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Recherche	By : Eggburtshamslice Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Kakashi/Iruka Views: 4188 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I make any profit from this work of fanfiction.

Chapter List
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Everybody knows there are three sides to every story. We’ve heard Iruka’s side, and now we’ll hear Kakashi’s, but will truth tell its side? Reckon we’ll have to let Ibiki suss that out.

"Go, inform our Lord that Morino is on his way,” Maito told the wolves at his side. "I will be at his right hand directly.”
Recherché
Save the ancestral home of the Hyuga, Hatake manor was one of the largest estates in the territory; it loomed in the distance as his vision swam. Heavy night air, laced with the alternating fragrances of wisteria, lilac, evening primrose and jessamine relentlessly pounced from every quarter as he drew closer. Up ahead, torchlight lined the path to the main house, illuminating expanses of green as far as the eye could see. Beyond the gates, vineyards as crouching soldiers arrayed to his right, orchards of peach and pear trees stood as hulking leafy armies on his left. The moment they crossed the property line, Ibiki hurriedly dismounted and raced toward the bushes.
Haven’t retched like that in years, he thought wiping at his mouth.
Praying he’d find at least one of the candied ginger lozenges from Ryota, a listless hand fumbled about inside a coat pocket as he caught his breath. Leaning against Mayonaka’s flank, he debated the wisdom of continuing. What the hell am I gonna say to this man anyway?
‘I hear tell you’re a bloodthirsty monster, Hatake-dono,
one who murders women for sport.
Care to change into your true form that I might arrest you?’
He slowly shook his head and once his surroundings ceased from their spinning, he determined to press onward. Leather reins clutched in his fist, Mayonaka gently guided and supported him up the steep incline. Ere he reached the main entrance, servants poured from the house, aligning themselves on the stairs. Those at the bottom of the steps greeted him profusely, offering food and water for his mount as they led Mayonaka away. Oh, that’s right. Rich folk do this as a matter of course … servants stand at the ready for whatever may come. Ere he reached the massive doors, they swung inward, revealing a smiling olive skinned man dressed in a suit of fine woven woolens and silk.
“Welcome to the house of Hatake Inspector. I am Kinoe,” the young man said as he bowed deeply.
“Sorry to disturb at this hour. Hatake-dono, is he in residence?”
“Yes, please, come in.   You'll pardon the state of the manor; renovations are ongoing, and unfortunately, we’ve engaged thoughtless workmen that tend to leave things lying about.”
Crossing the threshold, the first thing Ibiki saw was a family herald emblazoned on the marble floor of the great hall. Under the lights of a centuries old chandelier, thousands of tiny pieces of colored glass merrily twinkled. Closer examination was made possible as the servant drew him into the foyer. Dominating the herald’s surface were two massive grey wolves reared up on their hind legs; their front paws supporting either side of the letter ‘H,’ and above their heads floated braided crowns of gold. Two curved staircases of white slate steps and handrails of polished ebony led to what Ibiki assumed was the ballroom. Above the landing, where the staircases merged, portraits of the previous heads of this family stared back at him from pristine white walls.
So, those are the brothers Lady Tsunade mentioned. The current clan head, center most. Its picture frame differs from the others … probably had it commissioned in Europe.
“Your overcoat, sir,” Kinoe said as he eased it from his shoulders.
Ibiki had but a few moments to drink in the grandeur of the foyer before he was ushered into a lush waiting room.   “Please make yourself comfortable Inspector. I’ll inform the Master of your arrival.”
Standing in the center of this room felt as if he'd been sucked through a portal in time and spat out in the living space of a samurai. Weapons of war and ancient proverbs decorated the walls, and in the far corner of the room stood a complete suit of iron armor. Other artifacts of antiquity found their homes atop marble pedestals encased in glass. He was denied an opportunity to snoop about at leisure, as a bevy of servants paraded through the space offering trays of refreshments and polite conversation.
All too soon, Kinoe returned. “Master is ready to receive you," he announced. "Right this way, if you please.”
As they walked down the long corridor, servants dashed about on fleet feet, toting heavy boxes of silverware, candelabras of gold and other expensive looking knickknacks. They too bowed and smiled politely before scurrying hither and yon. At the door of the large room at the end of the hall, Kinoe knocked twice before holding the door open for him. Out of the corner of his eye, Ibiki saw a burly man abandoning one of the chairs to stand by the fireplace. Pretty sure that isn't him, he thought, a bodyguard perhaps?
“Inspector Morino,” came a voice near the hearth. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this evening?”
Kinoe conducted him deeper inside the salon until he stood before the silver haired master of the manor. “Hatake-dono … pardon my visit at this late hour--”
“It is I who must apologize for the slovenly state of my home; we've laborers bumping about during the day. I declare, they seem bound and determined to leave unfinished work and piles of sawdust lying about. This small salon is the only place I can work in peace and receive guests.”
“I’ll not take up too much of your time, sir.”
Sumptuous leather groaned as the man leaned forward in his seat. “Think nothing of it. My eye long ago grew weary of reading and my hand cramped from writing. Please, have a seat beside me Inspector ... I won’t bite,” he said with a chuckle in his voice.
Bowing before the master, meant leaving his back vulnerable to man standing at the hearth, still, Ibiki drew closer, ignoring his instincts. Whoever this person was, maintained a posture which smacked of violence, his breaths coming as low growls from his throat. I'm imagining things, Ibiki thought, as he rose to see Hatake, a slight smile on his lips and eyebrows raised in anticipation of amiable conversation. Hmm … he looks just as he did in the portrait.   Without the eyepatch, he seems younger, more approachable than he did at the tsuya.
“I was about to pour plum brandy for myself and Maito there behind you. Care to join us Inspector?”
“Thank you, no,” Ibiki said as his stomach flipped wrong side out.   “As I’m here in an official capacity, best keep my wits sir.” He stood there awkwardly for another moment, thinking it rude to position himself on Hatake's blind side. Nah, its fine … won’t need to look him in the eye to know whether he’s hiding something.
Gesturing for him to be seated once more, Hatake warmly smiled. “My nearest neighbor is the cemetery, surely this isn’t a noise complaint, is it?”
Ibiki swallowed down the bile racing toward the back of his throat as the fragrant amber liquid flowed from its decanter.   “Nothing like that,” he managed to say as he eased into the chair. “I'm afraid grievous accusations have been leveled against you Hatake-dono. I’ll need ask a few questions if you don’t mind.”
Reclining against the chair back, the master of the manor said, "Anyway I can be of assistance to the constables, I count an honor. Maito, fetch a seat from the other side of the room … you’ll sit by the bookcase for now.   Lazily passing the snifter beneath his nose, he said, "Grievous accusations against me, hmm ... do tell, Inspector.”
Ibiki cleared his throat while searching for an empty page in the notebook taken from his breast pocket. “Are you now or have you ever been acquainted with a Dr. Umino Tadashi?”
“Why yes of course … he worked with my father in London for years. A first rate anatomist and a brilliant teacher …until the poor man lost his mind.”
Patting down his jacket in search of a fountain pen, Ibiki lowered his voice, “His son, Umino Iruka, recently arrived in Konoha. He claims you're responsible for the deaths of eight young women in the territory. What say you, sir?”
Once again, Hatake pushed himself forward, letting the snifter rest on the table between them as he and the returning Maito shared a laugh. “Blaming a string of murders on me … this is a new low for him.” He twisted in his seat that he might look Ibiki in the eye. “The younger Umino … strange little man; followed me around London for weeks after my father died--”
“And did you report his stalking to the police?”
“No,” he said reaching for the snifter and sinking back into the chair. “As foreigners, our claims weren’t always given highest priority.”
Suddenly, the dour husky man stood between them, snatching up the snifter as he looked down his nose at Ibiki.
“Maito, do behave. I beg pardon on his behalf, Inspector,” he leaned to the side of the chair to whisper. “He's been rather territorial of late … you’re occupying his seat--”
“Sorry," Ibiki said as he made to rise, "I don’t mind standing--”
“Nonsense, you’re a guest," he said, cutting his eyes at the servant, "I’m certain Maito will recover good manners in due time.”
The servant immediately straightened, drew back three paces and bowed. “Apologies, my Lord … Inspector Morino.” Returning to the bookcase near Hatake's right side, he continued glowering at Ibiki even as he took his seat and sipped at the brandy.
“The reason I never reported the younger Umino's actions was because I felt sorry for him. I maintained hope we could forge a bond of friendship despite the unpleasantness between our fathers.” He paused for another sip of brandy, letting it warm him as it sailed over his tongue and down his throat. “Unfortunately, Iruka remains convinced I was somehow to blame for his father’s mental decline.”
“I see,” Ibiki said tapping his pen against the notebook, “so, it isn’t the first time he’s accused you of wrongdoing.”
“Sadly, no. But now that he’s here in Konoha, I must put forth an effort to speak with him … have you any idea where I can find him Inspector?”
“One of the inns in town, I’d imagine. With all due respect sir, I believe you erred by not reporting his actions to the authorities--”
“Rest assured, had this occurred here, I would have brought it to your immediate attention. As it happened abroad, I had no desire to cast aspersions on his character or tarnish my own reputation.”
Ibiki looked up from his notes. “Not sure I understand--”
“You’re a man of the world … think about it. Had I come to you saying a young, unmarried man was relentless in his pursuit of me, you’d think him odd … am I right?”
“I already think him odd sir … but for reasons I will not bore you with.”
"People overseas think us Japanese peculiar as a whole," Hatake softly chuckled, "what with our seemingly mysterious behaviors. Had I lodged a complaint with the authorities, Iruka would have been ostracized as a pantywaist, labeled a dandy and shunned by proper society. We would have been written off as two Oriental men having a ‘lover’s row.’ Probably would’ve jailed both of us for espousing unnatural affections--”
"Yes”, the noise of the pen’s nib as it scratched through a line of text filled the silent room, “… I see your point.”
“Umino’s two friends … are they here as well? Those three used to be inseparable.” Slapping at his knee, he laughed and said, “They were always getting into devilment when they were younger.”
“Acquaintances were you?”
“Necessity demanded it. The part of town where Father maintained residence was home to fifty or sixty Japanese people; impossible not to meet everyone at least once.”
“Guess I took it for granted that you lived with your father.”
“I did not, unfortunately ... now that’s he’s gone,” Hatake breathed, “how wish I’d spent more time at his side. You see, I lived in Cornwall with a friend of the family most of the year, though I always came up to London at the weekends or during breaks in my studies.”
“Can anyone vouch for your whereabouts on the night Hyuga Hitomi was murdered?”
“He was with me,” Maito said. “We were on our way back from Sunagakure where we’d attended a symposium. They honored my Master for a journal he’d published. Would you care to see the award Inspector?”
“I would,” he said as Maito stood.   “Please understand sir,” he turned to Hatake saying, “I’m merely compiling evidence for my report.”
“You are a cautious and fair man, Inspector … which I appreciate; with a homicidal maniac running loose, we can’t be too careful these days. There was quite the furor surrounding the questioning of prominent doctors and surgeons months ago. I must say, I felt slighted at the exclusion from that cadre of my fellows.”
Maito returned before Ibiki could respond, holding forth a cut crystal bowl shaped object bearing the name, Hatake Kakashi with the date awarded, etched into one side. Damn! It was the same day Hitomi died. Travel from Konoha to Suna is a two day carriage ride, and a day's journey by boat, he thought. Impossible for him to be here and there at the same time.   “Thank you for indulging me, sir.”
Maito soon snatched it away, grumbling to himself as he placed the trophy on the mantle.
“Speaking of indulgences, let’s see if I can remember Umino’s friends correctly. There was … Hagane Kotetsu, apprentice to a sword maker. While he wasn’t the scholarly type, he had a wisdom born of the earth. If ever you needed a guide through the deep dark forests, he was your man; dead on accurate with bow and arrow too I'm told.”
"He is indeed world wise, sir."
Hatake tapped at his chin, “Now, as to the other fellow, Kamizuki Izumo ... I believe he was a medical student. Someone said he practiced alongside a doctor for a time. Not sure if he completed his studies as I remember hearing he became the sole caretaker of the elder Umino in his last months."
“Makes you wonder how they became such good friends,” Ibiki said as he doodled along the side of the page.
"Indeed. If memory serves, Izumo's father and Tadashi were half-brothers; same mother, she married again after the first husband died, or was she divorced, Maito?”
The man in the corner simply shrugged his shoulders and slugged down his drink.
“Finally," Hatake continued, "we have … Umino Iruka. I know of a certainty he received a doctorate in architecture or was it anthropology?”
“I was made to understand his doctorates are in the fields of anthropology and archeology, sir.”
"Yes, of course." Once more, Hatake leaned forward in his chair. “Umino Iruka, an academically exceptional young man, though he is also a man given to delusions, as was his father. Perhaps if I ignore his ravings, he’ll tire of this campaign against me. What do you think Inspector, is it worth a try?”
“I don't believe so," he said finishing up his notes. "Umino seems hellbent on ruining your reputation. Crossing an ocean in pursuit of one man … wrongheaded as they may be, you have to admire his convictions. He insists your father, killed his father--”
“After all this time," Hatake sighed, "that poor lost soul still has his facts jumbled about."
“How bout it then," Ibiki asked as he leaned back in his chair, arms draped over the bolsters, "what say you clarify these facts?”
"Gladly,." Hatake drained his glass before he began. "My father and Umino Tadashi had long been business partners and friends, but they had a terrible falling out. The night my father was killed, he'd gone to see if he and Tadashi could make amends."
"Any idea what caused the rift between them, sir?"
“From what I gathered, they'd been working on a controversial project which needed additional funding. After securing private investors, word of their work leaked to the public. Naturally, Tadashi and my father blamed one another, I believe this contributed to a parting of ways; can't say for certain, I'm afraid.”
“Kamizuki also spoke of a project. Have you any idea what that was?”
“Afraid not. Specifics of their work, as well the accompanying notes fell to the ages." He refilled the snifter saying, "Whatever that project was, it had the ultra-religious folk up in arms.   For months afterwards, Father received death threats. He was hounded by fanatics who hurled accusations at him on the streets; they even formed protest groups outside his home by night. I think the pressure prompted Father to make his peace with Tadashi.” Transfixed by the liqueur splashing against the sides of the snifter, Hatake continued, “An assailant tracked him to Umino’s home that night, crashed through a window in the study …” his voice trailed off, “Father was ... decapitated.”
The man in the corner hung his head, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.
“I heard the same thing from Kamizuki and Umino, only they implied you were the one who came crashing through the window.”
“Such a traumatic evening for everyone concerned, Inspector. A rap on the door in the dark of night; the Coroner standing on the stoop of Father’s house and I in my bedclothes. By the time Maito, the undertaker and I arrived to claim his body from the Umino residence, the constables were just leaving.  According to their reports, Tadashi attempted to shield my father from the attacker, sustaining wounds to his chest and hands which required medical intervention.”
“Iruka said his father was bloodied, but he left out the part about Tadashi’s attempts to protect your father.”
“As I said … it was a horribly confusing night. I believe I still have a copy of the constable’s reports somewhere ... I’ll have Kinoe search the cupboards first thing in the morning--”
“No need, I’m sure I can send a request for that information. Yes … I think that might be the best way to ascertain all the facts,” Ibiki said.
Maito rose, signaling it was either time for Ibiki’s departure or time for a refill of his drink.
“Hatake-dono, I’m quite familiar with your father’s work, but didn’t you also work as an anatomist?”
“Father insisted," he chuffed. "Had to give it up though ... the smell of blood and decaying flesh got to me after a while. If I’m honest with myself, I grew tired of being compared to the great Hatake Sakumo, had to carve out my own path as it were. As the eldest son of the Morino Kenta, surely you understand what that’s like?”
“You knew my father?”
“Who didn’t? He was one of the finest equestrian breeders in the Five Nations. Father purchased many a stallion and mare from your family.”
By now, Maito was pacing before the fireplace.
“And how go the renovations to the manor?”
“Slowly. This house was closed up for over thirty years; you’d be surprised how much work needs doing. I’m looking to expand the property, increase its value ... I have a permit to do so, if you'd care to examine it--"
“I'm certain you do sir. Least that explains excavation of the land near the cemetery. I also hear you’re looking to marry ... congratulations.”
“Yet another duty to fulfill as head of a clan… leave descendants to carry on the family name and all that.”
Depositing the notebook and pen in his breast pocket, Ibiki stood and gracefully bowed. “Again, I apologize for interrupting your work. Good evening, Hatake-dono.”
He sat the snifter atop the table and stretched his arms over his head. “I really must get back to work; I've a strict publisher and an even stricter deadline. I do hope we'll have another chance to speak again ... preferably, not when I'm under suspicion. A pleasant evening to you, Inspector ... Maito will see you out.”
As they exit, Kinoe slipped inside the salon. “Master,” he said approaching the fireplace, “the younger Umino’s continued presence presents us with a sticky situation.”
‘That is none of your concern. Renovations … how much longer until completion?”
“A few days only, my Lord. Would you care to review the guest list for the soiree now?”
“No,” he waved him away, “you’re far too gleeful about this invasion of my privacy. What I want now are six specially prepared invitations, drawn by your hand.”
Grinning broadly, the servant turned about for the short walk to his desk.
“Where are you going Kinoe,” the master called languidly, swabbing his finger round the snifter’s balloon. “Did I not say six ‘specially’ prepared invitations? Regular ink simply will not do for these.”
Hastening to where the Master sat, Kinoe knelt before the table between the chairs and fetched a small spoon like receptacle from a hidden compartment. His eyes grew wide as the Master reverted to his true form, his breath coming in ragged snatches as razor sharp fangs surrounded the fleshy part of his Master’s finger when it disappeared between his lips. With a trembling hand, he caught thick drops of blood as they splashed against the receptacle. Slowly Hatake took on his human appearance, saying, “You’ll need Maito’s help to do this correctly. Once prepared, this is to be kept in the antechamber until the time of my choosing.” Running his finger over Kinoe’s lips, Hatake smeared the remaining blood from one corner to the other of his servant’s mouth. “This should keep him from attacking you.”
“Thank you Master. Shall I assume these invitations are for your intended and her kin?”
"Assume nothing. Hasten to do as instructed, lest I withdraw my protection. Maito will be waiting for you inside the vault.”
“Right away, my Lord.”

Notes:
Dono: when attached to a name, it roughly means "lord" or "master". It does not equate noble status; rather it is a term akin to "Milord" and lies above Sama in level of respect.
Kenta: healthy, strong or big and stout.
Cadre: a group of people having some unifying relationship; a small group of people, specially trained for a particular purpose or profession.
Anatomist: an expert in anatomy; one who dissects (the human body in particular) to study its structures in detail.
Chuff: a sound of or like the exhaust of a steam engine.
Fountain pens were first imported to Japan during the Meiji period.
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