The boy stared.
He stared like the other boy with pale skin, with envy in his eyes, at the sight before him.
"Wow, you two already know the tree climbing exercise? Should've known." Iruka exclaimed with pride as he smiled at the villages prodigies.
Kiba looked over, and saw the boy that the rest of the class ignored.
Yuma Ito.
He didn't like Yuma, but didn't hate him either. He didn't stand out much. Which was just fine with Kiba. What caught Kiba's attention however, was the look of envy Yuma seemed to direct at the village prodigies.
An envy Kiba knew all too well.
Kiba however, unlike Yuma, did not stare at the two with hate or jealousy in his eyes. His envy took on a different shade of green.
He stared in pure unadulterated awe.
"They're so cool" One student proclaimed, as Naruko and Sasuke proceeded to walk down the tree, being swamped with fellow students begging for the stars to teach them.
Kiba followed.
From a very young age, Kiba's mother had instilled within him two very important lessons.
The first lesson was this.
That you have to be an alpha. A team leader, a captain of the pack.
You had to be the greatest.
Being anything less than amazing...
Only means you were a failure.
"Oh come on, its not that big of a deal. Its just walking up a tree. Anyone with a proper grasp of chakra manipulation can do it." Sasuke bragged, basking in the attention and adoration.
Kiba frowned, he didn't like Sasuke all that much.
But everyone else did.
So he did too.
"Sasuke's right, with enough practice anyone can do it! I can teach you guys if ya want!" Naruko said in an energetic and happy-go-lucky manner.
Kiba didn't like Naruko that much either, she was too loud and she hurt his ears sometimes.
But she was the village hero, so he had to like her too.
"Hey, where do you think you're going!? Hey! Hey! Get back here!" Iruka called out to the boy, as he ran away.
He saw the other boy run away, their teacher calling after him as the boy fled to the trees. Kiba paid it no mind, laughing with the other kids.
The second lesson was as follows.
If you can't be a pack leader, then be a faithful member of the pack.
don't be a stray or lone wolf.
Strays and lone wolfs are less than dirt.
These lessons were the creed of the Inuzuka Clan.
And so he followed.
He followed the other children who laughed at the boy, and made fun of him. He praised Naruko and Sasuke just as the others did, and ate what everyone else ate, played what everyone else played, did...
What everyone else did.
He knew he could never be the pack leader.
Not here.
And not at home.
And so...
He spent the rest of the day sucking up to the village prodigies, just as everyone else did.
He didn't want to...
But it was just the way things were.
At least...
That's what his mother always said.
The sun was now dipping over the horizon, as academy let out for the day. Kiba walked outside, seeing his older sister Hana Inuzuka waiting near the entrance of the building.
He liked his sister.
For the most part.
She was the strongest.
She was the smartest.
She was loved by mom the most.
So he loved her too.
He had to.
He walked up to his sister timidly, always unsure of how to approach her.
She frowned.
"Why are you always so slow?" Hana asked.
"I'm sorry..." Kiba said.
"Jeesh, you always talk so quiet too."
"I'm sorry..." Kiba said again.
She continued to frown at him, before huffing aloud.
"Whatever. Come on. Lets go. Mom's probably finished dinner. Did you bring your progress report?"
Kiba froze.
"...Uh...I forgot it." He responded timidly.
"Ugh, probably on purpose."
"Please don't tell mom." He asked.
"I won't have to, she'll find out anyway." She responded with a smirk.
"..I'm sorry."
She growled.
"Stop saying that. Its annoying. Just shut up and follow me. We're going home."
"...Yes sis." He responded, following her as quietly as possible so as to avoid upsetting her.
His sister, Hana Inuzuka, was the pride and joy of their mother. She had graduated from the Academy at a very early age, having excelled at medical ninjutsu. In less than a year she had become a Chunin, and the next year, a Jonin. She was a child prodigy, a star, a pack leader, his mother's pride and joy.
Everything Kiba should be.
But wasn't.
All he could do was do what he always did.
Follow.
So he did.
He followed her home, staying as quiet as possible.
He walked into the house, and smelled what his mother was cooking.
Yakisoba.
His sister's favorite, as always.
"Hey mom, we're home!" Hana called out.
"Good, come eat, dinners ready."
Kiba hated dinner.
He also hated lunch.
And breakfast.
He hated it because he had to at eat the table.
With his mom.
With his sister.
But they liked meal time.
So he did too.
Hana walked past him, bumping him into the wall as she did so. She sat at the end of the table and smirked at him.
It was his spot.
He frowned, and sat at her seat. Not wanting to be next her, he moved his seat a spot away from her. The smell of Yakisoba filled the air as their mother, Tsume Inuzuka, brought dinner into the dining room. She plopped it onto the table, and used the ladle to put some on everyone's plates.
Tsume got the most put on her plate.
She always got the most.
"M-Mom?" Kiba asked timidly.
"What is it boy?" His mother asked, not even looking at him, too busy stuffing her face.
"Can I have more?" He asked.
"Depends, did you bring your report card?" She asked back, causing him to flinch.
"I-I forgot it." He said, starting to cold sweat.
She chuckled.
He hated her chuckle so fucking much.
"I called your teacher you know."
Fear filled him, he tried to shake it away, but it was too late.
His mother could smell fear a mile away.
"You didn't forget anything. You just didn't have the guts to be honest with me. He told me how shitty your grades were ya know? Seriously, why can't you be more like your sister. She graduated top of her class." His mother continued, still not looking her own son in the eyes.
"Yeah...Cuz she didn't share a class with a bunch of prodigies." He tried to reason, but accidentally let his attitude seep through.
"The Inuzuka don't believe in excuses. You're either number one, or you're nothing. Put your fork down." His mother barked scaring him.
"B-But, i'm hungry!" He shouted back.
"Kiba. I said...-!?"
"No! Its not fair, why do you always treat me like this!? You never treat big sis like this! Its not fair! Its-!?"
His plate was shoved off the table as his mother swiped her hand across the table, striking her son in the head.
"M-Mom?" He asked, now fearful and holding his red cheek, on the cusp of tears.
"GO TO YOUR ROOM RIGHT NOW!" She screamed, scaring him enough to make him fall off his chair, falling onto his face.
He cried out loud, and scrambled to his feet, running to his room and slamming the door shut. The sound of thrashing and the room being messed up rang throughout the house as his sister and mother continued eating.
"What about his dinner?" Hana asked.
"Feed it to the dogs or eat it yourself, I don't care." Tsume answered.
And thus, Kiba's normal every day dinner with the family ended as it usually did.
With him being treated like a stray.
The morning rays shined through his bedroom, waking young Kiba awake. He rubbed his sore eyes, and grumbled aloud as he got out of bed. He grabbed his towel and went to take a shower. He was about a few feet away from their houses bathroom when his sister called out.
"What do you think you're doing?" She asked
"...Taking a shower...I need to go to class." He said, not bothering to look back at her.
"No. I always take the shower first. You know the rules." She said.
"B-But-!?" His words were caught in his mouth as his sister shoved him into the wall, walking into the restroom before he could even protest.
He laid his back against the wall, waiting for the sound of the shower head to start.
So that it could mask the sound of his cries.
"...I hate this...I hate this...I hate this...If only...If only I were an alpha...If only I were a..."
He continued to sob. Eventually, he wiped his eyes clean, and chose to forget about taking a shower. He made his way back to his room, putting on his clothes before getting ready to head to the Academy. He was about to walk out of the front door, when his mothers voice stopped him.
"Hey." Tsume called out, causing Kiba to flinch.
"W-What is it?" He asked, not looking back at her. Hands on the doorknob.
"Do better on your next report card, and I'll give ya your first dog." She said.
Kiba's eyes widened in shock, turning to his mom with a surprised look on his face.
"R-Really? You're for real?" He asked.
"I just said so didn't I?" She replied with a smirk.
Kiba's eyes lit up in excitement, and ran up to his mother, hugging onto her legs.
"Thank you mom! Thank you!" He cried out, rubbing his face against her shins
"Don't thank me yet boy, thank me after you pass your classes." Tsume responded, kicking him off her legs.
"Yes ma'am! I-I will! You'll see!" He said, running off to the door.
He waved goodbye to his mother, before swinging the door open with glee, practically skipping out of the house.
"Seriously, what a dumb boy." His mother said with an eye roll.
And thus...A completely average morning in the Inuzuka clans main house, came to an end.
Kiba had walked to school, a jive in his step as he continued to think about the promise his mother made him.
'My own dog...Finally, I'll have a pet...A partner...A friend...' Kiba thought to himself as he walked past the school gates. He turned around, hearing someone grumbling a few feet away.
That was when he saw him. The lone wolf everyone laughed at.
Yuma Ito.
And suddenly, as if he had been struck with a bolt of inspiration...
An idea began to form in his mind...
A wicked idea...
A twisted and awful idea...
If he couldn't be the class's pack leader...
Or his family's pack leader...
Then he would be Yuma's pack leader...
Whether he wanted it or not.
"...Hey, guys..." He called out to some kids that were hanging outside the academy before the teachers arrived.
As a sinister grin began to form on the young Kiba's face.
"Watch me trip this loser."
The kids snickered, following Kiba, watching as he hid behind the gates. Yuma, who seemed to be caught up in his own thoughts, didn't see Kiba's outstretched leg, and so Kiba tripped him, causing Yuma to fall onto his face.
"Ha! See, told you guys it was easy! Idiot didn't even see it coming!" Kiba yelled, getting the attention of the other kids.
The kids laughed.
Kiba liked that.
He really liked that.
"Nice to see you too Kiba." Yuma drawled, standing to his feet with a deep frown on his face.
Kiba smirked, shoving Yuma in the chest, causing him to fall down again.
They laughed again.
Kiba's smile grew larger.
"I didn't say you could stand up did I?" Kiba said, causing Yuma's temper to turn fowl as he glared at the floor, refusing to look his bully in the eyes.
Kiba enjoyed the feeling, he enjoyed being feared, being respected...
Being a pack leader.
"Hey Kiba, teachers coming!" A kid yelled out, signalling for them to stop.
Kiba growled, before glaring down at Yuma.
"You're a loser. And you always will be. Don't forget that."
He walked off with a smirk, as the kids surrounded him. Laughing as they began to praise him.
"You're so cool Kiba!"
"Yeah, that was awesome!"
"You're the greatest!
And with these compliments, He smiled. He actually smiled. Not a fake smile to fit in, or to please his mom, or to get his older sister off his back.
He had...A real smile.
For the first time in a long time...
He was on top.
He was going to get his first dog soon, a sign of being a member of the pack in the Inuzuka clan, and he had found someone to push around whenever he felt like.
And he reveled in the feeling.
He had finally found a way...
To be a pack leader.
"Be strong. Be alpha"
Over and over, day and night, again and again this mantra was what Kiba would repeat as he spent every waking moment studying and practicing. Aiming to be the very best he could be.
Studying.
Practicing.
Day after day it was nothing but hard work. He wanted it so bad. His first pet, the respect of mother and big sis. He wanted it so much he could almost taste it.
So he continued.
He didn't have any other choice in his mind.
Day's turned into weeks, and weeks into a month. Finally, report card day had came. Kiba was one of the first kids to run to the front of the class, eager to see his scores. He grabbed a hold of his report card, excited beyond belief.
And became misty eyed once he saw his score.
He had finally done it.
Straight. A's.
"Wooh! Hell yeah! I did it! I really did it! Straight A's baby!" He shouted, earning himself a glare from Iruka-Sensei.
"Hey, no swearing in the class." Iruka chided him.
"S-Sorry sir!" Kiba said, rubbing his neck with a big dumb grin on his face.
"Wow, straight A's? Even I couldn't manage that." Naruko said with a smile, earning a chuckle from Sasuke at her side.
"That's because you're an idiot though." Sasuke joked.
"Hmph! Rude!" Naruko pouted.
"You mean...I...I got a better grade then the village hero?" Kiba muttered aloud.
"Hm?" Naruko turned to him with a tilt of her head, not having heard what he said.
Kiba's smile grew as he made that realization.
His self praises were cut short as Yuma grabbed a hold of his report card, not even bothering to look Kiba's way. The pale boy clicked his tongue in disappointment, causing Kiba to smirk.
"What was your score Yuma?" Kiba asked, getting in the fellow boys way.
Yuma glared at him before looking to the ground, refusing to look his bully in the eyes.
"Why do you wanna know?" Yuma asked.
"Hah! I knew it, you probably failed didn't you? Let me see it!" Kiba demanded, reaching out for his report card.
"H-Hey, stop! Its mine!" Yuma cried out, trying to keep hold of it.
But Kiba was too fast, and snatched it from his hands.
Kiba read over it, before bursting out laughing.
"Oh my kami! You're grades are terrible!" Kiba exclaimed, getting the attention of other kids who now circled around them, laughing at Yuma.
"All F's, you have got to be kidding me! I knew you sucked, but not this badly!"
Yuma became teary eyed, as he began to drown in the mockery and cruelty of his classmates.
"What a loser."
"Why is he still here?"
"He should just quit."
"I know right?"
Naruko, frowning, was about to step in, before being grabbed on the arm by Sasuke, who shook his head at her.
"This isn't our problem Naruko." Sasuke said.
"Yeah but..."
One after another, these voices reached out to him, making Yuma shrink up into himself, trying his best to hide his tears.
And Kiba?
He loved it.
Because now he wasn't the only one being called a loser. Being called a failure.
Being someones lesser.
He had finally found someone beneath him.
"Iruka-Sesei! Their picking on him!" Naruko called out to the teacher, who came over and scolded the kids.
"Alright, alright, break it up all of you. You too Kiba, unless you want me to call your mom?" Iruka said, freezing Kiba solid.
"N-No sir! I'm sorry! Won't happen again!" Kiba answered back, passing Yuma, but not before stepping on his feet.
"Oops. Sorry." Kiba said, smirking at Yuma.
"My feet slipped."
And with that, class continued.
And a few days later...
Kiba finally met him...
His dog...
His pet...
His partner...
Akamaru.
Kiba awoke. The dream had come to an end. He yawned aloud, rubbing at his mop of messy brown hair.
"Damn it...Why am I remembering that of all things...Especially today of all days." The boy said, pushing the sheets off himself.
He pulled open the curtains, allowing light to spill into the room. Akamaru whined, putting his paws over his eyes. Kiba chuckled, bending his knee's to pet his partner in crime.
"I know you're still tired Akamaru...But this day is important. Come on, we need to head out." He said, shaking his dog, but Akamaru refused to move.
Kiba rolled his eyes, and left the bedroom to head into the kitchen. He walked to the pantry door, opening it.
"Lets see...Where is that damned...Ah! There it is."
He picked up the box of treats...
and shook it.
Akamaru immediately ran into the kitchen, tail shaking as Kiba burst out laughing.
"Jeez, you're such a faker, ya know that right?" Kiba joked, earning himself a bark from his canine friend.
"Yeah yeah, I know. Here bud, take it easy okay?" Kiba said, holding the treat to his dog.
Akamaru swiftly scooped it off his hand, making Kiba yell out.
"Hey! I said easy!" Kiba joked.
Akamaru barked.
"Yeah yeah, I know." Kiba repeated, heading back to his room to put on his clothes. He put his headband on, pushing back his hair and pulling his hoodie over his head.
Heading to the door with a smirk, he swung open the front door.
"Alright Akamaru..."
Akamaru barked excitedly, climbing onto Kiba's back.
"Lets go kick some ass!"
They left the house with pep in their step, street vendors lining the streets and people from all walks of life and places packed on the busy road.
Because it was time...
The final exam day had finally came.
A/N: As I said before, bullies aren't born, their made. I know I made Tsume and Hana OOC, but come on, they barely had any personality in the original show, so I changed them some in order to fit with Kiba's story. When writing Kiba in this, I thought "What would a kid born into a rough and tough family of dog people who care about strength and the 'pack' grow up to be like?" And went from there. As you see, In my writing I follow the belief of there being more to people then what you can see, which is why I made the beginning of the chapter mirror the last "Fragmented Memory" but from Kiba's perspective instead.
Anyways, sorry for the long winded explanation, and hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Have a great day or night wherever you are, and PEACE!
