Once a Wizard, Always a Shinobi Ch 15 and 16
Rating:: M (to be safe)
Warnings:: Slash/shounen ai (maybe YAOI), Het, blood and stuff, non-con (though I'll warn you so you can skip), mentions of underage (I guess) HarryOC (OC dies so don’t get in a twist) ShuraHaku (yes, he WILL be a HE)
Diclaimer:: Well I challenged a chap from Japan to a break dancing contest and got broke. I then challenge a chick to a drinking contest and ended up under the table while she laughed at me. So now I’m broke, vomiting, and have nothing but last nights dinner to show for it!!
Note:: SORRY THIS IS LATE, though I don’t really set an update deadline for myself. I’m seriously spazzing out right now though guys, Siriusly. This is the last completed chapter, ignore the blatant rape of cannon in it please, and you all have Lyn908 to thank for it and the stuff that’s coming up after it as she viciously spat me out of my funk.
I’m kind of nervous about this chapter, so let me know how bad it was. Also, for those of you on LJ, this is last weeks update attached to this weeks update. I put it up on fanfiction.net and forgot to put it up here. SORRY!!
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Two days later the three from Konoha were setting up camp on their way back to Konoha. Shura had received a message bird that let him know he was allowed to return and resume taking missions. They’d just lit a fire when Doku’s head lifted off his paws, Akamaru was sleeping, and turned to stare into the foliage to their right.
Kiba noticed the dogs soft growling first and brought it to his mothers attention. Shurachi abandoned the fire, told Kiba firmly that he was not to play with it, left Shino in charge, and slipped into the forest.
“Show me where it is Doku.” The dog quietly barked an affirmative and began to lead them through the trees. About ten minutes from camp a small trail of blood became apparent and Shura could pick up the scent on his own.
They sped up, quickly following the more and more visible path of blood to a quiet brook. The bubbling water did little to mask the scent and sound of the injured man laying beside it. He had a strong scent of wolves about him that made Shura relax even as he approached. If this man was taken down by measly wolves then he wasn’t a shinobi.
He crouched and carefully rolled the man over to get a look at the scarred face. “Are you okay?” The man groaned and opened his eyes only to shut them quickly. Obviously the light pained him.
[“Hurts…”) Shura frowned at the foreign word and tried to remember where he’d heard it before. [“Help me, please…” )Ah! That’s where he’d heard it! Back before he’d arrived in Konoha he’d spoken the same language!
Screwing up his face and ignoring the naked state of the man Shura attempted to speak. [“Who you, okay?”)
The man tried opening his eyes again with the same results. [“No move. Still hold.”) He smiled when the man managed to nod a little and began to pull bandages out of his weapon pouch. A little water on his ripped shirt cleaned up the blood as well as he could and years of ignoring pained noises allowed him to wrap the worst of the mans injuries.
[“Can walk you?” )The man croaked out something that vaguely sounded like denial so Shura squatted and lifted him easily in a bridal style hold. [“Safe I take. Soon there.” )The trek through the woods was quick with the aid of chakra, but jarring enough that the man was whimpering with every step.
“Kaa-san? Who’s that, how did he get so injured?” The alarmed question brought Shino out of their tent. As soon as he got a glimpse of the man’s bloodied frame, however, he went back inside to retrieve the first aid kit.
He brought it over to Shurachi quietly before turning towards Kiba. “Kiba-kun, could you get the pot of water off the fire? Shurachi-oba will need clean water to wash off the blood.”
“Thank you Shino-chan. Just put the pot over here Kiba-pup.” The man groaned and green eyes focused sharply on him again.
It took nearly half an hour, but they managed to get him cleaned and bandaged well enough that there wasn’t any danger of him dying. They settled the camp for the night, doused the fire with the bloody water, and set a schedule between Doku and Shurachi for watch duty.
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They were only an hours run from Konoha when the stranger began to wake again. His tensing body alerted Shura immediately, seeing as he was carrying the dead weight. “Doku, ground!” The dog barked and the two children on his back gripped his fur tightly as they fell from the trees to the ground.
Shura landed next to them and laid his bundle out on the grass. The man groaned quietly; to the Inuzuka it was a rather loud noise. Golden eyes flickered open, glanced around, then closed again as another low moan rippled out of the man.
“Kiba-pup, Shino-kun. I want you to get the attention of the Anbu patrol. They should be passing near here in a few seconds and I can’t send up a proper noise while taking care of him.” Shura motioned to the injured man who was beginning to move around a little. “Doku will be going with you.”
The dog barked his agreement and Akamaru yipped in an attempt to imitate the deep sound. Shura spared the puppy a small smile before sending a strangely silent Kiba into the surrounding trees. Shino nodded and gave Shura a meaningful stare “Be safe Shurachi-oba. Otoosama would be angry if he had to take care of Kiba because you got hurt.”
Green eyes watched after the Aburame “Sure Shino-chan, I’ll be careful. Now for you, Nanashi-san. I don’t know how you managed to get attacked by wolves, the ones in that area are usually to afraid of humans to come anywhere near them. I suppose they might have been hungry, but there isn’t really a shortage of prey.”
Careful fingers prodded at the bandaged wounds and the man swatted at his hand. [“No..nnngg…hurts…M’okay Poppy.” )The man took a ragged breath and slowly opened his eyes again. Immediately his brow creased in confusion and the fevered haze that clouded the brilliant gold cleared a little.
[“Where am I? Wh-who are you? Ahhg!” )Shura quickly pushed the man onto his back again. The Inuzuka’s own brow creased in deep concentration as he attempted to figure out what the man was asking.
He was so engrossed in his attempt at translation that he didn’t even react when the four Anbu team appeared with his pups and dog in tow. “Konoha [where be. Still blood, pain good never. )Inuzuka Shurachi [Who?” )Green eyes finally flickered up to regard the hawk masked Anbu leader and his team.
Nobody spoke though, waiting for the man to answer the questions. [“I’m Remus Lupin, or would it be Lupin Remus? Where is Konoha? Fire Country?) Arigayto gozimus Inusuka-san.” Shura blinked and tried not to grimace at the horrible butchery of his language. At least the guy was trying, much like Shura was. The Inuzuka had no doubts he was ruining the grammar and probably pronunciation of his own attempts.
“Ano, ‘Kaa-san? What’s he saying? Who is he?” Kiba’s voice drew the golden eyes and Shura tensed as they widened in alarm. Shino, sensing what the problem was, moved to hide Kiba a little. He needn’t have bothered as Doku jumped to cover both children from sight.
Shura didn’t relax, but it was obvious he wasn’t as worried with the dog in between the stranger and his pups. “His name is Lupin Remus and he wants to know where he is. I told him. Anbu-san? Is he going to be taken to the village for interrogation and medical attention? I did my best, but I’m not a medic-nin and I’m certainly not in any mood to be interrogating someone.”
The leader of the Anbu team, wearing a hawk mask, stepped forward and carefully picked the protesting Remus up. “Yes. Thank you for contacting us so quickly Inuzuka-san.” With that the Anbu were racing through the trees, heading back tot the village. Shura watched them go with an uneasy feeling in his stomach before he ordered Kiba onto Doku and picked Shino up himself to arrive at the village an hour after the Anbu.
A week later Shura was summoned to Hokage Tower. He’d heard that was where the man he’d found ended up and was wondering if his summons had anything to do with that. It couldn’t be because of his health and he couldn’t be in trouble so soon after returning so it had to be the strange man.
When he got to the Hokage’s office the pair of Anbu guarding the door nodded at him and he entered. Sure enough the man was sitting in a chair across from the Hokage. He still smelled of wolves, but the scent was muted somehow. “You wished to see me Hokage-sama?” The fourteen year old kept his face neutral.
Sandaime Hokage, or Sarutobe, smiled a little forcedly. “Yes Inuzuka-san, Lupin-san wished to thank you and asked specifically for you to go on a mission for him. He offered to pay the price for a long term S-Ranked mission if you accept.” Shurachi blinked and eyed the fidgeting man in the chair.
“I apologize Sandaime-sama, Lupin-san, but my younger brother is not yet old enough to care for himself. I could not leave him for the length of time it takes for a mission to be classed as long term.” He steadfastly ignored the almost desperate expression on the mans face. “If that was all Hokage-sama?”
He turned to leave at the nod from his superior, but a choked “Wait!” made him pause. “Harry! You can’t stay here, you have to come with me!” Cold green eyes turned on Remus and the werewolf flinched away from the boy.
“I can and will stay here, if you wish to hire me for a long term mission wait until my younger brother is old enough to care for himself. Also, Lupin-san, do not presume to use such a hated name. That was the name the fat man used when he told me all about how terrible I was. My name is Inuzuka Shurachi, Alpha of the Inuzuka Clan, and you will remember that.”
Green eyes stared intently into gold until the gold turned away and the man tilted his head ever so slightly. Shura was surprised at the canine gesture coming from an outsider, but he accepted it by relaxing just a little. When the man saw that he perked up “When do you think that will be? I can wait for you here, if Hokage-sama doesn’t mind.”
Sarutobe shook his head to show he didn’t mind Remus staying. “Four years. He should graduate from the Academy by then and I won’t have to worry about him as much. My clan won’t be able to stop him from staying with Aburame-kun then either.”
The man relaxed and smiled winningly at Shura. Uninterested green eyes turned away from the werewolf. “If I may be excused Hokage-sama? I left Hajime in the kitchen and-” Sarutobe shot up with a panicked look on his face.
“Hurry Inuzuka-san!! If he’s there much longer he might-!” A loud boom echoed through the village, startling people into dropping things and causing the Shinobi to glance around for a place to hide themselves. They all recognized the sound as Inuzuka Shurachi’s personal call to anger.
Unfortunately for Hajime, his own son knew better than to get in the way of Shurachi-oba when that sound happened. “ABURAME HAJIME!!!!” Remus was left sitting in his chair with a confused frown on his face. A glance at the laughing Hokage didn’t help with his confusion at all.
“Um, this might be a stupid question, but what just happened?” He asked, trying not to think about how quickly Harry-no it was Shurachi now- had managed to vacate the room.
Laughing old eyes twinkled up at him “Aburame Hajime, Shino’s father, has a reputation for being the worst cook in Konoha. He eats at other peoples houses, restaurants, and his mothers house most of the time. Sometimes he manages to get Shurachi to cook for him and otherwise he’s not allowed in the kitchen. There must have been something dangerous cooking, else he would have been tied up in his living room.”
“He’s probably managed to blow up another kitchen.” Remus’ eyes widened and Sarutobe broke into loud laughter again.
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Shurachi watched silently as the small body danced inside of a mirrored dome. He could tell this was a new technique by the way a mirror would waver and the boy would stop to reinforce it before continuing. It wasn’t any good as an attack, not until he could hold the mirrors without having to think about it.
He hadn’t meant to get sidetracked by Zabuza’s little shadow, probably shouldn’t have let the small body captivate him the way it had. It made him feel kind of like a pedophile really, but at least the boy was older than his cubs.
It wasn’t that he was into little boys, he wasn’t creepy like Kabuto, but there was something about the way that small body was swaying. It made him want to protect the other, hold him until he felt safe. The feeling was kind of like how he’d felt for the little Kyuubi vessel, so maybe he just had a thing for being kind to orphans?
But he didn’t know if the other was an orphan and besides Haku had Momochi! Aside from that Shurachi had a scroll to bring to his Hokage and Doku was already shifting from side to side anxiously. He’d smelled something, but Shura wasn’t to worried as the other shinobi hadn’t yet attacked him.
“Amazing isn’t he?” The barest hint of warm breath leaked through bandages and trickled over Shura’s throat; he didn’t even flinch. “Why are you here Inuzuka? Surely you don’t have a mission to capture us, Kirigakure isn’t exactly known for it’s friendliness with Konoha.”
Doku whined quietly, leading Shura’s hand to pet him on the head in a calming manner. “I was simply passing through and noticed the excited chakra. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a threat to Doku or I. After I saw it was just your pup, I got curious.”
Shurachi was sure there was a smirk behind the bandages, but Zabuza moved to crouch beside him rather than attack, so he relaxed a little. “I thought you were an Inuzuka, not a Nekozuka.” The dog user snorted in return and resumed petting Doku slowly. “Is this your partner? The one you said Haku could meet next time around?”
“Hmmm. Yes, this is Doku. I didn’t think you’d want us interrupting his training though.” A sideways glance proved that Zabuza was inordinately amused by the whole thing. “Am I to assume you do?”
Zabuza grinned wide enough that it could be seen through his bandages. “It’s all Haku has been able to talk about when we aren’t speaking of his training. I think he could do with a bit of a break anyway, he’s been at it since last night.” The nuke-nin let his eyes trail over the obviously tired form of his little shadow.
The didn’t stay hidden for long though, as Shura was already moving from his spot in the foliage. Zabuza saw Haku pause for a second, before his entire face lit up and the mirrors melted into muddy puddles. “Inuzuka-san! Is this your dog? What’s it’s name? Can I pet him?”
Smile slowly curling his lips, Shura motioned for Haku to pet the large dog. “His name is Doku and he’d probably love for you to pet him.” Green eyes softened while Haku dragged his hand down Doku’s back.
Suddenly, Haku straightened “I almost forgot! On our last mission Zabuza-sama found something he thought you might be interested in.” Without giving Shura any time to respond he was disappearing into the trees.
Zabuza wandered into the clearing slowly. “He’s been itching to give the damn thing to you for nearly a week. You’re lucky I didn’t just kill it.” Shura glanced at Zabuza briefly before sound in the foliage drew his attention. Haku stumbled into the clearing with a paw pressed into his face, a pair of gums was lodged on an arm, and a tail was smacking a thigh repeatedly.
Green eyes widened impossibly large and a startled gasp escaped Shurachi. “Where did you find this? They’re so rare, I haven’t been able to get a hold of one even with the Inuzuka connections!” Gentle hands carefully removed the three headed puppy from Haku’s arms and inspected the mouth of all three heads to be sure there weren’t any teeth yet. “You’re lucky the teeth haven’t grown in yet, else you could have been poisoned.”
He frowned worriedly at the younger shinobi but didn’t mention anything else about how dangerous it was to have kept the Cerberus puppy. Instead he checked Haku over as carefully as he’d checked the puppy, ignoring the small twinge of something in his belly at the feel of the smooth flesh under his fingers.
“I didn’t want them to kill him when I knew you could take care of him Inuzuka-san, Zabuza-sama said we could take him and give him over to you when we ran into you again.” Haku seemed a little put out that he’d been reprimanded for letting the puppy bite him, but he perked up as smooth fingers glided over his face, arm, torso, and thighs.
Doku yipped quietly and Shurachi put the puppy down in front of him for inspection. Apparently the little Cerberus met his standards because he licked the middle heads snout and sat back down. “I can’t stay long, but thank you for saving the Cerberus Haku, Zabuza. Such creatures are so rare that even killing one would be a blow to the population.”
Long braids fell over Shura’s shoulders as he bowed to the pair and scooped the puppy up. He was getting ready to spring into the trees when a hand caught his shirt. “Ano, Inuzuka-san? Will we see you again?” Haku appeared very hopeful and Shurachi couldn’t find it in himself to say no so instead he smirked a little and took off into the trees. Let the boy take it how he wished.
Several weeks later, as summer was crisping into fall, Shurachi grunted as a dog landed heavily on his chest, waking him from the fitful dreams he’d been stuck in. “Shurachi-sama, there is a meeting of clan heads being called. Kunimitsu-sama sent me to get you.” One green eye peered up at the fidgeting teen above him. The boy was at least two years older than himself, but he seemed very concerned that Shura would attack him at any minute.
Instead of answering right away, the younger boy rolled out of his futon and snatched up a pair of slim glasses. His hair was quickly combed into a high tail, one long braid replacing his usual dozens, and the official Inuzuka clan robes were pulled on over more practical shinobi gear.
“Has the rest of the pack assembled? The pups all taken care of?” The teen relaxed a little at the commanding voice and nodded. “No one is to go near the far dog run, especially not the pups, and I want Kunimitsu, Jiruo, and Mikaro to meet me outside of the Clan Heads building. As for any Aburame who drop by, no one is to attack them. Let them wait for me in the front room, keep the pups away from them, but allow Kiba through if Shino shows up. I will not deal with a rivalry today.”
Another nod and Shura was sweeping passed the teen, down the stairs, and into a throng of Inuzuka. He stalked through them, baring his fangs at the males who dared stand in his way until they tilted their heads back and relented to his authority. When he came upon his father he paused, sharp fangs flashing and fingers curling into claws.
Momo stood tense, his own fingers curling and upper lip pulling back before dropping again only to repeat the process. It was almost as if he couldn’t decide whether he was going to challenge his adopted son for leadership or not. Kunimitsu and Jiruo appeared behind him, their scent overpowering the other members of his family in his nose.
It was their silent backing of him that made his father finally back down, and with one last glance at the man he hadn’t seen in over three months, Shura left the Inuzuka compound. Along the way to the meeting Mikaro joined the trio running across the rooftops of Konoha.
Shurachi smirked a little, tilting his head enough that his voice wasn’t stolen by the wind when he spoke. “I thought I wanted to meet you three at the Clan Head building, not on the way!” Doku, running along with the three other dogs, barked as if to convey this same message to the three canines running alongside him.
“Sorry Shurachi-sama, but it was quicker to just catch up with you. Less harassment this way! Besides, I needed to tell you something about the Uzumaki child you set me to watch!” Shura glanced over his shoulder mid jump and quickly looked forward again as his foot hit solid ground.
The quartet slowed to a stop outside a lavish looking building, all four of them wrinkling their nose at the stuffy air around it. “Well? What did you have to say that couldn’t wait until after the meeting?”
Mikaro straightened her formal kimono and cleared her throat. “The clan heads are meeting because the entire Uchiha clan was murdered an hour ago by Uchiha Itachi. He left his little brother, Uchiha Sasuke, alive to presumably bring revenge for the clan as is the custom with such things. However, they also plan to discuss what to do with the Uzumaki child who carries Kyuubi no Kitsune.”
Shurachi’s eyes narrowed “What do you mean, what to do with him? I was under the impression that anything to do with the Uzumaki was under the Hokage’s jurisdiction. He questioned me personally when he learned I had you and your brother trailing him around the village.”
Mikaro seemed surprised the Hokage had caught them, but quickly shook it off. “I’m not sure what they plan to do and Yagumi hasn’t managed to gather any information about it, but I thought you should be warned before going in there.” She pointed at the building already filling with the heads of the various shinobi clans residing in Konoha.
Shurachi nodded before barking sharply at Doku in a command all Inuzuka recognized. Stay silent and do not draw attention. The four of them entered the building with their dogs close on their heals and took their customary seats near the middle on the opposite side of the doors. Several older lords sneered at them, not liking that a mere 14 year old from the outside led one of the oldest clans in Konoha. Quiet chatter rumbled around the hall, everyone doing their best to ignore the empty Uchiha seats, until the final members of Konohagakure’s Clan Heads Council were seated.
It was the Nara clan head that cleared his throat to gain everyone’s attention. His son shifted a bit uneasily at the attention before scowling off to the side. “I’m sure everyone is aware of the reason behind this gathering of the Clan Leaders of Konoha. If you weren’t made aware of the situation however, I will inform you.”
He glanced at the empty Uchiha seats before drawing in a deep breath. “The entire Uchiha clan has been wiped out by Uchiha Itachi save for his younger brother, Uchiha Sasuke. As he is the last remaining legal heir to the Uchiha’s Council seat the Hokage has given us the task of deciding where the child should go.”
There was some rustling as people straightened, obviously thinking of the power they could gain by controlling the Uchiha Heir. Shurachi could feel his annoyance at the pompous men around him slowly simmering into a boil. It was Kunimitsu who spoke up for his Alpha’s silent resentment of the older men around him though.
“Why don’t we let the child decide for himself where he wishes to go? Would it not be better for the entire village if he doesn’t resent our choice right after his entire clan was massacred? He could easily follow his brothers lead and leave the village if he has cause to dislike us so soon.” The room seemed to still before loud arguments broke out between them.
The Nara representatives shot Kunimitsu, and then Shurachi, grateful looks. Shura steadfastly ignored the blush on the Nara Heir’s cheeks while he returned the looks with a small nod and smirk. Obviously they weren’t to keen on someone like the Hyuuga getting hold of the boy either.
Finally though, everyone’s bickering was halted by, surprisingly, Hajime. “Why don’t we just let him live on his own like so many other orphans? He can have a check from the village, just the same as any other orphan, until he makes genin. Then he’ll live off of his pay check and the money he can access from the Uchiha vaults. It’s what we decided for all other clans that had only one member left after Kyuubi.”
There was some uncomfortable shifting before everyone, reluctantly, agreed. Shurachi was starting to get his hopes up for a short meeting when, not surprisingly, the head of the Hyuuga clan cleared his throat. “Speaking of Kyuubi…” He clearly wanted to shift uncomfortably, but he couldn’t bring himself to show such a weakness.
“There have been numerous instances of concern involving the Kyuubi child. He has been involved with several fights, property damage, and threatening of civilians. It is the opinion of the Hyuuga clan and all branches thereof that the child be taken care of as quickly as possible. It can always be made to seem as though Itachi came back to kill him while all of this chaos is going on.”
Almost immediately the four Inuzuka dogs were surrounding the Hyuuga representatives. Vicious growls, snarls, and snapping jaws were echoed uncannily by their human counter parts as Shurachi, Kunimitsu, Mikaro, and Jiruo all stood, sending their chairs crashing to the ground. “You will not touch that child while he is under my protection!” A harsh bark and shriek of pain heralded a kunai falling to the floor.
“You would dare attack a Hyuuga! Do you have any idea of the kind of enemy you’re making here?!”
Shurachi curled his lip to show slowly lengthening fangs. “I will wipe out your entire clan if you even attempt to harm my Pack! Uzumaki Naruto is a pup of the Inuzuka Pack and you will all honor that or face my fangs!” He flashed said teeth pointedly before barking a sharp command at Doku, who echoed the command to the other three dogs.
“The Inuzuka Clan takes full responsibility for Uzumaki Naruto as a child of the Clan. If there are any objections to this, you can shove them up your ass!” He whirled and stormed from the room, not even noticing the dangerous wind that had kept everyone not in his clan stuck in their seats.
As he raced home, anger simmering barely below the surface, his pack mates were careful not to run beside or in front of him. With how angry he was they didn’t want to risk doing anything that could be seen as a challenge to his Alpha position in the pack.
They reached the Inuzuka compound in under five minutes, which was surprising even for shinobi speed, and Shura immediately snarled. Shino was being held by two newly appointed chûnin in the courtyard while Kiba was being forcibly restrained in the front door. His angered aura expanded enough that everyone froze, acutely terrified of their alpha’s retribution to his orders being ignored.
In no time at all Shurachi had Kiba and Shino asleep in his room, under Doku and Kunimitsu’s guard, with the four people responsible and anyone with Kiba’s teeth marks on them in the training room reserved for very bloody training sessions.
“Is there a reason my orders were ignored?” Shurachi growled, green eyes blazing with magic and chakra, wind whipping his hair and ceremonial robes around his body dangerously. The seven men and women all shrank back, desperately exposing their necks and making small whimpering noises.
He wasn’t having any of that though, not after the direct disobedience they’d knowingly committed. With an angered snarl he shot forward and caught the first one by his exposed throat. “You will learn to follow my orders pups, or you will suffer.”
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Almost forgot....IF ANY ARTISTS OUT THERE WANT TO DRAW PICTURES FOR THIS STORY, I'D BE DELIGHTED TO SEE THEM!! -can't draw worth noodles-
Review okay?
Taku
Previous:: Chapter Fourteen First Chapter Next:: Chapter Seventeen
Warnings:: Slash/shounen ai (maybe YAOI), Het, blood and stuff, non-con (though I'll warn you so you can skip), mentions of underage (I guess) HarryOC (OC dies so don’t get in a twist) ShuraHaku (yes, he WILL be a HE)
Diclaimer:: Well I challenged a chap from Japan to a break dancing contest and got broke. I then challenge a chick to a drinking contest and ended up under the table while she laughed at me. So now I’m broke, vomiting, and have nothing but last nights dinner to show for it!!
Note:: SORRY THIS IS LATE, though I don’t really set an update deadline for myself. I’m seriously spazzing out right now though guys, Siriusly. This is the last completed chapter, ignore the blatant rape of cannon in it please, and you all have Lyn908 to thank for it and the stuff that’s coming up after it as she viciously spat me out of my funk.
I’m kind of nervous about this chapter, so let me know how bad it was. Also, for those of you on LJ, this is last weeks update attached to this weeks update. I put it up on fanfiction.net and forgot to put it up here. SORRY!!
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Two days later the three from Konoha were setting up camp on their way back to Konoha. Shura had received a message bird that let him know he was allowed to return and resume taking missions. They’d just lit a fire when Doku’s head lifted off his paws, Akamaru was sleeping, and turned to stare into the foliage to their right.
Kiba noticed the dogs soft growling first and brought it to his mothers attention. Shurachi abandoned the fire, told Kiba firmly that he was not to play with it, left Shino in charge, and slipped into the forest.
“Show me where it is Doku.” The dog quietly barked an affirmative and began to lead them through the trees. About ten minutes from camp a small trail of blood became apparent and Shura could pick up the scent on his own.
They sped up, quickly following the more and more visible path of blood to a quiet brook. The bubbling water did little to mask the scent and sound of the injured man laying beside it. He had a strong scent of wolves about him that made Shura relax even as he approached. If this man was taken down by measly wolves then he wasn’t a shinobi.
He crouched and carefully rolled the man over to get a look at the scarred face. “Are you okay?” The man groaned and opened his eyes only to shut them quickly. Obviously the light pained him.
[“Hurts…”) Shura frowned at the foreign word and tried to remember where he’d heard it before. [“Help me, please…” )Ah! That’s where he’d heard it! Back before he’d arrived in Konoha he’d spoken the same language!
Screwing up his face and ignoring the naked state of the man Shura attempted to speak. [“Who you, okay?”)
The man tried opening his eyes again with the same results. [“No move. Still hold.”) He smiled when the man managed to nod a little and began to pull bandages out of his weapon pouch. A little water on his ripped shirt cleaned up the blood as well as he could and years of ignoring pained noises allowed him to wrap the worst of the mans injuries.
[“Can walk you?” )The man croaked out something that vaguely sounded like denial so Shura squatted and lifted him easily in a bridal style hold. [“Safe I take. Soon there.” )The trek through the woods was quick with the aid of chakra, but jarring enough that the man was whimpering with every step.
“Kaa-san? Who’s that, how did he get so injured?” The alarmed question brought Shino out of their tent. As soon as he got a glimpse of the man’s bloodied frame, however, he went back inside to retrieve the first aid kit.
He brought it over to Shurachi quietly before turning towards Kiba. “Kiba-kun, could you get the pot of water off the fire? Shurachi-oba will need clean water to wash off the blood.”
“Thank you Shino-chan. Just put the pot over here Kiba-pup.” The man groaned and green eyes focused sharply on him again.
It took nearly half an hour, but they managed to get him cleaned and bandaged well enough that there wasn’t any danger of him dying. They settled the camp for the night, doused the fire with the bloody water, and set a schedule between Doku and Shurachi for watch duty.
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They were only an hours run from Konoha when the stranger began to wake again. His tensing body alerted Shura immediately, seeing as he was carrying the dead weight. “Doku, ground!” The dog barked and the two children on his back gripped his fur tightly as they fell from the trees to the ground.
Shura landed next to them and laid his bundle out on the grass. The man groaned quietly; to the Inuzuka it was a rather loud noise. Golden eyes flickered open, glanced around, then closed again as another low moan rippled out of the man.
“Kiba-pup, Shino-kun. I want you to get the attention of the Anbu patrol. They should be passing near here in a few seconds and I can’t send up a proper noise while taking care of him.” Shura motioned to the injured man who was beginning to move around a little. “Doku will be going with you.”
The dog barked his agreement and Akamaru yipped in an attempt to imitate the deep sound. Shura spared the puppy a small smile before sending a strangely silent Kiba into the surrounding trees. Shino nodded and gave Shura a meaningful stare “Be safe Shurachi-oba. Otoosama would be angry if he had to take care of Kiba because you got hurt.”
Green eyes watched after the Aburame “Sure Shino-chan, I’ll be careful. Now for you, Nanashi-san. I don’t know how you managed to get attacked by wolves, the ones in that area are usually to afraid of humans to come anywhere near them. I suppose they might have been hungry, but there isn’t really a shortage of prey.”
Careful fingers prodded at the bandaged wounds and the man swatted at his hand. [“No..nnngg…hurts…M’okay Poppy.” )The man took a ragged breath and slowly opened his eyes again. Immediately his brow creased in confusion and the fevered haze that clouded the brilliant gold cleared a little.
[“Where am I? Wh-who are you? Ahhg!” )Shura quickly pushed the man onto his back again. The Inuzuka’s own brow creased in deep concentration as he attempted to figure out what the man was asking.
He was so engrossed in his attempt at translation that he didn’t even react when the four Anbu team appeared with his pups and dog in tow. “Konoha [where be. Still blood, pain good never. )Inuzuka Shurachi [Who?” )Green eyes finally flickered up to regard the hawk masked Anbu leader and his team.
Nobody spoke though, waiting for the man to answer the questions. [“I’m Remus Lupin, or would it be Lupin Remus? Where is Konoha? Fire Country?) Arigayto gozimus Inusuka-san.” Shura blinked and tried not to grimace at the horrible butchery of his language. At least the guy was trying, much like Shura was. The Inuzuka had no doubts he was ruining the grammar and probably pronunciation of his own attempts.
“Ano, ‘Kaa-san? What’s he saying? Who is he?” Kiba’s voice drew the golden eyes and Shura tensed as they widened in alarm. Shino, sensing what the problem was, moved to hide Kiba a little. He needn’t have bothered as Doku jumped to cover both children from sight.
Shura didn’t relax, but it was obvious he wasn’t as worried with the dog in between the stranger and his pups. “His name is Lupin Remus and he wants to know where he is. I told him. Anbu-san? Is he going to be taken to the village for interrogation and medical attention? I did my best, but I’m not a medic-nin and I’m certainly not in any mood to be interrogating someone.”
The leader of the Anbu team, wearing a hawk mask, stepped forward and carefully picked the protesting Remus up. “Yes. Thank you for contacting us so quickly Inuzuka-san.” With that the Anbu were racing through the trees, heading back tot the village. Shura watched them go with an uneasy feeling in his stomach before he ordered Kiba onto Doku and picked Shino up himself to arrive at the village an hour after the Anbu.
A week later Shura was summoned to Hokage Tower. He’d heard that was where the man he’d found ended up and was wondering if his summons had anything to do with that. It couldn’t be because of his health and he couldn’t be in trouble so soon after returning so it had to be the strange man.
When he got to the Hokage’s office the pair of Anbu guarding the door nodded at him and he entered. Sure enough the man was sitting in a chair across from the Hokage. He still smelled of wolves, but the scent was muted somehow. “You wished to see me Hokage-sama?” The fourteen year old kept his face neutral.
Sandaime Hokage, or Sarutobe, smiled a little forcedly. “Yes Inuzuka-san, Lupin-san wished to thank you and asked specifically for you to go on a mission for him. He offered to pay the price for a long term S-Ranked mission if you accept.” Shurachi blinked and eyed the fidgeting man in the chair.
“I apologize Sandaime-sama, Lupin-san, but my younger brother is not yet old enough to care for himself. I could not leave him for the length of time it takes for a mission to be classed as long term.” He steadfastly ignored the almost desperate expression on the mans face. “If that was all Hokage-sama?”
He turned to leave at the nod from his superior, but a choked “Wait!” made him pause. “Harry! You can’t stay here, you have to come with me!” Cold green eyes turned on Remus and the werewolf flinched away from the boy.
“I can and will stay here, if you wish to hire me for a long term mission wait until my younger brother is old enough to care for himself. Also, Lupin-san, do not presume to use such a hated name. That was the name the fat man used when he told me all about how terrible I was. My name is Inuzuka Shurachi, Alpha of the Inuzuka Clan, and you will remember that.”
Green eyes stared intently into gold until the gold turned away and the man tilted his head ever so slightly. Shura was surprised at the canine gesture coming from an outsider, but he accepted it by relaxing just a little. When the man saw that he perked up “When do you think that will be? I can wait for you here, if Hokage-sama doesn’t mind.”
Sarutobe shook his head to show he didn’t mind Remus staying. “Four years. He should graduate from the Academy by then and I won’t have to worry about him as much. My clan won’t be able to stop him from staying with Aburame-kun then either.”
The man relaxed and smiled winningly at Shura. Uninterested green eyes turned away from the werewolf. “If I may be excused Hokage-sama? I left Hajime in the kitchen and-” Sarutobe shot up with a panicked look on his face.
“Hurry Inuzuka-san!! If he’s there much longer he might-!” A loud boom echoed through the village, startling people into dropping things and causing the Shinobi to glance around for a place to hide themselves. They all recognized the sound as Inuzuka Shurachi’s personal call to anger.
Unfortunately for Hajime, his own son knew better than to get in the way of Shurachi-oba when that sound happened. “ABURAME HAJIME!!!!” Remus was left sitting in his chair with a confused frown on his face. A glance at the laughing Hokage didn’t help with his confusion at all.
“Um, this might be a stupid question, but what just happened?” He asked, trying not to think about how quickly Harry-no it was Shurachi now- had managed to vacate the room.
Laughing old eyes twinkled up at him “Aburame Hajime, Shino’s father, has a reputation for being the worst cook in Konoha. He eats at other peoples houses, restaurants, and his mothers house most of the time. Sometimes he manages to get Shurachi to cook for him and otherwise he’s not allowed in the kitchen. There must have been something dangerous cooking, else he would have been tied up in his living room.”
“He’s probably managed to blow up another kitchen.” Remus’ eyes widened and Sarutobe broke into loud laughter again.
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Shurachi watched silently as the small body danced inside of a mirrored dome. He could tell this was a new technique by the way a mirror would waver and the boy would stop to reinforce it before continuing. It wasn’t any good as an attack, not until he could hold the mirrors without having to think about it.
He hadn’t meant to get sidetracked by Zabuza’s little shadow, probably shouldn’t have let the small body captivate him the way it had. It made him feel kind of like a pedophile really, but at least the boy was older than his cubs.
It wasn’t that he was into little boys, he wasn’t creepy like Kabuto, but there was something about the way that small body was swaying. It made him want to protect the other, hold him until he felt safe. The feeling was kind of like how he’d felt for the little Kyuubi vessel, so maybe he just had a thing for being kind to orphans?
But he didn’t know if the other was an orphan and besides Haku had Momochi! Aside from that Shurachi had a scroll to bring to his Hokage and Doku was already shifting from side to side anxiously. He’d smelled something, but Shura wasn’t to worried as the other shinobi hadn’t yet attacked him.
“Amazing isn’t he?” The barest hint of warm breath leaked through bandages and trickled over Shura’s throat; he didn’t even flinch. “Why are you here Inuzuka? Surely you don’t have a mission to capture us, Kirigakure isn’t exactly known for it’s friendliness with Konoha.”
Doku whined quietly, leading Shura’s hand to pet him on the head in a calming manner. “I was simply passing through and noticed the excited chakra. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a threat to Doku or I. After I saw it was just your pup, I got curious.”
Shurachi was sure there was a smirk behind the bandages, but Zabuza moved to crouch beside him rather than attack, so he relaxed a little. “I thought you were an Inuzuka, not a Nekozuka.” The dog user snorted in return and resumed petting Doku slowly. “Is this your partner? The one you said Haku could meet next time around?”
“Hmmm. Yes, this is Doku. I didn’t think you’d want us interrupting his training though.” A sideways glance proved that Zabuza was inordinately amused by the whole thing. “Am I to assume you do?”
Zabuza grinned wide enough that it could be seen through his bandages. “It’s all Haku has been able to talk about when we aren’t speaking of his training. I think he could do with a bit of a break anyway, he’s been at it since last night.” The nuke-nin let his eyes trail over the obviously tired form of his little shadow.
The didn’t stay hidden for long though, as Shura was already moving from his spot in the foliage. Zabuza saw Haku pause for a second, before his entire face lit up and the mirrors melted into muddy puddles. “Inuzuka-san! Is this your dog? What’s it’s name? Can I pet him?”
Smile slowly curling his lips, Shura motioned for Haku to pet the large dog. “His name is Doku and he’d probably love for you to pet him.” Green eyes softened while Haku dragged his hand down Doku’s back.
Suddenly, Haku straightened “I almost forgot! On our last mission Zabuza-sama found something he thought you might be interested in.” Without giving Shura any time to respond he was disappearing into the trees.
Zabuza wandered into the clearing slowly. “He’s been itching to give the damn thing to you for nearly a week. You’re lucky I didn’t just kill it.” Shura glanced at Zabuza briefly before sound in the foliage drew his attention. Haku stumbled into the clearing with a paw pressed into his face, a pair of gums was lodged on an arm, and a tail was smacking a thigh repeatedly.
Green eyes widened impossibly large and a startled gasp escaped Shurachi. “Where did you find this? They’re so rare, I haven’t been able to get a hold of one even with the Inuzuka connections!” Gentle hands carefully removed the three headed puppy from Haku’s arms and inspected the mouth of all three heads to be sure there weren’t any teeth yet. “You’re lucky the teeth haven’t grown in yet, else you could have been poisoned.”
He frowned worriedly at the younger shinobi but didn’t mention anything else about how dangerous it was to have kept the Cerberus puppy. Instead he checked Haku over as carefully as he’d checked the puppy, ignoring the small twinge of something in his belly at the feel of the smooth flesh under his fingers.
“I didn’t want them to kill him when I knew you could take care of him Inuzuka-san, Zabuza-sama said we could take him and give him over to you when we ran into you again.” Haku seemed a little put out that he’d been reprimanded for letting the puppy bite him, but he perked up as smooth fingers glided over his face, arm, torso, and thighs.
Doku yipped quietly and Shurachi put the puppy down in front of him for inspection. Apparently the little Cerberus met his standards because he licked the middle heads snout and sat back down. “I can’t stay long, but thank you for saving the Cerberus Haku, Zabuza. Such creatures are so rare that even killing one would be a blow to the population.”
Long braids fell over Shura’s shoulders as he bowed to the pair and scooped the puppy up. He was getting ready to spring into the trees when a hand caught his shirt. “Ano, Inuzuka-san? Will we see you again?” Haku appeared very hopeful and Shurachi couldn’t find it in himself to say no so instead he smirked a little and took off into the trees. Let the boy take it how he wished.
Several weeks later, as summer was crisping into fall, Shurachi grunted as a dog landed heavily on his chest, waking him from the fitful dreams he’d been stuck in. “Shurachi-sama, there is a meeting of clan heads being called. Kunimitsu-sama sent me to get you.” One green eye peered up at the fidgeting teen above him. The boy was at least two years older than himself, but he seemed very concerned that Shura would attack him at any minute.
Instead of answering right away, the younger boy rolled out of his futon and snatched up a pair of slim glasses. His hair was quickly combed into a high tail, one long braid replacing his usual dozens, and the official Inuzuka clan robes were pulled on over more practical shinobi gear.
“Has the rest of the pack assembled? The pups all taken care of?” The teen relaxed a little at the commanding voice and nodded. “No one is to go near the far dog run, especially not the pups, and I want Kunimitsu, Jiruo, and Mikaro to meet me outside of the Clan Heads building. As for any Aburame who drop by, no one is to attack them. Let them wait for me in the front room, keep the pups away from them, but allow Kiba through if Shino shows up. I will not deal with a rivalry today.”
Another nod and Shura was sweeping passed the teen, down the stairs, and into a throng of Inuzuka. He stalked through them, baring his fangs at the males who dared stand in his way until they tilted their heads back and relented to his authority. When he came upon his father he paused, sharp fangs flashing and fingers curling into claws.
Momo stood tense, his own fingers curling and upper lip pulling back before dropping again only to repeat the process. It was almost as if he couldn’t decide whether he was going to challenge his adopted son for leadership or not. Kunimitsu and Jiruo appeared behind him, their scent overpowering the other members of his family in his nose.
It was their silent backing of him that made his father finally back down, and with one last glance at the man he hadn’t seen in over three months, Shura left the Inuzuka compound. Along the way to the meeting Mikaro joined the trio running across the rooftops of Konoha.
Shurachi smirked a little, tilting his head enough that his voice wasn’t stolen by the wind when he spoke. “I thought I wanted to meet you three at the Clan Head building, not on the way!” Doku, running along with the three other dogs, barked as if to convey this same message to the three canines running alongside him.
“Sorry Shurachi-sama, but it was quicker to just catch up with you. Less harassment this way! Besides, I needed to tell you something about the Uzumaki child you set me to watch!” Shura glanced over his shoulder mid jump and quickly looked forward again as his foot hit solid ground.
The quartet slowed to a stop outside a lavish looking building, all four of them wrinkling their nose at the stuffy air around it. “Well? What did you have to say that couldn’t wait until after the meeting?”
Mikaro straightened her formal kimono and cleared her throat. “The clan heads are meeting because the entire Uchiha clan was murdered an hour ago by Uchiha Itachi. He left his little brother, Uchiha Sasuke, alive to presumably bring revenge for the clan as is the custom with such things. However, they also plan to discuss what to do with the Uzumaki child who carries Kyuubi no Kitsune.”
Shurachi’s eyes narrowed “What do you mean, what to do with him? I was under the impression that anything to do with the Uzumaki was under the Hokage’s jurisdiction. He questioned me personally when he learned I had you and your brother trailing him around the village.”
Mikaro seemed surprised the Hokage had caught them, but quickly shook it off. “I’m not sure what they plan to do and Yagumi hasn’t managed to gather any information about it, but I thought you should be warned before going in there.” She pointed at the building already filling with the heads of the various shinobi clans residing in Konoha.
Shurachi nodded before barking sharply at Doku in a command all Inuzuka recognized. Stay silent and do not draw attention. The four of them entered the building with their dogs close on their heals and took their customary seats near the middle on the opposite side of the doors. Several older lords sneered at them, not liking that a mere 14 year old from the outside led one of the oldest clans in Konoha. Quiet chatter rumbled around the hall, everyone doing their best to ignore the empty Uchiha seats, until the final members of Konohagakure’s Clan Heads Council were seated.
It was the Nara clan head that cleared his throat to gain everyone’s attention. His son shifted a bit uneasily at the attention before scowling off to the side. “I’m sure everyone is aware of the reason behind this gathering of the Clan Leaders of Konoha. If you weren’t made aware of the situation however, I will inform you.”
He glanced at the empty Uchiha seats before drawing in a deep breath. “The entire Uchiha clan has been wiped out by Uchiha Itachi save for his younger brother, Uchiha Sasuke. As he is the last remaining legal heir to the Uchiha’s Council seat the Hokage has given us the task of deciding where the child should go.”
There was some rustling as people straightened, obviously thinking of the power they could gain by controlling the Uchiha Heir. Shurachi could feel his annoyance at the pompous men around him slowly simmering into a boil. It was Kunimitsu who spoke up for his Alpha’s silent resentment of the older men around him though.
“Why don’t we let the child decide for himself where he wishes to go? Would it not be better for the entire village if he doesn’t resent our choice right after his entire clan was massacred? He could easily follow his brothers lead and leave the village if he has cause to dislike us so soon.” The room seemed to still before loud arguments broke out between them.
The Nara representatives shot Kunimitsu, and then Shurachi, grateful looks. Shura steadfastly ignored the blush on the Nara Heir’s cheeks while he returned the looks with a small nod and smirk. Obviously they weren’t to keen on someone like the Hyuuga getting hold of the boy either.
Finally though, everyone’s bickering was halted by, surprisingly, Hajime. “Why don’t we just let him live on his own like so many other orphans? He can have a check from the village, just the same as any other orphan, until he makes genin. Then he’ll live off of his pay check and the money he can access from the Uchiha vaults. It’s what we decided for all other clans that had only one member left after Kyuubi.”
There was some uncomfortable shifting before everyone, reluctantly, agreed. Shurachi was starting to get his hopes up for a short meeting when, not surprisingly, the head of the Hyuuga clan cleared his throat. “Speaking of Kyuubi…” He clearly wanted to shift uncomfortably, but he couldn’t bring himself to show such a weakness.
“There have been numerous instances of concern involving the Kyuubi child. He has been involved with several fights, property damage, and threatening of civilians. It is the opinion of the Hyuuga clan and all branches thereof that the child be taken care of as quickly as possible. It can always be made to seem as though Itachi came back to kill him while all of this chaos is going on.”
Almost immediately the four Inuzuka dogs were surrounding the Hyuuga representatives. Vicious growls, snarls, and snapping jaws were echoed uncannily by their human counter parts as Shurachi, Kunimitsu, Mikaro, and Jiruo all stood, sending their chairs crashing to the ground. “You will not touch that child while he is under my protection!” A harsh bark and shriek of pain heralded a kunai falling to the floor.
“You would dare attack a Hyuuga! Do you have any idea of the kind of enemy you’re making here?!”
Shurachi curled his lip to show slowly lengthening fangs. “I will wipe out your entire clan if you even attempt to harm my Pack! Uzumaki Naruto is a pup of the Inuzuka Pack and you will all honor that or face my fangs!” He flashed said teeth pointedly before barking a sharp command at Doku, who echoed the command to the other three dogs.
“The Inuzuka Clan takes full responsibility for Uzumaki Naruto as a child of the Clan. If there are any objections to this, you can shove them up your ass!” He whirled and stormed from the room, not even noticing the dangerous wind that had kept everyone not in his clan stuck in their seats.
As he raced home, anger simmering barely below the surface, his pack mates were careful not to run beside or in front of him. With how angry he was they didn’t want to risk doing anything that could be seen as a challenge to his Alpha position in the pack.
They reached the Inuzuka compound in under five minutes, which was surprising even for shinobi speed, and Shura immediately snarled. Shino was being held by two newly appointed chûnin in the courtyard while Kiba was being forcibly restrained in the front door. His angered aura expanded enough that everyone froze, acutely terrified of their alpha’s retribution to his orders being ignored.
In no time at all Shurachi had Kiba and Shino asleep in his room, under Doku and Kunimitsu’s guard, with the four people responsible and anyone with Kiba’s teeth marks on them in the training room reserved for very bloody training sessions.
“Is there a reason my orders were ignored?” Shurachi growled, green eyes blazing with magic and chakra, wind whipping his hair and ceremonial robes around his body dangerously. The seven men and women all shrank back, desperately exposing their necks and making small whimpering noises.
He wasn’t having any of that though, not after the direct disobedience they’d knowingly committed. With an angered snarl he shot forward and caught the first one by his exposed throat. “You will learn to follow my orders pups, or you will suffer.”
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Almost forgot....IF ANY ARTISTS OUT THERE WANT TO DRAW PICTURES FOR THIS STORY, I'D BE DELIGHTED TO SEE THEM!! -can't draw worth noodles-
Review okay?
Taku
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