"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you." Friedrich Nietzsche

Abyssus

"Alright!" Naruto yelled at him, posing a dozen meters away while he waved a kunai at the man. "Let's face off, fair and square!"

Kakashi sighed, almost disappointed. He had hoped that the boy would come at him with serious intent, but Naruto seemed determined to play by his own rules. It was only the hesitant and almost feral look in the boy's eyes that kept Kakashi interested and on edge. "Aren't you a strange one…" Kakashi mumbled quietly to himself.

"What's strange is your hairstyle!" Naruto snapped and Kakashi was surprised despite himself. The jinchuuriki must have enhanced senses to be able to hear him from so far away.

"I'll teach you the first shinobi battle jutsu: taijutsu," Kakashi informed him as he turned away, bringing the book back up. Seconds drew out into nearly a minute and yet Naruto did not charge him. "What's wrong, why don't you come at me?" Kakashi finally asked, bored.

He tilted his head to take in the boy. Naruto was crouched, balanced on the balls of his feet as he prepared for an attack. It was a good stance, steady and affective. After another long moment of silence, Naruto finally spoke. "Hey…what's up with the book?"

"I am curious about what happens next," Kakashi replied, his single eye fixing back upon the pages. "Don't worry, with you kids as opponents, it makes no difference if I am reading or not."

Naruto scowled at him, spinning the kunai into his fist as he lunged at his teacher. Kakashi ducked under the first kick. It was well executed and surprisingly quick, if a tad sloppy. The boy was enthusiastic, but his movements were random and uncoordinated. Stepping over a leg swipe then around a punch, Kakashi let Naruto have his fun for several seconds before he crouched behind the boy.

"Ninja shouldn't let the enemy take them from behind multiple times, chibi," he declared as Naruto froze in his punch position. Book folded between his palms, he positioned his fingers and smiled mischievously.

Sakura watched the exchange closely, Sasuke doing the same next to her. "The way his hands are positioned…is that the sign of the tiger?" She asked quietly.

"That sign is a fire-type skill," Sasuke replied, equally as soft. "That idiot teacher's doing more than just running around."

Sakura would have scowled at the blatant disrespect if she was not so worried for Naruto's safety. "No way! With Naruto as his opponent, that's too strong a ninjutsu no matter which one he uses. Naruto!" She shouted, dropping from the tree and giving away her position. "Get out of there quick! You'll die!"

Kakashi glanced over at her, impressed with her willingness to sacrifice her advantage in order to warn her teammate. "Too late. Leaf village secret! Ultimate taijutsu! One thousand years of death!"

He lunged forward, fingers posed. The boy looked back at him and Kakashi glanced at him to relish in his look of terror, but that was not the expression on the boy's face. No, Naruto had a look of glee and Kakashi hesitated for just a second, but that second was long enough for the jinchuuriki to take advantage.

Naruto spun, flash of light upon metal revealed the thin wire within pale fingers. Suddenly Naruto's earlier erratic attacks made sense. Kakashi was surprised and a little impressed with him, even as used kawarimi to evade the wire that had been tightening around his legs. Naruto's vicious smirk gave him pause before he realized that he had just stepped into another trap.

Suddenly there were five more Naruto's lunging at the jounin, kunai all poised and aimed with lethal intent. Kage-bunshin at his age was impressive, but he doubted the boy could hold them for more than a minute at a time. Shadow clones were chakra guzzlers as opposed to their weaker and less solid clone that took very little chakra to create.

Kakashi slipped his book away as he flipped over the head of one of the bunshin, a kunai dispelling it quickly before the remaining four pressed their advantage. The real Naruto kept back from the attack, throwing ninja stars and kunai to distract his teacher. Kakashi caught two of the stars with his fingers before he tossed them and dispelled two more of the bunshin.

He lunged for the real Naruto with the opening he made. The boy looked surprised as Kakashi closed the distance between them in less than a second. Gathering just enough strength in his hand to incapacitate the boy, he drove his fist into his stomach.

Air rushed from Naruto's lungs and he gagged. Kakashi smirked, before the kid dispelled. With nothing to counteract the rest of his swing, Kakashi over compensated and stumbled to regain his footing as he tried to shake of his surprise. Another bunshin…then where was the original?

The air next to Kakashi was displaced and he heard the bells jingle before he spun out of reach. He jumped back several paces and crouched down. Naruto (the real one?) was on all fours where Kakashi had just stood, hand fisted around nothing and scowl on his face.

He had been so close, his fingertips had brushed against the metal but the jounin had fled before he could close his fist over them. Kakashi was impressed, the jinchuuriki had speed, faster than what he had anticipated. Kakashi would not underestimate him again. Standing slowly, the jounin let his arm drop to caress the bells to make sure that they were still there.

"I'm impressed," he commented after a long moment of silence where Naruto continued to glare at him from his crouched position. "No one has ever gotten that close."

Naruto's smirk left him feeling a little uneasy. The twist of his lips was nothing like Minato-sensei's nor was it like Kushina's. There was something inherently sinister about the look on Naruto's face, something that was all Naruto. Before Kakashi could react, the boy in front of him dispelled as well.

Twirling, Kakashi searched for the real Naruto, but he found himself alone in the clearing. Laughing softly, the jounin found himself truly amused for the first time by a genin. The boy was certainly interesting.

0~Page_Break~0

"That man is an idiot," Sasuke mumbled as Naruto joined the rest of his team at their new location. "What was his plan if not to use a ninjutsu?"

Naruto grinned sardonically at him. "I'm pretty sure he was going to shove his fingers up my ass," even as the words left his mouth he fought the memories that came with it.

-"Come now, Naruto-kun…surely you can take more," laughing, shove, shoving, pushing. Oh gods, it hurts so bad.

"Please…Stop! I can't!" Crying, begging, pleading. Answering laughter, another inch deeper.-

Sakura's face twisted in disgust, whether it was at his crass words or Kakashi's ultimate taijutsu technique he did not know. Sasuke just shook his head in exasperation. "Like I said…an idiot."

"Well that idiot is a jounin level shinobi. He never let his guard down even when he was fighting Naruto…no offence meant," she added hastily, as if the jinchuuriki was offended. "I just meant that you are a genin."

"I know, Sakura-chan," Naruto smiled softly at her. He paused, startled as his chest became warm in genuine amusement. That was certainly interesting. It had been a long time since he felt positive emotions. "So what's our plan?"

Sakura's face scrunched up again as Sasuke shifted to a higher branch to keep lookout. If they wanted to get the bells before their time was out, their plan had to be flawless. "Um, guys…" Sasuke's hesitant voice did little to break her concentration as she tried to come up a strategy that was both safe and effective. "Guys!"

"Quiet!" She snapped, glaring at the Uchiha. "We don't want Kakashi-sensei to hear us."

"That's just it," he hissed back, dropping down to their branch. "The idiot teacher is gone."

There was a long silence as they gazed at each other in what Naruto considered to be an innocent version of terror. They had not experienced true terror…not yet. If Naruto had his way they never would.

"Shit!" She seethed even as they all spun to turn their attention to their surroundings. "He could be anywhere!"

"Alright," Naruto cut in before she got any louder. "I'll flush him out with my shadow clones. Once I locate him, Sasuke, you come in heavy with the taijutsu. Between the two of us we may be able to distract him long enough for Sakura to get the bells."

"Me!" She cried heatedly. "Why do I have to get the bells?"

Sasuke turned to her, eyes dark with annoyance. "Because he won't be expecting you."

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," Naruto caught her attention with a delicate smile. "We'll keep him occupied. All you have to do is dart in, grab the bells and dart out…you can do this."

"Right," she turned from him, eyes fixated on the branch below her feet. "I can do this."

With one more nod between them, they launched themselves in separate directions. Seconds later a dozen shadow clones were spelled into existence. With a loud cry that was neither stealthy nor ninja like, they set off to flush out the famous copycat-nin.

0~Page_Break~0

"You all…Pass!" Kakashi exclaimed loudly, looking upon the three preteens with something akin to pride. They had seen through his test and worked together as a team. It was not flawless and both Naruto and Sasuke were in each other's way more than they were out of it but they had tried.

He had been honestly astounded when Sakura had sprung from the bushes, not enough that she was successful in retrieving the bells, but it was rather remarkable that they had actually come up with a plan in so little of time. Kakashi was almost disappointed that the team had not been able to steal the bells from him, but he already knew that it was a longshot at best. Perhaps in a few more years with more training under their belts.

"Yatta!" Sakura and Naruto both shouted loudly. The blonde jumped in the air, fists pumped and smile wide while the kunoichi jumped on Sasuke, grappling him into a happy hug. Kakashi thought that the boy's horrified expression was rather comical and he had to suppress a chuckle that was threatening to bubble to the surface.

The jounin straightened, still smiling and book away for once, grabbing the three children's wondering attention. "How did you figure it out?"

The pink haired girl beamed at him with a grin that made her face look too wide. She had a death grip on the Uchiha's arm and was hugging it to her body. Sasuke was glaring at the ground but he stopped trying to fight her off. Kakashi knew from personal experience that sometimes it was better just to give in and accept your fate when it came to crazy and obsessed kunoichi. He shuddered as he thought upon Anko. That woman was terrifying.

"It wasn't that hard," she started, pride and adrenaline flushing her skin a bright pink. It was almost endearing. Kakashi had to be careful or he would easily find himself attached to his genin. People he became attached too had the unpleasant tendency of dying far too soon.

"Naruto had this book that was all about becoming a genin," he raised his eyebrow and turned to the boy even as Sakura kept talking. The blonde was scratching the back of his head in embarrassment and Kakashi fought not narrow his eye in suspicion. The action looked rehearsed. "Genin teams are always three, not two. Your test wasn't about getting the bells, you just wanted to see if we would work together as a team."

He laughed in amusement at her accusation. Her tone was bordering insubordinate but he did not reprimand her. "Well, you figured me out…good job. A ninja must see through deception, in our world those who break rules and codes are branded as scum. But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum. Okay, team, meet at the bridge tomorrow at seven for our first real mission. Don't be late."

"Actually seven or your version of seven?" Naruto questioned and Kakashi turned to him quickly. The boy's expression twisted into startled and then slightly green before he hid it behind an embarrassed smile. He had not meant to say that and that action was more telling than Kakashi realized at the moment.

"Naruto!" Sakura spun towards him, swiping a hand as if to smack the back of his head. It fell quite short and Kakashi was starting to believe that she had intentionally done so. "Don't talk to Kakashi-sensei like that."

"Sorry, sorry," Naruto just scratched the back of his head and laughed, dodging Sakura's barely attempted swipe. His posture screamed boisterous and at ease, but Kakashi could tell he was uncomfortable. Sakura fixed him with a glare a moment longer as if to make sure he really was apologetic, before turning her attention back to Sasuke who was already a good distance away.

"Sasuke-kun!" She shouted, running after him.

Naruto started to follow after them, but a hand on his shoulder halted his progress. Kakashi frowned as the boy flinched under his touch. Naruto dropped his weight, hand reaching for his kunai as he prepared to throw himself forward out of reach. At the last moment he seemed to remember himself and aborted the movement. Instead of what Kakashi could only assume was going to be a hold-break and counter-attack, Naruto just appeared as if he had a small seizure. It would have been comical if it was not so sad.

The shoulder beneath his hand was tense and Kakashi could feel the muscles quivering. He left it there a moment longer before he slowly removed it, fingers trailing on the orange jacket as he pulled the limb back to his side. Naruto kept his back to him for a few seconds, shoulders raising once and then lowering slowly as if preparing himself before he turned to him.

A jolt went through Kakashi's heart and settled uncomfortably somewhere in his lower stomach as the jinchuuriki smiled at him. The mask the boy wore had slipped. It was almost imperceptible and he would not have noticed the change if he had not been actively looking for it.

Naruto's body was relaxed, deceptively so. His face bright and cheerful. But his eyes were squinted a little too much with the smile and the small sliver that Kakashi could see of them set him on edge. The boy's eyes looked feral, and for a moment, he could have sworn that the pupils were slit, but the moment passed and the mask slid firmly into place and Naruto's eyes shuttered before they too were smiling.

Kakashi frowned at him. The boy was good, for his age the jounin would even go so far to say genius in his disguise. A few more years and nobody would ever be able to tell the difference.

"Did you need something, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked innocently. The way he tacked the honorific at the end of his name, as if in afterthought, left Kakashi confused. He could not tell if the boy was being insubordinate or simply forgetful.

"Maa, Naruto-kun," he forced himself to ignore how his student flinched at the endearment. With a reaction like that it could only mean one thing. Somebody had called him Naruto-kun, either somebody he trusted or somebody he did not. Either way, that somebody had clearly hurt him in some way and Kakashi made a mental note to never say it again if it disturbed the boy so. "I would really like to see this book that Sakura mentioned."

"Sure, sensei," the boy scoffed, eyes fixated at a point just over the jounin's shoulder. That was another odd thing he noticed about him. Naruto had a hard time looking at people. It was curious. "Right after you let me see your book."

Kakashi blinked in surprise, the sarcastic wit was unexpected but not unwelcome. Naruto's face after was also amusing. Clearly he had not meant to say that either and he seemed to scowl at himself before his face morphed back into the pleasant mask. Even if he had not meant to speak in such a way the jinchuuriki did not reach for his backpack to retrieve the book. At least he stood by what he had said.

He could not help himself, Kakashi laughed. Naruto seemed startled by the action, shuffling further away from him. "Fair enough," the jounin added, easing himself into a more lax posture in order to ease some of the tension. Instead of relaxing, Naruto's eyes narrowed at him in suspicion.

Kakashi frowned softly, lifting a hand as if to ruffle the blonde hair so much like Minato's, but Naruto's eyes widened and Kakashi stopped himself. The boy was physically restraining himself from reacting in any sort of way, but the jounin could tell that his initial reaction was to flinch from the contact.

The blue eyes actually darted to his hands before flicking back to the forest behind. It took Kakashi longer than he liked to place the action, but when he did it left an odd ache in his chest. That was a reaction born of fear…the boy was afraid of him.

Something that very much resembled ash must have gotten passed his mask and into his mouth. That was the only explanation for how dry his throat suddenly was. A jounin's students should never have the need to fear their sensei…but this one did. Kakashi did not like the feeling it left in his chest.

"Was that all?" Naruto asked, voice tight despite the obvious effort he put into it to make it sound relaxed. The jinchuuriki winced and his blue eyes once again darted to him and away as if too check to make sure he was not angry.

Kakashi sighed softly…he must have had bad experiences with angry people. The jounin remembered the boy's landlord -the little shit's not here- and he understood. Naruto grew up with angry people. Kakashi smiled softly, a truly genuine one, to let the child know that everything was alright. Indiscernibly, he would not have noticed if he was not actively looking, Naruto's tension seemed to ease some.

"That was all," he answered, keeping his tone soft and posture loose. "Would you like me to walk you home?"

Surprisingly, Naruto scowled at him. "No," he bit out. At first he thought the attitude was from a childish form of independence, but the boy baffled him yet again. "I think you have seen enough of my apartment."

Kakashi blinked in astonishment. So Naruto knew that he and the Hokage had been in his apartment yesterday…but how? The jinchuuriki crossed his arms, either in defiance or unease he could not tell, as he glared at him with blue eyes so much like Minato's. Somehow, Kakashi got the impression that the boy blamed the jounin for his outburst.

"How did you know?" Kakashi asked suspiciously. Naruto's eyes darted to him and away so quickly that he almost missed it. The body language he was displaying was relaxed if a little defensive, but the former Anbu was not so easily fooled. The kid was ready to make a break for it the second Kakashi gave him an opening.

Forcing himself calm, Kakashi eased back a little, straightening so he was not leaning over the genin, giving Naruto a little more room. Not enough to escape if he was tempted, but enough to at least feel like he was not caged. It seemed to work after a moment as Naruto shifted uncertainly, arms coming down to play with the bottom of his obnoxiously orange jacket.

He mumbled something too soft for Kakashi to hear and when he made a questioning noise in the back of his throat, the boy flushed. "I said I could smell you…" the last word was nearly whispered as he fixed his gaze on the ground.

So Kakashi was right, the boy had enhanced senses just like he himself did. He briefly wondered if it was an inherited trait that had been dormant in his parents or a perk from the kyuubi. Casting the thought aside, Kakashi could not help the feeling of fond amusement at the picture the boy painted. His embarrassment may or may not have been faked, but the child was adorable when he was all bashful.

Carefully, Kakashi raised his hand and set his fingers in the golden hair. The boy startled beneath him, head darting up in astonishment and a little fear. Kakashi forced himself to relax and be calm as he watched Naruto fight to remain still. "That must be a useful talent," he spoke quietly, voice low and soft as if he was speaking to a frightened wild animal.

He ruffled the hair with gentle fingers, movements slow and telegraphed so Naruto would not startle. It was a lot softer than he thought it would be. "Go home and get some rest," He murmured tenderly before he straightened, pulling himself out Naruto's personal space. The jinchuuriki remained tense and Kakashi fought not to frown. Clearly the boy did not like being touched. "Tomorrow will be a busy day, you're going to need your strength," and just like that the jinchuuriki was gone.

Kakashi was left staring at where Naruto had stood, a quizzical expression on his face. He moved faster then, fleeing from his jounin-sensei, than he had in training. He wondered why. Sighing once again, Kakashi started his walk home as he thought upon his predicament. The child did not trust him, but as his jounin-sensei, the boy could not afford not to.

He would just have to earn Naruto's trust then. It would take time, there was no shortcut to trust, but as his teacher he now had all the time in the world. Eventually Naruto would open up to him, he just hoped that when he finally did, it would not be too late.