Time Heals All Wounds
Summary: The day Tobirama died happens earlier, during Hashirama's time as Hokage when they are at war with almost every new village but years after Madara's death. Only he didn't die. He somehow ended up in a time not his own and met a familiar face he though gone forever. Can he get back? And what of his new friend?
Hashirama was, predictably, hesitant to agree and let them go even after Tobirama explained the contingency they'd put into place. The older Senju was unwilling fir more reasons than one, though the main one was the danger the unknown entity presented to his best friend and last younger brother, who had already once cheated death and made miraculous returns despite all the odds being against them. He was not willing to test fate. The other more prominent reason was actually the treatment one of the Uchiha patrols that had been sent to Sora-Ku while he had still been attempting to find Madara and try to convince him to come back got when they tried to enter the cat city and make an appeal with its elderly leader, Nekobaa-sama. Madara had not been surprised and had explained he and the old woman had been close, she one of the people that taught him as a child to become the ninja he was today. There was no way Sora-Ku would be open to the people who scorned her favorite visitor, after all.
Hashirama did reluctantly agree, but had insisted they give it another month, to make sure that the creature didn't make an appearance before then, just in case. It was a valid concern and both Tobirama and Madara conceded to his point, especially since not only had Madara very publicly announced his Not Dead status when he'd fought the allied forces of the other shinobi villages that had stood against Konoha, but there was also the uncontrolled flare of chakra he had let out upon snapping out of his memories and just before falling off the cliff at the Valley of the End. Tobirama and Kaida had nearly been sent flying and Tsunade had only barely been spared from being pushed into the Naka right before the waterfall. The chakra had been heavy, dense and almost as physical as the perfect Susanoo. Tobirama had nearly drowned under the sensory overload and he was sure the wave of that hot chakra had spread across all of the Five Elemental Nations.
There was an unfortunately good chance that that creature had felt it, too.
So, deciding to stay on the safe side of things, they postponed their trip for when at least another of the Senju and, of course, Hikaku - they need some damn Uchiha backup against the angry cats, damn it - can join them. Madara was surprisingly not even all that grumpy. It was a valid point and the teen understood that, so didn't put up a fuss. The point here was to keep him safe from getting controlled again, something that would be put to a lot of risk and be an enormous gamble if Madara was to leave the village on his own when they knew nothing of their opponent, and so they all agreed that it was for the best.
Besides, one month was nothing. Madara would stay in the village, playing with the children, training with his best friend and occasionally burst into the Hokage tower to annoy the other Clan Heads by reminding them of his overall presence and the fact that his opinion still mattered whenever he would, occasionally, tell Hashirama why some projects or ideas sucked. At least the village administration exercised his so fat gathered knowledge on politics, economy and law, even if the law was completely different in this time and place. That still didn't change that he was the most educated person for miles and miles. Not the most intelligent - that would be Tobirama, closely followed by a bunch of Nara and Hatake - but definitely the most educated one. And given the time he came from, understanding politics and the power games politicians liked to play was easy as pie. It had been a part of his day to day life whenever he saw politicians on the news or even just his father's job.
Tobirama, Hashirama, Hikaku and even occasionally Mito seemed extremely relieved that he was back in on the action regarding this. It gave Madara comfort, given the visions he had most recently seen. His opinion was respected and desired. It was enough to keep him grounded against the other images that appeared to him in his dreams every night since then, all showing in great detail how his own clan and the village in general had treated him since Konoha was formed or since Hashirama had defeated him. It was a much needed and much appreciated reminder whenever he got to see or have it.
He also spent a good amount of his time training Kagami again. Madara might not remember much about his life but fighting came as naturally to him as breathing did, almost even more so. The theory behind his Sharingan was hazy in his memories but he can show Kagami how something is done and the younger teen was smart enough to fill in the gaps. Madara, in his first life, had taught him well. Nowadays, they mostly sparred, Madara often correcting the boy's footwork since it seemed to still be something that gave him trouble. Probably came from switching from one type of technique to another when he had been younger and had joined Team Tobirama after being trained by Madara his whole young life. It definitely looked like a bastard child with several serious problems of Madara's dance and Tobirama's much sharper style of fighting.
How Kagami hadn't tripped over his own feet a hundred times by now is a mystery.
Luckily for him, Madara was here again to make sure he doesn't leave himself completely open to an attack just because he has no idea where to put his foot on the next move. Honestly, he had such a klutz for an apprentice, he thought fondly.
One of the other things Madara had been doing since the day he literally hyperventilated himself into a fall off a cliff and a come was managing to convince Hashirama to spar with him. The man had avoided doing that since Madara's arrival/return to Konoha and now he understood why, but he was not going to let a memory - and an incomplete one, at that - stop him from living his life to the fullest. He has some memories of his and Hashirama's friendship and while the older man had never been the most observant of friends, he was caring and kind and had valued Madara more than his own clansmen had. Madara wanted that easy camaraderie back, even if he would never replace one brother for another. Tobirama was his best friend now and when he gets his memories back, he'll just have to see how much of his friendship with Hashirama he had managed to get back in order to decide who will be his bestest best friend, when all is said and done.
Or, if he manages to tempt Tobirama, perhaps the albino will hold a completely different title. A hopeless, helpless dream on his part, since the man remained oblivious to some of his attempts at flirting, but he also wasn't uncomfortable with them. Then again, knowing how socially inept the other was outside of politics, he probably thought Madara was just being friendly.
Madara sometimes despaired for himself. Not that he was giving up or anything, but he wasn't exactly holding his breath. Nor would he be devastated. Tobirama's friendship meant too much to him for Madara to ruin it by endless pinning and hopeless longing.
So he lived on his life, going about his day as usual, getting used to occasionally flipping the more annoying and obvious in their dislike of him villagers off as he passed them on the streets and watching their scandalized reactions, just enjoying the fact that there was a whole lot of people here who wanted him. Yes, the children included. It was a balm to his heart and soul, a remedy to help him heal from both of his lonely lifetimes, and he always made sure he properly appreciated his friends. Even the literal backstabber. (Madara had decided he would forgive him for now. When he got his old memories back, he would allow himself to be properly angry at the man and only then would he allow him to apologize. Just like with Tobirama.)
Of course, he knew the peace in his current lifestyle couldn't last. Not with a strange being waiting for him out there, waiting for an opportunity to make him his puppet again.
He wasn't even surprised when Iwa shinobi showed up at their northern borders with Takigakure shinobi as backup, meaning they had three Jinchuriki and all three of them had transformed into their tailed beasts, ready to start a rampage towards Konoha. Mito and Hikaku were left to protect the village while Madara and Kurama went with Hashirama, Tobirama, Toka and several platoons to intercept the attack.
"This doesn't make any sense!" Hashirama had argued as they sped away after the last Hiraishin jump Tobirama could take them on away from their village and they had to run the rest of the way. "The Tsuchigake signed the peace treaty and Iwa withdrew their forces! We've had peace for months! Why would they attack now, with only one other ally, when the other Nations fell back?"
"It might be personal," Madara offered, recalling how he had addressed and taunted the young Tsuchikage. In his defense, the guy had been a brat. Also in his defense, the idiot had tried attacking him. "Besides, don't they have the Hachibii, the second strongest biju? Maybe they thought they'd get lucky with two biju on their side. They had no way of knowing whether Kurama would stay or not."
"It can't be personal! Onoki wouldn't drag his men into a deadly war for no other reason than his own personal issues. He's not like that!"
"You've only known him for a few brief meetings, Anija, you can't judge him right. Besides, Madara might be on to something," Tobirama agreed, slowing down so he can briefly touch the ground with a finger to get a better sense of the situation waiting for them. Madara glanced at him when he felt a stir in his chakra that usually meant he was confused. "That's odd."
"What is? I don't like it when you say 'odd' in that tone, little cousin," Toka said, now also warily eyeing the youngest Senju.
"I can sense the Nibi, Nanabi and Hachibi, all expected, and I sense Onoki and a platoon of Iwa shinobi - the Bomber Squad, I think - and there are twenty eight Taki ninja with them, several of whom must be using their Hero Water."
"That sounds like an expected lineup," Hashirama sounded confused and unsure as he stated his opinion. Madara glanced between the two Senju brothers before extending and focusing his own senses. He may not be as good a sensor as Tobirama was, but he was the second best in Konoha and probably pretty high on the top ten list in the whole of tbe shinobi world. When the huge chakra signatures of the biju reached him, he focused there and found the exact same lineup Tobirama had just dictated. But something was wrong. It made every survival instinct in his brain scream at him that there was danger. Yes, shinobi are always surrounded by danger and death and rarely do their survival instincts shut up about it. But this was different. He hadn't felt this urge to flee or slaughter in self preservation even when facing the other four Kage nor when he had last battled Jinchuriki. Not even the Blessed Weapons of the Sage of Six Paths had blared this many warnings from his hindbrain, alerting him to something that is both generally dangerous and also dangerous to him.
"It's Onoki," Tobirama explained, the frown on his face also audible in his voice. "His chakra ... It feels different. There's something there now that hadn't been there a few months ago."
"A body modification? Those usually result in subtle alterations to a person's signature, right?" Toka offered, not really sounding all that worried.
Madara, though, didn't agree with that sentiment and neither did Kurama or Tobirama judging by their unease. "There is nothing subtle about it, Toka. I'm not even sure if this could make him stronger. It just feels ... different and I can't explain how. I can't detect a change in chakra nature or levels and there is no suggestion that it's some sort of sage mode like Anija uses. This feels ... unnatural, Anija. I don't like it. And that's not even mentioning the chakra in the air all around them. We'll need to watch out for traps."
Madara had felt it, too, but something about that chakra seemed ... oddly familiar to him. He couldn't put a finger on it but he definitely knew whatever it was, it was dangerous. But they weren't far, now. They'll be there in no time with the speed they'd been keeping up steadily so far. He'd prefer if they had a proper plan in place before just charging ahead to face whatever is making him so damn uneasy.
"But it still doesn't make any sense," the Hokage insisted after a few minutes of silence as they got almost within reaching distance of their enemies. "The numbers they've sent, even with Onoki's Particle Release and three biju, just doesn't suggest a war declaration! Any of us alone could stop them if we are well rested. Madara and I especially." The Uchiha nearly stumbled upon hearing his name and he exchanged a startled glance with the Kyuubi, a disturbing thought seeming to hit them both at the same time. "There's just something not right here."
"Kurama," the teen said almost breathlessly and the fox nodded.
"I agree."
"What? What did we miss?" The elder Senju brother all but demanded, gaze swiveling from biju to Uchiha. Kurama kept his gaze trained on Madara as he answered.
"The forces we are about to meet usually wouldn't be enough to defeat any of you, but they'd be one hell of a distraction, don't you think? Long enough to, let's say, sneak up on a fighting enemy and put a puppet seal on them." Realization was swift to dawn on everyone and Madara grimly set his mouth in a mockery of a smile.
"It's a trap. Meant for Madara," hissed Tobirama and the teen could already tell that he was getting ready to grab him and Hiraishin them back to Konoha, where Madara was 'safe'. As if he could stay within those walls for the rest of his life. As if Uchiha Madara would ever run from a parasite, no matter how high the chances are that Madara will end up under another's control again. Just the thought of it caused a dull pain in his chest, over his heart. Madara wasn't sure he wanted to remember how he'd been put under control the first time. He knew it had to be painful. It was meant to be painful. Pain dissuaded the mind from causing the body more pain on self-preservation instinct alone. The body can endure much more abuse than the mind, no matter what some T&I experts might believe. The Morino and the Yamanaka knew this. The Uchiha knew this.
Madara did not want to find out how painful placing the puppet seal had been that his mind had not immediately tried to rebel against it.
"We can't turn back," he found himself saying before anyone could suggest just that. Toka, Hashirama and especially Tobirama looked ready to protest. "We can't. They have three biju ready to stomp all over Konoha. It's our duty to our village and our people to stop them. At least this time, I have assurance that I won't be used against the village again." He turned to look at Tobirama, neither of them breaking pace. The younger Senju looked murderous at the mere thought.
"Don't you dare-"
"You're the only one who will be fast enough. You're the only one I would trust with my back." Hashirama blanched at this and Toka grit her teeth, but Tobirama looked devastated by the admission. Madara smiled, though he knew it was ironic and bitter. The two very different people in two very different lives that he'd called best friend would be the only ones to have a chance at killing him. And Tobirama, who had sworn to do right by him this time around, didn't want to do it. But he could. He can. Because he is a shinobi and Konoha was more important than just one life so very few will mourn.
"It won't come to it," the albino sternly said and Madara knew it was the acceptance that the man could never make out loud for the situation they have found themselves in.
"I trust you." That only seemed to pain him even more but it was the truth. Come what may, he trusted Tobirama. No matter what, he won't be set upon Konoha again. And without him, Kurama stood a chance to escape and also remain uncaptured and free. That's all Madara wants right now.
They didn't have any more time to chat or argue, as they finally reached the thinning, almost dying borders of the north, nothing in sight but too thin trees that didn't look particularly healthy and a rocky desert-like landscape. The biju were in clear sight like this. Not that it would have been particularly hard to see them even if there was more foliage around, since they were as towering as mountains. The blue and black fiery Nibi, the seemingly armored Nanabi and the octopus Hachibi were all looming in the middle distance, about half a mile away. They weren't roaring, they weren't trashing and they weren't snarling or destroying anything for the hell of it. Not that there was much to destroy but it's the principle of things. They were standing still like statues and Madara knew that there was something wrong just from seeing them like this. He remembered Kurama under his control, fighting against it as much as he himself was fighting against the thing's control over his body. This was unnatural.
Something prickled against his senses, drew his eyes downwards instead of looking at the biju-
He made the horse hand sign and breathed fire before anyone else could register what was going on. The platoon behind him and his friends flinched further back and reached for their weapons when the first dying screeches reached their ears and they all watched in horror as something white and human shaped burned in his flames. There was no mistake about it, though. Those things had not been human.
More came out of the ground, out of the trees and just about anything connected to the earth, growing like plants but ambling about like zombies and attacking like savage wild animals. Two Konoha shinobi fell against a horde of them before Madara managed to turn around and burn them. The things kept on coming and Madara saw out of the corner of his eye that Kurama had upgraded his size to that of a huge horse and was tearing them down as efficiently as Tobirama's paper bombs were blowing them up. Hashirama staggered here and there, obviously not used to fighting against things that benefited from his Mokuton, but Madara was glad to see that his once best friend had not forgotten his other skills and quickly adjusted to the weird situation at hand. He'd even entered sage mode to utilize the natural chakra around them to make the fight easier for him. Toka seemed more occupied with keeping the rest of their platoon alive than fighting the white things in general.
"What are these things!?" Hashirama demanded after the nth white humanoid he'd stabbed through with a really big sword Madara had seen him use only once or twice instead of a katana. He didn't like how much it reminded him of their last fight. Fuck, now was not the time to think about that!
The older man's yelp was more than enough to draw his attention back to the fight at hand. The yelp was more than warranted as one of those things was using Mokuton. Against Hashirama. The irony escaped no one. Madara fell in place beside him and breathed a huge fireball at the offender, being the only one in the world who'd fought this technique half of his previous life and the only one who knew how to stand up to it.
Another prickling at his senses had his head snapping up and he, Tobirama and Kurama called out together "Incoming!" just as a huge Bijudama hurtled straight at them. Hashirama grew a huge dome straight from the earth to shield them, but the attack devastated their surroundings even more. The end result was not pretty but the attack made no difference between enemy and ally, so at least the white fuckers were taken care of, too. Still, the wooden dome was no protection from more of the white ones coming through the ground to attack them, but they were all on high alert now and knew they were coming, so they cut them down as soon as they started growing from the earth. It was tiring and time consuming and it left the platoon and Toka panting with exertion by the time Hashirama let the dome down at his brother's all clear signal. The sight that met them beyond the wood wasn't exactly comforting, though. All the white menaces that had been destroyed before had been replaced with new ones, these ones looking even less human. One of them even looked like a fly trap!
For some reason, Madara found his gaze fixated on that one, his instincts screaming at him.
The fly trap stared back. Then, in the most chilling and creepy way imaginable even to a shinobi who had once practically grown up on the battlefield and could kill as soon as he could walk, it smiled, exposing sharp teeth.
"Found you, Ma-da-ra~."