Chapter Text
“Identify yourself.”
He was not expecting that. There had been an inordinate amount of disorientation to contend with, let alone being thrust far enough to reach, from the sounds of it, vaguely hostile territory. But he’s not unprofessional enough to prevent an instantaneous rise to his feet, already reaching for a kunai (Konoha may be at peace, but a shinobi is never unarmed, even at home) and throws out his senses to examine, where, and who, exactly, his experimental jump had landed him with.
…Strange, Senju park? Don’t they recognise me?
However steady his body was, fuelled by fine shinobi instincts, his mind felt very off balance by the off-kilter reactions he was receiving in sensory feedback.
It didn’t take long to visually confirm the surroundings despite the low light; an enthusiastically overgrown park (He spends equal time between the training fields and visiting Hashirama’s many parks with his brothers) But when he looks up, both his eyes and senses fixate on something that can only be described as seeing (and feeling), double.
There’s nothing inherently strange about seeing his fully armoured self, standing in front of him. He’d produced and directed hundreds of shadow clones since creating the revolutionary jutsu. But where his eyes are easily deceived– tricking his objectively, unbeaten senses was unheard of.
And since no conclusion has ever been too outlandish for his consideration, the reason that a… Senju Tobirama with a fully formed, and independent chakra network was standing carefully in front of him at a measured distance, lent itself to a peculiar conjecture about space-time fuinjutsu.
“It seems I have produced rather unexpected results.”
“Indeed, this is rather unexpected.” The doppelganger lowers his tanto. “I’ve never had time to properly theorise all applications of the Hiraishin, but something of this magnitude doesn’t seem so unlikely when messing with the time-space variables.”
“Hiraishin?” Flying Thunder God? An unfamiliar term. A jutsu perhaps?
“Yes, I felt the disturbance left by space-time ninjutsu; I know none other than the Hiraishin. And the idea that my formula has been replicated…
Is disturbing. But it appears my fears are unfounded as the disturbance was created by myself, or should I say a version of– as it appears."
“It’s highly unusual to be so accepting of my identity.” Tobirama hedges but he’s also no longer reaching for his kunai. He’s all too familiar with the simultaneously diverse, but limited comprehension of the average shinobi, so the inquiry comes naturally. It is understandable for him to ask – statistically speaking, no matter what his instincts say.
He’s also all too aware of the surrealism of his logical conclusion. But the man in front of him was undoubtedly… he didn't know how else to describe feeling himself.
“That is true. But, if you are as you appear, a close enough version of myself; you have already made and accepted the same conclusion.”
Huh. It was quite strange to have his thoughts mirrored back to him instead of dished out. But that rational acceptance makes him comfortable enough to relax his guard further, not completely. But the familiarity between the doppelganger and himself is enough for him, and apparently, enough for his counterpart too, as he sheaths his weapon.
“Follow me. Despite my certainty, there will be questions.” They both know they’re likely one of the few people to ever stay calm in such a situation. “I will bring you to my brother to deal with, as the Hokage should.”
The strangeness of the situation was just starting to set in, (a copy of his brother?) but he’s happy enough to follow. And out of all the ways to approach his plight, getting his own help would likely be the fastest way back. Perhaps Mito too?
“How many of those questions, do you want me to answer right now?” Tobirama smirks well naturedly in response to his counterpart, maybe a little bemused at how easy it is to grasp how he, himself thinks. How novel.
His armoured counterpart beside him doesn’t deign to answer, as predicted. But he scrunches his eyebrows and let's slip a small huff of amusement. He’s pleased that he’s not the only one equally amused and disturbed by the feeling of a non-shadow clone doppelganger.
“Ahaha…” The Hashirama rubs the back of his head. “You’re rather calm about this brother. You haven’t been meeting with any other… interdimensional travellers without my knowledge, have you?”
“No. Obviously, I wouldn’t have the time, nor the patience to hide such a thing. But such an occurrence isn’t completely outside of my conjectures either.”
“…Yes, of course. Of course, now –”
Hashirama turns to the subject of their interest waiting aside, amicably ready to be addressed.
“Tobirama. No, umm, other Tobirama?”
His alternative brother was already bumbling.
“You may call me Tobi, as my brother does.” He answers with a small smile. Discounting the fact that his brother hasn't actually been able to do so in many years without reprimand.
But strange situations call for strange exceptions. He mercifully, and if not a little strategically, decides to extend the token of goodwill to the familiar figure. Perhaps taking a moment to enjoy his wise decision, as his brother’s face shines with a face splitting grin. Apparently, this brother is quite the same. “Tobi it is then! Strange as this is, we’d be happy to have you for however long that may be.”
“I assure you that I find this very strange too Hokage-sama. I’m afraid that I’m not as well versed in space-time ninjutsu as my counterpart, particularly in what I suspect your brother calls the Hiraishin. With your permission, I hope to gain his and Mito’s assistance in returning home.”
“There shouldn’t be any problems, but, just Hashirama is fine! We’re still brothers, you could even call me Hashi as you used to! Right –
Tobirama?”
His counterpart who is just as fond of scrunching his brows seems to consider something deeply for a moment. What exactly, Tobi is unsure, but he could maybe guess. He’d – they’d stopped calling their brother that nickname long ago, and if there was no immediate utility, he’d leave the excessive nicknaming to his younger siblings.
Tobirama turns around to face him intensely, “Then if not with the Hiraishin, how did you defeat Izuna?” that was not the question Tobi had been expecting.
“-Tobirama!” Hashirama splutters, affronted.
But Tobi just grins back confidently. “I assure you, that with or without space-time ninjutsu, I still manage to thrash Izuna on the daily.” He quickly feels the need to reassure his otherworldly counterparts of his competence, despite still developing in that specific field, while simultaneously grining at the memory of a wet Izuna, soaked to the bone by a water jutsu, fielding immature threats towards all his flammable property. A good memory.
But Hashirama winces and both brothers simultaneously shutter. More Hashirama of course. But... something doesn’t feel right, or as right as being stuck in an alternative reality could feel.
“What?” Tobi gives in to dumbly asking because he has no frame of reference for what’s making them act this way.
“…are you… still at war?” Hashirama asks sadly, brows bowing further in concern. Unneeded of course, because –
“War? No, we are at peace just as you are. This is Konoha, and you are at peace? Is that not so?” He asks with a sudden and desperate intensity.
However, by their responding expressions, they’ve obviously just stumbled upon some of the more complex webs of differences between their worlds. What those differences are, he can't be sure of yet. Appearances wise, everything matches up, but he doesn’t know what he expected from a not-so-theoretical alternative dimensions anyways. He guesses he’s going to find out soon enough.
“-if you’re not at war…” Hashirama mumbles down at his desk.
“Is Konoha in danger?” Is his first and immediate priority. If any Konoha is in danger, it is his priority. But also– “I couldn’t help but notice Izuna’s absence when I arrived. If Madara is letting him out on missions, the situation must be dire.”
It would also explain the dark, angry blaze consuming Madara’s chakra, alone in the Uchiha compound.
“No, no… Konoha isn’t in any danger Tobi, it’s– Ahaha... actually getting late, and I promise you that there’s no threat, so... we’ll invite Madara here tomorrow to… to… take part when we explain everything.”
Tobi knows he’s right to be wary of his brother’s attempt at manipulation, but he feels no malice behind it, and the pleading look Hashirama gives him… He sighs; it works against his determination to push ahead further.
But it doesn’t work on his counterpart who rebuts with surprising disdain. “Tch. Only if he decides to honour his Hokage with his presence. You’re too soft brother, I doubt he’ll answer his Hokage’s call.”
“-brother, please not now…”
Tobi watches on in morbid fascination at the exchange. There is an all too obvious tension in the air between the brothers, furthermore, the unseen conflict between Madara and his counterpart is also making him slightly uncomfortable. He himself has had his fair share of spats with the two, but none as all-encompassing and stifling as this.
The blaze, disfiguring Madara's warmth from him, is now truly disconcerting. He logically knows that this is not his Madara but can’t help but reach out anyway; chakra moving to soothe the burn on Madara’s as he does back home.
He’s strongly, and violently, rebuffed.
His reaction, and his flinch, is so strong that Hashirama notices and Tobirama beside him likely feels it, giving him a strange look, parts concerned and parts assessing.
Tobi doesn’t know what the copy of his brother is thinking. However, if he had to guess, that look suggested, also Madara.
But now that the surreal state of being in sync with his counterpart well and truly diverged. All curious familiarity was now unreadable, so, he was left with room to feel the weight of how far away from home he was.
“-I’m sure you’re tired, Tobi."
Tobi was indeed starting to feel very tired, his experiment had used more chakra than expected. But, he really felt tired for an entirely different reason.
"Brother, why don’t you take him home where he can stay in the guest room, I’ll take care of the rest here. We can talk again in the morning.”
Tobi just watches the brothers stare at each other for a few uncomfortable seconds.
“Very well.” Tobirama turns impassively back and turns to leave. “I’ll take you back to the compound, as I’m sure you’re familiar.”
Tobi follows his counterpart, hopeful that the compound will be indeed familiar, as promised. He may have plans to be home as soon as possible, but contrary to his curiosity, he doesn’t think he really wants to know what makes this reality feel so foreign.