A/N: I think this is the longest chapter I've wrote. Enjoy!

Chapter 28: Maria's Story

By the time Kohana reached her apartment, it was well past 10:00 pm. She had roamed the roads mindlessly, taking to dark, secluded routes between various buildings. The tears on her face had dried, and her eyes stung from the chilly air. She rushed into the bathroom and splashed water onto her face, letting out a shaky sigh. Her eyes were red, and her skin was dry. She bit her lip and shook her head, feeling angry with herself.

She whispered, "Why him? Of all people, why him? He doesn't even feel that way about me and I can never expect him to. Not after all that I've accused him of." A tiny hopeful voice in her head muttered, "You don't know that." Kohana snapped at herself, " The way he looks at Maria… any fool would realize he likes her."

A sudden rap on her door made her jump.

"Kohana, it's me", Jiraya's voice called.

Kohana called back, "I'm coming. In the bathroom."

She let out a heavy breath, and squeezed the lotion bottle on her bathroom counter, massaging a blot on to her face and neck.

She bit her lip and went to open the door, hoping that her two visitors wouldn't notice her distress.

"Kohana-nee-chan!" Naruto said happily.

"Hi, Naruto", Kohana smiled, feeling a little relaxed after seeing his joyous face, "Are you all set for your journey?"

Naruto plopped himself down on the couch, and leaned back. "Yes! Ero-senin says we will leave in an hour."

Kohana frowned, "Ero-senin?"

Jiraya chuckled, sitting down next to Naruto, shaking off his enormous green backpack onto the sofa, "That would be me."

Kohana raised an eyebrow, showing her confusion.

Naruto looked at her expression and sniggered, "I can't believe you don't know. Ero-senin's means Pervy Sage. It suits Jiraya-sensei perfectly."

"Naruto!" Kohana said sternly, "He's your elder. That's no way to speak about him."

Jiraya laughed, "It's quite alright, Kohana. I am used to it."

Naruto continued, "Believe me, Kohana-nee-chan. I spend half my time dragging him away from bathhouses. How else do you think he writes – OW!"

Naruto glared at Jiraya who had slapped him hard on the knee. Jiraya said loudly, "Now, now Naruto. Why don't you go fill our water bottles? We'll be leaving shortly."

Naruto reluctantly pulled out two large bottles, one red and the other black, and grumbled, "I'm not your servant, Ero-senin."

Jiraya pushed him none too gently towards the kitchen, in which a few seconds later they heard running water. Jiraya cleared his throat and said in a nonchalant voice, "I thought you wouldn't be in tonight."

"Why?" Kohana asked, confused, and distracted from Naruto's words.

"There are celebrations tonight for the festival. I thought you would be attending those with your friends."

Kohana grimaced, "Kurenai and Asuma have gone together. I didn't want to intrude."

"What about Kakashi?"

Kohana swallowed, and tried to say indifferently, "He has other plans."

Jiraya pondered, "Other plans?"

"Yeah, I saw Kakashi-sensei walking with a woman to that new grill and bar. She was holding his arm! I wonder if she knows what Kakashi sensei's face looks like." Naruto had returned, his hands holding filled water bottles.

"A woman?", Jiraya asked, surprise lacing his tone.

Kohana replied in a hollow voice, "Maria."

"Ah, Maria-chan is in town?"

Kohana threw her father a sharp look, "You know her?"

"Of course I do. Tsunade and I met her on our travels several years back. We had business with her grandfather, about you, actually. He was a close acquaintance with the Shiori clan. He helped us create the seal we later placed on you. Maria was very young then, but the both of us saw the aptitude she had for manipulating chakra. The things she did with her own chakra! It was I who suggested her for training you. I didn't expect though for Tsunade to call her in so soon."

"I see."

"She is a wonderful person, Kohana. You're very lucky to have her teach you."

Kohana pursed her lips, and said sardonically, "Indeed."

Jiraya appeared to have missed her sarcasm and continued, "So young Kakashi has found himself a dating partner."

Naruto snickered, "I can't wait to tell Sakura-chan."

"Now, now, Naruto. I don't see you taking anyone. I told you we could leave tomorrow if you had any plans."

Naruto flushed and retorted, "Yeah, well. It's for old people like you and Kakashi-sensei anyway."

Jiraya chuckled, and then turned to Kohana, "Well, Kohana. We'll be going now…take care."

Kohana stood up to bid them goodbye. "Have a safe journey."

Jiraya nodded and Naruto gave her a brief goodbye hug.

After the pair left, Kohana made her way to bed, and slammed the windows down, drowning out the sight and noise of the booming fireworks. Somewhere among that crowd that was delightedly watching the spectacle, she knew that Maria and Kakashi were sitting side by side. She tried to banish that thought and fell into a restless sleep with confusing dreams about weddings displaying Kakashi and Maria in wedding attire, snippets from her mother's journals and finally the half-crescent moon.

The next morning, Kohana awoke groggily, and irritably. She thought about yesterday's events and her father's words and sighed, trying to come to terms with the present. A crow cawed outside and she looked through her small, rectangular window. It was an overcast day, and she was to spend part of it outside under the gloomy clouds with probably her least favorite person in the world right now.

Kohana knew her feelings towards Maria were unwarranted. The people she trusted most thought, aside from her straightforward personality, that Maria was fair and intelligent. Even a "wonderful person". It certainly wasn't her fault that Kakashi asked her to dinner, and not Kohana. Despite wanting to blame her, Kohana knew she couldn't. While Kohana wouldn't consider Maria a friend anytime soon, Kohana's instinct told her that she wasn't her enemy in any sense.

And so Kohana readied herself for the day with a determined expression on her face. She wouldn't let her feelings and personal life deter her training, especially when what she could do saved lives. After she showered, gulfed down cereal, she spent the rest of the morning finishing reading her mother's journals. At 2:00 pm, she briskly walked towards the training grounds with a mental list of questions.

When Kohana reached the hilly terrain, Maria was already waiting with Kakashi. Kohana's heart jumped at the sight of him, and she took a steadying breath to calm herself. She walked towards them, keeping her eyes from traveling to Kakashi.

"Good morning, Kohana", Maria greeted.

"Good morning", she replied. Then she added somewhat hesitantly, just to be polite, "I hope you had a nice night."

Maria replied, "The fireworks were superb. Kakashi took me to the topmost hill, and the view was spectacular."

Kohana bit her cheek at this but otherwise ignored the statement. She instead asked directly, "What will you be teaching me? I've read all three journals. I have a few questions as well."

Maria raised her eyebrows and circled around her, "You're eager to start. The both of us were actually wondering if you wanted to join us for the festival today. There's only an hour or so left."

Kohana tried her best to reply normally. But her voice was still slightly cold, "I have a lot to learn from you, Maria-san. I don't think we should waste our time attending the festival. After all there's only an hour left and probably not much to see at this point." She then added shortly, "The festivities last night are always the best."

Maria glanced at Kakashi who sighed, "The both of us can still go Maria. I know you don't get to see the festival often."

Maria shrugged, "Not a big deal, Kakashi. There's always next year. Plus, I promised Kohana that I would train her today. Anyway, Kohana, let me hear your questions."

"One minute", Kohana said before turning to Kakashi. She asked in a chilling voice, surprised at her own tone, "Are you watching me train?"

Kakashi walked towards her, his hands deep in his pockets, and replied simply choosing to ignore her unusually stern expression, "No, Sakura, Sai and I will be leaving on a mission shortly. I need to prepare as it may last a few weeks."

Kohana just nodded. Normally, she would have pestered him about the mission, but she was glad that he would be gone. She knew he would be safe with Sakura and Sai. Now, she could at least focus on her sessions without having her thoughts deviate towards him.

Maria bid Kakashi goodbye and then asked Kohana, "You seem angry with him."

Kohana replied, "It's nothing."

Maria took a deep breath, "Alright. What do you want to know?"

Kohana immediately responded, "The Chakra Bond. It's extremely interesting, and quite powerful. How exactly does it work?"

Maria frowned, "I wouldn't know. It's forbidden."

"What? But, my mother wrote about it."

Maria traced a finger along the bark of a tree and said, "Your mother wasn't supposed to know so much about it. She had a knack for finding out about secrets. If she hadn't had that ability, she wouldn't have been able to write those journals."

"She was snooping around? Why did she have to do that?"

"She wasn't snooping. She had a right to that knowledge –information that her elders kept from her to ensure her 'safety'. She was one of the many in her clan that possessed your Genkai, and was also born into a time where it was highly sought out. Many attacks were made on the Shiori clan by enemy lands, and several lives were lost."

"Eventually, the clan leaders deemed it best that they suppress the Kekkai Genkai to hide from enemies. They sought my grandfather's help, which created the seal you currently have. But, as you know, the seal is not permanent. Your mother experienced the same effects you had, and she demanded to know what was happening. Her persistence led her to her answers. Usually, the clan would reseal Genkai users every few years, but your mother refused to let them do the same with hers. since then, she practiced the art of chakra transfer, and learned a great deal. All of which she penned into those three books. "

Kohana marveled in silence, still trying to wrap her mind around her clan's history.

She then asked, "Did my mother perform a chakra bond before?"

And to Kohana's surprise, Maria's voice became suddenly stern, "No. She did not. And I ask you to not dwell on that."

"Why not?"

"Because it's a life threatening procedure. You've read about it. You know that loss of chakra in such massive amounts can lead to death. But, there's something your mother did not mention. Something she didn't know herself."

Kohana asked eagerly, "What is it?"

Maria took a deep breath and swallowed, "That the bond is permanent. Once you establish that connection, you have very little control of your chakra flow to your respective partner. Anytime your partner is in significant need of energy, he or she can take it from you without your permission. You're basically giving them access to your own lifeline."

She then added slowly, "I've…I've seen it happen."

"Oh, well it, makes sense", Kohana said casually.

Maria scoffed, "Makes sense? You're giving your life away to someone whom you can no longer spend your life with."

Kohana frowned, "But, isn't love worth it?"

Maria said darkly, "It's not worth it. I wish it didn't exist."

Kohana was about to question before Maria stopped her. "We're not here to discuss the merits of the bond, Kohana. It's forbidden."

Kohana scowled, "My mom didn't say it was forbidden."

"Your mother was one of the few that endorsed it", Maria snapped.

Kohana smirked, "Like mother, like daughter."

Maria took a long look at Kohana and agreed simply, "Yes, that seems to be the case. I should warn you Kohana that I'll be reporting our training sessions to Tsunade-sama."

Kohana laughed, surprising even herself, "Alright, Maria-san. I understand it's forbidden. Plus, when would I ever be in a situation that would require me to use it? I'm not a shinobi, remember?"

Maria shrugged, " Hopefully not. What's your next question?"

"Well, seeing that most of my questions are related to the bond, I don't think you'll be willing to answer them."

Maria pursed her lips and muttered something about being too curious. She said, "That's right. I'm only here to teach you to control your chakra fluctuations and perform minimal amounts of chakra transfer. Our hope is that these fainting spells you've had will stop."

Kohana sighed, "Alright. Let's get on with it then."

The next two weeks had rendered a huge improvement in Kohana's ability to detect chakra flow. The training was rigorous. Kohana spent 12 hours of her day with Maria perfecting her Genkai. The remaining free time she used to sleep and eat, and reflect. She marveled at how much she actually enjoyed spending time with Maria. As she got to know her better, she was better able to appreciate her personality.

Kohana was now able to direct small amounts to various places in her body including her hands and feet. On the 15th day of her training, Maria gave her a rare compliment.

"You learn fast", she said.

Kohana smiled, "Thank you. I'm determined to follow my mother's footsteps."

Maria nodded, "That's a respectable goal. I'm happy that our time together has helped you. Now you have a solid foundation on which you can learn chakra transfer between bodies. Anyone from the Hyuuga clan can aid you in this. The principle is simple and all it requires is extensive practice."

Kohana frowned, chugging down water. She asked, "Won't you be teaching me?"

"I've received a letter from my hometown. My grandfather has taken ill. I must leave tomorrow."

Kohana offered her condolences, "I am sorry to hear that."

Maria sighed, "Old age. What can I say?" She watched the sun set quietly. She added after a few minutes, "My grandfather raised me. It's hard to watch him struggle with his health."

Kohana nodded, "I understand. It will give you some peace if you're by his side."

Maria agreed, "The only thing is I won't be able to say goodbye to Kakashi. I don't believe he will return tomorrow."

Kohana bit her cheek, still sensitive about Kakashi's and Maria's relationship, and said hesitantly, "I'm sure you can leave him a note. I can give it to him."

Maria laughed, "That won't be necessary. He'll understand why I had to leave."

Kohana raised her eyebrow and said skeptically, "You want to leave without giving him any notice? I thought you two were…"

"In a relationship?" Maria suggested, a small smile adorning her face.

Kohana blushed lightly and stammered defensively, "He took you out that night."

"As a friend."

Kohana couldn't help but mutter, "That event was for couples."

Maria cocked her head slightly in agreement, and said, "You're right. Then again, we both know that Kakashi isn't experienced in…relationships. He asked, and it would have been rude of me to decline."

Kohana blurted, "You could have explained to him." Kohana flushed again at her outburst and murmured, "I'm sorry. It's none of my business."

Maria laughed again, "Of course it is your business as you're in love with him."

Kohana's eyes widened in shock, and spluttered, "No…that's not it. I was just being too curious."

"You're a horrible liar, Kohana. To ease your mind, let me tell you that I feel nothing for Kakashi other than friendship. We are comrades and I apologize if we did not seem that way. You on the other hand are absolutely in love with him. Am I right?"

Kohana smiled shyly and said in a small voice, "Yes, you are. I want to be with him. And when I am, I can't say in words how happy I feel."

Maria returned her smile wistfully and sighed, "I know what you mean."

Kohana questioned timidly, "You do?"

Maria sighed again, "I've been in love, Kohana, with a man that I consider to be my life. His name was Beniro, and I met him when I was a teenager. He was a charismatic, charming man who understood me in ways that no else had ever done before. We fell in love."

She paused, and Kohana registered with surprise that Maria had tears in her eyes.

Kohana scrunched her forehead in confusion while Maria continued darkly, "The day he proposed to me was the happiest day of my life. I imagined that my future would be just as content. You see, Kohana, Beniro was a skilled shinobi of the Shiori clan. Because of his expertise as a fighter, the clan leaders gave him special permission to hone his Kekkai Genkai. They believed it would be useful to have him join the ANBU medical unit. They approached my grandfather who agreed to teach him. His sessions would take place at night in a dark cave guarded by several Shiori shinobi. Only the three of us were permitted inside. "

Maria then said with a scoff, "After all, the leaders still wanted to ensure that no one knew about Beniro. He was an incredibly talented student and mastered the art in less than a month. The clan was proud of him and considered him their greatest honor. After years of destruction, battle, and death, seeing Beniro become so accomplished in the clan's secret technique delighted the Shiori. But, they should have realized that talent like him couldn't be hidden."

Maria voice broke slightly, "A few months after his training with my grandfather ended, we received intelligence from the Leaf who were Shiori's closest allies. The third Hokage warned us that a group of Stone shinobi was coming for Beniro. A traitor had tipped off Otogakure. The clan told Beniro to flee and hide. He insisted on going alone, but I wouldn't let him. I joined him on his travels and we spent two years together in hiding. Then one day, when Beniro had gone out to fetch food and water for the both of us, Oto shinobi appeared at our hiding spot. I was alone, and defenseless and t-they tortured me. I refused to tell them where Beniro was and they promised me that after seeing my dead body he would come after them."

Maria then gave a short laugh, "And he would have had I died. Beniro did the unthinkable to save my life. He performed the Chakra Bond transferring nearly all of his chakra to revive me. It was a miracle that he survived the Bond. But, neither of us was expecting its repercussions. A few weeks later, we were attacked again. This time, the Leaf including Kakashi came to aid us. It was the first battle I had ever seen. And I made a mistake – I came in the middle of it. I was injured severely, and the medics had declared that I would die. Beniro was distraught – he was injured and too weak to transfer any chakra to me. I was glad that he couldn't though and I forbid him to try."

Maria swallowed, and said in a hollow whisper, "He stayed at my side while the others fought. I told him that I loved him more than anyone else. And that's when it happened. I felt his chakra seeping into my skin and I looked at him in horror. He smiled at me and the last words he said were, 'My love, our bond is permanent. I will always save you.' He died in front of me and though I knew I would live, I felt that I had died too."

Kohana said hoarsely, "I'm sorry, Maria-san. I never knew."

Maria wiped her face with her hands and said tiredly, but in a stronger voice, "Kohana, you must promise me that you will never use the Bond no matter what."

Kohana stammered, "I – I don't think I can promise you that. I understand your concern, and I will do my best to not use it."

Maria sighed, " I guess that's all I can expect from you. Beniro has left me alive with terrible guilt. I wish he hadn't, but you can see now Kohana that Beniro is the only man that I will love." She then smiled, and looked at the darky sky around them, "Don't worry, I won't steal your Kakashi. I have to leave now."

Kohana's cheeks tinged red, "T-thank you. I've learned so much from you and I apologize for misunderstanding your friendship. Please convey my well wishes to your grandfather. I hope he recovers soon."

Maria nodded, "One more thing, Kohana." She pulled out a small black book from her backpack and handed it to Kohana. "This is your mother's diary", she explained, "Jiraya-sama wanted you to have it and asked me to give it to you at the end of your training with me."

Kohana nodded, "I understand. Thank you."

Maria then turned towards Konoha's gates, and bid her a farewell, "Stay safe. Practice well."

Kohana watched Maria's figure disappear into the darkness before hugging the diary to her chest and making her way quickly to the apartment. Maria's story rung in her head and she wondered that if she was in Beniro's position would she have done anything differently. And a sudden flash of Kakashi in her mind told her that she would have followed Beniro to the tee.