Kiba went home that night to his mother's grinning face and a scowl from his sister. He didn't know what was going through his mother's sadistic head but it smelt off. Hana however was mad for a whole other reason.
"Kiba, you inconsiderate horny mutt," she growled. "You forgot about Akumaru's pup's examination earlier. I reminded you this morning when you were here. Didn't you hear me?!"
Kiba vaguely remembers seeing his sister when he had brought Jiraiya over but he definitely didn't remember talking to her. "Damn it," he sighed, looking around. Akumaru wasn't there. "What's wrong?"
"The female pup is weak. She eats little and she sleeps a lot. We don't know if she'll make it to be a ninja hound or anything really," Hana said, glaring over at him. "Akumaru is hurt beyond all words. He's your partner, your other half so to speak. You've known this from the first time you met. What has gotten into you?"
Kiba just stood there frozen for a moment, the words stinging his ears. Hana looked angry beyond all belief and she had every right to be. Kiba groaned, his hand going to his forehead. How could he have missed this?
"I…I don't know. I just forgot. I don't even remember speaking to you this morning and I didn't even bother to speak to Akumaru," Kiba stumbled, lost in his own thoughts.
"Well," Hana said, her tone hinting at the sarcasm and anger behind her words. "While you were scoring whatever bitch on your list, your partner was in serious pain. Get your head out of your ass. You're our next Alpha; act like it."
"Hana," his mother intervened, looking over at her fuming daughter. She reminded her of her in some ways. "Go easy on the pup, he's in heat. You know men's minds go hay-wire when they think their close to getting anything. What's worse is that he's really fallen hard for this one." Hana looked over at her mother shocked and then back at Kiba, her eyes getting slightly softer. "Take it easy," Tsume said, a grin on her face as she turned to look at Kiba.
Suddenly Kiba wasn't at all comfortable with the atmosphere. He watched them analyze him through dark, knowing eyes and knew he wouldn't stand two seconds if they started questioning. "I'm going to Akumaru," Kiba said, bolting past them and out into the yard. He didn't want either of them in on his business. What was worse was now his own sister was questioning his competency to be Alpha. That hurt him most.
When he reached the barn where Akumaru was, he realized he was already waiting for him, a sad look on his face. He looked as if his entire world was crushed and Kiba's appearance would just send him over the edge. He embraced him now, his soft fur and scent comforting Kiba instantly. He could feel Akumaru relax and sighed, rubbing the dogs head and neck.
"She'll be fine boy," Kiba whispered, itching behind his ear. "Hana can help her, I know it. We'll go over to the Nara compound first thing in the morning and do some research. There has to be something in their medical records. In the meanwhile, get some sleep." Kiba sighed, unsure what to do. He needed to help his partner in any way possible. Even if he was annoyed with Shikamaru's tricks with Yuka, he'd do anything to save Akumaru's pup. "Stay here with your pups. She needs you a lot okay? I'll be in the house. I'm sorry I missed it…" Kiba paused, unsure if Akumaru understood. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for you then. I am now though, okay?"
Akumaru just sniffed the air, his head firmly in Kiba's chest. Kiba knew Akumaru could smell Yuka on him. What surprised him was that the dog was calm about it. It was like the scent just calmed him, his tail wagging slightly. After a moment the dog pulled away, lying down next to his wiggling pups. Kiba sighed, standing up straight. He didn't know what to do any more.
The more he thought about it the worse it got. So much had happened over the past few days that it seemed like it would overwhelm him completely. His mom pressuring him to find his Alpha not only angered him but the fact that she had been trying so hard to instigate it between himself and Yuka made him wrinkle his nose in disgust.
His sister had also questioned his strength; the one person who was always rooting for him was scolding him about his competency as their future leader. And his mom knowing way too much about how he was feeling made him want to run away from both of them. He wondered why he couldn't. He already felt the pressure of the Alpha; why not just give it up? Kiba thought maybe it would be worth roaming free, doing as he pleased.
He sighed at this, walking back toward the house. He couldn't take this. The changes all around the village made his stomach turn. He couldn't hide his feelings for Yuka, he couldn't please his clan as their future Alpha, and he couldn't even take care of his best friend, his partner, Akumaru. Things seemed to be crashing about him. He never felt like this, never backed down from a challenge. He always approached things with a beastly attitude, fulfilling his role without complaint. He didn't understand why now, of all times, he felt so confused.
As he approached the house he could smell his mother making tea. He sighed at this. When she made tea, which she rarely ever did, it was to have a talk about something. It had only happened a couple times but Kiba knew it when he saw it. He growled at this and walked inside, their eyes meeting immediately.
"Listen, ma," Kiba began, watching her. "I know what this is about. You want to talk about Yuka, about me, about what has been happening, and most of all you want to manipulate me into doing things your way. I have to say, I'm tired. I just want to go to bed and process things tomorrow." Without another look at her he passed by, going down the hall toward his rooms. These were the times he enjoyed the privacy of their large home.
The next morning Yuka woke with a start. A man was screaming from somewhere and she looked about, ready to move if need be. When she realized she was alone in her hospital room, she looked out the window. It was barely sunlight out. She then stood up, moving to the door. She peaked her head out only to see a few med-nin running up the hall toward a man who was wailing about some sort of madness. Yuka watched slowly before going back into her room and locking the door. She could get a light workout in this morning before Shizune came in for her check up. She insisted every morning so why not. After showering and packing some scrolls and ink she was ready to go. Clad in her new uniform she looked down at it, a grin on her face. "The orange Hokage of the leaf, huh?"
She sighed, moving to the window and jumping out. In a bound she was heading toward the open ground she had spotted on her way in. It was a training ground not too far from the hospital and looked perfect to do some light training. When she got there she grinned with excitement. It was abandoned. She couldn't sense anyone around and the idea of being able to try out some new seal ideas made her giddy. She sat down on the cool grass, the dew soaking into her outfit.
She pulled out her scrolls, brush, and ink and began sketching, remembering Kiba's words when she first met him. It had spurred an idea for a seal. The Inuzuka had found her using smell. If she could focus her chakra into a seal to mask her smell, she'd be un-trackable. At the same time she might even be able to do something more with this idea. She already focused her chakra to her feet to be fast. She wondered if she could focus her chakra somewhere else and in turn do what the Inuzuka could. It didn't seem hard and she kicked herself for not thinking about it earlier.
After a few minutes she set the seal down on the ground flat, placing her uninjured arm on it. She slowly began to build up her chakra in that arm, watching the seal glow slightly. Then the seal spread, enclosing her inside it. She looked about, not seeing anything different. She could barely sense it but a weak aura had surrounded the seal, her chakra weaved through it. She quirked an eyebrow and then pulled her hand away, sighing. She'd need to strengthen it but right now her chakra was weak and she didn't know if she should try seriously attempting a new seal.
She stood back up, rolling the scroll and stuffing it into her pack along with her supplies. She hadn't expected it to do that much but it did create an aura which was sort of what she was going for. She looked around now, unsure if she should go for a jog or work on her kunai skills. She wanted to try and focus her chakra in her injured arm but knew it was probably still a bad idea. After a few seconds she sensed someone approaching. She paused, looking over her shoulder to see two people jogging toward her. What they were wearing surprised her.
They were both tall with black bowl-cut hair. Their eyebrows were thick and black, a smile on each of their faces. As if that wasn't funny enough, she noticed that they were wearing matching green jumpsuits and leaf bands around their waists. One man, however, was a bit older than the other, making him seem even odder.
"Alright Lee! Let's get going. The power of youth is threatening to explode!" The older man yelled, his hand in the air. The younger man next to him just smiled, nodding.
"Yes, Guy-sensei! I will complete two hundred laps around the training ground and if I cannot do that I will do one thousand pushups!"
"Beautiful Lee! We're only young once. I will match your challenge," the older man boomed, a smile on his face. Just then they both noticed Yuka and stopped, looking at her curiously. They saw her head band and her attire and nearly did a double take.
She couldn't help but feel awkward under their gaze. She didn't want to ignore them and be rude but at the same time she wasn't particularly good at making new friends. After a minute she decided that the best thing to do was to smile at them, bowing in sequence. "Hello," she said in as kind a voice as possible. She didn't want to laugh at their ridiculous attire and training methods to their face but it was becoming hard with the looks they were giving her. "I'm Yuka."
After a second the younger one spoke first. "Yuka! What a beautiful name. I am Rock Lee, the handsome devil of the hidden leaf!"
"And I am his sensei, the greatest taijutsu user of the leaf, Might Guy!" He smiled down at her. "And you are right, Lee! The name is exciting, youthful! Tell me young kunoichi, why haven't we seen you before?" The older man said, looking her over.
"I just arrived a few days ago. Hokage-sama invited me," she said, a small smile gracing her lips.
"Ah! So you're the mysterious kunoichi that sent that toad flying?!" Lee asked, watching her with wide eyes. "You must be remarkable at taijutsu to be able to do such a thing!"
"Actually, my taijutsu is pretty good, you know?" she commented, thinking for a second. "I really don't know how well. I could keep pace with Hokage-sama so, I'm assuming that speaks for my abilities."
"Indeed youthful kunoichi!" Guy said, putting up his thumb before her. "We have heard that you are an exceptional Nin. Tell us, what are you doing out on this early morning?"
"Well, to be honest I was going to do some light training. Still recovering so I just couldn't sit in that hospital bed," Yuka admitted, shrugging her shoulders.
"Ah, I know how that feels," Lee said, nodding his understanding. "Do you want to train with us? Some laps?"
"Laps?" she asked, a grin on her face. She couldn't help but giggle at him. "Sure, laps. I need to keep my body in shape as well as my mind, you know?"
"That's the spirit!" Guy said, nodding and tearing up, a big grin spreading across his face. "Come, let us get started!"
The sun slowly rose before them, the chit chat and exciting cries of encouragement making her laugh. They really didn't take their workout lightly either. Two hundred laps around this not so small training field had Yuka out of breath half way through. This was okay, she felt like she was being lazy if she didn't at least keep up with them. When the sun had become high in the sky, the morning starting to warm up, Yuka stopped, reaching two hundred laps with both Guy and Lee.
"That was beautiful Lee! Yuka! The power of youth explodes from you and your hard work. Now! As a reward…" Guy grinned. "Let's get a healthy breakfast. No shinobi goes without a proper and full breakfast."
"Great idea sensei!" Lee said, looking over at Yuka. "Yuka! I will escort you to wherever you want to go!"
Yuka couldn't help but laugh, nodding at him politely. "Thank you Lee-san," she said, watching him closely. She wasn't sure but he and his manic sensei had gotten under her skin. Their friendship and constant encouragement of one another making them seem more like brothers. "How about we get something fresh… I kind of want some fruit and pastries for breakfast."
"Sounds delicious!" Guy said, nodding. "C'mon then; I know the best place. The market restaurant has the freshest fruit and breads."
"Perfect," Lee said, nodding for Yuka to follow. They walked smiling and talking the whole way to the market. Lee would compliment Guy's teaching skills and in turn Guy would commend Lee as his greatest student, his protégé. They would argue, though it was more like an exuberant debate before both of them decided that they were both right. It was comical to say the least.
"So, Yuka!" Guy said, looking down at her. "Tell me, how do you find our village so far?"
Yuka wasn't sure how to answer. She just shrugged, looking about her. "It's prettier than the Hidden Rain. More sun, beautiful views… not to mention the people are really friendly."
"Indeed. Konoha has some of the prettiest views around," Lee said, looking about. "And the people are the best part, Yuka-san."
"How much do you know about our village anyway? Surely the youthful Hokage told you something about its long history," Guy asked, looking her over. He had a smile on his face and Lee mirrored with a comical grin.
"Well, I only know the tale Hinata-chan told me yesterday. She insisted I learn the tale of Naruto Uzumaki…" Yuka said, pausing to gauge their reactions. Lee and Guy had the same look. They had a big smile and tears misting their eyes, as if remembering something very tender. "It's an amazing story, true inspiration. I can only hope to live up to Naruto-kun's example."
"Indeed. All of us can learn from him," Guy said, nodding as they rounded the corner. The street was busy with early morning merchants and shoppers. "Ah, I see their just opening. We will get the freshest fruit the market has to offer." With that he walked over to a building, the outside flashing the word "market". Coming from inside were the delicious smells of fresh pastries and breads. Yuka couldn't help but grin.
After going inside and sitting at the counter, Guy ordered a full order of the fruit tray along with fresh rolls and sweet breads. Yuka was thrilled. It was the best breakfast she had ever had. After chatting about Rock Lee's fierce matchup with Naruto and their friendship, Yuka couldn't help but want to be a part of it, to be a part of their world. Lee and Guy were inseparable it seemed, always encouraging each other and displaying genuine concern for one another. It was interesting to see considering shinobi were some of the most independent beings around. Never showing weakness or bonds.
This village went against everything typical of shinobi. This had her a bit confused and she couldn't help but laugh and enjoy their stories of bravery and the war. It was odd to see a serious look on Guy-sensei's face but the way he looked when he spoke of his fallen comrades only made him seem that much more experienced.
"So, tell me Guy-san," Yuka said, looking at him as he sat back down on his stool. He had just finished telling a wonderful tale about his arch rival Kakashi Hatake. "None of you find it weird that this shinobi village is so open, so welcoming? I mean," she paused, unsure what she wanted to say. "Shinobi are beings of the dark. They fight and face death every day; they are taught to show no emotion or weakness. Why is it that Konoha is so different?"
Guy just grinned, shaking his head. "Because, only exceptional shinobi know what truly makes them strong."
Yuka just quirked an eyebrow at him, a youthful twinkle in his eye as he stood, stretched, and then gave a thumbs up to her, as if telling her something important. "Now listen, Yuka-san. I promise you that village will show you what that is. In the meantime, I think it's time for some sparring Lee! Our mission is tomorrow and your whirlwind kick looked lax. Don't tell me you've lost the power of youth!"
Lee jumped up from his stool now, shaking his head. "No, Guy-sensei! I will perfect it today and if I cannot, I will do one thousand pull-ups!"
"That's the spirit Lee! The power of youth!" he said before jogging out of the restaurant, Lee waving at Yuka and then following his eccentric master.
Yuka just sighed, standing up and leaving the restaurant. It was still early, barely past eight. She knew Shizune wouldn't be in until after nine and she didn't particularly feel like going back to the hospital. Suddenly, she had an idea and a smirk spread from ear to ear on her face. She would go visit the Nara home. After all, Shikamaru said to come over and he'd let her research for her jutsu. Not to mention she really wanted to know what Shogi was.
After asking two shinobi how to get there, Yuka finally reached the Nara compound. It was quite large, or so it looked from the outside. She walked up to the gates only to be stopped by two shinobi.
"Sorry miss but we can't just let you go in. We've been instructed to ask any visitors business unless they are personal friends of the Nara clan. Tell me, what is your name and business," he said, looking her over with weird eyes. She wasn't sure why but she shrugged, running her hand over her forehead.
"Okay, well I'm Yuka… and I'm here to visit Shikamaru-san," she said, watching them.
They eyed her a second and then nodded, one of the men turning to inside the gates. She stood waiting impatiently as he relayed the info, the other man still watching her cautiously. When the doors finally opened on the other side was none other than Shikamaru.
"Ah, Yuka-chan," he said, a yawn escaping his lips. "I see you've taken me up on that offer."
"Yes, Shika-kun," she replied, walking after him as he turned around toward the compound. "I was hoping you could help me do some research on some medical ingredients. As you know my healing seal isn't injured but it isn't as strong as I'd like. I was hoping to use some herbs in my ink to strengthen the seal."
"Well, I can help with that no doubt," he said in his lazy drawl. "But first we have to play Shogi. I do it every morning."
She watched him as a grin spread across her face. "Sure, Shogi," she agreed, following him into the large home. It was elaborately decorated, like a hunting lodge with deer antlers, plants in potters, and lavish furniture. As she followed him she sensed someone watching them and she looked to the side to see an older woman emerge from a doorway, a grin on her face.
"Shikamaru!" she said, her voice both harsh and curious. "Don't be so rude. Introductions are in order."
Shikamaru just sighed, muttering "troublesome" under his breath before turning toward the woman. "Ah, right, mom this is Yuka, Yuka… mom."
"That was a half assed introduction indeed," the woman said, her eyes narrowing dangerously at him. He just shrugged. She then turned to Yuka, her scowl replaced with a soft smile. It was almost funny how quick her face changed. "Nice to meet you Yuka-san; my name is Yoshino Nara."
Yuka bowed in respects, a smile on her face. "Nice to meet you Nara-san," Yuka said.
"You as well Yuka-san; tell me, is there a last name with that?" She looked her over carefully, a grin on her face. Yuka couldn't help but feel nervous, unsure how to answer. An awkward grin came over her face and Yoshino's face lit up.
"Uhm, I don't know how to answer… I don't really have a last name," Yuka said, nervously looking at her bare feet.
"Mom, come on, let her get used to you first before you go asking questions," Shikamaru grumbled, nodding for her to follow him. She bowed again to Yoshino and smiled, following him closely. They made their way down the hall and toward a large open doorway. It leads to the gardens, and they were beautiful indeed. Plants of all different kinds, the colors reflected in that summer morning. Yuka followed Shikamaru to another door along the hall. He paused, looking over at her.
It looked as if he was debating something and he grinned shrugging his shoulders. "Come on in. It's just my room. My Shogi set is inside." He walked in, opening the door wide so she could come in. She followed hesitantly, looking around. His room was interesting to behold. The room was littered with papers, some scrolls, and the weirdest looking things. They sort of looked like toys but she didn't think he still played with toys. She also saw that his window was covered with a dark flag, a symbol on it that was also on the banners outside. She assumed this was his clan's symbol. What drew her eye the most was his bed. It was large with a huge dark green comforter making it look oh so tempting. She couldn't help but blush at her sinful thoughts.
He hadn't noticed her analyzing his room, his back turned to a shelf where he kept his Shogi set. He turned around to see her gazing at a set of scrolls on his floor. "Yeah, just some battle strategies from the war. My dad wanted me to look them over."
"Wow, you must have been really important during the war, you know?" she said, a lazy smile on her face. She couldn't help but tease him.
"Indeed, after all… I am a genius," he said, smirking at her and showing her the Shogi set. She just stared at it for a second, unsure what she should be looking at. He just sighed, putting a hand behind his head. "Troublesome… come on; let's go play in the garden. I figure I can teach you best without distraction."
"Teach away Shikamaru-sensei," she said, following him out of his room.
After an hour and some practice rounds, Yuka was getting the hang of it. She had played him twice, both times letting her get the hang of it before he actually played against her. She picked up his pace, her brain keeping up with him for a while, trying her best to think ahead. She wasn't bad at it. She had nearly beaten him when he was seriously playing against her. He was just better.
"Well, it looks like I'm going to have to try harder next time, you know?" Yuka said, a happy look in her eyes. Shikamaru just chuckled, the rumble in his throat sounding like a purr to Yuka.
"Same here, Yuka-chan," he said, looking up at the sky. His eyes got a little dull and he just smiled. She followed suit, looking up at the sky with him. The clouds were moving across the sky somewhat quickly, changing shape as they floated in stream across the sky. Yuka just enjoyed the view, the blue sky almost perfect.
Shikamaru had looked over at her after a few minutes to see she was staring at the clouds as well, her eyes watching the clouds lazily. He couldn't help but smile at this, his eyes roaming over her face slowly. Just then there was a loud stomp and his mother had emerged from the house, a slightly exasperated look on her face.
"Shikamaru, one of your friends are here. He's refusing to leave even though I said you had company. He said it's an emergency and needs to talk with you."
"Alright I'll-," Shikamaru began but he stopped, an exasperated look on his face as he saw who it was. "Ah, Kiba-san; nice to see you so early. What can I do for you?"