NOTE: this is a self-insert for one of the Naruto characters: Rin. Yep. And she'll be shipped with Kakashi until indicated otherwise. Characters may be a little OOC but remember - in this chapter, they're only around 2-5 years old. Not to mention the SI presence changes quite a few things.
...Ah. The girl stared blankly back at her reflection. This would explain why everything seemed so familiar.
Like in her previous life, her appearance was rather generic. Straight, dark chocolate hair that was often fondly tied into intricate braids by her mother, and chestnut eyes. Mild skin and a round, childish face shape. She was attractive, she supposed, in an unoriginal way. But, more alarmingly, were the two vivid purple streaks that looked like tattoos. Clan marks. Specifically, Nohara Rin's clan marks.
Rin, the girl who was destined to die.
Rin, the girl who was forced to become the vessel of the Sanbi, or Isobu.
Rin, the girl who would drive Obito into madness with a plan to end the world.
Rin, the girl who would plague her teammate Kakashi (that poor, poor child, he deserved more) with nightmares for years.
Rin, who had started and ended everything.
That day, she made a decision.
She would not die. She would become strong. She will save anyone in front of her. From that day on, she was no longer the girl that was reincarnated. She was Nohara Rin.
Her knowledge, however vague and equivocal it now was, could change everything. And she would, in a heartbeat.
These were real people now, not characters. She deserved more. They deserved more. Naruto should've been happy. Kakashi should've happy. Obito should've been happy. Minato and Kushina shouldn't have died. Madera shouldn't have been revived. Kaguya couldn't be brought back. Akatsuki could not succeed. Neji shouldn't have died. Jiraiya shouldn't have died. Asuma shouldn't have died. Yahiko shouldn't have died. Itachi shouldn't have gone through with what he had. Danzo. He was responsible for so many of these events. Him and Zetsu. They needed to be disposed of.
And, despite having never met them, despite never even seeing them, hate festered in her heart, growing with an overwhelming sense of protectiveness. The Will of Fire, perhaps. Because never in her life (her two lives, really) had she experienced loathing and despise and hope and loyalty for this world all wrapped up in one. She needed to be a shinobi, then. It would be a long and challenging road. A bloody and difficult one. She would want to give up. She would want to break under the pressure if she allowed it. She knew this, and more. Life would be a series and heartbreaks and masks. And she would have to persevere through all that, because that is what being a shinobi means. She would gain powers of no other, of things she had never seen before. She would be stronger than she could've ever hoped before. But, it all came with a price.
She just hoped, in the end, everything would be worth it.
...
In the end, Rin didn't know how she was supposed to act. (Not about her decisions, mind you, her mind was already rather frantically drawing a timeline and planning according to schedule.)
No, she meant how she didn't know how to be Rin.
in the end, she didn't know much about the character, the alternate self. Nohara had been kind, she knew. Kind enough to accept Obito, who everyone shunned. Kind enough to sacrifice her own life over the lives of her fellow villagers. Kind enough to try and open Kakashi up, no matter how many times he turned his back. Kind enough to be one of the youngest, advanced medic nin in history. Rin, on the other hand, was an observer. Which made sense, really; she had been an observer for her whole life and habits were difficult to break. But, she didn't know if she wanted to be friends with Obito and Kakashi. Because, exactly because of how much she cared, it would crush her if her plans failed. She was quiet, almost eerie, Rin knew.
But her family never treated her differently, never batted an eyelash if she started moving around on her own or speaking perfectly in the few rare times that she did. When she really thought about it, though, it made sense. Her body was stronger, somehow. Most likely due to the genetics of shinobi, but it was still a little disconcerting for no one to react to an infant, almost a year old, toddle around with too much coordination. Her reflexes were sharper, too; Rin almost peed herself when she practically flipped out of the way of a wayborne stack of paperwork. And, not to mention, the constant humming of something beneath her skin. Chakra, she knew, logically. it didn't keep the sensation any less foreign. Most children, she guessed, would've grown used to it, and it would only be by the time they started training again to consciously pay attention to it. However, years of being in a silent body made Rin certain she would never lose the sensitivity.
From what Rin could remember, her canon self hadn't been a sensor. Kakashi had always been the tracker, while she was the healer. The one with perfect control over her Yang chakra. It seems that things will be going a little bit differently this time. She was certain that she would still have an affinity towards medical ninjutsu, if trained properly. Yang chakra was often correlated with vitality and spiritual energy - which, she should have an abundance of if it was carried over to a smaller, weaker (although considerably strong for her age) body. Most likely, she reluctantly admitted to herself, being a kunoichi meant finer control and less chakra supply. From what little she could remember, Rin had been more water orientated in terms of ninjutsu, matching the light, fluid movements of the energy within her. How convenient. A little corner of her mouth tilted up. A perfectly balanced team, then; Minato with his wind, Kakashi with his lightning, Obito with his fire, and her. She wouldn't be surprised if teams were purposely stacked this way. Rin wasn't the only sensor-nin, after all, and if she could sense nature affinities, then surely could more experienced agents.
What exactly could she do with it? It would work well with lightning, for its conductivity, and wind, for its support, she noted. She could research some jutsus invented by Tobirama Senju. And... here her thoughts paused. Ah, interesting. She had always been a little curious of the Hōzuki Hydrification Technique, to be honest. Not that she thought she could get any relevant information on it; clan secrets were protected zealously for a reason. As far she was aware though, it was not a kekkei genkai. Kabuto had been able to produce a similar result for Suigetsu.
Was there anything else related to water release? She thought she was missing one thing... Oh. Of course. She didn't like thinking about it, but it was obvious: Isobu. The Three-Tails had a natural affinity for water.
But she couldn't become a jinchuriki... could she? It had been a miracle in and of it itself that canon Rin had survived the sealing and the Cursed Sealed Tag. She had been intended as a living bomb; as soon as she set foot in Konoha, the Tag would release the Sanbi, killing her and razing the village in the process. The only true way to dismantle it would be to directly strike the heart. Or... unless...
At this time period, there were not one, but two seal masters in Konoha. It was a curse mark listed under juinjutsu, not fuinjutsu, true, but they were still related to seals in a way. Kakashi had expanded Sasuke's curse mark into something more familiar but complex, stretching across a whole room. If the juinjutsu was truly a highly complex, compressed seal, surely one of them would be able to figure it out? But it would take too much time if she waited; Rin had to get them interested in the subject before the incident so the Sanbi could not be set free. If they managed to unseal the curse, the Tailed Beast would be permanently stuck inside until her death. Madara would lose interest in Yagura and Kiri. The history of terror and bloodshed would never occur, the Swordsmen would still be loyal, and Haku and Zabuza would live. Well, ideally. Theoretically. Hopefully.
Speaking of the Mizukage, anyways, how had he utilized Isobu? She could distantly recall him being one of the first jinchuriki to harmonize with their beast. He could control coral, she thinks. And normally, he used Water Release to create a mirror to reflect attacks back. Not she planned on stealing that particular technique; it wasn't a good idea to taunt a Kage.
Satisfied, Rin opened her eyes and stretched after her long meditative session.
...
By the time she is two, Rin already has her own training routine.
It's not enough, she knows, it'll never be enough. By this time, Kakashi should've started experimenting as well. He would become a genin in three years; a chunin in four. Gai would graduate a year after that, and the rest of the Start of Canon senseis would become certified two years after him. The majority of them would become chunin within two or three years, but Kakashi would've already surpassed the jounin rank by then. And then: the start of the Third Shinobi War and the events of Kannabi Bridge. The attack of the Kyuubi. Naruto's birth.
Thinking about the timeline, she suddenly realized, made her grow weary. There was so much to do and such little time. Half the things she wants to learn, she has no access to. She had no teacher, with her parents going more frequently on longer missions. Trouble was already brewing around the borders. Soon, Sakumo's fate would come as well. She was, for the first time, frustrated. Her plans weren't... going as planned.
Angrily, perhaps the first time she had truly shown something other than thoughtful silence, her fingers clenched a shuriken hard enough to bite through skin, arm snapping forward as threw it at the target as hard of she hard, uncaring of her messy posture and incorrect aim. Breathing heavily, she stared at the metal star as it flew past the post and thudded duly into a tree trunk. She couldn't even do this! What was the point of trying to salvage the world when she couldn't manage the basics!
She gnawed her bottom lip, silently screaming in vexation as aggravated tears unwillingly brimmed her eyes. Rin angrily brushed them away, pushing herself off the ground where she had thrown her embarrassing little tantrum, She dug her nails into the scratches littering her palms as she retrieved her scattered projectiles, ignoring the pain and continued berating herself. What was she doing wrong? Hadn't the textbooks said this? Or did it simply come with practice?
Positioning her feet apart, she held up three shuriken between her fingers, eyes locked the target. Her muscles tensed, the world faded. She aimed and extended her arm-
So, her loud scream was perfectly justified when a hand tapped her shoulder. Rin whipped around, nearing nailing the person in the eye with her weapons.
"What the hell!" she shouted as she leapt away, composure falling as adrenaline pumped through her mind. "I could've taken off your head! What kind of person approaches someone with a pointy thing!"
A boy gazed back, bored. His head was slightly cocked, as if to dodge her earlier wild swing. "I think you're a little too weak for that."
Shame flared her cheeks red. "Yeah? Why don't you show me how it's done, then." She immediately regretted the words as they left her mouth. The boy was her height, most likely hinting he was her age, or even younger-
Oh. Silver hair. Black mask.
Rin was going to slap herself for her stupidity. Of course Kakashi would know how to do something simple like this. And make her feel even worse.
True to her suspicions, he casually swiped the stars from her fingers, carefully took aim, and allowed them to fly. They hit true, each sinking into the very center of the target. Even though she couldn't see his face, Rin got the distinct feeling he was smirking at her. "You try," he offered.
Unconsciously pouting, she fished for more in her pack. Attempting to copy him, she got into position, aiming again-
Before Kakashi interrupted once more. "Your position is fine. it's your throw that's off. Here."
Without permission, he grabbed her arm, keeping her shoulder straight as he turned her elbow, demonstrating the motion. "Relax. Are you aiming correctly? Do you know how to calculate it?"
"Of course I do," she mumbled petulantly. "I wouldn't be practicing if I didn't."
"106 degrees, yeah?"
Rin paused, brow furrowing. "How'd you get that?"
"There's a wind today," he explains, exasperated.
...This was humiliating.
"Oh," she scuffled her toe when her shuriken knocked out one of his.
"Oh," he mocked. "Well, hope you won't start crying again."
Her face reddened, and she tilted her head down in an attempt to hide it with her bangs. "You saw that?"
"Mm. i was watching for a while. It's not everyday i find someone my age practicing. You're not too bad. Not horrible, anyways."
"Gee, thanks," she muttered.
But she takes his advice into account, double checking possible factors and her calculations each time before firing, dishing them out faster and harder and further while still landing her mark.
...
He reappears next week at the worst time.
Rin was in complete focus, carefully sticking on her 18th leaf to her skin, gluing them all still with chakra control alone.
"Hey."
She yelped, flinching high enough to be considered a jump. Her concentration broken, the leaves swirled around the generated disturbance, scattering on the ground around her.
Her head spun towards his direction with a glower. "What the heck, man! I was in my zone!"
"That was pretty impressive," he eyed her with interest. "i can't even do that."
"Wow," Rin returned sarcastically. "That's so amazing." It didn't prevent a pleased note to enter her tone.
"Give me some pointers," he demanded as he took a seat beside her, beginning to stick leaves along his own arm.
"Why should I?"
"I helped you the other day."
"...Fine."
...
"Wanna spar?"
"What? I haven't even started working on taijutsu yet."
"Then this'll be a good intro."
"...You just want an excuse to beat me, don't you?"
"Maybe."
...
Rin panted on the ground, completely winded. From her perspective, their surroundings had started to waver and spin.
"Done already?"
The taunt had her stumbling up and ready for more. The competitive gleam in his eye was all she needed.
Rin discovered something important that day: she liked taijutsu. Something was appealing about the way she could wrestle someone to the ground with nothing more than her hands and fists.
"You learn pretty quick," Kakashi acknowledged. "And you're pretty smart. Unlike those other annoying children."
At the mention of the other kids their age, Rin winced. "Good thing you found me, then. I would not have been able to withstand that without someone somewhat sane around."
Kakashi hummed in response before falling silent. Rin simply shifted into a more comfortable position on his chest. They had both earlier collapsed into exhaustion, sweaty and covered in dust, until Rin was able to pull herself over and use him as a pillow rest, uncaring of his complaints.
"Why don't you play with them?" she asked, gesturing towards the nearby playground. Obito was there, wasn't he? Or... was he, without Rin's influence?
"I did," Kakashi commented mildly. "On the first day. My father insists on coming and leaving me here to 'make friends.' He doesn't know I'm training more, though. Why don't you?"
Rin shrugged with one shoulder. "Eh. I don't really know. It's just not appealing. I don't need others if it doesn't help me with my training."
"Same for me," he tossed back. "So I just went to the nearest training ground and saw you. I would rather become a real shinobi than play Ninja, thank you."
A tired, fond smile tugged at her lips. It was strange, how much she trusted him already. He was the only here who knew her true self.
Her family loved her, but she couldn't love them back. She couldn't trust them. She didn't blame them at all; on the contrary, she genuinely wished that she could act as a normal child and grow up under their affection. But she didn't have time for that luxury. The only thing she could do now was to get as strong as she could as fast as she could. It seemed cruel, but she would trade them in, the ones who didn't know or understand her, and vice versa, for Konoha's happiness in an instant.
These fleeting moments, sneaking out of the compound to meet with Kakashi, seemed to be the only time she could let her guard down. She didn't have to hold herself back. Because although Kakashi was a genius, he was also a child. He wouldn't suspect her, perhaps even thought she was a prodigy like himself. Rin wasn't worried about judgment. She didn't have to hold her breath every time she felt his chakra brush her's, desperately hoping that she hadn't been found out, that she wouldn't be put in T&I, that someone would enter her mind without her permission.
She liked being quiet, polite, cautious. But, she also liked acting loud and playful and carefree. Her concerns were farther away. At that very moment, the only thing she could think of was Kakashi, and how he would strike, and how she could dodge or block, and advantages and disadvantages, the follow-up moves, and the excited buzzing in her ears that was saying duckpunchroundhouseekicktriphimyou'llwinyoumightactuallywingoGOGOGO! She learned to trust her instincts, learned to trust the thrum beneath her skin, learned to trust him to pull back before seriously injuring her. She liked it. Rin liked it. If this was what true camaraderie was like, she would never let it go, not for anything. They say the fierce loyalty made Konoha soft. It made Rin get up again and again.
"So, uh..." an uncomfortable tone entered his voice, causing her to raise her head and gaze at him with interest. "...could you do me a favor and tell my dad you're my friend?"
Rin laughed, startled. Long and hard. Then, she reached over to tug him into a hug. "What are you talking about? We are friends!"
...
Rin decided, upon very first sight, that she liked Sakumo.
It was impossible not to, not with Kakashi's face echoing in her mind. They didn't look exactly the same, true. Her friend had a thinner, more feminine face shape, probably from his absent mother, and leaner body more centered more around speed rather than strength. But, the resemblance was undoubtedly there. The unruly silver hair, that Rin took endless delight in fondling. The intelligent dark eyes, stern but surrounded by laughter marks. The warm, calloused hands that playfully ruffled her hair. Rin was pleased to note that he seemed instantly as fond of her as she was with him.
"Kakashi!" his voice rumbled with a chuckle. "You didn't tell me that you befriended such a pretty lady."
Unbidden, heat rose to her cheeks. Compliments never failed to embarrass her, even here. "Hatake-sama," she spoke hesitantly, suddenly shy. "Pleased to meet you."
His eyes crinkled as he smiled. "Sakumo is fine, Rin-chan. Would you like to get dinner with us?"
Rin opened her mouth, ready to deny, when she paused. She had just learned that her parent's mission would be extended another week, and she was unsure if she was ready to withstand another round of sympathetic glances, or the cold, instant meals. "Um... if you don't mind."
Kakashi, who had been previously sulking, perked up immediately. "What are we waiting for, then?" he demanded, reaching over to grab her wrist. "Let's go!"
Rin simply giggled, lightening. She fell into step next to him, adjusting his grip until they were properly holding hands, and begun to swing their arms between them. Just because she had a mature mind doesn't mean that she didn't enjoy acting like a child now and then.
Sakumo herded the two into a familiar BBQ restaurant, which Rin belatedly noted was the one Asuma often took his team to. After a mortifying moment where both she and Kakashi couldn't reach the seats and had to be boosted by amused Sakumo, she made sure ask a lot of questions. The best advice came from the most experienced, after all.
And, despite the mouth-watering food, Rin found that she couldn't look away from Kakashi's face when he pulled his mask down. Never had she been so grateful that they were still in training.
Kakashi squirmed. "What?" he hissed.
She made a show of glancing between him and his father to hint the resemblance. But mostly, she just couldn't get over how absolutely adorable he was.
...
Rin wasn't really surprised when she woke with her nose buried in dark cloth. Sakumo has insisted on her staying over once they had left the restaurant, the sky a pitch black. She had reluctantly relented.
She was just confused why Kakashi was wearing his mask, even in his sleep.
She simply laid still, listening to his breathing. Then, with a deep breath, she closed her eyes and extended her senses.
Sensing chakra was strange. Trying to describe it was even harder. And was like seeing, just not with her eyes. Not with any of the senses, really. She could roughly tell apart the layout of the room, just with Kakashi's lingering chakra covering the surfaces like particles of dust. Living things were a little easier, but she couldn't "see" any features. Mostly just their chakra signatures, because the actual systems weren't visible unless you had access to a Byakugan. Then again, you could gain a lot about a person just by that. Not any personal information, of course, but the patterns of movement usually indicated their current emotional state, and maybe even their personalities. Enough practice could allow one to anticipate the jutsus they would use, or their next movements by certain tensions. It was also a huge indicator of their strength.
Sakumo's was the largest in the entire area she could manage. She shivered to imagine it on the battlefield, overwhelmingly huge and oppressive. It was also incredibly pure. Not in the sense of his personality; the actual quality of his chakra was pure. Most people's chakra, civilian or otherwise, could be described as shades of "blue". But his was actually white. This made sense of course - it was extremely unlikely that his famous White Chakra Sabre could actually emit chakra on its own without a constant source. But, the fact that Kakashi could use it meant...
Rin carefully withdrew her chakra, pulling it back to avoid the recoil. She's already had too much experience with that. Sharpening her focus, she concentrated solely on the boy next to her, ignoring the world around her. Usually, proximity and priority gave her more details than spreading her senses aimlessly. Kakashi shifted restlessly in his sleep as if sensing the intrusion, brows furrowing. Heartstrings tugging, she slipped an arm around him, tucking his soft and fluffy silver hair under her chin. The boy soon settled, contact somehow calming him.
He was dreaming, Rin noted absently, the uncontrolled, fluctuating chakra divulging the fact. His muscles were relaxed though, so he felt comfortable enough. His mind was unguarded, unsuspecting. An innocent child. Not yet exposed to the horrors of the world. Unprepared and open. Not the mind of a shattered shinobi. Yet.
Rin etched the image into her mind, memorizing the possessive signature curling around her own, the spark of his own white chakra beginning to form.
Pack, a voice whispered in her mind. A twitch was the only sign of shock she allowed to escape.
Kakashi turned, burying his face in her neck. Pack, it repeated. Rin was still unsure if it truly belonged to him. Ally. Comrade. Friend. Family. Protect.
Rin wondered exactly how much of canon she was changing.
...
"You're studying medical ninjutsu?" Kakashi's head popped up over her shoulder, curious eyes scanning the page before them.
Rin, used to his sudden appearances and gaining greater control over her sensory skills, simply hummed and leaned back, resting her head on him. "Yeah. Makes sense, doesn't it? I'm going to be a kunoichi, after all. We have finer control. I should learn the basics before you go out and get yourself hurt."
He blinked at her, outwardly showing no reaction. ...For me? The medical field is no walk in the park.
Rin beamed up at him, absolutely delighted that he recognized that even if he was kinda arrogant. "Yeah. It'll be worth it though."
His eyes widened. Oops, she realized belatedly, turning back to study the scrolls. There was brief moment of tense silence, but Rin wasn't too worried. He would probably recognize it as just another one of her many quirks.
...I'll just protect you so neither of us get hurt.
She was mostly unsuccessful in her attempt to stop the smile coaxing onto her expression.
...
The Hatake Clan, Rin soon discovered, was an enigma of itself. There were only a few things she had gathered, but they were still extremely relevant, regardlessly.
Fact: they were inherently possessive. Both friends and family were viewed in the same manner. They were all simply a... pack. She figured that the analogy had something to with the ninken summons passed through the generations, and their increased senses, especially smell and hearing. The White Chakra, she figured, was also something genetic, although she would have to experiment with the effects later. It was a shame that canon Kakashi never showed any signs of it.
Point was, after spending one night in their compound, they refused to allow her to return to her own. Rin was partly amused, partly exasperated. Because while it was completely endearing, watching Sakumo goad Kakashi in the shadows to persuade her extend her stay, it was also slightly frustrating to not have access to her supplies at home. They had continued their training, now with Sakumo's help, but she still disliked imposing on them.
Especially with puppies running around.
Sakumo had just given Kakashi the summon contract, meaning there were noises everywhere. She was sure the other two had it worse, but it still didn't help the grating of her ears.
The older Hatake had offered to find her a contract as well, and Rin had considered it. She hadn't thought of summons before, but they would certainly be helpful. She would have to choose carefully though, and ensure they matched her style.
Since she was a medic, a summon that could assist in healing or herb making would be nice. On the other hand, it was also a good idea to increase her raw firepower and cover her weaker fields, meaning genjutsu and long distance fighting. Or, more specialized support, like one that could use a weapon or element. In the end, she had just shrugged and told him that she would think about it. He promised to do some research, in return.
...
She's numb when she's told her parents are dead.
Thankfully, Sakumo offered only a few murmured words of comfort before retreating to allow Kakashi to take over. Her friend approached the bed she laid on, even while her back is turned towards him and she's blankly staring at the wall. She absently notes the shifting noises behind her, and Kakashi eventually lifts the blankets to join her underneath the covers, bringing a fresh dose of cool air, settling close to her. He huffs, his breath tickling her neck when she doesn't react.
"Rin. What is Rule XX in the Shinobi Code."
Her mouth barely cracks open, but she answers automatically, the answers had been long drilled into her. "A shinobi must never show any weakness."
Kakashi hums in approval. "I think though... This can be an exception."
Rin turns her head. Barely enough to notice, but Kakashi does. And if Kakashi, who strived to become the perfect, emotionless shinobi who followed all the rules laid out by the founders of the village, said it was okay, surely it was?
Rin cries. For the first time since entering this new world.
She knows her vow. She knows that she claimed that she would trade them for Kakashi in an instant. It doesn't stop the tears from flowing, the blending of the faces of her former and new parents, all who are gonegonegone. She mourns the love and acceptance and the loyalty, expecting nothing in return. She mourns the sensation of home.
She hates this war. She will end it. She will fight it with every being she had in her. Because her only connection, her only reminder of her old life was gone. Everything was gone. Taken. Stolen. Vanished.
The only thing she had left was the little boy who clung to her and who she clung back at, and the burning, passionate emotion in her chest that was dulled, but not gone.
...
2 years is more than enough time for Sakumo to shape them up.
They both know a number of basic katas for both taijutsu and kenjutsu (which the sly man had convinced Rin to take up), a handful of E and D rank jutsus of their particular natures (much to Rin's pleasure), and mastery of various kinds of shuriken and kunai. They had begun to wear weights that grew heavier with more chakra, hidden underneath layers of clothing. Rin has been practicing her medical ninjutsu by healing any cuts or minor injuries on them. Even that, she found, was difficult, because she had to separate her spiritual chakra with her physical one. Somehow, though she managed. And, upon realizing Rin was a sensor type, Sakumo promptly took the two on some tracking and trapping exercises in the forest.
They're only four, but they're already casually swinging around blades and gutting rabbits in a fight for survival.
Rin is hit again with the ridiculous age limit. With war brewing just around the corner, it made sense to produce as many fighters as possible, but the prospect still made her sick. Tomorrow, they would be starting the Academy.
Their official start of their careers. Their surrender of a peaceful lifestyle. Sakumo has questioned them again and again on their decision; but by the time a month passed, the concerned father turned into a slave driver. His logic, Rin could easily guess, was now that his children had made their choice, he would train them as hard as possible to ensure their survival.
Sakumo had been missing more and more often now. Rin knew he was skilled and knew he would survive, but every mission still made her stomach drop. It brought back memories of her own parents, and she was closer to Sakumo than she ever was to them. Kakashi was nervous too, she knew, even if he didn't show it.
The boy had been increasingly arrogant, but all Rin needed to do was give him a hard jab if he was becoming too serious or belittling, and he would withdraw. There was no doubt that they were still close though; they still slept in the same bed. Kakashi had never protested, so neither did she. It was comforting, anyway.
If there was one thing Sakumo had forced on them, it was teamwork. With an abundant amount of knowledge on how their minds worked, they had learned to anticipate the other's moves and incorporate them. They had never managed to defeat Sakumo though, even while working in perfect harmony. Not that they expected to: he was S-ranked for a reason.
Kakashi's father had often complimented them on adapting to each other, but warned that they would have to work with others in this fashion too. Kakashi bristled, while Rin adopted a dismayed expression. Both were rather hostile to the idea of the other becoming close to someone else.
Upon this discovery, Rin had taken to lightly grasping his forearm, washing calming waves of chakra over him. It won't happen, she silently promised. I'll never replace you. And he relaxed, somehow understanding.
...
Asuma. Kurenai. Genma. Ebisu. Gai. Aoba. Raido. She thinks she might even see Anko, Hayate, Ibiki in the background. Vaguely familiar faces, but nevertheless important. Rin mentally noted to locate Tenzo and Yugao when she had the chance. Then, to remind herself of reality, reached towards Kakashi. She was angled slightly in front of their joined hands, just so he wouldn't complain of embarrassing him later.
Sakumo ushered them forward, and they melded in with the crowd of children. No, Rin realizes, not children. Because despite how much Kakashi complained about their level of intelligence, the ones she recognized were completely serious. Either influenced by a role model or clan, she guessed. Only the civilians were ignorant, foolishly chattering among themselves, giggling behind each other as they pointed out future crushes and interests. Rin sneered, suddenly feeling all too much like Kakashi. As if sensing her thoughts, he gave her an amused side glance before easily sliding on a blank mask. Not that he really needed it; the actual mask did its job just fine.
The entrance test was easy enough, but the number of stares drilling into her skull was terrifying. She could practically feel their will pressing down on her telling to fail thatshewouldfailthatshewouldbecomeafailure-
A familiar chakra signature washed over her. Relaxing her tense shoulders almost unconsciously, Rin stole a quick glance at Kakashi, who was standing a little ways away from the rest of the children. He raised an eyebrow at her, a barely noticeable movement. Surely you're not nervous around this bunch? She cracked a smile.
Nearby, the jounin perked up curiously, inconspicuously looking between them. Some of the more sensitive trainees looked confused.
A feeling of competitiveness suddenly welling up inside her, Rin pulled out her personal shuriken and launched them, eyes still locked on Kakashi's. She didn't have to look to know that she landed every shot, judging my the surprised murmurs in the background.
Try me.
He smirked back. Easy.
...
It wasn't until Rin actually acknowledged that they could hear each other's thoughts that she began to feel worried.
Hesitantly, she stretched out her senses again, poking at Kakashi's. Instantly, she could hear him as well as if he was speaking verbally.
-even Rin was better when she first started. That was two years ago! What were they all doing, wasting time? That kid has no talent in genjutsu or ninjutsu at all. What's the point of them becoming shinobi?
That's why there are specialties, Rin broke in, exasperated. And yes, like you said, I was like that at first. We were all like that at first. You just don't remember cuz we learned fast.
Silence. Ah. Maybe she could've broken the news better.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kakashi form a hand sign and mutter 'kai' under his breath. The jolt of chakra temporarily disrupted the connection, but rejoined almost instantly.
Hey. Rude.
Obviously I didn't get enough sleep last night, Kakashi carefully thought to himself.
Trust me. I thought I was dreaming too.
He tilts his head slightly towards her so their eyes can meet.
...Rin? What is this?
Wish I knew, she sighed. I thought maybe it was a coincidence, imagining your voice, but we can actually hear each other.
How?
I think... she began tentatively. You know how I have more Yang chakra than Yin? I might be using it as an extension to connect with your spiritual chakra and talk to you through that.
Can you do this with other people?
She flushed marginally. No. I think it had something to do with that day I first slept over. i was studying your chakra with my sensor skills, you know, and I think the proximity let me implant some of Yang chakra in your system. An insignificant amount, so it didn't affect you. But now I think it mixed with yours, but it's still my chakra, so I can connect ours together now. Does that make sense?
...Yeah, kinda.
I'm sorry, she muttered.
What for? You made a new technique. Can you talk to me from any distance now?
No, we still have to be close. I think the area of the connection is growing, though.
I want to experiment, he told her.
Rin took a long-suffering breath. Go ahead.
...
Popularity, Rin discovered, was a complete and total hassle. They weren't even teenagers, barely old enough to be starting school, but Kakashi had somehow already found himself a group of fangirls and a gratuitous teacher. Fortunately, it didn't seem as if she was the only one annoyed by this. Kakashi's chakra had been feeling uncharacteristically turbulent and dark for a while now.
Rin had been prepared to ignore and tolerate it, when a pack of females had cornered her in the hallway. Break had just started, so she had taken the chance to go to the bathroom before heading out and training with her friend. Instead, she was confronted with overconfident brats who thought they could push her around. Times like these made Rin wonder how they had gotten into the academy in the first place.
"What do you want?" she questioned, slouching in resignation. Her face was carefully devoid of the absolute disgust and disinterest she was feeling. Training surely paid off, even in the smallest of situations.
The leader bravely approached her, sticking her nose in the air. When she spoke, Rin was barely able to avoid flinching. Her high-pitched preadolescence voice was comparable to screeching shrill enough to shatter glass, especially now Sakumo had been training her to stregnthen her senses by constantly channeling chakra through her ears. Draining, but beneficial, overall. "We want you to stop hanging out with Kakashi-kun. It's not fair to the rest of us that you spend the most time with him."
This time, she was unable to stifle the loud snort that escaped her. Sometimes she had forgotten that despite the characters with the fervent, charismatic Will of Fire in their eyes, even Konoha had scum like this. To be fair, they were not old enough to think in a more mature fashion, but Kakashi was a person. Fighting over him as if he was a prize or possession was ridiculous. He could choose his friends for himself.
She was probably associating too much with the Hatakes, a small voice chided, when a snarl actually curled on her lips. Rin didn't enjoy fighting with those who were supposed to be her allies, yes, but the moment Kakashi was involved, she would not hold back. Her back muscles tensed, straightening her, and she subtly cracked her knuckles in anticipation. Oh, she could not wait to give her a piece of her mind.
"H-hey!" a voice broke in, startling her for the first time since she started training her senses. It seems that she still had some ways to go if this was enough to distract her.
Averting her eyes, Rin tracked the source of the sound to Obito, who was trembling, but still approaching. "L-leave her alone!"
Rin blinked in surprise, unprepared for Obito, of all people, to stick up for her. Or, maybe she shouldn't have been. Obito was still Obito after all, even in this world.
The girls snickered. The one who had been speaking clicked her tongue. "Whatever," she commented flippantly, throwing a smirk over at Rin. "I hope you take our suggestion seriously."
They strutted away, and Rin abruptly realized that they thought they had won.
Temper rising, she spun to release her rage at Obito, when she was suddenly faced with his innocent, relieved features. Unable to resist his childish naivety, she deflated.
"...Thanks," she decided to say, even if she wasn't really thankful. "You didn't need to do that, though."
He cocked his head at her, eyes owlish. "You couldn't have taken them all on. All you alright?"
Yes, she was fine, yes, she could have taken them all on without a sweat, and yes, her pride was damaged, damn it.
"Fine," she managed to hide most of her curtness.
"Oh," Obito scuffed the ground. "Uh, anyways, I just wanted to say thank you. For the papers."
Rin barely hid a wince. She had forgotten that this Obito was still shy and susceptible to the opinions of others, especially because of her missing presence. His very chakra was wavering in indecision. It was a little harsh to blame him. Slight guilt welled up in her stomach when she realized the events this morning had completely escaped her mind, when she had thought to hand Obito his forms from the opening ceremony he had missed. The small gesture may have been a minor inconvenience to her, but important to him. He must've thought he was returning the favor. Did he mean so little to her?
"No problem," she glanced awkwardly at the clock, then almost doubled over when she checked again. "Shit! Obito, we have to get back, we'll be late!"
His chakra spiked in surprise at the mention of his name, but Rin paid little attention to it, grabbing his sleeve as she passed and dragging him back toward their classroom. Kakashi was going to kill her!
...
Her friend did indeed look murderous upon their arrival, but luckily, it wasn't directed her. Two of the more outgoing girls were crowding him, fighting over the seat next to him. The seat that had been her's.
Without any sign, Rin pulled Obito into a Shunshin, appearing besides Kakashi for the briefest moment, just long enough to snatch him as well before relocating them to the back of the room. While Obito wobbled, eyes spinning as he attempted to regain his balance, Kakashi simply glowered at her. Rin didn't need to use her chakra reading technique to know what he was thinking when he easily broke her grip.
Are you kidding me? he demanded. Where were you? Why are you even with this idiot? You said you would only be gone for a minute, and then you collect a new-
Rin softly catches his sleeve before he could continue, tugging them both down to their chairs and lacing their fingers together. Mine, she pulsed through their connection, loud and meaningful, stilling his churning jealous energy.
Then softening her own envy, she continued, Those idiots were trying to get me to leave you alone. Obito tried to stop them. That's why.
A good explanation; simple and to the point, effective for Kakashi to stop the rush of emotions. No matter how he tried to silence his feelings, Rin thought to herself privately in amusement, he can't change his nature.
Only a moment after Kakashi did he seemed to compute her words, irritation returning and face souring. They tried to keep you away from me?
Rin bit her lip to keep herself from bursting into laughter. Those poor girls. They have no idea what they're getting into.
Anyways, I was too lazy to edit this, and it's late, so please point things out to me if they don't make any sense. My shift key is a little faulty, and spellcheck sucks. Also, if you see any of /these/, it means the words are meant to be italicized. I'm not sure if my theory of chakra makes any sense ^ my brain is just making things up as I go along. I welcome any corrections. No worries; Tobito and Minato will be in the next chappie :D (although it might be a little darker... you'll have to find out!)