Making their way to the tower was surprisingly easy. They came across Gai's team only minutes after starting their journey. The Hyuga wanted to leave them to their fate, but Lee insisted that it was their duty to help their fellow Konoha shinobi. Haruka wasn't quite sure if he was just that kind of guy or if he felt he had to help them because of her quasi instant friendship with Gai, but she didn't really care. While having Team 10 around was nice, they weren't specialized for combat. So even if Lee was a little annoying and Neji was a grade A asshole, she was more than grateful for their help.
Between Haruka's sensing abilities and the Hyuga's Byakugan they managed to completely avoid combat. The wildlife was a little trickier, or would have been if it hadn't been for Tenten, Team Gai's weapons mistress. She skewered just about anything that so much as looked their way, including a grotesque plant with a penchant for meat.
The tower itself was old, the interior as battered and worn down as its exterior. All that greeted them was an empty foyer, balconies on either side and an inscription prominently featured on the wall across from the door.
"Well, let's open the scrolls," Shikamaru said after glancing at it for a second and then proceeded to do just that. Haruka immediately sprung into a defensive stance in front of her teammates, when chakra smoke wafted up from the scrolls. It looked and felt exactly like Orochimaru summoning that giant snake had, only with far less chakra involved.
The other genin gave her weird looks at the reaction, but after a moment's delay they too drew their weapons and took defensive stances. The chunin that rose out of the chakra smoke apparently hadn't expected that kind of greeting. He'd seemed smug at first, arms crossed and a lazy smirk on his face. That quickly changed however when he took in their appearance.
"Naruto!" He exclaimed, rushing forward, only to be stopped by a snarling Haruka. She body flickered straight into his path, slamming an open palm into his sternum. The man stumbled back several steps, gasping for air. He wore a Konoha hitai-ate, so she wouldn't try anything more lethal for now, but she also wouldn't let him near her teammates until she was certain that he didn't mean any harm to them. In Naruto's case that was never a sure thing, especially not with people old enough to remember Kyubi's attack.
"What are you doing?" Ino screeched from behind her. Haruka was about to snap something nasty at the blond when Shikamaru put a hand on her shoulder. She could feel his shadow connecting with hers, but he didn't actually try to restrain her movement—yet.
"That's Iruka-sensei, one of our Academy teachers. He's one of the few people that actually like Naruto," he said. She eyed the chunin a moment longer. He'd been the one that had tested her and announced the team assignments. She recognized his appearance. She'd even seen him at Ichiraku's with Naruto once, but she didn't remember what his chakra signature was supposed to feel like. He wasn't under a Transformation jutsu as far as she could tell, but then neither had Orochimaru been in the forest and the snake hadn't felt like himself either.
"Why's he here? He's not with Intelligence and all of the proctors and their helpers so far have been," Haruka asked, still staring at the chunin. The man looked baffled, but answered anyway.
"I put in a special request to surprise Naruto. I know as an Academy teacher I shouldn't have favorites, but…" and there he trailed off, with an embarrassed and slightly guilty look on his face. The expression matched the emotions she could sense from him, and Haruka slightly relaxed. Shikamaru didn't release her shoulder or shadow for several more seconds, but the touch was light.
"There a problem here?" A new voice suddenly asked from one of the balconies. At that the tension completely left Haruka's muscles. If Kakashi didn't have a problem with the chunin she didn't either.
"Team 7 requires medical attention and I need to make a report sir," she said with a salute. They weren't usually this formal, but if she didn't hide behind rules of conduct Haruka might just jump into Kakashi's arms and turn into a crying mess. Logically she knew that they were safe, at least for now. Orochimaru had left them because he'd already gotten what he wanted and had no reason to come for them again so soon, but that didn't stop her instincts from screaming at her that she should just grab anyone she cared about and run. Had Kakashi shown up in the forest at any other time after the snake had left them she'd have accepted his offer to escort them to the tower. The only reason she hadn't right after that fight against the Sound nin was the adrenaline that had still been coursing through her veins.
Kakashi easily picked up on her distress. He called on two ANBU to escort her teammates to medics and stand guard until further notice and then told her to follow him. She could practically taste the curiosity and worry in the air behind her, but ignored it. The other two teams and the teacher would just have to deal for now. Iruka apparently disagreed though.
"They're children!" He shouted at their retreating backs. "I warned you they weren't ready for this! I warned you! And now look at them. Naruto could have died!"
Kakashi stopped dead in his tracks, but didn't turn around. His chakra was tightly leashed, yet Haruka still felt the anger radiating off of him in waves. She didn't think anyone else could though.
"I already told you once: they're not your students anymore, they're my soldiers," he said, voice deceptively calm. For a moment she thought he might actually lash out, but then she felt the guilt in his chakra and the tension in his shoulders suddenly took on an entirely new meaning.
"You couldn't have known," Haruka whispered only loud enough for Kakashi to hear and then grabbed his hand, pulling him down the corridor. She proceeded to talk about silly things, like the colors of all the flowers she'd seen in the forest, in an effort to distract him. It didn't work very well and so she tried a different tactic the moment they reached an empty room and Kakashi activated the privacy seals within to make sure her report wasn't overheard. Haruka let go of his hand and rounded on him.
"How the hell could you have possibly known?" She snarled. "I'm the sensor, remember? I stood right fucking next to him before we went into the forest. And do you want to know what? I actually felt his chakra and didn't say anything. The proctor, Anko, has one of his Cursed Seals on her neck that holds part of his chakra and so I fooled myself that I had to be wrong, that he couldn't possibly be there because I didn't want him to be. If you want to blame anyone for this shit blame me!"
She rattled all of this down without stopping to breathe, and when she was done Haruka greedily sucked in air. Kakashi only stared at her in equal parts bewilderment, fondness and shock at her outburst.
"Pup," he sighed, patting her head. He didn't say anything else until her breathing had evened out and even then merely asked for her report. So report she did. She told him how Orochimaru had looked and felt like a completely different person without actively holding a jutsu. How the snake had marked Sasuke with what she assumed to be juinjutsu and did something to Naruto's jinchuriki seal to stop the chakra flow. She didn't know much about the latter, but was more than willing to share everything she had found out about the Cursed Seal of Heaven and its high chance to cause death. Kakashi was visibly surprised by just how much she knew, but he didn't interrupt her at any point. He also didn't ask how she had come by the information, instead just telling her to go see a medic with a pointed look at the blood that had dripped from her ears to her shoulders and stained the clothing.
"I've got one question while we're here," she said before he could open the door and thus deactivate the privacy seals. "I know you were ROOT at one point. Are you still?"
Kakashi turned back around so fast she didn't even see him do it. He had both hands on her shoulders, Sharingan eye exposed and stared right at her. Haruka waited him out, making sure to keep her posture relaxed and any kind of fear or judgment out of her face. She trusted Kakashi with her life and he needed to see that, needed to know that she would keep his secrets and follow his orders no matter what.
He stood there, just staring at her intently for a long time. Then she felt the tell-tale flicker of chakra on the back of his tongue and his expression suddenly changed to one of utter surprise. Haruka smiled at him.
"I'm not with ROOT and I'm not planning to change that anytime soon. Danzo isn't aware I know of the organization's existence, but I believe he will either try to recruit or kill me at some point. I also know about the seal that keeps you from talking and that it isn't perfect. Just say yes or no please.
"Have you seen councilman Danzo in the past three months?"
"Yes."
"Have you communicated with him in any way during that time?"
"Yes."
"Was it to exchange anything other than social formalities?"
"No."
Haruka went on in that manner for a while, never actually asking about ROOT and whether Kakashi had reported to or been given orders by Danzo. Instead she only asked about meetings with the councilman or people that acted on his behalf as well as any kind of nonverbal communication. Her sensei couldn't always answer, and he was incredibly tense by the time they were done, but Haruka was satisfied with what she had learned. Unless she had missed something, and she didn't think she had, Kakashi had only been an active ROOT member for a short time and left the organization over a decade ago. She still wasn't entirely sure what exactly the Hokage had to do with all of it, but that wasn't her priority at the moment. She already didn't trust the man and learning about the degree of his involvement with ROOT wouldn't change that.
"Thank you Sensei," Haruka said with a deep bow. She knew this had been unpleasant for him. He was good at hiding his emotions, even from her, most of the time, but he hadn't tried while answering the questions. Regret and guilt were the most prevalent ones, but there was also the occasional spike of fear. She didn't quite understand that last one until she straightened up again and found herself in a bone crushing hug.
It lasted only a few seconds and Kakashi vanished right after. Still, the eccentric jonin wasn't a touchy-feely kind of person. He usually tolerated her hugs when she needed reassurance, but he didn't initiate them. Had he actually been afraid she'd think any less of him?
"Stupid dog," she muttered under her breath when she left the room.