The New Normal - Important Dates

Quickly approaching my second full year in the village... I was suspicious.

What are those Shiin up to?

Neither Shikyou nor Yuharu seemed to be busy with anything that day, which was strange for the two working adults. Furthermore, Kanshi, who usually preferred that I didn't leave the clan section of the village at all, pulled me out of it… for a social visit with Isae.

"You see friend Isae, I am concerned that Yumika does not have any hobbies."

Not this again-

"I enjoy reading."

My two friends combined their gazes, before turning them on me.

This was going to be a team effort and I was going to hate it.

"Yumika…"

Here it comes.

"...you read because you don't have hobbies…"

Not true!

"...you have said yourself that none of it is particularly interesting…"

Well it's all nonfiction, of course none of it's entertaining.

"...except that trashy book by Jiraiya…."

It's called 'The tale of the utterly gutsy shinobi' and it is the only book in the adventure/fantasy genre in this world!

"...which you've read through 6 times by now."

Well… umm…

Isae turned back to Kanshi with a curious expression.

"6? I thought it was 5."

He shrugged.

"She read through it again this week."

"It's 9 actually…"

I mumbled quietly, trying my best to ignore the victorious smirk the boy wore.

No Yumika, don't surrender that easily!

"I'm not that bad. I enjoy fighting and improving my skills."

"...which you have neither the fitness nor health to maintain for any notable amount of time. Even so, that's enjoying work, not having hobbies."

Defence is failing, go on the attack!

"What about you two, do you have hobbies?"

"Well, unlike you, I actually like reading."

"That's just because d-"

Kanshi covered my mouth before I could say the M word.

"I also enjoy cleaning."

Right, freak of nature. It's 'calming and relaxing' she says, but fair, two points for Isae…

I looked over at Kanshi.

"Well, I do of course have many hobbies. I appreciate theatre, even though I have not had much of an opportunity to go; reading and writing poetry; exploring fashion; contemplating art…"

I thought I was supposed to be the rich snob in the party.

"...and finally I enjoy playing music."

Ok, you guys win.

I mumbled something to myself in surrender.

"Yumika, I can read scientific journals, not speak mumble."

I glared and said again, louder.

"I used to play music, I enjoyed trying to play shogi with Tatara, and I used to enjoy laying about."

"Why did you stop-?"

Isae practically shoved herself infront of Kanshi.

"Who cares about that? What do you mean by 'trying' to play shogi?"

I prodded my fingers together and averted my gaze.

"...I never actually learned the rules, and wasn't any good at it."

I saw her retreating into 'Manami' mode to contain her urge to laugh at my expense, causing me to flush a deeper red.

"That is a rather unfortunate case, perhaps I could teach you and we could play a bit? It isn't my favourite game, but I don't mind playing it occasionally."

I nodded, not trusting my voicw thanks to Isae's aggressive teasing.

"I'm still wondering why-?"

"Alright, you two have stalled for a sufficient amount of time, you may leave my office now."

"Doctor, she wasn't supposed to know that."

The doctor kept working as usual, and replied nonchalantly.

"She could already tell."

"Yeah, Kanshi, we were kind of obvious."

"You're only saying that because d-"

I covered his mouth before he could say the M word.

"C'mon let's go to whatever surprise you've cooked up. I want to at least be able to fake shock when the knife goes through my back alright?"

"Yumika… we're not going to stab you."

I shrugged and kept walking.

"I wouldn't mind, it might make you all feel better about what my father did. It's the anniversary of the assassination isn't it? When things took a turn for the worse? I don't think I'd be happy with 'me' today either if I was in your shoes."

I couldn't understand why the two were morbidly silent as we returned to the Shiin section of the base.

"Happy birthday!"

This… is not an assassination.

In hindsight, this also made a lot more sense and made me feel quite silly, even if I was overexaggerating.

It was all seven of the active clan members, including Shikyou and Yuharu. The Shiin clan had already been a small clan before they split up. It made for a more tight-knit group here in the village, so I was pretty familiar with them all by now.

The clan had three family units: Kanshi and his parents, another couple and their two kids, and finally an older ninja with their adoptive son. The last two were single.

Isae was also here, being my one friend outside the clan… still in the village.

I hope those six are okay…

I hadn't managed to learn any more about what happened. No one actually knew.

At least no one ever noticed that Rukia existed.

"-Yumika?"

The concern brought me back to the present, and I shook off the thoughts.

"Sorry, I… don't quite know what I'm supposed to do."

It was at least partially true. I didn't have any experience with birthdays in this world other than the makeshift event the girls set up.

Much safer than admitting I miss associating with 'traitors'.

As a consequence, I was practically dragged into the festivities.

We started with a dinner consisting of foods I'd listed among my favourites.

The ways the tables and such were arranged made it obvious that the room had been built with clan gatherings like this in mind.

While we ate…

"Yumika, why did you think we would turn on you?"

I really don't want to admit to something that embarrassing.

…but I didn't like the miserable look on his face, so I guess I had to explain.

"In short…"

I took a breath, and whispered.

"...I kind of forgot this was my birthday."

My shame magnified at his incredulous look.

"...but you remembered the assassination-"

"-and knew you guys were up to something, yeah."

This last year had felt like a dream, one I was scared I would wake up from.

"How do you… forget… your birthday?"

I shrugged.

"Natsuhi considered me too mature to bother celebrating it, so it was just generally unimportant. Then I learned about what happened to mom and what that led to concerning…"

I gestured in everyone's general direction.

"...which was a lot more important."

"More important than your life?"

"Hey, I was dead for the first three days, so that doesn't count."

That's when I noticed that the room had gone silent, and everyone was staring at me. Not a comfortable position to be in.

"...I got better."

The comment didn't seem to help.

"So… you're a zombie."

Isae's question popped the tension like a balloon.

I sighed.

"Yes, I am a zombie. Don't ask me how that happened, I don't know."

Things gradually returned to the festive mood, even if I did catch an odd look on occasion. The relatively formal dinner died down to a more casual hangout, and the tables were eventually shoved aside.

Once everyone was done eating, cake was brought out. Strawberry, the same favourite flavour Beniyo and Waho had picked up on.

Seeing the cake also made me remember…

I didn't send a letter to my brother!

…oops.

I really hope Yorihiro isn't expecting one.

Anyway, the cake was good. It was while everyone had cake that I received my first gift.

"Here, it was hard to get a copy with how old it is, but doctor Manami has connections."

A Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi.

Isae rested her hands on the back of her head.

"Now you can stop contemplating robbing the Shiin library and bring a copy with you outside."

"Good choice, I'm sure she's already read it 4 times by now so it won't go to waste."

"9" "9"

Sigh.

Why did I admit that?

Kanshi gave me a silk blue sash. The material was soft, yet sturdy. While it was uniformly coloured without any patterns, it had the reflective shine of silk. I also suspected that there was probably some invisible seal work between the two layers that made up the sash, but Kanshi refused to give me a straight answer.

"You need something nicer to wear normally. It doesn't break your dress code, which I still don't understand why you follow."

"I'm not the one who gets blamed if I don't."

Then there was the last thing, from Shikyou.

"Yumika, you've stayed with us for nearly a year now."

The room was dead silent, Shikyou stood at the focus of the room, with me in the centre.

It made the whole thing feel very ceremonial.

"As you've heard, the Shiin clan is based on the inheritance of techniques rather than blood. Most who join us aren't born from the Shiin family. The sign that marks us as clan members is a tattoo, one only visible under certain conditions. When you visited the seal practitioner recently, we also asked if the tattoo would interfere with the seals on your body. Now I can safely make this offer: Yumika Nogawa, would you like to join us?"

That… is a lot.

"I…"

Don't know.

Can't.

Will.

Shouldn't.

Can.

This was a point of no return. Perhaps not literally, but for me and my convictions it would be.

Accepting this meant tying myself to these people.

It meant that I couldn't run away anymore.

It meant instead of pursuing the future for myself… I would have to pursue one for the clan.

"I need to think."

I mumbled out quickly, running off to my room. Halfway there, I hooked a hand around Kanshi's arm and dragged him along, ignoring his objections.

Door shut, I started pacing.

I cared about these people. Saving them would be nigh impossible. Committing to doimg so, and failing, would doom me. Could I live with myself if I left them to their fate? Let them die in a pointless battle against the hidden leaf or let them be sacrificed by Orochimaru?

"Yumika… why am I here?"

I stopped and faced him.

"What would it mean joining the clan?"

"Oh um… It's not that different from our current arrangement."

"Really?"

He regained his bearing.

"Yes, you'll always have a place with us, we try to help each other, and preferably stay together. Everyone listens to the clan head, my father, and there are a few traditions we try to uphold. Any technique you figure out can gain the protection offered by being considered a clan technique, and it would be appreciated if you pass anything you know on to someone at some point."

I took a deep breath.

"What about the joining process itself? What's there to it?"

"There isn't much other than the tattoo. Being that the clans signature techniques are based on music, a performance is typical, but far from necessary."

I eyed my instrument.

…but I've never played a solo.

"Kanshi."

"Yes?"

"Your flute, can you play me some notes?"

"Where's this headi-?"

"Please."

He nodded and started playing, and I brought the shamisen onto my lap and started tuning to match.

He stopped. He'd realised.

I gave him a look and we continued.

…

Our march back into the dining hall was far less frantic than our exit. Kanshi escorted me like he did my first month here.

Shikyou had an unreadable blank face, suiting the formal occasion.

"Have you reached a decision?"

There was never one to be made.

I asked myself if I could live with abandoning the people I cared about. One look at one of those people told me enough.

I bowed.

"I would be honoured, lord Shiin."

The edge of his mouth tugged ever so slightly upwards.

"Please sit."

He gave me the tattoo personally: three purple rings around my left bicep.

"Welcome to the Shiin clan."

I met Kanshi's gaze and agreement was met.

No room for hesitation now.

I brought out my shamisen, Kanshi brought out his flute from where he'd hidden it, and together: we played.

Shikyou Shiin

Things had come to an end, and the only ones left in the dining hall were Shikyou and his wife.

"If nothing else, they've learned to rely on each other."

He caught his wife's unimpressed look, and he rolled his eyes.

"Yes, because we've been pairing them together for every task and situation we can think of."

The look grew inquisitive.

"I am happy with this. Though I was expecting a less controlled panic in response haha."

Her expression fell.

"I know."

He sighed.

"This won't protect her for long."

His thoughts jumped to the dinner with Orochimaru three months ago.

"I've looked over the injuries the girl has sustained. With her success against Mitsutada, I was hoping that she would grow more experienced and eventually enter the fray as a combatant. We both know that isn't an option anymore. With my gift though, she would make an excellent messenger and supply runner. She is learning little to help her on that front here, so I intend to promote her to genin as soon as she recovers."

"With all due respect, I had intended to invite her into the clan."

"Oh?"

"I was impressed with her conduct."

"Fair enough. With respect to your request, I will delay until she is 10 then. A year as a clan member should be plenty to learn of your laws and traditions before setting out."

In a year's time, she would start running missions.

"Hopefully our association will protect her from some of her fathers enemies."

His wife nodded, but gave him a harsh curious look.

"I know lord Orochimaru wasn't pleased with the action, but I am beginning to have my own concerns about the man."

The harshness sharpened.

"Yes, because of what the girl said."

His gaze fell towards where Yumika's room was.

"She might be a child, but she knows things and she's bright. Have you checked your newest copy of the bingo book?"

Yuharu nodded.

"There's a new entry. The village added it to the book last month. The ninja went rogue only two months ago."

Shikyou threw his bingo book onto the table in front of them with said entry open.

Itachi Uchiha, wanted by the hidden leaf for the massacre of his clan.