Konohagakure no Sato, Thursday Evening (Fandom Time) / Jan. 4th (Konoha Time)

[intraspective]

Ino laughed.

Perched up on a wooden fence, elbows on her knees and her chin propped up in her hands, she watched with bright, rested, eyes as Zack was walked again through the basic steps to walk up a tree.

It was a skill, truly, that wasn't usually taught to those who hadn't gone through the Academy, but her father had decreed that he was going to learn a few things, or so help him, and while she was supportive in the sense that she'd give him theory…

Well, when it came to watching his practical attempts, Ino tended to dissolve into giggles. (Truly, he wasn't doing so badly for someone who, a week and a half ago hadn't known chakra from dirt, but…)

"You've got to keep your eyes open while moving," she called helpfully, before cracking up again.

[NFB, for ze puppy, mmm gratuitous timewarpiness.]

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[intraspective]

Ino laughed, glancing behind her.

"Never!"

Or, more seriously: always.

[puppy_fair]

Oh, that would just encourage him! Zack laughed, crouching down the moment he found a bit of spare roadway, and then launching himself up and forward, maybe showing off a little with a flip in the air before landing in another (very conveniently) bare patch of road up ahead.

"Then don't," he called back, starting on his careful run again. There was something about their winter break vacations that seemed to always end up with a race through the crowd, wasn't there? "But I'll totally catch up anyhow!"

[intraspective]

... Possibly. Yes.

Ino's only verbal response was a laugh as she picked up a bit more spend and, with a jump of her own, fled up to the rooftops.

Would he follow her here?

[puppy_fair]

But of course! Rooftops were way easier than crowds were! Fewer people to trample! And it wasn't like it was a difficult jump, not with the running start that he had going. He landed on one rooftop with a grin, and then took off after her at a mad dash.

"The view is way nicer from up here," he called. Because... hey, it was!

[intraspective]

Up and around giant trees with walkways built around them, by houses with rooftops designed to have the room to run on them, leaping from house to house in easy jumps and laughing at his comment.

"You're interested in the view!?"

Well, fine then!

She was just going to run faster.

[puppy_fair]

"Hey!" Zack was laughing so hard he was almost having difficulty watching where he was going, at this point! "I've seen way worse views!"

Case in point: Midgar.

"I mean, I can see you way better up here!"

He was pushing himself even harder now, aiming to actually catch up as he leapt from one roof to the next, launched himself off of one walkway, and then kept running as he landed on the next. A guy could get pretty fond of a place built this way. It was the perfect playground for puppies, for a start.

[intraspective]

And catch up he was, though they were getting closer and closer to the foot of the Monument and Ino began picking her leaps with a little more care.

It would be embarrassing to have a tumble here, truly.

As far as she was concerned, anyway. "Hurry up!" she carolled. "You're too slow!"

And that was just asking for him to catch her.

(Not, Ino admitted to herself, that getting caught would be such a bad thing.)

[puppy_fair]

"No way! You just know your way around better!"

That was Zack's story and he was sticking to it! He was also being careful to stick to the same route that Ino had taken, because a tumble here would be doubly embarrassing for Zack, especially considering all of the falling that he'd been doing earlier.

[intraspective]

Her only answer was to laugh.

And, at the end of the next rooftop, to leap down, back to the street.

Where a clearing, meant for viewing the Hokage Monument was.

[puppy_fair]

And Zack was all too happy to join her, landing, crouching, and bouncing back up to his feet all in one smooth motion before turning to grin at her.

... And then reaching out toward her.

And poking her on the shoulder.

"Caught you."

[intraspective]

She shushed him gently, stepping closer and wriggling her way under one of his arms, gesturing for him to look. There was an Academy class gathered in the clearing, all of them looking up a blonde woman with brown eyes and a rather... generous... chest, who was wearing the white hat marked with the symbol of fire.

Konoha's Hokage.

"Hokage-sama tells the history about the previous Hokage," she murmured, voice so low that only Zack would hear it. "I thought you'd be interested?"

[puppy_fair]

Zack blinked, and then his mouth fell open a little as he realized what it was that Ino had led him here for. He mouthed a little 'whoa,' and then leaned forward slightly, all the better for hearing.

This? This was awesome.

[intraspective]

Ino smiled slightly, settled herself a little more comfortably, and let Hokage-sama's voice wash over them.