Madara lay on the cold and uneven ground. Every breath he took drained him of what little energy he had left. He could feel his life slipping away from his body. He knew his end was coming. It was only a matter of time now.
Why did everything go wrong? He had finally reached the dream he sought after for so long. It was a satisfying feeling when he finally cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi on the moon. He had changed Hell into Heaven. He had become the savior of the world. But…it was not to be. Everything he did was a lie. All his life he was being used to instigate the revival of Kaguya Otsutsuki. Black Zetsu had discreetly fooled him into planning the entire Eye of the Moon Plan. He was nothing but a pawn in the grand scheme of things, just like Obito was to him.
He heard footsteps come closer to him. He knew that ever familiar chakra. He struggled to find the strength to open his eyes.
"Hashirama…"
"Yeah?"
He spotted the Senju kneeling down next to him, giving him a pitiful look. He assumed he must have looked just as bad as he felt, if not worse. He had no motivation left to bother with reprimanding Hashirama for giving him such a look. He despised being pitied, especially by Hashirama of all people. He coughed. His throat had long dried from disuse.
"Hashirama…" Madara managed to wheeze out. "Even after all we accomplished…we still could not reach the heights we desired…"
"Hey, the dreams we had weren't exactly the easiest things to accomplish in the world!" Hashirama earnestly replied. "There's only so much we can do. That's why it's important to leave the rest to those who come after us."
"You always were…a naïve fool, you idiot Senju…" Madara chuckled weakly. "But…that was probably…the right way to do things. My dream…is over. But yours…it lives on."
"If you weren't in such a rush to do things, you would have realized there were things you couldn't do. You forgot to properly raise the ones who followed you; the ones who you could entrust your dream to."
"That would've been…impossible for me. I…always hated…having someone following…behind me," Madara muttered, a shrewd smirk gracing his features.
Hashirama gave him a comforting smile. "Remember when we were kids? You said as ninja, we had no idea when our lives would end. Even if we found a way to escape that fate, we would share it amongst our enemies and drink over it…as brothers. We're dying now…so, let's share a drink as comrades. Alright, Madara?"
He could see the world before him going dark. Hashirama was nothing more than a blurry figure. He could barely breathe anymore and the strength to keep his eyes open had waned. He kept his focus on the Senju's voice even though it had become warped and distant.
"Comrades, huh…? Well…if…that's how…we…will…"
His eyes slipped shut for the last time and he exhaled his last breath. Everything shut down and he felt himself being pulled away; away from the suffering of the earthly world. He doubted he would ever be graced with the pleasantries of a peaceful afterlife if there was one. The atrocities he had committed were too great. He would never be allowed the blissful chance to encounter his precious younger brother.
Even after everything he did, Hashirama still considered him a comrade in the end. He was such a naïve idiot…but that was what made Hashirama different. Hashirama had still been his friend through it all. Even when he was forced to take actions that he wished he could have avoided, he still didn't want to hurt his friend. Madara supposed he was thankful for that. Looking back on his life, there were so many things he could have done differently. He could have tried to protect the Uchiha in a different way rather than giving up on humanity and attempting to put the world under a genjutsu. He could have strived to become Hokage to show that he had the best interests for the village as a whole. He could have done as Hashirama told him and taught his followers to continue his legacy. He could have shown companionship and care to others in the same way that Hashirama and the idiotic blonde brat did. Instead, he let his hatred and confusion consume him. That led to his ultimate downfall.
He felt a sense of despair wash over him. His name would be forever scorned and spat upon, remembered only as the man who nearly brought about the world's destruction. A childish part of him that clung to his old beliefs denied this death. It did not want things to end here now that he realized the mistakes he made. He beat back that mutinous thought. There was no possible way to change the past. What was done was done. The only thing he could do now was accept his fate and finally pass on. A calming peace soon descended upon him. His conscious thoughts slowly faded and he felt himself drifting away.
With that, Madara Uchiha was no more.
Hundreds of years passed since the Fourth Shinobi World War. Naruto Uzumaki managed to defeat Sasuke Uchiha in one last struggle. Naruto would then go on to be named the Sixth Hokage once Tsunade finally stepped down. He would lead the rest of the Shinobi Nations into an era of peace and prosperity, a feat unattainable by even the legendary Hashirama Senju. He even went on to marry the woman who confessed her feelings for him. The world would strive to better itself from then on. Other means of protection besides hiring shinobi were created, which greatly reduced casualties. As the years passed, the use of technology increased and advanced at an incredible pace. Eventually, there was no longer a need for the use of shinobi and the Hidden Villages no longer had a reason to remain hidden from enemies.
The way of the shinobi soon disappeared into the course of history. Legends about the great warriors who stopped a world catastrophe were passed down through the generations. Myths about massive beasts of incredible power hiding in the world followed those legends. Suspicions that shinobi clans intermarried with civilians arose, making them believe their coveted bloodline traits hid themselves within their descendants. Many believed these legends were told as a bedtime story for young children to aspire to become as great and virtuous as the heroes of legend.
Little did anyone know how true these stories really were.
The Soul King watched over the realm of the living. Even from his palace, he could sense the growing power of Yhwach. It would only be a matter of time before he arose and threw all the soul dimensions out of balance. Such a shift could cause the end of all souls: humans, Soul Reapers, Hollows, Pluses, and Sinners alike. In order to stop that, the Soul King knew he would need great warriors to combat that power. He knew someone special would be able to stop him. Just as Naruto Uzumaki defeated Madara Uchiha and Kaguya Otsutsuki, he knew the next child of prophecy could stop Yhwach. Naruto had done his job in life. It was time to pass that duty on to another.
He eyed the Soul Reaper Isshin Shiba as he spent his new human life together with the Quincy Masaki Kurosaki. The two had married and recently had their first born; a son by the name of Ichigo. The Soul King knew that boy would go on to be the next child of prophecy. However, he had his suspicions that the child would not become strong enough to face against Yhwach when the time came. He would need as much help as he could get; not just from the Soul Reapers of the Soul Society, but from Hollows who had not lost their sense of morality and those who had long been forgotten.
"Oi, Bald Brows! You rang?"
"Naruto…"
"Fine, fine," the blonde grumbled before clearing his throat. "You summoned me, oh wise ruler of the five soul dimensions?"
"That's better," he quipped. "Naruto, you have long served in the Royal Guard since your arrival in the Pure Land. Since then, you've kept a close watch on the World of the Living and oftentimes neglected your duties."
"Yeah, I know. If you called me here to scold me, I don't wanna hear it. I got enough of it from Tsunade-baachan and Sakura-chan when I was alive."
"No. I called you here for something of utmost importance. I named you the Guide of Life for a reason. I need you to retrieve Madara Uchiha's soul from Hell and Hashirama Senju's soul from the Pure Land."
"DATTEBAYO!?" Naruto shouted in complete disbelief. "Why!? What the hell would you want Madara for!?"
"My reasons are my own."
"Are you high, Bald Brows!?" Naruto shouted angrily. "I nearly died several times trying to send him there when I was alive! You want me to bring him back after all the trouble he caused!? Let's not forget to mention the humongous issues I went through with the Kushanada on my last trip there! Fuck no! I ain't doin' it!"
"Naruto. You are aware of the upcoming dangers that will come within the next several years. The next child of prophecy has shown himself to me. He will be older than you were when you were drawn into war, but he will not have access to the same 'resources' as you did. Hagoromo showed himself to you and Sasuke when you needed it most to seal away Kaguya. This man…cannot be sealed again. He must be killed."
Naruto frowned, a serious light reflecting in his eyes. The Soul King turned towards the blonde, walking down from his throne and towards his servant.
"The legacy of the shinobi has long faded away from the minds and hearts of people everywhere. They have become nothing but tales of fantasy and adventure told to children in the World of the Living. They are only figures in history books in the Soul Society. I know you want more than anything for the shinobi to resurface in their lives. You want them be lauded for their efforts and achievements that helped formed society today. Because without them…the World of the Living nor the Soul Society would be as they are now."
Naruto cast his gaze to the floor. "Yeah. People like the Pervy Sage, Nagato, Itachi, and my dad…they all deserved to be honored for the sacrifices they made. I don't want their memory to be forgotten…"
"Naruto," the Soul King said, placing a hand on his servant's shoulder. "The next child of prophecy is one of your descendants through his father. Not only that, but Asura's chakra has been reincarnated into him."
Naruto gaped. "Wait, WHAT!? I have a great-grandson!? The fuck!?"
"One of your deceased offspring married into the Shiba Clan. Isshin Shiba was a result of that marriage."
"GAH! I feel so old even if I don't look it! I don't want to be called jii-san!" Naruto moaned, fiercely running his hands through his hair. He exhaled deeply to calm himself down. "So…they're still attempting to reconcile the centuries when they were fighting each other?"
The Soul King nodded. "Be glad you managed to compromise the feud between the two brothers. That was no easy feat. Over these past few centuries, every single reincarnation of their chakra has gotten along extremely well."
Naruto rubbed his nose. "I only talked to Sasuke. I suppose they happened to hear me."
"The Speech no Jutsu is…one of your less than remarkable techniques," the Soul King deadpanned. "I still wonder how you do it."
"Nice to know you have such confidence in me," Naruto pouted. "Fine. I'll get the bastard from Hell and Hashirama-ojisan from the Pure Land. You're still not gonna tell me why, are you?"
"No."
"God dammit…" the blonde muttered to himself as he exited the throne room.
Naruto seethed to himself as pressed his hands together in the ever familiar seals for his best jutsu. A second later, an identical clone popped into existence beside him.
"What do ya need me for, boss?" the clone said, saluting to the original.
"Job from Bald Brows," Naruto explained. "Go to the Pure Land and get Hashirama-ojisan. Bring him back to Bald Brows since the dude wants him for something. He won't tell me why; the bastard…"
"Got it, boss!" the clone replied before dashing off somewhere down a random hallway.
Naruto groaned as he held out his hand and concentrated on the key the Soul King had given him. As part of his duties, he often had to make frequent trips to Hell to guide the souls of Pluses who had committed sins in their lifetimes. Even if a Soul Reaper had intended to send a Plus to the Soul Society through Konso, they still had to go through a sorting before they were sent to the afterlife. Normal Pluses were sent to the Soul Society. Innocents, people who had performed noble deeds, and those who sacrificed themselves for the people they loved and cared about were sent to the Pure Land. Those who had done unspeakable evils were sent to Hell.
Naruto felt slightly surprised when the Soul King mentioned Madara. It had been a number of centuries since the man was sent to the deepest level in Hell. How anyone could survive that long in Hell without losing their sanity was beyond him. Maybe he had and was just a living corpse now? Naruto shook his head. He sincerely hoped he was because that man would not be happy to see him.
An opening before him appeared, the distinct heavy chakra of Hell brushing past his face. The blonde sighed before he charged into the entrance. The rift closed behind him and he got a good bird's eye view of Hell, like always. The charred black soil and the trees composed of bones were never a pretty thing to look at. The lava ran in streams and settled into large pools where the Sinners would often be dunked in by the Kushanada as a form of torture before they were consumed. The Uzumaki landed on the ground, shivering slightly. He always hated the tense atmosphere of Hell. He disliked the cruelty of the Kushanada and he loathed the suffering the Sinners had to go through, no matter how much they rightly deserved it for their actions in life.
He walked forward towards one of the massive lava pools, looking down into the fiery liquid. He held out his hand. He then closed his eyes, concentrating on that chakra he had come to know and hate. Once he pinpointed that chakra, his eyes snapped open and his hand clenched something in its grasp. Red chains materialized, rattling as they trailed into the lava pit. Naruto frowned as he yanked on the chains, pulling them out of the magma pool. The chains eventually pulled a sizable lump of lava out of the pool, still writhing in what seemed to be agony. Naruto released the chains, waiting for the substance to take shape.
A head burst out of the fiery goop, gasping for air. Raven locks of hair draped over his face and the rest of the naked figure soon appeared. White clothing materialized out of nowhere, covering the man's body from prying eyes. Shackles were wrapped around his wrists and ankles where the chains of Hell had laid claim to him. More chains were connected directly to his chest which was quite visible thanks to his top hanging open slightly. His pants were ripped and bloody and he had visible bruises and cuts all over his arms and legs. The man looked up, eyeing Naruto with a burning hatred far stronger than all of the Sinners of Hell put together.
"You…" Madara Uchiha growled, though he made no move to attack.
"Yo!" Naruto greeted. "How have the past few centuries been for you?"
"Oh, it's been wonderful," he said through gritted teeth. "Living in this godforsaken nightmare you can never flee from…you have no idea of the suffering I've gone through."
"No, I wouldn't. I'm not a bastard, unlike you," Naruto deadpanned. "If you hadn't fucked everything up, you wouldn't be here."
Madara lowered his head. "I'm well aware that every minute of agony I endure here is well deserved, Naruto Uzumaki. You don't have to remind me."
Naruto did a double-take. "Did you just agree with me!?"
"When you live a miserable existence filled with untold pain for so long, one comes to accept their fate. I've been through this torture for too long…I just want it to end. I reached my limits long ago…"
Naruto knelt down in front of Madara. He could see the despair and futility deep in the Uchiha's eyes. Although he had lasted this long, he could tell Madara was ready to give up on everything. He wanted his life to end. He wanted to be grinded into dust and bone since that would be a more fruitful existence than living in Hell. Naruto frowned deeply. He had never seen such a determined and proud man broken to this degree.
"Madara, I can take you out of here," he told the Uchiha.
His eyes lit up with such hope that Naruto almost wanted to give the man a hug. Almost. No one should have to feel so despondent that the thought of escape—even if it was futile—never crossed their minds. That hope immediately dissipated before it was replaced by anger.
"Don't lie to me. No one can escape from Hell," Madara snapped, grabbing the clamps on his wrists. "As long as these chains bind me, I'm condemned to live in this wretched place forever."
"Oi, don't doubt Bald Brows," Naruto said, giving the man the "nice guy" pose Lee and Guy-sensei would always do. "I'm sure he can fix this mess you're in!"
Madara raised an eyebrow. "Bald Brows?"
"You'll see," Naruto answered.
Naruto bit his finger and pulled out a scroll. He ran his thumb across the scroll and out popped a black cloak and a strange white mask. He handed the garments over the Madara, who took them in confusion.
"Put those on just in case," the blonde said. "That way the Kushanada won't be on your ass once we get outta here."
"No one can truly leave Hell," Madara muttered under his breath, covering his head with the cloak's hood and putting on the white mask. "This garb is ridiculous…"
"Deal with it," Naruto laughed as he concentrated his chakra.
He thrust his palm out and the rift leading back to the Soul Palace appeared before them. Madara stiffened considerably at the sight. He could hardly believe that he was leaving Hell, however temporary it was. He relished in the chance to feel a calming atmosphere compared to the suffocating air in Hell. He followed after the rambunctious blonde when Naruto dived into the rift. He felt a sense of distortion before he landed on his feet in a pristine white room. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the other two occupants in the room.
"Impeccable timing, Naruto," said a pale and regal looking man sitting upon a throne. "Your clone arrived moments ago."
"No prob, Bald Brows!" Naruto said, scratching the back of his head. "Kakashi-sensei kinda made me want to be on time to things, even though he was always late to everything."
"Naruto, is that really you!?" said the other individual in surprise. "I was stunned to see your clone! You've grown so much since I last saw you."
"You look the same as always, Hashirama-ojisan."
A depressive cloud hovered over Hashirama Senju. "You don't have to say it so casually…"
Naruto laughed, but Madara remained in place. He could feel his heart thumping against his ribcage. He half wanted to strangle the Senju and half wanted to hug the man. He hadn't seen his friend in so long. Hearing Hashirama's voice now after hearing his own bloodcurdling screams for hundreds of years was a godsend. As much as he wanted to greet his old friend, he kept himself from doing anything. The parting would be too painful. Once this Soul King was done with him, he knew he'd be sent back into the fiery pits of Hell where he would be subjected to the will of the Kushanada until he finally was given the honor of joining the rest of the fallen Sinners.
"Who's the creepy dude in the mask?"
"It's Madara-teme," Naruto answered bluntly.
"I'm going to murder the brat!" Madara mentally seethed.
Hashirama's eyes widened in disbelief. The Senju slowly approached Madara, as if in a trace. He reached out towards the mask, his hand shaking slightly. He attempted to remove the mask, but Madara grasped Hashirama's wrist to stop him. Madara tightened his grip on the wrist in an effort to deter him from continuing.
"It is alright, Madara Uchiha," the Soul King said. "As long as you are within my presence, the Kushanada cannot reach you."
"Kushanada?" Hashirama wondered.
Hesitantly, Madara removed his hold on Hashirama's wrist. For some reason, he felt he could trust what this Soul King said. Hashirama noticed the lack of pressure on his hand and continued to remove the mask. Hashirama gasped when he saw the battered and scarred face of his best friend.
"Madara? Is it really you?" he asked hesitantly.
Something broke inside him at the gentle tone Hashirama used. Madara latched onto his friend's arms, falling to his knees. Hundreds of years of pent-up emotions burst forth and he could not stop them from coming. He felt tears falling down his face as he looked up into the shocked face of his best friend.
"It's you…" Madara said quietly. "Hashirama, forgive me…"
"Madara, what happened to you!?" Hashirama exclaimed, his voice filled with concern. "I thought you were in the Pure Land. I searched for you and my brother everywhere. I even looked for Izuna. I never found any of you."
"I would never have been allowed there, you naïve fool."
"Then where—"
"Hell. I was in Hell," Madara answered, lowering his head in shame.
"Hell?" Hashirama repeated in horror.
"Don't tell me I didn't deserve it, Hashirama. You know fully well I would never be allowed a peaceful afterlife because of the things I did. It was a fate I accepted willingly."
"But—"
"Even though I'm fated to turn to dust in the end, I'm…grateful I got to see you once more, my friend," Madara muttered, sounding choked up.
Hashirama gave the Uchiha a pitiful look. "What happened while you were down there?"
"The life of a Sinner is one of indescribable anguish," the Soul King answered methodically. "They are bound in the unbreakable chains of Hell and subjected to various forms of torture: burning, mutilating, and placed under an atmosphere that slowly corrodes the mind. The guardians of Hell, the Kushanada, watch over the Sinners and add to their eternal punishment. They eat the Sinners, only for the Sinners to be reborn and experience their punishment over and over again. Eventually, the Sinners lose their desire to survive. They waste away until their bones turn to dust. That is the fate of all those who are sent to Hell."
"That's barbaric!" Hashirama snapped at the man before he turned back to Madara. "You suffered through all of that for centuries?"
Madara nodded as he let go of his friend, falling to the floor. "It doesn't matter. I've been eaten and scorched alive so many times that I've gotten accustomed to it. I'm just waiting for the inevitable at this point…"
"Don't talk like that, Madara!" Hashirama shouted, shaking the Uchiha's shoulders. "This isn't like you!"
"I admit I used to scoff at the prospect of death," Madara said, fingering the cuff around his wrist. "But being in that awful place will break everyone in time. I've lived my life. I made terrible choices. This is my eternal sentence and no one can change that."
"Madara…"
"Enough," the Soul King announced. "Naruto, leave. I wish to speak with these two alone."
The Uzumaki bowed down to the man. "Yes, sir."
Naruto headed towards the door and carefully closed it behind him. Hashirama and Madara looked up, both men feeling tense. The Soul King stood up, walking down the steps from his throne. He walked up to the two shinobi, watching them with critical eyes. Hashirama squirmed as those weird-looking pupils bored into him. It felt like those eyes pierced right through his soul, down into the deepest darkest parts of his being.
"You are wondering why I summoned Naruto to bring you to me, are you not?" the king guessed, a graceful smirk adorning his aristocratic features.
"Um…yeah. Pretty much," Hashirama laughed awkwardly, feeling a sweatdrop fall down his face.
"Hashirama Senju. Madara Uchiha. You two were lauded as the strongest and most gifted shinobi of your time. You achieved much in your lifetimes; acts of both noble and wicked intentions. Due to those actions, you passed on into your respective planes of the afterlife. However…"
"However what?" Madara said suspiciously as he rose to his feet.
"You remember the mass destruction that the Ten-Tails caused? I'm afraid a far bigger catastrophe than Kaguya Otsutsuki is upon us all."
"A problem worse than that crazy woman?" Hashirama questioned. "What could be worse than the progenitor of all chakra?"
"His name is Yhwach: a man of equal if not greater power whose strength could overthrow the balance of the all the soul dimensions, causing a complete collapse of our world. Everyone and everything would perish if that happened."
Both men's eyes widened in shock. Someone who possessed power potentially greater than Kaguya Otsutsuki was definitely a huge problem. Just as Kaguya threatened the mortal world, this man now threatened the living and the deceased.
"Yhwach cannot be easily sealed as Kaguya was. The only way to stop him is to kill him."
"Are you asking that you want us to be part of some army to combat this man?" Madara snarled.
"Putting it bluntly, yes," the Soul King answered. "But my true offer lies elsewhere."
"True offer?" asked Hashirama.
"As you are aware, Naruto Uzumaki was the child of prophecy who would go on to save the shinobi world," the Soul King explained. "Another child of prophecy has been born. I know he is the one who has the power to kill this man. However, he needs all the support he can possibly get before Yhwach revives himself."
"So what do you want us to do?" demanded Madara.
"Your power is unrivaled except by that of the Sage of the Six Paths and his sons," The Soul King bowed to them. "I humbly ask for your help in the upcoming war by fighting alongside the child of prophecy."
"Of course we'll help!" Hashirama answered jovially.
"You idiot Senju!" Madara yelled, slamming his hand against the Senju's head. "I'm not agreeing to this!"
"Well…if we don't help, we're screwed in the end anyway!" Hashirama laughed, rubbing the sore spot on his skull. "It's not like we have much of a choice, right?"
Madara crossed his arms, huffing irritably. "I suppose…"
"I will not force either of you into doing anything. I want this choice to be entirely yours," the Soul King said. "If you choose to accept, you will be living an entirely new life. Since your original mortal bodies have long decomposed, you will be reincarnated into the World of the Living with completely new families. Though you will be reborn into new families, you will keep your abilities and kekkei genkais. For your own safety, I will have to seal your memories."
"What!?"
"I said seal, Madara. You will still have all your memories, but you will be unable to access all of them right away. They will return to you when the time is right."
Madara scowled. "Why me though? You are aware of the things I've done. I was condemned to Hell for a reason."
"Madara Uchiha, you have long been a hurt individual. You proved to me in your last moments alive and during your time in Hell that you are capable of change. I believe in second chances. I am offering to release you from the chains that bind you if you decide to accept."
Madara felt stunned as heard those words. He held his wrists in front of him, eyeing the locks that bound him with revulsion. How he wished to escape from that place. But did he really want to live another life? He had failed so many times in his lifetime. What if he failed again? Madara did not want to go through that steady stream of disasters again. A hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned his head, finding Hashirama giving him an encouraging smile. Madara relaxed at the gesture. He wouldn't be alone if he accepted. Hashirama would be there for him. This time there wouldn't be anything to come between them as friends.
"…Very well. I accept," Madara answered, feeling a bit of his former confidence come back to him.
"As will I," Hashirama added. "I can't let Madara have all the fun now, can I?"
The Soul King smiled. "I am happy to hear that. Madara Uchiha, come to me."
The Uchiha hesitantly stepped forward. The king motioned him to hold out his hands. Madara slowly revealed his hands, allowing the man to touch the chains. He traced a line down the center of the shackles. A small light gleamed from that traced line before the cuffs broke apart and fell to the floor. Madara gazed at his wrists in ecstatic disbelief. He was so focused on his hands he did not notice when the Soul King removed the chains on his ankles and chest. He cradled his now chain free hands to his chest, feeling lighter than he had in years. A literal and figurative weight had been lifted off his soul.
"Now then, I believe I will allow you two to say your goodbyes."
"Goodbyes, huh?" Hashirama sighed. "Right. We won't see each other until later, will we?"
"No…I guess not…" mumbled Madara.
"Um…don't go crazy and try to put a genjutsu on the moon again?" Hashirama said stupidly as a light enclosed on him.
"Don't do anything stupid like getting yourself killed before we meet again," Madara coolly retorted, a light surrounding him as well.
"Yeah, I love you too!" Hashirama joked, laughing at the face Madara made when he said that.
"YOU NAÏVE IDIOTIC SENJU!"
"Yep, I knew the old Madara was still in there somewhere. I just had to bait him out," Hashirama laughed again. "All joking aside, I'm looking forward to being friends again. Maybe we can do things right this time?"
Madara tried to stop the smirk that wanted to form, but failed. He watched as his friend was consumed in the bright light before it disappeared, taking Hashirama along with it.
"Yes…" he answered, staring at the spot where his friend once was. "Maybe we can."
He felt a sense of calm overcome him and darkness began to obscure his vision. It trapped him in a comfortable embrace and he soon felt himself drifting off. He knew not of what awaited him. He didn't know how he could possibly redeem himself for the acts he had committed. Those sins would always follow him, whether he remembered them or not.
He briefly thought of his brother. He sincerely hoped he would be allowed to see Izuna again. He missed his otouto dearly and he would have given anything to speak with him one last time so he could apologize; apologize for failing him and breaking his promises to him. Would Izuna ever forgive him for his mistakes? Probably not. Madara closed his eyes. He could not resist any longer and unconsciousness claimed him.
Karakura Hospital. December 24th, 1987.
"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!"
Isshin paced back and forth in the waiting room, holding his son in his arms. Little Ichigo blinked his big innocent eyes at his father, wondering why his daddy was acting so weird. Little did the child know he would soon become a big brother. Isshin restlessly tapped his foot. Masaki had been more than overjoyed when she found out she was pregnant again. She had loved Ichigo immensely when he first arrived. After seeing the beautiful being they had created together, Masaki had told him that she wished she could give Ichigo the happiest life he could possibly have. As unintentional as it was, it looked like part of that dream was giving the little berry some siblings.
Isshin was happy when he first became a father. It was something he never thought he'd enjoy so much. There was a certain joy that a child brought with them when they came into the world. Even though he had spent less than a year with his son, he knew this next child would be just as special as Ichigo . He could feel it in his gut.
"I can't take it!" Isshin cried, clenching his fist in excitement. "The anticipation is killing me!"
"Kurosaki-san?"
"YAAAAH!"
Isshin nearly dropped Ichigo in shock. He turned around, finding a nurse waiting patiently for him to gather his composure. He chuckled uneasily, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry. You startled me," he said sheepishly. "What is it?"
"Well, the birthing was a success. Your wife had a healthy baby boy. Would you like to see them?"
Isshin nodded. "Yes! Please!"
The nurse led him down various hallways, past rooms that all looked the same. The only thing that changed was the layout of the rooms and the room numbers. Ichigo began babbling nonsense, giggling happily the closer they got to the room Masaki was in. The little tyke had an amazing sense of location. He always seemed to know when he was getting close to his mother if they had been separated for any amount of time. The strawberry truly loved his mommy despite not being old enough to understand what love was.
Isshin entered the room, finding his wife lying down on a bed. She looked completely drained and her hair was a matted mess. Trails of dried sweat could be seen on her face and her skin looked paler than normal, but the spark of life burned brightly in her eyes. She held a small blue bundle in her arms, smiling sweetly at it. She perked up when she saw Isshin come into the room.
"Come here," she said, motioning him over to her side. "Come and see him."
Isshin quietly walked over to her, standing at her side. She pushed aside the little opening in the blanket, revealing the contents inside. A pair of small black eyes stared back at him in curious wonder. Isshin was very surprised. Newborns weren't supposed to be able to open their eyes so soon after birth. The child had the same chubby and cute face that all babies had. He spotted a mop of black hair atop his head and his skin was slightly tanner than normal, matching Isshin's own skin tone. The baby's eyes blinked at him before his little hands came out of the blanket. The tiny fingers reached out to him. Isshin carefully held out his finger, allowing the child to grab it. The baby immediately brought it to his mouth and began sucking on it.
Ichigo squealed, reaching out to his new little brother as if he knew who he was. Isshin carefully maneuvered Ichigo onto the bed with his free hand. The ginger-haired boy hurriedly crawled over his mother's legs to reach her arms. He sat on her lap, looking at his baby brother with a face full of awe. He reached out to his brother's hand, gently holding it. He giggled, smiling brightly at the baby.
"Ma! Da!" Ichigo said. "Mada!"
Masaki blinked in confusion. "Ichigo? Sweetie?"
Ichigo pointed at his brother. "Madala!"
Ichigo had only begun to recognize words and names fairly recently. He had never tried speaking at all. For him to speak now was definitely odd. Masaki turned to her husband, wondering if he was just as perplexed as she was. Isshin frowned, crossing his arms and he thought about what his son was trying to get at.
"You think he wants to name him 'Madala'?" guessed Isshin.
"Or maybe he's trying to say 'Madara' but he can't pronounce the 'r' sound yet?"
"Madara? Spots? Kind of an odd name."
"Actually…I like it," Masaki said, looking back at her baby boy. "I don't know why, but…I think it suits him."
"He's your son, Masaki. I'll be happy with whatever name you choose."
"Alright then," Masaki said, pulling Ichigo closer to her chest so he could have a better viewpoint. "Ichigo, this is your baby brother Madara. Say hello to him."
Ichigo gave Madara a big grin. Madara blinked at the beaming kid before him, his hand reaching out for him. He ran his hand through his fluffy orange locks, captivated with the color. He soon began tugging on them. Ichigo let out a few sounds of pain, but did not cry. Instead, he giggled some more as he continued smiling at his little brother.
Unknown to all, the Soul King watched this scene unfold in his Soul Palace. He smiled to himself.
"Ichigo Kurosaki, protect him and lead him down the right path. Stay with him through his lowest points and be the light in the darkness should the Curse of Hatred consume him once again," he said. He turned his attention to the newborn. "This is your chance for redemption, Madara Uchiha. Make the most of it."
Well, I fixed up the piece of junk and hopefully made it into a refrigerator. I took the time to look over the things I did wrong, what I could improve upon, and come up with new creative ideas. I like this so much better than my last attempt and I hope all of you enjoy it too! Read and review, please! Tell me what you think about this new version and whether if you liked it or not. If you do, great! Mission success! If not, tell me why and I'll attempt to improve myself in the future.