Eras (MadaNaru)

Chapter 4: Mystery

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warnings of the previous chapters still apply, no further warnings as of yet.

There a kind of resolute about this child, it was something you often didn't see without the pain of war clouding your mind. Which is what made him such an oddity. His chakra alone was ample cause for concern, yet Hashirama was treating it as if it were a normality amongst Shinobi. Sometimes his elder brother could be so flippant that he worried for the village. Not to mention Madara, that man had a madness in his eyes when Hashirama wasn't looking, Tobirama couldn't simply ignore it, and yet- he couldn't bare to hurt his elder brother in such a way.

The thought always managed to draw blood from his lip. For although Hashirama seemed to trust the man with his village and his life, not to mention sensitive information. Tobirama could not, and while he was a man scorned by the Uchiha clan, this was not for the elder man's lineage. Merely his demeanor -or perhaps it was his aura- stuck a chord within him that told his more war hardened instincts of an enemy with madness in his heart. It was disconcerting. Yet he could not as of yet be sure whether or not it held truth, or if it was simply his own delusions from his years of battling Uchiha.

Whatever the case may be. He would tread with caution, as would this child have to, for although he did not understand Madara as well as Hashirama may, he knew when the man held curiosity, and he certainly did in regards to this child.

Below his eyes the child moved. The burns he had seen on his form having mostly healed, his breath drew in sharply, his brother was a brilliant healer, but even he could not heal so much damage so quickly. There was a moment of apprehension, perhaps fear as he got to his feet, he did not trust this boy.

"What are you?" The words were but a whisper to the warm healing room of the tower, yet the weight added to them was unmistakable, even to himself. He found no joy in being cruel, but he was weary of the child's intentions, let alone the power he carried from something of an unknown force. The scowl on his face was one of condemnation.

"Human, a shinobi." At that he let his eyes rest upon the child now sitting up on the futon, his expression unusually unreadable for someone so young, a hazy movement to his eyes gave the man a clue to what stirred within the child's emotions. Unease, perhaps fear, or discomfort. Whatever it had been, it was the furthest thing from the anger he had thought the movement would have represent. He knew a spirited youth when he saw one, this was one such child, yet there was almost a vulnerability, or fragility really that shone in his eyes, now cast downward, and looking oh so strange on the expressive face he had seen before.

"Your chakra is vile. I have never seen anything like it. I won't pretend for even a moment that it doesn't concern me. My brother may be willing to turn a blind eye, but I am not." Tobirama could tell the boy was aware of the implication, yet he didn't so much as flinch, instead his eyes rose, and there was a mirthful gleam to his eyes, and a challenging expression in his smirk. It drew Tobirama back for a moment at the strange feeling of childhood challenges with his brothers in the forests of the old Senju settlement.

"Vile yeah. I've heard that before, got anything better for me then that?" It was rather clear the child was biting him, and while unusual it was not appreciated.

"Idiot child." The irritation that usually followed such a statement did not seem to hold purchase with this boy. In fact he actually, held a palm over his mouth and giggled eyes crinkled with something similar to good humor.

"I didn't notice it before, but you, you're a lot like him." He could only raise an eyebrow, submitting himself to such a foolish game, an unwise move he knew, but his interest had been peeked at this point. The boy said nothing, instead his gaze dropped to his abdomen, his fingers twitching, but his hands didn't move from their place on his lap. Small as the action was, Tobirama found it strange for a reason he couldn't explain, There was something to the movement, more than hesitation, something sad, though different then his brother's bouts of emotion, it spoke of something scarred.