Image is Everything
Part Seven: The Secret Behind Kakashi's Mask
Kakashi got ready just like he did every morning. He brushed his teeth, took a shower, gelled and blow dried his hair, and, most importantly, put on his mask. It was very important that he remember to put it on. It wasn't there just for his image; no, Kakashi had made a solemn promise in the past to always wear that mask. He remembered that day with his father...
"Kakashi," Kakashi's father said dramatically, looking down at his son with all the pride and love of a father, "promise me you'll always wear that mask."
"Okay."
... Yes, that was a very eventful day. In truth though, there was a very good reason Kakashi wore the mask, and it had to do with his secret bloodline. His family was endowed with a very special ability... they were extraordinarily beautiful. If some one even took a glance at Kakashi's face, they would fall head over heels in love with him. Yes, Kakashi had promised never to use this remarkable ability. It was just too powerful an ability to be taken advantage of except in a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very exceptional cases, and even then there would be side effects. Kakashi shuddered, remembering the one time he had been forced to use the technique, and how Jiraiya, who was with him on the mission, had stalked him for a month afterwards. The old man had showed up everywhere... on his missions, in his shower... he had even woken up one morning to find him in his bed. It was a scary time. Finally the Third had performed a jutsu to hypnotize Jiraiya into thinking he wasn't in love with Kakashi. Still, even now sometimes Kakashi would get a chill around the old man.
So Kakashi put on his mask and left for the ramen stand, where he was supposed to meet his beloved students. Coincidentally, Kurenai and Asuma were also there. Asuma was looking particularly psychotic that day, so Kakashi walked by him to sit next to Kurenai.
"Cigarettes..." Asuma mumbled, his eyes darting back and forth, "...out of cigarettes..."
"Yo," Kakashi said as he sat down next to Kurenai. He looked around in search of his team, but didn't see them anywhere... wow.... he was actually early for once.
"If you're looking for your team they're not here. They got fed up of waiting for you and left."
"Oh. I see."
Kurenai blew on her ramen and swallowed a spoonful, noting that it could use a little salt. She looked up at the condiment shelf, wondering why the owner kept it so high up. She stood up to reach for the salt, but it was no good, she couldn't reach.
"Please, allow me."
Kurenai turned to her left and gasped. "Uchiha Itachi!"
Itachi smiled and bowed, taking Kurenai's hands in his.
"At your service," he said, kissing her hand and not noticing that she looked terrified of him. After all, he had almost killed her the last time they had met. Instead, he stood up and reached for the salt... and couldn't grab it. He looked at Kurenai and noticed that he was even shorter than she was.
Kakashi grabbed the salt and tossed it to Kurenai. "Here you go."
"Umm.. thanks."
Then they sat down to eat, as if a fugitive and murderer wasn't standing next to them, lost in his thoughts.
After a few moments, Itachi turned and left. He always knew that he was short, but... not that short. A romantic hero couldn't be shorter then his love interest. What was he to do?
Part Seven: The Secret Behind Kakashi's Mask
Kakashi got ready just like he did every morning. He brushed his teeth, took a shower, gelled and blow dried his hair, and, most importantly, put on his mask. It was very important that he remember to put it on. It wasn't there just for his image; no, Kakashi had made a solemn promise in the past to always wear that mask. He remembered that day with his father...
"Kakashi," Kakashi's father said dramatically, looking down at his son with all the pride and love of a father, "promise me you'll always wear that mask."
"Okay."
... Yes, that was a very eventful day. In truth though, there was a very good reason Kakashi wore the mask, and it had to do with his secret bloodline. His family was endowed with a very special ability... they were extraordinarily beautiful. If some one even took a glance at Kakashi's face, they would fall head over heels in love with him. Yes, Kakashi had promised never to use this remarkable ability. It was just too powerful an ability to be taken advantage of except in a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very exceptional cases, and even then there would be side effects. Kakashi shuddered, remembering the one time he had been forced to use the technique, and how Jiraiya, who was with him on the mission, had stalked him for a month afterwards. The old man had showed up everywhere... on his missions, in his shower... he had even woken up one morning to find him in his bed. It was a scary time. Finally the Third had performed a jutsu to hypnotize Jiraiya into thinking he wasn't in love with Kakashi. Still, even now sometimes Kakashi would get a chill around the old man.
So Kakashi put on his mask and left for the ramen stand, where he was supposed to meet his beloved students. Coincidentally, Kurenai and Asuma were also there. Asuma was looking particularly psychotic that day, so Kakashi walked by him to sit next to Kurenai.
"Cigarettes..." Asuma mumbled, his eyes darting back and forth, "...out of cigarettes..."
"Yo," Kakashi said as he sat down next to Kurenai. He looked around in search of his team, but didn't see them anywhere... wow.... he was actually early for once.
"If you're looking for your team they're not here. They got fed up of waiting for you and left."
"Oh. I see."
Kurenai blew on her ramen and swallowed a spoonful, noting that it could use a little salt. She looked up at the condiment shelf, wondering why the owner kept it so high up. She stood up to reach for the salt, but it was no good, she couldn't reach.
"Please, allow me."
Kurenai turned to her left and gasped. "Uchiha Itachi!"
Itachi smiled and bowed, taking Kurenai's hands in his.
"At your service," he said, kissing her hand and not noticing that she looked terrified of him. After all, he had almost killed her the last time they had met. Instead, he stood up and reached for the salt... and couldn't grab it. He looked at Kurenai and noticed that he was even shorter than she was.
Kakashi grabbed the salt and tossed it to Kurenai. "Here you go."
"Umm.. thanks."
Then they sat down to eat, as if a fugitive and murderer wasn't standing next to them, lost in his thoughts.
After a few moments, Itachi turned and left. He always knew that he was short, but... not that short. A romantic hero couldn't be shorter then his love interest. What was he to do?
