Kiri yawned and knocked on the door of the Hokage's office.
"Come in."
She opened the door to step inside, suppressing another yawn as she spotted the old man standing in front of the wide window, with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Why'd you call me here so early in the morning? The sun's even barely up."
Hiruzen let out a sigh and turned to look at her over his shoulder as she shut the door behind her and stepped closer.
"You were with Natsumi yesterday, correct?"
"Natsumi? Yesterday?" Kiri yawned quietly and nodding, sitting down heavily in a chair against the wall. "Yeah. Watching over her like you said, making sure she didn't overexert herself or anything."
After a moment of quiet, Kiri blinked and leaned forward as she squinted at him.
"Wait a minute... you wouldn't call me here so early and then ask me that if..." She laughed and crossed her arms. "You lost her?!"
Hiruzen turned to face her and sighed under his breath.
"Not exactly. She's still being followed." He paused. "However, she left the village late last night in a hurry. That was after she made a late-night visit to Oto, for reasons unknown."
Kiri laughed again and leaned back in the seat, more awake than before. "Oto, huh?" She shrugged. "Didn't know they were acquainted."
"Yes, well, the situation has become increasingly complicated." Hiruzen sat at his desk and lit his pipe. "While she is being followed, we're not sure of her destination or her reason for leaving the village, and so suddenly." His eyes narrowed and he breathed out small tendrils of smoke from his nose. "When you were with her yesterday, did she behave in any way or say something that could indicate where she has gone?"
Kiri sighed and shrugged, crossing one leg over the other. "How should I know? She seemed normal. Obviously with a lot on her mind; feeling helpless, missing Naruto, wanting to be stronger, blaming herself for what went wrong with the mission... take your pick." She sighed once more and pursed her lips. "Despite all that, she seemed normal. In fact... she seemed to be having fun, doing a little bit of training."
"I see." The Hokage chewed thoughtfully on the end of his pipe.
"Why not just ask Oto why Natsumi was there and what she was looking for?" Kiri looked at him. "She may be difficult at times, but she won't be so tight-lipped with the Hokage doing the asking."
"I've already sent someone to her; however, she seems to have disappeared as well. The only thing she left behind was a note saying that she had left to visit family and would not return for a week."
"Classic Oto..." Kiri ran her fingers through the ends of her hair in thought. "And, as far as I know, her family all lives outside of the village, but she's never said where exactly, so we can't just go and ask her there."
Hiruzen nodded and furrowed his brows in thought. "Are you certain that she did not say or do anything that could be useful at this time?"
Kiri recrossed her arms. "I don't know what you're expecting me to say. We did some light training all day, took plenty of breaks, and then had some dinner. After, we grabbed some chocolate-stuffed Taiyaki before we went our separate ways. There were some feral cats following her and begging for food, so I saw her break off pieces for them and pet them before she headed home. That's it."
"Whatever Natsumi was planning, she didn't let on to anything." Kiri continued. "Of course, she's naturally gifted like that, which is why she was chosen to be ANBU."
"What a stubborn girl..." Hiruzen released a puff of smoke from his lips. "Running off and doing as she likes, without considering the dangers involved..."
Finally, he sighed again. "It seems all we can do for now is for him to continue following her to see where she ends up, and to subdue her and bring her back, if it comes to that."
Kiri rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't be so dramatic, Hiruzen." She stood slowly and then patted her stomach. "Now, if we're done here, I'm gonna go have some breakfast."
Natsumi ran quickly over the terrain and scanned the area.
I should be getting close now... according to Oto's map, and how I'm making good time... I should be almost there.
After a few more minutes, Natsumi's eyes widened as a large city with tall buildings appeared on the landscape.
There it is!
As she drew closer she could see that the buildings were decrepit, partially destroyed, and most likely unsafe to enter. She slowed her pace, coming up to the gates of the city and stared up at the towering buildings.
Wow... this place really is a mess. I wonder what happened here?
A strong gust of wind blew dust into her face and she raised her arm to cover her mouth as she coughed.
What a wasteland... does anyone really live here?
She looked until she saw the city's entrance and walked to it. The wind died down and she was able to see the sign that read "Sora-ku" framed in worn, gold leaf. Two large red columns supported the golden colored roof. She cautiously walked under and through the city's main street.
Besides the occasional dusty wind, the city was quiet and the air stale as she breathed it in. Some windows were boarded up, while others were covered by blankets and sheets, and the rest were empty with the glass blown completely out of the frames.
Despite the obvious abandonment, the city was cleaner than expected and the streets bare.
This is so strange. If there had been war here, and everyone fled, there would definitely be dropped belongings here or some kind of evidence of life. But, it's completely quiet.
A prickling sensation shot down her spine and Natsumi looked all around and above, her body tensing, and a rat scurried out from a boarded-up shop. Natsumi squeaked in surprise and flinched, then laughed as the creature disappeared into the drain on the other side of the street.
I'm way too paranoid... I shouldn't be so on edge in an abandoned place like this.
She sighed and continued forward.
Although... Oto-sama did say that black market dealers will hang out here sometimes. And Rogue Ninja, on top of it... so I should be careful.
She stopped again and pursed her lips. Now, if only I could remember exactly which way to go from here. This place is huge, and all these side roads are confusing.
Natsumi sighed deeply.
Well, I'm bound to find the right place soon enough. I just have to keep looking.
A few minutes later, she smiled faintly at the smell of seafood.
Aha! Someone really is here!
She approached the scent and looked around, and was suddenly pulled inside the door of an abandoned building.
Several travel-worn, well-armed men smirked down at her as they chuckled.
The biggest one crossed his arms and looked her up and down.
"Well, well, well... what do we have here?" He paused and answered himself, eyeing her headband. "A little Leaf Genin."
Natsumi's eyes widened slightly and she gulped
Uh oh... these guys don't look friendly...
"Are ya lost, little girl?" Another man stepped forward, towering over her. "You're the only one around, aren't ya? No team with you?"
Natsumi let out a quiet breath and forced a smile.
"Nope! Not lost at all! I'm just taking a leisurely stroll on the way to my granny's. I'm actually going to be late, so I really have to go."
She turned to leave through the open door and another of the men stepped in her way.
"What's the rush? I'm sure your granny wouldn't mind if you were a little late. Let's just hang out a while. We'd love to hear all about why you'd come out here all by yourself."
Natsumi pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes.
I need to get away... these guys are definitely bad news.
Slowly she reached down to the pouch on her thigh for a Kunai and her arm was grabbed roughly by the biggest man.
"Tsk tsk... trying to pull a knife on a friendly stranger... how rude."
"Very rude." The second man scowled briefly and held up his own knife. "I should teach you a lesson about respecting your elders, little lady."
They drew closer to her and her scowl deepened as she attempted to pull her hand away.
Excellent plan, Natsumi. Go to a place full of sketchy people... alone. What's the worst that could happen?
A loud meow cut through the tension in the hair and a black and white spotted cat leapt up to claw the leader's arm.
"Paws off!"
He released Natsumi and cursed loudly, as all eyes turned to the feline that stood in front of Natsumi on all fours.
"Fuku!" The man growled and rubbed the scratches on his arm. "What's the meaning of this?"
The cat glanced to Natsumi, then back to the men as he smoothed the front of his earthy brown kimono.
"You're food smugglers- not human smugglers." The cat answered and retrieved the small bag tied around his belly. "And, I'm here to pick up my order."
The man grumbled and motioned to another, who stooped down to take the payment from the cat, open the pouch, and then close it again with a nod.
"Fine." He muttered, then retrieved a bag of salted fish and held them out. "Take it and go."
"Pleasure doing business with you." Another man titled his chin at the feline, with his eyes still on Natsumi.
The cat nodded its head and lifted the bag by its handles with its mouth and walked through the door. After a moment, he glanced back to Natsumi.
"Well? Aren't you coming?"
Natsumi blinked and nodded quickly, then followed the cat out. Once back onto the street, she let out a sigh of relief.
She looked around and saw the cat slinking down another street and quickly followed.
"Um!" Once she caught up, she slowed her pace and matched his. "Thanks for helping me out back there."
"No problem." He mumbled with the bag in his mouth. He said something else, but it was too muffled by the bag he held in his teeth.
"Oh, let me help with that." Natsumi reached down and gently took the bag from him to carry it, and he watched her carefully.
"Thank you." He paused. "As I was saying, you really need to be smarter. A kid like you wandering here by yourself... it's like you're asking for trouble. You're lucky a decent guy like me came along when I did."
Natsumi made a face. "I know... I should have been more careful. Sorry." She paused and continued to walk with him. "So... who were those guys?"
"Smugglers." Fuku said simply. "Specializing in exotic foods."
"Food smugglers?" Natsumi repeated under her breath. "I didn't know there were people like that." She glanced down at the bag in her hand curiously. "So... what's this, then?"
The cat snorted. "A rare delicacy... that fish is nearly extinct, and it's illegal to catch and eat now. Very hard to come by... unless you know the right people."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You bought... a nearly extinct fish?"
The cat rolled his eyes at her. "You humans are so judgmental, especially seeing as you're the ones who hunted it to extinction in the first place."
Natsumi bit her lip. "Well... that may be so... but aren't you concerned about ending the species entirely and throwing off the food chain?"
Fuku scoffed again. "What I care about most is impressing a pretty little tortoiseshell named Mei. I've been courting her for a while now, and I've been searching high and low for the perfect gift for her. There's no way she'll turn me down now."
Natsumi's lips curved in a slight smile.
"I didn't know cats had a complicated courtship process."
"Ninneko aren't ordinary cats, little Leaf Girl." He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "What brings a kid like you all the way to Sora-ku? And by yourself, no less?"
Natsumi laughed quietly. "Well, definitely not the lively atmosphere or the illegal fish." She thought for a moment. "I'm... well... there's something I'm looking for, and I was told that I could find it here."
"Looking for something..." Fuku rolled his eyes again. "Listen, kid, everyone comes here looking for something. People just don't visit for no reason."
"Right..." She bit her lip. "Actually, I got lost back there... could you help me? Directions would be great."
"Help you?" The cat chuckled to himself. "I already did, when I got you away from them."
"I mean... help me again?" Natsumi corrected. "I'd be really grateful."
"Hmph." The cat stopped and looked her over for a minute, then pointed at a building with his paw. "...You're welcome."
Her eyes widened in realization. "But... how did you know?"
He chuckled. "Ninneko aren't ordinary cats, and you're not hard to read."
Natsumi smiled and knelt down. "Thank you very much."
"Don't mention it." He pointed his paw at the bag in her hand. "I'll be taking that back, now. I've got to bring it to my lovely Mei."
Natsumi nodded and held out the bag, which he carried in his mouth again.
"Good luck on your date. I hope it works out well for you two."
Fuku nodded and muttered a brief thanks, then headed into a nearby abandoned shop with his spoils.
Natsumi looked back at the door she'd been led to and let out a breath.
Well, it's just like Oto-sama described it as...
She walked inside slowly and followed the long, dimly lit corridor. Dust accumulated on the floor and walls around her, and dead flies and moths littered the floor below the crude lighting fastened to the ceiling. Signs of vandalism were clear on the walls, along with yellowed seals and stickers that had long been broken. The air inside tasted even drier and more stale on Natsumi's tongue with each inhale than the air outside, and she followed the passages.
Remembering the directions in here is easier than in the city... She turned again and continued forward, and the cleanliness improved as she went along. Almost there now.
"Oho! A visitor!" A nasally voice echoed from the opening to the final hallway in front of her.
Natsumi blinked at the cat and walked closer as a second joined him.
"A visitor?" The female purred and lay on her belly. "How exciting. We never get visitors."
They're just like the one from before! Only a little smaller.
"Hello." Natsumi gave a short wave. "I'm Natsumi."
"I'm Hina." The female twitched her tail and the male crinkled his eyes closed in a smile.
"And I'm Denka."
Hina sat up and wrapped her tail around her feet. "What's your purpose here?"
"Well, actually..." Natsumi scratched her head nervously, then clasped her hands together in front of her. "I was actually hoping I could meet with Nekobaa and maybe get a Summoning Contract."
"A Summoning Contract?" Denka shared a look with the other cat.
"How exciting." Hina purred. "No one's come by for one of those in a long time."
"Really?" Natsumi looked down at them. "But a Ninja Cat seems like the perfect companion. You're agile, strong, graceful, and you're excellent at stealth. You've got great vision, too, and you're small enough to slip into places that people can't, making you perfect for infiltration. Cats are also great animals to have around in general, and once you earn the trust and respect of a cat, it's never lost. It's obvious why cats were revered in so many ancient cultures."
Hina nodded and purred. "Finally! Someone who truly appreciates us the way we deserve." She turned to Denka. "I like her already."
Hina stood and turned, looking at Natsumi over her shoulder. "Follow me. I'll take you to Granny."
Natsumi followed them and was shown into a spacious room, decorated top-to-bottom with cat memorabilia and art. An old woman wearing a cat-ear headband sat in the middle of the room, smoking a pipe as she was surrounded by mewling cats and kittens.
"Look, Granny, we have a visitor." Hina announced and sat near the old woman. "A miss Natsumi of the Leaf village."
"Hm?" The woman looked up at Natsumi with her eyes squinted. "A Leaf Genin... out here by yourself? How strange."
"Hello, ma'am." Natsumi bowed her head politely, awkwardly stepping around the domesticated cats and kittens that surrounded her feet in greeting. "I'm Natsumi Uzumaki. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Ma'am?" The old woman puffed out smoke and shook her head. "No need for formalities. Just call me Granny like everyone else."
The woman motioned for Natsumi to sit on a cushion in front of her, and Natsumi made her way through the crowd of felines to sit quietly.
"So... what brings you here?"
"She says she wants to set up a Summoning Contract." Denka sat beside Nekobaa and looked up at her.
"A Summoning Contract?" The woman looked at Natsumi, who nodded. "Well, this is a surprise. We haven't had a request like this in a while."
"That's what I told her." Hina mewed and flicked her tail back and forth with a smile. "This girl really has an unparalleled appreciation for cats. She'll be perfect for it."
"If Hina approves of you, then you must be very compatible with Ninneko." Nekobaa chewed thoughtfully on the end of her pipe.
"Thank you—" Natsumi started, and the woman shook her head slowly.
"However, I'm afraid there aren't many Ninneko here at present. It's been some time since we trained new cats, so most have returned to the Cat Fortress."
Natsumi closed her mouth and her expression fell.
There's none here?
"But Granny, there are a few." Hina nodded and licked her paw, then wiped her whiskers with it. "She came all this way... it wouldn't be fair to send her home without even meeting them."
"Of course." Nekobaa looked back at Natsumi. "There are three Ninneko here you can meet with. If you have a strong natural connection to one, they may choose to make a contract with you. However, I cannot guarantee it. The bond between a Shinobi and his Summoning Companion is sacred and cannot be forced."
Natsumi's eyes lit slightly and she smiled. "Really? I would love to meet with them! Thank you!"
Nekobaa turned to Denka and took her pipe from her mouth briefly. "Is Tamaki still out running errands?"
The cat nodded and the woman slowly got up.
"Alright then..." She motioned to Natsumi. "Follow me, then."
Natsumi did as she said, following her into another cat-themed room, filled with catwalks from wall-to-wall, training dummies in all sizes, and fluffy pillows scattered around for lounging. Two large male cats sat at a small table with cups of milk beside them as they played cards.
Nekobaa cleared her throat and they acknowledged her with a wave of their paws.
"Oh hi, Granny." The grey tabby male smiled.
"Hey." The larger brown cat nodded with a cat-sized cigar between his teeth.
"Touya, Sei, be on your best behavior. We have a guest." Nekobaa stepped aside and glanced at the redhead. "This is Natsumi. She'd like to see if you are interested in forming a Summoning Contract with her."
"Oh?" The tabby set his cards facedown looked the girl over. "How interesting."
"This girl?" The cat with the cigar rolled his eyes and released a puff of smoke. "Isn't she a little young to be a Shinobi?"
"Y-Young?" Natsumi repeated and shook her head. "I'm a Genin."
"Eh. Still young." He looked back at the hand in his paws.
"Ignore him. He's gruff because I keep beating him." The tabby smiled. "I'm Sei. It's nice to meet you."
Natsumi smiled back. I like this one better already. He's friendly.
"Very nice to meet you, too."
"That's Touya." Sei chuckled. "He's a bit of a grouch."
I can tell. Natsumi looked at the brown cat, then back at Sei.
"So, what's your style then?" Sei asked, and motioned for her to join them at the undersized table.
"My... style?" Natsumi blinked, then sat cross-legged where he directed.
"Fighting style." He explained. "Your specialty."
"Oh." Natsumi smiled. "Mostly the Ninjato, but I'm pretty skilled with Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, too. My missions all require stealth and fast-but-accurate strikes, though."
"Really?" Sei stroked his chin and chuckled again. "Sounds like assassin work."
Natsumi's cheeks warmed and she averted her eyes momentarily. "Well..."
"So, you're an assassin." Touya narrowed his eyes at her over his cards. "There's no honor in that kind of work."
Natsumi bit her lip. "Well, I do intelligence gathering, too..."
"I won't do assassin work." Touya tapped the tip of his cigar on the edge of the ashtray and returned it to his mouth. "Besides, working with a kid like you is troublesome. Being contractually bound to someone immature or emotionally underdeveloped only takes away from focusing on the missions."
The cat scoffed and shook his head, blowing some of the smoke directly into her face. "On top of that, I don't have the desire to work with any Kunoichi. Dealing with that particular scent of blood is nauseating."
"Touya!" Nekobaa scolded him, and he shrugged.
"Sorry. Just being honest, Granny."
Natsumi balled her hands into loose fists on her lap and forced her eyes away from the cat as she blushed.
Definitely not him. He's got a personality only a mother could love.
"I'm not picky about the line of work." Sei spoke up and flicked his tail back and forth. "As long as I get a cut of the payments for the missions we work on together."
"That's fair enough." Natsumi nodded. "What kind of fighting style do you do?"
"All Ninneko are trained with swords and various blades, but I am one of the few capable of Genjutsu." Sei lapped at his milk. "It's fun to make someone's mind unravel."
Uh oh.
Natsumi let out a short sigh and then scratched the back of her head. "Ah... well... as it turns out... my weakness is Genjutsu. I'm abnormally susceptible to it."
"Really?" Sei studied her for a moment, then stroked his chin once again. "That could be problematic, then... my Genjutsu can effect a whole area."
Natsumi let out a deeper sigh and then looked down at her hands.
So... this was a dead-end after all...
Her eyes suddenly widened and she turned back to Nekobaa. "Wait... you said there was a third Ninneko here?" She looked around the room. "I only see two."
"Oh, you don't want Yuki." Hina rubbed her ear with a paw. "She's rude, high maintenance, and looks down on humans."
"Yeah, Yuki is a pain in the neck to us all." Denka nodded in agreement. "She would have gone back to Cat Fortress a long time ago, if that one tom who scorned her wasn't there."
She can't be as bad as Touya, though. Natsumi glanced at the smoking feline, who ignored her, then looked at Nekobaa. "Please? Could I meet her?"
"If you really insist on it..." Sei shrugged and picked his cards back up to resume the game. "She's in the courtyard, training and brooding."
"Denka, Hina, please show Natsumi to the courtyard." The old woman smiled down at Natsumi. "Who knows? Maybe they'll be able to get along well, after all."
Hina sighed softly and nodded. "Yes, Granny. Right away." She turned and nodded at Natsumi. "Come on, then. Just don't be surprised if you're disenchanted after meeting her."
Natsumi hopped to her feet with a grin and stepped toward the door, then nodded her head politely at the cats at the table.
"It was nice to meet you both."
Sei waved with his paw. "Nice to meet ya!"
"Hmph." Touya grunted and kept his eyes on his cards.
Hina and Denka quickly led Natsumi out of the room, down various halls that all looked alike, until they came across a partially open door that led to an exterior courtyard. As Natsumi looked around, she could immediately tell that it was for training purposes. More dummies were set up all around, with several circular rings painted on the ground for sparring, and fully stocked weapons racks hung on the walls.
"Yuki!" Hina called, looking around. After a while with no response, she frowned and looked around. "Hmm... I wonder if she went out."
Natsumi walked around the courtyard and examined the line of practice dummies and the accurate strikes and cuts that weathered them.
These are really precise and fresh. Someone skilled did this.
As her eyes rose to examine the dummy's featureless face, its head was severed from behind and the tip of the short sword missed the tip of Natsumi's nose. She squeaked and jumped back as a laugh sounded around her and the face of a pure white cat, laughing loudly.
"Ooooh, I gotcha good!" The cat mocked and hopped onto the shoulders of the headless dummy. "You humans are so pathetically skittish."
"Yuki!" Denka shook his head, and he and Hina bounded over. "You really are awful with guests."
"Hmph." The white cat sheathed the sword on her hip and smoothed the front of her Kimono. "As if I care about guests."
"Natsumi, this is Yuki." Hina ignored the other female with a roll of her eyes, then hesitantly looked back at her. "Yuki, this is Natsumi. She's come to meet you for a Summoning Contract."
Yuki stopped laughing abruptly and narrowed her eyes at Natsumi to size her up. "Come again?" She leaned her head closer to stare in scrutiny as she met Natsumi's eyes. "This little pipsqueak?"
Natsumi crossed her arms as her cheeks warmed slightly. "I'm not a pipsqueak."
The cat scoffed and flicked her tail. "You're young and inexperienced. I don't need to see you in a fight to know that." She paused and sat straighter. "You probably just became a Genin and you think you're all that. You've got no business even considering getting a Summoning Contract yet."
Yuki shook her head. "I don't associate with humans almost at all because you're all so arrogant, noisy, and plain annoying." She narrowed her eyes. "And I especially don't associate with weakling pipsqueak Genin. You have to have the right stuff to impress me. And you, you redhead, snot-nosed, overly-ambitious, air-headed little pipsqueak, don't cut it. So, just get out of here."
Natsumi drummed her fingers against her arms as the cat rambled on until she finally narrowed her eyes.
"You know what?" Natsumi leaned forward to meet the cat's stare. "I may have only recently become a Genin, but I'm much stronger and more capable than all the other Genin."
Yuki scoffed and opened her mouth to protest, but Natsumi pointed a finger at her.
"And, sure, I haven't been on a lot of missions, but I have seen some of the most horrible, hellish stuff that I never could have even imagined in my nightmares. We barely got out alive! And my friend is still in the hospital and I don't know if she'll ever get better."
Yuki laughed shortly. "Welcome to the Shinobi world, pipsqueak. People get wounded and die all the time. If you don't have a strong enough stomach to handle it, you should throw out that headband because you're a disgrace to Ninja everywhere; you're a disgrace to your village; and you're a disgrace to the world."
Natsumi's fist trembled and Hina let out a loud sigh and shook her head.
"I told you it was pointless."
"Come on, Natsumi. Let's go back." Denka motioned to the door, and Natsumi shook her head and glared back at the white feline.
"No. I came here to get a Summoning Contract, and I'm not leaving without one."
"Fat chance." Yuki licked her paw and turned her face away. "There's no way I'd ever work with a pipsqueak like you who trembles and isn't strong enough on her own and wants to rely on a companion for strength instead. You're a pathetic, demanding, pipsqueak."
"You know what?" Natsumi stormed over to the weapons rack and drew a sword, pointing it at Yuki. "I think you've got a bad attitude. You call me a pipsqueak but I think you just talk big. You say I'm weak, but Lord Hokage selected me to join the ANBU, despite my age! I'm not a pipsqueak, and I can prove it."
Yuki narrowed her eyes. "ANBU, huh?" She laughed. "Yeah, right."
"Then make a bet with me." Natsumi stepped closer to her, glare meeting glare. "I challenge you to a fight."
Yuki's eyes widened and she smirked slightly. "Oh? The pipsqueak's going to challenge me?"
"Ah, Natsumi..." Hina muttered. "Yuki's one of the top five Ninneko swordsmen who have trained here. That's not a good idea."
"Quiet, pest!" Yuki snapped at the tom. "The pipsqueak already issued the challenge! And it's going to be fun making her regret it."
"I'm not a pipsqueak, and I'll prove it." Natsumi clutched the hilt of the sword tightly. "If you win, I'll leave and never try to get a Contract again. If I win, you make a contract with me."
Yuki laughed. "It's a deal. But you're only going to make a fool of yourself."
"We'll see."
"Yeesh." Denka sighed and retreated to a corner of the courtyard to watch. "They're both stubborn."
Hina joined him with a small sigh. "Granny's going to be upset if Natsumi gets hurt."
Natsumi took a ready stance and exhaled slowly, keeping her eye on the cat. Yuki's feline grin became a smirk, and she leapt at Natsumi suddenly.
She's fast!
Natsumi's sword rose to deflect the attack and she stepped back to apply more force.
And I still haven't fully recovered well enough to keep up with a full-on duel. I can't let this drag out.
"What's wrong, little pipsqueak?" Yuki bounced off of the ground and launched a flurry of slashes at Natsumi. "Can't keep up? Can't even get in a single attack?"
Natsumi narrowed her eyes, narrowly dodging.
Her stances and movements are completely different than a humans'! And she's more acrobatic and flexible, too! It's almost impossible for me to read her movements at all.
Natsumi parried and dodged, metal striking metal as their swords clashed together. Yuki snapped her back legs out, reaching to claw at Natsumi's arm and pushed off of it, flipping once backwards before landing gracefully on her back paws with a chuckle.
Natsumi glanced down at the bleeding scratches and watched Yuki, whose tail flicked in excitement back and forth.
"Come on, little Genin pipsqueak. Didn't you say you were going to prove that you weren't weak? I'm waiting to be impressed."
Natsumi let out another breath.
Well, then... I guess I'll just have to watch her a little longer and pick up on her style.
Natsumi swung down in an arc and Yuki leapt to the side, aiming a strike at Natsumi's vulnerable side. Natsumi flicked her wrist, twisting the blade to redirect its angle at the cat, though it was dodged. She continued to slash and strike, missing each time as Yuki nimbly dodged and mocked her between blows.
I'm starting to get the hang of it... Natsumi leaned back to avoid the sword's tip on her neck, then knocked it away with her own sword. She does have a pattern, but it's subtle...
The corners of Natsumi's mouth curved faintly. At this rate, I have to wait three more strikes and one parry before I can gain the upper hand.
"The only thing you seem to be good at it dodging." Yuki laughed and her slitted eyes fell on Natsumi's arms. "And, you're not even very good at that."
"I guess we'll see who's bad at what, soon enough." Natsumi dodged her next strike, and the next.
Yes! It's exactly as I thought!
She dodged a third time, and swept the cat's feet, forcing her into the air as she parried the blade.
Now I can just—
Natsumi's eyes widened as a hiss came from behind, and a second Yuki leapt at her with her sword drawn.
A Shadow Clone! But how?!
Natsumi ducked her head, barely missing Yuki's initial attack as she gathered Chakra to the bottom of her right foot. Shifting her body carefully, she kicked a cloud of dust up behind her, blinding both the clone and the original.
Natsumi let out a breath and distanced herself from them as the dust settled, the clone disappeared, and the cat coughed momentarily.
I didn't know Ninja Cats could do Jutsu, too! She bit her lip. My own Chakra still hasn't fully recovered yet... I don't know what kind of Jutsu she's capable of, but I won't be able to match her if this fight becomes entirely Jutsu-based. I'm probably limited to one Jutsu at most for now...
Yuki smirked and shook the dust from her body as her eyes narrowed. "So, the pipsqueak can fight dirty. I'm impressed... but, only a little."
Think, think. If one Jutsu is all I get, then I'd better pick the one that can end this is one go.
"You have done a pretty good job dodging me, I'll admit." Yuki slowly circled Natsumi. "That's something only a few can do. But that doesn't prove that you're not a weakling. It just means you're too much of a coward and too weak to land a single hit on me."
Natsumi pressed her lips together and remained quiet for a moment.
Okay, if I'm really going to beat her, I have to get this just right...
Yuki kicked up another large cloud of dust with her paw and jumped at Natsumi, shrouded by dust. Natsumi squinted her eyes, listening, and shifted her torso just enough for the blade to only break the skin of her shoulder. She winced in pain and reached out with her free hand to grip the cat's tail tightly.
Yuki yowled as the dust settled and she swiped her claws at Natsumi, who released her and jumped back before they could cut her.
Yuki got the girl a glare and rubbed her tail with one paw. "How dare you!"
Hina gasped and covered her mouth with her paw as she whispered to Denka. "She grabbed her tail!"
"It's called using your opponent's weaknesses against them." Natsumi's mouth twitched in a slight smirk. "It's not much different than tugging on a ponytail to get them off balance."
"No one grabs a cat by their tail like that!" Yuki hissed and gripped her sword with two paws. "You'll pay for that!"
Yuki leapt directly at Natsumi in a heads-on strike and Natsumi closed her eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath.
Inhale...
Yuki smirked as the girl stayed in place and her blade drew nearer to the girl's neck. Hina gasped and shielded her eyes, and Denka's mouth hung open.
"Natsumi! Move out of the way!"
Exhale...
Natsumi vanished and Yuki's eyes widened, slipping through the space that the girl had once occupied. Suddenly, Yuki was pinned to the ground beneath Natsumi's weight, with her four paws trapped beneath her, as Natsumi's blade was pressed to the scruff of Yuki's neck.
"W-What?!" Yuki wriggled and tried to break free, hissing loudly. "You cheated! How did you do that?!"
Natsumi laughed under her breath and released a long exhale as a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead.
"Natsumi!" Hina bounded over with her eyes rounded. "You did it!"
Natsumi released Yuki, who retreated several meters back to continue glaring at the girl.
Denka looked Natsumi over in silence for a moment. "That was the teleportation Jutsu of the Fourth Hokage, wasn't it?"
Natsumi nodded slowly and propped herself up by pressing the sword into the ground as she caught her breath, though smiling.
"Yup! Although, it's always a little hard on me to use."
"Amazing." Denka smiled and clapped his paws together. "That was a great match."
Hina frowned slightly and looked Natsumi over. "Although Granny is bound to be upset that we let you get injured."
Natsumi shrugged and smiled more broadly. "It's alright. They're not serious."
"I'm surprised you beat Yuki. She's been undefeated for a long time." Denka glanced toward the white cat, who turned her face away as she scowled.
"Sorry that I ever doubted you." Hina apologized. "You really are strong for your age."
"You. Pipsqueak." Yuki's icy tone cut through the air across the courtyard, and Natsumi's eyes fell on her.
Yuki walked over slowly, keeping the sword in her paw as she did. "No human has beat me before... especially not like that. On top of it, you pulled my tail and made me get my gorgeous snow-white fur all dusty."
Hina and Denka moved to sit in front of Natsumi, prepared to defend the victor if the cat struck.
"What about our deal?" Natsumi's smile faded slowly. "It was a good fight, and I know that I would have lost to you in this condition if I hadn't known that Jutsu. You're really an amazing Ninja. I'd be honored to have you as my companion."
"Shut up!" Yuki stopped in front of Natsumi and pointed the tip of her blade at her. "You humiliated me! I have every right to cut your eyes out for that!"
"Yuki! You made a deal with her!" Denka defended.
"You're such a sore loser!" Hina muttered.
Yuki's tail flicked as she glared between the two felines, then up at Natsumi for a long silence.
"I intend to thoroughly punish you for making me so filthy, so don't even think about trying to avoid it."
Natsumi blinked and Yuki was suddenly perched on her shoulder, her eyes shut as her nose was lifted toward the sky.
"I have conditions, you know." Yuki muttered. "I require regular grooming. Frequent baths and brushing- first with a soft-bristled brush, then with a hard-bristled brush, and then with a medium-bristled brush. A conditioning treatment for my fur once a month, as well as a sauna trip every other month."
Hina's eyes widened and she looked at Denka, then back up at Yuki as she continued.
"And, after missions, I expect you to give me a massage and treat me to sushi— I won't accept anything less than the finest quality fish, so don't try to be cheap."
Natsumi grinned as he listened, and Yuki cracked an eye open.
"Hey! Get that stupid grin off your face! Are you even listening to me?! You should be taking notes!"
Natsumi stifled a giggle.
"Hmph." Yuki shut her eyes again and turned away once more. "My last condition is that you need a lot more training from a real expert, not whoever taught you that gaudy form. It'll be a pain, but I suppose I'm the only one qualified to train you until you're even close to my level. So, you'd better be a good student. I don't use positive reinforcement."
Natsumi nodded quickly. "It's a deal."
Tamaki took off her shoes and went into the dining room. "Granny, I'm home! Sorry I'm late!" She looked around at the faces all around the table, and then at the many bowls on the floor with cats happily eating from them.
"Where's Yuki?"
"She's gone." Nekobaa chuckled and looked up at her granddaughter as she took a bite. "She left about an hour ago with her new Ninja companion."
Tamaki's eyes widened as she sat and made herself a plate. "Yuki? She signed a Summoning Contract?"
The faces around the room nodded and Tamaki blinked with a laugh. "I missed a lot today because of errands, then. What happened?"
"Let's talk about something more exciting than that." Sei laughed under his breath, and the girl looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"We're considering throwing a party to celebrate Yuki finally being gone." Hina giggled with a purr. "She said something about making the Leaf Village her permanent home, due to its hot springs and fine dining. So, we won't have to deal with her bad attitude anymore."
"Hina, that's not polite." The old woman chuckled and sipped at her tea. "Although, it will be much quieter around here now."
The woman glanced over at a shelf, where a copy of the Contract was placed, and smiled faintly.
Good luck, Miss Uzumaki. And, good luck, Yuki. You're going to need it.