Chapter 5
About two weeks later, Obito was finally released from Madara's clutches and able to return to his room, where Kakashi was waiting for him along with the boys. Kakashi had recovered during that time, though one big gash in his abdomen still bothered him. The boys got a lot closer during that time, too. Inseparable friends. Kakashi suspected it might be more than that since it was their nature to seek out partners for life. They were pretty attached to one single person.
He opened the door and walked wearily into the room. The boys looked curiously at the newcomer, who had barely stumbled to the bed, where he collapsed in a chair.
„Obito? What the hell happened to you?” Kakashi asked, immediately beside him. He wanted to take off his mask and look at him, but Obito stopped him.
„Myself!” he croaked weakly, removing the mask that had fallen from his hand as he tried to place it in his lap and dropped to the ground. He may have had half his face scarred, but now he was almost covered in blue, yellow, and purple from the bruises. It was as if the painter had thrown his palette in his face and the paint was still there.
„What happened to you?” and took his hand. As he did so, he noticed other injuries that were not visible at first. His sleeves pulled back slightly, revealing gold bracelets that bore nasty burns.
„It's nothing,” he snapped, looking away. He wanted to break free of his grasp, but Kakashi was stronger. At least for the moment.
„Don't say that. I know torture when I see it,” he meant it sincerely. Unfortunately, he didn't know any medical techniques to help him. But there were first-aid supplies in the room, so he could at least do that.
He got out of bed and went to get the first-aid kit. He put it on his desk and checked its contents.
„On the bed!” he said.
„I don't take orders from you,” he replied angrily. He wasn't in the mood for this. Besides, who was the victim here?
„t wasn't a question. That was an order. And if you don't do it willingly, I'll be forced to transport you there,” he said determinedly, stepping in front of him with his arms crossed. Obito gave him only a murderous look. Kakashi went and took him in his arms and laid him on the bed. Obito fidgeted at first, not wanting to be touched at all, but it was clear who now had the strength.
„Are you going to tell me what happened, or am I going to have to torture it out of you?” he asked, starting to nurse him. The man under his hands was like a rag doll, and he was just grumbling under his nose.
„Madara. I have been told I spend too much time here with you. I'm changing the plan and other things,” he muttered, barely audible at the end. Gradually he told them everything. Madara's plan, his power over him.
„If that's how he treats you, run away with us,” Kakashi suggested. He spent his last days in his head devising the perfect escape plan. Just the timing was enough.
„Even if I wanted to, I couldn't,” he grumbled.
„How so? You have more than enough strength.”
„I'm a genie, bakashi. I have handcuffs. I'm chained to a lamp that is in Madara's possession,” he explained, both irritated and tinged with sadness. Kakashi merely furrowed his brow and began to make adjustments to his plan.
„We must help him!” Naruto said determinedly as Obito fell asleep. He slept on his side, the scarred side, for he could hear a little better in his good ear. One hand was over Kakashi's.
„No doubt,” the ninja agreed, looking at Obito. He was drooling from sleep. Quite like when they were little boys. Minato once took their team to the woods for camping. Kakashi was on watch that night. He remembered it clearly as if it were yesterday. As now Obito had slobbered almost all over his pillow, making excuses for rain in the morning. Even though it hasn't rained all week.
The following morning, Kakashi confided in Obito his escape plan. The genie helped them with a few more details. For example, where the patrol was, what weapons they had, how often they changed, what skills they had, that sort of thing. He even told them what room Madara was hiding in, and what they should avoid.
Together they had come up with an excellent escape plan where they would have a clear path and no one would notice them. Kakashi, however, devised a very different plan in the process. A plan that everyone should get out of here. He didn't tell Obito about this, however, as he would not have agreed. They planned to make it happen the next day. The sooner the better.
The following morning, when the guards were to take turns, all three cautiously left the safety of Obito's room. They snuck safely out of the bunker without meeting a living foot along the way. Kakashi led the children to a thick bush, through which nothing was visible.
„What about Obito? We have to go back for him,” Naruto protested.
„That's what I wanted to get to. But first I must take care of you two. You will hide here and wait for me to return. Is that clear?”
„Aye,” Naruto smiled, and the two of them hid in a bush, huddled together.
The ninja then returned to the bunker and slowly made his way to the room that Obito said belonged to Madara, and where his lamp should have been. He peered cautiously around the corner to make sure the air was clear and he could move on. But he didn't expect to be grabbed from behind. He whirled around and saw that it was Obito, wearing his orange mask again. He didn't leave the room without it.
„What are you doing, Bakashi?” he whispered, pulling him into a blind spot where he could not be seen.
„Did you think I was going to leave you behind this time? You're coming with us,” he replied in a low voice, and though they were in a blind spot, he kept checking his surroundings.
„That's crazy. And he's got my lamp,” he said, trying to talk him out of it.
„Not if I have a plan,” he sneered under his mask, and within moments introduced him with it.
„Are you going to kill us both?” he protested. This, he said, was total suicide.
„Trust me,” was all Kakashi said, winking.
„What am I going to do with you?” he sighed in resignation. The two subsequently made their way to Madara's room. Time for their plan in action.
Obito knocked quickly and went into the room. Madara was inside, looking at him in surprise. Kakashi, meanwhile, crept in his shadow.
„Sir, I came to ask how the plan was going. As we approach the Grand finale?” Obito asked, trying to draw his attention to himself. It gave Kakashi a chance to sneak past Madara. Behind him was a table, along with a lamp and other interesting valuables.
„Did you think you could get away with something like that?” Madara asked Obito, looking at Kakashi as he prepared to take the lamp. But it dissolved at his touch and appeared in Madara's hand. „Any last words?” he asked, grinning, lightly squeezing the lamp. At that moment the genie's legs gave way and he fell to the ground. Kakashi immediately rushed to his side, prepared to defend him at all costs.
Madara walked slowly over to them and the kunai appeared in the other hand. He was about to end it all when the door swung open and a giant wave of sand poured in. Along with the wave, two boys burst in, who immediately rushed towards Madara. With perfect cooperation, they got him to the ground, took the lamp from him and threw it to Kakashi.
Madara growled something and kicked Naruto aside. This completely annoyed Gaara, who was immediately overcome by anger. His energy and strength increased many times over, enveloping him so that he no longer resembled a boy but rather a wild beast. Sand suddenly began to appear all around him.
Naruto also got up and didn't hold back. Like Gaara, he became wrapped in energy and became a small nine-tailed fox, but with the power to destroy the entire bunker.
Together they subsequently threw themselves at Madara, who had rather underestimated them. Because he thought that if they were small children, they wouldn't be as strong. And that's what caused his downfall. First, he was enveloped in a heap of sand, and then nothing was visible. There was only the sound of screaming, and then nothing. Then the sand ceased, and there was no sign of Madara. But the boys were still consumed with energy and looked as if they could attack anything in their path.
„Naruto...” Kakashi said slowly. He had encountered this condition several times before. „It's all right now. We're safe now...” he tried to soothe him down. He walked over and knelt to be at the same level as him. The fox looked at him and growled. But then he looked around the room, and when he realized there was no longer any danger, he slowly retreated into the boy's interior. He merely watched with large eyes and trembling hands. It always came to him after his transformation.
„It's all right,” Kakashi said, smiling at him and hugging him. As soon as Naruto recovered, he went to calm Gaara. For he doubted that Kakashi would succeed. When he began to relax, he hugged him, knowing himself what a hug could do. Once all was taken care of, the four of them left the bunker and returned to Kakashi's house.
Kakashi's small house was quite tight for all four, though they would have fit.
„Kakashi! Kakashi! Can Gaara stay?” Naruto asked. He didn't want to say goodbye to his new friend so quickly.
„I don't see the problem, but only if he wants to,” he replied. Naruto turned expectantly to Gaara. He looked at them all and then nodded in agreement. In his land of sand, no one expected him anyway.
„What about you?” Kakashi asked Obito with a devilish smile, a lamp in his hands.
„What? Don't even think about it!” he protested, noting the lamp and the ninja's gaze. He already felt bad about it. He would have preferred to stop him if Kakashi had not wiped the lamp. Now he had him in his grasp. The lamp glowed faintly, and smoke came out, enveloping the genie's legs, destroying his mask and drawing him closer to his new owner.
„I take it you have three wishes to grant me now?” Kakashi asked with an innocent smile.
„Shut up! Just so you know, I can't bring back the dead, kill and even have someone fall in love,” he explained, still angry.
„You don't have to. I don't need any of those three. The first thing I want is for this place to be a proper family home for me, for you and the boys.”
„Suit yourself,” and clapped his hands. The whole place was transformed around them into a two-story house with the best comforts, and at the same time, it felt cosy and welcoming. Naruto looked first at Kakashi and Obito, then at Gaara, before taking his hand and running together to explore the new house.
„Any other wishes?” the genie asked, annoyed.
„Actually, yes. I wish you were as mortal as any other man,” and moved a little closer to him.
„What is this wish?” he asked. This time it looked like nothing had happened at all, even though they both knew it had.
„As my last wish, I wish you free,” he whispered as he approached.
„What?” he gasped in shock, clapping his hands automatically. As he did so, all the smoke vanished, the shackles snapping off his hands and falling to the ground. „Why?” asked Obito.
„That's why,” he replied simply, pulling the mask under his chin and kissing him. Obito was shocked. But pleasantly shocked. He immediately gave in to the kiss. As soon as they pulled away, Kakashi pulled his mask back on.
„You understand that now that I'm free, I can go wherever I want,” he replied proudly, as soon as he had calmed down.
„Absolutely,” he replied with chilling calm.
„But I guess you can't get rid of me. You haven't fully paid for Rin yet,” he replied after a long pause, wondering what to do next.
„My own a home torturer. I can live with that,” he smiled, putting his arm around his neck, drawing him closer. He wanted to kiss him, but before he did, Obito pulled off Kakashi's mask. He won't kiss the mask. He still has some pride in him.