Human Again

Your Somebody Else

your somebody else: Flora Cash

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3ed POV-

"Hokage-sama, Dr. Anzen has requested your presence."
A shinobi bowed before him.

"You may go."
He waved his hand and the man left. Minato sighed, rubbing his face vigorously before he stood up and went over to his wife. They were still in the Hokage office and she was sitting on a chair near one of the windows.
"Darling, it's time to go back."
He spoke softly, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"Is that him Minato? Is that really our boy?"
She asked, still looking out upon the village.

"I'm trying not to have hope until we're absolutely certain... but yes, I do believe that is him."

"He looked so~... sick"

"Would you rather wait here while I go, and I will tell you what we find?"

"No!"
She stood up fixing her dress.
"If it is him, I want to be there for him."

"Then shall we go?"
Holding out his hand towards her, she took it and the two walked from the room. The three minute trip from the Hokage tower to the hospital was the longest three minutes Kushina had ever experienced. She didn't know if she wanted to ran there faster, or if she wanted to turn around and run away. Which ever she was leaning towards Minato's hand holding hers, dragged her forward. So she would go with him.

They made it there and Anzen was waiting for them outside. She led them to a room simulator to the last one, this one had many monitors lining one wall, allowing them to see his heart rate and other vitals. Looking through the window they saw him again. He looked better then last time. He looked cleaner and calmer. He was alone in the room now, still strapped to the bed, he was hooked up to several different machines and there was an IV in his arm. His eyes were glazed over as they wondered the room.

"We tried to get him to eat something but he refused any form of nutrition so we've had to feed him through the IV."
Anzen said.

"I see."
Minato nodded.
"Anything else?"

"We were not able to stitch his injuries, with all his struggling we feared he would just rip them. The best we could do was to bandage it. After the doctors left he seemed to calm down but he hasn't said anything, at least not anything coherent."

"Very well. Now do it!"
He commanded. With a small bow she walked over to the desk below the monitors, pushing a button she spoke into a small mic.

"Ibiki... go ahead."
He heard her through his ear piece and entered the room. The boys head shot towards the door, his heart rate on the monitor spiking.
"Be gentle."
Anzen spoke again. He approached slowly, keeping eye contact with the boy.

"Hello little one. I'm Ibiki."
The boy didn't respond, he just stared in horror.
"I'm not here to hurt you. I just need to check something for a moment. Is that alright?"
He stood beside the bed, looking down at the frail boy.

Knitting his brow together the young brunette cocked his head, his heart rate slowling evening if just a little.
"Not... not one of him?"
The small voice was strained, sounding like it was being squeezed from his throat. Ibiki was slightly taken aback as was everyone else behind the glass. The voice was so familiar yet so broken it was almost unrecognizable. Minato covered his mouth and Kushina had to sit down again.

"...n-no I... I'm not one of him."
Ibiki wasn't sure how to answer that question very well. However after he said this the boys heart rate went back down to it's normal pace. He tried to smile but it seemed the muscles in his face had forgotten how. The smile was languid and crooked. It didn't quite reach his eyes but it was a smile nonetheless.
"May I check what I need to?"
He asked. The boy nodded, slowly closing his eyes as if to sleep. Ibiki pressed two fingers to his own forehead and two to the boy's. Closing his eyes, there was silence for a moment, he searched through his mind.

It was an agonizing few minutes for the other three. Minato chewed his finger, Anzen paced back and forth, while Kushina sat by in the seat drumming her leg.
After what felt like forever Ibiki opened his eyes pulling his hand away. The boy opened his eyes, looking up at the tall man.

"Welcome back to the hidden Leaf, Obito."
Ibiki smiled. Anzen smiled, Minato's fell back into one of the seats, and Kushina practically stopped breathing.
Obito's brow knit together as his eyes began to wander.

"...O~ bi...to..."
He breathed out his own name, the small voice still choked in his throat.
"That was his name... wasn't it?"
The look on his face was almost sad.
"That was a long time ago... so long~... how long?"
His eyes turned back to Ibiki with honest thought. The tall man glance towards the glass for instructions, he didn't know what to do.
Without a word Kushina sprung up from her chair and ran out of the room.

"Kushina!"

"My Lady!"
The two turned back to look at the window as the door was flung open. Kushina was so happy she was crying, she ran in, ready to hug her boy. But the minute he saw her his eyes changed into that of a feral animal, ever monitor began to blast sound, and Obito screamed.

"No! Get away! Please! I-I-I ugh No!"
He flung himself all over again, yelling and crying, begging for her to go away. He would have flipped the bed had Ibiki not grabbed it and held it in place. Kushina froze a few feet away, her mind blank. She tried to smile and step forward.

"Obito, darling it's me. It's mama. I won't hurt you."

"N-No! I-I-I can't take this anymore! Ah, get away from me! Get away!"
His voice cracked as he howled. The way he hurled himself about under the restraints caused his body to twist in ways that didn't look right for a frail body.

"No, no, Obito it's okay it just me."
She took another step forward but he only seemed to panic more. As she was about to take another step Anzen barreled into the room, grabbing her and pulling her out. Kushina cried and cried but did not resist. She was pulled from the room and left in the hall while Anzen went back to contact Ibiki. When Anzen came in without Kushina, Minato ran out to find his wife.

"Ibiki get out of there he needs to calm down!"
She yelled into the mic. Ibiki released the boy and turned to leave, Obito begged him not to go, screaming that he didn't want to be alone but the tall shinobi obeyed orders and left. Anzen watched as the boy screamed and screamed, tears pouring from his eyes. While his face looked sad his body was acting like that of an animal.

~~~~~~~~~~

Minato stepped out to see his wife sitting between the two doors, her back against the wall. Her face was buried in her hands and her knees hugged to her chest.
He sat down next to her, gently rubbing her back he placed a small kiss atop her red hair.
"That wasn't him"
She mumbled.
"That wasn't my boy!"

"Kushina~"
He breathed out.

"That was someone else!"
She lifted her head, a horrified look in her eyes, one that made her husband shiver.
"That was something else!