Chapter 13: Hide and Seek

A/N: As of 6/13/2022, I made some updates to the chapter, including added details to the scenery as well as changes to some of the dialogue.


A delicate rainfall soon overtook the dreary overcast as Jitsuko and Obito trekked along the unknown land in the search for the hideout. Using a kunai, she chiseled another line into a spare shuriken, marking two months since the start of their journey. Through the rain and mud, she found her spirit and confidence in finding Rin safely starting to dwindle. Obito never lost hope, of course. His faith in his friends was truly admirable. It was a difficult attitude to match.

The steps Jitsuko took began to slow in pace, they became less urgent, less hopeful as time went on. It wasn't that there was less desire to find Rin, but chances of locating her diminished once she realized just how much ground the two had already explored, and how much left they had yet to cover. Still, the both of them refused to give up.

As the gentle touch of the droplets pattered along her face, her mind began to wander to Madara and Zetsu, and a stark clarity began to set in. Once Madara was found, the next concern was how the two of them were expected to defeat him.

Jitsuko recalled from the show that Madara was prolonging his life with the Demonic Statue, the effigy that absorbed and held the Tailed Beasts that the Akatsuki captured in the original show. She also remembered that Madara only let himself pass away once his legacy was planted into Obito. He wouldn't go without a fight.

At this point it wasn't Madara who scared her, rather, it was Zetsu. Zetsu's strength was not in combat, but that didn't stop the fact that he still eats people. That notion alone was enough to speed up Jitsuko's heartrate.

What if Zetsu surprises us while we are distracted, and he takes a chunk out of Obito, or even engulfs him whole to take him to Madara?

No. No, you can't let that happen, Jitsuko.

But what if it does?

Don't think about it like that. Your nerves will get the best of you, and then we really will be in trouble.

She inhaled deeply, then breathed out all at once, being extra careful to hide the sound from Obito.

You're not strong enough.

Stop thinking of yourself that way. You need to try.

The sound of Jitsuko's heart hastening overtook the increasingly heavy patters of rain as it began to pound within her head.

You're going to get them killed.

Enough.

Obito and Rin will die because of you!

STOP –!

"Jitsuko?" Obito's concerned voice snapped Jitsuko out of her thoughts. Her erratic heartrate threw her breathing into a heavy frenzy, unknowingly attracting Obito's attention.

She whipped her head to his direction as her eyes attempted to absorb every feature of Obito's worried expression as if it was the last time she would see his face.

"Huh? S-sorry. I was just… trying to think of ways to defeat the enemy once we find them."

Satisfied with her response, Obito huffed before exclaiming, "I'm just planning on finding Rin and taking out anyone in my way. I don't care who they are, they won't beat us!"

Jitsuko chuckled unfittingly at his ignorance at just whom they were going up against. "Heh, here I was thinking you were just gonna take her and run. When the time comes, we'll show them what earth and fire is capable of."

The two of them shared an understanding glance; hers looking a bit more strained and morbid. Obito then flashed her his charming signature smile.

"Yeah, you get the idea, Jitsuko!"

While looking over to her best friend, something in the distant background behind his head made Jitsuko gasp and stop in her tracks.

Obito's steps quickly halted soon after hers. A feeling in his gut led him to know she discovered something important. His voice was unusually low and calculated, "What'd you find?"

What she saw was a bone, large and jutting 40 feet in the air. That was when she noticed the numerous other bones within close proximity of the first. One large set of bones were positioned in a way where she could tell that it was a set of ribs. Images began to quickly flash through her mind.

Those bones.

That mountain.

This place.

Jitsuko nodded solemnly, fists clenched.

This is it.

She suddenly recalled what the hideout resembled from the original show. She couldn't help but also tug her memories to that fateful scene where Obito broke out of this place and left to help his friends, entirely unaware of the pure, unadulterated agony he would soon find himself in for the rest of his life. Jitsuko cringed before getting her thoughts back on track and turned back to Obito.

"It's here. We found it."

"Where, Jitsuko?! We need to rescue Rin now!"

She stared gravely at the mountain in the distance before turning her attention back to her friend. "I know, Obito! But we need to come up with a plan first. Let me tell you just who we'll be up aga- h-hey! Stop! We can't go yet!"

Obito grabbed her wrist and rushed closer to the mountain while Jitsuko begged him to relent even for just a second – a request that went unheard.

Upon reaching the entrance, Jitsuko's feet rooted in place, eyebrows furrowing.

Wait, this isn't right.

The entrance should have a huge boulder blocking the way.

Why it is suddenly gaping?

What happened to the rock?

Is this not the hideout?

Did I make a mistake?

A million questions raced through her head as Obito recklessly charged into the darkness yelling for Rin. A sudden barrier of dirt made its way in front of him before he could get too far.

"Wha-? Jitsuko, what gives? Rin could be in danger, what's your problem?!" he angrily bellowed at her, the utter desperation evident in his voice.

Obito's words and demeanor hurt her, and normally she was one to apologize for upsetting him, but this time was different. Everyone's lives were on the line. Jitsuko couldn't sit back and be compliant anymore.

"Obito, you're a 17-year-old shinobi, old enough to qualify as a Jonin. With that in mind, won't you please, THINK THINGS THROUGH BEFORE YOU GET YOURSELF KILLED!"

Her voice echoed through the cave, clearly louder than she had meant to be. Obito looked at her with shock for a moment, before it became anger, then finally shifting to regret as his eyes averted to the ground.

"Please," she begged Obito with a softer, gentler tone. "I can't let you keep doing this. For all the years I've known you, I've let you make some pretty brash decisions, ones that could have easily ended your life. But I can't do this anymore, Obito! I need you to take better care of yourself! I'll always be there to support you, but I would never forgive myself if I couldn't keep you safe. Please. No matter what happens, I…"

Jitsuko bite her lip in apprehension.

"I can't lose you."

Obito stood there in silence, his gaze never leaving her. His eyebrows raised slightly and his lips parted, comprehending what she said. He understood exactly where she was coming from. For years Obito believed that as a shinobi he had nothing to be scared of, but after almost witnessing Jitsuko's death in The Land of Grass, he realized that he had one true fear: He couldn't lose her, either.

Without another word, Obito lowered his head in understanding and nodded.

Jitsuko approached her best friend with confidence and grasped his hand, with him gripping hers back just as tightly.

"Let's go get Rin, but first I need to tell you about the people who took her. There's this… thing called Zetsu. It's so important that you don't take your eyes off him for a second; he can materialize into anything and any second he gets, he will eat y-"

"I think it's time for me to join in on the chatter, don't you think?" A strange, alien, yet familiar voice emanated from the ceiling, catching their full attention.

The being was humanoid, but was devoid of any natural human colors. His hair was a sickly green while his oozing skin was pure white. The lower half of his body was merged into the ceiling as his repulsive yellow eyes observed them from above.

White Zetsu.

"My girl, how did you ever figure out my name? I made sure not to leave tracks behind while observing you all these years. Have I gotten careless? Well, maybe I have, for the purpose of our meeting."

Zetsu's been watching us, for years?

"Where's Rin?!" Obito's thunderous tone dominated over Zetsu's.

"Now hold on, we'll get to that. But first I have to decide what I'm going to do with the extra baggage you brought along with you," Zetsu said to Obito in a condescending tone, as if he were being forced to take out the trash.

Is he referring to me?

Obito's teeth clenched as he lifted his arm up in front of Jitsuko in a protective gesture.

"You aren't getting anywhere near her!"

Zetsu lifted an eyebrow. "Um, I don't really remember asking for your permission, but I must say you two make the cutest power couple. It sure took you long enough to find this place though, huh? I was starting to think you would never show up to see your friend, Obito."

Before Obito could blow a fuse, Jitsuko stepped in. "Where is she? Why did you take her?"

"I don't believe that is any of your business. You weren't supposed to be here, after all."

Disregarding his comment, she matched his patronizing tone, "Where's your other half, Zetsu? The black part of you is missing!"

"Hm?" Zetsu blinked as he began to panic internally.

She shouldn't know about that. Not even Madara himself knows about Black Zetsu's existence yet. Just who is this girl?

Zetsu began looking a bit nervous as he attempted to figure out whether or not she knew of Project Tsuki No Me, The Eye of the Moon Plan, and its "real" goal.

"And while you're at it, where's Madara? If he's still on life support then this should be easy," she feigned confidence in an attempt to psyche Zetsu out. It probably didn't work.

"You don't have to concern yourself with something like that. I'm afraid that I'm your opponent," Zetsu said as his body began to divide into a clone of himself.

Jitsuko and Obito got into a battle stance as the two White Zetsus dropped to the ground in front of them with an audible "plop" before reshaping into their humanoid forms.

Jitsuko briefly turned to Obito, exchanging glances and nods with a determined look on their faces and prepared for battle.

Obito was the first to make a move. He lifted the goggles from his eyes to activate his Sharingan as he charged ahead for both Zestus. While running he dug into his pack and took out six shuriken – three in each hand, before directing his chakra to his feet to jump high into the air. While in midair, Obito discarded the shuriken slightly above him for a moment while he formed hand signs before inhaling deeply. The next thing she knew, the air above Jitsuko became entirely engulfed in a fierce blaze; Obito could no longer be seen. Suddenly the six shuriken pierced through the massive inferno, each of them encased in a thick coat of flames as they rocketed toward both Zetsus.

Jitsuko quickly formed her own hand signs and caused the ground below Zetsu to soften, forcing their feet to sink in. She then hardened the ground again around their ankles, effectively rooting them in place and unable to avoid the blazing shuriken incoming from multiple directions.

Upon making contact, each shuriken violently combusted, setting the Zetsus aflame in multiple areas as the weapons twisted and contorted into their body. There were a few moments where a repulsive noise akin to searing flesh was heard, but no screams accompanied it. Obito landed next to Jitsuko as they both observed the enemy.

The Zetsus just stood there with the shuriken still embedded into them, their flames beginning to die out. Nothing changed, except both Zetsu's now looked murderous. They weren't playing around anymore.

"How… how did that not do anything?" Jitsuko stammered as Obito stared back at the Zetsus, his fierce expression matching theirs.

Can… can Zetsu… heal himself? Ugh, it's been so long… I can't remember!

Just then, one of the Zetsus grossly detached himself from his own feet to escape her trap and immediately grew new ones as he began charging forward at a surprising speed. Jitsuko had just enough time to soften the ground again, prompting Zetsu to plummet on his front as he continued to crawl toward with vehement and inhuman movements. Obito ran a few feet in front of Jitsuko, his kunai ready in both hands as he prepared to defend her from the monstrous thing trying to attack her.

The Zetsu then shifted his focus onto Obito as his body opened up wide, giving him a venus flytrap like appearance. Jitsuko gasped in terror as her best friend was about to be eaten alive in front of her. Between labored breaths and trembling hands, she managed to form hand signs to perform a new jutsu with very little experience.

Suddenly, the elements of the earth around her formed into two giant, moss-coated hands, one that fiercely grabbed the Zetsu in midair and forcefully pounded him into the ground, while the other stayed close to Obito just in case anything else threatened him.

"Don't you dare touch my Obito!" Jitsuko's voice shook the room, full of determination to protect him.

Obito stood there in shock; he'd just been attacked by some… thing that had opened its body up to engulf him, but Jitsuko intervened just in time. She was too distracted with this Zetsu to notice the other one broke free and merged with the ground to appear directly behind her. Obito immediately whirled around to her direction as he sensed the presence with his Sharingan.

"Jitsuko! BEHIND YOU!" he screamed and ran toward her as she turned, only to be met with the other White Zetsu. He then latched on to half of her body, making it impossible to form hand signs with only one free hand. Jitsuko quickly lost control of the elemental hands as they crumbled back into the earth. She never tried that jutsu in battle before; her inexperience with it caused the technique to be unstable and unpredictable.

"GET OFF OF HER!" Obito demanded as he began slashing at the Zetsu attached to Jitsuko, desperate to get her free.

She began screaming in fear as her thoughts raced to how Zetsu can devour people, but soon found it increasingly draining to do so.

What… what's his feeling…? My chakra…it's…leaving me? Oh no. I forgot… one of Zetsu's abilities is draining chakra! Oh my god! Obito!

"Obito! Zetsu – he's draining… chakra… I can't… I'm getting… Obito…" Jitsuko's words became a hazy, incomprehensible speech as the chakra was swiftly sapped from her body. She fell to her knees as Obito looked on in horror, still trying desperately to get her free.

"Jitsuko, Jitsuko, come on! Fight this, you have to fight this! Put a barrier over yourself – do something! Jitsuko! JITSUKO!" Obito pleaded desperately as her eyelids became heavier – even keeping them open has exhausting.

Not long after, the parasitic Zetsu dissolved into the ground, taking Jitsuko with him.

"We'll talk later," he said to Obito and quickly left.

Alone in the darkness, Obito's quivering hand dropped the kunai and fell to his knees. He clawed desperately at the ground where Jitsuko once was in a futile attempt to catch Zetsu before he repeatedly pounded his fists into the ground, his mind wracked in anguish. His fists angrily dug into that spot for a while as his body began to tremble. Not long after, his firsts became warm and wet as tears began flooding from Obito's sorrowful, crimson eyes. They dripped off his nose and chin while his eyes were pinched shut; his teeth clenched like a vice.

"How… how could she let herself get captured like this… how could I let her…?! No. She was captured because she was saving me. I couldn't protect her. I didn't even get the chance to…"

Obito hiccupped as he broke down even harder.

"Now she's taken… because of me. Jitsuko… Rin… They're both gone…!"

During his sobs, the Zetsu clone calmly made his way over to Obito and stood over his hunched form. "Now, with them out of the way maybe we can finally have a talk," he said nonchalantly to the sobbing Uchiha before him.

At Zetsu's words, Obito's trembling fists clenched tightly, scraping dirt into his curled palms, his head still low in defeat. Suddenly, Obito snapped his head up at Zetsu, his stunningly red Sharingan staring right through Zetsu's soul.

"Wh-whoa, easy kid. It was for y-your own good, you kn-"

"Get away from me!" Obito shouted as he suddenly leaped up and swung at Zetsu recklessly and aggressively with his fists. He couldn't think straight – his mind only told him to attack the thing that took them. He didn't bother pulling out a weapon; there was no room for thinking things through. Zetsu dodged the first few throws as he stepped back from each swing.

"We just want to talk to you, ki-"

"Shut UP!" Obito interrupted as his fists darted aimlessly toward Zetsu.

Zetsu abruptly stopped dodging and allowed Obito's fist to make contact with his abdomen. His fist sank deep into the oozing substance of Zetsu's stomach, which hardened over, locking Obito's arm in place.

"You need to relax please! Those two are still here for now, but that might change quickly if you don't settle down and do as we say."

Obito's breathing was loud and heavy, but hearing that Jitsuko and Rin were still there in the hideout gave him enough restraint to force himself to calm down. Obito was never a listener or a follower. It was so hard for him to comply with such a despicable creature, but since it was to protect his friends, he begrudgingly obeyed as Zetsu lead him deeper into the hideout.


Jitsuko had just enough strength to stay conscious while the Zetsu clone released his hold on her as she landed into a dark and moist chamber.

"I'm… alive…?" she breathed, not meaning to mutter it out loud.

"Yeah, I didn't want to kill you off just yet," Zetsu began with his disgustingly casual tone. "That Obito seems rather attached to you, so you might still be of use to us, just in case he gets any ideas on believing in hope again any time soon."

Jitsuko didn't bother asking Zetsu what he meant; she already knew their plans for Obito Uchiha – the one to bring forth death and destruction onto the shinobi world.

"Maybe I should have grabbed you instead of that other girl, maybe then he would have shown up faster!" Zetsu said, chuckling to himself.

The other girl… he means… Rin!

"Wh-where is… Rin…?" she managed to whisper as she attempted to lift herself up by her wobbling arms.

Either Zetsu did not hear Jitsuko, or he was done humoring her, because he dissolved into the wall and left seemingly in a hurry.

"J…Jitsuko…?"

Jitsuko heard an impossibly weak feminine noise that sounded like her name. She managed to turn around and see a girl who vaguely resembled Rin curled up in a corner. She looked severely weak, to put it nicely. Her mouth was slightly open, and her eyes were half lidded as she gazed up at her.

Jitsuko's weary eyes widened at the sight. After months of endless searching, she finally found Rin. But things were not looking good for her.

It was not looking good for anybody.