Chapter 4: It was super duper scary!

A small fire extinguisher blew out a cloud of CO2 over the lick of flame on the couch. Sakura sighed, running a hand through her pink hair in frustration. When the last of the flames was out, she walked back to kitchen to place the extinguisher back in the cupboard beneath the sink.

"Okay. Note to self: No Fireballs inside the apartment." Sakura grunted. "And no more trying to levitate objects when angry."

She knelt to place the extinguisher away and closed the doors. It wasn't exactly her fault, now was it? She had no one to guide her. Her father was in the north of the country with her pregnant step-mum to which both had no clue she inherited her mother's magic. Any magical relation she had seemed to think that letting her work on her own was the best. She didn't even have a FAMILIAR for god sakes and she was setting objects alight when all she wanted was for the damn thing to move through her will. It was not fair! Whoever said magic was fun obviously had no idea how much of a pain it was to control in the first place. She huffed as she stood, annoyed while reaching out to the top cupboard and grabbed a glass. Sakura then turned the cold facet on, placed the glass underneath it.

"I'm never going to get this right. All I seem to be doing is just creating more accidents than better magic and Mr Turner downstairs is getting pissed off with all the noise. What am I doing wrong?" Sakura grumbled.

Once the glass was filled to top with water she turned the facet off and looked out to her sitting room. Sakura made a mental note to get some paint and a refurnish the couch as she drunk her water down. Then frowned at the thought of using magic to repair the damage; then shakes her head of that very thought.

"What am I thinking? I probably just blow up the building if I do that!" Sakura laughed.

"Not really"

Sakura screamed, jumping onto the counter as she raised her empty glass, aiming it towards the voice. There stood her dark haired cousin looking amused at her with starry night eyes. She was wearing boots, jeans and very long sleeved black top.

"Sh-Shizune?" Sakura blurted.

"Who else? The Toothfairy?" Shizune said.

Sakura opened her mouth but thought better of it. She jumped down from the counter and leaned back on it.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked.

"You blew out the entire grid's power supply, it's bound to raise a few eyebrows" Shizune said.

Sakura smiled awkwardly at her. "Honestly, you think I would do something like that?"

Shizune gave her a 'don't bullshit me' look.

"It was an accident, got a little carried away." Sakura said, while rubbing the back of her neck.

"Hmm." Shizune said.

"How's Aunty Tsunade?" Sakura asked.

"Pissed as hell, the coven is driving her up the wall." Shizune said. "Chiyo in particularly."

"Ah." Sakura said, smiling awkwardly "At least she's doing something."

"You misunderstood my meaning. Not pissed as in angry, pissed as in drunk." Shizune said.

"Oh…that's…not good" Sakura said awkwardly.

"Hmm, anyway, I came to check up on you now that mother is busy. How's the magic coming along?" Shizune said as she looked around the apartment "Any other accidents I should be aware of?"

"Uh…no?"

Shizune raised an eyebrow her cousin's tone of voice, an obvious lie, but shook her head anyway.

"Just keep yourself out of trouble; I don't think you caused much of ripple with your amateur magic. So count yourself lucky, however anymore and I would have to place you under the care of the nearest family of magic practitioners in this city. Something I believe you don't want." Shizune said with a very stern manner.

"Not really…?" Sakura said, feeling even more awkward under her cousin's eyes.

Shizune sighed then smiled tiredly at the pinkette.

"I'm sorry if I'm coming off cold, but as mother seems to like being drunk than wanting to do anything in the coven I have to pick up the slack and organise things. It's really isn't my cup of tea." Shizune grunted "I haven't had a decent night sleep."

"I'm sorry." Sakura said.

"Unless you're the one that made the old matriarch croak there isn't much point of being sorry." Shizune pointed out.

"More like I'm being sympathetic…I'm guessing you don't want to take over from Aunt Tsunade." Sakura said.

"That's a definite no. I like travelling; leading the coven would keep me away from it." Shizune smiled. She then lifted her hand up with only her forefinger and middle-finger erect in front of her nose. "Stay out of trouble cousin, be seeing you around."

All that was left was a big puff of black smoke. In that moment Sakura realised something.

"Hey! Ya could have cleared up the burn marks here!" Sakura growled at the puff of smoke.

The only answer received was the sudden loud screeching of the fire alarm and then the sprinklers went off, soaking her almost immediately.

"Juuuuuuuuuuuuuust great." Sakura growled, no better looking than a wet cat.

It was not long until Sakura met up with Ino and Karin again at a local arcade centre for youths. The poor pinkette needed a break from all the damage she was causing and what was better than to spend some well deserve time with friends? At that moment Sakura and Ino were resting from a long session of 'Dance Mania'. Karin had bought them a round of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough ice-ream, though Ino preferred the caramel crunch instead but unfortunately for her there was none.

"I'm just saying that they should have stored it up if I was coming" Ino said.

"I'll let them know the next time" Karin rolled her eyes.

Ino grinned cheekily.

"Hey Sakura, guess what?"

"What?" Sakura said, after swallowing a spoonful of ice-cream

"Suigetsu asked our favourite redhead out." Ino cheered.

Before Sakura could even open her mouth Karin whacked Ino's head with her cosmopolitan magazine she was reading when Sakura and Ino were playing on Dance Mania. The pinkette felt something brushed up against her leg but ignored it as she was too interested in the interaction between Karin and Ino. It wasn't the first time Ino had insinuated something between Karin and Suigetsu. She even lovingly dubbed it 'SuiKa' to her fellow students and made bets amongst peers and teachers alike at how long it would take for them to get together.

"FIRST of all bimbo, it's not a date" Karin growled.

"It is so! It's a date! Soon there will be smoochies, love and lots of fu–"

"SECOND" Karin snarled interrupting the blonde "It's just time I'm spending with him on his geography homework as he sucks at it!"

"Ino, they're at each others throats all the time and Suigetsu is just giving the olive branch." Sakura said. "Karin is basking in the glory of winning so she's susceptible to bribes at that point. So it could be just innocent."

"But but but they were meant to be!" Ino pointed out childishly.

"Ino. My foot. Your butt. Should meet sometime." Karin grunted.

Sakura giggled as she looked into her ice cream before looking up again and see's Ami and her friends on the escalator going up to the next floor. Sakura shivered at all the thoughts at what the girl may do next to her if Ino and Karin weren't around.

"Hey, are you alright? Ice-cream too cold or something?" Ino jokingly asked.

"The bitch and her posses are here" Sakura muttered.

"You should really go to the student council about this Sakura, it's only going to get progressively worse." Karin said.

"I only got a year left and I rather divert attention from myself" Sakura said.

"Hey girls"

They all looked towards a beefy looking security guard in green uniform walked up to them with a disgruntled look. Sakura looked at him curiously while her friends just watched him in surprise.

"Is there a problem sir?" Karin asked.

"You know the rules here, no animals allowed except for guide dogs." The security guard said, mostly looking at Sakura.

"E-excuse me?" Sakura said, not quite sure if she heard him correctly.

"The cat, miss, it should not be here for health and safety reasons." The security guard explained.

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise and looked beneath the table, surely it wasn't possible. There, resting his delicate small head on her left foot was the beautiful misfit black cat from the shelter she'd been to days ago. The familiar had tracked her all the way from the shelter to the arcades, one very clever cat indeed. He opened his eyes at her and gave, what appeared to be, the equivalent of a feline smirk.

"I can assure you sir we did not bring the cat in." Ino said, after looking for it as well.

"Is he yours?" The security guard asked.

"No" "No" "Yes"

Ino and Karin turned to Sakura with puzzled looks and said together "Yes?"

"I mean no…he happens to be a stray that lives in my area" Sakura said. "That must have followed me here. I swear I didn't see him till you pointed him out to me."

"Stray or no stray he is not allowed in here. You mind taking him outside." The security guard asked.

"Uh sure, just give me a minute." Sakura said with a forced grin.

As Karin and Ino looked on bemusedly at the situation as Sakura ducked her head under the table again and looked at the cat.

"Look, I don't know how you got here or why, but you shouldn't be. This is a human's only zone and you're not." She whispered to him.

The cat gave her what she believed to be, though she didn't know how she knew this, a look that said 'You're not human'.

"That's different. I look human, you don't. However if you're still interested in being my familiar get in the bag and I'll take you home right now and spend some time with you" she whispered, grabbing her just opened rug-sack and placed it in front of him "But if you've just came to say 'hi' then even though–"

Sooner than she could continue the cat rolled his eyes before standing up lazily, stretching out his legs then leaped gracefully into the bag. Sighing gratefully, she zipped bag half way and got out of the way of the table. She appeared apologetic to the guard and her friends.

"I'm sorry about this; I'll just take him home." Sakura said as she placed the bag straps onto her shoulders and gripped them firmly in her hands.

"Now?" Karin said, surprised by the turn of events.

"Yeah. He'll only just follow me back here." Sakura replied easily.

"Do you want us to come?" Ino asked.

"Nah, you guys stay here. I'm sure there's some hot boys to fuss over" Sakura said and left after she winked at Ino.

As Karin started to tease Ino, the security guard watched Sakura making her way to the exit. He saw the black cat pop his head of the bag and stared at him. The security guard didn't know why but he felt incredibly uncomfortable from the cat's gaze, it was like he was prey or something. Just as he was about to turn away the cat placed his left paw over his left eye, stuck his tongue out and waved his paw in a 'patting' motion, as if he was mocking him.

"GAH!" the security guard yelped, stumbling back a bit.

Catching Karin's and Ino's attention they looked at the security guard like he had grown a second head.

"You okay?" Ino asked.

The security guard looked back to the cat but he was back down in the bag again, yet he couldn't help but notice the shaking in the bag, as if the cat was sniggering. He brushed it off as just seeing things.

"Strange day" he muttered before leaving the confused girls.

When Sakura entered her apartment she place the bag down on the table and watched the cat exit his confinement. He stretches his body again then turns to look at her and sits elegantly.

"So…you have name?" Sakura asked.

He cocked his head.

"Can you…can you speak?"

He shook his head.

"Do I have to name you?"

He shrugs in a bored manner.

"I see…you don't really care do you? Doesn't matter I guess as long as you help me and I help you, right?"

He nods his head.

"Hmm, but I can't let you just be 'cat' if my friends come round to visit." Sakura muttered. "What I don't get is how you got out of that cage that is if you were still in there to begin with when I left. I'll call you…Inase. Seems appropriate."

The cat snorted at the name.

"Kuroi?"

The cat yawned.

"Dekobou?"

The cat smirked.

"Hey! I could call you Baka if that's what you want!" Sakura growled.

The cat rolled his eyes.

"Well okay hotshot, since familiars are reincarnated beings, what was your name in your previous life?"

The cat paused, as if thinking before looking upset and turned away. Sakura noticed his shoulders seemed to droop a little, giving away his feelings to her.

"Oh…I'm sorry…I guess that's a pretty sensitive subject with you."

His eyes flicked on her before looking away.

"Tell you what, I think you may have been a brave warrior or something. How about I just call you Yuki for now and we'll look for more appropriate names later. Sounds good?"

He huffed but Sakura saw it as a 'yeah, fine, whatever' but she smiled anyway.

"You want something to eat? Or do you want get started with the whole spells?"

He looks around the apartment before jumping off the table and settled himself onto what was remained of the couch. Sakura had not fixed the apartment yet and still looked a little messy, despite having a bit of clean up earlier on. He sighed before closing his eyes and the next thing Sakura knew the apartment looked…the way it did before.

"What the–how did you do that?" Sakura blurted.

Everything was back to normal. No burnt marks, nothing that would give away any signs of damage. The cat then paws a cushion into position and effortlessly went into a catnap.

"Figures" Sakura muttered then realised something "Look, uh, I don't exactly have any, um, cat supplies so if you just stay there I'll go get some. Okay? No, um, accidents on the carpet please."

The cat continued to snooze.

The only place Sakura could think of for cat supplies was ironically the place that cat had escaped from. She entered the Inzuka Pet Shop to find Kiba and Hana busy arguing with each other to even notice her. It must have been really important otherwise they would have at least take a glance at her.

"…obviously you did a shitty job in picking them then" Hana snarled.

"Hey! Those locks were fine, maybe it was the cage." Kiba said.

"All cages are identical and all of them worked the way they should, it was those locks on the cage." Hana said.

"You wanted the best that money could buy for him and so I did" Kiba yelled, his arms flailing around him like a bat out of hell.

Hana pinched her nose in frustration, trying to reign in her temper then looked at her brother.

"Just what am I going to say to the owner? I can't put him off forever. He specifically wanted him and was even willing to denote a great sum of money to the shelter here." Hana said worriedly. "It would have really helped us."

"I'm not surprised he did a Houdini, that guy would give anyone the creeps" Kiba said then looked at his faithful white dog "Did you not see how Akamaru acted? Best guard dog around and all that man did was look at him and Akamaru is shaking under the counter like a leaf. And he's not the only one, the entire shop and your shelter went weird, or have you forgotten?"

"I admit, it was a first but his Breeder's Credentials were perfect as I did do a background check on him and it was fine, nothing that could spell trouble." Hana said.

Kiba sighed looking away to spot Sakura at the door looking at some pet toys and trying to be inconspicuous about it.

"Haruno, what are you doing here?" Kiba asked.

Sakura looked up from her spot to Kiba with an unsure face.

"Um…"

"We don't have any new cats for you to look at today" Hana said briskly.

"Um that's not what I'm here for." Sakura said "My, uh…uh aunt, um, actually got me a cat."

Kiba eyebrows rose.

"And you need some supplies?" Kiba asked.

"Yes" Sakura smiled.

Kiba smiled back at her, then made a 'follow me' gesture with his fingers after grabbing a basket from the counter.

"Least we're going to have one happy customer today." Kiba said.

Sakura followed him as he led her to the cat supply section.

"Oh?" Sakura said.

"Yeah, we had an escape which unfortunately would have helped my sister's shelter." Kiba said.

"It was that rotten cat that you liked" Hana said, leaning against the counter.

"Really?" Sakura said with a nervous smile. "How did he escape?"

Fortunately Hana was looking at her nails to pay any attention to Sakura.

"The locks were found 'unlocked' yesterday, minutes after you left actually and I have the only set of keys" Hana said.

"How old is your cat?" Kiba asked.

Sakura looked back at Kiba surprised that he had filled the basket with a litter tray, litter bag, a red collar, double feeding bowl and a couple of toys already before she composed herself.

"One year's old. Uh do I really need all that?" Sakura asked.

Kiba smirked at her "You looked very lost yesterday in what pet you wanted and given that you've just received a cat today, I very much doubt that you have any of these items at home. Besides, as Hinata was the one that sent you here I'm giving you a discount on the toys."

"Discount!" Sakura and Hana said together, well Hana more like yelled.

"Yeah, Hinata says you're a nice girl, why not?" Kiba charmingly said.

"Don't you mean a pretty girl Kiba" Hana said with annoyance.

Kiba's cheeks went a little pink as he scowled at his sister then turned and grabbed a bag of cat food to place in the basket. "I still say it was the cage"

"It was not the cage" Hana hissed.

Kiba rolled his eyes while walking back to the counter with Sakura. The pinkette wanted to laugh at the exchange; she couldn't wait to have interactions like this with her baby brother or sister when able to. Kiba began to place information of Sakura's cat stuff into the cash register.

"You take debit cards?" Sakura asked.

Kiba paused to look at her.

"Our machine is on the fitz at the moment." Kiba said.

"Oh uh, I was just…I do have cash" Sakura said.

Kiba looked relieved at that and continued to what he was he was doing.

"So how do you guys know each other?" Hana asked.

"We go to school together" Sakura replied.

"Kiba has never mentioned you." Hana said.

Sakura shrugged, completely missing Kiba death glare at his sister.

"I'm not miss popular at school, just usually keep to myself" Sakura said politely.

"That's a bit of a shame." Hana smiled.

Then the door to the shop opened. It was a strange thing to find every animal there had become still and quiet. There was this coldness Sakura felt when that door opened, signalling a new potential customer. Yet, from the look that Sakura saw on Hana's face she knew it was definitely not a good sign. She heard footsteps first then a few brave animals growling or hissing at the newcomer.

"Ah, Missssss Inuzuka, I trussst everything isss in order"

The voice was soft but left this spine tingling effect that made the skin want to crawl off the flesh in an instant. Sakura spotted that Akamura seemed to have moved incredibly fast behind the counter and he was a big dog. Whoever it was behind her really wasn't someone pleasant.

"Mr Hebi, unfortunately we have a problem with the cat." Hana said trying to sound calm.

"In what way?" Mr Hebi asked.

By the sound of his voice Sakura nearly shivered, it really wasn't pleasant and judging by the fact that Kiba was watching the man's every move didn't help either.

"He escaped." Hana said.

"I sssssee" Mr Hebi said.

Sakura looked over her shoulder. There stood a tall thin man with ultra pale skin, with long black hair and a black business suit. His amber coloured eyes looked playfully lethal to look into. Sakura really wanted to shrivel up and die that moment, that man was super duper scary! Then his eyes turned to her.

Scratch that, this guy wouldn't look out of place in Dante's ninth circle of hell!

Thankfully he looked back at Hana with a calm and controlled smile.

"May I ask how that came to be?" Mr Hebi asked.

"The locks were no longer attached to the cage, neither my brother nor I know how exactly but the cat simply escaped." Hana replied honestly.

The man's eyes narrowed his deadly eyes as if to think before he relaxed a bit more, and then shrugged as if it did not matter. Somehow Sakura got the distinct feeling that it DID matter to this man and she didn't like the feeling.

"Cat'ssss have the knack of esssscaping; I sssshould not hold this againssst you. However if you do find him, pleasssse do call me." Mr Hebi said "I placed a lot hope in that one."

"I'll try to." Hana replied.

"Good day then Miss Inuzuka, Mr Inuzuka" Mr Hebi said politely.

He then strolled right out of the pet store and, just like that, the noise level returned to normal. Both Inuzuka siblings looked relieved at that moment.

"Told you the animals don't like him." Kiba said.

"I can see now." Hana muttered.

Kiba looked at Sakura, and then frowned in concern.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Kiba asked.

"…uh" Sakura managed to say.

"Woah, have you gone pale as Mr Hebi." Hana said, having just looked at her.

"…I d-don't like h-him" Sakura stuttered.

"You're not the only one" Kiba muttered.

"Don't worry, I very much doubt you'll see him around. Especially now we don't have the donation" Hana sighed.

Sakura bit her lip guiltily; if she hadn't been looking for a cat in the store they would have money for the animals by now. She looked around the shop; it definitely needed a lick of paint and some new equipment to take care of the animals here. When she paid for her items and said her goodbyes, Sakura decided that she was going to make full use of her familiar. If only she knew the trouble she was going to land herself with that feline.