Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to the writer. This story and content does belong to the author.
Title: Veiled Truths
Author: Starfire
Pairings: KakaSaku
Type: AU
The past was harsh for him to grasp. The ones he did remember were never that happy. But what he did remember were lessons taught in the most hurtful manner. Those instances of familiarity lay dormant but overall if some came they were shrouded in a veil of haziness.
Yet in all his memory he remember that war was always there in the background and a smile immersed in pink that would flicker here and there..
Kakashi was an ANBU one of the youngest and the top most genius at age twelve. He never thought that he would have changed when meeting the scared little girl during his mission.
"Kakashi is your section secured?" His team leaders voice came over the radio communication.
"Yes all targets have been eliminated." Walking away he heard a bang coming from the closet. Eyeing it wearily he pull out his kunai and jerked open the door.
Frightened jade eyes looked at him with messy pink hair that looked it seen better days a red ribbon was tied around the girls head. The red dress she was clothed in was torn and dirty.
Kakashi felt his heart clench at the sudden whimper that came from the child. "Shhh I am not going to hurt you."
"I want my mommy." The four year old cried.
"Don't worry I'll get you there." Tugging off his cloak he covered the girl shielding her from the sight of blood. A part of him felt that someone this young should not be exposed to death just yet even though he was opposite to that rule.
Swiftly he travelled with his bundle until arriving at the coordinates of his group.
"What is that Kakashi?" The leader asked seriously.
Flickering the hood off the little girls head his squad stare.
"What the hell?"
"I found her locked in the closet." The copy ninja explained.
The little girl looked at the adults terrified. Taking off his Anbu mask Kakashi reassured the girl, "Don't be scared they won't hurt you." His skintight mask hid half of his face but revealed his sharingarns and his only dark blue eye.
Feeling reassured Sakura peered at the others curiously. "What is your name little one?"
"Haruno Sakura."
One of the ANBU members walked forward obviously a female, "Your parents are near frantic with worry when you went missing Sakura."
The silver haired boy frowned at the name Haruno since it sounded familiar.
"Well lets get you home now Sakura." The leader signalled, putting his ANBU mask back on they headed back to Konoha.
Before Sakura was given into the hands of a medical ninja to be checked over she ran up to Kakashi and hugged him. Arigato nii-san!" Then just as quickly she was gone leaving a stunned copy ninja in her wake.
That was the first time in a very long time that anyone thanked him let alone hugged him.
Slowly things went back to normal and he wouldn't see Sakura for many years to come.
If he did not meet her then he would have been spared from the pain of emotions but fate like always would play in the life of the copy ninja for no one was not spared from the game of life.
The threads of these two are entangled with one another and fate had its plan for both.
The three man cell of team seven was gathered on the red bridge. All three had made chuunin through the guidance ofa newly established jounin teacher.
Way before the three became that rank Iruka even though a chuunin teacher at that time had requested from the third Hokage to let him take over team sevens training while they were genin.
By the time Iruka had taken over he had passed the jounin exam. It was the Hokage's wish that in order for Iruka to keep teaching the three he would have to pass the jounin test.
Wanting Naruto to expand his skills and feeling Sasuke would require more stability emotionally he position himself as their teacher.
Originally Iruka had worked hard to ensure the safety of Konaha as he secretly work for a special unit in hostage situation. Many were sure if Umino Iruka was placed in the interrogation squad then any enemy shinobi would be begging for relief. It wasn't until Sandaime requested the young Umino to teach at the ninja academy in order to establish peace and fairness. Mainly to ensure that students like Naruto would be treated fairly in testing situation since the bias against the kyuubi carrier still ran high.
He also was station to keep a eye on a couple of traumatized youths namely Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Neji. Both had lost relatives and require a expert not in child development but rather in psychological experience. Considering Iruka worked with hostages and victims the hokage thought he was just perfect to handle these special cases.
Yet even so through all this time Iruka remained in the chuunin ranks. The third hokage had always wanted the young dolphins to be raised into a higher position this was one way to motivate the young Umino before he died and in the end it happened.
One years had passed and with the death of the third Hokage and Iruka was now a Jounin. Even so troubles were brewing and the new Lady Hokage declared war against the sound village. With the demand of duty the jounin teachers would be sent on missions. These missions would be heavily classified.
Before any if this happened Iruka not wanting his students to become idle asked for apprentice positions for team seven since he had other missions to take on due to limited amounts of shinobi. Due to this Sakura was accepted by the lady hokage as an apprentice Sasuke would be trained by Hyuuga Hiashi in chakra control and the sharingarns since the Hyuuga bloodline was a variation of the sharingarns and was a distant cousin. Naruto would be trained by Jiraiya one of the famous sennin also a major pervert.
At least confident that the three would grow stronger with the tutorships. It wasn't long that he entered them into the chuunin test and all of them passed.
Yet with war over the horizon Iruka worried about the development of his pupils. It wasn't long until he found the solution through Tsunade whom was pulling her hair out from one single ninja.
The silver haired menance ninja to be percise don't get her wrong Kakashi was a respected ninja but his disregard of his own well being drew great concerns for her. The latest mission resulted in his body becoming heavy injuried.
Iruka wasn't sure if it would be a good idea however once the Lady Hokage announced his temporary replacement. In the end he agreed reluctantly.
In the end he regarded the acceptance in dread. Right now he was awaiting the mans arrival. In twenty minutes the supposed replacement hadn't appeared still waiting he felt a vein throbbed in his annoyance. Suddenly smoke popped a few feet away from him a man in a mask covering half his face with a messy clump of silverhair.
"Ah Iruka-sensei?" The ninja asked uncertain when he noticed the shorter man. "Sorry I am late Lady Hokage stopped me to check over my arm."
"I see." Even though he should not feel annoyed even with the Hokage warning of Kakashi's behavior, "I'm suppose to give the files on my three pupils and the schedule that they are on." He had taken detail notes on each student and their improvements including the necessary needs of each one."
Taking the satchlet that containing all of the information the silver hair jounin under estimate the weight and so losted his balance falling onto the bag. "That was unexpected."
Iruka laughs truly wondering if this jounin could really handle his chuunin. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah your bag is rather deceptive."
This drew another smile and a slight scratching of the scarred over pert little nose. "You should of seen Sandaime-sama's reaction when I took out close to five arm loads of papers from it." Slightly sobering over the thought of the Third Hokage's death.
Kakashi smiled behind his mask, "Yeah the old man was fun to play with."
Both were drew into their memories for a few second. Then suddenly Iruka remembered something, "Kakashi-sensei can I ask you for a favor?"
"Depends on what it is..."
Iruka stared seriously, "Please protect my students. They are special kids and they require amount of attention all equally and even if they are shinobi they are still young and require a certain amount of protection." He quickly rushed his explaination.
"I'll protect them I promise." To Kakashi this individual reminds him of a protective mother bear over her cubs.
Quickly Iruka bows and smiles, "Thank you and if anything shoild happen to me I hope you keep a eye on them as well." Glancing at his watch he flinches. "I have to say goodbye now my squad is moving out tonight." Turning to go.
"Iruka." Kakashi did not know why he call out to the sensei.
Iruka turned around wondering what the copy ninja wanted.
"Goodluck and don't die."
A answering smile then a poof signal the exit of the other jounin. Kakashi when looking at Iruka was reminded of a combination of Rin and Obito's personality. It sort of amazed him how the emotions on the other jounins face was so easy to read.
Naruto arrived at the bridge greeting his teammates, "Sakura-chan!"
The pastel hair chuunin lifted her head and smiled, "Naruto Ohayo!" She had already greeted Sasuke and the boy was dully leaning against the bridge in disenchantment.
It was today that they would meet their replacement teacher until Iruka-sensei returned.
The day before they listen to their kind teacher's words. Telling them to get stronger and to watch over one another. Through Iruka they learned how to work together as a cell even though they still were tutored by different individuals.
Poof. Signaled the arrival of their substitute teacher. All three peered at the unempathic ninja whom seems dishelved and sleepy.
"Yo!" Was the only greeting they got.
Sasuke kept his eyes on the man warily. While Naruto smiled in greeting, "Are you the substitute sensei?"
"Aa yeah." His eye roaming over the three and lingered over the pink haired head for a few seconds. "Why don't you introduce yourselves and your likes and dislikes."
Naruto grinned widely, "I'm Naruto and I will become Hokage someday even though that old granny is in charge for now. I don't like people that pick on those weaker themselves."
Kakashi was amused that this little squirt calls Tsunade old granny. The resemblance of Naruto to his former sensei was striking.
The dark haired boy spoke behind his hands, "Uchiha Sasuke, I want to avenge and restore my clan." The youth stared at Kakashi warning him to not get in his way. Even though he wanted vengeance and did one time try to seek Orchimaru but was stopped by Iruka and the rest of team seven. He realized thanks to them that he wouldn't obtain power through the other man. "I hate annoyances."
Iruka of course had taken him and Naruto under his wing. Supplying them with a home and careful instructions. Sasuke could Never go two feet away without Iruka knowing. The teacher wasn't a watch dog but he was a persistent mother hen. Sasuke knew that Iruka was someone that cared enough to educate and love his students.
Iruka was so opposed to Sasukes mistake that he took Sasuke to his personal library to teach him history.
Not any type but one with a profile on Orchimaru and other secret information that he had no idea how his sensei obtained. Iruka to him was a mystery. Yet he also was a person that he held in high regards. Just like Naruto the Uchiha heir would lay down his life for the dolphin sensei.
Sakura smiles at Kakashi, "I'm Haruno Sakura." Shrugging her shoulders, "I wish to better myself as a shinobi and protect those that I love." It has been a while since Sakura had gotten over Sasuke. As she matured she realized that what she felt was only a crush that turned into a form of habit.
Staring at Sakura then turning his attention to all three. "I'm Hatake Kakashi, I'm in charge of your unit until Iruka-sensei returns. I like to read and to all you three I shall not take it easy on your training. Especially since I promised your sensei to make sure that you won't lag behind others." Bringing his hand out he smirks two bells jingle together. "You three only two will pass by getting these bells."
All three stood quietly watching this man all three glances at one another. Then nodding their heads in silent communication while the jounin smirked behind his mask.
"Begin!"
Then with a jerk Naruto went after Kakashi using another copy of himself against the copyninja. The attack was interesting as Sasukes joined in lending a hand. Both knew that they had to fight to let Sakura analyze this shinobi's move. It took almost the loss of Iruka-sensei's life to get all three to work together. When the teacher had blocked attacks around his genin he told them that they all had their strength's to rrely upon one another.
Then in a instance Kakashi disappeared into a log. Both boys paused looking around, while the pink haired girl call to them, "Now!" Then slamming her fist into the ground releasing some of her chakra.
The copy ninja popped out rubbing his head. "As expected of Hokage's apprentice." Then a sudden jingle was heard and Kakashi jerked around to see Sasuke and Naruto holding Bells, "What?"
The two smirked as the bells in their hands disappeared and Sakura came out from behind them with the two bells. "Ne sensei she said sweetly, we passed ne?"
"Ah...yes."
Underestimating a ninja may get a shinobi killed. Kakashi knew but inwardly he should have read those notes Iruka left.
Then again the thought of those heavy files would exhausted him and he would rather read interesting books instead. Like his certain orange book.
Note: Kakashi 14 Sakura is 6 years old. It's been six year since Yodamine sealed the kyuubi. So Kakashi is 8 years older.
Iruka is thirteen years old.
When Sakura is 4 Kakashi will be 12.
When Kakashi is 9 Sakura is 1 years old.