Sold

A Continuing Threat

Sunshine failed to warm the hokage's room.

"I see." Lady Tsunade said. "I'm sorry that it had to come to this."

Kakashi disclosed his inability to win the wager. The reminder weighed heavy on his heart. He knew too well that the hokage had no power over the Foundation, or anything else that dwelled under Danzo's domain. Even as Fox took on missions from Lady Tsunade, her word meant little. 

"But I must remind you, Kakashi, that you cannot pursue him any longer."

"I understand, lady hokage." he responded flatly.

"I've flipped through papers and contracts; all of the documents that Lord Third had written. There are no ground to pull Naruto from the anbu. Unfortunate as it may be, Danzo is well within his rights to have him there."

"What about the torture? Or the group he sold Naruto to?"

"There is no evidence of it having happened. No paper work or proof of their interactions. As far as my files are concerned, Naruto Uzumaki is little more than a myth; a boy who few remember, and no one can remember his face." Lady Tsunade sighed, bringing her hands together tightly. "I cannot have anymore time spent on Naruto. There are missions to be completed. In future, you may continue to pursue evidence of Naruto's tragedy and once enough has been collected, present it to me and bring Naruto home. But that cannot happen right now. I'm sorry, Kakashi, but I can't allow it."

Kakashi stood in silence, pondering over what his words might be. All that formed was a simple. "I understand. Thank you." 

So days passed without delay. Tasks were completed efficiently and Kakashi drowned himself in his work. For years he lived without the boy in his life, so he thought he would be able to do so once again. 

Working with Jiraiya and Captain Yamato, Kakashi began to track the movement of the Akatsuki. For what felt like weeks the ex-anbu poured himself into his missions and his work. No whispers of Fox came on the wind. The young girl who joined what remained on team seven left Kakashi curious, yet the notion that it was Naruto seemed simply impossible. he knew that the act would be too much, even for Naruto. Physical features set aside, their personalities differed too much for it to be true. Not even the marks on Nayu's face struck him as familiar, as if a blanket had been draped over his eyes. Kakashi asked Sakura about the idea once, and both agreed that it is mere coincidence. 

Three weeks had passed since Kakashi lost his gamble. The pain had never subsided. Missions failed to drown out the thoughts as they once did. What he wouldn't give to be a twelve year old again, back when work and violence worked as well as any medication would. 

Standing atop the hokage faces, he considered what it would feel like to fall. To free fall through the sky without concern. Kakashi didn't think that would be the worst thing in his life. In spite of the agony that riddled his heart, he released a deep sigh and turned around, walking away from the calling edge. 

***********

Fox could no longer tell where he ended and the clones began. There was no way to be definitive in his answer. Having used the shadow clone jutsu for so long and to such incredible extents, Fox closed himself away in a dark room, where nothing but him, his chakra, and the orders remained. 

The darkness felt like a dense pool, warm and void of any true senses. Fox was able to focus on his missions and his missions alone and never knew a greater honour. He came upon the idea when Lord Danzo saved him a second time. After successfully slaughtering his torturers, Fox understood that his absence spread the Foundation too thin. So he locked himself away, where no one but Lord Danzo could find him. Fox funneled his chakra to every clone and mark across the land. As his master reminded him, Fox has the chakra levels not able to be found in the mightiest of armies and needs to put it to use.