Whoops (Pt. 3)
Madara looked at the other Tobirama in shock. They were much older, somehow, taller looking? But black sclera and cracked skin…could this be that jutsu?
"I thought you said you burnedthose notes, Tobirama." He put his kunai away, the moment his Tobirama did and then motioned to the older him.
"I did but I am guessing that this other universe's me did not."
"Other universe?" He squawked.
"How else would he," his Tobirama started to say, gesturing to the older version, "not remember a meeting with the Daimyo. I remember all of those meetings. Pompous bastard." He bit out at the end. Madara watched carefully as he turned to the older version, both of them with the same stance and look, analyzing the other. It was weird.
With an uncommunicated-to-the-rest-of-them nod (that Madara would kill them both for later), they disappeared in a Hirashin. Idiots.
*****
"You are older than I, obviously. But Edo Tensei'd. The notes were mimicked then. How old?" They were sitting in his lab, though an older version of it now and in another universe. Had this version not given it away to Kagami? How did it get so dusty and unused?
"51."
"I made it that long? Shit thought it would be sooner in some battle. How?"
"Kinkaku and Gikaku. Yes those brats. Get them before the Kyubi-before Kurama eats them. The mountain by the Naka. He will be angry but apparently amenable to prolong his and his siblings safety. Do not seal him against his will, Mito and you can work something out on that front. If… you have Mito in your life?"
"Why would she not be?"
"We are trying to find where we split off, no? The rumors of Madara and Anija here were false but in your timeline…"
"Oh kami no. Not them. Mito, yes. Mito and Hashirama wed when they were 16, on the seventh of April."
"So that is not the divergence point then." Something settled in the older him's chakra, face still blank. Was this how he really used to be? What he would grow into unless he took the advice of others and actually show his emotions? A living statue?
"Ita and Kawa..?" There was some small amount of hope in his voice.
"Prior to the Naka confrontation." He answered sadly.
"Butsuma Senju?" Same hatred as his own.
"Tajima and he felled the other, though Tajima's injury prolonged his death a few months."
"So after the Naka and after the switch in clan heads. Kagami?"
"Little spark still fiery as ever."
"The others?"
"All 6 gremlins accounted for. Unless I should be expecting more?"
"No. Touka? Her injury in the final battle worried me."
"Anija handled her wounds and still lives up to her name as the Bloody Viper."
"Izuna?"
"Still a pain in the ass, but loyal as ever. Good at keeping secrets. A damned fine Anbu commander."
"He- wait." The other him's composure cracked and he emoted shock and his chakra was riddled with grief. "Izuna lives in your world? What about the debut of the Hiraishin?"
"I broke into their compound and healed him that same night. Bastard stabbed my arm in retaliation. Not the worst scar. Madara agreed to a ceasefire the next day." There was a mixture of emotions going around him.
"So that is the point of change. I did not go that night, I stayed and tended to Touka's wounds while Anija went and handled the elders."
"I killed some of them when they tried to overthrow Anija. Got scolded. Peace was easier with less war mongering on our side"
"I wish I would have done what you had. My biggest regret has always been Izuna's death. His death led to Madara going mad and betraying the village, his Eternal Mangekyo controlling the Kyu-Kurama and attacking the village."
"Anija would have been devastated."
"Yet I was the one to bring his body back."
"You-I- we killed Madara?" No. Nonono. I could never not when, not now. Has this version never…?
"No. Hashirama did what the Hokage should, what he should have with the elders. He killed the threat even if it killed a piece of himself."
"But we brought back the body?"
"Anija could not bring himself to do so."
"And you could?"
"I would never allow it to be left to the elements."
"How? Have you never felt his chakra? Argue with him about overly pompous clan heads? Civilians who glamorize our lives? Have a cup of tea and theorize jutsu and sealing theory? Watch the stars and make nonsensical constellations? Walk us through our nightmares? Who never lets us go to bed angry?" What started out as scolding turned into pleas of terror as he pictured his own life without them, and the person in front of him only confirmed that there was a life where it was true.
"Those are the words of my dreams... a wish I once had.. an impossibility of my time… Who would love the man who took their family away? Who would love the white demon?" The crack in his skin only added to the broken feeling of him. This is me without love. This is me without him.
"Madara did. Madara does. And we him. Our chakra was what cooled him, Izuna was a brat who said what he said out of spite for losing to me that day and oh boy can I not wait to tell him he would not have healed just fine unless I came."
"You seem happier than I ever was. You found joy and are at peace."
"I...I have he, Madara, is our, my, everything. Before we go back, I have one question for you."
"Go on."
"The young Uchiha boy, Sasuke, no clan he said. How?"
"He is the last Uchiha alive." It was said grimly with remorse.
"What?!"