Stonebridge Village was both closer and further away than Kakashi had thought. Closer in miles, but the area they had to cross was boggy moorland, filled with mires and treacherous quicksand. No wonder no one went there. Without the map from the merchant he might never have found it.

After a day and a half of heavy hiking they stood on the crest of a hill, looking down into the most perfect little picture postcard village he'd ever seen.

Gep seemed to have regressed to ten years old. "Oh my God. I don't believe it. Look there it is, everything's the same. There's my tree, and the old barn, and the big pond. Oh come on, come on."

He started to take off down the hill.

"Hey what…" After the first step he was stopped by a gentle but unbreakable grip.

"Not so fast kid. How long have you been away?"

"About four years I guess, but what has that…"

"Let's wait until after dark."

The copy nin sat down in a single fluid move, pulling the youth to the ground beside him.

Gep spluttered with rage. "What the fuck… you bring me all the way here and then want to hold me back at the last minute…"

Kakashi let him rant, fighting the urge to read his book until he was done. "Look. That woman, your cousin, she went missing right? I haven't picked up on anyone so far, but if this if her home village, the chances are it's being watched pretty closely. Go rushing in there after four years away they'll just haul you straight off for questioning. And when you consider your 'profession' for the past few years, your homecoming will be one of the shortest in history."

Gep turned almost as pale as the man beside him. "Oh God. You mean… you're right, I'm a criminal now. I hadn't thought of that. But I never really did anything, they just took me along with them."

"Listen kid, you don't have to persuade me. The truth is I don't care what you've been doing these past four years. But I doubt that telling them that you were only the pirate boss's favourite fuck will cut you much of a break."

Gep raked his hands through his hair then rested them in his lap, knotting his fingers together. "This was a mistake. How can I just go back and live with everyone again? My folks, the kids I grew up with… I…I've got blood on my hands haven't I?"

Kakashi gave him a sweet candid smile, or at least as candid as was possible through a mask. "Tell me what you've been doing, what you know, and I'll give you an honest opinion."

"Yeah right. A promise is a promise. Well like I said before, there was this guy, he just showed up on The Mermaid one day."

"What did he look like?"

"I..I didn't get a really good look, but he had long black hair, and there was something about his eyes that was… spooky."

Well that suggested a couple of very interesting candidates. "Spooky eyes?"

"Yeah I just saw them for a moment, his hair pretty much covered them up but he scared the shit out of me. Hell he scared the shit out of all of us. You see we had a big haul of opium on board so we had a double guard, but he got right past everyone without them having a clue. The boss came out yelling and screaming, asking what the hell was going on. He pulled a gun on the guy but he just took it away from him like it was a joke."

Kakashi's face stayed as passive as stone. "This was the man who asked you to capture ninjas?"

Gep nodded. "But the boss just laughed in his face. Said he must be a damn fool. That he didn't care how much money he offered, ninjas were too dangerous. But the guy gave him these papers, all rolled up like little scrolls. Said if you put them on a ninja they'd seal up his charter…chaker…"

"Chakra."

"Yeah, something like that. He said it would seal up their powers, make them just like anyone else."

"And did they?"

"Boy did they ever? Just slip one of them in their shoes or under their bindings and the freaks… oh sorry!" He looked at the ninja beside him sheepishly.

"It's ok kid, go on, you've got a point and I've been called worse."

"Yeah well, you put them in their shoes and then they can't do any of that weird ninja stuff. Then all you've got to do is tie them down and dope them up and they're ready for delivery."

Kakashi glanced down at his sandal and pulled the mystery scroll from his front pouch. "So this is the seal I don't remember."

Gep swallowed hard and looked away. "Yeah, we picked you up a few days ago. But you got away, I guess you're better than all the others. I kinda knew you would be."

Well that filled in a few gaps. "Delivered to where?"

"There's a building on the edge of town, at least there used to be. Something, er, happened to it." He glanced up for a moment. "We used to take them, you, there and someone would come and pick them up."

"The same man?"

"I don't think so. I never saw him, but the boss always called him the old man, the one I saw didn't look so old."

Kakashi sifted through Gep's story. A man with black hair and strange eyes who created chakra seals. Kidnapping ninjas for who knows what reason. Manpower had always been a problem for Hidden Sound. Maybe this was Orochimaru's solution. Even if it wasn't he should report back. The question of the explosions could wait for now.

"So. You're home, I've got my information," he shrugged casually, "bye."

'You're going away already?"

Kakashi's one eye curved, making its trademark happy arc.

Gep's large eyes misted over with sadness, as if the copy nin's reaction had caused an equal and opposite response.

"Before you do there's something I'd really like to know. You said you'd give me an honest opinion. Did you do this just for the information or did you want to help me too?"

Kakashi considered carefully. Why not tell the truth? There was enough similarity in Gep's brown eyes to some other brown eyes, to make him feel that he should.

"I'm glad I got you home, I really am. But if I could have got the information without taking the time I would have."

Gep's face fell even further. "Oh. Well suppose that's as much as I can ask for. I just hoped…"

"Listen Kid, I'm not sentimental. You're pretty smart. If you wanted out you'd have seen a chance sooner or later, and taken it. And you aren't quite the poor innocent victim either. I can't say I blame you, I don't suppose there was much opportunity in a small village for the kind of sex you wanted. But you had a pretty good idea what your 'boss' was all about when you let him fuck you the first time. You thought he was romantic and exciting didn't you."

The youth's sullen blush was sufficient confirmation. "He said he loved me. I would have stayed with him if he didn't screw everything else he can get his hands on."

Kakashi twitched, but he wasn't sure why. It wasn't as if he was shocked exactly. "If he loved you he wouldn't want anyone else. We all make choices and live by their consequences. That was his and this is yours."

Gep's eyes met his. "And yours?'

Kakshi had already given one honest answer, for some reason he felt like giving another. "I decided to take the chance that any information you had would be worth giving up a week for."

Gep's expression didn't change. He picked at the skin around his thumbnail with the finger next to it. "And was it?"

His thumb started to bleed and he stuck it in his mouth. It made him look endearingly childlike.

Kakashi smiled under his mask. "Yes. I think I got decent value. I think I can go home now too."

He took Gep's hand and pulled the thumb out of his mouth. Then he eased down his mask and licked at the blood still oozing from it, his wet pink tongue rolling around the callused digit as he sucked it into his own mouth. Gep gasped and jerked his head up, to find himself staring into two eyes. One of them blood red.

It swirled into a maelstrom of crimson and black.

Later that night a fully stealthed shinobi flowed with the ripples of the rice straw still standing in the terraced paddies, over the stone bridge that spanned the river, and on to the centre of the Village. He stopped at the largest house, adjusted his grip on his human burden and knocked on the door.

"Who the hell is it?"

The village elder groped around in the dark for something more substantial to throw over the old yukata he'd been sleeping in, as the pounding on his door resumed.

Knock knock knock.

Couldn't these damn ninjas leave them alone already? Every living soul in the village had already answered all their questions about Aya. No one had seen her or her husband Sato in more than a year, so why were they still being harassed in the middle of the night like this?

He opened the door to a tall white-haired man, in an unfamiliar uniform, supporting a very familiar looking youth.

"Yo. Stonebridge Village right?"

"What the hell? Little Gep?"

"Not so very little. Guess it's a while since you saw him last?"

The elder stood gaping like a fish out of water as he tried to collect his wits. "Please, er, come in come in Shinobi-san, can I offer you some tea or…"

Kakashi's eye curved into its familiar arc. "No thanks, got places I've got to be. Just making a delivery." His eye opened wide, deadly serious. "I came across two Cloud nins on the border with Fire, a man and a woman. He was already dead, the woman died soon after. She said this was her cousin, they'd rescued him from… somewhere. Anyway, I promised her I'd bring him home."

"You mean Aya is…"

"Yes I'm sorry. It looked as if they died saving him, I thought you'd like to know. But the kid here doesn't remember a thing. Complete amnesia, he must have had it pretty rough so be kind to him."

Well what was the point in being an accomplished liar if it couldn't do someone a little good now and then? If the kid wanted a ninja hero to look up to he'd give him one. Kakashi nudged the dazed young man in question across the threshold into the village elder's arms.

"Wait, please, Shinobi-sama! Let me get his parents, they'll never forgive me if I don't let them thank you in person. The rest of us had all given him up for dead long ago."

But the black rectangle of the open doorway was already empty, and Konoha's copy nin was crossing the valley on his way back to Fire Country.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was another four days before The Flying Fish edged its way between the savage rocks surrounding Wolf Island. As it turned out the propeller had been damaged, so they were reduced to half speed. And the only place where they had a chance for getting it repaired or replaced was Port Kaizoku. A town so notoriously dangerous that Iruka refused to allow them to even stop for fresh water. They could get by on the bitter desalinated stuff if they had to.

Then as soon as they arrived a storm had moved in, sealing off the island from the mainland. Suddenly Iruka was no longer an escort but a guest. All in all he liked it better being hired help.

Within a matter of hours the oppressive atmosphere of the island, and of Wolf Castle in particular, seemed to have taken over his soul. But on the plus side, Yoko had been surprisingly restrained since they'd been back. Somehow, now that she was dressed as a woman again, she just didn't have the overpowering sex appeal that she'd had before. Or maybe the castle deadened her spirit too.

Iruka was tired, very tired. The stress of the past week had caught up all at once, but he couldn't sleep. So for the second night in a row he sat on the great stone windowsill looking at the glowering sky. Once there had been stars in the sky, the same stars that shone over Konoha. But now the raging storm sealed over the island like a lid, sealing him in, sealing the world out. He was starting to feel that he had lived here his whole life. Konoha seemed distant, like a dream, or somewhere in a book. Only one part of it seemed real. A silver haired man with two colour eyes, and a smile that made his heart melt.

The word came out between a breath and a sigh. "Kakashi."

Or was he a dream too.

He spoke softly into the fierce uncaring wind. "Kakashi, if you are a dream please let me dream you tonight. Your ridiculous hair that gets everywhere and makes me sneeze, your bony knees pressed into the back of my thighs, your breath against my face as you're sleeping..."

Tears tracked down his face but he barely noticed. Trying to hold the image in his mind, he dragged himself over to the bed, and collapsed on top of the covers.

If the night brought demon visitors he was too dead to the world to notice. Or maybe Kakashi was in his dreams, and kept them away.

A servant brought him breakfast, they exchanged smiles. In the distance he could hear the storm swept waves still pounding the shore.

"Good morning Umino-sensei, I trust you slept well."

Sensei? Yes he was still a sensei.

"I have good news Umino-sensei, our Lord is back in the castle. He can see you later today."

"But… but I thought no one could come or go from the island right now. Not until the storm has passed."

The servant shrugged. "I don't know. I was just told to inform you that he'll be expecting you this afternoon."

Iruka killed the time by exploring the castle. It was huge, and exactly the way he always imagined a castle like this should be. Many of the rooms spare, almost empty. Others crowded with old armour and stuff. One fitted out as a dojo. But all of them completely deserted. He was surprised. He'd assumed it would take a staff of dozens to maintain a place like this.

Unexpectedly he came upon a small door that was quite different to the others. Heavily and exquisitely carved with scenes of mountains and forests, each with a wolf howling to the night sky. He opened it slowly and incense smoke billowed out to meet him.

"Please come in Umino-sensei."

He stepped into the darkened room. Then as his eyes accustomed to the gloom he saw a man seated in front of a low carved rectangle. An incendiary full of incense sticks standing on the top was the source of the smoke. He bowed and waited.

"The mother of the Wolf Clan, this is her final resting place. Do you know her story?"

Iruka took in the man's regal bearing, his long black hair, his silk robe spotted with stars. "Ookami-sama? Yes I learned the history of Wolf Island a little while ago."

"I'm the current Lord of this Island but I'm not an Ookami. Yoko is an orphan, I adopted her. And I wonder if you know the true story. That the wolf fled the mountains because she was injured fighting her own kind, and that she was alone because she'd killed her pack herself."

Iruka gasped in shock. It put a very different slant on the story to the version the abbot had told him. "But didn't she go back to the mountains?"

"Yes. As much as she wanted to be human she couldn't deny her true nature. Her husband never gave up searching for her and he eventually found her remains and brought them here."

The Daimyou turned towards him, he hardly seemed old enough to have an adult daughter, even an adopted one. And there was something about the small part of his face that showed past his hair that seemed almost familiar. "Well Umino-sensei, let's talk of more cheerful things. I glad to have the opportunity to thank you in person for taking such good care of my daughter. I understand your journey wasn't without danger."

"Thank you My Lord, I was only doing my job. But if my mission is over I should go home now."

"Of course Umino-san, as soon as the weather cooperates. It's unfortunate that we've had two storms so close together. Meanwhile I hope you are comfortable as my guest."

His words set off an alarm. You'll find we treat our guests well. Sometimes I suspect that my father hopes they'll never leave. Was that a warning? Or a threat?

"If you'll excuse me My Lord, I would like to go back to my room. I have some things to do." He'd check though his weapons and sharpen them. If he had to he'd fight his way out.

The old man and the young woman who'd been evesdropping at the door slipped out of sight as he left. "So Yoko my dear, your last chance."

"And what if I can't seduce him. Isn't there another way we can get him to tell us what we need to know? Maybe bribe him, offer him something?"

The old man shook his head. "Not likely, he's a Leaf nin. They're loyal bastards, that's why we had to set up this whole charade in the first place. The only other choice is blood."

Yoko sighed. "Yes he's loyal. He has a girlfriend, he almost mistook me for her while we were coming back from Waterfall." She glanced at the old man. "It was dark."

"Then that's your answer, use his loyalty against him, make him think that you are his one true love."

She ran her fingers through her silver hair and rolled her eyes. "But how? I can't use a henge I've never seen her. Although she must be an ugly bitch, he called her Scarecrow."

The old man narrowed his eyes, a bright spark of energy hinting at the strength within his frail body. "Don't go spineless on me Yoko. Use the power of the blood mist, the illusion comes from his mind not yours. A henge or genjutsu fools the senses but the blood mist works directly on the brain, it creates an illusion in the brain as if it is coming from the senses. It can make a mouse seem to be an elephant or an elephant seem to be a mouse. It is total deception."

She gulped. "You mean if I want him to see me as the woman he loves then he will, just like that?"

"Just like that."

Yoko sighed again, why did her heart feel like lead? "Ok I'll do it. I'll take him tonight."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

It took Kakashi three days to get back to Konoha from the far side of cloud country. Then as soon as he arrived Tsunade had him escorted from the gate to her office. He was annoyed, but knew how concerned she was, how anxious she was to find out what he had learned. To tell the truth he was just as anxious to tell it.

"Will you let Iruka know I'm back?" He whispered to Kotetsu, as he was ushered in. "This could take a while."

The chuunin shook his head. "He's not home yet."

Tsunade shot him an angry glance.

"Not home!" Kakashi repeated. "But he's been gone almost two weeks. A trip to Wave country then to Waterfall and back can't possibly take more than one."

The woman's irritation was palpable. "Not for a ninja, but he isn't travelling as a ninja. Princesses take their own sweet time. And who knows when they left. Nobles can have schedules even more relaxed than yours Kakashi.

The copy nin narrowed his visible eye. "We have friends in Waterfall, and Wave Country, he'd have let me know if he was going to be late."

The Hokage scowled in response, this was exactly the argument she'd hoped to avoid. "Humph, if I haven't heard in another week, another full week, I'll send someone out to look for him."

"Someone?" Kakashi pounced on the word.

"Yes someone. The way things are I can't tie up a jounin with your skills checking up on a slow escort mission. Now, if you don't mind, I believe you have some information for me."

Kakashi pushed his personal feelings aside. For now.

It took him almost two hours to debrief. He'd handed over the seal at once, then gone on to detail what he suspected about Orochimaru. Of the trade in captured nins and how they might even now be assembling for an attack on Konoha. He even described how he'd nearly become one of them. It should help drive home his point about the very real danger. If a jounin could be trapped and captured… and Iruka was a week late. He mentioned that at least a dozen times.

By the time he was done he was exhausted, mentally and physically. He bowed to Tsunade before stepping back into the mission room.

A voice greeted him. "Hatake-san."

He looked up lazily to meet the grin of the old bridge builder from Wave Country, Tazuna."

"Hatake-san, I'm so glad I ran into you. I was hoping to get a chance to see you again, actually that's the very reason I volunteered to deliver this mission request. How's Naruto and the rest of your young team?"

Kakashi pulled a hand out of his pocket to make his usual two fingered greeting. "Yo. Naruto and Sakura have both grown up to become fine young people. Their talent has exceeded all of our expectations. And how are your daughter and grandson."

If Tazuna noticed that Sasuke was missing from the list he didn't mention it.

"Thriving, thriving. The boy's becoming a skillful fisherman. I swear he can smell the fish under the water."

After his recent trials Kakshi found chatting with the old man ridiculously pleasant. It had a mundane ordinariness that was exactly what he needed to ground him back in village life.

"So what do you need this time? No more problems with international criminals I hope."

"No no. One of our merchants has a rather large sum of money to take to the Capital. He'll be needing some protection along the way."

A mission to Wave Country. Kakashi strove to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"Well I'd love to take the mission but I've just been told to stick around for a bit."

He paused for a moment and scratched the back of his head. "But perhaps Naruto and Sakura could go, if they aren't already busy. I'm sure they would like to see your family again and maybe they could check out Wolf Island while they're in the area."

The old man looked puzzled.

"Wolf Island?"

"Yes, it's not far from you, I'm sure you've heard of it."

"Of course, but there's no one on Wolf Island these days. The last lord died more than a hundred years ago." The old man puckered his lips as he warmed to the subject. "It was a horrible tragedy, super gruesome, he ordered his vassals to slaughter each other, then he killed his whole family before committing suicide.From whatthe old stories say it wasn't the first massacre there either, the whole cursed place is steeped in blood. No one ever goes there."

Tsunade appeared in her open doorway, flaring with the power of the world's strongest ninja.

"Go!"

Her command met a swirl of smoke and leaves. Kakashi had already gone.