[attr="class","name"]Hikari

[attr="class","jay"]

[attr="class","quotemark"]

[attr="class","texty"]There was no place like home…

Which is why he did not go there. It was a horrible place where he was mocked and his family got his laugh. Bless his mother’s poor, sweetheart, she could not come up with a lot of excuses for him, but she tried. A frown was visible on his face when a part of his assignment was to patrol the border of Otogakure due to the coming events. It allowed him to take a step over to Iwagakure where his family had another one of their many jobs that were across the border.

Make a little bit of money and go back to Otogakure! That was the simple job!

In a small village with a rather large number of drunks, it was typical what the demand would be. It was actually fitting considering that the Usagi’s reputation started this way: gathering information and intel while filling up sake cups to the brim. The next mothing a ninja would not know whether they gave up intel on their next secret assignment or perhaps what their favorite color was. Either way, it was usually thanks to the bunny at the bar who was innocently washing away the polished wood with a soapy rag.

“All information was valuable as gems! The Usagi were good at digging up both!~”

Another entry in one of the several books that his clan had sold across to the neighboring villages that looked for a thrilling read while the clan mothers handed them down from one to the next child in order to teach them about their adventures. Either way, the clan would prosper! Hikari could not have been any prouder as he would sift through the pages and feel the braille writing that was retelling an old tale. A “Rabbit Tale” as the Icha Icha series named them.

“Hey! Sweety!” Another one of the names he had been given that night. “Another round for me and my crew!”

The reality within the book had taken second to the one around him. The roar of the bar had reminded him of the situation at hand. His latest work shift from the clan seemed to be more of an avoidance rather than a favor. It was obvious, from the correspondence from Otogakure, that the attention of bordering nations crossing into the land had caused a traffic in the bar unlike any other. There was barely time to read the next quote in his book before he would reach his hand out, his bunny-like ears decorating his head responding to his chakra flowing to his ears, as he would grab the neck of another bottle. His nose wafting up knowing the pungent scent like one would know the taste of fruit to the tongue.

What was that last quote he read?

“They drink. They laugh. They are certain of tomorrow. They are certain they are unsure if they will be able to do either.”

[~Usagi Umi]

One of his Mother Umi’s entries from Kirigakure. She spent decades, since she could walk, knowing the art of being a hostess. Such crowds before her were so miniscule that there was writings about how she seemed to have six arms to cuddle and eight hands to serve, and not a patron at the bar was unsatisfied. Unfortunately, the young bunny was barely managing, and it was only until a matter of time-

“Prove it, Shrimp!” The cry of a small bar fight, “Fight me now!”

CRASH!!!

No sooner did a chair break, the young boy would react. Delicate fingers of the rabbit would reach, thrusting out, to grasp the book to read what to do next, but they froze in place. His eyes would close, never a use for him, but signaling that he knew just what to do. The patrons at the bar, turning in complete and utter bewilderment, knew what was to happen next.

“P-Please…e-excuse me!”

There was a moment where one of them wondered if the young rabbit-boy would be okay. They spoke volumes about this crowd that caused chaos as of late in these establishments. Delicate as he was, walking from behind the bar revealing his peach colored Ofurisode kimono for the night, Flowing and bound by the rabbit sigil of his clan and the cottontail making him look more delicate along the back. They worried for him because they knew the code when a Usagi was serving at any establishment, whether theirs or the owners. For the business entrepreneur who invested in renting a bunny to serve knew they would profit not only from a host that would attract attention but-

“S-Sir!” He would stand among the splinters towards the hulking figure that was there.

*CRACK!!!*

So was the sound of what was probably a broken jaw. The base of the iron base of the young rabbit’s footwear would remind everyone of the policy of any establishment where a Usagi was serving. Not only did they show the rabbit’s respect, but it was up to the rabbits to dull out justice if anyone would dare ask for a fight. He needed not to pick up the book to know that was one the Usagi’s rules when it came to good service! The rabbit’s expression, fierce, would carry out the impact knocking the figure off his feet as he sailed across the table and onto the floor. He would take a staunch pose as he would put his hand on his hips.

“Sorry. I-I really am.” He would chime sweetly. “But the Usagi Clan’s policy is to-“

His large ears twitching again. His eyes would not see it, but they were wide as if they could. The figure that was slowly picking himself off the floor after such a delivered impact was steadily recovering. The cracking that had been sounding off before was constant. A melodic, symphony of breaks and cracks until the figure would rearrange his bones back into place and let out a growl.

“His bones…why are they…doing that?”

He could feel the looming shadow. The figure almost his size a time and a half looking down on him. The shade his body cast was like an eclipse to the light that shone from the atmosphere, not that he needed such a thing. However, he could still hear the figure’s unusual bone structure. Rearranging until cartilage would cage the man’s fingers like brass knuckles. His growls and breathing were like some feral beast to the rabbit’s ears.

“You little filthy hare from an ass,” One of the many insults he heard before to his clan, “You will pay for starting a fight with someone more superior than you! Someone of the Kaguya!”

The rabbit would lift the corner of his lip ever so slightly. “So this was the sensation of biting off more than you can chew?” The rabbit’s face would crack into a weary, but excited smile.

“H-How…exhilarating!”