Constancy

Chapter Four

-Fond Farewell-

Four Years Later…

Minako sat in the princess' room, watching as her best friend continued to pack her things for her journey. In her lap lay her purple fire lizard Izumi, who was slumbering peacefully. Since she wasn't a dragon rider, the queen had sent for a fire lizard egg for the young Uzumaki, so that she would have a companion and not feel so left out. Izumi didn't really talk the way dragons did, though they were still connected. All the ebony haired girl could feel from her pet were its emotions, and so she used those and the sounds it made to know what it was saying.

Today was the day most of her friends were going to leave to go off with their own personal trainers to learn the rest of what they needed to know about being a dragon rider. Akito and Taka were going north to train with Akito's uncle, Itachi, while Natsumi went west to train with Neji, Satomi to the east to train with her grandmother, Tsunade, and Toshiro and Vincent to the south to train with her grandfather, Hiashi.

She would miss them all greatly, for they had all grown really close since Taka and Vincent's arrivals, despite the way things had been turned upside down for a while. Taka was completely obsessed with Akito, which did not help things at all concerning Natsumi. The pink haired princess was very possessive, after all, and it was not good to get on her bad side. On top of this, Retsu liked to spend most of her time hanging around Kensei, and occasionally Tsuin would snap at the blue dragon to warn her off. Kensei had gotten a bit more aggressive when stating his place as alpha once Ikasu had grown, but that was mostly because the green dragon liked to play, and would sometimes play a little too much with Tsuin, or even any of the females. But once it was established, things became peaceful once again, for the most part.

Minako sighed, her cerulean gaze moving back to Natsumi. "I wish you guys wouldn't have to be gone for so long." She said. "It's going to be so boring around here."

"And it's not going to be boring out there, with only your uncle?" Natsumi smirked, laughing slightly.

"My uncle isn't that boring." Minako giggled. "Besides, you'll have my cousin Ryo to play with. I won't have anybody but Izumi." The small lizard's tail thumped on the bed, signaling that she was not boring to play with.

The princess giggled. "Well that's true, but just think. When we come back my brother will be all grown up and hot. So it will be like a drastic change."

"But what if Shiro meets some girl while he's gone, and then falls in love with her because he'll be with her for like, six years, and doesn't even notice me when he comes back?" she asked, slightly distressed. "Some foreign bimbo could steal him from me!"

"Who exactly is he going to meet?" the pink haired girl rolled her eyes. "He's going to be with your family, which lacks girls, might I add. Plus he'll be training the whole time. If anyone has to worry it's me! Taka will be all over my deepest love and I won't be able to do anything about it! Not to mention Tsuin is pretending not to care that she won't be around Kensei for the next six years."

Minako sighed. "Well, I doubt Akito will fall for Taka, no matter how hard she tries. I mean, she can get kinda annoying, and you know how he is. Besides, he's totally loyal to you. I heard him talking with Shiro, about how he was upset that he'd be so far from you, and that Kensei wasn't helping, cause' he's going to miss Tsuin as well."

Natsumi groaned. "Yeah but Taka will get boobs and slender and woman-like! And for all we know I could be as flat as a ten year old boy for the rest of my life just like my mom!"

"Or you could have huge boobs like Granny Tsunade." Minako argued, snickering.

The princess shrugged, pulling at her pink bangs. "Looks like I might be swimming in the shallow end of the gene pool. Oh well…I mean it only took what…ten years for my parents to actually like each other again?"

"But that won't happen to you and Akito." The ebony haired girl said, petting her lizard. "I just don't see him ever giving any girl the attention he gives you. Besides, if he possibly ever likes someone else, Kensei will put a stop to it." she nodded confidently. "He's as loyal to you as he is to Akito."

"True…" Natsumi nodded, perking up. "Well I'll just have to train hard and be extra gorgeous when we come back! That way, even if he does like someone else, he will be drawn back to me so fast he won't even remember his previous feelings!"

Minako laughed. "That's a good idea Natty! I think I'll try that too." She said. "I'll become so pretty, just like my mommy. And I'll learn all about dragons, and being a proper lady, therefore becoming the best option for Shiro's future wife." She made a fist and smacked it into her palm.

The pink haired girl mimicked her friend's actions. "Our plans are foolproof! Nothing could possibly go wrong!" The two laughed and joked around as Natsumi finished getting ready, and once she had all her necessities, they headed out to the front to meet the others and say their final goodbyes.

"I'm going to miss you my friends." The redhead smiled to Akito and Vincent.

Akito scoffed. "Well at least you get to train with Vincent." He crossed his arms. "I'll be stuck with Taka for the next six years. I may wind up killing her."

"Don't you dare!" Vincent glared. "I plan on marrying her if she is not the one betrothed to you."

The ebony haired boy just gave him a confused look. "Why on earth would you want to marry her?" he asked. "She's bossy, and annoying, and hardly ever says anything nice to you, or anyone, for that matter."

Toshiro arched a curious brow. "And my sister is different how?"

"Well she's nice to me." Akito defended. "And Minako…sometimes."

Vincent rolled his eyes. "I don't diss your weird obsessive love, so don't come down on mine. Okay?"

"Alright, alright." Akito waved off the auburn haired boy. "I wish we could just trade." He sighed. "Then you could just go to my family home with Taka, and I could hang with Toshiro."

"You must be out of your mind if you think I'd actually want to go through six years of you training." The prince scoffed. "I'd actually like to have a little fun too." He smirked, nudging his friend.

The young Uchiha nudged him back, a smirk gracing his own features. Kensei rumbled then, getting the boys' attention as Natsumi and the other girls came outside. He was now fully grown, as were most of the other dragons, and so could no longer fit inside the palace. Instead, they poked their heads in through balconies, or just stayed on the landing balcony that had been built when the first dragon rider had come to be.

"Taka!" Vincent exclaimed, running to hug her, but only ended up falling to the grass since she evaded his 'attack'.

"Freak." She muttered, smiling when her light blue eyes landed on Akito. "Akito!" she cried out, rushing over and hugging the ebony haired boy tightly. "I am so happy I get to go with you and meet your whole family!" she giggled. "We're going to grow so close." She whispered.

Akito himself just looked uncomfortable. "Um…not really." He said.

Natsumi cleared her throat beside them. "Ahem." Her eyes watching Taka carefully.

Taka looked to the pink haired girl, about to protest releasing her captive, when she realized something. "Oh right, you guys won't see one another for a long time." She said, pulling away, though she didn't seem remorseful of this news.

Natsumi met Akito's gaze, so much sorrow filled her she almost wanted to cry. She took his hand and pulled him away so they could have a littlemore privacy. The princess stopped when she was around the corner of one of the large hedges that made up the decorations for the lawn. "I won't see you for six years." She whispered, the words like stones in her heart.

"I know." He said softly, pulling her to face him. And before he could lose his courage, he stepped forward and kissed her, blushing when he pulled away. "Now we have something to hold on to while we wait to see each other again." He explained.

The pink haired girl's face was a dark, cherry red. She opened her mouth to speak, but only found it dry. She swallowed, trying to focus on him once more, since her head was spinning. "Y-yeah." She whispered, leaning forward once more and kissing him herself. This one was a bit longer, as they lingered for a moment before breaking, but not moving their faces. "I…I'll miss you." Natsumi said softly, feeling his lips brush against hers because she spoke.

Akito frowned, his own sadness portrayed in his deep green eyes. "I'll miss you too Natsumi." He reached up and cupped her cheek. "Remember our promise." He said. "No matter what, we're going to get married someday."

She nodded the best she could, biting down on her lower lip. "I know. I remember. We will always be together and I will stand by your side no matter what."

"Same for me." he said, suddenly wrapping his arms around her in a fierce hug. "I'll write you every day." He muttered as he buried his face in her hair.

Natsumi laughed, hugging him back. "That's a lot to keep up with, I think once a week will be nice." She smiled, gripping him tightly. "It's going to feel so long…"

"Try not to think about the time." The ebony haired boy said. "Only that when we see each other again, I'm going to be really tall." He smiled. "And strong. So I can take care of you."

She returned his smile and nodded. "And I will be beautiful and clever and hopefully I'll get boobs!"

Akito laughed, pulling back so he could see her face. "I will still want you even if your boobs are as small as your mother's. I promise." He nodded, though secretly he hoped they would be a bit bigger than the pink haired queen's.

"You sure?" she wondered, giving him a small stink eye. "Cause I heard boys like big boobs and go all crazy for them."

He smiled at her. "Well I definitely don't wanna suffocate when I lay my head on your chest, so maybe just some regular ones would be nice." He snickered. "But boobs aren't all that important. It's what's on the inside."

"The inside of boobs?" Natsumi blinked, appearing confused.

"Ew!" Akito made a face at that, shaking his head. "I mean your heart silly."

"Oh…" she blushed, looking down. "Sometimes I feel like my heart isn't that…pretty…" she frowned.

Akito hooked a finger beneath her chin and lifted her face back up to his. "Mine isn't either." He admitted. "I feel dark things sometimes…but I don't know what it is." Then he stroked her cheek. "You help me get through those times when they happen, so I don't know how it's going to work out while we're apart."

"Well we'll just have to promise to be as good as we can be!" Natsumi beamed.

He smiled slightly. "Yeah…" they both heard a roar then, meaning that it was nearing time for them to leave. "We should get back." He said, though that was the last thing he wanted right then. "They'll notice if we're gone too long."

She nodded and took his hand, walking back over to where her father, mother, and their teachers had gathered. Gaara looked over to his daughter and then hers and Akito's joined hands. "Hm." He said, looking off with disapproval.

"Be nice." Sakura nudged her husband, before lowering to her daughter's level. "Oh sweetie, I'm going to miss you so much." She said, cupping Natsumi's cheek. "But don't worry, your father and I will come visit you as often as we are able." She smiled. "You're going to learn so much."

Natsumi smiled slightly. "I'll miss you too. But don't worry, I know you're busy…you don't have to come visit me."

"You have to come visit me!" Toshiro proclaimed, now beside his mother.

"We'll come visit all of you." Sakura stated, wrapping her arms around her son in a hug. "And see how you're doing." She kissed his cheek then, ruffling his hair in a playful manner.

Satomi watched them with disinterest, before her father kneeled before her. She blinked, staring at him with slightly wide eyes. "You will be safe and considerate of your grandmother." He told her, placing his hand on her head. "Learn well so I don't have to worry about my precious girl. Alright?" he actually smiled.

The elder twin nodded and smiled back, holding his hand between hers. "I will."

Gaara gestured for Natsumi to come over and hugged them both tightly. "I love you two so much. It pains me to send you away. But it is necessary." He told them, before kissing Natsumi's cheek. "I love you small flower, be safe."

"Yes daddy." They said together.

"I wish we didn't have to send them away." Sakura sighed sadly, moving next to her husband and kissing both of her daughters on the tops of their heads. "I'm going to miss you all so much. But I'm so proud of you." she smiled, placing her hand on her husband's shoulder. "You're going to be wonderful riders by the time you're done."

"I sure hope so." Vincent let out a tired breath. "Or else this will have all been for nothing!"

Natsumi giggled and looked back at her dragon, who appeared bored, trying to ignore the larger male who was following her around. 'Be gone with you already.' Tsuin huffed, stopping by her mistress.

'You'll miss me.' Kensei said, brushing his cheek against hers. 'Admit it. You will be lost without the guidance of your alpha.' He snickered.

'Lost?' Tsuin looked offended. 'I beg your pardon. Are you insinuating that I cannot take care of myself?'

The black dragon blew out some smoke. 'I am insinuating that you shall feel my absence.' He cooed, wrapping his neck around hers in an embrace and nudging her slightly. 'Just as I will yours.'

Natsumi smiled at her dragon, who looked away from her mistress and to the dragon invading her space. 'Let's not make this any harder on our masters than it already is.' Tsuin growled, though something in her tone shook with sadness.

'If that is what you wish.' Kensei licked her before unwinding from her and putting some distance between them. Retsu practically bounced around the area in her excitement to see a new place and to spend so long with her alpha. Subduing herself for a moment, she went over to Ikasu.

'I'm going to miss celebrating my hatch day with you.' the light blue dragon said sadly.

'I will miss you as well sweet Retsu! So very much it will burn my soul to see that day without your grace!' Ikasu cried happily, chasing the female dragon around. Futa watched them, tilting her head and then watching her twin examine them as well, her sadness growing.

Tsuin looked back at Kensei, walking over to him slowly and lowering her head before him. The alpha looked at her curiously, since moments before she had been pushing him away. He lowered his head as well, touching his nose with hers. 'What saddens you so?' he asked.

'You know very well what it is…must I say it?' she grumbled, trying to nuzzle him inconspicuously.

Kensei rumbled low in his throat. 'It would bring me joy to hear you admit it at least once.' He told her, returning her affections.

Tsuin tried not to growl. 'I will…miss you terribly…master…' she said softly.

'And I you, my Tsuin.' The alpha cooed, licking the tip of her nose affectionately. 'But do not fret. Six years is a short time to dragons. Before long, we will be reunited.'

She raised her head, a cocky glint in her eyes. 'Try not to be so devastated by my absence.'

He lifted his head and let out a puff of smoke in a scoff. 'I will be fine.' He said.

Tsuin chuckled, walking back over to her mistress. 'Come now my lady. It is time to depart.'

Natsumi nodded and mounted her dragon, as everyone else did. Two massive dragons landed and Neji and Itachi climbed onto their own, gesturing for their students to follow them. "Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" Natsumi waved.

Everyone waved and then the dragons took off into the air, flying around one another before setting off in to their own destinations. Natsumi took in the feel of the wind and smiled. She would become strong, stronger than any dragon rider yet, and she would make her father and Akito proud.