"You've grown weak, Kakashi !"
"Fuck you Madara !"
.
.
"Do not make me regret giving you that gift."
'Was that you, Obito ?' Kakashi thought as he stared blankly at the memorial stone, the rain pouring on him, drenching him. The sky blazed with each strike of lightning.
"What the hell are you talking about ?"
"I'm not inclined to respond, Sharingan no kakashi. It was fancy metting you, but I'm afraid It's time I took my leave. There's no benefit to your death here after all, you're still powerless."
'Are you truly alive ?' He wondered inwardly. He was captivated in his thoughts that he hardly noticed the presence of his rival, coming from behind him - umbrella in hand- moving with extreme grace and soundless footsteps.
"I figured you'd be here." Said the new addition, as he shifted the umbrella to shroud the both of them.
He wore a green, tight spandex, his hair was made into a weird bowl cut.
Kakashi looked at him through a sideway unfocused glance before turning back to the memorial with the same distant, blank look as before.
The green wearing ninja remained mute for a few moments, having sensed the moody and sullen vibe in the air and decided to wait for a more suitable moment to speak.
"I've been worried about you as of late kakashi. You've grown even more withdrawn and introspective than ever."
Kakashi shrugged, showing his disregard toward his friend's statement. "Not everyone is as gregarious and fun-loving as you are, Gai." He uttered.
That was the truth. Gai was so fond of company, never willing to be left alone nor to shut up as if silence and solitude were his fiercest enemies.
He was addicted to his fun, lively activities. And he seemed to pull more people into his entertainement than they cared to acknowledge.
"Still, you have to enjoy your springtime of life, Kakashi. You must unleash that power of youth inside you. You should not just vegetate and waste your youthfulness in such a passive way." The green-clad ninja spoke, his eyes showing the excitement, the passion he was feeling.
"I'm not in the mood."
"Come on, Kakashi. You ought to. Hmm, how about a youthful spar to unleash our fire of youth ?"
"I said I'm not in the fucking mood." Kakashi suprisingly snapped at his friend. His eyes glowing with unexpected fury. "I just saw a bloody ghost and all you're blabbering about is your stupid fire of youth." He shouted, only to curse as his words registered in his mind.
Gai was stunned into silence. Regardless of how many people used to mock his attitude, and gibe his choice of words. His eternal's rival declaration was the most agonising.
His heart sank at his words, and he felt bitter. The knowledge that his friend's troubles were the cause of his outburst was the only solace he felt.
What troubled him even more was his friend's problem itself. The one that caused his outburst. His friend was seldom angry after all.
"Gai, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking straight." Kakashi didn't waste any moment before apologising. He really valued Gai as a friend, and didn't wish to lose him. He did feel sorry, though. The green weirdo was just trying to cheer him up after all.
The grin instantly reformed on Gai's face as he gave his eternal rival an approving thumb's up.
"Now, kakashi, It's not necessary for you to apologise. We are brothers after all-no-more than brothers. We are eternal rivals. We usually don't get angry at each other, and even if we did, everything goes back to normal in a heartbeat, right kakashi ?" He gave kakashi a one armed hug and continued, not giving him a chance to reply."That's how youthful we are." His free hand moved to wipe away a tear forming on the corner of his eye."I'm so happy that I'm moved to tears. I'm grateful to have an eternal rival as good as you."
The silver haired ninja sighed and moved away from his friend's grip.
"You ought to." He said with a wry tone, his lone uncovered eye forming into his trademark eye-smile.
They shared a small chuckle.
Suddenly, Gai's expression turned into a serious one as he looked at kakashi dead in the eye.
"Now, why don't you tell me about this ghost story ?"
"Oh, that ?" The copycat ninja muttered, contemplating whether or not to inform Gai about his suspisions.
He decided that it was no harm sharing it with him, he could trust Gai. Besides, a curious Gai was a dangerous Gai, but a curious AND serious Gai, there's no stopping that.
"Come on, I'll buy you a drink."
Gai's eyes roamed around the bar searching for any eavesdropper or potential spy before turning back to kakashi.
"Are you sure It's obito ?" He spoke in a low and faint voice.
"I'm still uncertain. It could be any other Uchiha -a survivor- It could be Itachi messing with me for all I know."
He waved his hand at the barkeeper demanding another shot of wine and the man was near them in a few seconds filling their cups with wine before excusing himself, getting as far away as possible as to allow them privacy.
Gai took a sip out of his glass.
"What made you think he is Obito ? The guy was crashed by a fricking boulder, and even if he did survive, how could he still be walking ?"
"Well, he seemed young; our age. His hair was as messy as I remember and he wore an orange mask with a single hole for his right sharingan. I have the left pupil." He sighed. "It is not only that ; my foe also spoke with barely restrained anger when he mentionned my weakness and inability to protect my comrades. I felt he was hinting to rin's death. There's also this gift of his that he spoke about. He's referring the sharingan."
"This is truly a troubling revelation. Especially since Obito is now an enemy. It is still so strange for him to show up after... what ? Fourteen years ?."
Kakashi nodded, taking another sip of alcohol, enjoying the pleasure made by the hot, burning liquid flowing through his veins.
"This really is troublesome."
"Troublesome indeed !"
"So is he any strong ? I can't wait to face him. See how I measure up to him." Gai asked. He was ever the same, ready for combat, thrilled by challenges, ready to overcome any trial whatsoever.
Kakashi chuckled."Oh you'd be in for a big surprise. I still can't figure oout the reason he refused to kill me."
Gai stared, incrudulous, at Kakashi unflinching expression. A wide grin formed on his face, as anticipation and excitement built up in his heart.
"Well, looks like we have to up our game, we've been slacking lately."
"I've been slacking, Gai. I wouldn't say that kind of training you're going through is slacking. You're right, though. We must get stronger, even if our foe isn't Obito."
"Then I need to double my amount of exercises, no- triple it." Gai said, thrilled.
Kakashi shook his head with a smirk. He quickly gulped the wine, as his toughts once again drifted to his long lost friend.
"Come on Kakashi !" Shouted Gai."Let's start our youthful training."
Kakashi shook his head with a smirk before standing up with Gai and moving away from the bar after paying for his share of drinks.
Wait...Didn't he have a team to pick ? Nah, no worries, he'll be there in time. It's still early anyway.
He didn't bother to look at the clock tower on his way to the training ground, confident that he still had plenty of time on his hands.
"He's late." A pink-haired girl screeched in annoyance, as she glared at the clock in their classroom.
"How observant of you, Sakura-chan." Said a blond boy ironically as he stuffled a yawn.
"Is that sarcasm I hear, Naruto-baka ?"
"No, It's a completely honest compliment."
"Oh, well, keep your compliments to yourself. Only one person's approval would make me happy." Sakura turned her head toward a black-haired boy sitting by the window, listening with half a mind to their civilised conversations. He wore a high colored shirt with the famed uchiha clan symbol on the back. The boy upon meeting Sakura's gaze and noticing the blush on her cheeks turned away promptly with a groan.
Naruto looked at the duo for several moments before speaking.
"Hey Sakura-chan ! There are two things you need to know." Hearing her name, Sakura snapped back from her daydream and looked toward the direction of the sound."One : I was lying, that was really sarcasm. Two : Sasuke doesn't give a flying shit about you."
He nodded sagely, pleased with his words. "I mean, I'm just saying. Now that's out of the way, why don't you go out with me instead, I'm better than that bastard anyway."
Sasuke just groaned. He didn't care anyway, the dope can say whatever he wants and that wouldn't affect his magnificent being.
Sakura, on the other hand, was red with fury, her face twisted into a murdurous expression as she walked toward Naruto, fist clenched threatingly.
It was not long for realisation of his situation to fall on Naruto and sweat started to form heavily. Uhh, sweat me a river.
He jumped out of his desk and ran to the door, intent on escaping.
This self assigned 'annoy and ran' mission didn't last for long as his escape plan failed the moment he crashed into someone on the way out. He landed on his butt, cursing loudly.
"Now, Now, students you shouldn't be trying to kill each other. You're a team." Kakashi entered the classroom.
"I'm so sorry sensei." Sakura gasped as she caught sight of her sensei.
He nodded lazily at her, uncertain of the reason she reacted so intensely to his appearence.
"Make sure it is not repeated. If there's something I can't tolerate, it's child abuse, and oh yeah, attacking comrades." The white haired ninja said seriously.
They just stared at him.
"Am I understood, Pinky ?"
"Yes sir." She stood straight.
"Hmm... dirt and sweat.. rain too ! So you've been training, that's why you're late." Exclaimed Naruto as he pulled himself off the ground.
"Mhm." Kakashi let out a hum of agreement, surprised, he didn't expect this from his sudents, especially Naruto.
"A spar, I assume. Looks like you got yourself beat quite badly judging by those bruises." He teased.
"It's a draw actually." Kakashi eye-smiled. The suprise of this exceptional observational skills settled in his mind. Well, Naruto was a bit similiar to his father in that aspect. But, even Minato wasn't as attentive to details.
He mentioned to his two stunned students to follow them, as he and Naruto started climbing the stairs to the roof.
"Should've thought as much. Not your normal every day's spar then ?" The blonde asked and Kakashi nodded.
"Trust me, you don't know half of it." Kakashi gloated. His spars with Gai were often a bit over the top fierce and youthful.
Naruto eyes glinted with admiration at that. He couldn't wait to start his training under this powerful ninja. Oh, the power he could gain as his student.
It would make his dream come true.
"So sensei, what'cha hiding under that headband." He asked as they set food on the roof of the building.
Sakura having gone past the shock of Nauto's exceptional observation skills and the friendly way the two acted only after moments of meeting each other decided to respond on her teacher's behalf.
"It's the sharingan, dumbass. Haven't you ever head about Sharingan no Kakashi, the copycat ninja, our sensei." She chided. She herself didn't remember only until some minutes prior, but they didn't need to know that.
Kakashi cursed, he wasn't intending to answer that question.
"Sharin-what ? Oh, those red shiny eyes ? But I thought it was singular to the Uchiha clan."
Sasuke subconsciously nodded, intriguered as well.
"Wel, kids, that's a story for another time." Naruto and Sasuke visibly deflated after that. "Now why don't you introduce yourselves ? You know, your likes and dislikes, Hoppies and dreams for the future."
"Why don't you start first, sensei ?" The team's kunoichi suggested. The two other boys nodded.
Kakashi rubbed the back of his head before speaking."Well, I'm kakashi hatake. I have a lots of likes and many dislikes. I don't feel like sharing my hobbies with you. And uh, I have dreams."
All three genins sweat-dropped at his introduction.
Naruto stood up from his place between his two teammates and transformed into a perfect copy of kakashi.
"Here let me try." He said in his henge."My name is Kakashi Hatake. I like Icha Icha and training. I dislike child abuse and people who treat their comrades badly, as for my hobbies, I like reading Icha Icha, being late and feeling sorry for my friend's death. My goal is to become stronger and be the best goddam Hokage I can ever be."
The real Kakahi stared at him, awe-struck, eyes wide. Naruto's introduction of him was almost spot on. Sakura meanwhile, shouted at the laughing blonde for disrespecting their teacher. Sasuke was just frowning.
"Have you been stalking him Naruto-baka ? I mean, how do you know so much about him, or did you just make this up ?" She raised her hand to hit him only to remember Kakashi's warning.
The silver haired was passionately waiting for an answer as well.
"Sakura-chan, there are two things you need to know. One : I didn't stalk him, I didn't have any reason to do so." At that kakashi sighed in relief."Two: It's all observation, Sakura-chan. I see something, I deduce it. That's how I know he's into Icha Icha, my eyes tell me that he has an orange book on his chest pocket." They all glanced at Kakashi chest only to see an orange book slightly poking out of his pocket. "If he's carrying that around, than it's certain he's so into that crap."
Sakura surprised by this revelation, didn't give up and continued asking questions."Then how do you know about his other likes , his dislikes, his goal and his other 'hobby'."
"It's simplicity itself my dear Sakura. He himself said earlier that he would not tolerate YOU abusing ME so I figured that was one of his dislikes. He continued training even after he achieved jonin rank and even today, on such an important day, that only means he likes training and wants to become stronger, I mean who doesn't-No one except you-."
Sakura took a deep breath to contain her anger. "What about you figuring being late is one of his hobbies ?"
"He was late today, right ? On such an important day. Besides I remember Jiji complaining about a tardy shinobi regularly. I just assumed it's him." He shrugged."As to the other hobby, I also assumed that was the case. But what compelled me into making this assumption was him having the sharingan, I don't think anyone would just give away their most precious possesion just like that. That means that whoever gave him this sharingan was dead and also a close friend-Only if he stole it that's another story.
"And also, now that I think about it, I often saw him walking out of Ino's dad flower shop with a bouquet of pink rose and carnation and their meaning to my knowlege are : friendship and gratitude. I figured it justified his regular tardiness so it was also only an assumption. But that was all I could come up with. The guy is so hard to read, but what can you expect from such a skilled ninja."
Kakashi nursed his head, feeling the migraine coming from miles away. Looks like things are getting more and more troublesome. At least this was troublesome in an amazing way.
Naruto enjoyed their stunned look, his heart swelling with pride."And oh I don't think that's his actual goal, so I went on with my own goal unstead."
At that, they all sweat-dropped.
Sakura turned toward her sensei and asked the question that ran on both her and Sasuke's mind.
"Is it true ? Are those your likes, dislikes and hobbies, sensei ?"
Kakashi still not over the surprise nodded. Well, there are some differing points here and there but they didn't need to know that. Let the blonde rejoice.
His father and mother would certainly be proud of the sherlock their son has become.
He sighed as he noticed Sasuke staring intently at Naruto as if he was the secret of the universe.
"Well why don't we continue with our introduction. It is getting late since Naruto has seen fit to interrupt."
Hello, Dear readers
There's two things you need to know :
One : This story include but is not limited to a somewhat smart, observant Naruto-still the same lovable idiot, a somewhat serious kakashi, and maybe a sasuke whose stick-up his ass is removed early on.
Two : I have nothing else to say, I just want the chapter to have exactly 3000 words. Okay ? So I'm just adding words, lol.