Chapter 7
Not much to say except check out One Piece opening 15 because god damn it's so nostalgic, try listening to it throughout the story because I am and its helping me write it so much better
Summary: Shouhei's life couldn't be more perfect, his father was leader of his village so he was known all around, his friends always loved playing with him, he was going to be a Genin real soon under a man who he viewed as an uncle. So who's this strange man talking about magic, wands, brooms, a school of wizards, and some man named Moldywort?
'Inner thoughts,'
"Lau Shimin talking to Shouhei,'
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Shouhei crunched on his rice ball he had been given from Kakashi after his final test as the white haired man's student. There was obviously more that Kakashi could teach him but the third Hokage had forbade him from teaching Shouhei anymore, he didn't want him outshining the other students and being forced to take his Genin test before he was ready (Really before Sarutobi was ready)
Kakashi had been impressed with Shouhei overall as a student, his Taijutsu and Taijutsu teamwork with Lau Shimin was impressive. He had to admit training students was actually amusing, maybe it was time for a change, "I'm thinking of resigning from ANBU,"
Shouhei continued to chew, "Why?"
Kakashi shrugged as he stretched and laid back on the ground staring up at the clouds, "Training you was a great way to pass time,"
"You really needed to pass two years of time?"
"Not that, I meant it was a way to pass a time of peace. I haven't been assigned any really important missions lately and you just so happened to take up my time around the village. I was thinking about becoming Jonin again and taking up an open sensei position for the next generation, who knows I might actually get you as a student again."
He finished the one rice ball and started on another, "I doubt Ji-chan will allow that, Shishi-sensei. Though it's decision, besides you're starting to get old maybe it's time you stopped adventuring." He laughed then joined his sensei on the ground
"I'm in my twenties,"
"That's old in Ninja years,"
"You're a smart seven year old,"
Shouhei bounced down the street towards the Inuzuka compound in his dark green Yakuta with clams on it. His father had a New Year's festival planned and everyone was supposed to come out and enjoy themselves. His father had even had a custom matching Yakuta made for Lau Shimin who had expressed his delight by jumping on the old man's shoulder and tapping his face three times, since it was getting dark he decided to put it on and head out to check on his friends.
Kiba would no doubt be getting ready at the last minute with Hana, Tsume, and Kuromaru yelling at him to hurry up. Akamaru would be yipping at him as well but would be fine if Lau showed up. A little after Kiba entered the Academy Tsume had given him his partner, and Shouhei realized it was the same dog they helped deliver and was their proverbial baby. Instead of the two names they picked out, they decided to combine them into Akamaru, unfortunately newly named Akamaru had urinated in Kiba's face much to Lau Shimin's delight.
After that the two partners became fast friends unfortunately Akamaru didn't share the same dislike of Kiba Lau Shimin had.
Then would come Naruto's new apartment, instead of placing him in another orphanage Sarutobi had given him his own apartment in the town a little close to Hokage tower. Shouhei had been given his own key so he could go over and make sure Naruto ate more than Ramen, he quickly became a fast and experienced cook. Naruto probably wouldn't be ready until after the festival started, he would be getting his money ready and attempting to put his Yakuta on right.
He always failed at it so Shouhei had help him
Last stop would be at Sasuke and Itachi, he didn't have to worry about them since they would most likely be at the festival right when it started. Uchiha time perfection still astounded him but he grew used to it. He sighed as he walked, 'If only Shishi-sensei could take a page from them,'
"Why do we have to go to his house first?" Lau complained around his Dango Shouhei had stopped to get him from an open food stand at the festival
"I forget, tell me again why you dislike him so much?" He looked at the monkey on his shoulder careful not to make him lose balance.
"If I told you once, I've told you twice, he smells, he's loud, too many dog like tendencies for a human. Something about him just rubbed me the wrong way since the first day you met him." Lau couldn't frown or smile but Shouhei could tell when he was doing either and right now he was frowning.
"Then you don't like Naruto for the same reasons?"
The monkey chirped which meant he was laughing, "I don't dislike that one, I don't like him either so don't get hopeful. I only pretend to dislike because his expressions are funny to me. Actually there's something about him that reminds me a lot of you."
Shouhei 'Hmm'ed in though, he could already hear the yelling from the Inuzuka compound and he was still five block away from there. It was then he learned to never doubt Inuzuka Tsume and her scolding powers. Once he reached the compound he opened the doors since he was always welcomed and walked to Kiba's house.
"I swear Kiba, if you aren't ready in five minutes, I'm going to make you walk the streets naked!" He laughed silently as he walked up the steps, he knocked on the door a few times and waited until Hana opened the door dressed in a black and pink Kimono with flowers all over it, she even had her hair pulled in a bun with pink sticks crossing through it.
She was always the more girlish of the two Inuzuka females he had ever met, she practically squealed once she saw him though, "You two are just so cute, you're even matching!" She let him through the door way and into the house, a normal sight in this house was broken vases and prints everywhere whether dog or human, "Kaa-san is forcefully bathing Kiba right now because he waited to get ready, it's not a pretty sight," She sighed, "Unfortunately we'll have to meet you at the festival, she also wants to make sure the dogs are bathed too she they're all sharing a bath."
Shouhei smiled, "This I got to see," He made his way to the bath house and pushed open the door, the sight that greeted him was something he would never forget no matter how old he grew to be.
There was Tsume sitting on the ground scrubbing his friends hair pretty roughly, Kiba wasn't the only one in the bath though. Akamaru was paddling around in the water, Kuromaru was relaxing like a human with his arms spread out, and in a corner by themselves where the Haimaru Sankyōdai.
Kiba had saw him under the forceful scrubbing, "Sho-chan, you gotta help me, she's trying to kill me!"
"Shut up! I wouldn't have to bathe you if you stopped playing in the mud like a little pig!"
Lau Shimin tilted his head, "Well at least none of them will drown since they all know the doggie paddle," All five dogs howled with laughter while Shouhei just chuckled
"What did he say?"
Shouhei waved him off, "It's an animal and me thing, will he be at the festival?" He asked Tsume, by the dark smile she had on her face he was sure Kiba had pain in his future."
"I'll make sure of it," Kiba gulped and turned to Shouhei with pleading eyes, the green eyed boy shrugged, "Sorry Kiba, the puppy eyes don't work on me, I practically invented them. I'm going to go check on Naruto, I'll just meet you at the festival," He gave a backwards wave behind his back, "Ja,"
"Don't leave me!" His pleas were drowned out by the bucket of water that was poured on his head.
He walked out of the Inuzuka compound ignoring the loud pleas of help coming from inside. He walked through the village seeing the many booths being complete in the setting up procedure, many people were already out since the sun was on the horizon and most of the lanterns were lit.
He enjoyed little festivals like this, it was the one time that Shinobi got to be civilians, it was also the one time no one paid attention to Naruto. Even though he was young he could still detect looks of hatred and anger pointed at the blond boy's direction. He hated it and wanted to shout at every villager who did it as they walked through the market but Naruto didn't want him to, for some reason he took it all in stride with a smile on his face.
He either didn't care or he was blocking it out, and Lau Shimin always put the latter. Though that was the extent of his teasing for even though the monkey liked to mess with him, he never took it too far.
A dark look passed over his face when he saw the rocks outside of Naruto's door, and a crack in the window. Though it passed when he unlocked the door and saw Naruto in only the top of his Yakuta but not the bottom.
"Still can't believe I allowed you to buy those underwear," Shouhei shook his head, he helped Naruto tie the sash and he finally looked presentable but a total eyesore with the completely orange attire he was wearing, "I feel a headache coming on," He groaned, Lau covered his eyes at the color so he wouldn't get dizzy
Naruto looked at him confused, "What? Orange is a great color," He smiled wide, Shouhei shook his head and placed his hand on the boys shoulder, "If you're trying to be found in a dark forest." He said plainly, "Now let's go, we got to meet Sasuke and Kiba at the festival,"
Naruto crossed his arms with that pout that he did, "Why does Sasuke have to be there?" He mumbled, Naruto didn't really get along with Sasuke, though it was one sided. It had started when Sasuke had beat him in their first play fight in the academy, he used a few moves Shouhei had taught him to plant Naruto on his back.
The blond haired boy never got over it, "Because Sasuke's my friend, and just because your pride is ruined doesn't mean you can't hang out with him during the festival."
"Fine, but for the festival only,"
Shouhei waved him off and rolled his eyes, "Fine, then you can go back to your one-sided rivalry, now let's go before Anko-san takes all of the Dango." He pulled him out of the door, making sure to side step of the rocks and down the stairs.
"Where's Kiba?"
"Taking a bath with the dogs at his house,"
"At least they know the doggy paddle,"
"Lau Shimin already used it,"
"Did it kill?"
"Of course, but only the animals and I got it,"
"Hmm, sad,"
Once Shouhei entered the main area, he spotted a lot of people from his class. There was that pink haired girl Sakura who claimed to totally be in love with Sasuke like a blond haired girl Ino from the Yamanaka clan. Shino from the Aburame Clan was there as well, though he somehow was able to acquire a hooded festival robe. Shikamaru and Choji, two friends who had been inseparable since the first time Shouhei saw them, were together with their fathers.
It seemed like everyone had come out tonight, he looked around and was able to spot a couple of the Uchiha customary Yakuta and Kimono with their clan symbol on them. Luckily he had trained himself to distinguish Sasuke and Itachi from the other Uchiha, he pulled Naruto along with him, "Play nice," He warned him
He looked away with a frown, "No promises,"
"Tachi-san, Sasuke," He called, both boys turned around, Sasuke eating Onigiri at the moment, "Glad you could be away from the compound." He said, it wasn't rarely that Itachi could leave the compound, his father, Fugaku, had been imposing a lot of Clan duties on him lately and with Itachi being and ANBU captain at the moment he barely had any free time for Sasuke let alone Shouhei. He was just glad the oldest Uchiha could make it out for events like these
Itachi smiled, "It wasn't easy convincing father to let me out but someone had to chaperone Sasuke since father and mother were busy. Unfortunately we can only stay for the fireworks show then we have to return."
Shouhei would have introduced Naruto to Itachi but the boy had run off at the first smell of the Ramen booth, "You want to come with us, we're going to play some games then head to the top of Hokage mountain to get the best view of the fireworks."
"Can we go on top of Hokage mountain?" Sasuke asked
Shouhei smirked, "You can if your father is one of the faces on there," He turned to Itachi, "Are you coming Itachi?"
The oldest Uchiha shook his head, "No, I only came to drop off Sasuke with you, I'm meeting Shisui actually," And with that, Itachi departed leaving his brother with a friend and a strange kid.
Shouhei sighed, "Come on, let's go save Naruto from exhausting his frog,"
Sasuke scoffed, "Usuratonkachi,"
"And you said it was one sided,"
Once they saved Naruto from the mistress that was Ramen, Shouhei was getting kind of worried that maybe Tsume had actually killed Kiba. When they were walking the streets, his senses had preempted a dog pile from behind and he easily side stepped it. He crouched down in front of the boy on the ground and poked his head, "You should know better than to sneak up on me,"
"I thought I could get you this time,"
Shouhei yawned into his hand making sure not to miss a glimpse of the sky from Kiba's lap. After they had played a few games and exhausted their spending money they made their way up to Hokage mountain since it was dark enough for the fireworks to start and they would be soon. The festival had gone well enough, minimal fighting from Sasuke and Naruto, though Shouhei detected that he sort of enjoyed making Naruto want to pull his hair out in frustration.
Lau Shimin was tuckered out and was now snoozing away with Akamaru next to him and Kiba. Sasuke and Naruto sat on completely different sides of the two best friends and Shouhei had just given up on trying to make them get along. He decided his time was better spent enjoying the festival with his friends who would probably never become friends with each other.
Except Naruto and Kiba who seemed to brothers with how alike they acted, while Shouhei and Sasuke acted the same.
"How was the bath with the dogs?" Shouhei asked Kiba who dropped his head in shame
"Embarrassing as hell," Lately Kiba had started to curse minimally when he wasn't around Tsume, Shouhei had threatened to tell his mom whenever the Inuzuka upset him.
"Did you at least do the doggy paddle?"
"Used it," Both Naruto and Shouhei chimed
"So that's what the bastard monkey said," Kiba grumbled
Shouhei elbowed him in the chest making him winded, "Don't call him a bastard, it was funny,"
"My pain is funny to you?!"
Shouhei shrugged in his arms, "A little," A sound went off in the sky and all four boys turned their heads upward as the fireworks started to go off. It was absolutely amazing, there were so many colors that had filled the sky that night. Many different shapes as well, a kunai, shuriken, even the symbol for Konoha was the biggest and brightest.
"Look at that one!"
"Sugoi!"
"Pretty,"
They fired off clan symbols as well, so Kiba, Shouhei, and Sasuke had to pay some respect when their clan symbol filled the sky. It was a pretty spectacular night in Shouhei's opinion and it ended with a great show.
The final show was a huge explosion of fireworks in the sky that was able to turn night into day for a full minute before it was the end. Sasuke stood and wiped the dirt off of his black Yakuta, "Well guys, I promised to be home after the fireworks,"
"Naruto, walk Sasuke home,"
"What!? Why do I have to-,"
Shouhei gave him a glare, "Walk Sasuke home, Na-ru-to," He said slowly, said boy gulped and stood leading the way down the mountain, Kiba gulped himself having been on the receiving end of that stare many times
"That might just be more powerful than the puppy dog stare,"
"Kakashi forced me to create at least two stares, a good one and a bad one, luckily I already had the puppy dog stare created as a child." He said this with a yawn, he was getting pretty tired, and this headache he had didn't help. If felt like something was pounding inside his head and it was seriously putting a downer on his mode (A/N: Now would be a pretty good time to play the song from earlier)
"Are you tired?" He nodded, Kiba stood and crouched down in front of Shouhei with his hands behind his back, "Grab on," It wasn't the first time he had gotten a piggy back ride home and it won't be the last. He woke up Akamaru so he could cart Lau Shimin down with them, they made their way down the mountain and into the streets where the festival was starting to die down some.
"Can you stay the night?" Shouhei asked
"I can if you want me too,"
"Stay, the adults and Itachi are going to be busy tomorrow and I need someone to mess with."
"I'm glad I could be your source of entertainment,"
"Be happy, you're my number one source of entertainment," And that's when Shouhei did something surprising. He moved his head lazily around and pecked his best friend on the cheek, he made a comfortable spot on Kiba's shoulder and the Inuzuka was never more glad that Shouhei couldn't see the blush on his face.
I'm so sorry I haven't been writing this lately, for some reason I've just been starting at a blank writing screen wondering which story to write and to write about it
I think i'm going to be writing this story since I kind of want to get this story to the Chunin exams because i have totally different plans than the first story. Also if i messed anything with the clothes please don't blame me since i've had to rewrite this thing like three times, but yeah tell me anyways, i can guarantee that i won't get upset but i'll get over it
