All thoughts of Anbu aside, Kakashi used his first couple of weeks in office to turn his attention towards his larger concerns about the future of Konoha. He still felt unsuited for the position and ill-equipped to lead the village, somehow lacking without his sharingan. His last mission had instilled more self-confidence, but he hoped that the faith of the village was not resting on the wrong person.

Tsunade had done much in the past year to start reconstructing, but the village was still in a state of disarray given that the war was so wide-reaching in its devastation. To better assess how the rebuilding progress was going, he disguised himself and wandered around the village with a camera, documenting people, their stories, and the ever present changes.

He donned purple eyeshadow, tape below his eyes, and a light brown wig, adjusting the bangs to hide the topside of his scar. Then, he looked in the mirror. He hardly recognized himself. Thirty-some odd years of keeping his face covered had made him a stranger to his own eyes. At the minute, he wasn't sporting tanlines on his cheeks, which happened occasionally. It was worse when he had to keep his left eye covered. That particular triangular tan on his face was always tricky to get rid of.

This disguise offered him many freedoms. He could roam the village and capture progress in a way he couldn't as Kakashi, or as Hokage for that matter, and he was better able to check in on his former students. He had also found photography to be a helpful hobby over the past year, and looking like someone else gave him the ability to escape from his duties. Wolf was right in that regard…he did loathe the paperwork.

He wandered through the village, checking in with some of the shops that had recently reopened, speaking with owners about business, their families, and supply issues. At lunch, he stopped for a quick bite to eat, intending to stay out only a little longer before transitioning back to the mountain of paperwork in his office.

Kakashi rounded a corner towards the overlook to Hokage Rock and paused. There was a young woman at a bench, staring up at the carvings of the Hokages. Kakashi thought he knew of at least everyone in Konoha - there weren't many left after the war - but he had never seen this particular woman before. He would have remembered… She was one of the most striking women he'd ever seen, with jet black hair and icy blue eyes. He would have definitely noticed her before. He raised his camera and snapped her profile with his lens, a look of conflict riddling her face as she gazed out at the stone giants. Kakashi took a few steps closer.

"Excuse me, may I take your photograph?" he asked.

The girl glanced at him, and he saw she had a long scar running down her jawline, from the base of her ear to her chin. It did not detract from her beauty in the slightest, and only made him more intrigued about her.

"Why?" she asked.

"You look very serene, and it is a lovely setting."

"I'd prefer it if you didn't."

Surprise graced his expression, but he didn't press the matter and lowered his camera.

"May I sit down, then?"

She eyed him warily, but eventually nodded.

He introduced himself as Sukea, a traveler who was staying in town for a while. He did a circuit of most of the major towns, he explained, taking photographs and selling them to local news outlets. A freelancer.

"Would you have sold my photo?" she asked him.

"No, I'm taking photographs of locals as the town continues to rebuild. I'd like to capture this part of history as we transition from a time of chaos into peace."

This last statement gave her pause. "You're capturing people's trauma?" she asked.

He looked back at her with kind eyes. "Sort of," he said. "I suppose I'm trying to capture hope."

"I'm not sure how much hope there is for those who lost everything," she said plainly.

"Did you lose everything?"

"Yes, everything but myself."

"Having yourself is still something, right? You've got a lot of life ahead of you. You're still young."

"Young, perhaps, but I've already experienced enough pain for one lifetime."

Kakashi considered his own past. He, too, felt that he had enough pain to last a lifetime, but to him, the future did not look so bleak. "Are you from here?"

"No. I was born in Kirigakure, but I came to Konoha about six years ago."

Six years ago? How have I never seen you before? Aloud he asked, "What brought you here?"

"I was a kunoichi. Someone close to my heart died, and I couldn't fight for my own village after he was gone."

"Was it a family member? A friend?"

"You ask a lot of questions," she said, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

Kakashi smiled and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Eh, part of being a photographer, I suppose. I like to know people's stories."

The girl smiled faintly. "He was my mentor. He was cold, calculating, and ruthless, but he was hardened by circumstance and idealistic dreams, as we all were." Wistfully, she added, "I would have done anything for him."

She paused, and Kakashi couldn't help but say, "It sounds like you have terrible taste in men."

The look she gave him was one of utter astonishment, but then she surprised him by bursting into laughter. The tinkling sound of her voice sent a nice sensation up his spine, and he smiled, glad that he could bring this girl a moment of joy.

"I suppose so," she agreed, "but I like to think it wasn't those qualities I was attracted to. He had a kind streak.

"I find that most people are a mixture of good and bad," she continued. "He died before his hardened walls could crack. That's what I regret, that the world didn't see his good."

Kakashi felt a strong desire to console this girl, still young and full of innocence, and wished that she could feel the kindness of Konoha as he felt it.

"How did he die?"

"Killed, taking a job he should have never agreed to." She was matter-of-fact about it.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he told her. "At one point in my life, I thought I had lost everything, too, but time in this community slowly staunched the bleeding in my heart. The scars are still there, but the pain softens with time."

"I see you're an optimist," she said. "For me, I thought I was healing after I came here, but it turns out my wounds were only festering. They were ripped open again during the war. I saw him, and I watched him die a second time." She shook her head.

The trauma of reliving death lodged deeply into one's soul, Kakashi knew. "I saw friends resurrected and killed, too," he said softly. "One day, we'll join them in the afterlife, but for now, we're here with each other. This is the only world we have."

She studied him. "You're very odd, for a photographer."

Did I give too much away? He grinned at her nervously.

"My name is Seika," she finally said, introducing herself and turning back to the Hokages. "You may take my photo, but not here. I can't stand his face."

Kakashi followed her eyes to Hokage Rock, and found, to his great dismay, that she was staring at him.

"Uh, you're not a fan of the Hokage?"

"No."

Well that puts a wrench in things, he considered, once again glad to be disguised.

"What about him puts you off?" he asked. Seika's face grew dark with anger, and he wondered what in the world he had done to make this girl he didn't even know so upset.

"Everything."

"Well, uh, I thought that people loved him, and I've been told he's a great shinobi. He had a big role in ending the war. Isn't that why he's Hokage now?"

"He's lazy, perverted, and over celebrated," she spat.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Kakashi laughed nervously, trying to calm her down. "Sounds like you know something from experience?"

"No," she said, suddenly more subdued. "I don't know him. He…" she paused.

"Go on," Kakashi encouraged.

"He hurt people close to me. It's not really his fault… But it's easier to blame him if I don't know him, and I don't know what would happen to me if I didn't have someone to blame."

Kakashi let out a long breath. That is an honest answer from someone in pain.

"Sometimes there's nothing to blame but circumstance," he ventured.

"I can tell that you like him," she said coldly, "and that's a point where we'll just have to disagree."

Seika stood up and looked down at him. "Well, do you want that photograph? You can come with me while I run errands, if you'd like."

Kakashi fumbled with his camera. "Yes." He wanted to know more about this woman.

As they walked through the village, he continued peppering her with questions, and to his great surprise, she continued answering.

"You said you were a kunoichi?"

"Yes. Trained in the mist, cultivated in the leaves."

That made her a Kiri missing-nin. It was extremely rare to find a missing-ninja from one village transplanted in another. However, many shinobi defected from Kirigakure, especially in the timeframe she was referencing, and while some were unable to pursue anything but a mercenary lifestyle, others were lucky enough to become refugees in other villages. How she came to be an active kunoichi in Konoha was another question entirely.

"Are you still active?" he asked.

"No. I gave up that life after the war."

"Why?"

"I can't stand death."

Such a straightforward answer. "Did you kill a lot of people?"

She gave him a look that sent a shiver up his spine, and simply said, "Yes."

"What do you do now?" he asked.

"You'll see."

Kakashi did see. Her first stop was to Tsunade, of all people, to pick up medicine.

"Who's this?" Tsunade asked upon greeting Sukea.

Kakashi introduced himself and asked to take a photograph of Tsunade. She did not seem suspicious of his identity in the slightest, and he grew a little more confident.

"Good to see you, Seika," Tsunade told her. "It's been a while. I take it your last trip was successful?"

"Yes…you received the plants and herbs?"

Tsunade nodded. "Sakura has already been putting them to use. I can't believe you went all the way to the Howling Wolf Village. That's a little out of the way."

"Not when people here need the help," Seika responded quietly, taking a basket of medicine from Tsunade.

"You do supply runs?" Kakashi asked her.

"Seika takes on a number of tasks we lack the shinobi for, including special supply runs that aren't considered vital by the Hokage's office," Tsunade told him. "The roads aren't fully safe yet, and she's one of the few with the skills to protect herself from would-be poachers."

"Gathering herbs for medicine isn't considered vital?" Kakashi asked.

"Not when that medicine will only help one or two villagers," Tsunade replied.

"It's nothing," Seika deflected. "I put my old skills to good use. Anyway, it's good to see you here again, Lady Tsunade."

"Yes. I have officially retired as Hokage!" She flashed a smile and gave a thumbs up.

"The ass finally took office, huh?" Seika mused.

Kakashi forced himself to hold his tongue at this remark.

"I know you don't like him, but give him a chance," Tsunade said, giving Seika a sly look. "He's more competent than you think."

After leaving Tsunade, Sukea shadowed Seika as she delivered the medicine to an elderly couple who had lost all three of their sons in the war. Then, she cleaned the home of a man who was missing a leg, promising him that his prosthetic would be ready soon, now that Tsunade could dedicate more of her time to the village's medical ward. She spent time with a widow who lost her husband, and paid a visit to parents whose children were no longer alive to carry out small tasks. She knew each family intimately, picked up and helped them where she was needed, and in turn shared their stories with Sukea while he recorded their images.

The afternoon passed quickly, and Kakashi spent much longer shadowing Seika than he intended, but his curiosity about daily life in the Hidden Leaf was only growing. His personal concern about becoming Hokage and the time away on his last mission had distracted him from these small and often overlooked needs. Now, he realized, it was his responsibility to notice and implement change where it was needed.

As he followed her, he noticed Seika didn't accept any form of payment for her service.

"Don't genin take care of these types of tasks?" he finally asked her. Walking dogs, delivering groceries…these were typical D-rank missions that people normally took to the Hokage's office. The youngest class of shinobi would be tasked with taking care of these small but important needs.

"Shinobi are in short supply," she reminded him. "Even the inexperienced ones are getting sent on more important missions, so many of these tasks fall to the wayside. Besides, most of what these people need isn't in the task itself, but rather in the companionship it brings."

Kakashi liked this answer. It told him much about Seika's heart. "Do you get paid for this work?"

Seika blinked at him, as if the thought of receiving compensation was foreign to her. "I don't ask for payment. They paid enough during the war."

"But then…how do you make a living?"

Seika turned away from him. "I get by." She sounded worn down, and only then did he realize the sun was starting to set.

"I have one more errand," she said, assessing the lateness of the hour. "You don't have to join me."

"No, I'd like to come."

As they continued to walk, Kakashi noticed that Seika grew quieter. He attributed this to tiredness. He had been asking her questions all day, after all, and he was tired himself.

They rounded a corner, and Seika suddenly put her hand on his chest, stopping him. Her touch was forceful, and he staggered backwards, nearly dropping his camera.

"Quiet," she said. He looked up and saw what had caused her to freeze.

An Anbu operative was at the door of a home in front of them, speaking with a woman who was very pregnant. Kakashi recognized the Wolf-shaped mask. He didn't hear Wolf's words, but he couldn't miss the woman's reaction.

The woman physically pushed Wolf away, and through tears cried, "Died in service?! You expect me to believe that? Don't think I'm not aware of your reputation! You kill your teammates, and his blood is on your hands!" She collapsed on the ground, inconsolable.

"Nakaya-san!" Seika called, rushing forward to help the woman. She slowed down while passing Wolf, giving the Anbu a nervous glance, but ultimately picked up the woman off the ground.

Wolf took a few hesitant steps backwards and then turned, disappearing into the night, but not before Kakashi saw her hands shaking.

This was unexpected, and Kakashi wasn't quite sure what to do. If he weren't in disguise, he would chase after Wolf to demand why she wasn't following protocol. The squadmates of a deceased Anbu were supposed to deliver the news together. No one was supposed to be left alone.

"Seika…" he started.

The woman turned her face to him, and he saw regret in her blue eyes. "Thank you for your company, Sukea, but I think it's time you leave. I'm sorry you had to see this."

He just nodded as the two women disappeared inside the home.

Kakashi donned his Hokage's robes and took a stroll to Anbu headquarters to check on Wolf. She would still be on duty.

Three other Anbu were in the security room, keeping an eye on the cameras that were dotted around Konoha. They didn't hear Kakashi enter.

"Replay it!"

The screen the men were watching rewound, and Kakashi watched the scene he had just observed, recorded in film. The woman's voice, crying "You kill your teammates!" echoed through Kakashi's mind as he heard it a second time on tape.

"See, I told you Wolf was shaking," one of the Anbu said, pointing out her hands.

"She's getting what she deserves," another one said with a laugh.

"You think she actually killed him?" the third, the youngest of the bunch, said.

"Three Anbu have died since she joined up, every single one on a team with her. You were there, Egret."

"It was an accident…" Egret replied in a half-hearted attempt to stand up for the girl.

"You sure about that? She lives up to the nickname."

"Tsunade calls her the Silent Assassin," Egret said.

"Not that one," the Anbu rewound the video again and played back the woman's scream. "Comrade killer! If you're not careful it'll be you next."

Kakashi took that moment to speak. "Did you know that I was once called 'friend-killer', when I was an Anbu?"

The three whipped around and found Kakashi standing on the catwalk above them.

"Hokage!" they cried, caught red-handed. "We didn't know you were standing there!"

"Do you think that I purposefully killed my teammates?" He asked calmly.

"No sir!"

"Rumors like that are dangerous and often unfounded. Why did she deliver the news alone?"

"Squadmates are required to deliver the news. She just happened to be on a two-person squad, with Owl."

"News like that is supposed to be delivered by more than one person," Kakashi corrected, an edge of anger in his tone at this operative's excuse. "Did she ask anyone to go with her?"

This question was met with silence, but he saw Egret twitch.

"Egret, did she ask anyone to go with her?" Kakashi repeated, more sternly.

"She put in a request, but the answer never came back. No one else volunteered."

Shit. The paperwork would have come across his desk. And what did he normally do with paperwork? He ignored it. This was entirely his own fault.

"When you see Wolf, tell her I want her in my office." He turned to leave.

"Hokage!" called one of the Anbu below. "Will there be an investigation?"

"It's already completed," he called back. "I saw to it myself. Owl died in the line of duty. The two were ambushed by an unexpected group of ninja, and Owl was hit with a kunai to his heart. You can read the autopsy, and I'll make the report available. In the meantime, cut it with the ridiculous rumors."

Late in the night, Kakashi was staring out the windows of the Hokage's office, watching the glow of the last burning fires that dotted the village. He'd have to do something about the lack of power. Batteries were in short supply, and power lines were still undergoing repair across the village. The few generators that the village had were reserved for the medical ward and the Hokage's offices, but even those had been unreliable recently. The power plant needed upgrading, and they were still waiting on a shipment of steel. He should make that a priority mission. He turned around to check on the flame in his own gas lantern and found Wolf at the entrance of his office.

Best not to mention the paperwork. He had spent the past few hours working through the piles on his desk, a response to his guilt over missing Wolf's request. He thought that the mountains of paper looked a little smaller, but then again he might just be fooling himself.

"Tsunade was right…you are silent," he mused.

"You wanted to see me?"

"I didn't think you'd come this late," he told her.

"I just got off shift. I didn't think you'd still be here."

"It seems we like to underestimate each other."

Kakashi picked up a file and tossed it to the girl. "That's the report from your last mission, if anyone asks," he said.

Wolf opened the folder and flipped through the pages within.

Kakashi let her read for a few minutes. He leaned backwards against the windows and put his hands in his pockets. "Why are you doing this job?" he asked curiously.

"Lady Tsunade appointed me."

"You don't enjoy it."

The mask moved from the file to Kakashi's face. "Who enjoys taking away life?" she asked.

That was the second time he had heard such a response today, but she was right. They had all seen too much death during the war. He, too, preferred life to death, but in their line of work, not everyone felt that way.

"Owl did," Kakashi replied drily. "Many in the Anbu are unphased by it. I'll repeat, why are you doing this job?"

The arm holding the file fell to Wolf's side. "Because Root stole everything from me."

"Be more specific," Kakashi pressed. "What's everything?"

"Why do you want to know?" Wolf retaliated.

Kakashi sighed, pushing himself away from the window. "Can I trust you?" he asked. She understood what he meant.

Wolf paused, debating how to answer. "Root took away my soul, and this is my way of getting it back."

Kakashi thought of the way Wolf's body had shook after delivering the news of Owl's death. The other dead bodies from her mission with Owl…Wolf had not touched a single one.

"What was Owl like, as a teammate?"

Wolf's body language told him she was frustrated by this line of questioning. "Angry, most of the time. At least, when he was around me. He had a sense of humor though…vulgar," she shrugged, "but that's how he was raised. He loved his wife, most of the time."

"Most of the time?" Kakashi prompted.

"When he didn't beat her," Wolf finished quietly. "He didn't used to…the beatings were a product of the war, and of Root's ideals. He didn't extend any extra kindness to me, but when his wife became pregnant, I thought he could change."

"You don't sound convinced."

"No," she said, crossing her arms. "He would have killed that child."

Kakashi waited for her to expound upon that answer, finally asking, "Why do you say that?" when she didn't continue.

"The baby wasn't his."

How she knew that, he had no idea. She must have spent countless hours watching her teammate. That kind of espionage wasn't easy, either. To watch abuse and stand by, doing nothing? That, too, ate away at one's sense of self.

"Was it easy, killing him?"

"Physically? Yes. Psychologically, no."

Kakashi pondered this answer. Wolf was profoundly self-aware of her own temperament. She did not have the personality fit for an Anbu, of that he was convinced, but she was punishing herself for her past mistakes, trying to atone for them. It was a feeling he understood, but self-atonement was no better than revenge.

"Did he have to die?"

Wolf hesitated for a long time. "I don't know how there could have been any other way that didn't carry more pain."

This answer, too, was honest. Kakashi nodded. "I have your next mission, when you're ready for it. Owl was communicating with an operative from the Hidden Sand. That's where you'll go next."

Wolf nodded, lingering in the doorway of Kakashi's office. "Lord Hokage?" she asked.

"Don't call me that," he said, more out of habit than a reprimand. The title still made him uncomfortable.

"Kakashi," she corrected. "Can I trust you?"

His eyes met her mask, memorizing the details. He realized for the first time that the designs on her mask were asymmetric, but not on purpose. The mask had cracked and been fixed, perhaps a couple of times, using the kintsugi method. He wondered if the outward appearance could be reflective of some deeper process going on within.

"I hope so," he finally said.

Later that night, after Kakashi fell into a fitful sleep, Wolf polished her weapons and donned her mask. She had a long road ahead of her, and she set out for Sunagakure before dawn.

A/N: Brief note to say thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites so far! Special shoutouts to Amaterasu53, Sao10k, and oOkurenekoOo. Glad you all liked the first chapter and hope you continue to enjoy as the story progresses ;)