"Obito..."
Rin's arm was still extended out towards him, waiting and wanting.
"The man she wanted to stand beside and watch over...isn't you. It was Uchiha Obito."
"You don't know what happened after your ' died ' Rin. A lot has changed. I have changed. "
"Obito..."
He clenched his teeth.
"You weren't even dead, were you?" he whispered. Then louder.
"After all those years of mourning you! You come back from the damn dead, and now you're telling me that I've changed?! You're the one who chose to die at the hands of the man you loved after being forced becoming the host of the Three-Tails! Don't act as though you're feelings are hurt, because let me tell you something you have a perverse way of looking at what's right and wrong!
"You were dead! Dead, never coming back. And I blamed Kakashi, whom I trusted to protect you with his life and you took that away by taking your own, all for the sake of your precious village! Don't try and change me now... it's too late."
It was her turn now.
"I thought you of all people would understand! They were going to destroy Konoha! I couldn't let them use me like that! What happened to you? The boy who took pride in his clan and wanted to become Hokage!? What do you plan on achieving by doing this?"
…
…
…
"Is that all you have to say? Is that how you feel, Obito?"
She was startled by his low chuckle.
"I plan on creating a world where you never would have died in the first place... as far as I'm concerned, you're not even her. This world is nothing but an illusion filled with false hopes and dreams. There's only what you give the world and what the world takes from you."
"Obito..."
He paused.
"Will you at least let me explain...? Please? Do you think had I not been an unwilling host I would have killed myself? I was caught in the in-between... you're telling me you wouldn't have done the same thing? The old you... I can't even compare anymore. You're a stranger."
"And you're an imposter," he mustered all the venom and cold into those words. Rin swiftly dodged a blow, leaping backwards far away from him.
He choked Naruto with his other arm. Rin watched by, in horror.
Her mind recalled her resurrection from the dead all those years ago.
She huddled in the darkness, hugging her knees to her chest. She rocked back and forth, a constant motion as she rubbed her hands up and down her legs.
Rin. Rin. Rin.
Her name was Rin. She had to keep repeating it or else she would forget.
She woke up from her dream, her blurry vision focusing on white walls. Her vision cleared. Where was she?
She sat a little straighter, then cried out at the pain in her chest. She touched the center and winced, feeling a large surgical scar there where her heart should have been. Then she remembered the events; she was suppose to be dead. How was she still alive?
She examined her room, a plain hospital-like bedroom. In the far corner she noticed a tall man with short, unkempt dull pink hair, a goatee, and glasses. He closed the novel he was reading, then when he noticed her existence he smiled warmly.
"You're awake. I'm glad, I almost thought the procedure wouldn't work."
"What procedure? Who are you?"
She pulled the hospital gown she was wearing down a little, hating how thin it was.
"I am Sato Tatsuya. I found your body after... you know... and took it with me here. Good thing you weren't entirely dead. I reconstructed your heart using DNA, of which was my own. To see you on your two feet is a miracle, I thought you would faint."
Rin was shocked. "You... brought me back to life?"
"I wouldn't say that, dear." He crossed his fingers, eying her.
"I am not a god, nor am I one of the immortals. Just the average scientist; an ordinary man. You're my first success, out of the sixty-six that have died, you live. Well, for now at least."
She gulped.
"Sixty-six.."
"Yes. Let me explain later, we need to get you into bed as soon as possible."
He lifted her bridal style, carrying her across the room in three easy strides. He gently laid her on the soft mattress, pulling the blanket up to her waist.
"Be careful not to move so much... and don't get too excited either. If you live long enough, there's still the rehabilitation you have to go through so that your body adjusts."
Rin obeyed. She touched the center of her chest.
"I was dead... I made sure of that... how did you...?"
"All in due time, dear. All in due time. Sorry, I know you have a name... what exactly is it?"
"Rin. Nohara Rin."
"Pleasure to meet you, Rin Nohara. I might as well tell you that you've been out for the past two days now."
He was kidding, right? There's no way she could have been out for two whole days. There wasn't a window or two in here so she couldn't tell if it was day or night. She had been officially ' dead ' for two days.
"Kakashi... the village... the Three-Tails..."
"Kakashi Hatake? There is no point in going to see him or anyone else in your precious village. Oh, by the way, when I said two days I actually meant two months. The only thing that was keeping you alive was that machine over there... once I saw that you were coming through I unplugged you. Though I feared you'd be a vegetable. "
"Two months?! That can't be..."
Finally, Rin touched her hair. It had grown longer. Not to mention the scar on her chest, though still sore, it hadn't looked exactly two months or less old. Fear shrouded her and she stared at Tatsuya again, looking for answers.
"Then again... I'm not sure if it was two months..."
Rin deadpanned. "You're suppose to be a scientist. Which is it, two months or two days?"
Tatsuya chuckled. "It's only been a day. I'm serious. I took you here and replaced your corpse with a fake. I swore the ANBU to secrecy and the Hokage to keep your death a secret. The Rin Nohara everyone thinks is dead... it's amazing what people will believe these days."
Rin saddened.
"I guess there's no chance of me ever going back to the village, right?"
"Yes. Oh, by the way, I didn't put you on life support. You're a lucky one. I had to do that to the other sixty-six like you whom I thought I had saved, but they all slowly died one by one. I almost gave up hope. I almost didn't take you back to my lab because you'd be sixty-seven on the list and you'd die too; now I see my prediction was not true. It's a good thing you're young. Worked in my favor."
He was an odd one this man. He saved her life; practically bringing her back from the dead. He had given her a new heart. It was thanks to him she was alive. Although she had chosen to die an honorable death, the entire surprise of her revival had her blood coursing through her veins.
"I'm not some guinea pig, am I?" she gritted out.
Suddenly, he threw back his head and laughed.
"No, not at all. You've been watching too many movies. You could say in a way you inspired me. I saw potential in you, how you bravely died at the hands of a comrade without the least hesitation where others would have not done the same thing as you. You have honor, integrity, you know what the true meaning of sacrifice means... which is why I brought you back without having to use Edo Tensei."
Had he really planned on making her one of the walking dead?
"You're okay physically. You have bruising on your chest still and there's no doubt you'll be sore for a few more days, but you'll be fine."
Rin blushed.
"Um... where are my clothes? Did you dress me?"
"I threw them away and sent someone to get you new ones. Do not worry," an amused grin plastered on his handsome intelligent face.
"I didn't see anything..."
To avoid further awkwardness, she changed the subject.
"Thank you for saving my life... really. I never expected to be save, I just wanted to save my village was all... to protect my friends and family... if there is anyway I can repay you..."
"There's no need to repay me, Rin. You already have, just be being alive. I can't promise you you'll live long, but it's good enough. If you reach adulthood, you'll very much reach to old age and die peacefully once again."
Rin took the opportunity to study him. He was a large man, a tall man at that. He was quite handsome but he had to be at least old enough to be her own father.
"Are you hurting?"
She shook her head.
"May I ask where are we?"
"In my hideout in Kirigakure. Ironic to be in the same village that made you an unwilling host. However, there was this one boy that stayed behind after the Kiri-nin were all slaughtered."
"A boy..."
"Yes... this may come as a shock, but it was your old friend Obito Uchiha. He cradled your body and promised that he would make a world where you were alive again. Foolish boy."
She sat up on her knees in bed.
"Obito? But that's impossible... no... I saw him... die..."
"As I said before, all in due time I'll explain everything. What you need now is rest. You're safe now, Rin. Do you understand that?"
She nodded, her throat too constricted to say anything.
He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead, in a way a father would to his own daughter; and then he withdrew.
"Rest, that's an order."
"Let go of him Obito!"
Naruto struggled. "Don't be a hero Rin-san!"
"I'm perfectly fine on this side of the fence..." he said coldly.
"Let him go!"
Rin gritted her teeth.
"I'm going to do whatever it takes... you can push me away with whatever hatred you have against me, I'll just keep coming back."
"Get away..."
"No, I'm not leaving. I know you're underneath there. You're not entirely gone, Obito. I know seeing me is like adding salt to the wound; you haven't gotten rid of your humanity."
"Don't talk as though you know... imposter... you have no idea what I've gotten rid of."
Rin sighed.
"You're right, I don't. But now, you don't seem to have a problem with what getting rid of what you don't want, do you?"
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…
"Like me."
"..."
"You got rid of not just me, but the memories you had of your life... and the memories you had of us as Team Minato. You've hurt yourself... so much it's left you empty and now your views of the world... the way you want it... it's all nothing but a fantasy. Sometimes a fantasy can not fulfill a wish."
He still remained silent.
"So go ahead. Hate me, I don't care. I can't change you... this all started out because of me, but now that I'm here... alive, flesh and blood, you can't just accept that. Naruto... is it because you reminds you of whom you once were? Honestly, I miss that boy. I could go on and on... my words won't reach you. No matter what, whether I'm an imposter... just know that..."
She reached out an arm, her hand going forward, her fingers splayed out. Her fingers came gently in contact with his chest, laying onto his heart.
"I'm still looking after you... because you're still Uchiha Obito."
