Chapter 22: Eventide

It takes a moment for Kakashi to comprehend what Izuna had just said. Pein… Pein has lost? Looks like it's all up to me now, Kakashi thinks wryly. Responsibility has never been something he has relished and he knows how impossible this task is. Izuna's sharingan begins to glow and he sighs, "I have enjoyed our chat Kakashi… But I'm afraid I will be taking back Obito's gift. Sharingan are hard to come by, it's good to keep a spare handy."

With a blink Izuna is gone. Breathing hard Kakashi scans the room with his sharingan… then… Izuna suddenly materialises and his hand shoots out towards Kakashi's eye. Lightning reflexes save Kakashi and he slams down Obito's goggles over his eyes. Izuna's fingers crash into the plastic visor forcing Kakashi to skid back.

Cold, controlled rage fills Kakashi as cracks spider their way in the left corner of the goggles. "Bastard," he snarls. "Obito loved… No, he loves these goggles." Kakashi's sharingan begins to spin, forming a vivid shriuken shape. The tinted visor is temporary protection from Izuna's sharingan but Kakashi knows they won't be able to take another hit. But hopefully they'll buy him enough time to hit Izuna with this technique. It's something Kakashi has been developing over the five years though he knows overuse of it may kill him.

"Oh?" Izuna says sounding vaguely surprised. "This is a surprise. I see your sharingan has developed… I never thought someone who is not an Uchiha could gain so much control over the sharingan. No matter, I shall take it anyway."

Kakashi adjusts the goggles readying himself, drawing his father's blade. Izuna flashes to his left and Kakashi swerves the blade only to hit thin air. "It is impossible to hit me," Izuna states bluntly. "Especially with that technique you are preparing… Eyes of the same person shall always counter each other."

Then let's try my own modification, Kakashi thinks. Focusing hard, electricity begins to form in Kakashi's hands and it shoots down the blade forming a blinding layer. Instinct screams at Kakashi to swing the blade to the right. He does, only for it to slide through Izuna who had just materialised next to him.

That's it! Kakashi thinks as realisation hits him. "Eyes of the same person shall always counter each other." There must be a brief moment after materialisation when he becomes solid… If I can predict his movements…

"Obito!" Kakashi suddenly calls. "You said that your eye would help me predict the future… Let's do it together now…"

Izuna falters and yet again he touches the bandaged side of his face. Kakashi wastes no time. He hurls the blade at Izuna. Immediately Izuna vanishes and the blade clatters the ground. Concentrate… Concentrate… There! Kakashi draws Minato's knife and spins to strike the space behind him.

A faint hiss escapes Izuna's lips and he steps back. "It's impossible to hit you eh?" Kakashi raises an eyebrow as he surveys the large cut on the back of Izuna's hand.

"I wouldn't get too excited Kakashi," a soft voice whispers in his ear. Kakashi spins to see Izuna only inches away from him. Yet again Izuna disappears. Kakashi stares around the warehouse, straining his sharingan as he twirls Minato's knife. There! Kakashi's spins of his heel and throws the knife ninety-degrees to the right. Izuna vanishes yet again but Kakashi knows where he'll appear. Diving to the left Kakashi turns around, his hand outstretched. His fingers connect with Izuna's shirt and Kakashi grabs Izuna, dragging him forwards so their sharingan connect.

Twin sharingans, mirror reflections stare at each other. Both dilating as the users push their powers to the limit. Kakashi can feel the veins in his eye pulsating and a trail of blood trickles down his cheek. Obito I know you're in there, Kakashi thinks. There's no reply. All Kakashi can feel is the sickening aura of Izuna possessing Obito's body. The only way Kakashi can free Obito will have to be injuring him enough so Izuna leaves the body.

With his free hand Kakashi forces lightning to form in the palm. Fingers pointed, his raises hand aimed at Izuna's chest. "Forgive me Obito," Kakashi whispers.

He draws his arm back when suddenly he hears, "Kakashi?"

Kakashi's eyes widen and he falters. That voice…

Pain, indescribable pain floods through Kakashi. A small gasp escapes Kakashi and blood soaks his mask. Dazed, Kakashi jerks his head down to see his father's blade rammed through his chest.

"Naïve," Izuna says softly his voice now back to normal. "You are naïve Hatake Kakashi. Bonds are what cause wars and hatred… And it is your bonds with Obito, the ones you value so much, which have caused your end."

Izuna rips the blade away and Kakashi reels back clutching his wound. "Ironic is not Kakashi?" Izuna says raising the blade once more as he advances. "I believe Obito saved your life twice using this weapon… And now it shall kill you."

Kakashi's eyes begin to mist over as he desperately tries to remain standing. But it's impossible. His body feels like lead and Kakashi's knees hit the concrete. All he can do is watch helplessly.

This is the end Izuna a voice whispers. Kakashi hears the clang of metal hitting the floor and Izuna staggers back clutching his head.

That voice… Kakashi thinks. Is that? Pein?

Suddenly a scream of agony rips through the air as Izuna falls to the ground. Kakashi watches in amazement as a white presence begins to dismantle Izuna's very soul. He stares as Izuna's grip on Obito loosens. "Nagato," Izuna snarls. "You traitor!" This only urges the power of the rinnegan on and another groan of torture is forced from Izuna. Then… Izuna releases Obito and a rush of dark air escapes from his lips. Nagato's aura vanishes.

Suddenly the doors of the warehouse explode. Wood splinters everywhere and the alien glow of eventide hits Kakashi's face. "Kakashi!" A voice cries. Footsteps run towards him. For one moment Kakashi thought he had died and that it's Minato stepping out from the light. But it's not.

"Naruto?" Kakashi breathes. With a determined face that's the image of his father's Naruto runs over to his brother.

"Brothers…" A distant voice says. Kakashi looks up to see a dark swirling mass.

"What the…" Naruto says narrowing his eyes.

The mass begins to churn in the air until it forms the faint outline of a man. Slowly, the person begins to solidify. Izuna looks so much younger than Kakashi expected, he appears only to be in his late twenties or early thirties with black spiky hair that forcibly reminds Kakashi of Sasuke. But it's clear that Izuna is only a shadow of who he used to be. A vivid scar runs across his face and Izuna's left arm hangs uselessly by the side. Crippled and his hand has several fingers missing. But it's the eyes that hold Kakashi's attention. They're blind, unseeing but there's so much emptiness inside them that Kakashi's feels as if he's looking at a soulless apparition. Maybe that's all what's left of Izuna.

"It seems that I've finally reached my limit," Izuna says dryly and he holds up his good hand. Kakashi stares as Izuna's fingers slowly begin to disintegrate into dust. "Looks like I underestimated Nagato."

"Who are you?" Naruto cries clenching his fists. Izuna studies Naruto for a long time with his misty eyes to the point the Kakashi doesn't think that he will answer.

But he does. As Izuna's body crumbles away he whispers, "Who am I? … Who knows… Who knows…?" And with that Izuna is gone.

Kakashi's wound takes control and he groans with agony as blood coats the ground. Naruto swears when he sees this.

"Naruto! Naruto!" A girl's voice calls. Kakashi hears the thundering of feet as more people enter the warehouse.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto says. "Quick over here! Kakashi's needs help." The world becomes a blur as Kakashi is laid a makeshift stretcher. The words Naruto is relating to the others sounds tinny and distant.

As Sakura performs the necessary first-aid on Kakashi he suddenly groans, "… No… Obito… Obito… Is he alive?"

Each breath Kakashi takes is excruciating and he can feel himself dipping in and out of consciousness. But he needs to know. He needs to know if Obito is alive and is indeed Obito. There are more heavy footfalls and then Obito, who's on a stretcher, is place next to Kakashi. His breathing laboured and vision blurred it takes every ounce of effort for Kakashi to tilt his head to look at his friend. Obito's eyes are closed.

Damn it… Kakashi thinks and a single tear escapes. Damn it…

Suddenly a whoosh of air escapes Obito's lips and his eye opens. "Kakashi?" Obito croaks and a weak grin fills his face. "You… Got something in your eye?"

Kakashi smiles and the tears only increase. "Yeah…" He breathes as darkness begins to take over. "… That's right."

A fortnight later

The remaining Akatsuki members sit around the circular table in silence. It's been the first time they had met up all together since Nagato's funeral. Without Nagato and Konan and also Zetsu who mysteriously escaped the group feels strangely empty.

Kakashi leans backs in his chair looking at his friends. Both Sasori and Deidara are staring out of the window with distant faces. Hidan and Kakuzu appear resigned as the sit in their chairs as they wonder what fate the remaining council members have in store for them. Kisame is leaning his elbows staring into space with an uncharacteristically serious look. Itachi who's still recuperating from his injuries, is sitting in his wheelchair. If Kakashi didn't know better he would have said that the Uchiha is asleep.

As the city slowly rebuilds itself Jiraiya and the other remaining council members have summoned the Akatsuki members to their old school, which has been transformed into a temporary headquarters for the council.

"Did… Any of you know that he had a brother?" Kakuzu voices finally. "Ame Yahiko?" Everyone shakes their head and Itachi doesn't even bother to open his eyes. The air is filled with so many emotions that Kakashi finds it slightly hard to breathe.

"We'll see them again," Kakashi suddenly says and the rest of Akatsuki look at him. "Pein... I mean Nagato and Konan. We'll see them again. Akatsuki will be reunited one day." Smiles flick onto his friends faces and air becomes lighter from Kakashi's words.

Suddenly the door opens and they jerk their heads upwards. Kakashi's eyes widen and he says "Obito?"

Obito flashes Kakashi a grin as he leans on his crutches. "Hey," he smiles.

"Didn't think you'd get fucking dragged in here too," Hidan says pulling up a chair. "Thought they were still doing tests on you."

"Shizune released me for a while," Obito shrugs as he sits down between Hidan and Kakashi.

A sudden mischievous gleam fills his eye when he sees his sleeping cousin. Amused Kakashi watches as Obito waves a hand in front of Itachi and leans forwards to jab him when Itachi suddenly says, "don't even think about it." Obito rolls his eyes and Hidan laughs. The rest watch with smiles. Even when Obito was Tobi he could ease the mood among the Akatsuki members and now that Obito's back it only takes a couple of seconds for people to start smiling.

The door opens again and a secretary summons the Akatsuki members to the staffroom that is now the main council room. The friends file in in one long line that reminds them all too much of their school days. Homura, Koharu and Jiraiya survey them with grave faces. "Akatsuki," Jiraiya says. "First, we would like to thank you. You have saved the city twice now, consider yourself heroes."

Kakashi doesn't feel much like a hero. He simply stares at the council members waiting for them to continue. "However, some of you are also criminals," Koharu says and she stares hard at Hidan and Kakuzu. "Hidan, you are responsible for the murder of Sarutobi Asuma. Kakuzu you are responsible for the murder of Gekko Hayate. Therefore due to these unspeakable crimes we hereby exile you from the city."

Kakashi's stomach clenches and he closes his eye briefly. It's to be expected however Kakashi wishes there is another way. Hidan and Kakuzu merely nod as if they expected this. "We understand," Kakuzu says.

"We'll give you tonight to say your goodbyes," Homura adds. Hidan and Kakuzu nod their thanks.

"Hey Kakuzu," Hidan says. "We can go visit those weirdoes we met in the mountains. You remember that guy who fucking rapped everything he said?"

"He's even stranger than you," Kakuzu adds. The two then excuse themselves so they can go and pack.

"Wait," Kisame says suddenly. "I would like to go with them… I'll take my cousin Suigetsu with me… It'll probably do him good to get away from the city and I would like to see this town he keeps telling me about. I won't be leaving forever," he quickly adds as Itachi glances at him.

Jiraiya smiles and says, "then you can be part of our team we wish to form to establish contact with the outside world. Just like Hashirama's brother started."

Kisame grins and heads out of the room to tell Hidan and Kakuzu. Koharu's eyes then fall upon Sasori and Deidara. "Deidara you are responsible of the destruction of the city hall, so you are to take part in the re-construction of the city. Sasori you are also to oversee this with your architectural skills." Deidara groans.

"But," Jiraiya grins at Deidara. "We're also are electing you and Sasori to be in charge of the festival that is to take place on the 1st December, to celebrate the fall of the tower." Deidara's face brightens considerably at this.

"Obito," Homura says. "The tests have found that your mind is no longer infected by Izuna and that you are perfectly sane now. You're free to do as you please."

"Nice way of putting it," Obito mutters and Kakashi smiles.

"And Itachi," Koharu says. "We wish to nominate you as a council member." Not too surprised Kakashi glances at the Uchiha who finally opens his eyes.

He stares unblinkingly at her for several seconds with blind eyes and says, "no. All I wish is to be with my brother as he rehabilitates. The truth of our family's deaths has… It will take him a long time to come to terms with the truth."

And with that he wheels out of the room leaving everyone's stunned. "I'll see if I can change his mind," Kakashi tells them and he follows Itachi. It takes a while for Kakashi to find Itachi in the school but he finally does outside where they used to sit as a group.

"I will not change my mind Kakashi," Itachi says as he approaches. Kakashi sighs and wonders how Itachi knew it was him. A soft breeze ruffles Kakashi's hair and Itachi says, "thank you for talking to my brother... I wanted him to grow strong, to be able to surpass me..."

"He'll start talking to you," Kakashi says, grimacing slightly as he remembers telling Sasuke the truth. "When are you allowed to start walking again?"

"In a week or so, Shizuna-san thinks I would have regained my strength," Itachi says closing his eyes. There's silence again as the two friends stare at the school. Briefly Kakashi touches the cracked orange goggles around his neck. Obito had insisted that Kakashi keeps them. He had mentioned something about getting a new pair and even said about being goggle buddies... Kakashi sincerely hopes he had been joking.

"You will be a great member of the council," Itachi says opening his eyes. "You are the hero the everyone will appreciate… I shall be the hero Shisui always dreamed of. A shadow protecting the city." Itachi gives Kakashi one of his rare smiles and Kakashi returns it, knowing from that strange cryptic answer that Itachi has just said he'll be there to help if Kakashi ever needs it.

"Kakashi!" He turns to see Jiraiya and Obito walk over.

"What we were going to tell you is that you've been elected to be a councillor too," Jiraiya grins. "Congratulations." Kakashi pales slightly at the thought of heavy responsibility. Seeing this Jiraiya adds, "Kakashi we need you as a role model for the next generation. Naruto and his friends are coming along nicely but people like you, Obito and Itachi need to guide them. Maybe then we can find a way to break the cycle."

"In other words," Obito says grinning and he claps a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Welcome to a life of paperwork!"

Tobi's Modification: I actually have thought up an explanation as to why he's lived for such a long time, it included the enzyme telomerase but then I didn't know how to fit it in and to be honest I didn't want to go all transhumanist on you... And also I dropped biology after my GCSEs (1 and a half years ago) so my science knowledge is pretty bad. All the theoretical science waffle is from my science friends who are applying to vet and med school and also from the book "An Optimist's Tour of the Future" by Mark Stevenson (possibly the funniest non-fiction book ever). So I'm very sorry if some of explanations seemed a bit bad...

Anyway, that's it! Thank you to Chair, Domino. necklace, PaInTiNg-ThE-aPocAlYpCe and Prescripto13 for reviewing this fic, and of course thank you to all of you who have faved, followed and read this :) I hope you liked it, let me know if it was better or worse than Daybreak. If you have any constructive criticism fire away. I'm just hoping it was better grammatical error wise...

I'm going to go away for a bit because my brain feels like porridge at the moment... But I will be back because I have so many ideas my head hurts (this is why I wish I had a pensive) and I'm going to find some poor Beta to bounce ideas off.

Thanks again :)

Voiceofsummer.