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Chapter 5 Maturity

Kakashi kept his word to Ai.

When he wasn't on a mission for the village and considering that the genin hopefuls he received failed their tests, he typically had a little time on his hands, benefiting her greatly.

He trained her in the arts of ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu. He showed her a chakra level appropriate jutsu's and assisted her in perfecting them, pushing her to try more difficult techniques. Through the time and training she spent with Kakashi she picked up on his values and beliefs as a shinobi.

Maiha liked the time she spent training with Kakashi, the hours they spent going through the motions of taijutsu, the hand signs and even to some extent, genjutsu.

Genjutsu frustrated Maiha; she got the fundamentals but when doing the practical side that's when things got difficult for the black-haired girl.

Kakashi didn't seem to mind going over and over the jutsu's with Maiha. Patiently, he watched her go through the signs and critiquing her work, commenting on where to improve.

As Maiha moved into puberty, she had some trouble with her hormones. At times, in close contact situations, she sometimes had to keep them in check.

She was quite fond of him and had developed a childhood crush on him, though the age gap between them usually reminded her to keep in control of her emotions.

The girls her age would express the jealousy of her close relationship with him. Not only did the women of the village swoon over him but some teenagers as well. She knew how lucky she was and enjoyed in the thought that when they were training, though his mind was in shinobi mode, his attention was focused completely on her.

As academy graduation approached, it began to set in that she would not have as much time to train under Kakashi's tutelage and would be spending most of her training with her assigned sensei. Feelings of sadness began to well inside of her and more often than not, she began reminiscing about the time she'd trained with him.

After a rather grueling training session, Kakashi and Maiha took a break under a large shade tree in on the borderlines of the training grounds.

Wanting to break the silence she asked, "Do you remember when I snuck into the medical building and left you all those origami crafts?"

"Yes I do very well in fact," he smirked beneath his mask. "I was amazed at how you could come and go without being detected," He paused before looking at her lazily. "What makes you bring that up?"

"I was just thinking about graduation and the next stage of my training. Those few days that I visited you and the conversation that we had changed my life," The memory came to her so clearly that it felt like she was living it over again. "I was so afraid that you were never going to wake up and that I would never get to see you again."

"You were impressionable at that age Maiha-chan. There was quite a bit that you hadn't yet experienced or understood at that point in your life," he pointed out. "What I remember most of those days was one specific word that you said."

She frowned in thought. "What was that?"

"Devotion. I knew you were a bright child but to understand what that word meant in the context of being a shinobi took me by surprise."

"You give me too much credit," she smiled. "You laid all the information out there for me I just had to put it all together. After our conversation, I had more than just a definition of the shinobi way of life taught to us through our text books. I learned that I had to come to an understanding and acceptance of what it actually is and everything that comes along with it."

"Hopefully what I've taught you will be enough for you but I'll have to hand you over to your new sensei. I will still be here for you when you need me but you will be busy with your team from here on out."

"Thank you for helping me Kakashi-kun. I know I still have a lot to learn," she said as she placed her head on his shoulder.

Maiha felt comfortable with the close contact she had with him. Usually she would check herself before showing such physical emotion to him but at this moment it felt well placed and was comforting to her.

Kakashi didn't seem to pick up on the emotion driving her actions but considering the words that she had said were cordial, he took them as a sign of friendship and didn't object. Since talking to her in the hospital, he'd been inserted into her life, playing a small part in helping guide her through it.

She was about to have a landmark occasion in her life and he was excited for her, but he was sorry at the thought of parting as well.

The Graduation Ceremony at the academy was an event that no family member would miss. From this point on they were no longer children. They had been taught the shinobi way and would reach adulthood faster than any other child their age.

But this day was the first, the day of recognition, a day of accomplishment only reached by great perseverance.

"Ai! Look!, I did it!" Maiha shouted excitedly as she ran towards Ai and Kakashi, holding out her new and shiny forehead protector.

"I am so proud of you Maiha!" She exclaimed as she reached out to pull Maiha in for a hug.

Kakashi was standing by Ai in a slouched lackadaisical posture with his hands in his pockets. "See Kakashi-kun it's just like yours!" she beamed as she turned towards him.

"I see," he said bending over slightly to look at it. "I guess this means that I can't call you little one anymore." His statement took a bit of the smile off of her face as she felt that it was a very affectionate nickname that only he called her. He leaned in closer, "I'll have to call you little kunoichi from now on," and he smiled closing his visible eye.

She smiled with an ear to ear grin nodding to show her approval.