"Where is Karu?" Glancing around Iruka shifted slightly on the couch, peering over the edge when he heard a sound.
Everyone turned when he gasped, watching as his face changed expressions before he burst out laughing. Tsunade stepped forward so she could see what he was laughing about.
"KARU!" everyone jumped at her enraged voice, "I'm going to kill you!" she lunged at the base of the bookshelf. Surprisingly she wasn't fast enough. They all watched as Karu darted between her legs and bolted towards Kakashi, a small bag of Tsunade's favourite sweets in his mouth. Karu madly avoided the crazed Hokage and lunged into his sensei's arms. Kakashi barely dodged Tsunade's stab at Karu.
"Don't drag me into this." Kakashi laughed as Karu easily evaded all her attempts to catch him before speaking gravely. "I'm afraid it's my fault Hokage-sama. I haven't fed him yet. That's where we were going before we were attacked." Kakashi grimaced as five scowling faces turned towards him. Iruka scooped Karu up and gently removed the sweets from his mouth. Before anyone could protest he had left, taking Karu with him and muttering insults at Kakashi as he went.
Kakashi blinked and followed after them. Sasuke and Sakura stared before bowing to the Hokage.
"Hokage-sama since our sensei has uh... left we will also take our leave." Sasuke said
"Jariaya-san. If you hear anything please lets us know." Sakura bowed again and left.
"She scares me." He commented. Tsunade sighed, her chocolates in hand.
"Can you look around for any information?"
"Of course. He's my brat too." Jariaya left leaving the Hokage alone with her thoughts.
"You'll get through this Naruto." She sighed.
"How dare he walk off with my student?" Kakashi thought as he followed Iruka's chakra signature. "What right does he have?" Even as he said this Kakashi knew that Iruka had a lot more right than he did. Iruka considered the boy a son and was quite protective of him. "Still I am his teacher and hopefully his friend." Kakashi was surprised when the chakra trail led him to a small house and not a shop. Ignoring the front door Kakashi went in through the window and found himself in a lounge room. Pictures of Iruka with various people were stationed about the room. There were several of Iruka with Naruto and Naruto was smiling in everyone. Not a fake smile but a real one. Kakashi gazed at the last photo. It was of their team. He guessed Karu had given it to his old sensei. Moving stealthily towards another room. Kakashi paused to sniff the air. He smiled and walked into the room. Karu was stalking around the stove, trying to get an early bite while Iruka fended him off with a spoon.
"Wait until it cooks Karu. What do you want Kakashi?" Iruka turned his attention to Kakashi and Karu took his chance to steal some ramen.
Kakashi scowled at Iruka, "Well you did just waltz out with my student." Karu paused at his thieving.
"I think I should perhaps leave the room." He muttered to Kyuubi, who agreed completely. Karu padded quietly out, leaving the two adults to bicker.
"Is that all he is to you? A student? Since when do you go to such lengths for mere students?" Iruka saw the hurt flash momentarily in Kakashi's eyes before anger replaced it.
"I know I wasn't a great teacher. I favoured student above the others and I regret it! I no longer consider them just students!" Iruka looked surprised, "I care about what happens to them!" Iruka's face was flushed with anger.
"Now you care! You should have cared right from the beginning!"
"How dare you!" Karu bolted in from the other room when he heard a loud crash. He stopped dead at the sight in front of him. Kakashi had Iruka pinned against the counter with a kunai to his throat while Iruka with his free hand also had a kunai raised to Kakashi's throat. Snarling Karu jumped forward and snatched the kunai off the men. Both watched as Karu dropped their kunai and looked at them, ears drooping and head hanging. Karu eyed them and whimpered.
Iruka and Kakashi looked at each other sheepishly.
"We're sorry Karu." Kakashi said, offering his arm to the fox. Iruka turned back to the ramen and dished out three bowls which he then placed on the table. Karu seemingly forgave them and dug into his food with gusto. Iruka and Kakashi exchanged small smiles.
"Some things never change." Iruka said, eating his own ramen. Kakashi followed suit. All of them pretending it never happened although Karu's thoughts were in turmoil.
"Kyuubi what just happened?"
"I think perhaps Iruka challenging Kakashi's interest in your wellbeing was a little hard for Kakashi to bear."
"But why? Kakashi had always been more interested in Sasuke. That's just the way it is. Although I guess since that mission incident things have changed slightly." Kyuubi laughed at Karu's innocence and left Karu alone with his ramen. Sometime later that night and many, many bowls of ramen later, Kakashi stood and motioned to Karu, who jumped onto his shoulder after purring his appreciation at Iruka, who smiled. Kakashi looked at Iruka and bowed.
"I apologise for my earlier actions. Your words hit to close to home."
"Kakashi... I ..." Iruka started but Kakashi and Karu were already gone. Karu
Karu had barely blinked and they were now back at Kakashi's place. He jumped off Kakashi's shoulder and bolted to his bundle of blankets. Kakashi laughed as Karu burrowed deep into them and eyed the box on the table. Sighing he picked it and the bundled up fox and carried them into his room. Karu poked his head out and looked at Kakashi.
"If you want to look in your box again, let me know and I'll give you a hand." Kakashi sighed at the suspicious look on Karu's face before he nodded and disappeared back into the blankets.
"Guess it won't be tonight that I get a look at that journal." Kakashi thought.
Karu didn't open the box again, much to Kakashi's disappointment, for over a week.
"There has to be a way to get this open." Kakashi thought as he prodded at the box while Karu slept. He was still prodding at it when a loud knock sounded at his front door. Kakashi wasn't surprised when Karu reached the door before he did and was scratching at it. Kakashi smiled and opened the door, allowing Karu to leap at the startled Iruka.
"Yo." Kakashi said watching as Iruka tried to untangle himself from Karu. Finally succeeding in doing so Iruka said, "You guys have a mission. Jariaya's people have spotted a man matching the description your team gave. Hokage-sama wishes to see you and your team." With those words the tension in the air rose to a breaking point. Kakashi nodded at Iruka and then told Karu to find Sasuke and Sakura. A foxes nose was quite useful sometimes. He had located them in less than ten minutes.
"Karu, Kakashi-sensei what's wrong?" deciding to let the Hokage explain Kakashi instructed his team to head to her office.
Tsunade stared at the expectant faces before her and sighed. Jariaya put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed encouragingly.
"Jariaya's people spotted your guy way out past Suna going north. You are to meet up with Gaara, Kankorou, (is that right?), and Temari who will pass on any further information we may receive to you."
"How reliable are your people?" Sasuke said eyeing the toad sage.
"they have never let me down before. I trust the information they've provided us."
"When do we leave?" Kakashi asked, stroking the tense Karu/
"your leaving as soon as your ready but." Tsunade looked hesitant to continue.
"But what Hokage-sama?" Sakura asked.
"Even though Karu has proven himself in a fight you are still short one person. Therefore I am sending another team with you as far as Suna." Her tone left no room for argument.
"Which team?" Kakashi asked hesitantly. Tsunade looked at Jariaya before answering.
"The only team available consists of Shikimaru, Kiba and Hinata. Their sensei is in Suna and they will part ways there." Tsunade held her breath as she waited for the complaints.
She was surprised when Sasuke brought up the point she had not considered much.
"Won't Kiba, after spending so much time with us, be able to tell that Karu isn't a real fox? Shikimaru is no push over despite his laziness." Kakashi was inclined to agree with his normally brooding student.
"I can't allow you to go all that way alone, one person short. That team is the only team available to accompany you unless you would prefer for Team Gai to accompany you the whole way?" they all paled at this suggestion and shook their heads.
"What should we tell them?" Sakura asked.
"They know their mission is to accompany you to Suna and nothing else. Should they guess the nature this mission tell them as much as you think is wise. Also Kakashi you are in charge of both teams for this mission. They will follow your orders." Kakashi nodded and at Tsunade's dismissal left with his team. They split up to gather their things and arranged to meet at the gate in two hours. Kakashi sent Pakkun to find the other team and let them when they were leaving. He then went to collect and pack his own gear and as an afterthought pack Karu's ninja stuff in sealing scrolls just in case. After doing so he cooked himself and Karu something to eat so as to pass the time until they left.
Well uhh hi to any reviewers that i may have left as that really... long break. I've been looking for a job since i quit school. Anyways hope the reviewers that are left will kindly review and let me know. There was a bit of an effort into this chpater and it is slightly longer because you guys are awesome and i made you wait.
SO PLEASE REVIEW and i still havent got many pms and the new story i'm thinking of posting. LET ME KNOW PLEASE. REVIEW.