Many Masks

Written By - Olafwa

V

AN: Hagane Kotesu and Kamizuki Izumo used to be known as the "two random chunnins," they are always seen togehter and working with the Hokage. They always seem to be angry that they have to work so early while the Hokage gets to sleep. If you really don't remember who they are, watch the episode after Sasuke left the village. Saukura is passed out on a bench and the two random chunnen are walking by with huge stacks of paper in their arms. These are the first two in the village that Sakura told Sasuke was gone.

Random Chuunin Aren't So Random - Special

Hagane Kotetsu absently scratched the bandage on his nose as he looked through the big pile of paperwork. Sometimes he thought the stress of being the Fifth's assistant was just to much for him to handle. Then he thought of Tsunade and how she changed her whole life style. From a greedy gambling machine to Fifth Hokage of Konoha. It must have been one big stress ride. Thinking of things like that made him not so bitter about doing more than half of her paperwork.

Kamizuki Izumo contemplated how painful it would be to kill himself by bashing his head againsed the wall. Nothing could be more painful than Tsunade-sama. He was pretty sure of that. While Kotetsu got to sit in a nice quiet office and do paperwork, he got to follow Tsunade-sama around and fetch her things, like he was her dog. He was seriusly considering getting a new assainment. Not many people could handle the Fifth and he was not one of them.

"How was your day?" Kotetsu asked as they met up for lunch.
"I want to die." Izumo groaned and plopped his head down onto the table.
"That bad, huh?" Kotetsu rested his chin on his hand, Izumo never got a break it seemed.
"I want to die." Izumo said again, as if that clarified the whole situation.
"The usual, please." Kotetsu said to the waitress. Izumo didn't look like he cared if he ate at all.
"I thought she was a good choice to be Hokage." He commented to the silence.
"She's an animal! How am I saposed to work with a wild boar?!" Izumo cried, not careing who heard.
"Are you insane?" Kotetsu asked quietly, looking around the small resteraunt.
"Yes, she made me insane." Izumo blankly answered the rhetorical question.

Over the next half hour Kotetsu listend to Izumo pick out all the things wrong with the new Hokage. He sometimes commented, but that only seemed to heat him up more and he had pull Izumo back into his seat multiple times. Kotetsu sighed, he guessed it was only natural. He had met the new Hokage and knew her background. Anyone working in close contact with her had to know how to deal with it or they would end up miserable.

"How can she look so young? Who would use a genjutsu to hide their old age?" Izumo complained, not really thinking of what he was saying. He just needed to vent. Kotetsu leaned over and lifted the hair Izumo kept over his blind eye with his finger.
"Ne?" Kotetsu inquired to a seemingly shocked Izumo.
"Your right." He sighed and looked down to his food.
"Thanks for letting me vent anyway." He smiled weakly and went back to eating. Kotetsu just rolled his eyes.

"Ne Kotetsu," Izumo fiddled with the food on his plate, "why are we here"
Kotetsu narrowed his eyes, already knowing where this was going. Around once a month, Izumo would go back to the past, the time in his life that he most regrets. The time when the both of them met and realized that the only way to survive was to stick together. In a way, Kotetsu was happy about his once a month rants, it made sure that he would never forget his past, who they were.

"When we first came to village, we were nothing. We had nothing," Izumo placed a hand on the eye that was hidden with his hair, "when the enraged orpahnage owner found out that I stole that bread...I would have been killed if it were not for you. But I can never forgive myself for the pain I have caused you," Izumo stared at the bandages that covered Kotetsu's face. Only he knew what scarred the face of his lifelong friend and companion, only he knew that he was the one who caused such pain in Kotetsu's heart. "If it were not for me.." Izumo continued, but this is where Kotetsu cut him off, "stop Izumo, that was a long time ago. It doesnt matter anymore. We were given a second chance, just leave it at that," Kotetsu was no longer looking at Izumo, but was stuffing his face with the food that was already getting cold.

Izumo frowned, not only has he not forgiven himself yet, but Kotetsu still had a way to go in the forgiving department. Just as Izumo regretted stealing the bread, Kotetsu regretted helping Izumo, although he hated that he could not forgive. Kotetsu would have been adopted that day. A wonderful family had already decided that they wanted the talented and sharp Kotetsu, but then he heard Izumo's cries from the other room and went running to see what was going on. As soon as Kotetsu saw the blood and saw Izumo his hand hand covering his eye, he already knew.

Kotetsu ran forward and threw all of his weight into the man's stomach only to be sliced across the face by the knife the angry man was holding. When the family who wanted to adopt Kotetsu, saw what was going on and began to interviene. They told the kids to run and thats just what the two of them did. They ran so far and hard, they ran until their breath was gone and they both collapsed. When they awoke, they were in the Konoha hospital, fate had giving them another chance and even with their injury's, they were givin a chance to become ninja.

"Uh...im not feeling so good Kotetsu...I will see you tomarrow," Izumo left the resturant and headed home.
By the end of the day Izumo wanted to curl into a ball and cry.

The Fifth was cruel when she was angry, and one flick could send you flying to a differant building. Kotetsu had a stiff neck and a cramped hand. So when they met up for dinner that night they both discussed changeing jobs. They had thought it would be nice to work for the Hokage, it was an honor really. How were they to know the Fifth was problematic? Though she did a good job of running the village, she wasn't very good with people.

"We have to do it so,. it takes weeks for a switch to take place." Izumo said and dreaded the wait.
"We'll go tomarrow on our lunch. Hopefully she won't be offended." Kotetsu nodded and they both tried to guess what their next assainment would be. Though they were sure anything was better than Hokage's assistant.

Unfortunetly for them both, she was very offended and decided they would be perfect for gate watch. She smiled evily as she stamped the papers, and Shizune could only look on worridly.

So, here we are now with Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo learning the horrors of night watch. Every now and then they would hear a sound from the forest and wake up, ready to gaurd. After a few hours of this they learned how boreing it could be. It seemed they could never catch a break. Just as they dozed off again a huge black owl swooped down and decided it loved them both. With hearts in her eyes she forever followed them. Night became a literal nightmare.

"WHY?!" Two shouts could be heard throughout the still night air. Tsunade laughed in her sleep.

Extra AN: Izumo is probably not half blind, however I thought it was fun and put it in there anyway. Hope you liked it!