Hey everybody sorry this chapter is out a bit late, but I got lost in a pile of textbooks.

NOTE: This chapter is now beta-ed courtesy of Demion69. I got the e-mail today and am currently sitting at one of those internet cafe thingamajigs. This thing was a pain to post up btw, the editor on this site just hates me...sigh

Disclaimer : I don't own any of Kishimoto's works. (these things are annoying to write)


Chapter 7


(/\/\/\/\/Twelve days since failed infiltration/\/\/\/\/)

This was torture. Complete and utter torture straight from the depths of a grown man's nightmares. Only someone like Ibiki himself could dream up something worse than this.
Paperwork.

Just hearing the word made Kakashi shudder. What the hell does knowing what education his mother had, have anything to do with taking custody of a three foot nine eight year old? But there it was sitting in front of him over one hundred pages of forms basically asking him about his life story. One that he'd rather keep to himself, thank you very much.

The hand holding the pen was starting to cramp. It was a well known fact that Kakashi's organization and form filling skills were next to nil. Just finding out his average income over the past five years took him forever. Things like that didn't even make it into his list of 'important' things. As long as he could continue to indulge himself in Jiraiya-sama's writing he was happy.

Sometimes he wouldn't even check what the mission pay was like. Hell, he didn't even know how much was in his savings until today. Someone could have hi-jacked the lot of it over the years and he wouldn't notice a thing. Okay...probably shouldn't mention that.

Kakashi's apartment itself was stretching the definition of 'bachelor' to its limits and boarding on uneducated slob. At four years old Naruto had pointed that out the first time he stepped into the place. That was harsh, getting scolded by a toddler.

The Jounin sighed. A blind man would probably die as a result of tripping over all the hazardous junk lying around there. 'Damn.' That would mean he would have to clean. 'Double damn.' He lived in a simple one bedroom flat, not really the best place for two people. 'Note to self: Find new apartment.' Now if only he didn't lose that note...

Paperwork really was as bad as Hokage-sama made it seem, no matter how much he glared it wouldn't get the hint and take a hike. It was still there only half filled, and he had already covered most of his life. Really at this point he wouldn't be surprised if they asked for when he lost his virginity...okay maybe he would be. Just a bit.

Speaking of virgin, Gai had promised to write the required recommendation for Kakashi to take Naruto into custody. The man claimed that it was his duty to write the 'glowing' biography on the character of his eternal rival. That was good, because no one else really wanted to.

He sighed. That got him thinking about Naruto again. The boy had suffered a lot, but things were starting to look up. His burns were already starting to look like just bad sunburns. Well...in most areas anyway, his face was still marred heavily with scars, but at the rate the rest of his body was healing it should be okay soon. Hopefully.

That left him to think about the real problem. Could Naruto really be a ninja? A blind one nonetheless. How could he even teach him? Kakashi ran a hand through his hair, there were way too many thoughts mulling through his head to concentrate on filling out the rest of the forms.

Capping his pen the silver headed man stood up. Ignoring the piles of papers scattered everywhere he walked out the door. There was one place that could help him right now, and it was about time he visited it again.


Konoha's Library was a peculiar place. The appearance it took was of a two story building with a whole bunch of dusty and crusty literature. In actuality it rested above the key entrance to a labyrinth of passages and corridors that took up a good portion of Konoha. There were very few entrances to it, one being behind a bookcase in the section about politics and various other hidden entrances around the village.

There were very few individuals who knew of its existence and even fewer who had access to it. Konoha couldn't just leave scrolls of the techniques it had acquired through the years laying about, and that was originally the purpose of the hidden tunnels. Eventually it branched out and started holding the village's most dangerous secrets in the shinobi world, even the council wasn't trusted enough with the information.

Basically it was an underground crypt of secrets. The walls were made of stone and traps were implemented all over the place. On the walls themselves were miles of seals. A product of the Yondaime's time of rule. Even Jiraiya himself didn't know the full purpose of all the characters, but Minato wasn't a genius for nothing. Each one had its purpose, but some purposes were better left unknown.

One known function was to keep the unwanted out. A seal was given to a guardian by a Hokage, usually the current one if both the predecessor and successor were alive. It was known as the 'guardian's seal' and it was not visible to the naked eye not even to those with a doujutsu. Like most high level seals it was only visible when active, and even then could only be seen by another wearing the guardian's seal. Its purpose was simple, protect the guardian's mind from shattering.

Jiraiya had first come up with the seal so that it would only open entrances, but Minato had expanded on the idea. He had written seals on the walls to constantly emit wave signals powerful enough to disrupt and destroy nerves and receptors in a human brain. The only shield was the guardian's seal itself.

Kakashi strolled through the dimly lit passageways of the labyrinth. He had been given the seal by his sensei shortly after Minato became the Yondaime. It was a big responsibility and honour all at once. Minato had not only shown Kakashi how much trust he had in his student, but also entrusted him with all of Konoha's secrets.

There were rooms upon rooms of information held here. Generations worth of them, and not all of it started with the Shodai. No, the secrets dated back long before then. For not only were information on all of Konoha since its founding stored here, but also all the knowledge Konoha's founders had brought with them.

Before there were hidden villages, all ninjas were nomads. Nomads who soon became wandering clans. Clans who soon joined together to form tribes, and tribes who soon formed the villages themselves.
All in all, the entire hidden maze under Konoha didn't just hold a couple of generations of history, but held hundreds or even thousands of years worth of it. Each bit passed down from generation to generation dating back to the first ninjas themselves.

It was the perfect place for information, the perfect place for answers. Which was good, because Kakashi had questions. Lots of them.

Down here was basically a maze. Twists and turns all around and traps everywhere. There was no map, just the experience that ran through your mind. Kakashi had gotten lost in here before, the very first time he had gone down here alone. He had just joined ANBU and was somehow assigned to one of the tracker units. At first he figured it was some joke from his sensei, but no.

Minato had decided that he relied too much on Obito's Sharingan, that he didn't even know where his student Kakashi was anymore, he only saw the famous 'copy ninja'. It was a test...sort of. Did he have the skills? Could he be a real ninja to adapt to any situation? Or did he become some one trick pony?

At first, it angered him, but the more he thought the more he realized it was true. After weeks of constantly being a hindrance to his squad Kakashi finally had enough. He decided that he needed help, and clearly the Sharingan wasn't what his sensei wanted him to use. So off to the dungeon he went.

Clearly it was a bad idea; he hadn't even had his seal for a year yet and not nearly enough experience to walk its hallways alone. Shortly after entering he was lost in corridors where the walls would sometimes change, shifting in a never ending dance. One entry would close after he'd pass and another would open. So he wandered and wandered until he came upon this one room.

Apparently before the Inuzuka clan had animal familiars from the actual canines of this world, they had the aid of the dogs of the summon plane. Their scroll however had been passed down, and a few decades before the formation of Konoha it had been offered as a peace offering to the Senju clan for an alliance. Eventually a descendant of the Senju became what's known today as Konoha's Shodai Hokage, the founder of this labyrinth, and he had locked the scroll up leaving it forgotten.

That was before Hatake Kakashi got a hold of it. With the permission of his sensei, he became the new Ninken summoner. Eventually with time he became a great tracker, making him one of the few well rounded ANBU members, which allowed him to secure a position as a squad captain.
Ever since then, Kakashi did not go wandering aimlessly down there with no purpose. Aside from the fact that it was plain creepy, it was dangerous. Unless you could read the mysterious language written on the walls intermixing themselves with the seals, you were hopeless. Add to the fact that it was nearly pitch black down there and you would be at a complete loss.

But still he went down there, and mentally mapped its maze like pattern, carefully calculating the timing of when the walls change and shift. Lately he hadn't needed to venture down into its depths. Now though he had a purpose. The blind boy with the dream of becoming the world's best ninja.

There wasn't much success. Unlike a library there wasn't much organization down here. Most things were organized in chronological order and which part of the world they came from. Every room would need to be checked to get all the information possible, and that would take months. Kakashi didn't have much spare time in his hands. There were missions to do among other things, but soon he found that those other things suddenly took a backseat to Naruto's dreams.

Eighty percent of the time he wasn't on missions was now spent researching. The other twenty was either visiting Naruto, or resting. It wasn't exactly the healthiest thing to do, but no matter what anyone said, this was his fault and he would fix it.


(/\/\/\/\/Fifteen days since failed infiltration/\/\/\/\/)

Naruto was floating...again. This feeling, he concluded, wasn't as great as it was cracked up to be. Being weightless in a sea of white nothingness was so creepy.

He had remembered everything, the ninjas, the pain, that voice. Even now he didn't know who it belonged to, but at the same time he felt that he should know. It reminded him of Kakashi's voice when he would cry and the man would try to comfort him. Not that he cried anymore, of course he didn't.
But it was so real, and he actually felt like he was there. The warm night breezes ruffling his hair, he even felt that hand touch his cheek! It was too real to be a dream, so maybe it wasn't? Maybe it was just a trick of his mind from being trapped here.

Come to think of it, where exactly was here? Was he dead? Because if he was he wasn't sure whether this was heaven or hell, but were all his pranks really enough to buy him a ticket to the latter of the two?

Just as Naruto was about to lose himself in thought the whiteness slowly faded. Finally he could make out a few things. Trees? Furry little animals? Naruto scrunched his brow, trying to remember where the heck he saw this before.

And that's when he saw it. In the middle of a clearing was a baby, blond haired and blue eyed, bawling his eyes out. What made his heart race was the fact that those eyes, those cerulean irises, were the same as his own. He squinted a bit and saw the three whisker marks on each side of the infant's cheek. 'No way...'

It was him...no it couldn't be, this crying brat was blond, and he was pretty sure he wasn't blond. The reflection he saw everyday told him so.

He willed his floating self to go towards the infant, but before he could the world distorted again. This time he found himself watching a flash of all his memories from that day forward in one rapid movement. It was as if someone had pressed fast forward on his entire life.

The funny thing about it was the fact that it wasn't ever in his own perspective but often in the exact opposite direction the 'him' in his memories was facing. He would always get a different view; he would see the world around the memory, not what he was doing in it.

It was odd and unnerving; didn't they always say that your memories flash before you before you die?


(/\/\/\/\/Fifteen days since failed infiltration-Twelve Noon KST /\/\/\/\/)

"So what's this thing supposed to do again?" The machines connected to Naruto beeped a bit and wavy lines started to appear on the screen faster.

"Anko, do I look like a doctor to you?" Asuma drawled.

"Geez, who stuck the stick up your ass? What's the matter, chimney? Haven't gotten laid recently?" She darted her eyes from Asuma to Kurenai, sniggering a bit when the two denied the accusation a little too fast.

Kurenai tried to change the subject the only way she knew how. "What are we doing here anyway?"

"Dunno."

"No clue"

"TO LEND NARUTO-KUN OUR POWER OF YOUTH!" Gai dodged the lunch tray flying through the room from the across the hall.

"Shut the hell up some of us are trying to recover here!!" An unfamiliar voice yelled from their hospital bed.

Gai muttered a 'sorry' before finally falling into silence along with the others in the room. They had been looking for Kakashi, but it seemed as if the man had disappeared for the past few days and figured that this place was as good as any to find them. Somehow, they ended up staying even with the lack of Kakashi's presence.

"Sooo..." Anko attempted to break the tension, but fumed and twitched a bit when they ignored her, even Gai! 'Fine. See if I care.' She scoffed and the room stayed quiet, everyone seemed in deep thought. Only the constant beeping of the machines was heard.

Naruto looked considerably better; they were able to remove the bandages around his legs and his lower arms. The rest of his body like his chest and upper arms had bandages on, but that was mostly just to prevent infection to the new skin that had amazingly started to grow. His face was the worst off, probably because it was the most damaged from the beginning.

Bandages were especially thick around the eyes. Whatever had caused the burns on Naruto's face was also responsible for the destruction of nearly every essential part of the eye's anatomy.

Almost sixteen different eye tests were given. The majority of them confirmed the lack of living and functioning cells in the blue orbs. His optic nerve had practically shut down, and the MRI results showed that the entire occipital lobe was not even functioning.

That fact still baffled Naruto's doctors, both the med nins and scientific ones. Normally the damage would have been in his eyes only and the occipital lobe would be left in tact, but for some reason it had shut down. There were many theories but none of them knew what was exactly happening here. No way would the acid be specific enough to penetrate through the eyes to attack only the back of the brain. It was just impossible to do without damaging the rest of it.

Another thing that disturbed the staff was the rest of his brain. By all accounts the frontal lobe should have suffered at least some damage, but it was showing more activity than a normal healthy persons', as was the rest of his brain. Results had shown that 88 percent of Naruto's brain was active, that was almost nine times more than any humans' should have been. It had put everyone on the edge. With results like that he should have been seizing and having dozens of strokes by now, but he wasn't, and that was a mystery in itself.

In the room Anko was digging through Naruto's chart again out of boredom, looking at the kid's long history of hospital visits. Asuma was trying to light a cigarette but it was always snatched away from him by Kurenai. Gai however was standing by the window strangely quiet.

The eccentric man was looking at Konoha, the village he served with all of his youthfulness. He looked at the Hokage Mountain and frowned. Naruto always boasted about being up there one day, to the point of irritating others. Now it seemed as if that dream was getting a little too far.

Partly he blamed himself, he knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't get the unyouthful thought out of him. Naruto had come to him for training. At first the boy seemed like a hopeless cause when it came to taijutsu, he just couldn't get that unpredictable brawler fighting style out of his system. But Naruto surprised him with the amount of work ethic he put into training. He worked hard and progressed rapidly and he finally got the hang of it, especially when they started using chakra. Gai had seen a large amount of potential in the boy, so much that it was scary.

Gai had learned from experience that power not only destroys your enemies, but some of yourself as well. There was proof in the people around him, Hyuugas and Uchihas especially. Most were born and raised as killing machines, and...most usually ended up snapping before age twenty. Well, maybe not most, but there were enough that did. Some snaps weren't always noticeable, barely blimps on the radar, and yet sometimes...you get one large enough to wipe out nearly every Uchiha in Konoha.

Kakashi, his eternal rival and best friend was one of those who almost snapped. As a boy he lived in the shadow of his father's shame, driving himself to be a textbook definition of a shinobi. Cold, heartless, and by the book. It wasn't until the death of his team mate that Kakashi was saved. But the cost was too high, way too high. In fact if it wasn't for Naruto the former ANBU could have gone psychopath all over Konoha after his sensei's death.

But for once Gai was regretting his decision, maybe if he taught Naruto to his potential the boy might have been able to get away fast enough, but he didn't and it was weighing down on his conscience.
Anko looked up from the boring chart when she noticed Gai's fist clench. The other two in the room noticed it too, and when the normally eccentric Jounin's eyes darted to the white haired boy they put the puzzle pieces together.

"I swear if I have to give that talk to you too I'm not going to do it without making someone bleed." Anko reached for a kunai.

Gai laughed nervously before giving her the 'good guy' pose. "Sorry, my flames of youth dimmed a bit, BUT THEY SHALL NEVER BE-" He didn't get to finish as three kunai coming from different directions flew towards him.

"Gai, your our friend and all, but shut up" Asuma said with a bit of a glare.

Kurenai shot the smoker a look before addressing Gai. "What the lazy-ass is trying to say is, please use your inside voice so we don't get kicked out...again."

"Or else." Anko without missing a beat pulled out another kunai and aimed it at the man's more...sensitive parts.

The bowl cut topped man gulped and nodded slowly. "Sure, sure, sorry." They were about to fall into another awkward silence when Asuma asked a question.

"So what's with this kid anyway?" Asuma had just returned from serving as one of the Daimyo's elite guardians. He still didn't understand why Kakashi was so attached to this kid, sure he was the Kyuubi container and all, but this was Kakashi.

Kurenai answered for the three. "No one's really sure, probably has to do with the fact that his sensei performed the sealing."

Gai got into his ready stance to proclaim that it was all due to Kakashi's flames of youth, but quickly deflated when he saw the glint of two kunai and one trench knife.


(/\/\/\/\/Fifteen days since failed infiltration – 3:00pm KST/\/\/\/\/)

Kakashi was sitting in the training ground by the memorial stone. It had been a while since he last visited this place, and he felt a little guilty for that.

"I'm sorry I let you down, sensei" Kakashi paused almost as if waiting for a response, but sighed when none came as expected. "You would be kicking my ass if you saw me right now...you too Obito." Slowly he sat down and leaned his back against the monument. "I can't help it though, it's like you all over again, Obito, but Naruto was a defenceless civilian child, not even a ninja yet."

He groaned and shook his head. He knew better than to brood, but this wasn't brooding. It was just feeling guilty for your actions...great he was in denial too.

There was a rustle in the bushes and out stepped the Hokage. "I thought I might find you here, finally decided to come out for fresh air?"

Kakashi nodded and turned his head to face the old man. "There wasn't much information I could find down there, and I couldn't stay down any longer without suffering chakra exhaustion."

"Yeah, the seals will do that to you" Sarutobi walked up to the stone and took a little bowl and stick of incense out of his robe. After lighting the stick he bowed his head in prayer. "May your souls rest in peace" he mumbled.

A few minutes of silence passed before the Hokage sat down next to Kakashi crossing his legs in the process. It reminded Kakashi of how much the Sarutobi clan really acted like their ape-like companions.

"So what did you find down there?"

"Nothing really helpful just a few chakra theories here and there."

Sarutobi nodded knowing from experience how hard it was to find something down there, especially in just three days. "When you're looking for stuff down there it's either hit or miss."

"And I just keep missing eh?" Kakashi let out a hollow chuckle and sucked some air in. "How's Naruto?"

The third's expression changed a bit. "He's better. Extraordinary really if you take into consideration the state he was in at first"

Kakashi tensed a bit. "I sense a but coming..."

The Sandaime nodded slowly and pulled off his hat, twittering it a bit in his fingers. "His tests showed impossible amounts of brain activity." He looked over to Kakashi, only to see the man's visible eye scrunched up in thought.

"Impossible how?"

"His entire brain is eighty-eight percent active." Sarutobi explained.

Kakashi's eye widened. He was no med nin but Kakashi was sure that was definitely not normal. Questions were about to fly out of his mouth a mile a minute when he saw the Sandaime giving him a look. Everything about the old man's face told him not to pry; it was not to be talked about out here.

"Tell me one thing though." At Kakashi's request the older man nodded hesitantly. "Is it putting his life in danger?"

The Hokage shook his head abruptly. "That's just the thing...everything about him is screaming impossible, the burns, the brain activity, just...everything." Sarutobi let out a breath of frustration. "Naruto should not be so healthy just a little over two weeks since it happened, but he is and we can't explain it."

"Do you think..."

"No, we couldn't detect any of its chakra"

Kakashi groaned and banged his head backwards against the stone monument. "Unbelievable, even when he's unconscious he's driving everyone crazy." Inwardly though he was talking to Minato. 'Sensei, your son is going to be the death of me one day.'

Sarutobi chuckled a bit, but agreed with him all the way.


(/\/\/\/\/Fifteen days since failed infiltration – 5:45pm KST/\/\/\/\/)

Konoha's hospital had long visiting hours; usually they never enforced it unless visitors started causing problems or if the patient requested it. If Naruto was aware of what went on in his room during various hours of the day he would probably fill out a request blind or not.

"I fold." Iruka set down his set of cards on the top of Naruto's ankle.

"What's the matter mama's boy can't take heat?" Anko leered at him, inwardly cheering her full house.

"You have that glint in your eye and it's creepy." Iruka shuddered a bit, not really helping his mama's boy image. They had been playing poker at the edge of Naruto's bed for half an hour now, and so far Anko was leading. "You think it's safe to play here? Aren't we hurting him or something?"

The other four shrugged. Asuma spoke up for them. "They took off the leg bandages already right? So it should be alright...I guess."

"Its just cards anyway, Naruto's youthfulness can take more than that!" Gai had lowered his volume considerably, but was still pretty loud to the others.

Kurenai had tuned them out; she had been in deep thought. Anko had to be bluffing, she just had to be, but what if she actually had a good hand? 'Grr...This is why ninjas can't play this; their poker faces are too good.' She herself needed just a nine of diamonds for a straight flush with a jack high. Or a nine of any suit for a regular flush.

"What's your verdict Kure-chan, you in or out like mama's boy over there?" Anko interrupted her thoughts with a taunt.

Before she could answer Iruka groaned. "Okay, okay, I get it I'm too old to live with my mother, but I can't afford much on a Chunin pay while taking this little terror out for ramen." He gestured to the white haired Naruto who was snoring slightly.

"Hmm, what ever happened to taking your Jounin exams this year?" Asuma took a drag of his cigarette. He had made sure not to go near the smoke detector, they had already gotten in trouble for his smoking twice today...and three strikes meant they were out.

Iruka darted his eyes around the room. "I kinda wanted my go at teaching at the academy for a while" His eyes landed on Naruto. "But, maybe I should take the test after all." Iruka had wanted to teach the class Naruto would be in, but now it didn't even look as if he would get put into a class.

"Academy? You do know if you end up there you would be teaching along side your mother...not really helping your image here." Anko pointed out. "Besides they raised the graduating age, you'd be stuck with the brats till they turn thirteen."

"I think it's a fantastic idea! If I was a Chunin I would be teaching tomorrow's bright pupils myself!" Gai set a few cards down, not noticing the grimaces on everyone's faces when they thought of Gai teaching young impressionable ninja.

Kurenai allowed herself to smirk in Iruka's direction. "Well, I guess this means I'll be promoted before you then" She hadn't taken her Jounin exam yet either, but was planning to as soon as she was ready.
"I'm thinking about it. Keyword, thinking." Iruka grumbled, amusing everyone else in the room.

A voice from the door way caught their attention. "Hmm, you guys playing poker without me? I'm hurt." Kakashi looked into the room and saw his friends using his adoptive brother as a table. Iruka and Gai were seated on the left side of the end of the bed, while Kurenai and Asuma leaned over the foot board. He sighed when he noticed the only free spot was the one beside Anko, but groaned when he saw that all the chairs were gone...well there was one...

In the back corner of the room was an innocently placed mobile urinal. It was a simple and empty thing that looked too much like a chair. Basically it was a potty with four, two foot tall legs, of which the back two had wheels. Grudgingly Kakashi grabbed it and rolled it over to the right side of Naruto next to Anko, all the while ignoring everyone's laughter.

"Nice of you to finally join us pervert...comfy?" Anko teased.

"Very much, thank you." he replied sarcastically. "Deal me in would you?"

Asuma nodded and passed Kakashi some cards. Sure they had a lot of questions for the man, but the dazed look in his eyes showed his internal conflict, it wasn't a good time to pry. Other than everyone accusing Kakashi of cheating, the rest of the night was some what anticlimactic.


Every single memory Naruto had was playing. Some he remembered some he didn't. It was odd how some would slow down and others would just zoom by. At first he figured that those were the important ones, but when random scenes of the village and its surroundings started to go in slow motion he dismissed the idea.

In each of the memories except for one or two he was looking at a younger version of himself, except with blond hair. That confused him the most, but he had to admit he liked how he looked as a blond, it went well with orange.

The memories he hated reliving the most were the painful ones. They were the ones that happened when Kakashi was usually out on a mission and he was left all alone. Kids wouldn't play with him, adults wouldn't acknowledge him, and the people who did care about him had other things to do.

Helplessly, he watched as older kids teased him and parents pulled any potential friends away. He heard all the whispers again, the ones they thought he wouldn't hear but always did.

'Stay away he's dangerous.'

'The Yondaime went through all that trouble just so a living monster would walk among us.'

'He's going to snap, we all know it.'

'Stay away!'

'That thing almost killed us all and yet we let it live with us.'

'Monster.'

Naruto was angry! He never did anything, he just wanted to be accepted, liked, maybe even loved. Why did they fear him? What did he ever do? He wanted to be the Hokage just to show this village that he would never harm them. This was his home and he would protect it with his life, why couldn't they see that?


Uhh...not to happy with what I wrote, it was pretty boring and didn't flow well in my opinion, but hey I needed to write something. Its a filler anyway...can't really just jump into training.

This week has been...blah...really though, barely anyone's updating so I wasn't really in the mood to write, which is unfair to you guys I know. But part of the thing that gets me 'in the zone' is reading a great update or a good story, and also I couldn't really find much that would make me go 'wow' Either that or I wasn't looking hard enough.

School...hmm... I think the pressure of STAR exams are starting to get to me. They go on transcripts now! Geez, really though I started dreaming about logarithms the other night, not something I look forward to.

This story is suppose to be in Naruto's point of view most of the time with a chunk of Kakashi, but it just didn't work out that way in this chapter. Eventually (next chapter) Naruto will come into play more.

Leave me your reviews, they help me get into a writing mood when no one updates, really they do.

-Nicx Vee