Another shorty. Pretty obvious, but it takes place during the 'training' with Sauske. As I was working on this scene (for the main story) I completely stopped part way through and was like "eeeeeh I'm not sure this is working with the flow" so I chopped it. Some interesting tidbitties dropped here. Though... they've also been dropped in the main story as well.

Training Ground 67

Mountains North of Konoha

1:30am

Ai couldn't sleep. Not that that was uncommon for her, but she couldn't sleep more than normal. She'd only taken Kakashi up on his offer of camping up here tonight because she was curious if a change in scenery would help.

It hadn't.

So instead of sleeping she had wandered a few dozen feet away from the two snoozing ninja, Abel trailing silently behind her. Ai first began by digging through the rock rubble Sasuke had made with some jutsu attempts. She picked her way through rocks, studying them in the light and checking how much chakra input they could take before they'd weakened enough structurally and crumbled to dust.

She settled for the furthest ditch in the rock, brought to you by Sasuke, as a good place to begin. Meanwhile, Abel set himself upon a taller boulder, giving him a larger field of view.

Ai sat in the dirt and pulled out the pouch she had brought with her today. Contained within was a chisel and a hammer. She set to work chipping off bits of stone and studying them in the moonlight. Which was a poor source despite the clear night, so at times she even brought them up to her mouth to give them a taste.

Abel quivered a soft hum as she licked one, indicating that Kakashi had found her.

"You know, if you're hungry we have food, you don't have to resort to eating rocks."

"I'm not eating them," she half-heartedly defended herself. "I'm tasting the make-up of the rocks. You might not know this, but depending on what it is made up of, it can taste different. There is also the texture as well. If you know what it means you can tell what elements the rock is comprised of. Smell can also work, but for your sake I won't get much deeper into the properties of rocks."

"Are you," he hesitated briefly as if deciding if this train of conversation worth pursuing, "looking for something in particular?"

"Potassium nitrate," Ai answered immediately, turning to look at him as she tossed the pebble in her hand aside. "But I imagine that doesn't mean much to you."

"Accurate deduction," Kakashi deadpanned back at her. "I wouldn't imagine you had an interest in geology."

"It's more of an interest in the chakra amassing abilities of nonorganic material. Why some things hold it better than others. I've heard about natural energy, but I can't find much about it beyond abstract ideas."

"That's because you're a civilian and you don't need to know those things." Ai frowned at that. "You haven't tried experimenting with it, have you?"

"No."

"Good," he snapped out nearly before she'd even finished. "It's dangerous. And highly lethal to anyone that doesn't know what they're doing."

"Have you used it?"

"Never touched the stuff."

"Oh."

Kakashi tucked his hands into his pockets, taking on a slouched appearance. "Does this interest stem from what happened to you?"

"I was told it sounded like it was natural energy that invaded our system. If it's so dangerous, why did I live? Was it just because I was young enough?" Ai shrugged. "It seems like a cheap reason, considering what I saw it do."

"As cliché as this is going to be," Kakashi sighed out, "it may be one of those things we'll never figure out."

Her response was to grunt.

"You should get some sleep, it will be an early wake up tomorrow."

"I have trouble sleeping."

Kakashi leaned back, resting himself on a waist high boulder. "I suppose that's not surprising, giving your background. Have you tried meditation?"

Her eyes shifted away from him. "Hayate taught me, but I'm not very good at it."

The ninja's one visible eye crinkled like he was smiling under his mask. "Maybe you're not good at it because you don't want to be." Ai flinched like he'd hit her. Abel's head twisted to look at Kakashi, staring at him with his empty sockets and grinning saw-teeth, which glittered in the moonlight. "I get it, we all have our reasons for doing things, but you might want to reconsider your plan," the emphasis on that word was subtle, it still said he thought what she had was anything but a plan, "now that a few key pieces have changed." His tone instantly lightened. "Try to get some rest."

Once Kakashi was gone, Abel slipped from the rock he sat on and approached Ai. He tilted his head to meet her eyes. What will you do? His empty sockets asked as a shiver ran over his body.

"I'm won't let them take me," she stated. "No matter what." Abel's body quivered his agreement and beneath her skin she felt Seth stir.