(36) Don't shoot the messenger {TAMAKI}

I said I'll give you some Konaha action and here it is

let's see what's going on in Konaha

This will be a longer chapter so sit back grab your Raman bowl and enjoy

⚠️WARNING⚠️

-Long chapter

Two friends were walking down the Bustling streets under the bright morning "I thought you said you were okay Maki" Hanna said concerned for her friend

"I am, but no word within months- maybe Lady Tsunade's right, Reika doesn't want to be found right now," Tamaki replies

"Perhaps" the Hyuga mused "Why are you even that worried? I thought..." Hana trailed off in thought

"I do believe in her but she wasn't in the best of places when she fled" the blue-haired girl retorts "I'm afraid she might do something she's regret"

"Don't dwell on it." she puts a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder "I know she'll be okay. it'll only get you more down, and you don't want more stress and anxiety than you have now."

"Yeah, I guess you're right" Tamaki hummed

"Plus, if we know Reika as we do She won't give up that easy. Her ambition and determination are strong, She's an Uchiha after all. They're always too cocky for their own good." She said making Tamaki chuckle slightly "see" Hana nudged with a smirked "No need to worry"

"But that doesn't mean she's exactly strong enough to defeat other rouges out there" she replied/muttered, her mind still racing with thought and thoughts

"Perhaps. But you need to have more faith, she's your best friend after all. No need to worry" Hana reassured once more "What kind of friends would we be then if we had no faith in her?"

Tamaki flashed a half-grin "Yeah, your right, but that doesn't dismiss the question just yet."

⟬⟬TIME SKIP- late afternoon⟭⟭

"Mom" I called out

my mom turned her attention towards me "yes, is something wrong dear?"

"Not at all...Well kinda" I muttered

She put what she was doing down and gave her full attention "What do you mean?"

"I know you said that it'll be all fine, but I can't stop worrying. W-what if… what if Lady Tsunade changes her mind or What if she might do something stupid or something worse that could get her killed, or worse."

"Shhh, shhh, shh" My mother gently cuts me off, pacifying my tears "She's a strong girl, we both know that"

"But we also know she was not fine. We both know she was not in mindset when she fled. Why did she- why does she have to be so rash and reckless? Doesn't she know t-that she still has people here that still care for her?" I said, sniffing a bit. Concern and worry were present in my tone and stare.

"Of course honey. But you said it yourself-"

"She's too stubborn to listen to reason," we both said in unison, I resisted the urge to roll my eyes

"-I know, I know" I handwaved with a small sigh "But it's been 3 years and no word about her"

"Shouldn't that be good news?" My mother questioned "That means that the girl isn't causing too much trouble. At least anything notable." She says with a soft smile

"...Yeah, I guess your right" I mused, cracking a grin back

"Now get ready for dinner. I bet you're tired from helping me today Because surely I am."

"Hai!" I replied, then ran upstairs to my bedroom to get ready

I was getting ready when suddenly I heard something scurry from somewhere inside the room. I made my way towards the sound with hesitant and cautious steps. It peaked its head up from its hiding place with its amber eyes "Do you perhaps know Kiya-Chan" it suddenly spoke which startled me slightly "woh, woh, hold it. I didn't mean to startle you Miss" it apologized

"No, you didn't" I replied "It's just I' hadn't expected you to speak"

"Tamaki dear, is everything alright? I heard banging." my mother called concerned

"Everything's alright mama. it was...just, I bumped my shelf by accident, but no worries nothing broke." I lied

"Alright. hurry up dinner's almost ready"

"Hai!" I answered then turned back to the auburn-colored rodent "What do you mean, Kiya? I don't know anyone named Kiya."

"Maybe you know Hime as Kireina" it Clarified

"Oh! So I guess that's what you call her" I mused "Of course I do. Reika and I have been friends for a long time" I exclaimed, nonchalantly like it was everyday knowledge "I didn't know she had the ability to summon! So do you have something for me, since you came all this way just to find me?" The ferret nods

"Here, a letter," it said passing me the parchment

I'm saying this now they sound male, tho its voice was on the higher end for a male; like before puberty. Probably most likely it-he looks like he would be offended if I said this out loud.

"Tamaki, Dinner's ready! better hurry down here before it gets cold!" my mother's voice called out

"Coming!" I called back "Looks like this will have to wait. mom's calling."

"C-can I come? I promise that I'll behave and won't cause too many problems" he begged

I let out a reluctant sigh "Fine but an ounce of trouble and you can poof back to Reika. got it"

"Affirmative" he replies doing a cute salute with its paw, a mischievous graced its faces

I walked downstairs and took a seat in the small dining area we have. "dear, where did that come from?" my mother suddenly questioned

"What came from?" I countered, trying to shrug it off

"The small rodent"

the ferret seemed to take some offense to the statement because he retorted with "I am NOT a rodent! If you must know, I am part of the Mustelidae family NOT Rodentia. We are way better than those creeps." saying it as if he was a four-eyed know-it-all bookworm

"It can speak?!" my mother exclaimed with a mildly shocked expression

"Of course, I can" he retorted nonchalantly yet with so much pride for its small stature, I was holding back a chuckle, sniggering incited "and being referred to an 'it' is a bit rude, is it not"

"What have we just said" I hissed, my eyes narrowed towards the summon

"Is this a summoning animal? Dear, did you learn how to contract and summon your very personal summons?! that's awesome dear. That kind of talent is very advanced and somewhat rare. I'm happy you achieved that feet." she praised

"Oh, no no no, this isn't my work" I waved my hands sheepishly with a making grin to go along with it.

"Really?! Oh. Then who's is it?"

"Reika's" I simply replied with a wide smirk "See, I told you, mama"

"Hmm, I didn't know she had that skill" mom sounded mildly surprised

"Well actually the first time was a flunk and she got reversed summoned to my home instead" the ferret clarified, making me withhold a small chuckle

"That's quite the epic flop" I commented

"But she became quite better since then. I'm always happy to serve Kiya-Chan," he added

"Charmer, aren't we? hmm." my mother teased the summon with a soft grin

"quite" it smirked back -or whatever is equivalent of a smirk for a ferret.

There was a sudden knock on the door, cutting the small conversation short. My mom got up to answer it, and when she opened the door and a slightly younger woman with an unruly ginger bob mixed with a slash of green in it, about late 20s early 30s standing there.

"What brings you by, Hana? Is there something wrong?" her name's Hana, she's a chunnin medical student and ex Anbu. She says that "being able to help people this way is way more her calling than being out there." so she retired and chose to work closer to home.

"Gomen'nasai" she apologizes with a small bow "I know it's late but your needed."

"Needed? Needed for what? By who?"

"They need our assistants at the hospital."

"busy day?"

Hana sent a curt nod in return "Apparently"

Mom then turned to me "I'm so sorry that I have to cut this short-"

I shook my head, cutting her off "It's fine. I understand. Go, they need you."

She then gave me a tight embrace "Thank you Amaimono"

"No need to thank me, I know how important your job is; And sometimes it could get a bit busy."

My mother gave a curt nod "We'll figure out what's going on when I come back. ok? but for now make sure our…guest doesn't get into trouble." she sent a glance in the direction of the maroon ferret "He just looks like something that would get themselves into trouble at first sight" she chuckled with a small grin

"I promise" I cheerfully replied, and with that she and Hana left, leaving me all alone...almost all alone.

"So, you still haven't said what your name is," I stated

I was in my room after I finished my food and put mom's leftovers in the fridge then cleaned up the dining room and slipped up to my room for the night.

"Oh my bad, my name's Tayio; and yours is Tamaki from what I gathered." I nodded "Kyia-Chan speaks fondly of you"

"Really?!"

"Hai. She misses you."

"I don't get it. then why did she leave in the first place." I replied a bit frustratingly

"she hasn't said. You know her better, but my theory is it's most likely due to something tied to here. Bad memories, experiences perhaps"

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense" I muttered, "So you know where she is currently?"

"Even if I told you it's still not a wise to go off on your own-"

"But she did the same thing" I countered, faint anger seethed, lacing itself into my tone

"-I sense your concern but we both know that was an impulsive move there." The ferret, Tayio pointed out "Even if I tried to talk her out of it she wouldn't reply listen"

I sighed in defeat "You have a point"

"I always do" he replied in an arrogant and cocky know-it-all way

I narrowed my brows and I quickly adopted a more serious persona. "So...Why did she send you exactly?"

"You're a smart girl, figure it out," he said so nonchalantly it kinda irked me a bit, it was at that level of arrogance that you couldn't help to be a little annoyed.

"Don't nag me to ferret and answer my question" I retorted slightly harsh

"FINE! Sheesh, someone impatient."

"Or someone desperate for answers" I replied with a sly smirk

"Kiya-Chan is so going to kill me" He complained like him not wanting to do a mundane chore

"She doesn't have to know" she replied in a gleeful sing-song voice "No one does. It's fine I would never tell those pesky higher-ups; That would only put her in danger and I wouldn't want to do that to her, she's my best friend "

"So that just means you need to have some faith, she's your friend after all. All good things come to those who wait" the ferret patiently said "I got to go now, don't worry I'll come by before I leave this place. I'm certain you have some concerns for her"

"Wait! So does that mean you're going to hang around the village?"

"For a while. See you around, it was nice to make your acquaintance Maki-chan" Tayio said, scurrying out my window and out into the luminescence and crisp night of early spring

The next morning I woke up and made breakfast, knowing that she is exhausted after that double shift last night. I carefully opened the door and laid the food on the nightstand and then took off her glasses and set them beside the plate "Aishitemasu mama" kissing her forehead softly before walking out of the room and getting ready for the day

It was the weekend so that meant it was my day off so I deiced to take a walk around and enjoy the Sakura blooming of spring.

I deiced to stop by the sweet shop and grabbed my favorite flavored mochi, Sweet mango creamed filled mochi. I bought a few of those and also a couple of strawberry puree filled ones along with vanilla bean and matcha filled ones.

I remember When Mikasa would ask her mother for a strawberry mochi every time they'd go out to eat, and Hana obsess over the matcha ones, one time she made some homemade ones and brought them over to share.

I guess if I had to be frank then I'd say that I like this warm and fuzzy feeling of nostalgia, to a time that things in our world were looking up for the four of us. But sadly that 4 went down to 3 then two of us were left. To lose must be a dreadful feeling. I'll don't understand Reika and probably never will but I'm familiar with defeat and lose even tho I have not dived into the pool completely.

GOD! How did this go from me talking about Mochi to one of those deep introspections? Way off course, Anyways mochi, nostalgia, the lack of self-confidence. Eh-enough of my rambling and let's get back on track, I sat down at a lone booth and began to eat up my small snack, reading the letter that Tayio, Kireina's summon brought with him the night prior. I fished out of my pocket and laid it.

Hey, Maki

I know it's been a long time but I'm fine. By the way, you'd be amazed, it's nothing like the leaf out here. I passed by a couple of smaller towns on my journey, This one I've been to, was overrun with bandits, but not to my surprise they were super weak. Ha, shows them, don't mess with me-

I can sense the Arrogance through the parchment. Sometimes I worry about the fact her hubris could get her into something bad; if it's not her hubris then her impulsiveness. I let out a light sigh and shook my head, exhaling a small scoff, and continued to read on.

At first, I was questioning why she would send me a note with her just rambling on but then I noticed some letters were written in different colored ink than the rest of the letter. I scanned it one more time and noticed a hidden message.

'let's meet up where it began'

A small smirk grew upon my face, 'I know exactly what she's talking about I do wonder how she's been doing; god I have so many questions for her. But overall I'm just happy I can see my best friend forever. But I wonder why she held off till now.

A/N: Hello just a friendly reminder that I do not own naruto only Kireina, the OCs, and the plot dealing with them. I do not own Naruto and any of the cannon characters.

I kindly ask you all please do not steal any of my stories, I don't mind that you are inspired and all but do not copy because plagiarism isn't cool

I'm only saying this because there have been some cases I've heard recently and just pointing this issue out

I'm using google translate so sorry if I get some words wrong

Amaimono = honey

Aishitemasu = I love you