Mai-san came up with fresh clean clothes for all of us, saying that she would be doing laundry once the storm let up. Apparently they are a frequent occurrence lately, but don't last long. We all agree that we should clean up while we're at it. So, we hand over our clothes to Mai-san, and now clad in towels, we take turns using the bath. Mari goes first, washing before soaking in the tub, then, while she's soaking, Ako and Kiki go in to wash. Once they finish washing, Mari gets out of the tub and the sisters get in, making it my turn to wash. And boy, did I need it. I couldn't believe the amount of brown water I was creating, SO gross. I scrub at the blackened soles of my feet, and wipe away days of dirt and sweat from my neck and face. I think I end up lathering up my hair three times, and I stare at all the debris that falls out. What had I even looked like, coming into this village?

Ako and Kiki excuse themselves from the tub and I take this as my que to get in. The water is still hot, and whatever scents Mari put in it soothe a headache I hadn't even been aware of. But this time alone gives my brain all the time it needs to freak out. A lump forms in my throat and I feel the tears start to flow, I can't tell if they're Kiyo's or mine, but we're both probably overwhelmed right now.

What now? I mean, I have a place to live. Shelter. I've been fed and will probably get a steady supply of food while I'm here. I'm being given new clothes and supplies to live. But, like, what's expected of me? How long will this hospitality last? I have nothing really. I don't know if I have any marketable skills, or how this place works. I'm not a ninja! I'll never be a ninja, I mean, why would I want to be? That's scary dangerous. But, like, what's the other option? Be a poor civilian? Normally in these situations, don't people get to be in cool families and have super intense skills? I mean, I don't remember the stories being so depressing… I should really stop thinking like that, because, well, Kiyo has at least two really good people looking out for her, Ako and Kiki have been total rocks. And, she's alive, we're alive. Think of the positives, think of the positives!

"Kiyo-san?"

There's knocking on the bathroom door.

"Kiyo-san, are you okay in there?"

Sounds like Ako.

"Y-yeah! I'm okay!"

"Okay, well, we're going to bed! Hurry up in there, you don't want to prune!"

We finish shouting through the door and I hear Ako step away. I didn't realize how long I had been sitting here… I am in fact starting to prune. I stand up and drain the bathwater, when a thought occurs to me. I don't know what I look like. I haven't even thought to check, and the mirror was fogged over by the time I got into the bathroom, so I never caught a glimpse. I let down my hair from the bun it is in now and look at it in my hands. It's black, maybe more of a very dark brown if it wasn't damp. I don't feel shock or off in any way, it's just…normal hair. I get to the mirror and wipe off the steam. I peer at myself. I have brown eyes set in a…plain face. I look, but nothing jumps out at me, nothing seems strange. I will myself, search deep down, to picture my face. Something different, something me. But, nothing comes to mind. I just look…normal. I'm getting that uneasy feeling again. I look down, then step back and try to look at my body the best I can in the mirror. It's…it's just normal. Nothing looks wrong. But, maybe that is wrong. I know for a fact this isn't my own body, right? So it should feel off, right? It's like I knew I was 5'7" before, but if I'm actually 5'7" now then everyone around me is a GIANT. That just can't be. So all of this should feel wrong.

I realize I'm shaking again. Why, when I look at myself, does everything look right? What did I use to look like? Why can't I remember? I would be willing to believe I'm really just Kiyo, having a mental breakdown, but…but I have other memories. I…I have memories of a Before. But, I'm also becoming Kiyo. At least, that's what I think is happening. That's what scares me. What if I forget all my Before memories? Who…who will I be then? And, and what if Kiyo comes back? What if she takes over and I end up wherever she is now? Somewhere locked away in the back recesses of her mind. I…I don't want to live like that. I don't WANT that!

My breathing is becoming erratic, I can feel my heart pounding and skipping beats. Oh man, I feel like I'm going to faint and vomit at the same time. Not good, not good. Abort. I sink to the floor and try to calm myself. This is doing no good, thinking about all of this. There's no…there's no point in thinking about it. What happens, happens, and I can't change any of it. We…we just have to keep living, that's all we can do. Me and Kiyo. We're in this together, and if she doesn't want to be running her life, then I'll run it for her. I can only make the best of my situation, so that's what I'm going to do. I spent years trying to hide from life after my husband died, so I understand where Kiyo is coming from, but this is not a life where you can just hide. There are ninjas and wars and killing everywhere. I have to remain present to stay alive.

Nothing like impending death to motivate you, right?

Plus, these nice people, the Yamamotos, have taken us in, and we need to do, I need to do, what I can to repay them. Kiyo has taken the backseat, so I have to drive, I have to be Kiyo. Because, I really don't have anyone else to be right now… I sit on the floor of the bathroom until my system calms down a little more. The pep talk was good, it puts things into perspective. I feel like I'm in charge again, I have control over my actions, and I choose to be present. Oh man, what I wouldn't give to have my therapist with me right now. There's self-pep-talks, and then there's pep talks coming from a licensed professional. I am not a licensed professional, at anything, I don't think. So, really, I only believe about half of what I say to myself. Most of it is wishful thinking…probably. Okay, I need to get up.

I pull myself up off the floor using the sink for support. I tidy up the bathroom for a little while, kind of afraid to leave it's safety and face the world, but eventually I exit and tiptoe into the bedroom. Everyone is asleep. The storm has let up and the grey clouds are breaking up to reveal sunshine. It's really early to be sleeping, actually. We haven't even had dinner yet. Then again, we all did walk throughout the night to get here, so no one has had rest for 24 hours or more. Sleeping is probably the best idea right now, it's not like we have any pressing matters to deal with. I change into the new underclothes that Mai-san had brought up for us and crawl into my new bed. I vaguely wonder why we're not all on futons before I pass out.

I wake up to birds chirping. How cliché. Everyone around me is already dressing.

"Ah," it's Ako-chan, "Kiyo-san, you're awake."

"What…"

"It's morning," she answers before I can form my question, "You slept through the rest of yesterday and all through the night."

"We tried to wake you for dinner," Kiki butts in, "But you just wouldn't wake up!"

"We were a little concerned, but since it's not unusual for you, we let you sleep. Mai-oba-san just came up and let us know that breakfast is ready."

"Oh, okay," was my astute answer.

All three wait for me as I get up and dress. Mai-san had given me a new dress. It was simple, and light blue, with a dark blue cloth sash. I hustle to get everything on so the rest of the girls don't have to wait on me very long. We head down the stairs to the main floor and sure enough, breakfast is waiting. Mai-san greets me.

"It's good to see you up, Kiyo-san. I was worried when you didn't come down last night, but then Ako-chan told me you haven't been eating very much recently. She told me she was surprised at how much you ate at lunch."

"Ah, yes, I'm sorry. Kiki-chan told me they tried to wake me but couldn't. I must have been very tired."

"Well, that's no excuse. You need to eat and keep up your energy," she chides, "while you're here you will eat three meals a day."

"Um, yes, I will," I reply awkwardly as I sit down to eat.

At the table, Jiro-san addresses us all.

"So, now that you girls are here, we'll set up a work schedule. Every day, two of you will help work the stand, and two of you will stay here and help with the chores."

"What kind of stand do you run?" Mari-san asks.

"A very good question," Jiro-san chuckles, "I run a produce stand. I used to get some vegetables from Ako-chan's and Kiki-chan's parents, my late sister's farm, but I also have other relatives around the Land of Fire who supply my stand with produce. You see, I was the first to leave the farms and migrate to Konoha with the dream of selling our wonderful vegetables and fruits!"

As Jiro-san went on and on about his life story and various fruits and vegetables that he sold at the stand, I started wondering about who was alive that I knew of from the Naruto series. I potentially had future knowledge here, if I could ever find out where in the timeline I am. But do I do anything about that? Should I try to interfere and changes things, hopefully for the better? Do I just, what? Sit on it? Let everything play out as it does? Is my being here a ripple in the story? Or was Kiyo always supposed to be here? Of course, in order to change anything, I'd have to, you know, meet ninjas. That seems dangerous. But then again, ninjas need food, I'm sure they needed produce. So, maybe if I meet a ninja that I know, I'll try to make a positive change? I'm sure a rando civilian isn't going to make a huge impact on any of the ninjas I know about, but like, hey, at least I can try?

"…yo-sa…"

"Ki…an…?"

"Kiyo-san?"

I jolt. Everyone is staring at me. Oh man, I'm so embarrassed, was I so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't hear them? That's so rude. Oh no, now Jiro-san is going to think I'm a jerk!

"Kiyo-san, did you have another blackout?"

…I'm sorry, a what?

"Um…" I can feel my cheeks getting red.

"Kiyo-san gets blackouts sometimes," Kiki announces to the table, "she has as long as we've known her, even before Takada-san died."

I see Ako give Kiki a mild glare.

"Oh, sorry…"

But, the damage is done.

Taro.

I feel tears threatening to spill. Kiki really has to stop mentioning Takada-san, I really don't like having that pain in my chest flare up like this.

"Now, now. None of that," Mai-san interrupts, "Kiyo-san, you must only look forward."

She takes my hand and pats it, but all I can do is stare at her. Does she realize she's essentially shaming Kiyo for her grief? Man, if I wasn't the one holding the reins, Kiyo probably wouldn't be able to heal at all.

"Yes, let's move forward," Jiro-san echoes his wife, "Kiki-chan, Ako-chan, you'll be with me today, learning the ropes at the stand. Mari-san, Kiyo-san, you'll stay here with Mai-chan."

Great, I think as the couple gushes at each other over Jiro-san calling Mai-san 'Mai-chan', it must be a cutesy thing they do. Which is cute. Ugh, I can't decide if I like these people or not. I know I don't hate them, they're doing a really kind thing by taking us all in, and they seem like nice people. They just don't seem to deal with grief properly. Then again, that's not really a thing in Naruto, is it? Hm. More thoughts on that later.

We all help clean up the table and kitchen, before going our separate ways. Mai-san says that today Mari-san and I will be accompanying her while shopping. One of the stops will to be to get me some more clothes, because only having one good dress isn't enough. She also tells me that she's hard pressed not to use my original dress as a rag, since it's so worn. I didn't think it was that bad but okay. We leave the house and Mai-san leads us into the shopping district. It's pleasant outside, not very chilly at all, but I can see the colors are starting to creep along the edges of leaves in the trees around us. There are A LOT of trees.

We enter a shop and Mai-san and Mari-san fuss over me a little as they pick out some clothes for me. I feel overwhelmed, being out in a crowded place like this, so I just let them do as they please. It's not my money to spend anyway, so I'll go along with whatever Mai-san feels is appropriate clothing. I do notice that they're all dresses and skirts that we're looking at. Apparently pants for woman is not a thing yet? Because, I don't see a single pair of pants in the shop, and it looks like it's only a store for women's clothing. Kind of sexist but whatever. Not my time, not my world.

Mai-san buys some things and then we're off to the next store. We bounce around for a time, helping Mai-san carry bags as she picks up this and that. When we enter the market place to buy some meat, we stop by the stand to say hello to Ako, Kiki, and Jiro-san. It's a humble thing, not too big, not exactly tiny, and it seems very popular. And then…we're back in Jiro-san's house.

Like, I don't remember getting to the house. I was just, at the stand and then, house. I'm sitting at the table and Mari is peering at my face.

"Kiyo-san, can you hear me?"

"Yes," ouch, my face hurts. I reach up and touch my smarting cheek.

"Mai-san slapped you to try and bring you back to your senses," Mari informs me.

W…wow, that's…that's not a nice thing to do. Also, it apparently didn't work because I don't see Mai-san anywhere.

"Did I…um, did I have a blackout thingy?"

Mari shrugs, "I guess. You just when still and you stopped responding to anyone, it was like you were in a daze."

Cool, I went comatose in a public place. Not embarrassing at all. I wonder if Mai-san slapped me in public?

"Kiki-chan says that's usually what happens to you, and that you would snap out of it eventually."

Kiki to the rescue. That girl knows everything about me. Mai-san comes into the room then.

"Kiyo-san, you gave us a scare. How are you feeling?"

"I'm…I think I'm okay, just, confused, but Mari-san was just filling me in."

"You can't do things like that," Mai-san chides me again, "with actions like that you'll be a burden on everybody."

I have to bundle up all my sarcasm and shove it deep down inside me.

"I will try not to do it again."

"Good. You missed lunch," Mai-san clicks her tongue, "But it couldn't be helped. So now, get up and you two will help me finish making dinner."

My legs wobble as I stand. Understandable, considering I just had like, a lapse in memory. I blacked out and I've never experienced that before. I feel like crying. Is that normal? Do I usually cry after blackouts? I wish Kiki was here to tell me. Mari waits for me to steady myself. I try to pack everything away for now so I can get through dinner and then cry by myself in the tub later. I give Mari a nod and she walks with me to the kitchen. And that, is how my first real day in Konoha ends.