Memory 2

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Guy spread out a map on the ground. "Yosh! I have seen likely places for resistance here, here, and here." He pointed at different places on the map.

Asuma grinned. "That matches with what I've overheard. Kakashi, what strategy have you thought of?"

The three of them were in their teenage years, fully grown but not fully seen as adults. It was perfect for their mission. They sat in a rented room of a tourist's hotel, pretending to be just 3 friends on a tour of the local sights. In reality, there had been recent suspicious activity in this region. The likely options were thought to be insurgence, dangerous illicit activities, and/or the involvement of foreign powers and other known enemies of Konoha. No matter what, sending 3 highly skilled shinobi who were considered to be among the rising stars of the Leaf was not overkill.

Kakashi scrutinized the map, looking bored. With a marker, he put X marks on the spots Guy had pointed to. "Hm. All 3 in or near rugged terrain, with little access to water. How are the local resources? Food, herbs?"

Guy took a closer look at the map. "Huh, I hadn't thought to notice that… But, now that you have prompted me, I didn't see much in the way of wildlife or plant life. You think these locations could have to do with resources?"

"Lack of, more like." Kakashi scratched his head. "Who would ever go there on normal business if there is nothing to gather? It's perfect for a secret location."

Asuma reached for his pack of cigarettes, then withdrew and settled his hand on his knee again. "Guy, what did you see of the terrain? Is it suitable for defense, secrecy, or attack?"

Guy shook his head. "The cliffs are disruptive, but easily accessible. I kept a discrete distance, and did not see any traps. I didn't see anything at all."

"Secrecy," Kakashi guessed. "If not a good place to defend or attack from, and you saw no signs of people, then it must be for secrecy. If there are foreign shinobi involved, they're being very cautious. More likely, something illegal is happening beneath our noses."

He did not say anything, nor show on his face the pang he felt inside. Orochimaru… Such secrecy was a characteristic of the snake's laboratories, he had learned. It's been a long time. Will I see you again?

Asuma sighed, and Guy looked serious. Kakashi guessed they might have had a similar thought. If it was one of the Sannin, they would not be able to handle the situation alone. Their mission would be much harder and longer, because they would have to somehow find out how much surveillance Orochimaru had over the area, and do their best to call for backup without him knowing. Orochimaru was really good at disappearing. He could disappear so thoroughly and so quickly that Kakashi had yet to receive any news of how he was doing. No mission had returned with so much as a glimpse.

As much as Kakashi loathed to admit it, he secretly hoped it would be different now that he was on the team. But no, it couldn't be. Shinobi on opposite sides did not show favoritism. All that mattered were the loyalties that divided them. When Kakashi had hoped, long ago, that he would see the snake again, he had hoped for Orochimaru to return somehow. That wasn't happening.

Even so… I want to see him again, even if it is only as an enemy.

Kakashi began to roll the map up, still looking bored. He was bored, of everything outside his own head. If the pattern established by Rin and Obito held, this might be one of the last times he would see Orochimaru. Everyone seemed to be disappearing on him. "Asuma, continue working the townspeople. There are probably spies in town disguised as townsfolk. Guy, nobody will ever suspect you of being a spy. Show up to everything interesting, and exaggerate your normal personality as much as possible."

Asuma finally pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, but did not light it. "And what of you, Kakashi?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I can make my own survey of the terrain."

"Going off on your own again?" Asuma was definitely smirking around his cigarette. "No, not this time."

Guy grinned. Uh oh.

Asuma reached into his tool pack and pulled out a folded flyer. "We should work the townspeople and see interesting sights as a team. Isn't that what you always say?"

Kakashi took the flyer and unfolded it. Asuma had circled some interesting local sights. The bastard prepared this. They weren't on the beaten tourist path, thank the gods. Kakashi thought he could handle it.

"For one day," he said, glaring at Asuma.

Asuma smirked again and lit his cigarette.

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The next day, Kakashi bent his neck from side to side, cracking it while Guy talked. And talked. He remembered ordering Guy to exaggerate his normal personality, but wasn't this overdoing it?

Asuma nudged him in the middle of it. "This is perfect. He's providing cover for us," the other reasonable ninja consoled. "Nobody will notice if we look away, seeming to be bored with him."

True. Kakashi sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets, playing the part of the exasperated introvert. He didn't even have to put any effort into it. He looked around, anywhere but at the house of some famous someone-or-other that Guy was going on about. Was he trying to run a whole lecture series on local history based off a brochure?

Kakashi was personally glad for this small town that felt it had to exaggerate every somewhat notable achievement made by one of its residents. It was a tourist town, true, but not a very well visited one, which made their mission and his life much easier. This particular house was toward the edge of town and celebrated some obscure civilian achievement in the sciences. And that was all Kakashi knew about it.

There had been some other information, but he would've remembered if it was important. At least he thought he would have. Despite his real and exaggerated boredom, his heart beat faster as it had all morning. Kakashi's hands tightened into fists. It would be better if I didn't feel this way. Everyone I try to come close to dies. He was told that it did not have anything to do with his presence, but he could not be sure of that. It might be a side effect of being a demon. Better safe than dead. He shouldn't look around so much, shouldn't jeopardize their mission with foolish hope.

Yet, Kakashi's eyes scanned their surroundings. I probably won't see anything. He continued to look. Hello? Do I have any control here? His heart beat on. This is technically mutiny.

Kakashi wrenched his eyes back to Guy so as to not blow his cover. Unfortunately, he already had. Asuma and Guy were staring at him. He had somehow managed to not notice Guy finishing his lecture.

"You could have said something if I was that bad!" Guy fake-pouted.

Asuma chuckled. "Something catch your eye?"

What are my options here? He needed an excuse. Any excuse, as long as it would get them to go back to mission mode and stop looking at him like they were worried. Hmm, Asuma's idea isn't bad. "I'm not sure," Kakashi replied. "I thought I might have. We could -"

Guy's fake pout dropped instantly, as did his jaw. "Ah, ah," he sputtered. He was looking in the direction Kakashi had just been staring in.

Kakashi turned, and his blood froze. His heart stopped out of fear. What he saw was horrifying. It shouldn't be happening, because it was dangerous and against every shinobi code there was and dangerous. Worst of all, Kakashi didn't know who it was dangerous for.

Orochimaru was walking towards them, out in the open, plain as day. He was in female form, but said form looked exactly like himself. Long, straight chestnut brown hair caught the light and shone, in exactly the same length and hairstyle Kakashi had last seen Orochimaru use. His eyes, now humanlike and green, sparkled with a predatory look that seemed familiar. He walked in a very assured way, like a force of nature, looking every bit like a Sannin. His cheeks were a little rounder and his skin a little less pale, but still immediately recognizable. And he was out in the open approaching Asuma and Guy.

Kakashi's eyes darted sideways to his teammates. Shit. Is he trying to force a confrontation? We made preliminary plans to send a discrete call for backup this morning, but he'll know if one of us escapes to make such a call. And then he'll disappear and I'll lose my chance. Kakashi looked back at Orochimaru and became aware of his own face for the first time. He looked horrified. He tried to relax his face.

"W - woah…" he heard Asuma whisper. Kakashi glanced sideways, this time able to focus his eyes and actually see what his eyes were pointed at. His face relaxed of its own accord. What on earth?

Both Asuma and Guy were staring transfixed, bot not in horror or fear. They looked hypnotized. Asuma's hand brushed his hair back self consciously, and his cigarette burned in the dirt, forgotten. Guy's mouth still hung open, and he looked simultaneously goofy and threatening in a way that Kakashi couldn't quite place. Neither would be a danger to anyone any time soon.

Kakashi looked forward before they could break out of their trances. What is going on? Genjutsu? Why was Kakashi not affected then? His heart leaped in a surge of hope that it was different, he and Orochimaru really did not have to be separated by loyalties, they were alike and would always be able to meet and understand-

Orochimaru smirked, tossing his (her?) hair from side to side only a couple meters away from Kakashi. In no time at all, that distance was crossed, and Kakashi felt Orochimaru brush by close enough that her hair draped over his shoulder and he smelled some kind of hair product. Her hand pressed into his chest. Something crinkled. Kakashi reached up to take whatever it was just as she moved on, behind him and then out of sight before he could figure out what was happening.

What the hell just happened?! This was not what he had imagined their reunion to be like. Kakashi's hand closed on a paper note she had pressed into his chest. Would the note explain?

"We were just graced by a beauty," Guy marveled.

"Y-yeah…" Asuma was red. "Kakashi…"

"You lucky dog!" Guy grinned. "What happened? What did she do?"

Asuma spotted the note Kakashi held. "A note?" He looked envious.

Guy did a double take. "A note?! This can only mean…"

A beauty? Kakashi's eyes widened. They didn't recognize Orochimaru at all! How? It must have been genjutsu. He unfolded the note and read aloud, "Swimming Duck, 3 pm."

Asuma coughed. "That's a restaurant…"

Guy looked torn. Kakashi could see him choose happiness over lament. "Yosh! A date! With such a beauty!" He threw an arm around Kakashi's shoulder. "You have great charm with women, my dearest rival!"

"Uh huh." He wants to meet? A real, actual, not-on-the-battlefield meet? It was more than Kakashi had ever dreamed of. He feared what it could mean. I should make the most of what time with him I have. For this, I can be downright early.

Asuma pulled out a cigarette to console himself with. "Obviously." He lit it. "As this is Kakashi's first date, we would not be doing our duty if we did not offer advice, particularly as I was in that restaurant yesterday."

"Of course!"

Kakashi's face resumed its former look of horror. Flee! He did so at once.

He took a circuitous route to an area of town not exactly opposite, but distant from their hotel. There he stopped to give his legs some rest and stop hyperventilating. No! The last thing I need is those two getting involved! He used all of his sensory powers to verify that his teammates were not within sensing range. Why did he have to approach me this way? And what technique did he use on my teammates?

Kakashi checked the sun. It was just before noon. He would have to wait. For the first time in a long time, he couldn't stand to.

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Kakashi walked into the Swimming Duck in a state of mild chakra exhaustion from hurling nonstop blasts of Killing Intent until those two agreed not to follow him or try to spy. It took a lot to infuse his chakra with such rage, but the thought of them intruding on this meeting had given him plenty of rage to spare. He held himself upright, not showing any signs of weakness, and looked around.

A woman slapped her date across the face, looking very unhappy. She glanced to her left before getting up and storming out. Kakashi followed her gaze to Orochimaru, sitting in as isolated a booth as anyone could get. She had a menu in front of her, unopened, and sat with her arms and legs delicately crossed. Kakashi glanced around and saw that every male in the restaurant looked as hypnotized as Asuma and Guy had been. Some struggled against it, with varying levels of success. The women in the restaurant looked just as unhappy at the first. Not all of them were with anyone; was it envy?

It could be an area of affect technique, he mused as he walked over to the small booth and sat across from Orochimaru. Very unusual for a disguise, but it works.

Orochimaru got another menu from a holder on the side of the table and gave it to him. Kakashi opened it casually as if this wasn't a tremendous and unusual situation. "Interesting technique," he murmured softly.

"Yes," Orochimaru whispered back. "I'm glad it finally worked, for once." Kakashi wanted to ask what that meant, but a group of waiters shoved one of their one forward. He struggled not to drop his pad and to stand upright before stammering out a request for their order.

Orochimaru ordered first, giving Kakashi time to look at the menu. He selected something that didn't cost too much without paying attention. The waiter scurried off, and Kakashi looked up. Why? he wanted to ask, but he did not speak. Let Orochimaru speak first.

"No genjutsu," she whispered. His eyebrows raised. What the hell caused Asuma and Guy to look like that then?

She smirked. Kakashi recognized the smirk of amusement instantly, and felt a part of him devoted to their bond warm up. "Just transformation," she whispered. "Lust and jealousy does the rest."

Kakashi blinked in lack of understanding. Orochimaru took his hand. Kakashi heard the waiters respond in outrage. Orochimaru stifled a laugh, and explained, "This form is very beautiful."

That did nothing to help him understand, but that was exactly what Guy had said. Regardless of his understanding or not, it seemed to be the reason behind the hypnosis. Kakashi nodded.

"I'm glad you don't get it, Puppy," Orochimaru said. Kakashi felt shivers race up and down his spine and all over his face. It's been so long since anyone called me that...

"How are you?" he asked. All the divided loyalties he had seen between them before fell away like so much ash, and they sat together as two hunters and outcasts once more.

The snake (for that was a predatory look in her eyes, no matter what shape her pupil was) regarded him as she had before. Kakashi felt as if he should be able to swing his legs back and forth beneath the table like he was 8 again. "I am well."

Kakashi shook his head slightly. It felt as if no time had passed since the last time he had seen the Sannin, and he had last seen him looking distressed and angry. "I can't believe that."

"Well enough." She tucked her hair back behind one ear in a distinctly feminine way. "Don't worry. If I have my dating norms correct, and I am sure I do, we have the whole afternoon."

Kakashi squinted, trying to block out the tucked hair. With that feature out of the way, he could see Orochimaru's normal form beneath the transformation. He preferred that form. "In this look?"

"Of course." Orochimaru stopped what she was doing and peered closely. "Why do you ask?"

"Mah, mah, it's not bad," he said. "But I do prefer your usual look."

Something glittered in Orochimaru's eyes as they widened. "Really?"

"Of course. I prefer black to brown, and like me to, well, not…"

She smiled, again in a distinctly feminine way. "You just earned yourself a reward."

Kakashi looked around for a waiter. Their food should have arrived by now. The waiters again sent out one of their own. This one did a better job of walking steadily, which was good as each plate was piled high. Once he left, Kakashi and Orochimaru each took a pair of chopsticks, bowed as much as the table allowed them to, and began.

Kakashi wasn't a particular fan of what he had ordered. Orochimaru looked at it enviously, and reached out with her chopsticks. She replied to Kakashi's offended look with, "I can do whatever I want in this form," before swallowing a mouthful of what was rightfully his food.

Why do I care? Kakashi realized he didn't. His offended look was a pantomime, a pretense. I shouldn't have any pretense here. Not now. Go away! He reached again for the feeling of there being nobody else in the whole world besides them, and stole some of Orochimaru's food back. They were alike. It was really their food. He had a right to it. Orochimaru's eyes sparkled mischievously.

Kakashi sighed. "Obito."

Orochimaru tilted her head. "I heard. Then Rin. Just when you were finally getting somewhere with them, too."

Kakashi nodded. "Will you also disappear?"

"Not if I can help it, and not if you can help it either." She sipped at a little cup of refreshment someone had brought out. "We both know there are things we can't help, but it's best not to think of those. Deny them. They don't matter."

"They do," he argued back. "I can't, won't deny anything."

"I can't imagine why," she said seriously. She drained her cup and set it down delicately. Kakashi tried to ignore the repeated displays of femininity as best he could. "Just so you know, my name is Tsukina."

This is a whole false identity, then? "I take it you have business near here?"

"Yes." She challenged him with her eyes. "But I won't tell you where, and you will not find it."

Kakashi nodded. "You disappear better than anyone I know. I haven't heard a single word about you for a long time."

Orochimaru shrugged. "Well I wasn't about to send you a letter." Though her words sounded unapologetic, her low tone did not. Kakashi dipped his head in understanding.

Underneath the underneath. "This food is better than the restaurants back home." I miss you.

"The staff here are such an improvement," she replied. She doesn't miss being home at all. I will never get him to return to the village.

Kakashi sipped at his own drink. "I wish they could come to work back home." I wish we didn't have to be apart like this.

Orochimaru shook her head. "Nah, the low standards would drag them down." Konoha will never be home to him again.

Kakashi set down his glass heavily. "I'm sorry."

"For what, Puppy?"

"Jiraiya."

Just like that, the air between them chilled. Orochimaru turned very still, and sat very quietly. Kakashi poked at his food. They said nothing.

Damn, why did I have to say his name? Kakashi kept his head bowed. He kept his head bowed as Orochimaru sighed. He kept his head bowed as she once again folded her fingers together calmly. He kept his head bowed in apology for saying such a hurtful word until she finally said, "Puppy."

He looked. Orochimaru was looking at him in a way he did not recognize. He felt her gaze drift across his shoulders, chest and cheek. What is she assessing me for?

She reached forward and cupped his cheek in one hand, partially but not completely answering his question. "You did nothing wrong. He did. But, perhaps, you can help me make it right."

Kakashi's brow wrinkled in confusion. Make what right? It's as if she speaks in code.

They returned to safer topics, speaking of her business (It was good), his business (no trouble there), the surrounding area (pristine and untouched; in other words, not the site of a battle), and reassuring each other over and over again that there was no blame to be had in either of them. It lightened Kakashi's heart to hear such words. He knew he wouldn't believe it a day from now, but he could believe it now, and savored it.

Eventually, the afternoon wore off, and they felt the need to get up and leave. Kakashi had forgotten about the code-talking by this time, and about his promised reward. He felt only anxiety as Orochimaru steered him out the back. The back? Do we have someone we need to avoid? I told those two -

She grabbed him by the neck and kissed him before he could finish the thought. Kakashi froze. Huh? The warmth of her lips pressing into his was alien and strange. Not unpleasant (it was warmth after all); just strange. He closed his eyes and let her continue, and only realized when she tightened her grip that he was supposed to be responding. What do I do? I don't know how to kiss. He pushed his lips forward, but it felt awkward and unnatural. Orochimaru broke the kiss and started chuckling.

"The price I have to pay for decent company, I suppose." She continued to laugh. Kakashi scratched his head. Yes, I was bad, but there's no need to make so much out of it.

Orochimaru stepped up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, facing him nearly nose to nose. Kakashi waited for her to say something more, because it was obvious she had more to say. (After several years and being told that a woman was flirting with him, he would remember this occasion and realize then that he hadn't once questioned why Orochimaru was acting this way. He would wonder why, but would never have an answer.)

"This is good, Puppy." Her eyes bored into his, glittering like gemstones.

"Yes," he agreed.

"Remind me which hotel you're staying at?"

She came over later that night, sending someone ahead of her so that Asuma and Guy would clear the room. Guy winked dramatically before departing. Kakashi rolled his eyes and prayed for everyone to just shut up about him already. When she reached his room, she reminded him in a whisper right next to his ear that he had better address her as Tsukina. Kakashi promised he would.

Tsukina stayed for about an hour, relating small stories of encounters she had had in forests and company she had kept. Kakashi was sure that it was all heavily redacted, but he enjoyed the stories and shared some heavily redacted tales of his own. After an hour, she kissed him on the cheek and left, promising to "cross his path someday."

.

Tsukina was very good at keeping her promises. It was rare - they would meet once, maybe twice a year. He would catch infrequent glimpses, or hear about her from people with glazed or angry eyes. The original mission was counted as a failure, but Kakashi never thought of it as such. Before, he had not known anything about his companion's activities. Now, he could almost feel as he did when they were hunting together separately, when he sensed the snake's presence and moved in concert as if psychically linked. This was the way he moved from mission to mission now.

One of those missions happened to contain Asuma, who realized that Kakashi was still in touch with her. When they returned, Asuma spread word that Kakashi had a secret and mysterious girlfriend. Kakashi was actually grateful for this as it got matchmakers to stop practicing their art on him.

Kakashi did not improve much at kissing, but he did train himself to reflexively respond in some simple ways that wouldn't completely kill any possible mood. That remained his least favorite part of meeting her, and Tsukina quickly stopped offering to help him practice. They would simply sit with his arm around her shoulders, offering grooming tips and feeling the wind in their hair. They would look at the moon, and she would make jokes about howling at it. Kakashi would smile.

He couldn't remember the last time he had smiled. It had not been possible before. But now, with Orochimaru transformed and at his side, he could feel as if there was something to smile for. With her by his side, he could feel like there was hope, and that he might not be abandoned.

Sometimes, he tried to forget he was a demon with her. Sometimes, it worked.

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A/N: I wrote this over a week ago. I don't know why it's taken me so long to actually post it. It's like my desire to share has dropped off, even as I continue writing. I've just been trying to remind myself to get this chapter out of Google Docs already so I can have space.

I thought it would take longer for the Memories to be revealed. Perhaps there will be more than 3 Memories. I like them. The next one will be atypical, not like the first two. Disclaimer: This notice applies to my current plans only. Plans may change.

Happy Fall.