"It was so easy to foresee that he'd do something like that! I was even surprise he got this far. I cannot believe you didn't take some precaution. Did you just trust that such an unstable child would be trustworthy, with all that balancing act he put us through and ...?" Black Zetsu was ranting.

Madara was paying little to none attention to him, staring down at his shallow, cracked skin in disappointement and something of distaste. "As far as I remember, you were one precaution," he talked in a gruff voice.

"I mean a... a solid precaution," Black Zetsu blurted out, and when he realized the implication of that, added, "Something he couldn't get away from."

Madara did not answer to that. He walked to the shabby desk Obito had been using for all of those past years and negligently scanned through the papers, stopping from time to time to notice something in particular. This carelessness was driving Black Zetsu mad. Especially since it seemed to be the most pointless thing to do, at the moment. Thinking about it, it even seemed like a desperate move.

"What use is there in checking out his paperwork? I hope you have a better plan than sueing him for financial fraud."

Madara didn't look at him and seemed as if he was getting tired of the Black clone. As if the clone was the one uselessly wasting time right then.

"It's because you are very incompetent in describing me exactly the process of Obito's betrayal."

"What process? He just switched sides all at once, with no warning!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Madara said, his tone plummy, adding, "You were supposed to be the smart side, as I recall," he sighed. "Nothing happens in a blink of an eye. And if my prediction..."

"Prediction? Are you going to tell me 'everything went according to the plan' right now?"

"Most probably. Tell me, how's Kirigakure doing lately?"

"Now you want news about your old war pals?"

"Stop wasting my time," Madara spat, throwing the last pile he's been checking back on the desk.

I wonder who's wasting the time in here, Black Zetsu thoght, going on to answer a whole set of irrelevant questions.

After, he was sent to keep watching the one same person he had been obliged to keep an eye on for all of those years, at Madara's requested. He had no idea why. That one never did anything extraordinaire.

Rin managed to arrive in the tent now empty unnoticed. Or so she hoped.

People outside were cheerful and loud, enjoying the sun, enjoying some company and conversation. They were acting as if the war was over. But it did seem over, after all. A couple of days... - what a war, they said. And that whole army of clones they'd been fighting was dead, it seemed. There was one more threat. A single man. Well, a dead, immortal man, but still, what was the big deal? Not that they were backing away or anything, but couldn't the Kages alone deal with him and be done with it? They were Kages after all. And that was the plan most probably. That was why they have been locked inside of there for so long, obviously, making a plan. They just wondered what the Uchiha Obito had to do with all these, still. Sure, they'd been told a few things. They were aware that the Uchiha was, somehow, the reason most of them were alive. The Konoha shinobi regarded this with great pride. Too much pride to let room for any kind of suspicion. However, due to a lack of unconditional loyalty and thanks to a general unreliability in a village they'd been at war with not long ago, the other nations would go as far as to wonder about this whole business. Keeping a secret such big as a key spy in the very organisation they had been dealing with for so long was not much in the alliance and cooperation spirit. What about all the damage caused to the other villages by the Akatsuki that Konoha had just let be. Well, but the damage had been done to Konoha as well, a Konoha shinobi that happened to overhear would argue. And still Konohațs jinchuriki was safe and sound, the reply would come. And also Suna's, longtime ally of Konoha, which sounded suspicious if you were to ask.

Through all the noise, the debates and the chatter, Rin managed to pass unnoticed and find a refuge in the nearest medical tent. She held on to one of the bars supporting the tent, breathing heavily, wanting for the beats of her heart to slow down. As the heat rising up from her chest and to her head started disipating, she slipped slowly down the pole and onto the floor.

With all here medical knowledge and all the tests undertaken, she could not find a single malfunction to her heart to explain these episodes. After all of this madness would end, she could maybe dare to ask for advice from Tsunade, to try and explain where else these symptoms could lead.

Uchiha Obito undoubtfully had the qualities of a leader, Jirayia thought, attentive to the moves and conversations he witnessed from the corner of the tent he had retreated in. He had the initiative. He had the presence. He was certainly ready to walk in front of others. But he had one major flaw: disconnection.

"That's a brave thought of you, boy," he addressed Obito, getting up, walking slowly towards the front, "but also..."

"Nothing of this is brave. But all is necessary,"Obito spoke back without a second thought.

Jirayia smiled, as if he'd heard it all before. "That's what anyone about to do something brave thinks." Obito frowned, but immediately relaxed, taking a deep breath. He was just another boy having to endure the lecturing of the elder... "You already took the entire army out of harm's way. And now you're trying the same with their leaders." ...but Jirayia was also another elder having to endure the independence and impatience of the youth.

Obito was trying hard not to roll his eyes. He didn't want to have this kind of conversation. Especially since he didn't want the sense of it was getting to him.

"Let's say it fairly, boy," Jirayia continued, taking advantage of Obito's continuing silence. "I know a lot about spy work. And I know too well it makes people believe they need to solve everyhting alone and trust nothing with anybody."

Obito opened his mouth to speak, but Jirayia went on, ignoring his attempt, "I do not say your idea isn't good. I just say it has a few holes in there, a few missing spots in your scheme. The missing spots are us. Are you a shinobi of Konoha?"

"Hai," Obito replied, not sure where this all was leading.

"Then, whether you come out alive of this or not, it doesn't stand only in your responsibility, but also that of your superiors. You have guts and ambition. But learn your place."

Obito started.

Minato, who'd been listen to this exchange carefully, smirked at this conclusion. "I guess you took the hint, Obito. As my former sensei just presented, you are not allowed to go ahead and take the hit unless it already threw us to the ground first."

"I...," Obito hesitated. "...hai," he mumbled lowly, his stare still hard.

This scene surely made all of the others glad. Obito was keeping his head high still, yet he was clealy defeated.

"So how about we re-look at that strategy, then?" Jirayia moved on, falling relaxedly in a chair. "Very good strategy, though, I must mention," he added with a short bow of the head in Obito's direction, motioning with his hand for the others, standing stiffly around the table, to do the same.

Obito was the first to oblige, taking a seat just across from Jirayia. "Fine," he said, with a resolved look, his fingers intertwined. "First things first..."

Kakashi woke up at once, sweat dripping down his brow. His clothes were wet and sticky, his eyes wided out. He finally remembered. The thing that had been bugging him all along. Damn, damn, damn...

"Kakashi-senpai, what's the matter? Nightmares?" someone asked him. He was probably looking like mad.

"I must get to Obito. Fast," Kakashi said more as a thought to himself than a reply, and dashed out the tent.

A/N: This fic has so little more to go, I can't just leave it unfinished. *cough* Character death planned *cough*. ...just saying.