Madara and Ayumi made it to the Hokage's office to check in one last time before they took their leave.

"Madara, does she know the mission details?" Hashirama asked, doe-eyed. It was early in the morning but he seemed full of energy.

"He can fill me in once we arrive." Ayumi crossed her arms.

"You look an awful lot like my friend Madara like that." The Hokage chuckled at her.

Ayumi pouted, uncrossing her arms now. "I guess Madara's mannerisms are rubbing off on me."

"Let's go." Madara turned towards Ayumi.

"Oh, and..." Hashirama got up, his palms spread out on the table, "Congratulations on the engagement." He winked.

Ayumi's hands covered her red cheeks. "Oi! You know?!" She turned to look at Madara now, "He knows!"

"That is because I told him." Madara closed his eyes, the slightest bit of annoyance lingered in his voice.

"Heh. Do your families not know yet?"

Ayumi embarrassingly shook her head.

"I'll take care of that once we return. We're going now." Madara said.

-

Ayumi and Madara were walking calmly throughout the forest, the sounds of their footsteps were both calming and reassuring to them both.

Madara glanced at Ayumi and noticed how her eyes were lit with excitement and awe at the view of the sweeping forestry, vines and plants.

"I hope some day our children will get to appreciate views like this too." Madara blurted.

Ayumi quickly met his eyes, "C-children..." She grew shy of the topic.

Madara looked at her with brows raised. "You don't want?"

She watched her walking feet and remained silent.

"I just fear for their futures." She spoke lowly.

Madara almost regretted asking her that question, her excitement wiped away from her face as the topic weighed heavily on her shoulders. Madara had understood what she meant though - why bring more children into a cycle of hell?

"Times should be different now." Madara spoke, "And besides..." He looked down at her with a small smile, "Their parents will protect them. We are not exactly the easiest people to defeat."

Ayumi grinned childishly, the aura from before now back on her face. Madara almost chuckled at how quick she was to wear her emotions in front of him, but he took it as a compliment from her - a sign of trust.

Madara always knows what to say! She quietly thought to herself.

"You're right about that! Well if that's the case, let's have... 10 children." She rubbed her chin while looking at the sky. "No, 12!"

Madara froze in his tracks, sweat dripping now. She couldn't be serious, could she?

Madara itched his cheek. "That's quite the leap, don't you think?"

"Hahah!" Ayumi punched his arm playfully, "I'm just getting a kick out of ya. I think one is enough."

"One?" Madara was surprised, as a man who himself came from a big family.

"Just one. And we can pour all our love and strength into that child." Ayumi looked at him seriously now, no trace of jester in her tone nor her expression.

Madara reciprocated it, nodding.

-

It had been close to four days now the pair were walking on their feet. Hashirama had failed to mention to them that their mission would take long on foot.

Ayumi took a look at her toes, they were red and swollen, and most likely her heels were beginning to blister. She did not complain once though, aware of how that would probably annoy Madara. But she would wince in pain every now and then quietly to herself, to which Madara would insist on taking breaks, not wanting to push the princess too far.

It was one of those moments now, where the pain was beginning to swell up in her legs, and Madara did not fail to notice. He glanced at her feet and then back to her eyes.

"We're almost there." Madara said, "There's a hotel nearby. We can take rest ther-"

"I can handle it." Ayumi swallowed the pain, waddling on her feet.

"Oh quit it. You look like a penguin right now, it's quite pitiful." Madara chuckled, and she snapped him a glance.

"... Besides, I'm sure your father would give me an earful once we return." Madara's voice lowed.

"Okay, okay." Ayumi finally complied, tugging the straps of her backpack forward. She peeked at him from the side of her eye, "What about our room situation?"

Madara's eyes narrowed, looking at her. "I don't think that's something you should be worrying about."

"Sharing a room when we're not even wed yet..." Ayumi shivered, the thought made her uncomfortable for some reason.

Madara looked forward. Was she actually being serious right now?

A few moments of silence passed by while Madara thought of what to say.

"I bear no interest in that respect if that's what you're worried about."

Ayumi's mouth gaped, with her arms dangling to her sides. Madara chuckled.

"You don't have to... worry." Madara looked over his shoulder to her. In truth, he didn't know what to say to bring her to a peace of mind except for this. Perhaps she would come to understand that by his mannerisms.

"Okay..." She picked herself right back up, catching up to his pace. It was approaching night time, afterall.

-

"Welcome to Tsukiba-Inn, how may I help you?" A preppy brunette had spoken, eagerly ready to help with her clipboard.

"We want to check in." Madara looked at the worker straight in the eye. Ayumi was trying not to laugh, but the poor girl looked utterly frightened. Evident by the concern growing in her eyes, where she then met Ayumi's eyes for some sort of reassurance.

The lady took her attention to the available listings, taking a gulp before setting the paper aside and looking at the daunting pair.

"We have one suite available right now. It is the summer so rooms are filling up quickly. Will a one bedroom suite be fine?" She tilted her head slightly while her dark eyes darted between Ayumi and Madara's.

Ayumi peeked at Madara from the corner of her eye, he was completely unfazed. Meanwhile she was battling an inner dialogue of how completely inappropriate it would be, and to have it be with Madara nonetheless.

"Yes." Madara broke the ice. The lady handed the Uchiha the key to the suite, and the two were on their way.

-

They both unlocked the door and stared at the single bed. Ayumi was beginning to cold sweat, a sweat drop forming at her temples. It was getting late, and she was getting exhausted.

Ayumi's upper lip twitched. "I'll sleep on the flo-"

"Take the bed." Madara interjected, looking at her with narrowed eyes.

"Are you sure? You probably need more rest than I do anyways since it's your mission-"

"It's an order." Madara crossed his arms.

"Okay! Okay." Ayumi raised her palms defensively, "You still need to fill me in on mission details."

Madara walked towards the bed, the floorboard creaking as he did so, and he took off his clanking armor, sparing her a smouldering gaze as he did so. He looked so daunting, and the moonlight that shone parts of his face made him look serene.

Ayumi averted her eyes, stubbornly trying to fight the blush from growing on her cheeks.

Madara noticed her apprehensiveness, and he even grew slightly irritated. Why would she get nervous around him so easily?

Madara had sworn to himself that he would protect her with his life, and treat her with utmost gentility but she had to yet realize that.

"You don't have to be nervous around me." Madara's eyes softened looking at her, it brought her ease he could tell.

"I know. I trust you." She smally smiled.

I trust you.

Madara let those words sink in. It had been a while since someone last said that to him. That familiar territoriality arose in his chest again, and it only strengthened his conviction to protect her even more now.

"Mission details. Where do I begin..." Madara sat down on the wooden floor cross-legged, and she quickly sat down beside him eyeing the contents of the scroll.

Her breath caught in her throat, the inscriptions were all too familiar.

Ayumi recalled playing with a scroll that had similar writing as a child.

"Father! What's this?" The princess's head bobbed in excitement, dangling the scroll from her fingers.

"Child! Let that go. It is nothing meant for you to see." Hayate quickly stood up on his feet.

"But it looks so pretty!" Ayumi unravelled it, and observed the kanji written on it, now splayed all over the floor.

"Two... halves... sun, and... moon... seal..." She muttered what she could make out with her knowledge, until her father yanked the scroll out of her hand.

"Go to sleep." Hayate put a hand on her head.

Madara glanced at Ayumi's widened eyes.

"You know something don't you." Madara spoke, the sudden interjection snapping her back to reality.

Ayumi took a big gulp, not sure if she should tell him the truth or not. But it would be futile, he knew her too well.

"Yes." Ayumi bit her lip. "Where did you get this from, Madara?"

Madara looked at her and a curiosity spiked in him. How did she know of it?

"The Nakano Shrine has a sacred stone tablet only the Uchiha sharingan can decode. And this scroll was kept deep underneath it in the ground, but judging by its unruly state no one has touched it before."

"So why are we here?" Ayumi snapped. It was clear to him that she was growing worried, and Madara found her worked up state all too interesting.

"The two treasures are tied back to the foundations of the Otsutsuki. It is rumoured that a descendent from the Otsutsuki abides in this nation, a wanderer so to speak."

"But for what purpose? Why do we need to know who this person is, Madara?" Ayumi looked sad now, and Madara hesitated to let her know what thoughts and ideas were brewing in his mind. Madara would keep it to himself, he decided.

"That's none of your business." Madara looked away.

Ayumi sighed, her shoulders slumped. She tried not to get hurt by his words, but she couldn't help it. "Knowing you, there's no use in trying to pry you open..."

"You know me well, then." Madara smirked.