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.

Not many reviews... (sniff sniff) so I'll address them this time on top.

Kurayami no Sayokyoku - thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you thought it was nice.

Rockbane: Thank you for your encouragement! It's nice to hear from the readers!

Kaki-kun: Sorry! My bad! I wanted to divide up the super long chapter on Temari (although why I wrote about her when she's not even my favorite female character, I will never know why...) - and I wanted to create some sort of suspension. AAAUGGHHHH! Well... I don't have the time now to correct my errors but I may end up switching a few of the chapters around. Not to mention other spelling errors.

ally-luv: I'm glad you're really enjoying it! I hope I can keep you cackling.

Revelation of the Wolf: The Glory of the Hatake Clan

Comfort of Home?

As they paused for a drink break, Kakashi dug around and found a mask. Kakashi, knowing it was already late, opted to remain in his present clothes, but he added Mai's more festive mask to the ensemble.

Rafe looked the ninja over.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Putting on my mask?"

"Why?"

"Uh… I don't really know… but it's just habit I guess…. I like keeping Konoha guessing…"

"It looks ridiculous."

"Since when did that matter to a shinobi? I've worn more ridiculous things than this. I'll show you once I get to my apartment."

"I don't want to know."

"Okay." Kakashi jumped up. "Let's get this stuff home."

Life was basically going on as normal in Konoha. The seasonal festival was in full swing as Kakashi passed the gate's two doorposts. Sending his dogs ahead with his luggage to the apartment, Kakashi decided to relax.

Izumo and Kotetsu, scanning the orderly crowds of people, did a double take.

"Is that -?"

"Naw. Can't be!"

"Are you sure?"

"Where's Genma?"

"He's number 10, idiot!"

"Ohhh! Right! Right!"

Izumo flicked his headset to open broadcast.

"10, 10, do you copy? 10, where are you?"

"I'm here, stop breathing so loudly, dammit. I'm on top of the beer tent."

Turning, Kotetsu could see four figures waving.

"Who's with you?"

"Rai – cough – um – number 9, 4, and 3."

"I should've guessed you guys would end up there," Kotetsu laughed.

"It's where the most trouble starts," Shizune said.

"What DO you think I'm doing?" asked Sakura, dangerously.

"Nothing, 3, nothing. But 4 can get….."

"No worries. So what's up?"

"You got him?" whispered Kotetsu.

Izumo surreptitiously pointed.

"Okay, 10, there's this guy we need to check out," Kotetsu said urgently.

Immediately the ten festival guards looked around.

"Thanks, 6, for your thoughtfulness. But I've already got a date for tonight."

"What code is this?" asked Shikamaru, hiding himself behind a panda bear stand.

"Is he armed and dangerous?" Iruka tersely, scanning the wide street from his vantage point on top of a roof.

"Ummm… he's walking your way, 10, to the Ramen stand. He's tall, grey-haired, masked…."

"Sounds like Kakashi," Sakura frowned.

"Looks like Kakashi," echoed Izumo in her ear. "But…."

"But what?" Screeched the girl.

Everyone winced.

"Well… check him out yourself…."

"I've got a visual," Shizune said, as she hid across the way, peeping from behind some scarves in a women's boutique. "He's wearing a blue tank over these AMAZING pecs. A hard, trim body. Lean. Lightweight. Works out. Could be Kakashi – except Kakashi doesn't wear tight blue pants – western pants – what do you call them? – jeans? He's the hottest walking male on the planet. I'm getting hot here!"

"So am I, just listening to you…." grunted Genma.

Kakashi ordered a bowl and sat down. Disengaging the two chopsticks, he muttered, "Itadikimasu!"

Mmm! It's sooo long since I last tasted IchiRaku Ramen Shop's ramen.
"I've got him," Shikamaru said.

"What's happening?" shrieked Sakura, trying to find him in the crowd.

"3" Genma drawled. "Tone it down, please. I need my ears working tonight."

"Sorreee." Sakura sighed.

"He's going to eat some ramen."

"He's taking the mask off."

"Is it Kakashi?"

"Could be."

"This is ridiculous," Iruka sighed. "It's not even code-worthy. Let's get back to our jobs and –"

"Agreed," Ebisu backed him up. "I want no ungentlemanly behaviour on my watch!"

"It is SO coded!" Raido smirked. "Code K!"

"Code K?" asked Iruka. "What?"

"You know for 'K' for 'koibito'."

"ARGGGGHHHH!" The sound system clashed as Iruka and Shizune groaned into their headsets.

"What's happening?" asked Sakura.

"It's Asumo's team and Kurenai's." Shizune frowned.

"7! Get them out of there!" yelled Sakura.

Shikamaru didn't budge.

his was too troublesome….
Sakura, Genma and Raido finally found the ramen stand, squished between a ring toss game and a woman's boutique. In fact, everybody by now had found the ramen shop and were fixing their eyes on it while trying to look innocuous.

"Where's 2?" asked Iruka suddenly.

"Um…. I don't see him and he's not responding to my clicks," Ebisu said crossly. "I guess he must have switched his headset off!"

"Shi-ka-ma-ru! Aren't you going to do anything?" asked Sakura as the argument between the two teams in front of the ramen stand escalated.

"3, remember to keep the numerical system going here…. We've got to protect ourselves," Genma growled.

The lost partner of Ebisu wandered into the area and told the two arguing teams to move along. Ebisu appeared out of nowhere to give Aoba a lecture about the importance of headsets. They moved slightly to let the mystery man pass.

Sakura frowned.

"It LOOKs like him… but he's dressed differently. Sunglasses and all….."

She turned to Raido and Genma, who turned to her.

"How about a closer look then?" asked Raido.

"A closer look at what?" asked Kakashi, conversationally.

"That GUY!" Raido answered absently.

Then the trio froze.

Shikamaru with a sigh emerged, followed by Shizune and Iruka.

"Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura dumbfounded.

"Yo!" The man said, grinning.

"It's so good to see you!"

Inner Sakura: WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING – GIVING US HEART ATTACKS LIKE THAT!
"You look great," Genma said, quirking his senbon around.

"Well, the mask is a little odd, but, yeah, it looks good on him – I guess he'll be really fancy now that he's traveled around." Raido sighed enviously.

Shizune winked at Kakashi.

"A fashion plate? That woman must have broken you in."

"You would not believe," Kakashi sighed. "Geez, the mission was troublesome but now I hope to get a better one…."

"Better one?" Genma said, nearly choking on his senbon. "What could be better than traveling with a sexy singer?"

Kakashi scratched his head.

"Well, the concerts were boring… and I had to wear weird clothes all the time – and I had to share a room with two men who made out all night!"

Raido and Shizune laughed.

Iruka blushed.

"Well, I'm glad you're back safe, Kakashi-sensei."

"Heh. All of your worrying was for nothing, see?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"He was worried!" Genma laughed, nudging Raido.

Iruka glared his favorite I'm-a-really-pissed-off teacher look.

Genma backed away.

"So did you do as I told you?" Kakashi asked when everybody once again split up into pairs and moved off. Shikamaru looked at his partner.

Iruka grinned and patted down his ponytail.

"Well – sort of…."

"Sort of? Geez! Kakashi-sensei! You should have seen him… Racing around with Rock Lee…. Sparring with Genma-san… Pestering the Hokage." Shikamaru sighed. "IT gave my old man and Asumo-sensei ideas."

"That is NOT my fault!" glared Iruka. "Besides, it's good for you to challenge yourself. You don't want to plateau forever?"

"Forever sounds good…."

"So it turned out to be an egomaniacal feudal lord who wanted his bastard back," Tsunade sighed. "Figures."

Kakashi grinned as the Hokage shook her head.

"I think all celebrieties are crazy," she said.

"Sad. But true."

"Well, it's a good thing I sent word to the other kages. Without permission, you would not have had much options for putting such an important man down."

Kakashi signed the last report and shifted it over to Iwashi who stamped it dully.

Tsunade smiled as she took the report from the bored Chuunin and skimmed it.

"Luck was on our side when the Tsuchikage backed you up that far."

"No luck. I did him a favor – getting rid of Fuyumo helped relieve the kage of political pressure. Apparently, the feudal lord was always stirring up trouble and his lands were falling into ruin."

"I see…." Murmured Tsunade. "With your name and reputation, he could claim he was not responsible, nor able to stop anything. Thus, he silences any questions. Neat, Kakashi, neat. You found use for each other… Now….Let me guess…" The kage turned over several mission listing clipboards. "You want a better mission."

Kakashi blinked unsure of what to say.

"Well," Tsunade sighed. "I've got something big for you – but you'll have to wait for a couple of days."

The brown-eyed woman flicked a white mission slip at Kakashi.

"Here it is."

"Hmmmm….. delivering a scroll?"

"There's more to it than meets the eye. Iwashi, please leave – come back in ten minutes." She paused as the Chuunin strode out quickly, no doubt happy to stretch his legs. "When I'm done with it, I want you to carry it to the Raikage himself."

The silver-haired Jounin raised an eyebrow.

Lightning Country, the Hidden Village of Cloud.
"This is an S-ranked mission. A mission I think you can be more than capable of completing. It'll be a chance for ANBU Hound to return."

Kakashi shifted.

"I'll be going as ANBU?" He frowned uneasily.

"Just for now," Tsunade said swifly. "I'm sure you can be able to do it…. If not…."

"Very well. I'll take it."

"Remember. This scroll is VERY important. Protect this with your life. Good luck, Shinobi."

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi bowed.

"Oh! By the way, Hokage-sama," Kakashi asked before he shut the door. "Could I spend sometime in the archives?"

Tsunade looked up, surprised.

The archives?
"The archives?" she asked. "What for?"

"Well, as you notice, I went up against a summoner and I wanted to brush up on attack modes…."

A perfect mix of fact and falsehood.
Tsunade scribbled a note which Kakashi stowed away.

"Good luck, Kakashi," she called after the shinobi as he ambled out of the room nonchalantly.

Later on that night, Tsunade left her office, finally, to find some supper and later her bed. It was now dark and except for the few gaurds, the hallways were empty and silent.

As she passed one door, she noticed a pale light seeping from the cracks. Letting herself noiselessly in, she found just what she was expecting. A gray-haired shinobi. Kakashi. Who had fallen asleep on top of several books.

Curiosity over came her. Creeping closer, she saw a scroll, full of notes written in a very scrawling hand. Tsunade skimmed them with growing puzzlement. Before she could open it further, the blonde found herself slammed up against the bookshelf.

With a kunai to her throat.

A short beat.

Then, registering her, Kakashi pulled away.

"Geez! – I mean, I apologize, Hokage-sama, I thought you were – that is to say…."

Tsunade glared at the nervous Jounin who was busy flipping the tomes shut, rolling up the scrolls.

As he put away his notes, Tsunade looked at her shinobi piercingly.

'Don't tell me you're studying how to attack a summoner."

There was another pregnant pause.

Kakashi moved silently and picking up the scrolls slotted them carefully into their allotted drawers.

Tsunade picked up one of the books and ran her finger lovingly on the binding.

"I remember this one. The Third had us basically memorize it – well, Jiraiya never finished it – but Yellow Flash, he probably talked about this…. He read it through… you know where to look."

Kakashi still said nothing.

Tsunade sat down and pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation and deep thought.

"Don't try to tell me you don't know what you were reading. Those books only cover summoning techniques and strategies in battle as well as step-by-step teachings on fighting styles and techniques. It is a forbidden book which you took notes from."

The silence on her part was expectant, and looking in her stern, searching eyes, Kakashi knew he wouldn't be allowed to leave without giving some sort of explanation.

He sat down and leaning forward asked softly, "Have you ever experienced a loss of self while summoning?"

Tsunade blinked at him blankly – trying to find the hidden meanings.

"So you summon?"

Kakashi leaned back, his masked face unreadable, his one eye, inscrutable.

Damn the man!
Tsunade stood, Kakashi followed suit.

"Well, if by any chance you do learn to summon something of worth, be sure to tell me. With a war approaching and new enemies like the Akatsuki appearing everyday, there's going to be a need for stronger jutsus……"

Tsunade opened the door.

"It would also affect what kind of missions I would feel appropriate for you."

Damn the bitch!
Kakashi followed the woman slowly out.

"I discovered a lost summoning jutsu from the Hatake clan."

He paused, finding it very hard to betray his usual secretive self.

Tsunade's eyebrows rose.

"The secret jutsu your father spoke of?"

A beat.

"Yeah."

"And you can now summon…."

"A large warrior dog, among other things."

Kakashi shrugged.

He had no wish to speak of anything else.

Like his newfound senses – as acute as a hound's.

Like the silver door which opened to another level of power.

Like the spirit which lay in him – personified in Lightning's Howl.

Like his eyes which grew slitted.

Like his lack of control.

Never having learned to speak of feelings or the important things of life,

Kakashi found it hard to confide in Tsunade no matter how much his mind reasoned that she of all people could be trusted.

The truth is….

I never had a mother.

For once, Kakashi felt a piece missing from his life. He had never known his mother, the gentle woman who had captured Sakumo's heart. The beauty, who lay in the family plot beside her miscarried baby.

Although his father cherished him, Kakashi had grown up in a household of men, learning early to secrete his feelings away – along with jutsus and knowledge.

And here was a woman. A woman was asking him to reveal the essence of who he was. And on top of that, she was the Hokage.

Kakashi hated to disappoint.

Tsunade shrugged, letting it go. In time, she knew she would find out. Secrets never remained secret for long in Konoha – although Kakashi himself was one of those unsolvable mysteries in life.

"You never told me about loss of self."

"That is because the idea is rather new to me," Tsunade shook her head over the thought. "I will see what I can find out before the week ends."

She paused.

"I would also like you to make yourself available to Iruka as he trains tomorrow afternoon."

"Eh?"

"Shizune will fill you in. She's been taking control of the situation."

"Situation?"

"Iruka really needs to move on. With war coming, we need more active men in the field. True, Iruka has proven his worth in the schoolroom, but I feel that he too should get a chance on the field."

Kakashi's eye drooped in pessimism as he tried to picture the short, immature, young, loud Iruka in the battlefield.

Young. He is so young. So young in spirit.
He shuddered.
I of all people know what that life brings. Time pulls the soul to pieces in warfare – even if you are a child, you become a man.
Kakashi sighed, thinking of an Iruka without the happy, optimistic gleam in his chocolate brown eyes. Iruka, hardened and knowledgeable. Iruka, no longer innocent.

"I know," Tsunade said, approaching the railings and looking over the city.

Kakashi jumped up onto the bars, ready to leave.

"I don't want war. But it is coming and Iruka will have to learn how to survive."

"Hn. Survive?"

Tsunade didn't miss the sarcasm and bitterness.

"Survive? He will become either a dead casualty or a walking corpse."

Without further adieu, Kakashi left Tsunade alone, pondering his words.

"And you, Kakashi? A walking corpse?"

Okay! Okay! Don't kill me for this irritatingly Gaiden-like chapter! Just trying to fill space while thinking ahead!