Killing in the Name Of
Without Fear
Summary: It's been two years since Rin disappeared and a hallow Kakashi, ANBU captain, leads teams of ninjas to crush a rebellion in remote provinces of Fire Country. There, he is tested not just as ninja, but as a leader, a friend, a lover, an idealist, and a human being.
Disclaimer: 'nuff said.
Rating: PG-13; Swearing, gore, violence…and a bit o' made up ninja politics.
Genre: Action/Drama/Romance/Angst/Whatever comes up
Pairing: Tentatively KakaRin. Slowly developed romance. NOT romance centered. Like life is not romance centered, but…romance just comes sometimes
Pre Chapter Author's Notes:
1. To distract me from the other story because the other gets me stressed out a bit since it's a long plot.
2. WARNING: This story is loaded with original characters. Seriously, if you hate original characters indiscriminately, don't read this. Kakashi and Rin are the main players, but there is big dose of OCs.
3. Title was ripped of a song. Bad me. Can you name the artist?
4. Thanks for continuing to read. Please give this story a chance.
"You're keeping in step
In the line
Got your chin held high and you feel just fine
Because you do
What you're told
But inside your heart it is black
And it's hollow
And it's cold."
- "The Hand That Feeds", Nine Inch Nails
Chapter 1: Iyokan
Rin disappeared two years ago on a mission to these parts. Something about that made Kakashi eager to take this mission although he had the choice not to. He usually didn't like to get embroil in affairs that was caused by pure politics, but this was different. He couldn't quite pinpoint it why it was different, but it was.
But Rin disappeared in these parts. The memory of her spirit, of her name, made Kakashi's heart tremble uncharacteristically. She was the last of his closest friends. She was supposed to be the friend that he would muse about the past with, and cry over the bodies of their comrades. She was supposed to the person who was left alive to tell their tales to the next generation, and to nurture the villagers and the future. But she was gone first. This was not fair.
"Rin, why are you going on a mission?" a mask less Kakashi asked, frowning, "You've already gotten a residency at the hospital." The addressed, a smiling brunette with two rectangular marks on her cheeks, only laughed. She was a very comely young woman, though nothing about her was superfluous but there was a sense of gentle dignity around her and soft glow of kindness. A rarity among the dark, hardened ninja world, a place Kakashi embodied.
"It's something personal," Rin replied, almost reluctantly.
"Missions shouldn't be personal—"
"I know," Rin interrupted, a little impatient, "But it's something I want to do."
There was no reason to talk her out of it, and he regretted that. And he never found out the "personal" aspect of her mission. Was that the reason she had disappeared?
She disappeared in the turmoil that was overtaking this province. She had reportedly died between the violent scuffles of the province's pseudo-ninja militia and the blood thirsty rebels. In a way, this was revenge.
So when he arrived in the province of Iyoken early in the morning, he wondered if Rin also witnessed the natural wonder of the mother earth rising with the sleepy rays of the sun. There was that familiar in his stomach and a surge of emotion which he suppressed instantly. Kakashi stood observing the province momentarily and took a deep breath, but only managed to get to muffled and stale air from underneath his ANBU mask. He grunted and shook away his mourning thoughts. He signaled to his men, 20-strong, mix of ANBUS, jounins and the chuunin, to continue moving. He had to talk to the region's lord, and scout the province for information on the rebels.
Hatake Kakashi was not sure he liked this man, this regional lord of Iyokan, Kurame Nobu, an underling of the Naganishi-dono. First off, the man spat when he talked and talked while he ate. He was usually free to speak to while he ate, which subjected Kakashi to the disgusting sight of Kurame-sama spitting food while he talked--and the man talked a lot. Kakashi held his breath to prevent himself from releasing a disgusted sigh and was thankful for his dog-mask that hid his disapproving face.
Secondly, it just seems so uncomfortable to be Kurame-sama, a man who could easily defeat Kakashi by just sitting on him. He was, plainly speaking, a pig—no a hog, a pig was more elegant than Kurame-sama. His breathing was heavy, rough and labored and he sat leaned onto his purple couch, his small slit-like eyes hidden by his heavy eyebrows. Every little movement tired him and breathing seemed as much of a workout to Kurame-sama as jogging was to a normal person. The life of sedentary nobleman, Kakashi mused grimly, I wonder when he'll die of a stroke or a heart attack. In his 21 years of life he had never wanted a noble civilian to die as much as he wanted this one to just because he was such an eyesore. If looks could kill, Kakashi would be dead. Thank god for logic.
"You—ninja," Kurame-sama started with his rough voice, "You better do your job well. I'm paying a considerable sum for you and your ninja friends." The third reason Kakashi didn't like him was because the man had little respect towards ninjas and often spoke to Kakashi like he was a house servant. Kakashi was not a house servant; he was a soldier-servant in anything.
"We will," Kakashi answered, bored, "We are the best of the best of Konoha ninjas."
"Good," Kurame-sama gasped back, "What should I call you?"
"Dog," Kakashi answered promptly.
"Dog," Kurame-sama echoed with a lurch of one heavy eyebrow, allowing Kakashi to glimpse the lord's eye, "What kind of name is that?"
"It's what I am called," Kakashi answered, rigidly, "With this mask, we have no name."
"I see," Kurame-sama grunted with a dismissive wave of his pudgy hand, "Alright, Dog. Do what you have to do. Just get rid of them."
"Of course, Kurame-sama," Kakashi nodded, "My teams have already started." He bowed and left the room.
Two ANBU teams and three teams of regular, but top notch ninjas of both jounin and chuunin ranks were employed under Hatake Kakashi. Kurame-sama was skeptical that only twenty ninjas could stop entire armies of violent anarchists and bloodthirsty guerrillas who sought to undermine the peace of province and the lords of the Fire Nation. Kakashi could have snorted.
"These people have no honor," Kurame-sama had warned Kakashi, "They'll kill you when your back is turned."
Kakashi simply replied, "We're not so different."
"Hmm. I've employed hundreds of mercenaries," Kurame-sama continued, "All of them defeated by the rebels. My militia, ninja-trained, cannot contain them."
"We are elite of the ninjas," Kakashi had replied, calmly, "Not cheap mercenaries or pseudo-ninjas."
Strength was not in the number of men, but in the quality of each individual person that is put out on the battlefield. Kakashi was well versed in the importance of one able ninja in the battlefield, often having witnessed his sensei, Namikaze Minato—the late Hokage, take out dozens of enemy factions by himself. His heart fell slightly at the memory of the Yondaime. Let him rest in peace, wherever he is.
"Our enemy here is number," Kakashi told his teams, "They are not skilled fighters, but skilled enough to best hundreds of mercenaries and at least high level genins." ANBU masks and focused faces nodded at him.
"We will wait for them to strike first," Kakashi continued, "Kurame-sama has no useful information about these people. We will have to gather ourselves. All we know is that they attack surplus warehouses, state-owned farms, the government-related buildings. There also have been incidents of private households and farms being attacked." He passed his eyes over the ninjas quickly, nodding. "Although they are targeting the government, it does not seem there is a real discernable pattern in their attacks. Keep your eyes opened and your ears alert. Rebels may look like civilians. In fact, most of them probably are civilians. Are there any questions?" No one raised their voice and Kakashi nodded, satisfied. "Alright, move out."
End of Chapter // Notes
1. Thanks for reading. :3 Please give it a chance.
2. Initial short chapter. Later chapters much longer.
3. Reviews, critique, comments—all accepted Thank you very much:3