The Beast Within
Chapter 10: Finally Back
Thank for taking the time to read my story. I hope everyone had a happy Halloween. Also thanks for the review. I loving hearing opinions on my story. Please leave another.
Tala woke up from a deep wonderful sleep. Snuggled comfortably in her arms was Muzaka. He was so warm and his fur was silk. Tala was swift to realize for the first time she hadn't thought of Shiromaru when she woke up. Her hand hadn't searched for his warm furry body. Maybe it was time to move on. Acting like this was doing nothing for her.
When she turned on her side she saw it was one in the afternoon. It felt like an eternity since she last slept so deeply. How had Muzaka gotten in? She forced herself to get up from the comfort of her bed. Then she saw the hole Muzaka had chewed through the corner of her door.
"You little shit!" growled Tala.
The pup spared a lazy glance at her before closing his eyes again. Tala pulled away the blankets. The pup whined, hating to be disturbed. She nudged him awake. He grunted. Tala picked him up and placed him on the ground. Tala giggled when he stumbled forward.
"Come on you must have to go potty. Can you go on your own?" she asked.
He huffed.
"Okay, if you piss on my carpet I'll rub your nose in it", said Tala before walking into her bathroom.
Then he became jittery. Damn, this puppy sized bladder! He ran out of the room to the front door. Cernnunos scratched at the door. His claws peeled away at the wooden surface. A desperate whine left his throat.
"Don't know how to use the doggy door, Muzaka?" asked Kiba.
Doggy what? He glared at the alpha standing above him. Kiba took mercy on the pup and pushed open the doggy door flap. Muzaka didn't hesitate he ran out.
"Tala, if you take in a dog I expect you to take care of him", said Kiba.
"Sorry", she said as she stepped into the kitchen.
Kiba smiled brightly when the markings of their clan painted on her cheeks. A weight fell away from his shoulders.
"What's with goofy smile?" she asked.
He hugged her tightly. Neji laughed.
"It's just nice to see you're getting back on your feet, Tala", he said.
"I'm feeling better, Papa. Let me go, Dad", she said as tried pulling away.
She relaxed into her Dad's embrace and returned it. After a few moments, she returned it.
"I'm fine, Dad", she said.
"You sure, Sunshine?" asked Kiba as he slowly pulled away.
"So can you let go now?" asked Tala.
Kiba let go of her. He was so proud to see just how strong his pup.
"You slept through breakfast. Can I make you something to eat? Do you want anything special?" asked Kiba.
"Three grilled cheese sandwiches extra cheese and bacon", she said.
"Coming right up, Sunshine", said Kiba.
"Good, to see you've gotten your appetite back", said Neji.
She'd lost weight. He'd wanted her back in top shape again.
"I even made some puppy food for Muzaka", said Kiba as he looked through the fridge.
Tala realized just how horrible she'd been to him throughout this time. She got up from her seat and hugged him tightly. The sudden embrace surprised Kiba, but it melted his heart. His arm wrapped around her. Neji smiled. All the ice melted away completely from her. Kiba ran his finger gentle through Tala's hair
"Dad, I'm sorry", said Tala.
"For what?" asked Kiba.
"For being so mean to you", said Tala.
"Tala, you were mourning its okay. Everyone reacts differently to grief", he said.
She pulled away.
"I should call, Muzaka in", said Tala.
"We've yet to discuss the matter of your new dog chewing through your bedroom door", said Neji.
She was hoping he'd let that slid.
"Heh, sorry about that. I'll fix it with scrap wood", said Tala.
"That's only a temporary fix, Tala", said Neji.
She smirked.
"What can I say he's a little shit head", said Tala.
"Hopefully, you'll be able to train him out of that behavior", said Kiba.
Muzaka came in through the doggy door. Tala went to the fridge and pulled out his food. She sighed when she saw Shiromaru's bowl. Tala would get a new dog bowl for him, but for now, it would do. She emptied half the container into the bowl and set in on the ground.
"Muzaka breakfast", she said.
Cernunnos stared at the bowl of food in front of him. It was a mixture of brown rice, raw turkey, and vegetables. The god had always preferred being a carnivore. He craved red meat, not this shit. Cernunnos swatted the bowl of food with his paw, sending it across the kitchen.
"MUZAKA!" growled Tala.
Cernunnos tensed he belonged to Tala and was merely just a pup in this form. And she a goddess that he had to obey. Uh, and he had to get used to that new name. Muzaka, what kind of name was that? Where had she even picked it from?
"You are going to eat that", said Tala.
He growled.
"Eat that or eat nothing at all", said Tala.
Cernunnos huffed he was being treated like a child. He'd said the same exact thing to his pups when they weren't satisfied with what he brought home from a hunt. His stomach growled. He gave in and ate. Before he knew it he was licking the bowl clean. A wonderful smell touched his nose. Whatever Tala was eating smelled ten times better than what he just ate.
"Mmm, it smells great, Dad", said Tala.
Kiba placed lunch in front of his daughter.
"Enjoy, Sunshine", he said.
"Thanks. Dad do you know when Muzaka will get his voice?" asked Tala.
"It's different for every dog. Muzaka was started off in a wolf pack there was no such need for communication, so it may take longer. I don't think it will take much longer maybe a few days. Especially since his kind grows so fast", said Kiba.
"They do?" asked Tala.
"Yeah, at six months he'll be almost a full size. Oh, that reminds me you need to trim his nails", said Kiba.
"What? They were just trimmed", said Tala.
She glanced at the door and forced herself not the groan when she saw the deep scratches in the front door. Muzaka rested his head on her knee.
"You're lucky you're cute", she said.
He stared at her with those big golden eyes.
"Don't give it to him. Once you do he'll never give it up. I've always regretted giving Akamaru a taste of human food", said Kiba.
"This human food not for you", said Tala.
Muzaka whined. Tala looked around to see Lycan and Keeper weren't at the table.
"Where's the twerp?" she asked.
"If you mean your brother he's training with Talon and Luka", said Kiba.
Neji glanced at the clock.
"You should be going, Kiba", he said.
"There's no need to rush", said Kiba.
"If you don't rush you'll be late for the clan alpha meeting", said Neji.
"Fine, I'm going", groaned Kiba.
He kissed Neji goodbye before leaving.
"Papa, can ask you a question? And promise you won't act weird" said Tala.
"Why do you have to ask this question when your dad isn't here?" asked Neji.
"Because it would be awkward", said Tala.
He nodded.
"What was your first kiss like?" she asked.
Tala smirked when she saw she'd caught her papa off guard. It was so rare that she was able to do that.
"Do you not remember it?" asked Tala.
"No, I remember. Why are you curious about that?" he asked.
"I just want to know if what I felt was normal", said Tala.
"Maybe I can shed some light on it", said Neji.
"Who was with it?" she asked.
"Tenten", said Neji.
Tala eyes widened. She couldn't picture Papa with a woman. Especially Tenten of all women. There was such a tension between the two adults.
"What did it feel like?" asked Tala
"Awkward", said Neji.
"Because she's a girl?" asked Tala.
Neji thought for a moment. At that point in his life, he wasn't sure if he preferred one gender or another. He was confused in that sense.
"Part of the reason may be, but she was also my teammate and I had to confront her every day after. And there was the fact I didn't share her feelings of attractions", said Neji.
"What does it feel like when you kiss, Dad?" asked Tala.
A light blush spread across Papa's cheek and he smiled gently.
"Warmth", said Neji.
He quickly shook his head.
"Why the sudden interest?" asked Neji.
"I'm curious. When I kissed Shikadai I guess was nice but it wasn't like that", said Tala.
"You are young Tala you shouldn't be thinking about things like that", said Neji.
"I guess your right", she said.
She finished her lunch. Cernunnos lay at the girl's feet, listening in to the conversation. So the girl has her first kiss. That mattered little to him. At the moment he was trying to figure out his first kiss. He couldn't remember. Most could remember such an event in their lives but he couldn't. It was millennia ago.
Neji smirked he knew she still had something on her mind.
"Go ahead and ask whatever on your mind", he said.
"What happened between you and Tenten? When I was younger I remember you and her being close. Now whenever you're put in proximity with each other you're both on edge", said Tala.
Neji tensed. He took a breath. She was too young to go into a full depth conversation on this topic.
"She broke my trust in a way that can never be mended", said Neji.
"What did she do?" asked Tala.
"I don't want to go into that conversation", he said.
Neji would most likely never tell Tala the reason why. He didn't want to ruin the trust Tala and Lycan had with Tenten and her family. Neji would hate to see the strong friendship between Talon and Lycan to disintegrate because of something that happened between him and Tenten.
"That's all I'm going to get out of you", said Tala.
He nodded. Tala knew there was no breaking that barrier. This was the most he'd ever told her on this subject.
"What do you have planned for today, Tala?" asked Neji.
"Pick up some things for Muzaka. He's going to start teething soon and I don't want him taking it out on the house. Test if he has what it takes to be a ninken. Talk with Sensei Hanabi", said Tala.
Test? In Cernunnos time there was no such test. It was all about trust. If there was no connection there was no partnership. It was that simple.
"Don't lose track of time. Today's the dinner", said Neji.
Tala groaned. The dinner that her Papa was speaking of was the monthly family dinner. All her family along the Hatake and Uzumaki along with her Great Uncle Hiashi. The food was wonderful but that meant she would have to see her jackass cousin Boruto who took great pleasure in kicking her while she was down.
"I hate that dinner, Papa. Please don't make me go", begged Tala.
"It's good to spend time with your family", said Neji.
"Where is it this time?" asked Tala.
"At the main house", said Neji.
"Do I have to stay the whole time?" asked Tala.
"An hour", said Neji.
"Half', countered Tala.
"Fine", Neji.
Neji took out his wallet and handed her twenty dollars.
"What's this for?" she asked.
"For your trip to the pet store", said Neji.
"You don't have to", said Tala.
"It's fine my dear", said Neji.
"Thanks, Papa", she said.
Muzaka followed her to the door. Tala was impressed when the commotion of the town didn't overly distract him. She stopped in front of Pet Place. It was co-owned by all the Taro and Inuzuka Clans. The door chimed as she walked in.
"Welcome to Pet Place how-
"It's me Rasa", said Tala.
"Good, I don't have to play nice", she said.
Rasa was the younger sister Raion the current Clan Alpha of the Taro clan. She had cat-like green eyes and long blonde hair. Rasa red painted fingernails tapped against the counter. Her fake smile left and was replaced by a resting bitch face. Why she was chosen to run the front desk was beyond her. Her lynx, Rinkusu took on the same expression.
"When do you ever play nice?" asked Tala.
"Good point", said Rasa.
Rinkusu bowed his head to Tala. He spared a bored glance at the new pup by the girl's feet.
"Do you need any help?" offered Rasa.
"If I need it you wouldn't give it", said Tala.
Tala took one of the red basket stacked near the counter. It was a huge store. As she walked through members of the animal clans greeted her. This store was a popular place for non-shinobi animal clan members to work. She got to the puppy aisle. Most puppies would be going crazy at seeing all the toys, but Muzaka seemed uninterested. He was just staring at his paws as if he had nothing better to do.
"Doesn't any of this look fun to you?" asked Tala.
Cernunnos looked at her. He didn't see why pups would become so crazed of these toys. Tala bounced a fuzzy green ball. She tossed it expecting him to fetch it. For the moment the puppy he was in was tempted to chase after it, but he pushed down the urge.
"Okay so tennis balls aren't your thing", said Tala.
That wasn't the oddest thing. But Muzaka was the strangest puppy she'd ever encountered. Just by looking him, Tala knew Muzaka would love tug-o-war, so she threw a rope toy in the basket. Along with a large Benebone flavored Wishbone. Tala squeaked one of the toys. For a brief moment, she caught the pup's attention. From the shelf, she took a squeaky chicken with rope legs.
"Muzaka",
He turned in response the name. In Tala's hand was some kind toy in the shape of a chicken. She gave it a squeak. His body tensed with excitement, but the fact wasn't his response. It was the natural response of the puppy that was hosting him. His vessel had no conscious and was completely under his control. But that puppy animal keeps popping up every now and then. She gave it another squeak and his tail started wagging.
"Fetch!"
He went running down the aisle after the toy. His jaws locked around the toy. He started shaking it wildly back and forth. It helplessly squeaked under his powerful bite.
"Now bring it here", called Tala.
He trotted over and dropped toy at her feet.
"Good boy", said Tala as she scratched his head.
Cernunnos barked happily at the compliment. The brief moment was happiness in fun. Maybe letting this puppy personality take over every now and then won't be so bad. He sighed. When his sons were young he used to bring them half dead animal and they would play with them in the same he just played with that toy.
"Hey, what is it, Muzaka?" asked Tala.
He'd yet to reach the age where he could voice his words to her. It would only be a few more weeks until he could. He was brought out of the thought when Tala kissed him on the cheek.
"You are the oddest puppy I've ever met", she said.
Cernunnos huffed. She's right. He was supposed to be a puppy.
"It's time to go", said Tala.
Tala went to register and paid. She shoved the change and put it in her pocket. Later she would give back to Papa. Hmm, maybe ice cream would good.
"How do you feel about a secret treat?" asked Tala.
A treat? Nothing wrong with that. Cernunnos followed her to ice cream shop. The sign read Scoops.
"The usual, Tala?" asked a freckled boy at the counter.
"Yeah, and a pet flavor", she said.
"What kind? They are so popular. It's a big money maker. We now have ten new flavors so all the animal clans can enjoy. The salmon blueberry is the most popular with bears. Tuna vanilla is popular with the cats. And peanut butter and bacon is the most popular with dogs", said the boy.
Cernunnos stared up at the counter. He was familiar most of the flavors. But what was peanut butter?
"One large strawberry ice cream and a bacon peanut butter", said Tala.
Tala took her order from the counter and took a seat in a booth. Muzaka jumped onto the cushion seat across from her.
"Oh, I almost forgot", said Tala.
She pulled a cloth from the bag. It was a bib. There was no way in hell he was wearing that. She cornered him. Before he could duck under the table, she caught him. There was no running. She tied a bib around his neck.
"I just groomed you and I'm planning on keeping that beautiful silver-white fur of yours clean", said Tala.
This is humiliating. He's an ancient and powerful god and he's forced to wear bib like some infant.
"You act more like a grumpy old man than a puppy. I kinda like it makes you different", said Tala.
Tala dug into her ice cream.
"Aren't you going to try it?" she asked.
Cernunnos looked at the reddish brown ice cream in front of him. He sniffed at it. Smelled safe enough. He took a tentative bite. His eyes widened at the flavor. He quickly finished off the cup. Cernunnos licked his lips trying to get another taste of the wonderful salty sweet flavor.
"It's obvious you like peanut butter", said Tala.
She giggled when Muzaka went completely alert at the mention of peanut butter.
"Good thing I got you peanut butter flavor toothpaste", said Tala.
She smiled again when Muzaka's tail started wagging. Her new companion followed her home and dropped her things off. The door to her parents' room was open so she went in. Knocking was always the best policy when it came to parents' room. She placed the spare change on the dresser. Muzaka still seemed to have some energy. Why not use it? She took off her shoes and went outside. Muzaka followed behind her.
She went to all fours. Her claws and teeth extended. Muzaka watched her with such curiosity. His molten gold eyes sparkled with excitement. She took off in a full speed run. To her surprise, the pup was easily able to keep up with her. It took weeks of training with Shiromaru to get him up to this same level of speed. Muzaka was keeping up with little effort. Let's make it a little more difficult.
Tala jumped into the trees. Cernunnos stared up at her. Does she really think he won't be able to reach her? He took a few steps back and came running forward. Cernunnos jumped into the tree and landed gracefully on the branch next to her. He looked into those white eyes, daring her to challenge him further.
"You're a cocky little shit. I think that's the perfect nickname for you, Little Shit", said Tala.
Cernunnos laughed. This girl is feisty. He loved feisty. Most people of his time found it irritating it as hell and thought a reason to punish. He absolutely loved a woman who wasn't afraid of fighting. Tala has that in spades. He barked. They wove through the branches with ease at high speeds. It was if they had done this for years. The elegance of the moment was ruined when got caught between two branches. Tala laughed. He growled.
"You were doing so good. What distracted you?" she asked.
Muzaka whined. She unwedged the puppy and placed him beside him.
"You'll find your voice in your own time. There's no rush", said Tala.
She jumped down from the tree.
"I'll catch you", said Tala with her arms outreached to him.
Cernunnos looked down at her from the branch. He could easily land on his own, but he also knew he needed to show trust.
"Come on", she said.
With a few more moments of hesitation, Muzaka jumped down. She easily caught him and set him down on the ground.
"That wasn't so bad", said Tala.
The pup nodded. Tala still had to gather ingredients for Muzaka's dog food. She couldn't feed him what she gave Shiromaru. Dire wolves ate a mostly meat diet. Deer would be best. He would eat twice as much as the normal dog. Her Aunt Hana had gone over those details with her. A large buck would last him a few months. Maybe Muzaka would enjoy joining her for a hunt. They did have a large freezer in the basement. For now, rabbits would do. They caught ten. Tala quickly gutted and skinned them. Her dad taught her how to skin animals. Muzaka was quick to eat everything except intestines. He kept on trying to sneak one of the rabbits.
"No, these are for later", said Tala.
Muzaka whined. He watched as she made his dog food. She put in the fridge. Tala cleaned up the mess she made in the kitchen. Papa would be pissed if she left a bloody mess in the kitchen.
"You'll have wait until dinner. I've already spoiled you by giving you ice cream", said Tala.
He huffed. Tala washed the blood from her hands. Muzaka yawned.
"We can't rest yet we have one more error to run today and you're coming with if you want to or not", said Tala.
They went to the Hyuga compound. Tala followed her Sensei scent to the training grounds. Hanabi smiled when she saw her.
"Tala", she said.
Hanabi hadn't seen her student for nearly two weeks. She went to the Inuzuka house to visit her but Neji and Kiba wouldn't allow her. Hanabi wanted the opportunity to apologize. If she'd been a better sensei this wouldn't have happened to the girl.
"Hi, sensei", she said.
"What brings you here, Tala? I told your parents you could take all the time you needed to mourn", said Hanabi.
"I'm tired of mourning. I want to get back to training. And I wanted to introduce you to Muzaka", she said.
Hanabi stared down at the dog. She'd never seen one like him before. There was an element of pride he carried. She could have sworn the dog was looking evaluating her.
"What breed of dog is he?" asked Hanabi.
"He's a dire wolf", said Tala.
"I thought they were extinct", said Hanabi.
"Almost", said Tala.
"How did you find him?" asked Hanabi.
"Sensei, you know what am. Is it really that odd that I have a thought extinct species of wolf as my partner? You can't tell anyone what he is. Or scientist will want to experiment on him", said Tala.
"I won't tell anyone, but how will you explain when he grows to the size of a horse", said Hanabi.
"Only a small horse closer to a large pony", said Tala.
She sighed that wasn't the answer sensei wanted.
"I'll deal with that problem when it comes along", said Tala.
Hanabi took a seat on the porch. She patted the seat next to her. Tala took sat next to her. Muzaka rested his head in her lap. Tala ran his fingers through his fur.
"Tala, I need to apologize for happened. I should have been there for you. If I were-
"Don't Sensei. I've played enough of the what if game. I don't need it to start again, not after I've made so much progress. I just want to get back to normal", said Tala.
Cernunnos signed the hunters had inflicted multiple cruelties upon this girl. Guilt hit him. He'd benefit from each of them. Cernunnos shook his head. He wished he could only keep the good emotions.
"I don't want to about sensei. Can we please just leave it at that?" asked Tala.
It was more a plea than a request.
"Okay Tala, I expect you and Muzaka to be at early morning training", said Hanabi.
Tala nodded and got up from her seat.
"I'll see you at dinner", said Hanabi.
"Yeah, see ya then", said Tala.
Cernunnos walked behind the girl. Her shoulders were slumped. The confident posture she once vanished. Tears were sliding down her cheek. He groaned. Cernunnos had always hated it when women cried. It made him uncomfortable. Sometimes it was impossible to tell the right way to bring comfort. If the wrong method was chosen the reaction could be horrible. Some of the scars he received were from those reactions. But in that state, he was in the form of a man. Well, the closest thing he could come to a man. But a cute little puppy wasn't limited by such issues.
He stepped in front of her. A soft whine left his throat. She quickly wiped away her tears. Those tearful white eyes met his. He was so glad that he'd never had a daughter because he couldn't face this on a regular basis. Cernunnos barked at her. She took him in her. Her embrace was tight. She cried into his fur. If holding him like this helped her so be it. He gently licked her cheek.
"Good dog, Muzaka", she sniffled.
She placed him down. They walked home. A burden seemed to have lifted from her.
"I have a gift for you when we get back home", said Tala.
Another gift. He didn't want to take more from the girl. Cernunnos followed her into her room. From a drawer, she pulled a forehead protector. Her eyes started watering. No, not again! He licked her cheek.
"Alright I get it you don't like seeing me cry. Is that it?" asked Tala.
He nodded.
"I wish you could speak, but maybe not being able to is what makes you such a great listener", said Tala.
What was the significance of the garment? She clutched as if it meant the world to her. It carried the scent of another Cernunnos had seen many of the village wearing them.
"You don't know what this means do you?" asked Tala.
Again he nodded.
"This is a symbol the recognizes a person as a Hidden Leaf shinobi. This belonged to Shiromaru. It means a lot to me, but it's doing nothing but gathering dust. You may not have gone through the same training as him, but I trust you, Muzaka and that's enough. You wearing it will be like having him with us in a way", said Tala.
He lowered his head, allowing her to put it on him.
"Looks good on you", said Tala.
He would take good care of it. Cernunnos wasn't a complete emotional idiot. He knew how great of significance this was. From under her bed, Tala pulled a box. It was filled with grooming tools. Cernunnos tensed when Tala took his paws in her hands. He instantly tried to pull away.
"Muzaka, I'm not trying to assert dominance over you. I have to trim your nails", said Tala.
Tala was amazed at how fast they'd regrown. They were black so it would be difficult to tell where the vein was. She took a pair of clippers out. When she tried to cut away, the nail clippers broke.
"Do me a favor and be careful with those claws", said Tala.
Tala took a brush and started running it through his fur. Muzaka pushed into the brush he seemed to enjoy it. Shiromaru always hated it.
"Good to see you like the brush it makes grooming you a lot easier", said Tala.
Cernunnos loved it when Kiyomi brushed his hair. It always calmed him.
"Such pretty fur", said Tala.
It was getting close to dinner. Tala got out Muzaka's food out. It was mostly rabbit meat, but Tala mixed brown rice, shredded carrots, scrambled eggs and some canned pumpkin. She hated the smell of pumpkin, but it added a healthy amount of fiber.
"Come and get it", called Kiba.
The dogs came rushing into the kitchen. Muzaka growled when Keeper approached his bowl. Tala watched. He'd yet to set his place within the pack. The dire wolf pup tackled Keeper down. Keeper rolled onto his stomach. As soon as submission was shown Muzaka backed down and allowed him to get up. Before he could enjoy his meal Tala tied a bib around his neck.
"Isn't the bib a bit much", said Kiba.
Muzaka barked in agreement.
"His fur stains easily. If you don't want him to wear it you groom him. Go on eat", said Tala.
Cernunnos scarfed down his meal. It was wonderful, much better than the meal before.
"Don't eat too fast", warned Tala.
The pup pulled away. Tala laughed when the pup went through a case of the hiccups. It was such a cute sound. Kiba smiled. It was so good to hear her laughing again.
"It's time to go", said Kiba.
Tala groaned.
"Look on the bright side Tala there will be good food", said Lycan.
"Yeah, there's that", she said.
They all went to the main house. As soon as the door open the powerful aroma of well-cooked food touched their noses. Tala was surprised to see Uncle Naruto there. He so rarely came to these dinners ever since he became the Hokage. Or was this just another shadow clone. Do shadow clones even get hungry? All she wanted to do was eat then leave. She made a point of avoiding Boruto. He took joy in kicking her while she was down. Tala took a seat next to her brother.
"It's nice to see you again, Tala", said Hinata.
"Thanks", she said.
Tala quietly sat at the table. Muzaka rested by her feet. His eyes were half closed in sleep. Both loud and quiet conversation mixed at the dining room. She was about to leave when one caught her attention. Tala focused her attention on it.
"Grandfather, I've activated my Byakugan", said Boruto.
Tala laughed.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"I would have sensed it", said Tala.
"You sensed it", huffed Boruto.
"Well, if you're so confident my beloved grandson shall we test it", said Hiashi.
"Wait, great uncle, I would hate for you to throw out your back again. Let me", said Tala.
That caught everyone at the table off guard. Tala never challenged Boruto. She tended to avoid any conflict with her cousin, no matter how much he pushed her.
"You aren't good enough", said Boruto.
To everyone's she didn't get angry. She raised an eyebrow. Kiba had seen the same expression so often with Neji. It was a simple elegant gesture that challenged.
"You wouldn't be able to tell", said Boruto.
"More excuses but I'll counter I've used the Gentle Fist Style since I was two. I'm fully capable of recognizing if you have the gift. I find it odd that it skipped you but not Himawari. If you believe that's true then there's no danger in accepting. That's unless you are scared", said Tala.
"This is the perfect opportunity. Battle is the quickest way to tell if one if manifesting the Byakugan. We have four masters of the Gentle Fist Style. There's the greatest chance of it being seen", said Hiashi.
"You'll lose", said Boruto.
They went training ground outside the Inuzaka main house.
"Is Tala in condition to fight?" asked Hinata.
"She perfectly healthy. This will be good for her", said Kiba.
"That's not what I meant", said Hinata.
"You're asking if she's stable", said Neji.
She nodded.
"She'll be fine", said Neji.
"Big brother you can do this!" yelled Himawari.
Lycan laughed.
"You think your brother can beat my sister, Himawari", he said.
"He so can win!" she yelled.
"So can't!" growled Lycan.
He knew Boruto was strong, but Tala is stronger. Lycan had his ass kicked enough times to know that. Muzaka sat anxiously. The pup nearly jumped when he touched him.
"My sis can handle herself. She's scary strong", said Lycan.
The pup calmed slightly.
Tala's eyes activated.
"You aren't fighting with your dog", said Boruto.
"No, Muzaka hasn't undergone the proper training yet", said Tala.
"It wouldn't have mattered if you still had Shiromaru you still couldn't beat me", said Boruto.
She punched him square in the jaw. Boruto went skidding across the training field. She knew it wasn't the Gentle Fist, but that felt so fucking good after the shit he made her suffer through.
"You talk too much", said Tala.
Himawari's confidence in her brother faded slightly at that moment.
"Dad will big brother be okay?" she asked.
"He'll be fine and might learn a few things", said Naruto.
"Lucky shot", said Boruto.
"There was nothing lucky about it at all. Do expect an opponent to wait for you to be ready?" said Tala.
He got up feet and spat out some blood.
"I guess won't go easy on you", said Boruto.
"I encourage you to", said Tala.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu",
There was a cloud of white and multiple copies of came running out of it. Tala remained calm as the surrounded her. She took the Gentle Fist Stance. Multiple ninja tools were sent in her direction. She rotated, deflecting the tools harmlessly. In the process, she also took out all of Boruto's clones. He's in range.
"Eight Trigrams Thirty Two Palms",
Tala hit eight his chakra points before he had a chance to put distance between the two. She rushed him from the front then disappeared when only inches away from. Her fingers jabbed him in the side, hitting another eight points. Before he could strike respond she moved and struck his other side. She so fast. Then she struck the points in his back. Boruto smiled when his fist made impact with her. The expression quickly vanished. She blocked. He grabbed her wrist and punched. At the same time, her leg slammed against his knee.
He wobbled in that brief moment she was able to pin his against his back and forced him to the ground. She placed her foot firmly on his back. He struggled against her hold.
"This fight is over", said Tala.
The calmness in her voice only irritated him.
"No it isn't!" growled Boruto.
"Okay, tell me how you'd get out of this situation. If it's plausible I'll release you and we can continue", said Tala.
"A teammate", said Boruto.
"Alright and if this hypothetical teammate was here I would tell them that with the chakra point in the heel of my foot I could sever your spinal cord and paralyze you from the waist down. And if I'm in a bad mood I'd sever it further up so the only motion you are capable of is moving your neck", said Tala.
Tala took a breath. He wasn't going to take what she has to say well.
"Boruto, you don't have the Byakugan. At least not the current moment", said Tala.
She relaxed and her vision returned to normal. Tala released her hold on him. She walked away. Cernunnos saw the boy charge at the girl with a blade. How dare he! Before he knew what he was doing was speeding toward him. His teeth sunk into the boy's skin. The taste of iron filled his mouth. There was a crunch as his teeth reached the bone.
Boruto's scream caused Tala to turn. Muzaka's jaw was locked around Boruto's arm. No matter how much Boruto tried shaking him off as he wouldn't let go. Blood was staining his fur. Tala couldn't help staring in shock.
"Tala call him off!" yelled Kiba.
"Muzaka release", said Tala.
He released his bite. Boruto cradled his injured arm. Tala kneeled down next to him. She grabbed his arm.
"I'm only doing this because I'm your family. If you weren't I would have your parents take you the emergency room and pay the outrageous charge", said Tala.
She examined the injury. The bite was deep. It was impressive that Muzaka was able to make such a deep wound when he still had his milk teeth. It seemed that Boruto's radius and ulna were cracked. She took one of Muzaka's teeth out of Boruto's arm. Tala healed him with his arm.
"I don't know why you hate me so deeply. Maybe it's jealousy of my eyes due to your own insecurities with your abilities", said Tala.
He tried pulling away from her but her grip was too tight. Fuck, when did she get this strong? In school, she'd always been a weakling against him.
"I'll give you a free piece of advice. Without my eyes I'd still be twice the shinobi as you", said Tala.
"What the hell is that suppose mean?!" growled Boruto.
"Simple you're an arrogant jackass. It will get you killed", said Tala.
"You are nothing without those eyes and that power stuffed inside you", said Boruto.
"Nothing would be nice. My life would be much simpler if that were true", said Tala.
She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
"And if you ever pull a stunt like that again you may just see the monster inside", whispered Tala in his ear.
Tala looked to their audience than back to Boruto.
"This would have actually been interesting if you treated me like your equal instead of your inferior. We are elite genin", she said.
Tala kneeled beside Muzaka.
"You okay?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Can I go home?" asked Tala.
"Go ahead, Sunshine", said Kiba.
Lycan smiled brightly.
"I told you my sister would win", he said.
"It was just luck", said Himawari.
"No, it wasn't luck my dear. Tala won because she worked hard to reach that level of skill", said Hinata.
"Why was her chakra purple?" asked Himawari.
"Her chakra was one of a kind", said Naruto.
"Like yours, Daddy", she said.
"Yes, like mine", said Naruto.
Neji went inside went to clean up. Hinata joined.
"It wasn't much of a battle but I could tell her skill level has evolved greatly in such a short time", she said.
"That's the ideal battle, being able to defeat an opponent with little effort on one's own part. It's amazing how quickly her skills are coming along. I'm proud of her opportunity. Sometimes it worries me", said Neji.
"Worries you", said Hinata.
"Am afraid she'll lose her chance to be a child. You must understand that. Boruto is a prodigy in his own right", said Neji.
"Yes, I understand. But what she said about Boruto has me more concern", said Hinata.
Neji the topic of Boruto and Tala's relationship was never an easy one to approach. It was hard for Hinata to accept that her son had a darker side that seemed to be focused on Tala. Neji didn't under where Boruto had gotten it from.
"She sometimes doesn't think before she speaks", said Neji.
They both knew that wasn't the case this time.
"No, Tala was right in what she said. I'm just worried that it may prove fatally correct", said Hinata.
"He'll outgrow it in time", said Neji.
Neji wasn't sure if that would be true. The personality Boruto has was so much like Naruto, but yet at the same time different. They were both arrogant and annoying. Boruto was lazy and entitled. Naruto worked for everything. It would be difficult to change that part of the boy's personality. Maybe time will tell.
"Hinata, do I have to worry about there being any charge pressed against Muzaka?" asked Neji.
"You don't", she said.
At that moment Boruto walked into the kitchen.
"Mom, are you done yet?" he asked.
"I can take care of the rest Hinata", said Neji.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yes, go ahead", said Neji.
The Uzamaki family said their goodbyes.
"Himawari, Hinata you two go ahead. Boruto and I will catch up", said Naruto.
"Oh, okay", said Hinata.
The two watched the mother and daughter walk off.
"So what do you want to talk about, old man?" asked Boruto.
"About what your cousin said to you", said Naruto.
"She was only saying bullshit to annoy me", said Boruto.
"Tala was completely right. Arrogance will get you killed", Naruto.
Boruto's hands fisted. Why was his father was taking Tala's side? She wasn't his kid.
"And what she said about her being the twice the shinobi as even if she didn't have the Byakugan. And that wasn't arrogant", said Boruto.
"Again she's right. Yes, she has skill but she has also worked tirelessly improved. You have skill but you lack the determination to work on it", said Naruto.
"Why are you taking her side?!" yelled Boruto.
"I agree with her because I care about you. I'd hate to see you something happen to you because heed the warning given", said Naruto.
Tala had washed Muzaka, but the faded red bloodstains hadn't left his muzzle. She turned on the TV. She flipped it onto the animal planet channel. Blue planet was on. She settled on the couch. Muzaka jumped to join her. He became comfortable. Tala ran her fingers through her fur.
"You didn't have to do that, Muzaka. I could have handled my ass hole of a cousin by myself", said Tala.
"It's my job to defend you", he said.
Tala was shocked to hear him speak. She hugged him close.