Kakashi followed Agent Phil Coulson through the corridors of SHIELD's New York headquarters.
He listened to Coulson's enthusiastic chatter about SHIELD's facilities but Kakashi's mind was elsewhere, thinking about how much of his abilities to reveal.
'They've seen my ninjutsu, Kamui's intangibility, and so physical prowess,' he thought, his cloak swishing softly as they walked. 'But the Sharingan's full power along with genjutsu—stays hidden. Fuinjutsu's safe to show; it's just seals, not mind control. Genjutsu would have them shoving into interrogations, and I didn't dodge ANBU's torture gigs just to play inquisitor here.'
His lips twitched beneath his mask. 'And transformation jutsu? Yeah, that'd make public enemy number one. Shapeshifting's would be a trust-killer in this world.'
He glanced at Coulson, who was rattling off facts about SHIELD's training simulators. Kakashi decided to probe. "So, Coulson, this team Fury's building—what's its deal? World-saving squad or just a fancy cleanup crew?"
Coulson's smile didn't falter, but his eyes flicked away, his tone deftly shifting. "Oh, you know, just a group of talented folks to handle… unique situations. Speaking of unique, have you tried the cafeteria's coffee yet? It's terrible, but it's practically a rite of passage here."
Kakashi's eye crinkled, amused but undeterred. "Nice dodge. Seriously, what's the endga? You don't recruit a guy like for paperwork."
Coulson chuckled, steering them toward a training wing. "You'll get the full brief soon, Hound. Let's just say the director likes to keep his cards close. Hey, did you know we've got a VR combat sim that can mimic a Hulk fight? You should give it a spin."
Kakashi let it slide, recognizing the expert deflection. 'He's good. Trained to keep secrets without breaking a sweat.' He tried another angle. "Alright, no team details. But what's Fury's big picture? Aliens? Monsters? Or just Ross's sses?"
Coulson's grin widened, his voice light. "The director always got a plan. You'll see when the ti's right. Oh, look, we're here!" He stopped at a reinforced door, swiping his badge. "Let's et soone who'll make those missions less lonely."
Kakashi's eye narrowed, but he followed, filing away Coulson's evasions.
---
The door opened to a sparring room, where a lean man with sharp eyes and a quiver slung over his shoulder was nocking arrows at a moving target.
Each shot hit dead center, the rhythm almost hypnotic. Coulson cleared his throat. "Agent Barton, et your new teammate for future missions. Goes by Hound. Or, uh…" He glanced at Kakashi, his tone hopeful. "Mr. Hound, care to share your real na?"
Kakashi's eye crinkled, his voice playful. "Thought you'd never ask. Call Kakashi Hatake."
The man—Clint Barton—lowered his bow, a grin spreading across his face. "Nice to et you, Kakashi. That sounds Japanese. You from there?"
"Well, I am Japanese," Kakashi said, his tone light but guarded. 'Close enough, anyway. No need to ntion multiverses.'
Clint slung his bow over his shoulder, sauntering over. "Man, I thought I'd never get a teammate. SHIELD's got nobody who can keep up with . I'm kinda a big deal—best marksman, stealth expert, you na it." He puffed out his chest, his grin cocky.
Coulson smirked, his tone teasing. "Actually, Agent Barton, Hound might just outshine you."
Clint squinted, sizing Kakashi up. "Nope, don't buy it. Nobody's topping Hawkeye." He paused, eyeing Kakashi's lack of visible weapons. "What's your deal, anyway? You don't even carry a gun."
Kakashi's eye crinkled wider, enjoying the banter. "Yo, I've got my tricks. Let's just say I'm… versatile." He flicked a kunai from his sleeve, spinning it on his finger before tucking it away. Clint's eyebrows shot up, impressed.
Coulson chuckled, nudging Clint. "Told you. Hound's got skills you haven't seen. You two'll make a hell of a team."
Clint grinned, slapping Kakashi's shoulder. "Alright, Kakashi, you're cool. But I'm still the best shot. Wanna hit the range later? Bet I can outshoot your little knives."
---
anwhile, Nick Fury faced Alexander Pierce, a senior SHIELD official and Security Council mber.
Pierce's sharp features were taut with anger, his voice low but biting. "Why the hell did you recruit an enhanced individual stronger than Captain Arica, with a laundry list of abilities? You're playing a dangerous ga, Fury."
Fury leaned back in his chair, his single eye unyielding. "Hound's an asset, sir. A ga-changer for SHIELD. I'm considering him for Project Avengers. He's the kind of power we need."
Pierce's eyes narrowed, his fingers drumming the desk. "An asset you barely know. He cos out of nowhere, with no history before six months ago, and you're ready to hand him the keys to your pet project? What if he's a liability?"
Fury's voice was calm, but his words carried weight. "I've got Agent Coulson keeping tabs on him. During missions, he'll be paired with Barton—our best operative. Hound's under control. And here's the kicker: he says others can learn so of his abilities with training and control. That's potential we can't ignore."
Pierce's scowl softened, a calculating smile creeping across his face. "Trainable abilities? Then get him to train our agents. I'll send you a list of nas."
Fury shook his head, his tone firm. "Won't work. Hound's clear—he'll only train who he chooses. Push him, and we lose him. He's not so grunt we can order around. He's a rcenary with principles, and if we try to cage him, he'll vanish. You saw what he did to the Hulk and Abomination. We can't afford to lose that."
Pierce leaned back, his smile cold but intrigued. 'Hound's a tool I can use later,' he thought, his HYDRA affiliations hidden behind his polished facade. 'If Fury's backing him, I'll let this play out—for now.'
"Fine," he said aloud. "But you're responsible for him, Fury. Every move he makes, every screw-up—it's on you."
Fury nodded, his expression unreadable. "Understood, sir."
--------Author Notes---------
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