TBD - Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 2

I stayed the rest of the day and night at the cafe, and decided to find the academy in the morning. I wasn't sure where I was in the timeline, but it would only be a little waste of time if the Rookie 9 had already graduated. 

It took me an hour to locate the building (I could have been walking in circles for all I knew) and an additional twenty minutes to find Iruka's classroom via looking through windows. Unfortunately, there were no familiar faces, and given that I saw the three senseis yesterday in their jonin attire, I knew with certainty that Team 7 and the others had graduated. 

Annoyed at my failed attempt to meet some of my favorite people, I set off to find Ichiraku's for future reference. If I can find the ramen stand, I will certainly run into a certain blonde jinchuriki at some point. 

Luckily, it only takes me about ten minutes to find the small booth. It's fairly close to the academy, which explains why Iruka and Naruto eat there so frequently. 

After taking mental notes on the general location and surroundings of the two buildings, I head back in the relative direction of the dango cafe. My feline nose once again proves a very helpful indicator regarding direction and known scents/locations. 

As I'm walking the streets, a fat, frightened and fairly familiar cat skids to a stop in front of me, then proceeds to nudge me into a dark space between the kiosks of the open-air market. 

"Tora?" I try to ask, but comes out (unsurprisingly) as a meow. The brown striped cat's reaction was the truly surprising part. 

Tora's eyes widened, then the cat started spouting Japanese like nobody's business. 

I feel my mouth (muzzle, whatever) drop, then push my paw against the (possibly hyperventilating) cat's nose. He stops talking in order to breathe, my paw blocking his airways (unintentionally). 

"Gomennasai," I say, it still sounding like a meow to my ears, but Tora's perk up as though he understands. "Ano... nihongo ga arimasen?" I attempt to remember my few Japanese lessons, though I'm certain I still butchered it. "I don't understand you."

If possible, Tora's eyes widen even more, showing what I assume to be confusion and disbelief, but he then says, "My eigo ga... not good. Not used in many years." He pauses, then asks, "Help myself from ningen?"

Extremely excited to hear English for the first time since appearing here, I say "Hai!" with much enthusiasm. 

I had already guessed Tora was being chased for a mission, and I was, in all honesty, eager for some - any - action. Gesturing for him to follow me, I was about to lead the way to the cafe when I remembered something. 

"Give me your ribbon," I say as I face the cat once again. 

"Nani?" he asks, his tone one of legitimate confusion. I motion towards the pink bow around his neck, and he immediately cuts it off. Before I can ask if he wants to keep it, he throws it under the kiosk next to us and purrs in an amused-sounding manner. Nodding my head slightly in impressed approval, I step into the sunlight and head towards the sweet-smelling cafe, the striped cat quick to follow. 

The two of us end up padding along side by side, the midday bustle and the bright sun keeping us company. Tora often brushes against me when anyone gets too close, and it takes quite a bit of self-control on my part not to roll my eyes or step away. I'm even tempted to swat at him a couple times, but somehow I managed to keep my cool. 

Just as the cafe reveals itself about two blocks from where we are, I'm abruptly picked up and smooshed against  an obviously feminine chest. 

The words "Uchiha" and "neko" immediately surround me, and I see as my carrier turns around that it's the same group of young women from yesterday. 

Tora meows loudly, and the group looks down, cooing at him, before another pair of hands picks him up as well. They carry us to the same table they sat at yesterday, and Tora shows what I think is a cat-like grin as the women shower us with affection. 

Any genin hunting Tora will be hard-pressed to find him, let alone take him. 

~0~0~0~

Senseis - teachers

Gomennasai - I'm sorry

Ano... nihongo ga arimasen - Um, I don't know Japanese

Eigo ga - English

Ningen - humans

Hai - yes

Nani - what

*So. Second chapter done. Just to be clear, Tora is actually a girl (I searched just to be sure), but I have always identified the poor cat as male. Don't ask me why, but for my own purposes, I am keeping Tora as male because too many corrections would need to be made since it is so ingrained in my brain that I would probably write him/he/his even when I am thinking her/she/hers. 

~ Legend  🖤