Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Beta'd by Dulemina
Chapter 11: Friendship
We make our way through the village towards Ichiraku's, me balancing four rabbits that are tied to my spear that I have laid across my shoulders. Kiba and Akamaru are walking closer than usual to us in a protective manner. Since I am injured I can't really complain about it though. I mean I would act more protective than usual if he were the one injured. Heck if anyone in my pack were to be injured I would be extremely protective of them.
I can't help but notice all the weird looks I am getting as we are walking through the village. I mean you would think that civilians in a shinobi village would be used to seeing a person carrying around her weapon and it isn't uncommon for Inuzuka to walk through town with their kills after a hunting trip. I mean we actually have designated hunting grounds outside of the village. It was one of the requirements for us to join the village. So why am I being stared at?
I turn to look at my friends since Akamaru, Aōko, Naruto, Kiba and I are leading the group. "Hey guys do I have something on my face, people keep staring at me like I have three eyes."
"Uhh sis, you're still covered in blood and wearing the traditional garb. The outfit you're wearing was once white you know." Kiba says raising an eyebrow at my obliviousness to my current state.
That explains it. "Oops, guess I should have gone home and changed, kinda."
Chouji pales, his face quickly becoming worried. "Wait that's all blood! How badly were you injured Kokoro."
Great now Chouji is panicking. I glare at my brother, blaming him for Chouji's panicked state. Judging by the sound of his insects, Shino is also quite worried. Then I feel one of Shino's insects land quickly on my blood covered arm and return to Shino. His insects quiet down almost instantly. "There is no need to worry. Why? Because most of the blood is that of various animals, very little of it is Kokoro's."
"Oh, sorry for panicking like that on you Kokoro." Chouji says with reddened cheeks. "But seriously how bad are your injuries."
"Not that bad, just a row of claw marks across my rib cage. They were pretty deep before nee-chan used mystic palm on me, but they are almost healed now, kinda." I say trying to reassure the blushing Akimichi and everyone else in the group.
"That's it I'm buying you two bowls of ramen so that you can get your strength back up, believe it!" Naruto declares with his trade mark grin aimed at me.
Now I'm the one blushing "that's not really necessary Naruto."
"Sure it is; what kind of future Hokage would I be if I'm not even able to make sure my friends are at their very best." That boy can be so serious when it comes to those he cares about. Then again other than Iruka-sensei or Hokage-sama I'm probably the only one closest to him.
O~O~O
"Hey is this seat taken." A girl with wild and spiky black hair asks a blond boy who is eating what looks to be his fourth bowl of ramen. The boy is confused as to why she would ask to sit beside him, specifically when every other seat at the counter is free. Usually people would avoid the boy.
"Yeah, sure." The boy mutters not really sure how to respond to someone actively trying to be near him in a way that isn't menacing, or at least as far as he can tell.
"My name's Inuzuka Kokoro, but you can call me Kokoro and this here is Aōko. We decided to stop by and get to know you since we are in the same class at the academy and all, kinda." The girl and her dog say as they start a friendly conversation with their classmate.
"My names Uzumaki Naruto, but you can call me Naruto if you like." The boy says unsure of why the girl is being so nice to him.
"Hey lighten up would you, I'm trying to become your friend." The girl says smiling even wider at the boy who just stares at her with unbelieving blue eyes.
O~O~O
Naruto and I sure have become closer since then, with me watching his back and tutoring him on what he misses in class when him and my brother skip. Sure he hangs out with Kiba, Shika and Chouji when they all cut class but none of them have really taken the time to get to know Naruto. They also don't see the amount of potential he has. I mean the kid is able to pull pranks on Jounin. I heard that he even pulled a few on Anbu operatives too. Turn those pranks into traps and you've got a budding shinobi with a potentially lethal talent.
Poke
"Hmm?"
"You were spacing out again sis. I mean seriously if you go doing that in battle you're going to end up with worse than a few scratches on your chest from a bear." Wow Kiba, no need to be so melodramatic. I roll my eyes but he does have a point.
"Hey Kokoro, what were you thinking about?" Naruto asks like he usually does.
"Oh, just about the first time we ate ramen together." I say with a smile. "Hard to believe that it's been almost four years since that day. We sure have become close."
"Yeah, you said it. I really hope that we end up on the same team, if not I want Sakura on my team. But seriously you're probably the person I would trust most to have my back in a fight." Naruto says with a burst of energy that illuminates his blue eyes.
"Really, I was not aware that you and Kokoro-chan were so close." Wait, is Shino actually jealous.
"Yeah since when were you guys so close Naruto." Not Chouji too.
"Kokoro is pretty antisocial at the best of times so I wouldn't mind knowing how you two became such close friends." Seriously Shikamaru, I thought you would at least be too lazy to jump on this band wagon.
"Yeah, just how much have you two been hanging out together? I don't remember you and my sister being around each other that much, other than in class." Great now all the boys are ganging up on Naruto.
"Her and Naruto have been studying together for the past two years. Usually he hangs out with her after our kunoichi classes. Since you four are usually busy then. I myself help my mom at the flower shop after the classes are done and by then Kokoro is tired of being around flowers." Thank you Ino.
"What Ino says is true, Naruto and I do study together whenever the rest of you are all too busy. Like the time when the three of you got grounded for skipping class and Shino and Ino had clan training." I say as I hook my arm around Naruto's and stick out my tongue childishly.
The other four boys seem a bit put out by the fact that they didn't know me as well as they thought they did.
~o~
We finally arrive at Ichirakus after a surprisingly quiet trip. The only sound that I heard coming from any of the boys were the faint buzz of Shino's insects, but that sound is as ever present and natural as his heart beat and breathing patterns by now. Aōko runs ahead, jumping up onto one of the stools, her tail wagging quickly behind her. Akamaru jumps off from Kiba's head and eagerly joins his sister causing me and Kiba to laugh at our partners' antics.
"Well, well, I guess that it'll be four orders of beef ramen with some extra warmed beef on the side." Teuchi says as he greets us. "All ramen is on the house tonight."
"Really?" Naruto asks excitedly. I swear him and Shikamaru are complete opposites. On the scale of energeticness, one is on the extreme side of lazy, the other is off the scale with his hyperactivity.
"Of course, you guys are obviously celebrating Kokoro-san's rite of passage." The old man says with a smile.
"How did you know?" I ask curiously, not many civilians know of shinobi clan traditions. Heck even only a few shinobi know of Inuzuka clan traditions.
"Of course, Tsume-san and Hana-san came here to celebrate Hana-san's rite of passage too." He replies with a smile as the rest of our group sits down, with me sitting between Naruto and Kiba. To Naruto's left is the Ino-Shika-Chou in that order and to Kiba's right is Shino. I can't help but smile. With friends like these I might just survive life as a ninja.
~o~
By the time the sun had set and the stars had come out everyone was feeling like they had eaten too much. I myself ate twelve bowls of beef ramen. Kiba ate 7, Shino also ate 12, Chouji 13 and Naruto ate the most at 14.
"I can't believe you guys turned it into an eating contest." Ino scolds as we head toward one of Konoha's many parks. We decided on the destination after Shikamaru suggested we star gaze. A typical Nara past time, staring at the sky doing little else. But still knowing the constellations above you is useful for navigation.
"I can't believe that Naruto ate more ramen than Chouji and that Shino was able to tie with Koko." Kiba says with a content grin that has been plastered on his face, ever since we left the ramen bar. He still hasn't left my side for a moment. Suddenly a sharp pain twists in my abdomen. Right, I almost forgot about my little gift. I guess I must have grimaced because the boys all turned to look at me worried.
"If your wounds are bothering you then we can head home sis." Kiba says, linking his arm with mine.
I look to Ino, silently communicating what the real problem is. "No I'm fine, kinda."
None of the boys look convinced but Shino seems to clue into me and Ino's silent conversation. I guess he took my advice and spoke to one of his female hive members. The Aburame really do operate like a hive, much like the Inuzuka operate like a pack. Though I got to admit, I am lucky to have a friend like him, he is definitely the kind of person that you want watching your back, not stabbing it.
"It'll take a lot more than some scratches to take down the demonic huntress." Ino teases using my newly minted moniker. The one my talk with Ami had earned me. Seriously the news about the incident traveled fast and every girl in the village has heard the story by now and of my new title.
"Demonic huntress?" Naruto asks with his eyes closed and an adorably confused look on his face.
I try and defuse the situation before it gets worse. "A new nickname that I earned during me and Ino's kunoichi classes a few days ago."
"Ami and her goons decided to try and pick on her. Kokoro just ignored them at first till they started insulting you, Shino and Chouji." Ino says gesturing to Naruto before continuing on with telling the story. "Then she just snapped. Threatened to hunt her down and destroy everything her and her friends hold dear. All the while she had Ami pinned to the tree by her neck. I heard that she even needed stitches for the cuts Kokoro left on her neck. I saw it happen and 'demonic' is definitely a word I would use to describe Kokoro when she is angry."
A low whistle from my brother. "Damn sis, having all the fun without me."
"Really Kokoro, you don't have to go through so much trouble to defend me." Naruto says as he rubs the back of his head.
I growl, my eyes narrowing dangerously. "Yes. I. do. You guys are all a part of my pack and I am going to defend you guys whether you like it or not."
"I think that the name suits her. Why? Because Kokoro has proved herself to be an efficient huntress." Typical Shino, always finding the logicalness in any situation. Quite a feat in a world where the laws of physics rarely apply in my opinion.
Naruto thinks for a minute before bursting out once more. "Yeah, it's definitely the kind of name a badass ninja like Kokoro deserves, believe it."
"Uh, we aren't ninja yet, kinda." I deadpan.
"It's only a matter of time before all of us get our headbands." Naruto shouts enthusiastically. "Then I will be one step closer to being Hokage. Believe it!"
"Yep, and I'll be right there with you every step of the way, Naruto." I shout giving into the infectious nature of his energy.
~o~
Hello everyone, I decided to address everything at the end of the chapter since I don't really have many reviews to reply to. I am not able to keep up with daily updates anymore due to the fact that school and certain aspects of my life must take precedence over this story for the time being. However I will be posting a picture of Kokoro on my deviant art account along with the next chapter.
I apologise for how tiny the last few chapters have been but I assure you the next few are monstrous in size. I am glad that so many people are enjoying how Kokoro is developing and that so many of you are egar for more chapters. However the coming chapters are going to be very big and very important. This actually the end of the childhood arc.
Next time: Graduation, teams are assigned and Kokoro scares the shit out of people
