"We've done this a thousand times," Obito groaned to the rock ceiling.
"And we'll do it again," the black half of Zetsu said, "until you get it right."
If he had the arm ability, Obito would try to pull his hair out. This wasridiculous.
There was an enormous difference between deciding to carry your ancestor's plans and actually doing them. Especially if you busted your fake planty body beforehand.
Taking out the Kiri-nin was great in theory, but in practice, his body hadn't been able to handle it. At all. After the battle, he felt the pain begin to creep into his back, legs, arms, but he wouldn't stop moving, not even as Guruguru complained. Not when his limbs started shaking.
(Not until he had laid Rin to rest. Not until he was sure the place wasworthyof her.)
Mountain's Graveyard had a cliff on its west side, at the midpoint between the farthest end of the peninsula and Takigakure. It was here that the cliff side looked off towards what seemed to be an endless view of the ocean, and a small amount of pansies cropped up in the grass. It was a view Rin would have loved more than anything else.
Despite being able to use Mokuton, somehow creating flowers was infinitely harder, requiring control he didn't have the stamina or skill for. Guruguru had to help him create the bellflowers and poppies to accompany the pansies.
When it all was finished, he collapsed at the gravesite, and Guruguru carried him back to a disgruntled Madara. Madara put Obito in a genjutsu to explain his plans, turned one of the Zetsu black with his creepy will, and proceeded to crumble into dust with a vague explanation of next steps. A wonderful help, as usual.
So now he was on bedrest….forever, apparently. Black Zetsu said it would be at least three months before he could move around again, which annoyed Obito.
(Last he checked, it was the end of April, 6 months of him being in Madara and Zetsu's creepy cave and tender loving care. 3 months from now would make it August—he would miss the end of July, and hecouldn't. He had places he had to be.)
Zetsu wouldn't let him train while his body once again patched itself together, so they focused on history, and physical training in genjutsu. Madara wanted Obito to take his place, maintain his contacts and his illusion of immortality in the underground scene of the five nations, and that was harder than Obito had ever imagined.
How Madara had evengottento make so many friends around the continent, Obito didn't know. His wrinkles had wrinkles, and he wasn't able to move away from that weird-looking statue before he died. He must've hadsomewild genjutsu to help him along. Maybe he wrapped himself up in one of the Zetsu to keep himself going.
The point was, Obito had graduated from the Academy thinking he wouldn't have to memorise anything anymore. Being a shinobi was supposed to mean no homework! Even if he could see the merit of taking on the guise of Madara, it didn't make the memorisation any less tedious.
"Who was Madara's best friend?" Zetsu asked. Obito closed his eyes.
(He was tired of seeing rock all the time.)
"The First Hokage."
"Call himHashirama," Zetsu snapped.
Obito sighed. It looked like Zetsu was in a foul mood. He wastrying, damn it!
"Where did they meet?"
"The riverbank."
"Who are Madara's worst enemies?"
He couldn't help a sneer. "Konoha," he said curtly. This one they shared. Without Konoha's idiotic war, none of them would be in this situation.
(Rin would be alive and happy andwhole.)
"The Uchiha clan." This one less so. He wasn't a huge fan of the Uchiha and how prissy they could be, but Madara seemed to have the biggest issue with them.
"Senju Tobirama." As an individual, Tobirama was the highest on Madara's shit list. Obito didn't hateanyonethe way Madara hated the Second.
He thought of the Kiri ninja, ofKakashi, and his fist involuntarily tightened. Maybe... maybe he could understand it a little.
"Good. Let's go over contacts."
He couldn't suppress his groan this time. "But why?! Who did Madara even talk to before? For the love of Amaterasu, he couldn't even use the goddamn toilet by himself—!"
"Do you want Rin back or not."
Obito stilled. Without a thought, his sharingan activated, swirling madly in his right eye. He stared at the black half of Zetsu, who glared right back at him.
Water crashed in his ears once more. "What did you say?" he asked softly. It wouldn't be that hard to separate the Zetsu. All he'd have to do is wrap his hand around Zetsu's throat andsqueeze—
"I said," Zetsu hissed, "do you want Rin back ornot."
Obito could feel his features contort. "How dare you," Obito seethed, struggling to get into a sitting position. "OfcourseI want her back."
Zetsu pushed himself off the cave wall and walked forwards. He narrowed his eyes. Obito still felt discomfited by the half black and half white face. "Then stop complaining." he said bluntly. "Finish Madara-sama's plans. Or you will never see Rin again, and this world will continue."
Obito's fist clenched.Unfamiliar. Inconceivable. Unknown. Illusory.
If he didn't continue, he'd never see Rin smile again, or have her drag him to get yakisoba, or sneak her into the clan compound to sit by the Naka. He wouldn't let her down. Even if he had to deal with crotchety Madara's plans and his plant minions.
He breathed out, and slumped into bed. "Fine. Let's continue."
A very, very long time ago, when Rin's mouth still warbled awkwardly around the names for her parents, Rin's father had sat her on his knee and discussed their 'special trick'. He had come back in from his job at the civilian plant shop, still lightly dusted in that fine soil he spent most of his time in. It was one of the few memories she had of him.
"Kek gai gen gai?" Rin questioned. Dad laughed and reached around his neck. He pulled off a necklace, and immediately, the edges of his body broke out into a hazy shade of blue, providing a dim light of their own. The indigo stripes on his face glowed.
He sat her on the floor and spread his hands out. "Our bloodline limit. Our chakra doesn't like to stay in our bodies, so it goes all over the place."
Rin had never seen something so cool. Dad glowed in their little living room.
"When you have a bloodline like this, you need to keep control of it, okay?" He brought the necklace into view, and a metal ring sat on the chain. Its blue gem glowed faintly as well.
"Pretty," she'd whispered, reaching towards it. Dad dangled it out of reach.
"One day you'll have your own talisman, Rin-chan. Don't worry."
She hadn't worried, because she developed her own chakra aura a few weeks later. Dad had smiled, gifted her a red bracelet, and began teaching her meditation and chakra control techniques. He didn't finish, as he went to bed one night and never woke up.
The medics had said a lot of words in the hospital, and it was only years later that Rin understood.Sudden Arrhythmic Death.Unfortunate, uncommon, unclear.
(Unfair.)
After Rin and her mother moved into their new apartment, Mom had tucked the necklace away from reach in a tiny box, not opening it no matter how much Rin begged.
You already have your bracelet, Rin-chan,she'd said, patting her head.When you get older, I'll give it to you.
Looking at her glowing hand now, Rin wished she had pestered her further. Her chakra flickered and flared without direction. She had tried jumping through trees to leave the area, but her chakra control was abysmal. Rin stared in frustration at the new hue. Her chakra looked more reddish than before, a deeper burgundy that was nowhere near the lilac it once was. Was that Isobu?
We definitely need to get that under control, fast.Ashura said into her mind.It's Isobu's chakra, as well as your own. We have to find a way to keep that covered and figure out where we are. Do you have any ideas?
Good question. Rin had no idea.
I have an idea, Ashura said, sounding somewhat reluctant.Maybe we can—
A crack of a stick up ahead, then another. Footsteps. Her heart jumped.
Hide!Ashura ordered.
She immediately pivoted to scrabble up a tree. As the rough bark scraped her hands, she lamented her overloaded chakra coils.
From her view through the foliage, Rin couldn't see what had made the noise. The darkening sky did not help matters. A squirrel skittered by the tree next to her, while a spider crawled in the space between her fingers. She shifted in her position and caught a glimpse of white.
A Zetsu.Shit. Ashura became deadly quiet in her mind.
On one hand, the sun setting was a good thing: this white Zetsu wouldn't be able to see her as well either. She was in tattered clothes, but they were relatively dark. She took off her ruined pink apron and stuffed it into the hollow of the tree with one hand.
What did she know? Black Zetsu was a sensor, Obito had seen the being sense others countless times, but were the white Zetsu? She wasn't sure. Rin didn't think so, judging by the way Zetsu continued to walk past the tree she was currently in.
Rin breathed out slowly. It was fine. It had missed her.
Until the apron of her dress fell out of the trunk. The fabric dropped with barely a whisper on the forest floor. It wasn't the apron that was the issue, no, but the animal it had landed near, looking like a mix between a fox and a wolf. It growled low in its chest as it placed its paws on the bottom of the tree.
The Zetsu stopped. Rin's breath caught.
This Zetsu looked…. a bit underdeveloped, not like the one Obito called Guruguru. It stumbled on malformed legs, casting an unfocused gaze on the trees, before shifting closer.
Ashura hissed a curse in her mind.We may have to fight. Be ready, Rin.
Obito had graciously buried her without her kunai pouch. The only thing she had on her to fight with was a roiling chakra system and her bare hands. So when the Zetsu, in a surprising burst of speed, struck out at the tree and hit her torso, Rin flew backwards, hitting a branch with her sore back. Breath left her lungs in a whoosh.
More sticks crackled underfoot as the Zetsu rushed her. She did not bother with taijutsu, instead relying on the medic-nin evasion skills that had gotten her this far. Rin flipped to the floor, and began running.
It was almost impossible to see. Branches whipped her face as she darted between trees. The animals of the forest—some mutated, some looking like beasts she had only seen in fairy tales—screeched in multiple octaves. Behind her, the sounds of the Zetsu running after her echoed in her ears. It was gaining on her.
More Zetsu will come if this doesn't stop.Ashura muttered.Fight, Rin!
Rin ducked under a wooden projectile and twisted. The Zetsu studied her, amber eyes wide. "Who are you? How did you get here?"
She didn't respond. Rin desperately wished her chakra could cooperate—before the mission with the Kiri-nin, she vaguely remembered trying to reverse-engineer Tsunade's chakra techniques, with minor success. It was still better than what she had now.
Okay, we're not going to panic,Ashura said, deadly calm.You may not have control, but if you try to use Isobu's chakra, or mine,it should work. All we need is the right opportunity.
Isobu perked to attention, radiating unease. Zetsu began walking towards closer, and his eyes widened.
"Rin? Obito's Rin? You'realive?"
Her stomach sunk. Of course he would recognise her.
The Zetsu's eyes widened. "Not good, not good. Obito needs to complete Madara's plan. He's doing so well, too." The Zetsu nodded to itself, as if coming to a conclusion. Rin's stomach churned.
"I'll bring you back to Black Zetsu. He'll know what to do. Then Obito will continue!"
Zetsu wasted no time forming what looked like wooden kunai and charged.
Rin fought the instinctive reaction to hide. Before, she had always fought behind Kakashi and Obito, never taking charge as she complied with the four medic-nin laws.
But… had sheevertruly complied with the clauses?
No medic ninja shall ever stop medical treatment until the lives of their party members have come to an end.She had already failed that, though. Her only medical treatment was removing Obito's eye, which didn't help her friend at all. She left Obito to die at Kannabi Bridge, not knowing that if maybe she had stayed, or gotten further in trying to recreate Tsunade's strength, maybe she could have freed him. Then, none of this would have happened.
Rin ducked the swipe of a wooden kunai and tried to sweep Zetsu's legs from beneath it. The Zetsu sidestepped with only a slight wobble. From her position on the floor, she scrambled for the nearest object. Her fingers came in contact with a stone, which she immediately hurled at Zetsu's torso.Stupid. Zetsu wasn't human, and was barely deterred. A white foot came towards her face, and she just rolled out of the way.
No medic ninja shall ever stand on the front lines.Incredibly hard not to break in war. But Rin had gone farther to fight with Kakashi against the Kiri-nin, and been utterly useless. Rin's 'participation' left Kakashi alone and in shock in a squadron of Anbu and Kiri nin. It was a miracle that Kakashi had survived.
Rin staggered to her feet. Her back ached.It looks like there's a river east of here, maybe 20, 30 meters away.Ashura said in her mind.It'll give you an advantage.She responded by running drunkenly towards in the right direction. Zetsu followed closely.
No medic ninja shall ever die until they are the last of their platoon.Rin had been the first to die on Team Minato. Without the help of an alien, her body would have continued decomposing in Mountain's Graveyard. It wasn't her own planning or skill that had gotten her here; it was the skill of a literal god with no other options.
The burbling of the river tickled at Rin's ears. Zetsu was at her heels.
Jump in!Ashura cried.
Rin thought of the frigid temperatures of the stream: they were already fairly north, and the water would be icy, the type of cold that caused hypothermia and froze bodies underwater. She couldn't survive that cold, and she had nothing to warm her—her clothes were already ruined as it was.
With those thoughts, she paused at the banks.
RIN!
Her hesitation caused Zetsu to make her choice for her.
Pain exploded at her back. She looked down to see the tip of a wooden projectile, poking out just above the ruined mess of her chest. Rin staggered, and with a wet cough, fell into the river.
Unsurprisingly, the water was icy. The river carried an unforgivable flow, unrelenting in its force and speed. She could not control the way her body glanced against rocks in her path. The world devolved to a cold, dark blur of pain and sound as her head struck a particularly large rock. Bubbles streamed from her mouth.
…in-chan. Rin-chan!
—-
When her eyes opened, it wasn't to the dark of the river, or the silt of the riverbed.
No. It was a lake. She stood on the bottom, bare toes flexing between smooth stone and sand. Light cascaded in a perfect circle from an unknown source—it couldn't have been the sun, it was almost nighttime, right?
The surrounding water began to turn red, but the bubbles….
There were pictures inside. Rin squinted, then felt her eyes widen.
They werememories.
Watching her mother volunteer at Yamanaka Flowers. Her first day at the Academy. Dinners at Kurenai's house. Sealing lessons with Kushina-nee. Picking river stones by the Naka with Obito.
In front of her, Isobu sat, staring back. Here, Rin could see the coral spikes of his face, just howmassivehe truly was. Underneath him, the lakebed glowed in a familiar mandala: the Sage's seal.
We have little time,he said, not moving his face in any way, but Rin heard the words echo in her head. The images in front of Rin rippled, and she saw the Zetsu, attempting to fish her from the river. Her body remained limp, lifeless, and bloody.That Zetsu is going to kill you, if you don't wake up.
Rin looked down at her hands. All she had ever done was run and hide.
I can't do it,she thought back, and it wasn't self-deprecating—it was a fact.
She had never taken charge like Kakashi. She had never fought desperately to prove herself like Obito. All Rin had done was provide backup. She couldn't find it in herself to regret all of it, or even most of it—without her medical ninjutsu, Kakashi and Obitowouldhave died multiple times over in the war. But now, when she was alone and injured and the only way outwasto fight…
Do you doubt my father?
Rin blinked. Isobu swam forward until his face was right in front of hers. A bubble formed, and this time, it was of the Sage, much younger than she had seen him. Multiple animals sat around him in a circle—the other tailed beasts. They all watched the man with open affection.
My father chose you to save your friend and save the world,Isobu said,and I believe in him. He did not make the choice lightly.
But she wasn't strong enough. All she knew was how to heal.
As if hearing her, Isobu spoke.You have us, and you have our strength, until you learn to augment your own. But none of this will matter if you're found by Black Zetsu.
Right. Black Zetsu still thought she was dead, as well as everyone else. For now, it would need to stay that way. She breathed out slowly, remembering Tsunade-sama's last rule.
Only those medic ninja who have mastered the Strength of a Hundred Technique of the ninja art Creation Rebirth are permitted to discard the above-mentioned laws.Maybe Rin didn't have control, maybe she didn't have the Strength of a Hundred technique, but if she could lean on Isobu and Ashura for now…. maybe…. maybe everything could be okay.
Rin swam forward, and touched a hand to Isobu's head.Thank you, Isobu,she tried to convey. She pushed as much gratitude as she could into her hand, and she could feel Isobu nuzzle her.
You need to go.
With one more nod, she swam towards the light.
——
Her eyes shot open. Rin's bodyached,muscles protesting the battering from the riverbed. Zetsu dragged her body out of the river with a firmer grip. She remained limp as he positioned her on his back.
When he began to move this time, Rin didn't hesitate. She channeled chakra to her palms. Her body burned, and chakra wenteverywhere,but she felt as coral shot out from her wrists, impaling the Zetsu. The being staggered.
The river, Rin! Ashura called.
She understood. Rin wrapped her arms firmly around the Zetsu's torso, and began pulling back. It resisted weakly, struggling through the coral stabbed through its body. It shouldn't have even beenmoving—Isobu's coral had gone through its arms, legs, and stomach. Rin took one ragged gasp in as she and the Zetsu landed with a splash.
Cold suffused her bones. She could barely see over the rush of bubbles and flailing limbs. Zetsu caught her with an elbow to the cheek. Her head snapped back, but she kept her hands around its waist, gripping the coral that protruded as they both rolled over in the river.
With the next turn of the riverbend, Rin was on top of the being. She'd never have the same opportunity again. Her lungs burned as she brought shaking hands up to the Zetsu's neck and pulsed chakra to her hands. The water somehow lessened the burn of Isobu's chakra, but it still felt like fire licking at her hands. Coral shot out again, piercing Zetsu's neck and severing its head from his body. Its jerky movements ceased.
Rin resurfaced, gasping. The river had a ways to go, but it would have to drop off into the ocean soon enough. She pushed the Zetsu forward, and began scanning for the riverbank. It was sodark, shecouldn't see. All she wanted to do was curl into a ball.
Good job, Rin.Ashura said warmly.It should be okay to leave its body in the water. Better than leaving it on land—they may be able to communicate with each other through the ground after death.
She finally reached the riverbank after fumbling blindly. She collapsed on the marshy ground.
We need to get out of here, before any morecome.
"Five minutes, Ashura,please." Rin gasped. Now that the fight was over, her blistering skin protested the slightest movement. The water felt cool, but if she tried to shift herself into the river for the slightest relief, she'd undoubtedly fall in.
Rin, this place isn't safe.
She decided not to respond, sure Ashura would understand.
I know you can hear me.
She raised a hand to her face. Her chakra aura still flickered burgundy around her fingers.
Ashura sighed loudly in her head.Okay, a small break. But before the fight, I was going to suggest hiding Isobu's chakra in you, until we can find anotherchakra inhibitor for you.
If she could glare at Ashura, she would.Why didn't you mention of that before?
Because it's going to hurt. A lot.
If I do it,Rin thought back,will you let me rest?
And now she felt his amusement.
We'll still need to move soon, no later than a half hour, but yes. I'll let you rest. When we get ahold of some sealing paper and ink, we can come up with something better.
Rin sighed out audibly, and nodded. Ashura turned his attention inwards.
Sorry,otouto. I knowthis won't be comfortable. Are you ready, Rin?
She wasn't.I am,she said into her mind.
And the world burst into flames.
Rin couldn't help a gasp. Every inch of her chakra coils screamed in pain. Her chest grew uncomfortably warm. She dug her trembling fingers into the earth. The stars in her vision blocked her view of the trees.
The fire receded slowly, and Rin's vision went black.
—-
"C'mon, just one more!" Rin pleaded. They only had a few more minutes before their Sensei would make them start walking back to Konoha, and who knew when Rin would see Moriya Beach again?
She could live out here, she thinks, when she's fulfilled her duty to Konoha. Rin and her mother in a small home near the coast, where they could settle into a community and her mother's shoulders could lose their hunch. Rin could wake up to the salty air and the thousands of colors the sun tried to fit on the ocean's surface.
"Rin," Obito groaned. "You said that five minutes ago! I don't have any more pocket space."
She had filled her bag with as many shells as she could. Once she ran out of room, she asked Obito for a few Very Important Favours that quickly added up.
"But look how pretty this one is!" In her palm sat a cockle shell, with a perfect spiral design with a chip in the corner. Sure, she may have other shells, but she couldn't leave this one behind. "Here, payment for holding all the shells!" She gave him her biggest smile.
Obito stared at her for a few seconds, before signing, and gesturing towards his stuffed pocket. Rin cheered, throwing her arms around him.
"Thanks, Obi!"
—-
She woke to the sensation of something poking her face. A fallen leaf.
Rise and shine, Rin!
Isobu was the better brother, Rin decided. By far. Ashura grumbled in her head.
As she took in her surroundings, she saw she had run inland from her… grave. From what she saw of Obito's life, he spent a while in Madara's caves, far from Konoha, and far from Kannabi Bridge. The Zetsu were also underground, but with her leaking chakra, she didn't want to take her chances lingering.
For some reason, no matter how much water she drank from streams, she was always thirsty, and no matter how many berries she ate, she remained hungry. Judging by the faint embarrassment she could feel from Isobu, she thought he was the cause.
This place... feels familiar.Ashura said, as Rin ran past one of the largest animal bones she'd seen in her life. It seemed to rise out of the ground and towered over her.Different, but…
Rin wasn't surehowold Ashura was, but the idea that he had been here was strange.
What does it feel like to you?She asked. Ashura hummed.
My home,he said slowly. Rin felt an odd pang, something pressing that felt a bit like a declaration.My home, not my reincarnations. Those bones looked like the ones from the kotobuki that roamed the valleys. One of their steps could cover a valley.
Ashura's voice was thick with longing. Rin tried not to dwell on it.
She thought back to her Academy studies, when Obito's voice was a loud yet welcome stream of commentary in her ear.
That sounds like Mountains Graveyard,Rin responded after a pause. Her brows scrunched.Obito's baa-san,Masae, called it the Ancient Lands. It borders the Land of Fire, Takigakure, and Otogakure.
Rin frowned. Whatwouldbe Oto, she supposed. Orochimaru hadn't defected...yet. Could she stop that?
In any case,Rin said,as soon as we reach the mainland again, we can get back to Konoha in a few days, and hopefully sort everything out.
There was so much to cover, Rin thought. She'd have to spread the news of her being alive to Obito somehow… but how? Rin knew Obito came back to Konoha sporadically, but not often. He came back when Kakashi was at her grave, and again when Minato-sensei became Hokage…
Rin abruptly noticed Ashura's heavy silence. Isobu radiated guilt.
What is it?She asked, rubbing her arms. She looked up. Judging by the pink streaks in the sky, she only had an hour or two of daylight left, with light (and heat) fading fast. She ran past what looked like a bizarre mix between a lizard and a squirrel.
It might... not be best to go back to Konoha, right away.
"What?" she said out loud, and blinked. She hadn't truly spoken in days.What are you talking about?
Ashura's sigh echoed in her mind.You may as well come here.
Rin walked into the thicket, and found a tree to call her own for the night. She settled by the trunk, focusing her breathing. It was getting a bit easier to fall into herself like this.
Rin blinked her eyes open to see Ashura by the pool, with Isobu's head sticking out. "Hey Rin!" Ashura called. He smiled weakly, gesturing her over. Rather than floating this time, Ashura stuck to the outer rim of the pool. Isobu rested his head on the edge.
She cut to the chase. "What do you mean, not coming back to Konoha?"
Ashura grimaced. From here, Isobu's discontent was clearer. Ashura's hair reflected the gold of the gilded pool, whereas his eyes were almost black. "Let me explain. We have the chance, the responsibility, really, to stop Kaguya and her plans. If you go back to Konoha, and Obito finds out, there's a significant chance that he'll come back as well."
Well... yeah. Rin nodded slowly. "I thought that was the point."
The Otsutsuki immediately shook his head. "Not quite. If Obito immediately goes back, any knowledge we have becomes null and void. Meaning, Zetsu's plans are still up in the air, and we lose any benefit of foresight."
Rin didn't know what it was, maybe the past few days of jumping through trees and avoiding any Zetsu and foraging for the strangest berries and roots she could find, but she found herself incredibly irritated, and more than a little agitated.
Without thinking, she began to pace. "So why did we do this whole thing?" she snapped. "If we don't want to change things so we know who to keep track of, why did we come back in the first place?"
Ashura's eyes widened. He shook his head frantically. "That's not what I mean! What I mean is if we try and go backnow, there's no leaving."
His hair rapidly darkened to a deep brown, falling past his shoulders, while his face took on a tanned hue. Rin was no stranger to history lessons, and had learned well in the Academy, and even Obito would have recognised this face, absurd as it was to see a historical figure brainstorming with her.
Rin stared openly as the face of Senju Hashirama. He didn't seem to catch her shock. "From what I remember of my wartime procedure, barriers are much tighter. Undoubtedly Tobi would have added more in my place." The voice was a lower timbre than before.
Next to him, Isobu's ringed eyes narrowed. A bitter discontent rose as Ashura continued to talk to himself.
"Emergency procedure? No, she'd have to divulge everything. If she could sneak into the village… No, that ruins the whole point."
Ashura's (the First's?) hair turned curly and lightened to a deep burgundy. His eyes took on an almond curve, his nose shrunk. His form changed to a more feminine shape, and slumped on the bowl.
The voice that emerged was higher, with a lilt that reminded Rin painfully of Kushina-nee when she got excited or nervous. "You idiots are going back and forth and gettingnowhere.We need to find this kid and beat him up, and drag him back to the village."
Ashura's eyes clenched shut, as if fighting pain. His hair lightened again to trademark blonde spikes. His eyes snapped open, one violet and one bright blue.
"That's what I'm saying, 'ttebayo! We're gonna need a lot of help to pull this off—"
Rin tried to keep hold of the conversation, but it became more difficult as the person she was talking to shifted faces and stances in between breaths. Ashura's hair darkened to Hashirama's brown, then spiky red, then blonde with red tips, then curly brown.
"We need to go—no, it's dangerous! There's still a war…. but how do we change Obito's mind? He'sstubborn—"
Ashura's eyes flashed gold, and at the top of his lungs, screamed, "By the gods above, besilent!"
The room flashed bright gold, searing Rin's eyes, and suddenly the area burst into chatter.
Multiple faces stared back at Rin that she had never seen before. There was no apparent rhyme or reason to them, other than the fact that all of them seemed completely befuddled. Some were tan, some pale. Some tall, some short. Curly hair, straight hair, spiky hair, bald. Much of the crowd had red hair. Despite all the differences, it was clear no one knew what was going on.
"What happened—"
"Shit, I thought I died!"
"My wife is going tokillme—"
"Where's Fumiko?"
And at the front of the group, Naruto stood with the First Hokage, as well as a woman with red hair. They also were arguing.
"We should find Obito and kick his ass!" the redheaded woman argued, curls flying.
The First shook his head immediately. "From what we've seen of that boy, we need a strategy, and we need allies."
Naruto's head bobbed. "That's what I'm saying! We should team up with—"
"NO." The redheaded woman and the First chorused.
At the center of the pool, Ashura staggered to his feet, rubbing his temples. A mixture of emotions flashed across his face as he stared out at the crowd.
"This will never work," he sighed. "Father, have mercy on my soul." His eyes flashed gold once more, and the room was noticeably emptier. Only Naruto, Hashirama, and the redheaded woman remained.
Rin stared at the gathered group, and Isobu's chilly stare. "What is going on?" she asked. The conversations of the group still rang in her ears.
It's his reincarnations, Rin-chan,Isobu explained curtly.Ashura has lived many lives, and they now live within you, while he's here. These are the most recent forms.The earlier guilt had faded, traded for a bitterness that radiated from the turtle, and Rin's brow furrowed. Why was Isobu upset?
"Since you three are the most recent andloudest,please, speak your piece," Ashura said sarcastically, rubbing his forehead. He looked like he had aged five years in five seconds. Naruto didn't read the room, launching up immediately.
"Right! We need help, and I'm a little fuzzy on the timeframe, but it could work! All we need is to find the—"
"Maybe we shouldn't band together withterrorists,idiot," the woman said drily, slapping a hand over his mouth. "Have you forgotten that we canseeeach other's memories?" Naruto glared at her, and a second later, the woman ripped her hand away with a curse.
Purple eyes flashed with anger. "Did you justbite me—"
"Naruto-kun is right, though," the First Hokage interrupted. Both heads whipped towards the Hokage. "If Rin returns to Konoha, she cannot leave, and they will look through her mind." Rin winced. She had forgotten about the Yamanaka. If they saw her memories, she didn't know what would happen. They wouldn't be as forgiving towards Obito as she was.
With that thought, Isobu's head snapped back towards her, where before it had rested on the First. He looked vaguely displeased.
"—may not be the wisest choice, but we have few options," the First continued. Rin blinked back to attention as four pairs of eyes landed on her.
She tried to recap. These were Ashura's reincarnations, the three most recent ones. That made sense, somewhat. Ashura was part of the reincarnations, and the reincarnations were part of Ashura. Only, with that thought, Rin imagined Ashura as one of the little nesting dolls in Masae-obaa's living room, and suddenly, Rin couldn't stop laughing.
Maybe it was the lack of good sleep over the past few days, dodging shadows that looked like Zetsu. Maybe it was the hunger pangs that racked her stomach, no matter how much she ate. All she knew was that once she started, she could not stop. Her chest heaved, and she curled in on herself.
Her lungs burned.Someone squawked in the background. Rin tried to slow her breathing, but found she couldn't. She had never felt so lost. Isobu's worry was a heavy weight in her mind over their strange new connection.
She felt warmth, and an arm was thrown over her shoulder.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay." It was the woman from before, the third reincarnation. Rin looked up into violet eyes and a warm smile, and her heart thudded painfully. Gods, she missed Kushina-nee.
"Your name is Rin, right? I'm Mikazuki. It's nice to meet you. Sorry for all the noise."
"Sorry, Rin," Ashura said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I hear maybe 50 voices in my head at any given time, with these three being the loudest, especially with everything going on."
"Your reincarnation… was the First Hokage?" Rin squeaked. Maybe it hadn't truly set in when the Sage said it. The Hokage in question laughed.
"Truthfully, I didn't know until the war," he admitted. He smiled at her. "You're starting an immense undertaking. We want to support you as best as we can."
Rin's cheeks warmed. "Thank you."
"Well, first, we need to figure outhowwe get to Obito." Mikazuki said. Naruto looked irate. He opened his mouth—
"If you say Akatsukione more time, I will throw you into the water."
Naruto let out a huff.
Ashura winced. "Maybedon'tdo that, considering the water represents Rin's soulspace. Anyone besides Isobu getting inside there will be uncomfortable for her at best, incredibly painful at worst."
Rin blinked. That was new. But maybe that explained why even putting her fingers in the water felt like pricking herself with senbon. Rin turned to Naruto.
"Why Akatsuki?"
Naruto stuck his tongue out at Mikazuki, and turned to her, blue eyes blazing. Rin couldn't help but think that for all that Naruto had Minato-sensei's coloring, his personality matched Kushina-nee's completely. "Because Yahiko is still alive! And Nagato is still good.Andif Hanzo never kills Yahiko, the Akatsuki stays devoted to peace."
That…. was not wrong. From Obito's perspective, she watched Danzo, Hanzo, and their men try to kill Konan and Nagato, with Nagato summoning the Gedo statue.
"Obito and Zetsu were there that day too," she mused. Rin remembered the (callous)way Obito killed the rest of the Akatsuki with Zetsu.
Naruto blinked, and turned to stare at Rin.
"Zetsuwas there? Okay, okay, that makes it even better!" Naruto beamed. "You stop Yahiko and the good Akatsuki from dying, we find a way to seal Zetsu, and Obito comes back to Konoha!"
The First looked pensive. "It's a bit farfetched," he said slowly, but he smiled. "But we're shinobi. The more friends you have for this mission, the better. If you're able to help the Akatsuki, maybe they can help you too."
"This is insane," Mikazuki mumbled. Ashura sent her a commiserating glance.
"Good!" Naruto clapped his hands together. "We're joining the Akatsuki and fighting Hanzo!"
"You need to get stronger, then," Mikazuki sighed. She sent Rin a small smile. "And your chakra control needs to get better. You're throwing out a beacon in this place."
Hashirama stroked his chin. "Mito used different chakra exercises to control Kurama. Maybe we can—"
The earlier bitterness from Isobu surged, as well as unfathomable anger. It spiked the temperature of the air. Rin gaped as the water around Isobu began to bubble. Coincidentally (though considering what she knew now, it wasn't much of a coincidence), her chest grew uncomfortably warm.
Control? Isobu spat. Red mist, identical to the mist she had seen come from her only days earlier, pulsed out of Isobu in waves. Hashirama stepped back as the mist curled throughout the room.You do not control me. I am not your possession; you do not get to sell me to the highest bidderfor your selfish gain.
It wasn't the anger that shocked Rin, nor was it the bitterness. It was the deep-seated betrayal, one Rin would expect from family and close friends.
(One she herself could feel if she thought of Obito's actions a bit too long.)
Isobu's gaze flicked towards Ashura.Are we both not sons of the Sage? Why is one son allowed to go free while the others are caged,nii-sama? And the honorific dripped with sarcasm.
Hashirama looked vaguely sheepish. He raised both hands placatingly. "I did not mean to upset you, Isobu—"
Donotsay my name. Donotsay my brother's name.
Hashirama bowed his head. "I understand, Sanbi-sama."
No, you don't, Hashirama. You wouldn't understand unless I sold Tobirama-kun and Itama-kun and Kawarama-kun to the yokai who roam the world.Hashirama winced.
Isobu kept going.You wouldn't understand until they were gone and you never got to see them again.Isobu's voice remained even, but Isobu was sealed to her soul. She could feel the painful loneliness, the same 6-month stretch of emptiness she felt after she thought she lost her best friend.
Knowing that,feelingthat, she stumbled forward. Isobu's left eye searched her as she sat on the ledge. She didn't know what to make of his expression—he kept his right eye tightly shut, as if he didn't want anyone to look him head on.
Rin settled one hand on his spikes, and tried to relay her feelings.
"I'm sorry that you aren't free, Isobu. I'm sorry that you're here, when you can't see your siblings." In the original timeline, Chidori would have injured Isobu after Rin died, but her death had set him free. She wasn't sure how long Isobu was free until the Mizukage became a jinchuriki, but hehadbeen free.
"I'm sorry," Rin said again. "If… when this is all over, we can find a way to remove you from the seal—"
Isobu's pained whine cut her off. Myfather has assured that I will never leave this seal in your lifetime. Even your death will not set me free.
With that, he sunk under the water. Silence followed, with Naruto shifting his feet and Mikazuki looking at the bubbles. Ashura sighed, and with one more flash of gold, everyone disappeared.
"I think that's enough excitement for today," he said, weary. "At least we have the beginnings of a plan. You should probably try and get some rest." Rin looked back at the water. She could feel the bitterness from Isobu just beneath the surface.
Ashura's eyes followed hers. "...Sanbi-sama is not wrong. We're both sons of the Sage, and I've used my past lives to seal and sell his siblings. Our siblings, if I can even call them that. Unfair is… a gross understatement."
"What did Isobu mean about not being able to leave, even if I died?" Rin asked. Ashura's following wince made her wary.
"The tailed beasts are usually sealed and bound to the mind, represented by the mindspace." He waved a hand. "This is your mindspace. It's temporary. Anything sealed into a mindspace will last that human's lifetime atmost, and in many cases, whatever is sealed can be removed or expire, like chakra imprints or memories. Father sealed me here, so I could migrate when I reincarnate."
Ashura smiled at her weakly. "Father sealed Isobu directly to yoursoul. You won't see the seal he made on your body, but you should see it in the soulscape." He pointed to the pool where Isobu rested. "As evidenced by me and my past lives, souls live much longer than a mortal lifetime, so…"
So Isobu would be bound to Rin's soul, for as long as she had one. A sinking feeling settled in her stomach. If the Sage bound Isobu to Rin, how would he ever be free?
"We'll figure something out, Rin, It'll be okay," Ashura said, with the same weak smile. Rin didn't believe him in the slightest. With an equally frail smile, she blinked back into the darkness of nighttime, and curled up against a tree.
Rin would have to gain the help of the Akatsuki, stop Hanzo, rescue Obito, and seal Zetsu, all while trapping the one creature who had done absolutely nothing to deserve another prison.
She stayed awake until the sun rose.