Hatake Kakashi sat in a tree, unusually sober gaze on his youngest student, and even though the child didn't know it, he knew how much younger the small blond was compared to his peers, not by months…but years. Why had the child lied about his age that day?
Many in the Village forgot that Uzumaki Naruto was born the day of the Kyuubi attack…only five years ago.
And as that day ran threw his mind, the thoughts in mourning of one teen lost to the world made a flash of phantom pain shot threw his chest.
…Hikaru-sama…
That day still haunted him, the day that Konoha lost three of her sons, three of the most powerful, noble men to die for the Village Hidden in the Leaves' on the line of duty,
Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage, sacrificed himself for his people to seal Kyuubi no Kitsune away forever.
Namikaze Hikaru, the Yondaime's thirteen-year-old son, the Co-Anbu Commander, said to be as strong as his father, lost to the insane beast.
Kakashi could still remember the teen; Hikaru was like a beacon of gold to those falling, and just like his father he seemed to stir people awake, invoking deep loyalties in them.
And with Hikaru gone, they lost Uchiha Itachi…to the disease called insanity. The Genius never did recover after losing his lover and best friend.
"What do you have there?" Blue eyes turned and a smile lit the teen's face
"Hey Itachi." The other greeted. "Father decided he wanted to hide my Tessen Kit." Black eyes took in the blonde's surroundings then the Uchiha reached forward tugging on a long strand of gold as he quickly snatched a seat for himself.
"So you're going solo?" He inquired; loftily amused that the blond did not seem to care that his hair was being held hostage. Hikaru glanced at him, raising an eyebrow
"Yep. Kushi is becoming much to easy to wield."
"Is that a bad thing?" The pale boy asked blandly. The blond turned in his seat and glared, fists resting on his hips
"Uchiha Itachi." He stated slowly
"Namikaze Hikaru." Itachi parroted back amusement lighting his eyes. Hikaru deliberately took in a deep breath, closing his eyes and Itachi snorted.
"You have a fetish with pissing me off, don't you?" That brought a half chuckle out of the stoic brunette
"Maybe." Hikaru rolled his eyes, setting his work down as he stood
"Three fourths of the time, a 'maybe' from you is yes." Itachi uncoiled from his perch and pulled the other into a hug, sighing when Hikaru froze for a second and then relaxed in his arms.
"It's been nearly two years." Itachi commented.
"I know." Hikaru grumbled, looping his arms around the Uchiha's neck to rest his head on the elder's chest "I can't help it, and it doesn't help that in my memories there is no face-"Itachi cut him off, pulling the blond into a kiss
"Then it is my job to help you recover from those memories, yes?"
Uzumaki Naruto blinked rapidly, the dream disappearing from his sight as he took in his surroundings. He was on the bridge that his team always met at, perched on the handrail waiting for Kakashi to arrive and, as usual, the elder was late.
Sasuke and Sakura were about a yard away from him, conversing in low tones, but the wind blew their petty words of contempt and plans for Sasuke's thirteenth birthday (Sakura was going on and on about this) to his ears. He had paid them no mind, and fallen asleep.
And dreamt of Uchiha Itachi and…it seems the Uchiha Murder's lover... a boy called Namikaze Hikaru.
And how accurate the blonde's name could see plainly, the teen seemed to be made of light.
Shaking those strange thoughts away, Naruto looked to the sky, calculating the time…it was about half past three…
Then the wind blew about him, and a strangely familiar scent wafted to his nose…an odd mix of the husky scent of man…and dog mixed together. Wait…not mixed…but coming from the same area, blown upward by the wind.
Kakashi? Under the bridge? Slowly as he thought of the man, then suddenly he could sense the elder underneath him, the man's familiar energy glowing brightly like a beacon to his mind.
Uncaring how he suddenly could sense and smell things, he looked down, peaking at the water for a glimpse of the strange man
"Ne…Kakashi-sensei?" A hand grabbed his jacket as if to help him up, even as he saw a single eye glance up at him, to pull him upright, and in close proximity to a glaring brunette.
"Who are you talking to dobe?" Sasuke ordered, releasing the blond to step back. Naruto looked the duck head over. In his dream Itachi seemed cold, yet playful and warmly inquisitive. Sasuke was simply closed off.
How did Uchiha pull that weird act off? Well, he is a genius… Sasuke's frown deepened as Naruto continued to be silent more so than duck ass head here.
"Kakashi isn't here." Sasuke stated, snapping Naruto out of his contemplations. Naruto glanced at him, and the pinkette standing behind him, glaring. Sakura had done a proper turn, forgetting about her looks to focus on her skills, but once she learned to heal and fight, she turned her attentions right back on Sasuke, completely turning from the proper path, again.
"He's underneath the bridge." He informed them quietly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow as Sakura snorted, stalking forward, fist clenched
Here we go again…
"Stop lying!" the banshee-like teenager screeched, fist flying toward his face. Naruto let himself fall backward off the bridge and grabbed the edge, sighting the Jônin instructor gazing at him, amusement flashing in his eye.
"Ne, Kakashi-sensei, do you know of anyone named 'Hikaru'?"
Naruto knew he'd hit the jackpot when that black eye widened in shock.
A pale, limp, nonmoving body lay on its stomach, halfway submerged in water. Long soaked hair lay scattered about the pale form like a curtain, not quite covering the deathly pale face, eyes closed as if asleep. One hand, seemingly reaching outward, twitched, then a steady, heavy beat echoed from the body, inciting a savage jerk from the pale limbs.
Each beat made the body jerk utill it gasped aloud, taking a deep choking breath, the last beat forcing colorless eyes open wide. The hand moved, pulling back towards the body as the other hand clenched into a fist and the body-the person lifted themself up on to unsteady arms, a soft groan escaping full pink lips.
"Where…am I?" Clouded eyes glanced about him, as the man slowly pulled himself out of the water and onto his feet, locks of hair clinging to his arms and back.
Seemingly age old pains shot from his back, shoulders, and navel but threw experience alone he shut the pain away, stumbling to the door that lay a yard from were he once had laid.
Then as he moved, he saw them.
Multi-shaped luminescent orbs of a pale sky blue flouted above the ground some large, some nearly so small he could barely see them. Most flouted an inch from the ground, but one was at his face, and as he touched it, a scene of himself grinning before others flashed before his eyes and he drew his hand away
My memories. He concluded, blinking bewilderedly. But…how?
And so he awakens. The blond spun about, backing into the wall when a completely unexpected sight stunned him, and he sunk down to the ground
"K-Kyuubi??"
"Hikaru…how did you hear of him?" Kakashi asked Naruto, the blond shrugged, blue eyes locking with black as he answered
"Someone said during school that he is someone of interest. Then I found his name in a book of records and well…" Naruto shrugged
"Eh. Yes he would be in one of those hm? Well let's see, I know of Hikaru, only one man had the balls to name his son after Light." Sasuke snorted, leaning his head on his hands
"Who?" he asked tone bland.
"Namikaze Hikaru was the only child of the Yondaime Hokage." Kakashi explained. The team was sitting on the balcony facing the Hokage monument, and the Jônin pointed to the fourth face on the mountain. Naruto only caught what the man hadn't said.
Was…so he is dead.
"What's so special about him?" Sasuke grumbled
"Well…for one he was one of the most powerful teenagers to ever become Anbu Commander under the Hogake at the age of thirteen. He led the Anbu against the Kyuubi no Kitsune during its attack." Kakashi smiled as Sakura raised an eyebrow then elaborated
"Well, then how about I explain it like this. That kid is the complete definition of a genius."
"So he was really smart?" Naruto asked. Kakashi chuckled
"Extremely, and like Sasuke he was most comfortable in battle. He had saved my life many a time, the first when he was only four years old."
"How did that happen Kakashi-sensei??" Naruto inquired eyes wide. Kakashi gazed at him
"I was thirteen, on my first mission as a Jônin, leading my team as my sensei went to help the front line. This was the Third Great Shinobi war, and my mission was vital…and we had already lost a teammate, Uchiha Obito, and I had just received this eye." He tapped a finger over the Sharingan, and a dark look crossed Sasuke's face, before vanishing. Naruto watched the brunette turn away
What…was that look about?
"My last teammate and I were off to finish the mission, and Sensei had sent his child of to watch us. And watch us he did, for when we were ambushed again, the Iwa Nin never made it to us. A blur of gold and blue intercepted the attack and killed the ninja, right before me. It was Hikaru, barely four years old, holding a bloodstained kunai away from his body as he turned to me and quietly chastised me for lowering my guard in enemy territory." Sasuke scoffed and turned back to Kakashi, eyes mocking
"And how could a four year old keep up with a Chûnin and Jônin?" he drawled out, sarcasm lacing his tone
"Because he knew the technique that made his father famous."
"Hiraishin no Justu?" Sakura exclaimed. A gasp of understanding lit Sasuke's eyes.
"Instant teleportation." Sasuke breathed.
"But I read that only the Yondaime knew that technique!" Sakura continued on, hands flying in the air
"Only the Yondaime's family knew the technique. And Hikaru used it that day to save me. He became a Genin barely a year later."
"I thought you held the title for youngest Genin." Naruto said, resting his head on his hand.
"I did…and I'm not the only one who has gotten close to Hikaru's record. He was promoted on his fifth birthday, his father would not let him graduate any earlier." The look Kakashi gave Naruto sent a warning chill threw him, but he ignored it. Then a memory of text flashed threw his mind
"Wait…the Yellow Flash of Konoha?"
"Yes, Namikaze Minato. Hikaru saved us many times that day, his hands already stained with blood as a toddler." Sasuke stiffened,
"Hikaru…? Aniki's friend!" Sasuke shook his head angrily and stood, leaving the three of them behind. Kakashi glanced at the boy as he left, then sighed, explaining the Uchiha's departure
"Hikaru was also best friends with Sasuke's older brother, Itachi."
Edited 10/12/08