Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who had given me positive feedback on my Naruto one-shot, I decided to start a multi-chaptered story. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

Chapter 1:

The gloomy sky cried for the recently deceased shinobi. Thunder clapped to reveal a small number of ninja gathered around a single stone; the few who cared enough after the late ninja's disgrace. Between these people stood a young boy no more than six years old, his eyes were wide open and his hair cascaded down his masked face. Beside the boy stood a man in his early twenties with brightly colored hair and eyes as blue as the ocean's waters. However, this man's blue eyes lacked their usual luster as they never left the stone. He nearly jumped in surprise when a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, startling him from his reverie. He dared to look at the owner to meet equally distressed eyes. His student's father, after all, was a dear friend of his teacher's. He knew how hard it was to lose a friend, and offered an encouraging smile to his sensei. The white-haired man glanced at the short chuunin beside his apprentice provoking the forced smile to vanish and be replaced with a grim frown. The blond man chanced a look at his student and his hand automatically shot out to ruffle the silver tufts. The usually stoic boy did not pull away nor did he grunt. He did not react as his eyes watched, unseeing, the tombstone in front of him; instead they chose to see his father's cold body in their study not very long ago.

*Flashback*

Kakashi hid a smile underneath his mask. He was finally going to take the chuunin exams! Minato had just finished telling him all about his own exams, and Kakashi was a hundred percent sure that he would ace this test with no problems. He did not know how his sensei was convinced to let him participate in the exams; he seemed hesitant when Jiraiya proposed the idea. However, he wasn't complaining and he would make sure that he succeeded no matter what. Maybe… just maybe if- no, when- he got promoted to chuunin, his father would no longer remain the shell of a man he has become. Perhaps his eyes would stop being ghost-like and return to the confident orbs they once were before that godforsaken mission. With that thought in mind, the young boy expertly jumped over the 'accidently' thrown trash on the door to the Hatake estate and hurried excitedly to where he knew his father would be. Once he reached the door, he slipped off his sandals and barely made a sound as he practically tip-toed into the study.

"Father?" he called out, his voice as equally silent as his footsteps. He heard a grunt and lengthened his strides as far as his legs would allow as he made his way to the room. He found Sakumo reading an article from a heavy-looking book. Once he was inside, his father's tired eyes immediately left the book and transfixed on him instead. Kakashi beamed and even the mask could not hide it all from sight.

"Minato-sensei recommended me for the chuunin exams," he said cheerfully, hoping that if he added enough happiness, Sakumo would get affected by it too. Nonetheless, Sakumo merrily raised one silver eyebrow at his son's grinning face.

"Really?" he asked. Kakashi nodded, the smile never leaving his face, "That's good," Sakumo continued unenthusiastically. Kakashi's grin nearly shattered, but he held on to it. Sakumo, then, added, "Are you getting prepared for it?"

"Yes, I am," Kakashi paused before continuing, "Minato-sensei's making sure I'm ready for it… but can you teach me a thing or two that might help?"

"I think Minato-sensei can teach you far better things than I can," Sakumo continued in that lifeless tone, "Good luck, 'Kashi," he said as he attempted a proud smile. To Kakashi, however, it seemed like a pained grimace. There was nothing else he could do, he told himself. He tried being joyful around his dad so that his spirits would also lift, just like Minato-sensei told him, but apparently it didn't work. He nodded and once his back was turned, the smile fell of just like plaster would off a wall. Kakashi let out a sigh as he went out into the open air. He decided to go train for a while. That would definitely cheer up his dampened morale.

Kakashi joined up with two other genin for the chuunin exam. And together, the three made it through the written, impossibly difficult t test with no problems. They yearned for survival when the instructor threw them in the Forest of Death and were finally named chuunin after they beat their opponents. The successful genin cheered and were congratulated by many people. Some of them, however, in addition to the genin who did not pass, were not filled with such joy because of the losses of their former teammates or family members. The sky above matched the latter's mood. It was eerily dark and about to pour at any moment. People hurried out of the buildings at ridiculous paces to avoid getting soaked when the sky could take no more provoking them to be caught in a downpour, and Kakashi was no different.

The newly named chuunin hopped swiftly from one building top to another. Once he reached his home's gates, he followed the now memorized path towards the study. He did what he always did and took off his sandals before opening the door and setting them inside. His nose scrunched up in distaste when a stinky stench evaded his nostrils. His eyes watered from the unpleasant smell his sharp nose was picking up. Still, he walked hesitantly onwards, calling his father every now and then. He jumped when he heard thunder clapping outside followed by a cascade of heavy drops of water falling on the roof. He didn't notice the gooey substance on the ground before his bare foot pressed down on it. He immediately retracted his foot and studied the pool beneath him. His blank mind could only come too close to finding out what he was seeing beneath him or what he smelled in the air. The thunder's light gave Kakashi view of a red color seeping from under the door. 'Blood?' He asked himself as he slid the door open. Thunder clapped again revealing a crouched body on the ground in front of the boy. Shinobi training kicking in, Kakashi checked his surroundings for any sign of an enemy, any indication of a quarrel, but there were none. 'It must be a genjutsu,' as he thought, his hands were instantly set in a hand sign and he chanted 'Release!' over and over again. With every failed attempt, the stinging behind the boy's eyes got more pronounced and he could not hold in his tears any longer. The salty liquid rolled his cheeks slowly at first, but then, they came down quickly and soft whimpers were emitted as the boy rushed towards the once proud man with the family katana embedded in his guts.

Long after the boy's tears had run dry, he heard someone gasp. He could make out in his fogged state a series of footfalls getting closer. His instincts screamed danger, but the rest of his body refused to obey. He felt someone grabbing him around the waist and force his head away from the corpse, away from the glassy, dead eyes. However, Kakashi did not react to any of that. He let the soothing voice enter his mind, but the calming words and the gentle tone did nothing to appease the young boy. He could only hang on to this voice for so long before his consciousness slipped away to give in to a dreamless sleep.

*End of Flashback*

And here he was, three days later, all dressed in black. His sensei radiated warmth while he offered a comforting smile. 'Everything will be okay,' he could almost hear him say, but even young six-year-old Kakashi knew that his sensei was telling him lie upon lie in order to help him overcome the state he found himself in. It's all this village's fault… he couldn't help but think bitterly, if they just forgot about that mission, my dad would still be here… he would still be with me… His eyes tried forming fresh tears, but none would fall from his dried up eyes. He felt his teacher place a hand on his hair again and ruffle it like he always did. Nonetheless, the boy did not react. Much later in the afternoon, the young Hatake shoved Minato's hand off and marched briskly towards the trees. He heard his sensei call out for him, but Jiraiya stopped him from trailing behind him.

"Jiraiya-sensei! He needs me!" Minato exclaimed as he made an effort to pursue his departing student.

"Just leave him be for now, Minato," Jiraiya replied as he watched the silver-haired boy retreat farther and farther away. Minato huffed but said nothing as he averted his gaze away from his student's retreating back.

Meanwhile, Kakashi walked on till he reached a clearing between the many trees. He sat down on the ground and waited for his anger on the village and the people within to recede. How was he supposed to protect these people? The very people that drove his father to commit suicide? He let out a frustrated breath.

"Poor, poor Kakashi-kun," a voice came from the top of the trees. Kakashi immediately sprung up to his feet and got ready in a battle stance. That resulted in making the owner of the voice to laugh sickeningly. The boy growled in annoyance.

"Whoever you are, I'm not in the mood for your games right now. Just show yourself or leave!" he yelled towards where he estimated the person would be.

"Oh, but Kakashi-kun… I might have an answer to your problems. Don't you want to listen to me?" the voice continued. Kakashi could hear it more clearly now, as if the person has shifted closer.

"What are you talking about?" The stranger clicked his tongue.

"Don't play me for a fool, Kakashi-kun. I know how you feel," Ignoring Kakashi's grunt, he continued, "Let's lay out the facts, shall we? You hate these people. The villagers you are supposed to keep safe in this war. You are enraged and what makes you even more furious is that the citizens and shinobi alike blamed your father for a mission gone wrong, ultimately driving him to suicide," Kakashi's grunt transformed into a growl.

"So you know a few things, big deal," Kakashi stated snidely. The mysterious, darkly dressed man chuckled knowingly. Kakashi's heartbeats accelerated with each second that passed. He could hear it echoing loudly and the stranger's continued laughter convinced him that he could hear it too. He flinched when he felt a cold hand on the back of his neck. Pain shot through his body and everything morphed into darkness. Then, he knew no more.

The man smirked at the six-year-old boy's lithe form as he fell, landing in a heap on the ground. He knelt next to the Hatake and touched the back of his neck. He forced some of his own chakra into the boy, who groaned uncomfortably but did not awake. He heard shouting getting closer. He stood up from his position and disappeared just before the boy's teacher appeared. He watched the blond take the child in his arms and vanish leaving a yellow trail behind. With any luck, no one would notice the seal and it would evolve, undisturbed. It's only a matter of time now.

Author's Notes: Thanks for everyone who read this and I hope you liked the first chapter. Please tell me if I should continue or not! R&R