Chapter 24

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Kenji returned to a very angry Kakashi Hatake as they met outside the house in Konohagakure.

"Kenji-san!" Roars and angry Kakashi he was furious at the reports he got in Konoha of his teams spotting and even engagements.

Kenji just smiles. "Come on you can't baby your genin Kakashi-san they need real life experiences."

Kakashi glares. "Going to the Oto no kunai is getting experiences?"

Kenji smirks. "Hey we killed a few people too."

Kakashi glares. "We noticed."

Kenji pulls out a scroll. "This contains some of the Otogakure secrets that may provide useful. It holds 3 of Orochiamru's secret bases. Now say please and thank you."

Kakashi glare softens. "You're a bastered you promised you'd take care of them."

Kenji raises an eyebrow then glances back at the genin. "Are any of you hurt?" the three genin shake their heads. "See Kakashi-san. They are fine I kept my promise."

Kakashi pops out his book. "I still don't like it Kenji."

Kenji smirks. "What's with this father like attitude... It don't suit the Kakashi Hatake master of reading walk and longest tardy record to date."

Kakashi rubs his silver hair. "Heh, Your right."

Kenji turns to the genin. "You guys train for awhile I'm going to fill Kakashi in on what we've been doing."

"Hai" the respond taking off into the hotel that has become their home for the last year.

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The dim fires of the candle lit lights of Kakashi's bedroom flicker and dance around the two silhouettes the shadows of the night seem to creep in threw into the room joining the dance.

"Kakashi-san... I'm sure you've noticed it by now." Kenji said his voice slightly weaker and raspy than normal.

Kakashi nods his head. "How much time do you have left?"

Kenji's face faults as he lets out a hard cough. "Not much just a few hours."

Kenji pulls out 4 scrolls each with a name written on them. "Don't open them just yet."

Kakashi looks at the scroll each one with a name. Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and finally his name. Kakashi already could guess what the scrolls where. "Can't Tsunade-sama do anything."

Kenji shakes his head. "She could... But I don't want her too... My time has come Kakashi... I want to see her again."

A shadow cast of Kakashi's eyes as he hangs his head low the black strip that replaces his headband at night seemed to sport a wet spot around the rim. "I've enjoy seeing you again."

Kenji smirks. "Teh, I at least get to go on my birthday eh. Teh, I made 20 tonight. Lets drink in celebration not in sadness Kakashi-kun."

Kakashi nods his head as he holds back his tears he offers up the sake bottle and dishes.

Kenji frowns. "Kakashi-kun don't be sad please. You've been like a brother to me I am happy to be spending my last moments with you why can't you be happy too. We shinobi die Kakashi its part of being one. Death and life are and endless cycle we can't break it."

Kakashi sips the sake lightly. "I know Kenji-kun... Its just tonight I loose another person that is precious to me."

Kenji smirks as he knocks back the sake his brown eyes reflecting his age. "But you've gained three new ones."

Kakashi looks down at his cup. "Kenji-kun... Your right."

Kenji smiles. "Dam straight I am. In all my years Kakashi-kun. I've never regretted the loss of a dear friend because I know with their death I gained some thing I gained a bit of knowledge. Knowledge that I got to pass down to others."

Kakashi lets the soft tear trickle down his face. "Do you mind if I visit you on the memorial stone."

Kenji smirks. "I'd be proud and happy Kakashi-kun but you need to start giving better excuses."

Kakashi sighs. "You and Minato always kept telling me that. Get better excuses yet you never yelled at me for being late even during our lessons."

Kenji chuckles. "We don't yell at you because its your way of paying respects to the lives that have given you knowledge. Thanking Obito for saving you from the rockslide and giving you his Sharingan, Minato for teaching you the lessons of life and teaching you that people are all precious. But Kakashi... I don't believe Rin is dead."

Kakashi looks up in confusion. "What do you mean? I've spent years searching for her."

Kenji swirls the sake in the dish. "I don't know... I just get the feeling that she hasn't vanished into the afterlife. You know my bloodline allows me to connect to souls... I can still connect to hers."

Kakashi face brightens a little bit as Kenji sips again. "You may yet again find happiness... These are the words I leave you for my passing... Don't give up... Don't give up on Naruto Don't give up on Sakura don't give up on Sasuke and don't give up on life and one day you may get your reward of happiness."

Kakashi nods his head. "Even when you where young you seemed to hold the wisdom of ages... Thank you Kenji-kun I shall keep those words in my mind."

Kenji smirks. "So tell me how's the old geezer."

Kakashi chuckles. "He's doing great still a little pissed off over your trip to Otogakure."

Kenji laughs. "I had to trick the counsel some how."

Kakashi nods. "I know... Hey Kenji-kun can you tell me about your wife and family."

Kenji grins. "I thought you'd never ask Kakashi-kun. But only if you talk about your recent love affairs I know you've had that thing for Anko."

Kakashi laughs. "Hey who told you about that."

Kenji beams a smile at Kakashi as he sips. "The spirits have eyes Kakashi-kun. I must say from what I heard you love the aggressive type."

Kakashi blushes as he hangs his head. "I don't know what it is about her.. But she's something."

Kenji nods. "Indeed, Your just a weird sometimes I swear." Kakashi lets out a barking laugh as the two seem to laugh and drink together reminiscing about the past and old days. Kenji telling stories of him and his wife and Kakashi exchanging the comedy of Konoha and the latest embarrassments of Konoha's green beast duo Gai and Lee.

"I swear Gai has some insanity problems or maybe that spandex is giving him a bad wedge and that's why he's so loud."

Kakashi chuckles. "I don't know Kenji I think maybe he was dropped off the Hokage monuments as a kid."

Kenji laughs a little harder this time a little blood comes up his windpipe causing him a good cough. "Possibly Cough I must say he's quiet a character cough." Kenji wipes the bits of blood from his mouth.

Kakashi nods. "That's not even the half of things Kenji-kun."

Kenji grits a smile. "Please do tell me more."

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Kenji stares up at the sky from underneath the Sakura tree. His deep hazel eyes seemed to lack the flicker of joy and energy reflecting a man who's seen to much pain and cried too many tears. His whole face sags as if he hadn't slept in years.

Lay me down in the cold cold ground ...
Where before many more have gone ...
Lay me down in the cold cold ground ...
Where before many more have gone ...

When they come I will stand my ground ...
Stand my ground I'll not be afraid ...

Thoughts of home take away my fear...
Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears ...

Once a year say a prayer for me ...
Close your eyes and remember me ...

Never more shall I see the sun...
For I fell...

Lay me down in the cold cold ground ...
Where before many more have gone ...
Lay me down in the cold cold ground ...
Where before many more have gone...

Where before many more have gone ..."

Kenji seems to close his eyes as if drawing his last breaths his voice steels itself but seem to crack and shake. "The Serpent, The Tadpole and the Slug shall be lead by the Dog in the light... Death will bring them to the Darkness... Chains shall rust and crumble... Old Become the New... The Darkness shall consume... The Frog will morph into the fox... The Serpent shall shed its skin into scales... The Slug shall cry it tears in strength... Loneliness and regret shall consume them... And the slug will be forced to choose... Death shall grip them tightly till one is forced to loose..."

Kenji opens his eyes looking up at the full moon in bloom the Sakura trees seem to shift and blossom in the air the petals dance around the night time air. The thick fog disperses in the rain that falls down from the whole leaving a ring around the Sakura tree's hill 10 feet all around.

Kenji sets aside the two swords that had been at his side since the beginning of his journey. "They shall now be returned to their rightful owner... Minato... Kunshina... Thank you for blessing me with such wonderful swords... Now the will be passed to your son... I am truly sorry for all the sins I have made... All the lives I have taken... May I see you in heaven with her at my side... I'm coming...My love."

Kenji stares up at the sky he pulls out two scrolls from his shirt setting one with the swords and unsealing the second scroll as two swords pop into his hands. One seems to have turned to a deep almost black crimson red as the dry encrusted blood sword seems to lay against his shoulders the other a pure clean almost white katana lays across his lap. "Goodbye Kakashi-san, Goodbye Jiraiya-san, Goodbye Tsunade-san, Goodbye Naruto-san, Goodbye Sakura-san, Goodbye Sasuke-san... Goodbye all my friends."

Slowly Kenji's breathing seems to dull into a fade finally resting into a complete stop a faint shimmer of blood on his lips is all that seems out of place on the pure young looking man.

"You went before your time Kenji-san... Now all my old true friends have passed on." Said the voice of Kakashi his eyes linger with a heavy shadow. "I shall lay you in the ground with your wife."

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(AN: Awe Man I'm such a bad person Sheds a tear I really liked Kenji-san… I killed Kenji-kun… Sighs oh well he served no further use for me… Actually I want to point out that's a real song It's a song that was dedicated in the memory of Sgt. Mackenzie… Irish song… I kind of thought it would fit.. It's called Lay me doone. Yes its Irish… Any ways I thought it might be nice give a little depth to Kenji's death as he waited for his final moments. I couldn't find a better song and its extreamly late right now... actually early anyways if someone wants to come up with a better song just tell me and I'll post in the lyrics... If you've ever heard it though you'll agree it goes with his death... Its also a song in the move We were soldiers... Thats the movie that good me hooked to it this week.

On a happy note… Rin might be alive… your choice I kind of like the idea she might be alive... I'd also point out thats the full prophacey... Heh.. Just a sum up of what kinda is happing threw the whole Naruto series and shippuden series I thought it fit it perfectly...)