Kakashi did not like his chances of escape at his current situation. He was familiar with the police and how they operated, or rather how they operated in his world, he already figured he was entirely somewhere else. That was no mistake. Perhaps he was in the future? He didn't know, but that wasn't what was on his mind.
He stared blankly until another set of cautious, careful eyes. But he could see an undertone of softness. Why was he looking like that?
The man cleared his throat and Kakashi realized they both had been just staring at one another. "My name is Detective Tsukauchi of the Police Force. And yours?" He asked expectingly.
Kakashi stared blankly back. "Kakashi Hatake." He said slowly.
"Okay, Hatake-San." Kakashi didn't expect to hear his last name. He hadn't heard it sense his father. "You can just call me Detective if you'd like."
At his nod, the detective continued.
"There were reports of you fighting a man. You bursted from an alleyway with a blade, nearly piercing him. Is that correct?" He leaned forward on the table, eye intently searching him.
Kakashi briefly considered his answer. "Yes." He said simply. He figured that they already knew but how much was still up to question.
"And do you realize that using your quirk against anyone is a crime?"
Again, that word popped up out of someone's mouth. A quirk was usually something that was out of the ordinary that was special to a person. Like a verbal tic that Kushina had. But the way they were using it was not in that same context. He knew that.
He only raised his brows, but the small movement was caught by Tsukauchi and he furrowed his own. "What's wrong?"
"I don't understand." Kakashi blurted before he could think. He cursed inwardly and said more carefully, "I know the definition of the word quirk, but the way you're using it isn't in the same context."
The Detective looked even more confused by the frown on his face. "Do you not know what quirks are?" He asked slowly.
"Not in the way you're using it." What was with this anyway.
XxX
Tsukauchi stared in silent astonishment. His quirk told him that every word spoken was true. How could this kid have a quirk and not know what the context behind the word is? That shouldn't be possible. Everyone knew what quirks were. But his quirk sensed no deception.
He chose his next words carefully. "You have electricity powers, right?"
The boy seemed to go completely blank before nodding. He deduced that he was carefully thinking about what he was going to say before he said it. Him blurting out his answer and immediately reining his voice in gave him clear examples to draw from.
"You used that power against a pro hero. Do you know what that is?"
"Not in the context in which you're using it."
A truth once more. A troubling one. Severe head trauma maybe? Ryukyu had said that he showed severe signs of trauma. The way he flinched at erratic movements and loud noises as well and physical contact as well as the fact that unlike other kids he had no wonder or innocents in his black orbs. They were always blank, desolate full on nothingness. Like a black hole waiting in space for anything unlucky enough to get too close.
"With your powers," he said so the boy would get it. "You attacked a man who brings criminals to justice. That's a crime."
Finally, the boy seemed to understand, but his next question stumped him. "What's the punishment?"
The way he accepted it so easily greatly put the detective off. Even adult offenders looked at least concerned, but this boy only seemed resigned in his fate. As if whatever came to him was just meant to happen.
"Normally, it'll just be a hefty fine and a warning. If the victim dies then that's jail time." He looked at the boy's covered face carefully. "But for children you'll just need supervision by a pro hero."
This time, the detective could not stop from showing his frown. Not even a look of relief. Just nothing. As if he accepted that fate. What was with his kid? He was an enigma.
"Hatake-San, do you have any parents?" He shook his head. A truth, what a shame. "Who takes care of you?"
"I take care of myself." Another truth and more sadness filled him.
"Where do you live?"
His gaze flickered briefly. "Nowhere no." Another truth and dread filled him.
"And how old are you?"
"13." At this point, he was going to start wondering if he was going to have a panic attack. This wasn't good for the boy. No wonder he seemed to have so much physiological trauma. Perhaps his quirk malfunctioned and killed his parents? Cases like that were rare but not unlikely.
This kid wasn't lying. He had no family, lived on his own, and is 13 years old. With how careful he seemed to be it was obvious he had been living on his own for a while. And nobody realized it. The system failed this boy, but he was going to make sure he wouldn't.
He stood up from his chair, and spoke. "Please wait here for just one moment." Then he went out of the room.
Kakashi didn't know why it suddenly felt so cold.
XxX
Ryukyu didn't know what about the boy that compelled her to stay and await his fate. He was no troublemaking brat abusing his quirk. He was different. He was lost and scared. His mannerisms were something that no child should possess.
A click from a door erupted her thought. She turned to it, mildly surprised, and saw Eraserhead. "Oh, Eraserhead I didn't expect to see you here."
A bored stare bore into her. "So you brought him in, huh. Where'd you find him?"
She ignored the fact that he kinda ignored what she first had said. "Roaming the streets for nearly an hour. A couple of phone calls and I was on it. I found him pretty quickly. He stands out from a crowd."
He nodded at that. "Not many kids with white hair walking around."
"That's for sure." Another click of the door was heard and she turned, seeing Detective Tsukauchi walk in this time. The expression on his face wasn't something that put her at ease. "Well," she said, impatient. "What's what's going to happen with him?"
The man took a seat on the small cushion, looking into space with a deep concentrating look. Aizawa was also staring at him, leaning on the wall beside him.
"Ryukyu," he finally said, looking up at her with a sort of look in her eyes. "I'm sorry to ask this of you but I would like you to take the boy as your charge."
"W-what?" She uttered in disbelief, eyes wide. She didn't expect to hear that at all. Even Aizawa was surprised. "What are you talking about?"
His gaze went back to his lap, face contorting as if in deep thought. "His name is Kakashi, and I learned quite a lot from him." He looked back up at her. "Both from what he told me, and what he didn't."
"And what does that mean?" Aizawa ground out, frowning.
"He's been living on his own for years, taking care of himself. Both his parents are dead, and there's a possibility he might be responsible for it. From reports from both eye witnesses and you Aizawa," he breifly turned to the man. "He's proficient with both a blade, handling his quirk, and quick enough to escape three pro heroes in one room. He's 13 years old and with the way he's going, he'll be a villain in no time if we don't step in."
Those last words struck her deep, but so did the ones before. He had that much skill from just surviving on his own. She wondered what he had to do all that time of living by himself? She felt angry thinking about it. But adopting him... she just didn't know.
"I-I don't think I can just adopt him, you know." She really didn't know what else to say.
"I know it's hard, but he knows you more than anyone else. If he's put under foster care, he'd only escape back onto the streets. And if he can escape someone like Aizawa, who's always on guard, then he can escape the average pro. That only leaves you." He finished softly.
Her. She was the finally option for this boy. His words held truth, nothing she could deny or detest, but even though she was fond of children, she never had raised one. She was the only child, the only children she ever dealt with were already nearly adults themselves.
She had no answer just yet, so she was glad when Aizawa took the floor. "He must have some sort of mental disorder? The way your talking about him suggest as much."
He closed his fingers together, his thumbs circling one another. "I have multiple theories of what's wrong with him. I've based them all around PTSD disorder. My main theory, and the only I believe to be correct, is that he either killed his parents of feels responsible for their deaths. He went unnoticed and began to live on his own, surviving anyway he could, which is the reason for his sharp instincts and the way he thinks before he talks and gives out answers that won't give away too much detail. If I were to have told him what my quirk was, he might've would've already guessed it beforehand."
Aizawa narrowed his eye. "That isn't just some survival skills. That's-"
"A genius level tactician." Tsukauchi finished. "A genius, a child genius. Intelligence like that is something I've only seen regularly in someone like Nezu. Just like him, it's scary. You'll see it if you have a conversation with him."
Aizawa certainly didn't like the sound of that. "Just like the rat, huh?" He looked at Ryukyu. "Seems you'll have your work cut out for you."
"W-wait, I'll still haven't decided yet." He had said that as if she'd chosen already.
Tsukauchi looked at her once more, a dutiful look. "You know you have to accept. I'm not one force these types of things, but looking at everything from reports, to statements, Recovery Girl's word, and his brain scan, things won't be good for him if you don't. We're looking at a possible villain if we don't turn it around and help him." He smiled, possibly as soft as he could. "And I think a motherly touch from the most familiar person he knows will go farther than any other avenue. So, what do you say?"
She struggled to get her next words out, not realizing she looked like a gaping fish. She straightened herself up to a hero befitting her rank. "Y-yes, I'll accept him as my ward."
XxX
Kakashi was starting to get bored. He had been sitting in this room for about 2 hours. Tsukauchi had come in and out of the room sparingly, telling him snippets of what they planned to do with him. He wasn't worried about anything. He already gleamed together that he would be put under someone who would be taking care of him. Least he'd have somewhere to stay, rest and lie low so his chakra could start coming back. The mixture of his Chidori, Sharingan, and mental had done a number on his chakra. Probably more than it should've, in his opinion. He likened that to the spiritual part of chakra.
The door opened once more, but Tsukauchi didn't walk in alone. Beside him stood two others he was familiar with, well by face, he hadn't actually caught any of their names. Scarf and dragon woman walked into the room, scarf's eyes were strictly on him while dragon woman's seemed to try and keep her's adverted away from him awkwardly, but at the same time kept looking back at him. She seemed more confident the last time he'd seen her. Something was making her fidget, what was it... he didn't know.
"Can I leave this room now?" He asked. "I'm bored."
Strangely, they all exchanged a glance he could only interpret as something akin to being proud. Maybe he was wrong, but it gave him a weird feeling in his gut.
"Yes, in fact, that's what we all came here for." Tsukauchi said. Kakashi let himself down from the chair carefully, looking as aloof as ever as he looked up at them.
"Well, foster care?"
"No, um," Ryukyu cleared her throat to clear away the awkwardness. She just needed to get used to this after all. Her son. She was going to be a mother. If she weren't in front of everyone she would've fainted at the thought. "You'll be staying with me, as my son."
Kakashi's eyes latched onto hers. He could tell they were being serious. Now he knew why she'd looked so awkward before. This decision must've just been made, and it seemed like it wouldn't change. Damn, now he wouldn't be able to escape whenever he wanted to. He supposed a shadow clone would have to suffice for information gathering.
"Very well." He finally said after a long silence.
They all exchanged glances but said nothing afterwards. Kakashi walked to her side and cast his gaze down. If this were to be decided for him, then what he had to say wouldn't matter anyways.
Their gazes lingered on him a bit longer before they filed out of the room. Tsukauchi was working on finalizing paperwork as he sat across from Ryukyu in the front of the police station. Dozens of officers moved around, some talking and moving about with coffee and donuts while others were writing on papers in concentration. Kakashi scouted them all out. Honestly, none were like Shinobi but from what he'd seen from civilians here, they were far above them. Much keener eyes and senses.
He glanced at the glass door of the entrance. This place was still very escapable. If she weren't here that is. He turned his gaze slowly back to his new guardian as she leaned on the wall, obviously trying not to look at him too much. Escaping her would be troublesome.
For now.
He sat patiently until Tsukauchi came back.
XxX
A little bit over an hour later and they'd arrive at her house. It was, a lot. Big and futuristic, a sight he never thought he would see. Most of what he saw were better and bigger versions of what he saw at his Sensei's house. He never owned such accessories, finding them a waste of space. It wasn't like he even was at his house enough to actually use the stuff. Parts of the house were too, weird to go in.
Ryukyu watched him as his one eye roomed over her living room, not judging, but watching and observing. Like one would observe in unfamiliar territory. It made her sad. He was so young.
She cleared her throat. "Well, I suppose I'll show you to your room. I have an upstairs here, I don't really use it much so your free to explore up there if you'd like." She began walking around her house to get upstairs as she spoke. "Down here is free as well. I have a study though, and I prefer you stay out of it unless I'm with you. Is that fine with you?"
She looked down and saw him nod. Kakashi had no problem. After all, he'd for her to snoop around if it were his house.
He was lead to a large room where she announced that it would be his to do with. Honestly, it was too big. It had simple furniture though, a large bed, long drawers, and a big tv hanging off the wall.
"The room is yours to decorate as well. You'll also need some clothes as well." Now that she noticed, he still had the outfit he'd had on for days it looked like. It looked a bit worn out and slight stunk. She frowned, noticing his weapons that the station gave back to him. She thought back to the conversation she had with Tsukauchi before she took Kakashi home.
XxX
"Wait, Ryukyu. I want to tell you something before you leave." She turned to him walking up behind her with papers tucked underneath his pit.
"That's fine." She told him, wondering what he wanted to speak about.
"I've given Kakashi his weaponry back." Those words surprised her enough that she looked at him as if he was crazy.
"You said that he had a mental illness, right? Don't we need to put him far away from any more fighting?" She asked. If fighting was one of the reasons for his trauma the logical thing to do was to keep him from it.
He disagreed. He knew one more thing about the kid she didn't. "His short sword seemed to be something he wasn't willing to leave the interrogation room for. It looked to be some type of family heirloom. Their was an insignia on the hilt. It looked like a land spilt by sections."
Her eyes widened. "And his last name means field or farmland."
He nodded. "Separating him from it would cause more trauma. But it took a few favors to get this past. I called Nezu."
The UA Principal? "Nezu? Why would you call him?"
"I've asked him to take the boy into UA." Her breath hitched. "The boy has obvious talent, but a dark past. Without something positive in his mind, he will inevitably become a villain. The goal of becoming a hero and saving people should be more than enough of a positive influence."
She made a face. "Why not another Hero School? UA has been attacked by the so called League of Villains and since their target was All Might, it wouldn't be far fetched to say they would attack again."
"Both me and Nezu know that the situation with the League is far from over. In fact, it's only beginning. And that's why I wanted him to join. He'll be surrounded by kids that he's better than. One's he can protect and that can give him something positive to fight for. Of course, I'll ask Aizawa to monitor his actions and respond accordingly, but he's likely to do that anyways."
She sighed, rubbing her head. "I-I can't say I fully agree, but I know you're smart and know what your doing far more than me. But, he's going to be my s-son, so if I feel he should no longer attend UA then he won't."
He nodded. "That's understandable. Also, I forgot to say this but make sure to buy him clothes and turn his other weapons and his clothing in to be fixed and upgraded for a Hero Costume. Like I said before, he can keep his heirloom, just not out in public. It'll cause unnecessary questions."
She nodded.
XxX
Kakashi nodded and went more into the room to look around for anything he'd missed from his first time looking at it. She came up behind slowly, rubbing her arm.
"K-Kakashi." She called out. When he turned around, she knelt down to him, slowly reaching for him until her hand rested on his shoulder.
He froze up, he didn't know what to feel about it. He wanted to push her off but-
"I-I know you just met me. But I want to know that I'll always be here. I won't ever leave." She told him sincerely, her heart aching from the look in his eyes. She wished she could see his face. Beneath the mask.
Her smile stretched thin when he pulled away, his eyes blank just like the first time she met him. He adverted his gaze to the ground, never picking them up until she was leaving. She didn't realize the red, glowering eye barring into her back.
As she closed the door behind her, she began to panic, quickly pacing through her house until she reached her own room. She closed the door behind her, wondering worried that she had crossed his boundaries and moving too fast. She probably was from the way he reacted. She wouldn't have done if she'd known that he would react like that. But, strangely, she didn't regret it.
She'd never thought of having a child in a long time. She had a motherly instinct though, maybe it came from her Quirk. It was fierce, violent, something she found hard to control even with her intern. A sigh escaped her lips and she sunk into her bed, nearly flopping on it. What a long day.
She was fast asleep in seconds.
XxX
Kakashi stared emotionlessly out of the window, star lighting up the sky more than the crescent moon. He sat on the large window seal, slowly caressing the steel of his Clan's Heirloom; his father's blade.
Truly it was a beautiful sight, he thought, after counting how many starts he could see. He only wished he felt something toward it. Even it's beauty couldn't draw any emotion from him. He gripped the hilt tightly. He already knew why. His failure. He wouldn't be able to think, to love, to fight or anything else until he killed that Stone Ninja. It was the only thing on his mind, but he had to recover first. His chakra had been healing nicely. It would only be a couple of days now until he was fully recovered, and ready to take on the other Ninja.
He gripped the left side of his face, over his left eye socket. Over Obito's eye. Now his eye. His body was acclimating to the change in his chakra flow in his pathway's system. One of the reasons he was taking longer to recover, but he wouldn't dishonor Obito's gift. He didn't deserve even that.