Madara walked silently with the rest of his clan as they saw the gates of their hometown approaching. The Uchiha's were in a great mood having achieved their single largest victory in a decade, and most of all having witnessed their famous bloodline being reborn.
That had been the single reason that overwhelmed the losses they suffered.
They might have achieved victory but the price was too high.
Madara had set out for battle with three hundred of his clansmen and four of his brothers. Now he returned back with less than half of that army and the bodies of his three precious little brothers.
His only solace was the fact that he hadn't lost all his siblings. His youngest brother was still in this world and that gave Madara the strength to fight and protect him. He and Naruto had never been the best of friends, but after losing what they had Madara couldn't help but be worried for the little boy. He was all Madara had left apart from their power hungry father who hadn't blinked an eye on seeing the bodies of three of his sons.
They died with honor and their sacrifice gave us the Sharingan back. There is no need to shed any tears, boys.
Madara couldn't help but sigh in satisfaction on seeing his father sporting one black eye courtesy of Naruto. The little boy who had acted so meek and submissive his entire life had been enraged on hearing his father say such a thing when Izuna's corpse was not even cold yet. He had jumped before Madara could stop him, even Tajima had never anticipated such a move until Naruto proved he was the blood of the dragon, and Tajima had enraged him.
Tajima had not taken the insult kindly and tried to hit his son back only to freeze to see the level of hatred and anger in those little sharingan eyes. That hesitance had given Madara the time to pull his brother back and apologize on his behalf.
The Young Dragon.
Madara looked at his brother silently walking by his side carrying with him the jar that held the ashes of their three brothers. The boy was so silent, his eyes so vacant, a permanent melancholy look etched in his young face. Madara had only watched the corpses of his brothers, but Naruto was the one who watched them die one after another in front of his eyes.
Izuna's death had broken something in him and yet it had ignited something dangerous as well.
He was brought out of his thoughts by the roars and cheers from the mass of people waiting for them. Despite what he had suffered in the past week, Madara couldn't help but feel relief flood him at the sight of his home and his people.
Tajima nodded at the cheers and started giving quite a promising speech of many more victories against the Senju. And when he introduced the rebirth of Sharingan among his two sons, the entire clan gasped.
Madara was stunned to see the cheering that erupted on the announcement which was even greater than the one of their victory. Some older and younger clansmen actually teared up on realizing their beloved Sharingan was back in their blood.
It was a historical occasion.
And his father was basking in all that praise and glory, his dark eyes shining with even greater ambition.
He then pointed towards his two sons...
"My two sons achieved victory for us and together they shall help our House conquer the whole world. Today before the gods, pledge your loyalty and service to Madara Uchiha-The Invincible Dragon, and Naruto Uchiha-The Young Dragon."
"The future of House Uchiha"
Madara's eyes slightly widened when without hesitation his entire clan knelt as he stepped forward. When he activated his sharingan, he saw all their hopes and dreams with his new eyes. They were trusting him to win their lost glory back and get them justice.
And he would not fail them.
He looked at his father and saw the man staring at him with absolute pride and confidence. Madara remembered seeing his brothers and his clansmen dying at the hands of those bastard Senjus and felt his anger alongwith determination rise.
"I will bring Fire and Blood to the Senjus!" he roared, raising his sword in the air.
The clan roared alongside him and praised him over and over. It was then time for his brother to step forward, the baby of their family, one who was always overlooked by the clan but now was the center of their attention.
But one look in Naruto's eyes showed Madara his brother was different. His next words proved that...
"We lost nearly 150 of our people in this battle including three of my brothers" said Naruto sadly, as Tajima felt his blood boil.
"The people will sing songs about their sacrifice" rebuffed Tajima, and saw the disappointment in his son's eyes.
"Yes. But my brothers and our dead warriors will never hear them"
That struck each and every person of their clan as they stared at the numerous jars containing the ashes of their fallen. The excitement died down as people realized the price that was paid.
And Naruto stepped forward.
"We fought without strategy like wild animals. We fought without armor believing in our superiority, we are powerful warriors but we are men as well. We bleed and die just like the Senju, if not for the sacrifice of my brothers and Madara-nii-san's courage we would have lost" explained Naruto honestly, much to the shock, horror and bitterness that emerged in their people.
"That's enough, boy" growled Tajima,
He was utterly silenced when Naruto activated his two tomoe sharingan and glared at him. The boy swiftly turned towards their people who were just given a tight slap of reality destroying every plan Tajima had made for the near future.
"One victory does not make us conquerors. This war is far from over and if we are to defeat the Senju we have to fight smarter, we have to outsmart them both on the battlefield and off it as well. We are Uchiha, the strongest and most noble House of this world. We are the blood of the dragon and together we shall regain all that we have lost but only if we fight together, only if we learn from our mistakes." the little boy yelled like the dragon he was,
Stunned silence prevailed as Naruto unleashed his tanto to raise it in the air. The sheer amount of determination and courage in those sharingan eyes drew the complete attention of the entire clan much to Tajima and Madara's surprise.
"Are you with me?"
Madara feared his brother had spoken too much truth their people were not ready to hear. But he was proven wrong, when there was movement from amongst the warriors who had fought on the battlefield. Madara recognized the three boys who were the first to kneel followed by several dozen others.
"Naruto-sama speaks truly and I believe him. My sword is yours to command, now and always" promised Shisui Uchiha, earning a nod from the surprised young boy who had not expected any support.
"I pledge my life to you, Young Dragon" promised Itachi Uchiha,
The last boy raised his sword making the rest of the clan follow swiftly.
"THE YOUNG DRAGON!" yelled Kagami Uchiha,
Naruto remained still watching his people pledge him their loyalty fully without any hesitation. Tajima was fuming, but it was Madara whose eyes widened as he saw a glimpse of someone in his little brother.
Izuna.
His youngest brother was not weak for he had inherited Izuna's will. And as the eldest, Madara had to protect him for Naruto was his youngest and only brother from this day.
With a smile, Madara joined his people to support his brother for the first time in his life.
Tajima watched his young son standing alone near the lake. It was a far cry from the inspiring leader who had started to win the support of their people. Madara was starting to gain popularity among the older generation, but Naruto had also developed quite a following among the younger ones with the heirs of three powerful Uchiha families pledging their lives to him.
Naruto was different.
He always had been from the moment he learned to speak. That boy...
"He is something else, isn't he?" asked a soft voice,
Tajima turned to face his only sibling still left in this world. Naori was still beautiful as ever with long flowing purple hair that reached her waist. Her skin was fairer than that of Tajima's and her hour glass figure had made her quite desired by many in their clan. Yet she had not married despite reaching the age of 19.
He himself was only 26 years old which was quite old in their world where not many lived past the age of 30 due to the constant warfare. His sister had inherited all the grace and beauty of their mother, while Tajima had followed his own father to become the current leader of their House.
Naori had been a fighter once until she lost her only lover against the Sarutobi clan. It made her lose the will to fight and she retired. But despite Tajima's worries, she had proven herself quite useful by managing the administration of their clan. She was also the representative of their clan among their few allies and was often away for months to keep those alliances breathing.
And he only allowed himself to relax around her. So when she placed her hand on his arm and hugged him, Tajima didn't resist.
For only now when it was just him and his sister, did he allow himself to remember his three sons who had perished. They had died as true shinobi and he would make sure their sacrifice would be remembered by their people.
"I'm sorry, Brother" she whispered sadly,
"Do not dishonor my sons, Naori" warned Tajima, but his tone was neither harsh or cold.
"They were boys, Brother"
He gently broke the hug and looked at her closely. She should be already married by now giving birth to their next generation. But then again, his sister had always been a wild one and only her lover's death had stolen her fire. In that way, she was not much different from Naruto as they both did what they wanted.
She touched his swollen eye and laughed as he told her Naruto had hit him. Tajima's eyes twitched...
"You find this funny?" he growled irritatedly,
"You only have yourself to blame, Brother. Never provoke a Dragon, much less an enraged one" she chastised, glancing at her nephew who brooded all alone.
Tajima scoffed.
"He's young and foolish."
She looked at him pointedly for such a long time until he finally sighed and admitted another true fact.
"But he has a sharp mind. He infuriates so much, but he is a dragon indeed. I never thought my youngest would awaken our prized eyes and it gives me hope for him. But he is terrible with ninjutsu" said Tajima bitterly,
He narrowed his eyes when his dear sister got that same amused twinkle in her eyes.
"Brother, you can be quite dense at times" she teased,
"Watch it" he warned, as she raised an eyebrow.
"Or what? You'll harm me? Your only sister"
Tajima grit his teeth so hard but didn't say anything else. Because she was right, despite the faults of their House their one great quality was that they truly cared about the ones dearest to them. It had often lead them to great follies and suffering, but it had also kept the Uchiha stronger.
The Senju's were not the only ones who knew love for their own kind. The Uchiha's simply found it difficult to express such emotions due to their rigid customs and hard hearted society. And it was more evident to Tajima with his relationship with Naruto.
"Madara is your heir and the right one to lead the clan in the future. But he'll need his brother, now more than ever. However, the boys are different. You take Madara under your tutelage, and I'll take Naruto under mine" she offered,
"No. They are my sons, and I will train them" he said firmly, but she simply pointed at his blackened eye gifted to him by his youngest son.
"Young Dragons are dangerous creatures, brother. You have done well by Madara and the rest of your sons but Naruto is wild. He is more like me and the more you try to suppress him, the more he'll rebel and burn everyone around him. He needs a different touch" she insisted, as he grunted.
"You'll only make him more soft"
The icy stare he received from his sister made him regret his words. A large portion of his power came from the alliances and trade relationships she maintained for their House bringing in money, resources and support that helped them fight against the Senju's.
Naori was gentle and kind but was ruthless to those who crossed her. Including her brother.
"I'm sorry" he said reluctantly,
She gave him an easy smile that made his bitterness go away. Naori never gloated about the power she held in her hands and was simply content in supporting him from the shadows provided he gave her the respect she deserved.
They were completely different but that didn't make him love her any less.
"Fine. Handle the boy. Gods know I cannot" he muttered, earning a brief chuckle from her.
"I promise, Brother"
Madara found him still sitting near that lake even after the moon had arrived in the cloudy sky. The little boy tensed on sensing the approaching presence but relaxed a little on seeing it was his older brother.
He took a seat beside the boy who still didn't say a word so Madara pressed a lunch box in his arms.
"Eat" he insisted,
"I'm not hungry" protested Naruto, and noticed a similar lunch box in his older brother's lap.
Madara's eyebrows twitched at the defiance but then again he had not expected anything else. His brother was stubborn, after all. Izuna would have known how to make him accept, but he was gone now.
And now it left Madara the responsibility of looking after this child.
"Fine. Then I'm not eating either" he growled, and threw his lunch box in the lake.
Naruto's eyes comically widened as he gasped which soon turned into an angry growl as he glared at his brother. An act that would have seemed alien to him not a few days ago, but they were not the same boys anymore.
"Baka, Aniki!" he spat, which only made Madara grin wide as he laid himself down flat on the wooden bridge.
"If you don't want to eat, fine. But I'm not eating either without you"
"I don't care"
Madara chuckled at Naruto's childish rant as he cursed him several times. It made him forget the pain of missing his dead brothers. And maybe Naruto felt the same...
Still, Naruto proved his stubbornness by not touching his lunch box Madara brought for him.
That was until his stomach growled...
Loudly.
The boy's cheeks flushed red as he looked away from Madara's laughing face. He affectionately ruffled the boy's hair in an effort to make him look back.
"Izuna, I said I don't-"
His voice died in his throat as he saw it was Madara staring back at him with sadness in his eyes. The two brothers went silent for several long moments until Naruto opened the lunch box and offered the refreshing food to Madara.
The boy was still not meeting Madara's eyes but the gesture said it all.
With a smile, Madara picked up the spoon and grabbed the rice. But instead of eating it himself as Naruto wanted, he presented the food to the boy.
Naruto gave him a glare in return but Madara didn't budge. The aroma of fresh food was too much for the small child who had not eaten anything since morning and he finally took his first morsel.
They ate in silence with Madara helping Naruto eat and doing the same for himself. It gave him peace and forget about his own pain as he focused on his sibling.
But Naruto's next question surprised him...
"Brother...is there a way to bring them back? A jutsu? A technique?" asked the hopeful child, looking at his prodigal brother with such desperation that made Madara sad.
"They're all gone, Naru. I'm sorry"
He truly felt awful for dashing the boy's hopes but Madara himself knew it was not possible. Their brothers were dead, their bodies reduced to ashes as custom demanded.
"I miss them" he whispered,
"Even Inabi and Yashiro?" asked Madara curiously, knowing the twins had not been kind to the boy.
"Yes. They were my brothers, all of them"
Madara's heart melted on hearing those simple words and he put the lunch box aside to wrap his arm around his young brother to bring him close. To his surprise, Naruto didn't relent and buried himself in Madara's side.
"I miss them too. And I am sorry for...not being there for you" said Madara, now realizing he had been wrong in ignoring his little brother for so long.
Naruto didn't say anything which made Madara panic,
"Just don't leave me"
Madara fought back his own tears as he gripped his little brother even more closer.
"Never" he promised,
Yet even as he said that an amused grin arrived on his lips, one which Naruto didn't fail to notice.
"Quit getting depressed and brooding all the time, or I'll bonk you on the head" teased Madara, only to receive a smirk from his brother.
"How will you even hit me when you're fat and slow?"
Madara blinked and looked at his own body to actually see if he had gained some weight only to find his normal lean and fit body. He also realized the weight of his brother on his side disappearing followed by a little rock hitting his head.
Madara's eyes twitched on seeing his little brother standing in the lake, laughing his ass off at the trick he had played on his older brother.
"YOU BRAT!"
Naruto yelped as Madara roared and charged after him. He ran faster and faster but Madara finally jumped on him making them lose their chakra control as they both ended up crashing into the cold lake.
He swimmed back to the surface and gasped fresh air only to see Madara waiting for him.
He gulped.
But his brother laughed.
And Naruto laughed alongside him forgetting about the pain in their respective hearts.
Unknown to both brothers, Naori and Tajima smiled from their position in the trees.
(Next Day)
Naruto was surprised on seeing her.
He barely had hazy memories of his aunt in his short life. He remembered her flowery scent and kind eyes, her telling him stories at nights even if those occasions were rare and few. He remembered crying for her when she was gone, Izuna had said she would come back someday but he had not believed it.
And he had forgotten about her which made him feel guilty.
Atleast her smile was kind and welcoming as she gently cupped his cheek.
"You've grown up quite a lot" she commented,
"Hai"
Naori frowned at his obedient reply. It was not the nephew she remembered but then again she had been away for nearly two years and knowing Tajima this boy would have rarely had any interactions with the opposite sex.
She cursed her rigid brother again because her task had been made only more tougher. It would have been nice if this awkwardness didn't exist between them.
"Since you have awakened your sharingan, Tajima has seen fit that I take over your training while he does the same for Madara" she said patiently, as his face fell.
"Oh..." was all he said, unable to hide feeling betrayed for his father ignoring him again in favor of his older brothers. But he shouldn't have expected anything else.
Naori knelt to his level and gently grabbed his cheeks making him look in her eyes. She found it hard to believe that there was so much kindness still left in him despite what he had seen.
"He wanted to train you both together but I asked you for myself" she said with a smile, as his eyes widened in surprise and a flair of hope. It pained her to see him grasping for little crumbs of affection and care from his own family, but it only made her more determined to change this mistake.
"Really, Oba-san?" asked Naruto, and saw her eyebrows twitch at the term he used. She was freaking 19.
"Yes. And you'll call me Naori only" she informed,
"But..."
She poked his forehead earning a yelp followed by a scowl from him which turned into a mischievous grin as he did the same to her with his little finger.
Naori grinned on seeing his triumphant expression, maybe her wild nephew was still alive in there after all.
"I'm glad you are back. I missed you" he said happily,
"So am I"
She hugged him thinking her own child would have had the same brown hair as him if Itami had lived. It pained her everyday thinking about her dead lover and the family they had wanted to have.
When they parted she presented him with a slip of paper which he looked at curiously.
"What is it?" he asked,
"Tajima told me about your problems with fire ninjutsu"
He cringed and looked away in shame but she gripped his hand making him look back at her.
"It's not necessary for everyone to have the same chakra types. Not all Uchiha are fire masters..." she suggested, earning a frown from him.
"But I'm a dragon"
She laughed kindly at his silly remark. Her clan's obsession with hailing themselves as descendants of that mythical creature who may or may not have existed was quite strong.
"Well, little dragon. Then I'd like you to pour your chakra into the paper" she instructed,
"Why?"
He gulped when her eyebrows twitched in annoyance but unlike his twin older brothers she didn't bonk him on the head.
"Just do it, please. You'll be surprised"
"Okay"
He hesitantly poured some of his chakra into the strange paper clearly worried and excited about the results. He frowned when half of the paper became wet and the other half wrinkled. Looking back at his aunt, he saw she seemed quite surprised.
"What does it mean?" he asked curiously,
"It means you are a Water and Lightning type user. You can still use the other three types of chakra and their jutsu but it will be challenging. But water and lightning are your strength, something you can truly master" she explained,
"But shouldn't an Uchiha be a fire user?" questioned Naruto with a frown,
"Silly if all of us were fire users then it would be easy for the enemy to defeat us. We need to have diversity in our ranks and the attacks, Madara is an exceptional fire and wind user. With this, you can complement your brother on the battlefield and have his back"
Naori saw that her careful explanation had an impact on him as his frown disappeared. He still wanted to master fire but linking his ability over water and lightning to that of protecting his older brother had made him more accepting of his different power.
''What type are you?"
"Fire and Lightning. But I know some good water jutsu as well, however mastering them will be your job. But I don't see why with your sharingan you can have much difficulty"
"Then let's get to work"
Naori blinked when he yelled excitedly before running towards the lake to start his training. Gods, the boy was hyper active but it could also prove beneficial for his training.
What she had also wanted to tell him was that apart from his training in combat, she would also be taking over his teaching in matters of clan politics and art of diplomacy. Something which Tajima could not teach his sons in a thousand years.
Madara did not have the patience or tact for the soft skills, he was more of a warrior. But Naruto had a way with words and this ability if molded properly could prove beneficial to their clan in the future.
Madara would be the next leader of their clan but if the Uchiha were to win he would need his diplomatic and reasonable brother to gather new allies and also turn lost ones back to their side.
It was the only way they could weaken and defeat the Senju.
With those thoughts in mind, Naori walked towards her nephew in whom she could see her successor.
Naori watched in surprise as her nephew followed her hand seals perfectly without a single mistake. His dark red eyes intently staring at her movements and capturing them magnificently. She had heard stories about the Sharingan and its power but now she was seeing it in reality.
She launched a small water dragon in his direction and he replicated her action by launching a smaller version of his own water dragon. The two beasts clashed ferociously but his power over water won out as her beast was defeated. Still, she didn't give him any rest by charging in straight for him.
Their blades clashed next and she put in a lot of her strength yet he parried her blows with ease. He didn't try to overwhelm her for it was pointless due to her superior strength but his speed was dangerous. He knew he was smaller and was using it to his advantage by aiming for her legs and even her sexual organ.
Ruthless.
Suddenly he went for her legs making her jump in the air in reflex. That was when she made the mistake of gazing in his eyes...
She froze.
The next second a blade was pointed at her heart and his triumphant grin clearly visible on his face.
"I win"
"Is that so?"
He froze as her voice resonated from behind him and a sharp blade was pointed at his neck. The Naori in front of him vanished into smoke.
Shadow Clone.
"Damn it!" he cursed, earning a bop on the head.
"You did well. But you lack experience, don't get cocky just because you have the sharingan for your enemy will always have their own tricks. And always make sure you take an enemy's head off on first chance. Limbs and organs can be lost yet they cannot stop a warrior from fighting. But a head gone would be their end" she warned, removing her kunai from his neck.
He turned back to see her soaked from head to toe. Her long purple hair completely wet and her dress hugging tightly to her womanly figure. He blushed and looked away.
Naori raised an eyebrow at his reaction even more when he turned away.
"Naruto, what are you doing?" she asked seriously,
"You...well...it's...not...honorable...to..." he stuttered, making her grin. Who would have thought the little brat had decency unlike most males of her clan. But his honor was his flaw and could get him killed.
"Have you seen a women naked?" she inquired, wondering what her brother had trained his boys in. Kunoichi had been the death of many great warriors with their seduction.
"No. It's gross"
She couldn't hold back her laugh on hearing his comment. Such a child, one day he would regret saying such a thing and say the opposite. Naori was sure but that was for another time.
Yet she couldn't resist her chance to tease him more. He was adorable.
"Why do you think so?"
She could feel him scowl on being prodded further on this uncomfortable topic. So she sweetened the deal...
"Answer me and I'll teach you something new" she offered, and he hesitantly turned back. His eyes still on the lake beneath them. The boy loved to learn more.
"I...don't...know...your...chest...is...weird...and...Inabi...said...you...don't...have-" he blushed crimson unable to finish his words despite her generous offer.
Naori smirked but gently patted his head.
"Alright. Maybe someday you will change your opinion. But always be wary of women, Naruto. They can give life but take it back as well. You are honorable in that aspect and I want you to remain the same for it will prevent you from making any mistakes" she warned,
"Hai" he replied, not understanding her full meaning but deciding to follow her advise nonetheless.
She saw the afternoon sun shining brightly alongwith the groan of his stomach as he scratched the back of his head.
"Come, we'll have lunch" she offered, as his eyes lit up.
"Ramen?"
She smacked her forehead at his unhealthy obsession. Izuna had spoiled him limitlessly in this area.
"No, you fool. Something healthy that will allow your body to grow big and strong like Madara. You want that, don't you?" she asked seriously, knowing she always had to link her demands to his benefit or he would protest. Stubborn child.
He sighed.
"Alright"
"Good. After that we'll have our academic lessons" she grinned,
"WHAT?"
(Midnight)
Sneaking out of town had always been a fun activity for him. Managing to get past the guards who always boasted that none could enter or leave without their permission made him laugh. The only drawback was that it had made Izuna worried which was why he didn't do this more often.
But his brother was gone.
And Naruto was trying to live again. He enjoyed the growing affection Madara showed towards him and the return of his aunt had started to fill the void in his heart.
Naori was kind to him but quite strict when it came to his training. She was bold and didn't hesitate in making him uncomfortable with her body or her abhorring love of books. He still shuddered on remembering spending his entire afternoon learning about different ninja clans and their histories.
Who leaded those clans, their children's names and what parts of the world they controlled.
The information was too much for him to remember but Naori was adamant that he learn it. When he had argued they had servants to remember such information she had bonked him so hard that it still hurt.
He had fallen in line after that and she rewarded his co-operation by taking him to eat ice cream with her.
He ran through the vast forests enjoying the feel of cold air hitting his skin. The sound of leaves rustling and little animals scurrying away from him made him laugh.
This was the true meaning of freedom.
Here in the wild, he didn't have to pretend. Didn't have to mind his manners and choose each word carefully.
He could say anything, do anything, and it gave him immense joy. His father didn't care where he was and it would not matter if he was home by morning. Madara was a deep sleeper and always slept in his personal chambers, so there was no chance of his brother discovering him missing from their home.
Naori was busy doing some work and he doubted she would find the need to see him this late at night.
Izuna had been the only one who worried and made sure he was in his bed at most times. Naruto stopped his run as the memory of his brother's last breath hit him again.
Be...happy...little...brother.
Madara had warned him not to dwell in sorrow too much and being around Naori helped. Yet he also missed Izuna's smile, their ramen meals and long walks across town. He missed the piggyback rides his brother always offered him despite the frowns that earned him from the other clansmen.
He fought back the tears and ran fast uncaring of where he was stepping. Only if he had been faster, only if he had been stronger...
His brothers would still be alive.
Why had he been so weak?
SNAP
He yelped in pain as the tree branch beneath his feet broke sending him tumbling down the small hill. He tried to catch some grip in order to stop his fall and felt terror seep in his heart as the deep valley started getting closer and closer.
But there was nothing to grab, nothing to stop his descent to death and his heart stopped when he felt the ground going missing from beneath him.
He closed his eyes not wanting to see himself die a horrible death. It was all so dark and cold as he continued to fall...
He didn't know what took over him but he opened his eyes only to see his life flash before his eyes.
All the good and bad times, the memories of his brothers, their victories and defeats, tears and joys.
Maybe he would see them again soon enough.
However all those thought vanished from his mind as in the darkness he saw something. It was distant but growing larger and larger.
His eyes widened in horror as he saw something that stopped his heart.
The pair of deep red eyes full of hatred.