After a few moments of careful consideration you turn towards the women and strollers. The genin are tempting but you'd probably just get in the way, and you have no idea how you'd even start to approach a pack of dogs. And as for the girl with the snake… well, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that that's Mitarashi Anko, most likely current apprentice of Orochimaru.
...you're going to avoid Orochimaru.
It takes you a few long moments to toddle over to the mothers. Walking is still new to you, and between the unleveled ground below you and the unexpected wind hitting you from the side you have to do it with two outstretched arms for balance. You hear laughter from behind you and a few cooing noises from other parents. You ignore the laughter and focus on the coos. Even if you're not dignified, at least you're adorable.
Your targets aren't among the laughing or the cooing. They don't seem to be paying you any attention at all. Instead they're talking with each other in hushed voices that come into focus as you get closer. "...is he holding up?" one woman asks the other.
"About as well as can be expected," her friend answers. "He's running himself ragged holding everything together. Every night he manages to make it home he seems even more exhausted than he did the night before. But how can I be upset?"
The first woman shakes her head, her brown bun shaking slightly from the motion. "I understand completely."
The other woman frowns but reaches over to give her friend a small, one armed embrace. "And how is your home? Inoichi can't be any less busy than Shikaku!"
"I don't think anyone is as busy as Shikaku right now," is the response, "But yes, putting together the pieces of what happened is taking it's toll. I doubt he's he's slept more than a handful of hours since the attack. He works at the tower, he works in the field, and the only times he's home he insists on giving me a rest so he can take care of Ino."
The names mentioned click in your head. These two women are married to Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi, no doubt two of the most important shinobi in the post-Kyuubi village right now. That would make them Nara Yoshino and… huh. You don't think you ever learned the name of the other one. And that would mean that the two bundles of joy down there are Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino.
Huh. This is… weird. Really weird. You've never met any of these people before but you already feel like you sort of know them. A little. Kind of? You have vague memories of them at least. Or rather, you used to and…
You're so distracted by your contemplation that you almost miss Ino's mom pull a small rattle out of a satchel on her side. She holds it over the babies and begins to shake it, much to her friend's amusement. "Don't you think it's a little early for them to be playing?" Yoshino asks.
"For them to play, yes, but all the child development books I've read agree that very young children need mental stimulation to thrive. See? Look at how she's responding to the- augh!" Her words end with a yelp of pain as the rattle falls from her hand. As you watch, she opens and closes her hand quickly, stretching it out.
"It's still bothering you?" Yoshino asks. "Have you been putting the cream on it?"
"Yes, but it takes time to work. And it doesn't bother me all the time. It comes and goes."
The chatter about what appears to be an old injury but you don't pay much attention. You decided before coming over here that you were going to try and be helpful and you've just gotten a golden opportunity. You toddle towards the rattle and grab it's handle with both hands. The moms conversation cuts off as you step close, offering the rattle back to Mrs. Yamanaka.
Their eyes rake over you for a second and you almost shiver under the glances. Mothers who've just given birth they may be, but there's no doubt that these two are still trained shinobi. They judge and weigh you in a fraction of a second as you stand with the rattle outstretched.
You won't let them just make up their mind about you without saying your piece! You square your shoulders, meet Yoshino's eyes, and proudly proclaim, "Gaa!"
Instantly, the judging vanishes, replaced by a more normal reaction. "Awwwww!" Mrs. Yamanaka coos. "So precious!"
"Wow!" Yoshino joins in, voice set in the higher pitched 'talking to babies' voice that parents always use. "You're such a helpful boy! Did you come all the way over here just to give that back to us! Thank you so much!"
Part of you wants to roll your eyes at being praised in such an over the top manner. But a bigger part of you, the part that's been growing ever since you were plopped down in this baby's body, puffs out it's chest. Of course they're reacting like this! You're the most helpful boy!
Mrs. Yamanaka takes the rattle back and reaches down to ruffle your hair. "Thank you for all your help! It's good to know that there's such a big strong man around if we ever need anything!"
The last word is half out of her mouth when you become aware of a presence behind you. A glance over your shoulder reveals Tokei. He's not quite glowering down at you but it's close. "My apologies," he gravels to the women. "Is he bothering you?"
Yoshino's head move side to side slightly. "Not at all," is the pleasant answer. "He's being very helpful actually."
Tokei pauses. "Good," he offers before giving a little bow, a small incline of his head that doesn't take his eyes off of any of the people in front of them. "Please let me know if that changes."
"We will certainly do that, Mr….?"
"Tokei, of the Land of Iron. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Nara, Lady Yamanaka."
At the name, a light goes off behind Yoshino's eyes. "Ah, yes! You're the samurai! It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance! I hope you're finding Konohagakure to be to your liking. Recent unpleasantness aside, of course."
"The climate is certainly different," he answers tactfully. "But I'm certain that I shall grow accustomed to it in time."
Your guardian makes small talk with the two matriarchs for a few moments before walking back over to where Umo is watching the scene with keen eyes. You're left to your own devices with the two women and babies- and you're quickly put back into service helping them when baby Ino launches a small fuzzy toy directly at your face. You pick it up and give it back, drawing another coo from the mothers and a little gaa from the newborn.
As she launches it again, smiling at the new game, you keep an ear on the mother's conversation. "So that's…?" Mrs. Yamanaka asks.
"Yes, the Iron Damiyo's… nephew. He caused quite a stir when he was born from what I hear. You can see a little bit of the man in his chin and eyes, but he looks more like his mother from what I can tell."
Mrs. Yamanaka lets out a cluck of her tongue. "Maybe I should get him away from little Ino then? I've seen portraits of Satomura Manami. If she's even half as beautiful as the artists say then he should be a little heartbreaker!"
The two giggle like older women do, and you determinedly shut them out of your ears. You can't focus on whatever nonsense they're saying now- you have a new quest!
Quest Acquired! Toy Retrieval!
Yamanaka Ino and Nara Shikamaru have a lot of toys and they keep scattering them all over Three League Park! Go find them all and bring them back to get even more praise!
Success Condition: Retrieve all 8 of the baby toys!
Grade: Untrained (Repeatable)
Skill: Perception
On Success: Relationship gain with Nara Yoshino, Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Kasai, Yamanaka Ino! Reputation gain with Clan Nara and Clan Yamanaka!
On Failure: Nothing.
...you'll guess that Kasai is Mrs. Yamanaka's first name.
But that's the least important thing you've just found out. What's grade? And skill? And… you'll have to do the quest to find out, won't you. You mentally tap the accept button, and at once hear an annoyed noise from Yoshino. You glance over and see that she's rummaging through the base of her stroller as Shikamaru starts to stir. "Where is Mr. Kage? I know I had him before we came here!"
You'll guess that Mr. Kage is the tiny stuffed deer you see near the park's entrance. You toddle towards it as fast as your tiny legs will go, scooping it up. The deer vanishes the moment it's in your arms. More rattles, tiny colored blocks, stuffed animals, and a flute for some reason all wind up joining him before you toddle back towards the group.
As the toys leave your arms, the fanfare goes off again. "Quest completed!"
As you click the 'finish' button on the quest scroll, something changes in the posture of the mothers. Though they had been cooing over you before there was still some distance in how they were holding themselves. That vanishes as Kasai ruffles your hair once again. "Wow! You've been such a helpful boy! Do you…"
She scans the park, looking for Tokei, and finds him drawing close again. "Is he old enough for sweets?" she asks.
Tokei minutely shakes his head, not saying no, but indicating unsurity. "I will have to ask his mother," he replies.
Kasai presses a small square item into his hand. "Please, if she says that it's alright, give him this. Our friend Setsuko makes them herself and swears by them."
"I will," he answers. He takes the item and scoops you back up again. Good. Your legs are really tired after all that walking. "Thank you very much for your kindness."
"No, thank you for letting such a big strong boy help us out!"
Yoshino nods her agreement. "Will we be seeing you here often?"
Tokei looks unsure, but you let out a proud 'Goo!'. You helped, you finished a quest, and you made new… you check your relationship web.
Nara Yoshino: Motherly Pity.
Yamanaka Kasai: Motherly Concern.
Nara Shikamaru: Grateful Amusement.
Yamanaka Ino: Grateful Amusement.
Ok, you haven't made new friends, but you're on your way!
With that last bit, Tokei carries you from the oasis and falls into step with Umo and a smaller man with beady eyes that you have to guess is the runner that the nobleman sent. The three converse as they walk, but you don't pay them any attention. Instead you lay back in the crook of Tokei's arm and listen to the new scrawl that's reading as you go.
"You have just completed your first repeatable quest! Repeatable quests do not disappear like normal quests do once you have completed them! Instead, they remain in your journal, and can be done many times! Some can even be completed multiple times per day! Repeatable quests normally will not give you a large reward but give incremental progress towards a larger achievement! Try doing the same quest over and over again! You might get different results! As things change!"
"You have used your first skill! Skills represent some of the most basic and fundamental abilities you possess. You use your skills to complete every day challenges and tasks, and they grow stronger through repeated use! Right now, all of your skills are rated Untrained. That is the lowest they can go. Someone with an Untrained ranked skill can barely use it. But skills can be improved through completing quests, all the way up to the rank of Divine! Try to improve your skills whenever possible!"
"You have just completed your first quest with a skill improvement! To improve a skill, complete a quest with a subtype of that skill to gain experience towards it! Higher graded quests provide even more improvement even if they offer greater difficulty!"
The soothing voice that reads you the scrawl peters out as Tokei carries you through the front door of your home. The two of you are the only ones that enter the house. Umo and the runner remain outside, entering the handsome carriage instead of coming in. The two are barely in the vehicle before the driver cracks his reins. The carriage is on it's way in seconds.
You stare after it, nonplussed. Are they done already? Is the newcomer gone that quick?
Your thoughts are echoed by Tokei. "Has Lord Imagawa departed already?" he asks your mother.
Mom is lounging on the couch like a decadent cat, lazily scanning a scroll. She glances up at the two of you like she's just gotten the canary. "Hmmm? Yes, Toishi has already departed. The capital waits for no man. And what about you? Did my special boy have a good afternoon?"
She reaches out for you and Tokei drops you into her grasp immediately. Mom cuddles you like a large stuffed animal. "He should be tired," Tokei replies. "He walked a great deal today. And he made the acquaintances of Lady Nara and Lady Yamanaka. They may call on you later."
"Oh, who's the best boy!" Mom coos. "Making friends at such a young age! You are! You are!"
You'd like to stay up for Mom's praise but Tokei isn't wrong; you've spent a lot of energy today. You start to doze in her arms. She notices and immediately starts rocking you back and forth, soothing you to sleep. You're out like a light before you can even think about doing anything else.
But tomorrow is another day.
The tutorial rolls on, and the world is starting to open up! As you age, you'll find more and more opportunities. What would you like to focus on for the remained of your toddlerhood?
[] Exploration. The oasis is an invaluable asset; what else will you find around Konoha?
[] Socialization (Ino-Shika-Cho). You're known to two of the three families that make up that make up the noble trio, and the third is sure to come soon. You could do far worse than make friends with them.
[] Socialization (Mother and Tokei). You love your mother, and you're curious about Tokei. You're going to be living with them for a while; better to be close with them.
[] Socialization (Unknown). Konoha is a large village with thousands of people in it! Surely you can make a new friend!
[] Questing (Skills). Your skills are all terrible. The faster you improve them, the better.
[] Questing (New). There are many things in Konoha to do! You're going to find them!
[] Other (Write-In). Must be approved by QM.
***
A/N: We're going to have a little timeskim during the next update, and get out of the toddler years! So look out for that!
