The interior of the cave itself seemed oppressive. The only light available streamed in from the entrance, although the openness of the interior allowed that little light to eliminate the darkest of the areas still leaving everything in a gloom. The floor was flat hard packed dirt over stone. The curved walls were made of irregularly shaped stones stacked to give it a structure that attempted to be natural but failed to do so to a keen eye. The smell was sterile dust but not quite stale.. Against the rear of the cavern was the trunk of a moderate tree. A brunette girl tied to the tree had nothing but a blank expression. Another Iwa nin yanked her head back by her short hair. He grinned.
"My, your a stubborn one aren't you?"
A gust of wind announced a change. He turned his head expecting to greet his own teammate but instead two smaller figures flickered into view between him and the exit. His eyebrow twitched.
"Hmm, they're all so pathetic"
Obito examined what he could see. His new eyes revealed more to him than the others. He resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow in wonder, realizing he could see better here than the teme. The last enemy nin stepped away from the tree in the back revealing their missing member. Rin was securely tied to the trunk, but it barely even seemed needed if the blank stare was anything to go by. He could see the flow of her chakra seemed to fluctuate erratically compared to Kakashi's or his.
"The flow of Rin's chakra is disturbed. It's different from yours or mine."
"Most likely a genjutsu. They didn't waste any time trying to get information out of her." Kakashi replied.
The Iwa nin stood regarding them for a moment. His frizzy hair matted with dirt as he observed their movement with beady eyes.
"Guess there not just kids" he stated to himself.
"This is the one we fought before, He's fast... Stay alert" Kakashi said
"Right then!"
Kakashi put on a burst of speed darting forward and drawing his fathers blade. Obito followed closely, kunai in hand. Sparks began to fly as the two younger nin battled their more experienced enemy.
Obito and Kakashi showing the teamwork their village was famous for. Kakashi starting with rapid strikes and leaping back as a counter attack came at him, Obito leaping in from the side to interrupt the counter. The obito spun out of the way as Kakashi flipped back in. Each flowing in and out of range of the Iwagakure ninja and sometimes attacking in tandem.
Their enemy showed no signs of becoming frustrated yet. Obito saw the scissor strike before it even began and leaned back to let both arms pass over him unhindered. Kakashi already coming in from behind Obito to take advantage of a perceived opening in the enemies defenses.
The young Uchiha narrowed his newfound eyes seeing the fore shadowing of the blades reversing direction to slice into his friend. He quickly placed both palms on the dirt behind him and brought his feet up and apart, striking the enemies biceps, stopping his counter in its tracks. As Kakashi passed over him making a strike Obito rolled his pelvis into flip backward underneath his team mate.
When he came back to his feet the Frizzy headed enemy was collapsing to the ground as Kakashi lept from his back to Rin. Quickly following he made it to their side just as Kakashi formed a handseal and with a burst of chakra reset Rin's flow.
Light came back into her eyes and her she smiled seeing both of her team mates had come to her rescue.
"Kakashi.. Obito.."
"We came to save you Rin."
"You'll be alright now!" Obito assured her.
Kakashi nodded "Allright, let's get out of here" he leaned around her to cut the bindings.
Rin glanced over at Obito with wide eyes as she noticed the new tomoe in his iris'.
"Obito..." she smiled.
"Ah!, I'll surpass him now. Just you watch." He grinned
"I'm always watching Obito" she stated firmly.
The ropes fell loose and she stood rubbing her ankles.
"Guess your just kids after all. Despite your good teamwork... Right now your in enemy hands!"
The team had varying reactions. Rin froze as she spotted the Iwa nin starting to stand. Kakashi turn to regard him warily, but Obito spun and bared his teeth. Obito memorized the seals on instinct and watched the flow and moulding of the chakra. Their enemy wasted no time and form a series of 3 hand seals before slammed a hand to the ground and declaring the attack.
"Doton: Iwayado Kuzushi!" (Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction/Earth Style: Rock Breaker)
The enter cavern shook constantly as the enemy made his escape.
"Move! its coming down!" Obito shouted.
Making sure Rin and Kakashi preceded him Obito followed up. Dust and debris started to fill the air. For once dust really did get into his eyes. Keeping them open despite the tears he saw Kakashi get stuck on the blind side by a falling stone and stumble. He could see the fore image of the falling boulder. He jumped forward and grabbed Kakashi's arm intending to fling him free. "Look out!" he called and time seemed to slow. He made eye contact with Kakashi. Their gazes locked in a frozen moment of time. Each completely understanding the other for the first time in their lives, they connected in a new way.
Memories and emotion passed. Kakashi training with his father. Obito training alone. The tears and raw feeling each time Obito trained alone in a field, desperate to catch up. To prove himself worthy of his parents memories as they were told by his grandmother. Kakashi's ambivalence towards the life of a ninja, it was simply expected of him. He had his fathers footsteps to follow and the shadow to live in. Obito finally understood the pressure he was under as a child and the thin shell he exposed to everyone around him. Watching the ridicule of nin to his father. A small masked child finding the corpse of his father. That thin shell hardened into a shield as he clung to the rules. Obito finally finding acceptance in the eyes of rin. Another precious person to watch over him and for him to protect. That was Obito's purpose in life. To protect those who meant the world to him, Kakashi included.
Kakashi reversed their grip and spun around tossing Obito free of the falling boulders. Time froze and Obito watched helplessly as he saw Kakashi's eyes soften for the first time ever. And he was gone. The billowing cloud of dust crashing into him as he landed next to Rin.
"KAKASHI!"
"Yo... Are you guys all right?" Croaked Kakashi
Obito rushed over to his teammate.
Kakashi was in bad shape. Blood was already oozing into a puddle around him. The boulder concealed half of his face and his only good eye. The right arm and side of his chest were completely beneath the stone, as were his legs. There was probably no saving him. Obito grit his teeth and strained against the weight of the rock. Trying to get leverage to move it and pull Kakashi out.
"Damnit!, Damnit damnit!" he screamed.
"It's no use dobe" kakashi managed to cough up more blood "I won't make it and we both know it..."
A shrill scream from the side and Rin slid over to Kakashi. She was gripping his hand hard. She began to form hand seals, until Kakashi's hand slapped her. Stopping the jutsu.
"Don't waste your chakra Rin... You will need it" Another spasm wracked Kakashi's body and the parts of his belly not under the stone bulged obscenely.
Obito felt the hot tears streaming down his face. "Don't you dare give up you bastard! We still have a mission and you're not allowed to give up. It's against the rules!"
A rare chuckle escaped Kakashi, "I don't have much choice, I can't go on. But neither am I giving up." Obito dropped to his knees.
Rin spoke through her tears "What do you mean?"
Kakashi twisted his hand up and pulled the sheath from his own back.
"You were right Obito, I can see that now"
Kakashi smiled, "My father was a hero, his decision on that mission was the right one. But I cannot carry on his will. His death broke my spirit"
"Kakashi..." Rin collapsed onto Kakashi's chest and sobbed.
Kakashi held out the sheathed blade for his friend. "Take it Obito, I cannot carry on the will of fire from the White Fang. I was never good enough for that. Your will of fire burns brighter than mine ever did. Carry his blade, his will, with you. For my sake. Protect them all..."
Rin raised her face to look at Obito tears streaming down his currently bland face. He slowly reached out and grabbed it along with Kakashi's hand. "You're wrong you idiot." He closed his eyes. "Today you will burned brighter than ever. It's your will I carry too. This is the second blade you have given me today.."
Kakashi smiled beneath his mask again. "Ah, it is... Thank you for the gifts today. You've ensured these tools have a use. To protect those precious to us."
Rin's eyes widened.
Obito. Strapped the blade To his back and grimaced. "If you don't mind, I'll just use the first one for this next fight. His eyes shot open revealing his active Sharingan once again. Hands flashing through seals he gripped one wrist as blinding light erupted from his palm and the sound of one thousand birds assaulted their ears.
"CHIDORI!"
"Obito, you..." Rin's eyes could not have opened wider as she watched Obito shoot up the wall and blast a boulder high up into nothing. Then he disappeared into the sunlight outside.
The sounds faded into the background leaving Rin holding the hand over her loved one.
Kakashi's Body was wracked with spasms again as he coughed more blood up, the pool around his body slowly growing.
"Kakashi... You can't go, I .."
"I was a horrible person Rin. I tried to abandon you."
"But you came back..."
"I chased Obito after he chewed me out and disobeyed my orders, Rin..."
"But you were here in the end!" She pleaded
"Don't make excuses for me, I abandoned you. I couldn't return anyone's feelings... Let alone yours."
A series of coughing and stopped him from continuing much. Rin went through the signs for her medical jutsu again and placed her glowing hands above his chest. The spasms stopped.
"I thought I told you not to waste your chakra?"
"I'm just relieving the pain... Can't you allow me to do at least that?
"... Rin. I can't... There is another who could return you're love if you gave it."
Rin turned her head away
"I lo.."
"RIN! I can't... And I won't make it. He... He's been alone for most of his life. The only exception is a grandmother... And you..."
Rin's sight blurred with the tears flowing.
"He's out there now, he'll die for you rather than completing the mission if he thinks that's the choice. You have to keep him in line"
Her eyes widened "Kakashi, what are you saying?"
"My last order. Make sure he completes the mission. Konoha needs to be protected, this mission is a step to ensure that safety. It's my last wish..."
"Okay"