Chapter 4

At the next training session, Ritsuka had talked with Jiraiya about her current situation. He had eagerly agreed to help her find Sanosuke, and promised to do what he could to help. It had been more than she had asked for, but she was happy to accept his offer.

Training had gone on as planned, and Ritsuka dived into practise happily. This, however, was the first time she was going to meet the last member of their team. Kakashi had warned her of him, saying that he was rather flamboyant and incredibly annoying, but Kakashi was annoyed by everything so it was hard to truly understand her new team mate. She was excited and apprehensive at the same time, but Jiraiya had assured her everything would go fine.

And so they waited in the training area in Konoha, Kakashi disapproving of the boy's lateness.

"I hope this isn't an indication of his lack of ability to do anything…" he had muttered, earning a playful slap on the back of the head from Minato.

"Stop being so mean to everyone. You'll end up with no friends." This was often the line that was said in these situations, which made Ritsuka feel so very sorry for Kakashi. She made a silent promise to herself that she would never leave Kakashi on his own, even if he was very mean to her.

There was a sudden crash and loud cry as something colourful flew across the clearing. The colourful… thing… had crashed nastily into a bush at one side, a leg and an arm hanging out limply. Jiraiya wiped a tear or two from his eyes as he tried desperately not to laugh out loud. Kakashi's face, well what you could see, was an absolute picture. He was torn between humour and absolute hate, confusion and complete disbelief. His look of repentance and pleading eyes made Minato double over and clutch his sides desperately. Kakashi felt mutinous and Ritsuka began to worry that he was about to through a tantrum. She didn't see this going down too well at all.

The body ruffled around inside the bush for a while, Jiraiya going over to help him out.

"Aha! A foe I see. You should watch those bushes! Creep up on you when you least expect it!" like when you crash violently and without warning into them? The boy was much taller than Ritsuka and Kakashi, but shorter than Minato and definitely Jiraiya. His broad smile and brilliant white teeth shone brightly in the sunlight… wait, did they just bling? Ritsuka felt a little sick, but sympathetic for the boy. His hair was thick and black, and in a strange out of fashion bowl cut. His eyebrows… god they were surely creatures on their own. Ritsuka scolded herself for the nasty thought, but reminded herself not to be too hard, because they were really big, to be fair.

"Ritsuka! Kakashi! This is Maito Gai!" Minato had managed to compose himself enough for introductions. He almost lost it again when he saw the still incredulous look on Kakashi's face.

"No." was all he managed to say before turning on his heel and making his way out. Minato chased after him, urging to Ritsuka to go and talk to the new… phenomena.

"Uh… Hi! I'm Ritsuka and it's a pleasure to -"

"RITSUKA! What a beautiful name! Never have I heard such poetry flow from my tongue so languidly! I must know your family name!" His eager eyes and sudden closeness had thrown Ritsuka off completely. Who was she again?

"Um… Kurosaki?" she questioned, worried of what was going to happen next.

"Ah! Like the cherry on top! Kurosaki Ritsuka! Oh the ecstasy!" he continued to say her name in different accents, trying to find the best one to suit its beauty… Ritsuka felt herself falter. Was this normal?

Ritsuka's eyes widened when he bent down in front of her in such a formal over the top bow. He had managed to trap her hand in his, and he was currently kissing it softly.

"A pleasure! And absolute pleasure!" he beamed "I am Maito Gai! I am here to join your crusade through the Chunnin exams, and aid you in anything you need me for. Absolutely anything." He nodded as if trying to convey a hidden meaning of some kind, but Ritsuka was too caught up in the moment to realise it. He had suddenly pulled her flush against him, her arm somehow round his neck and his arm around her waist.

What the hell?!

The faint choking of a currently dying Jiraiya was heard as he rolled on the ground, his eyes streaming. This was too much. When the Hokage had laughed at the choice, he knew they were in for something, but this?! It was film worthy. Where was his pen, he just had to right this down! Gold! Absolute gold!

Minato had managed to bring back a positively raging Kakashi, who only seemed to get worse when he saw Ritsuka's current situation. Gai was now reciting some poetry to a struggling Ritsuka, completely oblivious to the fear etched on her face. When her eyes landed on Kakashi, they were pleading. Something snapped in Kakashi.

"Put her down!" Kakashi's voice rang in the forest, surprisingly drowning the rather larger than life boy. He looked over to Kakashi and down at Ritsuka. "Let her go! Now!" Kakashi was slowly losing his temper. Jiraiya had stopped laughing now, seeing it probably best to get this Gai to do as instructed before there was blood spilled. Though he did feel a little jealous that it was this flamboyant boy who had made Kakashi lose control and not himself, and he had tried so hard as well…

The situation was calmed quickly, to Ritsuka's relief. She had thanked the now brooding Kakashi thoroughly, but quietly so as to not upset poor Gai. He was currently getting a lesson in the 'complexities of Kakashi' from a still giggling Jiraiya, and Minato tried to reassure said Kakashi that everything would be fine in time.

What a mess!

The next couple of sessions proved to be rather thick with tension. Gai had tried relentlessly to impress and befriend the unapproachable Kakashi, and had failed more miserably each time. Ritsuka worried that maybe Kakashi would snap and possibly hospitalise the poor boy. He was just the exact opposite of him, and everything he didn't like in people. He didn't stand a chance.

But still, Ritsuka spent the most of her training time working with Kakashi and Gai, allegedly as a team. She found herself laughing a lot at Gai's antics, but Kakashi remained unimpressed.

"Stop fooling around. I don't know about you but I want to pass this exam!" Kakashi had shot when Gai had showed Ritsuka a trick he had made up. She had giggled at how silly it was, and how Gai had actually thought she would have been fooled by it. He was growing on her rapidly, and she found him somewhat cute.

"Tch! You are just boring Kakashi-chan. We should make the most of our youth! We only live once." He pulled a pose when he spoke, giving Ritsuka a wink. Kakashi seemed to be bubbling over the edge. He was usually so calm and collected too, but something about there closeness just ticked him off ridiculously. Poor Gai.

"Look. She's seven! So stop hitting on her!" A blush crept onto his cheeks as he returned to practicing his jutsu, Kakashi silently thanking his mask all the while. Gai turned to Ritsuka with a look of horror on his face, and Ritsuka wished she could take a picture.

"Seven?! No one told me! Wow, I thought she was just small for her age. How did I end up in a team of kids?" Gai started going off on a tangent of how he was wasting his youth on children. Kakashi's eyebrow started to twitch, and his hands were balled into fists, his knuckles white with strain.

"Want to spar?" he turned to Ritsuka hoping to get away from Gai. Anything just to get Ritsuka and himself away from him.

"Yeah sure!" she smiled sweetly as she walked to a nearby tree and picked up her weapons pouch, attaching it to her upper thigh. She smiled at Gai politely, so that he wouldn't think she was being rude and ignoring him.

"Let's go!" Kakashi shouted, caring not for Gai's feelings in the slightest, and he jumped into a nearby tree. Ritsuka pretended to not be interested as she followed his chakra through the trees. He had stopped in the one above her, preparing to attack with a jutsu. With speed only Minato could match, she appeared behind Kakashi tapping him on the back of the head. The clone puffed, and she was left standing alone on the branch. She smiled at his strategies. They were so different. Interesting and fun to figure out. Creating her own clone, she shot through the trees in pursuit of the silver haired genius.

Gai watched as the two 'kids' dart about their training area, kunai and shuriken flying through the air. He found himself feeling a bit out of place. He watched in disgust as Ritsuka was almost stabbed by Kakashi in the face.

"For the love of!... watch what your doing you crazy, dangerous idiot!" Gai yelled over to Kakashi, feeling enraged that he had actually tried to hurt her. Kakashi rolled his eyes as he tried to ignore the annoyingly loud shinobi. He dove towards Ritsuka who was currently laughing at the scene. Kakashi's kunai cut through her body, and she disappeared with a puff of smoke.

"If we fight with our clones, we don't need to hold back like we would if we were actually fighting, and we get the benefits and experience." The real Ritsuka was sitting on the grass next to Gai. She giggled when Gai backed himself into a tree, obviously frightened by her.

"How did… Where the…" Gai looked around himself trying to figure out when she had gotten there. Ritsuka giggled cutely again as she turned to watch the fight. Gai blushed as he began to feel his pride smash. She was only seven, and Kakashi was only ten. He was really going to have to train better. No more wasting time with tricks and jokes, it was time to work and train hard. And so, the rest of the day was spent with Kakashi and Ritsuka engaging in battle, and Gai training in reps, setting his own goals and punishments, in true Gai fashion of course. Apparently a person really could hop on one arm one hundred times.

The Chunin exams were coming quicker than Ritsuka had wanted. She was enjoying the time she spent with her team; Gai had turned out to be rather skilled when he put his mind to it, or when he felt the need to prove he was better than Kakashi. Needless to say, Kakashi didn't care, which had made it all the funnier. It was like they were destined to be rivals!

Kakashi however was glad that he wasn't going to have to spend so much time with the strange and rather hairy shinobi. Soon he would be able to get back to some 'proper' training with his sensei. He secretly hoped Ritsuka would be allowed to stay with them, justifying that it was because she was useful and not because he liked her in any way.

Nope. Not at all.

Herro again! so glad to see your still with me! introduced a certain Maito Gai guy into the whole affair this chapter, so things are looking positively green! XD

Hope to be bringing in some humour with good old Gai now in it, so let me know what you think!

Thanx again guys!