"We go to the Land of Water as planned," Kakashi told them curtly the next morning. It didn't sound like he was expecting to hear differing opinions.
They were having breakfast up on "their" tree, nothing warm for the lack of a fire, but water, fruit and some pastry that had gone a little dry. Sarada was sitting in the last remaining sleeping bag nest with the cutest bed hair and was munching on an apple while curiously observing a family of birds nearby. The birds were watching the group of human intruders in turn, heads tilted to the side, nervously dancing from left to right and back.
"Is that wise, Sensei?" Kaeru asked cautiously.
Sakura applauded him in her head because it took courage to question a squad leader who spoke with the kind of authority Kakashi had just used on them.
"They will come after us wherever we go," Kakashi shrugged moodily, "might as well go forward."
"And when you say 'they' you mean…"
"We will see."
"Sensei, I'm not comfortable with so many unknowns," Kaeru lamented. "What does Mrs. Nohara even want from you? Is she thinking you're taking away Konoha's biggest asset to give to our enemies?"
Kaeru pointed his chin at the oblivious Sarada.
"I'm not sure what she wants," Kakashi replied, his eyes on the child too, "but I will find out."
Deciding they had reached the end of this conversation, Kakashi moved over to put some crumbs into Sarada's hand and showed her how to hold it out to the birds.
Kaeru looked to Sakura for help, but she shook her head helplessly. If Kakashi didn't want to share anything, he didn't, end of story. And if Kaeru thought she had better insights into what went on in his head, he was mistaken. If Kakashi didn't want to talk, he didn't. And they were very clearly in a not-talking phase.
They had made love four times last night.
Four times. With no talking at all. She still felt lightheaded, slightly confused and… sore. But she was also damn worried.
When she had read to Kakashi, he had cried. It had been very hard not to cry as well, she could barely look at him and his blatant pain. She could not possibly fathom what he had to be feeling. But it also scared her, this vulnerability of his. If he was in such a brittle state of mind, what would happen once they inevitably met Rin? Would he crumble completely? Would he abandon them? Would he… no, she didn't think he was capable of handing over Sarada to anyone. But still, the Kakashi she had come to rely on so many years ago was not like this Kakashi. This Kakashi scared her.
Then again, that someone like him let her see his vulnerability… it was like a precious gift she feared she might not handle correctly. All she could think of was to comfort him any way she could. They had woken Kaeru to take over the guard duty one hour after midnight. When Kakashi had pulled her into his sleeping bag nest afterwards, she had snuggled up willingly - well, after initially worrying about making sudden movements and falling all the way down. But of course, it wasn't like they could just hold each other without anything else happening. The closeness of his body had a very obvious effect on hers and as it seemed vice versa. It didn't help that the book she had bought for him had been scandalously quick to get very specific about the protagonist's love life. Reading such things out to Kakashi was… Sakura felt all kinds of warm at the memory. So damn arousing.
But it was more than obvious to her on this morning that sex solved no problems. Maybe it even made everything worse. As it was in her nature, Sakura had started to feel extremely self-conscious about their situation sometime during the night. What if it didn't matter to Kakashi whom he was making love to right now?
It had been different than before. It was like he was hungrier, much less patient, seeking for something he didn't get from her (why else four times?). She had almost expected him to utter that other woman's name at the peek of satisfaction and maybe she would even have preferred that to his scary, loaded silence that made all her insecurities flare up like wildfire?
A muffled squeal from Sarada jolted Sakura out of her anxious thoughts. One of the birds had come to sit on her fingers and was picking away on the crumbs while eyeing the girl nervously. Kakashi steadied Sarada's hand, smiling at her enraptured face.
"A little patience gets you far," he told her once the bird had flown away.
"Are we going to find my mommy now?" Sarada asked him after wiping her hand on her top and trousers.
"Yes," Kakashi nodded. "I promised you."
Maybe you shouldn't promise so many things to so many people, Sakura thought sullenly before realizing she sounded just as meddlesome as Mrs. Nohara.
"I need your help though," Kakashi added, the smile disappearing from his face. "You need to tell me about everything you remember. Where you lived before you came to Konoha. What made you leave. Everything."
Sarada looked scared, but nodded. So Kakashi thought the girl was ready? Or did the urgency of their situation command that he got her to talk? Sakura decided not to intervene, but felt slightly apprehensive.
"We lived by the sea," the girl began haltingly.
"How big was the village?" Kakashi asked. "Smaller or bigger than Konoha?"
"Much smaller," Sarada answered, now sounding a little more self-assured.
"Many fishermen?"
"Yes," Sarada nodded, "fishermen. I also helped with the fish, every morning. It was very stinky."
"Who was in charge of protection?"
"I… I don't know," she answered unhappily, looking at Kakashi like she feared to be punished for her lack of knowledge.
"Don't worry," Kakashi said. "It's not that important. Tell me some more about what the village looked like. Where there any mountains nearby? Forests? A river perhaps?"
Sarada described some features that a child would find important - like where she and her friends had played, how a group of boys had always tried to beat them up, which parts they were not allowed to go to - all of which wouldn't help them at all to find that spot, Sakura thought with a sinking feeling, it could be any village in the Land of Water. And what made Kakashi think Karin had gone back anyway? Or wasn't that the point at all?
"When you saw me there, your mother had gone missing?"
Sarada nodded, but her face became very unhappy. Alarmed, Sakura straightened her back. She tried to catch Kakashi's eye to signal him to stop, but he ignored her.
"And I brought her back."
"Yes," Sarada said in a small voice. "But father was very angry with you."
"I am sorry," Kakashi followed up immediately, though the info seemed to come as a surprise to him, "but you said your father is dead now?"
Sarada's eyes filled with tears as she nodded again.
"Is that the reason you left the village with your mother?"
Sarada nodded again, sniffling.
"Kakashi…," Sakura interjected sharply only to be ignored again.
"Did someone hurt him?"
"Yes," Sarada sobbed, "yes."
"Did they wear masks? Like Demons?"
"Yes," Sarada continued sobbing. "The Demons hurt my father."
Kakashi leaned back a little, almost as if he was content to have a hunch confirmed. "My father died too, Sarada, when I was around your age. Just make sure to cry a lot, until it hurts a little less. It will always hurt though, don't believe those who say you will get over it."
Which made Sarada burst into a waterfall of pitiful tears. Kaeru reached over to press the child against his chest, looking extremely unhappy and ready to cry too.
"Kakashi," Sakura hissed at him, "that is not how you talk to a child who has gone through so much! She isn't a prisoner you question with such blunt methods!"
Kakashi looked at her with no apparent emotion. "It doesn't help anyone if we tiptoe around the truth for much longer," he said.
"How can you be this cold!" Sakura said appalled.
He reacted with a scowl. Okay, she was being unfair. He wasn't cold, she knew that. At least not normally.
"I'm sorry for not living up to your expectations today," he said, though didn't sound particularly sorry. "You think you could have done better? But your profession's methods are not efficient enough. We're out of time."
"But that doesn't mean you can…"
Kakashi cut her short by standing up and indicating for her to follow him to another tree. Feeling both angry and hurt, Sakura did.
"Sarada's tears are a horrible thing but if these tears are a means to her safety, they are a small price to pay. What exactly are you unhappy about?" Kakashi asked her blunty once they were out of earshot.
It was strange that now that his face was covered again by a mask as usual, Sakura felt like she was deprived of important information regarding his emotional state, which bugged her.
"You!" Sakura said. "I'm unhappy about you. You don't talk about what's going on, you're behaving strangely and you didn't consult with us at all before deciding to move ahead with your initial plan."
Kakashi lifted his eyebrows. "And why should such a consultation take place?"
"We're not your subordinates," she fumed, "we're…"
"Kaeru is my subordinate," he said, "and this is a mission. You are my client. I don't consult with my clients, I decide what is best for the mission and act."
"And what is the mission?" Sakura asked flabbergasted. Hadn't it been her who had gone to Tsunade to ask for Kakashi as her guard while she went to the Land of Water on a research trip? He had to know everything was only a sham! There was no formal mission!
"Keeping you and Sarada safe while identifying and eradicating a threat to Konoha," he answered simply, taking some of the angry wind out of her sails. But only some of the wind. A client? Her?!
"Do you normally sleep with your clients?"
"Not that often, no," he answered way too smoothly. "Do you take issue with it?"
Sakura blinked, feeling extremely irritated.
"I don't think I need to tell you about Tsunade and how she operates," Kakashi added, looking over to Kaeru and Sarada with another frown. "I'd bet my right hand she let you come after me with Sarada because she knew that would jolt hidden forces into action. And I'll bet my left hand that she knows how well I know her. We don't need to speak face to face for me to know what kind of mission this has turned into."
"Are you saying my Shishou is using all of us to uncover what is going on?" Sakura asked when she already knew the answer.
"Correct," Kakashi answered, like it was the most normal thing in the world, "though it's mainly me she's using - like she's allowed to. So, I'm saying we move forward because I'd rather draw our adversaries away from Konoha."
Sakura stared at him. Not a trace of his emotional turmoil remained this morning. All cold Shinobi efficiency. How did he do that? And at what cost?
"You're still unhappy," he remarked.
"Yes," Sakura admitted. "I'm worried. About you."
"I don't need people to worry about me," he said.
"Then don't do things that make them worried!"
"Like what?"
"This!" Sakura made a helpless gesture towards him, the tree, the forest, everything. "Talk to me. Tell me what you are thinking, what you are feeling!"
"Feeling? I'm feeling great urgency to leave this place this morning," he said, though she was certain he knew what she was referring to.
"I can understand that you want to block me out," Sakura said. "This… this goes way back for you and I am not entitled to an opinion nor do I have a say about anything in your life. But this also goes way beyond you and me. Why do you keep shouldering everything alone? Do you think I don't care about Konoha? Do you think so little of me that you do not want to share your theories with me?"
Instead of giving her an answer, Kakashi shook his head in exasperation and tried to go passed her back to Kaeru and Sarada.
"Stop!" she exclaimed.
Immediately, Kakashi sprang back and took a defensive stance. "Are you going to hit me again?"
Sakura sure felt like it, even though it gave her pause that he would seriously consider she would. The bruise on his chest was large and pronounced and she was sure it hurt a lot - but being the kind of person that he was, he had not given her a chance to heal him, not even during their recent intimacy. It was probably a form of self-punishment.
"I will hit you again if I have to," she said bitterly, "you certainly deserve it."
"I can assure you, whatever happens, I will function perfectly well," he said, "no need to worry."
"Function? I don't want you to function!" she shouted. "How can you just pretend your world wasn't turned upside down yesterday?"
"I am not a guy who wants to be analyzed," he said sharply.
"Okay," Sakura said, "then let me speak as your client: I am not convinced you are suited for this particular mission anymore. Can I request for another Jonin to take over?"
That earned her a pronounced frown.
"Got your attention? Good," Sakura said with some satisfaction that at least, appealing to his professional ethos and pride had worked to pierce his shields. "What is going to happen once she stands in front of you? Any idea?"
"Ah," Kakashi nodded, "now I understand what is going on. You think I will lose control if I see her. I can assure you, I am fully capable of…"
"Just stop," Sakura interrupted him. "Stop, Kakashi. Even if you can successfully lie to yourself, you cannot lie to me. I will not let you. Like you shouldn't sleep with clients, I shouldn't be a doctor for people I sleep with, I get that! But before I became your "client", you were once my teacher and I was your student. Even if everything between us goes to hell one day, that will never change."
He stared at her as if she was speaking a language he didn't understand.
"Kakashi," she said much more softly, her feelings for him threatening to choke her all of a sudden, "I think I know you really well. I care about you. The closer you let me get to you, the more I care. I want to help you. I want to help us, this little group on this tree. I want to live in peace. And I am ready to fight for that peace myself."
His whole demeanor changed when his vulnerability came back to the surface, called forth by her words, almost like a spring tide that surges too quickly and floods the surrounding land with no mercy. But just as quickly as it surged, he suppressed it, it was almost eerie.
"If you know me and if you care, you have to know that I cannot let go of my defenses," he said quietly. "I cannot let my past affect me. You must have realized the danger we are in. I will not function because I have a choice, I will function because I have to."
At his words, Sakura's own anger crumbled completely.
"I'm not asking you to let go of your defenses," she said. "That is your personal business. But I'm asking you to accept my help. Let's make a plan together."
"Okay," he said. "I understand. Okay, I'm sorry."
He looked somewhere to the left until he turned his head to back to her. In his eyes was something like resignation, which she hated to see. Was it her fault? Had she been too selfish in her probing and demands? But no. He was the one who had always preached about teamwork. He wasn't allowed to simply reverse his own rules.
"You saw who Rin walked with?"
Sakura nodded. "Yes. You think she's an enemy?"
Kakashi nodded too. "It's an assumption we need to make. From how the interaction in the teahouse went, I also do not think that Mrs. Nohara controls Rin's actions. We are up against two different groups and I do not yet understand how their interests align or clash."
"But do you think what happened to Sarada and Karin in their village is connected to Mrs. Nohara? Or only Rin."
"Rin. I think it's Rin," he said, "Sarada gave me confirmation just now when she mentioned the Oni masks. Rin might also be the one who commands Susanoos."
"Oh shit," Sakura said and clasped a hand before her mouth.
"There was a woman there…," Kakashi said and closed his eyes. "I can't remember, dammit."
"You know they're also in your sealed memories, the Oni masks?" Sakura remembered with a shiver.
Kakashi nodded.
"What does it mean?"
"Probably that the answers to all this can be found in the past that I have forgotten or sealed away?" he answered bitterly.
"Maybe it doesn't matter," Sakura said softly. "Maybe the past is now here to answer your questions?"
Another silence followed.
"You know," he then said. "It's not true."
"Am I wrong to think Rin will be able to…?"
"No," he interrupted. "Not that. This is not about the past. You are wrong to think you are not entitled to an opinion nor have anything to say with regards to my life."
"Oh," Sakura said, suddenly feeling very weak in the knees, especially when he took a step towards her.
Dressed in all black, his hair particularly messy now that it was free from the wig, sticking up in all possible directions like it wanted to challenge the world, Kakashi looked irresistible to her. Yes, she had to admit to herself, she was afraid to lose him. Maybe she was lying to herself. Maybe she was just afraid that he would shut himself off from everything and would be gone, just like that. Maybe she was pushing him to lower his well-honed, life-long defenses because she wanted to see the truth behind the walls, wanted assurance that she stood a chance now that that woman was back.
"Remember what I said that first night? When… we… in the shower… about wanting for you to be happy?"
"Yes," Sakura nodded breathlessly. "I do. Of course I do. I remember everything you said, every single word you have ever spoken to me."
"I am not the person who can make you happy, Sakura," Kakashi said. "I am too old, too damaged. I have baggage, so much baggage…"
"I don't care about that," Sakura interrupted him, her heart beating very fast. "And most importantly, I will not stand by and watch you do any of that noble idiot, self-sacrificing shit you men are so good at."
"Hm," Kakashi chuckled. "You are good at analyzing people."
"Will you promise me not to do anything rash?"
"I never do anything rash."
"Then promise me to think of me when you decide on your next steps and before you rush headlong into mortal danger. Think how horrible it will be for me if anything happens to you."
"Sakura…," he said throatily. How much emotion could there be in the utterance of a name? It was the end of her reason. She stepped right up to him and hugged him very tightly.
"You scared me," she said, "I really, really like you, you know that, right? I never want to be without you anymore."
Had she been unsure she would be ready to chase him? She wasn't anymore. She would chase him across the entire world and into every shadow the world of a Shinbori was so full of if necessary. But maybe no chasing was necessary. He hugged her back, pressing her body against himself just as tightly. "I would like to promise you the world right now, Sakura," he whispered. "But I cannot. At the very least, I want to promise you that I will be there for you, always. For you and for Sarada. Whatever happens I will…"
He suddenly stiffened in alarm.
"What is it?" Sakura asked, lifting her head off his chest, "what happened?"
"We're in trouble," Kakashi said, "one of my clones was just killed nearby. We need to move. NOW."
###
It went quite well for a while, considering the circumstances. Fooling their enemies with the help of his shadow clones and water clones that looked like the other three bought them time, but that trick would not work forever.
It was very tiring to keep that many active clones scattered in the field, but the much bigger problem was that Kakashi's knew this was a fight that they could not win. Mrs. Nohara was a citizen of Konoha and it seemed her private guard was too… as a shinobi serving the village he could not fight against Konohans without an explicit order from his Hokage. In addition, if his hunch was correct, Mrs. Nohara had connections to the very top, potentially even to the Fire Daimyo - which made the entire Land of Fire unsafe for them. If that woman wanted Sarada and used her connections to get her, what could he, a mere Jonin, do to stop her?
The second big problem was that he would have to fight Rin. Her he was allowed and even expected to fight, she and her Oni masked warriors had already presented themselves as a severe threat to the village. Would they have time to talk though? Would he… would he be able to apologize? Or would they just clash. He could pretend the thought didn't affect him all he wanted, truth was he knew that this inevitable meeting would be an extremely hard test. If worse came to worse, would he be able to kill her again?
"We take break," Kakashi said around 4 o'clock since it was obvious that Sakura needed one.
"I'm fine," she lied, guessing it was because of her, but he signalled to halt anyway. They were very close to the border now, an hour or less away from the Land of Water. This direction had confused at least one part of their pursuers - Mrs. Nohara had probably wrongly surmised he would head back to Konoha after their run-in, but he had first led his group south-east, then north-east.
"You should walk around a bit for blood circulation," he told Sarada and went down on one knee so that she could more easily climb down from his back.
Sakura took the stiff legged girl by the hand and led her behind some bushes so she could relieve her bladder.
The forest around them had been changing for the last hour or so, it was lighter here, with less pine trees. The sky had turned a little stormy towards the East and the fresh leaves rustled excitedly in the stiffening breeze. Kakashi breathed in deeply. There was the faint scent of the ocean in the air.
"Sensei," Kaeru said, "I was wondering, would Hokage-sama have sent backup for us?"
Kakashi had considered the possibility, but they couldn't count on it. And even if Tsunade should have sent help, it wasn't certain their friends would find them in time.
"Let's assume she hasn't," Kakashi answered. "We have to be very alert when we continue. None of my clones has met any enemies for the last two hours. I fear that's not good."
"Should I carry Sarada for a while once we continue?" Kaeru asked after processing this information with an unhappy expression.
"No, it's fine," Kakashi said. Sarada had insisted on getting on his and nobody else's back this morning and she weighed so little he really didn't care. "When the enemy makes an appearance, I will hand her over to Sakura."
"Sakura is keeping up well," Kaeru observed with a side-glance towards the bushes the girls had disappeared behind.
"As expected of a well trained and very talented kunoichi," Kakashi murmured. Even seven years of long hours at the hospital had not changed that in substance. Of course, she was trying extra hard to keep up, probably because she was afraid he would take anything else as an excuse to sideline her again. Which he would in an instance if it meant she was safe.
Sakura stepped out of the bushes and when she saw him looking in her direction, she smiled.
"You alright?" She asked as he walked towards her. "You look a little tired."
"Mhm," he answered.
He had stolen glances at her all day. Her face was particularly lovely, it had to be the gentle light that highlighted the green of her eyes. Looking at her standing there in her travel attire immediately led to thinking about those curves, that soft skin, her readiness to be pleased, her slight awkwardness to please back… how thoroughly inappropriate in a situation like this. But what could he do? She hadn't accept his attempts to distance himself and harden his heart. Foolish attempts, his heart was hers anyway, soft like goo and utterly defenseless.
She was so surprised she made a little cute sound when Kakashi's lips met hers. Mmmmh, she smelled very good. He grabbed a fistful of her dyed hair and pulled her even closer.
"Stop, we're on a mission and there's a child!" Sakura disengaged herself, pushing against his chest, turning a very dark red.
Sarada who had stepped forward right behind her looked at them a little puzzled. Kakashi turned his head back at Kaeru but the young Anbu was concentrating hard to look elsewhere. Good boy.
Kakashi smirked at Sakura. "You look even more alluring when you're flustered. Does the rest of your skin turn red too? Can I find out tonight? I would like to sleep with my client again if she has no objections."
"Kakashi!" Sakura complained, looking so cute in her embarrassment he almost wanted to coo.
"Uncle Kakashi", Sarada asked, pulling at his shirt, "can I stay with Auntie Sakura and you if we don't find my mommy?"
"Yes," Kakashi said without thinking.
"What?" Sakura exhaled.
Had she forgotten what he had promised her this morning? He would always be there for her, for her and for Sarada. Did she think he didn't mean it? He was almost ready to tell her about the babies with pink hair he wanted, at least three when suddenly, his nose picked up the scent of molten metal. All alarms went off in his head at once.
"Take cover!" he shouted right as the air parted and a towering, shimmering figure appeared out of nowhere.
"Oh shit," Sakura yelled, grabbing Sarada and racing behind some rocks with her.
It was the orange one.
"Remember, it can absorb chakra," Kakashi yelled at Kearu before dodging the humanoid's hand and racing up a tree, hearing the heavy steps behind him.
Remote controlled again, he assured himself by checking between the eyes for a human passenger. Was she near? She had to be.
"How do I activate this damn Mangekyo Sharingan," Kakashi murmured as he jumped to another tree, the machine close behind him.
"Kaeru! Go for the chakra cell," he shouted, "can you see it? It was in the chest last time!"
"No!" Kaeru shouted, "Sensei, be careful and don't look at it for too long, it hurts the eyes."
True, the armor was glistening like sun on water, making it hard to focus.
Rin. Why? What do you want?
There was a sudden memory of a dream - only it probably wasn't a dream. She had taken him prisoner, hadn't she. When? She had said she had a grudge. She had not wanted to be called Rin. And she had very expertly hurt him.
"I'm an idiot," he said to himself, turning around to face the Susanoo.
Shiden had not helped. Lightning was out of the question. He tried an earth jutsu next, with mediocre results. Wind? Horrible. Water… not his favorite, they needed too many handsigns.
"I need some time," Kakashi signalled Kaeru and began: Ushi, Sara, Oo, Nae, Ee, Tori, Ushi, Uma, Tori, Nae, Tora, Inu, Tora, Mee...
He was fast, but the Susanoo was faster. It jumped forward and crashed into the tree Kakashi was standing on, its weight toppling it over with an ugly, breaking sound. Kakashi managed to somersault into the air and push himself off the branch of another tree soon finding his balance again - but there was no way that damn thing would leave him enough time to do over forty sings.
But he had forgotten a particular well trained and very talented kunoichi.
"Shannaro!" Sakura yelled and the earth split from the impact of her fist, a jagged line of exploding soil racing towards the Susanoo.
Not time to be impressed and proud, now or never! Ushi, Sara, Oo, Nae, Ee, Tori, Ushi, Uma, Tori, Nae, Tora, Inu, Tora, Mee... faster! Faster! … Tori, Jin, Nae, Ee, Tori. "Water style: Water dragon jutsu!"
It was a formidable dragon that appeared from the ripped earth, and Kakashi felt quite content that despite bleeding chakra all day for his clones, he still had enough of it to draw forth the groundwater like this. The water dragon crashed down on the already staggering machine and threw it off its feet and halfway into a ditch.
"Run!" Kakashi yelled and jumped to the rock where Sarada was.
"We cannot outrun this thing!" Kaeru observed wide-eyed.
"I beg to differ," Kakashi said as he passed Sarada to him. "I will catch up with you. Head North-east!"
Kaeru nodded and ran, grabbing Sakura's hand as he passed her.
"I'll join up with you in no time, Sakura!" Kakashi yelled at her. She nodded and complied despite looking unhappy about the situation.
After making sure they were not pursued, Kakashi turned around and started to gather Lightning chakra into his hand until his entire arm crackled with it. Lightning nature did not work against this thing's armor normally. But only when it wasn't lying in a pool of water.
"Raiton: Shiden!" he yelled and shot the purple energy into the water. Feeling very pleased he watched the electricity envelop the machine completely, destroying one joint after another with a loud crackling sound..
When it was over, Kakashi stood very still.
"Are you there, Rin?" he asked into the forest. "What happened to you?"
The stillness was almost absolute.
"I will not let you hurt anyone I care for," Kakashi said. "I will kill you again if I have to. But Rin, if you come to your senses… I will be there for you, okay? I will help you."
Not a single leaf moved.
She wasn't here. Was he glad or disappointed? Sometimes, when facing hard tests, you want nothing more than have them over and done with.
###
It was getting very late. Sarada had fallen asleep on his back, Sakura suppressed frequent yawns. The fog around them was getting thicker and thicker.
"I don't like this," Kaeru whispered as if he feared to have his voice heard in this creepy surrounding, "are we lost?"
"Not at all," Kakashi said. "We just head for where the fog is thickest. It can't be far."
Indeed. Not fifteen minutes later, they came to a high wall.
"Where are we, Kakashi?" Sakura asked full of wonderment, stopping in her tracks and throwing her head back to look as far up as possible.
"The Village Hidden in the Mist," Kakashi said with satisfaction.
It wasn't easy to find, but he had been here before. Minor detail: back then just like now, he had not had an invitation. They might all have served in the war together, but that didn't change the fact that Shinobi villages were very suspicious of one another. Even in peacetime, ninja warriors were not permitted to enter other shinobi villages without permission.
"I don't think we have time to knock and wait for them to open the Gates," he said. "Let's scale the walls and then ask politely whether they would let us in, shall we?"
Sometimes, when facing hard tests, you had to do risky things in order to ensure an optimal result.
