Discalimer: We still don't own Naruto!

Authors' Notes: Just the next installment...

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Ugh. It was 6 a.m. and time for another grueling day of training. Akemi, still sore from yesterday, looked at her clock and sighed. With some effort she dragged herself out of bed and went into the kitchen to make tea. No one in the house was up yet. As the water boiled, Akemi debated whether or not to wake her her sister yet, knowing if she did it would mean another fight for the bathroom...And there was that little rule about no Jutsu in the house. Yet if she didn't, she would have to face her sister's wrath for not getting her up on time and making her late. So, tea in hand, the girl went to her sister's bedroom door and yelled, "Hey, Jiyou, wake up! Time for training! I know how much you love it!"

No movement. Akemi, becoming aggravated, yelled louder, "JIYOU! UP! NOW!" Finally a reply...

Groan... "No Akemi! Not yet..."

Akemi turned and simply said, "Fine, then I get the bathroom first! I guess you don't care about looking nice...or being on time!" With that she walked away, finished her tea, and went to put on her uniform.

Inside her room Jiyou was cursing under her breath. Why do we have to train so early? And why can't there be a Jutsu for making beds! And why WHY do I have to look nice for my dumb team? It's only Akemi and Maro.

She walked out of the room, still angry about being woken up, and only got more upset when Akemi teased, "Yikes, Jiyou! You can't go anywhere looking like that! What if Gaara saw you?" She made it a point to mention her sister's newfound crush.

"Well you don't look so great when you get woken up by a bossy sister early in the morning, either! And what about Gaara! He probably doesn't care what I look like!" That is, if he notices me at all... Jiyou added as an afterthought.

Akemi, who had realized that Jiyou unconsciously insulted herself when she mentioned "a bossy sister," was snickering at her...Until she noticed her sister's strange expression. Uh oh!

Jiyou snapped, believing Akemi's smile was more mockery. "That's IT! Just wait until I show Sasuke a picture of you in the morning!"

"You wouldn't!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah...because I have this!" Akemi whipped out a picture of Jiyou standing in front of the mirror, pajamas wrinkled, hair in disarray, and mouth wide open in a big yawn.

"AAARGHHH!" The younger girl screamed and charged madly at her sister.

Just another morning in the Hasekura house...

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The two girls were walking home later that day, just in time for dinner. Akemi was hungry, and she didn't always appreciate so much exercise in one day. However, she grudgingly admitted that it was important. The thing that was really bothering her was Jiyou's attitude. It had drastically changed from rage (earlier in the morning) to brooding silence.

Maybe she just woke up on the wrong side of the bed...It doesn't help that Maro thinks he's so great all the time. That could get on anyone's nerves. She glanced at Jiyou. Yep, something's wrong.

"What's the matter?" she finally asked.

Although she hadn't expected such a "detailed" response, she was told, "I don't have a Jutsu to make my bed, Gaara doesn't know I exist, training is difficult, and (very quietly) someone's following us."

Alarmed, Akemi hissed, "Who?"

Both stopped and thought, Naruto! Slowly turning around, they saw...nothing. Relieved, they turned back and came face to face with (guess who)...Naruto.

Not again! Jiyou thought.

Before he could say anything both girls ran as quickly as possible down the streets. They came to an intersection and silently agreed to split up. Feeling safe, Jiyou looked back and was relieved to see she hadn't been followed. Akemi, however, was in trouble. Jiyou groaned, knowing that Naruto must know which way her sister had gone...And Akemi was headed straight towards Sasuke's home!

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Meanwhile, Akemi was sure Naruto was still following her, and she wasn't going to slow down! If only she could throw something – maybe a sharp object – at him! Unfortunately she wasn't paying attention and – "Oof!" – she ran into someone...

No, it wasn't Naruto. To her horror, it was Sasuke. The girl sighed as his dark eyes stared down at her. Looking up at him she began to say something, but he directed his attention elsewhere...behind her. Akemi tipped her head back (she was lying on the ground) and shrieked. Jumping up, she prepared herself for a possible fight. If it was Naruto, she was not going to lose to him in front of Sasuke!

At least, she thought it was Naruto until she heard, "Akemi! Wait! You're going to go to..." Jiyou stopped suddenly, but not soon enough. She fell over Sasuke's foot and bowled him over. Akemi wanted to hide. Seeing her sister struggle to get off of Sasuke made her day even better.

She's so clumsy! But then again, at least it wasn't Naruto. She would've been even more embarassed if her crush had seen her running away from that pest.

Akemi went over to Jiyou and gave her a hand up. Sasuke was perfectly capable of getting himself off the ground. Jiyou offered him a mumbled apology, "Uh, sorry about that..." Not surprisingly, he looked annoyed, and Akemi almost wanted to hide, again.

Jiyou, noticing Akemi's depressed state, said with more enthusiasm, "Hey, Sasuke, sorry about crushing you...You know Akemi, yes? Yes. Good. Ok. Ummm..." She stopped as she looked over his shoulder and saw Naruto! He was going to ruin everything!

"Ya, I gotta go...fix something. Bye Akemi! Sasuke." Jiyou grinned and fled surprisingly fast.

Jiyou knew she'd have to – gulp! – flirt with Naruto to save Akemi's chance. Walking over to where Naruto could see her, she waited for him to catch up...