AN – The Butterfly has flapped its wings. Now it's time for the typhoon.
"So, from what I can tell, you lied to us, Tazuna-san. Lying to the village you're trying to hire for help is not exactly a very bright idea. Especially when the lives of my Genin are on the line." Kakashi's one eye narrowed at the bridge builder, the man's posture instantly worsening under the scrutinizing gaze. "We were told that we need to defend you from bandits. Thugs. Gangs. Nowhere in your mission request did it state anything about enemy Shinobi being after your head."
"L-Listen. Just hear me out. My country is being starved out and squeezed dry of its resources by Gato. You've heard of him, right? One of the richest men in the world. My family, my people. We need this bridge to be built, and I'll be killed if Gato finds out I'm working on it. It's the only thing that can save my country. Please..."
"I can understand your plight and where you're coming from. However, this does not explain why you lied to us and requested a C-rank mission instead of B-rank or even an A-rank." Kakashi ignored the man's pleas, questioning him further.
"The Land of Waves is a poor country and it's only gotten worse ever since Gato took control. That man is evil to the core. He deals in drug and human trafficking, sex rings, child labor, and even more heinous crimes. He hires rouge ninja to do his bidding and kills anyone who tries to stop him. He killed his way into our country, took control of every port, and now he controls the whole island by proxy. If I can build this bridge, I can create a way for us to communicate to the mainland without Gato being able to control it. It would crumble the empire he's built and would force him to relocate elsewhere. At the very least, it would give my people a way to leave the country and seek shelter elsewhere."
Kakashi sighed, the words of the old man were moving him, although he didn't want to admit it. But these were hidden mist ninja, and they weren't just average Genin. They were Chunin, maybe low Jonin. Those were the Demon Brothers they just fought. Rogue ninja associated with one of the Swordsmen of the Mist according to his trusty bingo book. It was too risky. "I'm sorry, Tazuna-san, but we can't-"
"Now you hang on a second, Sensei!" Naruto cut Kakashi off rudely, the man was surprised at his student's tone. "I know it's dangerous and that I'm probably out of my mind for saying this, but we can't just leave him like that! What would all those people back in his home do without us? You heard him, they need this bridge! We can't leave a whole country to just die off! I say we stick it out and see this mission to the end! We're not cowards! We're Konoha Shinobi! We never go back on our word, and we told this man we'd protect him!"
Kakashi moved to argue with him when Sasuke butt in as well. "Naruto is right. We can't leave a whole country of people behind just because the enemy is strong. Ninja don't back down when things get tough. No, they get stronger and fight for what's right. I'll be damned if I let someone who can't defend themselves die."
Kakashi was bewildered by Naruto and Sasuke's sudden cooperation. However, it was still those two to his one. Perhaps Sakura would side with- "What if it was our village being sucked dry by a rich, evil bastard? We'd want people to help us too! Think about all those innocent people being taken advantage of! Are you just gonna let them die?"
'No. Fucking. Way.' No way the one-time his team agrees on something, it's the worst possible decision for the tough situation they were in. This was stupid. Idiotic. Borderline suicidal! And yet, he wanted to help Tazuna just as much as his Genin did. "Fine." Naruto and Sakura cheered while Sasuke smirked in satisfaction. "On a few conditions. Tazuna-san, let's talk business for a moment."
"Alright, Team Ten. Today I'll be assigning you to-" Hiruzen was cut off as he heard scratching at the window behind him. Turning around, he was confused to see a Ninken belonging to Kakashi. He opened the window and let the dog in, the Hokage recognizing him as Pakkun, before Pakkun sat down in front of Hiruzen and offered him a scroll. He took the scroll and thanked Pakkun before unrolling it and quickly reading it. Kakashi normally only sent messages when it was important.
"Urgent message from Kakashi. He asks that you read it and will await your decision over the matter, Hokage-sama." Pakkun said in his gruff voice. The three students were shocked at hearing the dog talk, but to Asuma and Hiruzen it was completely normal.
"This is urgent indeed." He mumbled. Asuma tilted his head slightly, confused as to what was going on. He recognized Kakashi's Ninken, but that was the limit of his knowledge. "Team Ten, I have a different kind of assignment for you, if your sensei is willing to accept it, of course. Team Seven has recently left on a mission to escort a bridge builder to his country and are to protect him while he builds his bridge." Ino nodded, remembering the note Naruto left for her the day before.
"However, they've met more force than they originally expected. Your average C-rank mission enemies would be thugs, maybe a gang here or there, however, they've come into contact and fought with two rouge Shinobi from Kiri." Ino felt her heart skip a beat as she worried for her friend, her hand instinctively clutching at the orange scarf she wore. Hiruzen noticed her action and was quick to quell her fears. "They're okay, of course, Kakashi would never let harm come to them that he could prevent. However, the fact of the matter is that this mission is above his student's skill level. I'm offering you the choice of traveling with them to Land of Waves and aiding when and where you can. Two teams should be plenty enough to handle most, if not all resistance that you'll meet."
"You sure about this, Dad? I know me and Kakashi are strong and all, but do you think it's wise sending two teams of Genin out for this? Why not send out some Chunin and recall Team Seven?"
"Unfortunately, we're stretched a little thin right now with some recent announcements for the Chunin exams. I can't disclose any information, as most of it isn't even set in stone, but there were many Jonin I needed to carry out some tasks for me, leaving the Chunin to fill in the blanks I've left."
"Then, why is this mission so important? The person who made the request lied to us didn't they? Why should we help them? It's just more work we shouldn't have to do." Shikamaru said, picking at his ear.
"Your thoughts are well founded, Shikamaru-san. However, the Land of Waves has been struggling for a long time due to the vile actions of a very powerful man, Gato. He's essentially cut them off from the rest of the world, leaving Wave's people to suffer. The man who requested this mission, Tazuna, has made a deal with us. By completing the mission, and therefore helping free his country from Gato's grasp, not only will they owe us the price for an A-rank mission, but they will also be open to trade whatever we wish with them. He said they don't have much but some of the herbs that grow there can create medicines we don't have yet. I think that alone is enough to accept, but they'll most likely have more that we can trade with them for."
Asuma reached in his pocket out of habit to smoke while he thought, but stopped himself when he remembered where he was. Instead, he lightly chewed on his bottom lip while he let his thoughts take over. Shikamaru was in a similar mindset, his hands put together in what could be mistaken for a strange hand seal. Ino and Choji, on the other hand, had already made up their minds on helping the country. Before Asuma could decide his own answer to the situation, Shikamaru let out a loud sigh before muttering something about missions being troublesome.
"As annoying as it is, I say we help them out. The risk is high, but the benefits are impossible to ignore. We'd save tons of people along with future generations, we'd get new medicine for our injured, we'd have a useful ally under our belt should we need resources, I could go on more, but I don't think I need to. At the very least, we can't ignore people in need of help. I know I would regret that for a long time."
Asuma smirked as he realized that all his Genin agreed with each other. "We accept the mission."
Hiruzen let a smile cross his face, showing he was proud of them, before returning to the more stoic persona of the Hokage. "If you leave before noon, you'll catch up to them just after nightfall. They had to travel slowly because Tazuna is not a Shinobi. I'd recommend teaching your Genin proper tree hopping on the way there. That'll shorten the travel time and prove useful in the future. Pakkun shall lead the way once your team is ready. Now go and make this village proud."
"Of course, Hokage-sama." Asuma said, bowing in respect, his students following example before they all left through the door behind them. Pakkun turned to follow them, but Hiruzen called out to him before he could leave.
"Yes, Hokage-sama?"
"I want you to deliver a message of my own back to Kakashi-san."
Ino fidgeted nervously as she waited for the guards at the gate to authorize their purpose for leaving the village. This was it. It was time for her to grow up. She was finally leaving the village. She could easily tell that Choji was having similar thoughts while Shikamaru's were harder to notice through his carefree façade. But if one looked closely, his fingers would twitch every now and again. The Ninken, Pakkun, as he introduced himself to them earlier, was already outside the gates and waiting for them as they took their first steps out.
Suddenly, Ino felt free. It was like she could run and go wherever she wanted to, despite the mission taking priority. The world was so much bigger than her village. There was so much to explore, so much for her to see and experience. She was excited, more than excited, hell she was practically vibrating with energy. She wanted to get started! She wanted to see what the world had to offer her.
"Alright, like my dad recommended, I'm gonna teach you three how to properly run through the trees like a true Konoha Shinobi. The trick is to power your legs a little bit each time you jump from a branch, but you have to be careful. We've done the tree exercise and you remember how it was. Too little, and you won't have the grip you need to stay on. Here, you won't gain enough speed to jump to the next branch, causing you to fall. Too much chakra," he said, staring at Ino as he dragged out the sentence. The girl blushed as she remembered how long it took her to get her control for the exercise. "And you'll destroy the branch you're on, leaving not only yourself to fall but anyone else who might be running with you. The real trick is finding that middle balance and alternating adding chakra or removing some based on the distance to the next branch. I'll be beneath you on the road for now. Don't fall behind."
Asuma whipped out his cigarette pack, pulling one out before bringing it to his lips and lighting it. He noticed his Genin were still there, staring at him like lost animals. "Well? Get to it! Start practicing." The three of them jumped as they realized that they were starting now before they each took their own tree and prepared to start. The first one to try, after getting over his fear of falling, was Choji. The boy took a few breaths before counting to three and launching himself forward, the branch cracking slightly with the force he exerted, but it was small enough to hold. He landed on the next branch, smiling big and feeling proud of himself.
"Good job, Choji. That was an excellent first attempt. You even managed to hop to the next branch." Asuma commented from below as he and Pakkun casually strolled down the road. "You're up next, Ino, let's see it." The girl nodded to herself before following Choji's example and counting to three. However, unlike Choji, she forced too much chakra and obliterated the branch beneath her before she was even able to jump. She hit the ground hard, her head spinning as she tried to shake off the pain. "Calm down, Ino. You're not gonna die if you fall. Don't try and force it like that. Shikamaru, let's see it."
The boy sighed and barely hesitated before jumping over to the next branch. Unfortunately, his observations of Choji and Ino backfired for him, causing him to use too little Chakra as he missed the next branch by a meter. He frantically tried to grab the branch before falling but his reach was just short, leaving him to tumble down and slam into the ground, right next to Ino. "Try harder next time, Shikamaru!" Asuma's voice rang from down the road. He was already so far ahead of them. They'd have to catch up before trying again.
"So troublesome." Shikamaru groaned.
As the boy had put it, the exercise was, indeed, very troublesome. As shown by their first attempt, Choji managed to pick it up fast, the boy seeming to have a bit of a natural talent toward chakra control. Shikamaru wasn't far behind, though he cut a few corners by doing some calculations in his head to get an accurate amount of chakra that he would need before trying again. In terms of speed, Choji picked it up first, but Shikamaru had fewer overall attempts.
Ino struggled the most, a path of destroyed branches in her wake. Even now, she was still struggling to make her chakra calm down. No matter how little chakra she poured into her legs, it still seemed to be way too much for the branches. It had taken her nearly a week to get the stupid tree walking down and, even then, it took a lot of focus to get it right. Compared to Choji and Shikamaru picking it up within 1 and 3 days respectively. Shikamaru seemed completely disinterested the whole time, but Choji at least had the courtesy to give her tips while she was trying. Apparently, his father had recently been drilling this exercise into him and he managed to finally pick it up that day. It made sense, the Akimichis needed excellent control, otherwise they risked their own body with their jutsu.
Eventually, Ino found herself riding on Asuma while Shikamaru and Choji worked on perfecting their tree hopping. Shikamaru rubbed at a sore spot on his head where Ino bashed him after he called out the irony of her riding "piggyback". Meanwhile, Choji munched away at some chips that were threatening to fly out of his hand because of how fast they were going. In the front, Pakkun easily took the lead with his speed, calling out every once in a while to inform them of an upcoming turn or hazard.
The sun had already set, leaving the rest of the sky to be filled with beautiful purples and blues, the bright stars and pale moon illuminating their path just enough for them to see. It was a gorgeous sight and while the three guys around her had to focus on the path ahead, she was able to look up and enjoy the wonder. It made up a little for the embarrassment she had to suffer of seeming like a child to her teammates.
"We're here, everyone!" Pakkun called out. Ino didn't know if that was to them or if it was to Team Seven. Perhaps both?
"Thanks for the ride, Asuma. Man, it sucks that my legs got so tired after running all that way." Ino said with a very forced smile on her face as she hopped off Asuma's back.
"But didn't you-" Shikamaru started, only to be cut off by Asuma holding up a hand. The man simply shook his head while Shikamaru gave him a confused look.
"Ino!" Naruto and Sakura both said at the same time, one excited while the other seemed slightly disappointed.
"Naruto! You left without telling me!"
The boy paled at the anger clear in her voice. However, hidden underneath it all was a small shred of playfulness that helped ease the boy's fears. But of course, he was still terrified by the frightening girl facing him. She took a step forward, holding her fist up in a comical, yet threatening fashion. Naruto did his best to stutter out a reply. "I-I left you a note, didn't I? It was on the ramen pantry; you should've seen it!"
"You think I care about some note? I sat at Ichiraku's for an hour after I had finished eating, alone, waiting for you! We always eat there together after training! I figured, oh maybe he's gone home already, so I head back to the apartment and what do I find, but an empty home. Do you know how worried I was about you? You're lucky I found the note when I did, otherwise I would've had to run all the way to the Hokage Tower just to see if he knew where you were. You couldn't come look for me and let me say goodbye, or something?"
"I thought the note would be enough to-"
"Aren't you always complaining about how Kakashi is late to every meeting?"
Kakashi gave the girl a fake glare, his own tone clearly playful unlike hers. "Hey, I earned my right to be late. I have express permission from the Hokage to be late to whatever the hell I want to be late to and that includes training meetings."
A glare from Ino made the man cringe in discomfort. Even when playing she was truly terrifying. "How late to the meeting at the gates were you before you started this mission."
"Uh, I cut back a bit because I didn't want to waste too much of Tazuna's time, but I was about an hour late."
Ino blinked a few times before rolling her sleeves back and rolling her neck. The cracking noises filling the area around them. Shikamaru sighed as he turned and walked down the road, asking Tazuna to follow him. The old man gladly took the chance to leave the situation with everyone else following suit. Everyone except Naruto, of course. The only thing the group of seven heard was a screech from Ino and a cut off scream from Naruto.
Sakura risked the chance to turn around and see the bloodbath only to be pleasantly surprised by what she saw. Instead of Ino completely losing her shit, like she foolishly expected, she was greeted by the sight of Naruto in a head lock and Ino giving him the nastiest noogie she'd ever seen. It was still definitely a punishment with how rough Ino was being, but the strained smile on Naruto's face was enough to convince her that he didn't mind. The sight left her confused but she shrugged and moved on with the group.
"Don't fall too far behind, you hear me, Naruto?" When no response came, she silently decided to take that as a yes.
"I really did miss you, y'know?" By now Ino had loosened her hold on Naruto and was just lightly hugging him. "I guess I just got so used to seeing you every afternoon that I didn't realize how much I had come to appreciate it. Just let me know next time you're heading out of the village, okay? That's a new rule for you, so you have to follow it. I don't want my bestie just disappearing on me out of nowhere like that. It scared the crap outta me."
"Okay, okay… I'll find ya next time before we head out."
"Thanks." She said with a soft smile. "Now come on, let's go catch up." She pat Naruto on the head, and hopped up before jogging off to the group, the boy following her example shortly after. As much as Naruto had disliked being tackled and noogied by his friend, he couldn't deny the warm feeling in him when she admitted how much she missed his presence when he wasn't there. Being besties was the best.
With Naruto and Ino showing up like nothing had happened, an awkward silence seemed to follow just behind. Sasuke was fine with this, the boy appreciating the calming quiet that fell over them, but he couldn't help but notice the two girls in the group trying to subtly shift toward him, each one becoming bolder in their movements before the other would outdo her. Keyword there: trying. To everyone else in the group, minus Tazuna, it was quite obvious what they were trying to do. They knew of the two girls' infatuation with the Uchiha.
Kakashi in particular was tired of dealing with Sakura's fangirling and he didn't know if he could handle the two arguing with each other right now. Too many things to think about, too many problems to account for. As he pulled to the side a bit, leaving some space between him and the group, the sound of the two girls arguing began. Shortly after, Asuma joined his side, the other Jonin already tired of hearing it. Or at least, that's what he thought.
"Kakashi, your summon has a message for us from the Hokage. Kakashi's eye widened slightly as he realized that Pakkun was indeed still around. Normally, he would dispel himself as soon as he was done with his assignment, so that explained Pakkun's continued presence.
Pakkun cleared his throat. "The Hokage realizes that this mission is dangerous. He knows that the Genin will have a lot of trouble and that includes Naruto. Seeing what happened last time Naruto was put under a lot of stress with his life in danger, he authorizes heavy but nonlethal force if a tail should show. Should that situation arise, and you are forced to interfere and fight Naruto, he recommends great caution, although I'm guessing you don't need to know that."
Asuma and Kakashi nodded in affirmation. "Good. Kakashi, you're most likely the best suited for handling the boy. Although, it could all be avoided entirely if we simply keep the boy and his teammates safe. This is of utmost importance, so don't be afraid to call me during this mission, Kakashi. Me and my pack will help whenever we can."
"Thank you, Pakkun. I'm glad that I can rely on you." Kakashi said, giving the dog light scratches behind his ears. Pakkun nodded with a small smile that looked out of place on his grumpy face before he disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a puff of smoke.
Back with the Genin, while Ino and Sakura were busy annoying the hell out of Sasuke, Shikamaru and Choji approached Naruto. The Nara cleared his throat to get Naruto's attention. "Hey Naruto, how's it going? I haven't seen you in a while. The last time I remember us hanging out was back when we were still in the academy."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, it's been a little bit, huh?"
"It has. What happened? Me and Choji enjoyed our time with you. Why'd you stop chilling with us?"
"I-I don't know. I just figured you might not want to hang out with me since you already had Choji or something." He admitted, staring at the ground with his head hung low.
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why would you think that?" Of course, Shikamaru already knew. He had heard what some of the parents would say during their afternoons together. It still confused him to this day and his father avoided his questions about it. When Naruto was silent instead of responding it only affirmed his suspicions into place. Something was fishy here. However, instead of pushing his nose into Naruto's life, he decided to simply observe and see what he could find out through Naruto's actions and body language.
"Well, I for one think we should hang out more." Choji said, offering a chip to Naruto. The blond boy knew what this gesture represented for Choji and quickly accepted, munching on the barbecue flavored chip.
"You have good taste, Choji." Naruto said with a large grin on his face.
Choji gave a hearty laugh like his father's. "Well, I'd hope so! I eat these things every day!"
Naruto and Shikamaru chuckled, and the three boys quickly fell into an old, familiar rhythm with each other. Neither Choji nor Shikamaru forgot what it was like to be friends with Naruto, and they hoped they never would. The boy was magnetic in every sense of the word. He just radiated a sort of warmth that few could hope to replicate. It wasn't long before the three were catching up and swapping stories about all the things they had missed with each other. Nearby, taking a break from defending Sasuke from Sakura, Ino smiled softly as she saw Naruto reunited with his friends.
"Did you really pack the tools needed to make ramen while on this trip?" Ino asked Naruto. The boy was sitting next to the campfire, a pot with a long handle resting on a small, metal grill that stood on four short legs. It was just big enough to cover the fire, letting Naruto rest the pot on it so he could boil some water.
Sakura crawled out of her tent with a book in one of her arms before sitting across from Naruto. "Why didn't you just bring normal rations? They aren't that bad, and they have all the nutrients you need too."
"Cause the rations can't compare to ramen." Naruto said with a smile on his face. His water was almost done.
Ino scoffed before sitting down next to Naruto and digging around in her backpack. "Well, either way I'm kinda disappointed."
"Why?" Naruto asked.
"Because I bought my own pot for this when I could've saved my money." She said, pulling out a pot that looked very similar to Naruto's along with her own cup ramen and extra water bottles. They shared a laugh while Sakura just gaped at them. Then it hit her.
"Wait, since when have you been eating ramen, Ino?"
"Since I met Naruto. We've been eating at Ichiraku's ramen stand every afternoon after training before we head home."
"Yeah, it's super cool having someone else eat ramen with you!" Naruto said excitedly. "Sometimes she'll eat more than me! And that's surprising considering how much ramen I eat."
"How much do you normally eat?" Sakura asked cautiously. She had the strangest feeling that she didn't want to know the answer to the question.
"Well, the most I've maxed out at was around twenty-five. But I've seen Ino down at least thirty before stopping herself. It's usually followed by an existential crisis, though."
Ino paled. "I don't want to talk about it. I don't know how I haven't gained a huge amount of weight from eating like that but here I am."
Sakura looked at her ex-best friend and her teammate with sheer terror in her eyes. "T-Twenty-five? Thirty?!" She managed to barely stutter out.
"I said I don't want to talk about it. Blame it on this idiot. I swear he's infected me with some kind of virus that makes your stomach an endless pit. Just only for ramen."
"By the way, Ino, I can let you use some of my water if you want some. I always accidentally boil extra water, so there should be enough for you to have your own cup."
"I would like that a lot, actually." She said with a smile. Naruto returned it with one of his own before taking the pot off the grill. The handle was hot but because it was so long, most of the heat was centered closer to the pot itself and not where Naruto was gripping it. However, that did make it a little unwieldy to use. Thankfully, there weren't any problems and Naruto and Ino were able to pour the water into their cups before letting them sit so the noodles could cook.
Still bewildered by this new knowledge of Ino, Sakura decided to just read her book and take her mind off things. However, she was caught off guard as a juice box landed right in her lap. Ino giggled as she pulled out another and handed it to Naruto before finally peeling off the paper that blocked her from her delicious ramen. Of course, it wasn't as good as Teuchi's but it was enough to satisfy her fix.
As Ino and Naruto began slurping away at their noodles, Sakura muttered a soft thanks to Ino who nodded in reply. The three sat in a comfortable quiet with the only sounds being Naruto and Ino attempting to eat quietly to not bother Sakura. In his own tent, Shikamaru was sound asleep and completely unaware of anything happening. Choji had followed his best friend's example and went to bed early as well, though the smell of ramen did change his dream of barbecue to one of noodles. It wasn't a great change to the Akimichi but he didn't mind it.
Asuma and Kakashi had decided to alternate watch hours and let their Genin rest for tonight. After all, they would be in Wave the next day after a boat ride Tazuna had paid for in advance. Asuma would take the early morning watch while Kakashi took the night watch, allowing him to justify staying up late. Normally, his thoughts and nightmares would be plenty to keep him awake and occupied. Thankfully, tonight his mind was on other things. Such as the dynamic his team seems to have formed.
Sasuke and Naruto had a very... troubling relationship. It could be called "a temporary truce" at best and outright hostile at worst. Sakura didn't help the situation either, usually adding fuel to the flame of rivalry between the two boys. Kakashi thought it was rather ironic. They reminded him of his old team. Although, he was nowhere as good a sensei as Minato was.
Regardless, the two boys were only growing further apart from each other as time went on. With every lesson or training exercise he would assign them, Sasuke would get jealous, or Naruto would get angry, causing them to argue and bicker like fools. The shinobi world was no place for fools. If they kept going on like this, it would only cause pain and suffering for their team. Kakashi had seen a spark of promise in the two when Sasuke offered his food to Naruto, but they had only become less civil with each other since.
He hated this. He hated how his team was turning out. He hated it enough that he contemplated bringing it to the attention of the Hokage. Minato would be incredibly disappointed with him. He was sure of it. He was sure that he couldn't be blamed for thinking this way. Trying to weigh in his options of picking Sasuke or Naruto. But no matter how many times he assured himself that other Jonin sensei had similar thoughts, that guilt still wouldn't go away. He never wanted to be a Jonin sensei. Hell, the only reason he gave the team a second chance was because of how special they all were. Two geniuses and the son of the fourth hokage, his sensei.
Sasuke was a priceless gem in Kakashi's eyes. The boy was the definition of talent, already knowing elemental jutsu and having a solid grasp of advanced concepts. Sure, he wasn't on Itachi's or his own level of genius, but it was enough for Kakashi to take note. And he knew Sasuke had the drive to work his ass off to get even stronger. Sakura was a literal genius, the girl knowing more ninja theory than even Kakashi himself, but she was weaker than normal. However, Kakashi saw her as an uncut diamond. All she needed was discipline and a small dose of reality and she would shine beautifully. And Naruto... Well, Naruto just had so many advantages he could take advantage of. Huge chakra reserves, craftiness, a creative mind, he could go on, but it wouldn't matter. And with his sense of responsibility for protecting those close to him and his incredible work ethic, Kakashi could see him only growing stronger. That determination as well. No matter how many times the boy would fail, he would get back up. Kakashi admired him for his strength to do that. It was a strength not many possessed.
And so now, he was left to his own torturous thoughts, debating to himself how his team would work if he got a new student. Who would he replace? How would they feel? Would they forgive him if they felt betrayed? Would he be able to forgive himself? Or would he just add it to his list of failures? Add it to the list that kept him up at night. He felt obligated by Obito's spirit to help raise the last of his clan. To try and set Sasuke on a good path while helping him grow stronger. He felt like it was his responsibility to protect Sakura and shape her into the diamond only he could see. He had no doubt that any other sensei would disregard her and shaft her to the sidelines, stifling her potential growth. Or was that his own selfishness speaking?
He felt obligated by Kushina to teach Naruto. Minato did teach him what he knew, but Kushina had taken care of him. She saved his life that night when... Kakashi shoved his thoughts to the side, recognizing where he was going. He had been down that path too many times. 'Not again.' He told himself. He could feel his eyes stinging as they grew misty. It was hard thinking of Kushina. He loved her with all his heart. She was practically a second mother to him. But his thoughts would always return to that night.
The sound of slurping cut him off from his thoughts, his brain happily latching onto the sound as something else to focus on instead of his past. He looked down from the tree branch he was resting on, his eyes locking onto Naruto and Ino happily eating with each other. The sight made Kakashi smile softly. He seemed happy. Maybe Naruto didn't need him. Ever since Ino had fallen into his life, the boy had been happier. He was showing up for training with a smile on his face, a real smile, not like those fake ones he would wear when he was younger. He would suffer through all the exercises Kakashi would force him to do and still leave happy, questioning what type of ramen he could get Ino to try that day.
His childish side made him want to giggle when he found out that they began living together, but then he found the cause and his laughter had died in his throat. But, like Naruto, Ino had only been on the rise since living with the boy. At least, from what he could tell. Last he knew, she was having a panic attack, throwing up down an alleyway, and physically hurting herself to make the pain inside her go away. It was a far cry compared to how well she was doing now.
The sound of a lighter caught Kakashi's attention as Asuma lit his cigarette on the branch next to him. "You're really stuck in your own head tonight, huh Kakashi? I could never sneak up on you like that normally."
Kakashi let out a tired sigh. "Shouldn't you be sleeping right now? Enemy ninja could show up and freely attack us while we sleep if you pass out during your watch."
Asuma chuckled before taking a short drag on his cigarette, blowing the smoke away from Kakashi. "Don't try to change the subject on me like that. With how distracted you are, enemy ninja could sneak up on you too. Besides, I just wanted to smoke real quick before I get my beauty sleep."
Kakashi contemplated telling Asuma about his plight. As much as he hated opening up to people, as vulnerable as he felt, he knew he had to say something before it ate at him too much. He had too many other things on his mind to hold onto this. "Asuma... You ever wonder if your team was put together well?" Kakashi instantly felt like slapping himself. He remembered that Asuma was teaching the new Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Of course, he wouldn't think that. It was the trio that had been-
"I do." Kakashi stared at him with a wide eye. "I wonder if the trio was a good idea to put together this year. They have excellent cooperation jutsu they can pull off, but sometimes it just feels like Ino isn't really there. Shikamaru and Choji have known each other and have been with each other for years. They're practically brothers. She may not say anything, but I can tell Ino feels out of place. She's bossy and loud and that can be a good thing, especially when she's getting Shikamaru off his lazy ass, but she feels like a third wheel on her own team because of how chill they are in comparison. It's depressing, considering how much their companionship would do her good."
Kakashi nodded. "I think everyone on my team feels like a third wheel. The dynamic between my Genin seems designed to cause problems. Sasuke both loves and hates his teammates. Despite what he may want you to think. Sometimes, he thinks they're holding him back and other times, they're only driving him forward to be stronger. Sakura feels like she's fallen behind. Like the two boys on her team are so much stronger than her and she's only dragging them down. And Naruto is way too defensive. That blame lies on the village for making the boy not trust easily. I think the only people he really trusts are Ino, Iruka, and the Hokage."
"Don't forget about those two people that serve our students ramen. Apparently, they're quite pleasant, according to Ino. I think their names are Teuki and Ayame or something like that."
"Regardless," Kakashi continued. "He doesn't trust easy, which is a good trait to have in the ninja world, but he needs to trust his own team. He could die on a mission or cause someone else to get hurt because of that." Kakashi said, thinking of the fate of his own team. If he had trusted Obito... If he had followed him to that cave straightaway instead of hesitating... Would things have been different?
"I know what you mean. My whole team is based on teamwork, and yet Ino seems to function better when she's not training with the other two. I don't think it's her fault entirely. What she's been through during her life has kinda fucked her up, kinda like Naruto and Sasuke. I'm just glad that her and Naruto found comfort in each other."
Kakashi's eye trailed to his student's tent, the sleeping Uchiha none the wiser of their conversation. "I wish Sasuke had someone to find that comfort in. Ever since the Uchiha massacre he's been closed off. He denies help even when he knows he needs it. Apparently, when they found him in his parents' bedroom, he was comatose and unconsciously muttering things in his sleep. One of the things they picked up through context clues was that Itachi had put him in a genjutsu of some kind. Whatever it was, it fucked him up enough to one-eighty his personality. In his folder, it said he was happy and optimistic when he was younger. Now… he's broken."
"And he wants revenge against the one who took everything from him." Kakashi nodded. The two sat in silence for a moment before Asuma flicked the charred tobacco from his finished cigarette. He made sure it was completely burnt out by rubbing it onto the trunk before flicking the butt away and sighing. "It's a complicated mess, Kakashi. Everyone's got demons. Even the demons that torment us have their own shadows. It's a never-ending cycle of pain that we can only try to fix in our own, small way. Kind gestures, helping hands… Perhaps, you could be that source of comfort for Sasuke? Take him under your wing and try to be there for him?"
Kakashi shook his head, the notion seemed out of this world to him. "You can't help someone that's broken when you're already broken as well."
"So that's how you see yourself?" Kakashi winced slightly at his tone. It was sharp but still soft enough to know it was said out of concern. Asuma sighed before continuing. "Here's another point of view for you. Maybe it's not about fixing Sasuke. I told Naruto the same thing. He can't fix Ino, and Ino knows she can't fix him, but they're still happy together. Maybe it's not about trying to fix each other like humans are some kind of problem that needs to be solved. Sasuke is human. He's a beautiful mess. We're all just human. People that are trying to be happy with our lives and with ourselves. You said it yourself, Kakashi. You want Sasuke to have someone that he can find comfort in. Finding comfort in someone is not the same as 'fixing' them. I'll let you think about that while I sleep. I'll see you before it's my turn to take watch. Goodnight, Kakashi."
Asuma hopped down from the branch he was standing on, landing next to the camp. The three Genin around the fire greeted him with smiles, which he gladly returned with his own, before they said goodnight. Soon, the man was in his tent asleep while Kakashi was left to ruminate on his words.
Unfortunately, his racing mind prevented him from noticing a silent, masked figure quietly jumping away into the distance.
"Zabuza-sama, Gato, I've returned with my report."
A large man with bandages covering the lower half of his face turned to face the masked figure. On his back was a massive sword that was just as tall, if not taller than the man wielding it. Next to him, sitting in a swiveling, leather chair, was a man on the smaller side, however his figure was still imposing, nonetheless. His dark shades covering his eyes and his angular face and jaw contributed to the crooked smile he loved to wear.
"Spit it out, then. There's no need to waste our time with pleasantries." Zabuza said, scratching his jawline through the bandages.
"The bridge builder has gone to Konoha for help, as Gato suspected. He was heading to wave country with a team of one Jonin and three Genin."
"Genin? This should be quite easy for you, Zabuza. A shame I'm paying you so much for this assassination." Gato said with a slimy chuckle when he was finished. "However, I must ask you something, Haku. Where are the Demon Brothers?"
"They were killed by the team protecting the bridge builder." Haku quickly responded.
"Really?" Gato asked with false concern. "Oh well, just means less I have to pay out when the jobs finished."
"I would have stepped in to help, but the Genin were stronger than I expected, and I did not know where the Jonin disappeared to."
"What do you mean?" Zabuza questioned, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"The Jonin made it seem like the Demon Brothers had caught him off guard and killed him, however I knew that those two would not have been able to get by him like that. As tools, they were weak, unlike me."
"Haku," Zabuza started, his tone dangerous. "Who was the Jonin of this team?"
"Kakashi of the Sharingan." Zabuza scowled as Haku continued. "He called a second team to join them."
"He what?" This time, Gato felt slightly nervous, but he kept his voice steady. Another Jonin would mean trouble. And knowing Konoha, they would most likely send more Chunin to help. However, his smile returned as Haku gave them the good news.
"Thankfully, it is only another team of Genin. However, their sensei will be a problem as well. On his waist, he has tied a sash to mark himself as one of the twelve guardian ninja dedicated to protecting the Land of Fire's Daimyo. He has clearly retired from the role, seeing as he has a team of Genin now, but he will still be a problematic threat. At best, Zabuza-sama and I would have to take on four members of each team. While I have no doubt about Zabuza-sama's skills, I do not know if I would be able to take on four at once, especially if either Jonin is paired to fight against me."
Zabuza nodded, wondering if he would be able to successfully beat Kakashi, let alone a whole team working against him at once. And one of the twelve guardian ninja as well? This could spell the end of their second attempt at a coup. With the Demon Brothers gone, he'd need more ninja on his side to fight. He needed more money which meant he had to finish this job. However, this was risky. Incredibly risky. "But perhaps with a little more help," Zabuza said, voicing his thoughts. "We could pull something out of our asses and get a win."
Gato frowned. "Well, I can't dedicate any of my men to help. They're busy guarding my mansion and the town."
"I don't need thugs, Gato. I need ninja."
The greedy man smiled again. "Well, with the Demon Brothers' gone I don't see why I can't use their pay to hire a new ninja. I might know just the right one for the job... that is, if you don't mind me docking your pay a little bit to afford your new ally."
Zabuza's hand instinctively reached for the hilt of his blade in his anger as he growled at Gato. However, the man was unrelenting as he stared at him through those pitch-black shades and with that stupid smile of his. "Fine." Zabuza accepted the deal, letting his hand fall to his side again. They needed the money too badly to give up halfway through.
Gato's voice echoed through the quiet room. "It's a deal, then."
AN - And now, the wave arc has officially begun. Sorry for the rushed intro to the chapter, but we all know how Team 7 got onto this mission. I didn't wanna just copy paste canon and waste y'all's time, so I just started where things changed. I'm super excited for these next few chapters so I hope you're cool with me posting this a day early. I got this chapter done earlier than I expected, so I figured you would enjoy the faster update anyway. To those who've trusted the butterfly effect and stuck around, I hope you enjoy the storm that's coming. ;3