War in Equestria: Eclipse and Dawn

by Akasuna no Sasori

Chapter 7:Obito Returns

Chapter 7: Obito Returns

I awoke next morning to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. I sat up, and rubbed my eyes. I had tried to forget what happened yesterday night, but I couldn’t get it out of my head.

“Hotaka, why? Why did you have to die and leave me like this?”

I walked out of the bedroom and into the main room. Itachi and Kisame’s bedrolls were empty, so they must’ve left. Deidara and Sasori were still asleep, so I crept over them and exited the shack.

Walking outside, I noticed Kakuzu still sitting on the dock. Hidan was nowhere to be seen.

“Good morning, Kakuzu.”

“Good morning, Rokuro.” He said, not even turning around.

“Where’s Hidan?” I asked, as I sat down beside him.

“He said something about going to find some more ponies to kill, then left.”

“Have you been here all night?”

“Yes, I couldn’t sleep at all.”

“I managed to get a few hours in. But his death will haunt my dreams for the rest of my life.”

“He was a good man, but it doesn’t do to dwell on what happened to him. Even I will have to move on eventually.”

“Why is your bond so strong with him?”

“I am from Takigakure, Hidden Waterfall Village, as you know. Well, a long time ago, before even Obito was born, there was a war that happened between Takigakure and Kirigakure. Well, not really a war, just so much a ‘misunderstanding’. The Second Mizukage claimed Hanzo, the leader of my village, had taken a squad of shinobi to Kirigakure and slaughtered several families living outside of the village.”

“Why would he say that?”

“There was a serial killer, a rogue ninja, that had been killing easy targets and robbing them. It just so happened this rogue ninja, from a different village entirely, had killed a Takigakure shinobi and stolen his headband.”

“He impersonated one of your own, didn’t he?”

Kakuzu nodded. “Yes, and began committing crimes under the guise of the shinobi he killed. So you can imagine when the Mizukage found a family of nine, slaughtered, and Takigakure headband laying on the ground, he wasn’t pleased. Our entire village was blamed for his atrocities.”

“So where does Hotaka come in?”

“Well, the Mizukage decided he would send out ambush squads to our lands and attack our people. I was a member of the response: thirteen squads sent in as a counterattack. The squad I came into contact with Hotaka was a member of.”

“What happened?”

“A battle ensued, and all of our squad were killed except me and a friend of mine, Daisuke. I told him to run away; I would hold them off. He didn’t want to, but eventually, I convinced him to go. I faced off against four shinobi all on my lonesome.”

“And?”

“I killed every last one of them, except Hotaka. When we fought, I deemed him too strong to fight, but I still fought anyway. I wouldn’t lose my honor. He eventually defeated me, and when he was about to execute me, he asked: ‘Are you not afraid?’ To which I replied that I wasn’t. We stared at each other for awhile, then he just walked away.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he walked away. I told him to come back and finish me, but he said that would be a waste of a loyal ninja. My village needed people like me, he said. I felt disgraced at the time, but now, his words touched me greater than anything since.”

“That’s it?”

“What do you mean ‘that’s it’? That moment was and still is very important to me.”

“I’m sorry, I had no idea it was so....”

“So important, yes. Well now you know, but he was precious to me. Just like he was precious to you.”

I stood up and began walking away.

“Oh yes, one more thing.”

I turned around.

“I need you to look for Hidan. He got angry after I wouldn’t go on a murder spree with him for Jashin. He stormed off, saying something about killing a bunch of ponies by himself. It had completely slipped my mind until just now.”

“Of course.”

‘He must be in a sensitive stage right now, especially if he is worrying about Hidan. He never shows any positive emotion or sympathy towards him.’ I thought.

I walked back to the shack to see if Deidara had woken up yet. I’d need his clay owl if he wanted to cover any ground quickly enough.

I poked my head in and saw Deidara was up, and making coffee while playing with a clay ant in his hand.

“Good morning, Deidara.”

“SHH! Sasori is still asleep.”

I looked on the ground and saw Sasori’s bedroll still had a lump in it.

“Oh, sorry.”

“Hmm, well what do you want? I’m kinda busy.”

“I need you to make a clay owl for me so I can look for Hidan.”

“Did he run off again? Where to this time?”

“Yeah, Kakuzu said Hidan had told him he was going to find some more ponies to kill. Not very specific, but it does narrow it down to just a few cities and towns around us.”

Deidara finished brewing his coffee, and took a drink.

“Ah, that’s good stuff.”

“So, will you help me out?”

“Of course, just let me finish my coffee. I’ll also need to wake up Sasori over there.”

“Why exactly?”

“I don’t like to go anywhere without him; he’s my partner.”

At the mention of the word ‘partner’, I dropped my gaze to the floor. Deidara noticed.

“It’ll be OK, Rokuro. You’re a strong individual yourself. Plus, think about it-we’ve killed two of the four Princesses so far, right?”

“Right.”

“You killed that pink one, and Hotaka killed Luna. You guys were the only ones able to do it! Hmm!”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Still though, I’d rather have Hotaka here.”

Deidara noticed where this was going, and decided to lighten the mood.

“Hey, you want to see something wicked cool?”

“Sure, what is it?”

Deidara took one last drink of his coffee, put it on the table, and bent down to let the ant jump onto the floor. It crawled over to Sasori, where it waited.

“Katsu!”

The ant exploded, but because it was so small, it just singed the floor a little bit. That, and woke up a now very angry Sasori.

“What’s your problem, Deidara?! I was having the most fantastic dream!”

Deidara shrugged. “Hey, not my problem! Besides, Rokuro here needs me to give him a lift, and I thought you would want to come. Hmm.”

Sasori was still mad, but stopped showing it. “Yeah, sure. Just give me a moment to get ready.”

He started to remove his sleeping robe, and Deidara rushed me outside.

“Hey, what’s the big idea?”

“When Sasori undresses, you REALLY don’t want to be around him.”

“Why?”

“Let’s just say, it’s as creepy as can be!”

“So you won’t tell me the truth, then?”

Deidara shook his head. “No, I can’t. So just take my word for it.”

“Fine.”

We waited outside for a few minutes. Sasori came outside, dressed now in his Akatsuki robes, and we boarded the owl Deidara had created.

“So where do we go first, Rokuro my man?”

“Let’s try Ponyville, first. It’s closest.”

“I’m on it!”

Deidara steered the owl towards the small, rural town. It didn’t take long before we touched down on the outskirts and disembarked.

“Kakuzu tasked me with finding Hidan, so I’m going to do it.”

Sasori stepped in front of me.

“No, you’re not going into town looking like yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

“You need a disguise, so I recommend you make one quickly.”

I looked around quickly, but I couldn’t come up with anything really good. So I removed my Akatsuki robe; revealing my fishnet armor and yellow kimono. I removed the kimono and wrapped it around my waist; err, my flank.

“Well? What do you think?”

“That will never work, Rokuro my man! They may be ponies, but they’re not that stupid!”

I turned around looking at myself.

“I guess you’re right, but what else do I have? I must try!”

“Very well. But it’s on you; Deidara and I won’t come to your rescue if you get in trouble. Mainly because we won’t be here.”

Sasori and Deidara climbed back on the owl.

“Wha- Where are you guys going?”

“We’re going to follow our own leads. Since Hidan attacked Baltimare, it’s likely he went back to finish what he started. You ask around here, and see if they lead you to where he is EXACTLY.”

With that, the two artists flew off; leaving me alone. I sighed, then walked towards Ponyville. I thought about my disguise, and what Deidara had said. What if he was right? What if the ponies saw right through it, and I got captured, or worse?

I gulped as I approached Ponyville, then walked into town.

Some of the ponies stared at me in a strange way; but they didn’t seem hostile towards me, so I relaxed a little.

As I walked further into town, I noticed more of the ponies clustered together; talking about something.

When I neared some of them, they hushed up and just looked at me in a menacing way. A similar occurrence happened every time I neared another group; until I was finally approached by one of the stallion ponies.

“Hey! I’ve never seen you in town before, you a traveller?”

“Uh, yes! I’m just a traveller on my way to, uh, meet a friend.”

The stranger walked around me several times; looking me over, before speaking again.

“Yeah, judging by your clothes I’d say you’re a LONG ways from home, huh?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m from a small pony settlement way south of here.”

“Must be some friend you got if you came all this way to see ‘em!”

“Oh yes! We go way back. Of course, I heard he’s gotten into trouble lately.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“I heard he got himself mixed up with some group called ‘Akatsuki’.”

As soon as he heard my final word, the stallion just yelled and ran away.

“Hmm, oh well. I’ll just have to find out another way, I suppose.”

I continued walking through town; ignoring the stares I was getting. Mentioning the Akatsuki might have just made me look suspicious. But then again, everyone knew about us being here already.

‘I’ll just have to ask them myself.’

I walked up to a yellow mare watering flowers in her garden.

“Excuse me, but I’m looking for someone and I was hoping you could help me?”

The mare put her watering can down, and walked over to me.

“Who are you looking for?”

“He’s a white stallion, with a grey mane and tail. He was probably carrying a red scythe with him, too.”

“I- I don’t know the pony you’re talking about! I need to get back to my flowers. Good bye, now!”

The mare rushed back to her watering can, and turned her back to me.

‘This isn’t getting me anywhere! I should just try one of the neighboring towns and see if I can find him there.’

- - - - -

“Hold up! We’re here!” Said Twilight, as she unhitched herself from the wagon.

Twilight and the two guards she had met in Applewood had hauled the wounded Chief Thunderhooves and Leatherhorn all the way back to Canterlot. She parked the wagon in front of Canterlot Castle.

“You two, take Thunderhooves and the Leatherhorn to the infirmary, immediately!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Twilight watched as the buffalo and minotaur were carried away, and Princess Celestia descend the front steps of the castle.

“Twilight! Thank goodness you’re alright!”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Come with me. There’s something you should see.”

Twilight followed Celestia into the Throne Room, and she gasped at what she saw. The Throne Room wasn’t there anymore! It was just an open room with singed wood and marble exposed to the sky!

“What happened here?!”

Celestia picked up something shiny from the ground and handed it to Twilight.

“Take a guess, Twilight.”

She handed her the tiara of Luna!

“NO!!”

Celestia nodded. “It would seem my sister has been either taken away or....”

Twilight finished her sentence for her. “Or killed.”

“There is no where left for us to run. We have just gotten word from our forces at Cloudsdale that the city has been destroyed, too. That same orange-maned pony you fought Luna and I is responsible. That means all of our cities have been attacked and destroyed.”

“Not all, Princess! Ponyville is still intact!”

“Well, yes. Ponyville is alright for now; but it won’t last long against these ponies.”

“I ordered Applejack to start training a militia in Ponyville to help us fight the Akatsuki, and Rarity is making uniforms for the troops!”

“That is good news, but they won’t defeat the Akatsuki. We need the Elements, Twilight. You have to find the new Elements of Laughter and Loyalty as soon as you can!”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll go look for them, right now. They could be anywhere, and that means I have a lot of ground to cover.”

The purple Princess flew up into the sky, then away from Canterlot.

“Oh, Twilight. Please be careful.”

- - - - -

I walked to the end of town, and out towards a small forest. The ponies weren’t going to help me find Hidan, so I decided to look for him manually.

As I moved further away from the town, and deeper into the woods, I noticed a bright red barn just up a little ways from where I was at. I ran towards it; hoping to get some information from the rural farm.

I arrived at the farm, and opened a small gate attached to a fence that surrounded the farm. I walked towards the barn, and as I drew closer, I could hear voices inside.

“Now, lunge! Good!”

I pressed my ear up against the barn door, and I could hear the clang of weapons inside. I gently pushed the door open, just enough so I could see inside.

There was an orange colored mare, teaching a group of ponies how to fight! This must have been a militia!

I slowly backed away from the door, then ran as quickly as I could. The rest of the Rising Dawn had to hear about this.

- - - - -

“We know you are a member of the Crystal Kingdom, and an NCO at that. You have some information we want, however insignificant it may be.” Said Bronze Claw.

He was circling the Crystal Sergeant Kakuzu had captured back in Baltimare a few days ago. However, they weren’t in the small shack the Akatsuki had been using for a hideout. The griffons had set up a large camp south of the shack, and the prisoner was being interrogated there.

“I have nothing to tell you! The griffons betrayed all of pony-kind and I will never forgive you, let alone give you any information that might help your war effort, scum!” Said the sergeant as he spit on Bronze Claw.

The griffon leader rubbed the saliva off his leg and continued circling the prisoner.

“Feel free to spit on me, or call me scum. It’s not going to help you in your current situation. But telling me anything you know about the Crystal Ponies that we don’t CAN help you.”

“Heh, you’re just going to kill me as soon as I talk. Better I take a beating here and there then betray my Queen.”

“Why would I kill you once I get the information? You are higher-ranking than most in your army, you are more valuable to us as a POW than a corpse, trust me.”

“Trust you?! After you betrayed us?! Never!”

“That’s fine. After all, Steel Wing and Iron Beak are leading the armies, at the moment. I have no reason to be anywhere else.”

- - - - -

I arrived at the shack, only to see Obito wasn't there. But Hidan was! He was sitting at the center table, drinking tea. He looked up as I walked in.

“Hey, Rokruo! Heard you were looking for me!”

“Yeah, Kakuzu asked me to find you. Where were you, anyway?”

“I went back to Baltimare to finish off the ponies I couldn’t kill while I was there. But the whole city was evacuated or something, so I came back.”

I sat down beside him so I could partake in the tea he had prepared.

“Do you know where Obito is, by any chance? I have some important information for him.”

“Yeah, I do actually. He went way south of here saying he was going to gather new allies and he would be back in a couple of days.”

“When did he leave?”

“Three days ago, so he should be back soon.”

We enjoyed the rest of our tea in silence, until the we were interrupted by the door opening. We turned to see Obito standing there: covered from head to foot in soot and blood.

“Obito! What happened to you?!” I said.

He walked into the bedroom, and motioned for us to follow him. We put our tea down and followed him into the bedroom, where he sat on the bed.

“I went to the Dragon Dominion and attempted to convince some of them to fight for us. Some of them weren’t happy that I didn’t follow the dragon custom of bowing, and they attacked me.”

“So why aren’t you dead? I mean, dragons are tough.” Said Hidan.

“Not as strong as I, but it doesn’t matter. I killed their leader apparently, because the rest of them fled except two They both vowed to fight by my side if I called them, and I accepted their services.”

“Fucking dragons will destroy the ponies!”

Obito nodded, and tried to lay down, but I interrupted.

“Before you go to sleep sir, I wanted you to know that I went into town, and found that they are training a pony militia in the barn north of town.”

“I will have the dragons look into that. Thank you for telling me, now leave me be.”

Hidan and I walked out of the room and closed the door behind us.

“Dragons?! This shit is going to be great!” Said Hidan.

“Yeah, but dragons breathe fire, and they can’t control it as well as you or I can control our jutsus. They may end up just killing our own.”

“Whatever! I’m gone, see ya.”

Hidan walked out of the shack and I sat down at the center room table to finish my tea and contemplate what Obito had just told us.

‘Dragons, huh? Powerful, but hard to control. We may end up just suffering for this decision.’