Fandom [naruto] halfbreed || itliveswithin & arbus

[roxybirdie]

HALFBREED​

SYNOPSIS​

at the end of the fourth shinobi world war — before naruto and sasuke sealed kaguya — kakashi died protecting his beloved students. instead of reuniting with his loved ones in the pure world, kakashi awakened in limbo. it was there he met the sage of six paths. hagoromo admitted he originally intended to share his chakra with his sons' reincarnations, but foresaw detrimental consequences. even if kaguya was sealed, another war was on the horizon. the fifth shinobi world war will end the five great nations. to correct his negligence and prevent the destruction of mankind, hagoromo entrusted kakashi with a mission; destroy kaguya's will.

after bestowing kakashi a few parting gifts, hagoromo transported him to the past. de-aged and alone, kakashi is forced to acclimate to the bloodiest era; the warring states period.

WARNING​

this is a private, one[x]one thread.​

while you're allowed to read, only itliveswithin & arbus are permitted to post here.

bbcode by roxybirdie

 

[roxybirdie]

Hi no Kuni — Two Weeks Before Winter

In hindsight, it could of been worse.

“Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!” exclaimed the clansman.

Much, much worse.

With a flick of his wrist, the self-proclaimed, non-affiliated nomad substituted himself with a falling leaf. The rush of flames reduced the fluttering leaf to ash. A few yards ahead, the silver-haired shinobi appeared, increasing his agility. Behind him, a total of four ninja followed. The distinct high-collared clothing and tomoe-spinning crimson eyes indicated Uchiha descent.

“There’s no use running, Hatake. You won’t escape!” a clansman spat.

Kakashi, the aforementioned Hatake, leaped off his branch, evading a vicious blast of wind chakra. The branch exploded, sending chunks of wood in all directions. “Maa, were none of you ever taught to look underneath the underneath?” Without warning, another ball of flames jetted closer to his backside. Instead of retaliating, the silver-haired nomad dodged the attack and increased his speed.

Unbeknownst to the patrol squad, the clansmen were following a shadow clone. In the opposite direction, the real Kakashi maneuvered through the trees at blinding speed, far superior compared to his clone’s pace. The bunshin’s purpose was to lure the patrol squad, not lose them. A well-timed suiton against a katon created a thick shroud of steam, enabling Kakashi to replace himself with a kage bunshin. Twenty minutes passed since the switch. Utilizing a technique created by the Nidaime was exceptionally dangerous, but the alternative was capture. After three years of evading the Uchiha, Kakashi wasn’t keen on interacting with said clan directly.

Autumn in the Land of Fire was simultaneously a blessing and a curse. While the cooler temperature siphoned the edge of the land’s renowned humidity, it was notoriously short. Winter in the Land of Fire was mild compared to its neighboring countries, a byproduct of the land’s namesake, but it was menacing in its own right. Kakashi was no stranger to harsh conditions, and regardless of his dwindling provisions, he was more than capable of surviving another winter in the Land of Fire. However, an unfortunate miscalculation derailed his yearly trip to Chiba, one of the largest civilian cities outside of the capital. In his endeavor of eluding all shinobi clans — mainly the Uchiha, Senju, and Hatake — Kakashi failed to properly assess, catalogue, and memorize the sheer size of said clans’ territories.

In the end, his paranoia was his downfall.

All of the sudden, the wind shifted. A rustling of fabric was the only warning Kakashi received before he jumped off a high branch, evading a foot aimed for his sternum. The masked Hatake flipped onto a lower branch, leaped, and landed on the ground. Kakashi shifted his right leg back, unsheathed his wakizashi, and raised it above his head, blocking a downward strike. Sparks emitted from the clashing of blades, but the force didn’t deter the silver-haired ninja. Dark charcoal met blazing crimson.

His eyes widened slightly. A familiar face flashed in front of him, enveloping the assailant’s visage.

Sasuke.

“I-impossible,” Kakashi breathed, momentarily stunned. The flicker of recognition vanished once the image of his former student shattered. The man in front of him, while uncannily similar, wasn’t Sasuke. Before Kakashi could react, a rush of memories flooded his mind, indicating his decoy dispelled. Unfortunately, his moment of hesitation was all the man needed. With a twist of his wrist, the ravenette disarmed Kakashi. He lunged and without remorse, slammed the end of his katana — kashira facing the masked Hatake — against the silver-haired shinobi’s temple.

Everything went black.

Without a word, Kakashi collapsed on the ground, face first.

 

[arbus]

To think that upon waking, the day had held such high promises of peace and tranquility for Madara. His study, yet sparsely furnished but for a bulky mahogany desk and a much simpler wooden table holding the maps of circumjacent territory, faced the east inner garden and was therefore flodded with the golden light of the morning when he entered, sweating and heaving from performing his katas. It was good to start his days like that, filling his lungs with the crisp autumn air and exerting his muscles. Since his appointment his training had suffered, and most afternoons, after long hours spent bend over the maps in the midst of half a dozen cob-webbed elders, he found himself restless from this unfamiliar lack of physical activity.

He was walking with bare feet across the room to a pitcher of water, gulping it down greedily when the bell on the main gate began to ring in three sharp strikes, announcing the arrival of a group of scouts. He wiped his hand across his mouth and stepped to look out the window that faced the courtyard. As the largest of the houses, the main building was situated in the middle of the compound, a newly-renovated and expanded complex. The inner garden was especially beautiful, a luxury as much as a signifier of Madara's power, his new standing in the village affirmed by a koi pond and a willow overgrowing it.

It took three shinobi to pull open the heavy iron gates, the first among a multitude of recent improvments in the compound's security, and through marched a squad of five with Izuna in the lead. At the sight of him, something inside Madara's chest eased, as it always did when his brother returned in good health and unharmed; when he returned at all. Next to Izuna, sprinting to catch up to him, walked Hikaku. He leaned in to say something in Izuna's ear, and they both laughed, subdued and grim, and if Madara's eyes had not already taken in the slumped man being carried over the shoulder of one of the other squad members -- a shock of white hair, so none of theirs -- he would have known by that laugh: Something was amiss.

So he was not at all surprised when, a short while later, Izuna appeared in the open door, arms crossed, looking smug in a way only a boy in the bloom of adolesence could. "Guess what I caught."

"A Hatake."

Izuna's face fell. Then he turned his head toward the window and sighed. "Damn. I forgot about that."

Leaning against the front of the desk, Madara crossed his arms. "If you went and snatched him from foreign territory, he won't be of any use to --"

This brought the smirk back onto his brother's face, and against his will, a sudden burst of anticipation flared up in Madara's chest. He shifted just so, holding his face carefully neutral, as Izuna said: "I didn't, though. I caught him traversing Uchiha territory. And I'm not talking about him barely breaching the border either. We found him only a few miles north from the Naka."

Madara could not prevent the satisfied huff escaping his throat, nor did he care to. Finally, good news. He gave his brother a firm nod to show his appreciation. Izuna understood.

"Where is he now?"

"We've brought him to the dungeon. He was knocked out cold, last time I saw him."

*​

The dungeon was no more than a cellar, dug deep underneath one of the smaller constructions in the west part of the compound. Before recently, before the Uchiha had started taking prisoners for political purposes, it had been used to store dried meat and other preserved food. Narrow, winding stairs led down to the dim, cavernous chamber. The walls were bare earth and the air was heavy with the smell of mildew and the lingering scent of spices. A row of bars was embedded in floor and ceiling, creating two adjoined cells. The Hatake had been discarded into the left one. Madara stepped in front of it and crossed his arms. As the light of the torch did not reach it, the cell lay in the half-dark. The chakra-subduing seal, applied to the Hatake's bound wrists, gave of a faint, bluish glow.

"I wonder", Madara began, his sharingan spinning to life to search the cell for the prisoner, "what a Hatake thinks he is doing on Uchiha land."

 

[roxybirdie]

Someone was watching him.

Admittedly, it took longer than Kakashi anticipated to regain consciousness. Battle-honed instincts, no matter how sharpened, are powerless against a direct strike against the cranium. While Kakashi detected the unknown, he didn’t react. His body was currently laying on its side, front facing away from the potential threat. His instincts screamed to retaliate, to attack, but his body remained indubitably lax, unresponsive. The thought of baring his back to an enemy twisted his gut — danger, danger, must eliminate — but Kakashi regulated his heartbeat. As his body appeared virtually unconscious, Kakashi assessed his location.

Without opening his eyes, Kakashi inhaled. Despite the soft breaths escaping his lips, akin to an unconscious individual’s breathing, the silver-haired nomad analyzed a multitude of scents wafting throughout the room. Overwhelming dankness with a sharp odor of mildew and lingering hint of spices. Kakashi was underground. Judging from his careless position, he was inside a cell. Undoubtedly, based on the lingering scents, it was a former cellar converted into the makings of a prison.

Instinctively, Kakashi focused his attention on the source watching him. Why did they feel muted— ah, chakra suppression seals. If he had to speculate, they were applied on his bindings. Maneuvering with his hands fastened behind his back was undeniably difficult, but not impossible. Not for a competent shinobi, especially an elite.

Plus, Kakashi was renowned for defying the impossible.

“At least they were courteous enough to leave my legs unbound,” Kakashi thought. He wasn’t one-hundred perfect certain if it was a sign of apparent incompetence or plain arrogance, but maa, Kakashi wasn’t complaining.

Despite the Uchiha’s muted chakra — maa, suppression seals were a pain — Kakashi captured a whiff of the unknown’s scent. Fire, woodsmoke, and sandalwood with a hint of spice. It reminded him of a bonfire surrounded by the wilderness. Before Kakashi could thoroughly examine the Uchiha’s scent, a smooth, baritone voice washed over him.

”...doing on Uchiha land.”

His stomach clenched. While it was unquestionably years younger, Kakashi recognized the voice. He could never forget that voice.

All of the sudden, images long forgotten and buried in the darkest corner of his soul rushed to the surface. Flashes of pure, unadulterated black followed by the overwhelming stench of decaying flesh surfaced inside his mind. In the midst of the chaos, a chorus of blood-curdling screams reverberated throughout his psyche.

”KAKASHI!”

”KAKASHI-SENSEI!”

Maa, after three years in the past, Kakashi hasn’t wholly come into terms with his death. Focusing on his mission drowned the painful memories and overwhelming waves of helplessness and fuckfuckfuck, how can he fix everythi— no. Instead of succumbing to the panic overtaking his mind, Kakashi shoved the memories, feelings, and regrets in the darkest corner of his mind, locked it inside a box, and ate the kamidamn key.

Metaphorically speaking.

A few minutes later, the silence was broken. “Maa, maps are so expensive these days,” drawled the Hatake.

Kakashi twisted his body around, facing the direction of the cell bars. Despite his bounded wrists, the silver-haired nomad rose into a sitting position. He shifted, leaning his back against the wall across from the bars. Kakashi lifted his head, dark charcoal meeting spinning crimson. While it was dangerous meeting the eyes of the Uchiha’s prized kekkei genkai directly — that fact never changed even in his own timeline — it was almost unheard of in the days of old.

However, the seemingly reckless act of boldness was deliberate, a sign of pure, unadulterated defiance. “Uchiha Madara ... last I’ve heard, you ascended to Clan Head,” Kakashi announced. In spite of avoiding the Uchiha clan, news traveled fast throughout the civilian communities.

 

[arbus]

It took so long for the prisoner to speak, that Madara wondered if the blow to the head had dealt more damage than anticipated. He was certainly not dead, as the sharingan took in the miniscule movements of his shoulder, the shift in fabric against the folds of his grey yukata when he breathed. Just when Madara grew tired of waiting, having stared at the man's back for too long, the lazy voice resonated through the confined space, unexpected enough to pull him out of his -- irritated -- musings.

He observed as the man maneouvered himself into a sitting position, movements so slow they bordered on lazy, provocatively so, as did the look out of dark, heavy-lidded eyes ...

Madara's eyebrows twitched. The Uchiha was a prodigy in many things; the art of subtlety, however, was not among them. Even the slightest irritation tended to display plainly on his face, and the idea that someone -- a Hatake, trespassing into Uchiha land, no less -- would have the nerve to challenge him like this. It irked him. Made him scowl.

"True. Though one would think you valued your life higher than the price of a piece of parchment."

In an unconscious gesture, he tilted his chin up. The tomoe in the red orbs that were his eyes spun in medium-speed, processing what was before him. Izuna was right: A Hatake, no doubt about it. From the pale skin-tone to the shock of unruly, silver-hair. Maybe not as strong-boned as he knew most male members of that clan to be -- lanky, long-limbed, face somewhat delicate but mainly hidden beneath a cloth mask. Madara's eyes narrowed.

"And so you traveled all the way from your meager community of mutts to extend your clan's wellwishes. Is that your excuse?"

 

[roxybirdie]

”True. Though one would think you valued your life higher than the price of a piece of parchment.”

Almost immediately, his eyes curved into a signature eye-smile. His posture remained languid, shoulders slumped forward and arms sagged against his backside. Not a hint of his lackadaisical position betrayed the alertness simmering underneath his unassuming visage. “Did you know your latest battle with the Senju forced all local cartographers to draft a new map? They’re fed up, you know. They even doubled the prices. Not all of us have the resources to afford such a luxury,” Kakashi drawled. He was more than capable of acquiring a map and three years ago, Kakashi resorted to theft. As a shinobi, Kakashi wasn’t above pilfering.

Behind him, Kakashi surreptitiously assessed his bindings. Chakra-laden restraints. A focal point for the chakra suppression seals. While it simultaneously suppressed his chakra and restrained his hands, the combination wasn’t infallible. By snapping the restraints, the suppression seals would break. On the other hand, once he freed himself, his cover would shatter. Removing suppression seals induced an influx of energy, thus flaring his chakra. Kakashi wasn’t entirely certain Madara Uchiha was a sensor, but with his Sharingan, he would notice.

After a couple indefinite tugs, Kakashi thoroughly examined the restraints. It would take more than brute strength to damage the bindings.

”And so you traveled all the way from your meager community of mutts to extend your clan's wellwishes. Is that your excuse?”

Instead of rising to the bait, Kakashi tilted his head. “You think I’m an Inuzuka? Maa, you flatter me,” he mused, closing his eyes in another eye-smile. With a burst of small, insignificant amount of chakra, the chakra inside the restraints yielded. Suppressed chakra or not, Kakashi’s control was impeccable and no one so far had been able to keep him locked in place just because they slapped chakra restraints on him. Most shinobi would be subdued by this method, but not Kakashi. He was a fully-trained ANBU operative — a former taichō of Team Ro — and he knew how to escape with minimum fuss and extended energy.

It took Kakashi one year to regain his impeccable control and two years to hone it.

Fortunately, despite the minuscule burst of chakra, the chakra suppression seals overlaid on the restraints obscured the flare. Suppression seals didn’t stop chakra flow, but restrained it. Underneath the seal, his chakra was a constant, overflowing pool. Indefinite bursts were nothing out of the ordinary, not enough for a standard ninja to break free.

 

[arbus]

“Did you know your latest battle with the Senju forced all local cartographers to draft a new map?"

As it happened, Madara did know. It was one of the many, ridiculous perils he had to navigate in his new position. It posed a substantial problem both to managing border security and negotiations, and the ever-shifting, short-lived alliances between different, mostly insignificant clans did not help. One reason more to stomp the Senju once and for all. Also, it was part of the reason why it was so convenient a coincidence that the Hatake had fallen into Uchiha hands, as it finally gave Madara bargaining power over the clan.

And yet, that particular specimen turned out to be more of a headache than anticipated.

The scowl on Madara‘s face deepened. Weaker foes — even some members of his own clan — shrunk away under that expression, but not the Hatake. He was either conceited or an idiot to face him, Uchiha Madara, with such blatent disinterest, when all of the shinobi world knew that only one man on this soil matched his power.

„You impertinent mongrel“, he snapped. „What do you think it would take us to wipe your clan from the face of the earth? Keep playing me for a fool and you are sure to find out.“

The Hatake clan was known to be notoriously secluded. Notoriously loyal, too, which was a trait Madara would admire— even in a rivaling clan — if it were not for the mere stubbornness that went along with it. For all their frailty and defenseless, it was absurdly hard to strike a bargain with them. As a clan that kept mainly to themselves, preferring sparse living conditions over partaking in the wars waging between the more powerful clans, their impartiality was their greatest assest. One they were too shrewd to give up. Madara respected that, even though he did not understand the urge. But now Madara needed something from them, and while he had refrained from extreme measures until now, he would get what he desired — one way or the other.

With a huff, Madara reminded himself to have patience. Izuna constantly scolded him for his easily flared temper -- as if he was one to talk -- and this was not the battle field anymore. He was not merely one of his father's soldiers anymore.

"Here is what is going to happen: We will contact your clan, make a deal with them, and if you care to behave, we will deliver you to your pack of flearidden crossbreeds with all of your limbs intact."

Well. That was a reasonable enough offer, at least in his books. And Izuna was not there to judge him, was he?

 

[roxybirdie]

”...Keep playing me for a fool and you are sure to find out.”

The non-affiliated Hatake blinked, a flicker of confusion evident in his charcoal gaze. “Clan?” Kakashi shifted his head, strands of silver sweeping across his forehead. It highlighted the vertical scar over his left eye. The marking stretched above his eyelid and disappeared underneath the fabric of his mask. “The nicknames are cute, but I have no clan. I’m a simple non-affiliated nomad who had a faulty map.” Not a blip in his heartbeat or a spike in his chakra indicated deceit. Kakashi, despite his apparent coloring, wasn’t technically lying. In his timeline, the Hatake clan was no more.

Lesser shinobi would quake at proclaiming a bold-faced lie in front of Uchiha Madara, a legend, but not Kakashi. The man in front of him paled in comparison to the monster he became.

With the Clan Head focused on his lackadaisical demeanor, Kakashi twisted his wrists. Ripping the restraints will shatter the chakra suppression seals, but Kakashi wasn’t prepared to retaliate the moment his chakra flared. Instead of snapping the bindings, Kakashi dislocated his left wrist. He bit the inside of his cheek, ignoring the throbbing pain. Fortunately, his mask thoroughly concealed his expression. Slowly, Kakashi slipped one hand out of the binding. While his left wrist was free, the restraints remained firmly bounded on his right wrist.

”...deliver you to your pack of flearidden cross breeds with all of your limbs intact.”

He hummed, as if considering the offer. “Fair ... for an Uchiha,” Kakashi commented. He raised his right hand, snapping his wrist back into place. Ignoring the biting pain, he grasped the restraints bounded on his right forearm. “Maa, I like my plan better.” Without another word, Kakashi ripped the bindings. In a flash of blueish-green, the chakra suppression seals broke. Combining the chakra-laden restraints and chakra suppression seals was formidable, but stronger ninja could exploit the weakness. As his chakra rushed to the surface, Kakashi lifted his freed hands and formed a sequence of hand signs at a blinding speed. Utilizing a Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu, Kakashi vanished underneath the ground. A few minutes later, Kakashi emerged outside of the cell and closer to the exit of the cellar-turned-prison. He shifted, facing the newly-ascended Clan Head.

“Maybe next time, neh?” With a seemingly careless wave, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

 

[arbus]

Madara did not need his sharingan to know the brat was lying. Even when, after his scrutinizing gaze had traveled to the pulse point in his neck, he found no indicators of an accelerated heartbeat, and the irises of those charcoal eyes did not dilate. Even though the scrutiny had left him with a lack of evidence, that did not mean the Hatake was telling the truth. It simply meant he was a talented liar, because there was exactly one kind of unaffiliated shinobi in these war-torn days: the dead kind.

At the flash of blue-green light, Madara suddenly knew exactly what happened, which did not prevent his mouth to fall agape in surprise — any outside observer would agree that this made an exquisite view, as it was quite a reaction to provoke in the Uchiha, whose emotional range usually oscilliated between bristling in irrtation and throwing a full-grown temper tantrum. What was more, his sharingan recognized the hand signs, no matter how fast, and still his body refused to react; for all that knowledge he kept collecting about the Hatake's escape strategy, he was rendered immobile by the sheer audacity of it. Granted, the mutt was fast, and all Madara had time to think was: What an outlandish jutsu for a Hatake, before he was gone.

Indignation finally got his feet moving, swiftly turning into an anger that propelled him forward, had him dashing through the smoke before it had properly dispelled, up the flight of stairs, his foot slipping on a skimpy step before he skidded out into the daylight.

„You“, he spat at a passing Uchiha. The brown-haired man twitched violently at Madara‘s sudden appearance, and when he caught the expression on his clan leader‘s face, he recoiled with even more force. Madara ignored it, and barked: „Sound the alarm. The prisoner escaped.“

If the Hatake thought he could just stroll out of the here, he was sorely mistaken. The complex was safe-guarded not only by its high walls and iron gates (mere ornaments for any klutz of a shinobi) but by a network of intricate seals that prevented any foreign agent to get in and out of the compound. Madara would find this cretin, bind him, and then tear the long limbs from him piece by impertinent piece.

 

[roxybirdie]

Bzzrrr ... Bzzrrr ... Brzzrrr

All of the sudden, a loud whirring sound reverberated throughout the compound. Not even five minutes passed and they sounded the alarm. On the east side of the compound, hidden in a grove a trees, Kakashi heaved a sigh. “I lasted longer than I originally anticipated,” he muttered. Three years, in his book, was a groundbreaking record. Avoiding the Uchiha, Senju, and Hatake was his biggest priority for the last three years, but it was temporary. Kakashi knew, deep down, he couldn’t avoid them forever. On the other hand, his previous miscalculation and inevitable capture accelerated his plans. “It could of been worse.” Instead of Uchiha territory, Kakashi could of stumbled on Senju territory. While his coloring spared him from a violent, instant death, trapezing through Senju grounds with a fully-matured Sharingan was exceptionally dangerous.

”Maa, I could of been captured three years ago...” Newly-aged sixteen with battle instincts of a war veteran and knowledge of the future, but shoddy chakra control and equally uncontrolled power ... it was a miracle Kakashi lasted three years. Perhaps, avoiding the Uchiha, Senju, and Hatake to the point of not memorizing their territories wasn’t the brightest of decisions, but if there’s one thing Kakashi’s good at is that he learned from his mistakes. The silver-haired nomad made a mental note to acquire a new map after his detour.

With a puff of smoke, four kage bunshins appeared in front of him. Kakashi preferred against utilizing the Nidaime’s technique in front of a compound brimming with Uchiha — who knew when Senju Tobirama created the technique and used it against his enemies — but he was out of options. “Scatter. Your main objective is distracting the Uchiha, but if you can, search for weak points in the walls. Dispel if you find anything,” Kakashi commanded. Without another word, his clones vanished, spreading throughout the compound. The non-affiliated Hatake rose into a standing position. He raised his sleeve, revealing a storage seal on his left inner wrist. His wakizashi might be gone, but besides the short sword, Kakashi kept everything on his person stored in the seal. Lighter to pack and safer countermeasures. Once he fed the seal with a small burst of chakra, Kakashi retrieved another weapon. Instead of a wakizashi, Kakashi selected a chokutō. The sword was forged bizzarringly similar to his student’s Kusanagi, but besides its chakra-conducting qualities, it wasn’t the infamous blade.

It was the first weapon Kakashi acquired (pilfered) since he landed in the past. He dubbed it, Shōkin, the sword of Redemption.

Without warning, Kakashi leaped off his branch, dodging a kunai aimed for his skull. Despite his earlier hit to the cranium, Kakashi didn’t suffer from a concussion. Navigating out of the Uchiha compound with a severe head injury, while not entirely impossible, was a lot more troublesome than a dull ache. He landed on the ground, shifted his left leg back, and parried a downward slash by raising his blade vertically. “Maa, haven’t I seen you before?” Kakashi drawled. The man’s unnatural resemblance to his student left a bitter taste in his mouth, but Kakashi wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice.

The tomoes in his crimson eyes spun. “Surrender now and I might spare your life, mutt,” Izuna commanded.

He hummed. “I don’t know why all of you think I belong to a clan,” Kakashi huffed. Despite his lackadaisical comments, his charcoal eyes sharpened. “But if you insist, I guess I don’t have a choice...” All traces of his laziness vanished. Without another word, Kakashi attacked.

 

[arbus]

The deploiment of Kakashi's clones raised great confusion within the Uchiha compound. No member of the clan had ever encountered such a thing as a bunshin that was more than a mirage of its caster, and the return of Izuna's squad of scouts had been too recent to distribute the information of the particularities of the Hatake's jutsu. Four clones alone managed to throw the compound into turmoil: From every which end, people reported sightings of the Hatake, and within ten minutes, the dispatched guards were hapzardly dashing to and fro, following the contradicting leads of flustered clan members.

An enemy within Uchiha walls was a thing unheard of. Apart from highly-trained shinobi, the complex housed men, women and children that were either not in active duty or rendered incapable for combat for various reasons. It was those for whom the walls had been erected, the security measures strengthened, battles fought, and their pale faces gazed out from windowpanes, confused and perturbed.

One prisoner, the guards had proclaimed, and yet, in the midst of the hussle of confusion, quarrels seemed to break out on multiple locations, inside of walls that were deemed near-impenetrable by the elders, by Madara himself.

Farther north in the compound, the clan head leapt from roof to roof, furious, even while a small, hind-brained part of him secretly rejoiced at the call for action, a feeling better stomped and squashed as he was supposed to be concerned -- yet, he knew that feeling well: A physical being through and through, ever battle-hungry, ever eager to strain his muscles, to stretch himself thin with exertion, he had battled against this destructive urge within himself for as long as he could remember. That push-pull between his need for peace, the need to protect what was his, against the need to dominate, to flex and crush and dance. This was not that, of course, because only Hashirama matched and sometimes outmatched him, was the only opponent truly worth engaging. But, he itched to catch the mutt, if only to plant his fist firmly in his smug, masked face.

So when his sharingan caught side of the Hatake, scurrying along the narrow lane between a row of buildings, he made a sound that was closer to contentment than anger as he leapt. He snatched forward to catch hold of a crease in the fabric of the other’s yukata, hurling him backwards; squatting, with a guttural sound of triumph, he drove a kunai deep into the Hatake's right hamstring and twisted the blade.

In the meantime, at the other end of the village, Izuna met the Hatake‘s attack, parrying his blade with his own katana, unsheathed in a smooth motion from where it was strapped to his waistband. Triceps straining and quivering from the force of the impact, their faces so close together for that one moment before they seperated, Izuna‘s eyes widened, chakra pulsing through his body as he placed the genjutsu, an easy command: Sleep.

 

[roxybirdie]

Sleep...

Out of nowhere, a soft, almost insignificant whisper washed over him. The indistinct pressure was nonverbal, an overwhelming feeling that required no verbal commands. The sibilant whisper promised safety, shelter, security. It slithered through his mind, sinking its fangs into his psyche and pulled, demanding absolute submission. Lesser shinobi would fall under the whisper’s spell, but not Kakashi. Without a word, the silver-haired nomad raised his left hand.

“Kai,” Kakashi intoned. With a burst of chakra, the genjutsu shattered. He jumped back, slid into a defensive position, and lifted his chokutō. “Maa, so quick with the genjutsu.” The pout was evident in his tone, but his sharp gaze betrayed his lackadaisical mask. Unlike his prior defiant gesture, Kakashi refrained from meeting the Uchiha’s gaze directly. He focused on the man’s chin, away from the spinning tomoe. “I don’t suppose you’ll let me go, ne?” The non-affiliated Hatake raised his sword, parrying a downward slash. “Didn’t think so.” Kakashi leaped back once more, pivoted, and lunged. Distracting the Uchiha, at least until one of his clones located an exit, was his immediate priority.

*​

Meanwhile, the kage bunshin gritted his teeth, but not a hint of his pain was evident in his charcoal gaze. Kage bunshins are capable of withstanding hits, but bunshin-Kakashi had a feeling another direct hit from the elder Uchiha would dispel him. “You shouldn’t of done that,” he huffed. Soft crackling emitted from the wound surrounding the embedded kunai. Without warning, a violent burst of lightning surrounded the leg, surging through the kunai and aiming at the Uchiha’s palm. Bunshin-Kakashi’s commander mastered raiton release before the age of sixteen. Three years in the past honed it to a substantial level. The kage bunshin lifted his hand and with an eye-smile, dispelled. Instead of a puff of smoke, the kage bunshin coated himself with lightning chakra, creating a combination of smoke and discharged lightning. Opponents in close range are susceptible to potential paralysis, similar to a raiton bunshin, but nastier.

*​

On the east side of the compound, the original Kakashi and Izuna — or, Sasuke-lookalike in Kakashi’s head — exchanged blows. Their speed and agility was impeccable, resembling a flash of dark grey and navy blue. Kenjutsu wasn’t Kakashi’s strongest quality, but he was a natural. A true born genius. While Kakashi fleshed out his arsenal, he never neglected one of his clan’s strongest abilities.

“His agility...” Izuna pivoted, evading a slash aimed at his hamstrings. “He’s fast as aniki...” Inwardly, Izuna scoffed at the absurdity. No one, especially a crossbreed mutt, was faster than an Uchiha. Specifically, a flearidden Hatake paled in comparison to the Uchiha’s strongest member, Madara. Shaking his head, Izuna lunged, parrying another attack with his katana.

All of the sudden, a rush of memories flooded his mind. A clone discovered a hidden passageway located on the north side of the compound. The entrance was skillfully hidden at the base of a seemingly ordinary tree, beginning at the roots. Shrubs concealed the roots, but even if removed, the entrance remained invisible to standard ninja. According to his kage bunshin, it required ... oh dear. Perhaps, it was a foolish thought, but Kakashi anticipated escaping without activating his Sharingan. “I guess I have no choice.” Suddenly, his chokutō crackled with energy, the blade enveloped with lightning chakra. Kakashi stabbed his sword in the ground, ripping the surface with a burst of raiton release. The ground fissured violently, a single line heading closer to Izuna. As dust rose in the air, Kakashi sheathed his blade, shifted, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Due to another clone’s memories, Kakashi knew the fastest pathway to the hidden passage was dangerously close to a certain Clan Head’s location. However, the encounter was inevitable.

 

[arbus]

When the burst of raiton hit, Madara's immediate reaction to withdraw his hand was thwarted by his spasming muscles. The electrical surge shot up his arm, and only a quick, tightly controlled wave of his chakra employed to block its way prevented any damage to his organs. His palm, however, was scorched, the pain an exquisite reminder of the looming consequences of a fight lost. Maybe it was a crazy thought to have, but all of a sudden Madara found himself intrigued as well as angry, because no one had ever managed to wound him. Only Hashirama's knuckles had connected with his skin hard enough to tear, and in recent years, he was the only shinobi Madara used to engage on the battlefield: Either one in the knowledge than one strike of their power unleashed would mean certain annihilation to countless, lesser skilled lives.

Madara was far from invincible. He had simply grown too quick, too powerful for any normal man, any shinobi other than the Senju to seriously cause him harm; pain, inflicted by anything else but his own, solitary training regime had been unthinkable, a thing of his childhood days when he had lacked the knowledge of how to employ the skills he had inexplicably been born with. Now, with the sharingan trailing over the bunshin that was so much more than a simple shadow -- a twin, stored with its own ration of chakra, with a will apparently separate from its caster -- Madara knew what would happen an instant before the explosion of electricity hit, and he forced his hand to relax, wrenched it from the kunai's handle and bolted backwards, evading the paralyzing cloud by a hair's breadth. The soles of his sandals skidded over the earth, the hairs on his arms and neck standing up, his accelerated pulse crying danger, crying challenge.

One that could create a bunshin with abilities such as this was one Madara wanted to face in combat. It was like an itch underneath his skin, and when he whirled around, his crimson eyes flashing with the movement, there was a grim grin on his face.

"Very clever", he informed the real Hatake; if the mutt thought he was the only fast one in this compound, he was mistaken. With a leap to the roofs and a new knowledge acquired for the price of angry red blisters growing on his weapon-wielding hand, it had taken a sweep of the perimeter to make out the escapee and perform a body-flicker to land close enough he practically breathed down the other's neck. "That jutsu of yours." Employ scouts to search the area for hidden passageways -- (only three to find: the first one underneath Madara's bed chamber, impossible to breach; the second, near the main building, a tunnel leading into the mountains, an escape route in case of a siege; the third, hidden under the evergreen laurel near the north wall, a route to get in and out the compound unnoticed, useful if a clan decided to get boisterious enough to spy on the compound) -- divert from your real self and create chaos in one fellow, not too meek swoop. There was no hesitation; Madara's hand swept down, aiming for the mutt's throat, anticipating the other to evade so that he kept moving, away from his back to aim a kick at his side. His objective was to engage the other in close-ranged taijutsu, a merciless pace that would render both chokuto and raiton release useless with how fast Madara's blows were coming, kicks and punches and leaps, all with the purpose to push the Hatake back, get him at a disadvantage without causing mayhem and destruction to his clan's dwelling.

 

[roxybirdie]

”...That jutsu of yours.”

The overwhelming scent of fire and woodsmoke was his only warning. Kakashi twisted to his left, blocking the palm aimed for his throat with his forearm. “Maa, it has its perks.” He leaned forward, shifted, and flipped sideways, evading a swooping kick. The silver-haired nomad maneuvered into a handstand and swung his legs at the elder Uchiha. Without a word, Kakashi sprung forward and landed on his feet. While the abrupt, but unsurprising close-range taijutsu limited Kakashi, thus hindering him from utilizing his chokutō and raiton release, the non-affiliated Hatake parried every kick, punch or combination. The Clan Head and outsider are remarkably fast, resembling blips of dark grey and navy purple. Their agility was a level higher than the prowess Kakashi demonstrated against the younger Sasuke-lookalike he encountered.

Suddenly, a rush of memories flooded inside his mind. His third clone dispelled, alerting him of the unconscious Uchiha incapacitated near the passageway hidden underneath the roots. Undoubtedly, all secret passageways are guarded by Uchiha sentries. With one kage bunshin left to play decoy, Kakashi knew his time was limited. He needed to leave now. Once the silver-haired nomad noticed his opponent was steering him away from his destination, Kakashi heaved a sigh. “It’s now or never, I suppose...” He leaped back, distancing himself from the elder Uchiha. Before Madara could retaliate, his charcoal eyes bled a brilliant crimson. Six tomoe, three in each eye, spun around the pupils. As his vision sharpened, Kakashi utilized the elder man’s unquestionable surprise — it was almost guaranteed at this point — and weaved hand signs at a near-unreadable speed. He slammed his palms against the ground. With a loud, crackling screech, a wall of pure lightning erected in front of him. After performing a smaller version of Raiton no Heki, Kakashi vanished underneath the ground with another Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu.

Meters away from the lightning technique and Clan Head, Kakashi emerged in a forest area populated with a thicket of trees near the north wall. Remembering his clone’s memories, Kakashi navigated to a clearing containing the entrance of the passageway. A squad of three Uchiha were sprawled around the base of the tree, unconscious. The non-affiliated Hatake hacked away the shrubs concealing the roots with his chokutō. Once his Sharingan landed on the roots, he dispelled the camouflage genjutsu. All of the sudden, the roots parted, revealing a trapdoor. According to his kage bunshin, only the eyes of the Uchiha are capable of detecting and dispelling the genjutsu.

Knowing a certain Uchiha was hot on his heels, Kakashi opened the door and jumped inside. Darkness enveloped his vision, but his Sharingan and superior sense of smell enabled Kakashi to navigate through the pitch black passage. A few agonizing minutes later, Kakashi exited the passage. The moment he was outside the compound’s formidable walls, the silver-haired nomad ran.

 

[arbus]

It was not possible. If Madara had not known any better, he would have thought his own eyes betrayed him, for the flash of crimson in a Hatake's face was a thing so improbable he found it hard to wrap his mind around the idea alone.

Improbable, a small voice inside his head whispered, not impossible. A man of Hatake descent, a bastard, a crossbreed in the very sense of the word.

A dull sense of betrayal tug at him, all too real despite the sheer impotence of the feeling, an echo of the past, a generation buried under the thick, heavy, worm-invested earth of Fire Country. Long after his own mother's dead, assembled around the hearth in a derelict hut, Uchiha Tajima had told his sons gruesome tales of Uchiha soldier's being led astray into the luring arms of the women of enemy clans. No detail had he spared in his descriptions of what happened to such men, traitors of the Uchiha name. The clan's kekkei genkai was its most valuable asset, a safeguard and a weapon. Its power was not to be distributed, was to be kept close and honed and protected.

Perhaps Madara had been mistaken. Then again, the Hatake's claims of being unaffiliated suddenly became more plausible: A Hatake could not, would not survive on his own. An Uchiha, with his dojutsu fully developed, just might. Especially with a skill level that the silver-haired mutt displayed.

His sharingan discerned the speedily weaved hand signs; he knew that jutsu to be a staple of clans mostly affiliated with Kaminari no Kuni. Instead of wasting any more time, Madara reacted on instict: He allowed the premise to settle in his mind, because if the Hatake actually was in the possession of his clan's kekkei genkai, he would be able to dispel the genjutsu employed to guard the hidden passage.

So instead of trying to follow, Madara leapt into the opposite direction. Later was the time to examine his assumptions; now he needed to act, and that was all he knew. While the mutt had displayed a pension for speed, it took time to navigate the narrow, subterranean passage. An advantage that played into his hands, and in the minutes that passed, he barked commands at a nearby squad, instructing them to lift the seals guarding the north wall. His brother was at his side, covered from head to toe in what looked like earth, or sand. "Aniki", he said, "what happened? Where is he?"

"Gone", Madara spat. He ignored the flash of surprise on his brother's face, instructed him to gather his squad and follow instead, and it was as a five-man team they departed from the compound across its northern wall. Madara did not wait for them, however, as he channeled the mighty waves of his chakra to enhance his speed. They moved in the direction of the passage way's exit, and Izuna's confusion grew, but he had no time to utter even one more question because his brother was gone, and the intensity of the look on his face had Izuna bite down on any snarky comment.

Madara arrived at the exit just in time to see a lanky figure emerge from it, taking up speed in the obvious hope to have outsmarted them, again, but now his admittedly fragile thread of patience had snapped, and he was not going to allow the mutt to slip through his fingers.

He took up pursuit with the inherent determination of a man unfamiliar to the concept of defeat, navigated the trees with an ease his stature did not suggest, yet he was born an inhabitant of Fire Country, knew the woods and landscapes of Uchiha land like the back of his hand. "You can't outrun me here, mutt!", he yelled, the distance between the two growing smaller. "Better give up now, and I'll promise to make it quick." Not painless, though. No. Certainly not painless.

 

[roxybirdie]

Three years ago, navigating through the Land of Fire was unsurprisingly troublesome, but not impossible. In spite of the dissimilarities, Kakashi was a native of Hi no Kuni. While the unfamiliar divergence hindered him, Kakashi knew the country like the back of his hand. Unbeknownst to the infuriated elder Uchiha, the Uchiha lands are significantly close to the foundation of Konohagakure. Out of all the impeding deviations, the Uchiha territory was the most familiar. Utilizing his future knowledge, Kakashi leaped, weaved, and maneuvered through the forest at a blinding speed befitting an ANBU taichō.

”...and I’ll promise to make it quick.”

The nonverbal message was clear. “Maa, I don’t think so.” All of the sudden, the overwhelming scent of fire and woodsmoke washed over him. As the distance between the two individuals grew smaller, Kakashi detected the powerful chakra radiating from the enraged Uchiha. Without another word, Kakashi augmented his muscles with chakra, increasing his agility. Before the elder Uchiha reached him, the silver-haired nomad vanished. He navigated through the achingly familiar, but unquestionably different terrain at a faster speed, relying on his instincts alone to evade the Uchiha. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, temporarily nullifying the throbbing ache of the bruises he sustained from his taijutsu match with Uchiha Madara. His Sharingan remained activated, the six tomoes spinning rapidly.

Producing additional kage bunshins was out of the question. While a certain Ōtsutsuki increased his chakra prowess substantially compared to his original capacity, spamming shadow clones in his current situation was a waste of chakra. Instead of relying on powerful techniques or decoys, Kakashi utilized his superior agility and Sharingan. Unfortunately, despite his chakra-enhanced speed, Kakashi detected the Clan Head’s presence nearby. On the other hand, the silver-haired nomad was exceptionally close to the eastern border. Once he crossed it, Kakashi was safe. Undoubtedly, Uchiha Madara and his entourage would pursue, but would they risk following him on non-Uchiha territory? Would they breach potential enemy borders?

Without the recurrent siphoning of his chakra, and following chakra exhaustion, his Sharingan remained activated. Three years ago, the lack of siphoning was unnaturally foreign. Regardless of the difference, his eyes — like all Uchiha — are susceptible to eye strain. Unfortunately, after a grueling training session, Kakashi discovered a byproduct of his altered bloodline and increased prowess. Chakra exhaustion induced lethargy and sickness. That aspect remained unchanged. On the other hand, for him, it was detrimental. His increased resilience, somehow, weakened his body. Kakashi was capable of various impossible feats, but a mild case of chakra exhaustion has the potential of ending him.

The irony was almost laughable. Not even the mightiness of the Sage of Six Paths could influence his horrific luck.

 

[arbus]

"Maa, I don't think so."

"Tsk." Madara clicked his tongue in indignation. Even now, the mutt displayed that level of haughtiness, and it had Madara livid at the same time as a rush of exhilaration flooded him, unbidden but real, as the Hatake took up even more speed, so much so that even his sharingan, the most powerful pair of eyes in the whole shinobi world, had trouble keeping up with his movements. Madara barked a laugh; the sound fell from his lips and was lost to the wind as he trailed the other. His own movements were remorseless; he evaded branches and gnarls, leapt from the trees to the ground and back, ignored the bites of thorns as he took a shortcut through the underbrush. His eyes flashed, his chakra spiked, and with the mangekyo he was able to discern, to see the Hatake move like lightning itself, his chakra crackling like electricity.

Madara realized: The mutt was faster than him, and while it had him bristling with frustration, the fact was undeniable, commendable, and he would simply have to work harder, think, employ another strength to make up for his obvious weakness. He did not realize how far they had left Izuna and his squad behind, hardly was aware of the otherworldly speed they moved at. All Madara knew was that he was lacking, but it was alright, he would find a way to get what he wanted.

"Hatake!", he yelled, his voice echoing through the deserted woods. They were heading into Shimura clan territory, and he knew he needed to stop, that a breach of the border by none other but the Uchiha clan head himself would be interpreted as provocation. The sensible course of action was to desist, to accept defeat and come up with another plan. A man of that caliber, a man with the looks of a Hatake and the prowess of an Uchiha, would not be able to remain hidden for long. There would come a chance, in the future, but --

But Madara was impatient. And those eyes ...

So instead, he drew in a breath, weaved a familiar assortment of handsigns; pulled the chakra deep from his stomach, having it stream through his windpipe and bursting out of his mouth in a giant ball of fire. It flew, consumed the dry woods around it, grew and caught and cackled madly as it reached for the mutt.

 

[roxybirdie]

”Hatake!”

The infuriated exclamation reverberated throughout the forest. A few minutes later, an overwhelming scent of burning, burning, burning washed over him. From the corner of his eye, Kakashi spotted the enormous fireball jetting closer, aiming at his backside. Without a word, the non-affiliated Hatake leaped off a branch, twisted his body, and faced the fireball directly. Instead of utilizing a Kawarimi or dodging the attack entirely, Kakashi remained suspended in the air. Not a hint of fear was evident in his crimson gaze. In a rush of violent, unforgiving flames, Kakashi was consumed.

Or was he?

All of the sudden, the flames surrounding the silver-haired nomad parted. It divided the massive fireball, two torrents of flames slamming against a thicket of trees in opposite directions. In the center, Kakashi remained unscathed. Not a speck of flames licked his clothing or scorched his skin. Every inch of Kakashi was enveloped in crackling energy, the lightning chakra illuminating a brilliant violet. It highlighted his masked face, crimson hues fierce and unyielding. Instead of retaliating, Kakashi landed on a lower branch, pivoted, and leaped. With his superior agility, the silver-haired nomad crossed the eastern border, unknowingly entering Shimura territory. Despite his unintentional invasion, Kakashi diverted his direction and headed west, closer to a civilian settlement he frequented before his yearly trip to Chiba.

Raiton release was his primary nature. Kakashi mastered it long before he hit sixteen. However, three years ago, the non-affiliated Hatake discovered a secondary nature, Katon. Undoubtedly, the new addition stemmed from his altered bloodline. With a combination of his chakra control and new affinity, Kakashi was capable of parting flames. It took him two years to master the technique and one year to hone it. The purple lightning was a recent addition, a safeguard to thoroughly protect him from the destruction of katon release. His newer technique, Raiton: Shiden, was a stronger and more flexible version of his Chidori. Unlike his infamous technique, Raiton: Shiden didn’t induce tunnel vision, thus nullifying the need to activate his Sharingan. Kakashi created the technique for the sole purpose of not relying on his Sharingan.

Fortunately, unlike his previous encounter with the Uchiha patrol, Kakashi evaded scouts indubitablely patrolling the Shimura territory. At some point, to preserve his chakra, Kakashi deactivated his Sharingan. However, he never stopped running. Even if Uchiha Madara and his entourage stopped pursuing him, the silver-haired nomad didn’t stop.

 

[arbus]

For a moment, when the fireball engulfed the mutt and Madara was sure it had eaten him alive, when triumph should have surged, all he felt was the deafening lack of it. On the contrary, a hollow disappointment spread, left a stale taste in his mouth. He had come to a halt, waiting, watching, and his eyes, for the second time that day, widened in surprise as the scene unfolded before him.

Magnificent, the look of stubborn determination on the Hatake's face, shrouded in purple (purple?) lightning like a being from another world. Only for a second, their eyes looked, crimson on crimson, and Madara bared his teeth in a growl that was a smirk that was a challenge, a promise, before the Hatake, that elusive crossbred mongrel, was gone again, scurrying away like a damn squirrel.

Madara did not continue pursuit. Instead, he decided to allow the Hatake to escape, for now, as something else, something urgent, pulled at the back of his mind. All of a sudden, he wanted to be in his study, surrounded by the scrolls of olden days. To catch the Hatake he needed to move carefully, in an artfully crafted plan.

First on his list: Invade that damned Hatake clan and fucking demand answers.

"Aniki", Izuna panted as he skidded to a halt next to Madara, who had not realized he had been staring after the mutt for such a long stretch of time. "Did he ... get away again?"

"I should have send them that impertinent little fools head on a tablet", Madara growled. It did not elude him how Hikaku and the two other squad members kept a careful distance to him, but his brother was unfazed in the face of his anger, used to his bad temper since they were little squirts.

He scoffed. "You only say that because you are pissed that he got the better of you."

Madara turned his head to regard his little brother with a death glare, but Izuna did not twitch an eyebrow. To think that upon waking, the day had held such high promises of peace and tranquility for Madara.

 

[roxybirdie]

Hi no Kuni — Taka Village

Outside of Shimura lands, deep within non-clan affiliated territory, a small civilian village stood. While it bordered the infamous Naka River, the location was miles away from Senju or Uchiha territories. Taka Village, the aforementioned settlement, was a stepping stone to Chiba. The next stop before Chiba was Momo City, but frequent travelers preferred the simplicity of Taka compared to Momo. Before entering the village, Kakashi concealed his eye-catching silver hair and scar with a simple henge. As the scar over his left eye vanished, his silver hair transformed into a light brown. Reluctantly, the non-affiliated Hatake removed his mask. Civilians are unquestionably wary of masked individuals and whether he liked it or not, a mask was too memorable. After storing his chokutō inside the seal on his left wrist, Kakashi entered the civilian settlement. He navigated through the small village, approached the closest Inn, and reserved a room underneath his alias, Kei.

The moment Kakashi entered his designated room, assessed it, and closed the door, the silver-haired nomad heaved a sigh. “Maa, I have a feeling this winter will be ... a lot more active.” With the door closed and the blinds on the window shut, Kakashi dropped his henge. Instead of residing inside the room, the non-affiliated Hatake activated his Sharingan. The tomoes morphed and stretched into elongated triangles, transforming into a pinwheel-like pattern. Once Kakashi activated his Mangekyō, he swirled out of existence. A few seconds later, the time traveler landed in a dimension of grey pillars and darkness.

Without another word, Kakashi maneuvered through the dimension, deactivated a generous amount of traps, and approached a seemingly innocent scroll. It was large, far bigger than standard hand-sized scrolls. After deactivating the seals protecting the scroll, Kakashi opened it. He plopped on the pillar, retrieved a brush and ink bottle from the storage seal on his wrist, and uncorked the bottle. “Change of plans, Obito, Rin, Minato-sensei,” he muttered. Restocking his provisions at Chiba was his biggest priority, but after his trip, his next stop was a place Kakashi avoided for the last three years.

Hatake clan territory.

 

[arbus]

"What do you mean, invade the Hatake clan?" Izuna lounged in an armchair, the most comfortable piece of furniture in Madara's study, with all the impertinence of a spoiled cat. With a crunch, he took an impossibly big bite out of the apple that had been Madara's designated second breakfast, chewing obstrusively loud and giving Madara a headache. Stepping away from the sliding doors and the beautiful view of the inner garden, he rounded his desk, and with a none-too-gentle push swept Izuna's legs off the map table were they rested as if he owned the place. Izuna blinked up at him, with an expression he seemed to deem 'innocent', and continued: "Don't you think that's a bit drastic?"

Madara breathed through his nose. Reminded himself of the dignities that came with his position, and ignored his little brother in favor of the large, spry tomcat that sat like a particular impressive statue at the edge of his desk. It would be even more impressive if that creature had not just gobbled up the piece of mackerel on a plate placed on the porch, and then proceeded to lick himself clean, thoroughly, in front of their very eyes.

Izuna kept complaining that Madara spoiled that cat; and though he made a great fuss whenever the black tomcat appeared, he kept feeding it, secretly enjoying the irregular visits. He stroked its large, bulky head with the back of his index finger, and the tomcat purred, pushing into the touch for a moment before it leapt off the desk, strolling off into the garden with its long tail raised into the air like a mockery.

"I mean, they have been difficult in the past. This is nothing new."

Madara scoffed, took up the scroll that had reached him two hours ago via dog delivery (it had been a wolf, grey, with intelligent eyes, but that did not change the fact that the summons was a glorified, flea-invested carrier pigeon) and read from a passage: " ... as Clan Head, it dishonors me to think of my own as anything but honest; none of my people have invaded Uchiha land. I assure you, you are mistaken, and such I see no grounds to grant your request ..." Madara scoffed. "'I assure you, you are mistaken'? That woman ... I will have her choke on her own words!"

"Careful, brother", Izuna said, "last time you said that about a Hatake, he pulled a fast one on you."

Izuna had the decency not to grin when he said that, but it did not prevent Madara from balling his fist, crumbling the parchment in the process. "If you think you're being funny --"

"Listen", Izuna said, and his tone grew more earnest. Since his encounter with the Hatake four days ago, Madara had spent a large portion of his time bend over old scriptures, trying to decipher the illegible handwriting of a dozen or so of Uchiha elders. Among much propaganda about the advantages of a pure Uchiha bloodline, sentiments painfully familiar to Madara as Tajima had repeated them almost ad verbatim, he had found only one, key information: Only those of direct Uchiha decent are able to command the clan's kekkei genkai. While the sharingan might be implanted into any other capable shinobi, the shinobi would not be able to deactivate the eye, leaving it to drain them from chakra until they die. This had left no doubt in Madara's mind that what he had seen, what he had dealt with, had been real sharingan, wielded by Uchiha blood. That meant the Hatake actually was partly an Uchiha bastard, a theory he had shared with Izuna alone; none of the other clan members, not even the elders, knew about the details of the flight. Madara had brushed them off with his usual impatience, while Izuna had taken it upon himself to explain the prisoner's flight away with some carefully crafted half-truths. "I know you are angry. I am, too. This kind of betrayal is unforgivable, and we need to find the Hatake and eradicate him before he does any more harm to our clan."

Technically, the Hatake had not harmed their clan yet, at all; in fact, he had gone out of his way not to hurt anyone during his escape, a fact Madara learned about upon his return. But Izuna's point was valid: To have a half-Uchiha run around not only set a bad example for their own clan and every shinobi out there, but held the danger of another clan to take advantage of knowledge about the sharingan acquired either by teaming up with the Hatake, or killing him.

Like Izuna, it was a risk Madara was not willing to take, although Izuna had yet to understand the power the mutt held. Only Madara had seen it with his own eyes, and while his little brother knew the Hatake to be a strong opponent, he underestimated him ... or overestimated Madara's own prowess, depending how one looked at it.

"However", Izuna continued, "I don't think it's sensible for us to waltz into Hatake territory and shake them up until some kind of information falls into our laps. They have strong friends. I've heard rumors that they are in secret negotiations with the Senju."

"You should not believe everything you hear", Madara replied promptly, even though, ultimately, he knew Izuna was right. This situation demanded him to be subtle, patient, and cooperative. Looking down at the crumbled scroll in his hands, he heaved a sigh.

*
​

Subtlety.

"I know a damned Hatake when I see one", he said, just short of yelling. If that woman thought he was intimidated by an overgrown dog, just because that dog's growl reverberated in one's bones like thunder, she was wrong. "Silver hair, never heard of a brush, pale as the fucking moon."

Izuna looked as if he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. Standing before Hatake Noka, Madara bristled with indignation at the clan head's haughty demeanor -- not aware in the slightest that it was the same, disinterested attitude the mutt had displayed that triggered him so -- and he crossed his arms before his chest, very much of the opinion that the wolf-woman should count herself lucky not to have been annihilated yet by one of his stronger jutsu. His envoy, consisting of ten Uchiha, stood around in a semi-circle like she was granting them a damn audience. All of them were unarmed, as stated in the correspondence leading up to the meeting; even though all parties involved were aware that an Uchiha's weapon was his eyes, and that Madara alone could probably wipe out the whole of the clan, if he wanted to.

He did, in fact, not want to do that. What he wanted was to have a normal conversation, one in which he would get what he desired (which was not only access to part of the Hatake's lands, but on top of that, information regarding the mutt). Theoretically, they had made progress: Ten days ago, before the mutt's spectacular capture and flight, Noka had refused to even think about setting up a meeting. Madara did not exactly know what had changed her mind, but now that he was here, he would make sure to expedite the 'negotiations' (or 'blatant refusal of all terms', as Noka would call it).

He threw the wolf sitting at her side a defiant glance, waiting for her answer. There. Patience.

 

[roxybirdie]

Hi no Kuni — Nine Days Ago

After dressing his bruises and taking a day to replenish his chakra, Kakashi embarked on his journey to Chiba. Instead of gallivanting down the main road, Kakashi utilized the forest terrain. With the Uchiha out for his head, the silver-haired nomad wasn’t pushing his luck. In a single day, the non-affiliated Hatake arrrived at his destination. The hustle and bustle of Chiba City was achingly familiar to Konoha. It drew him in like a moth to a flame. A few hours later, once he restocked his provisions, Kakashi left. Before the formation of Konohagakure, Hatake territory was located far north, near the infamous Shikkotsu Forest. Due to the healing properties originating from the slugs native to Shikkotsu Forest, Hatake lands are renowned for its prosperous and fertile farmlands. At normal ninja speed, it would take three days to arrive at the borders of his clan’s homeland.

It took Kakashi a day and a half.

Hi no Kuni — Seven Days Ago

“A time traveler,” Nōka deadpanned.

Her partner circled the rigid boy, assessing his scent. “He smells like a Hatake...” The she-wolf stopped in front of the Hatake boy. “...unless you had a child nineteen years ago, it’s the only logical explanation,” Shinra pointed out. The grey wolf summon was massive, almost the size of a full-grown stallion. Far superior compared to a standard wolf.

The female Clan Head glanced at the boy’s unmasked face. “Nothing about this is logical,” she countered. Their faces are uncannily similar. Same wild silver hair, moonlight skin, sharp charcoal eyes, and delicate bone structure. Sage, the boy and her shared the same beauty mark! However, despite the boy’s distinct coloring, Nōka spotted subtle Uchiha traits. Higher cheekbones, fuller lips, and longer eyelashes. He was unquestionably beautiful, but regardless of his features, he was undeniably male. Minus the Uchiha traits, it felt like she was staring at her reflection. A younger, very male reflection.

A part of her wondered if it was an elaborate genjutsu, but the boy in front of her smelled and moved like a Hatake. Nōka knew every single member of her clan by looks, scent, chakra signature, and name. She never had relations with an Uchiha — that was a political nightmare she refused touching with a ten foot pole — or had a child nineteen years ago. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, the boy in front of her wasn’t a genjutsu.

Nōka heaved a sigh. “You have five minutes to explain to me why I ended up lying to the Uchiha,” she announced.

Kakashi eyed his descendant and her wolf summon. “Well...” After arriving on Hatake lands, the silver-haired nomad navigated through his clan’s homeland, unintentionally encountering his clan’s leader and unexpected descendant. Kakashi knew his father and him hailed from the Hatake main bloodline, but he never imagined meeting his great-great grandmother. “It started with the Fourth Shinobi World War...” Kakashi never intended to blurt the truth right away, but his resemblance to his great-great grandmother caught him off guard. It slipped. Despite his blunder, Kakashi planned on divulging the truth. If he wanted to make changes for the better and later on, track the elusive Zetsu, he needed his clan. His coloring was too distinct to travel without painting a giant target on his clan’s back. No more avoiding. Unfortunately, due to his miscalculation, the Uchiha discovered his Sharingan. It was a political nightmare waiting to happen, but maa, when did anything in his life go right?

Hi no Kuni — Two Days Ago

“You’re certain denying everything is wise?” Shinra drawled, eyeing her partner.

The Clan Head rubbed her forehead. “No, but the alternative isn’t better. They’ll accuse me of bloodline theft,” Nōka pointed out.

Kakashi hummed, rubbing his chin. “And risk inflicting the ire of the Uchiha and consequent extermination of our clan,” he surmised.

“Why agree to a meeting in the first place?” Shinra huffed, resting her large head on her partner’s descendant’s thigh. After encountering and meeting the pup, Nōka and him hashed a decent backstory. Nineteen years ago, during a mission, Nōka went missing for a year. Many of her clansmen believed her dead, but one day, she returned with new scars and the ferocity of a wolf. It was a kamidamn miracle, but the blank period gave Nōka leeway to conceive and birth a bastard child. Claiming she was unaware of the sire’s background was plausible. Uchiha coloring wasn’t definite enough to recognize immediately and no competent shinobi revealed their last names. Before she returned to her clan, Nōka lost her baby. Or, so she thought. Losing a child was a traumatic experience, especially for a Hatake. The elders are aware of the aspect and because of it, the elaborate lie became reality. The Hatake clan might be wary of outsiders, but Kakashi talked, walked, and smelled like pack. It didn’t take much for their wariness to fade.

No one, besides Nōka, Shinra, and Ginjiro — Nōka‘s husband — are aware of the truth.

“Maa, I think I might have a solution,” Kakashi declared.

Hi no Kuni — Present

She arched an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Thank you for the wonderful rendition of my clan’s traits,” Nōka drawled.

Before his older brother opened his mouth and further annihilated any chance of negotiating with the Hatake, Izuna stepped forward. “Are you certain a man of our description never crossed these lands?” he inquired politely. Deep down, Izuna was convinced the wolf woman was lying, but the mutt emphasized on his non-affiliation. With his Uchiha blood, his proclamation was feasible.

“A bold question to ask a Hatake,” Nōka mused.

His eyebrow twitched, but his expression remained indifferent. “A bold—“ Before Izuna could continue, he was cut off,

“Maa, maa, so curious.” All of the sudden, a certain Hatake appeared on a tree branch above the Uchiha entourage. “I never knew I was so popular,” Kakashi mused.

His obsidian eyes glimmered a brilliant crimson, but he suppressed the urge to activate his clan’s dōjutsu. “You dare lie to us, Hatake?” Izuna spat, eyes fixated on the Clan Head.

“I didn’t,” Nōka countered, tone sharp.

“You—“ All of the sudden, Kakashi leaped off the branch, landing in front of the wolf woman.

“Ten days ago, Nōka-sama was unaware I existed. Therefore, all of her statements are valid,” Kakashi announced.

His eyes narrowed. “You expect us to believe that?” Izuna countered.

Kakashi tilted his head, eyes curving into an eye-smile. While the mask obscured his expression, his body language mirrored the Clan Head’s. “I believe I’m here to make you an offer you cannot refuse,” he replied. He surveyed the envoy, charcoal gaze landing on the agitated Uchiha Clan Head. “The Hatake clan granted you an audience. According to Nōka-sama’s correspondences, you gave them your word no harm shall befall them here. Are you an oath-breaker, Uchiha Madara?” The silver-haired nomad met the elder Uchiha’s gaze directly, daring him to say otherwise.

 

[arbus]

"Maa, maa, so curious."

That voice. Madara's head perked up, his eyes taking in none other than the mutt, who sat in the crown of the maple like an overgrown bird. His narrowed gaze followed the Hatake's progression towards the clan head, and stepping at her side, it was like the Hatake belonged there -- in fact looked so much like the Hatake woman, the features around the eyes, their shape and gaze -- Madara harrumphed.

"An audience?", he repeated, his voice growing low with an emotion that went beyond indignation. Before them, strutting around like he felt right at home at the clan leader's abode, was an Uchiha bastard. One that paraded the Uchiha clan dojutsu like it was his birthright, either completely ignorant or indifferent to the fact that his sheer existence jeopardized the very people he owed his kekkei genkai to.

"Aniki." Izuna's voice was a sharp whisper at his side. Madara knew he was thinking the same thing; was feeling the same thing. Betrayal, and a dull sense of threat. And yet, his brother had always been more cunning than him, slier, able to control his temper.

Madara ignored him. His eyes met the Hatake's gaze under a deep scowl. "First, the Hatake clan is not granting us anything. They are complying with my request. Second, if you are interested in striking a deal with an Uchiha, you better not insult him with a question like that." His jaw was set rigidly. There was no way to tell if the Hatake woman was telling the truth, or if they were playing them for fools. If all of this was an elaborate hoax, a trap. Had Madara been naive to react to her sudden agreement to a meeting?

And then, the fact that the Hatake was popping up out of nowhere, showing his face in a matter-of-course attitude as if he had not just fled Uchiha imprisonment. It was, plainly speaking, frustrating.

"You have an offer to make?", he snapped. "Then speak."

 

[roxybirdie]

”First, the Hatake clan is not granting us anything...”

The newly-affiliated Hatake hummed. “The Hatake clan granted you permission to enter our lands for this meeting,” Kakashi pointed out. His silver hair shifted, highlighting the scar over his left eye. Such a scar would inflict blindness on the individual, but not Kakashi. “From what I was told, the Hatake clan hasn’t complied to anything you requested for months. Are you so bold to insinuate we complied to the meeting because you demanded it?” Despite his lackadaisical demeanor, his charcoal eyes sharpened. “If you want to negotiate with the Hatake, I recommend returning the favor. I do not appreciate the implication of us waiting at your beck and call like flearidden mutts,” he added. Several clansmen surrounding Madara and Izuna stiffened. The sheer fearlessness and defiance the Hatake displayed was appalling.

”Then speak.”

His eyes curved into another eye-smile. “On the behalf of the Hatake clan, I open the discussion for a political alliance between the Uchiha and the Hatake.” The small clearing grew dreadfully silent. Not even Izuna, whom was thoroughly tempted to cut down the infuriating Hatake bastard and be done with it, responded. All eyes belonging to the Uchiha envoy glanced at their Clan Head.

Hi no Kuni — One Day Ago

“What?” an elder breathed.

Sitting in a proper seiza position, Kakashi faced the small council of elders surrounding his great-great-grandmother. “I propose a political alliance between the Uchiha and Hatake with me as the ambassador,” he repeated. With his back straightened and shoulders back, the silver-haired nomad met the incredulous gazes directly. Not a hint of fear or uncertainty was evident in his charcoal eyes.

“The Hatake clan has prospered for generations without the involvement of larger clans. Why should we risk aligning ourselves with the Uchiha?” A gruff woman inquired. Despite the severe scars marring the left side of her face, it didn’t deter her natural beauty. According to his great-great-grandmother, Hōseki Hatake was a no-nonsense woman with a protective streak a mile wide. She earned the moniker, Kongōseki no Ōkami or Diamond Wolf, for her sheer ferocity and unquestionable loyalty.

Before Kakashi could respond, another elder cut him off, “Why would you be elected as ambassador and spokesperson for the Hatake?” Curiosity was evident in the elder’s tone.

Slowly, his charcoal eyes bled a brilliant crimson. “I believe I’m the most qualified ... and for the welfare of our clan and future generations, an alliance is imperative,” Kakashi replied.

“Or risk the extermination of our clan,” Hōseki huffed. The scarred woman glanced at her clan leader. “You just had to lay with an Uchiha,” she grumbled. Despite the sharpness of her words, it contained no bite. She appeared more annoyed than angered.

Nōka snorted. “Maa, it’s not like we exchanged last names,” she countered.

“Watch it, brat. You might be our Clan Head, but I’m not above teaching you a lesson about respecting your elders,” Hōseki huffed.

Hi no Kuni — Present

“A ... political alliance?” Izuna parroted.

Nōka stepped forward, brandished a scroll, and tossed it at the Uchiha Clan Head. “Our first draft. Hatake Kakashi has been elected as our ambassador and voice for the Hatake clan,” she announced, gesturing to her proclaimed son. Bastard or not, the Hatake clan never turned their backs on pack. Despite the boy’s apparent inexperience with Hatake clan politics, he was a fast learner. While the elders preferred delegating a more qualified candidate, Kakashi was a countermeasure. With his Uchiha blood, he ensured the safety of their clan.

 

[arbus]

"Are you so bold to insinuate we complied to the meeting because you demanded it?"

Utter silence. Madara, too, stood absolutely still, a breeze ruffling through his hair. Like the rest of his clansmen, he was clad not in his armor but in the high-collared Uchiha attire, the red-and-white fan emblazoned on its back. He was unarmed, had met all of Hatake Noka's demands without blinking. Had kept a path of communications open with her for over six months, unrelenting but without any threat of violence. And now, standing in front of her impertinent brat, he felt the surge of triumph rise within him, the delight of patience rewarded. When he finally did move, the rustle of fabric sounded preternaturally loud in the tense silence; dark eyes met charcoal ones as he took a step forward, just short of entering the mutt's personal space.

Izuna‘s spine grew rigid at the provocation.

But Madara smiled, his head tilted to the side just so. It was the first time the mutt had shown even a hint of impatience towards him, and to witness his words grow more rigid, his gaze more stern, gave Madara utter satisfaction. „I am.“ Gaze resting on the mutt‘s masked features, he had a splendid view of the scar running over the left side of his face. „It does not matter if you appreciate it or not, Hatake. We stand here right now because your clan fears the Uchiha's retaliation. Because of your blunder. So this is not an audience, our presence in your territory is not due to your clan head's magnanimity. This is because you made a mistake. But", his eyes traveled over the Hatake, assessing, "I think you know this already."

It was Izuna‘s words that lifted the spell. That turned the persisting silence into something more stunned than threatened. Without even looking, Madara caught the scroll discarded in his direction. His eyes kept resting on the Hatake.

"Hatake Kakashi has been elected as our ambassador and voice for the Hatake clan."

The smirk on Madara's face grew, his smugness almost palpable. "For an unaffiliated shinobi, like you claimed to be not ten days ago, you have come up in the world.“

And then, turning his attention onto the Hatake woman, he inclined his head. „Thank you, Hatake-sama. I will consider your generous offer."