Post by Chouji on Sept 26, 2006 16:40:38 GMT -5
Okay I'm writting this fic...however...it's not done...but I'm working on it. So yah...I could use some advise and what not...also...sorry if the pairings seem...strange to you...its not crack pairings...its just some may not like the Kiba/Hinata pairing...but I also am making Neji/TenTen and Ino/Shikamaru the other main pairings...even though there might be more...who knows...
oh yeah and...I end the chapter with a cliff hanger for a reason
-nod-
---
---- Outside Of Ichigo Ramen Shop ((In The Morning))---
“TenTen take it easy!” A silver orbed, long haired Hyuuga Neji shouted dodging several pointy knifes flying towards him in a not so graceful style.
“No!” A brunet girl with chocolate eyes snarled back. She brandished several kunai knives before tossing them effortlessly in the boy’s general direction.
“Come on…hear me out” He shouted before having to jump to avoid three knives from slashing his kneecaps to shreds. “Please calm down.”
“No!” She retorted spinning in a circle around him throwing millions of the sharpened weapons. “I refuse to calm down and to listen to you!”
“Bet you wouldn’t refuse a million dollars and a dirty dance.” Neji muttered.
“What was that Hyuuga?” She called throwing the knives and now needles at him with more power.
“Nothing.” He zigzagged dodging the several weapons. “It was a simple mistake.”
“A simple mistake my ass!” She grumbled tossing several more weapons at him with every word she spoke. “It’s not like walking into a girl’s bathroom in a public restaurant just to tell me that I was wasting time and training would be longer if I didn’t hurry could ever possibly be a mistake Neji! I’m surprised your not embarrassed…but I can tell you I sure as hell am!”
“Well…you were taking to long.” Neji coughed and twisted left and right to avoid the weapons points that were threatening to lodge into his rib cage.
“Yeah...I know Neji…I’m sorry.” She called never halting her assault of weapons.
“Really? Then why are you still attacking me?” Neji questioned ducking from a needle and kunai.
“That was sarcasm you twit!” She snarled.
“Wow mommy…those two are….are…insane” A small child passing by said gently tugging her mother’s kimono sleeve and pointing to the feuding duo outside the Ichigo ramen restraunt.
The mother coughed and shifted her eyes from ahead to the rampaging two. “Yes darling they are crazy….those are the kind of people you avoid…” The mother ruffled her young daughter’s hair.
“Mommy can we go…they are scaring me…” The young girl pleaded and clung to her mother closely.
“Of course sweetie lets go” The mother gave the bickering two one last scrutinizing look before scurrying off hurriedly.
“Oh….gosh…now look Neji you’re creating a scene!” TenTen snarled flinging another weapon at his head.
“I am not the one creating the scene here. You are.” He stated in a matter of fact voice.
“No…I didn’t.” She huffed. “If I had I wouldn’t have to if you hadn’t gone into the restroom.”
Neji sighed in frustration and headed toward her grabbing her as soon as she threw the last weapon in her hand and flung her over his shoulder with a lot of tremendous effort.
She gave a small “Humph.” She grunted and began to pound on his back with her now balled up fists. “Let go of me!”
“How do I put this? No.” Neji shook his head and tightened his grip on her.
“Drop me now!” She shouted pounding on him harder.
“Sorry no can do.” Neji retorted bending down slowly picking up the scattered object that at one point were tossed at him.
He stood back up and deposited the weapons with one free hand into his weapons pouch till it was bulging. He then wrapped his arm around her back once more. Then he started towards the path to the training grounds carrying a grumpy TenTen over his shoulder.
----- Later that day-----
A tired Neji and TenTen laid their backs against two separate trees. Neji’s chest rose up and down as he took each breath. TenTen’s hair had begun to come loose from their tight buns.
A small log near them had been forced to nothing but splinters and their tired green clad teammate Lee sat on the ground a giant grin plastered to his face.
A giant turtle appeared in a cloud of smoke. “Oh look here. We have three ninjas who are already tired. Ha! I’m surprised you even passed the academy!” The turtle scoffed insulting the three.
Lee blinked his large round eyes and gave a light sniffle. “B-but….I’ve trained so long I deserve to be a ninja.”
The turtle looked over at Lee and grunted. “I don’t know why Gai-sensei likes you so much…” The turtle huffed.
“You’re just a turtle…you don’t even know how to fight…” Neji scoffed closing his silver orbs and crossing his arms.
The turtle gazed at Neji and let out another unsatisfied grunt. “You’re too arrogant for your own good kid.”
“Besides…you can’t train and we can’t see how Gai-sensei even keeps you around. I bet you’d taste good in Turtle soup.” TenTen replied. She grinned and Neji opened one eye at her and let a small smirk appear. She stuck her tongue out at the Turtle as a sign of sure victory.
“AH!!! I BELIEVE THAT’S ENOUGH INSULTING!!!!” A loud booming voice shouted.
“Of course…they are yours now Gai sensei” The turtle replied.
“THANKYOU!!!! GET READY MY YOUTHFUL STUDENTS!!! HAVE NO WORRIES….HAVE NO STRESS FOR I, GAI SENSEI, HAVE ARRIVED!!!” In a flash smoke began to trickle from the top of the turtles shell magically. The smoke slowly drifted away to show a man with a bowl shaped hair cut, giant bushy eyebrows, and an overly bright white smile in green clad spandex appeared on top of the Turtle’s shell. The man was in another awkward pose. He looked over the three teens and winked in their direction and threw them a thumbs up. He slid down the turtle’s shell and landed standing in front of them his feet flat on the ground.
Lee stood up and began to run to the man. “GAI SENSEI!!!” He shouted as tears appeared in the corners of his circle like eyes.
The man turned his head and sniffled. He too stood up and began to prance towards Lee. “LEE!!!”
A backdrop of a sunset appeared behind the running two. And beach sounds began to play.
“GAI SENSEI!!!” Lee cried out and jumped up launching himself forward.
“LEE!!!!” The sensei replied and bent on one knee catching the boy and hugging him. Tears began to streak down his face.
“GAI SENSEI!” The boy sniffled and cuddled to the man.
“LEE!” Then man blinked then brought a fist upward and punched Lee square in the stomach sending him flying.
Lee flew back and soon skidded to a stop a few feet away. He rubbed his stomach and looked back at Gai.
“LEE….HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY FOR THESE KIDS TO HOLD THE BACKDROP AND PLAY THE MUSIC?” Gai asked as he sniffled and gazed back at the stunned tear ridden Lee.
“60 yen Gai-sensei…” Lee muttered softly.
“I see…so that’s why I was 60 yen short to pay Kakashi when I lost that bet I made today.” Gai replied rubbing his chin. “Okay guys you may go…you’re jobs done.” Gai stated tilting his head to one side.
“Yes sir.” Three boys’ heads popped out behind the backdrop. “Okay let’s roll up the background.” Two of the three boys began to work together to roll up the giant sunset background.
“I got the music taken care of already.” The third boy called out picking up the stereo that was used for the beach music.
“Thanks mister…for the money” The boys called before leaving with the background and music.
Lee sniffled. “I’m so sorry Gai Sensei!”
Gai embraced the crying Lee. “It’s okay my youthful student. You’re too young and too youthful to understand the importance of having enough money to pay off a bet you lost…I forgive you Lee.” Gai began to cry and clung to Lee.
“That’s just…sick” Neji scoffed and twitched his right eye to show his disgust.
TenTen laughed softly and shook her head. “It is gross.” She nodded. “But…” She continued. “It might have been cute if it were a guy and a girl.”
Neji looked over at TenTen then shrugged. “I just think it’s gross in general.” He stood up and offered TenTen a hand.
She refused. “I can stand up on my own thanks.” She dusted off her pants and smiled at him.
“Shall we walk home?” He asked her walking ahead without even stopping for her response.
“Don’t suppose I have much of a choice.” She stated and quickened her pace to reach his side. She kicked small pebbles as they walked. She cleared her throat. “So…its Hinata-chan’s birthday this week…and Hinabi-chan’s celebration for being put on a team this week huh?”
Neji looked at her and gave slow nod. “Yes.”
“Am I invited?” She asked and wiggled her eyebrows at him.
“You know you are.” He retorted and smirked.
She shrugged. “I still wanted to confirm the answer.” She grinned and began to whistle a small tune as they walked onward.
--- At Kiba Inuzuka’s House ((In the Morning)) ---
A small boy around the young age of five followed behind his father and older sister as they walked along the path littered with stores. The boy blinked and gently tugged on his father’s blue kimono sleeve. The father, who was looking at the tomatoes in a vegetable stand at the time, stood up and looked down at his son. “Yes?”
“Daddy may I go over and play at the park till your done with shopping?” The boy blinked up at his father his hand still clenched around the loose kimono sleeve.
The father gave a small laugh and bent down to his young son’s height. He looked into his son’s eyes with his own thin pupils. A smile appeared on his face and he let a strong calloused hand to land upon the boy’s head and he gently moved it from left to right ruffling the boy’s soft disheveled brunet hair. “Of course you can son…just tell me where it is.”
The boy’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Really I can? Yay! Thanks Daddy!” The boy jumped at his father hugging him to the best of his ability for he didn’t have long enough arms to wrap around his father’s whole chest. The boy pried himself from his father to point forcefully at a small seemingly empty play area.
The father’s eyes followed to where the boy pointed. He smiled. “Yeah okay.” He laughed and looked down at his boy’s hand. “Wrong finger son…you don’t point with that finger. Infact you should never point at anything with that finger. Nor, should you ever point it up high.” The man laughed covering his son’s hand with his own pushing the middle finger down and gently pulling out the ‘pointer’ finger. “There you go son…you point with that finger.”
The boy grinned toothily at his father. “Thanks daddy…”
“Hana…go with him.” The father straightened up and commanded his daughter to follow his son to the play area.
The daughter gazed up at her father. “But dad…” She complained. “I’m a ninja now…” She puffed out her chest and pointed to the new head band she tied around her neck loosely.
“Yes I realize that my big girl.” The father replied in a knowing manner. “However you’re big enough to go and watch your little brother play…like a big kid would do. And you are a big kid, right?” The father chuckled as he verbally stomped on his daughter’s ‘I’m too big for this’ theory.
Feeling challenged by her own father the girl nodded. “Fine then, I’ll watch him. Like the big kunichi that I am.” She retorted and offered her hand to her little brother. “Come on Kiba-kun I’m taking you there.”
The boy took his sister’s hand and gave a pleading look at his father as he was dragged forcefully to the park.
The father chuckled and winked at his son giving a small shrug and mouthing the word ‘Sorry’ to him. “I’ll call for you when I’m done.” The father called after his children. He watched as his daughter wave behind her back with one free hand as a sign of hearing him
The little boy gleefully smiled as he finally was free of his sister’s tight death grip on his hand. He eyed his sister as she sat on a wooden bench. He watched a little longer as he saw his sister begin to polish the metal on her head band. The boy shrugged and ran to inspect the playground in interest. He bent down and stuck his head into a hollowed out yellow slide. His eyes search the inside of it. He blinked when he saw tiny purple soled shoes. “Wha-”He began but was abruptly interrupted as soon as the shoes went flying towards his face carrying a young body with them. The boy found himself lying on his back landing onto the ground covered with orange mulch his face tilted and his eyes glued to the blue sky filled with fluffy thin white clouds. “Ouch” He murmured rubbing his head and sitting forward.
“O-oh my…I-I’m so s-sorry.” A stuttering voice said.
The boy tilted his head to the side to the left side. His eyes grew wide then returned to their normal size as he relaxed a little. “Oh…hi…” He replied smiling a little to the shy purple-black haired girl who was kneeling beside him with her eyes closed and her head bowed in apology. “Oh hey, don’t worry its okay you didn’t hurt me…well a lot at least…” He chuckled lightly in an effort to calm the girl who seemed to be around the same age as him.
She opened her eyes to glance at the boy and a small blush traced her cheeks. “O-okay.” She gulped as she tried to force a giggle that was about to erupt as she looked over at his goofy face. “A-are you sure y-you are o-okay? You h-have my shoe p-prints on y-your forehead”
He gently rubbed his forehead and laughed. “Yeah I’m sure.” He nodded. “Are you okay?” He gazed at her eyes. He had never seen such clear milky eyes before in his life. “Wow…you have cool eyes…I never seen eyes like those before.” He blurted out before he could stop himself.
“Y-yes I’m o-okay.” She nodded and her blush deepened as he commented on her eyes. “T-thank you…everyone i-in my f-family has eyes like m-mine.” She stuttered nervously. “B-by t-the way I l-like the triangles y-you painted on y-your cheeks.” She said softly and gently pointed to one triangle on one of his right cheek then pointed to the other red triangle that was identical to the other only on his left cheek.
“Oh…this?” He traced his markings on his cheeks lightly with his index finger and let out a small chuckled. “Nah…I didn’t paint these” He nodded. “I dunno why…but my whole family has these...” He grinned toothily. “We also all have dogs….I will get one too when I get to the big kid stage.” He grinned even more and nodded violently.
“Wow…I’m r-really happy f-for you…I wished I h-had a dog.” She let one small giggle escape from her thin lips.
“Oh by the way, I’m Kiba.” He smiled and offered a dirty hand. “Kiba Inuzuka.”
“Oh…i-it’s a p-pleasure.” She took his small hand in her even smaller hand and gently shook it. “I’m…” Her words became blurred and inaudible. Two loud shouts were heard and a woman and a tall long haired silver eyed man appeared.
The boy knew instantly that the girl belonged to them. They must have been her parents. He looked at her as she began to stand. He stood too and gently grabbed her left hand. She looked over at him in a questioning manner. “Hold on I wanna give you something before you leave.” The girl nodded slowly then looked at her parents and held up one finger to tell them she’d be there in a moment. Her father nodded and her mother did the same and put a tighter grip on the baby she was currently holding in her arms.
The boy stood in front of his sister poking his sister in the ribs. His sister grunted and sat up on the bench she had been laying on. She quirked and eyebrow at him in question. “What is it?” She asked him.
“I need the yellow ribbon.” He stated simply.
“The one I’m using to tie up my hair?” His sister asked him tugging softly at the golden yellow ribbon in her hair. She sighed and watched him nod. “Let me guess…you’re going to give it to her eh?” Once more he responded to his sister’s question with a small short nod. “Fine…fine” She tugged her ribbon from her brunet hair and let her hair fall softly on her shoulders. “Here you go. Need anything else?” She asked as she handed the ribbon to her brother.
“Yeah…do you have a black marker?” He gently took the ribbon. He smiled as he was also given a black ball pointed pen. “Thanks Sis.” He grinned and began to scribble words on the yellow ribbon. “Done.” He examined his messy work and tossed the pen gently on top of his sister’s stomach. He rushed over to the girl and handed the ribbon to her.
The girl blinked at him. He gently smiled at her. “It’s a yellow ribbon. I hope we see each other again.” He nodded and continued. “You see I’ll know it’s you if you collect tiny yellow ribbons and put the words I wrote on this ribbon on all of the other ribbons. Try to get a ribbon each year or so. Yah know, so that I know for sure its you in the future. Because I really wanna see you again…okay?”
She blinked and let a small smile appear and gave a gentle nod. “O-okay.” She watched him leave with his tired sister dragging behind him all the way to a tall brunet man with the same red markings on his cheeks. She blinked and looked down at the ribbon that hung over loosely in her hand. She held it close to her eyes to see the words ‘
P.S. I love you…’ scribbled in black ink on the yellow material. She giggled and slipped it softly into her pants pocket. Turning she headed to her own parents a smile plastered to her childish face.
The boy reached his father who was juggling several brown bags full of groceries.
The father chuckled. “What took so long? Never mind that…try to take some of this weight from your old man’s arms.”
The boy’s sister took two bags. She then took a light one and handed it to her brother.
He took the bag and wrapped his arms around it. He walked by his father’s side. “Daddy?”
“Yes son?” His father answered.
The boy looked at his dad. “Hey daddy…why do we have triangles on our cheeks?”
“Well son it isn’t just triangles on our cheeks.” His father began. “It’s one of the many signs of being born into or married into the Inuzuka family clan.” He coughed and snorted before getting ready to continue his explanation. “For example, your mother was not part of the clan before hand. As soon as we were married she had an option to stick with her old clan, the one she was born in, or the Inuzuka clan. She had chosen the Inuzuka clan. She had to change her last name, as all women have to do when they marry. However, she also had to rid her self of anything she may have inherited from her old clan. By using a certain process, if you will or surgery some may call it. Anyways, she too, having chosen our clan, had to have herself injected with a little animal DNA…as too make her like us. What I am trying to say is that she had this done so to gain the slight animal instincts we inherit in this clan. Furthermore, she had her cheeks painted like ours with permanent sort of paint. Also she was given a canine companion since she became part of our clan. The same processes happen to a new born of the clan…except the part of choosing which clan and having DNA injected into you since you already inherit that DNA.” His father finished and grinned. “See what I’m trying to say son?”
“Sorta.” The boy answered with a nod of his own head.
A loud beeping noise erupted from a small radio alarm clock that rested on a bedside table where the tassel-haired Kiba slept along with his nin-dog Akamaru. Kiba grunted and turned to the side allowing him to sleep on as the clock beeped for five more minutes. Ten minutes later Kiba tossed again. After around fifteen minutes the clock quit its aggravating nonstop beeping only to be replaced by the radio’s announcer who began to report the daily morning news.
“W-well well Konoha it’s another lovely village day…and its five in the morning with little chance of rain in the…” The voice of the announcer began to sing out the usual morning report but was ended in mid sentence as Kiba’s fist came down and slammed on the sleep button of the clock. The room was suddenly filled with awkward morning silence.
Kiba sat up and glanced around in the dark then shook his head and let out one long yawn breaking the silence once more. He rubbed his eyes wiping away the morning guck from his eyes. He brought his arms up and over his head so to stretch the stiffness from his limbs. He turned his head to one side then to the other gently cracking his neck. He let his right hand search through the darkness till it hit a lamp that rested on the night stand beside his bed. He gently flicked the switch and the lamp’s light engulfed the room shoving the darkness away. Kiba glanced over at an old black and white photo beside the clock. He eyed the photograph looking straight at the little boy that had long ago been him. Then his eyes traveled to the tall man who had been his father before he had been killed in battle
Kiba rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. Yawning for the last time, Kiba tilted his head to the right and his eyes fell onto a once sleeping dog that lay beside his right leg. “G’mornin’ Akamaru” Kiba spoke in a slow voice with a sleepy tone.
The vanilla dog sniffed the air and blinked raising his head to look up into the face of his master. The dog blinked more and soon his eyes grew wide in realization of something. Suddenly the dog began to put on a face of pain and gave several low whines combined with a few barks in his master’s direction. His teeth sank into Kiba’s pajama sleeve and tugged with force.
Kiba blinked down at the dog and sighed. “OH! I’m sorry ol’ buddy” He said in an exasperated tone and arched his right leg so that the dog could remove his tail and bring it back to safety without the chance of getting hurt once more.
Akamaru snorted and gave a small nod as if showing the signs of forgiveness. The dog gave a small bark and jumped off the bed landing softly on the ground with a small light thud.
Kiba stretched one last time before joining his canine companion and slipped out of his bed his feet landing on the wooden floor. “You know what Akamaru…I had an odd sort of dream…”
His dog tilted his head to the side and let out a interested bark.
“Yeah it was sort of a flashback and dream mixed together. Strange, huh?”
--- Ten Minutes later---
Kiba eyed himself in the mirror. Satisfied with his outfit he ran one hand through his hair and looked at Akamaru who, once more, had seated himself on the bed for the past few minutes watching Kiba’s morning ‘duties’.
Kiba smiled and turned around. “Ready boy?” He grinned at the small dog.
Akamaru barked and watched carefully as Kiba picked him up and softly placed him in his jacket. Akamaru gripped onto the collar with his front paws and forced his head up to look around the room.
“Come on…we got a veterinarian appointment to handle…” Akamaru gave a small whine at hearing this. “I’m sorry…you know every two years a Inuzuka nin-dog must be tested to make sure they can be used as companions and weapons…” Kiba retorted in a knowing fashion.
Kiba opened the door of his room and exited slamming the door shut. He jumped down the stairs skipping every two steps as he went till he reached the floor at the end. He ran to the kitchen and skidded to a stop just before hitting the large oval wooden breakfast table. He walked slowly to the fridge and opened the door digging his head into it and eyeing the contents that it bore inside its chilling box like shape.
“G’mornin Kiba” came a female voice.
Kiba took his head out of the fridge and stood straight. He blinked and turned his head to the side to spot a brunet haired girl sitting at the table eyeing him.
“OH! Hello there, Hana-nechan.” He greeted his older sister.
She nodded and covered her mouth with her hand and let out a small yawn. She watched him pull out and apple and then shut the fridge door. “I was wondering when you’d stop letting the cold air into the house” His sister joked lightly. “Anyhow...Kiba. I noticed it was young Hinata Hyuuga’s birthday tomorrow am I right?”
Kiba’s eyes grew wide. “Oh yeah it is” He nodded violently.
“Well tell you what…” Kiba blinked and nodded to his sister.
oh yeah and...I end the chapter with a cliff hanger for a reason
-nod-
---
---- Outside Of Ichigo Ramen Shop ((In The Morning))---
“TenTen take it easy!” A silver orbed, long haired Hyuuga Neji shouted dodging several pointy knifes flying towards him in a not so graceful style.
“No!” A brunet girl with chocolate eyes snarled back. She brandished several kunai knives before tossing them effortlessly in the boy’s general direction.
“Come on…hear me out” He shouted before having to jump to avoid three knives from slashing his kneecaps to shreds. “Please calm down.”
“No!” She retorted spinning in a circle around him throwing millions of the sharpened weapons. “I refuse to calm down and to listen to you!”
“Bet you wouldn’t refuse a million dollars and a dirty dance.” Neji muttered.
“What was that Hyuuga?” She called throwing the knives and now needles at him with more power.
“Nothing.” He zigzagged dodging the several weapons. “It was a simple mistake.”
“A simple mistake my ass!” She grumbled tossing several more weapons at him with every word she spoke. “It’s not like walking into a girl’s bathroom in a public restaurant just to tell me that I was wasting time and training would be longer if I didn’t hurry could ever possibly be a mistake Neji! I’m surprised your not embarrassed…but I can tell you I sure as hell am!”
“Well…you were taking to long.” Neji coughed and twisted left and right to avoid the weapons points that were threatening to lodge into his rib cage.
“Yeah...I know Neji…I’m sorry.” She called never halting her assault of weapons.
“Really? Then why are you still attacking me?” Neji questioned ducking from a needle and kunai.
“That was sarcasm you twit!” She snarled.
“Wow mommy…those two are….are…insane” A small child passing by said gently tugging her mother’s kimono sleeve and pointing to the feuding duo outside the Ichigo ramen restraunt.
The mother coughed and shifted her eyes from ahead to the rampaging two. “Yes darling they are crazy….those are the kind of people you avoid…” The mother ruffled her young daughter’s hair.
“Mommy can we go…they are scaring me…” The young girl pleaded and clung to her mother closely.
“Of course sweetie lets go” The mother gave the bickering two one last scrutinizing look before scurrying off hurriedly.
“Oh….gosh…now look Neji you’re creating a scene!” TenTen snarled flinging another weapon at his head.
“I am not the one creating the scene here. You are.” He stated in a matter of fact voice.
“No…I didn’t.” She huffed. “If I had I wouldn’t have to if you hadn’t gone into the restroom.”
Neji sighed in frustration and headed toward her grabbing her as soon as she threw the last weapon in her hand and flung her over his shoulder with a lot of tremendous effort.
She gave a small “Humph.” She grunted and began to pound on his back with her now balled up fists. “Let go of me!”
“How do I put this? No.” Neji shook his head and tightened his grip on her.
“Drop me now!” She shouted pounding on him harder.
“Sorry no can do.” Neji retorted bending down slowly picking up the scattered object that at one point were tossed at him.
He stood back up and deposited the weapons with one free hand into his weapons pouch till it was bulging. He then wrapped his arm around her back once more. Then he started towards the path to the training grounds carrying a grumpy TenTen over his shoulder.
----- Later that day-----
A tired Neji and TenTen laid their backs against two separate trees. Neji’s chest rose up and down as he took each breath. TenTen’s hair had begun to come loose from their tight buns.
A small log near them had been forced to nothing but splinters and their tired green clad teammate Lee sat on the ground a giant grin plastered to his face.
A giant turtle appeared in a cloud of smoke. “Oh look here. We have three ninjas who are already tired. Ha! I’m surprised you even passed the academy!” The turtle scoffed insulting the three.
Lee blinked his large round eyes and gave a light sniffle. “B-but….I’ve trained so long I deserve to be a ninja.”
The turtle looked over at Lee and grunted. “I don’t know why Gai-sensei likes you so much…” The turtle huffed.
“You’re just a turtle…you don’t even know how to fight…” Neji scoffed closing his silver orbs and crossing his arms.
The turtle gazed at Neji and let out another unsatisfied grunt. “You’re too arrogant for your own good kid.”
“Besides…you can’t train and we can’t see how Gai-sensei even keeps you around. I bet you’d taste good in Turtle soup.” TenTen replied. She grinned and Neji opened one eye at her and let a small smirk appear. She stuck her tongue out at the Turtle as a sign of sure victory.
“AH!!! I BELIEVE THAT’S ENOUGH INSULTING!!!!” A loud booming voice shouted.
“Of course…they are yours now Gai sensei” The turtle replied.
“THANKYOU!!!! GET READY MY YOUTHFUL STUDENTS!!! HAVE NO WORRIES….HAVE NO STRESS FOR I, GAI SENSEI, HAVE ARRIVED!!!” In a flash smoke began to trickle from the top of the turtles shell magically. The smoke slowly drifted away to show a man with a bowl shaped hair cut, giant bushy eyebrows, and an overly bright white smile in green clad spandex appeared on top of the Turtle’s shell. The man was in another awkward pose. He looked over the three teens and winked in their direction and threw them a thumbs up. He slid down the turtle’s shell and landed standing in front of them his feet flat on the ground.
Lee stood up and began to run to the man. “GAI SENSEI!!!” He shouted as tears appeared in the corners of his circle like eyes.
The man turned his head and sniffled. He too stood up and began to prance towards Lee. “LEE!!!”
A backdrop of a sunset appeared behind the running two. And beach sounds began to play.
“GAI SENSEI!!!” Lee cried out and jumped up launching himself forward.
“LEE!!!!” The sensei replied and bent on one knee catching the boy and hugging him. Tears began to streak down his face.
“GAI SENSEI!” The boy sniffled and cuddled to the man.
“LEE!” Then man blinked then brought a fist upward and punched Lee square in the stomach sending him flying.
Lee flew back and soon skidded to a stop a few feet away. He rubbed his stomach and looked back at Gai.
“LEE….HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY FOR THESE KIDS TO HOLD THE BACKDROP AND PLAY THE MUSIC?” Gai asked as he sniffled and gazed back at the stunned tear ridden Lee.
“60 yen Gai-sensei…” Lee muttered softly.
“I see…so that’s why I was 60 yen short to pay Kakashi when I lost that bet I made today.” Gai replied rubbing his chin. “Okay guys you may go…you’re jobs done.” Gai stated tilting his head to one side.
“Yes sir.” Three boys’ heads popped out behind the backdrop. “Okay let’s roll up the background.” Two of the three boys began to work together to roll up the giant sunset background.
“I got the music taken care of already.” The third boy called out picking up the stereo that was used for the beach music.
“Thanks mister…for the money” The boys called before leaving with the background and music.
Lee sniffled. “I’m so sorry Gai Sensei!”
Gai embraced the crying Lee. “It’s okay my youthful student. You’re too young and too youthful to understand the importance of having enough money to pay off a bet you lost…I forgive you Lee.” Gai began to cry and clung to Lee.
“That’s just…sick” Neji scoffed and twitched his right eye to show his disgust.
TenTen laughed softly and shook her head. “It is gross.” She nodded. “But…” She continued. “It might have been cute if it were a guy and a girl.”
Neji looked over at TenTen then shrugged. “I just think it’s gross in general.” He stood up and offered TenTen a hand.
She refused. “I can stand up on my own thanks.” She dusted off her pants and smiled at him.
“Shall we walk home?” He asked her walking ahead without even stopping for her response.
“Don’t suppose I have much of a choice.” She stated and quickened her pace to reach his side. She kicked small pebbles as they walked. She cleared her throat. “So…its Hinata-chan’s birthday this week…and Hinabi-chan’s celebration for being put on a team this week huh?”
Neji looked at her and gave slow nod. “Yes.”
“Am I invited?” She asked and wiggled her eyebrows at him.
“You know you are.” He retorted and smirked.
She shrugged. “I still wanted to confirm the answer.” She grinned and began to whistle a small tune as they walked onward.
--- At Kiba Inuzuka’s House ((In the Morning)) ---
A small boy around the young age of five followed behind his father and older sister as they walked along the path littered with stores. The boy blinked and gently tugged on his father’s blue kimono sleeve. The father, who was looking at the tomatoes in a vegetable stand at the time, stood up and looked down at his son. “Yes?”
“Daddy may I go over and play at the park till your done with shopping?” The boy blinked up at his father his hand still clenched around the loose kimono sleeve.
The father gave a small laugh and bent down to his young son’s height. He looked into his son’s eyes with his own thin pupils. A smile appeared on his face and he let a strong calloused hand to land upon the boy’s head and he gently moved it from left to right ruffling the boy’s soft disheveled brunet hair. “Of course you can son…just tell me where it is.”
The boy’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Really I can? Yay! Thanks Daddy!” The boy jumped at his father hugging him to the best of his ability for he didn’t have long enough arms to wrap around his father’s whole chest. The boy pried himself from his father to point forcefully at a small seemingly empty play area.
The father’s eyes followed to where the boy pointed. He smiled. “Yeah okay.” He laughed and looked down at his boy’s hand. “Wrong finger son…you don’t point with that finger. Infact you should never point at anything with that finger. Nor, should you ever point it up high.” The man laughed covering his son’s hand with his own pushing the middle finger down and gently pulling out the ‘pointer’ finger. “There you go son…you point with that finger.”
The boy grinned toothily at his father. “Thanks daddy…”
“Hana…go with him.” The father straightened up and commanded his daughter to follow his son to the play area.
The daughter gazed up at her father. “But dad…” She complained. “I’m a ninja now…” She puffed out her chest and pointed to the new head band she tied around her neck loosely.
“Yes I realize that my big girl.” The father replied in a knowing manner. “However you’re big enough to go and watch your little brother play…like a big kid would do. And you are a big kid, right?” The father chuckled as he verbally stomped on his daughter’s ‘I’m too big for this’ theory.
Feeling challenged by her own father the girl nodded. “Fine then, I’ll watch him. Like the big kunichi that I am.” She retorted and offered her hand to her little brother. “Come on Kiba-kun I’m taking you there.”
The boy took his sister’s hand and gave a pleading look at his father as he was dragged forcefully to the park.
The father chuckled and winked at his son giving a small shrug and mouthing the word ‘Sorry’ to him. “I’ll call for you when I’m done.” The father called after his children. He watched as his daughter wave behind her back with one free hand as a sign of hearing him
The little boy gleefully smiled as he finally was free of his sister’s tight death grip on his hand. He eyed his sister as she sat on a wooden bench. He watched a little longer as he saw his sister begin to polish the metal on her head band. The boy shrugged and ran to inspect the playground in interest. He bent down and stuck his head into a hollowed out yellow slide. His eyes search the inside of it. He blinked when he saw tiny purple soled shoes. “Wha-”He began but was abruptly interrupted as soon as the shoes went flying towards his face carrying a young body with them. The boy found himself lying on his back landing onto the ground covered with orange mulch his face tilted and his eyes glued to the blue sky filled with fluffy thin white clouds. “Ouch” He murmured rubbing his head and sitting forward.
“O-oh my…I-I’m so s-sorry.” A stuttering voice said.
The boy tilted his head to the side to the left side. His eyes grew wide then returned to their normal size as he relaxed a little. “Oh…hi…” He replied smiling a little to the shy purple-black haired girl who was kneeling beside him with her eyes closed and her head bowed in apology. “Oh hey, don’t worry its okay you didn’t hurt me…well a lot at least…” He chuckled lightly in an effort to calm the girl who seemed to be around the same age as him.
She opened her eyes to glance at the boy and a small blush traced her cheeks. “O-okay.” She gulped as she tried to force a giggle that was about to erupt as she looked over at his goofy face. “A-are you sure y-you are o-okay? You h-have my shoe p-prints on y-your forehead”
He gently rubbed his forehead and laughed. “Yeah I’m sure.” He nodded. “Are you okay?” He gazed at her eyes. He had never seen such clear milky eyes before in his life. “Wow…you have cool eyes…I never seen eyes like those before.” He blurted out before he could stop himself.
“Y-yes I’m o-okay.” She nodded and her blush deepened as he commented on her eyes. “T-thank you…everyone i-in my f-family has eyes like m-mine.” She stuttered nervously. “B-by t-the way I l-like the triangles y-you painted on y-your cheeks.” She said softly and gently pointed to one triangle on one of his right cheek then pointed to the other red triangle that was identical to the other only on his left cheek.
“Oh…this?” He traced his markings on his cheeks lightly with his index finger and let out a small chuckled. “Nah…I didn’t paint these” He nodded. “I dunno why…but my whole family has these...” He grinned toothily. “We also all have dogs….I will get one too when I get to the big kid stage.” He grinned even more and nodded violently.
“Wow…I’m r-really happy f-for you…I wished I h-had a dog.” She let one small giggle escape from her thin lips.
“Oh by the way, I’m Kiba.” He smiled and offered a dirty hand. “Kiba Inuzuka.”
“Oh…i-it’s a p-pleasure.” She took his small hand in her even smaller hand and gently shook it. “I’m…” Her words became blurred and inaudible. Two loud shouts were heard and a woman and a tall long haired silver eyed man appeared.
The boy knew instantly that the girl belonged to them. They must have been her parents. He looked at her as she began to stand. He stood too and gently grabbed her left hand. She looked over at him in a questioning manner. “Hold on I wanna give you something before you leave.” The girl nodded slowly then looked at her parents and held up one finger to tell them she’d be there in a moment. Her father nodded and her mother did the same and put a tighter grip on the baby she was currently holding in her arms.
The boy stood in front of his sister poking his sister in the ribs. His sister grunted and sat up on the bench she had been laying on. She quirked and eyebrow at him in question. “What is it?” She asked him.
“I need the yellow ribbon.” He stated simply.
“The one I’m using to tie up my hair?” His sister asked him tugging softly at the golden yellow ribbon in her hair. She sighed and watched him nod. “Let me guess…you’re going to give it to her eh?” Once more he responded to his sister’s question with a small short nod. “Fine…fine” She tugged her ribbon from her brunet hair and let her hair fall softly on her shoulders. “Here you go. Need anything else?” She asked as she handed the ribbon to her brother.
“Yeah…do you have a black marker?” He gently took the ribbon. He smiled as he was also given a black ball pointed pen. “Thanks Sis.” He grinned and began to scribble words on the yellow ribbon. “Done.” He examined his messy work and tossed the pen gently on top of his sister’s stomach. He rushed over to the girl and handed the ribbon to her.
The girl blinked at him. He gently smiled at her. “It’s a yellow ribbon. I hope we see each other again.” He nodded and continued. “You see I’ll know it’s you if you collect tiny yellow ribbons and put the words I wrote on this ribbon on all of the other ribbons. Try to get a ribbon each year or so. Yah know, so that I know for sure its you in the future. Because I really wanna see you again…okay?”
She blinked and let a small smile appear and gave a gentle nod. “O-okay.” She watched him leave with his tired sister dragging behind him all the way to a tall brunet man with the same red markings on his cheeks. She blinked and looked down at the ribbon that hung over loosely in her hand. She held it close to her eyes to see the words ‘
P.S. I love you…’ scribbled in black ink on the yellow material. She giggled and slipped it softly into her pants pocket. Turning she headed to her own parents a smile plastered to her childish face.
The boy reached his father who was juggling several brown bags full of groceries.
The father chuckled. “What took so long? Never mind that…try to take some of this weight from your old man’s arms.”
The boy’s sister took two bags. She then took a light one and handed it to her brother.
He took the bag and wrapped his arms around it. He walked by his father’s side. “Daddy?”
“Yes son?” His father answered.
The boy looked at his dad. “Hey daddy…why do we have triangles on our cheeks?”
“Well son it isn’t just triangles on our cheeks.” His father began. “It’s one of the many signs of being born into or married into the Inuzuka family clan.” He coughed and snorted before getting ready to continue his explanation. “For example, your mother was not part of the clan before hand. As soon as we were married she had an option to stick with her old clan, the one she was born in, or the Inuzuka clan. She had chosen the Inuzuka clan. She had to change her last name, as all women have to do when they marry. However, she also had to rid her self of anything she may have inherited from her old clan. By using a certain process, if you will or surgery some may call it. Anyways, she too, having chosen our clan, had to have herself injected with a little animal DNA…as too make her like us. What I am trying to say is that she had this done so to gain the slight animal instincts we inherit in this clan. Furthermore, she had her cheeks painted like ours with permanent sort of paint. Also she was given a canine companion since she became part of our clan. The same processes happen to a new born of the clan…except the part of choosing which clan and having DNA injected into you since you already inherit that DNA.” His father finished and grinned. “See what I’m trying to say son?”
“Sorta.” The boy answered with a nod of his own head.
A loud beeping noise erupted from a small radio alarm clock that rested on a bedside table where the tassel-haired Kiba slept along with his nin-dog Akamaru. Kiba grunted and turned to the side allowing him to sleep on as the clock beeped for five more minutes. Ten minutes later Kiba tossed again. After around fifteen minutes the clock quit its aggravating nonstop beeping only to be replaced by the radio’s announcer who began to report the daily morning news.
“W-well well Konoha it’s another lovely village day…and its five in the morning with little chance of rain in the…” The voice of the announcer began to sing out the usual morning report but was ended in mid sentence as Kiba’s fist came down and slammed on the sleep button of the clock. The room was suddenly filled with awkward morning silence.
Kiba sat up and glanced around in the dark then shook his head and let out one long yawn breaking the silence once more. He rubbed his eyes wiping away the morning guck from his eyes. He brought his arms up and over his head so to stretch the stiffness from his limbs. He turned his head to one side then to the other gently cracking his neck. He let his right hand search through the darkness till it hit a lamp that rested on the night stand beside his bed. He gently flicked the switch and the lamp’s light engulfed the room shoving the darkness away. Kiba glanced over at an old black and white photo beside the clock. He eyed the photograph looking straight at the little boy that had long ago been him. Then his eyes traveled to the tall man who had been his father before he had been killed in battle
Kiba rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. Yawning for the last time, Kiba tilted his head to the right and his eyes fell onto a once sleeping dog that lay beside his right leg. “G’mornin’ Akamaru” Kiba spoke in a slow voice with a sleepy tone.
The vanilla dog sniffed the air and blinked raising his head to look up into the face of his master. The dog blinked more and soon his eyes grew wide in realization of something. Suddenly the dog began to put on a face of pain and gave several low whines combined with a few barks in his master’s direction. His teeth sank into Kiba’s pajama sleeve and tugged with force.
Kiba blinked down at the dog and sighed. “OH! I’m sorry ol’ buddy” He said in an exasperated tone and arched his right leg so that the dog could remove his tail and bring it back to safety without the chance of getting hurt once more.
Akamaru snorted and gave a small nod as if showing the signs of forgiveness. The dog gave a small bark and jumped off the bed landing softly on the ground with a small light thud.
Kiba stretched one last time before joining his canine companion and slipped out of his bed his feet landing on the wooden floor. “You know what Akamaru…I had an odd sort of dream…”
His dog tilted his head to the side and let out a interested bark.
“Yeah it was sort of a flashback and dream mixed together. Strange, huh?”
--- Ten Minutes later---
Kiba eyed himself in the mirror. Satisfied with his outfit he ran one hand through his hair and looked at Akamaru who, once more, had seated himself on the bed for the past few minutes watching Kiba’s morning ‘duties’.
Kiba smiled and turned around. “Ready boy?” He grinned at the small dog.
Akamaru barked and watched carefully as Kiba picked him up and softly placed him in his jacket. Akamaru gripped onto the collar with his front paws and forced his head up to look around the room.
“Come on…we got a veterinarian appointment to handle…” Akamaru gave a small whine at hearing this. “I’m sorry…you know every two years a Inuzuka nin-dog must be tested to make sure they can be used as companions and weapons…” Kiba retorted in a knowing fashion.
Kiba opened the door of his room and exited slamming the door shut. He jumped down the stairs skipping every two steps as he went till he reached the floor at the end. He ran to the kitchen and skidded to a stop just before hitting the large oval wooden breakfast table. He walked slowly to the fridge and opened the door digging his head into it and eyeing the contents that it bore inside its chilling box like shape.
“G’mornin Kiba” came a female voice.
Kiba took his head out of the fridge and stood straight. He blinked and turned his head to the side to spot a brunet haired girl sitting at the table eyeing him.
“OH! Hello there, Hana-nechan.” He greeted his older sister.
She nodded and covered her mouth with her hand and let out a small yawn. She watched him pull out and apple and then shut the fridge door. “I was wondering when you’d stop letting the cold air into the house” His sister joked lightly. “Anyhow...Kiba. I noticed it was young Hinata Hyuuga’s birthday tomorrow am I right?”
Kiba’s eyes grew wide. “Oh yeah it is” He nodded violently.
“Well tell you what…” Kiba blinked and nodded to his sister.
