Chapter 4

A Challenge

Ari woke up the next morning in Kakashi's arms naked and totally blessed out. She took in a breath as her eyes fluttered open. She turned her head to look at the clock. It was already 6 am. Masuu expected her to pick her up at 7. Ari wriggled free from Kakashi's arms and held a sheet to her chest. She looked at Kakashi who still slept soundly. Se put a hand on his bicep and gently shook him. "Kakashi, it's six o'clock." she whispered half groggy.

Kakashi opened his eyes and slowly sat up. "I guess I should go home and change clothes." he rubbed his eyes and yawned. Ari smiled, and slipped out of the bed, putting her underwear and bra on, and slipping a robe over herself. Kakashi had gotten out of bed and but his clothes on. Ari met him on the other side of the bed. He leaned down and kissed her.

"I'll see you at grounds three, yes?" he smiled. "I'm ready for your challenge."

Ari laughed. "Go on, get out of here before the neighbors see you." she joked. Kakashi nodded before kissing her goodbye, and opened her bedroom window, ducking out of it and disappearing over the roof tops.

Ari watched him leave with a smile on her face. She sighed happily and went back into her room. Kakashi definitely knew just how to make a girl go crazy. Ari showered and got dressed, strapping her katana to her back. At seven, she went to Masuu's apartment and picked her up. Together they headed to a tea shop for breakfast.

They ordered a small plate of dumplings and some green tea. Ari looked at Masuu as she quietly ate her breakfast. "Are you excited?" she asked.

Masuu looked up at her master. "I guess so. Did you convince him?" she asked.

Ari smiled. "Not yet. We have a bet going on. Whoever wins, the other has to teach you."

Masuu rolled her eyes. "What am I, a prize?"

Ari laughed. "Nothing personal. I'm just doing what's best for you. And of course I'm going to win this bet." she picked up her cup of tea and sipped at it.

"What kind of bet is it?" Masuu asked, taking a bite of her dumpling.

"I challenged him to a fight, of course." she smiled.

Masuu sighed. "I thought the idea was for him to be my teacher, not kill him."

Ari laughed. "Don't be silly. I won't kill him." she stood up and set a few bucks on the table for a tip. "Now come on. We'll be late."

The two left the tea shop graciously and headed for grounds three. They found Sakura and Naruto waiting there, but no Kakashi. Ari was confused for a bit. "What are you two doing here?" she asked walking over to them with Masuu by her side.

Naruto looked at her and grinned. "You kidding? Kakashi sensei told us this morning about the challenge. We wouldn't miss the Great Ari-chan in battle against the Copy Ninja!"

Ari crossed her arms. "The great Ari-chan, eh? Well I guess you guys can watch. Just… be careful." she smirked. She looked around. "Where is your sensei anyways?"

Sakura sighed. "Oh he's always late, ad then he tries and covers it up with a stupid excuse."

The, Kakashi appeared standing on the railing of the chain link fence that blocked off ground three. He waved. "Sorry I'm late, but I happened to see this little boy and-"

"Don't even try it!" Sakura scolded him, pointing a finger at his face.

Kakashi jumped down ad looked at Ari. He smirked. "So. Are you ready for this?" he asked her.

Ari smirked as well. "As ready as I'll ever be." she said, and jumped up over him, flipping in mid-air and landing erectly on her feet inside the grounds. Everyone else did the same. Ari looked at Kakashi out of the corner of her eyes and she walked to the center of the clearing. She turned to Kakashi as he ended up across form her about ten feet. The students stayed against the fence.

"Alright then…" Kakashi said, readying his stance as Ari did the same. She pulled out a kunai, and Kakashi took out a few shuriken. "Let's begin."

Kakashi flung the shuriken at Ari, but she blocked it just in time with her kunai. Ari jumped back, hiding herself in the trees. She concealed herself quite well, but not well enough. Kakashi threw another shuriken right at her, striking her in the chest. But, her body turned into water…

"A water clone. Very nice." Kakashi looked around.

Ari emerged from the trees once more with her katana unsheathed . Kakashi blocked her with a kunai in each hand. He deflected her back as she landed on her feet easily.

"Extracting water from the humidity in the air. Very clever, Ari-chan." he smirked. "But you'll have to do better than that to beat me."

Ari giggled mischievously. "Kakashi, I believe you are underestimating me. You're going to have to get very serious if you want this to keep going."

Kakashi chuckled. "Alright then." he straightened up, and lifted his head band up off his Sharingan. "Let's get serious."

Ari was pleased when he decided t use the Sharingan. She had never fought against a holder of it before, but she had studied about this particular kheke genkai, and she knew all of it's tricks. Ari straightened from her stance, and closed her eyes. "Well, then, I guess if you're going to use that… I might as well get serious as well." her eyes flashed open, and the magenta in her eyes glowed. Pinkish purple chakra swirled around her hands and feet.

Kakashi almost glared as he watched the chakra swirl around her. All of a sudden, Ari wasn't in front of him any more. Kakashi spun around, and Ari brought down her arm across his chest, sending him flying.

Ari smirked. "Am I to fast for your Sharingan to watch?" she provoked him.

Kakashi chuckled darkly as he jumped back up. "Of course not." Kakashi smirked at her. "But the again," he appeared behind her now. "I'm fast too."

He kicked at her, but Ari blocked him, jumping into the air and clasping her hands together. She disappeared in a small cloud of mist. Kakashi growled to himself, and looked around the surrounding forest. He saw her with his Sharingan running towards the river.

Kakashi smirked to himself and "hn"ed. He followed her tracks, and found her standing on top of a rock in the rushing river. He readied his stance once more and waited for her attack. Ari only raised one hand and did e few hand seals faster than Kakashi could catch. Kakashi's brows scrunched together. "That's Zabuza's technique."

"Water style: Water dragon jutsu!" she said. Kakashi eyes widened as the stream of water in the shape of a dragon blasted at him. He tried to jump out of the way, but the current flew faster, catching him and pulling him into the water. Kakashi summoned all the chakra he could, and blasted the water, separating it so he could get out. Ari shot at him, attacking him full on close range.

"Don't get cocky!" Kakashi growled and deflected her attack. Before she had time to jump away from him, he grabbed her arm and yanked her forward, and swung at her with a kunai. Ari dodged it, and kicked him in the chest. He flew back, his back smacking into a tree.

Ari shot four shuriken at him, all of them hitting him square in the chest, but "poof" it turned into a log. Ari sighed. "Substitution jutsu…" she spun around, and Kakashi appeared from out of the trees, tackling her onto the ground. Kakashi pressed her own katana against her neck as he had his knee in her back and his hand in her hair. Ari smirked as she heard Kakashi panting.

"What's wrong? You haven't used a single jutsu on me. You're holding back, Kakashi…" she chuckled. Ari twisted her neck against the blade, which would have killed her if she wasn't a water clone. Kakashi growled and looked around. She has concealed herself completely. Damn… She is good… he thought.

He stood up, and kept his eyes on the surrounding forest. All was quiet besides the rushing current of the river. He closed his eyes and listened even more carefully. He tried to smell her, but she even concealed that too somehow. Everything was quiet…

~*~

Ari had completely concealed herself. To be a ninja, was to be utterly invisible. She was watching him form a tree branch as he tried to find her. Ari smirked. She knew he was holding back on her. And she didn't think it was fair. Ari set her hand gently on the tree, and stood up. She jumped down from the tree, landing silently on the ground, hidden in the shadows.

She watched Kakashi silently, waiting for him to find her even though she would give no signal. He'd find her eventually. She watched him as his eyes slowly opened. He looked like he was up to something. Ari readied herself for anything he was going to throw at her.

As quick as a flash, Kakashi turned towards her, and performed his hand seals. "Fire style: Grand Fire Ball Jutsu!" he raised his finger to his mouth and the biggest fire ball she had ever seen came barreling towards her. Ari summoned all the water she could get from the humidity of the air and enclosed herself in a bubble of water. The fire surrounded her and the water started to get hot and evaporate. She had to get out of there. Fast.

((A/N: Sorry for the wait. I told you I suck at fight sequences, but I'm working on them. Please Review!))