The couple of years after the initial outburst had been quiet in respect to the brown haired twin. She wasn't treated very differently from Ino but the reason for this varied from genuine acceptance to fear of the Yamanaka clan head. The twin girls were inseparable and complimented each other well in terms of personality and habits. Ino and Kasumi would often play with the other young children of the Yamanaka clan but at the end of the day they would always end up sticking together.
One late afternoon a few years after the controversial birth of the Yamanaka twins all four members of the family were in the backyard, the parents sitting on the porch and the children playing a few feet away.
"Sumi!Sumi!"
"Ino!Ino!"
Two identical girls sat in a patch of flowers in the garden of the Yamanaka compound, making flower crowns for each other, while their parents couldn't contain their soft laughter at the sight of their two baby girls playing.
"I made you a present!"
"Me too!"
"Girls,"
Two sets of blue, laughing eyes turned to see their father stand up. Soon both Ino and Kasumi were laughing hysterically out loud as Inoichi scooped both of them up into his arms and started kissing the top of their heads in between the flower crowns they had made and gifted each other only moments before.
"You two have to behave while I go away for a little bit,"
"Daddy!"
One whine chorused by the two young Yamanakas was enough to bring a genuine smile to the experienced shinobi's face. Inoichi knew why his daughters were upset. It wasn't because he had implied that they never behaved, his reminder was just and everyone in the Yamanaka compound knew that, but it was because he was going to have to go on another mission after only getting back from his last one earlier that week. After a sigh and an idea the clan head put his two daughters down and knelt in front of the duo.
"I was going to leave this as a surprise bu-"
"SURPRISE!"
He had them hook, line and sinker.
"Yeah, a little surprise I have planned for when I get back . . . but if I can't go . . ."
"No!" "Dad!"
"So can the two of you wait and behave for your mum,"
Two vigorous nods and two parental, loving smiles.
Satisfied with his work and confident that his bribe will have the desired effect easing the hassle of looking after the girls for his wife, Inoichi stood back up after planting two more quick kisses on his children's foreheads then vanished to go meet up with his team.
"Mum," Airi turned to her youngest daughter.
"When will dad be back?" inquired Kasumi. Instead of replying directly to the quiet and calm personality of the pair Airi turned to the loud and impulsive counterpart before relaying the devastating information.
"Three weeks," Airi smiled.
"WHAT! But that is forever!" Ino as always brought a smile to her mother's face from the typical child answer. Kasumi waited for her twin to stop shouting before asking yet another question. "What is the surprise?"
Their mother could do nothing more than shake her head and laugh softly at the situation unfolding, the same series of events that unravelled every time her husband went on a mission. Inoichi would always try and make things easier for her by giving the girls an incentive to be well behaved but it would always end in more questions but Airi would never tell the head Yamanaka that because these reactions from her daughters would fill her with joy.
"Mmm…Mmm…Ummm…"
"Mum!" "Ino," "What?!" "Do you want to make more flower chains?" "…"
'Always so diplomatic' thought Airi as Kasumi diffused an annoyed Ino. However, with two young children silence does not last as long as what would be desired.
"We just did that!" countered Ino after a second of hesitation. Kasumi gave a suspiciously sweet smile before going over to her beloved twin and looked directly at her mother before whispering into Ino's ear.
"Not in the big flower patch in the middle of the compound forest," whispered Kasumi. It only took another minute of silence before a bright smile and sparkling eyes adorned the young blonde's face before her loud voice once again reverberated the courtyard in which the small flower garden they were next to was located.
"Can we mum?!"
Two sets of bright blue eyes looked pleadingly into the brown eyes of the older Yamanaka, both already knowing that their mother had heard. Kasumi could be very selective about the volume she gave to her 'whispers'. All three of the female Yamanakas knew that these stares would get the wanted outcome but a mother needs to have her own tricks and bribes to keep her children in line.
"Tomorrow,"
It earnt upset expressions from both Ino and Kasumi but as Ino opened her mouth to reply Airi used her secret weapon, a dangerously sweet smile that was accompanied by a stare from sudden cold, pupil less brown eyes that discouraged any argument.
"What's for dinner?"
This changed the temperature of the stare and made the smile nothing but sweet. The little brown haired Yamanaka would never cease to amaze.
The very next day Airi kept her promise and her two daughters got to go to the flower field in the clearing that they talked about the day before. Airi had invited some of the other Yamanaka families along as well. It was good that the children all got to interact with one another, especially since one of her daughters would be the next clan head.
You could easily tell why the children loved the clearing so much. It wasn't too big but large enough to be home to enough flowers to keep the dozen or so children happy and sheltered by a few trees to keep the majority of the wind from ruining the flower crowns being made with great care and concentration. The forest in the Yamanaka compound was a bit of pride for the clan because it contained so many different types of flora species and was a great way for the children to learn but at the moment these children were not going to be put through a lesson on naming flowers but instead would be allowed to enjoy a precious day of their childhood by simply playing in the brightly coloured field.
"KASUMI!"
Said brown haired Yamanaka had balled fists by her side which had little trickles of blood going down them and making little bright red drops on the contrasting lush green grass. Tear filled eyes looked up at Airi but there was no apology written in Kasumi's eyes as a slightly older Yamanaka child ran to her mother across the clearing. Besides these sobs from the injured relative there was not a single sound across the whole clearing. Small hesitant steps. Eyes not leaving her mother's.
…
…
"I'm not sorry,"
"Kasumi"
Airi tried to reason with her usually passive daughter but all of the other mothers in the clearing started making their own objections to this behaviour and Airi knew she needed to stop all of this before the superstitions of the clan started up again and affected her daughter, possibly both.
"Kas-"
"No one can be mean to Ino,"
With that came sudden silence and bewilderment as Kasumi wiped her hands on her light blue dress, walked over to Ino, grabbed a hold of her hand and walked out of the clearing without any hesitation or a glance back. All the Yamanakas did was stare in stunned surprise as a girl with brown hair and a blue dress walked away with a blonde girl in a yellow dress while mumbling inaudible words of comfort. It was only after this that everyone recalled how there were silent tears in the eyes of both of the twins.
What had been a pleasant day with the other clan children in the large flower field at the back of the Yamanaka compound had turned into something that was full of tears and recollections of a clan superstition. No one would deny that standing up for her sister was something admirable and sweet but the violence at which it was committed had a lot of the clan on edge.
Airi would have to have a serious talk with her young daughter.
Just as Airi went to leave the clearing in pursuit of her children she was stopped. The mother of the injured child had called out to her, but there was no trace of anger in the soft voice.
"Yes. Oh, yes. I forgot to apologies for the behave-" Airi turned to the other Yamanaka and started apologising on behalf of her clearly unapologetic daughter and was midway into a bow when she was cut off by the mother.
"No, no. Please. Sayuri has something to say," The older Yamanaka gently pushed her young daughter towards the wife of their clan head. The young, blonde haired, blue eyed Yamanaka girl would have only been a year older then the twins and at the moment she had a small patch of blood on the left side of her forehead from where the brown haired twin had defended her sister.
"I'm sorry,"
Once again there was silence in the clearing but this time the tension decreased.
"I shouldn't have pulled Ino's hair or call Kasumi names,"
…
The silence appeared to unnerve the young girl and more tears emerged from her eyes as she tried to discretely shuffle backwards towards her mother.
No one had known that Kasumi was a victim of the teasing as well. When she had defended her actions she had only mentioned that Ino had been hurt.
Airi smiled gently at the actions of her youngest daughter, hoping that this attitude would stay with her forever.
"Everything is fine," The young girl, Sayuri, stopped her slow trek backwards and stared in bewilderment at the older brown haired female Yamanaka.
"I don't think you are going to do anything like that again. Are you?" Sayuri stood as still as a statue. A statue with its mouth wide open, which earnt a couple of soft chuckles from around the clearing.
"How about you come with me? You three girls need to forgive each other yourselves. Okay?" This time Sayuri's mother stepped forward to answer on behalf of her still stunned daughter.
"That sounds excellent," And with that simple response the three Yamanaka left the clearing and followed the same path that the twins had taken only a few moments beforehand.
Even though the tension had been mostly dispersed and it seemed that Sayuri's mother had forgiven the brown haired abnormality for being surprisingly protective of her sister a few of the remaining Yamanaka in the clearing were starting to grow their suspicions and would now be keeping a closer eye on the potential threat.
Sayuri was shocked and nervous to say the least. Even if you were a Yamanaka you didn't often get invited to the house of the clan head. It didn't matter if the clan head himself wasn't home she was going to get to go there and even after she had been mean to the twins! She hoped that she didn't make a fool of herself.
Airi and Sayuri's mother, Mayumi, were talking away happily. Airi was grateful that Mayumi had an open mind to her daughter's situation and that she didn't blame her same daughter for her unexpectedly violent behaviour. Mayumi was grateful that Airi had an understanding that children will be children and didn't hold anything against Sayuri for her behaviour. It is surprising what circumstances can lead to a strong and lasting friendship.
"Sayuri,"
At hearing her name from an unfamiliar voice, said child knew instantly that it must be the wife of the clan head that was addressing her and lifted her head up from staring at the ground to stare at the respected Yamanaka lady but before she could start to bow there came a soft, regal laugh from the same unfamiliar voice.
"Don't worry about any of those formalities Sayuri. You are going to be our guest for the rest of the day. I hope you get along well with the girls, even after the … bad start you three had. How is your head going?"
Sayuri was never going to get used to being talked to from someone so high up in society, it was intimidating to say the least and it took her a long second to find her words for a proper reply.
"Ah… …"
After another second it turned out that a nod of the head would have to suffice. This action earnt yet more delicate laughter from the two Yamanaka mothers. Sayuri continued to stay silent as she followed Airi and Mayumi to their destination, feeling both scared and excited.
"Are you okay Ino?"
A hesitant nod from one twin and an exasperated sigh from the other was all that occurred before they settled back into a both familiar and unusual silence as they continued to make their way back home. Ino still wouldn't let go of Kasumi's hand but every now and then Kasumi would gently squeeze her twin's hand just to let Ino know that everything was okay, even if they both knew that Kasumi would be getting into a lot of trouble when their mum got home.
The breeze was gentle but it was enough to make their longish hair fly around their faces and get in the way.
"Why don't we cut our hair?"
"What!"
At least it got a verbal response this time.
"Yeah,"
Ino went to argue some more but Kasumi had always been more convincing.
"Wait! I know long hair is a tradition and all but we aren't ninja yet,"
Ino had gone back to her unusually silent ways but this time it was for contemplation.
"We can have short hair for now and then grow it out once we get to the academy,"
By now both girls had stopped in the middle of their journey back home.
"… Yeah … if mum and dad say it is okay, then … it would be good,"
Ino still seemed unsure but slowly warming to the idea, especially after the incident in the clearing they just had. With that confirmed they squeezed each other's hand and continued walking the remaining short distance back home but this time there was faint laughter drifting on the breeze.
When the trio of Yamanakas met up with the duo of Yamanakas in the clan head's home it was an extended awkward silence until Airi took mercy on her daughters and explained the current circumstances.
"Ino, Kasumi this is Mayumi and her daughter Sayuri. I invited them here after the incident,"
All three Yamanaka children looked at the ground at the reminder of what had transpired only a few moments earlier.
"Girls,"
Three sets of blue eyes, instead of the usual two, looked up at Airi.
"Go play and this time no fighting,"
The reactions from the young Yamanakas appeared to be in slow motion but after the demand had set in three pairs of legs slowly made their way down the hall to the twins' bedroom. Once the door closed the mothers laughed before sitting at the table to enjoy tea and share stories, while the children stood unsurely in the room they had been ordered to.
The room was what would be expected of a room containing twins, two sets of everything but in slightly different colours so they could be distinguished to some degree. The beds stood next to each other under the window and there were chests full of toys at the foot of each bed. Two bookshelves shared the far wall while two dressing tables occupied the space next to the door and most of the other remaining area was filled with toys of some description or another.
For once Ino was silent and unsociable while the new girl, Sayuri, wanted to cry and run back to her mum.
"How is your head?"
Just like the last time this question was asked Sayuri did nothing more than nod her head which got a non approving grunt form the brown haired Yamanaka. This frightened both blonde haired Yamanakas in the room, one feared being hit again and the other was scared of the unusual behaviour of her other self.
Without an explanation or reassurance to the identical looks on the other children's faces, Kasumi walked out of the room. Ino and Sayuri had no idea what to do with the mysterious absence of Kasumi and without saying a word between them they both moved in sync out of the bedroom and back to their respective mothers in the dining room.
"What happened this time?" "Where is Kasumi?"
Both mothers started to interrogate the children that seemed to be hiding behind their chairs. The two blonde girls stared at each other uncertainly before slowly and very lightly starting to giggle.
"Ino!"
The missing child suddenly reappeared from the hallway carrying a small box. This earnt smiles from the parents present and confusion from Ino and Sayuri. Ino had apparently overcome her recent onset of nervousness to go back to her bright and energetic self in the brief time that Kasumi had been out of the room as she left Airi's side and bounded over to Kasumi once she reappeared to stare curiously at the box Kasumi must have left the bedroom to fetch.
"What are you doing with that?"
"Sayuri's head is still bleeding,"
With that explanation, Kasumi took the medic kit over to her mother before heading back out of the room, down the hallway and to the bedroom she shared with Ino. Nobody was more shocked than Sayuri.
By the end of the day the three girls had become friends. Mayumi used the kit to fix Sayuri's head before both Ino and Sayuri went back to the bedroom where Kasumi had gone. Neither Airi nor Mayumi saw or heard from the three girls for a couple of hours after that.
Kasumi's gesture to break the ice and the return of Ino's confidence did a lot to help the rest of their interaction with Sayuri. The girls played a few hand games that Inoichi had taught them, to help with their coordination and reflexes, and some of the toys lying around the room. After a bit more familiarity was gained from Sayuri, Kasumi decided to ask a crucial question concerning their future friendship.
"Why did you pull Ino's hair?"
This caused both Ino and Sayuri to stop what they were going, which at the moment was playing with Kasumi's brown hair as Ino was still a bit cautious and they had already done Sayuri's hair. Kasumi couldn't see either of the other girls but when Ino started laughing her curiosity meant that she had to turn around and see the great bright red blush on Sayuri's face.
"I wmn mmdnmn-"
"Speak up Sayuri!" Even Ino was helping out with the interrogation as this outburst along with two unflinching stares from the twins earnt a more clear response from the poor girl.
"I was jealous,"
The hard stares form the two identical faces suddenly turned soft and slightly confused.
"I know I am amazing but what were you jealous about?"
Sayuri was by now an extremely nervous wreck with her eyes staring intensely at the floor and her hands preoccupied with playing with each other.
"Your flowers were pretty,"
Sayuri was forced to continue after the confused expressions on Ino and Kasumi's faces intensified.
"You always know what flowers look pretty together,"
With this confession and a quick group hug the three girls became friends and made a promise to help each other, especially with flowers.
