Broken Hearts, Shattered Dreams

[14]

Ino awoke from her slumber to the sound of several voices in her house. Wincing against the sunlight filtering in through the window, she pulled a pillow over her head in an effort to drown out the voices. No go. Her demonic senses were so elevated that the pillow wasn't doing anything but reducing it a couple decibels. Her ears pricked up when she heard the distinct demonice timbre coming from several of the voices. No doubt about it, that was Genmaki and his fox brethren, her subjects. With a small growl of frustration, she flung the covers back and threw on a robe. After tearing a small hole in the back so that her tails could poke through, she walked into the living room.

The sight of several different colored foxes and humans all conversing with each other was quite a sight. Sakura was giving a hung over Tsunade a cup of coffee while reprimanding her for drinking so heavily. Tsunade's vulpine companion was whining piteously and trying to cover her ears. She had never imbibed alcohol before and she wasn't taking it as well as Tsunade. Ino, upon seeing this, knelt beside Penni and put her fingertips to the fox's temples while emitting a small amount of chakra to relieve her pain. A small purr of contentment escaped the fox's throat and Ino smiled as she stood again. Penni looked up at her queen and bowed her head.

Thank you Lady Ino. That was quite a painful experience. Such a pleasant drink should not have such an unpleasant aftereffect. I don't think I shall be trying it again anytime soon.

"That's good Penni. Try to get Tsunade to ease up as well. We need her sober more often than not."

Of course.

"Tsunade, don't be a bad influence to my people. I don't want a bunch of fuzzy alcoholics stumbling around."

"Shut up Ino. I have a headache."

Ino just shook her head and sighed. She scanned the rest of the room and watched as the children played with Shin, who was weaving in and out between them in a small game of tag. Megumi sat on a couch off to the side with Genmaki beside her, both watching with the equivalent of a small smile on their faces. Gin had drug a table with a shogi board on it off to the side and was now trying to coax a hangover free Penni into a game. Hikaru had finally tackled Shin and they were engaged in a tussle that nearly broke one of her vases. Ino's eye twitched in annoyance. Hikaru knew better than to roughhouse in the house.

"Uzumaki Hikaru! Take your ass outside if you want to play rough. Juugo, Karin, Shin, that goes for you too. Now go play outside."

Four choruses of 'Yes ma'am' were heard and footsteps sounded their retreat to safer ground. Squeal of joy were heard soon after and Ino looked outside to see Karin riding Shin like a horse while Juugo and Hikaru tried to catch him. She smiled and made her way into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She sighed as she took the first sip. Ever since her demonic birth, everything had become more vibrant, more alive. Hell, even a morning cup of coffee could almost be orgasmic through taste alone. Realizing that Tsunade still hadn't bonded with Penni, she decided to get that over with. After a brief recollection of how to do it, she got the older woman and the reluctant fox to cut their respective appendages. While that went on she went back to her coffee until she felt Genmaki's eyes on her.

"Yes Genmaki? How can I help you?"

I am sorry Lady Ino. I should have come sooner or done something sooner about the Uchiha. The guardians would not be necessary if I had eliminated him when I thought it best.

"And do you think Naruto would have allowed you to do such a thing?"

I…I don't know Lady Ino. It's just…I feel I could have done more.

Tsunade had been listening to them while Sakura healed her hangover and decided to put her two cents in.

"Naruto isn't the type to kill needlessly Genmaki. I know you would do anything to protect Hikaru and your new charges but you have to realize you can't be there forever and you can't be there all the time. Hikaru is a resourceful little boy and with that fighting style Naruto and Lee are teaching him, he'll be a force to be reckoned with. Speaking of which, shouldn't he be joining the academy soon?"