"Oh, hey, it has been a while, hasn't it?" I say, and try to sound cheerful but I know it comes out weaker than I wanted. She comes over and gives me a once over.
"Kuromaru told me to watch over you, after that whole headache shebang. Don't really know why he picked me, but whatever." She said, after finding whatever she looked for. I felt guilty, It's been a long time since we had spent time with each other, besides a passing greeting.
"Probably because we are friends." I say, and she gives me another sharp look. I think I hit a nerve there. "Aren't we?" Oh. No. that was not the right thing to say.
"Are we though?" she spat, and stalked over right into my face. I could feel her breath with every syllable. "Last I checked, friends hang out. They talk, tell each other what's up with their lives!"
"I'm sorry, Kuromaru's training doesn't leave me any spare time!" I try to sound firm but there's a whine at the end.
"Bull. Shit. Kuromaru has never. Ever. spent that much time raising one ninken. Not even the Hanamaru Triplets." she says, and there's venom in her eyes. I remember the first time I saw her she reminded me of Anko, and now I can remember why.
"I don't know, maybe he thinks I need more work than them?"
"If you needed that much work why didn't he just replace you. No. Every second he isn't on a mission he is watching you like a goddamn hawk, and whenever he isn't around, it's his little sidekick Kenta." with this she begins to pace.
"They won't let me or Yuki or anyone see you, you know that? You're always too busy, they say. You have practically no scent of your own, it's all just Kenta and Kuromaru on you." Yuki. I feel a pit in my stomach. I had forgotten about my siblings entirely, too caught up in training and the Hyuuga clan.
"I'm sorry.. I didn't realize." I say, but it barely comes out.
"And? I don't care that you're sorry. I get it, you found something better to do than hang out with little old me. Trust me, that's nothing new. I just want to know why." at the last part she starts to get quieter, which somehow makes this worse. Something's upsetting her far more than just me, and I can feel it.
"I.. I… can't really explain it… it's complicated…" she lets out a derisive snort and the clicking of her nails against the wooden floor suddenly sounds more menacing.
"That's the best you can do? It's complicated? What next? It's not you it's me?" I wince.
"It's… I need Kuromaru's help with something, but he told me not to really discuss it with anyone else…" I shift my weight from one side to another uncomfortably. There's too much going on right now, with Akira and the Hyuugas and Kuromaru not wanting to help.
"If you needed help, why didn't you come to me first?" she says, although not as hostile as before. I take this as a good sign, and take a breath, giving me time to think of a response.
"You did… I don't think you realize it, or meant for it to happen, but you really did help me."
"Then why don't you tell me what's wrong so I can help you again?" she pleads.
"I…" and I have to think for a moment. Kuromaru had agreed with me that telling Tsume was a bad idea because she would definitely try something, and lacked the… subtlety to get very far, whereas the rest of the clans tended to underestimate exactly how clever the dogs could be. We agreed not to tell the humans, but another dog? Maybe that wasn't so bad. Plus, if he was serious about not helping with the Hyuuga maybe I could use another partner. Akira was certainly a sneakier dog than most. I let out a whine. This was a big, irreversible decision.
Then I hear a sigh. It's Akira, and she is padding towards the door. "Those two are returning, and they won't be happy to know I sneaked in. I better be off before they can lecture me. If you ever want to, I'm stuck in the compound so I should be easy to find." with that, she leaves.
Before I can even begin to process these events Kenta returns. He sniffs the air, and can definitely smell that Akira has been here, but decides not to comment.
"Pup, I am sorry, but you really can't save everyone, you know that right?" he says, and tries for a smile, but it's forced. I turn away from him. I know it's childish, sue me. He sighs again. "Look, I get that you think you understand this, but it's all a story to you, ok, and it's our actual lives, we've got to be a bit more cautious with this…"
That raises my hackles. Sure, it was a story, but Kuromaru pretty much pounded it into me that this world was real. Literally. After all the training I had been through, and all the fights, he thought I was still taking this as a joke? Did he seriously still see me as a pup? I was a full grown adult before I…
There's a flash of images in my head: the road, the radio, the rhythm of a song that I knew I knew, that was on the tip of my tongue. What was it? What was it? A hand reaches out and turns the radio off right before it reaches the best part. I squawk, and there is a laugh in response before the hand turns the music back on. Why can't I see the person's face?
Then there is a piercing pain behind my eyes and I wobble over, before collapsing into a whimpering pile.