Obligatory Disclaimer: The series Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto; I only own the OCs, picture, and this story.
Chapter 23: Of Runts and Recovery
I quickly made my way through the snowy courtyard, smartly following the sound of barking canines and entered a building which could only be described as Heaven on Earth.
If you were a dog person.
As soon as I stepped over the threshold, my knees and boots were assaulted by curious noses, as well as my armpits strangely enough. I laughed as a larger dog buried its face into the crook of my neck trying to get my scent, while another almost bowled me over, pushing away smaller dogs to get its turn. I petted every head I could see, but this only brought more dogs out from nowhere until I was practically buried in fur.
I think I could've died happy then.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I was rescued by strong hands underneath my arms, pulling me from the pit of wet noses and wagging tails. I blinked up into dark brown eyes, who stared back at me before looking to the crowd around us.
"Ya'll know that's no way to greet a guest," the woman spoke to the dogs, whose ears lowed shamefully. "Now get back to yer spots, it's almost lunchtime."
The dogs shuffled back into the building, a few taking parting sniffs of my dangling feet before trotting away.
"Ah, thank you Inuzuka-san," I said as she put me down, hiding my mild disappointment.
She was tall and lithe with noticeable muscle, though there was youth in her face that made me think she had to be younger than she looked, probably closer to Team Minato's ages, with long brunette hair in a braid that hung over her shoulder. She was wearing coveralls, the front unzipped to show ninja grade mesh gear and what appeared to be a fang necklace hung from her neck. A Konoha headband was threaded through the belt loops of her coveralls.
"Nothin' to it. Those fellas are always excited to meet new people," she smiled crookedly, a little fang poking out as she did. "Are you the genin that Tsume-sama hired?"
There was no surprise on her face at my status, only curiosity.
"Yes, I'm Hyūga Junko. It's nice to meet you." Her eyes crinkled happily.
"Aren't you sweet? I'm Inuzuka Haru, a caretaker of the kennels," she introduced with a flourish and I smiled.
She was much friendlier than the clan head.
"Tsume-san wanted me to deliver this," I said getting down to business, and handed over the folder I had tucked under my arm.
"Thank ya kindly," she said, easily unbinding it before reading its contents.
Her face went through a myriad of expressions. Surprise, then doubt. Then she looked down at me thoughtfully, at which I just stared back, before looking back at the pages in front of her. She seemed to read it over a couple of times before snapping it close, a sense of resolve coming from her as she regarded me once more.
"Well, I don't know what's going through her head but orders are orders," she said, tucking the folder under her arm. "Follow me."
Blinking in surprise- what else could Tsume possibly need me to do- I followed the older female into the back of the kennels. It was a perfect balance of organized chaos. Dogs of all shapes and sizes roamed around freely, some relaxing or dozing off in divided doorless abodes, each personalized with their favorite toys and other accessories. Despite the absurd amount of dogs in the building, the area was virtually spotless, making it clear that Haru and the other caretakers took their jobs very seriously.
"If I may ask, what is the purpose of the kennels?" I questioned, giving a curious pup who wandered over a small pet before hurrying to catch up with Haru's long strides.
"Well, for many things," the Inuzuka began. "A lot of the time, it's the birthplace of the clan's dogs, though it's also a place for ninken to rest when they're off duty or injured."
I nodded, stashing the info for later.
"Wouldn't most stay in their shinobi partner's home?" I asked.
"You're a curious thing aren't ya? No wonder you're already a genin," she chuckled. "Sure, most do, but think about it; parties on both sides may need time with their own, ya know? Sometimes it helps their bond to be away from one another."
I could certainly understand that sentiment. "I see; that's very interesting."
"If you don't mind me askin', how old are you anyways?" she asked as we turned a corner.
"I'm five years old," I answered. It wasn't often that I received that question. People usually came to their own conclusions, or just stared at me like a freak. She whistled.
"That's crazy, a whole eight years younger than me!" she gasped, her ever present smile becoming wider.
"It doesn't bother you?"
"Nah, I think it's something special. I've never met a fellow kunoichi so young," she grinned. "It's fun meeting new and interesting people."
I blinked. Haru was certainly one of the most easy-going people I've met. It was refreshing.
"Thank you Haru-san," I smiled graciously, and she tucked her head bashfully.
Haru soon stopped in front of an abode that was a bit dimmer than the others, with a little cocoon of blankets set against the wall. It seemed deserted but I could feel the presence of chakra hiding underneath the fabric. The Inuzuka knelt down in front of me, clicking her tongue lightly.
"Come on out now Riku, you can't be anti-social all the time," she called. The blanket mound shook briefly and then paused.
"You don't want me to call Yoshi over here do you?" A smugness rose in her voice as the mound shook again before falling still. "You know how rough she likes to play."
It shook again, this time accompanied by the most human sounding sigh I had ever heard come from an animal. Finally, what appeared to be a German Shepard mix finally emerged from the pile of fabric. Looking at its size, it wasn't a puppy but it wasn't a full adult either. One ear stood up attentively while the other flopped lazily and rich brown eyes regarded me for a moment before settling on the caretaker.
"Now that wasn't difficult, was it?" Haru grinned and Riku gave a huff, padding over to her silently to receive the ear scratches she offered.
She motioned me over with her free hand before pulling the folder from under her arm.
"Knowin' Tsume-sama, she probably didn't tell you the details of your mission here," she began, handing it over and gesturing me to open it as Riku flopped over for some belly rubs. "But she has planned for you to take this little one, sort of like an adoption."
I could only stare. I mean, I was a big animal lover and usually I would be willing and ready to get a dog, but this was more than complicated. First, this dog was an Inuzuka bred ninken. I mean, I could assume from context clues that this little one didn't have a human partner anymore, but I wasn't of the clan. How would that even work? What kind of regulations and rules did the Inuzuka have regarding their ninken?
How would Aunt Mei and the Hyūga clan react to this?
"Is…is that even allowed by the clan?"
Haru tilted her head in thought. "I'm sure there's none saying Tsume-sama can't. I think she's just making stuff up as she goes on since she became the head a few years ago."
Riku, no doubt listening to our conversation, peered at me again with those intelligent eyes of his. Questioning my presence. I met his eye briefly and flipped open the folder. The first page that I saw went over the dog's information. He was a German Shepherd and Rottweiler mix, which I should've assumed from his coloring, and was almost three years old. Under where his partner's name would've been was marked out with a black line, redacted. It was almost like a report card on the next few pages, listing all the missions the pup had been on. There were a handful of d-rank missions, and even a couple of c-rank missions listed. The next pages after those were medical reports which made me pause.
Riku had been born the runt of his litter, and as one would expect, was picked on and ostracized by his other siblings. It had been difficult for him to be assigned a human partner since he had been so small. The name of his previous partner was redacted on these pages as well, but the medical records from his last mission spoke volumes. He had been admitted to the hospital for lacerations along his throat and torso as well as a wounded hind leg. His wounds had healed well overall, but his vocal cords were still recovering.
I tore my eyes from the x-rays, heart falling into my stomach.
Haru smiled sadly. "Ninja life is just as hard on the animals as it is for the people. Though, I guess I don't have to tell you that."
I hugged the papers to my chest, mind racing. "Do you have any clue why Tsume-san would choose someone not of the clan to take him?"
Riku let out a light huff as he curled up by the Inuzuka who was sitting cross-legged and still showering him with affection. I moved to sit close but not too close, giving the dog his space as he eyed me critically.
Haru idly ran her fingers through the pup's fur.
"Well, it's not all that uncommon. While older ninken usually stay with their partners for the rest of their lives, in the case of older ninken that lack a human due to the usual culprit, sometime we lend 'em out to the elderly to help with stuff, or retired ninja," Haru explained.
"Sorta like therapy dogs. They may be old but they still want to be useful, so it's a good trade for both parties. The ninken get to interact with more people and the humans get a partner, especially the elderly, solitary types."
I stared. I had never known this about the Inuzuka.
"That's amazing Haru-san," I said in awe. Pride shimmered in her voice as she spoke.
"We're not just great trackers. We Inuzuka are loyal to Konoha, and want to help its people in as many ways as we can."
She looked between me and the dog, whose head rested on her thigh.
"I think you two would be a good fit. Riku can be a bit moody at times but he's very high energy being so young, and it would be good for him to go on missions. He's also very stubborn."
I quirked a brow. "How exactly does that make us a good match?"
Haru grinned. "From all the questions you've given me, I can see that you're really curious and somewhat headstrong. You didn't even hesitate asking me questions about clan stuff."
Maybe I should've shown more tact; Noburu had rubbed off on me.
"We of the Inuzuka aren't too stuck up, so I doubt anyone would mind. I also trust Tsume-sama's decision. She may be a bit on the wild side but she knows what she's doin' when it comes to the clan."
I had to agree with that as well. The adults in this world were often weird and eccentric, ninja in general were, but I could trust Tsume as a leader of her clan, and being as loyal as the Inuzuka were, I would have to take that loyalty seriously.
I also had to take into account whether or not Kushina had put her up to this.
"Then what do we do now?" I asked.
"You two get properly introduced," she declared, a happy smile on her face. She stood, causing the pup's head to dip as he lost his perch. Riku let out a huff of annoyance and rose to sit on his hunches, shaking himself as he did. I continued to sit seiza, a hand to my chin. I would have to be careful on how I went about greeting myself. The file had also said his breed needed a good pack leader, aka a partner who would demonstrate qualities of an alpha.
Rising to my own feet, I smiled down at the pup and offered a hand, exerting some of my chakra into the atmosphere, not heavy like killing intent, but lite to moderate, showing that I had strength and power that demanded to be recognized.
Watching Hideyoshi did have its perks after all.
The change was instant; Riku found my eyes instantly, lazy ear rising to attention. I didn't move, letting him walk up to me of his own accord to take a few tentative sniffs of my fingers before looking at Haru, who nodded encouragingly.
"I am Hyūga Junko," I said as he looked back at me. "I'd be honored if you became my partner Riku."
His tail twitched slightly into a wag before he shifted to look at Haru again.
"I won't let her take you if you really don't want to go," she said softly. "But I'm sure you can trust her."
The way she said trust was heavy, as though it was something precious. Apparently, it was the thing the mix needed to hear because he turned back to me before lifting his paw into my lowered hand. I fought the urge to squeal, to maintain the seriousness of the event, but really- I had a dog now! A ninja dog, but a dog nonetheless.
I really had no idea how I was going to explain this to Aunt Mei.
I allowed myself a free grin as he removed his paw and replaced it with his muzzle. I took this as acceptance and freely let my fingers comb through his fur. He sat down on his hunches, allowing me to scratch all over his neck and head, eyes closed and relaxed. I could already tell he was going to be huge when he was older; the tips of his ears already came over my head and he was sitting down.
We were interrupted from our moment by the sound of sniffling.
I blinked up at the older girl. "Are you crying Haru-san?"
She quickly wiped at her face with her arm, though it did nothing to stop the tears, and snot, that ran from her face.
"I don't know what yer takin' about." Her voice was muffled underneath her arm. "Ninja don't cry. You're a genin; you should know that."
I couldn't help but laugh, Riku accompanying me with a few barks and a wagging tail.
Haru explained everything I needed to know about taking care of Riku, going over his habits and preferences as well as giving me a ton of food and stuff that he would need for his growth. There was a reason why Inuzuka ninken became so huge. Luckily, I had one of the multi storage scrolls Kushina had made for me and I stored everything inside, including his bed, toys, and favorite blankets. I even had to sign a few documents stating that the pup was going to be my care. It was kind of surreal; it felt as though I needed an adult for this sort of thing, but then again, I was technically an adult on two fronts.
The Inuzuka teen grinned down at me, her eyes slightly red from crying, as we stood at the entrance to the kennel, Riku standing obediently at my side.
"Feel free to visit anytime you want," she said, eyes glistening a bit. "I'll be here if I'm not on a mission."
"Will do Haru-san," I smiled back at her. "Thank you for everything."
She blinked before taking me up in a hug.
"No, thank you Junko-san," she said, voice serious before letting me down, a softer smile on her face. I had no time to think about what she meant before she grabbed the dog in a similar grip.
"You better be good for her Riku, or me and Yoshi are gonna come and play," she declared with a wild grin. Riku let out a small yip before she sat him down as well.
She looked to be near tears again as she looked down at us. "I better go get the others fed before they start a coup."
"Until next time then," I bid her farewell and she disappeared back into the kennels, accompanied by another cacophony of barks and whines.
I turned to my new partner, giving him a scratch behind the ear as he came close, watching me carefully as though I was going to take my acceptance back. It reminded me the time when I accepted Noburu and Akane's friendship. Shaking my head at the memory, I smiled at him and stepped from the protection of the awing into the snow covered courtyard.
"Let's go."
The walk to Tsume's house wasn't so bad on the way back considering Riku was very warm and unbothered by the snow, and we entered to the lively chatter of both Tsume and Kushina's voices. I peeled off my jacket and boots, then made my way down the hallway when Kushina's head popped out from the kitchen doorway.
"You're back Junko-chan!" Her eyes drifted from me to Riku, a smile spreading across her face. "Come join us for lunch."
I knew she had something to do with this.
We walked into the kitchen and Riku stayed close to my side as Kuromaru's presence became more prominent. The wolfish canine eyed my pup briefly before resuming his relaxed position near the foot of Hana's high chair, the little girl stuffing her face with a bowl of noodles. Kushina had brought lunch from Ichiraku's. Figures.
Tsume smirked down at me. "How'd you like the kennels pup?"
It was obvious that she had wanted to catch me off guard with the whole Riku situation, maybe trying to disturb my sense of expectations and disrupt what she perceived as my organized lifestyle. A possible cultural misunderstanding between her clan and mine. Too bad I was adaptable; if it was a game she wanted to play, we could play.
In a much better mood, I stared back evenly as I walked to where a chair was waiting and hopped up, Riku on my heels.
"It was rather enlightening," I said politely as Kushina set a bowl of my favorite chashu pork ramen in front of me and a bowl of kibble on the floor for Riku. "The caretaker Haru-san was very nice to me, exceedingly so. I believe she went far beyond expectation."
Tsume rose a brow at me. "Is that so?"
"Most certainly. And I must thank you for allowing me to have Riku as a partner," I continued, my patented innocent smile spreading across my face. I bowed my head lightly as I took up my chopsticks.
"My gratitude cannot be expressed with such lacking words, but I do hope they are sufficient."
Saying thanks for the meal, I began slurping up my noodles as Tsume continued to stare. Kushina was stifling giggles over her own bowl as the Inuzuka turned to her.
"Your kid is weirdly proper brat," she declared. "But I like her. She's got some fight in her."
"I knew you would," Kushina agreed as she looked between the both of us. Wiping a bit of stray broth from my face with a napkin, I looked up at the redhead.
"I assume you had something to do with this arrangement shishou?" I continued with my exaggerated politeness. Kushina grinned.
"Well, with Tsume-chan's exceedingly large heart-" She paused to dodge a wayward chopstick from the woman. "We came up with this as a way of helping our team."
There was something unsaid in her words that struck me. It was not only because of the team, but almost my recurring nightmares and unease in crowds. Having a constant companion around at all times would help my anxiety, and if we were ever split again, I'd have another partner to count on.
I gave a soft smile that she returned. "Then I have thanks to give to you as well."
She grinned. "Well, when I heard Tsume talk about Riku I couldn't help but be reminded of my cute little student. Now the two of you can get better together."
I looked down at my new partner. He was done with his food and was laying down, listening to our conversation with one ear perked attentively.
"So if there's anyone who needs to be giving thanks it's Tsume-chan, dattebane," Kushina continued, propping her head on a fist to look at the other woman. "Well?"
Tsume looked unimpressed. "If I remember correctly, it was you who came crying to me about how you didn't know what to do, just like back in the academy."
The redhead scoffed. "You're smart but not that smart, cause if I remember correctly, you were always looking at my work in class."
She had to dodge another chopstick at that. I tilted my head, arms crossed in thought.
"I believe that Kushina came up with the idea," I said causing both women to look at me. "Shishou is very headstrong and determined; when she gets an idea, she doesn't quit until it's in her favor."
Kushina looked touched but then I continued, turning to Tsume.
"How else do you think she got Minato-sensei to marry her?"
There was silence and then Tsume burst into roaring laughter while Kushina stared in slight shock. I was in a headlock before I knew it but I couldn't help the giggles that escaped me, little Hana's joining us all even though she didn't know what was going on.
Kushina and I left the Inuzuka compound with promises to return, which I was excited at the prospect as long as it meant I wasn't cleaning her house again. Riku kept close to my side as we walked through the village, his nose taking in all the new scents. It had been a while since he last got out, having only fully recovered a few months ago. The idea of training with a ninja hound was fascinating to me, and Haru had agreed to give me tips on how to train the pup thankfully. Otherwise, I would've had no idea of what to do.
However, all that future planning came to a halt as we reached the entrance of the Hyūga compound.
"What am I going to do about Aunt Mei and the clan?" I sputtered out loud.
"I already took care of that too," Kushina said, before putting on a expression of mock hurt on her face. "I am stubborn and determined to get my way, dattebane."
"Really?" I asked with wide eyes.
Her expression softened and she smiled softly. "Of course I did. I've been working with Mei-san for weeks now, and she has been talking with the elders. I wouldn't have planned all of this if it wasn't going to work out."
How did I not notice they were colluding behind my back? Ninjas.
But that brought on another question.
"Shishou, what's the reason you decided to bring Riku on the team?"
Sure I had my own assumptions, but I really wanted to know her reasoning. She stared at me silently for a moment before her expression became serious.
"Taking into account of how that mission went." I suppressed a shudder. "It became clear to me after reading Yamanaka-san and Hokage-sama's notes, and talking to Minato, that you need something to work on outside yourself so that you can recover."
My brows furrowed. What had they said? "What do you mean?"
She sighed lightly, squatting on her heels in the snow to meet me eye to eye.
"Junko-chan, you exhaust yourself training almost daily. You never just relax, no matter how many times I tell you to."
She had a point, as much as I didn't want to admit it. Even on recovery days, I was either reading something educational or mediating, if I wasn't working in the garden. I rarely did anything with the idea of 'fun' if left to my own devices, and I was always too anxious to just sit around when I could be bettering myself.
"How is Riku supposed to help?" I asked, the dog brushing against my side as I said his name.
Kushina lifted a hand, brushing her fingers against my scar.
"You have a habit of internalizing everything, dattebane. It isn't healthy, but just telling you that won't help. It isn't practical and isn't how your brain works," she said. "While your aunt is familiar with the ninja arts and trained in the medical field, she hasn't personally experienced the emotions that go with a mission like that; she told me so herself."
Her eyes dropped to my feet. "And I wasn't there when you really needed me. Due to my actions, you can't trust me as a team leader like you should."
"But I do trust you, Kushina-shishou," I frowned. She shook her head.
"No matter how you may feel now, at some point during your recovery you must've hated me for abandoning you." I tried to speak but she continued with a somber smile. "You probably just internalized it, dattebane."
Had I? It had been a rough situation on all fronts but had I hated her, even if it was for a moment? I wasn't sure.
She rose, messing with my hair. "I made a promise to do better by you and getting Riku is just the beginning. Plus, if you're busy with him, you'll be too busy to overwork yourself."
That...was a smart idea, I realized begrudgingly. If I trained with Riku, I would never push him to do anything overly strenuous, a line I skipped over quite frequently; I had the bruises to prove it. Absorbing all that she had said for later consideration, I looked up at her, absentmindedly fixing my headband.
"That's a bit devious, shishou."
She grinned. "I know."
Kushina patted me and Riku on the head before leaving for the evening, saying she had some other stuff to plan before flickering away with a poof of smoke. I turned to my companion who sneezed at the remnants of her exit.
"Well, let's get you settled in boy."
The canine let out a light bark before following me inside.
The addition of Riku marked a significant change in my life, as one would expect. On that first night as we sat down for dinner, Aunt Mei went through a lecture she had no doubt prepared about the importance of taking care of another life, though I already had it covered having cared for several dogs, cats, and birds in my past life. Still, it was heartwarming to see her present the pup with a dark forest green scarf with the Hyūga crest embroidered on it at the end of her speech, as if accepting him to the family.
I rebuilt Riku's blanket mound in the corner of my bedroom along with his dog bed. It was weird getting used to having another living thing in my room while I slept considering my paranoia, but the canine proved to be very helpful to my sleeping habits. He never let me stay up too late studying, and sometimes when I was in the midst of a nightmare, the pup would sneak underneath my blankets and curl up beside me, either waking me up or making the terrors bearable with his presence and added warmth.
He was a surprisingly empathetic pup.
Though, just as Haru mentioned, he was incredibly energetic and stubborn. He liked to chew on the trellis in the backyard and nip at the medicinal herbs that were still flourishing despite the cold winter, even though he had several bones and other toys. It had been slightly worrying; I thought his old wounds were acting up and he was trying to self-medicate. I knew dogs in my past life would eat grass when they didn't feel well, and I had no doubt Riku was smart enough to distinguish the herbs from all the other plants; he did have some training in tracking after all.
I brought it up to my newfound friend one afternoon when I went over to help at the kennels- it was one of my favorite places to be and Tsume was cool with it- and had Riku checked, but the Inuzuka assured me that he was fine. He just liked the taste of them.
What a brat.
Training with him was an experience. While the Inuzuka had specific jutsu that worked with their canine companions, I had no such resources. Riku was quick on his feet though, and was smart when it came to the training exercises that Kushina would run us through. He was able to recognize the basic sign language ninja were taught in the academy and responded well to the commands I gave him. Before I knew it, he even became acquainted with the feel of my chakra, and could respond to that as well. He was very helpful in the simple missions Kushina got for us, the infamous Tora mission coming to mind immediately.
Although...that had gone less than planned.
...
Kushina and I were walking through a forested area, Riku at my side. I held the cat's collar, absently passing it between my hands as he sniffed at it.
"This mission is a staple of all genin," Kushina said, not looking too happy. "Even Minato and I did it in the past."
I looked up at her. "Is it the same cat?"
She tilted her head thoughtfully. "I've never really thought about, dattebane. Kimi said she did it as well, and the little devil is certainly evil enough to have lived this long."
"You don't like cats shishou?"
"This cat? Absolutely not."
As if her disdain had cast something into the air, a shadow flew past us and into the bushes nearby, and my byakugan let me know it was our target.
I didn't have to say a word as Riku took off after it.
"Riku, wait!" Before the first syllable of his name left my lips, he had already buried himself in the bushes, and Kushina and I were greeted to the sound of a growl and a cat's yowling.
"You…you don't think he'll eat Tora do you?" I asked.
"I hope so."
"Shishou," I said in an admonishing tone but Riku returned, carrying the cat by the scruff of its neck. It looked frozen, in shock, and I quickly moved to free it from his grasp, cradling it in my arms.
Riku looked expectantly at me and I sighed, propping the cat on my shoulder so I could free a hand to reach into my pack for a treat.
"Good boy…I guess?" I said as he took it from me, chowing down with a happily wagging tail.
The cat was still breathing thankfully and its heart was racing against my shoulder, though it appeared to have no external injuries from Riku or otherwise. Poor thing. As I stroked its back, I looked back at my mentor questioningly.
"Was this really the best way to do this?"
Kushina set a hand on my head and stared back solemnly.
"Junko-chan, miracles rarely happen in our line of work," she said seriously, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."
Shaking my head, I turned back to the direction of the Mission's Desk, Riku at my heels.
"Whatever you say shishou."
...
Usually, he was better behaved.
Riku's companionship also led me to a new discovery about this world. Although I should've realized by now, this world and its living beings were much different than Before, especially biologically. While normal animals had systems that were only advanced enough for basic bodily functions, I learned that the ninken had a developing chakra system on par of a starting academy student. It was wild and untamed, but I knew it could be cultivated into something powerful and useful.
Meaning I had to come up with a way to teach a dog jutsu, an interesting and strange development in my life.
Today, I walked through the village with my new companion trotting at my side and made my way to Fujioka Metalworks, the shop owned by Noburu's father. The bell on the door jingled as we entered, and a long haired teenager at the counter looked up at me from where he was dozing. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed through the shop.
"Hello, Kenji-san," I greeted. He smiled lazily at me, though his eyes roved over my headband and the dog at my side.
"Junko, long time no see," he replied. Kenji was easygoing in a way that was different than Haru.
He reminded me of a Nara with how lethargic he was, which seemed like an impossibility with such a strong-willed and serious father like Kichirou. There was no doubt that the man had cultivated skills into his oldest son, seen by the scarred skin and muscles the teen had; he just wasn't motivated enough. It seemed like he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps either but didn't have aspirations for anything else, at least from what I'd seen of the boy's personality in the brief instances when I'd come over.
"Nobu's out with his friends," he informed me. I shook my head, lightly brushing Riku's side as he tried to move away to sniff at a rack of kunai nearby.
"I'm actually here to see Kichirou-san, if that's alright."
Just as the words left my lips, the hammering stopped and a huge, lumbering man emerged from a curtain behind the counter, wiping his hands off on his stained apron. Riku instantly locked onto the man, becoming tense. He was an imposing man to be sure, rugged, bearded, and muscled from decades of smithing.
"Well, if it isn't the little Hyūga," he rumbled, stepping around his older son to stand at the front of the counter. He also noticed the hitai-ate. "It's good to see you still in one piece."
Kichirou Fujioka wasn't subtle about his distaste for the shinobi profession; there was no way he didn't respect them, but I knew he hated the need for it. That didn't mean he was going to let them go out into the world with subpar equipment. He was a man that was great at his craft and took pride in the quality of his work.
When I had first met the man, he had made both very clear, though not in any obvious words. The fact that I had been in the same class as his son also seemed to strengthen that distaste. That didn't stop me from asking about what kind of metals he used, what he thought were the best kunai as there were such a variety, as well as whether the density of the metal in any way affected its ability to be thrown and its trajectory, amongst with other things.
I think I had endeared myself to him with all my questions.
"It's nice to see you as well, and congratulations on the addition to your family," I returned and he nodded in thanks.
But I had purpose in mind for this trip.
"I have a question for you Kichirou-san."
"When don't you?" He had a point there.
He knelt down to offer a hand to Riku who sniffed it lightly, before becoming more interested in the scent of oil and other greases that stained the man's smock.
"What would be the idea weight of a blade be for a canine to handle?"
He rose a brow. "You want your pooch here to wield a blade?"
"That's the plan."
"Now I've heard everything," he said, moving his skilled hand across my companion's muzzle before forcing Riku's mouth open to look at his teeth. The pup let out a huff at being manhandled but stayed silent when I signed at him to be still.
Kenji peered down at us from behind the counter. "You know a dog has claws and teeth for that sort of thing, right?"
It wasn't a mean-spirited question, more curious than anything, and I addressed him with a smile.
"They have more tearing and ripping power. I'm looking for more severing capabilities."
His face twisted into something slightly uncomfortable and I giggled. Admittedly, it was an indulgent request. Riku was fine with his natural tools even without the use of Inuzuka techniques, but I remember this one game that I used to play Before that had a dog character that welded a blade and was pretty cool overall. If Riku didn't want to do it, I wouldn't force him.
But how cool would it be if he did?
Kichirou let out 'hmm' in thought and released my pup, who darted back to my side before he could be manhandled again. The man moved with purpose towards the shelves that lined the shop. He returned a moment later, disappearing into his workshop behind the curtain and while he worked his magic, I took the chance to restock some of my supplies.
I was eyeing a pair of clawed gloves- very incompatible with the jūken- when the man returned, carrying what appeared to be a dagger. He resumed his kneeling position as I returned to the counter with a pack of shuriken and skinny kunai, and he handed those to his son to show me the blade. It looked similar to the blades Asuma used in the series, minus the finger grip. The hilt itself was flat and wrapped in a soft fabric, making the grip pliable. It wasn't as heavy as a regular kunai, and its weight was spread equally along the blade. I kept the sharp edge away from Riku's face as he sniffed the object curiously.
"Considering the usage and depending on the pup's grip, this should be suitable as a practice weapon for now. It should be usable for you if the need arises too."
I smiled at him. "You never disappoint, Kichirou-san."
The older man let out a chuckle. "Neither do you."
Sometimes I think I had a better relationship with Noburu's father than he did; then again, I wasn't his kid. While I respected his perspective on shinobi life and his skill, his opinions didn't really affect me as our conversations never spread beyond the walls of the shop.
It was just the way life worked.
Paying for the purchase, in which the man had also included a small adjustable harness that I'd have to jerry-rig later for a canine, I left with a spring in my step after bidding the Fujiokas farewell. My new kunai slotted alongside my normal ones and Riku's new gear thrown around my shoulder, we were on our way to Kushina's house for some studying.
"Now Riku," I began seriously as he tried to take the blade from my back pouch; he was so possessive. "We have to practice this safely first."
"Ruff!"
"We don't want another incident like last week, do we?"
At that, he let out a light yip, much more subdued. Let's just say there was a mishap with a kitchen drawer where the knives are kept, and a pot of stew on the counter and leave it at that.
"As long as there's no food involved we should be alright."
Another bark, this one more confident.
"I don't believe you but sure, sure, whatever you say."
Now, I couldn't actually understand Riku, unlike Haru who I believed without a doubt could actually talk to dogs. It was more of a feeling of his chakra than anything. When he was in close proximity, I could sense the lows and highs of how it moved in accordance with his mood; it was very human in that respect. Maybe that was the reason why dogs were called man's best friend?
My musings were cut short by a voice ringing out behind me, disturbing my thoughts.
"Talking to dogs, freak?"
A sigh rumbled in my chest. I could pretend I didn't hear it. I really could. It wasn't something I wanted to deal with today, especially after having such a productive morning.
"Oh, am I not good enough to talk to, Junko-hime?" the voice asked, question drawn out in a haughty tone.
I released the sigh into the cold air and watched as it dissipated, deliberating my options. I could just walk away; it was what I did all the time anyways as there was no point in confronting it. Kushina's house was just a few streets away and around a corner. I wouldn't be followed; they were never ballsy enough, and my mentor wasn't known as the Red Hot Habenero for nothing.
Decisions, decisions.
My choice was made for me as a ball of snow flew at me. I leaned back, letting it glide harmlessly pass my nose before looking over my shoulder at the culprit.
He was a genin just like I was, though about twice my age, with his hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead. His long, light brown hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and white eyes tinted with lavender glared at me as though I was an abomination. I was familiar with it; after all, when you live in a place where half of the people hated your existence and the other didn't want anything to do with you- until it suited their needs of course- it really becomes the norm.
My face fell stoically. "Sorry, who are you again?"
Shun Hyūga, branch member. It was like dealing with another Satomi, though she had calmed down somewhat with our regular matches in clan training since our schedules seemed to coincide more often than not. Maybe beating me in training made her feel better.
His face turned an angry red, but he tried to keep it cool.
"You're not even a real Hyūga," he sniffed in disgust, turning his gaze from me.
An old line. I almost yawned.
"The eyes and birth certificate would declare otherwise but whatever makes you feel better," I said, placing my hand lightly on Riku's neck who was growling lowly, and exerting my own chakra over the area to establish I had control of the situation.
It wouldn't be good if he ripped some kid's throat out before we even got to go out on a real mission, though I knew he was better trained than that. Otherwise, we wouldn't get to try out his sweet new blade.
Shun actually snarled a little. "No matter what the elders say, you'll never be accepted as a Main House member. And we don't want you either! You can go with the Inuzuka; after all you're nothing more than a prized mutt!"
I stared blankly. That was a new one. How did he even know I was hanging with the Inuzukas? I wondered if the clan had some hidden network that watched and said shit about the things I did. I had lost the hidden guard thankfully since becoming genin, but who knows.
Shun was huffing quite loudly with his outburst.
"You feel better now that you let that out?" I asked. I added a head tilt for effect. "My, I never knew ninja to be so emotional. Never read about that in the academy, then again, I only attended for a year. I may have missed something."
I was mocking him; it was unnecessary and a bit cruel- neither of us had control over our fates- but like I said, the cold brought out the worse in me. Though I guess that wasn't really an excuse.
"You little runt-"
His next insult was interrupted as a flying figure in a hoodie crashed foot-first into him. It was in slow motion as I watched Noburu's foot crash into the other Hyūga, who blocked the blow just barely with his arms. The brunet was almost elegant in the way he pushed off the other boy, flipping up and over to land on his feet in front of me.
"Noburu! What are you doing here?" I asked, eyes wide.
He looked between me and the other Hyūga for a moment, before turning his back to me.
"No one gets to pick on Junko but me!" he declared, glaring at Shun who looked ready to spit acid at the boy.
"This has nothing to do with-"
"This has everything to do with me!" he shot back, gaining on the boy. "And if you want a fight, we can fight right now!"
This was escalating more quickly than I thought, and it wouldn't be good if it got out of hand. With a few quick pulses of chakra, signals for Riku who sprang like a rocket into action, I flickered in front of Noburu as the pup darted to my back, protecting me from anything Shun would try to pull.
"As much as it's probably some girl's fantasy for two guys to fight over her, it's against the rules for teams to fight without the presence of a jōnin sensei," I said over Riku's growls.
Noburu's brows furrowed. "But Junko-"
I shot him a look, before gazing over my shoulder at Shun.
"You should know that rule, right?"
Shun's features twisted and he huffed, letting his byakugan fade.
"Man, and here I was wishing for a fight," a new voice rang out from above, and all of us twitched in response. It was in the trees above us, and another person dropped down into our mishmashed group.
She was hazily familiar, with purple hair and brown eyes. However, her identity was affirmed when Shun spoke.
"This has nothing to do with you either, Anko," Shun glared, crossing his arms across his chest.
Anko. Anko Mitarashi. She was just as outgoing as her older counterpart as she began to heckle the older Hyūga. She had been so sparse throughout the series that I sometimes forgot about her, as much as the other characters that weren't part of the main storyline. I could only really remember her part in the chūnin exams, any other information fuzzy. Why was she important again?
"You sure were fired up by this squirt Shu," she teased. "What's the big deal?"
"No I wasn't, and I told you not to call me that."
"Whatever, you know you love it."
Anko. A chill swept through me. Anko. This Anko was pre-cursed seal Anko. And if Shun was her teammate and they were still genin together that meant-
Orochimaru was their sensei.
How could I have forgotten he was still in the village?
Orochimaru was worse than any random enemy ninja. What if he came here to meet with them? What would he do if he saw me? I'm not important, but my blood, my DNA. Would he see it as something worth experimenting with? Would I be able to handle just being in his presence with the foreknowledge of his past and future misdeeds?
Oh no.
Riku must've noticed my inner struggle as he doubled back from where he was glaring down Shun to brush against my side, still growling at the pair of older genin, the source of my distress. I focused on his wild chakra and Noburu's agitated but worried aura, and pulled myself together.
We need to get out of here.
Taking a breath and calming myself, I regarded them with a stoic expression.
"While this has been lovely, we had another arrangement prior to this," I said, grabbing Noburu's arm. "Let's go."
I pulled the boy along, Anko's voice ringing out behind us.
"Wait, who are you kid?"
I barely looked back to give a response.
"You should listen to your teammate. It has nothing to do with you."
We walked down the street and around the corner, far from that doomed girl and my angry clansmen, hoping that the purple haired genin would forget all about me and Shun would keep his mouth shut.
Author's Notes
Posted/Edited: June 15th, 2017
Thanks to everyone who has added this story to their favorites and/or followed it thus far; I really appreciate it! I had meant to post this chapter earlier, but I recently finished Persona 5 for the first time and was overtaken by emotion.
Also, if you can guess the game Junko was talking about, major kudos to you!
Q&A Time:
As always, thanks for all the lovely reviews.
To the Guest asking for more interaction between the clan heads; don't you worry, Junko is a very resourceful person and there will be more interactions with the clan heads later in the story. (And I love answering questions, so it's no problem at all!)
To Lysa: A few people did clarify it for me, but thanks for bringing it up again as I almost forgot about it. I have to keep that mind when I think about Junko's development with Kushina.
There weren't many questions this time around, but I have an update to the poll I posted a few weeks back. Since it seems as though many of you want to see an interlude containing Team Minato, I'll need your help in choosing whose perspective it's going to be in. The new poll should be on my profile (though I have a feeling who you all may want to see.)
Next time on For A Chance at Happiness:
Chapter 24: Of Contemplation and Things Forgotten