Chapter Five: Beneath the Mask
Kakashi stood upon the flowing river. He was looking up toward the statues of Madara and Hashirama.
Ashura and Indra's past incarnations. Two battling philosophies that had ruined his life and many other lives. How many horrific wars had been fought because two demigods refused to bury the hatchet? How many times had innocent people been drawn into the petulant tantrums of deities?
Compared to these two, Kakashi's own misdeeds were petty, insignificant things. And looking on their faces, he thought these statues made them out as far too noble. They were two glorified bandits. They were able to be better than the world they created. All because they were born with powers better men spent a lifetime trying to build.
Well, Kakashi would fix that soon enough.
For now, he looked back as a pale-skinned, dark-haired man emerged from the water like a serpent with wings. They had not seen one another for many years. "...Are they alive?"
"For the present," said Orochimaru with a smile. "Guy's team is heading their way, so it shouldn't be a problem for long. He's trained them well.
"Even my old squad wasn't so quick on their feet. If he'd been the only squad, I expect they'd have overtaken Naruto in a day."
"Ah, and here I was hoping for a tragic accident," said Kakashi. "But, I suppose it was too much to hope for that a little thing like being washed through rapids would kill Ashura.
"A disappearance will just have to do."
"A typical response from you, Kakashi," said Orochimaru. "You've enjoyed this far more than you ought to have."
"Yes, that I have," laughed Kakashi. "You know, when I unleashed the Nine-tailed Fox on the Leaf Village twelve years ago, I'd expected my life to get worse. But things have only improved for me since.
"It's amazing how easy it is to subvert people in the Leaf Village. You don't even have to pull back the facade; just use it creatively."
"'Better living through revenge?'" asked Orochimaru.
"More or less," admitted Kakashi. "So, how is Shisui's body working out for you?"
"Quite well, thank you," said Orochimaru. "It would have been quite a challenge getting a Sharingan without you."
"Always glad to help a teammate," said Kakashi.
"So, you never did tell me why you unleashed the nine-tails," noted Orochimaru.
"I didn't think you'd care," said Kakashi.
"I didn't, but you've piqued my curiosity," said Orochimaru.
"...Well, I suppose it's because everyone I cared about was dead," said Kakashi. "I was in need of emotional support, and I got none. When I attempted to get help, Minato's response demonstrated just how little he knew me.
"You see, it was my teammates that everyone knew and liked. I was simply the shadowy loner with no social skills. Minato got both of them killed by sending us into one grueling mission after another. I realize now that he was honing me into a weapon.
"While it was being forged, he paid careful attention to every part of it. Once the weapon was finished, he put it to use and forgot about it. No one cares about the feelings of a disposable kunai. Minato had a very practical mind.
"And one day, I realized that if I died, no one in the village would miss me aside from Guy.
"I spent years honing myself into the very image of the perfect ninja to atone for my Father. All for doing everything I was supposed to do. And they regarded me with fear and distrust, not because of my failure, but my success.
"They called me into existence, created me as I am, and then tried to hush me up. No one would miss me. So I decided to get revenge and build a place for myself from the ashes.
"What about you? Can you remember why you decided to help me?"
"Just a general, all-purpose sense of spite and a sense of being ill-treated," said Orochimaru. He smiled. "No one thing drove me over the edge, you know. The horrors of war, Minato being chosen because Homura and Koharu'd easily control him. Jiraiya supports Minato despite his promise.
"Nawaki's death, Tsunade leaving."
"Dan dying slowly from being poisoned by Sasori the Cruel?" asked Kakashi.
"No, I would consider that one of the bright spots actually," said Orochimaru. "I do not know what she saw in him? He was nothing but a feeble, social climber, and he'd never become Hokage. He had political opinions contrary to tradition and had a mere fraction of my power.
"More importantly, the position of Hokage is given out based on political assent. Or failing that, appointment by the Feudal Lord. Dan was trying to become Hokage in a generation with your Father, myself, and Jiraiya. Then there was Tsunade and Fugaku. To say nothing about Danzo ready and waiting. This was to name only a few.
"Unless all of the above died, he would never have achieved his goal.
"So, what are your plans going forward? From the looks of things, the cycle is beginning again."
Kakashi considered that. "...We could just snap Sasuke's neck, you know. That would end the cycle right off the bat, and then Naruto fades into obscurity."
"Do you want Itachi to go on a vengeance-driven rampage?" asked Orochimaru. "There are limits to control. And I expect he's already rather upset with you, given the Uchiha Massacre."
"Oh, that?" asked Kakashi. "That was business, not personal.
"The Ashura and Indra Feud is fought through the Senju and Uchiha bloodlines. If both were to be exterminated, they would be reincarnating into normal people. Somehow I doubt they'd be able to shatter the world asunder without bloodlines.
"The Senju have already intermarried and become watered down, to say nothing of Kakazu. So that left the Uchiha, who were obsessed with blood purity. If things kept on, Ashura would no longer be able to compete. So I wiped the species. Even if by some miracle, Sasuke repopulates them. The Uchiha bloodline will never run as strong.
"In a few generations, ordinary people will have a chance."
"Jiraiya, Tsunade, Fugaku, Danzo, Minato, I imagine you'd have to clear the board of all these people. All in order achieve the position of Hokage," noted Orochimaru with a smile. "And each action you take clears one out.
"I wonder if there's a connection."
Kakashi laughed and raised his hands as if at swordpoint. "You got me.
"So, any ideas on how to kill off Sasuke and Naruto without doing it directly?"
"You could put them in a position to be killed," noted Orochimaru.
"Maybe so," said Kakashi. "But not until the Old Man is dead, mind you. Nothing happens until Sarutobi dies."
"Why the arbitrary restriction?" asked Orochimaru. "Sensei would be easy to wipe out with the Leaf Village at peace. He's become ineffectual in his old age."
"I like the Old Man," said Kakashi simply. "He was always very kind to me, and he never failed in his obligations like Minato. He also had the sense to retire when he had the chance. However, that didn't work well.
"Go downriver and observe what goes on down there. I have to check on my team."
"As you wish," said Orochimaru. "...Aren't you supposed to be pretending to be Madara Uchiha?"
"I'm having too much fun at the moment," said Kakashi. "Get in contact with our teams on the border of the Land of Rice Paddies and sic them on Team Guy. Let's say... Team Dosu."
"Oh yes, they were strong for genin," said Orochimaru. "It seems like an interesting match, and I want to see it.
"What objective did you have in mind to tell them?
"Figure something out," said Kakashi. "As long as they end up fighting, I don't care what happens."
"Right," said Orochimaru, turning away.
"Oh, and Orochimaru?" asked Kakashi.
"Yes," said Orochimaru.
"No fatalities. On either side," said Kakashi. "Guy's a good friend. And a rivalry can be useful for motivation."
"As you wish," said Orochimaru.
Kakashi and Orochimaru broke off from one another.
The feud between Ashura and Indra had defined reality for ages. It was something that Kakashi had discovered through research. It came to him when he noticed a consistent pattern, certain themes that happened over and over again. Hard work vs. prodigy, friendship, and cooperation vs. self-reliance.
But it always came down to single combat between two figures. Usually, they are close as brothers, become estranged, and do battle. There were variants, and sometimes they were enemies first. Then they became friends and then broke off. Yet, it always went the same way.
He and Orochimaru had thus chosen to do some serious research.
Kakashi had raided clan libraries to read up on genealogies and history to find the threads. Orochimaru had raised the spirits of the dead with necromantic rituals. And he learned all he could of the world now gone. Years of work had allowed them to piece things together until finally, they'd gotten two names;
Ashura and Indra.
And Hashirama and Madara were the latest in this conflict. But now there was exactly one Uchiha and one Senju of this generation. Which meant either the spirits had jumped to a different bloodline.
Or they were narrowed down to Naruto or Sasuke.
But, it was neither here nor there.
Kakashi arrived and found Sakura kneeling over Sasuke. She was bandaging a cut on his forehead. Landing by her, he looked to her. "Sakura, are you alright?"
"Yes, I..." Sakura halted. "Sasuke is here; he got hurt. We tried to stop them, sensei, but Sasuke um... well, a fight broke out. Sasuke and I got separated, and I guess Naruto and Hinata must have beaten him."
"No need to worry, Sakura," said Kakashi, beginning to use a healing jutsu. "He'll be alright."
All he'd have to do is kill Sasuke and hypnotize Sakura to believe otherwise. Or just kill both and hide the bodies. But that would be wrong and also inefficient.
Eventually, Sasuke woke up.
"Good morning Sasuke? How'd your destined battle with Naruto go?" asked Kakashi.
"He cheated," seethed Sasuke, paying no heed to Sakura.
"Oh really?" asked Kakashi.
"I was going after him, and Hinata jumped me! In a fair fight, I'd have crushed him!" said Sasuke.
"Last time I checked, you had a teammate of your own," noted Kakashi. "Sakura managed to stay conscious longer than you."
"Well, she wasn't there," said Sasuke.
"And why was she not there?" asked Kakashi.
"Because she lagged behind," said Sasuke.
"And why did she lag behind?" asked Kakashi.
"Hinata knocked her flat," said Sasuke.
"But she came after you, didn't she?" asked Kakashi. Sakura was staying silent and looking hurt instead of flaring up.
"Too late," said Sasuke.
"And why was she too late to help you against them?" asked Kakashi, pressing the argument.
"Because she's useless!" snapped Sasuke.
"Sasuke I..." Sakura halted tears in her eyes.
"Oh really?" asked Kakashi. "Then how do you explain what happened?
"After all, you were doing well enough against Naruto to force him to flee when Sakura was with you. And yet, the moment Sakura was gone, you were taken out by Naruto and Hinata.
"Why was this?"
Sasuke said nothing, just sitting there fuming.
"Teamwork," said Kakashi. "Why do you think we put you on squads? Maybe if you had helped Sakura up and continued to pursue, you could have had a rematch when I stopped them."
"Does that mean you caught them, sensei?" asked Sakura, looking choked up but keeping herself professional.
"No," said Kakashi. "I let them wash downstream to escape. If you hurry, though, you might be able to catch them. Team Guy is already en route, though."
Sasuke stood up. "Sakura, let's go."
"Now hang on-" began Sakura.
"Now!" said Sasuke.
Sakura stood, and they moved off.
"One more thing, Sasuke," said Kakashi. "I'm turning this into a test. You might find some unexpected problems while en route."
"Whatever," said Sasuke, and he headed out.
Kakashi chuckled to himself. "I'm going to enjoy this."
Hurrying off, he sensed and found Asuma and his students. "Asuma."
"Kakashi, what's up?" asked Asuma, reaching for a cigarette and stopping himself.
"Oh, Naruto's going downstream," said Kakashi. "And Sasuke has rushed off with Sakura to pursue him. But Team Guy is already waiting for them, and they should be cut off right away.
"So they're basically just a third wheel.
"Ino, Choji, Shikamaru, I want you to pursue and capture Sasuke and Sakura."
"What? Why?" asked Shikamaru.
"Yeah, why are we going after our own teammates?" asked Ino.
"I've decided to simulate a capture situation, which your squad is suited to," said Kakashi.
"But is now really the best time?" asked Choji.
"The best time there is," said Kakashi. "You don't have to worry about Naruto; I get the feeling he'll be coming back to us. For now, you need to capture Sasuke and Sakura."
"Hang on, is this really fair? I mean, Sasuke is basically on his own," noted Ino. "Sakura isn't going to help him at all."
Kakashi had the feeling Ino was quite wrong there. Sakura had taken the scathing reviews of the others to heart and tried to improve. "Then it won't be any trouble for you. Head off, now, and no help from anyone else.
"With your permission, of course, Asuma."
"Yeah, fine. I'll be right behind you to make sure things don't get out of hand," said Asuma. "Good luck."
And they headed off, while Kakashi headed to the last squad to assign orders to. Arriving, he found Kurenai leading Kiba and Shino out. "Kurenai."
"Kakashi, what is going on?" asked Kurenai.
"...Have you been wrestling a giant snake?" asked Kiba, sniffing. "I smell something; it's like... poison."
"I ran into an old friend," said Kakashi.
"Let's not dwell on that," said Kurenai quickly. "What's the status?"
"Naruto and Hinata should be intercepted on the river soon enough," said Kakashi. "I want you to meet Guy's team there.
"And where should we meet them?" asked Kurenai.
"In the ruins of the Village Hidden in the Whirlpool," said Kakashi.
This was going to be fun. Now Kakashi got to watch the pileup.