The Exploits of an Ex-Hokage

Exploits of An Ex-Hokage

"I heard you. When you were talking about me before." Kakashi said, examining Mabui's face as well, but for different reasons. He questioned. "So you know about my reputation... Cold blooded Kakashi?"

Mabui smirked, looking into his mismatched eyes. Then she said, "I'm not so certain about that reputation anymore. You don't seem cold blooded to me. Just very sad."

An odd look flashed through Kakashi's eyes. A stunned look, as if he was caught in the midst of something very personal.

"Your mask is torn." Mabui reached towards Kakashi's face, wanting to see more of what lay beneath. This boy intrigued her. He seemed so different from the boys who she knew in Kumogakure. So serious. Though he was steady and confident in himself, the brash arrogance she was use to finding in the best of the best ninja of her village was nonexistent. His young face held eyes that looked like they had seen more than a hundred years of pain.

But abruptly, he grabbed her hand with unexpected strength and said, fiercely, "I don't ever remove my mask. Ever."

Mabui pulled her hand back. She would try another angle then. She looked at him coyly. "By the way, who is Rin?"

Kakashi pulled his headband down, so his scarred eye was covered again. He looked away and did not answer.

"I was just wondering because you've been calling me that all day." Mabui continued, beginning to place her medical supplies back in her pack. "Is she your girlfriend?"

He still did not answer, nor did he move his visible eye away from the ground. He seemed to be actively ignoring her.

Not deterred however, Mabui said, "You must really love her. If she's the one you called for while you were so weak."

"It was never like that!" Kakashi snapped viciously. Unaffected by his anger, Mabui continued to look at him expectantly.

Realizing she was not going to leave him alone until he provided an answer, he sighed and said, "She was my teammate... until she died in the third war. She was a good friend."

Mabui looked away now. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried."

"It's ok." He said, shifting his body to get more comfortable. He relaxed a bit, feeling some of the weight lift as he spoke about Rin. "I probably should talk about it more."

Mabui nodded gravely. "I understand. My parents died in the third war too. I rarely talk about it either. At least... not to anyone living."

"You don't understand." Kakashi eyed the girl in front of him coolly. His demeanor changed again, and he became more hostile. He said, coldly. "I got my nickname, cold-blooded, because I was the one who killed her."

Mabui sat back on her heels and looked at him. Well that explained why he seemed to be carrying around so much pain. Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, determinedly, "Well it's still a terrible nickname. I don't know the reason for what happened between you and your teammate, Rin, but if you truly were cold-blooded, you wouldn't be carrying her death around with you, like a noose around your neck."

"And you're right, I may not know your pain..., exactly. But I'm a shinobi too – and I was only ten when I fought in the third war and lost my parents. I have my own pain... and too much blood on my hands. Why do you think I fought Atsui so hard to save your ass?" Mabui whispered so only Kakashi could hear. She frowned, frustrated. "They force me to fight because of my jutsu, but my goal is to get away from this life. It's too much. I want to find a way to be helpful outside of the battlefield. I can't be the reason anyone else dies."

Kakashi's face softened a bit as he took in Mabui's distraught expression. He reached up and brushed some of the strands of silver hair out of the girl's face. Finally, he admitted out loud, "Rin sacrificed herself for Konoha... and for me."