No Longer Lost (Closed Group)

Shunko followed the red-haired woman wearily, her Sensory fine-tuned and always active from the countless years fighting for survival surveyed everything within 250 meters of her.

Her nervously trembling hands occasionally reaching over to stroke a sword that was no longer there. The comforting presence of her weapon-family making her feel naked and vulnerable around this many strange people.

'Oi! No offense, but are we getting closer to Niko's place? So many people around me without my weapons by my side is making me antsy. There's too many places where I can get ambushed, or another attempt on my life can be made … honestly, I'm going to be pissed if this is another trap." Shunko asked, her provincial accent thick with aggression to hide her growing worry.

Adding under her breath, It'll be a shame to kill that old dude for sending me into an assassination attempt, but it is what it is … I just hope I can find a good escape route. Too many people stronger than me here.

[1]

Niko walked with calm determination as they approached the house.  She worried about Oriana and her reaction to the sudden change of people, but this was something that she was going to have to try to ensure went smoothly.  She wasn’t about to push either of the girls away in any way, and it was going to be a rough transition, but one that she could say might benefit them both.  Oriana was comfortable, but only around Niko, and that was going to be a problem if she got put onto any kind of team, and Shunko needed to learn how not to be a selfish killing machine who thought weapons were her only friend.  And Niko would guide them, as always, to making those steps and becoming strong, well-rounded individuals, even if they never truly lost their quirks all the way.

Listening to Shunko, something drastically changed in the expression the taller red-head wore for a moment.  “Anyone touches you without your permission, they won’t walk away.”  Because she would probably put them into the hospital with a whole series of broken bones.  She remembered when she had found Oriana, cowering and shaking, under the influence of another person who wanted to be her new ‘handler’.  He was probably still in prison, and would never walk again without healing, which she ensured he would never receive.  No one touched the people she cared about and got away with it.  Ever.

Walking up to the house, she paused and turned sideways, showing the name on the signpost just before the little path that led to the one-story home that was connected to the forge, and beyond that, the shop.  Labeled with her own and Oriana’s name on it, she gave Shunko a gentle smile and pointed to the next spot on the sign post.  “If you like it, your name can go right here…  I am Niko Kanuchi, and unless I am completely losing it, I am almost a hundred percent positive that you are my younger sister.  Now, let’s go talk to Oriana… she’s a bit skittish, so you will have to bear with it for a bit.”

Putting an arm on her shoulder to help guide the likely now shell-shocked teen, she moved quietly towards the door, opening it and calling out.  “Oriana?  We have a special guest.  Could you meet us at the table please?”  She wasn’t sure where the cat-like girl was, so she really hoped she was home.

[1]

The pink haired teen in question had just returned from a D rank mission. It had taken a good part of the day because the reticent ninja preferred working alone. She'd just finished her stretching routine when she heard the door open and Niko's voice. Her body tensed. A special guest? Occasionally people came to the house for custom orders or to negotiate batches of tools now that their reputation for weapon smithing had spread. However, that never warranted being called in to meet the person; if she was home the feline teen would usually appear nearby and come into view if the conversation took a turn that implied she would be needed.

Oriana gave herself a once over. Then, she made the executive decision to get cleaned up before meeting this special guest. The creaking of the plumbing was audible, preceding the noise of the shower. The genin was quick and efficient, scrubbing herself down in cold water thoroughly in just under three minutes. She stepped out the shower, shivering, and toweled off before pulling on clean clothes.

New people warranted extra layers of clothing. Oriana slipped into a pair of loose fitting dark gray pants and a white hooded sweatshirt over a mesh shirt and shorts. She strapped on a white, one-shouldered vest from her standard ninja kit and black boots before quietly making her way towards the kitchen.

The short teen paused and took a deep breath to steady herself, hesitating just out of view.

[1]

At being told that whoever tried to hurt her wouldn’t walk away, the girl hesitantly reached for the older shinobi’s shoulder and looked at her with a haunted eye, as color drained from her face ”Some enemies ya jus’ can’t fight, some monsters are jus’ too evil ta kill. I don’ know ya, even if ya do feel a mite familiar, but I’d feel a bit bad about ya addin’ yer number ta all the people who thought they’d come between them an’ me o’er th’ years.” She shook her head sadly as she absent mindedly stroked a baby blanket she wore as a sash, the same one she was waddled in when she was kidnapped all those years ago, ”They taught me good, those owner’s ‘o mine, there’s no such thin’ as bein’ safe, never will be while Imma breathin’ … I … I jus’ wanna see my sis’ a’fore they catch or kill me. I wanna have the memory o’ her smilin’ in my meatpan pass a’fore my eyes ya’know? When it comes a flashin’. Still, don’cha worry about hurt’n none, I’m hella good at doin’ tha’ all’n my lonesome, ya can bet’ch’er bottom Ryo on it. But them? Ya don’ wanna mess with no hunters, don’ go needlessly addin’ your body to their KC ya’ hear? “

It was literally the least she could do. A solid warning that some enemies you just didn’t face. She already had a list of lives who tried standing up for her weighing on her soul, she wasn’t about to drag some other innocent soul down. Still she’d spent 7 long years searching for her sister. By now, after all she’d done, all she wanted was at least one good memory. One thing she could grasp onto when the blade eventually came for her to hold onto to, to know that her sister had a good life. That she was happy. Even if she couldn’t be happy with an inhuman monster like her.

Eventually they made it to the single level home, a name “Oriana” and “Niko Kanuichi” engraved on there. The revelation that the stranger she felt a sense of familiarity and connection to was indeed her sister through her mind through a loop. If one listened closely one could hear the gears whirring inside her head so fast that she was half expecting steam to come out.

As Niko, guided her through the home, the girl would let herself be guided to a seat while Shunko tried to mentally grasp the situation, as the other person Oriana entered the house and went about her thing, Shunko’s body subconsciously reacted by aiming herself between a wall at her back and an escape route ready.

Even as Oriana waited by the wall Shunko still was trying to grasp things, ”Ya … yer my Big Sis? She looked up at her, a fragile hope shining in her eyes, ”I finally found ya after all’o these years? I … I ain’ dreamin’ am I? I’d try’n pinch myself but all’o my dreams are painful any ways. So that wouldn’ help none, she’d add in a whisper loud enough to carry, but not past the room, ”by the by ya got company by the walls, I’m takin’ it since ya haven’ acted surprised by ‘em usin’ yer shower they’re this Ori girl ‘n not somethin’ that needs fixin’? Cause if it is, well, Imma a fixer ‘o problems. If not … then I can work on wrapp’n my head aroun’ see’n my Big Sis.”

[2]

One of the first things she was going to start with teaching her little sister was proper speech. Not that the accent wasn’t endearing, but lord would it make communication far more difficult than it needed to be. She had to actively not only listen, but mentally translate the words that had been spoken into something that could be understood and processed. She didn’t mention anything else until she had gotten the young girl seated and comfortable and then moved to the kitchen to get a few things together. She knew Oriana would be along shortly as she heard the shower briefly, and like clockwork presented herself just out of sight. She had to come out at her own pace.

“Oriana, you recall a month ago or so when we were working in the forge and I told you how I once had a family aside from my Uncle? Well, apparently, my younger sister survived the raid of my home, and found her way here.” Niko was doing everything in her power to remain calm and neutral through all of this, as though they were casually discussing the weather. “And if you doubt my capabilities to keep you safe, Shunko, you can ask Oriana what happened the last time someone tried.” Niko had made a point during that occasion to ensure that the spies or whatever they were from that underworld were watching before she had brutally broken his knees backwards.

She then moved back to the table, placing a large dish of sweetened hard candies onto the table in a variety of colors and flavors (think Jolly Ranchers). “Now, I propose we all sit around the table and enjoy some sweets, and maybe have a nice little talk.” Nothing was unintentional about the seating arrangement either. She had placed Shunko on the side closest to the wall, herself at the head of the table to act as a mediator, and with a foot pushed out the chair on the other side of the table from Shunko, so she could use Niko as a barrier of sorts.

[2]

At being addressed directly, the pink haired teen stepped into view and surveyed the room from the doorway. The layers of neutral colored clothing contrasted sharply with her damp hair while obscuring her figure. She scrutinized Shunko wordlessly for a few moments before moving closer to the table. The stranger who had shown up certainly bore a strong resemblance to Niko. She looked back to the blacksmith, and noted a lack of concern on the older redhead's face. She even seemed to be trying to put the younger one at ease.

The feline teen nodded once. "He can't walk anymore," she added, explaining what happened to the last person to bother someone under the Kanuchi clan's protection.

"Well… I've heard he can crawl now, with assistance."

With that the pink haired woman set about making tea. She wasn't quite ready to come to the table, but would make her way there nevertheless. If Niko asked her to do something, it would happen. That was that. Though Oriana was much less likely to believe someone to be family based on resemblance and a sob story, she knew that Niko wasn’t the type to be fooled by that sort of thing either. If Niko was at least partly convinced that this person was her sibling, then there was more to the situation than she could tell.

By the time the tea was hot, Oriana had steeled herself for the conversation to come. She added a sachet of tea leaves to the pot and used a pair of pot holders to carry it to the table, setting it between them before retrieving mugs and standing to one side of Niko, placing the jounin between herself and the newcomer. She watched the pot for a few moments, counting the seconds while she waited for it to brew. After a few moments she retrieved sugar and spooned some into the bottom of two of the mugs before looking at Shunko.

“Sugar?”

[2]

Even hearing about Niko's protection of Ori, Shunko couldn't help but shake her head, "Was he a professional killer? Did he have skill in trackin' down an' capturin' Chuunin level threats? Did he have an Organization behind him that specializes in capturin', experimentin' on, and collectin' interestin' individuals?

"I'm sure he was a bad guy, but I've spent the last 7 years runnin' , and everyone who ever tried protectin' me has ended up dead.

"Until there bodies are nailed ta a wall, I'm not gonna ta believe I'm safe. Heck the Don'yoku spent years of my life beatin' in the fact that there is no such thing as bein' safe. I'll never be safe, safety is an illusion that'll crumble around ya in a heart beat.

"Not sayin' Imma angel. I ain't nothin' but a weapon, somethin' people wield for there wants 'n desires. But no weapon ever used doesn't have some kinda marks on'em."

She'd shake her head and at seeing the tea. She'd wait until the others had slipped there's before replying.

"No thank you on the sugar, but thanks 'n all for the tea."

She'd eye the candies wearily as if they were some mysterious object, "Ain't ever had no sweets 'afore."

[3]

Niko turned and addressed the two girls sitting together and smiled. Shunko wasn’t so sure that Niko could protect her. Not yet at least. Suddenly, to Shunko’s senses, Niko completely and absolutely vanished. Neither of the girls would be able to track where she went; one moment she was standing behind them smiling, the next she was just gone without a trace. For about five seconds, she literally just ceased to exist to either of their senses. Oriana wouldn’t be too put off by this, because it wasn’t the first time that Niko had done this around her, but it would be a first for Shunko.

Suddenly, there was a whisper in Shunko’s ear. “I specialize in protecting the people I love.”

She then stepped back and stood behind the pair, giving them both a warm smile as she stopped suppressing her chakra signature and using her skill in stealth. Unlike most ninja, she knew the value of good reconnaissance and proper hiding techniques, especially from fellow ninja with Sensory. It made the woman, who preferred to have many weapons and heavy armor when possible, a bit of a Mystery of how someone who used so much metal could be so quiet.

“Let me know what you think of my Sweet Rocks. Gotta come up with a better name though.” She grabbed one and popped it in her mouth to show they were safe. “Don’t try to chew ‘em. Suck on ‘em and they last longer.” Taking a seat again, she settled in.

[3]

Oriana had to listen very carefully to understand a single thing Shunko said. She was able to get the gist of it, that she didn't trust them to keep her safe and that she wasn't used to sugar. The details were lost in translating that thick accent, but the pink haired genin wasn't terribly concerned. She filed this detail away for later, supposing the accent would make it easier to tune the younger redhead out when listening was too tiring. The short teen could work with that.

This stranger not trusting her as protection made sense. Oriana would perhaps raise a hand if her master's younger sibling were in dire straits, or run to get Niko, but more out of a sense of duty and loyalty to Niko than anything else. Anyone doubting Niko got under Oriana's skin, but she left the correction to the elder redhead. The blacksmith was more than capable of showcasing her abilities when she wanted. Oriana didn't say anything in Niko's defense because the older redhead didn't need her to.

Just as the pink haired genin expected, Niko put on a small show. The sudden disappearance of the jounin's presence was unsettling but not unfamiliar. Oriana simply moved the tea and mugs before Shunko could knock them over if she panicked. Once the younger redhead settled down, Oriana offered a cup of plain tea.

"Niko is a jounin. We have cream if you want."

The disjointed statements were characteristic of Oriana's communication style, to the point and incredibly succinct. It took a bit of thinking and using context to understand anything she said most of the time.

[3]

At the vanishing act, Shunko's already taut nerves were now screaming silently in her head as she vanished from both sight and the Sensory she'd learned to rely on to keep her safe, at her whispered words, Shunko instantly swung a strong, panicked right hook at Niko which was gently caught by the elder sister.

At hearing from Oriana that she was a Jounin. Shunko slouched in her seat to make herself as small of a target as possible. Her eye giving a panicked look at her surroundings, "I guess a Jounin would be safer, ya do feel stronger than they are … jus' …"

Not knowing what to say, and waving off the cream, she undid her masterwork, red, baby blanket she wore as a sash, and reverently folded it on the table before downing a handful of the sweets to keep herself from saying anything to further embarrass herself.

The sudden burst of sweetness hit her like a sledgehammer, and she felt a strange sense of glee fill her building into a rapturous squee, which did nothing to dampen her growing, embarrassed blush.

But at least now she was in a place to listen.

[4]

Niko hadn’t meant to startle her, but this was a sort of Jumpy behavior and violent reaction she was going to have to change in order for her to interact in the village properly; she had to realize she was safe here. The Jounin knew of the organization she had come from, even of Shunko’s reputation, which was going to take some sweet-talking not to send the young girl to prison and clear her name. Regardless of all that, she was family, and nothing stopped the red haired Jounin when it came to family. She didn’t bother trying to catch any dishes and such that were knocked aside thanks to her younger sister either; they were well in Oriana’s capabilities of catching.

“It’s going to take some time for her to get acclimated to the point where you are now, Oriana. You remember when you first came to me. Patience.” She then walked to a small hall closet and opened it, and very carefully pulled out a similar red blanket, well cared for and clean, obviously well cared for, and brought it back to the table. Setting it down, she waited for Shunko to make eye contact with it.

Oriana would know what it was; Niko’s blanket from her original family, before her memories had even really formed properly. It was the same cut of fabric as the one Shunko had, and proved their bond as sisters. Setting it down she then turned her attention to the ceiling for a moment. “You know, I don’t play favorites. You're going to have to work hard to pull your own weight, Shunko. Oriana can show you what that looks like… but so long as you want it to be, this is your home.”

[4]

Once Shunko took off her sash and folded it, Oriana noticed that it looked vaguely familiar. Her gaze lingered on the garment for a few moments while she tried to place where she had seen something like it before.

The reminder to be patient with the jumpy one was met with a nod. Oriana had been akin to a feral cat when Niko dragged her in through the window that first time. While still not fond of unexpected contact, the pink haired genin had made large strides in the two years she’d been living here.

Once the black smith set her own baby blanket on the table, something clicked into place: it was nearly identical to Shunko’s. The likelihood of someone getting something so close and resembling Niko so strongly and not being her relative was low. This realization was enough for her to start to worry. This new person was likely to be a permanent addition to the household, which Niko confirmed by offering the girl a place to stay. Even worse, this person would likely need a lot of Niko’s attention, something that didn’t sit well with Oriana.

She continued to glance between the blankets, staring while considering the fact that her position as the most useful person to Niko was challenged. There wasn’t anything she could do about it. Sabotaging Niko’s real family in any way was a quick way to end her own good standing in the elder redhead’s eyes.

Not even Niko saying she wouldn’t play favorites soothed those worries. One glance at that gooey look on the blacksmith’s face was enough to know that this other redhead had gotten ahold of Niko’s affection just by showing up out of the blue.

Oriana looked down at her tea and wondered what the point of welcoming a usurper into her home had been. This woman stole her place as Niko’s sole favorite and she had just welcomed it, not realizing what was happening until it was too late. The tea was still hot enough to burn, Oriana knowing Niko’s preference for heat. The pink haired woman drank it anyway, slugging down the liquid and focusing on the way it scalded her tongue, lips, and throat. It hurt almost as much as being replaced, though not quite.

Belatedly, she said, “Ouch.”

[4]

Shunko barely paid attention to the mad rush of catching dishes she had knocked over, over the hammering in her chest as her adrenaline was pumping full throttle through her veins. She heard her talking to Oriana about her being in a similar state when she first met Niko, and for patience and walked out of the room. As she walked out, Shunko immersed herself in the sweet rapture of sweets until Niko came back causing her to almost choke on the candy.

There in her hands was a blanket that was indistinguishable from her own. She felt her jaw drop and her heart catch in her throat as undeniable proof that her sister was alive and real was staring her in the face.

Bittersweet tears sprung from her eye as she looked at it, before looking at Oriana and her sister. She saw the discomfort, and she could understand why. She’d come like a bomb blast right into the middle of their lives, but it was the words that came from her sister’s mouth that really caught her attention, ”So ya know my Alias? I um … guess that means my reputation precedes me? But don’t y’all worry none, it’s one of several an’ I ain’t never left anythin’ incrinimatin’ behind on any alleged acts that I may or may not have a reputation for. At least nothin’ I know that can tie me ta anythin’ … but um … I don’ have an actual name. All I am is a weapon an’ most people don’ care about the name of their weapon as long as it does it’s job.”

She looked down at the table as tears still leaked down, ”As for stayin’, part’o me would like that, but this home belongs ta th’ both’a ya. An’ ya ain’t really have need fer a weapon ta be ploddin’ about till someone needs me fer a job so I can pay y’all ta help out. Heck … I don’ even know how ta act around ya good folk. But if’n y’all, both y’all, want me under yer roof that’d be lovely if not? Can’t blame good people fer not wantin’ a monstrous weapon wanderin’ ‘bout.”

And with that she’d put her future in there hands, but make sure it was something both parties could agree on, if not. She was a survivor, there was boundless to be some place she could hide before coming back during the day, or after she did a few jobs for the village’s criminal element to earn some scratch for the household to prove her worth.

[5]

Niko had long since learned how Oriana operated and had a pretty good idea of how her train of thought usually went. Spending a year with the young girl had caused the bond between them to grow in a way that the blacksmith had thought were long since dead, a sense of family that had helped them both grow and develop together. The tall red-head’s natural maternal instincts had been the sole reason that they had been able to gain that, but as she watched Oriana drink that tea that was still too hot for the pink-haired girl’s tastes, she knew exactly what was happening.

She wasn’t comfortable with someone new coming into their lives. Likely was scared that Niko was going to divert all the attention from Oriana to Shunko, perhaps even fear of being replaced entirely.

Then there was Shunko’s misguided concerns, and even not really understanding the weight of what had just been given to her. Niko had given her a name, and not just any name either, but one that she carried with her as one of her earliest memories. It was their mother’s name. She wouldn’t know that, but it would be made clear in a moment. Both girls seemed ready to scatter, fear presiding over the table. That wouldn’t stand.

“I hope you do our mother’s name proud, Shunko. No more aliases, no more hiding, no more running.” She said the words in such a tone that was both gentle and firm, would broker no argument, but also was said with the utmost love. And it was just to get both girls’ attention.

“For all intents and purposes, you two are my little sisters.” She let that sit for a moment, letting the intention sink into their minds. “That makes us all family. If anything happens, we have each other’s backs. I will be relying on your both just as much as you both are capable of leaning on me for support. The three pillars of the Hellforge, the Kanuchi name, under the gods of Nyx.” Niko sat at the head of the table, and for the first time, emotions began to play on her face, tears welling in her eyes regardless of the smile on her face. She placed a hand towards both of them, within easy reach of them both, her face full of hope. “Because when the whole world goes to hell, this family will survive no matter what. One of us succeeds, we all do. One of us fails, the others pick them up and get them back on their feet.”

This was as significant now to Oriana as it was to Shunko, because Niko was officially making her a member of her family, having even declared it ‘under the Gods of Nyx’ which made it official.

[5]

Oriana didn’t reply to Shunko’s emotional babbling. The decision had been made the moment Niko extended the offer to stay. She was in no place to undermine what the red haired blacksmith wanted. From what she could understand of the younger redhead’s heavily accented supplications, Shunko thought they might be concerned about her reputation. Oriana didn’t know or care what Shunko had been up to before now.

The pink haired genin simply looked at her empty mug, contemplating its bottom and avoiding looking at either of the sisters right now. She couldn’t handle Shunko’s tears or Niko’s mushiness right now, and the only thing keeping her rooted to her chair was a deep seated respect for the blacksmith. Her grip on the mug tightened when Niko revealed that she’d given Shunko their mother’s name. Somehow, that hurt more than the stinging sensation in her mouth and throat.

The speech that followed elicited a lackluster nod, but not much else. Being declared Niko’s family in the aftermath of her real sister showing up was meant to make her feel better, but it didn’t feel genuine. Perhaps the jounin really meant it, she didn’t use the name of Nyx lightly. However, even that wasn’t enough to change her mood by much. Oriana was too overwhelmed to accept something like that so easily.

Being Niko’s apprentice was one thing, but this… this was something else entirely and the pink haired genin wasn’t sure she wanted it. She’d never considered what she wanted to be to Niko very seriously before. The obvious answer was “useful”. Shunko showing up didn’t change that yet here she was, struggling. Oriana didn’t look up. She could already picture the jounin’s face in her mind and knew she would cave the instant she saw that hopeful look on Niko’s face.

[5]

Family was a very loaded word for Shunko, with a lot of connotations tied to it. Here she was offered something she'd been searching for, for a lifetime, but now that it was here. Offered on a silver platter, she felt like a dog who'd chased a carriage but once it caught it had no idea of what to do next.

Safety, protection, love, things Shunko didn't fully grasp, yet offered so freely. It ached even more when she learned that Shunko, a name that was hers rather than just a wall to hide behind was her name now. An actual name, that had belonged to their mother.

The "do her name proud" comment felt like a knife through her heart, and all she could do was look away feeling a rarely dark mass of shame choke her, "Ain't nothin' ta be proud of about me Big Sis. Ain't nothin' ta be proud about at all." she whispered as she grabbed her sash and held it close.

The speech that followed, she couldn't fully understand it, but she felt its weight, "I … I can't promise jus' yet not ta run an' hide … it's how I survived these last 7 years, and the 10 years a'fore it?"

Shunko removed her eye patch showing an empty socket with a clear, shoddily made glass orb with in it, "Was taught the cost o' hesitation an' not fightin' fer my life daily. So runnin', hidin', an' killin' is all I've ever been allowed ta experience. This whole 'Yer safe, yet protected, ya don' need ta live like tha' no longer … it's alien ta me … but I'll try."

She'd look at Oriana, "An' ya, Oriana what'cha think 'bout all this. Not between ya an' Niko, pretend she ain't here. What'cha thinkin'?

"More importantly, If'n ya wan' me ta leave ya be, ta yer own space outside'a work. I can do that fer ya. Truth be told … I don' know how families work. Ne'er had'un myself, so if'n this works like a gang, then yer my superior, so I gotta bow ta yer will since yer my senpai, an' Niko's word is law since she's the Boss of th' family."

[6]

Oriana blinked before looking up to acknowledge Shunko, a good sign considering how she might have responded to anyone else. Aside from general niceties, the genin hadn’t paid the younger redhead much attention directly. Her initial reaction to new people was to maintain distance and the lack of interest in others that came with it presented a barrier to actually engaging with her. However, Shunko had addressed her directly and brought up an issue that would actually affect Oriana moving forward. It was rare for anyone to ask what she wanted aside from Niko.

Her brows knit together briefly while the short genin struggled to piece together an intelligible response. She fidgeted, clearly not having expected to be put on the spot. Nothing came to mind that didn’t require more talking than what Oriana typically bothered with, though this was an unusual occasion.

“You can stay. I like my space.”

Oriana quickly busied herself with fixing another mug of tea, eyes dropping from Shunko’s face once she’d said her peace. Her general struggles with this life change weren’t resolved, but perhaps adjusting to this new person wouldn’t be completely horrible.

[6]

Niko watched the exchange with baited breath, hoping that this wouldn’t turn around and completely blow up in her face. She wanted her family, more than anything. Had craved it to the point of near tears, thinking that it was possible, before Oriana came into her life, that she might be the last Kanuchi despite the teachings that made it possible for her to extend her family beyond the boundaries of blood. Once she had Oriana, she dared to hope, slowly getting the girl to truly become a real person, and over the past year, she had grown in leaps and bounds. She had planned to spring the idea of making her an official Kanuchi soon anyway, and with the sudden appearance of Shunko, it had just sort of fallen into place.

Hearing that Oriana would accept the smaller red-head as she was, for now, and lay down the semblance of her own ‘ground rule’ to give Shunko an idea of what to expect was all Niko needed to hear for the tears to slowly start spilling down her cheeks in pure joy. She didn’t say a word. Didn’t need to. Instead she slowly got to her feet, and went back to that same cabinet and pulled out another maroon blanket, this one brand new, with the name ‘Oriana Kanuchi’ embroidered in gold along the same place that Niko’s name was, and where Shunko’s would be when she repaired it. Softly, she set it down in front of Oriana, and said one thing; “Welcome to the family, both of you.”

[6]

Shunko gave Oriana a respectful, but slight nod of her head in lieu of a bow, "Will do, an' thank ye kindly."

With that Niko with teary eyes put a blanket much like there's down alongside there's, and welcomed them both as family, putting back on her eye patch, she gave a reverent touch to her own, looking at Niko, "I finally did it huh … I got ta see ya happy, an' I finally made it home?

She still needed to process it, and it was a lot to take in, but right here, right now? She could feel a little spark of hope for the first time in her life, but one question bubbled it's way to the top, "If I'm gonna be carryin' my weight, an' my old way o' makin' money is a no go, how'm I supposed ta help? I ain't good at creatin' stuff, y'know … so how'm I supposed ta be useful? I mean if ya got debt dodgers, or peeps who needa bit o' persuadin', I can be good muscle."

Now that her childhood dreams were a reality, reality set in, and Shunko had no idea of what to do. She was a killer, and muscle. She had no idea what family really meant, or what she was supposed to do now that she had hers, nor how to pull her weight in a legal sense.

Which only added onto the things currently swirling in her mind.

// Thread Exit

Between all the sniffling and crying on the part of the two redheads, Oriana felt distinctly uncomfortable. She wasn’t certain of how to react to the situation. She felt like she was intruding on a private moment between family despite being claimed as a member. Oriana considered the freshly prepared tea and how she wouldn’t be able to drink it without wincing due to having burned her mouth in a short burst of childish emotion. Now more than ever, the pink haired genin wished she could disappear.

Before Oriana could formulate an exit strategy, something maroon entered her field of vision. She looked at the blanket, taking note of her name embroidered on its fabric. It bore a distinct resemblance to the ones Niko and the newly named Shunko sported. Even with her skill as a craftsman, the jounin wouldn’t have been able to make something like this on the spot. Her brows furrowed again as she began to process the true order of events.

She hardly even heard Shunko talking in the background.

While the other two women were always watching their surroundings, Oriana tended to look inward and withdraw. The blanket was in her hands, the young woman’s pale fingers tracing the fabric’s texture.

[7]

//Exit

Niko waited a moment for them both to settle completely, and then addressed them both, all at once. Oriana wouldn’t need much, so she took care of Shunko first. It was nice that the two were getting along at least a little bit. That could be worked on. She nodded to Shunko at first. “I’m always happy to see my family close to me, safe and sound, and yes, welcome home.” She was already mentally organizing what would need to be done, but it seemed Shunko was more curious and wanted some answers about that if she could.

“That strength will make you a shoe-in with the Academy, but we are going to focus on your academics before that. Socialization, Grammar, History, everything the didn’t teach you. Once you get there, you will be able to take official missions from the village, which bring in legitimate pay for completing tasks. And I know you will live up to that name.” She looked towards them both for a moment, ensuring that she had both girl’s attention.

“We are Kanuchi. What we set our minds to, get’s done, and may Ephara help anyone or anything that stands in our way. You are both dismissed for now. We will also begin construction on a room for you tomorrow, Shunko. Enjoy the candies.” With that, Niko went to the kitchen to start preparing lunch for everyone. Already her mind was buzzing with plans, lessons, ideas and everything else that she would need to do in order to integrate her into the house, village, and society. And then there was that eye… she would work ceaselessly until she got her something better.


[7]

THREAD COMPLETE