Title: Beyond the Twilight Veil
Summary: One by one, the students at Konoha's school have been going missing without a trace. Declaring a state of emergency, Tsunade sends Kakashi out on the dire mission to find the children.
Rating: Teen, for now. I haven't yet decided how in-detail I will get.
Notes: It's Kakashi/Iruka centric, however, I wish to try and keep their relationship ambiguous. Slight AU.
Prologue
"-but, Tsunade-sama!" Iruka pleaded, barely suppressing his frustration. His hands clenched and unclenced at his sides as he tried to hide the dispair in his face. His jaw set in a hard line as he grimaced before continuing in a much quieter tone. "I...I cannot just sit idly by... They are my students."
A silver-haired jounin watched the distressed teacher next to him with a lazy eye. His flat stare softened and he turned to the Hokage. She regarded both men standing before her, gaze lingering much longer on the trembling man. There was a wild look in his dark eyes. The desperation there sent a chill up her spine. Closing her eyes, Tsunade sighed, a terse look coming over her face as she thought on the recent events.
It had been a long week. The students at the Academy had been disappearing, handfuls at a time. Now all of the students - all of Iruka's students - were missing. Gone without a trace. The last two had disappeared only one hour ago, at best. However, they had left the best and only lead.
A blood trail.
The students were not taken without a fight. The blood, although a brief glimpse of hope at finding them, had grim tidings. They could track it across the world if they had to. They would track it. But, in everyone's minds lingered the deep, dark fear that no matter how hard they tried, nor how far they followed it, it would lead to naught - that the children would all be dead.
Kakashi could feel the tension building in the room, rolling off of the sannin's shoulders in great, crushing waves. His one-eyed stare became serious as the silence continued long after she opened her eyes. Tsunade's piercing gaze was locked on Iruka, and the tan chuunin nearly wilted beneath it.
"I'm sorry, Iruka," she said, a hard edge to her voice. "I cannot let you go. You are too emotionally charged to handle this mission with a clear head." Her mouth becdame a grim line. "Go home, Iruka." The flat stare that followed stopped whatever words the tan chuunin had been chewing on, turning them sour. His face twisted, eyes hurt and furious.
Iruka stood there for a few moments longer, assessing the woman, before nodding stiffly. "Yes, Hokage-sama," he spat. With narrowed eyes, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Kakashi nor Tsunade said a word for a long moment, and neither could help but feel that the angry academy teacher would be the center of a lot of trouble. The Godaime sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Kakashi," she said softly, suddenly feeling twice her age. "Find the children and bring them back. Whatever it takes."
Tsunade heard him draw a few steps closer, and then a warm hand clapped her on the shoulder gently, and squeezed. "Whatever it takes, Godaime," he muttered before vanishing in a slight twirl of smoke, leaving Konoha's leader to her thoughts.
"Good luck, Kakashi..."
To be continued...
Sorry it's so short. I just didn't feel right continuing with what I have so far. x: Just a general opening, I guess.
Sorry if characters seem OOC.