OnePiecefan202 - Didn't know you guys read other messages. :p But yes, in this chapter there will be some lemon.

Rosy-Apples - Thank you!

treavellergirl - I liked that line too- it seems our tastes are the same. ;)

Duesal10 - Thanks!

SilverIcy - All will be cleared out in this chapter, my dear reader/reviewer. :D

GaleSynch - What can I say, I love being evil with my dear readers. Well, I've got the perfect Bijuu for Shisui, can you try to guess it? And of course, I'll try to read your story! ;D And you'll see some surprising things in this chapter, very surprising indeed.

Guest - I noticed. :p

Radiant Celestial Aura - Thank you! :D

So here are the ages for the ones that are confused, for this chapter only:

Uchiha Madara/Senju Hashirama=30 years to 31 years old

Uchiha Izuna/Senju Tobirama/Uzumaki Mito/Sarutobi Sasuke=28 years to 29 years old

Uchiha Shisui=25 years to 26 years old

Senju-Uzumaki Akhiko=5 years to 6 years old


Era of the Warring States

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By Angelbloodlover

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~ You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.

Margaret Thatcher

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Chapter 36: Everlasting Hope

"Lady Shisui!" Someone screamed euphoric, his loud voice gaining everyone's attention. He blushed under their curious stares and locked his eyes with the Sharingan user who stopped stamping her approval on a document.

Cocking an eye brow, she waited for him to steady his breathing, his hands on his heart, "What is it, Utsa-kun?"

A giant smile blossomed on his face and somehow Shisui's heart started fluttering madly, "Lady Shisui, I have wonderful news."


Outside the building where people were lined up for the check-up, they heard a loud scream of pure ecstasy, more precisely the shout of their dear Shisui. "Oh my Kami!"

Curious eyes were plastered on the building when the body-flicker user once again screamed in delight and then there was no sound of her anymore.


"Tobirama, left side!" Madara shouted in irritation as he cleaved through a Kumo-nin. "Left!"

Without glancing at the Sharingan user, he teleported behind the bastard who dared to sneak up on him and stabbed him right through his heart. "Ninja lesson number one; never ever underestimate your opponent." He lectured in his teacher-mode and pulled his sword out of the now dead shinobi. With or without Madara's shout he would have acted accordingly, he had felt the shinobi's chakra, well more like suppressed chakra. Everyone knew that his sensory skills were far superior than the rest, even his older brother didn't reach the same level as him.

Growing fed up with these ninja's, Tobirama summoned a large water vortex, sucking up everyone in the near area. "Madara!"

"I know!" was his irritated shout.

Out of nowhere these Kumo-nin appeared, demanding that the two of them should surrender, much to his disbelief. Even Madara couldn't help but laugh at that statement, replying in visible amusement, "Make us, idiots."

This riled up the two-man squad and then they proceed to attack fiercely. The moment the fighting occurred, Madara had nodded at him. He knew what that meant that they had to kill off everyone for fear of repercussions. No one was to know what they were doing out of Konoha's protective walls.

Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed around the forested area and straining his ears, he heard it coming from his right side. Ducking efficiently, he avoided the sharpness of a sword and kicked him in the stomach. Blood was coughed up and without an ounce of mercy in his veins, he created a rotating water knife, increasing the speed, along with the sharpness and beheaded the surprised Kumo-nin.

As quick as a tiger, he somersaulted over the sneaking Kumo-nin, placing his hands on his head and with one strong push of chakra, he snapped his neck. Years of experience made him used to all these abnormality, the cracking of a bone, the blood loss, the screams of pain, ... Then he proceed to throw the lifeless body towards the incoming danger, using the momentum to increase his speed. His eyes locked with one of the higher-ups and then his devil-red orbs noticed a blade. Not a simple sword, but one that glowed a bright yellow. He could feel the high amount of chakra that was infused with it, sparks of pure lightning were dancing together.

His opponent smirked, "Well, well, Senju Tobirama, killing you with my Rajiin no Ken would be an honor."

"Don't get your hopes up," was his reply, his lips curved upwards as he punched a ninja in the face, hearing the satisfied crunch of a broken jaw and nose. The brown-haired man ran towards him and in the last moment he flickered in front of him, his swords ready to chop his head off, like he had done to one of his peers.

He went on the defense and calling out to his chakra, he created a roaring tornado around himself, water tendrils attacking everything near his vicinity.

But to his slight surprise, the man cut through his attack like it was nothing. He jumped to his left side, missing being hit by the chakra-infused attack. His eyes narrowed as he observed the chakra sword, formulating a plan in his head, he tried out another approach. Taking out a few shuriken, he threw them towards his suspecting enemy.

A scoff appeared on his face, "Is that all, Senju? I heard stories about your legendary powers but you're nothing more than the average shinobi." and then he sliced through the shuriken.

Just like he had thought, Tobirama mused as he observed the workings of the sword. The blade could not only cut through solid objects but also through chakra-based substances. He back flipped away from another swipe of the lightning sword but to his shock, the sword produced electrical rings of energy and grabbed him. His eyes widened when strong electrical shocks seared through his entire system, blinding him. He gritted his teeth in aggravation but he could only hold out for so long.

A scream erupted from his mouth, making the man smirk even wider in satisfaction.

Then he was thrown away like a rag doll, his body slumping on the ground. His ears buzzed loudly but he could make out Madara scream, "Tobirama!"

Immediately, his chakra kicked in forcibly and his lessons with Shisui re-played in his head. Soothing chakra coursed through his body, healing the damage that was done to his body. Under normal circumstances, he would have been slightly immune to lightning attacks but this swords was different from any lightning-based attack that he had felt. Even in comparison to Shisui's lightning-based attack, this sword dealt more damage.

He clenched his teeth from the pain and growled lowly as he eyed the Kenjutsu-user with a calculating gaze. He had to find a way to immobilize him, but the question was how?


Madara glared at the Kumo-nins who were surrounding him. This was starting to annoy him to no end. Glancing to his ANBU-Commander, he found Tobirama standing back up. His eyes moved to the special sword, that sword intrigued him.

And he also knew for a fact that his little dear sister would love such a gift, especially considering she had a lightning affinity. Smirking, he tightened his grip on his trusted gunbai which he had used frequently in so many wars, it felt as if it was a piece of himself.

Swinging it expertly, a powerful gust of wind was created which blew the surrounding enemies away. His smirk lit up his face, "Let's start dancing," he whispered ominously, the thrill of fighting pumping adrenaline throughout his body. With his Sharingan, he locked eyes with one of the men who was standing up, his body decorated with open wounds. The blood that gushed out made him even more excited and he wanted to see more.

The men seemed to understand that this opponent wasn't one to be defeated easily, so, looking at each other, they nodded in unison. "Attack him with all you've got!" More Kumo-nins roared in anger and charged straight at the Uchiha head clan. With another swipe, his gunbai created a veil of dust, hiding the Uchiha from their prying eyes as they tried to sense him out. Not even in their dreams would they be able to find his chakra, he thought in the safety of his mind. After years of practice, he placed the gunbai on his back and performed a set of seals, converting his chakra into fire, "Katon: Gokakyu Hitoame no Jutsu!" He created a multitude of fireballs at the same time which then rained down on the unknowing enemy.

A full-blown smirk appeared on his face when he heard their desperate screams and shrieks.

Oh, he hadn't forgotten about the four stationary men who were kneading chakra too obvious to no to notice. Were they really this stupid to underestimate an enemy? "Tch." He grunted in annoyance as he jumped in the air and kicked two shinobi's away. When it came down to a fight, Madara always had been ruthless, in contrary to his little sister who tried to keep the blood to a minimum. He took out a multitude of shuriken and threw them towards the incoming dangers. He had noticed their little scheme all along; keep him busy in the rectangle until the four men had collected enough chakra to utilize their jutsu. All these men inside the jutsu were only sacrifices but he wasn't going to be one of them.

He flipped forward, stabbing two others in their eyes and then he ducked, avoiding a rain of lightning that was heading his way. His lips curled even more upwards as he took out a dozen kunai's, coated with a very deadly poison, one which his dear sister had made for him for his twenty-third birthday.

With great accuracy, each and one of them were hit by the sharp objects, "Katon: Goka Mekkyaku!" Fire erupted from his mouth and took the shape of a giant wall, burning everything in its path greedily, the poisoned shinobi's included. Their eyes widened when they couldn't move their limbs and Madara watched with great satisfaction as the sea of fire swallowed them entirely, their screams of mercy the only thing that echoed around the clearing.

Smell of burnt flesh invaded his nostrils and he had to scrunch his nose in disgust. It was time to up his fighting, it was starting to bore him to no end. Calling out to his chakra, he summoned thirty clones the moment the four stationary men were ready. This was going to be the end spectacle, "Are you all ready?!" He shouted in hidden amusement, looking at the four shinobi's.

Each and one of them had collected enough chakra and moving their hands in precise perfection and speed, they called loudly, each adorning a victorious smirk, "Raiton: Raimo Raito!" When those words were spoken, four connecting streams shoot high into the sky and it was then when Madara formed the substitution jutsu, swapping places with the rest of the Kumo-nins who took the places of his clones. Afterwards, a powerful lightning blast was created, which turned everything inside the rectangle into dust. The four men couldn't stop their jutsu on time and had killed off their own men instead of him.

They stiffened when his Sharingan eyes locked with them, "The show ends here."Like a blur, he appeared behind them, snapping their neck, slashing their throat, stabbing them through their gut and chopping their head off.

When he was done, he looked around him- the area was destroyed, bodies littered everywhere, fire was smothering everything in its way and the smell lingered annoyingly so in the air.


Black locked with brown.

"I-I c-c-can't believe it.." The black-haired beauty choked out, taking a shaky step towards the bedridden person, "Y-You're up..." And then just like that, she finished the final step, moving closer to the awakened patient, engulfing him in a gentle hug, remembering that was still injured. "T-Thank you, Kami...thank you..." She whispered softly, smiling warmly as he returned the hug.


He had to get closer to the sword-wielder but how? That sword made him practically invisible- his eyes roamed the environment, there were a bunch of dead bodies, that was when a plan was starting to formulate in his head, smirking he flipped away from his opponent, creating a huge water tornado that even made the man stumble backwards. He used that moment to create another clone who ran away from him, acting on his order.

His only problem was that damned sword, this man was in perfect sync with the sword. But when that sword was gone, he was sure that man would be nothing much of a threat. A large whip of freezing water appeared next to him, he continuously tried to attack him but every time it was blocked by that damned sword but that was all a part of his plan. Finally, he felt the information from his clone...

It was time.

"I must say- you're clearly a skilled Kenjutsu-user," His tone became lower, "...but this will be your end."

And then he flickered from one spot to another and the shinobi stood there dumbfounded, eyes wide and mouth agape as he watched him move like lightning. Desperately, he tried to slash him with his lightning sword but he always hit nothing more than air.

Like an animal he was cornered and desperation was seeping into his eyes- he almost had the Senju, almost... but this wasn't the end, no, he would use that move. No way would he ge- "Your life is still valuable for me," came his dark whisper from behind him. His eyes widened as saucers, too fast... "H-How...?" He asked in fear, his voice trembling slightly. He couldn't even use his fucking body, it just didn't want to obey his command. Damnit!

Tobirama sighed softly, "Well, since you were a capable fighter, I owe you an explanation. Since I couldn't get close to you because of that sword, I used the dead bodies to flicker from one spot to another and then I made you move from your spot right behind one of the-" "...dead bodies..." The shinobi finished for him, eyes closed in defeat. "I underestimated you, you clearly own the moniker of yours truly."

A chop to his neck and he fell unconscious, cursing his own stupidity because that small mistake meant his defeat and afterwards it would mean his death.


Shisui watched carefully as he ate from his carefully picked out food, "Don't leave anything behind." She said sternly, knowing that he wouldn't eat the vegetables. Why a man like him detested vegetables was a mystery to her. Still, she was thankful that he had woken up but one thing was bothering her to no end.

His lungs.

She had noticed that he had trouble breathing in and out- before he had woken up, she had checked and healed everything but then why was his lungs troubling him? He seemed to notice her obvious staring and with a cocked eye brow, he smirked flirtatiously, "Like what you see, Shisui-chan?"

Her eye brows twitched at that remark, "I've seen much much better. Now, eat everything, your vegetables too." She threatened with narrowed eyes at a sheepish-looking Sasuke.

"Yes, ma'am!"


After collecting all the dead bodies, they had burnt them all with one big fireball. No evidence was to be left behind.

Tobirama pocketed his scroll where the Kenjutsu-wielder was stored into it- he would extract the information out of him when they got back in Konoha. His eyes widened slightly when his fingers brushed against something that plagued his mind day in, day out.

"Tobirama?" Madara asked in confusion, eyes focused on the stiff Senju, wondering what was troubling the stoic shinobi.

Said shinobi shook his head slightly and concentrated on the task at hand: find one of the Tailed Beast. "It's nothing." Placing his fingers on the ground, he felt the chakra from every living thing but what stood out the most was the almost infinite chakra from his said objective. "Twelve o'clock." With another nod towards the Uchiha, he sped towards his destination, wanting this mission to finish.


Sasuke would be a lying idiot if he said that he didn't enjoy Shisui's entire attention. Hell, if he had known that he would have to get in a coma to get her to notice him then he would've done so long ago. "Kami, that's it, Shisui, more..," he moaned a bit too loud, eyes closed.

"Sasuke." Shisui gritted through her teeth, a faint blush adorning her cheeks.

When she had spoken his name, he opened his unfocused eyes, "Yes?" He asked drunkenly, a wide grin plastered on his face.

The Uchiha sighed in annoyance, "Keep your voice a bit down." How could she be angry with her idiotic friend when he had risen up from the near-death. Careful fingers massaged his back, moving down to his legs to keep his limbs in shape so the muscles would remain strong and that atrophy does not set in.

"Hmmm..." The dazed monkey-summoner hummed happily, eyes closing again.

Shisui looked with adoring eyes at her good friend, happiness bubbling inside of her.


The white-haired Senju looked with impressed eyes at the giant mass of chakra in the form of an animal. They had found five of the nine beasts and each time he was stupefied at the giants that seemed to hold more chakra than the previous one. He didn't know how much time had passed but it felt like an eternity.

"Four more to go." Madara grunted in annoyance- he should've send Hashirama himself, this mission was starting to annoy him. He couldn't even kill them... And from the six that he had chosen to accompany him, there were only four left. Sighing in irritation, he followed Tobirama who dashed towards the east side.


"Take it easy, Sasuke, your body needs to get used to holding your weight."

He glared at the ground as he leaned onto Shisui, wondering how he could've changed into this crippled man. Till now, he didn't even saw his son, he didn't want Hiruzen to see him like this. She had understood him immediately and was helping her out while her other clones were doing her other jobs- training the Medical Corps, evacuating the civilians, helping out in the hospital, doing the administrative work, reporting to her Hokages, etc.

His heart fluttered at the thought that she had dropped everything to help him out. But his mind was telling him that she was doing this as a friend. He ignored that rational part of his mind and prayed to Kami that it was the former.

Shisui looked at the monkey-summoner and felt guilt entrap her- this was her fault that he was struggling with his own body.

"S-Sasuke...," This caught the head of the Sarutobi clan, "I-I'm s-s-s-sorry..." She sniffed quietly, her lungs constricting painfully as she tried to keep her breathing steady. "It's my fault that you got this injured. I allowed orphans free entrance to Konoha and with it came a spy. I didn't even think of the consequences of my deed. The fact that you're like this is because of me." The Sarutobi indicated towards the bed, wanting to sit down. Gently, she placed him on the bed and stood opposite of him, wondering what he would say. Closing her eyes, she waited for the blow that would surely come.

She had expected nasty, foul words but not this.

She had expected him to hate her but not the entirety of his love.

She had expected him to hit her but instead he...he...kissed her...

Her eyes widened when he had pulled her towards him, his arms cupping her cheeks as his lips locked with hers. Too dumbfounded at his sudden action, she allowed him to deepen the kiss and to her mortification, a moan escaped her lips. This seemed to arouse the Sarutobi because felt something poke her, something hard. His hands moved to her muscled ass and with a strong push, he pushed her even closer- she could feel his muscles flex and twitch against her stomach.

This was so wrong, in so many ways.

Finally getting out ofher stupor, she pulled Sasuke roughly away, panting loudly as she looked at him with disgust and slight confusion, "What the hell are you thinking attempting a stunt like that?!" She took a step backwards, and then another, and another until her back was against the door.

"I-I...acted on impulse." Sasuke spoke quietly, eyes casted down as he clenched his fists tightly. Why couldn't he find a woman like Shisui? Why couldn't het get something good for once? Why was he doomed to watch the love of his life with another man?

Why?

Shisui's eyes widened when realization started to seep in. At first she thought Sasuke wanted her just for the sex but now she could see the truth, no, she could feel it, she felt it."Do y-you...," Sasuke snapped his attention back on her, "...l-love me, S-Sasuke..?"

His eyes widened when those words left Shisui's lips- what could he say to that?

Absolutely nothing.

Because in the end she would never be his.

Forcing himself to not to care about Shisui, he replied icily, "Correction, I loved you." He lied smoothly. Turning his back to her, he wanted her out of his room, wanted her out of his mind, wanted her to fucking leave him alone. "I want to be left alone."

He heard the slight intake of her breath but chose to ignore it, "S-Sasuke..."

"Uchiha-sama, leave." There, he ended the discussion, she couldn't say anything to him. His heart clenched painfully when he felt the flicker from her chakra.

...And neither noticed the lone tear rolling down on opposite sides.


It was with a relieved heart that Tobirama arrived in Konoha, tired and filled with blood splotches on his clothes. The recon mission had become more difficult than he had thought but it was all worth it. They had found all the chakra animals, all nine of them. Now, they only had to capture them but with the aid of the Uchiha brothers, his brother and the Uzumaki aid, it would be all cleared out within a few days.

But on the entire mission, he could only think of one person and one person only. Madara noticed it too, smirking he placed a hand on his shoulder, "Go."

This made the Senju snap his head towards the Uchiha. For Madara to give him permission to go to Shisui was by far the most important gesture that Tobirama was waiting for. Because this meant that Madara had finally deemed him worthy to date Shisui, he acknowledged Tobirama's ability to take care of his little sister.

"Don't think I won't hesitate to take back my words the moment you would her." He replied with narrowed eyes.

Offended at those words, he narrowed his eyes, "I'd rather slice my throat instead of hurting her."

Satisfied at those words, Madara nudged him, "Now go, I'm sure she must be worried sick."

"What about you?"

The Uchiha rolled his eyes, "What are you, my mother? I said go." He replied gruffly, annoyed that he was still standing here instead of going to his little sister. He was sure she would be making a happy dance at the fact that he had deemed Tobirama worthy. To be frank, he had always deemed the Senju worthy to be her husband but he wanted to be sure so he observed him, how he interacted around her and other women and so on. He wanted only the best for his dear sister.

Not needing to be told again, Tobirama flickered towards the person he treasured the most.


The body-flicker-user looked at the report that Uchiha Rya had sent her mere seconds ago. It seemed Sasuke's health was getting better and better. She released the breath that she was holding back unconsciously. Ever since that last encounter with him three weeks ago, she hadn't seen him. She was at loss for what to do.

She couldn't talk to her best friend because Mito could only see the monster that hurt her son.

She couldn't talk to her lover because that would end up badly.

She couldn't even talk to her brother because that would also end up badly.

...she was stuck and there seemed to be no escape from this trap.


When Tobirama entered her office, he noticed her sad gaze, follwing her stare he noticed a report. He raised his eye brows, wondering what would take her entire attention, even from him.

Coughing loudly to get her attention, his lips curled upwards when her head snapped towards him.

Right then and there, her face glowed brightly, sadness gone and replaced by an immense joy. That, Tobirama thought, was what he was waiting for.

"Tobirama-kun!" She stood up with fluid movements and ran towards him, "I've missed you so much," was Shisui's soft, loving words as she locked her lips with his, her hands snaking around his neck. She didn't even care that he smelled like blood, coated with sweat and mud. She loved him entirely, his nasty smells included.

It didn't take long for the white-haired Senju to kiss her back, hell, he pushed her against her desk and kissed her as if his life depended on it, enjoying her wonderful smells. He groaned when Shisui snaked her legs around his waist, pulling him even closer. He had a suspicious feeling that he would have to take a shower before he would greet his elder brother. As if on cue, his twitching member woke up and reminded him that he still didn't make love with Shisui, something that was starting to drive him crazy...

But this was only a matter of time.

"Shisui." He tried to speak as she kissed him desperately, not leaving his lips for a moment.

She hummed in reply, moving down to his throat and placing tender kisses, tightening her grip on his neck. But Tobirama gently pried her hands from him, wanting to say something special. With a gentleness that he only showed openly around his lover, he stared lovingly into her eyes and with slow movement, he got to his knees, his hands already found what he was looking for.

Realization started to sink into her obsidian orbs and with wide eyes, she stared at him.

He took out the box and opened it, revealing an elegant-looking golden ring with intricate seals around the golden object, "Marry me."