Purifying the Impure

The battlefield of a war was one of the multiple places Kakashi wished he would never have to return to in what should have been the upcoming generations of peace.

Something he had not deemed possible was how worse it had become this time. 

The bloodshed had gone from Obito lying under a rock with death mere centimetres away from him to the latter being the one who started this. 

This being him staring up from his kneeling position at the 17 year old wearing his student’s face, not a flicker of what he used to be – a boy who, while not showing it, cared deeply about his teammates to the point he’d lay his life down for them – appearing in any way. 

This being his two other students injured, beaten and close to dying behind him at the hand of the person they had wanted to save so much it destroyed their will to fight. This being the entire shinobi alliance, 80,000 armed, trained and adequate people, being brought to their knees by the mere numbers of 3 Uchihas. 

(Imagine what the whole clan would have been able to do. Danzo was right to have them subdued, but not to steal their sharingan or murder them all.)

Naruto and Sakura’s breaths were heavy; their panting loud and painful sounding. Normally he’d be concerned over that fact, however now he was nothing but grateful now. It was proof they were still alive. 

He didn’t dare look around and face them, not wanting to see anything close to the disbelief he knew would be presented on their faces despite the fact that Sasuke had already tried to kill them more than a couple of times before. 

The one in question’s expression was utterly blank, his eyes cold. His eyebrows had been raised questionably at Kakashi’s narrowed glare and it only added to the cold fury the copy-nin was feeling more so. 

He was famed for being calm and rational even in the height of depressive moments. For him to be genuinely sweeping with rage was something close to unheard of. The boy in charge of his uncharacteristic emotions looked at something behind him, his lips suddenly pursing.

With a heavy sigh he materialised to the spot where he had been focusing on and Kakashi’s heart threatened to stop at the sound of chidori chirping and a sudden shell-shocked gasp.

His head turned around slowly, being met with the sight of Sakura’s bloodied lips moving, uttering the words;

“Sas…uke?"

The jounin’s mind fell apart. The vibrant pink hair was replaced by a chestnut brown. The terrified green eyes turned into dark hazel. 

(“Kak…ashi,”) 

Sakura fell to the ground with a gaping hole in her chest, impaled by the jutsu he himself had taught the other. Naruto was yelling– no, screaming. His eyes had a pulsing red at the edge of him but the moment Sasuke turned to look at him it vanished humiliatingly. 

“The sharingan can control the Kyuubi. You trying to take its power is no use.”

His voice was unwavering and devoid of emotion as if he had simply scribbled on the wall rather than killed one of his teammates, his comrade, his friend. 

This was not the same Uchiha Sasuke who had given up his lunch for a starving Naruto tied to a tree despite the threat of never being a ninja if he did so. This was far from the same Uchiha Sasuke who had once jumped in front of over 30 needles to save the life of the same person nor was he anywhere near the Uchiha Sasuke who carried on fighting to protect Sakura when she was almost crushed by Gaara despite knowing there was high chance the curse mark would kill him if he did.  

Perhaps Orochimaru had taken over Sasuke’s body, after all. Kakashi decided he despised whoever this new imposter is with every fibre of his body. He hated this person so much it was second to nobody but himself. 

Because it was him, after all, who killed Rin. Who drove Obito into madness, who allowed Naruto to be treated like vermin by the village and didn’t reach out to help Sasuke when he was still under his care and innocent.

Who taught him the jutsu which ended up claiming the lives of an uncountable amount of people because he did and who failed to save Sakura from being one of them. 

He is now failing to save Naruto who had fallen prey to the same merciless arm of chidori which at this point is stained with one half of Team 7’s blood.

Anger washed over and flooded the blonde’s expression and he spat at his friend killer’s face, snapping a curse as he did so.

Sasuke remained unfazed, simply shaking the other of his arm and letting him drop unceremoniously. Kakashi felt all breath leaving him at how similar the newly 17 year old looked to Minato-sensei as he lay dead on the rocky ground. 

“I suppose Tobi would want the finishing blow with you,” Sasuke said, looking at his former sensei with not even a flicker of remorse or recognition. 

As if being summoned, Obito’s scarred face appeared from the other side as he walked over to stand beside the boy. He looked down at the corpses of Naruto and Sakura and hummed in satisfaction. 

“All the remaining tailed beasts have been extracted,” He said as he nodded at Sasuke. “You’ve done well. Madara will soon unleash the infinite tsukuyomi. You’ll see your brother again very soon.” 

It suddenly occurred to Kakashi why the other was doing all this in the first place. Retaliation sparked in his mind amidst the shock and denial and he opened his mouth to counter. 

“Do you think Itachi will be happy with everything you’ve done?!” He shouted and for the first time a hint of emotion sparked on Sasuke’s face – rage – before it was diminished as if it were never there. 

His control over his feelings had changed drastically since their last rather recent meeting. Kakashi would be proud if this was some other (any other) occasion. 

“Because I’m sure you understand him so well,” Sasuke replied coolly before inclining his head towards Obito and walking away with an unreadable expression. 

Kakashi stared at the retreating figure blankly and he registered how he had never seen the uchiwa fan crest on the other’s back looking so tattered and dirty. There was something hideously metaphorical about that observation. 

He parted his lips behind his mask to speak.

“Obi—” 

“Shut up,” the other interrupted before he could complete his name. His face was twisted and it looked as if he was speaking on something between immense delight and fury. “You made me the way I am, you have no right to speak and address me so familiarly.” 

What would Rin do if she looked at him now, Kakashi thought. Would she blame him like the man who loved her, or would she blame herself by jumping in front of his chidori?

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything,” He whispered and he slowly closed his dark right eye so that he was looking at his former friend with his sharingan only. 

“I’m not in the position to make demands but please, take your eye back and then kill me.”

Obito’s voice shook as he spoke. With every passing word the reality of who this man really was sook in further. 

“My ideal vengeance would be making you suffer in a way you’d regret you were ever born,” He said, as if that was something Kakashi didn’t already wish to the heavens for. “ But we have no time. Your student whom I have done more than you ever have for has a dream waiting for him. And so do I.” 

Obito’s fastly approaching figure, a sharp pain in his chest and blood dribbling past his lips was the last thing he saw and felt before everything faded into black. 

—

Kakashi found himself floating in a seemingly endless abyss of darkness. What he had hoped for was a quick death where he would think of nothing. Instead he was greeted by his senses alert and high with thoughts that were racing piling up over one and other. 

He supposed this was what he deserved; a shortage of peace even after death. 

That thought was proven wrong. 

“You humans and your self-pity.” 

Kakashi’s breath escaped him at the sound of an ethereal voice and his head turned slowly, wide black eyes meeting the grey ones of a woman who was so beautiful he found he couldn’t look away. 

“Who are you?” He asked, voice echoing along the halls upon halls of murkiness. 

“Guess,” She replied smoothly.

The man stared her up and down, lips pursing on full display as his mask was nowhere to be seen. As he took in every feature of the woman the only fact that he could gather was how she was definitely not a mere mortal — she was here after his death, a goddess, perhaps. 

She hummed, almost as if she could hear his thoughts and was agreeing with them. “You’re right on that,” A small and almost sad smile curved on her face at the other’s bemused expression. “My name is Amaterasu.”

Shock grew in his chest at the name. He had learned all about her, the mother of the Uchihas who had gifted them with their eyes, from Minato after he had been given the sharingan.

(“Fugaku-san might have allowed you to keep Obito’s eye, but there’s no saying what the other Uchihas may do. You should at least know their Gods and who they show gratitude towards if you want less hostility on your plate.”)

Frankly, Kakashi hadn’t cared what the clan thought of him and even less so about the supposed ‘Gods’ which he hadn’t even believed in at the time. He had the sharingan to respect his friend’s last wishes and nothing else. Now that he knew the said friend was still alive and despised him he felt the violent urge to rip the eye out of its wrongful socket. 

Despite this, he still felt rather amazed as he stood in the presence of the being. 

“I am a Hatake. Why are you here after my passing?” He asked, tone polite and questioning. 

“You are not one of my children,” She agreed, “But you’re the only one who can help me.”

“Help?” His face was of utter confusion and Amaterasu actually let out an airy laugh at it. 

“Me? I’m nothing but a humble man. How can I help you?” 

“That’s the thing, Hatake-kun. You’re too humble. So humble you forget the impact you have on my children’s lives.” 

The use of the honourific surprised him and the statement that followed was baffling. 

“I’m… sorry?” 

“Uchiha Sasuke,”

He immediately stiffened at the increasingly familiar name. “What about him?” 

“He is the last of the clan, my only child left. Madara and Obito betrayed us long ago — but he still has hope. I am to send you back in time and you will be tasked with preventing him from walking down the path of darkness.” 

The weight of the words she was saying unbalanced him and he blinked several times to prevent his eyes from widening or furrowing disdainfully.

“With all due respect, I am sure I can help Obito and by doing so all ofthe Uchihas, including Sasuke, will be saved.”

“No,” Amaterasu replied so firmly that any thoughts of protesting escaped Kakashi’s mind before they had even registered. “He is someone fated to be in darkness. Sasuke has morals, and as his sensei you are the only one who can ensure they stay.”

Despite every fibre of Kakashi’s brain telling him to argue, defend his former teammate from her harsh claims and try any way to get her to accept him saving him, he forced himself to nod.

Amaterasu was a Goddess. She knew best. It hurt to admit it even in the folds of his mind, and there was a chance she was putting it there, but it was still a truthful fact. 

Sasuke wasn’t the first Uchiha he’s failed, nor was he the second. But he would make sure that would only be so in this timeline. 

“I accept,” He said. 

A genuine smile formed onto the other’s face and she bowed causing Kakashi to feel slightly self-conscious at the way an all-powerful entity was showing him respect when he had done nothing to deserve it. 

“Very well. I shall send you back to when you are assigned to be his teacher,” As she spoke the words she grew closer to him and sudden drowsiness engulfed his body. Just as before darkness clouded his vision and he found himself falling, senses becoming blocked but only after Amatarasu had whispered a sharp and patronising command in his ear. 

“Do not fail me, Hatake Kakashi.” 

—

The Jounin woke up in a room that was all too familiar. 

He scrambled out of bed, staring out of his window at the clear skies and meadows, so innocent looking and sporting none of all the bloodshed that would one day be spilt on it. 

Had Kakashi not been the hardened ex-anbu captain and infamous copy-nin, he might have cried. 

The blood of his fellow shinobi were no longer colouring his body now that he was freshly back in time yet he still took a shower, scrubbing his skin until it was raw as he had done years ago after Rin’s death and he was haunted by nightmares. 

He straightened his mask and stared at his appearance in the mirror with his sharingan spinning lazily in his left eye. 

He had the Mangekyou, a fact he had not been aware of for the majority of his life, but whether he had the chakra reserves to actually use it in this period was something he was not sure of. 

(Obito’s Mangekyou, Obito’s Uchiha-chakra reserves. Obito disguised as Tobi, alive and despising him at this exact moment.)

Amatarasu hadn’t told him what would become of the powers and accelerated chakra he picked up on between this time and the war, all she had said was how he would be returning to when Team 7 was first formed. He remembered being drastically late to it and the three genins being the only ones left in the classroom. 

If he wanted to create a good enough impression on Sasuke to the point he’s able to get him to stop the only thing he lives for then he should at least not be around 6 hours late on their first meeting. 

Sighing, he checked the clock, the time already being a little over what was agreed. 

“Damn,” he muttered, but then again perhaps it was a good thing. Iruka-sensei would be incredibly confused if he didn’t turn up in his usual way. 

Kakashi shoved on his jounin jacket, the heavy material being familiar upon his chest. 

The bright sun beat down on him as he walked out of his home, watching passively the children all around who were running excitedly. He had forgotten how ignorant the kids used to be as everyone in the Konoha 12 had already become some of the strongest shinobis he knows. 

He passed the faces of the Hokages, only 4 out of 5 being carved on. The feeling panged but he carried on walking forwards towards the academy where Iruka happened to be standing in front of. 

“Kakashi-san,” He stated, blinking up in badly hidden surprise at his superior. “You're here… earlier than I would have expected from you.” 

Kakashi hummed in his response, staying as nonchalant as he would be during this timeline. “Mah, miracles can happen, can’t they, sensei?”

Iruka rubbed his temple before simply shrugging. 

“I guess. Your team are in—”

“Mhm, I know,” He interrupted, waving him off as he began walking again.

The Chunin watched him go with an expression of pure bewilderment. 

Kakashi walked through the halls of classrooms, breath hitching behind his mask as he noticed the three small and familiar chakra signals. 

They weren’t as big in quantity as they were during the war, but still decent enough for him to work with and aim to make powerful.

How he could only sense that number suggested that while he is not as late as his reputation tells people he is, he’s still not particularly on time. 

With a split moment of hesitation he opened the door, swallowing the lump in his throat in response to the faces which instantly snapped in his direction. 

He wasn’t greeted by a chalkboard crashing into his head; obviously he hadn’t yet caused them so much boredom that the idea came into Naruto’s mind. 

Sakura’s hair was still long and he realised he had forgotten it ever had been. Her personality was leaning more on the insecure and fangirl side now rather than that of the strong kunoichi training with a sannin and had beat up all the enemies in her way with ease. 

Naruto looked less mature than he was as he led the battlefield, appearing much more genuinely cheerful and less stressed and pressured with burdens. His Chakra was all over the place rather than controlled and any one with good sensory skills could sense the nine tails hiding deep inside of him which Naruto had trained to prevent in upcoming time.

And Sasuke… he had only one thought about. 

He just wanted to murder him so bad. With every second he looked at the boy he just wanted to use chidori and plunge it through his chest and into heart to make it stop beating as the one in question had done to his two other teammates without a spark of unsureness or remorse. 

He forced the thought down with the greatest difficulty of his life and instead paid attention to how the other’s eyes weren’t as manic as they are in the present. They're calm and while dark and still revenge focused, they are not completely devoid of light as they will become. 

Even in his Genin days Sasuke’s eyes had held a certain amount of emptiness in them. But among that emptiness there was a small brightness and despite flicking from there to not there it was still ultimately part of his characteristics. After the day Itachi returned to the village, however, they had begun to be devoid of that speck of brightness, replaced by a black abyss. But even then that had been nothing compared to the darkness that had stared unflinchingly down at him in the war. 

All he needed to do was keep him away from Obito and prevent him from ever learning the truth about the massacre. That way he could prevent Sasuke from hating the village and thus siding with Madara.

But to do so, he needed to make sure he didn’t follow Orochimaru for power which was the harder bit. 

“My first impression of you three is that you’re difficult. Meet me on the rooftop in 10 or so minutes.”  

And without proper conviction he thought: I guess I can do this. 

Somewhere in the very back of his mind, Amatarasu hummed  disapprovingly at him. 

He wasn’t sure as to why.