Arriving at Nan-9-0, actually a hole in the earth in one of the former ROOT tunnels, another message is awaiting him.
The Sanin are too busy dealing with the caught traveller, stalling as much as they can without looking suspicious, making sure the T&I division don't get anything too critical. Kakashi is on his own as far as plans go but has blanket permission to deal some damage as long as it isn't too critical - he just needs to be a distraction.
However, Kakashi is well aware of just how viciously the ANBU can react to an attack, no matter if it's an all out frontal assault or just a 'gas leak' in a civilian neighbourhood. That brings suspicion and wariness and people tend to double check even in a panic.
Something big but harmless, something annoying, that can get more people's attention. Some will laugh or get upset but if it's that loud and that innocently annoying, no one is going to be looking over their shoulder.
So Kakashi paints the Hokage monument.
Kakashi dangles from the chuunin Academy teacher's hand, the woman surprisingly fast and dexterous probably from running after other children all day. Kakashi kicks his legs in the air a little and makes a pouty face up at the Yondaime sitting behind the Hokage's desk -actually an Aburame as they discussed- like he didn't just lead the majority of on-call shinobi on an hour long chase through the most populated neighbourhoods that Kakashi could remember.
(He completely understands why Naruto used to do it because that was fun.)
Kakashi almost feels sorry for the Yondaime, who has Orochimaru on her left and Tsunade on her right and a traveller who just escaped T&I with the sudden lack of personnel the chase caused.
The Aburame sits in the Hokage's chair, clearly intently listening to the reports filtering in from her shokaichu, the chakra sensing worms she's host to. She's been in office long enough that apparently everyone has gotten used to the long pause that intercedes conversations with her.
Kakashi isn't going for subtle right now. He's dressed as an orphan who died a week ago from a bad case of tetanus. If people look into the matter, which they will, they'll find blatant inconsistencies. It would have happened even if Kakashi picked another target - something this chaotic can't be hidden so he might as well just take it easy.
On cue, an Uchiha police officer enters with the preliminary files on the orphan because whoops the updated hospital files got lost somewhere. The Yondaime flips through it briefly but this is a small matter in the grand scheme of things - a first offence and with a little soap and a water jutsu, the paint will come right off.
The Yondaime makes a hand gesture and a brief two-toned chakra flare because she's still stuck in the habit of communicating with people like she would with her clan and her insects.
The ANBU understand regardless and Kakashi is passed off to one of them. A rush of wind through consecutive shunshins and Kakashi is tossed carelessly towards the orphanage because everyone has better things to deal with than a troublemaking child.
Rude.
Kakashi finds a quiet corner and disappears in a cloud of smoke.
In the distance, a dark-skinned woman with a large straw hat pulled down over her face limps past, clothes faintly stained in small splotches with dirt or paint or blood. She pauses by the roadside briefly to pick up a satchel left abandoned behind some wooden crates and continues on her way.
The kids don't notice the woman because they're playing ninja tag very enthusiastically, a few occasionally glancing at Kakashi, who is currently a weird boy standing at the edge of the tree line that slowly encroaches on the 'big kids' park.
Kakashi has light lilac hair now and a facemasks behind a collar that covers most of his lower face but they probably won't remember him even if he was in full Hatake regalia and that kind of hurts, watching an adorable little Asuma clamber over a lazy teen Shikaku who's flopped over the ground refusing to participate, and knowing that none of these … comrades know him.
Choza and Inoichi are also here and Kakashi remembers them being steadfast and solid and reliable, comfortably adult and certain in their place in life.
Now as teenagers, they've cleared out a portion of the park as a light sparring area to pass the time, practicing clan jutsu that are so much weaker than what they could be, picking the obvious reactions instead of taking the initiative to act.
Asuma is six like Kakashi, and doing his best to make trouble for Shikaku, rolling around and acting like a child. Because he is a child, and Kakashi can see none of his old friend inside this different form.
Kakashi never got this, even the first time. He went straight into the academy and then straight into missions and eventually lost himself in ANBU. He doesn't regret it but he does wonder what having a childhood is like. Imagine being that innocent.
"Hey," Kakashi says, once he confirms the woman with the straw hat disappears from view. "...can I play too?"
Shikaku grabs Asuma by the face and shoves the younger kid off him and onto the fluffy patch of grass they've nested in. He turns to look at Kakashi. "You can ask the other brats but I'm sure they'd be fine with it." Shikaku nods towards the other kids - younger than him but older than Kakashi.
"But I want to play with you," Kakashi insists.
"A little small to play with the older kids, aren't you?"
Kakashi looks across the playground, littered with kunai and burn marks. "Do you consider yourself old?"
Shikaku tsks. "Here, come play with this one, he's messing with my nap."
Asuma huffs and clambers up from Shikaku's legs, brushing his clothes off. "Whatever. I bet the new kid is funner than a dumb babysitter anyway." Asuma storms over and grabs Kakashi's hand. "Let's play ANBU. I'll be the Hokage."
Kakashi blinks. "Okay."
"My first order is to assassinate the Nara," Asuma declares and points at Shikaku, who just rolls over in the grass.
"Sure," Kakashi muses. "You want it done messy?"
An older Yamanaka comes to collect the teens a few hours later, after the frantic rush of shinobi finally calms down and Kakashi receives two extra sets of memories from dispersed clones - the prankster orphan and the on-duty T&I clerk.
Kakashi himself has been watching closely from his position here at the eastern wall, making sure the escape goes smoothly in case he needs to step in.
At this point, everyone is flopped over on the dirt, including the several older genin that got dragged into the chaos of playing Hokage.
"Come on," the Yamanaka says, nudging Inoichi with a foot. "Dinner is almost ready, grab your other two-thirds and head off."
"Food," Choza sighs, currently slimmed down from using his clan technique one too many times. "Carry me."
Asuma rolls over onto his stomach with a whole lot of effort and groaning, propping up his chin on folded forearms. "Am I having dinner at the Yamanaka compound?"
The older Yamanaka offers up a shrug. "I know the Sandaime is still talking to the clan heads so probably." He then glances down at Inoichi again. "You're not being paid overtime for the babysitting duty though."
"Can my friend come too?" Asuma asks with his big, cute eyes already full force. "He's my ANBU. I'm the Hokage."
Inoichi grumbles as he grabs his older cousin's pants and uses it to haul himself up into a sitting position. "As long as he doesn't try to stab us some more, then sure, the more the merrier."
Kakashi chuckles as he sits himself up, perched in a further off tree branch. "Thanks for the offer but I have to get going." He stands up and pauses to fix his clothes; rolling up his sleeves, adjusting the eyepatch, folding down the collar of his top to reveal a blank traveller headband around his neck. "Oh, and just so you know, I went easy on you."
One of the other genin laughs. "Yeah, alright, get lost you little brat."
Shikaku is staring at the headband. The older Yamanaka tenses.
"I'll see you again later," Kakashi promises and disappears into the trees.
"Get up," the Yamanaka orders in a panic, reaching down and hauling Inoichi up. "We need to go, right now. Get up."