The Lost Guardians

by Ethan Darkcrow

Author's Note: Hello again! Here is the next install ment of my fanfic. Sorry about the fact that this chapter is all about Kakashi, but I feel that copy-boy should have some problems as well...I think it makes him more human. Well, I hope you enjoy! Bye!

CHAPTER 2 - Run! Kakashi! Run!

Hatake Kakashi had been having 'one of those days'. You know...the ones where anything that can go wrong does go wrong. It all started with him waking up and finding that his usual, and favorite, mask had various irreparable burn marks in them. 'Never again,' Kakashi growled to himself as he remembered the intense training that he and the blonde ninja had gone through yesterday, which ended with him teaching Naruto a fire element ninjitsu and his mask catching fire. Allowing a small sigh to slip from his lips, Kakashi walked over to a modest oak dresser and opened a small drawer only to find that the only spare mask he owned was the one that Sakura had given him for his birthday.

Growling out a curse at Naruto, he sighing deeply while thinking of all the trouble that he be going through today as he slipped on the crimson red mask. The next of Kakashi's so called 'troubles' was something that he usually didn't have much to worry about. Rubbing his hands through his silver grey hair, Kakashi plucked his forehead protector off the table and wrapped the cloth around his head while trying to get it to support his hair so that it would stand straight up. However, for some reason, the silver-grey hair wasn't obeying his command and hung limply around his forehead protector.

Releasing an uncharacteristic growl, Kakashi marched himself to the bathroom and stared at his visage in the mirror. Since his hair wasn't cooperating with him, he decidedly pushed it out of his eyes and made due with what he had.

Thinking that all his troubles were done, Kakashi walked the length of his wooden floors and ended up in front of his closet. Opening the sliding door, he found a pair of black pants and put them on. After taping his ankles he went to reach for his forest green vest only to find his protective body armor and a black shirt. Hanging his head, he remembered that he had taken in his vest for repairs, only to be told that there were no replacements available. 'Great," he thought while slipping the snug body armor and shirt over his head. Walking into the bath room once more he could only shake his head as he gazed at his reflection in the mirror. "Who are you?" said Kakashi with a deep sigh.

Taking another five minutes gathering his ninja gear, Kakashi then began his journey to the Hokage's office. Making his way down the street while mumbling something about having an "idiot for a student". Kakashi wondered briefly if he should be worried about his current run of "bad luck", but instead he pulled out an old edition of "Make Out Violence" and began reading as he walked down the street.

On the other side of town, near a small crystal clear stream and short red bridge, a certain blonde ninja was having a sneezing fit at the moment. "Achoo, Achoo, Achoo!" Naruto sneezed while trying to stifle the fit by holding his nose. As tears began to form around his eyes Sakura looked over at him and said in a 'know-it-all' voice, "Someone must be talking about you."

"You think?" Naruto replied sarcastically, between sneezes while hoisting himself up on the rail of the bridge.

Sakura smiled at Naruto's pouting face, while her inner-self laughed long and hard while saying, 'Idiot! It's probably someone who you've played a prank on.' At that moment Naruto sneezed loudly and Sakura couldn't help but giggle softly, while earning herself a piercing glare from her teammate.

Looking up at the sky Naruto groaned as he stated, "He's late again."

Normally...the 'copy ninja' of Konoha usually showed up late to any appointment that was given to him and would usually come up with an excuse for said lateness. However, today was one day that Kakashi "wished" he could be 'on time'.

It had all started the moment he left his apartment building. An normal day would consist of Kakashi taking a leisurely stroll down one of Konoha's main roads, as he made his way to the Hokage's office for morning mission assignments. Though it seemed that today was keeping up with its currently theme of 'bad luck'.

He was on his third block when he felt 'them' again. 'Them' was referring to the watchful eyes of several women and girls that he had passed by. Being a genius, ex-ANBU and one of the current top jounin of Konoha, Kakashi began to feel a bit uneasy with this level of attention. So he went about trying to analyze what was going on, only to find that his limp hair was once again covering his only 'normal' eye. Sighing he pushed the hair out of his face only to feel a surge of attention and watchful eyes gravitate to him in accordance with this action.

When the words 'lickable', 'hottie', and many other colorful adjectives began to assault his precious ears. Kakashi quickly took to the roofs, trying to avoid the small crowd that had begun to follow him on his route, only to find that among the small throng of women were several kunoichi who followed his lead. What surprised him even more was the fact that they kept up with him, and weren't fooled by some of his better tricks.

'Wonderful, now I feel like Sasuke!' thought the grey haired ninja as he quickly performed an advance genjitsu, which managed to thin the following group of kunoichi down to two. Both women were chunin who had been trying to get into a jounin promotion, and he knew both women by name. The pale blue haired woman with similar eyes was Mitsuru Yasumi a rather bright kunoichi with all the makings of a jounin except that she was a bit on the reckless side. Following right behind her, in a rather stunning outfit, was none other than Inuko Nami, a pretty kunoichi who seemed to be destined to become a spy.

Seeing that the two were not giving up, Kakashi sighed and jumped down waiting for them to catch up. When the two finally jumped down to meet him on the ground Kakashi asked politely, "Can I help you?"

Seeing the blush of Nami's face confirmed Kakashi's fears, and while he cursed his current 'look' Yasumi took her chance to say, "Um...I was wondering...Kakashi-kun? Are you doing anything tonight?"

It took a millisecond to register that sentence in his brain, but the shock of being called that name almost sent Kakashi reeling backwards in fright. Luckily, Kakashi was the master of the 'expressionless face' and commanded his body not to move of his own accord. Brushing his annoying hair out of his eye, yet again, he watched as both women seemed to eye him hungrily while they waited for his answer. Sighing inwardly, Kakashi lifted up his hand and lie through his teeth as nicely as he could, "I can be sure but I think I going to be with my team all day long."

Both women looked at the ground with a little dejection. However, Nami brightened up as she said in a loud voice, "He's working all day everyone!" Just then a loud series of groans all erupted around him as many kunoichi began appearing from every which way, all of them frowning and grumbling their disapproval of the situation. Kakashi's eye twitched as he thought, 'When did they get here?'

"We'll see you tomorrow then!" said one bright eyed genin girl as she took another look at Kakashi and squealed happily while bouncing away.

Looking up at the sky, while pushing the hair out of his eye, Kakashi said in an even tone that held only the slightest of anger, "Someone up there hates me." Shrugging his shoulders in exasperation, Kakashi sped up his trip to the Hokage's office.