Prologue: Of Arguments and Flowers

Only ten o'clock in the morning and they're already going at it. Even sitting outside in our rooftop garden, three stories above where the argument's taking place, I can hear them – for that matter, the whole neighborhood can probably hear them. They've been fighting like this ever since I was five – not long after mom disappeared. Now, nearly six years later, the only thing that's changed is the length of the shouting matches. Sighing, I try to focus on my gardening, but only succeed in raking the spading fork across the top of my hand as the door behind me opens and slams loudly.

My brother Daisuke stalks across the roof, as I head for the first aid kit to clean and doctor the scrapes, which are beginning to well up with blood.

"Who does he think he is?!"

I know he's not really talking to me – just venting, but I answer anyway, dabbing ointment on my wounds as I do so. "He's our father."

Daisuke whirls, apparently realizing I'm there for the first time and plasters a fake smile across his face. "Emiko! I thought you had taijutsu practice today."

Now bandaging my hand, I ignore his attempt to change the subject and reply, "He only wants what's best."

My brother snorts loudly. "Yeah – best for him."

"Can you really blame him?" My voice gets quiet, almost a whisper, and I can't look him in the eyes. "You nearly died…"

"A LOT of people nearly died…and lots more DID die! That's what happens when a crazed fox demon attacks the village!"

"You don't have to yell at me," I reply coolly, putting the first aid kit away. "I'm not the one asking you to take a break from being a ninja."

Daisuke sighs, slumping down to the ground in defeat. "Sorry, Em…I just can't believe he wants me to quit!...Hey…what'd you do to your hand?!"

He's changing the subject again, but not on purpose this time, so I let him. "It's nothing, just scratches; I'll be okay."

He gives me a funny look, but doesn't say anything.

"What?"

Shaking his head, Daisuke allows a small smile to dance across his lips. "Y'know, for a ten-year-old you take yourself WAY too seriously." He's silent for a moment and then he says, with a severe look on his face, "Em…can I talk to you about something important?"

"Huh?" Seeing such a somber expression on my brother is a bit unnerving; he's so rarely without a smile. Curious, with only a little unease, I answer, "Yeah, I guess so."

Daisuke takes a deep breath and exhales it slowly. "I…I've been asked to join the ANBU…"

"Dai! That's wonderful…wow! Congratulations!" I step close and hug him, but his expression doesn't change. It's not hard to figure out why. "Father…he doesn't know yet, does he?" I ask, softly.

My brother laughs derisively. "Yeah, I told him right after we finished up our bi-weekly shouting match."

"That's not something you're going to be able to hide."

Not looking me in the eyes, Daisuke replies, "I don't know if I'm going to accept."

"What?! Why not? This is something you've wanted for forever!"

He shrugs, still not looking at me. "I'll be away from home…a lot more than I am now…"

"And you're going to tell me you're not happy about that?" I ask, cocking one eyebrow at him in disbelief.

Daisuke mumbles something so low I only catch the last half, "…alone with him."

"Huh? Alone with who? Would you speak up?!"

Rolling his eyes, my brother finally looks at me and says, "I don't want to leave you alone with him."

"With father? Why not?"

He averts his eyes again. "It's just…you're about to graduate, Em…I don't want him taking out his paranoia over mom's disappearance on you instead of me – Pestering you every time you're about to leave on a mission, shouting at you every time you get back…"

Laughing lightly, I reply, "He's our father, Daisuke. He may not be a ninja, but he's trying to look out for us."

Grimacing, his only response is, "I guess you've always been better at dealing with him than I have…"

"Exactly - which is why you're going to accept the offer. Let me worry about how father reacts to it, okay?"

Daisuke nods. "Thanks, Em…oh, hey…are you busy this afternoon?"

I'd been planning to stop by the memorial monument for a bit to lay out some fresh flowers from the garden, but figuring it won't take too long, I reply, "Umm…I don't' think so. Why?"

Still looking slightly unsure, my brother says, "Well…if I'm gonna do this, then we probably need to get some more of your Kekkei Genkai training in before all my time is taken up with missions."

Groaning softly, I don't respond.

"C'mon, Em, don't be that way. You know I'm the only one who can teach you, and you've got to learn; it'll be nothing but trouble if you don't…"

"Okay, okay…fine," I grumble, not really wanting to argue about it.

Daisuke smiles his signature smile and kisses me lightly on the forehead. "Terrific! I'll see you later, okay?"

My brother bounds from the roof, presumably off to accept his ANBU position, and I finish gathering my flowers before heading off to the monument.

Someone is crying, not too loudly, but just enough that I can hear them before the memorial is in sight. I hesitate, hidden just out of view by the surrounding foliage, not sure if it would be right to intrude. Then the crying stops and there are several second of perfect silence before a young male voice calls out, "I know you're there; it's not nice to spy on people."

Quickly, I step out into the clearing to be met by the familiar face of a boy from my academy class. His eyes are red-rimmed, and the flush on his face makes the scar across his nose stand out with stark clarity. "I wasn't spying…I just…I didn't want to bother you…"

"You're not," he says, before turning back to silently face the monument.

I approach slowly, still not sure he really wants me there, and carefully begin arranging the flowers I brought. Finished, I step back and close my eyes for a minute, arms crossed over my chest, trying to remember my mother – her voice, her laugh, the song she always used to sing when I couldn't sleep. With difficulty they come, wafting around me like leftover cobwebs, but each year they grow dimmer and I know it won't be long before my memories have become nothing but memories themselves. Forgetting that I'm not alone, I allow a single tear to trickle down my face, mourning not only the loss of my mother, but all of the things I've forgotten about her, as well.

Still lost in thought, I jump slightly when a voice asks hesitantly, "Did you lose someone, too?"

Brushing away the tear, I open my eyes and nod slowly. "Yes…my mother…but it was a long time ago; I was only five…"

"Does it…" He struggles with his question, trying to keep his voice from cracking. "Does it still hurt?"

Sadly, I smile at him. "Yeah…but I'm kind of glad."

My classmate looks at me with a mixture of confusion and horror. "Why would you be glad about that?"

Trying to keep my voice steady, I reply, "Because as long as it still hurts it means I still remember." Another tear follows the trail of the one that fell before. "And I think it would be worse to forget…don't you?"

The boy stares at me silently for a moment, eyes wide with surprise, as if he hadn't quite thought about it that way before. When the silence stretches on, I hold out my hand and say, "I'm Emiko Nagataki…you're in my class, right?"

He nods, cautiously accepting my handshake. "Yeah…um…Iruka Umino."

"So…you lost someone when Kyuubi attacked?" I ask softly.

His eyes begin to well with tears. "My p-parents…They were all I had…"

"Oh! Iruka, that's…" At a loss for words, I pause, not wanting to belittle his emotions with some pathetic catch phrase. What would Daisuke do…? Of course! "Hey…do you wanna go get some ramen?"

Iruka blinks at me in astonished bewilderment. "Huh?"

Blushing slightly, worried that he thinks I'm being insensitive, I try to explain. "After my mom disappeared, my brother would take me out for ramen almost every day. I…well…I can't really explain why, but it always made me feel better…So…do you want to? I can't promise it'll help, but it can't hurt to try…and, I'll treat you, kay?"

I might be imagining it, but for a split-second a small smile seems to flicker across his lips, then Iruka nods slowly. "Okay, sure…"

Happily, I lead the way to my brother's favorite place, Ichiraku, doing most of the talking as we walk, but Iruka listens attentively and eventually he begins to share in the conversation. I know that my detour is going to make me late for practice with Daisuke, but I also know that he'll forgive me when I tell him why. Besides, right now Iruka needs a friend a lot more than I need those annoying Kekkei Genkai lessons.