Tangled Web

AU-ish story set in Kakashi's youth. Hope you enjoy. Please review and let me know.

I've had a couple people remark that my writing is choppy and rushed. My writing style is called staccato which is a legitimate writing style. I also feel a story does not need to be long and drawn out to show suspense or drama. It is my writing technique and I will stick with it, but I really appreciate all reviews and critics. I am not denying someone's opinion, but in the shinobi world that I am writing within, the characters are in control of their emotions and come up with options rapidly. I am stating my opinions for the ones that believe there is only one way to write. Creative license is vast, varied, and completely up to the writer. One person's technique is not another's so each person can express themselves individually and passionately within their own voice. I don't want someone else's voice and I certainly wouldn't want anyone to be forced to have mine. Write what you want—the way that you want. Period. Writing is an art form that continuously grows. I appreciate the ones that pointed out their opinion of my writing and I will continue to practice and improve, but the staccato tone will never change. That is me so you will continue to see that form from me.

Now, do you want to hear something funny?

I am an idiot! Stupid me was trying to review my sister's story and accidently reviewed my own story when I had both pulled up on separate tabs and hit the wrong tab. Duh! I guess paying attention to what you are doing is a good thing, huh? That was so dumb! Any who, for those that don't know, my older sisters writes under the name Amberzlove so check out her stories. She has some Naruto fics too.

TTFN,

Me

I own nothing. Nothing.

Chapter Four

"You're a good liar, but I heard you say, "I can't allow you two to do something stupid and then Kakashi will come and kick my ass good.' The damn brat lives—the stubborn little shit that he is!" the man bit out before startling as loud, angry howls broke out giving Genma the opportunity to see the blade the nin held was Kakashi's weapon, "Kuso! I've gleaned enough from you, Kid. Don't need you blabbing about."

Genma grunted and then choked as the tanto stabbed deep into his gut as his brown eyes widened in shocked horror. He was dropped to the ground after the blade was withdrawn when the howls grew closer as pain ripped through his abdomen and raced like lava through his veins. Genma could only be thankful that the tanto hadn't been twisted in the wound as he curled in agony while his attacker flicked his blood from the blade.

"B-bastard," Genma stuttered as he saw the red of his blood pooling around him while his attacker leapt away, "Know your face, Coward. Uhn! Don't deserve…shinobi…name."

Genma panted in his suffering and shuddered as shock set in. What a way to go, huh? Dying in an alley before ever really living. That sucked, but at least Obito and Gai had been kept safe. Team leaders' responsibility, right? Genma waited to die with his honor intact.

oOo

Minato and Jiraiya heard the screaming over the howls of the pack. Minato stumbled to a halt once he turned the corner and froze. Raidou Namiashi was screaming for help as he cradled the head of a familiar-looking, unconscious boy while other shinobi were running to the scene. There was a pool of red blood around the children and the still youth was bleeding from the mouth which meant internal damage.

"Oh, my God!" Minato gasped before flashing to get to the two young nin as his training took hold, "Raidou-kun, what happened here?"

"I d-don't know," Raidou stuttered as Jiraiya pulled off his outer jacket to press against the stab wound of the other boy, once he pulled the child's bloody hands away, to try and stem the bleeding, "I was supposed to meet Genma here so we could go train, but he didn't seem to be here and then I found his senbon on the ground. I-I knew it was his because of the teeth marks and t-then…then I-I thought I heard something in the alley and found Gen and he...he'd been stabbed nearly through. Gen gasped out Kakashi's name, looking panicked like he needed to tell me something and then lost consciousness. God, his blood is everywhere. Please help him!"

"We will, Raidou-kun," Minato promised, "Jiraiya?"

"This stab wound is from a tanto," Jiraiya advised after pulling the makeshift bandage from the wound as Minato growled, "Pakkun, any scent you pick up on?"

"The man who attacked my pup is the one that attacked this child," Pakkun snapped, sniffing at Genma as the rest of the pack milled around growling, "This pup's life is ebbing fast unless he gets some help."

"No! No, Gen!" Raidou hissed, patting his friend's pale face to try and rouse him, "Genma, wake up. You've got to wake up!"

"Jiraiya, take Kakashi's pack and continue the search. I've got to get this boy to Tsunade," Minato decided, ignoring Raidou while scooping the wounded boy into his arms, "I've marked Kakashi to use my Hiraishin in case of a second attempt on my student's life occurred. Get Raidou to safety before continuing the hunt."

"Wait, please," Raidou begged, standing from the ground while keeping his eyes on Genma's limp form, "Let me go with you. I don't want him to be alone and I'm the only match to Gen's blood type in the village. Gen's my best friend and I…I want to be there if he…if he dies. His mom passed away when he was five and his dad is out on a mission. Please, Namikaze-san."

"Hold on tight to my arm and don't let go," Minato instructed as Raidou latched onto the man's arm, "Jiraiya, can you continue the hunt alone?"

"I've got this," the Sannin insisted, "Get that boy to the hospital. He'll not last much longer without medical attention."

Minato glanced at the youth on his arm and after receiving a nod, flashed away to appear beside Kakashi's bed as Raidou staggered. Lady Tsunade looked up in first surprise and then alarm while the Hokage stood angrily.

"What the hell!" Tsunade barked, before running to the door and screaming for some help as she dragged a gurney into the room, "Report."

"Stabbing in an alley," Minato snapped, settling the child he held on the gurney while Tsunade pressed on the soaked remains of Jiraiya's coat, "Tanto wound, but didn't look like a thorough gutting. Immense blood loss. Wound on neck and looks like he was struck across the face. Unconscious before I got there."

Tsunade looked grim faced as other medic nins raced into the room and they all left to deal with Genma's injuries.

"What is happening? Why was Genma attacked? Why is Kakashi like this? What is going on here?"

Minato turned to see a pale and shaken Raidou who had voiced all the questions. It was the Hokage that pulled the young man into a chair.

"Raidou-kun, I need you to sit here and be patient a moment. Can you do that for me?" Sarutobi questioned as the youth nodded, "Minato?"

"Jiraiya is with the pack continuing to track this bastard down," Minato began, "The ninken were hot on the trail of the culprit, but whoever this is attacked Genma Shiranui first. I don't know why the child was chosen, but the wound is probably from Sakumo Hatake's weapon. Raidou, you said that Genma was able to say Kakashi's name prior to losing consciousness, right?"

"Yes," Raidou agreed, looking from Kakashi to the jonin, "I thought he meant that…sorry, but I thought maybe that wound was from an attack from your student, but there is no way it could have been Kakashi since the bruises I see on him look at least a day old. So that means that somehow Genma knew about what had happened to Kakashi and the same person went after Gen to get information or something, right?"

"Correct. Good deduction skills, Raidou-kun" Minato complimented before turning grim again as he shook his head, "But how did Genma have knowledge of Kakashi's attack and how did the one who is responsible for all of this know that the boy knew anything?"

"All good questions. Plus, this also means that Genma has seen the attacker," the Hokage added, "I think that Genma was probably trying to tell Raidou that information, but blood loss became too much for the lad. I think the attacker thought he was silencing the child by leaving him for dead. We are lucky Genma Shiranui is even still breathing."

Raidou choked slightly while trying to control his emotions like his shinobi training instilled in him. Minato and the Hokage frowned at one another in silence.

"Raidou, you are going to stay here so you can be there for your friend and also to keep you safe," Minato urged as the boy looked to him sharply, "The attacker might have seen you with Genma and assume you know something. I think I have an idea who might have told your friend about Kakashi and I need to check on them."

"Can I assume goggles and pretty eyes are ringing a bell?" Sarutobi questioned as Minato nodded, "Don't blame those two. Has anyone sat down to tell them to keep this quiet?"

"No," Minato sighed, "There has been no time, but now this person has attacked two children with hopes of killing them and it doesn't seem he or she plans on stopping anytime soon. That is an act of a coward, Hokage-sama. I need to find my students and…"

Yelling could be heard from the hallway as Minato trailed off. He pulled out a kunai and peered carefully from the door before relaxing.

"Chouza-san?" Minato called as the Akimichi staggered into the room with Shikaku Nara following.

"I was told by a chunin that he saw you holding Genma in an alley and the boy was covered in blood. Where is my student? Does Genma still live?" Chouza demanded before pausing in horror as his gaze landed on Kakashi, "What is this, Minato-san? Shikaku told me in confidentiality about Kakashi and now one of my students have been attacked too? Who is this person that would harm innocent children as badly as this?"

"I don't know," Minato snapped, "But I'm going to find him or her. Genma has been taken by Lady Tsunade. He's probably already being operated on. He suffered a blade to the gut and was bled nearly out."

"I can donate blood if Gen needs it," Raidou offered, still looking pale and nervous, "I already told you that I'm the only one that has Genma's blood type. Our types are really, really rare."

"I know, Raidou-kun," Chouza answered, seeing the fear in the boy, "That was listed quite clearly in my student's profile. Your sensei and I both always know where the two of you will be in case of emergency."

"Oh," Raidou whispered, shaking slightly, "I-I didn't know that."

Minato glanced meaningfully at Chouza and Shikaku and the two understood. Raidou was possibly in danger too.

"You'll wait with me, Raidou-kun" Chouza insisted, gesturing for Raidou to follow, "Genma might just need that blood so you cannot wander. You are to stay by my side until you are told different, understood?"

"Hai, Akimichi-san," Raidou agreed before he glanced to the still form in the bed and bowed, "I'm sorry for assuming, Kakashi. I shouldn't have thought that you could do anything like that to Gen. I was just…I'm sorry."

"He'd understand," Minato soothed as Raidou walked to be with Chouza, "Go on now. I have two students of my own that I need to find. Hokage-sama?"

"I've got this," Sarutobi nodded out as he sat by Kakashi's bed, "Find those children and then bring me the one responsible for these attacks. Alive, Minato. I want to hear that person's screams as he or she is punished for these atrocities. Death is too easy."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

Minato's worry ate at him as he walked quickly down the hallway before stopping and grinning in relief as a beautiful sight met his eyes. Rin, Obito, and Gai Maito were all sitting in the waiting room looking unsure and scared.

"Minato-sensei!" Obito called when he noticed the man and raced over, "We heard about Genma. The story is already all over the village. Is he…he's still alive, right? Just like Bakakashi, right?"

"My team leader, Namikaze-san?" Gai whimpered as Rin hurried over, "He's alive?"

"Genma is in surgery and that is all I know for now. Kakashi is still fighting as well," Minato began as the children shuddered, looking shaken, "What I want to know is how Genma came to know about Kakashi? I can see that you three have been up to something. Rin, Obito, you two did not go home as I asked yesterday."

All three hung their heads looking miserable.

"That is my fault," Rin sniffled as the other two gasped, "It is. I got the idea of avenging Kakashi and dragged Obito and Gai into it."

"Not true, Fair Kunoichi!" Gai denied, "I leapt in right off and planned to investigate as well. I planned on leaving no stone unturned or I'd run around the village on my pinky fingers 500 times to find the one who harmed my rival."

"Me too…well…except for the pinky finger thing," Obito agreed, "But then Genma rounded Gai and I up, Sensei, and told us off good. Said that we were idiots who should have realized that Kakashi was still in danger if the attacker knew that he was still alive."

"Genma threatened to tell Chouza-sensei if Obito and I didn't stop and then we came here to tell Rin," Gai continued, "We saw Sensei run by shouting for Genma and a chunin medic nin told us how Gen had been discovered. Then we knew…we knew that it was our fault."

"No," Minato disagreed, "The fault lies with the one who did this. You three were trying to help and so was Genma, but he saw the full picture and did the right thing by getting you three to stop and see reason. Whoever this is…the shinobi who attack Kakashi and Genma is not right in the head. You three follow me."

Minato herded the children to where he knew Chouza, Shikaku, and Raidou would be. The two jonin glanced up as Minato had the three students sit with Raidou. The blonde explained quickly to his comrades what he had discovered in terse whispers.

"That's Genma for you," Chouza said, looking worriedly to the door that housed his student, "He can see a bigger picture well. You realize that the attacker was probably following Gai and Obito?"

"I do," Minato huffed as Shikaku scowled, "Genma was probably the easiest to get to since he was left in the alley and the attacker tried to get information out of the boy where no one would see them. Your student is lucky to be alive, Chouza. Those three feel awful so tread carefully in what you say to them. They meant well, but this lesson might be hard for them to bear if we lose Genma, Chouza-san."

Chouza set his mouth, but nodded.

"We got the kids," Shikaku drawled, "Go after the bastard that did this. Find him before another victim appears. From the information we know, I think the culprit is male and a coward. He attacks ones weaker than him. That tanto you told us about…that weapon means something to this man. He feels powerful with it. Watch your back, Minato-san."

"I will," Minato promised, "Guard these children well. Especially Obito. That Uchiha takes off in a blink when he gets an idea in his head."

Minato hurried away and then paused when the Hokage stepped out from the door guarded by Anbu and gestured him inside. The blonde did as was requested and gasped when he noticed his student. Kakashi was awake and looking confused.

"He's been too out of it to recognize me," Sarutobi voiced as Minato nodded.

"Kakashi," Minato called, hurrying to his student's side, "Do you know where you are?"

Kakashi blinked and then his eyes widened in panic. Minato realized belatedly that the boy had tried to shake his head and realized he couldn't move his neck.

"Calm down," Minato soothed, reaching to brush a hand through the boy's hair, "The limit to your movements is just temporary, Kakashi. You are wearing a brace to keep your neck still until you are healed. You will heal up good as new so don't worry. Lady Tsunade reported that herself. Do you understand me?"

Minato barely heard the whispered "hai" through the breathing mask, but Kakashi was hearing and responding well. That was good. Sarutobi moved to get a medic nin while Minato remained.

"Kakashi, you are in the hospital," Minato continued as the boy blinked at him, "Do you remember what happened to you?"

Kakashi closed his eyes and then opened them again with the same look of confusion within their depths.

To be continued…