"Well, what do you know?" A voice came from behind Kakashi and Rai.
Rai and Kakashi turned and looked over their shoulders.
It was Anko, followed by Asuma, his group lagging way behind.
"I had to see it with my own eyes." Anko stated as she and Asuma came closer. They stopped about a meter or so away. Anko leaned in to take a good look, she squinted her eyes at Rai.
Rai leaned back slightly, uncomfortable with the closeness. She watched Anko through almost crossed eyes.
Anko then took her finger and poked Rai on the arm.
Rai looked at her arm, questioningly, then back at Anko.
"Yep! She's real!" Anko stood up straight and smiled over her shoulder to Asuma.
Asuma's group walked over to where the other genin were sitting.
"What's going on?" Shikamaru asked.
Naruto shrugged.
"Oh Sasuke!" Ino drawled. "Did you miss me?" She asked as she hugged him from behind.
Sasuke growled and looked to the sky then glared at her.
"Get off him, Ino! You pig!" Sakura shouted.
Ino put a finger under her eye, pulled down slightly and stuck her tongue out at her.
"So you couldn't stand staying away from Kakashi for so long, could you?" Anko mocked playfully with a devious smirk.
Rai and Kakashi chuckled nervously. Rai scratched the back of her neck.
"So…" Anko found herself a nice rock to plop herself down on. "How'd you do it?"
"Uh…" Rai was stumped.
Just then, Kurenai jumped down from a nearby tree. She stood up and walked over. "Wow, so it is true." She said walking over. "You are back!"
Rai smiled.
Kurenai's group came walking out of the woods after her.
"Hey guys!" Kiba greeted.
Hinata shied away.
Shino thought nothing of it.
They all walked over to the group of genin, whiled the adults chatted.
"Hey!" A male voice shouted out.
The adults turned to the sound. It was Iruka.
"What's all the commotion?" Iruka asked as he got closer to them.
"Oh, nothing," Anko said in a singsong voice. "Just catching up," She smiled.
Naruto looked at the adults and raised an eyebrow. He leaned over to Sasuke and Sakura and whispered, "I thought she said she only had one friend."
Sakura shrugged, "She might not consider them friends like we do."
The genin got lost in their conversations, oblivious to the other group coming towards the adults.
"Hey, guys!" A loud male voice boomed. It was Gai and his team. "Where's the party!" Gai was smiling widely and his eyes were closed. As he drew nearer he opened his eyes and the smile dropped off when he saw Rai.
Rai's eyes went wide.
"Uh oh." Anko and Kurenai sighed, shrinking back.
"You!" Gai pointed an accusing finger at Rai. "You're supposed to be… Dead!" With that, he charged forward.
Rai stood there, her eyes returning to their normal size. She just stood there, unafraid.
Gai charged faster. "Why you!" He leapt into the air, aiming a roundhouse kick at Rai's neck and head.
Kakashi skidded in the way, blocking Gai's powerful kick with the back of his left wrist and grabbing Gai's leg with his right hand.
Gai grunted, trying to free his leg from Kakashi's grip.
Kakashi tightened his vice like grip.
"It's no use protecting her." Gai stated to his rival.
"You know that's not true." Kakashi responded. "I have to protect her, as her mother's dying wish." They glared at each other.
"Gai-sensei!" Tenten yelled running to the group, Neji and Lee following.
"What are you doing?" Lee asked.
Kakashi gave Gai one final death glare. Gai glared back slightly. Kakashi released his grip. Gai took his leg and set it down. He turned around. "It's nothing," He sighed.
Kakashi straightened up and moved back to his spot.
Gai saw his chance, he turned swinging his right arm back for a powerful punch, "Hah!"
He suddenly stopped, cold metal pressed against his throat and something jabbing him in his stomach. He gasped, eyes wide. He hadn't even heard her move, or sensed her. She was getting good, real good!
Gai glanced down nervously, sweat dripping down his face.
Rai glared up at him. She was crouched over, her right side closest to him, her left hand bore the kunai that pushed on his throat, and the right hand held the kunai boring into his stomach. "You want to fight me, fine!" She spat at him. "But, you're not gonna like me when I rip your throat out of your pulsing neck!" She whispered harshly at him, like venom. "And, trust me, I won't hold back." She slowly pulled the kunais away from the stunned jonin and put them away.
Gai's team stood there with their mouths wide open. Lee couldn't believe what he just heard. 'Did she just openly threaten Gai-sensei?' He shook his head and brought his fist up and glared at Rai. "How dare you insult Gai-sensei!" He raged and took off towards Rai.
Neji grabbed Lee and held him in a shoulder lock, holding him back, and lifting him off the ground to run in the air and not drag him along too.
"Let me go!" Lee struggled.
Neji didn't let up on his hold. "She's not somebody to go messing with." Neji grunted, struggling to hold his grip. "If she did that to Gai-sensei, think of what she'd do to you."
Suddenly, Lee stopped struggling. His eyes went wide in horror.
"You good now?" Neji asked.
"Yeah," Lee sighed.
Neji let Lee go, dropping him to his feet. Lee's shoulders slumped.
Rai had walked back over to Kakashi and Anko.
"Anybody who's been with Kakashi, must be strong." Neji stated.
"Maybe, even stronger than Gai." Tenten added.
Lee began to animatedly cry.
"You alright?" Kakashi asked.
"I'm fine, but I think Gai's reputation has diminished even further." Rai stated looking back at the crying twins. 'Creepy.' Rai mentally stated. She sighed.
Some of the genin happened to notice what had happened and were looking at the adults.
"Anyways, I-." Rai stopped and sniffed the air. She turned to her right, glaring towards the genin.
The genin shrunk back in fear.
She then lunged at them at a full run. She went straight through them, knocking Naruto over. "Sorry, Naruto!" She called back.
Naruto sat up.
"Naruto-kun! Are you alright?" Hinata gasped.
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "What was that about?"
"She always does that." Naruto mumbled, rubbing his head.
"What is it now?" Sasuke asked Kakashi, who came walking over to them.
Kakashi was staring off into space, where Rai took off. He shrugged. "I don't know." He silently sniffed the air. "Probably a Nikkei crossing into their territory."
"Oh." Team 8 sighed. The others looked at each other with questionable glances.
"It's a territory issue." Kakashi explained. Kiba nodded, still confused, but he knew about territory boundaries.
The genin had an even bigger '?' over their heads.
Kakashi sighed and crouched down, taking a stick and drawing an elaborate map in the dirt.
Everyone, including the adults, huddled over him.
He drew the separate countries and labeled them. "Okay, this," he pointed to Konohagakure, "is us. Naruka, or the Okami, owns all of this land." He said, circling it. "And this country, the land of lightning, is Nikkei." He pointed and tapped the stick on the country. "The northern border of Konohagakure is shared by Neko and over laps with Aiota, who are in the land of wind. And finally the village hidden in the mist is home to Kanji." He explained the territories.
"Wow that is sure a lot of land Naruka has there." Naruto muttered.
"It's all thanks to Okami and these mountains around us." He glanced around at the mountains.
"And what does this have to do with that girl?" Shikamaru asked.
"Rai is an Okami." Iruka stated, "And Kakashi I could use you for my geography section."
"Heh, heh… No!" Kakashi chuckled.
"Well, looks like the party's over." Anko said as she turned and left.
Asuma and Kurenai followed.
"Bye guys!" Kiba said as everyone began to leave. "What do you think Akamaru, being able to run around in a territory that big?" Akamaru sounded his high-pitched bark in approval.
"Bye Naruto-kun." Hinata shyly said, going after the silent Shino.
"We better head out too." Shikamaru stated. His group headed out with the others.
"Bye, Sasuke!" Ino sang.
Sakura growled.
"Should we go after her?" Naruto asked once everyone left.
"Nah," Kakashi said, "She'll call me if she needs help, but I doubt it." Kakashi looked up at the sky.
A bird flew by quickly.