(So glad that Guy sensei's last name is Guy. It's tiring looking up last names for Uta to call people by.)

You slammed your drink down on the bar, trying to focus on Kurenai and Yugao's faces, alcohol blurring your vision and thoughts, "And then, he goes and tells me that some of the women in town have crushes on me too!" You tilted your head back and downed the rest of your drink, "That Kaka-baka! He must think it's funny and cute to say stuff like that to me without warning, but you know, if I pointed out that I'm pretty sure Guy has the hots for him he wouldn't find it so funny!" Kurenai spat out her drink and Yugao began laughing loudly. You blinked a few times, "I didn't think it was THAT funny..." The two shared a look then burst out laughing again. They must be sharing some sort of private joke, and drunk you wasn't about to be left out, "Whaaaat? What am I missing here?" Yugao chuckled, "Well it's funny that you picked up on it, since no one has ever spoken about that day." You frowned, "What day?" Kurenai laughed and grabbed your shoulders, pulling you close, "Why, the day Kakashi kissed Guy."

Your eyes widened, "He whaaaat?!" Kurenai laughed again, "I'm not surprised you don't know, it happened before you moved her and Kakashi forbade anyone that saw it from ever speaking about it."

Yugao joined in on the small huddle, "You know how Guy always challenges Kakashi to contests?" You nodded, "Well he used to be much worse for it years ago, issuing a challenge every single time he saw Kakashi. One week Kakashi got his mission list for the month and he had a ton of missions, all of them pretty tough ones. He knew he needed whatever peace he could get, so he needed to not have to do Guy's challenges for that month. So he figured he'd issue a challenge to Guy. He challenged Guy to not issue any contests for the entire month and in exchange Kakashi would do one thing for Guy. Anything." Kurenai had been drunkenly snickering the entire time Yugao talked, but she cut in now, "And what did Guy ask for? He asked for a kiss. A blooming kiss, full on the mouth.....and he asked for it to include tongue!" Yugao added in, "You know...so that Kakashi HAD to pull down his mask." Kurenai nodded, "At least that's what Guy claimed the reason was after. He claimed he just wanted to see Kakashi's face. But he enjoyed the kiss way too much for it to be just that." Yugao made exaggerated motions to her groin and faked a hard on while mouthing the word 'enjoyed' and you snorted out a laugh. Kurenai sat back slightly, "Well in those days Kakashi never backed down from anything, so he pulled down his mask and planted one on Guy, with thorough tongue action. And Guy didn't issue any challenges for a month. After that none of us had any doubts about Guy's interest in Kakashi, but Kakashi made it clear to Guy that they were just friends. Since then we've learned that Guy is technically bi, but all of us know his first love was Kakashi."

You turned your head and looked over at the group of guys that Kakashi was in and nearly choked on your drink when you saw that Guy had his arm slung around Kakashi's shoulders. Kakashi glanced over at you and raised his hand to wave. You burst out laughing and a look of utter confusion crossed his face. Kurenai and Yugao started laughing too. Kurenai wiped her eye to clear a tear from laughing so much, "He's gunna kill us for telling you." Yugao chugged her drink before slamming it down, "Serves him right for not telling her himself! Once you two started dating he shoulda known that you would find out eventually. He shoulda just bit the kunai and told you directly."

You nodded in agreement and reached for another drink. The entry door pushed open and you glanced over, "Oh great...what's SHE doing here?" You frowned deeply as you watch Anko walk in and look around. Yugao placed her hand on your arm, "Easy Uta. Hayate invited her. They're both proctors of the exams and have become pretty good friends. Besides...she's calmed down a lot recently. Basically since you came back from that mission." You tensed and turned your gaze back to Anko. Had the Hokage trusted her of all people? Anko's eyes landed on you and she began walking over. You braced for a fight, but when she came to a stop in front of you, she looked nervous, "Uta...can we talk. It's important..." You didn't budge, glaring at her openly. She glanced around and leaned in, "Please. It's urgent. I have some information that the Hokage wants me to share with you."

You slowly stood up and began slowly following Anko. She led you over to the nearest washroom. "Umm...Mitarashi-san?" She held a finger to her lips and pulled you into a stall. "Can't let people see, and let's make this fast ok." She leaned forward and pulled her collar to the side showed you her mark, "Hokage-sama has told me that Orochimaru gave you one as well. He told me a few other things as well, but now isn't the time to discuss them." She straightened up. "If it starts to ache really badly and act up, that likely means that Orochimaru is really near. If that happens, let me or Hokage know right away. Your mark is fresher, so it might be more sensitive to Orochimaru's presence than mine. But no matter what happens, don't try to take Orochimaru on, on your own. If anyone is going to kill that bastard it's going to be me. That's all I needed to tell you." She turned to leave, but you grabbed her arm. "Mitarashi-san. I don't know if Hokage-sama told you, but I think you need the heads up. He has Usa. He found a way to bring him back to life, that's why I'm having to do as he orders." Anko nodded stiffly, "I know... And I know he has to...be taken out or he'll be used as a weapon." She turned and looked at you, "Uta...It has to be you. Hokage-sama said that he's going to make it be someone else that stops him...but I know Orochimaru's cruel side better than he does. Orochimaru will have made it so that you will be the only person that can kill him."

You nodded, "I thought as much. I...hate the thought of it...but from the moment I saw Usa I knew...deep down I knew." You stared blankly at the wall across from you and Anko leaned into your line of sight, "You do know...that it isn't really him though, right? I know enough that I know you destroyed his body. Even Orochimaru isn't powerful enough to overcome that. Whatever that thing that he made is, it isn't Usa." You smiled slightly and nodded, thankful for her comforting words, though you knew that doing as she said wouldn't make it any easier when the time came. You also had the feeling that it wasn't going to be as simple as just killing him again.

You had a feeling that you'd need to sacrifice something big in order to do it. You felt almost certain that it was going to cost you your life. But no one needed to know that yet, besides, even you didn't know anything for sure yet.

"You're right, but we should get back out there....I'll see you at the exams."

Anko nodded and walked out. You followed a minute later and made straight for the bar, ordering a very strong drink.

(So giving you all a heads up. this story is winding down. I want to work on some other stories for a while. I will be making a second book, and I'll also be doing more Kakashi works. Just wanted to let you all know so that it's not a shock. Love all you amazing readers that have stuck with me during all my delays. Lots of love for you all!)