Tobi shifted at his old name. "My name is Tobi," he said, rather pointedly. "And yes... it is me."

"You... you survived the boulder?" Kakashi began to cry, in spite of him trying to hold it in. His face remained calm - the only sign that he had any emotions at all were the tears slowly dripping down his face.

"I did..." Tobi trailed off at the end.

"Why? Why didn't you try to find me and Rin again? WHY?" Kakashi asked frantically. "She died without you. Died! With you, she could've lived."

Tobi averted his eyes, "I was there. I saw her die."

"Why didn't you help? Why? You loved her... and you didn't help?" Kakashi wept openly now, heaving breaths in and out. His voice stuttered. He was finally allowing himself to cry those tears from oh so long ago.

"I tried, but I arrived as she died. When you left, I killed everyone there in vengeance." Tobi murmured. His voice was low and emotional. "If I had known all of these memories from canon earlier, fuck, I could've prevented it. The memories are slowly, slowly coming back to me. Even now, I can't remember the full story..."

"Where were you during our training missions? You survived, but didn't come back? Obito... I missed you..." Kakashi's voice kept breaking, but it was low and deep.

"Sure, I survived. But look at my scars. I didn't survive fully. Half of my body is made of plant. My healing process was slow and arduous. It was months before I could walk again." Tobi paused, then continued. "I tried my best, and failed miserably. In that cave, where I recovered, an old shinobi lay, hooked up to a tree. He kept living despite being as old as history, and his name was Uchiha Madara.

"Madara helped me so much during those years, but also corroded my way of thinking. Till finally, one day, I chose to take the wrong path. I wanted to resurrect the ten-tails, and wage war on the planet so that I could start a world wide genjutsu where everyone lived in a perfect world of their own. When my memories from canon started infiltrating my normal ones, that's when I finally realized what would happen, why everyone would fight me." Tobi finished his speech.

"Well? What do you think?" Tobi asked Kakashi, pointing at his scars. "Not bad, huh? At least I'm more handsome than you."

Kakashi smiled weakly, "Why do you always make jokes at the wrong time, Obito?"

"Better than sitting and crying." Tobi replied. "And my name is Tobi, not Obito. Now, we have a problem."

"We do? You'll let me back to Konoha to finish the mission, right?" Kakashi asked.

"I would... but I can't." Tobi said. "I can't let you back to Konoha because you'll tell Tsunade that I'm alive."

"I won't." Kakashi said firmly. "I won't tell her Obito's alive. But I have to get back, to tell her about Sakura."

Tobi started getting pissed off. "My name is Tobi, Kakashi. I am no longer the same person you knew, all those years ago. I'm Tobi. You're Kakashi. Now say it: Tobi."

Kakashi shook his head. "No, that would just remind me that you're not you. I want Obito back. Not Tobi. You still want to be Hokage, right? Then you're Obito."

Tobi hesitated. "I, uh, don't want to be Hokage anymore. I've carved a new identity for myself and I'm not going back to being the loser, worthless Hokage wannabe. I'm powerful now - powerful enough to change how the world will be. I'm not going back to being Obito."

Kakashi sighed. "Regardless, what are you going to do to me?"

"We're supposed to wipe your memory." Tobi replied. "But then you won't know I'm alive anymore... I'll have to redo all this - who knows how you would react under different circumstances? -, and if I leave you with the Akatsuki, they'll just wipe your memory too."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Drop you off at Konoha. If you dare breathe even a word about my existance... You know what will happen." Tobi finally decided what to do. "Also, you're not allowed to tell the Hokage about Sakura or Tenten."

"How are you going to handle the Akatsuki? When they see that you've let me go?" Kakashi reluctantly agreed to Tobi's demands.

Tobi grinned, "Tobi is a good boy! Tobi got snacks- oh. Where's Kakashi~? Don't hurt Tobi!"

The two friends laughed.

///

"Tobi! Open up!" Deidara yelled at the iron door in front of him.

A faint, "Tobi is a good boy!" was heard through the door as it unlocked. "Tobi brought snacks!"

Deidara held out a hand for some chips, then ate them. "Thanks, Tobi. Where's Kakashi, un?"

"Kakashi?" Tobi asked in a friendly manner, "Tobi will find him!"

Tobi turned to the next iron door, opening it. He stepped inside the room, looking around curiously. "Kakashi! Kakaaaaashi!" He yelled. "Tobi needs to find you!" Tobi turned towards Deidara, "Kakashi is gone! Don't hurt Tobi!"

Deidara grew pissed, "Kakashi is going to tell everyone that Tenten and Sakura are here! You motherfucking moron, absolute cunt, piece of shit!" Deidara screamed at Tobi. He left the hideout in a hurry, sounding the alarm along the way. Now everyone knew to evacuate immediately, so that nobody could find the Akatsuki themselves, only the hideout. Deidara, instead, set off to hunt down Kakashi.

Kakashi wasn't expecting anyone to show up on his tail. He did have enough common sense to know that someone might follow, though. He left the hideout in a hurry, running as fast as he could to his village.

He saw a white bird, larger than any other, on his trail and assumed Deidara was following him. He hid in the trees, sneaking quickly to his village.

But it wasn't Deidara. Deidara couldn't seem to find Kakashi. The masked ninja easily arrived at Konoha's gates, reporting to the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama!"

The Hokage looked up, excited to see Kakashi. She wanted to know if she'd won the bet against Inoichi - that Sakura was indeed in the Akatsuki. 

Kakashi continued: "I did not see anyone in the hideout. It's deserted." The masked nin dearly hoped that everyone had evacuated. 

However, Tsunade didn't seem to have heard Kakashi's report. She was so drunk she'd probably made something up, as though she'd won the bet, in her own mind. 

"HA!" Tsunade shouted, drunk, "I won that goddamn bet against Inoichi. Who's silly now, hmm? Hmmm?"

Kakashi sweatdropped at Tsunade's childishness. Especially at such a serious situation. Plus, she couldn't actually believe that a deserted hideout was equal to Sakura's being there, right?

Tsunade calmed down a bit. "But what will we do now?"

Kakashi looked at Tsunade, and offered his opinion. He wanted to get Obito out of the hideout and into Konoha, since Obito was his best friend revived. Hopefully they'd be friends again... "I think it may be best to wait a few weeks. The Akatsuki knew I came, and they no doubt must think that armed forces are going to arrive soon. Then we'll send capable shinobi."

Tsunade shrugged. "Sounds good. Call Inoichi here, I gotta get my money back. Finally won a damn bet."

Kakashi nodded, bowed, and left.

///

Defeated, Deidara returned to the hideout. He noticed it was empty - as it should be - and went to the new hideout.

He left to where he guessed the girls were.

"Tenten? Sakura?" Deidara asked, peeking in to the room. "All good?"

Sakura nodded. Tenten jumped out of bed, exclaiming, "Where were you?! I was so worried, what the fuck I thought you'd been ambushed or something!"

"Nope." Deidara snorted, "As if I'd lose to some Leaf ninja."

Tenten laughed, "Yeah, I can totally see you losing to them though!"

"Hey!" Deidara said, defensive, "Is that what you think of me?!"

"Aww, no, don't worry Deidara." Tenten giggled. "You're an amazing shinobi."

"Thank you, thank you," Deidara grinned. "I just tried to find Kakashi, but he was gone. He's likely already told the Hokage about your being here."

"Shit." Tenten cursed. "What do we do, Deidara-sensei?"

"We've already moved, but to make sure that Kakashi can't sniff us out with his summons-"

"Pakkun." Sakura helpfully added in.

"-Pakkun, then, can't sniff us out if we leave to multiple separate locations." Deidara handed out two maps to both girls. He'd starred multiple spots on the map that they had to visit. "I've also requested the Akatsuki to be on the lookout for any Leaf ninja."

Deidara sweat-dropped at the awkward conversations he'd had, especially with Hidan, Konan and Sasori. Nevertheless, he'd managed to persuade them to keep an eye out for Tenten (and to a lesser extent, Sakura).

Deidara handed both girls paper slips with seals written on them. "I've also managed to get these from Kakuzu, miraculously. They're little notification seals. You charge them up with some chakra, and I'll receive a short notifications with these papers" - he held up another set of seals - "which will tell me where you are. Use it when you're in trouble and I'll come help you out." Deidara turned to Sakura, "If you press the paper, Tobi will come collect you."

Both kunoichi nodded, and set off to the locations on the map.

///

Sakura sighed, glancing at the map again. It'd be a while before she would arrive to the first checkpoint. She was right on track.

Sakura arrived safely at the checkpoint, wandering around a bit before she leapt to the next. And the next. Two checkpoints left, she thought happily.

Except it wasn't so easy. Halfway to the second-to-last checkpoint, a person showed up.

It was Hyuuga Neji, prodigy of the Hyuuga clan, branch member, and Tenten's teammate.

"Halt!" He called out. "Sakura, is it you?"

"I have bright pink hair." She pointed out. "Yes, it's me."

"You're part of the Akatsuki?" Neji exclaimed in surprise. "What?"

Sakura looked down at her comfy Akatsuki cloak. "It's a comfy cloak, ok?" She protested.

"That doesn't answer my question?" Neji said, his statement sounding like a question.

"Uh, yeah, this is kinda awkward." Sakura said, jumping towards Neji. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on my way to a mission... Aren't you on a training journey? Would you like to join me, Lee, Gai, Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji?"

"All of you are here? Woah! What for?" Sakura nodded, keeping pace with Neji. She didn't want to appear strange, and anyways, the more confusing the scent was to track, the better. Hopefully, Sakura wouldn't even get Jashinism hunger pangs for another couple hours and so she could seem okay. 

"It's a big mission." Neji explained, "Shikamaru and Gai are both leading the mission in two separate parts. It's against the Akatsuki." Neji looked pointedly at Sakura's cloak. She couldn't bear parting with it - it was too soft! - so she'd kept it. 

"Could I put my cloak in your bag, on second thought?" Sakura asked, "It's not a real Akatsuki cloak but considering that your team is up against the Akatsuki, it probably isn't a good idea to wear this."

Neji agreed, nodding his head slightly. 

Huh, Sakura thought, he's a lot more polite now. I wonder why. 

"Anyways," Sakura asked, "Who are you trying to track down in the Akatsuki?"

"Deidara. A person who may have been him was seen in the village a while ago and we're worried for an attack. Konoha decided it was best to see what Deidara was up to, so we're going full stealth mode. I'm the eyes for the mission" - Neji pointed at his Byakugan - "Shikamaru is the brains. Chouji works well with Shikamaru and should we come under attack against Deidara, would keep calm under Shikamaru's command. Same with Ino. Lee and Gai came along for a quick sprint." Neji sweat-dropped at Gai and Lee's reason for coming along. 

Sakura grinned, "Bet they're being quite youthful and full of energy!"

"Tell me about it. Shika-Ino-Chou are closer together than I am with them so I end up spending a lot of time around youthfulness. I can't stand it anymore! You're the first person I've talked to that isn't screaming about youthfulness!"

"Ouch!" Sakura exclaimed, "But why're you out here alone?"

Neji knew he was caught out. In actuality, he'd been guiding Sakura towards Tsunade all along, to help prove that Sakura was with the Akatsuki. It was why he was acting rather friendly towards Sakura.

"I was just going out, to the bathroom and must've wandered too far." Neji claimed. Sakura knew that Neji never made these sorts of mistakes. Neji? Wandering too far? She grew suspicious of Neji. 

"Hey, um, could I have my jacket back? I probably should head back now..."

"Back where?" Neji asked.

Sakura shrugged, "My training journey partner?"

"Could I meet him? Or her? Is it Tenten? Why didn't you just say it was Tenten?" Neji questioned Sakura. Putting pressure on her. It was easier to get the truth out like that. "Well?"

"Yeah... yeah, I meant Tenten, and, uh, some guy we found along the way. His name is... Yunki?" Sakura guessed what to say, uncertain. "I'll go call him over. Give me my Akatsuki cloak!"

Neji flipped down to the ground, ignoring Sakura. He had reached the destination. Tsunade was waiting there, tapping her foot impatiently. In order to make the whole thing less suspicious, she'd had to move out to the forest. Not that Tsunade minded - it meant less work for Tsunade to do, if she was out under the pretense of caring for a student. Shizune would take care of the paperwork.

Sakura hadn't noticed Tsunade, urgently pestering Neji to give the cloak back. Accidentally, she followed Neji to the ground. That's when she finally noticed Tsunade, looking rather angry. 

"Did you just say you wanted an Akatsuki cloak back, Sakura-chan?" Tsunade demanded. 

Sakura panicked at the sight of her former mentor, "Umm! Don't worry! It's just a mock cloak!" 

Tsunade held her hand out towards Neji. Neji understood the message, handing the cloak to Tsunade. The teacher spread the cloak out, declaring, "I've seen Akatsuki cloaks before, and this is the exact replica. It's unlikely any cosplay store would sell this. Where did you get this?"

Sakura stayed silent. She had no explanation. 

"Where did you get this?" Tsunade repeated, tone growing in anger. 

The younger kunoichi's hand crept up to Deidara's seal he'd given her earlier. She thanked her lucky stars for Deidara's foresight. Still, her lips were sealed shut.

"Sakura!" Tsunade demanded, "Where did you get this!" 

"Some cosplay store. I don't know which." Sakura answered, tight-lipped. 

Tsunade made her way to Sakura slowly. "Sakura-chan... you do understand that I've taught you lots. And you have never once forgotten anything. You may be disorganized, but you're not forgetful. Where on Earth did you get this cloak?"

"I told you! I don't know!" Sakura repeated. She wished that Tobi would come rescue her, like Deidara had said would happen. Sakura alone couldn't beat a Sannin and a Hyuuga genius, not to mention whatever other people may be hiding in the shadows. 

Just as she wished for Tobi to arrive, he did. Tobi had enough sense to make it look as though Sakura were being kidnapped; he slid up next to her quietly and held a kunai to her throat. 

"Hello, new Hokage," Tobi announced to Tsunade. "My name is Tobi! And I'll be taking good care of your little blossom princess! Now! Hand Tobi the cloak."

Tsunade scowled. "As if I'd let my cherished student just disappear! NO!"

Tobi tilted his head. "You shouldn't be messing with Tobi!" He disappeared and reappeared next to Tsunade, whispering into Tsunade's ear: "Tobi can do things you don't know!" Then he appeared next to Sakura again, demanding the cloak.

Tsunade scowled. There was no reason to keep the cloak, and taking up a fight against Tobi, a man she knew nothing about yet he seemed to know a lot about her, was senseless. She was trying to fight uphill if she did initiate battle on Tobi - but there was no way that she was going to let Sakura leave. 

"Neji..." She said, and Neji understood. He quickly cut through the air, trying to cut Tobi. Naturally, it wasn't that easy. But it got Tobi away from Sakura, and now the shinobi hiding in the forest could throw kunai at Tobi without hitting Sakura. 

Tobi merely grinned, and the kunai passed through him. He activated his Sharingan on the Hyuuga, making the branch family member choke and fall to the ground unconscious. 

"Don't hurt my friends!" Sakura yelled, not sure whether she meant Tobi or Tsunade and Neji. 

Tobi just grinned, "Let's leave here, then, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura nodded, "But what about my cloak? It's too soft to leave!" 

Tobi gestured at his arm, where he held Sakura's cloak draped over his arm. "No problem." 

"Great," Sakura said, "Let's go."

But it wasn't that easy. Were you really expecting the Sannin to just leave her student? Nope. Tsunade grabbed Sakura, punching the ground and making it split so that Tobi fell through. 

"Don't worry, Sakura," Tsunade claimed, "We'll protect you from him. You don't have to leave with hi-"

Sakura punched Tsunade in the face. 

Shock reigned on Tsunade's face. Finally, she saw the truth: Sakura was, for real, wearing the Akatsuki cloak. Her forehead protector was struck through; she was fighting against Tsunade. Sakura was, 100%, no doubt, completely Akatsuki. 

But suddenly, Sakura bent over, coughing and hacking out her lungs. Shit, she thought, the hunger pangs from Jashinism are back. 

Tsunade was surprised, "Sakura?! Are you okay?" Even if Sakura was for the Akatsuki, she was Tsunade's student first and foremost!

Sakura groaned, feeling overly hungry and in so much pain. Her eyes were half-closed, and she saw a ghostly figure in the shadows. She knew it was Jashin, tried to reach out, tried to tell him that she'd get a sacrifice soon, now, whenever Jashin wanted it, please just stop the pain. Sakura ended up mumbling, "Please... I'll do it soon, kill them soon, don't worry..."

Jashin nodded, and left. 

Tsunade, on the other hand, only grew more worried. "Sakura, do I have to heal you?" Tsunade asked, her pale green chakra already on her student's head. 

"No!" Sakura said, "I need a s-"

"A s?" 

Sakura couldn't tell her mentor that she killed people. Tsunade had taught her to be a medic, how could she claim that she killed people now?

"Let me go." Sakura demanded - weakly - of her mentor, "Or I'll kill you."

She didn't really mean the killing bit, but what was Tsunade supposed to believe anymore? Tsunade left Sakura alone, stepping away from her pupil. She saw murder in Sakura's eyes. She felt scared - can you imagine that? Tsunade, Sannin, who had gone up against so many thousand foes, so many enemies likely stronger than Sakura, was scared. 

Tobi captured Tsunade, forcing his Sharingan on her. But she'd given up. Tsunade didn't know what to do anymore. The ANBU in the trees rescued shellshocked Tsunade, bringing her back to the village, leaving Tobi and Sakura alone. 

Tobi immediately turned toward Sakura. "Are you alright? What's wrong?" Tobi questioned her. 

"I need a sacrifice... now." Sakura said. "I shouldn't have waited so long. I'm too weak to grab one now, and I'm in so much pain."

Tobi nodded. "I'll grab you one." He disappeared. A few seconds later, he reappeared, holding a some stranger. 

Sakura thanked him, grabbing her scythe and stabbing the stranger's heart. Already, she felt tons better. It was addicting. 

The pink-haired girl stood up, "Right-o! Let's get back to base and I can finish up there. Thanks for everything, Tobi! And let's see how Tenten's doing!"

///

Tenten was doing fine. She nearly ran into other shinobi, but luckily they didn't spot her and they didn't know each other. 

She arrived back to base just fine. She reported back to Hidan, and found Sakura there too. 

Sakura excitedly told the brown-haired kunoichi about her adventures and how she met Jashin. Hidan, upon hearing this, hefted his scythe up onto his shoulder. "That's great news, Sakura!" He grinned, "If you can see Jashin, you can get a two-bladed scythe. That means Jashin thinks I've taught you two enough for blade two, and that means you all get an extra-special outing!"

Tenten sat up, "What's the outing? What're we doing?" 

"We're taking a trip back to Kenji! And you get to learn everything about scythe-making, and Sakura can choose her double-bladed scythe!" Hidan announced. "Let me go get permission from Konan, first."

///

Konan said yes.