xiii. Miracles
"I'm sorry, baa chan… but I'm coming after Team Kakashi." Naruto barely registered what the Godaime had said in order to stop him as he made his hand seals. He aimed for the location his certain chakra has been placed, expecting to arrive there in less than a breath away.
Bracing himself for chakra loss for this amazing yet imperfect jutsu, he opened his eyes the moment his feet made contact with the cold floor. "Damn it, Kakashi!"
He groaned realizing where this particular piece of his chakra he followed brought him. Kakashi's place. His eyes landed on the bedside table where the necklace he gave Kakashi on the night of the latter's coronation laid on top of a paper that says, 'Figured you'll realize and use your new transportation jutsu to follow me. Stay here. Don't follow me. We'll be right back before sunrise. Trust me…? – Kakashi.'
Naruto held on the note with gritted teeth. Kakashi should know that by leaving such a note will only make Naruto even more desperate to come after him. Yet, the last words did make his feet freeze. There's no way he could just ignore that. Kakashi is asking him to trust him but his wariness about this whole thing is overcoming that trust.
What was so important that the most important figure of Konoha has to leave the village? What was so huge of a deal that Team Kakashi reunited after years just for this particular mission? And how dare they not wait for Naruto? For the love of God, why does Naruto think that he is being kept in the dark and that of all people he has to know what was happening?
This whole thing just doesn't sit in right in his stomach. Something out there so big that the likes of a strong team such as Team Kakashi has to deal with themselves. And Sasuke isn't even complaining about it.
He knew that by Sasuke's return, something will just about to happen. And it did and he couldn't help worrying. Team Kakashi is tough he knows that all too well but he couldn't stomach the thought of any danger coming for them whenever he's not around. Especially for Sasuke and Sakura right after finding a chance between them. This cannot be the end of something good for them both.
Also, Kakashi. Yet again, the rushing nightmares of the day he battled Pain four years ago came coming back to him at this moment. The thought of Kakashi dying terrifies him greatly and their recent intimacy only increased that fear. He doesn't know how to deal with this emotion.
Whenever he's with Kakashi for the last few days, everything seems so bright like everything is made of candies that the thought of losing Kakashi and him being helpless about it made all the candies dissolves into hungry animals, haunting him thoroughly from the inside, turning him dark inside out.
Kakashi's chakra is distancing away from Konoha and it made Naruto anxious. Not far from the Hokage, Sasuke, Sakura and Yamato were also going farth er and farther. Their chakras are thinning the farther they go and it made Naruto uneasy. He wanted to be there because any farther than where they are now, he wouldn't be able to sense them. And that kills him to not be there.
Yet, Kakashi told him to trust him…by staying. He's always been stubborn, it was one qualities of him that is so well-known and ironically had served him for the better. His stubbornness turned into perseverance and that was all he needed back then to survive all the trials coming his way.
"Dammit…" Naruto hissed, biting on his fingernail, looking out on Kakashi's window in the direction of where Kakashi's chakra is coming from.
Calming down a bit, he cleared his mind. Something big has happened, he knows that. But now that he has let his mind do the thinking, he remembered that the priority of the village at the moment is to find Hinata and Kiba. The village has sent their best ones for the last few days to track down any clues of where the two jonins have gone to –Hyuuga and Inuzuka clans most especially. Naruto offered himself to do the tracking but for some reason the Hokage sent him to another mission instead.
That only led Naruto thinking that Kakashi has realized where Hinata and Kiba are now and at the same time how strong the opponents are that a Hokage and a team of strong shinobi were to counter these opponents themselves. He could only think of a situation so dire that deserved a Hokage's cooperation.
And Naruto cannot stand around like this if that was the case.
Hinata had done a whole lot for him, from day one throughout the war and up until now. Hinata is a good friend he is lucky to have. Kiba in the same time is as special as the other. There might have a time where they will find themselves fighting over trivial things but Kiba have been completely honestly fond of him showed in his own way.
These two former classmates have walked with him since from the Academy, gotten stronger with him since genin days and fought with him during the fourth Shinobi war. It is against all his beliefs to just abandon reliable comrades like that. It was all against Team Kakashi's way of ninja to abandon a friend in danger.
And he will not about to abandon them now; Hinata and Kiba and his own Team Kakashi.
Kakashi sensei, I'm sorry if once again I disobey you. But you should know yourself I'm not the kind of a person to turn back on my friends.
Naruto passed by Konoha gate quickly despite the gate guards reminding him that he was not allowed out but at this point, they were afraid to insist knowing that Naruto could send them on their inevitable demise.
Naruto kept on, east ward to where he can still strongly follow Kakashi's chakra. For his Sage Mode, Kakashi's chakra looks like a trail of red fogs guiding him. Kakashi is a naturally born fast ninja, with a shariggan he is even faster but without it, he could only be a little more than the usual fast ninja. For Naruto, that is a blessing in disguise at the moment. It would be faster to catch up to his sensei like this.
Actually, there was more than once he thought of summoning Gamakichi because with the toad, they could hop in miles by miles. Yet, with the way Gamakichi is now, he would not be forgiven by the toad being summoned in such selfish reason. In the end, he thought against it. After all, Kakashi hasn't gotten that far yet. He can still catch up in his own means.
With that thought set in his mind, Naruto continued on getting faster and faster allowing smaller gap between him and Kakashi. In this pace, he will catch up for sure.
Half an hour of travel and there's at least another half an hour between him and Kakashi depending on the route and pace he's maintaining at the moment. Between Kakashi and the other three Team Kakashi, there's about another half an hour as well. There's a total of an hour for Naruto to catch up with everybody.
Figuring that is good and it has even gotten better when he could sense through his Sage Mode that the three had completely stopped. Naruto could also sense that Yamato, Sasuke and Sakura are accompanied by another four people that Naruto could not sense clearly.
All that he could tell was that these chakras coming from the unknown people have become really familiar. They give Naruto the feeling of familiarity yet it's upsetting him to realize that what comes along the familiarity is great denial –it's clearly impossible.
These are the same chakra that are causing havoc between borders for the last few months and the same trace of chakras he had felt when he tried to trace Hinata and Kiba's chakras. The Team Kakashi is indeed against these people.
The people that Naruto could now tell that wasn't of this reality. A product of genjutsu perhaps.
Either ways, Naruto has to be there. He needed to know the truth and if it was really what he thinks it is, he needed to stop this because more of this will truly destroy him.
But there's one together with that group of uncertain chakras just simply doesn't fit and this made Naruto even more curious, confused at that matter.
Crossing the wide river, he went east through the valley, keeping his pace. Ten more minutes until he catches up with Kakashi. That's pretty much of a relief.
Yet, as he slowly gets nearer, a certain shinobi joined him on his trail and he has to stop with a blazing glare directed to the certain shinobi.
"Relax, Naruto-kun."
Naruto's glare didn't waver. He has the rights and with the current situation now, he could not help but think that this person in front of him might be the culprit of it all, "Orochimaru… you…!"
Orochimaru turned, eyes stayed towards the location they are aiming for. "I have heard that I was being held responsible for this disturbance." The sannin said, "It doesn't bother me but I have come to see for myself what is causing such a huge commotion. After all, this is a mystery I might get a knowledge from. Especially when my lonesome Uchiha had went all out and involved himself into this." The sannin smiled grimly, all motives obviously apparent.
"You…" Naruto gritted his teeth, "Have you got something to do with this?"
"I wish I do," Orochimaru calmly did. "I might be a powerful jutsu master but I have limits. I cannot make miracles…" With this, the sannin picked up on the trail.
"Wait!" Naruto hesitantly followed the rouge ninja, "What do you mean?"
But the snake sannin didn't bother answering, only keeping his pace.
Naruto thought of stopping the sannin, he does not want to let such a man near his teammates and make everything worse than it is already. He thought of attacking the sannin, he truly does but the man knows something more than he knows and he intends to know about it.
"Orochimaru! Just what do you mean?"
Orochimaru kept on, completely ignoring Naruto.
"Oi!" Naruto called out but he was easily ignored. He draws out one shadow clone and quickly made a rasengan and aimed for Orochimaru's back yet, even he himself knows that the man could easily repel it. But then, now he got his attention, "Tell me what you know!"
Orochimaru who was pushed at the side even after trying to repel the rasengan had calmly stood up and hissed. "Brat," He then sighs, crossing his arms before his chest and said, "This is not a genjutsu or any jutsu. We are against actual people here."
Naruto's heart thumped hard enough that he was afraid his chest would explode. "Don't tell me… it's impossible… no…this isn't… no…"
"But…I could be wrong." Orochimaru honestly said and with that once again, he continued on the trail.
Naruto who was still in daze trying to understand the possibility of what Orochimaru had said. The impossibility of it all does give Naruto a headache…and heartache if he is so honest to himself.
Three minutes until they catches up to the Hokage. Naruto felt the urge to see Kakashi right at this moment, not because it was his aim but because having Kakashi near him gives him all the comfort he needs. Kakashi should have an explanation to this. Kakashi will have the words that could make Naruto understand and make him feel better.
Desperately now, he hopped pass the sannin and led the trail himself. A couple more minutes and he could finally sniff Kakashi's distinct scent in the air. Several more breathes and he had the Rokudaime in front of him.
He saw Kakashi standing unmoving in a branch, turning his head back towards him, clearly expecting them already.
And Naruto found himself gasping for air the moment their eyes locked. Kakashi's eyes screams the dreaded reality on how despite of his note, Naruto is here in front of him. Yet, the blue eyes that stared back were those of confusion, betrayal and loneliness.
Has Naruto realized? Was Kakashi's only thought. He wanted to hold the blond and tell him it should be okay and what they were about to see might not be that bad as he had feared.
Yet before Kakashi could hold out his hand to reach for Naruto, the latter's attention diverted farther away from them. Whatever the blond had sensed through his Sage Mode is beyond him. "Naruto…"
Naruto with a gritted teeth picked up on the trail, consumed by confusion and denial. He could sense it now clearly. Yamato, Sasuke and Sakura's chakra engaging in a battle against the other chakras.
Closer and closer, his mixed emotions were turning into fury and sensing a little bit more does not allow him to think properly. He was not able to stop him by turning and having the sannin pressed against a tree, "Tell me this is not your doing, Orochimaru!"
"Naruto!" Kakashi was beside Naruto quickly.
"So, with a Sage Mode, you can sense a lot better than we can." Orochimaru responded.
"Answer me, dammit!" Naruto was only able to punch the tree right beside Orochimaru's stomach, missing an inch.
"As I said, I can't make miracles."
"Don't fuck with me!" Naruto screams, aiming for the sannin's head but Kakashi caught his arms.
Kakashi held the jinchuriki's eyes and said, "Stop it, Naruto." He pulled the man to him, "Just like he said, this is way more complex than any known jutsu. Knowing Orochimaru, he would be proud to proclaim it is his doing if it is truly his. I believe if he says it's not him, then it's not him."
"Kakashi…you too… dammit…" Naruto eyes fell, couldn't look at the man now. This is too much for him. He does not understand any of this and above all people, why Kakashi is so calm about this all.
"I'm sorry if this is all too much for you, Naruto…"
Naruto turned and once again picked up the trail, the bubbling mixed emotions of on his stomach is driving him insane.
Kakashi followed Naruto and realizes just what is making Naruto upset at this very minute. "Naruto, calm down!" He tried to call out.
Naruto's attention was all focused on bridging the distance between them and the battling teammates.
"Naruto…!" Kakashi reached for Naruto's hand, holding him and he could feel the blond trembling. "Na…ruto…"
"Yondaime…" Naruto's tears fell the moment he allowed himself to speak the name. "It can't be father…"
So, you've indeed realized. Kakashi thought. He held on the man's tighter now. "It's alright, Naruto. We'll figure this out."
"I won't forgive anybody…anybody who has caused this!" Naruto's trembling body slipped off Kakashi's grasp, "Nobody should mess with the dead!" Why…why must somebody do this again! Not my father… could they just leave my father alone? He should stay with mother… he deserved to stay with mother…
Naruto returned towards following the traces of Team Kakashi's chakra, wanting to face this once and for all. If someone has called out his father and his comrades back from the dead again, this has to stop. He makes sure to stop it himself.
His father does not need to hurt anyone against his will. And Naruto does not want to see his father in the same state once again. Enough of this temporary, deceitful appearances because no matter what, a dead can never come back to life as if nothing has happened.
But the chakra, though similar to his reanimated father during the 4th Shinobi war, is different in some sense. This chakra is much more alive, stronger and intact –something a live person can only have.
This is upsetting Naruto more than ever because it made him hope…it made him wish this could be real… that this is indeed a miracle.
Arg, it was driving him mad insane!
As much as he wanted it to be real, this has got to stop. This forbidden reality he cannot hold on to has to stop.
Kakashi's worries increased as he could feel Naruto upset, he could clearly feel it. The blond looking like he was about to break down soon pained him and he could not blame the blond… this is truly depressing.
He shares the same emotions as the blond. He himself was not prepare to go through this pain again… meeting his sensei…and his former teammates isn't exactly what he dreamt of. He is breaking inside more than he's letting himself to.
Seeing the clearing now, he saw Naruto stopped abruptly before what looked like a battleground. It was more to the scene of Yamato's wood style technique prodded everywhere the surrounding. Sakura's use of her destructive power is also obvious. Yet, Sasuke on the other hand is unfazed, staying calm firmly on his feet, not indulging to the fight.
At the further side of the area where hooded group of four scattered in the area. Even without disrobing the other group, Kakashi could clearly tell.
Yet, before he could fully reminisce, he saw Naruto amounting on his feet, a rasengan on his hand and aiming for the tallest one in the group.
"Naruto, wait!" Kakashi using his fastest manoeuvring technique was able to catch up with Naruto, a perfect amount of chakra focused on his fist and has landed on the blond's stomach. As it made contact, the blond went limp on his arms, unconscious, "I'm sorry, Naruto…"
"Sensei! Naruto!" Sakura shrieked as she made her way towards them.
Kakashi fondly stroked the jinchuriki's face, easing the strain in there, apologizing for his only resort in stopping him. If he hadn't knock Naruto out, who knows what damaged he could have done. And there was no talking out either.
"Sensei…what did you do?" Sakura confusedly asked, looking at the unconscious Naruto worriedly.
Kakashi didn't reply as he felt a pair of feet softly landing behind him. He held on Naruto tightly as he acknowledge the presence, "Minato sensei…"
Sakura gasped hearing this. "This can't be…"
"Obito." Kakashi named as another appeared behind the first one. "Rin…" Running footsteps appeared soon enough.
"…can't be Reanimation Technique again…" Sakura continued.
Sasuke walked closer now, a certain robed person caught on his right arm. His other hand yanked on the hood, allowing to show the face of a man. "No. It can't be a Reanimation Technique."
Orochimaru, Yamato and Sakura both looked at Sasuke's captive and their eyes widened, couldn't believe what was presented before them. Their shock is more than what they felt when they heard the names the Hokage has mentioned. The Yondaime, Obito and Rin… there's a possibility… but with this man… it doesn't fit.
"Kakashi-kun!" A female voice coming from one of the hooded people.
"Bakashi! Hold on!" Another male screamed. "Minato sensei, they got Bakashi!"
Kakashi with Naruto on his arms stood up, eyes not leaving the boy on Sasuke's arms. The look of the younger man reflects his own that he was not able to turn away sooner than he wanted to. He willed himself in the end, turning around the face the man who taught him a whole lot of things when he was younger, "Minato sensei…" He addressed.
The said man pulled down his hood, bright spiky yellow hair sprung back free, a face of pure life radiating in that tan skin. It was clearly not a body of a Reanimated jutsu. "I see you've become a Hokage, Kakashi."
Kakashi could not reply without having his lips trembling. Though he has talked himself out that what's happening now could be a possibility but in the end, this is more than he had expected. He's losing himself in here.
"I'm as confused as you are, Kakashi." Minato started, "…of where we are, what era this is and how we got here…everything we have not yet figured out. Mind if I talk to you?"
Kakashi weakly nodded, his strength weakening as emotions came crashing all in one go. He has never felt so weak and contradicted all his life more than this moment. He nodded, "Come back home with us to Konoha."
Minato's smile brightens up his whole face, a strain slowly easing. "Hm." He nodded.
"Promise me you'll explain what happened." Kakashi said.
Minato nodded. "I promised." He said and then he turned towards his team, "Everyone, we're finally coming home."
The two young ones both pulled down their robes and true to what Kakashi mentioned, the female was no other than Nohara Rin and the other male is Uchiha Obito. The one that Sasuke just released was the young Kakashi himself who only merely huffed to the situation.
"No way, even the young Kakashi sensei has the mask on!" Sakura muttered the moment she relaxed herself. She had seen worse shit than this. Of all, this is rather refreshing. This is making her smile, her focus fixated on the young Kakashi in front of her. She wanted to pull the young man and hug him, give smooches because damn young Kakashi is just so adorable. Who knew their sensei was this adorable.
Yet, adorable as he seems, the glare of the young Kakashi is unmistakable that has nearly made Sakura choke on her words, frozen on her feet. And then the young Kakashi watches the man who he has realized as his other, older self. He is clearly not amused on what he's seeing.
"Let's go, everyone." Kakashi, the man with a 6th Hokage written on his back said.
Sakura nodded and led the group back to where Konoha is. Even everything seems all too confusing and surreal, this in particular is strangely real to her. Though, she was not too happy seeing Orochimaru with them.
"Oh Kakashi," Minato stopped on his track and watches the boy on the man's arms, "Who's the boy?"
Kakashi's eyes fell on the slumbering young man on his arms and he doesn't know what to say. He briefly forgotten there for a moment that Naruto exists and that Minato of all people deserves to know. And this is making Kakashi anxiously nervous for some reason. "His name is Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto."
"Uzumaki…?" Minato asked, the last name of his own wife being said.
Kakashi nodded, "He's your son, sensei." He said, looking at how that reply made Minato's face fell into utter surprise. And he's my lover. He wanted to add but he couldn't, not today and he doesn't know if he will ever have the guts to say it in front of this man –his former sensei, the fourth Hokage and the father of the man he loves.
"Can't be…" Minato mumbled. His eyes focused on the boy's face and he couldn't help seeing the striking resemblance of Kushina's features on the boy's face…and the blond hair it was of the same color of his own. There were the distinct whiskery scars on the boy's face as well that he has not able to stop himself from tracing.
"Born with those scars." Kakashi explained. "Having a jinchuriki mother and all… it wasn't surprising the baby will have even a tiny bit of foxy feature."
Minato nodded. "I've heard of him. But I could not believe it was real…he's real."
"Minato sensei…" Kakashi muttered, "A few days ago, I felt your chakra back in Konoha and thought I was just hallucinating. Now that I've met you, I could clearly say you were there."
"So, you've noticed." Minato said, embarrassed. "Everything has changed in that village. I can't tell anymore… I can't tell our place in this world anymore."
Kakashi can understand, he really does and he wanted to figure this out even more. "I know you teleported using your Flying Thunder God Technique using the kunai left in your house. Your house has been left untouched after…after… well, what I'm asking is, will you transport us back to Konoha using your Flying Thunder God Technique?"
Minato quickly nodded. "Of course."
And Minato held out his hand and all of them held on each other and with a few finger moments, they were able to dissolve into nothingness and quickly landed on a wooden floor.
"Yondaime-sama's house." Sakura muttered, having in there for the first time of her life.
"Kakashi… uhh…whe...where…"
All eyes fell on the jinchuriki slowly opening his eyes who is trying to take in what's happening around him and when his eyes fell on the other face bearing blond spiky hair, he groaned and turned to bury his head onto Kakashi's chest, "Urg…cruel dream, 'kashi." He muttered, sighing relaxingly, "Seeing my father now, what a joke."
"Naruto…" Kakashi wanted to tell him what's happening but he knows in what situation the blond is now. If there's any way to explain this to Naruto without it being overly painful, he'd like to know.
"You hit me hard there, didn't you, sen…sei?" Naruto tried to make a joke bitterly but his last word cracked and his shoulder trembled and soon Kakashi felt his the wetness on his arm, droplets of tears falling.
Naruto is crying after figuring out what is happening and it scares him to see further because it pains him to think this is all nothing but temporary. It is messing his emotions once again.
"Naruto…" Sakura kneeled down, trying to massage the man's back, easing him. "It's alright."
"Naruto," Kakashi held the man tightly now, "Let's talk about this once you calm down, alright?"
Naruto doesn't know what to respond, all that he knows he wasn't prepared to face this one when his feelings are involved. Kurama, what should I do?
'Calm down, child. We'll figure this out. We always do.'
'Thank you, Kurama.'
'Don't thank me yet, brat. For now, it's a heaven-sent chance for you to meet your dad. He is as real as he is back then when I fought him. I could feel it. So, don't be afraid. He's real…'
'Are you sure, Kurama?'
'Hm.'
'Alright. I'm calmed down. Now let's see what this is all about'. Naruto thought, determination on his face through his tears-stricken face. He dried his tears as he tried to get off Kakashi's arms and watched his father's eyes for the first time. He can feel the air on his lungs becoming limited. This is indeed real and he has never thought such thing could happen, facing eye to eye with his father.
Indeed, who would I have thought?
A/N: I know... but I hope you won't think that urrg just another usual time travel kinda flashy fic... I do admit the story has that but I hope you wont condemn it that harshly. I'll promise it'll be good ;) so don't give up on me. now ja ne~