I stepped into view of what remained of the village gates just as a plume of dust went up in a trail toward the Hokage mount. I blinked, then ignored it; it didn't seem like an attack. Probably just some dumbass genin racing.

I could easily slip through the makeshift barriers of the village, but had decided the best course of action with the least consequences would be to quickly own up to my actions. I had technically deserted the village and gone rogue. The village leaders no doubt knew that I was the individual referred to by other villages as Shatterclaw. That would be kept secret of course, to keep peace. It would most definitely not be ignored upon my return. At least, if war hadn't just been declared on Madara Uchiha.  However, my contribution towards the war effort would be valuable enough to use as leverage to attain minimal consequences.

I jumped down from the tree that I had used to scope out the current condition of the village. Everything was dull, brown, still in the process of rebuilding; nothing like the vibrant, bright village that had once existed to hide its shadowy underbelly. With Danzo dead so soon after Tsunade had fallen into a coma, people would be scrambling for someone to look up to for leadership. Hopefully, my return and any consequences of leaving would be pushed aside in favor of the bigger consequences currently hanging over our heads.

"Halt!" A guard ordered. I complied, holding my hands away from my side to show I had no weapons in my grasp. "Reveal yourself."

Slowly reaching up so they couldn't mistake my movement as aggressive, I pulled the cloth face covering down. Now that I was back and would no longer be travelling, I wouldn't need it, anyway. "I am Cashile Kuroki," I identified myself politely on the off chance they didn't recognize me. "May I see the Hokage or whoever's in charge?"

They exchanged glances and nodded, though their grips on their weapons didn't loosen at all. "I think our next Hokage was headed toward the Hokage Mount," one of the guards said. "Follow me."

I went first, his weapon at my back as we traveled through the still rebuilding village. Luckily, no one I knew saw me and came up to me. I did hear a voice that vaguely sounded like TenTen exclaim, "Is that Cashile? First Kakashi and sensei and now--" But my escort and I turned the corner before she could confirm what she saw or chase after me.

We made it up the Hokage Mount, scaffolding already in place to begin carving the next Hokage's face. "Behind me, now," the guard ordered so he could be between me and the next Hokage. I obeyed without complaint, amused that he thought he could offer protection if I meant any harm.

My shoulders stiffened and a shudder went through me as I heard the familiar sound of Guy and Lee sobbing as we climbed the last incline to the top. Lowering my head on the off chance they wouldn't spot me, I grimaced. What the hell? Of all people, Guy was going to be the next Hokage? I'd expected Shikaku, even Ibiki if he hadn't already been in charge of the intelligence division. But Guy? Never.

"They said you're going to be the next Hokage?" the guard affirmed uncertainly. Guy must have nodded, because his sobbing didn't stop. "I'm sorry to interrupt the preparation for carving—"

"Oh, no," an irritated voice exclaimed sarcastically. "No problem at all! I only need to dedicate all my time to prepare!"

Oh God, I shuddered. Guy's head was going to be carved into the fucking mountain. Every time I looked up I'd see his face.

"Sorry," the guard apologized again. "But, um, a rogue nin came back. At least, I think so, but I'm not sure we actually declared that, because..." Guys sensei had stopped crying, and the guard swallowed, composing himself. I couldn't blame him; he probably didn't speak to such important people very often, and Guy was unsettling. "What I'm trying to say is Cashile Kuroki has returned."

He stepped aside, and I looked up, steeling myself to deal with Guy, but instead was met with Kakashi, who was holding a bouquet of flowers. "Kakashi?"I asked. "Oh, thank God, that makes so much more sense."

"Cashile?" He looked as though he'd been punched in the gut, face pale and vaguely sick. He straightened. "You can leave," Kakashi said, looking at the guard. "Guy, Lee..."

"Yeah, of course, Kakashi!" Guy's grin was a little less exuberant than normal. "Your first thing to deal with as Hokage!"

The rock carver left without being told. "I'll be here as soon as you're done. Preparing for carving takes time!"

When we were alone, I turned back to Kakashi, hands clasped behind my back. "Next Hokage, huh? Does this mean I have to call you Hokage-sama?"

He scratched the side of his face with a free hand. "Not yet, technically," he replied. "I should take you to the elders."

I shrugged, and he took my silence as an opportunity to study me. I knew what he would see; new scars and old alike, closed off eyes, the careful, poised way I held myself. If he wasn't one hundred percent sure of where I'd been and what I'd been doing, he certainly suspected.

"You've been gone a while," is all he finally said.

I shrugged carefully and made no response.

"Are you injured?" He asked after a long moment of silence. "Or have any urgent news?"

"Nothing too important," I answered both questions. "What are you going to do?"

He sighed, adjusting his grip on the ridiculous bouquet of flowers. "I might as well take you to the Council, now," he decided. "They'll call to see me soon, anyway. We'll see if they want to declare me Hokage or deal with you first."

I nodded shortly, hands still clasped behind my back. Neither of us moved.

"Why did you leave, Cashile?" Kakashi finally asked what I knew he'd wanted to since the beginning, and pain and anger and something like betrayal rose in my chest, hot and searing and furious.

I took a deep breath, holding the emotions close and letting them burn for a long moment before letting it out, then bitterly quoted, "I didn't ask the entire village to sacrifice itself for my revenge."

Kakashi's face remains stoic, but his eyes are soft and full of empathy and restrained censure. "No," Kakashi replied gently. "You only asked that of yourself, didn't you?"

My hands clenched tightly in their position behind my back. "I do believe you had an appointment with the Council elders to keep?"

He took the hint, and continued walking face forward. I followed him silently.

***

I stood in front of the two village elders who were now only composed of Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, now that Danzo was dead. Kakashi stood behind me and to the right, not yet named Hokage. I'd been forced to stand in silence before them for nearly ten minutes before they finally began questioning me about my time away.

Utatane clucked her tongue and shook her head, reading through my file again as they considered my vague answers. "It sounds to me that Kuroki left the village in a time of desperate need in order to pursue her own personal revenge."

"Indeed. And this isn't the first time Kuroki has left the village," Mitokado observed. "Do you care to tell us about the two years you were gone? We thought you dead, so you weren't declared a rogue ninja, but clearly—"

"Cashile Kuroki was captured by the Rising Phoenix, as it says in her file," Kakashi interrupted. "She wasn't rogue; she was a prisoner of a war we didn't yet know we were fighting."

"Hmm..." Both flipped through my file, scanning it.

"I see here that Hokage Tsunade made you a jonin upon your return from your time with the Rising Phoenix. Is that correct?" Utatane asked, tapping at the page in front of her.

"Yes," I replied, not shifting my weight once since I'd arrived.

"Very unusual," Mitokado remarked. "In fact, I would say a double promotion without participating in the chunin exams is unprecedented. Neji Hyuuga was promoted from genin to jonin, but only after participation in the chunin exams and with strong recommendation from our ally Lord Kazekage."

"It's hard to believe Tsunade took such a risk in making someone who had been missing for two years a jonin immediately—breaking several traditions to do so," Utatane murmured. She shared a glance with Mitokado, who nodded. "We will not be so lenient this time. Cashile Kuroki, we demote you back to genin. For all missions, you will be assigned under a team leader. You will be under direct supervision by a jonin any time you leave the village."

I held back a frown, ignoring the churning, acidic pit my stomach was becoming; I hadn't expected this much backlash. "What about my team?" I asked carefully. "If I'm a genin once more, and you expect me to answer to other jonin teams..."

"Your team?" Utatane questioned, surprised.

"Yes," I nodded. "Three genin: Michiko Kuren, Kento Mikuyo, and Aisa."

"Oh, no, I think you misunderstood me. We know perfectly well who the genin that were on your team are. Allow me to reiterate: your team?"

My mouth, which had been open mid-sentence, ready to spout more arguments, slowly closed.

Mitokado slowly leaned forward. "Between the Pain attack and the Rising Phoenix attack, our numbers took heavy blows. You've been gone for months. We could not afford to put our best genin team on hold in the hopes that you were simply missing or would return."

"Besides," Utatane added. "These young minds are open for molding and shaping. The last thing we need is to have three more genin full of potential get ideas about becoming rogue nin in their head thanks to your teachings."

I almost protest, thinking of how I'd nearly made my genin hate me in my quest to punish them and educate them for nearly becoming rogue ninjas. Instead, I hollowly asked, "Who's leading them?"

The old woman looked surprised once more. "They're leading themselves on missions. It seems you trained them to be highly independent. The only time they report to jonin sensei is for specialized training."

I nodded slowly, bitterly, knowing there was nothing I could do to fight this, yet.

"We cannot allow any potential enemies believe that our unity as a Village is anything less than perfectly solid," Mitokado stated pointedly. "Kuroki's disappearance cannot be seen as a crack in our strength."

Utatane nodded. "Kuroki. You were not a rogue nin. You didn't leave the Village of your own accord. You were given a special mission by the council: that is why you left. You are not allowed to disclose the details of this mission. Do you understand?"

Everything inside me burned at this, but with gritted teeth, I said, "Yes."

"Very well," the old woman nodded. "You are dismissed."

I strode quickly from the room, frustrated and furious and helpless. Genin? Taking my team from me? Taking credit for what I'd done, for what everyone else in this Village was too cautious And uncertain and scared to do? Unacceptable.

Storming out of the building, I made a snap decision to find my team. Maybe I wasn't in charge of them anymore, and maybe they were busy, but that didn't mean I couldn't go see them.

Aisa.

My chest twisted sharply, pulling my throat right, and I swallowed painfully. Then I clenched my first, pressing my thumb into the now-healed stumps of my fingers, and went off in search of my genin.

***

I saw Aisa just seconds before he saw me, and I was surprised because he had grown taller; he was only a few inches shorter than me, now. He was with his teammates, clearly discussing something, and I was proud to see how they relied on each other. Michiko was taller, too, but Kento still hadn't hit a growth spurt, and was shorter than both of them.

Aisa saw me before the other two, and his eyes widened. Michiko paused mid-sentence, looking in the same direction as Aisa, and stared, mouth still open mid-word. Kento glanced between Aisa and Michiko before turning toward me, and his eyes widened for a split second before he pressed his lips tightly together. My mouth twitched in some sad attempt at a smile as Aisa started walking over to me, strides long and quick.

I began to raise my arms in preparation for his usual flying hug as he lunged the last yard forward, but his arm hadn't pulled up for an embrace. Instead, he punched me hard in the stomach. The air rushed from my lungs but I barely staggered back, allowing his fist to pull back and strike me again.

"Where the hell were you?" Aisa demanded, outraged, punching me with every enraged shout. "Where the hell—?! The village was in pieces! The Hokage was in a coma! My brother was dead!" His voice broke on the last word as though he wanted to dissolve into sobs, but he refused. His hand paused for a moment, pressed against me as though he wasn't sure if he would hug me or punch me again.

Then he pulled the moment of weakness back under his skin like he pulled back his fist, pain hidden with rage. "You weren't at his funeral!" He shouted, fist connecting with my stomach, harder than ever. "You should have been there for me! For us! Kento's sister died while you were off doing fuck knows!" He emphasized the words with fists to the stomach that I barely felt. Somehow, for some reason, his swearing felt like a sharper blow than anything else. "We needed our sensei!" He shoved me away, two hands to my shoulders, sharp and furious. I let him.

His shoulders were hunched and he breathed hard, fists still tight by his side, dark eyes burning. I helplessly transferred my gaze from Aisa to Michiko. She caught my eyes for a moment, grimaced, and stepped closer to Aisa in a clear show of support. I turned to Kento, but he refused to look up from the ground, arms crossed and halfway turned away from me—whether from embarrassment that Aisa had brought him up or anger at me or a mixture of both I wasn't sure.

"So don't you dare," Aisa continued, quieter now, "don't you dare come back here expecting to be greeted with hugs or expecting us to forgive you or expecting everything to be the same." "You shouldn't have ever come back here!" Aiden echoed, superimposed over Aisa, and I blinked him away, shaking my head sharply. "You can't waltz back up and expect to just be our sensei again. You left. You left. And we didn't wait for you."

He stood there, hands in fists and shoulders hunched still, breathing heavily. Michiko walked up, putting a hesitant hand on his shoulder. After a moment he acquiesced, taking a step back. "C'mon, guys," Aisa growled, expression flinty. "We still have missions to finish."

They turned away as one, Michiko and Kento protectively falling into step beside him. Kento glanced back, strong and unyielding but something like sympathy or understanding in his face.

I just stood there, watching them go, feeling lost in a reconstructed village I didn't know.

_______________________________

Hello! Sorry for the late A/N those of you who have read already. Life has been so so crazy. 

A slightly longer update than usual to make up for the long wait!

But was a load has been going on this psst month between school and work and internships and family and friends so

In other news fuck game of thrones rushed fucking ending but gosh there were some beautiful shots in there and the music was amazing goodness

Endgame killed my heart please give me some peter Parker irondad happy fanfics to heal myself

ALSO IMPORTANT NOTICE: we're considering entering this story or frailty of genius (or both) into the naruto warty awards things. What do y'all think? Would you vote for us? Thanks!

Please leave long beautiful inspiring comments for us to read!!!!

Comment, Vote, and Fan!

Ja ne!

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