Red String of Fate

Chapter 24 - A Little Overpowered

He was smiling. He was relieved, happy.

Then the kunai was buried deep into the man's stomach, and he saw that metallic red substance.

It wasn't his blood.

"MADARA!" He screamed in panic and flew to his side, yanking out the kunai and using his amazing healing skills on him. The blood didn't stop. Why didn't it stop?

"Madara, get a grip on yourself!" He yelled, voice breaking and hoarse as he felt the tears gather into his eyes. Why did you stab yourself? Do you hate me that much?

"Don't leave me, please." He cried out, grasping onto that small thread of hope in his heart, watching as the wound quickly closed. "Say something!"

No, he wasn't dead. He's persistent, he's strong, he's stubborn, he isn't actually dead.

"We finally achieved our dream, don't start giving me the cold shoulder!" He reasoned stubbornly, however his shaking hands said otherwise. Why is he not-? I'll just use stage two then... I'll make him wake up.

"Anija." Tobirama called out his name in a soft voice and walked over, tugging his hands away from the corpse. "He's gone."

Then he completely broke down. He yelled, cried, but the corpse didn't come back to life. In the end, Tobirama caught his brother off guard and hit him unconscious, carrying him back home with concern.

Even in his dream, he thought of Madara. He reached out his arm, desperately trying to reach his back, but he was always a centimeter too far.

Why won't you turn around and wait for me? Why must you avoid me?

"Madara!" Hashirama woke up with a start, jolting awake and leaning over the bed. The sweat and lukewarm sunlight made him feel disgusting, he trembled as he covered his mouth, in hopes those actions would make him feel less sick.

Another nightmare... ever since I met Madara again, I've stopped having these dreams, so why all of a sudden?

The fiery blue flame that never faltered suddenly became weak, and startled the Senju gravely.

"Is anyone there?" Hashirama called out, placing a foot on the cold ground and wincing as dizziness crashed onto him.

"H-Hashirama-sama??" Tadashi exclaimed in such shock that someone would have mistaken him for seeing a ghost. What happened to, 'the person will be knocked out for a whole day no matter who it is', Madara-sama!

"Where is he?" Hashirama demanded, his expression turning frighteningly serious as he walked over to Tadashi, peeking into the hallway worriedly.

"Where's who?" Tadashi asked, pretending to act as puzzled as one could be, and to his disappointment, Hashirama saw through him immediately.

"Where is Madara?" He demanded, sensing that the familiar chakra was not anywhere near them at the moment. He drugged me and apologized...

Hashirama grit his teeth in frustration and stared Tadashi down, irritation growing by each second that flew by, which made Tadashi panic even further.

"Tadashi-san, please." Hashirama turned to begging and gripped Tadashi's shoulders tightly. "I know how important Madara is to you. I can tell that he's fighting since his chakra is acting up so much, so you might as well tell me."

"I... can't." Tadashi muttered, desperately trying to avoid those sad puppy dog eyes.

"He's always stubborn and is too self sacrificing to those he cares about." Hashirama mutters, feeling so sad that he wanted to cry. "Before he gets too hurt, please just tell me what's going on."