Chapter 2
Meeting Kakashi and the Exam
Sachi walked home that night, taking the long way around to her apartment. She didn't know how to process being away from her team, finally having a definitive answer. The carried a box of sushi for her cat whom undoubtibly would be waiting for her, swinging it lightly along with a bag of dango. She was looking forward to sleep, but not to this day ending. This was one of her favorite missions, one that apparently earned her a reputation. That was something that many could not hold in their own pride. However, she would also have liked to be with her team that she so loved. She was only starting to grow bonds with people in the world. Her past abuse harbored fear and scars that no child should ever have. Satomi-sensei, Koto, and Chi were all the people she had in this world now, thanks to Jiraiya-sensei who saved her. She wasn't ready to be separated from them. Nevertheless, she had to continue on.
As she continued her walk to her home, she bumped into a man lightly, almost knocking his book out of his hands. She pushed it back into his hands by reflex.
"Oh!" She gasped. "I am so sorry."
"It's fine." He said, hiding a laugh and smile. "Usually I have better vision." She rolled her eyes in a sweet manner.
"What do you expect," She started as she read the title of the book. "from one of Jiraiya-sensei's novels?" She asked with a giggle. She finally caught her composure and looked at the man, the same masked one from earlier.
"Jiraiya-sensei?" The man repeated curiously. "Your one of his students? He doesn't have many."
"Well, I was when I was very young." She answered with slight embarrassment, knowing her sensei's reputation.
"I see." He replied. "Don't worry; he is a comrade of mine." He stated.
"Oh, alright then." She said with a smile. This man seemed very well mannered for being a comrade of Jiraiya's that reads his novels. "Well, I must be going." Sachi said passing him slowly.
"Yeah, me too." The man replied. Sachi gave him a sly glance out of the corner of her eye as she passed him and walked off to her home. He was so familiar to her and yet she couldn't remember where she had met him before.
Sachi's home was settled within an old abandoned Shinto shrine. The west wing was all that was left of the original shrine, the other half being completely burned and crushed by the attack of the Nine Tails. She cared little, she was only grateful to have a home in which she could reside. Oni-sama greeted her with a rub on her ankle as she walked into the door for the night. Her bed was in the center of the bare room with a small stack of books at its end. Sliding screen doors lead into the kitchen while a old wood door lead to a small bathroom. The cherrywood dresser boasted a shadow box with her weapons resting on white silk. The room was illuminated by well placed lights as well as a few candles. Sachi relaxed upon the bed, the cat laying beside her as she stared at the ceiling.
Sachi was out on the training course early. She was not nervous on the outside, even though she should be. She had to remain focused, especially if she wanted to be valuable to the Fifth Hokage, a woman whom she admired alongside Satomi. As she waited on top of one of the posts, she sensed a presence approaching her. Three figures hidden within the mist that surrounded the grounds.
"Satomi, Koto, Chi." Sachi breathed as their faces became clear. "What are you all doing here?"
"We were not just going to let you be tested without us watching you." Koto remarked.
"Just like the Chunnin exams!" Chi added with a smile.
"He should be coming soon, Sachi. We will be in the trees." Satomi said as the three rushed off. Sachi smiled brightly, happy to have them with her and felt her nervousness melt away into pure focus.
She waited on for another hour, her eyes scanning the mist. Suddenly they landed on the figure of a man, the same one she bumped into the night before. That was Kakashi Hatake? She thought as the mist cleared slightly. Sachi stood up on the post.
"You know, you should have said something last night, Kakashi Hatake the Copy Ninja." Sachi said in her proud yet gentle tone. "I find it ironic that we would meet."
Kakashi laughed slightly at her remark, he too finding it ironic. "If I had known it was you, I would have." Kakashi retorted with a smile lingering in his voice. He stopped in the center of the grounds where the two could clearly see each other. The mist clearing ever more. "You ready?"
"Of course." Sachi answered in a focused tone.
"Right. Now, for me to get a clear understanding of your skills," Kakashi began. "You must do what I have told my students to do. You must come at me as if you are going to kill me." He instructed. Sachi nodded in reply. Kakashi in turn raised his forehead protector to show his scarred Sharingan eye. "You have until dawn to defeat me. Now..." He said slowly. "Go!"
Sachi jumped away, knowing how the Sharingan works because of what Koto had told her about ocular jutsu. She backed off into the mist and made the hand seals dog, dragon, and ram choosing a distance attack first. Lightning shot from her hand, almost hitting Kakashi if he hadn't dodged it.
"Lightning..." Kakashi said in amazement. The only other he had faced was one that he taught, Sasuke. Her attack seemed similar to his own Raikiri. Behind him, she continued her attack with the same technique which he yet again barely missed. This time, he disappeared into the forest floor where the mist couldn't reach.
"Lightning Cross Blades Jutsu!" Sachi barked as she threw her series of kunai at him to keep him from retreating. But by the time they reached him, he disappeared leaving them stuck in trees instead. Sachi huffed and ran in after him.
Sachi jumped forward and slammed her feet down as hard as possible in her landing, the ground breaking below her most forward foot, revealing Kakashi's hiding spot beneath about ten feet away. He smiled, and his shadow form disappeared. He appeared behind her suddenly.
"RAIKIRI!" He commanded. Sachi however turned on him, grabbing his arms with her hands engulfed in lightning, causing yet another of his shadow clones to disappear. Sachi jumped up into the trees, the best place she could think of to find out his next move. The evading each other's attacks game kept on through the day and into the hours just before dawn. Sachi was once again in the trees staring at Kakashi from a branch. He was leaned against a tree, seeming to be worn out and weary. Both of them nearly ran dry of chakra, so she wasn't surprised. She swung down from the branch swiftly, landing behind him, and putting a kunai at his neck he disappeared again.
"Sachi, behind you!" Koto barked from far off. Sachi turned and placed the kunai once again at his neck, preventing him from attack. Light suddenly flooded the grounds in the arrival of dawn. The shadows of the night disapearing as suddenly as they had dropped before. The haste of the light was blinding to the wide eyes of the girl. Her pupils retreated to a normal size and she blinked with shock.
Sachi's heart sank rapidly as she realized what the light meant. She had not been able to complete the task ahead of her. Disappointment shown clearly on her face.
"You pass!" Kakashi said with a smile.
"What?" She asked with a high pitched, surprised tone.
"You are skilled in your techniques as well as understanding strategy. You also used team work well, even though that was not part of the test. I have no reason and no will to fail you." He praised with a hand on her shoulder as well as a smile under his mask. "Seems Satomi and your early teacher, Jiraiya-sama, taught you well." He said quietly.
"Arigato." Sachi replied.
