The most painful days and sorrowful nights

21. A father's true meaning of love

The women had attacked him, using his one eye to their advantage. Where Madara shifted to one side,Uzume shifted towards the other. Catching him and forcing him to move to his blind side. Madara never had so much fun in his life. He was taking every blow and pain he was receiving with a sick intention. An intention that was making Uzume more angrier than ever. One slow punch was her mistake, for Madara had grabbed her arm and pulled him close.
"You've never fought a real fight to the death,have you,my princess?" He asked, pulling her arm out. "It wouldn't surprise me if you haven't. The women in this era do intend to be weak. I'm actually quite honored that you're fighting instead of sitting back and doing nothing. Quite the noble princess."
Uzume growled,before breaking free from his grip. Jabbing him with a lightning speed jab across the face,a long line of fists against his torso,before unleashing an uppercut so strong and heavy; both Madara and Uzume levitate from the ground. The moment he was high up,Omichi used her daughter as a step,and flung herself towards her "beloved" ,locking her legs around his neck and throwing him into the cliff. The impact causing the large earth to break away,and cheers erupted from the crowd. Uzume scanned around for Sasuke, and smiled to herself as she saw him flying towards them.
Omichi didn't let go,her muscles squeezed Madara until her parted his lips for air.
"You've....gotten... stronger...Omi." He gasped. His eye starting up at her with a knowing smirk on his face ."but clearly you are lacking compared to Uzume. "
"I'm full of surprises, as you should know." She snarled. Uzume slowly walked towards her parents. Driving her kunai into Madara's legs.
"That should keep you still for now." Uzume said,holding her staff out.Omichi climbed off Madara.
"Do what you can to free uncle Obito. I'll keep eyes on him." Uzume said, before glaring at her father. Omichi left the scene with haste.
"You truly are my daughter ..." Madara said with amusement. "Beautiful. Smart. Strong. You're everything I envisioned. A sight worth seeing. "
"I have no desire to hear your tricks and lies." Uzume crossed her arms.
"I never joke. " He says, before shifting his eyes towards the ten tails. " Not once."
Uzume growled. Making her father smirk at her temper.
"I always imagined our first meeting to be more sentimental. My own child running into my arms. Crying. Calling me 'Daddy' or 'Papa'. Never had I thought of a punch to the face would bring us so close."
Uzume crossed her arms.
"You bit me. That's as far of a kiss on the cheek you'll ever receive. " He snickered.
"There's a reason I did that. One you will fail to understand until it's too late."
"Just like how I've failed to understand this entire war. You wanted a world of your own." He sighs to himself. Uzume truly didn't understand. He saw how much she has lost already. Friends. Loved ones. Aunts and uncles alike . Even her beloved. This was only the beginning. "I assume your mother has never told you the story of Katuun -Ryuu-Josei.."
Madara sighed. Uzume narrowed her eyes at her father. Who was smirking.
As expected. He thought.
"The woman of fire. I've come to admire this woman, and wanted to know if this legend is true. A woman whom was pure innocent, having watched her loved one die before her eyes. Her sweet sister, Kaminari. She is the instrument of darkness, willing to risk herself for the light. Until one day, she faced reality. Her sister was never coming back,and she had no light to rely on.This world and it's morals took the one thing that mattered to her the most. She dwelled in the flames of hatred and burned in the dark fires in hell. Some call her a monster, but I see her as a beauty. A woman of great power. Just like you."
Uzume stared at her father. Where exactly was he going with this? Why tell her this story? What's his gain?
Uzume struggled under the hold of someone. Her hands clenching her staff, and her eyes looked over her shoulder. It was her father. The man in front of her turned into smoke.
"I see no difference between you and Katuun-Josei. The only problem you have is that you have no siblings. No other family but your mother and I, but then again, you have those brats. I wonder what will it take to make you crawl towards the darkness?" Uzume struggled from her father's grip. She felt his hands tightening around her throat.
"Or maybe, I shall take your Kaminari away from you. " He suggested.Her eyes searched the sky and saw Sasuke flying towards them. His sword in hand. Uzume shifted. Her hands digging deep into her father's forearm. She moved backwards,rather frustrated Madara lifted her off her feet and slammed her into the ground. Driving a Chakra rod through her back to keep her from moving.
Uzume let out a loud scream. A scream Madara never truly wanted to hear from her mouth. Her eyes trailing with tears. To the far left of her was Tobirama. Trapped with more rods in his body as well.
"Uzume, my dear. I want you to lock eyes on this man." Madara said,his eye never leaving Tobirama. "This is the same man who took your beloved uncle away from us. He killed Izuna. " He scowled,while throwing yet another rod into Tobirama's head. Uzume knew about the events of Uncle Izuna's death . She knew how much she disliked Tobirama for taking an uncle she'd love to hear stories about.

"My uncle died an honoring man,just like most of the Uchiha who've died. " Her nails digging into the dirt. "I honestly wished for my father to learn things from my uncle. To give the dreams you've held to someone else. Someone you've inspired through stories and knowledge. "
Madara narrowed his eyes at his daughter.
"You had someone who could've understood you. Your words. Your pain. Obito had lost something valuable, and Nagato wanted to change an organization. But you could've relied on me...I could've helped make this world with you."
Madara snarled. He didn't like when Omichi explained Uzume's loyalty to him,but to hear her words from his mouth. It struck a unsettling nerve.
"You remind me of your uncle so much...I always hated when he would follow after me. "
He crouched down to her level.
"Even when it's my own child, It bothers me to have someone stand behind me. "
Tobirama snarled in anger.
"Why do this?! To your own child! What has she done to deserve this?!"
Madara smirked at Tobirama. Uzume was his child, so he felt that he can do what he wishes with her. Madara wouldn't intervene with Tobirama,if it were his daughter. He honestly wouldn't care. But he does care for Uzume, and that is why she is in the predicament she is in.

"Uzume has done nothing wrong. She is the only happiness I've ever had in my life. " Madara said,looking over his shoulder to see those same Rinnegan eyes staring back at him. Her eyes crying as she bit her lip. To hear her father speak so highly of her,and they have never met until now. She can see the man that was before the monster. The man that Saizo would love to run home to and hug until he went to sleep.

"But this world has corrupted her. I'll give credit that she's remained innocent for so long,but her way of thinking..." Her eyes widening as she saw Sasuke frozen in place. Her hands reaching out for him.

"Sasuke!" She screamed out. The pain in her body biting back at her. "Madara,stop it! Let him go! Please! "

Madara stared at his daughter. Trying her best to reach her friend. Her clansmen. That was when he pieced everything together. Light and Dark. Fire and Water. Love and Hatred. Kaminari and Katuun. The storm that the two can cause when the other is hurting or dead. Has this storm happened before?

This boy -- This Uchiha boy -- was Uzume's Kaminari. This boy meant the world to him,and taking him away from her. It'll give Madara the darkness he needs from her.

"...The light...bright and fair. Sweet and warm... Had died giving Katuun her last touch and the only thing she had seen from her dearest love,was the bright red light fading from her eyes. In order to protect what she loved, Kaminari sacrificed herself." Madara said,before taking the blade that stood by his feet .

"Madara! stop it!" Uzume's eyes widen as she scrambled around in the dirt. Mourning in despair. Her light was now dying before her. Madara has stabbed Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" She cried out. Her fist beating against the earth as she called the boy's name over and over. " Sasuke! Sasuke! SASUKE!"

"And she screams and cried until she finally lands in the arms of hatred. Those arms that has held her in warm affection."

Madara walked towards his daughter and withdraws the rod from her back,and he holds her into her arms. Her body felt heavy and limp,and her eyes were locked on Sasuke's slowly dying body. Slowly but surely crawling towards her.

"Stare into those dying eyes,and face the darkness that greets you now." Madara demands. Uzume reaches her arm out for Sasuke ,and sees him moving closer. "This is what happened in Hashirama's world. This pain you feel. The sight of your dead friend, you'll never have to face this tragedy in the Eternal Tsukuyomi. In our world, you'll be the goddess who saves mankind. "

Madara had whispered into her ear, before letting her go.His hand glowing a blue aura, as his grip tightened around her. Uzume cried out in pain. This burning urge was sipping into her veins. Then,Madara had released his daughter. Watching as Uzume crawled towards her friend.

"Uzume.... I. " The two crawled to each other, her hands reaching for his. Uzume was crying now.
"You're not dying on me! You -You idiot! " She yelled out to him. "Saizo wants you to come home! "
Sasuke smirked and drew his last breath. Uzume screamed so loud, everyone had heard her and tears were dripping like rain from rooftops.

Madara frowned at t he sight of his daughter crying,and saw the pain she was facing was similar to his own at that age. That boy looked like Izuna,and Uzume looked like himself. It was like this entire event was mocking him. Forcing him to see the agony he's endured and share it with his daughter.