V.1-C.93│Calm Before the Storm III│

"Guy?"

"Hello, my youthful friend, Obito!" Might Guy, the young man clad in a green spandex called out to Obito, whom was confused as to why he was here.

Guy is a tall and well-muscled young man of 13 years of age. He has fair skin a strong jawline, a somewhat large nose, and black hair. He is most noticeable for his shiny bowl-style haircut and thick eyebrows.

He wears a green jumpsuit, orange striped leg warmers, and the standard Konoha flak jacket, which he normally leaves unzipped.

His red forehead protector is worn around his waist like a belt. Guy's appearance has not changed substantially during his ninja career, though as a genin his jumpsuit was sleeveless and he wore a scarf around his neck.

When he was a bit younger, specifically before he became a ninja, he had bushy hair reaching his chin, He also later swaps his flack jacket for the redesigned Konoha model.

"Hello, Guy. What is it?" Obito in return asked Guy, his own appearance not having changed too much, but if there was one thing to take note of for Obito was his hairstyle.

It was a little bit longer now, and he has managed to keep it as tame as possible, though it still wasn't much as his spiky hair still managed to become somewhat messy.

"Don't you remember?" Guy questioned, as he held a look on his face that seemed to indicate something of importance.

"Remember..." Obito thought for a bit, though he couldn't come up with anything that was important. "Sorry, I don't remember." Currently, both Obito and Guy could be seen at a training grounds.

"Oh... Your youthfulness seems to be a bit lacking today..." Guy let out a sigh before he placed his hands on Obito's shoulders. "Obito... my youthful friend, how could you forget? I though with those eyes of yours, you wouldn't forget..." Guy shook his head as he said this, before reminding Obito of what he needed to be reminded of. "The Eight Gates Technique."

"Oh..." Realization hit Obito as a conversation he had with Guy happened some time ago, with Guy wanting to pass onto Obito Guy's technique.

Well, it was really Guy's fathers technique, created by Might Duy for the sole purpose of overcoming the limits of the physical body.

The Eight Gates Technique. "You can really teach me?" Obito asked Guy, as he wanted to learn as much as he could and put all of that knowledge to good use in empowering himself.

"Of course! I asked my father, and he said that I can teach you however I like. Though, I want you to promise me something." Guy said.

"Sure, as long as it is within my power." Obito replied.

"That you will only use this technique to protect your loved ones." Guy continued.

"I mean... isn't that only natural?" Obito asked in reply, for this was something only natural, though it may not be so for most people. People are selfish after all, but that doesn't mean people can't be selfless in some cases as well.

Just like what Madara had said. 'Humans are nothing but divided amongst the two sides of a coin. They would wanna fight for peace, but by physical war, and only that victory would bring them the final peace.'

'Two sides of the same coin...'

"I don't know about anyone and everyone else, but I know for sure that you would do this." Guy replied, before he would ask. "Now... do you want to learn!?"

"Well, of course." Obito was still not used to the way Guy was, all in his hyper-energized state, though he can't really say that he himself is not like this sometimes. However, he isn't exactly like this...

"Great! Then, lets begin...!"

[]

She noticed that her current teacher, her master, her father figure, Lord Orochimaru was currently acting strange.

Acting strange in a way that was not normal, and he seemed to want to do something, to experiment and use her for some purpose.

For what, she knows not, but it also seemed like Obito was against whatever Orochimaru wanted to do, so she would listen to him...

After all, she has developed a close enough relationship with Obito, and those around him, to leave the village if need be. Her connection, or her attachment to Obito was just that strong, and while she has some level of trust of the village, that trust was being whittled down as she grows older.

Not to say she hates or is angered in any way about anything or anyone, just that she has become aware, or mostly aware of more things as she has grown older now.

Her teammates, her stupid teammates she happened to be in a team with were both stupid enough to think she should stay away from Obito. She also wasn't stupid, noticing that one of her teammates may hold some more than platonic feelings for her.

Not that she would return the Hyuga boy's feelings. Her heart currently lay elsewhere.

Ever since the succession of the Hokage, the atmosphere in the village seems strange. Yes, peaceful due to the end of the war and conflict with Iwagakure, but there was something else.

Something that she couldn't quite place her finger on...

Anko Mitarashi is her name, her last name taken from her father, her biological father, whom is deceased just before her birth. Her mother, the poor woman, or at least what Anko considered to be a poor woman was not exactly the best mother material.

After her father died, Anko's mother wasn't much like her normal self like she used to be. Or at least that is what Anko assumes by hearing a few things about her mother and father from before her birth.

Some days, her mother blamed her for her fathers death as he was working to provide for the family. A family where Anko's mother and Anko herself were to be a part of.

Unfortunately, not everything can work out in a nice way, and Anko herself couldn't exactly miss something or someone she had never truly met. Not to be cruel or sad or dismissive of this father of hers... just, it is hard to form a proper relationship with someone when their absent from your life.

Anko herself forced herself to go into becoming a shinobi, simply for the fact she wanted to be independent and away from her home. It wasn't abusive, at least in the physical sense, and the abuse was much more... subtle in nature.

Manipulation at an emotional level, a mental level with which Anko had grown up used to and then decided to quite on such a life. She wanted her own life to be different, and thus she started to search for someone kind of like herself.

There he was, Obito Uchiha whom is two years older than herself, and she saw him. Looked up to him, and grew attached to him just as he seemed to be like herself.

A kindred spirit, if one could put a title or some kind of tag onto this attraction. Soon enough, she recognized these feelings with some small amount of obsession, but instead or reject it, she embraced it and found a strange form of relief by doing so.

She may not be a sensor shinobi, sensing the chakra of others, but she assumes that Obito's chakra would feel like a warm embrace. In fact, that is exactly what it felt like, as she was transported recently via his teleportation abilities.

'I was just imagining things...' She thought to herself, as she was aware that her feelings are most apparently more than what one would assume is some form of crush.

He cared for her, or at least she assumed that he does, and she does him. Sometimes, she thinks he does some silly things, some cools things, and some really strange things.

Putting that all aside, right now, as she could be considered an adult enough to do things on her own, she would very much like to move into the same household as him. She is already well aware of those... females around him vying for his affection.

'Well... vying for his affection is wrong. They all already have such affection.' Anko didn't just notice the way those girls around him seemed to look at him.

She also noticed, while Obito is unexpressive, or just smiling sometimes with minimal facial expressions, that there is this fire within his eyes. A fire with such she can determine whom he really cares for, or at least cares for at a familial or romantic manner.

'He kind of looks at me that way, right...?' Anko doubted herself, and doubted his feelings for her, as there was no way to confirm it other than just confronting him herself, or her coming to her.

'And from what I've seen of Obito...' Anko knew that he was a bit dense, though she was unsure as to what extent that he was. If anything, his 'denseness' worked in his favor, as Anko knew that there may or may not be a few that wouldn't mind sharing him with other girls.

Herself included.

It wasn't like he couldn't make the time, as he can easily do so through his space-time techniques. Though, Anko knew that it would be difficult for him to just spend time with each individual girl, not unless he came up with some way to get around this fact.

Now, clones may come into the equation, but should they be used, Anko knows that many may feel unsatisfied. Clones are cool and all, and are directly connected to Obito, though what he experiences through them is limited until they transfer memories.

Using clones to spend time with them would also be wrong as well. 'Though, I did see Obito working on some strange project...' Anko thought to herself, remembering this strange seal that Obito was working on.

Well, two seals really. One to do with the Hiraishin, and another that, from her own understanding, seems to be another something connected to space-time.

Anko's thoughts then drifted towards her current master, Lord Orochimaru of the Legendary Sannin. His strange acting around not being chosen as the new Hokage wasn't exactly anything that was unexpected, but it was something sad.

See, Anko in a way sees Orochimaru as some form of father-figure, so of course she wanted him to win. He didn't though, and sometimes life just doesn't want you to win even if you have all the requirements to do so.

In a way, Orochimaru turned colder, not only to others, but also to her. Anko believed that maybe, just maybe, Orochimaru would not act this way with her, especially since she believed he saw her as a daughter of his own as well, but...

It has become apparent that Orochimaru may see her as nothing more than a student he just so happened to teach one time. However, it wasn't like Orochimaru also completely left her out of learning things.

In fact, he taught her more than what anyone else in her team or even others were taught from him.

Orochimaru helped her develop many skills, from the ability to summon snakes, develop resistance to a lot of poisons. Ninjutsu that are related to many of Orochimaru's own developed techniques, passed down to her like she is a successor for him.

Her tracking skills, and with a little help from Orochimaru, and thankfully her own chakra nature lining up with what she desires, she has molded her Fire based and Yin based styles to fir in perfectly with Obito's own chakra affinity.

Though, from what she understands, Obito seems to be highly talented in everything. She just wanted to continue to subtly show her own... dare she say... love, and support towards Obito through her own actions.

Her own development. 'I just hope Master Orochimaru is doing fine...' She worried for her master still, despite his new apparent coldness.

[]

Fugaku was a little upset, yes, at the fact that the Hokage and practically no one else has realized his efforts, accomplishments, achievements and contributions in the war.

While his clan was calling for Fugaku to become the Hokage, the Hokage and the rest of the village mostly was disinclined to listen. After all, the Uchiha have always been second fiddle to the decisions that the main force or higher ups within Konohagakure have always made.

While unfair, this was only natural, as the hatred...? Or was it discrimination against the Uchiha has been there right from the start. Partly in thanks to the actions taken by the 'Ghost of the Uchiha,' Madara Uchiha.

His prowess, strength is legendary.

Fugaku was currently waiting on a visitor to come to him, a very special visitor, one whom seems to at least respect him somewhat. Minato Namikaze, the new Hokage, the Fourth Hokage.

He is intrigued as to why this man would come to visit him, though it seemed to be on important business. Very important business in fact.

Fugaku had basically ordered his wife, his current wife whom is also the mother of his child, to take him and shoo away everyone else. He also didn't inform her or anyone of Minato's visit, for the Hokage himself didn't want anyone knowing as well.

That is why Fugaku saw this as important.

Say what one will about Fugaku or Minato, but the two of them in fact share some similar values on some subjects. Though, Fugaku is not as nationalistic or sacrificing as Minato is in that regard, but would at the very least, much rather place his own people or family above others in terms of who he would save.

One hundred strangers, versus, one son? Fugaku would always choose his son. It is that simple.

Coming in, Fugaku watched as the Hokage stood there before greeting him. "Hello, Sir Fugaku." Minato, the blond haired man greeted.

"Good day, Lord Hokage. Please be seated." Fugaku replied as he pointed towards another spot for Minato to take a seat.

"I'm sure your interested as to why I have come here." Minato said after taking a seat opposite Fugaku.

"I am." Fugaku replied.

"It is about Obito Uchiha... one of your clansmen." Minato would then proceed to inform Fugaku of a few things, while also using some leverage of his own, specifically by using his own manipulation.

The life of politics demands that one acquires such skills to do with intrigue. Soon, Fugaku would be lead into joining up with Minato, and Danzo, to specifically gather evidence on the one known as Obito Uchiha.

Though, while Minato was a bit more honorable compared to his fellow consorters Danzo and Fugaku, Fugaku himself was not beyond such measures like fabrication of evidence.

Fugaku himself saw this as his chance to chase out Obito, and then try, no, he will, take Mikoto Uchiha for himself.

He still hadn't given up, and he wouldn't be giving up until he dies or he has her. "If that is all, Lord Hokage, I must send you on your way." Fugaku said as Minato had gotten up after this conversation was over.

"Of course. I hope you are successful." Minato replied, before leaving.

Which left Fugaku to now start to scheme, scheme a plot that should enable him to have reasons to both push out Obito, but also push out Minato as Hokage, so that he himself may acquire the title for himself.

'What a windfall!' He laughed inwardly to himself.