Viraten's Note: Thanks for all the reviews so far. I downloaded the anime, and found it is quite awesome, and would've been more awesome if it wasn't riddled with flashbacks. What was the point of Zaku's flashback? He was dead next time we saw him. Anyways, enough of my tirade, and on with the fanfic.

Extra Note: Yes, for the first time ever in my fanfics, an extra note. Some of those who reviewed have kind of misinterpreted me, which is fair play. I probably didn't make myself clear enough. I don't mean there isn't going to be any romance in this fic. I'm just saying that it isn't predetermined. Think opposite of the way Neji thought before Naruto socked him. I'm just sort of going with the flow of my writing. That's all. Now, on with the fic! strikes 'onward' pose

It was currently 1:30. She had arrived promptly on time as agreed. Naruto had arrived only 5 minutes later, and was rewarded with a fist to the face. However, this was the extent of this progress, as far as ninjas arriving were concerned. Sakura was increasingly growing impatient. Being the wonderfully popular girl she was, she was not used to being stood up. And when she was stood up, more often that not, it was on the fault of her sensei. Honestly, who did he think he was? They were probably on equal power now after her immense power boost over these last two years.

More worrying was the perhaps the imminent presence of Anko. What was going on between the two? She decided to question Naruto if he knew anything.

"Hey Naruto," he was instantly at attention, still rubbing his chin, where he had been hit ever so graciously by her, "What do you think is going on between Kakashi-sensei and Anko?"

"How am I supposed to know? Actually, I don't want to know." She grimaced at his stance. It really was pointless trying to converse with the blonde Kyuubi boy sometimes.

"Do you think they're involved?" She continued at her own peril.

"Involved? How?" She slapped her famed forehead.

"You know, involved. As in, more than friends, as in…" she stopped when she was satisfied by his expression. The dense boy had finally caught on, much to his dismay. Ignorance was truly bliss. But then he brightened.

"Hey Sakura, do you think she's seen his face?" Imagine Sakura falling over anime-style at both his lateral thinking and failure to fully comprehend the situation. Honestly, men knew nothing.

Meanwhile over to the said 'couple'…

"You know, its 1:35 now, how long are you going to keep them waiting?" Anko inquired in a girly fashion.

"Relax. We don't have to leave until nightfall." He leisurely picked up a shirt and threw it in his backpack. Yes, Kakashi, a grown man of nearly 30 was taking a backpack for this. Suddenly, there was a crash and after the initial dust cloud that inevitably rises, a figure could be made it. He pointed at Kakashi and his teeth twinkled.

"I challenge you to a battle of wits!" He proclaimed, whipping out a chess board and began carefully laying the pieces out on the board whilst it was still balanced in his hand. Such is the level of an exceptional jounin.

"Gai, I don't have time for this. I'm about to leave on a very important diplomatic mission." Gai looked at Kakashi, then at Anko, and then back at Kakashi.

"I see. A 'diplomatic mission' huh? I see, as expected from my eternal rival. I shall take leave for now but I shall return and best you!" With that, Gai left in a puff of smoke, chess board intact and all, unlike Kakashi's window.

"Is that normal?"

"Is he normal?" He countered; touché. "Ok, I'm done packing now. Let's get going now." And so they began casually strolling along in silence. However, their stroll to the training grounds did not go uneventful, as these things tend to be.

"Yo, Kakashi!" Asuma waved his hand with Kurenai in tow.

"On a promenade with Kurenai then?" Kakashi commented. Kurenai blushed slightly but Asuma grinned.

"I could say the same to you." Unbeknownst to Kakashi, Asuma was taking great pride in this. It was rare that he would have an opportunity to tease him like this. How the mighty have fallen!

"Anko has been assigned to me. That's all there is to it." Said woman beamed and greeted them. Asuma frowned as Kakashi successfully managed to negate any further teasing.

"How is the curse seal?" Kurenai suddenly asked. Anko couldn't hide the shock on her face or in her words.

"It-It's fine." She lied though anyway. She didn't want their sympathy.

"Well, we'll be on our way then. See you later, Kakashi, Anko!" He waved as he walked away with Kurenai in tow, again. Once again, the silence resumed as they continued to make their way to the training area. However, it was to be interrupted again.

Anko stopped suddenly. A pulse of pain just resonated across her body. Then it happened again, and she expressed it profanely, her legs giving way until her knees. Before she could fall any further, his hand steadied her.

"Can you get up again?" was the last thing she heard before lost consciousness. Kakashi looked around. He didn't want to carry her in his arms; that would make it difficult to read. At that exact moment, the memory of Gai giving him a piggy back ride back to Konoha from the Hidden Village of the Sand came to mind. Well, it would make reading easier, although crushing his backpack somewhat.

Not wasting any more time, he lifted her onto his back, hunching only slightly forward, allowing gravity to assure that she wouldn't fall back whilst his arms held her legs in place, with the legendary novel in hand. He looked at the time.

"2:00 now. I guess I should pick up the pace."

Sakura was steaming. This would be the second time he was late today; that is, if he even turned up. She looked at the time: 2:05. She looked up again. There they were without a sound. Perhaps she wasn't at equal standing with him….

What was more disturbing was the woman riding him, as it were. She didn't seem to be conscious. It reminded her of when Gai-sensei carried Kakashi back then. Once again, they looked quite intimate and it would've confirmed her suspicions, had she not been unconscious.

"Kakashi-sensei, why are you so late again!" Naruto pointed his finger accusingly.

"Sorry, sorry, I just had a minor emergency back then. Still, it's fine now. We can leave now." And so the ninjas set off on their mission.

Viraten's Note: Haha! An adventure! Yes, an adventure! An adventure! …. I killed that, didn't I? Once again, to reiterate myself, there MIGHT be romance, but it is not predetermined!