Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
The rapid rainfall caused muddy puddles to form on the soaked earth of the small village of Takumi. Men and women rushed to find shelter in the cold storm, leaving tracks in their passing. Children strayed out of their homes to play in the puddles before being scolded by their mothers to come back indoors, fearing that they would catch sick- or worse, be caught by something.
Shops closed early, owners' not wanting their floors to dirty by the mud that laid outside waiting to be tracked in by others. The only establishment continuing to run was the tavern on the outside of the small village, it's lantern lights casting a yellow glow outside it's walls.
Looking inside the tavern's cracked windows was a man hidden under his drenched cloak. His large, equally wet hat gave his covered face refuged from the fat droplets that continued to fall down from the heavens. The trinkets hanging off the brim swaying in the light breeze. Drunks, filled with booze, walking out of the building looked at him with little interest, mumbling gibberish that the tall man was not even able to decipher.
Grasping his oddly shaped staff tighter, the cloaked man used his other hand to pull on the tavern's old door, making his way into the stuffy building. The smell of heavy alcohol and meat filled his nostrils instantly. He watched as other drunks swayed together to the sound of busty, singing women. Their breasts thrusted upward in their tight corsets moving to their deep intakes of breath to help bellow their choice of song. Hungry men watched with joy as they ordered more drinks and food. The cloaked man paid no heed to them as he continued to the west side of the dirty bar.
A skinny, human woman stood behind the wooden counter using a dirty rag to try and soak up some splashes of spilled drinks. Her crowfeet showing in the corners of her narrowed brown eyes as she hunched over a practically hard stain on the wood. Curses spewing from her thin lips showing the inelegant manner of the woman.
The masked man made his way up to her, knocking his staff slightly against the counter to gain the busy woman's attention. "Ume," the man calls, "It's been a long time."
Shaken from the sudden voicing of her name, Ume, clenching the rag tighter, looks up into a lone grey eye. "Ka," she squints her shadowed eyes," Kakashi? Why, what in heaven's hell are you doing here?" She reaches for an empty glass, assuming the man would like a drink. However, she is stopped by the rising of his hand.
"Ah, I've seen your mouth has not changed much since our last parting, Ume." Kakashi glanced around the hot room, sparing a particular glance towards the east corner past the blazing fire pit. "I'd just thought I'd come visit an old friend. How long has it been? Five? Eight years?"
"Count twenty, you ageless brute," Ume spate before offering a small smile. "And do you honestly expect me to believe you're just aimlessly wondering into my tavern to say 'hello'?" She rolled her eyes in exaggeration, taking up the same rag she used to scrub the counter to shine a cup. "What's the real reason, you lying wizard?"
Huffing a small laugh, Kakashi scratched the back of his head. The wet fabric of his large hat shifting with his fingers movement, the trinkets jingling. "Ah," he buzzed, "there is no getting passed you is there, Ume?" Shifting in his stance, Kakashi gave the tavern another look around. Once again, paying special attention to the east corner before turning his attention back to Ume.
He was glad to see that in the time they were separated it did not seem that times have done her wrong. Though she clearly aged, she still had a hold of the spitfire aura he always knew with her. Her tavern business also seemed to be doing well in the small village she was born into over 50 years ago. She was never married, but he never once saw her lust after any man to have them put a ring on her finger.
"To much hassle they are," Kakashi recalled her saying years ago. "They expect me to do all the work and give them the credit. Well, I say, 'feed them to the pigs!'"
A spitfire for sure.
"Well, Ume," he reached into his cloaks pocket, revealing a small print, "I'm hoping you could help me find this man. I was told he frequents this village?" He holds it closer to her aged eyes, describing any other attributes that could help her help him.
Ume squinted at the picture for a few seconds before realization hit her hard. "Oh," she exclaimed, "that's Jiraiya." She doesn't notice Kakashi's raised eyebrow. "He drinks here many nights I think-" she turned her nose up, pointing in the direction Kakashi frequented as well- "Well, I think he's here right now, over there." Her pointed finger casted direction over a couple drunks and the fire, gated by brick, in the center.
Pocketing the print before stealthily stealing two small drinks from men to busy with gawking at the singing women in the room. He offered a small smile of gratitude and head-bow to Ume as he quietly walked in the direction she pointed out.
"I didn't think you would go as far as use your teacher's name," Kakashi sat down in the wooden booth with a fat flumph, surprising the occupied man, "Uzumaki… Naruto?"
A young, human man, nearly jumping out of his tan skin, quickly turned toward the wizard. "Kakashi!" he gasped. "What in middle earth are you-" he shook his blonde spiked haired head- "what do you want? Why are you in Takumi?"
Kakashi laid down the two drinks he stole off the counter in front of the man. "I'm here to talk."
Naruto grabbed one of the drinks, drowning it in a single flick of the wrist. Kakashi didn't touch his; instead he watched the young blonde, his eyes roaming to the man's side where a long sword rested against his knee.
"I see you still have 'it'," he mused, ignoring the questioning stare he was given.
"Ya, well, 'it' isn't something you just throw out to the orcs, ya know?" Naruto huffed, grasping the sword. He didn't mean to be defensive around the wizard, but he had no choice. Kakashi, in his eyes, was a tricky man. Magic was a common thing in his world, but it still bemused him as a human- not quite something he trusted. "So what is it that you want to 'talk' about, Kakashi? I take it that you didn't come seek me out to just talk about this bleak weather."
Craning his head back enough to hit the wall, Kakashi brought his hand to rub at the end of his masked face. "Ah," he started, "that's true." He turned his head toward the blonde, his lone eye crinkling in fake joy. "I just thought it would be a good time to check up on the Prince of Konoha Kingdom," he chortled as he pointed at the many empty cups that laid on the table. "Sad to think that my prince is to be found in a lowly tavern, drinking his money away."
Naruto gave him a harsh glare with his azure eyes, lips pouting in a childish way Kakashi knew better then most. Instead of retaliating the older man's comment, Naruto snatched at the other drink the wizard brought, drowning it quickly before mumbling a few curses.
"Ya, well," Naruto tautly spoke, "it's not really my kingdom anymore now is it, Kakashi?"
Kakashi, unused to ever seeing Naruto so crestfallen, said nothing in return for a while. Though he knew that this young man had seen more then enough hells to last a human lifetime, he was still only used to seeing the cheeky grin of his prince- not the flushed faced of a worn-out young man. "Forgive me, your Highnesses," Kakashi thought, "I failed you this time."
"Well-" the blonde haired man rolled his empty cup on the table, ignoring any spilled contents-" if this is all you came for, then I must be leaving." He rose abruptly, ensuring his long, sheathed sword was secure to his hip. "It was nice seeing you, wizard," sparring a small smile towards the silver haired man from above Naruto began to walk away.
"Naruto," Kakashi hashed out, "sit down."
Scowling, Naruto walked back and sat back down with hesitance. Kakashi never once used such a tone with him before. Sure he had been scolded by the wizard on multiple occasions in his childhood, but seriousness never a common personality trait Naruto saw in Kakashi. Looking into the dark eyes of his booth guest Naruto saw wisdom, trust, and much more than the man would ever let on to anyone. But, Naruto wasn't just anyone- especially to Kakashi.
"What?" Naruto barked.
Silently Kakashi pulled out an incredibly tattered scroll from his robe. It's edges where stained ugly brown and several holes littered the script. With caution, Kakashi- after wiping the wet table with his long sleeve- laid the scroll in front of Naruto end to end.
Questioning, Kakashi asked, "Do you know what this is?"
Looking down, Naruto examined the paper. The parchment, with it's wear, was incredibly detailed and beautifully made. Drawn pictures of mountains and creatures were present at the beginning. Caves entrances, distinctive greenery, and buildings were also scattered around in color. Following the flow of the paper Naruto was met with unparalleled handwritten script- one he could not read.
"Is this Elvish? What are you doing with this Kakashi?" As little as Naruto knew of Elves, he knew they would not appreciate something of their kinds' being in the hand's of a different race. They were 'stingy' a friend of his once said a long time ago. The greedy race- if this document was important to them- could do vast damage in short time to have it returned to their homeland.
Without hesitance Kakashi confirmed Naruto's question. "Yes, it-" he smooth any wrinkles the paper may have gained with his hand- "is something I borrowed from a trader I met on the road."
Grimly, Naruto realized two things: one, Kakashi stole this from a merchant, and two, the merchant most likely stole this from an elf. This was a 'dirty' scroll, and, as wild as he was, Naruto did not want to get into any problems with any elf if he was seen with something that was written by one. Would he fight an elf if one challenged him? Of course! Would he go looking to fight one? Not unless one tried to steal his favorite peasant, human dish, ramen.
"It's quite lovely isn't it?"
"If you say so, Kakashi," Naruto said scratching his head, feeling the after-drinking affect begin to give him a headache. "But, do tell, why do you have some Elf's scroll?"
The sound of the tavern's door opening did not distract Kakashi's intense stare at Naruto's puzzled face.
"Because, this will give you your kingdom back."
A/N: I try