Chapter 10: Unexpected Support, Changes Spotted
The moment I entered the Yamanaka Compound alongside Naomi and Ino. We were met with a stern-faced woman, a woman whom all of us knew to be Kaori-sama, Ino's Mother and the Matriarch of the clan.
I could see her looking our way, and to say her regal look and stern, unimpressed eyes on us were starting to make me nervous, like my hands had been found in the cookie jar just before dinner, would be an understatement.
The lady had her brown hair done up in a regal noble bun, tied in place with a dark red ribbon, with two strands framing her face and hanging over her ears from behind, and those stern, pupil-less light brown eyes looking at us in displeasure.
She was wearing a dark teal, elegant dress with an aquamarine-coloured gem just below her collar, likely to keep it closed. Finishing it off was a long light purple skirt that ended slightly above the ground so it would not drag across the floor.
I could not see her shoes, but with a noble look like this, I would expect purple shoes, normal or high heels; I could not be sure, at least not shinobi shoes, since she's not a shinobi, for certain.
Her fair skin was unblemished by the sun or any extreme activity that could damage it. She had only a few slight wrinkles at the corners of her mouth. This did nothing to mar her looks; instead, it added a certain noble charm.
I knew from the past that, from the way she looked, she was not just dressing like a noble, because she was one. During the war, I remember hearing how a small noble house had been attacked in some small nation near the border.
Also, with the war as it was, a lot of information wasn't shared with all troops. I wasn't high enough in rank, so all I ever got were rumours.
After the war, we all heard the truth, or well, I did, due to the Akimichi being allies with the Nara and Yamanaka clans, and the formation of Ino–Shika-Cho being involved, so yeah.
Apparently she lost almost everything and ended up falling for Inoichi Yamanaka, who saved her, and because of the situation, they are now part of the Land of Fire, which gives preferential treatment to Konoha shinobi.
I only know the ins and outs thanks to my old teammate Shun, who is part of the Nara clan. The last war had me fighting and trying to survive as a teenager, so beyond rumours, I had no time for anything else, and hearing the exploits of the Yellow Flash and even the cyclops Kakashi-san overshadowed a lot of things from civilian losses.
Thinking about that time made my eyes dim a bit, remembering how average I had been, and also why, as I am now Bunta, I am trying to teach and train the younger children with the main story in my head and all that, knowing full well only a few months are left until the first big trial for most of them.
However, the first few words of Ino's mother pulled me back to the here and now, and they proved this would be a civil conversation, something I had not expected from the woman's stern countenance.
"Bunta-San, it is a pleasure to see you doing well and being up and running like the big…giant you are. However, once again, you run around instead of recovering as a proper recovering person should.
If you keep doing so, you will have your mother pass away from worry at this rate." Kaori, the woman in question, stated in a calm and collected manner, showing no emotion on her schooled face beyond some slight worry in her voice
This made us do a double-take, especially Ino, who had never heard her mother speak this much before.
'Interesting. I expected a scolding; I mean, she is close to the entrance, which would mean she would have heard a portion or at least all we said…' I thought in surprise
"Yamanaka-Sama, you look as radiant as ever, but I wonder how much you have heard of our conversation just before?" I asked, and it was answered straight up in a dry tone
"I heard more than enough. However, Naomi-san, you are still walking around on clan grounds in that horrible look of yours; dispel it at once." Kaori stated, locking her stern eyes at Naomi
Soon enough, next to me, a puff of smoke appeared from Naomi, who had dispelled her Henge to look like her younger self, now standing there in her true form.
As she is now, she truly could rival Kurenai Yuhi in looks, same body type, just that her hair is blond instead of black.
But since when is her hair wavy and curly like Yuhi-san's?
I will ask for confirmation later. When, to my surprise, a soft, seductive-toned sigh came from Naomi
"Madam, I will be blunt. As you said you heard what we mentioned outside, then you know we meant every word. That Ino-chan here would not survive beyond a week as a Genin.
You have also been in the war and seen what happened to many of us who were her age, or slightly older and stronger. Then you know she won't make it out there even if it is peacetime." Naomi soon spoke with passion in her voice, attempting to make it clear how things stand
"Indeed, Ino-chan here won't survive as she is, and I, for one, will have her, Shikamaru, and young Chōji fail when I find who their supposed sensei will become." I quickly followed up with a strained smile, keeping a hand on Ino's shoulder that almost made her collapse.
While we spoke, Ino went into her own little world when Naomi disabled her henge. Her eyes began shining as she looked up at her, and you could almost hear the squeal of a fangirl about Naomi's good looks, and how she wished to be like her and everything.
However, when my hand hit her shoulder, almost making her fall face-first into the ground, she woke up from daydreaming and heard the last part.
"Mom! It's okay, they mean well. I…They are helping me so I can beat Sakura-chan and make sure Sasuke-kun will be all over me soon enough." Ino quickly started speaking, slightly shaking on her legs, only my hand on her shoulder keeping her standing
"Do not lie to me, young lady." Kaori's eyes turned cold as she looked at her daughter, Ino
I only noticed she had been looking at Ino all this time after Naomi turned off her henge. My brain registered what was happening, wisely stayed silent, my smile plastered on my face, knowing what was going on could only be good.
"You young lady, if you wish to become like Naomi-san, then start training and eating properly. I will 'not' watch your broken body be returned. I have stayed out of shinobi affairs long enough since I am a civilian. But as a mother, I can no longer do so." Kaori-san stated harshly
I heard Ino gasp and saw her eyes tear up slightly, never expecting these words from her own mother. She had tolerated it all because she was a civilian herself, like she said.
"Naomi-san, you know to call me by my name, not just Madam. We are with people we know and trust. No need for the madam; how many times do I have to repeat this?" Kaori-sama was soon heard saying
Naomi's eyes twitched at this, letting us know her stance and annoyance.
"Madam, that is not so simple to do, even with myself directly related to Ino-chan here. The elders would have a field day and marry me off quicker than I could make hand signs. They are already not too happy I'm trying to teach Ino-chan without orders to do so." Naomi ground out through clenched teeth
This made me wonder why she thought a henge would help her out, and why she always looked like her younger self to us, not someone else. Ino-chan and her mother, Kaori-sama, looked at her as well. Kaori-sama and I looked grim, and Ino was more shocked than anything.
"Those old fossils won't dare to intervene. They granted all the power of the clan to me when they named me the clan leader." A stern voice was heard from our side in the courtyard near a tree
When all of us looked, we saw the tall Inoichi Yamanaka leaning against a tree in the courtyard
He had just come back from work, wearing his department uniform: a Black flak jacket covered by a black trench coat, black ninja pants, and black steel-toed boots.
This marked him as a member of the T&I department and head of the Intelligence Division, even though all members wear the same uniform.
Seeing him soon walk towards us with hands in his trench coat's pockets with a stern face, and seeing his wife Kaori-sama with her hands clasped in front of her, slightly bow her head and take a step backwards
This showed me another difference: Kaori-sama has a name here, which is logical, but I never saw it mentioned in canon or even fanfiction. I think I thought this before, but it deserves mentioning again anyway.
However, Inoichi is the man who everyone knows to treat Ino-chan as a princess, and so much so that he was called blind to how she had become an obsessed fangirl, even if others spelt it out to him and called it the reason for it by many why Ino was so pathetic early on in canon.
But here he stands in uniform, fresh from work, looking sternly at us, with a side-eye at his wife.
"Report what the elders would have to do with this." Inochi Yamanaka was heard saying to his wife, who recounted the short conversation she had heard outside the wall, as well as what had happened in the short meeting inside the walls
"Naomi and Bunta, train Ino how you see fit. It seems Ino has been faking information to me and even managed to turn the truth of herself into rumours instead… I never believed them, given what she has shown…
Do what has to be done. I will deal with the elders and remind them what they gave away by making me the clan leader, and while I can, they never get it back even after I pass on." We soon saw him disappear in a puff of smoke, likely going to the elders straight away
This support made me feel weird; I expected him to be against it, or accept it with many limitations for us, given how protective he should have been of his little princess.
But I like this change for sure, and I saw it on Ino's pale, surprised face as she looked at where her father had been not even a minute ago. I went back to watch her mother, who looked back at us, raising her head from the slight bow.
"Mom?... Dad, he… you… What?" Ino said, uncertainly, in a quiet voice, barely audible enough to hear
"Your father is a clan leader first and father second, sweetie. He often hides it as you first and clan second. As you saw, I don't involve myself in shinobi situations; that is why we talked, and why I didn't agree right away. No matter how much I wanted to, I agreed in my own way, but that will be a long conversation between your father and me.
He accepted, as you're headed for the training with both Naomi-san and Bunta-san." Kaori-sama soon said, giving a small, gentle smile to her daughter
Naomi and I looked at one and other, and I saw her bright smile hidden by her hand and quick-moving fingers in signs
'Interesting, so he signed to her to go all out in fixing Ino… but how? he had his hands hidden… oh, the shining eyes and twitching eyebrow… huh, how does that even work? Guess it's a Yamanaka thing.' I thought, soon looking confused, making Naomi laugh out loud
"Madam, no worries. Since Inoichi-Sama and you, madam, are both on the same line and both gave permission for this. We will do what we can to prepare Ino-chan here as best we can to at least become a Genin and survive beyond a week as one." Naomi mentioned after stopping laughing
"Good, and Naomi-san. You should be proud of your wonderful looks and beauty, not act so senseless as to hide it in such a crude manner with a Henge again… at least not at home.
As for training my Ino-chan. Do what you must ahead; she needs all the help she can get after believing the gospel of the civilians about Uchiha-kun, and those senseless, distasteful things just to gain everything from the Uchiha leftovers." we heard Kaori-sama soon say
While they talked, I went into my own head for a bit to think through what had just happened. But I also ignored the women talking, which women tend to do often. Everything today was a surprise in the good sense for me.
I never expected such a civil conversation, and it turned out completely different from what I anticipated, even with Inoichi-sama stepping up to support us and give us permission for training Ino.
So many changes have already been found; they are slight, but there are many. I mean, I have a name for Ino's mother, something that was unknown. Ino's father is blind, yet not blind to her fangirl persona, and he's even willing to give permission to improve his daughter's chances as a shinobi; he's also rather curt about dealing with the elders.
I always thought he tried to hide his work from at least his daughter, Ino, but showing up in his work uniform like this, albeit short, is a good thing for me at least. I can work with this much better than trying to convince him how Ino is now; she wouldn't survive even the most basic C-Rank escort mission against simple bandits.
If I had to try to convince him… yeah, that could have been a challenge if he was the one expected in canon to let everything happen because Ino was spoiled and had her father wrapped around her finger.
Soon enough, Naomi brought me back with an elbow, and I decided to keep listening and open a bag of chips to snack on in the meantime.
"Also, now that my husband went to deal with the elders, you are no longer to mention madam when we are with familiar people, and inside of clan grounds." Kaori-sama said, faking disappointment
"Forgive me, Kaori-sama; it is not easy for me to do…this suddenly." Naomi quickly answered
I decided to join in and get the training on the road, because we would only go into loops like this.
"Now then, since both parents gave permission, let us set off for the clan training grounds and get this show on the road. Would you not say so, Naomi, Ino?" I said, slightly dragging Ino along since my hand was still on her shoulder, with Naomi walking slightly behind us
All I did notice was Ino stumbling along, looking at Naomi with stars in her eyes and hands clasped and mouth open in shock, almost drooling even.
I soon saw Kaori-sama turn around and walk away into the clan grounds proper when I looked to the side, likely returning to the flower shop or their house to speak to her husband.
But seeing Ino, I could not help myself and started laughing out loud; the look was just too comical
"HAHAHA! Ino-chan, you really need to work; seeing Naomi's true face, you can get that if you put in the work. It will be some years or even decades in your poor state as you are now." I laughingly said, trying to use Naomi as an incentive
I noticed soon after that Ino's eyes started looking determined at Naomi instead, and the stars in her eyes slowly turned into small burning flames
"Come on, let's go! No time to waste! Move, move, move!" Ino soon rambled, getting free from my hand on her shoulder and running even to the training ground instead, making me laugh loudly again, and Naomi smirked after her before both of us followed along
— — — — —
As we continued on, back in the Yamanaka Clan leader's house, Inoichi and his wife, Kaori, soon talked, looking outside from his personal office on the second floor, standing near a window overlooking the clan training grounds.
"Dear, I did not expect you to agree so readily. Not even taking time to change after work." Kaori began
"My dear wife, my lovely flower, my elegant and beautiful wife…" Inoichi began, clasping her hands, looking at her with loving and kind eyes
"Husband, be honest with me. Why did you agree, and what did the elders say to you after your sudden visit?" Kaori interrupted him, even though a graceful smile appeared on her face while her stern eyes and countenance both softened while alone with him
"... 'Cough' Well, I heard what happened not long ago in the Akimichi compound. The newer generation has become weak, and my good friend Chōza Akimichi is worried after Bunta left unhappily.
He contacted both Shikaku Nara and me to meet up, and I have not seen him drink so much before in a long time; he barely ate a thing, only after laying it all out to us did he start eating." Inoichi finally said, no longer playful after his wife's serious question
"The elders were not happy that I popped in, said my piece, and left with a Shunshin; it might push them towards a problematic situation, but nothing we can't handle as long as we improve our people's situation, starting with our Ino-chan." Inoichi stated, looking pained outside, seeing Ino starting a horribly slow run with bad form around the training field
"Look, my dear, if not for what happened to Bunta and the worries of Chōza, I would have ignored that, which is our daughter. As a clan leader and a father, I can't let this go on; I just hope I am not too late to allow those who care to fix my negligence." Inoichi spoke with a pained look on his face
Kaori put a bit of strength into her hands, pinching his hands slightly, making him look at her in surprise at the sudden strong grip
"Ino will be fine with them; however, Noami, though… Poor girl is afraid of the elders." Kaori stated, trying to turn his worry from Ino to another matter
"I told them if they try to do anything to the clan members without my consent, I would have them tried for treason and handed off to Anko and Ibiki in the Torture Department." Inoichi grimaced, saying grimly
He soon calmed down and looked at his wife again with a loving, kind look.
"My dear, love of my love, my flower, my wonderful and graceful wife… Things will become better, but you, my dear, have hidden your strength from me." A playful smile appeared on his face, raising his hands in Kaori's strong grip
"You noticed. I have been doing some light exercises, even as a civilian. If the need arises, I still have to be able to secure myself while you fight." Kaori smiled brightly at him, seeing his smile widen in happiness that his wife had this side of her
"Now, dear, while Ino-chan is training, let me help you recover." Kaori stated, pulling him away from the window
'I'm the luckiest man alive.' Inoichi thought with a smile, allowing himself to be led away
— — — — —
Back on the training ground, Bunta and Naomi looked ahead grimly, watching Ino lie on the ground in front of them, collapsed from exhaustion.
"Do you now understand, Ino? With your stamina, you can't even outrun or beat an untrained bandit who can't even use chakra." Bunta stated darkly
"Now don't lie there like a bag of fertiliser. Start doing stretches, or you won't be able to move in a while from cramps." Naomi sternly said
Ino groaned, pulled herself up with shaking arms and legs, breathed heavily, and reluctantly started doing stretching.
After about ten minutes of stretching and groaning in pain, it became clear to both Bunta and Naomi that she never did much training beyond light exercises to complete the academy curriculum.
Bunta accepted a scroll of camping supplies from Naomi, who held it up to him, knowing full well the next part would not be pleasant to their ears because Ino would scream at them for sure.
Bunta summoned two pairs of earplugs and handed one set to Naomi, then put his own in, and summoned a small table, putting it up between them and Ino.
Following a few more puffs, he covered the small table with a tasteless military ration bar they had to eat during the war that had all the nutritional value but tasted like cardboard, with a flask of orange juice on the side.
"Well then, Ino, now that the stretching is over… eat, and drink." Bunta stated with an eye smile that again would make a certain cyclops proud
Ino, though, recognised it, turned pale, and was about to open her mouth to scream at them about her diet, not wanting to eat the military food bar on the table.
"You heard him, get to it; you won't get anywhere otherwise. We have many more for you to go through over the next bit of time till the Genin exams happen." Naomi stated, holding up a scroll with said military food in them
Ino's eye darted from Bunta to Naomi, followed by the table and back again, ending on Naomi's figure and steeling herself, she slowly walked to the table with determination
'To look like her, I have to do this! Sakura will eat the floor, and Sasuke will be all over me if I looked like Naomi-neesan… come on, Ino! You can do this!' Ino thought, trying to hype herself up
She soon arrived, grabbed the unappealing grey block of military ration with one hand, and took a big bite with her eyes closed.
Bunta and Naomi soon saw Ino freeze on the spot, drop the ration bar back on the table, clasp her hands over her mouth and start chewing, collapsing to her knees.
She knew that if she threw up or even spit it out, she would be in trouble because Bunta, as an Akimichi, doesn't allow food to be wasted. She kept on chewing and, with great difficulty, swallowed, quickly grabbing the flask from the table, pulling off the lid and taking big gulps of the orange juice.
"Good. Over the rest of the day you will finish that ration bar, Ino-chan; the day is still young." Naomi said brightly with a sunny smile
Looking up at them, Ino teared up slightly, knowing there was no escape, and since her parents allowed it, she was stuck where she was.
"Bunta, you're also planning to visit the Naras, right?" Naomi suddenly said to Bunta
"I am. Shikamaru needs Shun to get him into shape, while you focus on Ino, and I will focus on Chōji. So yes, I will visit the Naras in a short while." Bunta answered
"Good, then go. I have things here; don't worry, I will not cuddle Ino-chan here." Naomi spoke with the same sunny smile on her face
"Then I will; just focus on her Stamina and endurance for now, as well as her food situation. I will not tolerate her being on a team with Chōji while being more bone than human." Bunta mentioned looking at Ino while saying the last part
To Ino's credit, though, she looked back at him, grabbed the tasteless block of ration and took another bite, albeit much smaller than before
"Hahahaha! Good, Ino-chan, keep that up, and you will look like Naomi in no time." Bunta laughed, using Naomi as an incentive for Ino so that she would keep at it
He walked away, leaving the compound soon after, heading left outside the walls toward where the Nara compound was supposed to be.
Bunta looked back over his shoulder one more time and noticed multiple Yamanakas standing on top of the clan's roofs, watching the training grounds.
"Good, have them watch how Naomi trains Ino; it can only be a good thing in the long run," Bunta mumbled before continuing his way towards his other teammate's home and the Nara clan compound, Shun Nara.