Love Hurts…
Date: June 28th, 13 aNb
Days Until Exams Start: 3
Time: 6:30 AM
"Sesquizygotic!" Anastasia announced excitedly as she ran in the room. "It's so rare that only 12 documented cases have been reported in the past century!"
Kurando Inugami was sitting at the kitchen table, squinting; still trying to process the trauma of waking up after a different kind of all-nighter than his wife. "Ana, darling, I'm glad you're excited about whatever you're talking about, but I haven't…" Sho set a mug in front of his father and poured black tea into it. "Bless you, son…"
Sho nodded but didn't say anything: it had been two days since Motoko and Karin had told him about Saki-obaasan's war crime against the Satou clan and he was still trying to reconcile the grandmother he revered and the person that committed atrocities in the name of her murdered husband.
> Dude, would WE have done any less if, Gods forbid, someone killed Motoko-chan? < Imaguni Ohs asked pointedly.
'I KNOW we wouldn't… It's just…' He sighed out loud. "Fire in the desert…"
The teen's parents looked at each other sadly. They'd noticed his silence around them, of course, but they'd respected his need to deal with whatever had been bothering him…
Now they knew… And that meant it was time for one of several conversations that Kurando had been dreading since the moment the young man in front of him had drawn his first breath.
"Karin and Motoko told you that Mother did something to the Satou Clan and you looked up, didn't you, Sho..?" Kurando asked gently.
"'Around 8:30 PM on a recent fall evening, tragedy struck the Satou Clan when a mysterious fire broke out in their Clan compound in Suna, killing an estimated 270 of the Clan's 300 women, men, AND CHILDREN. Most of the dead were killed by suffocation due to the older design of the compound, but many victims and survivors were left with severe burn scars.'" An exhalation of disgust and soul-sick agony escaped the young man with white hair as he quoted a news article he'd found from 20 years ago. "Fucking hell, Dad! How could she DO something like that?! Forcing Suna to decide between letting the Satou burn, suffocating the survivors by using Wind chakra to kill the oxygen to the flames, or using what little water supply they have access to to put out the fire and possibly let more die of dehydration?!"
"I know, son… I was equally horrified when I heard the news nearly two years after she'd done it! I couldn't bear to look at your grandmother, to say nothing of ACTUALLY talking to her for nearly three years." He reached out and placed his hand on Sho's, his slightly reddish eyes looking at him gently. "But when I held you in my arms for the first time, I FINALLY understood. Don't get me wrong, I still couldn't condone it, but I understood the instinct to lash out, to punish anyone who took someone so vital away from my child." He looked at Anastasia sadly.
Sho looked at his mother and a look of old sadness crossed her face. "I had my own reasons to forgive Saki… I kept her in the loop about Kurando until they reconciled."
> Dude! Show it to her! < Ohs insisted. > She needs this win! <
Inugami reached into his uwagi and pulled out a photo he'd taken of the portrait of the Romanov family. "Was that something…" He slid the photo across the table, drawing a shocked gasp from Anastasia. "...about them, Mat'?"
Tears exploded from his mother's eyes as she grabbed the photo and pulled it close to her chest. It had been more than half her life since she'd last seen her family; even in a photo. "Detka... KAK?!" She gasped between sobs.
In response, Sho turned into a mirror image of Vanya Vorona. "Privet, Velikaya Knyazhna Shvybzik, priyezzhay kak-nibud' v gosti k etomu staromu voronu v gorod Kava." He spoke in the old cavalryman's voice as he reached out to hold Anastasia's shaking hands. "Nam predstoit mnogoye naverstat'."
A look of delight filled Anastasia's eyes. "Dyadya Khorsi! Bozhe, kak on postarel!"
"That he has." Sho agreed, returning to himself; still holding his mother's hand. "He owns and runs a store down in Kawa City, which is where I met him." Kurando reached out, adding his hand to the mix.
The family was silent for a long moment, but it was clear they'd successfully weathered this round of traumatic family history revelations.
Kurando took another sip of his tea, his naturally reddish eyes now gleaming with alertness at his wife. "Now that my brain is actually working, what were you so excited about earlier, Ana?"
Anastasia pulled out a set of papers. A quick glance at them showed they were the results of the other three Hata blood samples. "Motoko-chan and her brother; they're sesquizygotic twins and share nearly 90% of the same DNA!"
Kurando shook his head, still trying to wrap his head around what she was saying. "Baby, I'm glad you found your niche, but what the hell is a ses-whatever? I specialize in analyzing chakra residue and their effect on the corpses we examine..."
"I figured you'd be confused; I knew I was until I checked this old book on medical mysteries." She grabbed two empty cups and the sugar pot. "Okay, cups are the mother's egg or embryo, sugar cubes the impregnating sperm… Excluding conjoined twins, the most common types of twins are either fraternal," She set out two cups close to each other and dropped a cube into each. "Or identical." A single cup and cube were set out before she added a second cup touching the first."
The youngest Inugami present chuckled. "Kudos for making it easy enough for even Raiden to understand, Kaasan."
The former Imperial Princess smirked at her son's joke. "So, with fraternal twins, you've got two eggs, two sperm, and the usual 50% match as with any other sibling, the only difference being the shared womb experience. Identical twins: one egg, one sperm, but at a certain point in mitosis the process doubles and you get two identically gendered babies that share 100% of each other's DNA. And while twins aren't especially rare, occurring in 12 out of 1,000 births on average, they aren't exactly common, either."
Kurando nodded. "With you so far, but you said there have only been TWELVE of what the Hatas are in the past CENTURY?"
"Mmmhmm!" Anastasia agreed as she reset the cups and sugars. "We're talking once in a decade type rarity here… See, in a sesquizygotic twin birth, the egg…" She set down a single cup and then dropped two sugar cubes in simultaneously. "...gets fertilized by two sperm at the same instant! The resulting embryo splits…" A second cup was set by the first, like the identical twin example, but then she plucked one of the sugars out and dropped it in the empty cup. "...and you end up with semi-identical twins that can be different genders."
Sho nodded in understanding. Now it made sense: the psychic bond, their ability to merge their chakra pools… It was all possible because they had started as a single lifeform that became two! "And my bridge hypothesis?"
"Mama's gift to the future of genetic research as usual, syn!" She pushed Raiden's printout over… And there it was: Uchiha and Hyuuga RNA fragments bridged together, just like in Motoko-sa. "It looks like while Motoko-chan has slightly more Hyuuga in her, Raiden-kun has more Uchiha. No way to tell if he'll get a dojutsu, but he's likely going to develop some kind of hybrid ability eventually."
"Looks like Ryuken-san is the Uchiha descendant and Masaki-san is distant kin to the Hyuuga." The white-haired Inugami noted as he pulled everything together, briefly wondering if the child's gender affected the ratio, but there'd be no way to prove it with this small set of data.
THAT would depend on Motoko-sa's and Raiden's future children; just as what Sho and his sisters had inherited from their mother would depend on their children.
> And we're so looking forward to combining those experiments, right, buddy? < Ohs asked with a lustful cackle that earned his crude subconscious an internal glare. > Don't give me that; you can bet Motoko-chan was thinking it after you gave her the second best gift imaginable. <
'The first being a thorough bell ringing I assume, Ohs?'
His subconscious self gave the impression of a look that conveyed "You said it, I didn't…"
"So what's on your social calendar today, son?" Anastasia asked, interrupting the internalized conversation, with a secretive Mom smile that said she already knew, whatever it was, his girlfriend was likely to be involved; a fact she was BEYOND ecstatic about.
"We've got a surprise birthday party for Kimiko-san at 4; I'm just getting some final artistic features done on the gift Karin and Lucia were helping Motoko-sa and I make for her." He sighed, looking towards the mantle with Saki-obaasan's photo with Lady Tsunade, her medic-nin training partner. "All this has made me realize that, while our family has a lot of baggage to unpack, it's still important to know who came before you and what they did… You never know when it'll matter."
~●~
Photographs and Memories…
Date: June 28th, 13 aNb
Days Until Exams Start: 3
Time: 3:15 PM
Kimiko Itou and Nakahito Haruno sat at the kitchen table in the Haruno family's home with a sizable photo album laid out in front of them. Ever since 'Hito's parents had been killed two years prior when an unknown group had detonated a bomb on the dam project to the southeast that Kenji and Aio Haruno had been the architect and engineer in charge of, the two friends had decided that their birthdays ever since would be spent reminiscing over their years of friendship and how big a part his parents had played.
They had assembled two albums: one where Itou's most cherished memories were the focal point - the one they were currently perusing - and the other filled with Nakahito's. This was not to say the albums were complete; by mutual agreement they were allowed to add in additional shots of moments they would have wanted the Harunos to have been in attendance for - such as their Genin graduation ceremony - that had happened since the prior birthday's update. It was the duo's way of accepting the loss of Kenji and Aio while still keeping them in their lives.
"Oh, man, 'Hito, do you remember this..?!" Kimiko Itou asked with a giggle as she slid the photo album across the table.
The images visible on that particular page were from about three years ago, shortly after the Sandaime had found that very rare Itou clan scroll in the Village archives containing the seal sequences for crafting her Clan's iconic Water Bomb jutsu. Nakahito had volunteered to let Kimiko throw her jutsu at him as a test of how effective it was against a living target... Despite Aio-basan's objections. The six photos on the page had captured the moments of the jutsu's initial impact - with the bursting spray soaking his clothes thoroughly, then the ripple of the kinetic energy wave distorted the features of the ten year old's face that his mother had caught two shots of, Nakahito being sent flying backwards into a nearby trash bin, Kimiko running to check on him, and finally Itou extending a hand to help Haruno - complete with a banana peel on his head like an impromptu hat - to his feet.
Nakahito chuckled ruefully. "I should have listened to Kaasan… My head was ringing for the rest of the day, but I refused to go to the Hospital because I didn't want to get us in trouble for using ninjutsu without a teacher present… Neither of us knew what to expect from your jutsu and Mom was just an architectural design artist." He shook his head. "That could have ended so badly…"
Kizashi Haruno, with his darker purplish-pink hair separated into five tufts, stepped into the room. "Hey, Bozu?" Nakahito's uncle was always cautious to never refer to Nakahito as son after an incident shortly after they entered the Academy when Kimiko's best friend reacted rather negatively to anyone other than Kenji calling him son. "Sorry to interrupt how you and Kim-chan are celebrating her birthday, but can I see you for a minute?"
"Uh, sure, Ojisan…" He looked at Kimiko apologetically.
Itou smiled and made a go on gesture as she pulled a small stack of photos out of her purse. "I've got a few shots I've taken since last year that I'm considering for my album since we keep the two of them here for safekeeping."
Nakahito led his uncle to the young man's bedroom, looking at the photo of Kanna and himself that was by his bedside longingly as Kizashi closed the door. "I didn't realize Mebuki-basan roped you into telling me when it's nearly 4 so I could take Kimi to her place for her surprise party, Uncle."
Kizashi blinked in confusion. "I thought it was odd we didn't have so much as a cluster of balloons here…" He shook his head. "That's not what I needed to discuss with you." He licked his lips hesitantly. "Nakahito, I know you had this grand adventure in the form of that highly classified A rank mission but I needed to discuss the gifts you gave your Aunt and I… You realize we took you in because you're family, right? You don't OWE us anything…"
Nakahito's green eyes, similar in shade to Kizashi and Sakura both, squinted in confusion. "Yeah, I know, Ojisan… Why are you saying it like that..?"
Kizashi reached into his vest and pulled out the pocket watch that Nakahito had given him the day he'd returned from the Land of Rivers. It was an elegant silver piece with a diamond chip in the center of the flip-open cover. "I had the gifts you gave us appraised, you know, for insurance, but the amount…"
Nakahito, not catching the tone in his uncle's voice, grinned. "Oh, yeah, I was pretty surprised to find such a beautiful silver pocket watch with a diamond chip for only…"
Kizashi put his hand on his nephew's wrist, cutting him off. "It's not silver, Nakahito; it's white gold. And it's not a diamond chip; it's a full half karat. The appraiser said it was worth over 75,000 Ryou; your aunt's necklace with the ruby was worth almost as much."
Haruno's eyes widened in shock. "But… No, that can't be right! I spent about 100,000 between the gifts I got all three of you and Kimi! I spent most of the remaining 50 thousand from my mission's pay on Kanna! Hang on, I'll show you!"
Remembering Miho-sensei's admonition to hang on to the receipts for the customs paperwork, the younger Genin pulled out a small lockbox that had belonged to his parents and opened it. Inside were the blueprints for the house Nakahito had grown up in - Kenji and Aio had designed it themselves - and four handwritten receipts from the jeweler that Hoshi Fugato, the assistant majordomo, had taken him to on request. He quickly found the one for the watch and handed it to his uncle. "LOOK! The final price was 28,375 Ryou! I know you're happy being a Genin, Ojisan, I swear I wouldn't give you a gift worth at least a third of what you made last year in missions!"
Kizashi-oji smiled gently as he quickly saw the discomfort in Nakahito's flustered features as he looked at the receipt. "Actually between your Aunt and I, your gifts were closer to 80% of what I made last year…" That's when the older ninja paused, his color draining slightly. "Uh, Bozu? Did you actually look at this?"
"Not really… I beat Inugami in a pepper eating contest so he had to carry my stuff back home from Kawa City. He even threw in doing all the customs paperwork for me after I started getting frustrated with it. Why?"
Kizashi's hands were practically shaking as he pointed to two items on the receipt… After the name of the store it carried the tagline "Jeweler Exclusively Serving the Aquamarine Throne for Over 100 Years." There was also a line that showed a 50,000 Ryou discount for… "Do you have any idea what HotR is shorthand for, Nakahito? I'm not familiar with it."
Nakahito's eyes were wide as saucers as he shook his head; the man that had been helping him had merely told him the final price for each piece! "Kimiko's uncle must have…" He moaned, smacking himself with the palm of his hand. "Shit, forget I said that!"
Nakahito's uncle smiled, handing back the receipt and clapping the struggling young man's shoulder. "You're gonna need to learn how to keep secrets better if you're going to make Chuunin in the Winter Exams." He smirked slightly. "Sakura and her Team will probably be joining you for them, too."
Nakahito looked unsettled at the notion of his cousin needing a second shot at the Exams; she and Uchiha were always - annoyingly - at the top of the Academy's rankings. "Uncle?"
"Don't get me wrong; I'm very proud of my Sakura-chan, nephew, and she's got her mother's gumption - which will take her far - but the Exams are not kids' games. It only took me nearly getting killed two different times in the second Stage to decide I was content being a Genin. Sakura'll make it through to the Finals for certain, but she hasn't figured out her niche that'll really make her shine - a necessity to get the Chuunin nod - yet."
"'HIIIITO!" Kimiko suddenly shouted from downstairs. "Fujiwara-san just called saying there's a burst water pipe at my place!"
Nakahito and Kizashi looked at the alarm clock that sat by the framed photo of Nakahito and Kanna… 3:50 PM.
"I'm guessing THAT'S the message you were waiting for." Kizashi grinned, clapping his brother's son's shoulder. "Have fun."
"Sorry for worrying you and thanks for understanding, Ojisan!" He ran to the door and pulled it open. "Hang on, Kimi! I'll come with you!"
~●~
It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To…
Date: June 28th, 13 aNb
Days Until Exams Start: 3
Time: 4:05 PM
"Crapcrapcrapcrap!" Kimiko moaned as she and Nakahito raced to her apartment located in the middle of the triangle that was visible on the map when you drew lines between the homes of the other three members of Team 13. "I'm gone all those months and not so much as a drop out of place… I come back and suddenly the water malfunctions again?!"
Nakahito frowned; had Kimi mentioned problems with the water in her apartment before their extended mission? He felt slightly guilty about their chosen cover story for forgetting that… "Maybe we need to find a priestess to bless your home and get rid of whatever bad juju has moved in?"
Itou glanced at him, arching an eyebrow. "Since when have you believed in mischievous spirits haunting places?"
"I... don't know…" Haruno replied with a reflective frown. "Maybe it's from all those dreams when I saw you dressed as a Shinto priestess trying to kill me… Or maybe something to do with Sho; have you ever noticed that he says 'Gods' plural when he curses instead of 'God' or naming a specific one?"
Itou giggled at the memory of his nightmares after their first official D rank mission. "Yeah, I have, but neither he nor Karin-chan strike me as overly religious or spiritual, so it feels like it's something a little too personal to ask about, you know? Like we're friendly to each other, but that would somehow be pushing it?" She shook her head as they landed on the level her unit was on. As they reached the door with a clearly dry sill, Kimiko breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, it's not running out from under the door, at least… Hopefully it's just that small leak that the landlord hasn't found that leaves those unexpected wet spots in the bathroom and kitchen."
The kunoichi opened the door and for a fraction of a second Nakahito thought he saw Miho-sensei standing there before the room became excessively dark. "Geez, it's dark in here…" Itou flipped the light switch a few times to no effect. "Great, and the power's out, too." She sighed in annoyance. "I know I have candles around here somewhere…"
Nakahito opened his mouth to say something when someone tapped his shoulder and the kitchen suddenly became properly lit as he was released from the Genjutsu he hadn't even realized he'd been snared by! The someone turned out to be Miho-sensei, who gestured for him to head over to the cake with fourteen candles sitting in a circle in its royal blue icing around the symbol of the Itou clan in the center. He nodded silently before speaking up. "Hang on, Kimi; I know your place like the back of my hand. I'll get them!" Itou thanked him as he worked his way past Miho, Hinata, Iruka, Sho, and Motoko before taking an empty spot by Hashimoto, Kyouran, and Uzumaki. "I got them. One sec…"
He glanced at Miho Hyuuga for confirmation; getting a nod in return. With a quick wave of his hands, he ignited the candles even as their Jonin dropped the Genjutsu. Itou's eyes went wide as a chorus of an off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday" was sung by those closest to the kunoichi: her team, her two best friends, and the two members of the orphans' group home she'd been closest to.
***
Time: 6:00 PM
Kimiko Itou was practically beside herself with excitement. She had never been big on birthdays before; not even the ones that Hito's parents threw for her… But this one felt special for some reason. Maybe it was the knowledge she still had living kin - even if they were only present in spirit - now..? Whatever the reason, the air was almost electric to her senses with the ten people filling her small kitchenette and living room.
Hinata-chan's eyes kept flicking towards Uzumaki as a slight blush colored her cheeks. Naruto-kun was currently arm wrestling with Hashimoto-kun, much as they used to back in the group home they'd once shared. Motoko-chan had an absolutely gorgeous metal choker that looked like strung bamboo around her neck as she cuddled against Sho-kun on the couch while they talked with the Senseis… Who, Kimiko suddenly realized, were also cuddling against each other on the adjacent love seat! Were THEY..? Nakahito was talking to her, apologizing that they made her think - even for a moment - that her home had flooded, but his words weren't really registering in the birthday girl's mind.
There was a sudden beeping as both Naruto's and Hinata's watches went off. Hashimoto took advantage of Uzumaki's distraction to claim the win for that round. The Genin with the shortly cropped blonde hair grimaced as he stood up and plucked one of the wrapped gifts off the table. "Hey, Kimiko-chan, I hate to leave so early, but Kakashi-sensei is having a few last minute Exam prep sessions before THE day… We're supposed to be there by 6 AM, but knowing him, he'll probably keep us waiting until Noon."
"It's okay, Naruto-kun." Itou said with an easy smile and a hug. "I wish we were taking the Exams, too, but we'll be there next time."
"I'm hoping I'll be wearing a vest like Iruka-sensei by then." Uzumaki chuckled with his usual rakehell grin as he handed her the gift. "I saw this at a bookstore in the Land of Waves; I wasn't sure if you'd ever seen it, but I couldn't risk that you had…"
Everyone's attention turned to the duo as Itou unwrapped the gift. Inside was a book - an odd gift from the less-than-studious Uzumaki - until Kimiko saw the title. "'A Home Lost: The Exodus of the Itou?'" She quickly skimmed the back cover for the synopsis. "I've never heard of this one before!"
"The lady at the store said that it's considered one of the most accurate historical texts about your Clan leaving the Land of Water and settling in Konoha - by way of Waves - after the First Great Ninja War." Naruto explained, rubbing the back of his head. "I know how much learning about your Clan's history means to you, so I thought..."
Tears filled Kimiko's eyes as she hugged him once again, cutting him off mid-explanation. "This is amazing, Naruto-kun! Thank you!" She rubbed the tears from her eyes. "Good luck in the Exams if I don't see you before the 1st!"
"Just make sure you get some good seats for the Finals when I trounce everyone and make Chuunin on my first try!" Over on the couch Inugami rolled his eyes as his friend's overconfident brag even as Iruka-sensei chuckled.
"I will." Itou agreed as Uzumaki let himself out.
Hinata Hyuuga approached the birthday girl next. "Kurenai-sensei is doing a similar set of prep sessions for our Team, too." She handed over a card that was a little on the thicker side. "I know you're not big on pampering, but I've arranged for a spa package at Aman for you and up to five others to be redeemed whenever you want."
Itou's eyes went a little wide; Aman was the creme de la creme of luxury spas in the Land of Fire, located in the capital city of the largest nation on the continent, and normally had at least a six month waiting list! "That was true before my mission to the Land of Rivers, Hinata-chan, but I acquired a new appreciation for them while I was down there. We'll have to see how our schedules look after the Exams!" A secretive smile crossed Kimiko's lips as she squeezed the younger Hyuuga's hand. "In fact, there's someone I'm dying to introduce you to who I'll make sure to invite… It's a wonderful gift, thank you!" Hinata blushed slightly at the complement as Kimiko hugged one of her best female friends. "So... Do you think we'll be seeing you in the Finals as well?"
"I-I-I think so. I'm confident Shino-kun, Kiba-kun, and I will easily handle the written portion and we'll be doing external studies of the 44th Training Zone so we'll be ready for that, too. The three of us have already agreed to not hold back if we have to fight each other in the Finals. Uchiha-kun might be a challenge, but I'm certain even with his Sharingan I'll be able to shut him down with my Jyuuken if I can get to him fast enough. The only ones I'm worried about having to face are Neji-niisan or Naruto-kun…" Her cheeks flushed but her watch began beeping again, snapping her out of it. "I'll see you later, Kimi-chan." The white-eyed girl gave an abbreviated bow before ducking out.
"I'm afraid I have to head out as well," Hashimoto said apologetically as Kyouran hopped on his shoulder. "I've got a meeting in the morning with the Sandaime related to my duties to the Pride followed by the final PT session for my ankles. As for my gift…" With a few quick hand seals, rock began to form between his hands, quickly becoming a photo accurate statuette of Kimiko, Reiyuriko and Lord Daimyo Mizuzaki.
The jaws of everyone except Motoko Hata - who had seen Hashimoto's golem crafting skills evolve over the last few months - fell open in awe as he handed the small trio of figures on a unified base to Itou, who hugged it close. "Hashi, this is amazing! Thank you!" The blonde with long hair nodded as he headed out the door. Kimiko placed the statuette atop a bookshelf in the living room. "Anyone else?" She asked sarcastically, getting a chuckle from the others.
"So are these your Uncle and Cousin, Kimiko?" Iruka asked gently, gesturing towards Hashimoto's gift. Itou sniffled slightly with a nod. The kunoichi's original instructor gave the girl a hug, whispering congratulations to her.
"Wait…" Kimiko paused, looking up at Iruka-sensei. "Did YOU know about them, too?"
Umino hesitated for a second. "Uh, no, it just came up in conversation between Miho-chan and I; she knew you and I were close."
Sho Inugami smirked, seeing an opportunity that his Jonin couldn't block. "Would that be before or after the 'urgent meeting' you two had to get to so abruptly the other day?" The two senseis' cheeks flushed slightly as the younger man accurately called them out without explicitly embarrassing them by airing the details of their private moment. Nakahito looked his customary clueless, but Kimiko couldn't help but start to grin.
'WOW! Really?! Iruka- and Miho-sensei?' Itou practically squealed in her mind, excited for the two most pivotal teachers she'd had up to this point.
Motoko's green gaze skewered her boyfriend. "Sho-sa; behave..."
The medic-nin sighed, wilting amicably beneath her intense stare. "Party pooper." Hata giggled playfully as she gave him the akanbe gesture; to which he retorted with a kiss on her cheek that made her melt slightly.
Iruka-sensei shook his head, still trying to get used to the new dynamic between the two, while Miho-sensei giggled at the look on her once again lover's face. "You had him for years and you NEVER got caught by one of his zingers?"
"I was always respectful of my teachers, Miho-sensei; whether they deserved it or not." The medic-nin chuckled with a grin. "But now Iruka-sensei is just another Chuunin and fair game, but only when he leaves himself wide open like that. I'm not so cruel that I'd throw him in the deep end without warming, you know?" Hata moaned something under her breath as she put her hand on her face in frustration; realizing just how much work she had ahead of her to get Inugami to be less, well, him, in social situations.
Nakahito, feeling a little envious of his teammate for having his girlfriend so close while his own was over 500 kilometers away, looked at the table with the remaining gifts on it. There was the jewelry box with his present, the mysterious gift from Princess Reiyuriko, and a two-item wrapped gift - the top one saying it was from Sho and Motoko that was book-shaped and a more rectangular one tied to it saying it was from the Hokage himself!
"I'm afraid my budget was a little tight this month, Kimiko," Iruka-sensei admitted, looking slightly embarrassed, "So my gift to you is 40 hours of one-on-one coaching to help you improve your mastery of Water Release, since I know Miho-chan's concentrated her skills on Jyuuken and Lightning Release, so she won't be able to help you there..."
A gleam of excitement glinted in Itou's eyes. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei! I remember when you helped Hito and I unlock our elements so we could learn our family jutsu. With your help, maybe I'll be able to deliberately summon the Water Dragon by the time the Winter Exams come around!" Her reference to that still mysterious fluke during the Yondaime's Gambit earned a chuckle from the members of her Team while Motoko and Iruka, who'd been told the story at some point in the last 5 months, smiled.
"And I'm still trying to locate a whip specialist to help you refine your weapon skills," Miho Hyuuga admitted. "But there aren't any ninja in the Village that use that type of weapon and, unfortunately, the majority of wandering whip masters that don't use elemental whips can't qualify for visitor permits to the Village..."
Itou smiled. "If it's easier for you, Miho-sensei, someone who can help me learn how to properly use my Father's tonfa would be acceptable, too." The Jonin nodded in acknowledgement.
"You might want to open the gifts from Motoko-sa, the Sandaime and I next, Kimi, since you might want training in what you find there…" Inugami chuckled cryptically as his girlfriend nodded in agreement.
Itou nodded to Haruno, who carried the gift over to her. The birthday girl opened the book-shaped gift and gasped as she uncovered a highly artistic mosaic of the Itou clan crest. "'The History of House Itou?' Where on Earth did you find this?!"
Motoko Hata grinned at her friend, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "We didn't…" Kimiko's face scrunched in confusion. "We MADE it for you using declassified records in the Archives."
Itou blinked a few times. "The Archi..?" Her voice cut out as her brain began to process the connotations of the orange haired girl's words. The Archives were a high-security library that contained every record in the Village related to the ninja that served Konoha and every mission they'd been sent on; successful or otherwise.
Access to the Archives was restricted due to the sensitive nature of the contents. The fact that her friends and fellow Genin were granted access - even in a limited capacity - spoke volumes as to the importance of Sho's parents in the Village; that they had the clout to get permission that was normally limited to the Hokage himself and his Advisors!
Kimiko's breath suddenly froze in her chest as she opened the cover shakingly; Sho's voluminous knowledge had given her a number of existential revelations... This book could contain answers to questions she'd never even thought of asking! The first page showed a family tree, listing the names as well as vital details of every immediate family member the kunoichi knew - and a few she didn't. Her name, her sister Reiko, her parents Yuji and Konoka, Uncle Ayanami and Aunt Nodoka, Cousin Reiyuriko and her new husband Kodansyo, as well as her grandparents - well, the names at least - laid out in a multi-generational family tree far bigger than the one she'd made in her first year in the Academy!
She flipped a page, seeing a table of contents - it was organized in immediacy of relationship, putting her sister and parents towards the front and then working backwards - and jumped to the page where the information related to her sister Reiko began. "Reiko-nee was a Jonin at 14?!" She gasped in shock.
"Didn't your Uncle mention that when we were in the Palace? Something about one of the two times your Aunt returned to Konoha after she became Queen?" Motoko asked.
Kimiko blinked in surprise as recollection hit. "Oh, I suppose he did! I guess with everything else he revealed it didn't really stick in my mind..." A few more page flips. "Wait, Kaasan was the head of the Clan?!" There were easily several hundred pages of biographical information in the book. "This is amazing you two! I can't believe you pulled this together so quickly!"
"My sisters helped us dig through the records the Hokage gave us access to." Sho admitted; there was a subtle wince around his eyes that only Motoko knew the meaning behind. "I recently got a reminder as to just how important family history can be and I knew the lack thereof has been bothering you for years..."
Kimiko wiped the tears from her eyes. "I can't wait to read it in depth… But why did Sarutobi-ojiisan send his gift with you?"
"You'll want to look at the start of your Mother's entry for that answer, Kimi." Motoko said softly, giving her friend a gentle smile.
Frowning in curiosity, the kunoichi opened the specified section. It surprised Kimiko to see that her Mother had died in her late 30's, which meant she would have been in her early 50's now; older than her teammates' parents by at least a decade. But the most surprising thing was her preferred weapon was NOT the Wusha Chain Whip… It was… "A Tessen and a Gunsen..?" She breathed as she opened the box from the Hokage revealing the two styles of collapsible combat fans, both webbed with a metallic mesh that bore Itou clan insignia. The Tessen had reinforced end ribs that would allow it to be used as a cudgel while the Gunsen's mesh was thicker to allow it to deflect thrown weapons without being damaged.
Sho nodded. "Because your mother rarely took to the battlefield - she was 20 when she became what Hinata's dad is to their Clan - she modified the Clan's Wusha techniques for her combat fans so she was always armed even when it appeared she was not. They're made of chakra reactive metal that can expose edged tips for piercing and cutting in addition to augmenting their defensive strength. It's pretty impressive work; considering they were forged over twenty years ago."
Kimiko's eyes went wide again, suddenly noticing the signs of age on the concealed weapons. "Wait… Are..? You're saying these are..?"
"Your mother's personal fans, yes." Hata agreed, smiling at her boyfriend. "When we read about your mother's preferred weapon, Sho-sa guessed that there might be a chance the Hokage saved your mother's fans; just as he had your father's tonfa... And, sure enough, he had!"
Itou hugged the book and paired fans to her chest, wondering how many stories that had been collected within had already been shared with her by Ojisan Ayanami. It would certainly help the idle time between the Exams and the Finals pass quickly! She sniffed as she rubbed the tears out of her doe brown eyes. Kimiko opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn't find the words to express how she was feeling. Ever empathetic, Hata squeezed Itou's hand with a gentle nod, eliciting a smile from the birthday girl.
Nakahito carried the last two gifts from the table over to Kimiko, presenting the jewelry box with his gift in it first. "I know you've never been big on jewelry, Kimi, but I thought that since you might end up in more social events when you're visiting Mizumiyo Palace in the future, I could get you something appropriate for those occasions… I hope you like it."
Kimiko set her last gifts on the end table beside her and accepted her best friend's gift, her heart inexplicably pounding in her chest, her cheeks coloring slightly. Neither Itou or Haruno saw the slight smiles on the other four guests' faces - all of whom knew what the two ninja they observed were subconsciously denying. The kunoichi opened the box and gasped in surprise.
Inside in a royal blue velvet-lined box lay an intricately designed bracelet: three clusters of small white pearls - five of them grouped together like family members gathered close together - alternated with three oval aquamarine cabochons along its length - the blue stones set in burnished gold bezels that seemed to cradle them protectively. Between these elements, smooth gold crescents formed gentle arcs, adding rhythm and flow to the piece.
Nakahito had labored over the choice out of all the amazing pieces he'd seen at the jeweler. The clustered pearls - chosen for Reiyuriko's nickname as the Pearl of the River - represented Ayanami, Nodoka, Reiyuriko, and Kodansyo with the promise of further additions - her River Country family, no longer distant individuals, now bound together in her memory and heart. The aquamarines represented the fallen Itou Clan - Reiko, Konoka, and Yuji - her Leaf family, their pale blue clarity, like frozen ocean waves, prominent and impossible to miss. The gold crescents between them were the bridges: the passages of time, the journeys taken, the moments that had transformed two separate families into the constellation that surrounded her.
Kimiko, her hands practically shaking with dovetailing emotions - conscious or otherwise, lifted the bracelet from its resting place. The piece, though simple in design compared to some of the ones she'd worn while pretending to be her cousin, had an elegant presence as she clipped it into place. On her wrist, it was somehow fuller, more substantial, than a simple chain with semi-precious stones. The pearls clustered in a way that suggested warmth and closeness rather than solitary elegance. The aquamarines caught the light with every movement, their surfaces shifting shades of blue between sky and water. The artistic bangle practically spoke to her, something she felt in her bones and it wasn't a whisper… And while it was in words she didn't yet understand, it was a declaration that cried out in raw emotion and promise: You are not alone. You have never been alone. We are all here with you in spirit… And we always will be!
Tears began to flow like the rivers in the country her uncle ruled as Itou leapt to her feet and hugged Haruno so forcibly that they nearly lost their balance. Kimiko's emotions were all over the map: appreciation for the elegant beauty of the piece - even though she did not yet know the symbolism that Nakahito had envisioned when he'd selected it, the unspoken feelings that neither of them realized they possessed, and the silent affirmation that - even though Kanna was now in Nakahito's orbit and pulling him towards her - he wasn't going anywhere.
"It's amazing 'Hito! It's almost a shame I'll only be able to wear it on special occasions when I don't need to worry about it getting damaged!" Nakahito mentally unclenched at her words, feeling relief that he'd made the right call!
"True, but that will make the times you DO wear it all the more memorable." Miho Hyuuga pointed out as she leaned closer to look at the bracelet. "You have very good taste, 'Hito." Haruno blushed slightly at the compliment.
After a few minutes to get her equilibrium back Kimiko Itou wiped the tears from her eyes, thankful that she preferred to not wear makeup because of how much of a mess she would be at the moment. She glanced at the final gift; the one her cousin had given her when they'd left Mizumiyo Palace six days ago, with a little trepidation; Reiyuriko had said it was her mother's but it belonged here…
The birthday girl opened the card first. Happy 14th birthday, Kimiko; Uncle Ayanami and Cousin Reiyuriko. The simple phrasing of the card caused fresh tears to fill her eyes; the casual connection of family long denied was like an emotional balm that was soothing to her core as she opened the simply wrapped gift.
"Wow…" Motoko breathed aloud even as Kimiko's own breath froze in her lungs. "That is gorgeous, Kimi."
Within the simple wrapping was an ornate golden pendant with the Itou clan crest made of ruby, turquoise, yellow topaz, and onyx stones. No one in the room could guess the cost of what was clearly a custom designed piece, but it clearly wasn't something new; it showed clear signs of wear and aging.
"I don't understand…" Kimiko whispered softly as she pulled the pendant and its thick braided gold chain from the wrapped container. "I mean, this is worthy of a queen, not a simple kunoichi… Why would Reiyuriko say it…" Itou's voice suddenly cut out when she turned the pendant over and saw the inscription on the back, nearly dropping the ornate piece.
Congratulations on the newest addition to the family. Love, N.
The inscription was dated the day Kimiko had been born.
"Kaasan…" Kimiko breathed softly, the waterworks resuming fiercely. "This was a gift to my mother from Aunt Nodoka; celebrating the day I was born!" As she turned the pendant back and forth, the lights in the room reflecting off the gold surface, Itou gasped as a long buried memory flickered to the surface… "Mother… Mother was wearing this during the Massacre! I remember it falling out of her yukata as she put me in the panic compartment… How on Earth did it end up back in River Country?"
"Because it could be traced." Sho said softly, eliciting a series of glances at the medic-nin from the others in the room. "The metals of the Katabami Mine have unique trace metals compared to precious metals of the same type from other mines. Combine that with the exceptional craftsmanship and, in the wrong hands, this could have led others back to your aunt and cousin, Kimiko. When Nodoka Itou had to be completely erased, this couldn't be left out in the world, so the Sandaime must have had it returned to Mizumiyo."
"But now it can come home to where it belongs." Miho Hyuuga nodded with a smile. "With the future Head of the Itou Clan."
"Head of the…" Itou suddenly cut off as the entry in the genealogy book Inugami and Hata had assembled for her hit her like the inherited Tessen… Her mother had been the head of the Clan; that meant that she was literally the same as Hinata in terms of her Clan! "ME?! But I don't…" She began to hyperventilate as she felt a surge of overwhelming anxiety wash over her.
The Jonin smiled, cutting the shocked girl off by reaching over to squeeze her hand. "Take a breath, Kimi; Hiashi-dono, in accordance with oaths and agreements dating to the early days of Konoha, has been watching over your Clan's holdings since the Massacre on your behalf." Miho replied softly "And will continue to do so until you are a Jonin or a legal adult; whichever happens first."
"Huh…" Nakahito Haruno breathed softly, a long-held mystery finally made clear. "I thought it was odd that the buildings in the Itou compound never collapsed over the years… Especially since they're so close to the river..."
"The Branch Family is sent over once a month to check on them. Anything that was damaged that dark night has been maintained until Kimiko decides what she wants done with them - either repaired or torn down - while all the other buildings are kept up. They do the same for the Uchiha compound as well for a similar reason." Hyuuga explained gently.
Kimiko's features showed tension as her mind scrambled to cope with all the new complications her life had suddenly developed. Motoko Hata, ever the empath, reached over to touch her friend's shoulder. "Nothing is changing today, Kimi; you're just learning about things that will matter down the road."
Itou took a deep breath with a nod, not ready to trust her voice, as more tears flowed. This had been one amazing birthday to be sure; but Kimiko was reaching her limit on emotional body blows. "I'm sorry, everyone; I hate to kick you all out, but I'm beyond drained from everything tonight…"
Iruka chuckled as he rose to his feet and helped Miho to hers. "No apologies required, right everyone?" The other four remaining guests nodded as they said their goodbyes until Nakahito was the last one at the door.
"Hito?" Itou's voice stopped Haruno mid-exit and he turned back, curiosity visible in his features. "Could…" Her voice cut out for a second, but she swallowed drily. "Wou… would you mind staying the night?"
Nakahito blinked in surprise; Kimiko hadn't let him sleep over since the prior fall after she'd had her first 'that time of the month.' "Uh, sure, Kimi." He scratched the back of his head, slightly perplexed by her change in attitude. "Is something going on?"
"When I was pretending to be Reiyuriko-nee, Motoko or Tanaka-sensei were usually lurking nearby in case something happened that required 'my' presence to deal with to buy me enough time to turn back into my cousin. Then, afterwards, sharing a room with Miho-sensei… I mean, she didn't snore or anything, but she'd have nightmares and thrash about in her sleep." She looked momentarily pensive. "I've been having trouble getting used to the quiet again… Today's been amazing; I just don't want it to end on a sour note because of that."
Haruno smiled as he walked over to the linen closet, grabbing a pillow and blanket that he put on the sofa. "This sounds like a job for Nakahito Haruno; noisy sleeper extraordinaire."
Kimiko briefly rested her head on Nakahito's shoulder as she hugged him, dimly aware that he was now taller than he had been the last time they'd been this close. "Thanks, Hito."
The fire specialist returned the hug as he kissed the top of her head in a big brother fashion, even though he was two months younger than Itou. "No problem, Kimi. Sweet dreams..."