Chapter 9: How Could You?
A/N: As of 6/12/2022, I made some minor updates to the chapter, including formatting/grammatical changes.
Jitsuko finally awoke to the sounds of yelling coming from the Uchiha chained to the wall across from her. Groggily, she took in her surroundings, noting how she, Obito and Kakashi were each chained to a separate wall in the same incredibly tiny square bunker. The area was so miniscule that her legs were able to make contact with theirs, effectively forcing the three of them to stare at nothing else but each other. Jitsuko's brain then began to register an unimaginable pain…
"LET US GO, YOU BASTARD!" Obito screamed at the top of his lungs as he clawed desperately at the chains restraining him.
"QUIET DOWN, OBITO!" Kakashi uncharacteristically screamed back. "There's nothing you can do now."
"What," Obito stated firmly, trying hard to keep his remaining composure, "Are you seriously going to give up, just like that? You aren't even going to try to get the hell out of here?"
"Look around you, Obito! It's pointless. Our best course of action is to keep quiet and listen to his demands," Kakashi instructed.
"No. No way. I'm not going to give in to some low-life rogue ninja who can't even come down and FIGHT ME FACE TO FACE –"
" – OBITO!"
Akito chuckled from afar as the two continued to argue. "At this rate, I won't even need to use my jutsu. They're already pouncing at each other –"
A moment later, the yelling suddenly stopped. Curious, Akito peered down, an eyebrow raised.
There was still noise emanating from inside, but it was a complete switch from yelling – it was crying.
"Jitsuko? Jitsuko, what's wrong?" Obito cooed softly, her whimpers immediately extinguishing his rage.
"M-my...hand...it...it – hurts!" she managed to whine out, both of the boy's gazes then landed on the hand chained at her side. The fingers were mangled, bending at angles where they shouldn't be, earning a wince from Kakashi and a gasp from Obito.
"Oh, that?" Akito finally made his presence known. "I'm aware that her Earth Style techniques specialize in protection, meaning she is able to skillfully shift the area around her better than most Earth style users could."
His attention then turned to Kakashi, eyes squinting slightly. "I would've done the same for you, the one with the mask, but you are actually a bit of a threat – too much so to get close. I'm lucky my jutsu was able to capture you in time. You are a fast one, but you should have considered deploying some teamwork instead of trying to tackle me alone," he scoffed before turning his attention back to Jitsuko.
"She was weak, so I seized the opportunity when I saw it –"
Staring at her injury, Obito seethed.
"You…" he initially whispered. "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO HER? I'M GONNA TAKE YOU DOWN MYSELF, YOU SON OF A –"
"-You should be thankful that I only bothered with breaking one of her hands!" he interrupted. "Not that it really matters. You three are going to die here, anyway. But not before I dig into some juicy gossip!"
"B-but… why?" Jitsuko managed to exhale between gasping cries.
"I like to capture ninjas from different villages and scan their minds for village secrets, then sell the intel to other nations. It's why things didn't work out between me and the Yamanaka Clan. But that can get boring, so I like to switch it up by making my guests turn on each other! You'd understand if you lived alone out here for as long as I have."
The three of them stared in disbelief. Minato did mention that he has the uncanny ability to destroy one's will in a unique fashion.
No! I need to form a barrier and shield Obito and Kakashi! But... my hand... forming signs is impossible now.
"Let's see. Eeny, meeny, miny, you."
He finished maliciously and pointed to Kakashi. Despite what transpired between her and Kakashi, Jitsuko didn't want to see him in pain. Before she could react, Akito formed the familiar Yamanaka hand pose and directed it at him.
Then, there was silence.
"Hmm.. not much for intel…"
Kakashi doesn't know as much about village secrets because I came along. Since I stopped Obito's and Rin's death, Kakashi never joined the ANBU division and learned secret village intel.
She mentally sighed in relief.
Then again, if everything played out like in the show, Obito and Kakashi wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.
She sighed again.
"…but what's this?" Akito asked enthusiastically. "Looks like you three have gotten into a scuff or two recently, huh? It would appear that the masked one really hates the two of you, especially the female…"
Jitsuko's eyelids slowly lowered in sadness.
"…that's what I'd like to say, except it's actually quite the opposite. Boring. Moving on now."
What? Kakashi doesn't hate me?
Her head shot up, eyes wide in disbelief. However, she didn't have much time to let it sink in, as Akito then aimed his hands at her.
Oh no, she pleaded in her head.
"Oh yes," replied Akito out loud, reading her thoughts.
…Silence.
Excruciating silence.
She felt nothing but the wild and painful pounding in her chest and hand. The secrets she had been trying so hard to keep from her best friend for years was now threatened to be spilled by some disgustingly malicious rogue ninja. Suddenly Jitsuko felt it; her mind drew a blank as he scanned her memories. It felt… mesmerizing.
"This…this is…" Akito spoke, unsure of how to react to her thoughts, feelings, and memory. He saw everything that was, and everything that could have been. Rin's and Obito's death. The Nine-Tails Attack. The Uchiha Massacre. The death of the Third and Fourth Hokage. The Fourth Great Ninja War. All of these events she vowed to keep from happening, and he knew it all. It clashed with the events taking place in this timeline.
"What - what is this? What are these… thoughts?" Akito questioned out loud, his voice displaying vulnerability for the first time.
"…Woman. You are something special, aren't you?" he interrogated her, unsure of what else to say. "…I wonder how much I could get for you with the amount of… intel you have up there. I don't understand your thoughts, but I'm sure a village somewhere wou-"
"YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!"Obito demanded as he wrestled with his binds again.
Akito released his hold on Jitsuko and turned his attention to Obito.
"You. You've been a thorn in my side since I met you. For that, I'm going to wound you. Or rather, it's not me who's going to do it, it's her," he announced, pointing at Jitsuko's slumping form.
"I don't know what's going on in that mangled, unorganized web she calls a mind, but in my search I did find something that I think even you could understand," Akito crackled as Obito looked on, eyes red and full of contempt.
That was, until he mentioned her name.
"Rin," Akito neutrally stated, immediately shutting up Obito, his eyes changing to confusion. At her name, he retracted his Sharingan.
"NO!"Jitsuko shrieked, knowing precisely where this was going.
"She's some girl who you're in love with, correct? At least, that's what Jitsuko seems to think."
Obito's eyes widened for a moment.
How did she know about that?
"But you wanna know what else Jitsuko thinks?"
"STOP! Shut your mouth NOW!" she screamed the loudest Obito had ever heard her. Akito only smiled mischievously.
"She hates her, Obito. Jitsuko absolutely, positively loathes this girl Rin. Now here's the juicy part. I read in her mind that Jitsuko wished there was a way for Rin to 'go away.' To, 'vanish,' if you catch my drift."
"She… what?" was all Obito could muster at the revelation.
"Does that hurt you?" he teased.
Obito's sight was glued to the cement in front of him, powerless to respond.
"Is it painful?"
His head only dipped lower.
"It should be. According to Jitsuko, you love Rin to death. How does it feel to know that your 'best friend' feels such a deep revulsion toward your crush, so much that she wouldn't mind if she were dead?"
The Uchiha's teeth clenched tighter after each passing word.
"Did you know?"
He gripped the chains harder, his fingers turning numb.
"Did she tell you, Obito?"
His breathing grew hoarse. There was no way that such a sweet girl like Jitsuko would harbor such resentment toward their friend, Rin. No. There's just no way! All those times the three of them would hang out, laugh, and enjoy each other's company… was it all a lie? Jitsuko wanted Rin dead?
Obito's mind was racing, his eyes frozen in shock; the emotions coursing through him were indescribable and overwhelming as he lowered his head down further in defeat.
Tears clouded the corners of Jitsuko's eyes, her voice in a breaking whisper, "Obito, I –"
"Is it true, Jitsuko?" Obito interrupted, his voice shaking. "Is that how you really feel about Rin? Even after everything the three of us have been through…?"
Kakashi had no choice but to watch everything. He had no idea she felt this strongly about someone as innocent as Rin. Kakashi was in the opposite situation. He acted as if he hated Jitsuko when he is actually fond of her, while she pretended to like Rin, come to find out that she couldn't stand her. Kakashi was then shaken out of his thoughts by Obito's sudden uproar.
"Even after going out of your way to save her; she healed you and saved your life. All that time we spent together and that is how you FEEL ABOUT HER?!"
Jitsuko was horrified, not only by Obito screaming at her for the very first time, but also by finally coming to terms with her true feelings for Rin.
I… I would never kill Rin… but I wouldn't be sad if she were gone.
Her heart ached; chest heavy from the suffocating weight of finally admitting it. The reason she wouldn't mind Rin's departure was because she wanted Obito all to herself. Obito loved Rin, Jitsuko thought. If she were gone, maybe then she would have even the slightest chance with him.
"Answer me!" Obito demanded, with a familiar sound accompanying his words.
That sound… did he just…?
"Obito," Jitsuko started weakly, finally mustering the courage to meet the Uchiha's scornful gaze: Anger. Betrayal. Confusion. Heartbreak.
"Did you just… activate your Sharingan… on me?"
Obito paused, his eyes slightly widening for a moment in realization that he did in fact activate his Sharingan on his best friend.
"I… guess I did." Obito then went silent, shamefully lowering his head down to where she couldn't see his face.
"Jitsuko…" Obito's voice was hoarse, his body trembling.
"Just, how – how could you?"
Jitsuko could explain her reasoning. It's because I'm a selfish, envious person who wants her friend all to herself, but she had a feeling that he wouldn't like that answer. Instead, she decided that it was her turn to ask questions.
"What is it about her that makes her so special, anyway?!" she began, shocking Obito into a milder expression.
"From the first day we met, I knew you were something special. When you told me it was your dream to be Hokage, I made it mine to grow up with you and see your goal through. I have been nothing but loyal and devoted to you, Obito. Rin always had her attention on Kakashi. She never gave you the attention you deserve, Obito! I saw how she never returned your feelings, and I couldn't stand it. I kept trying to process how someone like her couldn't see someone as incredible and passionate as you. Seeing how hard I'm trying for you, only for her to win all of your love instead…"
Jitsuko fumbled over her words; tears ran down her face and pooled onto the exposed skin of her lap.
"Obito. Loving someone who doesn't love you back,"
She lifted her head to look Obito straight in the eye.
"It's hell."
Obito couldn't find the words to fight back. He knew all too well the feeling of unreciprocated affection.
"But please tell me Obito, even if you never talk to me again, please tell me…" Jitsuko begged as she continued to sob, with tears still streaming down her face.
"What does Rin have that I don't?"
In one of the very few times of his young life, Obito had nothing to say.
What was it about Rin that attracted him to her? Obito never truly thought about it.
Growing up, Rin was the only one to give him any sort of attention, even if it still wasn't that much. Then Jitsuko came along out of nowhere and showered him in affection that he wasn't used to, so much so that Obito didn't know how to handle it. He then thought back to the times spent with her throughout the years: eating ramen and ice cream, sparring together at the training grounds, going on missions together, star gazing. Jitsuko truly was there for him whenever he needed her.
"When I told you about my Ninja Way, that I would do anything to protect my comrades, I made that vow because of you. I'd do anything to protect you, Obito," she sighed and sniffled. "I know I'm not a skilled ninja, but all these years I always thought that I've done a decent job keeping you from harm. Except it looks like I was the one who hurt you the deepest. I'm so sorry, Obito…"
She met his eyes again and gave the lightest of smiles; the sharp pain in her heart distracted her from the pain of her broken hand.
"I made it my goal to never give up on you and to help you become Hokage, and yet, no matter how you feel about me from this point on, I'll never stop believing in you."
"J-Jitsuko…" Obito managed to choke out through his tears. All of these sensations, these conflicting emotions of warmth and anger – it was unbearable.
"I know that Rin is innocent in all this. It's not fair to her that I've been holding my feelings back. When we get out of this, I'm going to tell Rin everything about how I feel. I can't keep this up anymore. She deserves to know the truth. I…"
Jitsuko averted her gaze to the ground before shifting it back to Obito again.
"I want to ask for her forgiveness. Maybe only then I can ask for yours."
"Jitsuko…" Obito said softly, commendation and appreciation was apparent in his eyes and voice.
"Hold it there," Akito finally interjected, "That was a touching speech and all, but I think you missed the part where I said you were going to die here."
Obito looked up at the man with exasperation.
"It's you! This is all your fault! All you've done is try to make us turn on each other! Come down here so we can have a real fight!" yelled Obito, to her relief his fiery personality returned.
All the while, Kakashi had been formulating a way of getting out of there. During their screaming episode, Kakashi secretly managed to form hand signs to activate his Lightning style to singe off the old, rusted cuffs. Now the next step is distraction. But how?
"Alright, alright, enough already. You're all beginning to be real downers. I'll just do quick skim through your thoughts and be done with you," Akito said dryly to Obito as he prepared his hand seals.
Telling by his strained breathing, Obito was livid. He invaded his best friend's mind, spilled her secrets; he broke her hand and ger spirit. Obito was still upset with Jitsuko, but he'd be damned if he allowed anything else happen to her.
"No. That's enough. I won't let you torture me or my friends anymore!" Obito exclaimed, him still referring to her as his friend struck a chord of relief through her.
Akito raised an eyebrow, wondering what gave Obito his confidence back. Just then, Obito leered straight up at the man, his eyes as red as blood. Suddenly Akito stopped. Frozen in place, he stared, entranced by Obito's eyes.
What's going on? What's he doing?
Akito was mesmerized, put under a paralysis genjutsu conjured by Obito's Sharingan.
Now, Kakashi ordered himself as he sprang into action.
Suddenly a blinding, crackling light appeared next to Jitsuko before Kakashi leaped up to Akito's level; the electricity in his hand was accompanied by what sounded like a bird of sorts. As fast as lightning, Kakashi thrusted his arm into Akito's chest.
The Chidori.
Immediately after, Kakashi swiftly stole the kunai Akito had on hand before slashing him with it, right down the middle. Akito's body trembled before slumping on his side. Jitsuko was still tied up and shocked, unable to process what just happened. Obito blinked a couple times, releasing the genjutsu and his Sharingan and quietly returned his gaze to Jitsuko.
It's over.
There was silence for what felt like hours. The only audible sound came from Kakashi's labored breathing as he stood over Akito's lifeless form. Finally, she decided to speak up.
"Are… are you alright, Obito?"
He stared at Jitsuko for a moment before a small smirk appeared on his lips.
"Heh, I was about to ask you the same thing… there you go always reading my mind - you big weirdo," he said with a playful cockiness that reassured her.
We're gonna be okay.
