DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE IDEAS OR CHARACTERS FROM NARUTO
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Important (A/N): Greetings, it's been ages since I've written anything. Anyway, this is a complete rewrite, but separate posting, of my story Reflections Across Time. I've altered the story to fix up several gaping plot holes (ex. Shinigami as the easy way out) and horrific errors in characterizations (Obito did not turn out the way he should have). The basic ideas are all the same, but several key elements have been changed for the overall improvement of the story.
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Summary: AU. Obito reborn as Naruto fic. The problem with holding multiple identities is that there are too many people to lie to, too many misunderstandings possible, and almost no way to escape the tangled web of lies.
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Chapter One: Spirits
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"SENSEI!" a young boy screamed as he zoomed over a bridge towards training ground 7, "sorry I'm late… You see, when my alarm clock rang, I woke up and threw a kunai at it, so I had to buy a new one before I forgot. On my way to the store, I bumped into my baby cousin, who wanted to play. I told him I couldn't, but he kept bugging me and trying to drag me to his house. Anyway, after I got away from him, I went to buy a clock, but they didn't have any! And then there was this little old lady who-" the boy explained, panting as he brushed aside his messy black hair.
"Uchiha, shut up so we can start,." a silver haired boy barked out, glaring at his shorter comrade before muttering, "idiot.".
"What was that, Kakashi?!" Obito yelled, shaking his fist at the other genin.
"Obito, don't." A petite, girl exclaimed, trying to hold back her enthusiastic team mate.
"But Rin, he started it!" the Uchiha whined.
"Boys, knock it off." a tall blond man ordered with an exasperated sigh, "and Obito, next time wait until after our meeting to buy your clock. A ninja shouldn't be late for their meetings unless there is an exceptionally good excuse, understood?"
"Hai, Minato-sensei." Obito nodded, a sheepish grin adorning his pale face, "so, what are we doing today? Are there any good missions?"
"Well," Minato began, "First of all, there is a bridge we need to destroy to cut off one of the trading routes between Iwa and Kusa. Once we finish that mission, Sandaime has requested my help in dealing with the peace treaty with Kusa. I'm going as a representative of Konoha to negotiate the terms. It should pressure Iwa to either surrender or negotiate peace with us. If you guys promise to be polite and well behaved, I'll take you along. It'll be good for you to learn how to handle foreign relations and diplomacy."
"Really?! Awesome!" Obito celebrated jumping and dancing about.
"Baka!" Kakashi hit him before turning to his teacher, "Sensei, when do we set out?"
Quirking an eyebrow at the boys' antics, Minato chuckled a little, then answered, "We're still getting information from our spies, but we're set to go next week. Make sure you pack all of your things. It's going to be at least two weeks travel on top of the time it takes to destroy the bridge. I'll give you a set departure time and a bit more information at our next meeting, so don't be late." he finished, giving a pointed look at Obito, who cringed, "Alright, you're dismissed."
After saying good-bye to his team-mates, Obito rushed off into the village, weaving in and out of the bustling crowds of Konoha's market place, and finally disappearing into the distance.
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It was late. The sun, in all its blazing glory, had long since fallen behind the majestic form of the Hokage Mountain . With the passing of twilight, energetic chirps of the cicadas faded into a serene silence, disturbed only by the soft rustling of the wind as it danced through the forest of leaves. High above, partially hidden by light gray clouds, a pale sliver of light, the cresent moon, illuminated the dark training grounds below.
"Itachi, you came." A soft voice floated across the grounds, "You shouldn't have. You know I'll get in trouble once your parents realize you're missing."
"Obito-Nii, I left a kage-bushin." A small child replied calmly as he stepped out from behind the trees, "Besides, I am the one who snuck out. They can not blame you for my actions. It would illogical."
"Maybe," the older boy answered skeptically, "But I'm the reason you're sneaking out…"
"Yes, but if you hadn't been kicked out of the compound," the younger boy began to retort.
"Hey! That wasn't my fault," Obito whined before sighing, "Well, not completely at least…"
Itachi arched an eyebrow.
"I'm a sucky ninja," Obito joked.
"Liar," Itachi deadpanned, a deep frown marring his face, "besides, that is hardly a good reason to throw you out. One third of our entire clan are civilians."
"Ita—," Obito began softly, before being cut off.
"I've heard them, all of the whispering. They call you a disgrace to the clan as a full-blooded Uchiha who hasn't awakened the sharingan at your age." Itachi stated, his dark gazing penetrating Obito.
"I know, I know," Obito groaned, "I can't hel-"
"Liar," Itachi murmured, "You already have the Sharingan. If you'd just show it to them… You could come back."
"Why do you keep bringing it up?" Obito asked with a frustrated sigh, "We've been over this before … I will not become just another tool for them to break and toss like garbage."
"I do not understand," Itachi said, "Ninja are by definition, tools. What are you trying to accomplish?"
"Itachi…" Obito groaned, "Look at how they pressure the kids and how they treat the retirees. If you still don't get it, then just wait until you're older and I mean way older. "
Itachi frowned, "Fine. But I'm certain if they knew about your Sharingan, they would treat you better."
"I'm content with my life now, even if I'm not at the compound," Obito answered before grinning, "Besides, I've got you, right?"
The younger boy nodded blankly.
"Do you remember what I told you family is?" Obito asked.
"Unconditional love and acceptance," Itachi answered, "you claim it gives people strength."
"That's right, we're family and we give each other strength. So don't you ever forget it, ok?" Obito said, smiling. Baby cousin… You're the only one that sees me as truly I am…
"I won't." Itachi answered, a tiny smile of his own adorning his normally blank face as he notes sheer affection radiating off of his older cousin. I do not understand it yet… But I will someday…
"Great! So, what would you like to learn tonight?" Obito inquired, "Kage-bushin is the only high level jutsu you've really learned. But that's a pretty big accomplishment, especially for a five year old, although I bet it's a real drain on your chakra supply."
"It is," Itachi agreed, "but I still have enough for one more kage-bushin."
"Hmm… enough for one more," The older boy contemplated, "Well, Uncle Fugaku will probably teach you the Katon jutsu, so I'm not too concerned with that area… Although I've noticed our clan's techniques are pretty much limited to those… Ah! Would you like to learn the Kirigakure no Jutsu?"
"Explain." Itachi requested, curiosity seeping into his normally flat voice.
"Well, the Kirigakure no Jutsu will envelope your surroundings with a thick mist that works to inhibit your opponent's sight, making them easier to take out. You can control the density of the mist. I learned it off a scroll I bought from a merchant in a village on the outskirts of Wave. It's pretty easy once you've picked up the concept." Obito said, launching into an animated explanation, "We should probably start near a source of water. Once you get the hang of it, we can probably try learning to do it without any water in the area. There's a stream near by. We can practice over there."
"Understood. How would I be able to do the jutsu without a water source?" Itachi wondered quietly.
"I'll explain that to you after you're able to pull it off by water without any problems." Obito answered, "Oh, and Itachi?"
"Hn?" The younger boy grunted as the pair made their way towards the stream.
"I'm leaving for a mission to Grass-country in about a week." Obito stated.
"How long will you be gone?" Itachi asked.
"It's two weeks of travel to get there and probably another two weeks back, considering the war's almost finished. Things are still pretty tense between Konoha and Iwa. Our mission's to cut off a supply route and sign a peace treaty with Kusa. It should force Iwa into a cease-fire at the very least. I probably won't be back until the end of the month at earliest." Obito replied.
"Hmm," Itachi frowned, "Will you be too busy to train with me before you go?"
"Nah, packing won't take too long and sensei wants us to be well rested before we head off," Obito answered before changing the subject, "By the way, why were you so eager to play earlier?"
"I was bored," came Itachi's light, seemingly careless answer.
"Did you have to make me late for the meeting with Sensei, again?!" Obito whined before muttering, "Kami-sama, it happens every time I have some sort of meeting. I swear, it's like you have some sort of extra sense for those things or something…"
"My apologies," Itachi murmured, cutting off is irritated cousin's rant, "Mother was ill again and everyone else was busy."
"Aunt Mikoto is still sick? The last time was months ago! Did they find out what's wrong?" Obito asked, brow furrowing in concern.
"You have not visited the compound since you were kicked out. Father said that Mother is pregnant. By the end of this month, I will have a little brother or a little sister." Itachi stated blandly.
"Geeze, I did miss a lot! Anyway, congratulations." Obito remarked, "Hopefully everything will be settled down by the baby is born."
"We're here." Itachi pointed out.
"Alright, let's get started." Obito laughed enthusiastically, "The hand seals are…"
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Trudging through the peaceful night woods surrounding Konoha, Obito froze at the sound of a soft whining. Kunai drawn, he slowly approached a small clearing. A fox? I wonder what happened…
Cuts and bites adorned the animal's battered body, which lay in a small pool of blood. Sliding his kunai back into its pouch, Obito crouched down next to the wounded creature.
It growled weakly.
"Hey, it's alright," the boy murmured, "I'm here to help."
Obito gently picked up the unresisting fox and said, "I don't have any bandages with me right now, so we'll need to get it at my apartment, ok?"
He got no response from the animal curled up in his arms.
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"An animal," Itachi stated, his face betraying mild interest.
Obito grinned, correcting the younger boy, "A fox, baby-cousin!"
"I'm not a baby," Itachi deadpanned, "Why do you have it?"
"She was hurt," Obito answered, "I couldn't leave her all alone and injured in the forest!"
Observing the fox and the bandages wrapped all over the animal, Itachi asked, "How long have you had it?"
"Just a few days," Obito replied, "I found her on my way back to the apartment after our last training session. She's healing up nicely, so I'll probably let her go before I leave for the Kusa mission."
"Will you play with me today?" Itachi asked, turning his full attention to the older boy, who was hastily folding and stuffing clothes into a worn backpack.
"Sure, but only after I finish packing," Obito answered, "Sensei finally gave us some info on the Kusa Mission. There doesn't seem to be any reports on Iwa-nin on the route we're going to use, so it should be safe."
"The war hasn't finished yet," Itachi stated, "You shouldn't let your guard down."
"I'll be fine," Obito waved him off, "Besides, Minato-Sensei will be with us. The war is going to end soon and when it does, sensei said he and his wife, Kushina-san, are going to try to have kids. He already asked my team-mates and me to help babysit!"
"Why are they waiting for the end of the war?" Itachi questioned.
"Times like this are not the best for growing up and definitely not safe for having kids," Obito replied, "But it'll be over soon, so… yeah…"
Itachi looked away.
"Tell you what, help me pack and I promise to play with you every day for a week after I get back, ok?" Obito promised, dispelling the somber atmosphere, "We can try pranking Kakashi together. That jerk needs something to lighten him up."
With a smile and a nod, Itachi began to fold some clothes, his work considerably neater than Obito's.
Neither were aware of the forgotten fox staring intently at Obito.
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"Obito, I'm sorry…" Kakashi choked and turned away, unable to handle the site of his dying friend, lying crushed under the boulders in a pool of his own blood, some of which was seeping out of his now empty eye-socket.
"Not…Your fault…" the Uchiha scolded, a grimace adorning his blood stained face, "Please, before you go… promise…"
"Yes?" Kakashi asked solemnly.
"M-my baby cousin… t-take care… of him… for me." Obito pleaded as his remaining eye began to droop, his sight spinning, blurring. Itachi… I'm sorry…
"I swear to." Kakashi pledged, "on my life and honor."
"Thank you…" Obito sighed, offering his friend a sad, bitter-sweet smile, before fading into oblivion, "Good-bye…"
"Well, well, well," a gruff voice broke through the cacophony of the falling rocks and debris of the surrounding cave, "If it isn't the little leaf-bastards who wiped out our second and third squads."
Whipping around, Kakashi came face to face with what appeared to be the leader of the newest wave of Iwa-nin.
"Ah, so that pitiful excuse for an Uchiha is dead? Hehe, it figures, that weakling wasn't much of a shinobi." The large, bulky man mocked the stunned ninja, his face breaking into a malicious sneer, "Still, the guys back home will just love slicing him up for that Sharingan of his... Pity, a couple of years and he'd have made a damn good whore, although the girl will do…"
"YOU BASTARD!" Kakashi screamed as he shook himself out of shock and rushed forward, new sharingan spinning wildly as he brought his Chidori to the enemy's chest, sending the man flying across the cave and into the stone wall with a reverberating crash.
Suddenly, more rocks fell as the surrounding walls cracked. The cavern was caving in.
"Kakashi! We have to get out of here!" Rin cried.
Rushing out of the cave, Kakashi glanced back over his shoulder, taking a final look at Obito, who lay there, smiling peacefully as the slate boulders of the Grass country cavern entombed him. The broken, bloody image of his best friend would be forever burned into his mind, haunting the silver haired man for the rest of eternity.
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The sky above Konoha was shadowed by thick, ash gray clouds. Flashes of lightning corresponded with the rumbling thunder on this cold, miserable day. Rain poured, drenching the few people running for shelter and flooding the fields, a testament to the unusual weather.
In the center of a deserted training ground, near the very place he had learned to use Kirigakure no Jutsu, sat Uchiha Itachi, staring off into the distance, unheeding of the biting cold and his soaked clothes.
"Good riddance!" Aunts…
" It's about time that shameful brat died." Uncles…
"Idiot had it coming."
"It figures, the poor bastard was too weak to hold his own…"
"Well, at least he was entertaining while he was around…" Cousins…
"Don't do this to yourself, Itachi. Our parent's are right, Obito-kun's not… H-He's not… Not worth this …." Shisui…
The young boy brought his knees closer to his chest, clenching the wet fabric of his pants.
"It doesn't matter. That child was a disgrace to the clan. The boy's better off dead. Forget about him, Itachi." Father, how could you say such a terrible thing?
Mother, how could you allow the others to dishonor him so? I thought you cared about him… How could you say nothing as they cut him down? Obito-Nii, you deserve so much better…
And now… That mockery of a funeral… To dishonor your memory in such a way… Does no one in this God forsaken clan have any respect for the dead? They've hurt you so much…
"Family," Obito murmured, "is unconditional love and acceptance. You must never forget that Itachi.."
Unconditional love? Acceptance? How could you say that when all the Clan ever did was scorn and belittle you? Family… You were all I ever really had, weren't you, Obito-Nii? The Clan, they're not family… Not to you… and not to me…
They'll pay! When I'm stronger, I will kill them… I promise… I will make them repent for their crimes against you.
Closing his eyes, Itachi recalled one of his earliest memories of Obito.
"Can you see me?" The older boy asked.
"Yes, I'm not blind and you're not hiding. Why wouldn't I be able to see you" An even smaller Itachi questioned.
"That's not what I meant, dear cousin." Obito smiled serenely, a hint of sadness seeping through his expression.
"What do you mean?" Itachi asked, confused.
"Can you see me as I truly am?" The other boy asked again earnestly, "Not as the Uchiha disgrace, the idiot, the loudmouth, or the orphan child, but just me… Obito."
Blinking, Itachi stared at his cousin, puzzled, "I do not understand."
"That's alright," Obito comforted with a soft sigh, "Someday, you'll get it."
"Obito-nii," Itachi whispered, gazing up into the now lightly drizzling rain, "I understand…"
I looked past your mask, past the person you pretended to be, and saw who you truly are… My greatest teacher… My best friend… My most precious, beloved cousin…
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No pain? Am I in the hospital? Obito slowly opened his eyes. Looking around, he found himself surrounded by darkness. Wha? Where am I?! Is this… The cave? Am I dead?!
A prickling feeling and a sudden lurch in his stomach alarmed Obito. Behind me!
A faint, misty glow attracted his attention. Slowly approaching the distant light, Obito could dimly make out the silhouette of an animal sitting on its haunches through the mist. Is that… A fox?
The transparent creature stared intently at the young ninja, its multiple tails swaying lazily behind it. Suddenly, the apparition stood and began to walk away, occasionally stopping and glancing back at the confused boy.
Obito hesitated. A Kitsune Spirit… Should I follow? Well, t-there's nothing left for me to lose…
Meanwhile, the fox took a quick, unnoticed glance at its painstakingly bandaged leg, before letting its piercing sapphire gaze wander back to the young Uchiha who was slowly catching up to it.
After walking for what seemed like an eternity through what appeared to be a misty forest Obito was surprised to find himself at the edge of Konoha. Suddenly the mists began to thicken and darkness invaded his vision. What's going on?!
As Obito felt his world fade, he thought he heard a soft, smoky voice whispering, "I bestow to you, a life for the one taken from you too soon and my blessings. Farewell, human. May fortune be with you."
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(A/N): Alright that was the rewrite of Chapter 1. For those of you who have read this story before the rewrite, you'll realize that I've changed Shinigami-sama into a Kitsune Spirit. The old plot left too many holes and not enough wiggle room for me to insert more drama, misunderstandings, and chances to play around with all of my ideas. Tell me how you like it, ok?
Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. Your input is greatly appreciated!