Games

Chapter 3

Kakashi stared at the 1 year old that absolutely refused to let go of his leg. How was the kids grip so strong?

Kakashi was currently in his own small apartment (ANBU mask put away). He had been trying to get the boy off of him for the past hour, so he could carry him back to the Hokage. He couldn't very well walk through the village with a baby attached to his leg he'd probably get arrested or worse.

For example if a Konichi mother saw. She would pound him into the dust, lecture him, and then when she was sure Kakashi had suffered enough would hand him over to the police with considerably more bruises (Maybe even a few broken bones) then before. Kakashi involuntary shivered at the thought.

Akio for his part was clinging like a leach to the poor mans leg. He was not gonna let go until he'd gotten rid of at least a small amount of depression that was hanging around the man. Well his plan was kinda working if only because the depression was currently replaced with panic.

"h-hey Akio-chan would you let go," Kakashi pleaded. "...Please."

At hearing his name Akio looked up at the man, he frowned wasn't Chan added to the end of a girls name. How rude he was definitely still a boy thank you very much (It was one of the first things he checked)

It wasn't a good idea to be drawing attention to himself like this. He could get labeled as a prodigy if he wasn't careful or worse draw the attention of the dark side of Konoha, mainly someone named Danzo. But...but this chakra was so similar to his old powers it hummed beneath the surface of every person reflecting the emotions of the person it belonged to, in the way it would brighten or darken, Hum or twitch.

It was a more honest expression of a person's feelings then anything. Even more so then the eyes, which are said to be the windows to the soul.

And yet, Kakashi's chakra was pulsing and twisting, in agony. It takes a special kind of circumstances to create so much grief and pain. There was no possible way Akio could leave him even if it risked gaining Danzo's or god forbid Orochimaru's attention.

For Kakashi's grief was far too similar to his own, a grief caused by the pain of killing someone you loved with your own hands.

How could Akio, currently a baby, who barley knew any Japanese help? He was currently running through all the words he knew in Japanese for a second time.

The answer was simple, he couldn't.

There was no words that could help, even if he knew all the Japanese words in a dictionary. He still wouldn't be able to string them together in a way that could help a grieving Kakashi.

Kakashi glanced down when the grip on his leg tightened and the smell of salt hit his nose. Kakashi grimaced, the kid was crying, just what he needed. Pushing aside his own fear (he was the adult here), he bent down awkwardly and held his arms out.

"Akio come." Akio let go of the leg and threw himself at the open arms. Latching onto Kakashi's neck with the same amount of ferocity that he'd held onto Kakashi's leg with.

"Shh, shh its OK Akio," Kakashi said remembering what the Hokage had done earlier to calm the boy down. "Don't cry, uncle Kakashi will take you back to the Hokage." Kakashi jerkily patted Akio's back, the grip on Kakashi's neck tightened.

"Ka...shi?" Akio hiccuped he grabbed both of Kakashi's cheeks turning he face to meet him and Akio smiled even as the tears continued to fall. "Kashi, chakara cry, Don't cry."

Kakashi stared surprised into the green eyes that was undoubtedly trying to comfort him. His chakra was crying?

Kakashi pointed at himself completely dumbfounded "My Chakra's....crying?" The red head nodded so fast it was a small blur. He had no idea what to do, Akio could feel his chakra and it was apparently sad enough for the kid to cry for him.

Did the Hokage know about Akio's sensing abilities? He really needed to get the kid back to the Hokage and away from himself. Kakashi had a feeling that his "crying chakra" was influencing Akio's mental state. Hadn't the Hokage mentioned earlier that Akio wasn't much of a crier.

A surge of guilt hit him and Kakashi felt Akio flinch in his arms. Kakashi gritted his teeth fighting against another surge of guilt. He tried and succeed in suppressing both his chakra and feelings.

"Let's go see the Hokage, OK little Akio-chan?" Putting on a smile that was far to brittle he held Akio to his chest taking to the roof tops toward the Hokage tower.

Kakashi was far to tired to attempt another shunshin with a 16 month old. If he was being honest with himself holding the red head. While Akio was patting his head and copying his earlier attempts at trying to comfort him touched someplace deep inside Kakashi.

And if he was still being honest with himself, they reached the Hokage tower far sooner then Kakashi would've liked.

-Omake-

Disemboweled one 'Leah', Beheaded another 'Eve' the last one reduced to ashes by an energy blast 'Derek'

The fight was over and silence reigned.

Ryder stood in the middle of a town, completely numb to the winter breeze. He refused to look at the remains of the town or the bodies of his family that lay in pieces around him. Instead he fixed his eyes on the clear blue sky, it was almost the right shade of blue today.

Tears had long since stopped falling months ago. Leaving just an ache in his throat and chest that never seemed to fade. Ryder's hands clenched into fists when he heard laughter coming from behind him.

Rage replacing sadness.

"Well done my Ryder," The ever sickeningly sweet voice of Nasib said. "In fact you almost arrived in time to save some humans from, who was it?''

Ryders jaw clenched as he heard Nasib walked toward him feet purposely stomping in the puddles of blood. Nasib tilted his head in a fake questioningly pose.

"Oh that's right it's your Aunt Leah, little Sister Eve and Brother Derek." Making an exaggerate show of looking around he whistled, "You made quite the mess of them huh?"

If looks could kill Nasib would have been staked, buried, dug up and then staked again for good measure.

"Shut up, you son of an Egyptian fart." Ryder snarled the sound barely even human.

"Ooh name calling, so fearsome" Nasib chuckled

His gaze having been torn away from the sky, to glare at Nasib, now couldn't tear itself away from the bloody carnage around him. They most of had some kind of festival when his 'family' arrived because their was hundreds of bodies in the town square. More then half of them where burned alive and the other half being ripped apart with the mad Senri's bare hands. It was another image his mind would enjoy adding to his nightmares.

With great effort he closed his eyes, turning to leave.

"Leave this town." Akio said, tone somewhere between a beg and a command.

"Ooh and why should I" Nasib asked falling into step beside him.

"Because I'm burning it to the ground and we have a deal"

"Right right, but I am growing so fond of this body you always make the best expression of pain and hate when I'm in it" Nasib cooed "YES, that's the one. I've been missing your crying face but this face is almost just as good."

With a laugh Nasib disappeared and Ryder set fire to the buildings as he walked out of the ghost town.

'Yu it seems I'm not like Naruto at all. If anything I've become the Itachi to your Sasuke' Ryder whispered sad eyes once again fixed on the blue sky. 'It's almost the same color as your eye's today, Yu'