Beauty and the Beast - An Uchiha Madara Love Story [Edited]

Chapter 30 - Jyubi's Jinchuriki

Just as it was before, this chapter is dedicated to pratistha99! Happy reading!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Izuna pov:

"I will protect you, Harumi. Just make sure that you hold onto me tightly," Aniki said as he held Harumi close to his chest. I watched as she looked up at him with a smile and didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around his torso.

"I love you Madara, and I trust you," she said in response and I narrowed my eyes just a bit as ANiki rewarded her with a kiss on top of her head.

This was the first time I had seen Aniki act this way towards anyone, let alone a woman. He was gentle and the usual anger and short temper he had when dealing with other people wasn't present. in all of his life, Aniki was someone who concentrated on becoming the strongest shinobi and making the Uchiha Clan the strongest to ever exist. I suppose he still had his goal of becoming the strongest shinobi and ruling the world since he mentioned it to Hashirama and Tobirama along with the plan of the Infinite Tsukuyomi – I was sure it was a secret technique that only we Uchiha would know about after reading what was written on the Uchiha Stone Tablet with our Sharingan. But I could not see any Uchiha's besides the two of us and two others on the battlefield. I wasn't aware of what had happened after I died from the wound Tobirama had inflicted on me but I figured that this war was solely for Aniki to become take full control of this world.

It was almost as if Aniki and I were fighting against the rest of the world.

"Stand between me and Izuna now, Harumi, and hold our hands so you can give us power. I want to wrap up the war quickly so I can seal the Jyubi inside myself before finally executing the Infinite Tsukuyomi," Aniki instructed and Harumi nodded before coming to stand between us without any hesitance.

She slipped her hand into mine and I clenched my jaw as it felt odd. I didn't exactly dislike it, I suppose, but it was strange. Her hand was small and soft and her hold gentle. I glanced at Aniki as he too held her hand but with a hint of possessiveness. Seconds later though, I tensed. I looked back at Harumi to find her standing with her eyes closed and her chakra slowly seeping into me thought the contact of her hands. It was similar to when she had revived me from the reanimated state, however, with every moment that passed, I felt stronger and much more aware of my surroundings. I was slowly reaching the very peak of my health and power because of Harumi.

Who was she? I couldn't understand how someone so delicate and small had such power. I suppose it wasn't surprising for women to be powerful too – the Uchiha Clan had had many powerful fighters who were women – but this girl looked nothing like a fighter. She acted nothing like a fighter either. And to influence Aniki so much as to protect her, to yearn for her...what had she done to him? What had she done to change him from the closed off and distant personality he always had?

When she had brought both of us to our peak, she opened her eyes and looked ahead. She cringed as she momentarily met eyes with Hashirama who looked baffled to see her helping us but she held her ground, putting her trust in me and Aniki while she got ready to face the war that was ahead of us. Of course, she wouldn't fight but she was trying to be brave and it was appreciable.

It was astounding how Aniki had lost control of himself before I was revived and a simple embrace from Harumi had calmed him down completely. I was even more amazed that he had worried for her well being enough to leave the war and let her recuperate for a whole night before they returned.

I had so many questions to ask Aniki about her. Who was she? When did he meet her? How long had he known her? What did she want from him?

I wanted to know the answer to these questions but this was not the time or place to ask them. Besides, Aniki cared for her – he cared for me and always wished to protect me but I could see that he cared for Harumi much more. His aura when he spoke to her was so gentle and calm, his expression was tender and he was thoroughly protective of her. If he really did consider her so important and wished to protect her no matter what, perhaps she was different from the two faced shinobi we had always known before. And Aniki wouldn't be fooled so easily by anyone, let alone a young girl like Harumi.