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Disclaimer: Naruto/characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, except for any characters that I conjure up... Then those kritters are mine! "The fact that you tagged along . . . makes me wonder where your loyalties lie." "Kakashi-" "Iruka, you should be well aware how I feel about teammates who go against a direct order. I might of not made it clear that it was an order . . but from experience, you should of known what I expected from you. Now, I have to worry whether Team 7 is endangered or not by your lack of perceptive." That man is so assaulting. I pity Team 7, if they are treated the same way I am. "Kakashi, I assure you, no harm will fall upon Team 7. At this time, I find it highly unlikely for anyone, whether friend or foe to seek them out-..." Iruka trailed off slightly, thinking back. He mentally went over each preparation he performed to assure that his statement to Kakashi was correct. Nodding inward in approval, Iruka continued, "...with the Festival amidst. Besides," he said offhandly, his voice picking up more confidence as he spoke. Seeing there was no more point in concealing his presence, Iruka stepped out of the foliage that veiled his form up to this point. He faced his condemner, "I've took care of it. No foreign ninja will set foot near the children, I give you my word." "Do you swear that on your life...?"asked Kakashi, dubiously. Kakashi never thought Iruka would make such a rash and poor decision. He knew how much those children meant to him. It just came as a shock. Kakashi even lost some respect for Iruka. "I do," promised Iruka, his voice grazing as his agitation became clear. Iruka bitterly starred up at Kakashi, whom cooly regarded him. Iruka never did appreciate being second-guessed by anyone but Iruka could understand Kakashi's doubts, he guessed. It didn't help he was only a chuunin. Iruka knew chuunins were branded as second class ninja's, whose only usefulness were handling C+ Rank missions or B+ if their skill was impressive enough. But on a scale that looks to strength and endurance, a ninja such as himself with his abilities and skills, were only considered average at best. But that wasn't always true. Iruka knew others who remained chuunin but were in fact much stronger than a jounin. It was preference, he supposed. Take him for example. He had chose not to take the final exams that would brandish him a warrior of the elite, gaining him extra prestiege and unnameable priviledges from the village. Instead, Iruka prefered his life as it was. Teaching at the Konoha Academy, guiding and instructing his young pupils to the way of the ninja so that they could go off and be the best they could be. Well, that is after his students graduated. Iruka also liked how his teaching position allowed him to be close to Naruto, as the boy grew up. Though, where his choice had its merrier points, there were also pitfalls to staying at his cuurent level... as Iruka crudely learnt over the years, refusing to budge from the decision he made with himself. Like the situation he was in now. If he were a jounin, Iruka knew without a doubt that his words would held more ground to which would meet Kakashi's standards but unfortunately, that wasn't how it was.
So instead, seeing no way around it, Iruka took Kakashi's threat head on, unflinchingly. Knowing full well that his life was at stake, if Kakashi followed through. Iruka found he was unfazed by his decision, even if it seemed foolish to an outside observer. Arrogant even... but that didn't matter. Iruka knew it was the only way to assure Kakashi that team 7 would be protected.
Author's Note: I cut off here, because I'm still editing. I had this chapter already written out with the changes but it was lost with my other stories. Sorry.
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