Forgotten Uchiha

十七

O B T A I N I N G   T H E   T S U C H I G A N

        Even in my era, the Kohaku were elusive. They had no allies and prided themselves on self sufficiency. From what I knew, they lived high within the mountains and in deep rooted forest, away from prying eyes. There had been rumours, however, that they had developed a Kekki Genkai or form of technique which could undo any Genjutsu. Madara had mentioned that they could grow to rival the Uchiha influence and could not risk an uprising. 

      Kuma guided me through unknown land between the nation divisions. I understood this as neutral ground and was once used as trading pathways before the nation's were established. It fed into the Kohaku legacy of autonomy. 

      Adjacent to the cliff was a large stream that carved through the area, it separated the main portion of land from the rest. Ruined buildings lay abandoned as we walked down the path towards the stream. I could see the two Tomoe of the Kohaku Mon engraved into the archways. 

      Kuma explained to me that he suspected Madara did this to him. Or at least Madara's influenced Fugaku to massacre a rival clan. 

      We stopped at a mangled bridge which would've connected the Kohaku's sanctuary to civilisation. Scorch marks blistered the wood. I ran my fingers over the fragments and sighed. I could envision an Uchiha fireball consuming the land. 

      "How old were you when this happened?" I asked. 

      He sat on the severed end of the bridge while his legs swung over the edge. For a moment, I didn't think he'd heard me, his shoulders coiled with tension. 

      "Seven," Kuma tossed a chip of burnt wood, it sunk with a hollow plop. ". . .I still can't forget the smell of burning bodies."

      I clenched my fist. Perhaps I was naive to think the creation of Konohagakure would bring peace. 

      I consoled  Hashirama. He cried freely into my shoulder. Kawarama was forced into battle to perpetuate the Senju and Uchiha feud. His death posed a message to the Senju. 

      "H–he–he was too young," Hashirama wailed. "When will this war stop?"

      "There will always be war Hashirama," I whispered. When Tobirama lifted up the limp body of his younger bother, I pressed Hashirama's forehead into the crook of my neck. "Maybe in the future, you can make that place with Madara you both always talk about.""

      Hashirama chuckled slightly and looked up at me, "You, Madara and I will build it together, brick by brick. It'll be a place where nobody's brothers and sisters have to die."

      I nodded.

* * *

      Even though I wasn't permitted into Senju territory, I insisted on following Hashirama to the border to ensure his safety. I dodged a kunai but Hashirama wasn't so lucky, one landed in his calf and he went down.

      "Hashirama!" I dropped from the tree tops. There wasn't any point arming myself against four elder Uchiha men. I started to weave the hand signs for a jutsu; it was risky seeing that Hashirama hadn't figured out that I wasn't just an Uzumaki.

      "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" I sucked in a deep breath and hurled a fire ball at two of the Uchiha men. They were thrown back against one of the trees in a smouldering heap. I flicked my fringe out of my face and stumbled when one of the Uchiha men grabbed me by the hair and forced me to my knees.