one shoe missing

.

.

.

quick note: this is an alternate side-fic to "if the shoe fits." obviously, there are several references you may not be able to understand if you haven't read it, but hey, read away if you'd like.

warnings: very little implications to mature themes, mild scenes of violence.

.

.

.

Hatake Kakashi lived and breathed in the abyss of shadows. Flashes of memories dancing just out of reach, leaving the days to blur into months.

Nearing the cusp of two decades, Kakashi had long since resigned himself to creeping along the waters, just barely staying afloat.

Of course, this was all in terms of the metaphysical world. Outwardly speaking, Kakashi was more than capable of his own abilities, and even more importantly, was perfectly comfortable walking on water.

Shrrrrrk!

He ducked under the jagged sword swinging right for his neck, shooting forward with his tantō in hand. His feet slid across the ocean's surface, the fog heavy and thick, the water below unfathomably deep.

His opponent was completely covered, an unusual choice for someone from the Land of Water. The man held his weapon in his left hand, skin tight armor covering his shoulders and padding along his forearms.

Kakashi shifted to the left, narrowly avoiding another blow as he pulled the man's arm forward, swinging his elbow upward and slamming it into the ninja's neck. The man crumpled into the water instantly.

Several meters south, the rest of his team fought ferociously, silent behind their masks as another squad from Kirigakure entered the fray.

Kakashi, with the burden of leading the mission, calculated the odds of success and came up rather short.

If this continues for any longer, we risk more than our lives. He weaved around the chains thrown his way, racing close to shore, knocking down the enemy ninja.

Lightning sparking in one hand and the other hand around a man's throat, Kakashi decided that if anything else, he'll take on the rest so his team could flee -

A burst of chakra detonated underneath his feet.

Like droplets of water flung from a leaf, the crowd of ninja scattered to the side. The water underneath their feet rippled fiercely.

A buzz of noise shuddered through the air and Kakashi, still holding a limp body in his hand, could only turn and stare as moments later, a single hand shot up from the water's surface.

The hand slapped its palm across the water and soon enough, an arm followed, until suddenly an entire body pulled itself out from the depths of the ocean.

("What the fuck?" someone, decidedly not from his ANBU squad, blurted out).

A strangled noise emerged from the body as it rolled across the water. Distantly, in the back of his mind, Kakashi realized that this new individual was possibly a dangerous threat, one who could utilize chakra relatively well and should probably be eliminated -

"Holy fuck," the body hissed. It rose to a wobbly stand and pounded a fist to its chest as it coughed out, "Never again, holy fu - "

There was a short pause.

A lone breeze passed through, brushing against the fabric of Kakashi's hood, running across the waves.

The body turned to reveal a woman. A woman with scraggly, near white hair that stuck to the side of her half-covered face, wearing what was most likely standard shinobi gear.

"Oh, uh, sorry about that," the woman finally said, green eyes darting from side to side, most likely noticing the tense atmosphere. Water dripped down her fingertips. "Is this a bad time?"

There was another silent pause.

"I'll take that as a yes," she answered herself, and disappeared from sight, probably through a shunshin. For a split second, no one dared to move, until it suddenly occurred to Kakashi that he really should be capitalizing on this unexpected distraction.

Retreat, meet at Point B, he signed, tapping the side of his thigh. Then, without a single warning, he hurled the unconscious man in his hands into the air, and fired lightening into the ocean.

Several curses flew out as another burst of water exploded upward. In that moment, Kakashi used shunshin to head west, reaching dry land in no time at all, and continued on.

Unsurprisingly, the Kiri-nin gave chase. Though it took several hours to lead them away from his trail, Kakashi decided that the mission was an overall success when he dragged himself to the border, to an inconspicuous clearing, and found his entire team there, wounded but alive.

.

.

.

He handed in his report (encrypted, amongst other things) and nearly forgot to mention the strange incident that had led to his team's escape.

But Kakashi was nothing but thorough, and he added it in with as much detail as he could. He wasn't too sure how his estimates on the woman's height, weight, and skill level would really affect the village, but he would rather fling himself off the Hokage Tower before he dared to leave anything out.

Three months later, he was called in to the Hokage's office, during one of his mandatory resting periods.

"Rise, Hound," the Third Hokage said wearily. Kakashi stood from his kneeling position and deftly caught the scroll tossed his way.

"Run through the details of this mission again," the Hokage ordered, lighting his pipe with a spark of chakra.

Kakashi scanned the scroll's contents - he recognized this mission. It had been a simple retrieval of a noble's stolen artifact, only interrupted when a squad from Kirigakure unexpectedly ran into his team.

"We retrieved the artifact by midmorning," he began, the scene already replaying in his head. "The mission went nearly undetected until several ninja from Kirigakure moved to incapacitate. We were forced to engage, but successfully escaped with minor injuries."

The Hokage exhaled, a puff of smoke escaping his lips. "Yes, I remember that mission well. It was a diplomatic nightmare since we had limited access to the country."

"But I digress," he continued, leaning back heavily into his chair. "Tell me more about the woman that appeared from the ocean."

The woman? Kakashi paused, switching gears to find that single moment.

"She was of average height," he said slowly. "No armor or headband. Her face was covered with a mask. She was able to walk on water, so I presume she is somewhat capable of utilizing chakra."

The Hokage chuckled, though the sound was oddly dull and empty.

"It may be more than just somewhat," he said with some sort of strange humor. "There have been rumors of several Hidden Villages being tested at their borders. The description of the individual seems to match the one in your missions report."

Kakashi glanced back down at the scroll in his hands.

"I see," he then said, a little dubiously. It wasn't easy matching a potential security threat with a woman who seemed to lack some situational awareness.

"Keep your eyes and ears out for now," the Hokage said, unlocking the security seals held in place. "The last thing we need is a lack of confidence in our borders. We have enough going on as it is."

Kakashi dutifully bowed, suspecting that Sarutobi Hiruzen was still recovering from that disastrous incident with Orochimaru from last year. The sudden memory still brought phantom spikes of pain in the place where Kakashi had been stabbed.

"By your leave," he then said, before disappearing in a swirl of leaves when the dismissal was given.

It was fairly disappointing that his rest period wouldn't be cut short, but Kakashi, as he raced across the village rooftops, considered it a decent distraction for the morning.

Testing village borders, huh, Kakashi thought absentmindedly, slipping through his open window and resetting his traps afterwards. As he stripped out of his ANBU gear (taken without permission from headquarters), Kakashi gave it a few more weeks before the concerns died down.

After all, how much harm could a single person do?

.

.

.

As it turned out, it was more harm than he had originally anticipated.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked politely, glancing down at the meal he was interrupting.

It was a fair response, Kakashi conceded, if it wasn't for the fact that he was fairly certain this was the same woman he had been warned about the day before, eating in the streets of Konoha.

"Sorry for the interruption," he said, not feeling particularly sorry at all. "But I'd like to see your visiting papers, please."

The woman looked slowly back down at her ramen, before lifting her head up. Surrounding them in the tiny stall, several patrons turned to stare at the growing commotion.

"Visiting papers?" she asked disbelievingly, as if she had lived in Konoha her entire life. Her eyes creased and suddenly, Kakashi found himself empathizing for the people that had to deal with him. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Is that so," Kakashi said blandly, his hands shoved in his pockets. "You have very similar features to a person we've been looking for."

The woman's eyes widened to an impossible degree, the vibrant green color glowing almost eerily. "Really? That can't be. I'm as plain as they get."

Kakashi remained silent. His eyes roved over her strange hair, braided tightly, to the mask she was still wearing in broad daylight.

"It's a cosmetic choice," the woman said a tad defensively, before looking pointedly at his own mask. "Surely you understand."

Annnnd that was all the patience Kakashi could afford.

"You're coming with me," he said firmly, leaving no room for negotiation. The lack of papers more than likely meant she had entered Konoha without permission - but to blatantly show herself like this held several implications.

The woman creased her eyes, almost as if she was aware of the direction Kakashi's thoughts were going. "Well, I'd hate to leave a gentleman waiting. Let me just - "

She moved to pull something out of her pockets.

In a heartbeat, Kakashi flashed forward, kunai in hand and pressed against her throat.

Several patrons of the ramen stall screamed, tripping over themselves to flee from the sudden show of violence.

"Has anyone told you," the woman said amusedly, in the sudden hush that followed, "That you have really poor table manners?"

Her hands unfurled to reveal a -

A frog-shaped wallet.

"It was a gift," she said warmly. Carefully flipping the wallet over, Kakashi's kunai still millimeters from her throat, she upended several bills and slapped them onto the wooden table.

"Can't leave without paying, right?" she then asked, eyes creasing ridiculously high. Then, she added, "Though it sounds like something you might do. You seem like the type."

Was he imagining the hint of spite hidden behind her words?

(very briefly, for a very short moment, Kakashi considered what the consequences would be if he just pressed a little harder. He could claim self-defense, or insist she was an immediate danger to their surroundings, or even say that his hand slipped, it was a miscalculated error, anyone could have done the same - ).

"Well then, shall we?"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, maneuvering himself to keep the kunai against her neck, and tied her hands together tightly with a pack of tripwire he had on hand.

The woman was unnaturally docile, and the lack of hostility raised Kakashi's wariness exponentially.

He glanced around the stall one last time, catching sight of its owner. He gave a single, apologetic nod before disappearing, dragging the woman along with him.

It was difficult to forget that Ichiraku had been one of Minato-sensei's favorite haunts.

.

.

.

Covering the woman's eyes with a makeshift blindfold, Kakashi entered the Intelligence Division's main building.

"Inform the Hokage that Yoko has been found," he ordered to a nearby chunin. Pushing the woman none-too-gently forward, he traversed the endless tunnels to reach the Torture and Interrogation division.

"Yoko?" she asked minutes later, a wry tint to her voice. "That's a very generous name."

Kakashi turned a corner to a flight of stairs and was only mildly disappointed when the woman followed without stumbling.

"You could give your own, if it displeases you," he then suggested, already aware of the response he would receive.

The woman let out a sharp laugh, the sound high-pitched and brittle.

"I have enough names to last me a lifetime," she said, leaving her refusal at that.

Kakashi tucked that little bit of info for a later time and continued on.

Entering the department meters below the ground, he presented the woman to Morino Ibiki, who simply raised a single eyebrow.

It was good to see that the Intelligence Division was still quick on the uptake.

The woman was swiftly locked into a sealed chamber. Kneeling briefly onto the tiled floor, Morino sent a spark of chakra, causing dozens of seals to shine brightly for a short moment.

High priority, Kakashi noted distantly. It brought the question of how dangerous the Hokage really found the woman to be.

Right on cue, the Third Hokage entered the dimly lit hallway, two ANBU following afterwards.

"Report," the Hokage ordered, eyeing the woman sitting calmly inside the chamber.

Kakashi stepped forward.

"She was found within Konoha," he began shortly. "I questioned her briefly before bringing her here. She gave no signs of resistance."

The Hokage frowned, the lines along his face becoming more pronounced.

"And what exactly was she doing inside the village?"

Kakashi kept his voice at the exact same level as before. "She was eating, sir."

"Eating," the Hokage repeated flatly.

"Eating ramen," Kakashi then clarified.

There was a short pause.

"Find out how she got in," the Hokage then said tiredly, waving a hand at Morino. "And her intentions. I won't take tourism as an answer."

.

.

.

The woman's blindfold was quickly removed by a chunin, who then fled the chamber, leaving her completely alone with Morino.

"Welcome, Yoko," Morino said, his voice muffled through the one-way mirror. He idly tossed a kunai between his hands.

It was for show, of course. The chamber was designed to not only give visual signals when chakra was being used, but to drain the prisoner of their chakra if needed.

It was a little excessive, but Kakashi supposed it wasn't a problem if it worked just fine.

"Now, we can do this the easy way," Morino continued sedately, before throwing his kunai right past the woman's ear and straight into the wall behind.

"Or the hard way," he finished.

The woman peered around the glowing walls of the chamber, still utterly undeterred, before turning back to Morino.

Her eyes creased brightly. "I'd prefer the easy way, if you wouldn't mind."

Morino paused, before ultimately deciding that it wouldn't hurt to try this route first. "Very well then. How -"

"I'll start first," the woman interrupted a bit too cheerfully. "Did you know your village has four unsanctioned entrances?"

Deathly silence filled the air.

"I would know," she said nonchalantly. "I used them all today."

"You really should be careful," the woman tilted her head to the left, gazing directly at the window that, for all purposes, she shouldn't be able to see. Her eyes seemed to narrow directly onto the Hokage. "Entrances can also be used as exits, right?"

"I'd double check that if I were you," she added, idly glancing around the walls once again. "I even left a mark at each one to help you."

She turned back to Morino and nodded politely, "Thanks for the welcome. The food here is delicious."

And, before anyone could move, the seals around the walls grew unnaturally bright. Morino, well aware of what that entailed, shot forward, a split-second too late, and in a burst of smoke, the woman was gone.

"Shadow clone," the Hokage noted curiously in the aftermath, coming to the same conclusion as Kakashi. "The amount of control you would need to keep the seals from draining the clone entirely is nothing to laugh at."

With a sharp click, Morino exited the now empty chamber, rubbing a hand across his face.

"Well," he said almost ironically. "At least she was polite."

.

.

.

The idea of leaving a "mark" could mean a plethora of things, but as a hardened leader of Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen took it in the most literal way possible.

Tasked with the unfortunate order to lead a team of bomb specialists, Kakashi set forth to travel around the entire border of the village before it was too late.

He had already sent several ANBU members to the hidden entrances that were used frequently for ANBU missions, only for them to come back empty-handed.

And like the final nail on the coffin, Kakashi's misery was further confirmed when a certain individual was sent as back-up.

"KAKASHI! What a coincidence for me to see you here!"

"You were told to meet me here." Kakashi said, forcing his voice to remain as flat as possible.

A strong, burly arm wrapped around his shoulders.

"COME NOW, KAKASHI," Gai said in a booming voice. "Is that any way to treat your eternal rival?"

Gai dashed forward, the action bringing the consequence of dragging Kakashi along as well. Remaining lifeless as the rest of their team desperately tried to catch up, Kakashi looked past the sea of eye-watering green and into the blue sky above.

He should've taken his chances and pressed that kunai a little harder.

.

.

.

They found the first entrance in the south-western sector, hidden behind rubble that probably hadn't been touched since the Kyuubi's attack four years ago.

Though it would remain unsaid, Kakashi recognized this opening unfortunately well.

It was a section that was perfect for entering and leaving unnoticed, tucked away in the midst of one of Konoha's busiest trading districts, and they had only been able to find it due to one single change.

One chunin squinted at the spray painted monstrosity that spread across the wall. "Is it a chicken?"

"Don't be stupid," his partner snorted. "It's definitely a squirrel."

"Ah, my young comrades!" Gai laughed boisterously. "It is clearly a flower, blooming in the springtime of youth!"

Kakashi sighed.

The first chunin shrugged. "I guess that explains the hot pink."

"Uh," another ninja said hesitantly, most likely eager to add his own input. "Maybe it's a duck?"

The rest of the team jeered at the young teen, quickly shooting the idea down.

"Are you crazy?"

"Does that look like a duck to you?"

"Man, Hiro, you've got eyes the size of pebbles!"

Kakashi clapped once, grabbing the attention of everyone present and, very generously, ending young Hiro's misery.

"Alright, that's enough," he said, hands in pockets and shoulders slightly slouching. "Once Gai returns from checking the area for traps, secure the place and see if you can find anything. Bring back samples of the paint. And if you blow anything up, keep it to yourselves."

Righting themselves immediately, the entire team saluted. "Yes, sir!"

Am I getting paid for this? Kakashi then thought, smoothly ducking under Gai's outreached grip. He needed a handy distraction for the constant tasks that ate away at his time, and a bonus check would go a long way in helping him achieve that.

.

.

.

The other three entrances were found easily enough, the ridiculous marks leading the way like a bonfire at night.

Unluckily enough, the paint and the strange symbol drawn with it held no answers to their growing number of questions.

The entire incident was held under wraps. Even more importantly, the openings were left as they were, the paint swiftly washed away but everything else left intact, and Kakashi suspected the Council had a very severe hand in it.

"We need to send out as many resources as possible," Shimura Danzo spit out, the harsh lines on his face deepening. "She is a threat to our security and must be stopped at all costs."

The Third Hokage leaned back into his chair, fingers dancing along his pipe. "It was a warning. A non-hostile, calculated effort, but a warning nonetheless."

"We can't move too far," he continued heavily. "The potential alliance with the Land of Woods is approaching."

Danzo's lips thinned imperceptibly.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Hiruzen," he then said, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again. "You're too soft."

The Hokage looked back with a level stare. "I am well aware of that."

Hidden behind the shadows, garbed in his usual ANBU gear, Kakashi understood the message lying underneath those words. The attempted assasination effort on the Hokage three years ago had been a rather embarrassing failure on Danzo's part.

Without another word, Danzo turned his heel and left the office, leaving an empty space that seemed to swallow the silence.

The Hokage sighed, shoulders heaving forward.

"Keep an eye on him, Hound," he said, breaking the momentary pause. "I don't want any unnecessary provoking on our part."

Stepping out into the light, feeling the sun warm his bare shoulders, Kakashi knelt in deference, far too comfortable at playing this game.

"As you command."

.

.

.

More often than not, Kakashi contemplated what really drove him to take another step. It was difficult to pinpoint a place, or even an individual, because those categories had been collecting dust for nearly half a decade now.

No, perhaps it was safe to say that Kakashi had always been unhealthily loyal to an ideal, to a vision that seemed just out of reach - to a collective body that had outlined his identity far before he had any control at all.

Either way, Kakashi supposed that this - standing in front of Danzo, waiting for orders - was a consequence of what was probably a poor attempt in taking another step forward.

"Tomorrow afternoon, the team Hiruzen has sent out will exchange a set of scrolls with the Land of Woods," Danzo began, unnaturally still in his chair. "I suspect foul play. You will tail them and prevent any loss on Konoha's part. The Hokage, of course, has already given his permission."

Kakashi gave a shallow bow. It was slightly petty, but knowing that Danzo grated over the different levels of respect shown between him and the Hokage allowed Kakashi to take another step again.

"Take Weasel," Danzo waved a hand and, near silently, a young boy stepped out of the shadows. "I recommended him into ANBU just recently. He'll need the experience."

Personally, Kakashi found it a bit too obvious to give Uchiha Itachi that kind of mask, but that was probably the whole point.

With a final salute, both Kakashi and Itachi left Root's hideout, moving swiftly through one of the previously painted-over exits.

"I'm going to assume you already packed," Kakashi started. When Itachi nodded once, Kakashi shifted over to take the lead as they ran through the outskirts of Konoha, following the team that travelled below.

The day passed on rather quickly, eating food pills and scouting through different directions.

In the late afternoon, as the sun sank between mountainsides, they sat idly over the campsite in the branches above.

"That's the ANBU life," Kakashi said with a sigh, passing over a bag of food pills. Itachi pulled off his mask and accepted the pack. "One team eats hotpot in the sun, while we eat food pills in the dark."

Itachi swallowed and turned with a twist of his lips.

"I don't mind it," he said, his voice reminding Kakashi all the more of how young he actually was.

Kakashi snorted, placing his ANBU mask back on. "That's what you say now."

.

.

.

That night, as the team below settled down (though Gai's voice didn't lower once), Kakashi sent Itachi to scout one last time.

"I'll watch from here," Kakashi said, waving from his comfortable position on a tree branch.

Itachi, reserved as always, gave a short nod before disappearing into the dark.

Thirty minutes later, Itachi appeared once again, silent as ever and with a strange object in his hands.

"That took longer than expected," Kakashi commented mildly. He sat up to peer at Itachi's hands. "Is that… a chicken?"

Strangely enough, the question felt oddly familiar.

Itachi glanced down at the wooden object.

"It's a gift," Itachi said slowly, as if testing the words. "For my brother."

"Oh," Kakashi said. "I didn't know you had taken up wood carving."

In some ways, it was humanizing to see that a young genius like Uchiha Itachi was utterly terrible at something. Kakashi suspected that Itachi had used the separation as an opportunity to work on his lacking skills.

Itachi paused and it seemed he was about to say more; instead, he tucked the wooden… chicken away into the folds of his uniform, a thoughtful look on his face.

Kakashi shrugged, lying back down onto the sturdy branch.

The stars were awfully bright, he acknowledged dully, periodically sending his senses out to test the area. Cool gusts of wind brushed through his hair, the leaves above rustling in a whisper, bringing in the scent of wood and moss.

The night sky was dyed in a deep purple, the near full moon blinding to his eyes.

It was a poetic sight, Kakashi admitted.

If he had been a different person, it might have been enough to convince him to take another step.

.

.

.

Days passed on, and as expected, Uchiha Itachi was integrated smoothly into Kakashi's ANBU team without a hitch.

"How was he? I heard you went on a two-man mission with him," Tenzo asked one afternoon, removing his uniform and exchanging it for something more discreet.

Kakashi lowered his headband over his left eye. "He passed with flying colors. I imagine he'll be better at it than me soon enough."

Tenzo startled, and Kakashi wondered what exactly it would take to shake Tenzo's unwavering faith in him.

"That can't be true," Tenzo said, wide-eyed. "You're the best ANBU out there, senpai."

Kakashi glanced over and huffed.

"There's a certain darkness you need for ANBU," he murmured, remembering Danzo's words from nights ago. "And that's not something you find in everyone."

.

.

.

Though he suspected the Hokage had a hand in it, Kakashi stood stoically in front of the Hokage's office doors, with Itachi to his side.

"So," Kakashi began, idly taking note of the new contractor that had entered moments before. "Are you getting used to the job?"

There was a brief pause, as if Itachi was taking the time to answer the question seriously. "Not yet."

"That's unlike you," Kakashi said, keeping careful watch of the hallway outside, along with the individuals inside.

Itachi shifted to the side, much to Kakashi's amusement; no matter his prowess on the field, Itachi was still eleven-years-old.

"I," Itachi then said hesitantly. "I haven't been on an official mission yet."

"Ah," Kakashi supposed the one under Danzo's orders didn't count. "Well, protecting the Hokage is a mission in itself."

There was a sudden burst of commotion from the Hokage's office. Tilting his head, Kakashi caught sight of another ANBU member inside, who signed the all-clear.

" - but I must have misheard," one councilman's voice drifted into the hallway. "Are you requesting an entire squad of Uchiha members?"

Although Itachi was far too good to move a single centimeter, Kakashi was well aware he was now listening very, very carefully.

"I see your age prevents you from hearing clearly," another voice laughed broadly. It was probably the new contractor, a blond man clothed in expensive fabrics. "I'm willing to compromise, of course, but I had heard rumors that the Uchiha are incredibly loyal protectors. Did I hear wrong?"

"Well, I wouldn't, wouldn't necessarily - "

"In that case, you are certainly correct," the Hokage's voice firmly interrupted. "It is simply unusual for someone to request services from a specific clan."

The contractor laughed again, an utterly unrestrained sound. "Is that so? My partner from the Land of Wind contracted here for the Hyuuga, just last year! I had assumed I would be able to do the same."

There was a fairly long pause.

"We will see what we can do," the Hokage said wearily. "In the meantime, please join our negotiator next door to finalize any other details you may need."

"Of course, of course," the contractor said gaily. "I'll be sure to pay extra if the Uchiha require it!"

The first councilman sputtered. "Sir, I doubt the Uchiha would need - "

"Nonsense! Aren't they busy already? I know it's only the polite thing to do!"

"Sir, please - "

Kakashi blinked once, the ongoing conversation bringing an interesting amount of information. His eyes slid over to Itachi, who was unnaturally tense.

Well, that was unsurprising. He supposed conversations revolving around your own clan would force anyone to tense up.

Still, it wouldn't do that raise alarm for the people around him. And after sending a few hand signs, Itachi eventually dropped his shoulders, before rearranging his posture to something more relaxed.

Better, Kakashi noted, before settling into his own position. It would be a few more hours before they would be relieved of their mission, and Kakashi found that there had been enough excitement to last him the rest of the day.

.

.

.

A week later, there was a sudden burst of activity in missions.

Kakashi slipped through the opened window and into the office where all missions were assigned. "What's going on?"

Dozens of ninja - donning a familiar red fan - scurried in and out of the room, several wearing bewildered faces that seemed unnatural on their usual blank faces.

Kurenai shrugged, watching as Gai roared in approval at the chaos, urging the Uchiha to go even faster. It was a testament to how busy they all were, when not a single kunai was hurled Gai's way.

"Several different places put in at least forty requests," Asuma said lowly, staying close to the walls. "Over half of them specifically asked for an Uchiha."

Kakashi thought back to that one conversation, that one innocent conversation, and merely said, "Forty? That's more than what we get in a month."

Asuma nodded, leaning closer to the wall when an overeager Uchiha rushed by.

"Well, good for them," Kakashi commented lightly. It would have been strange if the Hokage had refused the requests - a lot of money was probably being shoved Konoha's way.

"Yeah, but what about me?" Asuma asked glumly. "I wanted new arm guards."

Kakashi patted Asuma's shoulder consolingly. "I'm sure you can find something."

"Or just join a team already," Kurenai rolled her eyes. "I've seen five people already asking an Uchiha to be a part of their missions squad."

Asuma's eyes widened. Sure enough, just meters away, one chunin sheepishly laughed, moving his hands in question to another Uchiha. The Uchiha raised a single eyebrow, before nodding once, shaking the chunin's hand and marking his own mission scroll.

"Hey, wait a minute, I think I see someone I know," Asuma said hurriedly. Sending a rushed farewell, he ran ahead. "Hey, Hirako! Hirako! Wait!"

"What an idiot," Kurenai said, a smile on her lips. Together, they watched as Asuma grab an older man's shoulder. The ninja, who was clearly an Uchiha, turned with a deep set frown.

Kakashi hummed in agreement. It didn't seem to matter, as within a few minutes, Asuma left with Uchiha Hirako, sending them a thumbs up behind the man's back.

"I'm surprised the Uchiha are willing to play along," Kurenai said thoughtfully, a hand on her hip. "Especially with how closed off they usually are."

Kakashi kept a careful eye on the missions desk, where another Uchiha was handed a missions scroll. The woman stared at the scroll in her hands dumbly, until another woman smacked her on the back. They stared at each other for a moment, before letting out a peal of laughter.

"There's not enough Uchiha to meet the current demands for a full squad," Kakashi surmised, the activity in the room barely settling down. "We're probably comprising by sending out one or two Uchiha for each mission."

Kurenai made a surprised noise, turning back to look at him. "Who would've thought the Uchiha would be in such high demand?"

Who indeed, Kakashi thought, following the surge of ninja leaving and entering the room. It was unnatural, to say the least.

Still, it seemed a one time offer. A very expensive, picky, one time offer, because Kakashi doubted someone would need a constant surge of a certain kind of ninja for very long.

He'd give it two days before things finally died down.

.

.

.

Except, instead of dying down, the demands for Uchiha ninja skyrocketed exponentially.

"Man, I feel bad for old Hirako," Asuma said one night, spearing a piece of meat from the grill and tossing it into his mouth. "We just got back and they're asking him to go out again."

"Again?" Kurenai raised her eyebrows, delicately taking a bite a rice. "That's unusual."

"Indeed it is, my friends!" Gai said, slamming a hand onto the table and causing several dishes to rattle. He probably would have used both hands, if it wasn't for the fact that his other one was wrapped tight around Kakashi's neck, making sure there would be no sign of escape.

Gai sobbed, his tears trickling down onto Kakashi's face. "I commend our fellow comrades for working so diligently!"

"Uh," Asuma said slowly, pausing from taking another bite. "Shouldn't Kakashi be eating too?"

No, Kakashi thought, already planning Asuma's death.

"Yes!" Gai cried, reaching for a piece of okonomiyaki. He then promptly shoved it straight into Kakashi's face, mask and all.

"Eat and be merry, my rival!" Gai roared, taking another swig of his sake.

Kakashi blinked slowly, the overwhelming scent of fried food seeping through the fabric of his mask. Across the table, Kurenai hid a smile behind a hand, while Asuma nearly choked on his meat.

With narrowed eyes, Kakashi used the opportunity to slip through Gai's iron grip and shunshin far away, making sure to spill Asuma's plate onto the floor while he was at it.

"Damnit, Kakashi!"

.

.

.

A month later, Kakashi encountered something unusual in the form of his new neighbor.

"Oh!" the boy took another moment to stare, before shaking his head, sending the dark curls on top to fly about. He laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Kakashi closed his apartment door behind him and glanced at the boy, who was clearly in the process of moving in, from his open-toed sandals to the Uchiha fan on his shirt.

"You're Shunshin no Shisui," Kakashi finally said. It was strange to see a favored member of the Uchiha Clan moving away from the heart of his Clan grounds.

Uchiha Shisui physically brightened, a pleased look quickly passing by. "You've heard of me! Oh wow, that's, that's so cool."

Kakashi blinked once.

"I mean, not that I'm bragging, of course," Shisui continued quickly, adjusting the boxes in his hands to give a bow. "And I'm Shisui! It's very nice to meet you finally, Hatake-senpai!"

Shisui rose to a stand, before his eyes widened comically. "Oh shoot, you already knew that! Wait, I can I call you that? Is that okay?"

"Senpai is fine," Kakashi said slowly. For some reason, Uchiha Shisui was far more… interactive than the rest of his clan.

(it reminded him of someone else he had known, someone who's mark lingered in his left eye, someone who had probably been too bright for the world - ).

Shisui grinned, the boxes in his hands rattling back and forth. "Man, I've been looking forward to moving for some time now, but seeing you as my neighbor makes it even better, senpai!"

"I'm hardly ever here," Kakashi said after a moment's delay. His downtime between missions, while necessary, were not as long as they probably should be.

"That's okay!" Shisui said, completely undeterred. There was a certain glint in his eyes that conveyed a certain kind of understanding.

Ah, it was entirely possible that young Shisui was a part of ANBU as well.

"I'll be pretty busy from now on, which is pretty exciting!" Shisui continued, dropping his boxes with a loud thunk. "It wasted a lot of time, going back and forth from the compound, so I figured it would be a lot easier if I moved closer in!"

Interesting, Kakashi thought. There was a significant delay in communication between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan simply due to their sheer distance from the Hokage Tower.

Living on the outskirts of the village had consequences, of course.

It explained why Uchiha Shisui, of all people, had moved closer to the heart of Konoha. Someone as fast as Shunshin no Shisui would be ideal to send out for time sensitive missions.

He suspected that Shisui would be the first of many.

" - all about you from Itachi," Shisui blabbered on, and Kakashi wondered why Shisui was not as quiet as his younger cousin. "And speak of the devil!"

A rather familiar chakra signature blipped into existence, and Kakashi took the chance to finally leave.

"Well, if that's all," Kakashi said, and swiftly fled to the apartment complex's rooftop.

"Bye, senpai!"

Kakashi landed silently onto the railing above, passing by Itachi with a severe pat on the back.

Don't know how you do it, Kakashi thought, feeling as if his mind had run through the continent and back. But good for you.

.

.

.

"Rise," Danzo commanded. The silence within the Foundation's Headquarters was incredibly thin, not a single whisper could be heard.

Coming to a stand, Kakashi easily caught the scroll tossed his way.

"There have been sightings of Yoko northeast," Danzo leaned into his cane with a severe frown. "I had sent several members of my own specialized ANBU, but the effort was fruitless."

Kakashi nearly raised his eyebrows at that.

"I suspect she is involved with the sudden increase of missions," Danzo slammed his cane harshly onto the floor. The sound rang through the countless tunnels surrounding them. "Her hold on Konoha is growing at an unacceptable rate."

"See if you can bring her in. We may have use of her yet," Danzo said shortly. "If not, kill her."

Kakashi gave a shallow bow, before leaving upon Danzo's dismissal.

Though rare nowadays, Kakashi had often been sent out on solo missions of a similar manner. It was mindless work to pack for several weeks and, slipping into his ANBU gear, Kakashi left the village by dusk.

By himself, it was easy to set a pace that allowed him to reach the northeastern border in a day. Just a few hours away from the Land of Hot Water, Kakashi unrolled the given scroll, swiftly catching the tripwire that fell out, the cut string wrapping around his fingers.

Kneeling on the ground, Kakashi bit harshly into his thumb, placing his blood-coated fingers into the damp soil.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he called, sending a burst of chakra through his arm. In a cloud of smoke, his ninken appeared from thin air.

"Jeez, Kakashi," Pakkun said disapprovingly. "Couldn't you have waited till morning?"

"Sorry, Pakkun," Kakashi said, though he wasn't very sorry at all. He presented the tripwire to the curious pack and added, "I need to find someone. A woman."

"That's a nice scent," Pakkun said, giving another sniff, much to the agreed barks of his pack members. "I would know. I use the same kind of shampoo."

Kakashi paused before ultimately deciding that sort of information was something Danzo did not need to know.

"Alright, let's go."

And with that said, Kakashi followed his rampaging ninken into the night.

.

.

.

The following afternoon, after resting for a few hours, Kakashi nearly stumbled into a clearing along the coast of the Land of Hot Springs.

Quickly dismissing his ninken and clamping down on his chakra to nothing, Kakashi creeped along a tree branch, making sure not a single leaf was disturbed.

Several voices flooded the air, accompanied by the soft cracks of a nearby fire. Leaning further forward, Kakashi peered through the foliage and into the clearing ahead.

There were four ninja, the metal headbands on their foreheads telling enough.

" - to meet our esteemed leader," one shinobi said slyly to the figure sitting quietly next to the fire. "You'll be heavily rewarded, of course."

The light from the fire danced along the figure's face, their head turning to reveal a pair of vibrant green eyes.

"I have no interest in meeting your Mizukage," Yoko said, her voice floating clearly through the air. "This is your last warning. Leave me alone."

"I don't think we can do that," another man said sternly, folding his bandaged arms across his chest. "Come peacefully, or we'll use force."

The first shinobi sneered, the sword along his back shining unnaturally in the light.

Poison, Kakashi noted.

Yoko stared blankly at the four ninja.

"Before we get started," she said, rising to a stand, completely ignoring the weapons turned her way. "Is anyone hiding a child in their back pockets?"

Another ninja blinked. "The hell?"

Yoko creased her eyes. "Just making sure."

And suddenly, a blur of activity burst into the clearing.

Kakashi shifted to side, raising his headband to allow his Sharingan to follow every single movement.

In a split second, Yoko slammed a fist into one ninja's face and a sickening crunch followed immediately after. The man fell to the ground and did not get back up.

Two other ninja attacked from behind, their swords raised high, while the last hurled several kunai from the side.

Drawing a tantō, Yoko blocked the two swords and sent the weapons flying back with her own kunai. Ducking under the kick sent her way, she shifted to the left, avoiding the swords and twisting just enough to slam an elbow into one man's neck.

The man choked, a strangled gasp escaping his lips.

Stepping back, the other ninja held his poisoned sword and snarled, "You little bitch. You'll pay for that!"

He shot forward, swinging his weapon in an unpredictable way. The last remaining ninja joined the fray with several hand signs, shooting a forceful gust of water from his mouth.

Yoko hissed, weaving around the attacks and sliding under the waterfall. With a seemingly harmless kick, she sent the ninjutsu user flying into a tree with a hard smack, and ducked again to avoid another swing from behind.

Flipping forward instead of backward, Yoko narrowly escaped the jagged sword and grabbed the man's right hand. A sharp crack signalled a broken bone and the sword fell harmlessly to the floor.

"You know," Yoko said sweetly. "It's fuckers like you that really test my patience."

And without waiting for another word, Yoko swung her hand to the side, before spectacularly backhanding the ninja into the air.

The man's body disappeared into the horizon, perhaps never to be seen again.

Keeping his chakra in check, Kakashi reevaluated his given mission.

It was doubtful Kirigakure would send cannon fodder to capture an unknown priority. It spoke more of how easily Yoko handled the situation, with only weapons and taijutsu.

Before he could retreat and return for a more prepared encounter, Yoko sighed heavily, twisting her tied hair to strain out water.

"You might as well come out," she called, eyes piercing unnervingly right where Kakashi stood.

Kakashi momentarily debated on the benefits of leaving anyway, before coming to the conclusion that the chance to take Yoko by surprise had long since passed.

Still, her sense of awareness had been unexpected.

Kakashi dropped silently to the ground, ANBU mask tight on his face.

"So you're a sensor," he said mildly, watching as she kicked an unconscious Kiri-nin out of the way. There wasn't really any other explanation. Kakashi was entirely positive he had kept a tight lid on his chakra.

Yoko snorted and tossed more sticks into the fire. "Not really."

She glanced back at him, a strange, considering light in her eyes. "Your chakra is just very distinctive."

That's… the same thing, Kakashi thought. He kept the words to himself, however, and tucked away the comment for a later time.

The fire crackled sporadically, sparks flying into the smoke that floated up to the sky.

Ready to get this fight done and over with, Kakashi, under the afternoon glowing light, swiftly drew his own tantō.

Yoko prodded the burning wood and rolled her eyes. "Is this really necessary?"

Kakashi approached slowly, remaining silent.

"You know," she began idly, tossing her stick to the side. "I messed up. Coming here."

"Makes me wonder if I should've stayed where I was," she added, a wry tint to her voice. Her eyes bore into Kakashi, and for a moment, it was like looking into a mirror.

"I wish I could ask you if I'm doing the right thing," she finally said, the level of honesty in her words so raw, it left Kakashi to pause for the briefest of moments. She laughed suddenly, shaking her head. "But it's not the right time to ask you that."

There was a tug of chakra, so quick Kakashi shot forward -

But it was too late.

In that single heartbeat, Yoko disappeared into smoke. Perhaps she had never been there at all.

And Kakashi was left there, next to a dying fire, feeling more displaced than he was before.

.

.

.

She had left behind a book.

Kakashi poked it warily with his tantō, flipping it over to reveal the title.

Icha Icha Paradise.

He blinked a few times.

The title was familiar, of course. He was fairly certain the Third Hokage held a copy somewhere in his office.

Against his better judgement, Kakashi tucked the book away. Though he doubted the possibility, the book could hold a lead into grabbing a hold of Yoko.

He chased after her trail for a few more days until he reached the border of the Land of Water. The relationship between that country and the Land of Fire was shaky at best, and so Kakashi let it be.

He returned to Konoha a good two weeks after his departure. Kneeling in front of Danzo, he gave his succinct report.

"She is being hunted by other Hidden Villages," he began, ignoring the severe frown sent his way. "More importantly, she is incredibly apt at slipping through any borders. Her abilities seem to revolve around taijutsu as of now."

Danzo slammed his cane down onto the metal floor in disapproval.

"Your failure has cost the village more than you can imagine," he said harshly. "We cannot let her continue her conquest in controlling Konoha."

Personally, Kakashi thought it was a bit of a stretch to put so much suspicion on one person, but nevertheless, he remained silent. It was entirely possible there would be consequences to his failure.

(briefly, he considered mentioning the one object Yoko had left behind, but ultimately decided against it, as he had severe doubts Danzo would have any interest in an erotica book).

.

.

.

That evening, as the sun barely lingered along the horizon, Kakashi stood quietly with a simple bouquet of flowers in hand.

"Just got back from a mission," he finally said, looking blankly at the cracks on the stone. "It didn't go so well."

"I met some of your cousins," Kakashi blinked as a stray leaf fluttered onto the grass below. "They seem like good kids."

Another pause, the silence swallowing the emptiness in the air.

Kakashi glanced down at the flowers in his hands, the bright yellow petals uncomfortably vivid in his eyes. The color was so saturated, it reminded him of another, green and eerie -

I wish I could ask you if I'm doing the right thing.

Kakashi sighed and shoved a hand into his pocket.

"Don't we all," he muttered. Gently placing the flowers in front of the stone, he gave a short nod.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Obito."

.

.

.

Kakashi crouched down onto the rooftop of his apartment complex, legs crossed and a single incriminating book in hand.

He flipped the book round and round, checking for traps or seals. When he came up short, he resigned himself to checking every page for possible codes.

The front cover was awfully bland. Flipping to the very first page, Kakashi acknowledged that he was probably taking this a bit too far.

But the possibility of having an advantage over Yoko was too great, and soon enough, Kakashi began to read.

Five pages in, Kakashi snapped the book shut.

Who would write such an excessive opener? Was it necessary to have so many - half of them didn't even make sense - the human body could not even contort in that fashion, let alone participate in such -

Shoving the book into a hidden pocket of his jounin vest, Kakashi jumped off the rooftop, unable to continue.

The defeat stung his tongue.

.

.

.

He signalled his team for a brief stop. They were ahead of schedule, so they could afford some rest.

"Man, your pace is as harsh as ever, senpai," one of his ANBU members said with a hint of humor. Another member tore off his mask to gulp in a mouthful of fresh air.

Kakashi shrugged. It was better to be prepared than late.

Off in the distance, Tenzo's voice floated to his ears. " - able to come, Itachi. I know your family has been extremely busy."

Itachi nodded once, a quiet smile on his lips. "Participating in ANBU is an honor, and that is not something our clan takes lightly. I have been exempt from other missions in order to continue my services here."

Tenzo made a noise of understanding. "I can see that. Still, it must be exhausting trying to keep up."

"Haven't you heard?" one of the ANBU members, the one who had commented before piped in. Genma had always been a terrible gossip. "They're sending out members from the police force to keep up with the demand."

"Ah, sorry, Itachi," Genma hurriedly added after a beat of silence. "Didn't mean to talk about your family like that."

Itachi shook his head in reassurance. "That's not a problem. It's already common knowledge in some areas."

Another ANBU member whistled. "Damn, what's going to happen with the police force then? I know your clan has always had jurisdiction over it."

"Different options have been considered," Itachi said slowly, as if carefully deciding what words to say next. "They may have a more open selection for applicants."

"You mean for non-Uchiha shinobi?" Genma asked. At Itachi's nod, Genma shook his head rapidly. "Wow, who would've thought. That's a huge change for your clan."

Itachi visibly hesitated. The action was so pronounced, Kakashi found himself eyeing Itachi for a moment.

"There have been a lot of changes lately," Itachi finally said. His eyebrows furrowed, a very telling sign. Slowly, he added, "And I hope it's for the best."

Tenzo nodded solmenly. "Change is not easy to comprehend."

Genma let out a bark of laughter, perhaps overlooking Itachi's strange confliction. "Hey, but it doesn't have to be a bad thing! An Uchiha classmate of mine just moved into the floor below me. We haven't talked in years but we've decided to get some drinks later next week. He has no idea where anything is in the village."

He then paused before turning to Itachi. "I, uh, would appreciate it if you didn't tell Akira I said that."

Itachi huffed, his mouth twisting and strangely wry. "I'll be sure to not say a word."

Kakashi turned to the rising sun and decided that was a long enough break.

"Masks back on," he said shortly. There was a brief grumble from Genma, but soon enough, they were back on track, leaping through the shadows between the trees.

.

.

.

Kakashi perused the scroll in his hands. Solo mission. North bound, near an enclave hidden in a dense forest.

"With the commotion for the Uchiha somewhat dying down," the Third Hokage began, slowly inhaling into his pipe. "It's important to not be distracted by our outside priorities."

"There have been reports of Orochimaru abandoning a hidden station near the border," he continued heavily. "Investigate it discreetly."

The Hokage exhaled, smoke floating gently into the air.

Kakashi nodded shortly. The possibility of encountering Orochimaru already raised the mission at an exponentially higher risk.

"And, Kakashi," the Hokage said. There was a certain weight to his shoulders that spoke of the burdens Orochimaru had brought. "Though it's unlikely, no matter the circumstances, do not engage."

Kakashi paused, acknowledging the warning with a final salute, before moving to pack again for another mission.

He briefly stopped by ANBU headquarters to grab a few more supplies, though his departure was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"You're leaving again, senpai?" a masked ANBU asked curiously, peering upwards through a painted cover. A rather strange wooden object was silently tucked into his pockets. "You weren't kidding when you said you'd be away often."

Kakashi placed his own ANBU mask carefully onto his face.

"The same goes to you," he said. So Itachi was still working on his wood carving skills? It was a shame to see there wasn't any improvement at all. He nodded at the boy. "Take care, Shisui."

Shisui gave an oddly informal salute.

"Will do!"

.

.

.

The directions given on the mission scroll were simple enough. It took him, however, two more days of careful searching to finally find Orochimaru's abandoned hideout.

Hidden under a thick amount of foliage, the door to the underground bunker was covered in moss, blending incredibly well with the forest.

Traces of chakra lingered along the door, of a genjutsu that had long since disappeared. From its unravelling threads, Kakashi surmised it had been nearly a week.

The safest decision was to return to Konoha and gather a specialized team for dismantling. It was, however, a dangerous one to make, as the delay would leave the entire bunker suspect to any sort of tampering.

Decision made, Kakashi quickly created a shadow clone. It cautiously approached the door, one hand reaching for the handle -

Several seals burst into light and Kakashi only had a moment's notice to shunshin farther away before a series of explosions shot into the air.

The air compressed around him, a strong gust of hot wind rushing past his face. A series of memories flooded in, along with a vague recollection of the seals.

Kakashi frowned. Though his knowledge of seals was not the greatest, it was enough for him to realize that Orochimaru was being incredibly petty in preventing any sort of contact on just the door alone.

Sighing, Kakashi unravelled several packs of heavy-duty wire and carefully wrapped around the handle. He took in a deep breath and pulled.

With a certain amount of force, the door swung to the side, revealing a stairway that led deeper into the ground.

Kakashi tied the other end of the wire to a nearby tree, forcing the door to remain open. Lifting his headband, he slowly entered the bunker, silent in his footsteps.

The stairway swiftly opened to an entire laboratory. Papers were tossed aside and the dust collecting on the tables spoke of how long ago it had been used.

Tubes of different sizes lined the concrete walls, some empty and others filled with bubbling liquids. The lights above flickered once, twice, bringing his attention to the crumpled documents sprawled along the desk in the back.

Kakashi cautiously poked the nearest paper with a kunai. When there was no reaction, he gingerly lifted it and brought it to the light.

Subject #078

Injection successful. Signs of immediate decay, volatile reaction.

Future research required, with an increase of thirty percent to -

Kakashi drew his tantō, raising it in warning to the figure hidden within the corner of the room.

Shadows shifted left and right, the faintest sounds of something inhuman growing increasingly louder. Teeth clacking shut, the figure moved into the light, revealing a creature that perhaps had once been a human.

Unearthly light pulsed under the cracks of its skin, strange symbols carved on its neck. It raised its head, dark pupiless eyes staring straight ahead.

Kakashi vaguely recognized the mark. Mitarashi Anko had something similar, though he suspected that applying the seal had a low success rate.

He had only a split moment to decide. Snatching the stack of papers beside him, Kakashi moved to the exit, only for the creature to interrupt with an unnatural amount of speed.

Resignedly, he pocketed the papers away and ducked under a heavy swing that smashed into the wall next to him, creating a crumbling hole.

The creature roared, charging forward, and Kakashi shifted to the right, bringing his tantō in an upward swinging, only for the blade to hit skin with a strange clack.

So, sharp tools are useless, Kakashi noted dully, weaving around a series of attacks as he tested his theory by stabbing different areas of the body.

The pulsing lights were glowing brightly, near blinding, but Kakashi had enough sense to duck under to avoid a punch from behind.

Shifting to the side - and narrowly avoiding the desk - Kakashi turned to see another creature with similar markings. It howled at an unnervingly high pitch.

The situation was not ideal. Trapped in an underground bunker in very cramped quarters, with two volatile creatures left behind by Orochimaru.

Still, though they were fast, it was clear they had limited thought processing. It was only a matter of time before Kakashi could find a way to escape -

Except, suddenly, there was no time at all.

The light underneath the creatures' skin burned even brighter, overwhelming the room, the shrieks of each creature piercing into the air, and Kakashi only had time to close his eyes and -

There was a flash of light, and then he knew no more.

.

.

.

His return to consciousness was slow. Breaths remaining steady, he was immediately aware that he was tied tightly to something.

Everything felt tender and sore, as if he had been scalded by fire, but the air around him was cool and calm.

The possibility of being in a hostile environment rose even further.

There was only one thing left to do. He moved to find the pill hidden within his mouth - his eyes had been left intact, which meant he needed to end it now, before someone could grab them, grab it, grab Obito's eye and make his entire promise meaningless once again -

Except it wasn't there. The pill needed to target his organs was gone and, as Kakashi finally gauged the state of his body, even the kunai hidden in his sleeves was missing.

His eyes shot open, giving up on the pretense of being unconscious.

It was night. The dark sky above was littered with stars and the full moon was high above his head. He was still in the same forest from before, sitting on top of dry grass, his ANBU mask in pieces next to him, when -

"Took you long enough."

Kakashi stared straight ahead, to the fire crackling playfully, to the figure sitting patiently next to it, with strange pale hair and eerie green -

Yoko hummed, shuffling through the papers, the papers he had taken moments before everything turned to light.

"He's as crazy as ever," Yoko said thoughtfully, scanning through the contents of each page. "You're lucky only his failed test subjects had been left behind."

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi asked, his voice incredibly hoarse and scratched, as if he had inhaled a severe amount of smoke.

But it would serve him well to distract her enough to escape.

He tested his strength against the ropes that tied him to the tree. It was, he grudgingly acknowledged, perfectly tied. He could break his wrists and wriggle out of the ropes, or muster up enough chakra to try a sealless kawarimi -

Kakashi froze as Yoko approached.

"Honestly," she said, as if she was scolding a disruptive child. "Is that the thanks I get for helping you?"

"Helping me," Kakashi repeated doubtfully.

Yoko crouched down in front of him, the paleness of her hair a stark contrast against those unnerving eyes. She said wryly, "Well, you can't believe you got out of that explosion by yourself, do you?"

Kakashi paused. His last memory was not entirely clear, but he remembered attempting to leave Orochimaru's laboratory, being confronted by creatures that could not contain the amount of chakra they held.

Yoko creased her eyes. "You're welcome, by the way."

Kakashi narrowed his own eyes.

"Now let me see," Yoko reached out a hand and Kakashi reared back, nearly hitting his head against the tree. She gave an aggravated sigh. "Oh my god, don't be a baby."

Kakashi blinked rapidly, eyes still turned away because of Obito's eye. Did she just -

A cascade of soothing chakra flooded his system. The intrusion forced him to look back to see Yoko's hands glowing a brilliant green.

"You're a medic," Kakashi said flatly. A capable ninja with knowledge on healing was a dangerous combo. It was almost like a second Senju Tsunade.

Yoko gave a small laugh, a tiny sound that was nearly missed in comparison to the patches of his skin that were incredibly swollen and red.

Kakashi glanced down to see tears in some of his gear, though thankfully, everything else was intact.

"It's a shame your face was left unharmed," Yoko said wistfully, after a moment of silence. "It'd be a nice excuse to remove the mask."

Kakashi blinked as another burnt mark slowly disappeared into new skin.

He then assessed his own body and was forced to admit that yes, he'd garnered the attention of several woman before. Nothing was new.

"I'm not interested," he said firmly. Better to nip this in the bud. It wouldn't do to have a dangerous ninja chasing after him.

Yoko made a sudden noise that sounded half like a laugh and half like a choke. "Oh god, no, definitely not, ew."

"Ew," Kakashi repeated flatly.

"You're, uh," Yoko leaned farther away even as she moved to heal his arms. "You're a bit too old - "

"I'm only twenty," Kakashi interjected, narrowing his eyes.

Yoko paused to peer at him with a startling amount of intensity.

"Huh," she said quietly, "I guess the hair doesn't help much."

That, Kakashi immediately thought, is utter hypocrisy.

Yoko dusted off her hands soon after, his skin completely unscarred and only slightly tender.

Kakashi stared at the pale new skin. He was starting to understand why Danzo had been so wary of Yoko this whole time.

The sound of clanging metal grabbed his attention, and he turned to see Yoko inspecting several weapons - several of his weapons.

It gave the sore reminder that Kakashi was completely stuck, undefended and at the mercy of a woman who talked far too much.

Placing his weapons on the ground next to him, Yoko swiftly cut through his ropes with her own kunai.

Rubbing at his sore wrists, Kakashi warily accepted the stack of papers handed to him.

"I don't need these anymore," she told him, and creased her eyes. "Thanks for your sacrifice."

So Yoko was investigating Orochimaru as well? That was interesting to know.

Kakashi reattached his tantō and placed his weapons back where they belonged.

"I could take you in right now," Kakashi felt compelled to say. The supposed warning fell flat - the lack of animosity in the air was inherently strange and dangerous.

Yoko laughed again, the sound bright and clear.

"You could try," she said agreeably. Even in the dark, her eyes seemed too vivid, too saturated.

He should've expected what came next. In a small flash of chakra, Yoko was, once again, completely gone.

Kakashi looked up at the dark night sky, the moon glowing softly admist the countless stars.

He was starting to hate shadow clones.

notes!

- the name "Yoko" can mean child of the ocean.

- in the anime, ANBU members called each other by names when they were by themselves. also, the mission Itachi and Kakashi went together with is also canon - however, some parts have been tweaked to fit this narrative.

- I wanted to write from Kakashi's perspective because we've already seen it from Sakura's. Sakura is, of course, Yoko in this story. I've always seen authors lament over how difficult Kakashi's perspective is, and I can see where they're coming from. Twenty-year-old Kakashi is not completely a brat, but he's not yet the casual man we see in canon. He's somewhere in between right now, struggling to figure out his own identity. In all honesty, I just wanted to write him be increasingly bothered by someone (though he doesn't know) who knows him well.

- There were a lot references to "if the shoe fits," and I love to see how many you can find. I found it hilarious to recreate a parallel between the last scene here and the last scene from the first chapter of "if the shoe fits".

- There are so many subtle things that happen in several places, so I really hope some of you may be able to catch onto it haha

- I had originally expected this to be only 5k words, but by the time I hit twice the amount, I decided to stop here o.o This was a lot more fun than I had anticipated, as it plays around the idea of what Sakura would have done if she really didn't care about messing with time and had broken into Konoha the first time around. The plan, essentially, was to bring Danzo's attention to external issues, in hopes that if a threat was great enough, he would be forced to extend his resources instead of solely focusing on the Uchiha.

- Lastly, and most importantly, this was a gift for WhiteFang001, who was the 1000th reviewer for "if the shoe fits." They had mentioned Kakashi was one of their favorites, so I hope this serves well :) This is a celebratory thank you for everyone who's ever read and supported it!

I'd love to hear if you enjoyed this (not so) little snippet into an alternate universe! I'll say this till my face turns blue - I really don't deserve you all - thank you again!

- SE