Otouto
This is a big, big time AU fic. Certainly off canon a lot so give it a try before deciding to hate, but if you don't like…let me know.
Please read if you want. Review if you want.
Still own nothing. Nothing.
Chapter Ten
The elder Senju ended up becoming a big part of the academy after speaking with Kakashi. The sixth Hokage had agreed that some updating was needed and Iruka was delighted with any help Hashirama could offer. Several old textbooks and worksheets were immediately discarded as the Senju began to put together a more comprehensive text that was easier for a child to learn from.
"Look at this," Hashirama fussed as Tobirama read through a manual thrust out to him and groaned softly, "Poke a person with a kunai to see if they are wearing a henge? We'd have bloody children roaming the academy. Now I see why Iruka-sensei refused to use this book. That is a brilliant teacher, but his strong backbone hasn't won him a lot of friends within the school board."
"Honestly, the school board needs to be replaced," Tobirama advised, "The members are getting too old to understand that times have changed and thus school materials need to change over time. A lot of Madi's worksheets are handwritten by Iruka-san. I like what I'm seeing. Madi-chan is learning at a rate that is perfect for his age and abilities. Plus…Madi?"
"Um…ow," Madi sighed, holding his bleeding hand as the brothers tripped over one another to get to him, "Eiji's mean, Hama-nini."
"Let me see," Hashirama ordered as he looked over the wound, "Is this…you've been bit! These are human teeth marks."
"I was walking home with my friends and then Eiji said that if I was a Senju then he was an Inuzuka," Madi huffed, "I ignored him and then he bit me and started barking like a dog. Hokage-sama saw everything since he was walking by and was really angry and told me to tell you Tsuna-chan is on her way and he'd talk with Eiji's clan and my hand hurts, but I didn't cry because I'm a tough shinobi."
"Of course you are because you are a Senju," Tobirama said as he lifted Madi to rinse his hand in the sink, "What is Eiji's clan name, Madi-chan?"
"Kondo," Madi answered as Hashirama scowled, "Will I get rabies? Mai-mai Nara said I'd get rabies, but Eiji's not really a dog."
"No, you won't get rabies," Tsunade chuckled from the doorway as she toed off her sandals and stepped inside, "You can't get rabies from a person unless that person has rabies. Eiji doesn't have rabies…just a case of the stupids so it's okay. Let me see your hand, Madi-chan."
Madi offered his hand to his kind-of aunt and relaxed as she worked to heal his hand good as new.
"Cool," the child chirped looking at his unblemished hand and back to the blonde woman, "You are awesome, Tsuna! Wish I could do that."
"I'll show you how one day, Madi," Tsunade began, "Wow, Occhan. That was quite a chomp. Does this Eiji kid have fanged teeth or something?"
"No, but he's mean," Madi sulked crossing his arms irritably, "I don't bother him, but he pulls my braid and yells at me and won't leave me alone even when Iruka-sensei made him run laps for interrupting our weapons practice to pick a fight with me last week. He's not even in my class and he's just always…he's always there. I don't understand why he's always after me. I've asked him to stop bothering me, but he won't."
"He will because Bima-nini and I will be talking to his clan head," Hashirama snarled, "Enough is enough. You've done well to try to ignore him, Otouto, but Eiji is just being a bully. The world of shinobi does not need bullies."
"But won't Eiji get mad and call me a tattletale, Hama-nini? All my friends say that it's bad to be a tattletale," Madi frowned out.
"It is a shinobi's duty to report the wrong doings of comrades," Tsunade answered instead as the elder Senju brothers nodded decisively, "Eiji is not respecting your wishes, Madi-chan, so it is time for your brothers to step up and deal with the bullying. If no one with higher authority tells the bully he or she is being mean or acting badly, then how will that person know what they are doing is wrong? Do you understand, Occhan?"
"Oh," Madi gasped, "I think so. So is it wrong to smoke behind the gym?"
"Depends on who is doing the smoking, Madi," Hashirama pointed out, "Can you tell us more about that?"
"Yeah," Madi began, "There are two genins that hang out there sometimes during lunch time and ask the academy students to join them and if someone says no then the two call us babies. A lot of students have tried to smoke with them so the two genin won't make fun of them. I don't think that is good and I've said no twice already and I'm not a baby."
"You certainly are not a baby and it is not good at all what those two genin are doing," Tobirama agreed, "You are looking out for your comrades by trying to keep them safe, Madi-chan. Hama-nini will deal with those two when he is at the academy tomorrow. Homework?"
"I have to read two chapters in my ninjutsu book," Madi reported as he shrugged off the biting incident as most young children could do easily, "May I have apple slices while I'm reading? I'm hungry, Bima."
The silver-haired nin nodded quickly. Tobirama settled his brother in his room to read his chapters at the desk with his snack. Tsunade agreed to babysit while he and Hashirama headed to the Kondo estate. The two were met at the door by the Head.
"I cannot tell you how much I apologize for Eiji-kun," Aiko Kondo sighed as a maid offered the two Senju some tea once they were invited inside, "He's been a real handful ever since his older sister died on one of her missions. I think he's taking out his hurt on your brother."
"Children have complex emotions," Hashirama voiced, "But Eiji-kun has finally crossed the line to physical confrontation. He bit our otouto hard enough to leave a full set of bloody teeth marks on each side of Madirama's hand. That is unacceptable behavior. Please understand that I would say this in defense of any child and not just because the boy hurt is my youngest brother."
"No, I understand completely," Aiko replied quickly, "Funny thing is, the boy has never even mentioned Madirama at home. I am not sure why he is singling out your brother."
"Who knows why Eiji choose Madi-chan, but we want this targeting behavior to stop," Tobirama insisted, "Our brother has never instigated anything with your clansman. There is pain there. Eiji is hurting inside and acting out because of it. Aniki and I do understand, but it is time for the boy to receive some counseling or his behaviors will spiral into more than just pretending to be a dog to bite someone."
"The Hokage has stated the same," Aiko admitted, "I've even been given some counselors' names to look into. I will make sure that Eiji leaves your brother alone and…"
"Madirama is not their brother! He's just an old Uchiha that got picked up from a ditch! He shouldn't even be allowed in Konoha or the academy or…or anywhere!"
The adults swiveled to see Eiji Kondo panting in a doorway. The boy's face was as red as his hair. The two Senju exchanged looks with one another. Not good. Where was all this hate coming from for the child?
"Eiji-kun, you apologize for that outburst right now!" Aiko ordered as the boy scowled, "Now, Mister."
"I will not! He's not their brother," Eiji whined, crossing his arms and looking away angrily in a typical example of childish rebellion.
"Madi-chan is my most precious baby otouto. He has every right to be here in Konoha and taking classes at the academy, same as you do," Hashirama snapped as Eiji startled at the tone, "Do not think you have the right to declare who is my family."
"Calm yourself, Aniki," Tobirama instructed as his brother sighed and nodded quickly at him before the silver-haired nin glanced to the child, "Madirama Senju is our brother who was gifted to us by the Father of all Chakra. He was never picked up from a ditch, Boy. Madi is our family without question, Eiji-kun, and you will cease speaking for my brother and I in regards to our otouto. What is upsetting you so much that you are attacking our brother?"
"Uchiha are scum," Eiji snarled, "Neesan told me so. She said that Tousan and Kaasan died because of Madara Uchiha during the war and I hate Madi because he's not a Senju! He's a dirty Uchiha! I don't care what you two say!"
"Eiji!" Aiko hissed as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment and anger.
"Ah. Now I see," Hashirama breathed as the dots connected, "So that is why you hate Madi. Because he has connections to the Uchiha clan. Eiji-kun, do you know that Madara Uchiha was my friend long before he ever started that war?"
The boy shook his head as the elder Senju beckoned him over. Eiji hesitated, but eventually stepped over to kneel beside his clan head.
"I'm sorry that your parents died," Hashirama began as the boy slumped as his face turned sad, "Madara was once a good friend of mine, but he did a lot of harm for what he thought was the right reasons later in life. He thought the sacrifice of others would lead to ultimate peace for the world. Madara was wrong and he realized it when he died, but you can't hate all Uchiha because of one man. Sasuke helped Naruto save our world and he is an Uchiha."
"Well…he's a hero and Madi isn't," Eiji grumped as Aiko Kondo hung her head.
"Madi is Sasuke's distant cousin and is learning to be a shinobi just like you," Tobirama spoke up, "Do not judge our brother so harshly because you are angry that your parents died to protect our world. Your parents died nobly and would not appreciate you acting so dishonorably. Madi is my clansman just like Hashirama and it is wrong to decide to hate him when you haven't even gotten to know our brother. Do you want to be known in life as a bully, Eiji-kun?"
"No," Eiji whispered, "I want to be just like my parents and oneesan."
"That is a very good goal to have, Eiji, but you most listen to me. Uchiha are not scum," Hashirama pointed out, "That clan was largely misunderstood and the Father of Chakra has rectified a lot of pain that clan dealt with so the Uchiha can rebuild now in the correct way. Calm your mind, Child, before you go down a path that is as bad as the one Madara Uchiha walked. Stay away from our brother unless you want to try and make up for being cruel. I hope you and your clan have a good evening."
Eiji looked startled at being compared to Madara and bowed with his clan head as the two brothers departed. A week went by before Eiji finally apologized to Madirama. It seemed that the talk did some good because Madi never had negative dealings with the Kondo boy again. In fact, Madi and Eiji were fast working towards becoming best friends. Time slipped by as another year pass by. It was at six that Madi's sneezing began.
"Bima!" Madi screamed as his brother tore outside and used his waster release to put out the fire in the bushes, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
"It's okay," Tobirama soothed as he picked up the distraught boy, "The fall pollen is thick today and that always makes you sneeze. Let's go inside and work on some calligraphy. Your characters are looking much better. Whoa!"
The elder brother turned the boy's head right as Madi sneezed again and released a small puff of flame. Tobirama couldn't help it…he should have helped it, but he couldn't. Tobirama laughed hard as he hugged the pouting boy against him.
"Bima," Madi whined as Tobirama snickered softly, "It's not funny!"
"Maybe just a little. You always keep us on our toes, Baby Dragon," Hashirama spoke as he hurried over to hand the boy a handkerchief to blow his nose, "Inside. The pollen is too thick today and you did promise to write my name in calligraphy, remember?"
"Hai, Hama-nini," Madi agreed as he was set on his feet to go change his clothes, "I don't like fire sneezes."
"Me neither," Tobirama nodded out, "Your cousin says that will pass soon because you are getting much better at your chakra control. Just remember to tell me if you are about to sneeze so I can catch it while we are inside."
"Catching" the sneeze was actually dosing the flame with a quick water jutsu. Fire sneezes tended to come with enough warning for Tobirama to be ready. The silver-haired man caught the jumping boy as Madi kicked at him after he had changed. This was a game the two did to continue to work on Madirama's taijutsu skills.
"Where did Madi go?" Tobirama hummed, holding the giggling boy upside down by an ankle, "Aniki, have you seen him?"
"He was just here," Hashirama called from the kitchen.
"Bima-nini, I'm here," Madi laughed as his brother held him up, "Here I am!"
"There you are," Tobirama sniffed, "About time you showed up. Go prepare your ink. I'll check it when you are done."
Tobirama snorted as he sat the child down and Madi latched onto his leg to try and pull him over. The two tossled for a bit before the child skipped over to work on his calligraphy.
"What?" Tobirama asked as Hashirama raised an eyebrow at him.
"You are happy in this new life," the elder whispered as his brother sighed, "Admit it."
"Hn," Tobirama grunted as he turned his nose up to sit next to their little brother and instruct him in calligraphy, but the silver-haired man couldn't deny that he was happy being here with his family.
"Bima," Madi whined before sneezing as his brother put out the fire in midair, "I don't like this, Nini!"
"Let's finish up your gift for Hama-nini and then we'll take a bath early to soak all the pollen away, Otouto," Tobirama offered as the boy sniffled, "Okay?"
"Kay," Madi agreed as he worked diligently on the last character for several minutes, "Done. Good?"
"Much better," Tobirama praised as their elder brother came over to see the sash, "You are very skilled for a six year old, Madi-chan. This is very nice."
"When it is dry, you will help me hang it in my room on my Madi wall," Hashirama beamed out as he tugged on the happy child's braid, "Go get your bathing supplies and I'll clean your calligraphy supplies up. Get with you."
Madi giggled as he was playfully swatted at as he hopped away to do as he was asked. The boy was relatively well behaved. He had his stubborn moments and had gotten into some normal troubles for a boy his age, but he was an easy child to get along with.
"Hello?" a voice called out as Genma stuck his head through the front door with Raidou Namiashi following him, "May we come in, Senju-samas?"
"Hai," Tobirama agreed as the two removed their sandals and were offered a place to sit as Madi skipped into the room and grinned as he ran to Genma.
"Genny-kun, look at my calligraphy," Madi grinned out as Genma stood to see his latest work, "Did I do good?"
"Very good, Madi-chan, but I need to talk with you," Genma began as he lifted the child to sit the boy in his lap once he walked back to the couch, "Madi, Raidou here saw you practicing something in field three today. Can you tell me what you were doing?"
"Um," Madi hummed, lowering his gaze as his elder brothers picked up on the child's reluctance, "Trying to be like Genny-kun."
"How so?" Hashirama asked, "What did Raidou-san see you doing that you don't want to talk about, Madirama?"
To be continued…