Sweetest

Change

I pulled my bag on and hopped down the steps to meet Kakashi. I landed next to him, looking up at him, worried. "So you're really, really strong, right?" I was a little weary.

He looked down at me; I couldn't read his expression. "Oh? Worried?" He said it as he poked my nose. "I have pretty good control, so don't worry about a Hinata incident." He started down the path.

I trailed after him and said, "Hmm, I feel like I am going to be taught just how bad I am today." I said it with a sigh. I rubbed my slightly swollen cheek. Thankfully, it didn't look like it was going to bruise. My lip was still split, but that would heal pretty quickly.

He chuckled. "I don't think you're going to be that bad." He said it to me before starting toward the training ground.

I hurried after him, "Ya? Sure, sure... uh... So for the mission tomorrow, where are we going?" I asked excitedly. If I were with Kakashi, I would be fine, so I figured I should enjoy it.

"To the forest of sorrows... The emperor's son, Roy, needs to be escorted to the village in the swamps. He will be getting married to his fiancée, Princess Emily. Frankly, it's going to be a boring trip." He told me as we walked. "It is the only reason I agreed to take you." He admitted.

I frowned. That didn't sound exciting. "That... sounds scary. I mean, the places—the forest of sorrow? And a swamp?" I shook my head, trying to get the negative thought out of my head.

He gave me a closed-eye smile and said, "You'll be fine." He told me, sounding sure.

I shrugged, "Okay..."" I said it quietly. He seemed sure enough about it all. So why worry?

We reached the training ground, and I put my bag near a tree and ran back over to Kakashi. I put my hair in a ponytail.

"ready!" I said I was excited but also a little worried. He was bigger than me, faster, and definitely stronger.

He chuckled again. "Alright, just come at me with all you got." He said it, putting his hands in his pockets.

I blushed and got nervous. "Uh, okay..." I got into a ready stance. I felt self-conscious suddenly but went to attack. I kept going until he finally grabbed my leg.

"Your... uh..." he said with a sweat drop. "Are you sure you are using everything you have?" He teased me.

"Weak. I know..." I pouted, and I tried to yank my leg from his grasp unsuccessfully.

He sighed. "You're fighting without chakra, so it's to be expected. You have great form, though. They taught you well." He said, letting go of my leg.

I stretched. "They said that I have to put my strength behind it all. I'm fast but not strong." I told him, frowning. I jumped toward him quickly and went to punch him, but he didn't even blink; he took the hit full-on in the face. I gasped and fell to the ground. I shook my hand. It was like punching a wall.

He chuckled, "It's like fighting a kitten." He mused, then crouched down and took my hand. "Are you alright? I got carried away." He admitted it and flipped my hand around fast, then dropped it once he was sure it was fine.

He shook his head and said, "Your strong, just an average person strong. You probably had no effect on them because of the training they have been through and the chakra they use to block." He explained it to me.

I nodded. "I'm doing good, then?" I asked him while raising a suspicious brow. "I just punched you as hard as I could, Kakashi, and it was nothing." I frowned at him.

He nodded, smiling down at me. "You're doing great. We should work on seeing if you have any chakra." He said it while walking over to the shade and sitting down. "I don't think you should ever put yourself in a position to fight someone, though..."He said it out of worry.