Shizuka and Jiraya were back in Konoha. As much as Jiraya had wanted to talk his former students out of their world view, they didn't listen. Their minds had been too warped and set in their way. Even Shizuka seemed overly disturbed by the fact that they hadn't talked Nagato and Konan into a more peaceful solution.
They fought, and because of the advantage of knowledge brought from the future by Shizuka, the battle had ended in a sure victory. Sure enough to mean the death of Nagato and Konan, and with that Jiraya had lost all of his students and was left to struggle through his remorse. He had failed. As a sensei, as a guardian and now as a saviour. What awaited him now in Konoha was a lifetime to make up for his past shortcomings in an attempt to guide the young Naruto through his life for as long as Naruto wanted his guidance.
Shizuka wondered how different Naruto would feel, how different his world would become, now that an adult would take charge in his life. Moreover, Jiraya was the one to approach Naruto, instead of the other way around. It might seem like a small change, only a little earlier in the timeline, but for a boy as lonely and neglected as Naruto it would mean a world of difference.
Jiraya slammed a hand down on his shoulder, pulling Shizuka out of his thoughts. "Do you know you look like you're hurting yourself when you think this hard?" Jiraya asked, followed by a booming laugh. "Don't worry, I'm sure Kakashi will still think you're adorable. And between you and me..." He leaned in closer to Shizuka. "You should read my books. Kakashi loves them and any scene from it with you would be a dream come true for him." Maybe it was supposed to be whispered, but the people around them stopping and laughing into their hands told Shizuka it had been perfectly audible to a wide audience.
Shizuka glared at Jiraya, then proceeded to walk to the Hokage tower, trying to ignore Jiraya and block the mental image bleeding into his brain at the suggestion. Chuckles from his ignored companion told him he was unsuccessful at keeping the creeping blush from his face.
With Jiraya tagging along, and Shizuka feeling particularly irksome, Shizuka had decided to skip the written report that had become his custom, and he would just let Jiraya do the report.
With a deep sigh, Shizuka leaned against the wall in a corner, listening to the report. It wasn't interesting. Or it was, but Shizuka didn't feel interested. He just wanted to go home at this point and work through what he considered yet another failure. How had he been able to sway Nagato as a teen, but had he failed now? Nagato would have had a chance to live, unlike the way it went the first time.
"Shizuka." Sarutobi said, drawing Shizuka out of his musings. He blinked, finally noticing Jiraya had already left and he was alone with Sarutobi. "You did well." Shizuka straightened up, shaking his head and almost rolling his eyes. Sarutobi knew the original story. He knew Nagato could have been swayed. He didn't do well, he failed.
Clearing the emotions of his face, he walked to stand in front of the Hokage. Tilting his head slightly, he indicated he wanted the Hokage to say what he wanted. "I know you think it could have been different, but somehow I think it couldn't have been. The circumstances from your first fight were too different from this one. But you did well." Sarutobi stopped to make sure Shizuka was listening, who seemed resistant against his words. "Jiraya didn't die fighting Nagato this time."
Shizuka deflated a bit. Sarutobi was right, to some extend. Not completely, but at least about that part. He gave a short nod and turned to leave.
He found his apartment unusually quiet and dark. It felt depressing to be in the confined space, the curtains shut and a layer of dust on everything. It might have only been about three weeks, but since he didn't keep house all that well, the dust was rather visible and present. Looking toward the kitchen didn't make him feel a lot better. Fruits don't keep that long. Looking in the fridge wasn't even an option at this point; he'd seen the hell of a rotten fridge before.
Instead of staying in the depressing, dark apartment, Shizuka turned and set out towards Kakashi's apartment. Having company would do him good. Kakashi was exceptionally good company. Shizuka might even start reading a certain book around Kakashi, even if it was only to mess with him.
He was tired. More than usual. If Kakashi was home, he'd probably ask for a nap together. If Kakashi wasn't, well, Shizuka would go find him and drag him home for a nap. Shizuka had been restless, more than usual, and sleeping on the road wasn't his strong suit, to begin with.
It was as dark in Kakashi's apartment as it had been in his own, but the distinct smell of rot was absent here. Takashi would have been smart enough to throw out the perishables before leaving, Shizuka figured. Flipping the lights on, Shizuka found the room as clean as it ever was, but it was empty. Kakashi wasn't home.
With a sigh, he looked the room over and noticed a note on the side table. A smile tugged at his lips as he walked over to pick it up. The note was short but written with care. A solo mission. Within the borders, but still. And no time duration. With another sigh he lay down on the couch, facing the backrest and grabbing a pillow to hug. Maybe, for now, the scent of Kakashi trapped in the pillow would be enough to lull him to sleep.
Shizuka wasn't sure he fell asleep, or that maybe he was having a waking nightmare. When his eyes opened again, it wasn't to see the backrest of Kakashi's couch, cast in the shade of the setting sun. He saw a dark space, large and open, but dark and damp. So dark, Shizuka was at first unsure whether he saw anything at all.
But he did. At the other side of the room, bound and laying on his side mirroring Shizuka's position was Kakashi. He didn't move. He didn't even seem to breathe. His shirt was gone, as was his Hitai-ate, but for some reason, Kakashi still had his mask on. Shizuka wanted to scream, to make any noise that could get Kakashi's attention, but he couldn't. He was useless, and all he could do was try to control his panicked breathing as the image of Kakashi burned its way into his mind, mingling with images of Kakashi's first death.
He wanted to whimper, cry out, scream, anything, but the only thing breaking the silence was the rustle of clothing and his laboured breath.
Shizuka forced himself to move and flinched when pain shot through him. Muscle cramps from laying on the cold ground and something else trying to force him to stay where he was. His whole body was protesting any movement. He was struggling, but that didn't matter. All that mattered right now was getting to Kakashi and making sure he was alright. He needed to be alright. He must be alright.
A small movement gave Shizuka hope and more willpower to push through the painful protest of his body. It felt like his muscles were ripping from their tendons, but he didn't care. Kakashi was there, Kakashi needed him. Who cared what happened to himself if he can save Kakashi?
His struggles were stopped by a figure appearing in front of him. The black cloak with red clouds and the orange mask with swirl made his blood run cold. Tobi. Obito. Madara. Shock morphed into rage and hatred in a second. The onslaught of memories, of nightmares, of a man-made hell, drowned out almost all reason within a second, crushing Shizuka's spirit in an unexpected way. He wasn't ready to face this man yet. He couldn't do that alone. He needed... He needed Kakashi, he needed his team, his friends. But the crushing truth was that he had them before, and yet they had been crushed. Only Naruto's and Sasuke's stubbornness remained in the end. Sasuke wasn't here. And Shizuka was alone.
"Hi! My name is Tobi!" Tobi said in the sickening happy tone he always had. "Tobi took Kakashi because you are doing bad things to Tobi's friends." Shizuka looked past Tobi at Kakashi, ignoring Tobi in the process. "Don't worry! He isn't dead, just really, really tired! Probably because Tobi hurt him! A lot! But Tobi won't kill him, oh no, Tobi needs him alive, so you will come looking for him! Yes, you will! Because even if you think this is a dream, you won't be able to risk Kakashi's life for that!" Tobi snickered. "Tobi thinks you already know where to go! We'll be waiting..."
The world spun as Tobi activated his Kamui, and after a dizzy spell, Shizuka found himself back in Kakashi's apartment, panic crushing him as he tried to wrap his head around what had just happened.
