Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Somewhere to Belong ❯ Mission ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three: Mission

 

Kakashi wasn't one to listen to speeches with extreme intensity. True that he could hear the Fifth speaking, but whether or not he was actually listening was another matter. It wasn't that he didn't respect the Fifth. Typically, he didn't ignore people when they were saying something important, but today, his mind was particularly clouded. He wasn't as depressed as he had been the day before, though he knew that pain had still not completely lifted. Kakashi expected it never would…but now he was left more confused than ever before. Tsunade was still glaring at him slightly as she spoke to all the other chunnin and jounin in the room, explaining Konoha's situation. The Hokage had not been happy with him for showing up late.

 

“Nice of you to finally join us, Kakashi,” she had said as he had appeared at the door, “You chose the wrong day to practice your bad habit of chronic tardiness.”

 

Her face had looked so stern and frightening that the jounin had taken his seat slightly more quickly than normal while still amazingly keeping a complacent expression on his face. As the Hogake had resumed the speech that she had already started, his eyes had wandered across the room and landed on a certain chunnin sitting near the window. Iruka had given him an amused smile.

 

Kakashi didn't know what confused him more- Iruka's reaction to his tardiness or his own reaction to Iruka's smile. It was some strange, unfamiliar feeling inside of him that made him feel both empty and full at the same time and suddenly aware of the distance that lay between them. He had never experienced anything like this when he was younger and still learning the basics of ninja training or on any mission that he had ever been on. Few people had made him feel uncomfortable by simply staring at him. Maybe there was still something wrong with him…

 

He remembered the day before when they had both met at the stone. Was this anything like he had been feeling then? A strange presumption that maybe Iruka really did care for him? No. I told you before- it's nothing like that. Iruka feels sorry for you, maybe, but he doesn't care. Caring involves some kind of closer connection, and you two hardly know each other. Iruka doesn't really know you. He could never care.

 

Across the room, the tan chunnin was doing his best to listen to Tsunade, but just like Kakashi, he was having a difficult time concentrating on her speech. It was more or less about what he already knew- the shortage of ninja in the village, the areas of the village that still hadn't recovered from Orochimaru's attack, and so on. He let his eyes slowly wander across the room full of ninja until finally, they locked themselves onto the silver-haired jounin. Kakashi was staring at a spot on the wall behind the Hokage, resting his head on his palm and seemingly deep in thought. His eyes carried the same bored expression that they always did. He hasn't even been here that long, Iruka thought. He was late just like he said he would be. Iruka wondered what the Copy-Nin was thinking about at that moment.

 

How long has it been since anyone's cared? Kakashi wondered. He remembered the night of the Kyuubi attack, when he had watched his sensei sacrifice himself for the village. Before that, it had been his teammate, Rin, who had been killed during their last mission together before their sensei had become Hokage. He shuddered at that memory. He still had a scar on his back from the large wound Rin had been trying to heal only moments before her death. On that fateful night, not too long after Obito's death, the three members that were left of the soon-to-be-Yondaime's team had been battling intruders at Konoha's border. Kakashi had suddenly been struck down by an enemy ninja and had been in danger of dying from blood loss when Rin had leapt to his side immediately and cut off his new jounin vest and shirt before using her healing jutsu to close the wound. She hadn't had time to prepare for the enemy ninja's attack, and their sensei had been busy dealing with five other skilled opponents. Kakashi had only just felt his wound close up before Rin's lifeless body had fallen on top of him.

 

Frozen in shock long enough for her murderer to charge at him, Kakashi had felt the world collapsing around him. Now another friend had given up her life for him, just as Obito had done. Why?! His life wasn't worth more! Why did he have to watch people he love die in front of him?! Why could he never protect them?! Obito's eye had flooded with tears, as if the Uchiha himself had been crying over Rin's death, and maybe this sensation was what had hurled Kakashi back to reality so that he could block the murderer's attack the second before he had struck. Revenge hot in his blood, he had killed the ninja swiftly and gone on to help his sensei finish off his opponents. Even after this, however, he had found himself unsatisfied. No amount of enemy blood was going to bring Rin back. The promise he had made to protect her had been broken. He had failed again.

 

Iruka watched Kakashi's face twist as if he were in pain. Was it possible that the jounin had been injured on some mission? No, he realized. He had been filing papers in the mission room and remembered that Kakashi hadn't been sent on any high rank missons lately. So then, what?

 

“And that's why, because of the shortage of ninja in our village, other countries might seek to take advantage of our weakness at this time,” the Fifth was saying, “as you might have guessed, border control is going to have to be more intense, so I'm pairing each of you jounin with one or two chunnin so that we can cover more ground and still keep up our defenses.”

 

Iruka suddenly directed his attention back to Tsunade, his eyes wide and mouth gaping slightly. What? Nothing like this has ever happened before…Kakashi seemed shocked as well, though it was a lot harder to tell on his mostly-covered face. He had always preferred border control to regular missions because it was typically less dangerous, and he had time to think to himself because usually, he went on border patrol alone. It wasn't that he feared danger; he just liked being able to read one of his books while hopping from tree to tree.

 

“I've already made a list of the ninja that I've placed together,” the Hokage said and began reading off names from a paper in her hand.

 

Kakashi placed his head back on his palm and continued his reminiscing. Iruka put both of his hands together, fingers twitching nervously. I wonder who she's going to put me with. I shouldn't even have to go on border patrol…It's not that I don't want to protect the village- but who's going to look after the kids? The last substitute was almost assassinated. He told me that he was never going to come back… The one before that was pretty good, but she didn't know how to deal with those troublemakers effectively, either… Some people just don't understand how difficult being an academy teacher really is…

 

“Team Fourteen- Sarutobi Asuma and Nara Shikamaru…Team Fifteen- Hatake Kakashi and Umino Iruka.”

 

Both jounin and chunnin jumped slightly. Kakashi felt Iruka's gaze on him and turned to him with a smile visible in his eye. Iruka did his best to smile back, though he was still in shock. I'm going on border patrol with Kakashi?! his mind yelled. What a coincidence, Kakashi thought, seemingly indifferent but in actuality not much less surprised.

 

“Now then,” Tsunade announced once she had finished reading off the rest of the names, “I have your assignments. Come up when I call your team so that you know which area you're covering.”

 

When Team Fifteen's turn came, Kakashi and Iruka both went up to receive their assignments. The Hokage's eyes fell on them as they approached, and she quickly handed them their assignment.

 

“You two are in charge of the Northeastern part of the border. This part is considered to be one of the most dangerous, so don't let your guard down. Iruka, I know you haven't had much field experience, so I've paired you with Kakashi to balance your team out. I've all ready arranged for a substitute to cover your classes. Your assignment begins tomorrow, so leave by noon and return at sundown after two days. Good luck. You're excused.”

 

The two ninja bowed and took their leave. They exited through the back door and walked out of the building into the night. Neither of the two said anything. Kakashi's face was still calm. He didn't seem affected by the suddenness of this new assignment. He was used to surprises. Iruka felt rather awkward, however, and finally, he was the first to speak.

 

“So…Where do you want to meet tomorrow?”

 

“Hmm? Oh, well…the bridge is fine. That's where I always meet…met…with my team.”

 

There was a hint of sadness in his voice, and Iruka felt a sudden stab of guilt even though he had done nothing except ask an essential question. Kakashi sensed his pity and was suddenly ashamed. This wasn't the time for this. He didn't want anyone feeling sorry for him.

 

“Tomorrow, then,” he said with a smile, “I'll try to be there on time.”

 

And he was serious about it.

 

“Great,” Iruka said, “See you then.”

 

They said their goodbyes and each headed in their separate directions. As Kakashi walked down the street, he gazed up at the full moon and star-covered sky. He wondered about Team Seven and what each of his former students was doing. He knew Sakura was most likely doing fine. Tsunade had been telling him of her incredible progress, but he had yet to see any of the techniques that she had acquired. Naruto was probably fairing well also. He knew the young ninja's determination would keep him striving to improve, and under Jiraya, that was sure to happen. And the last of his team…Kakashi shook his head. Every time he thought of Sasuke, he shuddered slightly. What was the evil Sannin teaching him? Kakashi wasn't sure he wanted to know.

 

Iruka passed the familiar ramen restaurant on his way home and stared at it sadly. It hadn't been too long since Naruto had left, but he still missed the nights he would take the gennin out to ramen. He had always been so happy and excited when Iruka had invited him. Now that Naruto was gone, Iruka felt a pang of loneliness. He knew he should be happy for Naruto- at least he was getting the training he needed to become a better ninja, but at the same time, he often wished he could at least see how he was progressing and hear his enthusiastic voice telling him how good he was getting. He sighed. He hadn't grown as attached to any of his other students at the academy. He still cared for each one, but none of them were Naruto. Now he'd have to leave them all in someone else's hands, at least for a while. How long would these border patrol assignments last? Two days with Kakashi…Iruka thought, considering it. Should be interesting…