A swirl of black fog clouded his vision as Kakashi swept through the underworld, searching for Yondaime. Where was that spiky yellow hair anyway…?
There.
Yondaime was directly ahead, sitting on the edge of a cliff overlooking a replica of Konoha…Konoha when Kakashi young; the Konoha when the Fox first attacked and was sealed into Naruto.
"It's beautiful…isn't it…? Is it still this beautiful, Kakashi? Is Tsunade taking care of my village?"
Kakashi swallowed the lump that rose in his throat and nodded. "Yeah…yeah, we've all been taking care of it for you…we all miss you so much…"
Yondaime stood up and walked up to Kakashi. "Thank you."
"Come on…see for yourself. Come back with me. Tsunade's waiting for you."
Yondaime hesitated. "Kakashi, what is going to change? What's it like now? Tsunade is Hokage, that I know…how is Naruto? Will I be Hokage again? Will Tsunade allow it? Kakashi, you nut, have you even thought about any of this?"
Kakashi wrapped his arms around Yondaime and simply said, "You know me."
Yondaime sighed. "I really should have known, being you, Kakashi." Yondaime trailed a hand through Kakashi's silver mane, watching as the jounin's breath moved in and out of his chest. Yondaime sighed. I really blew it for you, Kakashi…I'm so sorry…and you have no idea…
"Yondaime?'
The fourth Hokage started and looked down. "What, Kakashi?"
"Please…come back…"
"Kakashi, I may not be able to until later," Yondaime said carefully. "You told me you hadn't really thought any of this through, so some things might-"
"Screw it!" Kakashi cried, pulling back from Yondaime. "Just screw it, okay? I can't lose you, not again! Again and again, all I did was lose! My father, then Obito, then Rin, and then you, then-!"
"Kakashi, Kakashi," Yondaime said softly, taking Kakashi into his arms. "Stop it, you're not losing me. You know I'll always be here for you."
Kakashi's shoulders were shaking as Yondaime wrapped his arms around them, trying to quiet him. Kakashi was breaking, fast, Yondaime knew. Everything was piling up, and Kakashi had always put on a brave face, for others' sakes. Now, he was showing Yondaime that he was human, that he did miss him, that he truly did have divided loyalties to himself, his country, and his Kage. And he simply couldn't choose who to serve first. And then there was this little issue with the frame-up, and his old blood was taunting him, and…
"Kakashi."
Kakashi looked up, staring into Yondaime's aquamarine eyes, falling hard into them and losing himself. But wait, hadn't he already done with that…? It didn't matter anymore…did it? Or maybe it did, and he was just lost in his own life…
Yondaime's hands were on Kakashi's mask, gently pulling down the fabric that blurred the line between Kakashi's reality and what he hid. Kakashi waited; there was no one here, and he trusted Yondaime. He was fairly certain that Yondaime had already seen his face anyway…hadn't he…?
Yondaime leaned forward, holding Kakashi to him and gently kissing him. Kakashi was drawn into Yondaime's embrace, and he felt himself being lost in Yondaime's mere presence again. Yondaime had always been there for him, no matter what. And now he was here for him again, even in death.
Yondaime pulled back. "Come on…Tsunade's waiting."
Kakashi nodded, and reached out and took Yondaime's hand. "Tsunade's over here."
Yondaime followed Kakashi through the inky fog, up along cliffs, down through sandy beaches, and around waterfalls. Tsunade's lifeline to the realm of the living still shone brightly and Kakashi never faltered along it.
There was a slight breeze in the cloudy sky, moving the dark, swirling clouds back and forth across the bleak sky. There was no other sign of life; only blackness, as far as Kakashi could see.
"How do you stand it?"
Yondaime sighed. "I always did love the sun…when Shinigami took that away from me I thought that was it. But then…I figured out how to talk to you. It was like finding the sun again, seeing a new light…for the very first time. That light was you, Kakashi-everyone down here has their own light. They just need to find it."
"Hmmm…"
Yondaime saw Tsunade's light begin to shine even brighter, and turned to Kakashi. "See that?"
Kakashi nodded. "Tsunade? Yeah, I see her…"
"I know her better than you may think," Yondaime said. "You would be surprised…"
Kakashi nodded. "I would be. But you would too…by what's going on underneath the surface."
The breeze kicked up, and Yondaime suddenly looked panicked.
"Go faster."
"Why?" Kakashi asked, confused.
"The wind is a sign of Shinigami's coming. He will be here soon, and you and me both need to be gone by then."
Kakashi began moving faster, and Yondaime continued talking as they moved.
"The faster the wind, the closer Shinigami is, and the faster he is moving. Eventually an impenetrable darkness will permeate the land, and it will become very cold. The Shinigami will appear, and you may or may not end up down his throat."
Kakashi gulped. "And me…?"
Yondaime shook his head. "I'm not sure what happens to the living among the land of the dead."
Kakashi picked up the pace again. "And I'm in no hurry to find out."
The wind was much faster now; the darkness Yondaime had spoken of began to descend on them, blanketing the entire land with an inky fog even thicker than when Kakashi had first entered into it. Cold was also starting to creep into the air, and Kakashi felt it trail a taunting finger through the small of his back. Kakashi shivered, dreading what he knew was coming next.
You! What are you doing here? I banished you from my kingdom long ago!
"It's Shinigami! Run!"
Kakashi didn't need to be told twice; he took off, reaching for Tsunade and pulling Yondaime along behind him. Shinigami hissed in anger and took off after them.
"What did he mean 'banished me from his kingdom'?" Kakashi panted as they ran.
"He means you can't die!" Yondaime answered. "Now hold onto me, I'm Body Flickering!"
Kakashi took his word for it and held on for dear life. Suddenly, the entire world blurred and streaked, colors bleeding into each other and soaking the fabric of life itself. Yondaime was going fast even for the Body Flicker, and Kakashi realized that they might start doing self-damage if they kept up a this rate. But Shinigami was straining at least; perhaps the Fourth Hokage of Konohagure could outrun the God of Death…bleeding colors bled even more, and an enormous crack revealed that Kakashi and Yondaime had broken the sound barrier. A shriek of rage from behind them also indicated that Shinigami had not seen that coming.
"And by the way," Kakashi called over the sound of breaking the sound barrier, "Why can't I die again?"
"I'll tell later!" Yondaime yelled back. "When I'm not worried about dying all over again!"
Shinigami was slowly creeping up on them, but so was Tsunade's light. Kakashi was trying to figure out if they could make it through n time when the Death God's red beads flicked up and over his arm. Kakashi gasped, knowing what was coming now.
"Yondaime! Shinigami's-!"
"I know, I know, I'm going as fast as I can!"
Kakashi reached down for a shuriken. "I'm trying something! If this doesn't work we're all dead!"
"And if we're all going to die again, why are trying this in the first place?"
"I think this might work if it works!"
"This entire conversation makes no sense!"
"I'm well aware of that!"
Tsunade's portal was coming up fast now; Yondaime had to steer very accurately now, otherwise he would run into a wall of black. "To the left!!"
Yondaime moved accordingly, and they flashed through Tsunade's portal, and Kakashi saw the sickly purple arm of Shinigami reaching out. "Yondaime, keep going! Tsunade close the fucking portal if you want to live!"
Tsunade shut the portal on Shinigami's arm, forcing the God of death to retreat back into his domain under the world of the living. Kakashi fell onto his back, staring at the swirling misty spirit of Yondaime. He left surprisingly quickly; Kakashi knew he was going to find his body. Tsunade was looking around frantically.
"Where is he?" she asked, whipping back and forth. Kakashi shook his head. "He's not here Tsunade."
Tsunade's face was horrified. "He…he caught Yondaime…?"
"No, no!" Kakashi said quickly. "Yondaime is just finding his body right now. He'll be here again soon…"
Tsunade nodded. "Oh…well, what…what will change…?"
Kakashi sighed. "I don't know…I just don't know…"
Tsunade sighed. "And you thought…how much of this through? Oh, right: absolutely none of it!"
The barest flicker of a smile crossed Kakashi's face. "So I've heard from a certain Yellow Flash."
Tsunade caught Kakashi's smile. "A certain Yellow Flash who is just like you: thickheaded, stubborn, and never backs down. Ever. And he is always willing to put his village ahead of himself."
Kakashi looked down, thinking back on his own decisions. Maybe he wasn't so much like Yondaime after all…
"Stop being so emo!" Tsunade said suddenly, taking Kakashi into her arms. "Come on, let's go. In a few days, I know a certain someone will be looking for you."
OOOOOOOOO
Kakashi collapsed on the couch the second he got into his apartment. Tsunade had told him to make himself scarce after that "little politics problem," she had taken to calling it. Kakashi preferred to call it his "brutal, uncalled for, on no grounds, unfair arrest," which Tsunade seemed to find very amusing. Kakashi had told her something very nasty and ended up unconscious for a long time.
Kakashi fell asleep the second he hit the pillows.
OOOOOOOOO
Four days laterKakashi was getting worried. Yondaime still hadn't turned up anywhere, and Kakashi was beginning to wonder if Yondaime was lost. It was possible; after all, Konoha had changed a lot since he had last seen it. Kakashi wandered into the mission room, having nothing better to do.
Tsunade looked surprised to see him there.
"What? I thought you decided to wait for Yondaime."
Kakashi shook his head. "He hasn't shown up anywhere, and I'm really worried…I need something distracting."
Tsunade snorted. "Being distracted on a mission is fatal. I am declining your request, because I know that your mind will still stray to Yondaime, and you might put yourself in danger. Go sleep; you deserve it."
Kakashi sighed. "Fine." He was frustrated, but he knew Tsunade was right. If he let his mind wander on a mission, it could prove lethal to him and his teammates. Kakashi walked down the alleyways to his apartment; he didn't feel like being around people at the time.
"Hey. Hatake."
Kakashi glanced over to the two men standing off to the side, in the shadow of the wall of a brick building. "What?"
As the two stepped forward, Kakashi saw that they were Samueri. Samueri, here? And what did they want…with…him…
"You're the Daimyo's person guards, right?" Kakashi asked, stepping up to meet them halfway. "What are you doing in this part of town?"
Smirks worked their way onto the faces of the two, and Kakashi knew what they wanted immediately.
"Come on, I don't feel like pushing this little baby through your chests," Kakashi said tauntingly, bringing up a dazzling Raikiri.
"Hey…remember that run-on-sight order for that little bit of lightning?" one muttered to the other. "Time to apply it."
Kakashi smiled. "Wise choice. You'd do well to listen to your friend there."
The other Samueri grinned. "Please! You think an illusion will scare me?"
"No joke," the first Samueri said quietly.
"…Really…?"
"…Really…"
There was a long pause, in which Kakashi figured he should probably move. But he didn't feel like it just yet-
But he couldn't.
A long chain was suddenly wrapped around his body, pulling tight and pinning his arms down. Kakashi quickly substituted, just as the chain pulled even tighter, shredding the trashcan he had substituted with. A swear from behind revealed that there were more of them, and Kakashi suddenly knew he had his work cut out for him.
A back pressed to his, and kunai started to fly, exploding tags strapped to the backs. Kakashi's eyes widened; this was-!
The Yellow Flash was Body Flickering once again.
A/N: Yay, Yondaime's back!! He deserves to be back anyway…please review, no flaming, thanks everyone!!
