A/N: So, a few things. First, I know you all would have liked more action in the last chapter. Just know I tried my best, and I wasn't lying when I said I was bad at writing action. It seemed so much more awesome in my head I suppose.

Also, I just found out like a week ago that Kakashi lost his Sharingan during the war… Woops. So forgive me my errors. The Naruto universe is so huge, and I'm still so far behind. So many characters to keep track of, and so many of them die or are given really shitty endings. Or the creators just said, "Fuck this character," and moved on like they apparently did with Anko. (I WILL NEVER GET OVER THAT! NEVER!) And going back to the Ibiki/Kurotsuchi thing, yeah I was surprised to realize before I wrote that chapter that she's only 18… So let's just pretend she's a little bit older than that. I mean, age is so arbitrary anyway, am I right? Pft! No objections to that? Anyone? No? Ok good.

Onward!

Chapter Twenty-One: Anko's Pack

When Anko awoke the next morning, Ibiki had already left the tent and Kotetsu and Kakashi were still passed out. She thought briefly about getting up, but she didn't want to leave Kakashi's side until she was sure he was going to be alright.

Guruko still slept between them, and she wondered if the rest of the ninja hounds had stuck around. Her query was answered when she heard Ibiki getting into an argument with Bisuke about food.

Anko smiled to herself and removed her hand from Kakashi's to stroke the top of the little dog's head. It seemed Kakashi's ninja hounds were more than just helpful or useful; they were also very loyal to their master. Guruko made a funny noise, somewhere between sleep and consciousness, and his tail began to wag. Not wanting to disturb him further, Anko pulled her hand away.

The ninken opened his eyes and looked at her drowsily. "Please don't stop…"

A little surprised that Guruko enjoyed the attention (he was a ninja hound, not a house pet), Anko gently grabbed the little dog and pulled him to her. She held him against her and pet him while his tail resumed its wagging.

"Looks like you've got a friend."

Anko looked up from the dog in her arms to find Kakashi's head turned toward her, his half-lidded grey eye watching her with amusement.

Guruko's ears perked up, and he stood.

"You're awake! Thank goodness."

"Don't worry Guruko," he said reassuringly. "You were right. All I needed was a little rest."

Anko sat up and leaned over Kakashi, lifting his headband to place her hand on his forehead and check both of his eyes. His Sharingan was certainly strained, its focus unsteady. "You're not out of the woods yet," she warned. "Unfortunately we still have two days until we reach the village, but when we get there, you're going to the hospital."

Kakashi put in the effort to sit as well, pulling his headband back over his left eye. He grunted a little in discomfort and looked across the tent at their teammate who was still sleeping.

"I'd say Kotetsu is probably in worse shape than I am."

"You're both going to need medical attention."

"As long as I take it easy the rest of the way, I'll be just fine," said Kakashi as he got to his feet. Anko followed.

"We'll see," she said skeptically. Then she looked down at the ninja hound that still stood between them. "Thank you, Guruko."

"Mm, I think you did more than me this time."

"Why don't you go on out with the others, Guruko," said Kakashi. "We'll be out in a minute."

"Okay."

When the little dog disappeared through the tent flap, Kakashi walked over to Kotetsu and kneeled beside him to check his vital signs. His pulse was normal, his breathing was relaxed, just as it should be. No doubt that Genjutsu had really taken a toll on him, and to keep it up for so long…

"How is he?"

"As well as can be expected."

"How long do you think he'll stay asleep? I'd hate to wake him."

"I'm not sure, but since the threat of another attack is unlikely, I think we can afford to wait for him to come around on his own."

The two of them packed away their bedrolls before finally leaving the tent. Ibiki was still arguing with the ninken, who felt they deserved more of their provisions since they'd gone through the trouble of bailing the Leaf ninja out of their precarious predicament the night before.

"I'd give you more if we could spare it, but we can't!" said Ibiki. "You guys are ninja hounds! Go hunt for your own food!"

"But yours tastes better!" insisted Urushi. "Now hand it over!"

"Guys, come on now," said Kakashi. "You know we appreciate your help, but we don't have much to give you right now. However, if it makes you feel better, when we return home, I'll make sure you all get something good to eat that you won't have to work for. Alright?"

The dogs didn't look happy, but they lowered their heads in defeat anyway.

"Gr, fine," snapped Bisuke, turning his head to the side defiantly.

Chuckling, Kakashi sat beside his grouchiest ninja hound and pat him on the head. Bisuke begrudgingly turned and walked away.

"A little demanding, aren't they?" asked Anko as she sat next to the Copy Ninja.

"They may be ninja hounds, but they're still dogs, which means food is their number one priority."

"Yeah, well they need to keep their nose out of ours," muttered Ibiki irritably as Kakashi and Anko began to heat up some of their own provisions.

A noisy yawn sounded from their right, and all three ninja turned their heads to see Kotetsu coming out of the tent to join them.

"Wow, that was fast…" said Anko.

"Shouldn't you still be resting?" asked Ibiki.

"Yeah, well…we do have a mission to finish…"

"We have time, Kotetsu," said Kakashi. "Here, have something to eat. You need to take it easy and get your strength back."

"Thanks," said the spiky-haired ninja as he took a seat and grabbed the Bento box that Kakashi had handed to Anko to give to him.

"By the looks of it, we need to get you home," Ibiki commented, concern evident in his normally hard tone.

Kotetsu smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I am starving though," he said, digging into his breakfast.

"Yeah, and so are we," grumbled Bisuke.

"Hey wait," said Anko, looking around at the ninja hounds. "Where's Guruko?"

"He should be back any minute," said Pakkun from his seat atop the mobile cell where the three captives were still unconscious.

"Back? Back from where?"

With a quiet pop and a puff of smoke, the small dog suddenly appeared, a giant scroll attached to his back. He bounded over to Anko and looked up at her.

"We have something for you."

Anko and Kakashi both blinked down Guruko.

"For me?"

"Here, take it."

Kakashi stared in surprise as she unhooked the scroll from Guruko's back. "That's…"

Anko unraveled it and gasped, taken aback. "A contract scroll."

Ibiki and Kotetsu looked up from their food curiously.

"Yep. We were thinking, you earned it."

"Earned it how?" Anko asked, bewildered.

"Not only are you a strong ninja," said Shiba.

"You've also proved a great loyalty to Kakashi."

Confused, Anko looked at the Copy Ninja. He stared back at her and shrugged. She glanced around at the ninja hounds.

"I…I'm flattered, but… I didn't really do anything that impressive. I did what anyone would do for a comrade. Sure, I saved his butt a few times, but he saved mine, too."

"Don't be stupid," said Urushi. "That's not what we're talking about."

"Then…what are you talking about?" asked Kakashi.

"We know you really care about him," said Guruko quietly. "And you won't ever leave his side, especially when he really needs you."

"I get it," said Kotetsu. "It's because you love him."

Anko stiffened, glancing at Kotetsu and thinking she'd find him looking dejected. Instead, she found him giving her a small smile.

"Yeah that," said Guruko.

"We don't always understand human emotions," said Pakkun. "But we know humans enough to be able to recognize them."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, a little embarrassed. "That's really cool you guys…"

"It was Guruko who convinced us," said Uhei.

"Wow," said Anko, staring down at the scroll. "I don't know what to say."

"Just sign the damn thing and get it over with," said Ibiki, attempting to sound irritable, but Anko could hear the slight amusement in his voice.

She grinned down at Guruko, and then looked around at each of them. "Thanks. I really appreciate this."

"So go on," said the little dog who stood before her, his tail wagging back and forth in anticipation. "Sign it!"

"Yeah, what are you waiting for?" said Shiba.

"Come on," said Urushi.

The other dogs chimed in until finally Anko laid the scroll out flat on the ground.

"Alright, alright. Hold your horses."

Touched by the trust and faith that his ninja hounds were putting in Anko, and proud of his strong Kunoichi, Kakashi watched as she pulled a kunai from her pocket and used its edge to slice her palm. Coating her hand with the blood, she kneeled before the scroll and glanced around once more at the ninja hounds as they waited expectantly. Finally, she opened her hand and placed it on the summoning scroll, officially signing the blood contract.

The dogs howled and yipped and barked (much to Ibiki's irritation), and Anko stood and smiled at all of them, pulling out a bandage and wrapping her hand with it. The scroll rolled itself back up, and suddenly it was gone with a 'poof', replaced by another, smaller scroll. Anko bent to pick it up.

"There, now you can summon us any time you want!" said a cheerful Guruko.

"Preferably only when you need us," said Bisuke. "We're not house pets… Well, maybe Guruko is…" he added, his eyes narrowed.

"Hey!" snapped the little brown dog.

Anko placed the scroll into one of her hidden pockets before she leaned down to pet Guruko on the head. Kakashi gave an eye-crinkle, somehow feeling validated that he'd made a wise choice when he decided to give his heart to Anko. His ninja hounds were very picky about whom they allowed themselves to be summoned by, so the gift of their loyalty said volumes about Anko, and about Kakashi's relationship with her.

"If we're all finished with this little love fest," said Ibiki as he got to his feet. "We need to get moving."

Anko turned to him. "But Kotetsu—"

"I'm fine," said the Hagane as he, too, got to his feet. "Ibiki's right. We still have to get these guys back to the Hidden Leaf."

Kakashi looked to his ninja hounds. "Would you guys be willing to help us out a little bit more?" he asked them.

"Sure, anything you need," said Pakkun.

Once they'd packed up camp, Ibiki removed the metal cell, chained the prisoners together, and smacked them all to get them to wake up.

"Rise and shine, losers, we're taking you back to the village."

They groaned from pain and weariness, but Ibiki hauled them to their feet and forced them to get a move on. The pace for the day was slower than the squad leader would have liked, but given Kotetsu and Kakashi's states of near exhaustion after such a large-scale battle, he knew he needed to give them a break. Thankfully, the smart-mouthed prisoner and his two captured friends were mostly silent. No doubt the stench of failure was overwhelming.

They slogged along behind Ibiki in a single-file line as he held the chain attached to the first prisoner's neck. On one side, Kotetsu held the chain of the second prisoner, and on the other, Anko held the chain that belonged to the third one. Kakashi walked next to Anko. The eight ninken surrounded the group, ready to assist in subduing any of the prisoners should they decide to start any trouble.

"So," the Copy Ninja began, hands in his pockets as they walked. "You've earned the trust and respect of my dogs."

She grinned up at him through her lashes. "I guess that's a good sign, right?"

"I'd say so."

Looking ahead, she frowned in thought. "What does it mean exactly?"

Kakashi studied her profile for a moment. "It means… that you and I are now connected off of the battlefield… and on it."

She looked up into his grey eye to find that it was full of love, devotion, and admiration. She felt her cheeks warm, and she looked away.

"Would you stop it already," said Kotetsu. "You two are going to make me sick…"

"You're just jealous because you don't have a girlfriend, Hagane," said Ibiki from the front of the pack.

"Yeah, well neither do you!" he fired back.

Anko covered her mouth, but she wasn't quick enough to completely stifle her laugh.

"What's so funny?" asked Kotetsu, eyes narrowed.

Unable to help herself, Anko blurted, "Yes he does!"

"What!?"

"Mitarashi!"

Kakashi sighed.

"You've got to be kidding me," growled the first prisoner, to which Ibiki responded by severely yanking his chain.

"You heard me," said Anko before looking slyly at Ibiki's back. "Ibiki's got a girlfriend!"

"What the—no way!"

"I do not!"

"What was that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of denial!"

"Mitarashi, if you don't shut the hell up, I'll knock you out and drag you back to the village!"

She continued to laugh while Kotetsu groaned. "Oh god, I really am going to be sick…"

X-X-X

Upon returning to the Hidden Leaf Village, the squad's first stop was ANBU headquarters where each of the prisoners was given his own cell separate from the others. If interrogation was to be successful, Ibiki and his team needed to be able to find inconsistencies in their stories if they tried to lie their way through the interrogation process. This required that the three prisoners were to have no contact with one another without supervision.

Once the captives were safely behind bars and Kakashi's ninja hounds had been dismissed with the assurance that they would get the food that Kakashi had promised, the four squad members quickly headed to Hokage Tower to give their report to Lady Tsunade.

"I must say, I'm impressed. While I had anticipated an ambush, I hadn't expected you to have to face so many of them. It goes without saying, but I'm relieved that you are all okay."

"We did what we had to, and our mission was a success," said Ibiki.

"Yes, it was. Good work. I assume you'll want to begin siphoning information from them as soon as possible?"

"Yes, of course. I'll get on it right away."

"Good. Then you are dismissed." They all turned to leave, but Tsunade added, "Kakashi. Anko. A word."

The Copy Ninja and the snake kunoichi nodded to their comrades before Kotetsu and Ibiki left the room. They turned back to Tsunade.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade?" Kakashi inquired.

"I hadn't wanted to send you on such a long mission, but I knew you would be needed, and I was right."

"I take it you want us back here tomorrow morning?"

"Not quite." She narrowed her eyes. "I had planned on giving you a few days to recuperate, and I have a feeling you need it. Kotetsu looked like he needed medical attention, and I assume you do as well. A battle such as the one you all fought a few days ago likely warranted the use of your Sharingan, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"I thought so," said Tsunade, leaning back in her chair. "And how much did you use it?"

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, hating being under scrutiny. "Not excessively…"

"Not excessively?" Anko interrupted, giving him a serious glare. "You sucked five guys and their giant birds into a vortex to a different dimension!"

"Well…when you put it that way…"

"Kakashi, you're to report to Shizune immediately. With your medical history as it relates to that eye of yours, you need to give yourself time to heal both physically and mentally. Once I receive a report from Shizune, I'll determine when it is appropriate for you to return as my apprentice."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," he sighed. At least the good news was that he got a break from this Hokage business for a while. On the other hand, the end of the year was quickly approaching. Could they really afford for him to take time off?

Anko accompanied Kakashi to the hospital where he waited for Shizune to examine him. As she was wrapping up, she said, "You certainly strained your left eye again, and your vision in both eyes is affected by the mental damage due to excessive use. All things considered, you've been in far worse shape before, but I still recommend that you refrain from strenuous mental or physical activity for at least a week."

Kakashi sat slumped on the examining table, his left eye closed and his right eye droopy. "Please don't admit me into inpatient treatment. I'll follow your recommendations, but I'd much prefer to follow them…at home."

"Lucky for you your condition is not severe enough to warrant admitting you to the hospital this time."

"That's a relief."

"That being said, if anything changes and your symptoms become more severe, don't hesitate to come see me."

Sliding off the table, Kakashi replaced his forehead protector and grabbed his flak jacket. "Will do. Thank you, Shizune."

As the medical ninja left the room, Anko walked to Kakashi's side. "Looks like we're home bound."

"So it does."

"Your place, or my place?" she asked as they left the examination room and headed down the hallway.

"I think my bed is calling to me…" he mused.

"Your place it is."

"Kakashi-Sensei."

Kakashi looked up as they turned the corner and saw his former student, Sakura.

"Hey, what are you doing in the hospital?"

"Hello Sakura," he greeted. "We just returned from a mission."

"And someone used his Sharingan a little too much," said Anko, arms crossed.

Sakura giggled. "Typical Kakashi-Sensei. Not much puts him in the hospital, but that usually does it."

"Apparently I'm pretty predictable…" he mumbled.

"Wait a minute… If you had to use your Sharingan, than that means it must have been a pretty tough mission," said Sakura, concern lacing her voice.

"We were only outnumbered ten to one," said Anko offhandedly.

"Ten to one?" repeated Sakura in disbelief. "Who else was with you? Are they okay?"

"Kotetsu, Anko, and I were placed under Ibiki for this mission, but don't worry. Everyone is fine."

"Well that's a relief… Actually, I'm headed to examine Kotetsu now," she said, flipping through the chart on the clipboard in her hands.

"I'm sure you'll take good care of him," said Kakashi.

"Alright, that's enough chit chat," said Anko, grabbing Kakashi's arm. She grinned at the younger woman. "If you'll excuse us, Sakura, someone needs to go home and rest. Doctor's orders!"

"H-hey, wait!" Kakashi protested as she pulled him along down the hallway. "I wasn't finished—"

"Oh, now you want to socialize? Give me a break!"

"Anko!"

Sakura stared after the pair, tapping her chin with the back of her pen. "I'm glad Kakashi-Sensei is alright," she said quietly. Then she smiled as she watched him being forced out of the hospital by the snake kunoichi. "And apparently well taken care of."

X-X-X

Kakashi had to admit that it felt good to lay down in his own bed and to not have to worry about prisoners or ambushes or the responsibilities associated with being the Hokage-in-training. His eyes were closed as he tried to stave off a headache in his temples and behind his eyes. Yes, sleep would no doubt do him a world of good.

Several hours later, he woke, and judging by the lighting in his bedroom, he deduced that it was around seven-thirty. The orange glow from the setting sun filtered in through his window pane, lighting the wall opposite his bed and creating a haze. He stared up at the ceiling, watching as the light began to dim and the golden glow of the sunset started to wane.

"Looks like someone's more tired than they wanted to admit."

Kakashi rolled his head to the side upon hearing Anko's voice as she walked into the room.

"I guess so," he conceded. Kakashi sat up as she came to sit on the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

He smiled beneath his mask. "No missions or Hokage related responsibilities, a good, long nap in my own bed, and my best girl by my side. What more could a man ask for?"

"How about dinner?"

He chuckled. "I suppose I could ask for that…"

"Good," she said before kissing his temple and standing again. "Because it's almost ready."

He watched her walk back out of the room, wondering when he'd ever really get used to her more nurturing side. A few short hours ago, she was practically dragging him out of the hospital and back to his apartment. Now she was checking in on him, making sure he was alright, and that he was fed.

When he finally drug himself out of bed and walked out of his room, Anko was finishing up supper.

"I hope you don't mind, while you were sleeping I took a trip to the market to get you a few things. I also thought you might like some soup."

"You didn't have to go to all that trouble…" he said, feeling a little guilty. He and Anko typically switched off when it came to cooking, but he wasn't used to someone running his errands for him.

"Hey, it was the least I could do while you took the time to rest up."

"I know you didn't use any Genjutsu, but I'm surprised you're not resting. You fought as hard as any of us, and sleeping in a tent never quite relieves exhaustion…"

She shrugged. "I'm not really into the whole napping thing. Once I'm up, I'm up."

"And you never stop."

"Bingo."

"Hold on… I promised Bisuke and the others that I'd treat them to something good to eat for helping us out so much."

"Don't worry about it. It's already taken care of," she assured him.

Kakashi blinked. "You…you already fed them?"

"Of course. I can summon them now too, remember?" She picked up the two bowls she had just ladled, took the few steps to Kakashi, and handed him one. "I think I further solidified their trust in me," she added with a smile.

Kakashi took the bowl gratefully. "Thank you, Anko."

"No problem." She walked past him, grabbing the remote for the television and turning it on. Kakashi followed her, and together they sat on the sofa, eating their soup and watching a cheesy romantic drama that just happened to be airing at the time.

"Kimi, wait! Don't go!"

"How can I stay? You're in love with Tomara…"

"No, Kimi. I've never loved your sister. Don't you see? I'm in love with you. I've always been in love with you."

"Do…do you really mean that, Udo?"

"Yes, Kimi. You may be sisters, but she doesn't have your eyes, your kindness, your free spirit. I love you. Please tell me you love me, too."

"Oh Udo…of course I do."

"Oh please. What idiot writer came up with this nonsense? It's so unrealistic."

Kakashi chuckled. "I think our story is much better, don't you?"

"Duh, no contest, though I doubt anyone would be able to come up with our messed up story on their own!"

"You mean making a hermit fall in love with a sadist?"

"Ha! Pretty crazy, huh? On the other hand, this lame ass drama is still probably a better love story than your porn novels."

"You take that back! You've never even read them!"

"I don't need to read them. Why would I want to read smut to turn me on when I have you instead?"

She winked at him, and his face flushed.

"It's not like that!" he insisted.

"Well…I guess I could be wrong. Maybe I'm writing them off too quickly. How about this, you read them out loud to me, and just maybe I'll reconsider my assessment of their content."

The blood rose from his cheeks to his ears, and all the way up to his hairline, and she could see the beads of sweat creeping down his temples.

"I, well I…uh, you see, the thing is, I-I, I mean, th-they're not… I mean, I'm not—"

She gave a satisfied smirk. "That's what I thought…"

X-X-X

Several days passed, and thankfully Kakashi was getting better and not worse. He still had two days left until he had to return to the hospital to see Shizune, but he was more active, and that made him happy. One morning, he decided he had been cooped up far too long, and he needed to go for a leisurely stroll around the village.

"Do you want me to go with you?" asked Anko, already knowing the answer.

"No," he said quietly, knowing that she would understand. "I think I need some time to myself."

She did understand that Kakashi still needed to be alone at times, and so she nodded. "I was thinking about doing some training today anyway. You know me, I can only be inactive for so long."

He chuckled. "You're the one who has insisted on not leaving my side no matter how many times I try to tell you that I'm just fine."

"And I believe you, but again, what are girlfriends for?"

Kakashi kissed her cheek with a smile. "I'll see you later, okay?"

She grinned at him as he turned to leave. "Have fun!"

Not wasting any time, Anko slipped on her shoes, strapped on her shin guards, and grabbed her coat before heading out the door a few minutes after Kakashi. She headed straight for the training grounds, having planned this since they'd returned to the village.

When she got there, she pulled a summoning scroll from an inside pocket of her cloak and used it to summon the eight ninken.

"Hey, what's the emergency?" said Pakkun from his place atop Bull's head.

Anko stood. "No emergency. I want you guys to help me out."

Bisuke narrowed his eyes. "With…what exactly?"

"Heh, I'm glad you asked. Since we're partners now, we need to learn to work together."

"Mm…I guess you've got a point," said Pakkun. "Trust doesn't get you very far on the battlefield unless it's coupled with skill and teamwork."

"I couldn't agree more."

"But first thing's first. You want to work with the pack, you've got to meet pack standards."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you've got to fine-tune your senses. You've got a good eye, but you need to work on your hearing."

"Okay, and how do I do that?"

"With a lot of focus and patience. First, get into a meditative position."

Anko nodded before lowering herself to sit cross-legged on the ground, closing her eyes and performing the o-hitsuji hand sign to focus her chakra.

"Good. Now try to redistribute your chakra just enough so that more of it than normal is in your ears. As you redistribute your chakra and try to find a new ratio that works for you, focus on the different sounds around you."

Obeying Pakkun's instructions, she manipulated her chakra several times before she found that her hearing had improved marginally. Trying again, she toyed with the chakra ratio until all the sounds around her came into focus.

"I've got it."

"Good. Now we're going to test it out. If you can successfully locate us by sound alone, then you'll be ready to move on."

Anko said nothing, only nodded.

"Right. Scatter!"

She sat in the relative silence (relative because now she could hear a lot more than she could before) eyes still closed as she waited and listened. With all the new sounds, it was difficult to pinpoint the source of any one of them. When she heard leaves rustling to her right, she quickly reached into her pocket and threw out a shurriken. A squirrel ran up a nearby tree, chattering in fright.

"Damnit…"

She tried and tried, over and over and over again. She swore she must have chased off every squirrel, mouse, chipmunk, and rabbit around the training field. Where were the dogs? She hadn't even come close to locating them.

Perhaps if she tried again to fine-tune her hearing…

There! It was the quietest sound!

She threw another shurriken, and it landed at Shiba's feet.

"You got me," he announced, and the corners of Anko's mouth turned upward. Finally.

That was only one of them. There were still seven to go.

The slight movement of grass, ahead and to the right! It was Uhei. And to her left, Akino. Behind her, and to the right, Guruko. Straight back, Urushi. Up, and to the left, Bull. Out to her right, Bisuke. And finally, dead ahead, Pakkun.

"Great job. You got us."

"Way to go, Anko!" said Guruko cheerfully. "I knew you had it in you!"

The dogs surrounded her, congratulating her, and she laughed as she was licked by Guruko, Shiba, and even Bull.

"Ok, guys, I think I can do without the dog slobber!"

"So, you ready for a real test?" said Pakkun.

Anko got to her feet. "Bring it on."

It was decided that the ninja hounds would give Anko the scroll test. That way they could assess her skills, her maneuverability, her wit, and her overall fighting style. Once she'd completed the challenge, Anko worked with the pack to develop new formations and combination attacks. They trained together until late into the afternoon.

Akamaru bounded through the forest, Kiba on his back as they headed for their favorite training ground, but Kiba pulled Akamaru up short when they found someone else using it.

"Ah, no fair. Someone took our spot." He narrowed his eyes as he tried to see who the intruder was. "Wait, that's—"

He watched as Anko stood from her fighting stance, and the eight ninken convened around her.

"Anko-Sensei?" called Kiba as he and Akamaru walked onto the field.

Anko looked up, not having expected an interruption. "Kiba."

"Hey Kiba," said Pakkun. "It's been awhile."

"Yeah, it has." He looked at Anko. "Why are you with Kakashi-Sensei's dogs?"

She smiled proudly. "Because they're mine now, too."

"What, they are?" he asked, confused. "Hang on a second… I had heard that you two were together, but…I thought that was just a rumor."

"Nope, it's true."

"Ah great. Things just get weirder and weirder around here…" Kiba muttered.

"So tell me, what are you two doing here?" Anko asked.

"We just came out here to train, right Akamaru?"

Akamaru barked in agreement.

"Well, since we're both here, and since we both wanted to learn some new tricks today, what do you say to a match?" she challenged.

"A match?" For a moment, Kiba thought about it. "Ha, okay. I've trained with Kakashi's hounds once before. I'm up for a rematch."

"Just a forewarning," said Bisuke. "It'll be different from last time… Fool."

"Gah! I'm not a—"He growled and jumped off of Akamaru's back. "Whatever! Just give it your best shot!"

Anko smirked, as did the ninja hounds. "Gladly…"

"Ready when you are."

"It's no fun if I tell you when to start…" said Anko slyly. Then she shouted, "Assemble!"

The eight ninja hounds formed around Anko, and she and the pack disappeared without a trace.

"What the…?"

Kiba looked around, and so did Akamaru, his nose in the air as he tried to sniff them out. He whined, unable to trace where they had gone.

"Just wait, boy. They have to show themselves sometime. And when they do, we'll be ready for them… Akamaru, go! Dynamic Marking!"

As Akamaru leapt to action, Kiba grinned to himself. "I know what these guys are like. We're not going to lose track of the terrain no matter what happens."

When Akamaru returned to Kiba's side, they waited for any sign of their opponents.

Suddenly, Akamaru barked, and he and Kiba just barely managed to evade Urushi's jaws as he came up out of the ground at their feet. Unfortunately for them, Shiba, Pakkun, Akino, and Uhei were prepared for their evasion, emerging from the ground and latching onto them. From above, Anko, Guruko, and Bisuke mounted an aerial assault, aiming for the trapped ninja and his hound. They had been launched into the air by Bull.

"Dammit!" Kiba performed the hand signs for his Combination Transformation technique. "Two-Headed Wolf Transformation!"

Now joined as one, Kiba and Akamaru were able to more easily break free and fend off the incoming attack.

"Fang Wolf Fang!"

The two-headed wolf barreled through the training ground toward Anko and the ninja hounds.

"Dust Dance!" called Pakkun, and the dogs began to dig, kicking up dust until the visibility was nullified.

"Huh, not this trick again! I hate to tell you this, but I hoped you'd use that old trick!" Kiba released the transformation Jutsu and performed another. "Man Beast Clone, Fang Over Fang!"

Having noted the position of Anko and the dogs, they followed Akamaru's trail around the training ground in an attempt to outsmart the eight ninken. Kiba growled when their attacks were unsuccessful.

"What the hell? They were all just right here."

A kunai flew by Kiba's head and caught Akamaru on the side of his face. He yelped, then growled, and he and Kiba leapt in the direction from which the kunai had come.

"We've got you now!"

But as Kiba was mere inches away from landing a hit to Anko, she dodged, spinning and grabbing him before launching him into the air. Akamaru bounded toward her, jaws wide open, and she dropped to the ground and swung her legs out and up, kicking him beneath the chin and sending him sprawling backward. Bull engaged him when he got to his feet.

Meanwhile, Pakkun gave the command for Urushi, Shiba, Akino, Guruko, Bisuke, and Uhei to get into the Crane Wing Formation. They circled Kiba in midair and latched onto him, driving him into the ground.

Anko was ready for hand-to-hand combat when Kiba managed to stand, but he wasn't. She attacked him relentlessly, and while he wasn't able to land a blow, he did manage to dodge not only her, but the dogs that constantly snapped at his legs and feet.

Akamaru knocked Bull off of him so that he could run to Kiba's aid. Leaping back, Kiba shouted, "Ninja Art, Man Beast Clone!" Kiba and his partner, now in human form, were far more easily able to out maneuver Anko and her pack. They were finally putting her on the run, but she wasn't out yet.

Slamming her hand on the ground, she performed a Triple Twin-Headed Snake Jutsu. Three blue snakes appeared behind her and dove for Guruko, Bisuke, and Shiba.

"Ah! What the hell? Your snakes just attacked your own teammates!" shouted Kiba. Akamaru barked and growled in outrage.

"Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions," Anko warned.

From behind Kiba, three more snake heads appeared, and when they opened, the dogs leapt forth, taking Kiba by surprise and knocking him to the ground. As Akamaru jumped to his defense, he was rammed again by Bull.

Kiba fought them off just in time to avoid a powerful kick from Anko. Again, he found himself having to dodge both her and the members of Kakashi's pack of ninja hounds.

When he finally managed to escape the melee, Anko was ready for him.

"Assemble!"

All the dogs except for Bull were at her side immediately. She reached into her pockets, pulling something out before extending her hands. "Circle Formation!"

Before Kiba could backtrack, the dogs had him surrounded. He expected them to attack, but they didn't. Instead, they ran around him. He had no idea what was happening until he felt thin, metal wires wrap around his body.

"No!"

Jumping into the air, Anko performed a series of hand signs. "Fire Style, Dragon Flame Jutsu!"

Kiba's eyes widened as the flames traveled down the wires that were attached to her fingers, headed straight for him.

"Ah—Akamaru!"

Thankfully, his partner had managed to injure Bull and was able to run to Kiba's aid, using his sharp teeth to cut through the metal wires, effectively stopping Anko's attack. The seven remaining pack members launched a joint attack on Akamaru, pinning him and preventing him from further offensive or defensive maneuvers.

Kiba glared and growled at Anko as she approached, having clearly won the match.

"What the hell were you trying to do? Kill me?" Kiba demanded.

"Aw, what's the fun of a fight without the risk of death?" she said cheerily.

He grunted. "I see you haven't changed a bit."

"Nope!" she stated proudly.

Anko turned before the sound of clapping reached Kiba's ears.

"Well done everyone."

"Kakashi-Sensei?" said Kiba as he stood, freeing himself from the metal wires. The pack had let go of Akamaru, and he too got to his feet. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough," said the Copy Ninja as he approached them. "Well done, Kiba. It seems your skills have improved."

"Ah, thanks, but it looks like I still have a lot to learn."

"Hey, you held your own against me," said Anko. "That's an accomplishment in itself."

"And don't forget us," said Pakkun.

"Yeah," said Shiba. "I guess you're not a fool after all!"

Kiba fought a retort, begrudgingly taking the compliment. "I guess so."

"If you're that worried about it, then I guess you'd better keep training," said Bisuke.

"Huh?" Kiba grinned. "Yeah, you're right. What do you say, Akamaru? How about we hone our skills some more, that way we can beat them next time!"

Akamaru gave two barks of approval, and Kiba hopped onto his back.

"Hey, thanks for the match. We're off to train some more, so we'll see you around!"

"Anytime, Kiba!" said Anko as they took off into the forest.

"They just keep on growing up," mused Kakashi with an almost melancholy sigh. Then he turned to Anko and the ninken. "It looks like you guys have been practicing some new tricks. It's good to see you all getting along so well."

"Please, was there ever any doubt?" said Anko.

"No, of course not. You're capable of handling the pack. I think you've more than proven that."

She grinned up at him, proud of the high praise coming from Kakashi. "I suppose once you've been cleared by Shizune, we can all train together."

He gave an eye-crinkle. "Sounds like a plan."

A/N: So did anyone notice the fourth-wall break and the immediate pop culture reference that followed? Hahaha! I didn't plan that, it just came to me while I was typing… I know, I'm not really as clever as I would like to think, but that's okay! Ya'll love me anyway.