Hmm, how to word this? I am wondering if someone would be willing to be a beta reader for this story. I am aware I could contact someone about it, but I don't feel comfortable with asking someone specific to do it. I am after all asking you to spend some of your time on this, and time is something valuable to most of us. My native languages are Norwegian, French and German, an odd mix I know, especially since I don't live in any of the nations in question. I don't know how these things works, but if you don't have any of those languages as your native language it's probably easier to spot the grammatical errors. I don't mind you being critical and opinionated; I'll actually appreciate it as long as it is relevant. If you are interested, feel you have the time and would like to do it please contact me.

"The dogs reminded me that I still can't control my reflexes, and I was terrified I might hit you with something. I first thought the sounds the woman made when she left her room were you, so I didn't do anything…. Go to sleep Minato, I'll keep watch."

Minato didn't argue with him. He was pretty sure his sensei didn't want him to see him cry.

9.

When you peel an onion you have to peel off several layers before you reach the core. When you do reach the core, it stings your eyes until they tears up.

The first thing you learn when you are a child and meet another child (not a sibling) is that the other child most likely doesn't agree with you. A younger sibling you can bully into agreeing; younger siblings are to be bullied by you and protected from being bullied by anyone else. It is simple. If you are a younger sibling, you can rant to your parents and guardians and your older sibling is ordered to agree with you. That too is simple.

An unfamiliar child, however, is a different matter. You might try the classical approach; beat the opponent. That is usually not a good idea. Parents and guardians get upset, and you are punished for the whole thing. Forcing your will on another is therefore quickly becoming something you have to be smart to do. Of course, you can be the big bad bully that beats the shit out of anyone disagreeing with you, but that is often counterproductive to what you want to achieve, and it is easily discovered and discouraged by adults. If you are smart you can rule the playground without anyone realizing it.

The first thing one need is allies or in the words of a child; friends. People you get remotely well along with. People you share your basic view on the world with. Details aren't so important; the main thing is that you share the same overall goal. Those people you can somewhat trust. You can trust them to help you achieve your common goals. Still rather simple, but if three children get together to build the largest sandcastle in the sandbox, their chances of success are larger than if they worked alone. The shape of the castle and the process of building it might be up for discussion, but the point is that they all agree on building it.

Within such a group of friends, you have to establish a certain hierarchy. There is always one child who in the end decides on the shape of the castle and the process or work. He or she is the one who are best at diplomacy. They are willing to let some of their plans be influenced and even changed a little to accommodate the view of his or her allies (friends) and in doing that letting other children believe they got their will through without actually letting them. They are the ones who are looked up to, because they are smart and strong, or one of the two, but usually a combination. Strong in a child's word meaning someone who are especially fast or good at climbing trees. Children are simple like that.

Say the children now understand the friend thing, and has that gotten down to a decent level. Cooperation is something they do, even if they don't know they are doing it. They just do, because they are friends. Allies, as it is. Of course, not everyone can be friends. There will always be groups, and that is where children learn what enemies are, or opposition, to use a less offensive term. They learn that some mean children will always come to ruin their sandcastle. So they have to retaliate by tearing down the mean children's tree hut. Now, this is where things get complicated, because adults are rarely pleased when the children fight.

Adults, for some unexplainable reason, always want everyone to get along and be friends. Adults don't like bloodied children, screaming and general havoc on the playground, so they tempt to settle the matter. The children are consequently punished and told not to do it again. As if. The children just learn that they'll have to keep their endeavors a secret from the adults. So that is when they start to understand the complicated yet basic workings of politics. The three children, close friends that know each other well and agrees on just about everything, more or less, teams up with children they can relate to. Someone who have the same basic understanding of how things should be, but maybe a different approach. They creates a larger group of friends, who in the end winds up with the same kind of leader as a smaller group of friends; the one who are best at manipulating others to believe they are getting what they want and are in one way or another 'awesome'. The thing is, with more people to please, larger compromises and sacrifices have to be made to continue the alliance. Friendship if you want.

So, the children learn to create larger entities to protect their interests and the adults believe some of the fighting have died down. In a way it has, now it is reduced to internal power struggles consisting of who can get most of his or her ideas through to the others. Close friends gang together and recruits others by different means. Bribing; 'You can play with my doll if you don't tell it was me', exchange of favors; 'I'll push you on the swing, if you help me with my sandcastle later,' and of course the classical guilt trip; 'The mean children hurt me! You have to help me, because you are my friend right?'.

Introduce the external enemy. The strange, invading children from somewhere outside. They disrupt the day to day byplay on the playground and the children already there can't accept that, so to protect their territory they all gang up on the newcomers. They have a larger goal than before, and are introduced to the concept of 'dealing with the devil'. Where the people with a very different view than themselves had been enemies, they are now 'friends' who help them get rid of the intruders. As long as there is a danger of someone taking their spot they will keep the truce, since that is basically what it is. You have to choose one evil over the other and you chose the smaller one. It is simple, and in a very basic way the internal politics of a Hidden Village was the same.

Like an onion there is layers upon layers of little close knitted groups, extended friends, leaders within the groups, shifting interest between the interested parties and of course, the deals with the devils. Peeling away the outer layer where all anyone would see is that the village wanted them to see, until the core of the village. The center of power. In a major hidden village that is the Kage, but not many people will ever know what kind of deals he makes in secret, how he manages to control all the outer layers of the village onion and gather all the power around him. Few know what kind of deals he has struck with the devil. The adults, the general populace that is, never see what the 'children' playing don't want them to see. If someone ever got to know, it wouldn't sting their eyes, no, it would kill them.

That was how Yashino one day decided to explain village politics to Minato. Personally Minato didn't know if he should be amused by the idea of the Hokage as the most competent manipulator, or be insulted since Yashino obviously chose the metaphor of a playground because he thought it was something Minato was familiar with. He was familiar with a playground, but it had been many years since he actually spent time there as a child. He didn't really remember it being like Yashino described, but he had never gotten to be a part of any group, so he would have to take it on face value. One thing was for certain; children were ruthless.

Minato hadn't been sure of what Yashino wanted Minato to understand, and he hadn't pressed it further. As far as Minato was aware, it really was just an explanation of how the village worked, but knowing his sensei it wasn't that easy. With him it was always something that wasn't said, something that simmered under the surface and never breached, but it was okay. Minato had known enough ninja to realize very few ever spoke of their pasts, at least not everything, and if something wasn't said it was better to leave it unsaid.

As far as missions went they hadn't had any similar the first one. They were C – ranked missions still, but not that kind of missions. They had brought supplies to the teams on border patrol, escorted a couple of merchants around Fire Country (a mission so boring Minato wondered if Yashino purposefully chose it to teach him to deal with spare time and talkative old men), gotten rid of a small band of bandits (where Yashino had acted as if they were going to hunt down an S – class criminal with that damned mirth dancing in his eyes at Minato's frustrations), escorted a diplomat from Sand to Konoha (the two guards with him kept shooting Minato dubious looks), spent four days as guards to one of the Daimyo's nephews (Yashino would have burned the brat to cinders if he could've gotten away with it), picked up mission reports from drop points around Fire Country (that was by far the most usual, seeing as Yashino liked them) and trained. Minato would without any doubt classify the training Yashino put him under as a mission in and of itself. If he had ever thought it would be an easy task to convert normal chakra strings into wind chakra strings, he was sorely mistaken. What was more frustrating was how Yashino was pushing him to complete them. It was as if there was some sort of deadline Minato wasn't aware of.

That was why it was so surprising to find that his sensei had pulled another gone – without – a – trace stunt like he sometimes did before the first C – ranked mission. This was by far the longest he'd been gone as well, Minato hadn't seen him for nearly two weeks. He had asked Akane if he'd been home, but she got rather bothered at the question and started to occupy herself with Obito to avoid it. He concluded she knew something but wasn't willing to let him know. He'd even sought out that other kid, Fugako and asked him, but upon hearing his clansman was missing he looked as surprised as Minato felt.

Minato hadn't worried about it for the first few days, because he'd been so focused on his training. Yashino had told him he wouldn't teach him anything new until he'd finished the wind chakra strings. He'd sounded uncharacteristically irritated and walked, or more like stalked, off while scowling about something. The next day he hadn't showed up for training, but Minato hadn't worried about it. He hadn't worried about it until a few days ago, when he had managed to create the first wind chakra strings. He been shocked when the chakra strings he trained with cut cleanly through the pole they were wrapped around. If it had been a human it would have been nothing but a parted body left of it. Shocked and a little scared, because this was not something he could use without killing his opponents and Yashino must have known that from the beginning.

Minato didn't know what to make of his sensei's apparent disappearance, but no one told him he had abandoned the village, so Yashino had to be around somewhere. Kinuto had laughed and said it was about time Yashino got a girlfriend. Minato gave up asking him after hearing that. He honestly didn't think his sensei would disappear for two weeks straight without seeing him for something like that.

Yashino's mysterious whereabouts aside, it didn't disturb Minato nearly as much as Kushina's new interest. He had no idea where she had gotten the idea from, but she wanted to be a swords master, or more accurately, swords mistress. If she ever met one of the seven swordsmen of the Mist he was sure they'd get along splendidly. The problem with this idea? She didn't know the first thing about swordsmanship, and neither did he. That was why he was in the library now, researching styles, like he had promised her he would while she was at the Academy. He had the books out, but it didn't really appeal to him and he wasn't reading them. For once he wondered if he should just tell her which books would be more useful and let her read them on her own. Not very helpful but it would teach her to work on her own instead of relying on him to help her. He was sure she'd get over it soon enough anyway.

He felt much better leaving the warm library. Running over the rooftops he wondered if he could get in some training before he met Inoichi and Kushina during their lunchtime. When he reached his apartment he noticed a figure in front of his door. Whoever it was was slumped over one of his knees, head buried in his arms and not moving as far as Minato could see. He was mildly relieved and mildly annoyed when he recognized his sensei. Obviously deep asleep. For some reason he had shifted his weapon pouch from his right thigh to his left. Minato raised one eyebrow upon seeing that, but shook his head reluctantly. Whatever Yashino was up to he wouldn't tell him until he was good and ready.

Minato silently approached him, poked his arm and waited for a reaction. He wouldn't be surprised to find a kunai at his throat, or to be pressed hard against the wall any moment, but he was surprised when there was no reaction whatsoever. He huffed and shook Yashino's shoulder forcefully enough to push him to the ground. The dark eyes flew open and blinked several times before they landed on Minato. The blond boy gazed somberly at him.

"Where have you been?" Minato asked and didn't feel sorry even when Yashino's eyes closed involuntarily and he let out a sleepy groan.

"Couldn't let me sleep, could you? What time is it?"

Minato huffed and stepped over the limp form of his sensei.

"You were sleeping in front of my door, sensei. If you were going to sleep you could at least go home. It isn't as if I wouldn't make it through another day without seeing you."

Minato nearly missed the smirk, but knew his sensei well enough by now to note those small things.

"So you are angry enough with me to be sarcastic. I almost expected you to punch me, but your words are acid enough."

Minato stared at him before he opened the door. Well, Yashino was certainly in a weird mood today, but he could deal with that. He wondered what he'd been doing but sighed as he knew he wouldn't get an answer. Why was it he always got the irresponsible teachers? If he ever became one he knew everything he wasn't going to do to his students. He supposed there was a sort of irony in that.

"Are you going to stay there?" he said and waited for Yashino to move. When he didn't he turned and rubbed his temples. This was quickly turning out to be one of the days he should have stayed in bed.

"What time is it?" Yashino repeated sleepily.

"Almost lunch," Minato finally conceded and sat down in the doorway. If his sensei wasn't going to move he could stay where he was. No reason to try to force him.

"…that late… I heard you finally finished the chakra strings. That's great. I don't know any other kid your age that'd be able to do that."

"Is that why you are here?" Minato asked a little insulted. He knew he hadn't made it was fast as Yashino wanted him to, but there was no reason to abandon him until he'd finished the technique. The least he could have done was to help him. That was after all what a sensei was for.

"Wha…? No, no, that isn't it. I'm sorry I've not been around. I got caught up in something and needed to finish it up. I really am sorry, Minato. I know I should have helped you."

"Caught up? You mean you had a mission?" Minato guessed, and when he didn't get an answer he knew he was right. If nothing else it explained his sensei's current lethargic behavior. He wondered if the other times his sensei had gone missing had the same reason behind them. And here he thought his sensei had quit ANBU.

"Something like that…. Minato, what do you say to learning some water techniques. I don't think I've thought you any of those yet."

Minato looked skeptically at him. He didn't seem awake enough to teach anything at all at the moment, least of all anything chakra consuming.

"Are you sure you shouldn't get some rest?" he voiced his concern and got a bemused glance in return.

"Worried about me? I'm touched, I really am, but I'll be fine. Besides, you need to learn some of those," the last part was muttered and a little stressed, so Minato accepted the invitation wordlessly. If Yashino insisted he wasn't about to turn down an opportunity to learn new techniques. When Yashino rose Minato couldn't help but notice the small limp he had, and shook his head. He felt more and more certain his sensei should get some sleep and forget about training for the day. He didn't though.

The next weeks passed like that, and Minato started to get anxious when Yashino showed up at his door every morning at seven o'clock. It was at that time he was finished with his morning training, and usually showered and made breakfast but with Yashino it was impossible. He had to make something to grab in the hand and prepared to be soaked for most of the day. The word 'again' quickly became his most hated word.

The Water Release: Water Clone Technique and Water Release: Violent Water Wave was both C – ranked and not really a problem. It took him some time to control them properly, but for reasons he kept to himself, Yashino wasn't satisfied with that. The techniques he really wanted Minato to master were two B – ranked water elemental techniques, and that kept Minato occupied. He first thought he was finished with the hellish technique training when he had Water Release: Snake's Mouth down, but no, Yashino smiled evilly and told him to form the seals Tiger – Snake – Tiger for the Water Release: Water Encampment Wall Technique. Minato soon wished his sensei could disappear again.

He was lying wet and sore on the ground one day Yashino sat down beside him. He was smoking but he looked thoughtful and stared keenly at Minato. The blond glared back at him, annoyed with the scrutiny and constantly being beaten into the ground. He hated being a child but he was getting better, he could tell that himself. He knew he was better than any other child his age. The wind chakra strings were his secret trump card and Yashino had instructed him not to let anyone know about it before he had to. He would get to the level he was at before he was sent to the past, and he would get there as soon as he could, but currently he wasn't there. Though, fighting an ANBU member who said he wasn't but had to be wasn't really fair.

"Minato…. How long have I trained you?" Yashino asked after a while. Minato blinked. His sensei got weirder and weirder.

"A year and a half? I'm almost nine so that should be about right," he answered and another stretch of silence lingered between them.

"Hmm. Say, have you heard about the truce between the Leaf and Mist?"

That caught Minato's attention. He had heard nothing about that. As far as he knew, there was no truce between them in the future. Mist had been too caught up in their problems to care what other villages did, and as long as they were they weren't interesting for others. Konoha had just kept an eye on them from time to time and not bothered outside of that, but in this time Mist was still a major power and not ravaged by their civil war and genocide.

"No, I haven't. Why?"

"Just wondering. Konoha is going to send genin to the chuunin exam held there in a month and a half. It is to show trust and good will on our part," Yashino said, and Minato couldn't help but sit up abruptly.

"You…. You want me to partake in those exams?" he asked, but it wasn't really a question. He knew the answer. He had after all been drilled in water techniques for the past weeks until he dropped. Then he frowned. Their first C – ranked mission came back to him and he directed sharp and accusing eyes on his teacher.

"What is the real reason?" he asked and Yashino laughed. He laughed! Minato was willing to bet he had been planning this for the longest time. Onions indeed.

"Why do you think there is some more to it?" the Uchiha asked smirking around the cigarette.

"Because of our first mission. Assassinations are never C – ranked. They are higher rated, because C – ranked missions have a low chance of violence involved. You said it yourself that the slave shipments went along the coast to Water, but you didn't know what the Mizukage is up to. And…. You never quit ANBU. You want everyone to think you did, but you didn't. I am your cover."

Yashino smiled sadly at him and stumped the cigarette. He always did that when he was getting serious.

"I wanted to quit, you know. I thought I was about to go crazy, and I kept seeing it whenever I closed my eyes."

He didn't say what 'it' was, but Minato knew he was referring to his 'last' mission. If nothing else, Minato felt sure that was true. No one could fake the emotions Yashino had showed when he told about it.

"So why didn't you?" Minato asked curiously.

"The Hokage needed someone who could work individually and secretly to uncover what it is the Mist or Water country is doing with all the slaves. No one ever buys so many slaves for the fun of it; there is always something they are needed for. When I said I wanted to get out of ANBU and preferably never have to work with assassination again since I just couldn't stomach it any longer he offered me a deal. I would do this last long term mission for ANBU and train a student while I was at it. I didn't know he was talking about you at the time; that was the peace offering from him to the clan. I'm their pet project after all…."

"Pet… project?" Minato questioned, but Yashino wasn't paying attention to him. Minato was about to ask again, but thought better of it. Some things were better left alone.

"You were so angry at that mission…. why?" he asked instead, and this time Yashino frowned.

"I was disappointed. I had hoped we'd get the answers from the trading companies, but they knew nothing. There were no papers on what the slaves are going to be used for, only that all of them were younger than fourteen. That was all. I had hoped I could finish the mission and wash my hands of ANBU and the whole sordid deal, but it wasn't to be I guess."

Minato could understand that. He would have been angry as well. Yashino had been so happy when they left for the mission because he thought he'd finally get out of it all, and having his hopes crushed later angered him.

"You are right when you say you are my cover you know, in more ways than one. Infiltrating any of the major Hidden Villages is a process that might take years to do properly, and we don't have years. To enter one of them would mean certain death if you don't have a good reason for being there, and that is rare. Even the meetings between the Hokage and the Mizukage took place in a neutral country. The exam is an opening we can't let go of. That is why I have been so hard on you lately and forced you to finish those strings. I know I am using you for this, but that doesn't mean I am about to let you get killed. Whatever alibi you might be you are still my student and…. I care for you. If I could help it I wouldn't have let you get dragged into this. Children really shouldn't have to deal with this. I am truly sorry," Yashino said sadly.

Minato didn't know what came over him when he flung himself at Yashino and hugged him. He just had a feeling his sensei really could use a hug, and for some reason he wanted to offer whatever comfort he could. He didn't expect to be hugged back, but didn't protest as Yashino wrapped his arms around him and rested his head against his small shoulder.

"You are too forgiving, Minato," he muttered and Minato snorted before he wriggled loose form the hug to look his sensei in the eyes.

"And you are too informative, sensei. You shouldn't have told me all that, you know."

Yashino closed his eyes with a small smile.

"Maybe not, but at least this way you know. I'll feel better if you know. If anything should happen…. You'll understand. Our lives are like butterflies after all. Beautiful, but oh so short and easily destroyed."

Minato tilted his head and looked long at him and wondered if he was planning on doing something stupid that would get him killed. Some of his thoughts must have shown on his face, because Yashino ruffled his hair gently and smiled reassuringly.

"I am planning on seeing you surpass me and my clan, Minato. That hasn't changed in the least and I meant it when I said I wanted to train an exceptional ninja. You are do you know that? Some day, I am sure you'll be the best and others will look up to you like they look at the stars. Something so bright on the dark sky it'll shine like a beacon and yet be unreachable."

He couldn't help the blush he got, but smiled widely all the same. He almost felt like hugging Yashino all over again. Still….

"You'll be careful, right?" he questioned and the Uchiha raised an eyebrow in mock exasperation.

"You sound like my mother, Minato. I've survived a war while serving in ANBU; I think I'm able to take care of myself."

"Fine, fine, but you better celebrate with me when we get back," Minato huffed indignantly.

"Oh?"

"Because I plan on passing that exam, no matter what, so you have to succeed in getting the information on your first try. You won't get a second chance with me as an alibi," he said confidently and grinned when he coaxed a laugh from his sensei. Yashino wasn't Kakashi, or Jiraiya, or any of the other people he had cared for in another life, but he was a friend and a teacher, and someone he'd mourn if he died. Especially if he died because he was careless, or worse, wanted to get killed.

"I'll tell you what Minato, when we get back I'll give you a gift regardless of whatever your results in the exam might be. I think you have deserved it just from enduring me."

Yashino rose from where he'd been sitting and rummaged for his cigarettes, and not for the first time Minato wondered if he ever remembered where he put them. It also signaled the end of their little heart to heart.

"Hey, sensei, people are convinced you've got a girlfriend, so you need to be seen with a girl soon, or people are going to start thinking weird stuff since you are hiding your relationship."

The spluttering following the statement made Minato's day.

This is a shorter chapter again. I'm posting it so soon after the other because I just learned my father's mother is coming. My …. Grandmother I suppose I'll have to call her. She wasn't here for the celebration of his birthday (she wasn't informed of it) but obviously decided to delight us with a visit regardless. As you might understand the two of us don't get along very well, as a matter of fact, the only person I have ever seen her get along with is the older of my two younger brothers, and he is studying to be a priest. That might tell you what kind of person she is. Usually I would have stayed as far away as humanly possible, but I am still coped up on crutches and advised to move as little as possible due to the severity of my injuries. If I am not much mistaken, I'll be spending the next week or two listening to all the reasons I'm going to burn in hell if I don't change my ways at once (charming old lady, isn't she?) So, this is both to just get the chapter posted and also to apology since I won't be able to write much while she is around. I am not sure how long she'll stay, but hopefully no more than two weeks, so if you drop by in another two – three weeks, I've most likely posted another chapter. Maybe=/