Kakashi raised his hand to signal a halt. Behind him, he heard the faint whisper of the other jonin coming out of top speed and pausing in the foliage of the treeline arbor. Ahead and below, the Sharingan ninja could make out the outline of a small village.

Genma flickered in at Kakashi's shoulder.

"Is that it?" Kakashi asked. Genma nodded, his trademark senbon dangling from his lips.

"Yep. Fits the exact description the witness gave. If the intel was correct, there should be a cider cellar where Orochimaru is concealing some very… interesting experiments." Genma punctuated the statement with a dry chuckle. Beneath the mask, Kakashi's lips tightened. He had no idea how Genma could always find something humorous about the worst, most disgusting situations.

"Alright. You and Anko take right. Guy and Ebisu, left. Circle around until you meet up at the far side of the village. Iruka and I will split up and cut straight through center, until we rendezvous at your point. If you find anything, send up a signal bird and we'll rally to your location." Kakashi didn't wait to see if there were questions. "Go!"

The other jonin nodded and zipped away on flashes of air. Kakashi motioned Iruka. It was unusual to have the chunin schoolteacher on the mission, but he was filling in for Asuma, who said he had something urgent to attend to. Kakashi didn't really mind. In his opinion Iruka was jonin-level in most areas anyway, he'd just never passed the test… And Asuma's constant smoking was getting old. New studies about second-hand smoke had the Leaf considering public health measures and Kakashi personally was worried that as he got older, narcotics could -

"Kakashi-san? Er, Kakashi? Captain?" Iruka's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Sorry. Follow me, we'll transform at those bushes, then split up and make our way through town."

"Yes, Captain," Iruka nodded, all business. Beneath his mask, Kakashi smiled. They flitted to the clump of bushes. Concealed in the fine glossy leaves, they poofed into new skins: Iruka's cute ponytail was gone and replaced by a sun hat. His clothes were that of a laborer. The hat framed the scar on Iruka's nose and Kakashi had to smile again.

"Oh, what's that, Kakashi? A salaryman tourist, eh? Ha!" Iruka gave a very unbusinesslike giggle. Kakashi flushed a little under the mask but didn't acknowledge the rib otherwise. He reached up and made sure his hair was combed down over his left eye. He adjusted his tie till it was loosely undone. He rolled the sleeves of his shirt up. No jacket. The way Iruka was staring at him, Kakashi figured it looked okay. He reached up to adjust his mask - and forgot it wasn't on. A key part of his disguise.

"Go," Kakashi whispered. In a breath, Iruka was gone. Kakashi materialized in a shadow next to a takoyaki shop. The smell of octopus and sweet-savory sauce wafted over to him. His stomach grumbled. "Hmmmph," Kakashi grumbled. What would a salaryman on vacation do, though? Probably a convenience store.

Kakashi peeled away from the shadow and started walking briskly up the main drag of the town, which was little bigger than one of Konoha's side streets. This part of the Land of Waterfalls was not very developed, and renowned for its beauty and culture. The strains of some lovely, haunting music drifted down the street to Kakashi's ears. He put his hands in his pockets. The air smelled of orchids and passion flower, but as Kakashi approached the town square he also noticed the distinctly chocolate smell of dahlia. He looked up, and realized there were bunches tied into bowers along with colorful paper lanterns. The decorations were all over the side streets that led up to the central town plaza. He followed the music, and the scent of flowers, and the carmine glow in the sky ahead. The sun was going down and Kakashi glanced behind him. He cast a dark shadow on the unpaved road.

"I don't recognize you," a voice said. Kakashi startled. A woman's voice - a hand on his shoulder. He glanced down. Her nails were painted blood-red. He followed the line of her fingers to her wrist, which was encircled in a heavy gold bracelet, inlaid with junks of jade. He followed the line of her arm from her wrist - a bare arm, with a healthy glow - it led up to a bare shoulder, encircled by white lace. Her neck was adorned with a choker necklace, a black ribbon with a jade cabochon. And her face…

Kakashi jerked back. A grinning skull -

No. It was face paint. The woman's face was painted as a skull -

Her nails dug into his shoulder, keeping him close to her. She turned her face to look up at him. Green hair beneath a crown of marigolds fell away from the other side of her face. Only half her face was painted. The other half was bare. Her lips were red. There was a beauty mark under her right eye.

She gasped and recoiled. "KAKASHI?!"

Kakashi was certain someone had just hit him with a rasengan to the gut. He blinked, automatically checking his chakra flow. His heart felt like it was beating abnormally slow. A genjutsu… He made a quick sign - "Release."

Nothing happened, except the woman's hand dropping from his shoulder. Without thinking, Kakashi's own hand snaked out and caught hers. She pulled away. His fingers tightened.

"Hanare," he said.

The woman stopped trying to escape. After a moment, she spoke. "What are you doing here."

"I don't know," Kakashi replied. The music grew louder. It was a mix of guitar and shamisen and flute. It was lively. There was a drum somewhere. "Why are you here?" he asked Hanare. She looked confused.

"I… I came here to see if the tourist industry of the town could offer me decent money," she said. She glanced around. Kakashi noticed milling crowds all over the plaza. Colorful clothing, laughing couples. Children chasing each other or trying to dance. "I was going to sing and play at the ryokan near the lagoon. Then…"

Kakashi watched her brow furrow. "Then, I don't remember," she trailed off. Now Kakashi frowned. Hanare looked up at him. Her honey-colored eyes were exactly the same as he remembered them. "We can't just stand here," she said, a touch of the hardness in her tone, the rebuke that echoed in his dreams. "We're blocking the dance floor."

"Well, I guess we'll just have to dance, then." Kakashi reached out and clasped her around the waist. She was wearing a bright red skirt, fluffy and ruffly. Rose red. Red as blood. It was tight around her middle, with a bow in the back.

"Kakashi! I don't think -"

"Don't think," he said. His other hand lifted hers into the air. They spun onto the dance floor. Hanare gasped… but she didn't protest. Kakashi twirled her in front of him. Her emerald hair flared out in an arc, her skirt was a scarlet tempest. The sharingan ninja caught her eye as she turned. She was grinning, her lips parted, her chest rising and falling beneath the white lace blouse. Kakashi smiled, with no mask to hide it.

The music ebbed into a slow and elegant love song. Kakashi pulled Hanare close to him. She didn't resist. Her hand was on his heart. He hugged her close, one hand on her back and the other nestled in her hair, at the nape of her neck. They moved slowly together, her step to his step, his breath to her breath.

"Kakashi, I…"

"Sssh. Wakatta."

Hanare pushed away and looked up at him. "No, I need to tell you - I'm sorry I couldn't stay in Konoha. I wanted to, to come back one day. I wanted to show you I could be a part of your home." Her eyes glittered in the twilight.

Kakashi shook his head. "No. I'm sorry."

"Kakashi -"

He pulled her head to his chest and kissed the top of it. Her hair smelled like the crown of marigolds, and also of cinnamon and vanilla.

The music stopped. People were clapping. The sun had gone down. Kakashi reached back and scratched his head. What am I supposed to be doing?

Hanare looked around at the shadows and the darkening sky. She clutched his arm. "Kakashi… I feel like I'm supposed to take you somewhere far away from here, yet… something tells me I shouldn't lead you to that place."

Kakashi's head snapped around. "Why?"

Hanare flinched at his tone. "I… I don't know." She looked distressed. She was still holding onto his arm. Kakashi felt intensely guilty. He put a hand over hers.

"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll figure this out…" What was I doing? Kakashi focused all his chakra. A vague memory of Iruka's face as he departed… The mission. I'm on a mission?

Hanare had a hand to her temple. Her eyes took on a faraway look. Then, suddenly, she spoke. "Kakashi. I think I understand. I'm thirsty. Take me for a drink, won't you?" She was looking up at him, a blush on her cheeks, beaming. Kakashi smiled slowly. She was so pretty like this, under the lantern light, holding on to him, her eyes relaxed, lids partly lowered…

"Sure," he said. "That sounds wonderful."

Hanare nodded and turned, pulling him across the plaza. They edged through the happy crowds. A kid bumped into Kakashi, and when he looked down… he saw that the boy's face was painted in a skull design, too. The child laughed and waved a lollipop at Kakashi, and the sharingan ninja only then noticed he had a huge sticky splotch on the white shirt of his salaryman tourist disguise…

Disguise! That was it, the mission, to search the town-

"Kakashi?" Hanare's appealing voice caught his attention. Kakashi looked up. They were standing at the entrance to a warehouse that had been turned into an izakaya. The noren hanging across the entrance said "Lucky Hebi Lounge."

"They have the most delicious cider here," Hanare said. "Very exotic, and handcrafted!"

"Mmmmm," Kakashi said. He wasn't really thinking about cider, though that did sound good. Hanare seemed to understand, and her blush deepend. The low light of the lounge made her eyes sort of like brown sugar. Her hair looked like the dark moss of trees in shadow. Kakashi let her lead him under the curtains to a plain wood table.

"Now sit down, Copy Ninja. You order me whatever you think I'd like. And don't get it wrong." Hanare leaned down. Kakashi could smell her skin. Her eyelids fluttered. The skull-painted half of her face was beautiful. The naked half of her face was beautiful. Her lips were red and…

She brushed her lips over his. "I need to use the ladies' room. I'll be right back, Kakashi-kun." Her whisper was a hot breeze on his ear. "You'll never be rid of me. I promise you." Hanare laughed and Kakashi watched her red skirt sway as she disappeared around the corner of the izakaya. He stretched. He glanced around for a menu, but didn't see one. The izakaya seemed pretty empty, though he felt like there were people around somewhere, he couldn't see them. Maybe there were other rooms off the main one.

Kakashi startled. He had a cramp in his neck. Blinking, he looked around. The room was dark.

"Hanare?" There was no answer. Kakashi stood up. Did I fall asleep? He couldn't hear music anymore. He went to the corner where he thought Hanare had gone toward the bathrooms. It looked like a hallway, but when he reached out into the shadows, he felt solid wall. It was just an illusion. Kakashi frowned. He felt his heart thud in his chest.

The Copy Ninja turned and made sure there were no threats nearby, in the dining room. He pushed through the noren curtain as he went back out onto the street. "Hanare?" he called again. "Hanare!" He looked up and down the alley. The plaza was empty. The lights were still up, but there were no dancers, and there was no music. Night had fallen over the town, and everything was silent. "Hanare?" He cringed at the desperation he heard in his voice. It must be… a genjutsu… A drop of sweat rolled down his temple. Kakashi didn't want to admit what he was really afraid of in this situation. He steadied himself. A man was walking up the alley.

"Excuse me," Kakashi said as politely as he could. The man looked up. His face was lined and tired. His eyes were cloudy.

"What is it, son?" the man said kindly. He carried a bag of persimmons on his back.

"I'm looking for someone," Kakashi said. "Perhaps you know her? She has green hair, she was wearing a red skirt. She was just here, at the festival. I… I'm afraid I may have fallen asleep at the bar…" Kakashi gave an embarrassed chuckle.

"Oh, it happens to the best of us," the old man laughed. "Especially with the pretty ones. Sorry, sonny, I don't know which lass you speak of. There are many strange and beautiful women in these parts."

Kakashi tried to smile. "It's no trouble. Thank you anyway."

"Good luck," the man mumbled. He tipped his hat and walked off down the alley.

Kakashi put his hands in his pockets. The fear that was in his chest now felt more like an ache. He walked away from the izakaya, into the plaza square where he'd been dancing, with Hanare…

"Kakashi?"

The silver-haired shinobi blinked. He felt the heat of the sun on his face, which was wrong. Wasn't it already set? I was dancing with Hanare at twilight. He shook his head.

"Kakashi, are you all right?!" A hand on his arm, steadying him. "Anko, here! We found him, can you take a look?!"

It was Iruka's voice.

Kakashi blinked again. He turned his head slowly. He was glad to see Iruka, the familiar scar over the nose, the warm and maternal nature. And Anko, she would be able to clear up any issues of genjustu, but…

"Am I awake?" Kakashi murmured. His voice sounded weak and languid.

"Yeah," Iruka said. "You're barely able to stand. What happened?!"

Kakashi swallowed. He glanced around. He was standing in the middle of town. It was a barren plaza, unadorned and empty save for a few suspicious obaachans looking their way and giving all the jonin stink eye. The storefronts were mostly neat and clean but not prosperous looking. Everything was drab. Kakashi looked up. There were no lanterns. No dahlias. The air smelled of dirt and not chocolate. There wasn't a flower in sight, in fact.

"I ran into someone… that I knew…" Kakashi started. Iruka was giving him a look that made him stop talking about it immediately. Nauseated, Kakashi turned to look over his shoulder. There was a warehouse entrance, with a noren hanging over it. The noren said, "Enchanted Apple Cider." The noren was torn and faded. The warehouse had cobwebs on its eaves.

"I was… there." Kakashi nodded a the izakaya. Guy and the rest turned to look. The green jumpsuit-clad jonin scratched his head.

"Not to question your judgment, Kakashi, but that looks like a piss poor place to take an old acquaintance out for a refreshing beverage!"

"Yes, Guy," Kakashi gritted. "But it, it wasn't boarded up -"

"Kakashi, that place's been closed for a decade, judging by the looks of - hey wait, does that say cider?" Genma drawled.

"What?!" Anko looked up from checking Kakashi's chakra network. "Sssh! Everyone. I'm in charge since Kakashi's out of commission. 4-point formation, cloaking on. Let's go. Kakashi, over here and stay put..."

Kakashi was too fatigued to argue as Anko dumped him unceremoniously behind a barrel.

"Ew, Kakashi? What is this? Candy?" Anko held up her hand and grimaced. "Why is your vest sticky?!" The Special Jonin paused a moment, then licked her fingers. She shrugged. "Huh. Just sugar. Guess you were eating on the job! And here I thought you didn't like sweets…"

"Alright, move out!" Anko leveled a finger at the warehouse. Everyone flickered into action.

Kakashi moved a hand to his vest, fingers searching. There. His hand clutched the sticky fabric as his eyes closed into a dreamless sleep.

…

"The mission was a success. Good work, everyone." Hiruzen puffed his pipe. "The unsavory experiments in the basement of the cider house were terminated, and we obtained a lot of valuable intel about Orochimaru's plans."

"Congratulations," Hiruzen continued. "I look forward to seeing this information be put to good use in Konoha's long and prosperous future. Dismissed."

The team left the office.

Kakashi kept his hands in his pockets. He walked down the hall without feeling anything in particular. Guy ran up and joined him.

"Kakashi," the Green Beast said excitedly, "You'll never guess what I heard!"

Kakashi ignored him and hoped he'd stop talking.

"You'll never guess, so I'll tell you!" Guy exclaimed. He glanced around furtively, then leaned in to divulge the probably worthless "secret" to his Eternal Rival, Kakashi Hatake.

"Well, Kurenai, who is very smart and versed in these things, was telling me that that little village in Waterfall is known to be built on top of a Forbidden Place - that's like an ancient burial ground, a meeting place for the dead - you know, a real, genuine mystic nexus of power!"

Kakashi kept walking.

Guy waved his hands in the air. "So, at this time of year, Kurenai tells me in some places there are festivals for the dead, and spirits come back to haunt those left behind - there are different traditions everywhere, but you never know what, or who you might meet! Isn't it wonderful? And you said you were feeling strange on that mission, perhaps it was the restless souls…"

Kakashi pushed open the door of the Hokage building. Outside, the sky was blue but Kakashi felt a chill. The autumn wind ran through the trees and rustled the leaves.

"What if we were surrounded by spirits and didn't know it, Kakashi? It's so creepy, so cool!" Guy's eyes watered. "I wonder who I'd meet - maybe my father - you'd think he would've at least come by to say hi," Guy sniffled. "But then, I was on a mission, maybe he didn't want to disturb me at work. But to think, we were right there on top of a Forbidden sacred place, and didn't even know it - I hope we didn't offend anyone - maybe we should make an offering, just in case…"

"Yeah," Kakashi murmured. He looked up. A lone ghostly cloud crossed the blue expanse.

"Are you sure you didn't see anyone, Kakashi? You'd tell me if you did, right? Your best friend Guy. I do love a good ghost story, so -"

"Shut up, Guy," Kakashi said. He walked out toward nowhere in particular, and didn't stop until he'd forgotten what Guy was going on about.