Kakashi stared, startled at the ghost before him and the orange eye patch crumpled on the floor. The feeling in the pit of his stomach was completely awful, making him want to curl in on himself and slash down all his rising hopes. No, this couldn't be him. This person had half his body covered in scars and a hazel eye in place of where he tore his out

"Ob—"

'Stop it, it's not him.'

Suddenly, he chuckled and forced a smile and his trademarked eye crinkle. "I think you've got the wrong guy. You can't possibly be..."

He trailed off when the man's black eye swirled into a bloody red, three tomoe steadily spinning. "It's me, Kakashi. Uchiha Obito," he said, "I didn't die under that boulder. For years, I spent recuperating and getting back to the way I was before the accident. But by the time I got better, it was too late. Too much time had passed and I just couldn't come back anymore!" Tobi couldn't muster up the will to continue at the obvious hurt bubbling up in Kakashi's eye. He picked up his eye patch and placed it in his pocket. The Hokage looked away. "I'm sorry, Kakashi."

When no more words were spoken, Tobi exhaled softly and left the office, closing the door with a soft click. He walked down the hallway on the vaguely familiar path to the hospital. He met Kabuto outside the doors, Kurenai standing a little ways off, minding her own business but no doubt listening intently.

"How did it go?"

"Not well," Tobi sighed. "He didn't believe me at first, but after explaining myself he couldn't look at me. But I expected something like this."

Kabuto pushed up his glasses. "There's a good chance he'll warm up to you eventually, so don't worry too much about it. Let's go, Tobi-san. There are still a few more things to go over."

::

"What... the hell... are you doing here, you bastard?"

Hidan turned around and bit into the steamed bun in his hand. Naruto stood there with clenched fists, bared teeth, and an impressive containment of his anger. He took another bit of his snack and his observed the jinchuuriki. It was his second day here and he was wondering when he'd come across the fox kid. "Yo."

"I asked you a question."

He mused at how he held himself. Before, he recalled that Naruto would let his rage get the best of him and that he would act on impulse nearly all the time. Now he saw the control the younger man was displaying to be very impressive.

"I guess you did," Hidan grinned. "Well I'm out here on a food run for pretty boy and I. Hospital work's tedious. Even we need to eat, y'know."

Naruto furrowed his brow. "The hospital? What are you talking about?" he asked. Hidan jerked his thumb to the hitai-ate around his neck and took a third bite of his bun.

"Ask about the Exchange Program because I sure as hell ain't taking the time to explain this long-ass deal to you. That and Itachi's gonna get pissed if I come back with cold dango..." He began his trek back to the hospital, grumbling under his breath. "... goddamn sure that fucker cheated during janken but nooo, we couldn't have any fucking do-over's..."

"Wait a minute!"

Hidan looked over his shoulder. "What?"

"Itachi," Naruto mentioned. "Did you just say the name Itachi?"

The ex-Akatsuki grinned, raising the hairs at the back of his neck. "Probably."

He continued walking and raised a hand to salute. Naruto wasted no time in bolting to Kakashi's office, Sasuke's upcoming predicament and the Akatsuki invading his mind.

::

Otogakure was nothing she was expecting. Shizune headed the Konoha medical unit transferred here for the program, and on a sidebar, to document the things they've seen. Something at the back of her mind told her that this place would be filled with experiments and unheard of kekkei genkai, probably because Orochimaru was known to have a hand in a great deal of the country's inner workings. After his death, she expected this new leader to carry on his stead, furthering the terrifying progress he made.

But that wasn't the case.

In all actuality, Otogakure was flourishing greatly for a new village in the upper ranks. The general population looked happy, there were copious amounts of shinobi, and the medical district appeared to be well developed and functioning smoothly.

"Shizune-sensei, look at that clinic!" a brand new PA, Yashiro Umeko, pointed out. "I don't think we have a branch like that in Konoha."

Juinjutsu and Experimentation

In small print at the bottom was their goal.

Dedicated to erasing Orochimaru's work

Shizune pressed her lips together. That ruled out the idea that whoever held the power was previously a loyal follower. At the entrance of the hospital stood who she assumed was the Chief of Medicine—a straight backed woman of average height and golden eyes that could pierce through stone. That woman regarded the incoming group with a few moments of a calculating gaze.

"Good morning. I am Rinha Marisu, the one who's to be your overseer for the duration of your stay. Who is the captain of this unit?"

Shizune stepped forward. "My name is Shizune. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Rinha-san.," she greeted. She held out her hand and was met with a firm grip.

"Likewise. Now," Marisu turned to the rest of the Konoha Exchange participants, an authoritative and mature air surrounding her, "follow me. I have your assignments inside."

::

Three days in and she had to say, the hospital was run the same way Tsunade would have had it. Rules of conduct and protocol were similar to that of Konoha General Hospital. More detail was placed into the development of the system and the instruments though...

Their design was unusual. It was something Shizune had never seen before that probably contributed to the unique and widely known standing of Otogakure's medical community. She walked on the pediatric floor, taking in the sight of all the genin in the sector.

Ah, right. Today was the start of the village-wide genin check ups. Next week were the chuunin, then the jounin, then finally the ANBU. It was a smart idea to implement these mandatory yearly hospital appointments, as it decreased the chances of unknowingly sustaining a physical or mental issue, and assured that active shinobi were as healthy as possible. When Shizune asked where the idea had come from, one of the doctors on the floor was happy to answer.

"Ha—Otokage-sama came up with it," he smiled. She noticed the blunder. "They thought it would be safer if we did these routinely. It's been working well for us so far."

Shizune nodded before turning around. What was he going to say? Rather, whose name? She watched as the genin went through their rounds. Her attention moved to a rowdy bunch emerging from one of the examining rooms.

"Ha! I told you I was taller than you, Shinji!"

"It's like, like two cm! That doesn't mean nothing, Nobu!"

"It means that I won't the bet and you gotta buy us lunch!"

"Ugh, you guys are so annoying. Can we go now? I'm pretty sure Deidara-sensei's not gonna be happy if we show up late again. Remember what he did last time? He blew up the entire training ground. The entire. Thing," their kunoichi teammate scowled. Shizune's blood froze at the mention of the name, her eyes trailing after them until they disappeared through the doorway. Her eyes darted from side to side as her thoughts ran back and forth through her head.

Deidara... Deidara... Deidara...

Deidara of the Akatsuki, a sensei in Otogakure? No, that couldn't be possible. Tsunade said that there was something wrong with this whole situation, even Kakashi saying that their members probably began working under the Otokage. The idea sounded insane but now everything had been proven. Confirmed for two members: Hoshigaki Kisame and Deid—

"Is it true? Are you disease infested like I thought?"

... That sounded like...

"Wha—Of course not! I'm fine! At least I didn't get termites once after falling down a hill!"

She slowly turned her head to the side to see a short man walking leisurely towards an all-kunoichi team. The owner of the voice's face was contorted in a deep set scowl as he glared at them. "Who told you that? Deidara? I'm going to take his clay and shove it up his—"

"Sensei!!"

"What?"

Sasori raised his brown eyes to meet Shizune's horrified gaze and flashed his best smile.

::

Umeko scratched the back of her head as she glanced down at the paper in her hand and back up to her surroundings. She was sent off to pick up some papers from a doctor somewhere in the district, but she just couldn't seem to find it.

"Are you looking for him? Because his clinic's the other way from where you're walking."

She jumped and spun around, facing a woman with a kind face she'd never seen before. Her bright green eyes shined. "R-Really? Where is it, then?" Umeko questioned. The woman pointed down the road.

"See that dark gray building there? Once you're past it, take a left into the alley and go into the first maroon door you come across. Give the receptionist that note and he should take you straight to the doctor."

Umeko tucked her long purple hair behind her ear and glanced down at the paper one last time before looking back up at the stranger. "Thank you so much Miss... um... what's your name?"

The woman held a finger up to her lips. "Let's just keep this a secret, shall we? Maybe I'll see you around, maybe I won't, Yashiro Umeko-san."

Umeko frowned looked back at the building before digesting those words and whipping around to face that stranger. "How did you know my—?"

She shut her mouth and furrowed her brow as she looked from left to right. That woman had disappeared, nowhere to be seen. Umeko slowly continued down the road, mind filled with the person who just helped her. Pink hair and green eyes? Who was that?

::

"Is it possible for me to see the Otokage?"

Kotohime crossed her arms and regarded the older woman with her pitch black eyes. She's heard of Shizune before—the assistant to the one and only Tsunade: their leader's old mentor. Shizune's appearance was hitting too close to home for the Otokage, and that meant keeping her identity on lock down as tightly as possible. Until Sakura-sama decided to act on it.

"They're not taking any visitors right now. And even if they were—"

"They're not here to take them."

Both women turned their heads to see Kakuzu walking towards them. He nodded towards Kotohime, to which she returned and gave a slight bow before leaving her post. Shizune went rigid at the sight of him and flexed her fingers over the senbon hidden in her clothes.

"So where is your Otokage?" she asked calmly. "Taking a break? Perhaps I could wait until their return."

"Not possible. Our Otokage is heavily involved with many of the communities in the village. A kind hearted soul, if you will." His eyes slid towards her. "Especially within the medical community. They often have a heavy hand there. They love to heal and love to help. Though I do advise them not to overdo things, they fail to keep their health in mind sometimes. It honestly wouldn't help for them to think of themselves every now and then."

Shizune unwittingly smiled and turned her head to the side. "That sounds a little like..."

'Like Sakura.'

She stuffed her words back through her throat and looked back to Kakuzu with blank eyes. He resisted the urge to crack a mocking smile. "Like who, Shizune-san?" he mused. She shook her head.

"Nothing. So is there really no way I could meet with them?"

Kakuzu shook his head. "No," he said. "And it would prove best if you leave this matter alone. There isn't anything you can do to request an audience nor be approved for one. If you do decide to take this into your own hands, I cannot promise your diplomatic immunity. Are we clear?"

Shizune exhaled sharply. "Yes. We are."

:: Two Days Earlier ::

"Have you seen the idiot around lately?"

"Can't say that I have," Shikamaru yawned as he walked beside Sasuke in the early morning light, "but I did see him run past me towards the tower yesterday. Must have been something troublesome."

Sasuke 'hmmed' to himself with his hands in his pocket. This was how their mornings usually went. They'd cross paths around the same time each morning, some of the time with Naruto and Chouji, before going to their respective work places or training grounds. The routine hadn't change for the past three years save for the occasional mission. Shikamaru lazily turned his head to the left, watching the clouds overhead before trailing down to the park and the almost empty benches...

"Sasuke, don't get upset."

"What?"

"I want to keep calm no matter what. Keep your sharingan away, no attacking, and for god's sake, don't rush ahead and don't do anything stupid."

He followed his friend's gaze, eyes landing on two figures sitting down with tea and bento boxes. Sasuke's heart beat flared up as he grit his teeth. He stalked over, Shikamaru sighing heavily and slumping his shoulders before trailing after, and stopped a foot away from them.

"... What are you doing here?"

Itachi raised his eyes. "Hello, otouto."

"Don't call me that!" Sasuke snarled. Hidan grinned, popping a piece of fish in his mouth and setting his elbows on the table. Itachi relented.

"Alright, Sasuke-kun," he said. His younger brother twitched. "What is it that we can do for you?"

Shikamaru set his hand on his friend's shoulder and stepped up beside him. "I find it hard to believe that you'd be allowed back in this village as you're both Akatsuki members and clear enemies of Konoha. Especially since you're the ones that killed Haruno Sakura," he scowled. Hidan set his chopsticks down and crossed his arms, peering confusedly at the man across from him.

"We killed her?"

Itachi nodded. "Aa. Zetsu did."

"Well fuck. I expect nothing else from that asshole," he sighed. He then looked up at the two Konoha shinobi. "So I mean, sorry, I guess? I'm surprised you actually care." A mischievous glint lit up in his eyes. "She killed that Asuma guy, didn't she?"

"Hidan..." Itachi warned. He raised up his hands defensively.

"Alright, alright, chill. I'll stop."

Shikamaru looked down, the gears in his mind turning. It was either Deidara or Sakura, no doubt about it. With the Akatsuki sounding so sure of Sakura's involvement they had their cold case cracked with the outcome they never wanted to be true. But... there has to be some lie. These were Akatsuki members for crying out loud! What were the chances that they'd be actually be telling the truth?

"What proof—"

"Uchiha-sensei! Hidan-sensei! We've been looking all over for you!"

A young medic in a white coat jogged towards them. She quickly excused her intrusion to Shikamaru and Sasuke before handing a white bundle to both Hidan and Itachi. Doctors coats. With their ID's hanging from the pockets.

"Uchiha-sensei, you've got three cases lined up for you and, uh, here are their records," she said as she handed him three manila folders. "And there's a surgery waiting for you, Hidan-sensei. They're getting prepped right now. Should we go?"

They slid on their apparel, Hidan throwing one last look at the shell-shocked Shikamaru and Sasuke. He fell into step with Itachi. 

"Later."

::

EDITED 2.19.18