Kakashi hated funerals. In fact, he hadn't attended one since Obito had died in the line of duty all those years ago. He had left the village with Naruto before Minato and Kushina's funeral, refusing to be present for the outpouring of grief that had been sure to follow.
The weather was terrible for the event, Kakashi mused. It was bright, sunny, the chirping of birds carried along by a stiff Konohan breeze, nothing like the moody rain and overcast skies one would think was appropriate for such solemn proceedings. Then again, such rainy days were a rarity in the practically tropical Konohan weather. It was basically summer all year round. Fire Country was not named that for nothing.
The eulogizing ended, far too drawn out and painstaking for Kakashi's taste. He stood, stiff and awkward, clad in his formal attire. The silver, nine squared diamond of his clan embroided on the back of his cloak stood out against the black he wore. His son wore virtually matching attire, expression equally hidden under his own face mask. His striking blonde hair did cut a stark contrast with his dark clothing, but it couldn't be helped.
"With that, we put to rest the spirits of Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto. May they find their way to the Pure Land swiftly, and peacefully." The cleric from the Fire Temple finished his rites, stepping down from small elevated platform erected for that very purpose. The end of his short exhortation signaled the most painful part of the funeral, guests moving forward to pay their final respects to the Uchiha Patriarch and his wife. Kakashi was near the middle of the queue, neither close enough to the family to warrant going first, but acquainted enough to go before the line of sycophants and civilians.
A lone Uchiha Itachi stood by his parents' graves, even now looking every bit the stoic, dignified, dutiful Uchiha. His face showed no sign of the terrible emotional duress he must have been under, and his body language was unreadable. He wore his dark grey ANBU fatigues, an oddity that was not missed by many of the Shinobi in attendance. Kakashi finally reached the front of the queue, taking the Uchiha's hand.
"My condolences, Itachi-san."
"Thank you, Kakashi-san. You saved my life." Itachi bowed respectfully.
"It was my duty. If you need anything..." Kakashi left it hanging. He was not the most emotionally articulate person.
"Itachi-nii! I promise you, I'll get strong enough to find Orochimaru-teme, and I'll help you beat him and rescue Sasuke!" Naruto suddenly stepped forward from Kakashi's side, manners forgotten in a mad rush of emotion. Kakashi sighed, hastily apologizing for his son's outburst.
"I appreiciate it, Naruto-kun. Thank you, for caring." Itachi smiled warmly at the fierce declaration from the younger Hatake.
"No need to apologize, Kakashi-san. Naruto is a dear friend." Itachi turned back to the father, smile still lingering.
"Well, we'd best not hold up the queue. Come now, Naruto-kun." Kakashi hurried his son along. He pitied the Uchiha, sparing a glance back at the prodigy. He continued to perform his duty, accepting the meaningless platitudes of people who had never known his parents and felt nothing of the pain he endured, with poise and a stoicism that was admirable.
"Good afternoon, Hatake-san. A moment of your time?" Hyūga Hiashi was a strikingly formal man. It was a surprise that he had attended the funeral, his political rivalry with Fugaku was public knowledge, and the feud between the clans had grown especially bitter throughout their time as their respective Clan Heads. Decorum, however, dictated that the Hyūga Clan Head attended the funeral of such a highly positioned colleague, and if there was one thing a Hyūga never broke, it was decorum.
"Good afternoon to you as well, Hiashi-dono. Run along with Hinata-chan, Naruto-kun. I'll catch up." He inclined his head respectfully to the noble. Hiashi was not just a puffed up autocrat, the man had earned his stripes as a fully fledged Jōnin of the village, serving with distinction throughout the Third War. He was a deadly master in close combat, some declaring him the foremost master of the Jyūken in three generations. The trappings of the aristocracy had not eroded his lethality, Kakashi judged from the way he still carried himself. The introverted Hyūga heiress had been silently trailing behind her father, but at the mention of Naruto perked up. A single nod from her father was all she needed, allowing Naruto to take her hand and lead her away, a mild blush coming to her cheeks as Naruto chattered away furiously about his latest 'ninja trick'.
"Will you be attending today's Council meeting? A matter of some importance is on the agenda." Hiashi inquired, falling in step with the Copy-nin.
"When is a matter of some importance not on the agenda? You know, sometimes I forget I even have seat amongst you all. Much too complicated for me, the business of running a village, Hiashi-dono." Kakashi replied truthfully.
"You undersell your intellect and value, Kakashi-san. The Hatake Clan seat has lain empty since your father's passing. A great shame, for your clan was once greatly respected and relied upon."
"We were farmers, Hiashi-dono."
"Greatly respected and relied upon farmers, Kakashi-san."
Kakashi almost tripped. Was that humor coming from the "man with largest stick up his ass since Madara?" as Tsume had described?
"What is this matter for discussion?"
"A new bill, for the academy. The usual budgetary concerns, but a clause that would restrict the age of graduants was included. The Civilians passed it when they convened three days ago. We meet to vote today."
"An age restriction?"
"You are truly out of touch with the happenings of this village, Hatake-san. The proposed age is twelve."
"That would change the culture of the Shinobi Corps completely!" Kakashi stopped walking, turning to face the Hyūga patriarch.
"You are correct. Early enrollment would cease. Konoha's penchant for churning out prodigies would be hampered, I believe."
"You don't sound particularly bothered."
"On the contrary, I am fully behind this bill. I intend to vote in favor." Hiashi locked his eyes with Kakashi's lone exposed one.
"I.. that's unexpected." Kakashi held his gaze, feeling a little ambushed. Hiashi had begun the conversation clearly wanting something from him, and he couldn't figure out what.
Naruto's voice echoed from further down the street.
"Hinata-chan! That's so cool! How did you...!" The wind shifted, carrying the sounds of playing children away.
Hiashi's eyes never wavered.
"I too am a father, Kakashi." Hiashi dropped the honorifics. Kakashi was taken aback. He stared the Hyūga in the eye, for a moment no longer noble and ninja, but two men who shared a ferocious, compulsive desire to protect their children.
"It seems that I will be attending my first Council Meeting this evening, Hiashi-dono."
"Excellent. I will see you there. Good day, Kakashi-san."
"The Academy Reformation Act is passed, thirteen votes to three, with four abstentions." The middle aged Chūnin scribe intoned ceremonially.
"Who the hell voted against? You actually want our kids to die early?" Tsume's brash voice was loud in the Council Chambers.
"The bill is passed, Tsume-san, there is no need to start anything unnecessary." Aburame Shibi, ever the voice of reason, spoke levelly, sending a reproachful look at the Inuzuka alpha. Of course, Kakashi assumed it was a reproachful look. Who could tell, with those cryptic bug lovers and their massive shades. The irony was lost on the mask-wearing Hatake.
"Hokage-sama? The final decision rests with you." Hiashi's cultured voice was raised, bringing the short altercation to a close. Hiruzen rose to his feet from his seat at the head of the long stone table, Kage's hat casting a long shadow across the marble edifice.
"It is woeful for a son to bury his father, but it is the natural happening of life. A father, however, should never have to bury his sons." Sarutobi spoke, and the quiet pain in his voice silenced each and every one of the village leaders. That Hiruzen had raised three sons yet only one remained to him was a terrible reminder of the cost of their way of life.
"With this act, our children will remain children a little while longer, shielded from the unspeakable nature of war and death. Our village is strong, our Shinobi numerous. We need not send our children to their early graves. Let it pass into village law." So spoke the Sandaime Hokage, and so did his word became law.
"So you finally turned up for one of these crapshoots, Hatake?" Tsume asked playfully. Kakashi eye smiled ruefully.
"I took a special interest in passing this particular piece of legislation, Tsume-san. Don't get too comfortable with my presence here, I don't intend to make this a habit."
"Bah, ever the protective father, aren't you."
"You should attend more meetings, Kakashi-san." Shikaku spoke from across the table, eyes still closed in the perfect image of repose.
"We could use more frontline Shinobi sitting in. Some of these nobles barely deserve the title of Ninja Clan." Choza's deep rumble of a voice finished the Jōnin Commander's train of thought.
"Yea.. one of those idiots has never even moulded chakra in his life, and he wants to dictate Shinobi policy?" Tsume's voice was definitely too loud to be meant for just their ears.
"Kakashi-san is here by my request, Nara-san." Hiashi's voice cut through the commotion.
"Huh. Never thought you'd throw in your lot with freaky eyes." Tsume frowned.
Kakashi flushed. There was some political maneuvering going on around him, something that Kakashi was very much keen on avoiding. This was exactly why he avoided coming to these meetings in the first place.
"I am only here to see the bill passed, to protect my son. Please leave me out of your politics." Kakashi quickly cut in, hoping to defuse the tension.
"Quite right. We all have children, don't we? This is a cause for celebration, not more politicking." Yamanaka Inoichi, ever the diplomat, smiled.
"Kakashi-kun. May I speak to you in my office?" Hiruzen asked, providing a lifeline to the harried Hatake.
"Of course, Hokage-sama." Kakashi's reply was just a tad rushed.
The chair was starting to fit his posterior rather snugly, Kakashi thought.
"It was a pleasant surprise to see you at the meeting, Kakashi-kun. Your presence was very welcome."
"Never again. I thought they were going to eat me, Hokage-sama. Thanks for bailing me out." Kakashi clasped his hands behind his head.
"Sakumo would have been so proud to see you in his place." Hiruzen offered, lighting his pipe. Kakashi stiffened slightly at the mention of his father, but slowly relaxed.
"Yea. I suppose he would've been. He was always a sentimental guy." Kakashi muttered. Hiruzen smiled, a genuine, affectionate smile that had not graced his features in months. Kakashi was finally coming to terms with his demons, finally letting go of his painful, traumatic past. It had been a long road for the Copy-Nin, but he was finally healing. Taking a step to ensure not just Naruto, but no one else's children would have to endure what he had was a tremendous form of catharsis for his worn psyche, and Kakashi was all the better for it.
"And how is Naruto-kun?" Hiruzen asked.
Kakashi returned his smile, body language visibly lightening.
"He's running me into the ground. I've gotta increase my own training regime, maybe start working out with Gai. The boy's an avalanche of energy, literally never tires out. He's training non-stop from the moment he gets back from the academy till he crashes at night."
"Ahh.. have a care that he does not grow overly obsessed with revenge, Kakashi-kun. It's not good for the soul." Hiruzen's concern was touching.
"Hai, Hokage-sama. I'll keep an eye on him. He told me he never wants to be in a situation where I have to risk my life to protect him again, the little rascal. How was I supposed to refuse his request to train him then?"
"You're raising a future heartthrob, Kakashi-kun" Hiruzen chuckled.
"Boy already has Hiashi's daughter following him around like a puppy. He even asked me if she was his girlfriend awhile ago. Imagine that, a Hatake and a Hyūga!" Kakashi laughed.
"That would be most humorous, truly."
"I don't want him to grow up, Hokage-sama." Kakashi's mood turned contemplative.
"I want him to stay like this forever, with what little innocence and wonder he has left. I want him to be happy, to live and laugh and love. I saw that look in his eyes the other day when we spoke to Itachi-san at the funeral. I don't want him to grow up wanting to hunt down Orochimaru. I just want him to grow up, grow strong, meet a loving girl, settle down, and be content with life. None of this revenge, none of this defending himself from assasins and kidnappers." Kakashi's sudden outpouring of anxiety and hope was like a dam breaking, the emotionally inarticulate Jōnin unleashing a storm of repressed emotions.
"You've gone some way in doing that, Kakashi-kun. He will remain a child for four more years, at least. The young have suffered enough for the sins of the old, and we owe them that much, to protect them from our failures." Hiruzen spoke, meeting Kakashi's outpouring of emotion with hopeful conviction.
"The Will of Fire still burns, and burns strongly within our hearts Kakashi-kun. We will keep it a little while longer, for our children, and our children's children."
Naruto was bored. Like, really bored. He glanced at the clock across him, counting down the minutes till it was time for recess. Iruka-sensei was busy droning on about "projectile trajectory" and some other boring physics stuff that simply didn't bother Naruto. How hard was it to throw a kunai?
Beside him, his friend Shikamaru dozed, resting his head on his crossed arms on the table, evidently given up trying to be discreet. Naruto took to doing something a little more productive, manipulating his chakra in an attempt to try to spin his pencil. Tou-chan had taught him the trick just three days ago, and he was having a great deal of fun figuring it out. It was far harder than the tree-walking that Naruto was already getting the hang of, requiring a far greater level of chakra control, and fine manipulation, but Naruto was determined to get it down.
"Thus I hope you all understand that in the future, these basic fundamentals will help you a great deal as you strive to become better ninja. Any questions?" Iruka asked the class. Nobody responded.
"Very well, go for your lunch break. Be back in an hour, everyone, and don't be late for Mizuki-sensei's class! You all have sparring today, so please do not eat too much!" The kids were already scrambling for the door, rushing to get out into the fresh air.
"Hatake-san, Hyūga-san, may I speak to you both for a minute?" Iruka stopped Naruto just as he was about to leave.
"Hai, Iruka-sensei. Hey Shika! Go ahead with the rest first, usual place! I'll come find you once I'm done." Naruto called out to his lazy friend. The Nara heir merely gave him a thumbs up before continuing at his sedate pace. Naruto quickly joined the shy Hyūga princess, taking a seat next to her.
"Naruto-san, Hinata-san, I just wanted to tell you that you both won't be taking the graduation exam next month. The Village has decided on a new law limiting the age of graduation to twelve and above." Iruka spoke, gauging the children's reaction.
The boy looked suprised, then predictably, upset. Hinata showed no visible reaction.
"What? Why!" Naruto shot to his feet, obviously agitated.
"I believe the village no longer wishes to have our children fighting before they have any need to. You're still so young, Naruto-san. Enjoy your childhood while it lasts!" Iruka attempted to calm the young Hatake.
"It doesn't make any sense! I'm good enough to pass the exam.. why shouldn't I be allowed to take it?" Naruto's eyes flashed, those deep cerulean pools growing stormy in anger.
"N-Naruto-kun.. please calm down!" Hinata squeaked, looking rather uncomfortable at her friend's outburst.
"Aren't you upset too, Hina-chan? You're good enough to pass too, it's not fair!"
"H-hai.. but it wouldn't hurt to stay in school for awhile longer, right?"
Iruka, sensing the situation was out of his hands, excused himself from the classroom, leaving the two children in solitude.
"I just.. Tou-chan already didn't let me enroll early, and now I won't be able to graduate early either. How am I supposed to make him proud now? By the time he was twelve he was already almost a Jōnin, and I'll be stuck in this stupid class learning useless stuff." Naruto sank back into the chair, obviously downcast.
"Naru-kun... I'm sure y-your dad would be proud of you no matter what.." Hinata offered, visibly affected by her friend's mood.
"How am I going to grow strong enough to rescue Sasuke?" Naruto sulked.
"I don't know.." Hinata paused, struggling to find the words. Her father's encouragement that evening came back to her, and she resolved to be strong.
"It-it won't change the fact that you're still a very talented ninja, Naruto-kun! A-and just cos' they don't let us graduate early doesn't mean we can't continue improving and getting better! We-we'll both grow strong enough to achieve our dreams, N-Naruto-kun, even if we stay for a few more years in the academy!" Hinata surprised herself with the conviction in her own voice.
Naruto looked up, masked features scrunching up in surprise.
"Gee, I didn't think you felt so strongly, Hina'-chan... I mean, I guess you're right. We'll just have to keep kicking ass in this loser town, and graduate as the strongest gēnin ever." Naruto's irrepressible optimism was coming back, much to Hinata's joy. She much preferred it when her childhood friend was his bubbly, infectiously cheerful self. The months following Sasuke's kidnapping had been unbearable, his overcast mood and constant brooding had severely affected Hinata's own emotions.
"H-hai, Naruto-kun."
"You're the best, Hina'-chan. Come on, let's go find Shika and the others."
"I want answers, Sensei."
"Jiraiya-kun? I was not expecting you."
"Yea, you wouldn't have."
Sarutobi took in the look in his student's eyes. The white haired Toad Sage carried himself with a dangerous air about him, barely restrained anger bubbling under his usually relaxed exterior.
"I found Orochimaru in Tea, one of his hideouts. We had an interesting talk."
"Ah.. you did not attempt to apprehend him?" Sarutobi reached for his pipe. To his surprise, Jiraiya closed the distance, grasping his hand and locking it in a steely grasp.
"Don't play the genial old man with me today, Sensei. How much did you know about the Uchiha and Danzo."
"What did Orochimaru tell you?" Hiruzen spoke, all trace of weariness gone from his voice.
"Danzo orchestrated the massacre. The unknown backup he had were ROOT. TI should have known after conducting the autopsies on their bodies, but the report was never released after passing through your office, Hokage-sama." There was no hint of affection in Jiraiya's voice, an unspoken accusation that hung in the air, suffocating in its magnitude.
"You told Minato ten years ago when you stepped down that Danzo disbanded ROOT at the end of the Third War. You told me that you would handle Orochimaru. What else did you lie about?"
"Jiraiya.."
"I don't know whether to believe you incompetent, or a cold blooded killer. Orochimaru should have died that night you confronted him in his lair. I should have gone." Jiraiya's castigation of his former Sensei was scathing.
"Enough." Hiruzen's voice cracked like a whip, the old Hokage summoning his strength to him. He straightened, standing tall like the famous Konohan Hardwood, the burden of countless years shed from his shoulders.
"Your idealism is commendable, Jiraiya, and I have always appreciated you for it. But you speak of matters that you do not fully understand. Do not presume to lecture me on the burden of making terrible decisions, for I have been making them before you were born." Hiruzen's tone brokered no compromise, the Kami no Shinobi rearing his head.
"So you did kill the Uchiha."
"I gave them every chance to turn away from their course, Jiraiya. Itachi-kun came to me first, bearing news of his father's planned betrayal, pleading for their lives. I allowed Itachi one year to convince them to remain loyal, and when they did not, Danzo took matters into his own hands."
"You gave him the order?"
"I looked the other way."
"That's the same thing, old man!" Jiraiya roared, losing his temper.
"What would you have done in my place, oh wise Toad Sage?" Hiruzen met his fury with an equal measure of tempestous anger, frustration at his student's naivety overwhelming him.
"You could have spoken to Fukagu, confronted him! you are the Hokage!"
"And that is why you never were, Jiraiya. For all your worldliness and strength, you are still so foolish. There are limits to even the Hokage's power." Hiruzen pulled his hand from Jiraiya's grasp, and for a single, terrible moment, he almost believed his final loyal student would attack him.
"I am worried, Sensei, that you would use me like you used Orochimaru, like you used the rest of us. Tsunade-hime was right to walk away." Jiraiya spat, tone full of venom.
"Still so childish, Jiraiya-kun. I did not know Danzo had approached Orochimaru to carry out the atrocity." Hiruzen shook his head, strength leaving him as suddenly as it had come. The old man sagged, placing his pipe in his mouth.
Jiraiya turned his back to his Sensei, facing the Hokage Monument. Hiruzen took a long, slow drag of his pipe, smoke trailing from the embers.
"Anything else you want to tell me, Sensei?" Jiraiya asked, having found some composure.
"Danzo approached Itachi to join ROOT."
"Let me guess, you looked away?" Jiraiya's spiteful jab was met with a long suffering sigh.
"I instructed Itachi to infiltrate Danzo's organization, yes." Jiraiya turned at that, confusion rife on his face.
"Now you don't trust Danzo? A little too late for that, old man."
"I have never trusted him, Jiraiya. Danzo has a singular purpose, to protect the village. The manner with which he has gone about doing so, at times, however, has been excessive, even treasonous."
"Go on."
"Itachi will keep an eye on Danzo, and should the need arise, terminate his activities."
"I hate this scheming and plotting and lying and pretending. You should just call him out on his bullshit. Danzo's dangerous."
"If I act against him openly, he will merely hide his activities from me, Jiraiya. Our working relationship as it stands now at least gives me some semblance of influence over his actions. He is loyal to the village alone, not the Hokage."
Jiraiya snorted derisively.
"I will freely admit to you, Jiraiya, I have made many, many mistakes in my long life. I willfully blinded myself to Orochimaru's madness, out of love for the boy he once was, and I accept the blame for his downfall. I am not dead yet, however, and I still must carry these burdens awhile longer. I hope that you will come to understand this." Hiruzen spoke softly.
"Sure. I'm leaving the village tomorrow. I'm going to hunt a snake. You won't see me for a while." Jiraiya left through the window, not giving his Sensei a chance to reply.
Hiruzen gazed blankly at the door of his office. Doubt lingered, as it always did, at the corner of his mind. Had there been a better way to act? He removed his Kage hat, turning to stare at it bitterly. It was the Hokage's curse, always expected to know everything, to see every possibility, to always choose the correct course of action. Each and every time he had failed, innocent lives were lost. And how many times he had failed, Hiruzen could not count.
A/N
This was a terribly difficult chapter to get right tbh, and I'm not sure that I'm really satisfied with how it turned out, but hopefully it pushes the plot along nicely.
@silver sentinel
Thank you for the encouragement! I actually have no idea who Kakashi will end up with.. and in hindsight maybe it's more significantly thematically if he never does settle down. Eh we'll see how the story develops.
@the-funeral-pyre
As always, thank you for the critical feedback over the course of this story. I must admit, some of the world building has taken abit of a life of its own, and I too am discovering where this is going. I hope you continue to follow this story!
@flying-raijin
Hiruzen has been caught in some very precarious positions, if you ask me. In many ways, yes he has been indecisvie, on the other hand, he's been struggling to balance the many interest groups and parties involved in the village. The Hokage cannot risk open conflict with one of the oldest and noblest clans in the village, to do so would portray Konoha as weak, and could cause further civil strife, hence his attempt to handle the issue under the table. His dealing with Orochimaru was affected both by his emotions blinding him, as well as his unwillingness to provoke Orochimaru into further rebellion. He had still hoped (albeit rather naively) that Orochimaru could be kept loyal. It was not his fault Danzo jumped the gun to remove two birds with one stone. Hiruzen is a very, very flawed character, which is what makes him so interesting, and challenging to write. I hope you continue to follow the story!
On a side note, yes I know I'm telegraphing some NaruHina for the future. I wouldn't mind that pairing, as I think Naruto's upbeat, hyperactive personality is tempered well by her thoughtfulness and introversion. That said, they are just children, and it's normal for children to be very close friends at that age. We'll see how it goes!
As always, your feedback keeps me going.
Till the next chapter, read and review!