[Mad Tiger] Chapter 49

Why do I have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme playing in my head? Oh, right. Probably because the second Iruka left, Naruto got swarmed by his gang of kiddie ninjas.

"So, what did Iruka want?" Sasuke asked, arms crossed.

"He told me to scrub the paw prints off the Academy walls," our local Cinderella shrugged. That set off an immediate uproar of indignation among the group.

"Oh, and Namaiki-chan is here with us too!" Hinata pointed out, activating her Byakugan as she stood watch.

Welp. Busted. I had no choice but to slink out of the bushes and endure an impromptu petting session from Ino and Hinata. The boys, of course, kept their tough-guy act up in front of the girls, but the second we were alone? Total suckers for a good cuddle.

"We're helping Naruto," Ino announced, shooting a pointed glare at the boys. No objections.

There was an entire sack of rags ready to erase the so-called "vandalism." A closer inspection (and a good sniff) revealed that these paw prints weren’t even paint—they were just dirt. Water wiped them right off. A solid rainstorm would’ve done the job. I was starting to suspect that this wasn’t just some prank but rather a setup suggested to the kids by a certain teacher conspiracy. If this had been real vandalism, paint would’ve been a better choice. Dirt? That was just... sad. Cleaning the entire Academy would take an hour, tops—assuming you weren’t afraid of leaping from the third floor and running across rooftops with a wet rag like a proper shinobi.

Naruto looked a little overwhelmed as his friends grabbed rags, dunked them in his bucket, and spread out across the Academy’s exterior.

"But… I was supposed to do it alone," he muttered.

"Yeah, yeah," Sasuke waved him off. "The faster we finish, the faster we go home."

"Iruka said he’d treat me to ramen if I did it. As much as I could eat," Naruto added, putting way too much importance on those last words.

Kiba blinked. "Wait, seriously? Since when does Iruka-sensei even like you? And now he’s feeding you?"

"That’s kinda weird," Shikamaru mused, rubbing his chin. "Doesn’t really sound like him."

"Does he know how much you can eat?" Ino cut in.

Cue collective laughter. Naruto turned red. The kid’s appetite, when given actual food, was legendary.

"I’m growing," he grumbled.

"So let me get this straight," Sasuke said, locking eyes with Shikamaru. "You got held back after class to clean something you didn’t do, and in exchange, you get treated to dinner?"

"Something feels off about this," Shikamaru agreed.

"I heard that’s how they recruit outcasts," Kiba muttered. "My mom says that’s how they train stray dogs—start by feeding them, then get them to do whatever you want."

"Hey, shut up," Naruto snapped, frowning. "I’m not some outcast—right?" His blue eyes darted around at his friends, searching for reassurance.

"For us? No way," Choji said firmly, his easygoing tone smoothing out the tension. The kids relaxed a little, exchanging small smiles.

"I think we need to tail Iruka-sensei," Sasuke said. "But not all of us—too many, and we’ll blow it. Shikamaru?"

"I’m in," the so-called lazy genius said, eyes sharp with focus. "Sasuke and I will head to Ichiraku now and stake out the place. You guys help Naruto clean up a little, then leave before Iruka gets back."

"If you want, you can wait at my apartment," Sasuke offered.

"Hey, what about me?" Kiba complained.

"You and me? We’re too loud for an ambush," Choji pointed out, crunching on a chip. I purred approvingly. I’d underestimated Choji’s smarts. Even Akamaru gave a small bark, looking up at his owner like, See? The big guy's got a point. Kiba, surprisingly, let it go.

"We’re gonna expose Iruka-sensei’s master plan!" Ino declared dramatically. "Now go, boys, and Shikamaru, don't fall asleep in your stakeout."

"Yeah, yeah," Shikamaru smirked at her. "I’ll stay awake, just for you."

I was dying trying to decide where to go. Ino’s scheming expression was very promising, but Naruto was clearly suspicious. Sasuke and Shikamaru were off setting their trap. The tactical part of my brain demanded I follow the guys, but my instincts—sharpened by a lifetime of pettiness—told me I needed to see whatever drama was about to unfold.

"Someone’s coming," Hinata whispered.

A second later, I caught Iruka’s scent. The guy was sneaking—he was straight-up creeping around, checking in on Naruto like some sort of babysitter ninja. Instantly, Ino, Choji, Kiba, and Hinata dropped their rags and ninja-yeeted themselves off the rooftop, landing in the bushes below with barely a rustle. Academy training at its finest. I let out a warning mrow before following suit, diving into the foliage just in time.

Naruto, to his credit, played his part perfectly—scowling, pouting, scrubbing the wall begrudgingly. The best part? Iruka showed up way earlier than planned. Guess he wanted to catch Naruto in the act, or maybe he realized the paw prints were already gone.

"Almost done?" Iruka asked, eyeing the wall.

"Almost," Naruto muttered.

"Remember, I promised you ramen," Iruka said, doing his best nice guy voice. "So keep it up."

And then—oh, oh, this absolute menace of a human—he grabbed Naruto’s bucket of filthy water and dumped it right into the nearest bushes.

Guess who was in those bushes? Guess.

It was only sheer ninja discipline that kept me from yowling like a banshee and turning Iruka into a human scratching post. He barely missed my head, but now I was soaked, filthy, and sitting in a puddle of pure grime. This man has made a mortal enemy today.

Naruto visibly flinched when he realized what happened, but to his credit, he didn’t rat me out. He just kind of… stared at the bush with deep concern.

"Alright, let’s go," Iruka beamed, slinging an arm over Naruto’s shoulder. "I don’t know about you, but I’m starving."

"Oh, totally, Iruka-sensei," Naruto chirped back, smiling just a little too sweetly. And maybe it was just my imagination, but I could’ve sworn I saw the faintest flicker of red in his blue eyes.

Yes, my child. Destroy him. Eat him out of the house and pension.

As they walked off, I slowly emerged from my swampy misery, shaking my paws in disgust. I am vengeance. I am the night. I am one pissed-off cat.

"Oh, Namaiki-chan!" a soft voice gasped.

I turned to see Hinata, looking at me with those big, watery, guilt-inducing eyes. And just like that, my righteous fury turned into self-pity. Yes, I am a hero, but at what cost? My fur was ruined. It clung to me in sticky clumps, my tail a disaster. When this dried, it’d be a nightmare to clean. Oh, how miserable I am!

"Iruka’s the worst," I whined dramatically.

"I came back because we realized you were still here," Hinata murmured, scratching behind my ears. "You need a bath."

She didn’t even hesitate—just scooped me up and immediately staggered under my weight. "Whoa… you’re heavy, Namaiki-chan."

"Yeah?" I grumbled. "You think being a cat is light work?"

“We’ll wash up real quick and head back to Sasuke’s place before the others return. I’ll bathe you at home—it’s about the same distance, and we have clan seal-heaters for the water. You’re going to need… a lot of water. And a towel. A big towel.”

Overcome with gratitude, I planted a kiss on her cheek. What a saint. There was still plenty of time, and hopefully, the others would sort everything out and report back on what exactly went down with Iruka.

Hinata wrapped me up in her coat and casually smuggled me into the Hyuga compound like a seasoned criminal. Their bathroom was massive—spacious, pristine, and downright luxurious. I soaked it all in, absolutely vibing, while she gave me an odd look. Right. Naruto had probably never mentioned that I love baths.

Honestly, I hadn’t had a soak this nice since my palace days.

Hinata didn’t get into the tub with me, but she scrubbed me down with meticulous care, gently working the dried grime out of my fur. And, well… maybe it was the warm water, maybe it was the pampering, but I started feeling weirdly sentimental. I suddenly thought about Sano. I hadn’t had anyone wash me so patiently since—ugh. Nope. Not going there. Back to enjoying life.

Once I was sufficiently rinsed, Hinata laid out a huge towel, and I immediately flopped onto it, letting her pat me dry. Being wet wasn’t exactly bad, but it made me feel kinda chilly.

Finally, when I was mostly dry, she picked me up and carried me toward her room, explaining that she had a brush that would get me back to my usual fluffy glory.

And that’s when we turned a corner and ran smack into trouble.

“Oh… Nii-san…” Hinata squeaked, freezing in place.

Well. If it isn’t Mister Destiny himself.

“Hinata-sa—” Neji started but cut himself off the moment his pale eyes landed on me. I instantly recognized him. And, judging by the way his gaze narrowed, he recognized me too.

“…Tora-chan?” he asked, half-confirming, half-suspicious.

I did the only logical thing. I shook my head—very firmly—and put on the blankest, most brainless expression I could muster.

Just a totally normal cat. Nothing to see here.