Author's Note: I know that there is a lot of spelling that's wrong when Kuzu talks, but that's because his accent is heavier than Misha's.

Chapter 2: Scratches of Memory

Xx--xxx--xX

It wasn't clear who it would be. Several candidates would qualified. Yet, Sakura rejected them. Soon Tsunade was growing frustrated with the girl. It had been two hours since they had started this. 'Pick One!' she yelled in her head. It was no good for them to have a leader that either of them didn't approve of. Since Naruto would probably reject all of them, she had to rely on Sakura's judgement. But right about now, she wouldn't mind the blonde's whinning or complaining if it meant getting this done faster.

So Tsunade sat there quietly. Listening to the young girl shuffle through the many profiles. Looking at one, then shaking her head and moving on. It wasn't until mid-day that Tsunade said something. "Does anyone appeal to you?" her patients was wearing thin.

Sakura stopped and took a look at five candidates in her hands. She hadn't before, not even when the news reached her. But now she did. Her cheeks grew wet, and she felt herself choking on her own tears. Now was the time to let it all out. She couldn't keep it bottled up anymore.

The folders fell from her hands and scattered on the floor. Sakura's gentle hands covering her eyes. Tsunade walked around the side and put an arm around the broken girl. She kissed her against the head and just held her. "I know. I know," and they stayed like that. For several moments. Then Sakura got a hold of herself.

"I'm sorry. It's just, it's hard to really realize he's gone," Sakura held herself. Tears still streamed down her face, but this time less fluantly.

The Hokage was back at her desk. The papers Sakura had dropped, now sat in front of her. "It's good."

"What?"

"It's good for you to cry. It's hard loosing someone you care about," the folders were stacked on each other. The sanin took a look at each one. "But we have to get back to life. Like when Sasuke left-"

"That's different!" Sakura's voice rose up. She didn't mean to, "We can still get him back! But not Kakashi-sensei. He's gone!" The girl had thrown herself into a fit. Now she cried harder than before. No sound, just tears. Tsunade let her cry. It was going to be hard. Harder for them to move on. 'They need a break from this.'

"We'll deal with this some time latter. It's not like I need you and Naruto go on any urgent missions right now." Sakura nodded, and without another word walked out. Still holding herself.

Once outside she leaned against the wall. And in a whisper said to herself, "I need to be strong. For me, and Nartuo."

"Misha!" Kuzu's deep voice belowed through the house. His large feet thudded against the floor. "Misha!"

"What?" he came around the corner and was now staring his brother in the face. "I'm busy cooking."

"Ishida is gonna organize a'noder raid. He says for you to coook the foood. 'Make it lots of travelin foood,' he says to me. Now you go on ahead and start doing dat. 'No dinner tonight,' that's what he said directly!" Misha rolled his eyes and turned back into the kitchen.

He took the pot he was going to make pasta in, and heated up the water. As soon as it was ready, he dropped in some eggs. Next would be rice balls and maybe some pickles. While he was frantically cooking the dinner, he began whistle. Next thing he knew he almost singing all the words. It was a catchy tune. One he had heard before. But he wasn't sure where. Misha continued to half sing, half whistle. Until the day was done and the sun fell under the horizon.

"Life is fading, the sky is shading, gray.

A fast strip of color, brings such wonder, here.

And yet death will come, child hury home.

Still spring is another day, life will not whither away."

He kept going. Two more versus until he noticed someone else was in the room. Misha turned his head. It was the last person he expected to see. "You?"

"Keep going," Kakashi leaned against the inside of the door. Misha was stunned and angry. Angry that he hadn't noticed him before.

"What do you want? I"m busy."

"Nothing really, I've already read my book. Several times. I was looking for something to do," the silver head shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Misha was almost sad to see him leave. Truth be told, he liked the mysterious shinobi from Konoha. Ishida had choosen good when he picked Kakashi.

xxx

Kakashi walked around, his legs swinging wide each time. The ground was soft and moist, and let out water each time he took a step. He looked back. It was hard to see, but he could make out the familiar door of Ishida's hideout. It was well hidden. Even though he stood but 5 yards away from it, it was still hard to see.

Then the shinobi thought back. Back when it all started. How he had gotten here.

Naruto went out the window. And just in time. Ishida's rage had grown too much. The black spread from the room and quickly shot out of the windows. 'He's gonning to trap me in.' Kakashi quickly moved around to his blind spot. Then he somewhat tackled, somewhat grabbed, the red head. This wasn't enough to stop it, but enough to lower the power.

As he pulled down Ishida, the black chakra seemed to come with it. A loud air sucking sound, and then it was dark. Kakashi could hardly breath. His mind clouded with all kinds of thoughts. Most of them could be cast aside for the moment.

Then Kakashi realized he could feel. He was still alive! His hands began to grope the empty space in front of him. Nothing. Then, a blinding light flashed over him. When he opened his eyes, the jounin found himself in the same room, in the same house, still with Ishida. Only now Ishida had passed out onto the floor. He lay there, slowly breathing.

Kakashi walked over to him. The red head's eyes shot open and his head jolted up. Now he was staring into the laidback grey eyes of his former friend.

"I changed the plans a little. Now Naruto will think I'm dead. You won't have trouble from Konoha's ANBU."

Ishida let out one of his infamous laughs. "Ya know, it would have been nice of you to have told me." He smiled and rose to his feet. Just then a thundering of feet came. Misha and Kuzu ran into the room. Knives drawn and at ready. Ishida put up his hands, "Now, now. He's going to stay with us," Ishida peared over his shoulder. "That was our deal?"

Kakashi nodded in silence.

"I didn't know he possesed that chakra. Huh, what a fool I was." He found his normal resting spot among the trees. It was a fork in the trunk of a large old oak tree. One of the rare Burning Sun trees. Now it's leaves were fading to the normal green of the forest. Only in the early spring did one see it's true beauty.

Branches crossing over each other from tree to tree kept the spot well hidden. Yet Ishida never bothered to look for him. He knew that Kakashi would not run.

But now, Kakashi felt a longing in his heart. He wished to be back in Konoha. To be with the few people that cared about him. The jounin knew that the number was quite small. But that's how he wanted it.

"Maybe I should go back. Just to look." So he decided. Even if Ishida got mad, it would not matter. Just as long as he got to see Naruto was safe. But what he hadn't planned on was what he was going to do there. That night, everything would start.

Outside it was silent. Only crickets and other night bugs could be heard. No lights were left on, but his. Naruto crossed his arms over and leaned on the window sill. 'I wonder if Sakura-chan picked out anyone. I hope not.' As he thought that, a glint of hope and happiness rose into his heart. And in a minute it faded.

"It can't be... could it?" Something was amiss in the air. Not everything in Konoha was as it should be. Then, a sudden feeling hit and twisted Naruto's stomach. The blonde withdrew from the window. He laid on his bed and waited for the feeling to pass. But when it did nothing of the sort, something came to his mind. 'The memorial stone.' "I should go."

Before he knew what he was doing. He was pulling on his clothes and heading out the door. His appartment left empty and dark.

xxx

His feet stepped across the yard. It was cold and his breath could be seen in the moonlight. The memorial stone lay just ahead. The genin would look for one name, and one name only. Then he stopped. Naruto thought that something was wrong with the stone. A shadow seemed to move amongst other shadows. It stopped and looked at Naruto, or seemed to.

Then in a flash, disappeared into the night. Quickly the boy's feet ran to the stone. He stood there and looked around. Nothing could be seen in the dark except the trees against the moon. And the stone.

His eyes drifted down to the stone. Horror, confusion, hope, and many other feelings swept over him. First, horror. For the stone had been defaced. That would have just brought anger. But it was his sensei's name that was carved out. Confusion. Naruto asked himself several questions about what had happened. Who was that shadow? Did it carve away the name? Who would do such a thing? Last, hope. Maybe, in some corner of the country, Kakashi was alive. Alive and trying to say contact him. Maybe he couldn't reveal himself for some reason.

Naruto could feel a smile spreading across his face. He had to tell someone this. He had to know if any of it were true. "Sakura-chan!" the blonde cried into the night air.

Hoped you liked this one. I'll keep writing them. But they may not be up from 3-8 days each. Why? My sister is a computer hog.

Any way, Next Chapter: A Loss, A Raid, A Hope