[Mad Tiger] Chapter 38

A tangle of limbs, kids, and one glorious cat—that’s how the night played out. Why? Because after dinner, Sasuke decided to stay the night at our place.

It was already late, and both boys were mentally and physically exhausted. Naruto’s bed, though a bit cramped, could fit three scrawny kids if they arranged themselves like spokes in a wheel. I claimed my rightful spot near Naruto’s pillow but shifted halfway through the night to Sasuke’s side—fairness matters, after all. Both of them were knocked out cold, lightly snoring through their noses. I had suggested they sleep properly, but for some reason, they decided the “foot-to-head” arrangement was peak comfort.

To my immense delight, the boys agreed to venture back into the Uchiha District. Since they only got one day off from the Academy each week, they agreed to head over after classes, leaving them about four hours of daylight to explore.

Even better? They were starting to communicate like real teammates. They inspected the festival sweets again, piecing together details I hadn’t considered. Apparently, Sasuke noticed the ribbons tied a certain way on the boxes, which was unique to specific holidays. He pointed out that his clan was wiped out in early October—a month without many celebrations besides the memorial day for the Nine-Tails attack on October 10th.

It struck him as odd that Sora-san had leftover gift boxes for the autumn equinox, a holiday that didn’t match the timeline. I couldn’t help but puff out my chest in satisfaction. Clearly, the masked man hadn’t thought to check under the counter where I found that stash of treats. They were connecting dots, and I was proud to witness it.

A shared cat and a shared mystery—it’s a recipe for bonding.

Sasuke woke up first. His eyes fluttered open, scanning the room with a mix of confusion and tension, probably wondering where he was. I scooted closer, purring to reassure him and invite some morning ear scratches. He relaxed almost immediately and—miracle of miracles—smiled a little. Don’t worry, Sasuke, your secret’s safe with me.

After a brief session of ear rubs and him wiping the sleep from my eyes (a charming habit of his), Sasuke slipped out of bed silently and headed for the bathroom. That’s when I turned my attention to waking Naruto.

Naruto stretched and blinked at the empty spot next to him. “Uh… Namaiki-chan, wasn’t Sasuke here?”

I nodded and pointed a paw toward the bathroom door. Naruto tilted his head, listening to the sound of running water, and nodded back.

“Alright, I’ll get breakfast started,” he said, rubbing his face and shaking off the last remnants of sleep.

“You might also want to make yourself presentable, you messy-haired gremlin,” I meowed with a disapproving look at his bedhead.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll wash up,” Naruto replied, waving me off. “It’s not like Sasuke’s going to use my toothbrush… or yours…” He trailed off, squinting as if the idea had just occurred to him.

I hissed, outraged. Sasuke might be a little shut in, but he wasn’t that uncivilized.

“Yeah, no,” Naruto muttered, smirking. “That’d be too much effort for him.”

While Sasuke finished in the bathroom, Naruto managed to boil some water and hand me a sausage. My little chick is learning.

“Morning! I’m making ramen and opening some of the cans we found—don’t want them to spoil,” Naruto chirped when Sasuke entered the kitchen. “Oh, and Namaiki-chan was worried you might use his toothbrush,” he added with a snicker.

Sasuke squinted at me, eyebrow raised. “You brush the cat’s teeth?”

“Nah,” Naruto laughed. “That’s his claw brush. Namaiki-chan loves bath time. He tried to get one yesterday, but, uh… it didn’t work out.”

Naruto’s guilt-ridden glance my way reminded me of last night’s bath debacle. The hot water in this place was laughably limited. Either you took a quick shower, or you were out of luck. Compared to the luxury of Kushina-san’s house, where seals kept the water piping hot, this setup was a joke. No microwaves, no washing machines—just a propane stove and handwashing everything in cold water.

“Can you keep an eye on the ramen? I’m gonna wash up,” Naruto asked Sasuke. “Namaiki-chan gets real picky about hygiene.”

Sasuke nodded, and Naruto darted off to the bathroom. That’s when Sasuke, in an uncharacteristically soft voice, said, “I want to go back to my old house today.”

Oh? That was unexpected. Yesterday’s adventure must’ve sparked something. Progress! When the kettle whistled, Sasuke turned off the stove and prepared breakfast.

“Namaiki-chan, you’re from the Uchiha clan, aren’t you?” Sasuke asked, tilting his head slightly. “I don’t remember you, but… there were other cats. Really smart ones, like you.”

Technically, yes, but that’s a loaded question. I let out a noncommittal trill, watching him carefully.

He tried again. “Are you connected to the Uchiha clan?”

I nodded.

“Did you live in the district?”

I shook my head.

“Were you given away as a kitten?” Sasuke guessed.

I nodded again. Sharp kid. If only he’d ask my age!

“What are you two up to?” Naruto asked, returning to find me sitting in front of Sasuke.

“I’ve been asking Namaiki-chan questions,” Sasuke explained. “If you ask yes-or-no questions, he answers.”

“Whoa, that’s awesome!” Naruto’s eyes lit up. “What’d you learn? Something about your clan?”

“I think I figured out how Namaiki-chan knows so much about us,” Sasuke said. “He was born in the clan but given away.”

“And he said we forgot something!” Naruto exclaimed, clenching his fists in determination. “But how do we remember something we forgot?”

“Let’s eat first, then think it over,” Sasuke suggested. “We’ve got the Academy soon anyway…”

I tapped a paw on the cans of food.

"Do you want some too?" Naruto asked.

I sighed, licked my lips dramatically, and shook my head.

"Looks like Nemaiki's just drawing our attention to the cans," Sasuke said, always the more observant one. "Yeah! There was something weird about the dates on the packaging yesterday."

I nodded vigorously. Finally, progress! I almost felt proud of these sharp little humans.

"And what could be wrong with them?" Naruto asked, chewing on his noodles as he gave me a look like I was about to bust out in full sentences.

Sigh. Praised them too soon. I smacked my forehead against the edge of the table.

"Don't worry, Namaiki-chan, we'll figure it out," Naruto said with his usual sunny grin. "Sasuke's really smart. He’ll figure it out for sure."

I glanced at Sasuke, who looked slightly flustered, cheeks faintly pink. Yeah... figure it out. I was expecting way too much from kids. Future ninja or not, they were still just kids—kids who had been manipulated, lied to, and thrown off course. And if I remembered the anime correctly, I knew exactly where all of this was heading…

How could they possibly guess something so outlandish? That the entire area had been “genjutsu-ed” to cover up crimes? That parts of their lives were fake memories? That what they thought they’d lost was never truly gone? That Sasuke’s brother hadn’t murdered the entire clan but had actually tried to save it? That Naruto and Sasuke had been best friends since they were little? That Naruto had a mom, and she was the freaking Fifth Hokage?

No. No way they could connect those dots over breakfast noodles and a game of yes-or-no questions.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto said hesitantly. "Yesterday, we found some weapons. Do you think... you could give me a few shuriken? I don’t have any of my own… And I don’t have money either. No one will sell me any, anyway. And the ones Iruka-sensei gives me for class are all messed up. They’re unbalanced, and I can’t hit the target. Everyone laughs at me…"

By the end of his rambling confession, Naruto was red as a tomato.

"Yeah, of course," Sasuke said quietly. "I didn’t know…"

"You never laughed," Naruto muttered even softer, his head hanging as he gripped his chopsticks. "And… sorry for picking on you before. I don’t know why I did it… You were just so… lifeless."

"Hn," Sasuke huffed in classic Uchiha fashion. "Forget it."

"Maybe we can practice before class?" Naruto offered, his mood already perking up.

"Sure."

Today, I decided I’d make an official trip with the boys—now pretty much friends again—to the Ninja Academy. But alas, my grand plans were derailed.

As the kids made their way toward the Academy, something peculiar caught my eye. A lavish palanquin cart rolled past, surrounded by attendants. And then I caught a whiff of a very distinct scent: my former mistress, Madam Shijimi.