The Asgardian ship glided through the vastness of space as it headed toward Knowhere under Sif's orders or, more accurately, Kakashi's.
The atmosphere in the ship was tense, the crew's eyes occasionally darting to the masked shinobi who stood calmly near the viewport. His hands were in his pockets, his posture relaxed, but the weight of his earlier actions, destroying a fleet of pirate ships and killing their captain without hesitation lingered in their minds.
Sif approached Kakashi, her expression stern. "We can't just barge into the Collector's home and take the dog," she said,"He's a powerful entity."
Maria, standing nearby, offered a suggestion. "We could try asking him nicely."
Sif shot her a look that screamed disbelief. "He's called the Collector for a reason. He's obsessive about his possessions. He'd sooner die than let something in his collection go."
"Barging in won't work," Sif continued, crossing her arms. "The whole area around Knowhere is under his control. He has hundreds of mercenaries on contract to protect his treasures, not to mention his slaves. And that's just the start. There are magical barriers, formations, curses, traps, security measures that could kill us before we even reach him. Offending the Collector is a death sentence."
Kakashi tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as he considered her words. He was angry, yes, furious at the thought of Cosmo, a helpless dog, suffering at the hands of a cosmic hoarder.
But he wasn't reckless. He knew the universe held beings far stronger than him, entities who could wield powers he couldn't predict. The Collector might be one of them, or at least someone with dangerous artifacts that could harm more than just his body, perhaps even his soul.
Still, he was a shinobi, trained to move in shadows, not to storm through the front door like a brute. Stealth was his weapon, and he intended to use it.
"You'll take me as close to Knowhere as you can," Kakashi said, "I'll handle it from there. Then you depart. I'll get back to the ship on my own and complete the rest of the mission."
Sif frowned, her instincts bristling at the idea of leaving him behind. "Are you sure, warrior? It's dangerous, even for someone like you. Lady Frigga will have my head if I can't ensure your safety."
Kakashi had a faint smile beneath his mask. "Don't worry. I don't plan to fight. I'll take the dog and leave. Simple as that."
Sif studied him for a moment, then sighed. "Very well."
Natasha, who had been listening quietly, stepped forward, "Are you sure about this, Kakashi? You're taking a huge risk for a dog. Our primary mission is to find Loki, not to play hero for a stray."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharpening as he turned to her. "I didn't expect you to say something like that, Natasha. Of all people, you should understand what Cosmo's going through."
Natasha's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Kakashi's voice softened, "You've been caged, Natasha. Experimented on, used for missions that had no purpose beyond someone else's agenda. You know what it's like to have your freedom stripped away, to be treated like a tool instead of a living being. Cosmo's the same. She was sent into space, alone, scared, with no hope of coming back. All because humans wanted to prove a point. She didn't ask for this. She deserves her freedom, just like you did when you broke free from your past."
Natasha's breath caught, her usual composure faltering. Kakashi's words hit her like a blade, slicing through the walls she'd built around her emotions. She remembered the Red Room, the years of training that felt more like torture, the missions where she'd been nothing but a weapon.
The memories were raw, even now, and Kakashi's comparison made her see Cosmo not as just a dog, but as a living creature who'd suffered for no reason other than human ambition. Guilt twisted in her chest, she'd been so focused on the mission that she hadn't stopped to think about the cruelty Cosmo had endured.
"I'm not doing this for glory," Kakashi continued, "I'm doing it because no one else will. Cosmo's been abandoned, forgotten, left to rot in some collector's cage. If I can give her a chance to live free, to feel the ground under her paws again, then it's worth the risk. Freedom isn't just for people, Natasha. It's for anyone who's suffered under someone else's control."
'Just like nine tails and the other tailed beasts deserved freedom. Maybe Naruto managed to get them that freedom finally.' Kakashi internally thought.
Natasha looked away, her jaw tight. She wanted to argue, to remind him of their priorities, but his words had shaken her. She saw herself in Cosmo, a creature caught in a web of others' making, fighting for a chance to be more than a pawn. For the first time, she felt a pang of shame for questioning him.
The Asgardian ship hummed as it adjusted its course, the stars outside the viewport shifting as they moved toward Knowhere. Kakashi stood by the viewport, his mind already working through his plan.
'It seems I'll be using Obito's signature ability, like he did to sneak into Konoha during the Nine Tails attack,' he thought. The Kamui, his Sharingan's ability to warp through dimensions, would let him slip past the Collector's magical barriers and alarm systems. It was perfect for a shinobi's work, silent, invisible, and precise. He'd move through the shadows, find Cosmo, and get out before anyone knew he was there.
His thoughts drifted to the dog herself. 'To think humans would send a cute little dog into space. For what? Their amusement? To prove they're better than another nation?'
The idea made his blood boil. In his world, cruelty was common, but this felt different, pointless, petty.
The Soviet Union, the nation responsible, was long gone, dissolved into history. 'Good,' Kakashi thought darkly. 'If it still existed, I'd pay its leaders a visit.'
He couldn't help but think of his own ninken, the loyal dogs who'd fought by his side through countless missions. Pakkun would be furious if he knew about Cosmo's fate.
Kakashi's lips twitched into a small smile as he imagined Pakkun's reaction. 'From the photo, Cosmo looked cute. And since she's female, maybe Pakkun would finally find himself a partner.'
------Author Notes---------
Do check out my new novel.
Naruto: The Eraserhead of Suna.
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