Every swift move I made his attacks always came and took me by surprise.

I feel Aiko stirring with anger inside me wanting to burst out in fits of rages because of Takuto. Is there a possible way to stop him?

"Why?" I choked out as I panted heavily on the cold hard ground. He laughed as he glared relentlessly as I gritted my teeth.

"You're quite a unique one. Why don't you join me?" he smirked inwardly as my eyebrows twitched.

Join him?

"Now why would I join you?" I peeled my body off from the ground steering myself up shakily. He seemed to keep his full attention on me.

"Oh, I wasn't asking for you to join," he stepped in front crossing his arms over his chest. "I will make you join me," he adds in a mere whisper making me shiver vaguely.

"I guess you might as well kill me." I snarled. "Is that so then?" his smirk only grew every so bit.

This is making me more monotonous that I have to deal with him. Why me? I am not special. This is so tedious and taking so long. Everyone would be wondering where I am at.

The red chakra around me has been illuminating the forest for the past half hour being beaten down spontaneously.

I backed up having the tree behind me support my body up straight.

"Seems like you're at your limit," Takuto reappeared behind me as I gasped and I had no time to react.

He pressed one of my pressure points quicker than my mind could react.

Before my eyes gave out and let the darkness consume me, I heard him chuckle darkly as I collapsed harshly on the forest grounds.

Aquila couldn't think as the darkness engulfed her. Aiko couldn't do anything but feel tranquil and calm.

Takuto walked over to the poor helpless girl and grinned slyly.

"I've been waiting for this," he grabbed her viciously by her left upper arm to pull her over his gruff shoulders.

Running through the trees cautiously as large chakra waves were emitting off from the distance immensely. Takuto growled annoyingly figuring it had to be the Uchiha leader and he must have reinforcements somewhere close by.

This wouldn't be good. Takuto wasn't so strategic in planning but he is rapidly fast on his feet.

Feeling Aquila stir slightly; she would awake soon if he was caught. Starting to pick up his pace and navigated himself through the forest.

~.~.~.~.~.~

"Hmm... it seems like you were too late."Aiko was crestfallen and only showed his sad phlegmatic expression through Aquila's mind.

"I couldn't do anything!" Aquila seethed through her mind as Aiko sighed.

The forest grounds started to erupt and shake violently as Takuto's heart hammered more and more in his chest like a drum.

So they're here...

'Maybe, I could lead them to the closest cliff...?' Takuto pondered wickedly as he started to drift off further and deeper in the ominous surroundings.

"Katon! Gōka Mekkyaku!" A massive wave of blazing fire materialized the trees in one blow.

'Madara decided to show up after all?' Takuto couldn't fight with Aquila in his arms. If he would have set her down, it would be a great opportunity for the enemy to grasp her away from him.

...

"So, it was you who infiltrated the Uchiha compound," Madara sneered down at Takuto in the high tree he stood on in front.

Madara clenched his fists tightly seeing Aquila unconscious only made his anger boil and seethed abruptly within him. His Sharingan was blazing crimson red at him; showing no mercy whatsoever.

"Seems, like you took something from us," Madara gritted his teeth as his heart clobbered in his chest heavily just seeing Aquila in her condition. She must have put up a fight...

"Well, you see Aquila never belonged with you disgraceful Uchihas in the first place. She reluctantly came to me with her pleading glistering eyes begging to-"

"You think I would ever believe a word that comes out of your mouth?" Madara hissed as the animosity of the atmosphere grew highly. Madara's fingers twitched slightly as Takuto began to take Aquila off of his shoulders and gently placing her on the ground close to him.

"Fine since you want to fight so badly," Takuto mocked as he sighed with a smirk plastered on his thin lips. Madara only grew more annoyed. He would rather get this over with.

Suddenly images of Aquila would enter his mind of memories when they were younger. But why? He wouldn't want to let her go so easily. No, but what is it that he remotely feels for her? Does he have a soft spot for Aquila?

Madara scowled as Takuto whipped out a few handsigns. "Suiton! Mizurappa!"Takuto released immense chakra from forming his hand signs to perform this technique as water gushed out of his mouth in the direction of the Uchiha.

"You're slower than I thought." Madara peered down at him; the water around the area was slowly sinking into the earth as they stood.

Takuto kept looking back every few minutes seeing if Aquila has awoken with the commotion. But this Uchiha is different from all the others. He holds strong chakra reserves within him. There is no way Takuto can defeat nor kill him. All he could do was create a diversion.

With one swift move, Madara appeared behind Takuto throwing him off guard as he quickly grabbed his katana on his waist with a swift accelerating move. Takuto couldn't react in time to move away.

Takuto jumped back as Madara sliced the air around him with his Katana; grumbling irritatingly as he missed thoroughly. He barely misses his opponents. "Well, aren't you so determined to kill me?" Takuto laughed at the annoyed Uchiha. Walking over to Aquila briskly on his feet to pick her unconscious body up in his strong grasp.

Madara's anger only spiked thoroughly watching Takuto cautiously. Of course, Madara knew it was some trap or some scheme he is plotting possibly. Madara had to stop every urge in his body to not move nor go after him.

A glistering glow emitted off of Takuto's fair hands over the top of Aquila's head.

'What is he doing?' Madara thought precisely keeping his keen eyes on him.

No, he is extracting Aiko from her! Only that would lead to her death! He couldn't lose her that fast already. Not to someone like him.

"So, your plan was to extract Aiko this entire time, am I right?" Madara called out stepping forward inching closer to him. Why does he feel miraculous?

"Take any more steps closer Uchiha, and I will kill her in an instant!" Takuto only stammered gripping Aquila firmly. "Sorry, but you are just wasting my time."

Madara activated his Sharingan to only vanish quickly before Takuto's eyes could see; not even he could detect him with his special seeking jutsu.

"Damn!" Takuto murmured out loud running over to the edge of the cliff vigorously.

'So, Aiko is very reluctant to come out of her...?' Takuto stepped out on to the ledge.

"I guess this is it," he mumbled stepping closer to the edge. Takuto could still feel Madara's chakra spike immensely. Only making him growl even more.

"Why not show yourself unless you're a coward!" Takuto shot out at nothing in particular; his voice evading in the wind.

He couldn't detect Madara's chakra signature. "What? Me?" Madara came from behind knocking him off guard contemptibly.

'Fucking genjutsu!'

Takuto smirked and jumped back holding Aquila close to him. "You have no idea what you're dealing with!" Takuto huffed as he panted loudly.

'Another move like that and he could be finished' Takuto was heavily panting. He couldn't feel Aquila's chakra signature anymore. He looked down at her and noticed how her creamy skin was turning pale in the eerie sun glow.

"She has been slowing dying this whole time! It was Aiko who was killing her apparently; having another large chakra source sealed inside her gratingly, slowly shortened her lifespan to the limit where her body no longer could move and thus, her body would slowly but surely give up on her." Takuto murmured as he kept his face straightened and he knew what he was going to do.

"No, I refuse to believe a word you have just said!" Madara shook his head feeling impractical taking in all what Takuto had just said. Madara tacit and glared vehemently at him with his blazing blood red eyes.

"Believe whatever, but however, it is the end for her." Takuto frowned solemnly as he ran to the edge and before Madara's brain clicked in. Madara could go full out, but that would put Aquila at risk.

...Takuto's hands released her over top the cliff.

"NO! YOU FUCKER!" Madara yelled as Takuto disappeared within a flash of light as wind gushed up in his melancholy shocked expression.

Madara's heart dropped unconditionally running up to the ledge. He had failed and he felt like he was the one to blame. All he wanted was to keep her out of harms reach. But he wouldn't believe she was dead unless he witnessed her pale corpse.

His heart clenched as sorrow and grief drowned him, but why? He no longer could deny it that he felt something towards her; infatuation? He knew that she was precious to him in a certain way that nobody else can make him feel that way but Aquila. She has opened up a soft spot in Madara's heart that not even Izuna can enter.

Still, he couldn't blame anyone but himself. More and more Uchiha Shinobi started to arrive where Madara stood frustrated.

Still, no sign of her as he made his way down. Madara couldn't believe it he let this happen. Could she really be gone?