Hope Flies on Wind-bent Wings

even a knife has two sides

Tobi kept running.

But he knew it was only a matter of time. He couldn't outrun Minato while carrying someone else.

"We don't have much of a head start," Tobi said dryly. He could tell his younger self was still dazed. "You can use it, can't you? Will you help me or not?"

Obito looked around as much as he could. They were in a dense part of the forest, trees whizzing by as Tobi ran along the ground. "I don't even know how you guys got here! How did Minato-sensei find out? What did you do?"

"I told him. I realized Madara must be in possession of the book, so I came here as quickly as I could. I left sensei a wide trail to follow. But I didn't know you were going to jump in first! All of you could have been killed!"

Obito looked aghast. Tobi tried to reign in his temper. Provoking guilt wouldn't help win his other self's cooperation, and right now, that was critical.

"I planned on having him see for himself. I thought he wouldn't believe me otherwise," Tobi explained as quickly as he could. "I removed my mark to ensure he wouldn't catch up instantly. But when I saw what was happening, I took one of his daggers from a storage scroll and threw it down. Does that answer your question?"

"What're you trying to do now—?"

Tobi stopped abruptly when one of those daggers hit the ground in front of him, sinking into the grass. He pivoted on one foot to dodge around the nearest tree. The blade in Minato's hand glanced off it, slicing through the bark and slightly disrupting the weapon's arc. Tobi let out a hiss of pain when the steel bit into the human side of his neck. He spun around to a larger tree nearby and pressed his back to it.

He felt blood trickle down into his collar. He'd avoided the worst of it by dodging. The stolen flak vest hadn't been of much help.

Tobi looked around the shady forest, tense. It would take much more than a scratch to kill him, but Minato seemed to think a one-hit kill was worth trying.

"Generous of you, giving me time to react," Tobi said. "I suppose like the Sandaime, there are some faces you can't bear to turn your blade against."

There was a sharp thud of metal against wood. Tobi looked down at the dagger embedded in his chest.

Only it wasn't really.

Obito held on to the front of his cloak with both hands. He glared up at Tobi with his Sharingan activated.

Tobi stepped backward through the tree and out the other side, leaving the dagger behind.

Minato appeared in front of him, but this time he didn't attack. He had one dagger in each hand and and stood ready, poised and tense, but his hesitation was unmistakable.

Tobi could see it in his eyes. Minato was deeply afraid.

"This situation does bring back memories," Tobi said. "Rethink the choice to attack first and ask questions later. Can we talk? I have a proposition you might be interested in."

"Let him go." Minato shifted his stance, adjusting the grip on his knives. He glanced at Obito then back up at Tobi again.

"I'd rather not. I have no intention of harming Obito, but I do want a chance to speak. Here, I will set him down. Can you stand?" he asked Obito.

"I... I think so," he said warily.

Tobi lowered Obito until his feet were on the ground. They both stood. Obito, to his credit, continued holding on to Tobi's arm. But it was clearly meant to hold himself steady as much as it was to prevent them from fighting.