Kakashi walked in Monday feeling refreshed and reenergized. With the state tests the previous week, it was almost like another vacation because of the quiet. Plus, he didn't have any major assignments to grade with the afternoons of the previous week being toned down due to the intensive testing in the mornings. So the Scarecrow's weekend had been a rare foray into being the ultimate lazy. He'd slept most of the weekend away, letting various plans for the week filter in the back of his mind while he recreated and did nothing mentally or physically strenuous. So Monday dawned bright and early with Kakashi walking with a distinctive bounce in his step.

Monday was relatively average for a Monday. Classes went back to normal and the students groaned about having to do work in class again. About the only item of note was that Gai mentioned that Kankuro might still be up to his selling answers routine, especially since he had the Green Beast's class first and could see any tests before the rest of the student body.

Now Kakashi knew that there was always a certain amount of sharing about tests or quizzes as the day went on. Asuma would gripe about how students in his last period would always seem to know about certain questions on the test, even if they still had no clue how to solve the problem. Students would often copy each other's homework, thus preventing any actual learning, but no matter how much stomping he and his team did, it was a fact of life. But out and out cheating, copying answers down and then sharing them with those who hadn't had the test yet, hadn't happened.

When he'd heard about this, the English teacher had suggested that everyone start keeping a closer eye on the little manipulator. However, nothing came of it until Wednesday. And Wednesday turned out to be a severely long day.

It dawned cloudy and drizzly, hardly the "out like a lamb" that March was always rumored to be. During first period, the Scarecrow had stepped out briefly to make some extra copies he hadn't had a chance to do the previous evening, leaving the para to go over the homework, which would take a good ten or fifteen minutes. Besides, it was first period. They were all still half asleep and wouldn't be much a problem. It was a docile class anyway.

He had just turned the corner into his hall, his room down at the other end (since the teacher's copier was at the other end of the rectangle), when he'd heard Gai's clear voice echoing down the hall.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

Naturally, Kakashi quickened his step.

Before he arrived, Gai's voice bellowed, "YOU GO TO EBISU-SENSEI THIS INSTANT!"

Halfway down the hall, the English teacher watched Kankuro, looking sullen, exit Gai's room and shuffle around the corner heading to the office. Still concerned, (since though the Green Beast could roar very well, the English teacher rarely heard that volume) Kakashi poked his head in across the hall. He noted that Iruka was absent, since the special education teacher was supposed to be with Gai first period, and that there was an unnatural silence across the room. The social studies teacher was currently leaning down with Gaara, quietly discussing what looked like a worksheet. Gai glanced up and offered his Nice Guy smile before turning back to the moody redhead.

Kakashi nodded, returned across the hall to his room, expecting an interesting story when E Period came around.

The Scarecrow didn't make it to team time before hearing rumblings, however. When C Period rolled around, Kakashi got a call from Ebisu to come down and see him. Curious and with a slight dread for unknown reasons seeping down his spine, he turned off his lights, shut his door, and meandered around the corner and down the hall to the office.

The "office" was it's own contained little world, in many ways very separate from the school. The door you entered through was part of a half-glass wall, giving Shizune and the other secretaries a clear view of the hall and whoever was walking by. Under the windows was a bench where Kakashi recognized several troublemakers from the seventh and eight grade (mostly the seventh), waiting for Ebisu to come forward and address them. Like with the health center, there was a large counter blocking off non-personal from coming around. Behind it was Shizune's desk and three other desks for the secretaries who worked for the school. Hidden behind a filing cabinet was a hall which held several offices, from Sandaime's, to Ebisu's, the school's three social workers, the school psychologist, the school counselor, and a door at the end that led into the guidance department and its little world.

Sandaime had a nice corner office that had plenty of room and across he hall was Ebisu's windowless room, the way the vice principal preferred it. The door was closed and Kakashi heard Ebisu's dulcet tones as he addressed whatever student he was dealing with. He knocked briefly, letting Ebisu know he was there.

Within moments, Gaara was being a given a pass from Ebisu to head back to class while the English teacher was ushered in and taking the seat Gaara had just vacated.

"Yes?" Kakashi asked, uncertain why he had been called down.

Ebisu let out a long sigh, pushing up his glasses. "You were in Gai's classroom this morning?"

The Scarecrow raised a hidden eyebrow. "For all of ten seconds. Why?"

"I need you to tell me what prompted you to go into his room and everything you saw and heard."

Now Kakashi was worried. With his usual clarity, he repeated everything verbatim, since it wasn't much, and offered his usual observations and thoughts on everything he saw.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Ebisu just sighed. "Why couldn't there have been another adult in the room?" he mumbled. "Thanks, you can get back to class now."

Not liking the dismissal, Kakashi frowned and leaned forward. "Ebisu, what's this all about? What happened?"

The vice principal said nothing, stood, and opened the door.

Kakashi was still frowning as he left and made a beeline for Shizune to see what she could provide. While she looked around nervously, the Scarecrow noted that a lot of the seventh graders he saw on the bench had been in Gai's first period, and not all of them were the usual problems.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi," Shizune apologized again. "I really don't think it's my place to say."

Nodding, the Scarecrow started his own fact-finding mission. First stop: Gai.

"Ah, Kakashi, my eternal rival. What brings you to my humble room during our period for preparing for our youthful charges?"

The Green Beast seemed unconcerned, and even unknowledgeable of what was going on.

"Gai," Kakashi asked with similar non-concern. "What happened this morning? Why did you send Kankuro out?"

Gai smiled a sort of wry smile that still flashed far to brightly to be completely human. "I see I have roused your curiosity, a difficult feat for any other than a youthful entity. I assure you I had complete control of the situation, despite my increased volume.

"My classes are having a quiz today, and as per your request, I've been keeping a steady eye on our youthful entrepreneur. I noticed that he was writing on his arm, and when I looked, he was copying down the answers he was giving on his quiz to his very flesh for selling between classes. I spoke to him about it and he proceeded to give me the silent treatment. After separating him from his classmates by putting him in a corner," he gestured to a desk he had facing the wall, "I returned to circulating around the youth surrounding me."

Kakashi listened intently while looking impassive.

"I had just finished helping Shiori understand a question when I turned and saw Kankuro with a pair of scissors in hand ready to throw them at an unsuspecting fellow student. I sensed impending flight of the scissors and yelled at him." Which would explain why Gai's voice echoed down the hall. It would take something like the endangering of a student, even through another student's stupidity, to get Gai to raise his volume so much.

The Green Beast snorted. "While sad, it is unsurprising that Kankuro argued that he hadn't done anything wrong. I sent him out."

"Did Kankuro say anything else?"

"No, I do not believe so." Gai hesitated, striking a thoughtful pose. "No, he didn't say anything else. With our little puppet master gone, I went back to helping the students and was with our sullen Gaara when you checked in." The social studies teacher looked over to the English teacher, raising a busy eyebrow.

"It is unlike you, my rival, to come seeking information unless you are searching for facts."

The Scarecrow nodded. "Something's caught Ebisu's attention about the incident. I was just called down to repeat everything I knew."

"Haha!" Gai leaned back, letting out a loud guffaw. "Kakashi, I can see your concern. While I appreciate it, I assure you, all is well. Now certainly, you have work to be doing this period?"

Kakashi continued to frown, but saw the quizzes that Gai was grading. The Green Beast had been honest and forthcoming, as was his code, so Kakashi went to his next source of information. He went next door to talk to Iruka.

"Sorry, Kakashi," the special education teacher said, "I was in a PPT A Period with Shikamaru's dad."

Disgruntled, the Scarecrow returned to his room, not knowing where to go next aside from listening to students, his best source of gossip. He looked at his phone and saw a message. Thinking it was a parent; he dialed in.

Surprised, Kakashi's sinking further got even worse as he rushed out of his room and down to the Health Center. Tsunade was at the front desk, writing out a pass to Li, who had been on crutches for the past few weeks.

"Greetings, Kakashi-sensei!" Li bowed.

"Hello, Li. When will you be getting off of those crutches?"

The mini-Gai smiled, raising his fist in determination. "The doctors say that my ankle is doing well and that my cast will be removed this weekend! I start physical therapy next week! This is most wondrous news!"

A small smile slid onto Kakashi's face. "Good for you," he said. "So you'll be back to running cross-country soon?"

Giant tears welled in Li's eyes. "Alas! I am uncertain as to if I will be back to form by next fall or not! One of my greatest wishes is to be on the cross-country team at the high school next year, but I do not know if my training will be sufficient to regain my ability! I do not wish to disappoint Coach Gai-sensei by being unable to be on the high school team!"

"Don't worry, Li. Talk to Gai-sensei. I'm sure if he learns about your physical therapy, he might be able to offer some suggestions on how to get back up to par. Just remember to not exceed whatever Gai tells you. You need time to heal, remember."

"Yes! Kakashi-sensei!"

"Here's your pass, now get going," Tsunade growled, shoving the small, paper rectangle into Li's hand.

"I will see Coach Gai-sensei right now!"

"You have class to get to," Tsunade snapped. "Now get going."

"Yes! Tsunade-sama!"

With a swift swinging gate, Li sped out of the Health Center. With the mini-Gai gone, the Scarecrow followed Tsunade to her small office. She sat heavily, stretched, and rubbed her eyes.

"This is going to be a fucking mess," she growled.

"Is that message true?"

"Yes. Ebisu came in A Period with Kankuro in tow to show me the kid's arm. The arm was red and bleeding in some spots, showing recent signs of, basically, getting stabbed with a pencil or pen, maybe scissors. The little kid was claiming that Gai did it."

"'Fucking mess' is too nice a phrase," Kakashi frowned, sinking into a chair across from the nurse, feeling like he was in a cold, dark place. This was going to be worse than the Hyuga going after the English teacher. He just hoped that the local news vultures didn't get their hands on this. They'd already had enough bad press lately. "And our illustrious vice principal hasn't spoken to Gai yet."

"Idiot."

"The only other witnesses were the students."

"Even better."

"Have you noticed how this year is royally fucked up?"

"Maybe just a little."

Kakashi sighed before standing up. He had a friend to warn of impending doom.

He got back to Gai's room just as SSR was starting and he could already hear the rumors in the hall about the Green Beast unleashing its claws on a defenseless student first period. Many students seemed unsurprised, reciting stories on how Gai was always screaming at their class and how he seemed to enjoy getting certain students in trouble. A few, like Sakura, Hinata, Shikamaru, etc, disagreed strongly, saying that the social studies teacher would never do such a thing. Proponents of the Gai-hitting countered with detailed evaluations of Gai's exuberant behavior, his unnatural fondness for "youth", and his never-ending proclamations of various shapes and sizes.

Rumor mill aside, what really had Kakashi worried was that a substitute was in Gai's room. That mean that Ebisu was talking to the social studies teacher, and Gai was getting blindsided. The students were naturally having a field day with the Green Beast's sudden disappearance. The thoughts varied from something as mundane as he went home sick like a student would, to he was suspended, to he was arrested.

Things just kept getting better and better.

With SSR having already started, Kakashi entered his room and sat at his desk, pondering his next move. He didn't know Gai's class rosters off the top of his head, and even if he were to bounce around and start interviewing, he wouldn't get anything more than Ebisu would. It was a bad conundrum. Anything he could think of required that he wait, and Gai didn't necessarily have that time. For all Kakashi knew, Gai could be being fired at this very moment.

So he just sat there, through SSR, pondering his options. Sakura and Sasuke would glance back at him from time to time, and Naruto did as well once he joined halfway through the period. He sent out an email to the rest of his team, hoping that they might know something or have any ideas, but everything Kakashi thought of was far too drastic.

When the students were finally off to their E Period classes, the Scarecrow ignored his lunch and instead went to Gai's room. Seeing he wasn't there and the sub had disappeared to cover another class, Kakashi turned the corner and headed down to the office. Shizune told him that Gai was still talking with Ebisu when,

"I AM A DEFENDER AND EDUCATOR OF YOUTH! HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST OTHERWISE?"

That wasn't going to help Gai's case.

Breezing pass a worried-looking Shizune, Kakashi went right to Ebisu's door, didn't bother to knock, and barged right in.

Inside, Gai was standing, shaking with anger and rage, his fists clenching an unclenching, and his head down with a low growl emanating from deep within his chest. Across the desk, Ebisu was also standing, red-faced as he calmly adjusted his glasses. The tension in the room was tangible, and Kakashi could feel the sparks going on under both men's skins. To avoid any direct bloodshed, the English teacher reached out and put a hand on Gai's shoulder.

"If you don't mind, Ebisu, we're running late for our Team Time. I'd also like to talk to you later about a few things, if that's all right. For now, we'll be going."

It took a very firm tug and yank to get Gai moving, but Ebisu said nothing, just sat back down. "Students outside," Kakashi pitched his voice to his friend. "Calm face."

Gai said nothing, his fists still shaking at his side, but with a deep breath, he put on what was meant to be a placid face. Instead, it came off as looking annoyed and vaguely disgusted, but Kakashi wasn't going to argue the finer points of masking feelings from students. They walked side by side all the way to Asuma's room in complete silence, where the math teacher was slurping noodles out of a cup of instant ramen.

When Go-sama saw who had entered his room, he said nothing, locking the door behind them. Opening up a cabinet, he pulled out a few cushy pillows reserved for emergency purposes and set them up on a chair that Kakashi all but shoved Gai onto. With Gai still stewing, Asuma pulled out two other cups of ramen, poured some boiled water from his coffee pot into the cups and put them in microwave.

With steaming college-food in hand, the three sat in a circle around Asuma's desk as the Green Beast fought down his ferocity. Kakashi had never seen Gai worked up like this before. Sure, he'd seen his friend get angry or frustrated with the kids, but that came with the job. Gai was always in earnest with whatever he was doing or feeling, but this level of sheer fury was new and unknown for Kakashi.

It made the English teacher realize, in a sad way, that while Gai was his friend, Kakashi didn't know how to be a friend to Gai. He maintained the rivalry, joined the Green Beast for Thanksgiving, and shared a miniscule part of his burdens with the social studies teacher. But he'd never really reciprocated. He could notice if something was troubling Gai (or any other member of his team) and he'd do what he could to help solve the problem, but he never dealt with the emotional fallout that could occur.

Kakashi sucked as a friend.

The social studies teacher finally stirred from his simmering and inhaled the ramen in almost one whole gulp. He finally let out a long sigh that ended in a faint angry growl.

"At least our esteemed vice-principal does not waste time."

"What happened?" Asuma asked.

"I was called down at the end of our period of preparation where I met with not only our beloved vice principal, but a representative of DCF."

"That's it? No union representative?"

Gai gave an ironic grin. "None. Ebisu clearly felt that speed was the better part of dealing with the situation, being a mandated reporter and all."

"Bastard."

"The interview involved the DCF asking leading questions to ascertain if I was the result of Kankuro's injuries or not. Since I knew nothing of what they were speaking, I was quite confused."

And made a number of statements that could be misinterpreted no doubt. Kakashi's frown deepened.

"Since I did not know what they were speaking of, I gave an unguarded answer to every question. When I finally started to understand that Kankuro had reported that I'd struck him repeatedly with something, I retreated in my statements and rephrased many things." Gai gave a snort. "But my attempts came too late. I fear that I may not stay at this school for very long." He let out a sob before slamming his palms to his eyes and leaning forward with great fat tears leaking out from his eyes.

Now Kakashi had seen Gai cry a great many times. Especially last year when Gai's best student Li would continuously do something to move the Green Beast with overwhelming emotion. There was the time three years ago at Thanksgiving when a family member had told Gai that his cousin had passed away oversees and when the social studies teacher heard a particularly awful story from the lives of his students.

But this crying was different. All previous times involved the Green Beast being concerned for others. These tears were because Gai was concerned about his future. A degree in history didn't lend itself to jobs and if DCF put this on a permanent record, he'd never work as a teacher again. Not with children, Gai's great love. These were tears of anguish and concern. All teachers have had a student hate them at some point in their careers, but it took a very rare child to actually go about and try to get a teacher in trouble. At most they'd grumble and groan to their friends and family and some, like the Hyuga would try and do something. But Kankuro had deliberately harmed himself in order to try and ensure that the Green Beast was fired.

Kakashi had dealt with that level of hate before. War always intensified various feelings, and the Scarecrow had dealt with his own share of shit oversees, but Gai had never been on foreign soil. He'd never had somebody hate him for just being who he was. And Gai, who always had such hope for the future and did everything he could to nurture the next generation, had a student deliberately seek to do him harm in the worst sort of betrayal.

As Gai let his tears flow, choked wails ripping from his throat, Asuma leaned over and patted the Green Beast's back. Kakashi had never been a touchy-feely type, and he doubted that Gai would appreciate any similar gesture that he could try, so he just sat there, radiating the usual presence of comfort that he did with the students.

Moments later, there was a knock on the door that sounded incredibly insistent. The Scarecrow glanced at the clock and realized that they'd locked out Iruka and Kurenai. He glanced out of the corner of his newer eye, unaware of when he'd raised his headband, and assessed his teammate. Gai was still sobbing uncontrollably, but he looked a tad more composed.

Kakashi hesitated. He knew that he himself would never let himself expose that much feeling to anyone, but the social studies teacher wasn't him. Would he be receptive to his younger colleagues? Only one way to find out.

When Kurenai entered the room and saw Gai, she ran right over to him and engulfed him in a tight, comforting embrace. Iruka stood at the door as Kakashi closed it behind him, color draining from his face. "Wha-what-What happened?"

"Kankuro happened." Kakashi explained in quiet precise tones everything he knew, which neither of them had heard yet.

Needless to say, the overall opinion of Ebisu was less than friendly.

"You should have had our union rep there," Asuma growled with a smoker's growl. "That's part of what the union is for, to cover our asses when this kind of shit happens. I'll make sure Kankuro has nothing but hell from me last period."

"I see him next," Kakashi said, "but I don't think we can address him until we've cleared Gai's name."

"There's no way they'd take Kankuro's word about all this, is there?" Kurenai asked. "I mean; Gai is a well established teacher who's been here for years! He's got several generations of students who've had him and loved him! Kankuro has a history for stirring up trouble!"

"But he's very rarely caught," Iruka replied grimly. "He doesn't have much of a paper trail of causing the trouble he does. Sure, he got a few days in ISS for the food fight he started back in, what was it, November? December? That's a far cry from self-mutilation. Without that kind of history and if the students are agreeing, then DCF isn't going to have a strong case."

"But he didn't do it!" Kurenai screeched. "We all know it!"

"So does Ebisu," Kakashi interjected. "But in situations like this, his hands are tied because he goes by the book with absolutely no variations."

"But he should have had a union rep! Ebisu knows better than that!" Asuma snorted. "Hell of a year we're having."

Gai, who had been sobbing despondently suddenly stood, tears still streaming down his face. "I will not be deterred! I am an educator of youth and I will not stop in my sacred job! I will keep teaching those who are willing to learn and forcing the unwilling to learn! I will not stop in my endeavor to ensure that the next generation will be smarter and have an easier life than my parents had! I will keep giving them my wisdom, whether they listen or not! I WILL KEEP TEACHING!"

Wiping away tears, he turned to his stunned teammates and gave a thumbs-up with a watery, but still shiny smile. "I thank all of you for the worry and concern you have demonstrated. It touches me beyond any measure yet known to man. But I will persevere!"

"Well then," Kakashi smiled. "I think I know how we might be able to turn things around."

The following morning, Kakashi wasn't found in his room for A Period. Instead, he was across the hall in Gai's room with Iruka, Ebisu, and a special guest sitting quietly in the back, unnoticed by the students. Gai had, reluctantly, agreed to stay home that day, and the substitute was across the hall, covering Kakashi's class for the moment. In the middle of the room, in his usual assigned seat, was Kankuro, in short sleeves to show the bandages that were on his arm.

"Alright class," Kakashi started, "we would like to clear up a few things about what happened yesterday."

Several students turned to Kankuro and his displayed bandaging.

"Since Gai-sensei isn't here, it is only fair if his accuser isn't here either. Kankuro, please step out to my room and wait there."

The boy frowned, but stood, making a show of being cautions with his arm, and left the room. To be extra certain, Kakashi followed, shut the door to his room, and shut Gai's door as well, ensuring that the little sneak wouldn't try and influence anything like he normally would.

"Here's what we're going to do," Ebisu said as Kakashi returned and stood by the door. "I've spoken with all of you and got a somewhat garbled idea of what happened yesterday. I'd like all of you to clarify today."

"This is pointless," Gaara grumbled from his seat in the corner.

"Yeah," Takato shouted. "You're just taking a teacher's word over a student. Gai went nuts yesterday!"

"Please define 'went nuts'," Ebisu stated. "What did you see and hear?"

And thus the interview process began again. All the students agreed that Gai shouting at the top of his lungs was scary, sudden, and over the top. All the students agreed that Gai had been very angry with Kankuro and that Gai had ruined their classmate's arm. Behind them all, the special guest, the DCF representative from the previous day, sat taking notes.

The students were asked about the classroom environment, if they'd ever felt threatened or unsafe. The answer for that was unclear until Ebisu asked if they'd ever felt that they were in danger of being physically harmed. The class all agreed that they'd never felt that way. The worst fear they had was Gai shouting at them, usually when someone was doing something wrong; such as that awful day when the substitute was there at the beginning of the year.

Finally, Kakashi noted the time and stepped forward. "Did any of you see Gai put his hands on Kankuro?"

Nobody said a word until Takato piped up again.

"He must have. You saw Kankuro's arm."

"But did any of you see it?"

Silence.

"Kankuro was in short sleeves yesterday, if I recall correctly. Did any of you see him holding his arm, or bleeding as he left the room?"

Silence.

"So none of you saw Gai lay a finger on Kankuro."

A few students shook their heads.

Kakashi turned to Ebisu. "I think that should clarify things just fine."

"Oh, it does," the vice principal replied, looking vaguely across the hall to Kakashi's shut door.

The English teacher returned to his room and kicked the sub and Kankuro back across the hall. Or rather, the sub returned to Gai's room. Kankuro was escorted down to the office with the DCF person and Ebisu. Letting the para finish up class, Kakashi sat at his computer and sent an email to Gai, who was waiting at his computer back home.

There was still a sour taste in the Scarecrow's mouth in regards to Ebisu's botched handling of the situation. Ebisu was a good vice principal, but he sucked when it came to dealing with the faculty. He'd already talked to the union rep about what had happened to Gai after school the previous day, and Kakashi knew that the union was probably going to go to Sandaime about the severe breech of contract. But for now, the English teacher reveled in getting Kankuro in trouble and redeeming Gai's name.

He could deal with the rest later.