Chapter Text
Hashirama Senju hurried through the narrow corridors of their temporary makeshift hospital, greeting various members of the staff or patients in passing while his eyes switched between the doorways, glancing briefly in some of them, just to see the same chaos as in the previous rooms.
“This doesn’t look good. Not even in the slightest.”, Hashirama mumbled and his eyes lingered on the coughing form of a young boy for a short moment.
“We anticipated as much.”, Tobirama stated, his sharp eyes flickering over the same boy.
He was young in age, probably not much older than a few years. Six perhaps, or seven. Maybe even younger considering the fact his age was hard to tell in his current stage. Pale and dry skin, full with discoloured marks, deep red and purple rings under the eyes, sunken in cheeks and dull hair with parts of it already missing. It was a depressing sight, but sadly nothing new in the last couple of weeks.
Tobirama had seen many people like this, adults, children, Shinobi or civilians. Some of them had already passed, some were still kicking – fighting whatever had befallen them with nails and toes. The illness was spreading, wrecking everything in its path, leaving behind a trail of people they were unable to treat.
It had started innocently. People complained about feeling unwell, a bit sickly at most, then the first were unable to hold in their stomach innards, and it spiralled downwards from there. It didn't stop and people were slowly dying, vomiting until nothing but blood came up.
There were more civilians then Shinobi affected for whatever reason, but the problem remained the same.
“That, we did. Our hospital-”
Tobirama scoffed. “'Hospital' is a too generous word for whatever this is.”
“Our hospital,” Hashirama continued without paying much attention to Tobirama's disregard of their makeshift facility. “Is still... in need of improvement, so much is clear. Its understaffed, we're lacking import medical supplies, and they need more funds-”
“Funds we don't have left to spare.”, the younger Senju interrupted him once again, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“But they need it.”, Hashirma, the Hokage, muttered and his voice sounded like an odd mixture full off seriousness and pouting.
“I'm aware. However, this doesn't change the facts on hand. Currently we're simply unable to raise the funds. Not just for the health care, but for other things as well. You know this.”, Tobirama stated the facts, plainly and harsh while he crossed his arms over his chest.
Hashirama came to a halt, his face pulled into a thoughtful expression. “I know, I know. Raising a village up from scratch is... expensive.”
“Indeed. It's expensive.”, Tobirama repeated drily, ignoring the fact for now that he had told his brother repeatedly that building a god damn village wasn't an easy feat to achieve.
But Hashirama had simply said he and the Uchiha would manage somehow, and everything would surly turn out right in the end. Needless to say: it was only one of thousand occasions in which Tobirama felt the aching need to band his head against the next tree.
But he needed to admit, for the most part everything turned out right in the end, despite the planning or better - the lack of it. A mere wonder in Tobirama's opinion, but it wasn't like he was about to complain about the fact things worked out.
Sadly, and to his continuously increasing headaches, not everything worked out 'just fine'. The Hospital – or the abomination his brother called hospital – was the prime example for this. The construction of it started much too late, almost a year after Konoha was founded, and another year passed until it was finally finished. Of course, they had a few citizens around – Shinobi and Civillians - who were able to perform medical services on their own, but it wasn't nearly enough. After the Hospital was finally finished, more problems arouse. No stuff or stuff without a clue what the hell they were even doing, arguments between the civilian doctors and the clan doctors, lack of equipment and of course not nearly enough funds.
It was utter chaos, and the chaos continued without improvement for another couple of months, in which they simply hadn't had the ability the improve the conditions. But it was more or less fine for the time being – without the continuously fights between the Senju and the Uchiha there were less injuries, less need for doctors – but of course everything came crashing down one day.
The illness came, their hospital was overrun, and there was nothing the doctors could do and their people were dying.
Not even the Clan Doctors – the rare but really good ones who could do wonders with chakra – were able to do something.
Their Father, a strict and narrow-minded man, had once said 'Most injuries are like a blessing, they kill you fast and swiftly. Illnesses, however, are a curse. They take their time in killing you.'
And while Tobirama never had much sympathy left for their father, he needed to agree.
But in his mind, he always added the single part of 'And illnesses because of injuries are like a punishment for losing, for not being fast enough. They are worse than every curse.'
Not that it mattered much in this case. It was simply a thing he remembered sometimes, giving him a feeling of unwanted nostalgia.
Hashirama sighed deeply and in frustration, but Tobirama could see the gears in his head working. Their situation was troublesome, but Hashirama was already working out plans for solution. And Tobirama was certain they would find a solution.
The question was just when and how they would find said solution.
Tobirama hoped, silently, that the 'when' was answered with as quickly as possible.
Days later Tobirama found himself standing in Hashirama's office, idly glaring at Madara who gracefully ignored his whole presence.
It was better than them fighting, Hashirma would say, but the younger Senju disagreed. The Uchiha was already arrogant enough, and while Tobirama came to – reculantly – accept the fact in the last years that Madara had the right to participate on some important decisions regarding the village, it still left a sour taste in his mouth to see him. And being downright ignored by him while he held a similar importance to Madara and had the same right to influence decisions? It made the sour taste in his mouth taste like acid.
“How did it go?”, Hashirama asked while he crossed his finger and placed his chin on top of them.
“Like we assumed it would go.”, Madara scoffed, crossing his arms stiffly in front of his chest. “Horrible.”, he added at Hashirama's raised eyebrow.
A thoughtful sound left Hashirama's mouth, but there was not much disappointment found in his face. He already assumed as much.
“Pity. I had hoped for better results.”
“Hn. It’s no surprise, the Daimyo is just a pathetic old man after all.”, Madara grunted.
“Madara...”, Hashirma drawled. “I know you don't like him, but we need to play nice. I hope you didn't do something stupid.”
“Like what?”, the Uchiha asked daringly, a red glint appearing in his eyes.
Tobirama's finger twitched, he was always vigilant with the Uchiha around. Especially if said Uchiha was flaunting his Dojutsu like a damn fan.
“Like breaking the arm of one of the Daimyo's Ambassador.”, Tobirama mocked.
Madara shot him a short glare, clearly not amused. There was the second were the Uchiha decided if the Senju was worth an answer, but like usual he could ignore being provoked. “He had it coming.”
“Coming or not, it certainly didn't help to increase our stand in the favour of the Daimyo.”, Hashirama muttered as he swept on hand across his face. “I'm tired.”, he added whining.
“Go to bed earlier.”, Tobirama supplied, probably very unhelpful considering the fact Hashirma seemed to think he had too much work to do and neglecting his sleeping schedule was the best way to deal with it.
His brother only pouted again and Madara rolled his eyes.
“Point is, the Daimyo won’t move one of his manicured fingers help us.”, Madara said.
“Not even-”, Hashirama started, but Madara interrupted him again.
“Nothing. No funds, no Doctors, not even some cheap supplies. Apparently, he currently doesn't think it’s in his possibility to help us fight this 'shocking' epidemic.”
Hashirama huffed, leaning back in his chair. “I see. I bet you wanted to break his arm to, didn't you? A shame you didn't.”
Madara groaned, and Tobirama felt the urging need to hit his head against something again.
Preferred against the head of the Uchiha to break his skull as well.
“The Daimiyo is out of the picture then.”, Tobirama concluded simply.
“Well, we still have some options left-”, Hashirama begun to speak, but promptly stopped himself.
Chakra flared for a short moment, somebody was on their way, and in the next moment a Shinobi popped out of thin air.
“Hokage-sama.”, he said and bowed, just to turn around to repeat the process. “Tobirama-sama, Madara-sama.”
“I hope there is an important reason you’re interrupting our meeting.”, Madara boomed, and the Shinobi – a Senju – twitched slightly.
“Well-”
“Madara, I don't think there is need for this.”, Hashirma spoke in a soothing voive which only earned him a glare from the Uchiha. “Torashi-kun, I assume there is indeed an important reason your directly reported back to me.”
The Senji nodded. “There is Hokage-sama. We have a visitor.”
“A Visitor?”, Tobirama echoed, his eyebrow raising questioningly. “Explain.”
“There is a Medic at the Gates of Konohagakure. Considering the Situation were currently in, I assumed you would like to know as fast as possible.”, he explained.
Hashirma's mood instantly brightened, his lips curling upwards into a smile. “A Medic! That's great! You're right Torashi-kun, thats indeed an important reason.”
Madara scoffed. “One mere Medic more or less won't help us. It isn't like their able to do much anyway. This is a waste of time.”
Torashi took a shallow breath, avoiding to look in Madara's direction as he continued on. “It’s a Shinobi Doctor, Hokage-sama. At first, we weren't even able to tell she was a Medic, the gear was typical for combat, but-”
“You mean a Clan Medic?”, Tobirama's forehead furrowed.
“No, it seems like this isn't the case.”, Torashi answered. “I never heard her Surname before, and her appearance also suggests otherwise.”
“How unusual.”, Hashirama mused, but Tobirama could see the glint of interest shining brightly in his eyes.
Tobirama was not sure how he was supposed to feel about that. This screamed suspicious. A travelling Shinobi without a Clan, who's apparently also a Medic, at their gates at such a time of need, and this just by chance? How convenient.
“Senju.”, Madara directed his words at the Shinobi. “Did you just say 'she'?”
“Yes.”, the gatekeeper nodded. “It's a Kunoichi.”
“Not just a travelling Medic, but also a Kunoichi, which are already rare enough.”, he grunted, shaking his head. “It's like I said, probably just a waste of time.”
“Mh... I think I would like to meet her.”, the Hokage, chimed, undisturbed by Madaras scowling.
“Waste of time!”, hissed the Uchiha once again, and while Tobirama would never agree to Madara out loud, he held a similar opinion.
“Aww man, Madara don't be so-”
Perhaps he wouldn't call it waste of time, more like to convenient, to suspicious, to much of a risk.
“I don't think that's a good idea. She might be a spy.”
Hashirma sighed. “She might be, or she might be not. But if she's not a spy, she might be able to help.”
“I doubt it.”, scoffed Madara.
“I'm going to hear her out. I'm interested in what she has to say and why she'd decided to come to Konoha” Hashirama stated, and Tobirama instantly knew it was a decision he wouldn't be able to sway. He had set his mind on meeting the woman, and there was nothing he could do against it.
He huffed but tried it anyway. “Letting an unknown Shinobi – no matter if it’s a man or a woman – into the Village is a risk.”
“In this point I'm agreeing with you, Tobi.”, Tobirama inwardly cringed at this dreadful nickname. “It's indeed a risk. That's the reason why you're going to escort her. Don't leave her out of your eyes, and you know what to do if she tries something.”, Hashirama continued.
Tobirama blinked, slowly, irritation starting to spread inside him. “What?”
“You heard me.”
He really wanted to whack his head against a tree now.
“Very well.”, Tobirama pressed out and turned sharply around to make his way to the gates.