Second Time's The Charm

Chapter 16

Kanoko sipped her tea, looking down the isle of the tea house. She didn't look like Kanoko though. She was henged as Kakashi-sensei. Mask and everything, which made drinking tea... interesting.

Kanoko's eyes shifted up as her guest sat down across from her.

The Third Hokage.

With a hand seal, the Hokage sealed the area around the two of them – no one would be able to listen in.

"Thank you for meeting me here, Hiruzen." Kanoko told him politely.

"Well, I couldn't very well ignore an invitation to tea from my Sensei." Hiruzen stated plainly, picking up the tea pot to pour himself a cup.

Kanoko chuckled, "Now that's a word I haven't heard in a long time." Taking another sip, she asked, "I'm sure you're curious as to why I asked you here. I am aware we agreed not to communicate directly in this manner." The risk of others discovering her true identity was always a pressing concern to them both.

Kanoko sat her tea down and looked at her former student seriously, "I hear the chunin exams are drifting closer."

"Hai."

Kanoko continued, "I would also be a fool to be blind to the Village Hidden in the Sand's situation." Hiruzen looked at her curious, so Kanoko explained, "I'm afraid that Shikaku doesn't hide his worry at home all that well."

Hiruzen sighed, "I have reason to believe Konoha will be targeted by another contending power during the chunin exams."

Kanoko picked up her cup and her eyes hardening, "Who are you suspecting?"

"While all of the major signs point to our allies, the Village Hidden in the Sand..." Hiruzen started.

"As a ninja, you must look underneath the underneath." Kanoko finished for him.

"Hai. There is a long standing enemy of Konoha that I fear may be involved. One of my own doing." The Hokage looked up at Kanoko, to be met with a hard one-eyed stare. He didn't think he ever saw that look on Kakashi's face.

Kanoko sternly asked, "What do you mean: one of your own doing?"

The Third chuckled nervously, "You're in a 12-year old girl's body and yet, you continue to instill fear and awe in me." Looking away from his sensei's knowing stare, he continued, "I taught a group of genin by myself after you passed. Jiraiya, Tsunade – your grandniece, and Orochimaru. I taught them as you taught me. I used the bell test you once use on me. I emphasized teamwork and Will of Fire. And I taught them the rough realities of war." He looked back at Kanoko, "But I made a mistake. One of my students had lost his parents – the people that meant the most to him. Perhaps it was coincidence, or planted, but there was the skin of snake on their graves. It prompted, in a round-a-bout way, a discussion on revival, resurrection, and immortality."

Kanoko held up a hand to Hiruzen, indicating him to stop, "I understand, you need not go into further detail. Is this student the threat you imagine?"

"Hai. I've had recent reports of a new village called the Village Hidden in the Sound. Reports link my student, Orochimaru, to this village as its leader." Hiruzen finished.

Kanoko closed her eyes, "You believe genin from this village will take part in the exam. Hm. It's likely the Sand will as well."

The Hokage looked at Kanoko, curious.

Kanoko explained, "It would be foolish to discount them as a threat, if relations are this strained. Whether they are working alongside this Orochimaru, has yet to be seen, but both should be treated with the utmost caution." Kanoko took another sip of her tea, "Tell me. Knowing the danger this chunin exam will most certainly pose, are you still moving forward with the exams and are even considering allowing the rookie genin teams to compete?"