Chapter 29:
"There he is!" Kiba shouted, pointing down the street. "Yo, Naruto! We're over here!"
When Naruto arrived with Sai in tow, his friends had already rounded up all the infected people and had plugged up the hole in the warehouse. Just to be sure no one could escape, they remained close to the building.
Sakura came running up to him. "What happened? Look at you. You were in a fight, weren't you? Hold still and let me treat your injuries."
Naruto thrust the jar out to her with his hand.
"What's this?" she asked.
"The infection," he answered. "I grabbed it before he could use it on me."
"He? Then you know who is was?"
Sukiyumi approached and stood beside Sakura with her sons. "Who is responsible for all this?"
"The doctor," Naruto told them. "You didn't find anything in his office because he had moved everything to the pharmacy. He infected Shino when he got too close. He also infected Sai when he was treating the cut on his arm. The cut he got when you threw that knife at him."
"The doctor?" Sakura gasped. She raised a hand to her mouth, beside herself with shock and anger. "He did it right in front of us and I never noticed. Right under our noses. How could I have let this happen? I should have seen it. I should have realized."
"It's not your fault, Sakura," Naruto told her. "I was beating myself up, too. To think the guy did it in front of all three of us and none of us noticed. He treated Sai's wound and had a conversation with us like everything was normal."
Sakura was still reprimanding herself for not seeing it sooner.
"He did the same thing to the people who came into his office," Naruto went on, hoping to make her feel better and let everyone know the truth. "For a check-up or whatever. He infected them all. No one noticed until it was too late."
Sukiyumi scowled. "To think… Such a trusted man would do such a thing and betray us all. The nerve of him. I'll see to it that he is punished for his crimes."
"And now that we know what it is that did it, Miss Sakura here can cure the village and their friends," added Kado.
Sakura nodded. "I'll get to work on it right away. Kado, I might need an assistant. Why don't you help me?"
"Me? Uh, sure. I'll show you to the doctor's office we've been using."
Sakura didn't include him just because it would make things go faster. She knew Kado wanted to learn how to help people in other ways and this was the perfect opportunity for him.
"The pharmacy is more or less intact," Naruto told them. "I tried to keep the fight contained as much as possible so there wouldn't be much damage to the stuff there in case you need it. If I had gone all out, I would have kicked his ass sooner."
"It's good you took your time," Sakura told him, holding up the jar. "Because of that, we have a lot to work with."
"If you need more, there's still bottles of that stuff in the lab. It's all over the place."
"Thanks, Naruto. You did a great job."
Before she could leave, Naruto grabbed her arm. "Sai helped me, too. You should thank him, as well."
"Right." Sakura turned to Sai who was standing behind Naruto. "Thanks, Sai. Good work."
Sai huffed and growled at her, but it wasn't threatening. Then he smiled.
Sakura was surprised to see this. "Has he always been able to do that?" she asked.
Naruto shrugged. "Maybe he remembered how to. I don't know."
"Come, Miss Sakura," said Kado. "We must get to work at once."
"Right. The sooner, the better." Sakura followed Kado to the undamaged doctor's office to get to work.
Sukiyumi was still shaking her head. "Why would that man do all this? Has he no shame? We trusted him."
Naruto looked behind Sukiyumi, noticing Shikamaru listening in on the conversation. It seemed he wanted to know, too.
They all needed to know.
"It's because of you," Naruto told her bluntly.
Sukiyumi looked at him as if he had just insulted her. "What?"
"The doctor told me why he did this," Naruto explained. "He said he was sick and tired of you using fear and intimidation to control people. He didn't think you were fit to rule and it had nothing to do with power. He thought you were too frightening. He didn't feel safe around you and he knew the other villagers didn't either. He developed hatred for you and the rest of the clan. He thought he could be a better ruler than you because he wouldn't scare people. But he knew he didn't stand a chance against you, so he made this infection so the villagers would do the fighting for him, whether they wanted to or not. He infected them in secret, hoping they would be strong enough to take you down. In case they didn't, he knew you would kill them, thinking there was no cure. If that happened, he knew the rest of the villagers would see you as murderers and rebel. He wanted to destroy you any way he could."
Sukiyumi looked shocked and outraged. Ran looked shocked and a little afraid. It seemed that neither of them had seen this coming. No one suspected this would happen.
"And by the way…" Naruto held out his hand behind him. Sai picked up something in his teeth and dropped it into Naruto's waiting palm. "I got this from the doctor."
Naruto held the dagger out to them with his right hand. The dagger was heavy in his hand and the blade was still stained with his own blood and Sai's.
Sukiyumi took the dagger from him with both hands and held it carefully. When she looked at the dagger, her eyes held no anger or resentment. This weapon gave her no such feelings. The polished jewels and its history made her lower the mask she always wore. Without it, she looked like a normal person receiving a gift she thought was lost a long time ago.
"He had this?" she asked him. "How did he happen upon..?"
"He's the one who stole it," Naruto told her. "Before the box reached our village, he opened it and took the dagger himself, leaving only the box. The box was empty when we got it and never knew. We didn't make a mistake. We kept it safe, but the item inside was gone before we got our hands on it."
"Why would he do that?" Ran asked.
"He knew you would fly into a rage and attack us if you thought we were thieves. He was hoping you'd do that so we'd get hurt and come to him for help. When we did, he would have infected us, just like everyone else. You see, he thought if his first plans failed, you killing Leaf shinobi after promising to cure them would be enough to make the village declare war on you for revenge. He was hoping you'd kill us so the Leaf Village would see you as enemies and attack your clan. That's why he stole it. He wanted you to attack us."
Sukiyumi gave him an open-mouthed stare. It was finally sinking in that she and her family nearly killed innocent people in a fit of rage. She was also angry that someone would use their reputation against them like this.
"I don't care if this pisses you off or not," said Naruto fearlessly. "You using fear to keep people in their place isn't working the way you think. You're only making more problems for yourself. If anything, you're making more enemies. If you don't change your ways, that doctor is going to be the first of many. Being a leader isn't just about power, you know. The people should feel safe around you, not scared. If people are scared of something, they tend to do one of two things. They either avoid it or fight it. If you don't want people to do that, then do something about it. Change for the better."
Sukiyumi held the dagger in both hands, staring at the bloodstained blade.
"I thought it was better," she said softly.
Naruto raised his brow.
Sukiyumi looked at him without a scowl for once. "I come from a long line of men. I was the first daughter of the Arashi clan. An only child. If I did not marry, the bloodline would end with me. A tournament was held and I married the victor. He was declared the strongest, therefore he was worthy. However, it made me worry. Though he was a loving man and gave me three beautiful children, I was fearful of their future. If he was so strong, there could be others out there just as strong, if not more so. I didn't want our clan to fall and I didn't want power to go to someone who wouldn't take care of the village. Anyone who challenges the clan to a duel has a chance to win and if they do, they become the new ruler of the village. If my family wasn't strong enough…"
Sukiyumi bowed her head over the dagger.
"Kado was just learning to walk. What if I had been challenged while expecting a baby? I would be in no condition. What if he wasn't strong enough when he came of age? What if people took advantage of him? I couldn't let that happen. I thought it would be best to be intimidating because then no one would want to challenge us. They would be too afraid. I thought I had made the right choice. I didn't think the opposite would happen. I thought fear was best. That it was the same as respect."
Ran stared at his mother, letting it all sink in. He now realized that this whole thing was an act. She was raising them to be frightening because she didn't want people to hurt them. She became ruthless for their sake. She thought she was protecting them.
She never realized until now that she had inadvertently given them a miserable life. That they were more likely to be targeted and because of their upbringing were isolated from anyone who might have helped them. They had no friends, no one to look to other than their own kin. They were raised to behave a certain way, whether or not it was painful for them.
She hadn't protected them at all. She had made them miserable and alone.
"I'm so sorry," she told Ran. "I didn't realize what it was doing to you. To all of us. I made a terrible mistake. And now it's too late."
"No, it's not," said Naruto.
"I'm afraid it is," said Sukiyumi. "We cannot change their minds after so long. People are set in their ways. Even if we were suddenly to change back to the way we used to be before I became a mother, no one would trust us. Their minds are made up."
Naruto shook his head. "That's not true. People can change. And sure, it will take some work, but people can come to change their minds about someone. Even someone they've feared for a long time. Even someone they've hated."
Shikamaru grinned. "I'd listen to him if I were you," he told them. "The guy knows what he's talking about. And we told you about a friend of ours who was seen as a monster and now the whole village loves him and he's their leader. It's not too late for you guys."
"But what if Mother was correct and even if we do change people will try to take advantage of us?" asked Ran.
"You can't expect everyone to love you. You have to take chances. Even if you don't have everyone's favor, it's worth it if you have a few who are loyal to you and are willing to help you out."
"You know how Mother feels about help. If we…"
Shikamaru shrugged. "I think it turned out pretty well for us so far. Neither of us could have done all this by ourselves." He gestured to the warehouse. "And while we were helping each other here, Naruto and Sai were able to secure the source of the infection. Now Sakura and Kado are working on a cure together."
Ran still looked uncertain. Even if he was on board with their method, Shikamaru suspected he was still concerned about his mother's feelings on the matter.
Either he would follow her teachings and become ruthless, or it would be another thing to hide under his bed.
"It's like we said before," Shikamaru went on. "Ninja squads are divided into a certain number of groups consisting of people with certain skills that will help balance out the squad so it can function more efficiently. Long-ranged fighters are paired with short-ranged fighters. Weapons specialists with martial artists. Medics teamed up with people who see combat frequently and like things up close and personal. Even teams that specialize in tracking have members with different tracking skills. That way if something doesn't work, you have another method. Everything's balanced."
"And besides," added Naruto, "even our squads get broken up and paired with others sometimes. It depends on what's needed for the mission."
"The point is, you can't shut people out and we need a backup plan. Most importantly, don't be afraid to ask for help. You'd be surprised."
"But what about what Mother said about the people losing faith in your skills because you asked for help?" asked Ran.
"Our Hokage has asked for help in the past when dealing with dangerous situations and we haven't lost faith in her yet. In fact, a lot of us respected her more for doing it. It takes a wise person to know when to ask for help. Not asking for help makes you seem stubborn. Plus, it makes us feel better knowing she has friends willing to help her out and protect our village. It shows she has connections and is trustworthy."
Ran seemed intrigued but unsure. His mother's teachings were strict.
Shikamaru shrugged. "That's my input on the matter. You guys can do what you want. But like Naruto pointed out, your current methods created one enemy. There could be more if things don't change. And I know changing is hard, but it turned out pretty well for those who did. It's your choice, but personally, I think it's in your best interest and the interest of this town to consider other means."
Sukiyumi sighed, grasping the dagger tightly. "I fear it's too late to change their opinion of us at this point. And wouldn't a sudden change warrant suspicion? To go from one extreme to another?"
"It doesn't have to be extreme," said Naruto. "Your duty is to your people, right? You're supposed to help take care of them and protect them, right? That doesn't have to change. Just don't threaten people as much."
"He's right. The change can be gradual."
"Just show them that you really do care about them."
Ran sighed. "We're all about combat. How do we..?"
"Well…" Naruto looked over his shoulder at Sai. He grinned and looked back at Ran and his mother. "You can start by helping the infected people get better. That way you'll be getting rid of the threat and be showing them that you're there for them."
"He's right," said Shikamaru. "You've already got one half of your duty down. You can protect them. That's what all the combat is about, right? Now show them that they can rely on you in other ways, without the weapons. There are other ways to look after people."
Ran looked at his mother. Sukiyumi sighed. She looked from the bloody dagger to her second oldest.
"I am not certain it will change their minds… But I suppose we can try it."
It would be a long road ahead of them, but at least they were willing to take that first step and that was most important. It showed they were willing.
Sai slowly opened his eyes. He saw metal pipes and a ceiling above his head. He looked around slowly. He looked down and saw Sakura checking his vitals. When she saw his eyes upon her, she approached slowly, keeping her eyes on him.
"Hey," she said gently. "Hi, Sai."
"Hi, Sakura," he said.
Hearing him speak, Sakura gasped happily and gave him a big smile. "Sai! You can talk! I'm so glad."
"That's a first."
She started laughing.
A second later, Sai saw the heads of several friends framing his view of the ceiling. They all looked pleased to see him.
"Sai!"
"He's ok!"
"What a relief."
"I told you he'd be fine. Somebody owes me some money."
"Not the time, Kiba."
Sakura put her hand on Sai's forehead. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"My body feels heavy." Sai tried to lift his arms but he couldn't. "I feel kind of sore, too."
"I'm not surprised. After everything you went through." She shined a flashlight in his eyes. "That super strength of yours is probably gone and since it was unnatural, your body's reacting this way. After using it, your muscles must be worn out. Don't worry. A little rest and you should be fine. From what I can tell, it's similar to over exerting yourself. Like lifting too much weight. You'll be fine."
"That's good."
Naruto leaned in closer to talk to Sai. "Sai, do you remember anything? I mean, from while you were like that?"
"Um…" Sai gave it some thought. "I remember the village. And, um…"
"What about here? Do you remember the warehouse? Or the forest? Or any of that?"
Sai thought back. "I think I do."
"You do?"
He tried to nod, but he only had enough strength to slightly tilt his head down then up once. "I remember you shouting at me."
"You do?" Naruto wondered if that was from today or yelling at him back at the Leaf Village.
"I remember you pulling me up. I can see your face and I remember all this noise. I remember trees and your faces. And water. Um… I remember being with you and you talking to me. And I remember we battled together somewhere underground."
"So you do remember all that stuff."
"I guess I do. Not all the details. Most of it feels like I was in a fog or dreaming. A lot of it didn't make any sense, but somehow I felt it did make sense at the time." Sai shut his eyes briefly. "It was almost like coexisting with a stranger. It was weird."
It seemed that Sai was aware of quite a bit of what he did while the serum had taken over. Naruto wondered if Sai would remember any of it. He had a feeling he might because there were times it seemed that Sai could understand what he was saying and knew who he was. If Sai remembered a good chunk of his time as a tiger, it meant that he really was present in some way and not a mindless animal. Naruto knew it was Sai all along but the others had their doubts.
As far as Naruto was concerned, it was Sai all along, but Sai as a tiger.
Even concluding this, Naruto still had a lot of questions.
"Did you understand what I was saying during that time, Sai? And was that you thinking you were a tiger or you with the instincts of a tiger? I'm asking because you're usually not that aggressive."
Sai gave him a puzzled look. "Uh…"
"Naruto, don't give him complicated questions like that," lectured Sakura. "He needs to rest. The cure is still doing its job. Give him time."
Sai was still thinking about the question. "I guess a little of both, maybe. More instinct than thought, I guess. I really don't know. Most of it was just… I don't know what was going on. It's kind of foggy for me. Like I said, it made sense when I did it but after I came to my senses it didn't make sense anymore."
That was Sai's explanation back at the village. Sai did have the mind of a tiger. His human self didn't know what was going on or why he was doing such things.
It wasn't his fault.
Whether or not Sai recalled the things he did or heard, Naruto wanted to say it to his face.
"I'm sorry, Sai."
Sai looked at him. "For what?"
"Back at the village when I yelled at you. I shouldn't have done that. I should have realized something was wrong. I should have known you wouldn't be that way. The way you were acting... It wasn't like you at all and I should have seen that. It wasn't your fault. I screwed up. The way I acted…"
Naruto grit his teeth. He truly felt terrible about it. He had to admit his mistake. He had to let Sai know how sorry he was.
"I didn't want you to think I hated you. I didn't want you to feel like I abandoned you," he confessed earnestly. "When I found out what was going on, I felt terrible. I should have been a better friend. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry."
Sai carried no resentment towards Naruto at all.
"It's alright," he told him. "I don't hate you at all. At the time, I was more worried about what was going on with me."
"I should have been, too. That's my point. I just thought you were being a jerk. I should have noticed something else was going on. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Sai told him. "You don't have to apologize for anything. I'm ok."
Sai may not have remembered everything in detail, but he remembered Naruto being by his side for most of it. That alone told him that Naruto never abandoned him.
Knowing that he was in the Leaf Village and was now in the land the Arashi ruled over, he understood that guilt and loyalty drove Naruto to follow him and keep him safe. He knew Naruto rescued him. He knew Naruto felt guilty for not noticing something was amiss and did everything in his power to make it right. Even admitting his wrongs out loud and apologizing to his face.
As far as Sai was concerned, there was nothing to forgive.
Knowing what Naruto must have gone through and recalling him being by his side for most of it made Sai happy. It gave him a sense of importance only a bond with a friend could give him. It was good to know he mattered to someone.
Seeing all these faces surrounding him with looks of concern and joy left him feeling content.
"I just wanted you to know I was sorry," Naruto finished.
"It's ok," Sai told him again. "You don't have to say it. Your actions told me all I needed to know." Sai smiled. "I never thought for a moment that you would abandon me. I think I know you better than that."
Naruto's actions were more than enough.
Naruto was glad Sai wasn't angry with him. "Thanks, Sai."
"I should be the one thanking you. You helped me."
"But you had my back in that fight. We got the cure together."
Sai gave a weak grin and looked back at the ceiling.
Sakura leaned over him. "That serum took a lot out of you. You really need to rest."
"Hm." Sai was too weak to nod this time. "Sounds good to me." Sai closed his eyes and fell asleep almost instantly.
"He'll be fine, Naruto. Let's let him rest."
"How's Shino doing?" Hinata asked.
Sakura took the group over to the next table where Shino lay on his back. They removed the ropes from his arms after giving him the injection. He wasn't willing to take it at first, snapping at Sakura every time she got close to him with the needle. Kado had to hold Shino's head while she gave him the injection. Soon after, Shino became comatose and hadn't moved since.
"Sai was infected with a slightly different infection. Will the same cure work on all of them?" Hinata asked.
"Don't worry. We accounted for that. The cure should work on all of them, but we're keeping them here for observation just in case. According to this, Shino's pretty much back to his old self."
"Great," said Kiba, leaning on the table Shino was laying on. "Then I can tell him all about what he missed when he wakes up. And how impressed he'll be at my detective skills."
"I'm awake and I doubt I'll be impressed."
Kiba looked down. "Oh. Hi." He waved his hand over Shino's face.
"Stop that."
Kiba put his hand down. "It's hard to tell if you're awake or not with your eyes covered up like that."
"Tell me about it," said Naruto. "He gets pissed off if you can't tell, too. Like that time I found him sleeping in the woods."
"I wasn't asleep, I just didn't want to talk to you."
"What doesn't piss you off? You get mad when I can't recognize you with your face covered up, you get mad when I can't tell if you're awake or not. And you call me a pain in the ass."
Sakura checked Shino's vitals. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.
"Pathetic," he answered. "I can't believe I let down my guard like that. I can't believe how foolish I was."
"Don't be too hard on yourself," said Sakura. "The guy who infected you had combat training. He knows how to sneak up on a ninja. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
Shino didn't sound convinced. "Even so, I'm disappointed in myself. I should have been paying more attention. It all happened so quick, I didn't even have time to escape. I'm so angry."
"You're not the only one who underestimated someone today," said Kiba. "I hate to admit it, but I was a bit surprised by the strength of the noble family. I took on one of their members. I didn't lose, but I was surprised all the same. I had no idea their youngest member would be so strong. They're not even ninja."
"Being a ninja or not has little to do with someone's combat abilities," Shino told him.
"But we're ninja and we've been training from a young age to be ninja."
"So? The noble family has been training its members since birth how to fight. Their skills are on par with that of a ninja. However, their methods are a bit different. Plus, they don't have jutsu to learn. While we're busy practicing our jutsu, the noble family's hard at work with weapons training and martial arts, in addition to stealth and physical strength. Just because someone's not a ninja doesn't mean you should underestimate them."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Besides, with their reputation and their reasons to be so strong, you would be foolish to-"
"I get it!" Kiba turned his back to the table and scoffed. "I'm not sure if I like you better when you're trying to bite my head off or trying to bite my head off."
Shino glanced down at his body. "I can't do much of anything at the moment. I can't move my body. I feel numb and sore at the same time."
"That should wear off with some rest," Sakura told him.
"I take it you managed to take care of the infection."
"You should be fine. Just get some rest."
Shino lay quietly and didn't move.
When Naruto and Kiba teasingly waved their hands over Shino's face to see if he was awake or not, he threatened to send his bugs after them because they could move. They didn't try it again.
Within a matter of hours, the locals were not only able to converse with those around them but were able to sit up. With the help of the ninja and noble family members, the now cured people were encouraged to walk.
Sukiyumi watched from the wall, observing a sight she never thought she'd see.
Her son Kado was bracing a man against his body as he tried to lift himself off a cot. With his help, the man was able to walk slowly around his bed and sat back down. After the short trip, he smiled at Kado and thanked him.
Before this, her children were helping distribute the cure to the people along with the ninja. The people woke up thanking them. Some seemed surprised to see them and some were wary, but after a while, they seemed to warm up to the idea of the noble family helping them. To be catered to. To respond with something other than fear.
Knowing she was the cause of much of this fear, Sukiyumi remained distant. She thought it was best for her children to be seen making a change first, believing it would be easier.
She saw how Ran fumbled through his bedside manner, unused to such a thing. How he nervously injected the people with needles and stumbled over uneasy words in an attempt to comfort them. Words of encouragement towards him were a bit different and he rarely had to comfort others.
His mother could see with such clarity how she had wronged her children. How she deprived them of something so basic she thought they didn't need it. Something she thought would make them weak in the eyes of others. To see how her own son had difficulty talking with others, even lacking confidence in offering someone comfort, made her see the truth and understood where she failed.
Her son was physically strong, but he was broken inside. She worried how much.
Her spirits rose when she saw her other children and the ninja come over to help him through it. To give him pointers or just stand near him.
He was fumbling and uncertain, but now he was laughing with a couple local boys his age.
They were unafraid of him and he looked like he was one of them. Accepted. Normal.
Seeing how everyone had joined together and how the people seemed to trust in the noble family and be grateful to them reminded her of how things used to be when she was growing up. How the people smiled at her when she walked down the street with her father. How they respected them; not feared them. She thought she would never see it again after what she had done, but this gave her hope that it was still there.
The forgotten relationship had returned. For some, it was never forgotten. They seemed relieved that the noble family had gone back to the old ways. For others, who were not old enough to recall the past, things were a bit awkward. Like the noble family, they weren't ready to let their guard down.
Shino walked over and sat in a chair beside Sukiyumi. The people in the room might not have noticed her in the shadows, but it was easy for Shino to spot her. He sensed she wasn't the most social person in the building, but something told him there was more to it than that.
"A strange sight to behold?" he asked her, trying to break the ice.
Sukiyumi barely looked at him. "Staying out of the way is best. The people are less afraid and will give my children a chance. If I go over there, things will change."
"As will your children, correct?" Shino said matter-of-factly. "I had a feeling that was why you haven't come over to help. For you, this is helping, isn't it?"
She sighed. "I notice that my children's demeanor changes when I'm around. I've seen it many times. Especially with Sayo. How she will be cheerful and the second she catches my eye, she stops and becomes stern like myself. I can see in her eyes that it is only mimicry. She does not sincerely want to be. It isn't in her. She is far too cheerful to be."
Just as Shino suspected. Sukiyumi was worried that her presence would not only strike fear into the recovering villagers, but that her children would think she wouldn't approve of their current behavior and try to mimic her as closely as possible. Like flipping a switch, they would change from one way to another.
"I thought I was doing the right thing for them," she told Shino. "I didn't want them to be paranoid and fear the world, telling them that anyone who knocks on our door is a potential threat. I made sure they wouldn't be fearful. I succeeded in that. However, by making them view the world in such a way, I've made them incapable of interacting with others. I told them that as long as they were strong, they had nothing to fear. Their combat skills are topnotch, but their social skills are sourly lacking. Even worse, I taught them to never ask for help. I thought it would make them weak in the eyes of others. How wrong I was."
Shino looked at the noble children catering to the recovering villagers, helping them walk and bringing them water.
"They know more than you think," Shino told her. "They seem to be doing well."
"Only because they have people to help them. Something I told them they could never accept." Sukiyumi sighed. "I may have been foolish in some ways, but I am not fool enough to not notice when my children are hiding something from me."
Shino turned his head to look at her.
"I know my eldest son wants to be a doctor. I see him study often. I don't discourage it. But there are times when Sayo disappears and claims to be training, but not on our property. She has kept it a secret. Even I do not know where she goes. But knowing that she has to hide it so well for fear of my reaction is…" She sighed heavily. "If I hadn't been so strict with them, they wouldn't feel the need to hide things from me. I'm certain Ran has his secrets. I worry that he is the most broken of my children."
Shino looked at Ran struggle through a conversation with a local. Partway through it, he looked around nervously for his siblings to come help him. Sayo came over with a big smile and talked to the villager for him but wouldn't let her brother leave. She seemed to want him to observe and take notes.
A few moments later, Ran was helping the villager to his feet while Sayo clapped her hands and cheered the man on while he tried to walk on his weak legs. He stumbled and Sayo caught him. Ran stood by watching until Sayo told him to help the man back to the bed. It seemed Ran didn't know enough to do that until after Sayo said something. Apparently, he thought Sayo was managing just fine and didn't need him.
Several times Ran let someone stumble into something, not knowing enough to grab them before they fell. Now that he was getting the hang of it, he reached out to steady someone without his siblings having to say anything.
Combat he knew, people he didn't.
From his observations of the three siblings, Shino believed Sayo was the most normal among them. Certainly, more social. Kado was more of an introvert and Ran was very shy and unsure around those who weren't in his family. Kado knew how to talk to people, but his brother didn't know what to do unless he had a weapon in his hand.
"He's not nervous around people if he's fighting them, but outside of combat he's like a lost kitten."
"He'll get used to it."
Sukiyumi nodded. "It's probably best if I keep my distance in that case."
Shino glanced at her then back at the crowd of people. "From one wallflower to another, I can tell you that sometimes it's best just to observe. Interfere too much and it can cause problems. But there are times when you should intervene and play a part in their lives. You are their mother. I'm sure they'll listen to you."
"Listening to me is what got them into trouble in the first place when I was only trying to protect them."
"Perhaps. But I'm saying that if they do listen to you, then you can tell them to do their own thing for a while." He paused then said, "Or perhaps you could learn something from them."
Shino struggled to his feet. His legs were still wobbly but he was getting strength back in them quickly.
He didn't want to lecture Sukiyumi anymore than he already had. No doubt Naruto gave her a piece of his mind for a while. He wasn't sure if there was anything he could say that hadn't already been said. In any case, all they could do was offer advice. Once they left the village, it was up to the noble family to either keep things up or change. The choice was theirs in the end.
One chapter left! I'm wrapping it up.
Please review! ^-^
