The Wave

Middle of the Night

Kakashi Hatake stood back silently as he watched Konahamaru filling in for Naruto at the Hokage ceremony.  Of course, only a few of them knew it was not Naruto that stood before the masses waving to those below.  Naruto, for his part, was still out cold from the hit his daughter had given him just before he was to take the role of Hokage.  Something about a toy his son Boruto had destroyed, bringing out the wrath of his little sister.  Naruto had tried to intervene and got knocked out from it.  He almost covered his face as he thought about it.  What a way for the new Hokage to take control of the Land of Fire.  He was just thankful he was now able to step down.  He had only done it long enough for Naruto to grow up and gain the knowledge he needed for the non-fighting side of being the Hokage.

He was free.  He was no longer an active-duty Shinobi.  He would always be a Shinobi.  Just as he would always be a Hokage, the Lord Sixth.  He cringed still when someone called him that.  He didn't like the reverence.  He didn't deserve it.  He was well aware that he was a lucky failure that just had accumulated a vast array of Jutsu.  He lost almost every battle he had gone into.  How he had not died was beyond him. Even his abilities had been because of the Sharingan that he had been given by Obito. He never had nor ever would back down from a fight, regardless the power of the opponent, but he knew he had just been lucky.  He didn't feel there was anything of value to him other than his ability to kill and keep going.  He just wanted to be known as Kakashi.  He was weary with everything else.  If he wasn't so notorious, he'd probably slip into obscurity.  Adulations were not his cup of tea and now... he could slip away from the spotlight.  Maybe he would spend most of his days just fishing along the river.  A solitary life felt like a balm to him, and he wanted that.  He wouldn't be able to be completely solitary.  He would still have to report if Naruto wanted advice, and god knows Might Guy would hunt him down for challenges now that he wasn't Hokage.  Yet, by and far he could isolate himself away and that alone had his lips curling up beneath his mask.

As soon as was proper according to custom, he shed the Hokage cloak and left the building behind.  It was a rather freeing feeling.  That same day, he went out looking for a new home for himself.  The process was a lot easier than he had anticipated.  He knew what he wanted, some place away from the village proper and within walking distance to the river where he could laze about fishing as often as he wanted.  The home he bought fit all those criteria and more.  It had been recently renovated and updated, with all new appliances and fresh paint.  He wouldn't have to bother with anything more than upkeep.  It cost a chunk out of his savings, but hell he had so much money he would never use it in his lifetime.

The next few months were peaceful and blissful all in one.  Only once did Might Guy track him down demanding a challenge.  It was actually quite amusing as he demanded from his wheelchair.  They had a rather crazy race through the village, both in wheelchairs, that amusingly enough no one even thought about as they streaked past.  Guy won that race.  He had gotten really good at maneuvering his new legs.  It had been a fun distraction.

His mind was wandering the night it happened.  He had been stretched out on his bed, his back propped up against the headboard as he read from his worn copy of Icha, Icha.  Like always, he had a little bit of a boner reading the fire in his hand.  He still lamented that there would be no more written in the series.  Jiraiya, you were a master. Sleep was tugging on him, but he was fighting it, wanting to finish the book before yanking off and going to sleep.  It was almost a night ritual at this point.

Then he felt it... his Chakra was stirring inside of him.  He had not felt that in a long while, every time in the past just before he met danger head on.  However, this time he didn't get that fissure of warning as in times past.  This didn't feel quite like that.  Still, he got up and did a quick check of the property alongside Pakkun.  Nothing.  He gave a heavy sigh as his faithful hound disappeared and he returned to his bedroom.  He was no longer in the mood to read and instead turned the lights off, pulled his clothes off and slid naked beneath the sheets.  A luxury he had never done until he had bought the property.  He could still feel his Chakra humming but as far as he could tell, nothing could account for it.  He closed his eyes and drifted asleep, but not a deep sleep... just in case.