To Know END

Italics=thinking
-Place change-

CH2:
-On a rooftop in Konoha-

Kakashi sighed as he flipped through his book for the 100,000,000th time 'It's about time for him to return, I just hope Jiraiya-sama has gotten more inspiration in the time he's been away' he let a giggle escape him and just as he was about to flip another page his holy book was snatched from him and snapped shut, he didn't even need to look to know who had interrupted his private time.

"KAKASHI IT IS TIME TO SHOW ME YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH" shouted Gai in his usual over the top manner. Just as he finished his sentence he was joined by his loyal pupil. "GAI-SENSEI WILL THIS REALLY WORK?!" He shouted at his larger look-alike. "OF COURSE LEE!" He boasted with his signature thumbs up and glistening smile. He then held Kakashi's book up and moved his fingertips preparing to rip a page. Kakashi had never been so wide eyed as he debated whether or not to snatch his book back in fear of destroying its godly contents. He slowly lifted up his headband revealing his Sharingan and was focusing intently on Gai's hands before he slowly began to speak "Gai…what do you want? This is hardly what I'd call a youthful tactic." He said trying to control his slightly shaking hands.

"Ah Kakashi my eternal rival, I would like you to accept my latest challenge! To see who can run one lap around the leaf village the fastest. If you win Kakashi you'll have your book back and the pride of knowing you're faster than Konoha's one and only green beast!" Kakashi with the most dead look in his eyes straightened up and slowly returned his headband to it's usual position. "Fine I assume we're starting from the gate?" wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. "That's my rival as perceptive as ever" Kakashi remained silent. "My brilliant student here will be our referee to ensure there is no foul play between us!" Gai couldn't be sure what Kakashi would do to get his book back mid-race and leave.

"Sure sure that's fine let's go then" Kakashi jumped across the rooftops heading towards the gate. "That's the spirit my rival!" as he burst into motion to follow Kakashi.

-Konoha Gates-
"Well we're finally back" said a tall man with white hair going down past his waist level. "I know you're excited to be back but please try and keep your sage mode and complete Rasenshuriken a secret at least for a while." He didn't know why but he almost felt like his words weren't being acknowledged properly by the blond next to him. "You got it! I can barely wait to see Sakura-chan again and I wonder how Kakashi-Sensei is getting along. I bet he's still reading those same old pervy books of yours." He said heartily. Jiraiya as always was deeply annoyed by how Naruto referred to his great works of literature but be that as it may over the years he'd caught Naruto sneaking a look at a few so he knew that somewhere inside that head of his was someone that appreciated his work. "Well who can blame him? Though it no longer matters because I the great sage of mount Myoboku have arrived with his fresh new instalment into the amazing study of romance."

As luck would have it that's when 3 figures appeared in front of them and Naruto was surprised but not at their sudden appearance or because of any changes in their appearance over the years but because of the look of pure focus Kakashi was directing at Gai's hands and when he saw Gai holding the book instead of Kakashi he couldn't help but feel petrified as a million thoughts ran through his head. 'What happened while I was gone? Why has Gai Sensei got the book instead? This feels like a really bad alternate reality where they swap personalities and everything makes no sense! I mean Lee is right there and he's not bothered that Gai-sensei has that book' He slowly made to walk towards them when Gai saw them first. Naruto froze hoping that Gai's first words wouldn't be something about how he discovered true youth in the form of that book.

"If it isn't the student of Jiraiya-Sama himself! You're back already how was your trip?" he said not concerned about Naruto's expression in the least. "Well I learnt a lot of things but…this ending to my trip is kinda messed up dattebayo" Gai looked puzzled at that and couldn't grasp what Naruto had meant until Jiraiya noticed what Naruto did and jumped towards guy. "You…you are also a fan of my work?! I knew it couldn't have been long until you would become a fan, so what do you think? What's your favourite part? You're favourite scene? He said while winking in a really suggestive manner, he was overjoyed beyond words. "You know what you don't even have to answer me! I have here the one limited edition first ever copy of my new book that'll be officially released in a month's time" he said giddily while shoving the book into Gai's free hand. Kakashi fell to his knees as despair ripped his very being apart, he couldn't believe it what had he done for god to be so cruel. He stood up with a new intention in mind "Hey Gai my eternal rival how would you mind giving me my book back and the new one given to you by Jiraiya Sama" He said in the sweetest tone he could muster up.

Gai at this point wanted to rectify this mistake but with this new book…he could make Kakashi take as many of his challenges as he wanted for a whole month. "Jiraiya-sama it seems you are mistaken I have not started reading this book nor do intend to read the new one but at the same time this is a gift from a member of the sannin and I will not let it go easily unless it's into good hands." Jiraiya suddenly felt very dejected he knew this was true pain(ha). Kakashi knew he could take this chance "So let's race for it!" Gai not used to seeing his rival so up and ready for a challenge couldn't help but be filled with a new burst of energy. "Sure Kakashi but if you want this new book that badly I get to add one condition to make this race more challenging" he knew he could get more out of his rival using the new book.

"We must race around the village…on one leg" there will be no actual running this a hopping race. Kakashi knew if he done this he wouldn't be able to walk properly tomorrow but what choice did he have…the book MUST be his. "Fine then fair enough. Ah Naruto I'm so sorry that our first time seeing each other after 3 years is under such dire circumstances but there are books to be read. After I'm done with this race we can catch up ok" And with that the copy ninja and the green beast of Konoha walked towards the side of the road. Rock lee approached Naruto "It is great to see you again I hope you've been well Naruto, me and you should spar sometime soon I would like to see how much stronger you've become over the years!" he said pumping his fist out and Naruto too liked the sound of that "Sure bushy brows that sounds great" then Lee left to referee the race.

"Ok are we ready?" shouted Lee as both Gai and Kakashi crouched down on one leg. "Three, Two, One, Go!" They sprung off so fast they became blurs with Lee following at the same pace.

"Well that is…something" Naruto said in a very amused tone. "It's great to see some things never change around here huh." Silence. There was only silence as he turned towards his sensei. "Well sometimes it's better for things to change" moped Jiraiya as he imagined having Gai as a new admirer of his work would've been great for publicity. Knowing Gai he would've praised it from the rooftops with his personality and he would be free advertisement. "Well anyway first thing we should do is go visit the Tsunade. Who knows what she's doing nowadays, probably hasn't changed a bit.

-Back with the race that can only be described as odd-

"Ah Kakashi since when did you get so fast" shouted Gai merely a few inches behind Kakashi. "Well Gai somethings in this world just matter too much to let go of" but unbeknownst to Gai in his head he was thinking far darker thoughts 'When I get those books back I'll send him to the afterlife where he can have a real "eternal rival". With that thought he refocused back on the task at hand and tried to pull even further ahead of Gai when he noticed someone lying unconscious at the side of the road at this point he legitimately had to consider whether he should race on ahead with his book in mind or stop and take care of the potentially very wounded person. He couldn't exactly walk away from either so he did what he saw as the best solution and created a shadow clone that went back to take care of the potentially injured person.

Gai looked puzzled at this but then Kakashi shouted back "I'll explain after the race don't worry I'm not cheating" they were about halfway around the village at this point.

-In the clearing with Kakashi's shadow clone-
'These clothes are rather different he's definitely not of any village I know of. Hmm maybe part of a nomadic clan. Well either way better take care of this' he thought as he picked up the young man and rushed off towards the hospital.

-Back with the most serious hopping race in history-

Kakashi knew there couldn't be any holding back if he was to get his hands on the small goldmine that Gai now owned. He knew but he also knew he wasn't as accustomed to this as Gai was as he noticed was getting slightly slower and Gai was now even with him. Gai let out a small laugh "Ah Kakashi you may have one our last little event but that was your choice and this is mine! Now we will see who reigns supreme as the score is 99 to 99!" As he finished his sentence they burst out of the trees with a final extra powered hop off of their respective branches heading towards the dirt path that marked the finished line. Kakashi knew he had to reach it first to win and so stretched his right arm as far forward as possible and Gai had the exact same idea so now it was down to luck as they both landed in the most ungrateful ways sliding across the path on their stomachs. They both instantly jumped up and turned towards Lee to see who the winner was. Gai's eyes were filled with hope while Kakashi's eye was filled with dread.

"Well…" Lee began hesitantly "It seems…" He continued nervously "Kakashi-Sensei…won" and just as he finished he looked down solemnly before Gai cried out in tears "How could this happen? The One hundredth victory was supposed to be mine!" Beofre anyone could blink Kakashi had snatched both books from Gai's pouch and was cradling them as if they were the most valuable things in the world. "Well it was fun Gai we'll have to do this again sometime" Before he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"Gai-Sensei you haven't lost yet. A hundred is just a new beginning it is no place to give up!" Gai looked up with the light of hope returning to his eyes. You're right Lee such youthful ideals could only come from you! I will pursue my rival once more and I will achieve victory without a doubt!"

-A few hours later at the Konoha hospital-
Natsu awoke in a daze in a white room unlike any other he'd been in before. He looked to his right and saw a window so he sat up to get a grasp of where he was. But what he saw wasn't anything he recognised at all it definitely wasn't magnolia to say the least. He heard the door to his room open and looked to his left to see a blonde woman. "So you're awake. What were you doing in the forest out there?" She said as she closed the door behind her.

Natsu just said what came to mind "I got no clue, I was fighting some bastard next thing I know he drags me into some sort of trap and I wake up in a forest. I have no clue where I am but when I see him again I'm going to destroy every last piece of him!" he finished while punching his fist into his other palm and igniting it for added effect. Tsunade took note of that, it was unusual to have so much control over an element that you could manifest it with a pure thought. "Ok do you know where you are now?" she said intrigued at his story. He talk another glance outside the window "No clue but you wouldn't know how to get back to Magnolia would you?" he replied hoping to get back as soon as possible.
"I've never heard of Magnolia before. Which country is it in?" she was confused now. "It's in Fiore" he said expecting for her to at least recognise the name. "Hmm I've never once heard of this place. How was it that you said you ended up in the forest again?" there was only one other reason she could think of and even then it'd take her a while to believe it. She'd need to get Inoichi in on this at some point. "He tricked me into what I think was some kind of portal or transporter next thing I know like I said I was in that forest."

"Are you part of any ninja village or clan?" she noticed the mark on his right shoulder it must of meant something. "Ninja village?" he asked in mock belief "This isn't some kind of fairy tale there aren't ninjas in this day and age" he mocked not sure what she was trying to pull.

"You are in a ninja village right now" she replied evenly. "Pfft I'll believe it when I see it." He said looking away uninterested.
"Ok then I'll have you escorted around the village soon, wait here and I'll be back shortly." She then left the room more confused than when she entered.

However Natsu was having none of it the moment she left he smashed out the window and just decided to run, he had to find out how his guild was doing. Someone must know about Fairy Tail he was sure of it. 'I must get back. I must.'