Blinded

"...for the Uchiha name..."

A pleading look in his eyes locked on a young girl, though his vision was already impaired. He's a leader, a leader who always have high hopes and pride for his clan, no matter how and what to do just for the sake of their name, may it be good or bad. It was his last moments and she cannot do anything but listen, her hand touched his.

"..you are my successor..."

She closed her eyes accepting the fate that was written at that very moment; to lead a clan, their clan. A big responsibility from then on, her father; a domineering and stoic man now so helpless and blind, about to die at any given time.

"...Madara..I..leave..our name...to.."

Tajima Uchiha, former leader of the Uchiha clan, on his deathbed pleaded his daughter, his only ace. Madara, 16 at that time will be the first and only female leader of a certain clan. Not just an ordinary clan, a powerful clan only bested by the Senju.

"I promise." Far from the normal girl at that age, Madara Uchiha was never a normal girl. Not a single tear dropped from her eyes, but deep inside, her heart sank knowing it will be her father's last words. Her father died with a delicate smile on his lips, trusting her completely.

It was never unusual for her to wake up earlier than a rooster, but this time, it's kind of a different degree. Rising up, putting her white robes tying its ribbon in front, she noiselessly walked through their corridor not wanting to wake a child whose room was just beside hers. Madara went to their veranda and breathe some fresh air. She hugged herself after an ice-like breeze greeted her, remembering the time when they established the village. It was like that time, cold and quiet, when a certain idiot Senju suggested her face to be carved on a rock facing the village. The Uchiha's lips curved into a smile, one that only Izuna knows what it exactly look like. She's leading the whole village peacefully for a month now, with some talking with Tobirama (that was purely business and nothing more)

"Neechan?"

The strongest of the Uchiha looked over her shoulders with wide eyes, looking at her still sleepy little brother before her (just like her, wearing a white robe) Her smile vanished the moment he called her.

"Izuna?" She was more than sure that her feet never made a noise.

"why are you here neechan? and why are you smiling?" the boy asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes using the back of his hands. Madara moved her head down and frowned.

"I was not." she said flat toned "...and why are you here, it's still so damn early." she added (not irritated but it's just the way she talkS)

Never did she imagined the question that was thrown to her, smiling? why was she smiling? SMILING.

The older of the two think for a moment what her thoughts were before Izuna arrived.

The village? the cold? was it?

The establishment of the village? maybe.

Or maybe...not that entirely.

Izuna talked about how the climate have just begun colder and colder, that the snow might drop anytime soon, and ultimately how he badly needs to pee (which was the entire reason why he gets up so early) though, his sister can barely hear him. The pale faced Uchiha girl still wondering if she really did smile few moments ago.

Or was it because she remembered the person with her at that moment?

"Neechan," coming back to reality after Izuna placed a hand over her arms (which was positioned in a Tobirama-like-manner, folded arms over chest)

"I'm hungry." the boy said, pouting. Madara sighed.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

After she feeds Izuna and their cats (and herself of course), the Hokage-in-charge prepared going to the office. Facing the mirror after a warm bath, she changed outfit from pure white bathrobe to her usual black inner long sleeve outfit covered with dark blue robes with Uchiha crest at the back.

"I said Im not going to wear that!"

"But Mara, just a try please?"

"I said NO!"

They argued for at least two hours before he finally stop convincing her in trying the Hokage robes and hat as well. Hashirama kept insisting that she needs to wear it being the Hokage while he's away, while she never favored light colored clothes and also ranting that the Hokage robes closer to a Senju's traditional robes. The Uchiha lady has a very meticulous fashion sense too. Hashirama had a mental battle whether Madara would change its color from white to black or blue, (hoping it would not be pink) when the day she would be the second Hokage comes.

Without her realizing it, her lips curved into a smile once again recalling her so called stupid moments with him.

"You are smiling again!" Izuna pointed a finger on her cheeks (just when did that kid arrived on her side seriously)

The younger Uchiha laughed childishly "Neechan is smiling! Neechan is smiling!" he chanted, jumping while teasing his sister.

"Izuna!" she hissed, covering her brother's mouth for not wanting the child's laugh to wake the entire Uchiha compound (it's still so damn early according to her) and what more, he's declaring Uchiha Madara was smiling (which might start a petition for another celebration)

-xXx-

He and his troops were staying in Uzushio for a month. Hashirama rolled on his bed after a mild knock from the door awakened him. The Hokage quickly grabbed his robe to cover his naked upper body before opening the door but clumsily tied its ribbon.

"Ah!" The one who knocked looked down quickly after meeting his eyes

"Oh, Mito." The tall man smiled greeting the young lady, slightly wondering if he scared her again because the Uzumaki seems to have a hard time looking directly at him. She used to tour guide him around the village before and they also had some bonding time but not too long because Mito was busy helping her grandfather in formulating the method of sealing techniques that Hashirama needs for the tailed beasts.

"Good morning, Mito." he said, the lady's eyes turn at his.

"Good morning!" she greeted back.

"I just wanted to tell you something..." Her eyes looked directly at his then on her side, back and forth. Hashirama observed her.

Something is new to her today.

"Morito arrived from their expedition." The girl said happily, Hashirama looks like he's having a mental battle again pinning his eyes to Mito.

Hmm,her hair.

"My twin brother just arrived."

Hashirama flinched "Oh! Morito, really? then we have to welcome him right?"

Did I say get his name right now?

Mito nodded. After that, he asked her to give him a moment so he can groom himself properly before finally going outside to welcome her twin brother (he just got up from bed, mind you). Hashirama quickly changed (or put) his inner clothes, turn to washroom to clean his face and was horrified after realizing something.

"You hair stinks! hnn."

He sighed, but smiled. Hashirama's starting to miss their petty fights.

The Senju jerked, how cruel of him to make a lady wait outside.

"My apologies, shall we go?" The two walk together going to the temple. Mito's face was bright just like Hashirama's personality but like he said, there was something new to her...

Her hair was arranged in buns with hair pins in them and three clips in the front, which was a new thing because she used to let her red long hair down and nothing more. Hashirama once joked about all the female in Uzushio almost looked alike each other because they all have long red hair, that's when she decided to change her style.

"Is there anything wrong?" she asked, the man kept on observing her head since they started walking together.

"Nothing! Nothing!" he shook his head sideways, Mito beamed at him.

"How was the meeting yesterday Hokage-sama?" she asked in a casual yet polite tone.

"Ashina-sama said he'll be finalizing the method this day, what about you? how was the exams?"

Hashirama had meetings every day with Uzushio officials and even when he's just in Konoha, the kage attends tiring conclaves like that. He also send messages for Tobirama and Madara about the village status every week (which iwas purely business because he's quite afraid his brother might read the falcon's message before it reached the Uchiha). On the other hand, Mito was a promising kunoichi who specialize sealing techniques, studying on the temple as a high priestess-in-training.

"Morito-niisama!" The beautiful Uzumaki (with buns in her hair) ran jumping to her twin brother and left Hashirama standing, watched while the siblings embraced each other. Morito was the twin brother of Mito and he looked exactly just like her except that he was a man. The room was filled by the two Uzumakis talking, before Ashina interrupted.

"Morito arrived from their expedition to the land of tea after a year." The old Uzumaki said, explaining why Mito reacted like it's the first time she saw Morito again.

"I see.." the Hokage simpered, relieved that his thoughts of Mito changing her hairstyle was not all because of his comments on everyone's hair looks entirely the same but because of Morito's arrival.

But it was not.

"Hashirama!" Morito greeted coolly, running towards the Hokage. The tan skinned man's height intimidates the Uzumaki. Meanwhile, their grandfather whispered what was like a hiss to him

"Hashirama is the Hokage now, pay some respect!"

Mito goes at Morito's back "He..doesn't remember." she spoke very softly but the Senju didn't missed hearing it. Morito's face turned into a slight frown as his aura of a cool guy vanished "But we're all pretty close!" he protested, Ashina's brows turn up and down.

"Welcome back Morito!" Hashirama greeted him warmly to avoid his forgetfulness or whatever, more importantly, he cant let someone down after he knows they've been good friends in the past, that's the kind of guy he is. The Senju's hand turned forward asking a handshake, Morito smiled generously accepting it.

"A pleasure, Hokage-sama." he bowed.

A brief exchange of greetings followed, they were having breakfast altogether and Morito tells them stories from his trek. From his knowledge, Hashirama joined the conversation for he knows some information about the Land of tea but he's never been there before and on this, Morito was pleased to describe the place more.

"How about your village, Hokage-sama?" The red haired man spoke.

"I left the village to my bestfriend's care and my brother." Hashirama answered, Ashina gawked at this bestfriend word, did he mean Uchiha Madara as the 'bestfriend' ? cause he was certain the 'brother' part was for his brother Tobirama Senju. It was the first time he heard him addressing Madara as 'bestfriend', the old man kept his thoughts on himself.

"Bestfriend.." Uzumaki Mito muttered. It was like his favorite word the way he mention it. Mito observed the Hokage's twinkling eyes speaking proudly of his bestfriend. Deep inside, she wanted to know what kind of person this bestfriend is, that Hashirama seems so fond of.

"Hashi-..Hokage-sama, see you later." Morito was a nice, cool guy. Hashirama promised them he'll be at the bridge after his meeting with Ashina. Mito went outside with her brother just as Ashina request them to be.

"We finalized the seals." Ashina started, Hashirama was pleased and was very grateful and before he reacts in his delight ,the old man added

"Save your thanks to Mito."

-xXx-

Jiro entered the office with hands full of papers and books, pinning his eyes to the Hokage-in-charge. The Uchiha head was leaning on the window, gazing outside.

"Jiro," she called, still looking outside. The man was slightly alarmed by her sudden mention of his name. It was rather unusual. Usually, Madara doesn't talk to him so casually, speaking only if she have orders or requests.

"Madara-sama?" he replied.

"How long..will you go for our clan..?" It was five days since she last recall her dreams.

There was a pin dropped silence on the four corners of the room. It was filled with Jiro's thoughts on where-did-the-question-came-from. Worrying he didn't have the right amount of time to answer, Jiro replied simply.

"Til my last breath, Madara-sama. Our clan is our family, our entirety." He said, without doubts in his heart.

"Entirety." she repeated, turn around to face him and sat on the Hokage seat. Jiro just stood there observing the girl, there was something clogging in his chest whenever he watched her every move, like it's the best, the most, she's very admirable.

"...for the Uchiha name..."

again,it echoed around her head, she fought, won and lost over their clan's name. Whatever her people say about her she did her best, didn't she?

After a long while of her momentarily thoughts, someone barged in, who doesn't care to knock before going inside, holding a scroll.

"Madara!" the mad man called, he was followed by Toka who was panting.

The said woman was slightly surprised by Tobirama's sudden appearance but she was ultimately irked by his aura over that.

"What now." she murmured rolling her eyes lazily, just why in the world Tobirama all of a sudden would walk in like a mad bull at this time of the afternoon?

"What is it, Tobirama." she asked plainly (she spoke his name as if she's chewing a bubblegum)

"You..." he huskily replied, Jiro stepped in front, sensing a great turbulence of hatred from the Senju.

"Move away." he was talking eye to eye to Jiro.

"My apologies Tobirama (there was no sama) but I will not let you-"

"Jiro," the Hokage in charge stand up "let him." she commanded, the Uchiha guy was hesitant of course, but moved away so Tobirama can speak (or scold) her for Rikkudo knows why.

"WHAT is THIS?!" the Senju plopped the scroll over the table.

"It's a freaking scroll, you ass." she said at the back of her mind, oh how she hated it, dealing with Tobirama.

The Uchiha scanned the scroll's contents.

"It's..." her eyes widened upon reading it.

"Tell me why are they declaring war against us!" The Senju shouted angrily, demanding his question to be answered properly. Toka did close the door to avoid other people to hear the dreadful news.

"They're the one at fault here, I already talked to them." Madara defended her position.

"Then why are they still trying to attack us? it's a declaration of war, Madara. What have you done ,tell me!" He angrily snapped, the Uchiha lady shrugged.

"If its war they want, so be it." she replied coldly and sat again, Tobirama was enraged.

"YOU.. are nothing but a war maniac! I dont know why my brother's placing his trust to a person like you." he scolded again, this time Madara can't hold it any longer.

"You were not there when I talked to them, get lost." The two have their glaring battle while their subordinates Toka and Jiro don't know what to do but to guard them if ever they get on physical with each other.

"What did you told them?" the albino asked, irritated.

"I warned them." She answered

"WARNED?!" he repeated, their argument was going to their own war and two other persons inside the room can feel it.

"That if they didn't pull the declaration, we'll finish them all."

Another pinned dropped silence filled the room, but now, from Tobirama's extreme emotions.

"You're insane!" just when did warning someone became a peaceful negotiations? he ridiculed, clasping the table by both of his hands, the Uchiha stand up

"Get out." she glowered.

The mad Senju placed a hand on his back, ready to pull his sword when Jiro moved to stop him. Toka warned him by pointing a kunai at his back, the Uchiha guy activated the sharingan. All of them were inside a magnet of tension like a bloodshed will start at any given moment.

"My brother doesn't need a person who has no heart and conscience, you dragged us unto this war, how dare you!" the bitterness in his words were enough to describe how mad he was. Madara activated her sharingan.

"So you're gonna kill me here?" she mocked

"You are dead a long time ago if not because of my brother." Tobirama hastily said.

"Your brother wants peace, people doesn't get it, see?" she continued that annoyed him even more.

The albino charged, his sword fully out of its cover ready to hit her neck. Jiro and Toka quickly faced each other not to fight but to stop the two, even though they know it would be impossible knowing Madara's strength. Madara was about to charge forward with response on Tobirama's attack when she felt a very familiar chakra.

In a blink of an eye, Tobirama's sword clashed an extremely hard vine, stopping its movements and his as well. It swirled around his arms. A person jumped over the Hokage table facing him.

"Tobirama," the voice called, Madara gritted her teeth.

"Tell me what is happening here." Hashirama Senju, the shodai demanded.