"All the best swords have names, y'know?" It was clearly said more as a conversation starter than something that really needed to be addressed. Kakashi never was one for emotional talks. He was a genius in academics and battle, but the same could not be said for the matters of the human psyche.
"Hokori." It was stated so softly that, even with his enhanced senses, Kakashi had a hard time hearing the single word.
"Hokori," repeated Kakashi, as if testing the name on his tongue. "Yes, it's quite fitting. At least appearance wise. What's the meaning behind the name?"
"There's an old legend that humans were created from dust. The sword is supposed to be an extension of my body, so if I'm dust, my sword should be too," explained Naruto, still in a somber voice.
"That's a pretty thought out answer. How long have you been thinking about that," questioned Kakashi.
"Right after I killed a man with it," stated Naruto bluntly. He wasn't particularly in the mood for a conversation. Why couldn't Kakashi-sensei understand that?
"I understand you're not really in the mood for conversation." Okay, that was weird. "But it helps to talk about it. Trust me, I had my first kill when I was half your age, but back then, I didn't have anyone I saw as a friend to talk about it with. If I had, maybe my life would be different." At first, it was obvious Kakashi was talking to Naruto, but the last sentence was spoken more to himself than anyone.
Naruto turned to look at his sensei with surprise and a bit of sadness, having heard everything he said, but before he could say anything, Kakashi seemed to snap out of whatever funk he was in and casted an eye-smile towards Naruto before hurriedly saying, "Anyway, you don't have to necessarily talk to me about it. You could always talk to a trusted friend, or, even though I'm pretty sure it's not your style, you could go see a Shinobi Trauma Specialist. They're more or less a therapist that directly deals with anything involving death, maiming, or… more gruesome fates that can befall certain ninja, regardless of gender. The best one on duty is actually your old classmate's father, Inoichi Yamanaka."
Kakashi mainly packed all this information into this short lecture to pull Naruto's thoughts away from his more morose admission. That's not to say any of it was less than factual, but he knew that despite how smart Naruto seemed, it would take a couple seconds to understand everything that was just unloaded on him.
"Wait, so there's a whole unit based around helping Shinobi deal with traumatic events," asked Naruto for clarity.
"Precisely. So are you going to be checking it out? Remember, there's no shame in admitting that you've been through a traumatic experience. The first kill a Genin goes through is usually their first real encounter with the life of a true Shinobi. It even makes some quit being one."
"I understand that, but I think I'll just talk to Sasuke, you know?"
"Very well, Naruto. Well, I'll see you around." With that, the Jonin was gone, disappearing in a tornado of green leaves.
"Yamanaka, huh? Aren't they mindwalkers?"
XXX
Naruto really was planning on just talking to Sasuke about the whole killing thing. Really, he was. Then Naruto saw him. To any normal observer, he looked as casual and unflappable as ever, but to Naruto, who had been his best friend for the last five or so years, he could see the differences. The tenseness in his shoulders, the way his eyes lacked that usual small fire of revenge, even the way he was standing told Naruto that Sasuke wasn't over his first kill, despite seeing his brother slaughter his clan countless times under the effect of the Tsukuyomi Genjutsu. He remembered Kakashi-sensei's words about the first kill usually being a Genin's first experience as a true Shinobi, but now he understood that even if it wasn't your first experience, it could still be traumatic.
So despite telling Kakashi-sensei that he would be talking to Sasuke about his first kill, or kills as it were, he was now standing before a flower shop, praying to all that was holy that Ino was not inside.
With one last deep inhale, he walked through the door, exhaling as he went. A bell chimed and the blonde behind the counter immediately said "Welcome to Yamanaka Flower Shop! How may I help you?"
At the first sounds of the voice, Naruto knew it was inherently female and knew his worst fears had been realized, so much so that he actually winced, clenching his eyes tight in preparation of the ear splitting screech that would soon curse his ears. He waited for it. And waited. And waited. Finally, after not hearing it, he opened his eyes and actually looked past the long blonde hair and saw that the female behind the counter was not an adolescent girl, but a fully grown woman.
He realized he had been just standing in the doorway of the flower shop. He quickly spat out, "Hello, Yamanaka." He really hoped he didn;t sound too awkward.
"Hello Uzumaki. Here to finally pick up Ino for that date she's been telling me and Inoichi about for about four years," inquired Ino's mother in jest, though it didn't seem that Naruto had figured that out.
" W-what? No! There's definitely no date," Naruto said quickly.
"Why not? Is my Ino not good enough for the Rookie of the Year," asked the woman in mock anger, finding it hard to contain her laughter.
"N-no, that's not what I'm saying. It's just that I'm here to see your husband, ma'am," explained Naruto, hoping that would get him out of this mess.
"Oh, so you play for my team, and you're into older men. My, my, Naruto. You're full of surprises. I wonder what poor Ino will say." After being married to one of the top two interrogators in the Hidden Leaf Village for so long, the matriarch of the Yamanaka had picked up a few acting skills, but eve she couldn't hold in her laughter as she saw Naruto blanche, his face turning the whitest color she had ever seen.
Realization dawned on him as he saw this woman, who he had only met a few times through the occasional academy event pull quite a prank on him. He had to hand it to her, she really had him believing what she was saying.
As her last chuckles faded away, Naruto spoke up, exasperatedly, "Very clever, Yamanaka. You got me."
"It;s been quite some time since I've gotten to prank someone like that," stated Ino's mother, wiping a stray tear from her eye after all her laughter. "Well anyway, Uzumaki, Inoichi is in his office, through that back door, up the stairs on your right, third door on your left."
"Thank you, Yamanaka." It was curt, but not impolitely so. Naruto just really wanted out of this house before he saw Ino. He had already been here long enough, what with all the teasing that he had just endured.
He had just eclipsed the stairs when he heard a door open behind him. He hadn't realized that once you ascended the stars, the hallway led in both directions. He slowly turned around, fearing the worst, when he saw her. She was walking out of a room, presumably the bathroom, as steam billowed out of it, with her hair wrapped up in a towel, just pulling on her purple crop top. Luckily for him, he had turned around just as she was straightening out the hem.
Unluckily, she chose that moment to look up. He saw the moment she realized who he was. First, her eyes widened at seeing someone in the hallway at this time of day, then realization that it wasn't her mother or father, despite the blonde hair, then recognition as she noticed who was in her house. In her hallway. Right outside the bathroom which she just so happened to have just vacated. Her mind of course jumped to the worst possible conclusion.
Ino's first thought was righteous anger and indignation. Who wouldn't be angry at someone watching them bathe? Then, she remembered who it was. She grew a slightly perverted smile before sashaying towards him, swaying what little hips she had with as much sexiness as a 12-year-old could muster.
"Oh, Naruto, I didn't know you were a peeping tom," Ino tried to purr, but again, she's 12 and doesn't have a sexy bone in her body at this age.
"I-I'm not. I swear, it's not what it looks like," Naruto tried to explain. Despite just being played by this girl's mother, or because he was, albeit in a very different way, he had a feeling that Ino was completely serious about her advances.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. It can be our little secret." Once again, Ino's lack of seduction training betrayed her.
"Ino, please, we're only 12. Calm down," Naruto had finally reclaimed his calm; now was the hard part of returning Ino's to her. "Listen, Ino. I was not peeping on you. I was on my way to see your father when you exited the bathroom. My reflexes just forced me to look at the source of the sound. I.E. the door opening."
Naruto made sure he talked slow and deliberate, while slowly backing up from slightly crazed fangirl, of course. By the end, Ino seemed to have finally understood what he was saying. This was evident as she paused before slowly gaining a blush that would rival an Uzumaki's red hair.
"Oh my gosh, Naruto! I am so sorry! I have no idea what came over me, it was like…" Ino had slowly sped up as she continued to the point that Naruto couldn't even understand her anymore.
Eventually, he got tired of the nonstop rambling and tried to interrupt, but it took a few tries."Ino. Ino. Ino!" The last one finally managed to break through her constant ramblings.
"Yeah?" It was asked so innocently, Naruto almost had no clue how she could turn from hormone-crazed, preteen girl, to fast-talking, rambling weirdo, to innocent and cute. It was almost like she had a split personality.
"As much as I would love to hear about your theories on why you went… strange," he ignored Ino's protests that that wasn't what she was saying. "I have to go talk to your dad."
"My dad? Why?" It was strange to her for the boy she was in love with to go have a conversation with her dad. Suddenly, the dots connected and she felt she was about to burst.
'Naruto is going to ask daddy for my hand in marriage! Daddy is going to say yes because he know how much I love Naruto and we're gonna live happily ever after! But what about my wedding dress!? What about a date!? A cake!? A-.'
Before she could continuously think about inane things that are involved in weddings, His answer came.
"Shinobi business… it's personal."
She physically deflated, but soon bounced back, ready to ask how it was personal. Though when she looked up, Naruto was already disappearing inside her father's office.
"Damn. Maybe I can convince him to let me 'apologize' by taking him on a date? Wait, no. He always says no to those. Maybe something he likes. Like… he likes… umm… Training! Yeah, I'll see if he wants to train!" Though the more Ino thought about it, the less she liked the idea. Even so, she was determined to go through with it.
XXX
"I can't believe I agreed to this." Despite it being little more than a mutter, Ino was still somehow able to hear it.
Ino vegan pouting, "I'm jusr trying to make up for what I did. Is that so wrong?"
'Why couldn't you make up for all the ear-splitting screeches you let loose into my ear.' Luckily for Naruto, he was smart enough to keep that thought to himself.
They were currently doing Ninjutsu training. I no was working on her Mind Transfer Jutsu, using Naruto as her target. This was to increase the speed at which her Jutsu could cross distances. The distance currently being set at about 50 meters. Of course, Naruto wasn't using his actual self to take on the Yamanka's technique, he was using a Shadow Clone. After all, he needed to train too.
Naruto was currently working on the Body Flicker Technique. It was a pretty simple jutsu, but one that required practice to use properly, and seeing as he had just learned it, he was still in need of said practice.
After close to an hour of training, Ino was in need of a break, so she asked Naruto for one. "Hey Naruto, where did you learn such an advanced technique? I thought only Chunin and Jonin could learn the Body Flicker," Ino asked.
"Well for one, it's actually not that advanced, and anyone can learn it. And despite Kakashi-sensei being a lazy pervert, he's actually a pretty good teacher. Even though we're just fresh Genin, he's given us some advanced training," explained Naruto.
"Wow, you guys are so lucky. I wish Asuma-sensei would give my team that kind of training," Ino said depressedly.
"Come on, it can't be that bad," stated Naruot confidently.
Ino just looked at him with a blank expression as she drolled out, "Asuma-sensei just tells me and Choji to work on basic taijutsu while he and Shikamru play either Shogi or Go."
"Oh." Despite Naruto's optimistic personality, even he couldn't put a positive spin on that. After all, despite her fangirl tendencies, Ino's taijutsu wasn't so bad that she had to practice the basics everyday.
"Yeah," Ino said with a huff, crossing her arms as she did so.
Quickly deciding team training was a bad topic of discussion, Naruto decided to change the subject, "You know, you've made some real progress with your speed while using your Mind-Transfer Jutsu. It travels way faster than it did back in the academy."
As expected, this compliment made Ino perk up a bit, "Oh? Did I impress my sweet Naruto?"
"Damnit, Ino! Can't we have one conversation where you don't make it weird?"
Naruto couldn't get what was with this girl; up until this point, he was even enjoying himself. Well, except for the memories he received from his Shadow Clone. Turns out that having your body taken over by someone else's conscience wasn't exactly pleasant. Just thinking about the experience made the blonde shudder.
Even though Naruto spoke loudly, it didn't seem as though Ino had heard a word he said. It seemed as if the young Yamanaka heiress had gone into her own little dreamworld.
Quickly deciding that the training session had hit its natural conclusion, Naruto began to gather his things and exit the field. Right before he hit the path that led out however, Ino caught him by the arm.
"Naruto, where do you think you're going," yelled Ino. "We're not done training yet! I need to get stronger if I'm going to show Forehead that you're stronger than Sasuke!"
"That literally makes no sense," Naruto groaned as he let himself be dragged back to the center of the field. As they readied for a sparring match, their eyes locked. Despite Ino's cheeks reddening at a worrying rate, he could see the determination in her eyes. With one last sigh before their match began, signalling his reclination into his fate, Naruto steeled himself for the coming spar. It was going to be a long day. He just hoped Ino wouldn't hit on him again.
Hello there. It's been a while since I last updated this. Over a year, in fact. I hope people are still waiting for this to update. I've actually had this stuff written out for quite some time now, but I had to transfer the last scene from paper to computer. Turns out I also have a bit of stuff for next chapter maybe, so hopefully that'll come out sooner. I've been looking to get back into writing, so hopefully I get reviews to help me do that. Well, I hope everyone is staying safe during Covid-19. Take care, and, once again, please review. :)