Chapter 10: A True Greeting

The others in the room stood still in shock as they repeated in their minds what Obito had just said. Hiruzen looked at the scared man as his voice became shaky. "Did I just hear you correctly?"

Obito nodded. "Yes. He healed me after I was crushed under the rocks. He helped me live and in the end, he gave me my mission."

"What mission?" Rin asked.

"A plan. To bring the Ten Tails back and bring what was in his opinion, "true peace" to the world."

"The Ten Tails? But that's a myth." Hiruzen said.

Obito shook his head. "It's real. I've seen it. Or at least the it's husk."

"The Geto Mazo!" the Three Tails said in Rins mind. She didn't understand what he meant as she spoke to him.

'The what?'

"Nothing. It's nothing."

'What's wrong?' She asked it.

"Nothing. He's telling the truth. I can sense it."

Rin's eyes widened at this as she looked at Obito.

Hiruzen didn't say anything as he watched the young man. Thinking it all over he decided to ask a very important question. "How would this plan have gone?"

"I would make a group to help me track down the other tailed beasts. Then using the husk of the Ten Tails we would revive it by giving the other tailed beasts to it. Then I'd us it to make the God Tree and cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, creating a world where everyone could live in peace. I had already started on the first step. I helped to make a group called the Akatsuki. As of right now their members are low but one of them in particular has something special. The Rinnegan."

Once again the others were astounded to hear such a revelation.

"It's real? I only heard of stories of it existing in the village of rain but I thought those were just that, stories." Hiruzen said.

"They're true. And the rain village is indeed where he is. He is the leader of the Akatsuki to all those who are not knowing of the truth. In reality I was its leader but now it is very likely that it will all change."

"How so?" Hiruzen asked.

Obito sighed. "We have a spy for us. His name is Zetsu. And he is the will of Madara. Its very likely that he has told the others of my defection and as a result they will likely leave the rain village and use it as a proxy base. From there I cannot say I know where they will go."

Hiruzen nodded as he looked to the other two people in the room. "I want you both to leave for a few minutes. I will call you in once we're done."

Rin and Kakashi nodded as they left the room and waited outside, the window to the room turning black. They waited for what felt like hours until the door opened and they both went inside. Hiruzen stood at the door while Kakashi and Rin walked to be beside Obito, one of them on each of his sides.

"After all that I have learned I realize that I cannot kill you. I know that Minato wouldn't have done so and if he were here now he wouldn't have even punished you. However, I am not Minato. For the crimes you have committed to this village and the crimes you would have committed if not for these circumstances that brought you here, I have decided that you will remain in the T and I department until I say otherwise. You two will not be allowed to see him until I allow it and none of this will be revealed to anyone. If any of this is revealed then everyone who knows of this secret will be killed as to keep it from spreading. I will decide what happens next but until then you two will live your lives as if nothing happened. Do I make myself clear?"

All three nodded, Rin feeling much concern for Obito but didn't show it. Hiruzen showed Kakashi and Rin out as Obito sat.

"Why not just kill me?" He asked.

"I would have. But see this as one last gift from your master. But don't think I won't let you off the hook. I'm going to allow any type of punishment these people within these walls desire until you have suffered even a quarter of what those you killed had to go through. Your deeds won't go unpunished. But once I feel you have had enough I will have you become a ninja again. You will help me stop the worst from happening. From there you can live a life, or take your own if you wish, your choice. Until then you will stay here." Hiruzen said with much malice in his voice until the end where he sounded more normal.

"I'm fine with this. In a way I'm paying for what I've done. Honestly if given the choice I would have chosen this but with death after all is said and done instead of a chance to live again." Obito said in more of a mermer then anything.

Hiruzen didn't change his emotion as he opened the door to leave. "See it as mercy from me. As one last favor to your master." He closed the door behind him after saying those words as Obito sat in silence, ready to spend the rest of his life suffering for what he had done.

XXX

Five Months Later

Life returned to the village as spring arrived. The winter had been much more hospitable than last year which many were thankful for. As of now the morning sun was rising as a small boy slept in his bed, his dreams as all dreams are.

"Naruto." He heard a voice as he put his covers over his head, groaning as he wished he could sleep a little longer.

"Naruto, it's time to get up." Rin's voice called to him as she shook him in an attempt to wake him.

"Too tired. Go back to sleep." Naruto groggily said as he tried to go back into unconsciousness.

Rin sighed as she tried something. "OK then I guess we won't have to go see Aunt Kurenai now then."

Naruto almost jumped out of his bed as he looked at his mother. "WHAT NO I WANT TO SEE HER!"

"Hm, of course you'd try that." the Three Tails said in her head.

'Hey if it works it works. Not like you'd try anything else.'

The Three Tails chuckled at that. "True."

Rin looked at Naruto who was now infront of her begging to go. "OK we can go as long as you get ready." the little boy cheered as he ran to get some clothes on for his day. Rin only smiled as she went to help him.

XXX

The two walked hand and hand together through the village, Naruto almost bouncing in the air at the thought of seeing his favorite aunt. Luckily he wasn't as afraid of going out anymore as he had many months prior. What helped was that many didn't scowl at him as much anymore thanks to all those who cared for Naruto all but threatening anyone who even tried.

The two walked up to an apartment as Naruto looked at his mother. Looking down Rin smiled as she nodded. Naruto was delighted as he went up to the door, and with the help of Rin, rang the doorbell. Soon the door opened as Kurenai smiled at her favorite nephew.

"Well look at this. Took you long enough, I thought you weren't coming." Naruto hugged Kurenai's legs as looked up at her.

"I'm sorry, I had to get dressed and brush my teeth."

Kurenai laughed at how cute he was as she rubbed his head. "Oh, is that it? OK, then I guess you're off the hook. How about you go inside so I can talk to your mom real quick." Naruto nodded as he rushed inside. Kurenai looked at Rin who was smiling at the little boy. "Are you going to go pick him up?" She asked. Rin only nodded as she looked in the direction of the hospital.

"He should be getting discharged soon. I'm going to take him to the Hokage with Kakashi."

Kurenai only nodded as she looked in the same direction Rin was. "I still can't believe he's alive."

Rin nodded. "Me neither."

XXX

Hokage's Office

The three who made up Team Minato stood at attention in front of the Hokage. It had been decided that Obito would be released three weeks prior and be sent to the hospital to recover from his injuries he had sustained while in T and I. From there the story was made that he was found almost dead from bandits that found him and that he had amnesia about the last five years he was missing. While they knew it wasn't the best explanation it had worked so far and thanks to the story they could always make up more things as time went on.

Thanks to the three weeks have spent in the hospital Obito had met all of those who had cared about him including his friends and even some of the Uchiha. Obito would unfortunately learn that his grandmother had died from natural causes on the mission that he had disappeared which hurt him greatly, but thanks to his friends he could recover. There was however one person who had never met Obito during those two weeks, Naruto. Obito had asked that he not see him, the reason being due to the shame he felt for what he did to the boy. Rin would insist but he had said he wasn't ready to see the boy. Now however he was going to live with Rin so that she and Kakashi would be able to watch him so he had asked that he meet the boy since he would be living with him. Hiruzen was anxious with this discussion but the three insisted on it and so he decided to give Obito a chance to show he was willing to change.

Hiruzen looked at them with his hands clasped together. "We all know the plan. But there is one last thing I want to tell you three. Publicly Obito will not be joining as a shinobi for a while so he can recover and "regain his memories". However I have decided that with the abilities he has acquired that I will be using him for missions. These will be very secret missions that I will assign him when I feel I need information. I want you two to cover for him until he is back on missions publicly. And know that I am giving you a chance to show how much you've changed by doing this, as I am with allowing you to be this close to Naruto. Do not make me regret this decision because if you do I will not hesitate to make you truly regret everything before I send you to the coldest depths of Hell itself." the Hokage said with a dangerous tone at the end. The Three nodded before they were dismissed.

Once they were outside Rin went away to get Naruto while Kakashi and Obito went to Rins new apartment she had bought over the winter, her last one being too small for her and Naruto.

The walk was silent between the two of them as they made it to the apartment. Kakashi opened the door with a key Rin had given him as they both entered. Obito looked around the place he would be staying at for the time being as he noticed some pictures. The first one that caught his eye was Team Minato's picture that they took after becoming a team. He had a sad smile as he remembered those old times before everything changed. He then noticed another picture. It was a picture of Rin with Naruto who was trying to hide in Rin's jacket, Rin was laughing as he did so. He then noticed another with Naruto sleeping on Rin's lap while she had a motherly smile as she looked at him. Kurenai was sitting right beside them while Anko had her face close to the camera, she had been the one to take the picture. Then he noticed one of her and Kakashi together, a spot next to Rin that was empty as if to symbolize Obito himself.

Kakashi walked up to his friend and looked at the picture he was currently staring at. "It was Rins idea to have the picture be like that. She wanted to show that you were still with us." Obito teared up at that but wiped them away as he looked around and noticed a room in the hall with its door wide open. He could see children's toys scattered across the floor and an unmade bed.

"I'm guessing that's Naruto's room." Obito asked. Kakashi nodded as they heard the door behind them open. Turning around they saw Rin with a little boy in her arms with blond hair and whisker-like marks on his cheeks. Obito didn't move as Naruto stared at him and seemed a little

scared at this person he had never seen before. Looking up to his mother Rin gave him a warm smile that told him everything would be alright. Calming down a bit, Naruto looked at the stranger and waved.

"Hi." the young boy said. Obito took a moment before he waved and gave him a smile. "Hi."

Rin and Kakashi smiled at their interaction as Rin moved closer to Obito. "Obito Uchiha, this is Naruto Uzumaki."

END

Author's Note: and here we are. Man I'm kind of sad it's over. Who would have guessed. Well it had to happen eventually. And here we are. I don't know when I'll be making the sequel but I do know the ending of this world's entire story but that will be a long time coming. I'll have the sequel say that it's a sequel to this one and I'll probably also have something in the discretion of this story too. But other then that I just have to say thanks for this opportunity. You've all been great and I can't appreciate it any more than I already have. So with all that being said, here's one last look into the world.

XXX

The young boy looked out at the stars as he remembered his aunt fondly. She had been around him up until his brother was born before she died during the Kyuubi attack. He missed her greatly. She had told him that stars could tell you your destiny just by how they made shapes together. He loved hearing her talk about stuff like that. If only she could still be hear now.

"Hello Itachi." the boy looked to the voice as he noticed a half white half black creature staring at him.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I'd like to be your friend. My name is Zetsu. I know much about you." the creature said.

"Like what?" Itachi asked.

"Like how you hate people who are hurt by violence. I do too. But did you know there was a way to stop it?"

Itachi was skeptical of this man but decided to play along. "No how?"

"I can show you. If you'd like?"

The child was smart for his age. He was about to graduate from the academy and become a ninja. And yet he was still only 8. No matter how smart or how mature he was, he was still a child. "OK then."

Zetsu smiled. He got the child to trust him. He knew if he could trick Madara himself then he could trick anyone. Now all he needed to do was mold this child into what Obito should have been. Even if it took a while.