Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. (Tragic sigh --)

Chapter 2

The Start of a New Adventure

"Is there trouble in your village?" Kakashi asked Mayu.

"I'm not sure." said Mayu. "All it tells me is that Lady Tsuyu, the Kage of my village is requesting that I return. So I should probably go right away."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Kakashi asked.

"Are you sure you go?"

"Yeah, I happen to have some time off. Besides maybe if I and a few other ninja came we could probably help establish a peaceful relationship between our two villages."

"You know, that's a good idea. Besides you'll be a total wreck without me around." said Mayu.

"I would not!" protested Kakashi.

"Not according to Guy, your so-called eternal rival told me that while I was gone, you were a total mess."

'I'm gonna kill him.' thought Kakashi. "You couldn't believe everything the eternal pain in the ass says."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Mayu said as she laughed. 'Ooh, it looks like I hit a nerve.' She just loved to tease him.

"Well, anyway I'll go ask the Hokage for permission. You wait here. Don't go no where." Kakashi said to her right before he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

'Didn't I just wait an hour for him?' she though.

Kakashi managed to get permission to go to the Hidden Light Village as long as he took his team with him, because there was no other Jonin they could spare at the moment, didn't do anything to cause tension between the two villages, and to pull out if it's too dangerous for the genin. Afterwards Kakashi told Mayu the good news. Then he called up each of his students and told them to prepare to leave for a mission first thing in the morning.

The next morning, Mayu along with Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke waited impatiently by the bridge for Kakashi to show up. Naruto was complaining as usual. Mayu was trying to keep Sakura from beating up Naruto, and Sasuke just leaned against the bridge, rolling his eyes at the behavior of his teammates. When Kakashi finally showed up Mayu, Naruto and Sakura shouted at him, "YOU'RE LATE!"

"Sorry, but-"

"We don't have time to listen to your latest excuse!" Mayu interrupted Kakashi. "We have to go now or we'll miss the bus."

So they all ran as fast as they could to the bus station. It was a close call, but they made it on to the bus in time. Mayu and Kakashi sat together while Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke sat in the seat behind. Sakura was sitting in between Sasuke and Naruto, while Naruto was grumpy that Sasuke got the window seat.

The first few hours on the bus were quiet. The genin were reading different magazines to keep themselves busy. Kakashi was reading Make-Out Violence, while Mayu was reading Memoirs of a Geisha. Unlike Kakashi, Mayu doesn't read the Make-Out books in public. But Kakashi couldn't really concentrate on his book, because he knew that Mayu was mad at him.

Mayu couldn't concentrate on her book either. Kakashi's thoughts were right, she was mad at him. She couldn't believe he was late to something this important. She glanced in his direction. It looked like he was also glancing at her. Kakashi couldn't take the silence treatment anymore. He decided to apologize. "Sorry that I was late this morning. I actually meant to be on time this morning, but I overslept. You forgive me right."

Mayu and Kakashi's students stared at him in wide-eyed shock.

"What?" Kakashi asked.

After hearing that apology and looking at the stitch on the mask he wore, remembering why it was that way, she found it hard to stay mad at him.

"All right, I forgive you." she said. Kakashi's eye curled up, which meant he was smiling. Mayu always thought that smile of his was so cute.

"Oh, I better prepare you for when we get to my village." said Mayu.

"Why?" asked Kakashi.

"Well, once we get to my village we'll be staying with my family." explained Mayu.

'Ooh boy.' thought Kakashi starting to get a little nervous.

"Look I just have one tip for before we get there." said Mayu. "Just don't read your book in front of any my family, especially my sister, because she's pretty uptight. But other than that, just be yourself."

"Okay, thanks for the tip." Kakashi said. He was relied that he was able to hide his nervousness. He couldn't believe he was already going to meet her family.