A/N: Thank you to WhisperInTheRain :)

Eien no Shasai

(Edited Version)

Chapter 6;

Running Up Trees

Ki Woujikkousuru

-x-

What we want, is often frustratingly just out of reach.

-x-

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried, grinning in relief as the drenched Jounin stood, free from his liquid prison. Naruto surfaced from the water, his head popping out as he spat out a mouthful of water.

"Naruto, great plan," Kakashi praised. "You guys have grown up."

"Hehe! The aim of the Kage Bunshin wasn't to defeat Zabuza but to hide the fact I'd changed into the Youkai Shuriken. Of course I didn't think we could beat him, but I thought 'if we could just break open that water prison'. After I transformed my clone grabbed the shuriken and passed it to Sasuke, who combined it with a Kage Shuriken and threw it. Kari-chan defeating the clone was an unexpected bonus!" Naruto explained proudly.

"Heh. I got distracted and released the jutsu," Zabuza murmured.

"Wrong!" Kakashi corrected. "You were forced to release the jutsu. I'll tell you that I won't fall for the same jutsu twice. What will you do?"

Suddenly both Jounin jumped apart their hands a flurry of movement from seal to seal until they ended in the final seal at the exact same moment.

"Suiton! Suiryuudan no jutsu!" both men declared as the water stirred, waves crashing around as dragons raised from the surface made from swirling water. Kari barely had time to be in awe of the incredible Ninjutsu when she noticed a tidal wave heading straight for them. Still recovering from the last attack she had no time to move before the wave crashed into her body, catapulting her backwards. Sasuke managed to grab hold of her shirt and drag her back as Sakura steadied Tazuna. Kari clung to the Uchiha's arm, eyes squinting through the spray in search of her other team-mate.

The water dragons brawled against each other while their conjurers grappled, kunai against cleaving knife. The dragons disintegrated as Kakashi and Zabuza slid apart, Kakashi perfectly mirroring the enemy's moves with ease.

"...Reading them," Kakashi said and Zabuza faltered. "...freaky eye is pissing me off! Ne?" Zabuza gasped seeming infuriated by whatever Kakashi was saying.

"Heh you're just copying me!" Zabuza accused.

"You can't beat me you Saru-teme!" Kakashi finished.

"Damn you!" Zabuza roared. "I'll make it so you can never open that monkey mouth again!" He faltered in his frantic seals after seeing a Mizu Bunshin of himself appear behind Kakashi. "Nani?"

"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!" Kakashi cried as his hands ended their sequence.

"Impossible!" Zabuza exclaimed as a huge vortex of water thrust into him tossing him left and right as he struggled helplessly against the force. The Genin all struggled to stay standing and above water and Kari choked as she swallowed an unwelcome mouthful. Zabuza finally came to a stop as he was slammed into the trunk of a tree.

"It's over," Kakashi declared from a higher branch.

"How...? Can you see the future?" Zabuza asked in shock.

"Yeah. You're going to die," Kakashi stated.

Like before, Kari felt the strange sensation of fire without heat. Unlike before though, where the energy put her on edge, this time she felt drawn to it like a moth to a flame. She shook her head trying to make sense when she picked up a high whistle of approaching weapons. Kari's eyes widened as two long needles embedded themselves in Zabuza's neck, knocking him to the ground.

"You're right, he's dead," a soft voice chuckled.

As Kakashi leapt down to check the body Kari raced forward despite Sakura's warning to stay back.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," the masked boy said graciously bowing his head. "I have been searching for the opportunity to kill Zabuza for a long time."

"That mask... you're a Kirigakur Oinin," Kakashi stated as Kari stared at the stranger. She had a strong urge to approach him, yet she couldn't fathom why. The closest thing she could use to explain it was that she 'liked his aura'.

"Impressive, you are correct," the boy confirmed.

"Oinin ka?" Sakura repeated.

"Hai, my duty is to hunt down nukenin; runaway ninja. I am a member of Kirigakure no Oinin team," he explained. From what Kari could guess, he wasn't much older than her. He was a bit taller, his long dark hair mostly in a bun though some hung down to frame his face, he wore winter clothes, a jumper beneath a yukata and of course his mask hid his facial features.

Naruto ran forward and stopped beside her, glancing furiously from the Oinin to Zabuza's body and back again.

"What the hell? Who are you?" Naruto demanded, thrusting a finger in the stranger's direction.

"Don't worry Naruto, he's not the enemy," Kakashi reassured.

"I'm not asking that! That Zabuza... That Zabuza was killed! A guy that strong... A guy that strong was killed by a kid! By a kid not much different from me! We look stupid! How can I understand that?" Naruto shouted.

"Well, I know how you feel but..." Kakashi said placing a hand on Naruto's head. "There exists kids who are younger than you, and yet are stronger than me."

Naruto looked away angrily as Kari watched the Oinin jump down to Zabuza's body. The magnetic pull felt stronger and Kari raised her hand reaching out to the boy. He tilted his head seeming confused and Kakashi watched warily, wondering if Kari's memories had been triggered.

"Hai?" the boy gently prompted and Kari felt slightly embarrassed.

"Gomen," she murmured dizzily and before she knew it, her eyes had rolled into the back of her head and her mind had gone blank.

-x-

The Oinin caught her arms as she fell but Naruto all but snatched her out of his grasp, clutching Kari tightly to his chest.

"Your battle is over, it would be best to attend to your injuries," the Oinin said as he reached down and easily lifted Zabuza's bulk. "I must now dispose of this body as it holds many secrets. Farewell," with a whoosh of wind and leaves he disappeared. Kakashi heaved a sigh and glanced down at Kari placing a hand to her forehead.

"Kari went over her limit, she needs some good rest," Kakashi reassured, giving the unconscious girl's bangs a fond pat. "She worked hard. Now we just have to get Zabuza back to his home," Kakashi said lifting Kari from Naruto's grip. "Let's go."

"Haha! Super thanks guys! Come over to my house and relax for a while!" Tazuna declared happily. But his cheerful laughter was cut short when Kakashi suddenly keeled over, squaushing Kari underneath him.

"Aa... I used the Sharingan too much, I can't move..." he mumbled. "And landed on a students broken ribs..."

"Sensei!" Sakura said rushing to one side and hauling up one arm as Naruto went for the other. Sasuke begrudgingly was left with the job of carrying Kari and hoisted her up.

"Ne, ne! Sasuke be careful with Kari-chan!" Naruto immediately cried and the Uchiha irritably went ahead, following Tazuna so he could hurry up and put the dumb girl down.

-x-

"Are you alright Sensei?" Tsunami asked as she came back into the room with a dizzy Kari. Kari had woken up to see Tazuna declaring a cozy house as his and his daughter shuffling her into a room to clean and wrap her up. Happily, Kari's leg and torso now felt much better.

Kakashi had been laid in a futon and despite Tsunami's best attempts to usher Kari into one too, the girl insisted she was fine.

"Yeah, I just can't move for a week or so," Kakashi replied as Kari gingerly sat down near his elbow.

"What? The Sharingan is incredible but if it puts that much strain on the body, I guess you have to think before using it," Sakura said.

"Well we defeated that strong of a ninja this time, we should be safe for a while!" Tazuna laughed happily.

"But who was that masked kid?" Sakura pondered. "Did you recognise him Kari-chan?"

"No," Kari said, remembering back. "I just found him likeable for some reason. Maybe it was his voice? Or his Chakra or something?" Kari scrunched her eyebrows as she tried to think but now he wasn't in front of her it was hard to remember clearly. " Or maybe I was just acting weird because I was losing consciousness, I was pretty dizzy, I might've just been trying to grab hold of something before I fell."

"That mask is worn by Kirigakure no Oinin, they are also known as 'body erasers'. Their duty is to completely dispose of the body without a trace. A ninja's body has within it secrets of the villages nin-jutsu, information on different Chakra types, herbs and other things that will reveal information about the village. For example, if I died, the secrets of the Sharingan could be revealed. If you don't be careful there's a danger that the enemy could steal your jutsu," Kakashi explained. "A ninja's body can reveal all kinds of important information. So by killing and disposing of the Nukenin who have abandoned their village, the Oinin protect the information from getting out. They are the specialists who guard the villages secrets. No sound, no smell, that is a villages end."

"So that Zabuza has been chopped up and disposed of? Kowai!" Sakura cringed.

"Kakashi-sensei, I wouldn't let them cut you up!" Kari cried appalled, grasping her instructors hand in both her own. "I'd give you a proper burial and guard your shrine!"

Kakashi's visible eye slowly blinked as an image of Kari with a club sitting on a shrine popped into his mind. As strange as it was, he felt oddly touched.

"Aa, arigatou."

-x-

Kakashi soon dozed off and Kari followed his example, hoping to sleep off the last of her dizziness. Tsunami tutted and moved Kakashi's blanket slightly so Kari would be covered.

"Ne, Kari-chan looks really kawaii when she sleeps," Naruto said staring at her peaceful face.

"Baka! You'll wake her up!" Sakura whispered.

"Ne, Sakura-chan!" Naruto hissed glancing suggestively over at their sensei.

"Nani?"

"His mask!"

Getting the hint Sakura gasped and they both looked over at their vulnerable sensei. Surely one peek couldn't hurt. They craned their necks, leaning over...

"KYAA!" they both cried, falling back on their backsides when Kakashi's eye suddenly snapped open.

"Hmm?" Kari mumbled sitting up groggily. "Oh, a blanket..." Kakashi struggled to sit up and Kari shuffled to sit behind him, using her back to support his.

"Ah! Kakashi-sensei, you're awake," Tsunami said surprised as she returned to the room.

"Baka Naruto! What were you doing, we were so close to seeing underneath his mask!"

Kakashi thought intensely, he had the unsettling feeling he had missed something. Something important.

"You're tense Kakashi-sensei, is something wrong?" Kari asked.

"Well... body erasing teams usually dispose of the body they killed right there and then," Kakashi began.

"So what?" Sakura asked.

"Don't you see? How did the masked boy dispose of Zabuza's body?"

"How could we know, the masked boy took the body with him," Sakura shrugged.

"Yeah, if he needed proof of his work he could've just taken the head," Kakashi said thoughtfully. "And then there's the weapon he used to kill Zabuza... senbon."

"No way..." Sasuke murmured, eyes wide in shock.

"Yeah exactly..." Kakashi sighed.

"What are you talking about exactly?" Tazuna asked nervously.

"Most likely... Zabuza is still alive!" Kakashi declared.

"I knew something was weird about that Oinin," Kari mused, her head leaning back to thunk against Kakashi's shoulder.

"What the hell do you mean? Kakashi-sensei you checked yourself! He was dead!" Naruto shrieked.

"Yeah, I did," Kakashi agreed. "But that was probably only a momentary death. The senbon that Oinin used have a low probability of killing someone unless it hits a vital organ. Its an item even used by doctors for acupuncture therapy. Oinin know about the body's structure thoroughly. Putting a person in a momentary dead state is probably easy for them. First he carried away the much heavier body of Zabuza. Second, he used a weapon that has a low probability of killing. These two points indicate his motive was not to kill Zabuza, but to save him. We can't ignore this possibility."

"Aren't you thinking about this too much? Oinin are meant to kill Nukenin," Tazuna said.

"No, with all the suspicion we will prepare before it's too late. That is a shinobi rule," Kakashi said. "But whether Zabuza is dead or alive, there's no assurances Gatou hasn't hired an even stronger shinobi."

"Sensei what do you mean prepare before it's too late, you and Kari-chan can barely move," Sakura pointed out.

"Kari-chan is fine," Kari said stubbornly.

"You guys will receive training, including Kari," Kakashi said, feeling her tense in preparation for argument. "Though Kari will be taking it easy if she wants to train at all."

"Ara? Training?" Sakura questioned. "What's a little training going to do? Our enemy is a ninja you even struggled against with the Sharingan!"

"Sakura, who saved me while I was struggling? You guys are growing rapidly," Kakashi pointed out. "Especially Naruto! You've improved the most."

Naruto grinned in delight and Kari smiled with pride at her friends achievements.

"But obviously this is just training until I get better, you wont be able to defeat him without me," Kakashi said simply.

"But sensei, if Zabuza is alive he could attack at any time, should we really be training?" Sakura asked.

"About that, a person who is put in a momentary death situation, it'll take a while until their bodies return to normal," Kakashi explained.

"So we train until then! Sound's like a lot of fun dattebayou!" Naruto cried confidently.

"Thats not fun," a gloomy voice contradicted from the corner. Looking round Kari saw it was a little boy with dark hair and dark eyes, in dungarees, a t-shirt and a rather cool white and blue striped fisherman's hat.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto cried.

"OH! Inari where were you?" Tazuna cried in delight spreading his arms wide.

"Welcome back Ojiichan," Inari greeted less enthusiastically and walked over to hug his grandfather.

"Inari, say hello to these people. They are ninjas who protected Ojiichan," Tsunami said reminding Inari of his manners.

"Okaasan, they're going to die," Inari stated.

"What did you say you little brat?" Naruto shrieked and Kari quickly jumped on his back before he could go on another rampage to attempt to destroy his clients.

"There's no way you can win against Gatou," Inari said.

"GAKIII! I'LL-" Naruto screamed thrashing as Sakura assisted in holding him back.

"Why are you getting so pissed at a child? Baka!" Sakura shrieked.

"Oi, Inari listen!" Naruto declared straightening up and causing Kari to fall on the floor.

"Itai."

"I am a superhero who will one day become an incredible ninja called Hokage! I don't know this Gatou guy but he's nothing compared to me!"

"Pfft. What are you stupid? There's no such thing as a hero!" Inari scoffed angrily.

"NANI?"

"If you don't want to die you should just leave," Inari said walking towards the door. "I'm going to look at the ocean from my room," he told his mother before walking out and slamming the door.

"Sorry," Tazuna apologised.

Growling, Naruto too stomped out the room.

"Naru," Kari sighed and rushed out after him.

"K'so! Where is that little piece of shit? He needs to learn a lesson!" Naruto grumbled as he stomped up the stairs.

"Naruto! Not so fast," Kari hissed as she tried to keep up with her throbbing leg. Noticing a door that was slightly ajar Naruto strolled towards it. "Naru, matte!" Kari said catching his arm. "I hear crying..."

Peeking through the gap in the door they caught sight of Inari sobbing.

"Otousan..." he hiccuped and Naruto's anger faded. Ashamed, he took Kari's hand and led the way back downstairs.

-x-

"Okay, we will now begin the training," Kakashi said, having led them to a secluded clearing surrounded by trees.

"Yatta!" Naruto cried enthusiastically.

"But before that, I want to talk to you about the shinobi ability Chakra." Kakashi was prepared for Kari's confusion but was disappointed to see a blank look cross Naruto's face.

"Anou... Anou... What's Chakra, dattebayou?"

"Your a ninja and you don't know that? What did you learn in school?" Sakura demanded shrilly, expressing Kakashi's disappointment in a more dramatic way.

"Hehe, I used to sleep in the hard classes," Naruto admitted sheepishly and Kari felt glad that she wasn't completely left in the dust behind everyone else.

"Fine, Sakura," Kakashi prompted and Sakura pulled out a scroll with flourish.

"Listen Naruto! I'm going to explain it simply. Somehow try to remember it with that slow brain of yours!" Sakura declared. "Bishoujo Sakura's lesson on Chakra!" She gestured to the scroll. "Simply put, Chakra is the energy a shinobi needs when performing a jutsu. The energy has two parts. The body energy that is each of the millions of your body's cells and the spiritual energy gained through training and other experiences, these two parts are combined. So, by bringing out and drawing on your Chakra, you can use a jutsu. This is done by performing seal with the hands."

"Aa! I understand now Sakura-sensei!" Kari cried happily and Sakura grinned smugly.

"Ano sa! Ano sa! I didn't understand that complicated explanation but isn't it something you learn with your body?" Naruto asked, deflating Sakura's pride and replacing it with annoyance.

"Naruto is right, we can already use jutsu," Sasuke said.

"Nope! You guys are not using Chakra properly!" Kakashi corrected.

"Nani?" Naruto cried.

"Listen," Kakashi sighed. "As Sakura said earlier, to release Chakra means to draw on your physical and spiritual energy and mix them together within your body and based on what jutsu you use, the type and amount of Chakra that is released will be different. You guys are not using Chakra effectively yet. Even if you are able to release a high amount of Chakra, unless you control it properly, the jutsu will be weakened or not work at all. By wasting energy, you wont be able to fight for as long, these kinds of weaknesses will appear."

"So what should we do?" Naruto asked.

"Through very tough training, learn to control it."

"What training are we going to do?" Sakura asked.

"Hmm...? Tree climbing!" Kakashi declared.

"What kind of training is that?" Sakura asked, hands on her hips.

"Well, listen until the end," Kakashi said. "This isn't normal tree climbing, you'll be climbing without using your hands."

"How?" Sakura asked suspiciously.

"Well, watch," Kakashi said and after making a hand seal, walked towards the tree... and continues up the tree, using his crutches to assist him.

"He's climbing..." Naruto said excitedly.

"Vertically with just using his legs," Sakura finished in amazement.

"You understand now? Gather your Chakra in the bottom of your feet and climb up the tree," Kakashi said happily. "This is something you can do once you can use Chakra well."

"Ch-chotto matte! How is climbing a tree going to make us stronger?" Sakura demanded.

"Here's the main part, listen closely. The purpose of this training is, first to teach you how to control Chakra, to bring out the proper amount in the proper area. As I said earlier, this is the most important aspect when using justu. This can be difficult even for a skilled ninja. The amount of Chakra needed to climb a tree is small, but must be exact and it is said that the bottom of the feet is the most difficult place to gather Chakra. So basically, if you learn this control you should be able to master any jutsu... well... theoretically. The second thing is for you to develop the stamina needed to control Chakra effectively. Depending on the jutsu, controlling your Chakra properly can be extremely difficult. Also, in battle a ninja will usually be gathering Chakra whilst costantly moving. Those types of situations make controlling Chakra especially difficult. That's why, from this tree climbing you must gain the stamina needed for proper control. Maa, me talking all day isn't going to accomplish anything. This is something you'll have to learn with your bodies." He pulled out four kunai and threw them down to land in front of each student. "Use those kunai to mark how far you can get up the tree, then use that mark as your goal and try to surpass it. You guys won't be good enough to just walk up the tree at first, so get some momentum and try running up the tree at first. Kari, you're not to overexert yourself, bear in mind your hurt."

"Ne Kakashi?" Kari said looking up at him. "Your hair defies the laws of gravity, did you know that?"

"You find amusement in the oddest of things."

"This training is nothing to me I could do it before breakfast!" Naruto bragged. "Cause I'm the most improved!"

"Stop bragging. Pick a tree and hurry up trying to climb it," Kakashi reprimanded.

They each picked up their kunai and in synchronisation formed a seal as they tried to gather Chakra in their feet.

"Here I go!" Naruto hollered heading towards the tree directly in front of him. Everyone shot towards their tree and Kari's feet tingled at the feel of energy running through her cells. Naruto took one step, slipped and landed on his head. "ITE-E!" Sasuke managed a few steps but applied to much Chakra and the bark splintered under his foot. Kari reached even with Sasuke but was distracted when he fell down and her leg seared sharply in pain, causing her to lose her footing. She quickly hugged the bark to avoid falling and slid down it like a pole to land safely on her bum without any pain.

"This is pretty easy!" Sakura cried from a high branch.

"Sugoi!" Kari said feeling impressed.

"It looks like the best at controlling their Chakra right now is Sakura," Kakashi stated.

"Wow! You're great Sakura-chan!" Naruto cried, though seemed to be a little annoyed. Sasuke didn't even try to hide his own annoyance at having been beaten by Sakura. Sakura noticed this and sighed, disappointed her crush wan't impressed.

"Wow, not only does she know a lot about Chakra, but her control and stamina are good too," Kakashi praised. "As of now, Sakura is closest to Hokage, unlike a certain someone. Iguess the Uchiha clan isn't worth much either. Sakura also doesn't get distracted, but you were doing well Kari, just be careful with your leg."

"Urusai sensei!" Sakura cried angrily, she didn't want Sasuke mad at her!

"Naruto-kun! Let's do our best!" Kari said, seeing his enthusiasm returning.

"Yosha!"

-x-

"Good," Kakashi said, catching Kari's back as she fell from the tree. "Once your leg has healed you shouldn't have any problem."

After Kakashi put her down she tried again, running towards her tree as Naruto once again landed on the crown of his head. Kari pushed forward, ignoring the pain in her leg as she got higher and higher. Her eyes brightened, thinking she was doing well when suddenly her bad leg caved and her foot slipped again. She grabbed hold of the trunk to stop herself falling and glanced down. The ground seemed to sway in the distance and Kari's stomach tightened as bile gurgled in her throat.

She was so high... TOO DAMN HIGH...

"Kari-chaaaaan!" Naruto called from down below noticing her distress. "Are you stuck?"

"Iie!" she squeaked back. The branch to her left rustled with new weight as Sasuke landed on it. Her eyes widened as she felt the tree move and closed her eyes hoping the Uchiha didn't make her fall. To her horror, the impatient boy began trying to unpeel her arm from the tree. "No! No! NO! I-I'm fine!" she cried, clinging yet tighter to the tree.

"You are a a shinobi. How can you be scared of heights?" Sasuke said mockingly, the hint of a smirk beginning to show on his face.

"Don't laugh at me! This... This isn't funny!"

"Do you need to be carried down?" Sasuke asked, his smirk threatening to fully come to be. Why did he only find humour in mocking other people! The first time she'd seen him smirk was when he teased Naruto and now he was teasing her!

"No! And if I did, I wouldn't let you! Other girls, the ones that would try and follow you when we finished the D-ranks, they may be impressed by your looks but I am not!"

"Baka."

"You... You... You... Tori-atama!"

"Sasuke, stop teasing Kari-chan and help her down," Kakashi called up lazily.

She barely registered the spark in his eyes as he managed to somehow hook an arm between her belly and the trunk and detached her from the trunk before letting go of the tree and jumping away from the trunk. Her heart leapt into her throat and she clung to Sasuke for dear life despising him with everything under the sun and cursing him for his wickedness.

"Kari," Kakashi called but she ignored him, eyes still screwed tight waiting for the splat as she hit the ground. "Kari-chan," No, she wasn't going to look. "You're on the ground now, you can let go, come on, I still have some pocky."

She peeked one eye open and then the other and indeed, they weren't falling any more. But her body was stiff from terror and though Sasuke had long since dropped his arms, she still clung to him tightly like some sort of leech.

"Get off, baka."

"You did that on purpose," she hissed, trying to loosen her tense fingers from their tight grips on his hair and his shirt.

"So? You're heavy, get off you annoying baka."

"Kari-chan," Sakura said with a pout, though the girl was clearly scared stiff she couldn't help but be excruciatingly jealous.

"Ne," Naruto said simply, loosening her hands with ease and transferring her hold onto him. "I'll save you next time Kari-chan, and I won't do it in a mean way like Sasuke did, dattebayou!" Naruto reassured.

"Naru-kun," Kari murmured, eyes sparling in gratitude.

"Ah, Naruto you'll fall on her," Kakashi stated, "Sasuke, don't pick on Kari. Teamwork everyone."

-x-

Hours later, not much had changed. Naruto and Sasuke hadn't improved much from where they started, Sakura was sailing through the training but was now tired and Kari was progressively climbing slower as she all but hopped up the tree. They were all tired and Kakashi wondered if he should let them off soon.

"Kakashi-sensei," Kari said suddenly, her eyes lighting up as she remembered something.

"Hm?" the Jounin replied looking up from his book. Kari was the only one who tended to call on him, Naruto and Sakura would just blurt out what they wanted straight away. "What's up?" She happily hobbled over to him.

"Can you teach me some Ninjutsu?"

"Aa? Ninjutsu?" Kakashi echoed.

"Yeah! I've learnt a little Taijutsu but don't know any Nin or Genjutsu at all," she explained. "I saw this guy when I was walking back from training while we were in Konoha doing some seals but he wasn't really getting anywhere and then I saw how you fought and wanted to extend my abilities," she said enthusiastically.

"Well, I guess I can teach you a little once you've healed," Kakashi said thoughtfully. "What was the person you saw trying to do?" Kari motioned through some hand seals she remembered and then recalled the man hitting the floor with his hand. "Hmm, seems like a summoning jutsu, but with some seals mixed up." Kakashi mused going through the correct seals. Kari copied him, seeing where she needed to change her hands and proceeded to slam her hand on the ground.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

Kakashi had been prepared for nothing to happen, however he was quite surprised when a summoning ring appeared on the ground and he was momentarily shrouded in smoke. He peered down at the little white creature that was between himself and Kari, his eyebrow raising until it threatened to disappear into his hitai-ate.

"Oh?"

"Kawaii!" Kari gushed happily as a pair of big baby blue eyes gazed up at her, a little fluffy tail beating the ground like a drum. Kari had successfully summoned a young white pup, and if Kakashi wasn't mistaken it was a wolf and not a dog. Kari gently picked the pup up and cradled it into her bosom like a young child. Kakashi couldn't think of a strong enough word to express her obvious delight.

"Kari, how did you manage to summon a wolf cub of all things?" Kakashi asked.

"I dunno," she replied giddily as she rubbed her cheek against the top of the puppy's head. The adoration seemed to be neutral judging by the fast wagging tail of the little animal.

Kakashi sighed as he added yet another item to the list of things to report to the Hokage about Kari. Wolves were exceptionally difficult summons as they were not as easily trained as the more docile dogs and had a tendency to be wild and hard to control. Then there's the fact Kari managed to summon a very young pup that was bound to still be with its mother who would probably be extremely furious at its baby's sudden disappearance. Then of course there was the fact that Kari's summoned pup had white fur, like with the rabbit it's fur should be grey or brown, certainly not bright white.

"Kari-chan," Kakashi said carefully, bending down to her level. "I think your little friend needs to go home before it's Okaasan get's worried, ne?"

From the look on her face he might have told her he had a bomb strapped to him and in two seconds he was going to blow them all up.

"Okaa..." the wolf offered in a voice that resembled a three year old human girl.

Kari summoned a wolf pup who could talk, probably the prodigy of the pack. A pack that would be extremely angry that it was gone. But Kari and the wolf seemed to have attached at first look so separating them was going to be very troublesome.

"Little one, you should go home to your Okaasan," Kakashi said to the wolf this time, hoping it would go home of it's own accord.

"Okaa!" it declared and pushed it's head more into Kari's arms and showing Kakashi it's tail.

"No, Kari isn't your Okaasan," Kakashi said and wondered why people and animals never tended to listen to him.

"Kakashi-sensei, she'll go back when she wants to," Kari said happily the most radiant, beaming smile on her face, cheeks flushed with joy. "Until then, Kita-chan can stay with me."

"Kita!" the wolf declared, poking her head back up. Kakashi decided to temporarily give in, Kari was happy so he'd let it slide until 'Kita' became a problem.

"Uwaa! Kari-chan you have a puppy!" Naruto cried glancing over her shoulder.

"Hai!" Kari said while Kita blinked at Naruto curiously.

"Hai!" it repeated and Naruto toppled to his backside from shock.

"It talks dattebayou!" Naruto announced as Kari giggled. Seeing his friend in such joyful spirits Naruto decidedly accepted Kita's presence as a good thing. "I'm Naruto!"

"Naruto!" the wolf repeated and Naruto grinned.

"She's kawaii, ne? Hey, I'm gonna ask Sakura for help," Naruto whispered glancing at Sasuke to make sure he didn't hear.

"Good idea, me too," Kari said standing up and leaning heavily on her left leg, Kita was content in her arms as the wolf's little black nose twitched at the new smells.

"Ano sa, ano sa, could you give us some tips," Naruto whispered as Sakura stared in surprise. She too was amazed by Kita, but was easily won over by the white fluff and big puppy eyes.

-x-

"Alright minna, let's call it a day," Kakashi decided as they all looked up. The trees were scratched up, the Genin were filthy and bruised and Kita the wolf was already asleep. Having already thought through the sharing possibilities he went with (what he hoped) would result in the least fights. Sasuke would not tolerate sharing with Sakura because of Sakura's obvious crush on him, so that wouldn't work despite the fact Kari would keep Naruto happy and reasonably behaved. Sasuke and Naruto would bicker all night resulting in no peace for any of the house, possible damage which he himself would have to pay for and a lack of a good night's sleep, Sakura and Kari would surely be fine though. So the only option left was to have Sasuke share with Kari, as she had been taken in by him an courteously been allowed a piece of floor to sleep on. Naruto would eventually leave Sakura alone after a good clobber to the head and if hit hard enough, might actually shut up and go to sleep. As sensei, he deserved his own room.

But of course, he'd wait until after dinner to explain the room arrangements.

-x-

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-x-

Translations;

Tori-atama = "Bird-head." (Kari is referring to Sasuke's hair.)

Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu = Water style: Water blast no jutsu.

Suiton! Suiryuudan no jutsu = Water style: Water dragon blast no jutsu.

Oinin = hunter-nin.

Nukenin = runaway ninja or missing-nin.

Kirigakure = Hidden Mist (village).

Kage Bunshin = Shadow Clone.

Kita = North.

Ano sa = hey.

Minna = everyone.