Why Is Round Deer So Antisocial?

After Round Deer turned into black sludge and seeped completely into the shadow, Sasuke dusted off his hands.

He looked down at the shadow beneath his feet and formed the hand sign for a deer again.

"Come out, Round Deer."

The shadow rippled, and the enormous deer rose from the black sludge once more.

It stood in the middle of the training ground, all four legs rigid. Its four eyes fixed on Sasuke, then slowly turned toward the three unfamiliar Shikigami staring at it nearby.

White Dog sat on the ground, tilting his head as he studied Round Deer. Black Dog stood up and silently walked over to White Dog.

Escaping Rabbit lay on Black Dog's front paw, both long ears standing straight up.

Round Deer blinked all four eyes, then edged half a step backward.

It scraped its front hooves against the gravel, lowered its head slightly, and flicked its eyes between Sasuke and the three Shikigami.

"Hello." Round Deer's voice was taut, as if it were nervous.

Its voice sounded quite androgynous, impossible to tell if it was male or female.

White Dog raised one ear. "As expected, it can talk too."

"Yes, I can talk." Round Deer's gaze settled on White Dog, then shifted to Sasuke.

"Are you my tamer?"

"Yes." Sasuke nodded.

"Oh," Round Deer replied.

Silence fell again.

"Then what should I call you?"

"Sasuke."

"Okay, Sasuke." At last, Round Deer's four eyes stopped darting around and focused on Sasuke's face.

"Did you summon me because someone needs healing?"

White Dog rolled his eyes, then nudged Black Dog in the lower back with his nose, pushing him forward.

"Quit wasting time. Check Black Charcoal's neck first."

Round Deer lowered its head, looking at Black Dog with all four eyes.

"It's something good with a few side effects, but I can ease them." Round Deer's voice suddenly steadied.

Healing others made it feel at ease, easing its mental strain.

Its antlers began to glow pale blue, and the light fell on the three Tomoe marks on Black Dog's neck.

"...But my Reverse Cursed Technique can only neutralize the energy. It can't erase the marks directly."

"Then treat him first," Sasuke ordered.

"Okay." Round Deer nodded, then closed its eyes. The light from its antlers grew brighter.

Black Dog's body trembled slightly in the light.

White Dog stared fixedly at the marks on Black Dog's neck, his tail held stiffly upright behind him. He opened his mouth several times as if to speak, but each time forced himself to hold back.

About two minutes later, the light from Round Deer's antlers gradually dimmed.

The three Tomoe marks on Black Dog's neck had noticeably shrunk, and their color had changed from deep black to pale gray.

"...That's all I can do today." Round Deer opened its eyes. "If I pour in too much positive energy at once, his meridians will be damaged."

"How do you feel?" White Dog hurried over to Black Dog.

"Not bad." Black Dog lifted a hind leg and scratched his neck.

"What do you mean, 'not bad'? Can't you speak like a normal person?"

"I'm a dog."

"You!"

As Round Deer watched the two dogs start arguing in front of it, its four eyes began darting around nervously again.

It silently backed up a step, then another, retreating all the way to a stone block at the edge of the training ground.

"Should I go back for now?"

"No need." Sasuke put a hand on Round Deer's shoulder.

Round Deer's body visibly jolted at Sasuke's touch.

"Y-you touched me."

"...Are you not allowed to be touched?"

"I am. I'm just not used to it. No one's ever touched me before."

Sasuke looked at Round Deer's rigid body, his expressionless face carrying a hint of exasperation.

He let go and put his hand back in his pocket. "Since you're my Shikigami now, you'll have to get used to being summoned, being touched, and talking to people."

"Okay." Round Deer lowered its head. "I'll do my best."

"What are you nervous about?" Sasuke looked into its eyes. "Are you afraid of us?"

"Not afraid. It's just... we're not familiar." All four of Round Deer's eyes turned toward Sasuke.

"You're my tamer and fellow Shikigami, but this is the first time we've met."

Sasuke frowned and thought, Is Round Deer socially anxious?

Round Deer paused, its voice growing even more hesitant.

"It's like suddenly being tossed into a dinner party full of strangers. Everyone knows you, but you don't know a single person."

"I don't know where to stand or what to say."

"I don't even know where to put my hands. Though I don't have any."

White Dog stopped arguing.

Black Dog stopped talking back.

Escaping Rabbit slowly got up from the ground and looked up at Round Deer.

White Dog was the first to speak. "Did you just tell a joke?"

"I wouldn't call it a joke." Round Deer sounded completely sincere.

White Dog's tail began to wag. "Then tell another one."

"I don't know any jokes." Round Deer took half a step back. "That one was unintentional, too."

Black Dog walked up to Round Deer and looked up at it.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Round Deer lowered its head.

"This is my ability and my duty. Seeing you get better is the best reward I could ask for."

Black Dog was silent for a while.

"You have a pretty likable way of speaking."

"Really?" Round Deer blinked all four eyes. "I'm not sure. No one's ever said that before."

"Then you'll hear it often from now on," Escaping Rabbit piped up in a soft, gentle voice.

Round Deer stared blankly at Escaping Rabbit.

"Is that a compliment?"

"It is." Escaping Rabbit raised one ear. "You're a good person."

"Thank you." Round Deer's ears twitched. "You're the first rabbit to say that to me."

"Am I the first?" Escaping Rabbit tilted its head. "Then you're so pitiful."

That direct hit left Round Deer completely speechless.

Standing nearby, Sasuke looked at the large herbivore that was practically trying to shrink its head into its neck and couldn't help sighing.

How did my zoo end up like this? Even Sukuna never gave me this much of a headache.

"Sasuke," Black Dog suddenly said.

"Hmm?"

"Now that the Cursed Seal's been suppressed, a new chakra is flowing in your direction." Black Dog looked at Sasuke with his golden eyes. "Did you feel it?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and sensed the flow of energy inside him.

Sure enough, a completely new, positive energy was flowing into him through the Shadow Channel, entirely unlike the cold chakra he'd received from Black Dog's Cursed Seal before.

This energy was gentle, slowly healing the injuries he'd sustained while subduing Round Deer.

"Round Deer." Sasuke opened his eyes. "Does your Reverse Cursed Technique feed energy back to me too?"

"It should." Round Deer blinked.

"The rules of Ten Shadows are based on shared energy. The positive energy generated by my technique should flow back to you through the Shadow Channel."

"But I don't know you very well, so the amount that flows back probably won't be much."

"Will it be more once we're familiar with each other?"

"Maybe. This is my first time being a Shikigami, too," Round Deer replied.

Before Sasuke could say anything, White Dog suddenly darted in from the side and slammed his head into the back of Sasuke's knee.

Sasuke stumbled forward and turned to glare at White Dog.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm happy!" White Dog wagged his tail. "Now you can get a deer to heal you when you're hurt. We won't have to listen to you mumbling 'Furube Yurayura' anymore!"

"What's Furube Yurayura?" Round Deer tilted its head.

White Dog opened his mouth to explain, but Black Dog put a paw on his tail, making him shut up.

"You'll find out next time he thinks he can't win. You'll see it for yourself."

Round Deer didn't understand the implication behind Black Dog's words, but earnestly nodded and committed them to memory.

Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then turned and headed straight out of the training ground.

"We're going back."

"Yay!" White Dog followed behind him.

Black Dog brought up the rear.

Round Deer stood where it was, watching the other Shikigami follow Sasuke. A hint of hesitation flickered in all four of its eyes.

Escaping Rabbit got up from the ground and slowly hopped over to Round Deer's feet.

"Aren't you coming?"

"Am I allowed to?"

"Of course. You're one of us now."

Round Deer lowered its head and looked at the white rabbit by its feet, which was smaller than one of its hooves.

Escaping Rabbit looked up at it, its red eyes calm.

"One of you." Round Deer quietly repeated the words.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Escaping Rabbit replied in its soft, gentle voice.

Round Deer stepped forward and followed Sasuke with small steps.

Sasuke walked at the front and spoke without looking back.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll be in charge of medical support at the rear during training. You don't need to go to the front lines. Just stay back."

"Okay," Round Deer replied.

"And one more thing." Sasuke glanced over at the deer being surrounded by Jade Dog and Escaping Rabbit.

"If you want to tell a joke, go ahead. It's not funny, but I won't take away your Cursed Energy for it."

"...I really wasn't telling a joke."

White Dog, walking beside Round Deer, burst out laughing at that and nearly slipped onto his front legs.

Black Dog's mouth twitched, too.

Escaping Rabbit slowly added, "That's what makes Round Deer funny..."

Sasuke pushed open the training ground's gate, and Konoha's dusky evening light fell across his face.

"By the way, Round Deer, you're not going to wander around like Escaping Rabbit, are you?"

"I'm slow," Round Deer replied. "If necessary, I'll take a walk around the village."

"What if someone asks who you are?"

"I'll say I'm Sasuke's ninja deer."

Sasuke stopped and turned around, looking at Round Deer's enormous antlers and its nearly two-story-tall body.

"Do you think they'll believe you're a deer?"

Round Deer blinked all four eyes again.

"You're right." Its voice sounded thoughtful. After mulling it over, it finally ventured, "...Then should I say I'm Sasuke's Ninja Moose or Ninja Reindeer? Would I have to grow a little taller to count as a moose? But I'm already this tall. If I got any taller..."