A/N: This one has been in my head for…. A few hours haha. I was divided between making a story like this for either Kakashi or Minato. I'll probably toss Minato in later on to be honest. He's one of my favorites

If I do make a parallel one for Minato, that one is going to be noticeably darker than this

Anyways, enjoy (:

Published: 11/28/2017

Warnings: None so far

Chapter 1

Kakashi's Resolve

Those that abandon their mission for such a stupid reason as sentimentality were trash. Emotions had no place in the brutal existence of the Shinobi World. They weren't thinkers or philosophers. Such a concept would only get you killed. Shinobi had one purpose, and one purpose only.

Coming up with new and inventive ways to kill each other. That was what it meant to be a genius in the Shinobi world.

So, for that reason, a Shinobi was not expected to think. A Shinobi was not expected to contradict one's orders. They were expected to follow them to a t, no matter the price.

Yes, you could save a comrade, but at what price?

Sakumo Hatake had chosen to save his allies. Sakumo Hatake had chosen sentimentality over practicality. Sakumo Hatake's actions had led to the death of thousands, his failure being the starting point of effects that led to the Third Shinobi War.

Such horrors born from an act of light. Sakumo, at first, hadn't believed it. How could saving a life of someone he valued lead to so much carnage, so much destruction? No one else had believed it either. Not at first. Not until the bodies started piling all around them, not until it finally hit home.

The village had vilified him without mercy. Kakashi couldn't exactly blame them. Not really. Not as the mountain of corpses grew, over and over and over again. War is brutal, and Shinobi excelled in it. They had practiced the art of slaughtering each other endlessly for so many hundreds of years that no one even remembered when it had began.

From his father, Kakashi had learned that abandoning the mission was never acceptable. To abandon the mission would be to become trash, because the unintended consequences could have far reaching consequences.

Obito, however, had taught Kakashi something equally important. Something that resonated in his mind now. Something important, something vital.

"Kakashi Hatake, you are ordered to stay away from the Jinchuriki Naruto Uzumaki."

Koharu Utatane. The most ancient Kunoichi in existence bar Chiyo of Suna, the old woman commanded an air of strength and respect around her. Her words carried a heavy threat in them. The look in the woman's eyes was clear.

Disobey, and I will break you.

Kakashi didn't doubt it. Konoha's Torture and Interrogation squad had been found by the woman, after all. She would break him a hundred times over until, at long last, even he, the great Copy-Nin, begged for death.

"It is this council's decision that Naruto Uzumaki will grow among the civilian populace. He will be treated as such, until the time comes when he can become a proper asset for this village."

Homura Mitokado. The Survivor. Coward, however, would likely be a better term. Crafty, like a true Shinobi, in an all out battle Homura would likely fall to a Chunin. It didn't matter in the slightest. Entire Anbu Squads and an army of Hunter Nins couldn't catch the man. Immortal, if only for his mastery of running away.

Which, really, made him the perfect partner for Koharu. A ninja could run as far as they wanted. Homura knew all the tricks, all the tactics, and he would find you. He would find you, and Koharu would break you.

At least, that's how it had been before. As aged as they were, Kakashi doubted they had the stamina for a drawn out clash.

"We will not influence young Naruto-Kun." The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe. "Should he chose to be a Shinobi, so be it. Should he chose to be a civilian, so be it."

Kakashi noted his colleagues seemed to gleam at the idea of a civilian Naruto. It took every ounce of skill not to scoff. Of course it pleased them.

Naruto was a Jinchuriki. To these old fossils, that meant he was meant to be kept under lock and key, away from the rest of the world. Konoha had never sent a Jinchuriki into battle using the Kyuubi's Chakra, and they didn't intend for it to happen at all.

That, truly, why was Konoha was so feared. They were the strongest, the most powerful, the fiercest of all, and it wasn't because they held the Kyuubi no Kitsune. No. It was because their Ninja could take down a rampaging Bijuu and only the Kyuubi had been enough to take out their celebrated Fourth Hokage.

Stern eyes gazed at him.

"Is that clear, Kakashi Hatake?"

Kakashi's face was a serene mask. His body language gave away nothing. The picture form of a complacent, obedient Shinobi before their Kage.

"Crystal, Hokage-Sama."

Follow the mission. Do as commanded. Do as ordered. To not do so would lead to unintended consequences. Trust in the wisdom of your leaders, because to not do so will lead to pain and anguish.

As Kakashi departed, only then did he let a snarl leave his lips.

Yes, to abandon your mission made you trash. To turn against the flow made you a danger. In this world, the Shinobi survived by being a well oiled machine, moving in sync because any other way would lead to anguish. This was the way it had always been.

It was a way Kakashi rejected.

The words of Obito Uchiha, that stupid baka, rang in his head. Words that had never mattered more now that it was Sensei's son, because Sensei's son was all Kakashi had left.

Those that betray their comrades are worse than trash.

Kakashi might be trash, he acknowledged. However, he refused to be less than that. He would not fail his Sensei. He wouldn't. Not a chance, no matter what the fucking Hokage said.

Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi decided, would not be raised alone. He refused to allow it.