A/N: Told you it wouldn't be long! Here's the third in the "Without a Doubt" saga. This should be about the same length of 'Always There', which means roughly 6 chapters.

Also, big thanks to Kakashi Forever for reviewing! You're one of the people I keep posting for! :)


"Erg…stupid rain."

Ai Raiokachi glared out the window at her house. She wore her lightning-blonde hair up in a ponytail and blew her bangs out of her face, due to them not being long enough to stay up. Her brilliant blue eyes complimented her face, and usually danced when the sunlight hit her face right. Her outfit pertained of a bright orange zip-up cloth jacket with a white t-shirt underneath, and orange sweatpants that matched her jacket.

The chunin grew a bored expression as she watched the rain fall even harder than before. "This sucks," she announced aloud to no one in particular. The only person that heard her was Guy, whom she shared a house with as a father-daughter relationship.

Guy strode over to the window next to Ai and gazed out at the drops falling onto the grass. "I can't disagree," he said, ruffling Ai's hair. The kunoichi playfully shoved his hand away and looked out the window again.

Her headband lay on the table in front of her. She fidgeted with the edge of it, desperately hoping that she would be able to use it today. Guy studied Ai's anxious expression for a moment.

"You look bored," he commented. Ai shot him a burning glare.

"No, really?" she asked sarcastically.

The wind started to pick up, and it began blowing harshly against the house. Guy warily edged away. "Maybe you shouldn't sit so close to the window," he advised.

Ai rolled her eyes. "Pssh, whatever. I've never seen a window bust open because of a little rain."

Guy shrugged. "Suit yourself," he added before walking off.

The rain began to howl outside the house. Ai realized that the wind was blowing right in the direction of the window. For a brief moment, she considered getting up and moving away from the window. Then she shrugged it off. Nah. That would just prove that Guy was right.

It wasn't long before Ai grew so bored she couldn't take it anymore. Her eyelids drooped, and she fell asleep, resting her head in her arms.

***

"Get the heck out of here!"

Ai's foot came crashing down on the enemy she was fighting. It was a shinobi from Kusagakure, and a big one at that.

It was the next day, and the raining had stopped. Tsunade had gotten reports about two Kusagakure ninja planning to sneak into the village at night, so she decided to send Kakashi out to stop them. And, after a little persuasion on Ai's part, she was added to the party.

It was now that the student and teacher were taking care of the enemy ninja.

Ai's opponent slid backwards from her blow, and Ai landed neatly on her feet in front of him. He grinned evilly and did a few hand signs. Always alert, Ai scooted back some and performed a few hand signs herself.

After a moment to focus her chakra, she pulled her sword that was strapped to her back out of its holster. The sword was now glowing with electricity sparkling off it. The chunin took a running start, and before the Kusagakure ninja could finish his hand signs, she impaled him with the sword. His body convulsed with the electricity, then it fell limp.

Ai smirked and took a moment to shake the blood off the shining blade. Then she remembered her teacher was still fighting and, after replacing the sword in its sheath, she dashed off.

"Kakashi-sensei!" she cried, looking for him. She got a small response, and flew off in the direction of his voice.

Upon arrival, Ai found that Kakashi and his opponent were locked together, trying to overpower one another with a kunai. Kakashi glanced over at her, then back at the Kusa-nin that stood in front of him. Ai stood and watched for a moment before forming a plan to help her teacher.

"Hold on, sensei!" she called, and disappeared from sight, causing Kakashi to look puzzled.

"Heh heh, you die now," the enemy growled, and got his kunai at the ready. Before he could stab Kakashi, however, he was thrown off his feet. Kakashi leapt back and saw that a trip wire had been weaved around his feet.

He looked around frantically for Ai, knowing that she was the one who did it. Where could she have gone? What did her plan require?

His thoughts melted away, though, as his opponent got shakily to his feet and pulled out a kunai again. "NOW you die!" he spat, then started running for Kakashi.

"Not on my watch, ya don't!"

Ai's voice rang throughout the area, and before Kakashi could comprehend, she was dangling on his arms, trying to yank the kunai out of his hands. The jonin's pupils dilated. "No, Ai get off!" he cried desperately. "He's going to stab you!"

"No way!" Ai argued back, dismissing her teacher's words. She glared at the Kusagakure ninja. "Hey ugly, why don't you high-tail it out of here before I have to make you?!"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at his student's bull-headedness. "Ai. Get off NOW," he said sternly. Ai glanced back at him, then to the enemy again.

With an impressive combo, Ai used the enemy's arms like a springboard to launch herself upwards. In the air, she formed a hand sign. "KageBunshin no Jutsu!" she recited, and four doppelgangers appeared beside her. They all launched down and simultaneously beat the snot out the Kusagakure ninja.

After the dust cleared, Kakashi gasped when he saw the opponent lying face down on the ground, and Ai looking very proud of herself. "See, sensei?" she jeered cheekily. "I'm fine."

Kakashi sighed with relief before his expression turned hard. "Ai, what have I told you repeatedly about which fights to go for and which to walk away from?" Ai furrowed her brow and crossed her arms.

"Aw, come on, I beat him didn't I?"

"What if you hadn't?" Kakashi challenged.

Ai pondered a moment before sighing. "Alright, I get it." She smiled as he walked forward, and suddenly attached herself to his torso. "I'm sorry," she said.

Kakashi glared down at her, trying to look tough while on the inside he was a big marshmallow. He finally sighed, exasperated from the fight, and unattached his student. "Let's go home."

As the jonin started to walk away, Ai followed him for a step before falling flat on her face. Alarmed, Kakashi spun around and looked curiously at her. Then he turned stern again. "You broke your ankle, didn't you?" he asked.

Ai smiled sheepishly. "Of course not!...I sprained it."

Kakashi sighed and walked back, helping her to her feet and hauling her up on his back. "Case in point," he muttered, and began running back towards Konoha.