Chapter 13: When It's The Beginning Of After
Past
"So, what's the plan?! Do we have some traps and distractions already laid out?" Naruto asks giddily, already being reminded of the night he and Hinata first broke into the jailing areas to attempt to meet with their future selves.
That hadn't actually worked out exactly the way they wanted considering they were already gone by the time they got in, but this time is different!
Because Team 7 is back together, even if it's an impromptu mission involving more breaking and entering!
Sasuke regards him tiredly, he should've kept his mouth shut if he knew he was going to get this eager.
"Moron, it's not going to be as easy as you think." He scowls.
Naruto only arches a brow, smile never leaving his face. "Says the guy who requires help to even pull this off! Trust me, you guys are going to need me, I've broken in there before we were even made a team!"
Sasuke rolls his eyes, of course Naruto would be proud of such a thing.
But as much as he hates to admit it, Naruto already knew the ins and outs of the Hokage tower and even added himself into meetings now as he saw fit.
"Excuse me, but what are you doing here?" An advisor, Sachihiro questions as he looks up from his notes and files.
Naruto had announced his name during roll call even though he hadn't been on said list to attend this meeting!
He happily gestures to Tsunade sitting beside him, paying no mind to the few irritated and confused looks he gets from his presence.
"Oh, don't worry about me! Granny said it was okay for me to attend so I could get a taste of what it will be like to officially conduct in Hokage duties!" Naruto replies.
Because one day soon it will be him in that main chair ready to carry out discussions and lead points of concern in matters happening in and around Konoha.
Sachihiro glances towards Tsunade then, hazel eyes still puzzled. "Is this true Madam?"
Tsunade nods, smiling at Naruto's infectious energy. It certainly helped keep her entertained when her mind kept drifting to wanting to be anywhere but here. She wasn't even sure why Naruto was even so excited for said meeting when all they were going to discuss were some monthly tax reports from each business and get updates on how some A-rank and S-rank missions had gone.
"It's fine with me as long as he knows when to keep quiet, right?" Tsunade reaffirms, Naruto nodding quickly as her other hand clasping at her pen tightens into a fist threatening to snap and spill ink everywhere.
Sakura lets out a cough, regaining both their attentions. "I think we're forgetting some important points at hand. Can we really keep this between only us 3? After all, all of the jounin sensei and ANBU are on higher alert now for any suspicious activity."
"I can ask Hinata! I'm sure if she's not too busy she can help with getting us in and keeping look out!" Naruto cheers out before Sakura abruptly shushes him.
As if having heard him, they each sense footsteps approaching them, familiar silver hair coming into view as morning mist further clears.
Kakashi eyes them all curiously, smile appearing to form beneath his mask.
"Well, well; this is a welcome sight to see! All 3 of you decided to gather together to get some early morning training in, huh?" He questions.
Sasuke only gives him a flat look in return showing no agreement or disagreement to his posed statement. Sakura meanwhile twists at the ends of her pink locks tacking on what she hopes isn't too much of a nervous smile as she gives a quick nod.
Naruto simply shrugs, his silence is going to raise the most suspicion.
'Great, we hadn't even formed a proper strategy and plan yet to prevent this sort of situation from happening in the first place!' Sakura internally groans.
Kakashi arches a brow at their continued quiet behavior, what's going on with them? Naruto at the least would have complained at him for interrupting them…
"Ah, if you guys want to do some light sparring I can help or- "Kakashi offers, halted by Sakura's raise of her hand.
"Thanks, but no thanks Kakashi-sensei. We don't need your help."
She ignores the heat rising to her cheeks at the fleeting look of shock in his expression and probably to Sasuke and Naruto's as well, the sting of her words resting heavily in the air.
"I understood back before the chunin exams why you wanted to train with Sasuke personally, you even helped Naruto to find a temporary teacher in using Ebisu for a short interim. It made sense really, considering I had already had a double knock out with Ino. However, since then and even now I still sense your attention is only to Sasuke and Naruto and never to ways to improve my growth as well. It's why I decided to train and apprentice under Lady Tsunade now." Sakura continues.
Verdant eyes harden on Kakashi's own dark eyes, clicking her tongue to finish up.
"You know Naruto has begun training with Jiraiya-sensei and Sasuke has started picking up some new skills from Anko-sensei. We appreciate all that you taught us fresh out of the academy, but it's not enough. At least, it wasn't for me." Sakura explains, whispering towards the end.
A lump forms and sticks to her throat, forcing herself to keep his stare despite the quickly overwhelming urge to look away with each passing second.
She's being far too rude, far too mean…
Attempting to have stuck with Kakashi-sensei wouldn't have helped with her future goals though, to be a strong kunoichi in and out of the battlefield.
Kakashi's eye crinkles, gaze remaining trained on Sakura.
"You're right. I didn't really focus on your growth after seeing how well you excelled with chakra control after the tree exercise. It's not a surprise in your frustration to learn more you would eventually look elsewhere and for that I'm sorry." He apologizes.
The knot wedges deeper, guilt and bile resting on her shoulders and tongue respectively.
And all Sakura can do is manage a nod at accepting his apology.
She's made things painfully awkward...
"Don't be so hard on yourself Kakashi-sensei! We all have things we could be better on, like you being constantly late and reading Pervy-sage's porn books in public with no shame!" Naruto points out, hoping to ease the clear tension lingering about.
Sasuke lets out an annoyed grunt at Naruto's attempt to joke and lighten the mood. "Speak for yourself."
He's more than once overheard the jokes he's used with Hinata that always seem to make her blush without fail.
Naruto tightened his hands into fists, twisting a glare back towards him. "Yeah? You for example need to work on not being an asshole all the time!"
Sakura discreetly tugs on the back ends of their sleeves before their argument becomes violent, pushing on a more honest smile.
"We'll catch up another time Kakashi-sensei!"
It's only once they move back deeper into the forests, the scent of moss and cedar wood invading her nostrils coming alive in rising sunlight can she feel her heartbeat no longer thundering against her chest.
"Geez Sakura, you really tore into Kakashi-sensei back there! I'm surprised you just didn't punch him in his gut if you had been bottling all that anger this whole time!" Naruto snickers.
Sakura scowls, sending him a look to shut up as she feels her face begin to burn once more.
"…It was good in the end you got it out of your system. Besides, it distracted him temporarily from asking us more questions and ruining this plan before it even got off the ground." Sasuke notes as they reach the edge of the farthest away training ground.
'For now. I hope he doesn't ask my future self or Hinata any questions.' Naruto considers.
Because Kakashi knew they were up to something now, he just didn't know what exactly yet.
Morning sunlight starts to melt at patches of snow and icicles, each of them gathering their bearings.
"The best time to attempt a sneak in would be in the afternoon, guards typically do shift changes in the morning and night, though I know most take a break around midday for lunch leaving fewer people at the main assigned posts." Sakura reasons.
"That won't change the fact the files will still be locked up. I can maybe melt down a makeshift key if we figure out what the actual real key looks like or use lock-picking." Sasuke considers, the use of the fireball jutsu could be constructed for other purposes.
The pair look to Naruto then, drawing out an improvised blueprint in a patch of mud. He grins as he indicates to the square boxes he's created, tapping at each of them with emphasis.
"Hinata and I had to use some back entry ways and some old escape tunnels/vents to get in to places we didn't belong before when we were tracking our future selves! I've used the same kind of pathways for the Hokage's office as well you know!"
Neither are shocked that Naruto appears to be an expert at smashing into restricted areas and more importantly, making sure none of them get caught.
-X-
Currently
"Well, I'm hungry." Naruto mentions aloud as he finishes chopping up the last of the celery and onions.
They should've started on dinner an hour ago.
"We're almost done. The potatoes just have to finish boiling and the chicken only has a few minutes left to bake." Hinata notes, checking the pots and oven once more.
A cheeky grin rests on Naruto's face when she looks back over to him, eyes roaming over her figure.
"Who says I was talking about the food?" He questions suggestively as he slides closer to her, poking at sides of her stomach where he knows Hinata is most ticklish, making her squirm when his fingers travel upward.
"Dear, stop! We'll burn the food and have nothing to eat if you keep distracting us!" Hinata remarks between giggles, halfheartedly pushing him back.
She turns her head to accept his kiss though, pattering of footsteps heading their way at the commotion they're making.
"What's so funny, Mama? Papa? You're both so red!" Himawari questions, tugging on the ends of their aprons in concern until Naruto hurriedly explains it away as only the steam getting to them.
Naruto bends down to her level, handing her a spoon. "Want to help Papa and Mama finish up? You can help complete stirring the potatoes and then mash them up!"
Cobalt orbs sparkle with eagerness then, nodding as Naruto lifts her up and guides her on what to do.
Hinata smiles at the pair's teamwork, Himawari already having an idea of how to strain out the liquid from so many past ramen preparations.
'Boruto typically is already at the table setting up or at least watching by now. Where is he?' Hinata muses as she heads upstairs to get him, in fact Boruto was usually first to the table when it came time for lunch or dinner.
She finds him awake on his bed, peering out into the forests and fields. For a moment they listen to the low hum of the crickets against the branches, observe the rustle and flight of snow colored owl taking flight. Cooling night air filters in from his half open window and Hinata shivers, moving to stand and close it as the warmth of the day quickly falls away against the darkening sky.
"Deep in thought?" Hinata inquires, breaking the silence as she settles herself next to him on his bed.
Boruto blinks, nodding as he fiddled with his hands avoiding her knowing stare.
A grin lights her face softly, patting at the side of his arm to regain his attention. "Worried about your younger Father?"
"No!" Boruto snaps out far too quickly meeting her gaze, red beginning to splash at his cheeks.
He scuffs his feet back and forth against the wood flooring, sighing when he realizes Mama isn't going to leave until he gives her a full answer.
"I…I just want to say goodbye properly before we leave you know. To him and younger Mama so they can be prepared." He eventually grumbles out.
They's already given their goodbyes to Jiraiya, Uncle Neji and many others; it seemed like they were leaving their younger selves for last.
"You two take care now, I've gotten plenty of ideas for my next series of novels from just watching you two interact!" Jiraiya grins far too excitedly. It's already gotten pretty late, sun slipping behind the mountains as the sky grows from fuchsia to black though he's glad to have had this last chance to eat ramen at Ichiraku's with Naruto and Hinata's older forms.
'This is going to be such a high bill though!' He groans to himself.
He didn't know Hinata could eat more than Naruto when it came to ramen if she really wanted to!
Naruto looked up from his bowl then, stare a mix of annoyed and amused while Hinata visibly stiffened sending him a frown. "Hinata and I didn't agree to become characters in your book Pervy sage!"
Jiraiya merely shrugged, grin softening. Not all his books were raunchy as they seemed to believe, of course they should probably still keep them out of Boruto and Himawari's reach for now. "I really am glad I got to see you grow up Naruto, even if it was just for a bit."
And Naruto feels his throat tighten, staring down into his relatively untouched ramen. His thoughts clutter and jumble, a knowing this is the last time they'll have a meal together.
'Can I stop your death? Can I stop you from going after Pain? Would you even let me...'
"Thank you for everything Jiraiya." Hinata voices softly beside him, saying aloud his thoughts. What he never really did say to him before his untimely death. He reaches to squeeze Hinata's hand gratefully under the table, nothing about this whole ordeal had been easy.
She'd very much said the same to Neji, stared after him watching him train with her younger self from the treetops, glanced at him a few times going to and from the manor. He wasn't as much a stickler for routines as he had been before thanks to their fight in the chunin exams, Hinata's feeling her chest tighten just a bit at him remembering him telling them to have a safe journey after having taken Boruto and Himawari around the manor one final time.
Naruto forces his gaze up to meet Jiraiya's, pushing on a grin keeping his upset at bay. "We're glad too! Thank you for the food!"
Hinata hums thoughtfully, their younger counterparts already knew when they were leaving. They didn't want to do anything flashy or special to inadvertently garner attention to their disappearing. Maybe a letter…
"Okay, that's not a bad idea! We'll meet with them one more time before we go and perhaps leave them some goodbye letters you and Hima can help us write. How does that sound?" Hinata suggests, glad to see Boruto look excited over the idea.
"We can start after dinner Bolt." Hinata advises further at seeing him immediately move towards his desk to grab some paper and pens, Boruto huffing before doing as she says.
Naruto pokes his head in just as they turn to head back out, Himawari on his shoulders mimicking his confused expression.
"Big Brother come eat with us, I helped Papa with the vegetables and potatoes!" Himawari exclaims.
"Everything okay in here?" Naruto asks, looking between them both as Hinata nods.
"Yeah, we're fine! You didn't burn anything while Mama was gone, did you?" Boruto questions tauntingly, Naruto grabbing onto his hand before he can squeeze and rush past him.
"I think writing out the letters are a good idea too! Hima can help with the decorating and coloring!" He cheers out watching as Boruto's puzzled expression quickly shifts into annoyance.
"Papa, it's not polite to eavesdrop!" He scowls flustering, glancing back to Mama only to see her clearly trying to hold back her own smile and laugh.
He'd been listening the whole time anyways (and Mama knew!), ready to tease him right back.
-X-
Past
"Naruto, don't try to ignore your body's need to take a break! You're going to exhaust all your chakra too fast doing that." Hinata admonishes him, forcing him back with a tighter grip from attempting to continue with his mix of sealing and skills practice.
He'd already mastered sealing more than five weapons at once now with the use of scrolls, managed to crack through rocks and trees up to triple their height with his rasengan.
But still Naruto felt that all wasn't enough. Sasuke was quickly catching up with him, this Akatsuki gang could breach Konoha's forces again at any time and even with Hinata agreeing to join in for their plan to get the files he still felt hopelessly lost…
Does he or any of them know what they're truly getting into?
Lying low or pretending to ignore the coming danger just isn't an option, though each passing minute without knowing how to get to said documents is leaving him restless.
'A plan. We haven't yet figured yet how we're going to do that break in.' His thoughts rise in tempo with a growing migraine.
They needed a time frame when there were less guards, less people noticeably moving about. Sasuke had first suggested nightfall, but he already knew more guards had taken that shift after Old Man Third's death to prevent any new threats from using the darkness as a cover.
That left them with daytime, which Sakura reiterated would be best in that they could at least head in without drawing too much attention on why they were visiting. Still, a guard or two would most likely need to be knocked out...
Hinata continues lightly tugging him back with enough force to remind him he isn't indestructible, shaking him from his thoughts and directing him to sit in the shade of the trees.
He rests his head into her lap as soon as they relax, tension falling away and easing as she threads her fingers through his hair.
"Kiba says he can smell your scent on me more and more often these days." Hinata brings up, watching as a smile curves up the corner of Naruto's lips.
He shrugs, leaning into her more taking in the scent of vanilla and citrus on her skin. "He'll just have to get used to it you know!"
A comfortable silence envelops them, the urge to sleep creeping up on him lying against her like this. He can feel his eyes growing heavy until he hears a low growl, same sharp cold voice boom in.
"You should be training, slacking off isn't going to help you improve."
Kurama.
The night before he'd finally talked with him properly at Hinata's insistence, he hated arguing over it with her or ignoring the topic of the beast within him…
So he revealed to Kurama his plans, for his and Hinata's future, for what he wanted to improve for him along with the other Tailed Beasts.
"Kurama, are you listening? This is important you know!" Naruto snaps, trying to keep the frustration out of his tone.
The one time he actually wants Kurama to actually bother him he remains silent and passive.
"Alright, fine you can be stubborn! All I ask is you just listen. I'm going to find out with the help of my team and Hinata what the Akatsuki's mission is and why exactly they're targeting you specifically. The goal is stop them before things reach the point they did in my future self's timeline." He explains.
"And how will you go about doing that? I already know they want me for power, as all humans have in the past." Kurama states curtly before he can go on.
There's no reason to believe this time will be any different.
But Naruto remains resolute, firm in his tone and voice.
"Once I find out the people who are behind the Akatsuki, the people like them that continue to plague the shinobi world with wars or unnecessary fights I'll find a way to eliminate them, if not through words then through action."
He waits for Kurama's response, scarlet eyes piercing and watching him from his prison. During the darker nights he almost had him, almost made him reach to break the seal that keeps him locked…
"You're the first person to mention such a thing, though I highly doubt it will work. Humans never seem to get along forever and blood eventually becomes shed once more."
"I know it won't be easy, that's why I need your help." Naruto mentions carefully, recalling the notes he's poured over from Jiraiya and his father.
Because if even it's just for a few minutes, having Kurama's chakra coursing through him without losing control could greatly improve his training. His strength.
"It's risky to take on this assignment Naruto. I know Sasuke and Sakura will be helping, however if…if we get caught the effects will run deep." Hinata whispers.
People will become wary of Naruto all over again if it reached any news outlets. Sakura and she would be barred from getting near any patient's medical records (along with herself personally facing the shame it would bring to her and the clan). Working at the hospital would no longer be an option and most citizens may assume Sasuke truly is no different from his brother at what possible cruel lengths he would go to just to obtain concealed information.
The very thoughts make her chest ache in dread, they all had something to lose.
Naruto sits up, azure eyes bright and serious as he moves to intertwine their hands. His palms feel sweaty and he wishes he could keep his jitteriness at bay, hoping Hinata doesn't notice.
"We won't get caught." He promises, for both her and himself to know this. To say it aloud to each other until fear is completely washed away. They'll use disguises, watch the Hokage tower each day until they properly know each guard's typical schedule and path.
And during that small window of opportunity when there are less officers on alert, that's when they'll move.
Hinata's lips remain pursed, slowly unfurling as she nods.
"I trust you Naruto." She breathes out, smiling at the hint of red that brushes across his face as she leans into him.
The benefits outweigh this cloud of uncertainty and risk, there's too much to gain in not moving forward with the break in.
-X-
Currently
'Whatever plot Naruto's younger counterpart is planning must be big.' Hinata determines.
She's seen that look in his eyes time and again, a subdued excitement ready to take on a challenge or interesting mission.
His mind has been faraway from the fields; from the series of attacks her husband continues to land upon him. He narrowly dodges a barrage of rasengans, sliding out of the way while half-heartedly forming one of his own that instead smashes into the trees tumbling them to pieces.
"I think we should take a break. We're not getting much accomplished here." Naruto concludes and it's this that finally seems to snap his younger self out of his thoughts.
"Wait! It hasn't even been an hour yet and you already want to stop?!" He exclaims, calming at seeing his older self's expression.
He may be here physically on these grasslands with him, but mentally he's been miles away.
Naruto brushes away at ice pellets clinging to his hair having fallen from the trees, moving to sit back by his wife already having finished meditation and taijutsu practice with her preteen self. He watches their younger counterparts then move to rest at the trees opposite of them, both looking equally tired and weary.
"When should we give them the letters?" Hinata whispers out, peeking into her bag to indeed see the colorful messy scrawl (courtesy of Boruto and Himawari) of two envelopes addressed to their past selves.
"Before tonight is over. We're leaving by the end of the week at the latest." Naruto murmurs back, staring back once more at their younger selves.
He wants to ask his past self exactly what's troubling him, but he doubts he'll give him a real answer that he won't eventually find out through way of new memories. It's understandable he's slipping away, to not want to rely on him to do everything making himself feel weak...
Overhead the sky is a tint of blue, ice and snow shining as the waning moon briefly breaks through a pattern of clouds.
He hopes it's clear enough like this when they go back home, activating the scrolls during another major storm could lead them into a potential time rift too far back or ahead of their original period.
His eyes meet again with his preteen form before the shadow of the clouds pass over them, it's strange knowing he's obviously keeping something from him when typically he used to ask him all the time about what the future held for them.
"Do you want to keep training or not?" He questions, standing back up.
Cobalt mirroring his own lack excitement though, matching the frigid terrain surrounding them. He's seen this look of concentration in his eyes when working out how to master a new jutsu, how to properly create a strategy to be one step ahead of the enemy.
"No, I can't really focus right now, I'm sure you guys can see that too you know!" His younger self eventually admits, chuckling weakly.
'Why can't I get into training? This may be the last time; the last time I can truly learn from my future self!'
But his heart isn't in it, not when his thoughts keep circling back to all they can find within those locked away files.
Itachi's illness, what rogue shinobi were still alive and where they could potentially be located, and the civilians who were working with them to keep them in secrecy. Whatever little tidbits of information the documents had would be worth it.
Specially to know the people or person who caused his parent's deaths…
Naruto simply nods, glancing back to his wife who silently agrees at the understanding look in his gaze.
Now is the time to give them the letters.
He helps her to stand as they cross the short distance back over there past selves, holding out the white envelopes.
"What's this for?" Hinata asks slowly, Naruto hesitating beside her with matched uncertainty.
Her older self only smiles, gently pushing them into their hands until they accept them. It's only once they have the letters secured in their hands do they both see their future selves nod, stepping back from them.
"Those are our goodbye letters, don't open them until we've gone back."
-X-
Past
'5 minutes left.' Sakura reminds herself, watching the central clock of the market square tick away from upon the rooftops.
No turning back.
In 5 minutes they'll all rendezvous outside the steps that will lead to the Hokage tower. She's dyed her trademark pink hair to a chestnut brown, anything to better keep among the crowds without sticking out.
She senses Sasuke's arrival behind her without needing to look back, fighting down the sudden quickening of her heartbeat drumming into her ears.
"Are Naruto and Hinata in position?" He asks, Sakura giving him a faint nod in return she heard him as loudness and bustle going on around them seems to grow.
And Naruto gives his signal, a simple pat on the side of his leg twice.
The area is clear.
They leap across two rooftops before landing next to them, Sakura blinking at now getting a closer look at Naruto's new attire of a full black and gray jacket.
Naruto meets her stare, frowning. "This is only temporary! You know I love orange, but I'm associated too much with that color!"
Sakura laughed, waving it off as she brushed a finger through her own newly formed brown locks. "Same here except it was for my hair; the point of this is to try and not stick out as much as possible after all."
Sasuke snorts, ready to get moving instead of wasting time with small talk. "You're ugly no matter what you're wearing, but at least this is a slight improvement."
Naruto twists his gaze on him, scowl deepening. What type of compliment was that?!
"They're changing the guards out now for lunch break. We only have a window of opportunity of getting to the room in about 5-10 minutes." Hinata voices softly, but they've all heard her clearly.
They need to get moving. Now.
The first guards they come across shouldn't be too difficult to handle, two apparent rookies who had just been hired to take over in the handling and cross-examining of those who did and didn't belong within the hallways of the Hokage's office.
Sasuke steps forward until he has their attention, dark eyes disappearing into sharp crimson as his gaze locks on the pair.
The kunai in their hands freeze, eyes glazing over as a surge of crows fill their vision, expressions contorting into pain.
Sakura, Hinata, and Naruto move on ahead before they break out of the genjutsu.
"We'll meet you at the door." Naruto states as they leave up the stairs quickly.
Sasuke only gives a short nod in return as the men soon black out, eyes moving to the roam the rest of the hall before following after them.
'We don't have much time before one of these guards soon sounds an alarm making them all run over.' He notes, taking the steps two at time.
"Sakura, get the key ready. I see 3 people coming up the east wing stairs and 2 coming from the north end." Hinata remarks as Naruto's clones move to block off every possible entry point that can get to them.
Sakura only nods, keeping her gaze focused ahead. She can feel sweat forming in her palms, but she holds firmly to the copper key she and Sasuke went to such lengths to copy.
The key sticks tight to the tucked away room, fighting back the urge to simply crush the doorknob in as she toys with the lock.
Then thankfully, mercifully the sound of a click rings out a minute later.
"Naruto, get a clone to block the door! Hinata and I are going in first." Sakura orders.
"Already on it!" A multitude of Naruto's answer in return.
The area is almost completely dark, specks of dust along the shelves to threads of cobwebs stringed along the ceiling shining in faint sunlight that's managed to creep in through the small window on the side.
Hinata intakes a sharp breath, byakugan scoping every last corner just to ensure nothing is out of place and no traps are in use. It's only her and Sakura in here though she can't shake the feeling the room has been altered in some form or fashion.
Sakura senses it too, kunai ready in one hand as the other slides towards the light switch.
Nothing.
"It's the cabinet on the left, Itachi's file and any other important criminals will be towards the back." Hinata murmurs, ignoring the dizzying pounding of her heart.
Sakura nods, slinking forward nearly breaking the handle on the cabinet's door at her pressure. Verdant eyes soon fall upon the records of Itachi and another called Obito, scooping them into her bag while Hinata slides in beside her handling records labeled with any S-class criminal into her own backpack.
Naruto looks slightly on edge as they twist out of the room just as quietly as they came in, bright grin crossing his face when Hinata sends him a knowing look of confirmation.
Sasuke doesn't match his enthusiasm, fists tightened as dark eyes glance around. This all went too easy in his opinion, the hallways eerily quiet even if there are less guards on duty for the moment...
'How are we going to get out of here?' He considers.
And then he sees a figure from down the hall, clenching his teeth to hold in a curse at prominent silver hair making Sakura and Naruto freeze as well.
'Kakashi-sensei.'
-x-
Wishing all my readers a safe and warm Christmas, New Year, and Happy Holidays in general! Probably won't update again until 2020! Was hoping to get into next arc before then, but I see no need to rush with my editing considering I'm sick with the flu that's drained me completely! I know I was a bit harsh on Kakashi, but Sakura I feel got the least amount of training from him and she never explored her actual feelings towards that in canon that I can recall. Anyways, let me know your thoughts as always!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!