CHAPTER 4

Naruto and Rend, Age 10

Rend would be the first to start complaining about how time was not moving fast enough for them. Academy classes for them would start about two months before they would turn eleven and they both were feeling the anticipation on the day after Rend's birthday. The families with enough money and the ninja clan children would be receiving their third year of education when Naruto and Rend would only be just starting out. Sandaime Hokage had to fight those first two years to gain them the right to enroll. The two children knew this and their patience had grown, but the two were in fact still children. Brawler training continued with increasing momentum every day. Teuchi, who hadn't been as active as of late, had regained a good deal of his previous endurance. This meant that instead of individually teaching Naruto and Rend, he could rotate between the two in order to build up experience in facing multiple opponents. His increased health due to the exercise also allowed him to return to one of his favorite hobbies before Ayame was born, blacksmithing. Ayame wanted wanted the experience of working alone to increase her skills as a chef, so the new hobby proved to be a win-win situation. The Okami Brothers, as Ayame loved to call them, spend most of their time hunting for meat, hanging with Shino, and helping the villagers' animals with whatever problems that came about over time. Eventually one of their mission involving a certain Hummingbird led the three (Shino tagged along from time to time) toward the Yamanaka clan home.

The bird who needed assistance was one that frequented only the places with the most adored and well cared for flowers, boasting that he had the most refined pallet for nectars and that pollenation using him as a means would ensure a great flower would bloom from the seeds. The job was simple, (or simple to the one who asked for help) to somehow convey the hummingbird's feelings toward one of the caretakers. The Hummingbird had grown fond of the youngest of the Yamanaka clan due to her kindness in feeding him every time he came to enjoy the flowers in their shop. One day she motioned him to perch on her finger and that made the foolish bird fall in a bad way for the young girl. The dilemma was obvious to the brothers though, since it would probably scare her to death if Rend even attempted to talk to her and she'd think that Naruto was crazy if he tried anything like a confession himself. Then the thought hit him.

"Rend! You have to do this!"

"What ME? How in hell do you think that'll work?"

"Let me finish and I'll tell you!"

"All ears..."

"Ask the bird again to tell you want he wants to be said. Then you'll need to remember the way that his voice sounds as he says it..."

Rend's eyes started to light up, partially seeing what his brother was planning.

"Then we'll get him to perch on her finger and look into her eyes as you project your thoughts into her using his voice. We'll both have to be in the room for this to work, so I'll figure out a way to bring us all in the store at the same time."

Rend simply nodded at his brother's well thought out plan as they relayed the plan to their client. Siad client was annoyed at the fact that Naruto would have to bring him into the shop, but he decided as long as the girl knew his love that it wouldn't matter. Naruto was more than ready to get this over with, since he wanted to practice his brawling a bit before his training with Ossan. The trio walked toward the destination of the flower shop with the bird on Naruto's finger and Rend slightly hidden behind Naruto's legs. Upon entry, Naruto put his game face on and then something unexpected happened. Rend desired.

"Excuse me! I ran into this bird here and even though he didn't want to leave my finger, he nearly dragged me to your store..."

"Oh! That fellow there tends to visit this shop a lot. Here, let me get a bit of seed for him."

Naruto didn't notice the slight and uncharacteristic wagging of Rend's tail behind him.

"Her scent is so... nurturin..." Rend thought as he struggled to focus on the task at hand.

Ino returned with a small container of seed as the Hummingbird quickly accepted his food.

"Mind if I look around for a bit, umm..."

"Ino. And go right ahead."

Naruto walked around the shop, posing as if interested in the flower but secretly waiting for the client to perch himself on her hand so they could get this over with.

The bird perched on her finger moments later, but nothing.

"Rend, what the hell are you doing!" Naruto projected into his brother's thoughts.

Literally shaking off his thoughts and underestimating his size, Rend made his presence known and Ino screamed.

"Wait, WAIT! Calm down, he's just my little brother Rend..." Naruto recovered though glaring at the Okami.

After a few minutes and Naruto ensuring her that Rend was well natured, she calmed back down.

Turning back to the bird on her hand, Ino started to rub her finger against his head.

Rend, though shakily, started to do his job. The bird turned to face Ino and then Rend started off.

"Wonderful Misses, I've wanted to have this talk with you for a long time. I wanted to thank you for the kindness you've shown a simple hummingbird such as I.."

"Wait, what's going on? How are you talking to me?"

"My determination in the fact that I wanted to tell you how I felt convinced Kami (God will be used in most instances instead) to give me a chance to speak with you."

Both Rend and Naruto mentally facepalmed at the storybook excuse the bird used, but it seemed to work on Ino.

"But why are you so determined to speak to me? I've been kind but this is a bit much..."

"It's because my dear, I have fallen for you. Your attractive appearance that will no doubt become quite lovely, and your inherantly kind nature drew me to you. And even though I know that nothing will come of it, I just wanted you to know how I felt."

The two brothers could have sworn that they saw a tear in the eye of the Hummingbird's eyes but they said nothing. After seeing his adored one blush, the bird flew out of the store before she said anything. Rend raced off after him and Ino pleaded with Naruto, "Please! I'll owe you for however long it takes, PLEASE catch him! I can't let him disappear without giving him a reply!" Naruto then rushed off after the two, already knowing where they would be. The Hokage Monument. Rend was laying atop the Fourth Hokage's head with a bawling hummingbird on his paw. His expression was one of understanding, which Naruto had rarely ever saw before. The bird saw Naruto and started in his direction.

"Thank you for this... I wish there was something I could do to return this favor now, but I will never forget it... I'll leave this village, until I can forget, until I can repay you for allowing her to know how I felt."

Naruto was immediately pissed. "You COWARD!" He lashed out and slapped the bird out of the air. "Repay me? REPAY ME BY GIVING HER THE CHANCE TO REPLY! What type of man are you if you drop a bomb like that and flee before she can even think about what happened. The ONLY payment I'll accept is for you to go back to her RIGHT NOW and receive her answer!"

"You're right... I should be ashamed..."

"You still have a chance to redeem yourself, go to her..."

"Right again. You have gained my eternal respect Naruto Uzumaki and Rend Razorjaw... Know that one day, Itou of the Dancing Sakura will repay you..." Itou said as he flew off at a speed that neither of the two expected.

Ino waited for about an hour, slowly succumbing to the thought that Naruto had failed to catch the bird who had magically confessed to her. That was, until a few minutes after sundown, she heard a slight tapping on the door of the shop. Once she realized that it was the hummingbird, she opened the door quickly. He landed on her finger once again, with a slightly nervous expression on his face. "I'm glad you came back..." Ino said, and once she realized that she would not get a response she continued on. "I guess the moment passed and you can't talk anymore, but I wanted you to hear my response. You were right when you said nothing could come of it, but regardless of that you will always be special to me..." Ino's eyes were glassy with tears as she kissed the bird with all of the emotion that he showed to her as he confessed. Unbeknownst to her, the kiss was laden with her chakra. This intertwined with his own as well as the parting gift that Rend had given him, and started a transformation within him. "Itou...my dear. My name is Itou of the Dancing Sakura... and I will always watch over you." Ino's eyes shot open as she saw the hummingbird flying with a slight aura around him, surprised that he spoke again. He himself had a similarly surprised reaction. Instead of forgetting the woman, he decided then and there to become a hummingbird great enough to assist her one day. She wiped her eyes for a while and realized what his words meant. "Before you leave... please tell that boy thank you for me." Ino said with a teary eyed smile, feeling grateful to both Itou and the young boy who gave her an opportunity to give him her answer.

What she didn't know is that both Naruto and Rend were just outside and saw the entire thing. Naruto was surprised by the fact that Itou somehow managed to talk to her himself, whereas Rend was barely standing due to chakra exhastion (though he didn't know it) and happy that his last minute play worked. "Rend, what did you DO to him while I was gone?" Naruto thought toward his brother, hoping that he would get a serious answer. Rend slowly stood back up and replied, "I pleaded. I asked my fellow Okami to grant him a way to connect with his love. Ya know, I understand why he fell so hard Pup. Havin someone take care you us animals is somethin that people take for granted but we are eternally grateful on the rare occasions a human assists us that way. So the deal was this, if I'm willing to live with bein drained for a weak of most all energy the Okami elders would allow him to gain the abilities of a ninja summon. He is Itou of the Dancing Sakura BECAUSE he is now a summon. And once he becomes strong enough to act, he will be creating a whole new summon clan just for that wonderful girl." Naruto helped Rend home while reflecting on the day's events. Just from the simple want to assist others, he had somehow helped with the eventual birth of a new summon. Rend fell asleep on the way home, glad that he managed to help someone get closer to their cherished.

What can I say, I like those who like nature! Academy days are not too far away, so the next few chapters will probably surprise you.