Chapter 12

What Makes a Family

Iruka blinked his eyes and did a double-take at the scene in front of him. If he didn't have Kakashi firmly in hand, he would have sworn – at first glance – that the Leaf jonin was standing in front of him. Iruka blinked again. This had to be Kakashi's uncle – Kurogane Hatake. There was no mistaking the two men were related – it was obvious in everything from the shade of their hair, to the build of their bodies, to the color of their eyes...hell – even their jawline was the same – now that Iruka could see Kakashi's jaw to make the comparison.

He glanced over toward the Copy-ninja and saw the hatred in his gray eye. Kakashi's voice was pitched just for Iruka's ears.

"You're the medic here, correct?"

Iruka frowned. Evidently Kakashi didn't recognize him in the blank mask. "I am for this mission, Kakashi-sensei."

Confusion clouded that eye for a moment but then it cleared again. "Do your job, medic."

Iruka was at a loss. What the hell was Kakashi talking about? He watched the jonin narrow his eye and growl...at him!

"I need a soldier pill, blood pill, and chakra booster...NOW!"

Iruka's eyes went wide behind his mask. He whispered his response. "You're in no shape for that combination, Kaka..."

He was cut off by Badger's curt comment. "Do what he says, medic. Wolf knows what he can handle better then you do."

Iruka wanted to argue, but he honestly didn't know what to say. He reluctantly reached a hand into one of his pouches and withdrew the requested pills, making sure no one else saw the movement. Then he shifted himself to make it look like he was readjusting his hold on Kakashi, while slipping the pills into the injured man's hand. Kakashi quickly popped them into his mouth, crushed them between his teeth and swallowed them dry. When Iruka felt Kakashi's muscles tense and almost vibrate, he knew the combination of pills was already at work. He hoped he hadn't made a mistake.

Kurogane's raised voice drew his attention back to the front of the group, where Crow and Mouse had taken up defensive stances – preventing Kakashi's uncle from coming any closer.

Kurogane was glaring at them all. "Do you really think you can keep me from what is mine?"

Iruka felt a tremor run through Kakashi – and he couldn't be certain if it was from the strong medications he'd just ingested or his uncle's words.

Crow's response was cold as ice. "He is a Leaf shinobi...he does not belong to you."

Kurogane tipped his head back and laughed hysterically. "You think my boy holds ties to Konoha? They vilified his father from what I heard. Who does he have there to call family...hmm?"

A low growl came from Kakashi's throat and Iruka felt his own blood boiling at those words. Before he could stop himself, Iruka released his hold on Kakashi and stepped in between Crow and Mouse to stare down Kurogane. His fists were clenched tightly and he knew his face was flushed a bright red behind his mask. His anger showed clearly through his words.

"How dare you! What do you know about ties? Do you think blood is the only way to determine family bonds?"

Kurogane's expression became one of amusement as he locked gazes with Iruka. "So – are you challenging me to the right to call Kakashi family?"

A warning hand on Iruka's wrist kept him from saying what was on the tip of his tongue. Instead he took a few steps back – not quite believing he just did that – and allowed Crow to take over the conversation.

"There is no need to challenge when the person in question can answer for himself."

Kurogane's eyes narrowed and his gaze shifted to where Kakashi was still being held up by Badger. "Very well. Tell them, boy, that you belong here – with me and our family."

Iruka turned toward Kakashi and saw such a look of pure rage in the man's visible eye, and felt so much killing intent rolling off him, that Iruka let out a gasp before he could stop himself. And if he thought Kakashi had growled before, he wasn't sure how he'd describe the sound that came from the Copy-ninja's throat now.

When Kakashi spoke, his words were colored with the acid of hate. "I would rather die then ever be with you or anyone you count as family."

When the last word left his mouth, Kakashi pushed away from Badger and his hands flew into a series of hand-signs that anyone from Konoha recognized immediately – although admittedly they were being made much slower than normal. When the familiar sound of one thousand birds chirping filled the air, Iruka stepped to the side and turned back to see the shocked expression on Kurogane's face. It occurred to Iruka that this was likely the first time the man had ever seen the Chidori – as it was Kakashi's own original technique. But then another thought crossed his mind – based on an overheard conversation during the Chunin Exams between Kakashi and Gai – without his sharingan, Kakashi would be unable to defend himself properly during his head-on assault.

From the corner of his eye, Iruka watched Kakashi take his first step toward Kurogane, and knew what he needed to do. He retrieved a handful of shuriken from his pouch and sent them sailing at Kurogane in the hopes of distracting the man. With luck, this would give Kakashi the chance he needed to reach his goal.

Everything seemed to happen at once – and strangely enough, almost moved in slow-motion before Iruka's eyes. Blue chakra danced along the Copy-ninja's left arm – concentrating around his curled fingers. The shuriken from Iruka's hands floated through the air toward Kurogane's body. The Lightning jonin surrounding the elder Hatake sprang forward to defend their leader, while the ANBU moved to intercept them. Kurogane's sword moved into a position for defense. There was the sound of metal on metal throughout the courtyard as katana met kunai and shuriken. The ethereal chirping from the Chidori punctuated the other sounds, as Kakashi sped to cross the distance between himself and Kurogane. Thunder and lightning crashed throughout the sky – adding another chaotic layer to the battle, and the steady rain became a torrential downpour just at the moment of impact between Kakashi and his uncle...hiding the results of the attack from everyone within the courtyard.

Iruka's field of vision was limited to what he could see through the eye holes of the mask, and the addition of the sheets of rain took even that visibility from him. He grabbed hold of the wet porcelain and pulled it off...just in time to see one of the enemy's katanas arcing toward him. He used the mask to divert the attack. The sound of steel meeting porcelain seemed out of place in Iruka's mind and was almost enough to distract him from the shooting pain as the ninja's blade was deflected into Iruka's thigh. He bit back the scream that clawed at his throat, thankful he'd avoided having the blade strike his head, and forced his body into one of the basic tai-jutsu defenses he taught countless students over the years. Iruka concentrated a bit of his chakra into the palm of his hand and used the fact that the enemy's blade was still stuck in his thigh to enable him to deliver a solid thrust into the attacker's jaw. Although not as powerful as Gai's attack would have been...it was enough to loosen the attacker's grip on the katana and send him sliding across the muddy ground.

Iruka pulled the blade free just as the man found his footing and headed back at him. Trusting to instincts he'd honed over the past weeks traveling with the ANBU, he blocked the driving rain from his mind and twisted the borrowed blade in his hand until the hilt was positioned against his uninjured thigh. He wrapped both hands tightly around that hilt and thrust it forcefully up and through the oncoming Lightning shinobi's chest. The shocked look in the man's eyes faded as his life slipped away with the falling rain.

-- --


Badger knew Wolf would be in bad shape when they found him...physically...but he hadn't expected him to be Wolf. Everything about the younger man screamed of what he'd been in his ANBU days – from the look in his steely-gray eye, to the way he carried himself, to the method of speech he'd used to address Iruka-sensei – it was all exactly as Badger remembered from the last time the man had been his captain.

Back then, Wolf was thoroughly ensconced in the life of the ANBU. Unlike himself and Bear – who each had families to go back to between missions to use as an anchor for their sanity – Kakashi Hatake was Wolf twenty-four hours a day. That young man never allowed himself to be anything but ANBU.

When Kakashi had finally left that group, Badger was secretly glad for it. But it wasn't easy for the young man to acclimate himself back into being a regular member of Konoha's shinobi force. He'd slip into periods where he'd think he was still on one mission or another...becoming a danger to himself and the citizens of Konoha...until he was brought back to himself by treatments from Ibiki or one of Bear's family.

When he'd learned Kakashi was taking students, Badger was sure it meant the man was mentally healed. But he also had to admit he was relieved when Shikamaru was assigned to Asuma and not Kakashi. Still, he felt something close to sadness when he saw the confusion on Wolf's face when Iruka called him Kakashi-sensei. If Wolf's persona was truly back in place, it was going to take far more than physical healing to bring Kakashi Hatake back home.

Badger watched Wolf move into action – activating his Chidori and running headlong toward Kurogane. He knew his role was to keep the others from impeding his Captain's moves – so with practiced skill – Badger sent his shadows dancing across the courtyard, keeping the nearest Lightning jonins from moving any closer to Kurogane's aide. He had to admit – it was very easy to fall back into the comfortable routine of fighting side by side with Wolf.

Iruka's pained cry a close distance from him pulled him out of his reverie. The rain was coming down so hard now that Badger could barely make out the silhouette of one of the enemy being pushed back from the school-teacher, and then saw that enemy regain his stance and move back in for the kill. Badger furrowed his brow. This could be troublesome. They needed Iruka to help get Wolf in good enough shape for the journey back...especially once he came down from the combination of field pills he'd just taken. He couldn't allow the enemy to take the teacher's life.

Badger made quick work of killing his current victims and then recalled his shadows to do his bidding. But in that short time, he saw Iruka pull loose the katana from his leg and position it for attack. Badger knew from countless encounters that the teacher's angle was not quite right to ensure the death of his attacker – but still – considering Iruka wasn't used to this type of battle, it was an impressive attempt. Badger moved his shadow quickly toward Iruka's attacker and managed to divert the jonin's lunge just enough to allow the teacher's blade to become deadly instead of simply damaging. He moved toward the young teacher and spent the rest of the battle ensuring no other enemy got close enough to wound Iruka any more.

-- --


Wolf propelled himself across the muddy grounds aiming for his target. His mind briefly registered the others on his team moving into positions where they could keep his passage clear...even the unknown newbie was lending a hand. He'd have to ask Crow what the hell he was thinking bringing in a new recruit for this mission – but it would have to wait. Right now – all that mattered was putting an end to his uncle's life. Only then would he be free.

The feel of the Chidori as it danced across his palm felt oddly comforting amidst the chaos – even though he'd had to create it in his left hand. This, along with the absence of his sharingan eye, would likely reduce his accuracy with the move – but he was willing to take that chance. One hit with the Chidori – even if it was only a glancing blow – would be enough to distract Kurogane until Wolf could end his life.

A bolt of lightning lit the sky and the resounding crash of thunder on its heels added a counterpoint to the chirping of his Chidori. Wolf barely noticed the steady rain change over to a torrential downpour – his mind and his eye were set on only Kurogane's body. His focus was narrowed to the section of the man's chest where his heart would be located. Wolf closed the distance between them before Kurogane had the chance to move his blade over to block his approach, and Wolf lifted his left hand to position himself for that blow.

Another flash of lightning and crash of thunder occurred at the exact moment Wolf's hand struck flesh – temporarily deafening and blinding him in the act. He felt his fist push through bone and muscle, and knew his hit had been true when the body fell toward him – bringing his surge forward to an end. Wolf blinked his eye rapidly in an attempt to verify his kill, even as he wrenched himself free of the dead weight.

His ears cleared first – and the sound of Kurogane's laughter in the rain from somewhere in front of him gave Wolf a clear understanding that he'd missed his target even before his vision finally cleared. Wolf saw the body of one of Kurogane's followers on the ground – a fist-sized hole marking the path of his Chidori. Then he saw the next flash of lightning reflect off his uncle's blade as the man aimed straight for Wolf's neck. Instincts took over and Wolf dropped to the ground and rolled away from the deadly steel, narrowly escaping its length and causing his still healing right arm to protest. Without wasting the time to look back toward that failed attempt ,Wolf pushed himself back up to standing and launched at his uncle before he had a chance to make another strike. Kurogane, however, was not so easily taken down and jumped out of the way before Wolf could reach him.

His uncle's voice sounded amused. "I take it this is your way of answering my question, nephew?"

Wolf didn't bother wasting his energy on responding. He watched the older man land steady on the rain-soaked ground. Their eyes met, and the hatred in his own gaze was met by a matching intensity from his uncle. Wolf's hair hung in a wet sheet across his brow, but he paid little attention to it. All his senses were focused on his target. He noted how the katana was balanced in the man's hand with practiced ease – as though it was an extension of his arm. He saw the way Kurogane's eyes stayed locked with his, yet the man's muscles tensed in a way that showed he was very aware of everything going on around him – much as Wolf was.

Wolf growled and pushed the comparison out of his mind. This man in front of him was what stood between him and Konoha – the only place he knew as home – the only place he belonged. Whoever that ANBU recruit was – he at least had that right. Konoha was his home – and no one would take that from him – no matter how much he looked like White Fang.

He launched himself at Kurogane, intent on knocking the man to the ground with a series of kicks, thrusts and throws learned from years of tai-jutsu training and missions – but every move was flawlessly countered with blade, arm and leg, surely making their battle look like a choreographed scene out of an Icha Icha movie.

Where the hell did that thought come from?

Wolf pushed himself away from Kurogane and shook his head to clear it. This wasn't good. For his mind to slip in such a way during battle meant the boost from the pills was about to end. He needed to finish this...now.

Wolf pooled his remaining chakra for one last strike – sparing just enough to keep sure-footed on the muddy ground. He launched himself straight for the man. Kurogane lifted his blade in a defensive stance – but that steel melted when it connected with the raw power of Wolf's Chidori – and did nothing to slow the end result. Wolf felt his hand pierce through Kurogane's body, and locked eyes with the man who'd claimed to be his family. He watched a series of emotions flicker across those eyes that were so much like his own – first shock at being hit, then anger that it had succeeded, then finally acceptance – and perhaps even a touch of pride. His final words were forced through lips already coating with blood.

"So you are your father's son after all." A frown settled on those bloody lips and as the life left him, the icy gray eyes glazed over in death's grip.

Wolf fell to the ground under the sudden weight of the man – the last of the chakra and stamina provided by the medic's pills seeping out of him. He lay there for a moment gasping for a full breath before finally pulling his hand free of his uncle's carcass. He felt, more than saw, the enemy approach him from the side, and just as they would have surely ended his life, Wolf wrested the broken blade of Kurogane's katana from his death grip and forced it through the neck of his attacker.

A moment later and Wolf noticed the ANBU forces taking up points around him to keep any further attacks from reaching him. While the darkness of unconsciousness pulled at his senses one thought crossed Wolf's mind...he'd trained them well.

-- --


Akuma reached the Hatake Compound and found three distinct pockets of fighting. The first two were obvious diversions – as he watched the groups of Leaf ninjas lead the Lightning guards farther and farther away from the main house. Although tempted to watch these battles to discover if some of the rumors he'd heard over the years of the Leaf techniques were true or not – Akuma instead moved stealthily toward the courtyard, where he heard the third pocket of fighting. He paused to use a jutsu meant to allow clear vision in the worst of conditions and when the rain became torrential, was glad he'd done so.

Lightning illuminated the battle, and Akuma watched in silence while the Lightning jonin were systematically eliminated by a group of three masked shinobi. He saw a fourth man off to the side holding a bloodied katana in one hand while trying to staunch the flow of blood from his thigh with his other hand. In the center of the whirling blades of the masked ninjas were two silver-haired opponents – one slightly taller and broader than the other. The skillful tai-jutsu movements marked which man was Kakashi Hatake long before he moved so the patch affixed to his eye could be seen. Meanwhile Kurogane's own skill was evident in how smoothly he countered every attack from his nephew. It was a beautiful sight to see – poetry in motion – with the slaughter going on around them – and the storm illuminating key points of the battle.

Akuma found himself mesmerized by the mens actions and almost missed the turning point of the battle. At first he thought it was a play of the light caused by the constant flashes throughout the clearing by the storm...but there was no doubt that a ball of blue-white chakra was concentrated on Kakashi's hand. Akuma smiled – he'd heard of the infamous Chidori...and hoped this would be worth watching. And if the holder of his leash lost his life in the meantime...who was he to complain?

He saw the younger of the two aim straight for Kurogane's chest and watched the elder Hatake bring his katana up to end the charge – but the white hot chakra at Kakashi's fist sliced through the cold steel of the blade and continued through Kurogane's body until the blue-white glow could be seen from the man's ruptured back. Akuma smiled and licked his lips. The Copy-ninja's signature jutsu was everything he'd heard of and then some. He watched his employer fall under that attack and for the first time since he'd walked into this country, Akuma felt free.

He had to hold back the urge to laugh and settled for a smile instead. Akuma pushed back into the shadows of the building and made his way to one of the doors leading inside. With the chaos still ensuing out here, this would be the perfect opportunity for him to retrieve some of the more valuable artifacts he knew Kurogane had acquired over the years – after all, he could look on this as his final payment for services rendered. He slipped through the entrance and moved swiftly through the halls, leaving the sounds of battle far behind.

-- --


Bear came back to his body with a practiced ease – but even after all these years, it still left him a bit confused as to where he was. Rat's hand on his shoulder helped him focus on his surroundings, and with a slow breath he was battle-ready once more. He looked around him and saw Lizard keeping watch while Locust seemed inwardly focused. Bear turned to face the bug-handler.

"The first leg of the mission was a success – Wolf has been located. Crow and the others are working to release him now."

Locust nodded. "Then countdown for conclusion starts now."

Bear sighed. Locust was never terribly talkative – even within his mind – but his skill with 'clean-up' was undeniable. He settled back to wait – hoping Locust's skills would not need to be called into service.

The silent minutes dragged on – punctuated now and then by the sound of battle from the direction of the two diversionary teams. Bear furrowed his brow when ten minutes later they still hadn't received the all clear or a call for reinforcements. He saw Locust beginning to allow some of the flesh eating bugs to gather on his palms – readying them for their job should Crow fail to contact them within the next five minutes.

The rain continued to pour down on them – making the wait feel longer then it was. He watched Locust raise his arms to shoulder height and knew the time limit was about to expire. And as lightning crashed and the sounds of battle increased, Bear found his hand drifting toward his katana – readying himself to begin the retreat back to Konoha without the remainder of the ABU team.

Just when he figured Locust was going to signal to his beetles to proceed...a tired voice came over the radio. "Objective achieved. Regroup at rendezvous point Alpha-four."

Bear released a breath he hadn't known he was holding, and he watched Locust slowly bring his arms back to his sides and recall his beetles back to him. He was about to signal for them to leave when another voice came over the headset. It sounded like Badger.

"Bear – be prepared for an immediate scan at the rendezvous...Wolf has returned."

Bear silently cursed even as he responded. "What level?"

He could remember the last time Wolf's persona returned. It had taken him and Ibiki nearly three weeks to reestablish the balance in the jonin's mind. The two of them spent countless hours constructing barriers within Kakashi's mind to keep the ANBU urges safely locked away. Whatever the young man went through out here must have been intense to let Wolf loose again. All Bear could do was hope the barriers were only cracked – and not shattered entirely.

Badger's reply did nothing to calm his growing concern. "Full."

Bear furrowed his brow and motioned for Locust to move out. The sooner they reached the rendezvous point, the sooner he would be able to set the complex wards he'd need to at least evaluate what state Kakashi's mind was in. Once that was known, the choices on how to proceed could be made.

-- --


When the last Lightning jonin was dispatched, Crow took a moment to give the all-clear. By his count, it was just in time, too. He sighed and wiped his katana clean on the enemy's shirt before sheathing his blade. He moved forward to where he'd seen Wolf collapse.

Iruka was already at the man's side – a look of concern crossing his face. Crow joined him and concentrated on Wolf to see what might be causing such a reaction. His former captain's chest was rising and falling at an acceptable rate, and although covered in blood - he appeared to be bleeding from only a few superficial wounds himself. The only obvious trouble spot was the right arm - which now looked worse then it had before the retrieval – likely due to the fight with his uncle.

"Iruka-sensei, is he stable enough to travel?"

Before Iruka could reply, Crow heard the exchange on the headset between Bear and Badger. He noticed Iruka tense at the words. The Academy teacher turned toward him.

"Crow, what does he mean...'Wolf has returned?'"

Crow ran his fingers through his hair. "It means just that. For the time being – we need to address Kakashi as Wolf."

Iruka frowned. "That explains why he didn't respond to being called sensei earlier. Is he going to be alright?"

Crow shrugged. "Won't know until Bear gets a chance to check him over. So can we move him?"

Iruka nodded and then moved to stand. Crow saw the grimace of pain cross the man's tanned face. He turned his attention to Iruka's badly slashed leg.

"Dammit Iruka – this is why I told you to stay out of the fight!"

Iruka flushed and avoided his gaze. "I'm sorry Crow – but that really wasn't an option."

Crow sighed and reached into his pouch for a field dressing. He quickly and efficiently bound the wound and shook his head at the teacher. "You and I are going to need to talk about more than a few things when we get back to Konoha, Iruka. Until then, concentrate on keeping yourself and Wolf alive, okay?"

Iruka turned a shade darker – although whether it was from embarrassment or the fear of their talk was anyone's guess. "Alright Crow. I'll do my best."

Crow sighed once more and bent down to pick Kakashi up off the ground. The rendezvous point was still quite a distance away, and they needed to get there before the pockets of remaining Lightning jonin got the idea of revenge into their heads. He slung the unresponsive Copy-ninja over his shoulder and motioned for Iruka to follow. With luck they'd avoid any further encounters until they'd met up with one of the other teams for backup.

He spared a look at the silver-headed man's face and smiled. At least they'd achieved the mission's goal – Kakashi Hatake was back in Konoha's arms. His smile switched to a frown. Okay – so technically Wolf was back...but hey – considering the alternatives – he wasn't complaining.

-- --


Shikamaru heard the conversation over the headset and frowned at the conversation between his father and Bear. He wondered at its meaning. He'd figured out rather quickly that Wolf must be Kakashi-sensei's ANBU persona...but why were the others so apprehensive about that persona's return?

He sighed and signaled to the others to retreat to Alpha-four. He'd be able to puzzle out the rest on their way to the rendezvous point. Meanwhile he looked at his team to assess how they did. Kotetsu and Izumo were busily comparing notes on which attack combinations worked best and which still needed work. Shikamaru smiled at that. The two had been working on their combination attacks tirelessly since before Asuma-sensei's death, and he found it oddly reassuring that they were continuing to do so with him in the lead.

His gaze shifted to Raidou. The jonin seemed on edge – and Shikamaru wondered what might be causing it. Their part of the plan went flawlessly. All of the enemy had been effectively chased off or wiped out. Raidou's style of fighting and jutsus melded seamlessly with the rest of the team's established patterns – and the others in the group accepted the older man as one of them almost instantly. So what was concerning the man?

Never one to like an unsolved puzzle, Shikamaru moved to run alongside the jonin. "Is something bothering you, Raidou?"

The scarred face turned toward him and the man's eyes narrowed slightly. "How old are you, kid?"

Shikamaru frowned. Where the hell did that question come from? "Why?"

Raidou took a deep breath and shook his head. "You aren't old enough to remember then last time Kakashi's Wolf persona came out, are you?"

Shikamaru blinked. The last time? "So this isn't the first time this has happened?"

Raidou rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "No – the last time was about twelve years ago."

Shikamaru tried to think back on any conversations he'd heard over the years that might give him some insight – but he came up blank. "So what happened then that has you so spooked now?"

Raidou's gaze narrowed. "Forget everything you know about Kakashi Hatake, kid. Wolf and Kakashi are not the same – not by a long shot."

Shikamaru frowned. He found Kakashi-sensei to be difficult to read at times, but overall the man exuded confidence, wisdom and danger. Would this Wolf persona really be that different? "What should we expect, Raidou?"

The older man seemed to contemplate before answering – another sure sign that he was spooked. "Don't expect the patience you saw back in Konoha. Wolf doesn't tolerate inexperience or idle chatter. He is one hundred percent mission focused – and when his mission is done, he's a bastard until the next one is assigned. His mind is not capable of the niceties of human interaction when he's like this...and he's just as likely to throw you across a room as he is to speak to you."

Shikamaru shuddered at the thought. He'd seen what Kakashi was capable of during the battles with the Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakazu. The man seemed nearly as indestructible as those two enemies. He didn't want to think about what would happen if the man couldn't switch that battle instinct off. "Damn."

Then a thought crossed Shikamaru's mind. "What will happen if Gai-sensei tries to challenge Kakashi when he's in Wolf mode?"

Raidou sighed. "Let's just say that even Gai isn't stupid enough to do that after what happened last time."

Shikamaru raised his eyebrow. "What happened?"

Raidou shook his head. "I won't give you the details...let's just say Gai spent two months in a body-cast and leave it at that – okay?"

The conversation over...the two returned their focus to the trip to the rendezvous point. With luck, it wasn't as bad as his father's voice made it sound.