Well, here's chapter 3- sorry it was so long in coming. I had planned on Mai and family leaving Konoha in this chapter, but, even after I rushed events in this chapter, I stil couldn't manage it. So... deal with it, and sorry. Mai's family goes home later next chapter- or at least that's what I've planned so far. So yes, this is another filler chapter, and therefore not part of the main plot and not so great. The part right at the end is important though, and you'll see why later.. Enjoy!
Dusk and Daybreak
Chapter 3: Training Time
Kakashi arrived at Iruka's apartment a few minutes later, and stopped, sensing someone else's chakra following him. He pulled out a kunai and waited, acting normally as he went to knock on the door. Mai saw him pull out the kunai, and realizing that she must have been discovered, jumped out of the tree she'd been crouching in and landed effortlessly next to her cousin.
Kakashi turned, then put the kunai away. "Heh, you seem to do that a lot when we're around, cousin Kakashi. So.. you can still sense my chakra, huh? I masked it really well this time though, I'm sure!" Mai said, frustrated.
Kakashi was about to say something, but suddenly the apartment door opened, and Iruka helped Yugito into Kakashi's arms. "I took care of her all night Kakashi, but she's still a little under-the-weather. I'm sorry. Now, I need to get to the Academy, before I'm late for class. We're going to be covering the 'fundamentals of chakra control' today, so I should be there early." Kakashi took Yugito and moved out of Iruka's way so he could lock his door and go. "Thanks Iruka for keeping her." "Oh, no trouble Kakashi! Anytime!" Iruka-sensei called over his shoulder as he walked off towards the Academy.
After he was gone, Kakashi picked Yugito up, and turned his attention back to Mai. "The Kage Bunshin you left back at my place-", Mai looked at him, shocked that it had been that obvious what she'd done, "- your sister is still obviously in no condition to see your father. Think you could make another Kage Bunshin, and use Henge no jutsu to make it look like her?.." Kakashi smiled at her from under his mask- Mai could tell because of how his eye closed. He certainly seemed to think quite a bit of her. Mai had never tried using Kage Bunshin and Henge at the same time. "I… I'll try…"
They stopped walking, and she clasped her hands together going through the hand-signs with almost invisible speed, eyes scrunched closed in concentration. A Kage Bunshin appeared next to her, and Mai opened her eyes, turning towards her copy. "Okay, use Henge and try to look like Yugito…", she told it tiredly. She had put more of her chakra into this bunshin than usual, in hopes that it would be successful in using Henge. The Kage Bunshin did the hand signs, and a moment later a cloud of smoke surrounded it.
When it cleared, a slightly taller, dirty blonde version of Yugito smiled back at Mai and Kakashi. Mai sighed. "Kuso… I guess we can go buy some platinum blonde hair dye…"
She walked off to a nearby store, and came back shortly with the dye. Mai held it unsurely, not knowing where they could put it on the Kage Bunshin's hair since it required water. Kakashi looked at it for a moment, then realized Mai's dilemma and walked past her and in the direction they had just come from. "Mai, come on. I know where we can take care of that."
Naruto moaned and tried covering his head with his blanket and pillow to drown out the pounding noise. Who the hell would be hammering this early anyway?.. He thought that he'd finally succeeded in drowning out the noise and was drifting back off to sleep when Kakashi- sensei shunshined into the room, right next to his bed, and put Yugito down onto it, to go and help Mai. "Yo, Naruto. You don't mind of course if we use your sink for a few minutes, do you?" Naruto sat up startled, then jumped out of bed. "Oi, Kakashi-sensei, what are you doing here, dattebayo! It's 8 a.m…", Naruto said, rubbing his head. "Well Naruto, you remember Mai… We need to fix her hair, and then we'll be going."
Mai looked up from the sink where she'd already been dying her Kage Bunshin's hair and waved to Naruto, smiling. "Okay, I think it's done. Thank you Naruto- san." "Okay, well, thanks Naruto. Oh, and don't forget that training is in two hours." Kakashi walked back past a still very confused Naruto and picked up Yugito; then he, Mai, and her bunshin walked out the door. Naruto just went back to bed, still not understanding what the hell had happened or why Kakashi-sensei had appeared in his house.
When they got back to Kakashi's apartment, Kakashi gave Mai her sister and took the Kage Bunshin and shunshined into the house. Mai's family thankfully wasn't up and about yet, though Kakashi could hear talking coming from the gust bedroom, meaning they were awake. He set the Kage Bunshin on the couch next to the other one of Mai, then went to his room to retrieve his beloved Icha Icha Paradise and walked back out the front door.
Mai was standing there worriedly, but when Kakashi smiled and took Yugito back from her, she calmed down.
After eating breakfast, the three headed over to the training grounds. Yugito was feeling much better after having eaten something, and the pill that Kakashi had given her the previous night was finally working on getting rid of her terrible hangover and what was most likely slight alcohol poisoning.
"You're late again Kakashi-sensei!", Sakura whined to Kakashi, annoyed. Sai didn't even bother glancing up from his drawing pad until Sakura noticed Mai and Yugito standing behind Kakashi and ran over to them. "Oh my gosh, how are you two? I told Ino you were back for vacation, and she said that she wants to take you shopping, but I told her no way, that you wouldn't want to spend the day with that stupid pig. But anyway, finally we agreed that the 4 of us would try to go- but I'm surprised that your father let you both come to training though. I remember last year you said he wouldn't." "Well..", Mai started, "he doesn't really know-" "All right, Sakura. I'm sure that Mai would love to chat, but she doesn't need you hounding her like a hungry piranha. Anyway, we'd better get to training. Oh and where's Naruto?.." Kakashi said disinterestedly, never taking his eyes off of Icha Icha Paradise.
Naruto wandered over to the training grounds about 10 minutes later, his hair a mess, shirt on backwards, and the hat he always slept with still on. All in all, he looked completely exhausted. He waved to everyone as he waked over to where Sakura and Sai were sitting, but didn't say anything like his usual hyper, overly enthusiastic self. "Okay, well now that Naruto's here, we can start." Kakashi said, glancing at Naruto and his strange choice of clothing for the day.
"Since Mai and Yugito are here today as our guests, I was thinking we could do something that could help both you guys and them.", he smiled at his two cousins, then turned back to his students. "So, today we're going to work on chakra control- which Naruto could really use- as well as masking your chakra completely, which I think you all could use some work on. All right, let's get started." Mai was worried about how long her Kage Bunshins would hold out, but followed her cousin over to the middle of the field, where he began explaining the basics of chakra control and how to hide your chakra- mostly for the benefit of Naruto, since everyone else at least knew the basic concepts already.
Later on, everyone walked tiredly to the ramen shop- well, everyone but Mr. Personality. Mai could already tell she didn't like Sai, and was glad he wasn't coming though. Mai had promised Naruto ramen earlier when she'd realized that he was so tired because of her and Kakashi, and couldn't help but feel responsible and really bad for it. Kakashi was actually pretty proud of the progress they'd all made during the day's training, though he'd never tell them that- it just wasn't his style.
"Do you think my Kage Bunshins are okay Kakashi-san?... It's getting pretty late… I did put a lot of chakra into them and all, but still…" Mai said worriedly, lagging behind the rest of the group to talk to Kakashi. "Don't worry Mai. If I had any doubts that they would last, I would've sent you and your sister back to my place- though you will have to head back soon." Kakashi reassured her. "Thanks.." Mai whispered, heading back up to join the others. "Thanks for being the only one to have faith in me.."
"Hmmmm…. Should I pick the pork ramen, or the vegetable ramen?.. Oh, or wait! There's something new- shrimp ramen! Hmmm… but I don't know if I'd like that…" While the man owning the ramen shop waited patiently for Naruto to decide, Mai ordered everyone else's. "4 medium vegetable ramens please."
"So, Mai, Yugito, how've you guys been?.." Sakura asked. "Oh, I know! I'll have one large chicken flavored ramen, with lots of those naruto rolls in it old man!" Naruto yelled, drowning out Mai and Yugito when they tried to answer Sakura. "We've been fine", Yugito answered. "Really missed being here though. Kumogakure is so boring…" Mai just glared at her sister for a moment, but then the ramen came, and Yugito's stupidity was forgotten when everyone started eating.
Mai paid the man who owned the ramen shop, and she and Yugito headed home with Kakashi, while Naruto headed in the opposite direction to his apartment. Sakura's house was along the way to Kakashi's, so she walked with them. "So, do you guys think you can come shopping with me and Ino tomorrow?" "Uh, Sakura… no offense, but their father may have something planned for Mai and Yugito to do with their family. It might be best if you make plans for a bit later in the week." "Oh.. Well okay Kakashi-sensei. I'll tell Ino then, and maybe we can go on Friday, okay Mai, Yugito? Anyways, this is my house, so see you all tomorrow!" Sakura waved happily and walked into her house.
When they returned to the apartment, Kakashi grabbed Yugito's arm, to stop her from running upstairs as she was about to. "Mai, I'm going to shunshin us into the apartment; however you will need to dispel the Kage Bunshins at the exact moment that we appear." Mai nodded nervously, while Yugito just looked at Kakashi like he was crazy. Mai braced herself, and suddenly felt herself moving extremely fast. The second they slowed, she dispelled the clones.
Mai's father and mother looked up from the couch where they were watching TV; supposedly the bunshins had been making dinner. "Oh, Kakashi. Back so soon? Well good, the girls are just about finished with dinner, so you're just in time." Her father said, barely glancing up from the movie he was watching. Kakashi managed a small smile, and answered, "Thanks, and I'm sure that whatever the girls are making is delicious, but I already ate with my students. I'll be in my room for a bit. Oh, and I was wondering if it would be possible for Yugito and Mai to join me tomorrow, since my students would like to see them."
Mai's father looked up from the television and stared at Kakashi for a moment. "For training you mean?.. No. No, that's out of the question. Kakashi, I got those girls out of that for a reason, and whether you agree with me about it or not, you know why I did it. I'll think about letting them see those kids on the last day we're here." Yugito made a small noise of excitement, to which Akio quickly added a stern, "I will think about it. Not meaning it will happen for sure. Now Yugito, Mai, shouldn't you be watching the food?"
Their father turned back to the TV, and they ran over to the stove. Kakashi sighed to himself, and walked to his room. He did know why Akio acted like this, and he respected Akio and Midori's wishes and didn't tell the girls- even though he completely disagreed with Akio's methods of child-rearing and protection.
After all, Naruto was a jinchuuriki, and he was a shinobi. And Mai- what could Akio possibly think would happen to her if she became an ANBU, just because of what Yugito was?... Yet because the man's enemies had slowly been gaining power in Kumogakure, Akio had stopped both girls from remaining as active ninja, telling them instead that he didn't believe it was a girl's place to be one.
Well, Mai and Yugito weren't Kakashi's children, and he'd tried talking their father into letting up a bit once before, only to end up in a heated argument. Mai and Yugito would just have to wait until they could get out of that household- but until then, at least Kakashi was able to give them a small taste of freedom.
After dinner that night, Mai came and knocked on his door, and thanked him over and over for getting her away from her father and back to real training if even for just one day. And that was worth it to him- worth enough to do the same tomorrow, and every day for the rest of the week, even though Akio had outright said no.
Back in Kumogakure meanwhile, the new Raikage had found out some very pleasant information when a new jounin who was working as his secretary brought him some documents. He had needed certain documents for a council meeting that evening, yet the jounin had stupidly brought him the wrong set.
Just as he was about to send the young man back with them to retrieve the correct ones, he stopped. "You may go." "But, Raikage-sama sir, I thought you said they were the wrong-" "I said you may go." the Raikage said sternly, without even glancing up at the man. The young jounin bowed and left.
Needless to say, the Raikage was very late for his council meeting, because he was unable to pull his eyes away from those documents for hours- not until he had read every single word on those papers and soaked it in. It was just too perfect. To think, that it could really be so easy to undermine his most hated rival and enemy. The man wouldn't even know what hit him, and it would take almost no work on the Raikage's part.
When he did finally arrive at the council meeting, he hurriedly apologized for his lateness, then sat and thought about his plans for a certain man and his young daughter for the entire rest of the meeting, not even hearing a word that was spoken.
Yep, that's it. The next chapter will be coming soon though- like in 3 or 4 days. I hope you enjoyed, and PLEASE people, review! I need to know how I'm doing, and how I can make this story better for you:)