"Hey! Sakura! Wait up!" Naruto ran after his long time crush as she turned the corner – and ran smack into something incredibly solid. "Oww," complained Naruto from where he'd fallen on his butt, "What the heck?"
"Maybe you should watch where you're going, you little squirt," a deep voice said from above and the blonde boy looked up to see another blonde standing over him, this one incredibly well muscled and seemingly twice as tall, arms crossed over his obviously well-toned chest. Impudent as usual, Naruto jumped back to his feet.
"It was just as much your fault as it was mine, you jerk!"
"What an obnoxious kid," observed the other man with the blonde, this one a sharp contrast with dark hair and incredibly pale skin, still well-muscled but in a long, lean kind of way.
"Tell me about it," the blonde agreed, "What do you think we should do with him, Naoki?"
"I don't know, Daichi. Brat's probably like this to everyone."
"Maybe someone should teach him a lesson."
"Is there a problem here?" Sasuke had turned the corner and was standing with his hands on his hips, looking threatening. His Sharingan was out and his eyes were narrowed viciously.
"Well would you look at that," the blonde man, Daichi grinned, "An Uchiha."
"A what?" his partner asked.
"They used to be the most powerful clan in Hidden Leaf. How I would love to fight an Uchiha…oh, but this one's just a runt. His Sharingan's not even fully developed."
"I can still take you in a fight," Sasuke snarled.
"Oh, please don't fight!" Protested Sakura from where she stood off to the side. Everyone in the vicinity ignored her.
"Yeah, Sasuke," Naruto agreed, "Let's take these jerks!" Just as the two boys readied to charge a figure appeared between the two parties.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura exclaimed, "Thank goodness you're here!" Her two teammates didn't look nearly so thrilled.
"Out of the way, Kakashi-sensei, we can take these guys!"
"I sincerely doubt that," spoke up a new voice and everyone looked skyward. There was a figure crouched in a tree but they were thrown into shadow by the angle of the sun.
"And who the hell are you?" Naruto demanded. A beautiful flutelike laugh sounded out, flowing into the ears like heavenly music and caressing the senses.
"You're a spunky little thing, aren't you?" The figure blurred down then appeared in plain sight, standing before the group. All eyes of team seven plus Kakashi's widened at the sight.
It was immediately apparent that there was a way about her, a kind of grace and ease that automatically made you warm to her presence, but at the same time those eyes were sharp enough to warn you to beware. Her body was well toned and attractively curvaceous, the short skirt and shirt that came not even down to her waist accenting it well. Strangely, her torso beneath was covered in a short sleeved tight mesh shirt and the rest of her arms and legs were wrapped completely in bandages. Her face was that of an angel, her perfect snow white features framed by cascading golden blonde waves and catlike eyes shimmering with mischief. Aside from the two sword hilts sticking over her shoulders and the pack of ninja tools secured around her hips, she looked more like a supermodel and less like a ninja.
"Now what the hell are you two jackasses doing harassing a couple of kids?" It took the four a moment to realize she was addressing the two newcomers.
"They started it," Daichi protested.
"What are you, a couple of twelve year olds? Can't you find something better to do when you're bored?"
Naoki sighed. "We can't help it, Akira. There's nothing to do in this damn village. It's all so peaceful and provincial."
"I take it you are Hidden Mist ninja?" Kakashi ventured, nodding at their headbands.
"Technically, I suppose," the girl nodded.
"What does that mean?"
"Where we come from there is no hidden village, no shinobi. So, we set out to find a village that would allow us to work for them. The Hidden Mist village kindly gave us a test and when we passed they made us Genin of their village.
Kakashi nodded. "And now you are here for the Chunin exam?" The three nodded.
"First those three sand creeps now you jerks?" Naruto said, "Screw these exams, I don't want all you people in Hidden Leaf." He crossed his arms and turned away.
"You have every right to be upset with us after the way these two numbskulls treated you," Akira smiled patiently, "How about I make it up to you somehow. Are you hungry?"
The boy immediately perked up. "Are you…going to buy me food?" The boy asked suspiciously.
"Anything you like."
Naruto let out a huge cheer. "Ichiraku ramen, here I come!" He commenced to dance around, cheering. Akira arched an eyebrow at Kakashi.
"Your student I take it?"
"Yes."
"He's certainly easy to please."
The sensei let out a long suffering sigh. "I'm fairly certain he'd defect to enemy forces for a decent bowl of ramen." The woman let out another musical laugh.
"Alright then. Why don't you and the other two come along as well, I'd like to find out more about this village anyway." She turned to her teammates. "You two, on the other hand, go back to your apartment. And stay out of trouble. Don't let him do anything dumb, Naoki." The two mock saluted her and vanished in a blur. "You'll have to forgive them," Akira apologized, "They're not normally testosterone fuelled gits, but something about this place does that to them."
"No problem," the man in the mask smiled with his eye, "We get free food out of it after all."
She grinned at him. "Oh, I like you."
The nine rookies were all gathered at the academy training grounds the next day when team Akira happened to walk by.
"Akira!" Naruto called brightly, waving a hand in the air, "Hey, Akira! Over here!" The girl looked over from deep conversation with the two other men and her expression lightened upon seeing the blonde boy.
"Well hey, Naruto," she greeted him as she approached, "What's up?"
"We're waiting for our senseis to see if we're allowed to participate in the Chunin Exams."
Her eyebrows raised. "You lot are going to take the Chunin Exams? But you're a bunch of kids."
"Hey!" Kiba protested, "We may be young but we're just as good as anyone else who's taking the exams!"
"Believe it!" Naruto added, and Akira raised her hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright, I'll take your word for it."
"Who is this girl anyway, Naruto?" Kiba demanded.
"Yeah," Shikamaru agreed, folding his hands behind his head, "She seems like a real pain in the butt."
"She's actually pretty cool," the blonde boy said, "She bought me ramen yesterday."
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Then of course you think she's cool. You're almost as bad as Choji when it comes to food."
"Who are those guys over there?" Ino asked suddenly, eyes wide as she pointed at Naoki and Daichi who were hanging back a ways, "They're almost cuter than Sasuke!"
"Ha!" Sakura exclaimed, "The fact that you say that proves you don't like Sasuke nearly as much as I do!"
"Don't be ridiculous, I like him way more, billboard brow!"
"You stupid Ino-pig!" Akira glanced at Sasuke who was steadfastly ignoring the two girls, staring at the sky. Poor kid, she thought. She felt a connection to the stoic boy after what she'd heard after entering the Hidden Leaf Village. Apparently his entire clan had been annihilated when he was only a little boy. Apparently he'd been forced to watch as his parents were murdered. Akira knew the feeling.
Suddenly the senseis of the three groups appeared a little ways off to the side. Asuma's eyes widened. "Damn, Kakashi. You mentioned the Mist ninja girl was good looking but you never said she looked like that!" Kurenai frowned slightly and Kakashi shrugged.
"I didn't feel it was necessary to elaborate."
"You've got to get some of that, man."
The white haired man frowned beneath his mask. "Asuma please. She's a child."
"Doesn't look like a child to me," the Jonin said as he looked her up and down, grinning.
"Can we please get back to why we're here?" Kurenai interrupted. The three approached the group.
Akira's Point Of View
"Great news, everyone," Asuma grinned widely, "You are now all officially enrolled in the Chunin Exams if you choose to take them." The group cheered for the most part but I carefully noted those who were much less enthusiastic rather than too nonchalant for cheering. Namely, Sakura. I carefully hid my frown. What are these Jonin thinking? From what I've heard of these exams these little things are bound to get destroyed! Then I remembered the strange sense I'd gotten last night around Naruto and looked at him carefully. As immature and carefree as he seemed there was something about him, a strange power within him that I could just barely sense the edges of. There was something hidden within the boy, and it was piquing my curiosity. Then I had an idea.
"Kakashi," I turned to the man, "Would you like to have dinner with me again?"
Naruto cheered. "More free ramen!"
"Alone?" I added, and the white haired man's one visible brow raised.
"Why not?" He accepted, and we made our way downtown.
"Where would you like to eat?" I inquired politely, but Kakashi shook his head.
"No need to bother with dinner. If you have a question simply ask."
I regarded him calmly. "You're not much for wasting time, are you?"
The man shrugged. "I have a new book I'd like to get back to reading."
"I see. But please, entertain me, won't you?"
"Very well."
We decided on a small café, and dinner started off slow as we sat across from one another. In fact, it started off downright awkward. Finally after several minutes Kakashi broke the silence.
"Where is it you come from that there are no shinobi?"
"Oh," I waved a hand vaguely, "It's a long ways from here. Pretty far east of the Water Country. You wouldn't be familiar with it."
The masked man nodded and we lapsed back into silence. Then I decided it was my turn to speak up.
"That Uchiha boy, he shows serious potential."
"He does come from a great clan, after all."
"So I've heard. What exactly happened there anyway?"
Kakashi's one visible eye looked straight into mine. "Sasuke's older brother murdered the entire clan in one night, leaving only his little brother alive."
My eyes widened. "Shit," I breathed, "And I thought I had childhood traumas."
Kakashi sighed deeply. "Yeah. Now the poor kid's absolutely consumed with the idea of revenge. His one goal in life is to kill his brother." Then he blinked and shook his head, obviously having said more than he'd intended to.
"Revenge is an alluring concept."
His brow raised. "You speak as though from experience."
I shrugged. "Bad things have happened to me as well. Probably the only reason I never took that path was because the man who killed my parents is someone I can never defeat, no matter how powerful I become." Then it was my turn to be taken aback at how much I'd said. Something about that gray eye had gotten into me, seeming to lower my inhibitions, and from what I saw there he felt the same. We continued to talk then, our conversation shifting from the most mundane of things to the most personal, and before we knew it our waiter was asking us to leave since they were closing for the night.
"I'll walk you home," the white haired Jonin offered, and I nodded. "So," he began as we stepped out onto the streets, "We never got around to the subject you originally asked me to dinner for."
I laughed. "We didn't, did we. You're a distracting man, Kakashi."
"I'll take that as a compliment." I grinned up at him as a cool breeze hit me and I shivered. Immediately he divested himself of his vest and laid it around my shoulders.
"You don't have to – "
"I want to." I couldn't help the small blush that colored my cheeks at that moment and quickly changed subjects.
"You were right, originally," I said, "I do have a question."
"Ask away."
"It's about Naruto." Even out of the corner of my eye I could see the man stiffen.
"What about Naruto?"
I stopped walking, a smile spreading over my face. "So there is something."
Kakashi continued to walk and I had to quicken my pace to catch up. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."
"There's something inside him. I sensed it last night. Whatever it is, it's more powerful than anyone else I've felt around here with the possible exception of the Uchiha boy."
"What may or may not be inside Naruto is none of your business."
"Oh, come on. Can't you satisfy a girl's curiosity?"
"Curiosity killed the cat."
"And satisfaction brought it back." We had reached my apartment building and began to climb the stairs to my floor.
Kakashi looked down at me, humor in his eye. "Touché. However it is a classified village secret, and for all I know you could be a foreign spy." I stopped in front of my door and turned to him.
"What if I promise I'm not?" I smiled and he chuckled, shaking his head.
"You're quite something, aren't you Miss Ryusaki?"
"I could say the same to you, Mister Hatake." Then, to my surprise he lifted one hand to my cheek, stroking it gently with his thumb. Before I knew it I had stepped towards him and raised my head in invitation. The next moment his lips were on mine, soft and sweet, gently caressing. The second we touched my head seemed to explode, tingles shooting from my lips to my toes as I gasped in surprise. When I opened my eyes his mask was back up and that single gray eye was staring into mine, wide with the same astonishment I felt. I gulped, fighting to regain my composure.
"I have my own ways of finding out, you know," I stated.
"We'll see about that."
I couldn't help the wild grin that spread across my face. "Goodnight, Kakashi."
"Goodnight, Akira."