[The next day]
{On the outskirts of the village, 9:00 AM, female bath house}
*Sigh* Damn the water feels nice. I am so glad that this is a peace zone. I still need to look my best. But why does something feel off?(R)
*Frantically scans the room*
*Notices an eye looking at them through a hole in the wall*
…(R)
*Some of the girls notice the eye as well*
A PERVERT IS PEEKING ON US!(Girls)
Whoops. Been found out. Gotta go.(J)
You’re not going anywhere you pervert. Seriously, that place is not for perverts like you to see! *Blushing heavily*(R)
Let go of me damn fox! I need to leave!(J)
NO! You were peeking on me!(R)
Wait, you're female?!(J)
YES YA DAMN PERVERT! GIRLS, I FOUND HIM!(R)
*I will spare the details of Jiraiya getting beat up by a large group of angry women.*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[a few hours later, after everyone else’s jonin sensei had gotten them from the room already]
{In Naruto’s classroom}
Sauske was having a glaring contest with a fox, Naruto was thinking of placing a chalk sponge above the door to the classroom, and Sakura was getting more and more annoyed by how late their new sensei was.
Where is he?(Sakura)
I know, but I’m not gonna tell you. Seriously girl, how did you make it through the academy? I could beat you in a fight, and I’m suffering from severe malnutrition and many injuries. And I don’t know anything that would help me fight. How can you not tell where he is by now?(R)
Because she’s not a sensor-type like you are.(Kakashi)
Fine. I will let her off the hook for now.(R)
YOU’RE LATE!(Sakura)
I will give you your first test tomorrow. Meet me at the third training field at 7:00. Don’t eat breakfast. This test will determine if you will become a ninja or not.(K)
*Kakashi disappears without a word after saying this, while thinking “Time to see what they choose to do.”*
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Welp, I’m heading home. I’ll probably dig through a dumpster on the way home. See if I can manage to live for one more day. And there’s no way I’m going to not eat tomorrow. I only barely scrape by with not dying of starvation as is!(R)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kakashi watched the four of them. And he had to admit, he was disappointed. Since Sakura had such good test scores in the academy, he thought that she might go home and either study or train. Nope. She went straight into what can only be described as Sasuke. As in, his face covered every inch of space in the room. He immediately left that horror. Next was Sauske. He was even worse. He sat in a dark room, just oozing hate for itachi and brooding. Naruto just made Kakashi feel bad. He stopped by Techui’s ramen stall and ate an ungodly amount of ramen before returning to his home and letting down the happy-go-lucky facade he wore. He just about cried himself to sleep. Kakashi watched just in case, and sure enough, Naruto started having a nightmare. Then a certain fox came in through the window before curling up on his stomach and releasing a green aura, which seemed to chase the nightmare away. It then left through the window. Kakashi decided to follow the fox, who suddenly turned down an alley nearby, before rummaging through the dumpster. Seeing this made Kakashi feel even worse.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doing that consumes too much energy. I’m already constantly on the brink of death due to starvation, why do I help him? Welp, now I’ve gotta somehow find even more food. At least the ramen found here can keep me until I find more food later tonight, but it’s not much this time. Do I risk going through the dumpsters that aren’t on the outskirts of the village or are ignored by the villagers? Yeah, I have to. I don’t have a choice. *urgh* I can’t. This will just have to be enough. I’m too injured from those boys attacking me earlier to go anywhere. Looks like I’m gonna have to hide here until the morning. Hopefully I will feel well enough to move by then.(R)
*She faints*
I might as well help her. She’s one of my genin now, so it’s only natural that I take care of an injured genin.(K)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(The following morning, three hours before the start of the bell test)
[In kakashi’s house]
Urgh. Where am I?(R)
You’re in my house. I took you here and dressed your wounds last night. Also, don’t try to move. You need rest.(K)
No, what I need is to leave and go find food, before I go to the third training field. Also, can I get a name please? You’re talking from behind me, so I can’t see you.(R)
Kakashi. And no, you will not be eating out of the trash for breakfast.(K)
You’re going to re-seal me into a different host, aren’t you?(R)
No. You are going to rest for an hour or two before we go to the third training field for the test.(K)
Okay…(R)
Here. Have some breakfast.(K)
*Sets a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon with a piece of toast and a bowl of milk on the table in front of her*
Why did you set your food in front of me? Just to gloat as you eat it?(R)
No, that food is for you. I already ate.(K)
There’s a trick right? Nobody just gives me food, it’s always a trick.(R)
No trick. Just food.(K)
*Slowly takes a bite of eggs, as though she expected it to explode, while staring at him.*
It’s not poisoned? Or spiked? Or just an explosive tag made to look like food? It’s actual food? And it’s not even a day old.(R)
*At this revelation Ritorushisu starts crying*
Why are you crying?(K)
I-I-I-(R)
I’ve never had actual food before. I’ve always had to eat out of dumpsters, never staying at any one dumpster long enough to eat more than a bite or two before I had to leave, unless I wanted to be beaten up. I’m hated by nearly the entire village, why are you being so nice to me?(R)
I don’t entirely know why myself. I will leave you to rest.(K)
*Kakashi leaves and shuts the door behind him.*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unbeknownst to Kakashi, helping Ritorushisu was the first step towards healing the darkness in his heart.