Lightning In The Hidden Leaf

3- Goddess Jitsu

"Thanks for dragging me out of there, Kakashi Sensei. I don't know what came over me, headed to her like a primal animal. I must have had too much sake."

"Yeah," says Kakashi. "Maybe."

"Will Jiraiya be mad we ditched him?"

"He's use to this sort of thing by now. We should get some sleep tonight. At least two of us will be well rested for the commute home."

"Works for me," says Shikumaru as he removes his shirt and gets into bed. Kakashi, on the other hand, doesn't get too comfortable.

"Thank God," says Kakashi quietly to himself when he hears Jiraiya stumble into the room and flop onto the bed. Kakashi gets out of bed and moves Jiraiya so he's lying on his side.

Then Jiraiya starts snoring. Loudly.

"Well, since I'm up and certainly not getting any sleep," he says as he takes his book and sneaks outside sitting on a bench next to a lamp post. He cracks the spine of the book and picks up where he left off. Before he begins his adventure in Make Out Tactics, he looks around as he takes in the quaint surroundings of this little village. It's quiet as the villagers rest minus the occasional night animal and the wind through the cherry blossom trees.

"Just as I like it. Too bad I'm too tired to enjoy late nights for often."

He looks down at his book but only reads the first word when he hears a commotion in the distance. He sighs. "I can't seem to get any peace..."

He tries to ignore the ruckus but the commotion gets louder followed by a crash and a deafening shriek which is unsettling against the quiet night. It's something he can't ignore. He pulls the collar of his shirt over his mouth, puts the book in his pocket and heads towards the commotion. He stays in the shadows for a moment as he scopes out what is happening. There are two men and one woman. She is back on to him so he can't get a good look at her.

"That's all I get after all the work that I do for the likes of you?" yells the woman.

"Sorry, hon but what can I say? Our clan has gotten bigger now and we have more people to compensate."

"But I'm the one who is frequenting bars and hot springs. I deserve more than five percent of the earnings. Do you have any idea how degrading it is to be gawked at and groped by perverted men night after night?!"

"Well that's something you're going to have to bring up to the boss about. Besides, you do volunteer to do this work, don't you? If you want more money maybe you ought to... you know... put out a bit."

She slaps him across the face after that and a silence follows. Kakashi holds back a snicker. Not a typical damsel in distress that's for sure.

"Bitch. How dare your raise your hand to me." The man motions after her but the other man, who has been silent, holds him back.

"No, Yuri. The boss will kill you if you lay a hand on her. She's his gem."

He grits his teeth. "It's to the point now where I don't give a damn. Besides, the boss might be angry at me alright, but he needs me too. A couple of bruises won't kill her."

"Calista, get out of here before Yuri blows his top."

"Don't worry about it, Honai," says Calista. "I can handle him."

"It's not you I'm worried about. It's him getting hurt and us getting in trouble."

Calista rolls her eyes. "Fine. I'll go." She disappears and then quickly reappears only inches away from Yuri's face.