A/N: Thank you to my amazing givers of feedback; cutiekyoto, CookieKrisp, jenjenjojo1012, animerox023, lovelyanimeangel and Chey3X not even all of Gai and lee's enthusiasm combined could express the delight I feel at each and every one of yours reviews. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Also to those who favourited and alerted or even bothered to read, thank you for baring with me :)
To Chey3X (and anyone else interested) - Kari pairings are up for discussion. I welcome all thoughts, preferences and even the oddest of ideas :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or unfortunately Gaara or more precisely Gaara in Shippuuden when he's an adorable Kazekage. Masashi Kishimoto does not find Gaara adorable and claims no ownership over anything Ookami Tsubasawa churns out of her skull.
Claimer: Kari and Kita belong rightfully to me as do all scenes not in the original Naruto manga, anime or licensed extras. Ookami Tsubasawa is not allowed to claim ownership over anthing belonging to Masahi Kishimoto.
Enjoy.
Eien no Shasai
(Edited Version)
Chapter 13;
Suna San
Sand Three
There's something exotic about those from another place. The way they look, the way they are.
-x-
"C'mon Kari-chan! We're going to kick ass on our next mission!" Naruto cheered as he charged off, a freshly showered, changed and fed Kari snoozing on his back as he raced towards his next adventure. Kita trotted along behind them happily, glad to be out in the fresh air after inhaling ramen fumes for twelve hours or so.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted as he approached the meeting place, slowing his run into a slower skip. Kari was let down and waved at her other team-mates with a lazy, "Yo, Sakura-chan, Sasuke."
At Kari's last word, both boys glares locked on each other and with a scoff they glared off in the other direction with a sulk. This had been happening since they'd got back from Nami and while Sakura was at the end of her tether Kari wasn't really too fussed. Let the boys have their tantrum, she will enjoy the peace until Kakashi or Neji sees her and orders her into a mission or training.
After going back to Sasuke's only to find he was still a miserable and irritable rain-cloud in the morning compared to Naruto's gleeful sunshine-ness, so Kari of course went back to count sheep at Naruto's on odd days. Her nightmares were eased, not even surfacing into her conscious mind when in Naruto's arms.
She'd truly consider moving in if she didn't mind Sasuke's glacial shoulder whenever she got back and having ramen for almost every meal. Still, couldn't be worse than living at the Hyuuga compound, she swore they all wanted to send a good Jyuuken into her.
Think of the devil, she spotted Neji as he caught sight of her, those pale orbs gleaming in promise of a hard training session.
"...Naru-kun, Sakura-chan, Kita-chan, Sasuke, I'll be back when Kashi's probably going to arrive," Kari said slightly depressed as she got to her feet. "Ja," she offered before speeding off to meet her sempai.
-x-
"Yo minna! I got lost!" Kakashi declared cheerfully as he arrived.
"Stop lying with a straight face!" came Sakura and Naruto's angry squawks. Kari sighed having arrived five minutes prior. She had a gut feeling when Kakashi would arrive, so she avoided being late. She rubbed her sore arm as she pondered what would be in store for her today.
'If you finish early you may join the training session with my team. Gai-sensei is enthusiastic to meet your acquaintance.'
Hopefully a lot. While Kari adored Lee and got on well with Tenten, the thought of a larger Lee was a scary thought she currently didn't have the energy to prepare for.
"Ano sa! Ano sa! Kakashi-sensei! Lately all of our missions have been too easy!" Naruto declared, getting up in Kakashi's face with his eyes burning with enthusiasm. "I want a, y'know a more hot one! Where I can shine! That follows my ninja path!"
"Hai, hai, I pretty much know what your going to say," Kakashi sighed before Naruto spontaneously combusted from all his inner fire. Kari giggled at her friend's antics, tail twitching happily where it was hidden.
Naruto shot Sasuke a glare and then grinned victoriously to himself.
"Naruto! Let's go already! You're really annoying today!" Sakura grumbled.
-x-
After many hours of walking dogs through minefields, getting beaten up by angry old ladies and falling down waterfalls, Naruto was looking thoroughly beaten up.
"It's because you push yourself too much," Sakura scolded as she helped Naruto hobble along.
"Pfft, can't you take care of yourself?" Sasuke grumbled not even flinching as Kakashi dragged Kari back to his side before she could round on the irritable Uchiha.
"K'SO SASUKE!" Naruto shrieked as Sakura started beating Naruto up herself.
"If you don't calm down I'll finish you!" Sakura promised as she thwacked the poor boy.
"Mou," Kari sighed sadly as she leaned on Kakashi's side expecting the argument to last a while.
"Maa, teamwork seems to be suffering lately," Kakashi said dejectedly.
"Our teamwork's not too bad, ne Kashi?" Kari asked, glancing up at her leaning post's face.
"Not even your cute expression could get those three to cooperate," Kakashi disagreed.
"What cute expression? I don't have such a thing."
"I concur," Sasuke grumbled.
"How else do you think you get me to waste my wages on sweets?" Kakashi said with a small chuckle. "It's not your tact, it's those damn puppy eyes."
"What puppy eyes?"
"The fact your oblivious makes it even worse. Once you've mastered the god forsaken cuteness I'm going to be bankrupt," Kakashi predicted with a soft depressed sigh. He could see it now, he'd be her slave and do absolutely anything because of those big innocent eyes. Where was his damn ANBU skill? He was being defeated by a little girl's cheeky manipulation!
"I am not cute! I am a ferocious kunoichi," Kari said adamantly, fully believing the fact. Meanwhile, Naruto was throwing the blame of bad teamwork on Sasuke.
"Aa! Aa! You're ruining our teamwork Sasuke! Always hogging the spotlight! Temee!" Naruto accused.
"That's you, usuratonkachi," Sasuke retorted. "If you want to stop looking bad., then just become stronger than me." Kari sighed sensing the relationship between her two team-mate boys was worse than it was previous to their big mission.
Noticing an opportunity, Kari attempted to sneak a peek at the contents of her sensei's notorious orange book, only for him to lean the elbow holding his book on top of her head and reading from higher. Kari glanced up at the brown eagle circling above them and squinted curiously. Seeing Kari's curiosity, Kakashi looked up at the bird and sighed noticing his report was due.
"Okay, that's enough for today." Kakashi closed his book and gave Kari a fond pat on the head. "I have to go submit a mission report."
"Then I'm going home," Sasuke said and he started strutting in the direction of said place. Seizing her chance Sakura quickly rushed forward.
"Oh! Ne, Sasuke-kun matte! How about right now we work on our teamwork, just the two of us?"
Kari and Naruto's jaws dropped open indignantly at having been cast out of Sakura's desired company.
"You're the same as Naruto," Sasuke said bluntly and Sakura's face fell. "If you have time to bother me, practice a jutsu or two. Frankly, your ability is below Naruto's."
"Oi!" Kari cried, stepping in front of the depressed pinkette. "Kicking her self-esteem into the gutter isn't particularly helpful is it? Show some comradeship!"
"At least you attempt to improve your skills," Sasuke countered, onyx eyes sweeping the few bruises not concealed by clothing. "You took initiative and found someone to train you, even if you seem to be getting more bruised as opposed to more skilled."
"I have very skilled sempai's thank you very much!" Kari retorted angrily. "Seeing as you are too damn prideful to help me yourself!" Kari momentarily paused in her defiance as she remembered Neji sometimes strutted around like a damn peacock as he lectured her 'You shouldn't be so dominant on your right side, don't you see how I attack your left as you're weaker? Unless you improve your ambidexterity you need to compensate for your weaker side' and lecture, lecture, lecture.
"Fine, you want some training, I'll give you some training," Sasuke said and not giving her time to close her lax jaw from the shock, he grabbed hold of her wrist and dragged her in search of an empty training ground.
Kakashi sighed and chose to Shunshin out of the hormonal explosion he sensed simmering in Sakura. Luckily, Kari wasn't at the dreaded 'boy-stage' yet, where the poor Jounin had the horrible feeling it would be him that would have to sort out any spats Kari got herself into. Well, mission report to do. With that, he disappeared in a poof of smoke.
-x-
"You said you wanted to expand your Ninjutsu," Sasuke said reminding her an awful lot of Neji as he glared down his nose at her and gave off the superiority vibe. "An old Uchiha tradition was that an Uchiha child was considered an adult once they could perform a satisfactory Ninjutsu called Goukkakyuu no jutsu, the Great Fireball technique. Though I highly doubt you'll be able to do it, it's the Ninjutsu that I personally am most skilled in so that is the most appropriate technique for me to teach."
The Uchiha took a step back as she had excitedly stepped closer to soak up his explanation. He had to hand it to her, she was an enthusiastic learner, probably the reason her 'sempai', whoever the hell they were, kept her around. It probably inflated their egos'.
Sasuke slowly went through the necessary hand seals, snake – tiger - monkey – boar – horse – tiger. Effortlessly he brought his hand to his mouth and blew out a stream of fire which expanded and curved into a large swirling sphere of flames. When he finished he almost smirked at the look of awe on her face.
He motioned for her to do the same, and as expected, she was unable to produce more than a thin tongue of flame. The fact she was able to make even the smallest shadow of the jutsu on her first try was impressive, but Sasuke wasn't about to admit that to her. He strolled over and proceeded to yank her shoulders back, kick her foot further away from the other one and put weight on her shoulders to bend her knees. He was surprised she showed no sign of complaint at his rough corrections and allowed him to changed the final position of her hand so it mirrored his own before he blew out the flame.
"You need to put in a lot more energy than that," the Uchiha chastised, impressed she wasn't disheartened and that she was eagerly hanging on to every word. "Though the fire technically comes from the core Chakra in the pit of your stomach, you should reach right down to your toes to pull the amount of necessary force up. Then, lean back slightly lifting your diaphragm as you expand your lungs to their full capacity in preparation for exhale, before leaning back forwards and slowly blowing out through your fingers."
She followed his instructions as he said and dragging up her supposedly large supply of Chakra she blew out as Sasuke pushed her shoulders slightly forward.
This attempt was more disastrous than the first. Having forgotten the Hokage's mention of her having a large Chakra supply and interpreting Sasuke's instructions as a demand to pool all her available Chakra into the attack, a huge jet of flame burst through her lips in a large uncontrollable burst. It was too large for her to properly control and she failed to twist it into a sphere, making more of a roll of fire in the air.
With a sharp tap to her forehead, Sasuke broke her concentration and the fire fizzled out before she could set everything within reach alight.
"Baka, do you know nothing of control?" Sasuke asked a little jumpily. He hadn't expected her to transform into a mini-dragon and spurt out all that firepower.
"No," she croaked, wincing at her sore airways an burned lips.
"I should get you some salve," Sasuke said tapping the sore burns on her hot cheeks. He knew from experience that those burns stung unless treated quickly.
"No," she said stubbornly, swatting his hand away. "Again."
Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke contemplated before letting go of the argument.
"You'll find it easier to curve into a sphere if you roll your tongue," he added and Kari attempted to roll her tongue. "Not like that baka, like this." He showed her a perfect tongue roll. "But keep it in your mouth, I don't want to see it and you won't want it burnt. Considering the last disaster, hold some of your Chakra have three more tries and then you're getting treated. Make them count."
Her eyes gleamed with the challenge and a desperation to prove her worth. Without further hesitation she flung herself into perfecting her fire blowing.
-x-
He relented and allowed her six tries.
It wasn't perfect by a long shot, but she now had more of a chubby sausage than a thin jet. With practice, she might become rather good at it. He was reluctantly impressed, but assured himself it was mostly due to his teaching. Anyone with half a brain would manage with his instructions and tips.
"Hold still," he lectured as he forged more white gooey cream onto her cheeks. Luckily the skin hadn't blistered, but it would no doubt sting a while and Kari's fidgeting was making the whole process much more difficult. "Sit still!" the Uchiha snapped.
"You're too close," Kari complained pushing him away by the shoulders.
"I'm putting medicinal salve onto your face, of course I have to be close baka," Sasuke grumbled though couldn't help the huffy amusement at the blush that coloured the higher parts of her cheeks that were not hidden by burns. He slapped on some plasters over her cheeks so she would leave the cream alone and the burns wouldn't be infected and then finally allowed her to scoot away. He casually threw her some lip balm to ease her dry lips.
"You didn't use this before giving it to me did you?" Kari said suspiciously. Sasuke's face pinched into a comical slight grimace.
"Don't be so disgusting baka-onna."
-x-
What kind of ninja 'plays' ninja?" Sakura mumbled, her explosion simmering. Naruto was being obnoxious and loud not leaving her in peace to wallow in her depression cloud. She'd probably be able to tolerate Kari now and have a good rant, but Naruto was really testing her temper. Then there was these three brats that were following Naruto in a box and wanted him to play. They were even copying the 'old Naruto' with goggles.
"Naruto-niichan, who's that girl?" Konohamaru demanded, scrunching his face up in dislike. A sudden thought struck him and he sent Naruto a coy look. "Not bad Naruto-niichan... she's your?" Konohamaru lifted his pinky and Sakura's eye twitched dangerously.
"Hehe, you brats are very perceptive dattebayou..." Naruto giggled with a blush before Sakura's fist thundered towards him like a charging bull.
"Wrong!" she shrieked in outrage as Naruto was flung into a fence with enough force to splinter the wood.
"Oniichan!" Konohamaru and his two friends squealed.
"How dare you!" Konohamaru accused. "You ugly cow!"
"Konohamaru-kun... are you alright?" Udon sniffed as his leader lay much in the same state as Naruto was as Sakura stormed off.
"Kso... that ugly huge-foreheaded... is that really a girl Oniichan?" Konohamaru groaned as he held his poor abused head. Sakura froze and Naruto and the three kids scrambled up as she started charging after them in a rage, face redder than her hair. "Itai!" Konohamaru squealed as he ran into something solid.
"That hurts," a boy commented, towering over the little boy. He struck an imposing figure in his lose black catsuit (complete with a hat that looked like it had cat-ears) and sinister purple kabuki paint. The girl next to him frowned down at Konohamaru, donned in a purple dress with various pieces of fishnet covering her limbs. Her blonde hair was parted into four pigtails and her dark green eyes were unimpressed. Both had large objects strapped to their back.
"Konohamaru!" Naruto cried in alarm as the large boy lifted the small kid by his scarf and collar.
"Don't, we'll get yelled at later," the girl scolded.
"I'm sorry, I was messing around," Sakura said sheepishly, trying to calm the strangers down.
"Oi! Fatass! Let him go!" Naruto shrieked.
Kita glanced down from a nearby tree. She had smelt the strange scents coming and after the exciting moving box and Sakura's rage explosion, Kita had cleverly moved out the way to avoid the pinkette's wrath.
"Okaasan," she murmured, yearning for her adopted mother to appear and deal with the situation. No doubt Kari would easily be able to reach a compromise and convince Naruto to calm down.
"Lets play a little before the boss comes," the boy said simply.
"Temee!" Naruto growled and charged forwards only to suddenly trip. "Nani? What was that?"
"Oh... Leaf Genin... are weak," the boy evaluated.
"Konohamaru-kun!" Konohamaru's friends wailed.
"Let go of me..." Konohamaru groaned.
"Hey you fat pig! If you don't let him go I'll make you pay! Fatass! Baka!" Naruto roared, hurling abuse at the stranger. Sakura promptly dragged hi into a headlock to shut him up.
"Oi, you're annoying," the boy stated. "Basically, I hate midgets. Especially rude ones... makes me want to kill them," his hand curled into a fist.
"Oh well, I'm not involved," the girl sighed, choosing to ignore her comrade's antics.
"Temee!" Naruto shouted.
"After I'm finished with this midget, I'll deal with the other one!" the boy declared as he pulled his fist back in preparation to strike. Naruto quickly jumped up, rushing forward in an attempt to save his little friend, but his efforts were proved unneeded when a pebble hit the boys wrist, causing him to drop Konohamaru.
"What are you bastards doing in our village?" Sasuke demanded as he lounged on a branch tossing a pebble, Kari crouched at his side.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura squealed. She was ignored by her love interest.
"Kari-chan!" Naruto cried and she grinned down at him as Kita came out of hiding and jumped down onto Naruto's head.
"Ah, another guy who pisses me off," the boy grumbled, his wrist twitching.
"Kyaa! Sugoii! Get him Sasuke-kun!" Sakura squealed with hearts in her eyes. Kari sighed softly and wondered why no one ever credited her. She threw the damn stone and Sasuke gets her praise.
"Naruto-niichan... You suck..." Konohamaru accused tearfully.
"No dummy, I could easily beat that guy!" Naruto tried to reassure, upset at the huge loss of respect.
"Hey punk, get down here," the boy sneered. "I hate show-offs like you the most."
It was greatly masked but Kari felt it, the buzz of Chakra, aura and life energy not far to her right. Silently and quickly, she hurried to investigate.
"Hey, you even going to use Karasu?" the girl cried as the boy took the thing off his back.
"Kankurou. Stop it."
Sasuke wheeled round to stare at the boy who had appeared hanging upside down on a tree branch. 'I didn't even sense him! That's Kakashi level sneakiness. How did Kari?' Kari was at the newcomers side though had made no move to restrain him. Their eyes were locked on each others with interest and curiosity.
"You are an embarrassment to our village," the redhead continued. His sea-foam eyes were rimmed with thick shadows of insomnia, a crisp contrast to his pale skin. He was dressed in dark clothes apart from the white sash and brown support he used to hold a large corked gourd on his back. The kanji for love was neatly scarred on the left side of his forehead as though painted by an elegant red brush.
"Ga... Gaara," Kankurou said awkwardly forcing a nervous smile. Gaara's eyes slid from Kari to look down at his comrade. Though his facial muscles didn't even twitch his eyes turned sharp and glacial.
"Losing yourself in a fight, how pathetic... Why do you think we came to the leaf village?" Gaara's husky voice had disgust hidden so well it could have passed as slight irritation.
"Listen Gaara, they started it and..."
"Urusai. I'll kill you," the boy murmured darkly and the nervous excuses promptly died in Kankurou's throat. Kari's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the bloodlust that thickened around the boy next to her. He meant every word.
"Okay... I'm sorry... I'm really sorry," Kankurou said quietly, sweat slipping down his temple.
"Sorry to you guys," Gaara stated, his eyes switching back to Kari's. Sasuke jumped slightly when Gaara used Shunshin to teleport between his comrades. Kari gracefully jumped down, eyeing the redhead and almost completely ignoring the other two. "It looks like we got here too early, but we didn't come here to play around. Let's go."
"Matte!" Sakura cried, ignoring the look Kari shot her to watch her words. "Judging from your hitai-te you're ninja from Sunagakure right? You may be allies with Konohagakure but it's forbidden for shinobi to enter another villages without permission. State your purpose, depending on it we may not be able to let you go."
Kari tilted her head, contemplating a fight with the three sand-nin. Her instinct told her to avoid combat with the redhead, probably due to the power she could feel simmering just below the surface. But she was enthralled by him like she had been amazed by Haku and by Naruto, however this was a completely different way, alike to a wary excitement opposed to being drawn and feeling affectionate.
"Talk about clueless? Don't you know anything?" the girl scoffed, flipping open her pass to reveal the name 'Temari'. "You're right we are Genin from Sunagakure. We have to come to your village to take the Chuunin Selection Exam."
Chuunin. Where had she heard that before? A Neji rant the other day if she wasn't mistaken?
'There are several levels to a ninja in which you must prove yourself in order for promotion. Right now you are a Genin, lowest rank excluding Academy students and civilians. To graduate from Genin you must take an exam to test your skills so that you may prove yourself worthy of Chuunin and again to the rank of Jounin. I hypothesise that a similar exam would be required for the elite ninja known as ANBU.'
"Chuunin Selection Exam?" Naruto parroted.
"Geez, you really don't know anything do you?" Temari scoffed. "The Chuunin Exam is where exceptional Genin from Konoha, Suna and other neighbouring villages take an exam to become Chuunin. The main purpose is said to be to improve relationships between the allies and to raise Shinobi level but also each country likes to maintain power balance-"
"Hey Konohamaru, I think I should enter this Chuunin exam thing!" Naruto cried excitedly.
"Oi! Wait to the end!" Temari cried angrily.
"Oi, what's your name?" Sasuke demanded, jumping down beside Kari.
"Hmm? You mean me?" Temari asked hopefully.
"No. You, with the gourd," Sasuke said ignoring Kari elbowing him and hissing something about being 'rude, obnoxious, arrogant'.
"Subaku no Gaara." Gaara stated. "I'm also interested in your name."
"Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke replied slightly arrogantly.
"And you?" Gaara requested, his eyes locking once again on hers.
"Hikari, but I go by Kari," she replied and pulled her hitai-ate down to reveal her ears. She ignored the puzzled looks of the others and watched Gaara's eyes take in the abnormalities, his eyes lingering on her tail before returning to her eyes. She felt she could hold his gaze all day, strange considering prolonged eye-contact was something she was normally a little shy about.
"What is your fascination with my team-mate?" Sasuke demanded stepping in front of her. Irritated Kari walked around him to stand bravely close to the cold boy – a mere foot away at most. Sasuke tensed, uncomfortable with the amount of interest they had with each other.
"She has very interesting eyes," Gaara stated and Kari smiled.
"Likewise."
"Kari," Sasuke said in a voice so authoritative it demanded she obey. "Back off."
"Well excuse me for not giving you all the attention oh honourable Sasuke," Kari grumbled throwing a glare over her shoulder, ignoring his warning eyes.
"Until the next time Hikari," Gaara said and turned to leave.
"Hey, what about me huh?" Naruto suddenly cried. "I bet you're dying to know my name!"
"Not interested," Gaara dead-panned. "Let's go."
"What were you thinking?" Sasuke snapped, yanking her arm back.
"Ite-e! Sheesh!" Kari said snatching her arm back. "I liked him. I think?"
"What?"
"He was kawaii in an odd way."
"Come again?" Sasuke said in a mix between revulsion and utter confusion.
"You didn't think so?" Kari asked looking back at him. Sasuke didn't grace such a question with a vocal answer. "He felt really strong though." Sasuke found this tolerable and smirked.
"Konohamaru... do I look weak?" Naruto asked depressed.
"Compared to Sasuke, yes," the kid replied bluntly. "And for the record, Kari-chan is way prettier and less scary than Sakura. Go for her Oniichan!"
Kari ignored the shivers that tumbled down her spine. She felt like she was being watched and felt unbalanced somehow. Konoha felt different and the mix of unfamiliar aura's and the occasional new face made her feel uneasy. She herself was new to Konoha, but this sudden change unsettled her. Maybe she should join Neji for afternoon practice, she was curious to know more about the Chuunin exam after all.
-x-
Sadly Kari didn't get the chance to visit Neji the next morning. She had run into Kiba who had dragged her off before she even got to the meeting area and had started bouncing excitedly before blurting out that he and his team had been allowed to take the Chuunin exams. Their excited dancing around and squeals and celebratory barbecue courtesy of Kurenai (who spent most of the time lecturing Kari on manners) took up Kari's morning. Kari allowed Kita to have the day with Hinata's team to bond with Akamaru (in hopes she would realise she was a canine, not just a 'Kita'.).
When she finally joined her team-mates they were all in a foul mood.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! How can this be allowed? Why does that person ask us to meet them and make us wait?" Sakura seethed.
"Yosha! Yosha! Sakura-chan is right!" Naruto encouraged. With Naruto agreeing, Sakura continued furiously while Sasuke's eye was twitching rather violently.
"What about the feelings of a young girl who overslept and didn't have time to blow dry her hair?" Sakura raged. Kari blinked and glanced at the ends of her own hair. Was it really so bad to leave it to dry naturally?
"Yeah! Yeah! I overslept too so I didn't brush my teeth or wash my face!" Naruto added. Though Kari knew this was a lie (Naruto was actually rather keen on brushing his teeth because he thought his charming smile would win over Sakura apparently so took care to brush twice a day and he always half drowned himself to properly wake up) she cringed and scooted over to (the even more hygiene obsessed) Sasuke who made her take a shower twice a day so she wouldn't dirty his apartment. This had started after Kari's furious argument that she was not returning to the damn floor after they'd shared a bet Nami and she'd not done anything absolutely unforgivable enough that she wasn't deserving of bed space. She won, Sasuke became obsessive compulsive that she was not getting into his bed unless she was completely clean.
"Why does everything have to be so high tension with them?" Sasuke grumbled and Kari rolled her eyes, knowing he could be quite the drama queen if she didn't get up the second he told her too. He'd dragged her out of bed by the tail this morning, not at all sympathetic that she'd hours of extreme youthful training and had become Gai-sensei's star pupil's star pupil. All that enthusiasm and over-emotion really wore her out.
"Ohayo minna! Today I got lost on the path of life!" Kakashi called down from above the bridge.
"Liar!"
"Maa, anyway. This is a bit sudden but I've nominated you guys for the Chuunin Selection Exam," Kakashi announced jumping down to inform them.
"What did you say?" Sakura cried.
"Here are your applications," Kakashi said holding one out for each of them to take. He was unprepared for Naruto to suddenly launch himself onto him.
"Kakashi-sensei! I love you!" Naruto squealed and with a devious grin Kari joined in the 'smother Kakashi hug'.
"Hey, stop, don't slobber on my jacket," Kakashi grumbled, balancing Kari in one arm while he shoved Naruto's face away with the other. He could only deal with one affectionate student and Kari was more than enough to fill that space thank you very much. "Though, this is just a nomination. Whether you take the Chuunin Exam or not is up to you," Kakashi explained, ignoring the fact Kari was clinging to him like a little monkey. "Those who wish to take the exam should sign the papers and hand them in to room 401 by tomorrow. Kari, you can follow one of the others as you don't know where to go. There are no missions today to give you time to think this over."
"Ne, Kashi you're a bit tense. Have a lovers tiff?" Kari asked giving him a soft poke in the shoulder-blades. Kakashi glanced at her.
"I'll tell you the story later, ne? You'll probably be entertained."
"That's a promise," Kari verified and the Jounin gave a reluctant nod. Silly little girls and their persuasion techniques. "I want to talk to you more about the exams anyway before an ultimate decision."
"Aa," Kakashi agreed. "Maa, I have things to do. Kari I'll come find you when I've finished." He paused and gave her a look as she seemed to glue herself even more to him. "That means you have to let go."
She did it again. The puppy-eyes and the small pout as she detached herself. Kakashi shook his head at his stupid soft spot for her and ruffled her bangs in farewell.
"That is all."
And he disappeared in a poof of smoke.
"He's too soft on you," Sasuke stated.
"You always say that," Kari retorted. She just had a nice bond with her sensei. He filled the role of protector and comforter that was usually associated with parents or siblings (though Kari felt he wasn't much older than her at heart. Apart from being a pervert) She was secretly horribly sensitive and looked to him for guidance. She felt Kakashi knew this, though she still viewed him as a friend and not a father-figure. Nonetheless, despite her teasing, she did genuinely adore him.
"Chuunin Exam, Chuunin Exam," Naruto sang prancing around and showing off his form with flourish. Kari giggled and shook her head as she could almost see inside Naruto's thoughts with his facial expressions that switched from a scorching glare to Sasuke to unsurpassed glee.
Sasuke also smirked to himself about the thought of facing Gaara.
The girls were more nervous. Kari doubted her experience, despite the thrill of fighting and the skill Kakashi praised her for. She felt horribly out of her depth at the thought of her month and a half in comparison to the years everyone else had on her. Kita, could she take her? Should she take her? It could be dangerous.
Sakura felt like she couldn't keep up with her team-mates and fought off waves of depression. Sensing her team-mates change in attitude kari glanced at Sakura's downtrodden expression.
"Ne, Sakura-chan," Kari said and Sakura looked up. "Whatever you decide is okay," the blonde kunoichi promised with a genuine smile.
-x-
"Neji-sempai!" Kari cried skidding into the training session and dodging around Tenten's weapon practice. Neji's eyebrow raised when a familiar form was thrust into his face and calmly took the paper, moving it to a more acceptable distance.
"Is that... A Chuunin Exam nomination?" Lee said perking up when he saw the form. "Kari-hime! My apprentice! My beautiful, youthful, blossoming apprentice has raised to such heights already under my tutelage! My wondrous student you make me continuously proud!" Lee cried picking her up and spinning her around in utter delight, tears of joy streaming down his face.
"All the rookies are apparently entered this year, first time in five years," Tenten remarked throwing a kunai above Neji's head into the centre of a target. The boy didn't even flinch as he looked back at his team-mate.
"Lee, for all that is sane let her go already."
"Neji! Your lack of enthusiasm is most unyouthful!" Lee cried in disdain.
"Lee-sempai, Neji-sempai is happy in his own way I'm sure," Kari reassured, patting her exuberant sempai's shoulder reassuringly.
"I don't think you're ready, however I think you're just as suitable as any of the other rookies," Neji said simply handing the form back to her.
"You almost sound proud sempai."
"Hardly Kari. Today you will train your hardest and review all previous lessons," Neji began pompuously and Tenten gave her a sympathetic look before shoving a kunai in her hand.
"Target practice Kari-chan! Fire and dodge!"
"Whilst dodging my spontaneous attacks!" Lee added excitedly.
"And reciting the basics of the ninja codes, beginning with code one."
"Hai! Ninja code one – Ah! - Itai! - Uwaa!"
-x-
"You think I'm ready?" Kari said as Kakashi made her drink the tea that was supposedly full of vitamins to improve her immune system.
"Of course," Kakashi replied, settling in his comfiest chair. He'd allowed Kari in his home, an honour she respected. It was simple and occasionally there would be something odd placed, a variety of weapons hidden around and some comfortable slightly old things. "If you take care of yourself I have no doubt you'll excel."
"Pah," Kari scoffed and promptly choked when Kakashi used his chopsticks to ram a carrot in her mouth.
"I cooked you vegetables and you are going to eat them," Kakashi said simply. It was less of reassuring her she'd be fine and more of attempting to shove healthiness down her throat to even out all the sweets she was fond of. "But you shouldn't be nervous. If I doubted you, I wouldn't have put you through."
"Even if you doubted me, you're apparently too soft-" she was interrupted when he shoved a piece of leek in her mouth. She could eat it herself, but he noticed she was pushing it around her bowl distastefully and had taken matters into his own hands.
"Even if I let you get away with being cheeky, if I really doubted you could cope I'd withdraw my nomination," Kakashi said sternly. "I'm 'too soft' as you put it. So surely I'd be more protective, hm?"
"Pfft," she was vaguely prepared for the celery. "So what about this argument earlier, ne?"
"Iruka didn't want you to perform in the exam. He said all rookies were too inexperienced," Kakashi said in a bored voice and she willingly chomped on another carrot as he rewarded her with his story. "Iruka's very fond of Naruto so worries about him a lot." Kari gave him a pointed look and chuckled. "Yes, a bit like I'm fond of you. Though I'm not quite as fatherly, ne? Anyway, I explained how I was six years younger than Naruto when I took my exams-"
"Hontou?" Kari gasped and had a pile of vegetables stuck in her mouth.
"Don't interrupt. Che, you look like a hamster," Kakashi mused and Kari indignantly swallowed her vegetables and blushed at his humour on her behalf. "But hai, I was a prodigy and became Chuunin at six. Iuka declared that Naruto was not like me and I replied that you are not his students anymore, you are my soldiers."
"Mean, ne?" Kari chastised trying to punish him and make him eat vegetables but once again she was outsmarted and grimaced at the spicy peppers.
"Iruka needs to stop babying his students. I think you're ready and if not, you'll appreciate your need for D-ranks and experience, ne?"
"Naruto will never appreciate D-ranks," Kari replied. "But I see your logic behind your harshness. I guess not everyone gets my favouritism treatment, hmm?"
"You're the only one," Kakashi replied honestly. "Maa, I bonded with you far too quick."
"Psh, those who are meant to bond will bond at the speed fate intended them too," Kari stated. "You make me happy sensei, there's nothing wrong with that."
The twinkle in his eye showed her he was pleased the feeling was mutual.
"Finish your vegetables Kari."
-x-
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