Show me the way

XXXV: Righteous anger

Shizuka sank to the floor. This was happening too soon. He wasn't ready yet, but Tobi was forcing him. The one thing Tobi could have taken to drive him over the edge and Tobi had done just that. Sheer panic was all he felt at the moment. There was no way he could face Obito and Madara already. He hadn't even had the chance yet to tell Kakashi Obito was still alive, but that he was the most dangerous enemy of the world as they knew it. How was this happening? Kakashi was supposed to be save, a mission within the borders of the Land of Fire, yet it was this close to home Shizuka's worst nightmare had manifested itself. How long had Kakadhi been trapped? A week? Two weeks? Maybe even longer. It was the fourth week of his mission, and Shizuka had no idea what the nature of the mission was. For all he knew, it was a small errant that should have been done in a few days, and Kakashi had been captured for three weeks...

His throat didn't seen to allow breathing. The room was too small, Konoha was too small, the Land of Fire was too small. Everything was losing its meaning, except the pure rage filling his core, replacing the panic and intertwining with an innate hatred he thought he bested long ago. Desperateness wrapped around him, chocking the little sanity he had left out of him. The world had just become too small to contain both him and Tobi, and either Tobi would fall, or he would.

Something stirred in his gut, reacting and fueling the rage and hatred, amplifying it until it was almost uncontrollable. Almost, but not quite. There was just enough of his sanity left to realise he was drawing Kurama back to him in his hatred. He was drawing Kurama out of Naruto, but he did not care. He didn't care he was killing his younger self, as long as he could make sure Kakashi would survive. It would solve a lot of problems anyway, and this way his death would be useful at least. This time's Kurama was wild and angry, twisting against yet another enforced imprisonment, only to find his new host completely capable of controlling him.

Shizuka's gut burned as the chakra forced its way inside, but he revelled in it. The raw power was what he needed right now. That unstoppable force would allow him to find his target, but he needed more. He needed it all. Nature would give all it has. No... He'd take from nature what he needed, whether or not it was willingly given.

The massive spike of chakra drew in every Shinobi nearby, wary of the trouble that suddenly appeared amidst them. But before any realised just what they were seeing, the bright source of light vanished from sight, leaving a dull emptiness where such a massive turmoil had been only a second before.

Jiraya, having taken his vow seriously, watched over Naruto as the boy lay writhing in his bed, his seal twisting and his body shaking. Naruto was in agony and Jiraya could only image the events that inspired Shizuka to pull the Kyuubi out in this fashion. There was no time to linger on that, though, and Jiraya started drawing a seal, trying to find a way to extend a Jinchuuriki's life after losing their Biju.

Shizuka didn't think before leaving. He only barely registered that he didn't know where Kakashi could be. The dark cave had given him little to go on, but at least he knew he was looking for an underground facility of some sort. The first location he thought of was the Gedō Mazō. The problem was, Pain summoned the statue to whatever location it was needed at that time, and Nagato was dead, leaving Shizuka little to go on.

He felt repulsed by himself. When had the life of one person started to outweigh the lives of many? What right did he have to throw everything to the wind just so he could save the one person he loved? The war had taught him it was foolish to rush into action over a single life, yet he was unable to withstand the need and ache in his heart for Kakashi. Even now, even after everything that had happened, he was selfish to a fault. Shizuka could only wonder the price he would have to pay this time. It was going to be steep, that much was sure. Unfair, even, because life was unfair.

It wasn't until early next morning that the frantic searching halted and Shizuka took enough time to breathe and think for a moment. Finding Tobi shouldn't be as hard as he made it to be. He just needed to remember Obito, and the rest would fall into place.

It was near the field where Rin had died that Shizuka picked up on Tobi's trail. The Nature chakra was pulled into an unnatural direction, and Shizuka was able to follow the flow to nearby caves.

He realised that Tobi was waiting for him. Tobi had made it easy for him to find him. That was Tobi's mistake. He underestimated Shizuka, and Shizuka would make sure he'd come to regret that mistake.

Silently, he approached what seemed to be the centre of the flow. He found wires and roots reminding him of the Shinju and the Zetsu. His stomach tightened at the idea of having to relive that all, but his current goal didn't allow him to wallow in self-pity.

"Tobi is glad you found us! And you were faster then we expected too." Tobi stood in the centre of the room. Behind him stood a statue reminiscent of the Gedō Mazō, but it was different, smaller. All the same, it seemed to be absorbing Nature chakra with a great thirst, leaving the direct surroundings lifeless and barren, while pulling in chakra from further away. Shizuka cocked his head. He didn't remember something like this. This must be one of the changes to the timeline caused by his actions. A revision in Madara's plan.

"I should introduce myself." Tobi started an unusual seriousness in his voice. " I am Uchiha Madara." Shizuka simply shook his head, almost rolling his eyes at the blatant lie he knew it was. For a second, Tobi seemed to be thrown off, but that didn't last long. With new resolve, he stood straight. "Right, I imagine you think you know all about me. You're wrong..."

Shizuka didn't wait for Tobi to finish his speech. Within a fraction of a second, he started a full-out battle. Like with all the Akatsuki members he had fought until now, Shizuka didn't need to test his opponent strengths, didn't need to look for weaknesses. He already knew them, and he knew how to take advantage of them.

The battle was quick and furious, with Tobi easily spurred on by Shizuka's relentless force. It seemed like they couldn't exchange two blows without the other ending up bashed against the cave walls.

Shizuka didn't have his full focus in the battle, though. He was feeling the area around him for Kakashi. The flow of Nature chakra made it difficult, but Shizuka found him quick enough nonetheless.

The first moment Tobi relented, Shizuka teleported to where Kakashi was. It was the same spacious cavern as Tobi had shown him, but Kakashi was sitting instead of laying in deadly silence. Shizuka couldn't help the breath of relief he let escape, but at the same moment, all his focus returned back to Tobi.

"Shizuka..." Kakashi breathed out behind him. Kakashi sounded so weak, but Shizuka didn't look back at him. He didn't want to give Tobi the chance to catch him off-guard. It hurt, and all he wanted was to hold Kakashi and make sure he was alright, but that wasn't an option right now.

Tobi appeared in the room. Neither of them looked worse for wear despite the number of blows already dealt to each other, except for the crack running through Tobi's mask. Anger filled Shizuka as he stared Tobi down. Even knowing the history, it was unforgivable. All the lives that were lost, all the suffering brought into the world in the years to come, they all had roots with Madara. Roots so strongly planted into Obito that there was scarcely a difference between them.

Shizuka knew, he knew Obito's mind could be changed, yet for the first time, he wanted to ignore the voices whispering that this person could be saved, that a life didn't have to end just because wrong decisions were made, but it was different now. A line was crossed. A boundary overstepped. Where Naruto would have fought for a peaceful solution to this problem, Shizuka was preparing himself to kill to ensure a longer-lasting peace then the momentary peace Naruto's method would have achieved. There was no compromise to be made, no other outcome then the silent promise Shizuka made when he left Konoha; either Tobi would fall, or he would.

If you liked this chapter, please leave a vote and comment!