Tired Eyes

Laying on top of her dad's head she stared at the night sky her eyes half-lidded. Her ANBU thumbed to the ground unconscious behind her and K-chan growled deep inside of her, but she didn't move as the slow thump of a cane could be heard behind her, and the deep rattling, yet wheezy old breath of an aged person slowly moving behind her became louder.

Step by step the person got closer before with a low groan he lowered himself to the ground. Looking to the side she'd find herself staring at a man with far too many wrinkles, shock-white hair, and nearly rail-thin. His chakra was ancient, flickering in and out of existence. Yet... she had never felt a more terrifying presence.

Her dad was like a lake weaponized by the heights of human genius. K-chan was like a titanic ocean, unable to gauge its depths - but one could try to comprehend.

He was like a flickering star in the sky, about to go out, yet nonetheless - absolutely horrifying. Even just sitting on the ground next to her wheezing slightly it felt like he'd accidentally crack open the earth, or tear the skies asunder.

"You have tired eyes, little one." His voice was whispy and wheezy, with what sounded like a near-constant cough. Yet it was kind, and soothing. The deepset Rinnegan that where there dully in his eyes made it clear who he was.

"You do as well Madara." His lips would quirk slightly.

"How much of your memories have you awakened this time?" She'd sigh, close her eyes, and ignore the flashes that came every time she stated she was Asura or truly began to accept it more and more.

Finally, she said, "A bit too many." He chuckled, it was a dry thing, one that probably hurt far more than it should.

"It was impressive your fight with that Urashiki. It's a shame my other-self fought like a buffoon." 

Naruko snorted. "Only you would call one of your fellow transmigrates that's drastically more powerful than you a buffoon." 

For a brief moment, the Rinnegan glew on his face. "More powerful... no. Hagoromo simply deemed that he needed some of his chakra. He was drawing on none of OUR chakra." With that, he'd weakly thump his chest coughing harshly. 'Indeed... Naruto and Sasuke gained their power not from themselves, not from their past transmigrates, or from Asura and Indra. But from Hagoromo...' 

"Now, why don't you tell me why those eyes of yours are so tired, little sister?" She blinked rapidly - it wasn't her emotions, but anothers, a remnant echo from ancient times, strung across a thousand years.

"I'm 10 Madara. 10. Yet I'm running the academy. I myself and over 10 clones train nearly all day. I have two friends. Two! Why does it have to be like this? Wasn't the purpose of Konoha to be able to have children be children?" 

Madara slumped a little. "Hashirama and I, we created Konohagakure so that the children could play without knowing the horrors of war, for at least a little while. You're right. You shouldn't have to do that." He coughed for a few moments before slowly continuing. "But you know you don't have to do it. That you keep pushing yourself, because YOU can do it."

Her hands would grip the rock beneath her. "But why me? Why is it that *I* was made in charge of the academy? Why not others?" 

He'd slowly and roughly pat her head. "Because of faith. People have faith you can do it." The look in his eyes changed, and her senses could feel as his chakra shifted, from ancient too dying out, to an Eternal Flame. 

"People always have. It's the burden of the kindhearted. It's the burden of the strong. It's the burden of those who care." His chakra changed back to the ancient and slowly dying out chakra, and for that moment - Naruko understood who spoke. 'Indra.' It was a stunning realization, that he could speak through Madara - but also one that made sense. Madara was old he should be dead. If Indra could speak and communicate with anyone directly - it would be someone else who was nearly dead. Let alone someone had transmigrated on. 'But... What is the relationship between Asura and Indra in this world? What is... our relationship?' She didn't have an answer to that question.

Naruko sighed. "I suppose you're right."

Madara chuckled before groaning. "Well, I should be off now. Dinner doesn't cook itself. But Naruko, listen. Hashirama always had this problem as well - believe in yourself. It's the hardest thing for people like you to truly do through all the bluster. To truly internally believe in yourself." With that that he slowly pushed himself up his bones creaking as he did so.

A few minutes passed, and her ANBU woke up and took their positions as if nothing happened. Naruko sighed. 'Life is great. Breathing is great. Living is great. But sometimes... I miss the void.'