"You scared?" Kakashi asked.
"Uh-uh," Kira shook her head. They stared up at the building, reading the large printed letters on the sign that read "Neko Ninja Academy". They had trekked from Uindo to the village Kaze to take the Neko Chunin Exams, and although the village was mostly empty due to the exams taking place, Kira was already wagging her tail furiously, hoping to see at least one other Neko. She looked up at the building with Kakashi, her eyes wide, her ears back slightly.
"Are you ready?" Kakashi asked opening the door. Kira looked up at him with eager yes, her expression different now.
"Yeah, let's go!" she grinned.
Although it had been only two months of training, Kakashi was now assured and confident as everyone else was that she was ready. The only thing he stalled him slightly was the four unknown tasks that lay ahead. He didn't know at all what they would be; he only knew that a few of them were designed especially for Nekos, and that not even some elite Jonin could accomplish them. But when he saw the regular determined look in his students eyes and her fanged grin, he smiled as well, pushing open the door.
They were greeted with a dark and empty battle room. The room was completely empty and dim, with balconies for spectators to watch battles and a few tapestries portraying the names of past Kazekages. It was silent for a while as the two surveyed the room, until Kira saw a door at the end of the room, illuminated with light from the outside.
"Come on," Kakashi said, taking a step forward, his voice echoing slightly in the spacious room, "You'll be back in this room very soon."
"Did you hear that?" Kira asked, turning her head to the left, her ears swiveling in different directions. Kakashi looked down at her, slightly confused. He hadn't heard a thing, but then again, his young student's hearing was thousands of times better than his.
"What did you hear?" he asked, looking around.
"It sounded like…," Kira's ears pricked up, "I think someone's here."
"And I thought I was being so quiet!"
Kira must have shot up five feet in the air, because Kakashi watched with shock as she fell to the ground on all fours, quickly getting up and running behind him clutching onto his ninja vest from behind with a loud yelp. Kakashi's senses quickly came back as the loud voice continued to laugh much too loudly for Kakashi's taste. Kakashi quickly turned to the man who had appeared behind them. He narrowed his eyes at the familiar bowl hair cut and freakishly large eye brows.
"Apparently not," Kakashi said quietly as the man continued to laugh obnoxiously, "And what, dare I ask, are you doing here, Guy?"
"That's Might Guy to you, Hatake!" Guy grinned, giving a thumbs up sign which he practically shoved into the serene Shinobi's face, "And I'm here to see the Neko exams!"
Kakashi mentally groaned. This guy was the last thing he needed right now.
"Uh, you have a Neko student?" Kakashi asked blankly as his own still cowered behind him, terrified of this new stranger.
"No! Not at all!" Guy laughed loudly, "Though I wouldn't mind one! People come here from all over the land to watch these matches! They're legendary! Of course, I can understand that you, Kakashi, of all people would be misinformed." Kakashi could have chosen a few choice words to mutter at Guy, but he didn't want to make a bad impression in front of his student, who now had made an attempt to peek out from Kakashi's back to observe the new stranger.
"And speaking of which," Guy tried to peer behind Kakashi's back, "Who's this cute little konuchi?" Kakashi sighed as he stepped aside and gently pushed Kyra forward.
"This is…my student," Kakashi said, laying a hand on her shoulder as Kira peered up at the man with big eyes, "Kyra Koneko."
"Great Hokage!" Guy suddenly exclaimed, causing the Neko girl's tail to poof out, "You mean the Kaze Koneko!? Good lord, I can't believe it's really her!" He extended a hand, a huge grin on his face as he stared down at Kira, "Konoha's Noble Blue Beast, Might Guy!"
"I think you're scaring her," Kakashi said, gently bringing Kira back towards him, fearing that Guy was traumatizing his student.
"Blue?" Kira squeaked, her ears folded back.
"Oh! By the way!" Guy announced loudly, his voice bouncing off the walls of the empty room, "I have someone for her to meet!"
"Oh, great," Kakashi mumbled.
"Lee, get over here!" Guy shouted across the room, Kira covering her ears. The light illuminated door at the end of the room burst open and a black blur ran in. It quickly landed at Guy's feet, and Kakashi immediately recognized the familiar face. It was as if Guy's student was an aging mirror of his teacher.
"Here, sir!" the small ninja yelled, raising his hand in salute.
"At ease, Lee," Guy smiled down at his student, "Look, Lee, you have a new playmate."
Kakashi's only thought was, Oh god, no.
The black jump-suit ninja looked over to the small cat girl shaking slightly in front of her teacher, and his eyes lit up.
"Well, hello there!" he grinned, taking big strides over to her, "What's your name?"
"K-Kira," Kira said quietly, holding her hands in front of her mouth as Kakashi rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Well, Kira," Lee grinned, leaning forward and giving a broad wink, "You are the prettiest girl I've ever seen! I'm gonna make sure you don't get hurt during the Chunin exams! I'll protect you with my life!"
Okay, this is getting a little weird, Kakashi thought as his student suddenly yelled, "Kakashi sensei!" as she came running behind his back.
"You're darling, kitten!" Lee sang, giving another broad wink as Kira chirped in surprise, ducking behind Kakashi.
"Come on, Lee!" Guy announced, "They will be plenty of time for love later!"
"Thank you, Master Guy!" Lee turned to him, "You are the best teacher in the world!"
"Lee, you are such a great kid!" Guy smiled warmly as he and his student embraced in a quick but passionate hug, much to Kakashi's disgust, "Now, let's go!" In flash as quickly as lightning, the two sprinted out of the room at an unknown speed.
The Jonin and Neko were left in the room alone, watching the door of which the two exited. There was a silence as they both stared in almost disbelief. Kira spoke.
"Those guys…are weird," she wrinkled her nose. Kakashi sighed.
"Just ignore them," he said, leading her to the door, "Come on, whatever encounters you have during the Chunin exams can't be as scary as those two."
"Thank goodness," Kira sighed in utter relief.