Yay next chapter! You know, from the last one, I get you all are Kakashi fans...
This chapter was re-written a few times. From scratch. Very annoying, but I hope it came out well. Notes to follow at the end of the chapter. Once again, take them or leave them.
Thanks to everyone who answered my questions! I still am bothered by them (if Naruto was dead last, how could he take the test 2 times early for example) but it was great seeing other people's takes on these questions, and to know I'm not the only one who was bugged by them.
This chapters question would be, I wonder if there are more Male or Female Naruto fans?
Once again, "Thanks and thanks again," to my readers, reviewers, favers, alerters and C2ers...If I didn't get back to you on your review, I'm sorry!
_*&*&*_POV NARUTO_*&*&*_
"Kakashi-sensei!" He could hardly believe his eyes. If seeing Pakkun hadn't been enough, here before him stood the one man he had complete faith in. Most of the time, anyway. "What, how? I can't believe you're here!"
"Hey, Naruto!" Gamakichi interrupted, "Is that blond lady the one that tried to hurt my little bro?"
The blond paused, becoming worried for a second, "Gamatatsu's ok, right?"
"Yeah, that idiot's fine. He told me you got hurt instead. Thanks, man." Gamakichi puffed up, turning his attention back to Hawkeye, who actually looked worried. "No one, but NO one tries to hurt my baby brother but me, bitch!" Naruto warily looked at the group surrounding his friends.If he attacks, they're going to go all out, I just know it!The problem was, he didn't see all the faces he was familiar with. While he had complete faith in his friends, he didn't think he could handle them getting hurt because of him right now.
"Now now, Gamakichi, we've talked about this," Kakashi rested a hand on the toad's arm, ignoring the threatening looks being shot around. "You and Pakkun need to complete the mission. I'll take care of things here with Naruto." He turned his attention to the dog sitting calmly at his feet. "Pakkun, go let Tsunade-sama know that phase one was a success."
"You sure that's a good idea, Kakashi? I don't like the look of these people. And Naruto there is looking a little worse for wear." Pakkun growled, "Maybe we should stay and help, yeah?"
"No. Finish your mission, that's an order."
Naruto blinked dully for a second as both summons disappeared with aPUFFT!,obviously unhappy. "Wait, Tsunade-baa-chan's ok? What about everyone else?"
"They're all worried about you, of course, Naruto," came Kakashi's evasive response. "Sakura, Sai, and Yamato all volunteered for this mission, but, well, Sai doesn't have a summon yet and the three of them are needed back home, anyway. So, they sent me. I hope you don't mind."
Mustang took a step forward, shrugging off Ed, "And who, exactly, are you?"
"Me?" Kakashi pointed to himself, sliding in front of Naruto.This can't be good, Kakashi's angry."I'm Hatake Kakashi, Jounin of Konohagakure. And who might you be?"
Mustang looked taken aback at getting a straight answer from someone for once. "I'm Roy Mustang, Brigadier General of Amestris."
"Ah, good," Kakashi pushed Naruto behind him, ignoring the teen's protests, "Now that we've gotten those annoying pleasantries out of the way, I'll be taking my student and leaving now."
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." Mustang smirked as Hawkeye leveled her weapon at Kakashi.
"No!"
"Shut up, Ed. Let me handle this." The dark haired man's attention never left Kakashi. "Your... student... is a threat."
"What exactly did you do, Naruto?" Kakashi casually asked.
"He destroyed a building, hurting many of my people, and has refused to cooperate. I intend to get answers, and I'll use any means necessary to get them."
"Guess you were a bit busy, eh, Naruto?" Kakashi's eye crinkled in a smile, "I guess that explains your appearance as well. Good boy." He turned his attention back to Mustang, suddenly deadly serious, "It's unfortunate for you, then, that I have no intention of sitting still while you try and get those answers."
Crap, he's really, really pissed.Killer intent radiated off the older shinobi as he faced down the growing group. "Kakashi-sensei? I really don't think this is a good idea..." before the blond could finish his statement, Kakashi whisked them away in a swirl of leaves. Blinking, he found himself up on the roof.
Kakashi smiled, "What was that about it being a bad idea, Naruto?" he asked as the aura around him faded.
"Um, well, I think a few of them can sense chakra. Or at least, they can feel where I am." Naruto grumbled.
"Well, now. That could be a problem." The man opened up his favorite book once more, assuming what Naruto had come to know as 'the really annoying thinking pose.' "Why don't you start from the beginning and tell me what happened while I plan our next move, alright?"
"Let's see. Well, I was talking to Nagato about bringing everyone back, and when I turned around I was in this weird place that had a guy who grinned worse than Orochimaru and looked like a smudge on the wall, but then, then next thing I knew I was freaking HUGE and people were attacking me! I got captured, but then I couldn't get away and the damn mangy furball kept messing with my concentration, too. I was seriously weak for some reason. Something about a fee?" He scratched his head, "You know, Ibiki would probably like these guys. Some of the tactics they use are the same... Anyway, I almost got away, yesterday, was it? But then this blond girl would've gotten flattened so I had to go back to rescue her, you know? And then, well, we're here."
Kakashi put his book down and sighed, "How many times have I told you that that is NOT the way you give a proper report? Only you would be able to give a report that tells someone everything they want to know and yet absolutely nothing at the same time. I know Iruka taught you better than that."
"Heheh, yeah, well...a lot has happened?" The teen laughed nervously as Kakashi looked over the edge of the building. Down below they could see the group scurry around trying to locate just where the experienced nin had taken them. For the first time since he'd arrived, things were really looking up, and it was all thanks to his teacher's appearance.Wait a second...If Kakashi-sensei is here..."GAH! Kakashi-sensei! How are you supposed to get back! That means you're stuck too!"
"Calm down, Naruto. I should be fine. I'm not going to get stuck like you." He turned his attention back to his book for a moment, turning the page as he walked away from the ledge, "I assume the problem has something to do with your smudge-man with the creepy smile."
"Well, that's not fair," the blond pouted, "how come I get screwed, then?"
"Mmm... I'll have to get back to you on that." Looking fondly at his student, he continued, "For now, just think of it as getting caught by ANBU border patrol when you try and get back to the Fire Nation. I remember Jiraiya saying something about a mishap like that, right? So, all we have to do is find a way for you to get past that, and you'll be home free." He ruffled Naruto's hair before walking back to the edge determinedly.
"Kakashi-sensei? You're not gonna leave me here, are you?"
"Don't worry, Naruto, I'll be right back," Kakashi chuckled, "Those who abandon the mission are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash. Especially when that comrade happens to be the savior of the village." The man shot his student a slightly nervous smile, "Think about it from my perspective. Tsunade and Sakura would kill me if I went back without you."
"Well..." He looked down at his tattered clothes.I must look like shit. They're gonna kill me for getting into so much trouble. That's IF they don't kill me for disappearing like that.
As usual, his thoughts must have been clear on his face. Kakashi smiled, "Trust me. It's in both of our best interests for me to bring you back as soon as possible. So sit tight, I'll be back in a bit." With that, he vanished.
_*&*&*_POV MUSTANG_*&*&*_
Mustang was beyond angry as he stormed back to his office. Not only did some random stranger appear out of nothing again, but then he up and vanished with his captive! Everyone was diligently looking for the two of them, but so far there had been no luck. Roy had finally made enough of a pest of himself that Hawkeye had told him to go be useful and get some paperwork done. He snorted, his mind far from the stacks of paper on his desk that awaited his return as he marched down the last hall.The man is fast, much faster than the blond. No, that's not quite right... he doesn't hesitate. This Kakashi person is dangerous.His thoughts kept circling back to the look that man had given him, the look that made him feel like the bad guy. "The HELL with this!" He snarled, sending a poor private scurrying down the hall in fear as the flame alchemist yanked open his door and slammed it behind him.
"Well,someoneseems to be in a bad mood, Brigadier General."
Mustang brought his fingers up, ready to snap. "Who's there?"
"Don't tell me you've forgotten me already." A man with silver hair was sitting in the window, paging though a folder. Roy had a feeling he knew which folder it was.
"You!"
"Yes. Me." Kakashi put the folder down and lazily looked over at the other man. Roy felt a chill. This was a man who wouldn't hesitate to kill. It was in that moment he realized how lucky they'd been in dealing with the monster-teen. Despite the homunculus-like creature trapped within, the whiskered teen had not seemed particularly blood-thirsty. He'd even gone out of his way to rescue Winry for crying out loud. The shinobi before him now, however, was a very different story. He's seen war, Mustang realized, and right now,I'm his enemy.SHIT. Where the hell are these freaks coming from?"Why the hell are you here in my office? And for that matter, how the hell did you find it?" The man didn't move from his spot as Roy cautiously made his way to his desk. It was a risky move, but as a power play he deemed it necessary.
"Me? I told you, I'm just here to collect my wayward student. It seems he got caught up in a jutsu that somehow led him to end up here with you. We've been looking everywhere for him, you know, and when Gamatatsu showed up yammering about a bunch of 'Weirdo Freaks that were Very Mean and Scary' that wouldn't let Naruto leave, well then. It's only natural that we thought you had something to do with it."
When he put it that way..."So you came here, alone, to rescue him?"
"Yes."
"Well," Roy smirked, "as I said before, that's just not going to happen. Your student, whatever he is, did a lot of damage, and he's not going anywhere until he can prove he's not a threat. Unless you want to try and convince me?" he dared the other.
Kakashi's eye got steely as he held up the folder he had been looking though, "You play rough, don't you, Mustang? Sadly for me I don't have the regenerative abilities Naruto does, and unfortunately for you, I'm not as nice aboutthesethings as he is, either." He stood, tossing the folder onto the desk.
There was a banging at the door before it flew open. "Yo, Mustang, Ling says the freaky brat is on the roof. You coming or...never mind then. I see you're busy. We'll just..."
Roy sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "Edward..." he growled, not even bothering to look behind him, "Now is not a good time, Fullmetal."
"Yeah. I can see that, jackass. Come on, Al, let's go on that fox hunt."
The jounin vanished from in front of Mustang, only to appear behind Al holding a sharp kunai to his throat.
"Alphonse! Roy, do something about this!"
"Not this again." Roy rolled his eyes, "Relax, Edward, your brother is more than capable of taking care of himself."
Al was busy discovering that this shinobi was on a completely different level. If Kakashi didn't want to let you go, you weren't going anywhere. Pressing his kunai a little harder against the struggling gray-eyed blond, Kakashi drew blood. Casually, he remarked, "Don't move if you don't want to get hurt, kid," before turning his attention back to the leader of the group. "So, General, what's it going to be?"
"Let me guess, you'll let Alphonse go if I allow you and your student to escape, correct?"
"That's the general idea, yes."
"And if I say no? You'll kill the boy?"
Roy could see Ed's face as he froze, warily looking between the two men, and his stomach dropped a little bit. He knew what the other man was going to say. It was exactly what he would say if the tables were turned. Kakashi's eye turned cold, "Yes. I'll drop him right now, and anyone else I need to." The two men stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Over Kakashi's shoulder, Mustang saw Armstrong's hand raised in a familiar gesture:On your mark. I'll back you up.An old code they'd used back in the day. It was a relief that Armstrong must have followed the boys. He just wasn't sure he could move fast enough to save Al, though.
Mustang was actually relieved when Ed broke the taboo.
"Would both of you just knock it off?" Ed shouted, pushing his way between the two men, barely sparing a glance to for his brother. "Enough of this macho-posturing bullshit, Mustang, I'm not letting you risk my brother's life for something so stupid!" He turned his baleful glare at Kakashi, "Listen, I really don't give a shit who you are, but I don't like you threatening my little brother. I get that you think you're protecting your student or whatever, but I think we all just need to calm down and talk about this like rational adults. All we want is some answers on WHY that guy came slamming into a building looking like a freaking GIANT FOX, ok?"
"Giant fox?" The jounin looked at Roy with new respect, "You survived a Kyuubi attack? You are either really good, or really lucky. Personally, I'm going with lucky."
"It wasn't that bad, Ishballan," Armstrong put in, warily coming into the room. "In fact, the beast was easy enough to fell compared to some other homuculi we have faced. Much easier than getting answers out of the boy the monster turned into, in fact."
"Scratch that," he let go of Al, who went running to his brother, "Incredibly lucky. And stupid. I'll take it then that you were not part of Nagato's plan?" The man expertly twirled his kunai before slipping it back into his pouch and pulling out his book, the picture of calm. He didn't even bother to shift his position to keep everyone in sight. His stance told Roy that he'd known the whole time that Armstrong had been there, and he wasn't threatened at all.
There's that name again!"Who the hell is this Nagato person?" Mustang asked, "And what plan?"
"Hmm, I'm not so sure about the details myself. Really, we thought he was sending Naruto to someone in particular. At least, that's what Yamato thought." The man calmly turned the page of his book, "It wouldn't be the first time a jinchuuriki was kidnapped by an unknown group," he continued sardonically.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
Mustang sighed, casting a glance at the teen now perched on his windowsill. "I thought you said he was on the roof, Ed."
"Well, he was!"
"No, he still is, I can feel him up there," Alphonse cut in, looking confused.
The silver haired man ignored the looks Naruto was getting and turned the page again, "Yes, Naruto?"
"Boss says we've got trouble coming up on the roof. Wants to know the plan." The teen glared at Roy, "You need a hand, sensei?"
"No, I think I've got it under control." He looked over the top of his book at Mustang, "Let's say we call a truce, hmm? A temporary one, at least." Everyone was shocked at his words, "Or, we could fight." He cocked his visible eyebrow, a deliberate challenge.
Damn him, he's sure he'd win. Roy fumed, glaring at the man before shooting a look at the blond shinobi.Even the brat there thinks they'll win. If I refuse...I can't take the risk. DAMN it. "Fine."
Kakashi nodded, "You heard the man, Naruto. Now, why don't you let the others know, and I'll see you in a bit?"
"But..." The blond pouted for a second, "Fine. I'll let the boss know."PUFFT!He vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving a stunned room behind him.
"How the HELL do you do that, anyway?" Ed exasperatedly demanded.
Sorry if Kakashi seems a bit...Ooc, being actively angry, but Naruto looks like crap, and has been gone for quite a while. He's also looked at the file, and he doesn't like what he sees. Doesn't matter if he can't read it, he was in the ANBU, and I'm sure he's seen similar types of folders. That, plus what Naruto told him earlier...he's no fool though, which is why he called for a truce.
Things will start to come to light in the next chapter, including what's going on back at Konoha...
I think that's it for my notes. And here I thought I had more.