Old Teacher, New Lessons

The next day, we got ready to leave. I was in a sour mood, because I barely got enough sleep for all the crying I did last night. I frowned at the memory and then slapped my cheeks to shove the mood away.

I'm getting weak. I need to take a break from all this love triangle crap.

I avoided Gaara all day, so I never knew if he wanted to say good-bye to me or not. I would avoid Ryushin if I could, but he followed me everywhere, so I merely shunned his very existence and never spoke a word to him. That seemed to be the worst punishment he could receive and it was working wonders. He always had such a defeated and depressed look about him, and I strangely loved it.

I summoned Moregayo, and after a long arguement, ordered him to take all of us back to Konoha. Gai's team had ridden plenty of times on Hinako's dragons so they weren't at all impressed, but Kakashi's team however wouldn't shut up, or sit still. Naruto nearly fell off twice. At least the perverted Kakashi sat still and didn't make any noise.

We soon arrived in Konoha, at the Hokage's office building. We were welcomed back with many congratulations. And for me, a heated repremind for almost getting myself killed. Tsunade smacked over the head when she found I wasn't listening to her.

"You idiot! Listen to your elders when they are speaking to you! You just get back and now you're already killing yourself."

I brushed her hand aside and stood defiantly. "It would've killed me more not to fight!"

Everyone was silent for a while, looking at me with understanding faces. Giving up, Tsunade sighed. "I understand how you might feel, Sarafu, but please, when you're fighting, don't selfishly let yourself get hurt. There are people who worry about you, me included. I'm sure the Kazekage wouldn't like the idea of you dying for him." Then she made her way to Ryushin and put a kind hand on his shoulder. "And I thank you for watching over our little girl while she was gone."

Ryushin's eyes widened in surprise. "How'd you-"

"Call it wisedom. Now, Sarafu, you better hide yourself while you were here. If Kyousuke finds out you're here, he'll-"

As if on cue, Mr. Kyo barged into the room and hugged me tightly. "Oh, my sweet, dear little Genin! How could you all leave me so! First you, then Hinako, and then Jin! I missed you guys sooooooooo much!"

Then, just as soon as he was crying over me, he turned on me with righteous fury. He slapped my face, which might have surprised me, had I not known him for so long. He was wearing a billowy white shirt with ruffles and frills everywhere. And he had on tight, black leather pants, with a just as frilly scarf tied around his waist. I was surprised by this more than anything. This was the most normal outfit he had ever wore.

"How dare you leave me that way! If you're going to ditch your teacher, ditch me in style! And look at you! You look as bad as Gai! Which, speaking of, is the first person you meet when you come back! You would meet that bushy-browed loser, before you're own beatiful, well-fashioned sensei! I thought I taught you better!"

Everyone stared in stunned silence, including me. This guy must have gone nuts while I was away. "Did being alone make you that crazy?" I asked him.

He gave me a haughty snort and folded his arms. "Whoever said I was alone? Since you guys left me, I got myself another team. Barafu! Hinaku! Lin! Come in and meet one of my old students."

My jaw dropped in disbelief as three kids came in. The first, Barafu, looked almost exactly like me, except her hair was a bit darker, and she was not as pretty. Not to mention she didn't have my eyes. The second, Hinaku, looked almost exactly like Hinako, but her eyes were a green and not black like the Uchiha's. And Lin, as expected by now, looked like Jin, but his hair was green, and he was a bit taller. And they all wore embarassing outfits, with feathery lining in pink and purple shades. Their jackets were skin tight and they had go-go boots on. I had to admit, that even Lee and Gai looked better than they did. The three struck a pose and called out their names. "Barafu, Hinaku, Lin: Present!"

I burst out laughing and leaned on Mr. Kyo for support. "Wow, Kyo-sensei! You sure have got yourself a couple of circus freaks here!"

The three frowned and resumed their normal stances. Mr. Kyo pushed me off and scowled. "Well, they're better students than you were. They obeyed orders without questioning me, and they look good while doing it! Unlike you! You're an ugly girl with ugly clothes, and no fighting skills, either!"

I gasped, taken aback by the insult, then I pointed a shaking finger at his face. "Well, at least I'm not some trans-sexual freak, who can't even tell what gender he is, and, not to mention, is too afraid of a fist-fight, or he might break his nails! Boohoo!"

Mr. Kyo took a sharp inhale of air, and threw his hands up in appallation. "Why I never! You! You! You'll regret that!"

I was too angry and stubborn to stop these next words. "Not any more than I regret having you for a teacher!"

Then I stopped as I realized the deep pain those words would inflict on my former sensei. He stood, with an unchanged face for the longest minute, then he pushed past me and ran out the door, crying. "Sarafu, I hate you!"

His three clones followed him, but not before glaring at me. Ryushin walked up to me and said, "Wow, you made a grown man cry."

I wanted to reply with a witty answer but didn't have the heart to speak. Right now, the thing I truly regreted were those words. "This is stupid!" I grumbled and then walked out of the building. Ryu, of course, followed me. I wasn't in the mood to yell at him, so I tried to ignore his prescence. After walking aimlessly through the streets, I bumped into a familiar figure.

"Oh, Sarafu! What in the world are you doing here?!"

I looked up to find Hinata staring straight at me in awe, along with an equally awestruck Kiba, and a passive Shino. (Whether he was actually surprised or not, I couldn't tell behind his hood and sunglasses.) I walked up to them with a smile on my face.

"Hey, guys, it's been a while, hasn't it? Oh, Hinata, you grew your hair out, it looks good."

Hinata blushed and held up her arms like she always did and managed to stutter out a "thank you." I smiled back at her and then turned back towards Kiba. "It looks like you finally hit puberty."

I could sense his sudden anger as he clenched his fists. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"

I laughed a hollow laugh and then nodded my recognition to Shino who nodded back in return. Then I introduced Ryushin to all of them.

"This is Hatake Ryushin. Apparantly, he's appointed himself my bodygaurd; he follows me everywhere."

The ninja team froze. "Hatake?!"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot that we have our own Hatake." I turned back to face the cloud jounin. "Ryu, do you know a Hatake Kakashi?"

Ryu froze and his eyes widened up. "Uncle?!"

This time, I was taken by surprise. I didn't expect them to actually know each other. Further explanation from Ryu told us that Kakashi had a brother, who had a fight with the family and ran away to the Lightening Country. There, he met a woman and married her, thus producing Ryu. Ryu's father was dead, but not before he told him about his uncle.

"I had always wanted to meet, but its not like I can just up and leave the Cloud Village and go into an enemy ninja village."

I smiled. "Yeah, that would've been a little difficult to accomplish. Well, you're here now, so I'll go take you to see him. He was there when Gaara was revived. I doubt he had anyway of recognizing you, since he didn't say anything. But, maybe if you tell him who you are, he'll understand."

We were just about to leave when Hinata spoke up. "Um, since you're back, Sarafu,. . .umm. . .have you spoken with. . .Kyousuke-sensei, yet?"

I frowned. "Yes, but we're having a fight right now."

Hinata gave a look of despair. "Ah, is that so. Well, uh, you two always fought, but I always saw you smiling afterwards, so, umm. . .make up, ok?"

I smiled softly at her. "I'll be sure to do that."

I showed Ryu, towards Kakashi-sensei's place, and left him there to talk. I had to go find Mr. Kyo. I knew we couldn't leave things like this, especially, since I wouldn't be staying here for long. It wasn't too hard to find him. I knew that when ever he was feeling down, clothes shopping always brought his spirits back up. I walked into the Fashion Boutique, and was immeadiatly hit with noise.

"WAAAAAAAAHHHHHAAAAAAAA!!!" A loud voice, I automatically recognized as Mr. Kyo's cried out.

"Sensei!"

I heard the sounds of kids voices as clothes were flown into the air. I was hit with a purple dress in the face. I took a deep breath to try and calm my rising anger, but the many clothes being thrown at me weren't helping. I couldn't take it; I snapped.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP?!" I yelled and the ninja team stopped and stared at me in surprise. Some ninja they are. They didn't even notice I was there.

Then, Lin stood up and pointed an accusing finger at me. "What are you doing here, meanie?!"

I sighed, my anger slowly decreasing. What a stupid world we live in when people think 'meanie' is a great insult. "I came here to speak with Mr. Kyo, if you please."

They glared at me in silence.

I glared back. "Alone."

The pathetic lump that was Mr. Kyo, peered from behind a pair of leather pants. "It's alright guys. Go."

They stood, reluctant, then grudgingly walked out of the clothes store. I took a deep breath and then looked at Mr. Kyo. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. It was going to be hard to put my stubborn pride away for a minute and apologize. Mr. Kyo looked at me with a tired face. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and his hair was a mess from moving around so much. I crossed my arms.

"Look at yourself, Kyo-sensei. You're a mess. You're shirt's all wrinkled."

I mentally kicked myself. Idiot! That's not what you want to say! "Well, not to say you look bad like that or anything. Any look is good for you. Uh! Not to say that looking bad suits you! Oh! I didn't mean that you look bad, just-"

"Sarafu, what is it that you want to say?"

I stopped my fretting and became silent. I whispered something, but Mr. Kyo couldn't hear. "What was that?"

"I'M SORRY, Okay?! I'm sorry!!"

I was looking down, too embarassed to look up, so I didn't see what Mr. Kyo's reaction was. But I was soon knocked over by a great force. I looked up, to find Mr. Kyo, hugging me tightly and crying.

"Oh, Sarafu! You put your ego to the side for me!"

I forced a smile. "When you put it like that, it doesn't make me sound very good."

Mr. Kyo smiled brightly and fixed his long, golden locks. "I'm sorry for all the mean things I said, too. Let's never fight again! I missed you so much!"

He hugged me with greater strength now, and I nearly choked. "I-eck-missed, eh! you, too!"

He let me go and I gasped for air. "Now, I heard you had a little rendezvous with Gaara. How's your boyfriend?"

I blushed and yelled at him. "He's not my boyfriend!"

My sensei giggled. "Oh, you can hide it all you like, but everyone knows you love him. So, who's the new guy that's been hanging around you?"

I smiled warmly and told my sensei everything, even about the Sky Village. I couldn't contain myself. He was like a long lost girl friend that I never had. Hinako and Ten Ten never helped to boost my feminine side. We giggled and talked to each other for the remainder of the day, and I felt as if a great burden had been lifted off my shoulders. Mr. Kyo was surprisingly understanding. He didn't seem to mind at all that I had been pretending about my past all along.

When nightfall came, we parted and I met up with Ryu. He had a long talk with his uncle and he was going to stay there for the night. I smiled and spent the night with Kyo-sensei, much to the great dislike of his new students. They seemed to get jealous easily. But my happy feelings won't last forever. Eventually, I was going to have to return to my post as Sorakage.

...to be continued.