This morning, in my room lit by the sun, a small, very hairy and striped red tail rose and fell quietly on my bed as I dressed, its owner silently and curiously watching me as usual. Only one more day. Only one day before the mission I have been looking the most forward to since its announcement a month ago. Of course I had others in the meantime, but none were as important and excited me as much as this one. It was not my first, for that it would be necessary to go back 2 years before ... And in reality, it's better not ... As I buttoned my long, loose beige tunic with short sleeves open at the bottom, I had a shiver running through my body... It takes a start to everything, but we don't have to remember it ... Today no mission obviously, and no unusual training, friendly combat or scheduled appointments ... Except one.
After a good bath like the one I had just taken, this simple day is calling for a similar accoutrement: my black pants and my light cuirass matching the bottom, a black high collar stopping at the forearms underneath as well as my beige sandals, which I took in my hand because I don't want to die prematurely ... And I was finally ready to get out of my room. But, last check. That explains the little red panda watching me curiously while I'm getting dressed … Her name is Bashira, she's a teenager but she's really calm, and she's mine.
"… What do you think", I asked her after looking at my back on the mirror from both sides.
The little red fur ball gave a good look at my outfit from my naked feet to my hair, climbed down of my bed to go on my desk and pick up my weapon wallet belt full of kunais, shurikens and blank explosive scrolls, only to rise it up like a big trophy on her two little feet, making me laugh in the process.
"Thank you but that's not what I asked", I clarified with a smile after booping delicately her snout and take my belongings while she was climbing on my arm to let herself hang on my shoulder.
Once outside, I found myself in the area of the first patio of the family estate ... Itself placed in the family estate. I know, it's complicated, but what do you want, the results of polygamy allowed in the clan are not new, who am I to revoke a right accepted and practiced throughout the village? Inevitably, with a clan as large as mine, the clan chief's family has a domain within the domain ... And it was my favorite corner of the entire estate. Because first I was born and raised here.
And of course, my favorite part : we are the most isolated houses of the village, all meeting here in this beautiful waxed wood patio with its garden and small pond in the middle. It's always frequented for its location, as much by humans, but also the otters with whom my family has an invocation contract since ... I can't even say how long ago it was. The first great western war ... I think? And it wasn't the only animal we made contract with too, for example my mum has contracts with giant red pandas and put the whole clan on the contract … For the contract history, I'll ask my father, he's the head chief after all, that's his job… Well, technically second job but still.
Red pandas, otters … They're EVERYWHERE in the domain, with their village headbands put in a more original way from one animal to another. Some were enjoying the sun overlooking the region and the clear water of the pond without disturbing the colorful carp meandering between them, all while their cute little ones ran and had fun around the pond ... It reminded me that we were really lucky that our clan leader had put "Do not eat any fish, fruit or plant of the domain without permission from an Akarui with a valid contract." otherwise this patio would have become a fish cemetery ...
"Bashira, get down for a bit …" I called her even though she started to be alert without stopping in my walk.
Obedient as if she was my daughter, she immediately went down to walk with me even though she knew what was coming.
As I walked pass the pond, hands in pockets, lost in thought, I found myself having to dodge the blows of my young cousins who ganged up against me for taijutsu attacks that I had no trouble countering, while Bashira was watching from afar unimpressed.
"Hello to you too ..." I said, crossing between them without stopping to parry their clumsy assaults after a sigh.
"Hello, big brother Yocchi!!" The three replied, stopping out of breath like old people after climbing stairs.
"Wow, already out of breath..."
"We gave everything this time !!" complained the girl. "Ouch!!"
"Risa, your movements are slow, plus your body language is too revealing, I know what you want to do before you even think about doing it." I said after a flick on her forehead before moving on to the next for the same treatment.
"Ouch!!!"
"Roku, you want to try things when you've been told to at least wait for your passage to the genin level, one day you're going to hurt yourself..."
I was about to move on to the next one when he covered his forehead.
"I didn't want to come to that, Sena, but you leave me no choice..."
"I beg you Big Bro, don't !" he said before he could no longer refrain from laughing before grabbing my hand to stop me, "Stop the tickling !!"
"And you, you hit too much in closed spaces ..."
" I hit too much in what ... ? Ouch!!!"
"While a ninja ... Distracts the enemy to wait for an opening..." I said after I gave him a flick when he lowered his guard, with the soothing smile on my face that they know so well.
The three rubbed their foreheads to remove the heat I had left and began to sulk as usual.
"Is that what you meant by 'giving everything' ?" I asked frankly while Bashira was coming back on my shoulder "It's not going to be enough for you to become genin I think ... And you're entering school today?"
That's when their faces lit up all at once and they were excited without me really understanding why.
"You did remember !!" They screamed happily as I was about to change rooms.
"Correction : you're the ones who thought I forgot ... But right now I think you are not going to become my students because of two issues..."
"WHY ???" They shouted in despair.
"Quiet, it's morning ..." I whispered to calm them down and keep their attention. "The first issue is that you dared to think that I was going to forget that."
"... Yocchi ..." The three said with their big smiles and pink eyes degrading into glassy blues.
"The second is that I do not train students who are late ..."
"... SCHOOL !!!" Realized before passing even before than me in the first house of the three in the mini domain, my mom's house.
But as I walked down the outdoor hallway, I felt an oppressive, almost palpable presence that I knew well … Way too well … And Bashira's growl proved me that I wasn't wrong. Because she doesn't growl that much … Except when her rival is here.
"Ok, save me time and show yourself." I complained openly, knowing he was listening.
"... Always ruining the fun of the moment, you, I can't believe this ..." Said a young man with a white and peach-colored afro with the same pink and blue eyes as the cousins and me.
The latter, head upside down on one of the beams, his eyes now hidden under his forehead blindfold that I felt looking at me with his smirk, let go of the beam to fall back on his feet like the gutter cat he pretends to be in order to bait his preys. He then put his hands in his pockets, amused while his favorite Otter Pāru was climbing on him to lay on his shoulders like a scarf and starting a mean look contest with Bashira. Pāru's owner, this gringalet in appearance, is one of my older brothers. And he was in a good mood... To my slight dismay. Elder brothers do not deserve peace. My elder brothers, in particular, do not deserve it. Except Yuzen.
"That's a beautiful lesson you gave there, Yocchi..."
"It's a fact, that's how we use most jutsus anyway..."
"It stands, your point stands... With that said, you don't even have students ..."
"At least I don't embarrass anybody by preferring to seduce women during important missions than do my work as a jonin daily..." I said while catching Bashira mid-air after her jump tried to jump on the ground to settle things with Pāru. "Not today, Bashira."
"Eeeeeeeh? What do you mean by that ?" He said, acting like he doesn't know what he did, even though that nasty smile of his grew even bigger because as everyone knows, he's really proud of what he did.
"It means that I don't court the daughter of an enemy daimyo in her and my student's presence, especially when her husband is there too."
"If you had seen her you would–"
"Yōjirō, this is way too inappropriate even for you." I said after I turned around, raising my finger to capture his attention after entering the kitchen-dining room. "Even less so during a mission. It's inappropriate. End of story."
My brother let out a long whistle while looking at me surprised.
"It's like Father gave Hiro and I all the fun he had, and didn't had enough for the last two … And you haven't even seen the Kurobuchō yet–"
"Shut your mouth."
"Ladies" said my elder brother who had started breakfast with his two wives, "I present to you the restless mornings with my brothers ..."
"Oh no, not you" I said, seeing his wives coming up to me like an undead duo while Bashira already jumped out.
"YOCCHIIIIIII !!"
By the time I understood what happened, I was seized by my sisters-in-law who had fun cuddling and caressing my cheeks. All that because apparently I look more and more like my mum each day. They even scared Pāru who ran back at the pond.
"He's still so cute... Puberty affects some less than others clearly–"
"What matters is the end result, since you married it !!!" Said my older brother all fired up by his wife's remark.
Yeah, I wasn't born and even I know puberty hit him HARD. That's probably why … He became the way he is.
"Mom..." I called for help very embarrassed as always.
As soon as my mother tapped her wooden spoon on the pot she was preparing, everyone fell silent and returned to their seats, even Yōjirō and I when we didn't have one yet.
"Hagane No Mami's authority is unbeatable !" Said my 2nd mother before placing a kiss on my cheek that made me smile and give me back Bashira who found a safe haven. "You look very good today, Yocchi ..."
"Really, Mother Hoshiyo?"
"Mother Hoshiyo, how can you find happiness in this closed face?" Said Yōjirō while gently pinching my cheek after serving himself and giving salmon to Pāru for breakfast.
"Of course, if you stopped bothering him all the time you would know what it is, darling..."
"Very funny... He does that sulk since he opened his eyes for the first time ..."
"And it's been a while since I've seen yours, you don't see me complaining. Are they even still there ?"
"Wait for us to train together again and you'll see if they're there or not ..."
"Yōjirō …" called out my mother.
"Mother Mami, he provoked me! By the way, where is my mother?"
"And Yuzen?" I asked.
"Yuzen has already gone to the forge, he has to finish Arata's sword for this afternoon, he wants to train with it." replied my older brother who ate with appetite while his wives made him eat as usual. "Mother Sango on the other hand..."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you: she left last night to go to Smiling Lake after dinner ..." Hoshiyo said, remembering only now.
"EEEEEEEEEH???" My brothers reacted, feeling betrayed. Even our animals felt betrayed.
"She didn't even tell us …" I remarked offended.
But all was gone when I felt my mother's warm arms around me, resting her head on mine and dropping her dark blue and purple hair onto my long white hair with blue and purple tips, meeting her peaceful gaze and seeing her radiant smile, her ebony skin not taking a wrinkle seemed to have frozen his face like on the portraits when she was 25.
"It's okay... You can wait two hours for her to come back from her trip anyway ..."
"Ah, that's fine !" Hiro and Yōjirō said relieved.
For me it's normal that I am a little offended. I'm 13. But these two men are respectively 23 and 21 years old ...
"Looking at your outfit, aren't you training today, Yocchi?" Hiro said surprised. "It's very rare, I have to take this opportunity …"
"Hiro, please don't …" I said embarrassed while giving fruits to my red panda.
"Ooooooooh come on, don't be like that, Yocchi, I can't spend much time training with you like I use to with the construction of our house, it's been a while, what do you say ? Want to go have fun with your Biggest Bro–"
"HE WILL DO WITHOUT IT, THANK YOU." said the women present in unison.
"I don't train just this morning" I continued after a sigh, "in the afternoon it's going to be light too, I think, I don't want to do too much for the mission..."
"Ah, I expected no less from my little genius!"
"The little genius has an appointment with the Kage, before–"
"Shut up, you ..."
"Boys …" said the two mothers.
"... Sorry", we responded in unison.
"Are you worried?" My mother asked.
"... A little though", I confessed.
"Maaaaaan", started Yōjirō serenely while Pāru was clearly saying no with her head and her cute noises, "don't even worry about it, you'll see, you already used to it without knowing …"
"I would like to avoid that, thank you very much." I said while giving her a bit of red tuna.
"I wish he would avoid that too, thank you anyway, Jiro." Said my mother.
The rest of the meal was as usual, lively and pleasant. Since my mom doesn't like screaming in the morning, it was just enough for me to wake up. I wasn't talkative as usual, but that was because I preferred to watch them all interact with each other and smile at each other too when our eyes meet. My elder brothers and I may have different mothers than Yuzen and I, and I may sometimes seem distant, but they have always accompanied and supported me, from my first steps as a baby to the examination of the chuunins a year ago, and tomorrow the mission.
I had an hour before my appointment... I decided to go read a book with Bashira and the calmer otters and red panda babies, saying hello to the various members of my clan passing by and taking news as usual. I love reading with the otters here, they're so clingy and kinda needy for love which they get from everyone in the domain. The cute noises they make is really soothing for me. The good thing about our clan is that there were plenty of jobs even if our specialty is ninja fighting. There are blacksmiths, there are builders, doctors, and even fishermen... So it was always good to catch up... Even if you have to suffer cheek pinching, kisses and hugs, it's part of the game ... I saw my cousin Shina waving to me as she crossed the courtyard, blowing a wind that took everyone by surprise. But especially annoyed the elders who recalled everyone that jutsus in the property are forbidden ...
When the time came I put my book in my bag and made my way to the living room to see the two mothers chatting over tea.
"I'm gone, stay with the moms", I told her after letting my baby on my mom's thighs and she didn't wait to curl up and sleep again.
"Be careful, Yoite!"
"Be careful, Yocchi !" said Mother Hoshiyo before resting her head on her fist, dreamily watching me leave. "He's really your masterpiece ! He's getting prettier everyday !! No wonder, the daimyo of the land of crystals' daughter is already interested in him …"
"If only she was the only one …" Said my mother after a big sigh, "I've said I'll help Arashi but now with the daimyo proposals ? I understand now why my sons wore masks for this long. Makes me remember how much I hate doing our husband's jobs … But you're not here to find Yoite some wives, are you ?"
"I mean, technically if you want me to, I've got powerful partners who got beautiful daughters but you're right … That's also why I waited for him to leave. My men were treated to a big surprise yesterday ..."
"I'm listening," said my mother after drinking her tea while Bashira rose her ears and looked at her.
"You should put down your cup, my dear, I paid for it and it was really expansive ..."
"... If it's expansive even for you …" My mom said surprised while putting down the cup.
"I'll explain to you ... Why Arata, Yōjirō and Yasuhiro will conduct a secret escort mission tomorrow."
The discussion between the two mothers was as long as usual, while I walked through the village which was actually an ecological city where nature and architecture are mixed. The buildings are real hanging gardens overhung by huge domes, covered with solar panels roofs to power the city where the greenery had not invaded everything, with waterfalls adorning the place, and the mountains serving as natural walls around us. And it is a godsend for us because the expanses are much less lenient or deserted to the east and west of the village. One would think that the hidden village of Black Gold that is ours should be easy to find... For this it is necessary to find the green expanses hidden under a seal of very high level established by 4 clans of the village since its creation ...
Some towers looked more like bubbles crushed on top of each other, but transportation like our monorail trains passing over it all, even above our volcano-inspired Oil Temples where we refine it outside the village. You don't need to live here to realize that the scenery made life easier for non-ninja people, it just shows.
Running and jumping from roof to roof but also from tree to tree with my usual agility, the latter were so dense that we had small undergrowth in the village itself. Being in a bit of a hurry, I answered with a V of the fingers to everyone without exception, from children to adults, from workers to big bosses, from young single workers to clan leaders...
Our population over the years has become a real social mix guided by understanding and especially mutual aid, and there was no better place than our public places to see it. Everyone exchanges with everyone, so not saying hello was enough to keep the rumor that you are angry circulating ... And eventually it gets to the ears of people it shouldn't go to ... For me, this is much more disturbing, much less quiet and easy in the long run than saying a simple hello and be done with it ... It's my daily life, you have to know how to look good very early, literally and figuratively.
The palace of the Kage was a property with circular white buildings with its plants and flowers in its center, forming the public garden and gangrening the entire area in the image of the village, surrounded by several small circular houses with roofs in solar panels and its central building of about ten meters decorated with other small structures, Some being terraces and others being offices, all with their hanging gardens which was our branding. Arriving in the estate, I decided to come down from my perches that were the heights and fell on my two feet in front of the two guards of the entrance who were surprised but very happy to see me.
"Oh, Yoite!!" They both exclaimed happily.
"It's nice to see you again!"
"I didn't even feel your presence…"
"Hello to you guys..." I said, nodding politely, "it's you who aren't on guard as much as you used to..."
"That's right," said the other, "we're training for a potential future exam of the jonins…"
"An exam? Soon?" I asked intrigued.
"For now it's only corridor noises, obviously, but better to be prepared, just in case!"
"Hm, that's a good way to think..."
"Say, Yoite..." He continued in a honeyed tone.
I slowly turned to him with a disdain that I did not hide, because I know oh too well this awkward and timid way of saying my name. You know the voice we borrow to ask our parents for money, or ask a tricky question at the worst time... Like this one...
"You wouldn't have any information on the subject, by any chance?"
"... And why I would know about that." I said after a long pause to increase his discomfort already high when he asked.
"I knew it was a bad idea to ask you," said his colleague after the other apologized. "But what are you doing here, you have your mission, tomorrow ..."
"Precisely," before going there I have an appointment with the Kurobuchō.
"For a briefing?"
"For my previous mission."
The two chūnins were suddenly and brutally chilled by what I had just said. Because the ninjas who work with the Kurobuchō know about it. My Sensei knows, my mother doesn't. My father knows, my friends don't... For those who do not know it was a simple slip in front of an enemy.
"I see... So he's waiting for you..."
"Hm, where is he?" I confirmed, greeting some genins I knew in the distance.
"On the terrace of his office ..."
"... Is that the real one?" I asked curiously.
"That's the real one," the two replied.
Hands in my pockets, I crossed the large public garden with in its center its large pond filled with colorful carps. The ninja children had fun petting them quietly while their parents talked to their colleagues, always taking a moment to greet me when I passed by them. I then walked through the large reception room always greeting the ninja receptionists but also the ninja teams I met, the latter coming to recover missions and settle administrative matters.
I'm a regular here, in case it wasn't clear. I climbed into the elevator that took me to the top floor and once again found two guard ninjas in front of the double door of the Kurobuchō. After a quick news, the two reassured me by telling me that many ninjas pass by there, and that as long as it did not happen again, everything should be fine... I asked them if it was the real one waiting for me, which they confirmed and thanked them and then they opened me so that I enter the office and join the leader of our village through the bay window behind his desk. Just before opening it, I had to admit that after the guards closed the door, alone in the room, I finally felt the pressure mount. But I had to calm down, that was the most important thing. I then decided to breathe silently before going ...
"You can join me," he said without looking back, litterally cutting my breath.
I then shook my head... What's the point, better to get it over with... I joined him and immediately put my fist and knee on the ground with my head down, as custom requires... This handsome man with a dark and shiny complexion, pink eyes degrading to blue, patient and visionary look, fine and still young features, short white hair, all contrasted by his large size, muscular body and large round glasses ... Aged 55. I think it's important to note the abnormality of the fact that he is still 25 years old physically, just like his wives. Dressed in a long open beige linen tunic revealing his dark high collar, trousers of the same material with a black ninja breastplate, their three leather buckles opening to the side under a long light jacket of the same color, they matched his black Kage hat with a beige veil like his outlines, the place of the calligraphic symbol meaning "Oil" written on it. This man for me is the strongest and most charismatic Kurobuchō in history: Arashi Akarui.