ANBU's Children

Sumary: ANBU. Konoha's elite assassination force. Responsible to carry out highly dangerous and highly important mission. Their main task is to protect the Village and villagers. The future of Konoha is the children, the next generation. Thus, ANBU's mission is essentially protecting those children.

~X~

Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushai Butai (ANBU) is the Special Force of the Konoha. The Assassins who do all the dirty works for the Village that was above most Jounin's Paygrade, and with low and questionable morality level.

At beginning of Konoha's Founding, there was no ANBU. They only come into existence during near end of Second Hokage's Regin. At their infancy, ANBU are no more than highly skilled highly dangerous individual who has lost too much in war and willing to do anything and everything for what they consider their only anchor to sanity. There's no sense of teamwork beyond camaraderie-through-similar-experience. They throw away their birth name and accepted the Mask as Codename.

Wolf. Dragon. Falcon. Cat. Frog. Owl. Bear. Seven first ANBU of Konoha. Each has specific tale and role behind their mask theme.

At beginning they are Assassination Squad who take care of all dangerous and dirty work for Village, no matter how terrible it was. They did not even exist in official record. It was only after Third Hokage take reign it changed.

The mission start to get varied. From Assassination to Information Gathers, to Patrols, to Guard / Escort prominent figure, such as their Hokage, and to shadow certain team if Third Gokage feel amiss about the mission the said team taken, given the nature of Shinobi's lives where anything and everything can go wrong. For that, there's more people recruited into ANBU for their special skill. Start from Tracking, to Poison and Medical, to Torture and Interrogation, to Sealing.

Female, Male. Member of prominous clan or used to be feral street child. Such thing doesn't matter. What matter is they have the necessary skill they need to survive the harsh mission and strong will as to not break under constant pressure. The mortality rate was alarmin high due to dangerous nature of their standard missions, but if the ANBU lived past first four years, they are guaranteed to become powerful and highly skilled Assassin among Assassins.

Fierce and strong. No job was too hard for them to complete. The Elite of elites. Genins and Chuunins alike dreamed of getting into ANBU. For them, ANBU were the best. The Anonymous shadows that protected Konoha with their lives. Most jounin, notably the senior ones, know better.

What most people didn't know was that ANBU consisted of broken and shattered Jounin and above rank ninja. From suicidal Hunter-Nin to psychotic T&I specialists. Several geniuses and people with fair share of tragedy and very little to no ability to understand normal people somehow found themselves joined their ranks. Some may call it terrible and detrimental to their mental health, but oddly enough, those geniuses felt more at home among the socially dysnfucntional assassins. After the first four years of "Introduction", the rookie green-wet-behind-the-ears most likely to develop odd quirks just to stay sane with all killing and loose morale jobs they have to do. The sole consolation of this, was the ANBU as one are too loyal to Village to just drop dead with mission unfinished if they can help it.

The ANBU Headquarters tends to be as quiet and solemn as graveyard. They moved silently like ghosts in the halls. Sometimes with blood dripping from them if just come from mission. As sad as it sounds, it was normal for some of the assassins to return in post mission haze. Due to violent reactions of the said assassins, more than few dozens close call, and several "unfortunate accident", the post-mission ANBU are required todirectly return to HQ using different entrance. The rest of Ninja forces are warned to avoid the higher ranked assassin after they returned from mission, especially if they are blood drenched. Those ANBU come back in autopilot state and only registered their fellow ANBU masks as "Ally—do not attack" no matter how dazed they are. They are to given their report autopilot before snapped out of it by more experienced ANBU comrades, to minimalize any flashbacks.

That is, before Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina happened.

~X~

Namikaze Minato. Spiky Blonde. Genius. Calm.

Uzumaki Kushina. Fiery Redhead. Feisty. Outgoing.

Those are identity of Owl (the IX) and Fox (the VIII). Even after few years passed, it would be a great mystery as to HOW does the two are considered sane, not only by ANBU-standard but also civillian-standard, that once removed from ANBU, it take no time for them to integrated into normal society.

Minato—Owl the IX—even take a volatile genin team, stay sane, and flourishing. Kushina—Fox the VIII—was also as lively as her boyfriend (romance between TWO ANBU?) however she's more involved with older, experienced ninja who has potential in Sealing Art.

Some thought that Minato and Kushina cannot, did not suited the ANBU. Brought forth argument that their personality clash too much with solemn aura the Assassins of Konoha give. Some were saying the two never truly become ANBU. They only in for experience in preparation of the war. Some even said they secretely despised ANBU's cold-blooded, broken lifestyle.

Until one day Crane arrived to lounge room and find the Minato sitting on avaiable couch, cleaning and sharpening his ninja weapons, as if he never leave.

Yes. The blonde only here to inform that there's a mission that require a squadron of ANBU shadowing them but he stay after delivering the message. Few days later, Kushina barges in, carrying several storage scroll that turns out containing favorite food of over half ANBU forces. Two weeks later, Hawk found Minato complaining to Wolf about the Toad Sage's perversions. A month after that, Kushina dragged out one Squadron from Sealing Division and two squadron from Medical Division to oversee Minato's experimental Hiraishin Seal in case of Sealing Accident.

And so on. And so on.

That reminded the ANBU that no. Owl the XI and Fox the VIII never left ANBU. They may no longer wear the mask, but they are still part of ANBU force. And thus, their mask never handed out to newer recruit. As far as ANBU concerned, the two only take "prolonged days off".

It revive spark that many thought was lost. Spark that was called...

...happiness.

Yes. Yes. It was happiness. ANBU, for the first time in long time, felt genuine happiness. How interesting that blatant show of affection and cares can do to Assassin force whose body count can built up a mountain.

It made the duo even more enigmatic than before.

They treated ANBU like a normal person. Paying great attention to little details of the assassins' lives. This become even more pronounced when Minato become a Hokage. He pay explicit attention to the Village's collective dangerous Assassin force. He treat them well. Giving praise and honest critism of their work with no judgement eyes. Sending injured ANBU a get well wish.

And of course, Kushina is not far behind. She will hang out on ANBU HQ. To drag out more depressed one into socializing with people under disguise "perfecting your acting skill—you stand out too much". Coaxed them out of their shell. Surprisingly patient in taught them manners and lines that should never be crossed in friendly chat.

To them, ANBU are broken precious thing that still salvaged.

Minato is the one who pick them up, Kushina is the fire that melted away the broken shard, so that together they would repaired the broken shard into something different. Something new and whole.

Kushina was fire. Burning bright and full of life and passion and hope. Minato is the wind. Gentle and calming, but also always push them for better. Together, they are inferno no one can escape from.

It was not a suprise for them to find their Hokage and his girlfriend-turned-wife in the Headquarter. What surprising was they brought on the young Hatake. Minato's only surviving student.

"Hokage-sama." One ANBU rise and salutes.

"You can call me Minato, Bear."

"You are our Hokage."

"And I am still the brat whom you bullies into climbing the Hokage mountain with nothing but kunai."

A ghost of smile passed behind the Bear mask at the notion. Ahhh... good old days. Minato's profanity rant was music to his ears. Who knows the blonde has dictionary worth of swear words and can interpret it into sign language?

"Very well Minato." He relented. "What do you want this time?"

"Do you know where Wolf-Taichou is?"

"I'm here." The silver haired, wolf-masked ANBU rose and approached the unmasked trio. "What is it?"

Wolf (the V) is a Senior ANBU. No. He is THE Senior ANBU. The Greatest Captain of ANBU force. ANBU have low life expectancy due their stressful, near suicidal lifestyle, and yet Wolf is old. Older than Minato and/or Kushina. Old enough to be Kakashi's father. That was impressive age. He has more knowledge and experience than a fifth of ANBU combined. In ANBU Command Chain, his order is the rule.

Minato smiled and saluting his once commander. "Wolf, I have a proposition for you." He said. Now that they look at it, Minato's smile was strained and held undercurrent sadness.

"What is it?"

"I want you to take Hatake Kakashi as your apprentice."

Silence ensued.

None of the ANBU present that did not stare at their new Hokage in shock. It was visible even through their mask. Minato loves kids. That was a fact the entire Konoha knew. He never killed a children during war. Only teenage 15 years old and olders. Never below that. One of main reason why he took a Genin team was to protect them. So for him to nominate his sole living student as ANBU was something they never expected. Kakashi was FOURTEEN! Some were silently checking the chakra to see if this was genjutsu or impostor.

Nope. It was Minato, alright.

"Why?" Wolf was the first to snap out of it. "As ANBU Commander, I have every right to know the background of my men."

"Danzo." It was Kushina. She spat out the name like poison. "The teme think he can use Kashi-kun's unstable mental post-war to turn him into mindless drone. I saw that bastard approaching Kashi-kun with offers to join "ANBU"."

The quotation mark weren't go unnoticed.

There's two ANBU in Konoha. One is "official" ANBU, the one whom serves the Hokage and the Village. The member are appointed by Hokage himself. The other was "unofficial" ANBU, called Root, which serves Danzo.

Originally they are one unit, until the "official" ANBU notice that the other branch are too emotionless and have very little humanity, as well more loyal to Danzo than to the Hokage, which unnerves them. Thus by Sandaime's decree, the ANBU and Root split up. There's rumour that their Hokage will have Root disbanded.

If Danzo was the one who made the proposal, it doesn't take genius where Kakashi would end up.

"I see." Wolf nodded. "Indeed, making young Hatake an "official" ANBU by yourself means you will have lease to know his condition, as well keep him stay away from the old War Hawk, even though you don't like it." Throwing a War Soldier into Assassination unit wasn't the best choice for the kid's mental health, but it was better than mindfucked into emotionless organic machine. "Anything else?"

"I want to revive Apprentice System."

"...Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"I see."

Frowned in confusion, Kakashi looked at his Sensei. "Sensei, what is Apprentice System?" He ask.

"It was old System in ANBU, one that was forgotten." Answered the Wolf. "Back when ANBU was young, when the number was still low, when a Shinobi is promoted into ANBU, he or she doesn't automatically gained a Mask or recognize as an ANBU. They will be given blank face-like mask and a fake name, and put under official ANBU's tutelage as apprentice. The ANBU will taught the apprentice what they know. Skill, experience, knowledge. It was until the Mentor ANBU deemed the Apprentice had passed, they finally gained ANBU Mask. Usually something that related to the Mentor. Example, a Tiger-masked Mentor ANBU give the Apprentice a Cat Mask, or Panther, or Leopard, or Lion. In few case, the Mentor will handed down their own mask to the Apprentice."

"But we didn't do that." A Minx-masked ANBU spoke up. Confusion evident in his voice.

"No. We don't." Replied Wolf. "At Post Second Shinobi World War, when Sandaime-sama receive the news about Fall of Uzushio, he sends all of the Mentoring ANBUs and almost-graduating Apprentice ANBUs to Uzushio. The mission was to protect the refuuge till they reach Konoha."

"We were pursue by back up force from Kumo, Iwa, and Kiri, ya know." Kushina's smile was bitter. "All Jounin level above. The end result, out of all fifty shinobi sends, only a pair of Mentor-Apprentice survived long enough to bring me and two other survivors to Konoha. And the Mentor was dying soon after. Right, cousin?"

One ANBU, certainly an Uzumaki with his red hair, nodded.

"Seeing that ANBU force were cut down into less than a quarter, and the rest were new Apprentice, Sandaime-sama quickly appointed several talented Ninja straight into ANBU, complete with Mask."

...no wonder we weren't taught that system! The ANBU thought in unison. The Apprentices back then weren't experienced enough to be Mentor.

"Ahem." Minato coughed. Trying to allevitate the solemn and gloomy mood. "And since we have enough ANBU now... I'm thinking of reviving the System. It would benefical for everyone. You may think of it as Team-Bonding as well."

"Does that means there won't be Solo Mission?" Piqued a Mouse-masked ANBU.

"I won't send my men on Solo Mission if I can help it." Deadpanned Minato. "We were still at War, even though it was not as bad as few months ago. And last time I checked, Shinobi, no matter what rank they have, going on Solo Mission has over eighty percent of going KIA."

Touche.

"That being said, Wolf, Kakashi-kun. Do you two accept this proposition?"

Kakashi looked at Minato, then at Wolf, and can't help but think of his teammates. Rin. Obito. He won't going Solo anymore. He will have to lookout for his teammate and ensure no one will be left behind. Just like what Obito want. He gulped, but nodded.

"I accept."

"...I accept, Hokage-sama." Wolf inclined his head.

And thus, old ANBU System is revived.

~X~

"Hokage-sama."

"Wolf."

The two were having private meeting in Hokage's Tower. Privacy seal was activate and no one else but two of them.

"You do it on purpose. Choosing me out of all ANBU."

"You are the oldest and most senior ANBU. Kakashi would benefitted a lot from you."

"...that was not the only reason, was it?"

"...no, it wasn't." Admitted Minato. He may have ulterior motive when choosing Wolf of all people. "What should I call him when on duty?"

"Raikiri."

Minato's mouth twitched into a smile. "That comes from Kakashi-kun's Chidori, was it?"

"I figure he deserve it. Not many Chuunin can create a powerful Justu, at least not at that young age. He did look happy with the name."

"Of course he would." Who wouldn't? "Is there anything else?"

"You revives the system not just for Kakashi." Wolf began. "Does that means you have Apprentice list drafted up?"

Minato nodded and shuffle the file, until he found the list he searching for, and handed it to ANBU. There's five names. Namiashi Raido, Shiranui Genma, Tatami Iwashi, Hyuuga Hizashi and...

"Are you sure?" Wolf asked, unable to believe the last name on the list.

Minato nodded.

"But what about his apprentice? He have one of his own."

"You ask as if you haven't made list of possible mentor for him and his apprentice." Replied Minato dryly. "I'm sure ANBU Commander like you can figure this out."

"I... see." Wolf nodded. Yes. He do has Mentor Candidates listed. "Very well. When do you wish to inform him?"

"The second he return from his trip."

"Then, please excuse me."

With Wolf shunshin-ed away, Minato looking out at the Konoha. His Village was damaged because of the war, and his men even more so. Children who had just graduated Academy are forced to participate in war, as front line fighter, sabotages, or supports. Those who survive are scarred and traumatized. Kakashi just happened to be Poster Children of Post-War Traumatized Child.

He hope the Apprentice System would do his men good. They deserve better.

TBC