AN: I don't own anything but the plot line.

Kakashi Hatake knew what he wasn't. Despite what many ninja of Konoha thought about the 'genius ex-ANBU Copy Ninja' he was not as perfect as they thought that he was. Enemies and allies alike thought him to be one of the prime examples of the ideal ninja; strong, intelligent, mysterious, and most importantly loyal.

But Kakashi knew that he was always just a failure. Underneath his mask, he was undeniably, fatally human.

Because he wasn't good enough, his father killed himself. Because he wasn't wise enough, Obito was swallowed by the darkness. Because he wasn't strong enough, Rin slipped through his fingers. Because he wasn't fast enough, Minato-sensei and Kushina didn't escape the Kyuubi's wrath.

Sasuke defected when Kakashi failed to lead him down the right path and destroyed himself over his revenge. Sakura sacrificed her life to heal him when he lay on the battlefield in a pool of blood. Naruto fell saving the world when Kakashi couldn't. And Tsunade lost her will to live after seeing her beloved dead in Kakashi's arms and handed her title over to him.

Now there was nothing left. The ninja world was destroyed. The Hokage mountain was ground to dust and nothing but a desolate wasteland could be seen. The Fourth Great Ninja War had brought about the very apocalypse that it was trying to prevent.

Kakashi held the largest shard of the memorial stone he could find in his hand. The glistening obsidian was barely five centimeters long and it was thinner than his pinky, but it was the only thing left to hold onto. He pleaded with the gods to change something. He wasn't up to the task of outliving the people he loved. Enough was enough. He didn't want to be a survivor anymore.

And Kakashi knew that he had always been a survivor.

Clutching the shard so tightly that it dug into his palm and drew blood, he tilted his head towards the stars with his eyes closed in uncharacteristic prayer.

"Please." He said. "Give me another chance."

Unseen, a bright star shot across the night sky.

Kakashi stood in front of the large marble tablet that marked the last of his family. Even five years after, the memory was still burned in the inside of his eyelids and rang in his ears. It haunted his dreams and plagued his waking thoughts.

Kakashi was a genius. He knew it. He was the 'Thirteen-year-old genius Hatake' but he never felt like it. There was always place for improvement. Always a way to become a better Shinobi. He trained every day as hard as he could to become someone more than the son of The White Fang.

Because there had to be a way to break away from his father's legacy, a way to become the perfect Shinobi. He had to find the way to stop his heart from bleeding, or he would end up killing it altogether.

He had lived long enough as a failure. He couldn't do it anymore. Even five years hadn't been enough to encompass the guilt he had.

He would have to become more than human or die a failure. He had survived too long to not know how this would end.

The young Chūnin drew the White Fang from its holster on his back and gazed at the polished metal. Suddenly seeing the blade, a crimson light seemed to flash off of its edge and Kakashi dropped it as if it bit him. The scarlet glow felt all too real, and the boy knew then that he was slipping. He wouldn't admit it, but he needed help, or his mind would end up compensating. The depression would end up breaking him.

Gingerly he picked up the tantō and sheathed it. Scolding himself for letting his emotions get the better of him, Kakashi ruthlessly smothered the emptiness inside him and clung to the small bit of optimism he had long since buried within his heart. He wouldn't give up. Not yet.

Looking upwards towards the starry night sky, Kakashi fervently sent out a prayer.

"Please, I need another chance." He said as he closed his eyes and willed his wish into the sky. When he opened them, he saw nothing and turned and walked back to his apartment disappointed.

...But a shimmering star flew across the night sky.

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