Knitting Fate (Canon Patchworking with Uchiha Ren Part II)

Twenty-Third Thread

"Did you meet awesome new people?" Naruto asks, eyes gleaming, almost no trace of yesterday on him. Good.

"I met Deidara, an Iwa ninja," Ren says. "He's Torune's age, and he made Chūnin with me, too. He looks like a girl, and is very fussy, but he's kinda cool," she smiles.

And if she hears Kakashi ask Genma quietly if that means she found another one, and then sees Genma nodding- Well. She'll get back at them for it later.

"I also met Hoshigaki Kisame, and he's absolutely amazing!" she says with a wide grin. "He's a Kiri ninja, and holy fuck, the amount of chakra he has? I felt like drowning when he slipped and let loose! He's also wickedly good in kenjutsu. Taught me a bit, too, because I'm an annoying brat, I guess? But he's a nice guy, and you won't believe this; he's all blue and looks like a shark!"

"No way!" the kids chorus, and Ren only laughs.

"She also got chakra exhaustion, twice," Hana grumbles, half-heartedly slapping Ren's arm as the Uchiha grins unabashedly. "Bloody moron, that one. And ran right out of the bed, for crying out loud!"

There's an actual tear in Kakashi's eye as he clasps his hands before his chest and whispers an emotional 'I'm so proud' before Genma has the chance to slap the back of his head. Genma does it anyway, glaring disapprovingly at the younger man.

"Also, I have gifts," Ren says, and all hell breaks loose. Well- maybe not all hell, but she suddenly finds herself completely surrounded by children, even more than a while ago. She manages to suffer through it, though. Somehow.

...ooo~(x)~ooo...    

She flings the packet of dog tags at Kakashi, and only shrugs when he glares at her, massaging his forehead where the packet had found its mark. However, when he unpacks them, he looks like he's debating whether or not to pounce on her, and Ren is rather happy when he apparently decides not to. She doesn't need to be smothered by an overly happy dog ninja, thank you very much.

She has a band of children that most likely will do it.

Sakura is first, and the only thing Ren gets as a warning is a squeal way too high-pitched to be bearable, before she's assaulted by a seven-year-old launching herself at Ren, engulfing her in a surprisingly strong hug. She may or may not be making herself a second Hana, but, honestly, Sasuke and Naruto really need someone to rein them in when Ren isn't around.

While Kiba is gushing over the dog whistle and already plotting with mini-Akamaru, Shino and Torune are already too engrossed in their joint gift, an encyclopedia on insects found throughout the Land of Earth, to even hear what's being said to them. Hinata asks Ren to put on the hairclips and, even if Ren really wasn't sure what to buy the girl, the accessories seemed a good bet. Hinata apparently never gets little sentimental gifts – and that makes Ren want to go and yell her throat raw at Hiashi.

Shikamaru is napping on his new pillow about a minute after he gets it, and Ren is pretty sure that prying Choji away from his new cookbook before he's done with it will be a rather futile attempt.

Genma smirks at her, taking the packages of poisons and their corresponding antidotes, before ruffling her going-to-sleep-and-hoping-for-the-best hairstyle, and switches his headband with the bandana, pocketing the protector. It looks good on him.

Hana's face does something weird when she presents her with the necklace, like she wants to cry, but then changes her mind, eventually morphing into something gushy Ren would rather never think too much about, and before she knows it, she's engulfed in a rather mighty bear hug a'la Hana.

Hibiki looks at her strangely when she presents him with a full ninja toolkit, but attaches it to his belt without a word after glancing at the contents. Perhaps it's the additional coil of ninja wire that speaks to him.

The glint in Sasuke's eyes at the sight of the tantō might be a bit scary, but the eagerness with which Naruto dives straight into his beginner's sealing kit? That's straight-up terrifying. Ren had made a good bet on that one, because Naruto – the same one who sincerely detests all learning – has to be actually forcibly pried away from the scroll when dinner time rolls around.

They end up ordering takeout at Ichiraku.

...ooo~(x)~ooo...    

Shibi comes over to the flat later, when the only people left are the Inuzuka siblings and Aburame cousins, save for its residents. Kakashi, at Hana's insistence, was dragged by Genma off to the clinic, so those two are gone, too.

What catches Ren's attention, though, is the fact that Shibi is carrying a massive, dark-purple scroll.

"Congratulations on acquiring a higher rank, Ren," Shibi says, setting the scroll next to him. It easily reaches his hips when standing, and Shibi isn't a short man. "This is one of the artifacts that have been in the Aburame's vaults for safekeeping for a long time," he explains.

"Okay?" Ren says, cocking her head to the side.

"I have decided to give it to you as a gift for your promotion," Shibi says, and before Ren can say anything, continues, "What is inside is... incompatible with the Aburame clan's skill sets. You, however... I have not been your sensei for very long, but I have made an effort to get to know my team. I am confident that you will find it both useful and fitting to your... preferences."

Ren sighs, shaking her head, but accepts the scroll nonetheless.

"Thanks, sensei."

"You're welcome," Shibi tilts his head. "Shino, Torune, let us return home."

Ren sees them off with a smile, and then returns to the sitting room, the massive scroll at her feet. She unrolls the first portion a bit, then, reading the kanji on it, freezes, eyes wide.

"Ren?" Hana asks, looking at her friend. "What is it?"

"It's..." Ren says, and then blinks, shaking her head harshly. "It's a Spider Summoning Contract."