Chapter 25

An Uneasy Night

Naruto was exhausted by the time their group set up camp. He knew they were only a day and a half from the village – but even that thought wasn't enough to keep his eyes open. Genma, Raido and Aoba were filling his days with non-stop activity – and although he'd never admit it to them – he was worn out. Between learning new formations and hand signals – to being taught some of the best ways to track – Naruto felt he was back in the academy again. Of course he couldn't just escape out a window to avoid a lesson here – and he found he had to pay attention, because every night he and Genma would sit with Kakashi-sensei and go over what he'd learned.

Naruto yawned and stretched his arms over his head. He smiled when he thought about the time Kakashi-sensei was setting aside for him, and it made him want to try that much harder to make the man proud of him. Naruto moved to lie down when a shadow fell across him.

"You're not going to sleep, are you Naruto?" Aoba glanced down at him – the light from the campfire reflecting off his sunglasses. Naruto never could figure out why the man kept them on – even at night.

"Why wouldn't I?" Naruto had a feeling he already knew the answer to his question.

A grin stretched across Aoba's face. "You've got watch with me, kid."

Naruto groaned. "You've got to be kidding."

Aoba crossed his arms and tapped Naruto's thigh with his toes. "Do I look like I'm kidding, Naruto? Genma wants you to set up an alarm trap tonight to make sure you were actually listening this afternoon when he showed you the steps."

Damn! I should have known this was coming. Naruto got to his feet, fighting back another yawn. "Fine. Where does he want it set up?"

Aoba motioned over his left shoulder with his chin. "Far side of the camp – ten meters out. Said you should know what type to use based on the conditions."

Naruto scrunched his face in concentration. He knew that Genma showed him three different traps – but he was having a hard time remembering which type went with which terrain. He sighed. With luck it would come back to him when he saw what the surroundings looked like. He shouldered his pack and headed in the direction Aoba had indicated. He heard the jonin following behind him and knew everything he did would be reported back to Genma and Kakashi. He sighed again – and made his way through the trees.

--

Kakashi watched Asuma crossing to him from the opposite side of the camp. He nodded his head in greeting. "Yo."

Asuma took it as the invitation it was intended to be, and folded his legs under him to sit at Kakashi's side. Asuma stared into the fire before speaking.

"Hell of a pair we make. The one-armed and one-eyed freaks of the Hidden Leaf."

Kakashi narrowed his eye at his oldest friend. "I never figured you for the self-pitying type, Asuma Sarutobi."

Asuma sighed and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He'd already mastered the technique of tapping out the cylinder of tobacco with one hand – and he had the thing in his mouth and lit a moment later. "Stating the facts is not self-pity Kakashi."

"Well then – how about 'The resilient and hard to kill one-armed and one-eyed freaks of the Hidden Leaf?' - It has a better ring to it."

Asuma barked a laugh that sounded so much like his old self that Kakashi couldn't help smiling. The two share a comfortable silence for a bit before Kakashi spoke again. "So – what's on your mind, Asuma?"

The older man turned toward him and narrowed his eyes. "I hate how easily you read me, Kakashi."

"You do not. Besides – you've never been the type to just come for my company."

Asuma frowned. "That's not true . . . well – OK – so maybe it is." He seemed to get uncomfortable for a moment before sighing and continuing. "Kakashi – I need you to keep an eye on Shikamaru for me. Get him to stop acting like a nursemaid and get his head back in the game."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "Well – that's getting to the point now, isn't it?"

Asuma shook his head slowly. "I just don't want him to lose his edge because I have."

Kakashi laughed, causing Asuma to glare at him dangerously. "Asuma – give yourself a little credit – will you? OK – you've lost an arm – I get that. But you are way off base if you think that's going to make you lose your edge. Hell – you're already adapting to it for day to day tasks – and contrary to popular belief – I'm not blind. I've seen you trying to find ways to change your fighting style to take into account your missing arm."

Asuma widened his eyes at that comment. "You've seen that?"

Kakashi shook his head in dismay. "What is it with people? You know I was pretty observant long before I had the sharingan. Did you think I wouldn't notice you wandering off after dinner every night? Hell – I almost joined in a couple of times when I thought you weren't going to figure out how to angle your blade to cover your left side."

Asuma chuckled. "You stupid idiot – why the hell didn't you? It took me forever to figure out that move."

"Because I know you, Asuma. If I had stepped in, one of two things would have happened. You would have shut down mentally because I caught you . . . or you would have been a stubborn ass and blatantly ignored my suggestions."

Kakashi smiled at the shocked look on Asuma's face. He gave his friend some time to digest what he'd said before he continued. "Now, Asuma – how about we get down to the real problem. How do we get Shikamaru to see that you are just as capable as always – probably more so?"

Asuma sighed. "You know Kakashi – sometimes I hate that you're so damned brilliant."

Kakashi chuckled again. "Yeah – me too."

--

It was well into the evening when Kakashi woke to hear Neji, Aoba and Raido speaking in hushed tones near the edge of the campsite. He knew Neji was scouting ahead earlier in the day and figured he'd only just returned with the results. Kakashi wasn't sleeping well these days anyhow – so he figured he might as well hear firsthand what was coming.

Neji greeted him as he approached the trio. "Good evening, Hokage. I hope our conversation did not wake you."

Kakashi shrugged and slipped his hands into his pockets. "I was up. So what's got the three of you so nervous?"

Neji glanced at the other two and Kakashi smiled. Raido and Aoba shared a knowing look before Raido spoke. "Neji managed to find signs of an ambush half a day's journey toward the Leaf Village. He says it was pretty obvious – so he looked beyond it to see what lay underneath the underneath."

Kakashi groaned.

Neji took over the conversation. "Just beyond the obvious trap are two tracker cats lying in wait."

Kakashi's eye narrowed. "Asiaka. I should have known he wouldn't just give up." He furrowed his brow. "Is there any sign of Orochimaru or his pawns?"

Aoba and Raido stared at Kakashi while Neji continued his report. "There is no outward sign of anyone but the cats and a dozen ninja. None of the Sound Village shinobi were seen, Hokage."

Kakashi sighed inwardly. At least he wouldn't have to contend with that sick sadistic bastard right now. That was something. "How much time would we waste finding a way around them?"

Neji contemplated this for a moment before responding. "The section of woods Asiaka selected for the ambush are in the hardest area to travel off the road. There are crevices and rocky areas directly alongside the road . . . and the closest traversable terrain is more then a day's trip in either direction."

Kakashi frowned. "I'd like to say we should go around and avoid this trouble – I'd like to say it – but I can't. We're already in a time crunch – and I feel this crowd would figure out rather quickly what we were up to and just reset the trap farther down the road."

Aoba nodded. "Yeah – I doubt the tracker cats would have too hard a time finding you with the amount of fresh blood you're seeping these days, boss."

Kakashi cringed, but the man had a point. "Yeah – well, I'll try not to bleed so much OK?"

He looked toward where the rest of the group was sleeping and sighed. He'd hoped to get back to the Leaf Village without any more encounters, but it was obvious that wasn't going to happen. He placed one hand on the back of his neck and rubbed at the growing knot of tension. "At least we know about it ahead of time. Good job Neji."

The Hyuga bowed his head in acknowledgment of the compliment. Kakashi shoved his hand back in his pocket. "There's nothing more we can do about it tonight – so let's get some rest and we'll bring everyone else up to speed in the morning."

He moved to the edge of the clearing nearest where they'd be heading and sighed. "I'll take watch. I'm pretty much done with sleep tonight anyhow."

Raido stepped to his side. "I'll keep you company, Hokage. After all, there's something I need to speak to you about."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the scarred man's words but only nodded in response. The others went back to the campsite and settled in for the night.

Kakashi waited a few moments longer before his curiosity got the best of him. "So what's on your mind Raido?"

The older ninja reached his hand up and rubbed unconsciously at the burn scar that covered his left cheek. Kakashi knew that meant he had something to say that wasn't going to be taken well.

"I know you aren't going to like this – but I can't let you be on your own while your eye is still healing."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow in surprise. "You can't let me? Wait a second – which one of us is Hokage again?"

Raido grimaced at the comment but didn't back down. "Kakashi – I take my job seriously – nearly as seriously as you do yours. And whether you like it or not – my job, first and foremost, is as your bodyguard. You don't have a say in that one any more then I have a say in how you choose to run the Hidden Leaf."

Kakashi turned to face Raido – seeing in the man's eyes that his mind was made up. "Fine. I take it when I don't have your charming company that Aoba will be the thorn in my side?"

Raido nodded once and then a smile spread across his face. "Aoba's the least I can do to make up for you saddling us with Naruto."

Kakashi groaned. "I knew I'd live to regret that move. By the way – how's the kid doing?"

Raido looked back to where the blond was tossing and turning by the fire. "He's a bit thick-headed at times, but he's got determination like no one else I've met."

Kakashi scratched his ear. "I promise I won't make too much of a fuss with you and Aoba hanging around me if you promise to teach that kid whatever he can learn. Deal?"

Raido looked back into Kakashi's face. "I'm probably gonna regret this – but yeah – deal."

--

Naruto stood in ankle deep water staring at the towering sealed gates. Two red eyes peered out at him, and a large row of razor sharp teeth below those eyes curved into a wicked sneer. The voice that echoed through the cavernous room dripped with a hatred the young ninja had never felt from it before.

"Why do you bother to do what that Hatake brat tells you to do, boy? He's not worthy of your loyalty. He should have died along with his loser of a father years ago."

Naruto swallowed at the venomous words. His heart raced – and he wasn't sure it was from his anger at what the fox demon said about Kakashi-sensei, or that he was back to having these nightmares again. Still – he had to push down his fear in order to answer the demon without his voice breaking.

"Take it back you bastard! Kakashi-sensei is better then anyone I've ever known!"

The fox growled and the water began to boil with his red-tinged chakra, making it difficult for Naruto to keep on his feet.

"If you knew half of what your precious Sensei has done over the years you'd run from him as fast as those spindly little legs of yours could carry you. Hell – he makes me look pretty tame in comparison."

Naruto swallowed. As much as he knew he shouldn't be listening to the Kyuubi's words – something about what he said caught his curiosity. "What do you know about Kakashi-sensei's life? You're nothing but a lying demon!"

The Kyuubi's laughter filled the air – resonating through Naruto's body. "Do you forget that I wasn't always stuck in your pathetic body, boy? I used to be free – and have witnessed the skills of your Sensei first hand over the decades. Has he ever told you about his first time?"

Naruto frowned. "Why the hell would I want to know about Kakashi-sensei's sex-life? Are you sick or something?"

"Are you always so stupid, boy? I'm talking about Kakashi Hatake's first kill!"

Naruto swallowed deeply – his eyes wide. "His first kill? What about it?"

The demon's chakra settled down a bit, and his voice became almost melodic when he spoke. Naruto got caught up in it – and watched in mute amazement as the Kyuubi shared visions of a much younger Kakashi running through a forest with a short blade clutched in his hand.

"Your sensei was a bright boy – far more mentally aware then others of his age. His first A-ranked mission was when he was but six years old. Oh – but how he reveled in the acts of the shinobi."

The demon nearly purred out the next bit. "If I didn't know better – I'd think the boy was one of us in the way he could so coldly end the life of another human being. Just watch how not a single movement is wasted when he thrusts the blade through the woman's throat. And see how he never flinched while her life's blood covered his face?"

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the scenes – but the Kyuubi fed the pictures into his mind so that there was no escaping the cold calculating stare on the young child's masked face.

"Stop it! I – I don't want to see any more!"

The Kyuubi laughed heartlessly as he pushed more and more pictures of the young Hatake lad moving from one mission to another - to another - without a shred of emotion or regret over the lives he ended. When at last the scenes stopped, Naruto fell to his hands and knees and heaved until he was gasping for air.

"What's wrong, boy? Didn't you know your Sensei was a cold-blooded killer?"

Naruto felt the hot tears rolling down his cheeks - but he didn't care. He looked back up into the demon's eyes. "It's all a lie! You do nothing but lie – and I know that Kakashi-sensei wouldn't do those things!"

The fox merely smiled and gradually let go of Naruto's mind – leaving him with one final suggestion. "Ask him yourself, boy – if you dare."

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he found he was still lying next to the campfire in the woods. He was covered with a cold sweat, and his hands were balled within his blanket. He scanned the area until he found the familiar shape of Kakashi Hatake sitting next to Raido across the clearing. Naruto's heart raced when he thought back to the images the Kyuubi fed his mind – images that even now were too easy to recall. He shook his head to clear it.

There is no way Sensei could have done those things when he was just a kid. No way. . . right?

He pulled his blanket up to his ears, rolled over so his back was facing the Hokage, and tried desperately to push the visions from his mind. As tears seeped out of his eyes, Naruto found it impossible to fall back to sleep.