How could they be surprised? Kakashi was late, as always! That wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that his opponent was on time.
It had been around a day since this woman Numino had returned. Naruto hadn't seen since then. She looked totally different. It had helped that she had taken a bath. And now he could see how bright her hair was. The same color as his own even though it was so short. She had changed as well. Now she was warring tight short black pants and T-Shirt that really showed athletic but a little too thin figure. A red scarf was tied around her waist with the loose ends dangling to the side. Black simple sandals and a little red hairclip kept the bangs in order, and a beautiful sword was striped to her back, and a simple poach at the other side.
She was already waiting when and Sakura arrived. She send them a single look and nod before turning to ignore them. Naruto ignore her as well.
But Sakura was in a friendly mood. After a few minutes of waiting she had gathered the courage to speak:
"So what's it like being back?" she asked nicely.
Numino looked a little surprised at the pink haired girl. Then she shook her shoulder.
"Well the rebuilding look nice," she turned at the direction of the Hokage-mountain. "And it is nice seen a woman's face up there."
"Rebuilding? How long have you been away?" Sakura asked surprised.
There had been a little rebuilding since Orochimaru had attacked, but it wasn't that much.
"Since the Nine-tails attack," was the calm answer.
Naruto looked at her in great surprise.
She send him a look with those blue eyes, he couldn't quit read that look.
Could she know?!
She gave Sakura a little smile.
"I guess it has been awhile. I haven't really have had a chance to look at everything. I'm looking forward see how much everyone has changed."
"You know Kakashi-sensei, has he changed?" Sakura asked further.
Numino looked up thoughtfully for a few seconds.
"Know and know, we are more like acquaintances," she mumbled. " He has grown a few inches since then. But other than that he looks pretty much the same I guess." She looked at the sun. "Even though I hoped that been late was just a phase."
"What!? He hasn't always been late!?" Naruto asked surprised.
Numino smiled widely and was about to say something, but she was cut off by another voice
"Okay that's enough talking about me!"
Kakashi-sensei appeared in front of them. He sounded unusually grumpy.
"I agree. I don't like talking about you anyway," Numino answered. "But perhaps it can learn you to be on time, or I'll tell them all I know about you!"
"Don't get started. There are worse thing to say about you than me." Kakashi growled annoyed.
"There are worse TRUE things to about me!" Numino smiled.
Naruto had never seen anyone making Kakashi-sensei act that way. They reminded him more of little children than professional warriors.
"Are you two ready?"
They all turned around and saw Tsunade and Jiraija step in to clearing, which was the training ground.
The childishness disappeared at once. The two shinobis straightened their backs and nodded respectfully.
"You both know the rules. I don't you two bedridden for weeks, so control your temper!" Tsunade said and looked between the two opponents.
"I'll try!" Numino smiled widely with closed eyes and flashing teeth.
They stepped a few feet away from each other and turned ready to fight! Now Naruto could see the warrior in Numino. Her blue eyes clear with concentration, and every muscle in her body ready! Kakashi looked equally serious, but he was use to that. Jet he haven't reveled his sharningan, so he couldn't be really serious. It scared Naruto a little to see how these older ninjas could turn on a switch and become lethal killing-machines in a second.
Tsunade was quite for a moment before yelling:
"GO!"
It was like two lightning and then they were at each other. It was hard for Naruto to see the moves, but he would see they were using taijjutsu.
They were moving with great agility and speed, but it didn't take long for Numino to land a kick on Kakashi's blind spot and send him to the ground.
"That's what you get for fighting me without your Sharningan!" Numino commented when Kakashi had come around.
"I guess you're right," He mumbled and lifted his headband to reveal his left eye, before he attacked again.
This time Kakashi could hold his own. That wasn't surprising. What was surprising was that Numino could follow his movements. They were using so many kicks and spin that it was incredible that it managed them both doge and counter every attack, let alone to stand in way for each other in some way, let alone returned the others ones attack.
"Incredible!" Naruto heard Sakura said next to him. "She can counter the Sharingan!"
He turned to look at her.
"What are you talking about, Sakura?"
"Remember when we fought Kakashi-sensei? We weren't able to land a single hit on him. But she can give him a hard time on her own and she takes everything he throws at her!" she explained.
"Maybe not quite," Pervy-Sage commented.
He had placed himself next Naruto.
"Take a look."
Naruto could see what he was talking about. Even though they were both patting heavily, Numino was more on the defensive now than before. She was still fast and agile, but she took longer to recover from the hits that Kakashi got in, than he did from hers.
"She is physically weaker and weighs less than he does, so there isn't so much force behind her hits, and she has a harder time coop with them." Jiraiya explained.
A that moment Kakashi land a powerful combo of knees hits and kicks on Numino, so she was send to the ground with great force. But like Kakashi, she got on her feet quick and wiped her mouth. But she didn't attack immediately. Kakashi had gotten some space between them, signaling that the taijjutsu-round was over, and probably to get some air. Both were still patting.
"That was what I expected of Numino," Jiraiya commented. "She isn't that strong, when she is not using chakra. But she is fast and agile. Just hard, it is also what Kakashi is good at. If I were her, I would start using ninjutsu."
Numino apparently didn't hear the Sanin, for she did something which seemed a little premature.
She stood for a few seconds with clenches fits and stared and her opponent.
Then she drew her sword and ran towards Kakashi with and high cry!
"Well, she hasn't change that much," Jiraiya signed.
Kakashi just drew a kunai and stooped her attack. They stood facing each other for a few second before a sound at Kakashi made him look down!
A couple of huge jaws shot up from ground and snapped after Kakashis legs.
He was fast enough to move away, but now Numino had had a chance to take a firm grip at his wrist with her left hand.
In a short moment Naruto thought that she was going to cut him half, but hold her sword, so the broad side was facing both of them held in place with her tomb finger spread over it.
Naruto could see chakra gather at her fingertips, swirling in a way that seemed familiar, but before it was really clear, she slammed her in to Kakashi's stomach; the force generated was so great that he was slung back a few meters, landing on his back.
"I guess she has learned," Jiraiya mumbled casually.
Naruto was worried for a few seconds. That was quit a hit, but Kakashi-sensei gave a sign and lifted his head and looked at Numino how was smiling triumphantly down at him.
Her sword was now placed on her shoulder.
Now the owner of the massiv jaws was visible. Up of the ground a huge monster appeared. First Naruto thought it was a big dog, but the thing was almost as big as a horse. And to massive wings were placed around its shoulder blades. Its fur was grey, except for a white strip on each side of its face. It stuck out its tong in a very dog like manner and went to Numino, who placed a hand on its head and scratched it behind one of its big ear.
"You remember Lingo, right?" she asked Kakashi, who had come back on his feet.
"He has grown," he commented. "I had thought he would be long dead by now."
"Hey, be nice to him. He understands what you say!" she laughed.
Naruto couldn't believe it! She seemed to be winning! It was the second time, Kakashi was biting the dirt, and Numino had only done it once. But the real battle was just getting started!
