A Number Of Fragments

003: Behind the mask part 1, Art is..

'Buckteeth?' Sasuke questions. Then Kakashi's face shows a tiny mouth making kissing motions.

'Or a tiny mouth?' Naruto says.

'Your students have a wild imagination.' Shikaku mutters. But everyone heard him.

'They certainly do.' Iruka laughs. This is not the only time he's seen them imagine crazy things. A little less than a week ago Naruto came in yelling about flying salmon or something. It might have been an attention grab, but gosh was it creative.

'Do you have those things underneath your mask?' Neji asks the masked man. He heard that only the fourth Hokage had seen the man's true face, and when that happened he proposed immediately.

Kakashi only offers them an eye smile. 'I suppose you'll see.' It does not calm any of their worries.

'Behind this mask,' Kakashi grabs his mask in the slowest of motions.

'Behind that mask,' the three genin lean in.

Then all of a sudden Kakashi pulls down his mask only to reveal another underneath. 'Is another mask.'

'What?' To say they were disappointed was an understatement. If they weren't in the presence of the Hokage they would all lunge at the man to tear down the mask and reveal what's underneath once and for all. The Hokage himself too was feeling the same urge.

'Really Kakashi?' Itachi glares at the man. He too had heard plenty of rumors surrounding the other man's true face. His cousin Obito once told him there was a hideous mark underneath, in the shape of a sake bottle. But Obito had always been one to exaggerate things, so he doesn't know how true that is.

'Awesome isn't it.' Kakashi smiles at all of them from underneath his mask. He always enjoyed messing with people like this. His only worry now is the part 2 that's sure to come sooner than later.

'One day I'll see what's underneath.' Naruto exclaims from his desk.

'In your dreams.'

'What!' the three students scream out. They then promptly fall down to Kakashi's laughter.

'That wasn't much of an important scene.' Itachi grumbles from his place.

Shisui turns to look at his best friend. 'What are you talking about. What's underneath Kakashi's mask is of utmost importance.'

'I mean in the progression of the future.'

'That's true.' Shisui lays down on his desk, it's not like he got to take too many notes this time. 'It was entertaining though.'

'I haven't had a laugh like that in a good while.' Tsume agrees with him.

'Glad to be of service.' Kakashi smiles.

'Don't be disappointed everyone, there is always part 2.' Shikaku points out to everyone.

'You're right. They did say this was part 1.' Neji says. He's not too much of a fan of useless quests but from what he heard this wasn't a useless quest in the slightest.

'One day Kakashi.' Naruto makes eye contact with his future teacher. Kakashi only smiles, he likes the kid.

The screen lights up again. This time giving the name: 'Art is …'