The sharingan had let him down, Tajima reflected morosely into his sake. That damn Kappa had gotten into his face and started expounding about peace, collaboration, the sweet fruits of labour, alliances, painting a nauseatingly cute tableau of their two clans joined together in harmony.
Tajima had at first tried to make him leave by using his sharingan. To his horror, nothing worked. The ultimate power of the Uchiha was shrugged off by that damned Kappa like a duck shook off water. No suggestion to stop stuck. The boy was so lost in his fantasy, he never saw the hellish images Tajima conjured to make him stop. That had never happened before. The boy was so lost in his delusion he saw nothing else.
"Hashirama," he shouted. There was a moment of blessed silence as the boy finally stopped his verbal attack.
"Yes, most honourable Uchiha Dono," the boy answered promptly. Tajima heard Madara turn his laugh into a cough.
"Get out," he said before he could help himself. "On the training grounds," he added. "Get everybody who is free to train with him." Hopefully that'll shut him up.
"But we haven't eaten yet!" Hashirama exclaimed crestfallen.
"Very good, it will build character," Tajima said vindictively, using his father's favourite saying.
The boys left. Tajima still felt his ears ringing even after their departure. Were he a civilian, he would have accused Hashirama of aggravated assault.
When the day ended, Tajima realised that all hope was an illusion and people should strive to free themselves from its lies. Hashirama came back surrounded by a gaggle of children, his included (although he was pleased to see Izuna glaring daggers at his back), talking incessantly about what fun they could have together. What games they could play. How great the training could be. How they could get those sweets from the Capital faster, and not just for The New Year Celebration.
Hashirama talked through dinner and, allegedly, from his sons' bruised eyes the next morning, through the night.
At Tajima's wordless question, Madara confirmed that Hashirama was good enough to keep an uninterrupted stream of chatter while fighting.
Soon, Tajima saw with unease how Hashirama's ideas spread like wildfire. The boy was everywhere, helping the men in the gardens, helping old women carry their groceries (an amusing fact as most of those grannies could throw a horse. He had seen it once), helping little children with their chakra control, sparring with everybody else. And talking. All the time.
Strangely, no letter came from the Senju, so he sent one to inform them of their new addition. The returning letter cordially thanked him for taking care of his eldest, as the Senju Clan was certain the boy would have much to learn, informing him that the Uchiha could keep Hashirama for a bit longer because the clan finally had some peace and quiet, exactly what the boy preached with such ardour.
The words "peace and quiet" were underlined violently. Tajima, of course, graciously allowed the boy to go back home immediately, telling him how moved he was by the boy's enthusiasm, and encouraged him to tell his father all about his ideas and things he had done during the two weeks stay in the Uchiha compound, preferably in a blow by blow account.
Although a bit put out to "leave so soon," as the Senju nightmare put it, Tajima managed to hint that he could help his clan gain new understandings of the Uchiha, making the boy more enthusiastic about going back.
He personally escorted the boy to make sure he left, and returned home with a new spring in his step.
All was well after that. Blessed silence, normal people, and the normal rhythm of life. It all lasted a week, as the eighth day since Peace and Quiet came back to the Uchiha, Izuna came to inform him Madara was colluding with the enemy, which meant he was having lunch with Hashirama at the river which separated their lands, and had not invited Izuna as well.
His ears suddenly feeling the phantom pain, Tajima ordered Izuna to resolve the situation and all was well again. Izuna never came back to complain so it meant he had been successful.
Still, one day he thought to patrol the border, just to be extra sure there were no Senju hanging around. To his horror, at the river there were about twenty Senju and Uchiha children who looked for all intents and purposes, like they were having a picnic. They were frolicking in the river. He saw Uchiha and Senju girls braid each other's hair. He saw older boys compare kunais, show off their weapons and talk about their collections.
He desperately searched for Izuna but the boy had also succumbed and was playing a game with Tobirama, another child of that Butsuma. Granted, the boy's sharingan was activated, he had a murderous aura, and every time Tobirama lost to jankenpon he threw a kunai, trying to hit him, but nevertheless!!
He left before he could be seen and penned an angry missive to Butsuma, informing him of the shenanigans his sons got up to without his knowledge. He almost wrote that they must present an united front in how they dealt with that insubordination, but fortunately stopped his hand. He must never agree with Butsuma on anything. Agreeing to anything with a Senju was a slippery slope and he was sure that damn Kappa oiled it regularly.
He took his sons and had a Talk. About duty, Clan, and history. His children nodded attentively. He gave them so many tasks, he was sure they won't have any time left to sneak around and meet their "friends."
The next mission, a random young Senju he had never seen in his life cheerfully greeted Kazue and asked for his poetry collection his son apparently had borrowed . His son put away his weapon , rummaged in his backpack and gave the Senju a battered scroll.
Tajima went on a warpath, but could not find Butsuma that battle. It was a first.
"Hello, Uchiha Dono!" The Kappa's obnoxious voice came to his ears, as if dredged from his deepest nightmares.
Tajima unleashed all his fury upon him, but of course did not manage to do lasting damage, for soon help came for him and Tajima was forced to retreat.
It was the beginning of the end.