Heres the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy!


"Kurenai, hi."

The brunette kunoichi smiled at Asuma, her friend had been back almost two week and he had not sought her out. He hadn't seen any of them, not Kakashi or Gai, although the latter was a required taste. Asuma stood in the doorway to his place, normally he would have invited her inside by now.

"We were wondering if you had forgotten about us." She smiled.

"I could never forget about you Kurenai. I've just been caught up with something the old man asked me to do."

"Already? You've barely been back."

"Asked me hours from my arrival, but it's all good." Asuma mused, noting her attire. "Are you on your way to train?"

Kurenai nodded, "I'm meeting Kakashi and Gai at training ground three, well, now really."

"You best be on your way then. Gave me like fifth teen minutes and I'll meet you there and explain why I've been absent lately, okay?"

"I'm holding you to it."

Kurenai left and Asuma turned back into the house, calling Moriko over.

"Hey kid, you fancy meeting some of my friends today?"

Moriko nodded.

"It's not Izumo and Kotetsu, sorry. There's only so much of those two I can take."

"They can be very cheery," The little girl said in the same tone he just used, she was in a habit lately of coping him. His words, his tone, his actions. "Sometimes depressingly so."

Asuma laughed at her, clicking onto that he had said this to the old man only a few days ago.

"How can that be something? Isn't cheery and depressing opposites? How can something be so cheery that it's depressing?"

"Depressing is probably the wrong word, I meant...more...tiring. Understand?"

Moriko nodded.

"Ready to meet my friends?" Asuma looked down at her as she nodded, "Now one of my friends is like Izumo and Kotetsu. So cheery it's tiring, but one hundred times worse."

"...oh..."


Asuma saw the shocked looks on Gai and Kurenai's faces as he and Moriko approached; and he assumed it was the same for Kakashi. Moriko had really been coming out of her shell a lot more recently and she even remained by his side as they came to stand in front of his friends. Normally she would have hid behind him, but Moriko stood firmly by his side, holding his hand of course.

"Hey, so... Are training then or what?"

"Asuma? Who's this?"

Asuma looked down at Moriko, who smiled brightly back up at him. "This is Moriko."

Kakashi's head jerked slightly at the name, of course Kakashi would make a connection instantly. Asuma shook his head abruptly, he didn't need Kakashi saying anything to her, Asuma was planning on telling her about her parents when she started the academy which would be in a few months. Asuma walked Moriko closer to the three,

"Moriko, these are my friends. This is Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded at the little girl, "Hello Moriko; you look remarkably like someone I used to know."

"A nice someone?"

"One of the best someone's I've ever known." Kakashi answered truthfully.

Asuma smiled, he knew just how deeply Kakashi had cared for the fourth; who had been a kind and supporting mentor to Kakashi, and the rest of his team, Rin and Obito. He then turned to his next friend,

"This is Gai."

"Greetings young flower! It is a fine pleasure to see the youth of today look so radiant!"

Moriko's blonde head looked up at Asuma, "The so-cheery-it's-tiring one?"

Gai's jaw practically dropped to the floor, crushed by the thought one of his friends would say that to him. Kurenai let out a soft laugh and Kakashi rolled his eyes at Gai's dramatic attitude; he told Gai how annoying and tiring he was practically every day. Asuma scratched the back of his head, cringing about being caught out. It was clear that she was just repeating something he said.

"Asuma-San? I think I broke him?"

"He'll be alright, don't worry about him." The kunoichi spoke, "He'll be right as rain and bouncing in a matter of minutes."

Moriko gazed at the kunoichi, "I'm Moriko."

"Hello Moriko." Kurenai smiled, "I'm Kurenai."

Asuma smiled at Kurenai and Moriko; he could see how smitten she was with Kurenai already. He supposed it might be because Moriko had spent so much time with himself as well as Izumo and Kotetsu, so perhaps Kurenai was the first female company she'd had since the orphanage. Asuma also knew that Kurenai stood for everything Moriko wanted. Kurenai was a strong ninja, and she proved Moriko right. Asuma never said that she would never be a ninja, he told her she would be a great ninja; Moriko had doubts though, but he knew these would vanish when she started the academy.

"The old man asked me to look after Moriko." Asuma explained. "Why don't you sit with Kurenai whilst I spar with Gai to make up for your little comment?"

Moriko nodded, squirming away from Asuma as he tickled her; 'punishment' for her comment. Asuma wondered what he would be like when he actually did have to discipline her. Thus far, she'd been a good girl, so he hadn't needed to, he just hoped he'd be able to. He didn't mind spoiling her but he didn't want her to be spoilt. Moriko pulled away from Asuma and sat down on the grass next Kurenai, waving at Asuma he began his spar with Gai.

"You're a ninja, aren't you?"

Kurenai smiled at the curious child, "Yes, I am. Is Asuma being nice to you?"

The child nodded, "He's on a three way tie."

"With who?"

"Izumo and Kotetsu."

Thats when it dawned on Kurenai; that was how she recgonized the child. She'd seen her with those two, she was the little girl they would play with. Kurenai thought that it must have been baby sitting duties, punishment. Izumo and Kotetsu were always in trouble, but what about Asuma! Was it the thirds punishment for Asuma's travels? No, he wouldn't do that, would he?

"What's that?"

Kurenai was pulled out of her thoughts, and saw Moriko pointing to Kakashi's book.

"Kakashi! Put that away! There's a child present!"

Kakashi rolled his eye, but put his book away.

"Who do I remind you of?"

"My old sensei. You look a lot like him, he was a good man." Kakashi said shortly, before jumping in one of the trees to sit on a branch and take out his book again.


After an hour and a half, Asuma and Kurenai swapped. I need to start regular training again. Asuma thought, he was knackered and Gai was still going. Although nothing new there. Gai was always the last one standing. Asuma sat down next to Moriko.

"You okay here?"

"Kurenai's nice. She's pretty, is she a good ninja?"

"Yea, she's a great ninja. She's fantastic at genjutsu."

"That's the illusion one?"

"That's right."

"When will I start training like this?"

"You'll start at the academy, and I'll help you too. You'll be the best ninja in training there." Asuma winked at her, mirroring her beaming smile. "What about the other two?"

"Kakashi-San is in the tree because Kurenai told him off for reading his book."

Asuma shot a sharp glance at Kakashi, knowing that the silver haired shinobi caught it. Then leaning in, Asuma spoke in a stage whisper, "Don't mind Kakashi. He's an old grump."

"I heard that." Came Kakashi's reply from up in the tree.

"And Gai?"

"Zumo and Tetsu have nothing on him!" She answered brightly, "You're not even that happy after coffee and cigarettes!"

"Hey!" Asuma said, feigning hurt.

"That won't work on me, Asuma-San! Zumo pretends to be hurt all the time!"

Kakashi laughed as his friend was caught out.


There you go! Another little chapter. This time Moriko met Gai, Kurenai and Kakashi. It was meant to be longer but I forgot what I was going to write. I tried to keep everyone in character but I'm sorry for any ooc.

Review? No flames but constructive criticism is allowed.

Umbralunae