"The moment people come to know love, they run the risk of carrying hate."
The jarring cracks and crashes of stone breaking against stone urged every step of the trio's dash as they hurled themselves towards the exit in desperation. The bright light of day drew them closer and lit that fire within the three of them. Reunited and with a synergy at its apex they took that run together, wishing to escape together, to move on with their destinies together, to live.
It came with that left side, that damned blind spot that Kakashi Hatake hadn't had time to adjust to. He barely even registered the impact, just feeling his head fly back with a whip and legs give out from under him as he collapsed, scraping against the unforgiving hard floor with a grunt. It had happened in a moment where only instinct could have come next.
Rin Nohara spun on her heels with horror evident upon her face, seeing the target of her affection and treasured teammate lying there helpless to the mercy of the onslaught from above was enough to paralyze her in her tracks. Obito Uchiha, seeing his appointed rival and constant bane in danger, had a different reaction.
"Kakashi!" came his simple yell as his legs were instantly propelling him back the way he'd came, dashing over to the silver haired boy's fallen form and instantly leaned down to wrap his arms around the Jounin's torso to heave him up. With that motion his face flicked upwards for just a moment but that was all it took to confirm his next action.
Without time to even ponder otherwise, he winced with a grimace and tossed the younger male's form through the air, his first priority being just to get the jōnin the hell out of the way and used every bit of his strength to do that. Following that he just had the sight above him that had prompted the throw in the first place. It was too late.
As Kakashi's eyes slowly cracked open, adjusting to the dimmer lighting and thick layers of dust that coated the area, he tried to put together what had happened. He had been running with Rin and Obito and had been struck by something. He remembered falling, his vision fading, then being lifted and tossed over to where he currently laid.
Identifying the fallen form of Rin, the silver haired Jounin confirmed swiftly that she was conscious and uninjured. Beginning to lift himself up upon his forearms he hoped the entrance hadn't been closed off. He hadn't even registered the need to check up on his other teammate before he heard that hoarse tone.
"Are you okay, Rin? Kakashi?" the uncharacteristically soft voice called as Kakashi turned to immediately have his stomach plummet at what he saw. His no good teammate, indomitable in spirit and never one to stay still comfortably, laying there upon the ground half-crushed with a heart numbing neutral expression with blood running from his mouth.
"Obito!" the Jounin called with a gasp, bursting over to the boy without care for the fatigue or aches he himself was feeling, immediately moving to press his hands against the side of the rock mass and plant his feet square to aid him in pushing all his weight against it. His choked sounds of struggle echoed throughout as his eyes shut in strain.
"Stop... it's alright Kakashi." Obito's soft voice carried, feeling another line of heated red trickle from his lips as he looked up to his younger teammate with a peaceful glance. "It doesn't look like I'm going to make it." he spoke, surprising himself with the calmness with which he spoke the words. He'd thought that when it was his time he'd go kicking and screaming, but right now, with Rin safe... with Kakashi safe, he felt this odd serenity.
Fists curling painfully and body already subject to tremors, the Hatake prodigy's eyes shut tight unable to look upon the tragic sight any longer. Scraping the skin of his knuckles against the stone he fell down to his knees and lowered his head with a dark guilt ebbing through him. "Damn it!" he grunted, cursing his own lack of power, for all his talk.
Rin felt her body's reaction to the despair in front of her before her mind had even managed to register it, tears welling up and spilling down her pale cheeks. "There's.. no way. Why?" she choked out, moving her hand to cover her mouth as she turned away. This couldn't be reality, this just couldn't be. Yet even with eyes closed she could feel his presence, weaker than ever before but undeniably there.
Turning her way, Obito wanted to say something, something cheerful to try and stop those cold droplets that darkened her face and make her feel better. Just as he began to summon the words, however, he felt a surge from his stomach and erupted in a painful cough, blood spurting out painfully and splattering upon his chin.
"Obito!" Rin cried, arm stretching out but instantly crumbling again as she had to grip her mouth tight to prevent herself from wailing out in unrestrained anguish.
"Damn it! Damn it!" Kakashi cursed, punching the hard ground to enunciate, a maelstrom of emotions swirling in his core as he stung with self-condemnation.
"If... If I had just listened to you from the start, and we left to go save Rin, this never would have happened to you!" Kakashi lamented with pain illuminated through every syllable as he ground his hands into the cave floor, body shaking uncontrollably as he felt a deep regret, thinking on every way this situation could have been avoided and facing the grim truth that this was because of him.
Obito's eye remained trained upon the cavern ceiling, feeling the weight of each and every one of Kakashi's words as it struck him on a rare occasion that Kakashi's age shone through. Despite the dynamic between them Kakashi was still a few years younger and it hadn't been ever more evident than now. Slowly, Rin managed to make her way silently forward, unsure what to do with herself but knowing she needed to get closer as she collapsed down onto her knees.
"What kind of captain am I? What kind of Jounin am I?!" Kakashi asked, feeling a fool for ever feeling entitled to it Obito as the boy below's eye shut with a sad smile.
"Oh yeah. I almost forgot." he muttered, drawing Kakashi's eyes up to regard the back of his hand begin to twitch in anticipation before he returned his gaze to lock with his teammate's.
"I was the only one who didn't give you a present for becoming a Jounin, Kakashi." he began, speaking with a wistful tone as if that was the most important thing on his mind in that moment but before Kakashi could dismiss it as nothing to mind he continued. "It's gotta be something good, right? Don't wanna just weigh you down.
So... take my Sharingan." he uttered, Rin and Kakashi both drawing sharp breaths of disbelief at the statement. The powerful dojutsu reserved especially for those of his clan, the power he'd sought after for so long to give him an edge and allow him to surpass his rival. The one he'd awakened following Kakashi sacrificing his left eye for him, it seemed only just to gift it back.
"Doesn't matter what anyone else in the village thinks. You really are a great Jounin, that is what I truly believe. Please, take it." he told him, a little happiness entering his sunken eyes as he was finally able to be direct with the rival he'd never wanted to acknowledge as stronger before. Kakashi in turn could only look awestruck, the words striking him deeply as they resonated more strongly than any praise he'd received since his father's death.
Seeing the strength and clarity of her best friend's conviction in that moment, Rin lifted her arm to wipe away the streaming tears, knowing that at this moment she couldn't succumb to her emotions. Obito needed her, and she wanted to be strong for him. For the boy she promised to watch, always, until he accomplished his dream.
"Rin, use your medical ninjutsu, take my eye... transplant it into Kakashi." Obito instructed, not wanting to give either of them a chance to try and talk him out of it, to try and save him. This was his wish, and he couldn't waste any time. With a stern nod from his childhood crush, she turned Kakashi's direction, the other still shaking where he sat.
"Kakashi, come over here. I'll start right away." she told him, no further reverberations to her tone as she had no intention of compromising Obito's will at this moment. Kakashi wasn't nearly as resolute, he couldn't even look up at either of them, the shame of responsibility hanging his head low, feeling unworthy of this gift.
"I'm... going to die." Obito told him, the words and jarring contrast from his regular energy caused Kakashi to wince with a grunt before his teammate tried to put as much hope into his words as he could. "But... I will see the future, by becoming your eye." he spoke, declaring his intention in its purity as Kakashi finally was able to stop shaking, closing his eye for a moment.
With nerves finally settled, he was able to set aside the crushing guilt, the soul tearing regret, he was able to just see what his teammate, his friend, wanted. With that, his still black eyes re opened with intensity, having prepared himself finally as he turned to Rin. With a breath, he began to move over to her.
That's when they heard the cracks again. The sound that set upon their instincts immediately, conveying the mortal peril that they'd assumed themselves safe from. In the tragedy of it all they had forgotten all about the Stone shinobi that had occupied the area, not having realized they were on the clock until the ground beneath them began to shake vigorously.
"Wh-What?! Another attack?!" Kakashi called, having thought the other nin would have assumed they were dead inside, but apparently they had decided to make sure. With dread dropping in his stomach he looked down to Obito in alarm, Rin seemed to have the same thought as they both realized the position they were in.
"Go... you have to go! Kakashi, take Rin and protect her!" Obito exclaimed, his contentment replaced by brimming fear, not for his own life but the two of them as he set aside all his own will as for right now he just wanted them to get safely away. Naturally his words didn't ellicit immediate action, neither Rin nor Kakashi having any desire to leave Obito, not like this.
"I said go! Leave! You two still have each other, don't waste it!" he practically shrieked, the two of them had lives ahead of them that could thrive with or without him there, but none of that would happen if they wasted any more time crying over him. "Please... KAKASHI!" he yelled finally breaking through to the Jounin as he nodded and took a quick step over to the brunette.
"Wha- Kakashi-?! Obito!" Rin cried out as Kakashi's arms wrapped around her torso, offering a shaking glance back to the blood stained male teen. Despite the utter panic, despite the fact he knew they were leaving him for dead, the boy did his very best in those last few moments to give her an encouraging smile, small but bright enough to almost make her forget the horrors of today before she was wrenched upwards towards the skylight in her teammate's arms.
Watching the forms of his two closest friends disappear into the ever darkening light up above, Obito couldn't help but release a small smile, eyes closing calmly even with the sound of the rocks up above beginning to displace themselves. He chided himself for a few things in that moment of suspense, the lost dream of becoming Hokage, not being able to try and advance the Sharingan he'd just gotten, leaving just when he and Kakashi had managed to bond a little.
And of course, the image of Rin's smiling face flashed across his mind. Even if he knew she had her eyes set on Kakashi and his efforts till now had been fruitless, he just wished he'd gotten the opportunity to lay it all out bare, for better or worse.
That thought alone, in the cold confines of that dark cave with death closing in, managed to send a wave of warmth through Obito's being, and also made him open his eye wide once more. Warmth. He felt it all round, but more importantly, he felt it in his right arm. With barely any time to think and the deafening crashing sounds around him serving as distraction he could only just about register that somehow he still had feeling there. Was he not completely crushed yet?
With a gasp his gaze marked the cascading boulders above, realizing that even if it turned out his right side was somehow salvageable that it didn't matter once they piled on top. It was pointless, that little flicker of hope was some pitiful final stretch of his childish imagination of living through this that he thought he had abandoned. And yet... that warmth grew, and became fire, became fuel to carry on.
Looking up at the cascading stalactites, Obito began to struggle and immediately his body was screaming at him to stop. He supposed it was good that he still had a shoulder, arm and leg on that side to feel pain through but the tear jerking agony was something he wished he didn't have to withstand. His breath grew rapid as the sounds of destruction echoed all around him.
"Come on, come on, garrrrghhhh!" came his nigh inhuman yell as he attempted to pull himself out from the weight of the boulder above. He knew for definite that he didn't have a single bone unscathed on that side but with the adrenaline pumping through him like wildfire he just couldn't lay back and take it. Not if he had a chance.
That chance came in the form of an incredibly sharp protrusion descending down towards him to the right. With the deafening crack of stone piercing stone he witnessed the massive boulder keeping him down begin to tear in two. With the jagged point burying down into the large rock and coming down with the split in the center in line with his arm he was finally able to painstakingly reach over with his left arm to wrench his right free and pull it across his torso.
He nearly fainted just from seeing the mangled, bloody mess that had become his right appendage but was kept alert with the falling dangers around encroaching closer and closer. Having worked purely on instinct this far, it was only then that a plan formulated in Obito's mind. He'd known he wanted both hands free but it was that moment that the memory surfaced. He had been a mere child at the time.
"Hey, hey, what is this word? Iza... Izana, Izanaji?" the child asked, having been excitedly rifling through the leather bound book detailing the past contributions of the Uchiha during critical conflicts in the past. Looking up from the table he'd been kneeling under he called out towards the elderly couple that had been watching him happily the entire time.
"You must be looking at the Izanagi, Obito. It's a very impressive thing that people in our clan can do. You remember what genjutsu are, don't you?" his grandma asked, happy to help educate the boy who usually had no drive or patience for learning in his endeavour to educate himself fully on the clan he belonged to.
"Umm, yeah, yeah, that's like when you make things that aren't there. Like, erm, illusions!" he responded, earning a smile and nod in confirmation before continuing.
"This is like that, but a lot more powerful. You see, it can make those illusions into reality. You can make the things that aren't there, there, and you can make the things that are there, not." she explained, waggling a finger back and forth as Obito pouted in confusion.
"Hm? I don't get it? How can you change what's real? That's crazy." he responded, scratching his head as he always did when trying to learn complicated subjects.
"Mm, it can be hard to understand. I don't fully understand it myself to be honest with you, Obito. But to put it simply, it puts you in charge of what's real for a little bit." his grandfather continued helpfully.
"In charge of what's real... wow." Obito spoke, a sparkle entering his eyes before he looked down, cheeks turning a touch pinker. "S-So...Do you think it might impress, uh, you know, impress people? You know, if I was able to do it?" he asked raising a finger to scratch his cheek bashfully, his grandmother giving a knowing smile.
"Do I think it will impress Rin, do you mean?" she inquired with a risen eyebrow, the reaction from the boy immediate with his skin turning completely beet red.
"H-Hey that's not what I said at all!" he protested immediately but didn't receive more than a soft chuckle from the two of them before burying his embarrassed face into the pages.
"Okay, okay, don't pout. Listen Obito, that technique is a kinjutsu. That means it is forbidden, and it is forbidden for a reason. It takes away the sight of the eye that uses it, and you wouldn't want to lose one of your Sharingan, would you?" his grandfather warned him cautiously, prompting Obito's little face to look up wide eyed.
"Nn-uhn." he shook his head, receiving a smile and nod from the guardian. That definitely didn't sound like something he'd want to try, though before turning over, he did find himself curious to see what the hand seals consisted of.
"Gragh! Come on!" Obito yelled hopelessly, unable to get any feeling through his right arm to do absolutely anything. The sound of the stones crashing was screeching now and he couldn't waste any more time. That was when the simple idea entered his head, and the most painful one he'd make for a good while.
"Ghnnnrnhhnn!" came his barely restricted groan of suffering through tightly gritted teeth as he used his good hand to interlock with the dark fingers of his right, pulling them to the center of his torso and beginning the three stages. He first clapped his good hand as a fist into his right palm, pressing two fingers upwards to create the 'Sheep' symbol. Secondly he twisted both hands upside down and curled both fingers in to force it into the 'Boar' position.
"Gahn, I can- I can-!" Obito encouraged himself, eyes tracing up to witness the gut wrenching sight of a large second set of boulders making their way down. Even in his delirious state he could tell that he wouldn't survive the next onslaught. With trembling fingers, from fear or pain regardless, he curled his fingers down, extending his pinky and slotted his hand into the other to form 'Rabbit'.
That's when it all went black.
"Tsk. Where is that guy? I put extra effort in this time and everything." Kushina complained as she kept the heat up on the stove, stirring the chili within the pot and adding crushed red pepper as she did so. As far as she knew Minato and his team were just to destroy a bridge in Kusagakure but she supposed he must have been called out to help on the lines.
With a sigh she supposed that she really had married an exceptional shinobi and that was the price. Still, the sweet little gift that was Rin often made a point to come and visit their home to let her know if Minato couldn't come home. With a smirk she wondered if that Obito had tried to drag her to get a quick bite with him, always finding his little crush quite the adorable entertainment.
Still, Rin would probably insist that Kakashi came too if that was the case. Kushina just wished the little hothead could make friends with him too, he had a touch for empathy but he needed to get over that silly rivalry. Well, if Minato said that they were growing closer regardless then she supposed he was the best authority on it. And the dynamic wasn't too bad, a little competition to inspire their growth would propel them far.
The soft clicking of the door brought Kushina's stirring and inner musings to a close as she sported a warm smile, turning round hoping to greet her mild mannered love and treat him with a hot dinner to enjoy together. The air that he brought in was enough to tell her that wouldn't be the case. Minato offered her a smile like he always did, rarely carrying home any semblance of the work done that day no matter how tiring.
Nothing about his outward appearance suggested any misfortunes and he didn't avoid eye contact, but that was just it. The light usually brilliantly evident in his navy orbs wasn't there, it was replaced by a dull blue lacking the excitement usually reserved for coming home to her after a long day. Today had not just been a long day.
"What happened?" she asked immediately, laying the spoon against the rim of the pot as she turned to step closer in to her husband. Her tone was quiet but not wavering, she didn't want him to hold back or hide things for fear of hurting her. The truth would sting eventually and she'd rather it come out quickly so she could get to comforting him.
"Today," Minato started, face remaining nearly neutral. That kind of blank expression he always had whenever he held a truth too horrible to properly process in his head, his voice steady and casual. Whatever it was, it was something that affected more than just him, he'd had to be strong. "We lost Obito." he told her, the words dropping like weights.
It took a moment for Kushina's expression to change at all. It begun as a wide eyed, thin lipped look as she repeated the words in her head. Then her head began to shake from side to side and her mouth drew agape with a quiver. "No... no, how, how could that be?" she asked, voice weak, not able to believe it, not wanting to be able to believe it.
"Kushina..." Minato could only speak, her raw reaction worse than any explosion of anger as she lifted her arms up to lay upon his, stumbling on her way over to him.
"No... he's just a kid, he's a kid Minato. He can't, he can't be..." she uttered, voice shaking and eyes beginning to glisten. Minato's eyes narrowed in pain as the words became real, their effect right before his eyes.
"I'm sorry Kushina. I am so, so sorry. I was too late." Minato drew her in, pulling by the arms to wrap his around her torso and embrace her tightly to his chest.
"No, no he's a kid. He's your student, he can't be, he's not. Minato, tell me he's not. You look after him, you're meant to look after him!" she croaked, balling a fist to pound against his chest.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Kushina." Minato repeated, keeping her tight and allowing her strikes to run their course. Teenager or not, Chuunin or not, Obito was Kushina's favourite little guy. The hot head just like her, speaking with his actions and carrying himself proudly. The so-dubbed twerp that she'd bump heads with on the daily, and the cocky kid that she knew would do his best to keep his word. That incorrigible Obito.
"He saved Kakashi... and got trapped, he told them both to leave him. He... he was crushed." Minato spoke, getting it all out not only for Kushina's sake but his own as Kushina's breath hitched in her throat. Painfully, that was what made it real. The act that was so like him, to lay down everything to save his friends, it was all so horribly plausible.
"That... stupid brat..." Kushina uttered with a pained cry, feeling her legs lose their strength beneath her. Slowly, Minato came down with her, supporting her all the while as they fell to their knees in unison. They held each other like that, just how they both needed it, for a good while. Behind them, the fire upon the cooker continued to burn.
The Next Afternoon
He didn't know how long he'd been standing there, he didn't particularly care. He had no where else he wanted to be and couldn't muster up the will to move his feet any which way. His eyes remained glued to the stone, reading that name over and over again. He didn't even register the cold droplets upon his face until his shirt began to stick from the rainwater.
He stared at it, hoping for some different circumstance to take this one's place. He wanted to look at his name etched deeply and wonder what in the world it was doing there, to think it might have been a stupid prank from Obito or some other Uchiha by the same name. He wanted it to be confusing, he didn't want it to fit.
Of course none of this was worth anything given the pair of goggles with the bright orange lenses laid afoot the memorial that were instantly indicative of the identity of the place's latest tribute. They looked so new. It made sense as they were a spare pair Obito's grandparents had come to lay but it could be easy to assume they hadn't ever belonged to anyone.
Seeing the grandparents was an experience Kakashi could have done without, he hadn't even known Obito was raised by such people and there they were with the boy they raised buried in a cave somewhere all because of his so called 'captain'. He'd had to simply grit his teeth and nod to those who had come to offer condolences, including many from the graduating class and several Uchiha he'd apparently befriended. Kakashi didn't recognize them. They didn't recognize him either.
That was the thing, his own place with Obito. He questioned whether he even had a right to stand there. To mourn him openly. He hadn't been a friend to Obito, at least not for the majority of the time. And just when that had begun to change he had gone and forced Obito to save him at the cost of his own life.
'You really are a great Jounin'... some Jounin. A great Jounin wouldn't let his comrades die for his mistakes." he dug his fingernails into his palm hard enough to draw a little blood, releasing a shuddered breath out of frustration and regret. Given the chance he'd do so much differently, but that was a mere fantasy. This was his reality now.
He hadn't known for how long he'd been silent. He barely remembered the trip back. After he and Rin had escaped the collapse they were caught up in a battle. Apparently another group of Leaf shinobi had run into Kakkō's reinforcements and had begun an all out conflict. During the fray a rogue Earth Style attack had strayed and run into the side of the stone structure and disrupted it.
That's what made it that much worse. It was purely coincidental. His friend hadn't been afforded the right to choose his last words or grant him the Sharingan like he'd wanted to. Having a part of Obito with him, letting his eye see the future, even that he wasn't allowed. He had to hold himself back from reeling back a punch to the stone before him. It felt like fate was mocking him, mocking all three of them.
'Three'. Looking around himself once more, Kakashi's mind travelled to their shared teammate, the object of affections Obito could never confess to. Minato Sensei had arrived fairly swiftly after the bout was completed and escorted them both somewhere private before asking what had happened. With Kakashi too ridden with a great many things, it was to Rin to explain what had occurred.
Their mentor had taken it well, as he was expected to. He didn't say much overall, he just made sure they were alright and apologized for not being there, not being there for him. Kakashi couldn't look up at him comfortably, after being trusted as the captain, to lead in his stead, to face him with how much he'd failed. It was excruciating.
The strongest out of the three of them had definitely been Rin. It was a discredit to her to say it was unexpected, but Rin's resilience shone through so radiantly compared to how pathetic he himself had been. She didn't hesitate, she understood what she'd lost, and she didn't make things harder for everyone else.
Though by no means did that mean she was unaffected. Her talent came with how she'd managed to hold such strong emotions within, like caging a wild beast. He could see it reflected in her eyes, that deep rooted despair and longing for her friend to be back with them. To hear his laugh and watch him blunder and grow, to be graced with that energy of his. They really had always been together, and even if their feelings for one another seemed to differ, no one could question their bond.
When she had gotten back, that was when she nearly broke. It was just for a moment but to witness it was to have that window to her soul wrenched open wide. It was the moment the words 'Memorial Stone' had dropped from his lips that she released this faltering choke and swiftly covered her mouth, eyes raw. And yet a moment later, following a quick turn to the side, her composure had returned.
It had been her that had gone to purchased the colourful bouquet of flowers that rested opposite the goggles. She didn't know what kinds he liked so she had just purchased some that had reminded her most of him and judging by the dark hues of bluestars and burning orange zinnias he could understand the connection.
That had been their morning, and judging by the raw expressions upon Minato Sensei and Kushina's faces it didn't seem like they'd gotten much sleep that night. Though it wasn't likely any of them did, really. They'd all watched the etching and remained there for a good while, along with several sensei including the man who had given Obito his very first headband.
Minimal words had been spoken between them, very few words seeming worth speaking as the carving went underway. He didn't know when Rin had left but he wasn't about to follow. It stung slightly as he knew Obito would want him to make sure Rin was okay but just at this time he couldn't imagine his presence helping her at all. He was the weakest one.
With the mercy of the world as it was, this afternoon they had been sent back out to complete that cursed mission that had been the root of all this and demolish that bridge. It was unceremonious and lingering with the feeling of loss. A definite distance had evolved between them, Obito's rift a substantial one. Without much ado of any variety, they had come back and Kakashi had returned here, to that same stone. Waiting, for nothing.
Darting through the wood on a familiar trail, a lithe shinobi with a porcelain mask styled after a black bear scanned his surroundings. With the founder not too far behind he had to ensure his work was even swifter and more lucrative than ever. It was exceedingly rare that the man would accompany one of his Root members personally which did much to emphasize the gravity of this task.
Danzo Shimura himself walked himself through the forest path at his own leisurely pace, not feeling like wasting his energy if this really did turn out to be a fruitless endeavor. It was merely a worthwhile shot to see if he might be able to acquire two more Sharingan from the recently dead Chuunin of Minato's if they could dig him out.
Coming up to the site of the cave in, the masked Root member did a quick scan to ensure there were no remaining shinobi, Leaf or Stone to cause them issues. He was satisfied that there were no enemies populating the immediate area but something else worried him considerably. The structure seemed completely caved in, if the young man had really been caught up in that it didn't seem likely that any organs would be intact.
Still, confirming that was the point of this missive, he supposed, and with that he awaited the imposing bandaged man to catch up. Danzo's frown did indeed twitch as he came across the site, but nonetheless he gave the nod to the Root shinobi to take action. With a curt nod the masked man approached the rock pile and slammed his palms into the ground.
"Earth Style: Seismic Shatter." he exclaimed as a line of jagged cracks advanced from his hands' position, making way to the initial few boulders in the path, causing each it touched in turn to shake vigorously for a few moments before shattering as easily as glass. One by one they broke apart, and with each Danzo would keep his eye out for any sign of the boy's corpse.
"Hm?" he released in mild surprise when he spotted a dash of dark blue and orange about the stone grey. The shock came with the boy's positioning, it seemed as if he wasn't directly under a boulder at all. In fact, his body was seemingly miraculously preserved with the two stones above him having landed in such a fashion that they prevented one another from killing him.
Approaching quickly with a Body Flicker, the Root leader proceeded to give the fallen Uchiha a closer inspection. With a narrowed gaze he studied the injuries immediately evident, a crushed asymmetry having been born of some sort of crush for definite. Deep ridges all curving towards his right eye had formed permanent scars but being left where he was he couldn't fathom how he'd gotten them without being fully crushed.
What's more was that for a moment Danzo spied the chest of the supposedly deceased shinobi rise and fall slightly from below. None of this was as reported, which either meant some sort of deception from Minato's team, or...
Lips curling at the prospect of this find being more valuable than he'd initially thought, Danzo turned to call his subordinate. "Takibi." he spoke, instantly summoning the masked man with the telltale black and red midriff jacket already kneeling. "Open his eyes without waking him." he ordered, words immediately in affect as gloved hands were swiftly and silently approaching Obito's face.
Delicately, Takibi pushed up upon the skin and revealed the irises of the unconscious boy below to be seen. "As I thought." Danzo smirked, looking upon the sight with intrigue, noting the still active two tomoe Sharingan which itself was of note but what truly drew his attention was the colourless pigment of the eye on the left.
A Sharingan may be blinded from several causes, most including the application of the Mangekyou or overuse but there was one in particular that seemed the most likely cause. "The Izanagi." Danzo stated simply, the kinjutsu seeming to fit the unusual positioning perfectly. If the boy had somehow managed to use the ability before the secondary rockfall then he may have been able to avoid irreversible damage.
Of course, the technique is supposed to transport you back to where you started and by the looks of it he had been already trapped by the first boulder but with that space becoming compromised he assumed the ability simply left him wherever there was space. He didn't imagine this was a conscious choice by the young Uchiha, but with the dojutsu's direct link to emotional state and the accessibility of Izanagi, a sudden unintentional use wasn't beyond the realm of possibility.
Even with this miraculous utilization of the prowess, however, his right side was still severely compromised. No ordinary medical-nin would be able to handle this and even that Tsunade wouldn't be confident. Still, he supposed that's why he kept his best connections with secrecy, concealed within the Root branch.
Of course, he could just leave the boy to be discovered. To be taken back and mended up as well as he can be, likely forfeiting his career as a shinobi and making a waste of a good Sharingan. Naturally, that option didn't sit especially well with him. He hated wasted potential and it was an Uchiha after all, that arrogant clan truly did need to offer more.
The other option consisted of something potentially much more beneficial, for Obito, for himself, and by the extension, Konoha. It would be a waste for one with such an apparent raw talent with the dojutsu, to the extent that it was still active even now, to live with just one. And to have potential leverage over one working under the infamous Yellow Flash wasn't an opportunity to dismiss so readily.
"Bring the Root medical-nin immediately." he ordered, the masked man away in a blink before Danzo returned his even stare to Obito Uchiha. "This gift... will be an investment. I will make sure of it." he stated, dropping the wooden cane with a dull clatter to the earth floor and shuffling his right arm out of the dark sling, revealing the large golden entrapment beneath.
Pin by pin, Danzo worked about unlocking the gauntlet, keeping an eye on the Uchiha constantly to ensure he wouldn't wake. It seemed that the trauma from the event, injuries on his right side and the sophisticated Sharingan use so early after attainment had rendered this unconsciousness. With the device fully unlocked, he began to unwrap the tape upon his right arm.
A monstrous sight revealed itself slowly with the limb's true form revealed to the open air. Embedded within the pallid wrinkled skin was a single, advanced Sharingan on the back of his hand. Protruding and crudely attached, it had been the pickings of one of his Root members on the battlefield of the shinobi war.
Ideally, Danzo had wanted to test out this arm that supposedly never rejected any transplant with a number of Sharingan but it wasn't as if they were spare for the picking. Even taking this one would have had to be a quick and extremely subtle. He'd asked the giver of this arm of the possibility of gathering more by way of abduction but even he wasn't confident in obtaining several. With the war seeming to be on its last days also, the opportunity to go on the lookout for dead Uchiha was speedily fading. Still, he'd make this sacrifice worth it.
With the fingers of his free hand illuminated with a sudden green glow, Danzo reached to the back of his right hand and grit his teeth tightly together before forcefully extracting the eye with a horrendous squelch. Grimacing with the medical jutsu already working to seal up the hole left behind, he once again leaned down to Obito's level.
"Be grateful for this, and serve me well." Danzo instructed with an essence of smugness about his expression before he used that free arm once more to cast a genjutsu, wanting to be sure the pain wouldn't rouse the boy. With that, he lifted Obito's left eyelid once more and in a practiced motion pulled out the blinded organ.
A natural reflex to the extraction showed itself with a writhing reverberation sent through his form but the socket was only bare for a few moments before Danzo went about implanting his new one. With luck it seemed to fit rather nicely, and even though his new Sharingan possessed an extra tomoe, the fool would likely just take it as a testament to his own power.
Now began the second part of this transaction of theirs, the insurance. This was also something of an experiment, to see if his proficiency with this application of juinjutsu really worked. Reaching down to slide his regular flesh hand under collar of the boy's jacket and upon his shoulder, Danzo began to channel his chakra.
The visual reflection of discomfort upon Obito's face was confirmation enough of the technique's success and to indicate it further a small black symbol in the shape of a leaf materialized. Inspired both by the Nara and the teen's own Uchiha clan, this little mark was the realization of Danzo's desire to control power, other's power.
To avoid suspicion, he took the added measure of casting a genjutsu to hide the mark until activation. With the fading of the symbol into skin tone, Danzo nodded, moving himself back and immediately beginning to re-seal his arm. The oncoming Root members he didn't have to worry for but one Leaf shinobi wandering by to witness the limb would be one more murder than he needed to commit that day.
Soon enough after, a team of half a dozen masked men and women arrived to the scene and with nothing more than a head motion from Danzo began to work upon the broken Uchiha. Watching closely as they went to work upon his newest project and wondered just how they were going to get him back to the village without suspicion of foul play.
Hidden away from view, a bare figure all in white with horrible distortions upon one side and a sickly smile below a dull golden eye watched over the procedure. It seemed indeed that he had arrived too late. Fearing for the repercussions but not wanting to risk any more time here, he stole away back through the underbrush to return to the man who'd sent him.
Several Days Later
Following a nigh poetic spell of dreary weather, the village of Konohagakure had returned to its golden glow and the gentle wind had returned to its leaves. Bustling and active as always, the common people getting on with their daily dues and the shinobi darting about their business usually. An exception to this was a group of young Chuunin that had gathered down a street corner with grim expressions shared between them.
"Has anyone seen her today?" Kurenai asked, evident concern shining through her ringed red eyes as she folded her arms. The silence and downward looks she got in response were enough to tell her enough as she released a small sigh. The news hadn't been easy on any of them, not having expected to miss the sound of the uniquely boisterous Uchiha charging down the streets when running late.
"How about Kakashi? He move from that place yet?" came Asuma's question, figuring that out of the two survivors the silver haired jōnin would be better off. Despite the younger age he had always been the stoic type and it hadn't been like him and Obito had the closest bond. It would still hurt but perhaps he'd be able to focus on caring for Rin along with their sensei. Despite all that the guy had barely spoken a word and remained glued to that spot. To his distress, Hayate shook his head.
"I don't think so. I guess he must move in order to sleep and eat but every time I check he's still standing there, watching it. I thought after a while Minato Sensei might come to speak with him." the sickly swordsman with the dark, sunken eyes explained, slight hope to his tone but the scarred shinobi to his right shook his head.
"Minato Sensei's already gone again. Back to the war." Raidō Namiashi delivered grimly, eyes narrowing a touch as he stacked the pain that the team must be feeling, even the sensei. After all, it wasn't like the man would have left his grieving students if he had any choice in the matter. From what he understood of the man that would only have served to intensify the pain.
"Already?" Genma Shiranui mumbled with a wince, lips tightening around the senbon between his lips but he, too, could understand the reasons behind it. Rather, it was the lack of reasoning for it all that unified the group in melancholy. Loss was no foreign concept to them and especially in a time of war, and they weren't green rookies any longer, but still, to have such a close blow, to lose their former classmate so easily. It was difficult to swallow.
"Who's on 'Might-watch' today?" Aoba Yamashiro addressed, pushing up the bridge of his red sunglasses with a quirked frown as he looked around for who was tasked with that troublesome responsibility. With a wry expression in memory of the difficulty he'd had convincing them, Hayate rubbed the back of his neck.
"It's Ibiki. Though he dragged Ebisu into it as well." he explained, remembering the sorry sight of the wiry Chuunin being pulled along by the buff older boy who didn't want to bear it alone. The faces of all present fell at that, wondering if even someone as thick skinned as Ibiki and as professional as Ebisu would be able to hold that guy back.
It had become a custom to assign at least one person to accompany the loud mouthed taijutsu for several hours a day to keep him occupied. His rivalry bordering upon one sided obsession with the other was a volatile thing to watch and none of them thought it a wise idea to let their paths meet at this time. For all the passion Might possessed, empathy and tact didn't seem to fall within his wheelhouse. It was easy to imagine the green tights wearing fanatic trying to force Kakashi into some bizarre contest to snap him out of it and they couldn't imagine that helping anyone.
"I'll try to find Rin later. Make sure she's okay..." Kurenai spoke after a small silence, regretting her word choice immediately. Of course she wouldn't be okay, Obito and her had always been together. To the extent that the rest of them hadn't really had the time to bond with him alone that much, and it clearly showed.
When they had all visited the stone to see Obito's name, they'd all thought back to the times spent with him and honestly some struggled. They had played as children and in classes his antics always seemed to brighten up the place even if he ended up embarrassed as a result, but when it came to the question of who Obito Uchiha really was, they all wish they could form more of an answer in their heads.
The sound of tea gently splashing upon ceramic graced the small room as its server made sure to fill the cup substantially, imagining that the recipient will have worked up an incredible thirst. Along with that he looked to the side to inspect the three sticks of dango with mitarashi sauce, hoping they'd be enough. He'd become rather excited about the resilient Uchiha that had been delivered so kindly by his recent partner in business and head of Root.
Hearing a commotion from behind, the man turned to see the boy upon the bed begin to stir somewhat. Eyes lowering down to him, the man took a step closer to check up on him. The medics really had done such a wonderful job. The scarring was unavoidable but forgoing some presumed aching and adjustment, the limbs on his right side should be absolutely fine given a week or two of natural healing.
Of course, he'd also felt obliged to check up on the state of the boy's newly implanted left eye. Having finally deactivated, it perfectly resembled the other and seemed to fit seamlessly. He'd found it of great interest to learn that Danzo had sacrificed the sole Sharingan on his arm for this but he supposed that man always was one to capitalize on the potential of the youth. Though, there was one thing troubling him.
"Mhn... nfh..." came further noises and shuffling, pain stretching across the boy's face as he moved badly upon his right shoulder. Slowly, his eyes began to crack open, irises adapting to the low lighting of the room and consciousness slowly washed back across him. Catching sight of a looming figure above where he lay, Obito craned his neck to the side and blinked several times.
"Y-You...?" Obito released in a painfully dry tone, throat deprived of moisture as confusion flashed across his eyes. The man rose a finger to his lips and gave a smile.
"Don't talk just yet, your throat must be shrivelled." came his vaguely familiar raspy and welcoming tone before he turned away to return to his teapot, beginning to pour a cup as Obito followed him with his eyes, too stiff to sit up.
"Orochimaru..." the bedridden Chuunin managed to utter in surprise as the pallid man in white robes and a purple obi round his waist came back over, cup in hand.
"Orochimaru Sensei, I have a team after all. Here, drink up. Use your left hand." he advised calmly, handing over the pure white ceramic and helping the Uchiha to sit up a little against the pillow of the single bed he'd rested within.
After a moment of looking down to the beverage to confirm it was a simple green tea, Obito obediently rose his uninjured arm to handle the cup and guide it to his cracked lips. It was only with the first contact of hot liquid to his parched throat that he realized how much his body yearned for it, eyes widening as he poured it all down in one, spilling some down the sides of his cheeks as he gulped it all down.
"Don't scald yourself." Orochimaru chided with a smile before reaching to take the cup back and return over to the counter. Swallowing the last little bit in his mouth, Obito released a heavy breath and began to properly study his surroundings. He was laying down in a small dark room, no larger than three meters across to the side and four meters wide to include a small kitchen counter area, a desk and chair, and the bed he was currently lying down in. The walls were a dark moss green and the only light visible was originating from a humble candle upon the desk to the side.
"What... what happened? Urk!" Obito asked, wincing as a hot pain surged up his right side, going to clench his arm with his palm. The memories following Kakashi and Rin's escape were more sensory than pictures of his experience. He remembered pain very well, and the sound of the rocks crashing all around and piling up. He remembered moving... but how could he move? It was all a fogged up mess.
"Try not to move too much. For how you ended up there I only have your team's mission report to go off of, but in terms of my finding you..." the Jounin trailed off, carrying over a plate of dango to place in Obito's lap, ensuring the handles were turned his way. "I thought it unfair for you not to get a burial so I travelled to that collapsed cave to see if I might be able to find your body." he gave an explanation, moving to sit upon the end of the bed.
"Upon breaking through, however, I found that you had ended up with an incredibly lucky position, protected by two boulders above you. Of course you were still terribly injured so I carefully brought you back to be tended to. After the worst was managed, I volunteered to oversee the rest of your recovery myself." he told the teen, hoping for a quick acceptance of that story.
"I... wasn't crushed?" came his first question, thankfully seeming dubious about the exact chain of events. Going by his right side it seemed he remembered being pinned down. If Danzo's words were to be trusted, this Uchiha had utilized the Izanagi and with his original position compromised was moved elsewhere. It was an exceptional feat, but there was still one thing to confirm.
"Eat up." he advised, gesturing to the dango with a nod of his head. Offering a suspicious glance to begin with, Obito's eyes suddenly glowed red and the asymmetrically numbered tomoe manifested themselves, confirming no strange jutsu had been cast before lifting one by the stick and biting off the first dumpling.
Much like with the tea, Obito didn't know his own hunger until that first sweet treat had touched his taste buds. Eyes livening up, he swiftly began upon munching the remaining two and slurping down the stick to enjoy that delicious mitarashi sauce. Orochimaru chuckled at the sight, but kept his eyes trained on the Sharingan.
"How is your vision? Any blurriness?" he asked, spying no external issues with adjustment but suspecting it couldn't have perfectly adjusted. To his surprise, Obito merely shook his head, not seeming to pay the question too much concern at all as he laid the first stick down, beginning upon the next trio as quickly as his hands could move as his eyes returned to their purely black neutral state.
"Not really, I'm still getting used to the Sharingan but, *awnch*, other than that it's fine. Actually, it seems a little... more focused than I remember." he stated with a thoughtful frown. The Sannin prodigy was impressed, the young Uchiha had already noticed the advancement of his new left eye. After all, that was the level that allowed him to copy others nigh perfectly.
"That's wonderful." he remarked with an eyes shut smile, the words meaning much more to him than the teen as he pondered the possibilities. It would seem that Obito Uchiha was somehow able to avoid the permanent blindness that usually blighted the Izanagi's users. Usually even a replacement wouldn't function, let alone one from an Uchiha not of immediate relation. Such an exceptional quirk of the ability to cheat death.
"I... tried to use the Izanagi, I think. Did it not work?" Obito questioned, remembering the sensations of wrenching his mangled arm free to attempt the kinjutsu.
"You still have both eyes don't you?" came his simple answer, making the Chuunin's face fall somewhat. The effort was misplaced then, though he supposed it was good that he hadn't performed that illegal jutsu and also didn't receive the repercussion.
"Well... thank you, Orochimaru. You really saved me. But... when am I able to leave?" he asked with a fearful expression, receiving yet another chuckle in response.
"It's my pleasure to help out such a promising shinobi. And well, I would recommend further rest but I imagine you'll want to greet your-" Orochimaru began but Obito's mind seemed to have finally caught up to something as he sat up with a start.
"Rin and Kaka- ackaghhh-!" Obito keeled over, having sat up and thrown his legs out to touch the floor far too quickly, not prepared for the shockwaves of pain that rippled through him with such an action. Moving to clutch at his stomach he noticed his attire, still dressed in his mesh undershirt and dark blue pants and sandals with tightly wrapped bandages about his right arm and leg.
"Like I say, I recommend further rest, but it seems you have people you need to see. In the rush of things I haven't alerted anyone to your return. But please try and take things slowly, it would be wrong to undo the work the medical team's hard work. Keep your weight on your left foot and use your left arm primarily. Oh and I've left your other items on the counter." Orochimatu explained, standing himself up and moving to the side to allow Obito passage as he stumbled to his feet.
"Right, right, yeah. Thanks!" Obito nodded energetically before grabbing the last dango and running his teeth along the stick in one fell swoop on his limp over to the counter. There he spotted his dark blue and orange jacket, ripped to near shreds on the right sleeve, his belt of pouches, goggles, and most importantly his headband.
Pulling them on one by one in a clumsy flurry, attaching the goggles by strap to his waist, Obito offered one last look to his saviour and bowed as far as he could without passing out from the pain. "Thank you very much!", and with that, he bolted out the door, gathered his bearings and sprinted off with a series of 'owch's and 'ack's indicative of his lack of regard for the 'taking things slowly'.
"So much energy." he laughed, eyes narrowing as he thought of what a resilient body that was. He hadn't the slightest clue how the boy had managed to weave the signs for that technique in the circumstances and how he was already sprinting off with half of his body horrendously bruised. He found himself wondering what a mind like his own in that kind of body could accomplish, and continued to wonder.
"Where are they, where are they?" Obito muttered to himself as he half jogged, half limped down the Konoha streets with eyes darting all over the place and breath growing heavier. Needless to say he was in a state that drew attention and for most passerbys managed to cause three head-turns.
One was drawn to the form of someone limping badly, the second would be to confirm the deep scarring on the right side of the boy's face, and the third was the wide eyed questioning of whether that was the teen Uchiha from Minato Namikaze's team that they heard had been killed during a recent mission. None had time to confirm, however, as he would have already passed and turned the corner in his frantic search.
"Oh and I should let Minato and Kushina know too, and Asuma and the others... oh and gramps and grandma! How could I forget them?!" Obito asked, running his hands through his hair in a panic as the gravity of the circumstances became more and more clear. He hadn't returned from the mission, and things looked incredibly bad when the other two had left.
"Where do I start then?!" he asked himself outwardly with an exasperated sigh before hearing the sound of mumbling and the clicking of a tongue from behind. Turning to see the source he spotted a sight that it seemed just his luck to come across. Nevertheless he was happy for the indication of normalcy returning.
"Oh I really have bought too much. I must learn to resist a sale." the elderly woman chided herself as her twig thin arms struggled to drag the two shopping bags stuffed to the brim, scraping across the floor and tearing away at the fabric with her muscles visibly straining. With a resigned smile and shake of his head, Obito hustled over.
"Hey, need a hand?" he asked, shining a bright grin her way despite the searing pain from one side of his face. Turning his way the decrepit woman waved her hand.
"Oh no, no, I couldn't impose. You shinobi have far too much whizzing about to be doing to be worrying about the likes of me." she protested with a kind smile but as per usual the stubborn shinobi was having none of it.
"Nah, this is all part of it, granny! It's no problem, really. Strength training!" he announced happily as he reached over to request the handles of the bags to grip onto.
"Well... alright, if you insist, young man. I'm just down the road here." she relented with a grateful expression, allowing him the bags and pointing just to the end of the street as Obito nodded.
"Okay, let's go. Heave ho!" the energetic youth announced as he pulled up, only for what felt like a lightning bolt to the shoulder as his right hand suddenly lost its grip, dropping the bag back down and shutting one eye in a wince. "Gah! Sorry!" he released, trying to pick it up once more with the elderly woman knitting her brows in concern.
"Oh that sounded painful! Are you alright? If you're injured you don't have to, I can manage." she spoke, worry filling her expression as Obito put on his bravest face.
"N-Nah it's all good, just a little stiff. This will help me loosen up, ehehe~." he chuckled with a bead of sweat running down from his brow. Before any further concerns could be voiced he had bitten down upon his lip and lifted the back on that side once more.
Unbeknown to either, they had drawn a few eyes. Mostly just those who found it an adoration worthy act of kindness from a grandson but one's eyes weren't affected as such, these were the pair of chocolate brown irises that remarked the pair with a shaking melancholy to them. Sitting on a bench outside a shop overlooking that street was a young kunoichi who mocked herself inwardly for being so silly.
She was even seeing figments of him now, maybe it was an effect of the genjutsu lasting longer than it should have or something else entirely but right now clear as day she could see an image of the back of Obito as he helps an elderly woman over to her home. Despite everything, a little sad smile encroached upon her features. It truly would be the exact first thing he'd do if he were to come back.
"H-Huh?" she murmured in confusion and slight horror as her teammate and best friend's image turned to the side and she saw something that shook her and drew her immediate full attention. A detail that had no place in the banks of her memories of him at any point, with deep ridged scars running down every visible part of his right side, the rest obscured by bandages.
She couldn't fathom why she would imagine that, even with how she'd seen him last she would've thought her subconscious would have offered a kinder mirage for her. Reaching up to rub at her already red and raw eyes, Rin couldn't dispel the image. Her heart began to pound and breath hitched as she pondered that possibility.
Instantly she shot it down, not wanting for a moment to get her hopes up but the shaking in her legs didn't subside. There, clear as day, she saw the image of Obito, her closest friend, hoisting two overfilled bags into an elderly woman's doorway and sharing in lighthearted conversation with her. Mouth widely agape and hand upon her chest she continued to watch until the figment of Obito seemed to give the woman a final wave and begin to turn away. He was leaving.
"No... no!" Rin yelped as she forced herself up, hands pushing upon her knees to lift up off of the bench and begin in an unsteady dash over in that direction. The image was getting smaller as that boy in blue and orange began to pick up speed. "No- please, wait!" she called, extending a shaking arm ahead of her as she sped in pursuit.
She no longer tried to protect herself by denying this chance, there was a part of her that truly held hope that this wasn't an illusion and it was in full control of her actions right now. Recovering from the last few days spent barely moving at all, Rin pumped her legs furiously to chase that figure as it turned a corner. Passing vendors and pedestrians alike without a hint of her characteristic concern she tried to keep him in sight at all times.
Spying the limping figure make a turn down a side street the two of them had often frequented down on their way to purchase the special edition dorayaki from the stands, her eyes widened and she thought this could really be it. This could really be him. Without even thinking of conserving breath Rin sprinted for that alley and smiled widely as she stepped into it and prepared to come face to face with-
Nothing but an empty alley greeted her. Her expression stayed glued in that last ray of hope for a few seconds before it fell, piece by piece back to the hollow sadness that had become its default ever since getting back. Feeling a cold bead against her quivering lip was the first moment she realised she was crying as she slowly lowered herself to the ground, hugging her legs tight into her chest to give her some warmth. Things were so cold now.
By cruel chance, just above that alley upon the high rooftops stood the unknowing target of her chase, having scaled the side of the structure to try and get a bird's eye view. Standing with his hand flattened across his forehead and Sharingan brightly active, he tried to scout any familiar pigments. In the time he'd awakened the dojutsu he'd seen the colours of chakra, each person having a slightly different tint. Rin's he'd seen as a calming cerulean and Kakashi's a pure white.
"Come on, guys... I need to see you..." Obito pleaded as he looked around the village, not sure how far these eyes could actually pick up chakra but couldn't give up. It was then that he spotted it, it was faint, like a dot of paint but with a narrowing of his eyes he could tell. There! With a rush of excitement and adrenaline Obito darted across the rooftop, jumping from it to the next along to get closer to that shade.
With the adrenaline reducing the pain to a bearable sting Obito leaped his way over until descending from rooftop to a thick branch upon a tree then down the bark to the ground once more as he continued to speed along with a hand reflexively holding his thigh to try and sate the ache.
Speeding into a thick grove of trees leading into the grassy plains of Konoha, Obito finally recognized where he was headed. It was something like the 'Memory Rock' or something, he remembered Minato Sensei mentioning people went to pay tribute to those lost whose bodies could not be recovered. The realization of what that implied didn't register with the excited teen as he finally made it into the clearing and spotted him. Standing there with his hands in his pockets looking glum as usual. With a large grin Obito cupped his mouth and called out.
"Oi Kakashiii!" he called, seeing the silver haired Jounin stiffened visibly with the beckon. Running his finger below the bridge of his nose with a mischievous glint in his eye, Obito started to make his way over. It was weird, feeling giddy to walk up to Kakashi of all people but he was just so happy to still be alive to see him as he came closer.
Strangely, his teammate didn't seem too shocked by his call, in fact he didn't seem to make much of a change to his disposition whatsoever. He merely made a slow turn in his direction, the dark grey eyes half lidded as they remarked the boy that by all means should be dead by this point. With the lackluster greeting, Obito crooked a brow.
"...Uh, Kakashi. It's me. You could at least be a little happy you know?" he spoke with a wry chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as Kakashi continued to offer him little else other than a vacant stare. Releasing a sigh, Obito placed his hands on his hips. "Hey, I know it's probably a shock but can't I even get a-"
"What have I done to you?" came the sudden, cutting tone, completely taking Obito off guard as the aloof dark eyes gained a sudden darkness about them. The air of the place seemed to shift in an instant as Kakashi's features remained sharp, and even with the mask it didn't take much deductive prowess to assume he was bearing a scowl.
"Eh? Kakashi, what are you talking-" Obito began with a slight recoil backwards, words cut off by the sliding of Kakashi's blade from the holster upon his back and the unforgiving black glare sent his way, emanating with fury. "Hey, hey what's wrong? It's me, are you that unhappy to see me?" he asked, trying to remain jovial but Kakashi wouldn't be deterred.
"To make such a cruel genjutsu. I can't think it's Kurenai so who the hell are you?!" came his ice cold accusation as he sped towards Obito with blade pointed forward.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Kakashi you bastard, stop!" Obito yelled out as he lowered himself down, his words not affecting the other in the slightest as he was forced to throw himself to the side to avoid being skewered then and there.
"Ack! It's me! Really, Kakashi! Look!" Obito protested, trying to stave off the intense pain that shot through his body with the rough fall, pointing towards his Sharingan. Turning his way, Kakashi merely narrowed his intense glare further, pointing his blade towards him once more and speaking in the most severe tone Obito had ever heard.
"You got a detail wrong, Obito only had two tomoe in both." he spat, thinking of that Sharingan that his lost teammate wanted desperately for Kakashi to take, the eye that would allow him to show Obito the future. The gift he couldn't receive because of his own damned trepidation. He couldn't take back all the pain he'd caused his teammate, but he could make sure to inflict as much pain as possible to this detestable impostor that sought to desecrate his image.
"K-Kakashi, seriously, it's me! Cut it out!" Obito insisted, his words only serving to fuel Kakashi's cold rage as he charged towards the Uchiha once more at full speed.
"For insulting his memory, I'll make you pay." he promised.
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this story! If you are confused or troubled by some shifts here, the adaptions to lore I have made here are:
-Danzo having experimented with implanting a Sharingan obtained from a dead Uchiha during the war.
-Obito possessing an exception within his Uchiha physiology that allows a succesful transplant following Izanagi (to be expanded upon later, dw)
-Other, more subtle applications on also to be expanded upon later.
-The initial boulder upon Obito did not completely destroy his right side, the impending rockfall would have, however.
Thank you for reading :)