"Is that you, Jiraya san?" an old women stepped out after the four shinobi landed in front of her door.
"How are you? You look as beautiful as ever." Jiraya bowed towards the elder women who was blushing at his words
"And if it isn't Naruto kun," she smiled at the teen "Are you here for more training?"
"Yes I am" he smiled at her
"That's good, good" she nodded "And you two are?" she turned to the new faces.
"My name is Akio, it's a pleasure to be here," he also gave a bow in respect
"Hatake Kakashi," he introduced himself
"Well if it isn't a Hatake?" she exclaimed "I thought you had all died out. I heard rumors that a small branch escaped to the Fire country and they were confirmed when Sakumo kun came to train here."
"Hatake Sakumo is my father" Kakashi confirmed and her eyes lit up
"Such a well behaved and handsome man" she smiled fondly "He always came to visit me whenever he was close by. Has he retired? I haven't heard from him in a while."
"It appears that you haven't heard of the world outside this forest for quite some time" Akio noted factually "Hatake Sakumo has died many years ago. I am sorry to tell you this"
The women was speechless before her features were dominated by sadness. "I am sorry for your loss young man" she turned to Kakashi "He was great man."
"Thank you" Kakashi bowed
"Well come in come in" she bustled and led them inside "You've probably had a long journey so you need to rest. Tomorrow, after breakfast, you can get a fresh start at the pools. Breakfast is at 6:30 so don't be late or you'll get cold food. I have a few things to take care of but if you need anything don't hesitate to ask me." And with that she disappeared behind the door at the far end of the entrance.
"Well then let's get some rest then Naruto can show you how it's done" Jiraya announced.
The morning finally came and after having some breakfast the four shinobi found themselves standing in front of one of the pools, Naruto at the base of the pool.
He turned to the shinobi and called them forward "So what you do is you simply send your chakra through the ripples and the pool mirrors your worst dreams and memories to help you reflect. Once you fight them long enough they turn into happy memories to show you the good in life and the good you did." He explained
Kakashi looked skeptical meanwhile Akio looked intrigued. Jiraya motioned for Naruto to start so he bent down, touched one of the pools with his finger and sent his chakra through it. The pool slowly turned into Konoha's streets and showed a young blonde boy walking through them looking with longing at the families going about their daily business.
"See," Naruto smiled at them as the scene changed once more to Naruto trying to play with a bunch of children and being rejected, Kakashi frowned at the scene as it kept changing for one incident to the other, "At first it used to show me entire events but now it's just flashes because I've come to terms with them more."
"I never knew it was that bad" Kakashi whispered
"It gets better" Naruto smiled at the care in his sensei's voice as the scenes were replaced by a scene were Naruto was eating some ramen with Iruka and then from various experiences that happened when they were team seven before Sasuke defected.
Naruto stepped away from the pool and the water returned to normal. "The goal is to not have the pool reflect any bad memories. " Jiraya explained "The memories shown are the ones you have yet to accept, the ones that still haunt you in a way. In Naruto's case, the memories are short because he's beginning to heal. The shorter they are, the closer you are to moving on."
"Want to give it a shot?" Akio turned towards Kakashi.
"I thought you said I don't have to tell you what's bothering me" Kakashi turned to Jiraya
"You don't," Jiraya retorted "You show us"
Kakashi glared at Jiraya knowing very well that Jiraya knew that Kakashi wanted to face his demons alone. He was about to voice his opinion but the old lady whose name he now knew was Moriko interrupted him,
"The pools refuse to show a soul his demons alone. Unlike the Water Fall of Truth, the key to healing at the pools is through the help your friends give you" she explained "Jiraya helped Naruto kun through his pain and they will all do the same for you, young one."
"I prefer to…." Kakashi tried again but she quieted him down with one look that said the matter was not up for discussion.
"You may later practice on your own later but, for now you need your friends. It's quite difficult in the beginning," she lectured
"Fine" Kakashi sighed in frustration and turned to the pool as Moriko headed back inside. He hesitantly bent down towards the pool and sent his chakra through it.
Kakashi soon found himself staring at his old house and saw himself running up to the door, mask-less and smiling. He was wearing brown shorts and a light blue shirt with a white wolf drawn in the book in an elaborative design. He must not have yet graduated from the academy then.
Once he entered the house he slipped out of his shoes and threw his school bag on the floor and proceeded in the house only to hear his mother and father arguing again.
"He's too young, Sakumo!" his mother, Takara, yelled in frustration at his father.
"He's got great talent, Takara. This is the life of shinobi, I thought you knew what you signed up for when we got married" Sakumo yelled back
"I signed up for your life of the ninja but my child is not going to be made into some tool at the age of four, I won't allow it!" she argued
"It's his choice, he chose to enter the academy," Sakumo reminded her
"Because he wants to make you proud, Sakumo" she pleaded for him to understand" He's still too young, he doesn't really comprehend what it means to become a ninja. He thinks it's being a hero, a hero like you."
"He knows what he signed up for and that being a shinobi isn't a game" Sakumo told her
"Are you telling me that a four year old understands the life of a ninja!" his mother yelled "Are you that dense!"
Kakashi had enough, "Please stop!" he yelled as tears ran down his cheeks. Both grownups turned around to find their son standing at the door crying heavily. They were so caught up in their argument they didn't notice the time or their son.
Takara glared at Sakumo one more time before she ran to her son and picked him up gently cradling him in her arms "It's going to be alright" she reassured him "Come on, Kashi, you need a bath and maybe then I can read you a book and bake you some cookies. Does that sound good?"
Kakashi hugged his mother tightly as he wiped his tears away and smiled shyly as she walked out of the room.
Soon the scene changed and he was a bit older, yet this time he was in his room studying up for an exam when he heard noises downstairs. He stopped writing and got up warily, opened his door and peaked outside.
Men's voices filled the house and Kakashi decided to investigate so he went downstairs towards the voices.
"She's a pretty one, she is" one of the men said
"The White Fang sure knows how to pick em" the other laughed as Kakashi finally made it to the first floor and headed towards the drawing room where he heard the voices
"Get out of here!" he heard his mother shout and at that instance he realized that, whoever was here, was not welcome. He ran to where his mother was, thrust the door open and was met with a horrible scene. His mother was pinned down on the floor by two ninja, who judging by their forehead protectors, where from the stone country.
"Leave my mom alone!" he shouted, although the effect was ruined by the fact that a five year old was saying them
"Ohooo, look here, Dai" the man who was closest to him smiled "Looks like the White Fang has a son"
"This is better than we thought, Mahiru" Dai laughed as he strengthened his hold on the female below him
"No!" his mother shouted in pure agony "Kakashi, get out of here, now! Don't you dare touch my baby!"
The two men laughed as Dai grabbed her hair, "Don't worry, I'm not a pedophile, although I have no problem touching you" he laughed wickedly.
His mother's eyes widened in fear at both the man's words and at the fact that the other one was stepping closer to her son who crouched down in a battle position to defend himself and his mom, "Kakashi! Please, I'll do anything."
"Don't kill him" Dai decided as Mahiru advanced "Let's make him watch. That will make a much better message for the bastard"
"I guess you are right" Mahiru laughed and in the blink of an eye he had grabbed Kakashi in a way that prevented him from doing anything except thrash wildly.
"Let me go!" Kakashi yelled as his mother screamed for their mercy
Dai sighed in annoyance and ripped off her clothes with a hungry look in his eye
"Leave my mom alone!" Kakashi screamed as tears started to form in his eyes. But his screams were soon drowned out as he was forced to watch the man assault his mom.
"Mom! MOM!" he choked on his sobs. After what seemed like an eternity the man smiled and stepped away from his mom.
"Mom!" Kakashi yelled again and continued to thrash around.
"Let's wrap this up, Dai" Mahiru sighed "The kid is becoming a pain"
"Fine" Dai smirked and took out a kunai and pressed it on his mom's neck
"Mommy!" Kakashi cried desperately.
"I love you, my brave little scarecrow" she smiled at him as Dai went for the kill, "I will always love you, Kashi."
The kunai finally met its mark and her blood splattered everywhere. Dai looked down to admire his handiwork, "Looks like we're done."
Kakashi's blood turned to ice and his eyes opened wide in shock. He didn't even notice when the man holding him let go and he fell to the ground. He stared at his mom in horror as he watched her blood sweep onto the floor.
"Let's go" Mahiru said indifferently "This will teach the White Fang to mess with us". Dai nodded and they both left the scene. Kakashi sat there, clutching his head, crying and hoping all of this was a dream.
The scene started changing again but Kakashi had had enough and stepped away, breathing hard.
Nobody said anything as the pool reverted back to normal. Jiraya, who already knew the main gist of what happened with Takara, was shocked. He hadn't known that it was this bad. Naruto was beyond shocked at what he had witnessed and felt extremely saddened for his sensei. He looked at him and saw that his sensei was shacking badly, as if he was suffering from a seizure or something.
Akio felt immense hatred towards the people who did this, shinobi or not, that was just too cruel. And to force a five year old to watch was sick. But now what not the time to think about it, Kakashi needed him.
He stepped towards him and put a hand on his shoulder to show support, "Kakashi, Kakashi say something"
Kakashi's shaking died down but he was still breathing heavily. "I'm done for the day" Kakashi whispered after a minute passed. Akio only nodded and then turned towards Jiraya and Naruto.
"We will be in our room for the remainder of the day" he informed them, and after they nodded he led Kakashi inside the cottage.
"Those bastards" Naruto spat in anger once they were gone "How… how could they?!" he screamed in rage
"Naruto," Jiraya calmed him down "What's done is done, all we can do now is help Kakashi heal"
"But still" Naruto growled "I will never forgive them"
"Neither will I" Jiraya vowed "But that doesn't help"
"What happened afterwards?" Naruto asked still shaking in anger "When the White Fang found out?"
"From what he told me, he came to the house and smelled blood and went to the source to find his wife dead and Kakashi sitting in a pool of her blood hyperventilating. He grabbed Kakashi and took him out of the house and to the hospital to make sure he was ok. The funeral was a few days later." Jiraya told him
"What about the bastards who did this?" Naruto asked vehemently
"I don't know" Jiraya told him "If Sakumo ever found them or killed them, he never told me."
Hello! Sorry for the late update but I'm still alive Thanks for all the reviews and insightful criticism, it really does help me! I hope I met your standards and integrated your insights Prescripto13 and Wulan-chan. Till next time ;)