NOTE:

After a few more chapters, if I felt the need, I shall provide you guys with the timeline of the story, as the original timeline is messed up, but I fear that the plot might be disclosed due to this. And sorry for the delay this time I don't know what took so long. :')

Chapter 6

Of a Brother and Sister

The sun was setting, orange coloured rays filling the sky, warm wind was blowing, the forest was filled with rustle of tree leaves, the animals and birds were returning back to their homes and Sayura, returning back to the cave. Her mind was going places, her feet were tired. She was happy yet worried.

After the talk with Sayura and Madara (separately), Daichi had agreed to give one chance to the leader to prove himself worthy of the position. Therefore, it was decided that the head (Daichi), along with some other members of the unit, will be going to the clan village and take their decision after analysing everything.

Sayura had no doubt about Madara's leadership for as far as she knew the people back in the clan were quite satisfied; the thing that concerned her was Daichi himself. Daichi was an old, traditionally orthodox type of person. Anything and everything that wasn't the way it had been since ages, he would change it immediately. Although Madara had fell short of 4 years of the 'traditional age' of clan leader, at the time he had been made it, now only 2 years. The old hag Daichi still felt he wasn't good enough. It seemed absurd to most of the younger people in the intelligence unit, but made complete sense to the elder ones and that was the main source of the conflicts.

The unit kept working with very mild unrest for 2 years, but now the barrier of patience and tolerance broke, flooding the whole clan with non-cooperation, fights and conflicts, deteriorating the functionality of the unit and eventually the clan, prompting Sayura to bring it to the attention of Madara.

Although now there was a little ray of hope since Daichi has agreed to give him a chance for doing so wasn't in his nature. At first Sayura was surprised when he told her that he was ready to do what she and others like her had been requesting him to.

In the recent times Sayura along with all those who had the same opinion had formed their own group and they had stopped disassociated themselves with the unit in the past few months. Their reason for doing so was not only the fact that they didn't support Madara as the leader but because even they weren't considered much responsible despite their abilities. But now perhaps things were about to change.

The main purpose of Daichi calling Sayura was to let others of her group be informed of the same through her, as only the members of the group knew where they had situated themselves.

Sayura reached the mouth of the cave. The men stood up on seeing her.

"Hopefully you found somethin' to eat, cause now we have to make it back home." she said, the last word was filled with love in her tone, "Now start preparing we have to leave as soon as possible."

"Yes!" they said in unison.

Sayura went inside with the two men following her.

"Where is big brother? Is he alright?" Izuna asked the second he saw her.

"Oh my! Don't worry. He is headed back home and yes, he's alright. Calm down. We also have to leave, by the way. How's your foot?"

"I think it's alright. I think we should go now."

"Well it's highly unlikely that it'll heal this soon. And until it does you can't walk."

"It's my foot! When I say it's okay, it means it is okay!" Izuna yelled in frustration.

Now, one of the downside of Sayura is that she gets angry easily and when she does het sharingan is activated, her voice grows dark and a little ghostly, and she doesn't uses any contractions, leaving her laid back style of speaking. And that is exactly what happened.

"Izuna," she said, "I know about this, and when I say it cannot heal so soon it means it cannot. I do not think it is anything beyond your understanding, is it?" she moved closer to him, "If I want, I can leave you here and you would not be able to move a single inch, do you get that?" she moved back. Her voice and eyes went to normal. "We have to leave any way. So you're comin' too."

The next morning, Kosuke and Madara were standing near the entrance of the clan. Madara was walking back and forth anxiously, while Kosuke stood still at one spot.

Madara hadn't been able to sleep previous night due to constant worry about his little brother. After all the last time he had seen Izuna he was badly injured that too due to Madara, at least that's what he thought. As soon as the rays of sun touched earth Madara was up. In fact it had been quite a long time since he had been waiting for him to arrive.

"Lord Madara, I am sure he must be alright." Kosuke consoled. "They" he gestured towards two clansmen, "are here to inform us as soon they arrive."

Madara didn't pay any heed to it whatsoever.

Kosuke was actually taking a stroll when he noticed Madara acting like a pendulum-back and forth, back and forth. So he came to inquire about this strange behaviour.

The unit head and others with them had went to their family's houses, but few of those who didn't had been, somehow, accommodated in certain separate houses with only a few rooms in total.

"Lord Madara, they are here!" one of the men informed as he saw them.

They had finally arrived. Izuna was sitting on a tiger back, the two men were in front, and Sayura was at the last. The moment Madara saw his little brother he went towards him. His eyes contained more pain then Izuna himself had felt. It was the same pain Sayura had noticed earlier when they were in the forest. While Madara and Izuna were engrossed in talking with each other, Kosuke was appreciate his men for completing their work and Sayura, well she had only one thought in her mind- "I want to sleep." They had finished quite a long journey, so obviously they were tired.

"You know what to do." Sayura came near her tiger summoning and whispered to it, patting it on the head and crossed the clan entrance, leaving all the men.

She wanted to capture every change that had happened over the years but her eyes just weren't listening to her. And that moment she realised she didn't knew her way to home.

"You're as hasty and ill-mannered as ever!" Kosuke's voice came from behind.

Sayura stopped immediately. Her head lolled forward and a sigh came out, she turned around slowly to face him. All the excitement she had for returning back was gone now. Her head bowed and her eyes fixed on the ground.

"You're busy talkin' big brother, so I-" she was saying just when she was interrupted.

"Do you even realise how bad it looked when you left from there?" he scolded, "Hump! Follow me now."

"Yes."

Kosuke was one of those strict elder siblings, unlike Madara for instance. He was very particular and precise about everything related to Sayura. He needed to have every detail about what she is doing, where she is, et cetera. Constantly pointing out her mistakes and often giving her harsh training. He basically treated her the way his father treated him. It wasn't like he despised her or anything, he was simply concerned about her; he didn't have any idea about upbringing a child, so brought her up just the way he had been brought up. Moreover he wasn't that hard with everyone, in fact he came off as a pleasing person; he was just this way with her baby sister.

"Sayura! Welcome back!" Emiko bowed and said.

Sayura returning her bow thanked her. They stepped the genkan into the house. Sayura was allotted a room of her own, she started placing her things that she had in the wall cupboards, although she preferred to take rest first but was told to organise first. Kosuke had returned to do some work he had while Emiko stood with Sayura in the room trying to stir a conversation.

"So; you must be tired from such a long journey, right?" Emiko asked.

"Yeah. We'd travelled the whole night, no rest, yeah." she replied.

There was awkwardness between them. They both had no idea about what to say. Sayura pretended that she was still busy organising her things when actually she was done, but waited to declare so until she found a topic to talk about. Although Emiko had offered her assistance in placing the things but had Sayura refused the offer.

"I completely forgot!" Sayura exclaimed, "How's Kagami?" she asked referring to Emiko and Kosuke's child.

"Ah! He is well, asleep right now."

"Oh I want to meet him." she said and yawned.

"Well I think I should leave, you seem tired. You can meet him afterwards." she smiled. "I will make your bed, don't worry."

Sayura smiled. Emiko laid out tatami mat and kept a futon mattress just in case she needed it and Sayura fell asleep as soon as her body made contact with it. She drifted away to sleep. They said when one is tired they get the best sleep, apparently it seemed true.

In evening Sayura got up, played with the baby, took supper and had a little chat with Emiko. That night she didn't sleep, as a matter of fact, it took her couple of days to adjust her sleeping schedule. Her days were quite . . . boring. She didn't have much to do there. Initially, she liked it but eventually, it started to eat her out. She tried helping Emiko with daily chores but it wasn't that helpful, because by the time she would do one thing Emiko would have already completed two tasks. So she hardly used to get few chores to do.

Kosuke had taken notice of this and one day at the dinner table he spoke to Sayura.

"Sayura," Kosuke said in a heavy voice, "Kintsugi, Tsumami Kanzashi, pottery choose any one, from tomorrow you will be attended there classes."

"Classes, but why?" she asked in the most humble way she could.

"Because I said so. And aren't you getting bored with all this spare time in your hands? Plus, such classes are helpful for the clan too."

"Yes, big brother."

"Well then. Emiko, kindly go with her starting from tomorrow." She shook her head in affirmative. "And yes, you will have to wear a kimono there."

"What? I'm not wearin' that!" she exclaimed, Kosuke gazed her into the eyes. "I mean I don't know how to wear it."

"Well Emiko will help you. And get rid of that dialect as well, it sounds horrible."

"Yes, big brother." she said in a low voice.

Next morning, Sayura woke up a little early. She got ready and was helped by Emiko in wearing the kimono. Soon they left for the class. Emiko was wearing a red kimono with golden pattern embroidered, while Sayura wore a yellow one with pink in gradation, embroidered with red. Both their hairs were nicely tied.

On their way Emiko asked, "You know that he is worried about you, right?"

"Yes, I know. He always was. He'd-he would never say it though." Sayura said and chuckled.

Emiko smiled and said, "He always makes himself appear all tough and strict, especially to you, but deep down he really cares. I forgot to mention but he said you look pretty today."

Well it wasn't Kosuke who said it himself, rather it were his eyes that did. When the ladies were about to leave, Kosuke's sight was fixated on his sister. There was great satisfaction on his face that Emiko was able to see and deduce that he was immensely happy.

That was just how Kosuke was with her little sister, pointing out her every mistake but hardly appreciating her. But she knew that her brother would wish for her best. After all it was because of him that she was what she had become. He had observed Sayura and her boredom, and therefore thought that if she would take on any such hobby it will be good for her.

In a matter of few minutes they reached the class. It wasn't a big building yet spacious. They entered inside, there were six to seven rectangular low lying tables, on each table there were four people. Emiko and Sayura were introduced to everyone else and seated on different tables. There were pieces of various colored cloths and threads, pins, needles and beads on the tables. The instructor was a lady above forties. She first came to both their table and told them a couple of things, then they both started their work.

"Um, excuse me," said one of the young ladies sitting on the same table as Sayura. "Your name is Sayura?"

"Yes, it's-I mean it is Sayura."

"Hm, you know I once had a friend her name was quite similar to yours. I mean there's only one alphabet that's different." she said and smiled, "anyway, I am Tamiko, nice to meet you."

"You mean her name was Sayuri?" Sayura said, wide-eyed.

And that moment they realised and recognised each other. It was Tamiko, Sayura's childhood friend. She was looking pretty today. She wore a light blue kimono with white and red patterns. She had brown hairs which were tied a single band. In the break that was nearly at one in the afternoon, Sayura and Tamiko sat talking to each other. They were all sipping tea, and relaxing for a while.

"So, why did you change it?" Tamiko questioned in her sweet voice.

"You see, when I went from here there were only men in the intel unit and you know that I looked-"

"Like a boy." they said in unison.

"So," Sayura continued, "apparently big brother Kosuke introduced me to everyone as Sayura. Since then it has been this way."

"Didn't anyone question him?"

"Who knows?"

"So how-how did everyone come to know you are not a boy? Or do they still think-"

"No no." Sayura interjected, "they did come to know, of course. But I don't really remember how that happened." she chuckled.

"Come on, ladies! Break is over! Get back to work." said the instructor.

Everyone started going back to their tables and continue their work. Those who had been doing this for a considerable amount of time, were fast and skilled; while those not so experienced were taking more time. Sayura being a beginner was taking, as Tamiko said, ages to complete a single piece.

Sayura had opted for Tsumami Kanzashi, because according to her pottery and Kintsugi were troublesome. Though now she was thinking otherwise. She had never thought folding a fabric and tacking and sewing it would be so difficult. Often the petals of her flowers were disproportionate or not correctly tied. Other times the fabric was not staying on the metal comb or clip. Many times Tamiko had to leave her work and correct hers. She was getting irritated now. By the end she had barely completed two pieces that too with help from Tamiko, while others had completed five to six pieces on average. They all called it a day for then. All ladies started to leave. Just when Sayura was going with Emiko, Tamiko stopped her.

"Why don't you come with me for supper tonight?" Tamiko said.

Sayura looked at Emiko and introduced Tamiko to her. They both bowed at each other.

"It is nice that you have found your old friend, now you won't feel lonely here." Emiko said and they all smiled, "as for the supper you may go with her if you wish to."

"Great then! Come with me!" Tamiko said and grabbed Sayura by her arm and pulled her. Emiko giggled while they both went away.

Tamiko had always been a bubbly, peppy and excited person. One could say that at times she was the life of the party, at other times she could irritated you up to the point of you either killing her or yourself. Although she had matured indeed. But after meeting Sayura she was absolutely bliss.

She took her to a small eating place nearby. Today the treat was on her. It was a nice, warm place, occupied with people. They found them self a table, people were chattering in distance, they ordered their food. They didn't talk much during the meal, but after they left, while walking in the lanes they did. The sky was filled with stars, there was cool breeze blowing, it was nice altogether.

"So did you forgive me?" Sayura asked.

"Forgive you for what?"

"You know for what happened-years ago."

As soon as Sayura said this Tamiko understood what she was talking about.

"It isn't your fault, it never was!" she cried.

"Then why did you stop coming to play?"

"My parents didn't allow me for sometime after the incident, in fact no parent did. After few months, no one came, not even you. I used to come to our meeting place-but no one else did. So I stopped coming. I waited. No one else did."

Sayura didn't have words to comprehend. She didn't know what to say. Her head bowed down, eyes on the ground and frown on face, she walked along with Tamiko. They parted at a cross-road, bidding each other goodbye and going their separate ways to home.