You know how I said that I wouldn't be updating for three weeks?

Turns out it was only two...

Dammit! I have a term paper to write and three exams to study for! Why the heck am I working on this instead!?

Chapter 9: Stories and The Seven Stages of Grief

Kakashi sat with his back to a large oak tree, book in hand. The combined light from tonight's full moon and the campfire was just enough to make out the tiny print of his book. He'd be able to read a few more chapters of it tonight, leaving the rest for later. He had it all figured out. If he read four chapters a day then he'd be finishing the book just in time to return to Konoha and buy the next instalment of the series. That meant he could read no farther then Chapter 8 tonight and...

He stared at the page he had just turned to, the bolded words reading 'Chapter 20' staring up at him. Sighing he tucked the book away in his pocket. Time to do some recalculations.

"I'm bored!" Kajika suddenly shouted, leaping to her feet. She glared at everyone assembled in the clearing. "Don't you ninjas do anything fun?"

Sakura glanced up from her Teen Ninja Monthly marking her spot (Does he like you? Fifteen simple ways to know the truth). "I brought cards. Do you want to play something?"

"Know poker?"

Only one chapter a night? Barbaric... "No strip poker."

"What's the point then!?" Kajika whined, glaring daggers at Kakashi. "I doubt any of you have the money to make it interesting..."

"Maa... Probably not," Kakashi agreed, smiling at her.

Kajika pouted. "What do you ninjas do at night for fun?"

"Sleep."

"We could tell stories," Mitsuki suggested, looking up for the first time in hours. Ever since Kakashi had lifted her off of Kajika's back she had been staring into the fire, watching it's flames swirl in the chill night air. Kakashi had actually pulled her back a full foot without her noticing, protecting her from the sputtering grease the squirrels had dripped. Then she had refused to eat, Sakura and Kajika taking her side and forcing Kakashi to leave her alone. He'd done so fairly compliantly. After all, Mitsuki was a girl, Sakura and Kajika were girls... They should know best.

"What kind of stories?" Naruto asked, looking interested.

"Ghost stories!"

"Any type of story," Kakashi corrected. Mitsuki was starting to dazedly stare into the fire again... "Why don't you start, Mitsuki-chan?"

Mitsuki looked at him, blushing slightly. "Watashi? Ano... Demo..."

"You thought of it."

Looking thoughtful, she absently nodded as she shifted to sit cross legged. Smiling softly she began; "This is the story of The Fish Thief"

"Oooh! I like this one!"

"Kajika... Shhh."

"Once, on a cold winter's day, a fisherman had caught a number of fish through a hole in the ice. He had loaded them on his sled and was returning home. A fox saw them, and since he liked fish so much, and since he was so very hungry, he determined to get steal some of the fish.

"He ran ahead of the sled a short distance, then, laying down in the road, he pretended as though he was dead. The fisherman came along, saw him, and, wanting a fox skin to make a cap with, picked up the fox, supposing it's ruse was true. He threw it on the sled and drove on home with his load of fish.

"When the fisherman wasn't looking, the fox took one of the fish and replaced it with a stone so the fisherman would not notice the load's being lighter. He then jumped off and ran into the forest.

"As he was in the forest eating the fish, a bear came by. 'Where did you get the fish?' he asked.

"'I caught it.'

"'I'd like to catch a fish like that.'

"'Well, I'll tell you the secret of catching fish,' said the fox, seeing mischief to be made. 'You go on down this trail and you'll come to the river. The river is frozen over, but there is a round hole in the ice. You stick your tail down the hole and leave it there for a while. The fish will come and grab hold of it; then you haul up your tail along with the fish so you will have caught one.'

"The bear happily ran off and found the hole in the ice. He stuck his tail in. He waited patiently for a fish to take hold of it. Finally he felt as though something had fastened onto it. 'That must be a big fish which has grabbed my tail!' he cried. 'Ah, what a feast I'll have!' He gave his tail a jerk. Feeling something break, he fell face forward and rolled over and over across the ice. Wondering what could have happened, he looked around and saw his tail, torn off at the roots and stuck fast in the ice."

Kajika grinned, her feet waving in the air as she lay on her stomach. "That's such a great story..." she said, sighing dreamily. "You know, Kaa-san always told me that Uncle Haru was the fox in that story."

"Me next, me next!" Naruto shouted, waving his arm. Unchallenged he thought for a moment then began. "Three men, Higo, Satsuma, and Mino, went on a pilgrimage to Ise. At Ise they stopped at an inn to eat ramen, but couldn't decide on who should sit in the place of honour. I guess the person who sat there got the best ramen or somethin..."

"Baka," Sakura growled. "They wanted the honour, not the ramen..."

"Anyway, they fought for while then decided to start a tall tale contest to see who got to eat the best ramen. So... ano... They picked an order and... ano sa, ano sa... They decided to have a ramen eating contest instead!"

"This is the worst story ever."

"Shut up Sasuke! I don't see you doing any better!"

"Heh, like I would tell a stupid story to you, dobe."

"Take that back you!"

Kakashi glanced at Mitsuki. During Naruto's story she had begun to zone out again. He smiled, deciding to change that. "Quiet down," he ordered Naruto and Sasuke. He smiled again. "Guess I'm next... Let's see... Let's see... Long ago in a certain place there was an old woman. One day, when the weather was nice, she took a large stoneware jar to the river to wash it. She squatted down to wash the jar, and her 'important place' was showing-"1

"Kakashi-san!" Mitsuki gasped, hitting Kakashi. She glared at him. "There are children here!"

"Maa... It's not that dirty a story... Fine... A rather stupid son in law went to visit in parents in law for the first time. Incidently this was also the first time he ever had to sleep on a traditional pillow as well. Because of the pillow his head felt so funny he couldn't sleep. 'What is this thing anyway?' he asked his wife. It being late, the wife thought he was asking her what her name was and replied; 'It is Okoma.'

Well, the next morning the whole family was eating breakfast with each other. The son in law said, "Wow, I didn't catch a wink of sleep last night. I tried to get on okoma, but when I pushed her-"2

"Kakashi!!"

"Nani?" Kakashi asked, looking at Mitsuki slyly from the corner of his eye. Kajika rolled around on the ground laughing hysterically.

"You... Kids... Dirty..." Mitsuki sputtered, blushing furiously. "Don't tell dirty stories!"

"You only think they're dirty because you don't listen to it all."

"No more dirty stories!"

"Maa Maa... Long ago a priest and an acolyte were going on a journey. On the way the acolyte had to pee very badly but-"

"KAKASHI!"

"It's not dirty, I promise! But every time he went to the side of the road to do his business the priest stopped him saying that there was a kami (god) there. Finally, fed up, and unable to hold it any longer, the acolyte began to pee on the priest's head.

"'What are you doing!?' the priest demanded.

"'There is no kami (hair) on your head, so it's alright,' he said and kept on urinating."3

Naruto and Kajika laughed hysterically at the end of this tale while Sakura and Sasuke stared at him blankly, clearing wondering why their teacher had told them such an odd story. Mitsuki glared at him, her face red. "Kakashi!" she growled.

Kakashi smiled at her. "You're right... rather dull... I know, I'll tell the story of the three women who used their 'important place' to-"

"Bed time!" Mitsuki briskly announced, grabbing Naruto and Sasuke and hauling them away towards their shelters. "Ne, I'm tired, aren't you two?"

"No way!."

"Hmph."

"Thought so." Depositing Naruto on his mattress of leaves she gently kissed him on the forehead before dragging Sasuke to his shelter and doing the same. "Goodnight," she said, smiling fondly, despite the fact that both of the teenage boys were resolutely ignoring the fact that they had been babied in any way shape or form. Sakura was a bit better, accepting a hug before curling up on her leaves for the night.

As for Kajika, she took one look at the shelters glanced at the sky and decided to go sleep in her den for the night. Humans may be stupid enough to sleep out in the open, but as for her she was going to enjoy her nice, warm den. "See ya!" she shouted, vanishing away in a swirl of fog and leaves.

Mitsuki nodded her goodbye, walking over to the fire. Kneeling down, she collapsed the fire, stacking it in a way that wouldn't produce much light, but would protect the coals so that tomorrow's breakfast fire would be easy to start. "Ow!" she gasped, burning a finger on an ember.

Kakashi stepped in, moving the last log into place. "Let me see it."

Mitsuki shook her head, sucking on the finger.

"Mitsuki..."

She sighed, holding out her hand. "It's fine."

Kakashi nodded. She probably wouldn't even get a blister. "Let me check it in the morning, just to be sure."

Mitsuki glared at him, anger swelling inside of her. "It's fine," she repeated, standing and stalking to her sleeping bag.

"Oi, Mitsuki-chan."

"What is it Kakashi?"

"Don't I get a goodnight kiss too?"

Mitsuki turned to look at him. She blinked at the almost comical way he was holding his arms out, his head tilted to one side. "You..." she growled, a smile threatening to cross her lips. Finally, she laughed quietly, the anger vanishing. "You..." she giggled. Shaking her head she slipped into her sleeping bag and closed her eyes, still smiling.

Sitting down at the base of his large oak, Kakashi leaned against the tree, bowing his head and closing his eyes. The strangest things seemed to anger Mitsuki, equally strange things depressing her. Perhaps she was remembering some rather painful things from her past? But then, the aura she had when she was angry... He'd felt it before when he'd left her behind to follow Anko to the destroyed memorial. Before, he'd thought it had been a figment of his imagination, worries over what he'd find at the memorial... And then the power she'd had when she'd hit Gai away from her. She'd sent the man through a wall when she couldn't move any of his furniture to vacuum under it.

Well, he'd just have to keep an eye on her, watch for the things that set her off. Shifting slightly, he dozed off, all his senses fully aware for any danger that may have lurked in the forests at night.

-

-

A few days passed, each day a pleasant cycles of hunting and eating followed by stories late into the night. And then... each morning... a new song...

"Wake up sleepyheads!
It's dawn time, get out of bed!
'Fore the kappa comes along
Ships your kidneys to Hong Kong..."

Mitsuki glanced up from the fire she was tending. "Hong Kong?"

Kajika stopped singing a moment, nodding resolutely. "Hong Kong." Twirling around, she flopped onto a sleeping Naruto and continued on to her next verse.

"Naruto open your eyes
Just for that I'll give you pies!
Eat them fast then run away
'Fore fat ol' Sasuke comes to play!"

"Sasuke-kun isn't fat!" Sakura protested, brushing leaves out of her hair and glaring at the girl.

"Get off!" Naruto protested, shoving Kajika off of him.

Giggling Kajika kissed the boy on the nose before prancing off to dance around a cooking Mitsuki.

"Mean old Sakura is a hag
Should cover her face with a bag
Follows Sasuke all around
Worries that she's gained a pound!"

Before Sakura could start screaming Kakashi looked up from his book. "Maa...That's enough, Kajika-chan. They're up now."

Kajika pouted, clasping her hands in front of her. "Aww... but I have one more verse!"

"About?"

"You of course!"

Sighing, Kakashi looked back at his book There wasn't anything that the fox could say that would upset him, might as well let her finish...

Taking his silence for a go ahead, Kajika sang her last verse.

"Kakashi, he wants a girl
But his face makes them all hurl
Poor ol' baba, out of luck,
Bought a donkey to get a- OOOOWWWW!!!!" Kajika pouted, rubbing the spot where a stone had connected with her head. She glared accusingly at Kakashi. "What'd you do that for!?"

Kakashi ignored her, intently reading his book. Finally, he closed it, got up and walked over to the Kitsune. "Don't spread rumors," he said fondly, patting her on the head.

"You hurt me," Kajika whined, glazing up at him. "Naruto-kun! Kiss it better!!"

Mitsuki frowned as Kajika chased Naruto around the clearing, almost letting their breakfast fall into the fire. "Kakashi-san... Shouldn't you help Naruto-kun?" she asked, watching Kajika tackle Naruto to the ground and rub her face all over the protesting teen's back.

He shrugged. "He has to learn about women someday."

"Demo..." She trailed off gazing into the embers of the fire.

"Demo?" Kakashi prompted.

"Nevermind," Mitsuki sighed, turning the spit. She had wanted to explain to him how different human and kitsune mating was. How humans were supposed to be forever while for a fox it was only a one night stand. How Kajika honestly didn't care one bit for Naruto, she was only interested in the spirit that dwelled within him. That when the time was right she would do anything in her power to help free that creature. She poked at the embers, letting air into an area that had been getting cold. The thing in Naruto... I don't even know what it is... she thought to herself. All that she knew that it was powerful... And angry... Not a good combination.

"Breakfast done!?" Kajika shouted in Mituski's ear.

Starled, Mitsuki shrieked and toppled over, Kakashi having to jump to grab her before she fell into the fire. "A-Arigatou," she said shakily, sitting down a few steps away from the flames.

"Don't mention it." He glanced at the meat roasting. "Breakfast," he said, grabbing food for himself and Mitsuki before stepping back and allowing his students to fall in.

Naruto wrinkled his nose at the food. "Squirrel? Again?" He glared at the meat then looked up at his teacher. "Kaka-sensei... Don't we have anything else?"

"Like what?" Sakura snapped, glaring at the blonde boy. "I didn't see you trap anything better."

"We could eat fish!"

"We tried that, dobe," Sasuke growled, finishing his meal. "Remember? We just got wet."

Kajika nodded merrily. "Yup, yup! Remember Naru-kun? That pervert Kakashi took you into the woods to molest you, but I bravely rescued you!"

Kakashi tossed his bones into the bushes and glared at Kajika. "You tackled Naruto into the deepest part of the river."

"You were eyeing him!"

Sasuke glared at her. "Because of your splashing around we couldn't get any fish."

"Do not mock my rescue attempt! Besides, I caught us these squirrels."

"Actually, we ate all the squirrels yesterday. These are rats."

"Eww!" Sakura squeaked, tossing the rat away. "Eeewwwww... Why didn't you tell us that sooner, Kakashi-sensei."

The silver haired man shrugged. "Maybe because I have good news." Kakashi grinned at his team, his one visible eye happily curved. "Pack up everyone! You survived! Now let's go back home."

Enter the Seven Stages of Grief!
Step One: SHOCK

Kajika choked on her rat, then looked up at Kakashi with wide eyes. "WHAT!? You're leaving!? NOW!!!???"

Step Two: DENIAL

"You're not leaving!!!" Kajika wailed childishly, clinging onto Kakashi's leg. "You're not! You're not! You're not!!!!!!!!"

Expertly, Kakashi pried the girl's fingers from her pants, picking her up and turning her so she'd latch onto a tree instead. "It's been six days," he said, patting the red headed sixteen year old on the head. "We're expected back."

Kajika sniffled, her eyes full of big, wet tears.

Kakashi gazed back impassively.

"NEE-CHAAAN!!" Kajika shouted, bypassing Kakashi to latch onto an easier target. In the form of a two year old she leapt into Mitsuki's arms, seemingly all eyes and tears. "Nee-chan! You're not leaving me!" she wailed, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck. "I don't wanna be alooooooone!!!"

Mitsuki frowned, looking over to Kakashi. "Kakashi-san... we always could stay another-"

"No," Kakashi said firmly deciding to go a head and pack all of Mitsuki's belongings as well. "Hokage-sama is expecting us back."

"Demo..." Mitsuki trailed off sighing. "Gomen, Kajika-chan... We really have to go..."

Step Three: BARGAINING

Kajika pouted for a moment before leaping across the clearing. "ATTTACK!!!!!"

Naruto blinked as Kajika latched onto his leg, screeching as the fox instantly cut off circulation. "Owowowowowow! My leg! Get off!"

Kajika pulled her hand back, claws extending from her fingertips. "Stay or the leg gets it!"

Kakashi gazed flatly at her, crossing his arms. "Kajika. Look at who you're threatening."

Kajika blinked, glancing up at Naruto. "OH! I'm sorry!!!!!!!!!" she shrieked, grabbing Naruto in a tight embrace, smothering him the cleavage she grew just for the occasion. "I'll never do it again!!!!!"

Step Four: FEAR

She collapsed to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. " I just... I just don't want you to leave."

"Why?" Sasuke scoffed, glaring at a spot on a tree. "Scared of the dark?"

She sniffled looking up at everyone, a kicked puppy look on her face. "YES!" she shouted, starting to shake.

Kakashi mentally sighed as Sakura and Mitsuki crowded around the Kitsune, trying to sooth the creature. He'd have to pack Sakura's small bag too... Grabbing the poorly hidden framed photo of Sasuke he stuffed it in Sakura's backpack and tossed over where the rest of the packs lay. There, finished. They were ready to go as soon as the fox stopped talking about her seemingly endless list of fears.

"...and I'm scared of thunder and lightning and fires I didn't make and the bear that lives by the hill and butterflies and children and ice cream and I have abandonment issues and I want a cookie and..."

Settling down against a tree he pulled Icha Icha Violence Volumes 1-6 out of his backpack. This could take awhile.

Step Five: ANGER

Kakashi blinked as his book was savagely ripped away from him, Kajika's finger pointing in his face. "YOU CAN'T ABANDON ME!" she roared at him, fire in her eyes. "I ABANDON YOU!"

"Kajika-chan!" Mitsuki gasped, horrified at the girl's behavior. She grabbed the girl's arm, attempting to drag her away from the ninja.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!!!!!!" Kajika shouted, pulling her arm away and glaring at the taller girl. Slowly her shape grew, her teeth lengthen as she became the fox once again, her tails whipping around so fast that they acted like knives, severing everything they touched. "Don't you DARE touch me! If you touch me again I'll... I'll..."

Step Six: DESPAIR

"....CRY!!!!" Kajika wailed, her horse sized head bowing to bury itself in her red paws. Her tails stopped moving, hanging limply behind her only moving to wipe tears from her giant eyes or to serve as a tissue.

Mitsuki blinked, glancing at Sakura and looking confused. Slowly the two moved forward, embracing the giant fox and petting her silky soft fur. "It's okay," they cooed, looking concerned and warily, wondering what her next mood swing would be. "It's going to be alright."

"It's not going to be alright!" Kajika sobbed, resting her head on Sakura's lap as hot tears rolled down her face. "It's never ever going to be alright again!"

Mitsuki smiled at her reassuringly. "That's not true... Everything's going to be fine... We can always come visit..."

Step Seven: ACCEPTANCE

Kajika sniffled and blew her nose loudly on the hem of Mitsuki's dress. "Well," she said softly, looking thoughtful. "When you put it that way..." She leaped to her feet, the red headed 16 year old disguise firmly in place. "Yatta! I'm so excited!" she shouted, punching one hand in the air before disappearing in a swirl of smoke and leaves.

Naruto blinked. "Kaka-sensei... What just happened?" he asked, looking at the spot Kajika had once occupied, a confused look on his face.

Kakashi picked up his fallen manga and glanced at the sky. "That Naruto, was the seven stages of grief presented in ten minutes." Putting his books away he smiled at everyone. "Let's go."

-

-

"Konoha!" Naruto cheered seeing his beloved city's skyline in between the dense foliage of the forest. "We're almost there!"

"You didn't figure that out already?" Sasuke asked, glaring at his feet. "Dobe..."

"TAKE THAT BACK YO-"

"Leave him alone, baka!" Sakura shouted, hitting Naruto on the head. She increased her pace, looking annoyed. "So annoying..."

Naruto blinked at her, looking lost. "Eh!? Sakura-chan!!" he called, hurrying after her.

Several feet back Mitsuki glanced up at Kakashi, a worried look on her face. "Do they ever stop fighting?" she asked watching Sakura sucker punch Naruto into a tree.

Kakashi smiled down at her. "Yes, sometimes they sleep."

She frowned. "But isn't that bad? For the team I mean..."

"You would think so, but it's not. They may not look it, but actually they're all rather close." Smiling he closed his one visible eye. "At least they haven't tried to really kill one another yet..."

Mitsuki nodded, adjusting the weight on her back.

"Need any help with that?"

Mitsuki blinked then flushed, glaring up at Kakashi. "Iie! You're carrying everything I brought already, the least I can do is carry the sleeping bag."

"True, but you weren't feeling well a few days ago."

"I wasn't sick."

"Then what was the matter?"

Mitsuki glared at the ground, shuffling her feet. "I was depressed."

Kakashi pretended to innocently inspect the side of the road as he walked. "Why?"

"...I... I guess I-"

"NEE-CHAN!" a familiar, hyper voice shouted, as a red blur hugged Mitsuki from behind. "Ne... You guys sure walk fast," Kajika said pouting. "Did mean Kashi-baba 4 make you hurry, Miki-chan?"

Kakashi mentally sighed, gazing flatly at the Kitsune. "Kajika, what are you doing here?"

Kajika feigned surprise, a hand coming up to cover her mouth. "Didn't you know!? I'm here to play the part of the baby!" she squealed, leaping into Kakashi's arms and transforming so that she looked like an infant. "I'm Miki-chan's love child with a more wealthy, more attractive, and kinder man!"

Kakashi looked down at the red headed infant he was holding and unceremoniously tossed the transformed kitsune over his shoulder. Turning, he gently pulled Mitsuki after him as he walked down the path.

"Child abuser!" Kajika shouted, leaping onto Kakashi's back and wrapping her arms lightly around his neck. She placed her head down by his covered eye, pouting. "Why didn't you wait for me, Kashi-kun?"

Kakashi sighed, grabbing the kitsune's legs so he was holding her piggy back. "Why did you follow?"

Kajika shrugged, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Dunno. Lonely I guess..."

Kakashi nodded slowly following what he guessed was her line of vision. His three genin fighting doggedly as they walked. "I'll speak to the Hokage about it," he sighed, mentally adding the costs of another mouth to his food bill.

"Yatta!" Kajika squealed, hugging the jounin tightly. "You're the best Kakashi-kun!" With that she vanished in a puff only to appear a foot ahead of him so she could run after Naruto and the others.

Kakashi mentally sighed as he watched the overly enthusiastic fox tackle Naruto to the ground. Life just got more hectic. He blinked as he felt Mitsuki's arm loop with his, the shorter girl beaming up at him.

"You're a good person, Kakashi-kun," she said, squeezing his arm in a sort-of hug.

He smirked, looking ahead again. "How old do you think she is?" he asked, watching Kajika run around with Sakura's photo of Sasuke, the pink haired girl shouting as she chased the kitsune.

Mitsuki shrugged, smiling fondly. "Somewhere between two and three hundred," she said calmly. "Kitsunes generally grow a new tail every hundred years."

"So the Kyuubi was somewhere around nine hundred years old?"

Mitsuki shook her head, looking grave. "The Kyuubi was from time immortal," she said, dropping her voice as if telling a great secret. "Kitsune can theoretically live forever, but few ever make it. Most die somewhere around their seven hundredth year... But the Kyuubi... He was conceived before time ever began." She frowned, looking at Naruto's stomach. "And he will remain until time ends." She shivered. "Someone must have done something terrible for the Kyuubi to attack your village..."

Kakashi stored all this information away to discuss with Tsunade. Especially the news that the Kyuubi had attacked for a reason. "In human years, how old is Kajika-chan?" he asked instead. Tsunade would want to hear this as well when she considered whether or not to allow the kitsune to remain in the village.

"Well... assuming that she's around two hundred and fifty... I'd say she's about fourteen now."

Fourteen, huh? Kakashi thought to himself. Gently pulling away from Mitsuki's arm, he strode ahead, Mitsuki following in his wake. Pulling Sakura off of a giggling Kajika he wordlessly returned the pink haired girl's photo and fixed the kitsune with a firm look. "The gate's up ahead," he warned. "Best behavior."

Grinning, Kajika nodded, lunging to latch onto Mitsuki's and Naruto's arms. Humming cheerfully, the fox happily followed Kakashi and the rest of the team through the towering gates of Konoha.

-

-

Tsunade rubbed her temples. "Let me get this straight," she sighed. "You went into the forest and was immediately attacked by a friendly kitsune who stole several items and led you on a wide goose chase before returning them."

"Yes."

"Said kitsune is currently sitting in my lobby."

Kakashi winced a little but nodded. "Yes."

Tsunade checked the crystal ball that Sarutobi had left behind, studying the girl. She looked normal enough... A bit bouncy, and if she was to judge from the look on Naruto's and Mitsuki's faces her grip was good... "She looks harmless enough," she finally said, dismissing the image. "However, she did get the team lost requiring that you go find them."

"Yes."

"At which point you were attacked and captured by..."

"Tengu."

"Ah yes... the Tengu," Tsunade moaned, rubbing her temples again. "And what, pray tell, is a Tengu?"

"Tall, red faced, and having long noses. Kajika and Mitsuki told be later that they were also very good with swords." Mitsuki saying, 'The creators of all forms of martial arts' came to mind, but he decided not to repeat that.

"And the kitsune and Mitsuki were somehow able to convince them to release all of you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure of the specifics, but apparently they knew Mitsuki from elsewhere. They addressed her by her proper last name, Tennyo."

Tsunade's head snapped up. "Tennyo?" she asked, looking surprised. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier!?"

Kakashi smiled. "I forgot..."

Sighing in frustration, Tsunade shook her head, pulling out a sheet of parchment. "Dismissed."

Kakashi blinked, surprised. Tsunade had been questioning him about his mission for an hour and a half and now she was suddenly done? "Hokage-sama.... Is there something that I should know about-"

"Tell the kitsune I want her gone by spring. Dismissed."

Bowing lowly, Kakashi turned and left the room, expectant faces gazing up at him as he shut the door behind him.

"Well?"

"You can stay until spring," Kakashi said, smiling pleasantly.

"YATTA!" Kajika squealed tackling Naruto to the ground and laying her head on his chest. "Oh Naruto-kun," she sighed, playing with the zipper of his coat. "I'll move in with you and we can do XXX and OOO all night long while we-"

Kakashi grabbed the fox off of his student, hauling her up by the back of her clothes until she was on his eye level. "You're staying with me."

Kajika blinked before pouting. "Great... Out of the entire village of Konoha... I get to stay with the child molester... Ow!!"

-

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-

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1: Want the rest of the story? Here ya go:

Just then, one of the young men of the village came by. The old woman didn't know that her 'important place' was showing so the young man decided to tell her so that everyone wouldn't see it. He knew he shouldn't tell her directly so he said, "Grandmother, you have it out today."
"Yes, the weather is so nice you know," said the old woman.
Since she apparently didn't understand what he meant he tried again. "It certainly is big."
"It's the biggest there is."
"It's very black."
"It's been well used."
The young man gave up and left

2: Rest of story:

"I tried to get on okoma, but when I pushed her, she kept getting away and getting away until I finally got her up next to the wall and got on, then went to sleep."

3: The word for hair and edge is the same word for god (they're all kami) although the kanji is different. So if you ever go to Japan and for whatever reason tell someone there that you like kami, be sure you can write out the kanji so they know which kami you're talking about.

4: Calling Kakashi -baba makes him an old woman. Just thought I'd mention that since it's funny and I wanted everyone to know that the suffix was intentional