Chapter 3
Madara snorted “Join the club.” He looked at the Senju. “It’s late, Tobirama, you’re still healing. We’ll talk in the morning.”
The Senju looked at each other and the recent addition nodded. She pulled off the hood covering her head, revealing short white hair, then pulled off her sandals. The siblings laid down on the same pallet, the blankets pulled closely around them, and the pair quickly fell asleep.
Madara saw the stunned look on Izuna’s face. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked quietly.
“Remember me complaining that Tobirama changes tactics and fighting styles all the damn time and I can never figure out what he was going to use.”
“Yeah…”
Izuna pointed at the sleeping Senju “That’s the reason. I wasn’t fighting one ‘Senju Ghost.’ I was fighting two different ‘Senju Ghosts’.”
The brothers looked at each other. “Why do I think I may have to punch Hashirama for being the living asshole of the Senju.”
In the morning after Kozue examined Hikaku and the male Tobirama, he told Madara that it would be better for both if they could have another day of rest before returning home. Madara agreed. He sent one of the others into the small town for fresh produce while two others went hunting in the forest for a small deer or boar.
While the rest of the Uchiha were taking care of small repairs of their equipment, Madara and Izuna sat with the Senju.
“What are your names?” asked Madara.
“We’re Tobirama.”
“Seriously? Your father did that to you?”
“Well, I usually call my sister ‘Tobi’ while she calls me ‘Tobira’.” Replied Tobira. “But the rest of our Clan just calls us ‘Tobirama’.”
“Even Hashirama?”
“Yes.” Said Tobi.
Madara took a deep breath then gestured for the Senju to continue their tale.
Tobira spoke “It started when our mother had the extreme misfortune to give birth to boy that looked like a ghost of an Uchiha then the utter audacity ten minutes later give birth to a girl that looked exactly the same.”
“You’re twins.”
“Yes, and because we looked like Uchiha ghosts and because it was known that the Uchiha regularly kidnapped people who look like us…”
“We don’t kidnap Blessed!” exclaimed an outraged Izuna.
Madara silenced his brother with a look “Hush, let him talk.”
“Butsuma-sama decided that it shouldn’t be known that we are twins or what we look like.”
“Even amongst your Clan.”
Tobi spoke “Butsuma-sama made sure that we were never seen together. He also said that we had to look as alike as possible.” Her hand went across her short hair.
Izuna looked at the twins “I’ve fought both of you, haven’t I?”
Tobi grinned “Confused you when one fight ‘Tobirama’ used a sword most of the time and then the next fight ‘Tobirama’ would use mostly jutsus?”
Izuna nodded ruefully “Yeah.”
“I am nearly as tall as Tobira, but I don’t have his strength. There were a few times that you almost had me with your sword, so I had to resort to other means.”
“So how is it decided who appears on the battlefield?” asked Madara.
The twins looked at each other and Tobira shrugged “It depends on if one of us is on or had just come back from a mission. If we are both on Senju lands at the same time and rested, I am usually the one to go and fight.”
“You don’t go on missions together? Even using a henge?” questioned a listening Hikaku.
Tobi shook her head. “No. Butsuma-sama didn’t want us in the same place at the same time. Hashirama is the same way.” She looked at her twin. “Hashirama blames Tobira for telling Butsuma-sama about his friendship with you. Tobira didn’t have a choice.”
Madara looked at the twins. Tobira was looking away while Tobi looked him in the eyes. “He forced Tobira to tell him because he was threatening you.”
“He was beating her to death,” growled Tobira. “I loved Hashirama…but Tobi is my twin!”
“Does Hashirama know the reason why?”
“One of the Elders spilled the details not long after Butsuma-sama died. Hashirama…apologized…to us but…” Tobira looked at Tobi.
“He apologized but we think that deep down, he is still unforgiving of us.” Said Tobi.
“What will happen to us now.” Asked Tobira.
“I’m sure you’ve heard all sorts of stories about what we do with people that look like you.” Replied Madara.
The twins nodded.
“We worship Amaterasu. You and others like you are her Blessed Children. We cherish people like you. And the fact that you are twins, you would be so honored and respected amongst our people.” Exclaimed Izuna.
The twins looked around the room when the other Uchiha spoke their agreement.
Madara spoke again “May I ask you something?” The twins nodded. “Your mother was a Hatake, wasn’t she?” The twins nodded again. “I know a little about Hatake naming customs. ‘Tobira’ and ‘Tobi’ are your public names. But you have private names, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I hope that one day you will honor me with your private names.”
Kozue asked what the other Uchiha were wondering “Private names?”
Tobira answered “The Hatake believe that Names have Power. So, they give their children two names, one to be used in public and the other to be used only by family or a spouse.”
The Uchiha looked at each other. They understood that Tobira and Tobi had other names but were too polite to ask.
“If we come with you, will I be able to be myself?” asked Tobi as she fingered her short hair.
“Yes, if you wish to be married, then my Clan members will probably try and kill each other for your hand in honorable marriage. If you chose to live alone then that choice will also be honored.”
“Tobira…” whispered Tobi.
Tobira looked at Madara “Will you tell Hashirama?”
“Only if you want me to.”