Scarecrow: Defender, Impostor...Littlest Brother

Ten Years Previous

It was late afternoon when five-year-old Hatake Kakashi heard it, on his way back to his hideout through the Gray Terminal.

The screams.

Sadly, such sounds were somewhat common here and he would've left it alone if not for the fact it sounded young. Too young. It made him uncomfortable.

So he went to investigate.

Following the voice led him to a small trash hut, surrounded by other citizens of the Gray Terminal, the junkyard of the Goa Kingdom. They all seemed to watch the small house in sympathy, eyes full of pity and helplessness as the screams continued.

"Who's in there?" The Hatake asked, getting the attention of several bystanders. "Why is there screaming?"

One of the weary men looked at him, pity still in his eyes for whoever was in the house captive.

'A little boy was dragged into the hut, yelling at the men and calling for Ace and Sabo a few hours ago. The two haven't come yet.'

Kakashi grit his teeth, he knew of Ace and Sabo, the two troublemakers of Goa Kingdom. Outwardly though, he hadn't moved an inch. He won't allow this to go any any further if he could help it. He moved to get in there, but one of the older men put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't! You're like what, five?! That's Porchemy in there, a member of Bluejam's crew. We can't do anything, let alone a little kid like you! They might think you're in cahoots with'em!"

Kakashi stared at the man, and leaked only the slightest bit of killing intent, gripping the man's hand and brushing it aside.

"I'll save the kid." He said with sincerity. He let his serious demeanor slip and a cheery smile surfaced as he turned back to them, already walking to the small building. "They can't kill me, anyway! Imagine that, really. Beaten by cannon fodder." He scoffed, as if the very notion was preposterous, because it was. He was Hatake Kakashi, Copy-Nin, Rokudaime Hokage. With those thoughts in mind, he smiled brightly at the old man, who was reeling from his instant change in demeanor. Instead of responding verbally, the stranger nodded numbly.

And with that, Kakashi walked away and disappeared into the small house (using a window, because he really doesn't like using doors). The second he passed through, he began counting.

In five seconds, he determined the amount of enemies.

In four, he judged their threat level.

In three, he found their leader.

In two, he found their captive.

In one, he let the senbon fly.

In an instant, ten bodies hit the floor, and Porchemy froze in disbelief, mid-punch.

Kakashi stepped out of his spot, kunai in hand and face blank. As he approached Porchemy, he saw the older man's eyes look from his face to the kunai in his hand.

"..." He said nothing, and with a firm flick of his fingers, a senbon embedded itself in the man's skull, through the center of his forehead and out the opposite side, where it also cut through the rope that bound Luffy away from the ground. Kakashi was there and the strawhatted kid landed in his arms the same time Porchemy fell to the floor.