Disclaimers: Naruto is not mine, sadly. This is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.

Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, sexual assault, torture, sexual content (yaoi), & angst.

It's All In Your Head

Chapter 63: Reminisce

--

Sasuke eyed the jonin, surprised by his reaction. "You know who he is."

Kakashi's gaze looked faded, torn to a past that he seemed reluctant to share. But Sasuke didn't have time for that- Naruto had been taken and he had no idea where they were. He couldn't afford to be considerate right now.

Sasuke grabbed the back of his sensei's head and jerked him around to face him. "Mange-"

Kakashi's hand slammed down over the Uchiha's eyes as another buried in his hair, forcing his head back.

"Nnn!"

"Don't underestimate me, Sasuke" Kakashi growled, his voice darker and more threatening than it had been in quite some time. "I understand that you are worried about Naruto, but now wouldn't be the time to try a stunt like that."

Sasuke tried to pull free of his hold, but Kakashi wouldn't let go. "Nnn- fine!" he gasped. "Then tell me what you know!"

The jonin eyed him for a moment longer, still pissed that his former student would dare try to use his Mangekyou on him, but decided he could still teach him a valuable lesson later- when Naruto was safe. He released him and took a step back, watching the raven hurriedly straighten and harden his gaze- attempting to keep the dignity he still had left.

"Tobi is a nickname that I gave to someone very.." he forced down the lump in the back of his throat, "very important to me."

Sasuke noticed the pained look in his eye and had a feeling he knew what he meant by important. "Who is he really?" he pressed.

"Obito Uchiha."

Crimson eyes widened. "Uchiha?"

Kakashi nodded. "He.. he died.. when we were around your age."

Sasuke stared at him, confused. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I."

"Did he.." Sasuke paused. He didn't love thinking about all of this, even knowing the truth now, but it didn't look like he could avoid it. "Did he die with the rest of my clan?" he finally asked.

Kakashi shook his head. "It wasn't Itachi" he said, easily guessing what he was getting at. "The village was ambushed and war broke out. Obito protected me, and I.. I failed to do the same. When I should have lost my life, Obito saved me and lost his instead. Or so I thought."

He raised his hand to his covered eye, thinking back to that horrible day. "Has he really been alive this whole time..?"

"Your sharingan" Sasuke said, noticing the gesture, "it's his, isn't it?"

Kakashi turned away from that accusatory glare. "I didn't want it" he said between clenched teeth, "but Obito insisted. He didn't want it to die with him. He.. tore it out before I could stop him."

Sasuke grimaced. He had assumed Kakashi acted out of selfishness, and was ashamed that it had ever been a thought. He couldn't imagine facing that same pain- of losing his person, seeing Naruto die in his stead and mutilate himself before his last breathe. Then having to take something like that from him because it was his dying wish. The weight of that sharingan must have been unbearable, and yet he never talked about.

"I.. I'm sorry" Sasuke murmured, not knowing what else to say.

Kakashi quirked a brow. "That's not like you."

"Yeah, well.. Naruto's been a positive influence."

Kakashi dropped a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get him back."

"Even though you'll have to face Obito?" Sasuke asked.

Kakashi expression darkened. "I lost him over fifteen years ago. And I accepted that a long time ago. Naruto is the one I care about, and I will do what I have to to protect him."

Sasuke nodded. "So what do we do first?"

"We need intel. If Obito is with the Akatsuki then maybe we can find out where they are, and why they are after jinchurki again."

Sasuke wanted to continue searching for him, and he didn't want to have to deal with bullshit from Tsunade or the elders, but he knew it was their best option. He didn't know where to look for Naruto, and they might have answers.

"Fine" he said reluctantly, "but we need to move fast."

Kakashi took off towards the Hokage building and Sasuke quickly followed after him, trying not to let his worries fester into horrid thoughts of what could be happening to his captured blonde.

Again.

--

"What the hell do you want from me?!" Naruto shouted, uninterested in dragging this out for another second.

Plus, it was easier to lead with hostility, because his fear was creeping up and he had no intention of showing it. He had dealt with the Akatsuki many times in the past, and he had been captured by Itachi before- he didn't want to relive any of that again. And yet, here he was. Powerless, imprisoned, and at the mercy of another unhinged sharingan user.

Why is it always a Uchiha? Is it like ingrained in them or something?

He tried to stand, but some invisible force shoved him to his knees. He groaned as they slammed into the hard slab beneath him, and his eyes shot up to glare at the man controlling all of it.

Obito casually walked over a multitude of grey, metallic-looking slabs as he made his way over to his captive. His Kamui had successfully ensnared the jinchurki and he was now trapped in his sharingan's illusion. A simple, dismal place where chakra could not be reached and escape was impossible. Like Itachi's Mangekyou, he had full control of any who were unlucky enough to be pulled inside. Unlike his, there was no chance of getting out of it.

"What do I want.." he repeated. "What a wonderful question. If I tell you, will you help me achieve it?" he asked, his amusement ringing clear behind the mask.

"I'm not your puppet, asshole. I won't play along, and I won't let you win."

"You won't have a choice, Naruto. And neither will the Nine Tails."

Naruto's eyes widened. "What are you planning on doing to him?"

Obito smiled, a hint of it visible in his blood red eye. "I will continue Madara's legacy, and once again unleash the demon on the village that betrayed the Uchihas."

He dropped to a knee before the blonde and roughly grasped his chin, finding pleasure in seeing fear flicker in his eyes. "Just as he did twenty-one years ago."

Naruto's breath caught in his throat. "What..?"

"That's right, Naruto. My mentor seized control of the Nine Tails and forced it to attack Konohagakure." Obito tilted his head, studying the blonde. "Isn't that what killed your parents?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

Naruto's eyes flashed with rage. "Shut up!!"

"They tried so hard to stop him."

"Stop it."

"And in the end they even used their own child to stop the him. Quite the sacrifice.."

"Stop!!" Naruto tried to lunge towards him, but his body froze. He howled with fury and a pain that echoed deep in his chest. "Fuck you!" Naruto screamed. "You have no right to talk about them!"

"Don't I?"

"What are you saying?" he choked, still fighting the invisible restraints stopping him from strangling the bastard.

"Madara needed someone to give him information. He needed to hit the village when it was at its weakest."

Cerulean eyes shot up to stare at the mangled mask with newfound horror. "You.. you betrayed them.."

"I am a Uchiha after all. Our loyalties were never to the Leaf."

"Let me guess- and then you sold your soul to the Akatsuki. How original.." Naruto sneered.

Obito leaned back and looked up, unseeingly, as his mind slipped back to a different time. "No" he murmured, "I went back to my life after that. No one suspected me, so I had no reason not to. Madara disappeared, and I found other reasons to stay.."

One person in particular came to mind- a boy with hair the color of starlight and dark serious eyes that he couldn't help but sink into.

"Yes, I found a reason to stay.. one very good reason." He glanced back at the blonde, considering him. He had seen a familiar fondness between him and Sasuke, one that was so similar to what he had with his person, his purpose.

"That changed" he murmured, thinking aloud. "I thought I was about to die and I made a sacrifice. One that felt right at the time.." His hand moved to his mask subconsciously, to the place where a second sharingan once existed. "My old mentor, Madara, rescued me that day and that is when I came to the Akatsuki. I found a new purpose."

"Is it really better than the one you had before? Was it worth turning your back on everything you had in Konoha?" Naruto spat.

Obito was surprised that the comment hit deep. He thought he had let go of Kakashi, but apparently his heart wasn't completely over him. He shook his head and pushed the feelings down. The jinchurki was a clever one, but he wouldn't change his mind.

"Nice try" he murmured, "but I have no intention of going back on my plans."

"I won't let you use Kyuubi like this" Naruto growled.

Obito rose to his feet, a grin stretching behind the mask. "I find it amusing that you think you have any control over the matter."

The air distorted around them and before Naruto could make sense of what was happening he was suddenly shot out of the illusion and back into reality. He flew out fast and dropped heavily on his stomach, falling onto rough, unforgiving ground. His chin slammed into it, the impact jarring. His teeth clattered together and he could feel sharp rock slice into his palms and up his jaw.

His chakra didn't return back to him fast enough and before he could act he was suddenly hoisted to his feet, his arms pulled to the side.

"Nnhhn- let go!" He tried to fight them, but several men had a secure hold on him and he couldn't break free.

Kyuubi!! Kyuubi you can take over!

There was no response.

Nothing.

Goddamnit- where are you?!

Obito must have seen something on his face, because he explained the situation before he could even ask. "Don't bother trying to access your demon, Naruto. I control him, remember."

"That.. that doesn't make sense. How could you-"

The men suddenly jerked him backwards, dragging him to the far side of the cave- to a wall covered in chains. Naruto kicked out, screaming as he struggled against them. "No!! Let go! Don't!!"

They ignored his pleas and locked several shackles onto him- his wrists, his ankles, his throat. The chains connected to them were pulled taunt, forcing him up against the rock wall. His arms were spread, his legs locked in place, his head forced still. He couldn't move. He tried to access his chakra, but he couldn't sense it at all. Chakra-blocking restraints.

Goddamnit.

All of this was far too familiar.

"You don't need to do this, Tobi! You can stop this!"

A deep laugh echoed behind the mask. "Tobi? Oh, my dear jinchurki- we're not that close."

His hand shot out towards him and a rush of chakra shot into his stomach. Naruto threw his head back and screamed. It felt like he had been cut open and his insides were slowly being torn out. The pain was excruciating, but still his attacker wouldn't stop.

Naruto's screams grew to desperate shrieks as the pain built to a blinding crescendo. Black splotches filled his vision and he could tell he was on the verge of passing out. But he knew if he did that he didn't stand a chance of stopping him. Naruto gritted his teeth together and blinked through the darkness, then looked over at the masked man. His sharingan eye was locked onto him, hand outstretched, consumed with harsh red chakra. Naruto looked down and his eyes widened with horror.

No..

Kyuubi's chakra was being ripped from him, pulled over to Obito instead. No.. not just his chakra. Kyuubi himself. He was slowly gaining his own form, one that was connected to Obito's.

"N-no" he choked. "St-stop!!" He blinked through tears, and locked onto his friend instead. "Kyuubi!!"

I.. I can't stop this.. Naruto..

A horrible scream tore from the Nine Tails' throat and filled the space between them, one of anguish and helplessness.

"No- please!! You're hurting him!"

Obito looked over at the blonde, surprised. "You're so worried about a monster?"

Anger flashed in his eyes. "You're the fucking monster!" he shouted.

Obito clenched his jaw and tore more of the Nine Tails from the jinchurki, smiling as his screams slammed against the cave walls. He was fueled by rage as he fought the doubt that suddenly filled his mind- and hate towards the blonde who put it there.

I'm doing the right thing, he reassured himself.

I know I am.