Meeting a Distant Relative [Semi-Private pm to Enter]

[Yamamoto Airi]

Ever since she had met Maru she had always returned to the forest. It was quickly becoming her favorite place. Something about returning to nature and getting out of the city always seemed to calm her heart. Airi had been visiting the forest at first to patrol and make sure everyone was safe…Yamamoto Yamaru handled things during the night when things were more dangerous and Airi herself had begun to do it during the day. Things were more quiet normally and nothing really scary came out during the day…it was noon but cool in Kumo. The pale clouds gave an almost twilight feel to the sky…Airi did not think it would rain but she was certainly not the weather person. Today however she was on a stroll to clear her mind.

Airi had been training extra hard trying to make up for her weakness. The bandits knew her name and said that her loved ones would suffer and she could not prevent that, until she got even more information. The main thing that worried her though was the way the last mission in the rolling hills ended. She caught herself flashing back to the guy…his blade…the surprised reaction to him not only using Taijutsu but Genjutsu as well…and then her blacking out…She shivered and rubbed her arms as she continued. She woke up covered in blood…she had no idea how anything went. She was familiar enough with her chakra gates to know that she had used or unlocked quite a few of them…overkill for the enemies she saw…she had been exhausted when she woke up…honestly Airi was growing more and more scared. Staying in her room had made her antsy and she…well she was avoiding training right now. She needed to still and calm her mind…she felt like the blackout happened when she was scared…fearful and angry. She worried that it might be connected to when Maru accidentally filled her with Youkai energy. That was the only time she really embraced the more negative emotions. Whatever was going on with her really was being effected by that.

“I can’t go and tell Maru-san though…he will feel bad. Plus what if I am wrong then he’ll be even more worried. Maybe I should go speak to Otani-san or Rinko-chan…” Gods…it had been so long since she last saw Rinko.

Airi heard a click…her body stiffened and then relaxed. She thought she could hear the soft growling of something. As Airi looked around she started to see movements in the brush. Fur something…four legged. Airi jumped into a nearby tree and started to make a dash for it. She needed to see what was around…considering her incident with Byakko-san and the Canines she could already tell that she was being hunted or if not her than someone else. As Airi made her way she jumped and when in midair was when she noticed it…teeth fur and a swift powerful pain in her shoulder. “GYAH!...Damn you!” Airi felt herself move quickly into action as she grabbed the beast. There was no way it was going to dislodge unless she made it. Clinging to the wolf she began to spin. “Huuurrrrr….Primary Lotus!” Together they both slammed down into the ground…Airi felt the ground shake as it happened and she slide along the ground almost on all fours. As she looked around she was aware of the other beings. They had encircled her and even with one of her newer stronger techniques it did not even knock out the one. There looked to be seven of these wolves and she could feel chakra coming off of them…”Why are there things like you out in the daylight?” Airi knew there was a pact to never experiment on Inuzuka animals…they had a unique ability to use chakra like humans…since the Inuzuka were a bigger clan they made sure the medical branch stayed away from them…so what were these?

Airi knew where this going…the one planted in the ground right now was a younger more foolish one…the second they got close no matter which she went after…she would get attacked. Too many enemies…she needed her other arm. Airi flashed through a set of hand seals and reached up to her arm. “Mystical Force!” Airi had mastered this medical technique a long time ago…as she waited though the pain did not go away. No green chakra came out…”Why is my healing jutsu not working!” Airi caught a flash at the last moment when she looked away and then looked back…the pack had moved…her heart was beating like mad and Airi ducked down about to open her chakra gates but felt herself get lost again…

Crunching…scratching…biting…the sound of earth cracking underweight…trees cracking…that was all she would recall…

Airi could smell mud and feel the coolness of earth. Her head felt terrible until her shoulder came back into focus. As her body came up she looked to where she thought the sun would be…maybe an hour…or so…probably less as she looked at it? Wait! Airi looked around quickly and saw no animals. Her heart raced as she looked around but noticed nothing but a few smashed up clawed trees and the small river she was near. ‘Were they…fake?” Airi felt her shoulder and winced at the blood…as she opened her left hand though her eyes grew wide. “Oh Raiden!” She dropped an eye of one of the wolves on the ground…it was real…she was alive somehow…how?

Airi could see blood on her hands…in fact her shoulder had left some bit of trail…either that or the wolves blood…She really could not tell what was hers and what was theirs on her. “What…is going on…” Airi tried to cast Mystical force again and again but to no avail. Eventually she sat by the river using mystical hand because apparently that worked. While she used the soft green healing chakra on her shoulder she tried to wash herself in the river…she hurt a bit but overall it was more being tired except for some cuts…how many gates did she open? As she looked back…it looked like she really pounded the hell out of this section of the forest…it was a repeat of what happened on the mission…she was not controlling herself.

As the panic and swirling of her stomach took over she glanced into the water…as she looked at her reflection she glanced at it with curiosity…the eyes looking back at her…were they…purple…Maru? “But I have…brown eyes…” Something was wrong…very wrong. She decided she would get healed and find help…who to go to she did not know but one thing was clear…she needed to avoid combat and considering how deep in the forest she was…it might be tricky…

[Topic Started]
(OOC: Opened this up for Inuzuka Ryou. Please pm me if you would like to join.)

 

[Inuzuka Ryou]

​

"What the hell happened here?"

Lifting up a pair of black shades away from her green orbs, Ryou Inuzuka could clearly see the damage done to this forest from a mile away. Anyone could for it was screaming: DANGER. There were complaints and reports of loud noises and what looked like a struggle from neighboring factions and Inuzuka's, and Ryou's mother kindly asked her to investigate while protecting her siblings from any lingering threats that may have wandered nearby. True that her clan mainly resided in the forest but it sure was a dangerous place to call home. While her father would check the north she was here to check the south, and boy did the damage sure stretch down the path.

Sanae sniffed around and craned her neck to investigate the area, the shiba inu's body stiff and alert. The way this scene was laid out spelled bad news for a variety of different reasons. Especially when the dog found traces of blood on the bark of the trees and the leaves on the forest floor. "Yo, Ryou. I think whoever was here may not have gotten too far." As the Inuzuka stood by her companion's side, she only heaved a sigh through her nose before her fingers rubbed the bridge of it. "Well, we better go see what all the commotion was. Come on, Sanae. I can't risk having something running around loose while my brothers and the dogs play in the forest." And with that, the pair began to follow the path of broken branches and scattered wood littered in the world around them.

With each passing step, both animal and human alike began to grow unnerved at the length this path seemed to stretch. They had been searching for the source for a while now, but now that the rabbit trail was laid out like this... Both were hoping that whatever was the victim wasn't at the mercy right now of some horrible abomination. Ryou kept her hands shoved into her jacket pockets, her expression hardening slightly as her lips were pushed into a thin line. She was trying to run through different scenarios in her head on what could have caused such a scene to occur, but such theories and hypothesis would have to be put on hold when the source was found.

If the source was found.

Eventually, the sound of a river began to reach their eardrums while they passed by a crowd of trees towering above them. There were a few rivers and brooks that cut through this forest, so it was no surprise that the sound of one wasn't uncommon. However, what did come as a surprise was upon what the two saw upon reaching the clearing before them. Near the edge of the river sat a figure with dark brown hair that stretched past their shoulders, and as they spoke it was clear there was a hint of distress in their voice. It sounded like it belonged to a girl, their figure hunching over slightly over the river. Sanae booped her nose against Ryou's leg to catch her owner's attention, nodding her head in the direction of the person afterwards.

Ryou only let out a quiet sigh, gazing down upon her dog before slowly walking forward. She didn't want to alert this person or scare them away. In case this was the one that got caught up in some nasty mishap, they shouldn't move too much. And judging by the body of a wolf nearby, Ryou could only guess that this person must have been involved in something unpleasant. Revealing her pale hands from her pockets, the teenager spoke up softly. "Hey, you okay over here?", she inquired. "You the one that got into it back there?" If this person could tell as the Inuzuka talked, her sharp teeth would make themselves apparent what she was affiliated with. And Sanae sitting a bit away was another indicator.

Hopefully, the figure would take their presence as a good sign. If they meant no harm, that is.

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

Airi stared deeply into the waters...she was so confused about why her eye color changed...what was going on with her? She could feel her heart rate picking up as panic was slowly setting in. As she glanced over at her shoulder it...was getting better. She still had cuts and bruises...she needed to use the water to get the blood off her. She also made very sure to avoid the eye...it reminded her of what she felt like she was losing. As leaned into the water rubbing her face she thought she heard a twig crack behind her. This pushed her to the point where she thought for certain she would need to fight again. As she looked into the water she thought she saw her reflection reach out to her...was she reaching out to her reflection. She wanted to hide and run away she just wanted to be in a bed and sleep…

"Hey, you okay over here?"

Airi felt herself calm down…

"You the one that got into it back there?"

Airi turned to look at whomever had decided to show up. As she saw a human she heard Byakko-san say in her mind to be careful...Airi was always terrible at follow his advice. As she looked to girl slightly fearful...she noticed that they were of similar height maybe she was...slightly taller. THe main thing that stood out...or maybe did not was her hair being a soft shade of green which matched the forest and the brush in a lovely natural way. The girl before her even had soft emerald shade of eyes...she had an expression that showed caution but curiosity. Airi could only guess how she must look. Obviously she looked like a mess...Airi attempted to brush her hair out of her face, cancelling the healing jutsu. Her arm at least felt...okay.

She gave a worried smile and got up out of the water. She reached down to her pant bottom and started to try and squeeze the water out of the longer skirt part. Airi only then noticed her companion. It looked like a smaller Shiba Inu...it was adorable...though it matched its masters weariness…

Airi felt for some reason like she should be more presentable that she hesitated in answering...not that she really knew the words she wanted to speak. She knew she was involved though in what way...unbeknown to her she now had active Inuzuka blood moving through her veins. Her awareness of noises a curiosity.

“I am...okay...I think.” She gave a slight bow the ranger and her animal companion each. While she did know of her own connection she did know about the Inuzuka clan. “As for...your other question...I uhh...believe so. I know I was attacked and well...I believe I ended it…”

She felt nervous...she walked forward enough to set out of the river but did not approach any further than that. She bowed her head again and said, “Irie Airi...Gennin of the Hidden Cloud…” Airi did not know why this person was here but she would not impose herself to seek aid...even now she was recovering though her wounds used to heal so much faster…

She felt the fatigue of opening her chakra gates and knew opening them again would be dangerous. She just hoped this lady was kind and not someone she needed to be afraid of.

She was nervous but really needed to ask..."Weird...uhh question. I am worried it was a trick of the light...Are...umm...my eyes violet?" She looked towards her and did not avert her eyes. She wanted to know...

 

[Inuzuka Ryou]

Oh boy, was this Airi girl in a state. The way this girl composed herself, interacted, and even spoke... Definitely the one who got into whatever occurred back there. Ryou didn't even need to do any investigating to see that this was the one she was looking for. If the injuries weren't enough of an indicator along with the dead animal some odd feet away, the Inuzuka didn't know what was. From the small distance Sanae sat, the dog merely watched the new acquaintance's movements with curiosity and intrigue. Yet, there was a hint of worry among them both and the scent of blood permeating the air wasn't a helpful factor in providing any sign of comfort. Despite the duo's discomfort with any kind of interaction with any kind of person, this situation was one that required them both to shove their differences with social interaction aside.

The girl was hurt, after all. They had their morals. And neither dog or human could ignore something like this. When the girl let them know she was okay and introduced herself politely, despite her rather battered state, Sanae only got up to move close to the genin. Her black nose would sniff the air before some sort of instincts kicked in, beginning gently nudge the little one with her head in an attempt to calm her nerves. Upon witnessing Sanae's actions, Ryou could only hum slightly to herself as her lips pressed into a thin line and her brows creased slightly. She was attacked and seemed to make decent work of it... But how did she make it this deep into the forest? How did this girl make it all the way out here?

With each question, things were only beginning to grow more and more concerning by the minute. She seemed so young if Ryou's assumption was right. Despite her ranking as a genin, Irie still shouldn't have been out here by herself without someone to at least watch her back. Especially with reports of monsters creeping about in even the most light filled places. The teen had to admit that she had a bit of a soft spot for kids thanks to her younger twin brothers. So, finding someone like this was a bit worrying to say the least. However, the girl's next question caught both the Inuzuka and the shibe off guard slightly.

They both looked into the girl's eyes, wondering for a small moment what this question meant.

Were her eyes not... supposed to be this color that they are now?

Ryou would take the dive and answer the girl's question truthfully, not wanting to pull her into a lie. "Your eyes are violet, yes..." Right now it seemed like they needed to be very gentle. This wasn't a good situation to begin with. With a sigh, the greenette held out her hand. Her green orbs softened slightly as Sanae whined up at the dark brown haired girl. "Listen, I don't know what's going on... But we're here to help, not to hurt. I'll get that out of the way now. I normally find interacting with people a chore but you're in need of some help, and I'm not one to turn my head away from someone who needs help. You seem pretty beat up so why don't we take you to our house to get some treatment, huh? My name is Inuzuka Ryou, and this here is Sanae.", she looked down at the shiba inu before continuing. "I'll warn you now that my old lady will throw a fit of worry though when she sees you. But maybe you can do most of the talking for me, huh? She wears me out so much that it hurts to even look at her and I'll avoid getting kicked out of my own house twice in one day that way."

Yes, Ryou was really like this. But the moody part of her just wanted to get out of this creepy part of the forest. The other just wanted to make sure Irie Airi got the medical care she needed, and she wasn't good at that sort of stuff. Neither was her mom but that was the closest place she could think of to where this girl could at least get a minimal amount of help that was within a mile or so.

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

The girl approached her as she began to speak. Airi assumed this was due to the fact that she did not seem like a savage or mindless one. Meeting any other living being in the forest was always a fifty-fifty on if they were hostile or not. Airi was usually lucky in that she usually met training shinobi and such…one who could hold a conversation was usually either good…or really bad. Airi could only hope her posture and the way she spoke could convince them that she was non-hostile. Airi relaxed as the girl came up, now she needed to be careful as well…she had been offered help in the past only to be attacked. With how they moved however she just felt at ease. Plus the dog helped…Airi could not help but enjoy the company of such a lovely shiba.

As the little pup sniffed the air airi felt a weird desire to boop its nose but resisted any sort of comfort urges at this point. The Emerald beauty looked at her and confirmed that her eyes were indeed violet. A rush of worry hit her in the chest but she closed her eyes and placed a hand over her heart. So took in a deep breath and let it go. Out of the forest first…then we move on from there. One thing at a time Airi, just like your training. The older shinobi held out a hand which Airi took with confidence...the pup also seemed worried about her…she felt like they were nice people after all she had never seen an evil dog.

The girl said that she had no idea what was going on Airi could only smile as she thought she was in a similar boat. She mentioned that they were here to help not to hurt. The girl mentioned that she would take her to her home where she might be able to get treated. She mentioned that her name was Inuzuka Ryou and the dog’s name was Sanae. Airi tilted her head and smiled, “A pleasure to meet you Inuzuka-san…Sanae-san.” She bowed to each of them in turn. The Inuzuka clan was famous for the companions who were equals to them in every way. A foolish shinobi would often only show respect t the Inuzuka human but Airi made sure she would avoid such a mistake. Insulting their partner was a death sentence for some…

A very relate able moment when Inuzuka-san mentioned her mother. Airi herself found her mother had been overbearing at times. “I’ll attempt to speak as much as I can since you are helping me through the forest in such a weakened state.” As Airi moved forward she said, “Thank you, both of you. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” The brunette would be indebted to them for this…somewhere in the back of her mind she felt a scoff but shook it off.

Airi would follow the Inuzuka or most likely the lovely shiba. Airi could not help but smile as the intelligent little canine just looked so cuddle-able. “I’ll admit I do not think I have ever been this deep before myself…” She did not want to admit she did not remember much of what happened. “Ohh…ahh…about my eyes. They were brunette yesterday and for all my life. When I looked in the water I saw they had…changed. It concerned me but I was more worried I bumped my head or something and was seeing things. Thank you for letting me know.” As they proceeded a little further Airi needed to ask another question, “So the Inuzuka clan lives in the forest? If that is the case it sounds lovely. I really prefer the forest to the main city.”

There were probably hardships sure but…Airi always thought if she got enough money she would do the same. The privacy plus the freedom of it sounded ideal. Airi made a few hand seals and once again placed the green healing chakra on her right hand to her left shoulder. It hurt the most and she could still walk while maintaining the technique. A worried look did cross her face as she wondered why her more powerful heal jutsu were not working. “I am assuming you are a Chunin or Jounin?” Airi was always terrible at guessing but age did not always mean rank. Maikeru was a Genin but he was a monster of a Genin. Airi would never stack up to him…at least not for a long time. She wondered if Ryou and Sanae were the same as him.

 

[Inuzuka Ryou]

Sanae trotted beside the two beside her, tongue lapping out as she took in heavy breaths of the forest's air. This new acquaintance certainly had manners to greet her as well, and the dog was certainly happy about that. She hadn't been shown manners such as those in what felt like a long time. While Ryou just made sure that the brunette was following close to them, Sanae stayed to the side as a means of comfort more than anything. After all, despite the forest's beauty and many mesmerizing features surrounding them for miles, it held so many dangers within the surface that would betray any who weren't careful. And unfortunately for the youngest girl mere inches away, she was already a victim of the forest's many menacing surprises lurking about.

The Inuzuka could only hum softly as Airi spoke up, thanking them both. Admittedly, Ryou had to admit that this confused her for a moment. What did either she or Sanae have to be thanked for? The teen could tell her dog was having the same thought process, for they both glanced at each other in unison before back to the girl. They made quite the duo when they were together, sometimes even copying each other's movements, or having the same reactions. It was almost like staring into some sort of distorted mirror at times. "There's no need to thank us, y'know. We weren't just going to leave you there, as I mentioned in other words.", Ryou replied. "And besides, this forest ain't so forgiving. One wrong step and you're caught in a monster's path here." Sanae could only let out a bark in agreement before jogging to be in front of Ryou, a more protective nature for both girls come into play as they delved into a more familiar part of the forest.

And it definitely was confirmed now if it wasn't before that Airi had never been this deep. Along with the mystery of the girl's eyes, she seemed to be going through problems of her own besides this maze of a forest. As Ryou shoved her pale hands into her jacket pockets, green orbs glanced to the brunette beside her before replying to her statements and questions as they came along. Again, Ryou wasn't a very social person. In fact, she would try to avoid such interactions with people as much as possible. But this situation was a bit different in the matter of someone needing help, and... well, Ryou had a soft spot for kids. At least, that's what she assumed Irie Airi was. "Well, if you need any help with that matter about your eyes, we can talk about that, too. Otherwise, we can help you with your injuries at my house and let you rest up for a bit at least." Scratching the nape of her neck, the little lady let out a yawn before continuing, Sanae yawning at the same time.

"The Inuzuka do indeed live here, yeah. At least, my family does. The dogs have more freedom this way and none of us are constantly drowning in the city noise. Easier for my baby brothers that way along with our younger puppies." If the girl was watching Ryou as she spoke, a very small twitch of a smile was gracing her pink lips. The very mention of her family warmed Ryou's heart. Just thinking about all their smiles was enough to calm her some days despite her constant front to protect herself, and to seem tough. "Speaking of which, one of my younger brother's are very loud. And so is his puppy. So, I apologize if they bombard you when we get to my place. Sanae and the other adult dogs though will do their best to keep them distracted if they aren't already." At the mention of the puppies back at the Inuzuka household, Sanae let out a very audible groan. Looking back at Ryou, the dog was sticking the very tip of her tongue out of her mouth as the trio traversed the forest.

Almost as if she was frowning.

Upon Airi's next question, Ryou could only shrug her shoulders as Sanae huffed while still leading the way. Chunin or Jounin, eh? She would almost be flattered if it weren't for the fact she didn't particularly care about ranking. With a slight hum, the greenette shook her head. "I'm neither. I'm a genin. Unlike a lot of people around my age, I haven't moved up in ranking. There's no particular reason why other than I'm not focused on the life of a ninja too much. Not like everyone else." Ryou then began to ask herself. Why was she so talkative today? To a girl she found in the forest of all people? She barely spoke more than a paragraph to her family a day. And even then, more than a sentence tired her out most days. "But we're here." And suddenly, they were in front of a quaint little house made of wood and intricate necessities on the exterior. Flipping her black shades down over her eyes, Ryou stood there in silence for a moment or two before talking low to Sanae.

"I'm going in. Stay with Irie until I get back."

And with that, the teenager kicked the door open. Disappearing into the house, Sanae sat besides Airi as Ryou's loud voice mixed in with a more mature yet fiery one. "Hey, ma! I found someone that's hurt! Check her out, would ya?!" A squeaky dog bark could be heard before the mother cut in. "Excuse me?! What do you mean a person is hurt? What were you even doing?!"

"Ma, I was helping dad out. Y'know, investigating?"

"Just bring the girl in here! What are you standing around for?!"

"I was letting you know, you old lady!"

"What was that?!"

Sanae suddenly got behind Irie Airi to gently nudge her with her head, letting her know it was okay to go inside.

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

Airi nodded to the Inuzuka as she mentioned that there was no need to thank her and that the forest itself was very dangerous. It was true and normally Airi would be one the out here being safe and protecting others. Her abilities were all messed up and it was clear she should have been more careful. Sanae took the lead when the forest started to get clearer, apparently they were at least heading in a direction. Every step they took would get them closer and closer to safety. Just having these two though already put her at ease. Most creatures during the day would not run up to three chakra attuned creatures unless they were really strong or heavily outnumbered. A flashback to the wolves made her worry however.

Apparently whomever was in her household was a fabulous healer since Inuzuka-san seemed quite confident in her abilities but also about her knowledge. She even believe this person would be able to tell her about her eyes. Airi would be interested in hearing what they had to say.

Inuzuka-san seemed happy when she spoke about her family. Airi nodded enthusiastically when she mentioned how much nicer it was out here for the young kids and dogs. Aiir was super excited to see them as well. “I am certainly looking forward to it no need to worry about me! The last time I got to be with a dog was when I went to a pet café with Suzuki Setsu-kun. The dog had lovely yellowish golden fur and It was curly and snuggly.” Airi had a glow thinking about how lovely that weird Eros date had been. She had not really spent time with Suzuki-kun since then and hoped he was doing alright. The sound of Sanae giving a groan made Airi give a questioning look.

Airi nodded when Inuzuka-san mentioned she was Genin…so she was like Otani-san then. Airi was surprised at the number of really powerful Genin in the village. Inuzuka-san herself mentioned though that she did not focus really hard on the shinobi stuff. Airi had never heard of a shinobi who did the bare minimum. Airi herself had been picked up by a man who checked children for chakra sensitivity. She knew it was mandatory in cloud to enlist but nothing ever said she had to try her hardest to achieve. Maybe some were here just to do their duty until they could retire and love a normal life. Isn’t that really what she wanted to do?

Why…was she fighting so hard to achieve? Why was she killing herself for Anbu? Why not relax? Bigger questions that Airi needed to solve now that her Chunnin exam was coming up. Addressed to no one in particular she wondered as the girl ran inside. The Inuzuka ears might still have caught Airi wondering, “Wonder if I should postpone my Chunnin Exam…?” Airi moved down and reach out to pet Sanae, thus cancelling her healing technique. “What do you think Sanae-chan?” She knew the dogs were intelligent but were they smart enough to understand what she meant by this.

Airi jumped a bit from petting Sanae with a worried look on her face. Airi’s home never had yelling so she was completely thrown off by this. Sanae gave Airi an encouraging nudge on the butt and Airi looked back…reluctant but stepped through the threshold. As she came in she bowed to the house in general and said, “I apologize for intruding…” Airi took off her shoes and then with a little help from Sanae would go inside and go where she needed to. Her heart quieted down as she got in…a long lost sense of home coming over her. Airi attributed it to not being in a family home in years but it might be something even more than that.

“Thank you for having me…” Airi would bow upon meeting the mother.

 

[Inuzuka Ryou]

​

If there was one thing Sanae was enjoying about all of this, it was the fact that the home within seemed so lively and loud. Usually, the commotion was filled with Ryou and her mother kindly debating about what activity the young one should do that day; well, all that before she was always ceremoniously and traditionally kicked out onto the front lawn of their humble abode that they called home. The cream colored shiba had recalled that this child before her had asked a question of wonderance in whether she should postpone an exam of some sort, but by the time the dog had nudged the younger being towards the house, Sanae could not formulate an answer straight away. Usually, people would jump in to say that you shouldn't postpone an exam that's important to participate in. But Ryou never showed up for this exam that Irie was pondering about. From what the shibe could recall, Ryou had straight up skipped it while proclaiming that it was a, quote en quote, 'stupid waste of time'. So, the dog couldn't provide a rather solid or concrete answer and refused to communicate regardless.

In the end, Sanae merely just followed the small brunette into the place she was used to since day one. And upon encountering the other two elderly dogs of the household greeting them at the door, she barked excitedly before trotting over to greet them. Akio and Rie both barked rather quietly thanks to their old age, nudging the younger of their pack all the while with smiles etched onto their fluffy faces. Ryou and her mother were still yelling and arguing, but the antics the two got into were the usual. It was then that Sanae turned to Irie Airi with a bark or two, almost as if introducing the girl to the heads of their little family pack of both the dogs and humans - as their protectors and guardians of this household. Both Akio and Rie moved in to sniff lightly at the girl and familiarize themselves with her scent before they panted up at her, tongues wagging out with smiles before each dog turned around. They slowly made their way into the living room, Sanae waiting for the Irie to follow before entering the main room herself.

---

Ryou appeared into the main room with quite the headache, rubbing the back of her head as a groan passed her lips. Why did her mother have to be so aggressive and have such a strong hit? It was in these moments that the teen was glad that her father was the quiet one along with one of her siblings. She didn't know what she would do if every single one of her family members were as loud and obnoxious as her mother was, or the puppies scampering about underneath the dining room table. In the midst of tending to her fresh bruise on the top of her head, Ryou noticed Akio, Sanae, and Rie comfortably laying on their own beds. Moving to the main hallway to check on the brunette that they had found in the depths of the woods, Ryou spotted Irie Airi there with quite a shy look about her.

Yeah, she wouldn't blame her for feeling out of place. After all, Ryou felt that way on the daily no matter where she went.

"Hey, you're free to come into the living room and sit down. Akio and Rie probably already told you it was okay to go in there.", the greenette said casually as she leaned along the doorway. "But my mom should be coming out soon. I let her know about some of your problems and she'll see about the injury. As for your eyes, she doesn't really know much in that department, but she'll provide you with some theories and suggestions, okay? She says she may be able to at least point you in the right direction." And with that, the Inuzuka neared the staircase to place her foot on one of the closest steps to yell out. "Akira! Nagisa! Come down here and watch after Sayaka and Riku! You gotta make sure they don't chew on the dining room table, alright?!" And as if on cue, two very young boys hurriedly scampered down one flight of stairs clumsily before they both said, "Yeah!", and rushed off to find their respective companions.

Turning to Irie quickly, she sighed and took off her jacket to reveal her grey, pale colored tank top. "Sorry. It'll get a bit more hectic when my ol' man comes back." And with that, she disappeared into the kitchen to find an ice pack for her head after that smack upside the head her mother gave her from that little debate they had.

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

As Airi made her way into the house Sanae seemed to lead the way. First walking over and seemingly greeting two old dogs. Airi watched with curiosity as the the dogs seemed to somehow communicate in such few barks. Eventually Sanae turned over and barked to her. Airi was a bit confused at first until the older dogs seemed to move. Elder Inuzuka dogs were basically the elders for the dog part of the clan. Airi needed to show respect. As they came forward to sniff Airi she bowed her head as she held out her hand, “Irie Airi A pleasure to meet you Inuzuka-sama.” Once they seemed to ge used to her she pulled her hand back. Despite what happened today this place really did mellow her out. She felt herself getting a little tired...made sense considering her chakra gates were still in recovery mode.

After to the dogs made their way out Airi ran into Inuzuka-san and followed her into the main living area. She mentioned that the dogs told her it was okay and she nodded. “Oh so that’s what they were trying to tell me…” Airi had never actually met an Inuzuka before so it would take her a while to start to understand them...it made sense but she also felt like she was being a bit slow. Ryou then explained a bit more about her mom and what they talked about. Airi was about to make a comment when Ryou then yelled upstairs to apparently get some of her siblings downstairs.

Almost immediately two boy launched into the room and in unison listened to her. Airi was almost shocked at how well they listened. Her little brother never acted like that. As she looked at them her eyes softened and she smiled slightly. She missed them…

Airi sat down and just sort of watched the room. “I’ll be sure to tell you mom thank you. Even just letting me stay here is plenty Inuzuka-san!” Ryou san seemed to be messing with her head and she wondered if she was giving her a headache. Airi watched as the boys seemed to go and play with with the dogs and really she did want to sit with them as well but she needed to be on her best behavior.

Airi leaned back into the set and slowly felt herself kind of drifting off. She felt like having a conversation...she had no idea what was going on with herself anymore. Airi thought that maybe she should go and seek medical aid and maybe counseling at this rate. Regardless she needed to make sure this did not get out to the Anbu.

“Make sure to thank them properly...the Inuzuka are being kind to you. Show some respect Airi…” Maybe she could send them some dog treats for the dogs and maybe a nice gift basket? Do people even like those? “How am i going to make it up to them…”

 

[Inuzuka Ryou]

Coming back into the room, the greenette mumbled rather darkly to herself with such abundance of annoyance at her mother's swift hand. If only Ryou was faster then maybe she would have avoided the harsh contact. But as Irie spoke up, it caught the teen's attention as she held the fresh ice pack wrapped in a small towelette in her grasp. With only a few fingers scratching against the back of her head, Ryou could only hum as a reply to the younger girl sat at the table in the middle of the main room from the way she gave her thanks. It was noticed that she seemed to watch how their environment around them worked, something that must not have been completely normal. Then again, a household such as this one was loud and proud like a seasonal parade in the village every year. In the midst of all the madness around them, however, a pair of green orbs paid close attention to the brunette's mumbling.

Deciding to try to make the girl feel more at ease, the Inuzuka promptly sat down with a lazy sigh as she plopped the ice pack on the back of her head with a wince. If there was one person you didn't want to mess with in her family, it was her mom. "Just relax a little, kiddo.", she began. "We wouldn't have left you out there to die. You don't need to do anythin' for us. When my old man gets back, we'll -" As if it was on cue, the sound of a door opening and closing caused the two most eldest dogs to slowly get up and go greet whoever was at the door. Sanae just stayed in her bed politely, one paw over the other as the puppies rushed around the table to play with each other. Akira and Nagisa both fumbled about trying to calm down their companions, making sounds of both surprise and laughter. They truly did seem to be enjoying themselves.

A soft and shy voice greeted both dogs in the hallway before Rie came in first, panting as the effort to go from one place to another was clearly exhausting on her old bones. Akio, on the other hand, walked by the new male figure closely. A smile was etched onto the dog's face that had visibly perked up in mood, happy to be beside his best friend again. The man with silver hair swept upwards caught sight of Ryou before looking at the new face at the table, a wavy smile gracing his pale features. "H-Hello, sweetie. Wh-Who's this?", the dad asked politely. Said girl gestured lazily to Irie before motioning back to her dad, repeating the process between the two a few times. "Dad, meet Irie Airi. She's a genin. I found her in the woods near wear that strange commotion was reported. She's hurt so me and Sanae took her here." And with that, the man got down on one knee to hold out his hand to the girl, all the while trying to avoid the puppies below performing their zoomies. "Well then, it's very nice to meet you, Irie. P-Please, make yourself comfortable. I-I assume my wife should b-be out here any minute now to help you out."

And right on time, a woman with green wavy hair and a medical kit in her grasp strode into the living room. She sat down on the floor with a tired sigh before looking at her husband with a smile. "I see you made it back safe, hunny. Good." The male only nodded with a twinge of a blush dusting across his cheeks before getting up to go greet the twin boys, with Akio following close behind. The father of their rather rowdy family was named Inuzuka Yuzuru, while the fiery mother was Inuzuka Meiko. The older woman gazed at Irie in the eyes with a gentle smile and asked, "Alright, little one. Before we begin, where does it hurt? I'm not very good with this stuff, so you'll have to bear with me, okay?" With that, Meiko began to prepare the kit while Ryou laid her back on their comfy carpet with the ice pack still placed on the back of her head. The head of the household would listen to whatever Irie had to say before asking her next question.

"If you also have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them. Ryou already explained that something might be wrong with your eyes?"

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* Marked for Training.
* 752 Words.

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

The green savior returned to the main room after a short moment. When Ryou-san came and sat down near Airi smiled happily. If the host could relax then it clearly meant that she was being a good guest. Airi was told to relax a bit and Airi sat with her legs in front and her hands on her lap taking up as little space as possible. Airi normally sat pretty refined so for her this was normal. Though she could imagine that the way she looked was not the most relaxed considering how Ryou sat.

As if on cue to her talking however the door opened and a bunch of sounds started to come through. The two older dogs quickly made their way forward, probably much like how they had with Airi. A large amount of smaller Inzuuka puppies rushed in and Airi’s eyes began to sparkle watching them all play with each other. Airi dared not make a sound seeing them play, attempting to etch this very scene into her mind as eye bleach for things she was certain to see. She placed a small hand over her mouth to keep herself from squeaking in delight.

The older dogs came and returned followed by what appeared to be an older man. A soft spoken silver haired gentleman reminded her a lot of her father, though this one seemed to have a much cooler hair design than anything her father had ever tried. Airi was surprised by how relaxed she was when she spoke to her father. Airi’s mother always pushed etiquette and since their house was also a tea shop she always needed to be respectful no matter what in case a customer was nearby.

The man got down to a knee in front of her and held out his hand. Airi took it gingerly and bowed her head to him as he began to speak. “Pardon my intrusion and thank you for having me Inuzuka-sama.” As if the family was a well-oiled machine a woman who resembled an older version of Ryou entered the room. Airi watched the woman speak to her husband and just glanced between the two…Airi hoped one day she could fill the shoes of the lady before her for someone. They seemed to be a nice happy couple so it made Airi’s spirits brighten up.

Airi nodded and without a thought started to remove her top, still with clothing to cover her small chest. In the Anbu there was no such thing as separate rooms so within the year of undressing and dressing in front of mix gender it did not bother her or even become a thought in her mind…though it may make some feel uncomfortable. The first thing that would be noticed was a large scar along her right shoulder down to her collar bone, this was from when her arm had almost been chopped off by a large meat cleaver from a bandit. Along her body were cuts, mainly scratch marks, one bite wound on her side and another bite wound on her right leg which she pulled up on her pant to show. Needless to say she looked like a little savage who caught the bad end of a raccoon pack. Considering the damage to the forest though…this might seem in the light side for damage…

Airi pointed to each in turn and let her know how she was feeling. As she started to prep and provide basic medical Airi was asked to explain what she was mentioning earlier about her eyes. “Well…my eyes just a few days ago since the beginning of my life were brown and now they are violet. I’ve noticed jutsu that I used to know are now not working like they should. On a weirder bright note my hearing and sense of smell seems to be getting stronger. Aside from that…well I have been experiencing blackouts…and I always end up somewhere else when I wake up…” That part was the scary part.

Airi looked nervous but tried to smile despite it, a brave face was better than a scared one. “Though the blackouts only seem to be when I am really scared or nervous.” Airi moved to turn to that her back could be looked at…Airi looked towards Ryou briefly and was about to apologize again but figured if she continued it might anger Ryou.

As for the signs she showed while the eyes might not be the case an Inuzuka child would have the other symptoms as they grew though whether this would be connected or not was entirely up to each individual in the room. Airi buried her face into the cushion while her back was ointmented and bandaged. “Your house does smell really nice…” Airi sighed as she waited to move again while the treated commenced.

 

[Inuzuka Ryou]

Without a moment's hesitation, Ryou had no idea that the brunette before her was stripping away at items of clothing in the main room of their humble abode. The only daughter in the rowdy family just focused on the pounding headache she developed from her doting mother, all the while Meiko seeming only a slight bit surprised at the girl's bold actions before frowning at the sight before her. Her green orbs, obvious now as to where Ryou got many of her features from, followed each sector on the girl's body where Irie pointed while grabbing what she needed; listening all the while, the mother merely hummed and nodded her head. The girl's symptoms began to sound eerily similar to something an Inuzuka child would experience, though she couldn't be too sure.

Meiko began to dab some antiseptic on some of Irie's wounds and injuries, her suspicions slowly becoming confirmations as the brunette before her commented on how their home smelled nice. With a ghost of a smile edging along the woman's lips, the head of the household began to ask the young acquaintance some questions while patching up her wounds as best she could. "I see... You said your sense of smell has improved to a noticeable degree, right? Ryou had those symptoms when she was younger.", she spoke softly. "But your blackouts are a cause for concern. It sounds like you're diving into some sort of mode, switching a part of you on and another part off. Some Inuzuka's can control that aspect of themselves and so can the dogs. Sort of like an attack and defense mode." Beginning to wrap up the girl's wounds, Ryou opened up an eye and lifted up her head while Yuzuru made sure the boys and puppies were preoccupied in the dining room.

He wanted to keep them in there just so they could have a peaceful environment for her to recover.

"Ryou, dear, where did you find her again?"

The greenette sat up, looking down out of respect for Irie Airi's current state. "She was by the river, ma." WIth a sigh, her fingers brushed through her strands of green hair before her mother continued. "I see... Irie, sweetie, may I ask how long these symptoms have been going on?" The woman asked with a gentle smile, tying knots on different areas she patched and covered up the girl's injuries. Ryou merely placed the ice pack on the table and glanced up at the brunette, growing a bit nervous at the way these events were unfolding. Even though the younger Inuzuka wasn't very knowledgeable in this field, she was internally hoping nothing bad was happening to the girl before her. It was in different situations like these that the girl found it hard to sit still, Sanae included. Said dog merely lowered her head down as she watched the scene unfold before her, the shibe licking her nose.

"And if you don't mind...", the woman continued. "Are any of your parents related to the Inuzuka clan?"

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

As Ryou's mother would dab the antiseptic on the girl's wounds Airi merely relaxed as much as she could. The pain she had went through in her training made medical pains seem like nothing. The small stings merely soft annoyances on her mind. Of course that could change if the mother truly wanted her to feel pain but in terms of a gentle touch this was nothing. As Airi felt her gaze go a little hazy she thought about all the times her mother would treat her and she would be a little brat and not want it because it hurt more. Airi whispered to herself, “Even just two years ago I used to be such a baby in comparison to now.”

Ryou’s mother began to explain that sense of smell was something Ryou herself went through. The blackouts as the mother tried to explain it was something maybe like an offense and defense mode. If that was the case though then why was she not remembering it? That seemed a little weird to her but Airi sort of already decided that going to a professional doctor might finally be the correct decision. She had been delaying it for fear of getting kicked out of the Anbu Training program, now that she had kind of spilled the beans to someone it was only natural that she actually went and saw help. Not like she would swear these people to secrecy.

Ryou mentioned that she was by the river and that answer seemed to confirm something for the mother. Airi could feel the bandaging getting done…well rather quickly. Her mother must be super skilled to be able to do that at such speed. Either good training or her kids got hurt a lot.

Airi was asked how long these symptoms had been going on and Airi had to sit and think for at least a few moments…this all started with the rolling Hills mission so…”About a month and a half ago I suppose.” She figured that was about right. “It happened during a solo mission.” She needed to give at least some details but she also really did not want to give away anything else. Genin were not allowed to do B-rank missions without special approval…

The next question made Airi lean up. As the mother seemingly finished what would be her temporary healing. Airi sort of chuckled at that and said, “I was picked up by a chakra scouter from the countryside. When I was found out my entire family was checked and then asked. I seem to be a weird anomaly in a long line of completely average people.” Airi thought about how hard everything was, being the oldest of her class and being the worst of the bunch. Watching other talented shinobi find sensei who believed in their potential…Airi was left to fend for herself and she literally clawed her way to where she was…even now she was the lowest of the Anbu trainees.

Airi reached to get her top back on. Struggling only a little bit. “Honestly, I was just thinking I might have some kind of mental problem or that me breaking my chakra gates was just putting every sense I had into hyper drive.” Airi thought she was maybe being rude. “Not that I mean to dismiss you! It would just be impossible for me to be an Inuzuka with my lineage.” Unless of course her father was not actually her blood relative…but this was not something she knew about herself.

“I imagine I’ll have to marry a strapping young Inuzuka if I ever really wanted to join the clan.” Always with marriage on the mind she tried to imagine living with this family. “It must be hard…with all the mouths to feed and the extra children in the dogs to raise.” Airi smiled happily though. “A big clan family must be fun though…a lot of large happy meals and plenty of company.” Airi glanced over at Ryou-chan and wondered what she was thinking.

“Ryou-chan…could I maybe come back sometime when I learn how to make dog biscuits? I think it would be fun.” Airi felt indebted to them and figured this might be a way for her to repay them. Plus…what Ryou said really got her thinking. “Maybe also you could show me what being a shinobi means to you.” Airi found Ryou to be very different than her and such she hoped to get to know her more…maybe Airi was being a little heavy handed though…

After her response Airi realized it was time to move out, she bowed deeply to everyone. 'Thank you for having me" and then made her way out. She wondered if she would ever return here again...maybe with more answers than questions.

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