Chapter 8
"Madara-nii! Shiori isn't in her room!" Ginjiro cried out, shaking the boy awake.
Madara shot up, his sharingan blazing to life. That stupid girl… After everything he said, did she not even listen? He grabbed his katana from his bedside and rushed out the door with Ginjiro.
"I'll search the west side of the compound and you go east. She couldn't have gone fa-" "There she is!"
Madara's head whipped around towards the direction Ginjiro was pointing at. There she was, hair pulled back into a long, straight ponytail, her body position mimicking one he's seen by shinobi so many times before. She was wearing a too-big-for-her battle kimono from the guest room she was staying in, and there was a litter of kunai scattered on the ground near her.
Ginjiro rushed forward. "Shiori-chan!" He called, colliding into her.
The girl lost her focus and jumped in shock when the boy called her name. She lifted her arms to let him wrap his around her waist.
"We were worried you had left!" Ginjiro said, nuzzling his face into her chest.
Immediately, Madara felt a twinge of annoyance towards his brother. But he pushed it away as he walked towards them.
"You stayed." He stated.
Shiori nodded, turning to face him. "... Yes, I am."
"You are? So you're going to stay?"
Shiori gave him a nod.
Ginjiro's face brightened as he jumped with excitement. "Really?! Shiori-chan is staying with us? I'm so happy!"
"Well," Shiori blushed as she scratched her cheek. "Someone needs to take care of you guys. You always seem to get hurt somehow and I don't like standing on the sidelines while people are hurt."
Madara chuckled at her lame excuse. "Uh huh. Sure."
"Shut up Madabaka." She scowled.
"Madabaka?" He echoed, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, Madabaka. Cause you're an idiot." She humphed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Well this 'idiot' is the one who convinced you to stay, isn't he?"
Shiori's face burned with embarrassment as she began to throw kunai towards the boy. "Shut up, Shut up, SHUT UP!"
Madara shrieked before jumping to dodge her oncoming attacks. "WHERE DID YOU EVEN GET KUNAI!?"
"Your mom lent me hers!"
"KAA-SAN, WHAT THE HELL?"
"MADARA-NII, WATCH OUT FOR THE BRANC-"
THWACK
"... Is he dead?"
"No, just stupid."
"Stupid Shiori…"
"See? He's fine."
"Eto.. Shiori-chan? Can you heal Nii-san?"
"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaybe."
"Pleeeeaaaaasssseeeee? For me?"
"Ahhh Gin-kun! Put your puppy dog eyes away!"
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaasssseeeeeeee?"
"No! He deserved it for teasing me!"
"Pleeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssssseeeeee?"
"Agh! Stop it with the eyes! Okay fine! I'll heal Madabaka!"
"Yay."
oOo
"So, Shi-chan, do you like Madara-kun?"
Shiori began choking on her tea that Kayo poured her a moment before.
"E-E-Eh?! No way! Madabaka is an idiot!" She exclaimed, her embarrassment showing on her face.
Kayo smirked, a hand over her mouth as she gave Shiori a look. "Oh hoho, Shi-chan's face is bright red… Why so embarrassed?"
"K-Kayo-san! This is YOUR son we're talking about here!"
"I know," She stated. "And as his mother, I want to know if you have feelings for my son?"
"I-I-I don't! I don't even know what feelings feel like." Shiori admitted, nervously playing with her hair.
"I don't really know how to describe it, but I feel mostly grateful for your family to invite me in like this. I never really had anyone care for me like you all have… And to be saved by Madara made me even more happy and thankful that I met him. Before all this… I didn't really want anything to do with anyone. I just wanted to live alone in my own little world…" Shiori fidgeted in her spot next to the woman.
"I'm not sure whether this is love or not, But I'm so grateful towards your family and Madara." She smiled brightly, letting her eyes shut in content and her two dimples show on her cheeks.
Kayo sniffled, wiping away a tear before launching herself at the girl. "Wah! Shiori-chan! We love you too and so grateful for saving us!" The woman cried in her arms. Shiori smiled, petting her long, black hair soothingly.
"I'll definitely get you and Madara-chan together! I promise!" She wailed.
Shiori's smile was replaced by a sudden look of embarrassment. "E-Eh?! Kayo-san! That's not what I meant at all!"
"I don't care! I want you as a daughter!"
"KAYO-SAN!"
oOo
"So, you want to train to be a ninja."
Shiori's eyes were staring holes into the ground. She nodded and bowed before the Uchiha man, despite her pride screaming at her. "Y-Yes, Uchiha-san. I want to become strong to protect the Uchiha and myself!" She exclaimed.
Tajima straightened his back, interest flashing in his eyes. "Before, you said you wanted nothing to do with the Uchiha or the war… What changed, Shiori?"
Shiori swallowed her pride and looked up into the intense man's gaze.
"... I'm truly grateful to Madara for saving my life. I'm also so grateful for you to provide me with protection even though I was so cold to you before. I-I," Shiori took a sharp inhale. "I want to be strong enough to protect all of you too!"
Tajima smiled down towards the small girl with pride going through his body. She had come a long way from the scrawny, selfish girl he had met in the forest. Although he understood, Shiori was never selfish. He watched as she saved several Uchiha members without asking for anything in return. She even saved Kayo after he had been so cruel towards her. But here she was, asking to protect the clan that pulled her into this treacherous war.
"Hn. Alright. Training begins at noon everyday. I will not go easy on you, just because you are a girl. You will feel awful at first, but I do not expect you to complain at any moment, do you understand?" He said, turning his back to her.
Shiori beamed, lifting her head and nodding attentively. "Y-Yes Uchiha-san! I won't let you down!"
Tajima smiled. "I know."
