ACT III : PROVIDENCE.

╱     ──     TEMP PINNED. DO NOT RB.

Through the sloughs of a mental sojourn, it was only natural that Madara’s mind would be preoccupied. In one ruled by passion and fire like the stars so inclined, so had threaded fates banded together in the methodical warp and weft of a loom. The Uchiha hadn’t been as they were before, with many of their valued allies gently falling away from their attachment like the thaw of ice in beckoned springtime. 

Some had remained cloistered to their sides: his mother’s Hyuga clan, the Chinoike they’d absorbed, the Fuma, Hagoromo, Inuzuka and Aburame–all among others had joined independently with their own compounds where they’d once been united past the guarded gates of Uchinada, the Uchiha capital. Now? They were simply another clan, even if one of the more prominent and powerful. Even his aunt and Hyuga matriarch–Hina Hyuga–noticed the change, and not all favorable. 

Of how there had arisen malcontent among the Uchiha for the arrangement that Madara had been driven to, their trust in him diminished. Because of the precluding wars that had slain more of them, and the aftermath of being driven into a place many saw solely as the slaughtering floor.

And, that didn’t even account for Prince Isshin’s coronation at the Fire Country’s capital at Saikyo, a man who’d been backed by the Uchiha while the Senju had favored the younger, Michitaka, in the wake of Asao Madoka’s assassination at Kakuzu’s hand, the same whom had slaughtered Akira Hyuga, his uncle. 

Interrupted by the beckon of Tobirama’s voice, Madara resisted the urge to scowl, poring over reams of documents like a waterfall plunging to the depths of a restless pool. Letters from the newly instated Kazekage, Reto, whom had been like his uncle since his boyhood with the Oda at Takumi. Something about the Suna-nin’s flowing grass script made for a better study than the obsessive chase of his mind, looping through diversions like the cycling moon. 

“The nomadic tribes of the Wind Country have yet to yield to Reto-oji’s rule, and they’re struggling with holding Sunagakure from invaders,” Madara answered distractedly, politico a neutral subject to broach upon that wasn’t the most private affairs of clan or heart. Of course, his familial closeness with the Kazekage went undisguised. “The Kingdom of Roran, especially, seems to bear quite the grudge against them, still.”

the information presented to the senju was nothing new, word of mouth from the nekomura clan & tobirama has always had faith in their spy networks that spanned beyond the borders of hi no kuni.     ──     this union of the major clans was an unprecedented move, yet one that did not surprise tobirama. 

considering his own brother & the man sitting before them, peace wrested through sheer force of will rather than simpering platitudes of ‘peace-for-all’ speeches. 

( of course, tobirama recognizes Hashirama’s proclivity for grandiose speeches     ──     self-assurance birthed from seeming invincibility. the facade of the gentle hand, disguising the god beneath. )

inter-kingdom politics was something he didn’t care much to ponder about, but was the senju glad that he had the forethought to extend his petition to the shogun of all the elemental nations, tsukumo sawami, for sovereignty from the fire daimyo. a move that infuriated the lord of hi no kuni, at least, until tsukumo - dono had deigned to shut him up with a harsh look.

tobirama was not in the business of enraging a woman whose last name is a reference to the 99 empires she had felled over her time as shogun.

brief wrinkle of nose, eyes bruised with darkness lifting to regard madara’s own documents with idle interest before returning back to their own. ❝ as if we don’t have our own issues with kingdoms in hi no kuni, although take care to emphasize to anija that we are not to intervene, ❞ reaching over to tap the top of the document the uchiha was reading to punctuate his point before sitting back. wry smile creases lips, dark amusement, ❝ a few kingdoms is enough on our plate. ❞

he doesn’t deign to mention of the especially-targeted attacks against his own person, daimyo - hired mercenaries below Tobirama’s skill-level, yet insulting enough. there was a part of them that wanted nothing more than to sever the heads of the latest batch & present it to the gutless daimyo.

( but, tobirama suspects, nozomi, who was their daimyo court contact, would be enraged at the social faux pas. the senju was not willing to elicit the ire of the onmyōji, her talismans were a pain & a half to deal with. )

madara’s relation with the kazekage & other noble clans was no surprise, he always kept note of it. while the uchiha carried nobility status, the senju were more of commoner status that rose in prominence through marriage with prominent clans & vaunted skills, even moreso with the revelation of the fabled mokuton.

❝ nonetheless, I shall aid in keeping an eye on the situation, I would hate for such instability to bleed into our lands. ❞ already, they mentally make note of who to send their summons to, & perhaps note down weaknesses in the instance that it was necessary to raise defence. 

Slowly, onyx eyes sank down from his Sensei’s face, just to be fixed onto the ground infront of their very feet. This wasn’t the first time where Kagami was rather sad over opinions like that, because he felt that his compassion and trust in his teammates often saved him from a lot of things. Namely loneliness, but what kind of shinobi would admit to something like that? No, he really shouldn’t be crying over such trivial things, it’s the fate of a shinobi after all, isn’t it? Yet that doesn’t change the fact that he absolutely hates that feeling.

“… How is it contradictory if that is how the village came to be? Or wasn’t it Lord Shodai’s compassion towards the Uchiha clan that made peace possible..?” A small question yet it held so much meaning to him, after all… They weren’t forced into the treaty, at least… that’s what he was being taught. His father often told him about the persitence and kindness Hashirama had used to persuade Madara, even though ultimately it was his defeat that was able to convince him to finally give in to it. His foster Mimi-obaachan on the other hand always curses about how the Senju have wronged their clan and how Kagami at one point should try to use his leverage over Tobirama.

What leverage she is dreaming of, he wasn’t really sure.. Even if he at one point had some, he wouldn’t betray his Sensei over some stupid request.“… Then who am I to really trust if I have to watch my back even with those I consider close..? Doesn’t that… bring you more loneliness?” With sad eyes he turned his gaze onto the hand that lightly sat on his shoulder, yet still it felt so far away, and so he let his lids fall shut.

a moment’s hesitation heralded the tumultuous nature of tobirama’s thoughts, blood-red eyes affixed on their student, calculation ── mind that spun faster than mouth, than words. concepts that overlaid & intersected. he was hardly the best person for these talks, hardly the best person to speak about concerning intangible concepts like compassion or hope or peace.

❝ it is ... difficult to judge. ❞ they say slowly, syllables rolling over their tongue, lines of thoughts solidifying, straightening like the logical unravelling of tangled yarn, ❝ we cannot judge how we would react in a given moment, kagami, because in one situation, it would be appropriate to extend our hand in compassion, but in another, it would not be. the nature of life is that it is unpredictable & hard to judge due to the fact that there are infinite choices, infinite decisions to make. we can only live in the present, the now. ❞

perhaps it was too much of a dreary topic to speak about, a haunting ghost of their past that they’d rather not reveal. carefully, tobirama slips their hand away, the slightest slump of their shoulders. ❝ it ── is very lonely, ❞ & he knows how much the admittance had cost, glass that slices the arteries & veins of their heart, to know that people considered him monster, war machine barely leashed by the yoke of hashirama. but tobirama was a perfect liar, to others & himself. 

the senju clan is known by two names among the shinobi clans. the more well-known one; 'the clan with 1000 skills/hands', referencing towards the versatility of the clan's skills in all facets of life. 

unlike other clans, the senju does not have a primary chakra affinity, varied from member to member. & their specializations also vary from member to member. some would be more proficient in genjutsu, ninjutsu, taijutsu, etc. furthermore, even if they have a specialization, they are relatively skilled in other areas as well. 

 the other name, although not as well-known, is 'the clan of the forest', partly referencing to the Mokuton & partly referencing to their connection towards nature this innate connection is isolated within those who carry senju blood within them, especially amplified within the Main Family. Their main chakra affinities are essentially extensions of themselves to the point where certain individuals can control their element without extra exertion or chakra use.

for example: tobirama's main element of use is suiton, & he has a connection to water that cannot be mirrored by any other shinobi. because of this connection, tobirama does not need to use chakra to perform certain techniques, such as drawing moisture from the air or taming tumultuous waters. or manipulate any sort of liquid to his liking AKA blood. 

 Another facet of this nature connection & because of hashirama, the forest that surrounds konoha are especially kind to the senju. they offer a marginal amount of protection from adversaries & other danger that may lurk. the flora carries memories of hashirama's chakra & in some strange sense, still 'speak' to tobirama, offering comfort after his brother's death.

the brand of inanity that leaves the uchiha’s mouth is, at times, astounding to tobirama. that even years later, fortified by prolonged exposure & general proximity with anija, madara still manages to baffle tobirama. perhaps their affinity towards suiton elicited the query, but he does not recall ever signing a summon contract with any sea-creature. 

krakens, as interesting as it would be to have one as a summon, was just far beyond his means of partnering - tobirama was not so cruel to even attempt due to the distinct lack of large bodies of water within hi no kuni.

There as a lot behind those red, stoic eyes and Kagami knew that. He might have not really been in the war, but the war had been following him nonetheless, taking away what he loved and leaving him scarred and lost in a way.

Yet still, even with the things he had come to terms with and the cruelness he had experienced, he had remained open to strangers, giving out a bit of trust because after all every Shinobi still us a human, right?

“But isn’t the hallmark of a good shinobi also to be compassionate? How can I be compassionate while not believing someone that I trust..?”

compassion had no place in their world, a gift only afforded to the most powerful - case & point: hashirama. it was the antithesis towards their very being. one cannot be a shinobi & be kind in equal terms, if anything, there had to be something one gave up. for survival, for family, for duty.

tobirama was a wardog & that cannot change, that will never change, without destroying a fundamental aspect of their being. his fingers perpetually stained with ink, ancient eyes brimmed with wisdom gained through carnage & blood, demise that lingers heartbeat upon their tongue. 

even then, the senju valued transparency, believed that his opinion should be given, no sugar-coating needed. kagami was old enough, had seen enough battle to know the truth of the matter. 

❝ the hallmark of a good shinobi is having the capacity to relinquish that compassion for the sake of the mission. you mean to say: the hallmark of a good person is to be compassionate. ❞ head tilts, frowning, ❝ to be shinobi no mono & compassionate is contradictory. nonetheless, it is not unkind to always take everything with a grain of salt, even those you trust. ❞