Youth and Skill Vs Age and Treachery
By A Clockwork Pumelo
Some of you will recognize this line from Tamora Pierce. I thought it went quite well with Kakashi and Gai.
"It's liver today and you guys are not complaining, or you get Nothing Flavor. Understood? Now I'm off for my morning walk." The grey-haired jonin shut the door and proceeded in the direction of the Memorial stone. He had a new Icha-Icha novel for Obito, and he was going to take his time reading it before he had to deal with those dear annoying little genin he'd taken on recently. The mixing of their personalities was somewhat akin to that of oil and water... with a heaping measure of HCL dumped in for good measure.
Checking the area for life forms, Kakashi satisfied himself that he was, indeed, alone save for a few rabbits and a bird. The next hour was spent reading to Rin and Obito, chatting with their spirits like the lonely, screwed-in-the-head shinobi he was. Finishing the book, he noticed a rustle in the trees. My students? This early? Oh... bother. A small puff of dust rose from the ground as he dodged to one side, evading the green-spandexed arms of the man who had tried to bear hug him.
"Gai? Why are you here?" He noticed that his Icha-Icha book was not in his hand. Oh snap, not my Icha-Icha! The emerald-clad man before him waved the book over his head.
"Why, because I wanted to challenge you to a test of course! A test of your youth! A test of your skill! A test of your... uh... youth and skill? Wait a minute..." Kakashi waited for a second for Gai to think it over before he called up a sizzling ball of Chidori in one hand and grabbed Gai by the collar with the other, pulling him down until the blue light writhing in his palm cast shadows on his face that Tenzo would envy.
"Give me my book back, now, or I just might decide to test your electrical resistance along with your youth and skill." The book hit the dust with a soft smack, and the blue glow crackled and died in Kakashi's hand.
"Jeez, Kakashi, protective of your porn, aren't you?" The glare from the gray eye shut Gai up.
"Yes, as a matter of fact I am. At least this book. Jiraya gave it to me. It's not even in stores yet. Now, about that challenge... I'll take it, but I have to add in my own little weapons, just to make it fair." He reached down and picked up the book, dusting the cover off with something approaching reverence.
"And what is that?" Gai was bouncing on his heels, thrilled at his luck in getting Kakashi to play another of his little games. Surely, he would have a chance to even the score this time.
"Age and treachery." Kakashi's eye crinkled in a sardonic smile, and he Flickered away before Gai could even open his mouth to object.