Silence (kakanaru)

Chapter 9

Hisato finished his brief discussion with the Hokage by nightfall. He had outlined the events that would have come, and how Hisato had prevented them from ever occurring; how he had stopped the possibilities of the bloodshed he still saw in his dreams and waking moments. Stop violence with violence. Kill a few to save a million, and more than that.

There was no need to worry about tonight's event. Young Naruto had passed his Graduation Exam, and the Scroll of Sealing will remain safe for the entirety of the night.

Through his observations via the Sandaime's crystal ball, Hisato discovered minor differences between him and his counterpart. Naruto was slightly more focused, and skilled. He remained loud and obnoxious, and so his behaviour was hard to make out. Naruto was like and unlike, same and not same. An unpredictable goofball, shunned by his village, but with an underlying control Hisato never had. And maybe it was because he came back to the past. Maybe it was because he had obliterated the known enemy that had caused so much pain before. Maybe his previous assumptions were wrong and he was in an entirely different reality. A Kakashi that wasn't tardy, and small differences in character for many of the other people he used to know.

Hisato leaned back on the couch, reminiscing his own exam, his failure. The Forbidden Scroll stolen, almost handed away to a conspirator of Orochimaru. And here the world was better; no Orochimaru, no traitor. No failure, no incident. Naruto would not be stealing anything tonight.

With the privacy seals down and deactivated, the ANBU guard resumed their positions in the shadows of the office. One spot was missing. Hisato saw the Hokage stiffen. He knows too.

Summoned by thought, another ANBU shunshinned within the room, but did not take his place at the empty corner. Instead, the masked ninja bowed before the Hokage.

"What is it?" the Sandaime demanded. Hisato watched the ANBU rise up and looked closer at the abnormalities. The man was twitching, and blood trickled from his side. Not a deep wound, but a clear sign of a fight.

"The Scroll, sir. The Scroll of Sealing was taken," he reported. Hisato narrowed his eyes and tugged his scarf tighter. It couldn't be happening. Who was there to take the scroll on this night? There was no reason to, none because Orochimaru is gone! Edo Tensei is on that scroll, dammit!

"A small child, no more than eight. They managed to escape with the scroll, and can handle a short blade well," the man added. The Hokage nodded and dismissed him to heal. Sarutobi then turned to Hisato, who noted the confusion in the age-weary eyes.

"You know what to do."

Hisato fired off a quick salute, then let his chakra swirl. He flashed from sight. Bright, dark, then bright again.

Eyes quickly adjusting to the dim, he scanned around for the chakra signature he had felt, and found it directly ahead of his path. A small cloaked silhouette, with a massive scroll hoisted on their back. The disguise didn't do much to make the child inconspicuous, what with a scroll the size of them.

Hisato trailed the child through the forest, heading northwest. He recognised the desperation in their movements, the fear and the determination set in those little legs. Hisato went slowly, saving his energy and becoming thoroughly bored. Good with a blade they might be, but the child was slow, and the scroll held them down even further.

Day took over night, miles of distance already covered. The child was tiring, but not stopping. No rest, no sleep, not even a brief break for food or water. Hisato wondered what could drive a child to go so far. Had they been hired? Kidnapped? Forced to work with no other choice? Trapped? Or were they a mere willing servant?

The child needed to rest. Hisato ignored the desire to continue trailing them from a distance He bound forward, crossing the short distance between them. Finally noticing him, the child also stopped.