The Tail Of A Beast {A Naruto Fan-Fic)

Chapter 10

(3rd Person POV)

Kakashi sighed heavily, sliding into a stool next to Asuma in Ichiraku's Ramen Shop.  It had been boring since his pupils left to participate in the Chunin Exams, and he reluctantly admitted that he missed their company.  He turned to his friend only to come face to face with a newspaper.

"What have you got your face buried in that for?"  He asked, laziness coating his tone, but if you knew him well enough, you could tell that he truly was interested.  He had every right to be, considering Asuma never read the paper when there was something better to do, and the fact that it was an older one; it was from two weeks earlier.  So either he was incredibly bored without his students or there was something interesting in that paper.

"You might want to read this."  Asuma muttered, shoving the paper into Kakashi's face, and he straightened it out, sending a confused look to his friend before turning his eyes back to the paper.

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                                                         ANOTHER LAB FOUND IN FLAMES

                                                                         By:  Yuuri Kigone

            Questions arise in the villages, concerns are spoken of between the Kages.  But the biggest one of all, "What is the reason for this?"  Well, we may have discovered the answer.  Among what was found in the rubble was the remains of a machine.  A machine that was the whole - for the most part - of the pieces of the one found in the other labratory that not too long ago was destroyed at the hands of fire.  We've searched for the answer as to what this machine could do that was kept so top secret and have finally come to the conclusion that these machines are used to combine the bodies and DNA of beasts or demons.  They were designed to turn the beasts into deadly weapons disguised as humans.  Both incidents occured frighteningly close to Konohagakure.  The Hokage has told us that there have recently been two incidents of people gone missing; a young girl of 13 and a boy of the same age.  "We have been looking into it," he says.  "There was nothing showing us who did, where they were, why they were gone... but after this, I've called a meeting between Kages and we've all agreed that everyone should be on alert for any signs hinting that these beasts have entered your village."  All Kages have upped the security at the entrances to the villages, while all ninjas are asked to be extremely careful of any rougues they meet on missions that take them out of the village.

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Kakashi frowned deeply at the paper as he read over it again - he knew what Asuma was hinting at.  A rougue ninja of 13... he'd had his suspiscions, especially after the whole mission with Zabuza in the Land of the Waves, but he had refused to believe it.  It was incredibly irresponsible of him, especially as a Jounin and an ex-ANBU, but he had admitted to himself that he cared about them and he saw how close she was and how she was beginning to open up, especially around Naruto.  He had pushed away the thought that she could be a beast but with this... he couldn't ignore it any longer.  No doubt the Hokage was having similar thoughts.  He would have to speak to him about this.

Nodding to Asuma, Kakashi threw some money down on the counter and took off towards the Hokage's tower.