A/N: Oh boy, I had a tough time writing this convo. Hope it works out.
Between one blink and the next, Kakashi recovers from his surprise and gathers about him the facsimile of calm that Snake had trained into him. "Ah. Danzou-sama's ROOT. As far as I know, ROOT is an organisation sanctioned by the Sandaime."
"I'm not doing anything illegal," Kakashi is implying. "If you go against me; you go against the Sandaime." The sheer amount of nerve in that statement startles a chuckle out of Sakumo— perhaps Danzou is beginning to rub off on his son.
"I see... I imagine Danzou has introduced you to it's workings," Inoichi muses, sitting back. "The two of you seem to be close."
"ROOT reports to Danzou-sama and Danzou-sama reports to Hokage-sama," Kakashi shrugs, skirting around the question. "I know as much as you do."
Shikaku lets out a bark of laughter, having caught onto Kakashi's defensiveness. "Don't worry, Kakashi. Inoichi isn't going to drag you off to interrogate you."
Kakashi eye-smiles. "Of course not. I'm sure you already know a lot from the clan members you've contributed to ROOT."
"You're implicated in this too," goes unspoken. Shikaku grimaces. The easy rapport they had reached earlier strains as they assess each other— neither side certain how much they can trust each other. They've never really had an opportunity to speak, after all. So much of what they know about each other is based on rumours, and no-one would know better than Kakashi that rumours are only half-truths upon half-truths.
"Well, we haven't been contributing members anymore," Shikaku finally says. "Our fathers did, but the recent war and disaster have depleted too many of our numbers."
"We don't hear back from the clan members that were sent either," Chouza adds, clearly perturbed. "The secrecy is troubling when it prevents us from looking after their welfare."
"Just be careful, Kakashi," Inoichi sighs. "I do apologise. I don't mean to accuse you of anything. We simply don't want you to disappear too." His smile is sad.
Kakashi looks away.
"Minato-sensei had every intention to disband ROOT," he says quietly, finally relenting on his prickly defence. "He would've been glad to know that you're protecting your own." He does not mention Snake, but Sakumo and Rin know that she is on his mind too. Those clanless and alone in this village are the ones whom Kakashi has set his heart on defending.
"Minato would have wanted to you to be safe too," Shikaku replies gently, knowing how fresh Kakashi's grief is. "You're not without friends here. If you need anything, we can help." Don't go to Danzou, please.
Kakashi fiddles with his gloves, his gaze downcast. His hair seems to lose a little of its crackling static as he wavers, and gives in. "Thank you. I appreciate it. But there are some things that I am unable speak of."
"...unable?" Inoichi murmurs.
'Smart man,' Sakumo thinks approvingly.
"You must have encountered situations where there were more obstacles to getting someone to talk than their reticence." Kakashi smiles mirthlessly. "Danzou-sama is a not a careless man."
"Well, this is worse than we expected," Chouza comments, while Shikaku stares at Kakashi as if he can figure out the location of the seal that way.
"I have come across seals before," Inoichi says, "on both foreign nin and our own. Our team has a database of these seals, most of which we have been able to break, but there are some which remain a mystery. Ironically, those are mostly Konoha's own."
"Above your paygrade again?" Kakashi jokes wryly, making Inoichi's eyes widen. Shikaku snorts.
"Worse," the Yamanaka bemoans. "Those are most certainly ROOT seals and ROOT can't be investigated at all. Not through official channels, at least. The Intelligence Division investigates external threats to Konoha, not internal ones." Scrubbing at his face with a hand, the interrogator sighs. "If the Sandaime would actually read Danzou's requests before approving them, then I might actually have a chance of understanding those seals before Danzou forcefully steals the detainees away to who-knows-where again. There is a reason why they end up in the detention cells. Why should it matter if it's an external or internal problem? A problem is a problem."
"Careful there," Shikaku says, smiling crookedly. "I'm sure the Sandaime reads those requests. He just approves them anyway."
"That's worse."
"And now you know the difficulties us mere mortals face. At least you have some investigative powers."
The expression on Inoichi's face can only be described as a pout. "It's my job to keep an eye on things," he retorts. "How am I supposed to do it if Danzou has a secret army within an army within an army, and Hokage-sama doesn't want to hear anything that I have to say? The Yondaime, at least..."
It is dangerous, complaining about the Hokage like this, but the Sandaime already knows of Inoichi's misgivings. If the four of them have to agree on something tonight, it will be that they favour Minato's reign as Hokage. With this tentative understanding built on a common dislike for ROOT's secrecy and Danzou's methods, conversation begins to flow again.
"Perhaps Kakashi would be kind enough to let you see the seal?" Even though Kakashi refuses to confirm it, it is obvious by now that Kakashi is in ROOT.
Kakashi crosses his arms at being volunteered, but he does not refuse Shikaku's suggestion outright. "You do know that I rarely let people see my face, right?" he replies, only half-joking.
"Only if you're comfortable with it," Chouza assures him while kicking Shikaku in the shin. "I'm sure Inoichi can bear to stew in this mystery a little longer."
Scratching at the back of his head, Kakashi lifts his gaze to the ceiling. "Ah. I suppose I would not be opposed to removing the seal. It is strange having something on me that I have no control over. "
"Would Danzou not be unhappy with that?" Inoichi asks in concern. "Of course, this matter will be kept between us, but..."
Kakashi lets out a small "heh". "He would be," he admits. "But hopefully there will come a time when it doesn't matter if he's unhappy or not."
"Oh?" The Ino-Shika-Chou trio looks intrigued, and frankly Sakumo and Rin are equally keen for details, but Kakashi just shakes his head.
"Let's just focus on the seal for now," he says, drawing down his mask and ignoring their exaggerated "ooh"-ing. "I memorised the array that he used; that should give us a good start."
He sticks his tongue out and everyone leans in, serious again. "Ah," Inoichi says in a hushed tone, "I've seen that one before. Young kunoichi found sneaking into Konoha, injured and delirious. Tripped one of our sensors and we detained her. Danzou collected her within half-an-hour even though I kept things hush. I weeded out one of his informants after that incident." He sits back and thumbs his chin. "Neither of us are sealing experts, but if we can manage to block even part of the seal, I imagine that would already be useful."
"How big is the array?" Shikaku asks.
"An entire room."
"And you memorised the whole thing?"
Kakashi nods, and he lets out a low whistle. "Impressive."
"Can you spare a room, Inoichi?" Chouza asks, glancing about the house. "We will need the space. Some security seals around the room will not be amiss either."
"I can clear out a storage room no problem. I think the main issue will be getting a hold of you again, Kakashi," Inoichi points out, before smiling broadly. "How do you feel about seeing a licensed counselor, young shinobi?"
"Good idea," Rin chirps, but the young ANBU twitches unhappily, his excitement at securing their aid morphing into sullenness within a second. Sakumo smiles fondly. If this arrangement can convince Kakashi to speak to someone, and share part of his burdens, it will be a bonus.
"Fine," Kakashi groans, sounding like a teenager for once.
It is nearly two in the morning by the time Kakashi returns to the silent ROOT headquarters and sinks into his futon. The hallway is dimly lit by faint torches at the very end of the long, curved corridor, leaving most of it in the dark. Yet, Kakashi remains wide-eyed in his bed, unable to sleep.
Whether it is the excitement of the night, or anxiety regarding the future, Sakumo doesn't know. Kakashi will report to Danzou tomorrow, to report the counselling sessions that Inoichi has insisted upon and some other non-incriminating details about their conversation. It should not pose a big issue as long as Kakashi is careful.
The softest whisper of a shunshin marks the passing of another shinobi going about their business and Kakashi sits up, scowling at the doorless frame. It is quiet, but Kakashi is used to having his privacy. Even with his habitually absent roommate - the mokuton-user Kinoe - Sakumo can understand why it is difficult to sleep.
After another half-an-hour of tossing and turning, Kakashi kicks away his blankets with a soft huff and folds his bedding into the corner. Dressing himself in his armour again and wrapping a cloak around his shoulders, he flits out of the compound on swift footsteps. He ends up in the band of forest which surrounds the Shimura estate, his breath misting the cold air.
The unseen eyes of the patrolling ROOT guards follow him, but no-one approaches him as he finds a secluded area away from the estate and climbs into a tree. Settling himself in a bough, Kakashi tucks his cloak around himself and curls up with a sigh. The chirps of crickets are absent, the weather far too cold for their songs, but the soft sounds of rustling leaves remain.
In the embrace of nature, Kakashi dozes off much more easily.
Kakashi wakes up to Kinoe's face in the trunk of his tree, watching him.
"W-Whoa!" he shouts, nearly rocketing out of the tree before recognising his persistent stalker. The face disappears back into the wood and the boy pops out of the trunk below, looking sheepish. Sakumo and Rin, who have been waiting for this very moment, snort helplessly with laughter at Kakashi incredulous expression.
"Good morning, Kakashi," Kinoe says, bowing politely. "I'm sorry for startling you."
Kakashi presses a hand to his chest dramatically, his eye still wide. "What were you doing?!"
The small ROOT agent shuffles his feet, face red. "Watching you sleep," he admits in a near whisper.
"That's a bit creepy, Kinoe."
The boy hangs his head and a flicker of guilt passes over Kakashi's face when the boy repeats his apology.
"Don't do that again, I guess," Kakashi sighs, rubbing his face as he sits up. "I'm not angry, but, yeah. Don't do that again."
"I won't," Kinoe promises solemnly, looking relieved.
"Great." Kakashi cracks a yawn. "How did you find me anyway?"
Kinoe brightens. "I looked through the trees!" He places a hand on the trunk of Kakashi's tree and it sinks in, merging into wood up to his wrist. "I can travel and "see" through the trees like this. If I merge my whole body, I can go anywhere where there are trees."
Looking impressed, Kakashi hops down and looks at Kinoe's hand closely. "That's a very useful ability."
Kinoe nods firmly. "I traced the mokuton jutsu that was used near the Yondaime's house using this same technique," he explains, withdrawing his hand from the tree. "But... the roots travel too far. I can only travel for a few kilometers, for now, so I haven't found anything yet." At this admission, his shoulders slump slightly. "But maybe if I go outside of Konoha, I can cover more ground."
At the mention of Minato and their mysterious attacker, Kakashi had gotten an almost manic look in his eye. Still, he reigns himself in. "It's okay," he says, placing a supportive hand on the younger shinobi's shoulder. "You're doing well. You're using a special jutsu, and this is not an easy task."
Kinoe's energy returns, just like that. "That is what Danzou-sama says," he says, far too reverently for Sakumo's comfort. Kakashi also seems disturbed, but he does not say anything. "Danzou-sama wanted me to tell you about this mission. Is it because you're the Yondaime's student?"
Kakashi gaze lifts to the brightening sky. "Ah... yes. But he was more than just a sensei to me. He was a friend, who was there for me when no-one else was." His eye crinkles and Kinoe mirrors his smile, not quite understanding the undertone of grief in Kakashi's words but knowing that it is something important to Kakashi.
"I'll work hard on this mission, senpai."
Kakashi pats him on the shoulder again. "Thank you. Don't get lost in the trees, alright?"
A/N: Awkward, fascinated Kinoe is awkward XD This chapter is brought to you by the power of milk tea powered insomnia *throws leaves like confetti*