A/N: Yo!

How is everyone? Good? I hope you're all practicing social distancing. O.o

I feel like I'm always gone for such a long while. My bouts of inspiration aren't so frequent anymore, but I'm still trying. I drew up a lot of plans for this story, no joke. A great, big outline and there's so much that I want to get to. It's so hard getting past all the points leading up to the juicy stuff though. I just wanna be at the action already! But! I must set things up first, or else it won't be a good story. Sigh. I think we may break 100 chapters someday. I've already written a good portion of the later arcs. We'll see. I may give my outline away to someone I feel can carry out my vision.

Well, anywho. I hope everyone is doing well. Much in store. Stay safe, friends.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do own this plot.


A quiet moment to himself was all he wanted. Sitting on his throne of sharp bark and glass, Obito took a sobering breath in the darkness. His Sharingan glowed like a paper lantern as it slid across the room. This had been where he was rehabilitated by Madara all those years ago. The stench was still the same as he remembered.

To see the rotting body in the corner each day approach him while he was unable to move, poking at his wounds, it was more infuriating each time he remembered it. Still, he owed a debt to the old man, and that was not quickly repaid. Hatred, perhaps? Not quite, but something close. Obito sighed under his breath, though he was alone with no one to hear it, such a thing was still distasteful. Weakness was not something he would allow. Even alone, forbidden. The only one he would allow…

Obito grunted, shaking the thought. Why would he come back here anyway? Being so close to the Leaf Village always put him in a bad mood. And yet, he sighed, it was a necessary thing to do. No doubt, Yuupika had left stirrings in her wake, a mess that couldn't be cleaned up just by political means.

Yes, the attack… A sour taste filled Obito's mouth, causing his lips to twist. Obito had underestimated the audacity of the Leaf. To openly attack the Ame party, and not even being able to succeed in their foolish goals… Such weakness was what had served to strengthen his hatred toward his former home. He resisted an urge to wave his hand, a physical aid to wipe his erroneous thoughts away.

It was of no consequence now. Obito would clean up the mess and deliver a crippling blow. Yes, he would do away with a few of their treasures, weakening them for-

"Master."

Obito glared at the emerging mass of a black humanoid before him. A particular irritation rose within him, but he suppressed it. Didn't I tell it to leave me be? But – the creature would not bother him in this place unless it was urgent, he knew. "Speak quickly," He growled out.

"There has been another attack." Obito tensed at the words. Another? So soon? "An eruption has set off underneath the Hidden Stone Village."

"Yuupika?" Is she safe? He couldn't quell the spark of panic that flared in his chest. As much he wanted to extinguish the weakness that he had allowed himself, the man knew he couldn't. She was…to him…

Black Zetsu tensed, rippling in the smooth surface of his exterior, which brought Obito back to the moment. Yellow eyes narrowed. "The most recent traces of chakra suggest she was present at the origin of the explosion. She…" Its fists tightened. "…is missing."

Obito vaulted to his feet. Panic seized him, overcoming his strength of will.

Missing.

His precious, his beloved, his Ri-…no…his Yuupika. The girl he had nurtured since a baby. His prodigy. Destined to lead the charge beside him. The unique tool to conquer his plans. His warmth in the night. His…friend. (When was the last time he had a friend?) Or something akin…

He could barely control his voice "Take me there now."


"Do you want it back? This one will have to go through many pains to procure it, speak now."

Yuu sighed, rubbing her hand down her face. "…yes, of course, I want it back." She told the bat waiting in front of her. "It's my arm."

The creature let out a low tut, shaking its head. "This one cannot even fathom how you let yourself get into such a predicament."

"Daichi," Homura chastised from his throne. The lower bat sighed again but remained quiet. "He does have a point, child. If you'd called on any one of us, we could have stabilized the nature chakra and dealt with the boy."

"I wasn't thinking of that, though!" Yuu defended, shame flushing her face. Her senses slanted over the bandage, where her arm used to occupy space. The bats had quickly patched her up as soon as she had entered the realm. Easy work for them, repairing such a wound. The girl wondered if she would ever be able to do the same. It would be so useful in battle. "Any disruption of nature chakra would blow up the mountain, and all those people would die…" The girl realized her error. "All those people are dead."

"Such is the way of things." Homura nodded. "You cannot bring them back. And I cannot do such a thing if you asked. The affairs of humans have no place for me, so I shall not get involved." Yuu resented the decision silently. Because of her, innocent people were dead. Who knows what was going on back in her world – she had only been gone for a few hours, but she feared the worst. Had her father decimated the city? Had the Tsuchikage somehow found a way to spin this on them and declared war? Who knows… She thought anxiously. Anything could be happening right now, and I am here… She shifted uncomfortably.

"Yuupika," Homura called, and the girl looked up, just then realizing her attention had gone astray. An embarrassed flush heated her cheeks, though the boss paid it no mind. The anxiousness still didn't leave her, present in the way she gripped her pants. Homura did not miss the gesture but did not comment either. "Can we not make you a new arm? It would take naught but a few hours."

She hesitated, "I…" Yuu couldn't really say why she wanted the exact arm that blew up instead of a new one. One last lick of spite towards the wretch who blew it off? Probably. That was an emotion she would rather not indulge…but she couldn't help it. Remembering how she felt in his final moments, watching him burn in agony…It was an emotion that strangely didn't disgust her. What kind of person does that make me?

"I feel your hatred." The towering bat rumbled. "What you desire will only taint your spirit." But he didn't necessarily deny her.

"…" Is this what I really want? To carry around a memento of anger? Kami, I'll be just like Obito. That was a frightening thing, somehow. No – just disturbing. Her mentor was a festering wound of hatred and anger. He carried souvenirs of the people who wronged him and the people he loathed to keep his ambition alive. What a sad thing… "I don't know," Yuu conceded. She shifted on the ground where she was sitting to pull her legs closer to her body and cradle them with her remaining arm. The air of the cave was clammier than it was a second ago, but the darkness still comforted her. Homura waited patiently. I don't think I can make this decision. If it were up to me… The girl shook her head. "I think…just do what's best, Homura-sama. I guess."

He hummed, the guttural sound somehow communicating approval. "Then, we will fashion a new arm. Trust my word – it will only benefit you."

"I guess," She shrugged, fingers coming up to brush her stump subconsciously. "Will it be anything like the old one?"

Daichi, the chief medical officer, huffed, "An exact replica! As is this one's level of skill. Quite offensive that you should doubt this one." He flapped his wings pridefully and turned to leave them. It reminded her of Orochimaru a bit…and her family that was probably turning the Land of Earth upside down.

"My father must be worried out of his mind," Yuu groaned regretfully. What would she even say upon her return? I'm fine? Sorry about Ryouku? Sorry for blowing up Iwagakure? All those people dead… It's different when I mean it…when I want to, it's …it's okay… Yuupika tried to rationalize that disturbing revelation. Was it really okay? Did it matter? Wasn't she already too far gone? Those people were never supposed to die…

"Silence your mind," Homura commanded suddenly. His tone was gentle, still. Yuu lifted her head to him without words. His beady eyes stared into her soul, though they didn't pry. They already knew her trouble. "You should rest."

Right. Homura is right. "Mmm." Yuu gave a rueful smile, feeling the lead weight of her body – strangely still heavy with the loss of her arm. She was so tired.


Obito arrived at the scene with such force that he took Pain off guard, rinnegan eyes flashing dangerously over to his figure. The Uchiha knew there was no danger, but it still irritated him.

Yet, there was no time for that.

"Have you found her." It wasn't even a question. Obito needed to know she was safe. There was no other alternative for him. He could not lose another one of his precious people. Not again. So, he dared the puppet Nagato to give him the right answer. He would kill him if he was wrong, he swore it on Rin's grave.

The orange-haired man glared at him for another moment before speaking. "We may have a lead on where she has gone." He rumbled.

Relief bit away at the panic that was consuming Obito – but only just by the slightest margin. "Where?" Obito demanded. He had no time for games. He didn't care that the vermin Orochimaru was staring at him with wide eyes from the corner of the collapsed cavern, completely halted in where he was squatting. Exposing himself in his state to a potentially dangerous variable did not matter. Yuupika was his primary concern, and the world came second.

Pain nodded at the said man, still squatting. "Orochimaru. You remember Madara Uchiha. Explain to him your findings as you explained them to me."

The snake hesitated for a moment, his lips parting and pressing back closed before he cleared his throat and stood. He looked more composed when he met Obito's gaze. "I've found traces of Yuupika's chakra at this location. Zetsu's partial observations of the pattern that it was wielded in before she disappeared have confirmed my suspicions that she used some manner of teleportation jutsu just before the explosion. My initial theory was that she transported herself to her summon's realm, but if that was the case, we would have heard from her." A pause.

"Additionally, since she uses nature chakra to supplement her techniques, the assumption that she is in the summon's realm is just that. Such raw chakra is wielded differently from that which we produce. So, while I can ascertain that she was not present at the moment of combustion, I cannot say, for certain, where she is."

Obito wanted to strangle him. This was all he could come up with? Where was she?

He took a breath to steady himself. Then, "I see."

"We are still working to find her." Pain assured him, no doubt noticing his tenseness. Obito would hate himself later for allowing such scum to see him in this state, but right now, he couldn't afford to be distracted. "I'm sure she will contact us soon if she is out there."


"Will you contact your kin?"

Yuupika looked up at Homura from where she lay, quietly surprised to find him in her chambers. Not that she was really doing much, stewing in her thoughts. The girl sighed, resting her hand over her eyes. Yuu's range of senjutsu showed her the wrapped arm in the corner of the room, so much like Naruto's after the fourth war. It was eery. A reminder of a future that would never come to fruition now…hopefully.

To think, all my plans would have been for nothing if I had been killed where I stood. What if Ryouku had not shown his twisted mercy? The emptiness ached where her left arm had been.

The bats had told her that the new arm was made entirely of cultured nature chakra and would meld to her body as soon as she attached it. It would take a few days to change to her skin tone, but the bandages ensured that no one would notice such a thing until the process was complete – that is, if she wanted to go back to her realm right after putting it on. Yuu's fingers moved down and brushed over the places where her cheek and jaw had been burned away, now just as smooth as the rest of her face. Not even a scar to serve as a reminder. When she arrived, she had immediately passed out, and so the procedure of restoring her had gone underway with little fanfare. But she wondered if she was given a choice…would she have asked for something to be left? She didn't know. Once again, would a memento of the anger she had felt do her any good?

"I don't know," Her answer was both for Homura and herself.

"Hmmm," The enormous creature hummed. Its barrel of a neck twisted to look over the arm that was resting on its shelf of dirt. "Perhaps you would do good to train." Yuu cracked open an eye to look at him. "Accompany me. With the arm," It was not a request, Yuupika knew, so she tiredly pulled herself up from the bed of rock she had been laying on and walked over to where her replacement appendage lay. Her hand rested on it slowly.

Even beyond the bandages, it was fleshy and soft, just like her old one. She could feel the lean muscle when she pressed her fingers into it, just like she used to have. The length of the fingers and the elegant slimness of the hand was familiar. An exact replica.

"Come." The boss beckoned, and Yuu breathed placatingly before she picked up the weight of the arm and followed along. It took only but a few minutes to reach the high chamber where the bat subsided, a place that was familiar to her and a relief to her senses. He sat in his throne, and the girl followed his example, choosing a place to rest directly in front of him. This is where she sat when she tried to manipulate the surge of raw nature chakra like Homura has instructed her to. She placed the arm beside her. Ancient vestiges of frustration came back to her like fast friends, a reminder of the times she could not succeed in her endeavor.

"Put the arm on."

Yuupika blinked up at him, taken aback. "Now?" She voiced dumbly.

"Now," Homura nodded. She swallowed, looking down at the thing that lay by her side. Was it really so hard? It's an arm…I can't live without it, especially not now. So…I guess I…I don't know …it's not my arm. It's not mine. "I won't be made to wait, child," The booming voice of the bat pervaded her thoughts, and she trembled a moment at the authority in it. Would she someday have that same grand voice? She was reminded of all the things she had waiting for her back in the other world, how Nagato carried the same air about him as the king before her. He had endured more than he deserved to, had given up his entire body for his cause. Couldn't she give just an arm? Yuu sighed, a shaky hand grabbing the bandaged flesh. It's not mine, but…it doesn't matter, does it?

That's not what's important.

Yuupika pressed the thing to the small stump protruding just beyond her shoulder, and immediately, she felt a dizzying pressure as nature chakra surged through her and melted into her flesh. There was a sizzle and steam of skin merging and feeling returned to the empty space she had just barely grown used to – and then it was gone. Yuu flexed her hand hesitantly, clenching her fist. It felt…normal. Just as strong. Just as frail. Like a little puzzle piece that fits perfectly in with all the others. It felt like nothing had changed. Yuupika stared at her new arm in awe.

"Now," She felt the weight of Homura's bony hand on her head, and she turned back to him, taken away from her momentary wonder. "Channel your nature chakra." Yuu closed her eyes and turned off her senjutsu, as had become habit in their sessions.

It came like water.

Before, it was dirt moving through her veins; now it was smooth and it flowed – thinned to a fine point where she could feel it pool on her fingertips. Green energy as bright as vivid as nothing else she had ever experienced, in her grasp. Her new arm vibrated through the bandages. Yuupika focused inside herself and saw the change. Marvelous. Her arm was filtering the energy like she couldn't, distributing it to the rest of her body evenly. Is this why...? If he'd only told me, I'd have put it on sooner!

"Homu-"

"Concentrate."

"R-Right." She obeyed, refining her flow as much as she could. Her mantra went through her head - Will. Bend, move, guide, flow. Still. Calm. Still. Calm. In – 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Out – 2, 3. In – 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Out – 2, 3. Breathe. Steady. Focus. Will. Bend. Move. The nature chakra was floating in her chest, wriggling for a moment as it wrapped around her heart. There was pressure, uncomfortable, but Homura urged her to continue with a small tug of his chakra. Move, she coaxed. Bend. Move. Slowly, the energy sank into her heart and immersed itself there, warming her entire body. She didn't have to think to know that if she lost focus for only a moment, it would turn her to stone. Yuu took a steadying breath.

"Relax," The boss instructed. Her form settled in varying degrees. The bat's chakra saturated her heart and wrapped around the nature's protectively. It was telling of the trust that they shared that she would so let him do something as dangerous as this. Even during Naruto's sage training, he didn't accept any foreign chakra inside of him...but perhaps that was the Kyuubi's fault. "Now, channel it. Just like you would a jutsu."

Like a jutsu, huh? Which jutsu? I know a few, but most of them are elemental. Moulding an element would be too hard right now...I don't wanna risk it. She pursed her lips, becoming somewhat restless. She didn't want to let this pass while she had the chance to master it. What's the simplest thing I can think of...? Something...something even an academy student could do...

An idea lit up in her head and carefully, she moved the senchakra through her pathways (and what a chilling feeling it was) to mould it through her fingers, shaking with the potency. Please...please work... She released her justu - and a few moments later, there was a pop beside her. Yuupika activated her senjutsu immediately - and there it was, a clone, staring back at her. A little wobbly, but otherwise, just fine.

"Good," Homura praised above her. Yuu smiled lopsidedly, despite herself, accepting the compliment for what it was. It felt good - it was elating even, to have finally made a breakthrough on this front. Even if it was harder than she expected, as if she was just discovering chakra for the first time, she would overcome that with hard work. Finally, she could start learning the techniques of her summons - and how many there were! "You'll grow more accustomed to using this chakra the more you practice with it."

"Can we practice more, then?" The girl inquired eagerly.

"You have no need of me to practice." The boss stretched his wings wide and in a decisive motion, gave a strong beat of them, causing a grand gust of wind to fly over her. A quick application of chakra was the only thing that kept Yuu from flying off towards the wall. Her bunshin, however, popped instantly, unable to withstand the force. Aw, man... A small part of her silently lamented. "You will practice with your technique until you have gained enough control to withstand my attack. Then, we can continue."

"Well...how long will that take?"

"That depends on you, Yuupika." He stated. The girl smacked her teeth in displeasure. She had no idea how long it would take - the boss never really spoke with time in mind. Since he was so old, practically immortal if she didn't know any better, she supposed that time really had no meaning to him anyway. Whatever. I'll just have to get started now. Hopefully, I can be at a point where he'll at least teach me one of the colony's jutsu before I leave. I won't allow myself anything less than that success.

"Well, can I practice here?" She asked.

"You can practice wherever you like. The colony is open to you." Homura shifted in his throne. "I, however, have matters to attend. If you would practice here, see that the proceedings do not interrupt your concentration." Yuupika sighed. Well...at least I know he doesn't mind me sitting in on meetings. Her nose twitched. But, I'm nosy as hell. I won't be able to concentrate if I stay here. He's right. Then, maybe I can ask one of the other bats for help? Maybe they'll be able to give me some advice. I guess I should go to wander around.

Yuu pushed up on the ground with her two arms and rose to her feet. "Alright. Thanks for your time, Homura-sama."

"Mmmm."


Obito watched from his small peephole into existence as the pitiful Tsuchikage argued with his advisors about the state of the village. His pudgy face was scrunched so that his wrinkles were more profound than the canyons of the mountains. He screamed something about the Ame party, then groaned as his back gave a loud crack. An old man like that should have died already. But there he was…suggesting that the explosion was caused by his…by Yuupika. Even if that was true, he didn't care. This was how the Stone treated their honored guests?

Pathetic. I should have wiped them out long ago.

The Nishiyama clan head was silent in his seat, brooding, but put in some comment about his missing son, presumed dead. The small piece of flesh preserved under one of the fallen rocks was still being tested, he was told. It was a finger. If it was confirmed Yuupika's, he would murder the Nishiyama, every man, woman, and child.

He was not above that; after all – he would even slaughter his own family.

Another clan head, old and hunched like the Tsuchikage, proposed expelling the Ame party from the village, despite the pending investigation. It was met with equal amounts of agreement and objection. The Tsuchikage sighed, rubbing his forehead with a knobby hand. Obito narrowed his eyes. That won't do.

The Nishiyama clan head stood up suddenly and slammed his hands on the table. Oh? He bellowed with anger in his eyes, saying the Ame party would not be going anywhere until they got to the bottom of whatever was going on. It was silent in the wake of his proclamation, and with one last grunt, the grizzly man dropped back down into his chair. How convenient. Obito was just thinking of doing something to intervene.

Slowly, murmurs of agreement, begrudging or otherwise, filled the room. Obito, satisfied that the matter would no longer be a problem, whirled away, lights distorting in the darkness around him as he teleported himself back to the compound that the Ame party was staying at. He peered in at the quarters of Nagato, observing the man slumped on his bed, staring aimlessly at the wall. Obito cringed.

How pitiful, to see you reduced to this, you who took my predecessor's eyes. Both of you, reduced to nothing in the end.

He materialized completely, and the dejected man of moments before was suddenly ramrod straight, piercing rinnegan focused. "What?" Pain demanded. Obito could see his discomfort in the way his hands were stiff on his lap. Some inner part of him was placated by that - to see he wasn't the only one...

"Is there any update?" Obito crossed his arms, trying to shoo away his errant thinking. Weak thoughts.

Pain's violet eyes slanted over to the window, wrinkles forming on his youthful face. The too-bright sunlight hit him unfavorably, showing the years of stress that had accumulated on him. Obito, though he was not vain by any means, wondered if he looked the same. "...no. There has been no update. Zetsu is scouring the countryside as we speak. We are hopeful he will return with information."

So, it was useless to come here. "I see." He drummed his fingers rhythmically on his arm. There must be some lead to look into, somewhere.

"What is your fascination? With my daughter?"

Obito blinked, refocusing on the body puppet. Pain was looking at him again, with guardedness in his eyes. As much as he wanted to appear stoic, the man sitting on the bed was defensive. Waiting for an answer. The Uchiha tilted his head, his shaggy hair singing as the strands caressed each other. It was curious. Intriguing. For what reason did his "fascination" matter? Yuupika was his prodigy. His. The familial bonds that the two had formed as father and daughter, what purpose did they serve? What purpose...

Faintly, a memory came to him, the old woman who raised him when he was young. Before she died and left him pitifully alone, he remembered how important it was to him to have just one person in the world who cared, to sleep surrounded by someone else's warmth at night. Familial bonds, hm...

Obito...he did not want to be alone again.

"It is none of your concern," Obito deflected. He squashed his reverie.

His hands balled and Pain's gaze met the floor.


Yuupika sat, floating just over a puddle of water, with nature chakra wriggling inside of her. It wasn't an issue to get it settled anymore, no. Instead, there was the issue of making any proper jutsu from it. The clone jutsu, specifically. Every time she tried it, the thing was weak and blown away easily. The only good news was that it was (sort of) getting stronger. Homura was right, she would admit. Her control over the jutsu was getting stronger, and thus, the senclone was getting ever so slightly easier to keep alive. It naturally sucked in the energy around it, so it was fine if it never got hit. That did have it's own practical applications, but practical applications weren't what Homura wanted. He wanted her to be able to control her senchakra to the point that she could create a strong, capable replacement. To exercise her technique.

That had its own merits too. Being able to send off a senclone to carry out certain projects under the radar would be invaluable. And, no one could capture and interrogate a clone, on the off chance that she got caught by someone or was being hunted. Yuu also wanted to test the theory that she'd been pondering on since her last life. The different paths of pain were injected with Nagato's chakra and consciousness, and thus, were able to think and act all at once. If she injected her chakra into her senclones, a piece of her consciousness, would she also be able to establish communication between them? An interesting thought to dwell on.

"Focus. I am not patient like Homura-sama." Yuupika felt a whack on her shoulder and the chakra in her chest faltered for a moment before she regained control of it.

She'd sought out Rei in her wandering, much to his displeasure. She still couldn't understand his prickly nature towards her, but she had been directed towards him by the others, so she accepted it in favor of his teachings. "Sorry," She murmured, regaining her thoughts.

"Now, into a clone." He directed. Yuu channeled the senchakra inside of her as she made her short progression of hand signs. The clone came but an instant afterwards, sitting just across from her on the pool. It's pants dipped into the water, not exactly floating as Yuupika was - but it was better than when she first started and it dropped completely in. Some improvement, at least. The grouchy bat grunted. Not enough, though. With a strong flap of his wing, the clone grimaced, wavered, and then popped. As if reading her thoughts, Rei confirmed, "Not good enough. You will never be able to withstand Homura-sama with skill like this."

"I know," She shook her head. This is much harder than I thought it was gonna be. I guess not everything can be so easy. "Say, have you done this training before too?"

Rei was silent, studying her from his place just beyond the well. Yuupika was patient. If she wanted to get to know him at all, she knew she'd have to exercise all of her patience.

"A long time ago," He eventually responded. "There was a time when war was upon us. I was one of many who underwent training from Homura-sama."

War? In the summon's realms? Yuupika had never heard of anything like that from before, in her other world. War was usually reserved for the humans. I guess it's not impossible to imagine. It's been a millennium or two since chakra was introduced to the world. There had to have been some conflict with the different species in all that time. "Who did you fight against?" The girl pried, perhaps unwisely.

"Many different clans sought our extermination."

"Oh..." Not really very informative. But I feel like I've been told this before. "Well, what happened to the others?"

"They've all died off." Rei bit out. Yuupika chewed her cheek harshly, recognizing her blunder. That much should have been obvious. She flushed, chakra rushing to her face.

"I'm sorry, that was insensitive."

"Agreed. No more slacking off." A whack to her shoulder again. "Focus."

Right...focus. No more questions. I have to get this down.


Three days. Obito was almost ready to get violent. It was a close thing. Too close.

Staring down at the forged documents in front of him felt like a chore. Just looking at them, he was utterly disinterested. The man clenched a fist, then released.

Iwa was starting to cause trouble. The Tsuchikage had sent out a search party, but it was less than a half-hearted effort as they all waited with bated breath for the results of the DNA test to come back. Damn the inferior technology. Whoever's DNA it proved to be would determine the nature of their interaction from then on. Namely, if Obito would decimate the village or not. Angry could not encompass the depth of his emotion at present. Obito wanted to kill something. Anything.

On Pain's end of this hold-up, it meant being given the run-around on all the legal matters he was previously making progress with and being excluded from information of the investigation. The man would alternate between bulldozing his way into meetings and pacing his office alone. Obito had not seen him so frustrated since after he'd killed his friends. Orochimaru and Kakuzu were at the scene of her disappearance constantly, trying to find details that perhaps they had missed, becoming more agitated as the days went by. More than a few times, Obito had peered in on them to see the two arguing loudly, close to blows. Sasori had secluded himself in his room. It was maddening to them all.

Yuupika had a strange effect on everyone, it seemed.

A thought struck him, out of the blue.

I wonder…

He disappeared, and within moments, Obito was standing in a familiar office. A similarly familiar, amber-eyed woman looked up from a pile of paperwork, gaze immediately narrowing. "What are you doing here?" The Uchiha was instantly irritated by her tone. He'd come here for information, but now...

"Your daughter is missing. She might be dead." The words stabbed him probably just as much as they stabbed her – no, possibly more. But there was something placating to the aggravation inside of him, seeing the way her eyes widened comically. "Didn't you know?" Of course, she didn't. The fool Nagato hadn't told her yet, or else she wouldn't be so calm and collected. The coward. He was scared. In a way, Obito was glad. It felt good to say to her himself, as a sort of retaliation. It felt good.

(Maybe this is too much.)

A paper shuriken flew through him, his technique an instinctual reflex by now. Fiery anger and – ahhh, there it is. What a delicious fear. That look…how amusing. "That isn't funny," The woman bit out, a tendril of purple hair falling over her stern face. "Don't you ever make a joke like that, or-"

"Or what?" He snarled, interrupting her. Did she really think she could threaten him? Him? The great Obito Uchiha? The great Madara Uchiha? She could do nothing. He would rip her to shreds if she tried.

He let his killing intent be known in the room, potent as even the nine tails'. But –

The woman was in front of him in a blink, hand raised with a kunai in it. Obito was genuinely surprised – never had she raised a hand against him, she knew the difference in their strengths – he caught it with ease. She knew he could kill her in an instant, especially now. But the fury in her eyes did not abate. What is this? Obito did not feel threatened, no, but…the air had changed somehow.

"Or I will kill you." She sneered, strength in her tone. She didn't have that before. Konan… "No one threatens my child."

She yanked her arm away from him, still seething and strode back to her desk, snatching her phone off of it and dialing so fast her fingers were a blur. A few seconds went by before the call connected. "NAGATO!" The woman shouted. Obito was forgotten, like a discarded piece of trash.

You sure have changed…

He was met with an urge to violence again that he knew wouldn't be satisfied here. His doujutsu activated and Obito whirled away.


"Not bad," Homura praised.

Yuupika, with sweat rolling down her forehead, grinned. She'd figured out the trick. Her clone was still sitting beside her, wavering a bit, but very much alive. Yuu had poured a decent chunk of nature chakra into it and had held her control all the while Homura flapped his great wings at her. Taxing...but worth it. She had accomplished her goal. The first of many.

"Thank you," Yuupika purred. "Am I ready to learn a jutsu now?"

"The basics of one." The boss nodded. Elation lit up her face. "But now is not the time for such things. You have already stayed in this place too long, during such turbulence. You must go home now."

Yuupika's shoulders dropped at that. Not out of disappointment, no, but out of acceptance. She wanted to see her family, yes, but...she was nervous? Yuu wasn't sure if that was the word for how she was feeling. The darkness and comfort of the cave was relaxing to her mind, after everything. She just needed a break. From Ryouku. From the people who died. From all the shit that she put herself through every single day. She hadn't even taken a shower since she'd been here. Did she feel disgusting? Yes, but it also felt freeing. Like being in the jungle. So many expectations, every day...Yuupika, after everything, had just wanted some time alone. "I know, Homura-sama." She breathed out.

Wanting to be alone didn't mean she didn't understand her responsibilities. Four days gone was too much. She had to come back to reality.

"Very well. Wash yourself in the river, then return. I will send you home."

Begrudgingly, Yuu nodded. It was a quick thing to bathe, though she wished it took longer. Her hair, still braided from all those night ago, was easily detangled and the grit on her scalp floated away on the currents. The cold water was somewhat helpful to strengthen her resolve. It's time to go home now. Time to go. Her tenure with the colony ended all too soon.

When Yuupika arrived back in her world, she was unceremoniously dropped in an unfamiliar part of the land.

Exactly where she didn't want to be.

It was flat plains of rock for miles and miles. Except for a small hut, just over the horizon, plastered with seals. She had already guessed what it was, even before she investigated it with her nature chakra. Cautious and vulnerable, she sent a chakra pulse out, knowing Nagato would feel it, wherever he was. She risked grabbing the attention of the man who was inside that hut, and while she couldn't afford to do that while she was still getting used to her new arm, she didn't have enough energy to make the long journey back to Iwagakure alone. She clenched her left fist and stretched the new muscles. It had adjusted to her skin tone, just as the bats said it would. She could see the difference in the shades of gray. It was odd to see the gradual change during her training over the past few days. She felt over it again with her senjustu, shuddering at the way it reacted to eagerly to her. Pure nature chakra…

Yuu's attention turned towards the hut. She shouldn't, no. He was dangerous. Very dangerous. But she was tired, and curiosity was a terrible thing. A great chakra pulse reached her from the west, a familiar feel that she knew as her father's. A signal that she had been heard. Relief eased the line of her shoulders and the furrow of her brow. He would be coming for her soon. Her family would be here. So…maybe, she could just go over and say hi while she still had time?

Her feet were already moving before her mind had really been made. Or, maybe it was already made up, and she was squabbling with herself stupidly. Probably that. She did that often. She walked robotically, feet feeling how the energy in the ground had been somewhat depleted. My fault, she knew. She wondered exactly how many had died because of her foolishness…well, there's no point fretting over the past. The boss had said as much in his parting. It can't be changed. All that's left is to move forward. It still left a pang of guilt in her chest. She didn't know when it would go away. She still wished to be alone.

The wood grain of the door stared back at her. 'KEEP AWAY' was painted there in dark letters, a stark warning, she guessed. Her own knuckles covered part of the inscription as she raised them to knock. It was a timid sound, at first – and then, more forcefully when there was no response.

"Hello?"

The door cracked open slightly, with a creak. Beady eyes, hidden partially behind an armored helmet, glared down at her. The girl…wasn't too sure what to say. Curiosity has brought her here but had not supplanted her mind with words. They stayed like this for a few moments.

"…are you lost?" His voice was deeper than she expected. A timber not dissimilar to her father's. Perhaps she should have expected that, though. He was an extraordinarily large man if the way she had to crane her neck up to meet his was any indication.

"No," She replied. What am I actually doing here? She wasn't sure why she came, but…perhaps she wouldn't get this chance again.

"What do you want?" The door opened fully, and then Yuu really got to see him – the armor-plated jinchuuriki. He crossed his arms as he focused down on her. His body was taut…perhaps ready for a fight. From me? It was strange.

"Just…to say hello." Well, that was lame.

His orbs darkened. "…he doesn't like you." Huh? Who-

His plated arm came flying at her suddenly, wreathed in jinchuuriki flame and Yuupika's disintegrating chakra immediately rose to meet it, always ready to defend her-

In the milliseconds that passed, Yuu felt panic begin. Her chakra…it was eating away at his, yes, however …he's generating it faster than it can crumble away…

Fear…terror blossomed in her heart. Her range narrowed to focus on the stoic mountain of a figure before her, and then to just his fist. His fist was so close to her face.

A hand appeared in her line of view. The chakra flame enveloping the jinchuuriki's arm was sucked away like it was never there and then, was pushed back out in a ball of burning fire, catapulting the man back into the house and through the far side of it. He went tumbling in the distance. Yuupika blinked.

"Yuupika," Nagato dropped down on one knee, and his arms surrounded her. His grip was crushing, but Yuu still drooped into it, her legs suddenly boneless and her heart pounding in her ears. Her mind was blank. Well, that wasn't what I was expecting. "Yuupika," her father's voice in her ears.

"HAAANNNN!" A new voice, startling her, roared. The Tsuchikage. There was an urge to turn, but an even greater pull keeping her in Nagato's arms. The old kage stormed past, a jutsu ready on his fingertips – but Nagato's scent, rain, and ink was an all-consuming thing, a comfort that she didn't realize how much she missed. So much had happened so soon and she had enjoyed her time recuperating, but...it was exhausting, still. Her father's love was another layer of balm to heal her. She dully noted the forms of her family encircling them, the relieved faces and hands on her back, in her hair. The words of reassurance. She was home now. She could relax, safe from harm, protected. Nothing could hurt her here.

"Papa," She nuzzled into his neck. If her arms weren't trapped at her side, she would hug him too. He leaned back after a bit, shouting in the distance, and Iwa shinobi rushing past them to meet explosions some distance away. His eyes razed over her, checking for injuries, she supposed, and then stopped on her arm. He stared at it intensely, something like understanding in his orbs, then looked up at her.

"What happened?"


They had left Iwagakure shortly after that, no time wasted in settling the mess they had left in their wake. 40,000 souls living in the slums had been taken out by the explosion, but it never reached up to the city above. The lava had already cooled, and new land covered the bottom of the canyon - like all those people never existed. Not a crippling loss by any means to the great hidden village. As the words of the Nishiyama clan head, they didn't contribute much to society anyway.

Disgusting. Just like Chachubi.

Are all people the same?

The man, Korui, was disturbed by the news of his son, but not surprised. Later, they had dug up more rubble and found some parts of him that miraculously hadn't been taken out by the explosion. One of his feet, a piece of scalp. They'd found one of her old fingers too. The Tsuchikage was extremely skeptical of her story, and rightly so, but the Nishiyama clan head had solemnly vouched for her. And what a surprise that was. For all his meddling and conniving, Yuu would have thought that he loved his son more and would have searched for another answer, one that didn't paint Ryouku as a villain.

'It's my fault he was so far gone. He wouldn't have made a good clan head, anyhow,' Korui had waved off, frowning.

There was something more there, but she couldn't discern what and it unsettled her. Perhaps she would enlist zetsu to investigate, but with all the other matters they were attending to at the moment, it probably wasn't wise to stretch so thin. They needed more clones. That took time, but time wasn't a luxury they could afford. Something else was required…

"Yuupika."

Her eyes slanted up towards Pain. "Yes, Papa?"

The man regarded her with concern, the chakra underneath his skin swirling unusually. He was still anxious; she could see it in the muscles of his face, the tautness of his shoulders. Her senjutsu idly ran a short course up and down her new arm. "We will be skipping past Kumogakure and heading straight for Uzushio. We will stop by Ame on the way. Your mother wants to see you."

"Oh." She murmured, turning to face the window of the carriage, despite it's curtains being drawn. Yuu wondered what Konan would say. Undoubtedly, she was worried too, probably stressing over so many things at once that she could barely focus. Yes, Yuupika knew it to be true without even seeing her. "Okay."

Nagato breathed deeply. "We can't take any more risks with your safety. You know that, don't you, Yuu-chan?"

The lilt of her mouth sloped downwards. It wasn't exactly ideal. She had plans for Kumo that she needed to be there for, but she couldn't just go outside of an official capacity. Maybe she could send a clone...? No, I'd need to have Ame's backing. It couldn't be helped, she conceded. She'd just have to move her plans around…somehow. And besides that, all of her recent near-death experiences left her reluctantly wary of traveling to another unfamiliar place. Even if she were to send a clone, it was not unlikely that someone would try to take advantage of the fake-princess, all alone. She wouldn't be convincing her father any time soon. And, she was still a bit weary. The seats of the carriage just weren't the best to sleep on. She sorely missed her bed. The girl just wanted some time to herself to think it all through. Rest. Draw up new plans.

"Yuu-chan?"

"I know, Papa," She propped up her chin upon her hand, realizing she had been silent for too long. Skipping past Kumo…maybe it's for the best. Who knows what would have been waiting for me. Unfortunately, despite the situation, the Raikage will probably see this as a slight. Is there any way to fix that? She surveyed the land beyond the cabin, the weeds growing more freely in the areas closer to the border. Farther away, a small farming village carrying about their day. It was not so barren here, but uglier somehow. Chakra didn't saturate the air in the same way. Nature wasn't as bright. I'm tired of this.

Yuu observed the darkness of the sky, where her range could not reach.

I wonder where Obito is now…


His hand crashed across her face like a tsunami, and she slammed into the stone wall behind her. She barely even moaned out her pain anymore. Red eyes swirled in displeasure. This is losing it's novelty.

Obito glared down at the prostitute below him, beaten and bloody. Had he been too rough? Her jaw was broken in several places, throat raw and eyes swollen shut. Gashes and holes marred her once smooth skin beyond repair. It was a disgusting sight. No, he hadn't been rough at all. She…it was just weak. He zipped up his pants. Pathetic, all of them. He scoffed at the twitching body, and with a snap of his fingers, it was ablaze in the dark alley he had dragged it into a few hours ago.

Visions of her warmth and sunny smiles flashed in his head. Was there anything that he yearned for more at the moment? A selfish, weak thing, it was. Obito knew. But still, the satisfaction and peace of his memories was a small, forbidden comfort.

Another glance at the burning mass of flesh in his peripheral. No, these small reliefs can no longer compare.

Nothing can compare anymore.

"Master." Zetsu appeared before him, glowing eyes barely distinguishable from the shadows. Still, with his Sharingan, Obito could see everything. For a fleeting instant, a wash of power and pride overtook him.

"What is it?" He barked as it passed, smoothing the ruffles in his shirt.

"Yuupika is safe." It croaked, bowing it's head.

"Mmmm," Obito let out a long sound under his breath, indulging that monumental piece of information for a moment. Flames danced across his mask in the darkness.

"Very good. We will proceed."

"Where to?"

A sadistic smile adorned him once again, though it was hidden to the world. "The Leaf."


A/N: So this was pretty short. I went back and added a lot and somehow, there's something missing...

Ah, well.

Question: Is Obito beyond the point of redemption? I'd like to hear your opinions.

Ja ne!