Chapter III: Mirror Image

Naruto seemed to notice Kakashi's facial expression as well. He turned to me, giving me a questioning look. I shrugged, not knowing the answer he wanted to hear. It seemed to linger on longer, but all was silent and still for a brief second in time. The wind gently blew and brushed my face, whilst blowing my spiky black hair. Naruto was the first one to speak.

⌠Kakashi-sensei, why are you staring at him like that? My stomach churned at his question, as if I didn't want to know the answer. This "Kakashi" person didn't reply, but only began to walk towards me. I was afraid of what he was going to do, but I stood still regardless.

When he stopped in front of me, he placed his book into the small bag behind him. Maybe this was more serious than I thought. Naruto readied himself, preparing for anything. Neither he nor I could read what the emotion was on his face. Was Kakashi going to attack me? Perhaps it was for the best if he did, maybe that was my goal, what I am here for. "You need to help your friend." Echoed the girl's voice in my head.

⌠Kakashi-sensei, do you know who he is?" Asked Naruto. He only ignored his question yet again. I wasn't really prepared for what happened next.

Ever so cautiously, Kakashi lifted his right arm and steadily reached out his hand towards me. I saw it shaking slightly so I clamped my eyes shut, bewildered at what was going to happen. At that moment, I felt his hand on my shoulder. I had my eyes open in a snap to see his expression. He looked so relieved and peaceful, it was easy to see it painted on his face, regardless of his mask and headband. He let his arm drop to his side before he spoke. I couldn't tell if it was to me or to himself, but he said the words, in a whisper, "You're real, it can't be." I decided to respond without thinking. "Of course I'm real." I said flatly.

He only looked like he doubted what I said, so I spoke again. "What makes you think otherwise?"

Looking away from me, and then back at me again, he said, "There's something I need to tell you, and there's something you need to tell me."

I nodded. Perhaps I was going to be able to help my friend sooner than I thought, and maybe this was the first step to finding out who they were.

Kakashi looked at Naruto and spoke in a serious tone. "Naruto, I need to take him with me for a private conversation."

Naruto protested, "But, Kakashi-sensei..." Kakashi only glared at him. Instantly, Naruto knew it was important, and that he wouldn't be able to change his mind.

"Come," Kakashi spoke invitingly towards me. I followed without hesitation. We walked silently away from Naruto as he watched us disappear into the distance. After what seemed like a long walk, we eventually stopped in front of a small house. Kakashi quickly unlocked the door and made a gesture that I follow him inside. I shut the squeaky door behind me and instantly looked around the small living room. It was pretty simple, really, with just two small couches, a plant, some pictures, and a small table. He went to sit down on the smallest couch and I joined the one that was next to it. He looked at me for a long time, running through the words in his head I guessed. I became more and more nervous the longer he waited. Then, he finally spoke.

"Do you know who you are?"

"No, I don't." I replied honestly.

"You don't remember anything? Not of your past either?"

"Only what's happened in the past few hours."

He furrowed his eyebrow. "You don't even remember what you did for me?" I've done something for him in the past?

"Would you, remind me?" My response seemed to sadden him. He only shut his eye and began his story.

"A long time ago, about 16 years ago, you and I were on the same team." My heart sank. 16 years? 16 years?? "There was a girl named Rin, who was also on our team as well. She had a crush on me, but you were in love with her." I said her name silently to myself. "Rin..." Even though I had no idea who she was, her name tasted like sweet, ripe strawberries on my lips. I struggled to remember what she looked like as Kakashi spoke more.

"With Rin, you, myself, and our sensei the fourth Hokage--" I immediately cut him off as I said, "Our sensei was the fourth Hokage?"

"Yes."

"S-so that's why he looked familiar..."

"What do you mean?"

"He's the fourth person up there on that mountain, correct?" I told him as I pointed toward the five sculptured faces.

"Correct."

"When I first came here and I looked up at the mountain to see all of those faces, the fourth face seemed somewhat familiar to me." He seemed to be in deep thought for a moment.

"When you first came here?" He asked cautiously.

"The farthest back I can remember is only from this morning, and that's when I first came to Konoha." Silence filled the small room briefly before he spoke.

"The thing is," He said with hesitation. "I know who you are, or, who you could be. It's just that, it seems like a trap and that it can't be true."

"But, Kakashi, I need to know who I am."

He waited, debating on whether to tell me who I was. He decided to tell me the rest of the story first.

"When you, Rin, and I went on a mission, Rin was kidnapped. I was going to continue with the mission, but you insisted on saving her first. We parted, and you went to fight her kidnappers. I eventually joined you and together we freed Rin. However, my left eye was badly injured, so in an attempt to get away from the other attackers, I was hit in the head with a rock and fell to the ground. You saw that a huge boulder was about to crush me and then..." he trailed off, holding the last of his memory on the tip of his tongue. I anxiously waited for the end of the story. ⌠You pushed me out of the way, in exchange, you were crushed." I gasped at the last three words, my eyes wide with shock. I could feel my heartbeat quicken, and I wondered how it was even beating right now. I looked down at my hands. "How is it that I am alive now?" I told myself aloud.

"That is something I would like to figure out as well." I looked up to stare at him. "Kakashi," I said, my voice shaking. "What is my name?"

He then got up, taking out a small picture frame from the inside of his green jacket. Slowly walking over toward me, he handed it to me and said, "You are Uchiha Obito of the Uchiha Clan."

I stared down at the wrinkled picture in the frame that rested in my hands, and, suddenly, my heart froze. The boy on the right side of young Kakashi was a mirror image of me.

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To be continued!
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