[Saahs]

A flutter of wings; an empty, distant sound that followed Obito wherever he travelled. Or, more specifically, when he was hunting someone down. Echoed screams that died off as fast as they came to be when he flew past something--or perhaps it was all just in his own mind. The sound of fury. He was going to keep his promise to Obi, Itachi wasn't going to be killed. But he was going to break.

Obito halted on the other side of the training ground. Itachi was in his sight, and he could smell and hear the filth emanating off of him. It made Obito eerily calm, content even. At least by appearances. A blink of an eye and he stood a few feet behind his other nephew. "Itachi," he hummed, with the familiarity he spoke with when in the company of a relative.

"I haven't seen you in a while." His eyes flicked to the targets that Itachi had been attacking. "Under some stress, I take it?" It wasn't uncommon for him to, in a sense, psychoanalyse people he was close to.

And he was good at pretending that he was close to his prey.

[Kylo]

Itachi's eyes flickered over where Obito had been moments earlier and he turned to face his uncle. A small smile graced his lips. No need for him to worry; his uncle had no way of knowing what had happened. After all his brother couldn't possibly be foolish enough to tell him, right?

"Not really, just getting out some energy. I need to practice to keep my skills sharp."

His uncle seemed calm, almost a bit too calm. And what was he doing out here anyway? He surely didn't need to practice out here, did he?

"How have you been? Like you said, it's been a while."

[Saahs]

"Tired," Obito sighed flatly. Often, even a moment of peace and quiet was exhausting. He knew what it looked like, and he knew how to fake it. "I'm glad to see you're staying on your toes, Itachi."

His eyes flitted over to Itachi, a proud father figure's smile gracing his lips. He didn't hold eye contact for more than a split second, but it was enough. The world around them, though nothing had yet changed, as real as it looked, was no longer reality. He glances down at the ground as a soft breeze blew passed them, lifting fallen leaves to the air. "Things are changing in the world, after all. It's good to try and keep up."

The wind died away, but the leaves still rose slowly. Higher and higher they climbed, their green and yellow and brown hues withering away and the veins reaching out of the middle thinning and stretching into countless thin, soft teeth. Down fell no leaves, but translucent, colourless feathers. The distant sound of agonised cries and sobs were carried on each one, mingling into a melody of despair.
"You really thought you were safe, didn't you?"

The sky, dotted with white puffy clouds, bled away to reveal a swirling abyss, and the trees keened and groaned as their leaves burned away, to reveal decaying trunks and gnarled blades jutting from their ever-peeling surfaces.

"You really didn't think I would find out?"

A heavy echo followed as Obito's wings became visible, spreading open to their full massive size. In a blink he snatched the immobilised Itachi by the face, and in a flurry of feathers shot up into the sky with his nephew.

"The gods would weep in pity for you, child. If there was a shred of you worthy of it."

[Kylo]

Something was wrong. He knew it far before the leaves began to change. He could feel it. The genjutsu wrapped about his senses, choking out reality. It fit him like a second skin. Choking him, swallowing him whole. Itachi's skin crawled and he tried to gather enough of his sense to break out. He needed to leave now, or else...or else he could very well die right here and now.

His uncle controlled this world, and could very easily kill him with it. His eyes widened in fear as he tried to activate his own sharingon, but found he could not. He was already under his control. There was no escape now. Panic bubbled up inside his chest as his heart began to race, and his breathing grew labored. His palms sweat and he shook as his uncle's cold voice wafted over him.

No...how did he? How could he? Did...did his brother really tell him? He had to of, there was no other explanation. He was a dead man. Hell was nothing compared to his uncle's wrath. He had heard stories of men killing themselves rather than facing him. And now he knew why.

Rough hands gripped his face and felt himself shoot up into the sky. He wanted to scream, to beg for his life, but no sound would come out. He was too scared to even form a coherent thought, let alone speak.

[Saahs]

The thundering sound of wings swooping down was deafening, but could not drown out the gut-wrenching sounds of other victims to this genjutsu long past. And long, long dead. Up into the air Obito hoisted his nephew, the momentum now feeling slow but looking down, the ground looked far away. The distance was not far enough to kill, should someone land a certain way, but they would not stand back up, perhaps ever. Black clouds encircled them, and in their midst were the distorted faces of the deceased, souls of those that even to this day suffered. A single thought echoed through the air, indiscernible from any specific direction.

Would you like to join them, dear nephew?

The deranged ninja bared his teeth, his mismatched eyes aglow with a ferality so ancient. "I see the questions in your eyes, boy. I smell the fear, the filth. You're covered in it. Know now that you will never live with a moment's peace or quiet." His grip on the younger man tightened enough for his nails to draw blood, and he slowly pulled the flesh more and more open. "Know now that even death will give you no solace. I. Will. Be there."

The screams, the sound of ripping innards and snapping bones overwhelmed the air, pressed down on them. It rose and rose in volume and pitch until it was a maddening screech like nails to a chalkboard, and then all was silent and still. Not a heartbeat after the world came to a dead halt, Obito hurled his nephew to the ground with startling speed and thrust. The landing came with a sickening, conclusive CRACK.

Obito stood over Itachi, the early autumn leaves around them still blowing calmly in the real world's breeze. Despite what Itachi would have seen and felt, crushed and mangled bones, it looked like he had simply fallen over. To a bystander, it would have been a mere second after Obito mentioned times changing when Itachi would have simply flopped over.

Cold, unfeeling eyes bore into the younger's skull. He waited for Itachi to regain his composure, enough to understand his words. "I never want to see you anywhere near your brother, or your children. You know what will happen if you do."

As he turned to leave his nephew there on the ground, the wind carried upon it the faint sound of that awful alternate reality.

[Kylo]

Itachi laid there on the ground curled up into the fetal position as he silently screamed in agony. It felt real, it felt so real. The feeling of his bones breaking through his flesh, of the muscles tearing and ligaments snapping. It was all too real. His voice had left him and even though the genjutsu was over it still felt like it was still in affect. He could still feel the blood leaving his body, of bones sticking through skin. He was in too much pain to even notice that he had peed himself. He could hear his uncle's words ringing in his head and repeating themselves like a morbid chant. He will be there. He will be there. His whole body shook from the shock of it all. It would be a long time before he could get up again.

Something was wrong with his children, and he was tired of not being able to find out. He had tried everything, including sending his daughter to spy on them to figure out what was wrong with the twins but even she came up short. It was time to use his last card in the deck. His friends. If Obito and Kakashi didn't know then he'd never know. He couldn't ask the twins directly, though he had tried that and got no answer, because they seemed to have it in their heads that he was a step away from doing himself in, which he wasn't. People had so little confidence in him anymore.

Sighing, Shoto knocked at the door and waited quietly for someone to answer the door. Hopefully Obito would hear him otherwise it might be hours before Kakashi can draw himself away from the new Icha Icha books to answer the door.

[Saahs]

He was still teeming with energy from the "warning" he gave his nephew. Obito avoided going too close to the children's room as it had so far proven to disturb them - or rather, disturb one child, and make the other lose any wits he had. He wanted to find him again, break him further, destroy him. But it didn't happen. The broken ninja stayed in his house, forcing himself to calm down. Kakashi always questioned him when he was particularly tense.

So that was where he was when someone knocked at his door again, sitting on the sofa with his feet tucked loosely under him and leaning (almost slouching) over an armrest. It took all his will to simply open the door. Rather than kick it open. The beastly rage always kicked in after the moment it's most needed. "Oh, hello Shoto," he droned, both relieved and disappointed it wasn't... someone else. "What can I do for you."

[Kylo]

Shoto was no fool, nor was he oblivious to his surroundings. He could feel the discord coming off of his friend in waves. Something serious was up, and he for some reason felt that it was related to his children. He would have to trend lightly for now. The last thing he needed was to deal with an irate Obito. Not that he was afraid of being harmed, no even if that happened he'd live, but he didn't want to have to put up with a shitty attitude right now.

"Hello, Obito. I'm sorry to bother you but I need to talk to you about my children. May I come in?"

He smiled gently, trying to come across as calm and collected. He was an expert at faking things by now, he'd had to learn to be when he was living with his last wife. He was so good in fact that for five years no one had even suspected that he was being abused, not even his very observant friends.

[Saahs]

There was hesitation in the madman's eyes, along with a borderline robotic hostility. He'd promised so much and broken so much already. The static building around the man as he fought internally to make a decision was discomforting. Either option was honourable, but would also be a slap to the face to either Shoto or Obi. And enough damage had been done before he'd even entered the picture. Finally, he stepped away from th doorway, giving Shoto room to enter.

"All right," he conceded, closing the door behind Shoto as the other man came inside. Looking around, Obito realised his efforts to keep himself calm had left unfinished puzzles, teacups, and a menagerie of other small object all around the front room. Immediately, he moved to clean the place up a little, but just like with his battle to either let Shoto in or not, he changed his mind midway through picking up some teacups. So he set them down. And then decided that he should at least get everything off the floor, before putting a handful of puzzle pieces back on the floor where he'd picked them up from. Eventually he settled with simply standing there, arms crossed. "Make yourself comfortable."

He never sat down himself. "Have either of them spoken to you?" he asked.

[Kylo]

Shoto nodded in thanks and entered the room. Eyes quickly flicked about the room, carefully analyzing the disarray all in a matter of milliseconds. He had learned to survey and analyze areas quickly in the time he had spent learning the ways of shinobi. Smiling softly he took a seat in front of Obito, knowing fully well that by placing himself below the man would create the illusion of submission to him.

"Not willingly I'm afraid. They seem to be of the matter of opinion that I'm too unwell to handle whatever it is that is plaguing them so," he resisted the urge to chuckle at that before continuing,"hence why I have come to you. I like to think I know my children fairly well, so it's not too far fetched to believe that at least one of them has confided in you. Especially Obi."

He idly studied the pattern on one of the teacups as he let his words sink in before continuing where he left off.

"Tell me, Obito, just what horrible secret are they hiding from me? I know it must be something bad if both of them have decided to actively avoid me."

His eyes looked up and caught Obito's then. He tried to convey through just how concerned he was for his children and how he was strong enough to handle it. He wasn't weak, and no matter what it was he could deal with it.

[Saahs]

Obito felt the blanket of anxiety pushing on him lift slightly. Why he didn't care to try and figure out. In the back of his mind he knew it was something Shoto was doing, something he was doing intentionally to ease him into talking. He would get his answer... eventually. He couldn't sugarcoat this, but simply stating "Oh yeah your son drugged his brother and not only had his way with him but also impregnated him," seemed cruel. Even for him.

As Shoto mentioned Obi, the half-lucid man's gaze flinched ever so slightly. There had once been a time where Obito was the sorriest liar, and sometimes it showed through at undesirable times. Such as right now. "You're not wrong," he admitted. "And while I have no room to judge whether or not you're... too unwell, I understand why they've not spoken to you." The words came out harsher than he had meant, and as a sign of apology, it was his turn to submit. Obito took a seat, elbow propped on his knees and leaning forward so he was just below Shoto's height while sitting.

His eyes bore into Shoto's for a long, deafening moment of silence, before he peered towards the hallway. "Itachi... forced himself on his brother."

There was no cutting edge to what he said now. But even as quiet as his voice had fallen, it was impossible to miss the sound of disgust and rage. With a terse expression he looked back up at Shoto, his gaze a hair away from making true eye contact. "He had two children. Kakashi and I are taking care of them."

[Kylo]

He had honestly been expecting the worst, but apparently his idea of the worst was nowhere near this bad. He stared blankly at Obito for several long minutes as his brain tried to process the information. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath then held it for ten seconds before finally letting it go. He had to keep calm, no matter what he had to keep calm, otherwise he was bound to rush out the door and murder his traitor of a son.

"I guess...I guess I only have only one son now," he whispered quietly. He wouldn't kill him, no that would be too kind. He knew exactly what to do to Itachi.

"That thing can go live with its mother. They're two of a kind. I guess I was wrong to hope that she wouldn't have a negative influence on any of my children. To think he'd end up just like her, a vile, putrid, worthless excuse of a human being that thinks they have the right to force themselves on to others. Well, they can go be rapists together. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll murder each other."

He shook visibly with barely contained rage. He had sworn his children would never have to go through what he had and yet here they are now, his one child the victim of the worst crime possible and the other the perpetrator.

Shoto tried to calm himself down a bit more before continuing.

"The children, are they...are they alright? I know the dangers of inbreeding and I don't want them to suffer because of that fucker," he spat the last word and his lip rose into a snarl. If the children had to suffer because of that fucking bitch, he would kill Itachi. He didn't care if he went to prison or if he was executed. To do that to his own brother was already unforgivable but to bring two innocent children into the mess was beyond loathsome.

"They need to be tested for genetic disorders, or malformations for their health. I want the best for them, just as I do for my children. It was bad enough they came into this world because of rape, my grandchildren didn't need to be a product of it either. I just.....," he trembled for a moment as he tried to control his breathing as he was close to hyperventilating, "I just want them to be loved and cared for. I want them to have the best life they can have. I failed Obito, I don't want to fail these children as well!"

His eyes started to water as the overwhelming feelings of hatred, regret, self loathing, guilt, and shame filled him. He was supposed to protect his children from all harm, including this, and he had failed him. He should have seen this coming, he should have been able to stop it from happening. Where did he go wrong? What signs had he missed? There surely had to be some signs of what was going wrong? How could he have failed the ones he loved most?

"I just need to know one last thing. Is Obito safe? Is he in a safe place right now?"

He looked up into Obito's eyes pleading for him to say yes, he needed to know that Obi was safe, because he knew once he left this house the entire family would have one more enemy and someone was bound to get hurt.

[Saahs]

He wanted so bad to say something, but the silence was needed. There was thinking that needed to happen and not be disturbed. Perhaps even some recuperation. No, definitely recuperation, and saying anything more would just make this all the more worse. Adding salt to a wound, even if not meaning to at all. The fury was already palpable. But it wasn't the only thing making Obito grit his teeth. He still wanted to wrangle Itachi's throat. He wanted to so badly.

"I'm sorry." The whisper came on demand. For Shoto's loss of a son, for Obi's loss of so much more.

Obito looked up at Shoto, blinking as the other spat out words unbefitting his normally amicable exterior. The shell was breaking, and inside was a bomb. But he never once spoke up, never once asked Shoto to calm down, to not say such things. It was more merciful than what either of them wished upon the vermin, and he knew it.

Normally, he would flinch to hear such ferocity in Shoto's voice. Today, it simply made him emit a low rumble of agreement. Nodding his head, Obito's eyes wandered again down the hallway to the children's room. "I honestly can't say," he responded after a pause. "There's nothing physically wrong with them, but..." He gnawed on the side of his tongue, hesitating before he continued, "I think there's something is wrong with one of them."

He immediately regretted saying that.

Obito left his seat, moving over to Shoto to embrace him, if permitted. "This wasn't your fault, Shoto, you haven't failed anyone and you won't fail the kids." How certain he was of this, he was more certain than what would become of the sick man who started this. How he saw it, no one could have seen this coming. It shouldn't cross one's mind that someone's own brother would rape them. "We can still help them--Obi, the kids.. We can help them." It was strange uttering such words, but not new.

"Yes, he's safe," he assured. Despite this, his eyebrows furrowed. Was he safe enough? He was going to make sure to check up on Obito. "I know what you're thinking, Shoto." He gazed unblinking at the other. "Obito asked me not to kill him. But he's probably hiding somewhere now." The implications of his words were as thick as blood Itachi had thought to have spilled from his broken body.

[Kylo]

Something wrong with one of them? Those words echoed in his head and he felt fear creep it's way into his already overwhelmed heart. He tried to breathe in an attempt to keep himself under control. He wanted to see the children now. He needed to see them. To see if there was something, anything, he could do to help the one. Obito had come over to him to offer an embrace, but right now what he needed most was to see the children.

He was going to ask to see them when he heard his friend's words and he knew the implications of it. He had done something to Itachi, something bad enough to cause the boy to hide. Part of him wanted to know what but another part told him it would be best if he never knew. But Obito was safe and that was what mattered most.

"I need to see the children," it was less of a request and more of a statement. He needed to see them, and he was going to see them regardless of what anyone said. He had to see what was wrong, and he had to figure out how to fix it.

[Saahs]

Obito hesitated, licking his lips as he looked towards the children's doorway. The soft din of movement came from there; at least one of the kids was awake. Glancing back to Shoto, he gave a nod after a moment. Turning, he headed for the door, giving a light, cautious knock. There came no answer for a moment. But as he began to quietly turn the knob...

There came a clinking sound, like metal against wood.

He knew what that meant, and the implications made him all the more reluctant to open the door. The one he had mentioned, that he was worried had something wrong with them, was awake. Still, Obito opened the door, careful not to make it creak.

Indeed, one was awake, and trying to sit up in the cheap bought crib. Somehow, the infant had gotten ahold of a coin, and was pressing it against the bars of his little prison. His right eye was a bright ice blue, while the left was closed, the lids sunken in. When the child looked up at the two visitors, there was nothing. No look of curiosity, no fear, absolutely nothing. Nor did the child make any sound. Instead, he went on to beating the edge of the coin against a bar with no regard to anything else.

The silence, the missing eye, and the very early developed ability to both recognise something as a tool as well as utilise it, was what Obito had meant. That, as well as the child's breathing. Ever so shallow, they were. Obito had trouble even spotting the telltale rise and fall of the boy's chest. He turned to look at Shoto. "They don't have names yet," he admitted. "But, there's the one. The other's still asleep." Thank the gods for that.