"I'm so sorry," Kushina whispered as she buried her tear-stained face deeper. Her fingers clung to the soft fur, glowing orange in the sickly light. "Don't you hate me? Why don't you hate me?"

A mournful stillness was accompanied by the magnified sound of dripping water and her punctuated sniffles. He said nothing.

"I broke every promise. You will never be free, Kurama."

She jolted awake on her bed. The indolent afternoon sun streamed through the window. She was sitting on the bed with her back resting against the headboard. When had she dozed off? The reason for her waking was playing with her hand on the bed.

"Mom, you were taking a nap," Aka said coyishly, peeking an eye out from underneath two splayed fingers.

"Yes, I was," she said, untangling her hand from Aka's and pulling her close to her side.

She pressed her cheek against Kushina's chest. "Was it a bad dream?"

What do you know? she thought. She often found herself overanalyzing this child's words. This wasn't the first time Aka had brought her back while she was conversing with Kurama.

"It was okay," she said sombrely, stroking the top of her head. "Thank you."

.

"Hey hey," Sasuke said, swatting at Naruto's arm as he bent down by the tree.

"What?" he snapped.

"Let's throw water on her," Sasuke said.

Naruto shoved his hands into his pockets and turned around. "Do whatever you want. Keep me out of it."

"Do whatever you want. Keep me out of it," he mocked with a macho voice. Naruto didn't look back.

Yeah, that confirmed it. Something was off about the jerk.

Sakura, who'd dozed off by the trunk of the tree, stirred.

"Aw, damn it," he said. "Now, she's waking up. The chance is gone."

"Is Kakashi," she paused to take a yawn, "here yet?"

"Nah," he said.

Sakura blinked. "What were you talking about? What chance?"

"Nothing. Why're you sleeping? That's so irresponsible of you. What was all that about becoming a hero? Last I checked, they don't usually nap on the job."

"Oh, y-yeah." she said, blushing. She stood up and nodded. "You're right."

Hah. She was so predictable.

"Hey everybody," Kakashi's voice came all the way from the top of a pole. He squatted on it and rewarded them with an insulting smile for their patience. "We're getting out of here."

"You didn't even offer an excuse," Sasuke said.

"Where are we going, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Hey, stop ignoring me," he snapped and then pointed to Kakashi, "There's gotta be a limit to how many times you can lie to us."

"Leave it, Sasuke-kun-"

"Stop defending him," he shot at her. Your soaking face was gonna be my compensation, stupid, he thought.

"I planned to focus on training," he said, continuing as if he couldn't see Sasuke in front of him. "But alas, today will be another mission day."

"No…" Naruto groaned. "I can't do any more domestic chores."

He has a point, Sasuke admitted.

/

The Fourth had an air about him that couldn't really be described. It could only be experienced. Despite arguably being the strongest shinobi in the village, there was a humility to him that should have clashed, but it didn't. A pen dangled from his finger as he told Kakashi the details of the mission. There was perpetual softness in his manner of speech and what seemed an unusual curiosity in his gaze. Every once in a while, his eyes would land on his son.

Naruto's chin jutted out and his jaw hung indifferently. He slouched as much as humanly possible, and he kept throwing glances out the window or at the ceiling while tapping his foot, as if being in the presence of his father was a bother.

They looked exactly alike. They looked nothing alike.

"... in Ame?" Kakashi was saying, which brought Sasuke back to the conversation at hand. Apparently, their next mission was a step up from the others. They'd be serving as escorts.

"Your mission is only to take her up to Kusa," the Fourth said.

"Hear that, Naruto?" he said, patting his head. "You're finally relieved of domestic chores."

Naruto knocked his hand out of the way, "Yeah yeah, just who're we escorting?"

There was a knock on the door.

"That should be her," the Fourth notified.

The woman that came through the doors didn't look particularly escort-worthy. Was that rude of him? She appeared to be around Kakashi's age and wore a demure apron-style dress that reached past her knees. Her brown hair was straight with clean cut bangs. A boxy satchel was strapped across her shoulder. Inescapably ordinary.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said with a bow. "My name's Hanae."

Kakashi nodded, so Sasuke decided to as well. "Let's meet up at the gates then once we're all prepared."

.

"Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I take it you haven't lived your whole life in Konoha, then?" Kakashi asked.

He was leading her to the gates. This was because she wasn't familiar enough with the layout of the village to know which ones he'd been referencing. — , his question.

"I've come here a few times, but you're right. I've lived in a town to the east of Konoha for a lot of my life."

"Before that, it was Ame?"

"Yes, I originate from there."

"May I ask why you choose to go back now, of all times?" He didn't want to be so blunt, but Kakashi couldn't help himself. There was so much in circulation about the devastating state of affairs.

She smiled, holding her hands together as she walked. "You don't need to fear my safety. I'll be staying in Kusa until the condition gets better. Once that happens, I'll pay the Kusa shinobi to help me cross. They are expecting me."

"I see."

Ame had been undergoing a period of civil unrest for nearly a decade. Just how long was she hoping to wait?

Am I reaching to brand her as suspicious? Kakashi thought.

It was clear she didn't want to share her reasoning. He should try to respect that.

"Oh woah," Sasuke said from up ahead. Him and Naruto were standing at the foot of the gaping doors with backpacks on. "Looks like you made it in time. I wonder why."

"You're going to have to excuse that one's sarcasm," Kakashi said apologetically. "He's got it bad."

She shook her head, chuckling. "I don't really mind."

"Hey wait!"

Sakura was running up from their right. "I'm here. I'm here."

"What do they say about girls taking a long time to get ready?" Sasuke asked. "Well, now you're a girl."

Kakashi brought his fist down onto Sasuke's head. "She was always a girl."

"Oww." He rubbed the top of his head. "I know that. She's just flaunting it now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked, his eyebrows knitted.

'Why're you asking me? I'm not a girl."

Kakashi brought a hand to his face. Just what was an appropriate response to this kid?

From beside him, Hanae was giggling. He looked over at her, bemused at this reaction. Her fingers grazed her lips and the corners of her moist eyes crinkling as she took in the sight. "They're so precious."

"Hm?" Kakashi shifted his attention back to the trio. Naruto was trying to explain to Sasuke the idiocy of his remark and only getting more frustrated at his responses while Sakura watched with her head cocked, completely dumbfounded.

He smiled, an involuntary laugh bubbling out from his throat as he said the words, "Aren't they?"

.

Jiraiya refilled his shot glass with the bottle of sake. Their bartender had slipped into the back of the shop and wouldn't be making his round until some time. He shrugged off the presumptive weight against his right shoulder.

"Hanzo was deposed," Orochimaru said. His chin rested on his palm. He had been watching Jiraiya languidly for some time now.

"Old news, now," he said without lifting his eyes from his now empty shot glass.

"You know who did it."

"I don't know for sure... It's only speculation."

"The three orphans?"

He set it down and rubbed his eyes. "There's a group called 'the Akatsuki.' The only reason I suspect that the three are involved in it is that their motto seems to be rehashing of my own teachings. Apparently, it's a pacifist organization. I'm sure it had a part in the overthrow."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, "Pacifist? That doesn't conflict with them orchestrating a coup?"

"In theory? I suppose the idea is that once they have control of the nation, they can administer their own brand of pacifism."

"That's not what happened though," he said.

"No. If it's really them, then they weren't strong enough to assert control once Hanzo fell. A number of factions are now vying for power. There's this Akatsuki group, a religious group that saw Hanzo as their God and doesn't believe he's dead, Hanzo's army, and several rogues. Mercenaries and traffickers have also become predominant. The bloodshed is unimaginable."

"Indeed," Orochimaru said. "You see this pointing to a greater conflict in the region?"

"It's too early to say," Jiraiya said, once again throwing the weight off his right shoulder. "Get off, Nawaki!"

The man who'd been slumped against him slid to the ground, snores punctuated by incoherent mumbles.

Orochimaru wrinkled his nose. "That is the Leaf's entire foreign intel department there."

"You're being harsh. He just can't hold his liquor," Jiraiya waved away. "On that note, have you heard anything from Tsunade?"

Someone looped their arms around both him and Jiraiya from behind, knocking Orochimaru's reply out of him. "Heyyy! Who you callin' drunk?"

Nawaki squinted at Orochimaru, bringing his face atrociously close, "Ey, Jiraiya-sama, who's this hottie?"

"I will castrate you right here," he seethed.

He was suddenly hoisted up by Jiraiya. "You're going home before we get thrown out for indecency."

Orochimaru shivered. How utterly revolting people were.

He patted Orochimaru's shoulder before dragging a whining Nawaki out of the bar and a few coins on the counter. Orochimaru exited shortly after.

The night air was unpleasantly warm. A light chatter resounded from the various bars and shops.

Orochimaru took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. He sensually ran his fingers through his hair.

Are you enjoying the show, my dear Hokage? he thought. It'll be getting interesting soon. But you know that.

I see it in the way you've started relying on the Flying Thunder God. I see it in the way you let your emotions slip. I see it in the way you scrounge up your friends to do your bidding. I see it in the bags under your eyes and the tremor progressing in your right hand.

And you think you're watching me.

Hope you enjoyed!

Trivia: The Uchiha compound isn't boxed off from the rest of Leaf Village. It's right in the center. That's why Sakura's house is so close to the training grounds Sasuke frequents.

Remember, the thing I say at the end of a chapter? Now, pretend I wrote that here.