Summary: Hypotheses responding to those little questions about our beloved Naruto characters.
Note: I'm pretty sure anyone who's read/watched Naruto has at least wondered a little about Kakashi's mask.
Pairings: None
Character: Kakashi
I own nothing of Naruto, including but not limited to the characters of the Narutoverse.
When Kakashi was born, the Leaf Village had high hopes for the newborn son of White Fang, one of the most well-respected and powerful ninja of his generation.
All that came crashing down when Sakumo first carried his son out the doors of the hospital. It was late autumn, and most of the broad green leaves in the forests surrounding Konoha had fallen in mountains of shriveled, brown vegetation. (Coincidentally, it was this time of year when the number of D-ranked missions spiked with requests to clear yards. Apparently the citizens of the Land of Fire were generally too lazy to rake their properties by themselves.) Although winter in the Leaf Village was usually mild, the outdoor temperature had already dropped considerably, and cold gusts of wind stirred the stray leaves through the streets.
And little Kakashi sneezed.
His mother scolded Sakumo for carrying their son in such a way that the cold air could hit his face, but neither of them thought much of the sneeze.
That is, until they realized that baby Kakashi would not stop sneezing and coughing, cheeks red and nose running with snot. Worried, they turned around and walked straight back into the hospital to make sure that their young son was in good health. The medics, however, could find nothing wrong with him, and his violent coughing and sneezing soon subsided.
Until they turned back around and headed outside, and Kakashi started sneezing up another miniature hurricane.
They soon determined that baby Kakashi was acutely allergic to the foliage of the trees for which The Village Hidden in the Leaves was named. Sakumo was struck dumb. His wife fainted then and there.
"Perhaps he is just allergic to the dead leaves. It will probably clear up come spring," a young medic offered weakly, by way of consolation.
It didn't. The pollen and fresh green leaves of spring seemed to make Kakashi's outdoor sneeze attacks more violent and frequent.
The usual allergy medications failed to stem the near-constant stream of coughing, sneezing, and nose-running. Advanced medical ninjutsu was equally unsuccessful in soothing Kakashi's agitated immune system. Allergies were not an entirely uncommon pandemic in the Land of Fire, but baby Kakashi's was so acute that passing by a tree was enough to set him off into crippling bouts of sneezing.
Sakumo's friends had difficulty holding back laughter at the news.
"How is he supposed to sneak up on an enemy like that?"
As the months passed, Kakashi's parents searched more and more desperately for a solution to their son's condition, all to no avail.
But finally, a fellow parent suggested covering Kakashi's nose and mouth with a mask.
It worked. Beautifully. The sneezing and hacking immediately ceased.
And little Kakashi continued to wear his mask into adulthood.