Well this chapter might be a bit more interesting… I personally liked writing this chapter. Hope you like reading it!

Stirring Emotions

Chapter 4

"Come on Michi! You're being lazy."

Sai stopped short, hearing the familiar voice from the other night. He saw Saryie pulling at the man he met the other night as well, Michi, if Sai recalled correctly. Michi was sitting down at the Ichiraku Ramen shop, ordering while Saryie tried to pull the him away from the seat.

"I'm not being lazy. I deserve a break for once. We had border patrol all morning. I don't feel like sparring," Michi grumbled as he held firm to his spot.

"That's the same thing as being lazy, come on just one round," Saryie begged, her arms were around her companion's arm.

"Find Lee or someone else to train with you," Michi spoke, stubbornly sipping at the broth of his dish.

"Lee is out on a mission, come on…" Saryie pestered, not giving up.

"I can spar with you," Sai interrupted as he approached the two.

He was working on making new friends and getting a feel for these bonds that Naruto always talked so highly about. His recent trip to the library made him discover the best way to build bonds was to be open and inviting to social situations. It said to take advantage of opportunities that presented themselves when people needed help or advice. He knew Saryie didn't need help or advice… but she was looking for a sparring partner.

From the quick reactions from Michi and Saryie, Sai wondered if he was too forward in his approach. He witnessed Saryie take a grand, speculating look at him. He tried to smile and appear friendly. Sometimes he felt hopeless in these social situation. Michi looked confused but relief filled his face quickly, noticing Saryie hold on him waver.

"There you go, go train with Say," Michi announced.

"Sai," Sai corrected, blankly, not offended.

"Yea, Sai, whatever," Michi claimed, eating his ramen again.

Saryie's critical eyes softened as a smirk graced her features.

"Alright, I hope you're up for a challenge," Saryie stated her confidence pouring out, her eyes eager.

Sai smiled falsely at her in response. "You don't look very challenging."

Michi almost choked at that, laughing slightly. Saryie kept a straight face, her eyes narrowed slightly, not unnerved by his bluntness.

"This will be good," Michi spoke as he downed his meal. Michi got up from his spot, paying Ichiraku on the counter. "I'm tagging along to watch."

"Make sure you stay out of the way," Saryie commented to Michi, still eyeing Sai.

"I never am," Michi mentioned, as he eyed the two, slightly smirking.

They headed over to the training grounds. They pick one that was vacant and Michi ascended a tree off to the side in order to spectate. Sai and Saryie stood on opposite ends from each other of decent length.

Saryie was slightly crouched, shifting into her fighting stance. Sai stood facing her, waiting for her move patiently. Saryie smirked, noticing he was waiting on her to make the first move. His eyes were running over her body, analyzing, trying to predict her attack noticing her hand shift at the kunai pouch at her hip.

"If you think it's wise for me to make the first move, you're mistaken," Saryie claimed as she suddenly threw a kunai and disappeared.

Sai quickly dodged the kunai thrown and turned in time to catch Saryie's fist from the other side.

"For a taijutsu user, you're pretty sloppy at hiding your attack patterns," Sai commented, his face grave.

Saryie grunted and went to kick, twisting her body. Sai let go of her fist to fly back away from her kick, but was followed by Saryie's quick speed into a series of punches and kicks. Sai was able to block and keep up with her speed, dodging her blows.

"Your reflexes are quick," Saryie commented as she landed away from him, throwing shuriken from her pack at her hip.

Sai quickly blocked the sharp stars with his sword from his back. He quickly sheathed it once more onto his back and took out his scroll, quickly dapping into the paint.

"Super beast scroll."

Saryie witnessed as Sai's drawings came to life right before her very eyes. The lions leaped after her as Saryie had to quickly think on her feet.

Saryie leaped into the air above the lions' attack and performed some hand signs.

"Waterstyle. Water blast jutsu."

Water protruded from Saryie's mouth as she was able to wash the drawings away. Sai's eyes watched carefully as he drew more raging lions as a cover for another drawing he released.

Saryie landed, blasting the other lions away with her water jutsu. She ran around some of them in order to get closer to her target. She kicked some lions out of the way and threw kunai at the rest. Sai stood unmoving, prepared for Saryie's attack as she approached.

Saryie moved to punch Sai, now that he was finally within reach, but her movements were cut short. Saryie looked down to see drawings of snakes were holding her legs and her arms back from hitting Sai.

Sai casually eyed her predicament. "Check mate."

"Not quite," Saryie smirked, her face smug.

Sai watch as she replaced her body with a water clone out of thin air and her real body separated from the trapped clone. She maneuvered quickly around her clone with kunai in hand to attack Sai.

Sai had just enough time to react; pulling out his sword to block Saryie's attack, meanwhile the water clone snapped and the water washed away the snakes.

They stayed kunai to sword for a moment, each accessing each other. Saryie smirked, she knew with anyone else, she would have had them with that last move. Usually people were too slow to keep up with her speed, especially with close combat, with Lee, Iroha, Gai, and Neji being the exception.

"You ain't half bad," Saryie stated, chipper.

There was a slow clap as Michi descended the tree as Sai and Saryie separated, heeding their weapons. "Fascinating, I finally got to see Saryie get her butt beat," Michi teased with a laugh.

"Shut it Michi. He's definitely better than you," Saryie commented, sticking her tongue out at Michi.

Michi laughed, his hands in his blue hair. "And I have no problem with that, sore loser."

Saryie ignored him, focusing on Sai. Her lips were pursed as she eyed him. "What kind of training have you had? I know those reflexes aren't standard from the academy," Saryie stated, interested.

"I was trained under a special anbu regiment when I was a kid," Sai answered vaguely.

"Anbu?" Saryie repeated, stunted.

Sai nodded.

"Ha. No wonder you never stood a chance, Saryie," Michi claimed, amused.

"You execute taijutsu quite well, almost as good as Lee's taijutsu. Where did you learn?" Sai asked, his voice monotone but he was calculating her strengths.

Saryie laughed, lightly. "I actually learned most of my taijutsu from Lee and Gai-sensei," she mentioned happily, smiling.

"You're quick, but obvious in your assault. You think speed will cover your obvious frontal attacks, like throwing that kunai to distract me when you plan to attack from the rear. It was easy to counter," Sai spoke.

"Maybe… but for most people they usually don't know what hits them until it does," Saryie spoke, confident, her hand on her hip.

"If that's what best suits you," Sai commented, feeling odd at Saryie's chipper and confident nature. "It was a pleasure to train with you," Sai said awkwardly, taking his cue to leave the pair.

"Bye Sai," Saryie said as she watched him leave the training grounds.

"He sure is an odd fellow," Michi mentioned, now that Sai was out of hearing range.

"I don't think he knows how to be normal," Saryie commented, contemplative.

"Ah well who cares, saved me from having to train with you and it wasted my afternoon. I have to go pick up my lil' sister from the academy. You wanna come?" Michi spoke, nonchalantly.

"Sure," Saryie agreed and smiled at Michi, "Which sister?"

"Miyu. Mom is afraid of her causing trouble after school," Michi mentioned, with a snicker.

"How about Airi? She's like 8 now isn't she?" Saryie questioned

"Yea, she's enrolled in the academy as well, so I might as well pick her up too," Michi spoke casually.

Saryie and Michi headed over to the academy. It brought back so many memories for the two of them. They weren't much friends in the academy, not until they were assigned on the same team. Michi was lucky to graduate. He was no genius like Shikamaru but was as lazy as he was in the hard work department.

When they arrived at the academy, the students were just being released. It was easy for Saryie to spot Michi's sisters in the crowd due to their unlikely blue hair.

"Miyu, over here," Michi called as he spotted his oldest sister talking to the other kids.

Saryie witness Miyu take one glance at Michi, agitation gracing her features. She was certainly not happy as she said farewell to her friends and headed over to Saryie and Michi.

Miyu was of average height and size for her age of 12. She had short blue hair that whipped up at the sides in curls. Her eyes were dark as well and had distinct piercings in her ears, like her brother. She wore knee length shorts with a diamond shape pattern running vertically up the sides. Underneath her shorts was a netted stockings and on her feet slip on shoes. On her upper body she wore a loose tank top with a mesh shirt underneath as well. She was certainly not happy as she approached the two.

"What do you want brother?" Miyu spoke with an attitude.

"I'm here to walk you home," Michi stated, casually.

"I'm not a baby! I can do it myself," Miyu defended, annoyed.

"Sorry, mom's orders. I guess she's had enough of you beating on the other kids," Michi claimed, evenly with a smirk.

"It's not like I start it," Miyu exclaimed with a roll of her eyes.

"Not according to Iruka."

"Iruka can kiss my…"

"Miyu!" Michi's other sister Airi scolded as she reached the group. "Iruka is a wonderful instructor. He's kind and friendly. Don't talk so mean about him."

Miyu grumbled at her younger sister Airi as Saryie greeted her.

"Saryie!" Airi exclaimed as she hugged Saryie.

"Hey Airi, how's school going?" Saryie asked, cheerfully.

"Just wonderful, we practice with kunai today," Airi spoke, joyfully.

"Pheesh, kid stuff," Miyu remarked.

"Hey, you haven't even passed the final exam yet, don't be acting all high and mighty," Michi commented.

"I would of passed if Iruka didn't rush me! He's a lousy…."

"Miyu!" Her little sister scolded again with a glare, but her mood shifted quickly looking back to Saryie. "I'mma be just as strong and good as you, Saryie when I become a ninja."

Saryie smirked, rustling Airi's blue hair. "I don't doubt it. I hope you become strong too," Saryie spoke encouragingly.

Airi smiled hugely, her whole face lightening up. Airi was smaller than most of the kids her age. She had boots with a diamond shape crest engraved in them. She also wore shorts like her sister but it had one diamond place vertically on the left side vertically. She wore a long sleeved tan shirt that was rolled up to her elbows. Her hair was styled differently than her brothers and her sister's hair. Her blue bangs curled to the left of her face and the rest of her hair fell in waves to her shoulders. She was much more chipper and happy-go-lucky than her sister.

"Alright let's get you too both home," Michi expressed as he nudged Miyu ahead of him.

Miyu grumbled, her footsteps heavily on the pavement. Airi skipped along holding Saryie's hand as they talked about Airi's day in the academy.

When they arrived at the Haruki compound, they headed to Michi's home. Miyu quickened her pace, and grumbled about not being a kid anymore to her mother as she passed her mom. Michi's mom yelled after Miyu about her attitude. Airi skipped ahead, letting go of Saryie's hand. Michi's mom thanked Michi for picking Miyu and Airi up and greeted Saryie.

Out of nowhere came a squeal of delight as Michi's third sister came running out the house, passing Michi's mom.

"Brotherrr!" came the little four-year-old voice as she hugged Michi's leg.

"Hey Aoi," Michi greeted her as she soon let go of her brother's leg to hug Saryie.

"Is Saryie staying for dinner?" Aoi asked, excited.

"Oh, I don't know. You're welcome to join us if you like Saryie," Michi's mom offered with a smile.

"Oh no, it's quite fine. I rather get going. I still have some errands to run," Saryie weakly declined.

"Oh pleaseee," Aoi begged.

Aoi was Michi's youngest sister. She had lighter blue hair than the rest of them. It curled on top of her head and was held in a small pony tail. Her ears were pierce as was the trait of the Haruki clan and wore a light tint green dress.

"Aoi, stop. Saryie has things to do. Maybe next time," Michi mother said, sharply.

Aoi whined as she let go of Saryie. Saryie smiled gently at Aoi and hugged her as she said her farewells to Michi's family.

Saryie wished Michi luck as she heard his mother asked him to do some chores and his sisters voices in the background. Michi chuckled, waving to Saryie as she left.

Saryie walked home after running her errand and headed back to her one room apartment. She missed being close to a family, but she quickly turned away from those sad thoughts and went to bed.

Well let me know what you thought of Sai and Saryie's sparring match. You got to meet three of Michi's sisters. Imagine how he feels having to put up with a bunch of females all day and even being on a team with girls. Ha.

Please Review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I own Saryie, Michi, and Azumi