《Knock On Wood Konoha》 Shi o motarasu odayakana yuki
***
Prologue: :Shi o motarasu odayakana yuki
a gentle falling snow that brings death
***
Victory is an illusion, the enemy hides in a dark corner waiting to attack.
Unknown
***
: :The Valley of the End: :
A thousand years before, this was a paradise.
Lush forests and clear water and red skies.
At night, the moon hung so low it felt close enough to reach up and touch.
The world was wild then.
Untamed.
Unmastered.
Uncontrolled.
Vicious and capricious and only the strongest beasts survived.
Their battles shaped the lands and rent the sky.
Back then, there were no humans. No shinobi.
No two-legged, two-armed beings convinced they were masters of the universe.
Yet.
It was eons before humans came.
Fragile creatures that could never quite figure out where they belonged in the natural order of things.
The strongest of them, with pale white eyes that glowed like the moon, who ate the god fruit and taught themselves to use chakra.
Generations later, their descendants would be called shinobi.
Even more generations later, the cumulation of all that breeding and training, and fate would result in Naruto and Sasuke.
Alone and bleeding to death in the Valley of the End.
***
Naruto had always figured that as long as you could get through it, you¡¯d always be okay.
Sasuke had always figured that he¡¯d die killing Itachi and avenging his clan, and that would be it for the legendary Uchiha.
Somehow, whether it be the emotional blindness from trauma or the failing of age, neither of them had ever considered long-term plans.
As much as Naruto screamed about being Hokage, there had never been any defined set of steps to get there. It was a dream, kind of fuzzy around the edges, and the path there was blurry no matter how clear the final image.
Naruto could see the robes but not the ceremony where he put them on for the first time. Decisions but not the lessons that informed them.The light but not the shadows, Iruka-sensei had said once when he¡¯d been smaller. He¡¯d been speaking about an entirely different lesson but the words had stuck.
***
Sasuke¡¯s future had always been an abyss.
Black.
Unending.
It didn¡¯t exist beyond that final fight with Itachi.
The bloody day he¡¯d avenged his clan, his parents, his cousins, his blood¡­.
He thought he¡¯d achieve it before he reached twenty. If Kakashi could be an ANBU captain by sixteen, Sasuke could kill Itachi by twenty and be done with his oath.
His life.
All he¡¯d needed to do was kill the greatest genius his clan had ever produced.
That Konoha had ever produced, though no one realized that yet.
He¡¯d failed at that, too.
Failed to uphold clan honor.
To avenge his family.
To kill Naruto.
Sasuke was a failure.
He failed at everything he ever tried to do.
FAILURE.
He didn¡¯t deserve to live.
Now, his vision was fading at the edges. That blackness that had always been waiting patiently off in the distance was encroaching.
Soon, Sasuke would be at peace, and even his failures wouldn¡¯t matter.
The entirety of the Uchiha line would end with him.
There would be no more suffering.
Generations of greatness and achievement and sacrifice, and it would all end with him.
Undone by Sasuke¡¯s weak will and even weaker body.
***
Naruto had survived a world that hated him.
A village that left him on the streets to starve while her people spit on him and laughed.
The same people who claimed they loved his father and then abandoned his son.
Naruto had survived the worst his own people could throw at him, and he was damned if he was going to die now that the war was over and they finally had a chance at peace.
He wasn¡¯t going to let Sasuke either.
Sakura and Kakashi and Sai and all the others hadn¡¯t understood, but Naruto did.
He¡¯d only just started to be able to put words to it in the last couple of years, but he thinks he knew all along.
Deep down.
Had heard the call himself on his darkest days.
But there had always been something that held Naruto back from answering the void.
A voice that proved louder.
Iruka¡¯s, mostly. Iruka-sensei could outyell death itself most days, and the days he fell totally silent, eyes empty, were the only days Naruto was truly afraid.
But others had joined his as the years went on, and now Naruto figured he was one of the lucky ones.
To have so many people who loved and wanted him in the world.
He¡¯d been so caught up in the joy of being loved that he¡¯d forgotten Sasuke.
Had left him to the wolves, really.
While Naruto had been basking in the light of the love of their village, Sasuke had been drowning in the darkness of those same people.
And now they were here, doing their level best to kill one another for a village that didn¡¯t give a damn which one of them made it back.
Sure, Sakura, Hinata, and the other Rookies might care, but most of the village didn¡¯t.
And the only reason they¡¯d be torn was because they were still angry at Sasuke.
They¡¯d get over it and welcome him back in a heartbeat if Naruto could actually drag him back.
Who would turn away that power?
And if they didn¡¯t, Naruto would just make them.
Same result.
But he can¡¯t drag the stubborn teme anywhere without a ridiculous amount of effort, and he¡¯s just so tired now.
The exhaustion has settled into his bones, all his energy seeping out of him with the bright red blood pooling around him.
Sasuke is pale, paler than normal, and Naruto¡¯s never seen anything more terrifying.
If the teme dies¡­.
What¡¯s the point if Sasuke dies?
So much of who Naruto is, what he¡¯s done, and what he¡¯s achieved is wrapped up in Sasuke.
Who pushed him, who drove him, who lifted him when Naruto couldn¡¯t lift himself.
Who came back when it mattered most.
Every single time.
Who never considered his father or the nine-tails before he considered Naruto.
How ironic was that?
That the only person in Konohagakure, besides Iruka, that cared more about the vessel than the demon was Uchiha.
And now their blood mingled in the dirt of the valley a Senju and a Uchiha had carved out of the earth long before either of them had been born.
***
¡°Let me go.¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°Let me go, dobe. There¡¯s nothing left.¡±
¡°I¡¯m left, teme! I¡¯m still here.¡±
¡°They¡¯re all dead.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m here, you asshole. Don¡¯t leave me alone.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not alone anymore, Naruto. You don¡¯t need me. The village loves you.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want the village. I want you.¡±
¡°Itachi is dead, father, mother, they¡¯re all gone. I¡¯ll just be alone if I stay.¡±
¡°I¡¯m here.¡±
¡°The village killed them.¡±
¡°Not all of it. We¡¯ll get justice and tell everyone the truth. Tsunade will hold the Council accountable.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a fool, Uzumaki. You think she doesn¡¯t know?¡±
¡°Then¡­.we¡¯ll hold her accountable too.¡±
¡°She¡¯ll kill me before she lets me back in.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll stop her.¡±
¡°She¡¯ll kill you too, Naruto.¡±
¡°Not if she can¡¯t find me.¡±
¡°You look like the sun, dobe. No one can miss you.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll see, teme. I¡¯ll get us back in. I¡¯ll tell the village the truth and get justice. I won¡¯t ever let it happen again. I¡¯ll make the world worth you, Sasuke.¡±
¡°Whatever¡­what are you doing?¡­ Dobe?- Naruto!¡±
***
Love is not a feeling of happiness. Love is a willingness to sacrifice.
Michael Novak
***
Twenty-five Years Ago
: :Hatake Clan Compound, Konohagakure: :
Red moons and violet flowers.
That seemed to be the theme of Sakumo¡¯s life.
A deep, bloody red above, a ripe, plum purple around, and the deep blue-back of the basalt stones at his feet.
The hunter¡¯s eye in the sky, flowers that symbolized unbearable pain and unending love, and the strength and stability that was the foundation of the world.
Shadows were growing in every corner, slowly spilling out and drowning everything until there was no color left.
Even as he kneeled, still and somber and silent, they encroached, and no amount of light could keep them at bay.
Even the gathering storm wouldn¡¯t sweep them away. The heavy summer air, wet and warm on his skin, barely slowed them down.
He had failed.
Konoha¡¯s White Fang.
Pride and joy of what was left of the great and venerable Hatake from the great lightning storms that struck the deep mountains far to the north.
He¡¯d put the mission aside for the lives of his teammates. Had failed to accomplish the objective the Hokage had given him.
The Sandaime had been quiet when he¡¯d given his report, cold and clinical and ignoring the judgment of his peers as they watched.
Konoha¡¯s White Fang had gotten soft, given in to emotion.
Sacrificed the mission for his team, and he hadn¡¯t even managed to get all of them out. They¡¯d left three Konoha shinobi dead in the forest with nothing to bring back for their families, and the rest would take months to recover.
The cover for the mission had been blown in the process, and any attempt to send a second team would result in an even larger loss of life.
He had destroyed every chance for Konoha to end the war quickly, and now hundreds more would die.
No amount of reasoning and logic could take away the guilt.
Or the anger.
Kakashi hadn¡¯t been able to look at him since he¡¯d returned. His chakra twisted as tightly around him as his rage.
He¡¯d stopped taking that silly mask off at home and barely stayed long enough to sleep.
So, so angry.
Sakumo had never seen anger like that before. Kakashi¡¯s mother had only ever been quietly happy.
Tsume¡¯s anger was sharp and cool and quickly faded.
The Uchiha¡¯s burned hot and violent and bright, an inferno that raged out of control and fed itself until it had sucked all the oxygen out of the air and starved.
Kakashi¡¯s was something else.
Quiet and simmering, and Sakumo couldn¡¯t figure out how to speak to it.
Couldn¡¯t answer the questions Kakashi refused to ask.
So convinced at six that he already had the answers.
Even Minato¡¯s attempts to make him listen had fallen on deaf ears, and Kakashi worshiped his sensei.
Far more than he¡¯d ever loved his father.
Shadows crept across the floor.
Thin tendrils reached for Sakumo despite the light from the dozen candles around the room.
A figure emerged.
Small and twisted with a stock of bright silver hair.
Kakashi.
Still in his training uniform and sporting a few bruises and smears of dirt.
Another fight with Obito.
At least Kakashi¡¯s teammate was on Sakumo¡¯s side.
***
The Hatake compound was quiet as Kakashi approached.
Had been quiet since before his birth, the clan long past its heyday generations ago.
If they¡¯d ever really had one.
Shinobi clans rarely lasted long enough to have a heyday, with few exceptions.
The shadows reached the vase of asters and chrysanthemums, violet and blue, and only found in two places on Earth.
Both carefully hidden by their keepers.
Kakashi is still too young to hear their story, according to Sakumo.
He stopped in front of his father and let Sakumo study his son, his only family, his legacy¡­.
¡°How was training?¡±
Kakashi¡¯s silences grew longer every day.
¡°Did you learn anything new?¡±
He looked Sakumo in the eye less and less.
But now he did.
Dark grey eyes that Sakumo used to see in the mirror when he could still stand to look in one.
Angry and red now.
Seething and sharp.
You were right, Fu. There is a sickness in the village spreading through the shadows.
¡°Kakashi, please.¡±
Instead, his son drew his tanto.
The edge glinting in the fading light.
This was it then.
There was no going back.
No crawling out of this hole.
No return to greatness.
The sickness was too deep to survive carving it out.
¡°Kakashi, my son, someday¡­.someday you are going to be very important to a very broken little boy whose act of kindness will save the world.¡±
Kakashi¡¯s eyes narrowed, his lips twisted, his features sharp and elongated and inhuman as he held out the blade.
Death before dishonor.
The next morning, Kakashi found his father right where he¡¯d left him.
The family blade through his stomach.
***
Present Day
: :Hokage¡¯s Office, Konohagakure: :
It was called lock-in syndrome.
Kakashi had looked it up during his first weeks back in the village.
Complete paralysis of the body, complete awareness of the mind.
It struck Kakashi at the oddest times. Sometimes, he¡¯d wake up unable to move or scream as the pain of his memories made its way through his body.
Sometimes, it would be the middle of the day, and he¡¯d suddenly find that he couldn¡¯t move or speak as the memories came on with such force that he lost his breath.
His father was the most common.
The night of his death playing over and over in front of his eyes, but something was wrong¡­
That final night.
Kakashi had never remembered being there before.
Didn¡¯t remember handing his father the blade he¡¯d found in his stomach the next morning.
He¡¯d thought he¡¯d stayed with Minato that night. Too ashamed to go home.
Had he just suppressed it? Out of shame or anger?
Had Minato-sensei sealed the memory away to protect him?
Would he have?This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Minato-sensei had been outspoken in his support of Sakumo following that mission. Had he loved Kakashi enough to ignore his involvement?
Was he so weak that he hadn¡¯t been able to face his hand in his father¡¯s suicide?
Why remember it now?
His head throbbed, the pain enough to make it difficult to focus on anything.
His chakra was roiling, like water in a pot it was about to escape, and it took everything Kakashi had, thirty years of training, to keep it locked down enough to prevent anyone else from realizing what was happening.
The hands on the clock above Tsunade¡¯s head moved so slowly that another nightmare rolled over him with each tick.
He went from handing his father the blade to impaling him himself, the blood spilling over Kakashi¡¯s hands and splattering across his bare face.
The urge to claw at his own skin to get it off was so powerful that Kakashi would have permanently damaged himself if he had been able to move.
The Admin-nin briefing the Hokage and her advisors was still droning on and on, but Kakashi had stopped listening.
Icha Icha rested in his breast pocket. A talisman whose strength had long been exhausted.
The pinky of his left hand twitched.
The terrifying emptiness of relief swept through him.
It wouldn¡¯t be long now.
Slowly, his body would come back to him, and his mind would settle.
He could focus on the present. On what was in front of him. On the work he needed to do and the apologies he needed to make.
The failures he needed to correct.
The headache began to fade, the desperate thrum behind his eyes shrinking to something manageable.
The rest of the room followed. Kakashi could finally see the others scattered around the room.
The Council in the corner, pretending to be respectful and observe.
Genma and Raido, and the Hokage¡¯s ANBU guards in the shadows.
Ibiki, representing the Intelligence Branch. Yui, representing the Medical Branch. Headmaster Fukoko representing the Academy. Yamanaka Santa, representing Third Division. Shun now represented Second Division and Hyuga Hiashi First Division. And at some point, they were going to have to figure out how to re-align those shinobi back into a single force and do away with the multiple divisions.
Wakahisa Shin represented the Legal Branch, though Kakashi had never needed to interact with him before outside of a few formal debriefings that had required legal review.
Taka, the ever-masked Commander of ANBU, and his two senior captains, Tora and Washi.
Tsunade had appointed Kakashi Jounin Commander, though she¡¯d placed all ranks under him instead of just the Jounin.
Shizune served as First Assistant to the Hokage and now spent most of her time running the Administration Branch. Three other tokubetsu jounin served as her second, third, and fourth assistants, and from what Kakashi had seen, they were barely keeping their heads above water trying to manage the Hokage¡¯s schedule and responsibilities.
His ring finger twitched.
Tsunade had been insisting she was fine any time someone asked, but Kakashi knew Jiraiya¡¯s death and war rested heavily on her shoulders. There was an aura of exhaustion around her now that never seemed to fade.
It hung over all of them, really.
The village itself was quiet and slow, the weight of the lost still being tallied. There was so much to repair, so many wounded to treat that Kakashi often found medi-nins asleep on their feet in the hospital.
The Academy couldn¡¯t resume classes because of damage to the grounds. There was nowhere to gather all the students safely.
It was unlikely there¡¯d be a graduating class this year, and maybe not next year, either. Which would set the village¡¯s shinobi forces back significantly in the wake of their losses in the war.
And yet, with all this still to be done, some had already turned their attention to picking apart every decision made leading up to the war and during.
They didn¡¯t even have an accurate accounting of the dead and missing, but the papers were already accusing the Hokage and her forces of warmongering. The government of failing in its responsibilities.
Kakashi had put his fist through a wall when they¡¯d run an article about Obito on the front page, calling him the abomination that tried to destroy the world.
They knew nothing, but it didn¡¯t stop them from spouting off whatever they wanted, and Tsunade had been very clear that none of them should respond.
Their attention was fickle and would turn in time.
They had celebrated the end of the war, but no one was ready to actually let it go and move forward yet.
He imagined there was a name for that, too. Some psychological explanations about extreme emotional responses and trauma.
Peace had seemed so unattainable for so long, a puzzle with so many pieces missing it was impossible to see the final picture, muted and grey because no one could even guess what it would actually look like.
The world had changed, and nothing would ever be the same again. Kakashi couldn¡¯t even fear the future because he had no idea what it looked like.
His middle finger twitched.
His father was twenty-five years dead now. Half as long as he¡¯d been alive and more than four times as long as Kakashi had breathed on this earth.
He didn¡¯t even know what plans to start making.
If it was even worth it.
Something was wrong with him, something the medi-nins hadn¡¯t found, and Kakashi wasn¡¯t convinced he had much longer to live.
It was a miracle he¡¯d made it this long, let alone through the war itself.
There was nothing left to grasp at. To build on.
Asuma was dead.
Jiraiya was dead.
Something had happened to Gai, and he wouldn¡¯t tell Kakashi what.
Sakura had moved on.
Naruto was¡­.alive, hopefully, but beyond Kakashi now.
And Sasuke was¡­.well, there was still a good chance Kakashi was going to have to kill his former student the next time he saw him.
Another body to add to the tally.
Obito would never forgive him if he¡¯d been alive to see it.
The war had ended the futures of so many far more deserving of hope than a murderer like Kakashi.
¡°Kakashi, my son, someday¡­.someday you are going to be very important to a very broken little boy whose act of kindness will save the world.¡±
What the hell did that even mean?
He¡¯s failed his father.
He¡¯d failed Minato-sensei.
Obito and Rin.
He¡¯s failed Jiraiya and Naruto and Sasuke.
I failed everyone, Obitio.
***
All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces beyond repair.
Mitch Albom
***
Present Day
: :Umino Iruka¡¯s Apartment, Konohagakure: :
Iruka had chosen an apartment in the poorest part of the village for a number of reasons.
One, it was cheap.
Two, few wanted to visit.
Three, no one doubted his excuses concerning anything happening in the area.
Four, it wasn¡¯t monitored twenty-four-seven by village security.
Five, no one asked questions about late-night visitors or loud noises.
Six, it sat at the very edge of the village along the wall.
Right next to the empty Uchiha Compound.
The building owner had stopped charging Iruka rent years ago when Iruka had started helping some of the families get their children into the Academy for free.
He¡¯d let Iruka take over the neighboring apartment and take down a wall to make an extra bedroom and bathroom, and Iruka had wrapped the building wards and seals so tight not even the most skilled Root or ANBU could get through.
Iruka¡¯s apartment was the safest place in the Village Hidden in Leaves.
It had become a safe haven over the years.
For Iruka and his friends.
His students.
A few missing-nin.
What was left of his family.
And yet, it was lonely.
So lonely when Iruka was the only one there.
Iruka was not meant for loneliness. For quiet.
Maybe, not even for peace.
It was unsettling.
Terrifying.
Rule number three, Iruka, there is no peace. Peace is an illusion to buy time. There will always be another fight. Do not rest.
Iruka hated that rule, no matter how accurate it was.
True peace was possible, but no one was ever willing to bear the cost of it.
Better to take the short-term solution, put things off for a few years, and pay the bare minimum. Just leave it for someone else to do all over again a few decades down the road.
Survival was never in question. They would always survive. It was just a matter of how long it would take them to build back up after.
Humans were short-sighted, Iruka had learned.
Quick to anger and quick to forget.
The Memorial Stone in the heart of the village was just a symbol erected on hallow ground.
One whose true message had been forgotten not long after it had been erected.
He took a ship of his tea and grimaced. Stone cold, but he couldn¡¯t summon the energy to get up and make a new pot.
Every year, it got hard to sit and grade. His body took longer and longer to recover from injury or illness.
Sometimes, all he had to do was climb out of bed, and he was exhausted.
War made old men out of young men and nightmares out of dreams, and there was still no word from Naruto and Sasuke.
Tsunade¡¯s frustration grew every day as the whispers of treason and death grew louder.
That her faith was so easily broken just gave Iruka another reason to hate her.
They were alive. Iruka¡¯s faith, inspired by slightly illegal chakra tracking, was unyielding in that.
But whatever they had left to settle between them was taking more time than any of them had expected.
It wasn¡¯t even theirs to carry. Hatred and betrayals and broken hearts inherited from their fathers and mothers and nothing of their own.
And yet they had refused to be swayed from carrying it.
Sasuke had set his path and closed his ears, refusing to listen to anyone but those ghosts.
Naruto had listened to Iruka¡¯s pleas, let him get it out, and then refused to change course anyway.
And Kakashi and Tsunade and all the rest had left them there to fight it out on their own.
That was not something Iruka would ever forgive.
They held some delusional belief that Naruto would return to the village just as he had left, take up his place as their heir like everything they believed and upheld hadn¡¯t made him fight to the death with the other person he needed to live.
They were fools if they thought Iruka would allow that.
Maybe it had been too long since they¡¯d lost people. Maybe they¡¯d forgotten what it felt like. Numbed from the pain by years of it.
They probably didn¡¯t remember who they¡¯d been before their own losses, forgotten the devastation that came in its wake and changed the very foundation of who you were.
They thought Naruto would be brokenhearted but move on as they had.
They failed utterly in their understanding of him.
Naruto would never accept the loss and go on.
Neither would Sasuke.
For whatever reason, both boys took after a clan they had no memory of.
That was Iruka¡¯s fault.
He¡¯d never been able to bring himself to tell Sasuke about his family, and he¡¯d never been able to get the words out around Naruto either.
Even Itachi had been unable to do so and had gone to his grave and left Iruka to carry it by himself.
This time¡­
When they came back, Iruka would find the words.
Would explain the world that had created them and the people who had loved them long before they were ever born.
About the sacrifice that had been made that hot summer night and everything that had come after.
And before.
Wounded deer always leaped the highest, and there was more love to remember than hate.
He glanced out the window, the moon full through the rain, and realized he¡¯d missed the budget meeting.
Oh well.
Iruka had never been good at containing his anger or his hate, and lately, just being in the same room with some people was too much.
It was easier to focus on his students and the tangled mess of devotion and adoration and confusion they had with one another.
Determined Sakura, unstoppable Naruto, driven Sasuke.
Steady Hinata, gregarious Kiba, serious Shino.
Brilliant Shikimaru, ambitious Ino, kind Choji.
Cheerful Lee, observant Tenten¡­.broken-hearted Neji.
And now headstrong Konohamaru, easy-going Udon, free-spirited Moegi, and strict Hanabi.
And all the others that had graced his classrooms over the years.
It was odd to see people long dead in his students.
Well, perhaps not. Maybe that was just the way of life, to constantly search out those you had lost in those who remained.
It was so easy to see Mikoto in Sakura. The doing mother and iron-hearted shinobi who¡¯d held her family together through sheer willpower.
To see Fugaku in Naruto. The one who had always been quick to cry over any unnecessary death despite the face he showed the world.
To see an odd combination of Itachi and Obito in Sasuke. Hope and hatred so tangled together it was impossible to separate them.
Tsunade had yet to issue a ruling on Sasuke despite calls for accountability, and Iruka didn¡¯t hold out much hope.
It was only a matter of time before Konohagakure turned on her heroes, the next step in the false peace following the war.
Heroes only ever survived the fight, never the quiet.
And the Council would never let any Uchiha go free.
He hadn¡¯t been able to teach Naruto and Sasuke everything he¡¯d planned, hadn¡¯t been able to abate their suffering at all, really.
Still so young, but they¡¯d already crossed that line that many considered adulthood the first time they¡¯d taken another¡¯s life. Before they¡¯d ever even¡­well, he couldn¡¯t use his usual measurement of before their first kiss because he¡¯d been there for both Naruto¡¯s and Sasuke¡¯s, and it still rated as one of the funniest moments of his life.
But there was still so much more they didn¡¯t understand, so many experiences they hadn¡¯t had yet.
Iruka had met Shinobi twice his age that didn¡¯t understand either.
That was the problem with child soldiers.
The founding of Konohagakure was supposed to stop that.
Then Iruka had taken his first life long before his first kiss, and that hope had withered away into nothing, and now he was depressed and tired, and he still had stacks of papers to grade tonight.
Why did he assign homework when the school wasn¡¯t even open again?
A sudden gust of wind and leaves scattered the papers as smoke filled the room.
Well, at least there would be no more grading tonight.
¡°Naruto, what have I told you about teleporting into my living room?¡±
Spiky blond hair and a sheepish smile, and a little bit of that weight and worry disappeared from Iruka¡¯s shoulders.
¡°Uh, not to?¡±
And then a little came back.
His orange jumpsuit was in tatters, covered in dirt and blood, and god knew what else. Almost as tall as Iruka now, and looking at him was almost like looking directly at the sun.
¡°Naruto, why is Sasuke unconscious?¡±
Because that was the only way the blond would ever have gotten his teammate over his shoulder like that.
¡°Because he¡¯s a stubborn asshole, Iruka-sensei, and he¡¯s hurt.¡±
Wide, liquid eyes that had always gotten him ramen five days a week and peeks at forbidden scrolls and books.
Like he¡¯d ever really needed to bother, Iruka mused, but he couldn¡¯t make it that easy because then he¡¯d never have a leg to stand on.
¡°He helped me, Iruka-sensei. We wouldn¡¯t have won without him. He deserves to be here!¡±
They wouldn¡¯t have won without you either,Iruka thought,but even that might not be enough to protect you.
¡°He agreed to come back.¡±
¡°Did he?¡±
¡°Yeah, he wants to come home.¡±
You little liar,Iruka fought down a smile.
Sasuke had probably said the exact opposite, and Naruto had knocked him unconscious in response.
Iruka could practically see the flames of righteousness coming off Naruto as the boy launched into a speech about sacrifice and friendship and the stupid teme needed to listen more and fight less and Iruka had a fleeting moment of concern as Naruto waved Sasuke around a bit more than was probably safe.
¡°He¡¯s going to stay with me, Iruka-sensei. He promised! We¡¯ll figure out what to do, and Sasuke will be okay.¡±
But would the village?
Naruto had once spoken that way about the village, but that had faded over the years, and the village had been replaced by Sasuke.
He doubted Naruto even realized it.
But then, it had always been just Sasuke for Naruto and vice versa, and neither boy had figured it out yet.
Not yet, anyway.
It was enough to make Iruka laugh.
A decade later, and that bastard had been right all along.
Naruto looked a little concerned. Iruka probably looked a little mad, sitting there laughing about something only he remembered.
¡°Put him in my bed for now. I don¡¯t have the guest room ready.¡±
Like Iruka would ever not help the brat, and Naruto knew it. He would always come to Iruka first.
Naruto¡¯s beaming smile lit up the room, ¡°Thanks, Iruka-sensei.¡±
And he bounded down the hall.
Iruka winced as Sasuke¡¯s head bounced off the wall before disappearing into the bedroom.
Sasuke might have more injuries from the trip than from their fight.
Where did I put the first aid kit?
He glanced out the window as he stood. The moon still bright and unblinking in the sky. Sheets of rain still falling, washing away everything that came before.
Iruka grinned.
There was going to be a fight, of course. A great one, but this time, it was going to be a good one, too.
For something real and important with a beating heart and a warm touch.
Not some improbable dream that required undoing the world.
For a person this time, that made the world a little brighter.
¡°Oi, Naruto, you better have taken off his dirty clothes before you put him on bed!¡±
¡°¡­.Opps.¡±
***
Present Day
: :Hokage¡¯s Tower, Konohagakure: :
Tsunade kept a watchful eye on her shinobi as they dispersed for the night. Some home to rest. Some headed to duty stations. Some out to drink away the headache from this meeting, no doubt.
The world seemed slow, trapped in molasses, as they tried to move forward. Patience was thin, and paranoia was high. Kakashi was distracted. Gai was quiet. Kurenai had resigned. Many of the jounin who¡¯d risen to important positions were dead or beyond exhausted, and she¡¯d had more than one request to step down.
She couldn¡¯t afford to accept any. Had pushed more than a few to take new genin teams before they ended up with too few shinobi to even defend the village.
And even then, there had been outright refusals many of them would never have dreamed of making before the war.
It was a complicated situation, made all the more difficult by the lack of news from the valley.
It seemed no one would be able to move on until they knew the outcome between Naruto and Sasuke.
Though the Uchiha had aided them in the end, even playing a pivotal role, his refusal to return to the village had stung many.
It wasn¡¯t so long ago that he¡¯d left with plans to destroy them, and Tsunade¡¯s trust, once broken, rarely returned.
Naruto¡¯s staunch refusal to abandon his friendship with the last Uchiha was further complicating his already complicated reputation in the village. They worshipped their savior and feared his power. Young and tested on the battlefield but untried in the war that was village politics. He was an unknown force, so far uncontrollable and unpredictable.
They thought he was dangerous.
He needed more time to learn, Tsunade thought. To tamper idealism with realism. Another decade, and he would be ready to lead. The next of a generation in a place that had started with her grandfather and would follow their lineage to the end.
But he needed to return soon. Before people forgot what he had done for them.
Before the Council¡¯s whispers took root.
Sakura refused to talk about them and rarely spent time in the Tower anymore.
Tsunade wasn¡¯t sure when or how, but something had damaged Sakura¡¯s faith in her and her office.
Kakashi had refused to speak about his students. He¡¯d lost faith in his own judgment where they were concerned, and Tsunade couldn¡¯t blame him.
There was a reason she¡¯d never taken a genin team.
Not for the first time, she wished Jiraiya was still alive. He didn¡¯t always have the right answer, but he always had a way forward. Hope and a way of looking at things that helped to fight off the darkness.
And he¡¯d had absolute faith in Naruto.
But he wasn¡¯t here.
One of the many she¡¯d never see again.
The unbridled light that Tsunade had been convinced was never going to fade had been snuffed out just like all the others.
She couldn¡¯t help but be angry at those responsible, at Jiraiya himself, irrational as it was, for letting it happen.
Stupid prophecy.
Everyone was so tired. Recovery would take years, maybe decades. Tsunade wanted that to be her legacy. Not the war but the rebuilding afterward. Her grandfather had built Konohagakure, and now she was healing it.
She would complete his dream, but she had to get everyone on the same page first, and that was a struggle that made the war look like children in a sandbox.
The Council was making moves to recover its power amid rumors that Root was still operating.
The Daimyo was getting old, and she had no idea which son would be taking his place.
There were those within the shinobi population who wanted advancement and power, as always.
ANBU¡¯s commander was making changes, with and without her approval.
There was Iruka. Adored by his students and co-workers and most of the village, it seemed. Who ran the mission desk with an iron fist.
Who argued with her jounin and her own orders whenever he felt like it.
If the stories were to be believed, the Sandaime had loved him. Asuma had seen him as a younger brother, and he was still incredibly close to his widow.
Naruto¡¯s most precious person, according to both Kakashi and Jiraiya. Tsunade was willing to give him ground just for that, but every time she found herself face to face with him, she found herself being judged and found wanting against a standard she didn¡¯t know.
She¡¯d earned her place. Had sacrificed more for this village than most would ever know.
But Umino showed no interest in learning about her. Instead, he kept everything painfully professional to the point of open disdain, and she wasn¡¯t the only one he did it to.
He and Kakashi couldn¡¯t be in a room together. She¡¯d read reports of his fights with Hyuga Hiashi. He had frequent meetings with all the clan heads, and Tsunade couldn¡¯t figure out what it was about him that she was missing.
Why had Sandaime thought so highly of a temperamental brat who couldn¡¯t keep his emotions under control long enough to become anything more than a middling Ch¨±nin?
Why was he always so angry?
Twin flashes of chakra made her sigh. A stab of pain behind her eyes.
¡°Lord Hokage, a moment of your time.¡±
If Tsunade was brutally honest and very drunk, she¡¯d say out loud that she didn¡¯t think much of her teacher¡¯s former teammates. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were meddling old shinobi who refused to change with the times. Everyone besides them was young and foolish and required their guidance, and more than once, Tsunade had fought down the urge to tell them both off.
While things had looked to be improving before the war, that goodwill was gone now. Kakashi and several others suspected they were behind the surviving Root ANBU faction, though no one had enough proof to bring charges.
¡°We wish to speak about the Hanta.¡±
¡°Konoha doesn¡¯t have hunter-nin.¡± Hadn¡¯t for years. The last time Tsunade had even heard a whisper had been from Sandaime, years before she¡¯d left the village.
¡°You are incorrect, Lord Hokage.¡±
Tsunade fought down a sneer. ¡°You think there is a faction of my shinobi I¡¯m not aware of?¡±
They weren¡¯t the only ones who could make insinuations, let them wonder what she knew.
¡°They abandoned their duties years ago, before your return. Now they must be held accountable.¡± Koharu always managed to make everything that came out of her mouth sound life-altering. Even when she was just trying to ruin someone¡¯s career for disagreeing with her.
¡°The duties of the Hanta are clear. They are our first line of defense. It is their duty to prevent such enemies as Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Itachi. To prevent war.¡± Homura¡¯s cold voice was slow, careful, like he didn¡¯t think Tsunade would be able to keep up if he spoke any faster. ¡°They are expected to represent the ideal of a Konoha Shinobi.¡±
¡°Your point?¡± She was too tired to be polite, and her head was pounding. She didn¡¯t like being lectured like an errant child, and the idea of any one group of shinobi being able to prevent the war was ridiculous.
¡°Our point, Lord Hokage,¡± oh, that sounded like an insult, ¡°is that they have failed and must be punished. As an example to the village that we have not gone soft following the war.¡±
¡°No one thinks we¡¯ve gone soft.¡±
¡°Perhaps they are unwilling to tell you the truth due to your position.¡±
¡°Or perhaps they¡¯re just telling you what you want to hear. You can be an intimidating woman, Lord Hokage.¡±
Intimidating and unwilling to hear the truth, apparently. It was amazing how Tsunade could never get a single thing right.
But why bring this up now? There had been points in the last few years when it would have resulted in an immediate execution for anyone even suspected of charges like these.
There must be something specific the Council wanted.
Or someone.
Many Konoha shinobi had broken with tradition in the wake of the war, challenging long-accepted beliefs and practices. It didn¡¯t make them any less loyal.
If anything, there was something to be said for those who loved the village enough to risk ostracization trying to make it better.
Still, Konoha had had Hanta in the past.
Where were they now?
¡°I¡¯ll take it under consideration.¡±
¡°I would hope the Hokage of Konohagakure would do more than that.¡± Koharu purred, ¡°Dereliction of duty is still punishable by death.¡±
¡°You haven¡¯t presented any evidence of that claim.¡±
They both squared up to argue, and Tsunade saw what few peaceful moments she managed to snatch fading away and held up a hand to stop them. ¡°I will assign someone to investigate. If something worthwhile is found, we will proceed from there. Any tribunal, if it comes to that, will be held in accordance with the laws of Konohagakure and the Land of Fire.¡±
She had a long drink after they¡¯d finally left. Let the alcohol fight off the chill and the pain.
It was nearly midnight, and she still had hours of work. Stacks of paperwork that never seemed to shrink.
For a group so obsessed with secrets, they certainly liked to write things down.
Shizune was barely surviving her own workload, and her other assistants weren¡¯t nearly as capable.
Paperwork meant paper cuts and a headache, and she just wasn¡¯t in the mood.
¡°Tell Taka I want to talk to him.¡±
She only had time for one more drink before the ANBU commander appeared, and the rest of her guards quietly slipped out.
He stood like Kakashi, so at ease he almost looked lazy. Tall and lanky, she had no idea the tone of his skin or the color of his eyes. Couldn¡¯t tell if he smiled like he had a secret or bright like the sun. His chakra pulsed in strong, steady beats no matter what he was doing, something she¡¯d never felt before. Most shinobi¡¯s chakra was a constant flow, like a steady stream of water that expanded or shrank depending on the level of usage.
Taka¡¯s was incredibly unique, but he remained tight-lipped about why or what caused it. She¡¯d almost sent him to the hospital the first time she¡¯d met him until several others had confirmed that his chakra was always like that.
He was just as unwilling to take his mask off in her presence, and Tsunade had become the first Hokage in Konohagakure history not to know the identity of her own ANBU commander. The Council had yet to drop the subject, which just made Tsunade dig her heels in more. Taka had an exemplary record. Even the Council couldn¡¯t question his loyalty to the village.
Just his loyalty to them, she mused.
She did enjoy the ridiculous theories circling about why he never took off his mask. Birth defects to plastic surgery gone wrong to elephant ears.
Acid burns from a frog.
Jiraiya had always liked that one.
¡°Thank you for coming, Taka.¡±
The barest hint of a nod was all she got. He only spoke when he had something to say, and while it had bothered her at first, now, after years of dealing with whining lords and politicians, Tsunade greatly appreciated it.
¡°Have you heard of the Hanta?¡±
Silencing wards slipped over the office, much more powerful than what rested there daily.
¡°Why?¡±
¡°It was brought to my attention that they have not been fulfilling their duties.¡±
He didn¡¯t respond, but Tsunade thought she could feel a pulse of curiosity in his chakra.
¡°I felt somewhat foolish when it came up, as I didn¡¯t even know Konoha had hunter nin.¡±
He turned to the window, looking out over the village. ¡°May I ask the tone of the conversation?¡±
Odd, Tsunade thought. ¡°Decidedly unpleased.¡±
¡°The Council.¡±
If she¡¯d been younger and just a bit more out of control, he¡¯d have noticed her surprise. ¡°Are they that vocal in their dislike?¡±
¡°Konoha¡¯s hunters and her Council have never been on the same side.¡±
The same side of what? Tsunade wondered. ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with them. The Council wants an investigation and charges, but I won¡¯t put our shinobi through something like that without great reason.¡±
His mask gleamed in the moonlight as he turned to her.
¡°Konoha no longer has Hunter Nin.¡±
¡°They died out?¡±
He was silent for a longer stretch, wrestling with something.
¡°You are the granddaughter of the First Hokage.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Last of the Senju. Enemy of the Uchiha.¡±
¡°What?¡± There wasn¡¯t much left that could honestly shock Tsunade.
¡°You are an enemy of the Uchiha, are you not?¡±
¡°I am an enemy of enemies of this village.¡±
¡°You are a Senju. A Hokage.¡±
¡°And that makes me their enemy?¡±
¡°They no longer exist. You do.¡±
¡°What kind of logic is that? The Uchiha made their choices and paid for them.¡±
¡°Did they?¡±
A chill ran through her.
Dangerous ground, and every survival instinct she had went off.
The history of the Uchiha was such a large part of the village¡¯s history that there was no way to protect it if¡­.
Sakura had made comments.
So had the rest of the Rookie 11.
Naruto¡­.
Naruto¡¯s loyalty to Sasuke was unquestionable, as loud and obvious as the boy himself in his dedication and desperation to bring the wanderer back to the village.
He sang Itachi¡¯s praises without fear.
Sasuke had been searching for the truth about his family.
Had there actually been something to find?
¡°It must have been a great love,¡± Taka mused. ¡°For a clan to die for a village that hated them.¡±
¡°They didn¡¯t die. They were executed.¡±
¡°Either way, they¡¯re dead, aren¡¯t they? Their survivors punished every day.¡±
That was¡­.
Hiruzen would never have allowed something like that.
Tsunade would never allow something like that.
¡°What does that have to do with the Hanta?¡±
¡°Do you want the truth?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
The speed of her answer must have convinced him of something because he turned back to the window.
¡°Certain actions taken by leadership in the village caused a loss of faith. The Hanta resigned their posts as a result.¡±
Tsunade stared at him, frozen in a quagmire of disbelief and horror.
A loss of faith by some of the village¡¯s most loyal shinobi¡­because they wouldn¡¯t have been Hanta if they hadn¡¯t been.
¡°What would cause something like that?¡±
Taka fell silent.
¡°What did they do, Commander?¡±
¡°What would it take,¡± he mused instead of answering, ¡°To break your faith?¡±
And really, that was the answer itself¡­wasn¡¯t it?
***
Unless one lives and loves in the trenches, it is difficult to remember that the war against dehumanization is ceaseless.
Audre Lorde
***
~tbc~ Henka o motarasu sawayakana kaze *** Chapter 1: :Henka o motarasu sawayakana kaze A bracing wind that brings change *** In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends. Martin Luther King Jr. *** Present Day : :Umino Iruka''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : There was hardwood under his cheek and a crick in his neck. The sun was barely up, far too bright for Iruka''s state of mind, but it did manage to fight off the chill from the floor as he stretched and climbed to his feet. He had class in an hour, according to the clock on the coffee table, and he''d slept through breakfast. It felt off to be going about his normal day after last night. After everything that had happened the last few years, if he let himself dwell, so he didn''t. Self-preservation and all that. Like the world hadn''t just about ended because people couldn''t get along. Horribly simplistic, but really, what else did the nonsense about Indra and Asura boil down to? Two brothers, as different as night and day, and a grandmother willing to torture them to get back what she thought was hers. The story had been told countless times in Iruka''s life. Indra''s memories still contained deep within the blood. They were all expected to know it, a right of passage, the duty of the clan. Although, the resurrection part was ridiculous. A shoddy attempt to make a happy ending out of a sad story. A duty that had been their undoing. Their dedication to battling that terrible threat and the power needed to do so had ended up making them a threat to their own village in the small minds of those who looked on in envy. He found a clean uniform in the laundry room and peeked in on Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto was sound asleep, sprawled across the bed like a starfish, and probably would be for the next few days. Sasuke... Sasuke was in the process of climbing out the window, dragging a bundle of his belongings behind him. Iruka caught him by the shirt before he could make the final leap and sent him flying back onto the bed with a surprised shout. He caught the bundle as Sasuke bounced and chucked it into a closet. "Bastard." "I know." Iruka pressed his wrist to Sasuke''s forehead. No fever, most likely no infection. The boy glared, but his pain kept him immobile. "No fever. You just need to rest awhile." "I need to go." Stubborn, stubborn boy. Though there were many, many, who would point out that Iruka didn''t have a leg to stand on in that regard. He ran his fingers through Sasuke''s filthy hair and watched his eyes fight to stay open. Even as a baby, he''d never been able to resist someone stroking his hair. "I need to go." His words slurred. "You need to rest. You won''t get very far in the shape you''re in anyway." His pitiful glare made Iruka smile. "Naruto''s in the same boat," Iruka offered like Sasuke couldn''t tell from where he was half-sprawled out across the idiot, who somehow managed to sleep through everything. "He''ll want his weight in ramen when he wakes up." "I hate ramen." Little liar. "Miso with sliced tomatoes, then?" The look of surprise was insulting but not unexpected. "Every day you packed your own lunch, it was the exact same thing. In that little blue bento box Mikoto made for Itachi when he was in the Academy. You took it from him one day and refused to give it back, carried it with you everywhere." Iruka laughed suddenly, "You got so angry the day I took it away to clean it. You just stood in the teacher''s lounge, glaring at me until I finished. You wouldn''t talk to me for a week after." *** Until the end of his days, Sasuke would swear the flush on his cheeks was from the non-existent fever and not the memory of that afternoon. There were so few worth remembering from that time. Everything was separated into Before and After and seen through the lens of the massacre. There had been days then when Sasuke hadn''t been able to get out of bed for no other reason than there was no point anymore. There was no one to see. No one to walk to the academy with. No one to ask about Iruka''s lessons or whatever gossip he''d overheard from his classmates. No reason to eat or bathe. Iruka had taken to coming by after shifts in the mission room to make sure there was food in the house, that the water was still running, and the bills were paid. Years later, Sasuke still wondered why it had been him? Why hadn''t anyone else paid attention? Now he knew. They''d ignored him for the same reason they''d ignored Naruto starving on the streets. And like Naruto, only Iruka had reached out. The sensei had sat with him while he cried, had stood there and took when he was angry and came and found him when he was convinced it was better to run away and find Itachi instead of wait. Itachi used to stroke his hair until he fell asleep. The same way Iruka was now. "You can''t run forever, Sasuke." The teacher''s voice was just a soft murmur. "He caught you fair and square after chasing you across the world. Give him a chance." It was kind of intoxicating, being wanted like that, even when he didn''t deserve it. And terrifying. Thinking about everything Naruto had done, everything and everyone he''d risked, because he was convinced Sasuke was worth it. "They''re going to kill me." Iruka snorted. "There are far more that have done far worse and been allowed to remain. Besides, they''ll have to find you first." Iruka had always seemed larger than life when Sasuke was young and watching him from the back of the classroom. Boisterous, emotional, out of control. The antithesis of everything a shinobi was supposed to be and yet so utterly unafraid. He yelled at the Hokage and other shinobi who outranked him without hesitation, threw incompetent reports back in their author''s faces, and somehow thought dealing with thirty wanna-be nin with no actual skills every day was a worthy cause. They''d kill him, too. As soon as they learned he''d helped Sasuke. Naruto might be spared, so powerful and valuable, but then....Kyuubi. No one who helped Sasuke was safe. Just like all the others. Like his family. Like Itachi. There''s no air in his lungs. No air in the room. Panic set in. His vision spotted around the edges, his muscles tensed to the point of snapping. "Look at me, Sasuke." And he did, and Iruka''s eyes started to spin, and everything went dark. *** Parents are the bones on which children cut their teeth. Peter Ustinov *** When Iruka was young, he''d had no idea what to do with his life. His parents were shinobi, his friend''s parents were shinobi, the whole village seemed to circle around the shinobi that protected it. He''s been five when Fugaku had offered to train him. Far too young to actually understand what he was agreeing to but young enough to be curious. Fugaku had stopped smiling by then. Worn down by a world that didn''t appreciate him or his family. It would be years before he''d ever admit to the things that Iruka now carried. Before, he''d helped bury Kohari and Ikakku and Obito and charged Iruka with an undertaking that would define the rest of his life. But those first few years were pleasant. Hard, exhausting, really, but fun. The last years of Iruka''s life that he would ever describe that way. It had gotten even better when Anko, Kotetsu, Izumo, Taka, and Yajirobi had started training, too, and they''d coalesced into their own little family unit. Fugaku had named them shizukesa o motarasu yuki. The snow that brings silence. Or tranquility, depending on who was translating. There was a special word for it in the old tongue. For snow that falls silently. Shinshin. It hadn''t been used in general conversation since before the founding of the village. Fugaku''s generation had been named Akarui Hikari. The bright light. Kikyo''s had been Raijingusan. The rising sun. Way back when the Konohagakure had just been beginning. Three generations of Hanta had protected Konohagakure from the shadows, and it had started with Kikyo and Tobirama and ended with Iruka the day he''d renounced his oath and the Hokage he''d given it to. His uniform and shattered mask were packed away. Hidden, really. Along with all the other evidence of their existence. No one had stayed after Iruka left. Too loyal and stubborn and lost in the wake of their faith leaving them. The tattoo over Iruka''s heart, the hiragana for Hunter, had finally started to fade a few years ago. If he lived long enough, it wouldn''t be visible at all. Although, given the average lifespan of a shinobi, it wasn''t likely he''d see that day. Iruka had trained his own apprentice before it had all come crumbling down, and he''d never had a desire to train another. At least, not until now. Naruto could have been Hanta, but he would have been wasted there. Naruto was made to be Hokage, with a heart big enough for the entire village. Sasuke, though, was born to be Hanta. A dark-eyed, wrathful god of the battlefield. Equally capable of meting out justice and salvation, as desperate to destroy as he was to save. Maybe when Naruto became Hokage, the Hanta would come back, and Naruto would have a force at his back that would protect him while he protected the village. So much to teach and so little time. All he could do at this moment was tuck a blanket around them and wonder if they even realized that they''d changed. So wrapped up in one another it was impossible to tell where one started and the other ended. Or that they''d changed the world while they''d been changing each other. There''s so much to tell them. About the clan and their fathers, how rumors almost led to civil war, and the great sacrifice that had been made because no one could see any other way forward. That he''d been there the day Sasuke was born, the unexpected miracle from a pair that had thought they''d exhausted their last with his brother. That Iruka had been the second person to hold him and how terrified he''d been because he was so small. Your father trained me, Iruka wanted to say. He taught me everything. I am made in his image. I loved him, too. All of them. There are so many stories to tell you about who they really were. What they really did. What was done to them. About the others. Kotetsu. Izumo. Anko and Taka. Yajirobi. Kabuto. Itachi and Obito and Hiruzen. Kikyo and Tsume and Shiba and Dai. Sakumo. Madara and the two Senju that had walked beside him. And all the others who had come and gone before Naruto and Sasuke had been old enough to realize they''d never even been there. Neither of them should have had to question their place in the village their families helped found. His old photo albums, the only reminders he''d taken when the compound had been sealed away, sat in plain sight on his bookshelves because Fugaku had always said that''s always the best place to hide something valuable. He tried not to look at them too often. The pain makes him so angry, and Iruka had never been able to contain his hate. It spilled like a tidal wave over the rocks, slipping into the cracks and leaking out in the most surprising ways. He''s been on the verge of doing something stupid for years, and this false peace after that horrible war has only pushed him closer to the edge. Only the gods know how much longer Iruka would be able to hold all the scattered pieces of himself together.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He knew one thing, though, as he looked at a picture taken all those years ago when there was still hope that things would work out. Mikoto and Kushina pushing their swollen bellies together and making faces at the camera. They''d had grand plans that their youngest boys would be best friends like their mothers. That they''d grow up together and fight side-by-side. They''d gotten their wish in the end, but Iruka knew that neither woman would have allowed them to suffer the path that led them there if they''d been alive. So, Iruka would do it for them. He was long past putting the village before the people he cared about. It owed them happiness, and Iruka was going to collect. *** Soldiers, when committed to a task, can''t compromise. It''s unrelenting devotion to the standards of duty and courage, absolute loyalty to others, not letting the task go until it''s been done. John Keegan *** Present Day : :Torture and Interrogation Cells, ANBU: : Something Ibiki had learned over the course of his many years in Intelligence: some people had a stillness that belied all else. Those people were the most terrifying he had ever faced. No human was immune to fear or intimidation. It was merely a matter of defining what kind to use and at what level. But those who were still were like beasts. There was no motivation but survival. No temptation that could be used. No weakness that could be exploited. They existed in a world no one else could touch. Where pain could break the body but never the spirit. Those people never broke, no matter what Ibiki and his people did. It had been a long time since he''d had one in his cells. In fact, the last had been Uchiha Fugaku. Three days of Ibiki and his best and even the Council themselves and Fugaku had never so much as flinched. Ibiki wasn''t even sure he''d really been in the cell. His body certainly had, but it had no purchase over his mind, and as such, he''d been untouchable. And how it had infuriated Danzo. Ibiki had never seen someone so enraged. Yakushi Kabuto had surrendered himself after the final battle, and ever since, he''d been a model prisoner. He answered every question, no matter how intrusive. Had allowed the Yamanaka into his mind and the medi-nin into his body and never made a sound. He''d even assisted in the treatment of one of his sick interrogators when the man had a heart attack during his session. Ibiki had been in intelligence too long to trust anyone, but even he was hard-pressed to doubt Kabuto''s statement of reconciliation. His reverence for Uchiha Itachi and what he''d been attempting to do rang true. He''d handed over locations of old Akatsuki hideouts and Orochimaru''s old labs. They''d learned far more than Ibiki ever wanted to know about the snake-like Sanin, including his obsession and terror of the Sharingan and his attempts to breed it outside the Uchiha. The breath of Orochimaru''s hatred had surprised even the Hokage herself. And Kabuto was the first person Ibiki found that could put Danzo and Orochimaru in a room together, confirming Iruka''s long-held suspicions. That had not been pleasant news to break. Ibiki could still feel the heat from Iruka''s chakra when he''d told him. And now, the more he dug, the more he found similarities between Orochimaru''s experiments and Danzo''s...whatever the fuck he called what he was doing to the children he stole into Root. Danzo was better at covering his tracks than Orochimaru had been. The ease with which he disposed of his tools made it difficult to collect evidence, and what little he had found was circumstantial at best. Ibiki''s bingo book was thicker than ever and growing every day he investigated. Danzo''s network was far-reaching and dug in, and while the Hokage wanted answers, she also wanted peace. He''d never officially put Sasuke''s page in the book, despite the order from the Council and the Hokage. He really didn''t want the visit from Iruka that would have followed. And the night after she''d told him, he''d found her drunk in her office crying, so Ibiki was comfortable telling himself she didn''t actually mean it and had just never brought it up again. He burned the pages on Sasuke''s precious Team Haka at Iruka''s request, though not before memorizing the important details. They showed no interest in Konoha beyond Sasuke anyway, and Iruka had promised to deal with them if they showed up. Uchiha Itachi''s page had been removed and burned without ceremony amid Kabuto''s intelligence that the massacre of the Uchiha had been ordered by someone in the village. A terrifying piece that Ibiki had not yet had the courage to speak out loud to anyone else. He was old and tired and not sure Konohagakure was strong enough to survive a civil war. And...as much as he respected Tsunade, he wasn''t entirely convinced she was the most powerful leader in the village. It was still too easy to chalk it all up to Kabuto''s feelings towards Itachi, which were openly adoring and left a tiny part of Ibiki in mourning for what had been lost. He''d respected Itachi immensely, even when he''d been young and jealous of the genius. That he''d never found happiness in this life would always be sad. Ibiki had been alive long enough to realize that a love missed, to almost be happy, was the harshest punishment of all and that there were very few people in the world who truly deserved it. Between that and the rumors about Root and the Council attempting to force Tsunade to deal with their enemies and this peace didn''t really seem worth celebrating. Yet. The Godaime seemed to agree, but it left the two of them in the awkward position of what to do with the information they were gathering. Now, as she sat next to Ibiki, eyes on Kabuto with a frown marring her eternally young face, he hoped she''d figured out an answer. "What do you know of the Hanta, Ibiki?" Only years of discipline kept him still. Even more impressive, Kabuto had no reaction at all, and Ibiki knew he could hear them through the wall. "The Hanta?" "Konoha''s hunters." She managed to pull her gaze from Kabuto and looked at him. "Only rumors." She raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Not my department." Amused, she snorted. "What rumors have you heard?" "Nothing in years. When I was young, well, you hear ghost stories, but they never went beyond that." She looked pensive, her gaze flicking back to Kabuto. "Why the interest?" "The Council brought them up." Ah. Ibiki''s eyes landed on the still shinobi. "I doubt that was a fun conversation." "They want to put them on trial." "You can try a ghost?" "Unfortunately, it seems there''s enough evidence to prove they''re real." Manufactured evidence, most likely, he thought. "Kakashi is investigating." Oh boy. Ibiki saw fireworks in the future. Big, explosive fireworks. "I can have one of my investigators handle it. Isn''t Hatake preparing to take your place?" "No, the brat needs to learn to deal with situations like this. And his is one of the few reputations strongest enough to withstand the attention if he actually finds something." He''d find something alright. All he''d have to do was get within twenty feet of Iruka, and things would go off. "It won''t be good for the village." "I know. But we can contain it at least." Doing that was what caused the problem last time, Ibiki didn''t say. She thought like her teacher, like her ancestors. Too much inter-family training and not enough outside influence. Stagnation had destroyed the Senju. Blind loyalty had destroyed the Uchiha. They were so damn similar. Years of studying both clans and Ibiki still couldn''t figure out why the hell they hadn''t been able to get along. *** Tsunade turned back to the T&I Commander and tried to forget the quiet missing-nin in the cell. Despite conquering her fear of blood, she''d never quite been able to put their first battle out of her mind. For someone so young to have so easily deduced her weakness and then to work his way through his confused nervous system....until he''d been able to fight just as effectively. She''d never met another shinobi with a mind like that. He would have been an excellent medi-nin if he''d chosen a different path. "I think he''s telling the truth," Ibiki nodded to Yakushi as he spoke. Personally, Tsunade agreed. Even before the war had kicked off, Yakushi''s loyalty to Itachi had been obvious. But it would be a while before she was comfortable releasing him out into the world. "I can hold him a bit longer, but eventually...you''ll have to make a ruling." "I''d like things to calm down a bit first. We haven''t even finished tallying the dead and the missing." They''d probably never finish in truth. The war had been so large and the battlefields so plentiful all five Kages were struggling to identify all those who had been lost in their lands. "He''ll be safe here until you decide, Lord Hokage." She headed for the door. "Give him a book or something. No need to make another insane ninja." Ibiki highly doubted anything he had could do that, but it was nice to know they were on the same page. *** Present Day : :Konohagakure Records Office, Hokage''s Tower: : It was impossible to hide Iruka''s impatience as the clock''s hour hand ticked over again. How long did it take to find a couple of forms? He''d even told the chunin running the desk exactly where to find them. There wasn''t a lot to look through. For a village with a high percentage of orphans, there were heartbreakingly few adoptions. Iruka had filed the forms years ago, and in the decade since, no one had ever brought them up again. Most didn''t know, and Hiruzen had apparently never left a note to his successor. The Council had clearly never thought to check, or they''d have fought an entirely different war by now. The original seals were intact when the clerk finally brought them over. Iruka had copies carefully stashed away, but before everything kicked off, he wanted to make sure no one had messed with the copies in the official archive. The clerk didn''t pay any attention as he broke the seals and reviewed the contents. He was young enough to resent being assigned to the archive instead of actual missions, and he likely wouldn''t even remember that Iruka had come by. The script of the scrolls made Iruka''s heart hurt for a moment. It was so rare to see their handwriting now. Guardianship of Uzumaki Naruto awarded to Umino Iruka by Sarutobi Hiruzen, as witnessed by Sarutobi Asuma and Hagane Kotetsu. Guardianship of Uchiha Sasuke awarded to Umino Iruka by Sarutobi Hiruzen, as witnessed by Sarutobi Asuma and Hagane Kotetsu. Still legally binding despite the fact that Hiruzen and Asuma were dead, and the Council would take Orochimaru''s word over Kotetsu''s. Maybe he needed more? Just in case Tsunade did look. Who would she trust? Hatake, but he''d never agree to sign. The Clan heads wouldn''t risk their families lying to the Hokage. Shizune had no reason to know, neither did most Jounin. Well...most, but not all. Guardianship of Uzumaki Naruto awarded to Umino Iruka by Sarutobi Hiruzen, as witnessed by Sarutobi Asuma and Yuuhi Kurenai. Guardianship of Uchiha Sasuke awarded to Umino Iruka by Sarutobi Hiruzen, as witnessed by Sarutobi Asuma and Maito Gai. He knew Kurenai well enough through Asuma to know she''d come to him before outing him for forging her signature, and though Asuma had never said it outright, Iruka knew he''d most likely loved and trusted her enough to tell her most of the sordid tale. Kurenai, for all her calm, collected loyalty to the village, would side with Iruka against anyone who thought treating children that way was okay. Gai... Gai, for all his seemingly boisterous simplicity, was someone whose honor Iruka found unimpeachable. He would confront Iruka as well, but he would also take one look at Sasuke''s name and refuse to make a judgment without taking the boy into consideration, no matter what he had done. He dated them back a few years and resealed them, slipping an alarm tag inside so he''d be notified if anyone ever opened them, then slid them back across the counter. "I''m done. Please re-file them." The chunin nodded absentmindedly, shoving them all into one big pile he was clearly putting off. Whatever. They were legal(-ish), whether they were stacked on his desk or filed away, and Iruka left before the urge to lecture him about duty and responsibility won out. He needed to pick up groceries on his way home. He''d forgotten how much two teenagers could eat, even though one of them was still unconscious. And he needed to make sure he had substitutes lined up for when everything kicked off. If the Academy was even back up and running by then. The grounds still weren''t safe for regular classes. Which reminded him he still had grading left. Maybe he''d just get ramen and worry about groceries tomorrow. And he needed to dig out the old scrolls and see what he could do about the village wards. If he ended up doing anything about them at all. A week ago, he''d have left them to the Hokage and her people and let them struggle, but a week ago, Naruto and Sasuke hadn''t been in the village. And even though Iruka knew the people he really needed to protect them from were in the village itself, he still didn''t want one any of the dozens of enemies they picked up over the years outside the Land of Fire dropping by. Maybe... Maybe...it was time to reconsider the Uchiha compound, even though the thought made Iruka''s heart twist painfully. Living there without them felt blasphemous, and the terror of seeing their ghosts around every corner.... Naruto and Sasuke would be safe, but Iruka would never sleep again. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he missed Hatake for the first few seconds. Thank god he noticed him before he walked right into the amused jounin. Great. "Afternoon, Iruka-sensei." His nose was buried in one of those disgusting books, and the amused air he always seemed to have around Iruka was present and accounted for. Fucker. "Good afternoon, Hatake-san." Manners mattered, his mother had always insisted, and he bowed deeply. "Headed home?" Such a polite, innocent question in such a condescending tone. No, I''m headed to the Pure Land to have it out with a few generations of idiots. "Yes. Have a good day." He turned to leave, but Hatake''s voice stopped him. "I see you still not over our disagreement from the Chunin Exams, sensei." And now Iruka wanted to punch him in his perfect face. He ground his teeth and turned back around. "If you recall, Hatake-san, I apologized and admitted you were right. It''s rather childish of you to keep bringing it up." You giant fucking prick. *** "You didn''t mean it." And Kakashi wasn''t so noble that he''d pass up the chance to tease the emotional chunin, who leaned towards ruthlessly attractive when he was enraged. Kakashi had issues; he was well aware, but this one was mostly harmless unless he actually managed to drive the chunin to violence one day. Even then, the idea of Umino hurting him was laughable. Kakashi might let him land one punch just to be nice. He admired that the academy teacher was willing to stand up for himself, for anyone, to anyone really. Even if he thought the man was an over-emotional fool. Right now, he looked a hair''s breadth away from snapping. A vein in his forehead pulsed, and Kakashi had the odd urge to lick it. Only the fact that they were in public, that Kakashi had some decency, and the fact that Iruka would no doubt attempt to rend him limb from limb until Kakashi was forced to hurt him to stop him, made him keep his tongue to himself. "Would you like me to apologize again?" Iruka sounded like he was in physical pain just speaking. "Would it make any difference?" Kakashi mused, tucking his precious book away before the sensei decided to take offense to that, too. *** Despite the desire to physically reach out and straighten Hatake''s apparently liquid spine, Iruka managed to get out, "All of my apologies were meant with the utmost sincerity, Hatake-san." With a mostly straight face, too, even though it was a bald-faced lie of the highest order. Iruka had never meant a single one of the dozen he''d given over the years. Why should he apologize for caring about Naruto and his fellow students? Who cared if a few egos got bruised as a result? The Jounin knew it, too, which was why he had no problem calling Iruka out. But he''d never filed an official complaint. At least not one Iruka had ever been punished for. "Not setting a very good example for your students lying like that, sensei. At least practice enough to make it believable." It''ll be believable when I smash your face into the ground. Before Iruka could respond, another voice called out to Hatake, and they both turned to find a pretty female jounin Iruka recognized from the mission room. She put a friendly hand on Hatake''s arm and flashed a disinterested glance at Iruka. "Kakashi, I''m so glad I ran into you. I was hoping we could talk." Talk, right.... He rolled his eyes so hard it hurt. She wasn''t known for being as relaxed with the rank structure as Hatake, and the last thing Iruka needed was any kind of negative attention. There''d be enough of that soon enough. Her grip tightened, and Iruka leaped at the chance to escape. There was no shame in running away; the whole point was to live to fight another day, and Iruka had plenty of fights left. He only made it a few steps before Hatake called him back. "Our conversation wasn''t finished, Umino-sensei." Yes, it was, you gigantic silver-topped weasel. Iruka''s temper spiraled higher, but he plastered a smile on his face as he turned back. "I apologize, Hatake-sama. I''m late for dinner and need to be going." He even tried to keep his voice level, but judging from the amused aura, the killing intent had come through loud and clear. "You should be careful about your tone, Umino." Apparently, she''d caught it, too, "You should show respect when speaking with a superior." Oh please. Wait, shit, she knows my name. He was definitely getting written up for this. "Shinobi custom is built on respect." I know. I teach it every day, lady; if you ever showed any interest in anything but your status, you''d know that. "Kakashi and I earned our ranks protecting this village." It was always an odd feeling when his eye twitched. An uncontrolled movement that felt like someone was reaching over and moving his eye for him. "We''ve earned your respect." In hindsight, Iruka was incredibly proud of himself for not laughing out loud. Hatake was a genius, heir to an ancient line, and student of the Fourth. He was never going to be anything but a general among shinobi. And she....well, Iruka had no idea what her background was, but judging from her attitude, she certainly hadn''t grown up hungry and wanting. He bowed deeply. "I agree. Respect is earned, Jounin-san. Personally, I don''t think killing is a skill worthy of respect, but I assure you, as soon as I meet someone who has earned it, I''ll afford them some." Iruka formed the seals and teleported away before either of them could respond, but Hatake had definitely lost that amused air, and she looked ready to kill as he faded away. Definitely getting written up now. He was hanging his vest on the peg and making a bet with himself on how soon Tsunade would call him in to yell when Sasuke stepped out of the kitchen, balancing a tray with soup and a plate of sliced tomatoes. Over his shoulder, Iruka saw the photo albums spread over the coffee table. "Find something interesting, Sasuke?" "Sit down. I have questions." Definitely Fugaku''s son. *** Present Day : :Hokage''s Monument, Konohagakure: : Tsume took a deep breath, let the warm, heavy air settle in her lungs, and her eyes fell shut. The air tasted sweet. It was the end of summer, time for harvest, and the scent of fruit and the last of the summer flowers would soon turn crisp and clean as fall came. It was her favorite time of year, the changing of the seasons when the world couldn''t quite decide what it wanted. Missions were few and far between, and even though it had been years since she''d been in the regular rotation, she still remembered coming back sweaty and bloody and collapsing in the soft grass to watch the sunset with Mikoto and Kushina, Dai dragging Fugaku along and Shibi and Sakumo bringing the good sake. Drinking until the twitching of their muscles stopped and the constant wired feeling of being aware faded into dull complacency. In the winters, they''d curled up in front of the great fire in Hantahoru or Wairudohoru. Tangled up in blankets and each other when they were all still young enough to have hope that the future wouldn''t hurt too much. When their Will of Fire still burned bright and eternal. How young they''d all been then. It was barely a flicker now. For a short time, it had even gone out completely. A gentle gust of wind made her smile, and Shibi''s warm presence rolled over her. The low hum of his insects always in the background. Most shinobi needed chakra-enhanced hearing to hear them, though there were a few with naturally heightened senses that may have been able to do it without chakra. "Contemplating the world?" His voice was warm and low, and Tsume could remember the countless horrible nights it had gotten her through. When Hana''s father died and Kiba''s left. Those dark months following the Third Shinobi World War. The days following the Nine-Tails and horrific years following the loss of the Uchiha. Those still weren''t over. "Just thinking." She didn''t have to look at him to know the expression twisting across his face. Tsume wasn''t the deep-thinking type. Never had been. She trusted her instincts like all animals and her faith had been proven time and time again. That instinct had made her clan one of the most formidable to ever set foot on a battlefield, and all those decades ago, when Kikyo and Tobirama had formed the Hanta, the Inuzuka had been the second clan chosen to carry the mantle. The first had been the Uchiha. Hon¨­ and Yasei, and later, they''d added Arashi when the Aburame had joined them. The flame and the wild and the storm. The ultimate balance. Ky¨±kyoku no baransu. The instinct of the Inuzuka and the detail of the Aburame both fed into the viciousness of the Uchiha. Tsume had always launched ahead full throttle while Shibi waited for the perfect moment, and Fugaku annihilated everything in his path to make the opportunities that he wanted. Together, they were unstoppable. And very soon, their enemies would remember that. "I''m worried about Iruka," Shibi murmured, and it made Tsume snort. "Anyone trapped in a shitty apartment with two hormonal teenagers is in danger." Add in that Iruka had to keep them hidden there, and he might as well have locked two fighting tigers in a box with poor Iruka stuck in the middle trying to keep the peace. "Did you feel it, though?" She grinned. The feeling of elation hadn''t left her since she''d felt the sudden rise of Kiba''s chakra that afternoon. Hinata and Shino''s had followed soon after, and she''d nearly walked into a wall in surprise. Hana and her council had thought it hilarious and then gotten straight down to the business of planning the next steps against Root and the Council. "Shino said not to expect him home." The pleasure in Shibi''s voice ran deep. "Iruka''s apartment building may not survive the night." "He should be back in the compound anyway." "It is the safest place," Shibi agreed. The Uchiha wards were nigh impenetrable. Old Blood Wards brought from the first compound on the Naka. "It''s also his damn right." Leaving it empty was blasphemy when the Uchiha had been so obsessed with family and love and attachment. Now, they were all going to Iruka''s apartment. Tsume could feel their chakra signatures moving through the village like moths to a flame. They were growing up, having already weathered more challenges than most would ever even imagine. And yet, there were still more to come. Foreign enemies were always easier than those born from your own hearth, and though Tsume had great faith and vicious teeth, she still worried. Iruka, temperamental, passionate, unable-to-stop-caring Iruka, was balanced on the edge of a knife. So strong and so smart and so lonely, just like his family. She wanted him to live on and enjoy a happy life, at least for as long as he''d suffered a horrible one, but none of them were any good at that. They always had to save everyone. And Shibi laughed at the irony of an Inuzuka calling out a Uchiha for stubbornness as the reckoning descended on Iruka''s apartment. *** To the living, we owe respect, but to the dead, we owe only the truth. Voltaire *** ~tbc~ Kotei sa reta buttai *** Chapter 2: :Kotei sa reta buttai An immovable object *** Remember this, Tarta, one who is willing to die is strong. The only ones who can defeat them are the ones who know their own worth. Magic Knight Rayearth *** Present Day : :The Road to Konoha, Land of Snow, Land of Iron: : Rule number two: Run far. Run fast. Kill first. Kill last. When Kikyo had been young, truly young, there had been no roads. There hadn''t been any villages or monuments either. Humankind had been in its infancy, crawling around the earth, lost and dirty and at the mercy of the gods and beasts that already called it home. When her great-grandmother had eaten the god fruit and begun mankind''s mastery of chakra, she''d set them on the path to civilization. A few dozen generations later and there were entire villages hidden across the land, cities, and ports that traded goods from around the world, and shinobi that had managed to turn the study of chakra into an art form. Then, a weapon. The beasts that had once ruled the world had been sealed away, then freed, and were now scattered around the world, interacting with humankind only when they felt the desire to. The old gods had turned their backs entirely, content to remain hidden in the in-between and their pockets of the Pure Land. A few would come when called by the blood they favored...if they felt like it. Deals made with the old gods were much less reliable than contracts signed with spirit clans. The world ought to enjoy any peace while it could, but it never did. Kikyo had lived long enough to know that everything came and went in the cycle of life. Kaguya would always try again. They would always choose to seal instead of kill. Someone would want the power of the tailed beasts again. One Hidden Village would make an attempt on another. They would collapse and be rebuilt over and over. And someday, someone strong enough would finally challenge Kikyo and win, and she would move on in peace. Although, judging by the current quality of shinobi, it was going to be a while for that one. She stopped to stretch, felt her muscles shift and wake, fighting off the constant chill that seemed to permeate the Land of Snow. The Uchiha ran hot, always had, but an extended stay could wear even Kikyo down. The Uchiha''s mountain fortress had been an excellent place to hide out for the years it took to heal Shisui and then Itachi and to recover her own chakra after the extensive process. Konohagakure''s reach had never managed to extend to Snow either, despite the Hatake''s origins in the high peaks, so they''d remained hidden from the whole world until it was time. Despite Root''s attempts, they''d never managed to suss out the Uchiha hideouts beyond the borders of the Land of Fire. Too young of an organization against a clan preparing for ages. Since long before the lands had borders. In the grand scheme of things, Root would barely end up a footnote in history, but they were still a problem now, and Kikyo''s admittedly microscopic patience was already running thin. Kaguya had only recently been defeated and sealed away. They were still within the window where her waning strength was enough to break free if the appropriate attention wasn''t paid and the seals weren''t given time to do their work. There was no telling how far her reach had extended this go around. Madara had resisted her the first time, but she''d gotten a hook into him years later. It was likely she already had another puppet working her release and Kikyo had felt the seed of the God Tree crack open and sprout just days ago. It would grow quickly now, fed by the excess chara dispelled from those who''d died during the war and the lingering pain of loss and heartache in those who''d survived. It lent a unique taste to chakra that made it all the more appetizing, and it wouldn''t be long before the sapling was visible on the horizon and, months after that, its roots deep enough to take hold in this world. She would target Konohagakure and the remaining Uchiha first, as always. The first shinobi village had always been one of the strongest, but more than that...it was home to the Uchiha, the Senju, the Uzumaki, the Hyuga, Namikaze, Inuzuka, and Aburame. Clans descended directly from her traitorous sons that helped seal her away every time she managed to claw her way back into the world. For someone so old and learned, she would never be able to move past her children''s betrayal. The same way she''d destroyed Uzushiogakure all those years ago. With the immense losses of the Fourth Shinobi World War still being counted, the Village Hidden in Leaves was ripe for the picking by any of her enemies. Itachi, easily the most farsighted of her descendants, had wanted to return to the village immediately in a rare show of impatience. And Shisui, naturally, had agreed with him. It had taken all of Kikyo''s impressive reasoning skills -she''d beat them into the ground every time they tried to leave- to keep them in place for a few weeks more, to give Iruka a chance to warn them before she suddenly showed up with two family members who were supposed to be dead. But Shieldbearer Shisui and Dragonheart Itachi were not easily put off, and as such, they were moving out two months earlier than she''d originally planned. Stubborn brats. Meanwhile, Iruka''s communications had been short and to the point, unable to risk anything longer with Root regaining its foothold. The situation in Konohagakure was deteriorating. Tsunade was ready to move on, but Hatake wasn''t ready to take over, and the Council was moving into the gap. Koharu and Homura had slowly been chipping away at the power of the clans, and Iruka believed they were already too weak to stop the Council when they moved, the old alliances lost to time and politics. Tsume was a hairsbreadth away from declaring a civil war. Kikyo''s first student had always been quick to fight, would rather destroy and rebuild entirely than try to patch with a bandaid. And it wasn''t the wrong approach or the right one, merely one option of many. Kikyo herself wasn''t ready to say that was the way to go, but if it became necessary, she''d happily burn the entire village and all the bad memories within to the ground. There may even come a day when the only way to save Konohagakure was a complete reset. Her shinobi were so obsessed with attaining strength that they''d forgotten what it actually was, why shinobi had come into existence, to begin with. They were going to get a nasty wake-up call when that day came. She glanced at Itachi and Shisui, keeping an easy pace as they made their way across the islands that separated Snow from Iron. She hadn''t been able to completely erase the side effects of the plague Itachi had suffered from most of his life, and Shisui would never get his eyes back, but both were fighting fit by Uchiha standards. Which put them beyond everyone else by a notable margin. They wanted to go home, to rejoin the last of their family. Angry at how long they''d had to fight alone, and even Kikyo could feel the call of blood from the Village Hidden in Leaves, and she''d had much longer to become accustomed to the feeling of longing that could drive them to madness when it went unanswered. Traveling mostly at night and under heavy genjutsu layered over and over had slowed their progress, and they still had to cover close to a thousand miles before they''d reach the border of the Land of Fire. Dawn broke as they crossed the last of the small series of islands along the coast of the Land of Iron. Racing the sun, they only had a couple of hours more before they''d have to stop and rest. Kikyo had always been fond of the samurai way of life that presided throughout the Land of Iron, and the Uchiha had a long history in the area. Iruka''s adoptive parents had moved to Konohagakure from a small village on the coast, bringing their swordsmanship and warrior philosophy to the Uchiha, who''d recruited them quickly into the military police. When Fugaku had needed someone to raise Iruka while he finished things with his mother and drew away Danzo''s attention, the Uminos had stepped up, desiring a child they couldn''t have on their own and further tying them to the clan. Their deaths battling the demon fox had saddened many. Fields of wheat stretched as far as the eye could see as they made their way into the heart of the Land of Iron. Itachi had talked himself voiceless, telling Shisui everything that had happened since his death, and Kikyo had shared Iruka''s news whenever she got it. They''d ripped apart a few of her plans in the meantime, and Kikyo was an odd mix of proud and annoyed. It reminded her of trying to plan things with Tobirama and Kagami and the constant push and pull that came with working among equals. Itachi and Shisui were almost there. Iruka was close, but he was so, so angry, and Obito was already lost to the pain. Sasuke was...Sasuke was so young and so hurt. He had the potential to surpass them all if he found something worth fighting for. "We''ll have to stop soon," Shisui murmured, sightless eyes turned towards the rising sun. There was a small farmstead just off the road. Nothing more than a house with a straw roof, a well, and a small garden surrounded by rippling fields of gold. The farmer was already up drawing water from the well, and the idea of a mouthful of cold, clean water was enough to make Kikyo stop. Itachi and Shisui followed her off the road, double-checking the genjutsu that made them look like weary travelers with absolutely no weapons who were definitely not shinobi as the farmer bent over the haul another bucket out. "Good morning." Itachi was the least threatening-looking of the three of them, genjutsu or not. Shisui was just as kind-hearted, but somehow, people seemed to be able to tell he''d ripped out his own eyes rather than lose them to someone else, and Kikyo...well, she didn''t usually bother to try and not look threatening. Genjutsu could only do so much. The farmer straightened, turned to them with a bright smile, and they stared at him through his cheerful good morning. They kept staring until his smile faltered and became strained at the edges. "Do you need water? You''re welcome to the well. I think I have some bread inside." He started inching towards the house as the silence turned well and truly uncomfortable. "No, thank you." Itachi turned on his heel and started back towards the road, Shusui hot on his heels. Kikyo''s mouth opened and shut, but nothing came out as the Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure blinked owlishly at their backs. He turned to Kikyo, "Would you like something to eat?" Itachi and Shisui didn''t even pause as they reached the road, applying all of their impressive mental prowess to ignoring the fact that the Yondaime was apparently alive and well and farming in the Land of Iron. And hadn''t aged a day since the night he''d died. For his part, Namikaze Minato didn''t seem to recognize any of them and certainly didn''t carry himself as the shinobi he had been. Kikyo had never had many dealings with him, even when she''d been in the village. His close relationship with Fugaku had meant Kikyo wasn''t needed to maintain close ties to the Hokage office the way she had in previous generations, and she''d turned her attention to things outside the village. The few times they''d met hadn''t gone well. He''d found her insulting and loud and didn''t believe she was as skilled as she was. She didn''t like that he hesitated so much and was such a pushover when it came to conflict. Fugaku had learned quickly not to bring them around one another. She''d voted against his Hokage nomination, though in the end, she had tried to make it back to the village in time to save his life. Unfortunately, she''d miscalculated Danzo''s reach, they all had, and he''d managed to undo all of Minato''s wishes after his death, including who would care for his orphan son. Mikoto had been inconsolable after the Sandaime had refused to allow her to adopt the newborn. How would he react when he found out what the village had done to his friend''s family? To his own.... Itachi and Shisui were almost out of sight now, muttering quietly to themselves that they weren''t going to stop despite Kikyo yelling at them to get back here! "Uh, is everything alright?" God, just as much of a mouse now as he was before, Kikyo seethed. *** A deafening crash finally made Itachi and Shisui stop a few hundred yards down the road. "Don''t turn around." "I won''t if you won''t." Itachi stared ahead, halfway convinced he could see the border of Konoha if he squinted hard enough. "We can make it to Konohagakure in two weeks if we don''t stop now." The loss of his eyes hadn''t slowed Shisui down in the slightest. He''d always had an above-average sensor ability, could read the weather almost as well as he could read his enemies on the battlefield. A storm was coming. The air was heavy and warm. One of the last summer thunderstorms, but they lasted in Iron. Lightning and pouring rain for weeks on end. It would delay them if they didn''t get ahead of it now. But... Kikyo wasn''t the most patient of people. And they had both liked the Yondaime. It would be a shame if she killed him. They shared a sigh and turned around. "What the hell, Kikyo-mejin? You destroyed his house!" *** Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people. Dennis Prager *** Present Day : :Umino Iruka''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : Iruka diced vegetables with one eye on the simmering broth as he tracked the approaching chakra signatures. He had to fight down his smile before Sasuke saw it, camped out at the rickety kitchen table with one of Iruka''s photo albums. The boy was still wrapped in rage and misery, would be for a long time, Iruka figured. The Uchiha had always been good about nursing their wounds until they bled out. Gone was the innocent arrogance he''d carried in the academy, bled away into what was, at its core, hurt. The village he''d been raised to protect had betrayed him. No one outside the clan ever understood exactly how much of the Uchiha was focused on protecting the village. From birth, Sasuke had been taught subete wa mura no tame ni. All for the village. The Senju may have been at their side to found it, but the village had far more significance for the Uchiha, whose nomadic tendencies and mercenary practices had far outreached any other clan on the continent. They had unmade themselves to fit in the village. Breaking themselves down to the foundations and rebuilding in the image of something else. They had never regretted it, exactly...but the wanderlust was always there, always drawing the Sharingan to the horizon, to what could be, to what there was left to learn. All those new jutsu and fighting styles. All that knowledge just waiting. You must always be prepared for the enemy, new and old, they always said, but it was an excuse. An excuse to leave and travel and quench the undying thirst for movement, for knowledge. The Uchiha libraries are the most extensive historical record and collection of jutsu on the continent, lusted after by all and sealed away, untouchable, since the night the clan fell.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ANBU regularly tested their new recruits against the barrier. They always failed. The Sandaime tried regularly those first years before the guilt got to him. Tsunade and Jiraiya tried their hands when they returned to the village, but even Gamabunta could not solve the puzzle. Whatever they had used was something even the Great Toad Sage hadn''t recognized. Kakashi''s Mangekyon could barely even look at it without becoming so overwhelmed it felt like something was trying to rip it out of its socket. He tried one last time the day he''d returned from the war, heart filled with regret, and ended up in the hospital for two weeks. Iruka had felt every attempt over the years, some more deeply than others, and always reported them to Kikyo. She doubted it was even about getting inside anymore. It was a matter of pride to solve the unsolvable shinobi riddle. Root still wanted in; they made a new attempt every week, but never made any progress, and Iruka took a vindictive pleasure whenever it backfired on them. They''d lost more shinobi to the Uchiha barrier than they had in their Machiavellian attempts to take over the village. Their desperation for the Sharingan still left a sour taste in his mouth after all these years. He just doesn''t understand it. Well, that''s not accurate. He understands its value. What he doesn''t get is the obsessive, all-consuming lust Danzo has for the dojutsu. He barely paid attention to the Byakugan when he was alive, but he hounded the Uchiha to the ends of the Earth for a shot at the Sharingan. Not that the Byakugan was as valuable or important as the Sharingan, but still. Why us and not them, Iruka used to ask, and no one had an answer for him. He hates us. That''s all they could say. He hates us, and he has hated us for so long. Always. Danzo had been Iruka''s first experience with hatred. His first time dealing with someone who hated him for no reason. Iruka had never pranked him before. Though he certainly did after. He''d never fought him on a decision or tried to take away his authority. He''d never insulted him or called him names. Danzo had just looked at him one day and hated him for a bunch of things Iruka had no control over. Danzo was responsible for Iruka''s conception, and while logically, clinically, he understood why. Emotionally, he never would. How someone could do that, treat a child that way? It still made Iruka shake with anger whenever he thought about it, and he had to put the knife down for a few breaths. Sasuke was making a very good showing of not watching him, though every survival instinct Iruka had said he was being watched. He''d slept another two days after Iruka caught him trying to sneak out, only waking up the other morning and stumbling around the apartment half-asleep until Iruka guided him into the shower and turned on the cold water. He''d had a lot to say about their ancestors then. Iruka had done his best to heal their injuries, surprisingly nothing serious, aside from the fact that it seemed they both had blown off their left arms in their fight. He didn''t find that as surprising or as concerning as the fact that someone had surgically attached replacements before they''d both woken up. There were very few medical-nin capable of that level of work, and Iruka recognized the seal as an odd combination of ancient Uzumaki fuinjutsu and more modern Uchiha fuinjutsu based on their studies of Uzushiogakure before its fall. Iruka could count on one hand the people who had that kind of knowledge, and none of them were a comforting thought. Why would she take a risk like that? If the Council found out she was still alive... The arms seemed to work fine. At least Sasuke''s did. Since Naruto had an even stronger ability to heal and Kurama was unlikely to allow his vessel to sustain a long-term injury, Iruka didn''t worry too much about it for now. "Kaka-," Iruka glanced over. Sasuke''s face twisted with something that looked like pain before it smoothed out, and he continued, "Hatake''s father was Hanta?" He was hunched over a picture of the second generation of Hanta. Sakumo young and beaming between Tsume and Fugaku. He''d have been younger than Kakashi was now when that was taken. "He was the Fukuro of the Akarui Hikari." "Does he know?" Sasuke had been very careful not to call Kakashi anything other than Hatake or he. His anger at his former sensei still bright and boiling. The question of whether or not Kakashi had known the truth about what happened to the Uchiha hung over them. Iruka couldn''t answer for sure, and neither could Sasuke, so Kakashi remained a possible enemy instead of an ally they could have used. And Iruka suspected that Sasuke''s anger was more personal. For most of his life so far, Kakashi had been the only other person with a Sharingan he could trust, and as irrational as it was, Iruka suspected Sasuke felt betrayed by Kakashi''s inability to truly train him in it. Or to bond with him over it. His only link to his family, and Kakashi had made no secret that he didn''t celebrate gaining it. He carried Sasuke''s family legacy like a curse instead of a blessing. And then Kakashi had been willing to kill him, and Naruto, who Sasuke had actually attempted to kill, hadn''t been. Sasuke might have been Kakashi''s chosen pupil if he hadn''t also had to contend with the son of Kakashi''s beloved teacher. Or Kakashi hadn''t lost Obito to gain his eye. Instead, he was just another Uchiha set aside in favor of someone else. Desiring love from someone not ready to give it always ended that way, and Iruka couldn''t blame either one of them. Hopefully, they would be able to move past it. "No, he doesn''t." Sasuke snorted. "This other one, Might''s father?" "What gave it away?" Because you had to be blind not to see the resemblance. "Were they friends?" Sasuke scratched at the faded picture with a nail, forcing himself to look disinterested and casual, and Iruka had to turn away before Sasuke saw his smile. Still so desperately curious despite his anger. Love was a many splendor''d, stupid, irrational thing. "Not the way Kakashi and Gai are. Dai was closer to your father." "Why?" Before Iruka could respond, something heavy and warm slammed into him, and he barely had time to fling the knife into the wall before he and Naruto fell to the floor. "Iruka-sensei, I''m awake!" "I can see that. Did you have to tackle me?" "Yes." Iruka growled and caught him in a headlock, rubbing his knuckles over his skull as Sasuke watched from the table. "Rub harder, Iruka-sensei. Maybe you''ll generate some more brain cells." "What the hell does that mean, teme?" "It means you''re an idiot, dead last." Iruka climbed to his feet as Naruto launched himself at the cackling Uchiha. Apparently, oaths of eternal friendship and fights to the death weren''t enough to change the foundation of their relationship. Iruka ignored them rolling around on his kitchen floor as he dumped the vegetables in the broth and covered the pot. Naruto left the fight long enough to squeeze the life breath out of him with another hug. "Dobe, you''re squeezing him too tight!" "I am not! Iruka-sensei loves my hugs!" "Not when they break his ribs!" Iruka let out a strangled laugh as Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the hair and attempted to drag him away. Naruto clamped onto Iruka like a koala while they were both dressed in his old pajamas that were far too big for either of them. This was what their childhood should have been. Would have been if Minato and Kushina''s wishes had been respected. Iruka and Itachi would have watched them play-fight over the last desert or the solstice gifts until Mikoto kicked them outside to burn off the last of their energy before bed. Would have sent them off to the academy together in the morning and tutored them together in the afternoon. Sasuke relaxed his grip, then yanked suddenly and succeeded in freeing Iruka from Naruto''s grasp. They ended up in a heap on the floor as Iruka stepped over them to answer the knock on the door. Sakura gave him a bright grin and held out a pastry box Iruka recognized from the fancy place near the Hokage''s Tower. "Good evening, Iruka-sensei." "It''s good to see you, Sakura. Thank you." He took the box, mouth salivating. His sweet tooth barely under control. "How are you?" "I''m great, learning tons at the hospital. They''re going to let me start assisting with surgeries." "You''ll be running the place soon." A pretty pink that almost matched her hair stole across her cheeks. "That''s the plan." "Would you like some tea?" "I''d love some." He stepped aside to let her enter, proud that she''d managed to make the visit look normal to the Root spies watching. Her smile didn''t waver as Iruka closed the door, and the wards engaged. "The others are on their way, Sensei." "I figured, best get your turn in before they get here." She beamed as Naruto and Sasuke stuck their heads around the corner to see what was going on. They both paled at the sight of her. "Sakura-chan, what are you doing here?" "What do you think I''m doing here, Naruto? My teammates didn''t bother telling me what was going on, so I had to come find out myself!" Iruka took the pastries to the kitchen, wincing at the crash that echoed through the apartment. "Why are you bothering to run? Where are you going to go? Iruka-sensei''s apartment is tiny. I''ll find you anywhere!" "Ow! Sakura-chan, that hurt!" "You deserve it!" "Why are you hitting me? I brought Sasuke back!" "You didn''t tell me either!" He was just deciding between the chocolate cake and the passionfruit tart when another knock sounded, and Iruka found the rest of the Rookie 11 standing at his door. With a blinding smile, Ino held out a card. "Good evening, Iruka-sensei." "Good evening." "It''s the anniversary of our graduation from the academy. We got you a card." Oh, it was, wasn''t it? With everything going on, Iruka, flattered even though he knew it was an excuse, had forgotten. "That''s very kind of you, Ino-chan." He opened the card and nearly choked, holding back a laugh. Hand over the idiots for their punishment, Iruka-sensei. He was going to frame it and hang it on the wall. "Well, you had better come in then. Sakura brought desert." Theatrical yums echoed as they trudged inside, and Iruka closed and locked the door. He escaped to the kitchen as Sakura''s rage got louder. "Do you know how worried I was? How could you assholes leave me behind?" "Get ''em, Sakura-chan!" Lee''s cheers drowned out Naruto''s screams for mercy and Sasuke''s barely audible denials, and neither did anything to assuage her anger. "I don''t know why you''re fighting back. You both know you deserve it!" Ino. "Can''t believe you fuckers!" Kiba. "We''ve been so worried." Hinata. "Morons." Shikimaru. "Do you need help with tea, Iruka-sensei?" Tenten and Chouji. Iruka smiled, "Grab the tea set, and someone make sure they don''t break my coffee table!" "Done." Shino. By the time they brought out tea and the pastries, Sakura had progressed to full-on sobbing, clutching the two bruised boys to her so tightly it didn''t look like either one of them could breathe. There were a few holes in the wall, and one of his bookshelves had collapsed, scattering books, scrolls, and pictures everywhere, Kiba''s knuckles were bloody, and Lee was loudly expounding on the power of friendship and love. At least his coffee table was still in one piece. *** Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. Helen Keller *** Namikaze Minato had not, aside from his stock of blond hair, been much to look at growing up. The clan''s influence had long outstripped their numbers, and Minato had been the only child born to his generation. The last of the last. Naruto had been the only one born to him, and until he had children, he would remain the only member of the clan in his lifetime. Quiet, thoughtful Minato had been a pushover. Or he''d seemed that way too many of his elders and peers. Kikyo hadn''t paid much attention to him. She regretted that now. Though, to be fair, she''d regretted it before he''d died, too. Shinobi were trained to be quiet. Sneaky. To slip in and out of the tightest places without being noticed. They were not, generally, quiet personality-wise. Even Iruka''s beloved Hatake, for all that he didn''t speak much, wasn''t a quiet personality. Because he was Iruka''s beloved. No one complained that much about someone they didn''t care about, despite what the sensei insisted. Which was good because Iruka would walk all over him if he were, and no one in her family did well with a significant other who wouldn''t put up a fight. Arguing was a love language to the Uchiha. Maybe that was why she hadn''t noticed Minato. Why none of them had. Except Fugaku.Who''d always been so far from what was considered typical of their clan that he was practically an outsider himself. Whatever the moment was that had inspired them, because neither had ever confided in her, Fugaku and Minato had been close. Closer than anyone in the village had realized. Fugaku had wanted guardianship of his children left to Minato if something happened to him and had legally appointed him their godfather and vice versa. She''d seen the copy of Minato''s will leaving Naruto''s care to the Uchiha. Where the hell it had gone between then and his death, she had nothing but suspicions. And Iruka and Itachi had found ways around that regardless. Fugaku''s heart had broken the night Minato and Kushina had died, alongside his wife''s. It wasn''t much of a surprise that years later, when Itachi had come for them, they had chosen to die on their knees instead of fighting. Uchiha die fighting, or they don''t die at all, her father had decided, and they''d carried out his will ever since. To die without fighting was to surrender. To die without honor. To die of a broken heart. After all those years, Fugaku had finally lost hope. But back to the beginning, Minato had been a quiet child. Quick to listen and learn, slow to fight or argue. People had underestimated him because of that. And Minato had known that, used it to his advantage because he was smart enough to put its value above his pride. It didn''t, however, stop him from coming up with the stupidest names possible for jutsus. "Spiraling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Style Three!" "What kind of name is that?" BOOM. "Just die, bitch!" CRASH - there went what was left of the farmhouse. "You''re not even strong enough to scratch me because you spend all your time making up stupid names!" "I''ll show you stupid." "You already are. I''m looking right at you!" *** Watching the greatest Hokage in history and the first Uchiha throw petty insults and overpowered jutsus at each other was amusing. And annoying. The Yondaime was, well, the Yondaime, and Kikyo was Kikyo, and apparently, it was a good thing she hadn''t spent much time in the village during his lifetime. Ever since they''d severed the red string, all Kikyo and Minato had managed to do was argue over everything, and Itachi was very close to just leaving them here to kill one another. Minato wanted to go back to the village immediately, Kikyo wanted to wait. Kikyo was convinced he knew who''d resurrected him, but he swore up and down he had no idea and barely remembered coming back during the war. They both thought the other was stupid to use a nicer word than the ones they''d screamed, but Itachi figured they were actually pretty evenly matched and just being stubborn. It was interesting. Kikyo''d had a good friendship with Hashirama and an even closer relationship with his younger brother, as evidenced by Itachi''s entire bloodline. She''d instructed Hiruzen when he was young beside Tobirama and, until the decline of relations with the Uchiha, the Sandaime had considered her a close friend and mentor. Her influence in the Hokage''s office had been quiet but poignant, and the absence of it after had been a gaping wound. Hiruzen had not handled it well. As much as Itachi admired the man, he''d become the poster child of what grief could do to someone, and while Itachi had loved him once, he''d never trusted him again. Hiruzen had fallen under his own Curse of Hatred after Mari and Danzo, and like most Uchiha that fell, he''d never quite been able to pull himself out of it. It was a sad end to a man who had once been great. And proof, perhaps, that there was such a thing as being in power too long. The village had started to stagnate after Minato''s death. The youngest Hokage in history had been meant to guide Konohagakure onto a new path, a fresh vision to break out of the old that was holding them back, but his sudden death had ended that. Madara and his stupid decisions made in anger. And hurt. Like Hiruzen. And Obito. Even Danzo, in his own way, though Itachi was less willing to spare him any kindness. In contrast, Minato, even after they''d told him everything that had happened while crammed into his tiny barn to wait out the last storm, had only looked contemplative. There had been flashes of anger, naturally. Minato was quiet, but he was also proud, as he should be. He might be the only person besides Kikyo that could withstand Itachi and Iruka together, and that was something to look forward to testing. The news that Kaguya wasn''t dead hadn''t seemed to surprise him much, and Minato had admitted that Fugaku had shared far more with him than any of them had realized. They had been working on plans for the future, he''d said, tracking down Madara and Kaguya and putting a stop to them before they''d even begun their grand plan. And all of it ruined by petty people. It made Itachi tired. More than he already was. Tired in the soul, not the body. To think there had been so many working to stop it, but the actions of a few short-sighted people had stopped them. No wonder Iruka was always so angry. No wonder Kikyo had abandoned the world for so long. No wonder his father had become the first Uchiha to sit down and die without fighting back. Uchiha die in battle, Itachi, or they don''t die at all. But he''d died on his knees instead. And they''d all followed him. One final great act of defiance and yet still a sacrifice for the village. Itachi wanted to go home. To Sasuke, to Iruka and Naruto. To one of the few places in the world where he actually felt safe and could rest. There were still a few threads to deal with, the last remnants of Root and then, of course, Kaguya, but after that...after that, they could all rest. Iruka could focus on teaching, Naruto on becoming Hokage, Sasuke on doing god knew what he decided he wanted after everything. Itachi could take on a genin team or an apprentice. Kabuto wanted to work with children, orphans specifically, and Konohagakure definitely needed help overhauling the orphanage system that had left Iruka and Naruto on their own as children. But they had to get home first. Preferably without Kikyo and Minato killing each other. The Yondaime was an incredible advantage they''d never expected to have and a significant presence on the battlefield that their enemy wouldn''t be prepared for. If he was willing to go along. Shisui nudged him, pressed his knee against Itachi''s, and left it there to share his warmth. "I think we should leave them here." "They''ll kill each other." "They''re not that stupid." "They''re not going to slow down anytime soon." "They can catch up. I want to see Hana." Shisui had never had a problem talking about his feelings calmly, making him somewhat of an anomaly among the Uchiha. They were all loud, passionate, and uncontrollable in their emotions, and they could never seem to talk about how they felt without yelling and drinking. When Shisui had first come home from the Academy and informed them that he was in love with Inuzuka Hana, they''d barely heard him. No one had believed it until he''d brought her home for dinner the next week and introduced her as his fiance. They were seven at the time. Apparently, he''d proposed during snack time. Tsume and Mikoto had thought it was hilarious. Mikoto had proposed to Fugaku on a battlefield. His father had proposed to his mother in the midst of a peace-treaty meeting, and there were stories going back to the beginning of the clan of proposals during fights and arguments, even a few weddings and funerals. They weren''t a clan known for their subtlety. "Let''s go." Itachi rolled to his feet, blurred, and reappeared on the road. Shisui followed. Kikyo and Minato would come to Konohagakure when they were ready, but Itachi was done waiting. *** Present Day : :Umino Iruka''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : Naruto winced as Hinata healed a bruise on his cheek. No amount of flailing could dislodge Akamaru from gnawing on his arm, and Kiba refused to call him off the bastard. Sakura refused to heal anything she''d caused, so Ino was taking care of Sasuke while Sakura glared at both of them from her spot next to Iruka. "How did you manage to get back into the village without anyone noticing?" Shikamaru, with his uncanny ability to look bored and curious at the same time. Naruto shrugged. "I just jumped to Iruka-sensei''s apartment." The Nara''s dark eyes turned to their teacher, who shrugged. "Wards." "Pretty powerful wards," Tenten murmured. "They have their uses," Iruka sipped his tea, looking for all the world like he didn''t have the most powerful wards in Konohagakure wrapped around his shitty apartment in the poorest neighborhood in the village. "Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, what are you going to do now? There are people looking for you." Hinata''s voice was still soft but less timid than before. She''d proved her worth during the war. Naruto glanced at Sasuke, who managed to keep his face blank through Ino''s less-than-gentle ministrations. "You will have to tell. Eventually," Shino pointed out, Kiba nodding along next to him, pressed together shoulder to hip. "I know that, but we don''t have to do it this second, right Iruka-nii?" They all turned to their Academy teacher. Years of missions, betrayals they''d tell stories about for generations, and a war that would go down in history were not enough to erase his authority from their minds. It was hard to remember that he wasn''t that much older than them. Even younger than Kakashi and the J¨­nin instructors. Now that Naruto thought about it, Iruka was only a few years older than Itachi. Naruto had fuzzy memories of the two of them together before he''d entered the Academy, but he could never quite focus enough to picture it clearly. They sat at the edge of his mind, like a shadow in the corner of his eye, and though the emotions from those memories was strong, the recollection was weak. He knew enough now to guess why, and there was no strong urge to ask questions that might bring back bad memories for Iruka. "They''ll arrest Sasuke," Ino pointed out. "We need a plan," Chouji looked pointedly at his teammate. Shikamaru sighed and stared up at the ceiling, but before he could answer, Iruka spoke up. "Before you do that, you need to decide-" "We''ve already decided," Sakura broke in. Voice strong like there was never any doubt. "We know it''s going to cause problems, but we decided that no one is going to tell us how to feel about Sasuke but us." A volley of nods followed her announcement. Sasuke''s shoulders hunched as he seemed to shrink in on himself. It wouldn''t last long, Naruto knew. For all that Sasuke might feel bad about leaving their friends behind, it was hard to argue that there wasn''t reason for it. The times he tried to kill them, though....well, he was probably going to get his ass handed to him in training for a while. That and he was paying for Naruto''s ramen for the foreseeable future. "It seems like the village needs a shakeup anyway," Ino flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. "If everything you guys claim is true," Shikamaru ignored Naruto''s outraged look and Sasuke''s glare. "There''s a much bigger problem anyway." To put it lightly. Naruto had always carried a heavy weight on his shoulders. Even when he was too small to realize it was there. It had started out as loneliness, become a cloak of anger as his awareness developed, and he realized the village hated him for something he''d had no say in. Anger had become desperation, thick and dark, leaving him with a racing heart and parched throat no matter how much he slept or ate, assuaged only when Iruka took notice and helped Naruto with the weight of it. Slowly taking up more and more until Naruto was left with just a light pressure over his shoulders, the desire to prove everyone wrong buffered by a love unquestioned. Because Iruka would love Naruto no matter what he did or what he achieved. Like he hadn''t even hesitated to hide Naruto and Sasuke at his apartment despite one of them being Konohagakure''s most wanted missing-nin. Which was ridiculous, in Naruto''s opinion, but he''d deal with that soon enough. He wanted to ask Iruka what he was planning, but he''d learned long ago that Iruka, no matter how much he loved someone, would not reveal his plans before he was ready. Naruto had begged for months to find out who his J¨­nin-sensei would be, and Iruka had never budged. It was funny on a whole different level because Iruka so clearly didn''t like Kakashi-sensei, but wouldn''t tolerate a bad thing being said about him. By anyone else anyway. Iruka-sensei had plenty to say. There was more going on. Naruto had missed it when he was young and angry and distracted, but now, he could look at the village with fresh eyes and see the cracks. They''d just fought one war, and they were about to fight another. He glanced at Sasuke, found dark eyes already looking at him. Sasuke was brilliant. If Naruto had figured it out, Sasuke already knew. And he was still here. *** If you will not die for us, you cannot ask us to die for you. Jacqueline Carey *** ~tbc~ Fukakoryoku *** Chapter 3: :Fukakoryoku An irresistible force *** One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn''t do. Henry Ford *** Present Day : :Hokage''s Office, Hokage''s Tower: : Iruka tried in vain to reign his temper in, but he''d been pulled away from Naruto and Sasuke for this. He''d left them with the rest of their cohort after ignoring the first two hawks that circled his apartment. It was rare for the Godaime to hold a meeting this late. She was usually passed out drunk by now. But now they were an hour in, and if Iruka had known what this meeting was for, he''d never have answered the summons, no matter how many she sent. The Godaime was butting her head into Academy business. Hatake, lounging against the wall as always, was asleep with his eyes open, based on his level of involvement in this meeting, and Shizune kept glaring at Iruka every time he disagreed with Tsunade. Hyuga Hiashi, whose clan only had a single student in the academy at the moment, was sitting in the corner radiating smug superiority despite having nothing to do with this discussion. Koharu and Homura had shown up just to disagree with everything Iruka said. And the parent Iruka was actually disagreeing with couldn''t formulate a cohesive argument beyond he''s my kid. I can do what I want, but he was yelling loud enough for it to be effective. This was a previously undiscovered level of hell; someone was going to write ballads about it in the future. Maybe Iruka would do that with all his free time after Tsunade fired him. Koharu kept trying to give him cups of tea. Her method for lulling the unsuspecting into a false sense of security and friendship and always laced with whatever drug was her current choice for manipulation or slow, painful death. The fuck he was going to take it, no matter how many times she offered. "It is more than fair to be concerned with the child''s age, Lord Hokage. Any true teacher would be." Homura managed to sound insulting and congratulatory at the same time. It took every bit of control that Iruka had, and that wasn''t much, to stop from rolling his eyes. When he''d been a child, Homura had wanted him executed to maintain the balance of power among the clans in the village. Iruka had never believed a word out of the man''s mouth since. Now, the only urge the sound of his voice brought was the desire to stab him repeatedly with a dull kunai. The Council never paid attention to the Academy unless there was a genius currently enrolled, and even then, the extent of their involvement was to get them graduated as quickly as possible and placed with a Root-friendly Jounin-sensei. Iruka had ruined their last two grabs by placing Shikimaru with Asuma, who hated them as much as Iruka did, and Sasuke with Kakashi, whose ties to the Hokage''s office afforded him protection. The child they were arguing about hadn''t even proven he was a genius yet, mainly due to the fact that Iruka refused to test him. His father just thought he should be, and Iruka had taken severe offense to finding one of his students bearing bruises from his own parent and refused to agree with him about anything ever again. Tsunade had maintained the clearances and roles the Third had given Iruka, but he was fairly certain that was only because she wasn''t aware of most of them, and Koharu and Homura were looking to weaken Iruka''s position. Iruka hadn''t allowed a single early graduation since he''d become Head Instructor, and only the Headmaster could overrule him, and Fukoko would never do that. Which probably explained Hiashi''s presence. Iruka and Hiashi had clashed over Neji and Hinata frequently, but that was nothing compared to their arguments over Hanabi. Hiashi wanted her to graduate immediately, and while her technical skill was there, Iruka was more of a mind to hold her back based on her emotional maturity. Jounin Hitsugaya, whose five-year-old son was the focus of this meeting (argument), was most likely a genius, although Iruka would die before saying that out loud, and the Jounin shared the same opinion as Hiashi. He wanted his son graduated early and handed over for training. He kept bragging he could make him a Chunin in a year and a Jounin in three. Iruka had refused to give the man a Genin team and didn''t plan on changing his mind now. Hiashi rarely came to the academy since the war had ended, preferring to vocalize his complaints through official channels instead of facing Iruka. The loss of Neji had hit the man much harder than expected, and he was almost a recluse now. Concerning himself only with clan matters and rarely seen outside their compound. Hinata had confided concerns to Iruka that all her father''s work towards bridging the gap between the houses had faded away with the loss of Neji. His nephew had been the primary motivation for his emotional growth, and with him gone and Hanabi still too young to realize that things needed to change, well... Hinata hadn''t been spending much time with the clan since the war had ended, despite improvements in her relationship with her father. She''d stuck close to her teammates, and with Naruto back, the gap would only widen. "Has anyone asked the child what he wants to do?" Tsunade, despite being sober, sounded bored out of her mind. Sitting with her arms crossed and not bothering to hide her annoyance. Hiruzen had always been invested due to his own teaching style and later Iruka, Itachi, Naruto, and Sasuke''s presence, but Tsunade had none of those ties and probably only vague recollections of her experiences there. Wait, had the Academy even existed when she was that age? The thought drew Iruka''s attention away from the conversation long enough for Jonin Hitsugaya to respond. "He wants to graduate, Hokage-sama." There was no holding back the scoff and eye-roll this time. "The hell he does. He''s only been in class for a few months. He needs to make friends." "He has plenty of friends outside the academy." "No, he doesn''t. You keep him locked up in that shitty house!" "Mind your own damn business, chunin!" Iruka would have been more intimidated if he didn''t know that the man spent all his time off-mission drunk and barely able to remember he even had a son to feed. "Keeping him in the academy is detrimental to his development. The other students are dragging him down." "What the hell would you know about his development? You''re too drunk to remember he exists when you''re home, and you beat him when you do remember." Jounin Hitsugaya''s face turned an ugly shade of purple as he rose to meet Iruka head-on. "ENOUGH!" Tsunade''s roar shook the office and brought all of its occupants to their feet. ANBU appeared, ready to keep the peace by force if she commanded it. "Umino-sensei, based on your standing with Hiruzen, I would assume you wouldn''t make baseless accusations to get your way." A ripple of fury washed over Iruka. He had to take a breath to calm himself, absentmindedly noting that Hatake had straightened and was apparently paying much closer attention now that the meeting looked to be getting physical. Typical. "I have academy records and hospital reports, Lord Hokage." Iruka had made the boy go any time he came in with bruises. "I''ve reported it on multiple occasions but never received a response." From your office went unsaid, but judging by the stiffening of her spine and the narrowing of her eyes, she''d heard it clearly. So had everyone else in the room. "He''s my son," the useless Jounin argued, "I can do whatever the hell I want to him." That brought the Hokage herself to her feet in a rage. Hatake appeared a foot from Hitsugaya''s face, but before either of them could speak, Iruka punched Hitsugaya in the face as hard as he could and sent the Jounin crashing through the window and over the ledge. One of the ANBU guards had the presence of mind to leap out after him, while the second put a sword to Iruka''s throat. *** Kakashi blinked as the Jounin, a weak man he''d never found much use for, went flying out the window. He hadn''t thought Iruka capable of that kind of strength, though he was very familiar with his uncontrollable temper. Tsunade snapped at the ANBU to take Hitsugaya to the hospital and make sure he stayed there. Kakashi knew her well enough to know a very thorough investigation was coming, and it was unlikely the man would be a shinobi when it was finished. Iruka was a lot of things, but he took his duties as a teacher seriously, and if he was half as protective over his current students as he was over his past students, it was unlikely he was lying. Although the way he''d chosen to deal with the situation clearly wasn''t the best option. He should have pushed for a meeting with the Hokage when he hadn''t received a response. Tsunade would never have allowed those kinds of accusations to go unanswered if they''d actually made it to her. Kakashi stepped aside as the Sannin turned to the Academy instructor. The Council was watching closely, waiting for Iruka''s punishment, no doubt, as she waved the ANBU off. Kakashi felt a ripple of amusement from the guard''s chakra. It wasn''t often that someone challenged the Hokage so blatantly. Iruka, from what little Kakashi had observed in his limited free time between training, his students, missions, and the war, seemed to pick any fight that came his way, regardless of his chances of winning. Not much of a strategist, he let his emotions drive him, and Kakashi had the irrational urge to demand to know who the hell trained him because they''d clearly failed to impart the basics, and now that was Iruka''s responsibility. They''d focused on fearlessness and conviction instead of tactics and ability. He''d already heard Tsunade complain about being stuck with him, and what the hell was she supposed to do with him? Now, she stormed over to him, and Kakashi watched the anger coalesce on Iruka''s face as Tsunade grabbed his arm and snarled at him. "Don''t ever disrespect me in public like that again, Umino. I am more than willing to hear you out fairly on any matter, and I have done so on every occasion. But I will not afford you that respect if you refuse to afford me the same. The Sandaime may have been willing to indulge your reckless temper, but I will not." Iruka hissed in pain and twisted minutely but seemed to figure out quickly that he wasn''t going to break her grip. Kakashi knew exactly how strong she was, and he knew the exact moment Iruka''s ulna and radius fractured. Surprisingly, while he paled, Iruka didn''t do much more than that except sneer, "I won''t sit idly by when something is wrong, Lord Hokage. Konohagakure was founded on the shared belief that children should never have to be soldiers, and yet we sent them into war less than a year ago. Forgive me for being unwilling." Disbelief and hurt flashed across Tsunade''s face. That very thing had kept her up at night during the war and still did now that it was over. Kakashi had dropped by for more than one-midnight sake or found her at the gambling halls late into the morning. That Iruka would be so bold as to throw it in her face was insulting. And cruel. "You may not have noticed, Iruka-sensei, but there was a war deciding the fate of the world." Don''t criticize your Hokage for decisions you aren''t capable of making yourself, fool. But Iruka didn''t weaken or surrender. "There is always another war, Hatake. There''s always another mission. Always an excuse to take the easy way out." *** Iruka may have been a lowly chunin with no talent in the field, but he possessed a true will of fire. Tsunade stared down at the Chunin refusing to yield. Who had taught him to be like this? An outspoken brat dared to question her dedication to the village her grandfather had built. Her hand tightened, but all he did was glare right back. Naruto called Iruka his most precious person. The first person in the village to show him kindness. He''d shaped Naruto''s way, nurtured the same will in the blond orphan, and Tsunade could see the resemblance very clearly now. She caught Kakashi out of the corner of her eye. Ever loyal and ready to fight and staring at Iruka with something akin to awe. Great, that was just what she needed. Kakashi''s curiosity getting peaked by the man who was currently the biggest pain in her ass. He was supposed to be the next Hokage. Tsunade had already told him she was just waiting for Kakashi to be ready, but he''d thus far refused outright. She was happy to give him time. He''d done so much for the village, lost so much. His own team, his sensei, and now one of his students was missing, and the other a missing-nin whose loyalty would likely never come back to the village. He''d withdrawn since the end of the war, a lifetime of loss and non-stop fighting finally catching up to him. She watched his shoulders stoop more each day, the light in his eyes dull. He kept the Sharingan covered all the time now and had refused to use it since that final battle. Tsunade kept waiting for him to smile, to go out with friends the way he had before. Admittedly, never very often, but enough that she knew they were there, that there were people that cared. Some of them had even survived the war, but it hadn''t happened yet. He wasn''t sleeping either. She could tell by the way his movements became more sluggish each day, though no one else apparently knew him well enough to see it, except maybe Gai. But Gai had his own concerns now. Tsunade hadn''t seen much of him either. Hadn''t heard his boisterous voice echo over the village in cheer. It seemed that in the death of his student, he''d finally found a weight too heavy to lift. It was like they''d all survived the war just to fall apart after. She turned back to Iruka. If he carried weight from the war, he didn''t show it, but maybe she didn''t know him well enough to see it. He wore his heart on his sleeve, free for the world to see. Free for the taking. How nice it must be to be that fearless. "Kakashi." "Lord Hokage." "You will conduct an investigation into the claims against Jounin Hitsugaya." His mask hid the smirk. "Yes, Lord Hokage." "What happens to Toshiro in the meantime?" "I''ll find a safe placement for him." "He can stay with me." "A bit obvious," Kakashi remarked, and it was nice to have a break from Iruka''s glare when he turned it on Kakashi. "He trusts me. He stays at my place when he''s too afraid to go home." "Another stray." Tsunade turned a sharp glance at Kakashi. Was he picking a fight on purpose? "I''m sorry you decided no one was worth getting attached to, Hatake, but not all of us feel the same." Thrust and parried. "Getting attached to every stray that comes your way is a good way to compromise the security of the village, sensei." "There''s no village without the people in it." "Not all those people want to protect it. Nor are they all capable." That sounded personal. "Better a strong will and a weak hand than a strong hand and a weak will." "How poetic. How about those who can''t do, teach." And now, this was getting more personal than she was comfortable with. "Enough. The child can remain with Umino-sensei for now, but Kakashi will check in every week and provide a status report." Iruka''s stunned expression was worth the frowns from the Council that promised a headache later. Koharu stood, gearing up to argue with all of Tsunade''s decisions, but even she was derailed when Sarutobi Asuma and Hyuga Neji crashed through the door. *** The first lesson, rule number one, as taught by Uchiha Kikyo to all the Uchiha who followed: Never enter a fight you won''t kill to win. Iruka had always struggled with this lesson. Shards of wood filled the air as Kakashi shoved Tsunade aside, and she dragged Iruka with her. Hiashi leaped to his feet and froze. ANBU flooded the room, someone triggered the evacuation alarm, and the tower lit up as it broke the silence of the night.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Alarms throughout the village followed, a wave of lights as the village came awake in panic. Iruka wrenched his broken arm free and rolled to his feet, kunai in hand. Asuma looked exactly as he had the last time Iruka had seen him. Two days before he''d left for the mission he''d died on. Neji was still wearing the uniform he''d died in, and Iruka spared half a second to be grateful Hinata wasn''t here. She''d taken her cousin''s death so hard, blaming herself. Years of thinking herself weak and unable despite her growing strength had left its mark. It would be a long time before her confidence truly returned. Iruka had gone through a similar period after the Nine-Tails Attack. The loss of his parents, the Sandaime''s decision to have him remain an orphan, and Fugaku''s inability to fight it. Where Hinata had closed in on herself, Iruka had turned it outward. Menace was a kind word for what he''d been. His targets: anyone in a position of authority that could have made better decisions and didn''t. At least in his young mind. Child psychology had been one of the fields of study required for Academy teachers, and Iruka had alternated between infuriated and terrified during the months it had taken him to pass the course. It was the only subject he went back to time and time again, following developments in the field almost obsessively and never quite managing to separate himself from his students and the case studies in the books. He''d spent a lot of time screaming at his reflection, trying to discover if he''d made the right decisions, fought the wrong battles, or taken the hard road unnecessarily. He''d never figured out any of the answers, but he''d at least reached the point where he could function day to day without having a breakdown and gibbering in a dark corner. Of course, it manifested itself in other ways. He had terrible insomnia, which only shortened his already minimal fuse. On nights when he really couldn''t sleep, he snuck out and mapped out the Root ANBU network the Council used. He couldn''t have romantic relationships with people he wasn''t already incredibly close to because he had to talk about it with someone, but he couldn''t trust anyone he didn''t already care for, and they were all like his siblings, and it just got weird. Sometimes, the anger became so overwhelming that he had to go out into the Forbidden Forest and just scream himself hoarse. Asuma used to go with him, stuff in earplugs, and just sit and smoke while Iruka exhausted himself and then carried him home. Neji was...well, Neji was one of Iruka''s failures. He''d taught the boy during his entire stretch at the Academy but failed to pay attention. Too distracted by other problems, he''d let the genius slip through the cracks when he might have been able to offer some comfort, some understanding that would have made things easier on the boy who''d been unable to forget he''d been born in a lesser house. Iruka could have taught him that there was no such thing except in the minds of the weak and the jealous. He''d gotten there in the end, but it was bittersweet. And now he was back? But something was wrong. Kakashi was snapping at ANBU to get the Hokage somewhere safe as Neji folded neatly into Gentle Fist, and Asuma''s chakra knives appeared. Something was very, very wrong. Asuma''s face was blank in a way he could never manage on purpose. The air around them even tasted wrong on Iruka''s tongue. "Wait," Tsunade was refusing to leave, the legendary medic realizing exactly what Iruka was. That there was no chakra signature from either of the resurrected shinobi. So it wasn''t Edo Tensai because even those resurrected during the war had maintained their chakra signature. Iruka had tracked Itachi''s obsessively until he realized he was safe. But there was nothing but an empty space where Asuma and Neji were standing. Iruka could see them, but he couldn''t sense them. Chakra remained after death, at least for a short period, before it was absorbed into the world and the individual chakra signature disappeared. The length of time it lasted usually depended on the strength of the individual''s chakra. Fugaku''s had lingered for days, Asuma''s for two. The young student Iruka had lost during Pain''s attack had disappeared within minutes. Naruto''s would take almost a year if he lived long enough to reach his full potential. There was no way to completely hide someone''s chakra signature until it faded after death. You could contain it or dampen it with a jutsu or seal, but even those left their own traces. The only way to completely hide a chakra signature was to be out of range of the individual''s ability to sense it, but that meant that Asuma and Neji''s chakra was in a completely different location than their physical bodies. Which wasn''t possible. Chakra resided in the body. It wasn''t independent. It couldn''t even exist outside of the body. Iruka could feel Kakashi''s chakra, bright and burning like his lightning. Tsunade''s, stalwart and deep. Asuma''s had felt sharp like his knives. Anko''s felt like a thousand slithering snakes and was absolutely terrifying. Kotetsu''s was quiet and depthless, like the forest. Izumo, nothing but endless darkness. Shibi, and any Aburame, felt like a swarm of their bugs. The Inuzuka''s, inherited from Tsume, was heavy and oppressive and brought the metallic taste of blood to the mouth of anyone who felt it. Kotetsu had once told Iruka that his chakra felt like an inferno, like everyone else in his family. It burned away everything in its path if let loose. Neji''s chakra felt like all Hyuga''s, cool and swift like a river, but it wasn''t there. Iruka felt the sudden surge in Kakashi''s chakra, the Sharingan coming awake. It stood out amidst his inherited chakra, a dark spot against the blinding light, and Iruka felt Kakashi violently shove it back down. Shit. Decay had already started, and Iruka had missed it. Taka was somewhere nearby but would hang back unless his forces were being overwhelmed. There were a lot of shinobi in what was really a very small space. The roof of the Hokage''s tower didn''t leave any room for maneuverability, especially since Tsunade showed no sign of leaving and no one else was willing to leave her. It was a foolish choice to attack Tsunade in her own office, in the building every shinobi in Konohagakure moved through on a regular basis. Any security weaknesses that brought were canceled out by the heavy presence of individuals who knew how to fight and were constantly on guard. Not to mention, the sheer amount of wards protecting the building meant a forceful attack from outside was guaranteed to fail. Asuma and Neji were too smart for this. *** During Kakashi''s brief time at the Academy, none of his teachers could keep up with him. They had his attention the first day when they explained the Academy and the schedule, and that was it. Thinking back, he''s pretty sure he fell asleep during the first day''s lesson on the history of shinobi. His father had told him to make friends, but he was younger than most of his class by at least a year and already fast-tracked because he was the son of Konoha''s White Fang. In a fit of childish nerves, he''d worn a mask, hoping he wouldn''t be recognized, and ignored the hurt expression on his father''s face when he''d explained why. The first time he''d met Obito, the other boy was being yelled at by their teacher for rigging an eraser over the door, and hadn''t that been a painful moment years later when he''d first met his team? The teacher had praised Kakashi, some suck-up that hadn''t lasted long at the Academy, and pretty much guaranteed that Kakashi and Obito would be bitter rivals. In response, Obito had made fun of Kakashi''s mask, and it never left his face in public after that. Obito had tried to apologize once after they''d been assigned to the same genin team, but Kakashi was convinced Rin and Minato-sensei were behind the apology and refused to listen. They hadn''t been, though Kakashi would never find that out. And when Obito had followed Kakashi home one day years later and seen the empty Hatake compound and the blood stain on the floor, he''d begged Fugaku to explain. Fugaku had, and Obito had decided to become Kakashi''s best friend. And then that didn''t work out, either. At least, not while Obito was alive. It was odd. Kakashi knew that he was so much more attached to the dead than he was to the living. Asuma had been in their class. A year older, he''d started late due to some family issue that he never spoke about. He was close with a younger brother that he never let any of them meet, but he''d been warm and kind and calm. He talked about hobbies and their classes and techniques he wanted to learn and never, ever about his family. Kakashi hadn''t been surprised when, as newly a minted jounin several years after Kakashi himself made rank, Asuma had requested several long-term missions outside the Land of Fire. He''d never gotten around to asking Asuma why. Friends were supposed to care about that, and Kakashi had always meant to, but things never seemed calm enough, and how did you even bring that up? Hey Asuma, I noticed you exiled yourself for a few years. What''s that about? Kakashi had taken a full-strength punch from Asuma in a sparing match once. It was not an experience he wanted to repeat. Still, Asuma had a way of being there for you without saying anything, and he was one of the best shinobi Kakashi had ever worked with. Not to mention, he''d been the only one of their cohort to have a genin pass his first Chunin exam. He was a natural teacher where Kakashi struggled every day to find a way to get his lessons across and keep his precious students alive -he only calls them that in his head, knows exactly what will happen if he calls them anything but soldiers out loud-. Asuma''s death had been a profound loss. And now, someone was desecrating his memory, and Kakashi was going to rip them apart when he found them. The Asuma he''d fought beside had always seemed to be steps ahead of everyone else, but the one in front of him...he wasn''t the one whose ability at strategy had driven Kakashi mad when they were young. This one fought like a genin, clumsy attack after attack, with solid technique and muscle memory, because Asuma did have years of experience that his body fell back on even without his mind. It was concerning, but not so much that Kakashi couldn''t check on Tsunade, protected by her guards and refusing to leave, and Iruka, facing down Neji. He didn''t have much experience with the young jounin; he just knew that he was Gai''s student and a prodigy rumored to rival Sasuke. If Sasuke had stayed, Kakashi would have taught him everything he knew, and Naji would never have stood a chance, but that was a train of thought so painful that Kakashi had to shove it into a dark corner of his mind. Naruto was Minato-sensei''s heir. And probably Jiraiya-sensei''s too. Sakura, as much as she was his favorite because she''d never been half the headache her teammates were, was Tsunade''s heir in technique as much as personality. Sasuke, despite the terror Kakashi had felt at the thought of taking him on as a student, was supposed to have been Kakashi''s. And maybe if his clan hadn''t tried to betray the village and been murdered in response.... Maybe in a world where they''d lived, and Kakashi had gotten to argue about his training with Fugaku and Itachi, he would have been. All that angst and teenage drama would have been aimed at his family, and Kakashi could have been the cool mentor who offered an escape and individuality in a clan that was well-known for its suffocating closeness. But that was another lifetime, one none of them would ever see. They probably wouldn''t have let him teach Sasuke in that world anyway. *** The evolution of taijutsu goes like this: Indra and Asura were brothers who were supposed to be allies but chose to be enemies. From Indra was born the Uchiha and, later, the Sharingan. From Asura and his allies, all other clans descended, including the Hyuga, who, several generations later, would develop the Byakugan. Indra and Asura were the grandsons of Kaguya, the Mother of Chakra and the First Shinobi. Taijutsu was the only fighting style that existed before she ate the God fruit, and chakra spread through the world, though it was a much broader, less defined art then. Kaguya despised it. A lesser art for those ungifted. Her grandsons and their descendants did not share her opinion. After her first sealing, in the dark years of the Waring Clans Era, Indra''s only surviving child became the first Uchiha and developed the first Sharingan during a small war between clans in lands far to the north of what was now known as the Land of Fire. Her name was Kikyo, and from her, all modern Uchiha were directly descended. Kikyo''s Sharingan quickly proved to be the superior dojutsu to the Otsutsuki''s early version of the Byakugan and resulted in the annihilation of the remaining members of Kaguya''s clan when they broke faith with the emerging Uchiha. Kikyo, fascinated with the Eye that could see the Truth of All Things, devoted herself to its study, reaching Mangekyo in a matter of months, and it was during this period that she realized its value to her preferred style of combat. Within its ability to see through all obscuration was a calm that left any opponent unable to hide. At first, Kikyo had thought it slowed time, allowing her to react faster than her opponent, but her mastery of Shunpo disproved that belief. The Sharingan simply saw the truth of its opponent no matter what and regardless of whether or not that opponent knew their own truth. While it ruled genjutsu and was valuable for ninjutsu and a wide variety of other practices, it was best for taijutsu. From this combination, Kikyo created Shunko. A taijutsu style in which a fighter wrapped their chakra around them like a skintight suit and turned themselves into a doubled-edged explosive blade. The Sharingan aided with chakra control and allowed the fighter to avoid glancing blows that would be fatal while using Shunko. There was no shield between the user and their chakra, and even a glancing blow would cause the Uchiha''s own chakra to rebound and kill them. It wasn''t meant to fight fellow shinobi. At first, anyway. It was meant to fight the yokai, and spirits and gods knew what else roamed the world in those dark early days. Used without chakra, Shunko was an art form but no deadlier than any other. With chakra and the Sharingan, it was the only un-survivable style of combat for a hundred years. A few generations later, a distant clan cousin of the Uchiha developed the first Byakugan since the death of the Otsutsuki. Battled nearly to extinction by war, the Hyuga was once down to only three surviving members, whose birthing of the Byakugan was said to have been on a distant, desert battlefield. Desperation to survive the relentless desert and the dauntless Uchiha birthed the eye in all three, and as the story would go, they fought off their pursuers and managed to reach their allies, the Senju. They had unintentionally taken the first steps to the creation of Konohagakure and the eventual massacre of the Uchiha. The Byakugan was present in every member of their clan born from that day forward. Immediately opposed to the Uchiha''s Sharingan, they developed their own taijutsu fitted to their dojutsu. They called it Gentle Fist, a refined style for a more advanced, more elegant eye than the Uchiha''s bloody, unrefined nightmare of a thing. The Uchiha couldn''t even guarantee their members would be born with the Sharingan. It was a fickle dojutsu that could not be relied upon with any regularity, and as the rivalry between the Senju and the Uchiha grew, it became inexplicably tied to the other clan. But no master of Gentle Fist ever defeated a master of Shunko. Hyugas and Senjus killed Uchihas, and Uchiha''s killed Hyuga and Senjus, but no Byakugan ever defeated the Sharingan one-on-one. Kikyo''s Shunko was as guarded by the Uchiha clan as its dojutsu and Kekkai Genkai, to the point that the clan eventually altered their own physiology in their relentless attempts to master it. It wasn''t until Senju Tai, great-great-grandfather of Hashirama and Tobirama, that someone would survive a blow from Shunko. He lost an arm and part of his leg and would never fight again, but survive, he did and lived another ten years. Long enough to share the story of his fight with his grandsons. Hashirama admired the style and wanted to learn it. Tobirama wanted to defeat it and developed the 8th Gate through his attempts. Neither would succeed, but both would grow to greatness in their attempts. It wasn''t until Kikyo attempted to teach Shunko to Tobirama that she realized no one outside of the Uchiha was physically capable of learning it. You needed the control from the Sharingan and the abnormally large chakra lines they had developed to maintain it and a lifetime of dedication to physical ability to be any good. In the history of shinobi, the only non-Uchiha that had come close to mastering it was Senju Tobirama. After the founding of the village, the Hyuga joined their longtime ally and rival with the Senju, more often than not forced into the role of peacekeeper between the clans. A brief period of extended peace before the First Shinobi World War almost saw the sharing of techniques. Until an argument between Madara, Tobirama, and the then-head of the Hyuga derailed any chance of sharing secrets and techniques between the clans. Not even the birth of Kikyo''s son by Tobirama would bridge the gap. When Fugaku had first begun training Iruka as a genin, he''d told him the history of the Uchiha and how it was always so deeply intertwined with the Senju and the Hyuga. Sharingan vs Byakugan. 8th Gate vs Shunko vs Gentle Fist. Senju vs Uchiha vs Hyuga. It was a tale as old as time, and Iruka had grown sick of hearing about it within the week. He''d thought Fugaku would be mad, but Fugaku had long had a secret desire to learn Gentle Fist and master all three of the great taijutsu styles. Iruka''s unwillingness to carry on a rivalry that had begun before his ancestor''s ancestors was a welcome relief, even if Iruka had no interest in learning Gentle Fist or 8th Gate himself. He''d struggled enough learning Shunko. Everyone did. Fugaku had explained when Iruka had again lost his temper with himself. It took years of intensive study before it finally clicked and could actually be used in battle. Even prodigies couldn''t just pick it up. Iruka had imparted that same lesson to Itachi years later, and Itachi had ended up surpassing them all. If he were here now, Iruka wouldn''t have to worry about facing one of his own students as Neji attacked before ANBU could get between them. Iruka, for all his roiling emotion and sometimes uncontrollable rage, was very aware of his weaknesses. The greatest of which had been the subject of an embarrassing conversation on a bench with Hatake way back when. Not actually way back, but it certainly felt like it after all that had happened. At his core, Iruka was a protector, a nurturer, a teacher. Even after everything that had happened, he could barely stomach the idea of killing. Fugaku had chosen him for Hanta precisely because of that. There are too many shinobi that kill too easily, he''d said. We''ve forgotten that to kill is not an act to be celebrated. What must be celebrated is the will to protect and defend that which we love. Killing is an unfortunate weight to be carried as a part of that. Iruka, who couldn''t even step on bugs without feeling horribly guilty, had latched onto the belief and made it a lifeline. Naji had been good when he died, close to becoming elite in his own right, but Shunko had been the Uchiha''s masterstroke in the early years of the clan''s birth, and Gentle Fist just didn''t match up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hatake engaging Asuma at the edge of the awning. The Copy-Nin''s Sharingan was still sealed, and Iruka could recognize the unwillingness to hurt a friend, even though he was surprised to see it from Hatake. The legendary shinobi wasn''t exactly known for being merciful or kind, or he wouldn''t have the nickname Friend-Killer. Neji attacked in a blur before Iruka could dwell on Kakashi''s reputation, and he lost his footing on the slippery tiles, falling backward several feet before he could catch himself. Hiashi appeared then, flowing neatly into the space between Iruka and Neji. The man was an asshole, but he was a skilled fighter. Iruka doubted the clan leader was ready to deliver the fatal blow if it came to that. "I will deal with him, Umino." There was so much grief in his voice that Iruka, as much as he didn''t like him, wasn''t going to let him do that, and he kicked Hiashi sideways, he was definitely going to hear about that later, and slammed Neji into the roof so hard a portion of it broke away. Random shinobi were joining the fight now, causing chaos as Tsunade roared at them to get back and let Kakashi and ANBU handle it. Iruka pinned Neji down with a barrier anchored by kunai, locking him in place, and barely managed to duck one of Asuma''s chakra knives as it went wide in the midst of the other man''s almost schizophrenic fight with Hatake. There was none of the cool confidence that had defined Asuma''s style before his death. And then- There was a flash of red at Asuma''s back. Right behind his heart. One of Hatake''s jutsus? Genma, Raido, Yamato, and Sai had arrived at some point and were fanned out around the Hokage herself. And then Kurenai was at Iruka''s shoulder. "Iruka-" It was mostly a sob. Kurenai was a phenomenal shinobi, a woman of singular skill, and she''d reached the point in her life and career where she was unafraid to show emotion, especially when faced with her dead husband. "I know." That flash of red again. "Do you see it?" Her eyes narrowed. "Tell me where to look." "Asuma''s back. Red." "Finish them off before they harm the Hokage!" Koharu ordered. "What?" Genma, surprised, and none of them were moving to follow her order. "They are attempting to kill the Hokage." But were they? Neji had gone straight for Iruka, and it was impossible to tell Asuma''s target because Kakashi wasn''t giving him a second to breathe or do anything but defend himself. "Cancel that." Tsunade herself, loud and clear. "Capture them." Iruka could feel the anger rolling through Koharu''s chakra from across the roof. Odd that she''d be so upset about the chance to find out how they''d been brought back. It was right up Root''s alley. Two of Taka''s ANBU disappeared and reappeared seconds later, flanking the only shinobi in the village with in-depth knowledge of resurrection jutsu. Kabuto. Ibiki appeared a moment later. "Some kind of henge?" "No, I can''t sense their chakra at all," Tsunade. "Genjutsu, then," Hiashi, desperate and inching towards Iruka''s barrier. Kakashi kicked Asuma into the wall, and Iruka snapped a barrier around him before he could pull himself out of the debris. "Kurenai, stay back!" Genma and Kakashi, and she turned a glare on both men so hot that they fell silent. Hiashi made his way over to Neji. The young man was struggling mindlessly against Iruka''s barrier. Iruka half-expected him to start foaming at the mouth. "I''ve got cells we can put them in," Ibiki murmured, following Kabuto as the younger shinobi inched forward, eyes roving over Asuma. "Or we could be lulled into a false sense of security for an even more devastating attack." Homura, angry like Koharu. The Council wouldn''t back down. Never did once they''d picked their position. If the Council got its hands on Asuma and Neji...even if they survived, they would never be themselves again. There had to be something left of them. Every previous resurrection proved that something of the original came back with the body. Neji and Asuma were there, buried deep, maybe, but there. Iruka reached out and poked Neji''s forehead. The boy flinched but never stopped beating at the barrier. "Umino, what the hell?" Taka appeared next to him as Genma yelled, and Kakashi and Tsunade''s heads snapped around. "What is it?" Taka''s voice was so low no one else could hear it. Neji shifted, and there was another flash of red. "His back. Look." With nowhere to go, it was easier to focus and see the red string sticking out of Neji''s back and disappearing into the ether after a few feet. Asuma had the same. "This is not Edo Tensai," Kabuto announced. "These are the original bodies." The roars of outrage that followed made sense. Who would have dared to steal the bodies of two of Konohagakure''s heroes? And how had they managed to do it without anyone knowing? Iruka reached out and touched the red string. Neji''s entire body spasmed. "What did you do?" Kabuto peered closer and saw the string moments later. "Oh. You touched it?" Iruka nodded. "Touched what?" Ibiki demanded. "The red string," Kurenai breathed and then reached out and touched Asuma''s, stepping aside to let Kakashi watch as Asuma shuddered violently. "Oh, " Kabuto smiled, relieved, "That''s all it is then." "All what is?" Hatake demanded as Tsunade joined him. "Akai ito no jutsu. The Red String." He plucked the string, and Asuma vibrated. "It''s a mind-control ninjutsu originally created in the Land of Wind. The string wraps around the victim''s heart, and the person holding the other end controls everything they do." "How do you break it?" Kurenai demanded. Iruka had been impulsive since the day he was born. It''s where half his scars and all his friends had come from. He took stupid risks on people for the smallest reasons. He''d approached Naruto that first time solely because his hair reminded Iruka of the sun. He drew a kunai and cut the string sticking out of Neji''s back. The boy collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. Hiashi made an attempt to grab him, only to run into Iruka''s barrier before he could drop it. Tsunade was glaring, but that wasn''t anything new. Hatake was silent, still, and far more dangerous. He couldn''t come out and admit he knew the jutsu as soon as Kabuto mentioned it. Why would he know a forbidden mind-controlling technique? The original scroll detailing the jutsu was locked away in the extensive Uchiha Library. Hiashi gathered Neji in his arms after Iruka dropped the barrier, but Iruka was the one who reached out and checked the body''s pulse. Faint but steady. "He''s got a pulse." In the confusion that followed, Hiashi refused to release his nephew, and Kurenai cut Asuma''s string before anyone could stop her. Kakashi and Genma rushed to catch him before he fell. Tsunade started yelling orders, and medi-nin flooded the area. Between Hiashi arguing with the medi-nin and ANBU trying to take Neji and Kurenai refusing to leave Asuma despite a direct order from Kakashi, Koharu, and Homura disappeared. Ibiki, Kakashi, and Tsunade kept glancing at him, and Iruka figured he''d have to practice saying "oops" as convincingly as possible. He stepped back and made his way to the edge of the crowd. He was about to slip away completely when Kabuto caught his sleeve. The young shinobi was cuffed, but his ANBU guards were back a few paces. It had been years since Iruka had seen the white-haired young man. He''d grown and filled out from the starving orphan Iruka had first met when Yajirobi had chosen him as an apprentice. They''d all been hesitant, worried Yajirobi''s feelings for Nana were affecting his choice, and Orochimaru was already watching so closely. But Kabuto had surprised them all. He''d soaked up Yajirobi''s teaching and flourished. When the concerns about Orochimaru and Danzo had gained momentum, he''d thrown himself into his cover, gathering damning information and eventually being dragged all around the world when Orochimaru had run. He''d been so far undercover that when the Hanta had disbanded, Iruka hadn''t any idea how to reach out and let him know what happened. It had taken Itachi months to track him down and explain and more months after that before Iruka could sneak out and apologize face-to-face for stranding him alone in enemy territory. *** Kakashi turned away as ANBU and the Medi-nin hauled Asuma away. Kurenai dogging their every step. She wouldn''t let anything happen to him if it turned out he was Asuma. His gaze flitted across the rooftop, almost absentmindedly memorizing where everyone was and what they were doing before coming to rest on Umino. He was standing away from the crowd, talking to Kabuto. Orochimaru''s former right hand was glancing up at the sensei through his lashes, bashful, like a child with their favorite teacher. Iruka was blushing, scratching at his scar as he reached out and patted Kabuto on the head. Kakashi could feel the surprise and confusion radiating off Kabuto''s ANBU guards and had to resist the urge to stomp over and drag them apart. Why was an S-Class missing-nin blushing like a schoolgirl when faced with a simple Academy teacher? And why the hell did that make Kakashi want to shove a chidori through his chest? *** Many people die at 25 and aren''t buried until they are 75. Benjamin Franklin *** ~tbc~ Ki ga motarasu chie *** Chapter 5: :Ki ga motarasu chie Wisdom provided by trees *** If fate is a millstone, then we are the grist. There is nothing we can do. So I wish for strength. If I cannot protect them from the wheel, then give me a strong blade and enough strength to shatter fate. Kurosaki Ichigo *** Kakashi and Iruka had been in and out of one another''s lives since the beginning. Konohagakure was only so big, and the shinobi population, while impressive in size among the nations, was even smaller. They hadn''t always known it, but they''d never been that far from one another in the popular drinking game Six Degrees of Konoha. Fugaku and Sakumo had gone to the Academy together, served on the Hanta together, and been good friends. The team from the mission Sakumo was famous for failing, had two Uchiha members and Umino Kohari on it. She''d kept the rest alive until Sakumo had returned, and all three had testified on his behalf in front of the disciplinary council. Kakashi''s team had rescued Iruka once when he''d been kidnapped as a child. Kakashi and Iruka had passed within feet of one another the night of the Nine-Tails attack. The Uminos had, unknowingly, shoved Kakashi out of the way of the one fox''s great tails and saved his life not long before succumbing to their wounds. During his early tenure in ANBU, Kakashi had fallen victim to several of Iruka''s pranks and had even been the one to catch him and dump him in the Sandaime''s office on occasion. They''d been on several mission teams together, Kakashi in ANBU, Iruka as a Ch¨±nin, a few times as Hanta, before The Mission that resulted in their first conversation and Iruka''s choice to become a teacher. They passed one another in the Hokage''s Tower and in the street without realizing that Kakashi''s apartment was only two blocks past Iruka''s, where the neighborhood became nicer and was filled with single shinobi. They had the same grocery store, the same weapons shop, the same dango stand. Then, they had Team 7 in common. But even orbiting around the three lights of their lives, their interactions were limited to nods of acknowledgment in the street and brief arguments in hallways that were always interrupted because it seemed like everyone knew to keep them apart. Iruka was a bleeding heart, and Kakashi was made of stone dedicated to the village. Kakashi had bloody hands and a gentle heart, and sometimes Iruka was convinced his had already rotted through. They both knew loss intimately, and they''d both turned their eyes toward the future, towards Team 7. They shared friends, Asuma before he died, Kurenai, Gai to the extent that he kept Iruka up to date on his former students over tea, and Anko, whom Kakashi has run more than a few missions with. The first class Iruka taught at the Academy had started to fill the Ch¨±nin ranks; a few had already made Jounin, so Kakashi was starting to see them on missions. They tended to deal with things the same way. Iruka had buried his first student a week after Pain''s invasion, then gotten blind drunk, and Kurenai and Anko had had to carry him home. The night after Tsunade had declared Sasuke a missing-nin, Kakashi had gotten so drunk that only Bull standing on his stomach had made him throw up enough of the alcohol to survive. He''d done the same thing the day they''d confirmed Obito was still alive. After that, Pakkun had broken all the bottles left in the apartment and warned Kakashi he''d do it to any more he brought back. Kakashi hadn''t drank since. Iruka had stopped after the binge he''d indulged in after feeling Itachi''s chakra completely disappear. Kotetsu and Yajirobi had let him have 24 hours and then made him promise never again. For two men running such parallel lives, they remained surprisingly ignorant of one another for an impressive period of time. It was ironic, then, that what finally sparked an honest interest in one another was a relatively mundane argument over a student in the Academy with no importance or personal connections to either; other than that, Iruka couldn''t leave well enough alone, and Kakashi didn''t like realizing he''d missed something. Some long-forgotten deity''s idea of a joke. *** Present Day : :Umino Iruka''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : Naruto could still remember the butterflies in his stomach the first day he''d actually spoken to Sasuke. Weeks into their first year at the Academy. He didn''t remember the meetings the years before; too young for his mind and not gifted with the ability to memorize through a dojutsu. Sasuke had seemed so aloof, so intense, so cool. Turns out he was just a giant fucking nerd with a chip on his shoulder. If someone had bothered telling Naruto that sooner, maybe things would have turned out differently. They could have been friends all that time. They could have helped one another carry their burdens. Sasuke could have helped Naruto keep up with the other students, and Naruto could have helped him find Itachi and the truth about the Uchiha. Sasuke wouldn''t have had to leave by himself and suffer all those years alone. And Naruto wouldn''t have been alone in a village full of people who only loved him when he was useful. He had the other Rookies, of course, but they weren''t Sasuke. They weren''t someone who knew exactly how Naruto had felt those first years alone and hungry. Who understood what it was like to wonder why your family had left you before you were old enough to realize that it hadn''t been by choice. And then, to wonder why someone had hated them enough to take them away from children who couldn''t even feed themselves. They were the last of lines that went back to the founding of Konohagakure, but Naruto could admit, despite how much he loved the village, that it didn''t seem like it had loved them back. No matter how much they had given it. And Naruto had dragged Sasuke back into the fire while the other boy had been unconscious. He was as bad as the rest of them, giving Sasuke no choice in what happened to him. If it hadn''t been for Iruka-sensei, he had no doubt the Uchiha would have left by now. Instead, they were stuck in Iruka''s apartment while they healed and tried to figure out what to do next. Sasuke had pointedly not said anything about how he''d ended up there, which was pretty much yelling for everyone else, and Naruto stubbornly refused to apologize until Sasuke promised not to hurt himself. He still hadn''t. Naruto had escalated by hiding all his weapons. Sasuke had found them while he was in the shower and hog-tied him in his sleep. The closest they''d come to a civil conversation without Iruka or the rest of the Rookies to buffer them had been a brief question about whether or not either of them remembered where their arms had come from. Neither of them did, and now the chilly silence was driving Naruto up the wall. He''d tried picking a fight an hour ago and immediately been reminded that Sasuke had always been ahead of him in school. The fucker. Now the teme was sulking in bed, staring out the window because he refused to look at Naruto. He had to know the guilt was eating Naruto alive. Sasuke always had been vicious in a fight, some ingrained talent at sussing out his opponent''s weaknesses. It was practically cheating. Well, Naruto could do that too, and he slipped into bed and latched onto him before Sasuke could escape. "Naruto-" "I''m sorry." Sasuke was always painfully tense the first time someone touched him. Naruto hadn''t realized there was anything weird about it until the first time Sakura had hugged him, and there''d been no awkward moment. Iruka had once told him that Naruto had done the same thing the first time Iruka had hugged him. Children should not be scared of hugs, he''d said, eyes dark and lost. Iruka had hugged him for a long time after that conversation, and Naruto had never flinched from a hug again. He''d just hug Sasuke until he got it. Just like Iruka-sensei had hugged him. Sasuke was too thin, they both were, according to Sakura, and she''d put them on a strict diet to gain weight. Naruto could feel all his ribs as he wrapped his arms around him and buried his face in Sasuke''s thankfully clean hair. He smelled like orange blossoms and aster. Iruka was buying fancy girl shampoo again, and Naruto snickered. "Dobe-" "Iruka buys girl''s shampoo." Silence. Sasuke''s shoulders shook, Naruto along with him.. It was stupid but stupid enough to be funny under the weight of everything else. "Wonder if he and Sakura shop together?" Sasuke stuck his face in the pillow as Naruto laughed. "I''m sorry, Sasuke. I shouldn''t have brought you back without asking." "It''s fine, idiot." "It''s not. I know you''re not happy." "I''m never happy, Naruto. The location doesn''t matter." Naruto''s grip tightened as he felt Sasuke''s fingers slip between his own. "I''ll make you happy." "You can''t make someone else happy, dobe." "Well, then I''ll give you something to be happy about so you can make yourself happy. I''ll make someplace you''ll be happy in. Just tell me where."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "There''s nowhere. It''s a lost cause." "It''s not. I''m not going to give up, Sasuke. You''re too important." "You don''t need me." "Yes, I do." "No, you have the others. Iruka, Kakashi." "You have them too. Kakashi-sensei will stop being stupid, eventually." "He''s going to be Hokage. He''ll be honor-bound to cover it up, just like the others." "Even Iruka-sensei doesn''t believe that." Which wasn''t a hundred percent accurate, but that wasn''t important now. "He tried to kill me." "To be fair, you tried to kill him." "I tried to kill you. You never tried to kill me." Which was true, in all their fights, only Sasuke had ever had killing intent. And if Naruto was willing to forgive that, then Sasuke could forgive Naruto for pushing him to come back. "I''m not Kakashi-sensei. I never want to hurt you. He doesn''t either, he just has responsibilities Shikimaru says." "You will, too, eventually." "And you''ll be right next to me. Right?" "It''s too much." "It''s not. I''ll help. Just like you''ll help me. We can do it together." "You''re naive." "You''re bitter." "What a match." "We balance each other, I think." "Maybe." That was something promising, and Naruto grinned and nuzzled Sasuke''s neck. He smelled amazing. Like the orange scones Iruka sometimes splurged on. And now Naruto was thinking about food. And now he was hungry. "Dobe, did you just bite me?" "...I''m hungry, Sasuke. Feed me." When Hinata stuck her head in to check on them a few seconds later, she found Sasuke smothering Naruto with a pillow. Satisfied all was right with the world, she left them to it. *** We accept the love we think we deserve. Stephen Chbosky *** Present Day : :Torture and Interrogation Main Office, ANBU: : Kakashi sprawled out on the only battered couch with no bloodstains and pulled out the last volume of Icha Icha. T&I had won the fight for possession of Asuma and the Hyuga after their injuries had been treated. Ibiki had allowed a handful to remain while his best interrogators and members of the Yamanaka clan dug into their minds and tried to find anything that might hint at where they''d come from. Tsunade had tried sending the rest of them home to rest, but Kakashi and Kurenai had refused. Hiashi was informing his clan elders and would likely be back within the hour. Tsunade had said she was going to grab sleep while she could, but Kakashi could pinpoint her chakra in the damaged Hokage''s office. Ibiki had put a gag order on everyone who''d been present, and Kakashi didn''t know anyone stupid enough to try and break it. The scarred interrogation expert wasn''t known for being merciful. Neither was Kakashi, and when he found whoever was responsible for this, they were never going to get the chance to try again. One of Tsunade''s assistants, number two or three, he thought, was making coffee. Sent by the Hokage to take Ibiki''s report as soon as he finished. Kakashi vaguely thought his name started with a c? Maybe a k? He''d never bothered speaking to him when he worked the mission desk, but he''d seen him around with Umino on occasion. And maybe at one of the weapons-focused training grounds? He barely looked like he was awake as he fumbled with the coffee machine. Kakashi was far more worried about Kurenai, who stood at the window, unseeing eyes turned towards the village. It was the only window in the T&I complex. She hadn''t said a word since they''d disappeared with Asuma, but she''d made it clear she wasn''t moving until they told her something. Kakashi wished she would just go home. Spend time with her daughter and her family. She didn''t need to be here to see this and whatever the outcome was. "Kurenai," he didn''t even get to finish before she turned a look on him that stopped Kakashi dead. He''d never loved someone enough to look like that. "Sorry." He didn''t apologize often, and she knew it. After a moment, she relaxed and came to sit next to him on the couch. "How are you, Kakashi?" She was just looking for a distraction, but it was still kind of her to ask. Not many people asked Kakashi how he was anymore for any reason. When was a legend anything but okay? But he couldn''t quite bring himself to lie to her now and settled on something in between. "Still standing." The weak smile she gave him in return made it clear she knew what he was doing, but she was kind enough to let it go. "How is Sakura?" "Thriving. Yours?" "The same," there was a great deal of pride in her voice as she spoke about her students. Kiba and Shino had decided to try out for ANBU and had asked her to increase their training regimen. Hinata was worried about Naruto but had also been working with Sakura at the hospital to improve her skills as a healer. "They were all still mourning Neji. I''m not sure how the clan will handle this." Kurenai knew more than most outsiders about the turmoil inside the Hyuga compound due to Hinata, but she''d always been careful not to speak out of turn. Kakashi knew enough to be wary of what could be coming, but Hiashi had a strong hand and never let their problems spill out into the village. But since Naruto had started talking about the Uchiha and his belief that there was more to their downfall than the Sandaime had ever said, whispers had started about similarities to the beginning of the end for the Uchiha and Tsunade had held a private meeting with Hiashi concerning that a few days ago. No one had any intention of letting that tragedy happen again. With Hiashi''s youngest daughter still in the Academy, Umino probably knew something about it as well. Which reminded him that Kurenai had worked at the Academy before she''d made Jounin. "Did you ever work with Umino?" She blinked, "Iruka?" "Naruto''s academy teacher." She wasn''t as good as Kakashi at hiding her feelings. Suspicion flickered across her face. "Why? You two have another fight?" "Is that all people think we do?" "Do you two do anything else?" Which, point. He gave a lazy shrug. "Just curious. No one else seems to pick fights as much as he does. Surprised he hasn''t gotten into trouble." "Iruka stands up for what he believes in." She''d gotten defensive pretty quickly. "You seem close." "Tread carefully." Kakashi winced, "Not like that." She relaxed a fraction. "He and Asuma were close, and we used to work together." "He and Asuma?" "They lived next door to each other when they were younger. Iruka used to play shogi with the Sandaime." Kakashi tried to digest that. He knew Umino was supposed to have been close to Sarutobi Hiruzen. Suppose that made it possible for him to be close to Asuma. Had he lived in the Sarutobi compound before he''d started teaching? He was somewhat famous for being an orphan, but Kakashi had never heard of that clan taking anyone in. Very few clans did; none were willing to risk their kekkei genkai or family jutsu being stolen. No one in the shinobi world was very trusting. "He was close with the Third?" Kurenai shifted. Most people wouldn''t have noticed, but Kakashi wasn''t most people, and he''d been watching for it. "Yes." So she wasn''t lying outright, but there was definitely something she wasn''t saying. She seemed to sense that Kakashi wasn''t going to drop it because her face softened into something almost like grief. "Relationships are complicated." "Relationships with teachers always are," he agreed. So many blurred lines and difficult to find boundaries. And so often, feelings left unresolved because of an unplanned death. "All relationships are complicated, Kakashi." She murmured, something like sympathy crossing her face. "Because people are complicated. And crazy." That made him smile, and he knew she could tell despite the mask. "You know the Seven Years of Tribulation?" "The pranks?" "That was Iruka." "Bullshit." "Every last one of them. He lost his parents to the Nine-Tails. A lot of kids did. He had a hard time dealing with it." "So he took it out on the village?" "The village left him on the streets to starve." "I thought the Third helped him?" "Not enough." "But something. More than others did." "Kakashi, if the child is living by themselves with no one making sure they''re not going to bed hungry, no one gets credit for helping them." Fair point. "I didn''t realize it had been that bad." "Did you know that there are no orphanages in Konoha?" He hadn''t. People talked about the Sandaime''s efforts to help the orphans created by the fox, but now that he thought back, he didn''t remember the details beyond allowances and barracks for those old enough to become working shinobi. And payouts to civilian families. "Naruto was on the street, too. Before Iruka took him in. I''m surprised you never made the connection." Ouch. "I wasn''t-" "I''m sorry." She waved him silent. "None of it''s your fault. You were a child yourself. It''s just a painful subject." "It''s okay. It''s fair." And then he said something he''d never said to another living person. "I wanted to take Naruto in. The Third didn''t think I was ready. He was probably right." "Maybe." She had an odd look on her face. Something that was closer to anger than understanding. "I''ve found over the years, Kakashi, that if you worry too much about being ready for something, you''ll never actually be ready, and you''ll sure as hell never actually do anything." "Asuma tell you that?" "What gave it away?" "He may have told me something similar once when I was being a stubborn fool, and he had to knock some sense into me." "I think he had to do that for a lot of us." There were tears in her eyes, and Kakashi was not the person to go to for comfort. He hadn''t even been good at it for his students, and they were children. He should be out investigating Root. Or the Hanta. He still hadn''t turned up anything about Konoha''s rumored hunters, and Tsunade needed information as soon as possible. He needed to look into Hitsugaya now, too. He knew why Tsunade was tasking him with all of it, but between managing the village''s shinobi and trying to figure out what was going wrong with his Sharingan, he didn''t have much energy to spare. He''d started taking soldier pills to get him through the day and sleeping pills to get him through the night. But he knew it wouldn''t last. He''d tried something similar after Minato-sensei''s death when everything Kakashi had believed in seemed to be gone, and he hadn''t had the will to go on. He''d only lasted a few months before the Sandaime had stepped in and made him stop. The old man had saved his life. Nursed him back to health and put him in a job that had given Kakashi renewed purpose. It was oddly painful to realize he hadn''t afforded that effort to others. Was Kakashi supposed to feel bad that he''d been helped when others hadn''t? That he was special? Worth the effort? Or was his judgment that lacking concerning the people he''d cared about? He sure as shit couldn''t say anything about Iruka if that was the case. And then, almost peacefully, he was back in the Hatake compound, in the East training room where Sakumo had loved to meditate. There were jewel-toned flowers in the vase on the table and candles burning. The moon was bright and full despite the storm raging, and Kakashi was six years old and filled with rage. The tanto blade was in his hand. The family blade. It stayed in his hand as he crossed the room. "Kakashi, my son, someday....." It stayed in his hand as he approached his father, and Sakumo looked away from the storm. There was blood spreading across his stomach. The blade was in Kakashi''s hand. "Someday, you are going to be very important to a very broken little boy." When he finally turned, looked at Kakashi it was with dead eyes. The blade was in Kakashi''s hand. And then it was in his father''s gut. Then Kakashi was back in T&I, paralyzed and unable to look away as his father slumped to the floor. The Sharingan spun freely, and Kakashi could feel his chakra fading away as the blood began to pool. *** Have you ever been in love? Horrible, isn''t it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. Neil Gaiman *** Present Day : :Hokage''s Office, Hokage''s Tower: : Tsunade collapsed at her desk with a groan. The Council had finally left after arguing with her for six goddamn hours about Asuma and Neji. Hiashi had not backed down in the face of the Council''s wrath, had only agreed to allow ANBU to post guards outside the compound as additional security. Tsunade had been struck by the odd thought that a Uchiha would have been perfect for this situation. She could still remember the Military Police Force they''d led and the faith Hiruzen had had in their ability to handle anything from missing-nin to traitors to mental breakdowns. No one had ever escaped their hold. They might have also helped Kakashi. He wouldn''t admit something was wrong yet, but Tsunade knew. There was still a chance Sasuke would return with Naruto, apologetic and remorseful, and he could help Kakashi with the Sharingan as part of his rehabilitation. But until then, any answers were beyond her and beyond Kakashi. There was a library sealed deep within the Uchiha Compound, but no one could get inside. Even Jiraiya had tried and failed. She grabbed the sake she''d hidden in the potted plant next to her desk and took a long drink, only to discover the bottle was empty. Of all the times. She slammed it onto the desk in frustration, and the jarring jolt of pain in her wrist made her howl. What the hell? Her wrist was broken. Fractured. When had that happened? She hadn''t been in a fight since the final battle. Except.... Umino. That son of a bitch. He''d broken her wrist when she''d broken his, and she hadn''t even noticed. She healed it quickly enough, angrier that he''d slipped by her guard than that he''d injured her at all. It was almost impressive. Enough to make her curious. Where was his file? *** Moro had ruled the earth once. One of the old gods who''d helped form it into what had eventually given birth to what it was today. She roamed freely, taken and given at will. There was not one inch of the land that she didn''t know, from the thick forests to the East, the deserts in the center, the mountains through the North and the islands to the South, and everything in between. Her pack had been unchallenged, free to run and hunt whenever and wherever they pleased. And then the humans came. The pale-eyed ones who preached but did not follow. And their tree. The sickness it had brought with it. When Kaguya had eaten the God fruit Moro had known the infection was too deep to cut out entirely. It was the way of life that, eventually, all things ended. Moro had led her pack into the Pure Land to await a new world. They had waited. And waited. But this tainted world had held on. The humans refused to let go. Refused to accept that sometimes things ended and new things began. They clung like children to their parents. Like her teeth to her enemy''s neck. And they had dragged the world along while the old gods watched, amused and intrigued enough that a few, including Moro, had eventually ventured out of the in-between to study these graceless creatures. Moro had found a young human woman with spiraling red eyes and blood-soaked hands. She came from a line of warriors, she said. Preferred to be alone than part of the larger groups that depended on one another for survival. Strength was best cultivated alone. But it was best spent together, Moro had challenged and had found that they were not so dissimilar in their beliefs. She''d watched that human''s family grow through the years. As more and more of them developed the spiral eyes that seemed to see through everything. Humans claimed to value truth above most things. Chased it to the detriment of their survival. She watched them flourish and then nearly die out, their determination to stand alone almost doing them in before they finally found another worth standing beside. A line of healers and wood masters. Like the pale eyes, they preached, but unlike the pale eyes, they seemed to follow their words with action. They struggled through unification, through foundation, through war, but somehow they stuck together. And when the young woman who wasn''t that young anymore and the healer who fought more than he healed decided to form a force to protect their soldiers, Moro had been intrigued. She was not the first of the old gods to become attached to a human. She would not be the last. But perhaps she would be the most dedicated. Following the line of red-eyed humans from its very beginning to its very end. They were only somewhere in the middle now, and there were great and terrible things to come, but somehow, the blood held on. The line survived. Clung like those first humans had to the world that was supposed to die. It was a defiance, a stubbornness that she could not help but admire. Humans cared more for sentimentality than sense, it seemed. It made them unpredictable. And interesting. Most of them feared her true form. The great white wolf with three tails, but the red-eyes embraced the terror she inspired and took her own mark as theirs. A fan. And gave her their eyes in exchange. A gift, they''d said, for one worthy. And she had said, I am a god. There is none more worthy than I. They had laughed. Such fearlessness was delicious. They had not called on her in some time now. But they would soon. And Moro looked forward to seeing how the world had changed again. *** Present Day : :Hattori Gates, Konohagakure: : The first time Itachi had seen the gates in years. The first time Shisui had seen them in almost a decade. And there was a small child hanging from them. *** You cannot conquer a free man. The most you can do is kill him. Robert Heinlein *** ~tbc~ Ni tsunagatta ch奴shin-bu *** Chapter 6: :Ni tsunagatta ch¨±shin-bu Center that led to The *** One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are when you don''t come home at night. Margaret Mead *** Present Day : :Hattori Gates, Konohagakure: : Whatever Konohamaru had been expecting to happen today, this was not it. He''d expected a few laughs. Some yelling. Maybe some eye-rolls and detention if anyone was really paying attention. Not that anyone had been lately. Not running into one of the most feared missing-nin in the world. And some weirdo with bandages over his eyes that seemed to think the entire situation was way more amusing than it actually was. Naruto-nii-san might not think Itachi of the Sharingan was scary, but Konohamaru was comfortable disagreeing with his chosen brother just this once. Moegi and Udon had long since abandoned him. The guards were nowhere to be seen. Or maybe they were, and this whole thing was just an illusion spun through Itachi''s eyes. "Kai!" "What was that?" "I have no idea." "I was breaking your genjutsu, idiot!" "Ah, I see. It''s broken now." "Well done." They were laughing at him, and Konohamaru seethed as he hung upside down in the weirdo''s grip. No amount of struggling was enough to free him. Weirdo didn''t even seem to notice he was trying to escape, and for someone who was wanted by the whole world, Itachi didn''t seem all that concerned about standing out in the open. "What are you even doing here? You know you''ll be killed as soon as someone finds out, right? I will be avenged!" "You''re adorable." "DIE!" "Come on, Iruka will know what to do with him." Iruka? His Iruka? Naruto''s Iruka? *** It''s amazing that relationships can form and last under the constraints of never fully knowing. Never knowing for sure what the other person is thinking. Never knowing for sure who a person is. Iain Reid *** Present Day : :Land of Iron: : Minato blames himself for the Uchiha Massacre when Kikyo tells him about it. There are others who carry blame as well. He knows that. It''s not some self-sacrificing tendency he''s got that makes him want to be responsible for everything. But he knows he played a role and helped put them in that situation. It wasn''t his death. It was the favor he''d asked of Fugaku in defense of Kakashi. And he prays Kakashi never finds out. He''s far too kind-hearted to take it well. He had known that day when they''d left that he wasn''t going to bring his entire team back. Had woken up with a knot in his stomach and dark thoughts in his head, and that was rare for him. He''d snuck out to meet with Fugaku before they''d left and spent a few minutes playing with Iruka and Itachi as he tried to work through what was scaring him. "What exactly do you think is going to happen, Minato?" "I don''t know. It''s just a feeling." Fugaku had huffed at that. They were a clan driven by instinct, and they put powerful faith in gut feelings. The Namikaze put their faith in common sense and logic. Minato had found truth lay somewhere in the in-between. Shinobi were people, after all, and people rarely did what made sense. "Not all of us are coming back." "Ah, I had forgotten your bloodline came with the ability to see the future." "Haha." "You cannot let fear guide your actions." "Have you ever known me to do that?" "I''ve never known you to be this worried about a feeling, either." "I''m their teacher. I''m supposed to keep them safe." "You are training soldiers to protect your people. You are supposed to send them into battle." "I hate it." Fugaku had looked sympathetic then, a rare thing as the years went on. He''d just started training Iruka, and Itachi would start next year. He trusted Minato with Obito every day, and every day, a part of Minato held its breath, terrified of the day he''d have to come back and tell his friend that he had lost his son. "Obito has decided that he and Kakashi will be best friends." "Ah, has he told Kakashi?" "They would be good for each other." And then Iruka had made a face because even back then, he and Kakashi only ever argued when they were around one another, and it had made Minato laugh. Minato had gathered Obito and left after he''d said goodbye to his brothers. Eight hours later and that knot in his stomach came true as Obito lay bleeding, and Rin''s hands shook as she cut out his remaining eye. Kakashi had frozen at Obito''s last words, and Minato had left them to take care of the enemy nin still in the area. By the time he''d returned, Rin had transplanted the Obito''s eye into an unconscious Kakashi and had succumbed to hiccuping sobs as she realized she didn''t know what had gone wrong. Minato had felt the poisoned chakra before he''d ever reached the clearing. "Rin! Rin, what did you do?" "I do-I don''t know. I thought I did it right! Just like they taught me." They couldn''t risk staying in the area, and it only took a cursory exam to realize that Kakashi''s chakra and his body were reacting badly to the transplant. The Sharingan was spinning wildly in a way Minato had never seen, and while Kakashi''s chakra was fueling it, Minato got the sense that Kakashi had no control over what was happening. Fugaku had warned him once when the sake had gotten to Minato, and he''d gone on and on about how impressive the Sharingan was. Fugaku had beaten him in a sparing match earlier that day, giving Minato his first up-close and personal experience with the Mangekon. Fugaku had warned him that the Sharingan was not meant to be worshipped. It was meant to be feared. It took as much as it gave, even from those who didn''t bear it. The first Uchiha had struck a deal with some demon to get it, they said, had promised away every Uchiha that came after for the power, and every time a new one gained the Eye of Truth, more generations were pledged away. Minato had been very drunk and very confused. He''d also met Kikyo, albeit briefly, and the idea that she''d struck a deal like that seemed ridiculous. You had to give to get, Fugaku had said, and Minato understood that in theory, but a dojutsu wasn''t push-pull. Except when it was. The Sharingan wanted a body, wanted to live, and it didn''t often care about what the person carrying it wanted. The Uchiha had evolved over generations to survive alongside it. Larger chakra reserves to feed them and the eye, physiological changes that made them more resistant to injury and temperature, quicker to develop strength and flexibility. The Sharingan wanted a warrior, so that was what they had become. It had sounded to Minato like the Sharingan had a mind of its own. "It does. The Byakugan is a dead thing. A memory of what came before. The Sharingan is the next step. The living heir clawing its way into life. It''s like a parasite, living in a host, taking what it needs and giving just enough back that it''s not worth cutting out." "Could you even cut it out at this point?" "No one has ever survived." "Does it...does it talk to you?" "No. It doesn''t have a voice, just a...presence. A part of you but not. A living weapon that you weren''t born with but becomes so familiar with it may as well be another limb. Only this one requires a constant sacrifice, fuel, and it may one day decide that you are no longer worth fighting alongside." Fugaku''s father had attempted to use his Sharingan against Fugaku in the civil war. It had refused. His father had died burning, and to this day, Fugaku doesn''t know if it was his Sharingan or his father''s that had summoned the flames. The Sharingan required blood. The Sharingan needed the blood of the Uchiha. No one else had the strength to support it for a lifetime. It was a horrible, terrible, beautiful thing. Minato wonders if Kaguya ever truly understood what she had brought into the world when she ate the God fruit. A dojutsu smart enough to worry about its own survival. And he knew, that afternoon in the clearing, a war raging around them, that there was no way to save Kakashi here. His salvation lies lands away, in the Land of Fire and the Uchiha Clan Compound. Minato is fast, but he is not that fast. He''s only human. Gamabunta was powerful, but no faster than Minato really, and he may not be willing to carry a bearer of the Sharingan. He has odd feelings about Obito and his clan that he won''t speak to outright, and Minato has always been careful not to ask. But the Uchiha have their own contract, and though Minato knows it''s practically unlawful to call on a summons when you''re name is not on the contract, he thinks if there was ever an exception, this is it. He knocks Rin out before he cuts his finger, dipped in Obito''s blood. There''s a good chance Moro will simply kill them all. There was a reason so few sought out contracts with the old gods. They were not known for being merciful or kind. And as the great white wolf emerged from clouds of red smoke, towering over Minato and the surrounding trees, the world shook. "You have some nerve, infant." "I need your help." "There is nothing to be done for him." "Not, not for Obito." She''d sneered then, lips pulling back to reveal teeth twice Minato''s size. "The dog child. Is this a joke? Pakkun will not be any more amused than I am." "It''s not, he can''t carry him." "He wouldn''t have to. The boy is dying." "There''s still time." "You are not fast enough." "I know....but you are." "How bold, Sunshine." "Obito loved him. He died protecting him." "The eye will kill him." "Not if we get him to Fugaku in time. Please." "Even Fugaku may not be able to save him." "I understand." And then she''d picked up Kakashi with her teeth so, so carefully and vanished. Leaving Minato with the unconscious body of one student and the dead body of another. It took him three days to reach Konohagakure, pushed far beyond his own limits. But by then, the damage had been done. Mikoto had told him when he''d finally made it to the compound that Moro had arrived within hours of leaving him in Rock. Kakashi had still been alive, just barely, and Moro had used her own chakra to keep him that way. She''d only had enough energy to deposit him on the steps of the Hantahoru before disappearing. Thankfully, Itachi and Fuu had been nearby and summoned the elders. Unfortunately, Kakashi had been too injured to treat just at the compound, and the Uchiha had been forced to take him to the hospital. Because they couldn''t explain what had happened to him and there were dangerous parties watching so closely, they''d been forced to cast a genjutsu over the hospital and anyone who entered it. To say that Hiruzen was not pleased was an understatement. They had refused him entry while they stabilized Kakashi and again when he had been strong enough to bring back to the compound. It had taken another two days of Fugaku and the clan elders working on him to stabilize the Sharingan and stop it from draining Kakashi completely. They''d struggled to find a solution beyond binding the dojutsu entirely or giving Kakashi a large transfusion of Uchiha blood, which would cause serious problems of its own, but eventually, they had found a way to imbue a hiate with a store of Fugaku''s chakra. It wouldn''t prevent the eye from drawing on Kakashi completely, but it would buy him time. And the hiate could be replaced once it had been drained completely. They had kept Kakashi unconscious for all of it until he''d been stable enough to return to the hospital.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Minato had checked on him briefly before heading straight to the Sandaime. Kakashi had no memory of what had happened after Obito had died, and Minato would have to thank Mikoto for that later. But he''d already known by then that it was too late. He had never seen Hiruzen that angry before, and no amount of Minato explaining it had been his request, that it had been necessary not only to protect Kakashi but to save him, had swayed him. He had said the right words, nodded along, and looked terribly tired, but the fear had already taken root, and nothing Minato said could dislodge it. He couldn''t find the man Jiraiya had thought so highly of, and maybe Kikyo was right. Too long in power changed people, and not for the better. All of Hiruzen''s years, heartbreaks, and triumphs weighed him down now and had left open a door that would never have been there a decade before. It had just been enough to let the fear take root, and once it had, there had been no going back. Minato had saved Kakashi and doomed the Uchiha in one fell swoop. Even in his more fatalistic moments, he''d never imagined what would come. The clan gone. Iruka on the streets. Itachi exiled. Sasuke abandoned. And they''d left Naruto, too. Minato had died for them, Kushina, Fugaku, and all his family, and they''d left their children to starve. For the first time, rage took hold of Minato. *** Present Day : :Hyuga Compound, Konohagakure: : For a long time.... A long, long time, Asuma had been so angry he hadn''t been able to stand the sight of the village. Of the mountain with his father''s face carved into it. Of the man himself. He was a disappointment, he''s aware, a replacement for a favored child that had never lived up to the dream. A favored child that had been as rotten as the piles of garbage in the landfill. Asuma has mourned a lot of people in his life, and now that he''s back, he''ll likely mourn a lot more, but he''s never mourned her. Mari. Precious princess of the Sarutobi Clan. Apparently, even death hadn''t quelled the anger that came whenever he thought of her. Thinks of the sister she was supposed to be. Holds her the standard that is Iruka and his siblings. Hana and her precious baby brother. Why was Asuma the one who got stuck with her? Being confined to the Hyuga Compound left Asuma with nothing to do but dwell on all the loose ends he''d left behind. Kurenai, though she''d already passed him a note through an ANBU, that she was ready and waiting, and his daughter wanted to meet him, and wasn''t that terrifying? He had a daughter. Iruka. And there were so many things Asuma had to tell so many people that he never had before out of respect for the man he chose as a brother. Justice was coming, and as painful as it was, Konohagakure would come out for the better on the other side. Kakashi. Another man Asuma owed truths to, but that was so tangled up with Iruka that Asuma wouldn''t be able to say one without the other. Shikimaru, Ino and Choji. Kurenai''s note had accompanied one from Iruka assuring him his students were living up to everything Asuma had wanted for them and that if he could figure out a way to get Shikimaru off his ass now that he was back, that would be appreciated. It had made him laugh. Which was apparently a rare thing in this compound if the surprised looks were anything to go by. No wonder Iruka wasn''t a fan of the Hyuga. He keeps both notes in the breast pocket of the shirt Hiashi lent him but refused the offer to send a response, confident he''d see them soon enough. He has no doubt they''ll be waiting outside the compound gates when he''s finally released. Attempting not to dwell on the bad, he''s had plenty of time to study Neji. Gai''s prodigy is something else, and Asuma feels bad for not really paying attention before. He''s oddly sad, the way most prodigies are. Why other people can''t see it, he has no idea. It seems terribly obvious to him. Even Shikamaru was like that when Asuma first met him, lonely because even as lazy and laid back as Shikamaru was, it was hard to find peers willing to stick around when they couldn''t keep up. Even children had pride, and shinobi children were worse. Itachi had always been terribly sad as a child. Too much wisdom too early, and no way to do anything about it. Kakashi....Kakashi was still fucking sad unless something drastic had changed while Asuma had been dead. Chalk another hash mark under Hiruzen and the Council''s fuckups. Thank god Konohamaru wasn''t a genius. Asuma would have likely had to kill some of his clan to get him away if he had been. As it was, Neji felt like someone who''d been coming out of the silence but was falling back in. Trying and failing not to look like he was looking for someone specific every time he turned around. Whoever it was wasn''t there, and each time he couldn''t find them, he seemed to shrink a little. Asuma had taken to sparing with him in a desperate attempt to distract the young man -boy really, because physically he might be legal, but it took a lot longer to grow up-. Another child soldier who hadn''t gotten a childhood. The longer Asuma lives, the less he finds redeeming about the shinobi way, and he wonders if this was what it felt like for Iruka when his faith was finally broken. Hiashi appeared at the edge of the training field and Hanabi, who''d been watching from off to the side, quickly joined her father as he crossed to them. Asuma wondered if they recognized the painfully hopeful look on Neji''s face. He was more versed than most outsiders on the tensions in the Hyuga clan, courtesy of Kurenai and her ringside seat, and it had always struck him that for a clan who said they saw so much, they missed even more. Hiashi''s fondness for his nephew was obvious every time he looked at him, and it reminded Asuma of something Shibi had said to him once. Not long before he''d died, on one of the rare occurrences of Asuma being willing to talk about his parents. Parents damage their children no matter what they do. Even when all they''re trying to do is protect them. Funny how it was easier to accept that when looking at someone else instead of himself. "Uncle. Cousin." "Nephew." "Cousin. Your form is excellent." Because that was what Hanabi thought mattered more than anything. No wonder Iruka had fought so hard to keep her in the Academy. There was a moment of silence, Neji and Asuma struggling with whether or not to ask when the answer had always been no. Hiashi trying to decide how to word their freedom. "The Hokage has made a ruling." A small private smile stole over his face then. "Welcome home." Chakra flared at the gates of the compound, and Asuma was heading for it before the others had even turned. So determined to get there, he barely registered the footsteps on his heels, but it would come back to him later, with regret. There was a crowd waiting. Tsunade front and center. Her assistants and Shizune. Kotetsu threw Asuma a wink the rest missed. Kakashi, Gai, Genma, Raido, and the dozen ANBU who had been guarding the compound. Yamanaka Santa and Shun in their finery. And behind the crowd, Kurenai, gripping Iruka''s hand so tightly Asuma could see her knuckles were white from all the way over here. Tsunade started speaking, or she might have, but Asuma wasn''t listening. The crowd parted in front of him, part respect, part confusion, and even Tsunade''s voice faded as he made his way past them all. Kurenai had never been a touchy-feely kind of woman, especially in public. There were too many people too quick to degrade Kunoichi as weak just because of their gender for her to ever allow that kind of weakness. Iruka had always been too affectionate for his own good. So when Asuma and Iruka clutched at one another like brothers separated for too long, Asuma was pleasantly surprised to find Kurenai between them both, her grip just as tight. *** Tsunade had the uncomfortable feeling of voyeurism as she watched Asuma, Kurenai, and Iruka hold one another so tightly she vaguely worried about injury. Shizune looked confused. "I didn''t realize Umino-san and Sarutobi-san knew one another." "They''re practically brothers." Tsunade''s spikey-haired assistant murmured back, and Tsunade wasn''t the only one to glance at him in surprise. It was one thing to hear rumors, it was another to see it was with her own eyes. There was, however, one conspicuous absence in the welcoming party. "Uncle, where is Hinata?" Gai flinched. She''s sent him to tell Hiashi''s daughter her cousin was being released, whatever family strife among the clan, she''d thought the girl would at least want to be present. Apparently, she''d been wrong. *** Present Day : :Hall of Records, Hokage''s Tower, Konohagakure: : Tsunade had left when it became obvious that Asuma wasn''t going to listen to anyone but Kurenai and Iruka for the moment. She''d welcomed Neji back and assured him he could return to service once she was satisfied he was fully recovered. But even she''d seen the hurt as he glanced around and failed to locate his cousin. The anger rolling off Hiashi''s younger daughter only served to highlight it. She was beginning to doubt that Hiashi had as strong a handle on his clan as he claimed. She''d dropped her assistants at her office and told them not to follow her. When she''d reached the records room, she kicked everyone else out and sealed the door. Iruka''s file wasn''t in the regular rolls. It wasn''t in the active rolls either. Or the ANBU-only files. It was tucked in a lone file cabinet, almost hidden in the back corner. Hokage''s Eyes Only, the label said. Something else they hadn''t bothered to tell her about when she''d taken this mantel. That list was getting long enough to make Tsunade honestly angry. She understood it wasn''t planned, that things had been rushed and chaotic, but it was getting to the point where it was patently obvious that some force was concealing things from her on purpose. And she had a very good bottle of sake riding on who. Tsunade may have been gone, but she had come back. They had chosen her to lead for a reason. She may have a fondness for games of chance and rice wine, but she was not someone to trifled with, and it seemed that even with the war, there were still some who hadn''t learned that. Well, they were going to, soon. It took twenty minutes before she cracked the seal. Deceptively simple, it required her blood, but highly effective, it only worked with the blood of the person sworn in as Hokage, linked to the scroll that bore Tsunade''s rights and title. There could only be one name on that scroll at a time, which explained the cloud of dust that kicked up when she finally pried open one of the drawers. She found Iruka''s file in the second drawer. Faded ink and crumbled edges. Umino Iruka. Adoptive parents: Umino Ikkaku & Kohari. Birth date: Unknown. Birth location: Unknown. On and on. There were a lot of unknowns. And what wasn''t unknown was blacked out with thick lines that guaranteed there was no way to recover what had been hidden. Even Kakashi''s ANBU file contained more information. It was also ten pages shorter. There were a handful of notes written on scraps of paper. SS and MB making coded references to something Tsunade couldn''t immediately recognize. A second, smaller scroll was hidden in the back of the drawer, and her breath caught when she unrolled it. Close Associates: Sarutobi Hiruzen (relation unknown), Uchiha Fugaku (Sensei), Hatake Sakumo (relation unknown), Inuzuka Tsume (godmother), Namikaze Minato (godfather), Senju Tobirama (relation unknown), Sarutobi Asuma (friend), Miturashi Anko (friend), Uzumaki Naruto (guardian of), Uchiha Sasuke (guardian of) and several more lines inked out. What the fuck? *** What do we know of our mothers? I thought I knew her. But I''d seen her as a child sees a good mother--pure, transparent, incapable of deception. Rhonda Riley *** 13 years ago : :Streets of Konohagakure: : Iruka''s mother had always wanted to see him fall in love. Had teased him endlessly when he made disgusted faces and insisted he had no time for such a silly thing. Kohari had loved to tell her own love story, with Ikkaku never failing to look adoring and amused from somewhere nearby. They had met in the Land of Iron, only children of poor families with small fields that only ever yielded enough to get them by for another year. By the time they''d both turned fourteen, they were alone in the world. A fire had taken Kohari''s family, a plague Ikakku''s. They had found one another on the streets of the port town nearby, scrounging for garbage in an alley behind one of the few restaurants that wouldn''t chase them away. Kohari had always said that the worst feeling she had ever experienced had been hunger. Iruka hadn''t understood until those first months after the nine-tails. They had been together from the moment they''d fought over a moldy loaf of bread, and eventually, they''d managed to make their way to Konohagakure and a fresh start. When he''d been younger, it had sounded more like a nightmare than the fairytale his mother spun. The last week of his twelfth year, just two years after he''d lost them to the flames, he thought he''d finally figured it out. He fell in love for the first time on a warm summer afternoon, to the endless amusement of Itachi, who was nine and couldn''t be bothered with something that silly. Her name was Kura Rei. She was elegant, mature (snobby, according to Itachi), and two years older than Iruka. Had already graduated from the Academy and joined a genin team. When Iruka had finally worked up the courage to give her a wilting bouquet of wildflowers, she''d smiled and kissed his cheek. And glared at her friends when they laughed. She''d even agreed to let Iruka buy her dango some afternoon. Iruka had been on cloud nine for days. Unfortunately, his first love coincided with his first meeting with Naruto. Sasuke was only three. Had been for just as many weeks now. They still had two years before Iruka and Itachi would bury everyone they considered family. Naruto was barely half his size, and Sasuke was not a chubby toddler. His ribs were showing through the tears in the oversized rag acting like a tee-shirt. Iruka hadn''t clocked him at first, too distracted by Rei next to him and how nice she smelled as they waited for their dango. It was the mocking laughter that made Iruka turn. Itachi, high in the trees above the dango stand, hadn''t been positioned to see what was happening, but he''d followed Iruka''s gaze quickly enough. A handful of shinobi, chunin based on their age and uniform, armed with sticks and boots, and Naruto curled up on the ground in the center, crying and covering his head with black and blue arms. And, it''s not like Iruka didn''t know who, what, he was. Fugaku had made him memorize a picture of him every year, though he wouldn''t tell Iruka why. Iruka could have picked him out from a mile away. Rei had seen it, too, and she''d been so pretty and smelled so nice. It was too bad she''d laughed. "He killed the Forth Hokage. The monster deserves what he gets." Right up until the words left her mouth, Iruka was convinced he was going to marry her. Now, a couple of decades later, he still can''t be in a room with her without wanting to throw up. He doesn''t know which of them gets there first, but between Iruka''s bellowed rage and fists and Itachi''s silent blade, the group is bleeding on the ground before they realize what''s happened. They do try to get up and try to continue the fight, but Iruka''s anger and Itachi''s eye have never been easy to match. Iruka maybe gets carried away, but Itachi, at eight, had already mastered the ability to alter weak minds with the Sharingan. Even now, the few who have survived the years have no idea what happened in that alley. *** Naruto remembers the first time he saw Iruka. Which is weird because he can''t remember much else from that time, except being hungry and sore. He guesses now it''s because of how monumental the moment was. He''d been curled up so tight it hurt, the cold from the ground seeping through the only shirt he had left. "Hey." He was trying so hard not to cry because it always made them hit harder that he missed the entire fight. "Hey, kid! Naruto, can you talk?" Shock had made him open his eyes. He hadn''t heard his name in months, not since the last time he''d accidentally run into the Hokage on the street. And of the three voices he ever heard use it, this one was new. He had a scar across his face and big, big eyes, and his skin was a color Naruto had never seen before. There''d been another boy, a few years younger, with impossibly pale skin and dark hair and darker eyes watching over his shoulder. "You okay?" Naruto had just stared at him. "Can you talk? Fucks sake, he can''t talk, Tachi. What the hell?" "He''s just surprised, Ruka. Give him a moment." He leaned on the other boy''s back as he leaned closer. They existed in one another''s space with ease, all the small touches that came with sharing your life with someone. No one touched Naruto like that. "We aren''t going to hurt you, Naruto." Iruka had reached out and sat him up then, perhaps realizing Naruto wasn''t capable of it himself then. "You hungry?" It was a stupid question, of course, he was, but it had served Iruka''s purpose. It had distracted him from the fear and the pain long enough for Iruka to pick him up. Naruto''s stomach had answered for him, gurgling loudly. It had made both boys laugh. "How about ramen, pipsqueak?" Iruka had groaned, but Itachi had winked, and Naruto had nodded shyly and tightened his grip on Iruka''s shirt. And that had been that. *** Present Day : :Umino Iruka''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : Nara Shikamaru prided himself on his laziness. Nothing could surprise him. Except, apparently, Uchiha Itachi. Naruto was the one who burst into tears and threw himself at the older boy. Sasuke just stared. Shikamaru wondered how long it would take Iruka to get back so he could deal with this instead of him. And was that Konohamaru he was holding upside down? *** Present Day : :Archives, Hokage''s Tower, Konohagakure: : Iruka hefted the last box onto the shelf and held his breath until the dust cleared. He''d left Asuma to Kurenai and Mirai, laughing at the full-grown man''s panic when present with a tiny version of himself. He''d been grateful Kurenai had been willing to share their reunion with him, but Iruka had enough manners not to overstay. Asuma may have been Iruka''s brother, but he was Kurenai''s husband now and the father of her child. Priorities changed, for better and for worse in life, at least this one was for better. And there were still others that would want a chance to see Asuma. Kakashi and Gai had been at the gates, Genma, Raido, and a host of other shinobi who had served with him at one time or another. The Sarutobi Clan. If Asuma even let them in the door. His apartment was a chaotic mess and Iruka only felt a little guilty trying to find a few minutes of quiet, getting ahead on work that would fall by the wayside soon enough. The Hokage was god knew where probably a gambling hall. She''d made the same mistake every Hokage and Senior Admin-nin had made before her when they first took position and made the filing a D-Rank mission. One week in, and everything was a mess that Iruka was still cleaning up years later. Mindless work that let his mind wander and sometimes turned up valuable information because Iruka wasn''t that noble. None of the shinobi who worked in the tower regularly bothered him anymore. He''d been there too long. They''d even forgotten his early days of mayhem when the tower and its grand occupant had been his main target. Sandaime had even given him access to the Forbidden Archive. A bribe trying to buy Iruka''s love back, even though it was pointless. Iruka wasn''t that cheap. And he had access to a far more extensive library anyway. The sudden force of chakra, simmering like water just before boiling, washed over Iruka. He''d long since gotten used to them trying to sneak up on him. He made a point not to give them the satisfaction of a reaction. "Something I can help you find, Koharu?" "Think you''re so clever, don''t you, Iruka?" He didn''t bother to turn around. "You''ll have to be more specific." "Don''t play dumb, brat." Homura had never had Koharu or Danzo''s gift at subtly. The proverbial bull in a china shop or as much as a shinobi could be. "You''re not getting the Hitsugaya boy." "I don''t recall that being your choice." "This is a foolish hill to die on, Iruka." Koharu had always been good at the long game. Better than Danzo, and they''d probably have gotten farther with their plans if they''d listened more to her than him. Unfortunately, they''d chosen Danzo, and he was no match for Iruka''s teacher, who''d made plans that took place over the course of decades. "I don''t think so." "You never do. It''s that bleeding heart. Exactly what doomed your father." She grinned at the spike in Iruka''s chakra that he couldn''t control. He never can when she makes that remark, and it''s one of her favorites to pull out when they corner him privately. "You still need to worry about Uzumaki and Uchiha." Homura sounds gleeful. But he''s not wrong. As much as he hates admitting it, and he never will out loud, they''ve had Iruka on the ropes for years with that. They can''t really threaten any of the others, taking them out would require a loss of life too significant to Root''s forces to risk just yet. And the others would never forgive if he put them before Naruto and Sasuke. But Toshiro is only five. And he keeps coming to school with bruises. And Iruka had his father''s bleeding heart. Always wanting to save everyone. He turned around and found them blocking him in. They always did that, backing their prey into a corner. It was funny to watch them try it with Kotetsu and Izumo, who had made a game of inching around randomly, forcing them into some weird dance. They''d once gone in circles for ten minutes before Koharu caught on and backhanded Kotetsu so hard he''d had a mark on his cheek for a week. They had a special hatred for Ko and Zumo that Iruka suspected actually surpassed their hatred for Iruka himself. "He''s not a genius; I''m surprised you''re interested in him." "You haven''t tested him." "Because he wouldn''t pass." "He can still be useful." Homura sniffed. Then why were they here? They knew Iruka wouldn''t drop it. They had a better chance of swinging Tsunade to their side. "We assume the vessel and the traitor are still alive, of course." And she smiled when Iruka couldn''t answer. There was nothing to say that wouldn''t confirm they were. Iruka wasn''t often capable of keeping his mouth shut, but he was getting there. The lesson of a lifetime. They studied him in silence, weighing what they thought they knew of him and the situation. Someday, Iruka was going to take great pleasure in informing them of every single mistake they''d ever made, starting with his birth and ending with whatever it was that finally led to their deaths. "Loyalty to the dead will get you nowhere, Iruka. You should reconsider where you stand. You might find yourself more welcome." Homura warned. "I haven''t moved in twenty-seven years, old man. I''m not going to move now." "We blocked your promotion, Iruka. We can take away your position at the Academy in a moment. Don''t forget that." "How could I when you remind me every chance you get." "Perhaps if you''d listen for once, we wouldn''t have to. Your presence was the only thing that kept the vessel alive at one point. If you were gone...I''m sure there are those who fear the boy might become uncontrollable. A danger to the village." "And you know what happens to those that are considered a danger to the village. Don''t you, Iruka." Koharu, Homura, and Danzo had considered the Uchiha a threat to the village, and the lengths they''d gone to see them destroyed had far surpassed even the evil Orochimaru and Kaguya had displayed. "Not to mention, you''re precious Sasuke is a missing-nin. How terrible for Hatake if he were forced to kill his former pupil." Red started to bleed into the edges of Iruka''s vision. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. "What is it exactly you want me to do?" "You are right about the Hitsugaya boy. There''s no real use for him now. He could be ignored...." "If?" "The Hokage were to find the Hanta." Iruka blinked. "What?" Koharu patted his cheek. "You always were horrible at hiding your feelings, child. Hatake is investigating the Hanta for the Hokage. Make sure he finds them, or I will leave the carcasses of your beloved students hanging from Hattori Gate." *** Present Day : :Hokage''s Tower, Konohagakure: : Meanwhile, in the hallway outside the Archives Room, famed for its thin walls, Kurenai, looking to find Iruka to invite him to dinner, and Gai, who''d accompanied her for the walk, stared at the door. "You always were horrible at hiding your feelings, child. Hatake is investigating the Hanta for the Hokage. Make sure he finds them, or I will leave the carcasses of your beloved students hanging from Hattori Gate." Gai went for the door and Kurenai barely managed to drag him back. Despite vibrating with fury, he turned to her and hung on when she formed the seals for teleportation. *** One day, your parents picked you up, sat you down, and never picked you up again. Unknown *** ~tbc~ Kowasareta memori *** Chapter 7: Kowasareta memori Memory that has been broken *** Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work. You don''t give up. Anne Lamott *** A Day From Now : :Training Ground 5, Konohagakure: : Kurenai had made J¨­nin late by most standards. Stalling at chunin for several years and teaching at the Academy while she honed her genjutsu in her off hours. Many of her peers think it makes her one of the weakest of their rank. She thinks it''s made her one of the strongest. Kurenai has seen a part of the shinobi world many J¨­nin simply forgot once they''ve achieved rank and go from spending most of their time in the village to out of it. They forget what it is they''re actually fighting for. And as much as she respected ANBU, she''d never had any interest in that branch. Or T&I, despite Ibiki''s flattering recruitment campaign. She preferred teaching, and maybe it was her arrogance because she was willing to admit some, but her genin team was overall the strongest of their generation. The others had crumbled at one time or another in the wake of rivalries, clan loyalties, and manipulation. Kiba, Shino, and Hinata had not. She was fiercely proud of them and found that the thought of having to kill some of her superiors or peers to protect them didn''t bother her as much as she''d expected it would. But we''re not there just yet. *** Present Day : :Konohagakure Village: : Word had already spread about Asuma and Neji and had most likely reached the edges of the village by the time they''d actually walked out of the Hyuga Gates. For a village cloaked in secrecy, the gossip lines were far more impressive than the intel ones. Kakashi hadn''t been able to get the image of the ANBU posted outside the Hyuga Compound out of his head. It made sense, but something about it left a tight feeling in his chest, and his head throbbed. Danger. Danger. But from what? Kakashi couldn''t focus enough to figure it out. Kurenai had almost caught him the other day. If she''d been any less distracted by Asuma''s return, Kakashi would never have gotten away with it. He was still functional. Mostly. But even he was getting to the point where he knew he''d have to tell Tsunade. He''d been lucky to come back to himself before anyone had noticed at T&I, but the attacks, because he couldn''t think of anything else to call them, had been coming more frequently, and nothing Kakashi had tried had stopped them. He''d barely gotten through questioning some of the older J¨­nin and ANBU members about the Hanta without having an episode, and the fact that he''d turned up nothing but rumors of black masks and black blades hadn''t helped. There were a few missions people had heard stories about, but the reports for those were blacked out completely. Which was concerning in and of itself. Because they weren''t supposed to be. Mission reports were frequently the only way to hold shinobi accountable, and instead of being edited, they were locked away behind the strongest wards Kakashi had ever encountered, just in case. Even Kakashi''s ANBU mission reports weren''t edited. Tsunade was on a kick about Umino too now, and Kakashi only had so many hours in his days, even when he was extending them with soldier pills. The sensei had held admirably against Neji, slightly curious but most likely explained by the mind control that had made Asuma fight like a genin. He registered the chunin''s chakra without thinking, turning mid-leap and landing on a streetlamp lining an empty park. Night was falling, and the neighborhood was quiet. Kakashi''s own apartment wasn''t far and beyond that, Iruka''s if the rumors were true. Though why he lived in the poorest part of town with two jobs seemed odd. Really, Kakashi could blame what he did next on a complete lack of rest in the last few weeks. Anyone else would have been dead from exhaustion days ago. *** To be fair, Iruka had been completely lost in thoughts, stupid, but still, when he registered the whistle on the wind that came with kunai at high speeds. Only one of the four managed to clip him, and even then, it was harmless. A small tear in his pant leg. Iruka was far, far more concerned with the glint of moonlight off silver hair on the blur flying towards him. He launched himself further into the park on instinct -Fugaku had lectured endlessly on the value of cover and concealment during his training- but Kakashi was right behind him. It had been foolish to think he''d be able to put space between them that easily. Kakashi was far too good. It figured he''d be the one sent to kill him. Koharu would love the symbolism. Iruka killed by the one Sharingan the village controlled. But... Why wasn''t he attacking? A few feeble blows as Iruka fought for space, and Hatake wasn''t pressing the advantage. Was he waiting for backup? Was Root on the way? Koharu and Homura had long given up any wish to take Iruka alive if it came down to a fight. There was no way they''d sent Hatake just to capture him. Kakashi threw a lazy round of senbon and it was almost insulting how little effort he put into it. Iruka''s temper flared. "Seriously? You''re not even going to try?" Hatake just cocked his head to the side, like a damn dog, and waited. Well, he could fucking wait as long as he wanted then. Iruka jumped out of the tree and headed back for the sidewalk, turning his back on the fight and the shinobi nicknamed Friend Killer. It was a good thing they''d never actually been friends, he thought. Never enter a fight you won''t kill to win. Unless Hatake was actually going to kill him, this fight was pointless. *** Kakashi stared after the chunin in shock. He was walking away? From Kakashi? In the middle of a fight? His hands blurred, and he appeared right in front of the teacher, startling him backward with a yelp. "Did you just turn your back on me?" Iruka scowled as he straightened, "Did your eye stop working recently?" "I''m going to kill you." For half a second, it looked like Iruka might believe him, but it was gone just as quickly, and HE ROLLED HIS EYES AT KAKASHI. "Right. Look, I''m tired, stressed, and hungry. What do you want so I can get on with my night?" Maybe he hadn''t heard Kakashi correctly the first time. "I''m here to kill you." The flat look he got in return suggests Iruka did, in fact, hear him the first time. Apparently, facing a classroom full of pre-genin was enough to make even a desk chunin brave. Plan B, then. "Just curious." Iruka''s eye twitched. "Curious?" Kakashi shrugged, doing his best to radiate the smug superiority that always drove Umino up the wall in the mission room. "You fought the Hyuga boy with a surprising amount of skill, sensei. I didn''t think you were that good." The crickets in the forest started up. "You attacked me in the middle of the night...because you''re surprised I can do my job?" And the cherry on top: Kakashi beamed, reached out, and clapped Iruka forcefully on the shoulder. "You should be proud, Umino-sensei. You surprised a lot of people." Iruka let out an inarticulate sound of rage and punched Kakashi in the stomach. That had actually hurt. Iruka had reacted faster than Kakashi had been expecting. Another pleasant surprise. Kakashi backflipped and landed in crow pose, ready to go.... Only to have Iruka walk away. Again. Well, this time, it was more like storm off based on the heavy thud of his footsteps, but still.... "Too afraid, sensei? All those years of paperwork and teaching slow you down? Maybe you do belong at a desk." *** Fine, if that was what Kakashi wanted, Iruka would give it to him. Rule number ten, Iruka, do what your opponent expects least. Even if it''s the obvious. One of the things Iruka had learned in his years of teaching was that there was one strike that always hurt a lot more than people were expecting. He stalked back to Kakashi and stuck his in face in the older man''s. "That really what you want, J¨­nin-sama?" Kakashi practically purred, "If you think you can, Ch¨±nin." "So be it." Iruka kicked him in the shin. Hard. With the steel edge of his sandal. Kakashi''s surprised shout of pain was definitely worth his throbbing toes, and watching the stunned J¨­nin hop around on one foot, even if it was only for a second, was a sight Iruka swore to relish for the rest of his life. Even if it was just the rest of tonight because Kakashi actually decided to kill him. You can never, ever let them know who you are, Iruka. You will end up alone against enemies you cannot defeat. Do you want to go the way of the others? Lock it down. Your chakra. Your eyes. Your anger. Your hurt. Your love. It must all go behind a vault behind a wall in your mind, and you must destroy the key. It is the only way. Iruka hated hiding. He understood the value of it, the reasoning, but he hated it. Some days, he looked in the mirror and forgot who he was looking at because it had all been locked away for so long. If he hadn''t needed to hide, he and Kakashi could have fought. Sparred. Maybe Iruka might have even won a round or two, and they could have shared notes after. In another life. That was always the answer to what Iruka wanted. Maybe in another life. Kakashi was glaring at him, aloof superiority gone. "Cute, sensei. Who taught you that?" His obvious sulk made Iruka smile. "The one who came down from the mountain." Kakashi''s eyes narrowed, but he''d never been interested enough in clan history to understand. He had no idea, and he had no idea how much he had no idea. Sakumo had kept his only child far from the Hanta in a desperate attempt to keep him safe. And even though she''d been present at his birth, he''d never met Kikyo. The demon who''d drilled Iruka and the others until their fingers bled and laughed when they complained about being tired. It was always amusing to hear someone complain about his stubbornness. They had no idea what true stubbornness looked like. Kikyo was at such a high level that she couldn''t even die. Speaking of... "Did the Hokage send you?" "Does she have something to worry about?" Not the Council, then. That was a relief. "No. Goodnight, Hatake-san." "Stop walking away from me!" And for the first time that night, Kakashi sounded truly angry. It wasn''t like him to be so open with his emotions. Iruka turned back, tired. "What do you want, Kakashi?" "Who trained you?" "Several people. They all taught me different things." "Like what?" Iruka laughed, helpless, because he couldn''t give Kakashi the answer he was looking for. "Take your pick. Rule five, blind loyalty is fine, as long as you know when to dissent. Rule two, run far, run fast, kill first, kill last." "You don''t like killing. It''s why you struggled in the field." "Rule seven, only the strongest are capable of mercy." "Interesting philosophy. Are there any rules about respecting the chain of command and your superiors?" "Ah, actually, no, there aren''t." Iruka had never noticed that before. There were a lot of rules, and absolutely none of them said anything about that. "Shocking." Kakashi was in line to succeed Tsunade. Was he worried Iruka was going to argue with him the way he had with the Sandaime and the Godaime? "Beating me up in on a dark street isn''t going to stop me from arguing with you in the mission room, Hatake." Kakashi let a howl then, something animalistic and pained, and tugged at his own hair in frustration. "I am not trying to beat you up, Iruka. I''m trying to understand you." *** And now Iruka looked insultingly wary. "Why?" "Because you yell but never say anything. Your touch is everywhere, but you never are. You lecture about respecting those who are stronger than you, but you never do. Because you pick fights you know you''re going to lose, and I don''t understand how someone like you raised Naruto." Iruka blinked, lost. "I, is that an insult?" "You aren''t the only one who''s tired and stressed, Umino. It would be helpful if you''d just be straightforward and honest." "Me!? You could have just asked instead of attacking me in the street! How is that straightforward or honest?" Well...he might have a point there, but most of the shinobi Kakashi knew would have gotten it within a few minutes. "Your friends are as crazy as you." Ah, had he said that out loud? "Yes. What''s wrong with you?" Iruka looked....concerned. Huh. That was...something warm gathered in Kakashi''s chest. "You''re interesting, Iruka-sensei." "Is this some weird psych test? Are you having a breakdown? Are all your pieces here?" "I wouldn''t mind playing with your pieces, sensei." Wow. Kakashi hadn''t realized someone with Iruka''s skin tone could turn that shade of red. "You''re like a kid with a crush," Iruka whispered in disbelief. Then he started yelling. "What were you thinking? Have you lost your mind? Too many head injuries? I''ve got first-year students with more common sense than you!" He reached a dull roar by the time he finished. "Love looks different to everyone, sensei." "Is that from one of your stupid books?" "They''re not stupid! It''s the highest-selling series of all time!" "That doesn''t make it any better, they''re written by a moron!" "Actually-" "I know who wrote them, Hatake." "Ah." "We''ve barely ever spoken without arguing." "You''re the one who yells." "Because you make me!" ***You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Iruka does not need this right now. There''s too much.... Too many to worry about... He cannot add Hatake Kakashi and his weird crush to the list of things already keeping him up at night. "We have a spark, Iruka-sensei. I don''t enjoy anyone yelling as much as you. I''m not opposed to a strong hand." So. Many. Issues. Iruka opened his mouth, then shut it again. His entire family thought arguing was a sign of affection. If you didn''t care enough to argue, then you didn''t care enough to have an honest relationship. The rows that took place when he was a child were loud, sometimes bloody, and frequently demolished personal property, and they always resulted in immense joy nine months later. And what the fuck was Iruka supposed to do now? Pretend it never happened? Let him down gently? "Sensei." Oh boy. Kami, that was hot. "You have to stop saying it like that." And then he was pulling a startled Kakashi in and his mask down and doing his level best to stick his tongue as far down the J¨­nin''s throat as he could. By the time they pulled apart, between the heavy breathing and the wide eyes, Iruka was gone. He fumbled, trying to explain. "Look, I don''t, I haven''t dated. I don''t have time. I''m not good at it." "I don''t do promises, Sensei." Kakashi sounded as scared as Iruka, and that was, honestly, a relief. And then they were in an apartment too nice and too quiet to be Iruka''s. *** In the tall oak tree at the edge of the park, Itachi smiled as the smoke cleared. "Finally, brother." *** "Stress relief," Iruka muttered as they rolled across cool, crisp sheets. "We are very stressed people," Kakashi agreed and pulled diligently at their wrappings. Iruka latched onto his neck and sucked, and the shudder that resulted was easily one of the hottest things he''d ever felt. "Harder," Kakashi demanded, reaching up to hold Iruka in place. Iruka laughed and, for once, did what he was told. It was a good thing Kakashi wore a mask that covered his neck. Kakashi hooked a leg over his hip as he shook, so Iruka ripped off his shirt and muttered something about owing him a replacement. God, Kakashi was so pale. Like a statue carved from marble. Iruka was not a good man. He was going to leave so many marks. All that power and strength, twitching and twisting as Iruka sucked and bit his way across acres of skin. "Fuck, sensei. You-" Kakashi was muttering, struggling to rid both of them of their pants at the same time."You have t- get them off!" Iruka mumbled something around the nipple in his mouth. "I will Chidori your ass if you don''t get your damn pants off, Iruka." That actually made Iruka stop and look up, and they stared at one another until they both started snickering, and it devolved into a wrestling match as they finally got them off. "Your-" "It''s fine." And Kakashi''s forehead protector followed his mask to the floor. For a moment, he looked down at Iruka, one dark grey eye, a painful reminder of a lost parent, one slowly turning red, a painful reminder of a friendship he hadn''t deserved. Too late, he realized he probably should have asked first, but Iruka just reached up and gently ran a finger across the scar, eyes soft. Then he leaned up and followed the same path with his tongue. Well...that was that, then. Whatever sense Kakashi had left was gone. "On your stomach, Hatake." "My, my, sensei. Punishment already?" Iruka''s teeth were somewhere along his spine as Kakashi dug for supplies in the nightstand drawer. "Teach you a lesson," Iruka growled, and wasn''t that pleasant? Then Iruka put his tongue to work, and Kakashi had to bite down on a pillow before he made a sound Iruka would never let him live down. He was going to have to hunt down anyone else who''d ever shared Iruka''s bed. Yessss. All of them. Everything was wet and warm and wonderful, and Iruka''s fingers were getting involved, and then suddenly, he pulled away, and the fissures of pleasure stopped. Kakashi looked over his shoulder in outrage. "Don''t you dare-" Iruka''s eyes were wide and wild, lips red and swollen. "Is this alright? Oh, that was actually kind of sweet. "Iruka, do you seriously think you overpowered me?" "Based on the noises you were making?" Which, fair. Smartass. "You get the first round, sensei. I get the second." "Deal." And then his tongue was back where it belonged, and Kakashi''s face was back in the pillow. At least until Iruka reached up and yanked it away with a raspy order to make noise. Since he was doing such good work, Kakashi obliged. Somewhere between the moans and the curses and the "Oh, fuck, Ru-" something a lot harder and a lot hotter pushed in, and Kakashi''s toes curled. "Fucking hell." "Kakashi-" "Move!" And then Iruka really did pin him down and put it to him with enough force that it''s almost too much and a rhythm that wouldn''t let Kakashi catch his breath, and all he could do was lay there and take it and shudder on Iruka''s cock until they''ve both gone over the edge. It occurs to him, laying there with Iruka gasping against his back, that he''s lost control of the situation and he has no idea how to get it back. *** All those hours spent together, playing, talking, laughing, lovemaking... I should know him by now, surely. I should know the secret, vulnerable corners of his brain. Shouldn''t I? But then, he did always keep part of himself hidden away, I remind myself. As though he couldn''t trust it with anyone, not even me. Sophie Kinsella *** Meanwhile : :Umino Iruka''s Apartment, Kohonagakure: : The initial fervor had died down. A couple hours of emotional upheaval had left all of them exhausted and a little shaky. More so than Itachi had been in a while. Naruto had cried longer than he''d thought possible. Sasuke had made a point not to cry at all. Itachi had made a point not to apologize. Sakura had just muttered that they were definitely brothers and hid in the kitchen cooking until Naruto stopped crying. Ino and Choji had ducked in to help her, and the others were much more interested in talking to Shisui than Itachi. Which, rude. But he supposed Shisui left with a much better reputation than he did, so it''s understandable. There were a lot of questions Itachi couldn''t answer yet. He needed to talk to Iruka and put a plan together before they risked dragging the kids in more than they already were. Neither Naruto nor Sasuke had taken that well, also understandable, and it had been a fight to get everyone to settle down to sleep. In the end, their friends had out-voted them, and they''d reluctantly agreed to drop everything for the night. Since Iruka was a mother hen to the nth degree, he''d always had two spare rooms thanks to his take-over of the neighboring apartment. Naruto had taken over one, and Itachi had checked the other, expecting to find Sasuke, but had instead found Tsume''s boy and his teammates. Iruka''s room was empty. Itachi had already claimed it. Shisui had slipped out to make his way to the Inuzuka Compound, and three of Tsume''s J¨­nin had just happened by around the same time to make sure he wasn''t bothered. Tsume was getting bold. Normally, she didn''t make it that obvious that she was acting without the Hokage''s knowledge. Absently rubbing his wet hair with a towel, he opened the door to Naruto''s room and couldn''t help but smile. His baby brother curled up around the blond, head on Naruto''s shoulder while they both stared out the window above the bed. Both of them with a white knuckled grip on the other. Adorable. "What are you looking at?" Sasuke glared at him, but Naruto smiled. "The stars." "Ah." "Do you know the story, Itachi-nii-san? About what they are?" *** 10 Years Ago : :Forest Outside the Gates of Konohagakure: : The Annual Academy Camping Trip never failed to be the most exhausting night of the year. And Naruto''s class had decided to put all other classes to shame. Iruka''d had to bring back up in the form of Kotetsu, Izumo, Yajirobi, and Anko. Though a couple of them had less than honorable motivations. If Anko and Kotetsu scared his kids again, he was going to tie them up, cover them in honey, and leave them to the Forest. It had taken three hours to re-gather his class after they''d demonstrated their summons and Iruka doesn''t need anymore screaming about evil snakes and demonic squirrel armies. After a long day covering tracking and concealment, everyone was filthy and starving. Anko''s impromptu cooking class had scarred everyone. Ino, Kiba, and Naruto were even swearing to be vegetarians for the rest of their lives. He doubted it would last an hour after they got home, but they were very insistent right now. And they''d added blood and gore to the mix of mud and leaves covering them. Iruka fully intended to return them to their parents exactly the way they were. The one year he''d returned them clean, he''d been accused of not teaching them anything, and the hell he was going to hear that shit again. One of the J¨­nin parents had complained about him taking the students to the same place each year, too, but Iruka was ignoring that. This clearing was the best, a beautiful natural valley along a slow-moving tributary of the Naka with an old bridge he liked to teach them to fish from. The water ran through the Uchiha, Inuzuka, and Aburame Clan Compounds and was filled with brightly colored fish and huge lily pads and reeds the kids loved to play in. Now the moon was out, a thin crescent visible just above the trees. They''d all gathered on the bridge while Anko and Kotetsu cleaned up their little cooking experiment. Naruto and Sasuke tucked close on either side of him, arguing. Sakura and Ino were arguing next to Sasuke naturally, while Shino and Hinata quietly watched. Kiba, Shikimaru, and Choji were sprawled along the railing, enjoying the show. "They''re giant balls of gas, dobe." "No, they''re souls, teme!" Iruka had to be very careful not to let them catch him grinning. "Iruka-sensei, tell Sasuke he''s an idiot." "Tell Naruto he''s too stupid to live." "Alright, enough, both of you." He cuffed them both as they glared and mouthed silent threats. "I can hear you." "You can''t!" Naruto shrieked, but he was still young enough to believe anything Iruka said. There was a selfish part of Iruka that hoped he''d never grow out of it. Sasuke was much more suspicious. "Look at the stars." "Why?" "Because they''re beautiful." "I guess?" "Iruka-sensei''s weird." Kiba''s mutter wasn''t nearly as quiet as he thought, but Iruka didn''t mind, and he could feel the ripples of amusement from Yajirobi and Izumo''s chakra. "They''re not going anywhere, sensei. We can look at them from home." Sakura, always dutiful and logical. "That''s true. I guess I mean, say hello." "They''re balls of gas," Sasuke muttered. "Souls," Naruto hissed. "The books all say gas, Naruto. Right, Sasuke-kun?" Well, always dutiful and logical, except where her crushes were concerned. "Books can be wrong," Iruka pointed out and immediately regretted it when Sakura''s face twisted in panic. "But you''ll only be tested on the books." Her relief was palpable. "You have to look closely to see them." "I thought we weren''t supposed to look ''cause they''d blind us?" "That''s the sun, dobe." "Alright, can you see the ones that shine brighter?" "The constellations?" Ino, who''d be as smart as Sakura if she focused more on that than boys. "They''re the souls of every shinobi that has given their life for the village. The ones that died in the hospital. In distant lands far from home. Even in their beds of old age after a life of service." "But why up there?" "So they can be together while they watch over us and wait." "Wait for what?" Hinata, so, so quiet. "For us. They believed you were worth fighting for long before you were born, and they loved you without ever knowing your name. They are always watching over you, and when the time comes, like it always does, there is an army waiting to welcome you home with open arms." They were all staring up, enraptured now. The brilliant field of stars is enough to quiet even the loudest arguments. "Who told you that, Iruka-sensei?" Shikimaru, interested for once, and Iruka was going to put that on his personal review as a point towards promotion. But for now, he just smiled and hoped the night hid the sadness he could never quite hide, "Someone who is already waiting up there for me." *** Present Day : :Umino Iruka''s Apartment, Kohonagakure: : "Iruka loves that story." He''d told it to Itachi hundreds of times, even after Itachi could repeat it back verbatim. Naruto''s eyes were starting to droop, and Sasuke wouldn''t be far behind him. He wasn''t sure if he was allowed yet, so he didn''t bother to ask, just gently poked them both on the forehead and tucked the blanket around them, slipping out as they slipped into sleep. Sakura was asleep on Iruka''s couch, wrapped in that stupid ratty blanket he refused to get rid of. Mikoto had given it to him years ago, a small part of her defiance of Hiruzen''s order. He studied her for a moment, wondering at how someone so strong and intelligent could fall prey to such low self-esteem. But she was still so young. They all were. They hadn''t yet reached that age where they could understand their own worth and its value. He picked her up and put her to bed with Naruto and Sasuke. Even asleep, they pulled her in. *** What you are trying to let go of...is already gone. Sanober Khan *** An Age Ago : :Unnamed Land: : Calling it the Waring Clans Era was a bit of a misnomer. It had begun long before ninja were focused on fighting one another, but those times were lost to history. No one had written them down, and humans did not remember things that hadn''t been written down. It was generations after Kaguya had first eaten the God fruit, and humans were still exploring the possibilities of the chakra that had resulted. The world had still been ruled by the old gods then and the yokai and spirits that roamed freely between the dimensions. Most of them were still convinced that humans would die out soon, too small and to survive. It was during this time that Shinmoro was born. A weak little man with no talent to speak of and no chakra either. He went ignored by most, and that bothered him more than anything else. Around this time, some ninja clans had begun honing their skills against the yokai who fed on humans. The Uchiha had discovered that their dojutsu and taijutsu were uniquely effective against creatures that required devastating blows to kill. The Inuzuka Clan was developing, the Aburame and Hyuga not far behind. In the following decades, the Namikaze, Uzumaki, and a dozen others who would play significant roles in the foundation of the Hidden Village would be born. None of these clans wanted anything to do with Shinmoro. But as time went on and humans became more adept at killing demons, Shinmoro found an unexpected ally. An ink pot with a mind of its own. All he had to do was give it a bit of blood, and Shinmoro was the master of a thousand demons. The more he painted, the more he had, and soon, he had assembled an army the likes of which had never been seen before. Thousands of demons unleashed on unexpecting villages and towns, leaving nothing but blood and death in their wake. Kikyo had retired to the mountain by then, leaving the leadership of the Uchiha to Seki, the great-great-grandfather of Tajima, who would father Madara and Izuna. The Senju, led by Tai, great-great-grandfather of the yet-to-be-born Hashirama and Tobirama, had only recently moved to the area, and it was during a lull in fighting between all the clans that Kaguya slipped into Shinmoro''s heart and turned him on her traitorous children. In the year that followed, Shinmoro''s demons nearly wiped Shinobi from existence. It wasn''t until a brief alliance between the clans resulted in a seal created by the Uchiha and Namikaze that was strong enough to hold Shinmoro. Capturing and sealing him killed those who had created it, but with Shinmoro trapped in an empty dimension in-between, Kaguya had lost her weapon against the Shinobi, and the demons left behind were eventually hunted down. A handful of wounded managed to find the seal and, using the last of their chakra, buried it deep beneath the ground. Too far to ever be found. Until generations later, when Hashirama and Madara''s battle created a valley where a mountain had once stood. But that was still to come. Now, though the clans were decimated to the point of peace for almost a generation, they were able to survive. Humans were like insects in that way. As long as there were a handful and they had time, they would come back. It had all been forgotten by the time Tajima and Butsuma met on the battlefield for the first time. Kaguya had been thwarted. For now. *** Present Day : :Valley of the End: : Every Hidden Village had sent shinobi to inspect the Valley in the months after the war. None had reported sightings of the two shinobi left to their final battle, though they reported significantly more damage to the Valley than was recorded the day the war ended. Over time, fewer and fewer teams were sent, and only Konohagakure had any true interest, but every investigator Ibiki sent and every ANBU Taka sent came back with the same news. There was nothing. No blood. No clothing or body parts. No chakra trail to follow. Hope was dwindling. Neko knew he would be one of the last sent to check. Tsunade could no longer afford the two-week journey it took to reach the Valley and return to the village. Rouge missing-nin and leftover traps from the war were dangerous to the dwindling number of shinobi left to serve the village. Neko had volunteered to go alone to save manpower and time, with the forlorn hope that his wood affinity would reveal something the others had missed. He''d found nothing. And it broke what little he had left of his heart. Kakashi would be inconsolable, though he''d never let anyone know. He would go on; they all would, but the world would be a little bit dimmer. He doubted Kakashi would smile again. Whatever Naruto and Sasuke had done to one another had destroyed any trace of themselves in this world. Like they''d never even been there. Like they hadn''t saved it. There was a gaping emptiness in Neko''s chest that he couldn''t identify. He hadn''t been as close to either of them as Kakashi and their peers. He shouldn''t feel like this. It wasn''t his right. He went over the Valley three times. Reached out to the trees and the earth, but they knew nothing. Or perhaps he was just so weak he could no longer hear them. No one seemed to be the same now as they had been before the war. And this big, empty valley seemed to reflect all of them. But there was no point in brooding. There was nothing here, and remaining was a waste of time. He turned back to the village, and that was when he saw it. Just a flash of color out of the corner of his eye as he moved. Faded orange and brown against grey stone. A scroll so old the edge crumbled when he picked it up. And the seals... He recognized none of them. They looked vaguely like something he''d seen in his research for Kakashi and Naruto, but they were so old it was looking like a distant, distant cousin of Naruto''s Eight Trigrams. Maybe? Far too old to have been left over from the war. Carefully, he sealed it inside another scroll. No matter what it was, it might be useful to the village. *** The dead leave their shadows, an echo of the space within which once they lived. They haunt us, never fading or growing older as we do. The loss we grieve is not just their futures but our own. Kate Mosse *** Present Day : :Hatake Kakashi''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : Kakashi was sprawled out next to him, more relaxed than Iruka had ever seen him. The Sharingan spun idly as they listened to the noise of the night through an open window. It was odd to see it in someone else. Obito had striven so desperately for it while he''d been alive, convinced it would be enough to save them all. That he''d only achieved it in the moment of his death was irony on a level only the Uchiha seemed to be cursed with. They hadn''t even bothered to clean up yet, and it was hard to ignore that Kakashi was somehow more attractive now, covered in drying sweat and splattered evidence of both of them and glistening in the moonlight. It''s entirely possible that it''s been far too long since Iruka got laid if he was waxing poetic about a man who dedicated his spare time to driving him up the wall. "Shit." Kakashi''s mutter made Iruka raise an eyebrow. "I need water." "It''s your apartment." What the hell? This had already turned out much more pleasurable than Kakashi had been expecting. A repeat couldn''t hurt. "Oh no, you did the fucking, sensei, you get the water. Next time, I''ll get it." Iruka rolled his eyes at the insolent grin but got up anyway. "Nice way to treat a guest, Hatake." "Hey, I''m the most hospitable host in history at this point," Kakashi openly leered at him as he walked across the room without bothering to cover up, "I let you into the deepest, darkest recesses of my sacred temple." Iruka tripped over something on the floor. *** "And bring a wet towel, or I''m using your shirt to clean up." Iruka''s muttered curses weren''t loud enough to make out, but the tone was, and it actually brought a small smile to his face. It was a miracle there''d been no summons or emergency to pull him away yet, and Kakashi figured they could enjoy the rest of the night. No point in trying to sleep when Kakashi knew he wouldn''t. The Sharingan was suspiciously quiet, though Kakashi had selfishly used it to record most of the night. Something for the future when Iruka inevitably got tired of him. Iruka returned with a speed that was flattering, especially since he couldn''t hide the heat in his eyes as Kakashi shamelessly stretched. A wet towel landed on his face. "Tease." "I''m hurt, sensei." "Stop calling me that here, please. I''m not going to be able to face my students." Iruka whined as he set the glasses on the nightstand and sprawled on top of Kakashi. The sheer heat of him was almost overwhelming. Like an inferno wrapped in skin. Kakashi had never thought he was cold by nature, but compared to Iruka, he was a block of ice. His warmth sank into Kakashi''s bones like the most powerful pain reliever he''d ever experienced. Aches and pains that Kakashi hadn''t even realized were there disappeared as they sank into the bed. Any interest in starting things back up left as Kakashi found himself sinking into the odd place between sleep and wakefulness. Aware enough to know how relaxed he felt, only the cusp of fading into sleep. Iruka didn''t seem any more interested in moving, his face tucked into Kakashi''s neck and his arms tucked around him. Of course, this was when the summons came. A flare of chakra to warn, then a tap at the window. Iruka didn''t move as Kakashi tilted his head back. Hato was crouched on the window sill, his fingers flashing sorry-tower-asap in rapid succession before he disappeared. Even ANBU had become softer, kinder in the wake of surviving the war. They would never have apologized before. "Damn." Iruka pressed a kiss to his neck, and Kakashi shivered. "Rain check, sensei." "Better be worth my while," Iruka muttered, rolling to the side to let Kakashi up. Iruka watched him dress, and Kakashi briefly debated how awkward it would be to kick him out before he left, but before he could say anything, Iruka was up and gathering his things as Kakashi pulled on his vest. Was a goodbye kiss a thing for a hookup? They had plans for another one. But they didn''t really get along? Iruka answered the question for him, pulling him in for a brief kiss and then stepping back. "Mind if I teleport out?" That was, actually, very respectful to ask. Most shinobi homes had wards designed to prevent teleportation in and out; paranoia and survival went hand in hand, after all. Normally, Kakashi would never have allowed it, but Iruka had been kind enough to ask. He dropped them for a moment. Iruka pressed another quick kiss to his cheek this time and disappeared in a puff of smoke. He raised the wards immediately and then took a second to dwell on the tight feeling in his chest as the exhaustion and aches settled back in. Then he flung himself out the window and headed for the Hokage''s Tower. *** Present Day : :Umino Iruka''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : Iruka had felt his chakra when it had first come into range. A few miles outside the village. The terrible urge to charge to meet it was defeated only by the knowledge that it could get them both killed and Itachi''s message to continue as normal and ignore him, for now, had kept Iruka in the village. Kakashi...Kakashi had been a very welcome distraction, though guilt gnawed at him now. Ignoring Itachi''s return for a night of fun with Kakashi. Iruka wasn''t a good man. "Don''t start." Silent as always. Iruka looked up for setting his sandals on their spot on the stand by the door. There was barely any room for his now. "Start what?" Iruka unzipped his vest and made a point to hang it up and straighten it. "You are guilty of nothing, Iruka." Iruka stiffened, horrified to realize his eyes were hot and wet. "Also, you owe me 200 ryo." That finally made him turn and laugh. He was so much older now. Still not as tall as Iruka, but now they both knew he never would be. "Still got some inches to go, Tachi." "I make up for it with IQ points, Ruka." "Welcome home, little brother." And then even Itachi was crying, and both of them were terribly glad the rest of the kids weren''t awake to see them as they hugged one another for the first time in a decade. *** Present Day : :Utatane Koharu''s Residence, Konohagakure: : When Koharu had been a child her father had seemed like the strongest person alive. Big, aggressive, skilled. Everything the village needed in a shinobi. He''d served beside her sensei with pride. He never let anyone forget what he had done for the village. She had admired him more than any other, and his death when she was a teenager had been devastating. Even more so because Tobirama-sensei had refused to let her know what happened. *** A failed attempt to protect his student that Tobirama would come to regret. *** Koharu had carried the memory of him with her as the years went on. Unwilling to let go and determined to carry out his dreams of glory in the name of the village. For glory wasn''t selfish if it was done in the name of protecting others. He''d wanted to be Hokage someday. Koharu had only briefly entertained that goal for herself before realizing she would never surpass Hiruzen and Kagami in their teacher''s eyes. The bitterness that had come with the realization had taken many years to defeat, but she had eventually snuffed it out, decided to support the one she thought best for the village, had dedicated her life to protecting it from the shadows. A true shinobi. Now, only she and Homura were left. For now. But they had managed to take most of their enemies down before they''d lost Danzo. The Uchiha were all but extinct. The Hanta disbanded. Even the Senju were almost gone. One foolish child left. Now, she only needed to deal with the Inuzuka and the Aburame and there would be none left to challenge them. To threaten the stability of the village. Tsume would not go quietly. Not that Koharu had ever expected her to. And she would have to be dealt with in quick succession with Iruka. Whichever one of them was left would know and trigger the Civil War Koharu so feared. Iruka was contained for now. Controlled. Koharu and Homura had enough leverage that it was to his benefit to be silent. How ironic that he was the last that they had to deal with. She had always expected Itachi to be the last one standing. Saigo no hikari. One last flickering flame to snuff out. It was unfortunate that Fugaku had not lived to see the error of his ways. Even Koharu would admit to being surprised at the end he had chosen. On his knees. The Uchiha die in battle, or they do not die at all. Kagami had said that frequently when they faced terrible odds. Tobirama had said it every time he''d sent a Uchiha into battle. Some odd ceremony that the rest of them had not been a part of. She still had his journals. Locked away safely in her office here, unwilling to risk anyone else in the village finding them. She would never be smart enough to master half of what he wrote of, most of it started half-way through or forgotten after the first few steps, the rest locked in his head. It was unfortunate. She could have ended this secret war ages ago if she could finish but one of his works. But they had succeeded nonetheless and ensured that the village did not remember Tobirama''s trust in Kagami or the partner he''d had in Kikyo or the friendship he''d shared with Madara. Gentle-hearted Hashirama could be remembered as an Uchiha lover, warrior Tobirama could not. They couldn''t afford both of them being seen as sympathetic. Tobirama had written extensively on the Uchiha Clan from his early years when the wars were still going on through the founding of the village, but it had only ever been his observation of their behaviors. The Uchiha seem to enjoy battle itself, battle for nothing more than the sheer love of it. They drill constantly when not fighting, even at peace they prepare for the next fight. They fight like beasts, like they cannot feel pain unless it is so great as to stop them completely. The Uchiha are born half-dead, it seems, and spend the rest of their lives trying to be fully dead. Such a stubborn people...just like us....is it any wonder that it was with them that we tangled so completely that it resulted in a new world? Yes, Tobirama''s writings could never be revealed. Animalistic, he''d called them with something akin to admiration. Barbarians, Koharu thought, who cared more for themselves than anyone else. They did not belong in civilization. In the village. However, despite all her searching, it seemed Tobirama had never written about one thing... The Sharingan. What had he known that convinced him it could never be written down? *** When the axe came into the woods, many of the trees said, ''At least the handle is one of us. R.L. Stein *** ~tbc~ Yowai Hikari *** Chapter 8: :Yowai Hikari Weak light *** Sometimes, the hardest storms to get through are the ones your soul needs most. And once the storm is over, you won''t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. But survive you did. And one thing is certain: when you come out of the storm, you won''t be the same person who walked in. That''s what the storms all about. Haruki Murakami *** Present Day : :Outside the Hyuga Compound, Konohagakure: : The Root ANBU had been caught by surprise by none other than Neji. Returning from outside the village as Neji returned from an attempt to track down his cousin, both of them crossing in the trees outside the Hyuga Compound well after dark. Neji had only been concerned with this apparent travel through the Clan Land without permission. The Root operative had orders to leave no witness to his mission, no matter what stage it was at. Unfortunately, he had not been strong enough to take down the Hyuga prodigy. By the time Kakashi got there, Tsunade, Ibiki, Taka, Hiashi, Santa, and Shun were already there. The original report had said Neji had killed an ANBU operative in self-defense, but one look at the body and the cracked mask told Kakashi otherwise. "Root." Tsunade nodded, expression tight. "Traps?" "None so far," Ibiki had murmured, carefully examining the body. Hiashi and Neji had both searched with the Byakugan. "On his way back from somewhere, probably thought he was safe once he crossed the wall." "Seems lucky," Santa had murmured. "Why attack then?" Shun wondered. "How long will it take you to break these seals?" The bag he''d carried had been full of scrolls. The seals were a tangled mess of different styles, only a few of which Tsunade recognized. "A few days," Ibiki guessed, and Taka nodded in agreement. They were all thinking the same thing: what had Root been willing to kill so obviously to hide? *** Friendship ... is born at the moment when one man says to another "What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . ." C.S. Lewis *** Present Day : :Umino Iruka''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : There were too many people in his apartment. Not that he didn''t love them all. There were just a lot of them being very loud in his not-that-small apartment at the moment. Kotetsu was slumped over a cup of coffee with Anko and Itachi at Iruka''s rickety kitchen table. Izumo and Yajirobi were making enough breakfast to feed the army of young shinobi that had decided to use Iruka''s apartment as their base of operations, even if they wouldn''t tell him exactly what they were doing. Iruka had made the mistake of not checking for evidence of his night with Kakashi before he walked in and even Itachi''s look of warning wasn''t fast enough to save him. Kotetsu took one look at him, and a dangerous glint sparked in his eye. Iruka took one brief, desperate glance at the doorway before deciding the effort wasn''t worth it. He hadn''t had coffee yet and he was still exhausted, and Kotetsu and Anko would chase him to the ends of the earth for the chance to tease him. "I admit nothing," he sniffed and went straight to the pot of coffee. "So..." Anko loved to play with her prey, and she tugged down the collar of his shirt, "Who''s the biter, Ruka?" "None of your business." "Aw, come on, Ruru," Kotetsu''s voice dripped like honey, "Confide in your friends. You know we won''t tell." Yajirobi snorted as he flipped a perfectly formed pancake. "It''s nothing." "It''s been a while since you''ve been with someone. We''re just concerned." Izumo was the nicest out of all of them, really. "What happened to respecting the word of your Taichou?" Iruka muttered into his coffee, going back for seconds. "Don''t think it counts if we all resigned," Kotetsu snorted. They''d all long since passed the point where they couldn''t keep the bitterness and sadness out of their voices. And Iruka couldn''t even argue that the spirit remained anymore because it was all gone now. Except the memories that kept them all up at night, the missing piece of the call that would never come again. It burned quietly, an ember that never stopped glowing completely, but it had long since ceased to provide any warmth. Iruka could still remember what it felt like, to be so fulfilled, his life purposeful. He loved teaching, loved helping his students learn and grow. He would never choose another path, but the instinct to protect, the urge to run and fight with abandon, still ran through his veins. Always looking to the horizon. "Do you think we''re not going to approve?" Kotetsu asked, single-mindedly bringing them back to the original conversation. There was a reason he''d been Iruka''s second. "Ruka-kun," Anko purred, "You''re starting to make me worry, and you don''t like me when I worry. Remember what happened last time?" He did. It still gave him nightmares. She''d followed him around for days, never more than a few inches away, refusing to let anyone she thought might hurt him get close. Iruka had appreciated the thought, but he couldn''t stand the action. "You''ve been spending too much time with Ibiki," Iruka glared. Anko''s grin had a lot of teeth, "He''s got his uses. And his talents." She stuck her tongue out at their disgusted expressions. Itachi remained silent. Amused as always to watch and laugh at them all for being fools. "It''s no one. It was just a one-night thing." Iruka poured himself another cup despite Yajirobi''s disapproving look. For some reason, the other man was concerned over Iruka''s caffeine intake. He worried too much, Iruka thought. "Since when do you do one-night stands?" Kotetsu was starting to sound suspicious. Easily the most laid-back of their lot, so hard to rile that Iruka could count on one hand how many times he''d seen him truly angry. He was also much, much smarter than people gave him credit for, and in his role as Iruka''s second, he knew him inside and out. "What about Hatake''s investigation?" Bless no-nonsense Yajirobi. Iruka and Kotetsu were best friends, had been since they''d bonded over pranks in the early days of their training, but Yajirobi was Iruka''s shadow. A bond born out of their shared experience of betrayal and struggle for survival. He never pulled his punches, put the mission above anything personal, and Iruka trusted his judgment without question. "I haven''t heard anything in the Tower," Izumo muttered. "The Hokage is keeping things locked down." "Hakate was questioning some of the older ANBU and J¨­nin," Anko added, looking surprisingly nervous. Iruka hesitated. Kakashi was driven, brilliant, and usually a few dozen steps ahead of everyone else. It had been a ridiculous stroke of luck for the Council that Tsunade had put him on the investigation into the Hanta. And Iruka really wanted to sleep with him again, too. Something must have shown on his face because Itachi looked sympathetic; he''d had his own awkward relationship that still didn''t have a resolution, and Anko suddenly hugged him so tightly Iruka felt his ribs creak. "It''s alright, Ruka. You can bang whoever you want to bang." Leave it to Anko to make a lovely sentiment sound dirty. "You probably get it from your dad anyway." "Gets a lot from his old man," Kotetsu muttered, annoyed. He definitely suspected where Iruka had spent the night. Kakashi was near the top of the short list of shinobi that actually worried Kotetsu. "The investigation?" Yajirobi prodded and then held the plate of pancakes hostage until they got on board. "The Council cornered me yesterday," Iruka said instead. "They want Hatake''s investigation to succeed." "Why? Do they think we''re going to keep our mouths shut about what happened if we get arrested?" "Or they figure they can kill us during the arrest." Kotetsu tried to pry Anko off Iruka, the three of them stumbling around the kitchen as the others watched. "There''s no way they can''t guarantee that something would come out. Mutually assured destruction." Anko went limp suddenly, dragging a surprised Kotetsu to the floor with her, and Iruka lunged for the table and safety. "What investigation?" They froze. Naruto still looked half-asleep. Sasuke did not. *** Fugaku''s youngest son bore a striking resemblance to his mother. Kotetsu had never been able to look at him without seeing her. She''d been the closest thing Kotetsu had to a mother, and she''d been happy to go along with a sad orphan''s attachment. It had surprised them all how much Sasuke took after her when the ones that came before had all been so clearly their father''s sons. Sasuke, despite everything he had done, had never developed Fugaku''s ruthlessness, what had let Itachi wipe out their clan and stay sane. What had let Obito go so far in his dream for the world. What let Iruka remain alone in Konohagakure, walking on his family''s grave to protect the people that had killed them. Sasuke''s gentle heart had been the reason for his fall into the Curse. And the reason he''d been able to pull himself out. He still had some work to do in that regard, but when he looked closely, Kotetsu could see the miasma infecting him lessening every day. As long as the village didn''t do anything stupid, Sasuke would be fine. It was still a little early to drag them into this, though. Even Naruto was still recovering from their fight, and really, they needed to look into their arms and figure out if they were something they needed to be worried about. A door slammed deeper in the apartment. They''d all be up in a moment, and it would be significantly harder to get out without answering. Sasuke already didn''t look like he was going to let it go. "Kakashi''s investigating something for the Hokage." Kotetsu flashed a startled look at Iruka. He couldn''t want them knowing yet. Iruka still held out a sliver of hope that they could get through this without the kids having to know. "Huh?" Things were clearly not computing for Naruto yet, and it made Iruka smile. "We don''t know much yet, but once we do, we''ll tell you. We need to figure out a plan then anyway." Sasuke didn''t look like he was buying it, but Naruto yawned and nodded and started swaying towards the pancakes. Kotetsu snatched a couple before he was left to starve. *** But there''s a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes, the stories are simple, and sometimes, they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother''s story because hers is where yours begin. Mitch Albom *** The Day Before : :Yuuhi Kurenai''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : She was beautiful. Perfect even. Cherub cheeks and the softest hair Asuma had ever felt. He was afraid to pick her up without Kurenai there to steady him. She''d been terribly patient. So had Mirai. She''d been scared at first and that had hurt, even though he knew it was natural, but she''d opened up quickly. Showed him all her favorite toys before she''d finally exhausted herself. Kurenai had left him to make tea for Shikimaru, Ino, and Choji. Shikimaru had looked pensive once they''d gotten past the happy your alive moments. Asuma was already pretty sure he knew what was bothering him. He closed the door quietly and paused in the hallway to check Kurenai''s wards. There were silencing wards layered in, no doubt for Mirai when she''d been younger or Kurenai. She''d never liked people to know she cried. Asuma had nearly had a heart attack the first time she''d let him see, crying softly after she''d had to comfort Hinata again because of her own family.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He''d decided to marry her then and there, but she hadn''t let him propose until she was ready. Now, he had a second chance to spend his life with her. But first, there was a lot to do to make sure she and Mirai, and all the others, were safe. He found them all waiting in the living room. waiting. They must have been spending time together while he''d been...gone. "So, how are Naruto and Sasuke?" Ha, that look of surprise was always worth it. *** The history of the Hanta, as Asuma explains it, is inexplicably tied to clans that formed the Hidden Villages. Inspired by a time when Clan Leaders were protectors of their people instead of figureheads concerned more with accounts and reputations. Kikyo had returned from the mountain not long after Hashirama and Madara had their great battle. She came to bury her descendant, and then she''d stayed to help Tobirama bury Hashirama. Hasirama, for all that he was the God of Shinobi, had had a soft heart. So had Madara, the Great Wildfire. Tobirama did not. He''d been smart enough to realize something was wrong with Madara and his brother, and when he''d confronted Kikyo, the word of the Uchiha was enough to convince her to tell him about Kaguya, the God Tree, and the miasma. Tobirama had been infected by then, too. Too far gone for Kikyo to undo, but his ironclad control had prevented him from acting out the way his brother and Madara had. It had bought him time. Instead, they had turned their attention to putting protections in place, and one of those was the Hanta. Hunter-nin. Whose mission would be to protect the shinobi who protected the village. Based on the old role of the Clan Heads before the foundations of the villages and the creations of the Kages. Their scope was wide and completely independent from the other duties of Konoha shinobi, and they were made up, at the beginning, of the three clans that still followed the old way. Uchiha. Inuzuka. Aburame. Tobirama had lived long enough to see Kikyo bear his son before he''d realized the miasma had spread too far. He was dead a week later. The Hanta made it three generations before coming to an end. The first, Raijingusan, led by Kikyo herself. The second, Akarui Hikari, led by her grandson Uchiha Fugaku. The third, Shinshin or, more properly, Shizukesa o motarasu yuki, led by Umino Iruka. And Iruka had been the one who had lost his faith, broken his sword, and left the pieces at the Sandaime''s feet. *** It''s no small thing for a shinobi to lose faith in the village they serve. Betrayal in a world where you pledge your life to something is a break that is almost impossible to heal. Still, it''s something Asuma thinks they all willfully ignore. They say traitor and sentence them to death, and that''s that. Sometimes, they looked for a motive. Sometimes, they looked deeper, but more often than not, they accepted the simple answer and left it there. It should have caused an uproar when the Hanta laid down their swords. Instead, there''d been nothing but silence. That had been the moment Asuma had realized he''d never be able to return to his father''s side. "How did you know?" Shikimaru''s mind was already leaping ahead. "I know Iruka, and I know his faith in those boys." Kurenai was still, silent, and Asuma turned to her, "I''m sorry to involve you, love." She took a moment, but Kurenai was no fool. "What else?" "The Council. They were working with Danzo and Root. And Orochimaru." "Oh my god." "I don''t know how much power they''ve got since...I need to talk to Iruka. There were...things in play to finally bring them down. Unless?" "I have heard nothing about anything like that." She looked honestly disappointed, too. "Neither have we," Ino muttered. "My Uncle would have told me." Choji and Shikamaru nodded. They were all fully committed to training as Clan Heads now, and while their older relatives would maintain control until they were ready, it wouldn''t be long. "The village is weak now." Shikimaru murmured, "We need to start planning." "Are Naruto and Sasuke healed?" "They need more time," Ino shook her head, "They''d say yes, but no one can figure out where their arms came from, and both their chakra reserves are damaged." "Shit. Okay. Intelligence first." "Is the Council aware of your relationship with Iruka?" Choji looked thoughtful. Sometimes, he struggled to keep up with his teammates, but he was also, Asuma was proud to say, the one most skilled at seeing straight to the heart of the matter. "Yes." "There''s no way they won''t be watching, then." "We have meeting places, wards-" "It''s too dangerous." "Kurenai-" "I will meet with Iruka." *** Present Day : :The Wall, Konohagakure: : Neko had thought he could make it to the Hokage''s Tower before they intercepted him, but Root must have learned he was on his way back. They caught him just outside the wall, deep enough in the trees to be out of sight of the patrol on the wall. The tingle of the ward on his tongue only gave him a moment of warning before his body moved of its own accord, and the sickening twist of panic made his stomach cramp. He turned, headed deeper into the trees, and found the Root ANBU waiting for him. Neither spoke. Neko couldn''t, and well, for all he knew, the operative couldn''t either. Or it just wasn''t necessary. It only took him a few minutes to find the scroll, and then he was gone, and Neko was alone. The tingle remained on his tongue, mind racing as he tried to guess what the Council was so desperate to have as his body turned and made its way back to the gate. They had not interfered with Neko since before the war, approving his request to leave Root to help Kakashi train Team 7. Staying far enough away that Neko had not been tempted to try and break the seal that ensured his silence. He had no idea how many of them there were. Root had been careful to keep everyone in masks and silenced, and once the ward was tattooed on their tongue, there was no removing it. No matter what Danzo had promised. No one left Root unless they''d stopped breathing. A childish part of him had hoped they''d determined he was of no more use. That they''d chosen to live their last years in peace after that horrible war. Apparently not. And Neko was bound to them until the day they decided he would die. *** Present Day : :Inuzuka Hana''s Home, Inuzuka Compound, Konohagakure: : Shisui studied the picture of Fugaku and his brothers. It had sat in a place of honor in the main house, in the sitting room next to the garden, until Tsume had taken it as a small reminder before helping seal the compound. Uchiha Fugaku was the youngest of four sons. He hadn''t wanted to be a shinobi. He''d wanted to be a teacher. And not at the Academy, at one of the civilian schools with the small children. Teaching them to read and write and showing them the world beyond their front door for the first time. He was the one who helped his boys with their homework. Who got up early to pack their lunches. Who made sure there was enough time for fun between homework, chores, and training. He taught them, and Shisui by extension, more about life than anyone else, and very little of it had anything to do with the shinobi way. Fugaku''s Will of Fire was raising his children to be strong. To understand the value of life and death, of service and support, of love and duty. Raising children who understood that war was not the only way, the only truth. There was something bigger than all of them. Bigger than the individual, bigger than the family, bigger than the clan, bigger even than the village. The world is nothing more than a series of small houses with loose threads connecting them all in increasingly complicated patterns. And inside each of those houses is a family connected by the same kind of threads. We are all of us a part of this world. Whether you choose to only protect your house or just one room or just one person or the entire world is up to you, but regardless, you are a part of all of them, and you do not get to dictate the role you play in another''s house. Fugaku had a poet''s heart, Shisui thinks. He''d collected an extensive library of texts about philosophy, psychology, the arts, and history that filled the library in the main house. Mikoto used to tell stories about when he was young and how he would sneak out of the compound, down to the banks of the Naka River near their ancient shrine, and read for hours. It would send the clan into a panic when they couldn''t find him and drove his father mad that his son would be so disobedient. That his clan would worry so much over a member he saw as useless. Fugaku had entered the Academy late and unwillingly and, according to family lore, became friends with Namikaze Minato over that fact. He''d been the only one in their class who could keep up with the blond genius, and they had found a mutual disgust with certain parts of the exalted Shinobi Way. We are samurai at heart, Minato had slurred one night, exhaustion and stolen beer between them. Shinobi protect the village, we protect the shinobi, Fugaku had agreed as they''d stumbled through the Uchiha Compound, drunk out of their minds and a few years underage. Izuna, Fugaku''s youngest older brother named for their legendary ancestor, had found them and quickly stuffed them in an Aunt''s house before their father found them. Izuna had been the only family member Fugaku had cried for when it was all over a few years later. Fugaku and Minato had been brothers of the soul, so confident and comfortable in their bond that they had gone months without speaking without breaking stride. They agreed on some things, disagreed on a great many more, and had such wildly different personalities that most people couldn''t comprehend a friendship between them. It had made it very easy to hide in plain sight. Hana shifted in her sleep, rolled over, and tucked her face into Shisui''s neck, and for a moment, his thoughts were silenced. For a very long time, longer than he''d been alive before his "death", Shisui had thought he''d never get to have this again. The sensation of her skin against his, her warmth pressed against his own, the press of her fingers tangled with his. There had been moments when the temptation to return to her was so strong that he''d seriously considered throwing everything away to do so. To forsake the village, the clan, the people he loved, the world itself for just one more day with her. She would have killed him on sight if he''d ever been that selfish, but ripping out his eyes had been less painful than leaving her behind. Fugaku had never spoken about the pain of losing his family, though Shisui imagined it was along the same vein. Some pain never faded. You just became desensitized, but you could never become desensitized to just one thing. The pain dulled you over time, and everything else became just as flat and unmoving. It wasn''t much of an existence. Wicked Eye Fugaku, they''d called him. Mikoto had been nicknamed the Glass Demon after a battle in Suna where she''d cast flames so hot she''d turned the desert sand to glass. Uncle Izuna had been called the Black Eye. Aunt Mai, the Crimson Swan. Cousin Aki was the Red Crane, and her brother Taji, the Red Cloud. People weren''t very creative when they came up with nicknames for the Uchiha. They''d called Uchiha Madara the Crimson Scourge and his younger brother, the first Izuna, the Crimson Flash. Kikyo-mejin was the Red Storm, Uzumaki of the Hanta. And they''d called Shisui, Red Flicker. He''d been proud of it when he was younger, but now, he was just tired. Only tired shinobi had nicknames, he mused, because they were the only ones that had lasted long enough to earn them. The wards around the Inuzuka compound hummed. Something had tested the western border and been repelled. Root. The wards only repelled things with chakra, and the minute amounts in animals and civilians weren''t enough to trigger them. Tsume had shinobi guards and ninkin to defend against those. The wards were for uninvited shinobi and the Inuzuka''s were some of the oldest in Konohagakure, second only to the Uchiha. The Senju and many of the other founding clans had forsaken the practice well before the founding of the village. Only the clans that followed the Old Ways bothered to maintain them, and newer, less costly wards had been developed. Though they weren''t nearly as powerful. Clan Wards like the Inuzuka''s needed to be fed every time a new member of the clan was born. So each birth was accompanied by the oldest elder pouring their lifeblood into the wards. Soaking the earth underneath their feet with blood was more than most could stand these days because they didn''t understand that a willing sacrifice made the wards more powerful. When the Inuzuka had moved to the village, they''d dug up the ground underneath their ancestral compound and brought it with them. Dozens of generations of blood and five feet of dirt had been laid before they''d started building in Konoha. The Aburame had brought four feet, the Uchiha ten, and when they''d been forced to move compounds, they''d stubbornly dug it all up again and taken it with them. It had infuriated the Council and stalled traffic in the village for weeks. Even now, the wards of the Uchiha Compound were as powerful as they''d ever been; generations reaching all the way back to Indra had bled into that dirt, and the wards would likely continue to stand long after the last of them died out. Hundreds of years of love and devotion didn''t disappear overnight. When he reached out with his chakra, the Inuzuka wards howled. Beyond them, the Aburame wards buzzed like a flock of their insects in flight, and further beyond them, next to the wall of Konohagakure herself, the Uchiha wards blazed, bright and burning. Even when the village eventually fell, these three compounds would remain untouched amid the ruins. Both Danzo and Orochimaru had attempted to recreate the wards with little success. The secret behind them was jealously guarded by the three clans, just as closely as they guarded their Kekkei Genkai. He stuck his nose in Hana''s hair and inhaled the smell of forest and dog that always followed her as first light broke above the trees. *** That was when the world wasn''t so big, and I could see everywhere. It was when my father was a hero and not a human. Markus Zusak *** Present Day : :ANBU Briefing Room, ANBU Headquarters, Konohagakure: : It had been well past midnight and well before first light when they''d all gathered. Neko''s report had been concise and cold, harkening back to the days he''d reported to Kakashi in ANBU. The Sharingan throbbed. Kakashi had even had to resort to a minor healing jutsu to keep himself from passing out from the pain. Yamato was still now, face blank as he assured Tsunade again that he''d found no sign of Naruto and Sasuke in the Valley. The handful assembled to hear the report, Tsunade, the Council, Shizune, Ibiki, Taka, Shun, Shin, Gai, Genma, Raido, and a handful of other high-ranking J¨­nin and ANBU officers listened silently when he spoke and shared worried looks when he fell quiet. "How can there be no sign of them?" Shizune wasn''t the first to ask. It was virtually impossible to imagine a battle on that scale had not left any trace, but Yamato was firm and unyielding with his assurances that there was nothing and he wasn''t lying as far as Kakashi could tell. "That''s it then," Koharu murmured, her voice low and soothing. "We should send out scouts and see if they made it to any of the nearby settlements." Shun suggested. "What''s the point? There''s no way they would have survived on their own." Homura shook his head. An ugly twist of rage erupted in Kakashi''s chest. "We cannot continue to waste resources needed for the village on two foolish boys." "Those foolish boys saved everyone in this village, or have you already forgotten that?" The sharpness in Tsunade''s voice cut through the night. She didn''t generally sound that angry unless Shizune had succeeded in keeping the sake away for a few days and Kakashi had seen her drinking yesterday morning. She''d loved Naruto too. It was oddly thrilling to see just how much the boy had inspired in such a short time. Kakashi had never dreamed that anyone but Minato would be capable of inspiring something like that, but well, like father like son. Naruto had even followed in Minato''s footsteps and died young. The rage in his chest gave way to something much worse. Grief. Cloying and heavy and Kakashi''s throat closed up. A pool of blood spread across the floor in front of him. "I don''t think it would be wise to give up the search just yet. Both those boys proved to be capable of more than expected many, many times." Shin mused. "The village is deeply invested in their well-being," Shizune added. People were constantly stopping by asking for news, and articles ran every day speculating on what had happened. Sai had painted portraits of both that had run alongside several of the articles, and though he spent more time with Yamato than the rest of the Rookies, he still tried to keep up the friendships he''d made. The war was only a few months over, but it had already taken on epic proportions every time someone told a story about it. The blood spread, pooling around his sandals, and started to make its way across the floor, glistening in the light. "I am not ready to give up on them," Tsunade''s declaration did little to quell the grief. There was so little chance that they were alive. Even if they had managed to beat the odds again, where were they? Who had won? Because if only one of them had survived, then the other wouldn''t live long, of that Kakashi was certain. Sasuke would die of guilt, Naruto of heartbreak. How were they even supposed to help the survivor if there was one? Sasuke would never return to the village without Naruto and Naruto...well, everything was easier to heal than a broken heart. Kakashi was proof enough of that. Fighting to find a reason to wake up every time he was unlucky enough to fall asleep. Clinging to the barest hint of something good, like Iruka and the brief second of attention he''d given Kakashi. The blood was just inches away from Koharu now. He watched as it reached her zabuton and began soaking the fabric. He wanted a second night with Iruka. Couldn''t forget how everything had fallen away in the other man''s presence. Kakashi had never felt peace like that before, and regardless of how not well they got along, he wanted it again. Just for a moment. Sakura wasn''t here. Another student Kakashi had failed. She''d lost her two closest friends in one fell swoop and pulled away since the war, even from Tsunade. Most of the kids had. He''d seen her talking to Iruka over ramen last week and didn''t blame her for feeling more comfortable confiding in the academy sensei than him. He''d always been distracted by Naruto and then, briefly, Sasuke before he''d failed him miserably. It wasn''t a surprise that she''d turned to others. Kakashi wasn''t even enough for himself anymore. The blood began to soak the lining of Koharu''s kimono. The Sharingan turned lazily. Iruka was nothing like Rin. The one Kakashi was supposed to end up with. Who''d loved him so completely despite his inability to even notice her. When the three of them had been alive, Obito had drowned them both out. So loud and impossible to ignore. Kakashi had been stubbornly silent, Rin desperately even-keeled, trying to stand out by being the normal one. Iruka was a weird amalgamation of both. Emotional and angry like Obito, normal and motherly like Rin. Although he was likely to get hurt if he said that out loud. Maybe that''s why Kakashi was drawn to him, and wasn''t that a terrifying thought? Twenty years and another war later and Kakashi still couldn''t escape them. Couldn''t let go. The blood had soaked Koharu''s kimono to her thighs now, turning the respectful grey a dull brown. It was spilling past her to where Taka stood quietly in a corner. Kakashi had never seen the other shinobi without his ANBU mask on. The ANBU commander had always been Taka, the watchful hawk, a code name inherited with the position since the organization''s inception. There were so many rumors surrounding the man behind the mask that no one knew anything for sure. None of the former Commanders had ever been revealed. Even Kakashi didn''t know who it had been when he''d first joined, though he knew there''d been a switch a few years later. And only because the current Taka was a few inches shorter than the previous. They were a true enigma; even his chakra, with its odd pulse, didn''t make sense. There were long-running bets about him that had never been paid out. Few had ever even seen him fight since it took a hell of a battle to see the Commander of ANBU set foot on the field. He''d even insisted, in a painfully even tone, that he had no idea who the Hanta were. He''d been lying, but Kakashi didn''t have an angle yet to make him admit it. The man knew more about Root than he''d admitted to as well, which was concerning enough that he''d already passed that on to Tsunade. Apparently, Root wasn''t nearly as disbanded as they''d all believed. The war against Kaguya and Black Zetsu was finished, but the battle for Konohagakure was far from over. The blood had reached Sakumo''s chest now, slowly crawling upward. The hilt of the tanto blade was warm in Kakashi''s hand. The others started to give their opinions, even Hiashi, who, somewhat surprisingly, was for sending out search parties. Kakashi, gi sweat-soaked from training and so very angry, weaved around everyone in the room on silent feet. He always made sure to make no sound as he walked through the Hatake Compound. One of the first things Sakumo had ever taught him was how to move silently. He''d tested Kakashi by having him make his way from the front door to his room and making him start over whenever he''d stepped wrong. Now, no one else paid him any attention as they argued over the village''s limited resources. Sakumo watched him approach without so much as a blink. His father had always been capable of a great stillness that eluded Kakashi no matter how hard he trained. Even when he''d fought, there was a sureness to his movements, like a tree the wind could only bend, never uproot. Konoha''s White Fang had withstood so many terrible storms before the one that had finally brought him down. But was the storm responsible the mission he''d failed? The war? Or the son standing before him? Even at nine Kakashi had the strength to push the blade clean through. *** In the end, what does in their secret, Naruto and Sasuke''s, that is, isn''t the machinations of the Council or even Kaguya. It''s the fact that despite everything, they are still children and afraid. *** Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Unknown *** ~tbc~ Mono-No-Aware *** Chapter 9: :Mono-No-Aware the pathos of things *** I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. Frank Herbert *** Fear is the only enemy that cannot be bled slowly. It must be destroyed utterly in a single fell swoop, or its power will only grow. Kikyo had fought long and hard to teach the Uchiha to master fear, for they struggled with it more than most. The curse of their Kekkei Genkai, that inability to forget, made it a far greater struggle than it was for any other shinobi. How did you forget what it felt like to die on an enemy''s sword? Or at the hand of one you loved? How did you stop looking over your shoulder when you remembered what the betrayal felt like when someone put a knife in your back? How did you go on when you remembered burying the people you loved over and over? The Sharingan and its evolutions were the most powerful dojutsu in existence. Probably the most powerful anything in truth. But it was also a curse. Any sword was just as capable of cutting the hand holding it as it was at cutting the one across from it. Everything had a price, especially power, and the Sharingan was singularly adept at reminding the Uchiha of that. Maybe they''d kept it too secret? Maybe if they''d explained, shared, the world would be more understanding. Would want to help instead of erase. Or they''d have destroyed them long ago. But that wasn''t where they were now, and there was no way to go back and undo it all. Now, Sasuke was terrified and angry, confused and hurt, and so many other things that it all crowded into his head, and he refused to get out. Naruto was, too, but he was so used to clinging to hope that everything else was dulled by it. It''s easier to push the fear and the anger down when he has hope. He just has to figure out how to give it to Sasuke, and he''ll be okay. Until then, he''ll just cling and cling until the other boy realizes Naruto isn''t going anywhere. It''s not the best strategy, but it''ll take him a long time to realize that. Too long. He''s clung too hard, he''s started to realize, as Sasuke''s screaming at him and Sakura''s trying to calm everyone down. Iruka''s friends left an hour before, still refusing to answer questions which definitely didn''t help, and Iruka himself had ducked out to go pick up one of his students. Hinata, Kiba, and Shino were trying to stay out of it right up until Naruto started screaming back, and Iruka''s wards began to strain under the uncontrolled chakra leaking out. "Let fucking go, dobe!" "No, you''re going to run away again!" "Are you calling me a coward?" "You are! You''re running away!" "Guys, calm down, please!" "Everybody sit the fuck down and shut up!" "You keep running away!" "Because I don''t want to be here!" "Because you''ll leave." "Guys, seriously." "What are the wards doing?" "Oh no-" "Calm down right now!" They''d all been so worked up that it hadn''t taken much to rip through Iruka''s straining wards. "Sasuke, no!" He''d teleported out before anyone could stop him, but he hadn''t been focused, so he just ended up at one of the training areas near the Forest of Death. One of the more heavily trafficked ANBU training fields. Not the best option. It took him a moment to realize where he was. That he was free and alone, and then he wasn''t because he was surrounded. By ANBU with blank masks. Root. Good. Sasuke wouldn''t feel bad about killing them. He''d only gotten through half of them when Naruto showed up. "Sasuke, you bastard! How dare you run away! I was-what the hell?!" As soon as he''d shown up, Sasuke had remembered that more than anything, Root had wanted Naruto. And all that rage turned into visceral fear. "Naruto, run!" Even Naruto was smart enough to realize what would happen if they caught him, and he tried. He did. But they were both still weak, and his new arm was a little iffy with jutsus and Sasuke was in the same boat, didn''t even have his sword. And more and more Root operatives kept arriving. At the very least, he wasn''t going to let go of Sasuke, and they weren''t going to take either of them alive. Although it seemed incredibly stupid to die at this point. Literally in Konoha and just because they''d both lost their tempers and ruined all the effort Iruka had put into keeping them safe. "Naruto, when I say run." "I''m not leaving you." "Dobe, stop being stupid-" "Both of you brats should shut the fuck up before we make you." "Just surrender. It''ll be less painful." There was no surrender in the shinobi way. One of the many things Minato, Fugaku, and Iruka all hated. There was value in learning to live to fight another day. But even they could admit that sometimes, death was the preferable route. Root would never let them escape, and as they closed in, it was hard to think of anything but what they''d make Naruto and Sasuke do to the people they cared about if they didn''t get away. Birds began to chirp. The wind picked up. A painful last stand. A sudden whoosh of chakra surprised everyone, but it wasn''t Iruka that appeared between Naruto and Sasuke and the Root operatives. It was Asuma. Team 10 right behind him. He wasn''t trying to conceal his chakra either. A steady, bright blaze alerting the entire village, and, as expected, everyone came running. By the time Sakura arrived with the rest of the Rookie 11, there were almost as many random shinobi as there were Root operatives. The Council arrived with Tsunade. Kakashi with Taka and Gai and a contingent of ANBU. It was unfortunate that the first thing all of them noticed were the bodies strewn across the training field. Sasuke hadn''t been kind, and Naruto had been fighting to survive, and the relief at seeing them was tinged with horror. "Move, Sarutobi." "No?" Homura sputtered in disbelief. "Someone explain what is going on. Now." "They tried to kill us, baasan!" "You attacked Konoha Shinobi." One of the Root operatives claimed, voice loud enough to carry across the entire field. "You liar!" "They are missing-nin. Arrest them." "Stand down." "You have no authority to give orders, Sarutobi. You were dead two days ago." "Should I thank you for bringing me back?" And Koharu had visibly seethed as Tsunade and several others cast suspicious glances at the Council. "You should watch your mouth, boy. Making false accusations is a crime." "So is treason." "What the fuck are they talking about?" Genma, because his language always degraded dramatically when he was confused. "There are many things we could suddenly decide to discuss in the open, Asuma. Should we decide to do so?" Asuma fell silent. There was a great deal of secrets that could be aired on both sides, and the sheer number of them meant no one would get out unscathed. Iruka arrived in a bright, silent flash of smoke and leaves. "Iruka-sensei, they tried to kill us! They''re Root!" "Silence, boy. Arrest them!" "Umino-sensei, please move." "No." Naturally. Iruka liked that word more than a toddler, Kakashi mused, not that he knew many toddlers. Mirai had loved it, though, and had said nothing else for almost a year before she''d finally grown out of it. Koharu had actually stepped forward and, in a rare fit of temper, raised her hand. Only Kurenai''s timely arrival saved Iruka and she''d appeared between them in her battledress. "Someone tell me what the hell is going on!" Tsunade roared, shaking everyone. "You are ignoring the laws of the village." Homura snapped back. "I am ignoring nothing. We know nothing." Tsunade snarled back. "Kakashi, apprehend your students." And Kakashi found himself face to face with Asuma. "Move." "No." "Sarutobi-san-" "Don''t do this, Kakashi." "You are ordered to stand down." "They''re children." "They''re shinobi." It''s the safest way, Kakashi wanted to say but didn''t. Let me be the one who takes them in. At least I won''t gut them in a dark corner. But Asuma didn''t move. Had they gotten to that point then? Where they no longer trusted one another. The Sharingan pulsed. Asuma''s fist clenched chakra gathering. They''d never faced one another with an actual intent to harm. Even when they''d spared in the Academy, and Kakashi had been more than willing to hurt, Asuma never had been. It had infuriated Kakashi when they were young, but the intervening years had worn that fury down to respect. "Enough." Kurenai''s voice was sharp. "Tell them, Asuma." The ripple of surprise and fear through Naruto and his friends didn''t go unnoticed. Iruka''s chakra went carefully still. "It''s not mine to tell." "Tell them now." And then she''d glanced at Iruka with something akin to regret. "He will remember that I made you." *** This is the story of Umino Iruka''s birth, as told by Sarutobi Asuma to the Godaime Hokage, Senju Tsunade, and recorded by the Godaime Hokage''s personal assistant, Kato Shizune. Witness list included in the attached addendum. Sarutobi Mari was the oldest child of Sarutobi Hiruzen and his wife Biwako. She had her mother''s beauty and her father''s brains and no kindness to be found anywhere. She was born sixteen years before Asuma, delivered by the Nidaime Hokage before her parents were ready for children, and she was doted on. Princess of the Sarutobi clan and the great beauty of her age with dark eyes and sun-kissed skin. A kunoichi of impressive skill and no sympathy. When she was seventeen and Asuma only one, she set her mind to finding a husband. Or so she told her parents. She choose Uchiha Fugaku. Youngest son of Uchiha Isamu, clan head and Commander of the Konoha Military Police. He had three older brothers of impressive skill and reputation and seemed determined to support his family and stay on the sidelines. He wasn''t even the spare''s spare, but he was still the son of a clan head. Mari set her eye on him one day, and then five days later, they were Fugaku and Mari. Hiruzen and Biwako, despite her dislike of the Uchiha, were pleased. A strong match politically as well as personally, and a love match on top of that, for Fugaku was absolutely devoted to her. Asuma had not understood it when he was a child. Fugaku, despite his bearing and cold personality in public, was warm and friendly in private. Even giving Asuma training tips when his parents weren''t around, and Mari had decided to ignore Fugaku for her hobbies. Mari, in contrast, was loud and arrogant and spiteful to those who disagreed with her. She refused to share new jutsus or fighting techniques under the argument that someone would use them against her, and when she made J¨­nin, she failed her first team so badly that they refused to return to her. Despite it all, her parents were blind to her faults for many years. It wasn''t until she started disappearing for months at a time that Hiruzen finally accepted a private meeting with Fugaku to discuss the Uchiha''s concerns. Trouble had been brewing in the Uchiha clan by then. An attempted coup by Isamu and his older sons had forced Fugaku to make a choice, and he had fought and killed both to take control of the clan. Mari had been pleased. Fugaku had been distraught. His mother had committed seppuku over her son''s betrayal, and his surviving older brother died of a broken heart when his wife burned beside their father. Only his oldest brother''s widow of only two months, Mikoto, had stepped up. She was the one who''d realized something was wrong with Mari and whose judgment Fugaku trusted enough to follow. To this day, Asuma thought that may have been why Hiruzen could never recover from what happened next. Why he''d always blamed Fugaku, when the other man had been as much the victim as Hiruzen himself. After three years of disappearing for months, Hiruzen and Fugaku had finally followed Mari when she left and found her at what looked at first glance like a safe house outside Konohagakure. But it hadn''t been a safe house. It had been a research facility based on Orochimaru''s design, and one, they would find out years later, Orochimaru had built for Danzo to continue their work. The sent of rotted blood and flesh had been so overwhelming that Hiruzen and Fugaku had almost not been able to enter, and their Inuzuka escort had been forced to remain outside. Mari had been inside, along with two of Danzo''s most trusted operatives. She was still recovering from the birth and utterly surprised. The infant, only hours old, was screaming as they tried to see if he''d been born with the Sharingan. The report that was submitted for the official record detailed the discovery of the children in an abandoned lab, the body of Sarutobi Mari found in another, dead from childbirth. The truth, admitted to Asuma one night when Hiruzen had not been able to control his drinking, was this: The Root operatives had attempted to kill them when they realized Hiruzen and Fugaku were there but were killed in the attempt by Hiruzen himself. Mari, unapologetic, had dismissed her father''s demands to repent and instead confirmed what Mikoto had suspected. An intimate partnership with Shimura Danzo with the ultimate goal of birthing a Sharingan for him to study and control. The Uchiha, she had said, were beasts that refused to fall in line. Meant to be bred and controlled. For what other reason existed for the Sharingan? She''d been devoted to Danzo''s cause, to the man himself, as much as she could be to anyone that wasn''t herself. The infant she''d given birth to only hours before was the fourth of Fugaku''s children she''d born in an attempt to gain a Sharingan. The first, born four years previous, was found in a locked room in the facility. Held and studied from the day he''d first breathed, he''d never seen the world outside those walls. Hadn''t even seen the sun until Fugaku had freed him. The other two were dead. The second, born with a birth defect and killed shortly after. The third was thrown out by Mari herself when she lacked the Sharingan. They''d found the girl''s skeleton in the trash heap outback. She''d expected her father to pardon her. To protect her. To turn a blind eye to her work. Hiruzen had not. And he had killed his daughter to save her children. And Fugaku had stood by and let the love of his life die for the same reason. Fugaku had loved Mari too much to strike her down himself, but his willpower had been strong enough to stop him from intervening when Hiruzen had done what he could not. Uchiha only really loved once, Asuma explained. Passionate, obsessive, and emotional, they picked one person, and that was it. Mikoto, despite her happy marriage to Fugaku, had never gotten over his brother. Fugaku''s mother had died rather than live without her husband. Fugaku bore the memory of Mari in his heart every day of his life. The clan had welcomed in strangers and enemies without question in the past because they had been loved by clan members. It had made them ripe for the picking by the likes of Danzo and Mari. Hiruzen had wanted the children but had acquiesced to their father out of guilt. The four-year-old, feral and under-developed, was taken in by an older Uchiha couple with experience raising children. They''d named him Obito, given him a kindness that had brought him out of the darkness, and though they died a few years later, everything good he had ever done was in credit to them. The infant was given to a couple newly arrived in the village from a seaside town in the Land of Iron. They had joined the KMP and were greatly trusted by the Uchiha. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. They were also barren and desperate for a child. They named him Iruka. That neither boy had ever turned to Hiruzen and the Sarutobi after losing their parents had twisted the knife, Asuma believed. Something else Hiruzen could not forgive. The children were safe with their new families by the time Danzo returned and learned what had happened. Ever the snake, there was no evidence of his involvement beyond Mari''s deathbed confession, and he denied any knowledge of her actions. He had, Asuma said, fists shaking in fury, denied his involvement while wearing Mari''s pendant around his neck, in full view of the father that had given it to her. Danzo blamed the Uchiha, spinning stories of betrayal and revolution and planting seeds fed by grief that Hiruzen had never been completely able to forget. To save face, Hiruzen had told a story of his beloved daughter dying in childbirth along with her child. Fugaku, deep in mourning for the children he hadn''t even known about, hadn''t even had to pretend to play the part. Asuma had always known it was a lie, but it had taken years for him to find out the truth. He''d never forgiven Hiruzen for it either, convinced that his insistence on hiding the truth had allowed Danzo to continue his schemes without punishment. He''d been wearing Mari''s pendant the day Sasuke killed him. It had made its way back to Konoha via a convoluted route of Sasuke not knowing what he''d taken - Itachi recognizing, stealing, and sending it to Iruka via a chain of oblivious couriers. Iruka had buried it in the Sandaime''s grave as a favor to Asuma. She''d always been his favorite. Hiruzen and Fugaku''s relationship had fallen apart not long after. Hiruzen could not forget his daughter''s death. At the same time, he could not forgive her actions, and Fugaku would not forgive the hurt visited on his children. They had become a tangled mess of guilt and regret and could barely look at one another amid the secrets they held. When Itachi had been born, Danzo and the Council had put forward a petition for the execution of Fugaku''s sons, claiming the sheer number born to the head of the Uchiha was damaging to the balance of power throughout the village. The Uchiha''s saving grace and Danzo''s downfall came from his own overconfidence. He had requested the execution of Obito and Iruka, failing to remember that they were Hiruzen''s grandchildren and incorrectly assuming that the Yondaime''s refusal to entertain continued discussions about the balance of power meant that Danzo had swayed him. The Yondaime and Hiruzen had flattened Root in response. Enraged, they''d stripped Danzo and the Council of much of their power, crippling Root for a time. When Fugaku had offered Asuma a place on the Hanta, a bridge meant to build trust as he would have been the first Sarutobi to join, Hiruzen had lost his temper again, ended their friendship, and forbade Asuma from joining. Infuriated, Asuma had left the village for several long-term missions that had ended up spanning years, refusing to speak to his father even after he returned. Hiruzen had blamed Fugaku, and it had only been made worse when word circulated that Mikoto was pregnant again. Grief makes bastards of us all, Asuma commented, lighting another cigarette. Someone listening lost the battle and puked in a garbage can. He and Hiruzen had never mended their relationship. Asuma''s anger had only grown when he''d returned, learned of Obito''s death, and seen his father''s pseudo-parental relationship with Iruka. And Danzo crawling back to power. Asuma had rented an apartment in the same building as Iruka, as far from the Sarutobi compound as he could get, and flat-out refused to speak to any of them. Asuma had hopes when Minato had become Hokage. One of the few aware of the Yondaime''s friendship with Fugaku and that the Namikaze had nominated Fugaku for Hokage, only to have Hiruzen block the nomination in favor of his own. But Minato had died so young and so suddenly. Hiruzen had asked for Asuma''s support when he''d returned to the position of Hokage, but Asuma had refused to see him. And then everything had collapsed, and the Uchiha were gone too. Asuma had rushed to warn them that night, only to be stopped by his own father. Only a lucky misstep had saved Hiruzen from Asuma''s blade, but it had been enough to give him an advantage, and Asuma had woken the next morning to find the clan massacred, Itachi exiled, and Iruka comatose. Despite Hiruzen spending the night by his bedside and apologizing when he woke up, Asuma had disinherited himself from the clan and never acknowledged his father again. The Sandaime had, eventually, destroyed Danzo''s second grab at power, but it had taken many years and many lives and had never been enough to earn Asuma or Iruka''s forgiveness. He''d even dragged Kakashi into his mess, and Iruka and Itachi had paid for his protection. But that was another matter entirely, and one Asuma would only discuss with Kakashi in private. *** There were so many things happening at once that Tsunade wasn''t surprised to find herself struggling to keep up. Her hands were shaking. Sasuke''s chakra was erupting like boiling water. Iruka was chillingly still. Kakashi was shocked, horrified. "Lies," Koharu seethed. "The execution request still exists." Asuma returned, "A legal, government document recorded for the official record. It''s in the Hokage''s Private Records." That stupid filing cabinet no one had told Tsunade about. What else was in there? "It''s filed alongside the execution order for the Uchiha Clan." The man who taught her, who practically raised her, was not the kind of man who would make choices like these. Hiruzen was too kind to do this. *** One of the many reasons Kurenai loved Asuma was because when he was in, he was all in. She just wished sometimes that he''d give her a heads-up beforehand. *** "The Hokage knew? Does that mean it wasn''t Itachi?" One of the newly promoted Ch¨±nin, and she had a gaggle of friends with her. Word would reach every edge of the village by nightfall. The whispers started. "If he knew, why didn''t he stop it?" "Does that mean he wanted them dead?" "If they killed an entire clan, what''s to stop them from killing one of us?" These were the kind of whispers that leveled cities and turned empires to ash. *** Sasuke could hear everything. Could see everyone, even the most experienced and skilled shinobi, Kakashi, struck still in shock. Rumor was one thing. A respected member of the village, with close enough access to know, announcing it outright was another. He knew it was happening. Could feel Naruto next to him, panic and rage and sadness exploding through his chakra. Could feel Sakura and the others right behind them, the same heady mix. So Naruto hadn''t been lying when he''d said he''d kept Itachi''s secrets. He knows it''s all happening. Knows he''s thinking about it all, absorbing everything and storing it away for later. But the only thing Sasuke feels at the moment is rage. At Iruka. His brother. His older brother. Itachi''s older brother. Who''s been his brother this whole time. His entire life. Who stood in front of him and taught him. Who lectured him on proper eating and sleeping when he was the only soul left in the family compound. Who comforted the grandson of the man who ordered the murder of their entire family. Who''s been hiding Sasuke and Naruto from everyone and slowly, so slowly, hinting at things Sasuke can''t even comprehend. Maybe he was going to tell Sasuke. Did Itachi know? Maybe he was going to be honest. Maybe there''s a good reason he never said anything. Did Naruto know? Because Iruka doesn''t like to lie, and he''s always claimed that Naruto is his family. His brother by choice. Practically his son. Instead of Sasuke, who was alive and there too and breathing and desperate for someone so he wouldn''t be alone. Who else knew and never told Sasuke that he had another brother? Two more brothers. That he wasn''t alone. The sound of birds filled the air, Chidori effortlessly coming to his hand as Iruka looked so, so sad. Why does he look so sad? Naruto''s fingers slipped as he moved, desperately grabbing for him, but there was just rage. Iruka was the only one he could see, and Iruka''s chakra was terrifyingly still. He looks sad but not surprised as Sasuke lunges for him. "You knew the whole time." "Sasuke, wait-" He''s faster than Sasuke expected, realized. Slips away from Chidori like a flame dancing in the wind. He won''t let Sasuke land a blow, but he won''t strike back either, and it just makes him angrier. "Why didn''t you say something? You left me alone!" "I couldn''t, Sasuke. I can explain." "Excuses!" Everyone always has excuses, and it''s not enough. Sasuke was alone for so long. Why did he get left behind? Why was he the one no one wanted? Excuses. Excuses. Excuses. *** And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don''t believe in magic will never find it. Roald Dahl *** Iruka doesn''t know how to make it better. He wants to. Wants to take away the pain and the sadness, but he''s lived too long in his barely thirty years, knows it just isn''t possible sometimes. They knew that when they chose this course. Knew they''d have to answer for it someday. There are a lot of things Iruka will have to answer for before he dies, and Sasuke being left alone is one of the larger ones. Iruka couldn''t explain why then. He might still not be able to. Putting words to that night, to that horrible, horrible night, is still difficult all these years later. He and Itachi can barely discuss it between themselves, and they''ve always been able to talk about anything. Speaking it out loud gives it a power they''ve both spent a decade denying. To do so now almost feels like giving up. Admitting that someone else had such power over them that it resulted in them willfully harming their baby brother. Iruka is not a good man. Itachi and Sasuke were supposed to be, but Itachi is covered in blood now, and Sasuke wears armor made of hurt and rage so strong it''s practically unbreakable. He could let Sasuke land a blow, the strength of his chidori would probably kill Iruka, even with Tsunade only feet away. She''d have to willingly heal him for one. Two, Sasuke is strong. His chidori has surpassed Kakashi''s, whether either of them realizes it or not. A clean hit and Iruka would be dead before he hit the ground. This is an assassin''s attack. Use it when you want to kill. It''s a beautiful attack, really. Much more elegant and pinpointed than the Rasengan. Which figured, when you considered the men who created them. And the two boys who claimed them now. There''s no doubt in Iruka''s mind that Sasuke is well within his rights to kill him, just as there''s no doubt that the boy would feel horrible later once the anger had faded just enough for him to listen. Iruka doesn''t want to be another regret Sasuke dwells on in his deathbed. And the Council is here, Root is watching, along with a crowd of people whose allegiance is unknown at best, up for grabs at the worst. Kakashi won''t be surprised into stillness for long. He''s far too good for that. Chakra-based attacks have one glaring weakness, Iruka remembers as he twists to the side, feels the heat of lightning across his cheek. Itachi arrives, swift and silent, slipping between them and knocking them both back several feet. "Enough, Sasuke." "Get out of my way." Because the attack requires the gathering of a significant amount of chakra in one central location, i.e. the hand, until the attack is released, the gathered chakra can be nullified by an equal but opposing force. Iruka doesn''t teach this at the Academy. Doesn''t think any shinobi really does, outside of the Hanta, because of the control and concentration it takes. The forces have to match exactly, or you risk killing yourself along with your opponent. It was Kikyo''s specialty. Hap-ki-do. The Art of Coordinated Power. Sasuke''s Chidori, the affinity for lightning in his chakra that''s second only to its affinity for fire, is easily balanced by Iruka''s own fire affinity. Where Sasuke''s has split and left his fire affinity weaker, Iruka''s remains strong in solidity, and it gathers in his hand as Sasuke dodges Itachi''s kick and reaches for Iruka. Fire for fire. When his hand slides under Sasuke''s, their chakra connects and dissipates instantly, leaving a cavernous emptiness behind. The surprise is enough to shake Sasuke out of his rage. *** I thought about how there are two types of secrets: the kind you want to keep in, and the kind you don''t dare to let out. Ally Carter *** Maito Gai knows that most of his fellow shinobi think he''s a little slow on the uptake. They pay too much attention to what they can see and hear and not what lies underneath the underneath. Although, he does think Shinobi these days are a little too obsessed with the idea of the underneath the underneath. Personally, he doesn''t think they remember what that lesson was originally about. Now, it''s just about secrets and lies, and it''s become so complicated that no one knows where the origin point is anymore. How do you know what is the truth? It depends so heavily on who you ask. On the subject. Neji''s truth had been so different than Lee''s. But that''s a discussion for another day. Right now, Gai is worried about Kakashi and Asuma. Two of his closest friends, Kakashi might as well be his brother as far as he''s concerned, and he''s always held Asuma in high, high esteem. Kurenai is in the middle of this, too, now. So much for their plan to quietly gather information before going to the Hokage. His students have always spoken highly of Iruka, and Gai likes him just for the fact that he smiles so often. Chakra might not be Gai''s specialty, but he knows whatever Iruka just did is impressive. If Kakashi had been one of his own hunting dogs, he would have sat up and pointed. Neji, flanking Hiashi, was openly staring, Byakugan active, but he looked confused, so whatever it was, the Byakugan couldn''t see it. And Itachi is here. Gai had nightmares about him for months after their run-in prior to the war. An honorable opponent who had fought more fairly than they''d perhaps been entitled to. Gai had enjoyed fighting him, had mourned the child who''d carried so much when he''d died, and mourned for Sasuke as well, having to strike down his own brother because of some stupid Kekkei Genkai. Gai had never been more pleased that he didn''t come from a clan line as he was when he''d started learning about the Uchiha. Except maybe for now. If Itachi is alive, then that is one less burden for his little brother, and Gai has spent long enough trying to help an unwilling Kakashi with his burdens that he can appreciate when anyone else''s are lessened. He should be more concerned about the Godaime, but Gai is just one man, and the Hokage can take care of herself. His students are standing across from one of the most dangerous shinobi Konohagakure ever produced, and even Naruto and Sasuke together are not yet experienced enough to take on Kakashi and win. A man Gai considers family. And his students, who are the closest thing to children that he will ever have. And a man who''s caught Kakashi''s attention the way no other has before. Kakashi will regret harming them. Will never recover if he has to kill any one of them. Gai knows most of the village thinks he''ll power through like he always has before. Powerful, untouchable Kakashi of the Sharingan. But Gai knows him better than that. If Kakashi has to kill Naruto or Sasuke or Iruka or Asuma or any of Gai''s kids, he will never recover. Gai will just watch him slowly wither away until he''s nothing but an empty husk. If he doesn''t take his father''s way out. Gai will not allow that to happen. Even if that makes him Kakashi''s enemy on the battlefield. Kakashi doesn''t outwardly react when Gai''s hand lands on his shoulder, and deep down, Gai is so pleased that his rival trusts him enough not to kill him for attempting to touch him right now. "Maito-san." Ah, Kakashi only called him that when he was truly angry. "Eternal rival!" "Apprehend J¨­nin Sarutobi." "I cannot." Heh, it had been a long time since Gai had actually managed to surprise Kakashi. "That''s an order, J¨­nin Maito." "Indeed it is, Dear Rival." He even let Kakashi and everyone watching relax for half a second, "However, it is one I cannot in good conscience follow." Asuma wilted in relief, and even Kurenai and Iruka relaxed. Itachi just smiled, "Welcome, Maito-san." Even when they''d all been in ANBU together, back in the day for that brief time, Gai had never seen Uchiha Itachi surprised, and when Gai winked and gave him a thumbs up, Itachi returned it flawlessly with even more sparkle, which probably did more to disarm the tension in the training area than anything else could have. Sasuke made a pained noise, and Naruto''s mouth was opening and closing without a sound. "Oh, for god''s sake," Iruka muttered. "Are we in the twilight zone?" Kiba muttered. "I''m scarred for life," Ino added. "Enough!" Koharu shrieked. "Insubordination is grounds for arrest." And Root closed in. Gai''s hand tightened on Kakashi''s shoulder as he felt his body tense. Gai still wasn''t at a hundred percent after the war, but he had enough left to distract Kakashi for a short time. Iruka shoved Sasuke, still slow with surprise, and Naruto behind him. The others behind Itachi and Asuma. Kurenai in front of them all, and Gai as ready to fight Kakashi as he was to protect him and hoping someday Kakashi would stop being mad enough to listen to why. He''s both relieved and concerned that it doesn''t get that far. A crushing chakra settled over the training area, oppressive and unyielding and nothing like he''d ever felt before. The smell of blood and smoke, the battlefield, and the stench of the dying. The Kyuubi''s chakra is safely locked away inside Naruto. This was something different. Something just as ancient and inhuman. It''s so distracting that he doesn''t notice the shinobi surrounding the training area at first. Not until his battle instincts flare to life and start screaming that he''s surrounded. Kakashi''s clearly doing the same as his rival turns away from Asuma to assess the threat. He''s not the only one. A good chunk of ANBU and the J¨­nin turn, finding an enemy behind them more dangerous than the one in front. It''s the Inuzuka Clan. All their active shinobi of all ages and ranks and a few elders back in battle dress. Enough to ring the training area, all forty-something of them, surrounding everyone inside. Tsume, flanked by Hana and Gaku, and interestingly enough, looking like she just rolled out of bed. Dressed in a blood-red yukata loose at the chest and revealing the vicious raised scar that ran across her breasts and chest. "Well, well, well. What''s happening here?" Uchiha Shisui was standing next to Hana, blindfold over his eyes, tanto on his hip. "Is that?" "Oh my god!" "Uchiha Shisui!" "How-" Fugaku had been feared in the village. Obito mourned and then hated. Itachi had left under a cloud of confusion and pain. Sasuke, angry and vengeful. Shisui had been the only Uchiha in recent years to leave the village with fond memories. He''d been beloved by his comrades in ANBU. Respected by his fellow shinobi. There were even some who credited the downfall of the Uchiha to the loss of him. *** Those few were closer to the truth than they''d ever realized. But that will be explained later. *** Now he''s standing beside Inuzuka Hana, barely looking older than when he died. Tsume''s glee is palpable, though she pointedly ignores acknowledging him. "Did somebody start a fight and not invite us? How mean!" Gai hasn''t had much reason to interact with the Inuzuka Clan head. They''ve crossed paths on a few missions, enough for him to know that she knows what she''s doing but that she''s a bit too unnecessarily bloody for his tastes. Kurenai speaks highly of her, her love for her children and her clan, and balancing being a kunoichi with everything else in a world that still has a tendency to turn to men first. But even Kurenai has admitted, on the nights where she''s had a bit more to drink than usual, that there''s something unsettling about the woman. That she never, ever wanted to face Tsume across a battlefield. Her loud personality and short temper distract from the violence that simmers just under the surface. Not the impotent violence of a normal short temper, there are plenty of shinobi that are quick to yell and fight. Tsume''s violence was much deeper. Dark and lurking and, at times, seeming to try and fight its way out from under her skin. There''s no doubt in Gai''s mind that should it get out, there would be many dead before they managed to put it back in. "ANBU, J¨­nin, stay. Everyone else leave." Tsunade must have noticed it too and decided it was worth the risk to protect those weaker and less experienced in the face of a threat from Root and a Clan. Between ANBU and the remaining J¨­nin, she only had twenty or so shinobi on the field, granted two of those were Tsunade herself and Kakashi, but still. There are more nearby, too, just waiting for her order. At least a dozen of the ANBU present were Root, and they were gathering around the Council like they were preparing to ward off an attack. Which would be pretty fucking bold, given that the Hokage, the J¨­nin Commander, and the ANBU Commander were all present. Hard to deny something with witnesses like that. But Tsume just laughs, strolls forward like she''s had a few cups of sake before she showed up, and couldn''t care less that she''s openly threatening the Hokage and the Council of Elders. *** When I like people immensely I never tell their names to anyone. It is like surrendering a part of them. I have grown to love secrecy. Oscar Wilde *** Tsunade grew up in a world still struggling to see the value of women, and she doesn''t come from a clan that was known for equal rights. They got there in the end, but it took her grandfather dragging them, kicking and screaming, and she is grateful for that, but she''s also still kind of angry that they needed that push to get there at all. She''s always, even when it was obvious that she was stronger, better, faster, had that little voice in her head reminding her that she had to prove herself. That she had to be better. Dan had always said she was worrying for nothing. That everyone recognized exactly how good she was, but Dan didn''t have to worry about the same things she did. He tried, bless his heart, he tried, but she doubts any man will ever really understand. Just like most women will never understand the pressure of her family legacy. Living up to her grandfather and his brother and the pressure that killed Nawaki. Tsunade''s not even sure how she made it this far, but she is the Godaime Hokage now. And she''s finding it''s not all it''s cracked up to be. She should have trusted her gut and refused instead of letting Naruto inspire her. That brat, he''s at the center of all this new trouble, and try as she might, she can''t really blame him. Naruto does what he thinks is right; he doesn''t just blindly follow orders or assume that those who came before him knew what the hell they were doing and did the right things. The best of intentions and all that. The Hiruzen Tsunade loved and followed would never have made the kind of choices his own son is accusing him of. But Tsunade was gone from the village for a long, long time. And Hiruzen had lived a long, long life. Perhaps too long. Heroes that live too long don''t tend to end well, she thinks. Maybe that''s why Shinobi died young. She''s ancient by their standard, Kakashi''s an old man, Iruka''s almost there, and neither of those boys has lived half as long as civilians tend to. They''re decades short of that mark. And Tsunade''s years are starting to wear on her. She won''t even deny that she''s desperate to hand off the hat and spend her last years drunk in a gambling hall, trying to forget everything she''s had to do. Everything this village has taken from her. She thought she might be able to leave the vestiges of Root to Kakashi. He had a personal reason to want them gone, that dead mark on his tongue from a man who just gets worse and worse every time someone mentions his name. What price had Iruka and Itachi paid? It will bother Kakashi, she knows. He won''t be able to let it go. Naruto and Sasuke and Iruka weren''t the only orphans created by the village. And now there''s this woman, this upstart, picking yet another fight. Tsunade''s never really paid attention to the Inuzuka. Just another clan that''s part of the village she''s sworn to protect. And, to their credit, less of a headache than others, like the Uchiha and the Hyuga. The Shimura and the Sarutobi. Maybe Asuma will finally step up and get his damn clan in line. She never thought she''d be on the precipice of a battle inside the village, with Root ten feet away, Sasuke and Itachi twenty, and neither of them the biggest threat. Because Tsume is absolutely the most dangerous person present. Tsunade has felt chakra like this before. Hanzo''s was similar in that inhuman way. Ancient like the Kyuubi''s. Blood filled like that yokai she and Jiraya and Orochimaru faced all those years ago that they agreed never to speak of again. They''d never even dared mention it to Hiruzen, who''d shared his clan''s belief that the Yokai were long dead. Too afraid of the disbelief and doubt that would come as a result. That fear was probably something she should have stopped and thought about before. Maybe she would have ended up with some kind of forewarning about Tsume then. Was she a yokai? Or infected by one? For how long? Was the entire clan compromised? Because they certainly seemed willing to follow her. "This is treason, Tsume." Homura, taunting. Tsume''s lip curled, revealing a sharper-than-normal canine. "You''d know." Maybe they''ll kill each other, and Tsunade won''t have to deal with either of them. A fool''s hope. She''s preparing to break her seal and smack some sense into all of them when that stupid Root operative jumps. Attacks Tsume like he thinks he might actually win. Later, she''ll wonder if he did it of his own free will or someone else''s. Later. Now, all that matters is that Tsume rips his head off with little effort. Smiling while she does it, and something pulses through that oppressive chakra as her pupils dilate, and she breathes in deep. Tsunade has met Shinobi who love the smell of fresh blood before. She wouldn''t turn her back on a single one of them. His body falls, but Tsume tosses his head up and down like a ball, and the unease in the shinobi occupying the training area grows. Even for shinobi, casual displays of violence are generally taboo. They know better than to celebrate the violence they peddle. She does finally drop his head, only to step on it and crush it to pieces when she steps forward. She''s walking to Tsunade, the Godaime realizes. "Go back to the compound." She hopes Tsume''s referring to her clansmen, but she''s not. Iruka and Itachi share a brief look, grab Naruto and Sasuke, and disappear in puffs of smoke and leaves. Kiba looks like he might argue with his mother, but a look from Hana silences him, and the rest of the Rookie 11 follow suit. Their chakra flares once they''re safely behind the walls of the Inuzuka. Tsume only has to glance at Shisui before he flickers away. "How obedient," Homura mocked and Tsume''s smile has lots of teeth. "My godsons know when to listen." Which is interesting. Tsunade''d had no idea the Inuzuka and Uchiha were close enough for Tsume to be the godmother of Fugaku''s children. What did she know then? And how long had she known it? Why was she saying it now? Tsunade couldn''t tell Iruka a single damn thing without him finding something to argue about, but Tsume told him to get lost, and he went? That was annoying. "Get lost." "How dare you," Koharu, "You have no right to give orders, Tsume." "Get lost, or I''ll rip you all limb from limb." And that oppressive chakra settled heavier and heavier until it was an effort not to stoop. A couple of the Root operatives moved towards the bodies of the fallen, only to come face to face with Taka. "No." "They''re comrades." "We''re all comrades, aren''t we?" "You have crossed a line, Tsume." Koharu''s last warning. "I''m so scared," Tsume, mocking as Root teleported away, followed by the Koharu and Homura. Leaving Tsunade and her shinobi to face the wolf wrapped in sheepskin. The marks on Tsume''s cheeks were vivid as she approached. Tsunade''s chakra gathered, sitting just behind the seal, ready to break free in a single breath. But suddenly, Kakashi was there, between Tsunade and Tsume. Loyal until the end. Damn it. Tsunade''s not the only one who moves to intervene, Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai are closest, and while they''re too slow to stop Tsume from getting a hand around Kakashi''s throat. It is reassuring to see that while they''re willing to stand opposite in defiance of orders, they''re just as quick to leap to protect Kakashi. They are enough to hold her back somewhat, and Tsunade feels the sudden roar of Kakashi''s chakra as the Sharingan activates. Tsume''s not squeezing hard enough to actually choke him, but he still can''t break her grip. Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai have trapped her other arm and legs, but Tsume doesn''t seem all that concerned. Breaking free from four of Konoha''s best and most experienced should inspire more, but it just makes Tsume laugh. "Little pup, you think you''re going to use that pretty eye against me?" The chakra gathering around Kakashi''s Sharingan suddenly dissipated, leaving a blank void and a stunned Copy-Nin behind. Tsume hauled him closer, forcing him to bend awkwardly over Asuma''s arm as the bearded J¨­nin tried to protect Kakashi''s throat. "It won''t work." And she leaned in and kissed the scar bisecting his right eye, "The Sharingan won''t strike me." And then she was gone, leaving four grown Shinobi falling over one another like toddlers in surprise, and she was right in front of Tsunade. Tsunade reached for her chakra, met Tsume''s eyes without fear, and.... Stopped. Tsume, for all the blood she''d just shed, stood patiently in front of Tsunade. One hand tucked into her yukata, the other forearm resting on the sworn tucked at her waist. There was still violence to her; she smelled like blood, but her eyes, half-lidded and dark, rested on Tsunade. One predator to another. One leader to another. One soldier to another. One woman to another. She may have been willing to pick a fight with Root, but she wasn''t here to fight Tsunade. Not yet, at least. Tsunade tucked her chakra away, affected as relaxed a visage as she could. It shouldn''t be a problem to out bore a mere clan leader, but all it did was make Tsume cock her head like a dog trying to figure out what his master was saying. Tsunade doubted Tsume had a master. "Princess." "J¨­nin Inuzuka." "Your teacher''s cowardice nearly destroyed this village." She paused to see if Tsunade was going to react and smiled when she didn''t, "He used up all your chances." "Are you threatening me, J¨­nin Inuzuka?" "Sure, call it that, princess. I''ll tell you the same thing I told Hiruzen the day he signed the execution order for the Uchiha. The Hokage, who cares more for power and peace than the people in the village, won''t live long. Or be remembered well." Almost as one, the Inuzuka flickered away, leaving Tsume standing alone among Tsunade''s soldiers. And then she''d reached out and dragged two bloody fingers down Tsunade''s cheek. "Be careful you don''t end up following your teacher''s footsteps instead of your grandfather''s. One of them tended to kill his own soldiers more than his enemies." Tsume licked the blood off her fingers. "You know where to find me." Tsunade watched her step away and turn her back. "And you''ll be there?" "Until the day I burn it all down, princess. Until I burn it all down." *** All families have their secrets; most people would never know them, but they know there are spaces and gaps where the answers should be, where someone should have sat, where someone used to be. A name that is never uttered, or uttered just once and never again. We all have our secrets. Cecelia Ahern *** ~tbc~ Nise Kaze *** Chapter 10: :Nise Kaze A False Wind *** As it turns out, we don''t "all" have to pay our debts. Only some of us do. David Graeber *** Present Day : :Hatake Kakashi''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : What is it? What is it? What? Is? It? WHAT? IS? IT? Iruka and Itachi paid for his protection. But Asuma won''t say with what. Or to whom they made the payment. Iruka and Itachi are unavailable, understandably, still locked away in the Inuzuka Compound with a bloodthirsty guard while Tsunade decides how she wants to proceed. And most likely unwilling to answer questions anyway. Tsume. Tsume knows something. She would never have been so bold if she didn''t think she had the ammunition needed to get away with it. She was too much of a veteran for that. But Tsume hadn''t looked like a friend, hadn''t acted like an ally despite the fact that they both wore the same symbol. Kakashi is well aware that Sasuke already considers him an enemy. Iruka might be lenient. Itachi might be kind. He doesn''t think Tsume will be any of that. She''d ripped that Root operative apart without effort, and none of her clan had been surprised or even disturbed. Like they''d seen her do something like that before. How had he missed that? And she didn''t seem any more willing to answer questions than he figured Iruka and Itachi would be. So Kakashi can''t do anything but lay here and stare at the water-stained ceiling above the bed he rarely spends a full night in. He couldn''t move even if he wanted to at this point anyway. The paralysis had settled in as soon as he''d laid down, wrenching him from the closest he''d gotten to sleep in a week. Focusing on this invisible debt had helped him ignore the blood running down the walls and his father''s crying ghost in the window, and the dozens of beady red eyes in the trees beyond him. *** Present Day : :Inuzuka Compound, Konohagakure: : Pakkun has been around for a long time. A long time. Like, sometimes, too long. Time passes differently in the Valley of Dogs, and the older he gets, the harder it is to keep time straight. Pakkun''s been alive for a long time. Since the beginning of Kakashi''s line, actually. Way back when, before the Hidden Villages, in that weird time between the Waring Clans Era and the Land of Ancestors, they tell stories about. He still remembers the Old Gods. The ones Kaguya and her ilk would have faced when she''d come to plant the God Tree. He''d always wondered what had happened then. She''d obviously succeeded, but there were still some of the Old Gods left, so she didn''t win completely. He''s been very careful to give the one residing in Konohagakure a wide birth. As well as the one whose scent he catches on the wind sometimes but who''s never stayed in the village long enough for him to track down and get eyes on. The scent usually ends at the Uchiha Compound, which is a whole mess of complicated things that Pakkun is too old to willingly deal with. He has no intention of picking a fight with a wolf who''s got fangs ten times the size of Bull and who cut those teeth when the world was born. Pakkun was just a pup when the first blood mixed that resulted in Kakashi''s family. Only humans care about bloodlines, but Pakkun''s learned through unwilling osmosis in the decades since the contract with the second Hatake was signed. He still doesn''t get it, but he''s learned that humans are crazy and a little bit stupid, even the good ones. Kakashi is the best so far, his father a close but eternal second because of all the things he made Pakkun swear never to tell Kakashi. Pakkun doesn''t like keeping secrets. Especially from Kakashi. Pakkun''s never had pups of his own. Kakashi''s the closest he''s got. Been by the brat''s side since his dam pushed him into this world. He''s more Pakkun''s than Sakumo''s at this point because Pakkun''s the one who''s been there every year, every birthday, every funeral, every triumph, and every failure. The contract had resided with Kakashi''s grandfather until his death, only months before Kakashi''s birth, and the pack''s time with Sakumo had been severely limited. Pakkun doesn''t know the extent of the secrets Konoha''s White Fang was keeping, but he knows enough to know that they severely affected Kakashi''s safety in his own village. But he needs to know more before he advises the brat; he doesn''t want to send him on the wrong path at such a critical time. And it is critical, more so than any other time in Kakashi''s life. There''s something dark lurking around Kakashi, around the entire village, really, but Pakkun has priorities. It''s dark and evil and eating away at Kakashi, and it''s centered around that damn borrowed eye. That''s the only reason he''s braving an ancient, most likely pissed-off, god. *** Valkyrie patted Fletcher''s arm. "Don''t worry," she said. "If the bad man comes, I''ll protect you." "If the bad man comes," Fletcher responded, "I''ll bravely give out a high-pitched scream to distract him. I may even bravely faint to give him a false sense of security. That will be your signal to strike." "We make a great team." "Just don''t forget to stand in front of me the whole time," he said. Derek Landy *** Kuromaru isn''t hard to find. He''s never hidden what he is, which makes the fact that no one outside the clan he''s chosen to guard has figured out what or who he is all the more ridiculous. Gods do not feel the same as summons...or yokai. That insane chakra Tsume unleashed at the training field the day before was proof of that. Pakkun''s still not sure what she is exactly, but he sure as hell isn''t going to ask her. He''s going to ask Gamabunta for an audience. Hopefully, the Great Toad Sage has been paying more attention than the rest of them. But first.... Kuromaru. The Great Black Bite waits patiently at the edge of the Inuzuka Compound, tail lazily sending clouds of dust into the air as his yellow eye watches for Pakkun''s approach, probably for longer than Pakkun''s decided to come, and he peers out from behind the huge tree root as his doubts stall him. He can hear Kakashi''s brats further in the compound. Their whole class is one of the loudest things Pakkun''s ever encountered. He still can''t believe any of them are capable of sneaking up on anything. "Good evening, Pakkun." Well...might as well get this over with. A call goes out through the compound for dinner as Pakkun warily steps out of his hiding place. "They ain''t gonna miss you?" Kuromaru''s lip curled, "Hardly. They''re enamored with the new pups." Kakashi''s brats. At least they''re being taken care of. That''ll make Kakashi feel better. "Why are you here, Pakkun? You have never approached me before." He doesn''t sound entirely pleased with that. He is responsible for their creation, so it wouldn''t be out of the realm of reason that he''d expect some kind of supplication. "Ur, sorry about that." Kuromaru''s laugh is oddly similar to distant, rolling thunder. "No need, pup. I would have found you long before now if I wished to make a point." Well, that''s something, at least. And it makes it easier to inch closer, but still out of bite range, and ask. "What do you know of the Sharingan?" Those yellow eyes that have watched the ages go by don''t blink. "You''ve noticed, then." "It ain''t normal. It wasn''t there before." "Wasn''t it?" "I watched. It wasn''t-" "There were protections in place. Before." "Is there a way to put them back?" "You need a Uchiha." "Another eye?" "No. An Uchiha. It is their blood that contains the Sharingan, Pakkun. Their chakra that binds it. Your pup lost his hiate, didn''t he?" And that makes Pakkun pause. "He''s lost a few over the years. That ain''t weird." "And when did the infection begin?" Motherfucker. "Why didn''t you say something?" "He is not my responsibility. You should have come sooner." It takes a few seconds to push down the anger. Pakkun is a soldier as much as his charge, but he''s not fool enough to pick a fight he won''t win. "Can it be healed?" "Yes." "But?" "But?" "Will it come back?" "Yes." "Unless?" Stupid gods that never offer anything unless asked directly. "You replace the hiate." "I have to find the one he lost? What if it''s been destroyed?" A heavy sigh, annoyance as Kuromaru rests his head on his paws. "Stupid pup, make a new one." "But I don''t know what was special about the original!" Pakkun''s confusion must have been grating on him because the next sigh sounded more like a growl. "I already told you the answer." Pakkun scowled. Already told him-oh. "I need a Uchiha." Great. He had three to pick from. One who hated Kakashi outright. One who was indifferent at best, depending on his loyalty to his younger brother. And one who''d slipped everyone''s notice until now and most definitely had a grudge against the village and a habit of screaming at Kakashi. "What if they won''t help?" "Your pup will die. Soon." "How soon?" Kuromaru''s eyes narrowed. "Please." "Within the month." That...was so much worse than he''d been expecting. "It hasn''t been growing that fast." "You don''t even know what it is." Which, point. "Is there no other way?" "Why do you assume they will not help him?" "You''ve lived in this village. You know why." "You assume the weakness of one is the weakness of another, Pakkun. Ask yourself this, people in the village murdered their family, if they truly wished it destroyed, how is it still standing?" Pakkun fell silent. The ways of the Uchiha were not his to know, and humans were irrational as often as they made sense. "I will ask them." "Good." "What is it?" Kuromaru took a deep breath and seemed to grow two sizes. "Your pup knows little about the eye he borrowed." "It was a gift." "The Uchiha call it a curse." "What?" "Perhaps you should ask them why their father took it upon himself to protect Kakashi. It is rare that a Clan Head would be responsible for such a task." And then he laid his head on his paws and closed his eyes, effectively dismissing Pakkun. It was rare, Pakkun thought as he made his way back, that a Clan Head, especially one of a clan as large and influential as the Uchiha, would have dealt with an outsider. Fugaku would have made the ruling, of course, but someone else would have carried it out. And most clans would not have protected Kakashi in that situation. At the very least, they would have demanded the return of the eye, regardless of the shape it left Kakashi in. Kakashi was not close enough to any Uchiha to warrant that kind of attention. He landed on the roof of Kakashi''s apartment building. Kakashi was below, sleeping based on the staticy nature of his chakra, and not well. That miasma was heavy over the apartment, and it sent a chill through Pakkun. What had Fugaku done that had kept that at bay for so long after his death? And.... Was that why Iruka and Itachi had been willing to protect him against the Council? Even though there had been no personal connection between them then? He felt a tremor through Kakashi''s chakra. A nightmare. The urge to go down and comfort him was strong, but that was nothing but a bandaid. Pakkun needed the cure, which meant he needed one of the Uchiha. Which meant he needed to make sure Tsunade didn''t do anything that would jeopardize their presence in the village. *** Present Day : :Hokage''s Residence, Konohagakure: : Jiraiya''s appearance was almost not even a surprise at this point. Tsunade is two bottles in when he crashes through the wall of the sitting room, and she''s so angry, and he''s just a puppet and not the real Jiraiya that it''s not even a real fight. She spends an hour just beating the shit out of him before she bothers cutting the red string and yells herself horse for another hour while she heals all the damage she did. Then she yells at ANBU and Ibiki when they respond to the disturbance and try to take him into custody. Jiraiya just sits there in a daze and takes it, at least, until she''s finally convinced Ibiki and Taka to leave him alone for the night in exchange for extra guards outside. She activates the silencing wards before she speaks to him again. She takes a seat across from him, and before she can even open her mouth, she sees it in his eyes. Oh. Somehow, she hadn''t remembered that he had loved her. Was in love with her when he died. *** She''d actually been his last thought, though he doesn''t tell her that until after she''s handed off the mantle of Hokage and they''ve both retired. Which is a good thing because the binge and the guilt that follow take a few weeks to short out. And the Rokudaime Hokage is not pleased with the costs to repair the damage. *** It''s so clear in his eyes now because he''d forgotten he needed to hide it, that it drives her to her feet and back to the alcohol cabinet before she can get a word out. And he might be back from the dead and just freed from being a puppet, but he''s still Jiraiya, and as much of a fool as he is sometimes, he''s still a fellow Sanin. They grew up together and have shared their most important life events, triumphs, and failures. He knows her. And by the time she turns around with a new bottle, there''s no sign of it. It leaves her oddly bereft in a way it never has before. Oh god. More sake. There have been enough revelations for one day, she doesn''t need anymore. Especially since she now has to tell Jiraiya about Hiruzen and the Uchiha and all the secrets their teacher didn''t bother to share with them. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Jiraiya doesn''t take it any better than she expected. Quick to argue and defend their teacher, who''d always been a father to him. And she''s always trusted his judgment. So which one of them is wrong? *** People can have their opinions about everything in the world, but people''s opinions end where the tip of my nose begins. Your opinions of others can only go so far as to where their own shoreline is. The world is for your taking, but other people are not. One is only allowed to have an opinion of me if that person is done educating him/herself on everything about me. Before people educate themselves on everything about you, they''re not allowed to open their venomous mouths and have an opinion about you. C. JoyBell C. *** Present Day : :Inuzuka Compound, Konohagakure: : He''s never noticed before. Briefly, he wonders if it''s something that only comes with age but just as quickly discounts it. Age is as weak a justification for wisdom as it is as an excuse for stupidity. Naruto has learned that lesson well already. His mind spins as he watches Iruka. His happiness with Itachi. His regret with Sasuke, though the teme is still out cold. As soon as they''d reached the Inuzuka Compound, Sasuke had turned on him again, and, attempting to avoid a physical fight, Iruka had offered his memories. Apparently, one Sharingan could share memories with another. Weird. That whole dojutsu is just weird. But Sasuke had agreed, demanded, and Iruka had done it, and Sasuke had been unconscious since. His mind protecting him as the memories settled, Itachi explained. They''d all taken turns watching over him, but Naruto knew he was safe. Kiba''s mother was terrifying and her clan was loyal, and even Naruto wasn''t that stupid. She''d picked a fight in front of Tsunade, which was practically a declaration of intent. Some part of Naruto knew the death of the Uchiha Clan was important when Itachi had told him about it, but it had fallen to the wayside in lieu of greater things. Well, now those greater things were finished, and it was coming back. And proving to be the greatest of them all. So Naruto watched, or he tried to. He still wasn''t very patient, still wasn''t very good at working things out silently in his head. It was so much easier to talk about it with someone, to find the weaknesses and strengths and how they worked together. And Iruka has always been the best person to talk to about anything. But he''s faded now. Naruto looks, for the first time, at his chakra and sees it stretch out beyond his range of vision. It''s filled with hundreds of holes, all fraying at the edges like an old blanket that''s slowly coming apart thread by thread. And when he looks back at Iruka, he can see the weariness, the stoop to his shoulders and the bend in his back, and the way his hands, that were always so busy and fast before, hang limp as he sits on Tsume''s engawa and looks out at the forest. During the summer breaks at the Academy, Iruka used to take him out to the great trees, so many different kinds, and they''d play hide and seek for hours. Until even Naruto was tired. They''d even slept under them more than a few times. Two orphans the village hadn''t noticed were missing. The warmth of Iruka''s arms has always felt more like home than any other place Naruto has ever known. So he has no hesitation now. Walking over and wrapping himself in those arms, settling a bit as Iruka''s grip tightens. "What''s wrong, Naruto?" "You''re fading." He can feel Iruka stiffen and then relax again. "I''m very, very tired, Naruto. I''ve been fighting for a long time." "I''ll help you. I''m back now. I won''t leave again until it''s finished." "You don''t even know what it is." "So?" "It''s not your fight, Naruto." "You''re fight is my fight, nii-san." Iruka''s grip tightened for a moment. "You''ve had to fight enough already." "You''re never going to stop fighting." Because he won''t. He was fighting the first day Naruto met him, and he hasn''t missed a day since. "No," Iruka murmured, "Probably not. Are you tired?" "Sometimes? Sometimes, I can''t tell if it''s my body or my soul." "It can be hard to tell," Iruka agreed, gaze focused somewhere beyond the walls of the compound. "Some wounds don''t leave marks." "If it''s a wound, it can be healed. Right?" "Maybe. Some you have to cauterize immediately, some you have to bleed." He laughed at the expression of disgust that crossed Naruto''s face. "What were they like? Sasuke''s-your family?" Iruka looked surprised by the question, but Naruto had never been old enough to know to ask it before. "They were...passionate. Arrogant. Reckless." He looked angry. Then, it faded to hurt. "Devoted. In all things, we are strong. In all things, we love. In all things, we are devoted until death." "That sounds like the teme," Naruto added darkly. Iruka laughed. "It does, doesn''t it? We-they put the family before the individual, but the clan before the family, and the village before the clan, and yet you were only ever Uchiha." "That sounds complicated." "I think they liked it that way." "Definitely. Drama queens," Naruto grins, and it makes Iruka laugh. "Absolutely." He looks across the training field to where Itachi and Shisui are working with Hinata, Shino, and Choji. He doesn''t know what Hinata''s planning, but she''s been quieter than usual, pensive and thoughtful. Whatever it is, has led to Iruka, Itachi, and Shisui giving her quick but in-depth taijutsu and genjutsu lessons. "Is Hinata going to be okay?" "She''ll be fine. She''s stronger than everyone realizes." "Maybe we should tell Kakashi-sensei what''s going on. He might be able to convince baa-chan." "Maybe. Kakashi doesn''t have the best memories of the Uchiha, though. I don''t know if he''d agree." And he doesn''t want to worry about putting Kakashi and Sasuke across from one another on a battlefield. Naruto can understand that. "Do you think Kakashi-sensei liked teaching us?" He hadn''t wanted to in the beginning, Naruto remembers, always so focused on the mission and his duty to the village. Even when they were younger, all three of them recognized that he struggled with teaching, but it had gotten better. And then Sasuke had been gone, and they''d all stopped paying attention to Kakashi''s ability to teach and instead paid attention to his ability to lead. Iruka looked like he was carefully choosing his words. "I think Kakashi loves you three, but everyone teaches differently, and everyone learns differently, and sometimes no amount of effort will make it work." "He doesn''t love Sasuke," Naruto muttered because he''d been coming for them at the training area. Only Asuma had stopped him. "I think he does." Iruka argued gently, "I think he loves him, and he''s hurt because you weren''t the only one Sasuke left, and I think Kakashi has always dealt with his hurt the way he deals with his enemies." "Maybe." Naruto does love Kakashi, but he''s not yet ready to forgive his readiness to hurt Sasuke. "Kakashi is...a complicated man." Iruka settles on, watching Itachi demonstrate a difficult kata. "He puts duty to the village above everything because that''s what he''s always done, and it''s kept him going through all the loss and pain. Sometimes people cling to their coping methods, and it blinds them to other ways." The Uchiha were like that. Stubborn and unwilling to let go until the end. And when they were finally forced to, they reversed course so dramatically and violently that it caused its own damage. "The village is nothing without the people in it," Naruto insists because Iruka was the one who taught him that. "It''s not. Just a bunch of empty rooms." Iruka agrees, thinking of the houses Fugaku had once described. "Kakashi protects the physical, but I think he values the intangible." "...the what?" "Memory. Honor. Duty. Loyalty. Sacrifice. Just because they aren''t palpable doesn''t mean they''re less important. Nothing is important simply because it exists. It''s important because its loss does damage to what''s left behind." And Naruto can understand that. The hatred of the village when he was young is still far more painful than any physical wound he''s ever received. The people he''s lost hurt more than the enemies he has now, but not all of them were that important before they were gone. It wasn''t until their death that they became something Naruto felt too strongly to ignore. "Does that make us bad people, then? That we feel more about our ghosts than we did when they were people?" "No. It just makes us human." Iruka murmurs, his own ghosts lining up in front of him. "We buy flowers for the dead instead of the living because we fear regret more than gratitude."[1] "That''s not right," Naruto mutters. It''s disappointing sometimes to think too long on the nature of humans. No wonder Sasuke, who''s always thinking, and Kakashi, who''s so smart, are always so angry and sad. Iruka just hums. "I was supposed to be making you feel better, and now we''re both sad," Naruto sulks, sprawling dramatically across Iruka''s lap and making him laugh. "You make me happy, Naruto; don''t ever doubt that. And I''m definitely happier now than I was a year ago." And that''s enough to make Naruto smile. To lighten his heart just a bit. There''s still so much work to be done, but there''s hope too. *** The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. Maya Angelou *** Present Day : :Hatake Kakashi''s Apartment, Konohagakure: : Iruka and Naruto are sitting together on the engawa when Kakashi finds them. Haloed by the setting sun, they glance back at him with soft eyes and welcoming smiles, burnished gold beckoning Kakashi''s battered, dulled steel into the comfortable warmth of the setting sun. Beyond them, Sasuke and Sakura stand next to the koi pond his father had devotedly nurtured after his mother''s death. The koi fat and fast now, glittering in the light as Sasuke and Sakura tossed food into the water, a snow-white wolf lying beside them. They must have been cleaning while he was gone because the Main House of the Hatake Compound hasn''t looked this good in years. Iruka stands to greet him, and it''s just as easy as it was before to sink into his embrace. The warmth that follows chases away the last of Kakashi''s ghosts, buying him a moment of peace, and he buries his face in Iruka''s neck and just inhales the smell of him. Parchment and ink and faintly of blood because children and sharp objects. "I''m going to check on dinner." Iruka murmurs and then breaks away, sending Kakashi to the koi pond as a grinning Naruto follows him into the kitchen, claiming to help but no doubt planning on sabotaging the vegetables again. Sakura beams and tugs him over, excited to show him the patterns Sasuke managed to train the fish to swim in using their food. It''s silly and childish for Shinobi their age, but Sasuke never got to be that age, so Kakashi just smiles indulgently. The wolf ignores them, watching the fish in that intent way all predators watch their prey before the attack. Lost even to Sasuke''s hand rubbing his ears. Birds chirp as the wind shifts the trees. Chidori comes to his hand so easily as Sakura laughs and says something that makes Sasuke blush faintly. She doesn''t even have time to step back as Kakashi shoves it through her chest. Her blood dripping into the pond scatters the koi from their intricate pattern as Sasuke goes for his sword, fast enough to put it through Kakashi''s shoulder before he gets Chidori close enough to kill the boy. Naruto bursts outside as Sasuke falls, but he''s unprepared. Kakashi is one of the best, and Naruto falls almost before he realizes what''s happening. His Chidori sputters and dies out, and chakra exhaustion settles over him. The wolf hasn''t moved, still watching the fish in the slowly darkening water. Should he kill him before he goes inside? The moment of hesitation is broken by the sound of footsteps, Iruka, coming closer, and Kakashi launches himself inside before Iruka can see the yard. "Kakashi?" He looks confused, registering the blood splattered across Kakashi''s vest and face, and before a couple of weeks ago, Kakashi would have thought Iruka would run when faced with him. But this Iruka doesn''t. This one gets angry, his chakra rises, and Kakashi desperately reaches for Chidori again as they meet in the hallway in a rush of rage and metal and chakra. Iruka knows their students are dead, even if he missed their chakra fading, the smell of blood is growing, and no one else came through the wards. This Iruka is much more capable of meeting Kakashi head-on, knows the layout of Kakashi''s childhood home from all their nights together, and they take down several walls and heirlooms as Kakashi tries to complete his mission and Iruka tries to survive. Still, Kakashi''s reputation is not unearned, and he wears Iruka down. The sensei missteps, goes down, and Kakashi is already moving to finish him off when sharp teeth clamp around his calf and pull. The wolf. Kakashi turns to finish it off and finds it has Sharingan eyes. Tsunade crashes through a wall. "Finish your mission, brat." Kakashi kicks the wolf away and turns to Iruka. "Why are you doing this, Kakashi? They were our students!" "They''re a danger to the village, Kakashi. You took an oath," Tsunade reminds him. "The life of a shinobi is not kind, but it is clear. Any threat to the village must be eliminated." "They weren''t a threat!" Iruka argues. "But the Uchiha are." Tsunade is almost gentle, though she doesn''t move to comfort Iruka as he bleeds out. And Naruto and Sakura would have defended Sasuke until death. It was a mercy to make it quick and painless. Tsunade looks sad as she stands resolute. "It is the Shinobi Way." Birds chirp as Chidori comes back to Kakashi''s hand, and he leaps- The wolf lunges closes its jaws around Tsunade''s throat and bites down. Kakashi can hear the bones break as she goes down. Kakashi changes direction, but the wolf leaps away before he can get it with Chidori, and Tsunade gurgles at his feet, throat a bloody, mangled mess. "Brat, pro- protect the vi-village. Ho-, ho-, -age." Kakashi stumbles away from her as Obito comes through the roof, demanding vengeance for his brothers with a rage that Kakashi recognizes from the few times he saw him honestly angry. But like always, Obito is too angry to think, and Kakashi always thought circles around him anyway, and he goes down under Kakashi''s hand, too. His broken body sprawled at Iruka''s feet as the sensei turned heartbroken eyes on Kakashi. He doesn''t have the chakra for another Chidori so he picks up Obito''s sword, ignoring the cruelty of killing Iruka with his brother''s blade- His breath leaves him in a rush as Iruka''s hand, glowing with chakra, shoves through his vest and into Kakashi''s chest, his eyes slowly bleeding from brown to red. The sword clatters to the floor as pain blossoms, bright and burning and spreading out from Kakashi''s chest. Iruka looks so, so sad as Kakashi reaches for him. "I''m sorry. I''m so sorry, Kakashi. I love you." And Kakashi can''t even respond, blood welling in his throat and mouth. Iruka blurs at the edges, tears in his eyes, and then Kakashi is staring into the eyes of Uchiha Fugaku, a man he''s only ever seen from a distance. Never even spoken to. Fugaku''s Mangekyo Sharingan spins slowly as he catches Kakashi before he collapses. "Kakashi." Everything''s fading at the edges now. Even the pain. "Kakashi, pay attention." The order makes him snap to, sluggishly, as much as he can as his life''s blood spills out. "Look at me, Kakashi." And he tries, manages to raise his eyes to meet those of the father of so many people important to Kakashi. "The Sharingan sees through all obscuration, Kakashi. All lies." And then he cups Kakashi''s face gently. "Look." He forces the last of his chakra at his Sharingan, and slowly, slowly, it spins to life. "Look, Kakashi." Fugaku urges, hands gentle. "See through it all." And then Kakashi is staring at the charred wall of his apartment. The smell of blood is gone. Nothing but the scent of ozone remains. There is no blood. No bodies. Kakashi''s hand and chest ache, his chakra almost completely depleted. Fugaku smiles, a small, kind thing before he fades with the turning of the Sharingan. His touch lingers, warming Kakashi''s cheeks as he slumps, paralyzed, in the midst of his destroyed apartment. *** Present Day : :Residential Neighborhood, Konohagakure: : There are ten facts that Hitsugaya Toshiro knows for sure. One. He is only six, in his first year at the Academy. Two. He has a father, a J¨­nin more concerned with his rank and his reputation, and his drink than anything else. Three. He has a grandmother who is too old for the work she still does but is too stubborn to stop. She comes from Mist, from that time when those with blessed blood had to flee for their lives, and she tells stories about angels with blood-red eyes and flight under moonlight across fields of termination dust when she''s feeling melancholy. Four. He has a good teacher who cares more than his father and doesn''t mind feeding Toshiro when his grandmother can''t and lets him hang around after school so he doesn''t have to go home. Five. He is a genius. He''s already memorized and mastered the Academy curriculum. Has started picking his teacher''s brain about the basics of seals and wards and fuinjutsu. There''s ice in his heart and in his veins, and he''s very close to being able to call it out. Six. His father knows he is a genius. Wants to put him right into active duty, wants to brag about his son being the youngest J¨­nin because Toshiro could pass the tests now if he wanted to. Seven. His grandmother knows. Eight. His teacher knows. Nine. Fortunately, his teacher and his grandmother are in agreement and provide a barrier his father cannot break through. Toshiro will not be graduating anytime soon. Ten. The two Ch¨±nin sent to look after him while his teacher''s accusations against his father are investigated are not allies. They''d ushered him into a bedroom and closed the door. A door that locks from the outside is always a prison, his sensei said. But if he focuses on the right corner of the room, he can hear their conversation through the wall. "Don''t let him out of your sight." "He''s just a kid. What possible use is he?" "He''s close to Umino." "Umino''s an emotional wreck. He''s close to anyone and everyone." "This is different. Umino and the boy''s father had it out in front of the Hokage." "You think he has the same relationship with the boy as he does with the jinchuriki?" "Maybe. Question the boy while he''s here, but be careful. He''s a genius." "Should we start preparing him for Root?" "Go ahead, but don''t do anything that might reveal who you are. We can''t afford any distractions right now. They just put the next piece in play." He needs to find Iruka and warn him. *** The best lightning rod for your protection is your own spine. Ralph Waldo Emerson *** Present Day : :Hokage''s Office, Hokage Tower, Konohagakure: : The flare of Kakashi''s chakra is enough to make her look up, but it fades into a steady hum quickly. "How''s the brat doing?" Jiraiya hasn''t seen anyone else yet, just Ibiki and Taka and their personnel, and she knows it''s taking a great deal of restraint on his part to stay away from Kakashi and Naruto. "Not good," she admits quietly. He hasn''t come to her yet, so she can only guess that it''s a combination of grief and survivor''s guilt that''s wearing Kakashi down now. A part of her is selfishly glad he hasn''t. She doesn''t think she could say anything that would help him, and facing the fact that Kakashi, stalwart and steady and strong Kakashi, is fading is... She''s not ready to confront that on top of everything else. "There''s no one else," Jiraiya mutters, bent over the reports of everything that''s happened since the war ended, and Tsunade nods absently. Naruto isn''t ready yet. Kakashi is the only viable option for Rokudaime. If something happens to him, Konohagakure itself will be in danger, but she suspects Kakashi is closer to what''s happening than even he realizes. Shizune slips inside, careful to close the door before anyone can see Jiraiya. "Hokage-sama, there''s someone here to see you." "Not now, Shizune." Her assistant hesitates, which is rare enough that Tsunade pays attention. "I think you should take this meeting, Tsunade-sama." It''s rare for Shizune to push. Rare enough to take note. "Fine." She sets aside the paperwork returning Jiraiya to life and duty, ignoring the frowns from Ibiki and Taka. Well, she assumes Taka is frowning. He''s still never taken that mask off in front of her. Shizune leaves and returns with an old woman. Older even than Tsunade and clearly a civilian and she shoots Shizune a questioning look. She does not have time for complaints about her shinobi trampling gardens and making noise in the middle of the night. Shizune looks firm, though, and helps the old woman take a seat in front of Tsunade''s desk. "Good morning, Lord Hokage." A proper shinobi greeting from a civilian was always a bit strange, but she seemed friendly enough. "Thank you for seeing me." "I hope there''s a good reason." Tsunade''s not entirely in the mood to be diplomatic and ignores that chastising look from her chief assistant and the amusement echoing through Jiraiya''s chakra. "I believe so. My name is Adachi Yumi. I live in the civilian quarter near the Eastern Wall. Have for most of my life. Raised my children and grandchildren in that house, too." Adachi. Tsunade dwells on that name and thinks she might have a shinobi that shares it. "One of my grandchildren is a ninja." And Yumi smiles proudly. "Sayuri. She just made Ch¨±nin. She''s good with traps, not much of a knack for genjutsu though." "I''m sure she''s an excellent addition to our ranks. Did you come to speak about her?" "No, no. I came to tell you a story. About the house across the street from mine." There''s a ripple of impatience from Jiraiya, a match for Tsunade''s own. "Is there something that concerns you about it?" "Perhaps. I am not a shinobi, Lord Hokage. I have no training in statecraft or spycraft or anything like that. I am simply a mother. I have raised my children well. They are good people. Useful to the village and happy." She must be able to tell Tsunade''s patience is thinning as Shizune pours tea because she smiles. "Indulge me, please. I raised my children in the same house I grew up in. My older brother died before he had any need of it, so my parents left it to me. It''s a good house, with a yard that you can watch the wall and the forest from. And it sits across from this house. It''s nothing special. Not very well cared for, really. Not really safe for children, but I suppose that''s acceptable because I''ve never seen any children there. It''s a bland house. Simple. Boring. Forgettable. In fact," she pauses and sips her tea as Tsunade''s patience frayed further, "It''s so forgettable that when my friends visit me, they can never remember that it''s there." Tsunade freezes as Jiraiya''s head snaps up from his scrolls. "They can never describe it, can''t remember what color it is or what''s growing in the garden out front." "You said you lived in the eastern civilian quarter?" Tsunade questioned. There were several civilian quarters in the village where shinobi were forbidden from living in order to protect the civilians with limited to no relation to the shinobi currently serving. There was no reason for a house with wards to be there, and there was no other reason why people would have a hard time remembering it existed when they saw it regularly. Yumi smiles and nods, "Right next to the wall. Even my children have a hard time remembering this house is there." "Does the house change?" Jiraiya asked, forgetting about his scrolls. "No. It never changes, though my friends remember it differently each time." A powerful set of wards then and Tsunade shared a concerned look with Jiraiya and Ibiki. "It''s an interesting house, Lord Hokage. In a neighborhood meant for families raising children, it has none. Yet there is always a young couple living there. Several over the many years I have lived in my home. They always tell me they are preparing to start a family, but none of them ever do. They simply have friends over. Quite regularly. Visitors from all directions at all hours. It''s a bit of a concern, you see. There are still young children in my neighborhood, including my own grandchildren. And yet the people that come to this house, they do so at all hours, in all manners of dress." Shinobi, Tsunade thinks. Regularly visiting a home in a neighborhood they were forbidden from living in. "I didn''t pay much attention when I was young. It wasn''t until I''d had my first. He''s dead now, died a shinobi long before the war." "Konohagakure thanks you for your sacrifice," Tsunade says automatically. "Thank you. It wasn''t until he was a few years into the academy that I started paying attention. You see, my son used to be a troublemaker. Too creative for his own good, you know the type. Always causing mischief." "But this house-" Jiraiya tried to turn the conversation back, but Yumi waved him silent. "He used to get in fights at school, and one day, it was quite a bad one. The other student''s teacher brought him by my house to apologize. They were both troublemakers, though my boy wasn''t nearly as bad as the other. It''s quite funny that he ended up becoming a teacher himself." There''s only one shinobi that comes to mind. Iruka. "Anyway, we made those boys apologize, let them fight it out in my backyard, and didn''t that take months to repair, and he said to me, how brave of you to raise your children here. In this neighborhood, not meant for children." She paused to sip her tea, and Tsunade fought down the urge to snap at her to continue. "He was a father, you see. He paid attention to things like that. Like all parents do. But it was odd. When I asked him why he called himself his son''s teacher instead of his father, he said he could not acknowledge the boy as his son on the street where people could hear. It was too dangerous for his child, and he would not endanger him. Now, I am not much. I am just a mother and a wife. I have no training in anything. But that was quite concerning to me because he kept looking at this house that no one could remember while he said this. This house that is right across the street from where I raised my own children." Yumi smiled and thanked Shizune politely as she refilled her tea. "Now, I understand you do not have children of your own, Lord Hokage, but I am certain you understand the desire to protect." "Of course." "I asked the boy''s father what I could do to protect our children and was greatly disappointed when he said there was nothing to be done. Then. Sometimes you must have patience, he said. Perhaps in the future, I will no longer have to deny my child in public." Tsunade carefully folded her hands on her desk. "I love my children. I have raised them well. I cannot describe the anger I would feel should someone tell me I must deny them in public. Nor can I imagine the cruelty someone must have to do that to a child. How his boy must have felt every time they left their home and his father could no longer acknowledge him. My children still call my husband dad, and they have babes of their own. How hard it must have been to learn to call his dad something else while others were listening. It keeps me up at night, wondering if he remembered to call him father in private or if it was all ruined by this house. A child with no parents is a horrible thing, Lord Hokage. It is not natural. We adults have a responsibility to children to protect them, do we not?" "Of course." Is the only answer Tsunade can give her. "So I watched this house. Have since they left. I have watched everyone who visited, who lived there. I have watched the clocks in my house and the wall surrounding our village. In all the years since that visit." Yumi removed a scroll from her sleeve. "I could not ignore it. I''m sure you understand. My own children were not the only ones at risk. So I watched." She set the scroll on Tsunade''s desk. "I''m quite the gifted artist, Lord Hokage. I sell my sketches at the markets each week for a little bit of extra money." Tsunade carefully picked up the scroll and released it. As it unrolled, it revealed a perfect sketch of a Root ANBU mask. Below that, dates and times and numbers and descriptions, and even more sketches of masks and faces. Jiraiya''s breath caught when he looked over her shoulder. Twenty years of evidence of Root acting without legal order inside the village. Enough information, she realized faintly, to prosecute. Tsunade looked back at the old woman sipping her tea, and Yumi looked placidly back. "I am not trained in anything, Lord Hokage, but I take the safety of children seriously." "Why now?" "That boy that used to fight with mine, he''s a teacher now. I see him with his students when I walk to and from the market and sometimes out in the forest, and just last night, one of his students ended up in my garden. The one with white hair. He crawled out of that house, you see, crawled through my garden to get out without being seen." The Hitsugaya boy. Root must have grabbed him, she realized with a twinge of terror. He''s only six. "Where is he now?" "With his teacher, Lord Hokage." And she set her cup on Tsunade''s desk and stood, bowed. "Thank you for your time, Lord Hokage. Tsunade watched her leave, mind racing. Shizune''s words brought her back. "Who was it?" "Didn''t Umino''s father die during the Nine-Tails attacked?" Jiraiya. Ibiki nodded. "Umino Ikkaku and his wife died that night." "It could have been Fugaku." Taka pointed out. "Not able to acknowledge his son in public." "It doesn''t matter which one it was," Tsunade realized, remembering Iruka''s personnel file as scattered pieces started to come together. "Ikakku worked for the Konoha Military Police. He took orders from Fugaku." Twenty years ago, Uchiha Fugaku had put in place an unbiased, unquestionable witness to Root''s crimes. "My god," Ibiki breathed, "This is enough to bring them down." *** At the end of the game, the king and the pawn go back into the same box. Unknown *** *[1]: This is a bastardization of a quote by Anne Frank: Dead people receive more flowers than the living ones because regret is stronger than gratitude *** ~tbc~ Kokoro no Kaze *** Chapter 11: :Kokoro no Kaze a cold of the soul *** There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness. Friedrich Nietzsche *** Present Day : :Konohagakure: : This is a stupid idea, but he can''t stop thinking about it, so he''s doing it. That''s the only reason Iruka is slowly making his way through the village, stubbornly stuck on carrying out his plan to talk to Kakashi. Toshiro had made it to the Inuzuka Compound, and Iruka felt guilty about not being able to get him before Root did, but thank the gods, he was mostly unharmed. Just a bit scared, which tends to translate in Toshiro into anger instead of helplessness. He''s going to take after Sasuke, Iruka thinks. Ignoring the tiny voice in the back of his head that sounds suspiciously like Fugaku as it whispers, and you. Sasuke would be waking up soon. He''d always been strong of mind, and Iruka had been incredibly selective of the memories he''d given him. There were some things Sasuke just didn''t need to carry. But Root had taken Toshiro, and when Sasuke did wake, there would be more questions. He''d felt the spike in Kakashi''s chakra last night, and Naruto wanted Iruka to talk to him, see if Kakashi would come around to their side, so here he was. There was a calculated lack of communication between Tsunade and anyone at the Inuzuka Compound over the last two days. A silent truce as they all tried to find the way forward that would do the least amount of damage. That, and they''re all simmering in their own rage over everything and not yet willing to speak like adults. Iruka doesn''t particularly like Tsunade for a variety of reasons, many of which, he''s self-aware enough to admit, are not her fault. Iruka is still terribly wary of anyone who was close to Sandaime, though the logical part of him acknowledges that Tsunade likely doesn''t know about what really happened with the Uchiha. She is a Senju, but she was gone for so long, and that''s something that maybe they do have in common. Both of them lost faith in the village and the Shinobi Way at a point. Tsunade''s faith has returned through Naruto, but Iruka''s is still buried with his family in the dirt surrounding the village. Subete wa mura no tame ni, he thinks to himself, over and over to try and cool the anger. Uchiha are meant to be burned when they die. To free their souls for the Pure Land. That some of his family were not allowed that final mercy...well, Iruka has never been a forgiving man. He doesn''t have many friends left. In the Hokage''s Tower, at least. He had a few while Sandaime was still around, but age and illness removed them as Tsunade came in with her own people. He can always rely on Kotetsu and Izumo, serving as junior aides and desk officers, but their access is limited, and like Iruka, they don''t have any particularly close or trusting relationship with Tsunade. Yajirobi still works at the hospital when he isn''t on missions, and Anko still works in T&I, but they all lack the personal relationships they had before, and it has left them effectively out in the cold as the situation has progressed. With the Council hunting the Hanta, there''s little Iruka can do without outing them all, either. Kakashi may be their best bet to speak on Naruto and Sasuke''s behalf. And he will speak for Naruto, Iruka is sure....but Sasuke.... Iruka was honest when he told Naruto he thought Kakashi loved them all, but Kakashi is driven by orders and duty, and what Iruka doesn''t know is where the line between the dutiful shinobi and the friend who visits the Memorial Stone every day is. All that, and Iruka just wants to see him. For his own selfish reasons. He wasn''t expecting the fire that one night lit, and now he can''t put it out. Has doomed himself to a life alone at this point because the chances of Kakashi ever loving him back are so slim even Naruto''s hope can''t see them. Still, he keeps going. He has to protect Naruto and Sasuke, and all the others. He wants to see Kakashi. Just once more. Another glimpse before Iruka has to lock away his heart because of his own carelessness. He''s not completely gone yet, but every little moment from now on will push him further down that road, and eventually, Iruka will be lost. Like all the others that came before him and fell to broken hearts. He remembers his parents speaking poetically about love and losing oneself in the existence of another. They didn''t live long enough to see Iruka come around to their way of thinking, but he thinks they''d be pleased that he got there eventually. And then they''d be heartbroken again when they realized their child was going to be alone for the rest of his life. Never a simple answer, Iruka thinks as he climbs the steps to Kakashi''s apartment. Maybe it won''t be as bad as he''s expecting. Kakashi has always expounded on the importance of teamwork. Even when he''s clearly frustrated that someone can''t keep up, he''s never left anyone behind. He''s a good man. Behind the porn and the superior attitude. But nobody''s perfect, Iruka muses, least of all Iruka himself. And kami, is he gorgeous. The way he''d shuddered and shaken under Iruka... Guh. The way his eye crinkled and gave away that he was smiling despite the mask. His mind, because Iruka can''t stand stupid people. Well, he can''t stand stupid adults. Kids get a pass because they''re kids. But Kakashi''s mind is a beautiful, tangled puzzle that Iruka wants to spend hours picking at to uncover all the nooks and crannies. ...Alright, now he''s even weirding himself out. He shakes himself out of it as he stops in front of Kakashi''s door. Oddly quaint, given who lives behind it. There''s a small knot of hope in Iruka''s chest that refuses to fade, no matter how much logic and common sense he throws at it. Kakashi had met Iruka''s passion with his own that night. Kakashi was probably just pent-up. Kakashi had clutched at him hard enough to leave bruises that still hadn''t faded. Kakashi was an impressively strong man who regularly engaged in competitions of strength with Gai. Kakashi had sought Iruka out that night. To test him, not to sleep with him. Kakashi had taken everything Iruka had given him, and Iruka, well, he''d had partners in the past who called him too much. Sex could never be as painful or as intense as torture, right? This isn''t helping. Iruka forces it out of his mind with thoughts of Naruto and Sasuke and Sakura and knocks before he can change his mind. Maybe Kakashi will want one more night. That could be enough to tide Iruka over for the rest of his life. Maybe they could just have something casual? Iruka could live with that. Footsteps make him freeze, not that he was doing anything more than standing there. And fidgeting. The door swings open faster than he''s expecting, and the sight of Kakashi is enough to make Iruka''s heart hammer in his chest. There''s a heartbeat, just one, where Kakashi just stares at him, and Iruka stares back and thinks maybe. And then... And then... Horror. Disgust. Rage. A slammed door. Ah, well, that answers that, doesn''t it? And its...kind of crushing, really. He honestly hadn''t thought the truth would disgust Kakashi that much. But that''s that, isn''t it? Kakashi''s not the type to change his mind or hesitate. So, it''s over. Not that it ever really started. Just that stupid knot of hope in Iruka''s chest that''s well and truly gone now. *** Pakkun has never wanted to smack someone so hard in his life. The Uchiha Umino, Umino-Uchiha?, looks so goddamn heartbroken that Pakkun, who''s never felt the desire for a mate in his life, wants to go down there and hold him. An even more substantial part of Pakkun wants to go down there and scream at Kakashi. Demand to know what the fuck he''s doing, turning away someone who loves him that much. And then, he can fucking save you, moron, what are you doing?! He teleports back inside with every intention of yelling himself hoarse. *** He finds Kakashi collapsed against the door. A dejected heap of too-thin limbs, his head in his hands, tears cascading down his cheeks. And Pakkun doesn''t know what to do now. Kakashi hasn''t ever broken down this far before. Never into uncontrollable sobs. Pakkun would rather hear him scream from torture than this. "Kakashi." Nothing. "Kakashi!" The others appear in puffs of smoke as Kakashi staggers to his feet. He can''t stay on them, though, crumbles and crawls across broken wood and glass to the bedroom. "Kakashi!" "Boss, be careful!" "What the hell is happening, Pakkun?" "Someone go get the old lady!" They follow Kakashi into the bedroom, trying their best to wrangle him onto the bed before there''s any more blood. "Look, pup, seriously, you need help." The Sharingan is spinning madly, and they all flinch when it turns on them. "Go away." Kakashi''s voice is almost gone. Rough and breaking every other word. "Why''d you send him away, boss?" Pakkun has to push. He has, too. Kakashi has to get up. Has to go after the Umino Uchiha. Has to get help. And he''s not doing it. The Sharingan is spinning. Kakashi''s chakra is fading faster than Pakkun''s ever seen before. Aki, stupid, brave Aki nips at Kakashi''s foot. It used to be a game they played with him when he was small and obsessed with imitating his idol, the Yellow Flash. This time, he lashes out. Kicks with enough force that it would have broken something if Aki didn''t hop out of the way. And trip and slam into the windowsill. Mr. Ukki''s pot shatters as it hits the floor. Kakashi''s beloved photo teeters. Aki''s ears are flat back as he shakes. The others frozen as the killing intent rolls off Kakashi in waves. It''s never been aimed at any of them before. And Kakashi would say, has said, that it''s just a plant to anyone who asks. But it''s not. It was the last, the only gift he''d ever received from Obito, who''d ended up being so much more important than any of them ever realized. The only one who fought so hard to be Kakashi''s friend. Mostly against Kakashi himself. Who paved the way for those who followed. Gai, Asuma, Kurenai, Genma, and all the rest who care enough to ask Kakashi how he''s doing even when they''re not on missions together. That stupid plant that never seemed fully dead or fully alive was the first proof that someone thought kindly about Kakashi when he''d been nothing but an angry, resentful child determined to show the world the worst side of him. Pakkun knows there were people that cared for Kakashi then, that there are now, but to Kakashi, Mr. Ukki had always been the physical proof of what he''d refused to believe. Given to him by a teammate whose loyalty and love had not diminished in the wake of Kakashi''s dismissal. "Get out." "Boss." "Get. Out." The killing intent is only growing. "Go," Pakkun barks and doesn''t say, not far, because they know. He focused on Kakashi, who''s palmed a kunai, practically vibrating with rage. "Pup-" "I told you to get out!" It ends as a yell strong enough to make Pakkun step back. And, oh- He''s- This isn''t- Kakashi is breaking. He curses his short, stubby legs as he runs. *** Thankfully, Iruka hasn''t made it very far. Shoulders stooped, feet dragging, utterly miserable over something he didn''t even know he wanted until a few days ago. Pakkun''s foaming at the mouth, the pads of his feet bleeding by the time he reaches him. He''s so rushed he can''t slowdown in time and slams into the back of Iruka''s knees, sending them both to the ground. "Pakkun? What the hell?" The sensei is angry. That tends to be his default emotion, Pakkun thinks, and another day, with less to worry about, he''d laugh himself silly at Kakashi''s struggles to live with someone like that. "Please." He sees confusion, then realization, then a gratifying amount of worry. "Kakashi?" "Please." He''s so out of breath he has to gasp for air, "Hurry." At least Iruka is kind enough to pick him up before he takes off. *** My wish is that you may be loved to the point of madness. Andr¨¦ Breton *** Present Day : :Healers House, Inuzuka Compound: : There''s a short list of things Sasuke always checks for immediately upon waking now. His sword. And Naruto. Naruto is leaning over him, beaming. Clearly barely restraining himself from something. "Where''s my sword?" Naruto starts twitching as he sits up. "Your sword?" Sasuke looks around as his thoughts settle. Iruka shared... a lot. And probably held back a lot, too, but what he did show Sasuke has bought him a reprieve. For now. Sasuke has a whole new list of people to kill for crimes against his family. He doesn''t have sandals either. He notices as he looks around and ignores the growing flame of rage next to his futon. "And my sandals." "Sandals." Naruto''s voice is dangerously calm and even. So, naturally, Sasuke has to fix that. "Sandals, dobe. Find me some. I have things to do." "THINGS TO DO?!" Ah, there it is. An odd sort of serenity settles over Sasuke as Naruto''s voice climbs through the decibels. Outside, he feels Sakura and several others approach and then turn abruptly around. Fuckers are abandoning him, he thinks viciously, but for the first time in years, it''s not tinged with bitterness. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. It''s tinged with amusement. Because they''re all watching over him. Loved him enough to stick around and see this mess through. "WHAT THE FUCK, SASUKE? THAT''S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY? WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING ATTACKING IRUKA-SENSEI! IT''S NOT HIS FAULT! NOTHING IS HIS FAULT! I''LL BEAT YOU INTO THE GROUND IF YOU HURT HIM!" Silence. Sasuke pulls on his shirt. "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?" Sasuke stretches, runs a mental check on his limbs and organs, and everything seems to be functioning. His chakra still hasn''t recovered completely, but it''s getting there- He blinks. Ah, he shouldn''t have ignored Naruto. Above him, Naruto''s blue, blue eyes glitter like the ocean at midday. A perfect blue that sparkles in the sun that Sasuke remembers from a brief trip through the Coral Islands while he was chasing after Itachi. Who''s back now. Who''s alive. Who''s going to laugh his ass off that Naruto managed to pin Sasuke. The water had been so painfully beautiful that Sasuke had actually stopped and stared, wasting time he didn''t have because he couldn''t do anything else. Naruto''s eyes are going to make Sasuke waste a lot of time in the future, he realizes. They''re making him waste time right now. And suddenly, he''s furious. "Get off me, dobe!" "Stop ignoring me!" Naruto screams right back. They end up wrestling across Sasuke''s futon, trading the upper hand between cheap shots and snarls. "I wait for you, and you just ignore me?" "I have shit to do, you''re in the way!" "I''m trying to help!" "You suck at helping!" "Well, you suck at everything!" "The fuck I do! I''m better than you at everything, dobe!" And he succeeds in pinning Naruto with a vicious smirk and a grip tight enough to leave bruises. It doesn''t stop Naruto from yelling right back, "The hell you are, teme! Just watch!" Those words.... Those words are going to be Sasuke undoing. Since when is Naruto even that flexible? Since when is anybody?! But somehow, he''s got a hand in Sasuke''s pants, which are just an extra pair of Iruka''s pajamas and already too big, and he seems way too comfortable going straight for Sasuke''s dick. Holy- Can''t let him win. "Tha-that''s not how you do-o it, dobe. Watch-ngh." "Fuck, Sas-wait, let-" "No, like-hah!" "Oh god, go-good." "See-e, told you I was better, d-dobe." Which apparently just means Naruto needs to swallow his cock, and Sasuke seizes up in some weird place where his entire body is taunt as a chakra wire, but his mind is warm and hazy and relaxed like it''s never been before. What the hell, if the dobe wants to do all the work, who''s Sasuke to tell him no? *** Surrender on Sasuke...should not be as hot as it is, Naruto thinks as the Uchiha slowly slumps back and sprawls out, Naruto tucked between his legs. A pink flush rises across his cheeks, and Naruto shoves his shirt up, desperate to see it spread across his chest. Not bad, considering Naruto''s got no fucking idea what he''s doing, but it seems pretty similar to a popsicle, and Naruto loves those, and that approach seems to be working based on the way Sasuke''s eyes glaze over. Heh, he''s got this. "Do better, dobe." And it''s all breathy and challenging and infuriating- Well, if he wants better, Naruto will give it to him. Pressing down more than he''s ready for and choking when Sasuke''s hips inadvertently snap up, and his thighs clamp around Naruto''s head with enough force to remind Naruto that he''s doing his best to bed a very dangerous man. Despite the hands fisting in his hair and the involuntary movement of his hips, Sasuke isn''t making a sound as Naruto figures out the best way to suck without killing himself. Sasuke''s even quiet when he backs off with a pop and glares at him with Sasuke''s thighs still wrapped around his head. "Why aren''t you making any noise?" People are supposed to make noise, according to Prevert Sanin''s stupid books. Sasuke, flushed and chest heaving and the same red as his cock and isn''t that pretty, just looks down at him without loosening his grip on Naruto''s hair. "Why aren''t you making me?" .... Challenge accepted. He sinks his teeth into Sasuke''s thigh and catches Sasuke biting his lip to stay quiet. *** Outside, three kunoichi desperately wishing they weren''t such good friends and that they''d fled with the others. "This should not be so hot, given how stupid they are," Ino mutters, face flushed. "All love is h-hot," Hinata stutters, terribly red. Sakura just puts her face in her hands and groans. *** Getting closer as he works his way around, finds all the places that make him shiver when he''s by himself, but Sasuke stays stubbornly silent. He really is a worthy rival. Until Naruto gets low and puts his tongue there, and Sasuke shrieks so loudly it startles them both. "Wha- Sasuke?" He''s hiding his face behind his arms when Naruto looks up, the flush on his cheeks even darker than before. He liked that, Naruto thinks, giddy. Couldn''t help but make that noise that made Naruto''s toes curl. But- Oh... He''s embarrassed. Peering out from behind his arms and Sasuke''s always been terribly proud and careful with his image because that was all he had for so long. Maybe someday he''ll be comfortable, but today''s not that day. Naruto looks around and ah- shoves a pillow into his hands. "Here." He stays still, uneasy, as Sasuke grabs it, buries his face in it and- "Do it again, Naruto." "Yeah?" "Yeah." So, he does. And Sasuke does make noise, muffled by the pillow, but still loud enough that it drives Naruto a little bit crazy. Breathy, shocky whimpers, and he starts squirming like he''s trying to get away, so Naruto grabs his hips and holds him in place while he licks and licks, and Naruto is definitely winning this one. Deeper in the village, Iruka''s chakra flares. Kakashi''s roars. *** Present Day : :Hokage''s Office, Hokage''s Tower, Konohagakure: : Tsunade was reading every damn line in Yumi''s scroll for a third time, Jiraiya''s warmth at her shoulder as he followed along. Copies had already been made and hidden and lost because apparently Root was deeper than any of them had realized, but the original had not left her sleeve. Outside her office, the village continued on with its day, unaware of the brewing storm. The steady hum of chakra from the wall surrounding the village continued in the background, unnoticed by most but comforting. No matter what happened, it stayed the same. It had been a beacon while Tsunade was away. No matter where she found herself, she could turn in the direction of Konohagakure and reach and find it. A bright burst of Iruka''s chakra startles her. An answering explosion of Kakashi''s brings her to her feet. Before she could do anything, Itachi appeared and sent her ANBU guards scrambling. "Follow." He says, eyes dark, sword in hand. And she does. *** Present Day : :Konohagakure: : He was too slow. Too damn slow. And Kakashi is so damn fast. Iruka has to drop him to block the blows and duck the blistering Chidori. "Hatake, what the fuck?" Iruka rolls across the street unharmed, but the corner of Kakashi''s apartment building splinters to pieces under the force of his attack. A few startled shinobi and the rest of Kakashi''s nin-kin escape as the building begins to collapse, but Kakashi pays it no mind. Oddly, obsessively focused on Iruka and already preparing a second Chidori. "Boss, what the hell are you doing?" Aki. "Kakashi, stop!" Pakkun has never once given the pup an order. Some strongly worded suggestions may be, but never an order. Before today, he would have been absolutely confident in Kakashi''s obedience if he had. Before today. Kakashi ignores them all, absolutely silent, as he launches himself at Iruka again and again. Through Iruka and Pakkun''s desperate attempts to talk him down. Through the pack begging. Through the arrival of multiple shinobi who try to intercede and are simply thrown aside until it becomes clear that Kakashi is not holding back. And there were so few that could equal him when he was. Now.... Any other day, Pakkun would be proud. Today, he''s just terrified. The arrival of Itachi, Tsunade and- For kami''s sake, he does not need this today. "Kakashi!" Tsunade''s voice silences everyone else, but it doesn''t get so much as a twitch from the man himself. "Stand down, shinobi!" One of Iruka''s dodges sends Kakashi''s wave of shuriken straight towards a small shop, kami knew who was inside, but before anyone watching could intervene, they froze in midair. No, not frozen, just stopped so quickly that it took everyone''s eyes a moment to catch up to the sudden appearance of Uchiha Shisui, Sasuke, and Naruto. "Kakashi-sensei! What are you- JIRAIYA-SENSEI?!" "Question of the hour, kid." Pakkun grunts as he lands next to them. "Kakashi, answer me!" Even Tsunade inserting herself between Kakashi and Iruka doesn''t seem to faze him, and she loses a lock of hair to his third chidori. "Not good," Pakkun mutters. "How many-" Sasuke doesn''t bother to finish his own question, Mangekyo swirling. He can already see Kakashi''s chakra falling into dangerous levels. "What the hell are you doing, kid?" Jiraiya actually manages to grab Kakashi and hold him still, just for a second, before he has to leap back to avoid a kunai to the jugular. "Something''s wrong." Tenzo, behind his mask and among a squad of ANBU no doubt sent to subdue the threat without consideration for who it was. He has to save Kakashi, Pakkun thinks, mind going in desperate circles. Tenzo''s right, something is wrong, Kakashi''s not stopping, and there are only three possible outcomes. One, he succeeds in killing Iruka because that''s clearly what he''s trying to do. And then Kami knows what happens after that because Naruto, and now Sasuke, won''t let that go. Two, someone steps in and kills him because he won''t stop. Three, he pushes himself into such a state of chakra exhaustion that there is no recovery, and he kills himself. Which he is already very, very close to doing. For all that he''s focused on Iruka, and not responding to any of them, he manages to dodge Genma''s paralyzing senbon and any other attempt to pin him down. "Why isn''t he saying anything?" Trust Naruto to get to the heart of the matter as loudly as possible. Kakashi is quiet, but he''s never this quiet. And ironically, it''s the blind shinobi that catches it first. "It''s on his tongue," Shisui murmurs, which is enough to tell Pakkun exactly what is happening. "Everyone get back!" His bark is enough to get most of them moving, but he has to run to Tsunade and Jiraiya to make them listen. "Get back, get back! Don''t get in the way." "What''s happening, Pakkun?" "It''s the damn Root seal. Someone activated it." Even ANBU falls back at that. "Naruto, Sasuke, stay back." Itachi''s words are, surprisingly, enough to keep both boys back. Leaving Kakashi surrounded by Iruka, Itachi, and Shisui. Kakashi fights like a demon. The Uchiha had been yokai hunters way back when. When demons still roamed the earth freely and Pakkun and his ilk had been a young gift from Kuromaru to a clan in its infancy determined to survive. Friend-Killer Kakashi, future Rokudaime, and Konoha''s greatest living shinobi, fights like the yokai of old. The ones that killed thousands in a single battle. But between Iruka''s chakra nullification, Shisui''s flicker, and Itachi''s mind... He won''t win, Pakkun is relieved and terrified to realize. The three corral him amidst the ruined street while Tsunade and the others argue about what''s happening. "The Root seal was removed," Jiraiya argues. "Someone go get the damn Council," Tsunade snaps. "Surprised they''re not here already," Genma snarls. "Danzo swore the seal was removed, the Sandaime verified it was gone," Gai insists. "There was no seal." It''s Shisui who stops fighting long enough to explain. "Don''t be fooled. The Root seal can only be removed through death or fire." "It can, however, be made to appear completely dormant," Taka finishes, grim. "Are you saying they''ve had the ability to control him this entire time?" Raido, just as horrified in his disbelief as the rest of them. "Hatake and everyone else that''s ever had it," Shisui mutters, but before he can leap back into the fight, Tsunade catches his arm. "Death or fire?" "Death or fire, Lord Hokage." "Explain fire." "Every drop of ink must be burned out. It''s not...death is a preferable alternative for most." "Understandable," Tsunade murmurs, pale, the sheer pain of burning out ink deep within the skin could kill most, and Pakkun steps on her foot. "He will be dead for sure if this continues," he''s pleading, he realizes, and it doesn''t bother him, "They''ll slip up on accident, or he''ll kill himself. Whoever is controlling him has already decided he''s no longer useful, or they wouldn''t have sent him on a suicidal mission to kill someone so recognizable." Tsunade, well, Pakkun''s always liked her. She doesn''t hesitate. "Everyone stay back. Iruka, Itachi, Shisui, capture Kakashi." It doesn''t take long now that they know what''s happening and Kakashi''s on his last legs no matter what the puppet master does. It only takes a few harrowing minutes for Shisui to trip him and Iruka and Itachi to bear him to the ground and slip a senbon into his vagus nerve at the top of his spine. He goes limp instantly. But his eyes are still terribly blank. And he''s still utterly silent. They almost look like they''re being gentle as they pry open his mouth and pull out his tongue. The Root seal as black and as solid as it was the day Danzo gave it to him. And Pakkun knows it wasn''t visible before today. He would have noticed, one of the dozens of hospital staff who have treated Kakashi over the years would have noticed. Hell, Iruka would have noticed while he was sticking his tongue down Kakashi''s throat. "I would have seen that," Tsunade snarls. "It has a concealment ward built in," Shisui mutters. "Someone needs to help us hold him just in case." Iruka orders, and Pakkun would be worried about Kakashi in his hands if Iruka didn''t look so terribly concerned. "Gai, Asuma, Genma, Raido." And Genma and Raido looked ready to protest Itachi''s orders until he named them. Then they were right there holding Kakashi''s legs. With Kakashi half-propped up against Itachi''s chest, his mouth held open, and Iruka sitting on his stomach, the whole scene would have been hilarious any other time. He watches Iruka make the hand signs for katon, and the thin, needle-like flame that emerges is somehow just as terrifying as the giant fireballs Pakkun has seen Uchiha fling in battle. The ones that burn acres and buildings in a single blast. Several of the observers turn away. Even to a shinobi of Fire Country, fire itself is terrifying. Part of the reason the Uchiha were always so feared. Their love of the flame almost as fear-inducing as their eyes. Fire is, after all, the most painful way to die. Tsunade and Jiraiya crowd around with Naruto and Sasuke. Which is the only reason the wood release that erupts from the ground, as Iruka''s flame reaches Kakashi''s tongue and begins to sink in and chase the ink, doesn''t interrupt him. There''s only one shinobi present with a wood release. And it''s not well known to the entire village maybe, but it is to several of the shinobi present that Tenzo was once Root too. Taka and Shisui reach him first, as his ANBU cohort is being flung away and provide the distraction Sasuke needs to snap into place in front of him and Tsunade behind him, and she catches Tenzo''s as he stiffens and topples over. "Teme, hurry!" Ah. Of course. Why, Pakkun thinks sadly, did anyone just assume Sasuke would be willing to help any of them? The boy hesitates. Eyes spinning as he looks down at Tenzo as Tsunade rips off his mask. Sasuke was never part of the Team 7 that Tenzo was. That was the Team 7 that hunted the traitor, not the one who tried to save a hurt teammate. Naruto seems to be the only one willing to call on Sasuke. Even Tsunade, Pakkun is surprised to realize, won''t look up at the boy. "Is he even skilled enough?" One of the injured ANBU mutters, and he must have a death wish, Pakkun thinks as black flames erupt around him and send him scrambling backward into the writhing roots with a fearful squawk. "Please." Sasuke isn''t the only one who turns to Tsunade in surprise as the smell of Kakashi''s burning flesh begins to rise. "Please. I-" "Pardon him," Naruto interrupts. And oh, that boy has grown leaps and bounds, Pakkun realizes. But he''s still as stupidly brave as he always was. "Kid-" "Pardon Sasuke, and he''ll help Tenzo." Naruto, ignoring Jiraiya trying to pull him back and the look of fury crossing Tsunade''s face. She has no choice, Pakkun realizes, and then, Naruto is going to be a great Hokage one day. Iruka, Itachi, and Shisui might have helped before Naruto said anything, but they sure as hell won''t now. Not if it means Sasuke will be legally pardoned. Which means refusing will leave one of Tsunade''s most valuable shinobi in the hands of Root, or dead. The sheer size and reach of the wood release that''s still fighting despite Tenzo''s paralysis is testament to that. And it will leave Kakashi even more emotionally compromised than he already is. "Uchiha Sasuke, as Godaime Hokage, I hereby pardon you of all crimes committed against Konohagakure and her citizens." There''s a heartbeat where it looks like Sasuke still won''t do it, where he just stares down at her, eyes as cold as her''s are furious. But all it takes is a shove from Naruto, and he kneels over Tenzo as Naruto and a reluctant Jiraiya move to help hold him. The rest of the shinobi around them are too distracted battling Tenzo''s wood release to notice the smoke billowing from the Hokage''s Tower. *** Compassion is to share the pain without sharing the suffering. Shinzen Young *** Present Day : :Hokage''s Office, Hokage''s Tower, Konohagakure: : Shizune didn''t like being ordered to stay behind, especially not when it meant she was leaving Tsunade''s side. The Senju Sanin was brilliant and strong but easily distracted, and Shizune had learned the hard way that if you gave her an inch, she''d take a mile when it came to getting out of paperwork. Shizune worries, mostly because it seems like Tsunade never does. Sometimes, rarely, but sometimes, Shizune thinks her teacher is too strong for her own good. Tsunade has never met an enemy she couldn''t defeat, even though some of them took more work than others. Until Obito and Madara. Until Kaguya. It took others to defeat them, though Tsunade herself was no doubt vital to that effort, but she''s been looking more and more towards retirement and personally, Shizune doesn''t think Kakashi is ready. He''s skilled. Definitely the strongest of them now, but he doesn''t want it. And in Shizune''s experience, people thrust into positions they don''t want, don''t tend to do very well. Kakashi might come around, given enough time, but the more people push him, the less willing he becomes. Leaders resentful of their own lack of choice aren''t likely to allow those they lead theirs. Shizune does not want to see Kakashi or Konohagakure fall to that. Especially not now when it seems like they''re finding out she came terribly close not long ago. Everything Konohagakure has stood for for the last twenty years is being ripped up by the roots and laid out for dissection. The faith of Konohagakure''s shinobi is being shaken. But she stays put because Tsunade ordered her to because she knows how important this scroll is, so she stays and keeps making copies, sticks the original down her shirt, and keeps a kunai close so she''s halfway ready when the Root ANBU squad breaks through the unguarded wards and teleports in. Six on one are not great odds. Shizune knows her strengths, administration and ninjutsu leave her limited against ANBU level shinobi. If they get the original scroll, no amount of copies will matter because legally, they''ll never be able to prove the original ever existed, and the entire case they''re building against Root and the Council, and the rot that has infected Konohagakure and killed her children will go on unchallenged. Because it won''t be long before they come for Tsunade herself. Then Kakashi. Jiraiya. Anyone else will be easy pickings after they''re gone. As she grips the kunai, steals herself and calculates the few possible escape routes she has, the door to Tsunade''s office, the most heavily warded door in the village, shatters into splinters and even Root turns in surprise. "Whoops." Hagane grins in the doorway, Kamizuki at his shoulder. "Put too much into that one, sorry ''bout that." And Shizune can''t even. Assistants to the Hokage''s Assistants and mission desk workers, how the hell did they break that door? Most days, she has to prod them into working or go find them when they''ve wandered off to "file" or yell at them when they replace the sake Shizune had thrown out. "Hagane, Kamizuki," The Root Captain with a flycatcher mask growls, no surprise in his voice. "Sorry, are we interrupting something?" Kamizuki grins. "I think we are, Izu," Hagane steps into the office proper, hands stuffed in his pockets, casually slumped like he isn''t walking into a fight that was going to result in Shizune''s death. "Something big by the feel of it." "Pretty sure that''s not allowed," Kamizuki agrees, following him in as Root turns their backs to Shizune to face them. Lazy, irritable, disrespectful Ch¨±nin, Shizune thinks. And then, allies. "Leave, or we''ll kill you as well," Flycatcher hisses. Hagane and Kamizuki share a thoughtful look, and it sends a flash of fear and resignation through Shizune. They weren''t going to let her live even if they got the scroll. It makes her decision to die fighting easier. And much as she''s sympathetic to the desire to live, the two Ch¨±nin are shinobi, and they have a duty to their Hokage and their village. "I don''t know," Kamizuki hedges. "What will you give us if we do?" Hagane wonders. It takes a second and Flycatcher''s enraged snarl for Shizune to realize that they''re playing. With Root. Like hunters with their prey. "Defend me," Shizune orders, one hand clutching a kunai, the other the scroll under her shirt. And they do. And she should have been clearer, she thinks, as she dives to the side, because apparently, to Hagane, a small office plus multiple attackers equals a giant fucking sword, and even Kamizuki sighs in exasperation as he throws himself at the half of Root that isn''t fleeing Kotetsu''s blade. "Damn it, Ko." But Hagane just laughs as he swings. *** Present Day : :Office of Shinobi Conduct, Konohagakure Council of Elder''s Headquarters, Konohagakure: : Koharu quietly sipped her tea, ignoring Homura''s fluttering impatience next to her, as they watched the smoke rise through the window facing the Tower. For most of Konohagakure''s existence, their offices had been in the Tower itself, right next door to the Hokage''s own. Where their beloved teacher Senju Tobirama had once worked alongside the village''s bane, Uchiha Madara. It had been that very office where Danzo had birthed Root and finally defeated the Uchiha. And it had been there that Hiruzen had broken Danzo''s heart and then their trust when he''d banished them from the Tower and sent them to this tiny, cramped, forgotten building at the edge of the village. Next to the T&I headquarters and not far from ANBU, the two hardest organizations in the village to hide from. To add further insult, he''d turned their old office into storage, struck their names from the plaque in the hall. Danzo had never forgiven him, and Koharu and Homura had no plans to do so either. That their old teammate had fallen so far was a sad, pathetic thing, but he had made his choices and refused their help. She had not cried at his funeral. And then his student had refused to allow them to return, muttering something about culling the herd and too many heads and not enough soldiers and immediately placed herself in the category of enemy instead of ally. It was disappointing, considering Koharu could still remember babysitting her when she''d been a toddler. Danzo had even been the one to teach her her first medical jutsu, and she''d turned her back on him as quickly as she''d turned on Hiruzen. Ungrateful brat. "Hatake failed," Homura murmured. "It is of little consequence now." It had been a hail mary to begin with, setting him on Iruka while they were both still inside the village walls. Too many others nearby to intervene to truly hope for success. But Shisui and Itachi''s return, and the Uzumaki boy and the youngest Uchiha... And the loss of Asuma and Jiraiya... They were running out of soldiers, and Iruka''s allies were growing, and they needed something to distract them all while they put the painter in place. Neko had outlived his usefulness after bringing them that scroll. And they still had their best weapon safely tucked away in the Land of Iron, well out of the reach of anyone in the village. And how amusing was it? That the thing the Uchiha claimed to value most, love, was what would lead to their fall. Again. Iruka''s love and desire to protect the jinchuriki and the traitor had finally allowed them to box him in. Hunting the Hanta on one side, his brothers on the other, his chosen son on another, and now the man he loved on the last. There was nowhere left for Iruka to run. She''d warned Hiruzen. She''d even warned Fugaku all those years ago, that Iruka''s emotions would be his undoing if they didn''t correct him while he was young. They had ignored her and that was when she''d realized the Uchiha were beyond redemption, beyond saving. They needed to be eliminated before they endangered the village. Such foolhardiness could not be tolerated among the ranks of Konohagakure-nin if the village was expected to continue to survive and lead the shinobi world. Iruka and his kin were a blemish upon their existence that Koharu and Homaru could not allow to continue. That Iruka had survived them thus far was impressive. Enough that some of their organization whispered of Fugaku''s reach from beyond the grave, but Koharu did not believe in such fairytales. Iruka had been blessed with the Sandaime''s affection, and now that that was no longer the case, it was the perfect time to dispose of him. And following him, the jinchuriki and his brothers and then the Godaime herself. Most likely, they''d have to get rid of Hatake too, she mused, so today''s distraction served a two-fold purpose, as Kakashi was unlikely to survive the removal of the seal. After waiting patiently for so long, things were finally falling into place. "The Inuzuka and Aburame will need to be handled quickly," Homura murmured, a little too gleeful for proper company. "That is what the artist is for. There are too few of them left to survive his attack." The idea of finally shutting up that loud-mouth Inuzuka bitch was almost as compelling as finally silencing Iruka, and she smiled as she sipped her tea. The Uchiha are born half-dead, it seems, and spend the rest of their lives trying to be fully dead, Tobirama-sensei had said. I will grant your wish then, she thought, pleased. Yes, things were finally falling together. *** Present Day : :Forest of Death, Land of Fire: : "Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!" Shinmoro sang and danced through the dark forest and the tall trees, unable to contain his glee. "Freedom! Fresh air! Vengeance!" He laughed and then stopped. There, sitting at the foot of a great tree was a box of blank scrolls and ink. Everything he needed and he laughed again and couldn''t stop. "Here I come!" *** Present Day : :Land of Snow: : The lodge built deep inside the mountains, more fortress than anything else, Minato mused, was truly incredible. Including the huge Uchiha uchiwa carved into the highest peak that would have been visible for miles if it wasn''t concealed by such powerful wards. There were very few clans who loved their symbols as much as the Uchiha. Though it had clearly had few visitors and even fewer long-term residents, it hummed with power left over from those who had been there. The smell of Mokuton and Godfire permeated everything. Always warm, always strong, a shelter from all enemies. It would be easy to pass the decades here. Safe from the perils of the world. Kikyo wouldn''t admit who had been here before, aside from herself, but Minato can guess. There is great knowledge hidden here, in the sprawling library and Kikyo''s endless mind and he spends his days absorbing as much as he can. About Kaguya and the Otsutsuki and the war he didn''t even know they were fighting. About the miasma and Zetsu and poor, poor Madara. And Obito. About all the things that had been discovered and then lost again and the unsettling realization that even Kaguya had wanted something good in beginning, had wanted to protect and defend and make her children happy and safe. In the beginning. And the small betrayals that poisoned her against the world she''d created until a mother hated her own children. Minato can be sympathetic and unforgiving at the same time. Kikyo doesn''t seem like the type to be sympathetic about anything, but he supposes that fighting the same war over and over for so long would burn that out of even the best of them. That she was there to see it the first time, to stand by her father against her great-grandmother and then to follow him when he walked away from what was left of his family after, it takes longer to absorb and consider that than it does the most complicated jutsus he finds hidden away up here. It had taken him days to recover after she''d shown him the memories of what had happened while he''d been gone and a few from the years before he''d even been born. The depths of the Rinnegan as haunting as the origins of the Otsutsuki. "We have to go." He blinked, thankfully he''d gotten past the point that she could startle him. "What?" "Now." Even confused, he followed. "What''s happened?" "They woke up the demon summoner." She hadn''t gotten to that point in her stories of the past yet, but Minato could already tell it was exceptionally bad news. *** The two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why. Mark Twain *** ~tbc~