"Um, wow. You believe me?"
"I don't know yet, but Kenta and Kuromaru do, otherwise they wouldn't let you around Kiba. Besides, it's obviously bothering you, so I guess it's worth taking the chance… anyways, what happens?" I sag in relief. Someone to talk to…
"Well, the next big thing is the Hyuuga affair. The war ends right before Hinata's birthday. Kumo sends a delegation, but they use it as a cover to try to kidnap her. She is rescued of course, and they kill the kidnapper… but somehow Kumo uses this to demand her father or else they continue the war, I guess? I actually don't know how that works… but anyways, he sends his twin brother instead and then kills him using the caged bird seal. It basically leads to this whole inferiority complex in the guy's son, and he bullies his cousin, and between him and her hard-ass father she grows up with no self confidence, and then the son almost kills her but they make up. He dies... in the war... against Madara." I say, trailing off as I see her eyes grow wide in disbelief.
"Oooh-kay… that's a lot to work with… and did you say Madara?" she says, slowly enunciating each word like she's tasting them.
"Yeah… we can work up to that part. I think that would be better."
"Ok so what's Kuromaru's plan?" she says and I wince, nodding my head. "Nothing? What do you mean?"
"They said I should focus on other things, because I can't make too many changes and that the kid isn't that important…" I bite out, now she's the one wincing.
"Oh"
"Yeah, oh… I mean, how can he say that? It's just so cold! Like, here's a problem and we have all this information and time to try to fix it and save some poor boy and then like a couple other people too… I can't believe it!"
"Ah"
"So, I think the obvious first step is to find the Hyuuga clan compound."
"Oh"
"You already said that one."
"I mean, I'm just thinking this is very complicated… can you go over what we know?"
"That it. I just told you, right before her birthday she…"
"Yeah, ok, so that's all we got. Look, I'll help you, but we have to be honest with ourselves… there's a pretty good chance this won't work out." she tries gently.
"I know, but we need to try, right? And we have the upper hand, we know when they're coming and who their target is… that's a lot right?"
"Maybe, but do you know how? Or who specifically?"
"I know he was a head ninja, whatever that means…?" I say, cocking my head and she lets out a deep sigh.
"Ok, ok, let me see… how do we get into the Hyuuga compound?" she says looking up at the sky.
"Can you ask… Kuromaru? You, not me. Or maybe he would still figure it out?" telling her all of this has made me feel lighter, and I feel like I can think again.
"Akamaru, he's been called back to the battlefield with Tsume… they won't be back for another two weeks unless something goes really badly. I thought he would have told you?" she says, and immediately, the light feeling disappears. But! I can't do anything about that now, so I push it aside.
"Ok, so that plan's out, what else do we have? Let's see… oh! Could it be some kind of clan politics? Letting the heirs get to know each other?" but as soon as I say it I know what the answer is.
"The hyuuga… don't exactly associate with "our type," buddy, or really anyone outside of the hyuuga and maybe a select few Jonin they've approved of… bunch of arrogant stuck ups, I'm afraid…"
"Well there has to be some way in! Just, let me know if you hear anything!" I crow, trying to sound confident, but this whole conversation is sending me from barrelling from one end of spectrum to the other when it comes to confidence. On one hand I'm relieved to have someone to talk to, but on the other, It's just clarifying all of the roadblocks. I need some kind of miracle.
My miracle came three days later in the form of mice. As it turns out, the Hyuuga import many specialty foods from the land of rice paddies, and keep them locked up in a special warehouse on the property, only opened on certain occasions. You can imagine, then, their surprise when they open the doors, ready to finally "get the stick out their asses and celebrate for once" as Akira put it, and were met with a swarm of mice and half devoured foods that the Akamichi would kill to get their hands on. Which means they were looking for some highly trained and discreet pest removal. Of course there were cats, but since those were allied with the Uchiha, the biggest rivals of the Hyuuga for Ocular jutsu madness and the length of the "stick up their asses" cats were out of the question.
Which is why a long suffering branch member appeared in front of the door one day, asking for the clan head. Of course Tsume wasn't there, so Kiba's father answered. They spoke in low voices but of course, that doesn't really matter to a dog. Upon hearing this, I ran as fast as I could to Akira, who then ran to Takahiro. Takahiro, as it turns out, is basically in charge of the ninken when both Kenta and Kuromaru are out, and while confused, he agreed to let Akira and I join in on the pest removal, as I had proven myself. There was just one more thing though.
"Sir, if I may, can my sister Yuki come with?"
"Yuki? That whelp that couldn't even bring down the rabbit that fainted in front of her? Why?" he says, eyes narrowing.
"Well, I was… sort of hoping that if Akira saw her get a kill at the compound, she could be a ninken in training again? Please sir!" I say, groveling, but internally, I'm cursing this fluffy animal killing hangup that these ninken seem to have. He considers it, leaning back on his haunches.
"Fine, fine, I suppose that makes sense." I thank him and then bolt to find Yuki, before I can hear the end of the conversation.
I find her in a part of the compound I had rarely been before, playing fetch with some older human, who, from the looks of it must have been a ninja. Past tense, as he was very clearly missing an arm, and burns on half of his body. I was confused because I knew she wasn't a ninken, and other than ninken, dogs usually weren't actually assigned to any specific humans. But she stopped when she saw me approaching and trotted over to me.
"Oh, hey Akamaru, how are you?"
"I'm good, I'm good. So… who is that?"
"Oh, him? That's Ashitaka, he's a retired Ninja I met a while ago, I think it's lonely for him, his daughter's on the front line, and she's all the family he's got left now, so sometimes I come over to look out for him." she says, bashfully.
"Oh, ok. Well listen, the Hyuuga need some of us to come over and help exterminate the mice in their pantries or whatever, but I asked, and if you come, and can get your first kill, Takahiro will let you be a ninken again! But we have to leave right now, because the Hyuuga are pretty impatient!" and with that I run back to the compound gate, leaving her to say her goodbyes.
By the time she arrives, the Hyuuga appears close to passing out, muttering about how the heads are going to kill him for being this late and "oh god why can't this damn clan be on time for once?" while he paces back and forth. We let out a bark, and the Hyuuga lets out a sigh of relief before walking off, and we follow.
"So, why aren't there any humans coming with?"
"The hyuuga don't want any of them seeing inside their compound, apparently." Akira answers, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, have they forgotten that we can talk to our partners? Akamaru, I tell you, these people will never, ever come close to seeing ninken as equals. Keep that to our advantage" she says, bitterly.
Walking through the streets of Kohona is interesting. There's wave after wave of scents that I had never smelled before, and so many people moving around. But they all give the Hyuuga a wide berth making it easy for us to follow. The sunlight is cut into small rays by the tall buildings and crisscrossing power lines and laundry, or signs and banners for all of the small shops. It's strange to think this was all just outside the gates of the compound, where it almost felt like a campground, with all of it's small cabins and the woods. I soak in all of the sights and sounds, relying on Akira to keep me on the right path. In fact, I pass a blacksmith shouting out what sounds like sale prices and when I look, I think I see a small tenten behind him. Before I can check, Akira nudges me along.
We turn down the road into a quieter section of town, one that must be residential, and walk along a large walled street, looming compounds on either side. The Hyuuga then stops at the main gate of one of the compounds and raps on the door firmly. He exchanges words with someone on the other side and the door opens, letting us in.
The inside of the compound is pristine. There's a large garden, complete with pond and several beautiful trees. Behind the garden are several impressive houses with a courtyard in the middle, where it looks like some training dummies have been set up, and then beyond them, I can see several more houses. But before I can really take in all of the detail, we are ushered to a corner of the compound and into what must be the pantry. The smell of mice is overwhelming here, as well as that of… rice? Which, I guess makes sense, but as for why they would go to all that trouble to make rice…? Focus! That obnoxious voice is back.
"Ok, so, we should… get around to exterminating them… I guess? Akira, any Idea how we do that?" I say, turning to her.
"Akamaru, did you even listen? They need us to figure out where the mice are coming from so they can get rid of the breach! If we kill a couple in the process fine, but realistically, three dogs against a hundred or so mice, isn't going to work." she says, exasperated, and if she were human, I bet she would be throwing her hands up in the air like… like who? Who did I know who did that? I furrow my brows and strain to think of who it was, their name on the tip of my tongue, but all I go is give myself a headache, and get a worried look from Akira and Yuki.
"Ok, so I think we should split up then!" I say, trying to change the topic. Yuki! You investigate the pantry, and I'll head out towards… umm… that way! I say, pointing to the regal looking buildings… and Akira… you go…"
"The other way."
"Yeah, sounds good. Meet back up at… sundown?" I say, and when Yuki nods, Akira and I turn and walk out.
"You sure bringing your sister was a good idea?"
"Yeah of course! Now she has the chance to be a ninken again."
"Akamaru…"
"What?"
"I don't think she wants to be a ninken. She doesn't have it in her, and she knows that."
"What? No. I mean, the whole BS thing about killing some rabbit in the woods, who wasn't hurting anyone shouldn't count." I say hotly, "The rabbit was innocent, and ninken are honorable and loyal companions or whatever it is that they teach the pups. They don't slaughter random animals that aren't hurting anyone!"
She looks at me in disbelief, before shaking her head. "Besides the mice, I guess?"
"That's different, we need to kill them to, you know, save some people."
"But they aren't really hurting anyone?" she presses.
"I guess not…"
"Exactly. Sometimes helping the people you love means hurting someone else, Akamaru. For instance, if you're out in the forest, 2 days run from the nearest town, and your partner needs food, you've got to kill that rabbit. Look, your sister is great, a super sweet little pup with a heart of gold and all that. But killing, it's our job. Even killing animals and sometimes people, not because they deserve it, but because if they don't our partners will." she says, and while the tone is gentle, the words are not.
"Look, from what it sounds like, you lived in a world where you didn't have to deal with this kind of thing, and that's great. Really, it is nice to imagine. But Akamaru, that just doesn't work here. And if you can't kill rabbits, you can't be a ninken. Your first thought can't be 'does it deserve this' but 'will this keep my partner alive for one more day?'" she says, and the sadness in her voice tells me not to push it. We walk in silence until we come across another famous naruto Character and I go still.
Neji.