Chapter 36

When Kakashi woke up he found himself still fully clothed, lying face first on his bed. Sunlight streamed through the slats of his blinds and the stuffy air caused his stomach to churn. For a moment he lay there, not daring to move. Kakashi's body felt as if it were a wet sponge; too heavy and too saturated with alcohol to move. His tongue lolled uselessly in his dry mouth and his dehydrated brain refused to process what was going on around him.

Slowly, counting to ten, Kakashi sat up. The sickly stench of tequila and beer seeped from his pores and his body rippled with a dry heave.

Kakashi, my eternal rival, I challenge you to drinking contest!

Kakashi let out a groan and held his pounding head in his hands. By the way he was feeling he must have lost. Feeling sorry for himself, Kakashi dragged himself out of bed and he stumbled down the hall to the bathroom.

He peeled off his sticky clothes and as soon as the water hit his body he was instantly revitalised. After his shower, a change of clothes and a refreshing green tea, Kakashi felt considerably more human. It was only then he realised Obito's room door was open.

"Rule number eight," Kakashi muttered as he stared at Obito's untouched bed. "A ninja must never fall prey to excess."

Sakumo's version of the ninja code echoed in his brain. Alcohol really was the main killer of his senses. Even now Kakashi was only just beginning to regain his heightened smell. He moved away from Obito's room, feeling uneasy. If Obito hadn't returned home last night then the talk with Shisui most likely hadn't gone well.

Kakashi grabbed a pair of socks from his room and padded down the hall to his front door. Despite returning to Konoha's warmer climate, Kakashi still preferred to wear the regulation winter boots of Kumo. They had better grip and protected his toes. Kakashi had seen far too many ninjas lose their toes in combat before.

With his shin and arm guards strapped on, shruiken and kunai hidden in strategic places and flak jacket zipped up, Kakashi looked like he was heading out to war. He couldn't help it. There was a gnawing sensation in his gut and it was that feeling that caused him to loop the White Demon's blade over his shoulder.

Finally, after adjusting his forehead protector and winding his red scarf around his neck, Kakashi was ready. As soon as he stepped outside and down the steps of his porch, Kakashi drew a kunai and nicked his thumb on the blade.

"Summoning technique," he muttered, pressing his palm to the ground.

Immediately eight ninken appeared, accompanied by their usual dramatic puff of smoke.

"Yo Kakashi," Pakkun waved a paw as he sat on top of Bull's head.

"Man is it good to back in Konoha," Bisuke wagged his tan coloured tail in excitement. "You know how much I hated the cold up in those mountains?"

Akino, who sat next to Bisuke, gave the other dog a withering look from behind his sunglasses.

Kakashi gave his pack a brief smile then it faded. "There's a bit of a situation," he told them.

Pakkun furrowed his already wrinkled brow. "What is it?" He asked.

"The Hokage suspects that the Uchiha clan are planning a coup d'état," Kakashi explained. "As of yet nothing has occurred but Danzo is pressuring the council into action."

The name of Konoha's shadowy figure caused a profound effect on the ninken. Growls rippled around the pack and Bull openly snarled at the name.

"Danzo?" Bisuke quirked an ear. "Hey Pakkun isn't he the guy who old hound Take told us stories about? The one who-"

"Shut it," Akino barked.

"What do you know about him?" Kakashi asked. Konoha politics was something that his ninken barely kept up with. Pakkun, being the smartest of the pack, was the most up to date however it was unusual for them to show such a dislike towards someone whom Kakashi had little dealings with.

"Take, our elder, is the best dog to talk to," Pakkun said with an uncharacteristically grim look in his eyes. "He was your father's favourite summon after all."

Take… The last time Kakashi had met the elder was when he was eight years old. The ninken elder had helped Sakumo on his last mission and he had been the one who had delivered the White Fang to Kakashi after the funeral.

"We've heard stories," Guruko suddenly voiced and he shook his long brown ears. "They get passed down of course."

Suddenly a prickling sensation swept it's way down Kakashi's spine. The ninken simultaneously growled and Kakashi's gaze was riveted to one of the Compound's walls.

"There's someone outside," Kakashi whispered.

Pakkun pointed his snout in the air and sniffed. "Hard to say how many," he said. "Smart guys. They've masked their scent from us."

Akino raised his hackles and added, "They've coated themselves in something foul. It's messing with our noses."

Kakashi nodded. He too could catch the stench wafting over the wall, which smelled remarkably like rotten eggs. Striding over, he stepped across the flowerbeds and pressed his hand against the whitewashed wall. He could feel the ancient barrier pulsing with warm chakra. Suddenly, it rippled causing Kakashi to jerk his hand back.

"They're probing the wards," he told the pack as he moved away from the wall. "My guess is Danzo has sent some of Root to keep tabs on me."

"Or worse," Pakkun added. "I doubt they're going to sit around and watch you all day."

Kakashi faced his pack and said, "Biskue, I want you to alert Obito and Rin to what's going on. Urushi and Shiba I want you both to keep an eye on Uchiha Shisui's movements. Obito should be able to give you something to trace Shisui's scent so go with Biskue."

The three dogs nodded and sped away. Kakashi turned to Pakkun and said, "Pakkun I'm going to need you to lead the rest of the pack to Root's base. Scout out the area and let me know the patrol pattern and how many ANBU are posted there, but be careful."

"What about you?" The pug asked with a frown.

"I'm going to summon Take and get as much information about Danzo as possible," Kakashi said.

Pakkun looked thoughtful for a moment then he gestured with a paw. "Come here," he said.

It was unusual for his summon not to follow his orders immediately so Kakashi walked over and bent down so his face was level with Pakkun's. "What's up?" He asked.

"It's too dangerous for you to summon Take here if Root is posted outside," Pakkun whispered. "So you're going to have to visit our home. Don't worry we'll have everything covered here."

"What?" Kakashi began to argue but Pakkun placed a paw on his forehead.

"Sorry, Kakashi," Pakkun shrugged. "Your father's orders."

And before Kakashi could say another word, Pakkun had performed the reverse summoning and he vanished from Konoha.

"Rin! Rin! God damnit open this door!"

Rin and Anko sat on the sofa together in their small apartment living room watching the locked door shake.

"Rin! I know you're in there!" The banging continued.

"You know, she does have a very loud voice," Anko leant over and whispered in Rin's ear.

"Tell me about it," Rin sighed. They continued to watch the door for a moment until Rin's patience finally gave way. She stood up and unlocked the front door.

Obito's girlfriend Akane stood in the doorway, her fist poised to strike the door.

"Oh hello Akane," Rin gave the scowling, young chunin a bright smile. "I didn't realise you were at the door!"

"Where is he?" Akane shoved past Rin. She tossed her blonde curls over her shoulder and promptly flicked Rin with a face full of hair.

"Who?" Rin asked innocently as she closed the door. With some distaste she observed that Akane still had her shoes on and had traipsed in dirt. Drawing in a deep breath Rin forced her smile to widen and she gestured at the adjoining kitchenette, "Would you like some tea?"

"No I would not like some tea," Akane glared and she crossed her arms under her heaving breasts. Rin glanced at those breasts for a moment thinking they were far too large to be practical for a ninja. Whilst growing up Rin had always lamented about her small breast size but as Kushina had pointed out, large breasts were more of a nuisance than a blessing.

"Any self-respecting kunoichi wants size Bs instead of Ds," Kushina had told her once. "You wouldn't want all that unnecessary back pain on a mission for a start. The only great kunoichi who has massive breasts is Tsunade but then Mikoto and me used to speculate that the reason they're so big is because that's where she stores her chakra."

I bet she's wears impractical underwear too, Rin thought as she eyed Akane. Then she shook her head and chided herself for the petty thought.

"So where is he?" Akane demanded. Her eyes fell upon Anko who had been sitting on the sofa surveying the invasion. "Oh it's you."

"Hello Akiko," Anko waved cheerfully.

"Akane," Obito's girlfriend spat.

"Whatever," Anko's smile instantly faded and she rolled her eyes.

Akane's impatient gaze returned to Rin and she said, "Where is he?"

Rin gave her a benign smile and she said, "Forgive me Akane but who are you looking for?"

"Obito!" Akane shrieked. "Don't play stupid I know he's here."

"I'm afraid I haven't seen Obito since yesterday afternoon," Rin told her. She then turned to Anko and said, "Have you seen Obito?"

"Nope," Anko shook her head. "Maybe you should try Kakashi's."

"I went to his compound but that place is seriously weird. For a start it stank of rotten eggs" Akane sneered. "There was also some kind of force field that prevented me from knocking on the doors."

The Compound's wards must have kept her away, Rin thought and she had to bite her lip to prevent herself from laughing. Anko didn't even bother and she let out a loud snort of mirth.

Akane narrowed her kohl-rimmed eyes and jabbed a finger at Rin. "I know it was one of you two," she said. "One of you lured him away from me in the Naughty Ninja last night."

For a whole second Rin and Anko stared blankly at Akane wondering what on earth she was accusing them of. Then, Rin decided to go with the only option to get this jealous bitch out of her home.

"Anko and I weren't in the Naughty Ninja last night, Akane-san," Rin smiled, adding on the honorific for extra effect. "Unfortunately Anko was ill last night so I was at home looking after her."

It was true and Rin inwardly grimaced as she recalled Anko's shrieks of agony. Over on the sofa Anko's face darkened and she subconsciously rubbed her shoulder.

"You look fine to me," Akane raised a finely plucked eyebrow.

"Oh yeah I'm just peachy," Anko's voice dripped with sarcasm. She reached over and plucked a kunai from the coffee table in front of her. Having Anko as your flatmate meant weapons were scattered everywhere. Rin was constantly finding shruikens behind the toaster and kunai next to her toothbrush.

Sensing impending danger, Rin quickly said, "It was one of those 24 hour viruses."

"What an STD?" Akane laughed.

Instantly there was a flash but Rin's reflexes were too quick. Her hand snaked out and snatched the kunai from the air, which had been speeding towards Akane's pretty face.

"D-did you just throw a kunai at me?" Akane's eyes widened and she appeared visibly shaken. "You bitch!"

"Akane-san," Rin said in a soft voice and she twirled the kunai. "It would be best for you to leave. Not only have you rudely rejected our hospitality but you have also insulted my flatmate in our own home."

Akane's face whitened and before she could object Rin added, "We may be off duty and you do not belong to my division however as a jonin I still have the ability to pull rank on you, so lets stay civil shall we?"

Verbally whipped and terrified by Anko's glower, Akane stumbled backwards and ran out of their front door. As the door slammed shut Rin rubbed her temples. Beneath her calm appearance, she was seething.

Why was it always her who had to smooth things over? For her entire life Rin had played the part of peacekeeper. She had to keep Obito and Kakashi in line, soothe Anko's rages and hold the box of tissues during Kurenai's latest heartbreak. Although she had never minded or complained, Rin could feel her patience waning. She wasn't a saint and with the mounting stress of her job, Rin was reaching breaking point.

She turned around, about to give Anko a lecture about throwing weapons indoors, when a voice said, "Is she gone?"

Clothes creased, dishevelled hair and bloodshot eyes: Obito stepped out of Rin's bedroom. He had turned up at the apartment earlier that morning, without a single explanation. From his strained expression, Rin knew that it was something to do with the Uchiha clan.

"Don't ever make me do that again," Rin's hazel eyes took on a steely glint. "Obito you are leading that girl on. She may be unhinged but it's not fair on her."

"Right," Obito rubbed the back of his head.

"Seriously she thinks that you're having some secret affair with me or Anko," Rin said.

"Uh huh," Obito nodded, clearly not listening. He pulled on his goggles. "Thanks for letting me have a kip. I need to go."

Rin blinked. It was as if he had slapped her in the face. After all these years Obito had never treated her like this. He had always been so attentive. Rin had never met a man who had listened to her like he did. When she was younger she used to find Obito's stare slightly creepy but as she grew up, Rin realised that his stare was actually a look of concentration. Obito soaked in every word, he memorised every story and listened to all her worries and woes. In only the past year that had begun to change. Obito had met Akane and that look of concentration had grown less and less frequent.

"Obito what's wrong you?" Rin whispered and Anko shifted uncomfortably on the sofa.

He didn't bother answering her. Instead Obito just shrugged and lifted his hands to form the body flicker seal.

"Obito!" Rin said in disbelief.

But before Obito could disappear a faint tapping caught everyone's attention. Anko rolled off the sofa and glanced over at the glass door that led out to their small balcony.

"There are three dogs on our balcony," she said in bemusement.

Rin tore her gaze away from Obito to see three ninken, trendily dressed in Konoha vests with the henohenomoheji insignia. The three dogs peered through the glass and the tan coloured one scratched at the door.

As if waking from a trance, Obito's hands fell to his sides and he murmured, "Bisuke?"

Rin let out a whoosh of air and she moved over to the balcony door to let the ninken inside.

Unlike the average child in Academy, Uchiha Sasuke's favourite time of the day was not lunchtime. He found his classmates games far too childish and he most certainly did not want to play kiss chase with the girls. If anything he would rather eat lunch with the class dropout, Naruto, then Sakura to kiss him.

So when the bell rang signalling lunch, he didn't tear out of the classroom like the other children. Instead he patiently allowed himself to be cajoled into going outside by Iruka. Once the teacher was distracted by some playground misdemeanour, usually by Kiba or Naruto, Sasuke would make his move. Today it was Naruto. The idiot had been boasting about some special training he had started and had challenged Kiba to a fight. Naruto had lost of course.

Whilst Iruka was yelling at the two boys about brawling in the playground, Sasuke slipped past. He skirted around the swing, dodging Sakura, and pressed himself up against the Academy building. Ducking below windows, Sasuke finally reached his destination: the Academy training yard. He like wasn't Naruto or Kiba who wasted their time playing stupid pranks or lazing about like Shikamaru. Sasuke was determined to spend every single moment training. Maybe that way he could get his father to notice him.

Sasuke moved into the Uchiha fighting stance, after having it ingrained into him from an early age. Yet no matter how perfect his posture was, his father had never commented on it. The image of Fugaku's blank stare caused a desperate burst of anger and Sasuke attacked the training post. Spinning kick after cross-chop and jabbing punch, Sasuke couldn't seem to perfect his taijustu. It didn't flow like his brother Itachi's. He had snuck out countless of times to watch Itachi train and despite studying his taijutsu; Sasuke couldn't copy his brother's effortless movements.

"Hey, what's this? Training at lunch?"

Sasuke spun around to see Shisui appear from seemingly nowhere. Instantly Sasuke's worries evaporated and grin spread across his face.

"Shisui-nii!" He said. "What're you doing here?"

Shisui was one of Sasuke's favourite family members. Although Shisui blew in and out of his life like a playful breeze, he always had time to talk to Sasuke when he was around. He didn't glower at him like Sasuke's father or prod him on the head like Itachi. Yet those moments had grown more and more infrequent recently. The last time Sasuke had seen Shisui had been three months ago.

"I was just in the area so I thought I'd drop by and see my favourite cousin," Shisui smiled. He then added in a conspiratorial whisper, "But don't tell Itachi that."

Sasuke laughed and Shisui's smile faded. He surveyed Sasuke's battered and bruised hands. "Training during your lunch break, huh?" He said. "When I was your age I was happy to mess around with my mates."

"I want to make my dad proud," Sasuke's face fell. "And to beat Itachi."

Shisui gazed at Sasuke for a moment then he ruffled the seven-year-old's hair. "They are proud of you Sasuke," he said softly. "We all are. Uchihas just aren't great at showing our emotions."

Sasuke looked up at Shisui and said, "Really?"

Dropping to one knee so he was level with his younger cousin, Shisui pulled Sasuke into a hug. Yet this hug was unlike any other that Sasuke had ever experienced. It was tight, too tight, almost painful. It frightened Sasuke.

"You're a good kid, Sasuke," Shisui murmured and he moved away much to Sasuke's relief. There was something in Shisui's expression that caused Sasuke's eyes to sting.

He straightened and suddenly Sasuke found himself wanting to make Shisui's smile return.

"Hey Shisui-nii can we train together sometime with Itachi?" Sasuke asked.

Shisui's lips tugged upwards slightly and he said, "Sure… The four of us can someday."

Sasuke frowned, "The four of us? Who's the other person?"

But his question was never answered. Shisui body flickered away leaving Sasuke alone in the training yard.

"Sasuke! What're you doing here?" Iruka appeared from round the corner, red faced from scolding Naruto and Kiba earlier. He looked around, frowned and added, "Were you talking to someone?"

"No Iruka-sensei," Sasuke shook his head.

"Well come on," Iruka said. "You know you shouldn't be here."

"Sorry Iruka-sensei," Sasuke said. He stared for a moment at the spot Shisui had been standing. Then, he followed Iruka back to the playground.

A/N: Thank you for all your lovely reviews so far ^^ I know I've spent quite a lot of time expanding on the characters but now the plot is finally moving and the action is coming. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and have a great week!