WARNING: Flashbacks within flashbacks! Don't get confuzzled!
I do not own Naruto – if I did, Kakashi would really be great – like a Sannin etc etc etc… and we'd see what's under his mask.
Revelation of the Wolf: The Glory of the Hatake Clan
Farewells
From the darkness, he heard two whispers.
"Hey, hey, wanna see what's under his mask?"
"Ehhh? Naruto! Stop being so stupid. Leave him alone!"
"I know you want to know, Sakura-chan!"
"Well…"
A lower gruff voice grunted. "Idiots!"
As the soft rustling grew louder, Kakashi popped his eyes open and sat up, scaring the hell out of the his two students – the prankster and the prankster at heart.
No.
From the darkness, he heard two whispers.
"Mother…. Are you sure he's alright? He's been sleeping for a whole day!"
"He'll be alright – he's just tired!"
"Are you SURE?"
"Sure, sure – he destroyed three platoons – whatever they are – and fought a huge summoner person and killed Fuyumo – sooo…."
Raiden leaned back into another possessive hug. Between them all, hostilities had been banished. For weeks now, Kakashi had managed to bring them together.
And it was Fuyumo's threats which made the two realize what they would miss. And once again, thanks to Kakashi, the rest of life would be enjoyed as they cared for each other.
Well. Their happiness wouldn't be complete until a certain silver-haired Jounin woke up.
"He killed 12 men and if not killed, at least severely injured the wandering nin." The kage walked over to the bed. "The cause of his fatigue is merely body strain – not lack of power. If necessary, he would wake ready to fight – see, he wakes now…"
Kakashi opened his eyes and saw three faces bending over him. Two faces anxious. The oldest was imperturbable.
"You guys okay?" he asked. "Sorry about that – but I guess I wasn't prepared for prolonged battle – all those cookies, Raiden..."
Kakashi sat up and swung his legs over the edge, ignoring Megami's protest.
The kage smiled in understanding.
It doesn't do to appear weak in front of other shinobi – especially ones outside the village, even if they be allies.
"I'll be okay," Kakashi smiled. "I'm just a little… sore. We all need to find beds and rest for tonight. Isn't there a concert on tomorrow night?"
Megami nodded and let herself and Raiden be herded to their waiting penthouse, servants and beds.
He was standing on the edge of the river, the world bending wildly as his chakra fluctuated around him.
The waters rippled with a thousand pieces of white glass as his light and the moonlight shone upon it. Looking down, he caught a glimpse of himself in the water.
A flickering distortion. Or not.
His grey eye and its red companion with slit pupils. Wild grey hair and grey triangles slanting across his…..
With a gasp, Kakashi sat up, hands to his face. Within three seconds, he found the bathroom and, turning on the light, looked in the mirror.
He sighed with relief as he found only flattened grey hair, his mismatched eyes normal and no sign of facial markings.
With a shuddering sigh, Kakashi leaned against the large glass shower door, enjoying the sensation of cold on his bared back. Letting his head fall back, he focused inward and found some order.
"You okay?"
Kakashi smiled.
"Yeah."
"How did you know it was me?"
"Your lilac perfume."
"Why did I ask?"
"I don't know…. You tell me."
There was a moment of silence.
Megami turned and found a paper cup and took a drink from the cooler. When she turned she smiled, but within her eyes was a question. Kakashi shook his head minutely. She shrugged. Then laughed.
"Mind to mind communication?
"It happens…"
Megami stared at the Jounin, who suddenly lost his relaxed pose. Kakashi immediately wanted to be back in his bed, safe and sound. He felt naked under that penetrating gaze.
She turned away, trying to repress the rush of longing – his lean, trim body. His honest face.
"It would have been different. He's gone now. This meeting between Fuyumo and I taught me – many new things…"
Kakashi looked down at the green tiled floor.
"I'm glad. That'll mean there will be no more limo episodes."
"There was only one," Megami recalled with a chuckle. "And you never know – there are other reasons for a girl to attack you."
Kakashi sighed.
"I miss my uniform, yes."
"Well, now that our threat is gone, your mission is complete. You'll return to your village once we reach the Fire Country. You'll be able to go back to your friends and family – go back to your mysterious anonymity."
Kakashi smiled at the thought of seeing Konoha again.
"Well, there's no family waiting for me – but friends, yes. Although I'm with friends now – am I not?"
Megami smiled sadly. "Yes."
There was another long silence.
Megami turned. "Ummmm….. if you don't mind…." She arched her eyebrows and flicked her eyes in command to the door. "I need to use the toilet."
"Oh! Uh…. Yes! Of course!"
Kakashi left, blushing red, angry at himself and his position.
Although Megami's audiences in the Earth Country were really appreciative, although a constant escort was provided right to the Fire Country (thus making Kakashi feel a little redundant), the group didn't breath a sigh of relief until they passed the border.
It took the whole afternoon to reach the largest city and it was there, two days later, in the early morning, that Kakashi parted from Megami's entourage.
Megami cried. So, of course, Mai cried. Gina sniffed, thinking of missed opportunities, as did Ren. Iwashi smiled and Raiden tried to be macho, but eventually choked up.
My, my, this is pretty sad.
Kakashi looked embarrassed at the extreme show of emotion.
Well….. this is the entertainment industry….
Li snorted.
"Don't let the door hit you on the way out!"
Kakashi grinned back toothily, as Megami hit her son on the head with her fan.
"Your loving care is duly noted, Li-san!"
The teen pouted.
Kakashi turned away and left the city's threshold at a nice sedate pace until he was swallowed by the trees.
In the clearing, he met his patiently waiting dogs – Rafe and Kinkun – also carrying large packs on their backs.
"YO!" they barked in greeting. "Long time no see, Kakashi! Let's go!"
"Geez, Kakashi," grumbled Rafe as he jumped alongside Kakashi with Kinkun. "It feels like the whole apartment is on my back – and then, maybe Genma's as well!"
Kakashi shrugged.
"I have all these clothes, shoes, gifts for people…. Gifts from people…"
"Before you disappear off into nowhere, you've got to say goodbye properly." Megami said, pushing the reluctant Jounin into the drawing room, who still half asleep.
"SURPRISE!" Everybody jumped up and yelled.
Kakashi's eyes widened ever so slightly.
"Heh. Some reaction," Iwashi grunted.
"How DOES he KNOW?" asked Raiden, awe-struck, adoring eyes turned upward to his hero.
Kakashi looked down and gave the young boy a thumbs up.
"The trick, Raido, is to pretend you're not surprised. That's the way of the shinobi."
"But this is a party, darling, not some sort of duel to the death," Ren drawled languidly, draping himself against the silver-haired hottie.
"With you around, it can be," grinned Kakashi.
Ren sighed and melted into Izashi's arms.
After the dinner and deserts had been eaten, the gifts were brought out and opened by a very stunned Kakashi.
Gifts. They didn't have to do this.
Kakashi couldn't remember the last time he had received a gift.
Rin's medic pack. Mini kunai from his father. The special kunai from his sensei – and then, later on, his ivory-handled katana. The Sharingan from Obito.
Here, today, there were gifts.
Raiden's gift. A complete entertainment pack.
"I'll be sure to enjoy this!" Kakashi said, as the boy enthused over his selected games.
When I have the time…..
Li's gift. An odd object everybody gasped at.
What a dirty kid.
Gina gave two new shirts. Mai made him three masks – two with very subtle stitchwork for social occasions. Plus a tin of cookies.
Iwashi gave him two romance novels.
"I hope it will give you ideas," Ren said, squeezing Kakashi's hand.
Kakashi pulled away.
"Uh… yeah…"
Ren's gift was a makeup set and a book titled 'Getting the Balls: A Self-help Guide to Dating and Sex.'
"What the heck is that for?" asked Raiden.
"Never mind," Megami said, giving Ren the evil eye.
"Well…. It will help him figure out MY gift," Li snickered.
Iwashi sighed.
"Guys, I don't think he needs our help. Give him a break."
"Iwashi, darling, don't think I didn't notice. Other than female ninja who smacked his lips – and that was non-con – if you read Li right…."
"Non-con?" asked Kakashi, puzzled.
"Non-consensual," whispered Gina.
"That…. I…." Kakashi sagged.
I can't really say I enjoyed it. That's just wrong.
But, his evil side whispered, you DID enjoy it! Admit it!
Kakashi shook his head and focused on his companions.
"And we ALL know about that two-bit in that hole…. In India…. Remember?"
"Eh?" asked the women suspiciously.
"It was his only day off…"
"She was a knockout."
"Probably got her for free, the bastard."
Megami, Gina and Mai didn't know what to say. Kakashi's face had a hint of red on his cheeks and his eyes were killing the men with death rays.
"So, I say – what? – two, three months? – and he only had one kiss and one lay. Either he's incapable, afraid or has the self-control of an Asian contortionist."
There was a silence.
Megami nodded.
"You have a point."
Kakashi set aside Ren's gift and opened up Megami's gift.
At last.
Inside was a round metallic object with earphones and several round metallic discs in plastic holders.
"Uh… that's a CD player," prompted Gina. "You put that in there, and those earphones in your ears and press the 'play' button."
"Oh," Kakashi said with comprehension. "It's like tape players!"
Everybody looked at each other.
"Yes, yes…. Sort of like that…." Iwashi sighed.
Looking carefully at the plastic containers which held the CDs, Kakashi noted that most of them were music he had learned to enjoy at the dance clubs, dinners and bars he went to.
One CD had a picture of Megami and Kakashi posing at a party. It had been his party – right after the limo incident.
Her dress was slightly crumpled and askew. Her hair had gone rather wild and her eyes were bright.
He was, also, crumpled-looking and his hair was more wildly on end than usual. On his neck, a bruise had formed and even his paler cheeks were flushed.
Geez! We look…..
Kakashi chuckled.
"You and Mom look like you guys had sex," Raiden said, matter of factly, over Kakashi's shoulder. "Did you? Will I get a new sibling?"
"No. No." Megami laughed. "Nothing happened – which is the joke."
The title was 'Love on the Way'.
"That's my new album."
"Ehhh?" Kakashi blnked.
"Not yet released. You were the inspiration, really. And when that studio was made available to me in the last city, I just had to do it." She grinned. "Don't worry! Your name doesn't show anywhere unless you know where to look. And there's no mention of Konoha."
Kakashi sighed with relief.
Tsunade would have killed me if I ever advertised myself TOO much.
"It's none of that boring stuff that you hear me sing all the time. And we all talk on it too. So I hope you enjoy our homemade gift."
"You won't forget us this way," Raiden smiled bravely.
"Heh." Kakashi smiled, shoving away tears. "Is that possible, you little monster?"
"Yo! Kakashi! Yo! You in there?"
Kakashi blinked a couple times and realized that his eyes had actually watered at the memories.
Damn! I'm scaring myself here.
"It's nothing…."
"Yuh-huh." Rafe said, disbelievingly.
"Would you believe it? I'm sort of beginning to miss them now."
The two dogs and their master jumped along in companionable silence. The rest of the journey was basically spent in silence. After a day of leisure travel, Kakashi neared Konoha.
UP NEXT: Kakashi returns home - to... chaos! Festival gaurds (our favored Konoha shinobi) stalk a hot new guy in town. Is it Kakashi? That's the million dollar question for Sakura. Kakashi vs. Tsunade in a verbal/mental duel over new jutsus. And Iruka spars off with Kakashi - who will win?