Yesterday had been a training day for Hashirama, and though he had already begun his training in earlier years, the two year old was glad that his father hadn't begun this training back then. Butasuma had Hashirama do stretches, kata's, physical sparing and jutsu lessons. He had his son work from ungodly hours in the morning to midday, at which time he would be given an hour's rest, before they would move onto theory work, strategic planning, tracking, studies of the weak points of the body. Then dinner and bed. He'd have a few hours sleep, then up for night/early morning training. Butasuma's excuse? A Shinobi must be ready for battle at anytime of the day or night. He must be able to wake instantly to defend from enemy attack and be able to survive on as little sleep as possible if he wanted to live.
Tobirama had also started his training, albeit at a lower level than himself. Hashirama was glad that their Tou-San at least knew to be careful on his younger son's body. Thankfully, since Tobi was less intelligent and mature than his older brother at this age, Butasuma didn't push the child as hard. The toddler mostly did stretches and simple kata forms right now. Hashirama always made sure to supervise the boy's training so that he wouldn't get over worked. Though less mature due to Hashirama's reincarnation, Tobirama was still a genius and worked through everything quickly. The older Senju brother was proud of his Otouto, however, he still worried that their Tou-San would soon start pushing too hard.
In all of this, there was only a few days that both had off from training to rest their bodies and minds. On those days the young Senju would spend time with his Kaa-Chan and Otouto. Tobirama was a very cute baby, very quiet most of the time, but he still enjoyed spending time with his Nii-Sama whenever he could. The kid's face whenever he saw him was utterly adorable. Tobi would clap his hands and squeal happily, while Ayumi would coo over how cute they both were. Tobi-Chan would still be very quiet and calm, but he always smiled for Hashirama. It made the former Uzumaki's heart swell with happiness to see his precious Otouto so innocently happy. He hoped it wouldn't have to get torn away too soon. Before he knew it, a year had passed and both he and his baby brother had their Birthdays.
Hashirama turned three years old, while Tobirama turned one. A few days later, their Tou-San called them into his study. Hashirama had a bad feeling about this. After entering, the Senju Heir bowed, "you called for us Tou-San?" he asked, his younger brother awkwardly doing the same due to his younger body. The two kneeled before their father and Clan Head after that, waiting for the man to start talking. While Tobirama was simply curious as to what was going on, Hashirama could feel the heavy tenseness in the air and it sent a shiver down his spine. The last time his Tou-San had been like this had been when- oh god no, he wasn't! Butasuma was not sending Tobi out to fight! The boy was one year old! Didn't he remember how well that had turned out for him! So terrified at the thought was the older, that he missed the entire explanation of the war to his baby brother.
"Your mission Tobirama, is to go out and retrieve a scroll vital to our Clan's history, I expect you back by tonight, understood?" the Senju Clan Head asked. Before his youngest could reply, Hashirama snapped up, "no! you can't send him out their all alone! He's not ready yet!" the brown-haired boy exclaimed. The elder Senju brother was furious, and no matter what happened to him, he was not going to let this go! "if I couldn't handle a mission at one year old, what makes you think Tobirama could!?" he demanded. Hashirama was so very livid with rage, he didn't care what happened to him or what he had to do, his Otouto was not going out their without him! "if you're sending Tobirama out there, then I'm going with him Dattebayo!" he demanded firmly. He didn't care if he got punished for this, he would be going with his brother on this mission. Their father folded his arms and scoffed, "the last time I sent you on a mission you almost got yourself killed" he replied. The brown-haired boy clenched his fists, "that's exactly why you should send me, I'll be able to help Tobirama with my experience and he can learn from watching me" he explained.
The three year old stared up at the Head of his Clan with unwavering eyes. After a moment, Butasuma nodded, "fine, you can go together, but you'd better do better than your first mission Hashirama" their Tou-San said.
N/Ĥ
As he helped his younger brother into a set of armour that fit him, Hashirama frowned, damn it! he hated this stupid war! At least he knew that one day he would end it. The brown-haired boy sighed deeply. Tobirama looked up at him, confused, "what's wrong?" he asked. Hashirama shook his head and smiled, "no, don't worry, I just really don't like this war, that's all" he replied. Soon, both were ready to leave. Ayumi was there to see them off. She was once again pregnant, this time with their third brother. The eldest Senju frowned slightly for a moment. Surely it couldn't be healthy for their mother to be having so many children one year after the other.
She smiled sadly, "be careful you two, your new baby sibling is going to need their big brothers to take care of them" she said, placing her hand on her stomach. Hashirama smiled back and nodded, "hai Kaa-Chan, we will" he replied. The two boys soon left the Senju Compound. Tobirama looked at his older brother as they ran, "'nija, do you know where we're going?" the one year old Albino asked. Hashirama nodded, "I do, it's in an area in a small forest in the Land Of River's. The scroll is being kept there for safe-keeping" the brown-haired boy explained. Tobi frowned, "do you think we'll meet any enemies on the way?" he asked. The older boy frowned, "I hope not" he replied, shivering. He still had that scar in his hand and arm from when those Uchiha had tortured him. If anything like that happened to Tobi, he'd never forgive himself.
N/Ĥ
Eventually the two boys made it to the Land of Rivers. Thunder rumbled through the air and the dark clouds flashed with lightning. The Senju Clan Heir and his baby brother snuck through the foliage towards their destination. Wind howled through the trees. That was something Hashirama was thankful for. It helped to mask the sound of their movements. As they moved closer to their destination, the brown-haired boy stilled. His arm snapped out to keep his brother from moving. Tobirama turned red eyes over to the older boy. He opened his mouth to speak, but cut himself off when he saw how tense Hashirama was. His body was almost rigid and his eyes were shut tight in concentration. The brown-haired boy focused on the area around him, trying to sense for any foreign Chakra signatures.
Soon he opened his eyes, "okay, we're safe for now, move quickly and as quietly as possible" he ordered, indicating for the white-haired boy to go first. Eventually they reached the area where the scroll was supposed to be kept. Hashirama quickly disabled any traps before grabbing the scroll, "okay, we've got it, now let's-" he paused eyes widening. Enemies. Not many, but still there. Shit! How had he not noticed them earlier. "Quickly, run!" he exclaimed. Tobirama instantly leapt into the treetops, while Hashirama erased their trail. Hashi passed his younger brother in the treetops, grabbing the boy around the middle and carrying him over his shoulder.
Okay, maybe he was a bit paranoid, but after what had happened the first time, could you blame him? "Where are they Hashi-Nii?" The albino boy asked, red eyes searching around the trees for any trace of their foe's. But Hashirama had passed into full on panic mode. He recognised those signatures. Not completely, but enough. They were definably Uchiha. He was in no hurry to repeat his last missions torture, nor was he willing to allow them to hurt his baby brother either. Suddenly it started to rain badly. Not too heavily, but enough to make traveling by trees, especially at night a safety hazard.
Which Hashirama remembered too late as his foot slipped on a tree branch and the two of them ended up tumbling down a small cliff. Hashirama slammed into a tree trunk, but his Otouto ended up getting thrown from his shoulder. "No! Tobirama!" the older boy cried as he watched his younger brother disappear into the trees at the bottom of the cliff with a scream that was drowned out by a rumble of thunder. Painfully scrambling to his feet and gripping his left ribs which were probably cracked, Hashirama descended the cliff as fast as he could without injuring himself more. The brown-haired boy looked around, "Tobi, where are you!" he called, squinting in the darkness and the rain. Mud made the ground unstable and he focused what Chakra he could to the bottoms of his feet to give himself some traction.
"Tobi!" he cried again when there was no answer. Hashirama trembled from cold, exhaustion and the pain in his ribs, but he kept searching for his brother. He knew that it was stupid, and was probably calling their enemies right to them, but he had to find his baby brother, he had to! "Tobirama!" he called, "'nija!" a terrified call from behind him sounded, and he whipped around, kunai slipping from his sleeve, only for horror to replace any other emotion on his face a moment later as his brain processed the sight before him.
N/Ĥ
Tobirama was being held hostage at knife point by a dark figure, another by it's side. He couldn't make out any facial features due to the storm and it being so dark, but he could see his Otouto's contrasting terror filled pale face and red eyes, that stared at him, begging him for help. Hashirama growled darkly, eyes narrowing at the one who would threaten his baby brother, "let him go, now!" he ordered, having to shout to be heard over the storm. "I will, after you give me the scroll you took from the shrine!" the taller shadow, the one holding Tobi hostage called. The boy whimpered when he felt the sting of the blade cutting into the skin of his neck slightly.
Tobirama locked eyes with Hashirama, "'nija, I'm scared!" he sobbed, tears hidden by the rain "Don't worry Tobi, everything will be okay, I promise I won't let them hurt you" the older boy promised, slowly pulling the scroll from his kunai pouch, "I will give you the scroll as long as you let my brother go first" the brown-haired Senju said. "I can't do that, you would most likely take him and run with the scroll if I did that- hand me the scroll at the same time I hand you your brother, we'll do it at the same time" the mysterious boy replied. "Fine, just take it then" Hashirama replied, not caring about the scroll if he could make sure his Otouto was safe. As the two stepped forwards, he had to keep himself from flinching from the pain in his ribs. Hashirama's breath came out un-even, but he still stood tall and confident as his brother was walked towards him. Extending the hand holding the scroll, Tobi was permitted to reach out his right hand towards him.
Once he had a good grip, and the enemy had the scroll, both backed away, taking what they wanted with them. As the taller boy walked back to the younger one, he nodded and both leapt away. Hashirama waited until he could no longer sense their Chakra before gasping in pain and clutching his ribs. "Hashi-Nii! You saved me!" Tobirama exclaimed, hugging him tightly around the middle. Despite how much pain he was in, Hashirama returned the embrace, before pulling away, "of course I did Tobi, I never abandon my comrades- one thing you should never forgot Tobirama, no matter what anyone else tells you, 'those who abandon the mission and break the rule are scum, but, those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum' I would rather be scum that abandons the mission than be worse than scum, and leave my friends and family to get hurt or die" The older boy explained.
He then looked around, "we should find a place to stay for the night, at least until the rain stops" he said, "besides, I think I have a broken rib, I need to rest and at least try to heal before we leave for home" Hashirama said. The Albino boy nodded, "Hai 'Nija, I'll find somewhere nice and dry for you to rest" he replied. The older boy smiled, though he wasn't sure if it could be seen or not through the rain and darkness of the night. As the two brothers travelled through the storming night in search of shelter, a new and unwelcome thought entered Hashirama's mind now that the crisis was over, 'Tou-Sama's going to kill us when we get home'.
To Be Continued