The Forest Guardian // Madara Love Story

Chapter Seven

Chapter 7 – Will Never Disappear.

The Guardian didn't realise she could summon her handy staff even though it took a lot of willpower for her but she was out of the chains and cell within minutes, she used the wall for support as the exhaustion of using her staff took a toll on her. The thought of giving up slowed her down now and then but she was determined to get back to the- her forest. The spirits needed her and she needed the forest, the longer she was away the louder the scream of the forest got, it was ear piercing for her; worse than the shadows' screech.

She didn't get far from her cell without running into guards, they both held kunai in front of them, but they were not threat to her, even in her fatigued state, she could possibly take them out with one swing of her staff. But that took great lengths even for her, she didn't make it away without any scratches, but very large gashes across her arms and stomach. She realized only then her cloak was missing and was only in her shorts and shirt, but it didn't stop her from moving on; away from the corpses that now littered the entrance to the building she was being held captive in.

After leaving the building she was met by one spirit which was Usagi, he had not left her yet.
“Come on, Guardian. There isn't much time! There's only a few hours left...”
She nodded weakly and despite the blood she was losing, and the headache that hindered her greatly, she kept moving without any means of stopping.
Her quiet exit of the building didn't last long as yet again she was faced with more ninja, but this time the brown long haired man, Hashirama was with them,
“A bit hasty to leave, aren't we?”
Hashirama stated with a strong voice, but it didn't stop the guardian from moving forward.
“I...have to go back.”
Her words were slurred, Hashirama took note of it but stood his grounds, the ninja behind him(Which was about three people) were about to take out their katana's and kunais but stopped by the Hokage himself seeing the determination in the steps of the girl.
“Guardian. We will only let you go, if you will stop killing.”
At this moment the girl was going to say about anything to leave without a fight, so she looked to the Hokage, and nodded. Usagi looked at her in a way that said 'What?!' though she said nothing, Hashirama smiled and nodded moving out the way,
“I'll be sending Madara to check up on you...”
She wanted to whack the man for even mentioning that name to her, but did no motion to even look at Hashirama and carried on her way.

The man watched her pass with her slow movements, and as soon as she was out of earshot they looked to their leader, questioning his intentions.
“She will not make it that far...not in that will powered state.”
Was all he stated before yawning, and leaving the site without another word

Hashirama was correct with his assumption, the guardian was only half way between both the village and her forest before collapsing completely out of breath, Usagi was by her.
“We're out of time...”
He muttered while taking a panicking look to the sky, it was almost dawn and the time she was taken out of the forest.

All hope was lost for the forest Guardian...

Madara was grumpy and running through the forest, Hashirama himself had broken into his house and awoken him, saying the Guardian had broken loose and was on her way back to the forest in such a state that she looked like death itself, it made Madara wonder as to why Hashirama didn't bother going, the only reason that was given was that;
'The Guardian trusts you more than anyone...Even if she said she hates you. She only wants to see you.'
So there Madara was, trying to sense the Guardian's patterns, though she didn't have any chakra he could still sense her out. But nothing came up, until he saw it.
The Guardian was on the floor with a rabbit standing by her, Madara jumped down frightening the rabbit and yet it did not flee but instead studied Madara. The Uchiha turned the woman over and shook her trying to wake her up, with a groan she opened her eyes that were hidden behind her mask.
“M....Madara?”
She said weakly and looked around, Madara just helped her up without another word,
“Forest...need...back...”
She made no sense to Madara but the rabbit from before nudged Madara with it's head and bounced away as if to say 'This way.'
“The Forest?”
the Guardian nodded to Madara's question.
“Centre.”
With swift movements Madara swung her arm around his shoulders and began to help her walk back to the forest, thought she hated this gesture, as it was the man that was helping her fault that she was even in this mess.

It wasn't far along until the Guardian yet again collapsed, but this time she was not getting back up.
“Guardian?!”
Madara shook her yet again, the rabbit that was leading the way was by Madara looking over the Guardian,
“She isn't going to wake up again.”
The Rabbit commented, though freaked out he was about the rabbit speaking he expected as much from it. Suddenly light started to appear around them, all were spirits from the forest as Madara gathered as there was the two tailed fox from the other day. The all were silent, the only movement was the few animals that stepped forward, it was the zodiac, Madara was astonished.
“She only got this far...”
A Ox said and looked to the floor,
“Is there any way to save her?!”
Madara asked desperately, all the zodiac looked to him and only one approached. Tora, the tiger,
“If you wished to save her then why did you capture her?”
The tiger was close to pouncing on him.
“I didn't! Yes, I believe it was my fault that caused all this, but I came here to help her back, isn't that enough for you spirits?”
The Dragon, Ryuu was second to step forward to the human man,
“The Guardian wished you could enter and leave our forest as you wanted without being marked by us. And we let her have this one wish, and now we ask you the same question that we asked her back then. What is this Guardian to you?”
Madara was confused by the question, he had thought nothing of her, but he had the urge that he wanted her to live, what was this feeling he asked himself? And so he answered,
“I just want her to live. I feel responsible for this and I want to fix it.”
The Dragon scanned him and looked to the snake,
“We also wish for the Guardian to live...But we cannot do anything.”
Madara looked down at the Guardian, disappointed.
“However...We spirits may not be able to do anything...But it does not mean a human can't.”
Madara feared what was to be said next, he didn't particularly wanted to do anything like give up his body or soul, but that was not the way the spirits meant. The snake added to what the Dragon was saying,
“Though if you have the will for her to live then it will work. A caution to this; she will not be able to see us spirits and neither will you. If entered our forest we cannot guarantee any safety and she will lose her powers to summon or sense us spirits. Ultimately, she will forget us and the time she spent with you. Are you willing to do this? For a girl you don't even know?”
Madara sat there for a moment, still unknowing what he was to do to save the Guardian's life, but nodded. And the tiger though angry at the choice smiled for the first time in four-hundred years,
“Then you've earned the spirit's trust, you shall seal away her powers. And the only way to do that, is remove her mask and place upon her, the kiss of forgiveness. As she is half human , it will restore her body into it's rightful mortal power, and though she may not have meant it at the time, we shall keep to the deal she made to your 'Hokage' and will let more people pass through our forest. Another thing, all her powers will disappear but her mask will remain, as a token of our gratification for all the years she has served to us, if she asks about it, just tell her, it's from very old friends...”
Madara felt internally embarrassed that he had to kiss the Guardian that he so called 'Hated'. But he agreed to it and had to keep to it,
“Is that all?”
All the Zodiac nodded, but the two tailed fox ran over and spoke to Madara,
“The previous Guardian, her mother wanted her to bear the name 'Misaki Satō'.”
Madara nodded to the name, it seemed to suit her, and so, with grace, Madara lifted her mask revealing her beautiful face, the same make-up that was on her chin was also below both of her eyes with three blue dots surrounding the bottom of the lines. Madara couldn't help but admire her face for a moment, much to his protest he leaned down feeling the pressure.

Can't pull away now...

And with that thought he forced himself to kiss the lips of the Guardian, he pulled away a moment later. Did it work? He looked around only to find himself alone,
Thank you, Madara Uchiha...
The wind echoed, but Madara knew it was the spirits that he could no longer see.

Without any second thoughts, he lifted her up, the girl he held was no longer the Guardian but Misaki Satō...