She's only an outsider.
She knows nothing about anyone. The most she's ever said to the Hokage was one word ("Understood"), she had only seen Sasuke when she caught him training, and, until now, she had never even heard of the girl Ameno Sakura.
Yet as she reads the article about the three, she's help but recall a scene from long ago…
"What's your name, little girl?"
Seven-year old TenTen frowns.
"TenTen."
She waits for the question: What's your family name? What TenTen?
It doesn't come.
"Ah, that's a nice name. It fits for a cute girl like you."
TenTen can't help but feel uplifted.
"R-really?"
The woman nods, as she kneels down next to the girl.
"TenTen, can I ask you a question?"
She puffs up her chest in pride, and smiles.
"Okay."
The women seems oddly relieved.
"If you hated your mother, what would she have to do for forgiveness?"
TenTen never knew her mother. All she remembers is that mean woman from the orphanage, and her new father.
But if she had a mother…
"She would…" The answer comes to her like deep water, slowly sinking in. "She should promise to stay with me forever…"
The next part comes out harder to say for some reason.
"…Because…that's what mothers do!" TenTen cries with vehemence.
The women's eyes narrow in sadness, a rueful smile on her face.
"And what if she can't do that?"
She doesn't know why she's crying; yet she is.
Her voice becomes louder in anger, and her cheeks feel like fire.
"Then she isn't a good mother!"
She's about to go on when suddenly, the woman wraps her arms around the girl and pulls her in to her chest.
And for once in her life, TenTen cries it all out.
She hated how she was so boy-like.
She hated how she didn't know how to act like a girl.
She hated how she never had a mother.
She never knew until now but…she hated her mother.
She hated how her mother was never there.
"Sh…sh…"
And before she knows it, the woman starts to sing a soft lullaby.
Her voice is like water, flowing and constant, but unheard. And slowly, its melody wraps the crying child in its warmth, a blanket over the storm.
Maybe…just maybe…TenTen understands what it's like to have a mother.
Her cries start to die down until she is silent, taking shuddering breaths one after another.
"Miss…don't worry…" she says very quietly.
"Oh? And why is that?"
She looks up into the woman's dark eyes.
"Because I'm sure you're a very good mother."
The woman's eyes visibly lighten up, and her smile turns childlike as she starts to let out a chuckle.
"Is that so…"
TenTen nods solemnly.
"Miss, you never told me your name."
"Oh? That was quite impolite of me, wasn't it," she says with a teasing smile. TenTen nods again. "Mikoto. My name is Mikoto."
"So you don't have a last name like me?"
Mikoto looks thoughtful for a moment.
"Well…I guess you could say that…"
And the wind blew over them…
TenTen smiles in remembrance of that day. She had only seen that woman twice after that day, the photo shown today in the newspaper counting as the last.
And suddenly, she decides, she wants to share these memories.
It takes her hours to write everything, but when she's done, she can't help but feel like she's done a good thing.
She holds up the paper, and looks over everything.
Dear Sakura,
I know this may be weird as I've never met you, and you've never met me but…well, I feel like I have to tell you about the time I met your mother.
(She skims the next lines, too lazy to actually proofread.)
…Anyway, I've babbled on long enough.
Sincerely,
TenTen
P.S. See that paper written in pink ink? Sakura, please read this one first.
AN: This is just an extra little drabble I wanted to write to explore further into Mikoto's character (Cause she's just too cool!) so it's not really part of the story, and the previous chapter still is the end. (Watch, I'm somehow going to end up writing seven more "epilogues" with characters like Shizune and Hiashi...) Cha! Whatever! I think I'm just going to take a looong break from writing. It's so...exhausting. Bleh.