It had been five years since the nine tails was released on all of Konoha, very few remember that day as well as he. Only one person was there to know the truth behind the attack, Madara Uchiha. Or was he? No one knew the truth behind Madara's survival after his battle against the first Hokage, Hashirama Senju. Madara was mysterious to all who knew he existed, he preferred to keep it that way. It was not worth being bogged down by weaklings who could turn on him as his best friend did. Maybe he was being cynical, or maybe that was what war taught him. But none of it truly mattered, only project Tsuki no Mei. All of it just so he could be with her...
"Tobi? Tobi!" A voice exclaimed.
Madara opened his eye to see he was in an Akatsuki meeting with the current members. Nagato puppeting the body of Yahiko and calling himself Pain, the immortal greedy zombie Kakuzu, the immoral saninn Orochimaru, the mysterious plant creature Zetsu, the puppet master Sasori of the red sand, and the paper angel Konan.
"Tobi is awake," Madara said in a high-pitched voice. This got Kakuzu to be less annoyed with the masked man's dozing off.
Madara paid them no mind as they talked about the Akatsuki's recent business. Pain spoke, "Orochimaru and Zetsu, you two should accept the mercenary contract from the hidden hot springs. We can further fund our expansion and grasp outside of the great villages."
"Consider it done," Zetsu said.
Orochimaru didn't respond as he watched Pain's Rinnegan, "Oh the experiments I could do with you." He thought to himself.
Pain grabbed a scroll, "Kakuzu and Sasori, you two will travel to a small nation and destabilize their leadership causing them to depend on us when bandits come marching to their doorstep."
Kakuzu grunted as he grabbed the scroll, he and Sasori walked out the room, one being slower as Sasori was inside a weird hunched over puppet.
Pain saved the last mission for Konan and... "That leaves Konan and you, Lord Madara for a requested mission from Konohagakure, I do not have the mission details but the mission's sum is impossible to ignore."
"Why do a mission where we do not know the objective? Knowing Konoha it is most likely a trap for any up-and-coming mercenary groups." Madara said, his deep voice echoing in the room.
Pain nodded, "What you say is most likely true, Lord Madara. However, that is why the two of you will not be representing the Akatsuki and instead a local mercenary company in the land of fire."
Konan stood up from her chair, "I can go alone, Nagato. If Lord Madara doesn't wish to go that is..."
He looked at Pain and then back to Konan, "Very well. I shall accompany her but it better damn well be worth it." He stood up and exited the room.
Madara entered his private quarters within the Akatsuki stronghold, he wandered into his closet to find two outfits. One being a standard mercenary get up, whilst the other... ...was a black cloak he wore on that day.
He grabbed the former and began putting it on, the yellow mask on his face complemented his long spikey hair. He wondered if he should cut it like when he was younger. No, he would keep the long hair for just a bit longer. He exited his room after staring at himself in the mirror, the only thing that he could see of his was his inactivate Sharingan through the one-eye hole. He exited the room to meet up with Konan.
Konan wore a black fitted shirt with dark green baggy pants with a satchel strapped to her belt. She was standing at the exit of their base, she knew that the journey to Konoha would be a little long but it wouldn't be that bad with company. Though she didn't like the thought of being left alone with Madara, however, he managed to stay alive didn't matter to her, what mattered was that he was probably an eighty-something-year-old man who had probably been a pervert at some point. But she'd never say something of the sort out loud to him, for she truly feared him.
Madara arrived just before sundown, "Are you ready?" His gravelly voice pierced the air like a kunai.
"Yes," she answered swiftly.
"Then let's be off." He began walking off to the bridge of Amegakure that led to the mainland. Konan followed quickly to keep up with him, she was a little unnerved at how quiet he was, never choosing to speak unless needed to.
Nightfall came and the two set up camp, Konan laid out the bedrolls while Madara gathered wood and created a campfire after he surveyed the area for any intruders and creatures.
When they both finished Konan sat on her bedroll, she let her left leg sprawl out whilst she held onto her right leg as she stared into the fire. Her thoughts were on Yahiko, she desperately wished he didn't willingly walk into Nagato's kunai. She wished they could have had a future together with a family, but now...
She had a thought of the man that sat solemnly across the fire from her, "Lord Madara, pardon my asking but when we complete the Akatsuki's goals, what will you do?"
Silence, he probably didn't actually think about it. But then again his plan ended with Tsuki no Mei, not with world dominance. He simply answered, "I don't know. I never thought about it."
"I wish to open a flower shop when it's all over."
"Hmm, a likely dream for a war orphan..."
Konan wished he was more easygoing to speak with, he was always so stubborn, angry, and solemn. "Were you not an orphan, my Lord?"
He seemed irritated, rattled by the question. He eased himself, "I had a family. My brother Izuna, my father Tajima, and my mother Kushina."
"Sounds nice, to grow up with a family."
"It wasn't all nice..." Madara stopped and rolled onto his bedroll, "Forget anything I said. Just go to sleep."
The next morning after Madara put out the fire and Konan put away their bedrolls into their traveling pack, the two walked back to the main road.
It was silent until Madara spoke, "Why are you so curious about me? Are you trying to pursue me romantically? Or perhaps merely trying to peer behind the curtain?"
Konan was flushed, "My apologies, Lord Madara. I did not mean to offend you. I will not press you on your past."
"No. It is refreshing to have someone interested in me, my past I mean. Don't get the wrong idea, Madara Uchiha does not do romance or love."
Konan nodded bashfully, "Of course, my lord." She had never thought of him in that way. But now that he mentions it, any woman would be lucky to be deemed Madara's lover. But Konan's heart still ached for Yahiko, and not a masked man.
When they arrived in sight of the hidden leaf's gate Madara stood in place, he just stared at it. He was last here five years ago but he was only here for the nine tails then, now he was merely doing a mission. Just like when...
He stopped himself from remembering those horrid memories.
Konan took note and stood next to Madara and placed her hand on his shoulder, "My lord, are you alright?"
Madara shrugged Konan's hand away and composed himself, "Yes... Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" He pressed onward to the gate.
When they approached the gate two jonin met them halfway, "State your business."
Konan answered, "We're mercenaries here to accept a mission from your village."
The two guards sighed, "Another one? When is Lord Third going to cut that contract?" The guards stepped out of the way. "Go on to the Hokage's estate, Lord Third will brief you. Good luck, you two."
Konan and Madara walked into the village, both concerned on what mission they were tasked with. Nagato didn't tell them what the mission was and now it was getting under Madara's skin.
Konan looked at the shops and restaurants as they walked toward the Hokage's estate. It was very different compared to Amegakure, it was sunny with a seemingly happy population.
Madara knew that it was not so, the nine-tails attack crippled Konoha and caused everyone to be wary of the Uchiha and jinchuriki. And the faster he was out of the village the better.
Konan saw in her peripheral that Madara was eyeing things just as much as she was, she wanted to ask but she would not do it in public out of respect.
When they arrived at the Hokage's estate Madara stared up, getting a glance of the four faces on the mountain as well.
"Is it different than last time?" Konan asked as vaguely as possible to hide who he was.
He replied in his Tobi voice, "It's changed, not by much but it has."
He began walking toward the entrance of the estate. Something was always off with Madara, why would a legendary Shinobi as renowned as him hide and disguise himself as a fool like Tobi? It didn't make sense.She followed him shortly after.
The two stood outside the Hokage's office waiting for his approval to come in.
An old gruff voice could be heard through the door, "Come in, please."
Konan entered first to see the Hokage and his Anbu guards, he sat at a desk with many papers and scrolls laid about.
Konan and Madara stood in front of the Hokage's desk. The Hokage began smoking from a pipe, "So... ...you don't look like resident Shinobi nor citizens. What is your business here?"
"I am Konan and this is my partner, Tobi, we are mercenaries who've become interested in your open contract," Konan announced.
The Hokage laughed, "Oh, that mission. Very well." He opened a drawer and pulled out a scroll. "Good luck you two, you're going to need it."
Konan stepped forward and accepted the scroll, she bowed and Madara bowed shortly thereafter. "Thank you, Lord Hokage." The two left the room and quickly opened the scroll. Madara chuckled at their mission, "And to think I wanted to kill someone."
Madara and Konan made their way to their mission site, a cave to the north of Konoha held a secret that no one in Konoha could understand. The cave was recently uncovered, which was obvious by the number of scattered rocks and equipment to cause such damage to said rocks. On the back wall of the cave had a riddle carved into stone, half of it was either lost to time or unfinished on purpose.
Madara read the riddle, "In order to pass you must know that which lies forward..." He thought to himself on what it could be trying to signify.
Konan had questioned what it meant, "What do you think it means?"
Madara activated his Sharingan, he inspected the words more closely. He noticed four letters that were almost invisible to his Sharingan, "O... W... O... D..." He said aloud.
Konan was curious about what he was talking about, "What is it?"
"It's an anagram. It spells wood."
"Wood? Like wood style, the First Hokage's Kekkei Genkai?"
"Precisely," Madara touched the wall and a passageway made of wood appeared.
Konan was concerned about how he managed to do that, "So you have wood style?"
Madara walked toward the passageway, "After my many fights against him, you don't think I would steal the ability for myself?" He disappeared into the passageway. Konan followed, still unnerved by how little she knew of Madara Uchiha.
The passageway was dark and cramped, Konan was forced to slim up and shimmy her way through the narrow passageway. Madara was not the same, he just passed through the narrow hallway like a ghost. He stopped after five minutes and shimmied his way through the hallway until his chest and back were no longer touching the walls. Madara could see faintly the area of the room with his Sharingan. The room had a high ceiling and places where torches would be lit all along the walls.
Madara took a step forward and tripped, landing on his masked face. Konan summoned a piece of paper and lit it on fire, "Are you okay My Lord?"
Madara pushed himself off the ground and inspected what caused him to trip, it was a wooden statue that had fallen over. Madara lit a flame on his finger to light his way.
Both of them saw a chest in the center of the room, and they both approached it. Madara lifted the lid and tossed it to the side with one hand.
Konan was stunned by what lay inside.
Madara himself was surprised by the contents, a list of all Tobirama Senju's experimental and early jutsu. It must've been placed here before the First's death and the Second was unable to retrieve it.
"Such information like that could be very valuable to The Akatsuki, but the hidden leaf would be very unhappy with us and we'd be unable to return," Konan said.
Madara grunted, he began having a swirl around his eye that sucked the scroll of Jutsu into it.
"Let's go, I have a bad record with caves," Madara said before walking back toward the entrance.
The two stood outside the Hokage's office once more, Konan held onto the large scroll. "Come in, please." The Hokage ushered them in.
The two walked in and bowed, Konan extended her hands to show the scroll. "We managed to retrieve this from the cave." The Anbu on the Hokage's left walked over and inspected the scroll before taking it to the Hokage.
The Hokage was enthralled in the scroll as it was his master's early work, he smiled just thinking about his teachings. He cleared his throat and looked at the two mercenaries in front of him, "Thank you for retrieving something as valuable as this. Your reward as agreed." The Anbu on his right pulled out two sacks of coins and gave them to the two Akatsuki members, each grabbing a bag.
They bowed, "Thank you, Lord Hokage." Konan said.
On their way out of the estate, Madara sucked the two sacks into his eye.
Konan had to admit that it was convenient to have infinite space for traveling, she wish she had an ability similar to his.
"Should we return back?" She asked.
"Nah. I would like to stay here for a while. Ooh, I know. Let's stay at a hotel." He said in his Tobi voice.
Konan had to admit that she was aching for a bed to sleep in, many nights of sleeping on the hard ground was horrible for your back.
"As you wish... ...Tobi." The name just didn't feel right when she was addressing him.
Madara was always so eccentric and childish as Tobi. I guess that's why he bumped into someone, Madara stayed standing while the other person was knocked onto the ground.
It was a young adult wearing green spandex and a Jonin jacket, along with orange leg warmers on his ankles. The most odd thing about his appearance was that he had a bowl cut. He spat out a gumball that he was sucking on.
The bowl-cut man dropped to his knees frantically while crying, "I'm so sorry for causing you trouble, sir. As punishment, I'll do one hundred push-ups." He was about to begin his push-ups when Madara stopped him.
"No, it was Tobi's fault. As punishment, I'll do one hundred sit-ups."
Konan sighed as she slapped her forehead, she knew he can be a bit eccentric as Tobi, but this was a bit too much.
A white-haired man around the bowl-cut man's age stood next to Konan, "So you got one too, huh?"
Konan looked at him and noticed that he had his face masked from the nose down, along with having his left eye covered by his headband. His attire was that of an Anbu.
She removed her hand from her forehead, "Yes, I suppose I do." Konan replied. She motioned for a handshake, "I'm Konan."
He reluctantly took her hand, "Kakashi. You can call that dofus doing the pushups, Might Guy."
"Mine is named Tobi, he doesn't get out much."
Kakashi snickered, "Isn't that what everyone says about embarrassing relatives?"
"Well, Tobi's not a relative so he wouldn't fit under that category. So..." Konan shrugged.
Their conversation ended with Tobi standing up and stretching, "That's all one hundred sit-ups." He directed his attention to Konan, "Kono-chan! We should find some dinner before dark, I'm hungry." He whined whilst flailing his arms around. He stopped when he noticed Kakashi, his posture seemed irritated, angry even. But it was only for a second, one second long enough for Konan to notice. "Oi! Are you making advancements on Kono-chan?"
Kakashi seemed to blush underneath his mask, "No, that wasn't my intention. Just trying to make some small talk as I wait for Guy."
Tobi eyed Kakashi up and down, "Just by looking at you I can tell you're no good, scum even. I know your kind, the kind that likes breaking girls' hearts. But it'll never happen while Tobi is around." He announced proudly.
Konan grabbed Madara by his scarf and pulled him away from the scene he was now creating. She didn't know where she was taking him but all that mattered was that they not draw any more attention. Konan dragged Madara into an alley and gave him a stern look, "We're supposed to be incognito, not blustering buffoons."
Madara chuckled, "What better way of being incognito than to be a fool? Nobody trusts some Shinobi they don't even know, let alone the ones they do know. But a fool is someone everyone can trust. Nobody notices the blade the fool brandishes, even up until the fool slashes their throat open with it."
Konan eased up on Madara and turned away, "I'm going to go find a hotel to stay for the night, you go do whatever you wish in the meantime."
Madara seemed intrigued by her, she was growing a backbone towards him. "And how will I know which hotel you've chosen?"
Konan looked over her shoulder, "You won't." She continued walking and rounded the corner out of the alley.
Madara chuckled to himself, "She's feisty, that one."
Madara thought he'd check the cemetery to pay his respects to his fallen comrades. It would be a lot easier without Konan to bog him down and ask questions.
As he approached the cemetery another person had the same idea, the same man who was talking with Konan earlier.
Kakashi Hatake stood in front of a fire shrine in the middle of the cemetery, he placed a pair of flowers in front of the shrine. Kakashi placed his hands in his pockets and started speaking to himself.
Madara was curious, he stepped toward Kakashi and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him after Kakashi finished talking to himself. "Who'd you lose?" He asked in his Tobi voice solemnly.
Kakashi never wavered his eye away from the shrine, "Everyone."
"I'm much the same way, everyone I've known has died because I was unable to save them."
Kakashi turned to Madara, "Why are you here, Tobi?"
Madara was serious, "Everywhere I go I pay my respects to the dead. You'd be surprised how many places where the dead are spat upon. I also came to apologize for earlier, I get defensive for my friends."
Kakashi turned back to the shrine, rain drops started falling. "You don't need to apologize, I deserve any bit of hate given. I'm a monster."
Kakashi began wandering away from the shrine, "Go find yourself a hotel, someone as nice as you doesn't deserve to catch a cold in this rain."
Madara looked at him with a sense of empathy, "You're no monster. You're just Kakashi of the Sharingan, a loyal leaf Shinobi. Monsters don't protect the weak like you do, monsters thrive on despair and tragedy."
Kakashi stopped for a moment and turned back around, "You kinda remind me of a friend I once lost."
Madara shook his head, "Whoever you're comparing me to is probably a better person than I."
"He was the best I've ever known, he saved my life but died in my place."
"Sounds like a true hero."
"Yeah." Kakashi looked back to the path out of the cemetery, "I guess I'll see you around, Tobi."
Madara nodded, "Likewise, Kakashi."
Kakashi walked out of the cemetery with the hard rain beating down on him. Madara watched on as the rain slid into his hair and down his mask, if he wasn't careful someone could mistake the rain for tears falling down his mask.
"There's more than just the hard shell of yours isn't there?" Konan said from the treeline, she held an umbrella made of paper.
Madara looked at her surprised, "How long have you been watching?" He said with his deep voice.
"The whole time," she replied. "I'm terribly sorry for your losses. They probably outnumber mine tenfold."
"It doesn't matter. All will be put right eventually." Madara said returning his eye to the shrine. "Do you have that hotel ready?"
"Yes, my Lord." She walked over to him and expanded her umbrella.
Madara looked up at the bigger umbrella, there was this fuzzy feeling about this one act of kindness. "Thank you, Konan." The words almost seemed to hitch in his throat. A sense of nervousness flooded his body, he hoped Konan would not notice.
Luckily she did not as they walked out of the cemetery and back to the village.
Madara settled into his hotel room, placing seals and wires to notify him if someone was to enter his room. The seals doubled as a noise suppression to prevent any sound from within side to leave. Konan of course rented her own room, Madara was thankful for this.
After all was said and done he carefully took the mask off his face, turned it around, and stared at it. He questioned if the mask was himself or that of his master. Madara saw the face of his master staring back at him, it chilled Madara's spine. He tossed the mask on the floor in a fit of anger.
He hated that he only had one goal in life now, he used to have so many options, dreams even. But now they were rubble compared to the Infinite Tsukoyomi. A plan that his master strived for but became too old to do so. The fault wasn't entirely on his master, he himself was to blame. Along with the world, this counterfeit world. He wished for that dream world where everything was perfect. Where a loser like him could've become the Hokage and had the girl of his dreams.
He wished it could be easier to achieve, he'd already been at work striving to activate the Infinite Tsukoyomi for six years and he was no closer to achieving it than when he started. He wanted a break from it, a break from everything, but how would he go about it? That was something he was not well versed in, he needed someone that could perhaps teach him to lay back and relax. He scrunched his nose and closed his eyes, "Perhaps some sleep is all I need." He said to himself in a different voice than his Madara and Tobi voices. He sat on the bed and laid his back onto the bed.
He kept his eyes closed thinking about his perfect world, he grew up with his parents who were renowned Shinobi within the Uchiha clan, he was a gifted student in the academy never shown up by his rival, the girl who he had a crush on became his girlfriend as they graduated the academy, his rival got the perpetual stick within his rectum removed and was an empathetic Shinobi of high renown, his master never neglected his team and trained them well, his crush would eventually be a renowned medic-nin, and he would become the Hokage and eventually have a child.
Madara wanted that world more than anything but it always seemed so far out of his reach. He sighed knowing that he'd done terrible things for the sake of that world, he wondered if it was all worth it, sacrificing his life for that dream world. Either way, Madara felt like there was no turning back for what he'd already done, there was no penance for him.
His mind slowly drifted off to sleep, the outline of a girl's face becoming clear in his dream. "Rin..." He whispered to himself as he began dreaming.