Saruto | The Bloodline Prophecy (Part 1)

Chapter 16: Legendary Sannin of the Moving Mountains

"Lord Sixth, it's an honor to see you again," Shikadami bowed before taking a seat next to me.

As we sat crossed on the ground, I watched as Kakashi poured us all tea before sitting down himself. He seemed to not notice that I was staring. Wondering what he was going to say to me. I yearned for his words.

"No, enough with the formalities," he laughed off while waving his hands no.

Shikadami smiled before bowing once more in acknowledgement. His eyes then went to scan all of us before him.

"Now lemme guess. You are Shikadami Nara," he acknowledged, "Choban Akimichi, Tsuki and Haru Norimake, Inojou Yamanaka, and..."

I watched as he looked me up and down. It had been five years since he left to find alignment in the Moving Mountain of the Mist. All I had of him since then was that I was trained by the Legendary Sannin of the Moving Mountains who was the protege of the Fourth Hokage, became the Sixth Hokage, and then Sensei of the Seventh Hokage. He had fought in the Third Shinobi War and become a war hero in the Fourth. And now who was to tell him that I had become the very reason why we were falling into a Fifth Shinobi War.

I saw him as a father figure because he raised me, trained me.

Feeling stupid as I waited there for him to acknowledge me, I became anxious for an answer.

"Saruto Uzumaki-Uchiha." He said confidently.

There was a long silence in the room as we tried to figure out what we should say next. After all, he had been away from the five nations so he had no idea what was going on. There was just too much to say and so little time it felt like.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"We were sent by Lord Seventh," Tsuki quickly responded, "to retrieve something in your possession."

"And what might that be?" Kakashi said suspiciously before glancing at me as I gave him a look.

Part of being trained by him since a young age, we understand signals that we send to each other. He knew exactly why we were sent here and the confidentiality of it.

"Ah, I see," he confirmed before anyone could respond.

His gaze didn't part away from me as he squinted trying to read my posture and behavior.

"Please excuse me, but may I speak to Saruto alone?" He requested.

Without retaliation, all of them stood up and bowed in acknowledgement and left the room. Shikadami was the last to exit the room before looking back giving me a look of worry. I smiled reassuring her and waved her to get going. She blushed before brushing her hand across the wall and disappearing into the next room. I almost didn't realize the Kakashi was observing the whole engagement.

Turning my attention towards Kakashi, I sat straight across from him and waited for him to initiate the conversation. But the silence became too eerie to keep calm and collected.

"Sensei..." I nervously acknowledged.

"How have you been?" he aimlessly wondered.

In shock I leaned back before trying to think of what I was going to say, I guess I have never really thought about it.

"I-I..." I shuttered out.

"You're right!" Kakashi intervened before laughing it off, "I guess that's a little bit of a silly question."

I awkwardly laughed to improve the feel of the room. But he knew too well to know that something was bothering me. The mission. The real mission that I had been keeping from my friends.

"How long has it been? You really have grown, haven't you?" Kakashi wondered as he stood up and directed me outside and onto the balcony.

The cool air sent chills down my spine as I stepped out. Kakashi seemed immuned and unfazed by it which makes sense as he practically lives here.

"U-Umm..." I almost forgot to respond to his earlier question.

"Isn't it beautiful?" He questioned with a long peaceful sigh.

"Y-yeah..."

Why was I so nervous? Come on Saruto! Pull yourself together.

"You should see it during the winter solstice. It really is something else."

Kakashi was always so enthusiastic about things. Never took anything for granted. I mean he learned it the hard way as a child. I guess that's where I get my charisma from.

As I awkwardly stood there I looked at the view that Kakashi was so crazy about. That's when it caught my attention that we were above the clouds! I had only seen tit from the ground and not at this view. It really was a wonder.

"So do you like her?"

My heart dropped. How did he know?

"W-what? W-who-"

"Sar, I saw the way you looked at Shikadami," he smiled before looking back out at the view.

I stood there helplessly as I fiddled with my fingers on the wooden railing. Suddenly, the memory of our kiss on the cliffside flashed in my mind, I then blushed. Goosebumps then began to form on my neck as butterflies filled my stomach. Glancing back over to Kakashi I noticed that he was staring at me. His eyes squinting in an amusing manner.

"Yes, I think I like her," I nervously responded, trying to avoid eye contact with him.

My fists clenched as I took a deep breath and put my thoughts together, I wanted to tell him everything right then and there. But there was just so much. How could I tell him everything?

"Sensei?" I closed my eyes and took another deep breath.

"Yes?"

"There's something I need to tell you." I locked eyes with him in a serious stature.

His eyes widened as he dreaded my worry and the purpose of our mission here after all this time.