Chapter 33: Epilogue: Part 2 – A Shinobi's Resolve

A/N: As of 7/6/2022, I made some minor updates to the chapter, including formatting corrections.


"I said it once and I'll say it again. Let me out of here or you'll regret it, you huge creep!" demanded the fatigued Uchiha who'd been struggling against his binds to the point of chafing the irritated skin around both wrists enough to extract blood.

"Why can't you just be a good boy? I would think you would know better than to threaten one of the legendary Sannin."

"S-Sannin?"

I – I think I remember hearing about the legendary Sannin at the academy! What jutsu does this one use? Damn it!

"My dear boy, what is your name?" asked Orochimaru, distracting Tobi from his thoughts.

With his walls up, he glared at Orochimaru, and with an aggressive tone answered, "Tobi Uchiha."

"Tobi… Uchiha?" he pondered while experiencing flashbacks of the nameless boy he held captive and tortured for his eyes, until Jitsuko appeared and graced him with a name 14 years ago. An image of that young boy flashed through his mind and appeared next to Tobi; the two looked almost identical in terms of looks and fiery passion in their expressions.

At the thought, Orochimaru blinked, his expression blank. "Interesting…"

"You asked me a question, now I get a turn. What do you want me for exactly?" he asked in a hostile tone.

"I need a body. It's simple as that," he noted while the female body he currently resided in began to chip and rot in various places, revealing the pale filth that breathed underneath. "This one has run its course. It was more difficult than I could ever have imagined capturing a skilled Uchiha. You just so happen to meet the requirements I am looking for. And who better to fill that role than the Hokage's son?"

Tobi inwardly cringed at the reminder of his father's incredible profession, and the secondhand pressures that trickled down onto him because of it.

"So you knew that he's my dad, but not my name? You're such a tool. Well, anyway. I hate to break it to you but just because I'm related to him that doesn't mean that I'm… the right fit…"

Orochimaru sensed Tobi's hesitance and relished in taking full advantage of it.

"I'm aware of your faults and blunders as a shinobi. Could it be that you know that you will never amount to anything past mediocrity and commonplace?"

Tobi growled, his expression fierce. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You're weak. But I can make you strong. That is why you are here. Lend me your body, and rest assured you will be the most powerful shinobi in all of the Great Nations."

For the first time since arriving at the dreadful hideout, Tobi's guard began lowering; his walls crumbled down evidenced by the faint slumping in his once tense shoulders.

"This body snatching, I'm guessing it hurts?"

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I hear it pinches."

Tobi grew quiet. Another trait he seemed to inherent from Jitsuko was his lower-than-average tolerance to pain.
"Hmm. Poor thing." The Sannin turned his back away from him. "You said your name is Tobi?"

Tobi only continued to glare.

"Your chakra… You remind me of someone. A shinobi who tried infiltrating one of my many hideouts, about 14 years prior. She caused quite a stir, that one. Though I am surprised she got so attached as to name her biological child after such a failure and disappointment of a child."

"Is there a point in telling me this?" Tobi prodded in irritation. "I'll bite. After all, I have nothing else to do. Who would that be?"

Orochimaru offered a fake sympathetic look. "Now how pitiful is it that you cannot distinguish when one is speaking about your own mother?"

"M-mom? She was here? What did you do to her?!"

"I assure you it was her who followed us under her own volition. However, it was unfortunate that she wasn't able to put an end to my plans – or to the flames that engulfed the individual she attempted to save. I'd imagine that'd have quite a detrimental effect on a typical shinobi. It's such a pity. From what I heard she was a rather high-leveled ninja as well."

Tobi's tired eyes snapped awake in shock. "Wait a minute – mom retired around the same time as what you say. Whenever your named pop up in the village she would go all quiet. She also told me that my name was special, but she wouldn't tell me why. I thought she retired because she had me, but…"

Red, accusingly angry eyes lifted to assault Orochimaru with a cold glare, enough to pierce his very soul, if he had one.

"…that's not the true reason, is it?"

Orochimaru smirked and chuckled. "And why should I be obliged to offer an answer?"

Tobi's eyes furrowed in rage. "I don't know, maybe because YOU WERE THE ONE WHO BROUGHT IT UP IN THE FIRST PLACE YOU SLIMEY SCUMBA-"

As fast as lightning, the venomous Sannin appear before Tobi to deliver a rough strike to one of his sides and he thumped harshly against the wall, effectively shutting Tobi up. He panted and whimpered in pain, proceeded to subconsciously tug against his restraints. Another moment passed, and all Tobi could do was thrash around and howl as he was held by Orochimaru's outstretched neck and slammed up against the wall.

"You need to be taught proper manners. But don't be embarrassed, your mother had the same reaction when she was in the position you are in now. Let's start with this."

Orochimaru's jaw unhinged, allowing his tentacle-like tongue to snake out. Within his throat then came a gas of sorts bubbling up and releasing from his mouth and into Tobi's nostrils.

"There. In a moment you should be as compliant as a good little academy boy. This experiment took years of research and sacrifices, but it hasn't failed me yet."

Tobi's grappling and volatile movements slowly eased before going limp and quiet. Satisfied, Orochimaru then released his hold and eased Tobi down.

"Now then. This way-"

A slim but powerful leg then unexpectedly flew upwards, aiming directly between Orochimaru's legs. He caught the foot effortlessly in one hand and studied the enraged boy with a look of puzzlement.

"You're still you. I wonder."

He thought back to the night Jitsuko showed up 14 years ago. He caught a glimpse of Jitsuko escaping into a room filled with the prototype of the serum and inhaled a good portion of the gas that had been released while she was pregnant. Could be that… Tobi was exposed to enough of it before he was born? Was he immune?

Orochimaru's eyes squinted in understanding.

"…I see."


"Here, this is the farthest we've been able to track down Orochimaru's latest movements." Anko offered stoically, mapping out a clearing far from the village. "There is another base nearby with suspicious activity. I'll check for any clues at that location. I wish you luck, Lord Hokage, Jitsuko."

"Obito," Jitsuko voiced, turning to her husband. "Can you sense him from here?"

Obito squeezed his eyes shut to focus, then released them to reveal his powerful Mangekyo Sharingan and scanned the surrounding area thoroughly. Patiently she waited. The anxiousness of both her and Obito made itself known through the thick droplets of sweat rolling down their cheeks to drip off their chins. A minute went by, then two. Still no luck, she could tell. As the moments went on, Jitsuko watched Obito's face, scrunched up from the effort, contort harder and harder to try and pinpoint any signs of their son's chakra signature or heartbeat. His eyes scanned a mountain nearby and paused before snapping wide open in shock.

"He's there! We need to go now!" he ordered and dashed with Jitsuko close behind.

As they trampled closer to the hideout, Jitsuko began to perspire heavier all over her body and the uneasy feeling of dread crept back and enveloped her full force, prompting her to stop in herr tracks just short of the hidden entrance.

"Jitsuko?!"

Obito noted the petrified trembling in her legs. The small, choppy whimpers forcing their way out for all to see. And rolling of thick tears spouting from both eyes with her teeth visibly clenched.

"I – I… This looks like… the place where it happened," she managed between uneven hiccups. "Where T-Tobi…"

One swift moment was all it took for those repressed horrors to make their return and devour the entirety of Jitsuko's inner being. The trauma of failing to save Tobi effectively ended her career as a shinobi. But there she was, over a decade later, situated in the same position she found herself in back then. What if she failed to defeat Orochimaru again? Jitsuko was horrified of the notion that she would lose yet another child – her child – from the snake demon himself.

"My child…" Jitsuko muttered as Obito shook her shoulders insistently to snap her out of it, his calls to her appeared muffled like background noise.

"Tobi – his chakra levels, his heart – we need to get in there now!"

What… what would he think…?

The small, frail boy with one crimson eye then appeared in Jitsuko's mind, obstructing her outside view. His hair was long and tattered, crudely hiding the empty socket of the eye that was stolen from him by Orochimaru. He watched Jitsuko intently before screaming to her with a look that was part assertive and part pleading.

Your son is going to die if you don't move! Everyone there will!

Jitsuko's eyes widened, finally gripping the reality of the situation. Her child was in peril. Everyone within those stone confines were. It was that lone thought that kickstarted her legs to function. Again, horrific flashbacks haunted her, tantalizing her nerves to react with each step forward, but powerful motherly instincts overrode all other senses and vigorously urged Jitsuko to act without further question.


"Do you understand who you are talking to now? Just obey my orders and your suffering will be over quickly. I will turn that weak body of yours into something beyond strength. That is what you wanted after all," Orochimaru spat to the now beaten and bruised Uchiha. His lids felt heavy. Any effort to move shot sparks of pain throughout his body.

"Dad… mom…" Tobi muttered despondently. "I can't do it. I'm sorry. I wasn't able… to live up to everyone's expectations of me."

With Tobi's greatest fear realized, his body sunk even lower in despair as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly to suppress the overwhelming emotion threatening to vacate his eyes.

Does anybody even know where I am right now? Maybe… Sensei was right… when she said…

"Maybe it'd be best if you focused less on distracting others with petty arguments and more on allowing others to help you be stronger. Maybe then things would work out better for everyone, including you, Tobi."

It was then he unclenched his teeth and exhaled a defeated sigh as a stream of tears released and flowed steadily and patted against his aching muscles below. After a couple grueling moments, the young Uchiha ceased his weeping to ponder his sensei's words deeply.

What have I been doing with my life? Maybe… this guy's right. I – I feel so useless… at least here I can be useful to someone… right?

Tobi almost couldn't believe what he was saying to himself. He was actually considering Orochimaru's selfishly disgusting proposal out of sheer shame and desperation to meet everyone's impossible expectations of him. And yet, despite these intrusive feelings, he couldn't shake this feeling. A spark of sorts, encouraging him to stand.

Hang in there, Tobi! You are strong! Don't give up!

What Tobi failed to notice before was that he, his mother and father were connected on a deep, emotional level. Jitsuko's hands, tiny and seemingly fragile as they were, were never far away from the two Uchiha she loved most. Deep down, Tobi knew this. He could sense it through the bond shared though the strongest form of love - that of parental devotion and protection for their children and family.

"No… I can't give up. Not yet," muttered Tobi while trembling to find the strength to stand, surprising Orochimaru. He was certain that this Uchiha had reached his limits and was about to give in willingly. Upon peering up at the shocked Sannin, his eyes grew an intense red – tapping into a chakra reserve he didn't know he had – as they narrowed in deep hostility.

"There they are." Orochimaru evaluated the exasperated Uchiha's eyes a short distance away. "Those are what I am after. Those eyes are the key to our combined strength. Can't you see all of the wonderful potential?"

"So, you need my eyes, is that it? Well, I am just so flattered," he mouthed sarcastically. "Problem is, I won't ever give myself to you. That's just weird."

Orochimaru's patience was worn thin, he could tell, but in all honesty, Tobi couldn't care less. He wasn't going down without a real fight. Using his dirtied shoulder as a makeshift rag, Tobi rubbed away the remnants of tears from his eyes before shouting,

"Bring it on!"

The snapping of Orochimaru's neck prompted Tobi into a prepared stance despite his hands still being bound together.

"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"

The dirt between the two rose simultaneously in a straight line until Tobi was concealed from Orochimaru entirely in a room of mud. The Sannin's head thumped harshly against the unexpected obstruction and his tentacle-like neck uncoiled painfully back into place.

"M-Mud wall? But that voice… Mom?!"

Without missing a beat, Jitsuko's head popped from the ground on Tobi's end, prompting the startled Uchiha to yelp and fall over in surprise.

"Tobi!"

"M-Mom…!"

"Hold still," she ordered while unsheathing a kunai. "I'll get this off you."

On the opposite end of the mud wall, Orochimaru unleashed a volley of powerful snakes from his arm to breach the protective barrier, but a figure jumped in his way in the last moment.

"Fire Style: Bomb Blast Dance!"

The spiraled flames scorched hot enough to deter the snakes from striking any further and Orochimaru scrutinized the shadow of his assailant spitefully.

Within the cloud of smoke, red eyes shined through – radiant, vexed eyes that presented an unspoken challenge between the two.

"Take one step closer toward my son." Obito's threatening eyes narrowed further. "I dare you."


"Tobi!" Eager arms enveloped the startled Uchiha and pulled him against Jitsuko in a tight embrace and muttered in one long, aching string of words, "ThatwastoocloseIcan'tbelieveIalmostlostyouIdon'tknowwhatI'ddoifIdid!"

A pained groan and expression emanated from Tobi, prompting her to pause in realization and ease her hold off him. "Tobi..." Jitsuko's eyes rapidly scanned over the his now tattered clothing along with various nicks, cuts and bruises riddling his face and limbs. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for letting you get caught up in all this." Her stress-rimmed eyes then lowered in guilt while muttering, "Guess I can't even be good at being a parent, or at protecting you."

Perplexed by her sullen demeanor, Tobi's head tilted in uncertainty. "But, you're here, what are you-"

"You can sit this out," she interjected, cutting Tobi off to avoid the pain of explaining. "Your father and I can handle this." Without another word, Jitsuko turned to leave and join the fight.

Tobi's fist tightened. He knew that now wasn't the time, but before he could come to his senses, he spoke up.

"Orochimaru." That dreaded word coming from her son's mouth prompted Jitsuko to stop.

"Is this why… you quit being a shinobi? Because of Orochimaru…?"

Tobi watched her shoulders begin to tremble, her stance tense. "What did that abomination tell you?"

"He told me… enough…"

"It wasn't Orochimaru who made be decide to quit. It was me. Back then, my nerves got the best of me, and I panicked, and…" Jitsuko trailed off, sighing in guilt. "You get the idea."

Tobi squinted his eyes in deep concentration. "…When I told Orochimaru my name, his face looked so… confused. It was as if he had to do a double-take. I was wondering about that, too. Does my name have something to do with him?"

Silence.

"Mom?"

"…Yes."

It was painful reopening wounds to provide Tobi with the full origin of his name. How there was another Tobi, another Uchiha, who was held captive in Orochimaru's grotesque schemes. And of course, his death, which she still blamed herself for. Jitsuko couldn't bear going through that again.

It was strange. Revealing such a sensitive part of her life to Tobi was eye-opening for him. All that stress and anxiety. The horrors of being a shinobi that he'd swore she didn't understand. But Jitsuko knew all too well, he realized.

"Mom," Tobi voiced, a new sense of understanding in his tone. "I know you never liked to really talk about those days, but from what I've heard from dad, and now from you, you sounded like an amazing shinobi. Thanks for telling me."

Astonished by Tobi's mature reaction, Jitsuko's entire posture perked up – he had her attention in its entirety.

"To tell you the truth, I never bugged you to talk about what those days were like for you because I kept telling myself that I didn't care. I've always known you were once a shinobi, I've just kept those stories of your life bottled up inside because I was afraid that I could never amount to what you've done. That I… could never be as strong as you or dad."

"T-Tobi…" she murmured with tears in her eyes.

"Now I see what you had to go through back then. It takes true strength to come walking out of a situation like this… doesn't it?"

Surprised, Jitsuko hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Tobi's face shined bright with determination. "That's why I know when we get out of this, all of us will be stronger than we've ever been. No more insecurities!" Tobi then covered his mouth. He hadn't meant for that last part to slip out.

"Tobi…! All this time… and that's how we made you feel? Insecure?" At the last word, Tobi's line of sight silently averted to the floor in shame. Jitsuko offered an empathetic coo while stroking the side of her son's face tenderly. "Please don't be afraid to talk to me about this. We don't like to admit it, but we are all a little insecure." She then offered a gentle, knowing smile. "You know, I failed the Chunin exams my first time, too."

"You did? Really?"

"Hmm-hm. And I'm willing to bet that your father would've too if I didn't stumble into his life. What I'm saying is… you don't have to worry about failure. I know… it's hard being in the shadow of someone like Obito. It's unfair to always compare you to him. Yeah. I guess we were expecting too much from you. Don't ever let us or others make you think you're not good enough. You don't have to be just like your dad – or like anyone else. Just you is more than enough for us," she ended with a delighted, motherly smile.

The feeling of relief washed over Tobi in one powerful wave and he welcomed it with open arms. After another shared quiet moment of mutual understanding, Jitsuko stood back up and prepared to leave, with newfound confidence to take Orochimaru down – this time for good.

But there's something else I need to do. Tobi nodded and affirmed to himself.

"Also, Mom?"

Facing the mud wall, Jitsuko looked over her shoulder back at him. "Hm?"

"I'm… I'm sorry."

"What? What could you possibly be sorry for?"

"For the way I've been acting lately, how I treated you earlier. It's just, everyone expects so much from me. All these expectations to follow as a ninja. It just kept building and building, and I guess I couldn't take it anymore. But now I know that what people think of me really doesn't matter. I have people who will love me no matter what, and I tend to keep things that way. That's my ninja way!"

Jitsuko nodded and smiled proudly while one of her hands subconsciously rubbed and trailed through her clothing at the caesarian scar on her stomach.

That's my son.

The walls surrounding them shook violently with loose pebbles cascading from the ceiling, prompting Jitsuko's light expression to switch to that of urgency. "It's getting serious out there. Stay right here and save your strength. We'll be back…"

I hope.

"No. I want to help," Tobi insisted while finding the strength to fully stand. "I - I want to show you that I can be strong, just like you and dad." A familiar sound accompanied his words, and shock overrode any thoughts Jitsuko had once she met face-to-face with her son's recently awakened Sharingan. She allowed a distant memory of when she first witnessed Obito unlocking his Sharingan when they were the same age.

Looks like history does repeat itself, she mused while noting that Tobi had that same fiery passion in his crimson eyes like Obito did that day.

"Let's go."


*SHING* *SHING* The weapons wailed, both opponents finding no time to relent their vicious assault against one another. Held by the older Uchiha was a massive shuriken, the length of it almost equal to that of a short sword and gripped by a hollowed circle in its center against a longsword drawn from the slime-riddled throat of his opponent. They clashed together then stood there in a mutual standoff – determined to test and deflect the other's strength.

"That boy of yours has such wonderful potential, if only you'd allow me easy access to him," Orochimaru voiced through the screeching clash of metal, with Obito's effort increasing in intensity from struggling to tolerate the sheer disrespect toward his son - treating him as if he were some disposable object.

"You leave him out of this," Obito demanded through clenched teeth. "I'll break you before I give up Tobi. Mark my words - I will break you."

"But your female subordinate had the same opportunity years ago to donate your child to me and look how that ended for her."

*CLASH* *SHING*

"Do you really want her to go through this again?"

Obito's furious eyes narrowed further at the despicable Sannin resisting him. His clenched teeth tightened harder as their mutual standoff grew more intense. Then, unexpectedly, Obito's expression eased to that of triumph and he smirked, as if he knew something Orochimaru did not.

"If you really want to bring her into this, be my guest!" he exclaimed as the black tomoe in his eyes shifted and merged into a shape resembling shuriken, activating his Mangekyo Sharingan. To Orochimaru's astonishment, he watched, almost as if in slow motion, as Obito pushed forward and phased directly through him and his sword effortlessly.

Orochimaru stumbled forward from the abrupt change in force. "What? How could this be? This is the power of your Sharingan?!"

Without missing a beat, Jitsuko shot through the ground like an unstoppable projectile with her strong arm wound back and coated in thousands of rough granules. With a swift battle cry, her fist swung forward in midair, making contact full force with Orochimaru's cheekbone with a sickening crunch telling of the extent of the forcible impact.

He hit the wall – or rather splattered against it, before slumping into the crater his body created from the sheer force of the attack. The strike was so forceful that numerous white snakes fled from his body and were now trailing around the makeshift battlefield. He peered up, the ominous look in his eyes increased tenfold and without breaking eye contact snaked his grotesque tongue out to sample the bloodied wound on what was left of his cheekbone.

"Impressive." He stood up and walked a short distance away from the wreckage then noticed the mud wall had dissipated. Orochimaru didn't flinch from the fact that the small Uchiha had disappeared from the cage. He would address that mild inconvenience soon enough.

"Orochimaru, I told you before," Jitsuko began with a mild whisper as she shook off the residual dirt and blood embedded into her hand before screaming in rage, "KEEP AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!"

He merely chuckled. He watched the blood trickle from Obito's eyes. Studying the effects of the Sharingan made Orochimaru keenly aware of what happens when Uchiha like Obito overexert themselves. This was his chance. With that, Orochimaru smirked.

"Striking Shadow Snakes!"

His snake limbs surged forward at lightning speed toward Obito. He tried to counter by using his Kamui to phase through him again, but his eyes refused to cooperate and instead opted to assault him with a burst of pain.

"Obito! Look out!" Jitsuko cried and drew a kunai to defend him with. She succeeded in slicing a majority of the snakes before they could reach her husband, however, few still managed to latch on. Orochimaru's free arm then released a second round of snakes to deal with Jitsuko personally, blocking her from Obito with a wall of snakes as she began to make a dent with her kunai in insistent slices.

The demon stung him, but Obito still fought back. One by one Obito slashed at the monstrous assailants, sweeping his feet while twisting and swiveling around each attempted strike like a harmonized dance. However, one set of jaws managed to breach his defenses and latched onto his leg in a vice-like grip, enabling the others to lock-on target and strike full force. As the flurry of snakes jutted and caught him, Obito felt like he had just witnessed a very, very strong and imposing brick being struck apart with a sledgehammer. His chest and legs were lashed by the indescribable force of the attack, and he crumpled to one knee in a heap of terrible pain.

Obito's vision blurred, from the agony of the bites and from overexerting his Sharingan.

"N-no…!"

He heard rushed footsteps from behind him quickly usher to his front and a young voice then shouted, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

The noise switched to the raw sound of flesh and scale being sliced and incinerated away. At the same time, the hold the snakes had on him eased before releasing him entirely. His vision then flared back to clarity to spot Tobi mere feet in front of him, kunai bloodied and ready. The Uchiha symbol on his grimy burgundy jacket waved back at him proudly like a triumphant flag. The protectiveness in his son's tense body language and the aggressive leer he shot Orochimaru made his intentions unmistakably clear.

"Dad," he muttered and looked over his shoulder with a confident yet sympathetic look, greeting Obito with the sight of Tobi's newly awakened Sharingan. "Don't worry, I'm here to help. Get up."

"T-Tobi, you…" Obito muttered in astonishment of his own child willingly joining the perilous fight for his life.

"You stay away from my old man," his somewhat high-pitched but serious voice demanded as he turned his attention to the threat ahead of him.

"There you are, my dear Tobi," Orochimaru addressed in an aggravatingly sweet tone. "I knew you would come back to save your parents. I'll make you a fair deal. Come with me willingly and I will turn a blind eye to this little interruption and let them free."

Tobi raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think I'm stupid? You really think they'd just forget about me, call it a day, and go home? Besides, you aren't keeping them captive here. If anything, you're the one who should be begging us to be let go!" He then cocked his head to the side, sparing Orochimaru a mocking look. "To think sweet words would work on me. You should've targeted someone with a little less self-respect, pal."

Orochimaru leered forward threateningly. "I assure you, I did."

"Yeah? Well I don't believe that. At least not anymore. I think I was meant to come here. I think mom was meant to come here to fix what you've done. I know what you're all about now, Orochimaru. I am named after a boy who wished to be a shinobi. One whose flames you put out. Well not again. I am… Tobi Uchiha! Son of the Hokage!"

Yells and slashing emanated from a short distance and paused of a moment, before the wall of snakes blew apart in all sorts of directions to allow a giant hand made of rocks and stones to emerge from it with Jitsuko trudging close behind with a grave look on her face and a noticeable hostility in her unhurried steps. Needless to say, she wasn't playing around anymore.

The three of them joined up, beaten and rugged but still harbored an unbreakable will to put a stop to the suffering caused by Orochimaru.

"Obito, Tobi," Jitsuko looked to her left, then right to her husband and son and they both nodded in reassurance. "Here we go."

All three of them scattered and charged toward the Sannin who took no time in delaying the release of a series of snakes, knives, swords – anything he could regurgitate from the revolting reserve in his guts. Most attempts were thwarted easily through the use of both natural born Uchiha's Sharingan, however, some shuriken managed to surpass their evasion skills and created bloody gashes and torn clothing on each of them. Parts of their sleeves and pants couldn't keep up with the speed and ripped away and fluttered to the ground as a result.

Jitsuko looked on with a feeling of dread stabbing at her heart upon witnessing Tobi reaching the snake demon first, but the alarm was short lived – she believed in her son with every fiber of her being.

Tobi is strong, Jitsuko chanted calmly as he engaged the Sannin in close combat, his crimson eyes darting ahead, anticipating each and every attack, and parried accordingly. She always knew that Tobi was strong, but something about this fight was different. The absolute resolve in his eyes, his Sharingan – the windows that reflect the heart. His eyes refused to hide it – he found his purpose. His Ninja Way.

Orochimaru fended off his frenzied attempts, and Tobi did the same. Any time the Sannin would lash out his tongue, Tobi would parry by slicing a portion of it off, but the unnatural extension seemed infinite. A strike would occasionally make impact on the young Uchiha, forcing a yelp to escape his throat and his own blood made an addition to the bloody and fleshy mess that occupied the adjacent wall. Undeterred, Tobi continued to swing while shouting passionately.

"You may say I'm weak now, but I will be strong. I don't need you to show me what I'm capable of!"

*SHING* *CLINK*

"My mom and dad, teammates, sensei, the village – they all believe in me. They all believe I have what it takes to be an amazing shinobi one day, so I'm not going to give in now!"

"It matters not," Orochimaru's voice resonated among the blaring sounds of hisses and metal as the two continued to move and clash. "Your prowess – your potential, will be mine."

"Is that right? I think it does matter," Tobi replied jeeringly and, unexpectedly, eased his battle stance to stand upright, arms at his sides. Relaxed. Unmoving. Confident. He watched Orochimaru jab his sword at torso length toward him but found that it paused mere inches toward piercing vital flesh, refusing to move any closer. Orochimaru couldn't risk mortally wounding his host body.

"Because now I know your weakness."

*THWACK*

Among the sounds of slicing and hissing, the scorching and dashing, one sound pierced through all the rest. A lone punch to Orochimaru's already shattered jaw permeated the field. The force wasn't particularly powerful, as Orochimaru's feet remained rooted firmly in place, but the spirit and absolute resolve in that one impassioned punch spoke a thousand words. All of Tobi's insecurities and built-up frustrations were expressed in one strike – and Orochimaru felt it.

"Obito, get your Fire Style ready," Jitsuko commanded between fending off vicious striking snakes and forming hand signs, those of which Obito recognized and understood her intentions immediately. His hands formed into the various signs at a rapid pace and directed his attack on her.

An indignant set of colossal earth hands ascended from the hardened soil and the flesh of Jitsuko's hands coiled into fists as the boiling flames pierced through Obito's pursed lips and encased her jutsu in a blinding light. Their coordinated attacks succeeded in combining together and the blazing inferno dissipated a moment later to reveal the dazzling gleam of hands made of pure glass – only this time she steadily remained in control of them as her palm opened and stretched out her fingers and watched the glass mimic her movements fluidly.

Jitsuko then brought her enclosed fists over her head, instructing the giant glass hands to do the same in the direction at Orochimaru.

"Tobi," she called out almost politely as his attention turned toward Jitsuko and his determined expression shifted to that of disbelief and awe – utterly dumbfounded by the extent of her latent power displayed before him.

"Run."

Suddenly, a figure flashed behind Tobi, the light blue aura surrounding them blinded the younger Uchiha's sensitive eyes. His calloused and wounded arm raised to shield his sight and, before he could register what was happening, urgent but calculated hands clasped at his shoulders to pull him close into the aura – which was then surrounded by what appeared to be a set of ribs and only continued to grow before the force swept him away from his assailant and to safety. A giant skeleton then emerged whose ribcage encased them in a protective shell. Tobi scanned the blazing chakra with puzzled eyes before peering up at the one responsible for the mysterious being, a familiar and comforting hand resting on his shoulder.

"Get ready," the older Uchiha instructed Tobi in a fatherly tone while observing the spectacle about to unfold before lowering his sights to his awestruck son, his serious expression melting and offering him a slight smirk. "They may look pretty, but this is about to get ugly."

"This is for the Tobi you tortured and murdered that day," Jitsuko uttered with her eyes beaded with tears. "This is for everyone you've ever maimed, killed or sacrificed; and for my son you dare lay your slimy fingers on!"

Raised up to the heavens, her clasped hands dipped forward with unbelievable might. The hands descended upon their target, like a devastating meteor about to plummet the earth with its unforgiving wrath. The large shadow engrossed Orochimaru and one hand raised and released dozens of snakes to counter and withstand the attack. To his delight it appeared to be working. Too well.

Vexed eyes squinted in rage at his arrogance. Despite what she once believed, Jitsuko was not weak.

"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME."

With a flick of her hands, the glass hands began to crack, the unmistakable sound of what was about to come prompted Orochimaru's slotted eyes to widen in realization. The hands willingly blew apart, slicing Orochimaru and impaling him with glistening shards of various sizes. The Sannin failed to react – his head hung low and his posture slumped slightly as if he were formulating what action to perform next.

The makeshift battlefield became littered in distorted shards of glass; the aura surrounding Tobi and Obito protected them from the chaos. Among the aftermath, specks of glitter and sparking glass rained down gently around Jitsuko. The sheer look of concentration for the enemy in front of her and the furrow in her eyebrows directly contradicted her normal reaction from the knife-sized glass shard now piercing her arm. She raised a kunai, stabbing her own arm and twisting it to dislodge the remnant of her attack as it fell and shattered on the ground by her feet followed by the patter of Jitsuko's blood dripping after it.

"I suppose…" the beaten Sannin uttered between gurgling and bloodied gasps. "I have no choice." He took advantage of the reclusive moment. His jaw unhinged like a snake about to strike and devour its prey, and with it came gurgled noises as if he were regurgitating something. A new, slimy Orochimaru crawled out of his old decrepit shell. He had to be careful now, Orochimaru knew. Since his current host body was about to capitulate, his strength and rejuvenating abilities were limited. He probably didn't even have enough to 'revive' himself like that again. This was his last chance. And yet, the legendary Sannin was unaffected by the pressure.

Alright then. I have one more trick up my sleeve too, you bastard.

Wordlessly, Jitsuko dashed for the newly recovered Sannin. Upon witnessing her unwavering perseverance, Tobi's eyes widened, and he instructed Obito to release him from the protection of his Sharingan. He had an idea.

Since she didn't possess the Sharingan, taking Jitsuko out before she could reach him will prove to be easy and fruitful, Orochimaru thought. He flicked his hand and two shuriken appeared and launched them toward her while his other arm shifted a moment later. Obito watched in slow motion as Jitsuko ducked to dodge the two shuriken, where he saw numerous daggers approaching at the same height she was crouching.

He gripped the giant chakra-infused shuriken tightly, and, with the speed and precision of a true shinobi, expertly hurled it in her direction, effectively blocking the daggers and forcing them out of her way as it swept by without a moment to spare. While crouched down, Jitsuko leaned to her side to scoop a handful of dirt before compressing it between her palms. She was able to get close enough to the Sannin as a result of Obito's quick thinking, and her hands formed signs with the dirt to prepare for an attack she hadn't produced in years.

"Earth Style: Adhesive Mud!"

Jitsuko's palms opened to reveal the dirt which was now precariously slimy and thick in density.

Yes, even after all this time it still works!

"And what do you suppose you are going to do with that?" Orochimaru smirked deviously as Jitsuko slowed her pace down to find an opening to strike him with it. "It looks impressive, but you will have to make contact with me first."

Jitsuko pretended to think about it for a moment.

"Fine."

Just as that one simple word left her mouth, Orochimaru felt a small force from behind him. He had been so focused on Jitsuko and Obito, the ones he perceived to be a threat at the moment – his overconfidence had him neglect to keep an eye on Tobi who was the force that pushed him forward, directly into her attack range.

"I think I will!"

To Orochimaru's horror, the adhesive jutsu acted as an infectious glue, latching onto his jaw before spreading to his neck and mouth, effectively sealing his main source of attack from use. Jitsuko then ducked to allow Obito to jump over her, and while in midair that same aura surrounded him. It was a power from his Sharingan, but it wasn't Kamui. It was something much, much more frightening.

That intense light blue aura surrounded Obito as flesh encased the once barren skeleton before materializing armor with majestic wings sprouting from the confines of its back. A giant arm then extended and wasted no time in snatching the Sannin before pinning him powerfully against the wall.

"Don't move," commanded Obito with a toothy scowl and blood oozing from his exasperated, crimson eyes. The staggering power of his aura tousled his hair in great waves. "It's over."

"Is that… dad's legendary Susanoo?" Tobi uttered in staggering awe of the being of pure chakra and energy towering over him.

"We win."

Seeing their enemy neutralized, Jitsuko then dashed over to Tobi in genuine delight. "Tobi! Are you alright? We couldn't have done this without you. We are so damn proud of you!" she praised, unable to contain the flooding emotions of relief and of pure joy from seeing her family safe.

"Hey! Mom… language," Tobi joked sluggishly, prompting her pause for a second before erupting into a tired but elated laughter while gripping her son tight. Initially uneasy with the contact, Tobi soon eased into her comfort and embraced Jitsuko back just as eagerly.

"Mom?" he whispered tiredly into her shoulder.

"Yes, Tobi," she replied with matching tenderness.

With a deep inhale, he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. "I love you."

"I love you too. So much."


Soon reinforcements arrived, detaining the incapacitated Sannin and clearing out the hideout while freeing numerous experiments and survivors in the process. Other higher-level ninja including Anko even managed to track down and apprehend Orochimaru's disciple, Kabuto, at a nearby abandoned hideout.

Jitsuko watched all of this unfold, and she wasn't sure how to react to the unfamiliar emotions rising within her.

"Look, it's Hiroto! He'd been missing from the Leaf for years!" she heard one of the Leaf shinobi exclaim. "Are you alright, Hiroto?"

"I… I can't believe it's all over," he muttered, overwhelmed in shock. "I'm free now."

"Come on, let's get you back home."

A lot of them came out like that. All these missing people, ninjas and pedestrians alike. Obito discreetly studied the look on Jitsuko's face from watching the miracle unfold before her, how her eyes lit up and sparked in a way he hadn't seen in years.

A firm yet gentle hand gripped her shoulder, while a smaller one rested on her back. Tobi and Obito were by Jitsuko's side; both were proud of her actions that day. Overcoming her fears and trauma for those in need. It brought back distant memories of when she was a shinobi, and for what felt like the first time, she felt absolutely content with them.

Tobi was watching the events unfold before him as well. He hadn't realized, but his Sharingan had remained active since the fight, prompting Obito to kneel on one knee directly in front of his son to inspect him further.

"What're you looking at?" Tobi asked hesitantly while backing off a bit uncomfortably. It'd been a while since he and his father had interacted on a deep level. He didn't quite know how to process it.

"Your Sharingan," he stated neutrally. "I'm sure you remember me telling you what it takes to awaken them." Obito's eyes then softened considerably. "All this time we thought we were cheering you on. I didn't think we were putting you through so much pain."

"H-hey, Dad… it – it's fine. I get it." Tobi's eyebrows wrinkled upwards nervously. He knew this was his father's way of apologizing. He also knew all too well how difficult talks like this could be for the usually prideful Hokage.

"I already had this kind of talk with Mom. You don't have to go all soft on me too, or anything."

At that, Obito's expression lit up considerably and the two exchanged understanding smirks for a moment. His eyes then squeezed shut and his smirk shifted to a nervous smile. "But you know, dropping us a hint would've helped a little!"

Tobi laughed alongside Obito before his entire posture dropped unexpectedly. It had been so long since he and his father had interacted like this. Not since…

"Hey, dad? On my last mission… the picture I had of us got sort of… I guess… ruined."

Tobi was utterly crushed when he was forced to take refuge in a river where his prized memento of him and his father together got waterlogged and he was forced to discard it. It had been a while since he viewed the picture, he regretted, but the memory of him with his supportive father meant the world to him. His own pride prevented him from telling Jitsuko that part of the reason why he was in such a sour mood at home the previous day was because of him dealing with the foreign feeling of losing something so precious to him.

"You've been carrying it around with you?" Obito remarked in adoration. Tobi reminded him so much of Jitsuko, his wife. How she would bring gifts from him along with her on missions. Obito always assumed that Tobi was given the picture only to shove it in a drawer somewhere, never to be seen again. To think his son actually cared deeply about his family enough to hold onto keepsakes so dearly. He was slightly taken aback that his usually emotionally reclusive son was finally opening up to him so vulnerably.

"Y-yeah. Well anyway, I want another one of us, but this time with my Sharingan!" he announced in an endearingly prideful tone. "Think of how cool it'd look if we take it when the sun is angled just right and the lighting makes it so–"

Obito interjected while flashing him a lopsided smirk and joked, "Only if you put this one in a special case so you don't lose it on a mission next time."

Tobi paused his rambling and stared at Obito with a slight blush permeating his cheeks. "H-hey, come on, it can't be that weird bringing stuff like that on missions - is it so wrong to want to look at family once in a while? I mean, hell, I'd be flattered if somebody wanted a picture of me to carry-"

Obito couldn't stifle the wholehearted laughter of his son's antics, prompting the frantic Uchiha to pause again upon watching his father lift his arm to present Tobi his closed fist – offering him to do something they hadn't done in ages.

"How about we meet at the bridge tomorrow, so we can get that picture. Oh, but I want one thing from you, too. Don't forget to come say hi to me in the office once in a while. It'd make your mom happy." Obito winked.

Tobi gaped at his father's affectionate gesture in disbelief for a moment before smiling and raising his own fist to return his mutual feelings with a pleasant fistbump. All while Jitsuko looked on with tears in her eyes from witnessing her husband and son making amends and rekindling their powerful and unbreakable bond of father and son.


Later that morning back in the village, Jitsuko visited a spot she had been avoiding for years. The grave that marked the boy she failed to save – the first Tobi, remained the same. Only this time, the cup by the lower left corner of the marker now contained fresh white roses. A gift to offer his resting soul.

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to visit again. It was because of all the shame of what happened that night… For years it was just too much. But something happened today. Something… wonderful," she whispered gently before peering up at the sun just starting to peek over the horizon.

"I did it. I stopped Orochimaru and freed the prisoners there. My son is safe. They're all safe. We saved them, Tobi. You can rest easy now…"

With tear-brimmed eyes closed, her head dipped slightly forward and exhaled deeply.

"…and so can I."

It was as though a crippling weight had been lifted from Jitsuko's entire body. All those memories and instances from when she was a shinobi, previously tainted by the trauma conjured by Orochimaru, transformed back into the beautiful acts of human selflessness she'd always known them to be. It lit a fire in her, one she thought was extinguished.

Jitsuko found herself thinking contently on past missions, even the ones that failed; they only served to make her stronger in the end, she realized. Still, the lives of the people she helped change for the better, the nations she fought alongside with, every instant struck her heart with a bittersweet wave of nostalgia.

Did I… really give all of that up?

The shuffling of two pairs of feet approaching pulled Jitsuko from her thoughts. There stood Tobi alongside Obito, both layered in gauze and bandages and with looks of anticipation plastered on their faces. She noticed that Tobi's arms were suspiciously behind his back.

"H-hey! What are you two doing here?"

"We… wanted to ask you a few things," Tobi voiced, trying extra hard to sound smooth and confident. "With the Chunin Exams coming up, I was wondering. Would you…" he uttered more sheepishly with a light coat of blush dusting his cheeks from finally swallowing his pride. "…help me train for them?"

"You… actually want help, Tobi? My help?"

He nodded while avoiding eye contact. "I saw how amazing you were dealing with Orochimaru, and like I said, it takes real guts to go through what you did, especially after what you told me about your Chunin Exams. Also, we couldn't have stopped him if we didn't all work together. I was so stupid thinking badly of my sensei. I always thought that my teammates didn't respect me, but I figured out that it's because I didn't respect myself."

Tobi then blinked and peered up at his mother with absolute resolve in his striking eyes. "That's why I want you to be my mentor first so I can learn how to be part of a team and then come back to my squad and show them what I can really do."

Both of Jitsuko's hands crossed and rested over her heart in genuine adoration that her son was finally allowing himself to open up to others, including her. "Aww… that's so beautiful, Tobi…! But wait… you don't have to try so hard to be better than everyone else. You don't have to be Hokage if you don't want to."

At that, Tobi directed his sight to the ground ahead of him. "I may not know exactly if I want to be Hokage or not… but that's why I want to be stronger and form genuine bonds from this day forward – to truly find out and decide for myself if I have what it takes!"

Jitsuko nodded in a mix of confirmation and determination. "Even though I'm not a shinobi, I'll teach you the best I can!"

The deeper voice of her husband then caught Jitsuko's attention. "So, about that…"

"About what?"

"Well, I've been doing some thinking," answered Obito. "You know, I get special privileges with some things, being Hokage and all. That includes making decisions that sometimes go against the rules."

"Oh?" Jitsuko raised an eyebrow, not sure where this was going.

"One night when we were young, you confided in me that you would never give up on this world, and I think that's still true. I saw the look in your eyes when all of Orochimaru's prisoners were rescued. It's one I see in only a few shinobi. It's this look that tells me, 'this is what I am meant to do,' so…"

Obito's left arm was hidden behind Tobi, and Jitsuko watched him deliver a subtle nudge to his back, prompting the younger Uchiha to straighten up and step forward to present what was hidden behind his back – a brand new Hidden Leaf headband.

"Do you want to protect the village again? With us by your side?"

The sight of that band forced the withheld tears to spill from Jitsuko's eyes. She was being given a second chance by her family to do what she knew she was always meant to do. And with that, her tears were wiped away with one motion of her sleeve and graciously she accepted the offering from her son and husband. Upon lifting the weight from his hand, Tobi's eyes widened slightly then tilted his head, shut his eyes and smiled widely in delight – his ecstatic expression beamed just as brightly as Obito's did.

"Yes."

I am Jitsuko Uchiha. Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village.