Naruto doesn't belong to me.
AN: at the end of the chapter.
Chapter 6: Shadows and light
"Kakashi. Visiting your mother I see."
"Orochimaru sama?"
"Tsk. Uncle."
"What are you doing here?"
"Always the curious one. I've come to visit someone."
"Whom? My mother?"
"Yes. It's been weeks since the last time I came. Though...I guess she's sleeping right now. I'll just be a minute."
Orochimaru walked ever so gracefully towards the grave of Anko Hatake with his slow pace. He sat down on his knees and placed the flowers he had brought with himself. Kakashi was a little astonished to see the roses, but then again, Orochimaru was a weird person.
"Kakashi. Walk with me."Orochimaru said in his usual tone.
"Kakashi. You are tired right?"
"Yes Orochimaru sama."
"Uncle Orochimaru."
"Yes uncle Orochimaru."
"That's a good kid."
"I am not a kid anymore." Kakashi pouted.
"Of course you are not. You are a genin already."
"Sensei says I am chunin level."
"And you'll soon be a jounin too. Mark my words."
"Really? Will you recommend me to the Ho-"
"Shh. Hear that?"
"What? The song?"
Both of them stopped outside of a house and listened intently to the song coming from accross the wall. Orochimaru looked at the sky and smiled as the song seeped through their ears and warmed their hearts.
"She sings so good. Doesn't she?"
"Yes Kakashi," Orochimaru sighed, "she singed really well."
"Singed? What are you talking about?"
"Nothing kid. Just memories."
Both of them stopped talking and listened even more closely. Kakashi closed his his eyes. The woman was singing a lullaby to her children. Frogs croaked from the nearby pond. Owls hooted. There were always crickets to be heard in Konoha. All these sounds mixed together to form a complex compound that gave him goosebumps. Perhaps this was life. A life he did not have. A life he could only dream of. Kakashi decided to break the silence.
"Uncle Orochimaru? Are they ever going to stop?"
"Shh. I am listening to her."
Again they fell silent as the woman kept on singing. Soon she fell silent as well. The world suddenly became more silent than it was before.
"Were you talking about the nightmares, Kakashi?"
"Yes. Are they ever going to stop?"
"I don't know."
They started walking once again. Their footsteps echoed throughout Konoha as they strode past the silence of the streets. Kakashi noticed that Orochimaru had started humming the same tune as the woman from before. Kakashi sped up a little to catch up to the snake sannin and walked right beside him. Orochimaru ruffled his snow coloured hair and smiled down at him. He placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and started humming again.
"Kakashi, it is really late now. You should go sleep."
"But-"
"No Kakashi. Don't you have your first team mission tomorrow?"
"Yes. I think I'll go." Kakashi said to the man with skin as white as his hair.
"Where are you going Kakashi?"
"Huh? I thought you asked me to go to sleep."
"We are standing right outside Hatake compound."
"Oh! I...I..." Kakashi didn't want Orochimaru to know that he hadn't stepped inside the house after that night. Orochimaru wouldn't like the fact that Kakashi had been spending his nights in a graveyard or rooftops for the last five years.
"Yes. I guess I'll go in now."
Kakashi placed his hand on the steel gate to push it open but couldn't muster the courage to apply any force.He froze. Memories flashed before his eyes. Kakashi could swear that it was Sakumo standing there in front of the wooden door of his house.
"Kakashi! What happened?" Orochimaru placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Are you not going in?"
"I...I..."
"Kakashi, do you know that a ninja must have the ability to work without resting?"
"Yes."
"Very good. Today you're going to stay awake all night. It's an official training exercise."
"Really?!" Any other ten years old boy would have had groaned at the mere thought of it. But Kakashi cheered. Cheered because there wouldn't be any nightmares that night. And because the deadly silence of the night wouldn't be chipping away at his soul.
"Yes. And I've a few things that I want to tell you."
"What?"
"Did I tell you that story about how that fool Jiraya summoned a tadpole instead of a toad while fighting a S class ninja?"
"No."
"Very well then." Orchimaru put a hand on Kakashi's shoulders and pulled him closer.
"The reason I am telling you this story is that I want you to tell it to a girl your age, so that everyone knows about this in the village by tomorrow nightfall. Understood?"
"Yes sir!"
"Very good.Now listen." Orochimaru again smiled at Kakashi.
"It was right after we had been recognised as the legendary sannin. It was during the second great shinobi war..."
oOo
"Kakashi. It's time you joined your team. Didn't you say that today you have your first team mission?"
"Is it five in the morning already?"
"Yes. You better hurry now."
"Okay. Bye!" Kakashi waved back at Orochimaru and sped towards training ground three to join his team.
oOo
"Obito! You are late!"
"There was this really old lady that needed help with her bags. I couldn't not hel-"
"Liar!" shouted Kakashi and Rin in unison.
"Alright guys! We are already late. Lord third is going to be furious."
"Yeah sensei," the pearly white teeth of Obito's again showed themselves in a grin, "let's go!"
oOo
"What? How is that a ninja mission?"
"Obito! Shut up! It's the Hokage you are talking to!"
"Rin, did you really expect Obito to have manners?"
"Shut up Kakashi! And Obito! Say sorry to the Hokage right now!"
"What? No! Rin, he's underestimating our abilities! How are you supposed to be the greatest kunoichi ever if you take missions like this?"
"Uh...okay then! Hokage sama! We want an A or S rank!"
"Yes old man! Now even Rin wants an A or S rank!"
"Obito, Rin, you are talking to the Ho-"
"Shut up sensei!"shouted both Rin and Obito together.
Minato chuckled nervously. Like one woman wasn't enough to give him hell, he now had a ten years old girl to look after. Minato shuddered at the thought of Rin touching puberty.
"We demand an A rank!" shouted Rin and Obito in unison. Now that was twice in a row. Obito blushed. Perhaps even Kami wanted them to be together. Saying the exact same words twice was too much to be a coincidence. Obito's face was split into two by his trademark goofy grin.
"What are you smiling at kid?" Sarutobi Hiruzen burst out into laughter.
"Wh...but...shut up you old fool and give us an A rank!"
Minato smacked Obito on his head.
"I am sorry for my student Hokage sama." He bowed and forced Obito's head down as well. Obito scowled at Minato. For once, Minato looked down and returned the scowl.
The sandaime Hokage burst out into laughter once again. Finally, after a minute he started losing his breath and stopped.
"You want an A rank? Let me tell you a secret. This cat you are looking for is a ninja cat."
"What?!" Obito's eyes bacame as wide as saucers.
"He is making a foo-" Minato appeared behind Kakashi in a flash and muffled his voice.
"Yes. He is a highly dangerous foe. He is known for evading even the greatest of ninjas."
"Why did you," Rin gulped, " not assign this mission to a tracking nin then?"
"They are all scared.I was sure that the mighty Obito Uchiha wouldn't decline though. The village needs you Obito. Won't you do it?"
"Of course I will. It's a Hokage's duty to tackle any threat to the village head on! And I am going to be the Hokage someday!" with that he grabbed Kakashi and Rin by their hands and rushed outside. Minato turned towards the Hokage and smiled nervously. Then he bowed and shut the door gently behind him as he left.
The Hokage burst out into laughter once again. The team seven was indeed always the most dysfunctional. And he wouldn't have it any other way.
Okay. It's 3am here. My back's killing me. My eyes are red. I feel like I have the sharingan. XD
I know Orochimaru was out of character. But like I said, there are reasons. Just keep on reading to know more.
Anyways. Hope the chapter was good. Next chapter in two weeks.
Thanks for reading and please review to let me know how you liked it.
Btw...who's excited for Game of Thrones season seven?