Chapter Eight:

Two days after parting with Rin and her team, Kakashi, Midori and Obito were heading back to Konoha. With every mile they covered, their mood lightened and wasn't even dampened when they flushed out a Cloud spy halfway home. They sent him fleeing for the border with a broken arm and several third degree burns before continuing on their way. By the time they neared the Konoha gates, Midori and Obito were in a full blown argument, darting left and right after each other.

While the two rushed through to the gates, still preoccupied with throwing jabs, insults and the occasional fist, Kakashi stopped on one of the last trees and looked down at the Village. There had been two battles right up against the walls of their home and the scars still lingered months later – perhaps more so in the citizens than the cracks and scorch marks running around the periphery of Konoha's walls.

"Kakashi?" Obito called from the gates where they had cleared security checks. One side of the monumental entrance was being opened for them. "Come on!"

He leapt down and rejoined his teammates, who were standing side-by-side like they hadn't spent the last half hour in each other's faces. They walked down the main street at a more leisurely pace, occasionally pulling Midori away from dango stores and keeping out of the way of shinobi hurrying past. A quiet buzz of talk hovered in the air from the villagers but laughs were hushed and short.

"Look, there's Minato-sensei," Midori said, pointing to the roof of the administration building just below the Hokage's offices. Their teacher stood talking with another man, but as they neared, he noticed them and waved, indicating they could come up.

"What about reporting in?" Obito said.

"Later," Midori replied, already jumping up. Kakashi and Obito shrugged and followed. They landed on the railing like three agile cats before hopping down beside their teacher. Kakashi remained crouched on the rail, his eyes on the other man with a mane of white hair and two distinct markings trailing down from his eyes.

"Jiraiya-sensei," Minato said, "this is my team, Midori, Obito and Kakashi."

They bowed respectfully. The name of one of the legendary Sannin was not lost on them.

Jiraiya grinned. "I've heard all the stories about you. The youngest Chuunin team in Konoha history. Too bad you aren't old enough to enjoy all the good things in life yet."

Minato coughed loudly.

Midori tilted her head with a puzzled frown but shrugged it off her mind. "Jiraiya-sama, has there been any news of Tsunade-sama's whereabouts?"

Jiraiya sighed and shook his head. "There aren't enough people we can spare to look for her right now."

None of the three had actually met the renowned kunoichi but had often heard her name being whispered in desperation in the hospital and medical tents. If only Tsunade-sama were here…

A silence fell over the group, indicating that Jiraiya had something else he wanted to talk to Minato about in private. Obito stirred and said, "We should go hand in our mission report."

The three bowed again and left.

"They're a clever group, Minato," Jiraiya said as they watched the team disappear into the administration building. "And strong. A week at the border and they barely have a handful of scratches between the three of them."

"Hai…"

"You don't sound too happy."

"I am, I just wish the war wasn't forcing them to grow up so quickly."

"Kids like yours grow up fast in our world, with or without a war. We're talking about Sakumo's prodigy and an Uchiha elite after all. You were worried about the girl, weren't you? Don't worry, she'll be fine. She has Tsunade's sort of eyes."

Minato gave his teacher a sidelong look. "And where is Tsunade-sama now, sensei?"

Jiraiya grimaced. "Why do you have to be such a smartass Minato?"

.-.-.-.

Midori stretched her arms above her head as they walked out of the offices. "Finally, some downtime! What do you want to do?"

"Get some rest?" Obito said. "That's usually what downtimes are for."

"Let's go train," she said as if she hadn't heard a word.

Obito made a face. "We just got back."

"There's always room for practicing some ninjutsu."

"You don't mean 'ninjutsu' in general, do you? You mean the Goukakyuu, which you still haven't mastered in four years."

Midori grinned and slammed her fist on his head.

Obito yelped, stumbling forward from the force. "Ow…" He groaned and rubbed the back of his head. "If I drew a line for every time you hit me I'll have a novel-sized book by the time we grow up."

"Serves you right," she shot back. "I didn't mean just the Goukakyuu. Here –" She unclipped a small scroll from her vest and handed it to the two boys. "Just because we're on a mission doesn't mean I don't study."

Obito gave her a dubious look but quickly ducked behind Kakashi when Midori threw him a glare.

Kakashi read through the list of techniques, their descriptions and hand seals. "There's one I don't know."

"Which one?" Obito asked, looking over his shoulder at the contents of the scroll. "I've never heard of most of them."

"Doton Shinjyuu-zanshu."

Obito cracked his neck and sighed heavily. There was no mistaking a new tone of interest in Kakashi's voice. "There goes my fantasy of soaking in a nice hot bath and taking an afternoon nap."

"You sound like an old geezer," Midori said. "Let's go."

The first training field they reached was occupied by a Genin team. As soon as the three came into sight, the team paused. Though he wasn't personally acquainted with them, Kakashi recognized the teacher, Akira, and the black haired boy with thick brows. He was taller and leaner than last he had seen him years ago. A Konoha hitai-ate was tied around his obnoxiously bright green spandex.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to intrude," Midori said when the three Genin continued to stare at them. Snapping out of it, two of them looked away but the one Kakashi least wanted to associate with crept toward him until his nose was practically touching his vest.

"Gai?" Akira called. The boy slowly placed his finger on the green vest and then screamed. Midori and Obito both jumped.

"Sensei!" Gai shouted, bounding back to his teacher. "Those are Chuunin vests!"

"I'm aware of that. What's wrong with you?"

"But we're the same age! I remember them from the Academy!"

"Then you should remember they graduated years ago." He sighed and walked over to the baffled three. "You must be Minato's team. Sorry for Gai's outburst –"

"Which one of you is it?" Gai shouted. "I heard one of our classmates became the youngest Chuunin in history. Is it you, Uchiha?"

Obito shook his head. Gai spun toward Midori who raised her hands in wide-eyed denial, as if to physically ward him off too.

"It's Hatake Kakashi," Ebisu said, a disapproving frown on his face. "The White Fang's son."

Kakashi glanced at the two other team members and vaguely remembered their faces. Then his field of vision was filled with large, ferocious eyes and he took a step back from the prominent bottom lashes Gai turned on him.

"Hatake Kakashi! From this day on, you are Maito Gai's Eternal Rival!"

Gai flashed a thumbs-up and a wide, toothy grin. Akira sighed and dropped his face into a hand. Everyone else stared in disbelief.

"Are you an idiot?" Genma said. "Kakashi's a genius. You can barely get the Henge right."

"But I can run a thousand laps around the field! Two thousand finger push-ups and three thousand…"

"You'd better go, this could take a while," Akira muttered to the three Chuunin.

They nodded and headed quietly for the trees, but before they could take two leaps, Gai cut across them and blocked the way.

"Fight me, Kakashi!" he shouted, throwing a handful of shuriken. In an instant all three Chuunin had a kunai in their hands, their bodies tense and already in motion to shoot down the weapons. But the shuriken flew in wild, uncontrolled trajectories that breezed by feet away from them.

"Huh?" Midori and Obito blinked, but weren't given a chance to further voice their bewilderment as Gai charged with the surprising speed he had used to overtake them a moment ago. Kakashi jumped back from a swinging fist and raised an arm to block a follow-through snap kick. The weight behind it surprised him and so did Gai's ability to counter his next few strikes.

Akira watched them exchange blows for a moment before his eyes slid over to the other two and narrowed. The moment Gai had thrown those shuriken, the three had changed. They had reacted instinctively to danger and were ready to kill. As young as they were, there was no denying they were fully fledged soldiers. No matter how strong Gai was in hand-to-hand combat, he had yet to experience what they faced every day.

Kakashi feinted right then kicked Gai's legs from under him, pushed off the ground with a burst of chakra and threw a knee into his jaw. Gai arched back to flip over his hands, but Kakashi's heel came down on his chest with enough force to send him into the ground and flying back up from the rebound. He landed on his face and gasped for air as he raised himself onto his elbows, only to find the tip of a kunai inches from his right eye.

"You're good at taijutsu, I'll give you that," Kakashi said. "But your shuriken skills are as bad as ever."

Before Gai could come up with a retort, or even a nice-guy pose, Kakashi leapt away and his teammates followed.

"Looks like you got yourself a nice rival, Kakashi," Obito said with an amused grin. They slowed their pace to a walk as they reached the trees.

"I don't need one. You can have him."

"I'm not the competitive type. That's Midori's specialty."

"Not true," Midori said.

Both boys stopped and stared at her. "Did you hear what I heard?" Obito asked in a whisper. Kakashi nodded.

Midori narrowed her eyes. "What are you getting at Obito?"

The Uchiha opened his mouth and then promptly shut it again. "Nothing. I don't want another line in my future novel – ow!" His hands flew to the new bruise on his forehead. "Why always me? Why don't you ever hit Kakashi?"

"It's the way you say it," Midori growled.

As they turned a bend in the forest path, they heard the chatter and squeals of young children and soon saw a group of Academy students walking their way. Smiling and laughing in the midst of them was a slender kunoichi with bright red hair tied in a high ponytail.

"Kushina-san," Midori greeted happily.

Kushina looked up and grinned broadly "Welcome home you three!" She waded through the group of children and pulled Midori, Kakashi and Obito into a tight hug. Midori laughed and hugged her back while Obito smiled awkwardly and Kakashi stood stock still, looking downright distressed.

"When did you get back?" Kushina asked, pulling back, much to Kakashi's relief.

"Just now," Midori replied.

"Kushina-sensei? Who are they?" The Academy children clustered rowdily around Kushina's legs, each asking a different question, looking between the three Chuunin and their teacher with wide, curious eyes. They were still young, but Kakashi noted the size of the class was much smaller than he remembered from his time in the Academy. Rin's words came back to him.

"Be polite, they're your sempai," Kushina told the children. She answered several more questions about ranks, forehead protectors and weapons before setting the children off on a short obstacle course in the clearing where she could keep watch over them while talking to her husband's students.

"I didn't know you were teaching at the Academy," Obito said.

Kushina sighed. "All the teachers are on active duty. We're taking turns substituting between missions, but most of us are only around for a few days at most. I was just showing them the training grounds."

"Lucky kids," Midori said with a grin. "I would have loved being taught by you, Kushina-san. Especially your sealing techniques."

Kushina chuckled. "I'll be happy to teach you the next time we're off. How was the western border?"

"The usual," Obito replied. "Mostly ambushes by Rock ninjas, though we saw a group of Clouds once."

"Things felt less coordinated than the last time we were there," Kakashi added. "Is something happening at the other borders?"

Kushina looked thoughtful. "There's been frequent clashes on the northern border with the Clouds. I was up there myself a few days ago. If the Rocks seem distracted as you say, they may be planning something with the Clouds." Her expression darkened and she sighed heavily. "There just doesn't seem to be end in sight."

A heavy air descended on the group, the very same that hovered almost constantly over the villagers during the past few years. Midori dropped her eyes, for once struggling to come up with a positive remark.

"Even so," Kakashi said quietly, "we have to fight."

Kushina looked surprised and sadness flitted across her expression for a second before she smiled ruefully. "I'm sorry, it won't do for us adults to get depressed will it? Did you come here to train? Minato was feeling guilty that he couldn't spend more time with you."

"Midori's trying to learn the Goukakyuu," Obito said. "Sensei's already given her all the advice he can for four – " He doubled over with a hoarse gasp and suffered Midori's blow to his stomach in quivering silence.

Kushina, by now immune to the way Midori treated Obito, barely batted an eye at the violence and instead tipped her head in confusion. "A katon technique? But why? You've already made a name for yourself as Kaze no Hime."

"The wind…princess?" Obito wheezed with an incredulous look on his face. "Princess?"

Midori was too surprised to even retaliate. She stared at Kushina, who smiled and continued. "I heard several Chuunin talking about you. Minato said he's heard the rumors too."

"I know about Kaze no Hime!" One of the Academy boys came running over with a broad grin. "My brother said he's never seen such a strong girl!"

"My sister said you sent a drunk merchant flying over the Konoha wall!" another girl giggled. Before they knew it, all the children had gathered back around.

"That sounds more like it," Obito muttered quietly to Kakashi. "Princess my ass. 'Demon' fits better."

"You're just asking to get hit you know that?" Kakashi said with a sigh. He ignored the Uchiha's responding growl.

Kushina placed a hand on Midori's hair, smiling at the bewildered girl surrounded by children reciting her growing reputation. "See? There's no need to force yourself to use other elements just because your teammates can. You are your own kunoichi and everybody recognizes that you're second to none in your team. Isn't that right?"

Obito gave a humph and locked his hands behind his head. "Of course. I don't trust my back to just about anyone."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "We already have one fire idiot. Our teamwork depends on your wind techniques."

"Kakashi!" Obito objected. "What do you mean by fire idiot?!"

"Am I wrong?"

Midori burst out laughing, which stopped Obito from wrapping his arm around Kakashi in a choke hold. Still chuckling, she turned to Kushina. "Thank you Kushina-san. You too, kids. I promise I won't let you down."

Kushina nodded. "I know you won't."

The three Chuunin soon parted with the Academy group and headed further into the training grounds.

Obito glanced at Midori and asked, "Does this mean I don't need to teach you the Goukakyuu anymore?"

"Of course not."

"Huh? But you were just saying…"

"That was that. This is this. Which reminds me." Midori landed a fist squarely in Obito's jaw, sending himself sprawling onto the ground. "That's for making fun of my princess reputation."

"I wasn't…" Obito groaned into the dirt.

"That book's going to be a best seller," Kakashi sighed, even as amusement quirked his lips under the mask.

Author's note: I've re-written Guy's team so it reflects the anime version with Genma and Ebisu. I've also read that Akimichi Chouza is their teacher but Akira makes several more appearances so I'll just leave him there.

.LinSetsu.