After Maia recovered from the battle with the criminals and they were put in prison, she decided to train more. It was her duty to talk with the younger Uchiha now, and she made an effort to get him to open up. They went on walks after training where Maia talked of her feelings of living by herself with no family. How it hurt to be isolated. It worked. He told her his identity as an avenger, and how fighting Gaara and watching Naruto grow had made him want to get even stronger. The thought it might not be enough to have Kakashi teach him made the mark on Maia's side hurt. Had Itachi heard? He was thinking of leaving the village.

Then in the mornings Neji and Tenten came to watch and join her while she used her chakra to form the jellyfish like blob that could both heal and take chakra from an enemy. "So you really helped defeat the enemy ninja with a music genjutsu?" Tenten asked.

"And the secret documents are safe and returned to the Hokage?" Neji added.

"I guess, I mean I really don't know what I did." She wanted desperately to tell them about the strange encounter she had with Itachi Uchiha, how he had gotten her the documents and how she had just gotten pinned to a tree, but she knew she couldn't. He warned that he would put an end to her if anyone did find out and there was no reason not to believe him. Maia trained for two hours in long thought. When she got home, she found a note on her doorstep. It said:

"Meet me in the clearing next to Totaroki Park at 6. I have a task for you to do. Until then..."

It was signed Kakashi Hatake.

Maia's heart leapt. It was already 5:30 so she decided to go over. What task did he want her to do? She walked towards the park in contemplation. He had wanted to put more of an effort into training her individually. It must have been after the mission that he had gotten impressed. Then she thought of the way he had complimented her. How he had looked off to the ground, talked to her in that voice… The girl dared wonder... was this more than just training?

No, that was getting ahead of herself. He most likely wanted to help her improve, that was all. He had a day off. But what if... no, Maia had to stop herself from thinking too hard on it. That would be too good to be true. He was much too upper rank, mature, and aloof for her to ever deserve him. Soon she arrived at the park.

Just then, she saw Anko waving at her, holding a bag of coco-dumplings in her arms.

"Hey, Maia-chan! How are you doing?!"

"I'm good! You?"

"Great! Just getting ready for dinner. You've recovered?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I have to go! Kakashi has a training assignment for me!"

"Oh really? Weird, he never trains chuunin… Well, see you later girly!" She noticed the her blush and understood what the girl might be feeling. Maia let her notice and hurried towards the location he usually took squad seven to.

Kakashi was late, but only by a few minutes. He had been reading his book, which Maia curiously glanced at. I wonder, what is the story in there if he's so invested in it? "Sorry I'm late." his voice had the usual calm lilt to it.

"It's okay." She smiled nicely, trying to hide the butterflies in her stomach. Luckily he never seemed to notice.

"Alrighty then. So. I have a test for you. That is, if you're willing to complete it." He leaned against the nearby tree, still looking into his novel.

"What is it, Kakashi-san?"

"The thing is, I have seen that you are good at ninjutsu. Very talented." His eyes formed upside down u shapes in a smile. He was nice… "However, when it comes to strength, you're- well- how do I put it- rather wimpy."

What? He had to say that? It had been going so smoothly.. now she felt slightly out of place once more.

"Yeah, I realize that." she excused. "I guess in the life I had before I never practiced physical stuff that much."

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm going to train you. Here's what were going to do." He stood up and walked to you. "You're going to have to fight me. Here are your weapons." He threw two kunai at her and she caught them. Maia looked up in astonishment.

"You want me to fight you? With these? I don't know about that, I'm really not that kind of person."

Kakashi POV: It really doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to have her go through this, but I have to see how far she can go. Then I'll go to the next step of my little plan.

"Don't worry I'll go easy on you. "

"Um, okay, if that's what you want."

"Alrighty then. Ready? Set? Start!

Maia took a moment to think of what her first move should be. What was the man's weakness? Whatever it was, there was no way she could beat him at this level. 'It's just a test' Maia reminded herself. This isn't to beat him, it's just… why is he having me do this? The girl sprang at him nervously, holding her kunai out so she could maybe scratch him. He blocked using his own, easily. Then the countered with the swipe of his right hand. They exchanged a few more blows, but while finding her balance, there had been a little pebble in the grass that Maia's foot had been lucky enough to find. One moment she was trying to hit him, the next moment she was…

On the ground.

He looked down at her flatly. Maia blushed.

"It seems you're a little clumsy too. Or maybe just wanted a rest in the grass?"

"I've never fallen like that until now!" She got up, brushing herself off, embarrassed.

"It's no matter. In fact it was... how should I put it, a little cute."

"What?" The girl inwardly gasped and instantly hid her flushing cheeks while she got up to her feet once more.

"We'll try again. Go!"

This time she nervously moved first too. They took turns dodging each other's moves for a minute until he caught her mid-blow. Their kunai pressed hard against each other, each trying to get the other's hand to give. With one move, the fabric of his shirt brushed against her bare skin. For a moment they looked into each other's eyes. He seemed to be looking inside her eyes for some answer. She tried once more to hit him with senbon, but it was no use. Then he charged at her. His arm had gone a hair's breadth from touching her. She quickly evaded.

Maia POV while fighting: Why is he looking at me like that? It's like he's thinking something important about me but I can't tell what... I wonder if it has anything to do with what he just called me a minute ago.

He came at her again, catching her in a battle of hand to hand combat. He was so strong, much stronger than Neji and Sasuke. His white messy hair swayed back and fourth with every suave dodge and weave he made, while his breathing remained effortlessly even. He was holding back. They continued to clash, back and forth, until finally she jabbed out at him, but he dodged next to the trees, then lashed out at her again. In the last second she evaded his hand. He could tell she was not the naturally the aggressive type and that lashing out had suprised her. Then, Maia noticed his eyes were smiling. Was he toying with her?

"You're quick" he complimented.

"Not as quick as you," Maia smiled. She went at him again, hiding a tiny flush on her cheeks, and tried to get at him in another flurry of attacks- but at the same time, she didn't want to get him. His eyes never left her once while they fought. It was hard to want to hurt a guy like him, plus she was getting exhausted. Maia's heart raced; though she couldn't tell if it was from exhaustion or if it was from the man himself. Now isn't the time to daydream, Maia, it's time to fight! She tried to bring herself back to earth.

"Getting tired?"

"I'm not giving up!" Maia tried to hide the fact she was nearly gasping for air.

Kakashi POV: We've been fighting for nearly ten minutes now. She has a strong will. It's like the will of… her… No. That's not possible.

He made one last gentle dash at her when her guard was down. Maia had just enough time to set out her invisible barrier; his weapons hit nothing but pushed her backward a little bit. The energy it took to counter his dash was more than she expected and made her slump over, finished. He halted, placing his weapon in his holster.

"Alright, we're done here. That's all I needed to see to decide what to do with you. I'm going to have you train with Kurenai in physical combat along with your genjutsu." Maia stood up, stunned. Was he really saying goodbye?

"Wait. You mean we're not going to train anymore?"

"No, you did very well. I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more of each other." He smiled once more. Wait, what? He hadn't just flirted with her had he? No. She shot down the idea at once. He was just being nice, like before. There was no need for him to train her. "I have a lot I need to accomplish with Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. I've been training Sasuke separately now too, so I'll be a bit busy. Sorry."

"Oh. That's okay, I understand." Maia waved to him as he started to walk away, feeling like a hole of disappointment had been blown through her chest. After the little time they had had together, it had to end. This was the suckeyest news she had heard in a while. "Goodbye."

"See ya." He waved with two fingers up, then disappeared into smoke.

Little did she know, he hadn't told her goodbye. It had been the best news ever, for the copy ninja had a mystery on his mind.

The next day Maia slept in until noon, for a take it easy day. But when the girl looked in her pantry, she noticed that she had eaten the last of her food and therefore needed to go grocery shopping. So she put on a white dress and headed for the market. At the market you saw pictures of girls and boys holding each other, in love and happy. It made her think of Kakashi but you controlled your brain, it would never happen. 'I need to get those thoughts out of my mind! I'm not good enough. I'm just a chuunin.' Maia needed to chill. She needed to get it together. She decided to give herself a spa day, just to escape for a while. The cucumbers on her eyes and the two hour hot spring massage did wonders for her.

But then, when she began to make the journey home with grocery bags in hand, Maia noticed Kakashi was sitting near the bookstore, reading a newspaper! He was looking at her out of the corner of his eye! She remembered what he had said the other day 'I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more of each other.' He had meant it. Her heart jolted, stomach started getting butterflies. 'I have to stop this silly girly crush!' When she looked back at him, he had gone back to reading their newspaper. A few minutes later, however, the girl saw him again, he was leaning against a wall of a building, reading his book. Maia checked her mental health. Wait, hadn't he just been at the shop? Was he following her? Ten minutes went past, and she thought he wouldn't see her again. He had already made her a little dizzy from the first two encounters. But then, he walked up to her from behind. The surprise of it almost swept her off her feet.

"Well howdy doo, there." Maia would pretend that she hadn't noticed him.

"Oh, hey Kakashi, how are you?"

"Fine, I guess. I'm just taking it easy. You?"

"I'm great, I was just getting some groceries."

"I see. Well I did have something I wanted to talk with you about, ninja related, is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, of course." They both stepped out to the side of the street. He looked over his novel, lazy calmness in his eyes. "Well you see, the prisoners you fought a white ago just escaped, and the Elders said both of us are to go with Gai and bring them back. They were reported not to have stolen anything of any value, fortunately."

"How the heck did they escape again? I'm so sorry... it's my fault, and of course I will go, when do we need to leave?"

"It's no ones fault, they hadn't even taken back the documents. Intelligence reports claim they are headed to the base near an outpost beyond the borders so we don't have to leave until tomorrow morning. Until then, get some sleep, eat well, and report by the main gate at 8."

"Alright, I got it. Wait a minute, aren't you and Gai rivals?"

"Of a sort. He claims we're arch enemies, but it's all for improvement. He's full of nonsense."

"He is." Maia laughed politely. He seemed to notice something in her laugh.

"It's interesting… your smile reminds me of-" Just then two men called over to Kakashi, waving him over. He excused himself.

Her smile reminded him of someone?

"I'll tell the Elders you're coming with us and we'll head out at eight. Until then." Maia wanted to know what he was going to tell her about it, but it would have to wait. She walked away quite swiftly, wanting to go home and recuperate. Her cheeks were blushing.

At home Maia looked out the window in her bedroom, thinking over everything she had learned. It was funny, she had a feeling the thing he had said about her smile would help her find her memories. Maia closed her eyes that night, excited for the mission with Kakashi Hatake.