Hey All~

I tried to get this uploaded prior to Christmas but unfortunately the festivities got in the way. I have a lot in store for this occurrence. There might be 4 or 5 parts to it, so bear with me! I am doing my best to weave an interesting story.

Thank you again for all the love, encouragement, and reviews. You all have my deepest gratitude and appreciation. I hope you enjoy the continuation of The Seventh Occurrence!

All my love,

-E

It wasn't supposed to happen, really. Kakashi and Naruko fell into a routine that soon became well practiced and maintained. If Tsunade needed her, Naruko would leave and ensure her chakra trail led Kakashi right to her. If Kakashi left, Naruko would sense him from miles away. If one had to do an extended mission, Tsunade gave them both the clearance to go together. It was easier that way - Naruko would prep to take over the title Hokage and Kakashi would mentor her in the interim. They grew into their roles beautifully and for the first time in a very long time, Konoha fell into a calmness that it had not known. Reconstruction was close to finishing and as a result the entire village was serene.

It wasn't supposed to happen. It was like any other night. Tsunade called for Naruko at midnight. Naruko left the bed before soothing a tan hand across Kakashi's forehead, brushing his hair to the side with gentle fondness. He looked as unearthly as ever as the light of the moon pooled across his skin. Her hand lingered there as she reveled at his sight - he truly was beautiful. Longing pooled across her belly, tempting her to ignore Tsunade's request. Though she yearned to follow suit and fall to temptation, duty weighed on her shoulders.

With a well maneuvered and often-practiced leap, Naruko alighted upon the windowsill and left the apartment. Kakashi liked cooler temperatures and fresh air, the open window would be welcome and would remind him of her absence. He would reach for her chakra and find her there, and should he decide to stay awake, he'd be welcome to assist her with whatever task Tsunade had left her to do.

It was with this quiet montage that Naruko found herself before the hokage tower. She was still putting her hair up in her classic pony tails when Tsunade opened the door and ushered her inside. It was a silent affair but one that had become routine. Naruko's tired eyes revitalized with focus as she eyed the pending aid request, and with an elegant flick of her wrist, signed the petition into action and set it aside.

Unbeknownst to the two situated in the hokage tower, a shadowed figure, barely clearing five feet, snuck along the wall. A snap of its fingers was all the disruption it spared before it blended into the darkness and lost all form. It wove its way undiscovered through the empty streets of Konoha before finding its homage at a house lined with orange marigolds.

It etched its way out of the darkness, molding into a form that was more soft than sharp edges, more humanoid in structure. Long tendrils reminiscent of fingers transfixed themselves into a variety of patterns. The ebony fell to tan and gave way to gold, and an aura of unbridled sunlight permeated the air.

Kakashi awoke with a start, mask forgotten in the spans of panic. He fell out of bed, landed on his knees, shook with uncontrolled turmoil as one crimson eye stared out of his window into the abyss of nighttime before him. Naruko was gone.

It took only a moment to ascertain the fact. Her chakra extended towards the tower before disappearing entirely. Even in his sleep he had documented her departure. The window was left open, her pajama bottoms rested innocently in the corner - she would've returned to crawl back into them, they would've brushed his legs as she climbed back into his bed. His eyes widened, his vision strained. He unraveled his coils and let them search for her. He had no skill with sage jutsu and no practical application to utilize this technique beyond a location device for Naruko, but for once in his life he was grateful for his due diligence as they yielded to him easily and expanded their fingers in search of Naruko.

When his chakra extended beyond Konoha's gate and sweat had sufficiently soaked his night shirt, Kakashi allowed his chakra to recoil. He inhaled in an act of defiance for everything within him was falling to the chaos of fear. Naruko was gone, Naruko was missing, Naruko could not be sensed. It was with a heady desperation that Kakashi flung himself out his window, breaking the windowsill in his stead. An errant thought reminded him of his mask - in his haste he barely had a second to reach for it as he jumped. Clumsy hands fastened it around his chin as he raced towards the hokage tower. If she were to be anywhere without him, it would be there. She would not leave him for anything else. She had promised.

A gleam of silver flew across the pavement. Cobblestones gave beneath his feet. He defied gravity, pushing himself further with each stride that met the path below. He was two leaps away from the tower before a fleeting energy brushed across his face like that of a gentle caress, a beguiling welcome, a guiding hand. Kakashi's face turned instinctively before a flash of gold made itself known amidst the darkness.

His feet met the Earth in the space between heartbeats. One pump of his chest, and he was gone. His entire direction changed, his velocity increased as he raced towards the origin of such brilliance. He chased blindly, haphazardly, recklessly, paying no heed to the sticks and branches that bit at his clothes.

Naruko was gone, but that was the briefest embodiment of her essence. It signaled to him like a beacon, like a lighthouse welcoming him home. He quickened his pace before frustration settled into his frame. He was already tiring - he was miles beyond Konoha's walls, far beyond its reach, and almost upon his knees due to his chakra expenditure. The energy beneath his feet that was spurring his steps dimmed, his pace was slowing down.

He was exhausted. His bones were like lead, his feet were heavier still. He trudged onwards at a slower pace, hungering for one more breadth of Naruko's chakra, one more anchor to remind himself that she was still here. He should have not pushed himself so hard to reach for her chakra earlier - he should have saved his energy to search for her. He was berating himself for being so reckless.

His knees buckled beneath him. He caught himself in his fall. Somewhere amidst his hurry, the skies opened and drowned the land with rain. There would be no scents to track, no trail to follow. He would not be able to find her. Kakashi was losing hope.

And then, all at once, he was mid-stride when he felt it again. Not it, but her. He felt her. And it soothed out the coil in his chest, softened the stones in his belly, brought warmth back to his veins. She was found, at last she was found. He just worried too much, assumed the worst, he had overestimated the circumstances. Naruko was safe - she was just returning from a mission, he had only needed to be patient.

With this realization came a sigh of relief, a slowing of the footsteps, an end to his pursuit. Kakashi planted his feet into the mud and stilled, waiting for Naruko to bound through the tree line and announce her existence back into the world. She would wrap her arms around him, she would apologize, she would kiss him hello. They'd return home together. They would shower and crawl back underneath the covers, she would apologize one last time beneath a tired yawn and they would resume their lives inconsequentially.

Her presence neared. His heartbeat quickened as it was want to do at the mere thought of her. She was coming closer, still. His mouth opened to form around her name. His arms extended to catch her.

Just in time for one tan, claw-riddled hand to pierce itself through his chest.

Kakashi gasped but did not breathe. He saw but could not see. The world blurred itself to a flurry of gold and green before the entirety of it went black.