Disclaimer: I do not know Naruto or Lord of the Rings; they belong to their respective publishers and creators. I gain nothing from writing this but a creative outlet and writing/editing experience.

Summary: Kakashi was a relic of the past, a time where children were prepared for a war they were unlikely to live through; in fact, his career had revolved around the keeping back the threat or war. His brief tenure as Hokage only showed just how dated he was in this new era of peace and technological growth. So...this seemed fitting, a fitting end for a man who had known war for most of his life.

A/N: This was just a story I thought of, and it will be short. For the most part it will be chapter 700 compliant, but there will be a few modifications. I know I shouldn't be starting any other fics, but this is really gonna be a short fic, and I hate how few Kakashi-centric stories exist in this cross-over. Overall, I expect this fic to be perhaps five or six chapters of about 8,000 words (I have the next to already lined up but they won't be uploaded for another month). Anyways, please enjoy ~ much love, depressedchildren

Chapter 1: With the spring comes the beginning of war

Kakashi stared out at the lands beyond the protective walls of the village. He was forty now, and he would face yet another war before he died it seemed. He supposed it was fitting after the life he had had; he would have hated to have an uneventful retirement. Besides, who would have thought he'd have lived to forty? He certainly never imagined it.

The wind came howling down the mountains and caught his cloak so that it wrapped tighter around his body. The winter chill was fading, yet Kakashi still pushed what chakra he had retained through his body to warm him against the cold, biting wind. He could look forward to spring in this valley, though with the coming of spring was war to the North-west.

He heard light steps on the walkway he stood upon, and he heard the shifting of skirts. Kakashi turned his head slightly to the newcomer and inclined his head slightly before he looked back out at the lands.

"What does the Grim Traveler see on the horizon?" the young woman asked as she came up next to him along the wooden wall.

"One final war," he replied quietly. The foreign words were clumsy on his tongue, which belied his understanding of the language—Kakashi was a genius after all, and learning the odd language had only taken a year.

The young woman frowned beside him, and stared out at the lands before them with a resigned look. The wind swept past them again, and the young woman paid no heed to how her fair hair blew across her face. "Grim Traveler," she began, "do you suppose Rohan will fall?"

"Does Lady Éowyn fear for her cousin?" he asked in clumsy speech. Lord Théodred had rode out that morning with many skilled riders of the Rohirrim; they were to secure the Ford of Isen from whatever forces had rallied in Isengard.

The young woman said nothing as she stood beside him, "One does worry about family."

Kakashi smiled grimly behind the high folds of his cloak—it was the closest he could get to a mask that would not cause suspicion. Kakashi's smile was because he knew Lady Éowyn's quiet response was one of obligation, even though it did hold some truth. He nodded his head once in agreement with the young woman's words.

"One also will die for home with honor and no regret," he murmured in his awkward articulation.

Kakashi saw the relief that passed over Lady Éowyn's face, as well as resolve. Yes, he had seen the faithful determination and resignation on her face. The young woman cared for duty and if her country was to face war, then her duty was to defend her country. Only once this duty was done could she perhaps settle down, but she would not hesitate to take up arms again.

"Will the Grim Traveler…" she began before letting her words falter as a guard walked past them. The guard bowed his head once to both of them before he continued on.

Kakashi knew what Lady Éowyn's halted request was, and a wry smile formed on his lips. "When the moon is high," he replied to her unasked request as he turned around. He then began to walk down the walk way and head for the stairs.

When Kakashi came to the small hovel he had taken up residence in, he sat before the fire. He was forty now and there was one more war to face in his life—it seemed a fitting end for a retired Hokage, even if it was not his beloved Konoha he would be dying for.

…

With the Fourth Shinobi War over, the countless dead buried, and the Alliance still holding true, Kakashi had taken up the Hokage Hat. He maintained peace even with the unifying threat gone, and thousands grieving the dead. Naruto was trained for the role of Hokage and went on peace missions to keep the ties strong between the nations.

What rebellions and treasons arose were snuffed by all Alliance black ops units before these groups could gain much ground. Kakashi's seven year reign was one of peace—no matter how tenuous.

Despite his peaceful and rather successful term as Hokage, Kakashi was more than happy to step down. The Allied Nations and Council wanted the matured and advantageously married Naruto to take Kakashi's place as Hokage, and he would do nothing to contest it, even if there were only whispers of this. Frankly, Kakashi thought his time as Hokage was a bit of a laugh; he was only standing in until Naruto could take over.

There were Kage delegations from every country—and even Sasuke—in attendance for Naruto's inauguration. The ceremony was conducted with as much pomp and circumstance as usually befitted peace-time inaugurations. Then the celebrations began.

Kakashi had stood at the back of the room as he nursed his drink and watched Naruto laugh with friends and guests—who would undoubtedly become his friends by the end of the evening. He saw so much of his sensei in the blonde, especially with him wearing the white coat and the way he awkwardly wore the Hokage hat.

Kakashi's eye took in the sight of his genin together again—of course they were not genin anymore, but part of him would always see them that way. Sasuke stood almost aloof beside Naruto who had his synthetic arm tossed over Sasuke's shoulder in a friendly manner. The stub of Sasuke's arm reached up and brushed against Naruto's back to return the gesture. He had warned those boys—now men—that they'd blow their arms up doing jutsu clashes like that, but they were both too stubborn (and perhaps too stupid) to listen to him.

To finish off the over-powered and unbelievably stubborn duo was their faithful kunoichi and medic. Sakura had one arm folded under her bust while the other hand held a glass of sake she was nursing. Kakashi saw much of Tsunade in the girl from that one pose, and he wondered if he should have done more as their teacher because…well, they had flourished under the Sanin. He pushed those thoughts to the side—though they remained at the back of his mind like an ever-present nagging voice—and watched as the now-woman rolled her green eyes in amusement. She shook her head slightly with a bemused smile on her face as her eyes shifted to the side to catch Hinata's equally amused look.

The two kunoichi stood on either side of the men, or Kakashi supposed the more accurate descriptor would be husbands—there was a rumor that Sasuke and Sakura would be married soon. He wanted to laugh to himself; Sakura got her "Sasuke-kun" in the end, just as she had wished. The smile behind his mask turned wistful for a moment; his genin were grown up and beginning their own families, yet where was he?

Kakashi looked away from his genin, who were all powerful ninja in their own rights, and stared out the window. Who was there in Kakashi's life now? Gai… he died in a glory of fire and…Youth. Obito…redeemed but dead and finally with Rin. Tenzo…gone as well. So many shinobi were lost in those final fights of the Fourth Shinobi War. The only ties he had left were his fully-grown genin, and village, but they would not be needing him anymore.

Indeed, the times were changing so fast in these days of peace. Marriages between villages, unified lands... There was talk of building structures that could touch the clouds, and technology that could transmit information at the speed of light. The world Kakashi knew was slipping away, and he felt too old for these times.

His gaze drifted back to his genn, and he smiled sadly to himself; where did he fit in now? Those three had no need for him anymore, and he could retire now that he had stepped down from his duties as Hokage and the world was at peace for once. Naruto would see his vision through to the end, and Kakashi knew he could die feeling…well, at peace and with the knowledge his village would prosper and grow. No, Kakashi was glad to step down.

He looked onto his team and their forming families with a bitter-sweet smile. Sakura and Sasuke would marry soon, and then, undoubtedly, Sasuke would run off on his soul-searching again. Hinata and Naruto would likely have as many children as they could, and Naruto would lead Konoha and the world to a prosperous and peaceful future. Look Minato-Sensei, he thought, Look at your boy.

Kakashi would soon be a relic of the past, and he was okay with that if this was what the future would hold.

…

The moon had risen high into the night sky, and Éowyn wondered where the Grim Traveler was. She was at their meeting place with her sword and shield ready. The minutes ticked by and then she felt the hair on the back of her neck raise. She whirled around and raised the shield in time to block an arrow. She hurried to cover under the over-hang of the roof as more arrows shot at her. She crouched low to the ground with her shield raised to intercept the arrows.

She heard someone touch down and the tell-tale sound of a sword being unsheathed. She quickly pushed to her feet and parried an incoming blow. She then used the shield to take the brunt of the Grim Traveler's kick. The force of the blow smarted and she actually stumbled back. The man's strength was great despite his slight appearance.

The Grim Traveler had one short-sword in hand, while a quiver of arrows and his bow were on his back. He stared at her with his one eye, the other was covered in a cloth that hid the gaping eye-socket. Whenever she saw the long scar over his left eye, she would wonder how long it had been since he lost his eye—he fought as if he had not lost any depth perception.

The Grim Traveler began to charge her with a speed his frame and age greatly belied. She parried again, but only just barely. She quickly lashed out with her sword and metal rang against metal loudly in the empty garden hidden behind rows of homes. She backed out of the deadlock when she saw him shifting his weight to kick out at her.

The Grim Traveler used acrobatics in his fighting from time to time, and she always wondered where he was trained. She had once asked if he was an Easterling, but he had only shook his head. When she had asked where he came from, he gave the answer he always gave when people asked him: "A land far gone, inaccessible now." There were rumors he was exiled, but Uncle had trusted him, and the Grim Traveler had gained the trust of many warriors—she supposed they recognized themselves in him.

Éowyn raised her sword up in time to catch the man's next attack, and then she attempted to bash her shield into the man's stomach. He jumped away from her, and she imagined he might be smiling in approval behind the folds of his cloak that hid most of his face. When he had first been found by scouts, he had a strange mask that came up to his nose, but he had since gotten rid of it—perhaps he realized how much distrust it garnered him in these lands?

"You improve Lady Éowyn," he stated, and she fought down a blush at his praise. Her gaze narrowed on the Grim Traveler as he charged again. Her shield took the brunt of this attack, and even began to splinter from the blow, but she quickly switched the grip on her sword and made to swipe horizontally at the man. He dove to the side and did a one handed flip which resulted in a dozen spilled arrows.

Éowyn knew not to charge him, for he used whatever was in their training grounds to his advantage, and so she began to circle away from the spilled arrows. Her back was near the house again and she saw the Grim Traveler nod his head once in approval again. Éowyn switched her grip again so that she would be able to slash down at her opponent when he came for her.

The Grim Traveler began to walk toward her with his sword raised, and then he began to go from the side. She knew not to begin circling him for he could manipulate the field far better than she.

He charged again, and Éowyn just blocked before she was kicked to the side. She skidded across the ground and hissed at the pain; however, she quickly rolled away from the Grim Traveler's incoming attack. His sword imbedded in the ground next to where she had previously been laying. She struck out with her sword but he jumped out of the way and then stepped on the blade—she could feel it giving and knew it would break if she did not let go. She rolled into a crouch and raised her shield up to intercept the next blow.

She gritted her teeth in effort and her arm stung from the blow. She could hear the shield creak under the force and weight of the Grim Traveler's attack. Then his leg connected with the side of her leg and she skidded across the ground again as her leg flared up in a numbing pain. She was just raising the shield when she felt the cold touch of steel against her throat.

Éowyn closed her eyes with a sigh before she opened them and met the Grim Traveler's almost bored gaze with no fear. "I yield then."

The man stepped back, sheathed his sword, and stood above her with his arms folded over his chest. "Would Lady Éowyn meet death with no reservation in duty with her country?" he asked in his awkward speech.

"Of course," she whispered to the night as she continued to catch her breath. The Grim Traveler nodded his head once more and reached his hand to her. She grasped the calloused hand and he helped her to her feet with ease.

"Lady Éowyn's reflexes have improved much," he stated in his difficult speech, but Éowyn had become accustomed to his odd articulations, and so easily understood what he was saying. "She is also cautious of the field, but Lady Éowyn does not try to take control of it," he commented slowly.

However, she heard his reproach clearly and nodded her head once. "Yes, Grim Traveler, I continue to struggle with how I am to gain control of the field."

He nodded his head once grimly before he gestured around them. "What could become opponent's distraction?" he asked.

Éowyn furrowed her brow in thought as she looked around her. The ground had begun to thaw in places, and there was a forming mud puddle. She gestured toward it, "Perhaps the mud could be used to slow an opponent."

He nodded once and looked at her with that bored eye, and she felt as if he was challenging her. She frowned and shook her head, "It could be thrown as well, but that is a low act."

"That may be so," the Grim Traveler consented, "but it could still be effective, no?"

She supposed that was true, but acts of subterfuge were such low acts. No warrior would throw mud into his opponent's eyes, yet when the Grim Traveler trained her he pointed these low acts out to her.

Éowyn was drawn out of her thoughts by the man's almost exasperated sigh. "Lady Éowyn does not have the strength or speed of most other combatants, she must find any and all advantages in the field." She did not become angered by his words for she knew they were true, but part of it still hurt that she could not be an honorable warrior like her brother or cousin.

The Grim Traveler was about to say something more when he stiffened, and then in a movement faster than she could quite follow, he ushered her to the over-hang and threw her cloak over her head. Her eyes widened in understanding and she crouched low into the shadows while the man went out to collect his arrows and her dropped sword.

The man sat on the ground in the moonlight and pulled out a whet stone. He began to sharpen her sword with some water from his water-skin; all the while, he stared up at the night sky. His own sword was hidden by his cloak, so any outsider would assume he was sharpening his own weapon. A minute passed before two guards walked past. They paused at the sight of the Grim Traveler sitting in the empty garden as he sharpened a sword and stared up at the night sky. They gave each other a look before they proceeded on—it was not uncommon to see the man sitting or standing in some odd place while looking up at the sky. Another minute elapsed before the Grim Traveler motioned for her to leave her shadow. She crept out of it and approached the man.

He stood up with exaggerated effort and handed her the sword. "What now, Grim Traveler?" she asked as she awaited his next instruction.

"Kakashi," he murmured the odd word and it took a brief moment for her to realize he had said his name.

"That is your name?" she could not refrain from forming the question. She had recalled people murmured about how odd the man's name was at first, but it was now forgotten and he was simply called by his moniker.

The man looked away from her and nodded once. "Yes."

"Ka…ka…shi," she tried out the syllables, and they were awkward on her tongue. He closed his eye and his shoulders sagged.

"Perhaps Lady Éowyn should call me Sensei?" he said slowly, and she could imagine he was hoping she would.

"What does this word mean in your tongue?"

His eye opened and there was a fond softness to his eye, "Teacher, or Master of an art you study from him."

"Were you such a Master once?" Éowyn asked slowly, and the man closed his eye as if in pain or perhaps it was simply remorse. He nodded his head once.

"I had not been effective; my students flourished under other Masters." He looked away, and though he hid his shame, Éowyn could hear it in his voice.

"Then perhaps I will be your newest pupil, Sensei," she said his title awkwardly.

Regardless, the man looked back at her with his eye wide and perhaps pleasantly surprised. "Then Lady Éowyn may call me Kakashi-sensei or Sensei as she sees fit." He bowed his head slightly, and Éowyn smiled in return.

"Kakashi-sensei," the name and title were clumsy on her tongue, "I am your willing student." She bowed her head once more, and she felt relieved their odd informal training was now called something true. She was his pupil now, and he would ready her for war so that she might die in the name of Rohan or aid her people to victory—whichever came for her in the coming months.

The Grim Traveler bowed his head once more, and she imagined he was at peace in this moment, and Éowyn herself felt at peace.

TBC

A/N: So that is the first chapter. Next chapter explains why Kakashi is here and what some of his current physical abilities are. Aragorn and the others will arrive within two or three chapters. Hope you all enjoyed ~ with loved, depressedchildren