Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
A/N: Even though this story is AU, it may still contain spoilers to those who are not finished reading manga and/or didn't finish watching up to the latest canon Naruto Shippuden episodes.
Chapter 1
Kakashi raised his eyelids. The image in front of him was blurred. He blinked few times to make it more clear. Around him were dead bodies of the Bloody Mist ninja. Kakashi stirred, looking terrified at the body's parts on the tree covered with their blood.
What happened? Who killed them? What about Rin!
Kakashi turned around to where Rin's dead body was. Someone was holding her.
Who is that person?
With his trembling legs, he managed to stand up.
"Who are you?" Kakashi's voice hoarse.
The person didn't react.
Kakashi moved forward, his steps shaking.
"I've asked you who are you?" Kakashi pulled the person away causing Rin's body to fall. "O-Obito!" Kakashi let go of him, a shock on his face.
Obito looked at him emotionless.
"H-how? You supposed to be dead! How did you survive?"
"You can say I am dead." Obito turned to Rin, and caressed her cheek gently. "I am dead."
Kakashi fell down on his knees, tears in his eyes.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I couldn't keep my promise to you. The Bloody Mist ninja kidnapped Rin. She told me they were experimenting on her. I didn't expect her to kill herself. I don't know why."
Obito shifted his head towards Kakashi. The confusion appeared in his eyes.
"My Raikiri was meant for the Mist ninja, but Rin, she jumped in. If I knew. If I only knew." Kakashi gripped tightly his knees. More tears rolling down on his cheeks.
"It doesn't matter. She is dead, anyway."
"I wish I could change it. I wish Rin wouldn't die."
"You can."
Kakashi looked at Obito, confused. "What do you mean?"
Obito offered his hand to Kakashi. "Come with me."
"To where? We should wait for the reinforcement. They'll arrive soon. By the way, what is this thing attached to you?"
"That's just me. Hi! Nice to meet you stupid Kakashi."
Kakashi opened his mouth to express his surprise that the white thing could talk, but he was interrupted by Obito.
"His name is Hatake Kakashi, and he's not stupid. All right, let's go."
Kakashi stood on his feet. "Where do you want to go? The whole village thinks you're dead. You should back with me to the village."
"Coming back to the village will not accomplish anything. But coming back to the place I was, it would change everything. We won't need to live a life full of regrets. Just come with me and your wish to change Rin's fate will come true. Just come with me."
Obito was not only different in his appearance, but in his behaviour too. Obito wasn't the crybaby anymore. He was now composed. Kakashi barely could detect any emotions from Obito. Kakashi also wondered about Obito's new sharingan. It looked different from the regular one. Did he has the same. He had felt a weird, overwhelming power in his sharingan just after Rin's death.
He was about to ask Obito about it, when Obito spoke, "I don't care if you come with me. I only offer you a chance to change this world for a better place, because I see you want to. In addition, we'll both be stronger together, because of our sharingan. However, if you want to return to village, and everyday regret that you couldn't save either Rin or me, that's fine by me too."
Kakashi definitely wasn't going to leave Obito, however he would prefer him to come back to Konoha with him. On the other hand, Kakashi wanted to know where Obito had been this whole time.
"We should go now," the white thing said.
Obito started to walk away.
"Wait!I'll go with you."
Obito turned toward Kakashi and nodded. For a moment, Kakashi thought he saw a little smile on Obito's lips, but most likely he just imagined things.
The white artificial body told Madara everything what had happened. Kakashi looked shocked seeing Madara alive who had been considered dead for decades. Obito shortly explained to Kakashi about the statue, Gedo Mazo, keeping Madara alive and about the white artificial bodies made of Hashirama's, the first hokage, cells.
"I hope no one saw you." Madara glanced for a moment at Kakashi, then he turned to Obito.
"Don't worry, Madara. Obito killed all the enemies, and they left before the Konoha reinforcement arrived. They were pretty shocked seeing all those ninja dead. They took that girl's, Rin, body with them. They also asked about what happened to Kakashi. I think few of them left there to look for him, while others are heading to their village with Rin's body," the white artificial body said.
"Good."
"Madara, tell me what we need to do to create the dream world."
"I'll explain everything, but first does your friend want to follow this plan."
Obito couldn't fully answer on this question positively. Like Obito he wanted Rin alive, but was he ready to give up fully on this reality?
As Kakashi asked Madara explained what the dream world was. The world where only winners, peace, love and all good things existed.
"Basically, it's the genjutsu world," The white thing attached to Obito said. "By the way, can you tell me about you human taking the poo, because Obito didn't want to."
"Huh?" Was this thing serious?
Obito ignored the white spiral body, and asked Kakashi, "So, are you up to to create the dream world."
"I assume it wouldn't be just us in this world?"
"No, everyone in this world will be in the Infinite Tsukuyomi," Madara said.
"Everyone? Obito, we should go."
"You can go if you want to."
Obito started to regret bringing Kakashi back with him. He had thought that Kakashi would accept the plan as he regretted that he couldn't protect Rin. But, maybe he was wrong.
"I'm almost positive Rin committed suicide to protect Konoha. She mentioned about her being used and that she might end up attacking our village. If we give up on this world it would be like we give up on Rin's will."
"So, you're saying it's better to stay in this hell world rather than to be in the world where everything is perfect. Where people we love died are alive. Kakashi, not only Rin would be alive, but your father too, and your mother. Wouldn't you want to live in the world where your father is alive? Where no shinobi would badmouth him?"
"I don't know if it's better or not. I definitely would like my father, my mother and Rin be alive, but this wouldn't be real. And I know none of them would accept this plan. I also know Obito I knew wouldn't accept it either."
"The Obito you knew is dead, I told you before."
"You're wrong that Obito is still alive otherwise you wouldn't bring me here. You brought me here, because there's a part of you who doesn't want to give up on this real world."
"I brought you here, because I thought you would follow the dream world plan. I don't care about the past or this world where there's no hope. I only care about the dream world where Rin will be alive," Obito denied.
"You're wrong! There's still hope! I thought you died, and it turned out you're alive. You can find hope in this world. You just need to want to," Kakashi said.
"I see if it wouldn't be for me being still alive, you most likely would give up on this world too."
"Maybe, but I still would have your past will. Remember what you told, 'those ninja who break the rules and regulations are called trash, but those who don't care about their comrades are even worse trash.'. I believe in those words, and I follow them ever since I heard them. Now Obito, you are becoming worse than trash."
Obito flinched. The determinate look on Kakashi's face, the confident voice, why it made Obito uncomfortable. Madara was listening to this whole conversation, however, he didn't interfere.
"Rin wouldn't like you to give up on the past yourself and on this world. She would like you to protect your village and your friends."
Do your best, Obito! Become a cool hokage and let me see how you save the world! It's a promise.
Kakashi was right Rin wouldn't like Obito being the person he was now. And she definitely wouldn't consider giving up on this world as saving it, but...
"Why are you trying so hard to change me back to my old self? Why are you still believe that the hope exist in this reality. Rin killed herself by your hands. The one she loved. To the rest of your life, you're going to ask yourself what if. With the dream world, you wouldn't need to."
"Because the old you saved me from becoming a shinobi who doesn't care about their friends. Even though it was my fault that half of your body was crushed, and I almost didn't follow you to rescue Rin, you still called me a great jounin. You even gave me your sharingan. There wasn't a day where I wouldn't regret my past decisions. But with your words and your sharingan I could see that there was hope in this world. I can still see it, and I think you can too if you want to. After all, we have the same eyes."
Obito tried to stay still, but with his heart beating fast, shaking hands and sweat on his neck, it was hard.
Kakashi continued, "If you decide to stay, then I'll stay with you. And everyday, I'll try to convince you that hope does exist. And you would need to kill me if you won't want me to do it, because I won't leave your side."
A tear flew out from Obito's eyes. He breathed in and out while shutting his eyes to prevent more tears from coming out. It didn't help. Kakashi was ready to give up everything for him even his life to save the person he used to be. The person Rin wanted him to be. Maybe like Kakashi said there still was hope, and he could see it if he wanted to.
"Madara, thank you for saving my life, but I decided not to give up on this world. I'll return to Konoha with Kakashi."
Kakashi's lips widened in a smile, while Madara's eyes narrowed.
"You can go, but you will again realize that this reality only include pain, suffering and emptiness. If you think Rin was only one to die, then you're wrong. More of your friends will end up dying. Even your friend here may end up dead."
A fear penetrated Obito's body. "I won't let Kakashi die."
Madara didn't remark on Obito's words instead he asked the white spiral to detach itself from Obito's body. Without it, Obito's right arm was completely useless. He grunted with pain while he grabbed of what remained of his right arm made of the Hashirama's cells.
"Are you all right? Can you walk?" Kakashi asked, looking worried at Obito's right side of his body that was full covered by the white cells.
Obito put few steps forward. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"The Konoha reinforcement may still be out there. They will help you."
"All right, let's go."
Before, Obito and Kakashi left, Madara said, "One day, you will regret this decision."
The spiral body said, "I will miss Obito."
"Why did you let them go? You should be more convincing," The white body said.
"If I pushed too much, then either of them could realize my involvement in that girl's death. Unfortunately, due to my weak state, I couldn't use the full potential of the curse seal that I put on Obito's heart. Unless, someone would pierce his heart, and thus remove this seal, the seal should be there when I'll retrieve my full powers. I'll have much fun to control Obito." Madara smirked.
Madara stood up and asked the white body to come to him. He putted his hand on it, and now half of it was black.
"It would be your job to ensure that everything will go smoothly with accomplishing Infinite Tsukuyomi, my will, Black Zetsu."
"You may start by hiding the Gedo Mazo. Konoha's ninja will definitely come here."
"You're right. Before I die, I'll use my remaining power, so it can hide itself before being summoned again by Nagato. You and White Zetsu will go to him, and try to convince him about my plan. It would be better if I could see him in person, but I doubt you would be able to convince him to come here, before Konoha ninja coming here. After I die, hide my body. I don't want them to find me."
White Zetsu sighed. "Us turning into the Bloody Mist ninja and spreading the false rumours about Konoha wanting to attack them, and convincing the third Mizukage about using Sanbi to attack Konoha went down in the drain."
"Well, it would be better if Obito could pretend to be me, but after all he was a plan B. If he didn't end up here I wouldn't think about using him. I don't know if I should call it coincidence or fate that I met Obito, but one thing I'm for sure. He will pay for leaving me behind. Kakashi, too, for ruining my plans for Obito."
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please, review.