Girl with the Strange Green Eyes (Hashirama)

The Girl with the Strange Green Eyes

prologue

The temperature was blazing, the Land of Fire sun showing no mercy as it beat relentlessly down on the occupants of the country. The bright, yellow rays would get into the eyes of the two clans battling it out, the Senju and the Ishikawa, causing kunai to miss their targets and the Shinobi to be blinded. There were no cries or screams, even as people got impaled and beaten to death. There were just grunts of pain and effort, along with the CLANG! of metal meeting metal, Shinobi meeting Shinobi, in battle.

They had chosen the clearing just next to the Nara forests this time, the previously lush, green field that was almost the perfect middle ground between the two clans, though now the ground was scorched black because of the jutsu being used in the battle, and there were more than a few craters.

Hashirama, the son of Senju Butsuma and the heir to the Senju clan, was only twelve years old during this battle. Sweat dripped down his forehead, which was wrinkled as he looked around him: his clansmen, some lying on their backs, bleeding and dead, and others still up fighting, wearing thick armor that bore the symbol of their clan, which resembled a Vajra. He was scuffed up, scratches, bruises, and dirt littering his body.

This battle had lasted much too long, much longer than his father had assumed it would. Hashirama took a moment to scoff at his father's ignorance—though a much smaller clan than either the Senju or the Uchiha, the Ishikawa were highly spirited, highly skilled, and incredibly intricate Ninja that excelled in Kenjutsu and Genjutsu, given their particular ability with chakra control. It didn't surprise Hashirama at all that it had lasted this long.

His eyes, as black as the Uchihas', scoured across the battlefield quickly, flickering from one clique of battling people to the next, until he found his target. As soon as he did, it felt like his whole body froze, becoming paralyzed. In that moment, he understood what people meant when they said "their blood ran cold." It was like ice moving up and down his veins, the only thing not frozen being his heart, which was hammering so violently against his chest that he wondered for a moment if he wasn't in the midst of a heart attack.

His younger brother, Tobirama, was in trouble. That much was obvious to Hashirama, and he was so scared, because he had already lost his baby brother, Kawarama, just a few months ago. Now, Tobirama and Itama were all he had.

Tobirama was down on the ground, his back touching the dirt. Blood dripped down his forehead, and he was struggling to prop himself up on his elbows. His pale skin made him look already dead when contrasted to the blood, as red as a Sharingan, that stained his armor and face. He was glaring at the person holding a katana, a long sword, to his throat.

She was a tiny thing, probably around Tobirama's age, so nine or so. Her hair was to her shoulders and black with a deep green shine to it. That's all Hashirama could see, other than the Ishikawa clan symbol on the back of her golden yellow armor: a black outline of a Yokai, or demon, face with a purple, moon-like circle behind it and towards the top.

Hashirama watched with wide eyes, knowing that he was across the battlefield from the two and would never make it in time. So, he stood stock-still, praying to whoever would listen that it would not be a fatal blow.

And then, as if some god had heard his prayers, the girl withdrew her sword and walked away. As she turned, there was one long moment where she met Hashirama's eyes from the other side of the battlefield.

Her's were strange, especially strange on her pale, childish face that was framed by choppy bangs and side bangs. They were wide and gentle, cyan in color that became an ombré towards the bottom with a much lighter turquoise color. There were no pupils, just a white reflection in them, staring right at Hashirama.

He had never seen anything like them.

Then, she was jumping into another battle, leaving Tobirama nearly unconscious on the battlefield.

"Otouto," Hashirama muttered, and he was suddenly barreling across the battlefield, daring anyone to get in his way.

Tobirama was not dying today, or any other day, so long as Hashirama was there. He made that vow long ago, the same as he did with Itama.

Still, when the battle was finally over that night, and the Senju were walking back to their home with half of their forces, and those who did make it needing the support of others to stand up straight, Hashirama eyed Tobirama, wondering about the girl who had spared his precious brother—

The girl with the strange green eyes.