Conflict (sequel)

Chapter 11 | Answers

I absolutely loved reading your comments on the previous chapter XD

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Madara had only seen Keiji once after his 'death'. From that short meeting on, he had only been in contact with his fellow Uchiha through a few letters which weren't worth counting. Madara only wrote Keiji to tell him to take care of Asami, and Keiji wrote Madara to inform him that the Uzumaki had given birth safely, but the letter didn't contain more information than that.

After that, nothing.

Madara knew that Keiji's last letter carried an unwritten invitation, a plea for him to come back, but for some reason, Madara couldn't bring himself to distance himself from the hideout he was living at.

Losing to Hashirama raised the need to be alone, to think without any disturbances, and to plan for the future. It was Madara's intention not to involve Asami. She wouldn't support him with this, he knew that.

Also, going back to her after having suffered a crushing defeat, he couldn't do it. He dragged her into this, and for what? For a fight he lost? Her good intentions were wasted on him. Madara's thoughts only turned more negative as he slowly started to see the world from a darker angle.

It was in human nature to keep battling, not learning from the past wars. The cycle of peace and war was inescapable, and he developed a plan that would put an end to running in circles cluelessly. 

He wondered, would Asami accept a man with this mindset?

Asami was not a good person. She lied too, betrayed and even abandoned her friends and family. She did what she thought was right for her, while it was wrong in the eyes of others.

So Madara would also follow his beliefs, commit to his plan, but while doing that, he'd walk a different path than the Uzumaki.

A path that would not cross hers, for she wouldn't accept a man which was regarded as twisted.

Despite thinking that, Madara still found himself in front of the house where he left the Uzumaki, but she wasn't there anymore, and nor was their child.

They had risen, up to the dark clouds which would cry only minutes later, leaving their battered bodies behind in the cabin, where Madara found them lying motionlessly on the ground. All color had vanished from their faces. They were pale, stained with blood.

And when Madara touched her, he had retracted his fingers less than a second later. Her normally warm skin was now cold. He knew that the deceased was like this, but only having to experience this once again, seeing and feeling a body which was drained of warmth, confirmed her death.

This senseless murder was also a part of that cycle. It's winning or losing, nothing in between. Asami and Kouta were killed because someone simply wanted something from them, may it be food to live a day longer, or their house to hide from what seemed like unending rains. These people won, and gained something they probably also could have gotten if they asked nicely. 

Every issue needed to be solved with conflict.

It didn't matter if people died, that was simply the cost. Even in times of peace, people's lives were taken, and for what? For people with certain interests? Like the assassin-like shinobi that killed Yumi for the sake of showing their opposition to the village? And Kouta's murderers, who simply wanted supplies to see another tomorrow?

Asami and Kouta also lived to see tomorrow. Yet somehow, people with similar interests still clashed. People are greedy, another bad trait of mankind, and sharing wasn't an option.

And because of that, both Asami and Madara stood now in the middle of a huge terrain covered with boulders and rocks, while one of the biggest wars in history was taking place not far from them.

Asami stood there, barely moving her body as she stared at Madara with wide and unbelieving eyes. She seemed to be unable to comprehend his words, the sentence he had just spoken. She'd cry but she hadn't spared any tears for him. 

Asami felt betrayed, fooled. She put all her trust in him, exchanged promising words with him, but was it even Madara's intention to keep these promises, to return to her? Was their relationship that weak, this easy to throw aside?

''...You didn't die.. before me?''

It was harder to ask than Asami previously thought. It was almost as if she were too afraid to ask the question because she probably didn't want to know the answer.

But she already knew the answer.

Madara still didn't look back. ''I didn't.''

Taking in a deep, trembling breath, Asami stood firm. There were still many things she wanted to ask, to yell at him for, to make him understand just how fuming she was and how much he had hurt her, but she decided not to do this. Not now.

Since now wasn't the time to argue, to complain or to whine about what's already done. Asami wasn't just going to let this slide, but for now, she'd keep silent about this matter. That didn't quell her rage though.

Her eyes narrowed slightly and she clenched her jaw tightly. Her green eyes, now almost devoid of warmth, were fixated on his face, which was still turned to the side. ''Why did you revive me?" She asked, her voice already several degrees colder than before, and colder than it had ever been before. ''For what purpose am I here?"

Madara seemed to ask an unspoken question with his eyes, wondering why Asami decided to change the subject, but he didn't voice this question. ''Don't misunderstand.'' He said, turning his head back to face her properly. ''I'm not the one that brought you back.''

Asami blinked in confusion. Ever since she heard of this disgusting jutsu, she assumed that Madara was the one that used it on her, but it seemed she was mistaken about that. This did explain why Madara didn't ask more about Kouta.

He didn't even know his son was revived too.

''Then who did?''

Madara ground his teeth, a grimace briefly visible on his face. ''You don't know him.'' He grunted. He was obviously not on very good terms with this person. ''But it wasn't a part of the plan to bring you back too.'' The Uchiha continued. ''He decided on that himself.''

Asami was bewildered, the questions she asked only raising more questions. The more she came to know, the less she understood. What was this plan Madara mentioned? For what reason did a person from this era whom she never met revive her? And more importantly, how did this stranger know about Kouta? Only Keiji, Kaede and Madara were supposed to know about his existence.

Madara easily noticed Asami's confusion, and while he actually wanted to make this quick and return to the battlefield to finish what he started, he comprehended that Asami rather had all her confusion cleared now. He'd only explain a bit more, and for the rest, she'd have to wait until after the war.

''The reason for reincarnating you, Asami, is quite pitiable actually.'' The Uchiha continued. ''He did it simply to surprise me.''

Asami stared at Madara for a few seconds, the look in her eyes asking him, more like pleading him, to tell her that it was a really bad joke. But when Madara didn't say any more, Asami squeezed her eyes shut tightly, covering her face with one of her hands as she leaned against the boulder.

All this, simply to throw him off guard? She was brought back to life, just to amuse the caster of this jutsu? And Kouta too, a mere child thrown into the middle of a war that had nothing to do with them.

Their lives, not even taken seriously, used for something like this?

It had to be a joke.

A very cruel joke.