32

Chapter 32: a warning to the prophet, the liar, the honestNotes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Kakashi's first instinct is to hunt Raijin down and demand answers from the man. This undertaking quickly proves to be close to impossible, however, because Kakashi underestimates the lengths to which Raijin is willing to go to avoid him.

The man shamelessly uses shadow clones to throw Kakashi off his trail and scent, his apartment sports brand new barrier seals designed specifically to ward against Kakashi's chakra signature, and he just happens to decide to start Itachi on stealth training to have an excuse to hide from anyone he doesn't want to see.

Within only a week, Kakashi's patience is frayed to threads and his blood pressure is through the roof.

He has a serious bone to pick with whoever Raijin learned his evasion tactics from.

Disgruntled and running low on options, Kakashi turns his sights to other avenues for answers. Namely: his summons.

Most people don't seem to realise this, but Summons are far more…mystical than shinobi give them credit for. The theory is that all Summons are descended from yokai, and Kakashi knows for sure that most of them maintain some sort of relationship with the spirit world even if they don't advertise this fact.

The toad contract, for example, is famously a more mystical summoning contract thanks to The Great Toad Sage's eminent gift for divination. The Uchiha ninneko are thought to be relatives of bakaneko. Hatake wolves were believed to be descendants of okuri-inu.

Kakashi's ninken are still too young to have enough sway or favours in the Summons' Domain, but they also aren't his only contract.

He didn't think he would ever find use for this contract ever again. In fact, he'd been determined to avoid ever searching for it since the last time he saw it when moving out of the Hatake compound. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

Unrolling the scroll, Kakashi pauses, pursing his lips at the signature above his own. Hatake Sakumo stares back at him like some sort of ghost—an echo lingering long after the life of the owner has left. The wolf contract is traditional to his clan; Kakashi might be the only Hatake to ever depend primarily on other Summons. He is contracted, of course, because it might as well be customary, but he hasn't seen his father's Summons since—

Well, it has been quite some time.

He sits back against his haunches, worrying at his lip. Rationally, he knows that the wolves are as much his as they were every other contractor's. They will answer and they will help like they have always done for his family as far back as anyone can remember.

Still, he cannot help but think of the wolves as he remembers them—by his father's side.

"Someday, they will fight by your side too, Kakashi," his father had said to him a lifetime ago, large hands warm against Kakashi's little ones, guiding him through signing his name on the scroll. "They are part of the legacy you will inherit as my heir after all."

So much for that.

Part of him wants to stuff the contract back into the bottom of the little box he keeps it in and toss it under the floorboard of his kitchen again. He'll just find some other way to harass Raijin into giving him answers. Maybe he'll recruit Obito and Rin to the endeavour since they seem to have become experts in this sort of thing.

But while Raijin might know what his dreams are about, he probably wouldn't know why Kakashi is suddenly seeing things. And if it turns out that Kakashi is in fact simply losing his mind and hallucinating, he'd prefer no other human finds out until he can check himself into some expensive institution on a remote island to spend the rest of his life in.

He doesn't even need to sort out his will anymore since Obito would just inherit everything by default thanks to their marriage. How convenient.

There's no way for him to know the truth about what is happening to him with these dreams other than to ask someone who has known generations of his clansmen.

Taking a deep breath, Kakashi bites his thumb and slams his palm to the ground.

From the resulting puff of smoke, a pair of golden eyes stare out at him. The smoke dissipates and Kakashi is left to sit alone on his kitchen floor with a six-feet tall wolf. The pure white fur and red markings around the eyes immediately clue him into his Summon's identity—the matriarch of the wolf summons, the mother of his father's favoured summons, and one of Sakumo' oldest friends and confidants.

Kakashi pushes himself onto his knees and lowers into a bow. "I'm honoured that you answered my call, Masumi-sama."

The wolf regards him, inclining her head. "It has been quite some time since we received a summon from someone of your line," she notes. "I wished to see for myself what you required after convincing us that you had forgotten us."

Biting the inside of his cheek, Kakashi lowers his head even further. "I apologise for my negligence. It was never my intention to offend you or your clan."

"No," she agrees, "only your father."

Kakashi remains quiet, stomach dropping.

Masumi snorts. "Lift your head, cub," she instructs, leaning down to nose at his hair. "You have not called me here to battle. There is something else you wish for—what is it?"

He swallows, tentatively raising his head to meet her inquisitive gaze. He folds his hands together. "I thought you might have some answers for me."

The weight of her attention becomes more potent. "That depends on what you wish to know."

Inhaling sharply, he nods. He knows this. Some answers must come at a cost—they mean too much to be bestowed so simply. He won't know if this will be one of them until he asks. "I've been having these…dreams lately," he starts hesitantly. "They feel too real, too immersive to be just regular dreams. I don't know how to explain it; I swear I'm not going insane, it's just—"

"Cub," she interrupts, gentle but firm. "You need not explain yourself for me to believe you. Tell me what you saw."

He twists his fingers together. "I see myself, but older. I see my friends as adults. I see Konoha but it looks a little different. Sometimes it's regular stuff—missions and training, stuff like that. Sometimes—" He falters. "Sometimes, I see a war."

Masumi tilts her head. "Go on," she prompts.

"I see these kids really often too. They call me sensei. One of them looks an awful lot like a younger version of Minato-sensei's brother. The boy's name is Naruto and then Minato-sensei told me that he wants to name his kid Naruto." Taking a deep breath, Kakashi quietly admits, "I think I'm dreaming of the future."

Rumbling thoughtfully, Masumi lowers herself so she is laying down on her front. They are almost at an eye-level like this. "Your bloodline has shown no talent for divination before," she muses aloud. "Hatake seers typically only receive visions by making deals with other yokai that can use foresight, often using us as their middlemen to bargain on their behalf."

"So, I am going insane," Kakashi infers, resigned.

Masumi huffs, nosing at him again. "I would not jump to conclusions so quickly, young one," she scolds, nipping at his hitai-ate lightly. "I will need to ask around some more to know for sure, but…" she trails off.

"You know something." Kakashi frowns.

"Perhaps," Masumi offers. "There have been some disturbances in the spirit world and the Summons' Domain as of late. What do you know of how your world relates to ours?"

"Very little," Kakashi admits. "I know they are only loosely tethered to ours. The passage of time is different, for one, and things that affect us only barely reach you."

"Correct," Masumi says approvingly. "It'd be more accurate to say that our realms lie on top of each other and overlap every so often rather than to imagine that they are connected. And yet, the ripples of your world have managed to find their way into ours. Something has occurred here that has thrown even the spirit world into disarray."

Kakashi's eye widens. "Does that have something to do with my visions?"

Masumi inclines her head in acknowledgment. "It is possible," she admits. "Your kin are more sensitive to the natural order than most other humans. There is yokai ancestry in your clan—the effects of something like that are longstanding."

Yokai ancestry. That is… not something Kakashi could ever anticipate. This might just be a hallucination after all. Reality can't be this strange, can it?

"Then is it not possible that I'm seeing the future," he tries to reason. "Yokai can do that, right?"

"Your power would not be so concentrated since the blood is too dilute after generations. Besides, okami are messengers. They do not foresee; they only relay." She makes a noise of consideration deep in her throat. "No, I think you might be seeing things as they were supposed to be before your world's fate shifted."

Kakashi blinks hard. "My world's fate did what?"

Masumi blinks back. "Shifted," she supplies simply. "That is what has caused the ripples in our world too. Several prophecies are either fulfilled too early or rendered null, and the vision of the future remained cloudy and unsure until very recently. There is an irregularity here that was not supposed to exist but has affected the world enough that it cannot exist any other way now. These visions—they might be your bloodline's inherent spiritual instincts trying to warn you of the change. Have you not noticed their activity any other time?"

There is something screaming at the back of his head, but it is muted, as if coming from underwater. Kakashi has to remind himself to breathe. "I have," he admits softly. "They've been turning up more often this past year, but I assumed that was an age thing or something else. I didn't—"

"It's alright, cub," Masumi says softly, snapping him into focus. "What is calling to your instincts?"

"Not what. Who," he corrects dully. "A person. My sensei's brother—Raijin-san. My instincts kept calling to him and I've never understood why. I don't know him—I didn't know him, but it felt like I did. Like I could trust him somehow."

"How curious," Masumi murmurs. She closes her eyes contemplatively before nodding to herself. There is resolve in her gaze when her eyes open. "Very well. I will ask around about this Raijin-san of yours and see what I can find about why your blood believes you are bound to him."

"Bound to him," Kakashi repeats, alarmed. This isn't going to turn out to be like the sharingan affair all over again, is it? "Who are you going to ask?"

"The toads might know something," she answers. "Or, perhaps, the kitsune. There were rumours that a kudan was born not too long ago as well. I might send someone in search of it."

This has all very quickly left Kakashi's wheelhouse of safe and sane. How the hell is he supposed to deal with yokai? "I don't even know what a kudan is," he mutters, passing a hand over his face.

"A yokai with the body of a calf and the head of a human child," Masumi informs dutifully. It is perhaps not as helpful as she thinks it is. "They are exceedingly rare and difficult to find because of their incredibly short lifespans. Their power of foresight, however, is unparalleled. The birth of one now is very telling."

"Why is it telling?" Kakashi asks suspiciously.

"The birth of a kudan is always an omen of something great, Kakashi-kun," she tells him. "It means that your world has been changed irreversibly."

He ventures, "For the better?"

Masumi rises to her full height. "Only time will tell, young one."

"Shisui was asked to join ROOT," Itachi comments lightly, frowning as he struggles to grab a piece of potato with his chopsticks.

Fugaku stills, exchanging glances with Mikoto as she absently reaches out to help their son. "And what did he say?" Fugaku asks, keeping his tone deceptively conversational.

Furrowing his brow in puzzlement, Itachi tilts his head. "He's going to refuse," he says in a tone that implies this is obvious. "He knows we're supposed to be careful."

The relief Fugaku feels is just a little bit embarrassing. "Yes," he breathes, "we are. Good that he remembered."

"A Councilman approached him personally," his son continues. "Shisui is trying to figure out how to tell him his decision."

So that's why Itachi has breached the subject—he's looking for advice on behalf of his cousin. Fugaku smiles at his son and drops extra beef in his bowl.

"A formal letter will suffice," he informs. Then, realising what Itachi just said, Fugaku pauses and backtracks. "He was approached personally?"

Itachi nods. "Yes. Yesterday, near the park."

Fugaku's eyes narrow. Shisui wouldn't be the first Uchiha shinobi to receive an invitation to ROOT, but he's among the very few to be approached by Danzou himself, and the youngest of the lot by far.

Inhaling sharply, Mikoto shoots him a look. "The Mangekyou," she says. "Shisui unlocked his recently."

"Could Danzou have found out?" Fugaku asks, alarmed.

"It would be in his mission report," she points out. "Hardly any trouble to access."

"But someone would have to be keeping an eye out for it," he realises. It would mean that Danzou has been paying undue attention to Shisui for a while now to have this information so quickly. "Itachi-kun, where is your cousin now? I'd like to speak to him."

Shisui needs to be warned. If Danzou thinks him valuable enough, the man will not hesitate to use whatever tactics he believes necessary in order to get his hands on the boy.

Itachi's face is twisted with concern as he looks between his parents, fingers clenched around his chopsticks. "He left for a mission today morning," he says. "With shishou. It's his first A-rank."

"An A-rank with Rajin-kun?" Mikoto repeats. She turns to Fugaku, face unreadable.

He looks back, mouth pressed into a thin line. "It's sudden," he comments carefully.

Nodding slowly, Itachi says, "They received the assignment last night. Raijin-san told me today morning."

"Do you know what their assignment is exactly, Itachi-kun?" Mikoto asks.

Itachi twists his hands together in his lap. "What is this about?"

"Please, Itachi," Fugaku beseeches, leaning forward slightly. "What was the mission?"

"I'm not—" Itachi shakes his head, looking helpless. "I don't know."

Mikoto stands so she can round the table and gently pull Itachi into her side, carding her fingers through his hair. "It's alright, Itachi-kun," she soothes. "Your father and I are just worried."

"Is something going to happen to them?" Itachi asks. There are tears gathering in his wide eyes but he's clearly blinking furiously to try and keep them at bay.

Fugaku softens, leaving his seat so he can crouch on Itachi's other side and take his son's hand. "Your cousin and teacher are both incredibly strong and smart shinobi, Itachi," he says. "Have faith in their capabilities, alright?"

Itachi sniffs and nods, curling his hands into fists. Over his head, Fugaku and Mikoto exchange grim looks.

"I had to exercise my right as Clan Head to access the assignment records, but I did find out," Fugaku says quietly that evening as he sits behind Mikoto and gently rubs camellia oil into her scalp. "The mission is to Land of Storms."

Mikoto holds herself carefully still. "They are almost completely war-torn," she notes. "The whole country is practically run by rebel groups."

"The Daimyo requested Konoha's assistance in regaining control," Fugaku informs. "Namikaze and Shisui are there to meet with him and covertly assess the overall political landscape."

"It's dangerous," Mikoto remarks, shoulders drawn into a tight line, "even by shinobi standards. Shisui-kun has never done anything like this."

"He's skilled though," Fugaku points out.

Mikoto turns to purse her lips at him over her shoulder. "If there was ever a place for someone to sabotage a mission and get away with it, it would be Storm. You know what the Councilman is like, Fugaku."

Sighing, he nods. "You're right," he admits quietly. "Do we know if Raijin was ever recruited like Shisui?"

Her eyes widen. "You think…?"

"Two birds, one stone. I can't think of any other reason for those two in particular to receive an abrupt high-ranking assignment like this," Fugaku states grimly. "It would be too risky to directly ask the Hokage if his only brother could possibly be a target of one of his Advisors. There is not enough trust between us yet and I don't want to deal with any possible fallout that would occur from Shimura catching wind of our suspicions. That man will try to brand us as traitors immediately."

Mikoto's eyes grow cold. "I can ask Kushina-chan," she offers. "She will be discrete."

"And if the answer is 'yes'?"

"Then we pray." Mikoto takes his hand in hers and squeezes. "Amaterasu will watch over them both."

The Land of Storms is kind of a raging dumpster fire.

Raijin has only ever been here once—with Jiraiya in his future (past? Future-past? Past-future?). It hadn't exactly been nice back then, but it had been a hell of a lot better than it is right now.

The whole place reeks of fear and anger, for one, and the rancid smell of it is definitely going to give him the mother of all migraines before the day is over. There are military groups posted around every corner, soldiers and rebels alike openly patrolling their 'territories' with weapons, clearly looking for an excuse to pick a fight. Civilians mostly try to keep their heads down and get through their day in one piece, scurrying from one boarded up location to the other, nervousness etched into every fibre of their being. 

"This is like the war all over again," Shisui whispers, tucking himself even further into Raijin's side.

"It is war to them," Raijin corrects softly. "This war has simply made it inside their homes. We were lucky it never got to this point for us."

Pursing his lips, Shisui surveys their surroundings. "We can't be seen approaching our client's residence," he decides. "Things will get way too messy."

They don't know which faction's territory they're in right now, but if it's the anti-Daimyo one, then they're going to end up severely outnumbered and surrounded by civilian homes.

Raijin nods, face set grimly. "We need to set up base."

"Something tells me these guys don't really have much of a hospitality industry," Shisui comments dryly. "We're going to have to camp in the desert."

Humming, Raijin looks around. "I have an idea, but we'll need to get our backstory straight."

Shisui lifts an eyebrow at him. "Our identification documents say I'm your brother and you're a travelling artisan from Land of Fields."

"What kind of artisan? Why are we travelling? Why are you coming along with me?"

Shisui blinks, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "A leatherworker," he decides. "You're looking to migrate to Land of Stone because you have an apprenticeship lined up there with an old friend of our father's. Dad used to be a…potter. Yeah. And he died because of the shinobi wars. That should get us some sympathy."

Raijin considers the story and nods. "Sure. Our mother died when you were a baby because of some illness, and there's no one else who can take care of you, so you're coming with me. What is our last name?"

"Yamada," Shisui answers promptly, remembering the alias on their fake documents.

"Good job." Raijin ruffles the boy's hair, currently dyed a sandy brown for the sake of their cover story. Raijin's own hair has been darkened to match and his whiskers have been hidden with generous application of makeup. Instead, both he and Shisui are currently sporting freckles and honey-coloured eyes.

They decided against using henge or genjutsu in case there are any pesky sensors around to sell them out. Undercover work needs to be as subtle as possible. If they give anyone a single reason to not overlook them entirely, things could get ugly quick.

For Shisui's first A-rank and first ever undercover mission, the stakes sure are high. It probably doesn't help that he's paired with Raijin who has very little professional experience doing undercover recon of this kind.

This, of course, begs the question of why exactly it is the two of them who are here instead of someone better qualified, but Raijin understands how sometimes better options just aren't available to Mission Assignment. It's inconvenient, but it happens often enough. Especially in the aftermath of a war.

"So, what's the plan now?" Shisui asks, blinking up at him.

Raijin hums and casts another look around. "Find a family friendly public place, look endearingly pathetic, and wait for someone with the tendency to pick up strays."

Mouth rounding out with realisation, Shisui nods. "Roger that. We should find somewhere to get lunch anyways. You'll buy, right, nii-chan?" He beams up at Raijin, batting his eyelashes.

Snorting, Raijin hooks an arm around his neck and begins steering him in the direction he saw an old woman with an empty shopping bag go in.

"Sure thing, otouto."

Kushina paces across the bedroom floor, biting the nail of her thumb while her brain works furiously.

It has been an hour since Mikoto's departure from her and Minato's house. An hour since this horrible pit of anxiety settled in Kushina's belly, bringing along a nervous energy that she hasn't been unable to burn off.

She is supposed to be working on a seal to help contain the Kyuubi in case something goes wrong during the pregnancy, but she hasn't been able to focus. Every time she tries to sit down and work, all she can think about is the warning Mikoto left her with.

Downstairs, she can hear the door being unlocked. Minato must finally be home for dinner.

Relieved that she won't have to stay alone with her thoughts anymore, Kushina is all but flying down the stairs before her boyfriend has even finished announcing his arrival.

"Minato," she breathes, hurrying to the genkan, "I think something's wrong."

"What?" Minato asks, alarmed, barely managing to kick off his sandals before he's rushing close to take her in his arms, looking her over for any sign of harm. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she assures, batting his hands away.

Minato is not soothed. "Is the baby okay?"

She softens. "Yes, Minato, the baby is okay too." Swallowing, she admits, "It's Raijin."

Brows furrowing, Minato regards her warily. His shoulders are drawn tight, fingers twitching towards the pack of weapons strapped to his thigh. "What happened to Raijin?"

"It could be nothing," she warns. "I could be overreacting. You know how my hormones have been lately. But, also, maybe I'm reacting a perfectly adequate amount and—"

"Kushina, please," Minato interrupts, taking her hands in his. "You're scaring me. What happened to my brother? Where is he?"

Her stomach drops. "You don't know where he is?"

The confusion on his face is at war with a growing fear that is so potent, Kushina can all but feel the Kyuubi awaken within her seal to pay attention to what is happening. She wants to tell it to fuck off and leave her alone, especially when her nerves are so frayed, but Minato needs her to be present and succinct.

"Why—" He stops. "Am I supposed to know?" Frowning, he closes his eyes, face taking on a look of concentration as he presumably reaches for Raijin's location using the seals that connect the brothers. "He isn't in Konoha," Minato murmurs. "Not in Fire at all. Near Wind. What is he doing there? Where is he?"

Grim-faced, Kushina informs him, "He's on a mission with Uchiha Shisui in the Land of Storms. An A-rank."

"An A-rank," Minato repeats. "That I don't know of."

There are very few people in the village with the necessary clearance to authorise such a high-ranking mission without needing the Hokage's approval.

Kushina takes a deep breath. She needs to keep a cool head and be brave right now. "Uchiha Shisui was approached by Shimura Danzou to join ROOT recently. Mikoto said he was going to refuse but couldn't do so because of a sudden emergency mission. It's his first A-rank. An undercover reconnaissance mission in Land of Storms to aid Konoha's alliance with their Daimyo."

Minato stares at her, at a loss for words. "Raijin is in Storms right now, on a mission that Shimura Danzou probably issued, and his only backup is a nine-year-old chuunin with no A-rank experience," he summarises. It sounds like he can't even hear what he's saying.

Kushina winces. "Is there any chance that it's a genuine mission?" she asks weakly, though she can't quite bring herself to believe the possibility either.

Inhaling sharply, Minato turns away and runs a hand through his hair, tugging harshly at the roots. "Shit," he curses. "How did I not find out? I didn't even notice him leave. I should've been paying attention. I should have—" He cuts himself off, shaking his head. "It's no use now," he mutters to himself. "What can I do now?"

"Send backup?" Kushina suggests.

Lips pursed, he shakes his head. "I could end up compromising them instead. Should I send a hawk to tell them the mission has been revoked and order them to come back?"

"Wouldn't that attract attention to them as well?" There's a reason protocol for undercover missions is to wait to be contacted by the spy instead of the other around. There are just too many associated risks.

"I could send a toad," Minato argues. Then, with a noise of frustration, he waves his hand irritably and visibly dismisses the idea. "Danzou might react violently to any blatant disruption if this really is part of one of his plans. He has to be keeping an eye on them while they're there."

With a sinking feeling, Kushina realises, "I think the only thing we can do is wait."

Minato looks pained to have the words spoken out loud. "What if something happens?" he whispers. "What if I never see him again?"

After all, Danzou is one of the best strategists Konoha has ever produced. There's very little he can't make happen once he puts his mind to it, and if he wants to hurt Raijin, it'd be all too easy for him to do it in a place like Land of Storms. Even more so when considering he is the one to authorise the mission, which means he has the upper hand in terms of controlling the environment and potentially installing countermeasures beforehand. He could have his loyal ROOT agents nearby ready to exert lethal force for all they know.

Their hands are tied for the time being. Rather effectively, Danzou has essentially taken Raijin and Shisui hostage, all while maintaining plausible deniability that won't allow Minato to easily make a move against him—politically or physically.

Kushina shakes her head. "Stop it," she scolds, aiming it at both Minato and herself. "Raijin is strong. Even we don't know everything he's capable of. He's going to be fine."

"But—"

"He'll be fine," she repeats sternly. "And if he needs help—well, that's why you gave him that seal, right?"

Obviously conflicted as he considers this argument, Minato nods after a long moment, inhaling slowly. "You're right. He'll call if he needs me, and he's strong enough to survive just about anything. He'll be fine."

"Now, how about that dinner?" Kushina suggests weakly.

Minato tries for a smile that falls flat. There's something unbearably brittle about the look in his eyes. "Sorry, Kushina. I don't think I can eat anything right now."

"Oh, Minato." She pulls him into her arms, letting him bury his face in her neck as she rocks them gently. He's shaking ever so slightly. Kushina says nothing and just holds him tighter.

All they can do is wait.

Notes:

Ok, I know I said this would have more Raijin and I was initially going to focus more on the mission itself, but there was so much other stuff to cover at the same time. This chapter is pretty heavy as it is, so I figured it might just be a better idea to break it up and just publish the first half.

So much continues to happen. So much more to come. It's all starting to come to a head now that we enter the final major arc. Buckle up for the ride folks.