It's been quite some time, and I apologize for that, but between going off to college, finding a new job, and basically life itself I've had little time to return to this old project of mine. But, it's back, and hopefully I'll be able to consistently update for a little while over Summer break. For returning readers, please go back and re-read the first chapter - not only has it been a while, but I recently revised it and changed a few minor details that bugged me. A plot hole here and there, or just some clunky wording and sentence structure. There's an extended Author's Note at the end of this chapter, but that's the most important stuff out of the way - so, enjoy!
Chapter Two
The trip back to Konoha was made mainly in silence. Kakashi led the defeated child soldiers, Sasuke following shortly behind him and Naruto bringing up the rear by a few yards. His head was hung low, normally bright eyes overcast by shadows, but every few moments a flicker of determination would pass through them. He clenched and unclenched his fists every so often, knuckles turning white as thoughts of the battle ran through his head again and again.
Aside from when they first returned from the bridge and he had passed out from exhaustion, Naruto had barely slept for the remainder of their trip. Every time he closed his eyes for longer than five minutes, the image of his two teammates slumped against one another flashed through his mind. Sometimes it was Sakura riddled with senbon, other times it was both Sasuke and Sakura. One startlingly vivid nightmare had Kakashi being cleaved in half by Zabuza's massive sword, even if Naruto knew that the former ANBU had been more than capable of fending for himself.
Naruto shuddered at the crystal clear memory, his meager breakfast rising to the back of his throat. He swallowed hard, forcing his stomach back into some semblance of equilibrium. Naruto looked up from the dirt road just in time to collide with Sasuke, stumbling for a moment before straightening.
"Oi, what's the deal? Why'd we stop?" He asked, glancing from the disgruntled Uchiha to their sensei, who had turned to face both of them. Kakashi looked at them with a frown.
"We're about an hour away from Konoha. Less if we take to the trees. Normally we'd report immediately to the Hokage Tower for debriefing, but I think you two should return home first and foremost. I can give the Sandaime the majority of the details, then you two can come in and give your reports. It'll give you some time to collect yourselves."
The implications of their Sensei's statement was not lost on the two Genin. Naruto winced, and he caught Sasuke tense up out of his peripheral vision. Even the stoic Uchiha was hurting, even if he did a good job of appearing otherwise. The last living, loyal member of the Uchiha clan was no stranger to loss – but losing a teammate on a botched C-Rank was rough no matter how one looked at it.
"Naruto." The blond's head snapped up as Kakashi addressed him, the Jonin stepping off to the side and gesturing for him to follow. Naruto followed him to the side of the path and folded his arms across his chest, waiting for Kakashi to speak once more.
"I want to know how you're doing. How you're... Handling everything, all things considered." Kakashi began, picking his words slowly and carefully. "I understand how you felt about Sakura. But you can't hold yourself accountable for what happened. It was a freak accident." Naruto tensed, gripping his upper arm a bit tighter, seeming to withdraw into himself. It was an alien sight from the normally loud and boisterous young man.
"I-I know, Kakashi-sensei, but... If I had just been a little faster, or stronger, or knew more, maybe I could have prevented it, y'know?" He let his arms drop to his side, tugging absentmindedly on the fabric of his orange jumpsuit. "Maybe Sasuke wouldn't have been knocked out, and we could have taken out Haku quicker, before Sakura came to help." His shoulders slumped, helpless anger coursing within him – anger at his own shortcomings, at the whole situation they found themselves thrust into. He could handle the villagers' ire, their taunts and cold glances – if it happened to him, he could deal with it. He was used to it. But Sakura didn't deserve to be cut down like that. She was a good person, at heart, even if short-tempered at times, and for something as fickle as chance to take her away from them... And while he might not have been able to stop the attack that did it, he could have prevented Sakura from joining them in the dome of mirrors, or gave her some kind of warning that had changed things. But it was far too late, now – and he had to deal with it.
Kakashi watched the clash of emotions going on behind Naruto's blue eyes, familiar with the train of thought that was surely running through the blond genin's mind. He crouched down in front of Naruto, looking him in the eyes with his one visible one. "Those are normal thoughts to have, Naruto, but you can't let them consume you. Cherish the times you had with her, but don't let yourself be swallowed by the past. We can only keep moving forward. Do you think Sakura would have wanted you to give up hope? She would have brained you over the head and told you to get back up and try again." They both chuckled at that, but Kakashi couldn't help but think of how much of a hypocrite he was. Maybe he should start following his own advice, but his situation was different... Wasn't it?
Either way, he didn't want Naruto following the same dark path that he did, and if he had the opportunity to cut it off before it even began, then he had to take it. In memory of Rin and Obito.
"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei." The cyclops straightened at Naruto's voice, suddenly reminded of Minato-sensei at the determination that filled his words. The Will of Fire was burning in his eyes, tinged with sadness as they might be, and hope filled his chest. Naruto nodded his head firmly, seeming to come to a decision, and began to walk back towards the main path. Kakashi smiled underneath his mask at the blond's ability to adapt and overcome, following after him. Given his upbringing, it shouldn't have surprised him, but it was still an impressive sight to behold. It would take time for the wounds to truly heal – if they ever did – but things were looking up.
Naruto stared at Sasuke's back as he returned to the main path, his teammate having turned away from the conversation to give them some semblance of privacy ,although there was no doubt that he had heard every word of it. He opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke cut him off before he could even begin.
"The night Itachi... left." Naruto couldn't see Sasuke's face, but he could hear the scowl in his voice. That night was still a painful memory for him, and the pang of remembrance in his chest both angered and saddened him. "And every night afterward, I blamed myself. So I trained. The same way you've been training." All day and night until he had passed out from exhaustion, too tired to even remember his dreams. Naruto had been leaving the house shortly after everyone else fell asleep, and returned just a few hours before dawn, looking absolutely haggard. The blond wasn't exactly known for his subtlety, and a light sleeper such as Sasuke found himself observing his teammate's return more often than not.
Sasuke turned to face him, his normally stoic mask turned sharp and focused – directly on Naruto. The blond squared his shoulders and stared right back, and a flicker of understanding passed between them before Sasuke smirked.
"If you ever need a place to train, the Uchiha compound has several training grounds inside. Maybe if you trained with someone else instead of those clones of yours, you'll see some improvement."
Naruto's eyes narrowed and he almost snapped at Sasuke, before he realized just exactly what his teammate offered. Even Kakashi lifted an eyebrow from behind Naruto, lone eye flickering the two of them. After a moment, Naruto beamed brilliantly, clasping Sasuke on the shoulder.
"Yeah, I'd like that, te-... Sasuke. Kicking your ass will be great training!" He laughed, while Sasuke shook his head with amused annoyance. Kakashi leaned in and grasped both of their shoulders, eye smiling at the two of them.
"Look at my cute genin, finally getting along with one another! Enough delaying, then – let's go home." Kakashi leaped into the air, landing silently on a wide tree branch. Naruto and Sasuke glanced at each other before following after him, and the remaining members of Team Seven took off with a burst of speed, hearts growing lighter as they proceeded on the final stretch of their mission.
Ooooooooooooooooooooo
The towering gates of Konoha were an equally welcoming and nerve wracking sight for the weary shinobi. The trio emerged from the edge of the forest and began their walk towards the gate, greeted by the duo of Kotetsu and Izumo. Izumo stepped forward and examined the three of them glancing up at Kakashi after pointedly looking to Sasuke and Naruto. The slightest shake of Kakashi's head was all that Izumo needed to see, and he nodded sadly.
"I'll send a message to the Hokage that your team has returned. He should be waiting for you in his office by the time you arrive. You two won't have to accompany him. Your debriefing can be delayed a day or two without too much hassle. If it means anything, we're sorry about your loss."
The two Chunin were familiar with both Naruto and Sasuke, and while they knew of the rumors surrounding the blond-haired Jinchuriki, they had seen the way Naruto looked at Sakura... There was nothing malevolent in the adoring look he gave her. Neither of them deserved what had happened, but that was the shinobi world – harsh, unfair, and unforgiving.
The two genin nodded respectfully in response, but Naruto was too broken up to respond, and Sasuke had nothing to say. A frown was visible upon his face, however, as they stepped past the guards and into the village once more. The view of the village was a sight for sore eyes, but as happy as Naruto was to be home, there was a sadness within his eyes. Their return to Konoha only further cemented the reality of what he truly considered home – and what his home now lacked.
"Hey, Sasuke."
Sasuke paused, looking to Naruto as he spoke up.
"You want to go get some ramen?"
Sasuke thought about it, seeing the hopeful look within Naruto's eyes. Even after everything they went to, the thought of ramen seemed to cheer the blond up almost immediately.
"...Alright."
"Yatta! To Ichiraku's!" Naruto bolted off, leaving Sasuke and Kakashi in the dust. Kakashi smiled beneath his mask and Sasuke smirked slightly, following after his excitable teammate. Naruto's energy was contagious, at times. Even the roughest of stones could be worn down by a river's unrelenting tenacity.
oooooooooooo
Naruto burst through the curtains upon the door of Ichiraku's with a wide grin upon his face, some of that youthful innocent returning to his eyes as the familiar fragrance of savory broth and noodles filled his nostrils. Sasuke followed behind him, much more reserved in his entrance.
"Yo, old man! The biggest bowl of Miso you have, please!" He called out, finding himself an empty stool and slapping his hands down upon the counter. Some of the other customers sneered at him, or tensed in an effort to not look in his direction, but they knew better than to openly criticize the ramen stand's greatest source of revenue.
Ayame greeted the blond-haired shinobi and his companion with a warm smile, leaning over the bar to ruffle his hair affectionately. "Long time no see, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-san! Did you go out on a big mission? Where's your friend, Sakura-san?" She asked, head tilting to the side curiously. Naruto visibly tensed, eyes dimming and glancing off to the left. Just as he was about to answer, Sasuke spoke up.
"She had to stop by her house first." He explained in a neutral voice, to Naruto's surprise and Ayame's initially bewildered, but soon understanding expression. She accepted the explanation without much further prodding; The topic of family was a touchy subject for both of them, and it wasn't much of a surprise to her that Naruto didn't want to talk about it.
"One extra large bowl of Miso coming up, then! And anything for you, Sasuke-san?" She asked, smiling politely at the last Uchiha.
"Just a regular sized bowl of the same." He said, to which Ayame nodded and turned to step into the kitchen, relaying the new orders to Teuchi in the back. Naruto quickly turned to face Sasuke, anger sparking in his eyes.
"What're you doing, lying to Ayame-nee-chan?" He hissed in a hushed tone, still wary of those surrounding them.
"Naruto, it may not occur to you, but what happened on the mission could very well be a village secret. Until we report it to the Hokage, nobody else can know what happened. Once we do, we'll be given permission on whether or not we can let everybody know the truth."
Understanding lit up within Naruto's eyes and he cursed himself for not thinking of that. Of course it would be classified information. Their mission ended up being an A-Rank – it was rare for Chunin to be sent out on those, let alone Genin, and neither ranks were known for their tight lips. His shoulders remained slumped as he turned back to the counter, recognizing Teuchi as he stepped out of the kitchen.
"Yo, Naruto-kun! Heard you just got back from a big mission!" He declared, placing the two bowls of ramen upon the counter before them. Naruto nodded his head, almost too easily slipping back into that facade of bright-eyed innocence at the sight of the chef.
"Hai! Just got back, too!" He confirmed, to the older man's grin.
"Well, glad to see you got back safe and sound! Ayame-chan and I wouldn't know what to do if you stopped buying ramen here - we'd be out of business in no time!" Teuchi laughed, and Naruto laughed with him, eyes squinting foxily to hide how the laughter didn't extend all the way into them.
"No need to worry about me, old man! It'll take more than a C-rank to finish me off!" He grinned and beat his chest with his fist, mouth watering from the smell of the ramen before him.
"Well, to congratulate you on a job well done, consider these on the house!" Teuchi said, leaning over to ruffle Naruto's hair, before stepping away to return to the kitchen. He had other orders to make, and surely Naruto would be ordering a second or third round soon enough – especially after being told they were on the house. As he turned his back, Naruto's smile faded just slightly, but he eagerly grabbed his chopsticks and began digging into his ramen with a quick "Itadakimasu!"
Sasuke watched the entire exchange with narrowed eyes, easily able to pick apart Naruto's acting in front of the civilian chef – even without the Sharingan. He had done the exact same thing when he first lost his clan; But while he retreated inward, Naruto retreated outward. It made Naruto's behavior make a lot more sense, in reality; His hyperactivity and pranking in the academy, his brash and unthinking attitude in battle, and his boisterous personality with his peers. Feeling slightly more empathetic towards his blond-haired teammate with this discovery, he murmured his own "Itadakimasu" before beginning to eat. It was a rather good bowl of ramen, although he would never admit it aloud to Naruto, nor consume nearly as much as the jinchuriki did.
Kami only knew where he was putting all of it.
oooooooooooooooooooooooo
Hatake Kakashi, the infamous Copy-Nin of Konohagakure, alighted the steps leading to the Hokage's office with some trepidation. The young civilian woman serving as a secretary to the Sandaime stood as Kakashi approached, eyes lighting up in recognition at the sight of him.
"Ah, Hatake-San. Hokage-sama has been expecting you – I'll let him know you're here."
She stepped inside the Hokage's office for a brief moment, before emerging once more, gesturing for Kakashi to proceed inside. Steeling himself, Kakashi walked into the Sandaime's office, his eyes settling upon his superior officer's own as he approached. He stood at attention before the elderly Hokage, awaiting his orders.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat at his oak desk with his wide-brimmed Hokage hat hanging lowly over his face, obscuring his eyes within the shadows. His hands formed a steeple in front of him, the position of a man in power, a position that he was certainly befitting of. The hair upon the back of Kakashi's neck rose ever slightly – the faintest amount of killing intent seeping into the air, an oppressive force befalling Kakashi's shoulders. Kakashi, for his part, remained stoic before the Sandaime's intense gaze. After several long moments, the elder spoke.
"Report, Kakashi-san."
Without any further prompting, Kakashi told Hiruzen everything that had occurred in the mission – starting from their initial counter with the Demon Brothers, indicating that it was no simple C-rank, to his team's vote to carry on with the mission regardless, to their final battle upon the bridge and their departure home afterward. When he mentioned Naruto harnessing the Kyuubi's chakra, the Hokage lifted his hand, and Kakashi fell silent.
"Was he showing any signs of being influenced by the Kyuubi?" He asked, worry seeping into his words. Kakashi shook his head.
"No. Naruto was surrounded by a cloak of the chakra, but he was in control of himself the entire time... Anger had taken over when he thought he lost both Sasuke and Sakura, but that anger was entirely his own. Once I told him the fight was over, the chakra receded immediately."
Hiruzen's shoulder sagged with relief and some of the tension in the room faded away. Still, the Professor's gaze remained stern, and he began to speak once more.
"You still proceeded with the mission in spite of protocol. You of all people should know to retreat immediately should the parameters of a mission change to such an extent. You didn't, however, and we lost a precious member of the Leaf because of it." Kakashi hung his head in shame, that powerful ache within him returning once more. With every word that vice grip upon his heart tightened, memories of Rin and Obito rushing forth. The Sandaime continued despite Kakashi's increasingly-visible distress.
"You know of the usual punishment for going against mission protocol. However, I cannot ignore your history and your service for Leaf, nor can I disregard the fact that it was their decision to continue on with the mission. It is a tragedy, but the burden of it falls upon all of Team Seven, not just a single individual. Team Seven will be removed from the active duty roster until further notice, and will only be allowed to complete D rank missions and basic training exercises until a suitable third member can be found. As for you, Kakashi, you will be placed under watch until further notice. You will remain as Team Seven's sensei – it would tear those boys further apart if we were to remove you now – but all training sessions will be under supervision, until Team Seven is deemed ready to return to active duty. Team Seven is also barred from participating in the upcoming Chunin Exams, for obvious reasons. Understood?"
Hiruzen had a vague idea of who would be doing the supervising, once he could bring the man into town for an extended amount of time. Once he heard about his godson accessing the Kyuubi's chakra – which wouldn't be very long – it would only be a matter of time. Until then he could assign one of his ANBU to watch over him. Kakashi would certainly be able to tell, but it would have to do.
"Understood, Hokage-sama."
"You are dismissed, then."
Kakashi nodded his head and saluted the Hokage. Supervised probation, fewer missions, and exclusion from the Chunin Exams – which would have been a point of pride but nothing more for the Rookie Nine – was a light punishment, all things considered. The wizened Hokage knew that Kakashi was already punishing himself much more harshly. The Jonin left without further words – none were needed or would suffice – stepping outside of the office to Shunshin out of sight.
The cyclopean shinobi appeared shortly thereafter upon the edge of the forest that lead into the familiar training grounds that Team Seven once occupied. He walked along silently, lost within his own thoughts. It struck him once more that he had failed his Genin as a teacher – had failed Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke as the person who was supposed to protect them and teach them as they carved out their own path in the shinobi world.
The dark side of him, the side borne from years of flawless service in the ANBU, idly mused that at least he only lost one of his students. The more human side of him crushed down those thoughts with a barely suppressed growl. That was unacceptable. He was Hatake Kakashi, son of the White Fang of Konoha – his name, and his father's name, could strike fear into enemies of the Leaf, he knew. At his prime, Zabuza and his apprentice would have been easily dispatched. Perhaps he needed to reevaluate his priorities in life, as he had done many times throughout the years.
Subconsciously, his idle wanderings brought him once more to stand before the Memorial Stone, staring down at the blank space where he knew Sakura's name would soon be inscribed. Unbidden, tears of fury and regret formed upon the corners of his vision. He clenched his fists, fingernails digging into the calloused palms of his hands – hands worn into dark leather from years of service to the Leaf, hands that had bled and would continue to bleed for the village he devoted himself to. Thinking of his two remaining students – the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi and the last living heir to the Uchiha legacy, a legacy he himself was a part of with his deceased teammate's eye – his misty eyes hardened, expression turning into one of grim determination.
He would not fail those two again. As he repeated the same vow he made in the Land of Wave before the Memorial Stone, he was vaguely aware of the blood dripping down from his palm, staining the grass at the foot of the monument. Unclenching his fist, he turned away from the list of fallen soldiers and disappeared once more in a swirl of leaves. Silently, the ANBU assigned to watch over him followed in suit, vanishing without the slightest sign of movement.
oooooooooooooooooo
As Naruto finished his sixth or seventh bowl of ramen – or perhaps even eighth, given how voraciously he dug into the noodles – Sasuke quietly finished his second, still lost in his thoughts regarding his blond teammate. Something had changed after Wave, he was sure. Of course, it was not a surprise – the two of them had failed Kakashi, and even more so, they had failed Sakura. Neither of them were strong enough to protect the pink-haired kunoichi, and she lost her life because of it. But ever since then, Naruto's hyperactivity had been dulled, the blond only showing brief glimpses of that overly optimistic persona he had before – and only when addressed by those who knew him strictly by that personality. To those who didn't know him – who hadn't fought, trained, and practically lived alongside him – it was barely noticeable. To Sasuke, who knew all too much about retreating into one's self after a loss, it was all too obvious. There was a grim fire behind those cerulean eyes, and it reminded him with a shudder of the demonic visage he had briefly glimpsed battling Haku before he had lost consciousness fully.
Even worse, it reminded him of himself, and the vow he had made to kill Itachi and avenge his family. A dark part of his psyche approved of the change: The reality of being a shinobi was finally settling in, and Naruto would grow all the stronger for it. The foremost thought, however, was how unfair the circumstances leading to that change were. Sakura didn't deserve what had happened to her. She was annoying at times, and perhaps too obsessed with her 'Sasuke-kun!', but she was a part of Team Seven, and dammit, he was not tearing up. Not in the middle of the ramen stand Naruto loved so much, with him sitting right next to him and beginning to slow in his slurping down of the broth. He was broken out of his reverie when Naruto elbowed him in the ribs.
"Eh, Sasuke, you okay? You're letting your ramen get cold!" Trust the blond to only notice something was wrong by the fact that someone wasn't eating their ramen. With a grunt, Sasuke picked his chopsticks back up and resumed eating, using the motion to hide the fact that he was blinking away the slightest amount of moisture in the corners of his eyes. Naruto frowned, but after a moment finished the last of his broth, and leaned back in his chair with a sigh.
Things had definitely changed between them, Naruto mused. He wasn't the sharpest kunai in the armory, but he had his moments. It had been quite a while since Sasuke had called him 'dobe,' and just as long since he had called him 'teme' in return. While he was happy that the Uchiha had warmed up to him a little, even going so far as to showing a begrudging respect towards him, it was a bittersweet feeling. Well, it was beyond bittersweet. It left a terrible, rancid taste in his mouth, thinking back to the events on the bridge – worse than expired milk and all the other terrible flavors he could think of, combined.
His only solace was that he would never let it happen again – not if he had a say in the matter. He was still skeptical of Kyuubi's offer, but they had only been in Konoha for less than a day, and the Kitsune wanted him to rest and recuperate before their training began. Whatever that meant. He would find out what the demon fox meant by his offer of strength, and his implication that chakra was more than just something to fuel ninjutsu with, and if the monster sealed within him tried anything funny, he'd go to the Sandaime in no time flat.
Yes, the fox would help him protect his precious people, or he'd make sure the fox couldn't do a damn thing at all. Naruto lifted his head as he heard the bell at the entrance to Ichiraku's ring, glancing briefly over his shoulder. He was surprised to see Kakashi stepping through the flap, looking at the two with a serious expression – as serious as it could be, at least, with half his face obscured by a mask and hitai-ate.
"You know, I had hoped I had managed to teach you better eating habits, Naruto-kun, but I suppose I can't blame you." That cool facade of his irked Naruto for a moment, but he realized after a moment that Kakashi was probably hurting just as much as they were, if not more so. "And you too, Sasuke-kun? Surely you know about good eating habits!" The silver-haired Jonin sat himself down between the two, offering them a soft smile – one that not many bore witness to, they were sure. He ruffled the hair on both of their heads, much to their growing annoyance, before ordering himself a bowl of Miso ramen.
"I just finished reporting to Hokage-sama." He began, his tone turning somber. "How are you two holding up?"
The two Genin fell silent, Naruto's eyes falling to the empty bowl before him and Sasuke's off to the side, away from Kakashi. Sasuke, however, was the first to speak.
"It shouldn't have happened the way it did. We need more training." Kakashi frowned, but Naruto soon offered his agreement, nodding his head quickly, the wood of the chopsticks he held creaking as his grip tightened around them.
"We weren't strong enough, Kakashi-sensi... And Sakura-chan paid for it. If I'm going to be Hokage some day, and if Sasuke's going to defeat his brother... We need to get better. A lot better."
Sasuke nodded, and then after a moment, added, "As a team."
There were stories of the Sannin, a trio of shinobi from Konoha who were the strongest team ever produced. The three of them were an incredible asset to the Second Shinobi War, and absolute devastation upon the battlefield. Supposedly, not one was stronger than the other, and as a team they were practically unbeatable – even battling Hanzo of the Salamander and surviving. The trio had long since disbanded, but the stories remained, and were evidence to Konoha's core principle that working as a team could overcome any weaknesses or any obstacles an individual may have or may encounter. Perhaps, in Wave, if they hadn't been split up in the first place, things would have gone differently.
Kakashi listened to their declarations with an approving expression, patting them each upon the back.
"I'm glad to hear that you two have come to such a conclusion. I know Sakura would have approved of you two finally setting aside your differences." The two winced, but Naruto looked over to Kakashi and offered him a blinding grin.
"Oh, Sasuke's still a bastard... But he's my best friend, too, and we're both members of Team Seven." The aforementioned Uchiha grunted, flicking one of his chopsticks towards his blond teammate.
"Hn. The class clown isn't as stupid as he looks, either, I suppose." Naruto's grin turned into a look of outrage, and Kakashi had to push him back into his seat before he lunged across the counter at Sasuke. Their bickering was put on hold when Ayame placed a bowl of ramen before Kakashi, who separated his chopsticks, muttered an "Itadakimasu," and with blinding speed ate the bowl of noodles before him. Both Naruto and Sasuke watched with wide eyes at the speed at which Kakashi ate his meal, barely even removing his mask in the process. Kakashi sat back as the empty bowl spun slowly upon the counter, returning his attention to his students.
"That is some good ramen. I see why you come here so often, Naruto-kun. Anyway! As much as I approve of your newfound motivation, it will be a few days before we resume training. I would advise you both to head home and take some time off for yourselves. Try to relax and not over train too much – although I'm sure the two of you are going to ignore that advice anyway." He paused for a moment, then continued in a softer voice, once he was sure Ayame or Teuchi were out of earshot. "I'll contact you both to let you know when the funeral service will be. Until then, just be there for one another. We're still Team Seven, and those who abandon teammates are worse than trash, yes?" Sasuke and Naruto both nodded their heads, and Kakashi smiled, standing up and making his way out of the ramen stand.
"Good." The bell rung once more, and the silver-hair Jonin departed, just as quickly as he had arrived. Kakashi looked up to the Hokage Monument as he stepped outside, eyes lingering upon Minato's carving for several long moments.
I just hope I'm doing the right thing. What would you have done, Minato-sensei?They're young, but they have so much potential... Just like we did, back then. But I won't let history repeat itself. Those boys are going to change the world, with or without my help, and I'll make sure they're ready for whatever they face along the way. Or die trying.'
Eyes narrowing, Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves. He had some things to do first, and an old friend to visit. While Naruto and Sasuke rested and recovered from the mission – however they felt appropriate – Kakashi needed that time to prepare their new training regimen. Thinking back to his debriefing with the Hokage, he couldn't help but feel suspicion. Nothing but D-ranks and team building exercises, under supervision no less. There were few Jonin in the village that could truly supervise Hatake Kakashi, which meant that the Sandaime was bringing in someone further along the chain of command. And being barred from participating in the Chunin Exams? Naruto was the village's Jinchuriki, whether he understood exactly what that meant or not, and Sasuke was the last of the Uchiha clan. It would be a foolish decision to /not/ put them in the limelight for the other villages to witness, unless...
Kakashi's visible eye widened as he made his way to one of the training grounds he was most familiar with. Underneath the underneath, he had told his Genin. Looks like The Professor could still school him any day of the week. A storm was brewing, and he wanted his strongest ready for it. As the sound of flesh impacting flesh and weapons clashing fell upon his ears, he smiled. A sense of nostalgia filled him as he stepped into the clearing, eye falling upon the horrendous sight of his old friend, who paused in his instruction of his team to grin broadly at him.
"Ah, Kakashi-san, my old rival!" Bellowed Maito Gai, clearing the distance between them in a split second and enveloping him in a bone crushing hug. "Have you come to witness me stoking the Flames of Youth in my team?" He asked, before sobering promptly, and adding, "I am truly sorry to hear about what happened during your mission. The Will of Fire burned bright in young Sakura-san, and it's a tragedy what happened."
Kakashi nodded his head respectfully, clasping his long time 'rival' on one of his broad shoulders. "That's actually part of the reason I'm here, Gai. I have a favor to ask. Consider it a challenge, actually. A team building exercise between the two of our teams."
Gai's eyes lit up and a fierce grin formed upon his face. "Yosh! And what might this challenge be, my eternal rival?"
"Well, you see..."
Back at Ichiraku's, a shiver ran down Naruto's spine. He looked around suspiciously, before returning to his bowl of ramen. Sasuke looked at him with a lifted eyebrow, to which Naruto gave a light shrug.
"Dunno what that was. But I have a bad feeling we'll be finding out soon enough."
Chapter Two: End.
A/N: Right, so, it really has been a ridiculously long time, and I don't have much of an explanation aside from life being life. Lots of things have been going on that have kept me from writing, but I'm trying to get back on the horse. This story is gonna be one way I do that. I've come to the conclusion that this is gonna be a bit of a more fluid fanfiction, undergoing a lot of constant revision and tweaking, with a main plot at the center of it that the story will build itself around. The plot hasn't become evident yet, but it will in time. It is very much an experiment at this point, and I'm just seeing where it will go from here. I have ideas in mind, and ways to make them happen, but what happens in between I don't even know for certain. Just rest assured that it will inevitably be finished, through hell or high water, and hopefully in the end it'll all be worth it. If not, oh well, there's always the next story. So, as always, read and review, and see everyone next time!
