Chapter 8
Madara couldn’t believe how much had changed in the last 12 hours. Tobira, or Tobirama as he learned, the sweet quiet girl he had rescued was actually the infamous White Demon. A girl he was pretty sure he just started a relationship with last night. And all of this had come to light because he almost lost his last little brother. All because he sent him on that stupid mission. He should have never sent him alone. He had almost killed Izuna. If it hadn’t been for Tobira he would be dead and it was all his fault.
With that thought in mind he got up and got ready. He wanted to go see him now, to make sure he really was okay. He had to see with his own eyes that he hadn’t killed his brother.
Walking into the kitchen he saw no one else around, figuring they must still be asleep he decided he would eat breakfast later, and made his way to the healing hall.
To his surprise he wasn’t the first one there. Tobira was already there and from what it looked like was healing and talking to Izuna. He looked far more angry than Tajima or himself had been last night. He wasn’t sure if he should continue to stand back or interrupt them. He didn’t like the idea of Izuna being mad at her for saving his life, but at the same time this was the person he had spent years fighting, someone who had inflicted countless injuries on him and him on her in return.
In the end he decided to give them their space to continue talking. At least he did until Tobira started to cry, then he had to go intervene.
“Is everything alright?” He asked, walking up to them, Izuna still looked angry.
“No, nothing is alright. I just found out she has been going easy on me for years! All because her tree of a brother wanted peace! How am I supposed to take that?”
“I have never gone easy on you! I just wasn’t trying to kill you, that's not the same thing. And you know what he really wants to know.” Tobira sounded serious but she had a watery smile on her face so he wasn’t entirely certain what that meant. Were they fighting or not?
“Yeah, I know.” Izuna let out a sigh, “ but I don't have an answer yet. I don’t know how I feel about it all yet. I’m angry you lied to us, but I can't erase the last 3 months either. It changes things, even though it really shouldn’t. You should still count as our enemy. You have killed countless of us.”
“I really haven’t though. I have made a point to mostly engage you in battle, the few times I haven’t I have faced multiple opponents and usually they would walk away alive, if injured. Though I suppose I may have killed more than I realized, I had assumed you also knew how to heal with chakra. We have had people heal our men on the field and I know you can copy with the sharingan so I just assumed someone would have copied that and brought it back to the clan.”
Madara looked at her incredulously. “You think we have the time to copy healers when we are fighting for our lives?”
“I don't know, I just assumed someone would have copied it by now.” Tobira said with a shrug.
“Well we haven’t. But would you be willing to teach us,” Madara asked?
“Yes of course I will. I never want to see another Uchiha die. I have come to truly cherish your clan.”
“See you keep saying shit like that! How am I supposed to stay angry with you? You’re not being fair.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not trying to make things hard or to manipulate you. My time here has changed my life. I don’t think you can really understand. In my clan everyone treats me like I’m some sort of monster. All my life everyone has called me a demon because of my red eyes and white hair. But you all treat me like I’m a person. Like my life matters, more than that, that my happiness matters. Hashirama and my cousin Touka are the only people who have ever been kind to me.”
“Wait what? If your mother was a Hatake wouldn’t your hair be the same as her? And I get red eyes aren’t exactly normal but to demonize a child for it? That doesn’t even make sense.”
“My hair isn't Hatake silver, it's white. It’s because I’m albino, and they have always hated my eyes because they remind them of the sharingan. In fact when I was born my father tried to have me killed because he was sure that my mother had an affair with an Uchiha. She threatened to cut his throat if he touched me so he never dared. But it didn’t stop the rest of the clan from hating me for my looks.”
“That's so wrong! See Madara! This is why we can never have peace with the Senju. How can we trust a clan that would mistreat a child for even having red eyes?”
Madara really had nothing to say to that. To be honest ever since Tobira came to them he had been rethinking his stance on peace. He wasn’t sure he could forgive the things he had learned about them.
“I know. I have been thinking the same thing over the last few month. I dont see how we make peace with a clan that condones rape.”
Tobira hurried to placate him, her eyes showing her desperation, all while keeping her hand on Izuna to finish healing hi.
“It is all Anija has ever dreamed of. Please don’t give up on the idea of peace because of me! Once my father is gone he will change things. He would never let things stay the same way.”
“I don't think you count as impartial enough to give advice on if we have peace or not. Of course you are going to push your brother's agenda. But it doesn’t change the fact that your entire clan was okay with mistreating a child.”
Tobira was silent. And that spoke volumes. Even she knew she couldn’t defend their actions and that much was obvious from the look on her face.
“It doesn’t matter right now anyway. Butsuma still lives and leads the Senju. And even if he didn’t I dont think enough of our clan would be willing to consider peace with them. Everyone knows the Senju hurt you even if they don't know exactly what happened to you. They didn’t like the Senju before, but they certainly don't like them now.” Madara hated to disappoint her but he had to make sure she saw, peace wasn’t going to be an option for them right now.
“Not that Butsuma will for long. Knowing you wont be on the field to face me leaves me free to kill him and everyone of those bastards that touched you,” Izuna snarled.
Tobira looked shocked. “You’d still be willing to kill them for me? Even knowing who I am?”
“Of course. You may have been born a Senju, but you are ours now. No matter how angry I am.”
Tobira started to cry again. “I don't understand. How can you accept me so easily? I haven’t even been here that long!”
“The Uchiha love different, with the sharingan we are able to see people's truth more easily. And because of that we love easier, and nothing breaks that love. I’ve seen who you really are, we all have. Because of that we’ve come to love you, you’re our family now. So I hope you still didn't plan to go to the Hatake, I don't think we will be able to let you go.” Izuna moved her healing hands off him, taking them into his own and sat up. “I hope you can handle the way we love.”
She laughed through her tears, “I think I’d like that.” She used her shoulder to rub her eyes, “these damn hormones. I cant stop crying”
They both laughed at her response. Madara was so proud of his brother. He couldn’t have said it better.
“Madara! Your eyes!” Izuna exclaimed, letting go of Tobiras hands to point at his face.
“What about them?” It was only as he asked this question did he realize he had activated his sharingan, apparently he unconsciously wanted to record this memory, and keep it forever. He deactivated them once he realized.
“You have the mangekyo! When did that happen? Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“What are you talking about, no I don’t?”
“Oh is that what it's called? Have they not always done that?”
“No,” Izuna shouted! “They have never done that before.”
Madara let his hands wander up to his face, touching his eyes. Was it true? Had he unlocked the mangekyo?
“I saw them change from the sharingan when you first saw Izuna.”
Izuna glared sharply at his brother. “You idiot. If I had died it wouldn’t have been your fault. You can't blame yourself for every mission that goes bad.”
“It wasn’t every mission. It was a mission I sent you on, alone. I should have waited until we had more information, or at the very least sent back up.”
“Sending anyone else would have made it so much more dangerous and you know it. You made the right call. Besides, I was able to get the information we needed.”
“You did? You know why the Hagoromo have been hounding our borders?”
“Yes, they seem to have struck an alliance with the Shimura and are trying to expand their territory. Though I think they may think twice when they find what's left of what I suspect was a raiding party. I think if we continue to increase patrols on their border it will likely keep them from trying to move in on our territory.”
“I’ll tell father and rearrange the patrols again. I don't like the sound of them joining up with another clan. Maybe we can see if the Hatake would be interested in a more formal alliance, to make sure no one gets any ideas about attacking either one of us.”
“I’m sure my grandmother would agree to that, especially if you tell her it's because of the Hagoromo, they have always clashed with the Hatake.”
Just then it hit him what had been bugging him all this time. She never referred to the Hatake as her clan. That's what his intuition had been trying to tell him. He couldn’t believe he didn’t put it together before.
“Tobira, please go draft a letter to your grandmother and see if she would be willing to form an official alliance. I am going to go speak with my father. Izuna I am glad to see you are whole and healthy again. If you are feeling up to it please come with me to tell father what you found.”
“Of course, yes I feel as good as new. Thank you Tobira. I appreciate what you were willing to give up for me.”
“Well I have also come to see you as family. I never could have let you die. No matter what it meant for me.”
Izuna got off the bed and pulled her into a tight hug.
Madara couldn’t help but smile at two of his most important people. Things were starting to come together.
**************
After that things changed between them all. Somehow they had all become closer, which he hadn’t expected. Over the next month Madara and Tobirama, who was now going by her actual name, were taking their relationship slow but it was progressing. She shared with him more about her horrible childhood, they both talked about the siblings they had lost to this war, and shared their dreams for a world without war. Though he still didn’t see how that would be possible with the Senju clan as they were. They hadn’t progressed further than kissing, he didn’t want to push her, and honestly he was a little afraid he would remind her of the men that assaulted her.
But spring was finally here and that meant the unofficial ceasefire was over. Naturally it didn’t take long for the Senju to provoke a skirmish. Something he normally dreaded but this time he was looking forward to facing them. Not just him but the entire Uchiha clan, they had all rallied around Tobirama once they were able to see she was pregnant. It had become clear to them what happened to bring her to them, and they were all ready to get some revenge on her behalf.
He wouldn’t be the one to strike down Butusuma as he would have to keep Hashirama occupied but he looked forward to watching his brother and father do it. They were both as eager for this fight as he was.
As he donned his armor Tobirama walked in behind him and placed her forehead on his back, with her arms coming to wrap around his waist. “Please be careful. I couldn’t handle it if any of you died.”
Turning around in her arms he tilted her head up and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
“Don't worry we will come back just fine. Izuna and my father will be sticking together and you of all people know Hashirama and I have never fought to kill.”
Leaning down further he captured her mouth in a passionate kiss. Letting her feel all the love he had for her. Then he rested a hand on her slight baby bump, which had just begun to show through her clothing, and promised, “We will come back to you both.”
With a nod she let him go to finish getting ready. Grabbing his gunbai he gave her one last kiss before addressing her again. “Please just rest while we are gone. Don't stretch your sensing trying to keep track of the fight. If you feel you can’t rest then go be with Mai and Kagami.”
She followed him out the door to wish Izuna and Tajima luck as well.
The three of them left together to gather with the rest of their forces, leaving Tobirama standing in the doorway watching them go.
Once they got to the field and joined the fighting Madara made an immediate beeline for Hashirama.
He had been wondering what the man thought of his sister's disappearance. Tobirama told him that after over 4 months of being no contact it was likely he thought her dead.
Madara decided to test that theory. As they came together in taijutsu he shouted at him.
“Hashirama! Where is that White Demon brother of yours? Did he finally die?” Madara taunted.
He watched as anger and sadness crossed Hashirama’s face. “It's none of your business where he is.”
“Or perhaps she left your clan.”
He watched as Hashirama froze mid punch, the blood draining from his face. “What did you just say?”
Madara smiled cruelly at him, he hadn’t realized until this moment he was angry with Hashirama. He was angry that he allowed his fathers treatment of his sister, that he allowed her to be mistreated by their clan, and he wanted to hurt him just a little bit for that. “You heard me.”
“Where is she? So help me Madara if you hurt her I will end you. I don't care what friendship we may have once had, I will kill you.”
“Interesting you would threaten me but allow your own clan to harm her. Your protection is always too little too late, don't you think?”
“What are you talking about?! My clan hasn’t hurt her! What do you mean too late?” His voice broke. “Please tell me what happened to her, is she dead?”
“I’m talking about the years of verbal abuse she suffered at your clan's hands. I’m talking about the fact that your father arranged to have her raped!” Madara practically screamed at him.
He couldn’t believe Hashirama, did he truly not see that what his sister went through at the hands of his own clan was abuse? Now he was furious. His once friend was an idiot, and completely undeserving of the loyalty of his sister.
Now Hashirama completely disengaged from fighting with him, no longer even putting on a pretense of battle.
“He did what? How do you know this?”
“She told me. You see we found her abused and weak and we took her in. She’s pregnant, you know. Your father got his wish, but the baby wont be born as another heir for the Senju, it will grow up with the Uchiha as its family!”
Madara watched as white hot fury built up in Hashirama, and then in a move he had never even thought possible the entire battlefield was ripped apart with great vines dividing most of their forces before coming to a stop wrapping Butsuma, completely immobilizing him.
Hashirama ran over there shouting. “Is it true? Is that why my sister left?”
Butsuma snarled, trying in vain to free himself. “I dont know what you are talking about, you don't have a sister. Let me go, what the hell do you think you are doing!? We are in the middle of a battle, now isn’t time for your dramatics.”
“Don’t play stupid with me, you know who I am talking about. Tobirama. Did you really order those men to do that to her?”
Madara heard gasps from his side of the battlefield. Looks like Tobirama was outed to the rest of the clan too. He only hoped they would be as forgiving as his family had been.
“That traitorous whore, I should have known she would shack up with the Uchiha. Just another way for her to humiliate me,” he spat.
Before anyone had a chance to react Izuna moved forward and stabbed Butsuma in the heart, twisting the blade as he spoke.
“Don’t you ever talk about her like that.”
By now everyone had stopped, watching to see what would happen next.
Hashirama turned to Izuna, and in that movement he feared for his brother's life. What would Hashirama do to the man that just killed his father. Before he had a chance to get between them, Hashirama put a hand on Izuna’s arm, which was still holding the blade buried deep in Butsuma’s chest.
“Thank you for defending my sister.”
He turned to address his clan, “Your clan head has fallen, retreat.”
No one moved for a minute. The battle had barely started and here they were retreating, aside from Butsuma no one even had a serious injury. Then one by one people started to leave.
The Uchiha meanwhile stood still, waiting to see what their own clan head would say.
Hashirama turned back to Madara, “thank you for telling me of my sister. I will send a hawk, please respond to it.” And with that he turned and left. Leaving his father with Izuna’s sword still embedded into his chest.
Everyone left was in states of shock. Eventually one of the men broke and spoke what they were all thinking. “Did that really just happen?”
Tajima, who hadn’t said anything since having his enemy pulled forcefully away from their battle, finally spoke. “I believe we just witnessed the next clan head coming into power within the Senju. As for what that means for us I don't know.”
Another clan member spoke up, “Is what he said true? Is Tobirama really Hashirama’s sister?” The woman asked.
“Yes, that is true.”
“And you all knew about it?” A different clansman asked.
“We did, and we welcomed her anyway. You all know what happened to her at the hands of the Senju. Her being a part of them doesn’t change that. She needed protection from them and we provided that, and will continue to provide it.”
The clan appeared to be in different states of shock, as they all absorbed what was being said.
Izuna finally pulled his sword free from Butsumas body, and chose to speak. “You all know her, where she came from does change that. She was born a Senju but she chose the Uchiha. You have all seen how she uses her knowledge of seals, and her healing to better our clan. Don't let this change your opinion of her.”
Madara watched as many of them nodded their heads. Seeming to agree with Izuna. He hoped that was the case. He knew how much they meant to Tobirama and he didn’t want to imagine her reaction if they turned their backs on her now.
“There is no reason to be here any longer, the Senju are gone. It's time to go home.” Tajima raised his voice to ensure everyone heard. Then he stepped away from his dead rival, still held up with vines, and started making his way home. The rest of the clan following.