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For the first time in years, Toka was awakened by a strange feeling in her chest. Her heart was racing, and it felt like there was a giant void inside of her ribcage that was swallowing her from inside. The fear paralyzed her for a few long seconds.
When she finally rose, she made herself a coffee and washed her face with a cold water. She didn’t remember the dream, but its aftertaste still lingered, and she couldn’t get rid of that feeling. She looked at her calendar standing on the kitchen table to see what assignments she was to do today.
Stop by the Hokage building, ask Hashirama for a scroll containing old text, teaching her team of genins the art of dodging a genjutsu attack and visiting her old friend. Not much.
With the plan in mind, she left for the office. People on the street were looking at her strangely, which made her wonder what was up with her looks. Why were they looking at her like they were trying to measure her size with their eyes? They kept quiet, which made her whole morning even more eerie.
There was something in the air that made it heavy.
As Toka passed the Yamanaka flower shop, she was met by a ninja guard.
“I’ve been looking for you, Toka-sama,” the ninja said.
“Good morning to you too,” Toka replied.
“Tobirama-dono needs to see you now. He’s waiting for you in Hokage-dono’s house,” the ninja told her.
“Why does the grump want to see me ?” Toka asked, seemingly annoyed.
“I can’t tell you that,” the ninja told her.
“You will tell me right now or I will put you under a genjutsu to find out and that’s going to be far more painful,” she gave the ninja a grim look. She didn’t have time for this.
“Hokage-dono is dead,” the ninja answered quickly before the Senju woman could put him under a genjutsu.
“That’s a stupid joke,” Toka replied without any hesitation.
“I’m not joking,” the ninja said with a serious face.
“After I make sure it’s not true, I will report you. Don’t you know it’s a stupid joke that won’t land, because Hashirama is basically immortal?!” Toka sounded more annoyed than worried about her cousin’s wellbeing. He was fine, he has always been fine since childhood.
“Please, lady Toka, I’m not joking—”
Toka rolled her eyes. “You are wrong sir. He probably got drunk and now he’s sleeping and Tobirama wants me to get him into the office for some meeting,” Toka told the man and turned around to go to Hashirama’s house. Her cousins were irritating. Sometimes she wondered if Butsuma was right. They were useless.
As she was walking, she was reminded of the feeling from the morning. It couldn’t be a presentment of this… Hashirama survived so many fights, unfortunate events and battles there was no way he would just die. His favorite unhealthy food was peaches, he was healthy as a fish in a clean river.
She opened the unlocked door to Hashirama’s house. There was Tobirama with a rather serious look.
“Don’t tell me he-“ Toka stumbled upon her words. No, it couldn’t be. Tobirama always seemed serious.
“Hashirama died,” Tobirama told her in all seriousness.
“It must have been one of his clones… It can’t be, Tobirama! It’s Hashirama we’re talking about, your brother, the God of Shinobi,” Toka blurted out in a moment. It felt like someone hit her head with a bokken.
“Do you think I didn’t check?!” Tobirama raised his arms into the air. He hated it when Toka questioned his judgment and he was already waiting to explode.
“Where is he?!” Toka breathed out. “What…What happened?!”
“I’m not sure yet, he’s in his bedroom…” Tobirama answered, rubbing his face. He looked like he had just awoken into a bad dream.
“Where’s Mito?!” Toka screeched as she turned around to walk upstairs to see Hashirama. She was still skeptical about this whole tirade. Sure the troubled cousin would wake up and laugh at her to even consider his ultimate demise.
She opened the door of the bedroom.
Mito was sitting on a bed with her knees up. She looked so small with her eyes all shades of red. “I---” Mito sobbed, looking up at Toka. She couldn’t speak through her wild shivers.
Next to her was Hashirama’s blood covered body. Anyone would say he was just sleeping if it wasn’t for the deep wound in his chest.
“What happened?!” Toka said loudly.
“He’s… I—” Mito cried again. She couldn’t get a single word out. Tobirama appeared at the door, leaning his back against the wooden frame.
“What happened?!” Toka asked again, walking up to Mito, putting her arms around her. “I’m so sorry…”
“Don’t—” Mito said and pushed Toka away, hyperventilating.
“I’m so very sorry, Mito… Where are the children?”
“Don’t let them come!” Mito almost screamed her words out.
“Someone needs to tell them…” Toka looked at Tobirama.
“They know. Someone needs to tell Konoha,” Tobirama said, defeated.
“They might be in danger if someone attacked him in his sleep!” Toka protested. “We need to warn people!”
“Toka, please…” Tobirama took a deep breath, Toka wasn’t sure why he wasn’t doing anything. Did Hashirama’s death paralyze him to a point he wasn’t thinking?
“You need to announce it to Konoha,” Toka strategized. “We can’t let the person who did this escape, do you understand? Or let the person hurt anybody else!” Toka was ready to take over the lead if Tobirama lost his mind for a few moments.
Mito sobbed again. Toka couldn’t believe this was a new reality she had to live in. Death was everywhere when she was young, lately not so much. And now, things were just as when she was a little girl.
“Mito, please, my friend, you need to take a shower. You are all dirty from blood,” Toka said quietly, reaching for Hashirama’s widow. Yet, Mito turned away, moving her palm towards her stomach where her seal was.
Toka felt tears falling down her cheeks. She couldn’t bear seeing Hashirama dead and Mito so desperate and sad. This couldn’t be happening.
“Tobirama, help me. Will someone tell me what is going on?” Toka asked right when the doctors came through the door to take Hashirama’s body.
She held Mito’s trembling body as she was screaming for Hashirama to come back and as she was begging the doctors not to take him away.
There was something final on the way doctors carried Hashirama’s body away in a coffin. This was the last time the Hokage was in his house, and he would not be returning again. Ever.
Mito was now sitting on the floor of the hall. She still looked so fragile and helpless. Tobirama looked like he would break any second. Their lives were shattered, and this was the first morning of their new life.
Toka stood under the Hokage office next to other people from Konoha, listening to Tobirama announcing his brother’s death. He didn’t state the cause. Toka just thought he had already killed the culprit. He must have hunted the murderer down and kill him to avenge Hashirama’s death – Toka wouldn’t blame him, she would do the same. She didn’t have a patience with cruel people.
Toka wore her old, black kimono to the funeral. White flowers were everywhere; they looked like snow from afar. Hashirama’s wife had to be supported by her oldest son so she wouldn’t pass out again.
The only person smiling was Hashirama in the frames. Toka cursed him for dying. It seemed like everyone was mourning, besides him. He made a mess and everyone had to lie in it, as always, while he was unaffected.
Toka wondered how the intruder could get in. The window was intact and closed. There was no sign of struggle. It almost seemed like Hashirama was attacked in a dream. But such things were just folk tales. They didn’t happen in real life.
The rumors said he died of a mysterious illness, but Toka knew it wasn’t true. Yet, she didn’t correct anyone. It seemed like Tobirama didn’t want to disclose the hurtful truth, that he was slaughtered like an animal.
Toka suspected Tsuchikage’s men, or some killer hired by the minister. Naturally, Hashirama had many enemies among powerful men, the hatred and envy were brought up by the Senju’s powers. And this wouldn’t be the first time someone hired another shinobi to kill him.
Toka considered all angles. Did Tobirama even know?
Hashirama was put to the ground and Toka was sitting behind his desk. Tobirama needed some help before he could take over the office. He was still emotional and although Toka never saw him cry, she suspected he was crying when he was alone.
“Toka,” Tobirama entered the office. “Good morning.”
“Hi,” Toka replied. “How are you?” She asked her cousin with compassion.
“I’ve been better. This feels absurd.”
“It feels unreal,” Toka added. She walked up to him and hugged him, surprised Tobirama didn’t push her away.
“I’m the last living son of Senju Butsuma. Listen how horrible that sounds,” Tobirama said.
Toka knew Tobirama’s secretive attitude well. He was strategizing with information, unlike Hashirama, who usually blurted out everything.
“I’m sorry,” Toka said, letting her cousin go. “You know I was wondering about what happened to Hashirama. There have been rumors and I know you know,” Toka raised her eyebrows.
“What are you saying?” Tobirama raised his chin.
“You didn’t kill the person who did it. You are protecting them,” Toka replied.
“I would never protect anyone who harmed my brother,” Tobirama frowned.
“Because it wasn’t a person, was it?” Toka was looking at Tobirama.
“No,” Tobirama stabbed the ground with his eyes.
“It was Kyuubi. He wanted revenge on Hashirama for imprisoning him. So he managed to take over Mito and he killed him while he was sleeping next to her. And Mito couldn’t stop it,” Toka explained.
“Please don’t tell anyone,” Tobirama said. “If it gets out… Mito is going to be the pariah. And not only her, but every jinchuuriki that comes after her. Do you understand?” the Senju looked at Toka in all seriousness.
“I think I do…”
“We can’t let people know that the jinchuuriki killed their beloved Hokage. It will cast a shadow on every jinchuuriki after that,” Tobirama said.
“You’re right. I shouldn’t have sniffed around,” Toka shook her head.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Some people know,” Toka informed him. “It’s one of the words on the street.”
“Let’s hope it won’t spread.”
“This secret is safe with me,” Toka said as she closed the door behind herself.