rebirthFiles: 1.01-1.10
post-awakening.
entitled: 'Reaction'


I

She really doesn't understand it.

A green dragon, an ornate design of ink, makes its way, from the back of one wrist, up his arm, past his neck and back down to his other wrist. His hair, darkened from the coulour of mud to an almost black chestnut, hangs loose, brushing his collarbone lightly. His forehead protector, wrapped tightly around one arm, bent into a sharp arc. A sword, handle resting in one hand, tip in the other. Eyes, dangerous and unfamiliar eyes, glint in challenge.

He taps his foot, waiting for her to say something, do something. This isn't the one she knows. This isn't the man she trained under, not the man she idolized as a child. This isn't the sweet, modest, slightly nervous man with the flowers on his desk, nor is it the irritated mentor yelling at his young charges.

This man has a confidence he never had. This man radiates power that he never had.

II

When she'd been told of the Rebirth program, she had denied it's existence. No way her government would do that, could do that, to a person... Or let the people around this man trust him. Take a powerful, angry, self-destructing young man, perform a complex jutsu to suppress some parts of his personality... that went against everything her village stood for.

Surely it didn't exist. The Rebirth program was a lie, a hoax. There were no reformed ruffians passing the streets, disguised as peaceful citizens, forgetting their true nature. They'd proved it, found the documents that proved the creators of the original papers to be liars and fakes. Signatures, plans... Those were real.

Weren't they?

III

Shikamaru had told her the documents were false. Of course she wouldn't doubt her old friend, he would never lie to her. Unless he felt he needed to- No. He wouldn't. Not only was it impossible, it was... strange. Why would a rebel group of medic-nins perform strange, untested procedures on their own nin?

It made no sense.

Of course, given the amount of files on these people, there would be no way for something that large could be pulled off. The number of files that would need to be edited, the number of people bribed or blackmailed into doing it... And there'd be no point. Right?

Of course, converting hazardous ninja into calm, docile members of society- No. Just... no. If she could believe that of the Hokage and the elders, then she was halfway to being a missing-nin already. Loyalty... Not blind, but sensible. It was just common sense. The Leaf didn't do things like that - Orochimaru was exiled for doing strange experiments on people.

Yes. It didn't exist. Why did she even question it?

IV

Iruka had once mentioned his childhood to her. His parents had died when he was little, and it had sent him on a downward spiral. He'd been a rebel, pushing the limits of anyone he worked with.

He'd been a prankster, someone who didn't believe in anyone or anything. He'd raised himself, and he'd learned not to take any crap from anyone. His teachers, his classmates, his partners... They'd all just been things in his way. He'd show them... He had to grow up through the war, so even when his parents had been around, they weren't around much. But they'd loved him.

He'd lost everyone he'd cared about that night. All because of that demon.

But he told her how he'd screwed up, and been assigned to assistant teaching position until he cooled down. He told her how he fell in love with the little orphans, the kids who wanted to be a ninja like him. So he'd changed himself.

That's what he'd told her, and she knew it was the truth.

(She knew he believed it. Was it true?) Yes it was.

V

Kakashi had mentioned Iruka once or twice. The two had some sort of connection - they'd grown up in the academy together, even though Kakashi had graduated a year or two before Iruka. He'd mentioned how the guy had been an idiot - reckless, endangering his teammates.

Yet she'd always noticed a hint of (admiration?) in his voice, when speaking about that Iruka. Now, to Kakashi, Iruka was boring. That's how it seemed, from what she noticed talking to him. He considered Iruka a bunch of wasted potential.

But... Iruka hadn't gotten weaker, had he?

Kakashi had started the mission then. He was hiding something, she knew it.

VI

When there was a fire at the admin building, she was sort of confused. Fires don't happen there. Well, fires can happen anywhere, but that's why they have ANBU everywherem and firefighting nins with water jutsu. To make sure nothing happens.

But things happen, so she ignored it. She was a medic, all the way in the hospital; It was nowhere near her. Still, it was so strange... Things like that didn't happen. Though, really, she was just a teenager. Maybe it was a fluke fire.

But when she asked what burned, they mentioned files... 'Those files' she'd picked up on a mission...

The Rebirth files.

They were gone.

VII

He shrugs, irritated but careless, annoyed but just there, not really putting forth any effort to do anything but wait. After a few moments, he asks her what he problem is.

She's a good shinobi, but even she can be spooked. She scurries away, and he gives a 'psh' before continuing his way down then street. How had she even recognised him?

Because he was him. No tattoo, no sword, would ever change that. He was just... different.

(Understatement of the year.)

He was still... him. But... Did this prove what she (hadn't) suspected, about the Rebirth program? And why... what had happened? If it was the Rebirth, did that mean someone had reverse it? But why, after so much time...?

VIII

This day was getting weirder by the minute. When she'd woken up, everything had been fine... But, sometime before lunch, she'd felt that something strange was happening. Then she ran into him, and the day went downhill from there.

She had lunch with Ino, who hadn't seen him yet. When she told her, however, Ino went beserk and dragged her out onto the streets looking for them. Figures he'd run into them from behind and yell at them for being in the way.

When Ino saw the shirtless (except for his chuunin vest), tattoed and, well, different Iruka, it was like she was in a state of shock. He was gone before he could notice, and she had to walk the blank-eyed Ino into a cafe and buy her a coffee to revive her.

Ino asked what the hell had happened to their (former) sensei.

She didn't receive an answer.

IX

She'd woken up when Ino had waved a hand in front ofher face, called her name. Sakura, Sakura. She shakes her head a little, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Where is she? A cafe. With Ino. Because of..

Okay, she wasn't fine. Was this a genjutsu? Was the world around her not real? Was that really her sensei, the one she'd grown up knowing? Could she even accept that as reality?

Was this her fault?

X

He'd beat him. He'd beat Kakashi-sensei.

He'd called him out, that afternoon, the day he'd changed. The day Sakura and Ino had sat in the cafe, discussing the false files. The Rebirth files. The day they'd asked people about Iruka, all that time ago, and realised the person they were describing was the very man walkign the streets now, only ten years older.

And now Kakashi-sensei was lying on the ground, his face bleeding and Iruka holding his facemask. Yelling at him to let them see. Iruka was... bullying Kakashi, pushing him to do something he would never do. Kakashi got up and attacked Iruka, and the two were wrestling on the ground, just punching eachother out in the streets like brawling children. Scary, angry young children.. No, men, because the look in their eyes was murderous.

Had it been admiration in Kakashi's voice, all that time ago?

Or had it been... relief?

:files I-X, ende: