Change in pairing:
Obito x Dahlia & Her Bunnies x Muse. I'm sure Regina'll come into play another day, another story.
~NRK~
~Two Years Ago~
She stared at the 'canyon' in disbelief, anger, and opportunity.
"Damn that man," she cursed as the heat around made a good deterrent. "How could a human, even one that slipped through a single 'hole', have the power to seal away a creation of gods?!" She wanted to scream but knew better. 'Yet, that might be premature. This container still leaks the power of the Skull Heart,' yet it was also an issue that it only did so with the tiniest of energy.
This couldn't become an Artifact, not unless she could remove it from this black earth but she couldn't.
'Obito Uchiha sealed it away with spiritual power,' so, perhaps, only one who could wield such a skill could remove the blade?
She reached out to it and, hovering her hand by it, made it glow with those restricting chain-like arrays that slowly turned from white to neon blue?
"..." Her eyes widened but then they narrowed. "Can a newly-made Skullgirl remove it?" She had a feeling they wouldn't, not this thing that had begun to incorporate more power due to its new frame. "Pieces… I need pieces of it to push into someone, maybe even MORE THAN ONE?" Could she do it?
If she could find a way, she'd have more than just a Skullgirl.
She'd have an army.
~NRK~
~Present~
Before any trip to the movies, they had to eat.
Especially since the whole home came alive with all its usual occupants back.
Obito sweatdropped at Kori and Bonnie helping pour wine for Black Dahlia at the 'Adults & Relatives' table while Feng helped him cook alongside Amelia.
"Honestly, uncle, surely you've thought about it," the blonde woman said as Feng ran past with a large plate of noodles in her hands. "I mean, you're 45, at the height of your life."
"I'm pretty sure my prime was when I was 35," Obito said with an amused smile as Amelia chuckled.
"Maybe but you're clearly well-bodied and able, more than Marcus is and he's 35. I'm just confused on how you haven't gotten married before."
"Hmm…"
Obito worked his large wok in thought.
"The thing is, Amelia, that I just never pursued anyone," Obito admitted. "I mean, my family life literally only solidified itself around the past eight years. I've had women interested in me before, of course I have, but it's never been a priority. I had to work, deal with my brother's situation, the 'family business', quote-unquote," he whispered as her eyes widened before they closed and she nodded. "Speaking of…"
"Marcus is planning on it soon," she whispered back, managing some stew as Obito smiled. "I… I'm just worried, I don't know what will happen."
"Marcus is a smart man who's already separated his finances from Lorenzo's, and this side's, finances. He's not involved in any of the 'work' that goes on around here and he's clearly on my side, Lorenzo likely won't do much since Marcus has never shown much interest in his empire."
"I truly hope so, uncle. Now, as for your life?"
Amused, Obito shrugged. "Not only did I deal with those two previous issues but working to fix this family's mistakes just took over my life and, soon enough, I was taking care of one then two and then eight before even more children came along. I want to help these young ones, love simply never came up," he admitted.
"So, it's not that you don't want to but that you simply don't have the time?" Amelia asked.
"Grampie's honestly got a pretty good idea of the type of women he'd like," Feng said as she popped up between them. "I mean, have you seen him?" She gestured to the chuckling man. "Like, he looks like he's thirty, Ms. Amelia. H-He's got enough money and usually keeps in shape to get more by working on the Egret Black Board with the Guards. Then, he's got a lot of us," Feng included as Amelia chuckled. "While I'm sure he won't just lob a bunch of kids at some lady, she's gotta know how much he's doing."
"When you put it that way, Feng, I guess it makes sense," Amelia noted before eying Buttercup as she came in. "But clearly he's got no shortage of ladies who don't mind."
"I'm not sure what taking 'that path' will lead to," Obito said before finishing up. "Got the plates, Buttercup?"
"Yep! That should be everyone," Buttercup said, sidling up to him with her arms around his bicep. "Yep, yep," she pat his abdomen past his side, chin on his shoulder, as Obito's eyebrow kept lifting while Feng tilted her head.
Amelia's eyes 'recorded' everything.
Then, Obito held up three fingers.
"Three," he muttered. "Two… One," he pointed at the front.
There was a ring of a doorbell that had Buttercup laughing before she gave him a good squeeze and hurried off.
"... Amelia, don't-"
"So, two of them are extremely straightforward," Amelia grinned.
"Pfft, two," Feng shook her head before covering her mouth as Obito shot her a flat pleading look while Amelia gasped. "Sorry."
"So, more than that young lady is into you," the mother of one cupped her chin.
"Young lady might be a bit deceptive," Obito shook his head. "Buttercup, Killer, and Bonnie are triplets, they're all 27."
"I feel like that's not defeating my point."
Obito groaned as Buttercup returned with a familiar woman in tow alongside a bunch of other folk.
"Cerebella!" Feng grinned, waving down another girl who seemed a year or so older than her. "I'm surprised you all came today of all days."
Regina raised a brow at the surprised Amelia before the circus woman shrugged. "It's none of my business," she told her as the blonde relaxed. "Now, Obi, we're in need of food."
"I'm always prepared-Good evening, Hubrecht," Obito began to say only to find a grinning man in front of him who dwarfed his height by a foot and a half. "Ah, of course, come along. We still have your apron so with the four of us, we should finish cooking in a flash," the older man chuckled.
Hubrecht was a large muscular strongman of the circus troupe with an honestly 'sad' happy disposition. 'Sad' because, well, he didn't know the truth of their circus before Obito had decidedly done his best to ensure this kind soul didn't worry about it.
Being a man with fair skin, a bald head with a single large pink heart-shaped cowlick, a pink mustache & eyebrows, and seemingly eternally closed eyes, he had on a pair of dull-blue boots, orange pants, a thick-looking dull blue belt with a heart in the buckle & suspenders, and a black muscle shirt Obito knew he did solely for the sake of the children.
Once again, he was a good man and an amazing person.
"Aye, friend, let's do this!" He flexed as the kids cheered, causing his grin to widen as they got to work while the others of the troupe found their seats at the adult table where Dahlia sipped some wine.
"Regina," the veiled woman said, sipping through her veil with ease and not a hint of difficulty. "It's been three months since we've eaten together, why, I was almost unfamiliar with your usual gaggle of minions."
"Co-workers, I have co-workers," Regina smirked. "But I'd say the same for you, why, I'm sure you don't just take your gals everywhere."
"Hmm," she sipped some wine. "Perhaps but Obito did impress upon me quite thoroughly about having a 'Squad' of my own. You could even say it's a share of interest, especially when he makes my bunny team full of powerful beauties."
The circus worker raised a brow at that.
Meanwhile, Feng grinned as she helped move some noodles to tables with her friend. "Nothin', just spending time with Grampie," she smirked as her friend nearly choked on her laughter.
"G-Grampie?"
Cerebella was a girl around Feng's height with caramel skin, big black eyes, and short mint-colored hair that had chin-length bangs. Wearing an orange spaghetti-string top, black shorts, a pair of pointed boots, and a curious orange hat with a skull-like emblem on the front, she looked back at the kitchen where Obito and Hubrecht cooked for a bunch of the kids who came to watch.
'... I don't know why Vitale doesn't like him,' Cerebella wondered but maybe that wasn't all that true.
Her guardian, her savior, had told her repeatedly about how strong Obito Uchiha was but he'd always added that the man was too open, too nice, too willing to help people.
In a way, she almost thought that Vitale did care about him but simply couldn't stand him? It was weird for her to try & grasp but Cerbella thought she understood.
"Hmm, I'm not surprised," Feng said, regaining her attention. "But where's Taliesin?"
"Huh? Oh, uhm… Actually," Cerebella blinked. "He was with us earlier," she said. "I think he left a bit ago."
~NRK~
The wooden-armed man scoffed as he wiped his hands with a napkin. "Thank you, gentlemen, disgusting as it was to use this power on you all," he wore a covered grin as those drum-men, men with frozen forms covered in the many small banging instruments, were frozen with looks of horror on their faces. "It's good to know that this works on anything."
Muse stood behind him with a jealous gleam in her eyes yet, even then, her mind twitched at this act.
They'd been sent to dispatch these random thugs who'd been making Lorenzo's visibility of the city more disgusting.
If she'd been willing to speak it? Muse did find this disgusting.
But her Lover made her confident that this was normal, 'good', even.
Right?
~NRK~
"Alright, are you all plated?" Obito asked his children, speaking over their quickly lowering noise.
"Yes!" They cheered/answered.
"Alright, eat!"
The hall erupted into clanking utensils on plates as Obito chuckled before taking his seat.
"One of these days, this place will get too loud," he said in amusement as Amelia eyed the table. "Alright, please, eat. Hubrecht added a certain spice to the food this time around that I'm fascinated by."
Seated next to a chuckling Marcus, along with the other adults and his relatives, Obito shrugged at Kori seated in Bonnie's lap and eating with the voracious triplet.
Yes, he just watched all the food on her plate vanish in the ten minutes it took the others to only reach a quarter of theirs.
And a Soul Clone brought over another plate that replaced her empty one.
"Thanks, hon," Bonnie said as Kori kept eating some of the noodles on a smaller plate. "Gotta grow strong with lots of food!"
Amelia and Marcus stared at that seemingly slim woman like she'd offended them.
"That's just unfair," Regina said, her medium-sized plate likely felt so too. "What… Bonnie's not usually like this is she?"
"Nope!" Killer snickered. "It's only cuz honey over there gives her the food she craves, she's a lot more normal with other food."
"I… I don't think that's how that works?" She turned Obito.
"I don't have that answer, she just enjoys food and I make food," the white-haired man said. "Honestly, she does train the hardest so it's not as surprising as it could be," Obito shrugged.
"Just feeding the lion, eh?"
"That's honestly accurate. I mean, that's literally the spirit she'd become aligned with. Perhaps that's why."
"Ah, your spiritual abilities truly are curious," Black Dahlia said, her cannon arm raised before it flickered red and turned into a red arm. "And it has so much depth," she chuckled perversely.
Obito's eyebrow trembled even as he grunted with red cheeks. "I'm aware, woman, you don't need to do all of that," he rolled his eyes. "You're lucky you got that arm and leg, Dahlia."
The veiled woman smirked like so many times before.
"Wait, so, you and hon over there…" Buttercup spun her fingers around each other as the Guards groaned or looked green. "... What's it like?"
"There are muscles everywhere, Buttercup," Dahlia grinned.
"I mean, I get it. Good to know."
Amelia burned while Marcus, despite current company, let out a bark of laughter with Regina and one other member of the circus troupe, a large Gigan-like man with a rodeo clown's apparel.
Obito just looked embarrassed while Bonnie blushed with her fingers in Kori's ears.
Killer just grew intrigued.
"At least you're apparently keeping in shape," Regina said with a chuckle, the barest of red on her cheeks. "You know what? Screw it. Soul Clone!"
The copy in the kitchen sweatdropped at her raised glass.
"Wine me."
"I'd ask that you don't try to have a competition in my home," the real one groaned.
"A competition?! Why, what else is drinking for?!" Dahlia cheered.
Kurou chuckled from Amelia's shoulder, the only one of Obito's spirits currently present. "Quite unimpressive of you, sir," he smiled.
Obito rolled his eyes. "Speaking of things other than my apparent 'shape', what the hell are you all doing?" He asked aggressively, Dahlia's grin growing more excited. 'It was once, woman!'
And, sure, it'd probably been one of the best acts of sex in Obito's two lives but come on!
There were children present!
Kori beamed. "Daddy's gotta beat the smiling lady!" She declared. "Then, I'll get the top spot!" She smiled.
"Is that so?" Obito asked her flatly, his expression breaking to show his smirk as Killer chuckled.
"Your 'Daddy' has a tendency to win, Kori. I mean, unless we're talking really underhanded," the rosette chimed in as the oldest in the room wheezed. "He typically doesn't lose but he ends up with more 'problems' than he can handle."
"Wats that mean?"
"It means that life comes with ups and downs," Hubrecht chimed in happily as Kori wore a look of wonder.
"What kind of downs?! I've been getting better at my throws!" She cheered.
"Goodness, Kori! That's amazing!"
"Hue, you're not helping!" Obito whispered as Marcus shook his head while Amelia looked at Obito in interest.
'Wait, so, he's slept with Black Dahlia?' That bit threw the blonde mother for a loop. 'It was probably unattached,' knowing what she did about the cannon-woman?
Maybe her uncle-in-law had been a bit tipsy, tired, weak, or lost a bet. His luck didn't exactly match his skill, after all.
The chatter continued on to, gratefully, non-teasing topics thirty minutes later.
"Huh, so they're about to go through their Chunin Exams," Buttercup said, eyes closed as she drank deeply. "Mmm, dammit, man! How?!"
"Yes to your first sentence. To your question? Hitsuji helps the land he resides in grow fertile, it's part of why our farms are so well-kept and clean," Obito explained, sipping his own sake. "In fact, I need to send some of the kids that way so they can go pick their fruit and vegetables."
Kori's nose scrunched. "Ew!" She whined.
"It's good for you, Kori-baby," Bonnie chuckled, not a hint of wine near her. "In fact, it helps you grow big like your 'Daddy'."
"Mmmmm," the girl pouted some more.
"Veggies go into your favorite drink," Obito told her, amused, as Killer hiccuped. "They can't be that bad."
"Tomatoes aren't veggies!"
Dahlia's sudden insane laughter had him chuckling.
"Whether that's true or not doesn't mean much. Ya like some veggies, like sweet potatoes."
The girl looked conflicted before hitting her 'mute' button.
She turned around and stuffed her face into her mother's chest.
"You seem to have won," Marcus said with a chuckle, coming back to the table with another plate of food. "So, you're heading to the 'Edge', uncle?"
"Yep. The thing is, though, I'm considering some other ideas for the meantime. After all, I'm performing for the circus on Wednesday," he shrugged as Amelia perked up, looking excited. "Favor for a favor, I handle the after-show dining so Dahlia and I can go all-out for at least a time," Obito stressed towards the amused-looking woman.
"It's all about small steps to large leaps," the woman drank deeply from a bottle… Yep, that was right. "Puwah! Yes, I love me this sour stuff! It's so f***ing great for my skin," Dahlia said with the world's most shocking censor.
"Wait, when was this a thing?" Marcus asked, looking intrigued fiercely. "Uncle, you can censor people?"
Obito smiled proudly. "The thing is, it pertains to my spirit arts," he explained while gesturing to the suddenly vigorous cursing woman that'd become Dahlia. "But it might come with downsides on whether the person wants to stop."
"Oh, that's ******* rich coming from you," Dahlia said with filter. "Why, when you **** around with ***** like mine, you can't stop ******* cursing!"
Amelia and Marcus gawked at the clearly uninhibited woman while Obito's head fell into his hands, the triplets' laughter loud and strong.
~NRK~
She had to do this properly.
"Hmph," she watched one of her seven targets with a cupped chin. 'Now, what will this one do with such power?' Two years.
It'd taken her two years to try and grasp the 'new situation' and implement ideas, plans, and find vessels for these 'Skull Shards' as she liked calling them.
And it turned out that she might very well have gained a boon thanks to that foolish mortal. She'd have to 'thank him' by using his body before devouring him.
"The Gally Gang, they're mostly useless but the Contagion can at least make their women useful," she grinned deeply.
And this wasn't everything.
These Shards followed the same principle as the Skull Heart did, at least, in the sense of gaining power as they were given time to fester. The downside was that they still required 'vessels' but she'd found loopholes.
Oh so powerful loopholes.
That throbbing in her abdomen had her grinning as she held her developing belly.
"In time, my Mistress of Space," she whispered. "Soon, you shall have a new avatar in this 'game'. That one male's hate will help develop your being, especially for the one who'd left your precious tool in such a state," she felt truly fulfilled.
She had such a powerful purpose now, one that'd be of far more help to her Mistresses.
~NRK~
The movies had been fun and the hours afterward had been amusing.
Now, Obito sat on the roof of his home as most in the home slept, the triplets & Dahlia's squad included. With how much drinking they'd done earlier before even the movies?
Well, he didn't expect her to wake up tomorrow without a hangover.
Still, he had implied almost all of them.
The sound of steps behind him led his mind towards confusing places.
"Buttercup, I'm surprised," Obito said to the 'chocolate bunny', most definitely her words and not his, as she sat beside him.
Buttercup chuckled before leaning on his shoulder, the two watching the moon above. "My drinking can even put Our Lady under the table, trust me, I'm strong-" she hiccuped.
There was silence for a moment before Obito laughed as she chuckled sheepishly.
"S-So, uhh, thoughts on possibilities?"
"I'm still not sure how you all agreed to an insane pact like I'm assuming."
"Obi, buddy, we're women," she said flatly as he sweatdropped. "We will cat-fight until the cows come home, trust me, this is the safe option," Buttercup said with a shrug. "Like, we'd fight ma'am for this."
"Which isn't surprising or anything?" Obito offered in disbelief. "I'm pretty sure you guys are as close as peas in a pod."
"Oh, we are, that's how this works. Like, you don't seem to understand what you do to women when you keep on showing your good side… And then you showed your daddy side."
"It's fine, you can come and go, do as you please," a nine-years-younger Obito smiled as he held a baby Kori. "For now, though, I know you three are tired. Rest, come in, and lay down before approaching tomorrow as a new day."
The homeless trio looked at him, startled.
A single year later, he hit his 'daddy stride' because Gosh DAMN that man was fine!
A 19-year-old Buttercup stared at that shirtless man as he kept pushing up with those stone weights on his joints, back, neck, and lower-spine.
She was kinda caught ogling his magnificent back side as he finished up, threw up the stones with a jut of his push-up, and stood before noticing her.
"Buttercup?" Obito blinked at her, the man's half-white hair ruffled by a towel he'd been offered by Suzuka. "What's the problem?" He came over.
And Buttercup swallowed, soon walking to meet him midway.
"?"
She was kind of just staring at the muscles of this man.
"Daddy~."
"What?"
Ah, that'd been an embarrassing but oh so precious memory.
"Yeah, you kinda just got more attractive as ya kept going," she admitted. "Then ya just kept helpin' us, ya helped Our Lady, too. It's kinda weird how you don't act like a gigolo but that's another part of the charm."
Obito felt some embarrassment. 'God, I'm letting these women just have their way with me,' he didn't even give the innuendo the attention it desired. "... You're always so straightforward."
"Of course, who the hell has the time to be beating around the bush? Have you seen those Empire Dramas?" She shivered as he blinked before chuckling. "I swear to the goddess, those characters leave an impression and I know it wasn't 'good' for me. I don't want to go through all that bullshit for what I want, you get me?"
Was it wrong that he did? As he got on in years, Obito slowly came around to certain things.
One of those things was just accepting that things happened, like Dahlia's group-wide affection even if he wasn't so sure about the woman herself.
"I'm still not sure how to take this, even if I get it," Obito admitted, hand combing through his hair. "Logically. Buttercup, I'm literally the worst kind of person when it comes to emotions, I logic my way through most things."
"Save for your kids."
"Yes… Yeah, with them, I get it. Because I know what it's like."
"Ya know? You never did tell me about your past," she said with a grin.
"Interested?" Obito asked before finding the woman shifting from his side into his lap, leaving him grunting. "Definitely the most straightforward one," he released a breath as she purred.
"This dog ain't lacking, IS HE~?"
He swore to this world's goddesses.
His will was BENDING.
~NRK~
Two days passed before Wednesday night was upon them, the entirety of the Pinwheel Home family seated in the bleachers.
Meanwhile, in the background, Obito nodded to Regina as he adjusted his white blazer's cuffs.
Wearing a pair of fitting black pants, brown boots, and a white fedora, a pair of black gloves sat on his hands as a seven-foot-tall wooden cane rested across his back.
"Ready? You'll be leading the act with Feng and Cerebella," Regina told him. "Your routine is, as always, a good one but spice it up! You only come once in a blue moon, give them something interesting each time."
"Hmph, well, if you put it that way," Obito considered something. "I'll try, I have a few ideas."
"Good!" She grinned, patting his back. "The last thing we need is a bored crowd, that's hard to come back from."
'Might need to display Ryu's abilities,' if she wanted a bit of pizzazz, well, he could be a bit lenient. 'Just some chainplay.'
"Hmph, you're here," came the voice of a familiar masked man as he and his 'carry-on' entered the dressing hall. "Honestly, painful as it is to admit, your current wear would actually be 'fetching' in praise if I didn't despise everything you stood for."
"Hmph, not going to cause trouble today?"
"Sad for your existence as it is, I am to perform. Don't let your previous 'games' get to your head, my music is beyond comparison!"
"If you say so, pains me as it is to admit, your music is rather fantastical even before the obvious music fingers," Obito said, walking off.
Never seeing the frozen, choking, form of Taliesin who paled behind his mask.
'How?!' Did the old bastard know already?! "Hmph! No, there's no possible way he knows, that'd be preposterous," especially with Lorenzo's clear distaste for his brother. "No, all it'll take is one touch to bare skin," Taliesin thought as Muse looked at him with concern.
'Isn't this a bad idea, Lover?' She thought to him, concerned.
"Be quiet, Muse, beauty doesn't speak."
She jumped before going stockstill, his hand grabbing her handle before the masked elf took her away.
It took 45 minutes of acts before he was onstage.
The crowd cheered as the girls grinned and waved towards them.
"Of course, who else but the master of spirits! Our resident old man whose power releases spectacle from his very SOUL?!" The 'barker', their Ringmaster, roared to the excited crowd. "Welcome our special treat and final act, THE SPIRIT WEAVER!"
Obito smirked before tipping his hat and flicking it up, allowing it to erupt into shimmering translucent feathers.
The girls hopped up onto one before leaping onto others, their hands releasing silver paper strips that shone in the air before Obito raised a hand.
He snapped his fingers.
And the whole display froze like ice, a single ball of light leaving the man's hair and spiraling out to collect all the paper.
"Ryusei, flash!" Obito ordered.
The dragon-like spirit coiled together before it glowed.
Only to release an impossibly large form that held glimmering silver scales, a powerful roar, and fantastical distortions around his body.
The crowd roared back as that coiling being flew over them, spinning in the air and releasing small 'droplets' that shone like diamonds.
Filia grinned as she caught one before whistling at that crystalline egg! "This is so cool!" She said with excitement. "It's like a Digimon Egg, Carol!" She said to the girl beside her who gasped with bright eyes.
"Really?!"
Being a short, petite, girl around Filia's age, Carol had slightly tan skin, short brown hair with a single chin-length bang, and pink eyes.
"That's so cool!" Carol cheered as Marcus and Amelia smiled for them.
When Ryusei finished his circling, Cerebella hopped onto his underbelly while Feng's birds gave her flight, the two circling the dragon before a familiar phoenix settled atop Obito's head.
"What's Grampie gonna do next?!" Filia wondered, excited, and never noticing her 'egg's' warmth. "I bet it's gonna be sick-!"
And then the space in the stage thumped before the things got crazy!
Obito flipped up and landed upside-down on Ryusei with Cerebella hanging on the top with a large burly arm that sprouted from her hat.
"W-Whoa! This is crazy!" She observed as Feng giggled upside-down, flying backwards. "Time for act A!"
Obito flipped his cane into the air before pointing at it.
It erupted into white smoke that released curling trails of streamers that the girls began to rushed through.
They spun, flipped, glided, or skipped through the rapidly forming, crossing, curling, and even branching lines. All of it upside-down.
Regina whistled as Hubrecht looked on in wonder. "A damn good way of sprucing up," she grinned as the show continued.
Obito called out Hitsuji and Fukurou before they created coiling earthen tracks or released a brilliant light from above.
It was a show of all arts, physical, mental, and spiritual that coiled together into a single finale that ended the man atop a throne of wooden, legs crossed and cheek on his fist, with the girls landing on the back of it with big grins and waves all cinched together by his summons coiling around and forming a mural along the platform's length.
The crowd kept on cheering as Obito chuckled, Suzuka puffing out her chest on one shoulder with Fukuro on his armrest.
"That was awesome!" The girls cheered.
The others came out, half of them playing instruments with a victorious tone as Hitsuji lowered the platform and allowed everyone to crowd together.
"I hope you loved our special show!" The Ringmaster grinned as the applause thundered about, the whole group bowing to them. "Goddesses know when he'll return but his spectacles are reaching ever-new heights!"
Whistles, cheers, or squeals echoed out as Suzuka turned back into Obito's hat.
"Exhilarating as usual," the albino chuckled as Regina looked like she'd been refreshed. "And you enjoyed it, definitely," Obito smirked as her cheeks grew rosy but she laughed like a loon.
"Of course, seeing that? THAT is what I was talking about!" She cheered as the others applauded as well.
"Yes, yes, yes! You do have a place here, mister~," the Ringmaster said with a tilt of his head. "Come now, surely some of your kids wanna join in!"
"Hmm… I think they do," Obito smirked as the man looked giddy. "We'll talk."
Taliesin crossed his arms in the background even as Muse looked inspired.
'That was amazing!' The instrument woman looked awed, doing a little jig. 'Lover, you two could perform as a duo!'
Taliesin's eyebrow trembled behind his mask at her 'support'. 'Tsk, mindless as usual,' beauty really did seem to only last when they couldn't open their mouths, huh? "While not-tempting, Muse, I don't desire to work with that old bastard of ours."
She flinched before looking down. 'S-Sorry,' she admitted.
"That time has passed, for now, I need to find a way to touch his skin."
Muse looked unsure before nodding.
Muse blinked an hour later, standing in the kitchen where Obito had finished making food.
She stared at it all, head tilting as he turned to her with a raised brow. "Will you require food?" He asked.
Muse jumped, looking at him in confusion before she shook her head.
"Do you not eat?"
"..." She shook her head, looking down at her open abdomen.
"I see. Well, is there anything I can do to at least make you comfortable?" Obito asked as he moved to the fridge before pulling out some wine. "Like, do you have some kind of preferences? Do you like to sit down? Stand?"
Muse felt bashful as the mature gentleman offered her some form of kindness. 'They could have made such a magnificent team,' showmanship and musical talent that likely would have met only on occasion, sure, but they would have been an incredible duo! '... I'll talk to Lover about it,' surely, he wanted his talent to flourish.
Making friends out of enemies was the perfect 'icing' on the proverbial cake!
Obito observed the thoughtful 'puppet', he still wasn't sure, woman. 'I'm sure I should just link our minds,' if she had a soul? That'd answer one of his many questions. "Hmm, Muse?"
She perked up, locking eyes with him.
And found a crimson blaze enrapturing her, in more ways than one.
"So, you do have a soul," Obito noted as the two of them floated in a blank white space. "Worrisome."
Muse jumped looking around in an inexplicable amount of shock. "W-What did you do-?! She froze before clamping her mouth shut.
"Hmm, a bell-like tone, I want to say I'm surprised but I'm not," he chuckled as that instrument woman swallowed.
"W-What's going on? What did you… W-What did you do?!" No, no, NO!
This man was NEVER a normal human being, was he?! He had to be some kind of being from the Time Before because this was ridiculous!
All beings like her held a 'Connection' to the world that most wouldn't understand but it varied in strength.
This man didn't perform simple things like spiritual control, he'd interacted with the feeling withinher.
"You're not human, a-are you?"
The irony was amusing but Obito didn't waste time. "I am as far as biology is concerned," he said with a smile. "Now, what about your arrangements?"
Muse was startled one last time before looking bashful. "It's… I'm not organic in such a manner that I need to worry about leg strain," she admitted. "You all can simply eat, it's of no issue on my end."
"If you're sure."
"I-I am…" Muse looked hesitant. "T-Thank you, for caring, I mean! I know Lover would find me a nice spot next to him but you're nice!" She said quickly.
Obito was almost concerned but didn't speak on it.
They returned to the normal world where Muse was left staring at the smiling man before he went back to finishing up the food.
'I have to speak with him!' She knew this man wasn't a bad person.
Her Lover just needed to see reason a-and they could make the most amazing show!
As she delved into her own plans, Feng, Cerebella, and Hubrecht entered the kitchen.
"The dining room's set!" Feng told Obito as he smiled appreciatively.
"Alright, help me get all of this out, I know Regina's just waiting," he chuckled.
"Yes, sir, she is!" Cerebella saluted him before hurrying to grab two large plates of chicken and beef. "T-This stuff smells so good," her mouth watered as she hurried out. "Hurry it up!"
The other three laughed as they followed behind her, Obito making a pair of clones to carry the last two dishes.
And startling Muse out of her damn mind. 'WHAT?!' W-When the hell was this a thing?! Was she crazy?! 'In what world is this normal?!' She hurried after them before staring at Obito, the first one she thinks, in intense confusion.
"Yes?" Obito raised a brow as she made some muffled sounds before looking at his clones. "Ah, well, this is just a skill of my creation," he smiled for the surprised being. "I've got a lot of children, Muse, I have to look after them in droves so this skill is useful."
"Yep, Grampie's got his work cut out for him with over 50 of us," Feng giggled as Muse's eyes bugged out before she looked at the original in disbelief.
"I've adopted many children over the years, Muse, I have to be able to tend to all their needs. Some want personal time, others want advice, some want to just play with me, and others want to vent in private. It's just the job of a 'Father' so I did what I could to make this easier for them."
'He has kids?!' She was alarmed, eyes wide but utterly curious about the whole matter. "...?" Muse made a curious sound.
Getting to the dining room, the four were waved down by the others before the food was spread out.
"Eat, I know you're all hungry," Obito chuckled.
They stood up, got, fought, & bargained over their food choices, or even laughed in some cases before being seated once again and eating.
Their Gigan clown cried tears of joy as he ate his ultra-helping while the Ringmaster ate like a man who'd starved for weeks.
"Ohh-hooo!" He made pleased sounds that got snickers all around. "I know why you didn't but you not being a professional will forever elude me. But, hey, more for me!"
Cerebella swallowed a chunk of beef with red cheeks. "It's so good!" She squealed as Feng grinned.
"It's Grampie's charm and skill. Speaking of, Master Grampie," Obito snorted as she grinned. "Are you going to just stick to the tent… Unlike last time?"
The albino hummed. "Well… I hope so," Obito shrugged. "Sadly, Dahlia isn't even a 'light' sparring partner on her off days. She's rather intense, especially when it comes to combat. My leading score probably isn't helping along with the triplets' involvement."
"What is it now, friend?" Hubrecht asked as Taliesin stared at his food, mask off, before looking offended by his singing taste buds. "55-12, yes?"
'This is his food?!' He wanted to scream.
Damn him! His food was actually incredible?!
'But that's not all,' when was the man capable of cloning himself? 'This makes things difficult,' if he was never dealing with the real deal, he might need to reimagine this plan. 'What about that nun?
He'd met a curious person some year-and-change back. It'd been the most curious outing before he'd traded for Muse's limbs.
That woman had been quite intrigued by his accidental spill of his distaste. In fact, she'd been quite taken with attacking Obito Uchiha and had offered him options and ideas.
'I'm still not sure if giving Muse a piece of anything is going to end well,' his little tool had been losing some luster with her actions as of late. 'But I don't have anyone who could possibly replace her…' Taliesin's eyes narrowed as he thought of something. 'I couldn't let it be just anyone… Ah, of course! That spitfire!' He grinned.
That marvelous pink-eyed 'weapon' that tagged along with Dahlia, what was her name?
… Killer! That's right!
'And she's close to that bastard,' his eyes went to Obito. 'Your brother's not happy, Uchiha, he's actually quite terrified of your little rapport with Black Dahlia,' so he'd hopefully get rid of so many birds with a couple stones.
He just needed to go and find that nun tool.
~NRK~
The rest of Wednesday, and all of Thursday, passed quite quickly before it was Friday.
Obito adjusted his attire. 'Bullet-proof attire to dampen the damage,' despite how little it would. "Element-tempered armor," he muttered like clockwork as he adjusted a pair of thick slightly baggy dark blue pants on his lower-half.
Wearing a white cloak that went down to his shins, bore a high collar, and sported red clouds, a mesh top sat beneath it alongside his black shinobi sandals and a pair of black gloves, Obito tightened a black sash around his waist.
"Alright," he made an handsign.
His entire outfit flashed with a black array before it faded away.
"Time to amuse some women."
He left his room and walked down the hallway before reaching the foyer where all of his children stood in waiting.
"DAD!" They cheered as he chuckled.
"Yes, come on, it's time for us to go," Obito said, a small dragon coming out of his hair before coiling around his neck. "We'll be taking the Ryu Train," he chuckled.
They hurried out, the children, before he left last and locked the door.
He pressed his hand to it before white chains arrays formed along the home's front.
"Alright, let's go," he said before Ryu shot off his neck and expanded in size to that of a large bus. "You know the drill," Obito said as they all got on, the older members holding onto the younger ones who couldn't stick on via spirit training.
He hopped onto that crowned dragon's head, its rainbow scales shifting into porcelain white before they took off into the clouds above.
A field of white kept them dry while allowing the cool winds to blow through their hair at a dampened level.
Six of his Guards sat on the dragon, the other two monitoring his nephew's family.
Cleo hummed. "Do you think they'll fight you, too?" She asked, holding onto Kobu in front of her.
"Oh, for sure, I'm prepared for the quadruple threat," Obito chuckled knowingly as Monkey whined.
"H-How the old man does it? I'll never know," he groaned as Alan chuckled sheepishly in front of him. "Quiet, squirt, I know you don't spit any kind of game."
"W-What the hell, bro?!" The younger man squawked. "Dude, really?!" The other children giggling, snickering, or outright laughing made him red in the face.
"Take it easy on him, kids, Alan's a growing boy," Obito chuckled as Suzuka flew at their side with a familiar trio of girls in her tails' grasp before she came around to him and deposited them into his now-sitting lap. "Kori, Avi, Eva… I guess you wanted to be up front," he said to the excited girls.
"Yeah!" Kori cheered as his little 'squad' followed suit. "Daddy, can we go and get toys with mommy today?"
"Sure. It is your birthday next week," he smirked as she beamed. "Hmph, Ryu!"
The lumbering dragon's flight slowly dropped as they fell out of clouds towards a 'flattened' circus tent, the sight of familiar folks standing around, and in, it familiar.
"Regina, what the hell did Dahlia come up with?" Obito asked as Ryusei landed, his passengers departing from him. "I thought you wanted this to be controlled, not whatever the hell is going on," he said with the largest of raised brows.
The lavender-haired woman looked sheepish, rubbing a large lion's head. "To be fair… It's Black Dahlia, I don't think that needs more of an explanation."
Obito crossed his arms before looking at the normally-dressed woman-in-question speaking at length with Killer, Bonnie, and Buttercup at the center of their new arrangement in the stage area.
Speaking of said triplets, he noted their outfits.
Wearing what had to be black leotards with white combat vests, fishnet stockings, thigh-high black boots, and skull-like masquerade masks, animal ear attachments sat atop their heads.
A groundhog's for Killer, a lion's for Bonnie, and a pair of horns for Buttercup.
"..." Obito's mind tried to reason away why they wore fishnet stockings right now of all times. 'Calm down, Anko did this stuff, didn't she?' At least, he'd thought so from the scant few times he'd snuck into Konoha back in the day. "I'm just going to accept they chose to be different today and just do the usual."
Regina chuckled. "Well, they're waiting for you," she teased as he rolled his eyes.
"Bite me."
"Promise~?"
"Only if you're prepared for a hickey," Obito said flatly before walking off and leaving a laughing woman in his wake. "I know a smidge too many unusual women."
"Grampie, what's up?!" Filia greeted as her family arrived, the girl plus Carol hurrying over. "You're gonna fight Dahlia, right? What are some tips?" She asked quietly as Feng finished speaking with Hubrecht in the background before coming over.
"Don't get shot."
"That's obvious, what's the secret technique?!"
"Good morning," Carol bowed with a smile. "Mr. Uchiha, y-you're going to fight her again," she said unsurely.
"It's gonna be awesome, Carol! Ohh, what if uncle pulls out a secret technique on her again?" Filia grinned. "He's always hitting them with the sneaks."
"Master, they're ready," Feng said to Obito as he nodded, the man walking towards the waiting Dahlia with her, Filia, and Carol at his sides.
"Finally done prepping yourself, Obi-Tobi?" Dahlia asked, arm back to its cannon form with three blue bullets & three yellow ones in its clip.
Oh, she was going to be going for the 'Annoying' approach today. "Of course. And you? You four seemed pretty intent on something crazy this time around," Obito said with a smirk. "Not that it'll do you any good but it's good to know you're thinking."
"Ohhh~ He's got sass this time, girls!"
"Aye aye!" The triplets declared with a unified salute. "He's gonna get what's coming to him!"
"Exactly what I like to hear!" Dahlia grinned pridefully as her body released a menacing dark red aura. "Someone count us down."
"I wonder how this one'll go," Regina raised a brow as she and the others watched from the sidelines. "Hubrecht!"
"Right here!" The strongman declared, holding up a large stopwatch. "Friend, be safe, Dahlia's scary nature hasn't changed over the years."
"I'm well aware," Obito declared as Ryusei shot towards him.
The dragon spun before shrinking, landing in his hands before Obito braced the transformed spirit around his back in his hands.
That distorting dragon-shaped three-section staff grew to a two-inch thickness.
"Let's start."
There was the sound of a gong.
And the next second there was an eruption of dirt and rocks that tore across the length of the stage before three shadows slipped out of the dust cloud.
It all dispelled to reveal the white-haired man at the center, a path of destruction trailing away from him.
Obito turned on a dime as a large set of claws made to clamp around him from below before he jumped back from the 'breaching' Killer who sunk back into the ground with those large claws.
The middle-aged shinobi's eyes snapped to the side before he dodged in and out of gunfire from Buttercup's submachine gun.
"Fall into my clutches, hon!" The blonde triplet declared as she swung out with the gun.
Obito jumped up over the fast-sweeping shots. 'She's getting better at managing it,' making guns wasn't something Obito had been used to.
But he was 45, he'd be able to get it down by this point and making it 'spirit compatible' was just a matter of putting in spirit arrays.
Like now, Buttercup's gun elongated into a rifle that she aimed at him.
She clicked the trigger and a spirit snake shot out of it like a cannon that coiled around him mid-air.
Obito deflected it with a swing of Ryusei before shooting apart from the tough-skinned reptile.
He landed before turning on a dime and slamming his spirit weapon into Dahlia's raised cannon.
She grinned as her body emanated a red aura that had him losing out.
'Her modifications are ridiculous as always,' Obito thought with narrowed eyes before feeling presence at his back.
Ryusei pulsed before forming a distorting barrier around his skin, that swinging dagger rebuffed from his side.
It wasn't disappointed, though, its owner spinning around and swinging for his thigh before Obito allowed Dahlia's strength to overwhelm him.
He let his body collapse all the way down in time to dodge Bonnie's slash and Dahlia's red shockwave.
"Delicious," the veiled woman laughed as she raised the cannon.
Obito's body contorted into a roll that had him flying to the side.
Then the red gun hit the ground.
"Woooo!" Filia cheered along with the Pinwheel Home residents as a red explosion tore apart the center of the arena. "Get movin', Grampie!"
The man did, lunging out of the cloud before hopping in and out of pitfalls that followed behind him and gunfire.
Buttercup's snake vanished into the holes while Bonnie's half-lion form strafed around them to cut Obito off.
The white-haired man's hops came to an end before he lunged at her, startling the lion spirit-user before she held out her large dagger.
Ryusei swung out and rebuffed the lion popping out of it before he tackled her into a roll Bonnie tried to control.
To no effect as Obito sent her flying into Buttercup by the end, the man landing on his feet before Ryusei flew into his hands and came down.
There was another explosion of dust that caused the floor to rumble before Killer popped out of the ground yards away with a stumble.
"W-Whoa!" She fumbled before finding her legs, Hopper popping out in front of her in his normal size. "Honey's gone crazy!"
Dahlia's form slunk into the dust.
There were several series of explosive bursts, the sound of clicking metal, the reload of a cannon, and the laughter of a crazy woman.
An eruption of red carved through the cloud before shattering a portion of the road, Dahlia's laughter echoing out without care as those on the street hurried away.
"Geez, Mistress is going crazy!" Killer yelped.
Said woman skidded out of the cloud in a crouch, grin shooting on all cylinders with her hand clawing through the ground.
She took aim, two teal & two purple bullets left in her cannon.
She released a shot that unleashed a purple laser that punched through the dust cloud to reveal no one there.
The sound of steps had her cannon aimed at a dispersal of dirt at her side before Dahlia head the telltale sounds of flapping cloth as a shadow fell over her.
Obito came down with an axe kick that was interrupted by a tackling Bonnie that had them rolling towards a bus-length hole.
The white-haired man's eyes caught it all despite his blurring surroundings before he turned this tackle on its side with Bonnie's back pressed into the ground.
She released a huff before grinning at the confused Uchiha who had one second to realize he made a mistake.
Something coiled around his waist while Buttercup's face came into view, the dark-skinned Bunny rolling with him as his arms were tied to his sides.
Obito heard the click of a cannon before the two of them were encased by electricity that electrified him while Buttercup looked completely unbothered.
'I-I seriously gave her the most compromising one,' he thought as they fell into the hole.
Mid-way, Obito's twitching body stilled at the sight of an ice-covered stone falling from above with a shadow still visible through its depths.
"Oh."
Another railgun beam shot down on them as they were encased by the half-metal hole.
Seeing his defeat heading this way, Obito had a few things to 'say'.
'I gave them amazingly complimentary powers,' he thought.
Bonnie's powerful lion with agile attributes.
Killer's versatile gopher who had enlarging abilities like all spirits but also digging skills with an earth-to-metal production ability.
And then you had Buttercup's resistance to paralyzing and electric attacks that made the three's best 'attribute' Dahlia's Railgun's lightning.
The eruption of sparks that shot out of the hole had the viewers looking surprised.
"He's going to be fried again," Amelia pouted as Marcus chuckled worriedly.
"Uncle's many things, honey, durability is his biggest trait," he said.
Filia whined. "Awww, man!" She yelled. "N-Not fair! He rotated into the wrong one this time!" She complained as Dahlia laughed without a care from the side of the hole, Bonnie putting her down with a look of relief.
"Honestly, he should realize we'll get better at handling his strategies," the veiled woman said as a slithering form brought Obito's twitching form out of the hole while Killer popped up beside her.
"We won!" The 'gopherized', her words not theirs, woman hopping out of the ground with a cheer as Obito groaned within the transformed Buttercup's hold.
"Honey, you're not looking so hot," she snickered at him, lower half replaced by a white snake's. "God, fusion is probably the biggest thing we've got against you," Buttercup said.
Learning under Obito had been the most awesome thing. Being recognized as 'Special Jounin', she didn't get it but it sounded cool, put them above all his household save for him.
And she'd meant that completely as the middle-aged man had truly informed them that, together, there wasn't a comparable team in his home.
"I-It's… Mmmmm!" Obito groaned before Kurou flew over to him before hoo-ing, releasing a pulse that ended with both his eyes covered by his veil and Obito looking relieved as Buttercup put him down on his feet. "Much better," he rubbed the back of his head.
"Yes, I'd say this turnout is better," Dahlia said aggressively as the Uchiha's cheeks colored slightly.
"Yep!" Buttercup beamed as she returned to normal, her serpent shrinking in size before curling around her neck. "55-13," she said. "I'm sure we can get that number up dependin' on which spirit he uses."
Obito nodded as Bonnie beamed, a tiny spirit lion sitting within her hair. "Your dragon's the simplest to fight, honestly," she said sheepishly.
Ryusei whined as he curled over Obito's shoulder, the mother snickering as she pat his head.
"It's fine, Lil Dragon, it's life! I mean, we've lost over 50 times!"
The spirit didn't look amused.
"Well, like this, that's a favor in yours," Obito told them. "You know how this works," he informed Dahlia specifically. "You especially."
"Half-naked butler," Dahlia said without a care.
Obito's eyebrow trembled in 'terror'. 'She's always like this, why am I surprised?' He wondered in fear. "At this point, I'm idiot for expecting sane things," he whispered.
"I've got an idea!" Buttercup grinned. "Honey, what's your fear tolerance?"
"Dahlia."
"Perfect!"
"Hmmmmmm~," Killer crossed her arms and tilted her head in thought. "I wonder what I can do in this case… I need something fun but scandalous…"
Obito felt for his long-since gone chastity. "Look, let's just be glad we kept things within the ring… Mostly," he said with a groan at the several large craters, the holes which to be fair he knew Killer could fix, and then the long trails of destruction.
One of which was his fault, goddammit.
"That was awesome!" Filia whined. "Grampie, you gotta make sure you keep the divide large!" She told him as she hurried down, a familiar crystal egg within a purse at her side. "Mmmmm, Ryu, sorry but you're not winning these days," she told him.
The former staff cooed before Obito pat his head.
"It's fine, Ryu, there are different things you're good at," Obito told him. "For now, Hitsuji, Killer, Hopper, please fix this place."
"Baaaa."
"Yeppity-yep."
"Yes, sir!"
~NRK~
She finished playing the footage.
[It's as much of a spectacle as usual.] A cyborg man said, his metal fingers folding by his face. [Obito Uchiha's powers have clearly lessened over the years, I suppose age really has bothered him.] The man said with a sigh.
"It's fine, you know," his fiance said as he nodded. "It's just life, hell, he's a man with over fifty kids-"
[C-Christmas, please! I know!]
"You sound more like a man who's observing his 'happiness' and not your own."
The cyborg sweat waterfalls as the woman who'd played the footage shook her head.
"By the goddess, can you two, like, just solve that please?" She asked flatly, her cross-shaped pupils hiding behind groaning eyelids. "I thought we were doing something important but, CLEARLY, you guys have other ideas."
"Apologies, Val," 'Christmas' said with an unbothered smile 'Val' sweatdropped at while the cyborg cleared his throat.
[Y-Yes, important things for later!] He said quickly as Christmas's eyes gained a powerful glint. 'Oh God, she's not letting me sleep tonight,' b-but he had so much to DO!
Sure, perhaps, she'd be one of them eventually but there were more important matters!
Like the one who popped up on a different screen. [Look, a thing!]
"For now."
Dammit.
They did look at the apparent screen where a random woman, a gangster, laughed maniacally while holding her sides.
A wicked blue light pulsed out of her back as flames of similar hues flickered on a half-destroyed building.
"This is so confusing," Val said with crossed arms and a raised brow. "What… Isn't this the power of a Skullgirl?"
"It should be," Christmas said before gesturing to another monitor. "But since when could there be TWO of them?"
The other screen showed a young woman currently assaulting a man in an alley, the skeletal arms coming out of her back pinning him down.
It was honestly rather disgusting in aggression alongside the sight of euphoria on her face.
[It's confusing.] The man in the observation room said. [These two are clearly showing Skullgirl-esque symptoms yet they're not floating corpses, they're not deformed so much as hybrids.]
Watching the assaulter get her 'finish', their eyes widened at the sight of her skeletal arms growing bigger and thicker.
"... What?" Christmas looked at her before her eyes snapped to the other screen where that fire-spreade-Oh shit. "T-They're developing," she realized with a hiss.
As that fire-user's noggin sported a new pair of flaming-blue horns. The sight of a transparent skull tattoo forming on her exposed arms.
"Honey, this isn't good."
[What's going on? What made them change?] He looked around, adjusting their sensors frequency yet coming back with… Nothing. [... It's internal.] He realized in horrified awe. [But what's the catalyst? What exactly is going on?]
"We don't know," Val frowned deeply. "It's no-"
"Kill him, I'll kill him and get more power," both of them said in unified wonder. "If I kill HIM, I can get more power!"
The three flinched at the sight of their shadows spreading before they released skull-shaped beings.
["Oh FUCK."] They cursed in uniso-
And then it all stopped, the two women's body flickering with flames before the sexual offender's new traits vanished as she looked around at herself and then what she'd done.
She covered her mouth and looked to be growing despondent.
The fire-user, meanwhile, growled as her shadow receded before she held her head.
They looked at all the cameras showing them the views before their eyes narrowed at the sight of a figure in the shadows by the fire-user.
"Come with me," she whispered. "If you follow me, I'll ensure you become more powerful tha anyone could possibly imagine."
The gangster flinched before looking excited.
What the HELL was going on in this city?
~NRK~
Taliesin kissed his teeth as he waited, his phone showing him the livestream of the usual bi-weekly 'event' of Dahlia and that bastard.
"He's clearly growing old and feeble," the purple-skinned man said, free hand clenched as Muse watched him from a wall ahead of him. "I just need to find the moment where he's at his weakest. I'll wait however long I have to, I want him dead."
'L-Lover?' She called and got a scoff in response that stilled her. '...' Silent was beautiful.
Those were his words, no? A-And she was beautiful, he said so!
Muse looked down, eyes closed as the guilt built-up.
That odd Artifact Shard currently hidden within her back pulsed powerfully but she reigned it in.
She'd become the most beautiful, he'd look at her as the best of women and the pinnacle of beauty.
Muse's eyes widened before she trembled.
Taliesin didn't even pay her discomfort a hint of attention.
"I'll make sure you live in a horrid hell," he hissed at the screen.
~NRK~
After fixing up things within the circus, Obito had taken to one simple thing.
The hot waters covering his chest got a smile out of him.
Go to the hot springs, what else?
"Ahhh," he relaxed with a smile as his guards, the few 'adults' in his home, relaxed with him the large stone spring. "Take your time, this is well-deserved," Obito said while leaning back against the stone, arms out on the border.
"A-Affirmative, papa," Cleo said, her body covered by a towel as the male guards looked embarrassed as well. "... S-Stop looking."
"I-I'm not!" One of them said as her cheeks reddened. "?!"
Obito chuckled calmly as his children bickered, grew embarrassed, or even daring in one case where one man and woman sat beside one another on a far end to much teasing.
Then, there were more splashes as an embarrassed Amelia and groaning Marcus arrived on his far-right.
"Nephew, Niece-in-law," the white-haired man said with a nod, eyes still closed.
"As usual, uncle, these waters are something else," Marcus said, fully-relaxed while his wife looked bashful.
"Y-You always just fall asleep," she whined quietly as he chuckled. "Hmph," Amelia pouted and Marcus grinned, eyes closed.
"I'll have you know, resting anywhere is a talent."
"So is cleaning."
They chatted warmly, the parents soon finding themselves resting against one another, Amelia's expression brightening in more ways than one as she sighed in relief.
"You know what's gonna happen, uncle," Marcus said without care or worry as Amelia perked up, the sound of steps reaching them. "There's no way you're not aware," he laughed as Obito released a breath through his nose.
"Nephew, I'm painfully aware," he told him.
"Rightfully so."
"Hmph, how crude of you," came a haughty voice from above the closed-eyed man's resting form. "Obito, a voyeur?"
"You're not fooling me this time, woman, these eyes are closed," Obito smirked without looking. "I can feel a pout."
The woman sighed dramatically. "You should be prepared to feel later," she smirked.
Without the veil & headdress, the bodyguard woman was revealed in all her glory.
And a 'glory' it was as pristine skin, steel-colored eyes with permanent purple eyeshadow, and full bright-red lips shifted into a smug expression that allowed sharp teeth to show.
"... Dammit, I've got nothing for that."
There were four splashes at his sides before Obito realized Marcus was truly smart.
The man hadn't let himself get anywhere near this bit of 'crazy'.
Obito wore a strained smile as Buttercup sat in his lap with a lean-back while Dahlia scored one of his shoulders with Bonnie on the other, Killer bringing up the 'curve' by resting beside Dahlia.
"Is there a timeline where women aren't confusing?" Obito wondered aloud even as his guards gawked, blushed, or looked jealous beyond imagination. "Because this is certainly not how I thought life would go."
"No," Dahlia said with her red arm resting around his shoulder before sliding up his neck.
Obito's head came down before his impassive eyes opened, the man the very image of stoicism and fortitude.
Yet, even an 'iron wall' had its 'chinks'.
"W-Whoa, okay," Buttercup muttered while Bonnie burned brightly but looked down.
Obito released a strained breath. "For now," he stressed. "What exactly is the schedule for you four?" He tried to divert their attention and was half-successful.
Bonnie perked up while Buttercup grinned.
Obito's bodily flinch had Killer gasping. "What's the 'weather'?" She whispered blatantly towards Buttercup.
"South," Obito shot that down. "Question. Answers. Please."
"We're just gonna beat up some more gangsters," the rosette grinned. "Really 'cleaning the view'."
"God, my brother is so vain at times."
"Are you surprised?" Dahlia told him, whispering into his ear as Buttercup did her best to not show the 'below situation' but she threw her Mistress a thumbs-up the woman chuckled at. "You know your ex-brother better than that."
"Snnnn," breathing in through his nose, Obito knew a 'losing battle' when he saw one but had always been a fool against crazy odds. "Whoever gives enough of a damn about him can do so, I'll live with ignoring him for the most part besides Sundays."
"Honestly?" Killer asked as she made sure his hand found the top of her cleavage. "I'm surprised he still does it," she said with a confused hum.
Feeling supple flesh beneath his fingers had Obito realizing he had no space to adjust.
Not to say he didn't still have some great flexibility at his age, he's sure he would for the rest of his life, but this very position hadn't left him with the lenience to do so.
Especially because Buttercup was pushing a real different kind of target.
"Perhaps, Lorenzo does feel something for what we used to be, I'm not sure. Considering he's still as he is, that has to mean it's not THAT deep."
"Maybe."
They all adjusted against him and Obito questioned if tonight would go quietly.
~NRK~
Thankfully, he'd only gotten teased to oblivion so he was still 'alive'.
The following day, Obito traveled towards Medici Tower at the center of New Meridian with three of his guards. "Old man, what the hell," one of his guards, Saru, said with the world's most jealous groan. "H-How?! That's not even fair!"
"Ahem," Turtle Mask, Cleo, colored behind her mask as their limousine kept going. "Y-Yes, well, it's papa's charisma and likely a LOT of his strength."
"Correct," Obito said with a roll of his shoulders.
Wearing a pair of black flats, black pants that were secured by three black bands around the thighs, a high-collar black zip-up top with flowy sleeves, and a pair of black gloves, Obito had a kunai box on his right thigh.
With his guards in their usual attire minus their armor but now bearing cream-colored cloaks, Rolo brought their vehicle to a stop by the tower.
"Alright, dad," the driver said as he got out before opening the door for him & his guards. "You guys, keep things stable, pops and his bro aren't usually…" Rolo looked pensive. "Simple guys… Mostly Lorenzo."
"Affirmative," the Uchiha's guards said as they departed from the vehicle to find three men & women on the sides of the entrance to the tower. "We'll keep things stable."
Obito clapped his hand once.
The four he'd come with vanished without a trace, shattering any form of composure the six grunts would have had.
"Let's go, you all, my brother's surely annoyed with any form of lateness."
Going up Medici Tower's many floors via elevator was the same sight for him as usual.
"What a waste of space, why does a single tower like this need a casino or weapons department? There's far more interesting applications he could have done here," the former-Medici said with a huff as the six at his back tugged on their collars or looked bashful.
Reaching the final floor of this charade had come with the welcoming of a stout yet short man waiting there.
"Vitale," the Uchiha said with a smile. "It's been some time."
"Approximately," the short man checked his watch. "A month and several days, uncle."
A short man with a powerful voice, Vitale was Marcus's brother which made them both his nephews. And they bore many similar features.
Skin tone, square features, the same eyes though Vitale's had a monocle over one, and similar cleanly-cut hair, likely the biggest differences was that Vitale had a goatee. Wearing a maroon-colored suit and black dress shoes, he gestured behind him towards a lone table where a man sat in one of three chairs.
Obito followed him to the table before Vitale helped him get seated. "Thank you, Vitale," he told his nephew who nodded without a show of distaste nor joy.
Just 'business' when it came to the man across from the white-haired man.
"Lorenzo, it's been some time," Obito said not 'fondly' so much as 'kindly'.
"And you, brother, I can say the same," his brother said while adjusting his ascot. "... And you've grown a bit older despite your mostly young looks."
"Tis the passing of age, brother, it's just life."
Lorenzo didn't look so convinced.
His brother was a tall man with a sharp chin and prominent nose. Bearing white skin, dark blue eyes, and neatly-combed light tan hair with a goatee, he was the very definition of 'mafioso'. If it wasn't his clean silky light brown suit or the lavish red tassel over his shoulders, he had a powerful presence Obito could admit without issue.
Kingpin, boss, or even 'ruler' as he'd like to say himself, Lorenzo was a dangerous man to the average person.
The older man's mouth dipped at the edges. "Believe it or not, we both sought ways to bely that," he countered.
"I sought no such thing, it was a mere by-product of trying to gain the power to defeat the Skullgirl," Obito responded. "I've stopped her three times now in this life of mine and it was apparent after the first second in her presence that what I had at the time wouldn't be enough. I have all the scars to prove it and Dahlia does as well. Just like you."
Lorenzo scoffed but didn't refute those claims as a 'weight' on his thigh 'reminded' him.
"Hmph," the older sibling clapped his hands before a chef came forward, the man a generic-looking sort who pushed a cart full of food. "Let's focus on my pleasant topics."
They had, in the sense of just eating food and focusing on things not related to their backgrounds. Well, if not just a bit removed.
"So, you took in that girl? Cerebella was it? She has a Living Weapon, 'Vice-Versa'," Obito said as Vitale nodded.
"Correct, her parents are not around anymore but they were known for making Living Weapons, uncle," the monocled man told him as Lorenzo hummed. "Sadly, they were only a couple of few successes but those successes hold their weight."
"It's capable of transforming, I remember that much at least. Still, I'm guuessing she didn't learn how to make those, hm?"
"Sadly, no. Cerebella isn't… She's not one for such things."
Obito understood the man's conflicted expression, a trial between his geniune kindness and mafia background.
"Sad is right, you brought on a straggler, Vitale," Lorenzo said before sipping some wine. "I'm sure you'll make her into something worthwhile but you need to gather the right skillsets for your own guard."
"Hmm?" Obito raised a brow as Vitale looked pensive. "Apologies?"
"It's something of note nowadays, the Gally Gang have been quite the odd 'thorn'," Vitale frowned. "They've been making many moves with… With some worrying news," he pulled out several pieces of paper-photos.
Obito's mind whirled with ideas of what it could be as his nephew slid them over to him before he looked at them.
What he saw had his eyes narrowed. "... Nooo," he whispered in complete and total disbelief. "This can't be right," Obito's Sharingan burned the photos into memory. 'If this is true, things are going to get more concerning!' He grimaced at them.
At these photos of not just women with ephemeral blue glows but also glowing-blue flames and skeletal attachments in the rare case.
"Vitale."
"As of today? There are five of them," Vitale shook his head while Lorenzo grunted.
"They're clearly trying to fit in with Skullgirl aesthetics but I'm no fool, you sealed away the heart two years ago, what happened?"
"... I think I need to go back there," Obito frowned. "Dammit, I'm supposed to be taking the kids there today."
"I'd say if you cared for them, don't. What if this is some form of potential run-off?" His nephew said.
"But why now?"
"I think it's the power-building effect, uncle."
"But would two years truly be so potent?"
"No one knows, what with how you sealed it. We don't even know if that will even hold," Lorenzo pointed out.
'He's not strong,' Obito sadly didn't know, how could he?
He'd only ever held the Skull Heart twice in his life and hadn't had time to study it for any length of time during either occasion.
So, really, he wasn't left with much to seal it with. 'But the Oni's still sealing it,' his last spirit.
He'd used it to seal the heart to the sword… Obito feared that this might truly be his fault.
"Dammit," he cursed. "..." His eyes closed as his fingers tapped the table top. "The only thing I can do is make sure this gets handled," Obito told them, getting up from the table. "Vitale, can you give me the locations these were taken at?"
Having the information sent to his phone, Obito nodded to the two.
"Brother, nephew, have a nice day, I have to go and ensure I didn't make a mistake."
Obito left the table and entered the elevator with a determined frown.
As he vanished behind those doors, Lorenzo frowned at the photos. "... Did we catch one?"
"Sadly, father, anyone who's tried hasn't… Returned," Vitale sighed as Lorenzo grunted.
"... Ah," he smirked, confusing his son. "No, Vitale, anyone weak you've sent didn't return. I have someone who can make this whole situation simple," Lorenzo whistled.
One of the goons came forward.
"Call Taliesin and tell him that I have a mission for him. It's important that he hurries."
~NRK Out~
