Chapter 1
The Uchiha quietly surrounded the large building at the edge of the small dusty town in Suna.
“Large building for this small town.” Whispered Izuna.
Madara hummed in his throat. “From the looks of it, I’d say it was built specifically for this scum. It just doesn’t look like it’s something they took over from someone.”
Izuna huffed “Great. Purpose built. Probably traps everywhere. Amaterasu knows what else they got in there.”
“We don’t have a choice.” Replied Madara. “We need to rescue Hikaku.”
“I am never ever going to let him forget this.” Said Izuna with quiet glee.
Madara snorted. “Trust me, the ratio of your fuckups to his is much greater on your end.”
Izuna pouted at his older brother who ignored him in favor of creating his own entrance using a Grand Fireball.
Madara charged through the flames of the newly created opening and began attacking the startled bandits inside. His brother and the Clan members they brought along were at his heels and joined in the fray.
The bandits tried to fight but they were caught by surprise, poorly armed and were no match for the angry Uchiha.
After the last bandit’s throat was cut to make sure they were dead, the Uchiha began searching the building for Hikaku. In one room, they found Hikaku’s belongings along with the belongings of others. One set caught Madara’s eye. The armor was blue and white and was marked with the Senju crest.
“Izuna!” he breathed. “Look!” and pointed at the armor.
Izuna’s eyes widened. He walked to the table where the armor had been dumped and looked at it closely then laughed. He looked at Madara. “Oh, this is even better than Hikaku getting captured! I’m going to so enjoy letting the Senju Ghost know that we’re the ones who rescued him. And just imagine what the Senju will give for his return!”
“If he’s still alive.” Retorted Madara.
The two brothers joined in the search of the building. It was Izuna who discovered the stairs that led to the basement and to the prisoner cells. It was in the first one that they discovered the drugged and chained Hikaku. Madara carefully melted the chains off the stone wall to release Hikaku. Izuna carefully shouldered their cousin and carried him out of the basement to the healer they brought along.
Madara continued checking the cells. Most were currently empty but showed signs that they had once held someone. It was at the last cell that he found a living being. The person had all four limbs chained to the wall and his naked body, under the bruises in various shades of healing, was moon pale. The man’s sagging head was covered by a burlap bag which Madara yanked off revealing blood-streaked white hair.
“Blessed…” Carefully Madara cupped the man’s chin and gently raised his head. When his face was level with Madara’s, the man’s eyelids fluttered then rose revealing eyes as red as Madara’s own Sharingan.
“Madara…?”
The ragged raspy voice was not the smooth baritone that he was used to hearing but Madara recognized the voice of Senju Tobirama. “Yes.”
“Bandits…”
“They’re dead. Hang on. I’m going to free you. Can you stand?”
“No...” came the slurred reply.
Madara didn’t respond. He knelt down and with his flames carefully targeted melted the leg chains. He didn’t dare try to melt the leg cuffs off for fear of hurting the albino. He stood and moved so that the taller man’s body was braced against his own and melted the chains that led to the cuffs on Tobirama’s arms.
Tobirama’s arms flopped uselessly to his side and his body sagged against Madara’s. Carefully, Madara lifted the Senju over his shoulder and moved quickly as he could out of the cell, through the basement and up the stairs to the main floor to where his family had gathered.
The gasps at the sight of the man over his shoulder didn’t surprise Madara. “Help me.” He ordered. Many hands gently eased Tobirama off his shoulder and down to a pallet on the floor.
Kozue, the healer, gently pulled back Tobirama’s eyelids to reveal the crimson pupils.
Curses erupted.
Izuna stared at the man who was his most frequent opponent when the Uchiha and Senju would clash. “He’s Blessed?!”
“Yes.”
“I’m going to punished in the Afterlife, aren’t I.”
“For trying to kill one of Amaterasu’s Blessed Children or because you’re an idiot asshole?” asked Kozue, who had, more than once, had to heal Izuna after one of his ‘bright ideas.’
Izuna childishly stuck his tongue out at the other man. “Brother…”
“I know. This certainly explains why ‘The Senju Ghost’ is always veiled.”
Tobirama murmured something.
“What did he say?” asked Madara.
Kozue turned troubled eyes up to his Clan Leader “He said ‘Ghost of the Uchiha.’”