《Wabi-Sabi》 Yugen
***
The only calibration that counts is how much heart people invest, how much they ignore their fears of being hurt or caught out or humiliated. And the only thing people regret is that they didn''t live boldly enough, that they didn''t invest enough heart, didn''t love enough. Nothing else really counts at all.
Ted Hughes, Letters of Ted Hughes
***
To be fair, Madara realizes his mistakes in the end.
And not, to his credit, in his final seconds.
About ten minutes before.
Ten seconds after that, he loses all hope.
That''s how long it takes him to realize that there is nothing he can do now to change what has happened.
Or to make up for it.
He just needs to die. Let them kill him, let them win, the good, the future, these children who learned so much better than Madara ever did.
There''s even one of his blood left. Still young enough to become even greater than he already is. To keep their bloodline alive.
He can even see a little girl, life yet to come, and the blinding yellow light at his side that will never flicker.
Madara just needs to die, and he needs to take Kaguya with him.
It''s easier than he expected in the end. An odd sort of clarity comes over him. With all the loss, anger, and hurt stripped away, he can see things in a clear light.
Can see every mistake he made.
That Hashirama made.
That those that came after them made.
Can see Kaguya''s touch all the way back to the beginning.
That bitch.
He can watch the miasma infecting the world slowly until Zetsu was strong enough to rise to summon Kaguya.
In all things, we are strong. In all things, we love. In all things, we are devoted until death.
The Old Ways are gone.
Even when Madara was young, the Uchiha were holdouts among the clans. Hashirama had never been able to understand, though he''d listened more than most. The rest had just been unwilling, and that had made the Uchiha equally unwilling to change.
They all had their roles in the failure. In the collapse that will come long after this generation has defeated Madara and Kaguya this time around.
Hashirama was too idealistic. Focused on the dream instead of the steps it took to get there.
Tobirama was too jaded. Unwilling to trust in anything and unable to hide it.
Madara was too angry. Unable to forget.
In the end, none of them figured out how to talk to one another, and one by one, they fell.
Madara is the last one left, and even he''s not...whole.
He just...he just loved them so much, and then they were all gone, and he was alone.
So alone.
Uchiha are not meant to be alone.
They need someone to love. People around, within reach. Something big and all-consuming that they can pour everything they have into. It''s too much for most people outside the clan, which adds to their reputation on the battlefield and their isolation everywhere else.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Loneliness drives them mad.
Look at what it did to Madara.
He thinks, too, that might be part of Zetsu and Kaguya, each locked in their own prisons, away from what they loved.
They''re monsters, but still, the loneliness is there.
Maybe loneliness makes monsters?
He realizes all of this ten minutes before he finally dies, all his old ghosts standing around watching, and even dead Tobirama looked way too pleased to see Madara fall.
Bastard always did love being right.
It doesn''t change anything, though. Madara has nothing left. It''s over, and no matter what he wants, his body, this life, is gone.
There are two bright boys that will lead the village into a brighter future until even their light is smothered and finally extinguished.
But the infection is still there. That dark miasma Kaguya and Zetsu spread. Eventually, it would come back, and these boys won''t be there to stop it.
And everything Madara and Hashirama dreamed of would be turned to ash.
The Rinnegan pulses.
Madara is too wrapped up in his morbid musing to notice it at first.
He''s thinking about his father, his siblings, Izuna. Everyone that had to die to make Madara what he became.
The sad thing is...he''s not sure many of them would be disappointed in the result.
So much anger and hurt, and maybe the curse of the Uchiha isn''t a choice. Maybe no one escapes it.
Maybe some people are just better at hiding it? Or they die before it becomes obvious.
The Uchiha have always died young. Even after the village, after the dream that was supposed to stop that.
His last descendant isn''t even twenty, and he''s fighting to save the world.
A world that doesn''t even seem to like him.
But maybe it does. That bright light that refuses to leave him, the stupid kid that won''t stop smiling and won''t give up, was equally hated.
Kill them with kindness, Naruto''s teacher had said once, while Madara happened to be spying on them.
How delightfully vindictive.
He might be of Madara''s blood too, but he never looked close enough to know for sure.
Mura no tame no subete.
All for the village.
The Uchiha who came after had chosen that.
Chosen to love the village no matter what.
Madara''s blood is strong and noble, even when he isn''t.
Maybe that was his true purpose? Drive them to greater heights, to a greater love.
Maybe, but unlikely.
There''s no point in delusion now.
The Rinnegan pulsed.
This time Madara noticed.
What was it doing? Madara no longer had control over his body or chakra.
The Rinnegan is acting on its own.
There were many fundamental misunderstandings of the Sharingan in Madara''s lifetime. Even now, it seems no one truly understands it. It adapts and changes just like the shinobi who carry it, different from one day to the next.
The Rinnegan, the most powerful, even more so than the Rinne Sharingan, is even less understood.
But the greatest misdirect seems to be that the Sharingan is a simple body part of the Uchiha.
It''s not.
Madara realized moments after he gained the Sharingan that it had a mind of its own.
A desire to live.
An appetite for strength and life and love.
It was a parasite that an Uchiha could live in harmony with if their goals aligned or slowly be eaten away to nothing if they didn''t.
Madara''s hadn''t.
Until now.
Now, the Rinnegan is pulsing, pulling chakra from reserves Madara didn''t realize he had, and maybe from Kaguya herself, for something.
No one else has noticed.
Not even the great Mother of All Shinobi. Not Zetsu, who despite his machinations, is an idiot, Madara has realized.
A stupid child desperate for love and affection from the only person who ever pretended to give it and too uneducated to realize the love was really abuse.
The Rinnegan pulses, stronger now. In a pattern that Madara recognizes as a heartbeat.
But who''s?
Kaguya starts screaming. She''s losing, and a vicious glee ripples across the scattered pieces of Madara.
Let the bitch scream.
It''s over.
All her grand plans for naught.
At least for now.
She''ll be back. Or someone else will, another ¨­tsutsuki, most likely. That rotten blood they all came from that refuses to let go.
Madara hopes he maintains awareness long enough to hear her die.
The Rinnegan pulses, strong enough that someone else had to feel it. He thinks he feels a ripple of surprise through his descendant and the bright one.
And then....
The Rinnegan pulses and spins.
It turns back.
Madara wakes up on his futon, two days shy of his tenth birthday, newly awoken Sharingan spinning by itself.
Oh.
***
Marry, and you will regret it; don''t marry, you will also regret it; marry or don''t marry, you will regret it either way. Laugh at the world''s foolishness, you will regret it; weep over it, you will regret that too; laugh at the world''s foolishness or weep over it, you will regret both. Believe a woman, you will regret it; believe her not, you will also regret it... Hang yourself, you will regret it; do not hang yourself, and you will regret that too; hang yourself or don''t hang yourself, you''ll regret it either way; whether you hang yourself or do not hang yourself, you will regret both. This, gentlemen, is the essence of all philosophy.
S?ren Kierkegaard
*** ~tbc~ Furusato *** Not everything''s perfect, especially in the beginning. And it''s all right to have a little bit of regret every once in a while. It''s when you feel it all the time and can''t do anything about it... that''s when you get into trouble. Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key *** Attempt #1 Madara wakes up on his futon, two days shy of his tenth birthday, newly awoken Sharingan spinning by itself. It takes a moment to gain his bearings, to realize his body is ten years old, but his mind is much, much older. The Sharingan is new to this body, and he has to search for the Rinnegan. He finds it hiding deep in his mind like it''s asleep, and no matter how hard he tries, he can''t draw it forward. He takes stock and tries to sort the memories of what he''s already lived and what hasn''t come to be yet. Daiki, Akane, and Goku are already dead. Kyoko will be born in the next year. Yashiro is Clan Heir, Kaemon training to replace him should anything happen. Natsu, Madara, Izuna, and Eri have yet to be co-opted into that training. Tajima still too confident he won''t lose his preferred heirs. Everyone but Madara and Izuna will be dead in the next three years. Hashirama still has his three younger brothers. He has five years before he''ll lose Kawarama and Itama. Both their fathers will be dead in another four. In ten years, most of their peers will be rotting in the dirt. Izuna will die in fourteen. They''ll break ground on the village in fifteen. The years come hard and fast, overwhelming as Madara tries to shorten the suffering to come from what''s already been struck. But it''s too much. He thinks he''s screaming, or someone is. In this life, he dies before he ever manages to get out of bed, choking on his own breath as the Sharingan spins and Tajima and his older brothers desperately try to stop it. The Rinnegan pulses, spins. It rips his mind apart two days before his tenth birthday. Then it turns back. *** Attempt #7 The first attempts all fail. Madara wakes up at different ages, but the memories are too overwhelming, and he dies within a few hours of waking up. It''s not until the seventh that he manages to live a few weeks. Sorts out his mind only to die on the battlefield when he attempts to save Kasumi, a young Uchiha in her first battle. *** Attempt #11 Madara learns the hard way that he needs to force the memories to the back of his mind during battle. He dies at the hands of several enemies because memories of them, of their descendants, jump to the forefront, and he hesitates. *** Attempt #23 Eventually, Madara wakes up and doesn''t rush headlong into this life. He stops and thinks, tries to calm the temper he''s famous for. He needs a plan. He and Hashirama are still trying for peace in this life, but every loss pushes it off further. There are people in both clans who don''t want it, and even more people outside their clans that don''t want the Uchiha and the Senju working together. Every time Izuna dies, Madara loses his main motivation. Maybe he needs to remove the people against them? He tries culling the clans. Wipes out the Uchiha who are against peace, mostly the elders and those too old to adapt, but also a few of the younger ones too wrapped up in their anger. Word spreads quicker than he expected, sending the surrounding clans into a tailspin, but he makes it to the Senju before they hear, and since he knows most of those against Hashirama, he manages to kill them before they can get their defenses up. Hashirama''s father tries to confront him, but Butsuma is not his son, and Madara cleaves his head from his shoulders before Hashirama even reaches the battlefield. Hashirama hesitates when he arrives when Madara yells what he''s doing across the field, but Tobirama is too enraged, and Madara has to kill him in self-defense. Madara escapes before Hashirama can take the field. They still manage to make peace, with no one left to argue against them, but both clans are too weak to survive a combined attack by the Hagoromo, Shimura, and Fuma. Madara''s fury when they raze the emerging village to the ground results in him slaughtering all three clans and puts them all right back where they started, but without any loved ones left to fight for. As he stands in what''s left of the Hagoromo compound, the Rinnegan pulses, spins. Turns back. *** Calm your temper, ignorant child. You are back to build, not destroy, she whispers, *** Attempt # 27 It takes a few tries to convince Madara that wiping out the enemies of peace isn''t the best route. No matter what, they end up under attack by surrounding clans, and even once, the Damiyo hires the others to take them out. It''s too much too fast, he finally realizes, inspiring terror instead of hope. Well, fuck. He tries something different this time, pleas to the Damiyo to enforce a peace. He does, but it only lasts for a year before a Senju patrol kills a Uchiha, and the Damiyo punishes them with execution. Then they''re right back where they started, except the Damiyo is also involved, so even more shinobi are dying than before. Two years in Madara gives up, and the Rinnegan pulses, spins, and turns back. *** Attempt #33 Madara kills Tobirama by accident, and the Senju refuse to allow Hashirama to try for peace. *** Attempt # 39 An uprising in his own clan gets him this time. He''s never going to trust that fucker Oda ever again. *** Treason! She screams. She will not forget this. *** Attempt #42 Hashirama dies too early this time, an assassination from inside his own clan. Apparently, Madara isn''t the only one in danger from his family. *** Attempt #47 A plague sweeps through, and by the time it''s gone two years later, neither clan is left. Madara recognizes it too late. The same plague that struck down his one descendant that surpassed him. *** Attempt # 51 Madara starts keeping a list. Ideas and things that haven''t worked. Things that had some success. Specific people that get in the way over and over. And a smaller list of surprising allies. He''s dying from influenza before they can reach peace this time around, and the Rinnegan pulses, spins, and turns back while he takes his final breath in his sick bed, a day shy of his fifteenth birthday. *** Attempt # 52 Madara tries treating other clans for peace with varying success. Some of their older allies are willing, the Inuzuka and the Aburame. Even the far-flung Hatake who have little to do with the rest of them. But they can''t seem to actually get to an agreement on peace because everyone wants different things and different rules for this impossible village. For a few lifetimes, Madara dies of old age as peace talks drag on for decades without ever actually achieving anything. *** Infants, she seethes. *** Attempt #58 Madara loses his patience and pushes too hard, too fast in this life, and Izuna assassinates him, fearful that his beloved older brother has gone mad. Apparently, peace cannot be rushed. Apparently, Madara is still learning that. *** Attempt #59 Madara remembers too late this time. They make it to the village, but the prejudice is still there, and Madara''s attempts to fix it after the founding are too little too late. When Tobirama establishes the police force, a rouge group assassinates him, and Madara watches the village crumble when Hashirama attempts to balance the need for justice and peace. The Rinnegan pulses, spins, turns back as the Senju elders call for the expulsion of the Uchiha. *** Attempt # 60 The Elders are the problem. Madara pays attention for the next couple and notices that while there are some elders in the clans that do want peace, few of them actually think it''s possible, so their attempts to support it are fickle and lackluster. They undermine it every chance they get, and the village falls apart in the aftermath. *** Attempt #63 Culling the elders from the clans doesn''t work. Though Madara sleeps better in the one night he gets after than he has any other night in any lifetime. *** Attempt #65 Neither does disbanding the council of elders and urging the other clans to do so. Apparently, they hold enough influence in some clans to overthrow their clan leaders and plunge everything into a whole new war. *** Selfish, ignorant fools, she roars. *** Attempt #74 Madara gives up for a while. Just lives a few lives as long as he can and doesn''t bother responding to Hashirama''s attempts at peace. He never marries. Never has children of his own, just watches his clan stagnate around him. He''s so tired of trying and failing and watching his dream rot over and over. *** Attempt #75 Madara gives up and disappears after Izuna''s death. Hashirama never gets his village off the ground. *** Attempt #78 Madara disappears again, but this time Hashirama searches him out. It takes several years, and by the time he succeeds, Hashirama has alienated his own clan with his mission, and they elect Tobirama Clan Leader, and then there''s no hope for peace. *** Coward, she whispers. *** Attempt #82 It takes another few attempts, but Madara realizes that he can''t leave Hashirama, and Hashirama won''t leave him. Even without knowing why, Hashirama will not go forward without him. He underestimated the other man''s friendship, the bond between them. Either Hashirama loses his willingness to try for peace without Madara across from him, or he becomes so desperate to find him that he forsakes his own clan. In this attempt, Tobirama kills Hashirama, and in revenge, Madara kills Tobirama. Tobirama, for all his genius and skill and strength, only succeeds in killing his brother because Hashirama cannot bring himself to strike him back. Madara has no such weakness, and he and Hashirama are still leagues beyond the red-eyed Senju. The Rinnegan pulses, spins, and turns back as Madara stands over the Tobirama''s body, using the man''s last breaths to tell him he''ll never be strong enough to take down Madara. It''s petty, but it makes him feel better for a little while. *** Such children, she sighs. *** Attempt #97 Madara is getting tired again. And he has a run of bad luck, dying in odd ways before he ever accomplishes anything. He starts thinking again, though. Goes back and realigns everything he thought he knew. And it finally occurs to him that maybe he can''t do this alone. *** Attempt #100 Madara finally tells Hashirama the truth. It doesn''t go well. *** Attempt #105 It only takes a couple of tries before he realizes how to approach Hashirama about what''s happening, but the best he gets is convincing him they''re halfway prophetic dreams instead of a terrifying genjutsu. It still doesn''t help. *** Attempt #110 Madara attempts to use genjutsu to show him everything, but it breaks Hashirama''s mind. The Rinnegan pulses, spins, turns back even before Hashirama stops screaming. *** Stop rushing, she cries. *** Attempt #111 Madara stops trying to convince Hashirama and instead focuses on supporting him. He agrees to peace talks the first time Hashirama asks, pushes his own clan and others, and dies by assassination sometime during the talks before he even gets to see the village. Subete wa mura no tame ni, his descendants said. Since he comes back again, he assumes it didn''t work. *** She stays silent. *** Attempt #115 It finally occurs to him to ask the Rinnegan if there''s a better way, and he gets his answer when the Rinnegan begins implanting the memories into Hashirama''s mind as well. He hadn''t realized it could do that... He should probably be concerned, the Sharingan has a mind of its own, but he has so many other things to worry about that he forgets. Then he has to wait through a dozen attempts as it figures out how to do it without killing him. *** Attempt # 129 Fucking Oda. *** Attempt #133 For the first time, Madara and Hashirama meet at the river and remember everything. Unfortunately, Tobirama''s report of their friendship to Butsuma results in him beating Hashirama to death, and they have to start over again. *** Attempt #137 It takes them a bit to figure out how to survive until their father''s deaths. Hashirama won''t let Madara assassinate either of them, no matter how many times he asks. He''s a fucking-bleeding heart. *** Attempt #138 Madara assassinates them anyway, and he and Hashirama end up in a fight so brutal they end up accidentally wiping out everyone else on the battlefield, approximately half their clans. They don''t bother trying to gather what''s left. The Rinnegan pulses, spins, turns back as they stand on the battlefield screaming at one another. *** I will put you in separate corners, she screeches uselessly. *** Attempt #139 Hashirama refuses to speak to him this time around, so the Rinnegan pulses, spins, and turns back after a few years. *** Attempt #140 They make up, but this time, they spend so much time trying to figure out what to do that by the time they actually do something, it''s too late. Clans start dying off one by one until there are only two left, and the Rinnegan starts to pulse. *** Attempt #167 They spend a lot of lifetimes trying to convince the entirety of their clans, thinking that they can''t do it without everyone on board. It''s a wasted effort, and they end up so exhausted and brokenhearted that they just kill one another more than once in frustration. *** Attempt #268 They don''t even try this time, carrying the heartache over from the last time. Madara feels like he''s going mad again, unable to look at the world and see any chance of hope. Hashirama is just as desperate to save him as he is to establish peace, and so they disappear off into the woods, leaving their clans to sort themselves out (they don''t; they wipe each other out in a matter of decades), and journey high up into the mountains in the Land of Snow, deciding to spend a lifetime as hermits. Well, they plan to, but this first go, they get killed by the weather because they were not prepared at all. Turns out survival takes more than brute strength. *** Attempt #300 Madara can admit that he''s a prideful man. It takes Hashirama a bit longer to get there, but eventually, he does. There''s a reason why they''re so close. Brothers in all but blood. They share a bond so deep, so elemental, that they cannot live a life without one another. It''s terrifying for other people because they can''t comprehend the bond that surpasses anything blood could give. Madara and Hashirama may not be sensors on Tobirama''s level, but they always know where the other is. They cannot hide from one another. And they are far more alike than those around them realize. The delusional view that Madara was just mad and Hashirama was just gentle and peaceful in that first life was so incomplete and incorrect that Madara''s not surprised it all ended badly. They''re both prideful enough that they spend the next handful of lives determined to prove they can, in fact, survive as hermits in the mountains of the Land of Snow. Since they keep trying to save the world over and over again, they figure selfishness is allowed for a little while. The weather gets them a few times, then the wolves. In one memorable life, they accidentally make enemies of the Hatake Clan, and they get taken out by lightning strikes before they can even fight back. Madara lays there in the snow, twitching and furious, as the Rinnegan pulses, spins, and turns.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. *** Attempt #307 Hashirama lets him be a vindictive bitch in the next go around, and he wipes out the Hatake. The young clan head, Gin, is the last to go, defended to the end by a dark-haired, dark-eyed clan member and a katana that Madara knows has no Hatake blood and equally as defiant when he finally dies. Hashirama also looks smug when Madara eventually feels bad because they''re actually a good clan for the village they''re trying to build, and Madara still remembers the one left in that first life, who bore a Sharingan and all the pain that came with it and managed to do some good. Madara''s flailing sees him fall off a cliff in this life. Karma, Hashirama cackles, and then the idiot follows him over because he tries to grab him, and no amount of chakra will let them walk on ice, so they just fall and fall until the Rinnegan starts to spin. Thankfully, it turns back before they hit the ground. *** Her carrier is a fool, and so is his soul brother, the Pretty Flower. Perhaps she should have chosen the Snowflake after all. But she can not abandon her blood. Just as Moro cannot. *** Attempt #313 One of these lifetimes is the first time Madara cries from something that''s not rage or frustration. They spend an evening in their cave, warmed by a small fire fueled by Madara''s chakra, and Hashirama''s recounting his excitement over the children he''ll eventually have when he suddenly stops talking. Madara doesn''t understand why as his friend practically flies across the cave, wrapping him in a hug, until he sees the tears soaking Hashirama''s shirt. A few hundred lifetimes now, decades of life, even more than a dozen where he dies of old age, and Madara still doesn''t get to have a family of his own. There are no children hanging off his yukata or holding his hand. No students sitting rapt as he imparts every lesson he''s ever learned, and Madara has a lot of lessons to impart by now. No tiny body that Madara gets to hold as it takes its first breaths in this world. He doesn''t get to scare his daughter''s suitors or teach his son how to respect a woman. He doesn''t get to go to sleep next to someone who''s done it enough that they have their chosen sides of the bed and know how to hold one another in their sleep to keep the nightmares away. And they''ll hold each other even when they''re angry. No one has ever wanted to stand across from Madara and promise to love him for the rest of their natural life. Apparently, Madara is such a horrible person that no one can love him like that. He doesn''t get to see Izuna''s children grow up and sneak them sweets when Izuna puts them on a training regime. He doesn''t get to commiserate with Hikaku when he has all girls and no idea what to do with them. He doesn''t get to snicker with their wives over their foolish moments. He doesn''t get to grow old watching his children learning to raise their own broods. There is no one who wants to sit by his bedside in his last moments. No one to visit whatever grave marker he ends up with. He will be forgotten. Unloved for eternity and all that love he has to give will simply fade away until there''s nothing left. Hashirama holds him for a long time. The Rinnegan pulses, spins, turns back. *** Attempt #316 Hasirama is a good man. He wants everyone to be happy, loved, at peace. As enthralled with learning about other clans as he is with learning about his own. He loves the Uchiha''s tendency to be emotional, their obsession with love and family, and the Tenshi Heisoban. Secretly, he thinks Madara is the current Tenshi Heisoban, not the brother he buried years ago, but Madara is stubborn and gets a terribly haunted look on his face whenever the subject comes up, so Hashirama stays silent for now. He also tends to be slightly obsessive. A Uchiha trait he seems to have picked up from Madara. For several lifetimes, he''s determined to find someone for Madara, running the gambit from blind dates to arranged marriages to asking the Damiyo for help and sending out the equivalent of singles ads. Every time he fails, he becomes more determined. Every time he fails, his heart breaks a little bit more. He tries to figure out what Madara wants, but all Madara can think of is that he wants someone who loves him. Such a simple request that turns out to be anything but. Every time he fails, Madara becomes more convinced there is no one in the world that can love him. He makes it to marriage a couple of times. A few men and a few women, including one from the Senju, when Hashirama makes the marriage part of the peace deal. They''re not happy marriages. The best of them is apathetic. A marriage of convenience that''s more a business deal than a relationship, and Madara withers away, trying to earn a love that''s never going to come. That one gets so bad that Hashirama is the one who kills Madara''s Senju wife, finally driven to rage at his friend''s sadness. The Rinnegan turns back before Hashirama has to answer for it. *** Attempt #323 For some reason, Hashirama wakes up once with the idea that he''s the reason the village isn''t working. He dies to ensure peace, making Tobirama and Madara swear to carry on without him. They actually make it pretty far. A couple of decades into the village. But it''s horrible for a whole new reason, and not just because Hashirama is gone and Madara spends the entire lifetime feeling like he''s lost a limb. Turning to talk to a man who''s not beside him anymore. Working side by side with Tobirama, without Hashirama to balance them out, is a new kind of struggle. Hashirama''s brother is somehow nothing like him but is absolutely dedicated to carrying out his brother''s dream. EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN''T BELIEVE IN IT. Madara throws that in his face every time he calls Madara unreasonable. They struggle with the Uchiha''s desperate attempts to fit into the village, driven by Madara''s attempts to be something they could love and Tobirama''s ingrained prejudice. Tobirama blames Madara for Hashirama. Madara blames him for Izuna. Ten years in, they''ve settled into an antagonistic partnership where they get things done by screaming at one another. The village is stumbling along. Madara''s doing his best not to outright ban people he knows will be bad for it in the future, but he''s making sure certain ones won''t ever be in influential positions. It''s a pain in the ass since he can''t tell them how he knows. Likewise, the longest-running argument he has with Tobirama concerning the police force and the academy is the same. He can''t tell him why certain parts won''t work, so Tobirama refuses to believe him. This is the first lifetime where Madara spends enough time with Tobirama for his interest to blossom. With Hashirama gone, there is no one truly strong enough to challenge Madara, but Tobirama comes the closest. He''s a brilliant man. A true genius, constantly looking forward and trying to solve problems and creating new jutsus. His curiosity is as immense as Madara''s love, and Madara falls in love with his mind first. Then, his body as he watches him fight and train and teach. He''s blunt, sarcastic, oblivious to things he doesn''t think are important, and convinced most emotions are a waste. He cannot comprehend the Uchiha''s desire for love. Their beliefs in the old ways and the Tenshi Heisoban. Thinks duty is far more important than anything else. Then, one day, he looks twice at a young woman in the village and a tiny of bud of hope springs in Madara''s chest. The Senju elders have always tried to push him into marriage, into what equates to breeding, even though that''s one of the things that this village was supposed to end. Tobirama loves children, even though he''s resisted having his own. That hope gives Madara just enough courage one day in the Hokage''s office. "Another marriage suit?" "The elders." And Tobirama actually sounds annoyed, which means inside, he''s probably seething as he sets the scroll aside because God forbid he toss one in the trash. "Still no interest?" "It''s unnecessary." "You could just pick someone yourself." Madara is being so, so careful. "If I had someone I wanted to marry, I''d marry them." Madara''s pushing too hard, though, and now Tobirama''s looking suspicious. "Why do you care? Are your elders-" "They would never. Uchiha only marry for love." Tobirama rolls his eyes at that. "Because that always works out so well." "Better than most." "So why aren''t you married then?" "Because I haven''t asked." It takes Tobirama a second to realize what he''d admitted, and then Madara actually has his full attention, which is a rare event. "Your marriage could be a boon for the village. Why haven''t you asked?" "They aren''t aware." "So, tell them." Madara just stares at him, and, well, Tobirama''s a genius. It only takes him a minute to get. Surprise, disbelief, and disgust flash so quickly across his face that only in this lifetime, when they''ve worked side by side for years, does Madara see them before his face settles into a cold mask. Well, that''s that, then. "They''re not interested." He says instead, turning back to his work. For a moment, he''s terrified that Tobirama''s going to push it, but thankfully, he doesn''t. They don''t talk about it again for a long time. Knowing it''s never going to happen makes it a bit easier to deal with. Madara just stuffs that part of him to the back and focuses on everything but. He makes a point not to act any differently and doesn''t give an inch on anything he wouldn''t have before. The one time Madara lets it come to the forefront is the day he saves Tobirama''s life. Tobirama takes a team on a mission to Sand, a wasted attempt to establish a trade treaty, and they get ambushed by enough of a force that Tobirama himself isn''t expected to get out alive. Madara takes off the moment he hears, makes the journey to Sand in a matter of hours instead of days, and arrives just in time to finish off what''s left of the attacking rouges, a heartbeat before they can succeed in killing Tobirama. As it is, Tobirama is the only survivor. The only one skilled enough and powerful enough to hold out for his arrival. Madara uses the last of his chakra to get them back to Konohagakure just as quickly and then has to spend a week sleeping to recover. Tobirama spends a month in the hospital. When he gets out, he thanks Madara stiffly and, then painfully awkwardly, tells him it was a foolish thing to do and that he needs to make sure his feelings don''t interfere again. Madara''s first assurances that they won''t aren''t enough, apparently, because Tobirama abandons his weird attempt at kindness and bluntly tells him he''ll never feel the same, no matter how many times Madara saves his life. Madara manages to roll his eyes and assure him he already knows that, effectively brushing off everything, before he goes back to his empty house in the Uchiha compound and cries for the first time since that lifetime with Hashirama in the mountains in the Land of Snow. Tobirama watches him warily for a while, and he''s not the only one, so Madara realizes he''s confided in a few about Madara''s confession. The snickering, the amusement that Tobirama would ever love someone like Madara, is survivable; the pity of those sympathetic to him is not. Tobriama, to his credit, silences it whenever he hears of it and makes a point to treat Madara exactly the same as before. But eventually, it''s too much. The village is stable enough, so Madara starts taking missions again. Slowly, they become more common, then longer. He spends months at a time away from the village. Hands the robes off to Tobirama more and more often. Hands the clan over to Hikaku''s daughter. He spends three months in Sand and finally gets that trade treaty in place, even though he has to kill a surprising amount of people to do it. He spends a couple of weeks in Konohagakure before heading to Mist to help their infant village fight off a takeover attempt. Six months of brutal fighting finally results in peace in Mist, but a few days into the journey home, he gets word that a handful of clans in Earth are being hunted into extinction and have asked Konoha for help. He turns mid-trip and goes there instead. It takes a year to straighten that out, and when he finally returns to the village, it''s been over two since the last time he was there. Tobirama barely notices his return, accepting his mission reports while his mind is clearly elsewhere, and Madara doesn''t bother taking back the robes. Just goes back to his house and sleeps for a while and then takes several missions on behalf of Hikaku''s daughter. He comes back less and less over the following years, slowly fading from the village''s memory. His clan seems to have figured out he''s halfway gone. They don''t bother holding off clan meetings until the few times he''s present, and Hikaku''s daughter takes over all ceremonies. She only asks him once if he''ll stay, but she must see the answer on his face because she doesn''t ask again. Just kisses him on the cheek the next time he leaves because she knows it''s the last time. Ironically, it''s a mission from Tobirama himself. A sighting of the Kyuubi in the Land of Tea of all places, and there are very few people strong enough to go and have a chance at survival if they actually run into the fox. Madara volunteers before they can run through the list of other possibilities, and there''s a brief moment where Tobirama looks like he wants to argue, like something''s occurred to him, but Madara takes it and heads out before he can put up an argument. Madara''s gone before Tobirama realizes he only got back from the last mission the day before. And though he makes a note to not allow Madara to take any more missions for a while, force him to rest, and let the village see its surviving founder, it''s too late by the time Madara crosses the Hattori Gate for the last time. The mission was supposed to take months, so it''s not entirely Tobirama''s fault that it takes him almost eight to realize that Madara isn''t back. He sends weekly updates for a while, then monthly, then every other month, and then they petter off into silence. Madara finds the Kyuubi in the Land of Tea and seals him, though it takes more of him than he was expecting. Their battle lasts almost a week before the fox is finally weak enough for Madara to lock him away. It takes weeks after that for Madara to heal, laying there in a destroyed tea field long enough for the bushes to grow back. The local villagers feed him, and a few months later, a message comes looking for him, but Madara doesn''t respond. He wanders eventually through all the smaller lands he never really paid attention to before. Some of them don''t even exist yet, and maybe they won''t in this life. He dwells on it for a few years, how things change and stay the same based on the smallest of actions and lines of logic Madara can''t follow. Maybe that''s what he and Hashirama got wrong. They focused too much on the big things and forgot about the small ones. Years later, when he''s wandered across what seems like the entire world and thousands of miles away, Konoha is embroiled in brewing civil war; he sits down one day and just doesn''t get back up. The Rinnegan pulses, spins. He wonders if Tobirama has noticed he''s gone yet. The Rinnegan turns back. *** I''m sorry, she whispers, heartbroken by the task she herself has given them. *** Attempt #328 And now that Madara has fallen, no matter how many lives he lives, he can''t un-fall. He wakes loving Tobirama, and he dies loving him no matter how long it takes. Hashirama makes one attempt at an arranged marriage between the two of them, but no matter how doting Madara is, Tobirama never sees it as anything more than a cage, and it even ruins his relationship with his older brother. No matter what Hashirama says, Tobirama does not see anything in Madara worth loving, and the village collapses around them. The Rinnegan pulses, spins, and turns back before Madara can kill himself. *** Attempt #337 Madara is starting to feel guilty for continuously ruining Hashirama''s relationship with Tobirama. He lets Tobirama kill him on the battlefield this time. *** Stupid boy, she murmurs. Snowflake is just as stupid as the rest of them. *** Attempt #345 Hashirama is furious, and he says so loudly and at length with many, many tears. Madara promises not to do it again. They make it to the village several more times, with varying degrees of success. The overarching issue they find is that they can''t get the majority to move past the past. No amount of impassioned speeches and desperate apologies make a difference. There''s so much pain and loss that there isn''t enough time in a single lifetime to move past all of it. They retreat back to the mountains, both of them waning in the face of so many failed attempts. Madara''s loneliness is a full-on sickness now. Most days, he can''t bring himself to get out of whatever bed they''ve managed to build themselves, and Hashirama has to force-feed him to keep him alive. Hashirama''s devotion is enough to carry him along for several years, but eventually, even Hashirama realizes that it''s not a life. The Rinnegan pulses, spins, turns. *** Attempt #349 Hashirama does not take the news of Madara''s end in the last life well. He demands Madara share everything with him now and vice versa. Madara can''t take a piss without Hashirama demanding more information than Madara even wants to know, but every time he refuses to answer, Hashirama gets a haunted look, flashing back to the sadness that took Madara before Hashirama even had a chance to try. So Madara gives in, for now. And Hashirama makes him swear on his friendship to never stop and that means for all eternity. Some day, somehow, Madara is going to get revenge for this. Some day. But for now, Hashirama is the only person outside the Uchiha themselves who realizes how cruel a life alone is for them, and he cries for Madara for a long time. He does not like Madara''s joke about finally knowing what it feels like to die of a broken heart. Madara never makes that joke again. *** Attempt #352 Hashirama eventually gives up on trying to convince Tobirama to love Madara, but he can''t hide the sadness over it when he looks at his brother. He''s already learned not to say what it is, though, so no matter how many times Tobirama asks, Hashirama never answers. Coincidently, this is also the moment that Hashirama seems to realize that Madara wants to bang his baby brother, and that''s an awkward moment. He doesn''t take the revelation well. Especially when Madara screeches, "What did you think I wanted?" at him in response to Hashirama''s wails of innocent baby brother and honor and no touching! They end up killing each other, to the horror of the village, and the Rinnegan pulses, spins, and turns. *** Attempt #353 They spend a couple of lifetimes distracted by this issue. Never even making it past their teenage years before killing one another on the battlefield. *** I''ll make you both eunuchs, she threatens. *** Attempt #356 This time, they agree to table the argument since there''s no chance Tobirama''s going to return Madara''s interest, and Hashirama is an entertaining mess of relief and horror and guilt for a while. This time, they''re both born young enough and remember early enough to mourn the death of Daiki together and suddenly, it seems like Hashirama remembers that Madara was one of nine siblings. Kawarama and Itama haven''t even been born when Daiki dies, caught by a Senju patrol, and no amount of effort by Hashirama saves his life. Tobirama, only four, doesn''t understand why he even tried and it''s the first time that Hashirama turns his back on his baby brother and doesn''t talk to him for a month. Their relationship in this life never recovers, and Madara and Hashirama die long before they can get their plans for peace up and running. *** Attempt #357 Madara and Hashirama spend the next series of attempts obsessively attempting to keep their brothers alive. Hashirama only has the three, and Tobirama is almost strong enough to take care of himself as long as it''s not Madara or Izuna attempting to kill him. But Madara is a middle child of nine, and they''re rarely successful at saving Daiki. They realize very quickly that their memories of their beloved siblings do not translate to the people they become if they live. Akane is sickly. A weak constitution that no amount of healing can save, and she always dies too young to really experience life. Eri''s birth is difficult, and he develops...wrong. It''s a kindness in the end to let him die rather than be nursed his entire life. Kyoko is the spoiled youngest, especially if their mother survives her birth, and almost always dies as a result of a romantic liaison she was warned against. No amount of lectures, lessons, or protections prevent it. Itama is too gentle to live and has no survival instinct that Madara can find, which is startling in the world of shinobi. He dies repeatedly in situations a mid-level shinobi would know better than to get caught in. Yashiro, Natsu, and Kawarama, they realize with horror cannot ever be allowed to have power of any kind. The worst of it is when the Senju lose faith in Hashirama because of his constant talk of peace, and Kawarama engineers a takeover. Hashirama has to flee to the Uchiha for Madara''s protection and help, and Kawarama executes Tobirama before they can make it back to the Senju compound with reinforcements, and Hashirama is forced to kill his surviving baby brother. The battle isn''t even over before he turns to Madara and begs, and the Rinnegan pulses, spins, and turns. *** Attempt #361 Madara realizes that Tobirama is the one Hashirama needs to succeed. It''s unfortunate and sad, but the continued effort to save Kawarama and Itama only proves to be a wasted one. Itama dies for his foolishness, and Kawarama, more often than not, dies as Hashirama''s enemy. They focus on keeping Tobirama alive, and every time he strikes down Izuna, a part of Madara dies with his brother. They make it to the village, the closest they''ve gotten to what Madara remembers from that first life in a long time, but Madara can''t settle. Hashirama knows. He watches Madara closely, clings tighter, and they both ignore the rumors plaguing Hashirama''s marriage as a result. Mito is too much of a politician to let it affect her, and Tobirama is silent but judgmental. The saving grace is that no one ever catches them doing anything because they aren''t, so it''s easy to turn a blind eye. But it''s not enough. Madara''s eyes turn to the horizon more and more, the Sharingan straining against the chains he''s put it in, and Hashirama sees it and clings tighter and tighter. It''s another lifetime alone for Madara, and it weighs on them both. One night, he ends up at the Hattori Gate with no memory of how he got there, and Hashirama gripping his arm and pulling him back. The guards do their best not to watch the spectacle of the two founders of the village arguing in their pajamas until Tobirama arrives and demands to know what the hell they''re doing. Hashirama doesn''t leave Madara''s side for a week. That''s enough for Tobirama to realize there''s truly something wrong, but the refusal of either of them to talk to him about it just leads to more fighting. Hashirama breaks one night when Madara''s not there and tells Tobirama that Madara''s lonely, the person he loves doesn''t love him back, and Tobirama just snorts and says that''s not surprising. And it''s just.... Too much. Hashirama leaves with Madara the next night. They end up in the Land of Waterfalls and a couple of years have passed before Konoha manages to track them down. Hashirama won''t explain why he left; other than that, he''s disappointed that after all they''ve done, people still won''t move beyond old hatreds. He has far more hope and faith in the good of people than Madara or Tobirama ever will. They both refuse to return, even when Tobirama comes himself, furious that two people who wanted the damn village in the first place are abandoning it. He even makes a formal apology to Madara, the first time that''s ever happened in all these lives, and Madara is tempted to believe him until Hashirama refuses. Madara didn''t see it, but Hashirama did. Something in Tobirama''s apology was false. Hashirama appoints Tobirama Hokage and tells him he hopes he does better with the village than they did and sends him on his way. Madara''s never seen Tobirama look that lost before, but he follows Hashirama deeper into the waterfalls until they reach what will one day be called the Land of Lakes and doesn''t look back at the white-haired Senju. The village holds together for forty years before it loses the war with Rock. *** Did you think I would let them succeed without you? Without my blood? After all our sacrifices? The sacrifices of those to come? And she''d forced images into their minds of Fugaku and Minato. Obito and Kakashi and Iruka. Of Itachi. Sasuke and Naruto. Do you think I will allow my blood to be pushed aside and forgotten? I WILL NOT ALLOW IT! *** Attempt #367 Hashirama builds them a lodge deep in the mountains, and Madara burns the Uchiha uchiwa into the highest peak just because he can, and they laugh at a world too blind to see it. They''ve learned to survive the weather and the wolves and the rogues. They have one another, and they do love one another deeply, just not in the way they both want. They are friends, brothers of the soul, and they will walk side by side until the end, no matter how many lives they live. But there is no one to share their beds, their passions, no one to raise children with and to hold without restraint. Hashirama loves Mito deeply, though he admits he could be happy with another. His love for her is informed by the lives he''s had with her before, but it''s not Madara''s all-consuming, beyond-all-reason love for Tobirama. Hashirama is not a Uchiha. He can love more than one person. This is the first lifetime where Madara tells him the Uchiha only love once. That there are no divorces in the clan, only widows. Madara will never love another. It takes Hashirama a couple of lifetimes to absorb the news. *** Attempt #370 Madara and Hashirama randomly decide one drunken night to see if they can be together like that. It''s horribly awkward and vaguely disturbing, and they don''t get very far before they both run away screaming. They try a few more times because they are both horribly competitive and absolutely hate failing at anything, and they actually manage to make it work. There''s no all-consuming passion, but they do spend a lifetime together, partners in every way, and the closest to happy either of them have been in all of their attempts so far. It''s a wonderful life, but it''s also one they''re both willing to put aside for the dream of the village. Still, they go into their next attempt more settled and more hopeful, with the knowledge that they can be there for one another in every way that matters. *** Idiots, she mutters, but she lets them rest. *** Attempt #371 They''re a little too hopeful because the rumors that reach the Damiyo''s ears make him nervous enough to have them both killed, but still, the hope remains. *** Attempt #372 Madara still loves Tobirama and Hashirama still looks forward to Mito, but they keep one another until then, getting into the habit of sharing their firsts. Comfortable in the knowledge that no matter what happens, at least they have one another. It''s during one of these attempts that Hashirama realizes that maybe what Madara''s missing is Izuna. The only one of his siblings to survive long enough to fight at his brother''s side, almost his equal. Hashirama becomes convinced that Izuna is the key to making the village livable for Madara, so they turn their focus to keeping him alive. Hashirama even orders Tobirama never to kill him and they have to work their way through a few lives until Madara manages to finally convince Izuna to do the same. They make it to the village with both their baby brothers, and for a while, it is better. It takes some time for Izuna to settle; he''s just as devoted to Madara as Tobirama is to Hashirama, but he''s also much more volatile and emotional. Just as unwilling to trust as the White Demon but louder about it by nature. He''s also much more willing to admit that he''s jealous of how close Madara and Hashirama are, which Hashirama, flower-brained fool that he is takes as a sign to try and bond with him. The first time Hashirama hugs him, Izuna stabs him with a kunai out of reflex. Madara, lulled into a drugged kind of happiness with his brother still alive to see the village, jokingly tells Hashirama that he should keep trying, and for weeks, the village is startled at random hours by Izuna''s screaming when Hashirama sneak-attack hugs him and refuses to let go. Tobirama is not amused by their antics. Izuna does eventually figure out Madara is behind it and pays him back in kind by telling all the kids he can that he''ll buy them sweets if they can stick things in Madara''s hair without him noticing. He walks around for three hours with a shiny pink butterfly clip in his hair before Tobirama asks how the hell he didn''t notice. They got complacent, Madara realizes, as the Rinnegan pulses, spins and Madara bleeds out next to Hashirama in the midst of their burning village. Zetsu cackles above both of them as he finishes off Izuna. This was the first lifetime that Tobirama tried to protect Madara, taking a katana to the chest as he knocked him out of the way. The Rinnegan turns back. *** This time, she''s so angry she cannot speak. They were not the only ones who forgot. *** Attempt #375 There is one life where Zetsu gets to Hashirama first. Infecting him before Madara and the Rinnegan can wake him up. It takes Madara a few years to realize it, and by then, Hashirama has dethroned his father and turned the Senju into conquerors. He starts with the smaller clans, avoiding the Uchiha, and Madara is frozen in horror for a few months, unable to believe what he''s hearing until Hashirama goes after the Nara, and then he starts shoring up supplies and resources to prepare for the inevitable. Zetsu-Hashirama rolls over the Land of Fire, leaving nothing standing until he reaches the gates of the Uchiha Compound. Tobirama is already dead in this lifetime, at his brother''s hand. For all that he''s arrogant and cutting and unwilling to love Madara, he didn''t blindly follow his brother when he became a monster either. The Uchiha are the last ones standing in this life, and Madara already knows they won''t win, but he leads them into battle anyway. Zetsu-Hashirama''s mokuton tears through most, but this is also the lifetime where Madara learns that mokuton will still burn no matter how big it is. This is the lifetime where he finds his way to the Godfire, the hottest katon, an exploding star, a wildfire when Izuna and Hikaku and little Kagami are ripped apart by the infected mokuton. He sets the world on fire. The Rinnegan pulses, spins, turns back before Madara can see how far his flames reached. Hundreds of miles in all directions, burning everything in its path. There''s no life left anywhere by the time it burns out. *** They call him the Great Calamity. Dai saigai, she purrs. Only the strongest will bear her, and he is the strongest of them all. *** Attempt #376 The Rinnegan learns its lesson quickly. It never allows Zetsu an opening to get either of them again. They got distracted. Forgot about the bigger threat. Madara and Hashirama go back over everything they''ve learned about Zetsu and Kaguya and the miasma. They spend a few fruitless lives trying to rip the infection out themselves. Zetsu himself is a challenge, but one that they can overcome with a little effort. The bigger issue is all his little plans, the infection that he''s spread that is impossible to see completely. They always miss something, and it always brings down the village. Meanwhile, Hashirama is entranced with the Godfire, and there are a few scattered lifetimes among the next handful, where he sacrifices himself to help Madara bring it out and master it until it comes to Madara''s fingertips as easily as a candle flame. *** Attempt #387 They try warning people. Tobirama and Izuna never quite believed them, and really, that was a sign they should have paid attention to. Shockingly, shinobi don''t take well to being told there''s a weird oil-like being covered in leaves determined to destroy the world by waking an ancient Otsutsuki with a grudge. That he calls Mother. It''s creepy, is what it is. A few clans kill them: the Nara, the Hatake, the Hagoromo, and the Shimura. Even more, just humor them and then share wary whispers behind their backs. They realize that the more they tell people about Zetsu, the fewer people are willing to listen to them about peace and the village. There''s one very depressing life where they''re convinced they can''t have both, and they''re not sure which one to pick. This is the one life that Madara seeks Kikyo out. They find her deep in what will later become the Land of Smoke, and Hashirama is fascinated by her but smart enough to be wary and silent as Madara begs her for help. She refuses. Kikyo knows what the Rinnegan is doing and has become convinced that it is something Madara and Hashirama have to figure out for themselves. She does allow them to remain with her for the rest of this lifetime and she spends the years beating them into the ground and mocking them for letting their training fall to the wayside. She even laughs at the idea that they could take out Zetsu despite their insistence that they have. Didn''t stop him from destroying the village, did it? So, did you really beat him or just win a useless battle? When the Rinnegan pulses, she tells them not to come back again. It spins, turns. *** Attempt #388 They come up with a plan. No one will listen if they spin stories about monsters and a thousand-year-old psycho sealed in the moon. They make more progress when they''re vague, Zetsu machinations are moving against shinobi, so there''s enough evidence to convince people there is an enemy out there. They just can''t be specific. That''s when they realize their second problem. Zetsu is a ghost in the machine. An enemy of shinobi for sure, but never THE ENEMY. Never the main attraction. Never the one that requires immediate attention. He bleeds them from the shadows, and they only ever realize once it''s too late. He is, Madara realizes, not a big enough threat to warrant unification, and then he feels like a fool for taking so long to realize. Peace is a dream strong enough to create the village, but Zetsu is the enemy that can unite it. If he''s a big enough threat. They have to make him big enough, but they realize quickly that Zetsu will play the long game as long as he''s allowed to, and they have to spend almost twenty lifetimes figuring out what to do to make him attack out in the open. The first time he does, they''re so taken by surprise that he wins, wiping out their village and allies while Madara and Hashirama are visiting the Damiyo to convince him of the threat. The Rinnegan doesn''t bother letting them return to the village before it pulses, spins, turns. *** Attempt #398 They need more firepower, they realize. Allowing Zetsu to become THE THREAT means they will need more than just the two of them to defeat him, but Madara and Hashirama are leagues beyond even their closest relatives now. They need more power. More blades. More fire. More weapons. More teeth and claws and Madara feels like a fool for not realizing it sooner. Hashirama thinks he''s too hard on himself, but Madara was not raised to be a failure, and that''s all he seems to do lately. They need the tailed beasts. Specifically, they need the Nine-Tails. Moro agrees to join them on their quest after wheedling a promise of a great forest from a besotted Hashirama, but it still takes a couple lifetimes to track him down and then to corner him. Moro sits back on her haunches and laughs the first time they fight him, and he rips them to pieces. *** Attempt #399 No matter how much they beg, Moro will not fight Kurama for them, but eventually, they figure out what they need to say to make him willing to listen. It turns out there is something on this earth more stubborn than the two of them. The demon fox. There''s even one life where Hashirama manages to capture and hold him with the mokuton, but he''s so angry that he still kills them once they''ve finished explaining. *** Attempt #410 Finally, he allows Madara to share the memories through the Rinnegan and, well, he kills them again, once for every time they''ve sealed him. Then, he agrees to help. *** Attempt #411 The next lifetime, Madara wakes up to the Kyuubi waiting outside the Uchiha Compound Gates. It doesn''t go well. *** Stupid mutt, she mutters. Shut up bitch, he snaps back. *** Attempt #420 They go back to planning. The Kyuubi and Moro slowly becoming as invested as Madara and Hashirama. *** Attempt #434 They have a plan now. They know where to start, and after a few false starts and one embarrassing death by choking that they''re never going to speak of again, they finally get there. *** Attempt #??? Madara wakes up on his sixth birthday, kami knows what lifetime this is, and randomly decides to spend the morning by the river. His morning katas are interrupted by a bubbly boy with a bowl cut and way too much energy. *** It begins, she purrs. *** "It''s not that we have to quit this life one day, but it''s how many things we have to quit all at once: music, laughter, the physics of falling leaves, automobiles, holding hands, the scent of rain, the concept of subway trains... if only one could leave this life slowly!" Roman Payne, Rooftop Soliloquy *** ~tbc~

Ikigai *** There are two kinds of guilt: the kind that drowns you until you''re useless, and the kind that fires your soul to purpose. Sabaa Tahir, An Ember in the Ashes *** Madara wakes up on his sixth birthday and randomly decides to spend the morning by the river. His morning katas are interrupted by a bubbly boy with a bowl cut and way too much energy, and as he approaches, the Rinnegan pulses, spins. And it begins. The memories flood back slowly enough that it''s just like one long dream. They spend a few years relearning their world, letting the memories sink in, and training as much as possible. The Kyuubi and Moro lurk far away, at the edge of the world, their chakra a distant comfort. They''re much stronger now than in any previous life, the gulf between them and the rest even more obvious. Madara buries his siblings one by one, and Hashirama cries over his brothers. They take missions by themselves, sneaking across the land to ensure they know where Zetsu is. It takes two well-placed assassinations to wake him up early, and Madara sacrifices a stranger to send him up to the cave to release him. They''re hesitant now to push so early for peace, but neither of them are quiet about their dreams. Tajima dies in his bed in this life, an influenza pandemic that decimates every clan, including the Senju, and is strangely at peace with it. At least, for a man Madara mainly remembers for his refusal to take anything lying down. Madara cries as his father''s body burns. Another in the long list of people Madara will never be able to save, but this one''s probably for the best. Uchiha Tajima hasn''t really been with them since he buried his last wife. Izuna is no more accepting of peace than he was in that first life, but Madara has learned to slowly introduce the idea instead of trying to ram it down his throat, and they are growing as close as they ever did in the best of the lives he''s had so far. Butsuma....doesn''t die. He does something much worse, and maybe they never realized, because he never lived this long before, but he''s not....healthy. Mentally. Broken the way some shinobi become when they''ve finally gone over that edge, and nothing can put them back together. But there''s something else to it that goes beyond breaking. Butsuma always had a cruel streak, according to Hashirama, especially where the gentler members of the clan were concerned. He didn''t like shinobi that didn''t like to kill. If Hashirama hadn''t had the Mokuton Madara''s convinced, he would have died young, just like his brother''s, and it wouldn''t have been at the hand of the Uchiha. As it is, they have to take a step back from peace when they''re sixteen to give Hashirama the space to deal with his father. Their sixteenth year is also when they reunite with Kurama. *** When you choose your friends, don''t be short-changed by choosing personality over character. W.Somerset Maugham *** Two missions that result in both of them being in the Land of Snow at the same time, so they meet up on the way and enjoy being free from their responsibilities for a moment. They make short work of the missions, two simple assassinations, and most of the effort goes to crossing from one end of the mountain range to the other undetected. Butsuma is already watching Hashirama for signs of rebellion. The last thing they need is rumors spreading. *** Tobirama paid a painful price for reporting their meetings this go around. A beating so vicious and brutal that Hashirama and Madara had been overwhelmed with guilt and not met for months while he recovered in the hospital. *** But the concern doesn''t stop them from taking a few extra days and heading up to the lodge that''s somehow still there and the hot springs. "We''re terrible, selfish people," Madara mutters as he sinks into the water with a grateful sigh and puts off thinking about all the things they still have to do. Hashirama, submerged, gurgles and blows bubbles next to him in response. "Infant," Madara cackles and shoves him further under, confident in his victory until Hashirama gets a hand around his ankle, and then they''re twisting and writhing and laughing as they try to dunk one another. Given that they''re sixteen and healthy and so, so fond of one another, well, there''s a natural progression. They''re rubbing against one another and just getting to the good part when an amused voice rings out. "You two smell like a couple of bonobos in heat." They leap apart as Kurama''s face appears over the edge of the spring, Madara shrieking as Hashirama screams. "WHA-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! YOU DON''T JUST SAY THINGS LIKE THAT! WERE YOU WATCHING? WHAT''S WRONG WITH YOU?" "WE''RE TEENAGERS! IT''S COMPLETELY NORMAL TO WANT TO DO IT THIS MUCH!" Naturally, the stupid fox finds their embarrassment amusing, howling with laughter as they turn red and duck down until anything embarrassing is hidden by the water. "Why are you hiding?" Kurama cackles, "It''s not like you''ve got anything impressive. Ohhh, is that why? Shy, little humans!" "IT''S BIGGER THAN YOURS!" Madara''s mouth running away with him as always. "The hell it is!" Kurama barks. "YOU CHEAT!" Hashirama laughs, "You can change your size at will!" "DOESN''T COUNT!" Madara nearly drowning as he laughs, too. "I''ll show you cheating!" Kurama shrieks, fur rising, and then his eyes go wide with surprise, his claws scrambling against the stone as he tumbles headfirst into the spring. He comes up sputtering and soaked as Moro, Noa, and Hoshi peer over the edge. "Only children compare the size of anything," Moro shakes her head as Noa and Hoshi laugh. Still only pups; their heads only come up to Madara''s shoulder, but they''re the spitting image of their great white wolf mother. "Moro!" "Why is Pretty Flower always happier to see me than you, cub?" "Because he has no sense of decorum," Madara sniffs. "He''s like some fairytale princess-ARE THERE FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR?!" Beautiful chrysanthemums and peonies bloom like a crown around Hashirama''s head as he nuzzles Hoshi, the only one of Moro''s pack willing to put up with it. Moro shoves her pups into the spring before stepping in herself and baring her teeth at a sulking Kurama, and they spend a relaxing evening roughhousing and bemoaning the fact that they can''t share these moments with anyone else yet. "Next time," Hashirama declares dramatically, "Next time, we''ll bring Tobi and Izu! They need to relax some." "It''ll take more than a few days at a hot spring to get the stick out of your brother''s-" "Don''t talk about Tobi''s-" "They''d drown you both for the amount of noise you make," Moro mutters. "Tobi would never do that!" Though even Hashirama doesn''t look completely convinced. "He absolutely would," Madara mutters, "So would Izuna." "Oh kami," Hashirama laughs, "They''d team up on us." "Just to destroy us," Madara agrees, and they ignore Moro shaking her head as they make plans for their brothers to be as close as they are. *** A week later, they meet on the battlefield, leading opposing forces. The fight is a joke. They have trained for so long and fought together for so long that it''s more of a dance than an actual fight, even as their bodies are still relearning. They trade a few pointless blows and use an encroaching thunderstorm as a reason to call an end to it. And there are plenty in both of their clans who aren''t pleased with the lackluster first showing. He loses two small children to bloodline thieves and goes after the group responsible with such rage and violence that the Damiyo censors him, and Hashirama sends a carefully encoded letter apologizing for not being able to come. Butsuma has taken the censoring as permission to step up the war, and Hashirama can''t be sure he wasn''t involved with the bloodline thieves. Madara destroys a training field at the edge of the compound when he reads that and has to answer for it to the Council of Elders. He''s less and less willing to entertain them this go around. The Rinnegan has gotten into the habit of throbbing whenever Oda is near, a warning Madara has been careful not to ignore and hasn''t shown the old man his back once in this lifetime. The only bright, promising thing at the moment is Izuna. Or rather, Izuna''s love life. His brother had been struck the day before, gone stiff like he''d been hit by a lightning bolt when he''d happened across a patrol returning to report to Madara.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Izuna and Midoriko, a kunoichi who''d grown up in the house next door and whom, until yesterday, he''d had a passionately adversarial relationship with, had taken one look at one another yesterday afternoon in front of the main gate and that had been it. Izuna had turned redder than the Sharingan, and Midoriko, carried back by her patrol with a broken leg, had suddenly leaped to her feet. It had taken Madara and Hikaku an hour to calm them both down to the point where they wouldn''t have to worry about one of them ending up injured. Or more injured than they already were in Midoriko''s case. They''d presented themselves to Madara that morning with the news that they were getting married, and it had only taken hours before the entire clan knew. The wedding had raised the clan''s spirits after the recent funerals, and even Madara had found himself smiling in the quiet minutes of the day. Izuna had always been startlingly defiant of the idea of marriage and children. He hadn''t had to worry about it until all their older siblings died. Madara had always wanted his own children, though. As many as his spouse would put up with. For a brief second, he let his mind wander to Hashirama''s toe-headed brother and his bright red eyes. Those eyes would look lovely with Madara''s dark hair. Not that they weren''t absolutely gorgeous with Tobirama''s snow white. Either way, their children would have been stunning. And that was enough of that. Tobirama hated him just as much in this lifetime as he had in all the others, and thinking about it was ruining the high of Izuna''s happiness. Midoriko specialized in taijutsu and was one of the few in the clan who could still challenge Madara and Izuna, but her weakness in genjutsu despite achieving the Sharingan, had sidelined her from leadership positions under the older generation. Her marriage to Izuna gave Madara an excuse to make her one of the new patrol leaders instead of Oda''s useless grandson, and he cackles a bit as he writes out the order. The old man can shove it up his- *** When friendships are real, they are not glass threads or frost work, but the solidest things we can know. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays: First Series *** The first memory Hashirama has of Tobirama is a tiny, red, wrinkled, screaming thing that he''d loved at first sight. He still loves him. Even though now he''s a big, pale, smooth, screaming thing. Who frequently has sharp objects in at least one hand and a concerning willingness to use them. Hashirama loves his baby brother, but he also doesn''t want to die anytime soon. At least not before he and Madara kill Zetsu and stop Kaguya. And he would like to see their wedding... If that ever happens. He''s learned to be sparing with his mentions of his best friend. Tobirama tolerates them better than anyone else in the clan, but that''s because of his personal loyalty to Hashirama and not some genuine interest. Butsuma tends to respond with assassination attempts these days. Touka has no patience for what she calls Hashirama''s idle daydreams, and Renji is still too immature to do anything but follow the blind hatred of the older generation. There''s Sana, one of Tobirama and Renji''s year mates, but the gentle girl can barely fight when her own life is on the line and hasn''t ever managed to hit someone successfully out of anger. Hell, he''s never even seen her get angry. She just bursts into tears. He likes her, but her gentleness has rendered her useless to the clan''s shinobi, and even the nicer ones, like Tobirama, refuse to do missions with her. Madara has a much more promising crop coming up. Mainly because his Sharingan ruled the roost, as it were, and all of the younger ones looked to him as opposed to any of the older Uchiha. For all that Butsuma insisted the Sharingan was a blight on mankind, it allowed Madara some semblance of unquestionable power among his clan. His elders could argue and scheme all they wanted, but they couldn''t directly challenge him unless one of them had a Sharingan that surpassed his. And, well.... That didn''t exist. And probably wouldn''t until Fugaku''s children were born. He drifted off into a daydream of the future. Or was it a memory supplied by the Rinnegan? Did it matter? Either way, it was beautiful. Four healthy children whose smiles wouldn''t be so brittle this time around. And worth the few inches of hair he lost when Tobirama realized he''d zoned out in the middle of his lecture. What would Tobirama have been like if he''d grown up in peace times? Would he smile more? It was a rare occurrence these days. Unless he was sequestered away in his lab and people actually left him alone long enough to work on something. Maybe he''d actually like Madara if they''d grown up without war to make them so unyielding. Although Madara was a complete cream puff for the people he cared for and trusted. The softest Tobirama got was akin to a porcupine that hadn''t decided whether or not to stick you yet. And Hashirama got poked a lot. What was Izuna like? He idolized Madara but retained a significantly independent personality. Hashirama''s memories from that handful of lives where they''d lived together in the village and grown close enough to actually know one another brought to mind a wolf, independent and pack-minded at the same time and utterly vicious in a fight. Just like their family summons. Madara''s last communication had included news of Izuna''s upcoming marriage, and Hashirama had already set aside a set of handcrafted decorative kunai to hand off as a gift. Apparently, getting gifts from Hashirama via Madara drove the younger brother up the wall. And a little teasing was never a bad thing. Their meetings were an open secret now, with just enough plausible deniability that Hashirama can''t currently be tried for treason. However, he''s toeing the line. Each day that passes with no progress on finding Zetsu or dealing with Butsuma makes him more and more willing to cross it. He''s only sixteen, but he thinks he has enough support to take over. This issue is his father''s old guard and what he''ll have to promise to get enough support, and there''s not much point if he has to promise to continue the war with the Uchiha. He doesn''t want to become the type of leader his father is, doing whatever he wants without listening to anyone else or accepting any accountability. Butsuma wants the world to burn for all these perceived hurts, but he won''t acknowledge the hurts the Senju themselves have caused. Hashirama is more aware than most that his clan does not have clean hands. None of them do anymore. Not even the four Noble clans, not even the alleged pacifists, the Shimura, or the above it all triad of Ino-Shika-Cho. Leaders like that were the reason the Land of Fire was so soaked in blood. No wonder someone as smart as Tobirama can''t understand ''peace''. Hashirama and Madara are going to have to burn the whole damn thing down to ashes and build it back up brand new to make something that works. So much work. Hashirama''s never considered himself lazy; his priorities shift and adapt from hour to hour, but he does his work....eventually. But just thinking about everything that needs to be done is daunting, and thinking about all the times they''ve tried and almost made it is enough to send him to bed in tears. But there''s no stopping now. Everything they''ve sacrificed and everything they''ve been through would all be for nothing if they stop now, so they just have to keep pressing forward and suffering until they make it through. But if he has to sit through one more strategy meeting with his father and the elders, he''s just going to stage his coup immediately. What''s supposed to be planning for the clan''s future always develops into complaining about the Uchiha and scheming new ways to screw them over, regardless of how it affects the Senju themselves, for hours. He doesn''t understand how Tobirama manages to stay alert and engaged the entire damn time. *** Friendship is delicate as a glass, once broken it can be fixed, but there will always be cracks. Waqar Ahmed *** Tobirama learned early on how to deal with his father. Bow and call him sir, and never, ever argue with him in public. Even in private, it generally resulted in a beating. He still had bruises from their disagreement the week before. Butsuma was becoming less patient and more violent as the years went on, especially towards the other clans. And it directly correlated to Hashirama''s growing rebellion. Their father was likely a psychopath, but he wasn''t stupid. He must have felt his grip on his eldest son and the Mokuton slipping, and he was taking it out on everyone else because he lacked the strength to challenge Hashirama one on one. Tobirama was no fool. He didn''t believe in Hashirama''s idealized dream, but he did know that Hashirama was a better leader for the clan than their father. Never mind that a rock would be a better leader at this point. As long as Hashirama kept things practical.... The chance that Madara was going to up and agree to peace was slim anyway. The Uchiha were too emotional, driven by their id and their egos instead of logic and reason. Madara would never put aside the rage and hurt to forgive and forget. The Uchiha weren''t made that way. Neither were the Senju, for that matter. Was any shinobi besides Hashirama? No matter what his well-meaning brother achieved, there would always be someone else around to tear it down, so what was the point? Tobirama would rather follow his brother than anyone else, but that didn''t mean he believed in Hashirama''s dream any more than he believed in anyone else''s. And he didn''t have his own, no matter how many times Hashirama asked. He just wanted to keep going forward on the path, survive as long as he could, and take as many enemies as possible with him when the time finally came. His father had forbidden him from having children, afraid his cursed coloring and strange habits would spread. It was always strangely amusing to have his father accuse him of being the rebellious son who didn''t listen when Hashirama made no secret of his friendship with the Uchiha, and Tobirama held the highest body count in the clan. There was no one better at killing Uchiha than the Senju Ghost. That night, as he stood under the water until it ran cold, he scribbled his hands until his own blood replaced the blood of the two children whose lives he''d taken. Butsuma had clapped him on the shoulder after, saying how proud he was that his cursed child was useful. Finally being a boon to the clan. Hashirama hadn''t been around when they''d returned from the mission, and Tobirama had resigned himself to the comfort of a shower rather than his brother''s arms. He was probably off meeting with Madara. Taking advantage of Tobirama and Butsuma''s absence to sneak out. It hurt. Knowing that Hashirama preferred their enemy to him. His brother was the epitome of stubborn kindness, willing to love everyone, even their lifelong enemy. Even if that person didn''t love him back. It wasn''t surprising; they were so, so different after all, but it still hurt. His own brother... Did Izuna feel this way? He always seemed so blindly loyal, obediently following Madara around like a dog. Tobirama was always arguing with Hashirama. Did Izuna argue with Madara? Probably not. He was a proper brother. Loyal and obedient and silent unless spoken to. The Uchiha didn''t think that far outside the box. Tangled up in some obsessive, toxic love that Tobirama couldn''t understand. And deep, deep inside, desperately envied. And it made him angry. Was he so unlovable and untrustworthy that his own brother turned to the enemy instead of him? Why wasn''t Tobirama worthy of his love? Of anyone''s? The anger spurred him to action, and the hurt drove him out of the compound and straight for the river. *** ... the companions of our childhood always possess a certain power over our minds which hardly any later friend can obtain. Mary Shelley, Frankenstein: The 1818 Text *** Izuna was going to smack the shit out of his big brother as soon as he found him. What was that moron thinking sneaking out now? While the Council of Elders was holding its weekly meeting to try and over through him? He''d lost his damn mind, and Izuna was going to knock it back into him with force. He was probably down at the river with that damn Senju because he wasn''t even bothering to hide that shit anymore. Not since Izuna had married Midi and Madara had been able to kick out the last of the Elder''s picks for patrol leaders. The old geezers were going to fucking assassinate him if he kept this up. They were probably planning it already. He thought as he jumped the compound wall and headed for the river. And the fucker hadn''t even told him what had changed? Izuna was his closest ally in the clan if you didn''t count Kikyo, who''d exiled herself to the mountain, and Hikaku, who mostly spent his time cleaning up their messes and wanted nothing to do with actual leadership. Something was going on with Madara that he wouldn''t confide in any of them about. And not even Kikyo or Moro would tell Izuna without Madara''s consent. The stubbornness made him want to rip his hair out. Or someone else''s. Whatever it was had to do with his eyes, he was sure of it. Madara had practically been refusing to use his Sharingan lately. Either they were degrading faster than expected, or he''d unlocked something else that he didn''t want the Elder''s learning about. Something Izuna really, really didn''t want to think about. But his own Sharingan had been singing lately. Reaching for something that Izuna couldn''t quite see yet but whose presence grew stronger daily. It was a presence that hung over Madara, a cloud whose edges Izuna could never find when he reached for them. Which meant Madara had done something incredibly stupid and needed to be beaten for it. Fucker was always sacrificing himself instead of asking for help. How did Izuna end up related to someone so stupid? And what- The images came on so fast that Izuna couldn''t stop himself mid-leap and ended up sprawled on the forest floor. He may have been screaming, he couldn''t be sure, couldn''t hear it over the screams in his head as he watched Madara sink into the darkness, watched Zetsu and his bitch of a mother rise. Watched the world end and then not. That bright-eyed boy and his Uchiha other half. Kaguya. Madara was preparing to fight Kaguya. The Mother of Chakra was making her play early. In their lifetime. Fucking hell. Izuna had thought they''d die without having to deal with her, and she''d been quiet for so long. She''d gotten Madara, and now he was trying again. And that fucking idiot was trying to do it alone. Again. The influx from the Sharingan- no, from the Rinnegan, the depthless cloud that was hanging around Madara, was exhausting. And powerful enough to paralyze Izuna on the forest floor from over a mile away. Staring up at the glittering night sky, he watched Madara wither away, watched Fugaku''s sons, their grandchildren, grow and die, and sacrifice and win. So there was hope, no matter how bad it seemed. Hope. Such a fleeting thing. Intangible and yet so present you could swear your fingertips touched it. Kaguya had nearly destroyed the world in that future the Rinnegan was sharing. And yet, they had a chance to do it over and fight it in this time. Madara was obviously planning to kill Zetsu before he woke Kaguya, and he needed the Senju heir to do it. Which meant the Uchiha needed him. Damn. Now, Izuna was going to have to put up with him on a daily basis. But they were going to need more than just Hashirama, no matter how strong he and Madara were. Summoning what was left of his chakra, Izuna reached out to the other Sharingans and pushed. *** Crush all those fuckers who said, "You''re not strong enough." Me (Llewellynprince) *** ~tbc~ Shinrinyoku *** Be careful in dealing with a man who cares nothing for sensual pleasures. Nothing for comfort or praise or promotion but is simply determined to do what he believes to be right. He is a dangerous and uncomfortable enemy because his body, which you can always conquer, gives so little purchase over his soul. Professor G. Murray *** Tobirama doesn''t realize his brother has left until Butsuma comes looking and takes his frustration out on Tobirama''s students. It makes his blood boil to watch his father, their esteemed and noble leader, throw aside the ones working so hard to impress him. Tobirama''s long given up impressing him; no one will ever come close- except Hashirama, the one person who doesn''t care. But his students are still young, still innocent to the true character of most of the adults around them. They don''t need additional materials for the nightmares before they''re old enough to get drunk to drown them out. His father''s obsession with destroying the Uchiha has made him someone not even their mother could love, and she could love even the ugliest things. He escorts them all to the clinic and makes the medic on duty promise to escort them home personally before he sets out. Waiting until he''s well clear of the compound before stretching out his senses to pick up the trail of his brother''s gentle chakra. Light and petal-soft, it drifted on the wind and dissipated with a speed that made Hashirama difficult to track for most people. Most. Tobirama had been tracking his brother since the day he''d learned to differentiate between chakra signatures. He hadn''t been the first chakra signature he''d learned- that dubious honor went to their father, always know where the threat is, but Hashirama''s had been next. His brother''s chakra was a comfort, a reminder that there was someone good in this world, and it was only a matter of time before the Senju Clan would regain its former glory under a leader who thought more about progress than vengeance. He followed Hashirama''s chakra across the grassland into the dense forest that lined the Naka River and managed to feed all the clans that inhabited the Land of Fire during the harshest winters. Those were the only times a Senju and a Uchiha could cross paths and leave alive. And only then if Butsuma wasn''t one of them. Tobirama hated them, too, but feeding their people was always more important. He could still remember the few lean years they''d had in his lifetime and the sharp pain in his stomach when it had been empty for days. Or the terrible cramps that had come when he''d gotten so hungry he''d lost all reason and eaten raw rice and moldy vegetables. Hashirama always looked terribly sad when the pain became so bad that Tobirama''d had no choice but to seek his brother out. They''d been lucky these last few years; mild winters and wet springs had left the crops bountiful and lush, and they''d managed to fill up the winter stores early. They''d been so good, in fact, that Butsuma had managed to open trade with the Land of Whirlpools, and between the food and Tobirama''s skills with storms, they now had a Princess for Hashirama to marry and the promise of little ones on the horizon. Tobirama was looking forward to his future nieces and nephews. Hashirama''s brains and the princess'' rumored beauty and they were already adorable in his head. And taking up space in his heart. Butsuma didn''t believe there was anyone who would willingly have children with Tobirama. He laughed it off in public and told Tobirama in private that they''d never survive to adulthood. His albino coloring had put his father off from day one and, in the interest of total transparency, had put off a few potential partners who were worried about what their possible children would look like. Hashirama always became enraged when Tobirama told him about it, so he''d learned not to mention it anymore. There was no point in Hashirama getting in trouble for something that couldn''t be changed, and since Tobirama wasn''t lying in bed dying of a broken heart, he was clearly fine. The murmur of a calm river gave him pause. A reminder of the peace they all fought so hard for. When Tobirama could wander the edge of the river alone without worrying about a kunai or an arrow from the shadows. Butsuma kept swearing those days would be back soon, making promise after promise to the clan. He called himself a realist, but his outlook was far too fatalistic. Hashirama was an optimist, but he lacked any interest in the day-to-day and focused on the big picture. That village that he dreamed of and a world without war. Both are equally impossible but rooted in Hashirama''s heart regardless. As equally impossible as Butsuma''s dream of annihilating every Uchiha in the world. They could win; that was the most likely outcome of the war between the clans anyway, but the idea that they could wipe out every drop of Uchiha blood was so unrealistic as to be impossible. The Uchiha guarded their dojutsu zealously, but they didn''t stop their members from marrying into other clans when they wanted to, and while it was rare to see a Sharingan outside the main body of the clan, the blood and thus the possibility was there. His father had a rather childish view of the world. All black and white and no grey. Hashirama just saw white. The good, the hope, the future. Maybe that was why Tobirama could only see the darkness, the struggle and the sacrifice and the endless terror. He picked his way through the trees as he remembered their younger years when Hashirama had been more willing to follow the rules and try to fit in. Before, he''d stopped caring about whether or not Butsuma was proud of him or whether or not the Clan Elders were pleased. He''d become so rebellious in the last couple of years that even Tobirama had begun to wonder if he knew his brother anymore. Change was a natural thing, of course. No one died as the same person they''d been the day they were born. And if he was totally honest with himself, Tobirama wasn''t upset with Hashirama changing, as much as he was with the fact that Hashirama''s new beliefs seemed to exclude Tobirama and the Senju. They hadn''t even managed a civil conversation about Hashirama''s new life philosophy of peace and brotherhood and a united land, devolving into screaming insults about Tobirama''s violence and Hashirama''s delusions. There was a gulf growing between them that Tobirama couldn''t figure out how to bridge. His only surviving brother hates him. He''s sure of it. Because he can''t help it. Anytime Hashirama starts waxing poetic about peace and his village, Tobirama can''t help but point out all the gaps in his logic. All the ways, it will never work. Hashirama used to bring it up all the time, but in the last few years, he''s brought it up in front of Tobirama less and less. The further Hashirama moves away from him, from all of them, the closer the rest of the clan coalesces around him. It''s suffocating. Tobirama has been his brother''s heir since he was born, but he never once believed he''d actually have to lead. There was no one that could match his brother in battle. Only Madara came close, but Hashirama was still the stronger of the two of them. Tobirama had no doubt that when the time truly came, his brother would win. Someday, whatever strange attachment had led to the friendship between his brother and Madara would break, and the Senju clan would finally be victorious. Tobirama''s young students would be safe. Touka, stalwart, never resting, Touka could stand still for once. Butsuma might even be happy. Might smile for real, instead of the cruel, twisted thing he did now. Tobirama could visit Itama and Kawarama without feeling guilty that he wasn''t out avenging them every second of every day. Maybe then, Butsuma wouldn''t still come into his room at night, when he finally managed to sleep, and drag him to his labs. Wouldn''t make him work on horrific new ways to kill as many enemies as possible. Tobirama loved to create, loved to invent and study and learn, and one day, maybe he could do it to help instead of hurt. Butsuma had sold his last creation, a blood-boiling poison, to the highest bidder. Less than a week later, Touka and Renji had stumbled across a family that had fallen victim to it on a mission. They weren''t even shinobi, just civilians who happened to own a plot of land another wanted, but Butsuma had been so pleased with the price it fetched that he actually praised Tobirama publicly. And Tobirama, sick fool that he was, had felt a spark of happiness at that moment that had immediately turned to nauseous guilt. Hashirama had always said there was nothing to be proud of when it came to killing. It was a burden to be born with the appropriate level of somber resignation. It was one thing to kill in battle as a shinobi. It was something else to kill a civilian unable to defend themselves. It was war, though, and while Hashirama had an unending well of optimism...he was the only one. They couldn''t afford shinobi who regretted killing. Who hesitated. Hesitation was death. Ahead, Hashirama''s chakra bloomed suddenly, like a sunflower following the rising sun. It''s still comforting despite their estrangement. The only chakra that didn''t grate against Tobirama''s ridiculously keen senses. Itama hadn''t either, but he hadn''t lived long enough for it to develop fully. Kawarama''s.... Kawarama''s had been unsettling, and Tobirama had gone to extreme lengths to hide how it made him feel. To this day, he hasn''t been able to figure out what it was, but when Butsuma had been pushing him to complete the Edo Tensai and suggested using it to bring back his brothers-manipulation, Butsuma just wanted more soldiers...something deep and dark in Tobirama had always known he''d never use it to bring back Kawarama. The guilt at that thought was still enough to make him stop and wretch. Just dry heave; thankfully, he hadn''t been able to stomach eating much the last few days. He''d just managed to force the nausea down when he felt the sparks. Bright and sharp and hot and backed by a wall of heat that somehow seemed solid but far off at the same time. An echo of a wildfire. Madara. Hashirama was with Madara on the banks of the Naka River. Again. Hashirama, who had never forgiven Tobirama for telling Butsuma about their meetings, who had sworn to strike down the the Uchiha heir the next time he saw them while Butsuma beat him bloody. Hashirama who was Tobirama''s older brother. His only brother now. Who preferred the enemy to his own blood over his own. Because there was no other reason why Hashirama would risk everything to meet up with Madara after Butsuma had learned about their meetings. What friendship was worth death? Because Butsuma would not be merciful twice and Hashirama wouldn''t be the only one he took his rage out on. There was no telling how many of their clan would suffer because Hashirama had decided to be defiant. And for what? Tajima was dead, but Madara hadn''t given any indication he was open to peace. Nothing had changed. But here they were on the banks of the Naka. The same place Tobirama had found them before. Their special place. Tobirama and Hashirama don''t have a special place. Well, Hashirama has one, but he was very clear that Tobirama wasn''t welcome there. Had screamed it loudly and at length when they were both still healing from Butsuma''s strikes. They may have been brothers by blood, but Madara was the brother Hashirama really wanted. It made him wonder if Itama and Kawarama had survived, would Hashirama still have turned to the Uchiha? Madara had buried brothers, too; maybe if he hadn''t, he wouldn''t have reached for Hashirama. Was Izuna as jealous of their relationship as Tobirama was? Did he feel replaced? He smothered his chakra and walked on his toes as he approached, slipping through the shadows the thick forest provided. Hashirama and Madara were seated on the bank of the river, looking out over crystalline water that glistened in the afternoon sun. They were.... The sight of them made him stop mid-step. Pressed together from shoulder to knee, Hashirama''s arm draped over Madara''s shoulder while Madara''s own rested on Hashirama''s knee.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Tobirama had never touched someone like that. Hashirama had always been affectionate and fond of hugs, but there was something different about this. Hashirama was quick to pull away after hugging someone, gave his physical affection freely but without depth, but he and Madara had clearly been seated together for a while. And it clearly wasn''t the first time they''d been this close. The anger bubbled, rose in his chest and his chakra, and he barely had time to clamp down on it before either of them noticed. So he watched Hashirama nuzzle Marada''s ridiculous mane of hair. Madara laugh, bright and clear, and press a kiss to his forehead and thought, oh, it wasn''t friendship that Hashirama was throwing them all away for. It was worse. *** It''s been so long since Hashirama had been able to laze about in the sun that he''d almost forgotten how good it felt. The Naka River has always held a special place in his heart. It''s as deeply rooted in Hashirama''s personal religion as it is in the Uchiha''s. This is where he first met Madara. His first friend. His brother. The other half of his soul. This is where he found hope for the future. Where the dream of a village where everyone he loved was safe first coalesced. All these lifetimes and Hashirama should have seen every possible side of the river. Clear and blue. Brown and murky. Red and still. But it''s different in every life. Everyday. It''s never the same river, no matter how many times he sees it. Like the people that orbit around them in every life. Even the two of them. Madara changes day by day, life by life. So does Hashirama, and his relieved sigh is enough to make the warm body pressed against his side shift. "What are you sighing about now, petal head?" Hashirama can''t help but grin and lean against him, "Just thinking." "Don''t hurt yourself." "We change, but we never grow apart." Madara snorts. He still isn''t the sappy type. That will always be Hashirama''s realm. Madara''s love is more quiet devotion to Hashirama''s gushing admiration. Which is always funny, given that the Uchiha are overly dramatic and emotional compared to the stoic and silent Senju. "Of course we don''t, you fool. We''re stuck with one another at this point." And he laughs as Hashirama descends into squawking outrage. It had been months since they''d managed to get away like this. Since they could just sit peacefully and rearm themselves for what''s coming. There''s no peace to enjoy yet, but on days like this, it''s easier to hope, easier to believe they''re going to win this time. Easier to be silly and latch on and squeeze until Madara has no breath left to laugh with and had to resort to grabbing fists full of Hashirama''s hair. "Ow! That''s cheating, Dara!" "All''s fair in war, Kudzu!" For a few moments, they devolved into a childish wrestling match until Hashirama used the advantage of an additional foot of height and just sprawls out on top of Madara until he can''t breathe. "Alright, alright, I give. Get off me, you oaf!" "I wish I didn''t have to go back." "It''s not forever. We''re getting closer." Madara sat up and pulled Hashirama with him. "We have to get it this time. I''m the one who''s going to go mad if we have to do this again." "We both will." "We''re so close, Madara. We can retire and live together in the village and leave the fighting to others." "Even if we finish everything in the next decade, we''ll still be too young to retire." "Nonsense, the Clan Wars will be over. We can retire whenever we want to." "We''re not the only clans in existence, Pretty Flower. Someone will always want to fight." "Dara, if we defeat Zetsu and Kaguya, no one will ever pick a fight with us again." And he wasn''t totally wrong. Despite their efforts, it was unlikely that the final battle against Zetsu and his mother would be anything other than apocalyptical. If they survived, the rest of the shinobi world would be wary of them for a long time. It didn''t sound so bad when looked at that way. "What would you even do if you retired?" "Tend my garden." "You already do that." "I''d do it more. I''d play with our children. Teach. Take care of you and Tobi because kami knows neither of you will ever stop working." "I could stop." "Ha! You can barely sit still when you''re too injured to move! You''ll never be able to retire." Madara''s scowl was adorable on his younger face. Well, Hashirama knew it was adorable at any age, but it was especially adorable when they were teenagers and still clinging to their baby fat. "You know what I just realized?" "What?" "All these lifetimes, and I''ve never gotten to see you as a baby. You must have been so cute! I bet you came out snarling." "What the fuck, Hashirama. Babies can''t snarl." "Yes, they can! I''ve seen Inuzuka babies do it!" "That''s because they''re half-wolf!" "Sometimes I think Tobi came out annoyed." "That does seem to be his base state. Which would mean Izuna came out dunked in a koi pond." "That doesn''t count, Madara. You do that to him. If anything, he came out mischievous." "Don''t remind me. He''s finally married, and he''s still a pain." "And you wouldn''t have him any other way. The same way I''d never change Tobi....well, I could do with less hitting, but otherwise, he''s perfect." "Your younger brother is an egomaniacal tight-ass." "And you love him." "Yes, well, the Uchiha aren''t known for their tastes." "No, of course not. Tajima''s wives were only known for being three of the most beautiful and cultured women the Land of Fire had ever seen." "My mother was a geisha, Hashirama." The Senju snorted. "Yes, an orphan born to nothing who died the beloved companion to one of the most powerful men in the land. She''s still mourned by your clan. Didn''t Kikyo-mejin even come down from the mountain for her funeral?" Madara''s chest swelled with pride at the memory, "She did." It had been the only time he''d seen her in this lifetime, so far, and he doesn''t remember most of it. Tajima had procured a few barrels of honey wine from far to the north to honor his dead companion- to drown out her memory more like, and none of the Uchiha remembered much of what followed. They''d always been weak to the syrupy wines produced in the far northern ends of the Land of Snow. Madara''s grandmother had banned it during her time as an elder, not that it was easy to get in the Land of Fire anyway. It had to be sealed correctly and packed carefully to survive the months-long trip without going bad. And half a cup never failed to send even the most alcoholic Uchiha into a drug-induced euphoria. They generally saved it for special occasions or the few years when the clan had been in the black instead of teetering on the edge of starvation. "I''m sorry I missed her funeral." "Not your fault. She only cared about shinobi because my father and I were shinobi. She didn''t spare much attention for the politics of it." "Still, she was your mother. I would have liked to meet her." "I don''t know that you would have liked her. She was very proper." "Madara. She was your mother. I love her regardless because she gave birth to you." "You bleed sap, you overgrown weed." "Don''t you love my mother?" "No!" "Why not?" "Because you don''t!" He felt guilty when Hashirama flinched, but there was no point in the Senju denying it. They''d long since shared their darkest family secrets, and thankfully, Madara came out ahead on that one- a few blood feuds notwithstanding. Hashirama''s family belonged in a god damn mental hospital. "The only positive thing she did was give birth to you and Tobirama." "Don''t say that in front of him. He adored her." "Didn''t she try to smother him this time around?" "He doesn''t remember." "You coddle him, Hashi." Madara signed as Hashirama tucked in close and hid his face in Madara''s hair. His muffled response, "You do too." Made the Uchiha snort. "Yeah, because I want to marry him." Hashirama''s hysterics took over. "He''ll never marry you if you coddle him, Dara. He''ll just stab you. And then you''ll stab him back, and then it''ll just be you two stabbing each other!" "So, a standard shinobi marriage." Madara pressed a kiss to his forehead. A thoughtless habit developed several lifetimes ago when Hashirama had confided his fear of the mokuton and the day he would inevitably stop being able to feel. Madara had promised all the affection he had in him until that day inevitably came. *** Madara will be the last thing Hashirama sees before he goes. He''s already decided this. Even if he hasn''t told his best friend. *** "Not funny. I want nieces and nephews. You have to do something besides stabbing one another." There''s a pause, naturally. "I can''t decide if I want to point out that it''s kind of stabbing either way. Or that we''re perfectly capable of multitasking." "I can''t decide if I should point out that he''s my baby brother or just hit you." "I know you''ve planned our wedding, Petal." Hashirama sniffed, "That''s different." He insisted, just to make Madara sputter and squawk. So lost to their momentary joy, they didn''t notice the foreboding shadow until it was already upon them. "Aniki...." And then Izuna was standing over them, chakra blazing, sharingan spinning wildly, and before either of them could think of an excuse, Tobirama was there in a flash and a gust, and Madara and Hashirama were being pulled in opposite directions. There isn''t time for words. Izuna and Tobirama are practically foaming at the mouth at a chance to fight one another again, so all Hashirama and Madara can do is lunge at their respective blood and drag them in opposite directions as quickly as possible. They both should have paused to wonder why it was so easy, but alas, they''re still young in this life. And stupid. But they''ll find that out soon enough. *** Hashirama''s fate is sealed. He knows this. Madara knows it, though he still seeks a way to change it. One day, the mokuton will become Hashirama. It rests in his heart and his chakra pathways now, but it will spread. It''s already begun, albeit slowly. Hashirama has learned, all those lifetimes, how to delay it as long as possible. But his fate is sealed. One day, the mokuton will invade every atom of Hashirama''s being. Every cell, every hair, every limb will stop being human and instead become the same wood as the God Tree. That thing Hashirama can never allow to exist. Even if it serves him. One day, Hashirama will look down at the skin of his hands, callused from training and battle and healing and touching those he loves, and one day, they will be wood instead of skin, and Hashirama will no longer be able to feel the warmth of Mito''s skin or the strength of Madara''s grip. He won''t feel the prick of Tobirama''s annoyance when he interrupts his experiments, just bask in his attention for a little while. If it comes fast enough, he''ll never know what the skin of his children, his nieces and nephews, and grandchildren, he''ll never know what it feels like. Is there something more terrifying than that? To exist as part of the world but never able to feel any of it? Even all they have suffered so far pales in comparison to the terror Hashirama feels as he remembers those few lifetimes he''s already lived where he made it to that point. To reach out and touch those he loves and not feel anything when his skin presses against theirs. It''s better to be dead, he''s learned. Just the thought of it makes his heart stutter and his breath catch, but when he reaches for Tobirama, his precious baby brother, he flinches away at Hashirama''s touch and shoots him a glare so harsh it sends chills down his spine. "Don''t touch me." "Tobi-" "No. Did you think I would just turn a blind eye? Just ignore-" And Hashirama can''t stop his own temper from rising. "I''m well aware you wouldn''t." He loves Tobirama; he''s the only member of their family that Hashirama can honestly say he loves without reserve, but it still stung that in every life, he was the one to report Hashirama''s friendship with Madara to their father. The betrayal, however insignificant in the long run, still stings every time. It''s rare to see Tobirama so overcome with emotion, to see him lose control and let his eyes glisten as he bares his teeth. The only other time, besides right now, was the very first time he found Hashirama with Madara. "How could you do this?" "I told you-" "Oh, spare me any more nonsense about your dream." *** He''s been replaced. He''s been replaced. His last brother, his last ally, his last friend... He has been replaced. "Stop pretending and be honest for once." "I am!" "You''re not! Just admit you love Madara!" "Of course I do. When have I ever tried to hide it?" Of course, I do. Like Tobirama was the crazy one for thinking he didn''t. "He''s... I don''t know how to make you understand Tobi. I trust him. We have the same dre-goals. We have the same goals. We want the same things." How did he explain what it was like to fret because he couldn''t find the words to describe something and then realize he didn''t need them because Madara already knew? To meet a true equal on the field of battle? Who could match Hashirama blow for blow and win, even when Hashirama was at his best. Who could match Hashirama step for step in war and in peace. Who laughed hysterically when Hashirama''s hair got stuck in trees and doors but patiently untangled it instead of cutting it off. Who let Hashirama practice new jutsus on him without complaint...well, without pointless complaining. God forbid he miss a sign or skip a step, then he''d never hear the end of it. God, they''d be perfect together. Vicious and commanding and unyielding in all things. Madara didn''t believe it, and Tobirama couldn''t see it, but they fit together so beautifully that sometimes it made Hashirama''s heart hurt. And they were both stubborn bastards that would never admit it. Tobirama was his precious baby brother. The only other being that shared Hashirama''s blood. Who shared Hashirama''s childhood and fears. Because no matter how much Hashirama described, no one else could ever understand the sour taste that terror brought to your mouth when your bedroom door opened in the middle of the night. Madara was.... "He is the other half of my soul, Tobi." Someday, someday in some lifetime, maybe even this one, Hashirama''s brother and the other half of his soul would both sit at this table together with Mito and their children, and Hashirama could sit back and look at the people that he held closest in his heart and finally stop and breath. *** "He''s the other half of my soul, Tobi." And, oh... What was Tobirama supposed to say to that? What was he supposed to say when Hashirama got that stupid, peaceful smile on his face. The one that never appeared when they were home in the compound among their family. What was he supposed to do if the only thing that could make Hashirama smile like that was Madara? Nothing. There was nothing he could do. There was nothing Hashirama wanted from him. "Is it worth it, then?" Betraying us. Betraying your kin. Betraying everyone that loves you. Because the clan did love Hashirama. Their father and his old guard the obvious exceptions, but there were plenty of others who saw Hashirama as the future. Hope eternal that the Senju clan would one day be free of the endless cycle of burying their children and restored to teh ancient glory they''d held decades past. And he was willing to through them all away for Uchiha Madara. "Tobi..." "Must be if you''re willing to take such a risk." "Some things are worth the risk. You''ll understand that someday, Tobirama." "Unlikely." Then he turned his back on his brother and started back to the compound, not bothering to check if Hashirama followed. He''d made his choice, and Tobirama wasn''t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing his tears. *** Steady on, children. Steady, she whispers, but not even the one carrying her is listening now. *** Izuna''s chakra has always burned bright and hot, a flash fire in the high heat of summer, destroying everything within sight in the blink of an eye. He''d followed Madara around like a duckling since the day he''d learned to walk, and despite the sting of his mother''s recent death, Madara had taken to the toddler, much to the clan''s surprise. He''d practically raised him after it had become clear that Tajima had decided to focus his limited attention on their older brothers, and Izuna''s mother had been more interested in securing her power in the clan. By the time either parent had thought to look on Izuna, he''d been firmly stitched to Madara''s side, and nothing could sway him. Aside from those few lifetimes where he''d killed Madara... But those aside, he''s always on Madara''s side. Always willing to support him in all of his hair-brained schemes. Except peace, he''s always been hesitant about that one, but Madara''s wearing him down. It''s only taken god knows how many lives, but he is wearing him down. "I''ll kill him, Aniki. I can''t believe that fucker got me!" And then- "And what the fuck were you thinking with all that shit after? Did your brain die when I did?" And Madara may be failing at everything else he''s trying to do now, but this, he can at least do this. Because it''s there. Like everything. Always. Tucked away in the endless abyss that made up the combined memory of the Uchiha. "Stop." He commands, and Izuna does because Madara hasn''t squandered their relationship in this life. "Look again." Abd Izuna tilts his head the way the Uchiha do, gaze lost to the distance as he shorts through it all. Flips the pages of the Uchiha memory until he lands on that first chapter that started this whole damn quest. "Can''t believe that fucking snowflake got me. What jutsu is-" .... "What the fuck is that?!" ......... "Zetsu!" And there''s so much disgust and rage in his words that Madara feels all of his worries about his brother''s support and loyalty float away. "What the hell is he? Did she actually give birth to that thing? What the fuck?" Izuna''s questions continue all the way back to the compound. Ranging from disgust at the existence of Zetsu and Kaguya''s machinations to disgust at the explicit memories of Madara and Hashirama''s lives together. "Aniki, really? What they- why would you do that with him?" "Oh, for fucks sake, stop being dramatic. Hashirama is a very attractive man by any standard." "I''d blind myself, except it would be pointless because the memories would still be there!" "If those put you off, definitely don''t look at the next batch." ...... Izuna''s shriek sent every nearby bird into the sky. "HOW IS THAT EVEN PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE?" "We spent a few decades working on flexibility." "I hate you....Wait, does the Snowflake know?" "Hmmm, not unless Hashirama has told him." And then Izuna''s got him by the collar, sharingan spinning wildly in the madness their clan was known for. "DIBS." "Excuse me?" "I get to tell him. Keep your filthy mouth shut, Aniki." His brother is, above all else, a troll. *** Stupid infants, she mutters. But there''s a pleased echo to it that wasn''t there before. *** In any war there are heroes on both sides. Hero *** ~tbc~ Gaman *** You get a strange feeling when you leave a place, like you''ll not only miss the people you love, but you miss the person you are at this time and place because you''ll never be this way ever again. Azar Nafasi *** The Senju Compound is not a compound at all. It''s not a village or a town or even a loosely scattered settlement. It''s a military fortress. Not even the Uchiha Compound has such extensive defenses. It''s brick and mortar and nothing living, and Hashirama hates it more and more every time he sees it. He was born here. His brothers were born here. His father and mother were born here, and their parents before them, and it sucks a little bit more out of him every day he spends in it. These days, not even the great forest flanking the north and east is enough to ease his heart. He follows Tobirama home because it''s horrible, but it''s still home, much to his disgust. And only until he can take them all somewhere better. He can''t wait until the village is home. The warmth of those wooden buildings and the strength of the forest surrounding them. They''ll have to fireproof them, and the thought makes him smile. The Uchiha are a little too fond of their Katon to live safely in a mostly wooden village without some -re: many- precautions. And Kami knows both clans are competitive enough that there''s going to be at least a handful of attempts to see who can create the biggest fireball of them all. They get stopped at the gate because being Butsuma''s sons doesn''t save them from his paranoia. Hashirama had a peaceful morning and afternoon at the Naka, enough to refresh and recharge him after a couple of draining years since he and Madara last managed to get away to the Land of Snow, but most of it fades away with the first step across the wards. He''s so focused on the weight that comes crashing down, the cloak of misery and rage that settles over his shoulders, that he doesn''t notice Tobirama, a few steps ahead, come to a stop and turn back to look at him. "Do you hate it here that much?" Hashirama doesn''t hear him the first time, too lost in his own misery and the dream that will finally drive it away. That will drive the misery away from all of them, not just Hashirama because he tries very, very hard not to be that selfish. He wants them all to be happy and healthy and safe. To be able to make plans for a future that is beyond more than just a few weeks. He wants Tobirama to be able to obsess over experiments and studies that are for happy things and not just new ways to kill. "It''s not that I hate it, Tobi. We were born here, after all. I do have some happy memories. But...my eyes have been opened and glimpsed something wonderful, and they will not be closed again." I want to open yours too, he thinks. But you are not ready. Tobirama, like the rest of their clan, will not see it until he is willing to, and until then, Hashirama''s words fall on deaf ears. That it''s unavoidable doesn''t make it any less painful. Or frustrating. *** Hashirama eats alone that night. Something that has become more common for him and far less so for the rest of the clan. He may not be the strategist Madara is, but he can recognize a flanking maneuver when it''s being used against him. Butsuma is slowly but surely isolating Hashirama from the rest of the Senju. The only question is if it''s another of his stupid lessons about power or if it''s the beginning of his war against his son. One he can ignore, but the other... the other is honestly probably overdue since Hashirama has pretty much dropped all pretense about his goals and his opinions in the last few years. Butsuma has always died too soon to see the truth of Hashirama''s plans, but maybe this time he won''t. He and Madara haven''t been fighting one another seriously for some time, and more than just Tobi has noticed. It''s amusing, in a horrible way, that the Senju Clan, which was beginning to splinter when his father became clan leader, has become so much closer now that Hashirama is trying to end it. There shouldn''t be clans, he''s realized; there should just be the village. But even he''s not idealistic enough to say that to anyone, especially Madara. The clan is life to the Uchiha, and as much as they want the village, they have no intention of giving up the clan. That was part of the issue originally, Hashirama thinks. None of the clans were willing to give up the clan for the village, even though they all joined and benefited. It will have to be different this time, no matter what any of them want. That''s a battle for another day, though. And one he thinks will be easier fought when they are not staring down the point of kunai held by the original immortal powerhouse and her psychotic creation. They need the village to defeat her. They need the village just to survive. The Age of Clans, of this Warring Era, is coming to an end whether or not they want it to. The rest of the world is growing without them, and they need to catch up before they wither away, lost forever. Hashirama will not let that happen. Even if he has to drag them all kicking and screaming into the light. Even if they hate him and curse him for the rest of time. Hashirama will sit in the Pure Land once it''s done and laugh every time they spit on his name. But they will do it together, and that is what matters. He thinks again of Tobirama and the wrinkle that appears between his eyes and around his lips when Hashirama says something that displeases him. How funny, that of the two of them, Hashirama is the one that wants to burn it all down. *** The next day, Butsuma summons him to the Kiasho and, for the first time in many lifetimes, manages to surprise him. It is three years too early for Mito to set foot on the Land of Fire, and yet there she sits next to his father, the seat of the honored guest. Her hair as red and her skin as bright and her eyes as blue as his best memories. He thinks suddenly of Naruto, one of Madara''s favorite people. And then of Sasuke. And then he thinks of Madara and Mito and how they never really got to know one another in any life because she was always his wife and Madara was always the clan head, and it always got cut short. Hashirama thinks even the lives where they died of old age got cut short. He can''t imagine they wouldn''t like one another if they had the time. They share the same sharp intelligence, driven by instinct and always several steps ahead. Madara''s an awkward fool when it comes to people, and Mito would teach him how to be graceful, political, and supremely polite while telling someone to fuck off. He''s so struck by the image that he misses Butsuma''s introduction and makes an utter fool of himself to his father''s rage and Tobirama''s clear embarrassment. True to form, Mito lets nothing show. Merely bows politely while Hashirama fails and responds to his greeting as if he had sputtered through the whole thing. It ends up being the first day in years that he doesn''t fight with his father or Tobi or anyone else in the clan. He follows them around, Mito specifically, like a puppy he knows, without Touka pointing it out multiple times as she tours the compound. Tobi keeps shooting him looks of disbelief, and he catches Butsuma''s eye twitching a few times, but he acts enough like a doting suitor that neither of them say anything. A couple of times, he thinks he catches amusement in Mito''s eyes, but they don''t know each other well enough in this life to be sure. He keeps waiting for everyone to leave them alone. Well, as alone as they could be with Mito''s two cousins acting as handmaids and chaperones. Butsuma makes no secret of his desire for the Uzumaki seals or of his confidence that the Senju can serve as the military arm the isolated clan has never bothered with. Tobirama doesn''t say much at all, but he''s never had the patience for politics, so it''s not surprising. And he''s clearly still mad at Hashirama. The chance finally comes in the late afternoon. There''s still hours until the evening meal, but they lost Tobirama at lunch, when he finally lost his patience and retreated to his lab while Butsuma and Touka were distracted. Butsuma was called away by the Elders, and since Touka only saves face when he can see her, she darted off as soon as he was out of sight. Hashirama still has some sway; when he waves away the rest of the guards, they jump at the chance to escape boring escort duty, and then it''s just Mito and Hashirama and her younger cousins, Nadeshinko and Behito. He doesn''t remember much of them. Doesn''t think they were her escorts in any other life. Probably because of their age. Three years from now, they would be eligible for marriage to the Uzumaki, and female cousins of the clan leader''s family were valuable. They were likely married off to lesser alliances before Mito ever traveled across the sea. They walk in silence for a while, and Hashirama less than subtly steers them towards his private garden. He''s the only one in the clan with a garden just for enjoyment. Butsuma hates wasted space, and if it''s not geared towards war, it''s not wasted. Hashirama has slaved over the simple plants he keeps and the small fruit trees that have only just grown taller than him, but Mito seems pleased with it none the less. She stops to smell a lemon tree while Hashirama tries not to stare too obviously. Failing, if Nadeshinko''s judgmental eyes mean anything. "Do you not wish me here?" Mito asks, voice so soft that it takes a moment for Hashirama to realize she spoke. "Of course, I want you here! I''ve been waiting." He''s too eager, and he knows it even as the words are leaving his mouth. "And yet, this is the first time you''ve spoken to me, and we have spent all day together." Half her face is hidden by the leaves of the lemon tree, but her sharp eyes, her beautiful, gleaming eyes, are on him, and he finds he cannot move under their attention. "Were you not aware your father was negotiating our marriage?" "I just...had not realized it was so soon." He''d completely forgotten in the face of everything with Tobi and Madara. "Nothing has been agreed." A warning. A polite one, but a warning nonetheless. Hashirama''s disappointment must be obvious. Too obvious, because he distantly registers the surprise in Nadeshinko and Behito''s chakra as well as Mito''s. "Do you not wish to marry me?" He asks, well aware he could be setting himself up for heartbreak. "I do not know you. And you do not know me," Mito warns. She doesn''t find his too-strong disappointment cute. She probably hasn''t found him attractive at all today since he''s just continually made a fool of himself. Mito was always a practical woman. Who understood the world and how it worked and her place in it. She had never gone through their wedding ceremony in love with him, but it had grown honestly in the years that followed. So Hashirama feels a bit disappointed in himself for being so disappointed in her words. Her smile turns mocking, "Or are you going to sing me a song of love and passion and how your heart has waited for me?" Hashirama is not her only suitor; he never is. Though she never speaks of the others in any detail, out of respect for them and her own sense of respect and propriety. Hashirama has never wasted much thought on them before; she chose him after all, and he finds he won''t be in this lifetime either. "I would not waste your time, my lady." "And yet you look on me with something beyond curiosity." Sharp, sharp Mito. "I look upon you as I look upon the future because that is what you are." "Your future? So certain, are you?" "You are hope." Someone, he thinks it was Behito, gasps and is immediately hushed. "My hope. The hope of brighter days and warmer years and laughter." He''s a sap. It''s the one thing Tobi and Madara agree on, but he can''t help it now. "I look at you, and I see all my dreams become flesh. Beautiful, brilliant, brutal flesh." It''s the brutality that gets her, not that she''ll ever tell him that. Men write poems about her eyes and sonnets about her lips, but no one has ever called her brutal and made it sound like a love song. Mito is more proud of her intelligence than she is of anything else, but she worked for that. What she is, at her core, is a shinobi. A good one. A brutal one. She survives. She wins. And no possible romantic partner has ever looked on that part of her fondly. They want the princess. The lady. The beauty and the grace and the prize. Mito is not a prize. She is a general. And apparently, she is the future. To this foolish oaf who didn''t manage to hide his interest for one second and clearly has no instinct for politics. Or for that fact that his own father is plotting against him. If he''d been on time for their meeting this morning, he would have heard his father talking up his younger brother. A clear hint that there''s a shift coming, and it''s not like Mito saw something disagreeable about Tobirama. On the contrary, he was perfectly agreeable and clearly eager to help his clan. The perfect sacrificial lamb to bear their burdens without complaint until they''ve drained the last drops of blood and sweat from his corpse. There is nothing about Hashirama that says lamb, no matter how silly he''s acted today. Mito loves her family and her land, but they are not hers''. They are her father''s and her mother''s and all those that came before them. Mito wants something to call her own. Something she can build. Or help build, at least. Like this dream her spies have heard about. This star-crossed friendship that sounds like something out of her younger sister''s beloved, utterly irrational plays. She needs to meet this Uchiha, she thinks, but first, she needs to take the measure of Hashirama. Before she decides if his life is something worth signing her own to. "It''s a pity you were late this morning, my lord." He looks confused at the sudden shift. An honest man, then. "Your father was rather eager to tell me of your younger brother''s achievements." The darkness comes on suddenly. "I personally do not find it a viable or tasteful option in war, but he seems quite convinced." The stillness that comes over Hashirama is rather terrifying, and Mito can feel Nadeshinko and Behito reach for their weapons. An instinctual response to the sheer force of the killing intent coming off the man who seemed like a simpleton until moments ago. He knows exactly what Butsuma bragged about this morning when she broke her fast with the clan leader and his younger son who couldn''t meet her eyes and no one else. She feels the clan wards go off. Signaling a threat to the clan inside its walls.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. It seemed her spies had failed to discover the true extent of Hashirama''s strength. Mito, at her best, would be no match. Even her chains would fail to hold him, and her clan''s strongest would never manage to land a blow. She wonders if there''s anyone in his clan that could as she watches the swirl of smoke and leaves that remain in his wake. *** Edo Tensai. How did Butsuma find out? Hashirama ordered Tobirama to destroy it, and Tobi had sworn he''d done so. Hadn''t spoken to Hashirama for a week after, but he had understood why it was important. Why it had to be destroyed. Even if he''d been brokenhearted. Hashirama had been brokenhearted, too. He missed the Kawarama and Itama of this life. Hell, he missed the Kawarama and Itama of all his lives, even the ones where Kawarama became a nightmare. But the dead were dead, and no matter how much it hurt, they needed to stay that way. Tobi knew that no matter how logical an argument he could make for the other side. Hashirama had foolishly assumed that Butsuma didn''t know about the Edo Tensi. Tobi was so secretive, and Butsuma was only interested in his younger son when he wanted to use him against Hashirama. How had he missed it? ..... Well, he knew how, and the guilt bloomed, blistering and painful in his chest. Hashirama had been distracted, focused on Madara and Zetsu and the future, and not paid attention to what was happening now. Was this why he and Madara couldn''t seem to succeed? Why Zetsu and Kaguya always won? After all this time, were they still such fools? Butsuma knows. Butsuma knows exactly what Hashirama is there for when he bursts into his father''s office. The clan wards are screaming, and Hashirama can feel his clan members taking to the walls of the compound, trying to figure out what''s happening. Butsuma sneers, "What the hell do you think you''re doing, boy?" "You can''t actually be stupid enough to try and use it?" His father bristles. Butsuma has always been sensitive to any slight, and on another day, if he was in a kinder mood, Hashirama would be sympathetic to a man destroyed by his own father, but today is not that day. "You''re too softhearted. It''s a miracle you''ve survived this long." "Against the Uchiha or you?" Butsuma has never been foolish enough to actually speak of removing Hashirama, the Senju have never looked fondly on familial infighting, but he doesn''t bother hiding it now. When it''s just the two of them in his office, and the murderous intent rolling off Hashirama is enough to send the clan scrambling. If he stopped to think for just a second, Hashirama would realize he''d blown any chance of winning this battle. He''s the aggressor now. Over something he wouldn''t dare breathe a word of in front of anyone, so he has no way to justify his actions. He can''t even count on Tobi because he still cries over their brothers when he thinks no one is looking, and he''s so angry at Hashirama. "Your worthless heart, boy." "It''s worth a lot more than your fist, father." "And yet my fist is going to win. Again." The Mokuton strains at the edges of Hashirama''s consciousness. He can taste blood. The soldier inside him points out that Butsuma has outlived his usefulness to the clan. Is actively endangering them now. Butsuma is no match for him. But Butsuma has never fought a fair fight a day in his life. Unfortunately, Hashirama doesn''t remember this until the floor beneath his feet is exploding and pitching him through the air. He sees but doesn''t notice Touka and several of her year mates responding to the explosion, closing in to protect the clan head as he rolls to his feet in the wide, empty main street. Mito is somewhere nearby, watching, but not close enough to get caught up in the fight. Tobi is...Tobi is standing at Butsuma''s shoulder, though he doesn''t look happy about it. And in all fairness, he does think Hashirama has lost his mind, and Hashirama hasn''t done all he could to dissuade that belief. Tobi is safer there, anyway. For now. What Hashirama has to do now is not something Tobi should have to bear. Hashirama didn''t think he could bear it himself until this second. He has to kill Butsuma. But he can''t. Not like this. Butsuma''s crowing his victory now as he declares Hashirama a traitor, a criminal who attempted to kill the clan head himself. Hungry for power and unwilling to wait or be worthy. Touka is furious, but Hashirama honestly can''t tell if it''s because she believes Butsuma or because Hashirama has destroyed any semblance of the Senju moving forward peacefully. She was always closer to Tobi, anyway. Did she tell Butsuma about the Edo? Most of the clan is confused and scared, so much so it''s almost a physical weight in the air. If Hashirama puts up a fight now, he''ll likely have to kill a good portion of them, not to mention the damage to the compound. ..... If he runs, they could live long enough to change their minds. A shinobi never runs, Butsuma always said. They sneak, they hide, they lie, but they don''t run. How that was supposed to be inspiring Hashirama still hasn''t figured out, but the Uchiha have a similar saying, so he''s accepted that it''s just one of the many things about shinobi he needs to change. He hears the horn announcing the start of a hunt as he lands in the lush, swaying fields beyond the eastern wall of the compound. One hundred leagues in front of him, north along the Naka, is the Uchiha Compound. Unless he veers East to the river and the forest that lines it, there''s nothing between them but flat, golden fields. He runs. *** The Sharingan is a parasite. A living, breathing thing that digs its way in until it''s infected every nook and cranny it can reach, and there''s no possibility of removing it. It has its own mind, its own will to survive, its own desire. That''s what those outside the Uchiha clan don''t understand. And only partially because the clan guards its Kekkei Genkai so closely. They don''t, really. They''ve never stopped someone from marrying out or marrying in, though they do keep track of who''s where and whether or not the Sharingan develops. They''re not like the Hyuga who rip the Byakugan out of those who want to leave or the Kagura who simply don''t allow anyone to leave. At their worst, they''ve made expensive offers to bring children who do develop the Sharingan back to the clan, but those have been few and far between. After all, the Sharingan has its own mind; it wants to live, and the best place to do that is in the clan. It''s why the bloodline thieves of the Hogoromo and the Senju and the Kazukiki stopped wasting their time trying to seduce and turned to kidnapping and harvesting. If they''d ever been successful, they would have learned that the Sharingan is not above killing itself and whoever was stupid enough to implant it in their head. The only reason the Uchiha even know that will happen is because of a single woman who married outside the clan generations before. She had a son who developed the Sharingan, and no amount of money could convince either of them to come back to the clan. For whatever reason, the son had sold one of his eyes to the Hagoromo''s sister clan, the Kura, before any of the Uchiha of the time could stop him. The eye the Kura implanted in one of their strongest had immediately taken hold, and he''d killed his entire clan before killing himself. The Sharingan that the boy had kept had turned on him, and he''d killed his mother, father, and two younger sisters before taking his own life. Even the Uchiha had been horrified by the extent of it. Madara''s half of a mind to just let anyone who wants it take it if they''re stupid enough, but he knows there''s no member of his clan that would give it up willingly. When he was younger, only a few months after Tajima had died, Madara had lost two small children to bloodline thieves and went after the group with such rage and violence that the Damiyo had personally censored him. The first time he''d done so to one of the Noble Clans in thirty years. Hashirama had snuck into the Uchiha Compound the night after to make sure he was okay. Madara is painfully aware of their numbers this go around. There aren''t enough of them to fight Kaguya and Zetsu on their own. Not even with Hashirama in their ranks. He can''t afford to lose anyone. They''ve already gotten their one advantage: Madara and Hashirama''s knowledge of events, and they aren''t going to get another one. This is the year Zetsu awakens. Madara has already started keeping an eye on the villages near the cave, but he can''t get too close without revealing his hand. Zetsu was obsessed with Hashirama and has been in most of their lives, so it wasn''t just Madara that first go around, and Hashirama has to be careful to stay even further away. Madara is itching for a real fight after all this time preparing, but as he follows Izuna back to the compound, it dawns on him that he''s about to get a fight of an entirely different kind. The hierarchy of the Uchiha is unique in the world of shinobi, and it''s due entirely to the Sharingan. As with most of their existence. And just a little bit due to the fact that Kikyo is still alive and likes to pop in at random times to lead them in a war against the Mother of Chakra- there have been thirteen so far, but only the Uchiha fully remember them. Other clans carry stories and myths, but the Uchiha remember every second. Leadership of the Uchiha comes down to a single factor: the strength of the Sharingan. The strongest rules, and it has been a blessing and a curse throughout their history. Tajima came from a poor civilian branch of the clan, and his development of the Sharingan was a shock in and of itself. That it had developed into the strongest one of his generation had nearly gotten him assassinated when the former clan head refused to give up his position as tradition dictated. The other Sharingan bearers of the clan had come together and forced the clan head to step down- they''d actually killed him, but in deference, the clan referred to it in a kinder way. The same way they referred to the position of a clan head as one of blood, not strength. The other clans would never understand, and they don''t need to add any more reasons to the long list of why the Uchiha are ostracized. When Madara''s Sharingan had developed at only six years old, he should have immediately become clan leader since it was already stronger than his father''s, but no one had been comfortable, including Madara, with a clan leader that young. As a whole, the clan had voted that Tajima would retain his position until Madara was of age- eighteen- unless he died before then. And he had, so Madara hadn''t even had to worry about forcing his father out if the old man decided he didn''t want to give it up. After the Clan Leader were two, often opposing groups, the Clan Elders and the active shinobi with the Sharingan. Due to the clan''s reverence for the old ways, they never had to worry about the size of the Elder Council. Not like the Hyuga with their uselessly large body that was good for nothing but offering impossible advice and drawing on clan resources. Likewise, because they were a warrior clan, the number of active shinobi with the Sharingan was never excessively large either. In their heyday, the clan had numbered in the thousands, but repeated wars with Kaguya and the Senju and the changing times left the Uchiha struggling to number in the few hundred. Of those, only a third were active shinobi. Civilians made up another third, and the last the shinobi who were either too young or too old to be on the active rolls and where ninety percent of Madara''s problems came from. Both the Clan Elders and the Sharingan bearers held influence over the clan as a whole and were meant to advise the clan leader, but they tended to stick to their areas of expertise. The Elders worried over practices and traditions and how everything looked and their reputation and how much money the shinobi and civilians were bringing in. The shinobi worried about their performance on the battlefield. And Madara would always take being lectured over missing a blow than hearing the Elders drone on and on about how he was failing to uphold the glory of the clan and how the Senju were winning and he was letting evil overtake the land. Dramatic fuckers. One of the few upsides to the Sharingan was that if you lived long enough to go blind from it, it tended to become too dangerous to use. Most of the Elders could no longer use their Sharingan if they''d even had it to begin with, so Madara didn''t have to worry about any of them trying to kill him during an argument. Not that they were that obvious. The Elders tended to prefer backhanded and behind-the-scenes attempts. Slipping poison into his sake or making sure his home was given tainted meat in the daily rations. On one memorable occasion, Oda had gotten someone to rig the steps in an onsen Madara had visited on a mission. Between the sake and the heat from the water, Madara had actually fallen a few flights before his addled mind had remembered he was a shinobi, and he''d caught himself. Hashirama had thought the story was hilarious. Even after Madara had shoved him in the Naka. Usually, Izuna handles the councils in his position as Madara''s heir. Midoriko has been helping him ever since they married, and she''s proven to be more diplomatic than either of them, even when Oda and his ilk call her a whore and make disparaging remarks about her lack of a child even though they both only turned twenty this year. She came to Madara about it once, when it first started, and she''d had to physically stop him from storming into Oda''s home and ripping his dick off. Oda''s wife had been a talented kunoichi with a middling amount of chakra, but her marriage had ended her service. She''d died in childbirth after delivering six children in five years. Oda hadn''t been present for the births of any of his children, and his wife''s family had famously not invited him to her funeral. All but two of Oda''s children had chosen to reside with their mother''s family and barely spoke to their father now, though it didn''t stop Oda from bragging that all six had developed the Sharingan. It was one of the great feuds in the history of the clan. Madara hated him almost as much as he hated Kaguya, but Oda was the senior elder and a clan leader who went around killing his elders wasn''t a true clan leader. Plus, he''s already tried that and learned it didn''t work. And he doesn''t need another lecture from Hashirama -you can''t just kill everyone that disagrees with us, Dara. Winning the battle doesn''t mean you''ve changed anyone''s mind. More and more, it becomes obvious why defeating Kaguya and founding the village requires both of them. The Rinnegan gives a pleased hum. He follows Izuna into the Kaisho and steels himself for what''s to come. *** The core of the Uchiha''s current battlefield strength circles around the strongest Sharingans currently active in the clan and ripples out from there. Madara is, of course, the strongest. No one else comes close to matching his Mangekyo let alone the Rinnegan. But he is also the clan leader, so he doesn''t function as a Taich¨­ unless it''s one hell of a mission, and Madara usually does those alone anyway. Yoruichi is the youngest Taich¨­, appointed only last year when she got sick of waiting and fought her way through all the others until she reached Izuna and Madara. At thirteen, she''s the kind of genius Kakashi will become, and he can''t help but picture the silver-haired man whenever he looks at the purple-haired girl. She''s Oda''s youngest, the one his wife died bringing into the world, and by far the strongest of her siblings. Both in terms of strength and in her hatred of her father. Oda brags about her, but she won''t even deign to speak to him, which Madara always finds amusing. She''s brought a fledging into the clan, an orphan named Kisuke, who''s nearly as strong as her, though none of them can figure out where he comes from. She''s petitioned the clan to adopt him, but the Elders are holding out. It''s rather clear to anyone with eyes that she''ll end up marrying the boy someday, and Oda''s aiming for a much more profitable match for his most valuable child. Not that she''ll ever listen to him, but the old man''s delusions hold strong. Kisuke, for his part, is quiet and unobtrusive, and Madara would think him meek if he hadn''t already corrected Madara''s understanding of chakra coils. Madara had tasked him with rewriting all the Uchiha''s instruction manuals as a way to slip him some money to live on until the Elders gave up. Izuna and Midoriko are both Taich¨­s and two of the clan''s most experienced. Alongside Hikaku, whose patience runs so deep that none of them have ever seen him truly angry. By Uchiha standards, anyway. There are a few others that have grown strong enough to last. Kasumi. Bright, vibrant, vicious. There''s no one in the clan better with a sword. Madara has seen her split a piece of string floating on the wind. Kindhearted Itachi, who nurses wild animals back to health before he lets them go, and who can cast genjutsu that give Madara nightmares. His name always makes Madara think of their descendant, who will bring such honor to both his names. Bai is the oldest and longest-serving Taich¨­ and the one least likely to agree with Madara''s opinion on anything. He''s almost an elder himself and will be officially if he survives another four years. But he believes in the clan, so for the next four years at least, he will always back Madara against them. Ami and Aki are twins. Middle-aged for shinobi- thirty- and eerily in sync in everything. It makes them nigh untouchable on the battlefield and creepy everywhere else. Neither''s ever shown any interest in marriage and Madara''s heard the unsavory rumors about them. But he''s never seen them hurt someone except on the battlefield, so he ignores it. Twins are rare, even more so in shinobi clans, and there were more than a few who thought the birth of the twins was a herald for the destruction of the clan. If their mother and father hadn''t been so strong and so well respected, he doubts they would have survived the first few years. They''re a bit of a motley crew, he thinks, as they face him in the Kaisho. But they manage to be intimidating at the same time. These are the Sharingans that Madara''s own reaches out to when he''s in trouble, as rare as that is. They are the Sharingans the Rinnegan choose to share with. That alone was enough for Madara to relax. Just a little. Because he couldn''t tell without asking just how much the Rinnegan had shared. And if he asked how much, at least one of them would know there was probably more, and then it would all come out, and that was...not ideal. He was more than willing to own up to his actions, mostly because he didn''t actually regret all of them. He regretted the wasted time and wrong turms, but sometimes, the only thing that let him get a few hours of sleep at night was the satisfaction of remembering what it felt like when Kaguya splintered or the warmth of Oda''s blood on his hands. Morbid, but what shinobi wasn''t? Madara''s lived enough lives by now to know that you had to take the happiness where you could find it, even if it wasn''t the most conventional idea. His silence is too much for Izuna. As always. For someone so adept at stealth, his baby brother has never been good with silence in any other facet of life. "Spill, brother." It takes a heartbeat to steel his heart and his spine. He could lose them all if he says the wrong thing, and clearly, he hasn''t figured out the right way to say any of it yet, or he wouldn''t be on try number whatever he was on. "The village-" "Kaguya, brother. The grandmother from hell is back. Why didn''t you tell us?" "I think she''s a bit more than grandmother," Yoruichi smirks. Leave it to her to be amused by the whole situation. Izuna mock glares at her, but there''s no heat to it. He adores her as much as Madara does. "How did you find out she was back?" Kisuke asks, focused on solid evidence, as always. "She isn''t back." They look confused, "Yet." They stiffen. "But she''s coming." "We can''t fight her until she''s here," Midoriko states. "And none of the other clans will believe us," Aki mutters. "Not without proof," Kisuke adds. "It wouldn''t matter. They can''t put up much more than we can," Ami sniffs. Bai''s the one that brings them back to the important part. "How do you know?" So Madara takes a deep breath, summons the most horrible memory of Zetsu he has, and pushes it at his Sharingan. His spins. Theirs begin to in response. He knows once they''ve seen it. Ami''s face twists in disgust, and Itachi gags. "What the fuck is that?" Bai demands. He''s never dealt well with things he doesn''t know. Or situations he can''t control. "He calls himself Zetsu. He calls Kaguya mother." "Great," Izuna drawls, "Now we have a crazy uncle too." They strategize for hours. Until the sun is completely gone and the moon itself is beginning to wane. It''s nice and useful to have new sets of eyes on the problem, and they do come up with some good ideas. Unfortunately, none of those ideas can be implemented until Kaguya is free or Zetsu is pinned down, and neither of those things will happen quickly. By the time they''ve resigned themselves that there''s no battle to pick immediately, Madara has made headway in his argument for the village. For Konohagakure. And they''re really only stuck on one last argument against it. "I understand we will need them. They will need us or they will perish at her hands just the same. But how can you be sure that they will not turn on us as soon as she''s defeated?" Ami says for what must be the hundredth time. "They will expect us to do the same," Aki adds. "That is why it''s guaranteed that they will turn." "It''s the fucking circle of life," Bai adds, and Madara''s frustration gives way to hopelessness. They are the ones he needs at his back. Where he goes, they will follow, and where they go, the clan will follow. Maybe that''s why it slips out. "Someone has to break the cycle." They stare at him, eyes bright despite the long, heavy hours. "Whoever does will die. You know that." Itachi. "They may even kill us all before they come to the same realization." Kasumi. "If they get there at all." Bai. "If the Uchiha die, there will be no one left that can destroy the God Tree. Kaguya will win. Maybe not this time, but the next time for sure." Ami. Madara can''t look any of them in the eye. They are right. He even agrees with them. "That doesn''t mean the answer is to let the cycle continue." Because he and Hashirama are right, too. That''s one of those truths about life that people ignore. That two sides can be right at the same time. Or wrong. That both sides can be good or bad. That bad people can do good things. And good people can do bad things. "It''s a hell of a risk," Izuna murmurs. "I know." Madara will likely be the first to die when they do it, anyway. There''s no one the rest of the world wants to kill more. It''s Midoriko that breaks the oppressive silence. "But perhaps it''s not impossible." She offers, "If we had some kind of security. Or an ally to get us through that first few moments. That could be all it takes." She looks right at him as she says it. Izuna''s expression of resigned disgust is just a bonus. *** Madara orders a Blood Dance to celebrate. One of the Old Ways, a practice most of the clans abandoned when they stopped using blood wards. Meant to bring blessings and luck on the clan from Amaterasu herself. It''s a sacred thing, and his heart swells as they light the fires and the music starts. The Sharingan bearers always start the dance. And they always end it. Some dances go on for so long that they become exercises in stamina all on their own. Especially in the colder months when it takes longer for the ground beneath their feet to warm and the blood to rise. It''s coming on high summer now, so it only takes an hour of dancing before the heat and the pounding of the steps raises the blood out of the ground. The music picks up in response, the force of the steps and the constant exhale of chakra that it takes to keep their bodies moving in the fluid, sensual movements that signify the Uchiha style follow. Madara feels the first vestiges of blood between his toes as the smell rises. Nothing can make rotten blood smell tolerable ¨Canother reason they fell out of favor- but the smoke from the fires and the pipes diffuses it enough that it doesn''t damper the festivities. A new war against an old enemy is on the horizon. A new battle for the only clan that was truly made for it. This new time they''re crawling into is confusing and terrifying, but fighting Kaguya, they know. Sadly enough, it''s a welcome reprieve. They''re hours in when Hashirama arrives at the open gate because there are no closed doors while the dance takes place, and even Madara is too distracted to notice him approaching. Hashirama''s only thought is that if the Uchiha could try to look a little less intimidating and attractive when dancing in blood, it''d probably be a lot easier to get the rest of the clans on board with the village. *** The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson *** ~tbc~ Nichi Botsu *** I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge, you see all kinds of things you can''t see from the center. Kurt Vonnegut *** Tobirama is walking a narrowing path with terrifying drops on either side. Hashirama is gone, safely tucked away with the Uchiha, and Tobirama and the clan have been taking the brunt of Butsuma''s rage since. He''s bitten his cheeks raw keeping quiet, and he''s not the only one. Even the diehards of his generation are struggling to justify the current situation. Butsuma has declared Hashirama a traitor and an enemy of the clan. He wants him killed on sight, but there are few in the clan confident enough to actually try, so Tobirama knows he has some time before he has to worry about that. The bigger concern is that Butsuma changed the allotments again to fuel increased mission numbers and constant security patrols around the compound, and now they''re not going to have enough stores to survive the winter. If it takes Hashirama too long to enact whatever secret harebrained scheme he''s come up with that Madara is most certainly in on, the clan won''t survive. And despite how much Hashirama disagrees with their ways and how much he can''t stand the compound lately, Tobirama''s older brother is too kind-hearted to let them die. He no doubt thinks he''s saving them with whatever he''s doing. He''d just rather do it with an over-emotional rage kitten like Madara instead of his own brother. Whatever. Tobirama has enough work to do, between managing the clan and Butsuma and the scheming foreign Princess and keeping Edo Tensi half-finished so he doesn''t actually have to go through with using it, that it''s easy to push aside the feeling of abandonment and hurt. Hashirama might prefer Madara to anyone else, but he won''t leave everyone else to die. Tobirama knows that despite how much Hashirama''s recent behavior baffles him. If anything, Tobirama needs to figure out a way to communicate with Hashirama because he''s going to need Tobirama''s intel at some point. Which also means Tobirama needs to start steeling himself to deal with the Uchiha in a non-violent manner. And, ugh, start giving serious consideration to the village Hashirama''s always harped about. But first, food, before there''s no one left to save. And then, when this winding, tangled path Hashirama has set them on is finally finished, maybe he can have his brother back. And find out what it was that scared Hashirama so much because that''s the only reason he would have acted so rashly. He might be an over-emotional fool sometimes, but he wouldn''t have attacked their father in public if he wasn''t terrified of something. And it''s not Butsuma because he''s been a concern their entire lives. And it''s not the Edo Tensi, no matter what Hashirama says, because he knows Tobirama would never use it without Hashirama''s agreement. But there is something that he knows that Tobirama doesn''t, which is rare enough, but that it''s driven him to act this way is concerning. It may just be in conjunction with his relationship with Madara, or it may not. The biggest issue is that Tobirama doesn''t know enough to make an educated guess. And if he wasn''t always rushing from one emergency to the next, trying to hold everything together until Hashirama returned, he''d storm over to the Uchiha himself and demand answers. To bad he barely stands still these days. He''s never hated human beings as much as he does right now. And these are the ones he knows. What is it going to be like when Hashirama gets his village? Maybe Tobirama will go into exile? Yes, that''s an idea. Peace and quiet and nothing but time for his research and the pursuit of new knowledge. Hashirama can deal with the rest of the world. With Madara. Uuuggghhhh. No one makes Tobirama feel or act more like a hormonal teenager. So annoying. He''s never going to make it through a meeting at the Uchiha compound. The lack of control made bearable only by the fact that he knows Madara would never make it through a meeting in the Senju compound either. He''s going to have to meet Hashirama somewhere outside the clan-controlled forest or fields because Butsuma''s paranoia has only worsened, and now it takes concentrated effort for Tobirama to do anything without his father knowing. Any time he gets truly angry at Hashirama, he just remembers that even when their relationship is at its worst, Hashirama doesn''t feel the need to spy on him, trusting him even when they''re furious at each other. Knowing that, if he had the time, he''d dedicate more effort and brain cells to wondering why he can''t trust his brother''s opinion of Madara, but he isn''t sure he wants to tug that string just yet. If ever. Because it means Tobirama is truly either an extremely skilled but terribly petty, jealous shinobi because of their friendship or an average shinobi terribly jealous and petty because of Madara''s skill. He isn''t pleased with either of those options. Touka, for once, isn''t that helpful. She''s still leading the Let''s Kill Madara Camp, but it''s becoming increasingly hard to tell if it''s because she truly hates him or if she''s just keeping face in front of Butsuma since she''s now Tobirama''s heir. The Foreign Princess is another factor Tobirama can''t completely read, and it only drives home how much he misses Hashirama and his ridiculously, unnecessarily open personality. She''s watching everything, and Tobirama knows she was talking to Hashirama right before he left, but every time he''s tried to speak to her he''s either been frozen out or blocked by her two handmaidens. She''s waiting for something. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have stuck around and put up with Butsuma''s blatantly clumsy attempts to get her to agree to an engagement with Tobirama instead. He''s terrified she''s going to agree, so he''s also been going out of his way to be rude whenever he''s forced to be in the same room with her... Wait... God, he''s an idiot. That''s why she''s not talking to him. This is why he needs Hashirama around. Hashi''s the people person, Tobi''s better with weapons and jutsu and books. He wonders what Madara''s good at? Nothing, he thinks immediately and then feels foolish for being childish. Madara is a strong leader, well-liked by most of his clan based on their intelligence, and despite the weird leadership structure of the Uchiha, Tobirama can''t find a single instance of a true threat to his mantle. Aside from a few strange assassination attempts over the years, but even their most dedicated spies have reported the Uchiha didn''t take them seriously. There seems to be some weird belief that Madara is unkillable, which is ridiculous because everyone, even Hashirama, can be killed. It''s just extremely difficult. Extremely. Annoyingly. Nothing Tobirama has come up with has scratched Madara, and he''d be suspicious if he''d managed to successfully use any of them against Hashirama either. The two of them are just....a different level. An almost unnaturally different level. Maybe he''ll help Hashirama get his village so he can dedicate some time to studying Hashirama and Madara and figuring out what the hell sets them apart. The Sharingan is fascinating, after all. The most fascinating subject Tobirama has ever studied. And coincidently, the one he''s understood the least. The Uchiha have locked down the information on the Sharingan so well that even the Senju, who face it in battle more than anyone else, have a limited understanding of its true abilities. There are the old legends, of course. Of the Sage of Six Paths and the wars against Kaguya. But it''s been generations since the last one, and few records survived. Even Tobirama''s summons, his moths that were once contracted to his great-grandfather, don''t recall much besides the ferocity of the Uchiha in battle and their affection for fire. His only significant discovery was accidental. When he''d sent his moths in to spy on the Uchiha and they''d been immediately discovered by a Sharingan user and then been so attracted to his fire-bright chakra that they''d barely been able to defend themselves and get away. The Sharingan could see through any obscuration, living up to its name, and even the advanced illusion jutsu Tobirama''s moths used was useless. Butsuma had been furious. So had Tobirama because he''d almost lost two of them, so badly burned they''d required a week of constant healing to survive, and it had taken a year before he could summon them again. He''d taken down two of Madara''s hawks in the next battle, but he hadn''t been close enough since to see if they''d died or just injured. An interesting fact, filed away with the others, Madara rarely used his hawks in pitched battles. That occasion had been one of a number that Tobirama could count on one hand, and he suspected, but couldn''t prove, that the hawks had been present to hunt down his moths. Both sides had walked away equal in intelligence that time, Tobirama''s summons outed and injured and Madara''s injured, possibly killed, though the Senju had managed to kill two Uchiha shinobi and had only lost one of their own in the battle. He has to put aside his work for dinner with his father and the Princess and barely manages to keep his mouth shut through the meal. Head ducked as he shoveled food into his mouth, he left the conversation to Butsuma, the uncompromising Princess, and a quietly furious Touka who glared at anyone who forced her to converse. She doesn''t even try to hide it, which is new. Normally, Touka was better at playing politics than both her cousins, but something was clearly wrong now. He lingered after the meal, something he hadn''t done in a while, and walked out with her after Butsuma finally dismissed the table. "Cousin." "Cousin." She rolled her shoulders and sighed deeply, relaxing a bit once they were out of Butsuma''s house. "Haven''t seen you in a few days." Tobirama snorted, "You''re just as busy as I am, cousin." "Fuck Hashirama." "Touka!" "Are you seriously not angry with him, Tobi? He left. He nearly started a war in the clan. He still might." "Hashirama is doing what he thinks is right," Tobi murmured, stretching out his chakra to make sure no one was nearby. "He''s being selfish," she hissed. "His way is not the only way." Tobirama shrugged. "It might be the best way." She stopped in surprise and pulled him to a stop as well. "That kind of talk will get you killed, cousin." Her eyes flicked to the patrols on the walls. "Are you in contact with him?" "Not yet." "So you don''t know if he even will reach out. Or if he''s finally abandoned us for good." "It''s Hashirama, Touka. He will." "Hashirama has not been himself for a long time. You''ve seen it yourself. And now he''s openly joined the enemy." "Where else was he going to go after father disowned him? We''re allied to the Akimichi and Hyuga. They''d have sent his head back to father in a gold box. The Uchiha are the closest haven." "You realize they must have known what he was going to do, right? Renji saw him walk right in the gates. He didn''t get stopped or questioned." It slips out in defense of his only remaining brother. "He''s friends with Madara." Touka blinks slowly, "That proves my point, not yours. Do you really think the entire Uchiha Clan would have let him just walk in if they didn''t know he was coming?" Tobirama can''t bring himself to say yes. It is preposterous. Tobirama would have stopped Madara on sight even if Hashirama had told him he was coming, and he knew more about their relationship than anyone else in the clan. "You need to stop worrying about Hashirama and focus on the clan, Tobi." "I am focused on the clan." It''s insulting that she''s suggesting otherwise. "Stop relying on Hashirama. You need to step up and do something about Butsuma before winter hits and the clan starves." A pit forms in his stomach, tight and painful. "You want me to kill my father?" Patricide is forbidden among the Senju. Tobirama could end up on trial in front of the very clan he was acting to protect. Which would make Touka clan head... She must have seen the suspicion in his eyes and rolled her own. "Butsuma''s rubbing off on you, cousin. I don''t want to be clan head. Hell, if I thought I could, I''d do it myself and kneel for my execution. Butsuma''s always been unnaturally resistant to genjutsu. I''ve never been able to get him under." And she''d need the advantage to take him. Only Hashirama and Tobirama were equals to their father among the Senju and his ability to break genjutsu had saved him from the Uchiha more than once. Although Butsuma had never faced Madara....This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Maybe that was Hashirama''s plan. His soft-hearted brother would never willingly kill their father himself, but he was intelligent enough to realize they''d gotten to the point that it was necessary. That would explain why he''d gone to the Uchiha now. Touka''s gaze softened. "You and your brother are too soft-hearted." "You''re the only one that says that about me," Tobirama muttered. His last dalliance had called him cold when he''d broken off their time together. "Tell me who said otherwise, and I''ll break a few bones." She always offered that when she found out Tobirama had been dumped. He''d never taken her up on it because he knew she was serious, and the last thing they needed was Touka breaking arms and legs left and right. "Maybe that''s why Hashi went to Madara." His words made her pause, calculate. "You think?" "Do you think Madara would hesitate to kill father?" She snorted. "He''d do it laughing. The Great Calamity. It''d be a feather in his cap to be the one who killed the Senju Clan Head." And it would leave Hashirama and Tobirama legally blameless among their clan since, without Butsuma no one would push to charge Hashirama with collusion. Hopefully. "Is their friendship that strong?" There''s something bright in Touka''s eyes now. A weak glimmer, but the best hope they''ve had in a long time. Tobirama bites back what he wants to say. That they love one another. That they chose one another above all others. That he caught them at the riverside and Hashi refused to apologize for it. Instead, he forces down the bile and forces out a simple "Yes." Touka beams. *** Senju Sana isn''t much compared to the rest of her clan. She''s barely an acceptable shinobi and only a decent healer. She knows the literature and the technique, but she''s not particularly skilled at anything, and her chakra levels are childish. None of them take her seriously except Hashirama because she cries when she finds dead animals and crushed flowers. He lets her help him in his garden sometimes and taught her all she knows about healing, often lamenting that if she''d had the luck to have been born with stronger chakra reserves, she could have been one of the best in the clan. Butsuma despises her, as do most of the Elders, because she refuses to get married and start popping out children. It''s the only firm stand she''s taken in her life and thankfully, the laws of the clan support her because of her skill as a healer. And Hashirama. Though now that he''s gone, the Elders have resumed their pressure. It''s why she''s out here tonight, in this place, at this moment. It''s why she''s lucky enough to catch Aki spying on Tobirama and Touka. Aki is the son of one of the Elders firmly in Butsuma''s pocket. He''s not smart enough to do anything without being told to, which means Butsuma doesn''t trust Tobirama and Touka despite what he''s been saying lately. He also, like Sana, has an extremely low level of chakra, which allows him to slip by most censors unless they''re actively looking. He''s the only one who''s successfully managed to sneak up on Tobirama in the last five years. Though he only managed it once. And it took him two months in the hospital to recover. She has no doubt Tobirama would have caught him in a heartbeat if he wasn''t overworked and over-stressed. She''d listened to Hashirama worry often enough that she memorized the signs: paler than normal, worry lines, tremors when he''s still, no lectures about work and efficiency and chakra pathways and how the correct form for holding different weapons depended more on their material than their size. In fact, the last time she and Hashirama had talked months ago, he''d asked her to keep an eye on Tobirama, though she hadn''t thought she''d be doing it without him. She''d managed to keep Tobi somewhat fed, though he''d still lost a few pounds from the stress. That and the fact that he never sat still long enough to eat a complete meal. He makes her twitchy sometimes, the frantic energy he can never quite contain. Always spinning in a hundred different directions, each meticulously planned and organized because even Tobirama''s whims are steps ahead of everyone''s plans. She doesn''t understand where his energy comes from. His diet and eating habits are terrible; the only home-cooked meals he eats are the ones she slips in between stacks of scrolls, and she doubts he even notices what they taste like. The rest of the time, he shoves down whatever quick snack he can find whenever he remembers to eat. Which isn''t often. Quite frankly, she''s surprised he isn''t dead from food poisoning yet because she''s definitely seen him eat some questionable things and not even notice. No wonder Hashirama worries so much. She needs to keep Tobirama alive until he gets back. It''s the least she can do for the only person in the clan who''s ever seen any value in Sana herself instead of everything she''s not. *** There''s not a lot that makes Hashirama nervous. Not anymore. Not after all the tries and all the failures and watching the people he loves die over and over. He''s learned some hard truths about himself through this whole fiasco and accepted even his baser uglier traits to a level most people would never be able to. It''s one of the few respectable things about him, Izuna thinks, maybe the only respectable thing next to his skill as a shinobi. He doesn''t know the full extent. He''s not foolish enough to think Madara''s Sharingan showed them everything. The Sharingan has its own motivations, and Madara has always cautioned him to take it with a grain of salt. He''s not stupid, but Madara has always been the thinker between them. Izuna is the one who runs on instinct. The one who trusts his gut and his eyes without hesitation. And his Sharingan is oddly idle when facing Hashirama. Well, maybe not idle. Midoriko''s either, based on the minute tic she''s developing. It''s just shuffling through the more....pleasant, athletic memories of Hashirama while Izuna and Midoriko sit here with the goal of intimidating Hashirama into admitting what he really wants. For all that his brother and Hashirama seem to share some intense physical affection, there''s no sense of the obsessive, romantic love the Uchiha are infamous for. Hashirama is not Madara''s one. But they do love each other. And Izuna will go to his grave ignoring the overwhelming longing infusing the images of Hashirama''s tow-headed younger brother that Madara''s sharingan seems insistent on slipping in. If Hashirama wasn''t as openly loving of Madara as he was, Izuna would have let Yoruichi gut him like she''d offered to earlier. Madara''s clearly told him the clan''s history and the love that makes it impossible for them to maintain the population numbers the other clans manage. Has he told him how rare it is to have children with more than one partner? That only Tajima has managed it in the last hundred years, a mix of a strong Sharingan and an equally strong desperation, and even then, there are some members of the clan that will never, ever believe Izuna and Madara are his blood kin. Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things. It''s just a bit painful. The Senju don''t have the same view of love and leadership that they do; that''s always been obvious, but the Senju''s beliefs are far closer to the other clans than the Uchiha''s ever will be. Even the Aburame and Inuzuka follow familial bloodlines when it comes to clan leadership. So it''s surprising to see Hashirama so openly approving of the Uchiha way. And so comfortable integrating into their daily way of life. He''s been up with Madara every morning making the rounds or working at the temporary desk Hikaku set up in Madara''s office because no one else wanted to share with him. He''s even holding clinic hours after Old Woman Keiko got through with him. His first few days had been rough, and Izuna and the other Sharingan bearers had been on edge, waiting for violence to erupt when Hashirama and Madara both refused to hide his presence after the dance. Most of the clan had simply decided to ignore his presence until Old Woman Keiko, who may or may not have been a shinobi way back when no one else was old enough to remember for sure, had seen him tending a few dying plants in the public gardens and demanded he fix hers as well. A few days of bending to the gnarled woman''s scarred finger without complaint had done more for his integration than Madara''s most passionate pleas. Not that Madara was a great orator, either. Too awkward and honest. Midoriko had been the one to take him to the small clinic the clan''s healers managed because Izuna''s wife was a goddess in human flesh. Nothing like the large hospital the Senju compound was famous for, and the horrified look on his face when he''d seen it was amusing. He''d spent hours scrubbing every inch clean while the medics watched...and spilled a few more things just to put him through his paces. He''d calmed down eventually after Madara explained that most Uchiha shinobi knew a bit more than your basic nin about healing due to their intensive training regimes and Kekkei Genkai. So here they were, surprisingly peaceful a few weeks in if you ignored Oda''s scheming and the bets circulating about who did who in bed. Izuna and the others weren''t even allowed to join in because of the Sharingan. Not that he wanted to bet on his brother''s sex life, but he''d never taken well to being told he couldn''t do something. It was like they were saying he couldn''t do it. And, of course, his pride could never take that lying down. No matter what Midoriko and Madara and Hikaku said. Hashirama''s started to fidget, pulling at his collar and sleeves and biting his lip to keep from speaking. It made him seem young....even though there was no mistaking that physique as anything other than battle-hardened... And oddly endearing... And Midi was getting that look that pretty much guaranteed Izuna was going to get laid if he did what she wanted. And there was no way Hashirama was actually that flexible; the Sharingan had to be exaggerating; he had way too much muscle... *** Midoriko had not expected married life to be this much fun. Between Madara throwing the clan into chaos with his changes and Izuna''s over-dramatic reaction to everything his brother did just on principle and the rest of the clan''s only slightly less extreme dramatics and the fact that the Uchiha are over-emotional crybabies obsessed with one another on a normal day.... They''re a mess of a family, but a family nonetheless. Although there are days when Midoriko feels like the only sane one in the compound. God, she loves them all. Well, except Oda and his lot, but she takes her oaths seriously, so they''re safe. ....for now.... But at the moment, they can afford to focus on a fun part. Things have been surprisingly quiet since Hashirama showed up. Senju Butsuma had increased his clan''s patrols, but they hadn''t strayed far out of the Senju territory. With Hashirama here, intelligence suggested Butsuma hadn''t even let his remaining son out of the compound, too afraid to risk his last surviving heir. And too busy trying to salvage the alliance with Uzushio. Or there was some truth to Hashirama''s claims that his brother would side with them when the time came, and Butsuma was attempting to keep them separate. He''d been adamant, even in the face of Madara''s doubts, that despite their strained relationship, the Ghost would do what was right for his clan. Midoriko was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Everyone, including the Uchiha, exaggerated stories of their enemies in an attempt to make killing them more palatable. Dehumanization was a key step in any war and a necessity in keeping soldiers sane enough to be productive members of the clan once the war was over. There''s been a lot that''s been excused in the name of defeating the Senju. Maybe Madara and Hashirama aren''t wrong to say it needs to end. If nothing else, it''d be nice to stop burying the small children. She wants the son in her belly to grow up in laughter, not terror. She doesn''t want to keep putting off telling Izuna and Madara out of fear of what the loss would do to them if something were to happen to her before the birth. The last child born into the clan was Kagami four years ago. His mother had delivered him on a battlefield after being fatally injured in battle against the Senju and Hyuga. Madara had lost control and ripped apart the attackers while Hikaku had carried the screaming infant to safety. Since Kagami''s father had died in battle several months before, the orphan had been placed with his grandfather, but the old man wasn''t long for the world, and Madara had already prepared a room in the main house. Uchiha practice demanded any orphan be adopted into a family. If there was no direct relative to do so or no family within the clan that could support another child, any shinobi with no children of their own would take them in. And if neither of those options were available, then the clan head was responsible for adopting the child and providing a healthy, loving home. Because the Sharingan users took on so much responsibility in the clan, the Clan Leader was generally viewed as having less work than other Clan Leaders and, instead, acted as head teacher to the younger members of the clan. Madara had already made the decision to adopt Kagami, though he hadn''t made any public announcement, allowing the boy''s grandfather to live out his last days with his grandson. Hashirama had embraced Madara''s role as a teacher with an impressive level of enthusiasm, assisting him with morning calisthenics and afternoon classes in writing and reading for those under the age of six and more advanced evening classes in taijutsu and genjutsu. He even sat in on Kisuke''s chakra lectures, studiously following along and making notes. He kept muttering about introducing the boy to ''Tobi'' and then trailing off into terrified mutters about tag-teams and lectures and re-writing something and never having any peace. He was annoying likable, according to an extremely drunk Izuna. It helped, too, that whatever sexual relationship Madara and Hashirama shared seemed to have cooled. Though there was no doubt they''d shared that in the past, but they seemed to be firmly in deep friendship now, so there were still delusional hopes among the clan that Madara would marry a female Uchiha and produce children. It was funny how Oda and his lot persisted despite the fact that they''d all loved the Uchiha way. It was also proof that even the Sharingan couldn''t ensure a love that was kind. Oda and his wife had been a true Uchiha love, one and no other, but Oda had treated her terribly, sacrificing her on the altar of his ambition and greed despite being unable to ever love another. He was still trying to get Yoruichi to agree to an arranged marriage despite knowing she''d found her one in Kisuke. She wasn''t sure what made him more delusional, thinking that he could arrange a marriage for a Uchiha or thinking that Yoruichi had any inclination to listen to her father about anything. Most of them had bets on when Kisuke would snap and just kill the old man to give Yoruichi some peace. Hell, Midoriko might do it herself if things kept up. Oda was against the village anyway, and he''d need to be dealt with before it was built. There was probably a similar group among the Senju. There was probably one in every clan, and they were going to have to be removed or silenced before the village Madara and Hashirama dreamed of could become real. Another thing to add to the to do list. Thank Kami, the morning sickness hadn''t kicked in yet. Once Izuna and Madara found out about the pregnancy, she''d never have any peace with their worrying. Izuna was still scowling at Hashirama, but it was less angry now and more curious. And she knew why. Her wonderful, curious husband shared her appetites. Shared his brother''s, too, but that was less important. One way to end the fun before it started was to point out any similarity with Madara. And Hashirama, with his sun-kissed skin, hair as dark as a strong cup of black tea, miles of muscle, and seemingly stern countenance, was exactly the type that tended to catch Izuna''s eye. Her adorable husband liked a little discipline. Normally, Midoriko was more than happy to indulge when he was in the mood, but the shared memories from the Sharingan opened a whole new world of possibilities. And allowed them a much more intimate way to vet Hashirama. The Senju had a very flexible view of sex compared to most of the clans. Rumor was, it was part of the reason the Damiyo kept refusing to appoint them a noble clan. She let her lips curve into a smile, and it widened when Hashirama caught her eye, and a spark of realization entered his. Izuna, lovely, loyal Izuna, watched, rapt when she slid into Hashirama''s lap and then followed obediently when she pulled him in. It was impressive that Hashirama could lift them both so easily. And it seemed Hashirama did have a knack for meting out well-deserved punishments of the most pleasurable kind. *** She left Izuna sulking in bed the next morning. His pouting was adorable, as was the sleepy octopus grip Hashirama had on him. Even with the Senju out cold, Izuna couldn''t get loose and Midoriko didn''t feel bad at all about using him to get free herself. She was pleasantly sore, and the red marks on Izuna and Hashirama were already fading in the early light. Izuna had dozed off again by the time she''d thrown on a loose uniform and slipped out, a snoring Hashirama still pinning him to the bed. The memories of the night before sent a warm tingle from her toes to her ears as she walked an early patrol through the compound. Izuna was gorgeous, still the most beautiful man she''d ever seen, and he was just as beautiful, lost in pleasure taking her as he was when he''d been lost in pleasure as Hashirama had taken him. God, he was something when his body was stretching to accommodate Hashirama, and his eyes rolled back in his head. And when he''d watch hungrily as she''d demonstrated exactly how she wanted him to ride Hashirama next time. Amaterasu had truly blessed her. The Senju was a willing student and quick study and just as happy to follow as he was to lead. It hadn''t taken him long to pick up on what she''d liked, and she hadn''t missed the moment of realization he''d had while his face had been between her thighs. His grin would have given it away if her husband''s attentions hadn''t been firmly on her chest at the time. Itachi did not look amused when she passed him on patrol; just rolled his eyes fondly. Bai gave her a baleful look a few minutes later, but he wasn''t foolish enough to say anything out loud. It was an absurdity that they were more comfortable with Hashirama in her wedding bed than they were with him in Madara''s unattached bed, but that was the Uchiha. Contradictory in everything. It made her smile as she approached the main gate. And the fact that Hashirama had kept his mouth shut about her condition was a positive mark in his favor. He could clearly read a room and trust someone else''s judgment. She let herself brush a hand over her stomach, just for a second and imagined the bright-eyed, pale-skinned boy in her womb. The spitting image of his father, hopefully. Her own looks paled in comparison to Izuna''s. And with his laugh, too. Izuna had the best laugh, belly-deep and loud and infectious. He didn''t laugh enough, but maybe if they got the village going, he would. That would make all the struggle and pain worthwhile. The morning guard shift bowed as she approached, then moved quickly to open the gates for her review. There was nothing but wheat fields directly between the Uchiha and the Senju compounds. The Naka and its forests ran North to South to the West. To the East were the mountains separating the Land of Fire from the endless desert, the highest of them Mount Fuij, an ancient volcano. No shinobi would ever attack the main gate of their enemies. Far too obvious and direct, so they were generally the weakest point in compound defense. It was a beautiful morning. Bright and clear, the summer heat still held at bay by the morning air. A gentle wind made the wheat sway in a ripple that was almost mesmerizing. It lulled Midoriko and the guards into a false moment of peace as the Kyuubi approached. Blurry at first, shimmering like waves of heat rising off the ground as it approached through the fields. It wasn''t until the demon beast planted itself right in front of the gate that Midoriko could move, and even then, all she could do was stumble back several steps as the guards broke and ran. Easily two heads taller than the wall surrounding the compound, its great tails fanned out behind it and rhythmically ticking back and forth as it turned blood-red eyes on her and curled its lips in a sinister smile. "Summon Dai Sainan, Uchiha. I wish to speak to him." She tried to swallow, but the heat radiating off him left her throat parched. She could hear the camp alarms sounding and felt the explosion of chakra from both wings of the main house, Madara and Izuna and Hashirama. Felt Hikaku and Yoriuchi from the other side of the compound. The Kyuubi''s chakra made her knees knock together. Her palms sweat too much to hold a kunai. She called up the Sharingan, felt it answer in a rush of power, felt the barest pulse of chakra from her womb, and barely stopped herself from covering her stomach with her hands and giving away her weakness. A pregnant kunoichi was the biggest target on a battlefield, a weakness they could not afford against an enemy like the Kyuubi. An inhuman chakra demon driven by rage and not slowed by something as meager as pain or hunger. And it was here, at the compound, where their children and elderly lived. Where the entirety of the clan''s history was stored in the temple beside the main house. It would wipe them from existence before the sun reached the highest point in the sky. Had Bustuma sent it? Had the Senju found a way to turn it against them? It shifted, sniffing the air, and then, in a moment, Midoriko would forever be glad the Sharingan caught permanently in every detail, threw itself down in what could only be described as a sulk. It huffed, its breath sending a cloud of dust into the air as its tails beat a steady, earth-shaking beat against the ground. Midoriko had seen Kagami throw similar tantrums when he wanted attention he wasn''t getting, and abruptly, her Sharingan calmed. There was no threat here. Her breath came back to her as she felt Madara''s approach, and the Kyuubi''s tail beat faster. Clearly, this was something to do with Madara and Hashirama''s secrets. ..... Which included a chakra beast feared by all living creatures. ..... By Kami, she was going to give Madara and Hashirama an earful about this.... After she changed her pants. *** If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man''s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow *** ~tbc~ Ichigo Ichie *** All laws are an attempt to domesticate the natural ferocity of the species. John W Gardner *** Kyuubi''s presence is the sign Madara and Hashirama have been waiting for. The demon fox had been patrolling the distant lands, tracking Zetsu while Madara and Hashirama tried and failed to get their clans into agreement and had only returned when Zetsu had finally headed back himself. He came with word that he''d lost Zetsu''s trail somewhere near the Northern mouth of the Naka, a mere league to the north of the Senju lands, and instead of trying to find him again, had headed south to warn them. After causing several hours of panic and inadvertent destruction when Kagami had tried to play fetch with him, Madara and Hashirama finally convinced the arrogant fox to shrink down to a more manageable size. Well, Moro had convinced him when Madara finally gave up and summoned her. Watching the Great White Wolf pin the demon fox to the ground with a paw until he gave in and listened was rewarding. Less so the compound wall they''d needed to rebuild after. Hashirama had wanted to head to the Senju compound immediately, but Tobirama himself had put a stop to that. Their communications, carried by Tobirama''s moths and Hashirama''s slugs, had increased in the last week, shifting from Hashirama''s pleas and Tobirama''s refusals to leave to patrol times and copies of Butsuma and the Senju Elder''s private communications. As much as Madara wanted Tobirama safe in the Uchiha Compound, he saw the value of having such a well-placed spy in the Senju Camp. Tobirama had even managed to talk around some of his peers, with additional intelligence coming from Senju shinobi named Toka, Renji, Sana, and several others he didn''t recognize. The Foreign Princess had apparently agreed to supply the Senju with an additional food shipment, not enough to make it through the winter, but enough to buy them some more time, and sent her own private correspondence to Hashirama. Hashirama had translated the code she''d used for Madara, explaining that she was looking after Tobirama and keeping the Senju solvent until he and Madara could enact their plan. Madara was a little surprised she''d been so quick to join them, suspicious of the one person involved who had literally nothing on the line, but Hashirama was convinced of her loyalty, even sharing that he''d written her about Izuna and Midoriko. Apparently, Uzushio shared the relaxed sexual morays of the Senju, and the Princess was more interested in joining than condemning any of Hashirama''s bedroom activities. Madara had stopped the conversation there, a little disturbed at the direction his baby brother''s sex life was taking. Very few Uchiha could stomach multiple partners after finding their one, but Izuna loved to be the exception to every rule. Something he''d inherited from Tajima. And Madara was the exact opposite. The knowledge that Tobirama was alive and well and nearby in this lifetime made it increasingly difficult for him to find physical comfort with anyone else. Including Hashirama. Plus, he refused to sleep with someone who was also sleeping with his baby brother, and he found it more important that Izuna find something about Hashirama that he liked than keeping his own bed warm. He''d only made the mistake of mentioning that once where Hashirama could hear, though, because it had set off a long-winded speech about why Madara should start wooing Tobirama now and what was the point in waiting? They could be so happy together! They could build a little house in the village with a garden for Madara and a lab for Tobi- Madara had walked out at that point. He didn''t need another reminder that his love wasn''t returned and never would be. How many lifetimes and never once had Tobirama loved him, and Hashirama''s idealism only stretched so far. He did unbend enough to agree to a meeting with Tobirama and Mito. Thus far, Tobi had always refused, too worried about being followed, but he''d worked something out for the upcoming full moon. The Hyuga and Akimichi were visiting Butsuma to give their official blessing to his latest request to the Damiyo for Noble Status and a chunk of the Senju were down with a flu outbreak. Including Tobirama and Mito. Supposedly. So after an argument through a flurry of letters, they''d set the meeting in the deepest part of the forest along the Naka, closer to the Uchiha Compound than the Senju, since they''d all have to flee in that direction should Butsuma somehow find out. Madara and Hashirama went alone. Well, they tried to. Halfway there, Izuna and Midoriko caught up and simply refused to leave. Izuna kept muttering something about not trusting the Ghost and justice and shared suffering, and Midoriko pointed out that they''d need someone to keep Izuna in line while Hashirama tried and failed to talk his brother around, and Madara tried and failed to not insult the Princess. Madara hadn''t seen Mito yet in this lifetime, and the young woman with blood-red hair twisted into intricate buns and sharp eyes peering over the edge of a gilded fan was more intimidating than expected. She cut him away from the group almost immediately, and he let her, if for no other reason than to get away from the hate in Tobirama''s eyes when they landed on him. "Lord Uchiha." "Uzumaki-hime." Madara tried to remember the etiquette lessons Izuna''s mother had insisted on, but he wasn''t sure if Mito still counted as royalty when she was from a different country Madara held no loyalty or debt to. And was nominally allied to his enemy? But maybe engaged to his best friend?? This is why Madara didn''t like politics. He already had a headache. Midoriko materialized at his shoulder, bowing respectfully to Mito but staying silent. "Lord Senju speaks highly of you," Mito offered. Madara nodded awkwardly but didn''t speak until Midoriko poked him in the kidney and then stumbled through assurances that he''d said the same about Mito. She frowned when they lapsed into silence again, and Madara didn''t know her well enough to know if it was thoughtfulness or disappointment. Finally, she snapped her fan shut and faced him head-on. "May I speak freely, Lord Uchiha?" Madara snorted. "Why are you asking me? It''s your mouth." Another vicious poke made him wince and hiss. "Ow, what was that for?" "It is customary to offer the traditional respects to foreign nobility when visiting their lands." "Whatever, say what you want." Politics was too much of a headache, no matter how many times he had to deal with it. Mito arched a perfect eyebrow. "Very well. For someone whose friendship is apparently the basis for a revolution, you do not seem all that concerned about tearing apart brothers?" Madara blinked at her, then glanced at Hashirama and Tobirama arguing down the bank while Izuna cleaned a kunai, pretending to ignore the entire conversation. Was Madara responsible for their fractured relationship? He didn''t want to hurt Tobirama and avoided him on the battlefield and during missions just in case, but there''d never been a single life where Tobirama had taken their friendship well. It was always a catalyst for his relationship with Hashirama breaking down. In some lifetimes, they''d managed to repair their bond, but there''d never been a life where Tobirama accepted their friendship with more than grudging acknowledgment. Even now, Madara knew part of the reason Tobirama refused to leave the Senju compound was because Hashirama was asking him to come to the Uchiha. Maybe if Hashirama had taken shelter with the Aburame or the Inuzuka, he might have been more willing, but he''d never accept the Uchiha. But he''d also never be safe if Zetsu and Kaguya won. Hashirama had resigned himself to the damage to his relationship with Tobirama as long as his younger brother was alive and free to be angry. Since Madara had no claim to anything related to Tobirama, he left the decision to Hashirama and just brooded alone at night when there was no one around to see him look pathetic. Hashirama always seemed to know when he''d had one of those nights anyway and always spent the next morning slipping in positive comments about Tobirama and married life, and no amount of Madara pointing out he wasn''t even married yet could get him to stop. Mito must have seen something in his face because her expression softened fractionally. "I see," she murmured. Flustered, Madara glowered at her. "See what you want, Princess. Hashirama and I are doing what''s best for everyone." "Yes, he has hinted at the threat you fear but given few details. I can only conclude that you two either know too little to convince the rest or too much that is too unbelievable." Well, damn. How much had Hashirama told her? But Mito had always been sharp, and his scowl only made her smile grow. Hashirama''s private letters had described Madara as awkward but well-meaning, intensely honest and impatient, noble but vicious, a spectacular strategist but a bit of an idiot when it came to personal relationships and some of the moments he''d sketched for Mito had sent her into inappropriate fits of laughter when she first read them. But there''s nothing truly horrible about him, so it makes her wonder why Hashirama is so worried about how everyone else sees him. Uchiha are not meant to be alone, Hashirama had written; they go mad and die. They call it the Curse of Hatred. Perhaps that was why Hashirama had chosen to treat Madara''s loneliness instead of his own brother''s anger. Tobirama would be fine if he was angry, would still have a great life, but if loneliness was death for Madara...well, Hashirama''s choice was understandable. They loved once, and that was it. Mito still hadn''t gotten much more detail out of him about why or how, if it was simply bad luck or a clan practice that had become so ingrained they''d forgotten its origin, but she supposed it could wait. It would be better to see more of Madara himself anyway, rather than the figure Hashirama described. The man facing her now looked more like an angry hedgehog than a terrifying shinobi, anyway, with his wild hair and scowl that was more like a pout. He reminded her of her uncle, a prickly, temperamental man who was never satisfied with anything until you put his wife in front of him and then he was the world''s biggest simp. And it was kind of adorable watching him trying to figure out how to speak to her. She was about to put Madara out of his misery, or at least save him from another painful strike to the kidneys from the stunning kunoichi at his shoulder when he finally figured it out. "Some people can drown in three feet of water simply because they don''t believe they can stand up." Apparently, he was a bit of a poet, too. But she understood his meaning. This threat he and Hashirama were fighting was not something they could simply point out and have everyone understand. They were on the cusp of something new and unknown, and with nothing similar to point at, they had resorted to extremes to make people understand. For Hashirama, it meant leaving his clan and his brother behind. For Madara...a life of loneliness, perhaps? Based on the glimpse of longing she''d caught in his eyes when he''d first seen Tobirama and how careful he''d been not to look at him again. Or was he even planning to survive the battle? It seemed Madara and Hashirama were determined to do what they believed was right, even if they were hated by the very people they were trying to save. How noble. At the very least, it meant she wouldn''t have to worry about marrying Hashirama...even if he did turn out to be horrible. He probably wasn''t going to live very long. Noble men with noble dreams generally died young. *** Tobirama lets Hashirama hug him for exactly one minute before shrugging him off with rolled eyes. It''s not as long as he allowed when they lost Itama, but it''s longer than he allows when one of them returns from a long mission or is injured, so Hashirama counts it as a win. Tobirama is still angry, and Hashirama is angry in his own way, but both their tempers have cooled enough to allow for an actual conversation. "I''m not leaving home," is how Tobirama starts, immediately turning their conversation into an argument. "It''s not safe for you to stay," Hashirama argues, and that''s only partially his fault. Butsuma was going mad long before Hashirama started talking about revolution. "Nothing you do will work without key elements in place among the Senju. You can''t just force change from the outside." He knows, he''s been researching and studying successful revolutions obsessively since Hashirama left. Not that there are many to look to. "That doesn''t have to be you." "So I should put someone less capable at risk?" "No, but you should understand your own value in the bigger picture, Tobi. It may put someone else at more risk, but your loss would eclipse all others." A flush rises, as it always does when Hashirama, long acknowledged as the greatest of their generation, praises him. "I can do it better and faster. Unless you want to drag this out some more?" He knows he''s won when Hashirama''s shoulders slump and Izuna snorts off to the side, pretending he''s not listening. Tobirama glared at him, but the Uchiha just glared right back and made a rude gesture Tobirama''s too classy to return. The air of amusement surrounding Hashirama at the interaction was annoying, but Tobirama pressed past it for the sake of the future. If Hashirama got his way, there''d be plenty of time to get back at his rival and there''s no way Izuna is anywhere near as creative or intelligent as Tobirama. He''ll have him begging for mercy in a week. But right now, he needs to clear things up with Hashirama now that they''re face-to-face. The words come haltingly at first. "Anija, Hashirama...I don''t. I still don''t think the village will work." Hashirama''s face falls, but Tobirama pushes through because one thing he never had to worry about was whether or not Hashirama wanted him to be honest. The answer was always yes. "An alliance is a safer route. A treaty. That''s how most ceasefires become peace. How are you going to get two such completely different groups to live together in one place? Who''s laws are we going to follow? Whose religious practices are we going to follow? The Uchiha follow the Old Ways, and the Senju forswore those generations ago. Who''s going to take what missions? How are we going to generate funding and delineate lines of responsibility and effectiveness? Who''s going to appoint the judicial and educational authorities?" Hashirama looks a little wide-eyed, but Tobirama''s on a roll. "What about schooling for the children? Do we teach the same way? What''s the point of living together if we don''t teach the children together? So, who decides how we do that? Do we teach ethics in school? Do we have the same ethics? How do we build a compound big enough to house both clans? We''re among the largest in the Land of Fire, and the Uchiha have unique needs due to their Kekkei Genkai. Have you thought about that? There''s no existing infrastructure that would work, so it''d have to be something completely new. Where are you going to get the water and waste systems big enough to support that?"Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Now Izuna looks a little wide-eyed, too, leaning away as Tobirama really gets going. "What about medical systems? Are we treating each other? What''s the agreement on sharing clan jutsu? One for one? A set price based on time and chakra required? Can you trade a medical jutsu for a combat jutsu? Do the Uchiha even have the same physiological makeup as the Senju?" Hashirama and Izuna both shake their heads at that. "What about law and order? What do the Uchiha consider illegal? What do we? Can we punish the Uchiha if they do something we consider illegal? Can they punish us? Who decides? Who''s going to be in charge of this whole damn mess, Hashirama?" Even Madara and Mito glance over as he comes to a winded stop. Hashirama fiddles with his sleeves, "Uh....Madara and I were thinking of elections...." Tobirama felt his eye twitch and immediately slapped a hand against it. "Have you even considered what would go into that? You''d have to draft laws first. Laws that everyone agrees on or the election wouldn''t be legitimate. You''d have to agree on the responsibilities and limitations of the positions. How you remove someone. How you elect them, because there are different kinds of elections, Hashirama, and there''s a reason no one uses a democratic or republic system now. It''s ten times as much work as a monarchy and leaves the power in the hands of the population that isn''t always as educated or experienced as needed. They may choose a leader based on popularity or a fad at the moment and who knows nothing about governance. What then? How long is the term? How are you going to conduct the election process? What about campaigns? Qualifications? What happens if you elect someone who refuses to leave the position? To follow the laws? What say does the Damiyo have? Has he agreed to this? What if he doesn''t?" "There''s still time to figure all of that out, Tobi. No system is perfect, but we can build one that''s at least fair." "That''s not possible." "Tobi, just because it hasn''t been done doesn''t mean it''s impossible." "You''re underestimating the amount of work required." "And you''re underestimating the willingness to do that work. There''s a better way, Tobi. Better than this battlefield existence we have now. Burying our children and too afraid to think of the future. I want you to have peace, little brother. I want all of us to have peace. I want you to have one day in your life where you don''t have to worry about anything, where you can go outside and wander in the sunlight and think of nothing but what pleases you." "There will always be work to do, Hashirama. If you want that life, you should leave the world of shinobi entirely." Hashirama''s disappointed look hurts. "I don''t want a life without work, otouto. I want a life where you know the difference. I want a life where I worry about how to convince you to come to my home for dinner once a week because I know you have a full life of your own and better things to do than hang out with your boring older brother. I want to fight people for your time, not because it''s required for survival, but because you love them so much you''d rather be with them. I want a life where you worry that there''s not enough time, not because the enemy is closing in, but because you have so much you want to do and so much you want to see that two lifetimes wouldn''t be enough." "Hashirama..." When he reaches out, Hashirama takes his hand between his own, holding tighter than he has since they were much, much smaller. "I want to watch you fall in love, Tobirama. I want to see you discover what it''s like to be the center of someone''s world, not because you share blood, but just because they like you that much." There''s a lump in his throat that Tobirama can''t swallow, but he''ll be damned if he cries in front of a couple of Uchiha. "I want to see what happens when someone needles you just because they like watching you react." He scowls at that, and it makes Hashirama laugh. "And because they don''t like losing your attention, even for a moment." "That doesn''t sound healthy, Anija." It sounds too much like a cage to Tobirama. The idea of being the center of focus like that. It makes his skin itch. Sparks an immediate response that feels like fight or flight. Hashirama looks a little saddened by his response, but he doesn''t let go of Tobirama''s hand, even when he starts trying to pull it away, and they devolve into the childish wrestling they were known for as toddlers. "Adorable," Izuna drawls, and they both scowled at him. Well, Tobirama glares, and Hashirama pouts, and neither seems to have any effect. They''re all still so young, after all. Hashirama has to remind himself of that sometimes. He and Madara have barely broken twenty-five in this lifetime and Izuna and Tobirama are only just legal adults. Mito and Midoriko are somewhere in between. Madara and Hashirama have lifetimes in their heads and their hearts, but in this go around, they haven''t experienced much yet, and even if they have the memories, it''s hard to remember to act the ages they''ve made it to. And Hashirama has found that he often doesn''t want to. This could be their last life. Rushing to the end seems like a fool''s errand, and they''ve already got enough of those to do. Tobirama manages to free himself, thanks to two pointy fingers in Hashirama''s femoral -which is cheating, but whatever- and ignores Hashirama''s pout. Honestly, Hashirama doesn''t know why he even bothers trying that face on Tobi. His precious baby brother has been immune to it for years now, but it''s a habit that''s hard to break. "If it will make you feel better, Anjia, I am seeing someone." "What?" "Dolls don''t count," Izuna says, and Hashirama has to leap between them when Tobirama whips out a gleaming kunai. "It''s not a doll," Tobi hisses, face red, no doubt remembering the horrible teasing he suffered from his peers when he was younger and not nearly as deadly. "It''s a living, breathing person!" For a moment, Hashirama foresees years of this. Teasing and picking and arguing and pranks and a rivalry that drives them both to even greater heights, and he wants it so badly he aches. "She''s a kunoichi, Aiko. You remember her." And Hashirama does. A pretty girl who''d grown into a striking woman and average shinobi. She''d been abnormally successful at infiltration and seduction missions and was moving up the ranks when Hashirama left as a result. Mistaking her looks for skill, Hashirama thought, but she must have a decent head on her shoulders, or she''d never have held Tobirama''s interest. Izuna''s face reflects what Hashirama feels but is careful not to show. There is a lot of change coming, so Hashirama doesn''t feel that guilty thinking it''s doubtful Aiko will still be in the picture by the time they start building the village. Tobirama has always lost interest quickly in things easily understood. "Well, I''m glad you''re not alone, otouto." He even manages to make it sound sincere, based on Tobirama''s pleased, slightly smug smile. Hashirama clamps a hand over Izuna''s mouth before he can say anything to ruin the moment. "Likewise, anija. Uzumaki-hime seems to be a good match." Hashirama beams, "She truly is. I''m looking forward to our marriage." Izuna says something against Hashirama''s hand, and he has no doubt it''s better that Tobi didn''t hear it. Hashirama''s not entirely sure how to tell his baby brother he''s taken Madara''s to his bed. Along with his wife. Tobi didn''t seem to handle the idea of Hashirama and Madara sharing a bed well, despite sharing the Senju''s clan belief that sex had little to do with marriage and relationships. Relationships were contracts to work together as partners toward a common goal. Sex, intimacy, and even love weren''t always a consideration. Even though the Uchiha also didn''t equate sex with marriage, they despised arranged marriages, and no Uchiha ever strayed once an oath had been made. Adultery was punishable by death but had only ever been an issue with spouses who had married into the clan. Madara didn''t like carrying out the sentence because the shock of the betrayal and the following loss almost always meant the Uchiha involved died soon after. Hashirama preferred the Senju way because he wanted a good partner at his side, and he already had Madara for the mad, emotional, slightly crazy part of things. He loved the marriage he''d had with Mito and couldn''t wait to have it again, but Tobirama, he was convinced, was meant for a more passionate union. His little brother was always in control, always on guard. He needed a little shaking up, something he couldn''t control, something that would keep him interested. And he needed someone that he couldn''t push away when he disappeared into a research binge or didn''t have enough coffee and took it out on everyone around him. It would just make Madara laugh. And start a pot of coffee. But that was for the future, he supposed. Let Aiko have Tobirama for now. Hashirama had plans. *** They settled on a week from then. Tobirama would ensure most, if not all of the Senju were at the compound, and the western gate guards wouldn''t stop Hashirama. Mito would do her best to keep the civilians and those unable to fight separated. They didn''t settle on which Uchiha would accompany Hashirama, but from the furtive glances Tobirama and Mito kept sending Madara, it was obvious who they''d expected to see. The meeting had broken up shortly after midnight, with Tobirama and Mito hurrying to return to the Senju Compound before one of Butsuma''s spies discovered them missing. Madara, Hashirama, Izuna, and Midoriko took off in the opposite direction and were almost halfway back when Madara and Hashirama suddenly slid to a stop. "What? What''s happening?" Izuna, dropped into a crouch, sword at the ready. Madara looked at Hashirama and said, "It''s high summer. They''ll be traveling through the wheat fields." Hashirama''s eyes lit up as he caught on, "Yes, isn''t this when they met-" "Yes!" "Oi! There are other people here. What the hell are you talking about?" Izuna squawked indignantly when they ignored him and took off in a new direction, headed to the heart of the land between the Senju and the Uchiha territories. "Hey, get back here!" Midoriko sighed and headed after them, trusting Izuna to follow. And he did, but not without plenty of commentary. "I hate them. I hate them so much. Stupid, smug old brothers can''t fucking explain anything...running off and changing everything...giant pain in the..." *** The Namikaze were a study in failure. A prime example of what happened when a shinobi clan didn''t follow the accepted shinobi way. Two hundred years ago, they''d been spoken of with hushed awe, headed to Noble status alongside the Uchiha, Aburame, Hyuga, and Akimichi. Then the previous Damiyo had died unexpectedly, and his two sons had gone to war over his throne. The Namikaze had refused to accept missions during the war of succession and by the time the current Damiyo had officially ascended, they''d fallen from favor. It had been a downhill slope since then, with the Damiyo and his court refusing to employ them for missions and lashing out through taxation and legislation. Within two generations, the Namikaze''s number had been halved, and they''d only fallen since. Now, they were a handful of families barely scraping by and currently under a thirty-year censor from the Damiyo. They''d lost their ancestral lands and become nomadic, picking up jobs wherever they could, though they''d stuck to the principle of staying out of the capitol''s politics. They''d found a hill to die on, Madara thought, and refused to beg for their survival. That fit with what he''d seen of Minato. So brilliant, so unyielding, and so far ahead that he''d made certain people very, very nervous. And he''d died young for it. Granted, Madara had been responsible for that...there weren''t many people he regretted killing, but Naruto''s father would always be at the top of that very short list. This time, though, this time he could do it differently. They could do it differently, and then maybe Madara would get to see Minato grow up. Maybe he''d be the student Madara had never taken. He didn''t want Obito to count, not because the boy wasn''t brilliant, but because most of that time was lost to the miasma and the madness and Zetsu''s voice in his ear, and Madara felt more like he''d ruined him than instructed him. Obito deserved a better teacher. And, as Hashirama kept insisting, Madara deserved a chance to train an apprentice purely for the pleasure of teaching someone else everything he knew. The clan children were different. Madara taught them to read and write alongside their parents, the very basics of chakra and taijutsu, and how not to stab themselves with a shuriken when they were running around screaming like banshees. He taught them the shinobi way and how to balance that with the Uchiha Way and the Old Ways. So many ways and none of them worked in total harmony. Around age seven or eight, they''d be apprenticed to a more permanent teacher, usually a family member or an active shinobi whose talents lay in the same area, and then they only returned to him if they wanted tutoring in something he specialized in or if they were having a significant difference of opinion with their teacher and he needed to step in. He had no heir. No children of his own. He never did. Even in this life. Not until he adopted Kagami, anyway. But in all those other lifetimes, Kagami had been Tobirama''s student. And he''d loved it. He''d been the only Uchiha Tobirama had any fondness for. The only one he trusted. It makes him wonder what Tobirama would have thought of Fugaku''s boys if he''d lived long enough to see them. Obito, always bright and cheerful and eager to learn, would have been a good student. Iruka, who loved teaching as much as Tobirama had. Itachi...Itachi had surpassed Madara. What would Tobirama have thought of that? And Sasuke.... Angry, wronged Sasuke, victim of something Tobirama had been a part of, even if he hadn''t intended for all of them to die. Who tamed beasts and walked through dimensions and loved Naruto. What would he have thought of those children that had turned the world he''d helped create on its head? What would he have thought of the wall Madara had put the Uchiha in? That jutsu that he''d created to hold them in the gap between life and death because he''d known Kaguya wouldn''t go down that easily, and there had to be someone left to fight her. It had been the best he could manage in that first life. A secret fuck you to the Mother of Chakra that she wouldn''t be able to take out on him because he''d already be dead. He desperately wanted to know if it''d worked. If they''d won. But there was no way to know. It would likely remain the great question of Madara''s life. No matter how many more he had to go through to get it right, he''d never know if the one desperate, hopeful thing he''d done to make up for all the terrible, unforgivable ones had worked. There was a more than decent chance that it hadn''t, and Kaguya had won. Kikyo''s rule of non-interference would only have held so long as there was hope she could be defeated, but even Kikyo was not a guarantee of victory. Naruto, Sasuke, and all the others together couldn''t guarantee a victory against the woman who was the origin of all shinobi. He could hope, though. And he clung to it. And to the memory of Naruto and Sasuke and everything they''d achieved. It made the lonely nights slightly more bearable. Now, he had a chance to do something positive for the boy who hadn''t even been born yet this time round. The Namikaze belonged nowhere. None of the established clans were willing to risk the Damiyo''s wrath by allying with them. But the village was a different matter. Sweeping them in among a large group of clans forming a single unit could be seen as another way of wiping the Namikaze from existence if that''s what Damiyo truly wanted. They''d just fade into Konoha like many smaller clans had in that first life, and eventually, no one would remember they''d ever even been an independent clan. This time, Madara and Hashirama could knit them so tightly into the fabric of the village that Naruto, by the time he came into existence, would never have to wonder about his place in it. They do, however, have to agree to join the village in the first place, and the startled young woman, a few years older than Madara and Hashirama themselves and painfully reminiscent of Minato, with his sunshine blond hair and the blue, blue eyes Sasuke waxed poetically about when there was no one else around and the bone structure that had made Minato and Naruto so hard to ignore, doesn''t look that welcoming. Her hair is longer, falling to her waist, and her eyes less trusting and angrier than theirs had ever been, but there was no doubt that Minato and, eventually, Naruto would come from her line. To her credit, she didn''t hesitate to arm herself, even though she must have realized there was no chance of victory. Hashirama and Madara hadn''t bothered to conceal their chakra, and the steady pulse was rustling the grass and flaps of the tents of her small party. Midoriko and Izuna flanked them, intimidating in their own rights with their Sharingan blood red and on display. "Good evening," Hashirama, always cheerful and warm and welcoming as flowers bloomed in his hair. Madara frequently felt like a dour bird in the shadow of a peacock. But he was a lovable peacock, so it was impossible to stay mad. Namikaze Mina, the current head of her clan, couldn''t seem to decide who to focus on. A wise decision when four shinobi she''d never met before suddenly landed in the midst of her camp. The handful of Namikaze shinobi with her rolled out of their bedrolls, ready to fight, only to stumble to the same surprised stop their leader had. "We-we have no quarrel with the Uchiha. Or the Senju. This is a free road. Safe passage is guaranteed. W-we haven''t done anything wrong." "There''s no reason to fear. We come in friendship," Hashirama smiled widely. Mina''s immediate, "Why?" Made Madara snort in amusement. No one wanted to be friends with the Namikaze. It was a surefire way to earn the Damiyo''s ire. "We''re building a shinobi village," Hashirama beamed, "A home for all the clans." "What?" Izuna shrieked. "Where our children will be safe." "An end to the clan wars," Madara added. While Izuna made a strangled sound and Midoriko smacked him silent. "That''s..." Mina shared a bewildered look with a young man who wore the Namikaze symbol but lacked their coloring. "I wasn''t aware your clans felt anything but hatred for one another." "We''re over it," Hashirama waved a careless hand and ignored Izuna''s snort. "There are bigger concerns than old rivalries." Madara, also ignoring Izuna. "Are the rest of your clans over it?" Namikaze Mina was not stupid. It said something that the two of them were here together. But it also said something that it was Hashirama with three Uchiha, two of whom were related. "We have discovered a far bigger threat than the other clans. One that must unite us all, or we will perish." Madara''s Sharingan had started spinning while he spoke. At that, the Namikaze looked terrified. Belatedly, Madara turned awkward when he realized, "I mean, we''re not that threat. It''s someone else." Midoriko sighed; there was a reason the clan left diplomacy to literally anyone but Madara. Hashirama nodded eagerly, "Kaguya. You''ve heard the stories?" "Of course," Every clan had stories about the wars against Kaguya. "But those are just stories, there''s no proof...." Mina fell silent at the steady looks. "Unfortunately, they are not stories," Hashirama, as gentle as he could be, "But we have no proof to offer you but our word." "And this is why you''re trying to build a village?" The young man clarified, "Why not an alliance?" "Yes, brother, why not?" Izuna hissed. "It won''t be enough," Madara muttered darkly. "It seems like it would be smarter to start with the alliance rather than the village," Mina pointed out. Hashirama collapsed in a pout that seemed to scare them even more than Madara''s glower. "The village is the whole point, so why waste time?" "That''s not-" Mina and her brethren shared concerned looks, though whether that concern was about the threat or Hashirama and Madara''s behavior, it was impossible to tell. "Look," Madara huffed, stomped over to a tent, and grabbed a random scroll and brush despite the cries of outrage from the Namikaze, who weren''t stupid enough to actually try and stop him, and tore off a piece and scribbled something. He shoved all of it into Mina''s arms. "Give that to the Hatake when you see them, and when you finish this mission, come back and join us." "We''re not going to see the Hatake." Madara stared at her. "I-, how would we even-, they live in the mountains in the Land of Snow. We''ve never even been to Snow before!" "And they don''t do missions to the Land of Fire anymore." Her companion pointed out. "The Damiyo banned them after they took up with that band of yokai samurai a few years ago." Madara''s gaze met Hashirama''s, a brief shared memory of a young white-haired clan head, defended by a dark-haired, dark-eyed man with a katana. "You never know who you''re going to run into on a mission," Hashirama interjects cheerfully. "Why, there was this one time-" Midoriko, smart enough to realize they need to end this on a good point because Hashirama''s about to launch into an unnecessarily long, disturbing story, Madara''s going to get bored, and Izuna''s already started muttering again and fingering kunai if they want any hope of the Namikaze ever speaking to them again, steps in. Her mother always explained why women ran the house ¨C the world - after all. They had common sense and knew a good exit was as powerful as a good fight. So she whacks all three of them over the head before they can stop her, grabs them by their ridiculously long hair, gives the Namikaze a polite bow and ''hope to see you soon'', and drags them off into the night. *** The Namikaze watch until long after they''re out of sight. Mina glances at Kenzo, her husband of only two months, who looks back similarly wide-eyed. "I thought you said the other clans refused to speak to you?" He whispered. "They do!" She turned to the others, "When was the last time any of you spoke to a Senju or Uchiha?" None of them have an event to offer. "Since when do the Uchiha and Senju even talk to each other?" One of her senior nin points out. "Their war is the greatest among the clans in the Land of Fire." "There''s no way Butsuma agreed to a treaty," Mina mutters. He''d had three of her shinobi captured and tortured to death as a gift to the Damiyo for his wedding three years ago. He''s a monster she yearns to gut, but there''s no amount of sake that could convince her she''d win that fight. "Hashirama is his heir, though, and he was with three Uchiha," Another adds. Kenzo takes the scroll and brush out of her hands, leaving Mina to stare at Madara''s folded note. What did they want with the Hatake? They were formidable but not enough to compete with either clan and had never demonstrated any interest in leaving their mountain stronghold. "What about this threat they''re talking about?" Her shinobi looked worried. "Something bad enough to unite the Uchiha and the Senju?" It''s terrifying to think about. What the hell is happening in the Land of Fire? And why does it have to happen now when she''s the one who has to deal with it? *** Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging. Negativism to the pain and ferocity of life is negativism to life. We are not there until we can say ''yea'' to it all. Joseph Campbell *** ~tbc~ En *** Sometimes we ask ourselves ''Why?'' Why do I continue to smile, to give, to live? Why do I continue to stand, despite the ferocity of the wind that keeps blowing, that keeps slapping against my face, creating a pressure that says ''fall''? Why I don''t I listen to those who call me a fool because I continue to love despite my hurt? I don''t know what tomorrow brings; I don''t know if my troubles will seize or if my sorrows will continue. But this much I do know - I will continue to hold out, I will continue to press on, until my blessing comes. Shane Smith *** Hashirama decides to go alone. To the loud, varied, and surprisingly creative threatening (mostly Izuna) arguments of the Uchiha. He appreciates their concern, even though it''s mostly because they''re worried about losing such a powerful weapon against Zetsu and Kaguya. He''s ashamed to say that even with all those lifetimes, he hadn''t quite realized just how militant the Uchiha were, that there were no battles, no small conflicts, just bits and pieces of one long war that had no end in sight. The Senju were never going to win if they''d kept fighting. How did you defeat someone who did not see death as losing? Some of them, though, some of them actually like him for him, and given time, more will come around. After all, if Hashirama can get Madara to be his best friend/soul brother and Izuna to begrudgingly admit he likes Hashirama(''s cock), getting anyone else to like him should be easy. And if they can like him, the worst of the Senju -next to his father- they can love the rest of his clan. Thank god for Midoriko. The level-headed by-Uchiha-standard kunoichi reminds him of Mito, and he''s ridiculously excited to introduce them. And her son. He''s kept his mouth shut about that. He knows she''s waiting to make sure nothing bad happens with the pregnancy, wary that paranoia and worry over the baby might derail them from the current path, and Hashirama loves her for it. It''s also been a fascinating case study of the Sharingan for his rarely displayed intellectual side (that''s more Tobirama''s realm). Midoriko''s Sharingan has not shared knowledge of the baby with anyone else, coveting its secret according to Midoriko, but it strikes Hashirama that the parasite does have some attachment to its host. It''s a hopeful sign that the Rinnegan and the other Sharingan of the clan will follow the lead of their bearers and come to love their fellow shinobi outside the Uchiha and, maybe eventually, the village itself. The more love for the Sharingan, the better. Hashirama would like to avoid the Curse of Hatred as much as possible. Madara offered to go in his stead, but this is Hashirama''s responsibility. It''s something he should have dealt with long ago. Butsuma''s never born the weight of the life of a shinobi well in any of their lifetimes, and Hashirama always seems to act too late. But when is it a good time to kill your own father? It needed to be done, but that didn''t mean Hashirama wanted to do it. Or that Tobi wouldn''t resent him at least a little bit, no matter how deserving Butsuma was. That it wouldn''t remain in the mind of every Senju left that if Hashirama could commit patricide, he could kill any one of them. It would be easier in the short run if Madara did it, but worse in the long run, and that''s what Hashirama has to think about. Madara and the Uchiha are firmly focused on defeating Kaguya and Zetsu now, and while the village is part of that, Hashirama also knows most of them are not expecting to survive, so they''re not thinking beyond their victory. Madara can only force them along so much. It''s easier if Hashirama just plans for it all, so it''s ready when they finally realize they need it. They share a bottle of sake on the roof of Madara''s home the night before he goes, overlooking the garden and the sprawling wheat fields that Hashirama will have to cross tomorrow. Kurama, apparently fond of being small enough to trick people into thinking he''s cute, is sprawled across Madara''s legs. Purring loudly as the Great Calamity absentmindedly rubbed his tummy between sips. Kurama isn''t allowed to drink sake. Not anymore. They''d learned that lesson the week before when he''d gotten into the Elders'' wine stores and gotten so trashed he''d started changing size every time he hiccuped. He''d destroyed two storehouses, Hikaku''s porch, and part of the compound wall -again- when Kagami escaped his grandfather and convinced the other children to play tag with Kurama''s tails. It had taken nearly as long to wrangle the children as it had to wrangle Kurama. Madara had been furious and Hashirama had had to scramble to distract him while Izuna, Hikaku, and Midoriko cleaned up most of it. Though Midoriko hadn''t been happy either, muttering Lady Kikyo never had to deal with this ¨C I bet no one would dare do this to Mito-hime ¨C that''s not where that goes! ¨C That''s it, we''re getting rid of the wine! She''d looked inappropriately pleased as she dumped out Elder Oda''s personal store. Even Izuna had started looking as scared of his wife as the rest of them by the end of the day. They''d locked the remaining store rooms after that, not that any of them actually believed Kurama cared or would be in any way deterred. He''d complained ¨C laid around and whined pathetically until someone gave in and rubbed his tummy - of a hangover for hours the next day, and Hashirama was halfway convinced he was just doing it for the attention. There''d been an hour there where locking him away had seemed like a good idea again... "He''s cute when he''s tiny. And asleep," Hashirama tugged one of Kurama''s tails. The little demon twitched in his sleep and tucked his paws under his chin. Madara snorted, "He''s an idiot." But he rubbed Kurama''s belly as he said it. "Are you sure you don''t want me to-" "No. No, this is mine to do." "It''s not a little thing to kill your father...even if you''ve done it before." "He''s not a good man. He won''t be missed." "In all things, we are strong. In all things, we love. In all things, we are devoted until death." Madara murmured. Hashirama leaned against him, enjoying the warmth that all Uchiha gave off. He''s pretty confident he''s the only person outside the Uchiha Clan who''s seen that gentle, sympathetic look on Madara''s face. There were a few lives there where Madara had to kill Tajima, but he''s always handled difficult duties better than Hashirama. "Bad men aren''t missed," Madara added, and something cold lances through Hashirama''s gut. "You are not a bad man, Dear Heart." "I''m not a good one." Madara must see the fear in his face because he softens, "It''s alright, I''m not...It''s just normal regret, Petal. Not...that." "You are not a bad man, Dara. You made mistakes, you listened to the wrong people, but you were always trying to do good." "Trying to do good is not an excuse for doing bad." And it''s not, he''s right, but Madara, Hashirama has realized, is the most stubborn human being he''s ever met and has already decided he''s a bad person. Unworthy, unlovable, unforgivable. Unable to forget that first life when he wasn''t strong enough, wasn''t smart enough to defeat Zetsu and Kaguya. When he did so much damage that he blackened his own soul. It plunges Hashirama back to those lifetimes in the mountains when the strongest man he knew couldn''t muster up the energy or reason to get out of bed to relieve himself, let alone to eat. Remembers watching Madara waste away to skin and bones because he couldn''t muster up the barest energy to breathe. It''s not something they -shinobi- deal with often because taking that attitude onto the battlefield guarantees death, and even Hashirama''s most dedicated efforts as a healer made little to no difference until Madara himself found a reason to live. How did you heal thought, after all? How did you heal a wound that wasn''t physical, that you couldn''t see or even feel all the time? That came and went with the seasons? There''s a word for it, though it''s not well known. Utsuby¨­. Meloncholia. Sickness of the soul. Not to be confused with Sh¨±sh¨­. Anguish. Grief of the soul. Because we all make that mistake, he thinks. In a world where people die too quickly to truly regret or mourn anything, it''s fallen by the wayside. But seeing Madara suffer from it, seeing it linger at the corners of his existence, just waiting to slip back in, has brought it to Hashirama''s attention. Along with the realization that if the village succeeds and their people begin to live past their thirties and forties, it will become a significant health issue. Even the strongest of them could be worn down by it given enough time. Like Madara, who is still the strongest Hashirama knows, to try over and over and over to right his wrongs and make a better world, whom years of loneliness had cracked open so widely that Zetsu and Kaguya could grab hold and carve strips off his soul. They missed it in that first life, and it makes him think of Kakashi. Of Iruka and Itachi and all those children and all those soldiers crumbling behind closed doors. Of Sasuke and Naruto, clinging so tightly to one another. A love colored by desperation. And now Madara is convinced that no matter how much good he does, he will never be a good person -whatever that is- and nothing Hashirama says will budge him. It is as infuriating as it is saddening. If Madara slips into the void again, if this world refuses to show him some ounce of affection, some glimpse of love, Hashirama will just burn it all and start all over. Because he has realized something.... As much as he needs Tobirama by his side and as much as Madara needs Izuna... Hashirama and Madara need each other. There is no other, no equal, no match, that can understand either of them more than the other. There is no one Hashirama can confide his furies and his frustrations too besides Madara, because his strength would turn his frustration into terror in anyone else. Only Madara can look at his seething desire to rip apart the world and remake it into something better and not feel threatened. Likewise, there is no one else who can hear Madara''s rage, his impulsive desire to destroy and hurt and inflict the pain he sees in the world on those who cause it, and not fear that he will destroy them all in a single outburst. There is no one else that understands the precipice they stand on. All the lifetimes before leading up to this one, all their failed attempts and the determination to keep trying, driven to love even if it isn''t returned... What it means to have someone give you hope for the first time in your life, to realize that dream you clutched so tightly that got you through the loss of those you loved most, was actually shared by another human being instead of mocked and dismissed. Like they had done for one another back in that first lifetime, that first day beside the Naka. There is no one else either of them can turn to and say, remember that lifetime in the mountains? You fell to your death laughing. Remember when we walked to the end of the world and got lost? No one else shares those stories. That understanding. There is no one else alive in this world that remembers their true childhood, back in that first life that set them on this course, to begin with. So it will always be just the two of them, carrying this blessing that is also a burden, because neither of them can justify forcing someone else to carry it as well. Hashirama polishes off the bottle, though he doesn''t hold his sake nearly as well as Madara. Something in Uchiha physiology makes them burn through anything faster: food, alcohol, pain medication. It''s likely a result of their abnormally large chakra pathways and reserves, developed over the generations to support the Sharingan. The variations are fascinating, as well as the differing medical practices the Uchiha have developed in response and he''s honestly excited to see the Uchiha and Senju medical fields mesh once they''ve got the village up and running. He''s noticed a trend in the overall differences between the clans. He feels a bit stupid for taking so long to notice it, but whatever; the Senju think long term and proceed, carefully on a narrow path, accordingly. The Uchiha face the challenge in front of them and then the one after that, with a less established, more erratic path to an overall goal. Senju medicine is almost always a hospital or clinic matter. Uchiha, more often than not, treated one another in the comfort of their homes, with little supervision by the clan medics, unless the wound was significant. The Senju heal when necessary. The Uchiha practiced preventative medicine to the extreme, constantly healing sore muscles and bruises to ensure they could train the following day with little to no restraint. The Senju focused on non-chakra-based healing as much as possible, the Uchiha the exact opposite. To the point that they had little to no knowledge of the wide variety of plants the Senju used. The Senju believed in personal space; the Uchiha didn''t. The Uchiha looked one another in the eye, a sign of trust and affection, and the Senju demurred as a sign of respect. And perhaps a bit because of the Sharingan. The Uchiha lived in interconnected homes, often sprawling over an entire block with close family members or friends. The Senju moved into private homes after marriage and relatives were discouraged from living with newlyweds over concerns that the relationship would be unnecessarily stressed. The Uchiha didn''t have divorce in any form. All Senju marriages included contracts of some kind, even when the marriage was the result of a long relationship and love. The Senju Elders and Clan Leader could interject in any marriage agreement they wished if they thought it was for the betterment of the clan. The Uchiha firmly believed that if both parties were consenting, no one outside those two had any say. They fell hard and fast and permanently. The sick among the Uchiha were cared for by family members, while the Senju maintained group homes for the elderly and ill. The Senju had orphanages, allotments, and public baths. The Uchiha adopted all parentless children, regardless of age, into a family, shared a large communal garden tended by civilian family members, and had private baths in their homes. The only public bath was an onsen and sauna reserved for active shinobi. The Uchiha still followed the Old Ways, with blood dances and the old gods. They soaked their blood into the ground beneath their homes and maintained wards built generations before. Their elders -and really forty or fifty was not old- when they felt their time coming, would spill their own blood over the ground, a final act of service to the clan. Or they would fight to the death with a younger clan member, dying to bring out the Sharingan. The Old Ways were based on voluntary sacrifice and a life centered on love and war. The Newer Ways, monotheistic religions spreading from across the sea focused on service and caste systems, the primary reason they''d been embraced by the capitol, and extolled long-term peace and economies focused on trade and knowledge sharing and very strict societal roles that offered little deviation. There was a happy medium between them, but finding it was another matter entirely. They''d found a good starting point in previous lives, but they hadn''t figured out the trick to making it long-lasting. And also, the Uchiha put spice in EVERYTHING. The first time Hashirama had taken a sip of their tea, he''d nearly died while Madara just laughed. The Senju''s food was rich, full of fat and heavy flavors, and Madara couldn''t even make it all the way through an entire plate of one of their traditional dishes before laying down and complaining of a stomachache. All those differences. All those new things for each side to try. It makes him a bit giddy, thinking of the possibilities to come. But now he''s rambling about things they could worry about later. There''s no way to be sure what Zetsu is up to right now, but he''s circling both clans now, and worst-case scenario, he will use the method he used so successfully in the first life. Killing Izuna wearing Tobirama''s face. Madara''s been hovering around his baby brother ever since Kurama told them, and it''s driving Izuna up the wall. The fiery Uchiha''s been planning his own revenge against Zetsu. He doesn''t have the full picture, but he''s not stupid. He put enough together to realize Zetsu used him against Madara to devastating effect, and he''s already told Hashirama and Midoriko that he''s not letting it happen twice. Hashirama almost considered bringing him along, but Madara''s hesitance to let him out of his sight and Midoriko''s still secret pregnancy convinced him otherwise. When he finally sets out the next morning, he does so in his finest armor, repaired by the Uchiha firesymths in their favored kintsugi style.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. He makes it to the border of their lands by lunch, not rushing but not delaying either, and is surprised to find Moro waiting for him. *** The history of the world, as taught to Madara and Hashirama and their ilk as children, begins with the arrival of the Otsutsuki in the Land of the Ancients and continues from there, conveniently ignoring large periods of time when conflicting beliefs or groups were in power. It also, less conveniently, ignored the time before the arrival of Kaguya''s blood and the first planting and harvest of the God Tree. When there had been no roads or villages or cities. When the old gods ruled wild, violent lands under a blood-red sky and humans were still in their infancy and crawling out of the nooks and crannies. There had been many gods then, fickle creatures dedicated to eradicating the encroaching human race. There''d been a war when the Otsutsuki arrived that neither side won, but when Kaguya had eaten the God Fruit and set the human race on the path to civilization, what remained of the old gods had turned their backs on the world, slipping into the in-between and only returning when called by the blood they favored. Deals made with gods were far less reliable than deals made with spirit clans. After all, they could afford to wait out the Otsutsuki. Even when Kaguya had created the Tailed Beasts and let them run rampant over the world, they''d stayed away. And once the Tailed Beasts had been freed by Kaguya''s imprisonment, they''d scattered to the ends of the Earth, and likewise turned their backs as Kaguya''s children began to grow and the study of chakra began. Moro was one of the old gods and one of the oldest of those. The great, untamable wild. A three-tailed wolf whose pack had once run from one end of the earth to the other in a single bound. She''d hunted beside Kuromaru, the great black bite who guarded the door and was the first to favor humans. Had served the King of the Forest alongside Okuninushi, who wove the web of the world, with whom she''d also created many spirit clans that had signed summons contracts with shinobi. She had signed her own contract with Indra''s daughter, Kikyo, the progenitor of all living Uchiha, in exchange for a Sharingan of her own. And while she enforced the law of non-interference, she, like Kuromaru and his Inuzuka and Okuninushi and her Aburame, maintained a close relationship with her chosen children, the Uchiha. The three clans had made their bones as yokai hunters in those first dark decades after Kaguya was sealed, and while there were now few yokai that remained, it was not uncommon to see her dispensing guidance at the main temple in the Uchiha compound or visiting the King of the Forest deep in the trees along the Naka. The first time Madara had summoned her and introduced her to Hashirama, he''d wet himself at the overwhelming force of the god''s chakra, but she''d proven a (relatively) patient teacher and dedicated guardian, though she only took part in the conflicts with Kaguya or yokai, never between humans. Her pack was twelve strong now, and Hashirama adored them all. Overgrown pups, for the most part, always eager to come out and play. And utterly vicious in a fight. It''s comforting to have her at his back as he approaches the Senju Compound. His task is difficult, though he supposes it''s somewhat more palatable with a god at his back. *** The Senju guards were most definitely expecting Hashirama, opening the gates before he''d even reached them. They were most definitely not expecting Moro, and they stumbled over themselves to get away from her, having long forgotten the tales of the old gods and unable to recognize why her chakra was so intimidating. He finds his father waiting for him in the center of the compound, flanked by his favorite supporters. Concerningly, Tobirama and Mito are both off to the side, surrounded by Shinobi Hashirama recognizes are not necessarily friends. Tobirama catches his eye, but he doesn''t give any of their signals for crisis or betrayal, so it seems Butsuma''s paranoia has simply evolved. And since Hashirama didn''t hide his chakra on his approach, Butsuma had time to gather the entire clan. He does seem surprised by Moro, eyes widening as the wolf the size of a small house prowls behind Hashirama. "What the fuck is that? You got a new summons, boy?" Summons are not common among the Senju. Besides Hashirama''s slugs and Tobirama''s moths, there are no other summons in their generation, and Butsuma didn''t think either of them was useful because neither were battle-oriented. "You must be blind if you think I look like a mere summons," Moro growled as the clan backed away from her. "So worried about showing your face that you brought a mutt for help? Couldn''t get any of your precious red-eyed freaks to come with you? They all too afraid?" "They couldn''t agree on who got to come." It''s a fight to stay calm, but worthwhile. Butsuma''s inability to rial Hashirama has always bothered him. But he seems calm now. Annoyed but calm. None of his usual tics, his eye, his cheek, clenched fists, are showing. Why is Butsuma so calm? And why is Tobirama so still? *** Izuna is pacing when the runner comes. Madara is locked in his office, bent over plans for his village in an attempt not to worry about what''s happening a league away. Izuna''s been sneaking in at night and making nonsensical corrections in red ink just to annoy him, even though he''s pretty much resigned to it at this point. They need it to defeat Kaguya, anyway. That''s more than enough reason to put up with the stuffy, egotistical Senju. Midoriko has been watching him and laughing for the last ten minutes, and Hikaku and Itachi got annoyed and left a while ago. Madara''s chakra is blanketing the compound right now. His brother is an unparalleled sensor, capable of reaching the borders of the Land of Fire if he really tries, and he''s been on the lookout ever since that damn fox showed up. Hashirama insists Tobirama is just as skilled a sensor, but Hashirama is an idealistic idiot that Izuna frequently worries is going to hurt himself rather than his enemies, so he''s withholding belief until he sees it himself. Zetsu is nearby, and the thought of being able to gut that creepy-whatever-he-is enough to make Izuna salivate. He''s even recalled all the shinobi they had away on missions. Gathering an army for when he finally arrives. But Izuna called dibs. He''s already told the others, and Madara reluctantly promised not to interfere unless Izuna was going to lose, so Kaguya''s little critter is going to die on Izuna''s blade as is just and righteous. And then Izuna''s going to stick his head on a pike and mount it right in the middle of their new village. See how Kaguya likes that. He starts laughing, a little bit madly, to himself, and naturally, that''s when the runner arrives. Exhausted and out of breath, he still manages to look at Izuna like he''s a weirdo until he snaps at him to report. "Kaguya, Lord Izuna." "Yes, I know, she sent her little troublemaker-" "No! Clan Kaguya. A squad of them was hired by Senju Butsuma three nights ago." Midoriko rises to her feet. Three days is more than enough time for that squad to travel from the Kaguya''s homeland to the Senju Compound and set up an ambush for Hashirama. The Kaguya are a formidable clan. Even Hashirama''s mokuton struggles to break through their bone, and their love of battle as a means to cause harm and gain power is too much, even for the war-based Uchiha. If he''s not expecting them and Tobirama has failed to turn as many to their cause as he claims...There is a more than decent chance that Hashirama won''t be able to win. And fucking mother flame. They need him now, and Izuna''s even a little bit fond of the overgrown dandelion, though he won''t admit it out loud even on pain of death. He''s moving without even thinking about it, launching himself over the wall with a roar, "Tell my brother!" Midoriko hot on his heels, and he could feel Hikaku, Itachi, Yoruichi, Kisuke, and several others close behind. Though Yoruichi, in particular, could outpace all of them. For now, she was content to follow, though Izuna has no doubt most of that was because she was smart enough to realize the amount of work that was going to go into the village and wanted no part of it. Smart brat. *** Why do people have to be this lonely? What''s the point of it all? Millions of people in this world, all of them yearning, looking to others to satisfy them, yet isolating themselves. Why? Was the earth put here just to nourish human loneliness?" Haruki Murakami *** Moro picked up the first wisps of smoke as Izuna led the Uchiha over the walls of the Senju compound. The appearance of the Kaguya had been an unfortunate surprise, as was their willingness to attack her. Though even their bone wasn''t enough for a fatal injury, it was not pleasant to be speared and stabbed a half-dozen times by shinobi who lusted after the smell of blood. Especially since they were human and her own rules prevented her from simply killing them all. Hashirama had withstood their initial attack admirably, and if he hadn''t been so damn worried about accidentally killing the Senju gathered nearby -well played, Butsuma- he probably could have done away with them without help and still survived. As it is, Izuna and his ilk arrive just in time to sweep Hashirama clear of a fatal blow, and Moro finds that today is not the day she will have to answer for breaking the King of the Forest''s chief law. However, she does consider the reaction to Izuna leading the Uchiha over the walls of the Senju compound a bit dramatic. Screaming about demons and an invasion and causing mass panic when there was already a battle underway in a confined space was not the smartest choice. But humans are young and silly as a whole, so it''s not a complete surprise. Especially when her Uchiha went straight for the Kaguya and ignored the Senju. and Hashirama had to put himself between his clan and the Uchiha to prevent them from being attacked by the same people they were trying to protect. And Pretty Flower was still trying to reason with his father as everything fell into chaos. It was Kaguya against Uchiha against Senju against Senju and Hashirama''s mokuton and the Kaguya''s bone, and the Uchiha''s fire filled the air. The foreign princess was trying to evacuate people, and Snowflake had leaped into the fight to defend his brother, but he also didn''t trust the Uchiha, so neither side was willing to show their backs, and they''re all just a bunch of spoiled, stubborn children and one of these days she''s going to give in to the urge to smack some sense into all of them. She can feel the Calamity and another wave of Uchiha begin to move towards the Senju compound, but even chakra-enhanced speed will not get them here in the next few minutes. The fastest of the clan had arrived with Izuna, draining their chakra to make up the distance, and it was starting to show. But so, too, were Snowflake''s efforts to turn his clan to his brother''s side. More Senju were off to the side, confused and reluctant, than were outright attacking Pretty Flower and the Uchiha. And that smoke... The wisp is becoming a scent on the wind, then a cloud, and it takes her attention away long enough to spot the flames crawling through the wheat fields, approaching the compound on three sides at a speed only a fire on a dry, hot summer day is capable of. Behind the fire is nothing but a wall of smoke. Ah. So this is Zetsu''s play. She had wondered, just like Calamity and Pretty Flower, what his intentions were as he circled, and it seems in this life he''s chosen to be a dramatic little bitch. A painful keening cry rips her attention away from the fire, echoing out over the compound and the surrounding fields and drowning out the clash of flesh and metal. Only her Uchiha make noises like that and only when.... She searches the chaos as the battlefield falls still. And- Oh... *** Moro has not favored humans as long as Kuromaru. Is not as tied into their daily existence as he has become with his Inuzuka or even Okuniushi with their Aburame. She maintains a distance, for their good as much as hers, because Moro has learned some hard lessons when it comes to humans. They are frequently forgetful and callus and selfish. They are terribly flighty and disappointing, and their whims seem to change with every breath. They rarely make sense and, even more, rarely act with any kind of forethought. Although Kuromaru claims she can''t complain about that one, because time means something different to them. Moro disagrees. She can hold her lot to whatever standard she chooses. But the one overarching lesson she has learned about them, the one that hurts the most and makes every day with them painful, makes her regret her decision to walk among them, is this: They are terribly, terribly fragile. *** Midoriko wasn''t born to a noble family, though she was born to a noble clan. Her parents served honorably, as did theirs, as did she. Though none of them are so notable as to be famous in their own right. She loved deeply, even if it is only going to be briefly. She has touched enough lives, for good and for bad, on the battlefield and beyond, to feel as though she is leaving a legacy, that she has accomplished something in her twenty years on this earth. Her Sharingan burns bright and hot alongside the greatest of the age, and there is a new world on the horizon. She won''t get to see it, but she is comforted by the fact that it is coming, and there is no force in this world strong enough to stop it. To stop Madara and Hashirama. Her dedicated, noble, slightly hysterical, frequently confused clan head and his sweet, optimistic, frequently stupid best friend. Midoriko had been hoping to see them lead the shinobi against Kaguya and into the new world, and it is disappointing that she won''t. She''d wanted to walk into the new days at Izuna''s side, listen to him rant and whine about having to work alongside the Senju Ghost, and even more to the day when he realized his long-term rival was so, so similar to him (that''s what she suspects anyway, based on Hashirama''s stories). Wanted to raise their children together. The future of the clan. There hasn''t been a baby born to the Uchiha clan in four years. Not since Kagami barely survived his birthing, and everyone has been desperate to hear the cries of an infant in the compound again. Madara, most of all. Their terrifying, demonic, inhuman ¨Caccording to the rest of the world- calamity of a clan leader has always wanted babes of his own. Midoriko still remembers how giddy Madara had been when Kagami''s mother announced her pregnancy and how she''d found him admiring the clan montsuki the day before her wedding to Izuna. He''d already picked out the one he wanted to wear if he ever got married, though he seemed convinced it would never happen. An Uchiha''s devotion was a heavy thing, and many outside the clan were wary of being trapped in it for the rest of their lives. All Uchiha felt an intense desire for family and connection. Part of it was them and the short lives they lived and the memories they carried; part of it was the Sharingan longing for its own connections. Parasites couldn''t survive alone, after all. It was why teaching the young had become the clan leader''s responsibility, to help impart the importance of the children and their future in a clan that was as notorious for their love of battle as they were for their struggle to reproduce. He''s so excited about Kagami, though he won''t admit it for fear of hurting the boy''s aging grandfather. The old man knows though, had told Izuna he was pleased to know how happy Madara was, even if he was saddened by the idea of leaving his grandson behind. For some reason the Sharingan won''t share, Madara views Kagami as the only chance he will have to have children and a family of his own. It''s all very sad and never fails to make Midoriko thankful for her own luck in that realm. This new world they are ushering in, though, it could be different. It could be peaceful and full of love instead of hate. There could be laughter in their house instead of tears and rage and that horrible, melancholy sadness that takes over Madara sometimes. Madara and Hashirama have their failings, by kami do they have failings, but they are at heart good men trying to do a good thing. They''re just also impatient, stubborn mules who have no concept of what fear can do to a normal person. Watching them grow, even in such a short period, has been a pleasure. Watching them laugh and dream together, listening to what the village will look like when they are all together, Uchiha and Senju, and then all the others that will follow. To the generations that will come after. Every once in a while, Madara and Hashirama talk about them when they think no one else is around. About someone named Naruto and a Sasuke and the things they''ve done? The things they are going to do? About Iruka and Itachi and Obito, whom they owe so many apologies to. About some Hatake they are so impressed with and a girl? Woman? Named Tsunade that Hashirama takes particular pride in. Midoriko was looking forward to meeting them. It''s terribly, terribly easy, when thinking about all of that, to step in front of the blade that would have struck down Hashirama. Wielded by his own father, no less. She does regret that she''ll die in his arms instead of Izuna''s, but at least it''s not dying alone on some foreign battlefield either or at the hand of bloodline thieves. And she is fond of Hashirama. Terribly so. He''ll take care of Izuna too. She''s confident in that as her lifeblood spills over his hands and onto the ground, and the light in her belly wanes and wanes until it''s snuffed completely. Distantly, she can hear Hashirama''s sobs, so emotional, and Izuna''s screams. Her poor man will have to go on without her, at least as long as it takes to defeat Kaguya. She will not allow him to join her in the Pure Land until she is defeated, but Midoriko is beyond caring now. Beyond everything. *** The pretty kunoichi Mito met beside the Naka is dead in Hashirama''s arms. She doesn''t have to be a healer to know that there is no healing jutsu in existence fast enough to staunch that kind of bleeding. She took Butsuma''s blade directly to the heart, as Hashirama would have if the Uchiha kunoichi hadn''t stepped between them. The other one, Madara''s baby brother, the Izuna Hashirama, had written to her so fondly about, hasn''t stopped screaming, demanding wake up, wake, please, don''t leave, don''t leave me, please. And while she hasn''t shared what Hashirama has told her in his letters, it''s easy for everyone to see that she is his wife. And that he loved her deeply. Her death, or perhaps the action that led to it, seems to have paralyzed everyone else. The Uchiha in horror, the Senju in shock. Thankfully, the last of Kaguya falls to Tobirama''s blade before he can take advantage, but there is still Butsuma and those loyal to him to deal with. And the smoke. The great white wolf, and Mito has never seen a creature that large before, seems more interested in the smoke than the battle. Looking over the walls of the compound more than she''s paying attention to the shinobi attacking her. Mito is not that familiar with fire, outside its use in the home. Uzushio is an island and so much water naturally limits the use of fire. And quite frankly, it is very rare to have a fire-natured shinobi born to them, but even to her untrained eye, the shade and thickness of the smoke is concerning. As is the speed with which its spreading. Butsuma is leaping for Hashirama again, and both he and Izuna are too distracted to realize. Mito grabs for her fan, catches Tobirama making hand signs, but it''s neither of them that reaches Hashirama first. Butsuma looks as surprised as the rest of them when jaws the size of a wagon close around him. The crunch of his bones and the squelch of his organs as they''re crushed between the wolf''s fangs are the last sounds he ever makes. Well, except for the splat his remains make when it spits them out. Even Mito will admit she''s struck still by the end of Senju Butsuma. At least she is until the wolf howls, "Flee, you fools!" as the fire crawls over the walls of the compound. And then all hell truly breaks loose. *** It''s Sana that throws open the gates, knocking them clear off their hinges in her desperation. It is the only exit not consumed by fire within seconds. Panicked civilians of all ages flood it immediately while the shinobi go over the top of the wall itself. There are frantic grabs for the wounded and the elderly and the too young. The few foolish enough to try and run back to their homes to grab precious possessions are quickly consumed by the flames. The wolf catches a few with her tail, knocking them clear over the wall to safety...provided they survived the landing. Hashirama has recovered enough, still crying, to pick up the kunoichi''s body, Izuna, and two children and clear the wall, his mokuton grabbing even more of the too-slow as he goes. The other Uchiha have added their voices to the Senju, who have remained calm, yelling at people to move faster, grab those who can''t keep up, and for Kami''s sake, don''t stop for anything! While one of their younger kunoichi loses what''s left of her patience and just starts destroying the walls on either side of the gate with a few well-placed blows. Mito checks on Nadeshinko and Behito, but her cousins are well suited to emergencies, loud and sharp and merciless as they herd the crowd forward. Tobirama is darting around the end of the group, pitting his own speed against that of the fire and snatching as many as he can from the flames. He only pauses once to yell at a Uchiha Sana vaguely recognizes as Hikaku, a cousin to Madara. "Can''t you put it out, Uchiha?" "It''s not a normal flame," Hikaku yells back because, of course, they fucking tried that already. "It''s not natural." "Fucking hell, just run!" Renji yells, face bright red between the heat and the exertion. They make it out of the compound, only to realize the fire is approaching from three sides, its flames nearly reaching the top of the compound walls and the smoke beginning to block out the sun. There''s only one direction to flee, towards the Uchiha compound, but even that is beginning to close. *** There are chakra signatures approaching, and whether it''s due to the panic or chaos, for the first time in his life, Tobirama is relieved to realize one of them is Madara. If nothing else, the man''s strong enough to carry several wounded. Now that they''re clear of the compound, pockets of civilians and shinobi are hesitating to run towards the Uchiha, and no matter how much he snarls to keep moving, they aren''t, and the fire starts to close in. It doesn''t move like a normal fire. Hikaku must be correct. There''s something besides the flame there, but Tobirama doesn''t have the time or energy to devote to figuring out what it is now. The Uchiha are doing their best to assist the unwilling, but it takes Tobirama, Touka, and Mito screaming their support to get some Senju to accept the help. And then the wolves arrive. The large one, the pack leader that arrived with Hashirama, crouches down, and the Uchiha immediately begins snatching children and tossing them onto her back. There''s a moment so poignant Tobirama can practically taste it, where he and every other Senju are thinking of the worst-case scenario. Of what it would have meant any day before today for a Uchiha to snatch their children. But then the pack leader rises, and the others skid to a stop in front of any child they see, and their parents set aside generations of hatred faster than anyone else for a chance to save their children. One mother even throws her baby as the flames claim her, her scream cut off abruptly as they close around her. The young Uchiha kunoichi that brought down the walls catches the wailing babe, handing her off to a teenager Tobirama vaguely recognizes from one of the weapon''s shops and who doesn''t hesitate to leap onto the nearest wolf and hold on for dear life as it takes off through the wheat. That''s when he notices it. There''s another chakra signature amid the flames. Madara and the other Uchiha are still minutes away. Hashirama is carrying as many as his mokuton can while also trying to fight off the flames, and his grief is still palpable in his erratic chakra. Izuna is of no use, terribly still, likely in shock. Mito, Hikaku, Sana, Renji, and a few others strong enough to note are doing their best to fight back against a fire that has a mind of its own. But there is something in the fire. Something odd. Not natural. Tobirama is the rear guard now and sends his strongest water dragon directly into the flames to see what happens. The cloud of steam that results stings his eyes and lungs and doesn''t slow the fire at all. He can''t use a wind jutsu to clear it away; he might not be an Uchiha, but he knows wind is useless against fire. Introducing more oxygen will only make it stronger. He retreats a bit, just to avoid the flames, only glances back once to make sure the rest are still fleeing with purpose, and when he turns to track that strange chakra signature, he comes face to face... With himself. *** Madara can see the smoke on the horizon as soon as he leaves the compound. He can see the fire by the halfway point. And he can feel the exact moment Midoriko''s Sharingan dies. He trips, surprise and grief and rage coming on so quick he nearly goes to his knees and nothing but bullheaded determination and flat ground keeps him moving. Izuna''s chakra goes haywire, mad, and Hashirama''s shudders in time with his sobs. Madara can feel it as if he were right next to them. Moro''s pack raced ahead. Whatever message she''d sent them had them returning to their true size and thundering across the fields in great leaps. As he draws closer, he can see the extent of the fire. The smoke bringing on an early twilight and choking the oxygen from the air. That alone should have slowed the fire, but it wasn''t. He can feel Hashirama and Izuna, whose chakra signature has gone terrifying flat, towards the middle of the pack, surrounded by so many others that Hashirama must be carrying. Tobirama is the rear guard, Mito and Hikaku somewhere between them. And... Something else. Zetsu. Zetsu is somewhere in the flames, circling the rear and looking for his opening and Madara snarls, pushes more chakra into his feet, and feels his clan follow suit. Only Zetsu would be mad enough to start a wildfire on a hot summer day. It''s so dry that even Zetsu will never be able to control it. The fire will spread until there''s no fuel left and leave the Land of Fire a barren stretch of ash. That motherfucker. All that sadness and loneliness, and reluctant hope turns to rage. That''s always been Madara''s strength. He can turn anything into motivation to fight. His chakra is rolling off him in waves, raising the temperature of the air around him. Zetsu is creeping closer and closer, and then he''s right there, his chakra mixing with Tobirama''s. The Rinnegan pulses. Spins. *** Desperation is the raw material of drastic change. Only those who can leave behind everything they have ever believed in can hope to escape. William S. Burroughs *** ~tbc~ Ukiyo *** There is a time to take counsel of your fears, and there is a time to never listen to any fear. George S. Patton *** In the future, when they finally get there, there will be days like this: Even now, there aren''t many days when Tobirama can wake up naturally. When he can drift awake slowly, let the birdsong bring him out of his dreams, and the lingering warmth of the blankets try to tempt him back. He doesn''t often get to see the morning light creep across Madara''s skin, turning it soft and golden. With his hair living a life of its own across the pillow and his face lax. His lush eyelashes dark against his skin. He looks almost gentle these mornings, and if not for the scars littering his body, he could almost be untouched by the challenging life they''ve lived. It''s so rare that Tobirama doesn''t even want to take advantage of their free morning for some activities they were too tired for last night. One of his hands is tangled with Madara''s, because even in sleep, he has to be touching Tobirama, so he props himself up on his free hand to study his husband. Madara carries his years well, so far untouched by grey, and the lines just starting to take root in his face only make him look more distinguished. Tobirama''s husband is a hot piece of- And there''s no alarm, no falcon, no assistant screaming about an emergency, no Isamu crying, no Kagami cannon-balling onto the bed to wake them up (and, seriously, fuck Izuna for teaching him that). Well, Kagami still does that even though he''s legally an adult now, and no matter how many times he''s burst in on something he claims traumatized him. Madara''s always oddly still when he sleeps. Tobirama is restless, so he''s told, moving multiple times in the night, but Madara lays down and wakes up in the same place. Unless Tobirama moved him sometime in the night. It''s even funnier when he thinks about Madara''s general inability to be still whenever he''s awake. He''s always fiddling with something, even when he''s relaxing with his pipe on the engawa. Thankfully, Kagami''s out on a mission, so there''s no threat of a full-grown shinobi landing on them both, laughing like the devil. Even though they finally upgraded to a thicker futon when both of them started to feel their age a few years ago. And Isamu is spending the weekend at a friend''s so their house is empty. .... A glint of gold catches his eye just as he''s contemplating dozing back off. Sitting innocently on the small stand next to the futon are Madara''s gloves. The black leather is one of the softest things Tobirama has ever felt, and just the sight of them makes his skin tingle. But next to them... Sitting next to them, gleaming in the morning light, are Madara''s reading glasses. Thin, gold rims that sit so perfectly on Madara''s face that Tobirama can''t work in the same room with him when he''s wearing them. Tobirama has a weakness for Madara''s hands, especially clad in his trademark gloves. It''s by far his most powerful kink out of what is turning into a rather large collection. Or it was. Until the day he walked into Madara''s private office and found him wearing THE GLASSES. His heart stopped for a moment as he took in the mass of dark hair pulled into a clumsy ponytail. The blacks worn down to softness after so many washes. Madara''s hands, so big and strong and covered in tiny scars and burns that will never fade, stained with ink. The elegant gold frames balanced over his regal nose. "Hrngk." The noise he made brought Madara''s attention up from his papers, and when he looked directly at Tobirama, reached up absentmindedly to adjust his glasses with those damn hands, Tobirama made another inarticulate sound, came in his pants, slid down the wall, and landed in a heap. Naturally, Madara panicked, thinking something was wrong, and tripped all over himself and everything else to check on him. When Tobirama finally caught his breath and admitted, with a blush crawling across his cheeks, that the glasses took him by surprise, Madara had just stared at him, uncomprehending. Just for a minute. Because the love of his life could be a bit slow, but he was a genius after the momentary delay. A spiteful, cruel genius because he took immediate advantage of Tobirama, who usually made him promise no touching in any office of any kind, and fucked him with his fingers and his tongue, pressed so deep Tobirama could feel the rims of the glasses pressing into the sensitive skin of his buttocks hard enough to leave marks until Tobirama was screaming and covered in his own fluids. And then he let Tobirama push him back into his chair and seat himself on Madara''s cock, a firm hand in his hair to make sure Madara kept looking at him through those glasses as he rode him until they were both too exhausted to move. "You can''t wear those glasses in the office anymore," Tobirama told him after, chest heaving. "No glasses in the office. Got it." Madara wheezed, still trying to catch his breath and not sounding at all upset. They''re going to live on the stand right next to their bed from now on. And he''s going to order many, many backup pairs. And he did because Tobirama has definitely broken more than his fair share over the years. Especially when they play mad scientist and experiment... Madara makes a fantastic mad scientist, just cruel enough to ensure it''ll take Tobirama a few days to recover, and Tobirama has long resigned himself, since the first time they tried that particular fantasy, to the knowledge that if he ever gets captured by a real mad scientist, he''s probably just going to give everything up. Especially if he resembles Madara in any way. And now there''s a pit of heat low in his belly... Well, they can nap later. They have the whole day for once, so he slides his hand across Madara''s chest, tweaks a nipple just the way that gets Madara going, and grins as his husband''s dark eyes flutter open. It''s a long, pleasant morning. But they''re not there yet. On their way though, the stubborn brats, finally on their way. *** But now, right now, they are still struggling. Because Calamity has failed again. No! Yes! She seethes. No, please! We''re so close. You have failed. Izuna is broken, the Senju damaged. You must start over. She pulses. Spins. No, Izuna can- I can help him. He can still be happy. He- You have failed again! She screams at him, her voice echoing through time and space. He is broken! Pretty Flower is damaged! Snowflake will die, and Kaguya will win. You will fall to her like you did the first time! Like you would have every time since if I had not stepped in. There''s still time- I WILL NOT BE CAGED AGAIN! I can fix it! You can fix nothing. All you do is break and damage and hurt. And Madara''s breath had seized in his lungs at the reminder. All that suffering he''d wrought because he''d been weak. Do you think you are the only one I could have picked? You are strong, Calamity, but there is one who will surpass you. I could have waited for him. That''s not fair. I''m trying- You are a failure! I have wasted my time with you. You were supposed to save them all. To stop Mother. All you have done is let her win. I won''t- please- She spins. Pushes memories of every time Madara has failed into his mind. Images of the Konoha burning, of nothing but the wasteland that will come. Of Hashirama cut open and left to bleed. Of Izuna and Tobirama cut down, eyes wide and unseeing. Of Mito torn apart, blood as red as her hair spreading across the ground. Of Naruto and Sasuke reaching for one another in death and never succeeding before the last of their life leaves them. Of Iruka and Kakashi tearing one another apart on the battlefield. Of Obito dying alone and Itachi being forced to witness the world burn, a failure just like Madara despite all his effort and sacrifice. Perhaps I should have waited for Dragonheart. He would have succeeded the first time. You don''t deserve to call yourself ''Uchiha''. All your blood has sworn themselves to this war, has chosen to follow you, and here you are, a failure. Pathetic. But Itachi shouldn''t have to carry it, Madara thinks desperately. Itachi already carried everything else in that first life. He shouldn''t have to carry this, too. I can do it, Madara swears with everything that is left in him. I can do it. We have not lost yet. Please don''t make me start over again. We have already come so far. Please let us try. Please. .... Please! I could have left you to die in that first life. Scattered to pieces with nothing but regret and sadness and misery. Is that what you want? Apparently, it would have been just as effective. No, I will win. I will win! You have one hour to turn the tide. If you fail again, Calamity, I will send you back to the beginning. I will make you live them all over and over until you finally understand that failure is not allowed. I will not tolerate it, not from you! And Madara sobs with relief, still running, as the Rinnegan stops and falls silent. She does unbend enough to show him the way. To show him how to blanket the battlefield with his chakra and the steps, the signs, to bring everything under that blanket to a standstill. A technique not seen on this Earth since Hagaromo himself. *** Whoever he is, he is not human. That much Tobirama is sure of as he faces a perfect copy of himself. And does his sneer look like that? He loves turning it on Hashirama when his big brother is lecturing him on interpersonal relationships. Tobi, of course, they cry when you''re not nice, no one is as smart as you, just treat them like an adorable small animal, you like those! But if that''s what it looks like, he''s going to stop. It''s incredibly condescending. Why hasn''t Hashirama punched him in the face before? Because that''s what Tobirama wants to do to Not-Tobirama and he''s only been facing that look for thirty seconds. It dawns on him, then. This is the enemy Hashirama would not put a name to. The one he hints at constantly but seems too afraid to confirm out loud. This is the reason he wants the village so badly. Why he clings to Madara. Because this thing is not human, and just looking at it, Tobirama wants it to burn. It lunges past him, heading straight for Hashirama, who''s too bogged down by the wounded and Izuna to do more than use the mokuton as a shield. And despite the fact that he drives Tobirama up the wall, that''s his big brother, and this inhuman prick thinks he''s going to hurt him? Absolutely not. Hiraishin is not complete yet. Tobirama can see the final product, still a few steps short, but it''s still useful. It still makes Tobirama faster than ninety-nine percent of those he could face on the battlefield, and this thing is no different. He gets between Hashirama and the wounded and Not-Tobirama every time until the thing twists his face into rage and frustration. It''s odd to hear it shriek at him in his own voice. "Would you just stay out of the way? Do you want to die?" Tobirama ignores his questions to ask his own. "What are you?" "Nothing for you to be concerned with Tobi-Tobi. Just get out of the way." "And let you kill Hashirama? Not a chance." "Awe, precious baby brother, don''t worry. I won''t kill Hashirama." But he lunges again, and Tobirama has to block his blade again. "Stop it!" Not-Tobirama shrieks, face red. Black blotches appear and disappear on his skin. "No." Whoever the fuck this is, they don''t have a battle temperament. One of Butsuma''s favorite lessons to hammer home was how to stay calm and rile your opponent at the same time. At least it was until Hashirama mastered it and used it against their father to devastating effect in their personal squabbles. Not-Tobirama let loose a scream of rage and attacked again. And Tobirama was so focused on protecting Hashirama that he barely managed to block the second strike aimed at Izuna. Oh. Oh. "I told you I''d leave Hashirama alone! Get out of the way!" "No." Izuna. It''s Izuna. Izuna is the target. Madara''s precious, last surviving sibling. Last surviving family member. So that''s its plan. It''s not Hashirama. It''s Madara. Madara is the true target. Unstable, emotional Madara, who all the Senju intelligence experts swear would not survive the loss of his last brother. Whom Hashirama has defended for so long. Whom Hashirama loves so deeply. The rest of the pieces fall into place. If he kills Izuna wearing Tobirama''s face, no amount of conviction and placating will stop Madara. If, by some miracle, a peace holds, Madara will never be healed. It will simmer just beneath the surface until it finally boils over, and only the gods know what the damage would be. It could be enough to drive a wedge between Hashirama and Madara, and since Hashirama and Madara''s goal is peace, as unrealistic as it is, that means this thing''s goal is to keep the war going.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Keep whittling away the Senju and the Uchiha until there''s no one left. Or perhaps it''s trying to get Madara or Hashirama to do something specific. Either way, it''s enemy. And for the first time in his life, Tobirama feels a drive to protect a Uchiha. And it''s even Madara, of all of them. The Brother-Stealer. Though he tells himself, it''s just a by-product of protecting Hashirama. He goes on the attack. Not-Tobirama is skilled, far beyond the average shinobi, but Tobirama is better. At least he is until a mutated Mokuton nearly decapitates him, except Mito''s chains get in the way as she joins him in the rear. "This is the one who started the fire?" She asks. Not-Tobirama cackles. Tobirama makes a mental note never to laugh like that. "Yes, I started it! How do you like it, Princess? Maybe I''ll visit Uzushio and give them one. How would your little island of paper take it?" Mito snarls, "You will not live long enough to try." "If you''re so insistent on getting in my way when I''m trying to be nice, perhaps I should change my approach." Tobirama''s stomach twists with something horrible and painful as Not-Tobirama''s features stretch and pull, and then it''s not Not-Tobirama. It''s Not-Izuna. Different approach, same result. "I believe it would be best if we killed this...thing, Senju-san." "I agree, Uzumaki-hime." Not-Izuna laughs, but it doesn''t quite reach the mocking thing Tobirama has faced across the battlefield, so he''s clearly not as practiced at intimidating Izuna. Why not prepare for that? "Are you ready for me, then? Think you can match me when I have a Sharingan?" Tobirama''s chakra reaches out, pokes. Because that mokuton had not been the real mokuton, just a bastardized copy. If he can''t copy the mokuton correctly, there''s no way- "You don''t have a Sharingan," Tobirama says, utterly confident. The Sharingan has always been a very clear blight on the chakra signature of the Uchiha that achieved it. It was the very first thing Butsuma taught him to recognize among chakra signatures. Not-Izuna''s chakra is oily, rotted, disgusting, but there is no blight. "A paltry intimidation then," Mito smirks. "Hardly worth our time." For two shinobi who have never fought side by side together, they work rather well. Tobirama is skilled enough to match and adjust his style to hers, while Mito is confident enough in his ability and her understanding of her own skill to lead and trust him to follow. She''s no match for Tobirama herself, but she is close to on par with whatever it is they''re fighting, and with Tobirama at her side, they quickly force it on the defensive. There''s even a glance of victory until the not-mokuton erupts from the earth and nearly impales them both. It is much more extensive than Tobirama calculated and this thing is nearly as adept with it as Hashirama himself. How long as this been brewing? And how did Hashirama and Madara even discover it to begin with? Tobirama has to switch from offense to defense and then protection when Mito is just a hair too slow. "Would you like me to leave?" She asks when he''s clipped, shoving her aside. "No, the- shit!" The next blow nearly takes him off his feet. "Tobi!" Hashirama, panicked, but still carrying the wounded. If he tries to intervene, he''ll just be helping this thing with its goal. "Stay back!" And then Tobirama can''t do anything but defend, only his half-developed hiraishin saving him from the hundred of strikes Not-Izuna''s mokuton rains down. He underestimated its strength, he realizes. Or it finally overcame its own ego and realized it needed to get serious. He''s never seen Hashirama use the mokuton to its full effect, but if it''s anything like this, well, it makes sense they call him a god. Tobirama is not going to win. At most, he can buy enough time for Mito and Hashirama to get away as it whittles away at him. Death by a thousand cuts is not a pleasant way to go, but it does give Tobirama time to achieve something. But this is it for him, and the realization is...painful. He still doesn''t believe in Hashirama''s dream, but suddenly, losing the opportunity to see it at all is a little heartbreaking. More than he ever thought it would be. But the Senju are behind him. Just shy of five hundred civilians and shinobi fleeing for their lives against a force of nature with a mind of its own. The Uchiha are behind him. Enemies for so long, but today, today they are carrying the wounded and the young. Their fire at his back to defend, not burn. And then there is a sun on the battlefield. So bright it eclipses even Not-Tobirama-Not-Izuna''s unnatural wildfire. Madara''s chakra blankets the field and a pulse of relief echoes through Hashirama and Mito''s. And frankly, everyone else near the rear. Even Tobirama''s, though he''ll never admit it out loud. Then Tobirama sees it, though he''s not sure what exactly he''s seeing. Just for a moment, everything is still. Even the flames froze mid-flicker. The strange Not-Tobirama-Not-Izuna that feels like oil and rot is stopped mid-step. Tobirama''s breath is caught mid-inhale. And then Madara, who was a hundred feet away before, is suddenly right there, an arm around Tobirama''s waist as the flames come alive again, and he can breathe, sweeping him away from Not-Tobirama''s fatal strike before it can land. Thoughts of what that was are quickly set aside with Madara''s arm around his waist like a brand of iron. He moves faster than Tobirama ever thought possible, sweeping Mito under his other arm and dragging both of them to safety as if they weigh nothing. Given the size of the gunbai on his back, does he even notice their weight? "Take care of the wounded, Hashirama." "I''ll meet you at the compound." Madara releases Mito, "Help Hashirama." And she goes without hesitation. Hikaku and several other Uchiha gather, but Madara sends all but two with Mito: a young girl, Yoruichi, and a boy, Kisuke, who cannot possibly be an Uchiha by blood-based on his coloring. Not-Izuna seethes, but he stays well back. Afraid of Madara, Tobirama realizes. Very afraid. "Put on your real face, Zetsu." "But I like this one, Dara-chan." "You''re own too ugly for you?" "Maybe I won''t give it back." Not-Izuna taunted. "How about I rip it off and give it to my brother as a gift?" Madara snarled. "This is him, Shishou?" Yoruichi cracked her knuckles. She couldn''t be more than twelve or thirteen, but she must be a genius, or close enough, for Madara to choose her to fight at his side. "This is him," Madara growled, pulling his gunbai from his back. "And we don''t need him alive?" The boy, Kisuke, clarified, drawing his own sword, a long, thin blade with a red sheen, as the flames crept closer on all sides. "No." Madara''s smile took on a cruel edge, and for once, it comforted Tobirama instead of terrifying him. "He''s not human, and he has some bastardized version of the mokuton." Madara didn''t look away from Not-Izuna. "What else?" He''d always been a natural commander on the field, even more so than Hashirama, and it felt strangely natural to let him lead. "He''s fast, but not as fast as me or you." "That''ll make this easy then," Yoruichi grinned, "I''m faster than both of you." And then she was gone, pressing forward in an impressive rush of chakra and taijutsu that immediately put Zetsu on the defensive. Kisuke hot on her heels, sharp and pale in the openings her attack left. They were an excellent team, Tobirama noted. A credit to whoever had taught them. "Stay on my left," Madara ordered, and Tobirama barely had time to acknowledge him before he, too, was pushing forward, countering Zetsu''s fake mokuton with sweeping blows from his gunbai. Madara''s strategy is obvious within a few seconds, though how the other two knew it so quickly is a question for another time. The Great Calamity of the Uchiha took the main charge, matching the not-mokuton with blows that would crush a human and forcing the majority of Not-Izuna''s attention to stay on him. He left his back wide-open to focus on the attack and Tobirama slots easily into the gap, the same way he has for Hashirama in the past, ensuring none of the wild strikes get lucky. The two young Uchiha slip in from the side where Kisuke actually manages to get his sword into Not-Izuna''s leg relatively quickly, and the thing falls back into the flames with a howl of pain. They can''t follow him into the fire, though, so they''re forced to regroup and retreat as the flames crawl closer. This fight is pointless if they can''t stop the fire, Tobirama realizes. And Madara''s chakra is significantly drained from whatever he did when he first arrived. Drained to a level Tobirama has never felt before. Suddenly, Madara''s arm was around his waist again, and Tobirama slung an arm around his shoulder automatically, bringing the other up to shield his face as Madara pushed chakra into his feet and leaped into the air. Yoruichi and Kisuke following, both of them latching onto Madara''s back as the Uchiha unleashed a breath of black flames. "How far back are we?" Tobirama reached out and found Hashirama''s chakra clustered with Mito and Hikaku and several others nearly a mile behind them now. "A mile and growing. But the fire is only two hundred feet from surrounding us." "Creepy fucking goatfucker." Madara hissed, making the younger two laugh, as he let loose another swath of black flames and leaped clear of the flames closing in around them. Tobirama reached out to check for stragglers. "Shit." "What?" "There''s a group separated off to the west. Three miles. Mostly civilians, a few shinobi." He recognizes the chakra of Touka and Renji and two others Tobirama had helped teach. "I can try to get through," Yoruichi volunteered, already bracing to leap. "No," Madara whistled three times in short succession. An answer bird''s cry responded a few seconds later. The shadow of a hawk fading in and out of the smoke above them. Madara gave another long whistle, and the shadow turned west and abruptly disappeared. *** Despite layers of cloth tied over their noses and mouths, the cloying smoke was beginning to slow down even Renji and Touka. The two senior Senju shinobi among the handful guarding a large swatch of the civilians, they''d been making good time until they''d been forced to veer west to avoid a growing column of fire. Now, it had wrapped almost completely around them, and the smoke was too thick to find an opening. The civilians were beginning to panic, along with the younger shinobi, after several had dropped dead where they stood from smoke inhalation. Even Touka and Renji were beginning to feel the tug as their options slowly closed off. "If we can''t find a path through soon-" "I know." Touka snapped, even though she hadn''t meant to. Renji was only a few years younger, but he was the coddled only child born to one of the current Clan Elders and had been sent to the battlefield relatively late. He was a decent shinobi and despite his heritage, didn''t have any issue taking orders. He was a bit sensitive, though, so he usually wasn''t put with Touka, whose lack of patience tended to traumatize newer recruits, and he flinched at her tone now. He''d have to wait for an apology if she ever bothered to give him one since they were minutes away from dying. Her eyes were watering non-stop, the smoke making them sting and burn, and she could feel the exposed skin on her neck and arms starting to blister and peel. They weren''t going to make it to safety, let alone out of the fire''s path if they didn''t- A weak cry was nearly drowned out by the roar of flames, but Touka, Renji, and several of the civilians looked up anyway. "That sounded like a bird," Renji, shielding his eyes against the brightness of the flames. "Impossible," One of the nearby civilians coughed. "They would have fled as soon as the fire started." "It wasn''t human," Renji insisted, even though there was no way to know. There were too many civilians and too much fire for Touka to do more than get a body count once it was all over. A second cry made even more of them stop and try to look up. And then a hawk, its wing span easily outstripping Touka''s own reach, blew past her head, caught an updraft from the fire, and was propelled back above the smoke. "Holy shit!" Renji screamed in surprise, and he wasn''t the only one. "Wait, that-" "Uchiha Madara raises hawks!" Touka roared. Tobirama had complained about it for months after one had nearly succeeded in eating one of his moths, "Follow it!" The hawk dove again, gliding so low over their heads that the tips of its feathers brushed more than a few of them, turned abruptly north, and caught another updraft above the smoke. "Go! Go!" Getting the civilians moving again was hard, but once they were in motion, they were self-propelling as Madara''s hawk dove down to change their direction every few minutes. It took another hour, which felt like an eternity, and there was no way Madra''s hawk was going to survive all the smoke it had inhaled before they started seeing a clear sky in the distance. The hawk picked up an easy glide as they got the first civilians into the open fields, the Uchiha Compound visible on the horizon, and no one needed any direction once they caught a glimpse. A final burst of adrenaline pushing even the civilians to try and run the remaining distance to safety. The closer they got, the more of their clan mates they found trailing from the compound to the rear guard, where Mito and a handful of Uchiha were still urging them to move faster. Touka, Renji, and the others slowed to stay back with her as the hawk disappeared over the walls of the compound. Touka felt a brief burst of sympathy for the animal, regardless of who it belonged to, sacrificing itself to lead them out. She looked back, just a glance to see if they''d left anyone behind, but the sight stopped her in her tracks. The fire spread as far as she could see in either direction, the sky grey instead of blue. Had there ever been a fire this big before? Not in any of the histories the Senju taught, and they kept a diligent record of the fires caused by the Uchiha. There''d been five that they still taught about. Two back in the days of yokai, when the Uchiha''s famed hunts would fill entire horizons with smoke and fire. The third from the year the Uchiha settled by the Naka, a year after the Senju had settled in their current location and almost two hundred since this day. The Uchiha had burned almost a thousand acres along the river, provoking a fight with a small clan that had been wiped out in the ensuing battle, and from then on, everything west of the Naka, south of the Senju, east of the mountains, and north of the capitol had belonged to the Uchiha. The Senju still spoke of the rage the then Clan Head has displayed when he''d learned the Uchiha had cut off direct access to the capitol and the Damiyo and any chance of the Senju earning enough favor to become a Noble Clan in that decade. The fourth was from the time of her great-great-grandfather, Senju Tai, but was so shrouded in legend that they couldn''t confirm if it had truly happened or not. Tai had apparently told his children about it years later, but they''d all been born at least a decade later. Great-great-grandfather Tai had always claimed the fire had been part of a battle against the Moon Princess Kaguya and that the Uchiha had lit the God Tree on fire with a flame so hot it burned white. The burning God Tree was so bright there had been night in the Land of Fire for three days before it finally started to die down. Most of them just dismissed it as a fable now, especially because Tai had always insisted they found alongside the Uchiha, something the recent generations couldn''t even imagine. The fifth had been Madara. Already on the battlefield at the age of six, he''d awoken his Sharingan after seeing his older brother fall to Touka''s aunt''s blade, and the eruption of chakra had been so hot and so powerful it had set off a wildfire that had ravaged the agricultural fields at the heart of the Land of Fire to such an extent that it had nearly pushed them to starvation when nothing could be harvested for the two years following. Butsuma and his father had celebrated the kill, but Touka''s aunt had always been quietly guilty about the result of her success. She''d been the first shinobi in the clan Touka had seen not celebrate the death of a Uchiha, and now she sat as one of the few Elders pushing for moderation and in favor of Hashirama''s plans for peace. They''d never been particularly close; Touka''s parents hadn''t shared her views for the short time they''d been alive, and Butsuma had been quick to take Touka in after their deaths rather than let her aunt do so. And as a child, excited to be with her cousins, Touka hadn''t seen a problem with it. Even before today, she hadn''t had much drive to reconnect with her aunt. They''d given him the title Calamity after that fire. But now that she thinks about it, she never once heard that word leave her Aunt''s mouth. *** In general, neither the Uchiha nor the Senju knew what to do when the gate closed behind the last of the stragglers. For better or for worse, there were other things to worry about than their sudden forced proximity. At least a quarter of the Senji shinobi and nearly a third of their civilian population didn''t make it out of the fire, and those that did have nothing but the clothes on their backs and whatever wounds they earned from the flames. They have no food, no medicine, no strength to offer the Uchiha who''s home they must now take refuge in. The unnatural fire, because the Uchiha shinobi have confirmed it is not normal, it has burned through all-natural fuel but shows no sign of waning and surrounded the Uchiha Compound. Zetsu''s chakra signature is laced through the fire, so it must be feeding it. The saving grace is the Blood Wards surrounding the compound. They glimmer and shift as the fire presses close, but it cannot breach them. Instead, they look out at walls of fire on all sides, safe from the burn but not from the rising temperature. It''s already at least ten degrees higher than is normal for an already hot summer. Which means their ability to store food and water will be severely depleted the longer the situation continues. Medicine will go bad faster. Wounds will take longer to heal when those bearing them won''t be able to truly rest. Any plants growing in the compound will quickly wilt and die. Zetsu lept back into the fire to escape them, which means he may be able to survive inside of it for an unknown period of time. Even if he can''t come through the wards, he will simply be laying in wait when they are finally driven to attempt to leave. It is far from an ideal situation, but Tobirama honestly can''t even fantasize what an ideal one would look like at this point. It''s unlikely the Uchiha even have the infrastructure to house them for the short term, let alone any long-term solution. There''s nothing left of the Senju compound based on the strength of the fire. Based on the rising temperature, the actual temperature of the fire has to be above five hundred degrees Fahrenheit, which means even the rock that is the basis of most of both compounds is not safe. With continued exposure to the heat of the fire, spalling will begin in the rock, and it will shatter. Not even the walls of the Senju Compound will still be standing. A detached part of Tobirama''s mind begins cataloging everything he has lost. His home, some friends certainly, he doesn''t even know if Aiko has survived, but also his lab, all those years of research and half-formed jutsu that he hasn''t finished and memorized yet. All his books. All the heirlooms he and Hashirama had saved of their mother and brothers. Mother''s jewelry -besides the necklace he''d just gifted Aiko a few days ago-Kawarama''s bracelets, and Itama''s journal. All turned to ash. He pushes through the exhausted crowd of shinobi, following Hashirama''s chakra until he finds him and is wrapped in his brother''s arms before he realizes that just a few feet away, Madara is holding Izuna, whose cheeks are red with tears of blood, as he clutches the Uchiha kunoichi''s still body and sobs. Automatically cataloging Hashirama''s condition he realizes his brother''s chakra is as low as Madara''s, both of them drained to near uselessness. Izuna is clearly out of the fight as well, his chakra so erratic and manic that it feels like he''s dying. And Tobirama himself is drained from extended use of the half-finished hiraishin. Butsuma is dead, but the wolves are gone. What do they do now? "What do we do now, brother?" It was startling to realize that not only was Hashirama crying, but Tobirama was as well. So was everyone else as the adrenaline began to fade and the realization of their situation set in. But while the rest of them cried silently, Izuna''s only grew louder, and Tobirama had to close his eyes to the sight of his battlefield rival begging a corpse to come back to life as he bleed from his eyes. Hashirama actually tucked Tobirama''s face into his shoulder when the other Uchiha finally had to take her body from Izuna, and he started screaming and trying to fight them off. "Brother-" "You don''t have to watch," Hashirama sounded desperate, desperate to hide what was coming. Desperate to protect Tobirama from watching. The Uchiha burned their dead. He already knew that. Hashirama was overreacting in the midst of all the adrenaline and exhaustion and shock and grasping at straws to protect Tobirama from something. Izuna fought so hard he nearly killed two of his clan mates until Madara got a firm grip on his younger brother and managed to restrain him with the help of Hikaku and Yoruichi. The Uchiha shinobi who took the body kept apologizing, while others ripped the doors off the nearby building in their haste to build an appropriate funeral pyre. A woman, civilian by her dress, rushed from the Main House with a beautiful kimono, and they carefully arranged the body and draped the kimono over her. When he saw it, Izuna let out a sound like a wounded animal, his Sharingan spinning wildly out of control. It felt like he was bleeding chakra as he made another lunge for the pyre, and Madara had to lay on him to stop him, murmuring apologies and begging his brother to stay strong. Ten Uchiha shinobi took up a circle around the pyre, all of them casting apologetic looks at Izuna as they summoned Katon until the pyre caught. Someone began a mourning song that picked up voices as it continued. The Senju had always been taught not to cry at funerals, to send the dead off with dignity and respect and silence. The Uchiha cried openly. Even the civilians had tears of blood, cheeks, and shirts stained red. Was that why they favored dark colors to the Senju''s pale? No one left as the pyre burned. More and more of the Senju even joined those watching, Touka coming to stand next to Hashirama and Tobirama. There were very few Uchiha children, Tobirama noted. The youngest he could see only three or four at the side of an elder leaning heavily on a cane. Izuna got free several hours in, as the last of the flesh melted away, and attempted to climb into the pyre before anyone could stop him. He only managed to get his arms into the flame before Madara, Hikaku, Yoruichi, Hashirama, and Tobirama were able to grab him and pull him back. In all his wildest dreams, Tobirama had never thought a day would come when he would be attempting to help Hashirama treat Uchiha Izuna''s burned hands and arms as his sobs finally gave way to a pitiful whimpering. *** "His name is Zetsu," Hashirama explains hours later when the body and the pyre are nothing more than smoldering ash, the mourning song had ended, and Madara was cradling a shocky Izuna and gently rocking him back and forth. It was dawn the following day, but no one had left, what remained of the Senju and the Uchiha still gathered in a circle. "He is Kaguya''s son. Her creation. The one who led Indra astray and shattered the race of shinobi after her sealing into petty, squabbling clans. He needs Madara''s Sharingan to release her from her prison in the moon, to free her to take her vengeance on the children who betrayed her. He tried to drive Madara to madness by killing his last brother wearing the face of his best friend''s brother. Spurred on the war between the Uchiha and the Senju for years behind the scenes. There is no way to know how many deaths in both clans lay at his feet. He brought the fire that has destroyed everything outside the compound and still burns. An attempt to drive a wedge between Madara and myself." "This is why you have been preaching peace?" Touka demands, "Why did you not tell us any of this before now?" "Would you have believed me? Even the Uchiha only learned the truth recently. Madara was able to share it with them through the Sharingan, but I did not think the Senju would accept it in a similar manner." They wouldn''t have. Absolutely not, Tobirama thinks. Even suggesting that would have been the last straw with Hashirama for many of them. But that was before... Before, Zetsu let loose a wildfire that has destroyed everything the Senju held dear. "Zetsu and Kaguya will destroy the shinobi, and those they do not destroy, they will enslave. There is no future for the world if Kaguya is freed. Zetsu will continue to kill and destroy anyone and anything in his path. They must be stopped. The Uchiha have sworn themselves to this war. What will the Senju do?" *** People start their lives at last when they are able to live for something other than themselves. Albert Einstein *** ~tbc~ Kintsuji *** Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous. Confucious *** Tobirama classifies -remembers- the time the Uchiha and Senju spend trapped together in twelve conversations he had. And twelve more he misses the chance to have with Madara. Hashirama remembers it as the twelve times his brother proved to be the most stubborn person on the face of the planet. *** Conversation 1 & 2 Participants: Senju Aiko, Senju Hashirama Subject: Reunions, Love, Uchiha Madara Conclusion: Relief Fact: The human body maintains its core temperature within a very narrow range of 36.5-38.5 ¡æ [97.7-101.3 ¡ãF]. Even starting off with a funeral pyre and the truth about Zetsu doesn''t mean things went off smoothly. Despite the knowledge that neither clan is to blame for their current situation and there is literally nowhere to go, there are still a few scuffles that first day. Most are just shoving matches or loud arguments that die out quickly, thanks to the general exhaustion of the previous day. The worst of it is when Renji gets into a full-on fight with a Uchiha kunoichi, Kasumi, that nearly turns into a brawl when their friends leap to their defense. Before it can get too bad, or someone can run and get Hashirama and Madara, another Uchiha kunoichi steps in and lays down the law in a way only a mother can. Uchiha Ren was the only other woman in the clan who''d managed to get pregnant and carry the child to term in the last four years. Her pregnancy has been difficult, and there wasn''t much hope it was going to end successfully, though she''d refused to terminate so far. She''d just entered her six-month, her stomach was huge, and she clearly wasn''t afraid to use it to shove around her younger peers. Even Renji looked intimidated at the sight of her stomach, skittering away the way young men with no experience with a woman''s body tend to when they''re suddenly faced with it. On the upside, Tobirama was able to maintain his hover at the edges of things and not get involved since Ren had settled the argument. There is one bright moment, aside from reuniting with Hashirama and Touka. Aiko survived. Tobirama found her halfway through the day while they were getting everyone settled. There weren''t enough buildings for everyone, even when they repurposed every standing structure, but there were enough healthy young adults that could sleep outside that they''d found spots for everyone. There are almost a thousand people crammed into the two-hundred-year-old compound built to house far less. In a moment of dark humor, Tobirama noted it was a good thing food and water were going to be rationed so the population wouldn''t put too much of a strain on the plumbing system. At the current rate, it would last a month or two. Which is the best they can hope for...since they can''t leave the compound to fix any of it. Aiko is unharmed, aside from chakra exhaustion and a few small burns. She explains she was part of the shinobi force escorting the main body ahead of Hashirama. "I got lucky," she admits, gripping his hand so tightly it hurts. She didn''t even see the battle with the Kaguya and Hashirama, but she''s heard stories already. Of the wolf Hashirama brought with him and the rumor it''s Madara''s true form. Even Tobirama telling her that''s ridiculous doesn''t shake the suspicion. Madara cannot transform into a wolf. .... Then again... The Senju are living with the Uchiha in their compound, and it''s been almost a full day, and neither side has killed one of the other, so.... Clearly, the laws of nature and science no longer apply. Tobirama forces those thoughts aside and invites Aiko to stay in the Main House, but she sends him off with a kiss. She wants to check on her family tonight, and she''s too exhausted for the madness that''s sure to be in any room that Hashirama and Madara occupy. Tobirama doesn''t blame her. He almost goes with her, but he misses Hashirama, and he knows his dear older brother will come looking if he doesn''t show up. He''s been a bit clingier than normal after all that''s happened. He gets lucky. Madara is shut away in Izuna''s room, so Tobirama finds the guest room Hashirama has been given without having to run into any Uchiha. Hashirama himself is clearly upset about something. It''s been a while since Tobirama has seen him this openly angry, but he manages a smile when Tobirama enters. "Tobi. Here, I saved you dinner." He ushers Tobirama to a tray with a bowl of plain rice, vegetables, a portion of meat, and a cup of dark tea. Nothing has ever looked better, and Tobirama falls on it like an animal, forgetting all those etiquette lessons their mother briefly beat into them. The first bite warms him. With the second, he realizes it''s not the temperature of the food, and he spits it right back out when his mouth bursts into flame. He chugs the tea only to realize it''s just as spicy as the food, but before he can spit it out Hashirama''s hand clamps over his mouth. "Swallow it, Tobi. You have to get used to it." It makes his eyes water and his skin flush, but he does get it down. He glares at his brother as he cleans himself up, fighting off Hashirama''s attempts to help. "What the hell was that? Medication? Poison?" "Don''t be silly. The Uchiha like to spice their food...and tea. And well, everything." Hashirama pushes the rice towards him. "Keep eating. You''ll get used to it." Tobirama eyes the food like those coiled snakes he once ran into in the distant Land of Sand. They looked so harmless, camouflaged as normal rock, but they carried a poison that set off the pain receptors in the human body like a direct lightning strike. It''s one of the most painful ways to die that''s currently known. His stomach growls as he turns his glare on Hashirama. "You could have warned me, Anija." He''s starving, but his mouth and throat are still burning. Hashirama wails, "I''m sorry." And tries to hug him, but the upside of the spice seems to be that it''s pushed Tobirama into his fourth or fifth wind, and he manages to fend him off. "What happened when you first ate it?" One of Hashirama''s few redeeming qualities was that he laughed at himself more than he laughed at anyone else, and he burst into a belly-deep laugh that nearly had him on the floor. "I nearly died, Tobi. It was so bad. I spit out my tea all over Madara. You should have seen his face." Tobirama would have paid to see it. And picturing the scene does lift his mood. Still, he viciously tweaks Hashirama''s ear when it comes within reach and ignores the shriek of pain. Reluctantly, he forces himself to finish the rest of the food as quickly as possible. Trying to swallow fast enough to avoid tasting anything. He does feel better with something in his stomach, even if his mouth is still burning, and then he realizes, "Did you already eat?" Hashirama waves him off. "Yes, yes. Dara laughed. It was terrible." He inches his way closer under Tobi''s narrowed eyes until he''s tucked up right against his side. Tobi lets him rest his head on his shoulder as the weight of the last days settles. Butsuma is dead. The Senju Compound, home of their family for almost three hundred years, is gone. Countless clan members are nothing but ash. There is a new enemy in front of them, with unimaginable resources. The horizon is unknown. Tobirama can''t even begin to imagine the path forward now. It''s too much to think about, even for him. At least right now. He leans against Hashirama, letting his cheek rest on his head, and he nearly dozes off until a ripple of anger in Hashirama''s chakra jolts him awake. "Anija?" "It''s fine, go to sleep." Hashirama pushes him down, resting Tobirama''s head in his lap and gently stroking his hair. His chakra ripples again and settles. "What is it?" "Just thinking." There''s something dark lingering in Hashirama''s eyes, but he gives him a smile. "Nothing you need to be concerned about." A thud from somewhere in the house makes his eyes flick towards the door, towards Madara''s muted chakra signature and Izuna''s, faded almost to nothing. "How is he?" Hashirama''s smile wanes. "It''s too early to tell." Tobirama swallows a mouthful, "I didn''t see him get hit. How bad is it?" Hashirama blinks, "Ah, no, he wasn''t. Midoriko, the kunoichi they burned, she was his wife." Tobirama had guessed as much, "And she was pregn-" Wide-eyed Hashirama slaps a hand over his mouth, "Don''t- don''t say it, Tobi. They don''t know." He doesn''t let go until Tobirama nods. "It won''t end well if they find out, Tobi. The Uchiha...love deeply. I don''t think Izuna could survive knowing what he lost. He may not survive as it is." Hashirama''s entire being seemed to slump. "That seems a bit extreme," Because Tobirama can''t think of a more diplomatic way to put it. "I told you, the Uchiha only love once, little brother." "And then they take an oath of chastity for the rest of their lives?" "It''s not a choice. It''s the Sharingan." "Not all Uchiha have the Sharingan." "Not all of them awaken it, but it is in all their blood. How do you move on when you can''t forget?" "That''s..." Unrealistic. Terrifying. Depressing. Cruel. "Stupid." "Such a romantic, Tobi." "It''s illogical." "It''s not a choice they can make." "A person can always choose not to be stupid." They''ve had this argument so many times in their life that they fall into it without even realizing. There''s no heat, no actual anger, just two brothers with very opposing ideas of love and relationships. Despite the fact that they both share an appetite for the physical side of it, Hashirama dreamed of a great romantic love and fell often and hard and ended up with a broken heart more often than not. Only with Madara did he have a long-term relationship outside his family. Tobirama unwillingly stuck to a similar pattern without the depth of love. He got bored quickly and had yet to find someone that could hold his interest for very long, let alone keep up with some of his more passionate interests, and since he wasn''t about to give those up, they usually just left him after a while. "The Sharingan is a curse," Hashirama says quietly. "It does not give them a choice in much." "They could live without it. A dojutsu is an advantage, not a requirement." Hashirama is silent. Tobirama squints up at him. It''s been a long time since he and Hashirama have just sat and talked. Differing opinions aside, they''ve simply been too busy. For all that Hashirama is the people person, he sometimes struggles to start the difficult conversations. He has a tendency to keep the bad things to himself, to try and shoulder all the weight without sharing it. When he was much younger, Tobirama had felt left out when he learned of things after the fact. He hadn''t been old enough to realize that Hashirama was desperately trying to protect him. It''s still annoying now that he understands that, but the hurt is less. Hashirama tends to divide the people around him by the degree they need to be protected, and Tobirama and Touka and the others are all firmly in the must protect at all costs category. Only Madara seems to be in a category where Hashirama has concluded he can protect himself. "I would like..." Hashirama falters and gathers himself. "I would like for you to learn about the Sharingan from one of the Uchiha. It doesn''t have to be Dara...though he would be best." "I wouldn''t mind," he agrees cautiously. He''s always been fascinated with the dojutsu the Senju so feared. But the Uchiha control information about it even better than they control their bloodline, and most of the Senju''s information is secondhand or assumptions drawn from things witnessed in battle. When Madara''s had manifested at age six, it had floored Senju Intelligence, since none of them had thought it could develop that early. He''d done it again when he awoke the Mangekon, the first any of them had ever seen. And even the first most living Uchiha had ever seen. They had no real knowledge of its limitations and abilities, just guesses and rumors based on nothing substantial. Despite Butsuma''s long obsession with getting his hands on the Sharingan, he''d never succeeded. None of the bloodline thieves had, though Tobirama knew for a fact that at least a dozen Uchiha children under the age of five had been taken and killed in the last hundred years. "Good." Hashirama looked pleased. "I think sharing knowledge will be a good way to encourage friendship between the clans." He didn''t respond to that one; it was far too idealistic. *** Day 2 Recording: Outside mean temperature: 105? F [40?C] Hashirama waited until Tobirama fell asleep and then slipped away, tucking a blanket over his feet because it''s always his feet that get cold when he sleeps. His heart is lighter to finally have his baby brother back at his side, where Hashirama can ensure his protection and happiness. He is safe from Butsuma, who will never be a threat to him again. He is safe from the war that has plagued their clans for generations. He is safe from the damage of using the Edo Tensai because Hashirama knows that no matter what Tobirama insists, he would be damaged, not in his body, but in his soul. There is an army around Tobirama now. An army of shinobi who inspired fear and awe in the great and terrible Senju themselves. There is an army around Mito and Touka and Renji and Sana and all those other Senju that Hashirama wants to drag into the future alongside Tobirama. They are safe here despite the flames and the monster circling. Zetsu will not get past Hashirama and Madara together, nor separately when they are ready for him. The element of surprise is the only way Zetsu could take them head-on now, and aside from a bag of dirty tricks they don''t fully understand. He has nothing they couldn''t learn to defeat. The fake mokuton Tobi briefed him about will probably burn just like Hashirama''s own when faced with Madara''s fire, and Zetsu, while manipulative, lacks the creativity that makes Tobirama and Izuna truly dangerous. Tobirama and Izuna, if they submit to Madara and Hashirama''s training, will likely be able to take him without them. A good backup plan for Madara if Hashirama has to die at any point. Speaking of which, Hashirama carefully closes the door to the guest room and watches the silencing wards slide into place. Once he''s sure they''re engaged, he stops bothering to plaster the smile on his face and lets it drop in favor of something darker. He had pushed aside the Rinnegan''s words earlier, let it fall aside in the face of more important things, but now he has a moment. And he is unlikely to have a free one again for the foreseeable future. He will address this now. Izuna''s room has been heavily warded to contain his screams, both to protect him and to protect their clan members within hearing distance. Madara has caught him in a powerful genjutsu designed to give his mind and heart time to heal, a desperate bid to stop him from following Midoriko. Hashirama slips inside and is relieved to find silence. Madara is dozing off against the wall, and Izuna is still. Hashirama kneels beside him and brushes his hair back. He is Tobi''s age, and Tobi is only a few years younger than Hashirama, but it is enough that Hashirama feels a desperate urge to protect. But where that protection also manifests in a desire to see Tobirama soar on his own, to see him achieve a greatness that leaves Hashirama in the dust and a love that makes Hashirama obsolete, with Izuna...With Izuna, it manifests as a slightly darker desire to keep him by Hashirama''s side. He still wants him to be great, to achieve his dreams, and whatever makes him happy...there''s just a deep, dark part of Hashirama that thinks he can do all of that by Hashirama''s side. It''s an awkward feeling. Hashirama doesn''t remember feeling this for him in any other life, but Hashirama is starting to see a future where Mito and Izuna are by his side, and he''s not sure if either of them would accept that future. If Izuna even cares enough to try and stay with Midoriko gone. She was their catalyst and their connection, and now there is an empty space where she stood before, and Hashirama can feel the wet heat of tears on his cheeks because Midoriko is gone. And so is that small spark of life she carried in her womb. Izuna''s child. Madara''s niece or nephew, who no doubt would have been a great shinobi and a credit to the Senju and the Uchiha. That spark of hope is gone. And Hashirama cannot even speak of it because if Izuna ever finds out he will follow his wife and child to the Pure Land before the day ends. And Madara will be inconsolable with rage. He pushes his chakra out and scans Izuna. He has no physical injuries except his throat, and Hashirama heals it easily. There are few minor strains, and his feet are bruised from the desperate run. Hashirama heals everything he can and fusses with his clothes. Stripping Izuna down to the bare minimum and wiping him down with a damp cloth and water they can''t really afford to waste. He covers him with a light blanket, amused that it''s a match to the one he draped over Tobirama''s feet and the fuss both baby brothers would throw if they knew. Then he turns to Madara. So trusting that he''s still asleep. Hashirama tucks his hair behind his ears and gently pries one of Madara''s eyes open. "Come out, now." Madara snuffles, twitches his nose in his sleep. It''s adorable. The Rinnegan pulses and appears in his eye. Hashirama snarls. "You bitch." *** Conversation 3 Participants: Multiple members of the Uchiha and Senju Clans Subject: Security, Zetsu, Strategy, Religion, Basic Intelligence, Education...Cultural Differences Conclusion: Coalescence Unlikely Fact: For every 0.5¡ãC (1¡ãF) rise in core temperature, a typical person''s heartbeat goes up ten beats per minute, resulting in a racing pulse and a sense of light-headedness. Unsurprisingly, putting two diametrically opposed forces in an enclosed space does not, in fact, go smoothly. "Look, we need to have patrols." "For what? We''re surrounded by fire. It can''t come through the wards, and nothing can come through it!" "Zetsu could!" "Then why hasn''t he? It''s a waste of resources." "What else are they going to do? It''s too hot for anything else!" "Then wouldn''t that mean it''s too hot to patrol?!" "You eye-freaks, why can''t you just look out and see where he is?" "Why don''t you, you lackluster hack! How the fuck do you think the Sharingan works?" If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "It''s an eye, isn''t it?" "You''re supposed to be the clan of a Thousand Techniques. You can''t even find one guy!" "We can''t waste water on the fire. We''re running out." "What do you mean we''re running out of water? Tobi''s right here!" "I can''t create water that doesn''t exist, Touka." "What is he, a water sprite?" "The heat is causing rapid evaporation. Even in the groundwater. You need a stronger sealing method to maintain the stores." ..... "Why are you staring at me?" "Well, what is it?" "What?" "The better storage method." "You''re assuming I have it?" "Yes. You''re Senju Tobirama, aren''t you? Dara and Hashi say you''re the smartest man they know. So what is it?" Thankfully, Mito sweeps in while Tobirama''s sputtering, "I believe I can assist with the storage issue." "You can''t just let people run wild." "Where is it you think they''re going to go?" "Order must be maintained!" "Everyone''s miserable, why make it worse?" "We won''t always be in this situation. We cannot let training and discipline fall by the wayside." "You can''t train when it''s this hot. You''re just going to kill everyone!" "You''re a one-trick horse, Uchiha!" "You''re just a bunch of spare parts, Senju!" "I forgot the world revolves around the Uchiha!" "Damn right, it does! You Senju are just the living embodiment of a participation trophy." "You''re a lighthouse in a desert!" "You''re a bag of flour!" "Well, you''re proof Kami has a sense of humor!" "You are sharp as a rock!" "There are sharp rocks, asshole! I cut myself on them all the time." "You''d be more useful if you were one!" "I''ve stepped in puddles deeper than you!" "Bastard!" "Asshole!" "Jerk!" "Bitch!" "This is a waste of time." "Feel free to walk right out the gates, Senju." "How about I throw you through them, Uchiha!" "Ha, the wards won''t let you!... Right, Madara-shishou?" Madara''s explosion of frustrated outrage knocked them all out of the Hantahoru in one fell sweep. Instead of continuing the argument in the street with the rest of them, Tobirama wandered off when he spotted Touka ducking around the side of the main house. He followed her all the way around to the gardens that filled the center yard and the small building tucked among the flowers. Madara''s aviary. The only building the Uchiha had refused to open up for housing. Not that it would have fit more than a couple of adults. Hawks were too peculiar and, in a way, too fragile; disturbing them too much at a time like this would have cost Madara his entire host. Touka waited for him by the door. "Did they send you to stop me?" "Who? And why? What are you planning to do?" He stiffened, worried. Touka wasn''t over-emotional, but she had a temper and tended to be impulsive. It had gotten her into trouble often when they were younger. In fact, it still got her in trouble now that they were adults. She scoffed at him. "Relax, it''s nothing bad. Come on." She led him inside and her familiarity gave away that it clearly wasn''t her first visit. Madara''s hawks were perched as low to the ground as they could be, attempting to stay cool, and Touka led him straight to a female who clearly wasn''t taking the heat well. She''d started to molt, her feathers dull and listless. Touka poured fresh water into the bowl on the perch and pulled out a small cloth bundle from her pocket. Her share of meat for the week. "Touka..." "Can you heal her?" She didn''t look at him, pounding out the meat into thin strips using a small wooden table. Tobirama carefully moved closer and studied the hawk. Her eyes were red, her beak cracked. This close, he could hear the wheeze when she breathed. Smoke inhalation. Birds were extremely sensitive to smoke and wild ones went out of their way to avoid any whiff of it. For Madara''s hawk to be in this bad of shape, she must have... "She led us through the fire," Touka said quietly, patiently holding out a piece of meat as the hawk slowly pecked at it. Even its appetite seemed lackluster. Healing severe smoke inhalation in humans lucky enough to survive was impossible; some of the damage could be undone, and they could even return to service in the best cases, but damage from even minor inhalation would never go away completely. Hot smoke was too deadly, too fast acting -it only took a couple of breaths- and the throat and lungs too fragile. He''d never tried to heal a system as small and delicate as a hawk''s, either. He looked at the hawk again, summoned his chakra, and swept a hand across her. The smoke had damaged her body''s ability to absorb oxygen from her blood, killing her slowly the same way it did people. This was the shadow Tobirama had seen above the battle with Zetsu. Madara''s whistle had sent her to Touka and the others and she''d brought hundreds of his classmen to safety at the cost of herself. Even now, dull and molted and dying, he could see hints of the magnificence that had been there before. She must have been the pride of Madara''s cast, with a wingspan that looked as long as Tobirama''s arms and feathers that looked like old cedar wood inlaid with burnished gold and turned snow white at her tail. Something tickled the back of his mind...his moths...was this the hawk Madara had sent after them? She peered back at him, eyes steely with a hint of the intelligence that lay underneath the underneath. She may not have been a summons, but she''d proven herself tough enough to hunt one. Carefully, he pushed healing chakra into his index finger and gently stroked her chest, letting the chakra infuse her body to try and generate cellular regrowth. "I can try, but don''t get your hopes up." Touka''s face fell, but she rallied; she''d always been a bit of a pessimist, anyway. Conversation 4 Participant: Senju Touka Subject: Biology, Healing, Hawks, Uchiha Madara Conclusion: Little hope of survival *** Conversation 6 Participant: Uchiha Kagami Subject: Uchiha sensibilities Conclusion: They have none Recording: Outside mean temperature: 109? F [43?C] An odd positive of being stuck here with the Uchiha is that it''s lessened Tobirama''s responsibilities of leadership since everything belongs to the Uchiha, and Madara is the one who has to make every decision. Even more so, since Hashirama is the only Senju he''s likely to listen to. Between helping Touka with the hawk and keeping an eye on Hashirama, he has plenty of time to study their longtime enemies in a much more intimate setting than he''d ever thought possible, and he''s discovered some interesting things. The Uchiha are.... The Uchiha seem.... The Uchiha...make no fucking sense! And he nearly tears the paper with the force of his brushstrokes. Through their own demonstration, they are passionate beyond reason. Their tempers burn bright and hot but out quickly. So, what''s the point of even getting angry in the first place? They are the epitome of shinobi but they are not quiet; they are not secretive or detached. They have no concept of personal space with strangers but are overly respectful about maintaining individual privacy among the clan members. They are also much, much more militant than Tobirama ever thought was possible. Now that he can look around their compound freely, he realizes that everything they have serves a main purpose for war and only a secondary as a household item. They drilled constantly and seemed to enjoy fighting for fighting''s sake. Taking to it with a glee they normally hid on the battlefield, and pain didn''t seem to slow them down unless the wound was significant. They wasted chakra that was taking three times as long to recover in the heat on minor pulled muscles and cuts. They persisted in training despite the heat and the half-rations Madara put every uninjured adult on. Some of the Senju shinobi determined not to fall behind, had tried training as well, and ended up in the healing beds. Madara had ordered all training to cease that afternoon, and Tobirama had never seen any group of people rise so quickly and so loudly against a decree. The Senju had just watched in disbelief as Madara screamed at his clansmen, and the Uchiha screamed at their clan leader, and Hashirama tried and failed to calm everyone down for hours. Never mind that no one in the Senju would ever speak to Hashirama so disrespectfully, the Uchiha acted as if Madara was taking away one of their rights of life, like air, instead of just trying to preserve their energy and rations. Madara ended up having to spend the rest of the day and that night stalking the compound to yell at anyone going against his order in secret. "We have to train," Little Kagami had explained, perched next to Tobirama on the roof of the main house. "We''re Uchiha. We fight, so we train." And no matter how much Tobirama argued about the heat, almost a full five degrees hotter than the first day already and still climbing, Kagami refused to be moved. He''s the youngest in the clan. He explained when Tobirama first caught him following him on his rounds the night before. He''d been utterly adorable as he''d insisted Tobirama hadn''t caught him, that at four and a half because the half counts, I''m the sneakiest in the clan, and does your hair mean you''re old? My Ojisan has hair that color, but not as much! Do I make your hair fall out, too? Did you have hair like Mada-Shishou before? I want hair like his when I get big so I can hide weapons in it! Do you know the Great Fireball Technique? Can you teach me? Tobirama, who didn''t have too much exposure to children this small, usually trains the older children and does have the peace of mind to ask, "Why don''t you know it already?" Kagami''s face screws up in the most adorable pout he''s ever seen, lips pushed out, arms crossed, cheeks puffed out like a squirrel. "Because I''m only four...and a half." "You should be able to learn the basic form at four...and a half." A maniacal gleam of hope entered the boy''s eyes. "Is that really why you don''t know it?" "Yes, I swear!" Kagami even puts a small hand over his heart, wide eyes projecting as much innocence as he can muster. Tobirama wavers, at least until "He burned a house down." The frisson of terror that shoots down his spine when he hears Madara''s voice behind him and realizes that he didn''t sense him doesn''t go unnoticed by the older man, but thankfully, it skips Kagami''s notice entirely as the boy turns on his clan head with the most outraged expression Tobirama had ever seen on a child. "That house was shoddily built, Shishou!" Madara gives Tobirama a wide birth as he joins them, and it''s fascinating to watch Kagami climb the man to hang off his arm. "Itachi begs to differ, especially since he built it himself." Madara just looks amused, and Tobirama realizes there must be some kind of relation between them, for Kagami to take so many liberties of Madara''s person without fear. "Perhaps you should learn how to put out a fire before you learn how to start one." "You don''t know how, so why should I!" Madara winces slightly at that. Despite attempting everything anyone could think of, no one in either clan has come up with a way to stop the fire. Even Tobirama tried and failed, can''t even summon a decent amount of water due to the size and heat of the unnatural wildfire. They did realize that chakra only feeds it, though. So there''s that. The failure to deal with the fire weighs on Hashirama, and going by Hashirama''s opinion of Madara, Tobirama shouldn''t be surprised that it weighs on him as well. "We''ll figure it out, little spark, don''t you worry." Madara pats him on the head, which Kagami ignores to gnaw on the man''s arm in an effort to free himself when Madara sweeps him up, "For now, say goodnight. It''s past your bedtime." "You don''t know that; it''s still light out!" "It is," Madara allows, "But unluckily for you, all the clocks still work." Kagami seems to realize he''s lost this battle, collapsing dramatically against Madara''s chest, and turns big eyes on Tobirama, "Goodnight, Old Man." "Kagami!" "Goodnight, Senju." Madara clears his throat. "Goodnight, Senju-san." Tobirama has definitely just met the most interesting member of the Uchiha Clan. It''s enough to make him smile despite the fear and alarm running through him at Madara''s presence. "Goodnight, Uchiha-chan." Madara hesitates, just for a heartbeat, but then he just nods and walks away. Leaving Tobirama to realize he''s shaking in fear alone. Conversation 5 Participants: Uchiha Kagami, Uchiha Madara Subject: Education, Training, Bedtime Conclusion: Amusing *** Conversation 7 Participants: Uchiha Ren, Uchiha Madara Subject: Childbirth Conclusion: NEVER!!! Fact: With each 0.5¡ãC (1¡ãF) rise in core temperature, the brain tells the muscles to slow down, causing fatigue. The ease with which people simply accept new circumstances is baffling sometimes. Watching the Uchiha and the Senju now, it''s nearly impossible to see the generations of hatred that had parents telling their children red eyes belonged to demons and that differing blood and allegiances meant their neighbors were inhuman and didn''t require basic decency. There are some still holding out because there are always people capable of hatred in the most dire of circumstances, but for most, the mob mentality, he assumes, those old hatreds have softened around the edges to make room for survival. That doesn''t mean existence is peaceful by any means. There is an enemy at their door. Their supplies are dwindling to dangerous levels, and they are all terribly uncomfortable. But those voices that rise in malicious complaints are quickly silenced by their own blood. There are shinobi clans. After all, even the youngest civilian understands that their survival hangs by a thread now. That between one breath and the next, they could perish if the Uchiha wards fail. That Madara could decide to sacrifice the Senju to save the Uchiha. Though, for a man who holds his enemies'' survival in his hands, he seems loath to acknowledge it in any way. Tobirama has only run into him a couple of times, and aside from that night he met Kagami, it has been solely in meetings concerning the current situation and limited ways forward. Madara seems to spend most of his time in his office or with Izuna. The few times he''s been outside the main house, he''s always been beside Hashirama or flanked by some of the other Sharingan users. The Uchiha are loathed to leave him alone, it seems, though whether that''s because they don''t trust the Senju around him or him around the Senju remains to be seen. Hashirama insists they''re just overprotective, that Madara is simply well-loved, but Tobirama is one of those few that can''t shake the past off so easily. Can''t bring himself to turn his back on any of them just yet, but he will admit, grudgingly, that they''ve been beyond kind five days into their shared imprisonment. The Senju leadership...or rather, the Senju leadership that supports Hashirama, Tobirama, Touka, Aunt Emi, and a handful of others, attend almost all of the strategy meetings held by the Uchiha. The Senju leadership from Butsuma''s era has been neatly frozen out, and the Uchiha either silenced theirs before the Senju arrived or in one of those few closed-door meetings the Senju weren''t involved in because there''s never a suggestion of kicking them out or enslaving them. There''s no talk of debts at all, which Tobirama finds suspicious, and if he finds out later that Hashirama bargained or made any deals without telling him first, he''s going to beat his beloved older brother across the Uchiha''s largest training field. He files it away for attention later and turns his attention to yet another meeting that has devolved into a comparison of dick sizes -excuse him, conversations concerning cultural changes- and feels the intense urge to bash his own head against a wall when he realizes they''re talking about babies. Again. No one in the Senju can seem to comprehend the Uchiha''s low birth numbers. Tobirama doesn''t either; he refuses to believe Hashirama''s romantic nonsense about one love, but it''s far from the top of his list of priorities, and this is the fourth meeting that''s gone off the rails because of discussions about the Uchiha''s breeding practices. "We adapted birthing practices from the Capitol," A Senju midwife is saying, "The Damiyo himself had the Royal Midwife teach us, and the survival rate of the children and the mothers has improved. Every three out of five live to adulthood now." "It''s not our birthing practices, Senju. We''ve only had one babe born in the last five years." "But how is that possible? You must be doing something wrong." "It may be a dietary issue," Sana offered. "What plants do you eat regularly? There are some that can cause miscarriages." "We eat the same way you do," Kasumi insisted. "The hell you do," Tobirama muttered, "I was breathing fire after eating your food." "You think spices cause miscarriages?" Bai looked doubtful. "How many miscarriages do you think we have?" Madara sputtered. "It is not possible that you''ve only had one pregnancy in the last five years!" The lead Senju healer exploded. "Do you practice abstinence even after marriage?" "We don''t practice it before marriage, old woman," Madara snapped, "But the only Uchiha that have managed to carry pregnancies past the first term in the last five years were Kagami''s mother four years ago and Ren now." Tobirama''s eyes slide to Hashirama and found his already on him. They both remained silent. Old Keade had been the head midwife for the Senju when all four of Butsuma''s children were born. It was unlikely there was anyone more knowledgeable about pregnancy or childbirth in the entire Land of Fire, but even she seemed utterly stumped by the issue. "May I examine Uchiha Ren?" The woman herself answered before Madara could, waving Keade over. "Come look all you like, Senju. We haven''t been holding much hope I''ll keep this one much longer." "Have you lost a babe before?" "No. This is our first." "Hmm. It is common to suffer a miscarriage with the first pregnancy, but it is usually during the first term, rarely late in the pregnancy." "Our healers say the same," Ren offered, watching as Keade''s hands glowed green above her stomach. "Are the two of you one of these love matches Lord Hashirama speaks of?" "We are. Those are all you will find here." "One would think that would increase the number of pregnancies," Mito murmured, "Given the honest affection between the parties." Keade nodded and hummed as she prodded Ren''s belly. "Is there really a baby in there?" Renji muttered. And he wasn''t the only one. A handful of his close-year mates were gathered around him, all of them watching Ren''s stomach with disturbing curiosity. "What else do you think it could be?" Ren laughed, then winced. Renji and his peers blushed and stuttered, and Tobirama knew immediately that whatever came out of their mouths wasn''t going to be good. "My mom always said the Uchiha are hatched, not born!" "Mine said they made from mud and blood and body parts from dead shinobi." "My dad said that demons crawl out of holes in the ground." "Old man Yoshi used to tell stories about them being forged in the pits of hell. The entire room stared at them. Even Keade shook her head. Hashirama put his head in his hands. "Please stop talking," Tobirama pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to fight off the headache he felt coming on. "Well, tell you what, boys," they bristled at Ren''s mocking tone, "You can see exactly where they come from today." "What?" Renji, confused. "What?" Hashirama and Tobirama, confused. "What?" Madara, confused. Ren grunted as a gush of clear fluid soaked her pants. "Get my birthing equipment immediately," Keade roared. "Where is the Uchiha midwife?" Kasumi ran for the door, "I''ll get her!" "Nadeshinko, Behito, boil water and find towels," Mito ordered and started clearing space around Ren as the kunoichi lost her color and started to list. "It''s too early," Ren moaned as her civilian husband ran in, looking more panicked than anyone else. "It''s too early," Madara insisted, hovering protectively at Ren''s shoulder. The kunoichi grabbed her clan leader''s hand and squeezed until it turned white. "It''s early, but not too early," Keade insisted, though whether she was lying to keep everyone calm or telling the truth, Tobirama didn''t know. Hashirama moved to her side, easily slipping into the role of healer and giving Ren and her husband a reassuring smile. "Don''t worry. It may be difficult, but it will be worthwhile." Tobirama, Renji, and the rest of the room tried to leave, but they didn''t even make it to the door before Ren saw and snapped at them to stay put. "But I didn''t say anything!" Tobirama sputtered as he got dragged back with the rest of them by Ren''s fellow Uchiha. "I know where babies come from! I don''t want to see this!" He hissed. "I don''t want to see it either," Renji wailed. "I''m sorry!" Kasumi looked a little too pleased as she dragged them back to their seats. Having a child was a beautiful journey overall but a horrifying one for significant portions of that journey. Especially the birth. Keade and the Uchiha midwife had already situated Ren. All the tables had been stacked off to the side to give them room while Ren''s adoring husband and Madara took the brunt of her pain-induced rage. "I have a numbing needle that will help the pain," Keade offered. "It won''t work," the Uchiha midwife dismissed it with a careless wave, "Pain medication does not work on us. The dose required would kill the child." "What?" Keade, confused. "What?" Tobirama, confused. "What?" Touka, confused. "Holy shit, that sucks," Renji. Ren snarled, and he hid behind Tobirama. "It''s all right, just breathe," Hashirama cooed. "Nothing''s all right, you overgrown ragweed!" Ren howled, "You try pushing a baby out your tiny dick and see how it feels!" Somebody that wasn''t Ren whimpered off to the side as the midwives spread her legs to check dilation. "Not quite there yet," the Uchiha midwife announced. "Don''t push yet." "What are they looking at?" One of the younger Senju shinobi, still a teenager and too curious for his own good. He and his sister peered over the midwife''s shoulders before anyone could stop them and instantly turned green. "Oh my god, what''s happening to her?" His sister wailed. "It''s a natural process," Keade assured them. "The female body is made for this." The teenager refused to be moved, cowering behind her mother while her brother dry-heaved in a corner. "I''m never having children." "I''ve never been happier," her father, one of the Senju''s best spies, assured her while her mother rolled her eyes. Ren''s husband was trying to coach her breathing, but every other breath was interrupted by a cry of pain. "There''s nothing you can give her?" Touka demanded, two steps from fleeing herself. "The baby''s in a good position," Keade ignored her. "And still small. This won''t be too bad at all. Just a few more hours." Ren snarled. "A few more hours?!" Renji paled even further. "Did you think they just popped out and everything was good to go?" A Senju kunoichi, barely showing with her own pregnancy, asked. It didn''t take long before most of both clans were gathered inside or right outside, waiting mostly patiently for news. Ren refused to let anyone leave and had even demanded that any Senju that didn''t have children be inside to watch. Aunt Emi and another Senju woman found the coldest water they could and began wiping Ren''s forehead, taking her temperature every few minutes at the instruction of the midwives. When they seemed concerned that the room was getting too hot, Madara ordered portions of the walls removed since Ren refused to let anyone leave, and Nadeshinko and Behito took turns fanning Ren constantly to try and keep her comfortable. Eventually, Hashirama just ordered them to take off the last of her clothes, which wasn''t much to begin with since they''d all been down to the bare minimum in the heat, and Ren actually seemed to relax a bit. "I think you broke my hand, Fireheart." Madara muttered. "Suck it up, Shishou." Ren returned, but there was an immense fondness in both their tones, and Madara didn''t move from her side. "The Senju run cold," Kasumi suddenly offered, then grabbed Renji by the collar, "Go lie with her and keep her cool." "What?!" It was hard to imagine anyone looking more horrified than Renji at that moment. "That''s not a bad idea." Hashirama looked thoughtful. "Tobi, come here." "What?! What about Renji?" "Tobi-sama!" "You run cooler than he does because of your water release." "I have all five releases," Tobirama hissed at Hashirama and then at Touka when she snickered. Hashirama''s eyes narrowed. There was only one time and place that Hashirama wouldn''t accept backtalk or arguments. He didn''t even have a problem with outright refusals to his orders on the battlefield. Anything as long as it wasn''t during a medical emergency. Cursing the Uchiha''s ancestors and his own, Tobirama shuffled over. Hashirama made him strip down and fussed until they found a comfortable position for Ren to lie back against his chest. As soon as their skin touched, Ren moaned and shivered, and in any other circumstance, they''d never have heard the end of it, but all Ren''s husband seemed concerned with was her comfort, and he even gave Tobirama a grateful smile and pat on the shoulder. It seemed the Uchiha did run hot. Very hot based on the temperature of Ren''s skin. No wonder they were so adept at winter fighting. Most of the clans bedded down in the coldest months, but the Uchiha shinobi were always busy as ever across the Land of Fire. Even when their civilian tradespeople were closed away for the season. Ren was fit, appropriate for a kunoichi from such an illustrious clan, but the toll from the heat and half-rations were already obvious. Tobirama could feel her ribs and the jut of her shoulder blades pressing into his chest each time she tensed with a contraction. It took another six hours before the midwives were ready for her to push. Once or twice, she''d almost slipped into heat delirium, eyes unfocused and her mind confused. The midwives had snapped at them to pull her out of it because she couldn''t deliver the baby if she was. Tobirama and Hashirama had taken to circulating cooling healing chakra in their hands and pressing it against Ren''s main arteries to further keep her temperature down. She was clammy and slippery by the time the midwife announced it was time to push, and Tobirama lost his grip a few times. Ren was sobbing with pain and squeezing Madara and her husband''s hands so tightly Tobirama was sure both were broken. Her chakra splintered and lashed out wildly as Hashirama settled between her legs to deliver the baby, and she started crying out, "It''s too early, Shishou. It''s too early." The intent to comfort was there¡ªeven Tobirama could see it in Madara¡ªbut it didn''t mean much when the man was just as scared as she was and could only whisper back, "I know, I know." Hashirama smiled brightly from between her legs, "Okay, whenever I say push, you push. Ready, Ren-chan?" "Fuck you and all your ancestors, Senju!" And Tobirama was right there with her as Hashirama said, "Push." Ren screamed with effort each time as blood and other bodily fluids barely seemed to help the passage of the baby. When Hashirama told her to stop halfway through the whole process so they could check the position of the baby''s shoulders, Ren called him a- "Goat fucking son of a whore!" Kaede chuckled, "That''s a new one." "It hurts, Hashi," Ren whimpered, "It hurts so much." Hashirama murmured, "I know, sweetheart, I know. Two more, and it''ll be done. Ready?" "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK!?" Ren screeched. "Push!" The fire outside the walls flared in response to her scream and stayed that way in the silence that followed. The shinobi outside the building froze, waiting. A few crossed their fingers or prayed to their gods. After an agonizing few seconds, a baby''s cries broke the silence, and a wave of cheering followed, and a bunch of people congratulated themselves despite not having anything to do with the process. Hashirama handed the baby off to the Uchiha midwife and told Tobi to hold Ren still when the kunoichi tried to sit up and follow her baby. "Ren, you need to push again. Once more. Ren!" Tobirama knew the instant Ren collapsed back against him after that push that something was wrong. Hashirama''s face set in that terrible way it did when things were about to get very, very bad and he didn''t want to let on. "Give her the baby," Hashirama snapped, and the Uchiha midwife took one look between Ren''s legs and did as he said. "Oh, look, look at her!" Ren, despite being exhausted and growing paler by the second, smiled at the tiny bundle in her arms. "She''s so small." The Senju midwife wiped Hashirama''s arm down with a towel soaked in alcohol as Tobirama, Madara, and Ren''s husband peered down at the baby. "She''s beautiful, my love." Her husband''s eyes were wide with wonder. Unintentionally, Tobirama''s gaze flitted aside and met Madara''s. The baby was covered in blood, mucus, and other body fluids that didn''t bear thinking about. It was a tiny wrinkled thing that didn''t resemble anything or anyone specific at the moment, but clearly, neither of them was stupid enough to say that out loud. A flicker of amusement flashed in Madara''s eyes, and without thinking, Tobirama smiled in response. Then Hashirama ruined it all by saving Ren''s life. "Ren, look at your baby." Even after all the effort, Ren must have realized from his tone that something was wrong, "Hashi?" "Don''t look away from her, Ren." Fear overtook the room as Ren determinedly stared down at her baby. Her fretting husband looked at Hashirama. "What''s wrong?" "Part of the placenta is stuck inside. It will kill her if I don''t get it out." "How-" This time, there was nothing but pain in Ren''s scream as Hashirama stuck his hand and then part of his arm inside to scrap the rest of the placenta out. "Hold her still!" Hashirama snapped, and it took Tobi, Madara, and her husband to do so. "It hurts! Stop! Please stop!" "Look at your baby." "Look at her, Fireheart." Madara leaned over, trying to block Ren''s view of Hashirama. "What''s her name?" "Please stop!" Tears streamed down Ren''s cheeks as she begged, but she didn''t look away from her baby. The little girl''s eyes blinked open as Tobirama held her mother still as she screamed. "What''s her name, Ren?" "Please, god, stop! I can''t-" "Almost done, I promise," Hashirama swore, and even Mito had to turn away as Hashirama''s forearm went a little deeper. Someone in the crowd fainted and hit the floor with a thud. "Ren, name your child!" Madara roared. Ren screamed again, a hoarse, painful thing, and then -"Kiko!" "Done!" Hashirama announced, withdrawing his blood-covered forearm and hand, the rest of the placenta clutched between his fingers. Ren collapsed against Tobirama''s chest, heaving for breath. Her husband started crying, clutching Ren and the baby. Tobirama and Madara stared at Hashirama in horror. "Well, there. Done already," the Senju midwife announced. "I told you it''d be a fast one. They turned their expressions of horror on her, but none of the birthing team or the mothers in the room looked concerned. Later, they''d even insist it was a quicker one than normal. Kiko started crying. "Let me take her and clean her off," The Uchiha midwife said. "No." Ren refused, a stubborn pout on her face. Apparently, this was normal, more so than what Hashirama had just done because both midwives just looked amused. It took a few minutes of cajoling for Ren to surrender the baby, and she made Tobirama help her sit up so she could still see the little form while they wiped her off a few feet away. Hashirama wiped his hands and arm clean and ducked back down to heal the tears. "There we go. You''ll be up and around in a few days." But when he reached out to pat her head, she glared at him. "Petal, while I do like you and am very fond of you, don''t fucking touch me right now," Ren hissed, eyes glassy. "Me either," Tobirama, full of wounded indignity on Ren''s behalf, hissed when it looked like Hashirama was going to pat him on the shoulder. Hashirama just laughed and dropped a kiss on Ren''s glistening forehead before ceding the space to a Uchiha woman with a bowl of clear broth. Ren took a sip and glanced around. "Well, any more doubts about where we come from?" Wisely, everyone kept their mouths shut. *** Without labor, nothing prospers. Sophocles *** ~tbc~ Kyoka Suigetsu *** When you can''t make them see the light, make them feel the heat. Ronald Reagan *** Day 6 Recording: Outside mean temperature: 113? F [45?C] Uchiha Kiko looked a little better cleaned up, but she certainly didn''t look beautiful physically, anyway. The miracle of life and all that was amazing, and everyone adored her, including Tobirama. But apparently, it took a few days for the wrinkles and redness to start fading and the baby''s features to smooth out and start resembling something human. She also had a weird cap of skin on her skull that started to dry and peel the next day, with downy little patches of dark hair peeking through. Ren, apparently unsurprised by all of this and highly amused by the surprise of all those who didn''t share this secret knowledge (pretty much every male of any age and any female too young to have given birth), let Tobirama do a few scientific sketches while Kiko slept against her chest. She''d tried breastfeeding that morning, but the constant heat from the fire, her slow healing, and the lack of food, despite Madara ordering Ren to receive full rations, had dried up her breast milk. It had done the same to all the wet nurses they''d sought, and they''d been forced to turn to formula without Ren being able to breastfeed her baby even once. Hashirama had decided to serve as Ren''s personal doctor and checked in on her and the baby every couple of hours after Madara had installed them in a luxurious room in the main house. Kagami had become a frequent visitor, fascinated by the sight of a human younger than him and unafraid to ask all manner of invasive questions. A few of which had made Madara, when he accompanied him, or whatever other adult was around, clamp a hand over his mouth and apologize profusely. It''s after one of these meetings, when Ren had turned pale with exhaustion and frustration at her inability to feed her baby, and Hashirama has kicked them out, that Tobirama found himself sitting with Aiko, Touka, Sana, Aunt Emi, Renji, and several of the calmer -at times- Uchiha, Kasumi, Itachi, Yoruichi, Kisuke, and the twins, Aki and Ami. And Kagami. Who is not calm at all, ever, and lasts all of ten minutes sitting with the adults before he runs off, mind and mouth going a mile a minute. They have another meeting this afternoon. An attempt to share responsibility among both clans. To learn about one another. Hashirama always gets this stupid, meant-to-be-encouraging-but-really-it''s-just-pitiful look on his face as he implores them all to understand and love one another. So far, every single meeting has gone off the rails. Starting with the very first when questions about Kaguya and Zetsu had devolved into tearing apart the histories of both clans to try and figure out what was Zetsu''s fault and what was their own foolishness. Patrol rotations had turned into a debate on education and training practices when it had come out that Madara had little to do with the patrols because he was still teaching Kagami and the other children to read and write. Tobirama''s still not sure how it developed into the clan leader''s responsibility, but it was an interesting contrast to the Senju''s more mainstream schooling system. A recounting of the wounded and treatments going forward now that the heat was impacting chakra recovery had turned into a bunch of pregnant women comparing birthing techniques and the revelation that the Uchiha struggle so with reproduction. Hashirama had nearly given himself a hernia when Tobirama asked if they''d burned Izuna''s wife so quickly because of her condition. Hashirama had managed to cover by saying he meant her injury and then pulled Tobirama aside afterward and begged him never to share the knowledge. It seemed ridiculous to think that could cause so much damage that it would panic Hashirama, but Tobirama didn''t consider himself a cruel person either, so there was no sacrifice in agreeing. He hadn''t seen Izuna since that first day anyway. Hashirama had helped Madara carry him into his room and assigned Sana to monitor him constantly, though Madara and Hashirama also spent most of their free time with him. He was catatonic, according to Sana, locked in a deep sleep courtesy of Madara''s Mangekon to allow his heart and mind the time they needed. Apparently, Tobirama had been right when he''d noted it felt like Izuna was dying during the pyre, but he still didn''t understand why. Who knows how the meeting today will go? Tobirama is not looking forward to finding out. Kami knows what they''ll end up arguing about since the constant light from the fire has started impacting people''s ability to sleep. The Uchiha run hot, and the Senju run cold, so the Uchiha have been losing more and more clothing as the days go on. One of the Senju Elders threw a fit when he caught a few Uchiha women relaxing in just their underwear and no bras and immediately demanded they dress and stop shaming themselves and their families. None of them had moved. Tobirama''s even been assured that one of them had given the Elder a particular gesture that nearly sent him through the roof. Hashirama had been nearby for that one and put an end to it by telling the Elder that he''d have to re-dress, too, if he was demanding it of them. The Elder''s argument that his age made him more vulnerable and, therefore, an exception, hadn''t flown with anyone, especially since, "At least our tits aren''t wrinkled and sagging, old man! Nobody wants to see that shit either!" Seriously? How are the Uchiha a noble clan? So far, they''re defiant to all reason, over-emotional and uncontrollable, and lack any sense of shame or modesty. Ren has barely ever put clothes on since she gave birth, but Ren gave them Kiko, so she''s the exception to everything as far as most of them are concerned. Including Tobirama. Even Madara''s been wandering around in nothing, but pants rolled up to his knees. Tobirama''s heard a few of the Senju women muttering about his form. And they weren''t insulting mutters, either. And adorable little Kagami just streaked past in nothing. It only took minutes before the other children, Senju and Uchiha alike, were following suit. Tobirama turned a blind eye to it when he saw a few disapproving looks among the adults. Instead, he turned his attention back to the conversation that''s sparked between his Senju and a few Uchiha. Honestly, it''s more surprising to see Aunt Emi and Touka sitting together than to see the Uchiha and Senju together. Emi and Butsuma had not gotten along despite being siblings, and Touka and her mother didn''t see eye to eye on anything. Hashirama, Tobirama, and Touka are old enough now to realize that Butsuma had cut her out of their lives, but it''s hardly been long enough to start repairing that relationship. Aiko was Aunt Emi''s student. That''s how Tobirama met her, and he took a moment to admire his mother''s necklace around her neck before focusing back on the conversation. "How can you not have divorce?" Renji''s parents have both been divorced multiple times. Kasumi rolls her eyes at him, "We only marry for love, Peashoot. And a Uchiha''s love only ends in death." "That''s impossible," Touka, whose infamous lack of patience, affects her personal relationships just as much as her professional ones. "It''s true," Itachi murmurs. "There''s never been one." He''s the one whose house Kagami supposedly burned down. "That you know of. How detailed are your historical records?" Aiko asks and gets a bunch of blank Uchiha stares in response. "They could have been altered," Tobirama offers to support her. That''s what good boyfriends do, and she''s asked him to work on that in the past. She gives him a brilliant smile in response, but the Uchiha still look lost. "Our records are perfect," Ami says. "They can''t be altered," Aki adds. "How is that possible?" Aunt Emi looks as confused as the rest of them. "The Sharingan?" Tobirama guesses. "Do you have people memorize the texts?" Kasumi gapes at him, "Holy shit." Yoruichi, on the other hand, looks victorious. "I fucking told you." "Please tell me I''m not the only one who''s lost," Renji muttered. "You''re not the only one," Sana offers. Yoruichi grins and slaps Tobirama on the knee, "Petal and Dara are utterly convinced you''ve figured it all out, but I told them it was too much of a leap, even for you." Tobirama bristles, "What is?" "It''s not a bad thing," Itachi jumps in, "It''s, there''s no one that would make the leap without being told." "The Sharingan gives us memorization. We never forget anything." Aki begins, and Ami finishes, "Including the memories of our ancestors." It takes a minute even when they''re telling him right to his face because they''re right. No one would ever make that leap. "You have a genetic memory?" Tobirama can''t quite keep the disbelief out of his voice. "All the way back to Indra," Kasumi says. "They''re stored in our blood and the Sharingan. All I have to do is go back and look, and I can relieve any moment from the life of any Uchiha. I can feel the pain and fear my mother felt when the blade cut through her neck." Aunt Emi flinches. "I can remember the victory and exhaustion my great-grandfather felt when he finally slew the Hagaromo he''d been fighting for hours." "We can feel the loneliness and rage Indra felt as he took his final breaths. We can see the forms Zetsu took when he whispered in his ear and the last words that Indra and Asura spoke to one another." "There''s no need for us to maintain physical records, so we''ve never bothered." Kasumi finishes. "You...." For once, Touka has no words. "How do you forget?" Renji looks horrified. "We don''t," Kasumi kicked him in the shin. "That''s the point. We''re Uchiha, we never forget. We never fall out of love once we''ve fallen in. We never fall in love a second time because we can never forget the first." "So Izuna..." Izuna will never love again if he survives, Tobirama realizes. He''s Tobirama''s age, and he''s now destined to be alone for however much longer he lives. That can''t be right. "No." Aki looks sad. "We''re one and done. And it''s rare for one half to survive the loss of the other. It''s part of why we allow anyone to join the clan." "That''s dangerous." The amount of risk in allowing strangers in, especially with their dojutsu is mind-boggling. Tobirama would never allow it. But Kisuke is sitting right there, proof positive of what they''re saying. And the Senju are living in the Uchiha Compound, willingly or not. "Uchiha are not meant to be alone. We don''t do well. Or live very long." Ami and Aki share a look. It''s only been a few days, but Tobirama''s already noticed the twin''s relationship is...intense. The Uchiha seem to turn a blind eye. "One of your elders, Oda, speaks of arranged marriage?" Emi asks, and Yoruichi''s lip curls. "My father''s a fool." Yoruichi spits out, "And barely an Uchiha. He deludes himself." "That''s terrible," Aiko murmurs, but none of the Uchiha seem to agree. "The Sharingan gives many gifts, but we are well aware of the weight that comes with it. All power requires sacrifice." And then Kisuke looks right at Tobirama. "If you wish to truly learn about the Sharingan and our memory, you should speak with Madara. He is the most knowledgeable of all of us. I''m sure a man of your intelligence would find it fascinating." "Oh, get him to show you shunko," Yoruichi perks up, "Then we can spar!" Shunko is the Uchiha Clan''s fabled taijutsu. Rarely seen in modern times but rumored to be impossible to defeat. Tobirama''s always been torn between a burning curiosity to see what makes it so dangerous and an equally strong survival instinct to avoid it at all costs. "We''re not supposed to use it against humans," Yoruichi continues, "We use it on Yokai Hunts. And against Kaguya." "So all those stories were true?" Sana looks a little overwhelmed at the thought. "Well, yeah." Yoruichi cocks her head, Sharingan spinning to life, and Tobirama''s not the only Senju that stiffens. "Our last hunt was years ago now because there aren''t many Yokai left, but the Senju fought beside us the last time Kaguya tried to break free. There was...Tai?" Tobirama shares a look with Touka, "Our great-great-grandfather. He used to tell stories about it. Claimed he lost his arm to a Uchiha using shunko." Yoruichi''s sharingan keeps spinning, and then suddenly, she grins. "Oh, ouch. Yeah, he got in the way on accident. Want to see?" Her chakra pulses but fell away the immediate, panicked No''s! "Too soon?" Kisuke smirked. "I''d like to see," Sana volunteered, the only one who hadn''t screamed ''No''. "Let''s save that for another time." Tobirama sent Kisuke a grateful look. "We''re late anyway." That''s right, another meeting. This one discusses the evolving effects of the heat. But it does beg the question. "Why have you welcomed us so easily?" Tobirama asks, halfway convinced he might get an honest answer. Yoruichi and Kasumi and Ami look at him with something like amusement, something like pity. "You really don''t know? You are our brothers and sisters now. Our allies in the war against Kaguya. It doesn''t matter what came before; it only matters what happens now." "We have been enemies for generations," Tobirama insists. Aiko and Renji and the others nodding along in support. But it doesn''t budge the Uchiha. "So what?" Yoruichi asks. "You are enemies of Kaguya now. You are our allies. You are our family. Who cares what came before?" "You literally can''t forget it," Tobirama points out, but he just gets blank stares back. "But you are against Kaguya now," Ami says. "We are family," Aki adds. "It''s not that simple," Touka insists, but even she begins to flag in the face of the Uchiha''s unserving assurance. "We are blood now," Itachi insists. "We live together. We will never be separated again." "Never?" Tobirama''s voice breaks halfway through because he was most definitely not aware that this was not a temporary thing. Hashirama hasn''t said anything that would suggest he has no plans not to go back to the Senju settlement when all is said and done. ....... He hasn''t mentioned his village at all since they''ve been here. ................................... Motherfucker. Are Hashirama and Madara planning something else they haven''t mentioned? Or has this been part of their plan all along? He dismisses the thought as soon as it enters his mind. Hashirama and Madara are egotistical dreamers, and they have proven to be vicious and calculating, far more than he thought was possible when he was younger, but the sheer number of losses the Senju have suffered... He does not believe either of them would do it on purpose. A shiver runs down his spine, a harsh whisper from a distant voice he will never recognize and that no one else seems to hear, "Hashirama and Madara are capable of far more than that, snowflake. It is the reason they were chosen to suffer so. Envy them their ability to love, that which makes them so capable, but do not envy them anything else. They will pay for their capability and heart in ways you cannot begin to imagine. In ways you would never wish on your greatest enemy." Yoruichi grins. "Hear something, Senju?" Tobirama narrowed his eyes, but the young Uchiha had no tells. Yet. Suddenly, her eyes darken, and the air around her stills. "Your blood now, Senju. You can ask." But he can''t. The words won''t come. Stuck in his throat like he didn''t chew enough or swallow right. It''s starting to make sense. The Uchiha haven''t suddenly come around or changed their minds about anything. They''re just OBSESSED with defeating Zetsu and Kaguya and Hashirama and Madara, and this is likely their greatest achievement ever, have convinced the Uchiha that the Senju are necessary for that victory. To the Uchiha, that simple fact is enough to overlook generations of hatred and pain because nothing mattered more than defeating Kaguya. The Senju will never be free of the Uchiha, and the thought makes his stomach turn. The Uchiha will never be free of the Senju and that thought makes amusement bubble in his stomach. They''re stuck with each other now, no matter what the future brings. Conversation: 8 Participants: Uchiha Kasumi, Uchiha Kagami, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Yourichi, Uchiha Kisuke, Senju Renji, Senji Emi, Senju Touka, Senju Aiko Subject: Inter-clan relations Conclusion: The Uchiha are insane, and now the Senju are stuck with them. *** Day 7 With each 0.5¡ãC (1¡ãF) rise in core temperature, nerve cells misfire, leading to headache, nausea, or even vomiting. Hashirama was expecting far more yelling than he''s seen so far. At the very least, Tobi should have figured some things out by now and come to beat sense into his older brother. But all he''s done since Kiko''s birth is glare at Hashirama with beady eyes, careful to stay out of arm''s reach. For fuck''s sake, he even hissed at Hashirama this morning over tea! Given Tobi''s lack of interest in anyone too young to fight, he''s taking this whole thing about Ren''s birth a bit personally. "He is, isn''t he? Yes, he is! It wasn''t his vagina I stuck my hand up, was it!" He cooed at Kiko, whose tiny black eyes blinked up at him in innocent bewilderment. Across the room, Madara squawked, "Hashi! You fool, she''s too young for that language." "Aw, she doesn''t know any better. Do you, sweetheart?" He nuzzled her soft baby skin and frowned when he registered the heat coming off her. She''d been red since the moment she was born, though that wasn''t completely out of the realm of normal, but it should have started to fade. She was far underweight as well, but given that, all they had was weak formula...He pushed healing chakra into his palm and pressed it gently against her belly. She let out one of those tiny baby sighs and squirmed at the cold touch. Madara hovered over his shoulder, "How is she?" Kiko blinked at her clan leader, tiny arms swinging. Hashirama smiled, "Ready to fight. Is there more formula?" "The rest of this batch went bad. I sent Hikaku to open another." "How much is left?" Madara looked away, fussing over a stack of papers, and said, so quiet Hashirama almost couldn''t hear him, "Not enough." Madara could never be a healer, Hashirama muses, because he''s too invested in every life he comes across. He took everything to heart, and every loss added another fracture, no matter how unavoidable it was. Kiko fussed when Madara left her sight, but the clan leader was too afraid to hold her himself, so Hashirama propped her on his shoulder, pressing a cooling hand to her back while she watched Madara work. "The wards are keeping it cooler than we expected." But even with Hashirama and Madara feeding their own chakra into the wards, it wasn''t going to keep the temperature down forever. They were stalling for time and the moment was coming when they would fail. Madara''s temperature that morning had been 103 degrees. Hashirama''s had been 101. They''d both begun to notice the sluggishness, the clumsiness, and the cramping start setting in. Hashirama had been afraid to try taking the temperatures of anyone else lest it caused a panic when the experienced healers realized what the rise in internal body temperature meant. It had taken twice the chakra it should have for Hashirama to heal Ren''s tears from the birth, and she was still bedridden. Even Hashirama and Madara were suffering from extremely slow chakra recovery, and not just because they were pouring extra chakra into the blood wards. Neither of them had eaten in three days, but the food stores were dwindling to dangerous levels because even Mito''s seals couldn''t keep the heat out entirely. There was no cool water, only warm. Anything not eaten immediately went bad in a few hours. Even the old granny''s garden that Hashirama had worked so hard on had wilted and died completely the day before, and none of the other gardens had survived any longer. That meant no fresh vegetables or fruit. They couldn''t leave to hunt, and there''d been a vicious fight Uchiha Itachi had had to break up that morning when a starving civilian man had tried to kill and cook his neighbor''s dog. Any shinobi with summons had sent them away. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The dwindling water supply and heat had led to a...smell that permeated the entire compound that no one was ever going to un-smell. The fire burned so bright they had not seen a nightfall since they''d become surrounded and despite attempting to stick to a schedule using the Uchiha clocks, what little sleep anyone had managed was barely enough to stay sane. Even the wind kicked up by Zetsu''s inferno just added another layer of misery. Hashirama hadn''t put on clothes in four days, and he''d even passed Kasumi using a terrified Renji as a personal cooler, lying sprawled on the frozen Senju in the weak shade of an engawa. Poor Renju had looked terrified, arms flung out to the sides, and Hashirama had almost said something before he''d realized the color in Renji''s cheeks was less from the -former- enemy shinobi and more from the naked woman using him as a cooling pillow. Hashirama had almost wanted to stick around and see what happened when Kasumi decided to move, but he wasn''t willing to leave Kiko unattended that long, and there was a high chance the rush of blood would just render Renji unconscious anyway. Kasumi was far from the only Uchiha that had resorted to that method of cooling down, anyway. He''d passed a few similar groupings, though none promised to be as amusing. Even Tobi seemed to have consented to letting a few Uchiha sit close. He''d told everyone to stop using their chakra to cool anything unless it was life or death, but they''d already started losing that battle. The first of the elderly civilians had died the night before, bodies unable to fight against the heat. More had followed first thing this morning, and Hashirama knew there would be even more by nightfall. Madara had forbidden any funeral pyres for the time being, and no one was willing to throw the bodies into Zetsu''s cursed fire, so with no room to bury them, there was a pile of neatly wrapped corpses slowly filling one of the far-training areas. They''d start losing the ill and the weak next. Then, the children. And that would be the beginning of the end because parents never recovered from burying their children. But until Tobi and the others recovered more of their strength, there was no other option. Hashirama and Madara could not leave them undefended, as there was no doubt that Zetsu was lying in wait. And that he had more than just this fire at his fingertips. So they were chained here until the others were strong enough to withstand him, and Hashirama and Madara could find a way to put out the fire. "Have you found anything useful?" "No. It all says to put the fire out before it becomes too big to control." "Helpful." "The next suggestion is to starve it of fuel." "That would kill all of us as well, Dear Heart. We''d have to start all over." Madara''s stricken expression is more than he can bear to look at. Madara''s spent every free moment digging through his memories and the few physical records the Uchiha''s have to try and find something. There''s no other clan alive with so much knowledge of fire. But even that, hundreds of generations of dedicated study, wasn''t enough to know every truth about fire. The only truly uncontrollable element. The one that brought the ash of destruction and creation to the world and did as it pleased. It was a stroke of genius on Zetsu''s part, but Hashirama doubted the monster truly understood what he''d done. Zetsu''s creativity and understanding were limited to what he learned from Kaguya, and even in all the lifetimes he''d managed to take them by surprise, it had been due more to Hashirama and Madara''s distraction than his own great skill. He''d stumbled into a brilliant tactical maneuver with the fire, and if he was a degree more intelligent, he would have seen the opportunity to force their hand by now. They existed on borrowed time, and it was not a feeling either of them was comfortable with. "Tobi is healing. It should only be a few more days before he''s close to full strength." "He won''t be able to stand alone. Izuna has shown no sign of waking. Hikaku and the other captains are still recovering." "So are the Senju. Tobi''s always been unique in the speed with which he recovers, but he''ll die if he tries to do it alone." "He takes care of himself almost as well as we do." The Uchiha''s militant mindset stretched to the care of their greatest weapons, their bodies. Hashirama didn''t agree with all of their healing practices, but even he would admit they took excellent care of themselves, sparing no expense when it came to chakra or gold. It was the only reason they were able to withstand the constant rising of their internal temperatures. With a temperature of 103, Madara should have been under a dedicated healer''s care, but he was still capable of functioning thought and movement after a few days of nothing but limited water. The human body could only survive to 107, but any time above 103 guaranteed brain and organ damage. And it could only survive any external temperature below 140. They were running out of time on all sides. Conversation: ¨C (Off the record) Participants: Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama Subject: Survival Conclusion: Not guaranteed *** Days 8 ¨C 10 Outside mean temperature: 128? F [53?C] As heat exhaustion begins, the body starts to sweat excessively, electrolytes become unbalanced, and cramping in the muscles begins. The following days were nothing more than a haze of miserable, never-drying sweat and steadily blurring vision. They were down to rice and pale miso soup by the tenth day, and a few pets that had starved to death had been..... Well, better not said since all the adults agreed none of the children needed to know. Touka had broken down into tears when she''d gone to help find another bag of formula and found out they''d all gone bad. Tobirama had sacrificed two nights of sleep to keep the hawk alive. Had even run into Madara once when he was returning to check on her and found the clan leader hunched over on the floor with birds perched all over him. They''d stared at one another in wide-eyed surprise until Tobi had backed out, pretending he''d entered the wrong room. Kagami and many of the younger children had developed heat rashes that couldn''t be treated, and that had apparently been the last straw for his grandfather. The old man had approached Madara and asked him to adopt the boy on the ninth day, then said goodbye to his beloved grandson and spilled his blood over the wards to strengthen them and lower the temperature that had risen two degrees in six hours. Kagami had been inconsolable, but more so, the action had stunned the Senju who had witnessed it. It had been generations since the Senju had used blood wards, and the lack of knowledge had resulted in a screaming panic until Kisuke and Aki had shown up and calmed everyone down. Three more Uchiha elders had followed his example before midnight, and now accusations were flying about who was at fault and how it was barbaric, and even whether or not he was really dead. But the sacrifice of Kagami''s grandfather and the other three elders had lowered the temperature by half a degree, and while Madara and his captains were unwilling to say anything that might influence anyone''s choice, other members of the Uchiha and Senju hadn''t been as quiet. Tobirama had been forced to step in when he''d caught several Senju elders attempting to coerce three Senju teenagers who weren''t considered very promising as shinobi to do the same. Of course, Tobi''s intervention had also caused an uproar because he''d physically dragged the Senju elders to the wall and demanded they do it first. All three had refused, but before Hashirama or Madara could get there, the families of the three had heard and come for blood. It had been a full-out brawl by the time Hashirama and Madara had reached them, with all the Uchiha and most of the Senju demanding the elder''s blood and the entire body of elders arguing that they needed to survive to carry their knowledge and experience to the next generation. Hashirama had not been sympathetic, and Elder Naoka, one of Butsuma''s dear friends and one of Hashirama''s chief opponents, had seen the writing on the wall and frantically pointed out that Madara had the final say. Even Tobirama, who''d been one of her prized students, had looked at her like she was a fool. Any doubt that Madara would hesitate to execute the Senju sheltering in the compound was put to rest with his words, "You should only shed the blood of others if you''re willing to shed your own." "You wouldn''t da-" The wards had rippled and gleamed as the blood of the elders splashed over it. The bloodshed that had followed had been...contained. Mostly. A dozen or so had died during the fight, including several more elders. By the time Madara and Hashirama had resorted to unleashing their chakra to oppressive levels, and the mokuton and Sharingan had physically restrained the rest, the temperature had dropped by a full five degrees. There was no celebration. Madara had been incandescent with rage. His chakra turned abrasive and burning. Hashirama had ordered the dead wrapped and put with the others, warned that the next person to cause conflict would die by his own hand, and ordered everyone to return to their sleeping areas. The clocks had ticked over to the eleventh day in shocked silence. Conversation: 10 Participants: Uchiha Madara, Senju Naoka (Deceased) Subject: Blood Conclusion: Sacrifices are necessary to survive, but victory will only come to those willing. *** Day 11 Outside mean temperature: 130? F [54?C] Once the core temperature reaches 40¡ãC (104¡ãF) organs start shutting down, and cells deteriorate. The only sound in the compound this day was the crackling of the flames pressing against the wards. After the events of the previous day, the compound was quiet for the first time since they''d all been crammed in here together. Tobi was shaken, and he was far from the only one. Aiko and Touka had both been pale and still since the bloodletting, and they''d both avoided the Uchiha. Madara had been sequestered away in the main house. Sana, interestingly enough, had been unafraid to return. to her work caring for the unconscious Uchiha despite witnessing Madara slaying four Senju elders without remorse. Hashirama''s fury and disappointment had kept everyone away from him. Even Tobi had been disappointed in the behavior of both clans and avoided everyone for the day. He''d been walking patrols to do something, but Hashirama and Madara''s warning was being headed. Thank kami. Maybe the truth of their situation was finally sinking in. He walked the compound wall through the civilian neighborhood, nodding politely when he needed to and ignoring the few attempts to speak with him. There were no children running around today; most of them had been corralled and placed under the care of the healers. Most of the elderly that were left had refused, unwilling to take care and attention away from the younger generations. It would be moving if Tobi had the energy left to be emotional. Instead, he was a seething mass of resentment and annoyance and impotent fury with nowhere to go. They were hemmed in on all sides. He couldn''t hirashin out even now that he''d figured out the missing connection because the markers he''d been experimenting with had burned in the fire, and there weren''t enough resources left to re-create them. That, more than anything, made Tobirama feel as though this was the end. All the ink in the compound had dried into blocks, and it was so hot blood dried too quickly. Even their scrolls were drying out so much that paper had become brittle and delicate and nearly impossible to handle. It wasn''t a situation even Tobirama had ever expected to be in. Sure, he''d expected that someday he''d be in such dire straights that he wouldn''t have access to any other it. Wounded and cut off from his allies after a difficult mission, most likely. But it was all still here. Everything they needed to survive was rendered useless by the heat. The blood had lowered the temperature temporarily, but it was already climbing back to where it had been before, and people weren''t lining up to volunteer their blood. He paused, looked at the wards that shimmered and danced as the fire pressed against them. They wouldn''t be visible normally, but they were strained under the constant attack. The fact that they''d held this long was incredible and Tobirama had been filing away what he''d learned about them for when the Senju returned to their own compound. ............ If Hashirama and Madara didn''t try something. There was a headache building behind his eyes, and he took several deep breaths in an attempt to ward it off. He looked up and tried to see the stars, but the flames reached so high the sky hadn''t been visible since they''d become trapped here. Nothing but fire and enemies in all directions. Before this week, Tobirama would have bet everything he loved that he would have died at the hands of a Uchiha. Tobirama was skilled, one of the best alive, but the Uchiha had been the Senju''s main rivals for a reason. He''d honestly never expected to die any other way. Now, he was going to die beside a Uchiha instead. Probably several. Kami, at some point, Hashirama was going to make him make nice with Madara. Hopefully, he died before then. It was entirely possible. They were down to rice and miso soup and tea leaves that had no flavor left to give, and Tobi had already noticed a significant loss in muscle mass. His body was eating itself to keep going. The sudden, inexplicable urge to see his brother rose with a fierceness that took his breath away and Tobirama turned and cut through the housing area, through the merchant''s street, and sprinted to the main house at the far end of the compound. Ren and her husband were asleep on the ground floor, and he clocked Sana''s resting chakra in the same room as Izuna''s muted signature. Mito and her cousins were asleep in their room and didn''t stir when Tobirama made his way by. Madara''s chakra was still blistering and boiling in his office next to the dead garden, but Hashirama''s was nestled in the opposite end of the house as far as he could get from the rest of the occupants of the house. Hashirama didn''t normally like to be alone. He''d failed utterly at every meditation he''d attempted and was well-known for making friends on solo missions. It had driven their father up the wall. He flew into Hashirama''s room with a tad more energy than he''d meant to. A small private study he hadn''t seen before. Hashirama jumped when he burst in, a small form in his arms and tear tracks on his cheeks. A small...still form. .......... So still. So quiet. Oh. Fresh tears welled in Hashirama''s eyes, "Tobi-" But he couldn''t- He ran. Conversation: 11 Participants: Senju Tobirama, Senju Hashirama Subject: The child Conclusion: *** Day 12 Outside mean temperature: 135? F [57?C] Uchiha Kiko lived for six days. On the first, she welcomed the world. On the second, she learned the warmth of her mother''s arms. On the third, she met her blood kin. On the fourth, she learned the pain of hunger. On the fifth, she learned even her mother could not fix everything. On the sixth, she learned the peace of death. The funeral pyre for Uchiha Ren''s tiny daughter measured from the tips of Tobirama''s fingers to the inside of his elbow. It was the smallest coffin he''d ever seen. Smaller even than Itama''s, who''d died at the age of seven and had always been small for his age. The next time Tobirama saw Zetsu, he was going to rip that inhuman creature of rot limb from limb. He''d been in a fugue since he checked in on Hashirama last night and found his brother crying helplessly over the small, still form in his arms. All he''d been able to do was leave, just run and run the border of the compound until the rest of its occupants had gathered for the funeral. After the heat had dried up Ren''s milk, and the wet nurses and the formula had gone bad, Hashirama had been using the Mystical Palm Technique to try and treat the baby''s hunger... Hashirama must have known it wouldn''t work. His healing ability and knowledge were far beyond Tobirama''s, and Tobirama knew it wouldn''t once he actually stopped to think about it, but he''d used his far-to-slowly recovering chakra to try anyway. For days. His brother was probably the only person alive who would waste every drop of his chakra on what he knew was a lost cause. Madara, holding a dazed Kagami, hoarse from crying and exhausted from the heat rash the healers hadn''t been able to treat, had stood like stone at the head of his clan, his Mangekon spinning relentlessly, tears of blood dripping down his cheeks. An observation to add to his records when he wasn''t feeling quite so uselessly emotional: All Uchiha cried tears of blood. Even those without the Sharingan. It was a striking sight. Oddly beautiful in its terrifying sadness. Ren''s husband had carried her from the healing bed to the funeral. She''d been the only Uchiha who hadn''t cried. Instead, her hearth-warm chakra had been so full of rage and loss that Tobirama doubted Hashirama or Madara would have taken her in a fight at that moment. Even the Senju had cried as the pyre of the first child born to peace between the clans burned. The lament had started quietly. Madara''s voice breaking every other word, unable to maintain a steady tune. But more joined with every word, even the Senju, once they''d recognized the melody. Uchiha and Senju joined together in mourning, voices straining to be heard over the flames. Around a funeral pyre so small it only burned for an hour. No one left until the embers had gone dark. *** Day 13 Any rise in temperature above 40¡ãC (104¡ãF) brings on heat stroke. Sweating stops. Cardiac arrest is on the horizon. Hallucinations begin. Seizures occur. Internal inflammation begins. The first organs to go are the kidneys. Death occurs within a few hours. The crack as Ren slammed the rice bowls down made everyone in the Hantahoru jump. Madara and Hashirama, wide-eyed and frozen where they were seated at the head table, as she snarled. "You will eat." There''s defiance on the tips of their tongues, but it never materializes as Ren continues. "You will eat. You have not since the third day, did you think we had not noticed?" Tobirama and Mito had both snapped around at that, along with many of the Senju and the civilians of both clans. "You have not eaten, and you have been using your chakra to bolster the wards. That is why you have not recovered enough strength to end this." Madara and Hashirama shrank at her words, shoulders coming up defensively as Hashirama found his words. "If we had not, no one would still be alive. The temperature is too high." "It''s too high now, and now you may be too weak to ensure victory." Ren snarled. "You bought time and safety instead of assuring freedom." "Everyone needed time to heal," Madara mutters, and he''s not wrong, Tobirama thinks -to his own surprise-. The healing has been slow, but both he and Mito have recovered a decent portion of their strength. So have most of the other shinobi. Only Hashirama and Madara had not, but both Tobirama and the Healers had assumed it was a result of the extensive overuse of their chakra and the simple fact that they had so much to recover. Tobirama had not noticed that neither one wasn''t eating, and now he feels like a selfish fool. Irrational, Hashirama will say, but that doesn''t make the feeling go away. Hashirama is always so concerned with him, with making sure Tobirama is safe, that everyone else is safe. He never thinks of himself. Tobirama spends so much energy proving he can take care of himself that he forgets to make sure Hashirama is doing the same. But it''s been thirteen days in close quarters... How did no one notice? And how did the Uchiha find out? "Why do you still doubt yourself?" Ren roars. Madara flinches. "You are our Shishou. We will follow you into the flames, as we always have. We are not children. We do not need to be taken care of. We need to be led into battle. That is the purpose of all Uchiha. We die in battle, Shishou, or we do not die at all." She shoved the rice bowls at them. "Do not let us linger here in this slow death. We are meant for action, for war. You are meant to lead us, so lead us into battle!" "You will not survive!" Madara roars, then seems to remember where he is and who''s watching and closes in on himself. Tobirama''s never met a man so big who can make himself seem so small. "Then so be it." Ren hisses, "We do not deserve to live if we are not strong enough to do so. We do not deserve to follow you if we cannot keep up." "We need as many as possible-" Hashirama''s attempt to defend their actions quickly tapered off when the two pregnant Senju women flanking her crossed their arms. "You will eat. You will recover what strength you can, and you will put an end to this." "We are not stupid, Lord Hashirama. We know we are of little use in this battle and that you are afraid to leave us. But we will not be alive to fight in the war if you do not leave us now, so you must go. Those of us who are left after will still fight alongside you when the time comes." "I don''t understand," Aunt Emi broke in, "Is there some way to defeat Zetsu''s fire?" Ren''s gaze didn''t leave Madara. "I don''t know, but if there is one, my Shishou will find it." Her faith is astounding, Tobi thinks. So strong, so unwavering...so blind. The Uchiha are, strangely, unnecessarily devoted in their loyalties. It''s almost as if Ren is answering his unspoken thoughts, "In all things, we are strong. In all things, we love. In all things, we are devoted until death. If this is to be our death, so be it. We will die with blades in our hands and honor in our hearts. And you will go on. No matter what." Madara ducked his head. It took a moment to realize he was trying to wipe away tears before anyone saw. Was this what they had come to? Following two men who so openly worried? Who showed their confusion alongside their confidence? Could trust be placed in leaders who were just as human as the rest of them? The Daimyo claimed divine birth. Clan leaders were chosen from the children of clan leaders, who were chosen from the children of clan leaders. Even Mito looked apprehensive and confused. Her father was a king. Had she ever seen him cry? Had her mother, the queen, ever admitted weakness? Neither Bustuma nor their mother had ever done either. And they had not looked kindly on those who had. Shinobi did not cry. Yet Hashirama fell to tears daily, and Madara, the Great Calamity, cried unabashedly in front of his kin. The image stuck him, suddenly and ridiculously, of following Hashirama into battle while he sobbed loudly and dramatically -because that was the only way he knew how to cry- while the mokuton raged. At least tears of blood were intimidating. Hashirama and Madara have been playing it safe, he realizes. Sacrificing the chance to make a fatal strike to ensure the survival of as many of the clans as possible. It is not necessarily the wrong decision, but Ren is also right. They have surpassed the time when defense is the most valuable course of action. They may have even waited too long. Apparently, patience is not an Uchiha trait, because before anyone else can speak Yoruichi shoves her rice away. "No one else will eat until you eat, Shishou." She definitely didn''t coordinate that with anyone ahead of time because she gets some truly mutinous looks from her own clan and the Senju. The throbbing pain of hunger in his stomach almost makes Tobirama argue, but then Aunt Emi pushes her bowl away, and it causes a cascade of bowls shifting across the tables. Some of them are clearly reluctant, mutter about individual choices -which only matter when the majority disagrees with them, it seems- and if the fools want to kill themselves, let them like they aren''t the sole reason all of them have survived so long so far. Tobirama offers a pointed glare in the direction of the mutters as he pushes his bowl away. "Eat the damn rice, anija." Even so, Hashirama hesitates, sharing a forlorn look with Madara before they both start with small bites so as not to upset stomachs that have been empty for days. Tobirama gives them a few bites before he asks, "What''s the plan?" He knows just from the squirely look on Madara''s face that he won''t like it. And he was right. *** Their clan members try to make them eat more, but neither Madara or Hashirama can stomach taking more than a single bowl. To head off the coming argument, Madara announces, "It''s time. Gather all the children, elderly, and those incapable of defense in the heart of the compound with the healers. Every able-bodied man and woman report to the wall." Despite their losses, there are still enough people in both clans to make them 4-5 individuals deep along the wall of the compound, armed with anything they could find. Madara and Hashirama exit the main house in full battle regalia, already soaked through with sweat, and there isn''t an eye anywhere else as they walk to the main gate. This confinement has been the first time in Madara''s life that he''s gone more than a day or two without wearing his armor for something, and it feels oddly uncomfortable. Like skin that''s a few layers too thick. He hadn''t realized he''d lost that much weight, but Hashirama looked to be in the same boat. Unable to stop fiddling with the fastenings on his chest plate. Tobirama, Touka, and several others are geared up to follow them, but the Uchiha make no move to do the same. Few of them have put on clothes, fewer still armor. Tobirama is already preparing his justification on why he should go, but Hashirama forstalls it with a somber shake of his head. "You must protect the compound, little brother." "At least tell me what the plan is," Tobi insists. "I can help from here." Hashirama glances at Madara, but the Uchiha Clan leader won''t look away from the gates, and his clan won''t look away from him. Instead, Hashirama takes him by the shoulders and kisses his forehead, "Defend our kin. You can yell at me all you want when we return." "Don''t think I won''t," Tobirama hisses furiously. And then it all happens so quickly that even Tobi has a hard time keeping up. Madara stills, then explodes, pushing chakra into his feet and launching himself through the wards and into the flames. Hashirama''s chakra spreads, searching, but he is not the sensor Tobirama is, and despite the distraction, when Hashi snaps, "Tobi, where-" Tobirama knows instantly what he''s looking for and only a second later finds Zetsu''s oily chakra rising to give chase to Madara''s. He points, "There!" And Hashirama launches himself into the fire, the mokuton gathering around him. Then, there is nothing any of them can do but watch the flames and try to track the chakra signatures. Madara''s speed carries him across the burning plains, while Hashirama''s clashes with Zetsu not far from the walls of the compound. "Where is Madara going?" Mito wonders. Tobirama doesn''t say ''I don''t know'' because admitting he''s that far behind the Uchiha is annoying, but also, "What''s the fucking plan, Hikaku?" Madara''s cousin and captain didn''t look very enthusiastic... Actually, he looked kind of embarrassed. "Hikaku-" A flare of chakra, cloying smoke, and hearthwood made them all turn as Uchiha Izuna stumbled out of the main house on unsteady legs. He was pale and weak from the coma and barely resembled the warrior Tobirama had faced for so long. Sana was under his arm, helping him walk. Mito''s gaze locked onto the younger Uchiha like a hunting dog, and if it was any other time, Tobirama would have amused himself with the possibilities of the elegant princess interacting with the boisterous, impulsive baby brother. They were guaranteed to clash, and it was also guaranteed that Izuna would end up smacked around, which Tobirama was always for. "Izuna, go back to bed." Hikaku sounded exhausted already. Or maybe that was just how he always sounded. So far, Tobirama had only seen him in varying states of tired. Izuna''s gaze looked past all of them, tracking Madara''s chakra as it raced further and further away, making its way through the flame-filled prairie toward the mountains beyond. Where the hell was he going? "Grab whatever tools you can and start digging." Izuna ordered, "Get as much dirt over the walls as you can." Tobirama wasn''t the only one staring at him in confusion. "Why?" Mito asked, inching closer. "We need as much of a physical barrier as possible. There''s no guarantee the wards will hold." "For someone who''s been unconscious for some time, you seem to know more than the rest of us about what''s happening," Mito murmured. Izuna''s Mangekon spun to life, turning lazily under Mito''s intent gaze. "I know my brother." "I don''t like where this is going," Nadeshinko, Mito''s younger cousin, muttered. Tobirama agreed wholeheartedly. Everyone was following Izuna''s order, though, grabbing buckets and shovels and propping ladders against the interior of the wall. They were dumping the first buckets of dirt over in a matter of minutes. How would dirt help? It would just pile up against the wall. There was nowhere near enough to put out Zetsu''s fire. Where was Madara going? There was nothing but the mountains that way? Even at his current speed it would take far too long to cross Mt. Fuji. The dormant volcano was over twelve thousand feet high and had a diameter of fifty kilometers along its passable area, and it marked the start of the mountain range that stretched all the way to the Land of Snow. Wait.... Tobirama froze, felt his eye twitch. He turned to Hikaku, who stared at the ground. He turned to Izuna, whose gaze turned skyward. He turned to Yoruichi, who grinned like a fiend. He turned to Aunt Emi, who said, "In all things, we are strong. In all things, we love. In all things, we are devoted until death." And drew a blade across her throat, spilling her blood over the wards. Touka screamed, but Aunt Emi must have planned this because a dozen more Senju followed suit before anyone could stop them. The wards pulsed. "He''s lost his mind," Tobirama muttered, staring at the blood soaking into the dirt. He turned back to Izuna and roared, "A FUCKING VOLCANO?!" Mito paled, but the Uchiha seemed pleased, proud even. "It''ll work," Yoruichi swore. "Madara''s solution is to use a volcano to put out a wildfire," Tobirama stated, voice flat. "It''ll work," Itachi murmured, and the rest of the Uchiha nodded enthusiastically. "A volcano that is so powerful the last time it erupted literally changed the face of the world," Tobirama stated. "That''s how we know it will work," Kisuke insisted. "It''ll be beautiful," Another Uchiha added dreamily. Uchiha Madara was going to use a supervolcano to put out an unnatural wildfire. It made sense by Uchiha standards, the best way to put out one fire was just to get a bigger, even more uncontrollable one. Tobirama shared a look of disbelief with Touka. "This is a terrible plan." Something sparked in Izuna''s eyes, "Bet it''ll work." "No bet," Tobi snarled, "We''ll all be dead if it doesn''t. Maybe even if it does." "Then what are you worried about? There are hundreds of generations of Uchiha''s protecting this compound. You''ll never be safer than you are right now." Apparently, there was one thing Hashirama and Madara didn''t have in common. Younger brothers with common sense. Madara''s chakra roared. A distant bird song came on the wind. The air stilled. Izuna roared, "Dig!" First, their breath was stolen from their lungs, and then a deafening crack, the likes of which none of them had ever heard and would never hear again, ripped through the air. The flames stilled. A force pushed through the air, nearly knocking them off their feet even though they were leagues away. The flames shrank, pushed down by the very force of the air. Madara''s chakra signature disappeared. The sky became dark, and even the flames could not light it again. A great rumble began in the distance. It became a rolling crash, the sound of an unstoppable destructive force making its way over the land. Zetsu''s chakra signature disappeared. A heartbeat later, Hashirama''s followed. *** The historical record, as far as most are concerned, will state that the unexpected eruption of Mt Fuji, the first since the time of the arrival of Otsutsuki Kaguya, unleased such a powerful explosion that it was recorded across the world. Reaching as far as the distant islands of the Land of Waves and causing minor tsunamis among the closer islands. The ash cloud was recorded as covering the entirety of the Lands of Fire, Earth, and Water, visible from all the far edges of the world. It cast the world into a volcanic winter, the likes of which had never happened before in human history. How long it lasted is a matter of debate, depending on who and where you asked. Unofficially, because no one really wanted it officially written down that Uchiha Madara managed to set off a dormant volcano that covered the Land of Fire in lava and ash and defeated the wildfire that burned a million square miles of prairie land, thirty-three small towns, and the Senju Clan homeland. The death toll was never accurately recorded, as it took several years after the fire to discover some of the destroyed villages, and only shinobi and nobility kept detailed lineage records. It seemed better not to let the majority know that such a feat was possible, lest someone with less noble sense be inspired. *** Conversation: 12 Participants: Senju Tobirama, Uchiha Izuna, Uchiha Hikaku Subject: Extinguishing the fire. Conclusion: A FUCKING VOLCANO ¨C MADARA IS AN IDIOT ¨C WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND - THAT FUCKER STOLE MY - Uchiha Madara is not allowed to plan anything ever again. *** All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning. Great works are often born on a street corner or in a restaurant''s revolving door. Albert Camus *** ~tbc~ Boketto *** Why should I be dismayed though flame had burned the whole world as it were a coal, now I have seen it weighed against a soul? W.B. Yeats *** Though I have still not received a clear answer on how Uchiha Madara managed to set off the eruption of a dormant volcano, I will do my best to record the events that followed until such time as I can explain further. First, there was a sound of such strength that it blew out the remaining glass windows in the compound, two hundred and fifty-two miles away from the epicenter of the volcano. It is likely that it also damaged portions of the capital, three hundred and forty-six miles away. Without proper instruments, I cannot measure an accurate reading, but I estimate the decible level was well above one hundred fifty. As any decibel level above eighty causes hearing loss, I expect the healers will begin recording multiple cases of Sensorineural Hearing Loss. I will also note that injuries from the flying glass were also significant. Second, the earth shook. While not powerful enough to be considered an earthquake, there was significant movement. I believe this was a result of the shifting magma beneath the volcano. It lasted a total of four hours and seventeen minutes, though it continued to decline from its initial strength during that time. Third, the expulsion of ash and debris began while the earth was still shaking. The initial blast formed a mushroom-shaped head immediately due to the upper-level winds. Ash and debris continued to spew from the caldera for seven and a half hours. The sky turned completely dark at the latter end of the first hour, indicating a truly immense amount of material being expelled. The horizon became dark at four hours and forty-three minutes. Fourth, magma erupted from the caldera, and several fissures opened along the outer caldera. It is impossible to measure the exact speed of the magma, but it reached the compound just as we entered the third hour from the first observation of ash. According to historical records, this is abnormally fast and was likely influenced by whatever method Uchiha Madara used to cause the eruption. It was observed by the shinobi keeping watch along the wall that Zetsu''s fire seemed to retreat from the lava as it approached, and a scream was heard when the lava overcame the flames. Due to Uchiha Izuna''s... "Brilliance." "Half-way acceptable intelligence." At that point, Izuna had made a grab for the brush and Tobirama had to spend several minutes fighting him off. "Record my brilliance, Senju!" "You were more useful unconscious, Uchiha!" Mito came in at that point, wielding a hairpin-like a dagger and putting far more effort into doing harm than either of them had been. Apparently, they''d woken her up. She''d made them apologize and swear to shut up before she''d dragged Izuna back to her room and left Tobirama to finish his work in peace. - instruction the additional dirt helped guide the lava away from the walls of the compound and reduced the strain on the Uchiha''s Blood Wards. I believe it is due to these factors that we did not suffer any additional loss of life from the eruption. A list of those who died voluntarily to strengthen the wards is enclosed in Appendix S. We cannot yet tell if the lava covered the entirety of Zetsu''s fire, but there are no flames left as far as anyone can see, and I can no longer sense Zetsu''s chakra. The lava had cooled and solidified at ten and a half hours, though it had not cooled enough to touch bare-handed until fifteen hours had passed. The temperature began to drop almost immediately after the first expulsion of ash into the air. It has been twenty-seven hours since the eruption now, and the temperature has dropped twenty-five degrees and continues to fall. It is likely that we will reach below-freezing in a matter of days. I believe we are in the dawning of a volcanic winter. Characterized by a global reduction in temperature, massive clouds of sulfuric debris, and drastic reductions in species'' populations in affected areas. A list of species, plant and animal, most likely to become extinct was compiled by Senju and Uchiha Clan scientist and included in Appendix E. Historical records suggest that a period of significant genetic divergence follows this depopulation period. Observations will be added as noted in Appendices H ¨C K. While it is impossible to accurately tally the loss of life across the Land of Fire due to Zetsu''s fire and the following eruption of Mt. Fuji, a study of the most recent maps suggests a loss of nearly 50% of the population of the Southern Region and 30% of the entire recorded population of the Land of Fire. This is a conservative estimate. Given the restorative effects of fire on soil and the natural elemental enrichment of volcanic detritus, it is expected that, once the ash cloud clears (estimated 2 ¨C 3 weeks based on seasonal winds), there will be increased agricultural output throughout the affected lands for a period of 5 ¨C 10 years. After which, the agricultural yield will slowly reduce to its normal output. To that end, should we survive this Second Confinement, the winter, and the first growth period, hunger will not be a long-term issue. Our current food supplies are fifty-seven 20-lb bags of rice, thirty pounds of miso paste, and fifty pounds of tea. It has begun to snow, so we have begun to refill our water stores. However, it has a distinctly ashy taste, and I have instructed all water to be boiled before being consumed. We have repaired all the walls that were taken down during the fire, and the Uchiha have taken on the burden of keeping several fires lit during the night hours to ward off the additional chill. We have had no sign of Hashirama or Madara. 1st Record of Events 2314, 13 October Senju Tobirama *** We have managed to ensure every person in the compound has shelter of some sort, and the Uchiha have proven skilled at heating water for a variety of needs. I will not lie; the first hot wash in several weeks was most pleasant, and they have turned one of the larger training areas into an additional onsen to raise morale. The temperature drops by an additional fifteen to twenty degrees during the night hours, so Uchiha Izuna has summoned the White Wolf and her pack. Though they display little patience for any curiosity about them, they have been remarkably willing to keep the children, elderly, and ill warm during the coldest hours. The pack seems to be made up of the one the Uchiha call Moro, the alpha, and the rest are her children. It is impossible to judge Moro''s age based on her appearance, but she must be of advanced years to have fifteen adult pups. The Uchiha are very deferential to Moro herself but display much more relaxed behavior towards her children. I have recorded my observations as follows: Hoshi ¨C The oldest of Moro''s offspring. She is a stunning white wolf of impressive stature. Fond of wearing flowers about her ears and neck, she is second in command and likes to receive compliments on her beauty. The Uchiha indulge her often. Atsuko ¨C Calm and quiet, with a shorter tail than the others. She is quite adept at going unnoticed despite her size. I have been assured by several of the Uchiha that she is, in fact, one of the pack''s best fighters. Cho ¨C Male. Named as such because of a butterfly-shaped patch of black fur around his right eye. He is the only member of the pack with this mark. Kiba ¨C Short-tempered, impatient, and angry. Has a scar over his left eye he claims is from killing a yokai. Goro ¨C Male. Not pleased with the lack of fresh rabbits to hunt due to the current circumstances. Daiki ¨C Three-legged. He claims to have lost his leg during the first war with Kaguya. I doubt this, as it would make him one of the oldest summons in existence and would mean Moro would be even older. Noa ¨C Female. Gentle and fond of playing with the children in the compound. I have caught Kagami riding her through the streets several times. Hina ¨C Female. She seems interested in healing, as she spends most of her time in the clinic. Kazue ¨C Male. Apparently he is very skilled at climbing trees?? This seems doubtful, given his size and the fact that wolves do not generally climb things. Juro ¨C One of the younger wolves, several of his older siblings have claimed he was dropped as a pup, but none of them seem willing to say this in front of Moro, leading me to conclude that they are lying. He is very, very curious about everything and far too energetic. I have caught him reading the scrolls I have been working on when he thinks I am busy elsewhere. If not for the scratches his claws leave on the paper, I would not have an issue with this. Mio ¨C Named as such because she was born under a blossoming cherry tree. Acute sense of smell, even by canine standards. Rei ¨C Female. Rarely seen, seems to spend most of her time with Yoruichi and Kisuke. This does not bode well for her personality. Yua ¨C Female. Rarely seen, seems to spend most of her time with Itachi and Hikaku. Sana has met her seveal times and reports that she shares Hikaku''s tendency to constantly seem exhausted. Hana and Kiba ¨C Males. The youngest of the pack. Twins, based on the difficulty in telling them apart and their penchant for pretending to be one another. Close companions of Uchiha Izuna, which explains their childish behavior. I do not have much to report about Moro. She resides in the Hantahoru or Madara''s private chambers and rarely speaks to anyone outside of the Sharingan users of the clan. I am assured she is a fountain of wisdom, but I cannot verify this myself as she refuses to speak to me. I have gathered from the Uchiha that she is much larger than she appears and can adjust her size as she wills. She was the first of the pack to gain the Sharingan through some deal no one will explain to me, and the rest of the pack inherited it from her. Further proof that Daiki is not telling the truth about how he lost his leg. It is rare for her to bother herself in conflicts between humans, and her support of Hashirama against Father was an anomaly. There is some rule the Uchiha keep hinting at, but I have yet to get a straight answer. I fail to see why the Uchiha are keeping secrets now, after all their nonsense about us being family. They seem to have an unending number of rules that contradict one another, and as they do not keep written records, I cannot verify any of them to my satisfaction. Furthermore, Uchiha Izuna seems determined to be as vague as possible about any subject I bring to him. He''s going to lose his fucking tongue if he keeps it up. There is still no sign of Hashirama and Madara. I cannot find either of their chakra signatures in the Land of Fire. We consumed the last of the rice this afternoon. 3rd Record of Events 1645, 15 October Senju Tobirama *** The Inzuka have arrived. I am exhausted. 6th Record of Events 0300, 17 October Senju Tobirama *** To elaborate on my previous entry: The Inuzuka scouts arrived on 16 October at 2130. The rest of the clan followed within the hour, and the Uchiha greeted them with an excessive amount of emotion. The physical response from the Inuzuka was likewise excessive. Once the greetings were complete, the Inuzuka revealed that in addition to bringing the entirety of their clan, civilians included (739 individuals in total), they had also brought five thousand pounds of various types of meat and double that of vegetables and rice. Their supply of dairy and medical products is somewhat slimmer, but they have offered it all to those who need it most. As well as five wet nurses with milk for the babes due within the month. They are well equipped for the cold, having brought all the blankets and cold weather clothing they had, and have happily given away what they do not need. In addition, the Inuzuka dogs have joined the Uchiha wolves in keeping the most susceptible of us warn during the coldest hours. Apparently, the wolves and the dogs are well acquainted, as the Inuzuka and Uchiha used them to hunt yokai together in previous generations. I did not believe the stories of the yokai and the great hunts before our confinement here, but after meeting Zetsu I can find no other acceptable explanation for what he was. They have also brought nearly one hundred wagons full of dirt...I have been told this will be explained when everyone has been settled and rested. It seems the Uchiha and the Inuzuka share a generations-long alliance, together with the Aburame, who are also on their way with additional supplies. I am uncertain as to the basis of this alliance, aside from their claims of demon hunting, but I find it difficult to be critical, as I cannot say for certain whether any of the Senju allies would respond with such extravagance if we could communicate with them. Mito shares this opnion. Aside from relief from starvation, the Inuzuka''s greatest gift is perhaps the most unexpected. They found Hashirama. More accurately, I am told one of the Inuzula elders, Tsume, raced into the dying flames and rescued Hashirama before the mokuton gave out. They are both badly burned, and Hashirama is unconscious and likely to remain that way due to his depleted chakra levels, but both will heal and live. Furthermore, they received word from the Aburame that they were joined on their journey by a Uchiha named Kikyo, who brought with her an injured Madara. The Uchiha are greatly relieved to learn Madara will be returned to them, likely in the same state as Anija, but they seem less enthusiastic about the other Uchiha. They have returned to an increased training schedule as if they are expecting exams? We have installed Hashirama in Madara''s quarters, and Sana has taken over his care. I attempted to care for him, but Hikaku has requested I take Hasirama''s position until he recovers. I have no idea how Brother and Madara worked together so successfully. Izuna and I cannot find common ground anywhere. Thankfully, he is sharing leadership responsibilities with the Uchiha Captains, and Mito seems to have taken over Izuna''s care, as I have not seen them far from one another since he woke. He seems to alternate between somber and sullen and childish menace, which is not uncommon in those suffering from a significant loss. I am doing my best to be patient with him, as Anija would want. Even Touka and Aiko have demonstrated sympathy for his situation, though it is minimal. Interestingly, the Uchiha do not allow his behavior to go uncorrected, but they do not allow any criticism of him either. I have turned my focus on finding a way to house everyone within the compound walls and have ordered the bodies preserved during the First Confinement to be burned as soon as the Uchiha can prepare them properly, as we need the space. The Uchiha did not argue, only expressed their disappointment that Madara would not be present, but they seem to understand the necessity. Anija is healing slowly, but after spending several hours observing him, I am certain his chakra is returning. Based on the rate, it will be weeks before he wakes. The Inuzuka who rescued him has refused to stay with the healers. She insists she will be fine in a matter of days. This is impossible, but she is likewise impossible to convince otherwise, so I have given up for the time being. She seems very young for an Elder, but I have been told she is the mother of the current clan leader, Mayu, and that she stepped aside as soon as Mayu was old enough to take over of her own accord...This makes sense, given what I have seen of her personality. She is very loud and very brash and seems to have little to no regard for anyone''s rules, including her own clans. Her partner, Kuromaru, is the largest nin-dog I have ever seen. He seems to know Moro, as they are frequently locked away talking to one another, and he likewise refuses to answer any of my questions.... 7th Record of Events 1400, 18 October Senju Tobirama *** The Aburame arrived at noon, 967 in total. Mito was very impressed with the seals used to protect their hives during transport and from the cold. They have also brought hundreds of wagons of dirt they refuse to explain. They and the Inuzuka have arranged them in a circle around the compound, which leads me to believe it may be religious. As expected, Madara is in similar shape to Hashirama, though he has already received more extensive healing. His injuries from the explosion must have been dire. We have placed him with Hashirama. Izuna did not take the sight of Madara in such a condition well, but Uchiha Kikyo pulled him aside. I am not certain who she is exactly, but she seems to be part of the main family. We have no record of her, and Tomoko was not pleased. The Uchiha treat her with extreme deference, but they are far less personal with her than they are with Madara and Izuna. She is a very arrogant woman of indeterminate age. The Uchiha use the honorific ''Mejin'' when addressing her. It is a very old, very rare title awarded to only the most skilled martial arts masters, which means she must be incredibly skilled in at least one of the ninja arts. At that level, we should have heard of her before, but Tomoko insists we have not. I have promised her I will question Brother as soon as he wakes. In the meantime, the plumbing is done for and likely irreparable, but we have been able to build some temporary structures just outside the walls to alleviate the issue within the circle of wagons at the insistence of the three clans, though there is still no explanation as to why. We have maintained patrols, but there is no sign of life beyond the compound for fifty miles in all directions. We have confirmed the complete destruction of the two closest villages and found no survivors. It is likely that all our death estimates will turn out to be too low. The Aburame are apparently part of the same alliance as the Inuzuka, bringing to mind the longstanding alliance between the Akimichi and their vassal clans, the Nara and Yamanaka. But it is strange to see such an alliance between two noble clans and one vassal clan. The Inuzuka do not seem more inclined to either the Uhciha or the Aburame. Indeed, the deference shown to Uchiha Kikyo and Inuzuka Tsume often makes it seem like the Aburame is the vassal clan. But during meetings, both have followed the lead of the Aburame, and it is the Aburame clan leader, Shina, who has taken much of the leadership responsibility alongside myself. She is a quiet person. I cannot say man or woman for sure without asking, as it is nearly impossible to tell, and I suspect that is for a reason. More than anything, she seems constantly amused by the world and the people in it, and I must admit, I admire her positive outlook. She speaks as if she knows Anija, so he must have met her through Madara, as the Aburame never gave Father the time of day. She is the only one kind enough to hear out my questions, though she is no more willing to answer in detail than any of the others. She does continue to insist they will be answered when the time is right....Which is very annoying as I fail to see why they can''t answer them now. I am extremely frustrated. Anija and Madara''s chakra is recovering slowly. 9th Record of Events 1100, 20 October Senju Tobirama *** Apparently, there is some drama surrounding a relationship involving the Uchiha, Senju and Uzumaki. 12th Record of Events 1506, 23 October Senju Tobirama *** .....I have received clarification. Uchiha Hikaku is being ''wooed'' (Mito''s term) by bother Senju Sana and Mito''s cousin, Uzumaki Nadeshinko, who, despite their close friendship, have both decided to pursue him. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Uzumaki Behito has apparently taken up with one of the newly arrived Aburame. I am not certain how all these people have all this free time, as I have barely been able to set aside an hour for Aiko since the arrival of the Aburame. But I suppose I shouldn''t be surprised either. The urge to surround ourselves with people, to ensure we do not feel alone, is a basic human behavior reaching back to the dawn of our existence. It is exacerbated in the Uchiha and Inuzuka, who seem to barely stand being alone for a few moments, in contrast to their chosen brethren, the Aburame, whom I frequently find alone in a cloud of their bugs...I''m not sure to whom they are talking to but they certainly have a lot to say when no one else is around.... 14th Record of Events 2124, 23 October Senju Tobirama *** It seems today is a day of great fortune. We awoke to find my brother sprawled atop Madara, snoring as loudly as ever. It has been one week since they have been returned to us, and this is the first movement either has made. To clarify, neither is awake or conscious, but before this morning, they had lay still as stone in their sleep. With barely any rise of their chests to signify they were still breathing. This is not uncommon in the most extreme cases of chakra depletion and injury, as the body cannot spare energy for anything other than to heal. We had anticipated they would be in this state for some weeks, and though we were initially concerned to see movement this soon, after an intensive examination, we have agreed that it is Brother''s natural gift to heal quickly. Madara shows less progress, suggesting he does not heal at the same rate as Anija, but he is still healing far faster than expected. Everyone is quite pleased, and Moro has taken up residence in Madara''s chambers. Her chakra seems to help fuel their healing, and Sana is comfortable with her, so I have not spoken about it. Generally, we ¨Cthe Senju- have found that animals should not be present in healing chambers, as they bring with them infection and activity that can be counterproductive. But the Inuzuka, who have a notably intense bond with their nin-kin, have offered several studies of their own concerning the value of animals in healing, and I must admit some interest. Their focus lies less in the physical recovery and more in the mind, not something the Senju have been overly concerned with in the past, but something the Inuzuka, Aburame, and Uchiha seem to focus on and which makes sense given all three are dealing with difficult kekkei genkai. I will admit here, not out loud, that it is quite comforting to have Juro at my side. He has taken to following me around with his questions, as apparently, I am the only adult with the patience to answer. I suspect it is less about patience, as I am self-aware enough to know I have little and more to do with the breadth of my knowledge. Kagami and the other children assure me he asks far more taxing questions of me than he does of anyone else. He is also, according to Kagami -for what that''s worth, as the boy seems to delight in causing chaos- one of Madara''s favorites. This seems like a lie, as I cannot imagine a man known for his temper and impatience and arrogance having any fondness for such an innocent creature. But even I cannot deny that the comfort of warmth and another heartbeat is essential to survive these cold nights. Enough to forgive the few times he has stepped on me in his excitement to rise for the day. Aiko has been staying with her parents mostly, as they are some of the oldest to survive. We have lost everyone over the age of seventy and most of those above sixty among the civilians, and there are only a handful of shinobi above the age of forty -Tsume notwithstanding, as no one will tell me her age-. Anija will be heartbroken when he wakes. Touka insists she is fine, as she was not close to Aunt Emi, but she is prone to ignoring her own feelings. Aunt Emi has become a folk hero to the surviving Senju, the first of our kin to sacrifice herself, though not the last. Many of the younger generations have taken up her name as a promise, demonstrating a shifting allegiance to the Uchiha''s way rather than the Senju. ...It is not altogether a bad thing, but I struggle to articulate why. Perhaps Brother has been right all this time, and I have simply been blinded by my pain. It is hard to tell, at times, if I am moving forward of my own volition or if I am simply being carried along by a current too strong to resist. There is a voice in my head that says the Uchiha are our enemy. They are volatile, emotional, and destructive. They care little for nobility, science -unless it is related to fire or the Sharingan- and reason. Their idea of honor has nothing to do with being shinobi and everything to do with being a Uchiha. They care not for blood or birth or status. There is no order in their world but strength and the Sharingan. It makes them...simple and such a simple existence I cannot fathom. What is its purpose? What is its value? What does it give the world that has made the Uchiha so formidable that they became a noble clan? The greatest of the noble clans even? Because I do agree that neither the Hyuga nor the Akimichi would ever be a true match. It took the Senju producing Hashirama to have someone to stand truly equal to the strongest the Uchiha can present. The Inuzuka insist Tsume is a match for them, but since she seems to spend most of her time drunk or laughing at me, it''s impossible to tell. The Aburame openly admit they cannot match Hashirama or Madara individually, but they also do not seem concerned that they will ever need to. They are staking a great deal on this fragile, temporary peace. I don''t know if Anija has been in contact with them. Father monitored all his communications and never mentioned anything about the Aburame, but he also believed Anija had listened when he''d ordered him to stop seeing Madara. It''s entirely possible that Brother and Madara have made plans with the Inuzuka and Aburame that no Senju is aware of, and it is very frustrating to be unable to get answers. But the color is coming back to Anija''s face and Izuna cried when we woke and found Madara curled around him. I have been warned against mocking Izuna for being an ugly crier and have agreed, provided he refrains from mocking me when I walk around with ink stains I missed. Mito approved our agreement and has assured both of us that whoever breaks it will suffer. With each day, she demonstrates that she would be a great match for a clan leader. As the engagement to Hashirama was broken, and she and I have spoken and agreed that any engagement between us was not legitimate, it is even possible that she could marry Madara. None of the Uchiha seem interested in this, and Mito always seems to find the suggestion amusing but remains non-committal. But she makes no plans to return home? I am uncertain what her plans are, but there are more pressing matters. It seems Kagami and the other children somehow rigged one of the outhouses to exploded... 16th Record of Events 1105, 25 October Senju Tobirama *** Unfortunately, it seems my insistence that Hashi''s snoring could wake the dead has been disproven. He will be very pleased when he wakes. 17th Record of Events 0023, 26 October Senju Tobirama *** ....nearly half the Uchiha ended up visiting the healers today. I was concerned enough to find the source, and it seems Kikyo-Meijin''s title is well-earned. She has been testing the fighting skill of her clan and does not seem satisified. Nor does she seem capable of lowering her own skill to prevent injuries. There is not much I can do or say in this situation, and my attempts to stop my clansmen from participating have fallen on deaf ears. Apparently, it is a matter of honor -it is not- and there was a challenge issued -unlikely- and there must be at least one Senju who can match Kikyo ¨Cnot unless Brother wakes- and now they are all making their way to the healers as well. Izuna has found it all very amusing. The prick. Based on what I''ve seen of his skill level, I would stand a better chance than he does- This is Uchiha Hikaku. It has been agreed that I will add a note here for the reliability of the historical record: Uchiha Izuna has always been a bit of a troublemaker. Senju Tobirama is just as much of a brat as his counterpart. Allowing either of them to interact without supervision is a bad, bad idea. Kikyo-meijin does not find them nearly as amusing as they find themselves. They are capable of carrying on a childish argument to impressive heights. ....But this is the only Lord Izuna shows any spark of life so there is some forgiveness to be found. Their stay with the healers on October 30th was entirely their fault and should not be blamed on anyone else. Not even Lady Kikyo, who put them in the healer''s care after a childish attempt to establish which clan had the better odds of defeating her. For the record: They both lost. Pathetically. It''s all Izuna''s fault. Is not! Is to! Is not! Is to! I swear to kami I will end you both! ...Mito has become quite formidable.... 22nd Record of Events 1253, 31 October Senju Tobirama *** ...I will have to adjust my earlier statement about the value of animals in healing. I have been trapped in the healer''s care for the last two days, along with the Red Menace, Izuna, and if not for Juro and the twins I would have long gone mad. There is far too much to do for such minor injuries: 3 broken ribs, 1 fractured fibia, 1 broken ankle, 1 broken hand, 1 fractured collar bone, 1 minor concussion to sideline me for so long. Likewise, Izuna does not seem to deal well with restrictions of any kind, and the twins have taken to laying on him to keep him in the healer''s bed. Juro has been kind enough to bring me my work, and, aside from some slobber, it is perfectly acceptable. He is nowhere near as bad as some of the Inuzuka nin-kin, who could fill bowls in a matter of minutes. Kagami has come by to visit several times...It had not occurred to me that with Madara gone, for a short period of time, Izuna was his only living family. This may be the only time in my life I have been relieved to learn of Madara''s ability to survive even the most ridiculous of circumstances. If only to prevent Izuna from being a parent to an innocent child. Ow! Are you calling me stupid, Snowflake? No, I''m calling you irresponsible! Ow, let go! Give it to me. You can''t just make things up. Don''t historical records need multiple sources to be accurate! Yes, but they also need to be reliable, and you are not! -Stop writing in my journal! Uchiha-sama, Senju-sama, I must insist you both return to your beds and put down whatever that is. But he- He''s- NOW! *** Since my last entry was interrupted and my journals confiscated, it has been several days since I have been able to write. Izuna and I have been released from the healers, finally, and have agreed to keep our distance until Mito sees fit to allow us in the same vicinity. I believe she is overreacting, as all the damage we did was fixed within a few hours, but she and Hikaku have refused to listen to our pleas and even threatened to get Kikyo-Meijin and Tsume involved. I''m not sure why they are threatening us with Tsume, but it certainly worked with Izuna, who insisted he''d rather be strapped to a fire ant hill and slathered in honey than piss her off. I have no idea who Tsume really is, but she is no mere elder, and I am becoming annoyed with the lack of answers I have received. Likewise, I attempted to question Kikyo-Meijin, but most of her answers were to ask Brother or Madara. Given that both are still in a deep, healing sleep, that is impossible. When I informed her of such, she informed me that it was "tough luck." I hate the Uchiha. 25th Record of Events 0134, 3 November Senju Tobirama *** I miss Hashirama. I have finally finished healing Madara''s hawk, and she flies as freely as she once did. Touka cried and then pretended she wasn''t. She spends a lot of time alone these days but refuses when I attempt to join her. Aiko''s parents have turned a corner and are doing well, but she dislikes having Juro around at night, so I have been sending him off to sleep with Kagami and the children. The nights have gotten colder. Aiko insists we make as much time for ourselves as possible. There is very little privacy in this overcrowded compound, and the joy at being alive after such trying times is mitigated by the frustration of being unable to share any intimate moments. I miss the warmth of her skin, the suppleness of her breasts, the heat of her breath. The biological urge towards sexual pleasure is easily satisfied with little effort but also equally frustrated with little effort, and both our tempers have grown short of late. It is no one''s fault, save perhaps Zetsu, but that does not go as far in lessening the frustration as one would hope. I cannot help but wonder how many relationships will be crushed by this world we currently find ourselves in. Or if there will be anything worth salvaging when it''s over. 26th Record of Events 1754, 4 November Senju Tobirama *** I lost my temper today. Aiko and I had yet another fight over Juro''s presence in my rooms, and our frustration boiled over. Aiko has returned to staying with her parents for the time being. Unfortunately, it boiled over in the market street and there were far more witnesses than I am comfortable with. The sympathetic looks are very annoying, and I have no desire to discuss my private relationship, no matter how many people ask. Brother is not awake yet to help me understand. 28th Record of Events 1123, 6 November Senju Tobirama *** Izuna insists I was right, so I must be terribly wrong. I need to apologize to Aiko. 29th Record of Events 1323, 6 November Senju Tobirama *** Brother and Madara continue to show signs of improvement, but neither has woken. The temperatures have also begun to rise, though they are still reaching below freezing during the night hours, and there has been no sign of daylight. The ash layer still blocks out all light but is slowly, very slowly, dispersing. This has given the healers hope that we will not lose the latest crop to fall ill. The supplies from the Aburame and Inuzuka have done us well, but we have remained on rations and will likely have to start cutting them again in a week or so. I have sent my moths to scout in all directions, but they cannot reach the edge of the darkness yet. They have noticed that the temperature rises the farther out they get, suggesting we are in the epicenter of the ash cloud''s coverage. We will be the last to see light return to the Land of Fire. I have discovered that the debris in the air even has an effect on my ability to sense chakra, as my range is nowhere near as far as it was before the fire. I have taken to testing it everyday at the same hour to track its recovery. In the meantime, a far more interesting occurrence has taken my attention. I have had no less than eleven different Uchiha speak with me about Madara today. I hesitate to use such unscientific terminology, but there is no other way to describe it. They are waxing poetically about how wonderful he is. I was concerned at first that they were attempting to establish some sort of position of supreme leadership over all the clans that have gathered, but after questioning several members of my clan, the Inuzuka and the Aburame, no one else has reported receiving any of these talks. In addition, after speaking with those who worked alongside myself, Hashirama, and Madara during the First Confinement, it was agreed that at no point did Madara seem to wish to establish power over Anija. In truth, they were impressively -annoyingly- in sync, equal in all things, and completely unthreatened by one another. Mito agrees that there must be some other reason the Uchiha are so concerned with my opinion of Madara, but discovering why will have to wait. Apparently, Kagami has led the children into a mutiny against their teachers, and they are refusing to attend any more studies until Madara awakens. This may be acceptable for the Uchiha children, as Hashirama did explain to me that one of the Uchiha Clan Leader''s chief duties was to teach the young children, but the Senju children have no excuse. Aiko says they need more discipline, and several of the surviving elders agree with her, worried that this period of confinement has weakened...something. None of them could explain what exactly, and I was in no mood to pander. My patience with them runs thin these days. Once Anija awakens, I am going into seclusion. ..... I have promised to bring Juro with me. 33rd Record of Events 1643, 9 November Senju Tobirama *** One of Madara''s hawks awoke the compound early today to share the first light breaking through the ash cloud above us. It is not enough to illuminate anything but our hearts at the first sign of hope. The celebration that followed has left quite a mess to clean up. Izuna attempted to wake Madara to share in the festivities and did not react well when I attempted to stop him. The healers have said that Madara and Brother must be allowed to wake on their own, but both Izuna and I had had several drinks by then... I do not remember much after they seperated us, but I have spoken with Mito. I will apologize to Izuna the next time I see him and endeavor to relax more in the future. Out of concern, I did share my observations on his weight loss. Mito was not clear on what she plans to do about it, but I left the conversation with the sense that there will be force-feeding in Izuna''s future....Serves him right. 37th Record of Events 0712, 11 November Senju Tobirama *** The light becomes stronger with each passing day, and spirits rise with it. Kikyo-Meijin ordered the Uchiha to stop fueling the fires with their chakra. We have allowed the children beyond the walls of the compound, as their excitement has made them nearly impossible to control, and more space will hopefully allow them to burn off some of the energy they have apparently been storing up. Everyone seems to have calmed down with the light breaking through. Aiko apologized and renewed our devotion....which apparently many others have decided to do if the sheer number of people I have stumbled upon in compromising positions is anything to go by. Random Uchiha still approach me to speak of Madara, but they calm when I assure them I think highly of him. Whether it is entirely the truth or some fabrication is unknown even to me at this point, as I will admit some softening towards the Great Calamity after all that has happened. If nothing else, I will admit that he and Anija are the only reasons we are still alive and that Brother could not have done it alone. Regardless, the Uchiha seem overly pleased whenever I express these sentiments. I had not realized they worried so much about my feelings towards Madara, but I will endeavor to make some sort of gesture towards Madara when he wakes. I cannot wait for them to wake so that I may have one hour to myself...and Juro. He has remained faithfully by my side as I work, and I have found a surprising amount of value in his questions, as they often inspire lines of thought I had not previously considered. And he is still much warmer to sleep with at night than anyone else. I have become quite accustomed to the impossible amounts of hair I find everywhere. Juro has informed me that his life philosophy, a phrase learned from a Uchiha philosopher several generations before, is simply to be kind. Always. His curiosity and energy level do not suggest a well of patience as deep as he has displayed, but he has proven to be rather remarkable on all counts as a summons. The origin of the Uchiha wolves has become one of my top questions to ask when Anija and Madara wake. It should be any day now, with how much they are moving in their sleep. Sana even woke everyone last night, but it turned out to be Hashirama talking in his sleep. I won''t repeat what Izuna called him, but I agree. 39th Record of Events 1715, 14 November Senju Tobirama *** The children found a flower growing through the lava rock just outside the main gate of the compound. It is a simple weed, a dandelion, but they are quite excited and have taken to recording its growth. I must admit some excitement myself. Plant growth this soon far exceeds our most optimistic expectations. 40th Record of Events 0800, 15 November Senju Tobirama *** Until the end of time, Tobirama will swear he was just trying to be nice. He had no idea what would happen. He was trying to make that gesture of friendship towards Madara that he had promised himself he would and since it looked like he would awaken any day, it had seemed like a perfectly reasonable plan. The first thing Madara and Anija would want upon waking was a bath ¨Cafter they greeted everyone, of course- sponge baths were the bare minimum and less and less effective over time, and Brother and Madara had been asleep for a month. They would want a nice, warm bath, lots of soap and clean clothes. Tobirama could do that for them. Washing clothes that weren''t being worn had fallen by the wayside with everything, and Sana had just been covering Madara and Hashirama with blankets to help manage their body temperature. Tobirama had inadvertently seen more of either of them than he''d ever wanted to during the weeks they''d been asleep. Hashirama''s clothes are piled in with Madara''s in the closet, and it takes a minute to sort through everything. Hashirama has several inches on Madara in height, but Madara has broader shoulders and far more muscle. They''re both taller and wider than Tobirama, which is annoying. He''d found a set of clothes for Hashirama and one for Madara. There was a dirt-streaked golden fur in the pile. Tobirama didn''t remember ever seeing Madara wear it, but Hashirama had gifted Tobirama his snow-white mantle, so it wasn''t surprising he''d given one to Madara at some point. And Tobirama needed to wash his own. Made sense to add it to the pile, Again, Tobirama was trying to be nice, and the fur had already been in the pile of clothes he''d chosen, so he''d just grabbed everything in a single arm load. This was exactly what Hashirama had always been asking him to do. To give Madara a chance to put aside past hatreds. To take a chance at peace seriously. So he''d lugged the clothes out to the washing tub he''d asked Hikaku to heat and settled in. Most of the compound was still waking up. As the light had returned and they didn''t need to rely solely on clocks for reference, sleep had improved, and leadership and the healers had agreed that everyone should just sleep as much as possible, with a limited guard on the compound walls. There were still no signs of life because the vegetation forcing its way through the lava rock, but Tobirama expected they would start to see insects and birds in the coming days. Only the senior leadership bothered to wake early today, but Mito was still in the midst of her morning ablutions and no one dared to interrupt those. The Uchiha Captains were covering the guard themselves, including Izuna, who did best when he had something to do. He used a burst of chakra to make the water roil and dumped everything in to soak. ... including the furs. His own had been treated to protect it during regular washing, so he assumed Madara''s had as well. Apparently, he''d been wrong about a great number of things in his attempt to be nice. The explosion of demonic chakra knocked him on his ass. The wave of water and dirty clothes soaked him to the bone. The ear-splitting shriek brought most of the camp running. "VILE FIEND!" Madara''s fur was....not dead. "BEAST!" The small, soaked fox shrieked, clinging to the edge of the wash bin and desperately trying to claw its way out of the water. "DEFILIER! HOW DARE YOU, STUPID HUMAN! I''M WET! I''M WET! I''M WET!" Tobirama blinked as a little golden fox clawed its way out of the water, struggling against the strength of Tobirama''s current. It finally managed to get over the lip of the bin, gleaming eyes narrowed inf ury, lips pulled back to reveal sharp little teeth. Tobirama stared at it, frozen in place by the weight of the demon''s chakra. A crowd began to gather, Izuna at the head, hand clamped over his mouth in horror. The little fox pulled itself out of the water, nine sodden tails dragging behind it, and clawed its way up Tobirama''s chest to stick its nose in his face. "LOOK AT ME. I''M WET! HOW DARE YOU, PUNY HUMAN!" Wherever its dainty paws touched, Tobirama burned. The rest of him chilled to the bone. It shook itself violently, covering Tobirama in wet fur. "I''M GOING TO EAT YOU, STUPID HUMAN! I HATE BEING WET!" "You..." There was no way. No way in hell. Tobirama poked it in the ribs, confused and a little bit embarrassed that he hadn''t noticed before now. The fox cackled against its will and then scowled, turned, and bit Tobirama''s finger hard. Those little teeth actually hurt, and Tobirama shook his hand, but the little fox refused to let go, biting harder with each shake. "Juro!" The wolf forced his way through the crowd and careened toward them, only to slip on the spilled water and fail to stop. Tobirama, Juro, and the little fox shrieked as they went down in a pile of limbs and wet fur. Mito pushed her way to the front of the crowd. "What on earth?" "Let go!" The fox mumbled something around Tobirama''s finger, and he grabbed it by its ruff and then- Izuna snorted, hands clamped over his mouth. The rest of the Uchiha were slowly backing away. The fox''s eyes glittered as its nine tails waved frantically, and its claws managed to grab his other fingers. Nine tails. Nine. Tails. "Izuna..." Tobirama''s voice was calm. Very calm. Mito slowly reached for her fan. The crowd began to flee. "Izuna, go get brother and Madara." Mito raised her fan. Izuna burst into hysterical laughter, doubled over, grabbing his stomach and everything. "Izuna! Go get brother and Madara!" Hashirama and Madara burst into the tent, half-naked and barely awake. The fox let go of his finger and ripped free of his grip with a burst of demonic chakra. "Look out!" It launched itself through the air like the flying squirrels that had filled the forest his brother had grown outside the Senju Compound. Mito''s chakra gathered as her fan started to come down, the chains becoming visible link by link. "It''s the Nine Tails Demon!" "What?" Hashirama blinked stupidly, uncomprehending as Izuna collapsed onto the ground, tears running down his cheeks. The fox landed on Madara''s bare chest with a happy shriek, "Dara!" Madara''s hands came up automatically to cradle the little fox against his chest as he yawned. "What''s going on?" At least Mito looked just as confused as Tobirama felt. The fox purred in his hands, rubbing its face against his chest. "Waaaarrrrmmmm." Madara, seeming to wake up faster than Hashirama, looked down at it. "Why are you wet?" "THAT STUPID SNOWFLAKE TRIED TO BATH ME!" "Bath!" Izuna wheezed. "Why did you try to bathe him, Tobi?" Hashirama looked as lost as Tobirama felt. "What? I...I thought it was fur! Like mine! I was trying to be nice," he finally hissed, suddenly remembering he was soaked and covered in wet fur. "But he''s not a fur?" Mito''s fan snapped shut, "Dear future husband, perhaps you could explain why your soul brother is holding the Nine Tails Demon?" Hashirama glanced over at Madara. "Because he likes him?" "Anija!" Mito eyes narrowed. "This is not news to you." "Uh, no?" Madara yawned again as the fox crawled up his chest and settled over his shoulders, glaring out from behind the curtain of Madara''s hair. "His name is Kurama." "Kurama," Mito repeats faintly. Tobirama can feel his eye twitching. Izuna is still laughing hysterically on the ground. "I''m going back to sleep," Madara mutters when no one else can think of anything else to say, and Tobirama knows he''s not imagining the malice in the little golden eyes that track him from behind Madara''s hair as he leaves. The chill doesn''t fade until they''re both out of sight. Izuna uses Tobirama''s body to climb to his feet, and since when are they that close? "You-ou," Izuna wheezes, leaning so heavily that Tobirama sways. He''s going to asphyxiate soon. "You tried to give the Nine Tails a bath!" And that sets him off again. Tobirama dumps him on the ground. Mourning period be damned. *** Here''s everything I know about war: somebody wins, somebody loses, and nothing is ever the same again. Andromeda *** ~tbc~