Moon and Tree

Well I've been out walking
Talking to moon and tree
And the tall spring grass
Like waves on a dark green sea
So much of what we are
We will always be
And I don't mind getting lost
In your dream

Blue Rodeo

Get over this silly crush of yours, girl!

It's not… oh, who am I kidding, of course it's silly.

Ryuu's next words sounded almost kind. You can only get hurt, Kasumi-chan. He's too much the lone wolf.

Then I'll just enjoy it while I can, won't I?

Foolish girl.

"Kasumi?"

"Kakashi. How was your scouting?"

"Not as productive as I'd like," he admitted as he led her into the room he shared with Naruto and Sasuke. There were maps spread out on the low table, showing various bits of the Grass and Rain countries. "The Grass country is fairly relaxed towards Konoha at the moment, but the Rain lost quite a few good shinobi during that disastrous chuunin exam."

"We already knew that," Kasumi pointed out. "They couldn't be more specific?"

"Most people don't even think there will be a problem. But all it takes is a few angry hot-heads…"

"True. On the other hand, it would be a good opportunity for the Uchiha boy to learn a few new techniques."

"Hokage-sama specifically requested that we try to avoid as many fights as possible."

Kasumi giggled. "She knows we're traveling with Naruto, doesn't she? That boy seems to invite trouble. Oh, relax," she added, seeing his single visible eyebrow lower. "It's fun."

"Speaking of fun…" She looked at him sharply. He's not implying… "I can hear those three giggling. Sounds like… yes, it's Sakura they've transformed into you."

That was lucky. I thought it was going to get awkward.

It might yet, girly.

Kasumi grinned and, on an impulse, kissed Kakashi on the temple. Then, with a whispered 'Henge!' she was one of their informants, a nondescript farmer, talking about the land as though Kakashi really cared how the crops were doing.

He's not listening, you know.

Oh?

I thought you didn't want things to get complicated. Look at the boy! He's red as a beet. Any second he's going to faint from all that blood going to his head.

Oops?

And other places…

Perverted lizard!

"Come in," Kakashi called in response to a knock on the door. He sounded a bit strangled, but his face was returning to it's correct color. If she'd been watching as an outsider, Kasumi would have sworn that she had just seen herself come in.

The girl's quite good at transforming, Ryuu commented.

If I didn't know they're just doing it for a joke, this would be creepy. And it still was, a little. Sakura-Kasumi was flirting in a very forward manner, and knowing that she was only a twelve year old girl made it all the worse. She's going to have to do better than that if she wants to get that Uchiha boy.

You'd know, since you almost married one.

I never would have! And Itachi-kun wouldn't have either.

Oh, I don't know…

What did you do, you great stupid lizard?

She'd always known that, when she was asleep or unconscious, Ryuu could take control of her body. He didn't generally do it, since it tended to leave her tired and cross afterwards, but if she was knocked out in a fight it could save her life. Sometimes he had used it to spy on people, giving her an opportunity to get some rest and still find out who was getting ready to kill her. Still, he normally told her after. What hadn't he?

Nothing. Calm down and pay attention to what's going on.

The fake Kasumi was now trying to get Kakashi's mask off, teasing him and fiddling with it, while at the same time trying not to move the forehead protector that covered his Sharingan. Can the Sharingan see through Henge?

Who knows? You'll have to ask later.

I suppose I'll have to rescue the dear boy.

Dear boy?

Kasumi chose not to reply. Instead, a quick Water Clone technique, coupled with a very small Hidden Mist, had her slipping out of the room completely unnoticed. Just outside the door she found the two other genin, peering in and watching their poor sensei as he tried to fend off his disguised pupil. Kakashi looked a little flustered, even though he knew it was Sakura. Or perhaps that's why. It's got to feel at least a bit awkward for him.

She materialized silently behind the two boys.

"Boo." She grabbed their shoulders and dragged them into the room before they had a chance to react. At the noise, Sakura-Kasumi froze, spinning away from Kakashi to stare at the new arrivals. The clone at the table, unnoticed, dissolved.

What an interesting tableau.

Shut it, lizard, Kasumi returned, without any real venom.

Sakura let go of her transformation, and started talking so fast that Kasumi had trouble making out the words. Some sort of apology or explanation, probably, or maybe a condemnation of Naruto while professing herself and the Uchiha boy to be totally innocent. Kasumi very much doubted that was the case. The other two wouldn't do anything without the Uchiha boy. Well, maybe they would, but they certainly wouldn't be able to drag him into it. And poor Naruto, he just doesn't have a subtle bone in his whole, ridiculous body. He could never think up something like this. He's not mean enough, either.

"We just won't say any more about this," Kasumi said with absolute finality. She gave the two boys a slight push towards their beds, and left the room.

It was late, and they had an early start the next day, but Kasumi was used to having little sleep on the road, and wasn't yet ready to go to bed. She left the inn and made her way to the little garden in the center of the town. There were a few drunks lying about, and some couples wandering around lost to the world, but sitting in the garden, Kasumi still felt alone. She had missed that feeling, these last few days. Normally, she didn't have enough companionship to suit her, but in a way she had grown accustomed to the solitude. It helps me remember who I am, I suppose.

After a time, she became aware of another presence in the garden. The other person was there in a way that the drunks and the lovers were not: they took no notice of the world around them, so it took no notice of them. But this person was paying attention and, more to the point, was paying attention to her. A shinobi? She quested out with her chakra. It was one of the first skills Ryuu had ever taught her, and she used it as constantly as her eyes, although she rarely paid much attention to what it told her. Humans were, after all, only big bags of water, and a shinobi that could sense water could find any human, no matter how well hidden. The watcher, whoever they were, was about twenty feet away, perched in a tree. Can they tell I've spotted them?

And then the person was on the ground in front of her. "It's late for you to be out on your own."

"Isn't it lucky you're here, then?" She smiled.

"Are you coming back now? You should get some sleep."

Are you sure he's really all that intelligent? I have yet to hear him put together a coherent sentence.

Ryuu! That's unfair. He's just shy.

So you say.

"You should too." She rose, and fell into step beside him. "I'm sorry about earlier," she said after a while. Even in the dark, she could see him blushing. "I should have stopped that prank from the outset."

"It's fine."

"You know you'll never hear the end of it from Naruto."

"I'll be fine."

They had reached the door to the room she shared with Sakura. Kasumi turned, and offered him a tentative smile. "Goodnight, Kakashi." She ducked into the room.

Wimp.