"Sorry guys! I didn't mean to be late!"
"Didn't mean to be late? You're always late!"
"Really, I never mean to be late though!"
The trivial argument between the two young men continued until the thud of a kunai thrown into the ground between them ended it. From a nearby tree, another man crouched, this one in a mask and a uniform of white and black. He took a magnificent leap, his long, black hair flowing in the breeze, and landed near the two conflicting men.
"Takachi, you think you're really something, don't you? Ever since they made you an ANBU Captain, all we ever hear about is the great Takachi Uchiha," sneered one of the men. He hand long black hair in a ponytail and wore a loose outfit of white. The most peculiar feature about him were his eyes, the sclera black and pupils white. A Leaf Village headband sat on the forehead of this Kuro Hyuga.
"Jealousy isn't fitting of you, Kuro. So Obito was late again?" answered the masked Takachi coolly.
"I didn't mean to! Father and I visited the memorial…" contested the other shinobi. Obito Hatake too wore a Leaf Village headband, and his tall, white hair flopped slightly to the side. He looked opposite of Kuro, in a fitting black suit, his face masked. One of the few visible things on his face were his black, imposing eyes.
"Like he does everyday. Kakashi is always staring at the inscription of at Obito Uchiha's name. No wonder he named his son after him." Kuro continued. Obito started forward but the palm of Takachi pressed him back.
"Enough. We need to save our energy for today's mission. We are the strongest team of Jounin's in the Leaf, and Lord Hokage specifically asked us to do this job. It is one of great importance."
"Now that Obito's here, we don't have to wait. Let's go already," Kuro finished, and the three shinobi darted out, away from their homes in the Leaf Village.
-
Interesting… Very interesting…
Roku examined a page of his information. There are three great Doujutsu's in the world… I possess the Rin'negan… What about the two others?
Roku closed his book. The original sealing statue must have been destroyed… How else could the Bijuu have gotten back into the world? Another one must be constructed, but he could not do that alone… Someone from the Hidden Rock Village would be more knowledgeable in that type of thing.
He descended down into the pod room and looked into the six occupied pods. The men inside all had auburn hair, like him, and a number of piercings on their face, save one. The white haired man… The first one he had ever seen… He must be Project Kosshi. There was no sign of consciousness for the man in the pod
Roku ascended back to the study and looked to the door opposite the staircase. This is it… he thought. The first followers will be the hardest to find… But I know which village to start with… It must be…
-
It was night in the village. The wind whistled as it blew through the trees. The only other sound in the night air was the soft thud of sandals against road. The three shinobi had returned.
"That was one hell of a mission," Obito sighed, holding a pad of gauze against a deep stab wound in his arm.
"Obito, you wuss. You weren't even in the front lines!" contested Kuro, who had several scratches along his arms and legs, his sleeves and pant legs in shreds.
Takachi walked between the two, gripping the shoulders of them both roughly. The other two jerked to attention, Kuro, silently cursing as he activated his Byakugan and Obito, who turned and took up a defensive position where Takachi had been standing. The latter had disappeared.
"So I've been spotted. You guys are very clever."
Out, literally, from the shadow of a tree stepped the man. He had long auburn hair in a ponytail, and a number of piercings on his face. Most of his body was hidden under a red cloak with a thick black stripe at the waist. Red clouds decorated this stripe. The gray, concentric eyes piercingly glared at the two
"His eyes! What are they? Neji-sensei told us of two Doujutsus!" Obito cried out as the Rin'negan heir appeared.
"Father isn't the kind to forget important information," Kuro answered. "Who are you?"
"I am no foe of yours, not yet," the newcomer started, "I am Roku, of the Hidden Rain Village. I am the heir to all that was Akatsuki. As such, I need followers." He held up three rings in his palm, with the kanji's of 'White,' 'Scarlet,' and 'Boar.' "I have been watching you, Kuro Hyuga and Obito Hatake. You are the strongest Jounin in the Leaf Village, and I value that. Do not become my enemies."
From the top of the tree Roku walked out from under, Takachi sprang, kunai in hand, towards the lone Akatsuki member. Another figure shot out from another tree and collided in mid air with Takachi. The two other Leaf shinobi watched, terrified, as their comrade went down under another person.
Takachi struggled somewhat, but he was subdued. His captor also had auburn hair and piercings, but the hair was spiked and the piercings varied. Otherwise, he strongly resembled the man with the rings, down to the outfit, headband, and the gray, concentric eyes.
"I told you not to resist. Takachi, there is an incentive for you," mused the spiky haired captor. He wrenched the mask from Takachi's face. The Sharingan burned bright in both eyes, and a Leaf Village headband sat on his forehead. Deep wrinkles ran under each eye.
"Just as I thought. Takachi, do you know of the lies the Leaf Village has fed you?" spoke the captor. Kuro's blinked in confusion, but Obito swallowed, his stance shaky.
"What lies?!" Takachi cried as he tried to struggle from his captor's hold.
"You are the son of Sasuke Uchiha… Isn't that what they told you?" he continued.
This time, Obito cried out, "Don't tell him!"
"Tell me what? What is it!?"
"Those eyes… Those are not the eyes of Sasuke Uchiha… That look… It is obvious… Your true father is Itachi Uchiha."
Takachi grew weak. Itachi? But Sasuke had told him that Itachi was dead, that he had killed him…
It sank in. Itachi died 25 years ago, and Takachi was 25. Takachi did not look like his brother or sisters. Takachi had not shared the desire to rebuild the Uchiha clan, like Sasuke and his children.
"This," spoke Roku, as he approached Takachi with the ring that read 'Scarlet' "belongs to your father. Rightfully, it is yours, if you join me."
Takachi's eyes shut tight. This was too much. For 25 years, he had been deceived. Everything he thought was home was a lie. Takachi raise his kunai to his forehead protector and slashed through the symbol of the Leaf. A small smile spread on Roku's lips as he set the 'Scarlet' ring in Takachi's hand, the spiky haired man releasing Takachi.
"Any other takers?" spoke Roku.
"Who is that with you? Who is the other man?" Obito asked, looking to the spiky haired man
"I am Roku, of course," came the answer. Obito took another step back, but soon crumbled to his knees. Kuro had delivered four swift blows with his Gentle Fist.
"You knew, didn't you Obito? You knew about Takachi and you didn't tell us. You are a traitor to us. We part ways here." Kuro took the kunai from Obito's hand, with no resistance, and slashed his own headband. He approached the longhaired one, and Roku placed the ring, 'White' in his palm.
The longhaired Roku tossed the unclaimed ring to the spiky haired counterpart before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. The remaining, spiky haired Roku pocketed it. "Come. We must find others." He added with a small laugh "The Sharingan and the Byakugan… I didn't expect to have this much luck."
Obito gurgled helplessly as the three men walked away.
-
So much noise. A man with long auburn hair. He was on the outside… Why am I on the inside?
A long, white spear shot out from one of the pods. The glass was decimated, as if paper. The spear sank back into the pod and a white haired man rose from the pod. His palm was bloody. He had tribal markings on his face, but most interesting were the lines on his chest. There were three, which spun out from a center point. He could feel a high amount of chakra accumulated in this area.
Miles and miles from the Leaf Village, Project Kosshi came to life.
Next Chapter: Resurrection