Author's Note: I came late to the party! I have only recently started watching the Naruto series, but I love it so much, I'm already in Shippūden! But I haven't finished the show, so this might not line up with the actual timeline. I have had some things spoiled for me, and if I need to include details from those spoilers, I'll be sure to work them in. I hope you enjoy this story either way!
Kiba Inuzuka waited impatiently with his puppy in his arms. He stood by the front gate of the Leaf Village with the hood of his jacket pulled over his head, despite the sun beating down on him. He heard his voice being called from behind him.
"Kibaaa! The Chunin exams will start soon!" His Sensei Kurenai called out to him. He turned and saw his Sensei and teammates waiting for him a ways off.
"I'm coming!" he shouted back. "I have to wait for my stupid uncle and his stupid family to get here!" Upon hearing this, Kurenai herded her other two students toward him to talk.
"You have family coming to the village?" she asked with some surprise. It wasn't often that Kiba spoke about his family. She hoped this insight would help her understand her stubborn student a little better. Kiba sniffed as he turned away.
"Yeah, my Mom's brother took off some years ago. He was a big softie, and Mom's way of doing things just didn't sit right with him. But of course, like the idiot he is, he's coming crawling back to the clan. Figures."
"W-why is he coming back, if he didn't like it here?" Hinata's soft voice sounded.
"Like I care. He's just going to be a burden on our family, is all."
In his arms, Kiba's puppy barked loudly. Kiba looked down at him.
"What is it, Akamaru? Do you smell them?"
Sure enough, two figures could be seen walking towards the village. As they approached, Akamaru leapt from Kiba's arms to greet them. The young girl and her father smiled. The girl stooped to pick the puppy up.
"You must be Akamaru!" she said gleefully. "You're even cuter than Daddy said you'd be!" The puppy's tail wagged enthusiastically. Kiba ran forward to catch up with his dog. The man smiled to him, his glasses framing his smiling eyes.
"Kiba! Look how you've grown! It feels as though I've been gone an age!" he said pleasantly. Kiba glared at him and snatched his dog back from the girl.
"I don't know you, old man." he grunted. "Mom said you couldn't stand us, so what are you doing back here, anyway?" The girl looked up at her father.
"Auntie Tsume said that?" she asked sadly. The man scratched the back of his head and sighed.
"I can see my sister's been feeding you that lovely attitude she carries with her." he mumbled. "And her opinions of me, to boot. I didn't leave because I disliked my family. Instead, it was the exact opposite!"
"Then spill it! Why'd you leave?!" Kiba demanded.
"The truth is, I just don't have a way with animals the way our clan members are supposed to have. I left to avoid bringing shame to our family name." he admitted. Kiba blinked in surprise.
"What...? But then why would Mom...?" he started.
"Your mother begged me not to go, though she'd be too proud to admit it. But I insisted. She was the head of our clan, she couldn't have her own brother be unable to live up to the family name! Ah, but I digress... I actually won't be staying long. Just long enough to see my daughter safely through these gates." He patted the head of the girl, who looked to be about Hinata's age. She smiled up at her father, then bowed to Kiba.
"My name is Michiko Fukuyoma! Nice to meet you, cousin!" She grinned, her green eyes glinting in the sun. She had her long, brown hair pulled to the lower right side of her head, where it braided down to her hip.
"Fukuyoma...?" Kiba asked quietly in confusion. Michiko's eyes fell humbly to the ground.
"Yes, I use my mother's last name, so as not to bring shame upon the Inuzuka Clan." she answered as though she had been told that hundreds of times before.
"You come here, imposing your daughter on my hospitality, and you're worried about shaming my clan, Fuma?" came a voice from above. Everyone lifted their eyes to the trees, where Tsume stood with her ninja dog. The man jumped.
"S-sister! I was hoping to be gone before you arrived..." Michiko's father sighed in defeat.
"I know you were." Tsume said sternly, jumping from the tree and approaching her brother. Michiko bowed again, deeper this time.
"Auntie Tsume! I don't mean to impose! I can find my own living accommodations, I promise!" she began. But was cut off when Tsume put a hand on her head. She lifted her niece from her bow and looked at her face.
"Hm. You look so much like your mother, from the pictures your father has sent me." she said thoughtfully. Then she turned around and punched her brother hard in the arm.
"Wh-what in the world was that for?!" Fuma demanded, rubbing his arm. Michiko hardly noticed, glowing with pride and admiration for being told she looked like her beautiful mother.
"That's for leaving me high and dry to manage the affairs of the clan by myself!" she barked. Then turned to smile at Michiko. "Go ahead and hug your father goodbye, then Kiba will show you where to put your things." she said sweetly. Kiba grunted.
"But Mom! The Chunin Exams are starting soon!" He cut himself off when his mother shot him a sharp glare.
"Then you better be quick about it! Now go!"
Michiko nodded happily. She hugged her father, who kissed the top of her head. Then she, Kiba, and the rest of his team entered the village walls. Tsume turned back to her brother.
"Where's Yuriko?" she asked. "You could at least introduce me to your wife, since you've been married for almost two decades." Fuma's countenance turned dark.
"Yuriko is gone." he said quietly. "That's the reason I brought Michiko here. I've finally caught wind of the whereabouts of the ninja that killed Yuriko, and I'm going after them."
"Fuma... I'm sorry to hear that. Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Tsume asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Just because I don't have an animal companion, doesn't mean I haven't been training as a ninja in other ways." Fuma said with a brief smile. "I'll be fine, Sister. Watch over my baby girl for me."
"I will. Just promise you won't make her an orphan. You and I both know how hard that is."
"I know. Thank you, Tsume."
With that, Fuma was gone, and it wasn't long after that the Chunin Exams were under way.
