Ayumi and Madara were in a darkly lit room far beneath the ground, the crackling of fire echoing throughout. They had both fallen silent. The Hyuga stood before the sacred Uchiha stone tablet.
"Initially," Madara's hoarse voice filled the quietness of the room, "I was under the impression that the Infinite Tsukuyomi was a jutsu that belonged to the Uchiha clan. One that can bring eternal peace to the shinobi world." Ayumi hovered her gaze away from the tablet to his dark eyes. It was clear to Ayumi that he was speaking ideally, his palms that were raised in the air were now slowly dropping to his sides.
"But it turns out it is not a jutsu that creates peaceful dreams. It's a jutsu that gathers enormous amounts of chakra from its captives." Madara added. "To summon her. I'm assuming you know who I mean."
The progenitor of all chakra. Ayumi looked away, knowing full well of what he had been talking about. It was all in the books. She cursed herself for her lack of foresight, clenching her fists. If Ayumi had not bumped into Konosuke that day, Madara would have continued about performing this jutsu, and the whole world would have been damned. It was indeed destiny that day she met the Otsutsuki.
Arigato, Kami-sama.
Ayumi hesitantly looked at the Uchiha.
"Legend says that the tablet can only be read by those who possess the Mangekyo Sharingan." Ayumi said, biting her lip. She felt out of place for some reason.
"Actually." Madara adjusted his footing, so that his torso was now facing her. "That is precisely why I requested your presence."
Ayumi gulped, looking up at the daunting Uchiha, the flames lit the parts of his face that were the sharpest. It did not help calm her nerves.
"Why?"
"Your bloodline is older than the Uchiha's. And it's rumoured that your eyes are the strongest in your clan." Madara took a few steps forward. "I'd like you to use it on this tablet and tell me what you see."
She glanced at the tablet, taking a few steps forward, reluctantly weaving the signs to summon her dojutsu.
"Byakugan."
The space around her was soon enveloped in black and white, and Ayumi zoomed in on the stone tablet. The inscriptions were clear as day, though Ayumi could read it, she could not understand its contents, but she could see that the writing had been altered. Evident by its many minute anomalous scratches and scuffs. And what were those? She narrowed her eyes a bit more, fingerprints.
Ayumi took a deep gulp. The man that stood next to her had almost brought the world to ruins, yet she could not find it in herself to be slighted by it. A part of her felt his sorrow too deeply.
"Madara." Ayumi painfully spoke. "I'll be damned. It looks like it's been altered."
Judging by his reaction, Madara had anticipated that news. Impressive that she was able to notice, he thought to himself. Then again that is why he called her here.
He crossed his arms, sighing. If the Otsutsuki was actually right, I suspected that the tablet would have been tampered with to alter the meaning of the jutsu. He thought to himself.
Ayumi couldn't help but think that Madara seemed to be in deep remorse.
"The tablet has been revisioned." Madara reaffirmed the truth once more. So the Otsutsuki was not lying.
Ayumi deactivated her byakugan, looking back at him over her shoulder. "This is bad. If you had..." She was reluctant to continue her sentence, unsure if it would slight him.
I don't care!
Ayumi frowned taking a few stomps towards him, now tugging his ear. "If you had casted this genjutsu you would have screwed everybody over! Including me!" She yelled angrily, scolding him.
"Stop it." Madara flickered her wrist away.
Ayumi stared at Madara sadly, and she put her head down. He had been a child forced to grow into a man at a young age, part in due to the deaths of his brothers. It traumatized him out of all people. Madara noticed her trembling shoulders. He now regretfully looked at the floor underneath him. She doesn't deserve to cry, he thought.
"Ayumi." Madara said her name firmly, yet he spoke sorrowfully. It was enough to snap her out of her daze to meet his eyes. "Why are you crying?"
"M-Madara..." Ayumi stuttered, sniffling her tears, "I am sorry. I did not even stop to notice your pain. I am a horrible friend."
Madara's eyes widened for a tad bit, and then he looked to the side sadly, the corners of his lips turned down. Ayumi surprised him as each day would pass by, he thought. If it was anybody else they would have surely ran away, but Ayumi stayed. The thought quivered his heart just slightly.
His sharingan involuntarily swirled a red out of the deep despair of emotions he was feeling.
She couldn't help but burst into tears. Madara was incredibly strong yet his only weakness had been loving his brothers deeply.
"Oh, Madara." She spoke through breaths, "I want to help you. But I am afraid I don't know how. We must get through this. Together. You cannot resort to that jutsu. I won't let you."
"How are you able to forget your past, the lives of your loved ones, so easily?" Madara inquired. Ayumi could tell he was genuinely asking despite how frightening he looked like with his sharingan.
Ayumi looked away.
*FLASHBACK*
"Ayumi." Hayate placed a hearty hand on his daughter's messy hair. "My dear child. Do you know what your name means?"
"My name?" She hopped off the porch, froleking across the garden, playing with the flowers. "No! Tell me father!"
Hayate chuckled. "Your name means to walk. To walk your own path." He looked down at her, crouching down to her level, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You must continue to walk your own path and go forward in life, no matter what happens. You hear me kid?" Her father looked serious now.
She widened her pale eyes, and then broke out into a childish grin. "Mm! No matter what!"
Ayumi shook her head, wiping her tears away.
"You have to continue walking your own path in life, Madara. No matter what happens. Getting over it doesn't mean you're rejecting it, or tossing it away." Ayumi managed to look him in the eyes now, hoping her conviction would somewhat reach him. "No. They're never really gone. You're not forgetting about them, because they stay in here. Every single day." Ayumi placed a palm on her heart. "I won't let you get lost."
The latter of her statement made Madara feel shocked.
I won't let you get lost.
Had she been the saviour Madara never thought he needed in his life?
Madara took a step back, turning around so that his back faced her. If she spoke any more he was sure his emotions would overcome him, namely his anger, things that he tried to keep dormant for so long would arise.
Ayumi couldn't stand seeing Madara's back to her.
"Stop running." Ayumi spoke fiercely, both her fists clenched. Stop running away, is what she wanted to say.
Though she could not see, Madara softened his eyes. His eyebrows slightly raised, a sad expression grew on his face. "That is enough." He said.
-
The pair's trip to a clifftop from the Uchiha's shrine had not been too far. Their time was mainly silent, with the occasional peeking from the corner of Ayumi's eyes to Madara, gauging what he was thinking of.
"You look like you spend a lot of time here." Ayumi eyed the gentle motion of water far below them. She sat down, her legs dangling off of the edge. "You into meditation?"
Madara sat down beside her, closing his eyes. "I suppose this can be considered a form of meditation."
"So, what'chya thinking about?" She innocently asked, her pale eyes were set on his dark ones.
In truth, Madara was reluctant to answer. But knowing her intrusive nature, he would any way.
"Of many things."
"Hmmm? Like what?" She leaned in.
Madara looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. "Are you not afraid after everything? At what you see?"
Madara was not one to care what anybody else thought, but she was different. She was an exception.
Ayumi looked up to the sky. "A world where everyone you love exists sounds really great, doesn't it. But..." She looked back at him. "You're not only going to be my husband, but my friend too. I have to make sure you're okay up here." Ayumi pointed to her head. "And besides, friends don't leave each other hanging."
Madara lingered in her eyes for just a moment. Ayumi's optimism reminded him of Hashirama's, except it wasn't annoying.
Madara swore he would protect her with his life. She had a way with words that struck his heart like no other. It baffled him.
Madara looked towards the flowing stream of water.
-
"There is... one person I'd like to see before I make it back to the Hyuga district." Ayumi rubbed her chin.
"And who may that be?" The Uchiha looked down at her curiously. They were walking throughout the Uchiha compound comfortably with each other.
She squinted her eyes. That had to be her. "There she is." Ayumi pointed at the old Uchiha veteran lady, "Obaa-chan!" Ayumi scurried towards the old lady, which they soon greeted each other with an embrace.
Obaa-chan...? Madara thought as he watched from a short distance.
The old lady was inquisitive though, she watched the close proximity of the Uchiha leader and Ayumi and quickly put two and two together.
"Heh heh heh." The old lady chuckled. "Take this bread. My gift to you."
"B-But why?" Ayumi sweat dropped.
The veteran stayed silent for just a moment as she watched Madara come closer, who closed his eyes tipping his head towards her slightly.
"My wedding gift to you both." She offered the goods.
"But! W-H-how!" Ayumi flailed her arms, only earning more chuckles from the elder.
"Hmph." Madara crossed his arms triumphantly. He then placed a hand on Ayumi's shoulder. "It is true, we are getting married."
His brashness only caused the Hyuga heiress to turn redder.
"So I see you've finally found someone." The elder smiled.
Ayumi nodded, she wouldn't let his mockery slide so easily though.
"That's right. We're planning on having about... 20 kids was it, right Madara? Right, because we agreed on that, afterall." Ayumi tugged the Uchiha into a headlock, he was trying to resist.
"You are ridiculous." Madara snarled.
"Hahah hahah!" The elderly lady laughed, holding her stomach as she did so.
Ayumi was now laughing alongside the elder lady, and she let go of Madara. Madara patted his clothing.
He periodically glanced between Ayumi and the elder Uchiha veteran, watching them mindlessly chatter.
I won't allow any one's schematics to get in the way of this. Madara thought to himself.