Chapter Two: In the Shadow of Fire

From the monumental, stone walls of the village to the faces of the past Hokage carved into the Hokage mountain, the Village Hidden in the Leaves had never before looked to be in such a state of desolation. The devastation was truly magnificent. No place in the village was the same, or would ever be the same again. Roads, houses and forest-terrain alike and been upheaved from the earth as if the hands of some colossal, omnipotent being had sunk their fingers into the earth and pulled with all their might. Buildings in every district mirrored the images of the scorched, war-torn lands all of the veteran ninja had seen during the war. Lands that had been so ravaged by war that the most horrendous cataclysms and calamities from the tales of the poets and the bards themselves would have tucked-tail and ran away in fear.

And to see a Hidden Village, no less one of the Great Five, in such a state was troubling indeed. The Hidden Villages were pillars of the lands in which they served; for the Hidden Leaf it was the Land of Fire. These Hidden Villages took on missions for clients of all kinds who needed the use of the special set of skills ninja provided. Truthfully, the ninja were far more intrinsically ingrained into the woven sheet of fabric that was society than they should have been. They almost had more power than the governments in which they served, for in reality, there was no samurai alive that could kill the Hokage, or any of the Five Kage for that matter. The ninja truly reigned supreme.

But the effects of such a disaster would be felt too; it would bring about an unbalancing. The scales would be tipped ever so slightly. The Hidden Leaf Village was viewed by the rest as one of the stronger ones, coming out of the last war mostly victorious. It was hard to say anyone came home from war a victor.

But after the last war, which all Five Great Nations had a hand in in some way, shape or form, the Leaf Village came out looking damn good. Mostly because of Minato Namikaze, the recently-appointed-and-now-deceased Fourth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

During the last war, the Hidden Leaf found themselves entrenched in hostilities with the Hidden Mist, the Hidden Cloud, and of course, the Hidden Rock. The Hidden Rock had been where most of their resources were directed. The fighting had started in one of the smaller bordering countries, the Land of Grass, between the Hidden Leaf and Hidden Rock. Rock had decided to push past their boundaries in an attempt to expand their territory. The Land of Grass was abundant in resources that the Land of Earth was quite lacking in, and so to Rock it seemed natural that they would expand just a bit and take what they needed. Of course a few skirmishes and dead Grass ninja later, and rumors buzzing about to go along with them, the word was on everybody's lips. War. And so, through matters not many people were entirely sure on, the Hidden Leaf Village came to the Hidden Grass's aid in fending off the Hidden Rock invaders. Slowly the size of the skirmishes and the count of the dead rose, until before anyone really realized it, the nation was embroiled in the oven of war. The Grass Country had become a warzone, and when it no longer became convenient to do battle there, the fighting expanded a bit to both neighboring border countries; the Land of Rain and the Land of Waterfalls. And as the fighting got worse and worse the more and more factions decided to involve themselves.

The Village Hidden in the Clouds came to blows with the Hidden Leaf a few times, and it was the first time anyone of the younger generation could remember seeing two Kage fight head-to-head. Of course, Neither Minato nor Ei, the current Raikage of the Hidden Cloud Village, could call themselves Kage at the time, but such events were sure to go down in history and be passed down as legend. In the end, neither the Hidden Leaf nor the Hidden Cloud decided to pursue aggressions against one another, and they even went as far a to form a sort of 'truce' to take Hidden Rock down a peg or two and force them into ceasing hostilities. Although this did not mean that the Cloud and Leaf were allies in any way.

Hostilities had finally come to a close after one key mission that had been performed by Minato and his team. The mission had been to destroy Kannabi Bridge, one of the main supply lines Hidden Rock had been using to support their forces deep in Hidden Grass. During the process, one of MInato's students, Obito, had lost his life to two Rock ninja. Rin, the girl with the purple markings under her eyes, had been captured and Obito had somehow been able to convince the usually cold-hearted Kakashi, the boy with the facemask, to rescue her. Obito knocked Kakashi out of the way of an Earth Style Technique and took the hit for him, resulting in his death. As a last gift to Kakashi, a birthday present no less, Obito gave him his one remaining, newly-activated Sharingan eye, which paved the way to Rin and Kakashi's freedom, and eventually, Kakashi's fame, although Kakashi would never be the same. After destroying the bridge, Rock's forces started to wither, and a few final encounters with the Hidden Leaf's Yellow Flash were enough to drive the nail into the coffin of the Third Shinobi World War.

The rest was recent history. Still fresh in the minds of all who would be called survivors. The Hidden Leaf had come home victors, riding the metaphorical stallion of triumph and gallantry. And then...well...

A horse is only as good as the distance it's legs can carry it. Or as long as it isn't trampled by a mountain sized, mythical Demon Fox.

"And you say he had the Sharingan?"

Hiruzen turned from the giant window in front of him to meet the gaze of Jiraiya. It had not yet been a full day since the Nine-Tails had attacked, though it was nighttime once more, and currently they stood together in the Hokage's office in the Hokage Mansion. Somehow it had miraculously come out of the Nine-Tails attack relatively unscathed, one of the very few things that could boast such a feat. The office was scarcely furnished; only a mahogany desk, a cushioned chair for the Hokage, and the odd bookcase decorated the room. The desk was set up at the end of the room so that it faced the double doors that led into the office. Behind the desk were seven bay windows all with a fantastic view of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. And its destruction. "Which is how he took control of the Nine-Tails."

"That's how Madara Uchiha did it right?" Jiraiya questioned, although he already knew the answer. Hiruzen nodded as his feet scuffled across the hardwood floor as he walked from the window to his desk. The old Hokage sighed and took off his hat, placing it on his desk. The hat that he now felt forced to don once more for his village. Jiraiya noticed that Hiruzen looked like he had aged a year in the past few hours. "Will you become Hokage again?" The Toad Sage asked as he held a the little bundle of blankets that was the new Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. Jiraiya couldn't help but notice that he looked a hell of a lot like Minato already, but he had Kushina's bright, vibrant, violet eyes. Except for the three whisker marks that adorned each cheek. That was all Naruto.

"I am afraid that is what it will come to…" Sarutobi stroked his beard absentmindedly as he admitted this. "Of course nothing will be official until it is brought to the attention of the council. But I see no other course of action. Who would you hand the hat to at a time like this?" Jiraiya seemed to truly ponder the question for a moment, perusing a list of suitable characters for the part in his head. Of course, he quickly realized that there really wasn't anyone he would choose. Not even his teammate and used-to-be best friend, who had been worrying him with his behavior recently….

"I'm sorry that none of us are fit to be a successor to you." Jiraiya stated solemnly, referring to him and his teammates. Jiraiya knew he was not fit to be the Hokage. He did not have the monumental patience it required, nor did he have the conventional mindset for it. Jiraiya needed to be free...free to fawn over all of the big-breasted women he came across. Such behavior was certainly not becoming of a Hokage, or anyone in a position of real power for that matter.

There was Orochimaru who had already been passed over for the job once. After the war when Minato was named successor, Orochimaru had been vying for the position as well. His jealousy of the outcome was not unbeknownst to Jiraiya or Hiruzen, and as a result he had begun to distance himself, and even started acting suspiciously. There were rumors...vile rumors...rumors neither of them dare considered…

And lastly Tsunade, granddaughter of the First Hokage and student of the Third Hokage. She was a gifted Shinobi in all aspects of the word, though she was a genius in the Medical Ninjutsu field. She had even pioneered the idea of attaching a medic ninja to every 4-man cell in a time of war, something that had no doubt saved the lives of hundreds, maybe thousands of Leaf ninja. She would actually make a perfect Hokage in both of their minds. That is, if she hadn't left the village years ago, wanting nothing to do with it ever again.

"In a way I'm glad. At least I can spare the three of you any more hardship." Hiruzen answered, equally as solemn. "Minato was a hero. There will be no easy way to replace him." Hiruzen let out a deep sigh and leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table and bracing his head with his hands. "I truly fear what may unfold over the next few years Jiraiya. Our strength is only a fraction of what it was not a day ago. Not only does that invite aggression from our enemies beyond our borders, but it invites strife to coalesce from within. I fear that there could be a silent war for my seat; a war that goes on behind the scenes raised up from the darker factions of the Leaf Village. Minato was going to be the one to shine a light on that darkness as Hokage...but now…" Sarutobi sighed again, heavily this time, "...now I fear we've lost sight of our one true beacon of light." Hiruzen predicted, his voice wavering. However, this sparked a thought in Jiraiya's head, and he reached into his vest and pulled out a scroll.

"Well, our beacon left one last sign. I found this scroll of Minato's body after he perished."

"And you just remembered this now?" Hiruzen asked, his eyebrow raising in scrutiny.

"Give me a break, I've got a lot on my mind. Just read it. There's a lot of very...interesting...information inside, though I didn't get a chance to read the entire thing." Jiraiya stated quietly, unfurling the scroll and setting it on Hiruzen's desk. The Hokage reached out with his bony fingers, slid the paper in front of him and immediately began to read it aloud:

I only have so much time while Kushina draws up the Seal Key. I can only imagine the state that the village is in now; surely I have failed as Hokage. But no matter, to whoever is reading this, I assume Jiraiya or Hiruzen, or maybe even Kakashi, there is much I must still do as Hokage. I only hope this letter will be enough to set the gears in motion.

My son Naruto is to become the next Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. Kushina and I agreed that it is the only thing we can do. We could not simply take someone else's child and force this fate upon them. And as an Uzumaki, not to mention a direct descendant of a previous Jinchuriki, plus indirectly of another, he could possibly be the best vessel in all of the Elemental Nations for the Nine-Tails. Whether it had been now or in 10 years, at some point the Fox would have had to be moved from Kushina into Naruto anyway. It's the only way this can work.

The seal I have developed with Kushina's help is quite complex. I must say, I'm actually pretty impressed with myself. I hope it doesn't cause you too much trouble Sensei.

Jiraiya snorted at this moment.

I plan on giving the Seal Key to the toads, so that the only person who could ever find it is you Sensei. If you have lost your life in this horrendous affair as well Sensei, then all hope may truly be lost. It is too complex for me to explain the entire thing here, and the key will have all of the details you need to figure it out. Do not hesitate to look at any of my old notes, or Kushina's old notes, or anything from the archives from Whirlpool Country, as they will have all of the answers you will need. Just know that only you Sensei, and eventually Naruto, will ever be able to open the seal.

This line gave them pause. Both Hiruzen and Jiraiya looked at each other, with surely the same question on their minds. Why would they ever even think about opening the damn seal?

Also over time the seal will change, so do not be alarmed when this happens.

Now, this is what is most important right now, in case Jiraiya has perished as well. For the release of the Nine-Tails was no accident. A man with the Sharingan was behind the release of the Kyuubi. He separated me from Kushina for just a moment, and he was able to bring it out of her. After putting the beast under a Genjutsu of some sorts he must have ordered it to attack the village. His motives were unclear, but I do not believe he is an Uchiha, and you should not let that cloud your judgement. Just watch out for guys who have one Sharingan eye. But not Kakashi, he didn't do it.

Lastly, I just want to say I'm sorry. I know Jiraiya is waiting for me right now, but I can't leave these things unsaid. I'm sorry Hiruzen for not living up to your expectations. It seems I was not meant to be Hokage after all. Or am I doing exactly as you would expect me to? I'm not really sure I can be the one to cast judgement in that way can I? I truly hope my sacrifice here does not lead to tragic events. I'm sorry Sensei for not outliving you. I know what it's like to lose one of your own. It never really gets easier. The only advice I can really offer you is reach out to those you do still have. Even if it is the crotchety old man with the pipe and the hat.

Hiruzen leveled Jiraiya with a scornful glare while the last loyal Sannin chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head.

Sometimes you can be crotchety too Sensei.

Now it was Hiruzen's turn to laugh.

Kakashi, Rin I'm sorry that I could not be there for you. I know this must be so hard for you two, but please don't lose hope. You still have each other, and you shouldn't forget that. Obito and I will be watching over you. Never forget that either.

And...Naruto my son. My son. I can't believe I'll never get to say those words to you. There are so many...so many things that I want to say but writing them on this piece of paper would do a disservice to them. I just want you to know that I love you. I love you more than anything. Your mother is now trying to grab the ink from me to write how much she loves you. We both love you. We love you so much. Don't ever forget that. As long as you live Naruto don't ever forget that whatever you do, we love you.

Now I must go...please...take care of Naruto for us. Kushina says she loves you all so much and wishes she could say more, but we REALLY have to go. She said to just mention Mikoto real quick because we don't have time. Kushina loves you Mikoto. And I love you all as well. Farewell.

Wait since I'm about to die do I need to pick a successor? If it had been ten years later I would have said Kakashi...and I know you won't even consider it Sensei...would it be okay if I said Hiruzen? Will that even work? Okay I really have to go, no time to dwell on it. These are some pretty unorganized last words huh?

It was quiet for a few moments after Hiruzen finished it.

"I am proud of you Minato." Hiruzen whispered.

"Ever the poet too." Jiraiya said, half-sarcastically.

"He knew he was going to die?" Hiruzen asked, looking up at Jiraiya, his eyes full of melancholy. Jiraiya nodded.

"He did. Kushina must have known too, which is why she added that little detail to the seal - dammit how did I not pick up on that?" Jiraiya lamented, as a flash of grief fueled anger pulsed through him. "I guess I did know, and I just didn't want to admit it." He acknowledged, calming himself. "He named you his successor though. That makes one thing easier right?"

"I suppose. We will have to present this in the next council meeting." Hiruzen said as he slipped the scroll into his robe. Jiraiya nodded.

"So what do we do now?" The white-haired ninja asked.

"Well, if it is suspected that the Uchiha are behind it, that will cause much distress within the village. The Uchiha separate themselves from the village more than any other clan as it is, due to the nature of their relationship with the founders of the Leaf Village and my predecessors. Something that Minato has rebuked me for on quite a few occasions." Hiruzen seemed to deflate a bit as he admitted this. His eyes drifted to his hands, staring at them as if they were to blame for his poor relations with the Uchiha. "He was right though, there was much I could have done to extend a hand of friendship to the Uchiha. But my Senju masters had instilled a sort of wariness, well Tobirama had at least. Hashirama was always fond of the Uchiha…" Realizing that he was getting off track, Hiruzen took a quick puff of his pipe and cleared his throat. "Maybe the aim of this attack was to tug upon the strings of my distrust? And further separate the Uchiha from the village? I can only guess really. But if Minato says so, he has a reason, I will choose to take his council." Hiruzen finally stated, feeling it would truly be the right choice. Funny how he, a man beyond the years of all but a few, was still taking advice from those not half his age. "All will be determined once the council meets, including what will happen with young Naruto."

"I'll raise him." Jiraiya answered immediately and resolutely. "I am his Godfather, aren't I? Considering I'm the only one who knows how to make sense out of Minato's seal, it only makes sense."

"Indeed it seems to be the best option for the boy. Are you up to the task?" Hiruzen inquired.

"Absolutely. This...this is the least I can do for Minato. And for Naruto." The Sannin stated with determination. "Someone has to be there for him."

"We shall both be there for him. But we best prepare ourselves. This road will be paved with difficulty. I shall arrange a council meeting, Best you sharpen your tongue." Hiruzen suggested, standing up and donning his hat once more.

"Sure. I'll polish my ass too."

XxX

'Life is born. Life is taken. Life is a battle.'

Once again the mantra repeated itself in Itachi's head. He was entangled with emotion; distraught over Shisui's death, and furious at the men who had done it. But he was also relieved that he was alive, which also made him feel a tiny bit guilty. If it hadn't been for him, Shisui would never have been killed.

"Itachi. Ready?" Itachi heard his father's call from down the hall, and he exited his room. He was now dressed in all black. An attire of mourning. His father's outfit was similar. Fugaku Uchiha was a stalwart man with a stalwart confidence about him. He had shoulder length brown hair and stern, pure black eyes.

"Yes father." Itachi answered sullenly. Itachi's mother, Mikoto, then rounded the corner, carrying Sasuke in her arms, and she too wore black; a long, elegant-but-simple dress that accentuated her beauty. Her long, silky black hair was tied up in a formal bun, and her raven-colored eyes were heavy with sadness. Kushina had been her best friend, and she was finding it hard to cope with the loss. Itachi felt his mother's pain, and went to hug her leg in comfort. A few tears escaped her eyes as she wrapped one of her arms around her son's head.

"It will all be okay Itachi. It will all be okay…" She whispered through her tears. Itachi wasn't sure if she was talking to him, or herself.

As the family made its way to the streets of the village, they were met by a sea of bodies, all dressed in black as well, heading in the direction of the cemetery. Silence pervaded the streets as the mourners all trudged along in a woeful manner. The weight of the day before hung over them like a cluster of storm clouds, waiting to burst and shower them with despair. Itachi looked all around as he moved along, noticing the faces of those he knew, all with the same, sorrowful expression. He recalled the conversation he had had with Shisui not long ago, about the cycle of death for life, and finding a way to end the cycle. He now more than ever wanted to find a way to end that cycle.

They eventually arrived at the cemetery grounds. The grounds were quite large, as they always needed space for new additions. Thick, stone walls surrounded a vibrant green field of grass, with a stone walkway that led up the center. On either side of the walkway were rows and rows of small, sleek, square headstones, and at the end of the walkway was a giant stone statue carved in the the same of a burning flame. A monument to the past Hokage. Today another name would be etched into the base of that statue.

The funeral goers lined up in rows facing the statue to pay their respects. There was no formal ceremony of any sort, too many had died. Instead they would mourn in silence and serenity, in the presence of their remaining loved ones and comrades. Itachi thought of Shisui and his mother's friend Kushina.

"Lord Fugaku...there are rumors swirling around." Itachi looked over as he saw one of his dad's associates in the clan whisper to Fugaku.

"Now is not the time to-" Fugaku started.

"I'm not sure if you've been to Naka Shrine yet, but one of our men found the flames of Amaterasu." This caused Fugaku's eyes to bulge wide open. "And they say they saw the Sharingan in the Kyuubi's eyes. People are blaming us!" The other man cut in, his ire rising, though he still kept his voice down. "We cannot-"

"Now is not the time. We will discuss the black flames later." Fugaku answered again, this time much more sternly than the last. The man simply nodded and ceased his discussion. Itachi however, perked up when he heard the word Amaterasu.

'What were those black flames...?'

Later on, after a few hours had passed, some people decided enough was enough, and it was time to go, while others stayed, or broke off to pay respects to specific graves, loved ones they had lost. Itachi found himself standing alone for a few moments as Fugaku followed Mikoto to Kushina's grave. As his gaze wandered around him, he spotted a man who was quite famous within the Leaf Village. He approached him.

"Grieving over the dead is meaningless." The man stated as Itachi walked up. He was a tall, slender man with chalk, white skin that had a scaly quality to it. His eyes gleaned shades of purple and green, and his pupils were vertically elliptical, like that of a snake's. In fact his whole demeanor was very snake-like, though it was quite fitting, seeing as he could summon Snakes in the same way that Jiraiya could summon Toads and Hiruzen could summon Monkeys. He had shiny, smooth black hair that went down past his shoulder blades, and he was dressed in the normal attire of a Leaf Village Jonin. "If there is any meaning in death, it's to take advantage of it." The man's voice was cold and had a quality of wretchedness to it.

"Take advantage?" Itachi asked, curiosity compelling him. Many people had mentioned how intelligent Orochimaru was, and Itachi hoped he could find some answers by speaking to him.

"Yes. They very art of the Shinobi relies on taking advantage of death, of using it as a tool. One must learn to harness it." He answered in a malicious way; it almost sounded like he was hissing. "One must understand death, one must become death, and only then can one conquer death."

"Conquer death?"

"Conquer death and find eternal life. Life only has meaning if it is eternal." The snake-like man concluded. He turned away then and began to walk away, not bothering to continue his conversation with Itachi. But he had given Itachi plenty to think about.

'Can life be eternal?'

The question had bounded around in Itachi's head for the rest of the day. He floated through the bereaved crowd of villagers in a bubble of isolated thoughts. Was death inescapable? Could he have somehow changed Shisui's fate? Was there any true meaning in the cycle of life and death? He thought long and hard as his legs slowly lost feeling and as if possessed by phantoms carried him all the way outside of the village to one of the many training grounds on the perimeter of the village. He found himself standing on the edge of a cliff, peering outward over the expansive view. Below him in the ravine was a shallow stream flowing with clear blue water. Past the stream was a verdant swathe of trees that stretched as far as the horizon, up into the sunset where the light reflected hues of pink and orange onto the pillowy clouds. Itachi took it all in and thought of Shisui once more, and as he did, his perception of the world changed, like it had on the night of Shisui's death. He quickly took off his headband and looked at his reflection in it, and staring back at him were two blood red Sharingan eyes.

"Sharingan…" He whispered to himself as a bitter feeling crawled up inside of his belly. This Sharingan, this revered ocular mutation that his clansmen felt made them superior to other clans, was a manifestation of his anguish. Had Shisui lived that night, he may never have unlocked the cursed ability. Tears begun to leak from Itachi's eyes as he tossed the headband over the edge of the cliff and collapsed to his knees. He felt as if he had been lied to his entire life. His father had always made the Sharingan out to be a wondrous power, but now he knew it was one of malevolence. Of violence. Of pain. He felt stupid.

As his tears begun to subside, he peered over the edge once more, now realizing how high up he was. He could see the faint glimmer of his headband all the way at the bottom of the drop. At that moment a lone crow flew up from under him and landed next to him on the cliff. They exchanged gazes before the crow CAWED and flew over the edge of the cliff, diving down into the ravine. Itachi didn't really know why, but he felt as if he should follow the crow, and so without a second thought he did. His legs propelled him forward over the edge and he felt his stomach drop as he too plummeted to the earth. At first he did nothing, simply staring at the twilight sky as his body slowly descended. But he was startled out of his trance by another CAW, from the same crow as it begun to fly in circles around him. Suddenly he snapped into focus, and reached into a hidden pouch on his thigh for a kunai and length of wire. He quickly tied the wire around the handle of the kunai and flung the bladed weapon at the cliff wall. He felt his momentum slow as the kunai took hold, but as he reached the full length of the wire his weight ripped it out of the solid rock surface. Again he tried the same tactic as the ground grew closer and closer, and this time he was able to pull himself closer to the wall. He pulled out a second kunai and with both hands he sunk them into the stone as hard as he could. Sparks flashed as the kunai scraped against the cliff wall at terminal velocity. Itachi tried again and again, ramming the kunai into the wall with all of his might, though he couldn't feel himself slowing down. Panic began to engulf him as he dug in harder and harder. One of his kunai snapped and he was only left with one. He grabbed his one remaining weapon and thrust it into the wall as hard as he could, his muscles searing with exhaustion. And slowly, but surely, he felt himself slowing down, just enough to maybe survive the landing. He looked down and as he saw the ground get close enough he pushed off of the wall with his legs and shot out towards the stream. He broke the surface of the water and felt himself crash into the shallow riverbed. He felt a couple of sharp rocks puncture his skin in a few places, where blood leaked out freely. But he fought to pull himself back to the surface, and gasped for breath as he succeeded. He slowly and painfully dragged himself out of the water and collapsed on the rocky riverbank, coughing up a bit of green tinted water as he lay there.

CAW

He looked up, coughing again as he did, and was face to face with the crow. They stared at each other for a few silent moments.

CAW

Itachi didn't know if the crow was waiting for him to respond, but he physically couldn't at this moment, so he simply reached out with his finger, and gently pet the crow on the head.

CACAW CACAW CACAW

Suddenly a swarm of crows descended upon Itachi, landing in a circle around his prone body. Itachi slowly pushed himself to his knees and looked around, not really sure what was going on. But he felt as if he had somehow bonded with these crows. As if he had shown them that he was willing to conquer his fears, and they would be willing to help him.

Suddenly a thought struck him. He still hadn't told the Hokage, or anyone for that matter, about the hooded men who had killed Shisui. Not even his mother and father. Not that he didn't trust them, but he felt these words needed to be heard by the Hokage first. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted his discarded Leaf headband.

He would not let Shisui's death be in vain.

XxX

The life of a shinobi could be utterly depressing, truth be told. They risked their lives day in and day out for their villages, without so much as a care for their own well-being. They were more familiar with death than most other beings. It was their tool, it was their cloak, and it was their inevitable end. All ninjas were destined to meet their untimely end on the battlefield; those who survived were few and far between, and revered for the feat, like the Third Hokage, and the Third Tsuchikage, who were two of the oldest active ninja alive. But those who survived also dwelled in the shadow cast by death, for their loved ones were never so lucky.

Kakashi Hatake was one such boy, who dwelled in that shadow, haunted by death. At a very young age, before he could even know her, he lost his mother to illness. Then, at the tender age of five, he found his father dead by his own hand. Sakumo Hatake had been a brilliant ninja, hailed as a genius by the Hidden Leaf. But on his final mission, he made a decision to abort the mission because of the danger his squad faced. It ended up saving their lives, but in turn, because they failed the mission, the enemy had been able to invade and capture one of their small cities. Hundreds of people had died, the blood all on Sakumo's hands. And the village made sure he knew it, crucifying him and casting him out. And it drove him over the edge.

And so without any parents left to guide him, Kakashi joined the ninja Academy at age five, to prove he was not 'scum' like his father. He graduated just one semester later, and gained a reputation to have potential as the greatest genius since the Third Hokage. A year later at age six he was promoted to Chuunin on the battlefield for assuming command of a mission that had been upgraded from C-Rank to A-Rank due to negligent preparation and not enough information from the client. His captain had been killed and the two Chuunin he was with had no qualms in following Kakashi's orders.

Kakashi continued to impress in this manner as he grew up, eventually being placed onto a team of his own after years of floating around as a Chuunin. Of course, he wasn't a Genin like they were, but they were deemed a special case. His teammates had been Obito Uchiha of the Uchiha Clan, and Rin Nohara, an orphan who had found her way into the Ninja Academy. At first Kakashi had been reluctant to work with them, even going as far as to say they were holding him back. Of course, his Sensei made sure that Kakashi's attitude changed.

By beating it the hell out of him.

Minato Namikaze was another one of those once in a generation geniuses. Funny how they gravitate toward each other isn't it? Minato was truly a genius among geniuses, which would be recognized when he would be chosen as the Fourth Hokage in the future. Kakashi had truly been lucky to have a man like him as a teacher. Minato was responsible for refining Kakashi's natural talent and teaching the boy how to work with it, a key element for sure. However, on the mental side of things, Minato could never really breakthrough to Kakashi. Some of his lessons stuck, but others either flew over the boy's head or were deemed unworthy by the child.

It wasn't until Obito was killed during the war, and Kakashi received his Sharingan and reputation that he really started to understand human connection. It was why he made an effort on days like these to spend time with Rin. She was the only person left in his life, and he was fearful of what that life would be like without her.

"You're not listening to me at all are you Kakashi?"

Not that he was very good at showing that.

"Sure I am. I'm just not hearing it." He replied smoothly, realizing after a moment that it was not as smooth as he thought it was. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm sorry. That was stupid. I'm having trouble focusing on anything." He explained, his head and shoulders sagging. In front of him was the Memorial Stone, a sleek, shiny stone tablet that had been placed in the middle of one of the Hidden Leaf's training grounds. Why it had been placed in the training grounds, no one was quite sure. Many believed it was for inspirational purposes, so that the students who trained there could be inspired by the sacrifice of those who preceded them. But Kakashi had been staring at it a lot lately. Obito's name was one of the newest. Minato's name hadn't been added yet.

"I know. I am too." Rin answered, standing right beside him. She too had been frequenting the Memorial Stone, with and without Kakashi. A gentle breeze blew across them, rustling the leaves of the surrounding forest. The training ground was simply a fenced in area in the woods. The luscious, verdant fauna that was the trademark of the Leaf Village grew in droves all around them. They were standing in a small clearing adjacent to a clear, blue stream that ran through the forest. Three training posts had been erected in the middle of the field, to be used as training sighed and leaned over, letting her head rest on Kakashi's shoulder. He stiffened a bit at the sudden contact, and only after a few moments did he succumb to the soothing feeling of closeness. "I miss them."

"I see them both everyday. Obito's goggle-headed face, Sensei's pure blue eyes...their images go around and around in my head. All of my memories are swirling around like a carousel at the carnival. Like the back of my eyelids are a canvas for the tortured artist in my head." Kakashi stated, finding words he hadn't been searching for. "I'm sorry, that came out-"

"Look at you, following in my footsteps. You know, women love a man who's good with words." Rin and Kakashi whirled around to find the offending voice, and they spotted none other than Jiraiya perched in a tree not more than 15 yards away. In one hand he held a pen, and in the other he held a small white notepad, and on his face he wore a grin that could have eaten shit for days. "I've been looking for the two of you, but who knew it would be so entertaining, and so full of material." At this, Kakashi's eyes bulged. Being the student of Minato, Kakashi knew Jiraiya fairly well, and he knew all about Jiraiya's 'material'. He was a huge fan actually. A very huge fan. And the thought of being the subject of such a story would probably make something else huge, which Kakashi realized, was very narcissistic, but also very-

"How long have you been there?" Rin asked, thankfully interrupting Kakashi's train of thought. He wasn't sure he could handle that right now.

"Ten or fifteen minutes maybe? An hour? I don't know, I lost track when I pulled out my notebook." Jiraiya estimated as he shrugged unabashedly. Really he'd only been there for about five. "But nevermind that. I have something I want to share with you two." Jiraiya hopped out of the tree. As he approached the duo, he pulled out a familiar scroll. "This scroll contains Minato's last words." This caught their attention, and Kakashi immediately took the offered scroll when it was within reach. He unfurled it and pulled up his crooked headband, revealing his Sharingan eye. This was so that the image of the scroll would be burned into his memory forever. Being a couple inches taller than Kakashi, Rin was easily able to crane her neck over his shoulder and read the letter as well. Their eyes grew wider and wider as they read the letter and more information was revealed to them. As he finished, Kakashi looked over at Rin, who simply nodded, and he wrapped the scroll back up to give back to Jiraiya.

"Thank you." Rin said graciously. "But isn't this sensitive information?"

"Yeah...truth be told I shouldn't have shown you that, Hiruzen would kill me if he found out…" Jiraiya said through a chuckle, scratching the back of his head nervously. "And I know that it's not going to make you two feel any better, but you deserve to see it nonetheless."

"Can you tell us anything else?" Kakashi asked suddenly. "I don't mean to pry, but this just opens up a hundred more questions for me. Who would even have the knowledge about the Sharingan to use it to control the Nine-Tails?" Jiraiya simply shurgged and shook his head at the younger boy's confusion.

"There's not much else we know. There's a chance that Minato wasn't even able to give us all of the information he had. We're stuck in the dark right now kid." Jiraiya admitted, his tone exhibiting a bit of frustration. "But we're going to need all the help we can get figuring this out. Can I count on you two?"

"Of course." Rin replied, turning to look at Kakashi, who simply nodded in agreement. "We'll help in any way we can." Jiraiya nodded at this and seemed to ponder something to himself for a moment. After a few moments he cleared his throat.

"Have either of you ever thought about joining ANBU?"

XxX

"Listen kid, the Hokage is very busy. He doesn't have time to play games with you."

Itachi was getting frustrated, though he wasn't going to give this guard the satisfaction of knowing it. But he hated being treated like a dumb kid, mostly because he was anything but.

"Look sir, I know you may not believe me, but I have information-"

"You're right, I don't believe you. Now beat it." The guard commanded. Itachi simply turned on his heel and then walked away. He walked across the cobblestone street and rounded a corner, and as soon as he did he jumped up into the air, bounded off of the side of a building and ascended to the rooftops. As he landed on the red-shingled roof, one of the crows he had formed a sort of pact with landed next to him. He cupped his hands around his mouth and perfectly imitated the caw of a crow, though it didn't work exactly as he planned it. Instead of a swarm of crows flying down around the guards and distracting them, the crow to his right simply jumped up and pecked him on the head.

"Ow!" He turned and glared at the crow, who seemed to glare right back at him, as if Itachi had just insulted the bird's mother or something. "Not me, them!" He whispered, and without a second thought the crow flew away with a caw. After a few seconds the swarm of crows Itachi had hoped for descended upon the guards and began to wreak havoc upon them, sending them running for the hills. Itachi quickly exploited his window of opportunity and dashed into the Hokage Mansion. The mansion was elegantly simple on the inside. Deep scarlet carpets with gold trim covered every inch of the floor, and a matching burgundy paint adorned the walls. Various pictures of past Hokage and other famous Leaf ninja watched Itachi as he snuck his way through the building. He finally came upon two great mahogany doors with a depiction of a flame carved into each one, and knocked twice.

"You may enter." Itachi obeyed the muffled voice of the Third Hokage and quickly entered the room, shutting the door behind him. The Third was clearly surprised to see the young Itachi. "You're Fugaku Uchiha's son correct?" Itachi bowed politely and nodded.

"Yes Lord Hokage. My name is Itachi." The young Uchiha introduced himself. "I wished to speak with you about a private matter." The Hokage put down the stack of papers he was holding and nodded at the young boy.

"Very well. Please speak your mind." Hiruzen encouraged.

"It's about the Nine-Tails attack. I believe there was someone behind it." Itachi stated, causing Hiruzen's eyes to widen.

"I see...what makes you say that?"

"The night of the attack, I had been trying to escape the Uchiha District with my clanmate Shisui Uchiha, and we came across some trespassers. I noticed them trying to break into Naka Shrine. But before we could do anything, they attacked us, and killed Shisui. I was only able to escape because a wall of black flames appeared out of thin air." Itachi explained, earning a very, very curious look from Hiruzen.

"So the rumors of Amaterasu are true then." Hiruzen stated. And there was that word again.

"What is Amaterasu Lord Hokage?" Itachi asked, his curiosity tugging on his brain.

"Amaterasu is an ancient ability of the Uchiha Clan, known to be wielded by none other than Uchiha Madara himself. The black flames are said to burn for seven days and seven nights, and no amount of water can extinguish them." Hiruzen explained. "Were you the one who conjured these flames?"

"I...don't know. I activated my Sharingan, but I never knew it had abilities like that." Itachi answered hesitantly.

"I see...and you say there was more than one trespasser?"

"I counted three." Itachi replied. HIruzen picked up his pipe and took a few puffs, mulling over this new information in his head. "I could not identify them. They wore black cloaks." Itachi added as an afterthought. Hiruzen nodded.

"I see...thank you for bringing this information to me Itachi. Have you told anyone else?" Itachi shook his head at the Hokage's question. "Good. Let's keep it that way for now."

"What if someone asks me about Shisui?" Itachi queried, his tone tinged with melancholy. Hiruzen sighed.

"It's not an easy thing is it? To lose a friend." Hiruzen stood up and walked around his desk. He approached Itachi and knelt down in front of him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You tell them what you think is best. I won't ask you to lie to your family. And I won't ask you to forget Shisui." Hiruzen smiled, and Itachi nodded astutely.

"Thank you Lord Hokage." WIth that, Itachi bowed one final time and exited the office. As he left, Hiruzen sighed heavily and hung his head. He hated to see another young life affected by this tragedy so deeply. But he also saw a lot of potential from that boy, even in that small interaction.

"So young to carry such a burden."

XxX

The fog was thick as four cloaked figures silently skulked through the night. Their footfalls were silent as they crept through the cloak of the shadows. A silent wind blew across the beach as they settled along the shoreline, the vast ocean curling in and out in front of them. Wave after wave lapped against the sand and slowly retreated back into the expanse of the sea.

"You can't be serious. How are we supposed to run across the ocean?" One of the voices questioned ludicrously. "I don't have the amount of chakra necessary for that."

"You must find it then, lest you lose yourself to the sea." Another one of the voices replied.

"What are we even doing here? Are you planning some kind of attack on Hidden Mist now?" The first voice impatiently questioned again.

"Don't ask questions you know you won't get answers to Obito. Our plans are of no importance to you. You are simply a pawn." The second voice replied monotonously. The source of the second voice turned to one of the other cloaked figures. "You have the sealing scroll yes?"

"Of course." A third voice replied.

"Excellent." The second voice praised. "We take an hour long rest, and then we set out. It should take us about four hours to reach the Land of Whirlpools."

"Land of Whirlpools?" Obito interrupted. "Why go there? It's been abandoned for years." The second voice turned back to Obito and held his hand up in a chakra manipulating sign.

"I tire of your questions. Sleep." And so Obito did, collapsing on the spot at the voice's command. The tide began to come in, slowly washing up to Obito and soaking his robes, though he didn't feel a thing. The second voice turned away and looked out over the dark horizon. "Homecoming is a bittersweet thing is it not?"

"I wouldn't know, haven't been home in years." The third voice replied. The second voice only nodded.

"I'll know soon enough."

XxX

A/N: Hey look at that all done. It's gonna be slow for a little bit, unfortunately. I'm trying to add in as much stuff as I can, but it feels like I'm wading through a lot of setup. It will eventually pay off when I get to the good parts. Beginnings are tough.

Anyway thanks for reading.