*MADARA'S POV*

I took what little time I could to myself to train and to contemplate. It was early, the birds were chirping, and people were now beginning to wake up. I recalled my father's words to me the night before.

"The Hyuga want to ally."

What a coincidence.

I detested the fact that the Uchiha had to rely on another clan for support but... if that's the way things must go, then so be it.

I recalled the Byakugan princess I had met at the diplomatic meeting. She was brash, naive, and she had seemed unafraid of me. But I suppose that would be a good thing, since we would have to start working together more. She tested my patience, but I couldn't bring my usual authoritative self around her, the side of me Izuna would so often tell me to "keep it down a notch". Her chakra... I looked at my abdomen. Could it have been her that day...

I couldn't shake the thought from me. I almost died. I wouldn't have been able to survive long enough to set things in motion for the Uchiha, and pave ourselves a new path to ultimate peace, if it weren't for her.

"Hm." The corners of my mouth upturned. "Maybe this alliance would mean returning the favour."

I had a new technique in mind, one that could counteract and throw back an opponent's attack to them. I lifted my gunbai to deflect a slur of on going kunai.

"Uchihagaeshi." My gunbai had pulsed with light, and I smirked as it had finally worked. A full counter. This gunbai had been passed down generations throughout my family, and it was now in my hands to wield. The kunai soon deflected the other way.

But...

I had been too impulsive. One of the kunai had clinged the other, coming back to my direction, soon impaling my upper arm. I squinted an eye. Sloppy work. Stop being so distracted. I thought to myself. The pain was manageable, barely even a dent, and instead I admired the colour of the blood that spilled, slightly smearing it with my finger. I removed the kunai, throwing it the side.

I noticed a person that seemed to be hiding up in the trees. I sighed at their foolish attempt to cover up. Such child's play would not work on me.

"You don't do a very good job at hiding." I spoke. I almost felt insulted.

And just as I had expected, it was her. The Hyuga princess, or so I've heard. Ayumi, was it?

She stayed silent and my patience was wearing thin.

"What's the matter?" I planted my gunbai, "Cat got your tongue?"

I stood closer to her to get a better feel of what kind of person she was. This had been my first personal encounter with the Hyuga heiress up close, and I couldn't help but notice how awkward she had gotten, frantically looking away as if she was trying to escape, playing with her hair. She would tuck it behind her ear when she felt uneasy, I had noted. She had deep black tresses almost as long as mine, the colour was alluring.

"My apologies, Madara-sama." She spoke. My head tilted at the fact that she had finally gotten my name right. "I'm in awe of your abilities. I look forward to working with you."

She offered her hand for a shake. My abilities. She had seen nothing. I glanced at her hand, almost hesitant, and then to her eyes. Her Byakugan. I noted. Something about her presence resembled my younger brother's Izuna, which I found a comfort in. I remembered his words and tried to make myself seem less tense.

I shook her hand.

"Good choice with the alliance. Perhaps the Senju will now surrender." I did not spend much time with women to know exactly what to converse about. I had been so focused on protecting what remained of my family, gaining power to crush the Senju, and only communicated with the opposite gender with regards to war.

I felt a deep stinging pain in my arm, one that had made me feel uncomfortable. It was the wound. I winced, "Taku." I muttered, annoyed.

"I can heal that for yo-"

I cut her off before she could even continue speaking. "No, I don't need your help." To be healed was insulting to an Uchiha like me.

"You say that but your blood pressure is spiking as I saw earlier with my byakugan." Her hands glew green. "Stop being stubborn!"

I eyed her, it sounded like something Izuna would say. "Tch." I looked away, offering her my arm to heal.

It wasn't until I felt her hand on my skin that my feet jolted slightly. I had never been healed before besides that night, and feeling uncalloused hands that finally weren't seeking to fight me but to heal me, felt different. I felt her chakra infuse with mine, a bit too easily it was, and that was when it dawned on me.

It was her.

My immediate reaction was to push her off of me.

"That was quick. Your Uchiha bloodline allowed for a faster healing than usual. Seriously - what else are you good at?"

How ignorant and naive of her to praise me so quickly, was she not aware?

I looked down at her, my eyes casting a tense darkness now swirling into my red orbs that struck fear into her. I grabbed her wrist, "I recognize your chakra from somewhere."

She had seemed confused, like she could not connect the puzzle. "What do you mean?"

I sighed, my arms drooped to either side of me, and I was visibly disappointed. Annoyed even. How insulting that she not remember!

How would I even bring it up to her? I wondered.

"Perhaps this'll serve as a fond memory." I unravelled my belt, beginning to take my shirt off, when she twirled on her feet the other way. I let out yet another exasperated sigh.

"Oi oi!" She raised a fist in the air, "Just who do you think you are! Taking your shirt off in front of royalty! Have you no shame!"

I almost chuckled at the 180 flip in her personality, she was now worked up and fiesty. "Now you're being stubborn. Turn around and take a look."

And her eyes had explained everything. She did remember after all. I thought by showing her this scar it would rekindle that memory. It was indeed exhilarating and my only near death experience as a child against a Senju elder. I was left with a grotesque wound to serve as a reminder of that fight.

Ayumi was beginning to heave, her chest was raising up and down unrhythmically, I observed. It must have been traumatizing for her too. Her legs buckled and she trembled onto the ground. "N-no way, no..." She stuttered, "All this time I thought that boy was dead. It was you! You were right under my nose this entire time..." She had taken dirt and soil and crushed it with her hand.

My eyes cast down at her, "With those eyes of yours, I am surprised you didn't notice any earlier." I slipped on my clan attire, "Any shinobi that practices medical ninjutsu would know that wounds close faster after a second exposure. Not attributed to my bloodline."

"M-masaka..." She dug her hands deeper into the dirt.

The sinister side of me had been relished by the fact that she, the to-be Hyuga leader, seemed hopeless, yet part of me couldn't help but realize how much of an innocent child she had been. Who would heal an Uchiha just for the sake of it? We were a targeted and dangerous clan, yet she did not seem to let that fact waver her convictions.

It truly was ironic, she was now crumbled on the grounc instead of me this time.

"Furthermore,"I stepped closer to her, now crouching down at her level, "I have never been healed by any one ever in my life. So by exclusion, it must be you."

She began to cry, her tears soiling the dirt underneath her, an emotion that made me rather uncomfortable. Though I was a person who knew what they wanted and did not have problems making decisions, I found myself not knowing what to do now. I despised the reluctance she made me feel around her. She looked up at me, her transparent eyes were glossy now. I did not like that gaze, it felt like she was staring into my soul. An unfamiliar tightness grew in my chest, one that I did not like and frankly felt ashamed even for feeling. I couldn't help but be overtaken by her sheer eloquence, but I would not let that show. Her lips were slightly parted, as if she was trying to muster up the energy to speak.

"And so now you might understand why I support this idea of an alliance." I tried to bridge her silence, "You saved my life. So in exchange, our clans will shake hands."

She had still seemed so disturbed, like she was contemplating in deep thought. I had enough of seeing her like this, as it would bring up feelings I once had experienced seeing my brothers slain in cold blood.

I stood upright, "Enough sulking." I ordered, instinctively offering a hand for her. I wondered why I had done that. She took it nonetheless, her weight was light and I swiftly lifted her until she was able to stand. "You look like that Senju brat Hashirama with that face now." I admitted, chuckling, letting go of her.

Ayumi developed a rosy blush, and for a second I felt prideful that I had done that to her. I quickly snapped out that line of thought, shifting myself to look away in order to regain some composure.

"Warui na, Madara. I should probably get back to my father." She looked up at me, the rose still on her cheeks. I liked seeing her like that, I decided. "You get back to your training."

"Eeya. My interest has waned thanks to your interference." I started leading the way back, "I'll tag along."

"Oh?" She quickly huddled next to me, "Or is it that you want to spend some time with me!"

Hah! How confident of her. "You sound like a child." I chuckled, attaching my gunbai to the harness on my back.

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