V|||.
Sakura was still in a state of shock. At first, denial. Anger at the fact that they were together, sad that she couldn't be the one Sasuke loved, and heartbroken that Sasuke wasn't the man she had dreamed of after all of the years crushing on him. "Sakura..." Kakashi said in a singsong voice. "As cute as this is, we still have a mission to complete. One that is imperative for figuring out the mystery that is the moon."
"O - oh, right." She said, sadly, helping herself up. Shakily, her hand felt for the doorknob and opened it ajar. "Let's go, sensei."
"Hmm, so supposedly the secret entrance of his is through the bookshelf. Do you see anything like that around here?" He asked, holding the map with his forefingers. Sakura snatched it out of his hands. "Let me look at that," she snapped, eyes scanning through the sketch of the house for any signs of something suspicious.
She nodded numbly. "Hai. Ino told me where it was a long time ago. I think it's in the living room, but I'm not so sure myself." She shrugged, "let's at least check there for starters," she tried to sound strong, but on the inside, it hurt like hell. She didn't know what to think anymore, it was like her whole world had switched completely. The old Sakura used to think it was all sunshines and rainbows. She became a kunoichi to prove herself to her family that she wasn't useless. And yet...
Wasn't that what she was, all along?
Whenever she was in the face of danger, Naruto had always saved the day. Not Sasuke, Naruto. Always saying how much he loved her, and would do anything for her sake. She remembered that, as she cried. 'You baka...' she thinks fondly, wiping the tears away off her cheeks. 'You were always there for me, even in the very beginning. I hated you, and yet...'
And yet, she didn't even realize until now. Funny, how the world worked like that. Something so major, that it seemed like nothing to her.
'I'm so stupid...' she bites her lower lip, as more tears trickle down her pretty face, 'So, so stupid. He was right there all this time. Of course Sasuke fell for him. And so, so did I.' She follows Kakashi sullenly, still trying to wrap her head around after all that has happened. Sadly, she knew she had to accept it. Honestly? When Sasuke had shown her multiple times how much he hated her, she thought he was acting cool. She thought he loved her, but was just too shy to admit it. But, now...if only she'd realize sooner. His eyes was always set on his little brother, not his big sister. She hated it all the same, but it made sense.
She placed a hand over her heart.
Yes, she would accept this. Just this once, she reminded herself halfheartedly. "Hmm, I still dislike how dark it is here," Kakashi says, narrowing his eyes as they tiptoe to the living room. "Let's see if there's anything out of place. That's the key."
He looks around with the now lit candle and looks around in alarm. He sniffs the air and smells the stench of dead bodies. Of course, his student didn't need to know that. After all, the Uchiha Massacre was so screwed; Kakashi was surprised Sasuke was still sane after all of that bloodshed and witnessing his family die one by one. Meanwhile, Sakura looks under floorboards that are gathered in cobwebs and dust. Nothing. Through closets, wardrobes, and curtains she looked, but there was no bookshelf in sight. Her fingers trace the walls, for any cracks.
Her finger is stuck in place.
There's a pin encased in the exact spot, and it pricks her finger. Blood trickles down and sticks onto the wall. It flashes in an aurora of lights. From behind the wall, a bookshelf surges forward, with a seal encased within it. Sakura watches this with wide eyes. She sucks her thumb and hums to herself.
"Sensei! Lookie here, I found it!" She shouts out to him, puffing her chest out proudly. He's there in a few seconds, and gapes at the discovery of her findings.
Kakashi pats her head with a smile, "Good job, Sakura. Now, let's see here," he places a hands to his chin contemplatively. "If only I understood Japanese...and whatever this is..." He eyes the scroll stuck to the very center of the bookshelf. "Hmm..." Sakura blinks, trying to think through her lessons about the language. Iruka sensei had deliberately taught her about kanji here and there, but this.
This was the real kicker.
"Through shadow and pain...
One must know
Of Madara's name
Seek the prophet, seek the priest
But the time
Is of the East
Know the eyes, of red and sinner
Owe the soul to lies; Goal to dead winner
To sacrifice mind and soul
And find only then
Till the door to destiny opens."
"I...don't understand," Sakura shakes her head, reading it over and over again. But, it still made no sense. Madara? Who was Madara? The name sounded...familiar. But from where? "Though I by no means am an expert at riddles, I can at least suggest this much..." He held up a finger. "One, they're telling us to submit ourselves to this seal. There could be a third party involved. Which is why I'm skeptical about this. 'The door to destiny'...does this mean the Library itself? And what about this priest and this prophet they're talking about?" he asks, his brain on full detective mode.
"WELL! Um...Let's do it, then!" She says, full of courage. "Please, sensei. We ought to find out about this moon. And this is the only way how..."
"No," He holds up a hand to stop her, "Only I can do this. I am your sensei, and right now it isn't happy hour for all of the other ninja; including the hokage. Wait here, and if I don't come back...assume the worst." She about to stop him, that no it wasn't worth it, that sacrificing himself wouldn't do a thing, and yet...
He activates his Sharingan, and faints on the spot.
"S - sensei! Wake up, please!" She says, trying to snap him out of it. But, there's no use. He's already in lala land (1).
XXX
The colors around him were completely inverted, the clouds above them were red and black. Below him was nothing, but the water surrounding himself.
Standing up, he looked around warily. If all those years of shinobi teaching taught him anything, it was to always be on edge. 'The next moment could be your last', he remembered vividly. Holding out a kunai just in case, he stayed on the safe side and looked around on guard. "Well, well, well." A familiar voice knocks Kakashi out of his reverie. "If it isn't Commander."
"O - Obito...?" He says in surprise. How the hell was he still alive? Turning around, he sees him face to face and stares.
The Uchiha was a fully grown man now, no longer the little boy he used to know before he died. His face was crinkled in white. One eye was blinded, while the other was staring at Kakashi impassively. His ninja robes were purple, a contrast compared to his memorable blue and orange jumpsuit he used to wear. In his hands, there was an orange mask with swirls on it. "It's been awhile, old friend." Obito says, and shakes his hand. Kakashi shakes it back, still feeling numb to his stomach. Was this really his teammate that died that day? No...he couldn't be. He just can't.
"You look...different. What happened to you? After you died?" He questions, not knowing why his and Obito's Sharingans were activated. He didn't even activate it to begin with. Was it out of control? Or was it reacting to the two friends reunited; the two eyes of the owner now back together as one?
"Bakashi." Obito punched his shoulder lightly. "You stupid. You're even dumber than when you were a kid." He teased, knowingly. "I suppose Minato taught us well then." answered Hatake sarcastically, who was still confused at the odd turn of events. How did a simple research of the moon turn into suddenly meeting a dead Uchiha?
"..."
"I see you're trying to break into the Uchiha library. I suppose that's how you summoned me here." Obito glances to the side, and Kakashi sees Sakura over his body crying her heart out. Apparently, he wasn't there with her. Odd, because he swore he was there, like, five seconds ago? "The Sharingan moon. Tell me about it. I can't be the only one that thinks it's strange that it suddenly shows up out of nowhere!" He exclaims, trying to see reason with his childhood friend. "...You're not wrong," Obito says finally, placing the mask over his face. To which Kakashi stiffened, because he couldn't quite place how he'd seen it somewhere.
"Actually, it acted up BECAUSE of another Uchiha. It tends to become active once there are others using it's power. It dates back through ancient times." He states off the tip of his tongue. He turns to Kakashi with an annoyed look, "Don't you read, Bakashi? For someone as smart as you, you apparently can't seem to remember " Kakashi shook his head. "That was ages ago. Of course I can't remember an old text by heart over a decade or two. But, that's beside the point."
"Obito, listen to me carefully. Inside that Library there's something very special to us. One that I must get my hands on as soon as possible. For the sake of the village and...for the sake of myself." And it was true. There was an unusual energy resonating from the library itself. And one Uchiha wasn't enough to spill it's secrets.
"No can do."
'Damn, he's stubborn...' Kakashi cursed to himself silently. 'At least that part of him hasn't changed...though what concerns me is how there's no use convincing him otherwise.' He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped once he saw a slight movement from his former friend.
Obito took a step closer to him, reciting the riddle seal and then smirking. "'Sacrificing mind and soul.' Is that really what you want to do?" Seeing Kakashi narrow his eyes, he added, "Just saying, Commander. Seems a bit over the top to me."
More silence filled the air.
"Where's Rin? Is she alright?" Obito asked, as they sat down and looked at Sakura still crying over his 'dormant' body.
"I... do not know." Suddenly, Kakashi has a sinking feeling that he's killed her. A chidori through the chest. He doesn't know whether it was real or not. The Sharingan-user didn't like the sound of that, though.
"Obito..."
Now Kakashi saw what they were standing on. They were back in the forest, during the mission where they were attacked by the rock nin.
"This is goodbye..."
With a forlorn expression, Obito opened his arms as if waiting for an embrace. The welcoming sweet smell of death...
"Kill me. End my suffering already...cleanse all of my sins!" He screams, looking up into the heavens. A storm swirled around the clouds; rain pelting down to the earth. Lightning struck a tree, alighting it into flames. Knowing what was going to happen nest, Kakashi's eyes widened as he cast a glance at his comrade.
"Wha -! Obito, NO!" Hatake screamed, trying to stop him in time. But he was far too late.
Rocks the size of boulders crashed from above the cliff downwards. Kakashi leapt away in time, but the ghost image of his best friend hadn't. With wide eyes, he watched yet again as he died right before his eyes. With one last look, Obito looked at him with his Sharingan activated.
Exhaling shakily, Kakashi shoved the boulders off of him wildly, earning cuts on his hands in the process. Wincing from the pain, but not nearly enough he continued. Tears in his eyes, he finally reaches the body of his dead partner. Only to see that all life had left him.
"Please, Kakashi..." His friend outstretches a hand and the other clasps it like his life depends on it. "Take my eyes, it's the least you could do." Obito choked, hacking out blood and coughing. His black eyes looked up at him imploringly.
"You know...I'm glad that I got to meet you." Hatake shook his head repeatedly, biting his lower lip. "You were one of the first that I hated...still do, actually," He laughed, but then grunted from the force of the boulders against his motionless limbs. "Heh heh, look at me now, 'Kashi...is this what dying looks like? It's a heck lot more than what I imagined..."
"Don't say that!" Kakashi snapped, trying his damnedest not to cry, or shout, or scream, or anything. He was completely helpless in this situation where his friend was dying. Yet again.
"Stop wasting your breath, stupid! Why'd you sacrifice yourself for me?" He shook his dying body, looking down at the teen in his arms.
The Uchiha smiled softly at him, staring instead at the sky. Two stars twinkled at a distance. "Why? Because..." He thought back to the times when his crush chastised him for beating up his rival in battle.
X
"Obito." He remembered Rin saying to him once, tending to his wounds. "Just because you're reckless doesn't mean you can charge head on onto your own commander! Even Kakashi is smarter than that!"
"Hmph..."
He held out his hand for Nohara to wrap the cloth over. The movement stung.
"Ouch! That hurts..."
"Sorry!" As she ties it into place, Obito cleared his throat and started again. "Look, it's like what I said. Not my fault he's so good at everything. He doesn't even lift a finger! I hate how lucky he is."
"Yes, but he didn't become that way overnight." She scolded, tsking. "He worked hard to become who he is today. His father died earlier this year. Notice how he didn't shed a tear; he still stuck with us even though he was on his own? And he's already becoming a handsome young man with a dream of his own! To become an ANBU and maybe one day the hokage if he wants to!" She says lovingly, but then turns on him. "And you...all you ever do is complain and then some!"
"H- Hey!" He protested. Thinking back to what she said about him being an orphan, he began to realize that he wasn't fortunate at all. Parents, dead at this age? He could barely hold his own, let alone act without emotion. How the heck could he do it everyday, knowing his own family had died out and he was the only one left?
'I...never knew.'
He heard her shift from beside him, settling in a suitable position before stating her own thoughts.
"Listen, Obito. There's something I wanted to talk to you about." She began nervously. "I know that you hate Kakashi's guts. Like, a lot, a lot. But he's not actually as bad as you think he is." The two were sitting a bench, eyes set on the cherry blossoms in front of them. "Y'know...Minato-sensei told me one time that true strength comes from bonds. Even though we're really close...these days I just never see the two of you together outside of missions. For being supposed 'friends' it's like you two are complete strangers. It's such -" She sighed, looking down at her lap. "-a disappointment."
"Just promise me you'll spend some time with him. That's all."
"Oh, alright." He gave in, knowing he could never say no to the one he loved the most. Not when she looked so happy like this. "Yay~! I knew I could believe in you." She cheered, hugging him shortly, and then hopping off the bench to stand up.
Her gaze went to his, eyes lighting up with happiness. "Tee hee! Just some food for thought. Think it over a bit. See ya later!" And she faded away from his memory momentarily.
X
"...because you gave my life meaning; a purpose. Without you, I'd..."
...Never have died a hero.
'Thank you...' Obito beamed at him brightly, tears trickling down his face, as Death swept him away.
"You idiot!" Kakashi slammed a fist on the ground, at the unfairness of it all. "Y - you let yourself die again..." He scrunched up his face behind his mask, baring his teeth with squeezed shut eyes. Pulling out his kunai, he held it high and then stabbed his teammate's socket.
"Obito!"
XXX
And Kakashi awoke to the real world in a cold sweat.
Oh, fuck.
What would his dolphin say?
