Title: Halcyon Youth: Orange Goggles

The moon sure is bright when it's full. I rest once more beneath the tree in the Hatake's yard. I can't sleep, I don't know why but I can't. So instead I have wandered out here into the yard to rest beneath the tree and simply stare up at the moon. It's bright, and a full circle hanging suspended up in the night sky. Stars glimmer and sparkle around it and I find myself taking deeper breaths than usual.

It's a peaceful night really. Only a faint breeze and I curl my bare feet a bit resting my back against the trunk of the tree behind me. Here I am shielded from the world, here I am safe. Small and insignificant in the face of the multiverse but safe and the night is peaceful. Quiet and undisturbed.

Listening to the night sounds this time around is soothing, a couple of crickets, an owl or two. It's peaceful and I find that I just want to rest here for now.

I'm not likely to be sleeping soon staring up at the moon the way that I am. But I don't really think that I want to sleep. Not right now, not when I'm simply feeling the way that the world keeps turning. Even here the world spins around and around never stopping.

Let the world keep spinning.

I close my eyes and rest my head back the tree bark surprisingly comforting beneath my head. Opening my eyes back up they soon come to rest on the moon again.

It's almost chilling to recall how central the moon is to the disaster that the future could become. The reflection for the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and the fact that it was created by Hamura and Hagoromo. Nothing at all like the tales that I was told in my previous life.

Seven days. Seven Metaphorical days is how long it took for the world to be created, with each day equating to something like one thousand years. One thousand circuits of the earth around the sun, times seven. That's how long it took to make the world. I don't know if this world has a similar backstory. Oh I'm sure there are some religions that would draw attention to such tales but still.

The moon was man made here.

Or alien made.

I shiver a bit at the thought. Technically we're aliens. All who're descended from Kaguya, we're all aliens technically speaking. From who knows where, it's actually really weird to think about honestly. Because what the hell does it mean, chakra was already foreign, already different. And hell I'm a reincarnation and then you bring in the fact that Kaguya was stated to be an extra-terrestrial...

My eyes dart away from the moon and instead look down at my hands. I spread them out and then curl them back up.

It doesn't matter.

It shouldn't matter.

Yet it still makes me feel weird. Reminds me that no matter how much the world has forgotten it's still likely incredibly important. Important to know, important to never forget. My right hand clenches into a fist and I close my eyes gritting my teeth before opening them back up and glaring at the moon. No matter what happens my path is already well on the way to being set. I don't think that I'll ever share canon Obito's dream of being Hokage.

But I will be a defender and hero of the village. I'll never be a traitor, and I'm sure...

"Shi-shiiou Kage!" I'll make sure that Kushina gets the chance to achieve what was once her dream in the prime timeline. There's no way that I'm not going to push for it. And under the moonlight this is where my resolve for those goals firms up. With the wind brushing across my skin and tossing my hair around. With the tree shielding me and ripples spreading out through the sand that rests under the rock garden. "pro-miss!" I growl barring my teeth into a grin before standing up bare feet curling a bit in the moist ground.

I pause for a moment before moving when I think that I see something and turn my head to see if I can actually determine what it is. All is still and I narrow my eyes is that the faintest glimmer of gold. I blink and the area is completely clear. I frown and tilt my head before turning and quickly make my way back into the house.

For some reason, I feel just a little bit less safe in the yard than I was mere moments ago.

A few days later I find myself staring rather blankly at the rather painfully familiar orange goggles that my Okaasan is holding out to me. Orange, with ear covers and I feel a familiar tightening in my chest and throat. I slowly rise my head up and look up into my Okaasan's face.

I don't quite know what to do here.

Should I accept them, reject them. They mean so much just because of what they instantly bring to my mind. And yet, they're such an central part to who Obito is. They're signature. And slowly, slowly I reach out and curl a hand over them. They're cool, and comfortable in my grasp. And something in me actually sings as I carefully tug them on and slip the covers over my ears. I don't know if it's a step in the right direction or not but some part of me is singing and dancing and they make me feel more whole than I was before.

I blink and then my mouth spreads into a grin and I wrap my arms around my Okaasan. I close my eyes and tuck my head against her chest and hum happily. I can feel it as Okaasan's hands come up and gently stroke my hair. I blink my eyes back open and peer up at her my smile half hidden due to the position that I'm in.

I'm actually glad that I accepted the goggles.

It's a huge step really, but the main reason I'm so happy. Okaasan looks so happy, and relieved. So does Otousan from where he's standing in the doorway. That relief makes me frown and I bring my hands up to try and ask about it.

"~Why relief? Something wrong?~" I look from Okaasan to Otousan and it takes them both only moments to sigh. Something is wrong and I frown my nose scrunching a bit in distaste. I don't like it when something is wrong. Especially because most times adults just don't tell their children about the situation. The simple fact is it's about trust and communication. Explaining the reason for a rule will actually help to motivate you to follow the rule after all. "~What wrong? Know to avoid...~" maybe a touch awkward, but they understand my meaning.

"There's a shadow following the clan. Stirring up old prejudices. Trying to destroy the clan from the inside." this sounds familiar and I frown wrinkling my nose and struggling to link it together. "So we decided to take precautions..." Otousan trails off and he actually coughs a bit and looks away.

"We've had these finished for a while." Okaasan continues gently tapping the rim of my goggles and I frown. "There are protective seals etched into the straps, and in case we were to die, we had left them with Netsu's Okaasan. Hana, your Obaachan." she explains and slowly something seems to make sense in my mind.

A present left by missing parents.

A shadow following the clan.

Kuro?

"Kuro... nima?" maybe I should have tried to sign that I actually grimace at how childish that sounds. I was trying to say nightmare, but it just didn't work. Yet in a way that makes too much sense, parents are perceptive like that, and I always wondered about Obito's status as an orphan... among other things. No proof, nothing solid, but it all seemed convenient. But then again, what in a story isn't when the author is making it up as they go?

Yet considering how my parents are...

It feels too planned having this inside perspective. Especially since they're still here.

"Maybe sweetie. Maybe." Okaasan says brushing my hair away from my forehead and gently kissing it. I laugh lightly at the affectionate gesture before sitting back, closing my eyes and tilting my head with a smile. "Now go on, don't you have another mission today?" she asks and my expression immediately goes from a happy smile to a grimace. Yes we do, and it's another sewer duty mission.

I still get up and cheerfully wave to my parents before strolling out. It's easy enough to find Kakashi and happily wave to him. He actually rolls his eyes and I poke my tongue out at him for it before fiddling with the side of my goggles automatically adjusting them much like I once did with my glasses a lifetime ago. It's such a familiar automatic action that I can feel the way that Kakashi just stops and stares at me for a handful of seconds.

"Eh?" I blink and look at him with confusion and he simply shakes his head before continuing on. I frown scrunch up my nose and finally shake it off and simply follow after him. It's probably best that I don't wonder what's going through his head. It's Kakashi's head after all and it's private.

Thoughts are private.

Emotions are private...

Maybe that's why Ninshu fell apart. People probably got a bit twitchy sharing everything with those around them... But then again, with Ninshu there would have had to have been some kind of limiter. Some kind of point where they could keep some things to themselves... If only the art hadn't been more or less completely lost. Still something to think and wonder about I suppose. Lack of privacy for thoughts and feelings aside there are other reasons that it could have fallen apart.

Then again, I still have some issues with how inherently intimate the concept of ninshu is. Mixing chakra, trusting someone enough to even think of doing that. Considering the culture of my original life, and then tossing me into this society built on paranoia. Ninshu is kind of a hardball concept.

I have some ideas, some theories for what we could do with it. Ranging from telepathy to communication with animals, connecting to them. But still.

The problem is trust, outside of my immediate circle. And even in that circle, I can't really think of anyone who I would honestly trust with that much knowledge about who I am. What I'm made of and my inner most thoughts and feelings. I'm still only barely adjusted to the world itself. I don't think that I truly accepted my identity as Obito until the first two weeks after graduation after all.

I shake my head vigorously as we spot Kushina-shishou and Rin-chan ahead of us. My expression shifts into a wide grin and I run forwards to greet them both happily. I may not be the happiest with the mission. With being stuck doing sewer duty but at the same time. Spending time with my team is the greatest feeling ever. Especially because I'm finally accepting the world, I'm finally moving past all the guilt and stuff.

Mostly, but being with my team is still the greatest feeling ever. Rin still kind of unsettles me with her understanding and kindness. But she's still my team mate. Kakashi is as Kakashi as ever and Kushina-shishou is one of the craziest teachers that they could have given us, but that's what makes her the best one for us. It's so hard to explain, but it feels just as good as being with my parents when I'm with my team... they're family.

Team is family.

So I find myself grinning and kind of bouncing in place much to the amusement of the rest of the team. As much as I hate the D-Rank missions that we go on. I love the time that we spend together training and even I guess doing the missions. As annoying as the missions are. Sewer duty, dog walking... if there were such a thing as cars here I'm sure that would be one of them. Seriously, menial trivial tasks.

Yet we still do them.

And we get paid a fair bit for them as well. Or the village does. The way that it really works reminds me a fair bit of the mission system in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon honestly. When you're working with the guild. The actual pay of a mission could be quite high, for example D-Ranks run the gauntlet of being from five-thousand and fifty-thousand ryō. Most of that would go straight into the village treasury and upkeep though. We'd only get a small fraction of it. Around five-hundred ryō to split between us for a five-thousand ryō mission and five-thousand ryō to split for a fifty-thousand mission.

It might seem a bit unfair, but to me... To someone who's already used to such a division of money and pay... I don't see the problem. Besides the village likely needs that money, supporting the academy, rebuilding destroyed training grounds, getting new supplies in. It seems fair to me. Besides one-twenty-five ryō for a low paying mission is decent pocket money. More than the seven to ten dollars a week I was getting in my previous life due to chores. Besides it's not like we're doing only one mission a day, sometimes we are able to do three or four. It depends.

It evens out, it averages. Maybe it seems a little bit off considering we're doing all the work but I kind of see it like I saw taxes... A justified unfairness.

I don't know.

Taxes were annoying, at least this way we don't have to really put aside the money to give back later because it's already taken away to be used for the village upkeep. Among other things... I think that some of it actually might go to the Daimyo honestly. Also if people really want some extra money, it's not as if D-Ranks can't be done solo.

So I don't mind the pay. We get enough, it's enough for the stuff that we need. Besides it's not as if most Genin live alone, and Orphans do still get some extra from the Hokage until they reach Chunin rank at least.

I don't mind. Besides D-Ranks are for team building at this point in time. And to keep us within the village. To familiarize ourselves with the civilians and to teach us how missions work. They have there place, and that place is why I'm fine with them even as annoying as they are.

Besides I think that it's mainly for the getting to know how it works, and the civilians. We need to appear harmless before we become dangerous and monstrous after all. We need to play nice for the civilians. Although it's when you pass by two S-Rank Jonin of the village doing some weeding for a civilian that you start to question how monstrous even the worst of shinobi are.

Although I'm pretty sure that our whole team is in agreement by this point that we've had enough of the Sewer Duty missions. Not only does it stink doing them, but they always leave us with the need to actually have a bath. Since the smell clings to your clothing and skin. But still, here and now I open my eyes back up and look at my team. From Kakashi, to Rin, to Kushina-shishou. This is my team.

My extended family.

"D-Rank?" I ask and I can hear Kushina snicker. It's easy enough to say the different mission rankings.

"Of course. But I got us a new one 'ttebane!" Kushina-shishou cheerfully says and we all look up at her surprised. That surprise quickly fades into eager anticipation. Something new sounds great. I clasp my hands together and look at her with such a hopeful look. Kakashi turns just that touch more to her and inclines his head, Rin leans forwards. "Don't look so excited 'ttebane. There's a temple that's requesting some help on the other side of the village. I volunteered our team 'ttebane!" A temple, I wonder which one.

"~Repair? Clean, will we?~" first time I've really signed to any of my team mates. I can feel the way that they're staring and then I add "~Fire Temple?~" it probably won't be the fire temple because there are other ones, but it's only proper to ask and wonder. I would have further asked if it were the Uzumaki Mask Storage Temple, but I don't think so...

"No Obito-chan, it's just one of the smaller temples 'ttebane" Kushina-shishou says before turning around. "Now come on, they're expecting us!"

I nod my head, but I still kind of hesitate. Honestly, there's not much about the temples and shrines that are mentioned in Canon, or in the fandom. So I'm hesitant in a way to follow the rest of my team. Because both temples and shrines are inherently tied to the more supernatural aspects of the world. To the Yokai and spirits... To the unseen.

I take a deep breath and follow after them though. It will be interesting I guess to see what the temple needs our help with I guess and to learn more about this side of the world. I've always been interested in culture. In mythology, legends and religion.

Hesitant I may be, but always interested and eager.

"Obito-chan come on!" Kushina says smiling at me, Kakashi and Rin are both looking back at me and I laugh a bit nervously closing my eyes behind my goggles and smiling sheepishly. I didn't mean to just stop.

"~Sorry... thinking about stuff.~" I signed honestly, there's no reason to lie after all.

"Well don't get too lost in that head of yours Obito-chan 'ttebane!" Kushina-shishou laughs and I blink and have to laugh for myself because who's she kidding. I'm not the only one who gets lost in my own head. Maybe she doesn't do it often but I have seen her do it, alongside Kakashi, though Rin hasn't been here for one of those moments yet.

"Hai!" I say with a mock salute and once more we all laugh lightly.

I'm still nervous though as we make our way through Konohagakure. As we make our way towards the temple. I'm not really fond of going to places with a high spiritual connection though. It's probably why I've yet to actually visit the Naka Shrine despite it seeming pretty important. I lower my head as I follow my team, mind drifting and wondering.

What's going to await us there?

I don't think that it's going to be as simple as just helping out. Not at all. A temple, a shrine it's a place for worship. A place for tradition. Maybe we'll be partaking in tradition. Something twists within me at that thought and I can feel it as my fists faintly clench. It's not comforting. I don't really know why, but I just don't feel as though I would be able to fit in if we were to do so.

I raise my head and straighten a bit. Feet moving faster as I move to catch up with my team. We're not even half way yet. There's plenty of time to think, to wonder. And Kushina-shishou seems to be in no hurry to get us there quickly.

I raise a hand up and adjust my new goggles again.

Seeing the world with a tint of orange. Orange... It's a communicative colour. Bright, uplifting, hope and optimism. Emotional as well, that's what orange is. It's a good colour, but at the same time to every positive there is a negative.

Obito and Naruto... They're two sides of the orange coin in canon. They both showed the colour, at it's best and at it's worst, each at different points but they did both show the colour in both perspectives.

I shake my head and bounce forwards to land and walk beside Kakashi. He gives me a brief sideways glance before returning to looking forwards. I take a deep breath, because even I show orange traits. A mixture of the positive and negative. And now, now I don't know. Because here and now if my parents words were honest and true, which I'm sure that they were then it's also a protective colour.

Well... Orange is kind of a shade of brown I guess... In a way, I mean it can be darkened down to brown...

Brown is a colour that means security and protection after all. Now all I have to do is trust. Understand. Kakashi stops and I look up one last time.

It seems that we've reached the temple then. Time to find out our mission.