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Dear Madara,
I don't know what to tell you. The Senju aren't particularly pious, especially compared to the Uchiha and the worship of your patron kami. Superstition isn't a very big part of most shinobi clans to my knowledge. The Uchiha seem to be unique in that regard.
Not to say I'd ever say anything about your beliefs! I just think most Senju mostly do lip-service about this sort of thing. Yokai and spirits aren't something we think about much. But if you believe in them so firmly, I wouldn't dare say otherwise. I don't claim to say I understand but I respect your beliefs and customs!
Thank you for bringing it to my attention! It is a good reminder of how differently our clans work. Especially with the plans for the village- I think everyone should be free to practice their beliefs - or lack of - so long as nobody is being harmed. And it is rather traditional to have shrines and temples in cities, but I don't know where to begin in looking for shinshoku or miko to build or tend to them. I'm mostly ignorant on these things! The Senju only have a single shrine for the purposes of traditional blessings such as at births or weddings. It doesn't even have a specific kami to call upon. Leaving it all up to the future occupants to create infrastructure for worship feels like it could lead to confusion.
It's very interesting to hear about this yokai the Uchiha has found in the Naka! I think the Senju have seen strange things in the Naka before, but it was always attributed to summons or enemy shinobi. I'd love to hear more about Mouryou's Pond if you'd like to share! I thought mouryou were considered evil spirits, but then, my knowledge is very poor on the matter.
About the peace concerns- the Senju Council isn't too happy about the idea, but they're out voted by the clan itself by this point. We're on equal territory there! Neither of our Councils is pleased, but our actual people want peace. Isn't it amazing? We can begin the first of the official peace talks soon! It'll be nice to be able to have your hawks come directly to my house rather than having to hide out in the forest for me to go looking for them…
Hashirama,
I know you've told me all about your brother Itama. He's the baby, the light of your life, whatever. You've rattled on about him plenty. But what about your other brothers? You never talk about them. It's not good to bottle that stuff up. Take it from the katon focused clan, you have to vent that somewhere or it will explode when you least expect it.
I'll tell you about my little brothers I've lost too, if you want. Even exchange.
Tell your cousin to stop heckling my cousin when she brings the official letters for the peace negotiation. He's getting flustered about it…
Dear Madara,
You're right, I don't talk about my other brothers very often. I'm surprised you know I lost more than just Kawarama, but I guess I shouldn't forget how much intel our clans have on each other.
I don't mind speaking of them. Actually, I'm happy to speak of them! I don't get to talk about Tobirama very often. He's a taboo subject in the compound. Butsuma forbade anyone to talk of him and nobody ever dares to try even now that he's dead. It does hurt to think of, but I feel better when I reminisce with Touka or tell Mito about him, so telling you is okay. I doubt the Uchiha care about Senju clan drama.
Tobirama was my younger brother by two years, older than Kawarama by one. He was born sickly and unwell. Tobi-chan was so tiny and cute! He had such a serious little frown all the time. He was also albino- with pale skin and hair and red eyes. You can imagine a lot of people in the clan did not approve of him. But Mother insisted on keeping him, rather than drowning him like Butsuma wanted.
He was so smart. Even as a baby he was always looking around, thinking with that cute little frown, and asking questions. He did everything early! Sat up early, walked early, threw kunai early, shaped his chakra early. He even spoke early and with a whole sentence as his first words. I was too young to remember, but Mother always liked to tell the story before she passed. He was incredible. No matter how sick he was he always kept getting up and going. No matter how harsh Butsuma was, training him even earlier than he trained the rest of us, Tobirama was a prodigy. I think it was being a prodigy that was the only thing that kept him alive for so long.
When he was five and Itama was born, Mother's death triggered him into awakening as a natural born sensor. He was so powerful Madara! Even at five years old he could feel the entire Senju compound and it made him so sick, hurt him so much. He could feel emotions and chakra usage and it was incredible! We could feel his emotions too, he was so strong!
He was too strong. It gave him awful headaches and made him even sicker than he was to start. One day Butsuma took him out into the woods to “train” and drowned him in the Naka. In the very clearing we met and became friends.
Before you set something on fire, I never told you because it took me a long time to really come to terms with what he did to my little brother. Kawarama was one thing, when every clan sends children out to fight. But he killed Tobi just because he was different. Just because he was too strong for his own little body and it made him sick and “weak” in Butsuma's eyes. I can't even imagine how much stronger Tobirama would've gotten if he'd been given a chance to grow up. It's even worse than Kawarama, because Kawa-chan died in war. Tobi died because Butsuma was a monster.
I think us becoming friends by the Naka, in that place I'd lost Tobirama, was sort of healing in a way. I always liked to think he was watching over us there. I used to sit by the Naka as a child and think I felt his chakra nearby. I'm not a natural born sensor, but I could always feel him when he was near. His chakra was so strong. Tobirama used to have such strong little opinions on the war between our clans- I hope he'd approve of what we're doing. At the very least I think he'd be glad that I've managed to keep Itama alive. He used to treasure baby Itama- he was only one when Tobirama died. Hopefully he's not too mad I failed Kawarama.
The Uchiha are a lot more spiritual than the Senju, but my brothers are the only thing that make me feel rather religious. How do the Uchiha honor their dead, if you don't mind me asking? The Senju bury our dead to return to the trees. Butsuma never told us where he buried Tobirama. And Kawarama didn't have enough of a body to bring home and bury in Senju lands. If there's another way I can honor my brothers in some way… if it's no imposition, I'd like to hear it. Butsuma forbade us to set up a funeral shrine for Tobirama. By the time that bastard died it's hard to imagine Tobirama's spirit wasn't lost. But we still made one for him, alongside Kawarama and Mother.
Speaking of Kawarama! It's sad that I had him longer than his older brother, but he was such a happy child…
Hashirama,
I've written about six different drafts for this letter and I think Izuna is about to rip my own hair out for me. So I'll just stop trying to figure out a sly, shinobi way of talking around it all, and say it upright. Only you and I will ever see this letter unless you show anyone else. But I ask that you don't share this with anyone, cause the bastard is particularly fucking terrified of the Senju knowing about him.
What would you do if Butsuma hadn't actually drowned your brother and he was still alive?
Madara
Madara,
Explain. Please. If Tobirama is still alive I need to know. If my little brother is still alive I'd do anything to see him again. Anything to let him come home. Please answer as soon as possible. I'm going to make the entire Senju compound explode into mokuton brambles at this point.
Hashirama
Hashirama,
It's complicated. But without all the complicated parts, your shit ass excuse for a father didn't actually kill him. Tobirama is alive. He was banished and ended up living in Iron Country. Mostly as a hermit and fisherman, studying and inventing suiton like you wouldn't believe.
I met him when he rescued my young cousin from bloodline thieves and became an ally of the clan and a good friend. Him and Izuna have a strange friendship going on that includes pissing each other off. Didn't know he was a Senju for a long time, but when he finally admitted it and came clean about his origins, he was too fucking terrified to even think of going back to you. Apparently Butsuma fucking chased him at sword point more than once when he tried to stay close. He didn't even know Butsuma was dead until a few years ago.
He's too stubborn and bad with people to actually say it, but he's still fucking terrified of the Senju. I don't know if he would want to rejoin. Given everything you've said and what he's mentioned I'd say Butsuma wasn't the only member of your clan to treat him like shit for the crime of being born. But he definitely misses you. Got all quiet and mopey when I said I was gonna tell you about him. He's scared as fuck- and rightfully fucking so.
He's been an ally of the Uchiha clan for three years now, and a close friend to my little brother. So I'm being the mediator here. He's willing to talk. But you have to know there's a lot of complicated bullshit going on. And he's skittish as all hell about any of it. Doesn't help he's basically been living in a cave for a decade until he began coming around the compound. He's not good at dealing with people. So trying to demand he stay - and I know you will - will only scare him off. So don't fucking do that. He won't live with anyone- not even the Uchiha that are his allies, just by himself.
Two days from now, meet me by the Naka. Same clearing as always. We'll both be there. Don't bring Itama yet, let them meet later. One at a time. Be fucking careful with him, Hashirama. Or I'll set you and your stupid trees on fire.
Madara