Pov: Kakashi

  I walk through T&I while reading my book, looking for the new sub department.

  Kurenai came to me with concern about the previous Anbu member now in charge of her team- Ryū she said, I thought him cking to be an Anbu but when she said he had a knee injury and deduced he was recently blind with how clumsy he was... it gained my interest to how good he was when uninjured.

  Oh, I also have to check and make sure he is competent enough for the job... Gai made me rock, paper, scissors him to test him... obviously I lost.

  Haaa- I wasn't doing anything today anyway...

  I stop in front of the sub department... wasn't this the storage room for... well internal cases- suppose that works.

  *Knock*

  I knock once and open the door to see him preparing a few documents and ying them on the other desks... a quick peek shows that he is pnning missions for his new employees.

  The pages have little bumps on them... that confirms his blindness at least, after pcing the st one down he looks at me and gives a little wave.

  "Hello Ryū, I came to ask a few questions" I tell him and pce my book into my bag.

  "Nice to meet you once more Kakashi, ask away" He replies.

  ...

  "I was curious about that 'mana' you had managed to use... natural chakra is notoriously hard to have control over" I ask btantly.

  Only sages are known to be able to utilize it and he speaks as if it was a simple discovery, I will admit that I was insanely curious about considering he was Anbu... which I highly doubt to be the case.

  His move set and uniqueness gave him away on that one, if anyone knows the Anbu its me- he is no Anbu member.

  "Ah- yes... I did spend a considerable amount of time trying to acquire it" He replies.

  "Of course... which makes me wonder why I have never heard of you, such a noticeable feat being done within the Anbu... I of all people would of heard about it" I start my little interrogation.

  "Right... but it's pretty obvious I was never apart of the Anbu- you have already written that off by asking me that question" Ryū replies calmly.

  Smart- so that begs the question...

  "Where did you come from?" I ask him.

  "On the public records... Anbu" He responds with a hint of amusement.

  "And the private ones?" I ask further.

  "Ask yourself that question, if I came from anything reputable why would the Hokage cim me to be Anbu- why would he pce me on guard duty for Kenzo despite that? You can tell my fighting style is... unique so I didn't come from a rigid and precise system of ninja..." He rambles on.

  He is deflecting from answering, he either cant answer or wont... he hinted he didnt come from one of the department's or pces like root... what does that leave then?

  Smaller projects and experiments is all my mind can conjure... it expins his ability and training, more personalized and surrounding his 'mana' than actual structured training.

  A secret project from Konoha? The only men that come to mind is Danzo and Oorochimaru... expins why Lord Third wants to keep him hidden... but is that the truth? It feels like a get out of questioning free card to pull those two into this- the only two I cannot question about this.

  No- it must be something else, Kurenai was right to ask me about this- this all smells of something very suspicious- its gotten my curiosity up.

  ...

  But I cant really figure that one out right now can I? What question could answer all I need... I suppose he is competent enough in destructive power... he seems good enough as their boss and is definitely up there in terms of mental prowess considering all that paperwork he has to do... on top of making me curious about him.

  His clumsiness is half an act and half getting used to his new situation.

  I got all I needed from this conversation, I can wait to figure out who he really is, all that matters is that he isn't some idiot.

  That's all Kurenai needs.

  ---

  Pov: Kenzo

  I take a stack of paperwork from under my bed and start whistling as I leave for work... a second time.

  Its a bit annoying but I don't mind it, when Kakashi came in and started questioning me I was super concerned, I wasnt entirely sure what was happening but when I reported to the Hokage he said I was doing fine and that if push comes to shove then I could point him in his direction.

  I am coming in to work as Ryū again this second time as Kenzo has been asked to do his mission early so he can accomplish more paperwork ter.

  ...

  I do need to make Ryū appear near the other two once in a while to keep the act up... and I also need to somehow have both of us be in the same pce at the same time.

  I open up the door and move past Katsuko and Kenzo to get to my desk, I y the papers down and listen as the three study their papers.

  ...

  Wait a minute.

  I said soon not now, who the hell is disguising as me? And how did they know... never mind, I left a note about Kenzo heading to his mission early on Naruto's bedside table... which is next to the window.

  Whoever this is- they are trying to get me alone and is taking this opportunity to do so.

  "Kenzo- I thought I saw you before, why did you come in to work- you have a mission to complete?" I ask.

  "Oh- I forgot the exact details on where I needed to go and had to come back for the right orphanage" He says and holds up my mission papers.

  ...

  Damn- should of picked those up as I left, but Kakashi had me in a panic.

  "Alright then, you three good to go on your missions? Any questions for what needs to be done?" I ask.

  "I should be good, just an old orphanage that held some spies... its only a clean up right?" Kenzo asks.

  "Yeah... just a clean up, make sure to be thorough in your search" I reply.

  "Uhhh... sir, do you think I should do something like this? This is above my skill level..." Katsuko asks.

  "That's fine, you are capable enough to handle that" I reassure her and she nods weakly.

  Maybe I should check in on her ter just in case she doesn't feel up to this- she should be fine as she just needs to collect a few old reports from the sealing teams.

  ...

  Why does she think talking is above her skill level? That's... never mind.

  "Hey- do you think I should ask the neighbours about this house or...?" Kanata asks.

  "No, this is ninja business and the neighbours would have had no clue about what was going on in that building" I answer and wait for any other questions.

  ...

  "All good then? Get going" I tell them and they get up to leave the room.

  ...!

  I recognize that gaze... ink boy seems to be keeping an eye on me while he attacks Kenzo.

  I pull out some ninja wire and pierce it as it hides in the roof- a small hole drips ink and I speed walk out the door to follow 'Kenzo' or more likely a root agent.

  Even in Konoha they try this? I thought myself safe... I suppose the orphanage is on an abandoned block in Konoha due to the amount of criminals working there...

  I need to remain vigint on my protection still- it is good they cant tell me and Kenzo apart from each other.

  I slide up a building with my lightning mana and I start sprinting from roof to roof as my speed increases.

  My knee injury vanishes as I near the orphanage and I care not for stealth as I sm into the abandoned street and kick down the door.

  I hear him searching the pce and I feel hundreds of bugs scanning me.

  "Oh... Why are you here sir?" 'Kenzo' asks.

  "Why is Kenzo in my Root trap?" I chuckle a bit and light my ninja wire in Lightning mana to wrap it around my wrist.

  Of course I didn't pn this at all- I just have to make it seem so.

  Ink boy immediately dispels the illusion and rushes me with a bde as twenty of the ink insects flee presumably to tell his superior about this and the rest start to swarm at me.

  I duck down and raise my arm up- the wrapped lightning wire unravels at a high speed and starts to form a whirlwind of lightning around me- few bugs make it through and Ink boy is forced to take a few steps back as my wire scratches his cheek.

  I retract the wire around my wrist and breathe out thrice to rush him and dodge the incoming ink bugs.

  I ssh forth my wire multiple times as he blocks and steps back after each one, powerful cutting power deflected as easily as he breathes.

  The ink bugs approach and I kick a pencil from the floor into my spare hand and infuse it with mana before *Thoo!* *Stab!*

  Shooting the led from within it at the closest bug and popping it- the next bug gets hit by the wooden outer yer as I shoot that next.

  I breathe and breathe as I speed up and keep my pressure applied onto him- I push him into the back wall of the orphanage and I impale his shoulder with my wire- pinning him to the wall.

  ...

  I approach and he pulls free as I kick him in the shin and grab his neck with my hands.

  He keeps looking towards the kitchen- he has his weapons stored there doesn't he? The ink and scroll I mean- I grab his wrist that swings down on me with my free hand and make sure he cant stab me.

  He kicks me in the stomach and unches from my grip as he runs across the orphanage bookcase and nding in front of the kitchen to which I follow.

  Damn kid is skilled even without that brush and paper.

  I ssh at him and he backs away from the door before unching multiple kunai at me- I dodge them all with a few breaths and destroy his remaining bugs as he ducks and dodges against my wire attacks.

  He suddenly grips my wire when I ssh forward a bit too much and manages to pull from my grip with a combined attack aiming another kunai at my hand.

  I let go and the wire is flung backwards as he rushes me and pulls out his sword once more to try and impale my chest- I shift my heart to the left and let him impale me so I can grab his arm and headbutt him.

  His mask cracks under the pressure of my strength and he lets go of the sword to suddenly spin kick my chin- *Sm!* my face aims upwards as I am hit and I deflect his foot to the left so I can punch him.

  *Smack!* *Pow* *Wham!*

  We trade punches and deflect many blows from dealing any serious damage- I am left speechless at his amount of skill and decide to coat my gloves in mana to get the upper hand.

  *SLAM!* *CRASH!*

  He is punched from the side and sms into the door he was trying to enter- he crashes onto the floor and immediately jumps up via his hands and releases another kick to my chin.

  I stumble backwards as I take the blow and watch as the bottom half of my mask cracks and falls off... my bloody teeth shine in a smile as I breathe thrice and body sm him into the door one st time before kicking him so hard he flies through it.

  I retract my wire to my wrist and leave about a metre of length straightened out above my grip- the lightning cackles as I start to shape a dragons cw at the tip of it- the points cackling backwards and striking a five fingered cw.

  I kick down the kitchen door fully allowing me to enter and unch my dragon cw as the wire slides down my hands and into his thigh as he jumps away- I have the shaped cw grip tightly and keep him there as two ink tigers spring from his scroll.

  Blood seeps from his thigh as the grip tightens as the tigers ssh down towards me, I aim my wire at an angle to the floor.

  My wire shoots to the floor and stands in pce so I can act without it- I infuse my gloves with mana and sharpen the edges with cackling power as I ssh against the tigers and destroy one of them as the other forces me backwards out the kitchen.

  I rush the tiger and slide under it as it dives forwards towards where I was and I unch upwards above the isnd counter and at Ink boy who is surprised at my speed.

  *Cackle!*

  I lift my mask and lightning leaks from my teeth as I charge up a dragons breath.

  *ZZZZZPPPPOW!*

  A small one strikes where he was as he suddenly disappears and is repced by a kitchen pot from under the cupboard- he limps out of the cupboard and sick's his tiger on me as he decides to retreat after seeing my breath.

  I grab a frying pan- infuse it and *Pang!* smack the tiger to the ground and have my mana destroy it.

  I am dripping in ink as the boy flees through the window and runs down the street.

  I jump out the window and collect my wire on the way before sprinting after him- I am on internal investigations and a root member is certainly someone I can legally hunt down.

  He rush down the street and I slide forward, I am faster on smooth terrain and catch up in time to tackle him to the ground- he dodges narrowly and nds next to me as he rolls away.

  I ssh at him with my wire and he decides to summon a few more ink beasts to keep me company, he runs off as I sm my foot down on a snake and smack away an ink bird before looking towards the ink menace.

  *spt!*

  I hear him turn into ink and I internally curse... I would have seen through that ink substitution if I was able to see.

  ...

  I cant hear him anymore, he must have gotten away.

  Haaa- lightning skill set is a great counter to ink boy it seems, precision lightning attacks go great at popping ink made constructs.

  Shame Kenzo doesn't have that sort of ability.

  I turn to the orphanage and I sigh before searching every inch of the pce to finish Kenzo's mission and as expected... it was just an orphanage.

  I need to clean up and go to work as Kenzo now... great, just perfect- its going to take a lot to get all this ink out of everything.

  ---

  Pov: Katsuko

  "Uhh.. thank you" I bow and grab the final report as the sealing team closes the door on me.

  I'm not good at this am I? Maybe I should take the long route to work and then home... I just want to sleep and then leave without seeing my parents.

  Both of them are annoyed that I didn't leave the team and I barely talked them out of going to bother Ryū-san with their arguments.

  ...

  I just wish I could talk to them without feeling that tension in the air, they keel pressuring me about the 'monster' Kenzo being on my team.

  Worst part is that Kenzo just ughs when someone calls him a monster, he doesn't understand how much of the popution hates him.

  I don't understand either- these rumours are flying out of control and I keep hearing about them everywhere the civilians are.

  I even heard some ninja discussing it in the hallway of T&I this morning, its scaring me how much this is spreading.

  I just want to be happy and not stuck under the pressure and expectations pced on me... Ryū and Kurenai, Kenzo and Kanata both believe in me and I cant let them down... so why cant I believe in me...?

  ...

  My parents are right... I will never be above genin level- the teachers were right and Neji just confirmed everything I hadn't hoped to confirm.

  I'm a failure.

  I hug the reports tightly and weave through the streets of Konoha slowly so I can get to our shared desk space.

  T&I is a lot to process when walking through the halls, they silence the torturing area well... but when transporting prisoners I hate to hear them scream.

  This pce sucks.

  I suck.

  I just want to sleep.

  Thanks for reading :)