Chapter 11

One Man's Destiny

Kabuto went over the files three more times before he was sure he had the information fully memorized. Only then did he pack up and head back to where Lord Orochimaru was undoubtedly waiting for him. He knew the Sannin would still have questions after reviewing this new material – and he was certain that Kakashi would be in for many long, drawn out nights of interrogation until all of the inconsistencies in these files could be rectified. Kabuto could only hope that he'd be allowed to assist in the procedures which would surely be long and dreadfully painful.

Slipping his bag over his shoulder, Kabuto made his way into the trees bordering Konoha and headed toward the Sound Village by a seldom used path...just on the off chance he was being followed. Of course, that was highly unlikely – considering no one in the village was even aware that their precious Copy-ninja was missing. Kabuto suppressed his chakra all the same and increased his speed. The sooner he was back at the lair, the sooner Orochimaru would be able to figure out just who Kakashi Hatake was.

Kabuto frowned as he ran the files through his head while he moved through the trees. The first and most obvious of the puzzle pieces was why the files in the coroner's office showed Kakashi's mother died in child birth – while the date on the stone in the memorial park showed Sakumo Hatake buried his wife three years after that birth. He'd even risked a stop at that park to make sure he hadn't misread Kakashi's records – and sure enough – the stone marked Hatake held both a spot for Mother and Father on its face. He'd taken a rubbing of the face of the stone to review later. For now – he needed to get back to the lair and report his findings to Lord Orochimaru.

-- --


Iruka led the way through the surrounding trees, putting the tracking techniques he'd taught in the classroom into practice. A part of him knew he should have turned around and headed back to the village. But he also knew that if he did that, these three genin would have refused to go along and headed after Kakashi on their own. So if he really thought about it – he wasn't going against Village protocol – he was ensuring that the three members of Team Seven didn't head into dangerous territory without support.

Iruka groaned at his own logic. If he couldn't convince himself – how the hell was he going to convince the Hokage when they returned to Konoha? He frowned. That is – assuming they ever made it back.

"Iruka-sensei?" Sasuke's quiet voice brought him out of his musings.

Iruka turned his head to where the young Uchiha was easily keeping stride with him. "Hmmm?"

"Why didn't they kill him?"

The words were barely above a whisper – and the young man's hand going to his shoulder to cover the curse-mark that they both knew was there didn't go unnoticed by the teacher. Iruka sighed.

"Sasuke...I honestly don't know."

They continued on for several moments before the boy spoke again. "Do you think Orochimaru was behind that C-ranked mission?"

Iruka watched him carefully as he responded. "It's possible. Why?"

Sasuke clenched his hands into fists. "Maybe if I'd let this damn mark loose back then this wouldn't be happening now."

Iruka shook his head. "Is that really what you think, Sasuke? Do you honestly think that would have stopped this?"

The frown on Sasuke's face almost made Iruka chuckle...but he resisted the urge, and fought to find the words to refocus the boy. "Sasuke...do you think this is the first time Kakashi has been captured?"

Sasuke blinked and his face transformed into the look that Iruka knew meant he was unsure. Iruka sighed.

"Sasuke – even before Kakashi gained the sharingan eye he was targeted by the other countries for capture and, in some cases, killing. He's been listed in bingo books since he was a chunin."

"Tch. Now you're just making things up, Sensei."

Iruka frowned. "Sasuke – I don't lie – you know that."

They ran on in silence for quite some time before Sasuke spoke again. "Do you think he'd let Kakashi-sensei go if we offered him something else he wanted?"

Iruka's eyes went wide at the implications of Sasuke's words. He moved in front of the boy and forced him to stop. Iruka placed his hands on the boy's shoulders and looked him square in the eyes.

"Sasuke – I have a feeling I know what's going on in that head of yours – and let me make this crystal clear...you are not a bargaining chip for Kakashi's freedom. Not now – not ever! Even if it was a possibility – and I'm telling you right now that it is not...Kakashi-sensei would kill me if we ever tried it."

Sasuke turned his face away and Iruka felt a shudder run through the boy. "Listen Sasuke – how about we concentrate on just getting Kakashi-sensei back. That way the snake doesn't get either of you – okay?"

Sasuke sighed. "Yes – Iruka-sensei."

Iruka looked up to see the other two members of Team Seven had stopped as well, and were silently watching them. Iruka sighed and motioned for them to join him and Sasuke. Sakura looked like she was fighting back tears – although whether it was from the realization that Orochimaru was involved, or that Sasuke had offered to trade himself for Kakashi, was anyone's guess. Meanwhile, Naruto looked angry as he stomped over to glare at both of them.

It wasn't long before the hyper-active blond let them know – quite loudly – what was on his mind.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us that snake-bastard has Kakashi-sensei?" The boy's blue eyes narrowed into a glare that showed just how angry he was.

Sasuke crossed his arms and glared back. "Shut up, idiot."

Naruto spun on the Uchiha and grabbed him by his shirt. "I'm an idiot? No way! I'm not the one who wants to trade himself without even trying to get Kakashi-sensei back some other way!"

Iruka watched Sasuke's eyes narrow farther and knew Naruto had crossed an unseen line. In a movement so quick and smooth that he barely saw it, he watched Sasuke push Naruto's hands off of him, and grab the orange-clad boy's jacket in his own fists while twisting and throwing Naruto to the ground. When he spoke, there was a coldness in his voice that caused a shiver down Iruka's spine and made Naruto's eyes go wide.

"You've never faced Orochimaru before, Naruto...so don't you dare preach to me about what's best in this situation. You don't know what he's capable of doing to people. Of what he could be doing to Kakashi-sensei even now. Every moment he's in that bastard's hands could be his last...do you get that, idiot?!?"

Sasuke let go of Naruto and stood up. He slowly turned toward Iruka and met his eyes. For a split-second, Iruka saw a world of pain and fear shining in Sasuke's obsidian eyes before the boy regained his composure and shoved his hands into his pockets, the shoulders slumping in a way that reminded him more than a bit of Kakashi. The young man took a shaky breath and started walking down the road again.

Iruka looked back to see Sakura kneel down at Naruto's side and place a hand on the young man's shoulder. Naruto shrugged her off and pushed himself back to his feet, a look of frustration on his face as he too started walking down the road – making sure to keep his distance from Sasuke.

Iruka sighed and walked over to offer Sakura a hand up. She let him guide her back to her feet.

"Iruka-sensei?" Her voice sounded so timid he had to push back the urge to hug her like he used to when she'd skin her knee at the academy.

"Yes, Sakura?"

He watched her gazing after the two boys and clenching her hands to her chest. "What are we going to do if Orochimaru has done something to Kakashi-sensei? You know – like what he did to Sasuke?"

Iruka sighed again and started to lead the young girl to join the others. "I don't know, Sakura. I just don't know. But what I do know is we need to find him soon."

They caught up with the boys and Iruka set the pace at a steady run, continuing to follow a trail that was more than a few weeks old. That in itself made Iruka all the more worried for Kakashi. After all – his abductors probably haven't been gentle to the Copy-ninja. Iruka swallowed back his fears and pushed on. They had to find him soon...they just had to.

-- --


Kakashi woke to the sound of Orochimaru's voice in his ear and the feel of his cold hand around his throat. "It's time to wake up, boy. You have some questions to answer for me."

He glared. "That might be easier if you weren't choking me, asshole."

The fingers pressed tighter and Kakashi momentarily regretted his choice of words. He should know better than taunting the snake. He struggled to pull in a full breath until Orochimaru released his throat and frowned at him.

"You really should choose your words more carefully. You have a way of getting under my skin like no other does, Kakashi." Orochimaru smiled and ran his tongue across his lips.

Kakashi resisted the urge to cringe – knowing the sick bastard enjoyed such a reaction. Instead he focused on the other person in the room. Kabuto had returned – and was holding a clipboard and pen – obviously waiting to record the answers they thought he'd give. Of course – they wouldn't get much from him if he could help it.

As though reading his mind, Orochimaru ran his thin fingers along Kakashi's neck, leaning in to speak to him again. "I'd wait for you to be more cooperative – but rumor has it that you can be rather tight-lipped. So we'll just have to help you with that."

The snake bastard sat back up and motioned Kabuto forward. The white-haired boy presented his master with a syringe and Kakashi tensed as the needle pierced the skin of his neck. The liquid burned as it was pushed into him, and soon after, Kakashi found his perceptions of what was going on twisting in a most disturbing manner.

"Now then, my boy, shall we begin?"

Kakashi wanted to tell the snake to go to hell – instead he said a single word. "Okay."

Orochimaru chuckled. "As you can see, Kabuto – the core samples we harvested that first night came in handy after all. While you were busy visiting your old haunts, I occupied myself by distilling a rather specific compound to get to the core of our dear Kakashi's mind. Unfortunately it only has a limited potency, but it should help loosen the man's tongue."

Kakashi fought to counteract the drug in his system, but without his chakra to aide him he was at the mercy of Orochimaru's whims. Not a pleasant thought in the least.

"Now then, Kakashi, let's begin. How old were you when your parents died?"

Kakashi furrowed his brow at the strange question but before he could comment on it, images started filling his mind...images that he'd done his best over the years to lock far away. He struggled to keep his mouth from forming words – but was unable to stop it from happening.

"I was five when my father killed himself." His voice was full of the pain the memory brought back.

Orochimaru chuckled. "That's right – you were the one to find the coward – weren't you."

"Yes." Kakashi choked around the word as visions of his father's cold body kneeling in the center of their dojo filled his vision. He could almost feel the blood between his bare toes again.

Orochimaru leaned in close again. His breath danced across Kakashi's cheek. "And your mother?"

Kakashi blinked when the horrific visions of his father's suicide faded away. "I was...I was...three?"

Orochimaru's eyebrows rose in a look of surprise. "Don't you remember her dying?"

The scenes in his mind spun. He knew they were asking him about his mother at the academy – and he'd gone home to ask his father about her. He remembered his father bringing him to a stone memorial and pointing to the name carved in the marble. He was told that it was his mother that it represented. The dates on the stone showed he'd been three when she died, but he had no memories of the woman – none at all. Shouldn't he at least know what she looked like?

"No." That single word caused more pain to Kakashi then any of the Sannin's tortures to date.

Orochimaru said nothing – motioning for the clipboard instead. He flipped through Kabuto's notes until he found what he must have been looking for, and then shifted his gaze to lock with Kakashi's once more. "Would you like to see her, Kakashi?"

"She's dead." His voice sounded dull to his own ears.

Orochimaru turned the clipboard around until a photo was visible to Kakashi's eye. It was of a woman who couldn't have been older than he was now. She had porcelain skin and deep gray eyes framed with long, straight black hair. Her lips were curved in a slight smile and there was a faint blush across her cheeks. Kakashi furrowed his brow. He'd never seen this woman before.

"Meet your mother – Kikkyou Hatake."

Kakashi's eyes studied the photo. He could see the slight resemblance he held with this woman...but he had no memories of her. None. Kakashi shifted his gaze to Orochimaru's face to see a most disturbing look on the snake's face.

Kakashi growled as he mind started to slip free of the drug's hold. "What's your point with all this Orochimaru?"

The Sannin handed the clipboard back to Kabuto and leaned in close to look into Kakashi's eye. "Hmmm...it seems my experiment is over much quicker then I'd hoped. No matter."

Orochimaru stood up and sighed. "Kabuto – while I prepare for the next step, you are to move Kakashi to the observation room."

"The observation room?" Kabuto's voice sounded surprised.

The chuckle from Orochimaru's throat made Kakashi's heart race, but his words caused his breath to catch in his throat. "Kakashi Hatake was supposed to just be something to occupy me until the Uchiha brat was ready to seek power, but it seems he is destined to be more than just a distraction."

Kabuto pushed his glasses up his nose and frowned. "But so soon, Lord Orochimaru?"

Kakashi watched Kabuto tense when Orochimaru shifted his gaze to the boy. "If I'd known who his mother was, I would have laid claim to him sooner. White Fang was wise to keep that information from me. Now do what you're told, Kabuto."

"Yes my Lord." Kabuto bowed his head in submission and moved to Kakashi's side.

The boy pulled a new syringe out of his pouch and placed the tip into the IV still hooked into Kakashi's arm. The all too familiar cottony feeling filled his head and he felt his consciousness slip away once more.