The heart of autumn was falling away just like the lingering leaves as winter drew closer. Most of the trees had lost their foliage now, while few remained determined to hold on for a couple more weeks. The cooler temperatures and gustier winds were doing all they could to strip the last of the trees from their protection. Even fewer evergreen trees scattered the landscape, unbothered by the changing into the harsher season. Their leaves and needles would remain into the new year, offering security from the elements to small birds and animals.

Below the twisted and nearly bare canopy of trees, Akane winced as a leg swept along the ground, colliding with her ankle. Finding balance on her untouched foot, she shuffled back to gain her equilibrium at the last moment. Her opponent readied again before charging forward, never extending a real opportunity to recover.

Straining her ears and senses, she blocked a combination of blows successfully. Throwing a set of offensive attacks in return did little to turn the fight in her favor as her fists met only air. A kick in the back was her answer as to why.

The impact caused her to stumble forward just as another attack collided with her ribs. Grimacing, she slammed her elbow down before the opponent's leg could retreat, effectively locking them in place against her side. Now was her chance to take advantage of her opponent's vulnerability.

Flipping her body around, she wrapped her legs across his thigh, bringing them both crashing to the ground as her hands placed themselves aggressively around his ankle, and pushed. The muscles and tendons teetered on the edge, no doubt sending reverberation through his nerves as a painfilled grunt escaped him.

"Is this… a clone?" she heaved between breaths.

The implication was clear: if it was a clone, she'd not hesitate to dislocate their knee.

Her opponent huffed out an amused gasp of air that was strained, even to her ears. "Unfortunately, not. That's my leg."

Akane's lips quirked up as one hand released its hold of his heel to remove the blindfold from her head. Lifting the fabric gave her a visual of the world splashed in warm hues from the setting sun. At the other end of tangled limbs was her opponent, still lying across the forest floor and propped on his elbows to watch her. A bright reflection from the forehead protector caught her attention as he tilted his head, causing the gash across the emblem to appear deep like a crevice. The dark eye peered back in a slight crinkle and the fading light cast a shadow across his mask, hinting at the smile beneath.

"Do you give up?" Akane pressed, feeling a triumphant smirk start to form.

Chuckling breathlessly, he nodded, "You got me, I concede."

Akane relaxed her limbs, initiating them to settle in a heap across the dirt. Kakashi took that time to pull his leg away and push himself until he was sitting upright. His knee bent out and in where he stretched the abused muscles before resting an elbow across the top.

"You're making improvements, Akane. That may be the fastest spar yet."

"Well, as much as I hate it, I'm a big enough person to admit that the blindfold has been useful in forcing me to fight with my senses."

"I can see how that's true but remember: that's not the purpose of the method. We're doing it because you think too much about reading your opponent in a fight, which opens you up to sloppy footwork. By not having the ability to watch your enemy, you're forced to adapt your counter attacks by flowing with the natural pressure of the battle instead of trying to predict their next move."

Akane didn't respond to her partner as she laid back against the dirt to stare at the painted sky through the branches. That wasn't the first time hearing the critique and it was far from the last. In the past two months since they began their sparring regime, it was a topic that came up repeatedly. Tired of being knocked on the ground, Akane gave in to Kakashi's methods, more to retain what was left of her pride than out of trust in his techniques. Fortunately for her, there were improvements being made, which, in turn, made her reluctance to listen to him dwindle.

Kakashi was grateful for that.

"You take these 'sensei' duties seriously. Color me impressed." Akane lifted her head to gaze at the shinobi across from her. "But I still don't like these spars."

Her response was a roll of his visible eye. "Stop complaining. You just admitted to seeing progress."

"So? Still doesn't mean I have to like them."

"If you put half the energy you use in complaining into listening to my instruction, we could move onto another lesson."

"Am I really that bad that I need lessons now? From you?" The offense was evident in her tone as she raised a brow.

"What do you mean by 'from me'? Who else are you going to train with?"

"Training and lessons are distinctly different things, Kakashi. So, I ask again, am I really that bad?"

Kakashi's gaze drifted to the canopy overhead as a hand came to his chin in thought. Seeing the man contemplate her question, Akane felt her brow twitch as she fully propped herself on her elbows to fix him with a glare.

"Listen here, Hatake. If you say—"

"I'm just teasing," he chuckled and tossed her another eye crinkle. "You're not bad at all. I misspoke when I said lesson earlier. Old habits and all that."

The irritation she felt ebbed away almost instantly. Still, Kakashi offered further explanation as the new train of thought started to run from him.

"You're talented in combat and you've given me a reliable challenge every time we fight. As your partner, when I offer critiques, it's in areas where I see improvements can be made. But it doesn't mean you're bad at it."

"Except my footwork."

"If the footwork is the worst of it, I'd say that shows how just how well your skillset is."

Akane felt a smile tug at the compliments he sent her way. Not wanting him to see how much it pleased her to hear, she leaned back against the ground to stare at the sky. Despite her claims that she didn't care for sparring, it wasn't entirely true. Having someone she trusted enough to practice with brought back memories from Konoha. Before the massacre and before the Chunin Exams. When she was a true member of her team. It was something she never thought she'd get to experience again. As if the closest thing was just a memory. While the current spars were not the same, it was something she enjoyed with her partner.

As Akane's breathing began to level out, she contemplated how far the pair had gotten in the past couple of months. Since the new Bingo Books were released, she encountered a higher number of hunter-nin openly looking to start a fight. Kakashi, on the other hand, didn't notice the inconvenience seeing as the entirety of the situation was foreign and new to him. Not having anything previous to go off of made the adjustment simpler to learn from than someone used to less aggression sent their way.

The books also shed light on her skills, which was a completely new set of difficulties Akane had to deal with. The perks of not being known meant she was able to blend in more frequently, having hunters overlook the woman when her mask was off, and her headband hidden beneath her cloak. If conflict ever started against a team, they usually lacked any knowledge of her skills which gave her a keen advantage, especially if outnumbered and outclassed.

That was no longer the case.

However, having Kakashi by her side made up for the trouble tenfold. His talent in battles and ability to interchange between long- and short-range attacks complimented her own skillset. The flow and communication they shared had improved each fight and was a far cry from their first fights against Konoha's ANBU teams.

Still, one thing they had yet to breach was creating combination jutsus. With Akane's volatile chakra, and Kakashi's nature being lightning based, they were both hesitant to jump in on experimenting with techniques during missions. There was no need to cause unnecessary injury to one another. Instead, they planned to try combination attacks between assignments when they weren't on a time limit or at risk of being behind enemy lines. But being missing-nin didn't really allow for the same downtime that Kakashi was used to when he returned to the village. They were constantly on watch for enemies or anyone looking to get lucky with a cash reward. Foreign boundaries were everywhere when they shared no loyalties.

Together they sat quietly, watching the colors change until the pastel hues started to grow colder with grey. A chill was settling in across the land as night fell. Rolling down her sleeves, Akane moved to a seated position, pulling Kakashi's attention away from the canopy.

"Can I ask you something?"

It was a sentence that typically led to a subject that had been lingering on her mind. While they had long since given up the game of question-exchange, Kakashi had learned that Akane stewed on topics before finding the nerve to ask him. An odd trait given that there was usually a loose connection between her brain and mouth, leading to unfiltered comments. Still, it always filled him with a sense of trepidation when she finally was brave enough to breach the subject.

"Sure, what's on your mind?"

"Your sabre," she shifted her weight to make a motion with her hand before propping it behind her again, "you made a point to bring it with you from Konoha, but you never use it."

"Is there a question to that?"

"Why?"

Unsurprisingly, Akane's question held a topic that was an intimate detail about Kakashi's life. Another reason why he felt hesitancy when she tiptoed into a conversation that she'd been stewing about. He was certain that anyone else would have assumed that he just hadn't been in a position which needed him to use it. Particularly when other weapons or jutsus were available. The excuse was at the tip of his tongue to give her, knowing it would be believable, but it wasn't exactly true. While he didn't necessarily want to tell her the true reasonings, it still didn't set right to lie to her. And, as it was, Akane's observations were never far off from their mark. As if calibrated to take mental notes of behavior and patterns, they almost always homed in on something he kept to himself.

"It was my father's," was a simple explanation that he left hanging between them. It felt odd saying it out loud after so long. Even more so that he intended to explain more of his history. But though he wanted to say more, Kakashi found it difficult. Had he never told others about it before now?

"I see," Akane accepted to fill the pause.

Her head tilted up to the sky, considering something that Kakashi couldn't guess, even if he wanted to. He was about to elaborate further on it once he found the path through his scattered thoughts when she stood on her feet unexpectedly.

"Well, I'll get a fire started. It's going to be a cold night with those clouds rolling in. We might even get a little rain."

"That's it? You're not wanting to know more about it?" He expected her to have an entire list of questions at her disposal once he started to tell her about the sabre. Not take the first sentence as answer alone.

Akane's gaze looked down at him as he stared up. He was sure his eye was wide with the unexpected reaction from her, but he didn't care to mask it.

"Sure, I'm curious, but I won't force you to tell me if you don't want to. Besides, I think that answer told me more than you know."

Of course, it would have. She was keen on filling in the blanks and connecting the dots. The fact that she knew he didn't have any living family likely gave her a big picture of why the sabre held importance to him.

"I appreciate that." And he did. Even though he was prepared to tell her about a painful stain in his past, he hadn't necessarily wanted to do so. But there was one thing he felt he needed to explain. "I don't use it because it's broken."

Akane blinked, taking in his words before she knelt down. She must have sensed he had more to tell than just that, but not enough that she needed to sit for it.

"How did it break?"

"On a mission. After losing my eye and gaining the Sharingan, I went after the man that tried to kill my teammates. During the fight, it shattered the blade, and I've never got it repaired. Mostly, because I didn't trust a bladesmith to repair it with the dedication I wanted it to be handled with."

"I can understand that. Many would tell you to just get a new weapon." In an effort to end the conversation for him, and on a lighter note, she smiled. "I guess I shouldn't shout at you to stab the enemy with it in the future then. That'd be embarrassing."

It was one of those times that he was comforted by her teasing. "Yeah, let's avoid that."


The weeks that followed passed quickly for the pair. Autumn finally released its hold and gave way to winter, drifting across the countries like white fog snuffing the warmth. When the first cold storm hit, they were in Mist country finishing a mission in a remote village that had them escorting a family of civilians from the mainland. The wind coming off the ocean pulled the heat from Kakashi and Akane who hadn't dressed for the environment. Fortunately for them, the mission was completed without a hitch and the funding from it allowed them to go straight to the markets to get proper supplies.

Akane immediately started to inventory her scrolls, determining if she had enough cold weather items to last through the season. As she opened the dwindling rolls of parchment, she tallied a blood-stained wool scarf, longer-but torn pants, and a tattered and charred cloak. To her, the outfit 'would last one more season'; though, Kakashi couldn't help but wonder how many times she's said that and not followed through. To him, it looked like they should have been tossed out ages ago.

"You know, it may be time to get some better suited clothes. A few types would be smart, especially if we're going to different countries for missions," Kakashi had offered delicately. If he was blunt and told her she needed to throw the sad excuse for cold gear away, then she'd stubbornly dig her heels in and state they were fine.

"I usually lay low during winter. Staying in a country or two is safer than taking on a ton of missions. That's what most missing-nin do, actually. It's the slow and miserable season if you're a hunter looking for a bounty." She snickered to herself as if she had an inside joke that he wasn't in on.

Under normal circumstances, he'd admit that her argument was entirely valid and justified.

Except for two blaring issues.

1. Akane usually spent the cold months away from her team members at the time and didn't have to worry about sharing profit with another person. Not to mention, they hadn't been taking a consistent number of high-ranking missions, which meant it was quick to spend through their money on supplies or food.

And…

2. They still needed to complete missions to stay on the radar of hunters, villages, and (more importantly) Akatsuki.

Laying low for a few months wasn't going to remedy either of those issues, and Kakashi wasn't keen to stay out in the weather, hunting for their food. At least, that was Kakashi's firm and legitimate argument. Akane, however, was certain he was just trying to push her into spending the money because his new black plated vest cost a small fortune.

He fought with himself that it wasn't a 'need' but a 'want' and could wait. Then would turn around and say it was better protection and it was lighter and sturdier than his other vest. Then back again to not needing it. The guilt stemmed from the large numbers on the price tag which had the shinobi teetering between walking away or giving in. With his Jonin vest in rags and out of place for a criminal to wear, Akane knew he felt bare without it and wanted a sense of normality. Which was why she pressured him into just purchasing it. He only agreed, at the expense of her buying new clothes for herself in return.

For the various elevations and missions, of course.

The shopping was successful in the sense that the clothes and gear they purchased would suffice through anything that winter threw at them. On the other hand, one would argue unsuccessful due to having just enough funds left over for a hotel and hot meal. It looked like they would be in search of a new mission come morning, much to Akane's displeasure.

"Fine, but let's make it a good one. I'd prefer to have a couple days of doing nothing for a while," she griped as they carried their spoils to the hotel. In one of their colorful bags, Akane had purchased two blank scrolls to seal their new gear into once they made it to the room.

Kakashi sighed as he carried the bulk of their bags. It was painstakingly obvious that Akane was not a cold weather person and opted for the stay-indoors and eat-warm-meals-with-a-blanket approach. An entirely reasonable tactic, if Kakashi admitted, but the responsibility of his mission kept him focused on staying busy.

"We should opt for A or S-ranked missions then. The higher the risks, the less we have to do." Kakashi glanced at her as they crossed the road to the other side. "Know where we can get one?"

Akane tilted her head so she could cast him a sidelong smile. "As a matter of fact, I do. But," she stretched the word out, "we'll have to go by boat to get there. My closest contact is all the way in Tea."

"A ship costs money," Kakashi frowned, wondering if the cash for the hotel would even stretch for both their rides across that distance instead.

"Not if we sneak on."

Of course, Kakashi mentally deadpanned. He should have known she'd have an illegal alternative.

"And how do you plan to do that? If they find us, we'll be trapped with nowhere to go. And we can't fight on a ship, or we'll risk sinking it."

"Oh, don't tell me you're afraid of the risk. The great Kakashi of the Sharingan scared to get wet?"

Kakashi felt his face fall even more into a dry glare. "In the ocean at this time of year, yeah, I'll admit I want to avoid that."

"Relax. It's not the first time I've done it." Akane stopped at the entrance to their hotel and elbowed the door open until she could get her shoulder in to push it the rest of the way. Kakashi shifted the bags around in his arms until he had one free to hold the door open for her. "Thanks. Anyway. I have a plan to get on. The trouble will be finding a boat going straight to Tea."

Despite her optimism, Kakashi felt skeptical about the entire plan.


The next day, come to find out, Akane had a plan that worked… rather well. Despite all odds, Kakashi was actually impressed with her stowaway capabilities—which was a compliment he never expected to admit to.

After eating a warm meal the night before, and prior to turning in for the night, they both ventured to the port in search of ship logs. Upon flipping through most of the documents, they stumbled across cargo that was set to be loaded first thing in the morning on a smaller vessel going to Tea. Jackpot.

The only problem was it was set to leave around 4am. Hiding in the cargo was out of the question. The containers were small wooden boxes that needed to be shut from the outside. A simple shadow clone would suffice for the job, but being in a cramped container, nearly folded in half for days, was a level of desperation that neither were up for. Instead, Akane reassured Kakashi she had another idea, and they should go back to the hotel for some sleep. They'd have an early morning ahead of them.

Sure enough. True to her word, Kakashi had the creeping sensation of doubt as they sat in a ridiculous, stolen dingy in the bay. The waves pushed against the sides and cold splashes of salt water overflowed the edges, drenching his right side. The frigid waters continued to churn around them and he readjusted his handle on the ores to turn the boat, so it faced the onslaught of waves. As each gush of water hit him, further drenching him and Akane, his patience thinned. His partner, sensing his rising ire, reassured him that it was worth it and to just wait a little longer.

Eventually, as time agonizingly passed, the ship they were waiting for started to leave the port.

Finally, was all Kakashi could think about as Akane took her position to stand in the rocking boat.

"Try to hold it steady," she instructed as her arms spread out to the side for balance.

Kakashi's frown deepened as he worked the oars to keep the boat from being shoved in the turbulent waters. "Sure, I'll just control the ocean, Akane."

The woman only rolled her eyes until she managed to get steady enough to start her hand signs. The air around them shifted as she sent out her chakra, each symbol pulsating her energy into the frigid mist. Like a phantom, a billowing white fog rolled in from the ocean at their back. Like a sickness outstretching its fingers, it started to fill the bay with a dense cloud, limiting the visibility to nearly 10 meters away.

Kakashi winced as a stray wave slammed against the nose of the boat, shoving them to the side. Akane stumbled before dropping to her knees as her partner worked to straighten their vessel. Once back under control, his gloved hand reached to her shoulder.

"Sorry, are you alright?" he offered apologetically, not meaning to become distracted by her jutsu.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I finished it anyway," she smiled. Pointing behind him, she turned his attention to their target. "It should be coming from that direct. We'll have to look for the ship lights."

Hand returning to the oar, Kakashi started to row the dingy toward the center of the bay to meet the ship. The waves helped push them along until eventually the larger boat came to view and they floated alongside. Once they were close enough, where the dingy constantly bumped against the hull by the waves, Akane put her mask back into place and began climbing with her chakra.

As she perched beneath the rails, she waited for innocent crew members to walk by, primarily focusing on any lone wanderers going about their tasks. One by one, Akane would stun a victim and toss them down to the waters below where Kakashi caught them. Once they had two crew in the dingy, she climbed back down where Kakashi had already knocked them out and stolen their identity papers.

"We should hurry," Akane urged as she took a set of id's. "I think someone was calling for the last one I tossed down."

"Well, that'd be you then," Kakashi explained as he nodded to the papers. "Better change."

Sighing at her luck, Akane activated her disguise to match the crew member, feeling a little relieved that they were taller than her. Kakashi followed suit, taking on a man with similar height and blond hair. Climbing back to the ship, they made sure they weren't noticed before going about their new roles as crew. The real members were left to float back to the shore where they'd wake up confused and left behind.

The trip from the island to Tea Country went smoothly. Akane only got yelled at five times for failing in her chore to assist with the ship's direction. Apparently, the crew member she replaced was trained in navigation. A task she felt she could adequately fill. What she found out, through a series of embarrassing scoldings by the captain, was that navigating open waters was more difficult than navigating on land. Eventually, she got the hang of it and came out with a new skill. One that Kakashi wasn't keen to put to use anytime soon.

His tasks, however, were relatively simple to pick up on. Tying sail lines and folding them up when winds shifted came to him quickly, much to Akane's chagrin. Nonetheless, within days, they arrived at the port and disembarked onto dry land and severed their disguises.

"And just like that," Akane beamed with a bounce in her step beside Kakashi as they walked down a bustling market, "we're here without paying a thing. Sometimes my genius surprises me."

Kakashi looked thoughtful for a moment, before his dark eye landed on her. The pride she felt was emanating from her like a glow. Part of him didn't want to extinguish it, while the more mischievous side couldn't resist the urge. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he gave in while trying to hold back a knowing smile.

"I wouldn't say it was free. If anything, I'd even argue the captain benefitted more than we did."

The bounce subsided but her smile remained as she cocked a brow. "Oh, yeah? How so?"

"Well," was he really going to tell her? …. Yes, he was. "While the disguises were clever, we ended up working the entire time. For free, might I add. We did all the work and didn't even get paid for it. I'm pretty sure that puts us in the negative."

Akane halted abruptly in her steps as her face fell. Kakashi continued to walk on a few more paces, using the distance to school his features from revealing his fighting urge to smile. When he finally stopped to look at her, he could nearly imagine a dark cloud hanging over her as she sulked at the knowledge.

"Cheer up, Akane. You learned a new skill on the way. That's something to be happy about." The smile he released was innocent as his eye crinkled, only rubbing salt in the wound.

Akane's slumping form was dropping lower and lower until she was hovering above the ground. Grudgingly she stepped forward.

"I wish you'd keep stuff like that to yourself."

"Oh, come now. It was still a better idea than sitting in a container the whole time. Let's go get something to eat. That'll cheer you up."

"Eat? With what? We don't have enough money to buy food for both of us."

"Who says?"

Akane lifted her head to pout sourly.

Kakashi's smile was firmly etched beneath the black fabric. "What? You think I didn't check for money on the two crew members we knocked out before leaving them in the boat?"

"You pick-pocketed?" she raised a brow, disbelief dripping off her words. "You? Kakashi, the Moral Pillar and Thorn in My Side?"

The implication shattered his smile, causing it to fall away as he fixed her with a deadpanned stare. "That's harsh. Is that what you think of me?"

"Only in times when you want to take the moral high ground."

"I'm not one to use underhanded methods if I don't have to."

"Exactly what I'm getting at. But back to the point—do you really have money?"

The hopeful gaze was almost pleading as she stared up at him. Feeling his irritation chip at her eagerness, Kakashi nodded. "Let's get some lunch before we go to your contact."

After filling their stomachs full of warm, savory udon from a local shop, the pair made their way to an old teahouse in the shanty part of the village. The buildings were older than the market they previously were at and likely built when the village was first established. Over the years, as new structures were erected, the middle and upper class moved out, leaving the old buildings for lower income or missing-nin refuge. Despite the area being run down, stores and restaurants still lined the streets with patrons walking about. The teahouse in questions was a popular area with clients spread across the many tables.

Akane meandered in with Kakashi right behind, an air of familiarity drifting with her as she scanned the patrons until finding who she was looking for. Instantly, she made a direct line for the back table situated along the wall. When they got closer, Kakashi took note of the person seated in the booth, light and lengthy honey locks that draped down one shoulder. The woman sipped tea with complete content until they came to a halt, drawing her seafoam gaze to them.

"Can I help you?" she quired politely, cup still elevated from her lips. Her gaze narrowed slightly, heavy with tentativeness. The same kind that feathered into a person when confrontation was possible.

Akane hesitated as if taken aback by the brisk welcome before realizing something and uttering a curse. She spun on Kakashi, catching him by surprise as a finger jabbed at his chest.

"Damn it! You're making me develop bad habits!"

Hands coming up in defense, Kakashi tried not to show how much her finger hurt him or how confused he instantly was. "Eh? What did I do?"

Instead of answering, she turned back and unsnapped the mask from her side, placing it over her face with her hand gripping the wolf muzzle.

The woman in the booth blinked as a flash of recognition appeared. "Oh, this is a surprise." She smiled politely and set the cup down while motioning to the booth across from her. "Please sit."

Akane placed the mask back at her side before scooting in with Kakashi following, wondering why he was to blame for her not wearing her mask more often. It wasn't like he admitted to her that he preferred her without it. That was a comment he only kept to himself. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little responsible for the change, intentional or not.

"You look like you've been doing well," Akane nodded, referring to the woman's beautiful crème and gold kimono.

"Oh, this old thing? Just something I had lying around," her lips curled, reminding Kakashi of a sly cat. The kimono was obviously not old or lying around. The expense was evident in the detail and golden thread. "I've never seen you without your mask, or with another person…"

The sharp gaze landed on Kakashi as he realized the observation spun onto him.

"What a handsome and established man, too. Hatake Kakashi. You're well known throughout the area. What brings you all the way to my fine establishment."

"We're wanting a mission," Akane answered for him, her lips thinning as the attention once again drifted to her partner. That was becoming a habit, and she was starting to learn that she didn't do well with being ignored. "A high ranking one, if you've got it. Something tells me that you do if you're getting commissions high enough to purchase outfits like that."

"This was a gift, actually. One of the shinobi I'm a contact for thought I was deserving of a fine thing. So sweet of him," she answered, unaffected by the creeping bitterness in Akane's tone.

Go figure, Akane mused sourly. I don't know if that's worse or not.

The woman's beauty was alluring. Having dotters who were clients wasn't a surprise. No more than someone with her looks working with criminals, anyway. She obviously had a few tricks up her sleeve that kept her from being taken advantage of by anyone looking for an easy score.

"So, a mission. I assume you'd want your S-rank ones then? Luckily for you, I have two that came in this week. One of them is time-sensitive and pays well which I'd say is perfect for you," the woman elaborated as she reached into her bag beside her to pull out the scroll. A cunning curl of her lips and charming tilt of her head aimed at the both of them as she straightened with the item in hand. "Maybe you can treat yourself after this and get a nice kimono too, kunoichi-san. Or can I call you Akane-san now that your identity has been broadcasted?"

"I don't care what you call me," she answered as she folded her arms across her chest and closed her eyes. "Just drop the 'san' part. You know I've always hated it."

Interactions between shinobi and their contacts were always interesting to Kakashi. Some were dealt with hostility; others were in sociable terms as if they were friends outside of information dealing. While the women's interaction was friendly—at least where Akane was concerned—it still had a strange edge to it that held hesitancy. They didn't fully trust each other but there was a line of respect and familiarity between them.

"The mission is starting in the Land of Frost. As I said, there's an importance of time with it, which is why no one has taken the assignment yet."

"You sure it has nothing to do with it being in the Land of Frost at this time of year?" Akane grumbled, arms still folded and crease forming between her brows.

"Well, it starts in Frost, but the targeted group are traveling south, transporting stolen clan documents. The job needs someone to retrieve them from the group and return it to the clan."

"A shinobi clan?"

The woman nodded.

"Why can't they get it?"

"Because, while they are technically a shinobi lineage, the younger generations have not been born with chakra abilities. Their ancestors used to have a Kekkei Genkia but it was bred out of their family. Over the generations, relations between their clan and the civilians blended further until their shinobi characteristics began to vanish in the younger members. They believe someone hired a group to steal their linage in hopes to exploit it for the extinct Kekkei Genkai."

"And the time-sensitive part comes from intercepting it from the group before whoever hired them can get it," Kakashi finished.

"That's correct. It pays very well, as I said—and I'm sure you can imagine."

"Except it's starting in Frost, where it's likely under a few feet of snow by now," Akane mumbled.

The woman only smiled. "Well, I have lower rank ones if you'd prefer, but in my opinion, I think you're better suited for this one."

"Why's that?"

"Because you'd be successful, of course."

"And you'd get a healthy commission."

"Hey, a girl's got to eat somehow."

Akane shook her head, though the corner of her lips tilted up. "You said there's two S-rank missions. What's the other one?"

The woman closed her eyes and rested her chin on the back of her hand daintily. "Forget I mentioned the second. You'd have more problems with that one than it's probably worth. Plus, you aren't exactly welcomed in the region it's taking place in."

Akane raised a brow, and the woman could sense that she wouldn't leave it at that. Opening her eyes, her amusement that had floated around her seemed to dampen. "It's in Iwa."

The three words were heavy in the air, as if the weight of them altered the gravity between the women. Kakashi, quietly assessing Akane and the woman during their exchange, looked between them. Neither paid him any mind as they silently communicated something that he had no hope to decipher.

"Ah," Akane's face fell into an unreadable expression, almost blank and indifferent suddenly. "Of course, it would be... Fine." She turned to Kakashi with a grin that was too forced in his opinion. "Ready to go to Frost, then?"

Filled with questions, Kakashi almost started to ask why Iwa was off limits. For what reason would she need to avoid the region when she was hunted in every country regardless? What made that area so significant?

But the impulse was snuffed out in that last second as he gained control of his tongue. Openly inquiring about a sensitive issue in a public tea house was not only stupid, but a distraction they didn't need. Now wasn't the time to get the answers to his questions. He'd wait.

"About the time limit," Kakashi started as he reached a hand to take the scroll from the contact. The woman slid it across the table to him. "What time frame are we looking at?"

"The group should be out of Frost by now. I believe they're heading to Wind Country. Within a week, you'll need to obtain the scroll. If they're moving quickly-which I'm sure they will be—then I suspect in 10 days, it'll be delivered."

"We should head out soon then. Best to have room in case we run into trouble on the way."

"Ugh," Akane slouched in the booth while tossing her head back. "I guess."

Kakashi's dark eyed narrowed grimly. "Do you have to be so negative? Completing some high paying missions means we get to work less." Didn't they already have this conversation?

"But these S-ranked missions take more effort."

"I swear you've spent half your energy in complaining lately. Let's just get it over with and then you can get your time off."

The contact smiled as she watched Hatake Kakashi berate their mutual associate who seemed more interested in moaning than being professional. It was the first time she'd seen Akane's face and a glimpse of her true personality. The change was stimulating and nothing at all as she imagined from the cold kunoichi. On the same note, the famed Konoha shinobi was fairly down to earth. Despite the fearsome nicknames that were associated with his appellation, the man was patient and easy to talk to.

What happened to cause such a change? Not only was Akane without her mask, but she essentially had a partner. Were they an item? There were plenty of times that missing-nin had found companionship in the field. Whether they lasted was another story, but on rare occasions there would be a pair that lasted through any troubles that faced them.

Would these two be the same, she mused as the two continued to bicker across from her. Or would they face failure?


*5 days later in River Country*

A beautiful landscape with geographic stone croppings intermixed with grasslands and forests. Given the name, it wasn't surprising to see rivers and streams flowing in between the terrain to bring life throughout the region. As if Nature's hands were being outstretched across the land, feeding rich water into the neighboring countries. Being land locked and between larger nations like Fire and Wind, where heat and moisture met, stirred up a damp climate. As a result, the area had rain throughout the year, feeding into Grass Country and then to Fire, usually the turning point for storm systems coming from the south.

Akane loved it. The storms that moved through were intense but short when the sky decided to open up. Otherwise, the usual rain that occurred was cleansing and calm. During the winter season, Akane would hope for the rain to stick around if she was in River at the time. That was because when the clouds vacated the sky, the evening temperatures would drop further, freezing any moisture in the air. The mornings would find the world masked in a thin layer of ice as if a painter's brush covered a blank canvas in thin whitewash.

Fortunately, the current mission took place in the early weeks of winter where the temperatures and overcast sky locked in the warmth enough to stay off the freezing mornings. A small reprieve for Akane. On the other hand, she wasn't keen to get rained on either. Even though snow and ice weren't likely today, it didn't mean it wasn't cold out.

The thought urged her to close her battered brown cloak across the front to block the cool air. The new black cloak she'd purchased was stored away for now to help blend into their surroundings better.

"There really is no honor amongst rogue shinobi." An unexpected observation.

Akane glanced to her right where Kakashi crouched beside her between a thorny shrub and boulder. He looked contemplative on the subject, and she wondered how their thoughts could vary so much when left in silence.

"I don't know about that," she countered. "I consider my moral honor to be pretty high."

"I was referring to the lifestyle more than one's morality," he elaborated, pulling his gaze from the churning water of the river across from them. "Missing-nin fight against villages and against other rogues just for a paycheck. It doesn't really matter if they have things in common or similar goals outside the mission. Everything is fair game when money is on the table."

The revelation was out of the blue, causing Akane to hesitate in her response as she mulled over his words. Chewing on her bottom lip, she reflected on her own experiences over the years to find that Kakashi wasn't wrong in his observation. She didn't fault him for it, knowing that she was lumped under the missing-nin umbrella. It was just the way life was for a rogue.

Shrugging, she offered her usual sarcastic reply, "What? Did you think I was being unreasonable for not trusting people? You've got to stay on your toes in this line of work."

Kakashi sighed heavily, making her wonder why he was so down and pondering a heavy subject. "It's exhausting after a while, isn't it? I supposed I'm just not used to being vigilant nonstop with little to no reward for it."

"I don't think anyone truly gets used to it, to be honest. It's just one of those things that has to be done or else you risk getting hurt. After a while, it stops being a chore and more of an annoying habit."

"Where do you get your motivation? I mean, I have a mission to accomplish, even though I still have a way to go. But I can't imagine just being out here without some main objective. What keeps you going during all this?"

"Well," Akane hesitated, and her lips pinched together in thought. She'd never really considered her situation to be as bleak as Kakashi was hinting to. Sure, being on the run was exhausting. And not having people she could trust be there for company, left for lonely times. And knowing that all she was doing was just endlessly taking on missions so she could afford her next meal and hotel. But it wasn't for nothing. Right?

The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't be certain.

Way to bring the mood down, Sparky, she mused dryly. Instead of voicing her growing doubts, Akane opted for the lighter approach.

"I'm sure one day, I'll have something else to motivate me. Right now, I'd say my goal is helping you with your mission and that's enough. But... even so-speaking big picture here- sometimes you don't have to find the answers for everything. I think it can be enough to just admit you're lost. For now."

"Don't you ever wish you didn't leave Konoha?"

Akane blinked, surprised by the pointed question. Her expression fell, making Kakashi realize what he blurted out unexpectedly. He was getting bad at not keeping his thoughts to himself. In an effort to smooth it over, he scratched the back of his neck, a clear sign to Akane he was self-conscious.

"Er, sorry. That was impolite of me. I didn't mean it like that."

"How did you mean it?"

"I meant to ask if you missed having a place where you didn't have to worry about enemies. Somewhere you could be among friends and drop your guard for a while. It was rude to assume you'd want that at Konoha of all places."

Akane watched him from the corner of her peripheral, lips in a fine line, neither judging or pleased. She merely observed her companion who avoided her gaze while his shoulders stayed hunched.

"I would like that," came her careful response. Her attention drifted back to the opening before them, aware that Kakashi's had shifted to her. She didn't let that deter her answer, however. "As you remember, I left the village so I could try to protect it from the corruption. But admittedly, I've become distracted and done little besides running into dead ends. Some hero I am." She finished it with a tense laugh at her expense.

"I'll admit, living on the run has put things into perspective for me. You don't get the amount of liberty or time one would expect. I'd say you've done the best you can with the cards you've been dealt. That's nothing to be ashamed of."

Akane could feel heat rising to her cheeks as he soothed over her self-regrets with compliments. Clearing her throat, she shook her head, hoping the action would sift the heat away from her face. She wasn't the one who needed comforting. Clearly, Kakashi was troubled, so she opted to direct the subject back to him.

"In my defense, I'm only doing this mission to get money so we can finally relax for a while. And be out of this damn weather." Kakashi huffed out a noise that hinted to his amusement at her comment. Still concerned with his semi-depressing attitude, Akane decided to uncover the source of his stress. "Not that I mind philosophical discussions, but it seems like a weird time to bring it up. You know… when we're waiting for our targets to arrive so we can ambush them."

Expecting at least a forced chuckle from the white-haired man, the silence that followed seemed deafening to her. The customary relaxed and aloof demeaner hid any signs that he was upset, prior to him bringing it up. She felt a little guilty in not picking up on it sooner, though told herself he was just as good as her in hiding what he didn't want to reveal.

It sounded like he was burnt out and homesick. She knew the feelings all too well. But what she didn't know was the first thing in how to comfort someone. From their experience together so far, it was clear he didn't require coddling, but being blunt wasn't the right way to go about it either. Even if he could take it.

Besides, what could she even say to help him overcome his homesickness when he wasn't allowed to return, even if the mission was completed? Nothing. Because there technically was no more home. Even after the years of being on the run, Akane struggled to associate Konoha with home. Despite it being the closest thing to one she'd experience; it fell under the category of memory rather than a reachable location to return to.

Again, Kakashi released a sigh. "Sorry. I just got caught up in my thoughts. Don't mind me."

The apology frustrated Akane suddenly. The corner of her lips falling, her brows pinched together. The explanation was both an end to the conversation while simultaneously downplaying his justified feelings. Textbook emotional invalidation.

Closing her eyes, she knew she couldn't allow the conversation to die there. Burying his concerns wouldn't do anything but let the depressing thoughts fester. In their criminal situation, that tended to become a distraction.

Smack!

Her hand collided with his shoulder blade, stinging her palm from the impact and sound ringing through the clearing. She was grateful he didn't have his new vest on, knowing it would have hurt her more.

Kakashi flinched, more startled than in pain. A gloved hand came to his shoulder as he tossed an offended grimace her way.

"What was that for?"

"You're an idiot, Sparky," she hounded, ready to unleash her lecture on the man. "You put yourself through so much, do all you can to help others at the sake of your own safety, and still apologize for feeling things that are entirely validated. You're burnt out. And that's nothing to be ashamed of. Do you think other missing-nin don't go through the same things you're feeling? Believe it or not, everyone does. Very few actually chose this line of work because they liked the prospect of constantly being on the run and hunted. You'll find that most are circumstantial. Everyone feels homesick and exhausted, so if I hear you apologizing for it again, I'll actually knock some sense into you-and not in the polite way."

Kakashi blinked at her outburst, hand still on his shoulder. He should have told her to keep her voice down in case their targets were near, but nothing outside of her scolding registered. Before he had a chance to counter or respond, she cut him off.

"And that's not to say that 'everyone feels it, so it's not a big deal'. It is a big deal, regardless of who it is. In fact, I'd suggest that in the future, if something like this is on your mind, to talk to me. You don't have to carry it all, especially when I'm here to help. Not to mention, a personal rule of mine is that you don't take missions when you're burnt out. That's just asking for trouble." She sighed, realizing that her blunt approach was her instinctual fallback. She wanted to avoid the harsh approach but let her frustrations get the better of her judgement. In a calmer tone, she added, "When we finish this mission, we're taking time off. It'll do both of us some good to take a break and relax."

At the end of her rant, Kakashi's hand fell as he looked ahead, the headband blocking her view to the rest of his face. Akane didn't say anything further, refusing to feel ashamed for her outburst, despite fearing she made things worse. Did she hurt his feelings? Was she too harsh, even though she meant well?

Stop thinking about it, she urged, trying to focus on the task. It was what it was, at that point. She couldn't take back what she said.

"Thank you, Akane."

What?

Akane's eyes landed on him. "Er…"

Kakashi returned her gaze and offered a fragile smile beneath the mask. "I needed to hear that. You're right, I shouldn't keep it from you, and hearing that you care reminded me that I should be a good teammate by communicating better."

"Er…" Akane wrung her hands in her lap, struggling to hold eye contact with him. There was the instinct to deny that she cared about him came to her tongue, but she didn't allow it to be released, knowing it wasn't exactly true. Which startled her more than anything. Since when did she actually care about her team? Was it a side effect to being around him so frequently that their relationship had started to form something other than a mutual goal?

That couldn't be it. Who would want to associate with someone like her on a level aside more than cohort? Akane didn't have friends. Not anymore.

"It's fine. Just a critique," she offered lamely. She wanted the conversation to end now, not trusting her own emotions on the matter.

"Sure," Kakashi agreed, sensing she wanted the topic to die already. His smile spread a little wider, finding her social discomfort an endearing reminder that he was treading in those uncharted waters again. The fact that she didn't deny that she cared was progress in his opinion. Something he was interested in seeing how far it went.

But it would have to wait. As it happened, one of his clones, located miles away, deactivated to relay him the message.

Their targets were on their way to them.


It happened so quickly. As soon as the group entered the clearing, one of the men called the team to a halt, instantly sensing that something was off. Distinctly a sensory type, the bald shinobi alerted the others that they weren't alone and to be on their guard. Knowing it was the worst-case scenario, Kakashi carefully conjured three newcomers from across the river to approach the team.

One took the form of a dainty red-head woman tied and gagged as two gruff men pulled her along. At first, the individuals took no note of the team across the river until six paces later when they looked up.

"Eh? Don't mind us," said the conjured missing-nin holding the rope to the woman's wrists. "We don't want trouble, and we aren't looking to start none."

The team of five had their hands hovering over weapons, peering at the three across the river with apprehension. No one offered a response nor made a move.

Recognizing the tension, the second man behind the woman made a half wave, "But you know, we are looking to sell this chic off for some extra cash. If you're interested."

The woman whimpered as she shook her head at the chance that she'd be handed over to the team across from them. Tears started to fall, and she tugged at her bindings causing the first man to jerk the rope in warning.

Akane, watching the spectacle from her hiding place, sweat dropped at Kakashi's conjured image. He's secretly a little twisted, isn't he?

"We aren't interested," disregarded a man that led the team, hand resting on a blade on his hip. "Move on or we'll force you."

"Testy bunch," the man holding the rope mocked. "Why don't you move along first, so we can be sure you won't stab us in the back and take the woman."

"We don't care about her. Now go."

"Tsh, a group a guys like you and none of you want a woman for company? You expect me to believe that? Look. We're out numbered and don't want a fight with you, so you'll understand that we don't like the idea of showing you our backs."

The leader of the team reacted instantly. Hand coming away from the sword handle, it delved into the pouch on his thigh and tossed a kunai at the group across the river in a speed that was unnatural.

Instantly, a series of events happened in the span of a mere 3 seconds. The pointed weapon lodged into the victim, just as the bald man shouted a warning of 'it's a genjutsu!' to his boss. As soon as the kunai was imbedded in the woman's stomach, a mist swirled from the three conjured people before dispelling and thrusting out across the clearing. limiting visibility. As the fog crowded everyone, three snares surrounding the area released, and a flurry of shuriken rained down upon the team of five. Through the disorientating haze, Kakashi and Akane could hear the impacts and clings of blades deflecting the onslaught of projectiles, initiating the next phase of the plan.

In order for ambushes to be successful, they needed to bombard the targets' sensory system with simultaneous events and intensity to disorientate them. On average, the reaction time of someone to recognize a threat and counter was between 150 to 300 milliseconds. The eyes would see something coming at them, information would travel from the sensory cells of the eye to the brain's visual cortex, which would determine that they were in danger. Next, the motor cortex that directs movement would send signals to the spinal cord, then the limbs which would respond to the threat. In less than half a second, a person would have a sequence of 'someone is coming at me, they mean harm, block them—quick!'

Akane understood the concept well. Therefore, upon hearing the group block the shuriken, she launched into the fray, short swords out to her side as she came through the fog like a ghost. A man noticed her appear from the mist on his right, the milliseconds were ticking. But she was too close and already plunging her blade forward for his reaction to benefit him. His eyes went wide, the whites strained and enlarged. The flesh offered little to no resistance as it pierced through his neck and a spurt of blood gushed across the steel.

The kunoichi retracted it, turning to the next target to attack. As the blade retreated from his throat, a wet sloshing of crimson hitting the ground already alerted her next victim. His reaction had plenty of time to block her attack.

"Contact!" the man shouted as his kunai met her sword. The alarm call alerted the rest of the men that they had an enemy in the mist with them.

Akane narrowed her eyes through her wolf mask as she followed her left arm around toward his legs. The man leapt back to put distance between them. Getting low, Akane charged forward, intent to stop him in her next attack. Unfortunately, he landed next to one of his teammates who activated a snowy wind jutsu that sent a gale across the area. The mist was blown away as the frigid gust with ice flurries hit her full force, stopping her in her tracks and pushing her back a few feet. Her sandals carved into the dirt, leaving a pair of lines before the jutsu petered out.

Straightening, Akane whipped her right hand out, flicking blood from the blade as she stared down the four targets in the center of the clearing. The corpse of their comrade lingered between them, filling each of them with hot fury.

"You fucking piece of shit!" the leader of the team spat, venom coating the air around them. "You'll pay for that with your life!"

Akane was unaffected by the savage promise as she shook her head. "Sorry, but there's a line for that. If you hand over that clan scroll, we can part ways without further trouble."

"No fucking way! I'll see to it that your death is slow and agonizing!"

Akane inhaled through her nose, knowing that these men weren't to be taken lightly. Being an S-ranked mission all but screamed the team was dangerous and skilled. If she wasn't careful, she'd end up getting hurt in the process of getting the scroll. Regardless, she knew a fight with them was inevitable, particularly now after she took out one of their members. The remaining shinobi would be out for blood.

"Let's go then," she pushed, dropping her center of gravity.

The leader and the bald man sprinted at her; the invitation accepted. Akane brought her blades up to block one attack, then dodged another, ducking and twisting from blows and weapons sent her way. Movement in her peripheral alerted her to Kakashi joining the fight with the remaining two, followed by their calls to not look directly at the Sharingan.

As she fended off her two opponents, she found herself struggling to keep up. The flurries of attacks driven her way was consistent and perfectly timed. As one man sent an attack at her upper body, the other would target her lower. Flawless cohesion between the two. Their skills complimented the other and they used that to their full advantage to keep Akane on the defensive the entire time.

But she used that time to watch them, staying patient despite itching to get an offensive attack in. While dodging attacks, she looked for an opening. A misstep. A lazy swing. Anything that would leave a window for her to make her move.

Explosives shook the earth, causing everyone to falter before recovering, still denying her an opportunity to strike. Soil and grass rained down over them from the bombs. Some dirt made its way to her eye, which she couldn't wipe at with the mask in place. The inability to relieve the offensive dust caused her to hesitate, leading to a blade coming straight for her face. Eyes widening, she leaned as far back as she could, but it wasn't enough as the edge caught the muzzle and cheek of the mask, creating a clean gash across the porcelain. Somehow it managed to stay intact as she recovered.

Gritting her teeth, she knew the longer the fight went, the worse their odds were of getting out unscathed. She couldn't rely on Kakashi to create an opening for her because he was having his own relentless fight. The fact that they were struggling to combat their two opponents just went to show how the team used their cohesion as their main weapon. While each likely had their own strengths that made them formidable, they used a combination of their skills to their advantage. Akane was a little envious of them.

Placing one sword in the sheath at her lower back, she kept the other in her hand as she blocked both her opponents' blades at once. The strength of the men was ruthless as they put their weight into the attack, forcing her to squat lower. Her arms shook from the pressure and her sword started to inch closer to her shoulder. Grunting, she kicked her leg out behind her in an arch, allowing her body to follow as she deflected the attack. Their blades slid down hers as they stumbled forward from the sudden give, allowing Akane her first true opening. Stepping into the sensory shinobi's space, she stepped on his foot, crouched to grab a knife from his ankle holster, and slid her sword across the back of his knee. He screamed out in agony as she flipped over him, dodging a kunai from the recovered leader, and stabbed the bald man in the shoulder with his knife.

Cursing at her, the man staggered backwards before falling to his knees. The leader spared him a brief glance, making sure he was alright before attacking her in a frenzy that had her scrambling to block. Her moves were getting sloppy as panic set in, afraid she'd make a mistake in her desperation to defend herself.

Another explosion jolted the ground, this time closer. The split air crashed against their side, creating a force that knocked them across the ground. More dirt splattered them, and a high pitch ringing throbbed her left eardrum. As Akane clambered to her feet, she felt her equilibrium off kilter from the bomb. Panting, she glanced around, seeing that Kakashi was recovering from the explosion as he attacked one of the others. Relieved that he was okay, she returned her focus to her own opponents, just as the leader sprinted from the smoke at her. This time she was ready to block and send a few attacks in return.

I need to find that scroll!

She swung her arm behind her, catching the man's cheek with her hilt. The leader followed up with a retaliating swing of his blade, slicing the string that held her mask in place. The porcelain clambered to the ground 20 feet away as they locked blades once more.

Akane's mind worked double time, picking apart where the object was while in the heat of the battle. The scroll wouldn't be on the deceased shinobi, or else the team would've retrieved it before she could. It wouldn't be on the man who kept using explosives haphazardly, or they'd risk it getting destroyed. So that left the leader, the sensory shinobi, or Kakashi's second opponent.

Across the clearing, the groan of a tree coming down cut the air above Kakashi. Sensing the threat, he rolled out of the way as the tree collapsed to the earth between him and the explosive opponent. The second man realized he was on the same side as Kakashi and lunged for an attack. Kicking his leg out, Kakashi's sandal collided with the man's wrist, causing him to release his massive shuriken in the air. Kakashi followed up with another kick right in his chest that sent him backwards and into the dirt. As the shuriken came down, Kakashi leapt up to meet it in midair, grabbing it as he landed on the bole of the tree. Without a moment of hesitation, he hurled the large weapon through the air at his second opponent, watching as the four bladed projectile spun through the space between them prior to lodging in the man's ribs. Blood gushed out from his side, coating the fabric of his clothes before he suddenly dispersed into a log as a substitute.

Crimson eye narrowing, Kakashi searched for the real enemy, only catching sight of the explosive shinobi near a boulder where Akane fought the leader of the team. Too distracted by her opponent, and unaware of the danger she was in, Kakashi knew he had only a split second to react. Calling her attention was a disastrous decision that would leave her opened to the leader's ruthless attacks or the bomb that the other man was preparing to release in that very moment.

Kakashi didn't think about his next move. Perhaps he should have. Maybe he would've considered the risk it was or the flaw in his application of it. But he didn't have the luxury of time to think about it.

"Mangekyou Sharingan!"

A sharp, piercing intensity erupted from his eye as it tugged at large amounts of his chakra.

The ball of explosive-tags left the shinobi's hand, hurling right at Akane's unsuspecting back. Kakashi focused on it with everything he had, not having the practice behind his technique. He saw and felt the air around the ball twist and writhe, sucking as it pulled the ball from one reality to another. Sweat beaded across his brow and the world seemed to freeze as he concentrated on vanquishing the threat, putting his energy into maintaining the Sharingan's power across that distance. He was vaguely aware of the leader jumping away from Akane suddenly, causing her to whirl around and confront the threat. Jaw going slack, she brought her arm up in a pitiful defense against the explosion, just as it activated. A flash of white erupted before the Sharingan managed to contain it in the vortex and erase it from their plane of existence.

Panting from the exertion, Kakashi blinked rapidly, trying to ease the sudden ache behind his eye and dull throb. Across from him, Akane's eyes were wide, and her mouth worked, exclaiming something that didn't reach his ears. Her arm was now outstretched, a stricken look of panic set in as she sprinted toward him. He struggled to make sense of it all while his body recovered from the sudden drain on his chakra.

But it was too late. Too slow to react.

He realized that just as a blade pierced through his back. At first it felt simply like a harsh tug that shoved him forward a step. Then the unbearable agony followed as his gaze dropped to the tip of a blade, drenched in scarlet liquid that protruded from his abdomen. Stunned, he barely registered the arrogant scoff of his second opponent behind him who tugged the sword free in one forceful yank. The motion caused Kakashi's foot to step back in order to remain standing while a gloved hand came to his wound. Before he could comprehend his next move, the shinobi's hilt collided with the top of his head, causing Kakashi to slump forward across the dirt in a heap. As if his body was nothing more than a lifeless puppet with snipped strings.

A panicked voice split the air as more sounds finally reached his senses. Still, it was distant, almost like the lingering sensations of a dream after waking.

"Kakashi!"


Hiya! I'm sorry for the delay. To be honest, I have so many scenarios that I wanted to play out between Kakashi and Akane's missions but trying to organize them in the time frame was the challenge. In my mind, Kakashi wouldn't be confronted by Akatsuki so soon after deflecting from Konoha. With his background, it makes sense that they'd be skeptical and want to see if there was something amiss.

Also, Itachi's situation with joining Akatsuki was very different than Kakashi's so I couldn't see why they would have an interaction with the organization so soon. Another thing that I wanted both Itachi and Kakashi to share was the learning curve. We saw a glimpse of how Itachi was taught the process of being a missing-nin and how the missions differed from his Konoha ones. In my previous version of the story, I skipped over all of that to progress the story faster, but that bothered me when I reread it.

Don't worry. We will get to these tense confrontations of the story soon!

I was planning to bounce around with Naruto clips, but don't think it's going to do much for the plot in the meantime. So, everyone in Konoha will be back when the time is right. It'll be Kakashi and Akane centric for a little bit. I feel it's important to show their team dynamics prior to Akatsuki stepping in.

Anyway, feel free to let me know what you think! Thank you to those who have reviewed, favored, and followed the story! I appreciate knowing that the story is being read and it's not just me typing it out for nothing.

Hope all is well and be safe!