"Did we make it? Are we finally out of that hellhole?" he asked as he relented, allowing her to lay him down properly.
"Yes Kuro-kun, you're all safe now," she replied. "Go back to sleep." She began her handsigns for a sleep jutsu but Kankuro stopped her by holding her hands together.
"Wait. What about Gaara-chan and Temari-chan?" he asked. "Where are they?"
"They're here," Natsu told him. "They're resting, getting their strength back, so should you. Now, sleep okay? I promise we'll take care of things from here."
"Okay," he said. "See you when I wake up?"
"I promise," she kissed his forehead as brown eyes fluttered close. The unmistakable crunch of shinobi gloves echoed around the awfully silent room then Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke. Natsu sighed deeply. "I'll go get him."
"Do you realize how dangerous he is when he's like this?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah, but how would I be a good wife if I didn't know how to keep my husband in line?" she smiled cheekily then disappeared in a flurry of leaves. She appeared near the memorial stone located next to training ground three. As she expected, Kakashi was there; his head hung in silent prayer to his lost comrades.
"What should I do Rin-chan?" Kakashi whispered. "I love her. I've loved her even when she was only a baby and yet, seeing her happy in another's arms... I-I'm torn between envy and anger. I don't know what to do. Please, tell me what to do," the twenty-three year old shinobi begged, never noticing his fiancée's presence nor the fact that he was crying.
"I think you should start listening to explanations before you start running off," the blonde finally spoke. Kakashi whirled round, a kunai already in his hand ready to impale the speaker. His fist clenched around the kunai as he caught sight of his girl.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Sasuke and the others?" he asked his voice icy with jealousy.
"What about you?" she retorted. "Shouldn't you be there as well? After all, you haven't given your report to jii-jii and you didn't explain how you found them."
"Of course, you would only care about Gaara-kun and Kuro-kun, wouldn't you?" he sneered as Natsu sucked in a breath.
"You know Kakashi, you should've listened to what Sasu-nii was telling Hinata-chan. But then again, you were too jealous to even hear another word after I greeted Gaara-kun the way I did." She sighed.
"Then why are you still here? Go to him then," he snapped. "If you came here to rub it in my face that you can have anyone you want then fine, I get the message!" his voice rose as he failed to control his anger.
"Kami-sama help me!" the nine-year old muttered in frustration. "Kakashi I'm only nine. As of now, I shouldn't even be thinking about getting married and yet, if I remember correctly I already promised myself to you." She said softly and noted with satisfaction as Kakashi froze. "Gaara-kun means as much to me as Sasuke does. And since you didn't hear, or rather didn't listen to what he said before, let me tell you again. Gaara has reverted to his childish self due to Shukaku being sealed in him. And even though Temari didn't receive the same influence as he did, she as well became as a child."
"But why?" Kakashi asked. "They shouldn't have any reason to be childish."
"It's because of their father," she continued. "When he realized that he couldn't bend the twins to his will, he tried having them killed. When they turned two, they had already had some of the worst experiences of their lives. They came close to dying more times than I can count even before they turned five. Their childishness is a defence mechanism."
"How old were they when you first met?"
"They were four but Kankuro was around seven or eight and so he remembered everything that happened to his younger siblings. Even though I was only three, I understood better than you would think. After all, I had the same experiences." She whispered.
"I'm sorry Natsu," Kakashi said as he took her into his arms. "I jumped to conclusions and let my assumptions get the better of me."
"I know, but it's one of the things I like about you," she replied. "Your ever-possessive nature," She continued. "We should be getting back," she told him.
"Alright."
"Are you calm enough Kakashi?" the aged leader asked his subordinate.
"Hai Hokage-sama," the infamous Sharingan no Kakashi bowed his head in shame. "Gomenasai, my behaviour was inappropriate and unprofessional."
"Very well, just make sure it doesn't happen again," their leader said sternly. "Now, on to business; what shall we do about the siblings?"
"I'd like to take them in sir," Kakashi answered after a moment of hesitation.
*After their moment at the memorial stone, he had brought Natsu back to the room where the trio were still resting. They had found Sasuke and Hinata huddled in one corner while Sarutobi was nowhere to be seen.
"Sasu-nii, where did jii-chan go?" Natsu asked her older brother.
"He said he would call all the jounin to see what he should do about Gaara-chan, Mari-chan and Kankuro-kun."
"I better go then," Kakashi said, dropping a kiss atop his beloved's golden locks. On his way to the tower, he thought about everything Natsu had told him about the siblings and he made a decision. When he arrived just as the meeting was about to begin, all the other jounins looked at him strangely. He was notoriously late and yet here he was, ambling along without a care in the world. And then, when the agenda for the meeting was uncovered, everyone did a double take as Kakashi presented his idea for the three children.*
"Why would you want to do that?" Sarutobi asked his strongest jounin. He knew about Kakashi's aversion to children and yet here he was volunteering to take all three of the Sabaku siblings in.
"I have been told about their living conditions prior to when I found them," Kakashi began but was interrupted by a random jounin in the crowd.
"Who would have told you about them? They are foreign children, so no one should have known them personally and yet here you are saying that you know someone who told you about them personally?" the accusation was clear in the ninja's tone.
"I'm afraid, that's classified," it was Sarutobi who answered. "Our informant has asked not to be revealed but know that they have my utmost trust."
"Lord Hokage, shouldn't the council know about this?" another ninja decided to put his two cents in. Sarutobi narrowed his eyes at the ninja who spoke. He was Takaaki Tobiume, one of the council's cronies.
"Do you question my authority Tobiume-san?" the age was gone in the old man's voice. The jounins flinched, they were now facing the Kami no Shinobi.
"N-not at all Hokage-sama," Tobiume stuttered his reply. "I-I just thought the council should know about this since it does concern the well-being of the village."
"You have a point Tobiume-san," the Hokage conceded. "But, you should know that this was never about the sand siblings. Ibiki, Anko!"
"Hokage-sama?" the two Torture and Investigation ninja appeared in front of the leader.
"I want you to take Tobiume-san and Nakaragi-san to the T&I department," he told the two jounins. "I want to know what else they have been telling the council."
The two jounins who spoke up tried to run but were quickly engaged by the other ninjas. Overwhelmed by their numbers, the two were quickly caught and brought to the Interrogation building.
"Now that that has been taken care of, I would like to go back to what we were speaking of." Sarutobi said. "This meeting should not be held with my jounin but I did want to know what you thought of them. As jounins, you have been told about the status of one Natsu Uzumaki and although I know that not all of you believe she is a child, she is one."
"What does Natsu-chan have anything to do with this?" Iruka asked their leader.
"She knows the siblings personally and the redhead is a jinchuuriki as is she," he explained. "Now, I must ask you; do you think we should keep them here or bring them back to Suna?"
"We should keep them," a female jounin said. She had dark hair, red eyes and wore a red dress, with her left arm wrapped in bandages.
"Do you think so, Kurenai?"
"Hai Hokage-sama," the woman now known as Kurenai replied. "They would prove beneficial not only to the village but to Natsu-san as well. I have seen what she goes through every day and I know that she needs to have other friends."
"Very well; does everyone else feel the same?" murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd of ninjas. "You're all dismissed, except for you Kakashi."
As the room was cleared of the jounins, Kakashi wondered what his leader wanted him to do.
"Kakashi, are you sure you want to take them in?" Sarutobi's voice broke Kakashi from his musings.
"Yes, I do."
"Then I must ask you to reclaim the seat that your father has vacated all those years ago," Sarutobi answered.
"I'd do anything for Natsu," he pledged.
"Alright, now I need you to get the other members of the ninja council. I think it's about time I reclaim my position as the leader of this village." Kakashi smirked at his words as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Murmurs rippled through the council room as Kakashi Hatake entered with Anko, Ibiki and Iruka in tow; the elders' eyes widened in surprise at the sight of four of the best ninjas in the village. Sarutobi entered with an aura of deadly grace and righteous anger rolling off him in waves. The ninjas in the room flinched at the deathly silent man who walked into the room regally.
"Sarutobi, what is the meaning of this?" Danzo spoke up deciding it was time the council knew what this farce of a meeting was about.
"That's Lord Hokage to you, Danzo!" the old man snapped at his rival. Kakashi stifled a snicker at the expression on Danzo's face.
"Why did you call us here Sarutobi?" this time it was Koharu who decided to intervene.
"As I said, you are to address me as Lord Hokage," he glared at his former teammate. "Is that understood Koharu-san?" his question was rhetorical but his attitude left many people on the council shocked and fearing for their lives.
"This meeting was called due to a number of things that came to my attention," the Kami no shinobi began. "I shall start with you Danzo. I believe I told you to shut down your root operations and yet I see some of your men in the very room I am in."
"I have no idea what you're talking about Hokage-sama," Danzo replied with the slightest widening of eyes.
"Then you wouldn't mind explaining this?" Sarutobi asked as three peculiarly masked ANBU appeared in the center of the room hauling twelve ninja with the root insignia tattooed on their arms. Danzo paled considerably at the sight of his top twelve soldiers in the hands of three of Sarutobi's.
Kakashi's eyes widened at the appearance of the trio. He recognized them by their masks; they were the Oni-Tenshi-Raven or the Reapers as the ninja population called them. According to his knowledge, they were the protectors. The demon wore a black mask with one white stripe on the right side, a full-body suit that accentuated her curves topped by a mesh shirt and a chest plate. She also wore arm plates and her weapon of choice was a large sword that was strapped to her back. The angel wore a white mask with one black stripe on the left side of the porcelain, standard ANBU armor and had two katanas strapped to form an X on her back. The raven was obviously male, he wore a standard ANBU uniform as well but his mask was red with a white stripe on the right side and a black one on the left. They were quite the imposing trio but Kakashi couldn't help but feel as if he knew them.
Danzo decided to cut his losses and decided to run. He knew he would be executed if he were caught; the evidence was right here in front of the whole council's eyes. He tried to leave while the room was frozen at the sight of the Reapers but he found that he was stuck inside a barrier of sorts.
"Let me go Sarutobi! I had nothing to do with this!" the crippled old man hissed at the aged leader.
"Danzo, by order of the Hokage, you are hereby charged with treason. The punishment is execution." Three voices spoke up. The harmonious melody of the Reapers voices were strangely hypnotic and the whole room could only watch as the three shinobis killed the old warmonger.
"Now that that's settled," Sarutobi spoke once more. "I would like to turn my attention to the civilian council."
"What is it you need of us Hokage-sama?" a pink-haired woman wearing a formal kimono asked.
"I would like to know who ordered my ninjas to kill one civilian child."
"We did no such thing!" Yakiko Haruno screeched.
"I have here a written order to two of my jounins to attack and if possible kill one Natsu Uzumaki."
"The demon brat deserves to die! She should be killed for all of the people Kyuubi killed when it attacked!" the whole civilian council erupted at once. The focused killer intent of Kakashi, Sarutobi, Anko, Iruka, Ibiki and Hiashi Hyuuga made them quiet down.
"Natsu Uzumaki is no demon!" Kakashi finally spoke up. "She is the jailor to the Kyuubi no Kitsune. She has done this village no wrong and yet she is ostracized. She's only nine and she's had almost the same amount of near-death experiences as I have and she's not even a ninja yet!"
"Why are you here, Hatake?" Koharu asked the silver haired nin. "This is a council meeting, as such you and your friends have no right to be here."
"I am part of the council. I have recently taken the seat vacated by my father Sakumo Hatake as well as represent Sasuke Uchiha in the absence of Danzo." Hiashi couldn't hide the smirk that followed due to Kakashi's words.
"Impossible!" Koharu exclaimed. She turned to Homura but found no acknowledgement of her statement whatsoever.
"Koharu-san, I suggest you control yourself..." Sarutobi left the threat hanging.
"Is that a threat Sarutobi?" Koharu whirled round to his former teammate.
"I am merely stating a fact Koharu," the aged leader replied. "This is a formal meeting and as such, if you cannot keep your emotions in control I shall have you removed from this room as well as your position as an elder."
"You dare threaten your own advisor?"
"I dare threaten one who has committed treason!" the Kami no Shinobi finally exploded.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," the old advisor denied all accusations. "What is the real meaning of this meeting Sarutobi?"
"I am merely doing what I should've done years ago." The old man replied calmly. "I've let this council run rampant for the past decade and I shall rectify my mistake today. As of this moment, the civilian council is disbanded. New councilmen shall be elected by the ninja council according to what the shinobis think would be best for the village. All the current members of the civilian council cannot be re-elected."
"You cannot do this Hokage-sama!" Haruno screeched.
"You dare question my authority Haruno-san? Need I remind you that you are not the leader here? I am the Hokage and what I say goes! Oni-Tenshi-Raven clear the room of every civilian including Koharu and Homura."
The council room erupted in chaos as various people tried to talk Sarutobi out of his decision while others escaped quietly. Some people sat in their seats, completely confused as to what had just transpired.
"Forbidden Demon Art: Sacrificial Lamb," one voice floated above all. The atmosphere froze as the temperature in the room dropped several degrees. The shinobi in the room stared in shocked silence as the Oni Reaper literally glowed. She was surrounded with a blinding white light and its shadows crept upon the members of the civilian council as well as the two aged advisors.
Kakashi stared at the glowing shinobi and couldn't help but wonder what she was doing. Then her intentions became clear as the council room descended into silence and then the light was gone.