Present Future Demons

Demonstration and Deforestation

Kakashi POV

Obito is alive!... And he hates Rin? I thought he would hate me, but instead he tells me that he's always loved me? I am so confused right now. Him and Iruka are dating as well??? And according to Neji they are waiting for their third!!!??

Naruto POV

Kakashi looks like his brain is turning to mush. Several other people who knew Obito also look shocked, but Kakashi looks beyond shocked.

It's really real. This isn't some twisted dream of hope. We really can save them.

The others are all thinking something similar to me. It's obvious by how tense they are. No one else has really noticed, but all of us are finally getting hit with the fact that this is real.

I can't even look at Shikamaru. I'm lucky my team has been staying to the back of the crowd because I don't know if I can look them in the eyes either.

Ino POV

It hurts to look at them. It hurts to hear them. These people that I've failed. I know I can do this though. I will not fail them again. Starting with this demonstration.

"I think I'll start this off. We will do a taijutsu and ninjutsu demonstration and then answer a few questions. This is probably a shock to a lot of you, but there's no real time to waste." It takes all of my self control to make my voice stay steady.

We probably should have made sure we were ready to actually face them before doing this, but it's too late to change it now.

I scanned the crowd for a few seconds to make sure everyone was letting my words register when my eyes lit on his face.

He shouldn't be here. He was never here until... Calm down Ino. Just breathe and get through this so that you all can go home and cry together with the pack.

I spun back around to the pack and did some simple signs to tell them what I planned to do. The group split, adults to the side closer to the crowd and the rest of the children by the trees and back a bit. Breathing deeply, I begin.

Chōji POV

I can at least admit to myself that Ino is beautiful. The ears and tail that she now sports don't even do anything to take away from that. The outfit is simplistic and practical, but that just seems to add to her already mystical beauty.

I am utterly transfixed as she pulls out some gloves and slips them on. Everything she's wearing right now is a dark shade of grey, but the gloves are blood red with weird orange stripes crisscrossing it. The orange is nearly the same shade as the red, and it makes it kinda hard to look at her hands.

She walks to a tree and bows to it slightly. "I thank you for standing as long as you have, and I thank you again for being the target as I demonstrate and practice my skills in the purpose of serving others."

What was that? Ino really seems to care about the life of this tree.

I notice that the adults are nodding approvingly and the other children all look thoughtful.

Is this just a form of the formal way to greet opponents? Wow.

"Hey Shika. Do you think they'll all acknowledge the tree they use as opponents?" My whisper seems to shock Shika from his thoughts.