WARNING! TRIGGERS AND JUST CRAPPY FEELINGS ALL AROUND

AN: Here's another chapter full of angst! I hope you enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

Chapter 3: Gifts

The next time I woke up, it was to the feeling of Anbu Cat and Hawk's chakra going on high alert as Okaa-san's curious/slightly on edge chakra stopped beside me. Staying still, I opened my eyes to mere slits to find her staring at me in confusion and a little anxiousness. Inori-san's voice rang out from the doorway causing Okaa-san to jump and myself to tense, "Is something wrong, Harusame-san?"

"Who is this child? Is she hurt? Who hurt her?" Okaa-san's voice became slightly frantic on the last question. Hearing once more for sure that Okaa-san didn't remember me caused my throat to close up and tears to slip past my now clenched shut eye lids.

"Yes, she was hurt by some very bad men. She is currently healing though and she is safe, as are you here in Konoha," Inori-san's soothing voice said.

Okaa-san jerked a little, "What? Konoha? Where is my Raiu-chan? He can't have found out! We can't stay here too long. If he finds out he'll think I tried to trap him just like those other girls! But I didn't! It was an accident! Raiu-chan deserves better than being thought of like that, she deserves better than how I was thought of and treated as! You have to help me find her! Please!"

By now my wide eyes were staring at Okaa-san in shock. Okaa-san, she was hurt by her family. Not just physically, I had already known that from the whip marks, but so long lasting that she wouldn't dare to seek out any help from her baby's father. Possibly thinking all Otou-sans acted the same way. This, was hard to hear. So long I had thought that I'd be hurt if I even tried to go looking for my Otou-san, when it was really Okaa-san who would be devastated if her own childhood played out the same way for me. Looking at her now, with her hands clenched in her hair and her eyes wild and frantic, I realized while she may not be perfect. She loved me so much more than I had thought possible. When I would get hurt during sparing and how she would look at me with tears in her eyes before she would nod in determination and make sure I went over my stances three times extra so that I could get better and maybe not get hurt next time. Or how she would show me exactly which stitch worked best on what type of material, setting me up to be able to choose whichever lifestyle I wanted, whether shinobi or civilian merchant, she didn't care, she just wanted me to be able to succeed.

Silent tears eased from the corners of my eyes as I realized that, she would no longer do those things, that she had, after all of her hardships, been broken by some backwater disgusting thugs. Where her demanding family who had not wanted a child, had not managed to break her kind and loving spirit, those animals had succeeded. I don't know how to help her. My college courses had been focused on the physical side of medicine, not the psychology side. Now I wished I could go back and change my doctorates focus. Then maybe I would know how to help her this time instead of her helping me all the time.

Inori-san nodded seriously and motioned to a door off to the side. "Of course, I will begin searching while you clean up and take a shower to prepare."

Okaa-san breathed out a grateful thank you as she hurried to take a shower. I blinked the last of the tears from my eyes before sitting up to find Inori-san looking at the door thoughtfully, before humming slightly in acknowledgement to some thought and turning to face me. "Your mother loves you very much, she is a little lost right now, but hopefully with time we can help her find her way back. Now, you have been asleep for three days, I am sure you would like a shower and some food as well. If you will follow me I will take you next door so you can do so." Starting slightly in surprise at hearing that three days had already passed I nodded and followed her out of the room with a long backwards glance to where my Okaa-san had disappeared to.

The following day was full of preparations to move out into the village. There was a surprising amount of paperwork that needed to be filled out. I managed to unseal the two scrolls Okaa-san always kept sealed on her arm while she was in another drug induced sleep. Finding all of the necessary travel documents along with my birth certificate, huh who knew I was born in Tanzaku-Gai, made filling out the paperwork super easy. Okaa-san was very particular about keeping the proper documentation in case we were ever stopped while traveling.

After filling out the last piece of paper I stared down at the stack detailing Okaa-san's and my life. There was a whole lot more than I had thought there would be. Sighing I set the stack to the side and picked up the scroll containing all of our possessions. Unrolling it all the way I blinked as I came across a new addition that Okaa-san had added without my knowledge. Seeing my name surrounded by happy faces, little cakes, and candles caused my eyes to water as I realized she wouldn't ever give me what was inside. Hugging my knees I buried my face in them and just breathed. It wasn't fair! This new life had started so much better than my old one had ever been. That's just it though isn't it? Life isn't fair, and reality had to strike sometime, just, just not like this! Not to where my beautiful, kind, amazing Okaa-san was so lost she didn't even recognize her own daughter. Gritting my teeth I pulled the scroll to me and unsealed the newest addition.

My eyes went wide in shock at what I was seeing. There were three outfits all identical with the nearly impervious extremely expensive chakra threads shimmering in the low side lamp; three mesh undershirts, three flowing shirts that were dark violet with silver embroidered stars interspersed with seals for durability, stain resistance, water proofing, and some that I didn't know yet, and three pleated dark silver skirts with the fabric in the pleats being dark violet, three tight shorts and three sturdy pairs of ninja sandals that laced up my calves almost like ballet slippers. Though what really caused the trembling of my hands and lips and my eyes to start filling with tears, was the beautifully crafted katana, kodachi, and long dagger laying on top of the beautifully designed clothes that Okaa-san had obviously spent hours upon hours making.

How had she known? I never told her about wanting this set from Iron country. The blades were a matte dark silver chakra conductive metal that only two blacksmiths in the world could manipulate. The simple elegance of the dark almost black purple and dark silver grips flowing beautifully into the blades. Perfectly balanced, zero imperfections and the only set of its kind. There were priceless! Gintetsu-san had said they weren't for sale when I had asked. Tears flowed down my face as I heard the slight intake of breathe from the two Anbu, then the awe and shock that filled their chakra was ignored as she listened to her Okaa-san.

"Wow! Those look like Gintetsu-san made them! Whoever gave you those must have cashed in a huge favor! He doesn't just give his weapons to anyone you know. And those clothes! Wow! So amazing! I don't even offer all of those seals together. That would cost waaaayyy too much to do. Who gave them to you? Do you know the seamstress?" Blinking my tears into submission I wiped my eyes and turned pained silver eyes to my amazing yet broken Okaa-san's dazed ones.

"Ah. My Okaa-san made them for me. She is the best seamstress in all the lands. She must have called in her favor as well as one of our friends' favors for these swords." My voice wavered and was raspy as I spoke.

Okaa-san nodded absently, eyes already starting to look a little frantic as she said, "I would love to meet her and exchange sewing tips sometime. Be sure to thank her ok? Now, I need to go, my Raiu-chan seems to have wandered off again. Raiu-chan! Come here my little star!"

Blankly staring down at the pile before me, I waited as the nurses directed Okaa-san back into bed and sedated her again. Gathering one of the sets of clothing I sealed the other two sets and with weapons and clothes in hand, made my way to the restroom to shower and change.

Once I finished strapping the katana to my back and the kodachi to my hip, the dagger went carefully into the sheath attached to my calf. Standing up I eyed my long silky hair thoughtfully before unrolling the scroll to retrieve the extra thin chakra wire Okaa-san had caved and bought me six months ago. Carefully I braided the hair on the sides of my head back into a half ponytail braid incorporating the wire in case anyone ever tried grabbing my hair again. My fingers seized slightly remembering the pain in my scalp from being dragged by my long flowing locks of hair.

Finishing my braids I stared in slight surprise at the unexpectedly fierce figure I made. Letting my fingers settle on my new katana I drew it smoothly and without sound just like Kaisuiyoku-sensei had taught me. Getting in the beginning stance I flowed smoothly through the first kata almost as if in a trance before coming to the final "resting" pose. Breathing out I sheathed the sword then startled badly when a gravelly voice spoke from the door leading to Okaa-san's and my room.

"Very impressive Raiu-chan. I haven't seen one so young become one with their sword in a very long time. Correct me if I am wrong but was that the Whirlpool's beginning kata?" Stilling as I recognized the Hokage's voice I calmed my racing heart before focusing on his words.

Nodding slightly, I carefully responded, "Yes. Kaisuiyoku-sensei taught me before he passed away. This is the first time I have used an actual sword though. I haven't learned past the intermediate stances. He gave me the scrolls with the detailed instructions though. Now that I have these swords I can complete the intermediate stances and move on to the advanced ones. Okaa-san, she, she didn't want me to be defenseless. Any chance she could, she would ask for her shinobi customers to teach me something, anything really. Swordsmanship was what I had asked about since I was apparently about three, so when I was four Okaa-san asked Kaisuiyoku-sensei to teach me. He got really sick last year and passed away six months ago. I've kept up with practicing as it is very calming and I promised to master the style then eventually pass it on so it doesn't die out." Tailing off I lightly touched the kodachi before refocusing on the attentive Hokage before me. "Ah, I apologize Hokage-dono. How can I help you?"

The Hokage smiled and motioned for me to follow him into the main room. Glancing over I took note of how Okaa-san was still asleep before focusing on what he was saying. "Everything is settled, I have found two different apartments ready for your use depending on your choice?" Here he looked at me in askance, his gaze settling briefly on the swords I had strapped to me.

Nodding I spoke, "I would like to become a kunoichi of the hidden leaf if possible?"

Receiving a grin and a nod the Hokage continued, "We would gladly accept you as one of our own. Then I shall lead you to your new home if you are ready?" with a pang I nodded and retrieved my things. Stopping beside Okaa-san's serene sleeping form I pressed a kiss to her forehead, smoothed out her hair, and straightened her covers before turning to follow the quietly smoking Hokage from the room.

AN: Yay! Lots of feelings! :D And a swordsman to boot! She's been working for almost five years obsessively on her forms attempting to get better. So while she does seem to be heading in the overpowered range, I'm not too worried about it as I like that she works so hard! Making her weaker would just be rude. As for why she couldn't take out all of the men, she may have had combat training in her previous life but it was mainly with guns so not really the up close and personal that fighting with a dagger needs so she had no previous combat experience with so many opponents as well as the fact that she had just used most of her chakra before even getting to the cave so she was already exhausted.