Behind the Mask

Chapter 9

"Good morning my cute little Genin—and temporary Genin!" Kakashi greeted with his usual eye smile. He was surprised when Naruto and Sakura didn't immediately yell at him. "Sorry I'm late, I passed by some flowers, so I just had to stop and smell them."

Naruto swung upside down from a branch he was on, making a bunch of snow fall off with the movement and Kakashi sidestepped the snow that would have landed on him. "Kakashi-sensei, you really need to think of some better excuses."

"Yeah," Sakura agreed, "and where would you find the flowers to smell?" She gestured a hand to look around, "There's snow everywhere."

"M-maybe the Yamanaka's flower shop?" Kuroko offered.

"Ah," Kakashi eye-smiled, "I like you. Can't Arata trade? Mine just don't understand." Kuroko giggled a little at Kakashi's silly attitude.

Naruto and Sakura blanched, "S-Sensei!" The two of them yelled in disbelief.

"Anyways!" Kakashi said loudly—leaving his students to wonder if he was being serious or not— and transitioned to the main topic, "Today is Kuroko-kun's last day with us. We will..." he paused to create some tension, "spar!"

The kids in the clearing blinked in confusion at the lacklustre reveal.

"But Sensei that's what we've been doing already!" Naruto crossed his arms. "Can't we just do a super awesome mission or something? Rescue a fair maiden maybe?"

Inwardly, Kakashi cringed at Naruto's less than favourable word choice—it made him think of his "rival" and he wanted that green beast out of his head. "Oh, but Naruto, these aren't just any spars," Kakashi waggled his finger at his impatient student, "They are going to be free for all spars."

"Ninjutsu will be allowed?" Sasuke asked, now looking forward to it. If anyone had been looking closely enough they would have seen the small twinkle of excitement in his eyes.

Kakashi nodded, "Yes. But no fatal force." He stressed that point, and it was a bit worrying that he had to. "Other than that, it's anything goes."

"Hell yeah!" Naruto whooped, jumping into the air.

Kuroko fidgeted with the hem of his poncho, "Um, H-Haruno-san... would you like to spar?" Sakura blinked and looked a bit uneasy at Kuroko's question. "I think it would be good for you to get some combat experience in. A-also you have been practising... Would you like to see the improvement?"

"I think it would be good for you Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned and gave her a thumb's up. Sasuke even gave her a nod.

"Hmm..." Sakura wasn't sure, but her team was giving her encouragement. It wouldn't hurt, right? "Okay. I'll give it a try!"

During the fight, Kuroko didn't use any jutsu and stuck to taijutsu to get Sakura more used to close combat. Even though he was holding back—limiting himself to using only his legs except for blocking—Sakura had caught him by surprise. He had to say that she had a mean right hook.

"How..." Sakura took a deep breath, exhausted, "How did I do?"

"That was amazing Sakura-chan! I didn't know you had it in ya!" Naruto cheered her on.

"Y-You hit hard. Harder than anyone would think." Kuroko rubbed his arm where he had blocked with a couple of times. "I'm g-going to get a bruise."

"Good job Sakura." Kakashi's eye crinkled with his smile and he pat her head. "Naruto, Sasuke, you two next."

"Alright! Teme you are goin' down!" He went to sprint further in the field but stopped himself, "Nee, Sakura-chan. You think you can teach me how to hit him hard like you did to Kuroko?" He leaned forward and cupped his mouth with his hand, whispering, "His ego needs to be knocked down some pegs."