retrograde wist

4

"Why so silent?"

She bit into the first dango on the skewer.

Madara waited patiently as she chewed. Then he handed her a cup of hot tea.

"T—thank you." She accepted it, swallowed, then took a sip.

The tea had a wonderful fragrance: tasting bitter, but with a soft undertone of sweetness.

It calmed her.

She gulped down a couple mouthfuls and savoured the pleasant sensation of heat travelling down her throat.

"I don't have anything to say." She said quietly and gently set down her teacup.

"So you say."

"Yes." She said. "And even if did I doubt anyone would listen."

Madara-sama quirked a brow.

"Am I not listening right now?"

She frowned.

"You would call me naive." She told him ruefully. "Or perhaps delirious... treacherous, even."

"Speak then and let me judge for myself." Madara said, crossing his arms. "I am honoured with the unique experience of your first true conversation. Let it be a good one."

Her fingers curled.

"Go on." He said with a kindness that surprised her. "I won't be angered, child. What would you talk about if you were certain everyone would listen?"

Konoha.

Home.

"Peace." She said softly but clearly. "I would talk about peace."

"Peace." He echoed and she nodded.

"Yes—-I would... I would talk about peace. A place without fighting... a haven where everyone could go to find healing no matter who they are or where they're from." She told him as she remembered Tsunade who at one point shared with her a common dream. "I'm not naive enough to say that fighting won't ever happen in this place. I know that times of peace come and go in cycles but wouldn't it be better to seek peace than to wage war?"

Her throat stung but there was more to say so she pushed on.

"To die on a battlefield isn't something I want for myself or for those who come after me." She whispered, suddenly aware of Madara's eyes fixated onto her. "V—violence calls to retaliation which in turn brings more violence. If two people argue and neither i—is willing to be the first to take a step towards reconciliation then... then they'll never stop arguing. I don't—I don't know if it's a matter of pride, an unwillingness to humble themselves towards another, or..."

Her voice faded.

"Forgive me, Madara-sama." She said in a rush. "I didn't—I—-"

"Go on."

She shut her mouth.

"I want to hear your voice, Misako-chan."

She frowned at the name.

"Alright..." she breathed. "I—If I were all grown up a—and strong enough to be taken seriously... I would ask Madara-sama to consider making peace with the other clans."

"You have yet to grow up." Madara mused. "But I am Madara and I am taking you seriously, aren't I?"

She flushed slightly.

"Yes—you—you are, Madara-sama." She agreed, stammering slightly.

He smiled.

"Ah," she finished her second dango. "An alliance of all the great and lesser clans would be nice. We would be stronger together than apart.. others in the other nations would likely do the same eventually and—and if we were first then... we would set the precedent. We would establish the first multi-clan and civilian settlement."