Pearl: Ah well, school is out and summer is finally here so I've been cracking down and working and here's another chapter! Thanks for the reviews, everyone!

Sasuke: You think that'll make me forgive you?

Pearl: Uh…I never asked for your forgiveness.

Sasuke: Well, you can't have it anyways!

Pearl: …okay.

Kakashi: (shakes head)

Chapter Seven: Natsumi

As "normal" as training went today, everyone just worked harder than before to make it better than ever. The afternoon being warm and sunny with its summer breeze sweeping by just added to the better side of the day.

"Okay, Naruto, I think you can throw them now!" Naomi shouted from afar.

Naruto stood several paces in front of Naomi holding ninja stars, which were soon flying straight toward Naomi. Screaming and dodging all the ninja stars just as she had the first time when Kakashi threw them, Naomi was caught once again standing in another foolish position.

Sighing, Naruto said, "You're never going to get this, Naomi."

Chuckling nervously, Naomi carefully eased herself out between the stars just as she had for the hundredth time. Sakura, who trained with Sasuke, did the same as Naruto, but Sasuke blocked all the stars perfectly with his kunai. "Come on. Are you even trying?" Sasuke questioned coldly to Sakura who gulped feeling ashamed. "I'm trying, Sasuke. I'm trying, but…you're so good." Sakura thought sadly yet admiringly. Kakashi was found leaning under a tree reading his book as always.

They practiced a while on longer until Naomi, Naruto, and Sakura sprawled out on the grass, gasping from exhaustion. Sweating, Sasuke stood over them and mumbled, "Pathetic."

"Huh, Sasuke won't admit it, but he's pretty tired, too." Kakashi thought as he walked over and observed his students. "You guys practiced pretty hard today." He said cheerfully. "I'm proud of you guys, but um, Naomi…you've really got to work on it."

Scratching her head in embarrassment Naomi, a bit recovered, sat up and said, "I know, Kakashi-sensei."

"Well, do you happen to have some spare change?" Kakashi asked suddenly.

"Uh…" Naomi uttered unsure about the change of subject.

"If you have enough, I'd like you to go buy your teammates some water from the vending machines, and no, Naruto, you can't have any soda." A small groan came from Naruto who was still lying on the grass.

"Alright!" Naomi happily confirmed as she dug into her pockets jingling her coins. "I think I have enough. I'll be right back." She said waltzing off into the woods before anyone could pitch in any change they had.

"Aw, and I have some coins that I wanted to get rid of." Sakura complained.

"I guess I'll take those to her just in case." Kakashi suggested catching the coins from Sakura and trailing after Naomi.

Naomi was only a few feet ahead as she recuperated herself with her water power. "Ah, that feels so much better. I'm not sore anymore!" She exclaimed skipping towards the vending machines. Then she stopped and thought, "Maybe I should change clothes. These are pretty sweaty, but only for a minute. After all, I am just getting some water…" As she stood there, she moved her hands in front of her gracefully.

Naomi no longer needed to say those "ancient words" she muttered in front of Naruto. They were actually a distraction to Naruto to keep him from guessing that Naomi could actually control water without the use of hand signs to concentrate chakra. Actually, Naomi could just move water by nature because of her bloodline. It was another form of the Kekai Genkai, and Naomi also kept that a secret from Naruto.

Slowly, Naomi lowered her hands to her side and as she did this, her white t-shirt and black shorts turned into a baby blue dress with spaghetti straps. Then she pulled off her big white glasses exposing her deep sapphire eyes and released her hair from its perch. The warm breeze played with the long black locks and ruffled Naomi's dress. She was beautiful. Then Naomi approached the vending machine and slid the coins in.

When Naomi skipped towards the vending machines, Kakashi just walked close behind her with his eyes glued to his book. Just as he reached the clearing where Naomi fetched the water, the beeping sounds from the machine was heard, and he assumed Naomi was there. Kakashi hid behind a tree for a moment to finish a paragraph in his book and after finishing, he reached into his pocket and grabbed the extra coins in his hand.

The sound of five water bottles thumping out from the machine was enough for Kakashi. "Well, it looks like she had enough after all. In fact, she even had enough to buy me a bottle...though I don't really need it," he thought as he jingled the extra coins in his left hand. "I should return these to Sakura." Just as Kakashi was about to leave, he heard a thump from a water bottle dropping onto the grass.

"Aw, there's no way I can carry all these back unless I grow an extra arm!" Naomi thought in frustration. Then she knelt down and picked up the bottle in her last attempt to carry them all at once. Another bottle slipped out from under Naomi's arm and fell to the ground. Sighing, Naomi spotted a wooden bench a few feet away and struggled to walk over to place the bottles on the bench's surface. As she did all this, she never noticed someone watching her.

Kakashi, knowing that Naomi had trouble carrying the bottles, stepped out from behind the tree in order to help her, but what he saw stopped him in his tracks and caught his breath. Naomi, now seated on the bench with the bottles next to her, gazed at the clouds above trying to figure a solution. She was no longer Naomi in his eyes instead, she had become a stranger to Kakashi, but a very beautiful stranger.

"Is that…Naomi?" Kakashi questioned himself.

Her black hair danced with the light wind, and her slender arm and hand moved smoothly to her chin as she thought thoroughly. Kakashi's eye widened slowly, and his heart skipped a beat. As he stood entranced by the figured beauty, he notcied that her best feature were her eyes. In fact, he couldn't keep his eye off of them. The two blue gems that glistened a dark and deep mysterious blue. When she blinked, they seemed to have disappeared and the spell that kept Kakashi staring wavered off. During that time, reality sunk back into Kakashi who discovered why he had turned around.

"I, eh…might as well help her." he concluded nervously.

"I shouldn't spend so much time thinking about this." Naomi thought. "Kakashi and the others are waiting. I'll just carry-"

"Hi there!" came a voice that Naomi easily recognized. She looked up and saw Kakashi.

"AH! Kakashi-sensei! What's he doing here? He can't see me like this!" Naomi thought frantically as she stared at Kakashi with wide eyes.

Kakashi realized Naomi's panic and calmly reassured her, "Please, don't be alarmed. I won't hurt you. I…just want to help."

"What?" Naomi thought puzzled. "He-he doesn't recognize me?"

Naomi calmed down, stood up, and bowed her head. "Hello, sir, eh…nice to meet you." She greeted uneasily.

Kakashi smiled under his mask and said, "Well, I saw you struggle with those bottles so I thought I could lend a hand."

"What? Exactly how long has he been here? And he was watching me?" Naomi questioned in her head as panic rushed through her once again. Casually, Kakashi strolled over towards the bottles and counted each one.

"Where do you need to go with so much water?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, man! Oh man! Oh, man!" Naomi thought furiously. "Eh…I'm not sure," she uttered.

"Uh…Okay." Kakashi said puzzled.

"I mean, eh…it's for…a friend! She…needs them for her friends."

Sitting down next to the bottles, Kakashi asked, "Eh, I see…and who is this friend of yours?"

Frozen with panic, Naomi forced herself to speak. "Her…her name is…Naomi."

"Hmm…interesting." Kakashi mumbled loud enough for Naomi to hear. Now, Naomi wasn't sure what to do.

"Well, come and sit." Kakashi gestured at the empty space next to him.

"Uh…okay." Naomi said as she sat down next to her teacher. There was a long uneasy pause between the two.

"Well," Kakashi started, "can you tell me how you know Naomi?"

Naomi hesitated before asking, "Uh…first of all, are you Naomi's teacher?"

"Oh, yes, I am. The name's Hatake, Kakashi. I'm sorry we never went through a proper introduction, but I guess Naomi's told you some things about me since you know she has a teacher."

"Yes, she has." Naomi replied. "Well, I'm Naomi's…eh, apprentice with her being healer of Konoha. I help Naomi with her herbs." Naomi lied feeling guilty and a bit strange talking about herself.

"Oh? Well, that's funny, I haven't seen you in any parts of our village since Naomi's arrival." Kakashi said.

"Ah, well, you see…I-I don't live in the village. I live out…here." Naomi stuttered uncomfortably as she looked away from Kakashi who's eye widened with worry.

"What? You live out here?" he asked in shock. "It's dangerous outside of the village! If you need a place to stay…I would be glad to offer."

Naomi shook her head and replied calmly and casually in appearance, "No, no, it's okay. My house is near the border of the village, and besides that…I have a reason as to why I do not want to live inside the village." Naomi's voice and face seemed to waver a sadness that was true unlike her lies.

There was a small hesitation from Kakashi before he slowly asked, "And…your reason…would you be willing to tell me?"

Heaving a sigh from within, Naomi was truly sad as she spoke, "I…I'm afraid…of the village's people. I'm…so different."

Turning his eye away from Naomi and onto a tree, Kakashi asked curiously, "What do you mean?"

Naomi's lowered eyes shifted to a rock that rested in the grass and another long pause drifted over the two. Finally, breaking the silence, Naomi mumbled sadly, "…ah, I guess what I'm trying to say is…I'm just afraid to show my…face."

A wave of understanding swept into Kakashi as he watched a bird flutter out the tree he had his eye on. After all, a few minutes back, he himself was entangled in her beauty.

"I see." Kakashi said, but then Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke crept back into Kakashi's mind and almost immediately, he stood up to leave.

"Eh…I need to get back to my students now, but since these bottles of water are for them, I'll carry them back." Kakashi said with one bottle already in hand.

Naomi stood up quickly after Kakashi and asked, "Are you sure? Will you be able to carry them all at once? After all, I did go through a small struggle with them." she reminded.

"Don't worry, I'll be just fine." Kakashi reassured her.

When Kakashi somehow managed to gather all five water bottles in his arms, he turned around to Naomi before walking off to bid her farewell, but deep inside him, Kakashi wanted to meet his beautiful stranger again.

"Well, it was nice to meet you." Kakashi said saddened at the thought of leaving.

"It was nice to meet you too, Mr. Kakashi." Naomi said glad that Kakashi was returning to the field.

"Ah…you know, I never managed to get your name, Miss." Kakashi urged.

A small hesitation overcame Naomi, but then she smiled and said, "My name is…Natsumi."

Without realizing it, Kakashi was paralyzed by Naomi's smile. It was a lovely smile that made Kakashi want to make her smile and laugh all the time.

"Um…I've got to return to my home now…goodbye, Mr. Kakashi." Naom-…Natsumi said.

Still watching her in his paralyzed state, Kakashi controlled his mouth to say, "Right…goodbye, Natsumi." Another smile lit Kakashi's heart. "Oh, hold on." Kakashi stuttered. "Will…I ever see you again?"

Something inside Naomi made her heart skip a beat. "What?" Naomi thought shocked.

"Eh…I'm not so sure."

"Oh...okay. Goodbye." Kakashi said with a heavy heart as he walked off, but then stopped again to turn around only to see that his beautiful stranger was gone.

Panting as she ran through the forest, Naomi quickly stumbled onto another route back to the field. As she ran, he hands were flying around her hair replacing it back to it's former state. Then they flew down to her pocket pouch on her arm, where Naomi's fingers dug for her glasses. Out they came in a white flash, hiding the dark blue gems that were Naomi's eyes. Her transformation was nearly complete and all that was left was her blue summer dress, but gracefully, Naomi drifted her hands down her side and the pastel dress vanished into the white T-shirt and black shorts.

"This route I'm taking is the long way back." Naomi thought carefully. "But I know it's better if I show up after Kakashi-sensei. After all, he does have the water bottles and Naruto or Sakura would ask me about them if I showed up empty-handed." Quickly, Naomi pattered through the forest and into the field where she knew her teammates and teacher waited for her.

Sure enough, Kakashi reached the field before Naomi, but the three teammates, who were sitting on the grass each grasping a water bottle of their own, turned to Naomi with confusion.

"Ah well, as long as I have water." Naruto said shrugging it off with satisfaction.

"Hmm…good point, Naruto." Sakura agreed sipping her water. A sigh of relief rolled out from Naomi as she stood over the three.

"I wonder what happened." Sasuke questioned as he watched Naomi slowly. "Hmm…I should watch her more carefully."

"Ah, Naomi." Kakashi said. "May I speak to you alone?"

Turning her head to her teacher, Naomi said "Sure, mist- eh, Kakashi-sensei." The two stood together under the tree that Kakashi leaned against earlier while he read his book. Now the three left in the grass, watched curiously.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked.

"Ah, maybe it has something to do with the water bottles." Sakura said logically then she turned to Sasuke, blushing, to ask, "What do you think, Sasuke-kun?"

Immediately, Naruto frowned at Sasuke and partly on Sakura.

"Ever since I gave her that pass," Naruto thought solemnly, "she's been the same…it's as if nothing's changed."

"Naomi," Kakashi started, "I want you to know that I just met up with your apprentice."

"Uh…okay." Naomi stuttered remembering that she was her own apprentice.

"Listen. I don't want you asking her to do things for you." Kakashi said more sternly. "Remember, I asked you to buy the water bottles and no one else. Do you understand?"

Naomi gulped down a knot of guilt in her throat and slowly nodded her head.

"Good. Besides, where were you?"

Alarmed, Naomi's blood pulsed through her as she thought with strain. "I was…eh…I was just collecting more herbs, Kakashi-sensei. They're with Natsumi now." Just then, Naomi thought how strange it was to say a name that belonged to her, but didn't belong at all.

"Oh, I see. Well, just next time, Naomi, do what you're told to do. It's a ninja's job to follow orders and carry it out." Kakashi said leaving that to Naomi's thoughts and ending the conversation by retreating to the three that now stood on the grass. Afterwards, he reached into his pockets and gave Sakura her coins.

This time, Naomi exerted a small sad sigh to herself. "I know you're disappointed in me, Kakashi-sensei, but I didn't know what to do. Panic just took over me. Oh...how will I ever tell you the truth?" Now she turned her gaze to her snow-haired teacher.

"There are different sides to you, Kakashi-sensei. It's in all of us, but to see yours, it's somehow different to me…why?" Naomi asked quietly then giving another sigh, Naomi thought, "I guess through your eyes, Naomi to you is just another one of your hardworking students, and Natsumi…is someone else, someone significant perhaps, and I understand the reason why. At least I think so, but, Kakashi-sensei…I am Natsumi."

Sasuke: I finally get a part…and it's about two sentences short?

Pearl: Ah, stop whining. At least you get a part.

Sasuke: I want more than just that!

Pearl: Eh…well, I don't think you'll be in the next one.

Sasuke: What?

Naruto: (does a peace sign with his fingers)