Chapter 1
It was one of the rare days that neither Touka nor Hikaku, who had become a good friend over the last few years, could go with him on his wanderings. Seeing as he was alone this time he decided to explore a cave system he had come across several months before. He had been putting it off until a time like this. Touka hated caves. Would rather run through a storm than take shelter in one. And the forest surrounding it made Hikaku uncomfortable. It was too much like the mokuton trees Hashirama grew. As a whole the Uchiha we're still extremely uncomfortable with his brothers ability, and so the gardens Hashirama had envisioned were still a long way off.
Brushing the memory of his brothers dejected face away he set about getting ready to explore the cave system. The first thing he did was place a hiraishin marker at the entrance. If he did manage to get lost at least he wouldn't be trapped. Then he checked the lantren he'd brought. The seal he used to light it shined steadily. Perfect. Food and drink in case his exploration took longer than he thought? Enough for an overnight mission, also sealed safely.
Smiling slightly to himself he set off into the caves.
There was something in there, almost hidden from his senses. It didn't feel like a threat. More like something in a deep sleep, waiting to wake up and feel the sun.
He frowned at that thought, but sometimes a person's chakra carried their emotions as well. Whoever, or whatever, was in there truly wanted nothing more than to feel the sun on them. It seemed cruel to leave them there.
He focused on that feeling and followed it deeper into the caves. As he went he realized that these tunnels were old lava tubes and he itched to study them more closely. There were deposits of minerals and what looked to be gemstones. The village could use the revenue they could provide, if they were in fact valuable. He paused only long enough to work out a few of the stones, but the chakra signature seemed to have subconsciously noticed him. Its desire for the sun was being mixed with a desire for running water. A swim? He had been in the caves for less than two hours and he kinda wanted to swim now too.
Knowing this wasn't even half of why Touka disliked caves made him all the more greatful she wasn't there with him. He vowed that the next person who give her a hard time over a cave was getting their mouth sealed shut.
For another hour he pushed deeper in, determinedly ignoring the veins of ore and the sparkle of minerals. As much as they could help the village, he felt the overwhelming need to get to the source of the chakra.
Finally he came to an open chamber. Holding the lantern higher his breath caught.
Strips of crude seals formed a circle around a man. He looked to be meditating, but the seals... This was a forced meditation. He was trapped.
Away from the light of the sun and the breeze. So far into the earth itself that if Tobirama weren't the powerful sensor he was no one would have ever found the man.
Carefully inching closer and shining the light on the man for a better look he was shocked all over again. He was young, appearing to be around his brothers age, and he was the most beautiful person Tobirama had ever seen. More so even than Madara when he wasn't yelling.
Carefully making his way around the circle, he looked for any clues as to who he was. The robes were stained with dust and streaked where water had dripped down onto them. By his leg, half hidden under his sleeve, was a stone tablet. Cursing softly he pushed more chakra into his lantern and leaned just a touch closer.
The language was old, one that he had learned as a child. The language of the Sage, his ancestor.
The only words he could see clearly were "learn" "reconciled" and "brother". Not really much to go on. But the language, which had fallen out of common use centuries ago, and looking at the seals, some of which cause him physical pain to see, convinced him that it would be beyond cruel to leave the man here.
Some of the symbols he recognized only because he had studied the history of seals as closely as possible. If only the Uzumaki weren't so strict about who they let look at their histories... But he wasn't getting married just for a closer look at the scrolls they kept locked away. He would make do with what he had been able to find and the rare texts he had... liberated from various places to piece together the best way to release the man. Quickly he placed a haraishin seal near the man and after a moments thought he pushed a bit more chakra into his lantren and set it aside.
"I'll be right back. I promise."
Feeling inexplicably guilty, he reached for the marker he had placed in his study, grabbing all the scrolls he had stashed there before reaching for another marker. Ignoring the startled yelps from the hallway, and more than a few demands for an explanation, he quickly grabbed the best sealing ink he owned and several brushes. He brushed off a hand that landed on his arm not bothering to check and see who it was. All he could think of was the seals keeping that man trapped in his own mind.
He barely heard his brothers voice asking what was wrong before he was reaching again for his newest seal.
Confusion and relief greeted him. Obviously his presence had gained enough of the man's attention that he was reaching out, trying to break through.
"Hello again. I'm going to try and get you out. Please be patient a little longer."
Laying out the scrolls he had gathered he got to work, starting with the innermost layers and working his way out to decode as much of the array as he could. Hours slipped by, the curious hum of the man's chakra pressing closer and closer consciousness.
Finally, after hours of cross referencing his scrolls and what he had been able to memorize, he was confident enough to expand the array with a key to unlock the whole thing. At last he reached out with his chakra and pushed. The power in the array pushed back, but it had been weakened over time and the seals he had added. It shattered.
Slowly the gentle rise and fall of his chest deepened and muscles started to twitch. Dark eyes cracked open and dry lips parted.
"*Thank you.*"
His voice was soft and hoarse from disuse, and he toppled sideways almost as soon as he finished talking. Tobirama barely managed to keep him from hitting the ground. The man seemed vaguely frustrated at his inability to control his body as Tobirama helped back into a seated position and leaned him against the wall of the cave.
He spoke haltingly, unused to speaking the old toung aloud, and offered his waterskin.
"*Easy. It's been a very long time since you were left here. Drink this, slowly now.*"
Helping the man drink a bit of water, careful not to let him drink to much or too fast, he looked around for anything they might need to take with them. His scrolls he could come back for, the tablet? Yes. He should take that. It might explain just what the hell had happened. He was sure the man would want answers that he didn't have.
After the man had finished his drink Tobirama slowly, carefully, helped him unbend his legs and carefully rubbed them to get the blood flowing properly. He would probably need to be carried. It wasn't likely he would be up to walking anytime soon.
A clearing throat caused him to look up and he felt caught by those eyes.
"*What is your name?*"
"Senju Tobirama. *What is yours?*"
"Otsutsuki Indra."
A thrill went through him, tho weather it was horror or curiosity he wasn't sure. The old tales said it was the deaths of Indra and his brother that sparked the war between the clans. The succession dispute turning into a full on kinslayer war with their deaths. Apparently that was not the case.
No matter. A dispute was not a war and centuries had warped how the past was viewed. It was just as likely Indra had no idea what his clan would do after his disappearance. So instead of jumping to conclusions when he had so few facts he could trust, none really as all the histories said the brothers were dead and gone and no where near as young as Indra appeared, he smiled at him.
"Let's get you out of here."
Ignoring the confused look he got for using the modern toung he scooped the tablet off the ground and gently dropped it in Indra's lap before carefully scooping him and the lantren up. He set a much faster pace out of the caves than he had on his way in. Really, he needed to look into tweaking the haraishin. It would be nice if he could carry others with him. Still, it was possibly for the best as he came to mouth of the cave nearly an hour later. Indra had dozed off in his arms not long after he was picked up, having used all of his energy to try and protest the need. Loudly. And so Tobirama faced the gathered clans, with Touka and Hikaku standing side by side looking equally uncomfortable while Izuna scowled at his brothers side. Hashirama was looking at him in shock at the mouth of the cave.
"Excellent. Anija, he needs a healer. He's been in a forced meditation for... a very long time."
He wanted to laugh at the gobsmacked looks on everyone's faces, but Indra had started to wake up once the sun had begun to warm him. When he spoke Hashirama and Madara flinched while Izuna's jaw dropped.
"*Oh... It's my brother's forest. Is he here?*"