The air was still cold, the sun barely peaking above the tree top canopy. Hikaru, the small ninja donned in array of swords tied to her hips, small daggers tied against her thighs, stood outside the gate of the Hidden Leaf Village. Her foot tapped the ground furiously. She shoot glances at her two comrades behind her, they remained silent. Akami, the other woman ninja her light brown hair curled to perfection, rest on her shoulders. Her pale green eyes attention directed to the tops of the gates, "I think someone is coming," she whispered to her brother, Daisuke. His eyes, a paler green than his sister's, flashed to the figure at the top of the gate. "I see him too," he replied.
The man dropped to ground in front of Hikaru, she reached up and pulled the mess of hair away from her face- tangling into a sloppy side pony, locks of the pale blonde hair hanging loose around her face. "Hikaru-san?" the man asked, standing up extending his hand to hers. She reach out and grabbed it but squeezed it uncomfortably against hers. "Two hours late…" she hissed, her crimson eyes burned with rage. "You don't invite the three weapon's masters of the south to your village and then make us wait." She bent his fingers back further, but the many easily broke the hold. "My name is Shikamaru, I've just been sent here to escort…" he signaled his hand to other shinobi above to open the gates. "the Hokage just informed me you were arriving…"
He led them in silence through the village; its people just now getting to their days, many carting goods to the market or opened store doors and windows signaling that they were ready for business. The three swordsmen followed in silence, Hikaru still fuming about the wait. She felt disrespected, especially since the man who invited them was an old comrade she had fought with during the war. Arriving at the Hokage tower, he led them up the stares into the main office. Not waiting for an introduction she shoved Shikamura out of the way, barging in through the doors. "Naruto-san!" she growled as she walked to his desk, slamming her fist down on it. "What the fuck was that all about?!" The Hokage looked surprised; he stood up embracing her in his arms, "Hikaru-chan! You came!" he mused. She pushed his arms away from her, "We've been out there for two hours! Daisuke nearly fainted!" Daisuke perked up when he heard his name, "No I did not!" he hollered back.
Shikamura, extremely confused, walked in behind Hikaru reaching his hand out to pull her back from Naruto. "You know them so well?" he asked, Hikaru glared at the hand that touched her. Naruto smiled, nodding to Shikamura as he walked around his desk and hugged Akami, and then Daisuke. "It's great to see you three again." Daisuke returned the hug, being much taller than Naruto, he easily picked him up and briefly squeezed him before letting him down. "Hai, Naruto, it is nice to see you…" Hikaru mumbled. "Hokage, huh?" Akami smiled, "it's nice to see you're doing something useful." He grinned again, "Yea yea, I see you three aren't doing much these days," he moved back to his desk sitting down and folding his arms against his chest, "traveling three straight days to come help teach at the academy and all… things must be pretty boring in the south." Hikaru sighed, it was true, patrolling was becoming pointless, and there hadn't been an incident that needed her team's attention in 9 months.
"Well, Shikamaru here is the head of the academy- he's got everything worked out for you three." Hikaru glanced back over to him and bowed slightly, "Please take care of us." Akami and Daisuke bowed as well. "Just don't keep trying light me on fire with your stare and we'll be fine…" he muttered, shoving his hands into his pocket. Naruto laughed, but cut his enjoyment short when he saw Sakura fuming at the door- he eyes locked on him. He gulped, "Okay… go, now- hey I'll see everyone for dinner!" Shikamura ushered everyone out of the room, Sakura slamming the door behind her as she entered. They could hear the faint pleas for mercy as they walked away.
"What the fuck?" Akami looked at Shikamura for an explanation, "I guess you never met her during the war- that's Naruto's team mate." Their three expressions matched with "oh" face, understanding their relationship very well. After a short walk he led them to the Inuzuka clan homes. Kiba and his partner, Akamura were standing at the entrance waiting for them. "You three will be staying in my compound," he grinned, "I'm Inuzuka Kiba, call me Kiba if you'd like." The three team members bowed in unison, "Hai, thank you." Shikamura nodded to Kiba, some type of unspoken conversation just took place between them. "I'm out," he said turning away.
"Kiba-san, I'm Hikaru- this is Akami and Daisuke." She motioned her hands to each member respectively. "Right, nice to meet you…" he turned and led them through the gates. "We've got free'd up space big enough to house you guys together- Naruto said you'd want to stay together, so whatever but anyway," he stopped outside a small house and opened the doors. In side lay three futons, a small portable stove stood in the center of the room. "If you want to bathe we have a bath house just on the other side." Akami was the first walk in, immediately collapsing on the nearest futon. "Sleep…" was the last thing she managed so say before passing out. Daisuke bowed to Kiba again and moved in side, he pulled a blanket to cover his sister after removing her pack and weapons from her body. "She's going to stab herself one day…" he muttered. He removed his items as well and laid down next to her, "You coming?" He asked Hikaru, she shook her head. "No, I can't sleep right now- I'll be, k?" he nodded wearily, quickly allowing sleep to over take him.
She shut the door and stepped down for the steps of the building. She noticed Kiba eyeing her swords, her clothes were dusty too, so maybe he was noticing how filthy the three were. "I'm going." She turned away from him walking back towards the gates, "hey wait!" he called after her. "Naruto asked me to keep track of you guys- he said your village isn't even half as big as ours and…" he stopped, Hikaru glared at him, her crimson eyes full of anger. "I don't need a babysitter," she hissed. Kiba barked back, "Well I need a paycheck!" Hikaru continued to walk away from him, "I'm getting paid a C rank mission to watch you guys so deal with it… Naruto has eyes every where…" he shuttered, his eyes darted around. "Go away… watch the other two if you must." Kiba and his companion followed closely behind,
"No point- doesn't look like they're going to be awake any time soon. You're dirty, yea know? Going to just walk around the village looking like a pup who just rolled in dirt?"
"…"
" I can show you where the bath is out- hee, need company?"
She stopped walking and turned to Kiba, "What is your malfunction?!" Kiba blinked and grinned his toothy smile, "Well, it's not every day new comers visit us like you guys…" He moved closer, "plus, you look exhausted, dirty and hungry- I'm just being a good host." She pushed him back, shocked that he was acting to friendly to her. "You're overstepping your boundaries dog." He pushed his forhead against hers, his eyes locked on her eyes, "Lighten up," she blushed lightly and stepped back. "Fine, feed me." She demanded.
"Oh, you're going to have to be nicer then that kitten." He toyed with her, she growled under her breathe, knowing Naruto wouldn't appreciate it if she killed a friend of his, her hand lying on her katana. "Feed me, please…" the words sounded pained, she looked towards the ground at the sound him chuckling. He walked past her and led her down a small road, bringing her to he market street. Hikaru couldn't believe how many people were already shopping and selling, people eating, drinking, children playing- so many people packed onto this street in such a short amount of time. She was having a hard time keeping up with Kiba, she kept sliding past people, grabbing on to her swords so no one hit them.
She lost site of Kiba, she stopped walking to look for him, but was pushed forward by people trying to get past her to a store. She tried to step forward but couldn't maintain her footing, falling forward into Kiba's outstretched arms. She grabbed hold of his shirt as he gripping her sides to steady her, she blushed lightly again, the lack of food and sleep weighing her down. "Whoa, kitten, calm down…" he whispered, pulling her back up. "Stop calling me thought…" she muttered letting go of his shirt, his hands till on her side. "Come on, we're here," he tugged her towards a small restaurant and led her inside. He sat her down at a table with two other ninja, both chatting away.
"Kitten," he said, Hikaru glared at him "this is Akimichi Choji and Yamanaka Ino." They both smiled and bowed their heads slightly, "Nice to meet you, er… kitten? I'm guessing Kiba has already given you a pet name…" Ino eyed Kiba seeing the frustration at Hikaru's face. "It seems so… my name is Hikaru, Ibakea Hikaru." Ino clapped her hands, "so nice to have another blonde in the village," she giggled. The four conversed, Hikaru enjoyed talking to both the ninja's she heard about Choji's battle from early on the war and had always wanted to meet him
"Hai, Choji-san, you were a legend among out miltia." Hikaru smiled. Choji blushed looking towards Ino who agreed with Hikaru, nodding her head. "Oh Hikaru-kun, you should have seen him in battle- amazing." Ino knifed her elbow into Choji's side making him whince.
"Welp," Kiba stood up "I'm taking her back to the compound- they have only a few more hours before their meeting with Shikamaru." He looked down at Hikaru, she frowned at the news of having to leave so soon. She stood up and stepped next to Kiba, bowing deeply to Ino and Choji, "Truly an honor to meet you both." They both quickly stood up from their chairs, returning the bow, "Hai- it was great to meet you as well."
Kiba led her out of the building and back out of the market, continuously checking to make sure she didn't fall behind again. He noticed she was walking slower, her feet dragging. Her eyes had heavy bags under them and she struggled not to stumble over her own feet. He slowed his pace to match hers, "You should have slept first, yea know?" She stepped away from him, "I don't need your advice right now…"
"No advice, just stating a fact." He easily matched her pace again. "Need a lift Kitten? Akamaru is use to letting strangers ride his back…" She could hear the dog grunt behind them, but she couldn't tell if it was excitement or disapproval. "I'm fine, I'm going to bathe then sleep…" she tugged at her jacket sleeves, "I can't sleep so dirty…" Kiba laughed, "I tried to offer that before we left!" Hikaru growled. "Oh, stop," Kiba chuckled.
After they entered the compound he led her to the bath house. A few children were just running out of it but when they caught Kiba's eye they immediately tackled him to the ground. "You mutts!" he yelled, the three children gnawing on his arm and leg. "You said you'd take us out to the woods today!" one small girl cried eye, biting down on his arm again. "I can't, shit!" he kick one off his leg, scrambling to stand back up. He pulled the remainder of the children off of, whining when he saw they had bit holes in his clothes. "Mutts… I have work!" He barked, Akamaru chasing them away.
He looked at Hikaru who stared at him, her head tilted. He blushed slightly, raising his arms and folding them behind his head. "Mutts, they're always ganging up on me…" He looked away from her, "Anyway, here- this is it." He walked in with her, leading her down a small hallway. He opened the door to the a small bathing area. He started the water, grabbed her towels and wash clothes. "The soaps on that table are for anyone to use and…" he pulled a stool out from under sink "here's this too." Hikaru silently unhooked her weapons laying them down on the table next to the soaps; she untied her jacket to reveal another layer of loose clothes, he could she the wrappings around her chest that bond her breasts.
"Need help?" he grinned only to see her nod. "Oh, shit really?" he eagerly went to her side. "Hai," she pulled her hair off her pack and over one of her shoulders, showing her that the top shirt needed to be untied from the back. He scowled, it wasn't what he was hoping for but he obeyed. He fought with the knot that kept the shirt together, finally loosening it she he could unstring the rest of it. "So…" his lips hovered next to her ear, "I'm really good at massages." She swiftly knocked her elbow into his stomach sending him backwards to the ground. She turned to him, her eyes enraged, pulling the rest of shirt down and throwing it to the ground. "Dog, if you wish to live get OUT." He stood back up, rubbing his stomach. "Damn! Uncalled for woman!" He moved to leave but his eyes caught the array of scars the donned the skin on her abdomen, some deeper than others. Hikaru pulled her katana off the table and walked towards Kiba, shovering the tip into his ribs- but gently enough now to break skin. "Out," she hissed.