A/N: Thank you for taking the time to review my story, and even to those who just read it, so far. I think I've decided how the story is going to go for the most part, so I won't get stuck in the middle of it and end up quitting altogether. Whether it is to your delight or dismay, I have also found a spot for Itachi in the story as well…

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters at all whatsoever, they're just fun to play with.

Spirit of the Guardian Ninja

Chapter 2: Reunion

They were to meet in just a few short hours, the summoner and her guardians. Sakura and Naruto had probably gone home to get ready and prepare for this meeting, but Kakashi just lingered in the streets of Konoha. He watched the pink and purple shades of cloud mesh into one another; the air was becoming rather chilling for the evening, even through his thick uniform. He folded his arms across his chest for warmth.

'Why her?' Kakashi wondered, looking into the evening sky, 'why did I have to be her guardian?'

Indeed, he had asked Tsunade the same question as soon as Sakura and Naruto had left the room. He felt as though this was a joke that Tsunade had decided to play on him at first, when she revealed to him who the summoner was to be. However, Tsunade had convinced him otherwise, telling him that Naruto and Sakura could not handle this mission alone, that the summoner's spiritual powers were far greater than any other she'd seen; their pilgrimage would be filled with peril and great obstacles.

He hadn't been much in the mood lately to read that new volume of Icha Icha Paradise that he had purchased, that's how he knew that this mission was truly bothering him. No, the volume lay tucked away in his pocket, the bookmark placed between pages five and six, as it had been for the last week. It was as though his past had come back to him, a past that he was perfectly happy forgetting. He was a completely different person now, different from how it was back then when he was but a chunin. However, he couldn't just refuse the mission that the hokage had given to him, and he couldn't let down Naruto and Sakura, his own students.

'Why did she have to become a summoner?' Kakashi thought, 'This will be so difficult.'

Regardless of it being chilly outside or not, Konoha was beautiful at night. The many lights of the village would illuminate the night sky, like fireflies. The village wasn't what it used to be, with less and less people bustling around in the streets, but Kakashi did feel a bit of remorse at going to leave it for so long; he had no idea when he was to return. Unfortunately, Kakashi's moment of peaceful observation was invaded by Naruto, on his way to the place where they were to meet their summoner.

"Hey, Kakashi sensei!" Naruto shouted, making his way over to him "I'm glad I ran into you, I forgot the way to the place!"

"Oh…" Kakashi turned to him, a bit startled, "I suppose we should head there now, it's on the other end of town."

The two began treading through the lonely, open streets of Konoha as the sun had just left the sky to be replaced with the moon. The air was still, and there was no noise to be heard from anywhere. Time seemed to have stopped for the moment. Naruto couldn't help but notice that Kakashi was troubled.

"Wow, both you and Sakura seem really bothered by this mission, what's the big deal?" Naruto spoke, "We just gotta guard the summoner and then defeat that sin monster, and then come back"

Kakashi laughed half-heartedly, "Naruto, if only things were as simple as you put them, but you'll learn as we travel I suppose…"

Naruto just sighed ,"I wish I knew what everyone is so worked up about…" he muttered.

For around fifteen minutes the two walked through the village silently, both anxious to meet the summoner in their own ways. It was by mere chance that they ran into Sakura, who was on her way to the rendezvous point as well.

"Sakura!" Naruto waved his hand in the air, "we're back here, wait for us!"

Sakura spun around to meet the two, she seemed to have a nervous air as well, her hands a little shaky. Together, the three finally set out to meet their summoner, the one that they would be guarding throughout the ends of the earth. From there it was just a short walk up to their designated meeting place, a small ramen bar.

"Well, here we are," Kakashi announced.

"Alright!" Naruto shouted, running ahead, "this makes things much better!"

"Naruto, wait!" Sakura rushed to follow him, "we need to make a good first impression!"

Kakashi didn't make an effort to stop them, he just remained at his steady pace; he wanted to make this moment last, the last moment before his life changed forever, and his past became his present and future. He paused a moment before opening the thin flap that was the entrance to the ramen shop and then slowly entered.

Naruto and Sakura were already sitting down with her at the bar, introducing themselves and looking rather cheery. The four of them were the only ones in the bar, aside from the absent minded chef who had just retreated to the back room. Kakashi had to stand there a moment until Naruto finally turned away from his bowl to spout, mouth full of ramen, "Oh, Kakashi sensei!".

The woman turned away from her bowl as well, and dropped her chopsticks to the ground at the sight of Kakashi, "Kakashi…"

Kakashi bowed his head, "Hello, Rin, it's been a long time."

"Y-yes, it has" She replied, trying to compose herself, "I can't believe you're going to be my guardian, not that I'm not honored-or anything".

"Kakashi sensei, you know her already?" Sakura questioned.

"Why yes, we were teammates long ago" Kakashi smiled, seating himself beside them.

He took two pairs of chopsticks out and handed a pair to Rin, who gently took them from his hand. By the time all of the introductions and meal were finished, Rin was ready to reminisce about the past, their past, much to Kakashi's distaste.

"Kakashi…you've changed so much, I can't believe it!" Rin was in awe, "How is…your sharingan doing?"

"She knows about the sharingan?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Of course I'm the one who put it in," Rin smiled.

Kakashi suddenly rose from the table, "I'm….going to take a breath of fresh air, it's rather humid in here."

His two students just sat, stunned, at the table, not understanding why Kakashi was acting how he was. However, Rin decided to pursue him out of the cramped building.

"Kakashi…I'm sorry if you don't want to remember…" she trailed off, "It's just, when I see you, I remember those days with us…Obito, and sensei, I wanted to talk about them once more, to remember them…"

"But…I don't, Rin" Kakashi answered, his back still turned to her, "It will only make this mission harder; I want to stay purely professional, as your guardian."

"I see" Rin answered, bowing slightly, "I didn't mean to upset you."

Naruto and Sakura emerged from the bar just then, to see what was going on between the two. To their dismay, the two remained silent upon their entrance.

Naruto yawned, "Well, I guess I'm going home, where are we meeting tomorrow?"

"We need to meet at the hokage's for some last minute briefing." Kakashi answered.

"Alright…I guess I'll go then too, " Sakura added, "Nice meeting you lady Rin."

Rin smiled and bowed to her guardians, "It was nice meeting all of you, and I'm honored to have you all as my guardians."

"Hey, you too!" Naruto waved,his back turned on his way to his house.

When the two had left, Kakashi and Rin were alone once more. Rin made her way over to him, determined not to upset him again.

"I'm glad to have you as my guardian, even if you choose to just be professional, it eases me…that you'll be accompanying me." She smiled, and turned to leave to the inn that she was staying at for the night.

'and I'm pleased to be your guardian…' Kakashi thought to himself, as he too left to his own home for the night.

'I just had hoped that you'd never become a summoner…'