Chapter.6


You can find fanart of my story done by xxkurenaixshixx at www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 11505757/ Just remove the spaces.


Kiba hated Byakugan. It was such a shitty skill for a ninja. Kiba wished sometimes he had been born into the Akimichi clan, or even the Inuzuka. Anything must be better than being able to see through walls. It sounded more like a family of pervs than anything else.

"You should get back to practice Kiba-sama." Said a voice from the kitchen-type thing. The dorm the four boys shared had one main room, a large rectangle with a kitchenette and a bathroom attached. Kiba stuck his tongue out at Shino from his bunk.

Shino was an oddity, and Kiba loved the very idea of him. Even though the blue haired boy had been born into the branch family of Hyuuga, his skills far surpassed Kiba's. It had gotten to the point where Shino acted as the dogboy's bodyguard and teacher. At some times the quiet boy had even acted as a servant, or as Kiba liked to call it, baby-sitter.

"Kiba-sama. . ." Shino added solemnly. Kiba sighed and ran his and through Akamaru's fur. Shino had promised not to tell Kiba's parents about the dog as long as he listened to Shino for Byakugan training. Akamaru whimpered, and Kiba made believe he could understand the pup. He didn't like the doujutsu... but for Akamaru, and Shino it was worth it.

"Alright already." Kiba growled. He focused his dark gray eyes, allowing small veins to appear around them. He let his eyes wonder over the two sets of bunk beds that housed himself, Shino, Choji and Shikamaru. His eyes slid back into the dresser Choji and Shikamaru shared, snickering for the hundredth time when he saw Choji's boxers with dancing carrots. His eyes peered through the dirt between himself and the bathroom.

Spiders were crawling out of the drain and Kiba made a mental note to warn Shino- that boy liked bugs too much. He would probably organize a spider union to get the bugs better work hours.

A little further through the rocks, the end of a rabbit warren and above ground.

"Neji's coming for a visit." Kiba mentioned, for the benefit of his roommates not gifted with the peeping tom eyes. Shikamaru grumbled in a pleased fashion,

"Probably wants to play Shoji again." However Kiba shook his head.

"Don't think so. He looks anxious- about a minute away." Kiba reported dutifully.

"Two minutes at best. Try something else, Kiba-sama." Shino retorted from the kitchenish room. Choji snickered. Kiba suggested Akamaru piss on his cute little boxers.

"Kiba-sama. . ." Shino said for the second time in three minutes. He sounded even more disappointed than before. Kiba angrily turned his Byakugan on his second cousin. Shino was in the kitchen, which connected to the main room halfway down the one of the longer sides. The silent boy was currently busy making sandwiches. Turkey for himself, balogna with cheese for Akamaru and a PB&J for Kiba.

Kiba smiled at the apron Shino was wearing- one his three roomies had bought him for the summer hols last year. It was red and white plaid with the word 'Mother' embroidered across the chest. It was the boy's joke- Shino took care of all of them like a mother hen. He even told Kiba off for not wearing his scarf last winter. Kiba shuddered in remembrance. It had been an ungodly scarf too- pastel purple with the Hyuuga symbol at the ends. He'd ended up wearing it the rest of the summer in fear of Shino finding him without it.

Kiba's gray eyes slipped under the skin, and he watched Shino's heart beat. It might seem odd to someone without the Byakugan, but Kiba was used to seeing internal organs from the inside. Besides which, this one had a special meaning.

This was how Kiba had first learned to use the Byakugan. At age five, when the rest of the family had despaired ever teaching Kiba the doujutsu, Shino had spent several weeks helping him. He had placed Kiba's head on his small chest and told him to see his heart. Eventually Kiba could watch Shino's heart beat with just a hand over the steadily rising chest, and finally he could see it from a different room. Shino's heartbeat was quite relaxing.

Shino was balancing three plates in his hands as he walked over to Kiba, his hips gently swaying. Kiba unfocused his eyes until he was starring at Shino's bare chest. It had become a game for the dog boy- to see how much of Shino's milky white skin he could explore before his chakra moulding failed him.

This time it was Kiba's nerves that failed him at Shino's waistline. His enchanted eyes bulged at the soft trail of black hair that disappeared into Shino's boxers. The brown haired boy gulped. This was really, really low. On so many levels.

"Do you need some help, Kiba-sama?" Shino asked. Kiba flushed and snapped up into a sitting position as his Byakugan flashed out.

"Wh-what?" He stuttered from his spot on the bottom bunk. Shino put his hands on his hips.

"I said, 'Do you need some help?' You've been starring into the bunk above you without a word while I offered you your snack." Shino said, which was quite articulate for him. Kiba scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously.

"Sorry Shino-kun. I was just getting into my Byakugan practice. Can I have my sandwich now?" He said in an obviously false manner, holding out his hands for the aforementioned carbohydrate.

Kiba wanted to smack himself. What the hell was wrong with him? Shino handed Kiba the plate silently, but before Kiba could escape the bug boy leaned over and whispered,

"Peanut Butter and Jelly can't be that good." This was said with a significant glance at Kiba. Kiba blushed again and whipped away some drool, and as soon as he realized what it was (sometime after the sandwich was finished) he buried his face in his pillow.

"Oh Kami-sama. . ." He told his pillow. Unlike Akamaru, it did not talk back. Kiba was eternally grateful for this, because he could bet what the pillow would say. And an inanimate object calling him a pervert would have been too much for the misplaced teen.

Inanimate objects talking at all would be a sign of serious distress on it's own.

Kiba glanced up from his silent pillow seconds later to view the scene around him curiously. Shino had removed his apron and was standing in the kitchen door frame nibbling on his sandwich. Choji was sitting on the bottom bunk, next to Shikamaru. The larger boy was eating chips with his usual gusto. Shikamaru engaged Neji in argument before he had even made it through the door, as per tradition.

To fully understand the two intellectuals, Kiba mused, one must first understand how they argued. Unlike normal people, they actually listened to their opponent's whole argument and responded to it. The most amazing part was how the two boys viewed it. They seemed to think argument was a way to relax. It was almost a game to them, Kiba noted, but not one he would ever be interested in.

The part that really shocked Kiba was how both boys could firmly believe their opinion to be in the right, but neither became upset by the other boy's inability follow their idea. Granted, Kiba had only realized this after Shino explained it to him, but once it was obvious, even he could notice it. Once he even asked them about it, and Neji attempted to explain. He said 'to know your partner understands your argument is enough'. Shikamaru only nodded.

"To understand it to believe." He said.

Kiba didn't even try to understand that. He told them they were crazy, which they agreed with after much laughter.

Kiba was rather shocked to note that both boys sounded serious today. They hadn't spoken that Kiba knew of since yesterday morning. A lot had happened since then.

"He's not human." Shikamaru stated calmly. Neji stopped whatever he had been saying.

"What?" Neji jumped. Shikamaru sighed.

"I've been thinking about it-" Neji huffed. The Nara boy glared at him before continuing. "- and you know how Kono Park has been having increased volcanic activity- there are whisperings that the Kitsune no Kyuubi is at fault." Neji rolled his eyes again.

"I've checked the history books before- the Kyuubi is a myth. It never existed, Shika." Neji stated calmly, and no one doubted him. Neji had read more books than any normal teenager.

"It's notable that Chakra moulding is also considered a myth." Shikamaru returned. Neji nodded- assenting he would hear the rest of the Nara boy's argument and consider it now.

"When I was watching Umino-san before he was brought on the grounds. . . he spotted me." Kiba started at this- as well as Choji. The whole cabin had begun listening now.

"You never told us that!" Kiba shouted. Choji glared at him for interrupting and "Not now Kiba-sama." He said, his quiet voice cracking around the edges with cold anger.

"That's unfair!" The head clan boy whined. Shino placed his hand on Kiba's shoulder in a comforting manner, and much like when the were younger, he understood. Kiba nodded and leaned back and it just so happened, onto Shino's chest. The would confront Shikamaru about the matter later. The Nara continued, but with a guarded tone. He was now fully aware of his bunkmates attention.

Despite this internal argument, the main event continued without delay. It was a well known fact that no one had ever caught Shikamaru when he was spying on them.

"Not only that, but he wasn't walking on the ground. It was as if he didn't have an actual body." The black-haired boy finished. Neji spent several minutes absorbing this, along with the cabin, but finally he spoke his bit.

"It sounds beyond far-fetched at first- but it does explain the discrepancies. His ability to use Justus that are spoken of only in legends-" Neji started. He frowned though. "still, this seems exaggerated. You are implying that Jacob Umino is the Kitsune no Kyuubi, ne?" Neji added. Shikamaru sighed.

"It's troublesome to explain, but even the motive is there. Revenge seems plausible enough. Uzumaki Naruto sealed the demon in this village long ago, right? I'm fairly certain demons have long memories." Shikamaru added. Neji blinked.

"Brilliantly deducted, except for one thing. The scrolls say Uzumaki-san slayed the demon, and the cost of his own life and his father's. The dead, even of the demonic variety, do not remember their previous incarnation." Neji countered. Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Choji choose this moment to intervene for his friend. He glared at the orphaned boy with his purple hair.

"Can't you see you're pushing him too far? Shika looks far too crowded." The large boy growled. Neji sighed.

"I was just arguing to the best of my ability." He stated coldly. He retreated behind a crystal wall of indifference, as he always did when faced with Choji's well meant aggression for his best friend. Shikamaru sighed.

"It's all right Choji." he turned to Neji. "Some things can not be argued about." Neji's gray eyes darkened with disappointment. The sound of someone knocking on wood filled the silence. Before anyone could move, a tall man swathed in green spandex burst into the room. As the door swung around, only Kiba, unaccustomed with the strange ritual, turned to look. He saw Aono Gai striking his "Good Guy" pose in the doorway. Right before the door could hit him in the spandex rear, he took a large step forward and lay his hand on Neji's shoulder in a fatherly way. All this happened before the silence could become to awkward, but all silences Gai was involved in creating were awkward anyway.

"All right boys! How's your training going?" The teacher asked in a cheerful tone. Shikamaru sighed again and flopped back into the bed, turning his head the other way and muttering 'how troublesome'. This didn't phase the ninja at all, nor did Neji's blunt refusal to be part of his friendly gesture. Kiba smiled embarrassedly at him, and said,

"I've been learning lots!" Gai, relieved someone had risen to his comment, flashed them all a trademark smile and thumbs-up.

"That's great boys! In fact, I have some news for you. The new ninja will be introduced tomorrow morning, at the central meeting room inside the staff building. Please do not be late, or you will have to go without food for all of tomorrow!" The Jounin instructor laughed evilly before running off, leaving the door swinging in his wake. Choji covered his eyes at the very idea of no food.

"Don't get us involved in your crazy promises..." He muttered. Shino slouched over and shut the door, muttering something about getting locks installed. Neji looked puzzled, completely ignoring that he had almost been part of Gai's campaign.

"I thought they were going to be introduced tonight?" He grumbled, loud enough for everyone to hear. The Nara shrugged it off.

"Something must have happened to them. In any event, the Umino boy is more than he appears, and his loyalties are unknown." Shikamaru grouched. Neji's forehead crunched with consideration. As Lee was his bunkmate and Kankuro hadn't yet arrived from overseas, this was his last intelligent conversation for the night.

"It would be wisest to keep your guard up from here on out..." He added.
This time Shikamaru nodded with some semblance of relaxation.

TBC. . .


A/n- (wipes brow) I don't usually do this, because I know it's just plain annoying to read Author Notes, but I think one such as this is on order. I would like to take this moment to thank all my lovely reviewers, and the slightly aggravating individuals who read this story without telling me. (glomps you all, poor people) In response to your reviews, the following (along with... COOKIES!) -

Luna- Yes ma'am!

Alfred L. Kalrson- Erm... spiffy name. Really. Much cooler than mine, anyway. About your questions, I don't recognize the reference, so I'm afraid that's lost on me. There will be romantic involvements as far as I can tell, and minor nudity, (winks) although mostly of the male persuasion. If you want to see something, I don't have many couples planned out, so offer something you're interested in. I think there will be some nonsense on the spiritual plane, if I can manage it. I've been reading quite a few Native American myths lately and they have defiantly effected this story. That or the manga "Petshop of Horrors". This story is ultimately leading to Konoha forest, or training area #74, (I'm fairly certain that's the name) better known as the testing grounds of the Chuunin Exam. It's purpose is to further explore what I feel are the complexities of Uzumaki Naruto's personality and his relationship with Sasuke.

kurapy- You've done a very good job guessing! I'm impressed, sometimes I think my plots are too crazy, I wouldn't get them if I hadn't come up with them on most days. If you want hints, they're all correct. Every last bit, actually.

: )- Oh, you'll notice him. I probably won't announce exactly who he is until closer too the end of the story, but there will be huge hints along the way.

xxkurenaixshixx- (glomps you extra) You rule! I love your fanart, even if I didn't respond to your note. Gomen... but DevianArt was being a snot and I didn't feel like rewriting the whole thing. I especially love Neji! He's my little stud muffin.

General/note- Please review! I love getting confirmation that people read my story. Remember, just mention a pairing you want to see, and I'll try and work at least some hints in. I've got so many characters and I don't know who to put them with!