratitude.
Of course he couldn't expect anything less at this point. The Council walked around all lofty, like he owed them something-like he was indebted to them and he had to satisfy all of their needs just because. Normally such things he'd just blow off and consider trivial, it was beneath him to even feel the slightest sliver of emotions towards it positive or negative, he'd just focus on himself, Izuna, and the children. But, he couldn't help but feel scorching, red hot smoldering anger at this very moment-not only did the Council turn the remaining Uchiha against him and Izuna, but they thought they could actually lead.
He was the leader and Izuna was his right hand!
His father had many faults, in fact he had so many faults that there was no redeeming qualities. He was hateful, vindictive, vengeful, spiteful, and had a stroke of arrogance that made him look like he was humble pie-that made him look like he was the most modest person, period. His greatest mistake, his greatest error was giving the Council so much influence that a situation like this could arise and there was a power trip between the leader and his Council-he didn't know what his father was thinking most of the time, but this was proof that his father wasn't thinking at all.
But, he had to heed Izuna's words-even if those words clawed at his mind with such voracity that it was starting to drive him to the brink of madness. The Uchiha who were not part of the Council had to make the choice themselves-make the conscious choice to follow them or remain with the Council, turn their backs to him and Izuna or walk in stride with them, and every last one of them chose to do the second thing.
They turned their backs to him and Izuna, didn't heed their words, didn't take them to heart, and worst of all they believed the same exact thing the Council did. Out of all the Uchiha of the warrior class only Hikaku, Aito, Yuto, Bunji, and those that married Domou back in the Sand country were with them.
Arata was one of the many of the warrior class that remained behind. Of course it could be the fact Souji wasn't and didn't put up with his bullshit and called him out on it every single time he tried to step out of line before, and it could be the fact Hayami whooped his ass like he was a pathetic child along with his cronies that wanted to act high and mighty, but the fact still remained he stayed behind-resenting him and Izuna-scorning their decisions-resenting that he married Mikito to make the alliance permanent.
They could disagree with it, they could be unhappy with it, but they couldn't resent it. He is the leader, his word is law, they could gripe and complain until their faces were purple but they couldn't resent him and his choices. Resenting him meant they wanted to become leader, that they believed they could lead better than him, that they should lead the clan because they're wiser and more powerful than him.
It was nothing short of thirsting for power, trying to knock him off of the top so they could reign. He took the mantle after he awakened the Mangekyo and Izuna followed suit and became his right hand-there was no one that could match them.
Now the Uchiha clan was split in two, and while it wasn't like in the past when there was at least ten different factions of Uchiha-the point still remained they were split in two. But, unlike in the past where the different factions of Uchiha all had the same mentality, the Uchiha at the Domou compound will have a different mentality, and those that stayed behind will have the same hateful and dogmatic mentality as before...
He couldn't shake the ominous feeling that they'd be at war with one another in time. It happened in the past and he wasn't naive enough to believe it wouldn't happen again in the foreseeable future.
"Brother."
Madara shook his head, water flying all over the place as he came back to the present. "I'm just angry, who do they think they are?"
Izuna sighed. He wasn't going to tell Madara to calm down-he was right to be so angry, but he would try to pacify him. It never did Madara any good to be angry.
"Anyways, you can cheer up now, your wife is waiting for you."
He turned his eyes onto Izuna, but seeing him looking straight ahead he pitched his gaze in that direction, spotting Mikito and Souji both standing several meters away eyes trained on the both of them.
"Husband." Mikito greeted him with a gentle smile, meeting him halfway.
Madara sighed softly, feeling all of his anger almost evaporate like it was never even there in the first place. He was still angry, but he wasn't fuming like before. How this woman could perform such a feat he'd never begin to guess or question, but he was thankful she could perform such a feat. He met her eyes, resisting the urge to pull her into his chest and hold her with vigor. "Wife."
"Souji, how are the Uchiha?" Izuna asked, giving his brother and sister in law some privacy. He could swear he could hear wailing and crying, but between the lightning and thunder that continued to streak across the sky along with the rain he could just be hearing things.
"They're safe within my sister's hands." Souji said without any doubt in his tone, crossing his arms over his chest. "But, we'll take a look ourselves, I need your help going through your registry."
Izuna nodded, striding with Souji's brisk pace as they stopped before what seemed to be a wall of vegetation-but he knew better than to think this was just vegetation. It was really the gates of the Domou compound, camouflaged by all the moss and other vegetation that had to be growing for at least seven centuries. "So, do we just walk in or wait for them to open the gates?"
Souji stared, shaking his head softly. "Not quite, I'll open it myself."
"I can help."
"You won't be of much assistance-it takes five hundred tons of force to open these gates."
Izuna felt his jaw slacken, struggling to comprehend what he just told. "Five...Hundred tons?"
Rather than repeat himself, Souji walked to the wall and set his hand on it. Teeth grit lightly he pushed forward, exerting just a small amount of force, causing the entire area around them and a few miles away to shake as the towering gates slowly, but surely opened revealing the splendor of the Domou compound.
He generated that much force...Without any effort... Izuna looked at Souji-the Domou as a whole in a new light. He knew they were powerful, but for their might to be so immense that they could generate that much force with just one arm...It was beyond comprehension, even Uchiha couldn't generate that much force even with chakra brimming out of their pores.
"I'm keeping the gates open for you two." Souji nodded to Madara and Mikito
The Uchiha just nodding while Mikito tilted her head the slightest in response.
"They're in the first, second, and fourth medical wings. Follow me." Souji said brusquely, nodding for Izuna to follow after him as he paced forward, and the younger man did without any hesitation hurrying after Souji with his own hurried steps.
Madara was relieved to see his wife. Her bright eyes that shined with her love for him and only him, that gentle smile that would always come on her face when she'd lay her eyes on him, and her voluptuous body that was covered by her baggy attire so no one could lay eyes on her save for him. Just him. Her husband.
He was elated and hid it well, but his eyes narrowed as he could see...Traces of chakra coiling around her that wasn't her own-it wasn't wild, it wasn't potent, and it didn't smolder like her eyes. It was calm and lucid, it was strong no doubt, but there was a boldness to it that could only belong to one clan. It could only belong to the Senju-and this particular chakra was extremely bold, so it could only belong to Hashiama.
"Mikito, why did you...What were you doing being near those Senju?" Madara struggled to remain calm, because if he started yelling then Mikito would yell back, and then she'd get tired of yelling unlike him and just forego it completely and attack him. In the span a few seconds she'd have broken his nose and send him flying through one of these trees before he could even blink.
Mikito clasped his hands within her own, leaning forward until her bosom was pressed against his chest. "I needed to confirm something, husband."
Madara slowly composed himself, though he was more than annoyed that she went to the Senju compound without him-that stupid little brat Tobirama wouldn't even try to mince his words or be polite. Souji would run his sword-run his fist right through him, but he still felt better being with her whenever she was around those damn liars. "What is it that you needed to confirm?"
She lowered her head a few inches, hiding her eyes from his view. In truth it was Hashirama's and Tobirama's intention with this village. The current world was one created from Hagoromo's machinations and his two sons disputes, all three of them were foolish in their own right and hubris. Hagoromo for picking and choosing losing sight of balance, and his sons for their petty disputes. Hashirama wanted to change this world, and in turn it would be his world soon after. "Can you tell me something?"
He furrowed his brows for a second. "Anything."
"Why...Did you want to form a village with Hashirama?"
"What?"
"There was this rumor years ago that a Senju boy and an Uchiha boy were meeting each other..."
Madara stiffened, and on reflex alone he pulled back, but he couldn't even budge because Mikito's grip was tight and if he did his fingers would break digit by digit. He never told her about his pipe dream, she could put it together herself easily, but he just wasn't expecting her to ask him this question now of all times. "At that point in time...Izuna was my only brother that wasn't taken away from me by the constant wars-the village would be a place where I could watch over him. It was also so children wouldn't be sent off to battle to never return again...Hashirama wanted to give missions according to rank, and some other stuff..."
Mikito raised her head, staring into his crimson eyes. The same eyes that struck fear into everyone and anyone that stared into them-but never once was she afraid of looking into his eyes, never once did she feel put off by his crimson irises that would glow with vehemence. She inched closer to him until her bosom was against his chest once more.
"You are a kind, devout, and loving man-my husband. I will tell you what I wanted to confirm, now that you have told me that. I wanted to confirm what Hashirama's and Tobirama's true intentions are with this village, and what standing the Uchiha clan will have within this village. As you heard me tell him before, I nor the Domou will be a part of that village."
Madara bit his bottom lip, releasing his hands from her grasp and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her right up against him. It was to keep himself under control. He never even considered his or his clan's standing in the village at length-it was impossible to form the village, because the Uchiha and Senju would always be enemies. But, the off chance it happened...
"I want to say you can trust Hashirama. He wishes to work with everyone, including the Uchiha clan. He wishes for all clans to have a part in the village affairs, especially when it comes to politics. He wants a close and seamless relationship with everyone, including civilians. He isn't going to exclude one clan or person from anything. For him every single one person is the village, every person from the Uchiha, and every person from the clans that join. There can be no village without the Uchiha, However..."
Madara resisted the urge to shake her senselessly, instead opting to tighten his hold on her until she let out a quiet gasp. "However?"
"I can't say that to you, husband...And, I'm sorry if that hurts you. I know you wanted to form this village, wanted it with all of your heart, but...I can't say you can trust Hashirama, I can't tell you that. While he's made his intentions clear and they seem pure enough, he will pass leadership onto his brother. Tobirama's true intentions are the complete opposite.
For him it is the village meaning more than the clans-it's not like Hashirama's way. He doesn't want the Uchiha to have an equal hand in everything having to do with the village, doesn't want the Uchiha to have anything to do with the politics at all. He wants the Uchiha to maintain law and order, he wants the Uchiha to be a police force. While the Senju, and every other clan that joins this village will have a say in the politics, the Uchiha will be excluded and will be relegated as just simple guards..."
Mikito stared at his chest, finished with her piece she just let it soak in for the both of them.
Madara took deep breaths, barely able to restrain himself from doing something. He had no idea Mikito was so concerned for the Uchiha's well being that she was asking these questions that needed to be asked. Questions that would be asked when the village was founded, that would turn into disputes soon after, and here she was doing it now. However, there was more than pain running through him-a part of him really wanted to found this village, but Mikito was confirming his fear that it just couldn't work.
And, it pained her more than it pained him to know that his dream just couldn't happen. That no matter how much he yearned for it, it wouldn't happen. Sure, the village would, could be founded, and he could even have a part in it, but the Uchiha would have no standing. The followers will always follow the leader-Hashirama and Tobirama being who they are it wouldn't take long for everyone else to consider the Uchiha dangerous and unpredictable. Himself in the same light. Hashirama would always cave in with Tobirama and do what the prick says-the Uchiha would...
They would be eliminated.
"Mikito..."
"Yes?"
Madara inhaled the misty scent of her hair, exhaling briefly as he let his emotions drain from him and let her scent intoxicate him. If she didn't do this, then maybe-just maybe he would have went along with Hashirama's crap and in due time he would have challenged him...But, in between that time he would lose his mind, and turn to something drastic. He was an extreme person and it would be something drastic-something would just push him over the edge, and he wouldn't be able to return.
He knew he wouldn't be able to return, because just like that day at the river...When he gave up on that pipe dream, when he was pushed again-this time with the village and the Senju trying to oppress the Uchiha, he would lose his shit.
"Thank you."
Mikito tried to pry herself loose from his grasp-she easily could get out of it if she went all out, but there was no need for that. Thankfully he wanted to cooperate and loosened his grip, allowing her to back up just a little. "What?"
"I didn't think you've gone deaf."
"I thought you'd be mad at me for going to the Senju compound and getting answers."
Oh, he really wished he could be mad about it. Anytime Senju was spoken he felt distilled rage pump through him like his own blood. But, he couldn't be mad at her even if he tried to be. She asked the questions he should have asked when he and Hashirama were discussing the village of their dreams, what he should have asked when he became leader, and what he should have asked when Hashirama sent one of his many stupid letters to him requesting a ceasefire. Instead of burning those letters or throwing them away, he should have asked these questions.
But, he didn't.
And, even when the village was founded he wouldn't have asked these questions until it was too late. By that time it would be him demanding these things, that would soon turn into disputes between him, Hashirama, Tobirama, and every other moron that decided to join the village. They'd all listen to Hashirama, worship him like he's some god, make him a symbol and their idol-meanwhile himself and the Uchiha would be rejected, their opinions wouldn't matter the slightest, and those same Uchiha would be too blind to listen to him and turn their backs to him just because they were happy with their false, nauseating, lukewarm peace.
Those Uchiha...They were the ones that didn't come with him and Izuna.
They would have to be.
"No, I'm not mad at you. I have no reason to be, and I'd be foolish to try and find a reason to be mad at you over this. You asked the questions that I should have asked when I became leader of the Uchiha, the questions I should have asked when he sent me those ceasefires, and the questions I should have asked all those years back when I first entertained the thought of a forming a village...The questions that I should be asking. I've been so uncaring all of this time-I've been so focused on fighting Hashirama that I didn't bother to ask these questions..."
He was a failure.
He failed.
Seeing him look so morbid, she just had to say something to get his spirits up. "You're just one person Madara. You can't take care of everything on your own. But, you have me, my sister, my brother, Izuna, all of the Domou, and all of the Uchiha that are here to support you. We're always here for you. What you don't see, what you miss, what you don't understand, one of us will pick up the slack. One of us will help you understand. You will not shoulder this burden alone on your own two shoulders. We all shoulder this burden, together."
"Together..."
Mikito nodded, allowing herself to grin just a little as she gave him a quick peck on the lips. "You just be the kind man that I know you are, the indomitable leader that I know you are, the devout brother I know you are, and the loving husband that I know you are."
He sighed, resting his forehead against her own, their hair mixing and tangling together.
Mikito soothed him so...
"There's just one more thing I have to tell you..."
"Mikito, you're pausing."
"Yeah..."
"Out with it."
"I'm going to fight Hashirama and Souji is going to fight Tobirama when there's first bloom. However this turns out there will be peace between the Domou and Senju."
Inhaling deeply and exhaling, Madara could barely restrain his annoyance, but surprisingly did. "What?"
"I know you want to fight him, but this is something I have to do."
"Why would you make this choice without me?"
Mikito raked her hands through his hair, massaging his scalp as she went. "Because if I ran this by you, you would have objected it completely and yell at me for being so stupid. But, I'm starting to understand, now..."
"What is it that you understand?"
"The Senju while they are my enemies at the moment...Are not a threat in the grand scheme of things..."
"What do you mean? They are our enemies."
"I am not disputing that, but they are not a threat. Husband..."
"The village is a threat." Madara finished, voice so soft it was carried off in the wind. He breathed out, reclining his head back until he was staring down at her with alarm in his eyes. It was something he didn't even bother to consider, once again! How the village would actually be an enemy to the Uchiha, and many other clans.
"I think as long as Hashirama and Tobirama lead...The village won't be a threat, but once they both die and somebody else takes the mantle of leader...probably one of their students, it will be a severe threat. And, these other villages that will pop up because of them, they will be immediate threats from the beginning."
Madara stayed silent-he couldn't be too sure about that, and Mikito didn't sound too sure herself. It would be safer to just put them in their place before things got that far, but as long as he wasn't under Hashirama's and Tobirama's, the Senju's reins he really couldn't care less in all honesty. If those Uchiha that stayed behind wanted to be under their reins, well, there's nothing he could do about that, but in time they'd try to take the power.
It's only natural that they did.
However, he couldn't focus on this at the moment, his one focus was on Mikito's prior statement. "Do you honestly expect me to let you fight Hashirama without being at your side? I don't trust those fucking Senju, Tobirama will send out a unit to survey the situation and interfere when you and Souji are about to smash them to pieces! They won't face their deaths with dignity and conviction, they're liars!"
"I could never ask you to do such a thing. I want you to be there with me, but this fight is mine."
"I will step in if I feel it is necessary. I don't care if you go on rampage or not."
"Okay."
"If any Senju interfere I will step in."
"Okay. You can fight Hashirama to your heart's content after this, but this one time..."
"I understand."
Madara nodded, pleased that Mikito wasn't objecting, and exhaled once again to help drain himself of this storm of emotions. He wasn't worried about Mikito's chances of survival, he wasn't even worried if she'd win or lose-what he worried about the most was Tobirama having a unit or units of Senju lying in wait to strike.
It was right up that little brat's alley to do such a thing, and Hashirama would be too ignorant and too damn stupid to notice or call it off. Once Mikito and Souji went in for the kill, to bash their bodies to pieces with one swift punch or kick, that unit of Senju would sweep in and go on the attack.
Of course Mikito or Souji would take care of them in less than three seconds-but in that small gap of time Tobirama and Hashirama would strike, and it'd be the killing blow.
He wouldn't allow it.
"Woman, you really drive me up a wall."
Mikito punched him in the chest gently, she'd let that slide. "I'll make it up to you later, when we're done discussing some very important things."
"Oh?" Madara smirked, enjoying himself at the moment.
He always loved Mikito's vivacity.
"Well, first we have to go through your registry and confirm who is here and who isn't, since most of the warrior class stayed behind except for Hikaku, Aito, Bunji, Yuto, and a few others this may only take a couple of hours at the most. After that we'll be discussing changes to the training regimen, I know the Uchiha have their own methods of training, and their own expertise; so I'll integrate those into the Domou's, and discard the ones that are no good. We have to show the Uchiha here to their homes where they'll be staying from here on out. We have to make plans for our house, choose where we want it, and then start the process of building it. I have my office where I work and all of that good stuff, but I want a home.
We have to go over the code and ethics. You, Izuna, and all of the Uchiha will acknowledge that you've read and know them, and that you will follow them. And, lastly I want to change the Council and make it more about efficiency and getting things done, I will not allow it to go on as it has."
Then I will deal with the pride, since they insisted that they be last...
Madara nodded, having nothing to say in objection. "But, with the Uchiha here; I'll pay for their housing."
"That won't be necessary."
Madara blinked a few times, almost hazing out of reality. "You don't want money?'
Mikito just shook her head.
"Why not?" Madara looked at her carefully, eyebrow raised in question.
Money made the world go round, without money one didn't have freedom. They were stuck and couldn't do anything, they couldn't eat, they couldn't have a home, they couldn't even have a pot to piss or shit in. Money was the driving factor for all of the wars in the first place, shinobi were offering their services, they were getting paid for those services.
Everything was about or came down to money.
"We may need money outside of these walls to just survive, but within these walls it is not needed. We do have money, but we spend it outside of these walls where it is needed for the most basic of things, but everything within these walls is free and worked hard for."
This could be another reason Izuna has been pushing for this alliance. Madara kept his thought to himself, focusing on something else. "So, tell me what do the Domou specialize in?
"Specialize?"
Madara nodded once more." Uchiha specialize in ninjutsu, we have an innate affinity for fire, though some have an affinity for earth and lightning. We also specialize in genjutsu, and shurikenjutsu."
Everyone trained in kenjutsu and taijutsu, but the main three points in the Uchiha's arsenal was their ninjutsu, genjutsu, of course, and shurikenjutsu, they liked to keep things mid to long range, but there were some like him, Bunji, Aito, and Izuna that loved getting up close.
"Well, we Domou don't specialize in anything. We're well balanced in that regard. We're versed in ninjutsu, taijutsu, kenjutsu, sojutsu, bojutsu, jujutsu, bukijutsu, kyujutsu, kuchiyose no jutsu, Iryō ninjutsu, fuinjutsu-though it is more esoteric in nature and nothing like the Uzumaki's, nintaijutsu, and also genjutsu...But, we Domou prefer close range combat more than anything, so we don't really care too much about genjutsu or shurikenjutsu, we want to beat you down or cut you to pieces, not make you spaz out or throw flimsy projectiles. I'd go a little more in depth, but I think seeing it would be much better than me explaining it at length."
"I'd say we better get started then in that case." Madara took a step, tugging her along to emphasize his point.
"It might be a good idea to change the Council first, putting it off will make it more complicated." Madara said, once they were within the confines of the Domou compound and the mammoth doors were shut. "First thing though, I need a bath."
It was just like Madara to jump head first into fire, but she always adored that fearlessness and bottomless passion he had.
"I suppose you're right...But, we have showers here."
Showers?" Madara raised an eyebrow, but hid his smirk well.
Mikito would make it up to him first before she did anything else.
"Show me these showers."
Hitomi sighed softly, wiping the moisture from her face and hair. It was just her luck that she'd be stuck in the middle of a downpour on the way back to her home after running an insane amount of laps around and through the Subatsu compound-even going in some areas beyond the compound. Haji had left earlier in the morning when she was doing her warm ups.
Along with him was Syrus, and many more Subatsu, and all of them looked more than furious.
Somebody was treading on their land, and like any animal when someone invaded its territory they attacked them with brutal force. She knew well enough now that while Haji wasn't going to force her into a life of bloodshed, that she wouldn't be able to escape the reality of the whole thing no matter how hard she tried. A part of her wanted to feel bad for whoever they were going to mow down, but she knew it was senseless to feel bad.
The Subatsu just didn't go out and hunt people down for sport, and they didn't even actively seek conflict like a lot of other clans do. The only reason they were going out there was because someone was trespassing, somebody was harming the land and defiling it-Syrus, Haji, and those Subatsu were just going to purge the disease that was in their domain. That disease happened to be people, and as bad as it sounded, she couldn't feel so bad thinking of it like that when they were going out of their way to provoke her husband.
However, none of that mattered at the moment because she was starting to get drenched from all of the rain. Despite being so colossal and towering, with their leaves making her look like a grain of sand-one tiny little grain, they offered little cover from the relentless downpour. Of course she wasn't getting it as bad as she could, being right out in the middle of the curtain with no cover she'd be drowning in her clothes and unable to see a thing because so much water would be slitting over her eyes.
She was startled by Haji landing a few meters away from her-it wasn't so much his presence that startled her more than the ten foot splash of water that accompanied his landing.
"Ji-san!" She tried to yell over the thunder that cascaded above, but found that she only increased it's overall volume, and it drowned her voice out completely.
"Hitomi, what are you doing?" Haji looked her over, noting that she was wet, but still kept a dry expression on his face. If she would have just ran back to the compound she wouldn't be huddled under a tree to avoid getting wet. Girls and women didn't like getting wet, it was a common fact, and the Subatsu women were no exempt from this. They'd always be the first to complete their training when it was raining like this, because they didn't like getting wet at all.
She scowled for a moment before allowing herself to take him in. Other than being soaked to the bone, his clothes starting to sag because of all the water showing off his muscular build, he didn't have a drop of blood on him at all. Not on his hair, his face, his socks, not even his hakama had a speck of the crimson liquid on them. She was grateful there wasn't any blood on him, she never did like seeing blood-even her own, and whenever she did she'd almost faint, the stench was just horrible and never went away.
He washed up before he came to get her.
"Ji-san..."
"Hitomi, you didn't answer my question."
She sighed at his brusque way of speaking, knowing full well what it really was. He didn't want her to be worrying or feeling bad that he washed up. He knew she didn't like blood, and he'd always wash himself up the best he could whenever he was around her after a battle. "I don't want to get wet."
"You wouldn't have to worry about that if you kept on running."
He didn't give her anytime to make a retort, closing the distance between them in just a few steps. He stood under the seclusion, arms crossed over his chest, staring down at his lovely but most of the time handful wife with a dry expression. She had no problem getting wet that one day when she dragged him out from her father's estate and up that mountain-it had been pouring rain and she misjudged during climbing and fell. He caught her of course, but the point still remained she had been careless.
Hitomi didn't meet his gaze for a few seconds. Of course she should have kept running-her endurance was better than before, but her legs also felt like lead and her lungs were burning, a small break wouldn't do any harm. "So, what happened?"
Haji turned his focus behind him, secluded under the leaves, the rain was forming one giant wall that literally blocked everything off. He could feel a sigh almost leave his lips, but held it back. There was no way they were going to be making headway now, not with it raining as hard like it is. Normally he'd be very scarce with the details, Hitomi knew what was going on, but wasn't involved in it like himself. He tried to keep it that way, because she was too gentle to take a life.
"Do you really want to know?"
She considered not wanting to know-to remain ignorant and oblivious, but she couldn't be ignorant anymore. Not when she was training to kill, basically. They weren't teaching her ninjutsu as of yet, but what she was learning would be more than enough to kill a shinobi before they can even form a hand seal, she seen it in action enough on the battlefield to know.
"Please, tell me."
Haji didn't turn to face her, instead he stepped back until his back was pressed against the bole and he made himself comfortable, taking a seat right next to her. "Sasuke and Daiki were both lying in wait to ambush Mikito and Madara along with the rest of their division, we confronted them before they could get halfway into their petty squabble with the first mentioned two, and drove the Sarutobi and Hyuga to a riverbank. We finished them off there while my brother, sister, and I handled everything else and put their leaders to route." Haji explained, keeping it as simple as possible-because that's just how he was.
There was no need to be flamboyant.
"Did you fight the Domou, too?" She had a hard time understanding the complex and intense relationship between the Domou and Subatsu-they didn't hate each other the slightest like the Uchiha and Senju, but they were fierce rivals and whenever they got into fights it was bad. Whenever they crossed paths it was like a switch was turned on for all of them and they'd go berserk.
"I fought Souji and my brother fought Mikito for awhile, but they weren't our concern-it was the Sarutobi and Hyuga, the Domou and Uchiha just happened to be in the middle."
Wrong place at the wrong time, she knew that saying more than well enough at this point in her life. There had been rogue shinobi and ronin that wold get too close to her family's estate and the guards would slaughter them on sight, and other times shinobi would try to stow away with her family's riches and they'd be killed on sight, but sometimes civilians were caught in the middle and killed as well. Wrong place at the wrong time, but to be fair her family's guards wouldn't kill the civilians-it was the shinobi doing that deed.
"When your brother was speaking to Sadao-sama at the wedding, it sounded like he wanted a truce with the Domou..." Hitomi dared to glance at him as she said this, noting that his expression while remaining calm, changed. His eyebrows knitted together gently, he held his arms a bit tighter over his chest, and his eyes narrowed the slightest bit before relaxing.
"What makes you say that?"
"Just a feeling..." Hitomi said a bit abashed. "I struggle to understand this relationship between your clan and the Domou."
Haji took a small breath. Hitomi was always a bit perceptive, she'd often trust her instincts more than logic. The relationship between the Domou and his own clan always confounded him when he was younger-his father would battle Mikito's father the first chance he got and vice versa, Syrus and Mikito would soon meet each other with Gentatsu in the middle, and then he'd meet the rest of her siblings and Gentatsu. There was no hate between their clans, no grudge, but...
"It's something even I don't understand. I have a better grasp on it than I did when I was younger, but, you're not wrong in your observation. You see, my brother desired a truce at one point in time, when Gentatsu was still alive. When our siblings were all still alive."
"You had more siblings?"
"I had a brother and sister, Usagi is the youngest of us." Haji replied, nodding his head stiffly. "Back to my original point, he desired a truce when Gentatsu and our siblings were still alive, however back then we were still just brats and our parents were in control of the clan. My father battled Mikito's father, and my mother battled Mikito's mother, for them battle was the only option...But, my brother and Mikito wanted something different, Gentatsu wanted things to be different. When Gentatsu died in battle along with our brother and sister...Both Syrus and Mikito gave up on that, instead they battled each other, and battle each other to this very day."
"But..."
"It's not that they want to battle each other, but there's no other way...When Gentatsu was killed the bridge between us that had been formed was destroyed, when our respective siblings lost their lives, that put the final nail in the coffin. They can't bring themselves to hate each other no matter how hard they try, but they hate themselves..."
Hitomi gripped her chest, feeling her eyes widen as far as they could. "But, why? They couldn't have done anything..."
"That's just it...They hate their own inability to do anything at that point in time, to this very day they hate it. They blame each other for what happened that day, but they don't hate each other...They hate themselves and want the other to kill first...That way when one of them falls one will leave this rotten world while the other remains. They will die by the other's hand in order to atone for that day, and the tragedy that happened..."
"But, they can't kill each other. Every time they fight they rip everything apart! There is no winner or loser, Ji-san."
Haji sighed, understanding her plight. It was senseless to fight when it'd change nothing, if one couldn't best the other. But, that's not how his brother or Mikito seen it. Their only choice was to fight, there was no other way-they'd battle for days and weeks to a standstill, recover, and go right back to it-for them there was no other option. Fighting was the only way to honor their siblings', Gentatsu, all of their comrades memories. What they risked their lives for...If they just stopped-all of it would be...
"Our ancestors who founded the Domou and Subatsu-who were part of the Takedakeshii before Indra's, Ashura's, and Hagoromo's machinations brought about a schism that ripped the massive and powerful clan in so many different directions...Makoto and Shinta wept every time they faced off against each other, from start to finish they were weeping. They were the best of friends growing up, they did everything together, but they had to choose a side in the end..."
Hitomi could only purse her lips as her mind wrestled with this. How could two best friends, who grew up doing everything together, end up battling each other to the death and weeping the entire time? Why did they let it get to that point in the first place? Why didn't they try to talk things out instead of fight? Was it because of Indra's, Ashura's, and Hagoromo's machinations, or was there something more to it? She couldn't begin to comprehend it, but if it was her best friend...
She'd do everything in her power to reach a common ground so they don't have to fight...
"I know you don't understand, and I don't expect you to understand, but you have to accept this is what my brother and Mikito have resolved themselves too. As my brother's right hand, I will meet Souji again because he is Mikito's right hand, and we will battle to a standstill. My sister Usagi will square off with their sister, Ahiko, because they are our pipelines of support."
"But, you don't have to continue fighting. Do you think Gentatsu would want this, would he want you guys at each other's necks instead of coming together? I've seen the look on Usagi's face every time she comes back from battling Ahiko, and the only thing I see is pain and anguish! Her and Ahiko must have been closer than sisters, but because of this they have to fight each other...It pains them both, it makes them cry." Hitomi could feel her voice rise a bit, and she clamped down, remembering her manners.
She loved Usagi to death, the girl was so diligent with training her and the children-even if she was a strict and particular. She wanted everyone to have a good time and often sacrificed her own needs and wants for other people, going out of her way to make sure everyone was happy. She couldn't look at Usagi's face when there was so much pain in those bright jade eyes, her usual cheery smile replaced by a grim thin line of barely concealed anguish.
The girl held herself together not for her own sake, but for everyone else's sake including her very own. If Usagi had her way she'd start sobbing without any sort of control the first chance she got once she was back within the compound.
But, instead she was greeting her with a smile, greeting the children that ran up to her with a brilliant grin, helping out anyone that needed it.
"You guys don't hate each other, why do you continue to fight?"
Haji wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to the side until she was lying in his lap with her hands pressed against his chest. He could appreciate her concern-Usagi said many of the same things before when her and Syrus came a hair close to just brawling in the Council room. It was no wonder Hitomi and her sister got along so well, they were very similar in their natures. "In time we will be together again as one clan."
"How can you be so sure when your brother and Mikito want to punch each other's brains out?" Hitomi murmured, resting her head against his chest while grasping his strong arms.
"Because, just like back in the times when Hagoromo was still alive...Something similar is going to happen very soon, but instead of dispersing like back then and allowing others' machinations to tear us apart-we're going to unite and unleash the full extent of our wrath upon those who have made such transgressions against us like back then. We will be together, at long last, after all of these centuries..."
"How long is that going to take?"
Haji was silent for a moment. "It's going to happen very soon."
"I sure hope so. I just want Usagi to be happy."
"We've been contacted by a civilian village to come to handle some rogue shinobi and shinobi hailing from a clan. A unit led by myself, Usagi, or one of the Council members will be leaving in three days, it shouldn't take longer than a day at the most to complete this..." Haji paused, holding her closer to him before throwing her over his shoulder with ease and setting his hand on the back of her thigh to ensure she didn't fall.
Hitomi scowled struggling to keep down her yelp, but held onto his waist, not trusting him to not drop her into a twenty foot puddle. She wouldn't complain though since she was being carried and her legs could have rest.
"It's time we head home."