Kakashi's P.O.V.

There was a deadly silence filling the room, during which one could have heard a needle fall to the ground. My eyes were still locked with Orochimaru's, who had a winners smile on his face.

"What is he talking about, Kakashi sensei?", asked Naruto, his eyes fixed on Orochimaru, not letting his guard down for one second. "Kakashi sensei?"

As I didn't respond, he finally turned his face towards me and out of the corner of my eye, I could see the questioning expression written all over it. He began turning his head back and forth, as he was now looking between Orochimaru and myself and suddenly, something "clicked" for him.

"No way! Y-you … I mean … h-how…?!"

"Well, Kakashi… I believe your secret just … vanished… If we would not find ourselves in the middle of a war, I would most likely invite you to one of my other hideouts and run a few tests on you… But I'm afraid, now is not the time. We still have some important preparations to do…", said Orochimaru, already forming hand signs.

My former students all stared at me wide eyed, disbelieve clearly written all over their faces. Their expressions had changed. From surprise to disbelieve, to shock, to something like hurt or alienation, as if a stranger would be standing right in front of them. A stranger. Maybe, that's what I was right now, to them. They seemed to be talking to me, but I couldn't really follow. I could still feel my heart pounding heavily inside my chest, as I stared at the Sannin. I was shocked. First of all, that the secret, I was so determined to keep, just … vanished – and then of course, that I would see them again. I was not prepared for this. It shouldn't be this way! I've got to do something! But before my mind could wander any further, I was suddenly pulled out of my thoughts.

"Kuchiyose, Edo Tensei!"

Radiant light engulfed us and my former students all tried to shield their eyes, but I didn't care. Right in the moment, my emotions ran high. I couldn't think straight anymore. I suppose, one should experience feelings of overwhelming joy, but on the other hand, not having seen your siblings for over one century… It simply made me feel … nervous, to say the least. And suddenly, the light faded… And I could see him. My heart was pounding so fast now, that it felt as though it may burst.

Tobirama's P.O.V

Suddenly, bright white light engulfed me and a burning pain shot through my whole body. I couldn't scream, let alone move. I had felt that pain before, as that Orochimaru guy brought me and my brother back into the world of the living, but it was never so intense, so forceful. But the light vanished as quickly as it had come and I found myself standing in a dark room, lit only by some smaller torches on the walls. Slowly, my sight became clear once again and I noticed that I was staring right into a pale face with two evil looking eyes and a smirk on its pale lips. It took me a moment to realise who it was and my gaze instinctively hardened. So it really was that Orochimaru again, after all.

"It's you, again!", I growled, pointing a finger at him.

The brat just smirked at this, a sly, almost mischievous smile on thin, colourless lips.

"So it's the Edo Tensei once again, huh?", I continued after a short silence, glancing down at my hands. "My jutsu is rather easy to mimic, as it seems…"

"Well, it isn't all that complex…", replied Orochimaru, a satisfied smile on his face, "But you shouldn't have created it in the first place…"

"Huh?!"

"Lord Second, many of the policies that you created and jutsu that you developed caused problems down the line… Even now…"

My gaze darkened. "Don't tell me … you plan on attacking the Leaf again?!"

Orochimaru just laughed at this. And now that little brat even dares to laugh about me?! He sure has a death wish...

"Please… Do not misunderstand. I have no more intentions in destroying the leaf village… That's why I didn't suppress your personality…"

"What do you want then?"

"There is a war going on. Uchiha Madara has been revived and seeks to erase the world's shinobi."

I stared at him wide eyed. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Madara has been revived?

"Lord Second… We need your help and that of the other hokage in order to defeat Madara. Your brother…", he paused and chuckled to himself, "…has already agreed to join and assist us in the upcoming encounter…"

That caught my attention. "Hashirama's here?" If his brother really was here, how come that he had not yet heard any sign of him? After all, his brother was not exactly the type of person that hid himself in order to wait for an opportunity to attack his opponent, well, at least not if that opponent was Orochimaru.

"Actually, I was not talking about him…", and with that he stepped aside.

At first, I did not recognize him. I was simply staring at him until something finally "clicked" and I stood as if rooted to the ground. The blood had drained from my face and I was at a loss for words. He … that just couldn't be him! That Orochimaru! Was that an illusion? A genjustu? But the man in front of me looked just as shocked as I was! After a long silence I finally spoke again, my words merely a whisper.

"Is that you … Brother?"

"Tobirama!"

"Tobirama!"

I slowly opened my eyes to see my younger brother running towards me. While he seemed to look just like me with this spiky mop of white hair, his personality was more like Hashirama's. I sighed and sat up from where I used to lie in the grass just one moment before.

"Look, Tobirama, what I found near the battlefield!"

It was then, that I noticed that he was holding something protectively in his small hands.

"It's a squirrel and it's hurt!" I sighed again.

"I thought I told you not to go anywhere near the battlefield, 'Kashi…"

There was a sudden change in his mood and his shoulders slumped.

"I know, but… I was…", he paused, not sure how to continue, "I was looking for Itama… He still has to be out there… I mean, father said that his body hasn't been found yet, so…"

I closed my eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath. When I opened them again, I turned my head and looked at the now blood red sky. Birds were flying above our heads, singing of the whispers of the streams, the rustle of the leaves and spectacular views of mountains, crickets were chirping their evening song and everything I wanted at that moment was to believe the deceptive idyll, to give in – to forget. But I knew that it was not for real.

After another battle with the Uchiha Clan some days ago, their brother Itama had went missing. Their father had sent some Clan members to investigate what had happened. They still hadn't found the corps yet.

I was clenching my fists as Hashirama's words echoed through my head. "Even if that means doing so with the blood of innocent children?" Therefore, their father had given him a slap in the face. "So the only way to 'live' as a true shinobi is to die?! It's a never ending cycle of death and no one here can even explain why it has to be that way! We have to hide our surnames for fear of retaliation! This ideal of shinobi you have built in your head is twisted and wrong!" Their father had wanted to punch him again, but Tobirama had stepped in front of him, in order to protect his older brother. How long would it take for this stupid feud to be over, once and for all?!

Suddenly, I became aware of my surroundings once again. I closed my eyes and exhaled the breath I didn't know I was holding before opening them again and looking down at my little brother. My eyes softened. If anyone dared to even lay a finger on him – I'd kill them. I'd kill them all. I would protect him, even if that meant that I would have to face the whole Uchiha Clan on my own! I would not let anyone do any harm to him.

"Can I have a look?"

That seemed to have caught the younger boy's attention.

"Huh?"

But as I pointed to the small creature in his hands, he seemed to understand and handed it to me wordlessly, though with big, concerned looking eyes. The squirrel was indeed injured, yet it was just a small wound that one could dress easily. I handed it back to him and he quickly took it, pressing it to his chest protectively, shielding it from anyone who was keen enough to lay a finger on it.

"It's no serious injury. We can take it with us and bandage the wound when we are at home."

The little boy just nodded and smiled, pressing it even more to his chest, as they both started walking in the direction of the Senju Clan Compound.