V.1-C.14│Developments IV│

That same rainy day had turned into night, as the full moon was high in the sky.

The clouds didn't obscure anything, and the moon was completely full, and ominous. It's light, a reflection of the sun's light, completely covering the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

It was the night time now, if one couldn't tell by the moon high in the sky, then they should be able to tell by the darkness of the night.

The stars above painted a pretty dark picture, given they were not as bright as they would usually be.

Within the Hatake household, Kakashi was having a little trouble falling asleep, as the atmosphere was not exactly something great. He had a terrible feeling that something bad was about to happen.

A premonition of sorts, warning him of what was to come as it continued to rain outside, and still surprisingly the clouds didn't impede the moons light at all.

Kakashi thought of Obito, and his strange behavior that day. It felt as if he was being studied in a way, but at the same time he had the strangest of feelings that Obito somehow knows of him.

Knows about him.

Obviously, Kakashi had barely any interactions with said boy within the classroom, and outside that was the only time he had initiated anything with him.

It made him wonder just what was going on, but he had placed those thought to the back of his head as he thought about other things in relation to the academy.

Having joined at four years of age, just like Obito, it had almost been a full three years since then and Kakashi is now seven years of age.

At the top of the class, Kakashi would soon be leaving the ninja academy and the friends he had made here.

In the Academy, Kakashi earned top grades, earning him recognition as a prodigy and the best of his generation. Ultimately, he became very popular amongst his peers.

'Well, I'm not the only one recognized as the best of my generation...' Kakashi thought as he remembered Obito Uchiha, a particularly strange individual.

He was.... popular as well... In a certain way, but most certainly he wasn't as sought after as Kakashi is by others. Instead, it only seemed like Obito was someone that was selectively good with others, including himself.

Kakashi thought of the guy as lazy, but at the same time he recognized his potential much more than he recognized Might Guy's, whom hadn't passed the first entrance exam for the academy. He couldn't do Ninjutsu, and Kakashi even thought a little bit less of the boy.

That was until he was reprimanded by his father that is, and he remembered that he may have to look beneath the beneath again. Which again reminded him of the enigma known as Obito Uchiha.

While true that Kakashi is considered up there, that is because he is talented and skilled enough to be considered above and beyond most if not all of his peers.

That said, Kakashi considered what Obito Uchiha would do. Kakashi was clearly preparing to graduate from the academy soon enough, but that didn't mean his fellow 'prodigy,' Obito was looking to do the same.

If anything, Kakashi hadn't seen much initiative on Obito's part and he seemed to spend most of his time just sleeping. 'Which kind of reminds me of what my father is going through...' It was strange to think about how Obito may be going through a time like his father.

He could connect the dots from the strangeness, but he wasn't quite sure what to think of both things. Even still, he didn't believe Obito was suffering like his father was.

A crash was heard within his home, alerting Kakashi as he woke up with his distinct mask not on his face. He immediately got up, and even moved past said article of clothing, and immediately hide himself within the shadows of the house.

The only lighting came from the various windows throughout his home, all from the moonlight. The rain had even stopped, no longer was there any other sound to get in the way of his hearing.

Moving slowly, he thought this situation was looking bad, before another sound was heard.

Footsteps within another room, specifically the living room that didn't have much of anything within.

A large window was there. The moonlight shone through it, creating a pattern that followed the layering of the window.

His eyes widening, Kakashi stepped forward and went towards his father that lay on the ground. "Father!" He had a bad feeling, and as he stepped closer he was able to see something a child shouldn't see.

Any child shouldn't see really. Even those that are older than him, and even further than that, not any adult should even be exposed to. It was not a nice sight.

Sakumo, Kakashi's father was bleeding. He had taken a tanto blade and stabbed it into his abdomen, falling to the ground as a small amount of blood started to accumulate beneath him.

'W-What...?' Kakashi didn't know what to do as he stand there, and as his father lays there. He was thoughtless, not even checking whether or not he was still alive in this moment.

That is when another person appeared in front of him, shocking Kakashi that the person in front of him was someone he knew of.

"Don't worry. He is still alive, but if you or I do nothing, he will not survive." It was Obito, whom had his Sharingan eyes active as he said this, before he bent down in front of Kakashi's father and activated a technique that Kakashi knows about.

'Mystical Palm Technique!' How could he not recognize this, as it was used by ninja medics within Konohagakure.

A green glow surrounded Obito's hands as he placed it around Sakumo's wound. "Well!? What are you waiting for!? Go and get some help! I can only do so much..." Obito seemed to be struggling a bit as he said this, prompting Kakashi to wake up and nod his head seriously.

Never mind having questions right now, or being dumbfounded at what is happening. He needed to help save his father! Kakashi left to go and get some help, as Obito was slowly healing the self inflicted wound of Sakumo.

While Obito did understand how to use said technique, and was able to use it, that didn't mean he was the best at using it at this moment. His chakra control was pretty good, having already reached an adequate level to use the technique, but he wouldn't be able to just do about anything he would like.

Sakumo was unconscious as Obito worked on healing him, but Sakumo did start to regain some consciousness.

Through bleary eyes, Sakumo was able to see the person saving him. He saw their red eyes, eyes of the Sharingan and their small frame in comparison to his own, and Sakumo didn't know what to think.

"W-Why... Why are you s-saving me?" Sakumo asked Obito.

Obito looked at him with those eyes, and there seemed to be something within them past everything else. "I don't need a reason to save you. I just need to, and that is it." Obito replied.

The wound was healing nicely, but from the amount of blood on the ground, Sakumo had lost a lot of blood.

A short while later, Kakashi had managed to get someone's attention, which happened to get the attention of one of Sakumo's friends. He would take Sakumo to the hospital, while Kakashi would follow along with Obito.

Obito had done most of the main work, fixing the internal damage and now the doctors were having a better look at the man, while Obito and Kakashi were now waiting outside the operation room.

It wouldn't be long, but Kakashi could finally start talking again, and he had questions for Obito. "How did you know?" Kakashi asked as he head was lowered.

"Know what?" Obito asked back.

"Know that my father was going to-..." He stopped there, not wanting to say anything more.

"I didn't know. I just happened upon something strange I picked up within my senses. I was training at the time, and this happened..." Obito didn't exactly come up with the best excuse, but it worked enough for now.

It would definitely be somewhat suspicious for Kakashi later on, and maybe even others, but it wasn't like Obito was lying.

Obito was smart enough to leave behind evidence of his late night training for the longest time now, with having others happen to come across him doing so. It wasn't just his own nightmares, nor was it even his want to become stronger.

It was just something that happened to coincide with his current situation, and in a way, he was lucky enough for this excuse to be passable to those older.

There was silence after Obito's words, and soon after a person had made themselves known. "Obito?" It was Mikoto Uchiha. "You don't have to explain here and now. Kakashi Hatake, I will be taking Obito now. Goodbye."

Mikoto took Obito and lugged him over her shoulder, before disappearing, leaving Kakashi there to sit alone and await the results.

[]

"All right mister. You got some explaining to do." Mikoto was not exactly threatening or anything, but this was yet another incident that Obito had managed to implant himself into, whether that be knowingly or unknowingly, he was making moves that were watched.

Mikoto understood this better now herself, with knowing about his current status and his current talent being something at the forefront of the current Hokage's mind, and on the mind of Fugaku Uchiha as well.

"Eh... Well, you see..." Obito awkwardly laughed as he explained himself to her, which while she wasn't all too convinced by everything, as it was too coincidental and perfect, there was just no flaw in the process of events that lead Obito getting himself into this mess.

"Right..." Sighing, Mikoto held a hand to her face, before sitting down on the couch behind her. "You are a troublemaker... I should've listened to Granny Masumi some more." Mikoto wasn't regretting taking Obito with her.

She was regretting not listening to the older woman to look out for Obito's antics.

He was unpredictable, seemingly able to do things that shouldn't happen, even if they could. "Huh?" Obito titled his head in a cute way, not having heard what she had heard.

Seeing this, Mikoto could only smile helplessly as her thoughts were stopped at his face. 'What a cute fellow...' The fire she held for him was growing by the day, and his actions only fueled her fire to get stronger than what she is now.

She knew of the Sharingan, and knew of the Mangekyo Sharingan as well, having unlocked both of these things. 'I guess I could just continue on my path now...' As she was thinking, Obito had come up to her and started to hug her.

A warmth blossomed within herself, as Obito had seemingly decided he wanted to cuddle with her.

It only took a few minutes later until Obito had fallen asleep in her embrace, leading to Mikoto to smile as she picked him up gently and placed him within his bedroom.

She wondered just what went through his mind sometimes, and really wondered if he was blessed by lady luck or something. While she may not consider someone that believes in supernatural things much, there was the fact that Obito was able to get himself into these situations and come out just ok.

Whether that be because he was just capable, or he somehow had some sort of protective guardian angel looking out for him.

Turning around, her face took on a contemplative expression, as she thought of tonight's events that had transpired. She had just come back from a mission, a mission that saw her outside of Konoha and thrown back into the war.

Causing bloodshed and all, she is no stranger to the darkness of the shinobi world. Even Kushina was someone that has been exposed to the darkness of the shinobi world, and it pained Mikoto to know that Obito was already exposed to it as well.

Coming out, she headed back towards the living room, and it was there that she saw a hungry and tired Kushina rummaging around for some food.

"And what are you doing?" Mikoto asked her, making Kushina freeze as she turned around with a face that showed she was caught in an awkward situation.

"Ehe... nothing...?" Kushina had a cute, dumb expression on her face as she said this.

"I mean what were you doing when it was your turn to look after Obito." Mikoto and Kushina had agreed to take turns in being with Obito, but it seemed like Kushina was still a bit irresponsible.

"W-What do you mean? I just went out to go and get myself some ramen, and you know how Obito wanted to train some more and all, so..." Kushina tried to explain.

"So...?" Mikoto didn't get angry, not really, but she was a bit distressed at what happened when no one was keeping an eye on the troublesome brat known as Obito Uchiha.

"D-Did something happen?" Kushina asked, as she placed everything down. "Did something happen to Obito?"

"Yes..." As Mikoto said this, Kushina reacted with some worry on her face, but the next second. "... and no." Kushina sighed a breath of relief, but confusion had shown on her face.

"What do you mean, yes and no?" Kushina asked, her violet eyes now regaining the same worrying look, but her face not nearly as expressive.

"Obito..." Mikoto would then explain the situation around what had happened, and how that her irresponsibility had lead to something like this.

But Mikoto couldn't blame Kushina in full, as she knew the characteristics of Kushina. Mikoto had even found out that Obito had either knowingly or unknowingly bribed Kushina with ramen by giving her some money.

Of course, Kushina was a bit embarrassed to find she may have been tricked but at the same time, things were just too perfect. How did Obito know of Sakumo Hatake's apparent suicide attempt?

Putting that aside, Kushina would now take on a more responsible approach in looking over Obito and what he wanted to do. After all, there were still a lot of mysteries surrounding him already, not even taking into account everything else that has happened.

"Never mind. I'm going to bed." Mikoto would hit the sack.

"Ok... You do that. Goodnight." Kushina smiled as she said this, with Mikoto replying in kind, as Mikoto didn't realize that Kushina had snuck off into Obito's bedroom to lie down with him.

In the end, it wouldn't matter though.

Kushina and Mikoto had already come to terms with each others attachment to Obito.