Laughter

Name: Risa Kito

Birthplace: Faye Village

Date of Birth: 02/17/157

Education: Licensed Secretary from Queen's University

Most Current Position:1st Secretary Genetics Department Sanctum One.

Her hair was blue, like a cloudless sky in the early morning. It fell in soft waves over her shoulder and beyond the frame of the picture. Joy made her golden eyes sparkle, resisting the dullness of the photo brought by age. And her smile? It burst proudly as if she had been caught mid laugh by that lucky photographer.

For the first time Kakashi felt nostalgia for his sharingan, but he promised to dedicate a good portion of his brain to memorizing every single pixel of that small picture.

A nervous breath parted his smiling lips.

She had that mole on the side of her face, just like his dad had told him. The only thing Kakashi had inherited from her. That and his love of old tea sets. She proudly mentioned that in her hobbies even though he was sure she should have highlighted a more corporates friendly habit.

Kakashi gave a weak apology to his heart. It had gone straight from one emotionally charged confrontation to the next without enough hours in between.

Risa worked at the hospital for ten years after graduating with honors from her chosen study program. Each year a letter of evaluation as well as an updated picture was added to her folder, and Kakashi found himself particularly moved by one taken July 12 182. Her face had swollen noticeably and her smile glowed with a bursting glee that rivaled any other picture. He felt a surge of emotions, until a glassy sheen covered both his eyes. This was probably the only picture of her pregnant and it truly hit him.

That was his mother.

According to her co workers Risa liked to hand knit sweaters for her dog Bon-chan, and sometimes she would bring her to the office during celebratory days. They specially liked how she diffused arguments by trying to be as balanced as possible, and she strived to make all her subordinates feel wanted and accomplished. Her superiors agreed that Risa brought with her a sense of ease. She encouraged her coworkers above and below her to work hard, leading by example herself. They could always depend on her impeccable work, detailed filing and note taking skills.

Kakashi felt proud reading all her accomplishments, he had a lot to praise her for when he found her grave.

[*13*]

Elin sat on the tiled roof of the old church, her skirt tucked under her thighs while her legs stretched down the slope. She rested her back against the worm stones of the bell tower and breathed in the crisp morning air.

The streets around her were winding down before the morning star graced the dark heavens covering the streets in honey and peachy hues. Beyond the funny drunken stupor of most citizens who wandered the night at this hour, away from the festivities that promised an end only when the sun made it over the horizon, Elin had a particular soft spot for couples. The ones that couldn't end their conversation and battled through yawns and never ending eye rubs. When Sari had told her the stories of such dates all those years back, it was hard to grasp the idea that people could speak for so long. About what? Why? She still didn't know, for speaking to a person for more than half an hour straight was difficult enough, yet they looked like they enjoyed it.

Her eyes drifted to the left, just below the roof on to the empty road. She couldn't see the figure from her angle, but his presence was easy to feel.

Kakashi stopped, his short journey coming to an end. He tucked the third book of the Scholars saga in his pouch and waved at the figure on the roof. "Morning Elin."

She waved back, "Good morning."

"Mind if I join?"

The young woman tapped the empty space beside her and the jonin took that as a positive invitation. He walked the worn stones up to the side of the roof and gently stepped on the tiles. The aged rooftop groaned under the stress of a new weight, settling only when he had taken his seat.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you, but I just wanted to say thank you for bringing the profile to me."

Elin scratched at the side of her nose shyly. "Oh not a problem. So it was the right one?"

"Yes it actually was." And he had read and re read every sentence. Each picture now made a lovely memory in his mind and Kakashi felt a bursting excitement.

"That's wonderful."

Kakashi's hugged his legs, resting his chin on his knees.

They could see the lively Main Street, with its scattered drunks and and even a few sober yet energetic people. "Do they all have different colored balloons?"

She nodded, "If you come early enough in the morning or at night, it's very lively. Everyone has different colors and it looks like a never ending festival."

Ah that must look quite beautiful and relaxing. People watching with that ability must have been amazing. Who could be sad or down when everything around them looked like a festival?

"Aren't you afraid of losing this ability if you regain your memories?"

It was questions that had traveled through the depths of her mind since learning it wasn't an ordinary skill.

"Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it," she admitted. "Jura-san says a lot of people would kill to forget their past and start over fresh. And with the ability to boldly see people's emotions? She says I'm lucky if anything."

Their laugh traveled the scattering crowd on the streets.

Kakashi could be counted as one of those people who would sign up to at least be able to tell people's true feelings without having to navigate a maze. Ah dating would have been so much easier with that. "But you have an unsettled feeling no?" It was that curiosity that always drove people to seek their memories. An understandable reaction.

Elin shook her head, and Kakashi's eyes widened. Her grip on her knees tightened. "I guess I already told you everything huh?" Her laugh sounded heavy with nerves. "Might as well finish throwing myself over the abyss."

Kakashi smiled warmly. "I'm a good listener and not a good talker if that makes you feel any better." At least for interesting people he could be. Interesting people who had amnesia, strange chakra signatures and could see emotions displayed in strangers' chakras. That or people named Rainy. The jonin's listening skills were pretty damn exclusive.

"I hate this place." A heavy breath traveled through her lips, joining the cool air around them. There, she finally said it out loud.

"Well with the way people treat you." Hell he'd be hard pressed to find someone in her position singing praises.

"This semester was suspended because of the war, but I am studying," she revealed.

A surprised, "Oh?" Filtered through his mask.

"I'm almost done with my certification to become a pastry chef. I have an internship at Luna's when school resumes and then I graduate. So that problem will be taken care of." She would wear her graduation ring for all to see until her reputation spread on its own and those surly people could back off. "Sometimes I wonder if my hatred will go away after I do. If I'll finally swim peacefully with the tides and just become a part of society."

"Why not go for a traveling career? Kill two birds with that one?"

"The country's assessment test said that I was suited for careers in the medicinal field. However because I haven't received all the years of training required and it's too late to catch me up, I was given related fields that don't take as long."

"And pastry chef..." He paused working the right words to not sound offensive. "And pastry chef is medicinal?"

"From a psychological perspective."

"Ah."

"Pastries make people happy, so by making them I'm helping people improve their mood which has a positive psychological impact on their lives." The secondary effects of diabetes and obesity when abused were not trained to be her concern. There were many others being educated to deal with that area.

"And there's no way to change programs?"

She shook her head. "Then I would not benefit society."

"I see."

So even when a degree was acquired one could make society happy but not oneself. This town was interesting indeed. "You could always run away." As much as he usually spoke that phrase with a humorous undertone, this time it teetered more on the serious side.

She tried resisting a smile but her tawny eyes could not hide their amused sheen.

"Maybe if you find this doctor you're searching for and you stumble on your village, you could resume your old life." If her memories came back or if she found someone who could recognize her. "You could also start anew there." Because at the moment, anywhere seemed like a better place than here.

She sighed, turning her eyes to the Main Street below. It was nearly empty now as the first rays of sun began their task to dispel the darkness. "That was always the plan. I even have the money."

Kakashi's eyes widened, a sudden thought threading the entire conversation into completion. "But Jura-san..."

"You're very perceptive," she smiled.

Well honestly he only had half a hypothesis, but yes he quite liked being called perceptive. "She doesn't want you to travel?"

"I brought it up to the owner of Luna's, Rena-san when I first read an article on Dr. Gen. She said Jura-san would probably feel hurt that even though I was obviously abandoned and possibly had my memories intentionally removed, that I'd want to return to whomever did that to me."

"You were..." Oh my, oh my. Things only got more interesting the more she spoke. "You think your amnesia wasn't an accident?"

Elin shrugged. Quite honestly she didn't know what to think, but most people who knew her story came to the same conclusion and she had no way to argue. "Someone brought me up to the inn, paid for a month's worth of rent and left me there. I had an identification card registered as a foreigner, but no country of origin or any other documents to say who I was."

Kakashi's eyes widened arriving at the same conclusion as everyone else. It didn't seem as if her memory loss had been an accident after all. "And Jura-san didn't have the registration information for the person?"

"I registered myself, according to Jura-san but there had been a guy with me who she thought was my father." She pulled at the hem of her skirt, stretching the fabric between her fingers. "You don't think it was an accident either huh?"

The jonin shook his head. Even an amateur detective could see the clearly. "Not at all."

She sighed. "So now I'm stuck. Do I rebuild from scratch and remain on the path that has a higher chance of giving me happiness or do I chase after something that put me here in the first place?"

Kakashi stretched his long legs, stiffening the bones until soft popping sounds rang through his joints. "I see your dilemma now."

It was a bit different from his own, yet exactly the same in the amount of time it consumed one's thoughts. Weighing the pro's against the con's until the decision felt like a physical burden, choosing a road then walking back to the starting point after a few steps... He wondered if this kept her up all night as well.

"Thank you for listening"

His head snapped back to her direction and his eyes softened as her own danced with glee. She was so simple to please.

"I only know the people at the inn so it's not like I could ever say that out loud to any of them." Her kitty Ponta technically belonged to Jura-san's older cat so even he was off limits for this conversation.

"Listening I have no problem with," he admitted. As long as the person belonged to his exclusive group. "I'm just disappointed I can't give you any solid advice."

Elin shrugged. "I can afford a few more sleepless days." At least until school started again.

The jonin smiled as they turned forward to greet a few more rays. "It may not be the same." She felt him stand up and turned. "But I have plenty of maps and stories if you want to listen."

Her smile formed as slowly as the morning sky and with just as much intensity.

"It can give you a feeling for what to expect. If you so choose that path."

[*13*]

The soft strands of hair against the smooth skin of her stomach, no longer tickled Sari. She looped them around her fingers, working with the soft coils that nature had formed before letting them slip back onto the pool of striking gray.

Rainy breathed out slowly, the gentle stroking from her partner making her muscles loosen and her mind wander. She reached for the cotton sheets and covered the bottom half of her body, the coolness trapped between the fabric feeling particularly delicious against her satin legs.

"He spoke so easily." As smoothly as she had spoken to her reflection when she wanted to practice their first post break up meeting all those years back. "And I just choked up."

The birds sang outside their open window, an ode to the bright Saturday sun and warm temperatures. Sari's eyes followed an incoming flock as they settled around the feathered singer. "I'm sure he understands that you're a bigger emotional idiot than he is which is why you deflected your emotions rather than join him in expressing them."

"So now what?"

A soft chuckle vibrated under Rainy's ear.

"Now you use your newly acquired facts to arrive at a more solid conclusion. And hopefully you can express this conclusion to him this time instead of running away."

The older woman sucked her teeth. "Why are you studying literature when your brain is wired for scientific use?"

"Because science tells me that love is a chemical reaction brought on by evolution and hormones, while Jiraya-sama tells me that it's a magical thing that blossoms through time and interaction." Her hand caressed the soft of her lovers lips. " Which one sounds more interesting to you?"

Rainy kissed the playful finger. "So you're only a logical person sometimes?"

"I prefer a love that doesn't make sense."

"Well you're more than welcomed to have my current predicament."

Sari laughed. "Men don't interest me Rain." Not even a little bit.

It was Rainy's turned to laugh and the atmosphere softened under their shared delight. "I care a great deal for you Sari."

She smiled pulling gently at the silver strands. "And I love you Rainy." Sari closed her eyes to the image of her lover stirring just enough to look at her.

"So why do you let me do this?"

The younger woman shrugged.

It made Rainy jealous how easy going she was with life.

"Because love isn't just about being with a person romantically," she replied. "It's about wanting the best for them to ensure their happiness, whether that involves you or not." And if Kakashi was her happiness, then Sari was ready to accepts it.

Rainy sighed. Maybe she needed to read romance books and see if she could connect to these selfless feelings. It was too much coincidence that her two lovers had arrived at the same conclusion ten years away from each other and with only one connective thread between them. Ah that Jiraya-sama must have been something else.

"Sacrifice is the ultimate testament of ones love, no?" The silver haired medic watched as the flock of birds took flight. Oh how she envied them.

"Now you're catching on."

And so she either had to sacrifice her entire life's work or ten years of love. Great. Easy...

Author's Note: Thank you for reading! And thank you again LilyVampire for taking the time to review :)