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.
Warning: I succumbed to the evil flu bug known as GenxKaka, so there's a man kiss towards the end of this... so just warning you... don't kill me! AND REVIEW!
Revelation of the Wolf: The Glory of the Hatake Clan
Kakashi: Let Go
"So let go … for there's beauty in the break down…" Frou Frou 'Let Go'
He made it into the clearing just as Genma came into Tsunade's line of vision.
They made it in time to be destroyed by what looked like a giant lizard. With horror they watched as their ANBU escort flew through the air and fell with a thud, rolling over and over across the large clearing.
The creature loomed over the fallen shinobi.
The shinobi raised his head, quivering they could see, in obvious pain as he rose to his feet. His mask, cracking slid off his face to the ground unheeded.
"Kakashi?" whispered the three Leaf shinobi.
It was lost in the winds of chakra.
Finally! A genius to revive the glory days of the Hatake!
"What makes a shinobi is not his jutsu but love, loyalty, courage and hard work. True power lies inside you, Kakashi."
Even as he used the last of his chakra, splintering his chidori against the shinobi's chakra shield, Kakashi still felt their eyes. He knew they were watching. A part of him knew that he was just over reacting – being his usual paranoid self.
Genma. Raido. Iruka. Tsunade.
They are all depending on me – and still I'm choking up? Pretty pathetic, Hatake.
True power.
True power is love and protecting your teammates.
I will never let my teammates die. I will protect you with my life.
But there they were. Iruka rather bruised and breathing heavily. Raido was beaten up – especially around the face. Genma had slices along his arms and legs. Tsunade was still paralyzed.
They are all basically depending on me. I can't let them down.
I can't let you down, father.
But still – they were watching. He hated that. It had been so long since he last worked with/in front of aware shinobi. Straight from ANBU into solo missions and those Genin tests. From solo missions to a Gennin team, who although they watched him were rather stupid and never could totally understand what was going on.
Those moments of deliberation cost him.
Now he lay on the ground, mentally groaning but refusing to utter a word. The tiny crack of his mask prepared him for the worst – and as he rose to his feet, shakily – pushing past the pain and the confusion, the mask fell off his face, revealing him to the world.
It was scary but he knew that it was only a sign. It was time to let go.
"He can't do anything!" yelled Tsunade over the harsh cry of the lizard. "I'm sure he's run out of chakra – he fought at least five shinobi before he got here!"
"Shit!" Raido yelled. "We've gotta get out of here!"
"But we can't run without the Hokage – and she can't move really well," Iruka said. "And I for one can't leave her here."
"We. Are. So. Fucked," Genma sighed. "But…. On the other hand, it's okay…."
"It's okay? It's okay?" screeched Iruka. "We're ALL out of chakra and you say it's okay? What the hell are you thinking?"
"Look at him."
"What?"
"LOOK at him!"
They looked.
"What am I supposed to see?" asked Iruka puzzled.
Raido smiled and relaxed.
"That's it. There's nothing to see."
"I don't get it."
"No panic."
Tsunade smirked.
"Right, Genma, very sharp. Let's see what our white-haired boy has up his sleeve."
"Run out of chakra – Hatake-sama?" boomed a large gravely voice. "At our first meeting, I admit I was beaten – caught off guard because our information wasn't correct. You had us all fooled. Who would have equated a hentai-loving man with the famous Copy Nin? But this time – this time it's different isn't it? You're out of chakra and I – I have just begun! Bwahahahaha!"
"Ewwww….. His laugh needs serious revamping," sighed Raido. "And he's totally underestimating us again…. I hate that….."
"Yeah… what do we look like? Pansies?" growled Iruka.
"Well…. The jury's still out on you….." sniggered Genma.
"WHHHAAAAA – !"
Tsunade sighed.
"Boys!"
Kakashi could still hear them whispering as he cleared his mind of all awareness and focused his tumultuous feelings into the darkness of his mind.
"He's trying to gather chakra?"
"At a time like this?"
"He's got none left!"
"Ssshhhh! Watch!"
"And don't think I don't know," the lizard master leered. "I know all about your failed clan – your fallen house and the coward that was your father. What are you but a second-rate child from a second-rate ninja of a second-rate clan? Orochimaru told me all about your father's shame and I guess it does show! But, hey! I hope you can give me some sort of a fight!"
There was no one.
No summoner.
(Although he was charging down on his still enemy.)
No kage.
(She was watching tensely – he could feel her eyes.)
No shinobi.
(They were staring at him with worry and puzzlement.)
The trees were gone.
The looming mountains gone.
The meandering river gone.
And the open clearing gone.
There was nothing.
Nothing but him and the darkness. The darkness of him and through the darkness – the glowing door of light.
Silver, blue and black.
And as it opened, the white familiar force rushed to meet him – like a thousand thundering waters untamed.
That secondary awareness deep within him woke and emerged shocking him from head to toe. Before he lost control – as he let go – Kakashi wondered – in that brief moment, whether Naruto ever felt this way."
"GRRRRRRRR – ARRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!"
Lightning's Howl raised his voice in the falling dusk – and the glory of the Hatake was revealed. The dying sun was suddenly drowned in flaring white chakra.
Genma, Iruka and Raido stood there – mouths agape as they watched their old, easy-going friend toss his head back, yelling – almost howling.
For a moment, they had all thought that Kakashi would be goo at the bottom of the lizard's foot – but the force of explosive chakra broke outwards – blasting trees, rocks and reptile away.
Tsunade gasped and blinked furiously, watching her elite Jounin technician lose control.
His hair stood on end. His eyes were slitted and steel grey. His teeth were bared in a growl and across his cheeks lay stripes – three long grey ones on either side.
She could hear him.
Have you ever experienced a loss of self while summoning?
She had never seen anything like it.
Sakumo-kun. His smooth, controlled voice – light and husky like his son, talking with suppressed excitement as they relaxed at the inn.
"I know! Imagine! Taking a shine off of the Sannin. I'm honoured – really! But I've got something better up my sleeve! There's so much potential power hidden in the Hatake – you watch! Between Kakashi and I, we'll bring the glory days back!"
She could hear him yelling as he completed his seals progression.
"KUCHIYOSE no JUTSU!"
Suddenly in the blink of an eye, Kakashi was faraway up in the air, standing on the head of a very large wolf-like canine.
Genma's senbon clattered unheeded to the ground.
Iruka gasped, coughed and gaped wordlessly.
Raido's eyes bulged, his scar twitched and he gulped.
Tsunade smiled.
That's my boy!
It almost balanced the evil of paralysis.
The summoner stood silent and dumbfounded on top of his creature.
Hatake the Copy Nin was a summoner? Since when?
Kakashi smiled wolfishly.
"The Hatake clan may be gone – it's clan may be fallen – my father may have made mistakes – but this is the true power of Leaf – I hope you won't forget it!"
Without further ado, Lightning's Howl jumped across the small space separating them and pinning the reptile down in one smooth move, took a huge bite out of the lizard's shoulder. The lizard hissed and screeched in pain – trying to shake off – trying to bite – his enemy. But Lightning's Howl didn't let go of his grip.
Kakashi quickly formed the seals.
In his mind's eye he could see the three men who had made him – in a sense made these jutsus and so lived on within him.
A comforting thought.
Three jutsus.
One.
Lightning's Howl.
He could still hear his father.
"… Do you think that the Hatake are merely tillers of the land?"
"Once upon a time, the Hatake clan were a great people. Working side by side with the Hyuuga and the Uchiha and others to found this village."
"When a clan splits such as ours did, knowledge is often lost in the division. Now, we are no greater in strength than that of the new clans – the Aburame, Akimichi, Nara, Yamanake…. Or the clan that shares our origins….."
"However. Given time, this year, with practice, you and I can change this. To reap the full potential given to both of us. Inside us."
"Everybody has a special talent. It has been merely awhile since the Hatake have ever shown their true strength. I hope that when the time comes, you will be able to use all of your potential."
And the journal…..
"But now that I watch Kakashi, I realize that for once, there lies raw potential. We just need to be more aware of what we can become."
"Truly, this is the best for our small family. If Kakashi is free to build himself and the Hatake a better name, it would fulfill my wishes and give me joy and fulfillment in the afterworld. Knowing he will do well is better than seeing all our hopes wither.
I hope he understands.
I love him so much."
Father.
Two.
Shunshin no Jutsu.
He could still hear his sensei.
"Kakashi. Obito comes from a great clan but you come from a great man. Never be ashamed of your name – Hatake Sakumo is a name associated with the Sannins for all time."
"Well, Sakumo once told me that power lies within the Hatake. A ritual which actually holds more in it than just heritage. I think you had just as much potential as an Uchiha without the Sharingan."
"I shouldn't have to give you a talk about what being a Chuunin means."
There was a deep silence.
"But, Kakashi…. I want to say that you have made me very proud today."
"You said that already."
"You need to hear that again. I think."
Kakashi stood.
"I'm fine."
"Are you?"
"A shinobi follows the rules, brings glory to his clan, protects his village with his life and shows no tears. I know that. Why do you think I'm further ahead than that crybaby?"
Yellow Flash's eyes clouded.
"Kakashi. This is not a thing of the mind. Wearing that protector isn't just a mental and physical action."
"Sure."
Kakashi's sensei sighed and stood.
"One day, you will realize this. I hope you can pass this on to whoever you teach."
"Before we separate…. I will say it again – the most important thing to a shinobi is team work."
And then during a mission….
"You saw that?"
"…… ehhh….."
"You copied it?"
A silence - except for a thirteen-year-old Kakashi, shuffling his feet.
"I'm glad."
"Really? You aren't mad?"
"Kakashi… I was hoping to teach you that one day –"
"I'm sorry…."
"It's okay. You learned it on your own – thanks to your Sharingan – can't be helped, I guess… and it's a jutsu that will never be wasted on or misused by you…. only….."
Here, Yellow Flash, now the Yondaime, sighed.
"I'll have no good reason to take time off of my desk work…. Training has always been such a good excuse…."
"Training? Yeah. Sure."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"What's what supposed to mean, sensei?"
"Don't be obtuse, Kakashi. The 'yeah – sure'."
"Whenever we 'train', we end up with Jiraiya-sama at the bath house or the hot springs." Kakashi said, stifling a grin at his sensei's shocked expression.
"We do NOT!"
A beat.
"Do we?"
Yondaime-sensei.
Three.
Raikiri.
I can still hear him.
During that life changing mission….
"Have you no kindness in you? It's always about the rules! The regulations! Just shut up!"
"It's a mystery how you ever became a Jounin!"
"More importantly than the mission – we have to rescue Rin!"
"I definitely can't stand you!"
"I believe that the 'White Fang' is a true hero!... Of course, those in the ninja world who break the rules and regulations are called trash… but…. Those who don't care for their companions are even worse trash. "
"Anyway, if I'm that kind of trash, I'll break the rules. If that's not being a true shinobi – then I'll crush that idea of a shinobi!"
And as he lay there, pinned under the rock, dying.
"I…. from the beginning, if I'd gone along with what you'd said and went with you to rescue Rin…. Something like this wouldn't have happened!"
There was a silence as Kakashi berated himself.
"What kind of commander? What kind of Jounin?"
"Hey… no… forget it…."
A pause.
"I'm…. the only one…. Who didn't…. give you a present… at your Jounin celebration… right… Kakashi…. What would be good… I was thinking… and… now… I've come up with it… what…. Don't worry… it's not…. Useless… baggage…"
A pause.
"… it's…. this Sharingan… of mine…."
Eh?
"…the people in this village… what they must've been saying… that you're a great Jounin… that's… how I feel… please accept it………. I'm already…. Going to die….. but… I can become your eye…. And from now on I will see the future…"
Obito… the jutsu… you completed….
Chidori.
The lizard slithered and the dog rolled with it – its claws digging mercilessly into the sides of the heaving reptile. The reptile was wrapping its tail around the waist of the almost rabid canine.
Trees flew everywhere and the four watchers were forced to reach higher grounds on the side of the mountain.
Once I take the shinobi out, the summoning should disappear…..
Kakashi started to run – a mere blur of silver and black along the nose of his dog – the summoner, as usual threw his weaponry and then raised a frontal chakra shield – an insurmountable wall, as Kakashi well knew, that was unbreakable with a frontal approach.
Good thing then that I'm not attacking from the front.
The summoner stared hard at his lightning fast opponent.
He blinked.
One second.
The man wasn't there.
What the heck?
The wild chirping jutsu had stopped and then started again – from – where? – from – behind? – how?
Dark.
The chidori found its mark.
Jerking his hand out of the dead man's chest, Kakashi watched as the lizard disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"It's that technique!" Iruka said. "I saw him use it during our sparring session. It's kind of like mine – but he says he didn't copy it…."
"He didn't."
Tsunade tipped her head in relief.
It was over….
"What was it then?"
"The Fourth's signature jutsu – Shunshin no Jutsu…."
"Yondaime?" whispered Raido, eyes bugging out. "His jutsu?"
"Ehhh… well…. Kakashi WAS his student, you know," Tsunade shrugged.
Genma nodded, groping for another needle, while keeping his eyes focused on the action.
"Yuh-ahuh… Heard that before…" he said vaguely. "But never knew he mastered the Body Flicker technique."
"Wow…." Iruka sighed. "He's just so amazing! SUMMONING…."
Tsunade rolled her eyes when she caught sight of the stars in Iruka's eyes. Genma and Raido were trying hard to look unimpressed but were failing.
"That Hatake brat –"
"ANBU…."
"is still the perverted –"
"A THOUSAND techniques…."
"Sensei from before, you know."
"BEAUTIFUL…"
The lizard disappeared and the wolf dog rose to its feet, shaking itself and howling and barking like mad while talking to Kakashi.
"Hahaha! Let's do that again!"
The dog leaned down, licking Kakashi and lifting the shinobi off his feet.
"Ugh! Get away from me! I want a proper shower when I get home!'
Kakashi whipped out a mask from his pouch and slipped it on. Lightning's Howl turned with a yip.
"Heh! Be quiet, pup…. Oh! Look who's here! Yo!"
"Introduce us, Kakashi," Tsunade said, leaning slightly forward as she stood unsteadily on her feet, hanging off Iruka.
"Uh…. Tsunade-sama, Hokage – this is, Lightning's Howl….."
Kakashi scratched his head, nervously.
"What the hell did you cover that up for?" leered Genma, eyeing Kakashi's mask.
He was always the quickest to bounce back from a tough mission, sighed Raido.
Kakashi hunched his shoulders in embarrassment – his eyes drooping. Reaching up, he began to secure his hitae ate over his Sharingan when two hands found his face, his mask was pulled down and warm lips covered his.
His one visible eye widened comically. Tsunade was huffing somewhere in the background with exasperation and laughter. Iruka was screeching.
Genma! Bastard!
For one second he wished he could just relax like Genma but even as the senbon sucking Jounin's tongue played enticingly around his mouth, Kakashi sighed mentally.
It seemed to last forever – Kakashi's hands came up to shove his comrade away when Genma pulled back, a self-satisfied smirk plastered all over his face.
"You are so dead," Kakashi rasped out as he turned away, gagging. "My mouth is going to rot. Am I going to get an STD from that?"
"Nonsense…. It was only one kiss…" Genma sniffed.
"The amount of fluids we seemed to exchange – I don't know…."
"Ewwwww……." Iruka wrinkled his nose. "I'm going to be sick. I did NOT want to know about that kind of perversion from you guys."
Tsunade smirked.
It was good that they were relaxing. For a moment, Konoha could wait.
"What's amazing is that he did it all with the senbon still there," Raido sighed in awe. "Admit it. Genma's good."
Genma nodded.
"Damn right."
"What was that for?" Kakashi complained.
"Straight from Megami-sama," Genma leered. "Hmmm… I didn't know she'd go for a guy who smelled like dog breath."
Kakashi stiffened. Reddened.
"….erm…."
"KA-KA-SHHIIIII! BAKA!" Tsunade yelled. "Something DID happen?"
Kakashi sweatdropped and he held up his hands in a silent plea.
"…………"
"I'm going," Lightning's Howl hissed and disappeared.
"Traitor…" grumbled Kakashi.
"You owe me… what? Forty…. And you… twenty…." Genma chuckled over the pile of money as Tsunade plunked her wallet and Iruka poured his change into the ashen haired Jounin's hand.
"You! You! You're getting a D-rank!"
"Hokage-saaaammmaaaa!" wailed Kakashi, running after the kage as she darted away back home in a huff.
"Funny how her paralysis wore off so fast…" Raido said, rubbing his chin.
"Hmph. It was all a test, I'm sure…." Genma said.
"The kage would NEVER lie," Iruka said, wide-eyed, following the kage and her ANBU escort.
Would she?
Gomen! Gomen nasai! I'm so sorry! I just had to put a little bit of GenmaxKakashi action because one never sees it... so anyway...
UP NEXT! Konoha celebrates - except for one man who's a perpetual loner... who poisoned the Hokage? And will Shizune ever get with Iruka if Iruka keeps going home with Kakashi drunk?