Preface: I have no idea how I managed to upload the chapter with the freaking HTML code, sorry about that. Sometimes I impress myself. This is why beta-reading matters… Peer-review, motherfucker! Do you know it?

Also, sorry for the delay on this chapter. I'm on painkillers (growing up is a choice, growing old is mandatory and my back FUCKING HURTS) and I kind of… Reacts strongly to them. I had to reread this chapter a few times since I don't have a beta-reader and I KNOW that I've missed some things.

Also, some will notice it's the first chapter that is not named after a metal song. Couldn't find one that matched. It comes from a video game OST I thoroughly enjoyed but that I will NOT disclose. Those who knows will know.

Finally: My First Negative Reviews! Another milestone obtained! Only… *check notes* 17 to go. Well, it's a step... As they say back home: 'les détesteurs détesteront.'

Chapter 21: My Daily Life.

The history lesson of my teacher continued after my interruption.

Or, should I say, I didn't even care about it because I was completely lost in my mind. Apparently, my sensei could tolerate someone not following during class if they don't interrupt.

And I was glad for it because I needed to understand what was going on.

Nara… Shikako… How in the…

I know that my syllabus of insult was quite poor in the 'what the fuck' department. I usually don't use it that much. But finding an equivalence dictionary here is quite a task.

Maybe I should open my repertoire.
How in the delightfully unexpected?
Whom'st the Fuckesm'sth?
How in the unbecoming, unexpected, and unprotected act of procreation?
What the Fornication Under Control of the King?
In the language of Shakespeare, Forgiveth my suddenth and crudeth French but NANI THE HELL IS GOING ON!?

Nara… Shikako…?

Yama saw me being lost and tried to nudge me. And I left my train of thought to look at the whole class. Who were all looking at me. My sensei then spoke.

"Well, I was asking if you were still with us, Shinji-kun, but I think I have my answer. Detention during recess. No excuse."

I didn't protest, not even paying attention to the laughter of the children around me. The class continued. With what I just discovered, why would I care about detention?
Nara… Shikako?
I need to meet her. Right now, Or… After school is finished. Yeah, that works better.

The session ended while I was still trying to still my thoughts. The bell rang and everyone (with different level of excitement) went outside to eat their lunch in the cafeteria.
Yama tried to cheer me up before leaving, which gave him a few points in my mental 'friendship ladder' and left me with the teacher.
He was currently reading some papers that were layered in front of his desk, which somehow made me feel nostalgic about my old teacher. You know? The ROOT agent…

"Shinji-kun, I won't hold it against you the use of slurs in my class. I'm well acquainted with your clan, but please try to keep it at minimum. Do we agree?"
"Hum… Yes. I apologize… I was just… distracted… I didn't really mean to…"
"You recognized the family name. Didn't you?"

Busted.

"Well… Hmmm… Yeah? I mean… It's quite a famous name… If you have read a book about the history of Konoha, you know?"

Because yes. The Nara was a very important clan in our history. At first, they were a vassal clan along with the Yamanaka.
Vassals to the Akimichi. All loveable and huggable as they are now, they were in fact one of the most powerful shinobi clan during the warring state.

I was dubious, at first, when my grandfather told me that, so I went with Moon-moon to scrub the archives.

The Akimichi were… Feared… In the time of the Waring States.
A clan of peace-loving shinobi who crushed all the external threat that tried to annex their lands. With excessive force.
Then the First Hokage went to them and explained his plans. They agreed, apparently after a 'ritual-friendship-meal' that left the Senju and the Akimichi declaring a pact of everlasting camaraderie.

And the future second Hokage bedridden for a week due to indigestion.

When peace finally came, they willingly released their hold on their vassal clans, because they truly believed in teamwork against domination. And were rewarded with the Ino-Shika-Cho combination that proved itself without fail during the years.
The Nara were famed for their intelligence. So much that all our better scientist, surgeons, Jonin commander, strategist and so on… Were always from the Nara clan.

"I was told that this could happen but no… I chose not to believe it…" My sensei was now holding his hands in his head, resting in his desk.
"He wouldn't simply guess it. That's too remote for a kid that spend all this time in the hospital… They told me he had met the father once and their respective mother spent some time together during pregnancy. Maybe he wouldn't have caught her smell. But noooo…"

He was completely speaking to himself, his head felt on his desk in a perfect representation of 'what have I done with my life'. My hears caught the faint sound of 'must not swear in front of the kid, must NOT swear in front of the kid', I chose to let it slide.

"Okay… Okay, we can work with this… Very well, Shinji-kun, let's face the music. First, I need your words that what I'm going to say to you will NEVER be heard from the kids around you. Do I make myself CLEAR?"
"Hum… Yes? Pretty much? Is it that bad?" I asked bewildered. What could have this little girl done to require this?
"S-Rank bad. So, PROMISE ME that you will NEVER speak of the secrets I'm going to give now."

Secrets? As in… Not one but multiple? Is she a girlish version of Narut…ooooooooooh… Got it. We're having two separate conversations at the same time.

"I… I promise… "
"Very well… Still can't believe I'm having to say this so soon… So, the kid, Uzumaki Naruto, is indeed the son of one Uzumaki Kushina. Your mom became friend with her before giving birth to your little brother. And I guess you'll understand the moment you see him, he's also the son of the Fourth Hokage. Yamikaze Minato-sama."

Welp, just has I thought. I took some time to think about it. There was a question that was in my head since very long.

"But why the secrecy? I mean… He's… The legacy of not one but two powerful Shinobi: the last Hokage and a clan member of the first Hokage's wife! We should be proud of him!"

"Two reasons. Again, what I just told you must not be repeated, and this is no different. The Third chose to mask his identity because if the rumor that the Fourth had a child then our old enemies would jump on the chance to definitively snuff out his name. A hero Minato was. But a war hero that made a lot of enemies. With this he would not be targeted during his early years and might have a normal childhood. As normal as an orphan could have…
But for the second secret… I cannot tell you. Only the Hokage or the kid himself can. I'll suggest you'll have a talk with your mother to explain that. Parents are given more leniency about the law, because yes; that's a LAW."

"Okay… I'll speak with mom… But… Can I go now?"
"And what will you do, Shinji-kun?" My sensei's eyes narrowed on me.
"See my little brother and check if he'd made some new friends." I answered with my most innocent face.

As usual, it didn't work.

"A little brother that coincidentally happens to be in the same class… Sandaime-sama, did I do anything wrong, and you are punishing me? But I've always been a good shinobi…."

I noticed that the man in front of me was trying not to cry so I left him alone and headed back to the courtyard. Time to think of the next step.
I stepped outside and watched the kids 'playing ninja'. The ones that interested me weren't here. I used my senses and smelled them having their own little game together, a few courtyards away.

Naruto, in His Orange Greatness.
Kiba, jumping around with Akamaru and trying to steal the show.
Choji, playing and smiling timidly.
Hinata, clumsily watching behind a tree, which was weird because… Well, Byakugan?
Shikamaru, doing the least amount of effort required and succeeding.
And Her.

With a forced smile in her face, she was there. Black hairs in a ponytail, a carbon copy of what I remembered of her mother, moving silently but with purpose. The biggest enigma after 'why are my clan-mates so stupid' was playing with everyone. And no one found what was weird in this picture. Not that they could.

"She smells goody! Just like you! I'll try to read her emotions." Moon-moon said in our shared headspace and looked at me.
"Sounds good. Let's try it." I met the gaze of my Friend then… My mind was overpowered. Not unlike what I felt with my grandfather.

"I'm… Not going to the academy?" I saw the little girl, bewildered, talking to a young Nara Yoshino.
"Oh sweetheart…" her mother answered with a loving but resigned voice that I've heard a lot of time in my past. "You don't remember it, but you have a…Condition… That prevents you from using Chakra…"
"But… Shika is going…" continued the little girl, clearly put off by the news.
"I know…" Her mom continued her explanation. "But you're a big girl now. Won't it be nice to make friends without your brother hanging around?"

Then I saw… Something in the young girl eyes. Steel. Resolve.

"I want to go to the academy." I felt the surprise in her mother's eyes. Not that I could blame her. The way her timid daughter whole body language suddenly changed…
It wasn't a request. It was a Word of God.

Then the vision stopped, and I was presented another one.

I was now seeing a little girl. Well, Her, but even younger, trying to mimic her father's silent footsteps. Much to his amusement.
Then I saw Her, even younger, trying to manipulate Her Chakra. Without much success.
I saw Her, standing on the main street of Konoha, looking with fear and recognition at the mountain carved with our Hokage's faces.

The vision changed again. I was now in a shelter, while the world was burning around us.

I saw a twenty-something Nara Shikaku burst the door open and his eyes felt on his wife. And the silent bundles she was carrying.

"Is she…" Shikaku try to speak but the horror, the refusal I already saw in my own mother, forbids him to finish his phrase.
"I don't know… She… She just stopped…" Yoshino's voice was terrified. She held both a baby Shikamaru, that was breathing steadily, like the world going to shit was not his problem, and another baby that was deadly silent and stiff.
"She's going to be okay." Shikaku says. As if saying it out loud will make it so and took his daughter in his arms. Then, he started to sing.

"Let me tell you, my darling, my sweet,
Of places and spaces to makes your heart beat,
The stags call in autumn with the sounds of his bellows,
As the leaf on the trees turns to red and yellow,
There are the spaces where wild deer roams,
These are the spaces you may call your home…"

The vision fades again. And I was now in the hospital. In a familiar room.

"Shikamaru… Shikako…" Our Jonin commander is now holding two newly born and crying babies in his arms. A look of love in his eyes…
"My… Little… Miracles…" says Yoshino, in a bed. The pain of giving birth visible on her face… And the vision stopped for good.

"What… In the heck was THAT…?" Moon-moon was panting on the ground. I wasn't any better. I was only standing because I managed to find a wall and was resting on it.
"No idea… you should… You said you only wanted to read her emotions, right?"
"Yeah but… I just tried to reach her mind like I always do… Usually I only get the current thoughts, like fear or curiosity… But I read her like I read you! It never happened before!"

I was still trying to catch my breath, resting against the live-saving wall.

"Well, I'll need to think about it. That was weird, buWHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU READ ME!?"

Moon-moon looked at me, like I was an idiot.

"I mean… Duh? That's the reason why I imprinted with you? You weren't the first one I saw in the ritual, you know? But then you came, I tried to read your emotions and I saw SO MANY THINGS that needs to be get! So many things! Like the bird-like thing that soar into the sky with a trail behind it! I'm sure if I jump high enough, I can get it! Or the weird pencil like thing that use fire to go straight to Kaguya! Or a Kaguya with no Hamura or Hagomoro stars… Weird… Welp, don't care. Still going to get it!"

God dammit Moon-Moon… You discover the existence of parallel universes and that's all you take from it… But it gives me the information I need.

"Okay, listen moon-moon. We're gonna meet them and see how my little pipsqueak of a brother is doing. We'll have a talk about that later, that's okay with you?"
"With pleasure! I need a rematch with Akamaru!"

Wait what? No, you know what? I don't care.

I managed, somehow, to regain some sense of composure and marched toward the prototype of the Konoha twelve.

Kiba was the first to notice me, his nose twitching slightly, and looked in my direction. The movement was noticed by the Nara twins who turned toward me. I saw Shikamaru recognize my clan markings and mentally stored me in his 'can't be bothered' mental storage space, but his sister…

Her eyes widened marginally in shock. I would have missed it if I wasn't paying attention strictly on her, before they turned to confusion. The little girl then moved slightly behind her brother. Maybe out of sheer reflex.

Not at ease around strangers? Or surprised to see someone that shouldn't exist…?

"Hey pipsqueak! Making friends already?"

The smile of my adorable little brother turned into an even more adorable pout.

"Nii-san! Don't start teasing me already! You sound like Hana… But yeah!" His smile returned in full force.
"Meet my new friends, Naruto, Choji, Shikamaru and Shikako! She's a little weird but really nice!"
"Nice to meet you! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage! And you better believe it!" Naruto grabbed all the attention to himself and held a hand in front of me.

I took a knee to be at eye level with him and shook it. After doing that I started to look at his face, then to the monuments. Then again to the young boy and back to the Fourth face.

"Uzumaki… huh…" I let a small sight escape my lips while I stood up. I saw, from the corner of my eyes, Shikako straightened even further. Which drew the attention of her brother.

She knows. And she knows I know…

A daring hypothesis started to grow in the back of my head.

"That's a nice name, and an even nicer goal." I answered to the confused Naruto, surely not used to people reacting like I did when meeting him.
"I guess I'll have to keep the seat warm while you become strong enough to dethrone me." I smiled at him then turned toward the rest of the kids.
"I'm Inuzuka Shinji, Kiba's elder brother. I know he can be a pain but please get along together." I shuffled the hairs of my cute little brother while saying that. He was pouting again but didn't try to get out my grip.
"Are you in fourth year?" Demanded the young Choji.
"No, actually I'm a second year. I had an… Accident, a few years ago when I was still a first year and was unable to attend the ninja academy. I was cleared to go back recently but they wanted to see if my physical condition was good enough before sending me to the more physically intensive classes. It's a pain, but not something I can do anything about…"

While the rest of the children did not react, I saw the expression of Shikamaru turns to recognition. No doubt he had an idea of my age and put two and two together. Shikako did too, but her gaze became… Unfocused. And terrified.

Oh, almost dying during the Kyuubi's attack. Well, that was stupid of me.

I was saved by the bell, literally, when the end of the lunch break was called. As everyone started to head back toward the barracks, I saw that Moon-moon and Akamaru were facing each other. Guard low and growling with their teeth displayed. Moon-moon then did a few side jumps, trying to find an opening against the defensive position of his opponent. Suddenly, he jumped at the little ninken and… Completely overshoot his mark.

Immediately, Akamaru pounced and sunk his teeth in the unguarded throat of my Friend. I wasn't worried. There was no way that Akamaru could pass his defenses, but Moon-moon fell on his side and started trashing. The smallest ninken still attached to his throat.

"They've been sparing like that for a while." Kiba said, standing beside me. "Akamaru always wins, though. But we need to go to class now."

Kiba then called his Friend at his side. The young dog then let his grip free from my wolf. Moon-moon got back on his feet, then bowed toward an Akamaru that was beaming with pride. Then they rubbed each other cheeks against them, and both went back toward us.

Was that the ninken equivalent of the two-fingered seal of reconciliation? 'I kicked your ass, no hard feeling?' Well. Us human 'play-ninja' so maybe our Friends 'play-ninken'.

"Okay, back to the grind, little brother. Oh, before I forgot. During school, if you ever feel bored, then don't do something I wouldn't do, okay?"
"Mom told me you managed to get detention during your first day of school, nii-san…" Deadpan-ed my little brother.
"Meant what I said, said what I meant. Give them hell, future Protector. If you have less detention time than me at the end of the week, then you officially Fail At Being An Inuzuka. Also, I have a head start. Why do you think I went to see you only at the end of recess?" I winked at my little brother and headed back to our class. An unruffled Moon-moon keeping. pace with me.

"Care to explain what was that display? You don't usually fight that way." I said to him in our shared space.

"It was a spar. When Kiba was chosen as the next heir, Aka went to see me. He told me that the Pack told him our stories, how quickly we mastered our Savagery and clan techniques, and he was expected to live up to the name. He told me he couldn't. That he'll fail to protect his Friend someday and asked me to protect him in his place.
Well, I didn't wanna.
So, I offered to train him. While you were doing the sleepy thing, we'll do the same routine. I'll try to find an opening in his guard, then jump on it as soon as I find one. My attack would also have an opening and he must act decisively on it. If he didn't then I will win, and he will not like that.
It's a slow process but he's getting the hang of it. I had to jump four times before finding an opening. It's his new record, by the way. The bow I did to him was my way of acknowledging that he had made progress. His reaction time to the opening I left between my left paw and my neck was, unfortunately, the same as usual; He is mostly focusing on his defense because he underestimates his offensive capabilities. He'll reflect on the opening he gave me and the one I gave him and will slowly improve. In time he'll be more confident in himself, and he will Protect his Friend like he should."

Wow. That was…

"That's… Extremely kind of you. Thanks for taking indirectly care of my little brother."
"Yeah, because if he fails you will have to become the Protector again, you'll be chained to a desk by your duties, we won't be able to get all the things and I. Can't. Have. That."
"I withdraw everything good I said about you. Except the 'thank you for helping my brother' part."
"That was the main point of your message."
"DAMN IT MOON-MOON! STOP BEING RIGHT!"

And so, laughing together, we entered our class. That had already resumed five minutes ago. The teacher was not amused.

You'll have to work reeeeeaaaally hard, little bro, if you want to break my record.

Author's notes: I know I haven't kept my usual schedule recently and I apologize for that. I'm on opiates for a nasty back pain (and I mean real opiates. Don't know if that's the real terms because... Well, not a native speaker. But it has 'opium' written on the label.) so I'm kind of... slower... in my writing moments.

The next chapter is coming along but at a slower pace. I have to re-read myself everytime because I keep making grammatical and continuity mistakes. It's actually quite advanced right now at 5k words, not my record, but I want it to have the same standard of quality than the rest.

Please, bear with me while I finish it. I'm stopping for today because my cat is trying to tell me the meaning of life and his insight is starting to make sense...