Note from the author: This is the beginning of a completed 300k fic which I wrote a few years ago and never had the courage to publish. The OC is one of my own making, with some elements adapted from Avatar the Last Airbender verse. I will post the rest as I see fit, or if there is any interest in it. Cheers loves.

PROLOGUE

Something was happening.

It was in the air, and in the way the adults spoke in hushed voices around him, as if he couldn't hear or understand. Most importantly the proof was in the way his father had less time for the usual things. It bothered him to be sure, as it would any other five year old boy, but as the son of a ninja he was beginning to understand how these things worked.

So something was definitely happening.

It was nothing too out of the ordinary in any case, it would surely pass at some point and it didn't concern him directly, so life went on as usual.

Until the something arrived.

It started when he noticed the house next door was being opened up and prepared for its new inhabitant. As his bedroom wall was directly connected, he was naturally curious. It happened so quickly as well which only added to the intrigue.

Deciding it was finally time to be asking questions he found his father standing on the front veranda facing the adjoining path to the neighbouring house. It wasn't until he reached his towering side that he saw the other person approaching. Her hair was blood red and framed her face, he recognized her vaguely as one of the other jounin of the village.

"This is unexpected, lady Kushina."

She greeted them with a warm smile and a shy wave.

"Yes, sorry about that. The other arrangements fell through so it looks like plan B for now…"

Their voices continued in that boring conversational tone but didn't offer any information he could understand or salvage at this point. That was when he saw the girl at Kushina's side, holding her hand and looking glumly at the ground. She had to be the same age as him, or a fraction younger, he noticed that much at least. And how her hair looked like spun gold down to her shoulders.

"Is this the girl then?"

She looked up slowly from the ground and he got a good view of her face, with dark blue eyes and a sad expression.

"Yes, this is Asuna, your new neighbour." Asuna looked up to Kushina and held onto her tighter. "She doesn't make much noise this one so I'm sure she'll be no trouble. I'll be keeping an eye on her from time to time as well."

Kushina looked down at her with a warm smile that seemed to relax the young girl.

If he hadn't watched his father's lips moving as he bent ever so slightly to speak at the girls level he would not have realized that the words were his.

"Hello there, Asuna was it? I'm Sakumo, I've heard all about you and I'll be right next door if you get into any trouble so don't fret. This here is Kakashi, my son, you two are about the same age. Say hello, Kakashi."

"Uh, hi."

The response was feeble at best, but he hadn't expected his father to call him out directly.

"Hello."

It was quiet, but he heard it. And then she smiled at him. This time he noticed purely because it completely changed her entire face. It beguiled him. That was when he found himself smiling back.

CHAPTER ONE

The afternoon light illuminated the hospital room he now found himself in.

Unable to move. It was as if his mind was now punishing him for the damage his body had sustained, with dreams of the past so vivid it took him a little while to actually register where he was. To be fair at least it wasn't a terrible memory, and he had his fair share of those.

Kakashi had to admit that any chance of seeing her face again was agreeable. Even in dreams. Whatever brought on the sudden recollection escaped him. It might have been the distant laughter of children he could hear, or the cat he'd seen stalking the window sill that had reminded him of that day. If he'd had the strength to sit up a bit and look out at the world he would have. Instead he lay there watching the clouds as they crossed the sky. Bored out of his mind.

The part of his brain telling him to relish the rest while he could needed to be kept busy, at least a little. If only to keep the memories at bay. Usually reading something did the trick, it didn't even matter what it was, it was only to keep his mind preoccupied. Most of the time that was the only reason he had a book in hand if he wasn't on a mission.

It was just a pity he had nothing with him, but it wasn't as if his arms could move anyway. Even the thought of holding a book was beyond him. Sighing he closed his eyes again. No need to rush, he supposed. He'd be back into it soon enough.

"Don't you look all cozy, huh?"

"Master Jiraiya..."

Making a feeble and painful attempt to move, he was quickly stopped by the Sannin's strong hands.

"You just stay where you are young man, it doesn't look like you'll be going anywhere for awhile. I heard you'd overdone it this time, by the looks of things you'll be holed up in here for a week. I've brought you...uh... a little reading to pass the time, you've probably already got it, but this one is the deluxe edition at least."

Kakashi glimpsed the literature that was placed next to him with a little relief.

"Uh, thanks. You didn't just come here just to give me a 'get well' present though, right?"

Deciding he would rather be sitting up, ]to not appear completely useless to his visitor, the Sannin helped prop him up.

"Well, not exactly. Let's wait for Tsunade to get here with her man before I fill you in on the details."

"Her man?"

"You'll know him when you see him. Actually there is one thing I wanted to discuss with you, before the others got here."

The way in which he emphasised the word 'before' had Kakashi guessing a little, though it was probably something to do with the older gentleman's 'research'. Kakashi was agreeable for any distractions at this point.

"During my last mission I found myself in the unstable villages that line the border to the Land of Lightning, I'm sure you're aware of the chaos outside the village…"
Kakashi nodded, if only a fraction so it didn't actually hurt him.

"While I was there I came across a village that had been completely decimated. On my first approach I was sure that there would be no survivors. And yet…" Not knowing what to expect Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "And yet, there was not one casualty. Once I was determined not to be an enemy the villagers showed themselves. Without a single scratch on any of them."

"But how could that be? You said it yourself the village was destroyed. I knew it was getting bad out there but I never imagined…"

Jiraiya folded his arms, leaning against the window sill and staring at no point in particular.

"It took a while, but when the villagers trusted me enough they told me that a great battle had taken place. A fight to the death between two people that prevented certain death for everyone, the village itself appeared to be just collateral damage of the fight. They claimed it was a small price to pay for the life of every man, woman and child. A sentiment which I have to agree with."

By now Kakashi's interest was piqued. It might have been because he'd been so bored earlier, or the way the story was being told like some dramatic novel, but it was that same enthralling feeling.

"So who was it that fought?"

"Naturally that is what I wanted to know as well, but their protector's identity was unknown. Or, rather, if they did know they weren't saying anything. They wouldn't even tell me what the person looked like. All I managed to figure out was that they had left a summon there to oversee the rebuilding of the village and protect it from looters."

"A summoning? What was it?"

"A tiger." He paused thoughtfully. "A big one."

It was at this point that Jiraiya looked up to gauge Kakashi's reaction, his opened eye widening ever so slightly. The mask hiding part of his face helped disguise any emotion in it, even if he'd learnt to suppress most of it anyway. There were just some things one couldn't prepare for.

As if giving it pause to sink in the Sannin took his time before elaborating any further. When he did he made sure to keep his gaze fixed on Kakashi's face.

"I've only known of one person to be able to call on that kind of summons and actually control it successfully. As she is long gone from this world I'm presuming she passed it onto her student. Am I correct?"

The sullen look on his face probably gave him away before he answered.

"Yes. That's correct."

"Because the summon was still there we can presume that she is alive, but there would be no way she came out of that fight uninjured. Also, the fact that she is above ground has me concerned, if it is indeed her. What I wanted to discuss with you was whether or not you think it possible... "
"When it comes to her, anything is possible. That I know for sure."

The words came out before he could check them. Jiraiya smirked a little.

"I'm guessing you've had no contact with her in all this time."

"None. The Third Hokage forbade any contact or tracking of her movements incase it compromised her position, as you know. For a time there was even talk she had fallen in battle. This is the first sighting I've heard of her in fifteen years, if you could call it a sighting."

Kakashi trailed off, his thoughts leading him down an unfavourable path. Jiraiya resumed his gaze at the wall before he spoke. Kakashi was glad his face wasn't being studied at this point.

"In any case, if it is her or not, we need to be prepared for the outcome. How she has managed it so far I'm unsure, but I've heard of no movements of the Black Hoshi in some time."

"I've been assuming all this time that no news is good news, as the saying goes." Kakashi hoped his tone of voice was not giving away his current tumultuous thoughts. "But I don't need to tell you the actual chance of her succeeding that mission, alive, was less than ten percent."

It was now the Sannin's turn to look a little taken aback.

"It was really that small a chance?"

Kakashi nodded, suddenly the pain of moving seemed to not bother him as much.

"From my understanding Lord Fourth was the only reason she even had a chance for survival in the first place. Not that she ever said anything to confirm this. I had a feeling he was helping her right up until he died, and then she took it all upon herself."

At the mention of the Fourth Hokage Jiraiya shifted a little.

"Now that I've confirmed her summon, my next course of action is to verify the status of her mission."

"What?"

The older man nodded. The obvious shock that his sudden statement had caused didn't seem to deter him from continuing.

"I'm heading in that direction in any case. This is not an official mission after all, there's a rumour I've caught wind of that has me concerned."

"Rumour?"

"I won't repeat it, just to be extra sure. It will reach your ears soon enough I'd wager. From there I'll be heading straight to what I believe to be the location of one of the Akatsuki leaders. Presuming you're well and able, Kakashi, I imagine it will fall to you…"

Kakashi was grateful that he didn't continue the conversation. Knowing well enough what he meant by it. If she really was injured enough to fail it would mean war.

In himself he was sure she would never fail, but her survival was still uncertain.

The knock at the door disturbed his already disturbing thoughts.

"Come in."

Now came time for the second troubling topic of the day. What to do about Naruto.