Carbon Copy Ninja Part 4
Three Conversations. One long, two short:
"Back so soon, Kakashi-san? Did you forget something?"
"No, no. I'm here for my special order." Kakashi waved his hands vaguely at the small crate behind the proprietor.
"Ha-ha. That is a very good disguise, whoever you are, but Hatake-san is always very punctual picking up his Icha Icha special orders." He shook his finger at the copy-ninja, "Unlike everything else that's not important! You will have to wait for the general release in two weeks like everyone else."
Breath in, breath out. "Kamiya-San, I am Kakashi, and I haven't picked up my copy yet."
"I told you, you're too late; Hatake-san already picked up his copy. A little early, but I believe Jiraiya-sama would understand, since he's such a fan. Did you know he's been the president of the Ich-Icha fan-club in Konoha for over five years? He's very dedicated."
"Kamiya-san, I am the real Kakashi. Do you remember last year when I grabbed the Hokage's large-print copy by accident? Or the time I had to replace volume two of the original series because Pakkun puked all over it and you had such a hard time tracking down an original printing so the set would still match?"
"Oooh! Kakashi-san! You are you, no imposter would know about those things! I'm sorry, I gave your book to an imposter! Some depraved soul who wasn't up on his fan-club dues tricked me and stole your Icha-Icha!" the old man half-wailed before gaining strength, "I swear I will hunt him down and make him pay! We can sick Anbu on him! I know one of the captains and I'm sure the Hokage will understand the urgency!(1)"
"No, Kamiya-san, I'll find him." Kakashi's voice lost the usual carefree tone, "And he will pay." A pause while they waited for the ominous to settle, then more jaunty. "Do you have any other copies? I know there must be a few other fan-club members with enough points to get a shot at the pre-sale."
"I'm afraid..." Kamiya's clerk voice began, but he stopped to pull a book out of the box. "Actually, Jiraiya-sama always sends a free copy to Umino-sensei, but he's always a few days late picking it up. I have to send a message, let him know it's here, would you believe it? In any case, you might be able to borrow his if you can convince him to come get it. Or the Hokage's copy, but I expect a hunter-ninja along for that shortly. Maybe he can help you once the Hokage has his copy."
"Maybe. Hmm... Umino..." Kakashi's famous memory sorted through images of various academy teachers, trying to put a face to the name. His Icha-Icha deprived mind lingered on Kurenai a moment before he wrenched it away.
"The one with the scar." Kamiya ran his finger over the bridge of his nose to demonstrate, "And a temper."
"Oh! I do know him. Total push-over. Wish me luck."
"Of cou-" Kamiya sighed at the closing door. Ninja. "Good luck, Kakashi-san." he told the now empty shop.
"Good luck?" A different voice asked from directly behind him.
"AAAAH!" the poor shopkeeper clutched at his chest, "Hunter-san! Don't scare me like that!"
"Sorry..."
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"So, the desk-ninja said he would be here, but you say he's not here. Then where is he?"
"He took the day off." Mizuki the harried teaching assistant bit each word off with irritated precision. "Kotetsu or Genma might know, because he didn't tell any of us."
"Right." Kakashi sighed. Back to the mission office.
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"Of course the timing of these exercises are entirely within you control, but you should know there will be consequences."
"I am aware, Hokage-sama. I feel that they will have advantages to offset the timing. After all, we do not schedule these things with our enemies for our convenience."
"Very well, you may proceed. Now get out of here, you're scaring the children."
(1) yes, six exclamation points in a single paragraph! the Joys of Authorship!
A short chapter, hoping to clarify a little bit. Iruka posed as Kakashi got Kakashi's copy of the new Icha-icha while Kakashi was genjutsu'd. It was a special preorder for devout fan club members: it won't be generally available to the public for a few weeks (proof that Naruto's world doesn't have the internet, or it would be everywhere in that amount of time). The Identity of the last conversationalist is left intentionally ambiguous. All will be revealed... next time! Probably two chapters left, we'll see how it goes.
No Morse code 'D's were harmed in the production of this chapter.