Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto. It's owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Reynard

Chapter 1

Naoki truly was like Naruto. Just like the blond before him, the young Academy student was having the most difficulty out of the rest of the class in performing a bunshin. Iruka could see the frustration building and building in the boy as he watched the others in his class slowly improve as they practiced more and more. But no matter how much he persisted, he could not even come up with a body. There would just be a puff of smoke then a big blob. It was only once that Naoki formed something very roughly human-shaped – and it had simply been a sphere with four limbs sticking out of it.

"Class, that's enough," Iruka called sternly in a loud voice. He heard sighs of relief as the students relaxed – all except for Naoki, whose face was still scrunched up in concentration.

"Naoki," Iruka called but the boy ignored him. "Naoki!"

The boy's gaze finally snapped up and he scowled at Iruka. The Chuunin sensei just gave him a stern look in return and the boy eventually gave in and looked down at his feet.

"You've all done extremely well today," Iruka complimented his students and there were cheers. "Don't forget to practice and especially don't forget about the homework I gave you."

Groans resounded as the students headed towards the school building to gather their bags and go home. Iruka eyed Naoki for a moment before calling him once more.

"Naoki!"

The boy turned around, already halfway across the schoolyard, and gave his teacher a questioning look. Iruka beckoned him closer and the student obeyed.

"What is it, Iruka-sensei?" he asked him when he finally reached the brunet. Iruka gently grabbed his hands before making his fingers form the Ram seal.

"Your fingers are a bit out of place," Iruka told him patiently as he held the boy's fingers in the proper formation. "You also pour too much chakra into the technique without properly manipulating and forming it. The Bunshin no Jutsu does not require too much chakra but it does require at least a standard level of chakra control."

Naoki looked down intensely at his hands before looking determinedly up at Iruka.

"So how do I change the way I do it?"

Iruka smiled at how Naoki gracefully accepted the criticism and sought for advice.

"Don't try to throw everything you have onto it," Iruka said. "Picture what you want to form with your bunshin first and then concentrate on filling that image instead of dumping all your chakra on it."

Naoki nodded before forming the hand seals once again.

"Bunshin no Jutsu!"

At first, nothing happened then there was a puff of smoke and a wobbling bunshin materialised. It wasn't perfect yet since it looked very rubbery but it was a great improvement to what Naoki produced before.

Naoki's eyes shined with happiness even after his bunshin poof-ed out of existence and Iruka's heart swelled with gladness at his student's joy.

"I did it, Iruka-sensei! Did you see? It was great!"

Iruka chuckled as he placed a hand on the top of his student's head. "Yes, I saw. It was a great improvement but not perfect yet. But I think with more practice, you'll definitely produce an exact replica soon."

"Yeah!" Naoki yelled excitedly. "Thanks Iruka-sensei!" He then ran off back to the classroom. Iruka knew that the boy would be rushing to get home to show his parents his newly learned jutsu.

Iruka then slowly made his own way back to the classroom in order to collect his things before going to the faculty room to pick his bag up. The other teachers bid him good-bye as he passed them.

He had Missions Room duty next but he had about twenty minutes to spare. Making his mind up, he headed to the direction of the Memorial Stone instead.

Hatake Kakashi, son of the Konoha White Fang, infamous Copy Nin, wielder of the Sharingan and former ANBU captain, sighed deeply as he turned the shower off before placing a plain navy blue towel over his head and stepping out of the shower. Grabbing a much larger towel, he wrapped it around his waist then left his foggy bathroom to go into his bedroom while rubbing the towel against his head to dry off his hair as much as possible. All his clothes – his shirts, his pants and his underwear – were all uniform and looked exactly the same. He pulled out a sleeveless dark blue shirt with a mask stitched at the collar and putting it on before wearing his underwear and his pants. Most would probably dress in the opposite order but the impulse to cover his face before anything else was too strong to fight – not that he wanted to.

He walked past his desk, ignoring the mission report he was meant to fill out by yesterday and headed to his bed where an orange book with a bookmark lay. He sat down before pushing his back against the wall and opening the book at the last page he had been reading. It was always nice to return to Icha Icha after a whole morning – and most of the afternoon – of training.

His training had ended earlier than he hoped it would but Hatake Kakashi was very much aware of his limitations unlike what most people believe. He had learned early on that he wasn't helping himself, and his comrades, by foolishly and recklessly pushing past his limits; it only resulted in him being unable to act when he is most needed. Now, more than anything, he had to make sure he was always prepared to be sent out with only a moment's notice. The shinobi world was already at war and Konoha needed each and every one of her soldiers. It would be a disservice to his village if he injured or damaged himself during training when he is needed in the battlefield.

Training has been all that Kakashi has been doing. Sometimes, Sai and Sakura would join him and each time, they would all feel the absence of one blond Genin at the Kage level. Kakashi wondered if Naruto had already figured out that he was actually being kept out of the action and out of harm's way. It wasn't Naruto's style to be the one being protected so everyone had deemed it best to not mention the true reason why he was sent to Kumogakure. Kakashi knew that Naruto would eventually figure out their plan – he wasn't stupid after all despite what many thought – but he hoped that it would be some time before that happens. Naruto would detest the idea of others dying for him and being detained for his own safety would go against his greatest desire, which was to confront his best friend and former team mate, Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke. Kakashi still had such conflicting and painful feelings about his former student turned avenger. He had always seen a bit of himself in Sasuke and Kakashi had hoped that the boy would deflect from the destructive path he had chosen for himself under his tutelage. But he had failed and in doing so, he felt that he failed Naruto and Sakura as well. In his determination to steer Sasuke in the right path, he had neglected Naruto's training and had virtually ignored Sakura's needs. Despite all that sacrifice, Sasuke still fell into the endless abyss of hatred so that in the end, Naruto and Sakura endured his neglect – and favouritism? – for nothing.

The words on the page in front of him no longer registered in his mind. Regret filled him up to the point that it was ready to boil over. Getting up, Kakashi put on his complete Jounin uniform and then headed off to the Memorial Stone...

...The only place where he can pour his regrets out without breaking himself.

"Father, Mother, I'm here today."

Iruka gave a small smile as he slowly drew his fingers across the engraved names of his parents on the Memorial Stone. He would never forget the day that he, while crying in front of his parents' names, was approached and comforted by the compassionate Sandaime Hokage. It was on that day that Sarutobi Hiruzen gained Iruka's complete and utter loyalty and devotion for him and for Konoha. Hiruzen did not take the place of Iruka's parents but he created a space right next to them in Iruka's heart. Now, like his parents, he was beyond Iruka's reach... But Konoha was still here.

So was Naruto.

"Naruto is alive," Iruka whispered – to his parents or to himself, he did not know. "He hasn't left me behind like you have... Yet why do I feel as though he is already somewhere I cannot reach him, as I feel with you?"

"Maa, what a cold assessment, Iruka-sensei," a somewhat familiar deep voice drawled. "Are you saying Naruto is dead to you?"

Iruka leaped up, his heart hammering as he spun around to look towards the direction of the voice. He did not hear or sense anyone approach!

Then he saw who it was.

Ah... Because it was Hatake Kakashi.

"K-Kakashi-sensei," Iruka stammered as heat rapidly crept up his cheeks. "I-I-I... Y-You're here..."

Iruka wanted to punch himself. What a stupid thing to say! No, wait – that was the least of his worries. Kakashi must have heard him rambling to himself, judging by his previous comment!

Iruka hoped Kakashi would use his Mangekyo Sharingan on him and teleport him to a different dimension where he'll never have to face the man again.

"Yes, I'm here," Kakashi said lightly. The voice was amused but his eye was expressing an entirely different emotion...

...or rather, lack of emotion.

The gray eye was like ice.

Please let him just be passing by, Iruka thought desperately when a few more seconds of silence ticked by. But the infamous Copy Nin did not budge from his spot a few feet away from him. Iruka had to get away now!

"Well, I have to man the desk at the Missions Room," Iruka said quickly as he created a wide berth between him and Kakashi was he walked past. "Have a good evening, Kakashi-sensei-"

"Stop looking back and staring behind you all the time, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi spoke all of a sudden and Iruka stopped in his tracks, pinned by the Jounin's words. "You will make those around you suffer."

Iruka was silent for a moment as he digested the words. The older man was right but he also did not understand...

"I look back because that's what I wish for those in front of me to do," Iruka whispered, his voice just loud enough to surely reach his superior's ears. "You are wrong, Kakashi-sama. Do not worry; no one around me is suffering because there is no one walking by my side."

Not trusting himself anymore, Iruka quickly formed the hand seals for the Teleportation Jutsu and disappeared in a puff smoke and swirling leaves.

Got the last word this time, 'ne? Kakashi thought without humour as he walked closer to the Memorial Stone. He glanced at the two names bearing the Umino name briefly before moving on to the name that would hold his attention the longest.

Iruka may think otherwise but he wasn't the only one who Naruto has surpassed. Kakashi, too, now walked behind Naruto, although at a shorter distance compared to Iruka. But didn't the Academy Chuunin sensei realize that Naruto would always come back to him? That Iruka was his home?

Kakashi almost snorted. Obviously not.

Iruka must fix his inferiority complex or even Naruto would notice his negativity – and that was the last thing Naruto needed.

Before Kakashi could even begin his internal one-sided conversation with Uchiha Obito, he sensed a presence behind him.

"Kakashi-sempai," an ANBU greeted formally. "Shizune-sama is in search of you; it seems to be urgent."

Uzuki Yugao still addressed him as "sempai" just like Tenzou despite the fact he was no longer an official member of ANBU. Of course, he was still summoned to bear the mask from time to time when the need was grave.

"You were not sent by Tsunade-sama," Kakashi stated. It was not a question but prompted verification.

"No," Yugao answered. "I chanced upon Shizune-sama standing outside of your apartment, biting the tip of her thumb. It's a habit she probably gained from Tsunade-sama."

"Thank you for informing me," Kakashi said and Yugao disappeared after a nod of her head. Kakashi, instead of returning to his apartment, headed for the Hokage Residence.

There was only one reason he could think of why Tsunade would send Shizune out to search for him instead of asking for an ANBU to do it.

What she was about to tell him is meant to reach only the ears of those she trusted without reservation.

"Shizune found you earlier than expected," Tsunade commented as her eyes raked over the small note in her hand for the umpteenth time.

"She didn't find me," Kakashi replied calmly as he slowly approached his Hokage's desk. "Yugao did. Should I have fetched Shizune first?"

"No need," Tsunade answered as she stood up from behind her desk and approached her window. Putting her hands together, she quickly made a few hand seals and the glass became opaque like the walls. The door became the only way out of the room and Kakashi was positive that it was sound proof.

He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

The Godaime Hokage walked back behind her desk although she remained standing. She sighed deeply and the anticipation that had been building within Kakashi ever since Tsunade had sealed the room threatened to overflow.

"Kakashi, although you are the last person I want to send away from the village with all the shit in our hands, I need you to help one of our shinobi complete his Red Vault assignment."

Kakashi's eye widened slightly, reflecting how shocked he was. He definitely never even thought the urgent matter would be something like this.

The Red Vault was a heavily sealed and tightly guarded but small vault that contained all the information on missions what were classified as Red Vault missions. Only the Hokage and at least two other extremely trusted Konoha citizens – their identities were kept secret – had access to the Red Vault, which is to have been present even before the founding of Konoha. All missions contained in the Red Vault are long term missions that last, at the very least, for a decade; a number even go beyond one person's lifetime. Not only that but these missions were usually A or S-class. Therefore, the shinobi sent on such missions needed outstanding endurance, endless patience and an iron will since most break within two to three years or so without even just a brief period of rest.

The Copy Nin's eyes narrowed as Tsunade's words replayed in his mind. "You said 'one of our shinobi'. There's no such thing as a solo Red Vault mission." To give an individual such a solo mission would seal the fate of that person.

Tsunade shook her head. "There were originally ten of them. He is the only one left." She handed him a file and Kakashi stared at the black porcelain fox mask the man in the photo was wearing to cover his face.

"Codename Black Fox. His file basically says nothing about him and nowhere I look would give me more information." Tsunade sighed deeply and her shoulders sagged; Kakashi wanted to mimic her. This was already proving to be quite a mind-boggling mission.

"Where are the files of his comrades?" Kakashi asked her as he memorized the information in his hands – not that it was difficult. There was only one page with three main headings: Profile, Missions and Team. The profile contained only the Black Fox's codename and his hair and eye colour. The 'Missions' section only stated: 1 B-rank, 3 A-rank, 2 S-rank. The longest list was under the 'Team' heading, which contained nine names. The page was quite bare – and extremely puzzling and suspicious.

Firstly, the lowest ranking mission this Black Fox has in his records was a single B rank. Everything else were A and S-rank – and there were only six missions, with no details, reported. No matter how much of a genius a shinobi was, they would still have to start with D-ranked missions and work their way up. Then, there was no real name, no listed family members and there was no history as to who his teacher was or who his Genin cell was made up of. The longest list on the file was the list of his nine team mates in his long-term mission. In fact, it was like the Black Fox's shinobi life only began at the start of the Red Vault mission. Even ANBU files contained the real identities of the ANBU operatives, yet if you stripped away the mask from this Black Fox it was like he didn't exist at all.

It was indeed suspicious beyond a doubt.

"They have no files."

Kakashi looked up from the file at Tsunade. "What was that?" But he knew exactly which question his Hokage had answered.

Thankfully enough, she humoured him.

"There are no files on the other nine. I only know of their existence through that single file."

Kakashi stared at the names; just names – names that could easily be erased and lost forever... Their existence could easily be wiped out by just erasing these names. Besides the Black Fox, who else knew of these nine?

Looking at the date when the mission started, Kakashi realized that it has been a bit over ten years since it had begun. The latest update stated that only the Black Fox remained by there was no date to state when this update had been made. The mission started during the time of Sandaime Hokage and Kakashi found it very hard to believe that Sarutobi Hiruzen would be careless enough to fail to properly record and update mission files, especially ones from the Red Vault.

But was the Sandaime being careless? Or was the file purposely made to be as uninformative as possible?

A grim and heavy air settled on Kakashi. If it was the second, he could only think of one reason why the file would be purposely bare...

...There was someone after it who may have access to the Red Vault.

Seeing the hard set of Tsunade's jaw, Kakashi knew that the Godaime realized it too.

"Anyway," Tsunade continued after Kakashi offered no other response. "The Black Fox sent a request for immediate back-up. He says he's closing in on his target but he needs help to finally finish off the mission. Considering it's been ten years and that this has been his very first request for back-up despite the death of all of his team mates, I believe that giving him what he needs is the least we can do."

"Understood."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Also, the whole nature of this affair is just sending me the most ominous vibes that I would be extremely foolish to ignore. Get to the bottom of this, Hatake."

Kakashi gave a sharp, firm nod. "Understood, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade knew that the next minutes would be ones she would rather avoid. "You are going to bring eight others with you to replace the ones lost." She handed him another folder, which he took. When Kakashi flicked through the files to see who the unfortunate ones who'd be stuck with him would be, his eyebrow raised at some of the members. However, it was the last shinobi on the list that caused his eye to widen.

Then his eye narrowed. "You made a mistake," he said bluntly. Tsunade raised her own eyebrow in reply.

"I made no mistake," she said calmly as she laced her fingers together before resting her chin on them. It was her sign that she was preparing for a big argument and a show of insubordination.

"You have," Kakashi retorted and he turned the folder so that Tsunade could see what – or who – he was referring to.

Tsunade didn't even have to look at the name to know who it was.

Umino Iruka.

A/N: I was hoping this chapter would be 10 pages long but it felt like a good idea to stop there. Please tell me what you think and leave a nice review for me! Thank for all the people who reviewed the prologue and who added this story to their alerts list!

Ryu Earth – Thanks sooo much for being the first to comment on this story! Thus, this chapter is dedicated to you so I genuinely hope that you enjoyed this chapter! It's being a bit slow, I admit, but hopefully it will get better. I'm crossing my fingers! At least now you know what the Red Vault is! I hope it didn't fall short of your expectations...

Swiss Army Knife – Wow... You're reading a story of mine! I've read a few of your ones and I must say that I'm as star-struck as when The-Lady-Smaell reviewed my other story! *blushes* I'm glad you like the concept I've chosen and my characterisation of Naoki although we might not see him for a while guessing from the end of this chapter. Kakashi and Iruka might be a bit OOC but I guess that's the fun of fanfiction... I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll look forward to hearing – erm, reading – your comments.

The-Lady-Smaell – Hi, milady! Haha! I'm flattered that you're reading this story too and your review just put the biggest smile on my face. It was a good thing no one was looking at me or they would've seen the goofiest look on me. LOL, the Red Vault isn't actually THAT impressive... Well, I hope it came out as impressive enough and like I said to Ryu Earth, I hope that it didn't fall short of people's expectations. Thank you for your offer of being my BETA but I want to test myself first. If my writing becomes too ugly I might turn to you though! =) Your compliments always put a warm fuzzy feeling in my chest, haha! Thanks again!

ShiroLight – Last but definitely not least! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. I'm very, very, very glad – and flattered – that you think the idea to this story is a bit original. I think that is one of the best compliments I can ever receive so thank you! I already have this story planned out so you'll have to wait to see how Iruka plans to catch up. Thanks again!

Ceil Scheherazade