A/N: Hey everybody! Ok, here is where the story takes that right turn I've been telling you about. And I have to give some credit here. INUGIRL sent some ideas to me, as you probably all know, and because of her ideas, I was able to come up with a HUGE idea, and this is the beginning of that idea. So THANKS A BUNCH INUGIRL! Your ideas really helped this story out! So with that said, buckle up everybody. Enjoy!
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A lone figure carried a package of information away from the heart of Konoha. The instructions he had been given were simple, "Transport the information contained in the package to a small abandoned outpost. Then walk behind it and place the package on a grouping of small rocks." Then the directions became very specific. The final command was: "Walk away and don't look back."
The messenger was to be paid handsomely for his services if the task was completed successfully. It was a simple task. But if he was tempted to look back, he was informed that who he would see pick up the package, would kill him without hesitation. The messenger was determined to not look back, no matter what.
After arriving at the outpost, the messenger crept quietly behind it, and found the small grouping of rocks. They were flat on top, and formed a circle that was not much bigger than a small fire pit. Cautiously, the messenger walked to the rocks, listening and scanning the shrubbery that surrounded the outpost. There was no sound, except for a slight breeze that made the leaves dance, as well as the messengers' hair.
He crouched down, and placed the thick brown envelope on top of the rocks. Thoughts pounded inside the his head, screaming at him, "RUN! RUN AWAY NOW!" The messenger turned away suddenly, frantic with fear. A second later, a rustling sound broke through the blinding fear that gripped him. Curiosity, or maybe reflex caused him to turn and look back.
A pale hand reached through the shrubs and grasped the envelope, picking it up off the rocks. A voice came from the shrubs and said, "Uh-o. Too bad."
The messenger's eyes shot open while he spun his back to the ghostly hand. He shakily said, "I didn't see anything! I swear it! I only saw a hand!"
The owner of the voice stepped forward out of the bushes and stood inside the ring of stones. It said, "You saw enough."
Before the messenger could run away, or move at all, or beg, or blink or breathe, he was fatally impaled with a hard sharp object that had been driven through his back, straight through his heart and out the front of his chest. The messenger looked at the object protruding from his chest and marveled at how it was the same color as the hand he'd seen. He stared at the object and died less than a minute later, still looking at it as he left his body for his final destination.
The owner of the voice who also owned the sharp object said, "Who said you can't kill the messenger?" The sharp object was then wretched from the messenger's body and its owner turned away from the corpse, and proceeded to take the information the careless messenger had brought to his superior.
Later that day, Kakashi went back to Tsunade's office to retrieve his mission instructions. After he got them, and went over everything with Tsunade, he left her office and went back home to Anko. He planned a serious night of ninja lovin' because he only had two more nights with her before he had to leave on his latest assignment. He opened the door to his new apartment and saw Anko sitting there on what used to be "his" couch waiting for him.
Anko looked at him and smiled as he walked in. Kakashi smiled to her and said, "What?"
"Nothing. Just thinking."
"About what?"
Anko paused a moment and looked at him again. "Just thinking how lucky I am."
"Isn't that what the fortune teller told you?"
"True. But now, I believe her." Anko recalled what the fortune teller had told her. She was lucky to have someone who loved her so completely that she herself reflected that love and gave it back. She never thought in her whole life that she'd ever fall so hard and so completely for someone. He was her Kakashi. She was his Anko. And together, they were just what the other needed.
Kakashi sat on the couch next to Anko. They quietly watched out the living room window as the sun slowly sank over the trees. Both were content to just be with the other, happy that life had shown them the path to each other, no matter how accidental it had been.
As they sat there enjoying their peaceful time together, neither had any idea about the plans that were hatching outside of Konoha.
A single sinister laugh echoed off the walls of a dark cavern. Then a second sounded, echoing slightly. In the dim light, the laughs would have terrified anyone, but not the two who stood there, while one read the contents of the careless messenger's package.
A third evil laugh was followed by a voice, "So Kakashi's back. Good. And look here. Our dear Kakashi has quite a secret he's keeping, all at the request of his "beloved" Anko. Perfect."
"A secret? What could be so important?" the second person, a pale person, said to the first. "Is it something you can use?"
"Absolutely. I see a blatant weakness in both Kakashi and Anko now. And that weakness is each other. Their skills will be compromised because of their new "status." And I plan on using it to my advantage. With both of them not functioning at full capacity, they'll be vulnerable. And when they are, Konoha will suffer."
The man holding the information laughed under his breath again. Then he said, "Since Korekimi cleared Kakashi to get back to work, it says here that Tsunade has him assigned to a mission in two days time."
"Shall we wait for him and take him when he leaves the village?"
The man ran his finger down the center of the page he was reading. Then he said, "No. I want more than just Kakashi. I want his beloved too. Because after all, she used to be mine."
"What do you suggest we do?"
"Since we got this information from the Pearl, we'll start there. I think this will be much easier than we could have imagined. Can you travel?"
The pale one said, "Certainly."
"Then let's go." Both individuals left the cavern and headed toward Konoha under the cover of darkness.
As the sun began to rise the next morning, Anko lay breathless next to Kakashi. He was just as out of breath as she was. She looked at him and said, "I missed you so much when you were gone. I missed "us" so much."
Kakashi turned to her and touched her face. He smiled and said, "You were never far from my thoughts." He let out a big breath and said, "But this is so much better."
Anko giggled. "Yeah, face to face."
Kakashi got up on his elbow. "Skin on skin."
"Oh yeah, I like that part, a lot." She giggled.
"Hey, I want to stop some place at lunch time today, and I want you to go with me."
Anko wondered what was up. "Do you have an interesting idea for another session of skin on skin in mind?"
"I always do, but there's something I want to do first. And to do it, I need you to come with me."
Anko was a little confused, so she asked, "Can I have a little hint?"
"Nope. Just meet me at lunch today and we'll dash out. It'll just take a few minutes. We'll be back before lunch is over."
Anko grew suspicious. She had no idea what Kakashi was doing. He was extremely good at being deceptive, as she could definitely attest to, but she wondered what he was up to. She said, "Ok. I'll go with you."
Kakashi sat up and said, "Good. I'll hit the shower. Relax a bit. I'll do breakfast when I get out of the shower." He got up and left the room.
Anko watched him go. She thought ok, something's up. He's being secretive. What is he planning? She flopped back down on the bed and stared at the crack in the ceiling, and waited for her turn in the shower.
After showering and having breakfast, Anko and Kakashi went to the Academy. They checked the bulletin board and sure enough, Kakashi was still scheduled to leave the next day on his first assignment since he came back. Anko too had a mission assigned to her, but no further information was posted. She knew she'd get the information from Tsunade later that day.
As they continued into the academy, they ran into Asuma, Kurenai and Gai who just happened to be loitering in the hallway. Kurenai's face lit up a bit when she saw Anko. Gai's lit up when he saw Kakashi. Asuma just thought I hope Kakashi doesn't want me to move anything else.
Anko went up to Kurenai and said, "Hey! Looks like I have an assignment coming up. What're you doing today?"
Kurenai said, "Oh nothing special. I have to run out at lunch and pick up a few things, but other than that, just hanging around. Probably run over some training exercises with the old team just to keep them sharp. You want to come with me? Get some lunch somewhere?"
Kakashi interrupted and said, "Sorry, but I've got dibs on her at lunchtime." He smiled under his mask as he stood a little closer to "his" Anko.
Asuma and Kurenai both rolled their eyes, thinking that something perverted was already planned for lunchtime, while Gai got teary eyed and said, "How beautiful! The wonders of love!"
Gai sniveled a little until Kakashi said, "I have to run an errand and I need Anko's opinion on something. Get your minds out of the gutter. Gai, quit crying."
"I'm noooottt!" Gai almost wailed. Gai started to compose himself and said, "Asuma, we'll get together later and discuss our mission."
Kakashi said, "You two have an assignment too?"
Asuma nodded, "Why. Need me to move something else?"
"No, not today. Just asking."
Anko said, "Alright boys, settle down. We've all got work to do. I suggest we get to it before Tsunade has all our asses in slings." All the shinobi present agreed that none of them in fact wanted their asses in slings, especially if Tsunade were holding those slings. They all went their separate ways, and began their daily tasks around the Academy.
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A/N: The right turn has begun. Wheels are in motion, but who is this Pearl? Get your Japanese translators out if you want to know. You can figure it out if you want, or you could wait until I tell you in the next chapter.
Next up: Kakashi and Anko run their lunchtime errand, more evil plotting is underway, and somebody just may figure out Kakashi and Anko's secret! But will they get it right? See you soon!
