A/N: Thank you, everyone! I'm glad my first story as so many people who like it. And sorry about the whole Deidara Sympathy device, I will attempt to keep things a little more neutral. And I know nothing about Zetsu, so I apologize. I'm going to take a vote: do you want Tobi/Obito or Tobi/Madara?


If one thing could be said for Tobi, it would be that he was persistent. Not in the sense that if he wanted something, no one could stop him, but in the sense of getting to know people. You see, Tobi believed that you could learn to like anyone, as long as you had an open mind. All you had to do was talk to them, and know where they're coming from, you can understand them and respect them. That is how Tobi was able to stay with Zetsu, he was able to understand the plant man. After all, Zetsu was his own partner for a good reason.

Another thing that made Tobi likeable was the fact he didn't ask for much. As long as he could keep his mask on, he was always happy. He seemed almost childlike in his acceptance of others, and mature in his needs. At times, it seemed that only two things were needed for Tobi's happiness: his mask and others' happiness.

Perhaps all of these things attracted the plant man to Tobi. Zetsu rarely could stand the presence of anyone, let alone someone like Tobi. And yet, there they were, walking together. "Zetsu?" Tobi asked, piping up for the first time in hours.

"Yes, Tobi?" replied Zetsu's kinder side.

"Do you think I'll get into the Akatsuki?" he asked. Zetsu shrugged his plant-laden shoulders.

"It depends, Tobi. We don't necessarily hire upon openings, but I suppose Deidara does need a partner," Zetsu paused. "why are you asking?"

"Oh, I don't know," Tobi said whistfully. "if I do get in, does that mean I'll be taking Akasuna-no-Sasori's place?"

"Why?" Zetsu's black side asked suspiciously.

"I was just wondering," Tobi replied happily, evidently unperturbed by his sensei's suspicion. Zetsu gave a slight twitch that could've been taken for a nod and they continued on in silence.

It was an hour since their last little conversation, and finally they reached Akatsuki HQ. They stood at the entrance, and soon enough Pein was standing before them, cloaked in shadow. Zetsu bowed his head slightly. "Pein-sama," he said, voice soft. "Tobi wishes to join our ranks,." Pein looked Tobi over, sizing him up.

"Do you think he should join?" Pein asked. Zetsu shrugged.

"I think he has potential," Zetsu said vaguely. Pein rolled his eyes, questioning his choice of evil villains yet again.

"Anything more specific?" he asked.

"No, not really. He doesn't really give up, though, pretty persistent," Zetsu elaborated once he noticed the slight twitch in Pein-sama's eye.

"Right, then. Tobi, come with me," Pein turned and walked away from the hideout, into the surrounding forest. Zetsu knew he was not welcomed and seated himself on a rock.

"Tobi is a good boy," Zetsu's white side said.

"You said he was persistent, but is that enough? We both know Tobi doesn't fight that well," Zetsu's black side pointed out.

"Tobi has a little fighting skill," Zetsu's white side said. "enough to be a ninja, so there shouldn't be a problem,"

"Do you think Tobi wants to move up and become an Akatsuki enough to impress Pein-sama?" Zetsu's black side asked bluntly.

"Do you think Tobi should move up and become an Akatsuki enough to impress Pein-sama?" Zetsu's white side shot back.

"I don't know," his black side admitted. "he seems completely useless, but then again. . ."

"You still wonder about that?" Zetsu's white side asked.

"As an Akatsuki member, we should remember every little detail. That night is not something we can overlook so easily," his black side stated. "it was out of character, and almost completely random. And Tobi doesn't remember it,"

"And you insist on remembering it?" questioned his white side.

"Absolutely," his black side stated without hesitation.


It was a calm summer night, the kind where the air hangs humidly and insects buzz lazily around. It was the kind of night you forget your worries and kick back with a cool drink and relax. At least, for normal people. Not Akatsuki. Zetsu was coming back to HQ from a mission and arguing quietly with himself about whether or not he had been subtle enough, and Tobi was keeping his distance from the plant man, not wanting to become a snack. They were only about a day's walk from HQ, but it was getting late so Zetsu, both sides of him, decided to stop for the night. They pitched camp in the forest, a very secluded little clearing that had many escape routes, in case of attack. Tobi knew his sensei was tired, so he offered to stand watch. This set off another bout of arguing of Zetsu with himself, but eventually Tobi was allowed to stand guard while Zetsu slept.

"I don't think he could handle an attack," Zetsu's black side whispered to his white.

"Don't worry, we'll stay awake and listen," Zetsu's white side said. But of course, Zetsu was so very tired, and eventually his eyelids began to droop and within an hour he was asleep. So much for staying up.

It was almost 1:00 in the morning when Zetsu awoke with a start, not knowing what exactly had woken him. He quickly scanned the camp and shot to his feet, more alarmed than he had been for a long while. Tobi was standing, staring as blankly as Zetsu at two ANBU, dead ANBU, at his feet. "Tobi, what happened?" shrieked his black side, rushing over to Tobi. Tobi looked up at him blankly.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "I was keeping guard, just like I said I would, when I heard a noise. I turned to look, and then the next thing I know I'm standing here. . .with them. . ." he gestured at the corpses. Zetsu blinked, too confused to form a question.

"You remember nothing?" asked his white side. Tobi shook his head.

"Not even darkness. It's like I skipped time or something. . ." Tobi looked off into the forest, trailing away from his sentence. Zetsu remained silent for a full minute, letting Tobi try and remember. When he realized that Tobi was not going to remember, he took the situation into his own hands.

"Get cleaned off, I'll clean up here," he ordered. Tobi looked down at himself and jumped slightly when he realized he was covered in blood. He looked to Zetsu in confusion.

"How did that. . .?"

"There's a creek nearby. I'll expect you back in ten minutes," Zetsu said. Tobi nodded and scurried off. Once Zetsu was positive he was gone, he quickly devoured the bodies and then sat on a rock to mull things over.

"Tobi doesn't remember what happened," Zetsu's white side said.

"Are you sure he wasn't lying?" asked Zetsu's black side skeptically.

"No, he was as confused as we were," Zetsu's white side said. "and he has no reason to lie, he knows we don't care if he killed them,"

"Then how do you suppose he doesn't remember? Did he hit his head while fighting? And why weren't we awaken by the fight?" Zetsu's black side shot.

"Maybe they put a jutsu on us?" suggested his white side. "And hit Tobi's head?" Zetsu shook his head.

"I'm not convinced," his black side said. "it doesn't add up," And his white side, though did not verbally state it, agreed. It didn't add up.


That was the only incident where Tobi did something he didn't remember. Usually he had a very keen memory, he could say almost everything that had happened since he had met Zetsu. But anything before that was completely gone. It wasn't that it was fuzzy, or not as sharp, it just simply wasn't there. Zetsu had assumed it was a severe brain trauma, erasing everything except the basics. Tobi hadn't even known his own name. And thus Zetsu had accepted him, naming him, and teaching him what he had forgotten.

But there were some times when Tobi performed a miraculous feet of ninja excellence, and had no idea how he did it. He told Zetsu he could remember some moves that other people used just by looking at them, and had probably seen them before he met Zetsu, and only his body could remember. Zetsu had begrudgingly accepted this, for it was the only logical explanation for his random strokes of genius.


"Zetsu-sensei!" Tobi cried, running from the forest with Pein following slowly behind him. "I'm in the Akatsuki!" he showed his sensei his ring. "And I'm going to be Deidara-san's partner!" Zetsu turned to Pein and quirked an eyebrow.

"I believe he will be able to help turn the Akatsuki around," he said, his voice low.

"I see," Zetsu's white side said. Zetsu may not know his employer that well, but he could practically read Pein's intentions. It had something to do with what Tobi could not remember. Pein stalked off into the head quarters, unaware that Zetsu could read his mind.


A/N: I'm sorry! I know it sucked! And just for your convenience, here's the lyrics to 'Read My Mind': /read-my-mind-lyrics-the-killers.html

Please review and tell me which Tobi you like best!