Nothing could have convinced Obito as much as seeing the truth himself. That didn't mean it was easy to accept.
He stopped walking to stare at Kakashi—recklessly, knowing he was close enough to be in range of that lightning jutsu. He was too angry to be afraid.
"How could you have let this happen?" Obito shouted, fists clenched. "Why couldn't you stop me? You were always able to beat me before! Why not now?"
"Enough!" Kakashi said harshly. He took a step back and looked around, ready to defend himself from any side. "I told you that won't work. If you still want to fight, come out and we can finish this."
Obito growled and jumped at Kakashi, rearing back for a punch. Not expecting an attack to come from the 'illusion', Kakashi whirled around and threw out a kick that landed squarely in the middle of Obito's chest. Obito went crashing to the ground and rolled a couple of times before jumping back up, Sharingan blazing underneath the goggles.
Kakashi's brow furrowed, and he hesitated.
"Did you transform yourself?" he wondered out loud. He got back into a fighting stance.
Naruto climbed over the column, cursing under his breath. He jumped from one block to another and reached the bottom in time to see Kakashi and Obito clash, sending the young Uchiha flying.
Why were they fighting?
When Obito got back to his feet, Kakashi came toward him with a set, grim look Naruto didn't like at all. It was like he had resigned himself to the worst.
This was too much like what had happened when Naruto had met the older Sasuke. Things were not going like that this time.
"Stop it!" Naruto jumped down onto the platform. "Kakashi-sensei, stop! This will probably be pretty weird to you, but it's not what—"
"Naruto?" Kakashi paused again, confused. "What is..."
Naruto walked until he was standing in between the two of them. Remembering himself, Obito deactivated the Sharingan, but he kept scowling. Kakashi glanced at Obito then at Naruto again, suspicion lingering in his eyes even now. He looked uneasily at the empty space around him.
"Why are you bothering to hide like this now? It won't do you any good to pretend."
"Damn it, we're real! Listen—" Naruto made to approach Kakashi, but he jumped back the moment Naruto made a move toward him. When he landed, it jolted his wounds and he winced, holding his side and sinking down to his knees. The front of his vest was slashed deep enough that blood seeped through.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto ran over to him, watching in case Kakashi decided to fight him, too. He'd never seen his normally unflappable mentor so shaken before. "Are you okay? Just take it easy. Look, it's me, Naruto from the past, right? I know, everyone thought I was sent back, and I was—but Orochimaru brought me into this time again. This Obito here, he's like me. Orochimaru brought him to the future, too. He's not that... the guy you just fought."
Kakashi looked up at him, slightly out of breath and obviously in pain. He glanced at Obito standing there as before, then pulled the headband down over his Sharingan eye. Naruto suddenly realized he'd never questioned why his sensei had it before. Kakashi unfolded from his defensive crouch and sat back on the ground.
Seeing that the situation had diffused a bit, Obito came closer, looking equal parts wary and concerned.
"What happened?" Kakashi asked wearily. He didn't meet Obito's gaze—instead, he looked carefully up at Naruto.
"That's what we wanna know! We've been all out of the loop. Er, but..." Naruto exercised restraint for once and answered Kakashi's question first. He wanted to make sure Kakashi understood that they weren't a trick or genjutsu. "It's kind of a long story, but the important part is we escaped from Orochimaru by accidentally coming to this place, and we've already found out about what happens to Obito in the future. And that's why we've gotta find another way of getting back. Right?" Naruto turned to Obito.
"...Right."
Kakashi glanced at Obito and then away again before his gaze eventually returned. It was like he had to adjust to looking at something that was too bright.
"If Orochimaru is the one behind it, it makes sense," Kakashi finally said. "He understands the forces behind the war. To think he'd use that jutsu again…"
"We aren't the only ones," Naruto said quickly. "He brought in a kid version of Kabuto, too. He's still back there, and who knows how many others Orochimaru is gonna try to drag out. We have to get him to undo the jutsu completely if we want to send everyone back."
"That's easier said than done." Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "Alright. The first thing we need to do is get you two out of here. I don't know where we're going to keep you at this point, but it isn't safe for you to stay in this dimension."
"Wait a minute." Obito stepped forward, gesturing. "You're wrong if you think we're just going to go hide somewhere. We went through a hell of a time just to make it this far. And I want to talk the older me. If you tell me what happened, maybe I can stop him! Or I can find out something useful. Then, when I go back home, I can make it so none of this happens in the first place."
Kakashi looked away again, hesitating.
"Kakashi!"
He still didn't answer right away. He looked pained, distant.
What reason was there to hold back? Maybe Obito's appearance here was too sudden, or were his wounds making it hard to concentrate? Naruto put a hand on Obito's shoulder when the latter made an impatient sound.
"I know," Kakashi started slowly. "It's strange… even after all these years, I know just what you're thinking. It was always so straightforward with you. If you can find out what happened, you can change it, and then everything will be perfect… is that it?"
"Are you doubting me? Do you want me to end up as someone who does stuff like that to my own teammates?" He indicated the deep, ugly slashes across Kakashi's chest. "What else am I supposed to do after finding something like that out? You have to tell me what happened. And where's Rin in all of this, anyway?"
"It isn't doubt. That's the problem. What happened in the past could repeat again if you knew. I don't want you to turn out the same way. The problem is, I can't seem to think of a way to say it that won't end with the same result."
"What do you mean? It'll turn out the same if you don't tell me, right? I'm telling you right here and now I won't let that happen!" Obito said, frustrated.
"No one knows what consequences might come from changing the past. But it's hard to imagine this situation getting any worse," Kakashi mused. He stared out in front of him a while longer.
The boys waited. They glanced aside at each other. They had to convince Kakashi to say something. If Obito's older self came back, there would be no time to listen to stories.
Obito shifted like he was about to say something, but then Kakashi started talking.
"I guess first, I just want to say I'm sorry. For how I used to act when we were kids, and for being unable to stop this current situation. To say I carry some of the blame would be an understatement."
"Kakashi-sensei—" Naruto started, but Obito cut him off with a wave of his hand. He was watching and listening intently.
Kakashi tilted the faceplate of his headband before letting his hand drop again. "You've probably figured it out by now, but this used to be your eye. I suppose the quickest way to start would be with that incident."
He shifted position, sitting cross-legged on the ground. Naruto and Obito followed suit.
"Our mission was to destroy the Kannabi Bridge to cut off Iwagakure's forces," Kakashi began. "It was supposed to be out of the way of the main fighting, and not too dangerous. If it happens the same way in your timeline, it'll be shortly after I make Jounin. That's how you'll know. But that simple mission ended up going wrong. On the way, Rin was captured by some Iwa-nin. You wanted to save her right away, but as the acting captain at the time, I said no. I thought we should complete the mission above all else."
"What?" Obito clenched his fists.
"You were so determined to go on your own, we split ways there. Before you left, you said something to me I never forgot. I think it's important for you to hear it, especially if you're able to make it back and this never happens. You said, 'In the shinobi world, those who break the rules are considered trash. But those who abandon their comrades are even lower than that'."
Naruto looked up quickly. "That's the same thing you told us when we did the test to become genin!"
Obito frowned at him, then turned back to Kakashi. "Something I said…"
"You were right. Eventually I realized it, and I went back to help you. I was able to get there in time, but I lost my eye trying to defend you from one of the people who had captured Rin. Everything happened pretty quickly after that. We were able to get her out, but a rock started to fall in my blind spot as we were leaving, and you pushed me out of the way. It fell on you. Half your body was crushed, and we couldn't do anything to get you out." Kakashi was talking into complete stillness now, as Obito and Naruto sat there, transfixed. "We... we had to leave, or else we would end up buried underneath rocks, too. But you understood. You wanted us to get out. You had Rin transplant your eye to replace the one I lost. And then we left. Everyone thought you had died then."
Kakashi paused, wincing and favoring his impaled side. His breath grew short for a few seconds.
"I mean, but I didn't though, obviously." Obito looked pale. "Can't you give me more to go on? Like, when exactly does this happen? How many enemies were there? Where was Sensei?"
"On his own, doing another part of the mission," Kakashi said, voice shallow. "You'll have to make do with that, because there's more that comes after. We're leaving here in a few minutes, whether you're done listening or not. So this has to be a little more rushed than either of us would like. I can't say it any more gently."
Naruto wanted to ask if Kakashi was alright, or how they were going to leave here, but he took one look at Obito's stricken expression and kept silent.
"I can't say exactly what happened to you after that, because I don't know," Kakashi continued. "I know at some point you decided to reject reality, and start working toward creating a dream world where everyone could have their own idealized life. It couldn't have happened overnight, though. The real catalyst didn't come until later." He paused. "I let Rin die."
This time when Obito tried to punch Kakashi in the face, it actually connected. Kakashi fell to one side, bracing his hands against the floor. Then he slowly sat back up, looking at Obito steadily with his one uncovered eye. Obito got to his feet—Naruto jumped up and put his arms under Obito's to hold him back.
"Obito! Stop it, okay? If you want to see him beat up, I think the older you already took care of that."
This made Obito stop moving. He sat back down, arms crossed and posture rigid. "What do you mean, you let Rin die? What, did you leave her alone in some other situation, since I wasn't there to make you change your mind?"
"No," Kakashi said quietly, feeling of his cheek. "She was captured by Kirigakure, but I went to find her as soon as possible. By the time I was able to get her out, they had forced her into being the Sanbi's jinchuuriki. Rin realized it when they were chasing us home. They were chasing us to make us get there faster, so they could unleash the Three-Tails on Konoha. Once Rin figured that out, she wanted to avoid going back at any cost. I tried to eliminate all the ones chasing us, but... while I was fighting, Rin suddenly jumped in front of my attack. It was on purpose. She wanted to make sure the Sanbi could not be used by them anymore."
Obito was bent forward, hands on his knees gripping cloth tightly. He bit his lower lip.
"Obito..." Naruto started. The story was hard enough just to hear, and it had all happened before he was even born. He couldn't believe there was so much he hadn't known about his own sensei. "It's... that hasn't happened in your world. And it won't, because now you know."
Kakashi gave a long, nearly silent sigh. "Unfortunately, that isn't good enough."
"What do you mean?" Obito asked roughly.
"I may not have the right to say this, and I don't know if you'll even listen. But you should, because I heard this directly from your older self. Obito, you didn't start the war because you were mad at me for failing to protect Rin. It's the harshness of reality itself you're rebelling against. Imagining everything will be perfect if you can stop this one particular event—that isn't very different from wanting to hide in a world where you can't be hurt. Your older self would never accept such an uncertain solution, which means somewhere deep down, it won't be good enough for you either. Even if you succeed, it doesn't mean nothing bad will ever happen to you." He looked at Naruto. "I've seen enough of our world to know that bad, senseless things happen to people who don't deserve it. People hurt one another. It's why I've continued to get stronger, in order to protect what I can."
Kakashi smiled in his strange way, where it was possible to tell even though most of his face was covered up. Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. That was the same thing he'd said to Kakashi, right after arriving in the future the first time. He'd forgotten.
And he understood what Kakashi meant. Ever since he vowed to change the past, he knew things might not always go right. There was even a chance stopping one thing would make something worse happen. There was no way to tell.
"But we have to try, as long as we can," Naruto said, looking back at Obito. "You don't give up when things don't go your way, right? I mean, that's just the impression I got ever since we met. I could be wrong, though."
Obito scowled at the jab. "If I can save Rin, I'll be able to face whatever else happens. You can count on that."
"I hope that's true." Kakashi looked up and around, scanning the area again. "There's one last thing we need to figure out before leaving. But if the older Obito comes back, we're leaving regardless. About this jutsu of Orochimaru's. Do either of you know how he actually performs it? If we had even the seals used, that would be a start."
Naruto shrugged. "Itachi said Orochimaru probably can't use it as much as the Edo Tensei, because it was harder. But we'll probably have to capture him before we can undo it, right?"
"I'm not sure." Kakashi paused. "Like the Edo Tensei, it takes your soul from another world and attaches it to a host body in this one. The difference is the other time and place probably do not exist until you get taken from it. That's the diverging point."
Obito raised an eyebrow, and Naruto tilted his head, arms crossed.
"Where you come from is different from somewhere like the Pure World. It's probably another dimension. Otherwise, your older selves would be able to remember all this," Kakashi explained. "That would automatically make it trickier than the Edo Tensei."
"Wait!" Obito interjected, leaning forward. "This is supposed to be some other dimension too, isn't it? Does that mean I can teleport myself home if I wanted to?"
"I don't know. Both my kamui and your older self's go to this dimension. It doesn't seem possible for us to go anywhere else. Never say never, but we can't rely on that to get you home. Physical travel between here and there would be even more difficult than what Orochimaru has done. I can't imagine what kind of power that would take."
That sparked something in Naruto's memory. "That's what the older Obito said! I bet he knows if it's possible or not. I mean, if we can make it to here, why not? Except, if we leave now, Orochimaru might be able to find us again. With that control tag of his—"
"I don't think he's put one on me yet," Obito interrupted, pointing a thumb at his forehead. "I mean... I don't remember that happening, and we never heard him gloating about it. And he could've stopped me from dragging you out of there, right?"
"So if we can get him to undo the jutsu, you'll be home free," Naruto chimed in excitedly.
"Yeah, but what about you?"
"Time out," Kakashi interrupted. "What control tag?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "It's something Orochimaru put on me when we fought in Suna. It's similar to the way he controls the Edo Tensei summons. According to him, he can use it to see what I see and hear what I hear. But if I can make it back home, even for a moment, maybe I could tell them what's causing it. At least until we get that snake bastard cornered."
"I see." Kakashi narrowed his eye. Naruto could sense his barely-concealed anger. "We need to decide what to do now. I don't know what's happened on the outside since we landed here. They might need my help, and I'm not leaving you two alone."
"Good, then take us with you!" Obito said. "I still need to talk to the older me. I might be able to figure out how to get home."
"That's not a good idea. I don't think he will care you're the same person. He'll destroy anything in order to achieve his goals. And I don't want Naruto to get too close to the enemy." Kakashi thought for a few seconds. "But... I don't have enough chakra to make more than one trip."
"Kakashi-sensei, you need a medic," Naruto said firmly. "Besides, you don't want to leave the battle yet, do you? Take us with you. We'll be alright."
"...Alright. But I'm only saying that because leaving you here would be worse. I'll land away from the fighting. Naruto, when we get there, I want you to call the Toads and have them take you to their mountain."
Naruto was about to say if he wanted to go back to the mountain, he would just call them here, but Obito shouldered past him aggressively.
"Whatever, let's go. I don't want you keeling over and getting us stuck here."
Kakashi seemed to know his warnings had little effect. He side-eyed Obito as he stood between the two, a good bit taller than either of them, and rested a hand on each of their shoulders.
It was dark where they landed. The moon was high up in the sky, and nothing else could be seen in the immediate area. Naruto heard the sound of water, like the ocean or a choppy lake nearby.
Kakashi leaned forward, winded. He was still holding onto them, for support this time.
"Where are we?" Naruto wondered aloud, holding him steady. Wherever they were, it was nice to see the night sky and breathe fresh air again. The other dimension was useful, but it was creepy.
"We're a good distance away from the front," Kakashi breaded. He was about to say more, but he stopped suddenly and let go of them. He crouched and pulled out something wedged in the rock—something that glittered against the inky-black backdrop.
"What is it?" Obito craned his head to look. Naruto did the same.
It was an unusual-looking kunai. It had three sharp prongs, and a heavy wooden handle with some kind of seal painted on it.
All three of them felt it at the same time. An incredible amount of energy charged the air, making the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end with static electricity.
It's charging up a bijuudama! That idiot probably plans to send it over here! the Kyuubi said.
"Bijuudama?" Naruto wondered aloud.
We're going to die if we stay here! Tell them now!
"Uh, ah—the Kyuubi says we'll die if we stay here!" Naruto blurted out in a panic.
"I see." Kakashi stood, still looking at the kunai in his hand. "There's probably no point in running, so go back to the Kamui dimension."
"What?" Naruto was extremely confused.
"What about you?" Obito demanded.
"I don't have enough chakra to go again. You were able to get Naruto and yourself there to begin with, so you should be able to do that much."
Maybe it was the confusion, or the intense, oppressive energy charging the air, but Naruto started to feel lightheaded. He felt strangely disconnected from the scene, as if he was suddenly watching it from far away.
"You think we're just going to leave you here?" Obito shouted. He grabbed Naruto by the arm and then Kakashi, pulling them all close together. "Don't apologize for being a jerk and then ask me to leave you behind somewhere, idiot Kakashi!"
The space around them twisted into a spiral, and it didn't even take long this time.
Their landing inside the Kamui dimension was not graceful. They all reeled from the momentum, lost their sense of gravity for a moment, and nearly fell down. Naruto stumbled into a column, dizzy, but no longer feeling the strange disembodiment from a moment ago.
'What the hell just happened, Kyuubi?'
The Juubi was about to release a massive attack. It wasn't aimed for us, but with that kunai there, I knew we had to leave to be completely sure.
'If you say so. Do you still think Orochimaru can't see us in this dimension?'
I can't sense him here. But the moment we leave, his connection is still there. It is infuriating.
"...I don't care what you say, we need to go back! Look, as long as we can come here, they can't touch us," Obito said.
"I think you're forgetting someone very significant, who can come here just as easily as you."
"Hey, Obito," Naruto interrupted. "Did you get a weird feeling right before we left that rock?"
"I was kind of freaking out. Is that what you mean?"
"No, it was kind of like... almost like floating away, or falling asleep, only not."
Obito frowned. "Maybe. I don't think so, though. It could have just been the realization I was about to die. I'll get used to that at this rate."
Naruto scratched his cheek, stumped. That sensation was familiar, and it couldn't really be mistaken for something else. It felt like the connection to his plant clone body had loosened for just a second.
But for it to happen at exactly that moment was odd. The only cause he could think of was the bijuudama.
But why? Was it because it could kill them, beyond a doubt?
"Listen," Naruto said slowly, scrubbing his hands through hair like he often did when he was trying to think. It was just a gut feeling he had, but there was something to it. There had to be. "There's something about the bijuu's energy. It's one of the only things that can hurt us, right? I don't think Orochimaru wants us to get killed. He doesn't want me fall into the enemy's hands, either. Bringing us here wasn't easy to do, and it's not like he wants to let the world end by me getting captured."
Obito and Kakashi looked at him as that sank in.
"That might be true." Kakashi's brow furrowed. "But it still isn't a good idea for you two to join in at the front. Too many things could go wrong. And even if Orochimaru did un-summon you to save you from danger, he could bring you right back. You'd be trapped again."
"Yeah, I know. But Obito would be back home, at least. I doubt Orochimaru could find him again without a tag. If I had to, I could escape again. I mean," Naruto added quickly at the look on Kakashi's face. "I'm just saying, it's better to be in danger out there than in here, 'cause Orochimaru can't see anything going on in here. That's all."
Kakashi kept looking at him, giving his patented stare. "Aa, I get it. You could be right. I'm sure Obito will take us back to the fight anyway, regardless of what I say. But, Naruto... keep in mind this world could end if you fall into the wrong hands. Orochimaru aside, getting to safety should be your number one priority."
There was another meaning under his words: 'I know what you're thinking. Don't do anything rash'.
Naruto swallowed. Even he wasn't completely sure he was right, but making certainties out of uncertainties was his specialty, wasn't it?
"Okay," he said. "Obito, we might get separated after this, so I need you to completely and absolutely promise that you'll set things right when you go back home. Don't turn into an evil jerk, either, or I will find a way to kick your ass."
"As if you could. Who do you think you're talking to?" Obito tilted his goggles. "I have the Sharingan and an awesome new jutsu already, so I'll be able to protect everyone. I promise you that."
"Good."
"Can you stand, old-man-Kakashi?" Obito said. Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly in surprise when his former teammate ducked under his arm to hoist him up. Naruto grinned and linked arms on Obito's other side as he got ready to transport them all.