The Wanderers
Chapter 9 – Buried Memories
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, Minato would still be alive.
***MEGA-Flashback***
They gave him a proper Uchiha funeral, even letting Kakashi and Rin attend. The Uchiha clan had considered Obito a failure of a ninja, but since his sacrifice even the rigid clan had paid their respects. The young Kakashi watched as the procession dispersed, staring at the name on the memorial stone.
Uchiha Obito
Both his teacher and Rin had already left, but Kakashi felt no compulsion to return to an empty house.
"Hatake Kakashi. We would speak with you."
The young Jounin turned and regarded the speaker with both his normal eye and Obito's Sharingan. He recognised the three Uchiha clansmen before him, the head of the clan Fugaku and his two Jounin bodyguards.
The three of them hadn't attended the funeral, yet each of them had their Sharingan activated as they looked down on the thirteen year old. His right eye still bled on occasion, but Rin's healing techniques were of the highest quality.
"I am expected at a war meeting, Uchiha-san. Please keep this brief." Kakashi had no such arrangement, but had little interest in pandering to the Uchiha.
Fugaku snarled in anger at the young Jounin's impudence, "Brief? You currently possess the property of the Uchiha clan, and you are being flippant?"
The silver-haired Jounin stared into the clan leader's Sharingan with his own, watching with morbid fascination at the fluctuating chakra levels in Fugaku's eyes. He didn't say anything to the three Uchiha, knowing that the first to crack in the stand off would be at a disadvantage. Eventually one of the bodyguards swore under his breath, reaching down and grabbing Kakashi by the front of his shirt.
"You bastard, how dare you act like that in front of your betters!"
Kakashi moved his gaze from the clan head to the bodyguard that grabbed him, staring at his Sharingan with his own.
"Do you consider yourselves elite because of your bloodline limit? Or because of your place as a founding clan?"
The bodyguard pulled back a fist to hit Kakashi, but was held back by Fugaku.
"Enough, Yuka. We came here to demand the return of our property."
Kakashi's eyes widened as the bodyguard placed him back down.
"You mean my eye?" he asked, already knowing the truth behind Fugaku's demand.
"That eye is property of the Uchiha clan. We expect it to be returned by the end of the day."
With that statement, the three Uchiha turned around and began to walk away. Kakashi felt his muscles constrict as he looked back at the name on the memorial stone. He turned back to the retreating backs of the Uchiha clansmen before quickly running through a set of handseals. The three Uchiha froze as they heard the loud tweeting of thousands of birds as Kakashi's hand lit up with lightning.
He stared at their backs through his Sharingan, "This eye was a gift from my fallen companion. It is mine, and mine alone."
The middle Uchiha nodded to the two bodyguards, turning around as they continued to walk away. Fugaku glared at Kakashi, his hand twitched next to his kunai pocket.
"You believe you can use that eye to the extent an Uchiha can? You believe you can compete with the Uchiha clan?"
The two shinobi stood off against each other for several moments before Kakashi cancelled his technique, standing up straight and letting out a sigh.
"I believe that Obito gave me this eye so that we could continue to fight together. I didn't ask for it, but because of him my technique has been perfected."
Fugaku could read Kakashi's emotions easily, even through the teenager's mask. He relaxed his arm muscles, folding his arms across his Jounin flak jacket.
"We are in a time of war." He considered Konoha's situation for a moment before turned away from Kakashi and the memorial stone. "Do as you will."
The clan head walked away from Kakashi, the fan on the back of his jacket getting smaller as he disappeared towards the village. Kakashi breathed out a long sigh of relief, turning back around to the memorial stone.
"You handled yourself well."
Kakashi was used to the speaker doing this, not flinching as his teacher appeared from behind the stone.
"You didn't have to come, Sensei. I had it handled."
The yellow haired Jounin smiled at his student, "You may be a Jounin, Kakashi, but don't believe that you can compete against someone with experience like Fugaku. He is the Uchiha clan head for a reason."
Kakashi was forced to agree with his teacher's point, even as he was standing off against the clan head he knew he wouldn't have been able to land a blow against him. Staring at the three-tomoed Sharingan in the elder clan head had given him a dark sinking feeling in his chest.
Kakashi stared up at the lowering sun, before letting himself indulge in a smile. He looked back at his teacher, "Sensei, you are going to be late."
Minato Namikaze was a serious man, never getting angry or flustered regardless of situation. But he had a comical appearance as he looked up at the sky, before laughing awkwardly and rubbing a hand on his neck.
"You're right. Kushina swore that she wouldn't forgive me if I was late to another meeting."
"Sensei, it's an important meeting. We now have a key advantage in the war; we need to press the advantage."
Minato nodded in agreement and disappeared, using his signature technique to travel the short distance to the Hokage building. Kakashi smiled at the thought of his teacher's wife beating him up before turning back to the memorial stone.
Uchiha Obito
He smiled sadly as he thought of the last thing his companion had said to him.
I'll protect them all, Obito. This war won't let us stay in peace. There are plenty of battles left to be fought.
Despite his intentions, Kakashi was an hour late for the meeting his teacher had called for. He smiled as he saw Rin's face, grateful that the girl hadn't changed too much since their compatriot's death.
"I'm surprised, Kakashi."
Her tone was playful, yet sad. They both smiled as they remembered Obito's own tardiness. He hadn't meant it, but already an excuse was coming to his lips.
"Sorry, my alarm didn't work so…"
His blonde teacher looked at him with a serious yet amused face, "Kakashi, it is three o'clock in the afternoon."
The young Jounin laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. Minato shrugged and smiled at his student's change in demeanour.
"How did your meeting go?" asked Rin, having recently changed her face makeup so that her rectangle markings were now a dark red.
Their teacher reached into his flak jacket pockets, pulling out two scrolls before handing one each to the teenagers.
"It went well. Here are your new assignments."
The two teenagers took the scrolls with hesitation, neither of them wanting anything to do with the war since Obito's death.
Minato turned to Rin as she opened her scroll, "Rin you will be joining the medical corps."
The young girl's eyes widened as she read the first few lines of the scroll, "It says here that I've been given a battlefield promotion to Tokubetsu Jounin. Is that true, Sensei?"
Minato nodded, smiling in a calming manner.
"It was on my recommendation. You can't deny that your medical skills are only rivalled by other Jounin."
Rin grinned happily and showed the scroll to Kakashi, who smiled back at her under his mask.
"Congratulations Rin. We'll have to celebrate once the war is over."
Minato placed up a hand to bring their attention back to him.
"Where are you going, Kakashi?" asked Rin, taking a final glance at her scroll before rolling it up and pocketing it.
Kakashi didn't even bother looking at his scroll; rather he looked straight at his teacher.
"Sensei, I would like to be in the vanguard for the next push."
Minato didn't reveal anything on his face, but could tell how exhausted Kakashi was. He knew as much as anybody about the Sharingan and his students, and as much as anybody he understood why Kakashi had requested that assignment.
"I understand why you would want that assignment, Kakashi. I don't like it, but the Hokage agrees that you can be an asset to our forces."
He watched carefully at Kakashi's face, seeing the mix of relief and sadness across the young Jounin's face.
"I will be joining you in the vanguard. However we won't be working together directly. You will be part of an artillery unit with a selection of specialised Chuunin."
Kakashi grimaced at the idea of commanding a unit, considering how his last attempt had gone, but accepted the charge regardless. Rin patted him comfortingly on the shoulder, secretly wondering whether he had remembered her previous unintentional confession. Kakashi turned to face her and nodded, having been forced to close his red eye since he found that he couldn't turn Obito's Sharingan off like the Uchiha could.
She felt herself giggle at how ridiculous he looked. Rin reached over to Kakashi and ran her fingers underneath his forehead protector, Kakashi not able to help a tiny blush as the medic shifted the strap until it covered his scarred eye. Kakashi stared at her eyes as she removed her hands, smiling sweetly at the new Jounin.
"Thanks…Rin."
Across from them Minato couldn't help but smile at the two teenagers, though a cynical side of him couldn't help but wonder whether either of them would survive the remainder of the war. In the previous meeting, he had been given an estimation on how many casualties the last push had cost their forces. To say it was devastating would be an understatement. Their next move would have to be a final blow; otherwise Minato doubted that Konoha could participate in the war for much longer.
A loud hawk cry came from above them, the three shinobi staring up at the brown bird before looking back at each other.
"A Jounin council?" asked Kakashi, having learnt what the specific bird calls were years ago.
Minato nodded, and then felt a horrifying sense of foreboding as he turned around to be confronted by what is normally a very comforting image. Kakashi and Rin backed away as they watched their teacher being confronted by his red-headed wife. Minato attempted to laugh whilst simultaneously trying to think of what he may have done to set Kushina off.
The long red-headed Jounin was walking calmly towards her tall blonde husband, a suspiciously sweet smile across her face as she reached up and placed a hand on Minato's chest before looking directly into his eyes.
"What is it, Kushina?" he asked, having never been able to properly read his wife's emotions.
He couldn't tell whether she wanted to kill him, or just have a nice chat. He attempted to keep a warm smile as Kushina leaned her face forwards until it was inches away from his. She kept her smile steady as she continued to stare into his eyes.
"Did you forget our arrangement, Minato?"
The blonde tried to think about what she was talking about, until the look on her face gave him the clue he was looking for.
"You mean…right now?"
She nodded, taking a glance at the two confused teenagers from leaning in next to Minato's ear.
"Remember, anytime we can find…"
Minato nodded in agreement and looked over at his students, "I'll meet you guys inside. Tell the Hokage I'll be there in 20 minutes."
He felt a sharp pain in his side as Kushina dug her elbow into him, still keeping her sweet smile on her face while the petrified teenagers knew what she was really like. Minato grimaced and smiled as the students weakly,
"Sorry, make that 40 minutes."
With a weak wave he put his hand on Kushina's shoulder and they both disappeared without a trace. Kakashi and Rin looked at each other and shrugged, unsure what to make of the odd exchange.
"We should go and tell them Sensei is going to be late" said Kakashi, turning to make his way towards the meeting hall.
Rin hesitated for a moment, unsure what she was meant to do. Kakashi turned around and noticed this, walking back over and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Rin, you are a Tokubetsu Jounin now. That means you have to come along to these meetings. Come on, I'll show you the way."
The young medic smiled and nodded, letting Kakashi lead her towards the upcoming meeting.
Kakashi had to suppress a smile as Minato and Kushina walked into the meeting room, an hour after they had disappeared together. Kushina's hair was messy and unkempt, and under close observation Kakashi could tell that she was wearing his teacher's flak jacket instead of her own. Standing next to her was her husband, who appeared to be slightly flushed and unable to keep a nervous smile off his face.
They both apologised for their lateness and took their seats at the large meeting table near the Third Hokage, still keeping one of their hands together. The war room hadn't changed much since the previous two Shinobi World Wars, though the Hokage knew that once again he would have to send shinobi to their deaths at one of the conspicuous marks on the map laid out over the table. The collection of Jounin suppressed their amused smiles at the couple, as their leader coughed to get their attention.
"Now that Minato has decided to join us…" The yellow haired Jounin smiled awkwardly, trying to think of a good excuse and finding none. The Third Hokage stared at him before looking back over at the dozens of Jounin at the meeting table. "…we can begin."
Kakashi nodded at Rin who was seated with the other medical Jounin before taking a look around at who had been assembled.
If my numbers are correct, this is every Jounin in our forces. What could be so important that we've risked being pushed back?
The old leader took a puff from his pipe before letting out the smoke slowly.
"I have called this meeting to decide the Fourth Hokage."
He let the information sink in with his subordinates, proud that none of them had cried out immediately. At the left side of his position he saw the Nara heir lean back in his chair whilst crossing his arms.
"The Fourth Hokage huh…is that wise considering our current situation?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi grinned at his Jounin commander, thankful that he had subordinates that spoke their minds. Minato released Kushina's hand from his own before placing both hands on the table.
"I have to agree with Shikaku-san. A change in leadership now would result in a lowering of morale."
Kakashi observed the rest of the room, seeing many of the Jounin nodding in agreement. The Hokage put up a hand before the others could echo the two commanders' sentiments.
"This I do not dispute. However my place is in the village, and as such I won't be commanding the offensive forces anymore. This is why I wish to decide on the next Hokage, so that he may be an inspiring presence to our forces."
Kakashi felt completely out of place at the meeting, he and Rin were the only Jounin that were still children, whilst the majority of those present were their teacher's age or older. He noticed the two largest clans had several members present; there were eight Hyuuga Jounin at the table, including their current clan head whilst there were ten Uchiha clansmen including Fugaku.
Kakashi tried not to notice, but he could tell that several of the Uchiha were glaring at him with hate-filled eyes. As his teacher continued to speak with the Hokage, he could tell that the blonde commander had noticed, giving Kakashi a whisper of a smile before turning back to the Hokage.
The old man took another puff of his pipe, "I realise this is sudden, but this is tied to our battle plan."
Across the room, Hiashi Hyuuga, the clan head removed his hands from inside his robe, "I assume you have a candidate in mind, Hokage-sama?"
Hiruzen nodded, standing up slowly before placing his Hokage hat on the table. He removed the pipe from his mouth and looked over the room, noticing with dismay the missing Jounin that had fallen in the seemingly pointless war.
"Yes, and I believe you will agree with my choice. He is dedicated and wise, strong yet kind. Most of all, he has the Konoha Will of Fire that has been passed down since the First Hokage."
The young Jounin could tell that most of the room already knew who the Hokage was talking about; though he wasn't sure he completely understood the Hokage's reasoning. He looked over at Rin, who seemed just as confused as he was, though she seemed to be more uncomfortable sitting in the room then he did. He was still getting used to only being able to see the world through a single eye, his new Sharingan staring blankly into the dark cloth that was covering it. It didn't seem to use much chakra when idle, though he had no idea how to turn it off, or how to use it properly besides reading opponent's movements.
His eyes widened as he heard who the Hokage had nominated, immediately staring at his teacher's face. To his credit, Minato didn't show how surprised he truly was, though his wife's reaction was priceless. Kushina jumped out of her chair and punched the air with a cry of joy before throwing her arms around her husband's neck and proclaiming how proud she was. Most of the Jounin couldn't help but laugh as the red-haired Jounin hung off her shocked husband's neck, though Kakashi could tell that some of the Jounin were displeased with the Hokage's choice. Eventually Kushina remembered where she was, giving Minato a small peck on the cheek before sitting back down with a large grin on her face. Minato recovered quickly from his shock, looking over the group before staring at the current Hokage.
"I…am honoured, Hokage-sama. But I fear I do not have the experience to match the position."
On the other side of the Hokage, the Nara, Akimichi and Yamanaka clan heads gave a collection scoff. Shikaku pulled out a scroll and threw it on the table, "Minato, you've taken out more enemies in this war then half our forces combined. I doubt anybody in this room could stand against you in a one-to-one fight."
The yellow haired Jounin knew that he had been a major contributor to the Konoha war effort, but his eyes widened as Shikaku read out the numbers.
"We all know that Minato is strong. But I question his judgement."
The group collectively turned to the Uchiha clan head, waiting for him to clarify his position. Fugaku's gaze moved immediately to Minato's, a silent standoff between the two shinobi. Across from the Uchiha, the Hyuuga members all glared at Fugaku. Kakashi knew that the Hyuuga were not considered friends to his teacher, but their dislike for the Namikaze was outweighed by their collective dislike for the Uchiha. Hiashi nodded to his companions before he turned his white eyes to the Hokage.
"The Hyuuga clan gives their support to Namikaze Minato for the Fourth Hokage position."
Kakashi's teacher watched in awe as many of the Jounin in the room nodded their approval, even some that he would never thought would approve of him. The Hokage had asked for any other potential nominations, but the room was eerily silent. The laws of procession prevented a clan from nominating their own, so even the Uchiha had to admit that out of the potential candidates he was the most fitting. Minato had a name for himself by being a neutral voice between the clans, not taking any sides to political debates. Kakashi and Rin were as proud as they could ever be as they placed their votes with the rest of the Jounin around them.
The Hokage counted up the votes and smiled warmly at the yellow-haired Jounin.
"Namikaze Minato. Do you accept this charge?"
Kakashi watched with pride as his teacher bowed in acceptance, his wife smiling warmly as she saw her husband's life long dream fulfilled.
"It would be an honour and a privilege."
The Hokage reached out a hand and shook Minato's fair-skinned hand, looking into his compatriot's blue eyes.
"Of course this won't go through until after the war."
The Third Hokage released his hand and looked back over the group of Jounin.
"Spread word throughout our forces. The Fourth Hokage has been decided. We shall have a ceremony when time permits."
The Jounin nodded and began to proceed out of the hall, some staying behind to lend their congratulations to Minato. Kakashi suppressed a laugh as he saw Kushina lean up and whisper into Minato's ear, causing the normally fair-skinned shinobi to blush a light red. Minato whispered back to her and sent her out of the room, Kakashi barely overhearing him say that he would be along in a few minutes. Kushina smiled and waved to Rin and Kakashi on her way past, setting off in a run the moment she stepped out of the room.
He'll probably still beat her there thought Kakashi.
Minato walked over to his two remaining students and placed his hands on their shoulders.
"Congratulations, Sensei" said Rin, ecstatic that her teacher that she had known for years would be her next commander.
Kakashi regarded his teacher with a smile underneath his mask, "Or should we start calling you Hokage-sama?"
Minato laughed and rubbed Kakashi's silver hair before standing back, "Not until the ceremony, Kakashi. I should get going anyway, Kushina isn't going to wait."
"She does seem to be in a rush today, Sensei" observed Rin, still tired from their previous mission.
Minato nodded in agreement and spoke a few words to the Third Hokage before smiling on his way out, disappearing the moment he stepped out of the room. Kakashi and Rin looked at each awkwardly before realising they should probably leave as well.
"Kakashi, stay a moment" said the Hokage, taking a seat back down and picking up his pipe again.
The young Jounin nodded at Rin to continue without him before turning back around to the Hokage. He hadn't had much interaction with the Third, but he had always respected the old man's decisions.
"Yes, Hokage-sama?" The old veteran stared at the young Jounin, particularly at the forehead protector covering his eye. He reached down and unrolled a scroll before spinning it around and showing it to the teenager.
"I wanted to give you your shinobi files personally. I know Minato gave you your initial deployment, but we've had a few changes in plans. You will be in command of the First and Second divisions of the vanguard."
Kakashi nodded and looked over the scroll, his eyes widening as he saw how many troops would be under his command.
He looked back up at the Hokage, "Sir, why did you want to give this to me personally? Surely the commanding officer could have done that."
Hiruzen took a long puff from his pipe and regarded the short Jounin, "You are in a unique position, Kakashi. You are the son of the Konoha White Fang, and you now possess the Sharingan. You will not be without enemies…"
"…and you are giving me a warning?"
The Hokage nodded, blowing smoke out slowly.
"I am telling you to be cautious. Report to Shikaku in tomorrow after meeting with your unit, he will be debriefing the commanders."
The young Jounin nodded his thanks and turned away from the Hokage.
"And Kakashi, don't interrupt your teacher for the next little while."
Kakashi turned back and regarded the Hokage with a curious look.
"Kushina?" he asked, not quite understanding what the Hokage meant.
Hiruzen smiled as he thought about how quickly the married couple had left the room.
"They are at a…unique point in their marriage. Best not to disrupt that."
Kakashi still didn't understand, but was willing to let it go, giving his thanks to the Hokage as he collected the scroll. He thought about what he was going to do with his free time until the next push.
I should get some training in with my Sharingan. I can't ask the Uchiha clan for help, but perhaps there are some records that Father had that can help.
That night Kakashi dreamed for the first time since his father's death. He couldn't remember the dream afterwards, but he did wake up in a cold sweat to his empty house, feeling like the world was collapsing on top of him. Since his father's suicide he had been residing in his Father's room, surrounding by paintings that his mother had done before she had died.
He always found himself at peace whenever in the room, though it felt strangely off was only as he looked around his room with his Sharingan eye open did he realise that his house had been infiltrated. He swore silently and pulled a kunai out from underneath his mattress, forming a reasonable assumption on what skill level the infiltrator could be, considering he had avoided all of Kakashi's precautions around his home. Kakashi watched the blue chakra shape with his Sharingan flit around the house, seemingly looking for something in particular.
He's probably looking for me. There is nothing of value in this house.
He looked over at his window before pulling on a wire above his bed, opening the glass silently.
If I go outside and make noise, he'll likely follow. I don't have the chakra capacity to overuse Kage Bunshin, so that's not an option.
He pocketed his kunai and leapt out the window in a single bound, landing silently on the street beneath his house. It was vey early in the morning, even the birds were sleeping as the moon reflected off the roofs of the houses around Kakashi's street. He wore a simple sleeping gown, but was grateful that it was the type that was easy fitting, so that he could still move around in it comfortably.
The blue shape got to his room and the young Jounin could hear the figure swear under his breath. Feeling an obligation to get it over with, Kakashi looked up at the window and whistling softly. He smiled smugly as the blue shape looked down at him through the floor, before jumping through the open window. Kakashi watched as the figure clad in dark robes landed opposite him, a pair of glowing red eyes regarding him with hate.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised" he said lazily, looking at the tall man's Sharingan with disinterest.
The infiltrator's three-tomoed Sharingan was glaring at his single Sharingan, "I've come to retrieve our property."
Kakashi placed his hands slowly into a seal, the attacker standing in a defensive position confident that he could counter any attack Kakashi could come up with. Kakashi grinned under his mask as he ran chakra into the ground, not giving the attacker a chance to react as he detonated several explosive notes buried under the ground. Across the street Kakashi watched his clone's demise, not naïve enough to believe that it had killed the attacker.
He counted silently in his head before ducking underneath several thrown kunai. Kakashi turned around and blocked another set of projectiles as he saw the attacker sitting on top of a nearby roof. He felt an odd sensation as his Sharingan watched the attacker form a set of five handseals.
That's the Uchiha fireball technique, like Obito's. Wait…something feels different…
The attacker placed a hand to his covered lips, Kakashi's body moving on its own as he rolled to the side. The large fireball passed by him harmlessly, Kakashi already putting his hands together in a seal.
I know that technique. I move the chakra to my stomach and release it all at once.
He went through the five seals and put his own hand to his lips as the attacker did the same.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
The fire erupted from his mouth and clashed with the attacker's fireball; Kakashi's the same size and make as his opponent's.
This is the Sharingan's copy technique…how scary…it almost works on its own…
His opponent wasn't expecting Kakashi's counter attack, giving the Jounin enough time to create a Kage Bunshin to maintain the attack as he slipped around the side. He pulled out his kunai and jumped towards the Uchiha attacker, dispersing his clone to disrupt the attacker's concentration. His eyes turned to Kakashi and he barely ducked in time as Kakashi attempted to take his head off. Kakashi swung his feet around and kicked the attacker in the face quicker then he could react, sending him crashing into a nearby wall.
The short Jounin landed perfectly, pocketing his kunai as he ran through a new set of seals. Kakashi was a Jounin before he had the Sharingan, so as he activated his combination attack he wondered why the attacker had underestimated him.
He can't be more then a Chuunin, considering his chakra levels and ninjutsu.
Kakashi slammed his hands on the ground, activating a technique he had learnt before creating the Chidori.
"Raiton: Raikoukago" (Lightning Element: Lightning Cage)
The attacker read his technique and was already trying to copy it but couldn't get the technique off in time as dozens of lightning pillars erupted around him in tight formation, close enough to the attacker that it continually ran a disrupting current through the attacker.
"Now, who sent you?" asked Kakashi, already knowing that answer, but was curious on whether the Uchiha would give him up or not.
His captive didn't say anything, simply glaring at the Jounin through his Sharingan. After a few moments it was apparent that he wasn't going to give him anything, so Kakashi shrugged and began a set of seals.
"I would take you to the Hokage, but no doubt Fugaku would claim ignorance. So…" Kakashi placed a hand to his lips, "As a Jounin, it is my duty to execute traitors in a time of war."
He brought the chakra to his stomach and released it, "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu".
To his credit, the Uchiha didn't scream as the fireball struck the lightning cage, though Kakashi had to look away as the cloaked attacker burned to death. Kakashi cancelled his lightning technique and sighed, looking over his sleeping gown and seeing the dirt that covered it.
"You have impressive control over your Sharingan, Hatake Kakashi."
The Jounin hadn't felt the speaker's presence, but he recognised the voice, turning around to confront the speaker.
"Was the assassin necessary, Fugaku?"
The clan leader regarded the Jounin with plain black eyes, Kakashi feeling an overwhelming sense of calm from the clan leader. Fugaku didn't say a word, simply standing there like nothing had happened, still wearing the same cloak and jacket from the previous day's meeting.
"Should I expect you to attack me next?" asked Kakashi, reaching back to grab his kunai again.
Fugaku placed a hand up to stop the silver-haired teenager.
"That won't be necessary. Your ability with the Sharingan is sufficient."
Kakashi felt his muscles strain in anger at Fugaku's statement.
"You sent an assassin to test my Sharingan?"
Fugaku turned around and placed a hand in his robe absentmindedly, "The Uchiha clan is satisfied. Go about your business, Hatake-san."
With that, the Uchiha clan leader walked back towards the Uchiha compound, leaving Kakashi with the charred remains of his attacker. The young Jounin sighed as he considered how carefully Fugaku had chosen his words so that he hadn't admitted to any wrongdoing.
I hope I never get into politics. Seems like far too much effort.
Kakashi spent the rest of the night setting up new traps around his father's house. His teacher would probably think it unnecessary to place hundreds of explosion notes underneath the house, but Kakashi was not one to do things by half-measure. The next day he went to his teacher and asked him a question that gave the Hokage-in-waiting pause. The Namikaze and Uzumaki household was a humble affair considering both Jounin made a significant amount of money from their many missions. Kakashi also suspected that Kushina came from money before coming to the village as she seemed to have lots of assets not associated with Konoha, but didn't want to appear nosy so he made no comment. Minato turned to his wife and asked her what she thought about Kakashi's question. Kushina placed a hand to her face and thought about it for a moment.
"There might be some that would take issue with it…"
She turned to Kakashi and laughed quietly, "…but if you don't get caught, who will know?"
Minato looked at his wife with horror, "Kushina! He'd be taking other people's techniques! How would you feel?"
The red-haired woman laughed again and slapped her husband on the back.
"Please! As if anyone could do my techniques."
Kakashi smiled as he saw the couple 'argue'. He had known the two of them since Minato had become his teacher, and each argument went the same way. Kushina would make a bold statement; Minato would make a rational explanation as to why she was overreacting, she would get angry and he would agree with her. Kakashi could tell they loved each other dearly, even as Kushina had Minato in a headlock between her legs and was rubbing her fist into his blonde hair.
"Should I come back later?" he asked, taking a step back to avoid any possible collateral damage.
Minato tapped Kushina's legs to indicate that he gave up; dusting himself off and she helped him up.
"There's no need, Kakashi. I believe we are finished, right?" he asked Kushina, who smiled sweetly and nodded, running her hands through her red hair to get it back to normal.
Minato indicated for Kakashi to join him at the table as Kushina excused herself out of the room.
"If you don't mind me asking, is it always like that Sensei?" asked Kakashi, making sure that Kushina was out of earshot.
Minato smiled and stretched out a sore arm.
"Pretty much. It's all in good fun. She means well."
"And I suppose that black eye last month was in good fun?"
Minato laughed and blushed slightly, "That's not fair. That was only because she was trying to learn the Hiraishin and I ended up hitting the door."
Kakashi gave his teacher his best I-don't-believe-a-word-you're-saying look, prompting Minato to laugh it off.
"She would never intentionally hurt me. It's just who she is."
He put a hand on the table and sighed, "But about your problem. Kushina does make a valid point, in her own way. There are many techniques that you could copy with little resistance, but stay away from the clan-specific techniques. But you know this already know this Kakashi, why did you come to me?"
The young Jounin placed his hands on the table, smiling awkwardly as he saw Kushina bring in a tray with tea for the two of them. Minato thanked his wife with a peck on the cheek and a smile as the red-headed Jounin walked back into the kitchen. Kakashi wasn't sure how to frame his question, truly feeling his youth in front of his teacher since his promotion to Jounin. Minato smiled and sipped his tea before looking at his young student with his newly developed 'Hokage' face.
"You have concerns over your new command?"
The young Jounin nodded, not used to being so easily read.
"I don't believe the elder troops will listen to a teenager."
"Commanding troops is a difficult task. However I recommended you because I know you are up to the task."
Kakashi took a sip of his tea, noticing the fine taste of the hot drink. Kushina used to treat their team whenever they finished a mission, and her tea was the only type that Kakashi would drink.
"You believe they will follow my lead?"
Minato nodded, "If you show they you are worthy of them, they will gladly follow you. A good leader should be willing to die for any of his subordinates."
The silver-haired teenager thought about what his teacher said, both of them drinking their tea in silence. Once he finished Kakashi gave his thanks to his teacher, thanking Kushina on his way out before shutting the door behind him. In his distracted state he nearly knocked over a confused looking Rin, spinning around so he would avoid hitting her.
"Kakashi!" she exclaimed, backing away slightly so they weren't face to face.
Kakashi took a moment to look at Rin's new outfit. She had replaced her brown apron with a Jounin flak jacket, but one that was specially modified to carry medical supplies. Kakashi looked at her face, remarking at how much older she looked with the dark red markings, which she had previously told Kakashi was in memory of Obito. She seemed to blush and look away as Kakashi realised he was staring at her.
"You here to see Sensei?" he asked.
Rin nodded her head slowly, "I wanted to get his advice on a few things."
"Well he's inside, Kushina made tea."
Kakashi turned and went to leave, but Rin reached out and lightly touched him on the shoulder.
"Ano…Kakashi…could we talk later? About…"
Kakashi turned around and smiled, his normal eye noticing how awkward Rin had become around him. The young Jounin thought about his plans for the day and found a short gap.
"How about I meet you at that new ramen place around four? We can talk then."
The medic smiled warmly and nodded, giving him a short wave before knocking and entering their teacher's house. Kakashi watched her leave then thought about what the time currently was.
Damn, I'm going to be late for the armourer.
Rin hung her head as the young ramen chef took their empty bowls.
"So there's no chance?" she asked, still trying to keep a smile though Kakashi could tell he had just crushed her.
He tried to look sincere, a difficult task when most of your face is covered up, but he knew there was nothing he could say to make it better.
"I'm sorry, Rin. I didn't want you to get your hopes up. There is someone much better for you out there, not someone like me."
The medic turned her face to him, taking a single sniff before looking at him seriously.
"I guess you are right. I'll…I've got to go…"
Kakashi nodded and watched as the young girl walked away from the store, disappearing behind a nearby building. Kakashi sighed as he looked over at a section of the fence opposite the shop.
"You know it's pretty weird to be spying on your students…"
He watched a form melt out of the fence, a soft laugh coming from the blonde teacher as he took a seat next to his student.
"You handled yourself more mature then I would have thought, Kakashi."
Kakashi stared at his teacher as the Hokage-in-waiting ordered two large bowls of pork ramen, taking apart a pair of chopsticks in anticipation.
"Since when do you eat out?" asked Kakashi, knowing that he would never get a straight answer about his teacher's 'observational skills'.
Minato smiled as his first bowl was placed in front of him, picking up a set of noodles and testing the temperature before putting the noodles back in the soup.
"Kushina is on a scout mission until tonight. Besides, she has apparently 'blacklisted' ramen in our household."
Kakashi smiled as his teacher dug into his food, noting the evident sigh as his teacher tasted the noodles. Kakashi had tasted Kushina's ramen, and had to confess that Teuchi's ramen held no candle to hers.
"I can't imagine her refusing to cook ramen."
Minato sighed out loud as he swallowed a piece of pork.
"You know that we've been trying to have kids for a few weeks now, right? Well she read in a book that hot soup can lower your chances, so…"
Kakashi couldn't help but smile as his teacher begun his second bowl. Minato quickly finished his bowl and thanked the young chef, pulling out several bills to pay for his meal. The chef kept repeating how he couldn't take the future Hokage's money, slowly breaking under Minato's steady grin. Eventually Minato convinced the chef that it could be considered an investment in the small restaurant.
"Do you think Rin will be okay?" asked Kakashi, still unsure on whether he had picked his words carefully enough.
Minato guided Kakashi away from the store, "Rin is a strong willed girl. She won't hate you for rejecting her. She may not like you for a while, but in time you'll be close again."
Minato stopped Kakashi as they reached the silver-haired Jounin's house.
"Are you certain of your own feelings, Kakashi? Your wording was quite…final."
Kakashi nodded slowly, taking a glance at the sky noticing the clouds forming as an indicator of a late rain.
He looked back at his teacher with a pained look, "I…promised Obito that I would protect her. But…"
His teacher smiled and placed a hand on his student's shoulder.
"I understand. Now get your things together, we are checking our forces in two hours."
Kakashi wanted to turn up late with some unbelievable excuse, just as Obito would, but considering how vital his units could be to the war effort, Kakashi made a point to arrive at the training ground before any of his future subordinates did. They were meeting on one of the closer training grounds to the village itself, though still far enough for some of the things Kakashi wanted to check before their deployment.
Kakashi had made a point of improving his stealth skills, to the point that as he sat invisible in his tree he hid a smile as a Hyuuga Chuunin took a position nearby. He didn't notice Kakashi at all; neither did the two dozen other Chuunin that accompanied him, though there was a young woman wearing an Uchiha robe who smiled at his position with a very un-Uchiha like demeanour before conversing with several other Chuunin. Kakashi took a moment to count the numbers, taking into account an oddity that he would take care of later.
He revealed himself and popped down from the tree, landing on the ground silently before slowly walking through the group of Chuunin. The thirty shinobi that were under his command were a young group, most of them only a few years older then he was.
One of the older Chuunin turned to him and scoffed, "Is this the genius?"
Another Chuunin next to him laughed as a senbon dangled in his mouth, "Well he's certainly short enough. Must be a genius, if he got promoted before you."
"Shut your face, Shiranui! I don't see you making Jounin."
Kakashi watched the interaction with patience, knowing that the first thing he did would be judged the harshest. He wouldn't let the argument continue for too long, but he didn't want to come off as impatient. The one called Shiranui seemed to be quite a jokester, though Kakashi could tell in his movements that at least his taijutsu skills were close to Kakashi's own. Another Chuunin broke the two of them up, a rectangular guarded katana strapped to his back.
"Enough of this, Genma, Tsuma. He is our commanding officer, and we will respect that regardless of any other circumstances."
The Chuunin seemed to respect the swordsmen, as they stopped arguing and turned to actually look at Kakashi. The silver haired Jounin nodded his thanks to the swordsmen, noticing a young purple haired woman near the back blushing as the swordsman flashed her a smile. There was an even number of men and women in his command, each of them looking like they had worked with each other at one point or another. Kakashi walked through the pack and sat down on a rock facing the unit.
This is going to be a hard sell he thought, taking a cautionary glance at the clouds above them.
And it'll rain by the time we move out. Perfect.
He took a long breath while looking over the faces of the Chuunin. Most of them seemed to be at odds with having a boy barely into his teens as their commanding officer, though the Uchiha woman didn't seem to have an issue with him, a rare occurrence for her clan.
"I'm Hatake Kakashi. You have all been chosen for this unit because you have a certain…propensity towards destruction."
Several of the Chuunin smiled at his statement, Kakashi already noticing he had won some of them over with his direct speech.
"We are part of the vanguard, the first and second divisions. I will speak to each of you individually about your skills and where you fit in with the unit."
"Don't you already know what our abilities are?" asked the one called Tsuma, Kakashi noticing a pair of dark looking axes hidden behind his dark blue cloak.
Kakashi turned his single eye to the loud Chuunin, "I do. However as you well know, there are abilities that are not put into scrolls and information briefs. In order to create the best formations for the unit, I need to know those small details."
The Hyuuga in the group, as well as several other clansmen seemed to take offense to the comment, but gave no verbal response. The young Jounin could tell that some of the Chuunin understood his argument, some already settling down on the grass to wait for their turn. Kakashi turned his attention to the female Uchiha shinobi, indicating that she stand before him.
The other Chuunin gave way to the soft spoken shinobi, many of them curious on what she might be able to do. The Uchiha were not known for their female shinobi, in fact if she wasn't wearing a long sleeved shirt with the Uchiha fan on the back, Kakashi wouldn't have been able to tell that she was an Uchiha. Kakashi tried to remember all the names on the scroll he had been given, but as much as he tried there was no Uchiha on his team.
Likely a forced addition by Fugaku. I wonder why Sensei didn't inform me.
The young woman smiled sweetly at the Jounin, "What would you like to know?"
Kakashi put his hands into a ball and leaned forward on his knees.
"Your name would be a good start."
The young ninja laughed lightly and pulled out a scroll from her flak jacket. Kakashi took it without word and pocketed it; figuring it was a transfer request from Fugaku. She gave him a short courteous bow, causing several Chuunin to raise their eyebrows in interest. Kakashi gave no response, wanting to give nothing away to the Uchiha female.
"My name is Uchiha Mikoto. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Kakashi instantly realised who was in front of him, though he could tell that no-one else in the group recognised her. He decided that he would discuss it with her in a private setting, but was sweating boulders at the thought of the new matriarch of the Uchiha clan being under his command.
"And your speciality?" he asked, expecting the usual Uchiha fire abilities.
Mikoto smiled and closed her eyes, before opening a pair of red eyes Kakashi had never seen before. Kakashi had thought he knew all there was about the Sharingan, but his well trained eye saw a strange circular pinwheel shape on her dark red eyes before they changed to a set of normal three-tomoed Sharingan.
Not just a female Uchiha shinobi, but one with a strange Sharingan. She's full of surprises.
Behind Kakashi a Chuunin scoffed at the kunoichi's display, "Wow, an Uchiha with the Sharingan. Next thing you know she'll be telling you she is good at throwing kunai."
Most of the group laughed at the line, though the few female shinobi took note of the speaker, the purple-haired one in particularly seemed to let off an unnatural amount of killer intent at the speaker. Mikoto laughed the comment off, placing both of her hands out with her palms facing outwards.
"You may wish to stand back" she warned, her long dark hair slowly rising upwards despite there being no wind in the air.
The Chuunin around them gave them some room, Mikoto taking a glance at Kakashi with her Sharingan. She noticed he hadn't moved, but through her red eyes she saw that as a precaution he had run chakra through his legs to attach himself to the rock he was sitting on. Mikoto's face changed from a sweet smile to a slightly sadistic grin as Kakashi resisted the urge to reveal his own Sharingan to try and copy her technique.
His eye widened as a slow wind cyclone appeared from her left palm, Kakashi marvelling at her control as the wind technique became exponentially larger, throwing the leaves and rocks on the ground high up into the air. It drifted up into the air with little effort on her part before slowly dissipating back into her palm. That wasn't the technique that had amazed the Jounin though.
At the exact same time, her right palm exploded in a plume of bright orange flames, her face lighting up as the fire seemed to feed off the wind produced from her opposite palm. The fire reached down to the ground before Mikoto concentrated, the orange fire exploding into a light blue colour, Kakashi feeling his skin sizzling at the sheer heat coming from the young woman's hands. The fire slowly fizzled out into her palm with no visible burn marks on her fire-producing hand.
The Uchiha shinobi gave Kakashi another bow and smiled again, her face back to calm and seemingly innocent. Kakashi leaned back on his rock, taking a quick look at the amazed faces around the Chuunin. To be able to control elements to that degree was not that special, but to do so without handseals, and two elements at the same time was nearly unheard of. Even Kakashi, who discovered he could use four of the five elements since his acquisition of the Sharingan, couldn't control his techniques to that extent.
No wonder she is the matriarch. I never knew someone like this existed in the Uchiha clan, even if she is the matriarch. She can't just be a Chuunin. Why does she want to be in such a hazardous unit?
He smiled as he thought of an idea, taking a quick look around the other Chuunin. He turned back to Mikoto and stood up so that he was slightly higher than she was.
"It would appear that you are quite skilled. Thank you, Mikoto."
He spent the next half an hour watching the others demonstrate some of their skills; he noticed that nobody held back since Mikoto's display. The Hyuuga Chuunin, who called himself Hakaru, was not destructive compared to the others, but Kakashi knew that with his Byakugan he would be a vital component to their force. There were several swordsmen, but most of the force were ninjutsu fighters. One of the Chuunin had commented that if they were to be a unit focusing on mass destruction then there should be at least one Inuzuka in their unit. Kakashi grinned as he waved to a young woman quietly standing against a tree apart from the group.
Taking notice of the Jounin's attention, the oddly quiet fang-marked ninja stepped into the group, several of the group questioning whether she really was an Inuzuka. She introduced herself as Inuzuka Nagisa, in a similar manner to Mikoto. Kakashi smiled as he watched her blow a silent whistle between her fingers, the Chuunin around her jumping back in surprise as two black hounds came out of nowhere and stood silently next to her.
Kakashi had taken a special interest in her file, besides being a tracking specialist as all Inuzukas were; she was also a candidate for the ANBU. She didn't reveal her techniques, but told Kakashi that if he pointed out a target she would ensure that nothing would remain between her and her target. Kakashi believed her, he had seen the Inuzuka in battle, they were a wild devastating force, and a quiet Inuzuka would be fascinating to watch.
He watched the oldest Chuunin in the group walk in front of him, Kakashi judging him to be nearing fifty years old.
This ought to be interesting.
The Chuunin gave Kakashi an old-school salute, his fur pauldrons shifting loudly as he put his arm down.
"Senju Jito, reporting for duty."
Kakashi noticed the dark look in the older shinobi's eyes, remembering the details about the son of the Second Hokage.
"My understanding is that you are a genjutsu specialist, correct?"
The Chuunin nodded his head, and then completely vanished from sight. Kakashi smiled as he looked around the training ground, each of the Chuunin vanishing in the same way as the Senju shinobi before the air around him darkened to a pitch black.
I can't see, hear or sense anything. How frightening that something like this exists. But again, I have to wonder how he is just a Chuunin.
He nodded in acknowledgement of the technique, giving a signal to end the technique. Kakashi blinked and he was back in the training ground, though at a secondary glance he noticed that the Senju shinobi hadn't moved from his position before giving Kakashi the salute. The young Jounin hung his head, embarrassed that he hadn't seen through the first genjutsu.
This is a dangerous unit. No way am I qualified to do this.
Minato laughed lightly as Kakashi put down his water, pulled his mask back up over his face.
"Sounds like a fascinating bunch. It'll be a good experience for you to command them."
"But Sensei, am I the right person for the job? I know I'm a Jounin, but one of my subordinates fought in the last Shinobi World War! I may be a Jounin in strength, but I fear what may happen if I make an incorrect decision."
Minato finished filling out a form on the table and regarded his student through blue eyes.
"It is always difficult, leading men into battle. You can't afford to question your own decisions. A moment's hesitation will get your unit killed."
They both turned and stood up from the table as the Third Hokage walked into the office, smiling as he saw the large stack of paper in front of Minato.
"You know, you aren't the Hokage yet, Minato."
The blonde shinobi smiled at the current Hokage, straightening out the first stack he had signed.
"I wouldn't dream of doing your paperwork, Hokage-sama. I've seen how much you do during the day. These are mission reports from the past week."
Hiruzen walked around the table and picked up the top sheet, nodding in Kakashi's direction as he acknowledged the Jounin's bow. He frowned as he read the data outlined on the report.
"So Jiraiya's network paid off?"
Minato nodded, flipping through the papers before showing the Hokage a sheet covered in deciphered numbers.
"Kakashi you'll need to hear this too. We've been getting reports that Suna is close to pulling out of the war. They've suffered several devastating losses against Iwa, and we've gotten a report that the Kazekage is nearly to come to the table."
Kakashi took a glance at the sheet as the Hokage looked over it, reached into his robes and pulling out his ever-present pipe.
"All this senseless war, for nothing but dirt and grass. This war should never have happened."
He turned to Minato and handed him the report, lighting his pipe before taking a long draw.
"Prepare our forces, Minato. Coordinate with Shikaku, but if Suna is a step away from the table I want them at the table by this time next week."
The blonde Jounin nodded with a grim look, placing the sheet back into his neat stack before both of them turned to Kakashi. He felt quite out of place with all the war talks, he was a Jounin but had little to contribute to the discussion. However considering the Hokage's relationship with the ailing Senju clan, he felt he to ask.
"Excuse me, Hokage-sama. I had a question…"
"…about Jito, right?" said the Hokage, his dark eyes showing his age more then his body did. "He requested to be placed in the vanguard. I won't speak to his reasons, Jito was always a closed off ninja. If he wants to tell you why, he will. Otherwise, be grateful that the Senju clan has allowed him to join your unit."
Kakashi had nothing to say in response so he simply nodded his acknowledgement, giving a courteous bow before turning to leave.
Hiruzen watched the young Jounin reach for the doorknob, breathing out a long line of smoke before saying, "A moment, if you will. I must ask that you do not speak to Fugaku about his wife's deployment."
Kakashi froze then turned around slowly, thankful that his mask was able to hide his shock. His next destination had been the Uchiha compound to speak on that very issue.
"With respect Hokage-sama, she should not be in my unit. She is at least a Jounin in strength, and has a two-year-old child to look after. A child needs his mother."
Both Hiruzen and Minato looked at each before Minato smiled and put out his hand. The Hokage smirked in amusement as he pulled out a bill and placed it in the Hokage-in-waiting's hand, quietly telling him where he could put it.
"I told you he would relent. I taught him to speak his mind, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen regarded the young Jounin with an amused look, "A rare quality in a subordinate. He reminds me of you, Minato."
The blonde shinobi barked a quiet laugh, before pointing a finger at Kakashi's stunned face.
"I was never like that at his age. At thirteen I was still chasing Kushina around the town."
The Hokage laughed as well, leaving Kakashi still stunned at the easy-going interaction between the two most powerful men in Konoha. Minato caught a glance of the clock on the wall, silently swearing as he removed the new cloak that had been made for him from the back of his chair and slinging it around his shoulders.
"I must go, unfortunately. Kushina is due back about now, and she asked for a final meeting before we get deployed, and well…you know how she gets."
The Hokage nodded to indicate he was free to leave, Kakashi watching with a grin as his teacher vanished. Hiruzen turned to Kakashi and offered to show him to the door.
"I approved Mikoto's request because I believe that she will be an asset to your unit. There were no politics in it, I can assure you. Fugaku protested, but he has no say over where our Jounin are assigned."
"So she is a Jounin. She should be leading the unit, not me."
The Hokage thought on that for a moment, then dismissed the idea.
"She is not the type to lead others into battle. Not everybody is made out to be a leader. Though if I may offer a single suggestion, she would be valuable as a second in command."
He grinned as he blew out more smoke, laughing quietly to himself as he remembered an old discussion he had previously had. Kakashi had not clue how to response so he simply thanked the Hokage for his time and left the office. Now that he didn't need to visit the Uchiha compound, and considering the likelihood of a quick deployment, he made his way to the rookery. He had told all his subordinates to expect the hawk's call at any time, and got the feeling that each of the shinobi would be there on time.
While he doubted he had their respect, he knew that each and every one of them had a reason to be in his apparent 'suicide' unit. As he walked up the stairs, Kakashi swore a silent oath to himself that he would not have another Obito. He wasn't naïve, in war there would be deaths, perhaps even his own. But he would not suffer sacrifices, even for a worthy cause.
It's a good thing the medical corps are staying here in Konoha to receive our wounded. I'm not sure how well I would be able to take Rin being back out on the battlefield, especially in her current mental state. Damn, I'm thirteen years old and already too old for the crap.
Author's Note:
That's right; Sasuke/Itachi's mum is a badass. I may have pushed up the ages of some of the Chuunin under Kakashi's command, but I wanted a nice collection of known characters combined with my own. And don't worry; Kushina doesn't beat the crap out of Minato. More like playful fighting as a sign of affection.
Please review and tell me what you think. I tend to reply to each review, and believe me I read them all. Tell me what can be improved, what you liked, what you didn't, everything. I'm a writer so I'm always open to criticism.
Note:
Next week is a busy week, so it may take a few extra days to get the chapter out. Then again, a lot of it is action, so perhaps not. But I can't make any promises.
Anime Spotlight: Azumanga Daioh. Absolutely brilliant anime, hilarious at times and still a good showing of Japanese school lives. Some of the best characters in an anime, yet still adorably cute. Definitely one to check out.