Senju Hashirama frowned as he watched Tou-san scold Tobirama for once again looking at one of their clansmen in the eye. His childish face looked severe as observed the situation in front of him from the doorway of the living room. His two other brothers were with his cousin while Tobirama was being harshly scolded.

It was stupid.

All Tobirama did was glance up to see who he bumped into and apologize. So why did he have to be punished for simply gazing at people in the eye?

Hashirama never got scolded when he looked at people in the eye. In fact, he was always praised by his uncles and aunts on acting like a strong heir to the clan when he did that. He was always commended on being a natural leader who would live up to the Senju name.

But when Tobirama did the same he was always scolded instead, even beaten to the ground when Tou-san was in a bad mood sometimes. It's not like he could help being born with eyes the color of blood, hair as white as snow, and skin as pale as a corpse.

Sure, Hashirama still thinks that Tobirama might have been a changeling that Kaa-san found in the woods, but that didn't change the fact that they were family.

Tou-san shouldn't beat Tobirama for having eyes the same color as the dreaded Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan. But the world they lived in, a world of constant bloodshed and war, destroyed all manners of compassion.

Hashirama spotted Tou-san's hand being raised up in the air and felt a spark of fierce protectiveness at seeing the resigned slump of Tobirama's shoulders. He knew more than anyone how much Tobirama craved for recognition from Tou-san, striving to emulate the ideal warrior that Tou-san wanted.

But Hashirama didn't think that he can stand by while watching Tou-san project the hatred he held for the Uchiha Clan onto his emotionally stunted otouto. It was for that reason that he stood in front of Tobirama and took the slap intended for him.

Hashirama stood strong despite the fierce throbbing from his cheek, his body hiding Tobirama's petite frame behind him. He was silent as he peered up at Tou-san, experience telling him that talking back would only make the next series of actions even more painful.

Tobirama clutched the back of his robes in surprise, his eerie eyes looked at him with a strong sense of guilt and a small gleam of relief. "Anija! You . . . Why did you . . . ?"

Sometimes, Hashirama wondered why Tobirama always seemed surprise when he stood in his place to take his beatings. He was the elder brother, the first line in defense, it was his duty to shield his siblings from the horrors of the world.

Was he that weak that Tobirama doubted his commitment to protect him? Did his resolve seem so fragile that it would shatter with one touch? Did he fail Tobirama from not being able to protect him from Tou-san when he was busy with other affairs?

Tou-san eyed him sharply, his face a cross between anger and some undefinable emotion.

For one second, Hashirama thought that Tou-san would simply yell at him for interfering again and punish him with some more Taijutsu training. However, Tou-san's face darkened and he grabbed his hair, dragging him to the corner of the room.

It was then Hashirama remembered that today was the day that the Senju Clan's ambush of the Uchiha failed massively, leading to a high casualty list as long as his arm. Only a small group of people from the Uchiha Clan were killed, in fact, most of the Senjus who went for the ambush never came back. All of them were the most promising soldiers that the clan had, causing the Senju Clan to lose most of their future talent and power.

"Anija!"

Tobirama fell to the floor, frozen still. His hands tried to reach out towards him before it curled back to him, his eyes filled with dread as he knew what was going to happen next. All he could do was whisper a small apology, unable to go against Tou-san.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me."

Hashirama didn't say anything as he curled up in the corner, prepared for the intense beating that would occur shortly.

"You stupid, weak boy . . . if your slut of a mother had done her job right, I would have had the perfect heir."

At that Tou-san gave a powerful kick at his stomach. One that was only blocked by his arms, an ugly bruise forming at the spot where he kicked. He could feel the bone in his arm splinter, the pain running through his nerves like a hot-flash.

Stay quiet, everything will be over soon.

"But, instead, I got a foolish firstborn playing at ninja, a demon-looking secondborn who can't even follow orders, a useless thirdborn that can't use his brain, and a perpetually sick fourthborn that cries."

Tou-san slammed his head to the floor, causing his nose to break and gush out torrents of blood. He could feel the back of his head ache, the throbbing making the pain in his nose be even more unbearable than before.

Stay quiet, everything will be over soon.

"I wanted a powerful soldier . . . and all I got was a pathetic waste of space."

Tou-san pulled his arm back in reverse, causing it to come out of its socket and making him cry out in pain. His voice came out high-pitched as he tried to hold in the tears that were about to spill out from his eyes, knowing that if Tou-san saw his tears the beating would worsen for him.

Stay quiet, everything will be over soon.

"It's because of trash like you that the wretched Uchiha Clan is still breathing."

Tou-san then stomped on his leg, breaking it and making the bone peek out from his skin. He could feel his body begin to shut down, his face started to feel numb as he purposefully breathed through his nose.

Stay quiet, everything will be over soon.

Tobirama made a low-pitched whine as he watched the whole scene from his spot in the floor, the beating that Hashirama was being subjugated to being one of the most savage ones he has ever witnessed. This caused Tou-san to take a step back and focus his attention to Tobirama.

Tou-san gazed at Tobirama with some disgust before some frightening emotion entered his eyes. He sneered at Tobirama with scorn and raised his hand, one that was glowing with some powerful Ninjutsu, up in the air.

"Maybe I should kill you, demon-spawn, to break this curse that the Senju Clan has on them."

Stay quiet, everything will be over soon.

Hashirama stared at the scene with wide eyes, his heart beating loudly as he watched his father threaten his brother. The ache in the back of his head, the one that came when Tou-san had brutally smashed his head into the floor, pounded with a great vengeance.

For one second, all Hashirama could see was blood-splattered walls and the glassy, dead eyes of his little brother. An unnatural chill settled in his bones, his breath stuttered in his chest, and then . . . everything burst open like a floodgate.

When Hashirama opened his eyes- when did he close his eyes -he watched as the wooden floor seemed to come to life and crush the glowing hand Tou-san held up in the air. The splatter of his blood painted Tobirama's face, making him look as if he was messing around in Kaa-san's makeup box again.

Tou-san's bloodshot eyes tuned to stare at him like he was some creature wearing the skin of his son, his mouth flapping out uselessly as it held in the scream that wanted to be let free. His hand was a mess of ripped skin, gushing blood, and shredded muscles with the unsightly appearance of white bone.

Tobirama silently shook in terror, his horrified gaze moving from Tou-san's hand to the spontaneous emergence of the wooden pillar as if trying to comprehend what was happening.

When Tobirama's eyes locked onto his, all Hashirama could see was a endless well of fear directed at him. Like he was some kind of monster, a murderer of the worst kind, an abomination.

Something in him cracked . . .

. . . and the shards of thousands of splintered fragments of memories of another world, in another time, in another body pierced him.