New beginning

He was ready. He really was ready. But he wasn’t sure what happened, one second he was ready to Kamui the bones from Kakashi to himself and he had done it and the next second Naruto was pulling him away from the bones. He doesn't know what to think. He thinks, no, he was ready to sacrifice himself for Kakashi even made a little speech about not interrupting Rin's and his time in the pure land. But not this, never this...

Then everything seems to happen in a blur. Instead of dying and reuniting with Rin in the pure land, he was still fighting and helping Naruto and his friends fight against Kaguya. Damn and was she hard to kill. But it happened. He saw with his remaining eye, of Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura giving the final blow and sealing her away. Of how the Sage of the Six Path summons them back to the battlefield or what was the aftermath of the battlefield.

The Sage of the Six Path congratulated them on their success of finally sealing away Kaguya for good and telling how Kakashi was a God by guiding everyone to their success. He was surprised when the Sage turned to him,

"Obito. Uchiha Obito."

"The Six Path" He nods. He was too tired to do anything else anyway.

"You did a good job. I know that you did horrible things in your life but look at this as a second chance, will you?"

A second chance, "I'm....I'm not sure about that...." He could feel Kakashi stiffened at his side but what could he have said. He had done everything, absolutely everything to bring these... these disillusioned versions of peace upon himself at the cost of the whole world. Declaring war against all the Great Nations. He can't just go around thinking this as his second chance. Hell, he should be tied up and kept in the deepest darkest corner of jails. Snatch his eyes out and just leave to rot. That's what he thinks he deserves not a second chance in life. That doesn't happen in real life, it never does. Life is cruel and he has gotten the first-hand experience with it. Well more like HE is the more like the personification of the word. The Sage doesn't say anything after his hesitant reply and he shouldn't.

They all watch how Naruto talks to his father and gets all teary-eyed. All watches on but he looks away, he can't bear the guilt of being the reason for their separation. While doing so he saw Madara lying in the middle of all. He hated him. He really does, for ruining his childhood but even if he tries he can't dismiss the small child in him who had been taken cared for by this very man. Sure, he had his own ulterior motives at that time for helping him to get stronger but he also was the only person who ever trusted him in his abilities to be strong. Even Rin had not had that much faith in him.

So he went to him. Nearing him he saw how fragile he is. He didn't want to startle the man, so he called out

"Hey." At hearing his voice Madara looked up at his direction.

"Obito." He went and sat next to him cross-legged.

"I'm sorry." He thought he misheard

"What."

He sighs, "I said, I'm sorry. I know you don't believe me when I say these but I truly am. Obito" At that he looks him directly in the eye "I heard what the Sage said.... and I think 'cough cough' that-that you should consider it, this second chance. I know that I'm asking a lot but 'cough' but if not for yourself than for me. Please."

"Madara...." He was interrupted by a hand lifted feebly towards him. And got these faraway look in his eyes

"No. No. Listen to me. I'm weak, too weak. I would say that I lived a long life because I have, though I can't say that I have lived happily. For all, I remember I have lived a life full of sorrow and hatred. When I was young I would always think about protecting Izuna, that he was my everything and he was, that's why even after achieving peace I was not able to have that peace because what's the use of peace if you don't have the person with whom you want to share it with the most. What's the use of living happily if the source of your happiness is no longer there."

At that Madara again looks him in the eye but this time he really looked and clasped one of his hands with his. Mostly baffled by everything that he didn't even get to react when Madara said earnestly

"But YOU have it. Obito, my boy, you have the source of happiness. You have people who still want you, people who are ready to share all whatever the world is going to throw towards you. I was too far-gone to realise that YES I still had people who wanted to share their moments with me but you are not. You still have got time. This second chance. Don't waste it. My time is up and I'm finally going to meet my dear brother on the other side without any jutsu because this is life. No matter what, we can't change it, just go with it and endure because that's what being a shinobi means. I will say that I got lost but now I see. You were kind of like a son that I never had. And like that, I would like to give you the best of luck."

Still grasping his hand, he moves his other hand in front of his empty eye socket, he feels it. No, it can't be. He just stares at Madara. Did he just. He opened his mouth then closed it. He doesn't know what to say or do, so he just stares. Did he just give him his Rinnegan!!!

"It's yours now. I'm giving this to you. I'm sure that you will have much better use of it than me."

He withdraws his hand from Obito and looks skyward.

"Madara, I - are you sure about giving me this and also that I'm capable of having a second chance? To be happy." He sobs. He doesn't even know when he started crying.

"It's your life Obito. You should find it out. Because you have a choice. Live your life the way YOU want." He huff's and closes his eyes "And I got invited to drink with someone. So yes everyone gets to be happy maybe not the way you wanted but if you are happy with the turn of the event then there shouldn't be any complaint."

And then suddenly he started to fade away.

"My time has come. Take care of yourself will you, my son."

Just like that, he faded away but with a tiny smile on his face as if he was in peace and maybe he was.

"Madara." He just said like a broken record player. Someone came and sat down beside him. It was Kakashi.

"You know I would have never thought that I would say these but I will miss him. Does that make me sound weird." And looks at  him for answers

Kakashi looked at him, put a hand on his shoulder, which he didn't flinch from either he was just too tired from anything and said,

"No Obito, it just makes you sound more human. We may be shinobis but we too can't deny our feelings."

He said it with such seriousness that he had to laugh. And it was such a weird sound, him laughing, it was more like scratching. Just proved for how long he had not laughed. For how long. More than a decade or two. But he still laughed, laughed so much that his sides hurt and more tears fell.

"Thank you," he said after calming.

Kakashi just gave him his infamous eye smile with both his eyes showing. Seeing this he laughed again this time with new vigour. He doesn't know when Kakashi started laughing too or when his ex-students joined in too.

He doesn't know. He just doesn't know. What he wants, what in-store for him, he doesn't know anything but what he does know is that he got these. This second chance in life. But he shouldn't be that worried, he has to believe that it will all just work out. Because he has people, people who want to share their moments with him because of who he is, not because of a jutsu or anything. But him. Just him. And he has the blessing of one of the strongest men ever alive. So he isn't that worried. He looks up at the night sky and thinks

'Well, it looks like we won't be meeting anytime soon Rin. But I just want to be selfish for once and think for what I want and I think -I think I'm getting started. Because it feels like this is my new beginning.'