Chapter 7

Kakashi led her into a huge building. It was about four stories high with no windows. It looked like a large training area. Taking up most of the space were monkey bars that extended to where the ceiling would be. It was extremely dark up there, you couldn't see the ceiling, and the ground beneath the monkey bars was covered in 6-foot tall grass. Off in the far left corner was a fountain. Various weapons hung on the walls by the doorway.

"What is this place?" She asked looking around curiously. He watched her.

"This is our indoor training center. The walls have been reinforced with metal plates. Same with the floor. For those who want to, they can go 'all out' here. For most Jounin, this is where we practice without destroying anything outside this area." He explained.

"Hmmm" she hummed. "So, why did you bring me here?"

He reached into his pocket and removed two bells. "I want you to take these bells from me. You can do whatever you want in order to get them." He said tying the bells to his pants.

"You want to fight me?"

"No…well, yes, but not if you don't want to. For now, just try and take these bells from me…if you can." He jumping into the middle of the monkey bars, pulled out his book and flipped it open. He started to read, standing there on a bar.

She was confused…if he wanted her to attack him, why was he reading? Did he want to test her skill level? If he did, why was he so relaxed? Was he underestimating her? She may look weak, and act weak…but she wasn't. She smirked accepting his challenge.

She quickly vanished from where she was standing and jumped to the bars above him. She remained there, quietly…waiting…waiting for him to make a notion that he was trying to figure out where exactly she was. There! He was looking, trying not to be noticeable.

She quickly jumped to his right side, while his eyes were adverted toward his left. He quickly looked to the right, but she was already standing right behind him. She quickly removed one of the bells and held it up by its string. Kakashi quickly jumped to the next bar across from him and turned around.

"Ne, ne…what do I get for being able to retrieve one bell?" she said smirking to him. He was surprised that she was able to move so quickly and silently. He couldn't tell where she was at all. Only at where she had been.

Smiling, he replied, "Breakfast".

"Eh?"

"It is morning. But before that, you need to get this other bell." 'I don't think I should be reading this right now,' he said to himself in reference to his book. He put it in his pocket.

"What do I get when I get the other bell?" Kakashi raised his eyebrows at this question.

"You think you can get this one?" he asked pointing to the one still tied to his pants.

"You think I can't?"

He didn't answer. He needed to concentrate on her. She's changed her stance. Instead of facing him forward, her body turned so her right shoulder was facing him. Her head turned to him, she smiled.

"Let's go." Quickly, she jumped toward him. 'She fast,' Kakashi thought to himself, his eyes widening. He jumped up the bars above him to avoid the head on attack. He looked down to see if she was right on his tail, but she wasn't there. Quickly, he stopped, kneeling on one of the bars, searching for her presence. He couldn't find it.

He looked around but was unable to see her. He kept looking until his eyes caught something moving toward him. It was small, it was slow…it was flying. It was a butterfly. 'How did that get in here?' It landed on his shoulder and he just stared at it. His eyes widened in realization that this wasn't a butterfly. There was no butterfly in here. He was imagining it. She had used the Illusionary Technique. He quickly dispelled the technique and jumped to some bars that were above him.

His attention was quickly caught by the sound of a bell tinkling. He looked down to see if she had gotten the other one, but it was still there, tied to his pants. He looked to where the noise was coming from. Higher above him, it was dark. He couldn't see clearly. Suddenly she was heading right for him from above. He moved out of the way. She landed where he once was and proceeded to attack him, with fists, with her feet. He blocked these moves quickly jumping from bar to bar.

He stopped suddenly and faced her. She stopped on a bar about 5 feet across from him, smiling at him. He was impressed. She could certainly hide herself well. Avoiding her attacks wasn't going to work. He needed to change this fight. He needed to attack her head on. He was about to move when she closed her eyes.

She put her fist in front of her face with two fingers pointing to the ceiling. She whispered something and quickly opened her eyes. He felt something brush against his thigh. He looked down and saw the bell. It was falling to the ground. "Nani!" he said suddenly.

He looked back at her, but she was no longer standing there. She was a couple of bars below him. She held out her hand and showed him both bells that were once tied to his pants.

'How. What did she do? She didn't even move. I was watching her. Did she use another Illusionary Technique? Did she use the Shadow Replication Technique?' He was confused and impressed at the same time.

"It's a secret." She said to him, knowing the thoughts that were running through his head. "Enough with the toys." She put both bells in her Kimono between her breasts. She jumped down to the wall by the entrance and removed two Samurai Swords from the wall. She held them at her sides completely relaxed while looking up at him.

Kakashi smiled comically at her. "You do want to fight."

"Ah…so do you."

"Something tells me that I shouldn't hold anything back."

"Same here."

He jumped down to where she was standing and stared into her eyes. 'She's beautiful. Even when she's fighting.' He thought to himself. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her hair had strands hanging down randomly. He reached up a hand to touch her face but quickly stopped when he saw her smirk. 'Be on guard!' he yelled to himself, but it was too late. She was attacking him again, slicing air with her swords.

Back in the Hokage's Office:

"So, have you calmed down yet?" Asuma asked Nevins. Nevins had been restrained in a chair after being escorted into the Hokage's office. He had been more than unwilling to cooperate with them. When he had tried to leave the room, Asuma and Hayate blocked the door. Nevins was irritated by this and started to fight with them. His mistake was attempting to fight with the Hokage. He was quickly chained to a chair and left there for many hours"What do you want? What do you want with Aki?" "We want to protect this village, and I want to protect Aki," answered the Hokage.

Nevins just smirked, shaking his head from side to side. "Why would you want to protect someone you don't even know?"

"She is the daughter of an old friend. That is good enough for me."

"Ryuuchi? Baka! He's the one who got her into this mess!"

"Nani?"

"Ah, Jin didn't explain everything to you clearly. Or perhaps he doesn't really know…" Nevins trailed off into though.

"We know that this Man is trying to hurt your friend. He is trying to kill her." Asuma broke in irritably.

"It wouldn't be a problem if he just wanted her dead!" Nevins shot back at Asuma.

"What do you mean?"

"He wants her. He wants her alive…to use her. She knows something. He wants to use it."

"What is it she knows?"

"THAT…is none of your concern."

"He's not only attacking you or Aki or Jin, but this village. We will do whatever it takes to protect this village and its citizens" Asuma stated, practically livid.

"So, what are you getting at?"

" This isn't just your problem anymore."

"You're saying that it is our fault that he attacked this village?"

"No," the Hokage interjected, "it is not your fault or Aki-san's fault…but if he hurts anyone else…you will be held accountable. Tell us what you know."

Nevins exhaled deeply contemplating the threat. After a moment he slumped his shoulders, giving in. "How about some coffee…and lose the chains. This may take a while…" Nevins finally stated.