"What do you want?" I whispered out loud hoarsely. "I never wanted to see you again, you're creepy!" I added with more vigour. The tension in the room started to rise with full animosity.

My glare sharpened as he chuckled bringing his hand up to his mouth ludicrously. Being more precise, I cannot allow myself to let down my guard.

"Don't you see Aquila-san, many others now have listed you in their bingo books because you're the host of the Demon Firehawk sealed inside you. If you stay here, you won't have the protection you desire when the enemy is right at your doorsteps. I could offer to take up my own life for you!" he shouted vehemently as I gulped backing away from him guardedly.

"No! What the hell is wrong with you? Ah— I refuse to listen to you! I'll never like you! I won't leave!" I stepped back holding my posture up straight.

"Oh I see, in love with that arrogant Uchiha who is betrothed and sadly doesn't see you that way at all," he smirked deviously grasping my hand. "I never said that I even like him! Leave me alone!" I felt my eyes welled up with tears.

Now since he brought that up...I don't know what I feel for Madara, but I am certain I don't love him. I am not so sure if I even like him. Ugh! My feelings are so confusing!

"Ah! So I get it, you don't exactly know what you're feeling, am I right?" he arched his brows mockingly as I scowled. His grip on my upper arm would only tighten tenaciously every time I moved.

'Get your damn revolting hand off of my arm!' I thought viciously.

"Aquila I know I could help you in a situation like this."Aiko conveyed as I was tacit.

I felt my arm being yanked back by Takuta; crashing into a stone wall behind me. "Come with me and this could all be over. The Uchiha's shouldn't own you like this at all!" he said insanely, his eyes full of lust. He is a psychopath!

"If you could help Phoenix then help me!"I screeched in my mind savagely with a harsh tone to the Firehawk who didn't say anything at all. I just want this to be over with!

"Get off of me!" I yelled feeling very indignant by the passing second being in his presence. He smirked more darkly and chuckled faintly. "Oh... but I can't," he replied now dragging me out of the stronghold with his grip on my upper arm feeling like he is draining all of my chakra. But how?

I felt something spiked in my veins making me snap acrimoniously anger building up inside of me. Whipping my other free hand over at Takuto hoping he would then let go freely. I don't know what exactly to do. My mind feels like it's being taking over. Then my gaze fell to my hand that more likely backlashed Takuto. I started to tremble as my bottom lip quivered slightly.

My hands... they don't look normal to me. Are my eyes deceiving me? Or are my hand's talons?

"What the hell!" I now looked over to see Takuto holding his left cheek as a giant gash started to form, very noticeable. Did I do that?

I looked back down at my pale hands, they seem to be forming back to its normal state.

Straightening my composure as I held my bitter glared. Feeling my hostility change in the atmosphere.

"Now do I have to put a chakra lock on you?" he peeled himself off of the ground. More enmity and acrimony behaviour engulfed around him.

I backed up even more away from him; still looking annoyed at me. "You think you could easily escape from me?" He questioned inching closer to me on his feet.

"Aiko! Help! I am terrible at Taijutsu!" I more likely begged in my mind hollering out for him. Why am I doing this? He was laying down on his stomach, wings spread out. He seemed like he doesn't care at all!

"If you have noticed I am lending you my chakra little by little, Aquila-san. Takuto may know about me, but he doesn't know what secrets I hold with the Phoenix Release dark chakra I am holding." Aiko turned his head away from me as I growled at the arrogant phoenix.

I began to dash on my feet back towards the Uchiha residence. I still could feel Takuto hot on my trail very persistence.

I can't find anyone that would be of help. I need to be apart of some crowd. He can't make a scene if everyone is around, right?

"I am so glad that your father has finally made an agreement towards this treaty!" the leader beamed making me cringe. Why bring up my deceased father?

"If you may be honest here, why did my father agree to your proposal?" I asked quite annoyed and irritated. His voice would only aggravate me even more. Nikko Gaia his daughter who is essentially the princess seemly blushes every time I take a glance at her. How pitiful...

"Well, Uchiha-sama and I had made agreements not so long ago, and I was negotiating with your clan for many years. Before the war, he sent us a letter regarding he has finally accepted our proposal. Well, we were only able to send your clan supplies such as food and weapons in exchange for one of his sons like you or Izuna, to be betrothed to my only daughter Gaia to come forth to make an alliance." Kenjiro finished as he kept that plastering smile across his face.

Every word he said made my blood curdled. My hand gripped the top of the desk at his lies. Does he think I don't know where we get our supplies from? The Uchiha hunt for their own food, we live near ponds and lakes. Even some of us are merchants that lends the shinobi weapons. My gut churned at his statement screaming to just slam his head into a wall.

"Hn," was my only response. "I would be honest here. I am not interested at all marrying your daughter." I responded truthfully seeing his eyes harden narrowly.

"Oh, but it seems like you don't have a choice, you see Gaia seems to only have taken interest in you as I gave her a choice with many options. May I ask, why aren't you interested? My clan could support your clan for the better needs of this world. Perhaps your clan might be, even more, wealthier than before." The Nikko clan leader said in a menacing tone.

"I don't need other clans to ease their way in out of the blue wanting power for their own need. If my father was the one who brought this down upon me, I'm now the clan leader. He gave me choices as I grew up. Maybe I have personal matters I have to take care of and rather not settle down yet. I could be not interested in marrying anyone at all, or perhaps I took a liking to somebody else. I am getting down to the point, Nikko Kenjiro. I would rather leave my thoughts personally closed off, and I certainly don't like you meddling in my own businesses." I spoke solemnly with a strict tone; feeling very agitated by the second.

"Pardon me Madara, but we know this is bound to happen. There is nothing that can be changed," he grinned as Gaia was frowning behind her father looking away. Possibly humiliated that I have no interest in all. Not like I care about her personal feelings.

"People want me dead! And you're going to say no to protect me? You're such a disgrace!" Gaia bellowed from behind. I showed no emotions crossing my arms glaring at the two of them.

"Well-" I was interrupted as the shoji door slid open vulgarly. I growled annoyingly only to see a dismay Izuna panting.

"Sorry for barging in like that-"

"Izuna get on with it," pursuing my lips as he cleared his throat.

"Umm... I think it would be best if I talk to you in private."

He stammered as his eyes started to scrutiny the room completely; examining the guest worriedly. Something doesn't seem right...

I sighed dramatically following my brother out leaving the meeting room. "You better not have wasted your time or you'll be wasting mine," grumbling in displeasure.

"Many of the Uchiha clansmen have been notifying me just recently that an unknown ominous chakra signature has been detected within the stronghold. Whether these rumours are real, this person has been concealing their chakra not very well." Izuna noted as I quirked an eyebrow.

"Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you be looking for this infiltrator then, and being more careful. I am in the middle of a loathsome meeting. Their leader still insists for me to marry his daughter and she wants her to be the mistress of this clan. I don't have time for this!" I started to storm back into the room leaving Izuna dumbfounded.

"Well, it's also strange that Aquila has not been seen nor heard of. I guess I'll take your word and figure about this conundrum that has now turned into a mystery," Izuna spoke making me completely froze on the spot.

Aquila? Gone?

The one I want nothing to happen to. Or I may have a liking towards her..? Why is my head swarming with these vertiginous thoughts about her?

Snapping back to reality.

Great more problems... as I entered back into the room only to see Kenjiro was waiting in his seating spot. "Well?" his voice raised never so slightly as I arched my back.

"What if I promptly refuse to this agreement?"

He shook his head as a faint chuckle escaped his narrow lips. "You can't, I know all about your wars with the Senju. Do you want to make more enemies? Cause more wars? Or do you want to form an alliance and obliterate your enemies?" Kenjiro leaned back resting his arm on the armrest waiting for a response.

"You're right, making enemies is not what at the moment. Nor is blackmailing me into something as well. Your clan is very self-absorbed and greedy than any other clan. I will not tolerate your clan or its absurd and comical ideals or ambitions you've put out there." I said my final words as my feet moved near the shoji door exiting.

"Oh Madara, remember one thing. If you refuse by tomorrow night, you'll regret it," he spoke tonelessly as I huffed walking out.

His words kept repeating over and over in my head.

Regret my ass if he forgot who I am.

Aquila dashed through the forest of the Land of Fire. Her mind kept screaming to not go back to the stronghold. Here, she was determined that Takuto wouldn't stop till he gets what he desires. Which is her?

Why does he yearn for me? Aquila pondered as she took a sharp breath in as she came to a complete stop. She scurried onto her feet directing herself to the nearest lake.

"Aquila, make up your decision fast!" Aiko reminded her nonchalantly as her heart jolted.

He is coming!

She couldn't keep running forever, but how would she out run Takuto? She can't return back to the stronghold.

Aquila finally made up her mind and have been longing for Aiko's chakra ever since she knew he existed. She never wanted to admit it, but she always thought he was phenomenal. Her hands gripped the tree bark that was in front of her tenaciously forming long yellow talons. Her eyes started to turn bright red as rubies. Red chakra emitted off her as her chakra spiked more than she could never imagine. Her beautiful skin glowing different shades of orange as more black markings embossed her throughout her luscious body.

"I guess this is what I get for using Aiko's chakra," she spoke distinctly to nothing in particular.

So this is the phoenix's chakra?

She felt the chakra inundate around her as her sensory skills increased. But she couldn't sense Takuto anymore.

Did he give up?

"It seems that Aiko doesn't like me. Maybe I have to remove him from you." A strict tone growled acrimony with bitterness. He snarled as he inched closer. He ambled slowly on his feet; stopping mere inches away from where she stood.

"Seems like you're not going down without a fight. I guess this would be a great opportunity to see what this phoenix chakra holds."

Aquila gritted her teeth biting down on bottom lip acutely as she felt the flames that inundated herself grew immensely.

"He is very expeditious when it comes to Taijutsu,"Aiko forewarned as she tacit.

Aquila's heart was rushing and pounding like a drum in her chest; her mind felt very distraught.

"Aquila, we both know there's no way for you to defeat me," he scolded as he held a derisive expression full of mockery and amusement.

If it's true that she can't defeat him even in Phoenix form, then how can she?

'Would I be saved? Is there a way out? Who would come for me?' she pondered deeply as she felt her eyes welled up with fresh new tears.

Is this it?

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