Tobi looked out his bedroom window at the darkening sky. Once it was past time for the old lady to go home, he planned to sneak out.

After coming home, he had dutifully spent his evening helping Hinako with the shop and keeping a close watch and listen on everyone who came in.

As expected, the village was still abuzz with excitement and celebration. Many of them would stay awake into the night. The streets wouldn't be empty for a while. But he could use that to his advantage.

Thankfully, that wasn't his only advantage. His earlier foray around the village proved that everything was just as he remembered, including the nearly invisible measures the Barrier and Security corps used to protect certain areas from unauthorized access.

To test it, he'd gone to the jounin armory under the pretext of refilling his supplies after the last battle. No one paid much attention to him. No alarms were raised. The sensors did not detect an intruder.

Tobi pulled the curtains shut and paced out into his living room, running the plan through his mind again.

He needed all the advantages he could get. Even if everything went his way, this step was impossible to take back. At best, he'd find nothing, and the task would go smoothly enough to give him several hours' head start before Minato caught on.

But Tobi knew it wouldn't go the best way. He'd felt a growing unease ever since Obito told him about Madara. The old Uchiha never let anything interfere with him. Not family, not love, not death, and certainly not a child. If he had nothing to do with this, it was only because he hadn't decided on a suitable way to use Uchiha Obito yet.

The real question was whether it was worth doing something about.

Tobi returned to his room and slid the door shut behind him. Then he stood there for a moment, hand resting on the door.

This was the last opportunity to let everything go. To keep his disguise on, go to bed, and let the consequences fall wherever they would. Or he could simply leave, disappear like a ghost and find freedom.

If his younger self got killed, he would be trapped in this world forever. But was that such a bad thing?

He knew the future and all the players behind it. If he claimed his younger self's eyes, he could carve out a place for himself and direct the future without limit. All nine of the Beasts existed here. Nagato was here.

All the more reason to end Madara.

All the more reason to leave now, to forget about taking a detour into the village that would inevitably incur Minato's wrath. Doing it this way was a larger risk for a smaller gain. A fool's gamble.

"Kai."

A plume of vapor surrounded Tobi, returning him to his true form.

He walked slowly over to the bed, where he'd laid out some clothes. Gloves and a cowled undershirt to cover his hands, arms, and neck. Standard Konoha-nin attire, complete with flak vest and hitai-ate. A heavy black mantle. The toarmband and a mask he'd found in town. It was the least flashy one he could get without stealing from the ANBU themselves: plain white and shaped to resemble a karasu tengu, with a short beak and feathers carved lightly into the wooden surface.

It would have to do.

Tobi put on everything except the armband, mask, and hitai-ate. He wrapped bandages around his head to cover his missing eye and most of the scars.

He picked up the hitai-ate and hesitated. The metal plate caught the tiny sliver of light from between the window curtains. He turned it over and tied it loosely from his neck.

Now he looked like any nameless chuunin freshly returned from the war.

Tobi glanced at the clock on the nightstand. The next and largest hurdle was timing. He wanted to meet the head captain of the ANBU alone, in a controlled situation. But his jounin clearance wasn't enough to let him wander deep into the heart of the organization. He'd have to find the captain in his public-facing office at a time when others were not as likely to be there.

In his world, Tobi learned as much as he could about the ANBU. He never discovered the head captain's identity, but he did know that a second-in-command took over for him at night. Each day before going home, the captain spent a little time in his office filing paperwork and fielding requests from people outside the organization.

If he kept to that schedule as rigidly as Tobi expected, then the revelry of tonight could work in his favor. Unruly celebrators were the domain of Uchiha Fugaku and his force. The ANBU would all be looking outward. Everyone else thought it was a holiday. Odds were good that no one would bother the captain until his second came in to relieve him.

The final wild card was Minato. But he was the type to stay out only for as long as it was polite, preferring to go home as soon as possible to rest in his lover's arms.

Tobi's Hiraishin mark would not be a problem. He'd burned it off, just as his younger self did. It would give him a head start, however slight.

Tobi tucked the mask and armband into a pocket underneath his mantle. There was nothing left but to walk through the village as himself. To go slowly enough to blend in, but quickly enough that no one had a chance to look at him twice.

Tobi ran his gloved fingertips over the leaf symbol stamped into the hitai-ate.

To think that was the easy part.

The head captain of the ANBU, direct subordonate to the Sandaime and now Yondaime Hokage, was exactly where Tobi hoped to find him. He sat dutifully at his desk, among scrolls and encrypted notes, masked and hidden head to toe just as Tobi was. The design on his mask abstractly resembled a boar.

He looked up and paused at the sight of Tobi standing inside the cramped office. The slight hesitation was the only mark of his surprise. Few people knew where to find him at this hour. And Tobi had come in masked and undetected, neither by the ANBU nor the sensors.

Boar stood from his chair quickly. "Who are you?"

Tobi adopted a formal, neutral tone. "Good evening. I am captain of the To unit, the special squad recently requested by Yondaime-sama. As the head of secret ops, you should be aware of this." He tapped the stolen armband now displayed on his sleeve.

Boar let his hands relax by his sides. Tobi knew better than to think it meant his guard was down. "I am aware. But I must have overlooked the scroll containing your unit roster. I've only heard one name linked to your group, and even that is just a rumor. What is your designation?"

"Tobi," he responded smoothly. "But please do not speak about me to anyone besides the Yondaime. I am required to introduce myself to you, but it is best if we remain a rumor. Sorry for moving quickly to the point, but I've been assigned to retrieve a certain item that was stolen during the chaos of the Kiri attack. Since I already had to come here, I would like you to confirm something for me related to the issue."

"I can't give you any classified information unless Yondaime-sama vouches for you first," Boar said immediately. "I want to hear it from him."

Tobi was unruffled. "I understand. I only need confirmation of where your pursuit team made their final report. Minato-sama believed it was somewhere near the border to Land of Rivers, but he thought it best to double check with you while I was here. If you happen to have coordinates, that would be better."

Boar said nothing for a moment. Tobi waited patiently, at least on the surface. Within, he was all too aware of the passing time. He did not want anyone else to come in and see him.

After a pause that felt far too long, Boar opened his desk drawer and pulled out a worn, folded map. He unfolded it over his desk and placed his fingertip close to the border with Rivers.

"The last report came from here. But the SOS came from here." He pointed at a spot within Rain territory. "That was four days ago."

Tobi felt his breath go short. It was a purely emotional reaction, a holdover from his former life. He no longer needed to breathe. But when he spoke, his voice was perfectly calm. "So you are certain they were all killed?"

"Aa. As certain as I can be without risking a fight with Hanzo. But I never heard anything about a stolen item."

"Good. Let's keep it that way." Tobi bowed. "Thank you for the confirmation. I look forward to working with you in the future."

Tobi used shunshin to leave the office. Soon he was out, running and jumping across rooftops for the nearest section of the outer wall.

Leaving would be easy. The challenge came after. He'd lit a fuse of unpredictable length.

Now he was sure. Minato had found out that everyone involved with the book was killed. He probably assumed it was destroyed, or at least out of reach, deep within The Salamander's territory. He was battling between his own grief and a desire not to let his young student do anything rash. Maybe he even had his own search plans.

Everyone wanted to handle this crisis in their own way. They were all wrong.

Burning off his mark gave Tobi a head start, but he knew Minato would come after him as soon as he realized. Maybe he would go to the apartment first, only to find no one there. Anything to buy just a little more time.

Tobi cursed softly as he jumped down from the wall and into the woods.

Maybe this world was doomed after all, if it was down to someone like him to save it.

The next day passed the same way as the previous. Obito, Kakashi, and Rin waited for something to change, spending their idle time talking circles around plans and occasionally bickering.

But the time allowed some of Obito's frantic drive to coalesce into something more determined.

He knew what they needed to do. If he could break into the future timeline, their search would be over. They would have the ability and firepower to win against anyone they encountered.

Obito knew it. He could feel it. He went to sleep expecting to be haunted by the spectre of the Sanbi again, biting his tongue to stop himself from suggesting they spend the night looking for Tsunade despite the risks. A little more patience had to pay off.

But they were all surprised the next morning.

Obito awoke to the sound of the sink in the corner running. He pried his eyes open and rolled onto his elbows.

Tsunade was washing her face in the sink. She turned the spigots off and patted her face dry.

Beside him, Kakashi sat up and looked toward Tsunade, too. Rin raised her head off the mat, blinked, then scooted up away from Kakashi. Her bag, which had started out as a pillow, was a few feet away. She grabbed it and made a show of rummaging through its contents, pulling out a small comb and making hurried swipes with it through her hair.

Tsunade turned away from the cracked mirror above the sink and scrutinized them.

Her gaze landed on Obito, and he saw her eyes flick to where the necklace would have been, if he'd been wearing it. Her brows drew close together.

"Do you kids really plan on going to Lightning if you don't get what you want? You realize this is the worst time to be caught in another territory without orders, don't you?"

Obito stood. "That was my idea, and I'm still not counting it out. But Rin and Kakashi wouldn't do it. They'd only come along if I threatened to go without them."

Tsunade gave a short, choppy laugh. "If you're worried about me reporting you, don't be. I'd be in even worse trouble than you by now if the old man wasn't so soft. Though I am surprised Kakashi let you come this far. Heard he was a little stickler."

Obito glared. "Kakashi has done his best to keep us safe. He didn't have to come along, but he did, even though he was against this whole thing from the start."

Tsunade shrugged. "I've heard of the healer you mentioned. She should be able to help you. But I think you're better off going back home to wait for a spot at the hospital. Is it really worth the risk? How will you find this thing once you're healed, anyway?"

"I have a way, but I need to be healed first," Obito said. "However we do it, that's the fastest way. The best way."

Rin zipped up her pack and stood. So did Kakashi.

"Tsunade-sama," Rin started. She clenched her fists down by her sides. "I understand why you can't heal Obito. But if you tell me what to do… I can do it."

"Huh?" Obito's head whipped around to stare at her.

Tsunade frowned. "It's not something one medic can do alone. We're not Hyuuga—we can't see the individual pathways. You need at least one other person to keep the area constantly awash in healing energy while the other reconnects the pathways."

Rin rested a hand on her chest. "Then let me repair the connections. My hands are steady. I won't make a mistake." She threw Obito a fierce look. "You trust me, don't you?"

Obito was taken aback. "Of course I do."

Tsunade made a skeptical sound. "Have you ever done chakra system manipulation or repair before?"

A pink tinge emerged high on Rin's cheeks. "I've done it on models in training. And I know how to use a chakra scalpel."

"Her work on physical injuries is always perfect. If she says she can do it, then it's true," Kakashi said firmly.

Obito nodded. "It would save us some time. Tsunade-sama? Can you help her do it?"

Tsunade pursed her lips. "If you make a mistake—"

"I know," Rin said. "But it should be bloodless if I do it right, right?"

Tsunade looked around the little shack. She stopped at Obito once again. "This is hardly the place for a serious operation. And we would need a few more things."

"I have tools," Rin said. "If there's anything else we need, couldn't we get it in town?"

Tsunade gave an amused huff. "Minato never mentioned the three of you were little pains in the ass."

They waited.

Tsunade paused for a long time. Then she said, "The continual influx of healing energy should prevent the worst. Even if it goes wrong, he won't die. So, fine. I'll help."

Rin's face softened from determination into a wide smile. "Thank you!"

"Thank you," Obito echoed, giving a low bow.

"If it gets rid of you three fleas, it'll be worth it." Tsunade walked toward Rin with a gesture. "Let me see what you've got. We'll need something to put him under, since we don't have an extra person on hand to regulate his consciousness."

"You're the weak link this time, Kakashi," Obito said with a smirk.

Kakashi gave him a don't push your luck look. "I'll help however I can."

Rin moved to the table to lay out her equipment. She and Tsunade started talking about the procedure.

"So," Kakashi said. "You're planning on going to the other side for help, after all?"

"I think so. It's the best shot we have at finding the book."

"If he's never met you, how do you plan on convincing him to help?"

Obito looked down. He'd grown used to the necklace being there. Once they were away from Tsunade, he would keep it out until Naruto asked for it back. "I'll just tell him the truth. He'll help."

Kakashi shrugged. "It's weird, but I get the feeling you're right about that."

Obito lay on the table and tried not to let his nervousness show. They'd cleaned everything off thoroughly, and Rin had assured him there would be no physical cuts. Still, he'd have to go under to prevent his energy from fluctuating too much while Rin was trying to repair the connection to the tenketsu behind his eye.

Tsunade was standing beside the sink, back turned to them. She didn't want to see Rin inject Obito with the anesthetic.

"Are you sure?" Rin asked him one last time, the needle poised over his arm. "This is risky, too. We can still go back home and wait for a spot at the hospital. They could give you an IV to make sure you don't wake for a while."

Obito took a deep breath and looked up. "I'm sure. Thank you."

Rin smiled. The sight of it lifted his spirits, and he smiled back. But he didn't feel the slight sting that used to come afterward, both before and after he found out about Tobi. It only felt nice. Comfortable. It felt okay.

"I'm glad you guys are here." He turned his head to look at Kakashi, sitting on the opposite side. "I shouldn't have left without you. I acted without thinking."

"You already apologized once. Save it for after we have the book back," Kakashi said.

"It'll be a couple minutes. Try to relax," Rin said.

Obito relaxed back and took slow, deep breaths. After a while, darkness settled on him quietly like a thick blanket.

Obito awoke with a heavy, cotton-ball feeling in his head. He sat up woozily.

He was tucked away beside the wall. Rin and Kakashi were at the table with takeout food containers scattered between them. Obito's stomach growled.

"How are you feeling?" Rin got up and came over to him, bringing a glass of water.

Obito took a sip. "I'm not dead, so that's a good start."

Rin laughed. "I think it went well. Tsunade-sama did well, too. She left and brought us some food, saying you needed to keep up your strength. She's gone again now. She also said you should use your Sharingan to make sure the pathways have reconnected properly. Just don't over-do it."

Obito exhaled and held up a half-ram sign. He focused on the feeling of how it used to be, to use his power without flinching.

There was some pain, but it wasn't unbearable. Obito looked up and around the room. Trails of colors and movements hovered around Rin and Kakashi. He caught the hint of Rin's grin before it happened.

"It's back?"

"It's back!" Rin placed her hands together happily.

Obito stood and walked to the mirror. His right eye stung, and a tear fell out when he blinked.

He put his hand through the mirror, felt the in-between space. He wanted to dive right into it.

He whirled around, smiling wider than he had in a while. "Let's go!"

"Uh… you should probably have something to eat, first." Rin gestured at the table.

Obito's stomach growled again, louder this time. "Good point."

He deactivated his Sharingan and walked over to the table. He looked around at everything on it. "When I'm not using it, everything still looks a little blurry on that side."

"Yes." Rin sat down too. "Tsunade-sama said it might not be perfect. The poison did cause some physical damage."

Obito went quiet for a moment, pulling one of the foil containers over to himself. There was a variety of simple foods, as if from a bunch of different food stalls.

"I'll get used to the way it looks. You did the best you could. I'll never forget that."

"So, what's the plan from here?" Kakashi asked, raising a brow at him expectantly.

"Try going to the other side. I want us to look for the book together, but I think I should go into the other dimension alone."

Kakashi frowned. "Why? You said you couldn't explain before. Can you explain it now, before we get in to this? I'd like to know a little more about what we're doing."

"Right," Rin agreed. "Shouldn't we get our older selves as backup, too?"

Obito sighed. "I know it's confusing, but… okay. There are two other dimensions I've been to. One I need the book to get to, and the other I don't. I should be able to reach that one now."

The other two nodded. Obito continued.

"So. Not needing the book sounds good, but that place knows dimensional travel exists. I'm not the only one who's used it. There are rules about it there. I've only been there a few times, and I've never been allowed to do much of anything. As for Tobi, he doesn't come from there. He comes from the book dimension. That's the one I'm more familiar with."

Kakashi crossed his arms. "How did you ask Tobi for help if he comes from the book dimension? You can't go there. That's the whole problem."

This was an even deeper rabbit-hole Obito was not prepared to go into right now. He picked his words carefully. "Tobi was already in my kamui before I got hurt and lost the book. If he hadn't been, I couldn't have used him as a decoy. It was just a lucky break, depending on how you look at it, I guess."

"I still think we should go with you to the other world," Rin said. "What if something goes wrong?"

Obito stared down at the takeout container in front of him. "I'm sorry. It's not a good idea."

"Why?"

"The more people I take, the more of a strain it is. If it fails, you guys might end up stuck there, too. It's better for you to wait in this world the first time I try this. Besides, Naruto is the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. Sealed beasts are a lot easier to deal with than unsealed ones, but it still takes more effort to transport them compared to other people."

Kakashi's brows nearly disappeared under his hitai-ate. "That seems like a pretty big detail to leave out until now."

Obito shrugged. "There's a lot to tell."

"Then you had better tell it when this is all over."

"…Yeah."

"Will you be able to carry everyone when we find out where the book is?" Rin asked.

Obito popped the plastic lid off the yakisoba he'd grabbed. "Guess we'll find out, won't we?"

Obito, Rin, and Kakashi stood in a shady clearing a safe distance away from the town. Obito put his hand over the place where the necklace once again rested against his chest.

His pulse was quick with nerves. He knew he should be able to get to the future dimension. It was irreversibly tied to his kamui. But if it failed, that wouldn't be just a setback. It would be back to square one.

He wondered what the future version of Naruto was like.

After all, how different could things be? If he remembered correctly, that timeline was only four years ahead of the one Naruto and Tobi belonged to. If time flowed at the same rate there, what would that make him? Eighteen?

More importantly, that version probably only knew Obito as an enemy. The version of Tobi that instigated the Fourth War was several steps further into the darkness than even the one he knew.

Obito had met that version of himself face-to-face, very briefly. At that point, he'd been overtaken by Zetsu and consumed with the dual powers of Rinnegan and bijuu. It was mind-bending to think about.

That was how things were supposed to be. How he would have been if Orochimaru hadn't interfered.

"Well? Do you know how to find him?" Kakashi broke through his thoughts.

"Maybe." Obito paused. "I don't want to ask the Rokudaime. He'd probably say no. But I know Naruto's favorite ramen shop. I'll hover over it, and if he isn't there, I'll ask the man who runs the shop. Naruto talks about him like he's family."

"Just be careful, okay?" Rin said.

"Don't leave us waiting," Kakashi said.

Obito took a deep breath. There was nothing left but to try.

He stepped through dimensions. Kamui was a necessary waypoint, but he didn't linger there long. Like a swimmer, he stayed just long enough to breathe out and in once more.

Then he dove forward into the future dimension.