Returning to the village had a strange... bittersweetness to it. And this was before we learned what had happened in our absence. We'd all helped each other get there, leaning into each other when we maneuvered through the forest. Who had the worst of the injuries...? It seemed... to be rather even.

Sakura's mild concussion and being too closely affected by the Shukaku's chakra; Sasuke's injuries from the examination, the overuse of his Chidori, and depletion of his chakra, not to mention whatever those black marks on his skin had done to him to make him so exhausted; Naruto's injuries from his matchup with Neji and his own chakra depletion from that fight, as well as his injuries sustained from fighting Gaara

As Kishibi Hio had explained, there had been an alliance between the Land of Wind, the Hidden Sound Village, and the Yamada Clan. who had been exiled by the Hidden Leaf Village

The guise that both Sen and Kyōharu used, claiming to be royalty of the Land of Snow, well, it wasn't received well. By me, I mean. As angry as I am at them for all that they've been involved in, I couldn't bring myself to report them. They're... my brothers. They're the family I thought I'd lost or never had. My heart just... wouldn't let me. But even Kyōharu disappeared during the attack... what could that mean...

If I did report them, the Hidden Leaf would associate the whole of the Land of Snow with them and they would have to deal with that fallout, as well, even though the Yamada Clan acted on their own accord. But one thing still doesn't add up—why would they go through all of this, risk everything they could possibly have in their situation, just to get to me?

I know the royalty thing is fake, but... why did Garasu really call me the "Yamada Princess"?

... more than anything in the world, I'd wished this had been the extent of the bad news we had to hear.

Before Sasuke and I had left to chase after Gaara, a mass Genjutsu had been put on the crowd attending the Chūnin Exams. This was all a ploy that the "Kazekage" created in order to attack the Lord Hokage. The Kazekage, of all people... was Orochimaru. The real Kazekage... is dead. And so is the Lord Hokage.

Apparently, Orochimaru was the Lord Hokage's student...! How could he do such a thing to his teacher...? The invasive thought enters my mind before I can stop it—Makara-sensei. Iruka-sensei. Kakashi-sensei. I could never imagine harming them.

Before I can stop myself, the bottom hemming of my dress is bunched and wrinkled by me squeezing the life out of them. I'd just spent the last half an hour learning to iron it, and it's ruined again.

... I'd bought this dress within my first couple of weeks of living in the village. Death... seems to surround the life of Shinobi so often that having black formal wear becomes a necessity to own. After great battles or wars or sieges, a mourning ceremony is held in the honor of those who lost their lives. Lord Hokage wasn't the only one who died this time around. Shinobi and innocents alike were slaughtered by Orochimaru's men.

A sob escapes me before I can help it. Which is bad timing for me, because I have to answer the door now to stop the person I most loathe to see from entering my home without permission. The door handle had wiggled. I'm glad I remembered to lock it.

I swing it open rather harshly, and the handle hits the wall—in the corner of my eye, I spot a dent in it. Before me stands Sen, who'd flinched at the loud bang. He's quick to recover, likely thanks to the look on my face I make a point of wearing for him.

"G... good morning," he mumbles at me. Seeing this side of Sen, a side that I've yet to experience with the memories I currently have, nearly throws me off. I have to force myself to remain curt.

"Good morning," I reply. Stepping out the door forces him to move out of the way. I take out my house key and lock it up.

"How are you feeling?" he asks me, his tone tiptoeing.

"Fine." I move around him to walk down the stairs. A small noise escapes him, and I barely hear it clearly enough to give it a description, but it annoys me. "I'm not bleeding out anymore, if that's what you're wondering," I decide to add. In the corner of my eye when he trots up next to me, he looks relieved.

"... Kari, I-I—""Don't," I snap, pausing in my journey to the Hokage Building to whirl on him. "Don't say it. Don't say a damn thing. Not a word. Not after what you've done. I don't deserve to have to sit through hearing your apologies."

"H-How much do you know?"

"Everything, it seems like. Your alliance with the Sand and Sound; you, Kyōharu, and Minako conspiring with them in order to, what, get revenge on the Leaf for the exile the Yamada forced upon themselves? And for whatever reason, you wanted me to return with you, your "Yamada Princess"," I mockingly add. "I know it all. So go home, already. Why are you even still here?" I look him up and down, realizing that he's wearing a set of funerary robes. "If you go there, I'll—"

"It would have never been our intention to help Orochimaru if we knew what his true plan was," Sen is quick to interrupt with. When I start walking away, having scoffed at his lie, a single step from him is enough to stand in front of me, his long legs being to blame, my bicep now in his hand. I glare up at him.

"Kari, there were things that happened that Kyōharu and I did not know about. All we agreed to do was help Orochimaru's Shinobi enter the Chūnin Exams. He told us he only wished to implement his Sound Shinobi into the eyes of the nobles to improve his village's economy. It was... believable, at the time. We were approached but did not know enough about him to deem his claim as truth or a falsity. Our desperations were easily manipulated—our desperations to find you.

"One of his men, Kabuto Yakushi—" my jaw instantly grinds at hearing his name again "—gathered information about you and all of your friends – all of the exam participants. I know all of your current strengths and weaknesses. We could have easily acquired you and brought you back with us to the Land of Snow, but... when I saw how dearly you cared for your friends, and the fun you had cheering them on during their final matches, I... I couldn't take that joy away from you."

"But you still asked if I wanted to go back with you," I remind him.

"That's all I was planning to do," Sen says. "If you said "no", I would be resigned to let you stay in the Hidden Leaf. I would accept that you wouldn't return home with me, because I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I tore you away from this life of happiness you so clearly live in. I wouldn't be able to bear seeing you cry."

"... well, thanks."

Sen nods, albeit stiffly. His green eyes look away in the same moment he removes his long fingers from around my arm. "Can I ask... for your forgiveness? I'm so sorry that I caused you so much heartache."

"I..."

I don't know how he and the other Yamada involved could possibly rectify their situation, especially considering the only ones who know they'd been involved include the Land of Wind, Orochimaru and his men, and me. In the eyes of the Hidden Leaf, they'd been innocents, knocked out by the Genjutsu Orochimaru's men cast during Sasuke's exam. Somehow, they'll have to right this wrong. Too many terrible things have happened on that day.

It has been two days since the Chūnin Exams and the attack on the Hidden Leaf Village both took place. Two days since Sentarō and Kyōharu Yamada both re-entered my life as my long lost brothers. Two days... is not enough time to forgive. It isn't humanly possible.

"... I'll try... to forgive you."

But I guess I'll give it a shot, anyway.

"T... Then, may I accompany you today?" From within the inside of his several layers of robes, he pulls out a thin, floppy package that's wrapped in thin paper. "A gift, of sorts. I knocked on your door earlier this morning, as soon as I saw you were awake, but you never answered..."

"That's because I knew it was you," I explain, taking it from him. "If it had been Naruto or anyone else, I would've answered it in a heartbeat."

"I-I see..." In the corner of my eye, I can tell that he's hurt. He makes the same facial expressions I do, so it's easy to tell that my dismissive words pain him. I feel guilty for not adding in something along the lines of, "Oh, but this was before you told me the truth". At the same time, however, he deserves to feel what he's feeling.

"I had my tailor make this for you, a-amongst other things. I have them set to be delivered here during the ceremony."

"You didn't have to—""I did, though. Of course, I did. This package, however, is for now."

"Now?" I spare a glance down at myself. "But I've already got this to wear..."

Sighing, I pull at the one tab of the paper, and the contents just seem to roll out from it. I catch it at the last second, the dark fabric unfolding over my forearm in the shape of a funerary gown. At a glance, it looks quite similar to Sen's—a thick black obi, thin and intricate white accent lining the open edges and hems and the ends of the sleeves, and two white dots on each of the lapels.

"It's very pretty," I say, having held it up before me.

"Parting gifts," he murmurs, his eyes half-lidded when he looks down at me. There are too many emotions on his face to name. "Our clan leader, I imagine, will be livid when he hears of the outcome from Kyōharu, and our brother isn't the best at explaining things, so, I'll be leaving once the ceremony finishes."

"I... I see."

Should I be as sad as I am to hear this? Sen's leaving. It was what I wanted when I learned the truth from Kishibi. Now that I have the real truth, it is still hard to stomach that there'd be conspirators existing to take me from here. From the place I've grown to love, and its people. I'm grateful that my brother is at least good enough to offer me a choice.

Sen takes the robe from me, undoing the black obi around the middle to open it up. When he holds it up, I slip my arms into the sleeves and shrug it onto my shoulders. The sleeves are longer than my arms and hands, like Sen's. I make sure the robe is even on both sides, holding it in place while Sen wraps the obi back around my waist, and assume he's tying it in a bow when he brings it back behind me. A sudden low chuckle prompts me to turn back around.

Sen smiles. "Now you look just like me."

I smile back. "Is that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?"

Surprised, he suddenly lets out a sharp breath that ends up turning into contagious laughter. In this little clearing in front of my home, it echoes all around us. I have to force myself to stop, covering my mouth with my hand like a pacifier.

"I... I have one more thing for you, Kari," Sen says, the ghost of his laugh hanging on his words as he sticks his hand inside one of his sleeves. He pulls out a small, flat box, wooden, but painted black, and hands it to me. "It was Mara's."

My head snaps up to look at him. "What?" I push the silver clasp keeping the box closed and it pops open, revealing an intricate silver hairpiece. Inlaid in the center of it is a single turquoise gemstone. The teeth of it run thin and sharp, though when I press on one of them, they don't budge nor bend.

"Before our exile, she had left it at our old estate. When she disappeared, I... I begged them to keep it. One of the last precious material items that remained of our mother. I've had it safe for these past six years... hoping I could show my sister it, should I meet her again."

"S-Sen, I... I can't take this from you," I try to reason; "she's your mother, too."

"Then we'll be a matching set, my beloved sister," he says, and he gently flicks the silver earring dangling from his left lobe. "Kyōharu has the other."

I look back down to the hairpin, my cheeks suddenly warming at the thought. A matching set. Me and my brothers. I'm their "beloved" sister. "Hehe."

"May I put it on you?" I nod, mentally cursing my bashfulness for being why I couldn't verbally answer him. Sen moves behind me and begins carding his fingers through my long hair, removing the few knots he could find before twisting it up and away from my neck and back, finally pulling the hairpin out of its slot in the box to pin it up. "There."

I instantly raise my hands to feel behind me, my fingertips hitting a large, smooth ball of hair and the decoration that keeps it there. Sen comes back around, bending in front of me and reaching for either side of my face to pull out several strands of hair to sit in front of my ears. His smile has since widened, his cheeks a little red, when he finishes dressing me up, but quickly contorts into concern.

"Why are you crying?" he whispers, holding my face in his hands. I blink, confused, until I feel the wetness squish between my eyelashes. There's enough that it leaks down my cheeks, and that Sen feels the need to dry them away with the sleeve of his robes. "Please don't cry, Kari."

... I can only nod.

When we arrive at the Hokage building, I immediately spot a head of blond hair standing near the entrance. My pace instinctively quickens—I only saw him yesterday morning. But with all these new emotions and after everything that's happened, it's too long of a time spent away from any of my friends. Sen had been holding my hand, so when he lets it go, he tells me to be careful or I'll trip. The last thing I need is to embarrass myself on a day like this, though, at least it might give people a smile or two; maybe a laugh.

I'd hiked up my robes, finally dropping them when I reach him. "Hi, Naruto," I say, and the first thing I do is hug him. "How are you feeling?" Sighing, he shakes his head. I squeeze him just a little tighter before making to let go—I'm embraced by his arms that've just wrapped around me. If I could do this forever, I wouldn't mind it. But everyone is entering the Hokage building behind him, and we have to start moving. Before we can, however, Sen has joined us.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he says, sending a small smile down to him. Naruto squints and looks above my head to see him. By the look on his face, well... I can't imagine he's happy this strange person is a foot taller than him. "Kari has told me much about you." Naruto takes Sen's extended hand, shaking it cautiously.

"She has, has she?" Naruto says, eyebrow raised. I laugh a little.

"Yeah, I told him how much trouble you are," and I attack his messy hair in an attempt to flatten it out.

"H-Hey, Kari, cut it out!" he cries, trying to grab my wrists, but I manage to grab both of them in one hand while my other pulls at spiky strands to even them out.

"Sorry," I mumble, finally releasing him. Naruto pouts at me, rubbing his wrists.

"Jeez... I forget how strong you are sometimes."

"A dangerous mistake. Naruto, I think you saw him sitting with me during the exams, but... this is Sen. My brother."

"You've got... a brother?" I hold up two fingers. "Two brothers?"

"You told me about him, but not him about me?" Sen mumbles, looking down at the tips of his shoes.

"For obvious reasons, I was ready not to tell anyone about you, ever," I hiss, before adding loudly enough for Naruto to hear me, "I haven't exactly had the time, Sen."

"... yes, yes..."

"It's cool to meet you, Sen," Naruto says, sounding relieved. He looks around us, and slowly but surely, his expression shifts. "We should... probably get going up there now, huh..."

"Y-Yeah."

And we leave together, walking side by side up the wide staircase. Everybody in attendance would already be at the top, so there'd be no worrying about someone coming down the opposite way. A sudden warmth spreads through the right side of me, the side Naruto walks on. His... chakra, I realize. Mm... It's so warm. I wanna feel it just a little closer.

Carefully, I reach my hand for his, searching for it from the corner of my eye. My fingertips touch his wrist first, but I can feel just how tense it is. It's balled up in a fist, after all. Frowning, I poke where his knuckles curl into his palm, insistent on being a comfort to him in any way possible. A moment later... he relents, letting me tuck my fingers between each of his.

Naruto being quiet is uncharacteristic. It's sad. He shouldn't have to experience so much sadness like this. He doesn't deserve that.

When we reach the top, we see the other villagers gathering in rows across the roof. We're quick to follow suit, me leading the way with Naruto's and Sen's hands in either of mine. It seems that the only space left is at the front of the rows—I'd been hoping this wouldn't be the case. Having to be so close to the memorial that had been set up, I... I can't bear to look at the photographs. Out of respect for their lives, I'll force myself to.

Already lined up is the other half of mine and Naruto's team. Sasuke and Sakura, eyes dark, give us a small nod. To Naruto's right, I see Iruka-sensei standing beside a sobbing Konohamaru. I internalize the heavy sigh I'd wanted to heave out and look to the funerary display. At the very center and on the middle table, alone, sits the picture of our Third Hokage. To the left and right sit more tables and more photos and more photos and more photos—

It's raining.

"We are gathered here today to remember and honor not only the Third Hokage," an old man says, "but all of those who sacrificed themselves in this battle, so our village would survive."

I see one of the Chūnin proctors sitting amongst them.

Shallow breaths escape me during the remainder of his speech and throughout the old woman who speaks next. Sen has a firm hold on my hand and Naruto's is just as tight squeezing, if not tighter. Soon, the eulogies end, and we are permitted to approach the tables to say our farewells and offer a flower. Being in the front row, I am one of the first handful to have to go up.

I accept a flower from the old woman, who gives me a light pat on the shoulder. It startles me and begins making my eyes burn and water. I suppose it's good that it's raining now. I move forward, finally taking my place before the Lord Hokage's portrait, and set my flower against the edge of it.

"Thank you," I whisper. Thank you for taking me in, again. Thank you for accepting me. Thank you for comforting me when I was sad. Thank you for having tea with me. Thank you for being my grandmother's friend. Thank you for taking care of Naruto... when you could. Thank you for sharing the will of fire with me. "Thank you."

I can't bring myself to look up at his photo a second time. But the rain has stopped, the sun is quick to pop out from behind the rainclouds, and I am blinded by the light's reflection off his glass. I squint, and keep moving.

"... thank you."

-

"Thank you again for... all of these unnecessary things." I chuckle almost embarrassedly at the stack of boxes that sit on my porch upon our return. "And thank you for finding me. I can't imagine it would've been easy to do if it weren't for that shopkeeper."

"... no, it would not have been. We only guessed that Makara might've one day sent you here—we'd planned on sending a letter to the Hokage to ask if you were here before we heard from that man."

"Can I ask why Kyōharu left? I never really had a chance to speak with him..."

"I'm sure you'll eventually, properly, meet," Sen assures me. "He's a bit of a coward with little talent for being a Shinobi, but he still wanted to tag along, as little brothers tend to do. And, also..." Sen chuckles as if he's uncomfortable. "... for his age, his purpose and... desire... to be here should not align."

"Ah—? Is that why—? With Sakura and Ino?" He nods, reluctant. "I... I see..."

"I do apologize for him, in advance of this moment." He sighs. "I only fear he'll be worse off in the future, but..."

"Something to look forward to," I say, maybe a little too sarcastically. Suddenly, the quiet I'd been dreading arrives, and Sen and I are locked in a stare.

He lifts his arms away from his sides, toward me. "May I?"

Oh. A hug. "Yes, please."

He takes a single step toward me, something so quick and easy for him because of his height. Silently, I curse him for it, until he wraps his long arms around my head to pull me into his chest. A breath escapes me at the impact, but I lift mine and wrap them around his middle, squeezing tight.

I... don't want him to go, after all.

"... stop growing, by the way," I mumble, though it comes out muffled. When he laughs, it vibrates through my whole body. I hug him tighter.

"I'll try my very best to shrink by the next time we see each other," he says quietly. By how long he's holding me for, it's too obvious that he doesn't wish to go, either. "Kari..."

"I... I know."

"... I can't be the one to do it. I won't be able to."

"I know that, too." Several moments pass. It's only when I convince myself that I'm getting too warm now to hold onto him any longer. It's only when he brushes some of my bangs aside that I find that in reality, I actually am sweating. "Ew."

Sen laughs. "Goodbye, my beloved sister. I hope to be able to see you again soon."

I smile, biting the inside of my cheek. "Goodbye, Sen."

Updated October 27th, 2022 | 3,968 words