Unmasked
. . .
"In the end it's never what you worry about that gets you."
-Chuck Palanihuk, Guts
. . .
Previously:
Oh God, is that who I think it is?
Beneath the mask was a man- no, a boy, his face scarred on one side, black hair… it was him.
"I know what you're thinking- I'll save you time: Yes, it's me…sensei." A terrible mockery of a smile adorned his face.
Obito?
Chapter Two
The Beast
"Obito? Is that really you? How in God's name…" Minato couldn't help but keep the sheer surprise out of his voice. He had noticed it had stopped raining. The sky above was dark, with a faint red hue.
The Kyuubi's chakra is beginning to affect the sky. I need to hurry…but…
Tobi, or Obito- whoever the man was, gave a short, bitter laugh and shook his head in exasperation. "Yes, sensei. It is me. I am the one you called Obito, your former student. This is what I have become. This is what you…what the village made me become."
The insane, maniacal laughter was back once again, the same as before- the laugh of someone who has lost everything. Minato ignored it. He had to.
"So you lived, Obito. You chose a strange way to reveal it, though, picking a fight with me, threatening my son. I suppose…I suppose you always were a prankster. But how-" Minato spoke, his voice falsely cheerful, before he was interrupted in between when the ground beneath his feet rumbled. The ground was shaking- an earthquake? In an instant the realization of what was happening dawned upon him.
Oh God, no. The Kyuubi. Overhead, red light kindled in the sky, a blaze of fire behind the dark barriers of night. Nine massive tails swished, raining debris on the ground.
Shit.
Steeling himself, he turned away from Tobi…Obito to face the Kyuubi.
It's time.
"Obito, I think you should leave now. Go to the hospital, you're bleeding. And no more pranks, understand?"
Deep down, he already knew that what Obito did wasn't a prank. He wasn't a fool. He had been in many fights, he knew by experience that Obito had been fighting to kill him. But Minato chose to deny the fact to himself. He'd chosen to believe otherwise, despite his better judgement.
He turned around to get a better look at Obito…and Obito was gone. When?
"Looking for me, sensei?" something about cold, dead way he spoke the word 'sensei' unsettled Minato.
Obito was standing on top of the Kyuubi…almost as if he was riding it. The beast was so close to Minato that he could make its eyes out in the darkness.
They were red, impossibly red, and inside, three black tomoes spun around wildly. Minato's eyes widened- it's the Sharingan. Obito's Sharingan. Oh God. Oh God, no. This can't be happening. This…can't be happening…
"Obito…what have you done?" Minato spoke in a strained voice, barely resisting the urge to scream.
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Where in the seven hells is he? What is taking so long?
The Kyuubi is almost at the gates now…the Sandaime thought to himself. He held Minato's son in his arms, who was happily sleeping. Naruto gurgled cutely in his sleep, making the Sandaime smile, albeit reluctantly.
"What did he say to you when he gave you the child? Did he say how long it would take for him to come back?" asked a sweating Jiraiya. He had shunshin'd to the Hokage tower after the Kyuubi had broken out of the sealing enclosure he and his sealing team had managed to create. The seal wasn't powerful to begin with, it was only intended to borrow time for retreat, but he had held the seal alone for a few minutes, long after everyone had retreated, to wait for Minato to come.
He never came.
"I've told you everything I know, Jiraiya. He appeared here using that technique of his, handed the child to me without a word, then disappeared again. I fear he may be in danger…perhaps something has happened to him…" Sandaime was frustrated, but he was careful not to show it on his face. That would not do well for morale. He needed to be as hard as a stone now.
"What do we do, then, if he doesn't come? If he's…dead?" Jiraiya's voice was impossibly low, almost a whisper, as if he was afraid to even entertain the thought. Minato...dead?
"I fear something terrible has happened. But I don't think he is dead. I think…we would all know it, within ourselves, if that were the case. However, he is definitely in some sort of trouble. If he doesn't come by," Sandaime paused to look at the big clock that adorned his wall. "the time it's eight, I'll…I'll do the jutsu. I know how, it will just take me some time to prepare the necessities."
I give you fifteen minutes, Minato…if you're not here by then, I'll do the necessary. That was what I had intended in the first place, but your pride wouldn't allow for anyone else but you to do it.
"The jutsu? Which one? What do you mean?" asked Jiraiya, the strength in his voice was better than before. Sandaime's assurance had given him hope.
"Why, the Shiki Fujin of course." The Sandaime smiled softly making, for the first time, the sadness he felt visible on his face.
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As Minato listened to Obito explain smugly about whatever blasted plan he was putting into motion, he experienced something he had never experienced in his entire life. Despair- full, and total despair. This...this was what had become of his student, a broken boy inhabiting a man's body, a boy who had given up on his village, even in the world itself.
It's my fault. I failed him as a teacher.
"And that, sensei, is what I plan to do. Are you not enthralled by the beauty of it? It's so simple, I wonder why I never thought of it! An end to this cycle of hatred, a world with eternal peace- was that not your dream, sensei? I will accomplish your dream for you. I will...I will..." Obito broke down in the middle of his speech. He knew the plan was inherently flawed. But the Moon's eye plan was the second best thing to peace, and sacrifices had to be made.
Gathering himself, Obito spoke again. "I see you're speechless, sensei. Most people are." Obito hopped down from the Kyuubi's back, and began walking closer to Minato who had crumpled on the ground.
Minato looked up to see Obito coming closer to him, muttering something intelligible. The only thing Minato could hear was a whistling sound, the one you hear when an explosion tag goes off near you.
"It is time, sensei, for you to die." Obito's voice was lifeless, dead, like the shell he wore.
In an instant a kunai was at Minato's neck, and yet still Minato did nothing.
I deserve it, don't I? I deserve to die.
The Kyuubi roared, and Obito grimaced.
Wait, Minato thought. Is he having trouble controlling it?
Seeing his student in pain woke something up in Minato. Something that had long been sleeping. A terrible determination. His will grew stronger by the need to protect Obito, to protect Naruto...to protect the village.
I...deserve to die, yes. But I need to save the village first. I need...to save them all.
"So this is what it has come to, Obito. I never...I never imagined that it would be you, God, that you, of all people would do this," Minato started getting up. Obito was clutching at his head, as if he was in pain. "I'm sorry, Obito. I failed as a teacher to you." Minato smiled bitterly. "But now is not the time for regrets. I need to seal the Kyuubi. I need to save...everyone. Perhaps, when we meet on the other side, I will make it up to you."
"Oh, and please, meet Kakashi before you go. He misses you, you know?" Minato said before dissappearing with a flash of yellow.
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"He won't come then. It's eight already, sensei. I think...I think we should get ready. The Kyuubi has already caused enough destruction as it-"
A yellow flash.
Jiraiya's face lit up like a christmas tree, but only for a moment. Seeing Minato's determined expression reminded him of the threat that was at the gates. The Kyuubi.
"Naruto...where is he? I...give him to me, please. Are the- are the preparations ready? For the sealing array?"
"Minato, relax. Everything is fine. The array is complete, sensei has it. He was going to do it, you know," Jiraiya spoke slowly, "the jutsu, I mean. If you didn't come back."
"God, Minato, what the hell took you so long? Don't tell me. We need to seal the Kyuubi immediately. Here," the Sandaime spoke, his voice weary, "have him."
Accepting the bundle of clothes that was Naruto gently in his hands, Minato gave the Sandaime a look of gratitude and vanished again, with a flash.
Thank you, and farewell.
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When Obito finally came to, the first thing he noticed was the blinding light. As bright as the sun, the light was, and he was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. At the center of the light stood Minato, faintly smiling. The Kyuubi towered above the light source, teeth bared, and yet it didn't dare go closer. It was as if it was restrained by invisible bonds.
Realization of what was happening dawned on him far too late, and he could only open his mouth in a silent scream as the Kyuubi vanished, as Minato's dead, lifeless body began to fall. In that moment he had an epiphany. I understand now, sensei. I understand.
He closed his eyes, and screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Izanagi!"
Nothing happened. Obito remembered Madara's words of warning again, 'Remember, boy, that this technique, while powerful, powerful enough to reverse time itself, cannot bring back the dead.'
I killed him. God, I killed my sensei.
And in that moment of realization, Obito simply stood. Numb, weary, and dismayed, he had well and truly lost everything now.
It's alright, Obito. Everything is fine. It's good that you finally understand.
Sensei...is that you?
I...I only wish I had understood sooner.
I'm sorry, Obito. My time is up now. Farewell.
Take care of Naruto for me, please.
And so died Minato Namikaze, Fourth Hokage of Konoha, smiling, even up to the moment leading to his death.
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Hours later, Obito stood in Kakashi's door-frame. Sensei wanted me to visit him.
And so he had, but that did not mean he had to like it. Kakashi was sleeping in his bed. Obito walked up to him and swatted his head. That should do it. Sleeping, at a time like this.
Kakashi woke up in a flash, with a kunai aimed mere centimeters away from Obito's heart. Oh, yes. Kill me like you killed Rin, you bastard.
"It's me, you idiot. This is how you say hello to me, after what, like five years? God, I've changed, but you're still the same. You've always wanted to kill me, haven't you? Oh, and a pervert too." said Obito, glancing at the porn Kakashi had right next to his bed.
"..."
"And before you say it, this is not a fucking dream. I am alive. Big deal. I only came by to say hello." You killed Rin, you bastard.
"O-Obito? What the fu-"
"So yeah. I've done what he wanted," God, I can still see her lifeless body when I close my eyes, "so I'll get going now. We won't meet again." You killed Rin.
And just like that, he was gone, as silently as he came.
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Later the next day, a council meeting was in session. The purpose was supposedly to decide the candidates for the next Hokage, but everyone knew it had to do with Naruto. The vessel. The jailer of the tailed beast.
The farce had been going on for about an hour, and the Sandaime was growing tired of it all. He cleared his throat to get attention.
"Listen to me carefully, for I will not repeat this again. Naruto is Minato's sole living legacy. Danzo," the Sandaime gave Danzo a piercing look. Danzo stared back patiently, unfazed. "You have crossed the line too far this time. I will never condone using any person, whether it be a Jinchuriki or anybody else, to be used in the manner that you suggest, and as for you lot," the Sandaime turned to look at the rest of the council, "you seem to forget that I am the Hokage. You seem to have forgotten what the council stands for. You are not allowed to order me. You are, and always will be, advisors."
Sandaime stood up regally, and in a manner befitting that of a Kage, spoke loud and clear. "I believe that is all. The meeting is over."
There were murmurs and mutterings, of course, but everyone knew that the Sandaime was right. People shuffled out of the room in droves, until only the Hokage and Danzo were left.
"You are making a grave mistake, Sarutobi."
"...I believe I dismissed you, Danzo."
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Danzo was dead the next day, by a kunai to the heart. The murderer had left a note, the contents of which were simply: Tobi sends his regards.
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Author's Notes: Yes, Tobi is batman. I wrote this one pretty quick, actually, it seems that getting reviews/views/favs/alerts increases my writing power level over 9000. So, keep on doing it! There'll be Naruto in the next chapter, I promise! The update should be soon-ish, but it all depends on my muse really. I don't have a buffer ready. So no promises, but next week. Or tomorrow. I don't know.