The crisp winter air seeped into his office through the slightly open window. The smell of firewood brought nostalgic memories of his younger days... of a simpler time. A time when he didn't have an entire village looking to him for safety. When he looked up at the two who came before. They were still, in all actuality, an ongoing experiment and every shinobi village that followed after them was no different.

If he were being honest with himself, he didn't know if his sensei's decision was based on the dire situation at the time. Then again, that went against everything that he knew about his former sensei. Tobirama was anything but an impulsive person. He was the ration behind Hashirama-sama's emotional pull. No, Sarutobi could not lie to himself and claim that there wasn't ample consideration given into the decision.

His handover hadn't been ideal. It was little more than word of mouth from the few shinobi who were there. There was still hope within all of them who returned and the village that some miracle would happen. That Tobirama-sensei would strut into the village, be it a day, week, month, or years later, and retake the hat. But as the years passed, and he proved himself to those around him, that desire faded with the seasons.

Frankly, he would have had some time working alongside Tobirama-sensei. A couple of months at minimum to get a feel for things before he took the seat for himself and had the option of referring to his predecessor. With the lack of interest from his sensei, and need from the village, Sarutobi had taken up a team of his own. And contrary to what some would have you believe, it was never with the intention of handing the hat off to one of them. Albeit, he wouldn't have complained if there were a suitable candidate.

Regretfully, destiny seemed to have different hands for his students and, given the current state of affairs, he wasn't comfortable handing off his hat to any of them given where they were in life currently.

There were other options, other prospects that he could pick from and had world events not shifted so heavily toward another Shinobi war… Perhaps he would have already named a successor and begun training them in the way he wished he had been. As it was, he couldn't in good faith pick any successor as they teetered on the brink. Especially if said successor had not experienced one of the previous wars themselves. He didn't claim to be an expert, but wrong decisions while at war could easily crumble a village and he couldn't let his sensei or his brother's dreams for the village collapse while he breathed.

No, he would wait until the world scene calmed before he would dare even think of handing over the hat. Doing otherwise would only break the trust of those who had entrusted him all these years, and those who entrusted the position to him.

Knocking on the door interrupted him from his thoughts and the unwavering gaze of his predecessors looking down before him.

"Hokage-sama."

"Inori." He greeted, returning to his own seat behind the desk as the blond shut the door behind him and stepped further into the room. "Have you found anything that comes even close to what we are currently dealing with?" Waving his hand, the guard pushed back to their secondary positions as he fell back against his seat and activated the privacy seal.

"I have not, Hokage-sama. There are still plenty of handwritten accounts to go through, but there is nothing even remotely similar to this." Inori offered with an apologetic smile. "On the plus side, we do know she is still out there. Somewhere." Hiruzen grasped his hat and placed it on the desk in front of him. The weight that he carried wasn't physical, and removing the hat didn't remove the burden, but it made him feel like he had some sort of control.

"I think it's time we summoned Jiraiya back."

"Hokage-sama?"

"One of his apprentices is missing. That is not something that should be shared in a letter." Imagining himself in his students' position, the elder answered himself. "No. It isn't. Additionally, I firmly believe the village is the safest place for her. If anything were to go wrong, she needs to be near Jiraiya. We don't know what has happened. Nor what would happen if Emi were to return after a prolonged traumatic period."

"He would be one of the few who could spot a seal if the worst were to happen." Inori pulled up a chair, nodding in agreement as silence fell between them. Content with not returning to the paperwork stacked on his desk, Hiruzen took in a long drag from his pipe,

"What's on your mind Inori."

"We should tell him." Silently Hiruzen nodded for Inori to continue. "Eshina is right. Some time may have passed since the last, but it still stands that this turn of events is affecting him."

This wasn't how he had expected any of this happening when he was first given the opportunity of a lifetime. Initially a tool, a clone, to serve no other purpose than to better the village and prevent unnecessary deaths. She was an unknown variable and while her origins were of no question and held no questionable loyalties, it quickly became apparent that outside of her origin she had little reason to care. Somewhere over the years, she had become more than just a tool, than just a clone, and he needed her to have more than just one reason to remain loyal. Especially as it became more apparent that her origin may have to play her own part in village politics and dangers.

"Loyal to a fault, I do not deny that. With the threat of war nipping at our heels, we cannot afford to lose him either. But both our predecessors have heavily advised me to not put that burden on their shoulders." Hiruzen admitted after letting out a drag. Their Clan was already on the cusp of extinction and there was still the young prodigy to think of. But war was just upon the horizon and he knew his days of being able to think about an individual's wellbeing were waning every second.

"I am not saying we unveil everything." Inori started with a frown and slow calculated words. "White Fang is fully aware of the necessity of secrecy. I am just advising that keeping him entirely in the dark would do more harm than good for everyone involved directly and indirectly." The elder nodded in understanding, remaining silent as his advisor to continue "Where it stands he is already treading a dangerous path. How many have we lost to old traditions? Especially those similar to his Clan's origins? We've already discussed the statistics of risk based on generation." Hiruzen paused mid-drag, frowning at the insinuation as the gravity of the situation was briefed to him. "We are already there. If we do not do something soon-"

"I will summon Jiraiya immediately. Will you and Eshina-" Hiruzen interrupted, not needing to hear anything further.

"Of course. Hokage-sama." The blond interrupted in kind, bowing slightly. "You needn't ask. There aren't many of us left, and something is telling me that our experience will be invaluable in the coming years." Already tired pale eyes darkened. "We've already asked Inoichi to keep an eye out as well. Worry not. He is a smart boy. One look at the father and son and he will be unable to not help." Nodding in dismissal, Hiruzen pulled back the seal and watched as the blond left. Frown still settled across his lips he pulled out his trusty crystal ball.

"Your training with your friends is admirable." The elder Hatake applauded as the two bowed. "I have been thinking that perhaps now is the best time to set you up with a proper sensei."

"Father?" As the elder didn't answer, Kakashi continued. "I do not understand. Am I not progressing as you would like?" White Fang's eyes widened, having been surprised by the question.

"It's the exact opposite. I fear you may plateau with just my training alone." Sakumo admitted rubbing the back of his head and smiling, although his heavy shoulders and taught stance gave away his true mood. "You still have plenty to learn under my tutelage, especially if you are earnest about your interest in pursuing kenjutsu. I am not your mother, but if you show interest and proficiency with short swords, I can teach you a thing or two."

"Then why is there a need for me to get another sensei?" The young genin's tone was nothing but curious as his eyes narrowed with the question. Hiruzen chuckled to himself, remembering when his eldest threw the largest tantrum of his lifetime, having been informed his sensei would not be a Clansman.

"Diversification, Kakashi. I have a reputation. You're my son. As such, anybody who knows or has fought against me will have an idea as to which skills you may have learned or inherited from me." He knelt down and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "This will place you at an immediate disadvantage if you base yourself entirely on my fighting style. Additionally, I am but one man. There are many things that I understand in theory, but cannot explain or teach you myself. On top of that, I am no prodigy. Everything I have achieved has been through hard work and training. I do not understand how you know or are able to comprehend as much as you are. In addition, the world you are growing up in is entirely different from the one I had. As such, I would be doing you a disservice by not allowing you to train under someone who could possibly relate and keep up better with you."

A small smile spread across his lips as he watched as the young Hatake fell silent and thought over everything his father had told him. The small family interacting with one another had always brought joy to their aging leader, but even had he not taken to checking in on the near extinct clan, there was no way he couldn't see the blaring changes within it. Sakumo looked exhausted. He carried himself well, but having known him all these years, the leader of the village could easily see the burden on his shoulders. As such, while Sakumo's points were valid, concern slithered in the back of his mind. One could still perceive it as him handing over the responsibility of his son to someone else to free up more of his time.

For what purposes, even the Professor did not know.

"You already have someone in mind." It was a question as the boy looked from the ground back up at his father.

"I do."

"Have they already agreed to this?" Watching the son leer at his father with a single arched brow sent the Hokage into another bout of chuckles. Seems he caught you, Sakumo-san. The leader thought as his old friend pulled his outstretched hand to rub the back of his own neck.

"I have broached the topic on a number of occasions," Sakumo admitted sheepishly. "And honestly, they don't seem to believe they are qualified to do so."

"Who would when Konoha's White Fang asks you to train their only son and heir?" Both elders paused at the young boy's statement and Hiruzen had to remind himself that the boy was only five. "Am I wrong?" And perhaps his father had a point.

"Not in the least." Chuckling, Sakumo ruffled his son's hair. "I guess I just hadn't thought of it that way." The Clan Head knelt down to get on his son's level, his expression flattening out. "But if you do not want another sensei, I will not force you. Just know inevitably you will be put on a team. We just think that this is the best path for you."

"Hmmm. Fine. Who is it?" Hiruzen watched as the leer subsided and the young Hatake crossed his arms.

"I'll set up for you two to meet in the coming days. I'll need to pass this recent development over for the Hokage's approval." The younger boy sighed at his smiling father. "In our defense, between the two of you, there was no point in informing the Hokage if both of you were not at least interested in the idea."

Looking away from his crystal ball, Hiruzen had a good idea of who Wolf had in mind and had no quarrels with the idea. It would be a new opportunity for the both of them and it would give the blond something to do other than chase around their resident Uzumaki.