Meetings in the dark
The story background:
The end of war arc, but with slight changes heading into alternate story ending.
Gai destroyed Madara by using 8 gates but also died. Kakashi killed Obito after the reveal in a long battle with the help of Naruto and Sasuke.
Sasuke declared revenge on Konoha but didn't fight Naruto immediately. Instead he left and promised to return. Orochimaru went into hiding.
Upon returning to Konoha Tsunade gave her hokage position to Kakashi who then immediately gave it to Naruto.
He explained as Sasuke is bound to return, the village will need a better hokage and he addmitted only Naruto can protect Konoha now.
„Kakashi Sensei...", Naruto said with tears in his eyes.
„I know this is sudden.", Kakashi said quietly. „And probably not how you expected it to be."
"I don't know if I'm ready.", Naruto said.
"I know you are.", Kakashi replied and smiled. "And if you need pointers Tsunade will help you."
"Always trying to dodge responsibility, are you Kakashi?", Tsunade said with her arms crossed.
"I think it is time for the new generation to take over, don't you?", Kakashi smiled and turned back to Naruto. "Can I be excused, Lord Hokage?"
"Wait…", Naruto said while pointing at himself. "Are you asking me?"
"A lot of people will be asking you things from now on.", Kakashi said. "Get used to it quickly."
"Um, sure.", Naruto said while still holding the hokage hat in his hand.
Kakashi nodded to Naruto and Tsunade and vanished in a puff of smoke.
It was getting dark as the sun was sitting between the mountains. Kakashi was alone in his house, looking at the old photograph of his old team and then the new photograph of team seven. He quietly turned both photographs face down on his desk and begun writing a short letter.
The letter said:
"Dear Naruto, Sakura, and, hopefully, Sasuke. I hope everything will work out for you guys, better than it worked out for me. You are truly gifted shinobi, much greater than I ever was and you made me proud…."
The letter continued on, but the content of it was no longer on Kakashi's mind. The letter was laid on the table, next to the two photographs. Kakashi sat on the floor and looked through his big window at the sunset. He took out his father's short sword and pressed it against his stomach.
He held the sword firmly for a moment, hesitating.
"You are truly gifted shinobi, much greater than I ever was? And you made me proud?", He heard a familiar voice. Sakura was behind him, holding the letter in her hand and she looked pissed.
Kakashi sighed loudly.
"Sakura…."
"And I believe you can avoid the mistakes that cost my generation so much.", Sakura continued reading the letter. "And your story can have a happy ending. I feel my story has finally come to an end. Goodbye."
"Sakura, you weren't meant to read that.", Kakashi said while slowly getting up.
"You mean, I was supposed to read it after you commit suicide?", Sakura replied.
Kakashi stood there silently staring at her for a moment and then he lowered his head.
"Well, aren't you ashamed?!", Sakura yelled out while throwing the letter towards Kakashi.
Kakashi quietly picked it up.
"Well, the writing style is a bit bad. Overly melodramatic.", He smiled.
"How can you act like this?", Sakura asked loudly.
"What are you doing here, Sakura?", Kakashi asked coldly while ignoring her question.
"Naruto ordered me to check up on you.", Sakura replied. "He said he sensed something was off about you and wanted me to see what it was. And he was right."
"Those sage powers of his.", Kakashi said. "Fine, you caught me. Are you going to report me to the hokage?"
"Report you?!", Sakura came towards Kakashi and gave him such a strong push he hit the wall behind him. "What are you even talking about?!"
"Sakura…", Kakashi quietly whispered but his eyes had gotten much darker than before. "I would appreciate it if you leave."
"Why?! So you can kill yourself?!", Sakura tried pushing Kakashi again but this time he caught her hand and locked her wrist while positioning himself behind her with lightning quickness.
"You are acting emotionally.", Kakashi said quietly.
"I'm acting emotionally?!", Sakura screamed while concentrating her chakra to her foot and hitting the ground with such force Kakashi lost balance and had to jump away from her, barely dodging her follow up punch. "That is rich coming from someone trying to commit suicide!"
"Well I guess…", Kakashi said. "I was acting emotionally too. So what's your plan? You wanna beat me up?"
"Yeah. But first, tell me why do you want to do this?"
"It's a long story."
"I have time."
"In that case, sit down.", Kakashi said while sitting down on the floor again.
"Hmph, fine.", Sakura agreed while not taking her eyes off of Kakashi.
"Well, it all started….", Kakashi begun his story and Sakura listened.
The night had arrived and moonlight instead of the sunlight begun pouring through the window.
"So, that is my story.", Kakashi explained. "And I feel I am at the end of my story now. A true failure who couldn't protect his friends. I feel like there is no point in continuing on alone, but I wish you all the best."
Sakura watched quietly for a moment, but her expression was no longer an angry one but a serious one.
"I can't say that I blame you after all that happened to you… ", she said. "But…"
Her face became angry again.
"Cut the crap!", she yelled. "You say you want all the best for us but you are not willing to be there for us anymore?!"
"You don't need me anymore.", Kakashi replied. "You are the next generation…."
"I said cut the crap!", Sakura yelled out. "Naruto is still a kid and you gave him the burden of being a hokage because you don't care to live anymore! And what about Sasuke? You will not even try to reach out to him or help, you decided to write your wishes for us but not actually put in the work!"
"Hmph… you really are my smartest student.", Kakashi said. "I assumed you guys will work it out…."
"How do you know if we will?", Sakura said. "You won't be around us if you do what you want to do. You won't be there for any of us!"
"Sakura….", Kakashi said. "I can't find a reason to keep going anymore. I am sorry."
"Then invent one.", Sakura replied. "Obviously team seven is not a reason enough for you!"
She stood up in front of Kakashi.
"Are you leaving?", Kakashi asked.
"Think about how Naruto would feel if you did what you intended to do.", Sakura said. "You of all people should know, considering…."
"I managed to survive through it.", Kakashi replied.
"You managed, up to this point.", Sakura replied. "Do you want him to feel like you do now?"
Kakashi looked down.
"I am not leaving until you promise me you are not going to kill yourself.", Sakura said.
"You know, you can be really annoying.", Kakashi raised his eyes towards Sakura and smiled. "Because you are right."
"You know…", Sakura replied. "Sasuke and you are more alike than I thought. He called me annoying too."
"Sasuke and I are similar, ha?", Kakashi stretched his neck and laughed. "Or maybe you are simply annoying."
Sakura twisted her left lip in a half a smile.
"Don't push your luck.", she said. "I want to hear it."
"Hear what?"
"Your reason for staying alive."
"I don't want to emotionally compromise Naruto before his fight with Sasuke.", Kakashi said. "You were correct."
Sakura looked at him quietly.
"And after that….", she whispered.
Kakashi stared at her in silence.
Sakura looked at him with fear and disgust.
"I was wrong….", Sakura said. "You are even worse than Sasuke. At least he fights for something! You don't even want to fight for yourself!"
"I promised I will wait until Sasuke comes back.", Kakashi said. "And after that I will see where the road takes me. Is that fair enough?"
Sakura shook her head and pointed at Kakashi.
"If you break your promise I will find you in the other world and beat the crap out of you myself!"
"Sakura….", Kakashi said. "Report to Naruto that I was feeling bad because of what happened with Obito and that you cheered me up. Don't mention this… my… error in judgment."
"Trying to save face?"
"Yeah and… I don't want him to worry about me. He has bigger things to do."
"I won't mention this to Naruto.", Sakura replied. "But you promise me that you will talk to me at least once a day. You were our sensei but you never visited me, not one time. Maybe if you talked to us, you would see you still have people that care about you."
"Sakura…", Kakashi whispered. "You don't understand…"
"I understand." Sakura said. "You're scared. Now promise me!"
Kakashi sighed loudly.
"Fine. And you promise me you will pay for the damage you did to my floor when you kicked it."
"I will think about it.", Sakura smiled as she turned away. "Or as you would say, I will see where the road takes me."
"Sakura…", Kakashi whispered before she left. "Thank you…"
Sakura simply nodded and waved goodbye.
It was late when Sakura entered her room. She tried turning on the light but the switch was not working.
"This is strange….", she said to herself when she heard a sound so she turned around quickly.
"Who is there?", Sakura asked. "Is that you, Kakashi?"
"Kakashi?", Sasuke revealed himself under the moon light. "Were you expecting him?"
"Sasuke?!", Sakura yelled out.
"Surprised to see me?"
"Well, yes!", Sakura yelled. "You returned!"
She quickly gathered herself and took a fighting stance. Sasuke laughed.
"Sakura, please.", he walked next to her desk. "I'm not here to fight you."
"Then why are you here?"
Sasuke ignored her question and took the framed picture that was on her desk.
"You still have a picture of team seven, you keep it next to your bed.", Sasuke said.
"Of course I do.", Sakura said with a stern look and voice. "I never stopped caring about you… and team seven!"
"Even when you tried to kill me… or when I tried to kill you?"
"You heard what I said.", Sakura replied.
"That is funny.", Sasuke said.
"I don't find it funny.", Sakura replied.
Sasuke paused.
"And would you still care about me if I burned down this village?"
"Yes.", Sakura answered. "But I would have to stop you. Is that why you are here?"
"Sakura, you are too weak to stop me.", Sasuke replied. "There is no one in the village who stands a chance to stop me, except for Naruto."
"Tell me why you came here?", Sakura asked. "Just to make fun of me?"
"No.", Sasuke came closer. "The truth is, at this moment in time, you are the only person in the world that maybe feels …. Love for me."
"That is not true.", Sakura said. "Kakashi and Naruto care about you too."
"Perhaps. But they wouldn't hesitate to put an end to me if I faced them in battle.", Sasuke said. "Sakura, that day when you sneaked up on me from behind… you had an opening. You hesitated."
"Yes…. But don't bet on that happening again, if you decide to attack Konoha!"
Sasuke smiled.
"Your actions speak louder than words. Ever since my clan… perished, I was alone. I didn't want to connect with others. And these days I feel lonelier than usual."
"That is because you chose this path of revenge for yourself.", Sakura said. "And if you continue with your plan, you will become the loneliest man in the world!"
"Perhaps, but maybe…", Sasuke came even closer to Sakura. "I will have someone… by my side. To help me restore the Uchiha clan."
"Sasuke, I won't….", Sakura couldn't finish her sentence as Sasuke put his lips against hers and kissed her passionately.
Kakashi walked to his table and raised the two photographs he laid down before. He looked at them and sighed. He went to bed and closed his eyes. Suddenly a sword appeared out of thin air and stabbed him through his stomach.
"Argh!", Kakashi screamed. "O… Obito?!"
The one eyed mask appeared in front of him and in a swirl of darkness the familiar masked man was standing next to his bed.
"Hush, Kakashi.", The masked man spoke. "This is what you wanted…."
Kakashi grabbed the sword that pierced his stomach and vanished in a puff of smoke.
"A clone?!", Obito quickly turned around to see Kakashi sitting at the table, looking at him.
"A dirty move, to kill a man while he is sleeping.", Kakashi said. "Not something Obito would have done. At least not the Obito I knew."
"Obito you knew is long gone.", Obito replied.
"Why the mask?", Kakashi asked. "Your identity is no longer a secret."
"I could ask you the same thing.", Obito answered. "Lets say I became emotionally attached to it by this point."
"Hmph, lets say that. For now.", Kakashi stood up with a dark look in his eyes. He pulled up his headband to reveal his sharingan.
"You want a fight?", Obito asked.
"I want answers.", Kakashi said. "This is in case you try something."
"Don't worry about that.", Obito sat on Kakashi's bed and shrugged his shoulders. "I was only interested in killing you quickly. Fighting you would be dangerous for me at this point. How did you know I was coming, by the way?"
"I am not telling you that.", Kakashi replied. "Lets say I knew something was wrong. Did you implant the suicide idea in my head?"
"Hmph, bravo.", Obito clapped and pointed at Kakashi. "You are smart."
"You have Shisui's ability?", Kakashi asked.
"No, it is mine.", Obito replied. "Most sharingans have several abilities. Our eyes have, besides kamui, an ability to implant the idea into someone's head, similar to Shisui's genjutsu. When we were fighting, before I staged my death I implanted this thought in you. And it almost worked if not for that damn Sakura."
"So you were watching us the whole time?"
"I have my ways.", Obito leaned over. "She is with Sasuke now. Are you bothered?"
"With Sasuke?", Kakashi asked. "Are you two working together again?"
"No, he paid her a visit on his own. A love visit."
Kakashi looked down for a moment then back at Obito.
"Don't give me that look, Kakashi. You're too old for her anyway."
"We don't have that kind of relationship.", Kakashi replied. "What are you planning now?"
Obito put his finger in front of his mask.
"It's a secret.", he said.
"Whatever it is, I will find out.", Kakashi said.
"You have a sad life, don't you?", Obito replied. "I am your only friend left and I want to kill you."
"Look who is talking.", Kakashi replied. "I may be stuck in the past but at least I am not masquerading around as a ghost."
Obito looked at Kakashi.
"You won't have to masquerade, you will soon become one."
"Are you gonna sit on my bed all night, or are you gonna leave? I want to get some sleep.", Kakashi said.
"Lets cut the crap. We both know you are not sleeping tonight, or any night from now on.", Obito said. "I will be waiting. The moment you close your eyes, well, I might pay you a visit. See you, Kakashi…"
The masked man disappeared in a dark swirl.
Sasuke and Sakura were passionately kissing when Sakura pushed him away.
"I.. I can't.", Sakura said while blushing. "Sasuke, I want you. But not like this…"
Sasuke half smiled.
"You have a guilty conscience about this?", he asked.
"Sasuke…. Please forget about your revenge and return to the Konoha village!", Sakura yelled out.
"I will go now. And I will return.", Sasuke said. "To destroy Konoha village. And I will spare you, Sakura."
Sakura looked at him as he jumped out her window to the nearby roof. He looked at her one last time before disappearing.
Sasuke was walking towards the village gate when he heard a familiar voice.
"You came back sooner than I expected.", Naruto was standing near the gate, leaning on the walls. He was dressed in hokage attire.
"Well, well, well. They made you hokage." Sasuke said. "You accomplished your dream, Naruto."
"I had two dreams.", Naruto said. "One was to become hokage. And the other one is to bring you back!"
"You should be happy for achieving your one dream.", Sasuke replied. "Don't be too greedy."
"I would trade being hokage if you would come back, Sasuke."
"That is a foolish thing to say."
"Sasuke…. ", Naruto took off his hokage hat and handed it to him. "Do you want to be a hokage?"
"You moron….", Sasuke facepalmed. "That is not how things work."
"Well, Kakashi sensei was named hokage and he just kind of gave me the hat and declared me hokage. So if you would return, I can make you hokage. If that is what you really want."
"Naruto, I don't want to be a hokage.", Sasuke said. "The village would never accept me."
"Why not? You helped us a lot, everyone knows that.", Naruto said.
"I will burn Konoha.", Sasuke said. "For what they did to my clan, and to Itachi!"
"The villagers are not the ones responsible, Sasuke!", Naruto yelled out. "If you want to fight someone then fight me first!"
"I will.", Sasuke calmly responded. "But not now. I will meet you at the valley of the end, in three days."
Sasuke opened the gates and turned to Naruto.
"You better be there, and be ready.", Sasuke said.
"I will be waiting for you there.", Naruto said. "As a friend."
Sasuke made a surprised look, then he turned around and vanished.
A thousand strings with tiny bells attached on them were being stretched across the room where Kakashi sleeps. He was sitting on the floor surrounded by exploding papers and scrolls, packing knives and short swords into his jump suit, vest and a big bag on his back. The morning light begun shining through the window and Kakashi finished packing. He stood up and headed for the door.
The end