Author's Note:

Cameos by obscure Konoha shinobi ahead.
Feel free to glance at Narutopedia for the following canonical minor characters who make an appearance in this chapter:

1. Hamaki – Jounin – Veteran of 3rd Great Shinobi War
2. Mozuku – Chunin – Intelligence & Interrogation
3. Shiho – Cryptographer – Konoha Cryptanalysis Squad
4. Yajirobee – Chunin (For this story, specializing in psychology)

Also showing up is Ara Nami, a recurring ANBU character in this series. Again, prior reading is not essential, but for those curious she first appears in Part I, Chapter 3 of "Not Over Til The Paperwork Is In."


"When a person dies, the only part of himself that remains alive is that which he'd given to others."
~Umino Iruka, "Sharpening Iron" Ch 4

By the time the memorial service commenced, Kakashi was no longer the blank-eyed creature that appeared in Iruka's apartment. Such loss was, unfortunately, too routine to allow for extended periods of mourning. Ninja who couldn't quickly find a way to function under such a burden never lasted long. And Kakashi had already endured longer than many.

The sun was obscenely bright as eulogies were pronounced. Not even the weather could find it in itself to mourn something so commonplace as a shinobi funeral.

Iruka's eyes searched the crowd. He saw Wataru's widow, a grey-haired civilian, and the only one present who wept unreservedly at her loss.

The sensei also noticed the solemn eyes of a man from Wataru's very first genin team. Hamaki was a war hero- one of only four shinobi to survive a pinnacle battle near the Kannabi Bridge- and now the only living person of the original Team 5.

He spotted members of the elder's subsequent teams, until finally Iruka's eyes alighted on the most recent formation to bear the Team Wataru name.

The two teenagers were former pre-genin students of Iruka's, and both had since advanced to chunin rank. Try as he might, Iruka could not spot the third member of their team and wondered what could have kept her from the memorial service.

While the chunin's eyes scanned the crowd and observed the people, Kakashi's eye remained fixed on the Memorial Stone. He dared not avert his gaze as Wataru's name was engraved onto its gleaming surface. The chisel that bit into the stone simultaneously carved that name into the fleshy table of Kakashi's heart. He compartmentalized his sorrow, keeping it locked and buried until such a time he would choose the dig it back up again. Another memory to reflect upon in his morning vigil, of another comrade who'd traded their life for his.

The newly widowed woman's cry rang in his ears, and Kakashi couldn't help but think, 'What a waste.'


"Shiho! Mozuku!" Iruka called to the retreating forms of his former students. From among the crowd of those leaving the service, two teenagers turned at the sound of their names.

"Iruka-sensei." Shiho bowed, her blonde, fly-away hair spilling over the shoulders of her funeral garment. Mozuku nodded his greeting.

"I'm very sorry for your lo-" the older chunin began, but was abruptly cut off by the older teen.

"People die. It's just part of life, you know," Mozuku shrugged dismissively, though his flippancy was belied by the strained lines of his face.

"Yes, that's true," Iruka acknowledged. This was not the first major loss in either of these young people's lives. "But that doesn't mean it's easy to bear, does it?"

Neither one answered, so the sensei pressed on. "It's been too long since we last caught up. Maybe we could talk over ramen? It will be my treat, of course."

"Sure- we'd like that. Right, Mozuku?" Shiho elbowed her companion's side, trying to wheedle an agreement from the sullen youth.

"Yeah, sure…whatever."

"Good," Iruka paused before deciding to inquire about their absent third squad member. "What about Kiyo? I didn't see her today. Do you know where she is?"

The eighteen-year-old scoffed, emotion finally coloring his tone. "Who cares?"

"Mozuku!" Shiho chided sharply, before turning back to her old teacher. "I'm sorry, Iruka-sensei, but neither of us have heard from Kiyo since she advanced to jounin."

"She's suddenly too good for us, because she got promoted to jounin before hitting puberty." Graduating from the Academy a year later than most, Mozuku had been a bit sensitive about Iruka's decision to place him on the same team with an eight-year-old genius. Clearly it was still a lingering issue.

"I'm sure she's busy with her work," Shiho stated appeasingly. "In fact, I think she's away on a mission. If Kiyo were in Konoha, you know she wouldn't have missed Wataru-sensei's funeral."

"Wouldn't she?" Mozuku challenged coolly. Shiho was intelligent, with a strong handle on decoding and data, but as a member of Konoha's interrogation unit, Mozuku had a better grasp of interpreting people.

Iruka felt a tendril of worry coil in his chest. Kiyo was one the few early graduates of his teaching career. Undoubtedly, Kiyo had been skilled enough to merit her genin status. At the time, Iruka would have defended his decision to promote her. But now the sensei wondered…had she been mentally capable of stepping out into the shinobi world? Was she mature enough to face its hardships? Iruka could only hope so.

Shiho and Mozuku fussed and bickered some more, but the sensei barely processed their words.

If the now twelve-year-old Kiyo was shunning her teammates, did it mean she was withdrawing herself from society? Who would she turn to when she arrived from her mission to find her jounin-sensei dead?

"-ensei? Iruka-sensei?" Shiho repeated, frowning in concern at the older chunin.

"Hm? Oh, I'm sorry…I was just thinking…"

"Yeah, we could see that," Mozuku said. "Looks like it hurt, thinking so hard."

Iruka chuckled and grasped the teen's shoulder. "Come on, smart-aleck. You both still like Ichiraku's, right?"


Miles from the memorial site, Raccoon waited in the conference room for her psychologist's return. He claimed they had "issues" to discuss, and the ANBU was anxious to know what that meant.

It was no secret that the psych nin considered her unstable. A MIRF ninja- Mildly Insane yet Reasonably Functional. As such, Raccoon had to toe the line or risk being deemed unsuitable for service.

When her psychologist returned, Raccoon forced herself not to clench her hands in anticipation.

Deceptively mild. That was the only way to describe Yajirobee's features. Placid dark eyes framed by oversized glasses, short sandy brown hair, chapped lips, and a narrow jaw. This was the face of the man who brazenly tackled the inner demons of half the ANBU population. The one who judged how closely an agent was allowed to skirt the brink of insanity before having to be pulled back. The man who wore a specialized memory sealing helmet at the end of each work day to secure respite from the suffocating darkness, and who willingly removed it upon returning the following morning.

"Thank you for your patience, Nami." Yajirobee took his seat, setting a plain manila folder on the surface in front of him.

"The name's Raccoon," the ANBU reminded him with a clipped tone.

"Your code name, yes," the bespectacled man agreed with a disarming tone. Everything about him was meant to be non-threatening- his voice, his small stature, even his old-fashioned Konoha flak jacket that lacked any scroll pouches or neck guard. "But your birth records read 'Ara Nami.'"

Raccoon glared down at her hands. He'd never insisted on using her birth name before.

Yajirobee opened the folder before him and loosely clasped his hands together as he gathered his thoughts. With Raccoon, it was best to get directly to the point. "Based on our last evaluation, Nami, I have issued a recommendation for your discharge from the ANBU ranks."

"You what!" Raccoon growled, rage burning in her veins. "Why?"

Yajirobee's face was suddenly much closer to hers, and only belated did the kunoichi realize that she'd pinned him against the wall, one arm shoved painfully against his ribs while her other hand grasped a fistful of his hair.

The psych nin's expression remained even, his eyes calmly gazing at her. Displaying fear was a rookie's mistake, and Yajirobee was no rookie. He made no noise or movement until he determined that Raccoon was once again situationally aware.

"Your tendency for unconsciously violent reactions was one consideration," he offered at length.

With a disgusted sigh, she lowered the man back onto the ground and reclaimed her seat.

"This is not a slight on your abilities, Nami," Yajirobee continued once he too was properly seated. The only evidence of the aggressive episode was his now disheveled hair. "You have served Konoha well in ANBU and we are confident you will continue to serve well out of it. This is just a transitional time for you..."

Raccoon glared into her lap. Yajirobee was still talking, but she paid only minimal attention. At least, until she heard the words "inactive duty" escape his lips. Her eyes snapped up in indignation.

"I thought you said I'd continue to serve Konoha!" Since the age of nine, she'd known nothing except the kunoichi life. If she was not a ninja, then she didn't know who she was.

"That's correct," Yajirobee nodded. "You will continue to serve Konoha. But before you resume going on missions, you must re-acclimate yourself to other areas of life. That will involve a few months' leave from mission duties. A vacation, if you will."

"But…" Raccoon faltered as she tried to swallow the notion of months without missions. "What am I supposed to do?"

"An excellent question." Yajirobee seemed pleased that she'd asked. Pulling out a sheet of paper from his file, he continued, "I have a few projects for you to work on during inactive duty. Once you've made sufficient progress with each, we can resume your active status:

"First, I want you to develop your home. Make it a haven, a place in which you enjoy staying." Noting the confusion in her expression, he elaborated. "You'll be on paid leave, so why not buy items that would give it a more pleasant atmosphere? Maybe a decorative lamp or two, a comfortable rug, a bamboo plant, new curtains…anything that you would find visually appealing."

Raccoon nodded uncertainly, and Yajirobee pressed on. "Secondly, I want you to develop a hobby. Find something that you enjoy doing, outside of your ninja duties. This could be almost anything: painting, gardening, singing, swimming, photography… anything you would have fun doing or that relaxes you."

The kunoichi listened skeptically to the tasks assigned her. What good would a hobby do her on the battlefield? The psych nin did not notice or, most likely, did not acknowledge her displeasure. He pressed on.

"And finally, I want you to develop socially. Get to know someone better. Spend more time around people. Enjoy the company of others, whether it be watching a movie, going out to eat, or simply talking. Does this make sense?"

Yajirobee furrowed his brow at her lack of response. But it was gently that he inquired, "Are we listening, Nami?"

"Develop my home, develop a hobby, develop socially," the ex-ANBU rattled off quickly. "And if I do that, you'll let me go on missions?"

"Well, yes, but we-"

"Good," Nami crisply interrupted, rising to her feet and brushing past the other man on her way out.

The psych nin sighed and pressed a hand over his aching ribs. "I think she took that…rather well…"