First, let it be understood: Mother is a Jonin. Escape? A futile waste of energy. Not a single chance. The sooner you get your thrashing, the sooner you sit down at the table. It's simpler that way. Secondly, although Mother is a veterinarian, she is also a full-fledged ninja medic, having graduated with honors from the courses of Princess Tsunade herself. When it comes to inflicting injuries, she has her own, special approach. That's why it hurt so much!
Sitting on one half of his soft cushion, Ryoto winced in pain. You really are my dear mother. Your hand is anything but gentle. Holding a bowl of fragrant white rice, Ryoto dove headfirst into eating his sukiyaki.
"Mom, wow, this is delicious," he said, lifting his face, glistening with grease, not forgetting to praise his mother's cooking.
Seeing her son act as if nothing had happened, so resilient and thick-skinned, the corners of Inuzuka Rin's lips twitched upward, but she immediately suppressed the smile and sighed deeply. Who in the world did he take after? Had it been any other child, he would still be crying. Could I have truly mixed him up at the hospital? And this seemingly foolish boy is a genius? Though he is very suspicious… However… Rin's gaze fell upon Smarty, who was also diligently devouring her dinner. Some questions required clarification. Outsiders might not know all the subtleties of the Inuzuka Clan, but Rin, as the head of the clan, sensed a clear anomaly in Smarty's behavior. No one knew the Inuzuka Clan better than she did.
"Mom, whose dogs are these?" Ryoto asked, not looking up from his food, glancing at the hounds with their muzzles buried in their bowls. They were not his mother's ninja hounds.
"Be less inquisitive," Rin tossed out coolly.
Ryoto shrank back and said with a fawning smile, "I love you, Mom."
"Hmph…" The corners of her lips crept upward against her will. Gazing at that sweet face, which had inherited her beauty, she felt a surge of tenderness, but Rin had long grown accustomed to these ploys and had developed an immunity. Ryoto's words were those of a trickster. The girls in the village would have to be on their guard with him in the future.
"The masters of these poor things are gone…" Rin said with a note of sadness. "I brought them here for the night."
Ryoto froze for a moment, then lowered his head without a word. It meant that no one was left in that branch of the clan to care for the remaining ninja hounds, and now this duty, among many others, fell upon his mother's shoulders.
"How was school today?" his mother asked suddenly.
"Great, it was a lot of fun, I made a lot of friends," Ryoto replied. "It's just that the girls are too clingy, they're all over me."
He spoke quite convincingly. If his teacher, Sato Takeru, hadn't called her directly in her office, she might have almost believed him.
"Is there a girl you particularly liked? What's her name?" Rin asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Liked? Why?" Little runts, flat as boards. While devouring his rice, Ryoto added sweetly, "I only love my mom."
"Is that so…" This boy… Sometimes it was unclear whether he was pretending to be a fool or if he truly was one, but Rin was very pleased.
"And what are the names of the friends you made? Invite them over sometime," Rin continued her interrogation.
How should I know their names? I didn't even see anyone in the classroom, Ryoto thought, casting a glance at his dog-sister. Say something! Smarty, noticing his gaze, turned away with a piece of meat in her mouth and flattened her ears.
Rin, chuckling to herself, sipped her sake.
"Don't tell me you've already forgotten your friends' names? How naughty."
Ryoto paused for a moment before answering, "Obito. Uchiha Obito."
The boy was his age, so he was certain to be in the ninja academy, though whether they were in the same class was another question.
"Uchiha, you say…" Hearing this, Rin's expression turned serious. "Don't play with him."
"No problem, Mom," Ryoto nodded decisively.
Such a quick agreement made Rin doubt whether they were truly friends, but she didn't press the matter.
As the family conversation wound down, dinner came to an end, and a warm interlude for mother and son began. Rin cherished these moments of tranquility after work. She sat in the living room, watching a comedy show on television and hugging Ryoto, who was curled up in a ball. What was wrong with a mother hugging her son? She adored hugging, cuddling, and tossing things in the air. Especially when she saw cute little animals. The problem was Ryoto. With an expression of universal despair on his face, he stared blankly at the screen. He felt suffocated in her embrace; this woman was all muscle, and it dug painfully into him. He did not like it. But this domineering woman always did as she pleased. Still, it was better than being forced to wear cute, girly outfits.
"Hahaha, I'm dying! Isn't it funny, Ryoto?"
"Ha…" A corner of Ryoto's mouth twitched. "Hilarious enough to make me cry."
They watched a little more television, and at nine o'clock, Rin turned it off, hurrying Ryoto to go wash up and get to bed.
"Mom, it's only nine," Ryoto protested. He didn't want to sleep; he was a true night owl—unable to fall asleep at night and unable to wake up in the morning.
"You have school tomorrow…" Rin looked at him with a smile.
Right, there was that, he had almost forgotten. The hair on Ryoto's head stood on end, and he turned towards the bathroom.
"I'm going to bed, Mom."
On his way, he grumbled under his breath, "Damn it, I haven't been to school in eight hundred years."
But there was no fighting it; it was better to be compliant. He hummed quietly, "The summer rains have faded, and still, I wait for you…"
Rin didn't understand the words, but seeing him dawdling, she shouted, "What are you mumbling about? Hurry up!"
You tell me to hurry, so I should hurry? Ryoto suddenly flew into a rage and sang loudly, "Don't you believe the tears, I will return to you again!"
A cute, pink, dog-shaped pillow flew and hit him in the back of the head.
"Don't you dare scream so late at night! You're asking for it!"
Ryoto glanced back at the furious Rin and immediately bolted. Smarty, seeing this, was about to follow him without a second thought—she had slept in the same bed with Ryoto since she was a pup and had never been separated from him. However, Rin stepped on her paw. The dog turned around, bewildered.
"Suzu, I need to ask you something."
Hearing this, Suzu stuck out her tongue and smiled fawningly.
"You two are hiding something from me, aren't you?" Rin asked with a smile.
Suzu hesitated, then slowly shook her head.
"Really?" Rin grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, lifted her, and walked into the courtyard.
Smarty whined piteously, sending a signal to Ryoto. From the bathroom, Ryoto immediately answered her with a howl. 'Hang in there, sis! She has no proof!' Smarty replied with a howl of her own. 'Got it!' With a heavy heart, Ryoto continued to wash up.
In the courtyard, Rin looked at the dog sitting obediently before her and said, "Transform."
Smarty tilted her head, looking at Rin with confusion. Sitting on the veranda, Rin, without another word, crossed her legs, took off her slipper, and smacked Smarty on the head with it. The blow was perfectly calculated—enough to stun, but not to cause brain damage. Smarty clutched her head with her paws.
"Don't play dumb," Rin clipped out. "Human Beast Mimicry."
"Woof-woof-woof!"—'I can't do it!'—Smarty held firm. Ryoto was her beloved brother.
Hearing this from the bathroom, Ryoto began to sing calmly. At that moment, Rin pulled a handful of the Inuzuka Clan's ninja hounds' favorite treat from her pocket and, lowering her voice, said, "Do as I say, and I'll give you all of this. Don't worry, Ryoto won't find out."
'Well, that's negotiable…' Smarty stared intently at the treat in Mother Rin's hand, and her mouth began to water.
With a puff of smoke, a little girl of about five with white hair appeared before Rin. In appearance, she bore a slight resemblance to Ryoto, as lovely as a porcelain doll—in a word, very pretty.
"Oh…" Rin narrowed her eyes seriously. The level of execution was perfect, no, it was too perfect. This could no longer be called Human Beast Mimicry. It was a true transformation technique, indistinguishable from reality! However…
"Oh, how adorable!~"
Rin swept Smarty up in her arms. The little girl, craning her neck and opening her mouth, desperately reached for the treat, but she couldn't quite get to it and grew very anxious, whimpering piteously.