Kakashi, Ride the Flying Nimbus

"Is this the Flying Nimbus?"

Kakashi finally looked up from his book, his little eye full of curiosity.

Ino and Tenten tactfully jumped off the Flying Nimbus and looked at Kakashi with mischievous smiles.

"Teacher Kakashi, try hopping on!"

Sakura kept urging him.

Kakashi suspected a trick, but he didn't think there was anything wrong with the cloud. Instead, he warily watched his surroundings and carefully reached out to touch a wisp of cloud. His hand passed through without touching anything, and he began to have doubts.

Sakura nudged Tenten. Tenten went over and hopped onto the Flying Nimbus, rubbing and hugging it, her face pressed against the cloud.

"The Flying Nimbus is so soft! I want to hug it!"

Kakashi's suspicions faded. He'd only touched the edge of the Flying Nimbus, which was why he hadn't felt the cloud.

"Ah! Tenten, get down and let Teacher Kakashi sit on it!"

Sakura called for Tenten to get down again. Sasuke, Naruto, and the onlookers all stared intently at Kakashi.

Kurenai and Asuma happened to be passing by. When they saw the commotion, they came over too.

"Ah! Is this that child Qinglong's Flying Nimbus? It's so cute. Can I touch it too?"

Looking at the Flying Nimbus brought out Kurenai's girlish side. A cloud that soft must feel so nice to hug!

"Of course, Teacher Kurenai. Go ahead and sit on it!"

Qinglong said with a smile.

Kurenai didn't hold back. She gave the cloud a gentle pat; it was soft and squishy. When Asuma saw her and nodded, she hopped onto the Flying Nimbus and sat down steadily.

"Wow! It's so soft and cute!"

Kurenai hugged the Flying Nimbus and kept praising it. Once she'd had her fun, she climbed down. After all, so many children were playing with it, and as an adult, she felt too embarrassed to keep playing.

Then everyone turned their eyes back to Kakashi and urged him on again.

"Teacher Kakashi, it's really so soft and fun!"

Kakashi's little eye confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the cloud. The problem had to be with these brats. Paying close attention to them, he leaped toward the Flying Nimbus.

"Thud!"

Kakashi never would have expected to miss the Flying Nimbus entirely. He landed sprawled on the ground, arms and legs akimbo, as laughter rang out from the children around him.

Even Kurenai couldn't help covering her mouth as she laughed. Asuma watched in amazement, unable to figure out what had happened.

"Teacher Kakashi, only people with pure hearts can ride the Flying Nimbus! Teacher Kakashi, you have a wicked heart!"

Sakura giggled. Kakashi got up, scratched his head, and laughed along.

"So that's why!"

"Mm-hmm!"

Naruto laughed loudly, as if he'd seen through the truth.

"Ahahaha! Teacher Kakashi reads that Icha Icha Paradise thing every day. No wonder he's such a pervert!"

Kakashi laughed, but a trace of sadness flashed deep in his eyes. Obito was dead, Rin was dead, Teacher Minato was dead, and his father had died long ago. Everyone close to him had died, and his heart had died too.

Hands that could never be washed clean, a Sharingan that couldn't be closed—these were the punishments Heaven had given him!

He was a man trapped in hell, seeing the world's light through the one eye he had left. How could he possibly deserve to be called "pure"? The sorrow in his eye was like the hidden Sharingan. Who could see it?

"Then, Teacher Asuma, why don't you try it too?"

Ino said eagerly, wanting to see whether her own teacher could ride it.

"Ah! No, no, I'd rather not!"

Asuma sneaked a glance at Kurenai and quickly refused.

"Hm? Is Teacher Asuma a pervert too?"

Ino wouldn't let it go. She teased him and looked toward Kurenai, making Asuma blush bright red. Kurenai also blushed, bashfully covering her mouth as she giggled.

Rock Lee's condition was very serious. Konoha Hospital was still working on a treatment plan, but Qinglong thought they were just wasting their time. In the end, they'd still have to rely on Tsunade.

Unfortunately, he had no way to contact Tsunade. The ninja world had communication devices, but not having phones was just ridiculous!

So Konoha could only contact Tsunade one-way. Whether she responded was entirely up to her.

He glanced at the sky. The weather over Konoha was clear, with no hint of a storm on the horizon.

"Come out!"

Qinglong walked to a quiet road in the village, stopped, and spoke.

"Whoosh!"

A kunoichi jumped out.

"Why are you here?"

The person who had come was the Otogakure girl, Kin.

"Didn't you tell me to leave Orochimaru?"

"Ah! I did!"

Qinglong nodded. It had only been a well-meant warning. He'd seen that she was about to become a living sacrifice, and it hadn't sat right with him.

"I've decided to leave Orochimaru!"

Kin said it, her thoughts a tangled mess.

"That's a good thing! Wait, did you discover something?"

Qinglong praised her resolve, then wondered if Orochimaru was up to something.

"No!"

Kin answered decisively.

"Then?"

Qinglong was surprised. He'd thought she'd discovered something.

"My sixth sense. The atmosphere in the Otogakure team feels strange, and it made me think I should listen to you and leave Orochimaru."

"You did great!"

Qinglong gave her a thumbs-up, though he couldn't believe she'd relied on her sixth sense.

"Then you'll take me in, right?"