Just before the surgery, Obito was in the preparation room, taking his closed off and putting on a hospital gown. Which meant he was buck-ass naked. It was both degrading and embarrassing to be overseen by a dead man who was essentially your grandfather.

"Is this really necessary? It's just a simple seal that allows me to speak with you." Madara's spirit said.

Obito turned to him and removed his mask, "If it's a simple seal then why is it the exact same one they placed on Rin's heart?!" The passion and anger in his tone were ever-present. The building resentment he had for Madara finally boiled over now he knew the truth.

Madara's expression changed, "So that's what it is." He grinned deviously, "I was wondering when an idiot like you would finally figure it out."

Madara confirming this both shook Obito and didn't at the same time, he already knew what type of man Madara was near the end of his life, sacrificing a child and brainwashing another just for a plan you'd probably never see come to pass was truly a heartless act.

"Just like you, I too controlled the Mist. The Third Mizukage was my puppet as the Fourth is... was yours. I implanted the idea of using the three tails as a bomb inside a Konoha Shinobi but the target was all my choosing, because of you." Madara said circling Obito.

"You had Rin killed because you wanted me to see the world as you do, is that it?" Obito spat out.

Madara stopped, "Yes. And it worked magnificently. The only thing was it turned out better than I thought possible, the Hatake boy killing Rin was never even on my radar but it only made her death even more tragic." Madara's spirit manifested Sharingan on the level of his eternal Mangekyou. "You can decide to remove that seal all you like Obito, but so long as your heart bears hatred you will never be happy. After all you've done, you can never go back to your sense of normalcy. So get rid of my seal, return me to the afterlife. It'll only eat you away knowing you're all alone. Then you'll come back to the realization that I am right."

Obito in a fit of rage punched through Madara, causing the spirit to disappear and let his fist go through the wall with the bathroom on the other side. He calmed himself and sat down on the gurney.

Obito woke up after the surgery was completed, he was given his clothes back and his mask. It was strange to be seen by someone else besides Konan, but this was for medical reasons, nothing more. It could metaphorically bite him in the ass because Hiruzen could just bypass the patient confidentiality clause.

Obito was a little woozy afterwards but it was manageable, even though he was recommended to stay until he was fully recovered. He didn't listen. Instead, he just wandered back home like a drunken rat. In a way, it just played into his Tobi persona.

He had to make it to his apartment so he could write his report on the mission commissioned by the Mizukage. Of course, Obito would have taken some creative liberties when it to the details.

After that, he would probably fall asleep.

Kakashi and Konan headed to the Rain Village, there were barely any words thrown around, only silence. It wasn't surprising considering the two had nothing of note to say to each other.

Konan had enough of the silence, "Don't you have anything to say?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Well, I'm not one for talking. Especially when you already have a lot on your mind."

She glanced over, "It's that obvious?"

Kakashi avoided looking at Konan, "My assumption is the Mist did something to you, like placing a tailed beast inside you. That's the only reason I can think of why Obito killed Yagura last night."

Konan stopped dead in her tracks, "So he knows?!" But it raised another question. "Why was he not with you this morning?"

Kakashi started thinking about the conversation he and Obito had the previous night.

After having been paid by Mei Terumi and Zabuza, the two made camp for the night, even if it was a couple of hours til they'd be up and moving again. Kakashi quickly took the Akatsuki cloak off and then the white mask. The only thing he wore underneath was his normal black shirt with his mask attached and grey pants. Kakashi looked at Obito and noticed he wasn't moving, he was standing still, stuck with knowledge that was haunting him. Kakashi knew that whatever it was he learned recently. "You okay, Obito?"

Obito seemed to turn directly at Kakashi with his Sharingan active, he quickly deactivated it realizing what Kakashi asked. "No. And I can't do anything about it."

Kakashi rolled out his bedroll, "And why can't you? From what I've seen nothing can stop you."

Obito grabbed the cloak and mask he lent to Kakashi, he sucked them into Kamui. "It's complicated. It's not something I can just brute force like usual."

Kakashi laid onto his bedroll, "You've tended to brute force everything when we were young, it paid off for you almost always."

The change of pace to the conversation made Obito more at ease, he had anger but it wasn't toward Kakashi, it was toward Yagura and the Mist. "It didn't pay off as much as you think, considering everything came easy to you."

"Nothing's ever easy. Even for someone like me. The only difference between you and me then was you never had anything to lose while I lost everything. And it made me try harder than ever."

Obito mused that, "Something to lose, huh?" The only thing Obito ever had was a little crush on Rin and he already knew she liked Kakashi. That made it hurt more when Kakashi was the one who killed her. The only thing he ever had and it was gone. But now he had something else, someone who shared some of the same feelings. Maybe that's why Konan felt different from Rin but similar at the same time because it was something he had to lose.

"Kakashi, I'm going to take some alone time. If I'm not here in the morning just carry on without me. I need to take care of something on my own. I'll meet you in the village." He placed his bedroll and laid down.

By morning Obito was gone with his stuff, Kakashi believed he'd either returned to the village or go somewhere else on his own. Either way, Kakashi had to reunite with Guy and the others.

"He didn't tell me anything but he said he had something personal to take care of. What it is exactly I don't know. And seeing how you acted about returning to the Leaf confirmed my theory." Kakashi said now turned around and looking directly at Konan.

Konan tried saying something to confirm Kakashi's thoughts but nothing came out. She tried to say something else, "I can't say anything about whatever that is." Kakashi remembered that Rin couldn't either, it was likely a cursed seal that prevented this. Konan undid her flak jacket and lifted her shirt up to expose her belly. Kakashi saw the seal that now resided on her belly.

"That makes you the six tails jinchuriki," Kakashi said aloud.

"All I can say is I need to see my friend Nagato. I won't be able to tell him anything but you can. Explain to him what happened to Rin." Konan said.

Kakashi nodded, "So the same thing happened to you. And you would be..." He stopped and thought about it. "Konan is the one thing Obito can lose!" Judging by the darkness Obito was shrouded in now would incomparable if Konan died. Kakashi failed once, he wouldn't again. "Nagato you said, is he a sealer?"

Konan scrunched her face in an unsure expression, "Kinda. He's got very special powers that could help in this endeavor. Whether or not it'll work is beyond me." She continued walking.

"So which of these boys you're talking about is your boyfriend?" The six tails' voice echoed in Konan's mind.

Konan felt like she didn't have a choice in answering, "His name is Obito, but he goes by a fake name Tobi."

"This Obito guy must think you're special if he revealed his name to you."

Konan smiled, "I guess so." Obito was very special to her as well.

Obito walked into his apartment and felt a chill run down his spine, the darkness-filled room of the apartment added to his unease. Obito readied a wooden stake in his sleeve as he maneuvered his way to the kitchen and the island.

"Tobi, it's been some time since we last spoke." The shrewd voice of an older man announced.

Obito already knew who it was, "Mr Danzo." He spoke, doing his Tobi persona as usual. "What do I owe the cordial visit?"

Danzo sat on Obito's couch, his can in hand. "I wished to speak with you about something my agents witnessed last night. Pertaining to an orange-masked man wearing a black cloak with red clouds meeting with the Mizukage."

"You should kill him now, Obito. Before he'll screw your world up more than it already is." A fragment of Madara's voice echoed in the back of his mind.

Obito opened his fridge and grabbed milk, "You think I'm a traitor? A spy?"

"In a sense. I see you as the type always trying to be on the winning side. That includes being a member of the Akatsuki." Danzo narrowed his left eye.

Obito grabbed a cup from the cupboard, "So you know the garb." He poured milk from the carton.

"Orochimaru is a part of their organization. I've kept tabs on him since his departure."

Obito picked the cup of milk up, "What does the Akatsuki have to do with winning?"

"It's not the Akatsuki itself but rather I assumed you joined them because you felt they were the only choice. The girl you were with is also a member of their organization I presume. I gave you an offer twice to join the Root but yet you've declined. I originally offered it as a welcome gift but now I see it as a test. If you were a spy you would've joined me in a heartbeat, but instead, you chose to stay with Kakashi's team. That tells me you have some loyalty towards the two of them."

"So you're not questioning my allegiance. Then if not why are you here?" He adjusted his mask and drank his cup of milk.

Danzo leaned forward, "The Uchiha clan, one of Konoha's founding members, has been less than satisfactory about the treatment they've received after the nine-tails attack."

Obito readjusted his mask, "What did they do to receive harsh treatment?"

"Reports indicated that the nine tails had the three tomoe Sharingan reflected in its eye. This was precarious due to the Uchiha being held back during the attack. So the only explanation was that a lone Uchiha obtained the nine tails and set it upon the village, I see it as unlikely. Or multiple members planned the attack. Either way, an Uchiha was involved, whether the clan knew of it or not."

"Where does Tobi fit in?"

"I've heard whispers of a rebellion burning. Shisui Uchiha has expressed his concerns about a possible rebellion, he wishes to prevent any coup de tat before blood is spilled. He is one of the few Uchiha loyal to the village, but I still have my doubts. You are an outside source, not biased towards either side. I want to enlist you in a special squadron to prevent the coup de tat when the time comes."

"You say this as if it's certain there will be a coup."

"When you poke an animal enough times The animal will eventually bite back. The Uchiha will attempt a coup, it's only a matter of time until the tension boils over."

"If I refuse?"

"Then team Kakashi will need a new kunoichi."

Obito snapped his head to Danzo, who grinned at his reaction. "Why go after her when I'm the one you want?"

"Leverage. You're a man who seems to have no fear, except maybe loneliness. No harm would come to her if you simply do as I ask."

Obito knew Danzo wasn't the type of man to bluff. "Fine. I'll join your little parade when the time comes." He glanced a look at Danzo with his Sharingan active and noticed Danzo had a lot of peculiar things about him. For starters, Danzo had chakra built up in his right eye no different than an Uchiha or a Hyuuga. And there was a contrast in Danzo's body. It was half his own chakra, half Hashirama Senju's. "His body is modified like mine." This made him more cautious around Danzo.

"How did you kill the Mizukage? My agents said you killed the Mizukage without a single attack being thrown, it was almost as if his heart stopped beating and the blockage killed him. The only explanation is you're either a skilled enough genjutsu user to place a perfect jinchuriki under genjutsu, or you have a technique that lets you disrupt a target's heart."

"Choose whichever one you like, because if I'm being honest I'm not sure myself," Obito answered knowing it was false. "Are you upset that I killed the Mizukage?"

"No. He was quite a nuisance, too aggressive for his own good. His death should prove good for Konoha." He adjusted his left arm.

"So does that mean we're done?" Obito asked putting the cup into the sink and the carton back into the fridge.

Danzo stood up holding onto his cane, "Yes, I suppose we are. I will see myself out." He slowly walked to the apartment door. "I'll inform you when the time approaches." He pushed the door open with his cane.

Obito walked over and closed the door. "With Madara gone and Danzo being more interested in me, I'm going to have to be more cautious." Obito walked into his bedroom and grabbed a piece of paper and grabbed a pen, it was time for his report.

But he was distracted writing his report, Konan being the Six tails jinchuriki bothered him. He knew she was smart enough to come to the conclusion that her seal was jury-rigged to kill her upon reaching the Leaf. And if Kakashi was perceptive enough like he normally was he'd pick up on her being a jinchuriki now. But to where'd they'd find a good sealer was unknown to him. He knew zero sealers alive that could help in this instance.

Maybe now that Madara was no longer watching him he could finally try to help her, but he'd have to reveal this to Sarutobi if anything was to be done. Obito supposed he'd talk to Sarutobi in the morning about possible ways to help Konan. He'd do anything to help her.

Nearly two days of traveling, they finally reached the village Hidden in Rain. Kakashi started to feel the hard rain pelt down on him. The name of the village surely wasn't an exaggeration.

The sight of the Konan's home village was very different than Konoha's, it was industrial and metal punk-esque.

The village itself was surrounded by a sea of water on all sides, making it easy to dissuade invaders, except for a singular bridge used by merchants and civilians.

Konan made her way to the bridge and Kakashi followed, "You grew up here right? It doesn't seem to be the most cozy place."

Konan looked upon it, "Yeah, but it's home." It had been quite a while since the last time she had seen her village.

The bridge to the village was guarded by two men, both of whom Konan couldn't remember. Thankfully getting inside the village was going to be easier because of one of Nagato's paths of pain. The Deva path, Yahiko's corpse, awaited them near the guards.

When they got closer, the guards stepped to the side and the Deva path stood in the center. "Konan, I'm glad to see you safe." His Rinnegan gaze shifted to Kakashi, "You're the copy ninja Kakashi Hatake aren't you?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Guess I've got a reputation."

"You could say that. But I've also kept tabs on Konan and her compatriot every now and then, which includes you to a degree." Nagato replied.

Konan wanted to get somewhere private, "Nagato, we need to talk. About something important. Kakashi must come too."

"Very well," he seemed slightly annoyed knowing that Kakashi was involved. He walked toward the village, and the two followed.

Walking through the Rain Village was refreshing for Konan, but it was also sad. The civilians didn't smile as much compared to Konoha's. It was sad that they were all scared that another war could break out, catching all of them in the crossfire. Their only hope was Nagato and her, but she was posing as a Leaf Shinobi.

Nagato led them into the Akatsuki tower and into his office. The Deva path walked over to the desk and sat down. "What can I do for you, Konan?"

Konan tried speaking but nothing came out, she tapped Kakashi and he sighed. "We were sent on a commissioned mission by the Mist village to help them with their civil war, but it was all a decoy to place a tailed beast with a timed seal that was intended to break when in appropriate distance to the Leaf."

Nagato looked toward Konan, there was some sense of concern on the Deva path's face. "You're a jinchuriki?"

Kakashi answered for her, "She can't talk about it, a seal is preventing her from doing so."

Konan undid her flak jacket and lifted her shirt to expose the seal adorning her belly. The Deva path narrowed his Rinnegan and stood up, "When I reinforce this seal the Mist village and its Mizukage will pay."

Kakashi interjected, "Well the Mizukage already paid with his life. There's no need to harm a village's people when their leader was the root cause of everything."

Nagato was curious, "And what happened to the Mizukage?"

Konan could say something on this, "Tobi killed him when he found out."

Nagato paused, he was processing the information. "Why would he do that?"

Konan pointed to her seal again, "Nagato."

He refocused himself, "Right. I'll try my best from my knowledge of sealing jutsu. But if I feel the slightest bit of danger I will stop and call upon Sasori and Kakuzu. They should have more knowledge on sealing than I."

Konan knew already she could count on Nagato, he was like a brother to her.

No matter what, Nagato was going to make sure Konan was safe. Though now the sealing of the tailed beasts into the Gedo statue wasn't an option anymore. Konan was too important to him. Though he wondered why Madara would kill the Mizukage in just hearing about Konan being used as a weapon. Did they have a relationship that they kept hidden or did it only blossom recently? Either way, it didn't matter to him as long as Konan was happy with him. But the second Madara broke her heart was going to be his last.