Author's Note: A (forced) request I got from my friend. I had a lot of fun writing this one mainily because I got to put Gai into it. He's a really fun character to write about and still keep in character. Again, I'm sorry if there are any missed spelling mistakes.
Disclaimer: I (still) don't own Naruto or any of the characters in Naruto.
50 to 51
Hatake Kakashi watched in dread as Gai walked, no skipped over to him. Mentally he questioned the gods why they had decided to bother him at the best part of his book, though he didn't get to far in questions before Gai, loud, slightly annoying Gai, started talking to him.
"Kakashi, are you ready for another challenge!?!?!" Gai questioned, flashing a smile. Kakashi had learnt a while ago that it was useless to turn down any of Gai's 'challenges', since even if he did Gai pestered him into it.
"Sure." Kakashi said with a shrug, pocketing his book as he listened carefully to what Gai's next challenge was and then, once Gai was finished explaining, both ninja went off to find their victims. Kakashi's being Asuma and Gai's being one of his own students; Neji.
Sarutobi Asuma looked at his group of one chuunin and two genin. Shikamaru had only managed to pass because he hadn't wanted to be killed by that girl from Suna with the huge fan (Asuma hadn't really ever caught her name, even though Ino had started teasing Shikamaru about her after the mission to retrieve Sasuke had failed and that 'fan-girl' had saved their slacker). So now he had to train the other two to become chuunin as well before he work with this group was over, though he was sure he'd miss them when they all became chuunin and left him.
"Asuma-sensei!" Ino yelled. It seemed the loudmouthed blonde had been trying to get his attention for some time now while he had allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts. "I don't have all day; forehead-girl said she'd teach me the basics about medical jutsu today. So hurry up and tell us about this training of yours!" The girl demanded as Shikamaru and Chouji shot each other worried looks in the background. Team 10 knew that they were doomed if Ino got wound up.
"Calm down Ino." Asuma said calmly as he took his cigarette from his mouth and put it out, something that was rarely ever seen since everyone was aware how much Asuma smoked. "Well, the chuunin exams will be coming around again, and even though it's a while away, I've decided to train you two…" He started, pointing to Ino and Chouji as he spoke. "…to make sure you're ready to pass this time around. So, you'll be fighting Shikamaru together."
"….. How troublesome." Shikamaru said with a sigh as he took his hands from his pockets and adjusted the collar of his chuunin vest. Asuma had to admit Shikamaru did deserve to become a chunin, and there wasn't a doubt in his mind that he could become a Hokage as well. Well, besides the fact that it was obvious Shikamaru was far too lazy to be Hokage.
"Asuma-sensei what are you going to do while we fight?" Chouji asked, since he had finished eating his seventh bag of chips and his mouth was free for the moment while he pulled open another bag. Asuma didn't know how he did it but Chouji always seemed to have an endless supply of chips. "Are you going to look for what we can improve in?"
"That would be a good idea, but no." Asuma said with a grin, causing Ino to start to yell at him again, going on about how 'it was stupid for him to make them train and not even stay' and 'how unfair it was that she had things to do and he didn't and she was the one fighting a hopeless battle.'
"Well we'd better get started." Shikamaru cut in as he slowly made his was towards the center of the clearing. He didn't seem egger in the least to start the battle, but he wanted to get away from Ino's endless talking as fast as he could, so he was walking a little faster than normal with Chouji right on his heels.
"And where are you planning on going!?!?" Ino yelled as Asuma had slowly started to walk away, hoping she wouldn't pay any mind to him now that it seem her other teammates were getting ready for their fighting. Sadly he had underestimated the attention span of an angery teenage ninja.
"I have to go into town to get something." Asuma lied, he actually had set up a meeting with someone, and if he didn't get going he'd run late and she'd surely be mad.
The loudmouth blonde paused for a moment before smirking and sending shivers down Asuma spine. When Ino smirked, that meant she knew something. Something that would most likely make excellent gossip or she could use to make someone turn bright red. "Have fun with Kurenai!" She said quickly, running towards her teammates who had already started the fight without her.
How did she guess? Asuma thought in slight shock as he quickly made a mental note to never ever again think that Ino didn't know everything about his personally life. Quickly he made his way back to Konoha towards the dumpling shop where he promised to meet Kurenai in ten minutes' time.
On the other side of Konoha Gai was hiding in the bushes and successfully hiding due to his awesome ninja skills along with the fact that he was wearing all green and was in a forest. He was so well hidden that even his second most talented student, since Lee was obviously the most talented, Hyuuga Neji didn't see him hiding in the trees as he listened in on his conversation with Tenten.
"Who is she Neji? Teeeeeeell meeeeee!" Tenten droned as she pouted at Neji, the Hyuuga looking slightly taken aback since it seemed he had never been faced with a girl who was begging before. Though he managed to resist Tenten's please and cleared his throat before answering.
"It's a secret." Neji said simply, Tenten pouted even more as she put her hands on her hips.
"Neji Hyuuga, you tell me who this girl you have a crush on is right now or---." Tenten started, though she was cut off when someone fell down from the trees and hit the ground a few feet away.
Gai had fallen from the tree when Tenten had mentioned Neji, the Neji who had been like a cold and emotionless rock (not that rocks are anything but cold and emotionless, though they can be warm if you leave them in the sun) only a while ago until Naruto had beat him, had a crush on someone. But now Gai had to get away, or else he'd be caught and he'd lose his challenge against Kakashi.
"Gai-sensei?" Tenten and Neji asked at the same time as Gai jumped to his feet, it was no mistaking who the tall man with the large eyebrows was.
"Yes my youthful students, I came to check up on you and make sure you were working on your youthful training!" Gai shouted, giving his two 'youthful' students and thumbs up before dashing off towards Konoha as quickly as possible. If he didn't beat Kakashi to their meeting point he'd have to do 500 pushups!
Back in Konoha, Asuma had somehow made it to the store in five minutes even though the training group he and Team 10 had been at was a good fifteen minutes away. He was by the door panting when he heard footsteps approaching. He quickly steadied his breathing and turned around, trying to look as 'cool' as possible as Kurenai approached him. Though he failed at looking 'cool' and looked more like some hopeless teenager on his first date ever with a girl (even though he was three years away from being thirty).
"You made it on time." Kurenai said sounding a little surprised as Asuma simply smiled and lead her towards the counter and bought them some dumplings. They took a bench seat by the entrance to the store as he had Kurenai began talking about how their teams were coming along. Trying to make it seem like they were talking as friends instead of being on a date, which was surprisingly what they were actually doing.
"Asuma, Kurenai." A near emotionless voice spoke beside them, causing both jounin to jump as their heads spun towards the speaker. The leader of Team 7 was standing just to their right his nose in the perverted book he was always reading. "Are you two on a date?" He asked, looking up over the top of his book, watching slightly confused as both Asuma and Kurenai started blushing.
"How's Sakura?" Asuma asked quickly, egger to change to subject.
Kakashi simply replied with a shrug, and didn't press either of them to answer his questions. "She's doing fine, though I don't see her unless she's on her way to the hospital. As you know my entire team has basically left me." Kakashi replied, looking towards the street outside the store as he put his book into his pocket and slowly walked away. "Well, see you two around." He added, walking out of the store and around the corner.
Asuma and Kurenai both let out a thankful sigh as they exchanged puzzled looks, wondering where Kakashi had gone off to so quickly.
"So my eternal rival, what gossip could you possibly have that can beat mine!?!?" Gai asked, striking a pose. He had believed he was a sure win in his newest challenge with Kakashi; to find the best gossip possible and tell the other person. If he won, it would break the tie he had with Kakashi currently, and he would be in the lead. And if he lost he promised he would climb a mountain with his eyes blindfolded. "Because what could be better than my new found knowledge of Neji having a crush on one of the youthful female ninja his age!?!?!" The odd ninja in green spandex added as he threw his fist into the air. He could taste victory!
"Kurenai and Asuma are on a date right now, they've been dating for a while now and there's a 3 in 5 chance that they're getting married soon." Kakashi stated blankly, watching Gai's jaw drop to the ground in amusement. He didn't know anyone but Gai who would be impressed by that old gossip. Everyone nowadays wouldn't be surprised to see Asuma and Kurenai together. Well, that was anyone other than Gai.
"You have outsmarted me again my eternal rival Kakashi! You have won this round!" Gai cried, giving Kakashi a thumbs up and a before he ran off towards the nearest mountain, yelling something about if he wasn't able to climb in mountain in a minute he'd have to run around Konoha backwards 50 times.
Kakashi sighed slightly as he pulled his book out. So what is the score now? He thought, trying to rack his brain to remember how many wins he and Gai had each, since Gai would defiantly not remember next time and want to know where he stood. It's 50 to 51. He finally remember, reading his book as he made his way back home, walking by Asuma and Kurenai who were too busy talking to even notice him walk by.
Yeah, they were defiantly going to get together; Kakashi knew it.
