The Windmill Turns Both Ways

Nine

They landed in an entirely different scene from before.

It wasn't as dark here, but barren dirt and torn rock was all they had for a landscape. But that didn't make it boring to look at.

The huge red barrier and the monstrous creature within it took care of that.

Naruto stared at it, mouth gaped slightly open. This was the first time he was able to actually see the Juubi, since it had never been clear when he used Sage Mode.

There were people all around it, too, but they were hard to notice with something like that in the middle. They were so tiny in comparison at this distance they looked like fleas jumping around.

"Yes! I was able to get us closer!" Obito pumped his fist.

"What..." Kakashi slumped to the ground. Even though Obito had taken care of transporting them this time, the fighting and the previous jumps were taking their toll. "Closer was not what you should have been aiming for, Obito!"

"Go find your older self. He should be where that big ugly thing is, the Juubi," Naruto said. "Most likely on top of its head. We can deal with things here. But don't let him kill you. I've got a plan for getting us back, so you might not have a lot of time."

Obito stared at him for a moment, frowning. He looked at Kakashi, and then turned around. "Aa. You be careful, too. And if anything happens, well..."

He held out his hand. Naruto shook it, ignoring the prickling in his eyes.

"It sucks we weren't born in the same generation. We could've really kicked ass as a team. But I'll beat Kakashi to jounin instructor in my time." Obito turned to walk away.

"No, stop—" Kakashi tried to stand, but his legs shook badly when he shifted his weight to them. Naruto caught him as he tipped to one side, then eased him back to the ground.

"Just rest right now, okay? You and the others need to make sure you save this world. We'll worry about getting back to ours."

"What are you going to do?"

Naruto didn't answer. He took a few steps away from Kakashi and looked up at the Juubi looming ahead.

There really wasn't a lot of time.

Someone on this battlefield was bound to notice them sooner or later, and then the chance might be lost. And while he needed Obito to leave so he wouldn't hear what Naruto was going to say, it would be bad if he reached his older self too quickly.

"Naruto, tell me what you're planning. Don't do anything reckless on your own."

Naruto looked back at Kakashi and took a few more steps away, just to make sure he was out of reach. He planted his feet firmly into the ground, and looked up.

"Orochimaru! I don't know what you're doing at a time like this, but you better stop and listen up!" he shouted at the sky, fists bared. "Right now, Obito is heading right toward the middle of danger. I don't know if you care enough about him to save him yourself, but you're going to care in just a few seconds."

"What are you doing? Are you even sure he can hear you?" Kakashi demanded.

Naruto continued. "If you don't send us all back—me and Obito and Kabuto, and anyone else we don't know about—in the next thirty seconds, I'll undo the seal holding back the Kyuubi. Good luck trying to control it with that tag of yours! And we'll be right here in the open where the enemy can see us."

"Naruto!"

"But," Naruto said louder, "If you cooperate and send us back, not only will this world not end, but you'll get to keep your tag on me when you send me home. That's really what you want, isn't it? To see what I'll do when I go back?"