A/N: Hello! This is a spin off one/two shot that occurs somewhere in the midst of my fic, 'The Inu and The Okami'. This and the next chapter can be skipped if you want to, they aren't specifically relevant to plot but it will be fun and cute.

So I thought it'd be kind of fun to play with this idea, since Road to Ninja is probably my favourite movie in the Naruto Franchise. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Naruto or any of its characters or plot.

The Inu and the Other Inu (Part 1)

Two sharp kicks. One solid punch. Two high kicks and bam!

Geez, training as a human is hard!

Luna ran a hand through her shoulder-length pale locks until her hand came to rest on the back of her neck. Damp. She never sweat this much in her wolf form, and she hated it.

If it was up to her, her training would consist of tearing that stupid test dummy apart with fangs and claws, not hands and feet. But alas, the ferocious-looking Inuzuka alpha had pulled the old 'my compound, my rules' trick on her, insisting that she get her human agility and strength up before she continued focusing solely on her wolf form. Why, she didn't know. Luna doubted there'd ever be a time she chose her human fighting form over her lupine one.

Her respect for the older woman had won out in the end, though, so here she was. Grunting and sweating in the training forest at the back of the Inuzuka estate and grumbling to herself every time she managed to acquire a splinter.

Raising her nose to the air, she sniffed once, then twice, followed by a relieved grin spreading across her face. She may not have had the nose of an Inuzuka, but she recognised that scent anywhere.

He emerged from the bushes not ten feet away from her, looking her straight in the eye. But something about his appearance was off. Not only was his usual canine companion absent, but his leather jacket was ripped and torn along the sleeves and bits of twig and foliage clung to his hair as though he'd been battling the trees themselves.

"Kiba? Are you alright?" She frowned, scarlet irises narrowing as she flipped one long piece of silver hair over her shoulder. "What happened to you?"

His expression was frozen in what looked like a state of shock, but as the hybrid girl began to move towards him he shook himself violently, making her steps falter. Something was definitely not right.

Before she'd had even one more second to ponder this, the dog trainer dashed forward, hands gripping her upper arms tightly as though worried she'd slip away and never return.

"It's… It's really you! You're really here?!" His ebony eyes were wide, impossibly so, and Luna had to catch her breath when they began to fill with water. Was he about to cry?!

The next thing she knew, she had been tugged forward into a snug embrace, his nose nuzzling into her neck as he inhaled her scent. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Wh-what are you talking about? You're starting to scare me…"

He pushed back on her arms suddenly, staring into her eyes so deeply she felt her heart skip a beat. His expression was strained, looking so desperately helpless and overwhelmingly overjoyed all at the same time that Luna could hardly bare it.

Her voice barely audible, she managed to whisper, "Kiba?"

And then he kissed her. So quickly, she had no time to register it and so urgently she hadn't the heart to push him away. But what on Earth?!

His lips stilled against hers, probably realising that she hadn't released a breath in almost sixty seconds, and he pulled back ever-so-slightly.

"How is this possible? Where have you been all this time?" He murmured, still mere millimetres from her face.

"I… I…" She stammered, confusion gripping her. "K-Kiba, I saw you just three hours ago!" And we don't kiss! Why are you kissing me?!

"Three hours…" He repeated, eyes hardening from the haze he'd appeared to be in as he took a step back, finally releasing her arms. "Luna, I haven't seen you in three years!"

Neither of them dared speak another word for the next few moments, both processing what the other had said until the hybrid girl finally regained her senses. "What are you talking about? We left the compound together this morning!"

"Luna… Do you have amnesia?" The Inuzuka's eyebrows furrowed in a mixture of confusion and concern, tears still fresh in his onyx eyes. He lifted a shaking hand to her forehead, pressing down lightly.

Distrubed, she shuddered and reeled backwards. There was something wrong, and she didn't like it one bit. "There's nothing wrong with me! What are you talking about, don't you remember leaving the house before, shouting bye to Tsume and Kuromaru and–"

"Did someone do this to you? Meddle with your memories then send you back in this state? How could you not know that three years have passed…? Besides, you hate my mother!"

Luna flinched in surprise. "When did you get that impression?"

"Erm, almost every time you were in the same room…" Kiba frowned, starting to look suspicious, but he held his ground.

"But… I owe everything to Tsume! Why in the world would I not like her?" Her scarlet irises were wild with bafflement, but then she noticed something else. "Hey, your cheeks…"

She lifted one finger and stretched out her arm to poke him gently on the side of his face, where his Inuzuka clan markings were tattooed. "They're different… How did you change them?"

"I haven't changed them. Luna, they've been the same ever since I was a little kid…"

The pair stared at each other in equal confusion for several minutes, each trying to figure out what was wrong with the other.

"I think we should go see Tsume… She'll know what to do, right?" The she-wolf eventually suggested, becoming unnerved by the way Kiba had begun surveying her up and down, as though checking for injuries.

"I think you're right. But try and keep it civil, alright?" He offered her a small smile that was probably meant to be comforting.

Having no idea how to respond, she merely nodded, flinching again when he moved to take her hand.

Kiba glanced up when she jumped, hurt flashing across his face. He didn't attempt to console her again after that, simply following mutely back to the Inu household.

"Erm, Tsume?" She called out, standing awkwardly in the kitchen doorway facing the hall. Her voice seemed to echo through the otherwise quite building, and for a minute she wondered if Tsume was even home.

"Luna. How can I help you?" The woman emerged from the living room suddenly, making the wolf girl jump.

The fact that she reacted so casually to Luna after her supposedly being missing for three years must have hit home with the dog trainer, and both women noticed his breath hitch in his throat.

"I think… I think there's something wrong with Kiba."

Tsume's expression darkened as she stepped around the hybrid to where her son hovering behind his friend. "Kiba. Where's Akamaru?"

Though his suspicion was still evident on his face, the boy shrugged, unconcerned. "Dunno. Not seen him since yesterday."

The women exchanged odd glances.

"Have you two had a falling out, or something?"

Feral eyes narrowed as his mother confronted him outright. "Don't ask me. He's the one who's always being so awkward. Nothing out of the ordinary."

Luna sighed. "See what I mean? He's acting weird!"

"You're right. This is unusual behaviour, even for him."

"Hey, I'm still here you know. And since when were you two so pally?"

"Huh? What're you talking about now, pup?"

"You and Lulu could never be within ten meters without tearing each other apart before she disappeared!"

One of Luna's eyebrows rose at the nickname. Since when was she called Lulu? Her tail swished in distaste as they continued to argue.

"Don't be so ridiculous, when have I ever expressed dislike for the girl?" The alpha female breezed over the last part, choosing to react only to his accusation. Tsume's patience was wearing thin already and Luna's ears had tilted backwards nervously. She wasn't about to get caught in the middle of one of their infamous rows.

"Oh, only every other day since the day she came to the Leaf! Don't pretend you haven't, Ma!"

"Why you little–"

"Hey guys, what's going…"

Three sets of eyes turned on the Inuzuka and his canine companion in the doorway. His shaggy brown hair damp from sweat after a long day of training with his team.

"…Kiba?" Luna managed to splutter, earning a reply from both males simultaneously.

"Who's this guy?" They chorused, glaring at each other with matching confusion.

Akamaru growled by the newest Kiba's side, nose twitching frantically as he tried to suss out the imposter.

"Tsume?" Luna addressed the only person she was currently familiar with.

The female Inuzuka was already on the defensive, teeth bared in a snarl as she sized the two Kibas up. "Akamaru, heel."

The large white beast seemed reluctant at first to leave his masters side, but eventually came to stand beside their alpha.

"You wanna let me in on the joke?" The newest Kiba ground out through grit teeth, looking the angriest and most confused Luna had ever seen him. "Who is this guy?!"

"This is no joke, pup!" Tsume growled back just as ferociously. It was clear to Luna in that moment how the mother and son resembled one another, and had the situation not been so serious, Luna would have laughed at their synchronised sniffing.

"You! Who are you? Where did you come from?" The Kiba in the doorway rounded on the one nearest to the hybrid girl. The one who'd been acting strangely.

"I could ask you the same thing!" His eyes flit almost nervously from his doppelganger to Akamaru, as though anticipating some sort of attack.

The dog in question shifted uncomfortably, though it was clear who he really wanted to stand beside, and it wasn't the person Luna had brought in.

Tsume bristled at the canine's movement, having already decided on the intruder but wanting to remain cautious. Despite her cruel appearance and lack of outward motherly emotions, he was still her son and she did love him.

"Alright Akamaru, I trust you." Her feral eyes narrowed on the Kiba beside the she-wolf, only now seeming to notice the difference in his cheek markings. "What is your purpose here, intruder?"

"What? I live here, Ma!"

"Don't you dare lie to my face, or I'll tear you apart!" The alpha female barked harshly.

"But… I'm not lying! How can you say that? Don't you know who you are?!"

"How dare you… You asked for it!" The woman snarled terrifyingly, crouching and preparing to leap and attack. Luna watched in horror and her son and Akamaru followed suit obediently.

"No, stop!" The wolf girl cried out suddenly, darting in front of their target. Hesitation and mistrust flickered across the Inuzuka's expressions, but they held their ground for now, giving her the benefit of the doubt.

"I-it's just, I don't think he's dangerous. I mean…" She glanced back over her shoulder, catching the intruders wide-eyed gaze. "I just mean we shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Are you kidding me? That guy could be trying to infiltrate the leaf or anything and you just want to let him go?" Kiba demanded, sounding hurt.

"Wait, wait, wait." The newcomer began, holding up his hands and halting their conversation. "How do I know you aren't the infiltrator? In fact, how do I know any of you are who you say you are?!"

The trio exchanged odd glances and Akamaru whined softly in agreed confusion.

"For one thing, you," he pointed to Tsume, "have never liked Lulu. You two fight like cat and mouse all the time! For another, you're supposed to be… Well, no one's seen you in three years!" He exclaimed, eyes pausing on Luna a second too long.

The real Inuzuka heir seemed to notice, growling lowly under his breath in distaste.

"And that beast,"His mirror continued, "is the nastiest canine I've ever encountered! Damn, I wish I was a cat tamer…"

If the Tsume, Luna and Akamaru were still unsure of who was who at this point, that last statement just confirmed it. He was definitely a fake.

"Alright pups. We need to sort this situation out before the elders catch wind of it, cause they'll end up locking the both of you away. For now, I suggest we keep him under lock and key, away from the main house. Somewhere in the woods. If anyone asks, we'll say Kiba's undergoing an intense training program and not to bother him should they see him out and about… that'll be you." She nodded at her real son.

It was certainly a complex operation they were planning, but even Luna realised it was one they couldn't pull off indefinitely.

"Until we figure out a more permanent solution, I'm going to seek council with Lady Tsunade. She's always been a good friend, and I'm sure I can trust her to keep this to herself for now. I want the three of you to keep an eye on him in the meantime. I'll be along shortly to set up a movement restriction barrier."

"Oh I'll keep an eye on him alright." The Inu nin grumbled, fists clenching. His giant canine nuzzled his hand, sensing his frustration and wanting to ease it. Luna allowed a small smile to slip onto her face at their obvious bond.

"Hold on…" An even more intense emotion flashed through the real Kiba's blazing irises as he sniffed in his duplicate's direction again. "Why do you have her scent all over you?!"

Luna froze. He was talking about her scent, which must have transferred onto him after that stupid kiss. Oh, crap. Jumping to his mirror's defence, the hybrid cut in quickly. "He mistook me for someone when we first met, that's all."

Kiba seemed unconvinced, eyes narrowing dubiously, but he didn't comment any further.

For that, Luna was thankful. "Well, let's get him to the woods."

She turned back to the fake, a thoughtful face gracing her features as she mumbled to herself. "Kiba means fang, right? Hmm… What's another word for fang?" Her expression clouded momentarily, mulling over a brief idea in her head. And then it came to her, like a lightbulb igniting behind her eyes. "Shikon! We should call you Shikon for the time being, to avoid confusion."

Luna wasn't sure who looked more surprised, Kiba, Akamaru, or the newly dubbed Shikon. No one seemed to have any objections though, so she took that as one small victory. For now at least.

The trio led Shikon to a secluded area of the Inuzuka forests that was usually only used for high level jutsu practice. There was a small grassy hill, which was essentially just a glorified mound of greenery, acting as a buffer between the lushness of the forest and a rocky patch of dirt and sandstone. Nestled in the side of the mound was a stone dome-like shelter, which was to become Shikon's temporary prison.

Luna shuddered at the thought. She knew better than anyone how terrible it felt to feel trapped, whether the cage was made of metal bars or stone walls. It was all the same.

Kiba was considerably less understanding. Had he been a wolf himself, his back and shoulders would have been aching like crazy by now from his hackles being up so long. She would have rolled her eyes if he wasn't keeping an eagle eye on her as much as his estranged doppelganger.

Akamaru had been silent for the whole journey, choosing to merely observe the humans and wolf girl quietly. Luna wasn't sure whether that was a good or a bad thing, but she doubted the situation could be made any worse, so she let it slide.

They had come to a stop beside the stone shelter, Kiba moving to lean against the rocky wall with both Luna and Shikon in his eyeline. Akamaru was sitting faithfully by his side, occasionally nudging his masters leg with his shoulder.

"This is insane." Shikon muttered suddenly, being the first one to speak in over twenty minutes.

Kiba scoffed rudely, and his canine's head rose slightly at the noise.

"If you'd just tell us where you came from then none of this would–"

"Don't you get it? Everything I've told you is the truth! Unless…" Shikon paused briefly, before closing his eyes with his hands and forefingers pressed together in a quick hand sign. "Release!"

When the world around him failed to dissipate, the Inu imposter let his hands drop. "Worth a try…"

"This isn't some Genjutsu, idiot." Kiba growled, growing impatient.

"Calm down, Kiba." Akamaru whined. "There's no point in getting frustrated, we'll figure this out eventually."

Shikon grunted in agreement. "Akamaru's right. Whatever's going on is clearly affecting us all… Whoever you all are…"

"…"

"…"

"You can understand him?!" Luna and Kiba both exclaimed in unison and equal surprise.

"Of course I can. He's my dog…" And then, realisation struck. "Now do you believe I am who I say?"

When Kiba was unable to come up with an intelligible response, the she-wolf saved him the trouble.

"Let's just wait for Tsume and Tsunade."

The identical males had no choice but to agree, though neither appeared satisfied. It was incredibly bizarre, Luna had to admit. So many possibilities had crossed the hybrids mind already, including cloning, DNA manipulation and a long lost twin brother.

Another twenty minutes passed in silence, but Luna could almost feel the fury rolling off her friend in waves. He was never very good at reigning in emotions, but this was the most agitated she'd ever seen him. She wished there was something she could do, but nothing she thought up seemed eligible.

She wondered what the real reason behind his incredible frustration was, since the girl doubted a mere character impersonation such as this could cause intensity. It was very unlike the Inuzuka heir.

Tsume couldn't have arrived soon enough and, to their relief, she'd brought the Hokage. Tsunade wasn't one to beat around the bush, delving straight in with her medical expertise and performing a quite probing investigation into the newcomer's essence.

"It's truly fascinating…" Tsunade breathed as she released her glowing green chakra. "He's an almost identical match, inside and out. The only difference being the markings on his cheeks, and an ever-so-slight difference in his chakra usage over time."

"Meaning?" Kiba snarled, not caring whether he was addressing his mother or the leader of his village.

"Meaning, apart from a vaguely lower amount of chakra exerted in his lifetime, he is exactly who he says he is. He is Kiba Inuzuka."

"What?!" Luna wasn't sure how much of this Kiba could bare to hear before he snapped. "But… How is that possible?!"

The Hokage looked thoughtful, as though debating whether or not to reveal something of importance.

"Lady Tsunade, I'm asking you on behalf of my family. If you know something about this, then please let us in on it." Tsume asked, so politely that Luna had to keep her jaw from dropping.

Tsunade hesitated, but Tsume's words seemed to hit home. She released a sigh of resignation, swearing them all to secrecy.

"There was an incident a few years back, involving two other ninja from the Leaf. I would like to keep their identities hidden, for their protection." The Inuzuka's and Luna nodded respectively as she continued. "The pair tried to spread the word of something similar happening to them, claiming they were sent to a world where everyone they knew was residing as normal, but with something just slightly off about them all. They were silenced on the matter instantly, so as not to cause panic amongst the villagers as I'm sure you can understand."

"Wait, you're talking alternate universe and shit, right?" The original Inuzuka heir raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure he wanted to believe such a tale.

"Kiba! Show some respect to your kage!" His mother scolded, clipping his ear with a claw and ignoring his complaint that followed. "Do you think this boy came from this alternate land then, Milady?"

"At the moment it's the only thing I can conclude. Kiba, tell me about–"

"It's Shikon, actually." Shikon interrupted, surprising them all.

"W-we dubbed him Shikon for now, so we don't get too confused…" Luna supplied, trying to fill the silence that threatened to stretch out between them.

Tsunade inclined her head once in acceptance of the explanation. "…Very well then. Shikon. I would like to confer with said two ninja who claim to have previously experienced such a world. Could you tell me about your teammates where you're from?"

"Er, sure. Well first there's Shino. There's not much to tell about him, except that he absolutely hates insects. Crazy bastard carries around bug repellent everywhere. Drives us all mad." The Leaf ninja had to choke back a mixture of humour and shock, but Shikon was unfazed by the reactions, apparently growing used to the oddity of it all. "Then there's Hinata, who's just downright terrifying."

"Thank you. I will get back to you as soon as I have consulted the others. Tsume, give me a hand with the barrier jutsu, would you?"

"Of course, Lady Tsunade."

While the older women began the ritual of sealing off the training grounds, Luna and her canine company fell into a more comfortable silence. Kiba seemed to be becoming more accepting of the situation now, but it was clear his guard was still way up.

Glancing at his doppelganger, her expression morphed into mild fascination as she watched his features fall. His face now resembled something like disappointment as he stared back into her ruby irises, but Luna had no time to question it as the barrier buzzed and glowed into life in the surrounding area.

"There. That should keep him contained for the time being."

"Thank you, Milady. I'll have the pups supervise him regularly until we can figure out our next move."

A/N: I hope you're all enjoying it so far.

Leave a review if you like it!