Naruto clenched his fists. "Granny, I am going to find the killer." Those were the first words Naruto had said since seeing his in fact if not in bloodline, nii-san's lifeless head in the orange satin of the box. His voice was remarkably calm, although the veins in his neck were straining against the bronze surface of his skin. Kakashi stood silently by Naruto's side, prepared to react at a moment's notice, as he had no idea how Mr. Unpredictable would react. He was shaken a bit as well. Sasuke had become an asset to the village after the war, and Kakashi was sorry to see him dead. Tsunade's hazel eyes snapped sharply up at Naruto, even through the hangover-induced pain.
"I am doing that now, Naruto. We cannot run off half-cocked. We have to have information. I have shinobi out trying to gather information and we are analyzing Sasuke's body. You are not to leave the village." Her voice was strained and tired.
Naruto frowned; Kakashi felt the muscles in the blond's entire body clench. "Me and Kurama can't sit around doing nothing!"
"Naruto! This is what the killer wants! Otherwise, why send the head to you? They want you and Kurama. That much is certain. Therefore, you are not to leave the village and that is an order. Understood?" Tsunade's eyes locked with Naruto's. A cerulean eye twitched in response. Tsunade sighed.
Kakashi looked at Naruto. Finally, he broke the stalemate. "Naruto, she's right. You need to stay in the village. There's nothing you can do, and you are a target." Naruto jerked his head at Kakashi, eyes showing disappointment and betrayal. Kakashi touched Naruto's elbow. When that did not garner a response, Kakashi added some pressure and gripped it, steering Naruto out of the office. Sighing, Kakashi led Naruto out by pressure on the elbow and steered him towards Kakashi's apartment.
Once getting behind closed doors, Naruto's eyes blazed and his anger bubbled over. "How could you? After what I did to save you, then you just agree to sit here and do nothing?" Naruto's anger was brimming, his arms shaking. He started to pace.
Kakashi said nothing, but went to grab a pack, tossing it to Naruto. As it bounced off Naruto's head and onto the floor, Kakashi started grabbing food and setting it on the table. "I would suggest you help me fill this bag with rations."
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise and then a big grin broke over his face as he grabbed the food and started putting it in the bag. "But how are we gonna get out of here without anyone seeing us? You're pretty noticeable you know, even though you tried so hard not to be with the mask and all." Naruto's face scrunched up in a thoughtful position.
Kakashi frowned. Standing, he looked back at Naruto. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I am leaving; I'm not required to stay in the village." As Naruto started to get angry again, Kakashi made the signs and summoned his ninken. "I'm going to have you smell around this package and see if you can find a scent that's not mine, Naruto's or Sasuke's. Can you do that?" he reached down, scratching Pakkun's ear.
Pakkun looked somewhat offended. "Of course I can. Geez, you fall in love and lose all faith in me." Hmphing, he and the others started sniffing around as Naruto grabbed Kakashi's arm again.
"Whaddaya mean? I'm going if you are going!" Naruto puffed up. Kakashi rolled his visible eye.
"Sometimes you can be very dense." Unrolling a scroll, he laid it on the table. As he brought out a change of clothes, he murmured to himself, "Yes, I must take this scroll and anything in it." As he put his clothes in, he sighed. "Pakkun, it really is sad that transporting people within scrolls can't happen…most don't have the physical stamina to withstand it…not like a jinchuriki could."
Pakkun looked up at hearing his name, rolled his eyes at Kakashi's blatant hint as Naruto's eyes widened in wonder. "Yea…but wait…Kakashi, I don't have the jutsu to do th…"
"Kid, this jutsu is infused in the scroll. Kakashi bought three when he was a genin, just in case he needed them. He's never used one til now. All ya gotta do is put your hand on it." Pakkun went back to sniffing. Grinning, Naruto nodded and created a couple shadow clones.
"Stay here, act like me." He stated to them as he slammed his hand a bit too eagerly on it, cracking the table as he was sucked in.
"Boss…he is dense." Pakkun grumbled.
Kakashi sighed. "I know. But…between you and me…he is adorably dense."
Pakkun rolled his eyes again and went back to searching for a scent.
()()()
Kakashi strolled to the gates, pack on his back. Just as he was about to leave, Sakura rushed to him. "Kakashi-sensei…where is Naruto? I went to his apartment, but he wasn't there." Sniffing, Sakura's eyes were red. Kakashi noticed what a fine kunoichi she had become. She was a very strong willed woman and skilled shinobi in her own right.
Kakashi shrugged. "He was angry that I agreed with Hokage-sama. Last time I saw him was in my apartment. Why, is something the matter?"
"No, I just know how angry he was. Wait…where are you going?" Her eyes shrewdly saw the bag.
"My pack found a scent and I am following it." Nodding, he motioned towards where Bull and Pakkun were waiting at the gate, having caught a scent. Kakashi had sent a missive to Tsunade, who agreed to allow him, and only him to follow the trail, since scent trails went away quickly afterwards.
"Thank you." Sakura impulsively hugged Kakashi, who stiffened unconsciously and then relaxed. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her gently. Her eyes glassy, she pulled back. Rubbing her stomach, she frowned, bowing her head. "Sasuke was so happy he was going to be a daddy."
()()()
An hour out of the Village, Kakashi sat down, pulling out his pack. Pulling out the small scroll tucked carefully in his pouch, Kakashi opened it, releasing the jutsu. Naruto rolled out, panting heavily. "Geez, why'd ya wait so long?" Naruto glared at Kakashi, gasping for breath.
"I had to get far enough away." Kakashi tucked the scroll back into his pouch. "We have a trail, let's keep going." As the men kept following Pakkun, Naruto worried. He was trying to wrap his head around this. Why did someone keep killing? Why try this when he changed history? It had to be something else…something to do with him. So, what was it? Frowning, Naruto felt like he should figure it out, but he could not. Looking over at Kakashi, maybe, just maybe, Kakashi could figure it out. Naruto would tell him later.
Pakkun stopped. Nodding at the cave in front of him. "Boss…the smell ends in there." Nodding, Kakashi looked at Naruto. Naruto's face set and he nodded. Moving close to Naruto, Kakashi whispered, "Remember…we need to know why and how…" Naruto nodded again, jaw set.
As the two crept into the cave, there was a small fire illuminating the back wall. As the duo crept on into the back, Naruto saw the figure bent over the fire. Be careful, kid. We can't change time again.Nodding at what Kurama said, Naruto followed Kakashi as the men hugged the wall and then crept behind a huge stalagmite formation. As the two sat silently, trying to figure out their next steps, the figure stood. "I know you are there. You have come for me. I know that, and I'm ready." The voice…that voice….Naruto knew it but he couldn't place it. Looking at Kakashi, Kakashi shrugged, his forehead wrinkling as he, too tried to place the voice. However, since there was a lack of surprise, and no immediate attempt to kill the two shinobi, Kakashi went ahead and stepped out, Naruto next to him. As the figure looked up, Naruto knew why he knew that voice…it was his. While the hair was black, the eyes were blue, and the whisker marks were still there.
"W…what?" Kakashi stood, chidori forming at this strange vision in front of him.
"I'm ready." Dark Naruto said. "To keep this from being too confusing, call me by my name…Menma."
"Why do you look like me?" Naruto demanded. He probably should not have asked this question first, but he just didn't have a choice…it's as if his tongue was working on its own.
"Because I am you." Menma said matter-of-factly. At Naruto's confusion shown on his face, Menma frowned. "Kurama didn't tell you." he noted, disappointment evident. Naruto shook his head no. Sighing, Menma ushered them to sit. Naruto went up and sat by the fire. Kakashi refrained from sitting, but leaned against the wall to protect his back to listen but also stay alert. Edging close to Naruto, he kept his eyes on Menma.
"I did not expect to be the one to explain this. I just learned it upon coming to this world. Anyways…changing time changes you. It extracts a cost on you. Kurama was supposed to explain that before you changed time…" Menma's eyes showed disapproval as Naruto felt compelled to protect Kurama.
"He asked, I said I didn't care what the cost was." Naruto explained defensively.
"Well, the cost is that you lose a part of your soul. Which caused me to exist. I shaved off of you in the process of traveling back in time." Menma responded calmly.
"If you're me, then why kill Sasuke?!" Naruto demanded. "You know how I felt about him, he was my brother!" Tears pricked at Naruto's eyes as the memory came back in force as he vocalized it.
Menma nodded, not even looking upset. "You can't change the mileposts of fate. You stopped Kakashi from dying, so it went to the one you loved the second best. It went to Sasuke. My existence is solely to complete what you tried to stop fate from doing."
"But you didn't….Kakashi lived! Fate didn't get Kakashi!" Naruto stated, thoroughly confused.
Menma sighed. "Sometimes, Naruto, I can't believe we are the same person." Before Naruto could look offended, Menma continued, "Kakashi's death wasn't the milepost. The death of the one closest to you is the milepost. Extreme loss after knowing and feeling what you lost. That is the milepost."
"Bullshit! I lost Jiraiya already. You're lying!" Naruto started to stand as Menma held out a hand to stop him.
"You were very close to Jiraiya; this is true…but not as close as you are to Kakashi or Sasuke." Standing, Menma offered his hand to Naruto. "Now, fate has aligned itself. However, you still have the problem you created to deal with. You need to kill me, or I will continue to kill. I have gotten a taste of it…and I like it. However, I know I am an anachronism and I do not belong here. Therefore, I have accepted my fate. Fate always gets her way." As Naruto scrambled up, he looked confused and looked over at Kakashi, who looked impassively at Naruto.
He's right. About it all, kid. And you need to destroy him. He doesn't belong here.
You didn't tell me I'd become evil!
You didn't become evil. A slice of you came off…it happened to be an evil slice. Naruto could hear the sigh in Kurama's voice.
I don't wanna kill myself!
Kid, you want Kakashi to do it? You wanna put that death on him, too?
Naruto looked over at Kakashi, who was staring at Naruto, the question in his eye. Frowning, Naruto's shoulders slumped. "No…I'll do it." Walking over to Menma, he looked at him. "I'll make it quick."
()()()
"So it's my fault that Sasuke is dead." Naruto said flatly, as the two men prepared to sleep in the cave that night and return to the Village the next morning. After killing Menma, these were the first words Naruto had said in the past three hours. Pakkun and Bull sat at the entrance of the cave guarding it as Kakashi had pulled Naruto onto a mat, holding the younger man against his chest as Naruto sat towards the fire.
"Naruto, the pain and responsibility will always be there. I understand the pain of not being able to save your comrade. In addition, even though you will not believe me, this is not your fault. You did not know what would happen." Kakashi pointed out.
"Yea, but I would have if I would have let Kurama tell me." Naruto pointed out.
"Oh? Do you really believe that Kurama knew it would be Sasuke, or that this particular event would have happened?" Kakashi asked, his voice tired.
Kid, every time travel is different. I could not have predicted this. All I was going to tell you was that the cost would be painful. However, I could not have told you what the painful cost would have been. Based on that, would you have changed your mind?
No. Naruto stated slowly, shamefully after thinking hard about the question. It wouldn't have changed my mind at all.
Enjoy the happiness you have. You may not always have it.
That sobering thought silenced Naruto, his eyes blinking wide into the darkness of the recesses of the cave. Frowning long into the night, sleep evaded the knucklehead into the wee hours of the morning as Kakashi held him, sleeping peacefully next to Naruto.
()()()
Kakashi went back to his apartment and let Naruto out of the other scroll he had packed before going to report to Tsunade. He figured why torture Naruto anymore. Huffing, Naruto rolled out onto the floor. "Geez, those are uncomfortable!" The grousing made Kakashi smile under his mask, it was so close to Naruto and so different from somber Naruto that it made Kakashi smile.
"Now, you stay here and I am going to go report to the Hokage." Naruto frowned but nodded, knowing it was better to pick his battles. Dispelling his shadow clones, he then went into the bathroom, and drew a hot bath, hoping to drown his troubles. As the jinchuriki slid into the hot water, he closed his eyes, letting the water ease his tired muscles. He vowed he would be a good uncle to Sasuke's child and never let the baby forget how amazing their dad was. He vowed that to Sasuke.
()()()
As Kakashi reported to the Hokage the results of his mission, her frown deepened. "This doesn't make sense Kakashi. Just some random rogue ninja wanted to kill Sasuke because he liked killing?" Her eyebrows scrunched up so much her diamond couldn't be seen. Kakashi kept calm; he had to make her buy this story.
Kakashi shrugged. "This is what I learned, Hokage-sama. Some say that killing is a drug. And…having been in the ANBU, I can attest to truth in that statement." His response was so quiet Tsunade would have missed it had she not been listening intently.
"You are certain of this killer being the one who killed Sasuke?" Tsunade stared hard at Kakashi.
"Yes. He volunteered the information before I even asked a question after I trapped him. Pakkun tracked him down efficiently. He was the murderer. It was unfortunate, but I was not able to bring him back alive." Kakashi stood at attention. What he said was true, if somewhat misleading.
Tsunade stared hard at Kakashi for several minutes and then finally nodded. "Alright. Do you want to tell Naruto, or shall I?"
Kakashi looked thoughtful. "I'll let him know. He may take it better from me." Tsunade nodded, relieved at not having to tell Naruto and gladly left the job to Kakashi as Kakashi turned and left.
()()()
Life went on. Naruto never could quite shake the melancholy of Sasuke's death, and threw himself into being the best Uncle to Sarada that he could be. He and Kakashi married and lived quietly, with him ascending to Hokage. He was loved and respected, gaining everything he wanted. When spoken of, his people had only good things to say of their Hokage. He was fair, he was honest, he was loyal…his only fault is that he was late. Whenever Naruto was late, Kakashi knew where to find him, and often stood for hours with him at the Memorial Stone.