Farewell Ultimate Rival

Kakashi & Gai

A/N: Yes, I've returned, and here is a collection of one shotes and drabbles I've written from my favorite series: Naruto. I know there's a whole lot of Naruto fanfiction here, but I'll do my best to write stuff that's somewhat eye catching. It's cool to be back here again. Well...here we go!

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"No..."

This was the tenth time he'd said it over the past few minutes, but it seemed a useless endeavor. There he stood, twitching with impatience like a child begging for a piece of candy that his mother won't allow him. Begging, that had to be what it was, and it was undignified and, to put it bluntly, stupid. Then again, things were never to be taken seriously in the case of the continued one-sided rivalry between Kakashi and Gai-sensei.

It had been what, a week? Three days since the last exchange of blows to see who would come out the victor. Last time it had been Gai's turn to choose the event, and Kakashi had to suffer through one hundred laps around Konoha in one day. Why was it always running laps with Gai? He'd been so sore the next day when assigned a mission with his team that he couldn't keep up felt off his game and needless to say a bit embarrassed. At least that time he really did have a reason for being late.

Maybe running laps would do him some good. Had he gained weight? What with taking team seven to Ichiraku ramen every week perhaps that was the case. Ugh...to be young again.

Daydreaming was not an advisable hobby around Gai either, for one would receive a hard slap on the back if an answer to his dying request was delayed. Kakashi nearly stabbed himself with the chopsticks he'd been holding, and nearly lost his balance on the barstool.

"Come on, Kakashi! Let me choose this week's test! You can't seem to think one up, a second turn isn't that bad is it?"

"No," Kakashi replied half-heartedly, brushing the clinging hand off his shoulder. "Do we really have to do this now? I have a mission today." Unlike some people who seem to have too much free time on their hands.

"Of course we do! It's the weekly challenge, you did agree to it, and breaking promises is never honorable!"

Kakashi recalled clearly that day when he'd first met Gai, an energetic youth who after taking one look at him and hearing his name, proceeded to instigate this continuing battle between them. Kakashi had been more spirited then, knocking Gai down with each battle but as he kept coming back again, and again...and again, it got to a point where there was no knocking him down anymore. It seemed the more they fought in these squabbles, the more Gai would follow him. It became troublesome and irritating. As he mellowed, Kakashi dealt with it the same as he would anything else annoying, ignoring it. But there was a limit to that too.

Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted again as something slipped from his grasp, something dear and familiar and precious. Shock nearly paralyzed him as unbelievably; Gai was standing there with that sparkling grin, holding his newest copy of Icha Icha Paradise. How he'd managed to take it was beyond him, but he'd most definitely got his attention.

"Will you participate now?" Gai chuckled, swinging the book by its back cover, teasingly peeking at the words inside.

Kakashi glared at him angrily. He hated to hand over his turn at choosing, threatening his strength and possibly his sanity during whatever crazy stunt Gai wanted to pull. But now that his most valued possession was in the hands of another, there was no choice.

"Your terms?"

He could almost hear the sound of Gai's teeth gleaming, as his grin widened and he exclaimed, "A race! This time five hundred laps around Konoha in one day. The winner keeps the book until the next match; the loser has to do a handstand on the top of the Hokage wall for 24 hours! Okay! Let's go!"

"Ah...but..." Kakashi couldn't even imagine Gai holding onto his book for that long, if he had a chance of winning, but five hundred laps? Just the thought of it made his muscles ache. Gai was already sprinting to the starting line, which happened to be ten feet behind him on the street in front of the ramen shop. Maybe, if he went along with it, he could get his book back during the race. He was faster than Gai, to a point, the numbers seemed terribly tiring, but there was no going back now. His first edition print was at stake. The two Jonin readied themselves in front of a bewildered crowd, and with a flash they were off.

One day later...

No amount of rest had helped the aching in Kakashi's back and arms. Of course during the mission that day Sakura had been the only one to care, Sasuke had said nothing of the matter, and Naruto just babbled on about why he was so slow. Such caring little teammates they were. Of course he'd lost the race at about the three hundredth lap and numbered failed attempts to snatch his book back. He'd failed miserably and Gai had taken his book. Who knows where it was now or whose hands it had gotten into. Knowing guy he'd probably shared it with his teammates and tainted their innocent minds with its contents. Then again, the thought occurred to him, that perhaps Gai himself wasn't prepared for its contents himself. He chuckled lightly as he walked the streets home, his hand feeling quite empty inside his pocket. Suddenly, Gai-sensei appeared from above, landing in front of him and staring at him intensely.

Kakashi stared back blankly, trying to conceal his worry behind his cool dark eye. "Gai," he stated. "It's only been a day. Something bothering you?"

Gai lowered his face, trying to conceal some expression he was obviously embarrassed about. Sticking his hand in his pocket he fished out an orange book, the Icha Icha Paradise novel he'd so nobly won from Kakashi. Solemnly he handed it to his rival, urging him to take it. Intrigued, Kakashi accepted his offer and clutched the book tightly in his hand, still keeping a bored stare on the fellow Jonin. A few seconds passed, and in that time he noticed Gai building to say something rather loudly as he always does. Kakashi braced himself for it and was inwardly thankful that he'd taken the lonely road home.

Suddenly Gai fell to his knees, bowing with his hands on the ground. "Kakashi-sempai!" he exclaimed. "I admit defeat!"

"Erk!"

"Yes, I know you must have mastered it a great technique and it is the one true technique that I have regrettably not trained in. It's a marvel that you've trained your mind so well, as I have seen you read this book a thousand times over and yet you show no fear or embarrassment. Surely, you have surpassed me greatly here and I admit defeat to you, my ultimate rival!"

Kakashi said nothing. He put the book in his pocket and started walking down the street, passing by Gai-sensei who still lay protrate on the ground. Confused, the black-haired Jonin scrambled to his feet and called after him, "Kakashi, I ask you, please teach this all powerful jutsu to me!"

Halting his step, the copy ninja turned slightly as if momentarily pondering the words. He only gave a smile, the same dull smile he gave everyone, and said,

"No."