The Poor Scarecrow

Ayumi couldn't tolerate him. The way he spoke and posed...it was ridiculous! She gritted her teeth, and gave Emi a he's-gone-too-far look.

"Get off me." she warned hotly, preparing to move him by force if necessary.

Emi noticed it immediately. "You better move. She's gonna hit you."

Seikyou didn't believe her. He gave her a look of pure defiance. "Oh, you know she doesn't mean it! See? She likes - "

Ayumi punched him. Hard.

Kakashi almost cheered. He really did, even with his training.

Seikyou got up from where he had slammed against a tree several yards away. Blood was pouring from his nose- (Nice punch, Ayumi,) thought Kakashi approvingly.

Kisa rounded on Kakashi.

"Why the HELL is this idiot in a team at all?!"

Kakashi just shrugged and left Kisa fuming.

Emi tried not to laugh as she turned to Seikyou. "I warned you."

Seikyou scoffed and wiped the blood from his face. Emi turned to Ayumi, "Nice punch." She winked and Ayumi smirked in triumph.

"Thanks."

I'm going to KILL the Godaime, thought Kakashi as Kisa marched ahead, followed by the rest of the team, leaving him with Seikyou.

"What a hot babe," Seikyou said, examining the blood pouring from his nostrils. "Look, Kakashi-sensei, i have a nosebleed! It's true love, isn't it?!?!?"

Kisa heard this and choked. Ayumi was too busy basking in Emi's admiration to hear.

Emi scoffed. Baka...

She couldn't believe this guy, he was so lecherous and oblivious. She laughed silently when she remembered the look on his face when Ayumi punched him.

Ayumi was bewildered. (Why is she laughing?) "What's so funny?"

"Him!" Emi giggled, shaking her head. "He just called you a 'hot babe' and asked if it was 'true love!'" She continued to laugh. "He's an idiot!"

Ayumi chuckled, then looked at Seikyou. He was still staring at the blood that had poured from his nose. "I appreciate the compliment, but he's weird! He's a jerk!"

Kisa was chanting under her breath, "it's only until Chunin exams, it's only until Chunin exams, it's only until Chunin exams...."

"Sensei?" asked Ayumi, walking backwards to talk to Kakashi.

"Yes Ayumi-san?"

"Can I throw Seikyou-teme off the nearest cliff?"

"No, sorry."

"She's GORGEOUS!" gasped Seikyou, focusing on Ayumi and getting up.

Isumi was half-disgusted, half-listening to the girls decide on what to do about the perv in the group.

Ayumi stared at him, taken off guard by the compliment. (Okay, then. That's...interesting...) She sucked her teeth as she slowly approached him.

He apparently half-expected to be punched again, because he cringed slightly.

"Let's get a few things straight, okay?" she spoke cool and emotionlessly.

"Whatever you say, doll."

She bit her tongue and kept her fists by her side. (Don't kill him...don't kill him...) was all she could tell herself. "First: stop calling me these names! I HATE it! Second: if we're going to be on the same squad and you don't want to get killed, know that I'm not too fond of perverts. You disgust me! Lastly, don't...annoy me." She offered a hand as a sign of her conditional tolerance. "Okay?"

Emi held her breath and waited for Seikyou's next move.

(Don't do anything stupid. don't do anything stupid...) She thought in her head.

((The "Post Reply wasn't working so I couldn't italicize my thoughts...))

(( just use the [i ] and [/i ]. Remove the spaces, it works the same))

Seikyou considered that.

"Okay." Ayumi breathed a sigh of relief. "But can I call you sweetheart?" he added desperately.

Ayumi chewed on that for a second. (He's so persistent, but at least he's asking before he speaks!) She sighed. "Sure, whatever."

Seikyou seemed to be overjoyed and grinned broadly much less spastically.

Ayumi turned to walk back to the group, Seikyou falling in step beside her. At least his nose had finally stopped bleeding.

"So, sweetheart, what's your name?" he attempted to start a conversation.

"Ayumi Gosu," Ayumi answered him, trying not to giggle at her teammates' startled expressions. Kakashi looked as if his single visible eye was about to explode from his head, and Emi and Kisa's jaws hung open. Isumi hadn't been paying attention, or he was good at hiding emotion.

Then she thought about what she had just done. (I just gave a pervert permission to hit on me! God, I hope I don't regret this!)

Kisa re-hinged her jaw and looked back at Kakashi, who was about to blow an eyeball. ((Don't you just love the term??))

"Can I have permission to run ahead?" she asked, face carefully straight.

Kakashi nodded, and Kisa sped ahead. Loud, spirited laughter echoed from before them, and Ayumi's face burned. Oh...my....God...

Suddenly, the laughter stopped and a ring of metal-on-metal came speeding back, along with shouts. Kakashi started running, as did everyone else, though Seikyou was probably only running to keep up with Ayumi. Distraction! Good.

Kisa was fending off two shinobi, kunai out.

Sorry I've been gone, I'm grounded from the computer. I have enough time to say that at least.

((Glad you're back Pie! I bet you have no clue what's going on?))

Emi was first to act. She lunged and blocked a kunai before it struck Kisa. She shoved the shinobi backwards and used her hyoton to bind his legs.

She didn't have enough time to completely finish before a third shinobi attempted to strike.

Kisa rammed into the ninja, but the one Emi had been attempting to disable broke loose.

"Ayumi, help!" Emi managed through gritted teeth. Ayumi didn't need a second word in before she burst forward with a roar and struck the third shinobi with a flaming fist.