Kakashi uncovered his face and turned to Naruto, who noticed that although his sensei’s visible eye was a little more watery than usual, there were no tears.
“First, you need to understand the almost family tree of ninja teams since the First and Second Hokage,” Kakashi began. “First, the Third Hokage trained under the direction of the first two Hokages, who then was the sensei of the three sannin, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. Jiraiya in turn trained Yondaime, who in turn trained me—”
“—and you trained me,” Naruto finished incredulously. He had never made the connection before. He was part of a somewhat prestigious line of sensei’s and students!
Kakashi nodded then pulled out a frame from a pocket of his jounin vest. The silver haired ninja gazed solemnly at the picture before giving it to Naruto to see.
Naruto gasped. There was the Fourth Hokage! He also easily found Kakashi, noting with disappointment that even as a genin the copy ninja concealed his face with a mask.
“Who are your comrades?”
“Rin is a medical ninja, now in the ANBU. The one with goggles is Obito, an Uchiha, who died during the war we were involved in at your age. That . . . that’s another story.” Kakashi closed his visible eye as if he were in immense pain and sorrow. Naruto took that as a hint to not press the subject.
Instead he turned all his attention to the Fourth Hokage. His father.
There was no doubt about it. They were definitely related, because the genin had never seen anyone with yellow hair as bright as his. He was so alike; would that be what he’d look like once he was older?
It felt so strange to see another look so much like him. From his childhood, while observing all the other families that treated him like dirt, he noted that many of them looked alike, and it was always something that fascinated him.
A single tear fell from Naruto’s face, but his anger towards his father for subjecting him to years and years of torment and loneliness did no subside.
“Why did he do this to me then?”
“First of all Naruto, did you know that I too, was an orphan at around your age?” The blond shook his head. “Well, in a series of events irrelevant to this discussion, he—” Kakashi swore silently. Even after all these years he couldn’t bring himself to say his own father died. However, his student seemed to understand the source of his hesitation, so he had no reason to continue.
“Anyway,” he said quickly, “it was qui—quite a blow, so I began to look at my sensei as a sort of (please forgive me) adopted father. He was always understanding of how it affected me, and was always supportive of what I did. It was he who suggested that I use my skills as an ANBU Black Op for a number of years.” Kakashi smiled fondly, remembering his old sensei and the enjoyable times he shared with him.
“But, that night the Kyubbi came, everything changed.”
--------------------------
In all respects, the village was in chaos. All eligible ninja, ANBU, jounin, chuunin, and genin were gathered together to protect the village against the Nine-Tailed Fox. The ninja had immediately skipped to Phase 2 by evacuating all the civilians to the mountains as fast as possible while the rest attempted to fend off the demon with their lives.
Kakashi slammed against a tree. Right now he was a member of the ANBU, his silver outfit and metal plates splattered in blood of his fellow ninja and himself. Picking himself up with the sword he always carried, he readied himself for another attack.
Before he charged towards the demon however, a familiar hawk flew past. Startled, Kakashi sheathed his blade and followed it, wondering what the Hokage wanted with him.
The Yondaime was standing on top of a hill that overlooked the whole battle. He was pacing almost frantically, his cloak swaying in the wind. The Hokage bore signs that he had participated in the battle, yet it was clear he took himself out of it a while ago.
Kakashi stared at the Hokage who was muttering to himself underneath his breath and pacing so much that it was giving the silver haired ninja a headache.
He stepped forward and knelt on the floor respectfully, “What is it you summoned me for?”
The Fourth Hokage appeared a little startled when his old student addressed him, but then he steered his mind to the topic at hand.
“There is no way we can defeat the Kyubbi,” he stated calmly.
Of all the things Kakashi was expecting him to say, admitting defeat was not one of them. “What do you propose we do?”
His sensei gave a weak smile. “For now, hold him until I can take care of him.” There was something foreboding in the way that he said it; Kakashi began to panic.
“I thought you said we couldn’t do anything! What makes you think you—”
“I will perform a forbidden jutsu to seal the demon within a child. It’s the only way.”
Kakashi’s eyes widened. The shock was so great that he found himself asking stupidly, “Wh—what?”
The Fourth Hokage chuckled weakly. “The Hidden Sound Village has been performing this jutsu for years. They just recently performed it on a newborn baby Gaara, and it was successful.”
The ANBU Black Op struggled to overcome his shock, “But, don’t those who perform the seal die themselves? Aren’t Jinchuuriki destined to be treated horribly? Who will you seal it in?!”
The man sighed. “Yes, they do die. I will choose my son.”
His son? Kakashi wondered.
“Yes, my son,” he nodded with a grimace. “My wife was almost in labor when the Kyubbi came, she should have given birth by now. This will work best if it is sealed after his umbilical cord is cut. You will find her and the child in the cave of the First Hokage’s face—”
“But why?” Kakashi couldn’t help himself. This was the man he had come to love and respect as much as his own father. Why was he making a choice that would ruin his child’s life forever?
The Yondaime sighed, he didn’t have much time left to save the village. “Because he is the only one I know about who is being born at the present time, and my son will be a hero. He will be the reason that this village will not be destroyed, that everyone lived, why the Kyubbi is kept under control. I will perform the Double Tetra-Gram Seal, yet combine it with an Eight Sign seal, which will allow my son’s chakra to keep demon's in check, so that he is not ruthlessly merged with the demon as the Suna Jinchuuriki is.”
Kakashi had to admit that it was a smart move. That way, the boy would be able to think for himself and not be heavily influenced by the demon. Plus it would provide an opportunity for him to use the Nine-Tailed Fox’s chakra as an advantage to himself, should he learn to control it.
“Now go! Time is running out.”
The Hokage watched his pupil vanish with immense regret, guilt, and foreboding than he ever had experienced before. Was he doing the right thing?
Kakashi reached the spot his sensei described in under a minute. Keeping his breathing slightly in check, he approached the cave where he could hear the distinct sound of a newborn baby.
There were three chuunin guarding the entrance, protecting the wife of the Hokage. They readied themselves at the sight of the ANBU with a red cat mask, in case he suddenly planned to betray their village.
Kakashi held up his hands. “I am here on business from the Hokage. I must enter.”
Slightly wary, but obedient to the orders of their leader, the guards granted him entrance.
There was a small fire in the center of the room, where a young women was sobbing and cleaning the blood off the floor. The crying baby was wrapped in blankets in a small bed, while the mother was resting on a larger bed. She was completely covered, yet the sheets were stained with blood. It was typical for a birth to have so much blood. Why was the midwife crying?
Coming closer, Kakashi found his answer as his blood stopped cold. The Hokage’s wife was dead.
The midwife noticed his presence and gazed at the frozen man, who evidently just learned the truth.
“The birth was not a pleasant one, but I did manage to save the baby,” she said in between sobs. “There was no time to summon other nurses. Be—before she died, she said that her son was to be named Naruto.” With that she broke down, unable to say anymore.
Kakashi put a hand on her shoulder. He wasn’t one to give comfort, but he did feel a need to make her feel better. Too much physical contact was awkward for the young man.
Bringing himself to the task at hand, Kakashi knelt at the side of his sensei’s now deceased wife and bowed his head in respect, then closed her eyes and offered a silent prayer of remorse.
The baby let out a loud wail, as if he understood what happened. Kakashi spun around to face the newborn child, and was shocked to see how much he looked like his father. The same yellow hair, the same face. His eyes were also blue. How could he willingly take this child to his imminent doom?
A loud crash that shook the ground and mountain brought Kakashi to what his purpose was. Cringing slightly, he carefully took the child in his arms. He felt so light, so fragile, so . . . so beautiful! Kakashi realized with amazement that this was the first baby he had ever held in his life.
“What are you doing?!” the midwife yelled hysterically.
“I will bring the child to his father. It is his wish,” he added.
She stared at him with absolute horror. “How do I know you’re not just someone in disguise trying to kidnap the only child of our Hokage!”
Kakashi sighed. He didn’t have much time. Wordlessly, he unclasped his mask and revealed his face, or at least, the part that wasn’t concealed by his other mask.
The young lady gasped as she noticed the Sharingan. This was the Hokage’s own pupil!
“All right then, go, but be extremely careful!” she warned, rather reluctantly.
Kakashi only nodded. There was no way he’d risk running through the village with such an important and fragile person in his hands. He still had some chakra left, and he figured he could use the last of it to transport to where his sensei was.
Taking a deep breath and steadying the child in his left hand, the copy ninja made a sign with his right hand and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
He appeared at the hill the Yondaime was still pacing on and struggled to stand up, his chakra almost depleted. His sensei came forward with an almost hunger coupled with hesitation to see his son.
Kakashi held out the child who was just now starting to wail again after getting over the shock of being transported. However, as soon as he was placed in his father’s arms he grew quiet. The child gazed up into his father’s teary eyes with curiosity. As if he knew who he was, the newborn clapped his hands and gave his father the largest smile either of the men had ever seen.
“Wh—what name did Kasumi choose?” the Yondaime inquired with a shaky voice.
“Naruto.”
“Naruto,” he repeated softly, rolling the name around on his tongue. “Yes, that’s a perfect name. How is Kasumi?”
Kakashi grimaced. There was no way he could tell his sensei that his wife had just recently passed away. He was just about to die, so why not let him die in false security?
“She is much better now. She is resting peacefully.” At least he was sort of telling the truth. Kakashi was grateful the Hokage had not taken his eyes off his son, else he would have seen the lie on his face or the tears that did not fall in Kakashi’s eyes.
The Hokage let out a sigh of relief. “Well, at least Naruto will have one parent to raise him,” he said softly.
Kakashi felt like he would burst with sadness. Keeping this secret was more difficult than he could ever imagine!
Shinobi rule 25 . . . Shinobi rule 25 . . . he kept telling himself over and over again in an attempt to control his emotions. It worked, but barely.
His sensei continued to gaze at his son, tears slowly falling down his face. This was the son that he could never see grow up, never tell how much he loved him, never raise along with his wife. Would his son ever forgive him for what he was about to do?
The demon fox howled excitedly, almost shaking the ground. This brought the Hokage to his senses. Giving his son a kiss on his forehead, he reluctantly placed the child in Kakashi’s hands.
“One last thing,” he added, “would you make sure that people treat my son as a hero? That he saved the village? Could you let him know—” at this his voice broke, “that I love him and he could never know how sorry I am for what I am about to subject him too?”
The copy ninja could only nod, for fear of his voice betraying him and causing him to break the 25th Shinobi rule.
“Right,” the Hokage said, gaining control of his emotions. “Time to save our village.” He started forward, and then glanced back at his child, who was staring at him quietly in Kakashi’s arms.
To both men’s surprise, the Yellow Flash rushed back and embraced his student and son in one final goodbye. Kakashi was absolutely stunned. He had never been hugged by his sensei before. He couldn’t remember ever being hugged.
“Tell Kasumi I love her more than anything,” he added softly. Kakashi again only nodded as his beloved sensei walked to the edge of the hill. He gazed at the battlefield where the demon fox wreaked havoc with every swish of his nine tails.
Filled with determination, the Yondaime scraped some blood off his cheek. “Kyuchiyose no Jutsu!” With a loud boom and enormous puff of smoke, the Frog Boss appeared. The Yondaime stood atop his head, Hokage robes blowing in the wind, absolute determination etched on his face. Then he proceeded to begin the seals as Gamabunta walked towards the demon while the other shinobi realized their Hokage was there to save them and they all retreated to give him room.
As the Fourth Hokage completed the hand signs and yelled the incantation, tears were streaming down his face as he did the action that tore his heart in two; saving his village while at the same time condemning his beloved son to something he had no say in. If only he could live to tell him how sorry he was.
Once it was all over, it was completely quiet, save for the screams and wails of one baby boy. Kakashi cradled the sprawling child, overcome with grief. There was a very curious seal on his stomach. When the demon was going into the child, Kakashi could barely stay his ground and hold the him. Now that it was over he was on his knees, panting from exhaustion, barely able to stay awake as unconsciousness threatened to overtake him.
He gazed at the child who had tears streaming down his cheeks. That had to have been painful, he imagined. His eyes widened when he noticed that now the child had three lines on each cheek that had the appearance of whiskers. Puzzled, Kakashi slowly ran a finger over them, wondering if they were scratch marks.
His skin was smooth to the touch, no grooves or raised skin. Those marks would be there for good. Kakashi contemplated this, and concluded that sharing a body with the most powerful demon must have give him some feline characteristics.
The copy ninja struggled to stand, and recognized how depleted his chakra was. He grunted angrily, this was not the time to become unconscious! He had to get the child to safety!
Putting his right hand in front of his face, Kakashi transported into the deserted hospital. Going beyond his limits, the ANBU member staggered to a room, where he laid the now sleeping child gently into a box suitable to prevent him from harm and collapsed on the floor, unable to reach the bed.
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Chapter notes: Here's the next chapter! Sorry to leave you hanging!