Things he thirsts for none the less
~ Chapter Eleven ~
~ Afternoon ~ Sakuya's Lake ~
Sakuya's vocalise fills the air, with ease she shifts seamlessly through her favored notes.
The musical pitches of her song flow through a cycle of a high, serene soprano to a low, dramatic alto, and everything in between.
Not quite a prayer, her inhumanly alluring voice engulfs the lakeside orchard in a veritable chrysalis of tranquil music.
For within this "private circle" she so created, resides a highly charged, overflowing sense of peace and contentment.
Curiously enough, despite the indescribable, otherworldly beauty, there is simultaneously an almost haunting sense of longing and unfulfilled radiance.
Not quite qualifying as 'pretentious', the sort of wavering paradox hovers evenly between bud and full, glorious bloom.
Feeling a rather burning stare, Sakuya looks up, her comforting, self-soothing aria now halted.
There across from her favorite place at this lakeside orchard, she notices an unfamiliar man.
His skin is pale as her own, but his wild, mane of long black hair and equally intense dark eyes...
' His gaze, it's like I'm on fire. ' The unknown man's Mangekyou Sharingan now being poised right upon her being only made the intensity all the stronger.
Perhaps catching himself, the Mangekyou deactivates, returning to the inky black of a moonless sky. The dark shadowy coloring of his features couldn't be further in contrast to her moonlight silver- eyes and the blood moon tint to Sakuya's blonde hair.
' An Uchiha? I see, perhaps a distant cousin of ours." Sakuya deduced quickly. ' Wait, I saw him in the front audience. One of our visitors.'
The pieces fell into place in her mind. 'Ah, our eyes. Well, they're hardly a secret, I suppose it was inevitable an envoy from Fire would seek answers.'
' But why am I worried? This encounter need not mean trouble.
' They'll surely understand. Our eyes are the product of a sincerely natural birth, our mother was half Uchiha.
' They must know it's not our mother's fault the clan didn't keep better tabs on her.
'It was always a possibility the Sharingan would activate in Sora, not to mention her children...
' In all honesty, it was irresponsible to just assume otherwise.' - The most likely "explanation" for why her mother wasn't raised amongst the Uchiha is now as good as fact.
- 'Yes, my brothers and I, we have nothing to hide nor feel ashamed.'
Her initial wariness is eased, and Sakuya allows herself to feel more confident and self-assured.
Rising, from the assembled collection of cushions and silken blankets from which she was resting (after another exhausting practice), Sakuya bows.
Through fluid movements, the spiraling, waist-length, braid of her hair barely twists. Her whimsical ponytail was undisturbed by the gentle lake breeze.
Sakuya ensured her graciously deployed greeting was as deferential to her guest as possible so as not to give off any mistaken impression of hostility.
' Yes, even the ugliest tears will always vividly reflect the light. The many colors always shine through.' Sakuya reassured herself.
Her left hand over her chest, as she straightens her shoulders upright into a most determined poise, Sakuya is pleased.
'Thank you Lord Raizen, my brothers will be proud. If there must be conflict here, I won't be at fault.'
She spoke out, though her speaking voice had a near whisper to its blend, her intonation was firm and unyielding. Eloquently Sakuya addressed her visitor with all the grace and diplomatic poise she could muster.
~
"Good afternoon sir, may I help you with something?" The Wellspring Maiden asked kindly
. To Madara Uchiha, the sound of her dewdrop voice up close, it's even more overwhelming and enticing than last night.
"Those movements... And I was so proud of my own agile maneuvers. "cat-like" My backside Izuna, such inhuman grace is thoroughly unfair,' Madara thought.
I wasn't expecting a vocalise either. Such a remarkable range too. It was radiant.
If I didn't know better, at different points of her song, I'd almost think it was voices of several different women...
'Such a shame, had I known my presence would be cause for an interruption, I'd have left and come back later.
A sudden timidness unlike anything he'd ever felt practically cripples his normal self-assured nature.
' Her bow was well executed, with these elegant mannerisms she definitely had a teacher. And such an aura... I see, then I was right.
The space between us in the audience and Sakuya on stage was a deliberate buffer.
Fascinating but such observations can wait. Oh, she's looking at me. Well, this drawn-out pause is awkward...
This really isn't like me, my childhood elocution lessons have never failed before.'
"Forgive me for my intrusion." He managed not to stutter.
"I... My name is Madara. Madara Uchiha, heir to my clan in Fire.
"I understand your family shares our blood. Apologies, it took so long to decide to reach out but I hoped to introduce myself in person."
~
"That's such a great excuse to initiate conversation...
"If I ever want a relationship for myself I'll be sure to remember that one." Snarked Shiroyuki to Reiji.
The unabashed sarcasm in his princely-sounding voice was blatant.
From their hiding space in Kamui, Sakuya's older brothers are taking Madara's decision to approach their sister in a remarkably lackadaisical manner.
Though they weren't expecting the Uchiha Lord to make actual contact with Sakuya, (Not this soon) neither brother is upset.
"Wow, he's "really" bombing isn't he Shiro?"
"Eh, he gets points for actually managing a conversation, but yeah, I'm not gonna lie Reiji... With all due respect, I expected better from "THE" Madara Uchiha.
"I know he's technically a different man from the delightfully vicious predator you "collaborated" within the other worlds, but he isn't suave or infallible at all.
"I don't know why but I expected a bit more... brooding."
"Brooding huh?" Asked Reiji.
"You know Reiji, maybe "piercing eyes" and a "smoldering smirk of desire"... the usual antics of a "romantic lead".
Alas it seems life doesn't necessarily reflect the pages of those steamy romance novels for bored civilians. " said Shiro. His disappointment is all too genuine.
"Maybe it's for the best, our Sakuya isn't yet twenty.
"It would be completely improper for her to be swept up by passion at only seventeen years old."
"Why you read those Shiro... I'll never understand that. " Said Reiji. His tone reflected honest confusion.
"Everyone needs a hobby dear Reiji." said Shiro shamelessly.
"I like to think a little vicarious excitement is harmless. At least in the grand scheme of things.
" Raizen liked these too and I'm sure the people of Oasis would prefer it to serial murder."
"Whatever, I really don't care enough to judge. Reiji's tone was without energy.
More to your point Shiro, this is also a man who hasn't been systematically destroyed by my hand.
"Why in our original world, I went out of my way to attack and dismantle everything "that Madara" held near and dear. He was completely alone."
" For Mother's sake, I left the inheritor Indra's chakra alone and vulnerable on the most spiritual level.
Here, this Madara is doing just fine. Mostly." amended Reiji.
"I see our lack of interference didn't save his other siblings, eh whatever. He has Izuna and he was always the most important piece to Madara's stability."
"True, we absorbed our counterparts in time." Shiro murmured calmly.
"Now with the three-tail beast assimilated within our bodies, we can finish off Four then we can move on to the Five-Tail.
"Ideally without incident, but I think we've learned better than to presume." His words were cut off by Reiji's commentary.
"Oof, wow Shiro, Our sister did a number on him, it's like Madara has never spoken to a pretty girl before."
Shiro clicked his tongue. "In fairness, maybe he hasn't? In our original world, even after Mito, there were "whispers of him and Hashirama-"
"Right, "whispers" that I encouraged. I have no idea if they were ever true, but the idea alone made for quite the conversation starter among pretty much everyone in Konoha.
"That Madara was never popular, even amongst his people, and the thought of him "obsessing" inappropriately over their first Hokage was too good a fodder to waste." Reiji admitted.
At Shiro's judgmental stare, the younger brother feels mildly defensive.
"What? Oh Shiro don't be a hypocrite, you know I needed him isolated and you understand best of all that suggestive rumors and innuendo are the path of least resistance." Defended Reiji.
"I understand that Reiji. I guess the idea just feels needlessly petty. Maybe it's this human body's influence..." Shiro's voice is uncertain.
I mean even at our most "reprehensible" - Oh Mother, I AM a hypocrite aren't I?
"Murder remains every bit as easy as before... yet lately hurting people's "feelings"- there are times I hate this Reiji...
"The conflicting mindset." Whispered Shiro morosely.
"Look, I regret nothing, but lately... I don't know, it's just been increasingly difficult... the memories of-"
I know Guilt" is the wrong word... I certainly feel no "remorse". Not truly.
"And like our "dealing" with that Mito... I mean "Sister" or not, for Mother's design, she had to be removed.
"But I definitely feel... something." Shiro lets the topic go. He doesn't know where his thoughts are going either.
Turning his attention back to Sakuya, currently speaking with a thoroughly lost Madara, Shiro muses aloud.
"I'm kind of proud, we raised Sakuya well. This "purity of heart, mind and soul" is exactly what Mother hoped for...
"I mean look at our little sister, winning a "game" she isn't even playing."
~
"Are you alright? You look so pale... If you need to sit down Lord Uchiha I have cushions here. Please don't stand on ceremony." She gestures downwards and Madara all but limps into place.
Even as her speaking companion, settles onto a cozy cushion at her side, the concern in Sakuya's bell-like voice remains absolutely genuine. In any other case, her kindness would surely be appreciated.
But Shiro suspects that for Madara, a man who prides himself in his control, this new flailing inability to contain himself... Well, Sakuya's effortless care and genuine concern for his well-being is only making things more awkward and unsettling for him.
"Yikes. It's like he can't decide if he wants to hug her close or flee for his life." murmured Shiro.
Reiji nods along in silent agreement. Relieved he was never so strange towards Yuukina.
On an intimate level he understands his brother's earlier unease.
They remain Mother's "New Moon" but this new life has introduced so many conflicting sensations and surging emotions, that it makes life more... difficult for them than they expected.
Reiji wondered, ' Is this what they mean? About "becoming the mask"? '
Easing the remaining awkwardness between himself and Shiro, Reiji throws in a neutral topic of conversation.
"So back to what we were discussing earlier?"
"May as well." Murmured Shiro, his last bit of coldness easing away. "That "monkey", he isn't exactly "dissipating" without a fight. Presumably, he realized something is very, very wrong.
"It's too late for him by far but I can confidently assume the Gobi will be just as resistant to "fading away".
As the brothers continue observing the admittedly pathetic display above them, in between plotting, Sakuya's expression catches Shiroyuki's attention.
"My, my, what's this?" Shiro's Sharingan zeroing in on the scene above them all the more closely, he pipes in.
"Oh wait, it was faint but I'm sure I saw it! A flicker of approval in our dear sister's eye! She finds this display cute! Endearing even. Perhaps he has a chance?"
"Let's hope so Brother. Look, he's FINALLY recovering that noble composure, it'd be such a waste of natural talent. "
The sight of Sakuya assuring the now stoic and reserved Madara that he didn't offend her is almost charming in it's simplicity.
" Ah Madara, you were a worthy collaborator before... I'm looking forward to "working" with you again." Said Reiji energetically, his eager, charming face was nearly as beautiful as Sakuya's.