Six Years Later...

"Miya! Wake-up dear sister!"

Let me sleep for Kami' sake woman. You weren't the one to train your butt off last night, were you? She thought irritated, further hiding herself under the covers, eyes firmly held closed. The rays of sunshine were a pain in the behind, really and Mito just had to open the damn curtains.

"You are my twin and I love you but if you don't get out..." Miya began but before she could have hoped to finish her sentence, she got interrupted.

"HASHIRAMA-KUN PROPOSED!"

"That's very nice and all..." she yawned.

Wait what?

Suddenly more awake, the redhead snapped her eyes open and true enough, Mito's excited demeanour, ear-piercing squeal and happy grin confirmed it all.

"WHEN DATTERYU!? I GO TO SLEEP FOR A FEW HOURS AND THE BAKA GOES FOR IT WITHOUT MY APPROVAL?" She shrieked in astonishment.

Mito tried to stifle a giggle with her hand but failed which was as frightening as it sounded. Her sister did not yell and she mostly definitely didn't giggle.

If this is what engagement does to women, I am wise to steer clear of it.

"Oh Miya, he would have but the servants warned him that waking you up any sooner than noon would be suicide."

Ah, well, she couldn't deny or disagree with facts, could she now?

"At least tou-sama and kaa-san were informed...yes?" she quirked a brow, refusing to believe love had messed up Mito to such an extent as not to do what custom deemed. Hashirama, she could understand. The guy had weeds for brain cells when it came to traditions.

Mito gave her an incredulous look, as if she had just brought her great offend. "Of course. Hashirama-kun formally asked for my hand. I may be a whirlpool of emotions at the moment sister but I still know my duties."

The other Uzumaki breathed relieved. "Good grief. I was beginning to fear I have to become the responsible one." she dramatically complained.

"Never." Mito replied, assuring her with a cheeky grin before continuing. "He proposed this morning during breakfast."

She nodded, urging her to go on. "Was he nervous?"

"Very nervous. Never before had I seen him like that Miya. He always radiates confidence. It was endearing to hear him stumble over his words for a change."

There. Another proof that love makes people reach another degree of crazy.

Nevertheless, that didn't change the fact that she was glad, for the both of them. If this was what made them happy, she had no right to judge and anyone who'd dare say something even remotely insulting, will be facing her wrath.

"Let me see the ring!"

Mito gladly showed it to her, extending her hand where a golden band lay there shinning. Examining the engagement ring with the keen eyes of a hawk's, she concluded that it was made from very fine material, only fit for a graceful lady like her sister. What caught her attention the most, however, was that in the middle, there was a flower. A white rose, to be specific and it was no ordinary flower.

Miya knew, this one was never going to root. Using Wood Style combined with Regeneration Ninjutsu was the move of a genius.

And of a man in love.

God dammit. The next bet he and I make together...I'm letting him win.

"It's stunning and fits you perfectly." Miya paused, her eyes softening as she pulled her sister into a hug. "Congratulations. I wish you utmost happiness." she spoke quietly, feeling like the moment asked for it.

Her warm gesture was returned and the two remained still for a few seconds. "Thank you." Mito whispered right back then broke the hug, grasping her forearms tightly. "Don't let anyone slow down your whirlpool, alright? We may have had our differences in the past but I have always admired you for being all the things I could never hope to be."

Tough as she was, her sister's words pulled at her heart strings and her eyes brimmed with tears. In a month or so, they will no longer share a home. Mito would be married and living with the Senju.

She was going to miss her terribly.

By the way the other redhead started shaking, Miya deemed it safe to assume that she wasn't the only one getting emotional over their inevitable goodbye. "I may not have shown it but there were times when I wished I had at least half the grace and charm you so effortlessly display. Hashirama-chan has no idea how lucky he is."

They smiled at each other, holding hands perhaps a little too tightly but it was only so they could borrow from the strength each of them had, but in different forms.

"Miya, when did we grow-up so fast? I can't help but wonder." the bride to be mused, staring out the window.

The hell if I know sister.

She thought, feeling like she was completely out of the loop. Standing up, she stopped to Mito's side, looking at the afternoon sun. "Somewhere between me starting to act more like a lady and you getting engaged, I suppose."

"You still make bets with father's sworn allies, wake-up at noon and cut off your dresses." her twin pointed out, giving her a stern look.

She chuckled, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. "I said "starting", meaning I am making an effort, small as it is."

Mito shook her head, beyond amused. "I rest my case." she replied, dodging the flying pillow that came her way with effortless ease.

A hum of approval went past her lips. "You have been sharpening your skills." she arched a brow in teasing.

"Well, I can't become Lady Senju and hope to be respected by his people if I don't have at least half of his strength, now can I?" her sister sighed, eyes downcast.

Miya's own hardened. She prayed the Senju knew what awaited them if they dared to make remarks behind her back or Kami forbid, to her face even.

"You two complete each other, alright? Hashirama needs your counsel, needs your cold judgement and logic more than he needs your muscles, Mito. You don't have to change for anyone. Besides..." she paused, eyes dancing with mirth, voice sure. "Years from now, your seals will be legendary. Mark my words! They require more skill and work than knowing how to give and take a punch." Miya scoffed, as if saying what a bunch of losers.

It certainly succeeded to lift up her sister's spirits. "You always know what to say." It was beyond Mito to understand how, so she merely smiled in gratitude before standing up. "My engagement feast is tonight. Father insisted to have it held here, so please Miya, wear something appropriate, just this once?"

The rebellious girl placed one of her hands on top of her heart. "Don't worry, onee-chan. I solemnly swear to wear one of those silly dresses."

Mito nodded, pleased with the answer as she made her way to exit her chambers. Then she stopped, fixing her with an icy look from the doorway. "Preferably without cutting them time." she added for good measure before leaving.

Miya let herself fall back against her pillows, mumbling to herself.

There goes my loophole.

She stole a glance at the puffy yellow grown hanging onto the dresser. There was no doubt her mother chose it for the occasion.

Her eyes lingered for a moment longer on the dreaded thing she was supposed to wear. She was now considering cutting that veil to make some room for cleavage, if only to piss her parents' off and maybe adjust the material at the shoulders...

Who was she kidding?

This dress is horrible no matter what I do.

It was decided. She was going in town to buy another one.

...

"The Nara heir would make a wonderful husband, I'm sure of it." Uzumaki Yume spoke with certainty before arching a brow and fixing her husband with a pointed look. "Don't you think so, Anata?"

"Yes yes, of course my love." the clan head Isao nodded absently, his mind somewhere else. What did he agree with anyway?

Miya was seriously considering fleeing from the banquet hall. One more talk of possible suitors and she'd be stabbing her ears with the chopsticks.

Repeatedly.

"Mito has just gotten engaged and yet you are already thinking of ways to get rid of me as well? I really feel the love, kaa-san, tou-chan." she intoned sarcastically, but made no further comment.

Truth be told, she had known she couldn't possibly hide the fact that she was, biologically speaking, 'ready for betrothal' forever. They found out eventually after investigating the matter. However, Miya didn't count it as failure but as a win. She had fooled them for almost three years before they had any suspicions.

"Do not complain Miya. You are already making it hard for us to find you a significant other. Most of them are scandalized...

intimidated, you mean.

"by the audacity you have to insult..."

speak my mind.

"and disregard..."

live freely.

She winked at her mother. "All part of my charm." she replied coyly before raising her glass, effectively silencing the older woman's protests. Miya made eye-contact with the couple across the table. "A toast. To Mito and Hashirama."

The people echoed her words and followed her example. Knowing now was the perfect opportunity to escape, she rose from her seat.

Uzumaki Yume's cries of indignation fell on deaf ears though.

She turned to face her father. "May I be excused, tou-chan?"

The clanhead pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing tiredly. He was well aware he will be receiving an earful for his answer later but there was little he could deny to his little soldier. "Sure thing sweetheart."

Miya gave him a brilliant smile, pecking him on the cheek. "Thank you!" she exclaimed then left in a hurry.

...

"It's your fault she is like this, Isao. You've spoiled her rotten!" Lady Uzumaki whispered harshly once the banquet was over and they have entered inside their chambers.

"Now, now, dear...Mito and Miya might be twins but you can't expect them to be the same." he retorted, voice a lot less hostile than hers.

"No, not the same, I am not unreasonable to expect that but ever since you allowed her to train in the same way as the shinobi under your command..."

He sighed. "I have no male heir and one of my daughters has just tied her fate to the Senju clanhead."

"You...Isao, Miya isn't ready to take over your duties! And think of the scandal Anata! A female clanhead?"

"Quit talking about me as if I'm dead and buried my love." he took off his ceremonial robe, sitting down on the edge of their bed. "Miya is unlike any man under my leadership. You should see her, Yume. She dances between opponents. The grace you claim she lacks is there but for one purpose only. She...she was born for battle. Years ago, I would have agreed with you but I cannot do so now. I refuse to slow down her whirlpool." he smiled. "You gave me two brilliant children. Relax and watch them become legends! I know that's what I plan on doing."

His wife changed into her nightgown and snorted before coming to sit beside him. There was a glint of amusement in her eyes that he hadn't seen in years. "I suppose that's what I get for marrying a dreamer." There was fondness in her voice.

He winked at her. "I wasn't one until I met you." then, in a much more serious voice he added. "You were and still are my most beautiful dream."

"Even when I nag?" she rose an eyebrow.

He laughed. "Especially when you nag."

"War will begin soon. I don't like it any more than you do, Mito, I hate the mere idea of it even but it's the only thing we know. Tou-sama died and left the fate of the Senju to me."

"I know you are stressed and you feel like there is no other choice but, didn't you tell me once that Madara used to be your friend?"

He sighed with regret. "Used to. Back when we were children and before we killed his brothers in cold blood."

A frown creased her forehead. "You don't have any more siblings either. Whose hand killed them?" It was a rhetorical question.

"Not his." Hashirama argued.

"No, but it was the Uchiha who did it regardless." Mito paused, eyes burning fiercely with determination. "Remind him that he isn't the only one in grief. That both of you had lost so much in a war that your ancestors started and that you hold no sacred obligation towards them to continue this bloodshed."

Hashirama looked at her, speechless for once in his life. He hadn't known Mito's intelligence surpassed even the one of his greatest tacticians. Whereas they came to him with war strategies, ploys...his future wife spoke of a different alternative, bringing solid arguments to the table. "You are wiser than all of my men combined." he breathed out. Kami knew the Senju were worth more brawn than brains. He acknowledged that much about his clan, and himself.

If the compliment affected her in any way, she didn't show it but rather took it with a mask of firm composure and seriousness. "Us, Uzumaki women, are more than mothers and wives." she paused, amusement briefly marring her face. "My sister taught me that. It had taken me some time to understand but now that I do..." Mito grasped his cheek, stroking it affectionately. "Know that you will always have my approval...or my disapproval, depending on your choices. I won't stay silent if I do not agree with something and I refuse to keep quiet when I have an idea."

Hashirama leaned in the palm of her hand, taking her other one to kiss her knuckles. "I would have been sad and disappointed if that were the case. I take pride in you, Mito and have always thought highly of you." he paused, adding sincerely. "I will consider your advice but that won't stop war from coming."

This time, her facial expressions didn't hide the displeasure she felt at hearing those words. "You insist on that. Why?" She wanted him to make her better understand a subject that hadn't been of interest for her until lately.

He proceeded to explain. "Madara only understands things from my perspective if they come as a package with my fists, Mito. Otherwise, he can't be persuaded." Even that statement was a risky one to make. His friend was unpredictable and very bent on hatred and revenge. Reasoning with him was wishful thinking at best and a delusion at worst.

He couldn't tell her that, though.

Mito huffed indignantly. "For all their arrogance and talk of being gods on earth, I'm beginning to think the Uchiha are nothing more but spoiled children."

Hashirama chuckled with a nod. "That's an accurate description." he placed his hands on each side of his mouth, whispering conspiratorially. "Try being on the receiving end of one of their tantrums, though."

She laughed.

And Miya almost fainted on the spot. She narrowed her eyebrows in disbelief at the door. Mito laughed? Her sister did that? She could swear she hadn't done it since...hell, she couldn't even remember the last time it happened.

A fond sigh escaped her lips, then she rubbed her temples as if her brain was suddenly feeling exhausted after trying to process such foreign information. Great, now I have to intentionally lose, not one, but two bets against Hashirama.

He just made Mito, Mito of all people, laugh for Kami's sake! If that wasn't deserving of reward...

Then she paled when a sudden thought occurred to her. But how do you lose to someone who has such bad luck? Thinking about that only made her brain hurt more so she decided to save it for later, gather some decency in her bones and stop eavesdropping on them.

It wasn't the nice thing to do.

And yet, it had its perks.

Madara is the clanhead of the Uchiha now.

That realization should have scared her more than it did. They had spent two years in each other's presence. She had seen him fight, she had fought him and knew the skills he had shown back then hadn't represented even a quarter of his true strength. If she stopped to imagine the magnitude of it now, after six years have passed...

Yeah, Miya reflected as her feet carried her to her own chambers, I should be terrified. She walked inside, going straight for her wardrobe, and pulling out one of the most prized things she had: an armour that she had never worn before. Miya touched the metal, feeling the cold steel under her fingertips and thought to herself:

And yet the only emotion I'm feeling right now is excitement.

A/N: Hey guys! So, uh, there it is...a late and much needed update for this story! I'm so so sorry for not doing this sooner and I can only hope you aren't too mad? I promise I will try to update a lot faster than this. Especially now that I've got a solid idea of what happens next.

Miya and Madara will reunite next chapter, so stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Also, I want to thank Cloudedstargazer and chloemika for the compliments and the support! Your reviews made me smile! I can't wait to read your opinions again.