I should take a moment to write a proper AN but this chapter is late and I need to get to work.

Thanks goes to ncpfan for his help.

Let's start.

A single crinkled eye smiled down at his students, his other hidden- as usual- behind his headband. Three sheaves of paper were held tightly in one hand, awaiting his team to fill them out for admission to an event that could rabidly excel their newly started careers as Shinobi of the Leaf. For that reason alone he wondered if he really wanted them to enter.

Not because he was worried about their well-being or didn't want his team to move away from him- both were actually something he very much would like to see come to pass- but because it had the potential to help them.

If you turned your head funny, that was.

Nevertheless, it could be beneficial and Kakashi really hated his Genin team.

Which is why he had such trouble deciding whether or not he really wanted to give them such an opportunity.

In the end, however, it was still a deadly tournament that could remove them from being his responsibility- and perhaps even amongst the living- and even if they didn't they would be tormented by their failure.

That had been the final thought that tipped the decision.

Letting them participate, struggle, overcome obstacles, and then fail? The thought of their disappointment and self-loathing was absolutely delicious.

Let it be known that Hatake Kakashi was a cruel mother fucker.

Of course, his comrades usually considered that a good thing.

They were, after all, Shinobi.

But that was a matter for another time. Right now he needed to pass out the papers, perhaps taunt them a bit, and then wipe his hands of them for the next two weeks before the first task for 'preparation purposes'.

In other words, he got to have a two week vacation to relax as his students got ready to face a challenge that could very well end both their careers and lives.

Oh, that was going to give him some happy dreams-

Dreams he wouldn't mind taking extra naps to experience.

The Hokage had said it once before, but it was damn good to be Kakashi.

"Alright, my little failures, I have a present for you all." They were used to the derogatory comments, having been assigned to Kakashi for some time now, but the cheerful voice he used warned them that this wasn't likely to be pleasant for them.

"What?" It was little more than a grunt but the team had been given more than enough time to learn the hidden language of Sasuke.

To be fair, though, this particular grunt was very near being the word itself. ]

"These!" He thrust out his hands, holding the papers very much like a bouquet.

Blankly his three students stared at him. When no elaboration was forthcoming Naruko crossed her arms over her chest and with a cock of her hip asked a simple and concise;

"What?" Kakashi seemed to deflate a little at the repeated question and lack of excitement and that made them all even more wary. If it was good enough for Kakashi to be in a playful mood it wasn't going to be good for them.

"Why, forms for the Chuunin exams, of course!" That got their attention. For a moment the three felt the excitement growing within their hearts but it ended up leaving just as fast as they shot him suspicious looks. It was Sakura who gave voice to some of the questions.

"Why exactly do you want us to participate in these exams?" She asked. "You haven't even had us a year and you've only half-assed teamwork exercises and taught us some chakra control so you could watch us fall out of trees repeatedly."

"Now, now, I just have that much faith in the abilities you already have." At their disbelieving stares- yes, even Sasuke wasn't so arrogant to think he was, with the knowledge he was in possession of since the academy, ready to go against those who had actually been trained by Jounin- he continued.

"Sasuke has his Sharingan and plenty of fire techniques." He started. "And Naruko has her chains which draw from massive chakra reserves many times the size of those much older than her."

"And me? What do I have, Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura, obviously, had been the one to ask this.

"You? Well….." Kakashi scratched the back of his head for a moment before looking about for a quick answer- something that didn't exactly lead to inspiring confidence in the young Kunoichi. "Ah! You have Sasuke and Naruko, of course!"

He received three more flat looks for that.

Two because they didn't like the idea of being in a dangerous exam with someone who couldn't hold their own weight and the other because she didn't want to be forced to rely upon the other two during a three-part challenge that could steal away her life.

Kakashi, however, really wasn't concerned.

"Well then, have fun!" Throwing the papers at them he disappeared in a swirl of leaves- one that happened to catch the papers as well. Team seven couldn't decide if the trouble of the exams was even worth chasing after the escaping papers.

In the end, however, they did recover them, each member claiming one for safe keeping-

Just in case.

Hiding in nearby trees, half of his attention on his beloved porn, Kakashi giggled.

One way or another, he might soon be free of at least some of his students.

He couldn't wait.

He should be angry, furious, sad, miserable, anything- but he wasn't no. No, that wasn't quite true. If there was one thing he could claim it was that he was tired. Bone-achingly, soul-encompassingly tired.

But beyond that unnatural weariness that permeated his entire being he had come to terms with the fate that had befallen him- the fate he had, quite honestly, brought upon himself.

He had accepted it then, when judgement was passed, and now there was nothing to be felt about his situation.

Nothing but, perhaps, even just a little bit of gratefulness.

Many would see his future as extended punishment from someone too cruel to grant his enemy death, but he was thankful enough to have this chance to continue being a part of his family's lives.

His family, after all, was the entire reason he had done what he did. A mistake that may have been, but the thought, the intention remained.

He wanted what was best for his family, and if that meant he needed to be forced to the side so that they could shape their own future than he was okay with that.

Some part of him still demanded that the weight of such duty fall upon his shoulders but it was silenced readily enough by the fact that he couldn't support anything on his shoulders. Not now, not as he currently was. Perhaps one day, Wolves willing, he might obtain prosthetics and lean to live an almost normal life once more, but that was probabl years away.

So for now he would just sit tight and make the most of the opportunity he still had to be with his family.

It was time- though perhaps earlier than he had ever really expected- for the next generation to take its place.

Hopefully they would learn from the mistakes of those that came before them.

Of course, he already knew his daughter was ready for it, she had shown herself more than capable of rising to be what the clan needed.

And that set his heart at ease.

Perhaps there really was a future for the Yamanaka after all.

It was a peaceful quiet that filled his home- one broken only by the shuffling of papers, the scratching of a pen over paper, Mai's occasional sip form her tea, and the almost inaudible humming of one of his Wolf guards as she brushed his still drying hair.

Having recently finished a quick spar with his Sensei- though she still didn't like him calling her that- and learning that he was, as he had feared, getting a bit rusty, he was understandably drenched in sweat. A quick shower, unfortunately, was all he had time enough to spare for. Taking over a country, one might imagine, would certainly have its fair share of paperwork.

A mercenary organization and the management of a secret cult within a prominent clan also produced a lot of work- work that was immediately addressed by those who would have otherwise been able to help him with the work he had now.

Sai took care of a lot of it on the Wolves' side and some of the remainder was seen to by Mai but she was also taking care of the majority of management- which included not a little bit of guidance delivered to the former heiress in how to keep things from happening too early- but even then work from both parts ended up before him on a regular basis. Even if it didn't, he still had to review everything the two of them were doing to ensure any future plans fit in as they needed to.

Then came Nami no Kuni.

Thank the gods for Hana. With her taking care of a good portion of the everyday dealings of the rapidly expanding town he only needed to work on the country itself.

Still a lot of work, don't get him wrong, but managing the yet to be developed land that made up a large chunk of his new country was far more simple than it would be if he had to worry about inhabitants too.

Unfortunately, it all added up to a lot of work even with the help he received from the three of them.

Which is why he was here now, poring over papers and reading reports in the little time he had. He had barely been able t justify that sparing session as a necessity in order to get away for a few hours but now he had the remainder of the day's work and not nearly enough time to complete it.

He should be able to get most of it done before he retired for the evening- though he had to wonder if he really needed that sleep. Perhaps some caffeine as substitute?- and then if he skipped training tomorrow he could catch up for the past week.

Going on a mission, it would seem, was not entirely conductive to keeping up with incoming paperwork.

With swift strokes of his pen he approved another request and wondered how something as inane as changing the color of sleeping bags from purple to red had managed to get all the way up the chain to him.

Did Sai just think it would be funny?

And even if it did, it had to go through Mai too, was she in on it?

Shooting her a suspicious look even as he set the paper to the side he could have sworn he saw an amused smile try to form on her lips as she recognized the request he had just read.

He forgot, sometimes, that the two of them were practically siblings. Then again, maybe they were. It occurred to them that he had never actually asked. Then again, he hardly saw how it really mattered in the end.

The thought of making her help him for that briefly crossed his mind but she had enough on her plate and this was one of her few chances to take a break. He wouldn't deny her a bit of well-earned rest, though he did wonder why she wasn't off with Tsume, the two of them seemed rather close.

He was about to return to his work when a knock sounded from the front door.

Odd. Anko usually just walked in and when Kurenai visited- though that was admittedly rare as she was busy with her team- she was almost always seen in by a Wolf. He heard the door open and whispered murmurs from outside the room as his second guard- who had been lounging on his couch with a magazine and a bowl of chips- went to investigate.

It wasn't long after that he returned with the Yamanaka heiress in tow.

Well, that was unexpected, but perhaps it shouldn't have been.

After all, he did just attack her father.

Fortunately, she didn't seem angry- outwardly, at least. That was a good sign, no?

"Ah, it would seem we have a guest today, might I ask who you're visiting as?"

A sound question, considering the various roles she held.

"Ino, daughter of Inoichi."

"I see." So not the clan heiress, not a clan member, not a Genin of Konoha, not a councilmember- as deceiving as that really was in her case considering Kushina held all the power for her clan at the moment- and not even as an acquaintance from the academy. Good to know. "So what brings you here, daughter of Inoichi?"

As if it wasn't so painfully obvious to everyone there. Mai pretended to only take polite interest in conversation despite being fully alert and the Wolf behind him had noticeably tensed while they continued at their self-appointed task of brushing his hair. Both were ready to leap to his defense- quite literally- at a moment's notice.

"Questions." She was still being vague, as if wanting him to ask a specific question, but they both knew it was merely a result of her trying to stay composed at the moment. He had to give her credit for that, it probably wasn't easy for her to come speak with him after what had just been done to her father.

He wouldn't insult her by pretending she wouldn't have immediately drawn the conclusion of the Wolves and further by ignoring the fact that she was absolutely correct.

"You seek questions?"

Her lips almost curved into a smile for the barest of seconds before being forced down once more- reminded of her current location and the reasons behind it.

"No, questions are what bring me here today, I'm looking for answers."

Gently he placed down his pen, folding both hands before his face as he met her eyes.

"And what questions trouble you so, Ino?"

"Why?" She paused but continued before it could be taken as her waiting for a response. "No, that won't get me the answer I need."

She tried again.

"What?"

One brow raised, instructing her to elaborate upon her question.

"What did he do?" There it was, a full question. "What was it that brought about such a reaction?"

"Ah, now there is a proper question." He leaned forward, now resting his face on his clasped hands. "Sit, Ino, and I will tell you of your father's two major mistakes."

Obediently she did so, sitting across from him. She didn't pay any attention to the cup of tea placed by her or the Wolf that had resumed their work on their lord's hair. Those weren't important right now-

This, however, was.

"The first mistake was, quite arguably, the largest, for had he not made it the second would never have been an issue." Naruto leaned back slightly, keeping one hand balled under his chin for support as the fingers of the other drummed lightly against the table. Almost as if on a completely different tangent he continued.

"I liked your father, you know, he always came across as having a good head on his shoulders and his devotion to the wellbeing of his family- that being you and your mother- and the clan as a whole was admirable. He liked to think things through and did so whenever he had the chance. I say this because even his mistake would be, in normal circumstances, nothing out of the ordinary. There is, of course, a single fact that changes it from acceptable to unforgivable. Do you know what that is?"

She didn't even need to think about that answer, it was far too obvious.

"It was made against you."

A double standard, perhaps, but that's how it was for everybody. So long as things didn't happen to you and yours you typically didn't care. The second it was, however, you couldn't let it go.

"Very good." He nodded, an approving smile pulling lightly at his lips. "Even then, however, there almost wasn't any issue with his actions. Like I said, he preferred to think things out and make plans before committing to actions. He seemed a bit hasty in this, but he did a good job setting things up nonetheless."

"He sent them- by design or fortune I know not- when I was away; the perfect time. He sent his best, those who would complete the mission or sacrifice everything in the attempt; the perfect selection. And he assigned them something that would avoid direct conflict; the perfect assignment." It was at this point Ino asked another question, not knowing even this much about her father's actions.

"Who? Who did he send?" She paused only briefly, now thinking about their task as much as their identity. "What did he send?"

Another smile came her way, one that gave of hints of pride.

It was a conflicting smile, for her, at least. While she was upset about what had happened to her father at his hands it was still nice to be recognized.

She'd come a long way from her past fan-girl self, after all.

"Spies." There was some relief to be felt in that answer. Spies weren't so bad in the grand scheme of things. Sure, they could make or break entire campaigns but they were also expected, a crucial part of this shinobi world. Assassins, likewise, were common with villages of Shinobi hiring out to the highest bidder, but those tended to be less accepted by one's enemies.

"Three spies managed to avoid my patrols for several days before getting caught." He further explained. "And that, in itself, is not the problem. There are plenty of spies around Nami no Kuni at the moment, both because it's inevitable and because I want word of the Wolves to spread. No, the mistake here is the single thing that made Inoichi's spies unique-

"They killed my Wolves."

Ino could have sworn her heart stopped at hearing those words.

That had been spies, hadn't they? Why on earth would they make moves against the Wolves, something they would have known could only end with the wrath of the pack crashing down upon the entire clan?

Hurting them was one thing, fighting them was fine, but to kill them? That was something the pack would not forgive and they had already shown cruelty even in their mercy.

The state of her clan before Kushina could attest to as much, and that was for mere words.

She couldn't even imagine what would be done to someone who killed a Wolf, but, then again, had her father not discovered that fate? Comparing the two transgressions to their punishment she couldn't help but feel- much to her shame and not a little guilt- that her father had actually gotten off too lightly.

Then again, had Naruto not said he liked Inoichi? Was that why the punishment was weighed against him less heavily? Or did it have something more to do with Naruto directing it all against one target instead of many and having to adjust accordingly?

If that was the case her clan would never be able to comprehend just how fortunate they were.

And that also explained why her father seemed so relieved despite his current state.

Not because he had gotten off lightly, but because the clan had been spared punishment from his mistakes.

Of course, she still didn't know exactly what those mistakes were.

Naruto, continuing on as if speaking of nothing of consequence, quickly rectified that.

"Considering that they were killed by the explosive tags on the spy they captured, tags activated by one of the spies as he fled, I have to say they performed to textbook perfection. In fact, the entire mission he had given them was as close to perfection as possible, the problem lying in the fact that the textbook perfect actions still carried a cost both to your clan and- more importantly- my Wolves.

"The mission cost them their lives, which was the first mistake. It was not fully his fault, I admit. He hadn't given them orders to kill my children, but it happened under his command nonetheless."

He paused there, both to give her a moment to process what she had been said so far and to provide a chance for her to speak. She took it, but once again it was to ask a question. No comments were made about his punishment or about anything being unfair. She didn't scream or cry or accuse him of anything.

No, just another simple question.

Clarification.

He had to wonder if she accepted it or was just very good at keeping her emotions under control these days. Either way, he was impressed.

"And the second?"

Naruto grinned again, but this time it was vicious. Still, there was some small smattering of pride in his eyes amongst what she was tempted to call arrogant amusement- as if the answer dealt not with the dealings of two humans but between a bug and a god.

His answer simply seemed to confirm her description of the look.

"He tried to hide it from me."

Of course. She was almost tempted to roll her eyes but she knew better that to try something like that. Perhaps if they were on better terms she would have risked it or, at the very least, were they noty talking about her father and how his actions had killed some of the Wolves- operatives that the young man before her considered his children.

"In fact," He mused. "He almost managed to do so. I suppose that means it was a third mistake that sealed his fate- one that brought the consequences of the other two upon him."

"And that was?"

This time, she did not receive a proper answer.

"Not important." He waved his hand as if dismissing the matter entirely. As far as she was concerned he had- for this meeting, at least. "I have to wonder, though, why you needed me to tell you what had happened."

She had not expected that but answered anyway.

"You cut out his tongue and removed his arms, it's not exactly easy for him to communicate and it's much more straightforward to ask you than to ask yes or no questions to him until I manage to convince myself I know what's going on."

"True, true," He began. Without warning, however, his eyes seemed to harden as they focused on her own. "But that doesn't mean there aren't other ways. I know for a fact a Yamanaka could simply enter his mind and speak to him there."

Ino swallowed nervously. She had, originally, believed that to have been something he had missed when he decided on a punishment. As it would seem, he was well aware.

It had been, of course, why she didn't come out and say she had already tried in the first place. That, apparently, wasn't a problem anymore.

"I tried, he wouldn't say anything." Naruto raised a brow, giving of a feeling of being half impressed and half curious.

"Oh, did he now? Nothing at all?"

"Not a thing." She confirmed. He wouldn't even tell me he wouldn't speak of it, just shook his head like he had done when asked about it in the physical world."

A small smile pulled his lips taunt.

"Like I said earlier, Ino, I rather like your father. He knows better than to try getting around my punishment. Perhaps, one day, I might give him leave to speak with his clan without restraint." He paused, tilting his head to the side before nodding to himself. "For now, however, let him know I'm pleased by his actions."

"I will."

"Good, anything else?" She shook her head in the negative. "In that case you are free to leave, I have paperwork to get back to." And with that his attention was once more upon the papers scattered before him.

Blunt dismissal as it was, she wasted no time in seeing herself out.

Of course, that means she was unaware of the purple eyes that followed her.

The Yamanaka really did seem to have a terrible habit of making his life interesting, didn't they?

The group did not speak, at least not in words. Rather, two pairs of eyes communicated basic emotions between them which said more than enough. Almost at once they turned from each other and to the subject of their silent discussion.

The youngest of the group, their brother, walked silently, his face expressionless and his eyes staring dully out across the expanse of sand they traversed. Despite being the youngest, however, he was, without a doubt, the strongest.

So strong, in fact, that he could crush them at a moment's notice without a second's thought or the barest of effort. There was, on occasion, comfort from that, for they were not his target, but neither was foolish enough to believe they couldn't become such in the time it would take them to blink.

Oddly enough, it was not his presence itself that put them on edge at this time. Rather, it was the words of their father that continued to play through their heads bringing about uncertainty as to the path they were expected to walk.

Their orders were simple enough, the meaning behind them well known- until now.

They were to visit the upcoming Chuunin exams like any other Genin and do their best to be recognized, but that was a minor detail in the end. Their main purpose had been to give cover for their brother's presence, something that couldn't otherwise be excused in a foreign village.

During the exam, specifically during the last event, their brother would release control over his body to the demon sealed within him and rampage through the village that claimed to be their ally. At the same time a force from both their village and a rather knew minor village would begin an invasion with the simple purpose of razing Konohagakure to the ground.

Or, that's what was supposed to be happening.

Now, though, their father said their partner- who was going to be providing a majority of the troops and summons that their own village didn't have ready access to- would no longer be participating.

An old contact of theirs, it would seem, had gotten a hold of them after many years and had apparently set up shop in Konoha. Whatever partnership those two had established previously was more useful that the destruction of the village- something that had been their idea in the first place.

It was suspicious, but it wasn't their place to question it.

Is was, however, their place to question what it was they were supposed to do now.

Their father told them to ignore the orders of the council, claiming that without their supporter aiding them they were guaranteed to fail and there were better off simply getting out should the others attempt to proceed with the invasion.

He was Kage, but the council was not powerless, were they reallyable to do so without consequences? Their Kage had tried to talk the council out of it, and some agreed, but the majority seemed dead-set on this course of action.

Heh, 'dead-set', wasn't that fitting?

Their eyes moved from their brother to meet one more time, both showing the nervous uncertainty felt by the other.

Their brother would be participating, his bloodlust would demand no less, but Temari and Kankuro would be perfectly okay with having no part in this.

They had to wonder if that truly was an option at this point.

See you all for the next act.