Chapter 2
Rin felt like a ghost.
It was weird, just a few hours ago, she felt so alive, so ready for battle, so ready to do her job as always.
And then she felt her arm go through Kakashi’s chest. She felt his heart in her hand as she tried to keep it beating.
And she felt Obito’s heartbreak, and sadness, and anguish, as he slaughtered anyone and everyone in his path.
‘He was going to kill you too.’ The thought was almost too much to handle.
“-ridiculous, you had no right! NO RIGHT-“
Rin heard Minato screaming at somebody, but she couldn’t be bothered to focus on who.
She couldn’t…focus on anything.
Her arm was still covered in blood.
“-demand his release! He doesn’t need to be imprisoned, he NEEDS serious help-“
“Miss Rin?”
Rin jolted out of her daze, lifting her head to meet one of the doctor’s concerned gazes.
“We’ve replenished your chakra…perhaps you’d like to go get cleaned up?” She suggested softly.
“…Huh?” Rin stared ahead numbly.
The doctor continued hesitantly. “…Kakashi Hatake is still in critical state, but we’ve got the best working on him. Lady Tsunade herself.”
Rin’s eyes widened. “Lady…Tsunade?...I thought…” Of course Rin knew of Tsunade, everyone in the medical ninja world knew who she was.
But…she was retired, wasn’t she? Based on the stories Rin had heard, Tsunade had Hemophobia after a traumatic incident on the battlefield, yet here she was, working on Kakashi?
“Apparently Lord Hokage and Master Jiraiya were able to convince her.” The doctor explained kindly. “It was surprising, to say the least, when Jiraiya showed up at our hotel room. The amount of chakra he used just getting to us quickly…” She shook her head. “I don’t know Kakashi Hatake personally, but I can tell, he is…very precious to a lot of people, isn’t he?”
Rin felt a chill go down her spine, what happened on the battlefield replayed in her mind over and over again.
Rin held up a hand to her mouth, trying not to be sick.
“Take a deep breath, it’s okay…” The doctor tried to soothe.
Just then, another doctor ran out from the doors. “Shizune, Lady Tsunade has requested your help! The Hatake boy’s heart is failing!”
Rin choked out a gasp at those words.
Shizune didn’t hesitate, instantly bolting through the door with the doctor to go and help.
Rin’s hands trembled uncontrollably. One clean, and one still stained with blood.
His blood.
Rin gritted her teeth, eyes shut tightly as tears began to stream down her face.
‘What have I done?...’
“Rin.”
Rin’s eyes shot open, and she tearfully looked up to see Minato looking down at her grimly.
“M-M-Minato-sensei-“ She all but sobbed.
He pulled her into a gentle hug, one that she instantly fell into, shaking. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve been there. I should’ve gone with you guys in the first place. This is all my fault, Rin. Not yours, not Kakashi’s, and not Obito’s.”
Rin gasped. “Obito…” She looked up at Minato tearfully. “Where is Obito!?”
Minato bit his lip.
“He’s… in custody.” Rin’s eyes widened in utter horror.
Obito sat in a cell, strapped up in a straightjacket, a bandanna wrapped around his eye with a special sealing on it.
He didn’t move, or try to resist. Not that he could anyways, his chakra was far too low for that.
But he could hear the yelling. As the Uchiha police force tried to decide what to do with him.
Kakashi woke up with a start, instantly reaching up to yank out the thing down his throat in a panic.
“Easy, easy,” Shizune was quick to intervene, pulling the tube out carefully. Kakashi coughed heavily, so she handed him a glass of water. “You sure gave us a challenge, it’s a miracle.”
Kakashi wheezed heavily, looking at Shizune with a wide eye. “I- the- the t-t-“
“Shizune, I think it’s best if you leave now.”
Kakashi nearly jumped out of his skin when he realized Jiraya was leaning on the window sill. He hadn’t even noticed him.
Hesitantly, Shizune complied. “I’ll be back to check on you.” She told him before heading out.
Jiraiya’s face instantly grew serious.
“What…are you doing here?” Kakashi breathed. “Master Jiraiya?”
“Minato sent for me. When he realized what’d happened.” Jiraiya explained grimly.
Kakashi looked down at his chest, where a deep, ugly scar rested.
“We did a temporary seal on the battlefield. The tailed beast won’t get out easily, but we need to go further, and quickly.” Jiraiya told him.
The door opened, and Kakashi turned to see who entered. He gasped.
Kushina stood there, eyeing him with a sad, but understanding expression.
“Hi Kakashi.”