A Hole in One's Village [Kakashi Hatake]

Chapter 11: Smoke and Mirrors

The bright desert sun streaming through the narrow window on the wall awoke me after yet another restless night.

I pulled on my jounin gear, brushed my dark blonde hair (which was starting to get a annoyingly long), and pulled it back into a French braid that held my forehead protector in place. All that was left was to pulse a bit of healing chakra beneath my eyes to hide the dark circles and then I was ready for the day.

Pulling open the scroll from Gaara with my mission on it, I scanned the route that I would need to take. It looked like I was supposed to circle around the Land of Wind counter clockwise checking border outposts, ending with the few along the border with the Hidden Rain Village. Two of those outposts had fallen out of touch, missing their last check-in, which caused me some worry. Rain was a haven for missing nin after the Akatsuki had holed up there for years.

There was no other information about the injured ANBU agent that I was supposed to pick up besides his location. Not that the overkill secrecy shocked me; this was to be expected when dealing with the Black Ops. Although, I could not understand why Kakashi and Gaara had decided to saddle me with an injured (and thus likely slowed) companion. My speed was my greatest asset in many ways now that the visions were over and done with.

Breakfast was a light fare; running with a full stomach is never pleasant, and I was off across the sand. As the sun rose higher in the sky, I took a moment to pull a thin scarf over my head to protect myself from the intense rays, but other than that, the journey was utterly eventless.

The first outpost handed me a report to return to Gaara and a tall glass of water. At the second outpost, I healed a minor infection, collected another report, had some water, and then was on my way again.

I reached the third outpost as the sun began to set, feeling strangely empty.

The day had felt like work, and not in a good way. But in a way that being a ninja never had before. It reminded me of the part-time retail jobs that I had in college to help my parents make ends meet with tuition.

The outpost was a glorified hut, sand colored and tucked into the dunes, surrounded by a low wall and with a doorway that I had to duck under to get through.

A Sand ninja greeted me at the door, and we exchanged a few pleasantries before she led me inside.

The interior was just as stark as the exterior. Beige walls, two tiny windows to either side of the door, a domed ceiling, and several doors leading to deeper rooms, likely bedrooms and a kitchen.

 "Are you the medic who is going to pick up our, ah, visitor?" she asked with well-concealed eagerness. Clearly, she wanted the ANBU agent off her hands.

I nodded, "Yes. As soon as he is healthy enough to move, we will be heading out."

"I'll take you to him. He refuses to leave his rooms except to eat."

I sighed internally. Of course, the agent I had to be saddled with was a difficult misanthrope. Just my luck.

For a moment, I wondered if it could be Yuri Hyuga. He was in the Black Ops.

What would I even say to him? Could I even face him after being indirectly responsible for the death of his brother?

I could feel my steps slowing in apprehension, in worry. But the hallway was too short to make a get away, and before I knew it, my guide was knocking on a door.

"The Leaf medic is here."

A gruff response came from the room, "You may let them in."

Pulling open the door, I was hit with a gust of stale air. Clearly a grown man had been locking himself away in this small space for several days, if the smell was anything to go off. The tangy scent of blood, old and new, swept over my senses next.