Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto...

Authors' Notes: Akemi and Jiyou's cousin appears in this one. How appropriate, his name (Maro) means "myself"...That should give you some insight into his character! Their sensei also comes in. He doesn't have a name, you'll notice. (We wanted to keep it simple.)

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CRASH!

Akemi looked up from her morning cup of tea and shouted towards the bathroom, "Jiyou? Are you alright in there?"

"I...can't...fix...my...HAIR!" Jiyou cried in distress.

Akemi looked over and told Jiyou to come out. Slowly the door opened. Half of Jiyou's head poked out. "See, there is nothing..." The door opened all the way. "...wro- Whoa! I mean, how'd that happen?" Akemi asked, wide-eyed.

Tearing away at her hair with a brush, Jiyou explained, "I have no idea! I think I slept wrong."

You think you slept wrong! Akemi looked into her tea, struggling not to laugh.

Her sister pulled the brush away and looked in the mirror. Why is this happening to me

The hair which normally fell neatly over her right eye was now sticking straight up in all directions! Akemi would definitely not tell Jiyou, but it looked like a porcupine was on her head.

"Ummm, well...did you try using a lot of hair gel?" she offered.

"Of course I tried that!" the frustrated girl yelled back, still wrenching on her hair.

"You could try a new hairstyle. You know, experiment," Akemi replied calmly.

"What am I gonna do, stick a ponytail on the top of my head?" Jiyou asked sarcastically.

"It might look cute...Or wear your headband a different way. We'll be late if you don't do something."

Still shouting, the sister replied, "Well I'm NOT LEAVING until I'm happy with my HAIR! (very quietly) Do you think a ponytail would work?"

Jiyou moaned as Akemi's laughter filled the hallway. All of a sudden she got an idea. Maybe a different headband style is best.

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Walking outside was another embarassing event for Akemi, seeing as Jiyou practically hid behind her the whole way.

"Stop! You look finnnne!"

"Yeah, real convincing, Akemi!"

"Hey, Temari is coming," Akemi warned.

"No!" Jiyou whispered hoarsely. "Is Gaara with her?"

"Nooo...Wait...Yes. Yep, he is."

"AAAHHH! What'll I do?"

Heheheh. "Nothing...I was just kidding."

"That is not funny!" Jiyou cried. She would have punched the older girl in the arm if she wasn't using her as a shield.

As Temari neared the two, Jiyou was forced to think fast. Jumping from behind Akemi, she assumed a relaxed pose, putting the band over the right half of her face. Temari passed them silently.

"Hey Temari! What's up?" Jiyou said nervously. I hope she doesn't notice my hair.

She didn't. Instead, she gave the girl a questioning look. As Temari walked away, Akemi said, "You know, you only drew more attention to yourself by talking to her. You look like Kakashi like that...But it was a good idea to put the band over your hair. Now it's not as...uhhh...upity?"

Sigh. "Thanks."

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But it wasn't so easy to hide Jiyou's hair from their cousin, Maro. Needless to say, he burst out laughing when he saw Jiyou.

Sometimes it's not worth it to have members of your own family on your team. Actually, in Maro's case, it's definitely not worth it! Akemi thought angrily, narrowing her eyes at his immaturity. Looking around, she made sure their sensei wasn't there yet. If Jiyou can keep shouting and distracting Maro...it's a good time to practice the Inner Decapitation Jutsu...

At first Maro didn't realize he was sinking...until he noticed he was getting shorter than still-angry Jiyou. Akemi pulled him under until he was just a head, and suddenly she was standing over him with an evil smile on her face.

"Hmmm...I think you could use a new hairstyle, too, Maro," she told him.

She reached out and started messing up his hair. It wasn't hard – he put so much gel in it that Akemi could form it any way she wanted! Jiyou was doubled over, laughing, watching Akemi's lightening-fast hands. Finally, she finished and stepped back so Jiyou could see what Maro's hair looked like now...

Long spikes topped off with large globe-shaped spheres now replaced Maro's once "perfect" hair!

The best part is that Maro doesn't have a mirror! thought Jiyou, feeling better about her own hair problem. After a while the laughter ceased and both girls bent to pull their cousin up. Then, realizing he'd have a chance to get back at them, they only pulled him up to his forearms.

Jiyou walked around Maro's head, taking in every "spike of embarassment" (she counted nine).

"How did you make those spheres?" she asked her sister.

From behind them, both girls were startled when they heard, "Yes, how did you, Akemi?"

They looked at one another, silently arguing who should turn around. Since the question was directed at Akemi, she did. To her dismay, it was Sensei. He was giving her a serious look, but Akemi couldn't decide if there was any trace of amusement in it...Probably not.

But what could I expect? I was bound to get caught anyway. Trying to sound matter-of-fact, to their sensei she replied, "It was nothing, really."

Not able to resist another prank – I'm going to get into soo much trouble for this. – Akemi went over to Maro to give a "demonstration." She formed his hair into a larger sphere, making a globe on Maro's head, an afro of some sort...

Neither Akemi nor Jiyou could supress small smiles. Sensei just shook his head. "Maybe your 'skills' would be put to better use training, not hairstyling."

Sigh. Sensei can be so boring!

As he walked away, the two girls started to follow, until they heard Maro shouting, "ACK! Help! Get it off meeee!"

They turned and saw some type of bird pulling at their cousin's hair. Both ran to asist him. The bird finally let go and deserted its ideal "nest." Maro was pulled up from the ground whining loudly, but Akemi and Jiyou were running to catch up to their sensei.

When they reached him he was sitting on a boulder in the middle of a field. "Hmph. There you are," he grunted. Glancing at Maro trying to fix his hair, Sensei said to the two girls, "As punishment-"

Groans from the girls. Sensei cleared his throat loudly. "As PUNISHMENT for your immature behavior and being late to class (Akemi and Jiyou looked at each other, mouthing bad words about Sensei) I have decided that all of you will practice Leaf Concentration, since you can't seem to concentrate on your training, and after that, forty laps."

The two girls groaned again; Maro looked indignant. This is going to be the worst day ever! Despaired Akemi, who had hoped to practice weapon throwing that day.

Leaf concentration was not only dull, it was elementary, and although forty laps wasn't an extremely long distance (compared to what they could've gotten), Akemi hoped she wouldn't "run into" anyone and cause herself more embarassment...

So training began as Akemi, Jiyou, and Maro placed leaves on their foreheads...

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