There were only a few hours in the night during which the darkness truly enveloped Konoha. It happened some time past midnight when the colorful lanterns in front of the restaurants and bars were stowed away until the next nightfall and the street lamps were switched off a short while after when even the latest party gowers had found their way home. It also became quiet then. Voices died away, laughter moved behind walls to become whispers and giggles. Even the cicadas decided they needed a bit of rest before the birds would awaken a few hours later.
In the military, these few hours were called 'the Darkening'. The Darkening was the most opportune time for an attack on an enemy town. But every secret branch operative knew - the Darkening was also the most opportune time to leave on secret missions.
Leaving Konoha unseen was not quite as difficult as entering the village without being caught by one of the gate guards. And yet, Kakashi took extra care to scale the wall as soundlessly as possible and where the shadows were the thickest. Leaving Konoha without permission from the Hokage was a grave crime for a shinobi on active duty since it was considered desertion - so better make damn sure you got to actually go through with what you were planning before your village's special forces hunted you down.
The rusty red civilian backpack he was carrying didn't weigh too much, but it was far more ungainly than his military one with a tendency of the straps to cut into his shoulders. Also, the long green trench coat he wore made moving in silence difficult and the large shawl he had bound around his nose was hot and suffocating. But the worst… was the wig. It just did not want to stay put, as if his hair was trying to battle for supremacy just because it felt offended that he wanted to cover it up.
After descending on the other side of the wall just as silently as going up, he sat still for a while and listened into the night. The thick forest encircled the village from all sides and so it was night animal sounds his ears were picking up. Foxes. Owls. A badger mother calling to its young. It was sounds he was very familiar with. They were also making him acutely homesick, before he had even left.
Kakashi had done the best he could to put his affairs in order before leaving. But then again, he had seen through his own excuses a while ago. Either he would leave now, even when there were so many things demanding his attention - or he would simply never go through with it.
He had played along with Sakura's earnest attempts to help him with the aftereffects of the Tsukuyomi. The treatment was called "hypnotherapy", she had explained, she had acquired the basic knowledge for how to do it from Tsunade and would try out a few things she thought were useful in addition. To him, it sounded just like genjutsu, but she had said it wasn't. No illusion or manipulation from the outside, no use of chakra. It was his own mind who would do the healing, with no shortcuts. It was meant to last. It was much more difficult than cheating with jutsu. Her words.
"Tomorrow," she had said, seeming a bit nervous but also excited. He would have liked to kiss her very much, but wanted to respect her wishes. She was the doctor, he was the patient. Doctors did not kiss patients, she had said. So be it.
"Tomorrow," he had echoed and smiled.
Tomorrow, she would find the hospital bed empty. She would be angry and disappointed. Likely that she'd be concerned too - he was the most sorry about that. He should have told her he was coping alright, he thought. He had used the Mind-Sealing jutsu once more and had been able to push the devastating memories away far enough so that they could not incapacitate him again.
Maybe he would have a chance to apologize to her one day. Leaving her with Sarada by herself… it would be so hard for her. But he was confident that there were many people in Konoha who would help her. Iruka. Anko. Tsunade, Shizune. Her friends… Ino. Naruto. And eventually… Sasuke.
It was what Kakashi regretted the most, not being able to go see and talk to Sasuke in prison. "No seals," a messenger had informed him coming from Ibiki directly. "His mind has not been influenced by an enemy." That was good, of course. But Sasuke had also seemed much too surprised about his emotions and actions. As if… as if they were not his own.
And there was something else Kakashi was puzzled by. That illness Sasuke thought ailed him - why would he only ask Kabuto to help him with blood experiments, eventually getting Kakashi involved, but not seek medical treatment? It seemed too much like self-sabotage, but had Sasuke not refused to get a prosthetic arm like Naruto too? Pride, mixed with a deep-seated but unacknowledged conviction that he deserved to suffer... that's what Kakashi thought it could be.
He would never be able to look at Sasuke and not see the hurt, lost and lonely boy he knew he still was. Of all his failings as a teacher, that he had not been able to help the Uchiha escape his clan's curse was by far the worst. What else could he do than extend his hand again and again, against all odds, hoping he could somehow, someday make it alright?
###
*Earlier*
Naruto was slouched on a chair next to the bed, his brow furrowed, his fingers busy peeling nuts that he picked from a paper bag in his lap, carelessly scattering the empty nutshells on the little table that stood to the right of him.
"You must be the one shinobi in this village I have seen in the hospital the most, Sensei," he said in a slightly rebuking tone. "Is it possible you should work on your stamina?"
Kakashi suppressed a sigh and made a note into his mental file that was called 'help Naruto become Hokage'. If Naruto was to become Hokage soon, he had to truly understand that no stamina training in the world could get normal people anywhere near him and his immense chakra reserves. As it were, he seemed to keep forgetting. He needed another lecture.
"Or… do you like it here?" Naruto wondered. "It can't be the food. Oh. Sensei, is it… a nurse?!"
Kakashi blinked.
"The one with the reddish hair?" Naruto grinned eagerly. "Yes? I saw how she looked at you when she came to check earlier! Is she your type?"
"I'm sure she is just doing her job," Kakashi said evasively. So it seemed Naruto was the one person in this village who had not yet heard about Sakura's public display of affection on the street? Kakashi found himself oddly relieved. Not that he had thought about it before, but Naruto would certainly not take an affair between him and Sakura lightly. He had always been on Sasuke's side, through everything.
"Hehehehe… her joooooob," Naruto grinned. "Is that what it's called these days? It is well known that you break hearts wherever you go, Sensei! Oh… but how do you even pass the time in here without Pervy Sage's books? You must be bored."
"No, I'm not…"
"Sensei," Naruto said bending forward as he was shoving some more nuts into his mouth, "when I was on my last mission, I passed through a town with a bookstore. They had large signs outside, advertising for… for… I don't remember what it was called exactly, but I remember thinking 'Kakashi Sensei might like this'!"
Oh? Kakashi lifted his eyebrows. He was always on the lookout for a book series that could fill the horrible void Jiraiya's passing had left. So far, it had all been in vain. Nothing was able to capture his attention.
"Something like… 'Erotica for the deprived'. No... that wasn't the title. It wasn't quite as explicit, I mean there were children in that town as well."
Kakashi glared at the blond young man, thinking he was damn irritating at times.
"Are those for me, Naruto?" he asked a little miffed, pointing at the nuts. Naruto had brought them as a present, a neat bow on top. Now they were diminished to almost nothing within less than ten minutes.
Naruto looked down at his lap and frowned confused.
"Oh, sorry Sensei," he said and took his fingers out of the bag. "Hinata bought them for you, yes."
"Is she doing well?" Kakashi asked, accepting a nut from Naruto.
"Yes," Naruto smiled happily, "even though her father is giving her so many more important tasks these days! I don't know how she copes with it all! She's amazing."
"Women are far more capable than we men," Kakashi nodded. "Take Sakura for example. Of all three of you, she was always the most…"
"Ah," Naruto interrupted him, his brows drawing together again. "You know what I heard?! Something really disturbing."
Uh-oh. So he had heard after all?
"Ramen Ichiraku is closing! For 2 weeks! They want to do renovations. And then, they want to go on a holiday, they say! What am I going to eat!?"
"A problem indeed," Kakashi murmured.
Ah. Saved.
"I heard something else," Naruto continued, "but I told those people to shut up and stop gossiping."
Not saved?
"Sakura would never do something like that. She would never hurt Sasuke," Naruto said resolutely.
"Naruto…," Kakashi started cautiously.
"Do you know where Sasuke is?" Naruto asked him. "I was trying to find him yesterday to go for a drink. Has he been sent on a mission again?"
"No," Kakashi said. "Listen, Naruto. Sasuke is in prison. Something happened yesterday. And that's why I really need you to do something for me."
###
*Present*
Kakashi hoped very much that Naruto would be able to talk to Sasuke and help him get well in his absence. He on the other hand… he was obviously stalling again, thinking about this and that when all he needed to be doing was leaving. It was almost as if he was hoping to be caught! But why should any gate guards walk along the wall outside…
The darkness was already beginning to yield to the faintest of lights towards the East. He would head towards the Land of Water, travel by night and sleep during the day. He would find Karin, as he had promised Sarada. From there… maybe he had lost his memories along the way and would find some clues?
Or… maybe trouble would find him. It often did. He would be ready for it.
Kakashi got up and stepped out of the shadow of the wall, heading into the trees without looking back. Once he was far enough from the village, he would be able to use the side roads, but at the beginning of his journey, he better moved forward in the underwood so as to remain hidden.
The goddamn coat was not well suited for that, he had to admit after about fifteen minutes of it getting caught on basically every thorn on the way. He was debating whether to take it off since nobody would see him, which made a disguise kind of moot, when a voice made him freeze in mid-movement.
"Where do you think you're going at this time of the night alone, Sensei?"
Kaeru let himself drop from a tree lithely, somersaulting in the air and landing on his feet in front of him with nary a sound.
Kakashi felt massive annoyance, tinged with… pride. He had not sensed Kearu lurking in the trees until the very last moment. That was very well done, even though he was unusually preoccupied with thinking dark thoughts at the moment. Then he saw that the young Anbu was carrying a backpack.
"No," Kakashi said.
"But Sensei…"
"No," Kakashi said again, this time with more emphasis, glaring at Kaeru's silhouette in the dark. "What do you think you're doing here?"
"Well," Kaeru said, "that's obvious, isn't it. I'm coming with you."
That would not happen. Kakashi attacked as quick as a flash, but the goddamn coat cost him the one fraction of a second that would have made the difference. Kaeru managed to dodge and run, Kakashi following closely behind. Kaeru ran up a tree, jumped onto another, jumped again. Daring and powerful. He was really good, Kakashi thought with another surge of pride for making the right choice and recruiting this one into the Anbu.
"Sensei," Kaeru desperately called out in midair, "I will not let you do this alone, whatever it is you're doing. Let me come with you!"
"You do what I tell you," Kakashi growled, "I hate brats who think they know better than their teacher."
"But it was you who taught us not to rush into danger alone! Teamwork, remember?"
"I also hate brats who are smartypants," Kakashi murmured, redoubling his efforts until he finally managed to grab Kaeru's backpack, ripping the young operative's body backwards. It was done a little clumsily though and they tumbled down from the air in a heap of limbs, both fighting for balance and a chance to land on their feet, Kaeru trying to free himself from Kakashi's grip, Kakashi conjuring a strong thread to wrap around Kaeru tightly.
"Gotcha," Kakashi said upon landing a little more pleased than he should be, looking at the struggling shadow in front of him.
"Sensei!" Kaeru complained, "you can't do this!"
"Watch me," Kakashi murmured, pulling on the string with force. Kaeru's body was snapped backwards until his back hit a tree with a thud.
"Sensei, please," Kaeru begged, still struggling. "I want to help you."
"You do?" Kakashi snarled. "Then you stay here all quiet so that I have the advance I need."
"Sensei, you do not have permission to leave the village."
"And you do? Did Tsunade send you?"
Kaeru shook his head reluctantly.
"Thought so. I will write them a letter in a day or two telling them where you are. And that I was the one who forced you outside."
"No!" Kaeru complained, "no, Sensei. Please, if you do this, I will tell them exactly what you're wearing. They will catch you quicker this way! Which is good, you'll be able to argue your way out of it!"
"Silly boy," Kakashi sighed. "I do not want to argue my way out of it. I need to do this and nobody will stop me."
"But why, Sensei?" Kaeru said. "Explain to me what is happening?"
"No," Kakashi said stubbornly. "You already know way too much. I don't want you to be implicated."
"I know you would never do anything to endanger the village," Kaeru said hastily, "who has done this to you? Who is behind it all? Is it the Uchiha? What is he plotting?"
"I want you to be quiet," Kakashi barked at Kaeru. Too much of a ruckus! Nosy little pain in the ass.
"Then gag me!" Kaeru challenged him.
"Dammit," Kakashi cursed as he lifted his hands to perform a binding jutsu on Kaeru's tongue. Not only was that a forbidden jutsu, he also liked the boy and he really didn't want to hurt or in discomfort him too much. They were far enough from the village not to be heard by the gate guards, but the road wasn't too far away and if someone happened to walk by…
"I am very sorry, Kakashi," a deep voice said from the shadows, "I couldn't resist a tearful request. Well, didn't really want to, to be honest."
Pakkun?!
"Sensei," a triumphant female voice said, "are you mistreating one of your poor students? That is shocking!"
Sakura?!
Worse. There were two chakra sources coming out of the bushes. Sakura. And Sarada. That lousy dog!
"I don't believe this," Kakashi said. "What is this? A village gathering?"
"Are you going to tie us up too, Sensei?" Sakura asked sweetly. So it was going to be Sensei, huh? He would show her who the Sensei was indeed.
"Yes," Kakashi replied. "You leave me no choice."
"Come and try," Sakura challenged him. Green chakra flared up around her balled fist, throwing its glow onto her determined face.
"Step aside, Sarada," she told the girl without taking her eyes off Kakashi.
"Don't fight, please!" the girl wailed, stepping in front of Sakura with a few quick steps. She was wearing a travel cloak and a little backpack on her back..
"How dare you bring her here!" Kakashi yelled at Sakura, feeling completely disarmed.
"I couldn't leave her alone in the apartment, could I?" Sakura snapped back.
"You could have not followed me," Kakashi said angrily. How had Kaeru and Sakura even found out when he hadn't even been sure himself until a few hours ago?
"Oh, I knew you were planning to do something stupid, Sensei," Sakura said, sounding pleased with herself. "I never noticed when I was a teenager, but now I do. You are overly dramatic."
Dram…. Kakashi took in a sharp breath. He wasn't dramatic!
"Or maybe I should say obvious? You were behaving so strangely when I last saw you at the hospital! All those lectures about hiding your intentions and do the unexpected, pah!"
She was still pooling chakra into her fist as if he were ever going to attack her with Sarada standing between them looking at him all displeased and judgemental.
"You need to go back," Kakashi said tiredly, his voice muffled behind his scarf.
"Oh yeah?" Sakura said. "I've got permission to leave. What about you?"
He stared at her sullenly. Was that true?
"I went to Tsunade and told her I will need to go on a research trip in order to present at a prestigious conference in the Land of Winds next month. I also told her I want one particular shinobi with me as my escort. For me and Sarada, whom I'd obviously have to take along."
Kakashi frowned. This was crazy. Sarada was a target of… someone. She was the safest in Konoha. Unless...
"Damn Tsunade!" Kakashi ground out, "is she really doing this? This woman is ruthless!"
"You are here," Sakura smiled sweetly. "You're Konoha's best, so what's to fear? This is an official mission, Kakashi Sensei. Oh, you can thank me later. You know how high the prison sentence for desertion is?"
Like master, like student. Sakura obviously hadn't only learned medical jutsu from Tsunade but also the art of arm twisting.
"I guess we can take the Frog with us too?" Sakura mused, looking over at the struggling Kaeru. "I have an idea, Sensei. Since you're dressed so thoughtfully as a civilian. Why don't we pose as a family? Daddy, mommy and their kid. Kaeru can be our official bodyguard."
With a huge sigh, Kakashi released Kaeru from the tongue-binding jutsu and his bonds.
"I have never been more happy to see you!" Kaeru exclaimed, rushing towards Sakura. "And he listens to you!"
"That's probably an overstatement," Sakura said sourly, still looking at him intently. "He's more or less reasonable though."
"What about my permission?" Kaeru dropped his voice a little.
"Hmmm," Sakura said, "I didn't know there would be someone foolhardy enough to rush out of the village to seek and protect this one from doing something idiotic without one."
Kaeru gasped at the blatant lack of respect and shot Kakashi a look to check for his reaction. Well, the boy had no idea about Team 7 and how they had always treated their Sensei. Luckily for him.
"You, Haruno," Kakashi snapped, "follow me. I need a word alone."
Uchiha. She's an Uchiha since she got married, a nasty voice piped up in Kakashi's head, but he ignored it.
"Sarada, stay with the Frogman," Sakura said, "I'll be back in a sec."
Not once did Sakura let her fist sink. That much for trusting him, Kakashi thought bitterly as he stomped behind the trees and waited for her to follow. But it was only prudent. He was far from agreeing to this craziness.
"Daddy, mommy and their kid, hm?" he challenged her as soon as they were beyond earshot. "You think you're mighty clever, am I right? I'd bet quite some money you also knew that Kaeru would come after me and got permission for him too. Are you leading the poor boy on?"
But Sakura just stared at him big eyed.
"Sukea? I'll be damned!" she pressed out after a few seconds of stunned silence.
The shawl had slipped, revealing his face. The glow from the chakra around her fist illuminated his features, wig, and coat. Ah, it gave him some much needed satisfaction to see the smug expression wiped from her face, even if it was only for a short time.
"Fooled you, didn't I," he smiled grimly.
As his alter ego, he wore a wig of shaggy grayish-brown hair, gray-colored contact lenses, along with purple makeup over his eyes and purple patches under them to conceal his scar. As Sukea the photographer, he had played one of his best pranks ever on a Team 7 eager to unmask Kakashi.
"How… how do you…?" she stammered.
"Oh, the voice?" Kakashi smiled. "That easy. I just modulate it. Like this."
"Wow! We had no idea," Sakura pressed out, looking mighty impressed now. That he liked much better than her smirking from earlier. "But we saw Sukea with Kaka…. oh. Shadow clones?"
"Yes," he said with satisfaction. "I did go to great lengths to fool you."
"Yeah, but today, you didn't fool me," she turned around the conversation quickly.
"I didn't do anything that obvious," Kakashi sought it necessary to defend himself.
"Oh yeah?" she said. "You looked at me exactly like a guy who is saying goodbye without saying goodbye. You know… I do have a bit of experience with that."
"And what am I to do now?" Kakashi asked. "Take you along like this doesn't put all of you in goddamn danger?"
"Yes," Sakura said sweetly. "Exactly. It's a mission, Kakashi Sensei. And I know you're taking them seriously."
"You are… you are…" he was at loss for words.
"Minx? Vixen? Very clever?" Sakura giggled. "Are you flustered? I know, men hate it when a woman forces them to change their foolproof plans. Where are we going?"
Daddy, mommy and their kid. No need to hide. A much easier journey. Kaeru to protect them with him. It… it could work.
"Land of Water," he said.
"Ohhhhh," Sakura said and clapped her hands. "I love the Land of Water. Makes me so nostalgic. And the food! Delicious."
"It's not a holiday," Kakashi frowned.
"Oh, I know," Sakura said. "It's a mission. But allow me to get a little bit excited about… about…," she stepped closer.
"Are you going to hit me?" Kakashi asked apprehensively, looking at the dangerously humming fist in front of him.
"Should I? You probably deserve it," Sakura said. "You shouldn't be walking around at all but lie in a hospital bed."
"You know I hate it there," Kakashi chuckled.
"You're an idiot," Sakura said tenderly and dropped her fist. The sudden darkness was almost as blinding as a sudden light.
"About this," Sakura said breathlessly and pressed her lips against his with a passion that almost made him stagger before he caught his breath enough to return the favor.
