route_1065 | Ain't no party like a ninja party

[...A shame his lie had been disarmed before he could say it. He could extrapolate Sasuke sharing that information to mean that Obito was an Uchiha, but that would be presumptuous.

It seemed subtlety was simply out of the question. Or perhaps he was being impatient. Although, when faced with the one who might yet be responsible for the end of the world, impatience was not an unreasonable response.

Meditite bristled, as if expecting a command to attack.]

Your name...it's Obito Uchiha, isn't it? I never asked.

Wait, so you were doing all that assholey shit to figure out my name?

[He's giving you the most incredulous stare ever Neji.]

You could have just asked me. We're friends. Sure, I never, er, got your name either, but I figured after our like, fifth talk it'd be a little late to ask. Since you do the politeness thing usually and all.

I should totally just not confirm or deny if that's me, but I'm not going to be like that. I'm not a jerk. I'm a good guy.

[Have a stern look, before he relaxes out of his earlier frown.] But I'll forgive you for being a jerk since you actually had a point, yeah?

[He shook his head and then bobbed his head.] Uchiha Obito, yep. Kinda can't go into the future Hokage speil anymore cause, you know, smooshed, but hey, I'll figure out something yeah? So I know you're Hyuuga and I think the rest of that is Neji but I never got anyone to confirm it for me.

Edited 2013-08-01 07:27 (UTC)

[So he was. And the age was appropriate as well. There couldn't be another convenient Obito Uchiha born at the same time as him, the Uchiha clan simply wasn't large enough to repeat names in the same generation.

...Neji frowned. He already frowned, of course, but there was--if it was possible, his expression fell just a touch before it iced over. Identity confirmed. And it seemed...Neji Hyuuga the genius was a fool after all.

For a moment he contemplates responding, but...when Meditite shifts and tugs at his hand, conflicted by the mess of emotions he must be giving off. Normally he's rather calm and collected, it must not be pleasant for her to sense a different response from him.

Here wasn't the place for a confirmation.

Instead, he turns on his heel and strides away with Meditite.]

HEY! Wait a second! [He took off after him at once, because he'd caught that and he didn't get it at all.]

No, seriously, hold up! Are you that mad I'm an Uchiha? I mean, it wasn't a secret or anything!

[He pressed his lips into a thin frown as Obito followed him. Of course this version of the man was young. He wouldn't have known that he was the cause of his death at the time, and yet...he had lied and manipulated the story of his death, presumably to earn sympathy or empathy from Neji. Therefore he was hardly entirely innocent even now.

His question, though, earned a scoff.]

There is no feud between our clans.

Then why're you all upset now? Is it because I asked you to confirm your name? Oh man, come oooon, you did it first!

[He picked up his pace, trying to get a look at his face, bewildered and not liking it.]

[If they continued like this, they would draw attention and cause a scene. Particularly given the large pokemon trailing Obito and the agitation coming from Meditite. It would be inappropriate for this gathering, and too difficult to explain. It would not...be an ideal method to introduce it to Tenten, as she seemed to have some bizarre attraction to him as well.

Presuming he hadn't lied about that as well.]

Are you going to pursue me all across the springs?

Sure am. [No hesitation at all there, and he flashed him a lopsided smile.]

If I don't know what I did, I can't fix it, riiight?

[He prided himself on the ability to read people, and yet--with Obito so far he had either missed everything or dismissed it. He was disgusted with his own failure, but he needed time to know whether it was through Obito's own work or not.

When the man confirmed his suspicion about the imminent scene he stopped. Clearly there would be no avoiding the confrontation now that he'd abandoned subtlety. This was...not ideal.

He turned back toward the young man then, leaning in himself instead, using height to his advantage as if a dragon didn't stand at Obito's back. He could be threatening even with such a creature under Obito's thrall.

He was, after all, Neji Hyuuga, and he was not to be trifled with.]

This isn't the place for the discussion. Choose somewhere else.

[But... he didn't look scared. He stared up at him, dark eyes searching his face with a worried sort of pensiveness that had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with concern. Finally, he snagged his wrist and started off in a direction where he'd seen pretty much no one that was partitioned, not even considering the idea that his touch would be unwelcome.

He was sure the other might be cranky about it, because Hyuuga but he was already mad at him, a little more wasn't going to make any difference.]

[Touch is basically always unwelcome. Hyuuga weaponized touch, therefore there was very little intimacy welcome through touch to begin with. As it is right now, the touch is unwelcome of course, but he's more wary of potential threat than anything else.

However, robbed of chakra, he would be able to deal with any threat Obito could pose him. Even with the dragon.

That said, he tugged his wrist free just as soon as he determined they were far enough away to prevent people from overhearing.]

Surely you're aware that continuing your act is pointless now. I'm aware you were never killed.

[He turned to face him. Okay, fine, there would do. But. What the hell? No. What. The. Hell.]

Excuse me? I was crushed under a big rock, then buried under the rest of the cave.

What, you think I was going to get up and wander away from that? No. Look, it's not like people haven't confirmed it for me okay? Sensei, Rin, hell, even a Kakashi that swung through here during that weird timewarp power weekend. Dead. I think they would've told me if me remembering dying had been inaccurate, alright?

I would think you of all people wouldn't be cruel enough to accuse me of lying about it!

[His expression remained impassive. What point was there for him to maintain the farce? Perhaps he did indeed stage it rather than make it up entirely, and feared that the others involved would discover the deception?]

Do you expect me to believe there were two Obito Uchiha born and raised at the same time and you were the one killed, while the other is the one I know to have waged the Fourth Shinobi War? Surely I've never given you the impression that I would be so thick? Even Naruto wouldn't believe a story like that.

[He jerked back as though Neji had reached out and struck him, eyes going wide.]

What? You think what?

[Excuse him as his voice starts to go up in volume, though it hasn't yet hit loud enough to draw people to them. Yet.]

I WOULD NEVER DO THAT.

[His voice, on the contrary, remained the same volume. It was, however, saturated with irritation.]

Regardless of what you would do, the identity of the one who started the war is indisputable. [Konoha's intelligence was one he trusted implicitly. Inoichi and Shikaku would not have passed on unconfirmed information. Furthermore, it seemed Kakashi had gathered the information initially, and he too was not one to be doubted on the matter.] Have you stolen the name Obito Uchiha? If you have, I suggest you admit your true name now.

[His volume went up at first, before abruptly dropping off in misery.] Then clearly he's some other Obito or maybe he stole my name! I don't know, but I wouldn't do that. Won't do that.

No, no nonono. [He shook his head hard, a hand going up to scrub at his eyes immediately after as he felt wetness on his cheeks.]

Why would you- why?? You think I'm that kind of person?

Edited 2013-08-01 09:29 (UTC)

[Although he had a penchant for taking other names...Neji frowned once more. Anger should be his overriding emotion, and yet instead...he felt...disappointment.]

You named your pokemon Tobi. [There were only so many coincidences and similarities one could allow for before it became obvious to deny it would only be denying truth for a comfortable fantasy.

Should he do that, there would be no reason for him to have fought the Eye of the Moon plan at all.] One of the prior identities used by the masked ninja who started the war, assumed during his extermination of Jinchuuriki, was 'Tobi'.

[He stared at him, honestly at a loss for a beat, because he wasn't stupid, and he gave a watery laugh, shaking his head anyway.]

You're- you're basing this off the pokemon I named after the Nidaime? I have a Hashi too you know. [He closed his eyes for a moment though, shaking his head sharply.]

So you- you think I didn't die. I definitely thought I died. But you... don't. You think I.. what things are you even saying I did?

[His voice had gotten very quiet, and there was a bit of morbid curiosity fueling the questions, which were spoken somewhere between hollowly and with an edge of hurt.]

[Neji was neither as sadistic nor as cold as some might believe of him. It was...possible...somehow that this youth might not have intentionally lied. Perhaps the injuries warped his mind and changed him into the monster he later became...of course, perhaps he was letting feelings override reason once more in the case of this boy.

Still. He did not relish the sight of the young shinobi's hurt. Although...perhaps he should. One day, even if not today, he would cause mass slaughter. Even Neji's own death.]

It's not only that. Another thing you told me makes me more certain it was you. [...But at Obito's question, he hesitated a moment. Should he, in fact tell him?

...It wouldn't change anything, he supposed. Whether Obito knew or not he would do the same.] As I said. Obito Uchiha caused and waged the Fourth Shinobi war against the entirety of the Shinobi World in an attempt to capture and kill Naruto and the eight tails Jinchuuriki. Furthermore, he organized an international criminal organization of Shinobi meant to capture and kill the other Jinchuuriki.

His plan, it seems, was to create a world-wide genjutsu wherein everyone would live a 'dream' of paradise and 'peace' for eternity. He felt it was preferential to the harshness of reality.

[...In truth, he was no expert on the things Obito did personally. Someone such as Naruto would be more appropriate.]

In the war...by the time I arrived those of us shinobi killed in battle were...over fifty-thousand.

[...Yes. Those of 'us', because surely by now Obito had gathered what his own fate was?]

Edited 2013-08-01 10:09 (UTC)

[He stared at him, horrified and... seriously?]

But... that's a stupid plan. Everything you just said is completely moronic.

[Even with tears on his face, he still could not contain his sheer disbelieving incredulity. It was kind of overriding the hurt for the moment because what.]

I'm not calling you moronic by the way, but that plan is the stupidest idea I've ever heard. It sounds like something one of my cracked out genjutsu specialist cousins might have come up with.

Also, I'd have to go after Kushina-nee to even think about something stupid like that and I would never hurt her okay?!

[Kushina...the red haired woman who he'd ascertained was the wife of the Fourth Hokage while he was attempting to confirm Obito's identity? Perhaps...that had something to do with his change.

He shook his head, expression...faintly...sympathetic.]

...Shortly after I was born, the Nine Tails rampaged in the village and both Kushina and the Fourth Hokage were killed.

I know that. Naruto told me that. Earned himself a punch in the face when he made fun of me crying when I found out. [He grumbled a little and looked away, staring down and to the side, a frown firmly on his face now.]

Pieced together the whole massacre mess before I had it confirmed too so [He hitched up a shoulder somewhat helplessly, then gave a weak laugh.]

But I wouldn't. I really wouldn't do any of that. [His fingers moved to his pocket and he took out a tiny book, staring at a page inside it for a moment.]

I... I hope this wasn't in reference to all... this. [ He lifted his head after saying that, the tears coming back.]

So... that's why Sakura reacted like she did when I told her my name, right? I thought I just info overloaded her but... guess not.

[He closed the book in his hand, curling his fist around it and holding it over his heart.]

Even if... Even if that's all true, somehow. And it was some person who was supposed to be me... it's not me. I am Uchiha Obito, student of Namikaze Minato, someone whose nindo is helping people. [He lifted his chin, blinking away tears as he held his gaze.] Okay? Even if I- even if I'm somehow not dead, that person is not me.

[...Well. It was a relief at least that Obito already knew of that. It seemed he provided grim enough news already without carrying with it the news of the death of his sensei.

Still.

No.

He was sure. It couldn't be a different person. It couldn't be another Obito Uchiha. Even if somehow there were two...there was another piece of information he'd been given: further proof.

He set his jaw and forced himself to settle his gaze on the younger man.]

There's something else. The man identified as Obito Uchiha. Until the war, he operated exclusively behind a mask, concealing his true identity as he saw fit. The mask...had a distinctive trait to it. It was solid and opaque, impossible to see through either in or out except through the eye hole in it. It had only one eye.

No, no, you're misunderstanding me. Even if somehow that- that person has my face or body, he is. Not. Me.

[He rubbed his arm over his eyes and straightened his back, staring up into his face.] I am a good person. I don't want war, no matter what the reason is supposed to be.

I'm not going to- to just accept that I'm going to come back to life as some villain okay? I won't. I refuse. My comrades, my friends, are those most dear to me. I love my family. I love Konoha. I would not, will not, and never will accept that I would suddenly stop caring enough to do those terrible things, okay?

If that means I'm dead, like I thought I was, and it was a good death, a death to be proud of, dying to save someone I care about, then I am going to believe that, because I refuse to believe I live just to become a monster instead. If the body kept going that way, then obviously my spirit wasn't in it, and I don't know how that could happen, but- [He shook his head sharply.]

Okay?

Edited 2013-08-01 10:44 (UTC)

[...It's very similar to what Tenten said about Sasuke Uchiha. Yet it--it is in another way fundamentally different, he supposed. Not defying what happened as...much as decrying that version of himself. Arguing that it would happen would simply be cruel.

Instead, he frowned and glanced off into the gloom of an empty room of the hot springs. Perhaps an unused spring?

There wasn't much of an answer to be found. Instead he simply shook his head. Neji Hyuuga was experienced and capable of using words as weapons.

This, however...]

...I have nothing more to say.

Ain't no party like a ninja party

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