FurikoMaru
Versed in the lewd.
[X] I guess my race is run
"No."
"You didn't even let me finish!" you protest.
Between Menka's aging and your own increased training load, your morning constitutionals are much less about exercise these days and more about seeing your non-teammate friends on a regular basis. At present you, Menka, Sasuke and Hinata are all sitting around enjoying the fresh fruit you snagged from the market earlier.
"I didn't have to," Sasuke says, "I know you. You think just because people don't bear you ill will they're your friends."
You frown, stung. "I'm not stupid, Sakkun, I just think it's important to get along well with your teammates."
"You and everyone else," Sasuke gripes. "How am I supposed to get along with them better if I have to live with them? You and Ami are one thing, and at least with Shikamaru and Chouji around I won't be outnumbered by girls, but Shino can turn any room into a damn prison cell just by walking in."
Hinata does a spittake, then looks completely mortified that she did so.
"... Shino?" you ask, eyes bugging. "Shino is more irritating than the guy who put makeup on you while you were sleeping?"
Sasuke scowls. "Naruto is an idiot, but at least he's not full of shit. When he's mad he's like you; everyone hears about it until someone shuts him up."
"Remind me again why we're friends?" you ask grumpily.
"When Shino is mad," he goes on, unrepentant, "or frightened, or anything, it's impossible to tell. More than half his face is covered and the rest always has the exact same expression. He just makes little comments that could be taken one way or another, like I'm supposed to just guess his mood, and if I guess wrong he treats me like I'm a moron. It drives me nuts."
You and Hinata share a look.
=
My dear Chouji,
I've been a fool. Can you ever forgive me? I can't live without you any longer!
Ino the Fifth
"There's no way-"
"Sasuke-kun will be so heartbroken! That little sl-"
"- but they're children -"
"-chaser; who knew?"
"- probably didn't think about how it sounded before she-"
You smile and light up a congratulatory smoke as a grumbling genin team yell for everyone to clear the area so they can pop the balloon and bring it down.
It's only half an hour before Chouji runs in Sasuke's front door, his cheeks as red as ripe tomatoes.
"Akimichi Chouji," you announce to the genin working on re-tiling the roof, descending onto one knee and holding up a plate of chocolate chip cookies, "would you do me the honour of becoming my roommate?"
He takes the top cookie off the pile, breaks it in half, and holds it out for you to eat.
"I missed you," he says, munching his half.
=
You're in the middle of a sparring match when someone you haven't seen in years shows up.
<"Menka, Ino!">
<"Shirotama?"> You duck under Kiba's arm and head off the training ground. <"What're you-?">
<"Nii-sama is badly hurt, you've got to come quickly!">
You're off like a shot, yelling over your shoulder, "Kiba, I've gotta go, it's an emergency."
Yuji-sensei...
This time it's a medical tent set up in the lot by the river, and inside it are more injured cats than you ever thought you'd see in one place.
The stench of viscera and disinfectant permeates the air, and cat medics stalk the tent on their hind legs, seemingly working on multiple patients at once. They snarl orders at equally-busy assistants, who rush around carrying sterilized bandages and bags of morphine.
Cats of all shapes and sizes lie haphazardly on white sheets. Some of them wail and twitch in pain; one of them is completely silent and apparently unhurt, but trembling uncontrollably from tip to tail.
<"Menka...">
The voice is so faint you almost miss it entirely, but as soon as you realize what was said you whip 'round, only to gasp in horror at what you see.
Yuji's wounds are soaking through his makeshift bandages, and one of his ears has been completely torn off.
<"Medic!"> you snap. <"We need fresh bandages over here-">
<"No, Ino-dono..."> your old teacher says weakly, <"... there are too many... to be bothering with an old... like me...">
<"Brother...?"> Menka sounds as young as the day you met, and looks more frightened than you've ever seen him.
<"Menka,"> Yuji says, his voice gaining a bit more focus, though no volume, <"look after your brother.">
<"What're you saying, sensei?"> Gently, you try to laugh it off. <"Menka doesn't have to look after anyone; you're gonna be just-">
<"Ino-dono,"> Yuji interrupts, pawing lightly at your hand, <"I beg you, continue to look after my brother.">
You fall silent. After a moment, you nod.
<"Ino.">
You turn, and see Miun, flanked by a pink cat you don't know and Indara.
<"When you've said your goodbyes, please come with me.">
Said your goodbyes. It hits you like a gust of cold wind.
Swallowing, you reach out a hand and gently stroke Yuji-sensei's fur.
<"... thank you.">
Then, in accordance with tradition older than the Fortress itself, Shirotama and Menka snuggle in close beside their brother, licking his fur comfortingly, and wait for him to die.
=
<"What happened?"> you demand as soon as you're out of the tent. <"Did Nekomata-?">
<"If the Fortress cats had shown up in force, we would all be wiped out,"> Miun says bluntly. <"This was a joyride by some of their teenagers to stave off boredom while waiting for the Autumnal Equinox.">
You stare at her.
<"Ino,"> Miun says, <"My father is dead, and Grandmother won't last the night. There's something I need to ask you to do before that happens.">
"Tora is dead?" you blurt out in shock. A memory of a warm summer day springs to your mind; the wind whistling in your ears as you tore through the forest on the back of a mighty steed, Chouji clinging to you for dear life. Nothing could touch the three of you...
<"Ino, please,"> she says, the thickness of sorrow threatening to warp her words, <"please don't make me talk about it.">
<"No, of course not!"> you say sympathetically, scratching her behind her ears. She leans into your hand for a moment, licking your palm. Then she brushes you off with a paw.
<"Ino,"> she says, all business once again, <"I want you to Reverse-Summon yourself.">
You blink, confused. <"What...? Why?">
<"Father didn't want to put pressure on you while you were still so young."> Miun reaches into a bag strapped around the pink cat's midsection and pulls out what for all the world looks like an ordinary scroll container.
Save for the seal upon it.
<"He had it drawn up only at Auntie Naru's insistence,"> she continues, opening the lid and tipping out the thick roll of paper. Unwinding it only a few inches, she turns it around so you can confirm it is indeed what you thought it was.
<"I have no gift for prophesy,"> Miun says, <"and I don't claim to believe or not believe that you are a true Speaker, or just a normal girl with a strange talent. But if it is your destiny to hold a Summoning contract, I want to be sure you go to the one Fate has in mind for you. Whichever contract calls you, if it's ours or..."> She tries to hide her distaste, <"the original... now is the time to settle it."> Her dark eyes bore into yours. <"I won't force you to sign the scroll, but the matter of your true relationship to us needs to be resolved. Please." Her eyes shut. "Give my people peace, of one kind or another."
[X] You heard the lady. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
[X] A Summoning Contract? But... you barely have enough chakra to pull off ordinary C-rank jutsu! If you end up being taken all the way out to the Fortress or who knows where else, how're you supposed to get back? Beg for the matter to be put off until at least after the chuunin exams.
[X] Fate? If Fate wants you to end up with Nekomata's bunch she can go straight to hell and bring them with her! Sign the contract without performing the Reverse Summoning.
"No."
"You didn't even let me finish!" you protest.
Between Menka's aging and your own increased training load, your morning constitutionals are much less about exercise these days and more about seeing your non-teammate friends on a regular basis. At present you, Menka, Sasuke and Hinata are all sitting around enjoying the fresh fruit you snagged from the market earlier.
"I didn't have to," Sasuke says, "I know you. You think just because people don't bear you ill will they're your friends."
You frown, stung. "I'm not stupid, Sakkun, I just think it's important to get along well with your teammates."
"You and everyone else," Sasuke gripes. "How am I supposed to get along with them better if I have to live with them? You and Ami are one thing, and at least with Shikamaru and Chouji around I won't be outnumbered by girls, but Shino can turn any room into a damn prison cell just by walking in."
Hinata does a spittake, then looks completely mortified that she did so.
"... Shino?" you ask, eyes bugging. "Shino is more irritating than the guy who put makeup on you while you were sleeping?"
Sasuke scowls. "Naruto is an idiot, but at least he's not full of shit. When he's mad he's like you; everyone hears about it until someone shuts him up."
"Remind me again why we're friends?" you ask grumpily.
"When Shino is mad," he goes on, unrepentant, "or frightened, or anything, it's impossible to tell. More than half his face is covered and the rest always has the exact same expression. He just makes little comments that could be taken one way or another, like I'm supposed to just guess his mood, and if I guess wrong he treats me like I'm a moron. It drives me nuts."
You and Hinata share a look.
=
My dear Chouji,
I've been a fool. Can you ever forgive me? I can't live without you any longer!
Ino the Fifth
"There's no way-"
"Sasuke-kun will be so heartbroken! That little sl-"
"- but they're children -"
"-chaser; who knew?"
"- probably didn't think about how it sounded before she-"
You smile and light up a congratulatory smoke as a grumbling genin team yell for everyone to clear the area so they can pop the balloon and bring it down.
It's only half an hour before Chouji runs in Sasuke's front door, his cheeks as red as ripe tomatoes.
"Akimichi Chouji," you announce to the genin working on re-tiling the roof, descending onto one knee and holding up a plate of chocolate chip cookies, "would you do me the honour of becoming my roommate?"
He takes the top cookie off the pile, breaks it in half, and holds it out for you to eat.
"I missed you," he says, munching his half.
=
You're in the middle of a sparring match when someone you haven't seen in years shows up.
<"Menka, Ino!">
<"Shirotama?"> You duck under Kiba's arm and head off the training ground. <"What're you-?">
<"Nii-sama is badly hurt, you've got to come quickly!">
You're off like a shot, yelling over your shoulder, "Kiba, I've gotta go, it's an emergency."
Yuji-sensei...
This time it's a medical tent set up in the lot by the river, and inside it are more injured cats than you ever thought you'd see in one place.
The stench of viscera and disinfectant permeates the air, and cat medics stalk the tent on their hind legs, seemingly working on multiple patients at once. They snarl orders at equally-busy assistants, who rush around carrying sterilized bandages and bags of morphine.
Cats of all shapes and sizes lie haphazardly on white sheets. Some of them wail and twitch in pain; one of them is completely silent and apparently unhurt, but trembling uncontrollably from tip to tail.
<"Menka...">
The voice is so faint you almost miss it entirely, but as soon as you realize what was said you whip 'round, only to gasp in horror at what you see.
Yuji's wounds are soaking through his makeshift bandages, and one of his ears has been completely torn off.
<"Medic!"> you snap. <"We need fresh bandages over here-">
<"No, Ino-dono..."> your old teacher says weakly, <"... there are too many... to be bothering with an old... like me...">
<"Brother...?"> Menka sounds as young as the day you met, and looks more frightened than you've ever seen him.
<"Menka,"> Yuji says, his voice gaining a bit more focus, though no volume, <"look after your brother.">
<"What're you saying, sensei?"> Gently, you try to laugh it off. <"Menka doesn't have to look after anyone; you're gonna be just-">
<"Ino-dono,"> Yuji interrupts, pawing lightly at your hand, <"I beg you, continue to look after my brother.">
You fall silent. After a moment, you nod.
<"Ino.">
You turn, and see Miun, flanked by a pink cat you don't know and Indara.
<"When you've said your goodbyes, please come with me.">
Said your goodbyes. It hits you like a gust of cold wind.
Swallowing, you reach out a hand and gently stroke Yuji-sensei's fur.
<"... thank you.">
Then, in accordance with tradition older than the Fortress itself, Shirotama and Menka snuggle in close beside their brother, licking his fur comfortingly, and wait for him to die.
=
<"What happened?"> you demand as soon as you're out of the tent. <"Did Nekomata-?">
<"If the Fortress cats had shown up in force, we would all be wiped out,"> Miun says bluntly. <"This was a joyride by some of their teenagers to stave off boredom while waiting for the Autumnal Equinox.">
You stare at her.
<"Ino,"> Miun says, <"My father is dead, and Grandmother won't last the night. There's something I need to ask you to do before that happens.">
"Tora is dead?" you blurt out in shock. A memory of a warm summer day springs to your mind; the wind whistling in your ears as you tore through the forest on the back of a mighty steed, Chouji clinging to you for dear life. Nothing could touch the three of you...
<"Ino, please,"> she says, the thickness of sorrow threatening to warp her words, <"please don't make me talk about it.">
<"No, of course not!"> you say sympathetically, scratching her behind her ears. She leans into your hand for a moment, licking your palm. Then she brushes you off with a paw.
<"Ino,"> she says, all business once again, <"I want you to Reverse-Summon yourself.">
You blink, confused. <"What...? Why?">
<"Father didn't want to put pressure on you while you were still so young."> Miun reaches into a bag strapped around the pink cat's midsection and pulls out what for all the world looks like an ordinary scroll container.
Save for the seal upon it.
<"He had it drawn up only at Auntie Naru's insistence,"> she continues, opening the lid and tipping out the thick roll of paper. Unwinding it only a few inches, she turns it around so you can confirm it is indeed what you thought it was.
<"I have no gift for prophesy,"> Miun says, <"and I don't claim to believe or not believe that you are a true Speaker, or just a normal girl with a strange talent. But if it is your destiny to hold a Summoning contract, I want to be sure you go to the one Fate has in mind for you. Whichever contract calls you, if it's ours or..."> She tries to hide her distaste, <"the original... now is the time to settle it."> Her dark eyes bore into yours. <"I won't force you to sign the scroll, but the matter of your true relationship to us needs to be resolved. Please." Her eyes shut. "Give my people peace, of one kind or another."
[X] You heard the lady. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
[X] A Summoning Contract? But... you barely have enough chakra to pull off ordinary C-rank jutsu! If you end up being taken all the way out to the Fortress or who knows where else, how're you supposed to get back? Beg for the matter to be put off until at least after the chuunin exams.
[X] Fate? If Fate wants you to end up with Nekomata's bunch she can go straight to hell and bring them with her! Sign the contract without performing the Reverse Summoning.