Disclaimer: All my love for this saga won't change the fact that I do not own Naruto.
English not being my native language, please forgive me for the eventual errors I might do, I'll do my best to avoid doing them in the first place or remove them after the fact.
Summary: A story of Hashirama Senju, the one who revolutionized the Shinobi world. AU.
Season I
Chapter Nine: Crossroad
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Madara gritted his teeth.
Tajima Uchiha remained stoically unmoving at the centre of the clearing, his chokutô limp on the side. He watched his boy moving in an attacking stance, his Sharingans fully focused on him, as if trying to dissect him from the inside out…
A good disposition to have and develop with their bloodline-limit, he estimated.
Daichi, their weapon master, was monitoring the spar.
The man was amongst the most proficient Uchiha fighters the clan had, and worked exclusively with the youngsters showing the most promises in the village, to hone their skills and refine them from any subtle imperfections or impurities.
A reflection of the Uchihas policies to cater to the elites among them, the tip of their forces who would single-handedly reverse battles for them or overcome invincible enemies… Rather a sharp sword than two dull ones was a common saying in their clan, after all...
Daichi's bulky frame and powerful stature were not his greatest assets though, but his ability to quickly assess the strengths and weaknesses he was witnessing.
Once Tajima-sama had made it back to the village with his sons, he had insisted on meeting Daichi at the edge of his compound, to pick on his brain and have him evaluate the newfound abilities of Madara.
The man remained ready to intervene, as he was the referee between the two shinobis, but his focus was on the young boy' Sharingans.
A small breeze came to play with the foliage above them… and Madara darted forward suddenly, his weapon aimed at his father's heart.
Engulfed in a maelstrom of phantom momentums and visions, Tajima parried the blow with little energy, improvising an ad hoc counter-offensive, his own arm whirling around Madara's to strike him at the jugular with his chokuto.
Like his father, Madara saw through the movement, his new pupils dilating his visual perception so much that Tajima's attack formed a translucide kaleidoscope to him, from its initial movements to where it would strike him - time itself seemed to have slowed down considerably.
That power… is amazing! Madara thought as his body reacted naturally to his vision, his head diving to the side to avoid just as effortlessly his father's attack.
"Not bad", murmured Daichi to himself, to the side.
It was one thing to awaken the Sharingan, the sign of a true Uchiha heritage, and another to exploit its potential properly…
He never had any doubt about Tajima's eldest physical abilities, already one of the finest warriors their clan had to offer, but it was nice to see his body be able to keep up with this new tool in its arsenal… A necessary step.
Now, how would Madara react to something less blatant? Would he be able to take a supplementary step and take it to the next level?
As if on cue, Tajima dropped his weapon randomly, causing Madara to react with great confusion - while, just at the same time, his left hand balled into a fist aiming for the boy's head ... Tajima-sama had been planning on this all along, hadn't he? smirked Daichi.
And he really had.
The microsecond Madara had been focused on the falling weapon was enough to throw off his synchro and left the Uchiha boy scrambling to intercept the punch aimed at him with one of his arm.
Beyond the pain, he registered how off his father's upper body movement was, entirely bending forward, and not just his left side…
What in the world…?
A thunderous blow caught Madara in the neck, the boy realising his mistake as he crumbled to the ground in further pain.
His father's movement…! A decoy…!
Standing above him, Tajima looked at his son pitifully.
"So many mistakes…" the man said with a dissatisfied tone. "List them, son. Now."
The order was absolute, as always with his father. Getting back up with difficulty, Madara obeyed Tajima's command.
"Your move with your chokuto… you meant to distract me… by letting it go off your hand…" breathed heavily Madara. "Draw my eyes elsewhere long enough… for you to throw off my reaction time and make the tempo of your attacks harder to keep up with…"
An astute analysis, thought Tajima as he eyed his son silently.
Astute but incomplete.
Regardless, Tajima nodded in agreement.
"You were naive to get caught into my rhythm like this, that's true…" he summarised simply. "But you were even more naive to let my hand so close to your neck for so long… What says you, Daichi-san? Please explain to my son what he did wrong."
The weapon master bowed to the Uchihas' leader and approached Madara.
"It's your eyes… Madara, you are not accustomed to fighting with your Sharingan yet, "stated Daichi Uchiha. "I emphasise the *with*...
It's not just a matter of your body being able to physically keep up with the abilities of the dojutsu; you did well enough on that front. But you need to also integrate the Sharingan into your fighting style. You can't just let it work passively for you, when it's active… It's how you get lazy and develop bad combat habits that become crutches and will fail you in the end…" he added sombrely.
And it was true.
How many in the clans had been killed because of their poor use of the Sharingan on the battlefield?
Or hurt so much in combat they had to renounce the mentel of shinobis?
The gifts of this dojutsu had been wasted on them…
Daichi ploughed through with his explanation.
"A true Uchiha warrior has to use the Sharingan to actively take stock of the environnement - all of it" the weapon master asserted gravely.
"Madara, it needs to be a reflex for you now… To check things left, check things right, check everything above you, and below you, and in front of you, to the sides and your back… Your Sharingan power expresses itself best when you are quickly scanning your environment with it."
"In other words…", concluded Tajima, "... you have to learn how to travel your environment with your eyes to take advantage of the Sharingan.
Our entire combat doctrine relies on the understanding of this basic step… Had you done that earlier, you would have dodged my chop easily…" he added with a scoff.
"Only mediocre warriors rely on the Sharingan as is - or dead ones. And I won't tolerate you being part of either crowd, is that understood?"
"Yes, Father."
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"Good job everyone, you are dismissed. Hashirama, you stay."
It was a hot day, perhaps the hottest of days since the beginning of the year…
All children of age were outside, either doing their chores or training under their tutors - Hashirama was no different.
She had been practising her sword katas with other young shinobis under the vigilant stare of her uncle Rambutô, who hadn't said much since the beginning of their session.
Still reeling from the Council's meeting, she supposed…
Tobirama wasn't with them much these last couple of days, being pulled everywhere by their father as his official Heir.
The atmosphere in the village had been different ever since the Council had informed everyone of the situation regarding the Uchihas.
More tense, more subdued.
It wasn't the first time the clan was going to war with their bitter enemies, but still.
War had that effect on everyone.
Not surprised at her uncle's prompt, the girl remained in place as the other children started to trickle out of the clearing, more or less limping depending on the result of their respective spars.
A few of them threw curious glances at the girl and her uncle and wondered what kind of trouble she found herself in.
If they knew… the girl thought to herself bitterly.
Once they were alone, Rambuto turned to his niece, face stern and jaw locked.
Rambuto Senju was a man of principle.
Commitment.
Duty.
Honour.
Those were the words that came to the people who had met him and fought with him on the battlefield.
But to Hashirama and her brothers, he was just their Uncle that joked around, and used to take them to bountiful fishing sessions.
And he was the one adult that always had an ear out to listen to them, to their preoccupations… to their hopes and worries.
And as shinobis, that was invaluable to them, to have someone willing to listen to their innermost thoughts without judging, without reporting them to someone else…
The man stared at her thoughtfully, arms crossed and hair floating to the wind.
"Hashirama, we didn't get to talk after the last Council… and I want us to talk", Rambuto stated calmly. "To begin with, I want to hear your side of the story."
As he talked, he settled on a small boulder to the side, stretching his legs on the spot.
"Tell me your side of the story, not this official… horseshit… I heard during the closed session."
Using taboo words and cursing…
His vulgarity always had been a point of amusement to Hashirama, and of great contention to her father, and other adults in general…
She wasn't sure it would be the case here though, despite this open statement.
Realistically, she knew that discussion had been coming.
Firstly, because her uncle had badly taken the revelations made during said closed session, his face slowly turning to disappointment as the reunion went on.
Hashirama knew him enough to realise he wouldn't take everything said then at face value.
And secondly, because they were meant to travel together to Uzushio with him acting as an escort during that time, and as a liaison between the Uzumakis and the Senju clans afterward.
For the sake of their time together, they'd be required to nip in the mud any misunderstanding that might still be there between them.
Deciding honesty was her best course of action, and what her uncle deserved, Hashirama started talking, hiding nothing of what had transpired to him...
She talked about how she met the boy on the riverbank.
She talked about how they bonded over the love of their respective families.
She talked about how exhilarating their sparring sessions had been…
Her expose went on for several minutes, uninterrupted as her uncle simply stared at her, focused on what she was telling him.
She was at ease now, contrary to her earlier tension; she felt like she could talk for hours to her uncle Rambuto.
That was his power, to make her spill her guts whenever they had deep exchanges like these… just as it had been then with Madara.
She realised she'd never conspired into spending so much time with him, that it sort of came about naturally between them to meet each other daily…
She hadn't even really tried to cover her tracks while doing so, too happy that she was about her new friend…
No, not just a new friend actually.
"... Uncle, I trust him implicitly, the same way I trust my little brothers and the rest of our family and clan. Madara is the proof that bridges between clans can be built and fostered. As a kindred spirit, I consider him like a brother."
Rambuto welcomed that last sentence with a stare that almost made Hashirama falter.
"Is that something you truly think, Hashirama?"
"... I do," the girl answered, eyes riveted in those of her Uncle.
"I see," Rambuto reacted, eyes piercing hers. "Hashirama, you do realise that in the current context… those are treasonous declarations?"
She flinched at those words.
That was the second time someone pointed this out to her…
"I… I know how it could sound like that to some, yes. But I'm not a traitor to our clan! If anything, it's out of love and loyalty to it that I want to find a perenne solution.
A solution that will preserve it from future strife, and everyone in it."
Rambuto chuckled.
Always so conciliatory… She had taken so much from her mother's temperament…
"So peace with other clans and especially warring rivals, those are what?" he countered, still amused. "Achieved by ricochet?"
"Yes, that's pretty much it", the girl admitted coily.
The man sighed this time, looking somewhat relieved from what Hashirama could tell.
"Deep down, I knew it", the man admitted softly. "You are too different from Butsuma, my niece… From my point of view, it seemed unlikely you were simply spying on that boy for the sake of our clan, that's not your style… Peace between our clan and others however, that seems less peculiar a position for you."
Rambuto produced a pipe that he started to stuff before lighting it up.
"It's a lofty goal you are willing to attain", he said while puffing up smoke. "The road is gonna be difficult, from within and without the borders of the clan…
You'll have to be ready for resistances."
"So… you don't resent me for that?" asked the girl, hopeful, before seeing the expression of her uncle shift to that of annoyance.
"Oh, I do feel aggravated by the way you tossed aside your duties to our village, your lesser commitment - no, don't deny it Hashirama.
You weren't as invested in your tasks, training and the village's life in general the whole period you met with the Uchiha boy" Rambuto cleared up, puffing several times on his pipe.
He ignored the look of denial on his niece's face and puffed up some more.
"Also… Your father is right about that Uchiha boy: he'll be troublesome on the battlefield for us, especially now that he's awoken his Sharingan", Rambuto noted.
"All the deaths he will cause on our side… It'll grow resentment against you from the Council."
"I'll make sure to be the one facing him in battle, to prevent him from harming anyone else but me… " advanced Hashirama.
"Another lofty ambition…" said Rambuto quietly. "But tell me: how do you plan on stopping this "brother from another clan" exactly?
Knowing we'll be headed to Uzushio in a couple of days for a long time? Hmm? And what about your real brother, the one who'll be staying here with your father…
Suppose Itama faces Madara in battle, what then? Which of them is going to roll over for the other one?"
Subdued, Hashirama lowered her head with anguish.
She didn't have an answer to offer here, because her uncle was right.
With her father's mandate, she was now powerless to prevent anything Madara would be guilty of doing on a battlefield.
And if Itama were to be felled by him…
She bit her lips in frustration. Rambuto observed her in silence, still puffing on his pipe at regular intervals.
"Look, I don't disagree with your sentiment, Hashirama" he finally declared to her. "I just think you didn't stop to truly consider the consequences of mingling with that Uchiha, or to try and reach peaceful accords with rival clans… It will require from all sides a monumental amount of patience and the acceptance that sacrifices - personal sacrifices - will have to be made. I just want you to keep those factors in mind at all times, if you are serious about pursuing such an objective. "
Rambuto took another stroke on his pipe, longer this time.
When he released the smoke, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the effect of it, as he rolled over his next words in his mind.
"You are a very good shinobi, Hashirama. You have the potential to be one of the very best shinobi this clan has ever produced in fact, I can feel it in my gut!
If Tobirama is aligned with your perspective, then maybe you'll be able to steer the clan in that direction. Who knows, maybe you'll even succeed…?
But once more, we'll go to bloodshed with the Uchihas… And I, for one, am not looking forward to it. It's -"
Rambuto was interrupted by a shinobi who landed in front of them skillfully.
Hashirama recognised Renji, the leader of her platoon for the mission of Nakasendo Way.
The young man bowed in front of Rambuto, acknowledging her with a small nod as well, and Hashirama realised with a shock she hadn't seen him since her return to the village with Itama in tow…
A deep scar was scouring the length from his face diagonally, front to jaw… How come she hadn't been aware of her cousin' disfigurement until now…?
She should have at least tried to go and see Renji after that mission, instead of settling for other people's accounts…
Her uncle was right: she hadn't been nearly as invested in the goings of the clan following her meeting with Madara than she should have…
Renji didn't seem to be phased one bit by her guilty look.
"Rambuto-san, Hashirama-kun, you have to come with me right away", he said quickly.
"What's going on Renji?"
"It's the Uzumakis sir… the head of their delegation just arrived."
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The three Senjus went back to the village fast, through a mixture of tree-hopping and old-fashioned running from their part.
The Uzumakis are here! thought Hashirama worriedly.
Two days sooner than what they had been informing them of. Did something happen to accelerate their timetable?
Hashirama realised with a start that she would be leaving the village much sooner than what she had been anticipating.
Would she even have time to say her goodbyes?
Their flight led them to the village, then the Council hall, where they landed quietly.
They followed Renji inside, led through one of the innermost corridors of the compound.
Passing several closed doors, Hashirama immediately recognized the door in front of which they had stopped.
That was where the Elders had held a meeting about her and her father the last time.
A middle-aged shinobi was guarding the door, but as soon as he saw them arrive he saluted them and allowed them passage.
Renji slid open the door and entered the room, followed by Hashirama and Rambuto.
Like a repeat of last time, the three Elders were there, sitting in a seemingly united front, their Hands behind each of them respectively, save for Kojirama who seemed satisfied to see his son finally arrive. Kneeling in front of them was someone with a strange attire.
Long-sleeved clothing, dark-olived armour that were well concealed by a large, hooded cloak.
The stranger didn't move as they entered the room, remaining immobile on the mat he was kneeling on.
Hashirama couldn't make out his traits under the heavy cloak.
Standing next to him were two Senju shinobis guarding him, and Hashirama's father, Butsuma, who was reading a missive at breakneck speed, the girl suspected.
Tobirama, him, was looking at the figure on the ground with suspicious eyes and barely acknowledged his sister's arrival.
"We are here", simply stated Rambuto, his pipe long ago put away. "And it seems our friends from Uzushio beat us to it."
"Rambuto, be mindful of your tongue!" admonished Kojirama sternly. "This is Koki Uzumaki, the man leading the Uzumaki delegation…
They are currently stationed near our borders, waiting for his instructions. Koki-san here came back accompanied by one of Tenma's patrol."
All the while, Butsuma hadn't reacted to Rambuto's impertinent remark, finishing his reading before turning to the Elders.
"That intel seems credible" he declared simply. "At least, it matches the recent reports of scouting parties north of Nakasendo Way and the renewed activity of the Uchihas here…"
"Hmm, that's troublesome", stated Kojirama worriedly.
"More than that, it's bad news!" asserted Tolerama. "We won't be able to get proper supplies from our partnered villages if our access to Nakasendo is stifled like this."
"Can you give us an estimation of the troops your people flagged, Uzumaki-san?" Akanji asked. "How many men?"
All eyes turned to the figure on the ground, still kneeling in front of the Elders.
"Our specialists estimate two small corps of roughly one thousand men strong each, and one large division of seven thousand men strong", the man answered with a surprisingly soothing, surprisingly singing accent to Hashirama. "That is, not counting the assisting troups, chariots and servants that will act as a support buffer for those armies…
Roughly five hundred people and their animals."
A silence befell the room at those words, as everyone made quick mental calculations, Hashirama included.
One thousand soldiers, just for one advanced corp… There were barely that number of Senju shinobis if one included all the combatants of the village, including the ones dispatched on outside missions and not currently there…
Direct confrontation wouldn't be an option here, not unless they managed to shift the terrain advantage back in their favour…
A mouthful with the Uchihas being in their way.
"How close?" asked Butsuma to the man.
"Close enough that two days from now, Nakasendo won't be a viable option on our way back to Uzushio, Lord Senju", answered the Uzumaki leader.
Tolerama and his son Tenma looked at each other, fuming.
"That's extremely bad news", the latter stated, scowling. "Our daimyo is still gathering his troops at two locations, near Takegawa and at Port Ryuk.
That's at least a week long before both troops can synergize and sweep through Nakasendo to push back the enemy. At least."
"And that's assuming the strategy to deal with them doesn't change in the meantime, Aderama was very conservative with his communication", added his father, Akanji.
"And in the meantime, we won't be able to properly harass those invading troops due to the Uchihas interference…"
The Uzumaki leader intervened, his voice still soft and soothing.
"That's why we adjusted the plan in consequence, Senju-san. Six members of our platoon will remain here with you, to assist in strengthening the defences of your village, whilst me and my aide will escort your delegation to Uzushio. But it has to be quick. Our window to pull this off is very limited, as you can imagine."
How quick exactly? wondered Hashirama.
And like many times before, someone answered her internal question, reading it plain as day on her face.
"It means we'll be going right about now", figured Tobirama, next to their father. "We don't have much time for anything else really."
"Just like that?" asked Hashirama.
"Just like that", confirmed Butsuma. "Absolutely. And you would do so with the utmost stealth, your journey to Uzushio must remain a secret to the enemies or they'll try to target you. We have already arranged cover stories for both of your departures" he added, turning to his son this time."Now go gather your things, quickly!
We'll wait for you here."
Kojirama addressed the figure in front of them.
"Uzumaki-san, if you would remain here? The people concerned will gather their furnitures and get back here in ten minutes."
That statement was clear and caused Hashirama and Tobirama to immediately scramble out of the room and speed outside the Council Hall to their house, hardly realising that this was their last moments in their village before a long time…
Their equipment and tools had been ready for days, it took them little time to get ahold of them and ready themselves for departure.
The two siblings looked shakily at their rooms, their home, the place they had been living and growing together for years… that would now be devoid of both of them, just as it was already devoid of the laughter of their brother Karawama, or the tenderness of their mother Ainu.
"I don't want you to go…" sniffed a little voice behind them.
Hashirama froze.
Itama was now at the entrance of the house, soaked with perspiration from his training, dropping his boken uncharastically to the ground in shock.
The three siblings looked at each other, taken over by an emotion they had avoided to consider seriously ever since they had learned of the two eldest's future departure to Uzushio.
"We know Itama, trust us on this. We are sorry we have to leave you like this", apologised Hashirama.
"For what it's worth, we don't really want to go either…", chimed in Tobirama. "We are doing this out of duty."
"I know big 'Bro. I know…"
Pushing back the tears that were threatening to overwhelm him, the young boy looked at his siblings with the same determination that drove him to train harder than ever since he made it back to the village with Hashirama.
"Let's make a promise: you two will come back here unscathed from wherever you are going to be staying abroad", Itama declared with a tone betraying a surprising maturity for his age. "And I promise I won't get in trouble here, either with our father or with our enemies… I'll get through everything, just you wait!
By the time you come back, I'll be much stronger!"
Hashirama smiled at that statement.
"I believe you Itama,'' she said, still smiling.
"And I believe you as well", stated Tobirama.
The three siblings hugged each other in an uncharacteristic demonstration of affection, at least for Tobirama.
Their moment didn't last.
"We have to go, Hashi'", Tobirama said as his sister lingered with the youngest of them, somewhat doting on him.
"Take good care of yourself Itama", she said with a last peck on his cheek. "We'll see each other again faster than you and I can imagine, I'm sure of it."
And without turning back, she left the house, followed up by Tobirama.
The time of departure was here, upon them.
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Author's note: Hashirama time with the Senjus is closing for now... We'll see what awaits her at her next destination!
Thank you dear readers for reading the ninth chapter of Hashirama's journey as a shinobi!
A bit on the shorter side, this chapter transitions to next week' season finale!
As usual, next chapter is scheduled for next week!
Hopefully you all had a good read, dear readers! See you next time!