Gaara had admitted that he did indeed ask, though now that she was moving faster, he was actually getting a challenge. True his sand was an automated defense, but it could only go so fast, and as promised he wasn't using any ninjutsu which included the Sand Armor. Some of her punches and kicks made their mark, but their was one thing that he wanted to do, to see if it extremely angered her. As she was turning around to deliver another kick at him, he reached out and grabbed her tail.

Yugito hid her face behind the bowl of ramen, her face turning a bright red color as he asked that question. After that last tic, she didn't trust herself. Though she wasn't using any of Mata-chan's chakra at the time...could it have finally bled through? If that was the case, she'd have to learn how to talk without talking.

Gemini froze in her tracks. She stood there, one foot raised to kick, and slowly brought it down to rest next to the other. She was turned slightly, staring with a blank look at the hand that was holding her tail. Then, without warning, she lashed out faster than he could have seen, knocking him to the ground and forcing him to let go in the process. Standing over him, it was clear she was pissed. "Gaara-san." She said, her voice deceivingly pleasant. "Have you ever heard the myth that each of a kitsune's nine tails holds a curse? And that grabbing one of those tails without permission causes the offending person to be afflicted with whatever curse that tail held? That story came about because of the...odd reactions that kitsune tend to have. It's not just that it makes them angry, you see. Once they hit a certain age, the tail becomes very...sensitive...to touch. I haven't reached that age yet, but I'm very, very close. Only a few months, actually." She told the redhead, wondering if he would understand what she was implying.

Naruto kept laughing, his attempts to stop only making the situation funnier. "Haha...you're afraid to talk now, aren't you? Don't worry, I won't judge you, Kitty-chan. I think it's cute!" He teased. "Come on, talk to me, dattebayo. See, no one teases me about mine, and I don't even have a reason for it. At least you have an excuse."

(I couldn't help but lmao at Gemini's response.)

Gaara blinked, then blinked again. He didn't even have a chance to block that kick, letting go of her tail in the process. Before he could get up and into a defensive stance, she was already standing over him...listening to what she had said though he didn't understand what she was talking about.

"Then stop laughing at me Nya~" Yugito said. "And it's not cute, it's embarrassing Nya. she added after a few seconds, wishing, and hoping, that Matatabi could somehow change so that she wasn't so embarrassed about it...

Gemini backed off a bit, giving him room to get up. "You don't get it, do you? Oh, you're way too innocent." She sighed, finding it impossible to remain angry at him. "The tail becomes extra sensitive when a kitsune reached sexual maturity. Grabbing it without permission would be something quite like if I grabbed..." She gestured vaguely downwards, not wanting to say it out loud. Turning red, she went on. "Anyway, I guess I can't blame you. I did say you could touch it, and you didn't know. I just assumed that I would be prepared when and if you touched my tail. Nothing happens if you have permission, because I'd be prepared for it."

Naruto's laughter finally died down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you, dattebayo. I just thought it was funny that you were so embarrassed over something so simple. Anyway, it's my opinion that it's cute. You can't change my opinion, dattebayo." he said, giving her his thousand-watt smile.

Jiraiya kept quiet about the situation that his two students were having, silently thinking about how he could use this scene in an upcoming book of his...perhaps a new series? He had to keep the thought to himself though, knowing what would happen if they heard it. Though the thought did become appealing, especially after seeing Yugito's blush grow after Naruto's last comment towards the girl.

"Wait, you mean..." he started to say before a bright blush crossed his face. If Gemini's tail really was going to get sensitive as she suggested, then did that mean she wanted to be with him as a possible girlfriend? He'd have to ask her that question later, though he did realize something as a smirk came to his face. "Well there is one thing out of all of this...and I thought you weren't going to get mad at all while we trained," he said, trying to change the subject. The one they were on right now was better left behind closed doors...

Gemini froze, her face turning bright red. "Oh...w-well, I guess we both know our limits now." She said, trying to save what little dignity she had left. "I managed to gauge where your weak points lie in taijutsu, and you figured out how far I can be pushed before losing my temper. Now we can work on those things." She said, not looking at him.

Naruto seemed to realize something, and turned to look at the Sannin who was suspiciously quiet. "Oi, what's that look on your face for, old man? It's almost like you've got an idea for something-" The blonde paused, realization dawning in his blue eyes. "You were thinking about using us for one of your perverted books! That's just sick, dattebayo!!" He accused, angrily pointing at the man.

"Don't flatter yourself brat," Jiraiya responded as he finished a bowl of ramen. He knew just how much the brat could eat when it came to ramen, as well as Yugito. "I'm eating my ramen and being quiet so you can flirt with your girlfriend over there, who is currently blushing up a storm since you said her verbal tic was cute" he added.

"Erm...right," he said in agreement as he avoided making eye contact with her. This was going to be awkward for a while now, he could just feel it. Sighing lightly, he got back up on his feet as he was ready to hear what he could do to turn his weakness into a strength.

Naruto scowled. "For the next few months, I'm gonna ask Kakashi-sensei if any of the characters in his books remind him of me or Yugito-chan..." He muttered. He knew, somehow, that the old man was lying, but decided to let it go. He finished his fifth bowl of ramen and ordered another. "So Yugito-chan, do you have any tricks in store for the finals? Since you're fighting Gemini-chan, you should probably have a plan."

Ignoring the awkwardness that hung in the air like fog, Gemini cleared her throat. "Right. So, from what I can see, your strength and knowledge of the art are damn near perfect. It's just your speed that needs work. Even with an automatic defense, dodging is a necessary took when it comes to taijutsu. A lot of the hits you just took could have been avoided if your reflexes worked faster. The problem here is that you rely on the sand too much. Your mentality is that nothing will get past it, so when something does, you're too surprised to react properly. The best way to change that is to start thinking differently. From now on, assume that your opponent will be able to overcome your defense." She said, going into teaching mode.

"So, just because I suddenly have a catgirl in my stories, you're going to automatically think that it's going to be Yugito because she says 'Nya' at the end of her sentences?" Jiraiya asked, appalled at that type of thinking. "But if it makes you feel better, feel free to ask your sensei then," he added with a light shrug.

"I do, but I'm not going to tell you, just in case we have to fight in the tournament, Nya" Yugito replied, hoping that he didn't take it in a wrong way or something.

"So always prepare for the worse?" he asked, figuring that would be the case. He also would tell her about what he thought would be a good way to anger her as well, besides the tail, after they had worked on his weakness for a while.

Naruto nodded. "Okay, just as long as you're prepared." He said. He understood why she wouldn't want to tell him her strategy. Gemini was practically his sister, after all.

Gemini smiled evilly. "Exactly. Don't just prepare for it, expect it. Shall we work on this for a bit?" She asked, her tone frighteningly innocent.

Yugito was glad that Naruto didn't take it the wrong way and finished the bowl of ramen.

If Gaara was anyone else, he would have stepped back just a little bit in fear at the tone of her voice. Unfortunately for Gaara, or fortunately, he was use to things like this. This and the glares. "Sure. What's the worse that could happen?"

(Because it had to be uttered)

After his thirteenth bowl, Naruto sat back and smiled. "Well, I'm full!" He declared, feeling ready to go and tackle his training again.

Gemini's smirk turned into an all out smile. "Rule number one: never, ever ask that question. Begin." She said, and without any further warning she rushed at him. She wasn't quite as fast as Lee, but it was close, and her strength was enough to crack whatever sand got in her way.

((lol))

Yugito giggled at that and while she hadn't eaten as much as he did, she still did eat five bowls of the ramen. It wasn't the greatest thing she believed, but it wasn't bad either. 'Well kitten, I have good news and bad news for you. Though you have to come into the mindscape for a moment,'Matatabi said, causing Yugito's eyes to widen lightly, just wondering what exactly was going on...

Gaara kept up to the best of his ability, using what little reflexes he had to dodge, or block, most of Gemini's attacks. A few of them did get through, but thanks to his Bijuu's healing factor (Deadpool: Healing factor thingee for the win. Wheee! Me: Damnit Deadpool!) any bruises he received were quickly taken care of. They still hurt though.

Gemini, while still giving her all towards keeping him guessing, also made an effort to keep her blows from hurting him too much. She knew Gaara was unfamiliar with pain, and didn't want to cause any problems. After about an hour of relentless attacks, Gemini felt satisfied that Gaara's speed was improving, and stopped. "Very good, Gaara-san. You learn quickly. Now, how about a break and you can teach me a bit?"

Naruto glanced at Yugito and tilted his head. "You okay, Kitty-chan?" He asked, noticing her expression. Then it hit him that she was probably talking with the Nibi. "Oh...never mind, you do what you need to."

"Thanks, for helping but not going overboard," Gaara said, knowing that had happened. He knew what she was capable of, especially after seeing her fight Yugito's ex-teammate. "And I would like that actually, though what can I teach?" he asked, curious and unsure.

Yugito nodded, glad that Naruto understood. Then again, he probably had the same connection to Kurama as she did to Matatabi. Heading into the mindscape, she wondered just what Mata-chan wanted to talk about.

'Take a look at the water kitten, you'll find out what the bad news is easier than me telling you,' the Nibi said as Yugito did so, gasping in surprise once she did so. In the mindscape...she was sprouting cat ears and a singular cat tail. "I'm...I'm a neko?" she asked, surprised before getting a nod from the Queen of the Cats. "What's the good news?" she asked as Mata said that she could train her and help her control the verbal tic that all Neko's had. "Now then...why is this happening to me and not to Gaara?" she asked, getting a sigh from the Bijuu.

"It's because we're females. If you were a male, or if I were a male, we wouldn't be having this problem, but since we're both female..."Matatabi said as Yugito hissed lightly in anger. "Now then, go back to the outside. Interact with your mate, Naruto, and tell him what's going on, though probably away from the pervert. I'll start training tonight," she added as Yugito nodded before vanishing from the mindscape. Once Yugito returned to the normal world she sighed lightly.

Gemini smiled. "You're welcome. This is training, not a real fight, so I don't want to actually hurt you." She said, flopping down on the grass to catch her breath. "What you can teach me is how to use my chakra the right way. Like you said, I've been using it like human chakra, which clearly doesn't work. It often results in explosive accidents- like the time we were learning to climb trees without using our hands. I tried to regulate my chakra, but the second my feet touched the tree it literally exploded. Splinters everywhere. Kakashi-sensei said I used too much chakra. Now I know why that happened."

Naruto waited patiently, watching Yugito as she retreated into her own mind. When she finally resurfaced, he sat up and looked at her attentively. "So, what happened? You look like something's wrong." He asked, observing her downcast expression.

Gaara chuckled lightly. "I did promise that, didn't I?" he said, quite embarrassed at forgetting that was what he had promised Gemini that he would teach as he sat down next to her on the grass. All he had to do now was to follow through on it. "Alright then, once we finish with our break, I want to see how you channel your chakra, and then I'll do the best I can to explain how I channel mine," he stated.

"Not in front of the pervert, Nya~" Yugito responded. She was definitely going to tell Naruto, even if Matatabi told her not to since she trusted him, especially with what they went through in the Forest of Death.

Gemini nodded. "Okay works for me. I just hope nothing explodes this time. I have better control over that than I used to, but still occasionally it happens..." She said, laying backwards. The sun felt nice, warming her closed eyelids, and she relaxed a bit. She felt she could relax around Gaara- something most people would never dream of doing.

Naruto glanced over at the old man and nodded. "Yeah, okay. We'll talk later, back at my place. For now, let's get back to training!" He said, instantly forgetting that anything bad might be going on. In the face of potentially learning something new, nothing could take his mind away for long.

"There's sand all around here. I'm sure I can protect us from an explosion, or at least cushion the blow," he admitted. Gaara was actually surprised that she was relaxing around him, something hat only his sister did in the past. Everyone else was afraid of him.

Yugito nodded, knowing that there was little she could do now. At least she knew what was happening, and why. She wasn't happy with it, not by a long shot, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. And of course she would have to be the only female with a female Bijuu...

(though we could change that and have Chomei (Nanabi) be a female as well...)

((Nah, let Yugito be unique. =D))

Gemini smiled. "That's comforting. At least I know you won't get hurt." She said softly, enjoying the breeze that blew past, drying the sweat on her brow.

Naruto turned to the Sannin. "We'll meet you back at the training grounds, Ero-Sannin!" He said, running off and leaving the old man to pay- on purpose to make sure he actually did pay like he promised.

(gotcha. Was only giving out ideas as it was.)

Yugito quickly followed after him, knowing what Naruto was planning. She also wanted to make sure that the old man paid for their lunch like he said that they would. Once they got back to the training grounds, if Jiraiya wasn't there she'd tell him everything that Matatabi told her.

"I haven't been hurt for the longest of times Gem-chan," he muttered. And as much as he enjoyed this breeze, the hour was almost up.

Naruto reached the training grounds rather quickly, hoping that the old man would be held up with paying long enough for him and Yugito to talk.

Gemini sat up and turned to look at him. "Don't take this wrong, but I kind of feel bad for you. I mean, you're lucky as hell to never have to be in pain, but at the same time...it seems like an essential part of living. Pain is the body's way of letting us know when something is wrong, but it's also a way to know we're alive." She said thoughtfully. After a moment, she shook her head. "Still, I hate to think how you'd react to it after never having experienced it. Anyway, this is getting too deep. Let's start training again, and this time you teach me." She smiled at him.

Seeing that Jiraiya wasn't here yet, most likely paying the bill or flirting with the waitress. 'Okay, that's a thought I don't need,' she thought before sighing. "Foxy-kun? I think I may have some bad news..." she started to say, unsure as to how he would take this.

Gaara shrugged lightly. "You're probably right, but I've learned to deal with it. And quite honestly, I'd rather not find out what would happen if someone actually hurt me," he admitted, though he ignored the last part of her statement completely. Even if he did use that with his mask, it was one thing that he wanted to make sure of at times. "Alright then, show me what you're doing then Gem-chan," he said before getting up off the grass.

Naruto took a seat on a large rock and nodded for her to continue. "What's wrong, Kitty-chan?" He asked with concern. She seemed rather upset. What could the Nibi have told her to cause that?

Gemini stood up and placed her hands together in a chakra gathering seal. Focusing, she decided on a simple exercise- to circulate her chakra throughout her body. She took a deep breath and started, and it was going well for a few seconds until...BOOM!! Her powerful chakra, needing to be released in a different fashion, simply exploded out of her, causing her to fly backwards and hit a tree. "Ow...I don't get it. Am I using too much at once? Is it that potent? Maybe I'm restricting it somehow?"

"The verbal tic is because I'm becoming a Neko. Apparently since Mata-chan is the only female of the Bijuus, she doesn't escape and reform when the Jinchuuriki dies. That person becomes the ginat hellcat that represents Mata-chan. Until that happens, the Jinchuuriki looks and acts like a cat girl..." Yugito explained in a soft voice, not sure what Naruto was thinking at the moment. To be completely honest, she wondered if he thought of her as a freak because of this perverted transformation...

Gaara was actually surprised when her chakra exploded like that and didn't have time to react and cushion the blow like he said he would Rushing towards the vixen, he was glad to see that the wound was already healing, most likely thanks to the demon blood within her. Though with that demonstration, he think he knew what was happening; her demonic energies were overpowering her chakra, which caused the explosions to happen. Now all he had to do was figure out how to help her.