Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (the Anime or Manga), nor any characters in it (like Naruto...)
To Bring them Together...
By FatefulGravy
Hatake Kakashi gazed out over the lake. It had no name, as far as he knew, and if anyone knew it would be him, he had been living there for years after all. He had often thought of naming it himself, Lake Hatake perhaps? No, he was no longer arrogant enough to name the lake after himself. Lake Obito then? No doubt his long dead friend would whoop for joy and probably do some kind of funky jig at having a lake named after him, by Kakashi of all people. But no, naming the lake after one long dead friend seemed a slight against all the other long dead friends, as if he missed them less or something. He had once been tempted by Lake Konoha, but the idea hadn't lasted long. After all, why would he name the lake after the village whose destruction coincided with the lakes creation?
No, the lake didn't require a name, Kakashi decided, it could remain The Lake. Had a nice ring to it.
Kakashi let his one, uncovered eye drift across the still waters and pondered why nothing lived in the lake, his many, many hours spent fishing had yielded not one single fish. But perhaps that was his own bad luck, he wouldn't be surprised. As he looked out across the mirror like surface his eye caught a reflection, and he lifted his head to that which had become a most familiar, and most, most unwelcome sight.
The ruins of the Hidden Village of Konoha sunk into the ground on the other side of the lake like the carcass of some huge, dead beast. Blackened, burnt and broken buildings rose into the sky like a charcoal ribcage, picked clean of meat. The walls, chipped, cracked and collapsing, slumped like slowly decomposing, rotting flesh. And at the head of it all stood the Hokage monument, like some grotesque collection of skulls, the empty eyes and death grins displaying how life was was defeated by death, and how a demon defeated man, the heads of its conquest displayed for all to see.
'Its been fifteen years...', Kakashi thought, as in his minds eye the image before him changed, shifting into what it had once been. He saw the walls pick themselves up and stand strong once again, he saw colour return to the black buildings and trees spring from the ground. He saw people in the streets and ninja jump between the rooftops. He saw Konoha as it had been, years ago.
'...fifteen years, and I still can't let it go.' His mind drifted back...
A much younger Kakashi was running. Not only for his life, but for the young one he held in his arms, and to carry out his Sensei's final wish. The blond baby he carried, Naruto his Sensei had said, was supposed to have been the savior of the village, but something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.
The surviving ninja of Konoha had all cheered and felt an overwhelming sense of relief has the Yondaime Hokage rode out to confront the Demon Fox Kyuubi upon the great toad boss Gamabunta. Surely the greatest of the Hokage's wouldn't let them down, surely he would defeat the demon and Konoha would be saved, surely.
But it was not to be. As the Yondaime engaged the Kyuubi in battle the opposing energies had clashed and in a flash the sky was lit up as if it were day, and the surrounding shinobi were blinded. But they knew, they had faith, that when their eyes cleared and the ringing in their ears faded they would see the Demon Fox gone and hear that the Hokage was victorious. They all believed.
But they were wrong.
As the flash faded, the Kyuubi stood, snarling and spitting, but unharmed. Gamabunta was no where to be seen, and a small, barely visible, back and yellow speck was falling, plummeting to the ground.
But as Kakashi ran, the baby crying in his arms, he shook those thoughts from his mind and concentrated on his mission. His final mission. To get this baby to safety as Konoha burned around them. To carry out his Sensei's last order.
Kakashi vaulted over a burning food stall, and rolled under a flaming cart. He had to reach the other side of Konoha, the wall on the other side of the village to Kyuubi. He hopped over a falling tree and ran straight up the side of a blazing building. Gripping Naruto tightly he sprinted across the roof, but, weakened by the flames it gave way beneath him and he had to jump. He soared through the air, above the smoke and flames, and for a second everything was peaceful, there was no Kyuubi, no destruction, no screams.
Then he was falling back through the smoke, and the heat was burning his skin and ash was collecting in his hair. He landed atop another roof, but it was too weak and he punched straight through into building. He spun in mid air, landing on his feet, as any ninja should, and in a flash he was gone, crashing through the window and spinning to shake off the glass. All sound, even Naruto's cries, had faded out, he could only hear his own breaths.
Over, through, even under but never around. Kakashi ran straight for the wall. Roll under the burst of flame, crash through the wooden wall, kawarimi to escape the falling building. He ran, and ran.
Kakashi came back to himself. It wouldn't do to become lost in the past. The sky had become noticeably darker while he was lost in thought, and the water in the lake had become a much more sinister blue. 'I should head home,' he thought, 'Naruto will be annoyed with me.'
Naruto was indeed annoyed with Kakashi. Currently he was stalking around the front of the small, wooden house that Kakashi had built years ago. It was little more than a hut really, but it kept the weather out and Naruto and Kakashi warm and dry so Naruto didn't complain. Not that he knew any different, after all he had lived in this one place for all fifteen years of his short life, and he wasn't one to complain anyway.
Naruto let out a long suffering sigh as he waited for Kakashi. He was nothing but grateful towards the man that had raised him, Kakashi was everything he would ever want in a father, but the man had a tardy streak several miles long.
"He was supposed to give me a graduation test two hours ago," Naruto grumbled to himself. "If he was fishing again I'm so going to introduce him to my Thousand Years of Pain, Fishing Rod version! He knows theres nothing in the sodding lake." He gave the side of the hut a kick, but let his frustration get the better of him and smacked it a tad too hard, leaving a large crack in the wall.
"Gah!" he exclaimed, "Um...oops," he laughed nervously.
"Yo! Naruto!" Kakashi popped up behind him.
"Gah!" Naruto spun to see his adopted father, careful to place his body between the gray haired man and the cracked wall. "You're lake Kakashi-tousan!"
"Ahh, sorry," he brushed Naruto's shout off, "I thought I saw a shark."
Naruto growled, "There, is, nothing, in, the, lake!"
"Hey, Naruto," suddenly Naruto realised that Kakashi was behind him, "How did this crack get in the wall, hmmm?"
'Uh, oh' thought Naruto, "Um, you say something, Kakashi-tousan?"
Kakashi blinked his one uncovered eye, 'I didn't teach him that...'
"Hmmm, never mind Naruto. Now! Time for your graduation exam!"
"Alright!" Naruto shouted, "What shall I do, huh? Huh?"
"Hmmmm," Kakashi contemplated, "Bunshin no jutsu!"
Naruto nearly fell over, "But, but, but," the young blond stuttered, "I learned that years ago! Why is that the test!"
Kakashi chuckled, Naruto obviously wanted to show off, "Ah, Naruto. In Konoha the test was always Bunshin no jutsu. So, get going." He pulled out a little orange book and sat down on a log.
Naruto glared at his father figure, "Hey! Are you going to watch, or just read your pervert book!"
"Naruto!" Kakashi warned, "They don't make these anymore," he said, holding up his book, "I have to savor every last bit."
"You've read it hundreds of times!" Naruto argued back, "You could probably write your own!"
"Hmmm, thats not a bad idea, Naruto. Perhaps I should."
"Oh yes, I can see it now," Naruto said sarcastically, "Hatake Kakashi, the great Puppy Hermit, author of Icha Icha Lakeside, former ninja genius, it would be a best seller."
Kakashi looked up from his book and glared, "Puppy Hermit, hmmm?"
"Of course," Naruto smirked, "Pakkun is most definitely a puppy."
"Did I mention the time limit on the test?" Kakashi said out of nowhere.
"Gah!" Naruto jumped up, "Bunshin no jutsu!" In a puff of smoke five more Naruto's appeared. Each wore the same blue jacket and trousers with a black undershirt as the original, and all six Naruto's wore a foxy grin.
"Hows that, Kakashi-tousan!"
"Hmmm," Kakashi looked up from his book. 'He's not paying any attention,' Thought Naruto.
"Well done," said Kakashi, upon seeing Naruto's bunshin. "You pass."
"Yes!" Naruto shouted. "Er...is that it?"
"Of course," Kakashi explained, "most ninja know much, much more than a basic bunshin, but to pass the academy thats all you had to know."
"That seems stupid," Naruto replied.
"It may seem that way," Kakashi continued to explain, "but you must remember that the vast majority of students in Konoha would have been trained by there clan to fight in a specific way, by the time they graduate they would already know much more than bunshin."
"I suppose," Naruto agreed. "Hard to believe that all the clans are gone now though."
"I imagine there are some survivors," said Kakashi, "but those that escaped Konoha during the Kyuubi attack are scattered around the world. Having them together was what made Konoha so strong, on their own each has weaknesses that can be exploited."
Naruto dispelled his bunshin and took a seat on he floor next to Kakashi.
"They've probably given up being ninja now anyway," contemplated Naruto, "Anyway! Tomorrow I'm heading to the ruins!"
"Huh!" Kakashi exclaimed in surprise, "Its not safe there Naruto." Kakashi had been into the ruins many times, but Naruto had never been, there had been no reason to take him.
"Don't worry Kakashi-tousan, I'm a ninja now! I'll be fine," explained Naruto, "And besides, I need to get a Ninja headband!"
Kakashi was surprised again by his adopted son, "Why a Konoha headband Naruto. There are no Konoha ninja anymore."
Naruto jumped to his feet, "Of course there are!" he shouted, "As long as you and me still practice the ninja way there will always be Konoha ninja! And besides, after all you've told me about Konoha how could I not want to be a Leaf Ninja!"
Kakashi studied the boy, no young man before him. His stance, his eyes, even his words, all exuded determination and purpose. It was all so familiar to Kakashi, yet it was something he hadn't seen for many years. "You're set on this, hmmm?"
"Of course , Kakashi-tousan!"
"Then you best go get packed, you'll have a busy day tomorrow."
Naruto grinned and dashed inside to gather supplies. Kakashi couldn't help but grin behind his mask, 'He would have made you proud, Sensei.'
A/N
This was inspired by a plot bunny provided by Little Miss Pissed Off, so I hope I can do the idea justice.
One simple question, is it ok to say Kakashi-tousan, because Naruto knows that Kakashi isn't his father but he treats him like one. Also, I'm very tempted to do a Kakashi fishing outtake.
Next time: Naruto goes on his quest to the ruins of Konoha, and finds more than he was looking for.
