kiasca: Ah..... Now that would be telling, wouldn't it? I'm glad you liked the chapter. grin

Raikage Yondamie: What did I do now?

TheTrueSilver: Well, here it is!

Riyo-sama: Connection?! What connection?!

Ahahahahahaha....

Naw, I'm just pulling your leg. At last, someone who realizes that there's a connection. You'll see the connection soon enough, I think.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I was looking over the previous chapters of "Talented," and I realized something.

My writing sucks.

So, as of today, July 23, 2004, there's going to be a new style of writing taking over. Major style change, and lots of plot changes that I'm not gonna discuss with my brother. Deal with it Raikage.

So. There you go. And now, on with the fic!

(&)(&)(&)(&)

Shuriken 4: Goddesses and Equipment! Get Over Yourself Kakashi!

(&)(&)(&)(&)

Kakashi was not a happy jounin.

Sakura and Sasuke had proved to be something of a problem when he had gotten back (details aren't necessary, are they?), and trying to get them into their combat boots had proved to be an almost futile gesture.

Sasuke for whatever reason had refused to put them on. Sakura, of course, had followed his lead, and wouldn't put them on until Kakashi threatened to make them over caltrops for the rest of the journey. Barefoot.

Sakura became extremely cooperative at that point.

Sasuke did not.

Surly Sasuke plus Unhappy Kakashi equals Really, Really, Pissed-Off Kakashi.

And Really, Really, Pissed-Off Kakashi didn't need Surly Sasuke.

So, Really, Really, Pissed-Off Kakashi proceeded to hang Surly Sasuke upside down until Surly Sasuke decided to cooperate.

Or rather, until Kakashi had had enough of tormenting him, and cut him down, not bothering to catch him.

Incidentally, Sasuke landed on Kakashi's caltrops. Hard.

Kakashi didn't even bother to wait for the dark-haired boy to recover. He just threw the boy's combat boots at him, explained them yet again, ("The terrain over there is the worst imaginable. You want to get your foot amputated?") and then proceeded to disappear into the forest to cool off.

"Interesting display of temper. Did it make you feel better?"

Kakashi didn't need to turn around to know who was talking to him. "Shove off Masashi."

"Is that any way to talk to your Goddess, High Priest?"

"I never agreed to be your Priest."

"You're being terribly stubborn about that Kakashi. I could really impress my family if you were my High Priest."

"So now I'm just some party trick?"

There was a soft rustle and suddenly his Goddess was sitting in front of him in midair, looking stern. "What's wrong with you Kakashi? You don't usually act so childish."

"I don't know," he replied waspishly. "Will you leave me alone?"

Masashi's eyes narrowed. And everything...stopped.

Kakashi swore.

"There's nothing you can do about this Kakashi, so stop wasting time using colorful metaphors."

"'Colorful metaphors?' Now I've heard everything."

"Whatever is the matter with you Kakashi?"

"Unless you hadn't noticed, humans generally don't like being treated like pets."

"You were being surly before I ever mentioned you being High Priest."

"Which I don't want to do by the way."

Masashi growled before smacking Kakashi on the bridge of the nose with her first two fingers. Kakashi yelped and rubbed at it, glaring at her. "Remember that conversation we had before I left?"

Kakashi grunted.

"I'll take that as a no. Well, I was telling you about how at first the Universe had a single Purpose. There was an accident, and then the Purpose was divided into a Dark and a Light Purpose. The Purposes require us to do certain things whether we want to do the or not."

"You're not serious!"

"Oh, but I am."

Kakashi whimpered.

"Get over it Kakashi. You will be my High Priest!"

"Don't you know the meaning of mercy," the albino asked bitterly.

"Not really, no. And you of all people shouldn't be asking for mercy."

"Can you blame me for trying?"

"Yes. And I will too!" Kakashi groaned. Masashi ignored him. "Sooooo, what's wrong?"

"Sasuke. He's being such an idiot, and there's just so much potential-"

"Ow."

"Yeah."

Feeling dejected, Kakashi sat down beside the teenaged immortal. Masashi fell down beside him with a soft thump. She patted him on the shoulder. "There, there Kakashi. Sasuke will get over it."

"That's what I thought. I have yet to see results."

"Nothing worthwhile comes easily."

"Nng." Then -- "Unfreeze time, if it's not too much trouble. I have a mission to get to."

"Of course."