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

Sidetracked

The next day proved Tsunade right in many ways. Between the two of them, Tsunade and the Raikage were able to get a treaty negotiated and in the evening, under a banner, accompanied by her three shinobi, Tsunade was able to sign her name to the two finished copies of their treaty.

Everybody clapped and the three Leaf males preened in front of the admiring crowd. If she hadn't had to be so nice, Tsunade would have smacked them upside the head. As it was, she just had to imagine her punishment.

Well…. Iruka isn't exactly showing off. But he is looking extra red today…. Geez! What a kid! To be able to blush at the age of twenty-six!

Tsunade felt old and cynical all of a sudden. It made her want to frown.

That evening at the large banquet – where she somehow had to keep an eye out for any uncouth antics on Genma's part, tactless speech on Raido's part or any moves on the innocent Iruka – while conversing intelligently with the leaders of Cloud – Tsunade felt both happy and exasperated.

"You really must come!" The Raikage was saying. "I must insist."

"Really," Tsunade was trying to be polite. "I really must –"

"Surely, you can spend an extra day? It is hardly out of your way!"

"I'm not sure –"

"They arranged this for me, and since I hear you have not heard her, I really think it would be great if you would accompany me."

"Really," Tsunade sighed. "I'm not much of an opera aficionado – I don't think I would fully appreciate –"

"Nonsense. People of all types enjoy the singing of Yukimoto. Say yes."

Tsunade drooped.

"Very well, it's kind of you to ask," she said with a slight smile. "So how can I say no?"

That was how Tsunade ended up being escorted by the Raikage to Yukimoto's main concert in the capital city of Thunder. Genma, Raido and Iruka watched dumbfounded as they passed huge construction crews rebuilding broken down apartment buildings, hotels and restaurants. The roads were being repaved and new sewage lines put in underneath.

"How did this all happen?" asked Iruka.

"It was your ANBU operative," replied one of the Raikage's special Jounin guards. "He was attacked by several Sound here in the city."

Iruka blinked.

"You mean all this –"

The Cloud-nins nodded solemnly.

Genma frowned.

In the vehicle ahead, Tsunade sat back and sighed. Once the day was over, she could get back to her village and her duties…. And her stash and her comfortable bed…. Although lately her pillow had more often than not been the stack of unread files that needed scanning.

"He did a number on the city," Tsunade said as they passed by the last part of destruction.

"It wasn't too crucial – not really the downtown, which was a good thing. He kept it as clean as possible. But still….. a lot of places had to be rebuilt again. Flooding and all."

Iruka looked around nervously.

"Relax, Iruka," Raido muttered. "It's only an automobile. Haven't you ridden in one before?"

"I've read about them but I didn't realize how vulnerable one can be riding in one."

Genma nodded.

"Keep your senses clear."

They arrived at the concert hall without any incident and found their seats easily enough. Genma, Raido and Iruka flanked Tsunade and sat behind her in the large box along with three other Jounins and the the Raikage.

The red curtain lifted and a beautiful black-haired woman with the bluest eyes walked onto the stage, her voice lifted in the most enchanting song. Genma and Raido's jaws dropped. Tsunade sighed. The Raikage closed his eyes.

The other Jounins made hand signals to each other.

As time passed, Tsunade fought off sleep. Genma and Raido lost interest and tried to crack the hand signal code of the Cloud-nins. Iruka was still captivated. The woman's singing brought tears to his eyes.

Genma stared at the young man.

"I cannot believe this," he whispered to Raido. "What a pansy!"

"But she IS hot." Raido pointed out.

"Mmmmm…."

After two hours passed, the curtain fell and stayed down – the crowds dispersed while the Raikage and Hokage were escorted to a large room next door where they took tea with the singer and other lords and ladies.

There was no way for Tsunade to avoid the woman.

"This, Megami-san," the Raikage said with a smile, "is the Hokage of Leaf, Tsunade-sama."

"Oh? A female ninja?" Megami smiled infectiously. "That is so amazing! All I've seen so far are male ninjas I was wondering whether females really played a part in the ninja world or not…. You must be Kakashi's boss!"

Tsunade gritted her teeth in a smile and played nice.

"Yep! That's me!"

"You're the singer that Kakashi protected?" Genma couldn't help but interject. "How was that?"

"Genma!" Tsunade glared.

"Genma, is it?" giggled Megami. "My goodness! All Leaf ninjas are so handsome! It must be a paradise for women!"

Tsunade rolled her eyes.

"They're idiots. Trust me!"

Megami pouted prettily, making Iruka's heart beat uncontrollably.

"Well…. Kakashi-san definitely beats you all in the beauty department…. But he certainly was interesting. Always late…."

The two Jounins and the Chuunin leaned forward at the mention of Kakashi's physical attributes – after all, so far, the only person to get his mask off was this singer. Amazing.

Tsunade scowled.

"We discovered soon enough never to let him near a bookstore – he'd disappear into the romance section for hours on end and we had the hardest time dragging him out."

Tsunade sighed. Iruka frowned and then smiled.

"That's Kakashi-sensei for you!"

Megami nodded.

"Well… I beg you to say 'hi' to him for me! My son Raiden is really missing him." She turned bumping into a tall sulky looking teen with a short black haired boy. "Li! What're you doing? Go socialize! Raiden! Come meet Kakashi's friends!"

Genma, Iruka and Raido looked down at the short boy.

Iruka's eyes dimmed.

He looks so much like Sasuke. It must have been hard for Kakashi-san.

"Hello, Raiden!" Iruka said with a smile.

"Hey! Hey! You're ninjas? Just like Kakashi? Can you do cool things like Kakashi?"

"What can Kakashi do?" asked Raido.

"Well…." The boy glanced at his mother sideways. "He catches snakes –"

"Raiden! You didn't put your pet into his bed, did you?"

The boy blushed.

"Just the first night."

Iruka laughed.

"What else?"

"He kicks ass –"

"Hmph. So can we. It's not like he's a god or something," Genma rolled his eyes, bouncing his senbon irritatedly up and down on his lips.

"He can dodge bullets."

"Sounds like somebody's been showing off," grumbled Tsunade.

Li after downing his cup of tea, messed about with the stuff and left to find another interesting woman to flirt with. The Hokage seemed a little too scary.

Tsunade rose.

"We really must be getting on our way," she said, sweetly.

She had drunk her fill of tea and eaten her fill of cakes and was anxious to get back to Konoha. The capital was closer to the border of Sound and with luck, they would be able to make good time and at least get over the border by nightfall.

Genma, Raido and Iruka also rose, bowing and thanking their hostess.

The Raikage and the Hokage bowed and parted.

Megami followed the Leaf shinobi out.

"Say 'hi' to Kakashi for me, will you?" she asked.

There was a twinkle in her eye which caused Genma to be filled with unholy glee and Tsunade to sigh.

"Sure," Genma said. "What do you want me to give him? A kiss?"

Megami blushed.

"Hehehe! I wish I could have seen him this time around! I really miss the pervert, you know? I owe him a lot! He's done wonders to Raiden and went all out on my behalf."

Iruka and Raido looked disbelievingly.

"……. Sure………" Tsunade nodded.

Without further ado, they walked away.

"HEY!"

Iruka stopped.

It was the boy.

Raido.

"Can you give Kakashi this?"

He held up three grey plastic boxes labeled with really weird names.

"Sure," Iruka said with a smile and stashed it away in his backpack.

"Tell him Raiden says for him to enjoy!"

"I will," Iruka said softly.

"What was it?" asked Tsunade.

"I don't know." Iruka shook his head. "Kakashi owes me. He'll tell me."

"He'd better."

"You think Kakashi and Megami……." Genma trailed off suggestively.

"He'd better not have."

"Wait till we tell Gai!" Raido laughed. "Or Asumo."

"Or Kotetsu! Or Izumo!"

"Or Jiraiya-sama when he gets back."

"Or – or – or Ibiki!"

"Ibiki will go nuts!"

The two giggled like schoolgirls.

Iruka sighed.

Poor Kakashi!