Scarlet Justice - ep. 100
"Together"

My first proper crossing into Frost Country brings me through the majesty of the forest. The cold bites into the small portions of exposed skin on my face as I run. It's night by now, and dark beneath the canopy of old trees. I can navigate easily enough with my abilities, and occasionally take to the air, skipping above the tops of the trees and enjoying the sensation of weightlessness. The skies are clear tonight, and I can see the shining stars beyond my smoky breaths.

Absolutely beautiful.

"How many people can see the same sky, at this moment?" I ask myself. "Nature is such a wonderful gift to us mortals. So very lovely..."

The cold sweeps in briefly to remind me that nature is indiscriminate in addition to its wonderful aesthetic. Freezing is a real possibility if I stop too long to admire the sights - there's a reason why even shinobi stick to the main roads at this time of year. That wouldn't be too pleasant, and a tragedy above all. Well, I am being a bit dramatic. Frostbite is easily dealt with these days.

I stop on a branch to confirm my course and mentally map out the fastest way through the country. Fubuki and Yamato's land, then...and Ittan's, of course. One day, I should explore a bit more. Oh, I will actually get that chance soon enough. I'll be looking after those children, won't I? An owl lands beside me, snow white with thick feathers. It stares at me briefly with what looks like understanding before returning its gaze to the distance.

"Hm." I dust snow from my sweater absentmindedly. "A lovely night, is it not?"

A small response comes from the owl as it turns its head, and I smile while nodding.

"Always nice to meet a fellow stargazer. Time must be made for sights such as these on the road of life. Otherwise, it's not much of a life lived at all."

Another hoot of familiarity.

"It's time for me to move forward again. Please take care, and I will do the same."

My companion spreads their wings and hoots once more in approval. I step off the branch and fall forward, bounding off the next foothold and back into the space above the trees. The cold air is stimulating as it fills my lungs, a half moon dominating the sky ahead.

This enrapturing beauty is something that I will dream of for many days to come. I feel...peaceful, in a way that I haven't for such a long time.

Mid-morning arrives and I finally feel the warm rays of the sun once more. A sturdy branch allows me to rest a short while before I continue on my journey, slicing quickly towards the eastern edge of the country without an extended pause. Hugging the southern edge, near the sea, and following that out. After that, it will be a matter of navigating the terrain ahead. With another day passing and little sleep, I find myself accelerating past the border and into new territory. The forest is broken up by a desert with tall, weathered rock formations, then by hills and peaks as I move. After several hours of running, I am among the mountains. Rivers and streams flow endlessly outwards, looking to unite with the coastline and the oceans beyond.

"Quite warm here..." I put away my scarf and unzip my sweater a bit to get some extra air. A few localized thunderstorms are sounding off in the distance, which only makes sense for a country named after lightning. Steam is rising up from a few places as well - the hidden village proper isn't known for its hot springs, but there are quite a few natural ones there and around the country itself. But it might be a strategic consideration, perhaps keeping the village less visible overall unlike the Leaf. There have been mutterings that the development of infrastructure to better facilitate tourism and trade has led to an increase in security breaches, such as the one I dealt with the other day. We will have to see what comes of that.

The terrain is rough, but I feel confident today. My feet take me quickly through and I check my heading once more to make sure that I'm on the right path. Northeast from here...simple enough, really. The wind rushing by me is refreshing in this humidity...the clouds above look like they're on the verge of bursting, as they have for the past few hours now. But here is an interesting sight...I come to a quick stop in order to marvel at it.

"I forgot to pack my camera as well. Another time, I suppose."

Whether this is fog or the result of very low cloud cover, I cannot tell. But my vision is obscured from this point on. What I can sense is that I'm near the edge of a valley, and that there has to be a substantial amount of water in it. Long, and quite wide. It must be deep as well. There is...something there. A very distinct presence that I can sense, hidden away within that fog. I will hold my curiosity at bay today, but I have to wonder what could be lurking in such a place...or rather, who. It may very well be a shinobi, or perhaps a missing tailed beast. If I'm not mistaken...the Three Tails is currently on the loose. Perhaps it could be resting here? In any case...I don't think I would be equipped to take on such a task, and it would be ill-advised to seek out danger. The long way around will do, just so that I don't cause any disturbances that would have Cloud shinobi harass me.

I casually continue along through the various mountain ranges, noting that the presence has not moved an inch. Night eventually falls and I am still some distance away from the village. Perhaps another day at this speed...my muscles are burning just a bit from the constant climbing, but I welcome the feeling today. As Hina once told me, pain is the sign of life.

"I should sleep. Properly, this time." I find myself a flat surface, set a few compact traps in the area, and unroll my sleeping bag. My outer clothing comes off and is set into a messy pile nearby before I bury myself in the sleeping bag and put my head down. Exhaustion barrels into me all at once and my eyes close.

I shouldn't be so foolish. Going back to a regular sleep cycle will be best once this is over with...

"Mmph..."

I wiggle out of my sleeping bag and rub at my eyes. My hair is a complete mess, I can feel it. Not that it matters...I really was exhausted from everything earlier. It's going to take a few moments to get myself moving.

"Not even a dream, then..."

One boon was that I didn't have that terrible nightmare again. Small mercies, it seems. Such is the will of heaven. Though I wish said will didn't make my head throb so much. The relative quiet of the mountains allows me to hear the echoes of hooves impacting rock. The mountain goats are out today, and I observe them climbing the nearly vertical faces while gaining my bearings.

"They will speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty, and I will meditate...on your wonderful works."

I blink and shake my head before finally rising. The last of the smoked fish, some bread and milk to wash it down. I get myself dressed and apply a comb to my hair with a casual set of strokes. Really, it's nothing to worry about too deeply until I reach the village itself. The sleeping bag is put away once more, I disarm and dismantle my traps, and start through the mountains once more. A soaring hawk follows through the sky, and as morning shifts to afternoon, the clouds become more and more dense. Not much in the way of roads, which leads me to believe that most people in the village never travel much outside of it, compared to places like the Leaf where travel is normalized, or the Sand where regular travel has become necessary for several reasons. I pass through a thick veil of clouds and find myself on top of a structure built into the side of a rock face. From here, I can finally see it.

"I'm here, then...good. It's been a long enough trip."

A village built on top of mountains, reaching into the sky. Impressively built, and complicated in its design to my eye. Walkways go to and fro, suspended above the valleys below. There are regular pathways, of course, but many parts of the village are elevated. All of the shinobi are fine with this, and so are the civilians as they move along. The Cloud has their personnel in long grey shirts and bottoms, with those iconic one-strap jackets and guards on their arms and legs in white. What jumps out at me the most is that everything around looks impeccable. With all of the military spending, one would assume that appearances would be lacking, but it seems like the village is not wanting for anything. A stark contrast to the Hidden Sand, with high class shops all over and a well-decorated village entrance. I head down to it and make a normal entrance to the village, passing through without any fanfare.

"Fio...she might be here. Hopefully she is. The trip won't be a complete waste, but..."

I feel like I'm rested enough today. There's time to look for her properly...I wonder what I should do first. Perhaps checking out the local restaurants would be a good start. She does need plenty of food. But then I would have to figure out where those establishments are...hm. I should try not to cause too much trouble. A silent, subtle approach works best for now. I search for a high perch and make my way up to it at a leisurely pace, climbing manually and playing the part of a tourist to perfection. Best to make them guess whether or not I'm just fit instead of a kunoichi infiltrating their abode. The peak that I'm climbing has a small ledge that I stand on, and I can get a read on a lot from here. If Fio truly is present, I will find her in short order.

My eyes close, and I remember the feeling of her chakra. That unique warmth, something that gives me sweet and happy memories. I reach out and that familiar wavelength bounces back to me.

"She's here."

I focus to make sure, and it is her, definitely. She's just a bit down the road, and I carefully descend the mountain's face towards the pathways below. I jog lightly and keep my gaze pointed ahead, feeling that she hasn't moved anywhere. I wonder just what she's like right now. I wonder what she looks like, what she feels like. I wonder about the changes she's made, if any at all. I wonder how much she's grown. I know it hasn't been terribly long, but these past few months have felt like it, like an eternity plus a day. I just want to see her right now. More than anything else.

There. She's looking at fruit, admiring them with that curious gaze I remembered. I found it adorable, just as I did her. Should I...? I feel so strange, now that I'm here. But I should follow through, shouldn't I?

"Fio?"

I worry that my voice hasn't carried far enough, but her head pops upwards, and then it turns towards the timid sound I made. She has her white hair tied into two bushy tails, and they seem to move gently along with her as she turns herself to face me. Her shirt is patterned in all the colours of the rainbow, and she has rugged pants that are rolled up to her ankles, with her feet bare.

"Lili...is that really you?"

Her smoky grey eyes start to brighten as she recognizes me, and then she smiles. It's a smile that is bright, and wide, and beautiful, and it's everything at once somehow. Just as I remembered it. She runs towards me with her arms open and wraps them around me, pressing her fingers lovingly into my back. I hug her back and it feels like I've always been next to her like this...the warmth that made me feel safe, and unworthy, and loved at the same time. I didn't realize how much I needed this, from her. It wasn't that I was alone, but I...I missed her. A lot.

"You came all this way to see me. That's...really, that's so sweet of you," I hear her say.

"I love you that much, you know...even if I don't say it out loud, because of how stubborn I get..."

"Like you needed to say it. I always knew, just from the way you looked at me. But this...oh, it's everything. I could have been anywhere, you know? Taking such a long journey, just for me...gosh, how could I even imagine it..."

"I really did miss your warmth," I say.

"I missed yours too. The last time we were like this, I felt like I could have floated away."

"You might be lost if you do that here. We're quite high up as it is."

"Hehe." We finally separate and look at each other. Fio smiles and nods towards the street ahead of us. "Wanna celebrate by buying me food?"

"Of course. Whatever you like, my love. There is no finer occasion."

"Awesome!" She takes the opportunity to wrap her fingers around mine, locking our hands together. I give her a reassuring squeeze and we start our walk together through the village. "Oh, I hope you don't mind too much...kind of updated the look while walking around. Hit or miss?"

"Definite hit. You're still wearing that little accessory, I notice?"

Fio presses her fingers against the choker I bought her all that time ago. "Pretty stylish, I think. Works with a lot of outfits. Plus you bought it for me, and...well, sentimental value. All that junk."

"I see. I'm flattered."

"I got the pants because I wanted to climb some, and not have to worry about ruining the nicer stuff I had on. As for the shirt, there was a nice girl who was making them out in the country, so I bought one off her. Has a great feel to it, and I loved the look. Just pops with all the colours, you know?"

"I can see that. You look lovely, Fio. All of it is very you. Even the bare feet."

"Hehe. I actually do a lot better climbing like this, and running around, everything really. There's some cool tech I worked on that we can talk about later. I've actually been pretty productive lately!"

"I would love to hear about it, then. Hm...let's try this place here. Does barbeque sound good today?" I ask.

"Sure does! Let's go!"

We head into the restaurant and are seated at a table promptly. As always, Fio is quite hungry and I make sure to order as much for her as she desires. The waitress takes away our menus and leaves two glasses of water before disappearing. I drink mine down in one go, since my throat suddenly feels very dry.

"So, what sparked this sudden desire to run halfway across the continent to come and see me?" Fio asks from across the table.

"I...simply had a longing to see you. That was really it, as I said before."

"Yeah? I think I know you a bit better than that, Lili. Come on, it's something else. What is it?"

"Well..." Being this easy to read isn't like me. "I...did have something for you. Something that you should have in person."

"Really? That's so cool! But..." She crosses her arms. "There's more than that, isn't there? You're worried about something. Something recent. Am I right? Probably needed to get away, right?"

"I..."

"Hey, don't worry about it too much. If you need something, I'm here for you. Just like you were there for me, Lili."

"..." I suddenly feel guilty, and afraid. Doing this again...talking about that event. Everyone else was accepting, but even if she loves me this much...I don't know. Could she forgive me doing that? Killing my own father, even if it was to protect someone else? I want to believe that she won't think badly of me. I could just leave it at the gift I have for her. Perhaps that would be enough, and we could leave everything else behind us.

"You alright?" Fio asks.

"I'm fine, Fio. Please, don't mind me too much. There have been some unsettling events...I will tell you everything after we finish eating here."

"Sure. If that's what you want, I promise that I'll listen to everything you have to say," she replies with a smile. "I worry sometimes when I see you get nervous like that. You're normally so...confident, and like a big old rock that weathers whatever comes its way. You know what I mean?"

"Yes. But really, you shouldn't worry that much. Everyone has these sorts of moments. Even the strongest in this world."

"Ah, yeah. That's true."

"Your hair looks lovely," I say. "You've been taking care of it properly."

"Doing my best, yeah. Helps that the regimen is pretty easy, too. Nail polish is still around, though! I've been trying to take care of myself like...normal girls, I guess?" She shrugs. "I'm super low maintenance."

"That's perfectly fine. If you're comparing yourself to me, please don't. I usually take a lot of time when it comes to appearances. Old habits, social signals...things of that nature."

"You're sure I don't have to worry about it?"

"If we're on an outing together, I can take care of that for you. But you look lovely as you are, Fio. You've done well."

"Thanks. Makes me feel good hearing that...ooh, our ribs are here. This is the good stuff, I can tell already!" Fio rubs her hands together as the plate is set down. I mostly watch her eat and take a few bites myself, not having much of an appetite at the moment.

"Not eating much today?"

"I'm not very hungry. Please, don't worry about me," I say to her.

"Maybe I should," she says as she wipes her mouth with a napkin. "I mean, your hair is a mess today. Usually you're so on point with yours, you know?"

"I know. As I promised, we can talk once we're finished eating."

"Okay, got it."

We finish and render our payment, and then Fio happily pulls me to a quieter place within the village. I set down my backpack as we stop.

"Nice, right? I was wandering around the other day and stumbled on this spot. I'm guessing it's somewhere people rest, or maybe it's something for couples."

I nod and look over the nearby railing at the village below us. We're up high enough that clouds are roaming to and fro, periodically obscuring my vision of the people walking back and forth. At night, it must be really nice to get a good view of the sky and the stars within. Fio sits on the bench nearby and gives me a reassuring smile.

"We had our dinner, and a short walk up. Now you can tell me what's happening, yeah?"

"Before that...I have something for you."

"Oh, right! You did mention that. What is it?"

"You remember the item you asked for a few months ago? I just picked it up on the way here. So since it's finished...I want you to have it right now." I rummage through my bag and come up with the scroll, unrolling it on the ground and making a single seal. The box appears on top of the formula, looking none the worse for wear. I pick it up and hand it to Fio as she sits.

"Whoa."

"Please, go ahead."

"Hmm..." She sets it on her lap and scrutinizes it. Her head tilts from side to side, and she closes one eye to properly focus the other. I watch as she gently shakes the box and smiles. "Hehe...so I remember that I gave you notes to work with, but I really do wonder what I'm gonna see when I open this up. What has my Lili got for me this time?"

As she opens the box and sets the lid aside, her eyes widen.

"Wow...wow wow wow wow!"

"You...like it?" I ask.

"Like? That doesn't even come close to describing it! Look at these! They're so cool! Awesome! Oh, wait wait wait...let's try the shoes on first..." She takes out the sandals and puts them on her feet, bouncing up and down in them. "Yeah! These are so comfy! Like walking on fluffy pillows!"

"There's a switch there you might like," I point out. "On the side there. You should sit, or else you'll lose your balance."

"Ooh, okay. Show me?"

I nod and slide my finger across the buttons as she sits, extending the heels downwards. She gaps and stands up again to start walking.

"Whoa, almost...ha! I need to get used to walking around in heels." Fio smiles before twirling once, and then strikes a pose. "Super classy! I can turn heads with this for sure. They don't feel too bad in this form either...I'm gonna keep these nearby for dates and meetings and stuff. You know, to look like a professional woman type and all that. Being able to shift back to flats is awesome. But I won't wear these around too much as it is...part of that new tech I was developing means that I won't need shoes or stuff for my feet anymore." She scratches at her cheek. "Ever had to peel hot rubber off your feet? Not a fun time, I'll say that much."

"It sounds decidedly unpleasant."

"Yep. But it's still an awesome gift on your part, Lili. Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome. I know you're waiting to try out the most exciting item, so go ahead with that."

"Sure! As long as you're okay with watching me totally nerd out for a long while!" she says with a laugh.

I smile. "Seeing you happy like this is precious, Fio. Take as much time as you need, and I'll be right here."

She smiles back and nods, taking off the sandals and setting them back into the box. The metal gloves come out next and I can see her eyes sparkling as she looks at them.

"They're so beautiful, Lili. Wow. Super neat...let's see. So my hand goes like...ohhh...oh, that's so soft and snug..." She slips on both gloves and flexes her hands. "A perfect fit, that's amazing! Feels like I can wear these forever." I watch as she stands up and punches the air rapidly. Her fists move as red streaks of colour, making the air whistle as she picks up speed. Forward, ducking and weaving while throwing faster combinations of punches. She shifts her weight around and doesn't seem to be missing a beat.

"Wahoo! This is so cool! And if I remember my notes right..." She makes seals with her hands and steam flows from the vents as they open. "Yes! Oh my gosh these are so so so so perfect! Even better than I dreamed up in every way! The feeling, the response, and even the weight...it's all perfect! Oh, and there's a manual...I'll read it front to back and back to front for sure!" Fio smiles and stares down at the gloves for a while before taking them off, putting them into the box neatly.

"It sounds like everything is to your liking," I say.

"Beyond expectations. Lili, you're all kinds of amazing. Thank you so much for this," she says as she gives me a hug.

"It's among the least of things I could do for you, Fio. And you did make that passionate request...I would be remiss to turn you down in that moment."

"It totally isn't a small thing. You are everything," she says happily. "I know you won't hear anything about me repaying you for something like this, but I'm going to become the best woman I can be, just so I can make it up to you."

"You don't need to tell me that much. It will happen soon enough," I say with sincerity. "I'm glad that this made you so happy."

"And in the meantime...I haven't forgotten, you know. You have to tell me what's on your mind."

"Yes...I should."

Fio looks at me with concern. "I've never seen you this nervous before." She seals away the box and sets aside the scroll, pulling me into a seat beside her. "Lili? Please tell me what's going on..."

I fold my hands in my lap.

"It's a difficult story, but one I need to tell you in the end. There was an incident at the mansion several weeks ago, before the new year. Mom and Luna were targeted."

"What?! Are they okay?"

"Yes. The estate and everything in it was attacked by mercenaries and their underlings. The two leaders were members of Akatsuki."

"I've heard that name before," Fio mutters. "Apparently they work for cheap on behalf of shinobi villages and other people. They attacked your mom and Luna? That's so awful! Why did they do something like that?"

"There was a reason for it. Luna...she saved my mother, but the two Akatsuki were there, hunting them both. In order to give her time to escape...Luna faced the two shinobi alone. I got a letter delivered to my home, and then I rushed to the mansion after contacting Ane-ue...she got there first, and summoned me to her. Many things happened...we found out that someone had planned this out, nearly every detail. Even poisoning my mother...we ended up going out to save Luna and disable the barrier that was meant to keep Ane-ue away. When I got inside, I...faced the mercenaries."

"Don't rush yourself, alright?" Fio says.

I nod and take a breath in. "When I got there...along with the mercenaries, my father was inside."

"Oh, no. Was he hurt, too?"

"No. No...you see, he was the one behind all of this. The very client that hired the mercenaries for the attack. The one who targeted all of us...marked us for death."

"..." Fio pauses in shock and places her hand on my shoulder. She's trying to find words, but it's difficult. That only makes sense. It's not something that is supposed to happen, in this world or any other. "That man...he organized all of that?"

"Yes."

"Your pregnant mother and Luna...even your older sister. He...tried to kill them all. And you too...isn't that the case?"

"Yes. All of it is true. And when I found out, I could hardly take it. Eventually, I...I just..."

"Lili..."

"I...snapped. I broke apart in those moments," I say quietly. "I couldn't keep myself together, and had to embrace the darkness just so that I could carry on. And I did. I gathered the strength I had, and with every feeling inside of me sealed tightly, I killed the man from Akatsuki that remained. Ane-ue took care of the other, and disabled the barrier. But that...was not the end of it, Fio."

"Listen, you don't have to push yourself. It's okay if you just stop," she says as she squeezes my shoulder. "I can hear more when you're ready."

"It's not okay. As I said to the others...it needs to be now, in this moment. Otherwise, I might never come back to it with you." I slowly raise my head to face Fio. She's terribly worried for me, but I made a promise. I have to see this through.

"Then...if you feel strong enough. What happened after you killed that mercenary?"

"My father...refused to surrender. He refused to see reason. Even so, I continued to try and stop him from making even greater mistakes. But he chose to advance, and there was that moment...where he decided within himself that he was going to kill Luna, after already hurting her so much. He refused to listen to me. And so, when he decided that...he was going to see his vengeance through..."

"..."

"I raised my hand and killed him. He was my father, and I killed him. There was no outpouring of grief in that moment. No pain. I shot him, and he fell...and I felt nothing. Without hesitation, I took his life."

In the next moment, I feel Fio's warm hands on my cheeks. She guides my face close to hers.

"Lilith...listen to what I tell you."

"Fio?"

"You are not a monster, Lilith. You are not a terrible person. What you did was not wrong. Don't ever think that, even for a moment. Don't say it to yourself. Don't believe it. To force you into that sort of choice..." Her voice is firm, and I can see the determination in her. More than anything, she's fighting to try and help me. "He must have had words for you. What did he say?"

"..."

"Lili. I know it's hard, but I want to help you now."

"He said...that I was a mistake. And his last words to me..." I take a breath in. "As he started to bleed in those moments, he called me...a worthless bitch."

"All of that is a lie. He is a liar," she says fiercely. "You are not a mistake, or a worthless bitch. You are none of those things. Calling you a mistake...those were just the pitiful cries of a weak, cowardly man. I remember what you told me, Lili. I remember hearing that you touched the plains of heaven, and no failure, no mistake of a person would ever get that far if they were to exist. You and I, and all of the people we know, we are not mistakes. We're not errors or broken copies. But more than that, you are a blessing. To me, and to everyone you've ever been close to. You have me, and Hina, and Luna, and Midori, and Emi, and everyone else you can think of. You have a family, one that you built with your own hands and the blessings of heaven. You belong to us, just like we belong to you, and would do anything for you. You are not, nor will you ever be worthless."

I nod, tears coming to my eyes. "I...thank you, Fio. I just..."

"I know it's hard. I understand perfectly. Our fathers are the first men we meet in life. The first ones to spend precious time with us...and most of all, the first men that we ever come to love. All we ever want as girls, and as women, is their love and approval. To be deprived of that, even as he was dying...to have your entire life void of love from a person who helped create you, who you loved and trusted with your very existence, over and over...something like that is an abomination above all else."

"I...I have nightmares, Fio. About killing him, over and over. About losing control. They come almost every night. Those hellish dreams about my secret self, about all of the blood that pours from him and covers me..."

"What a cruel thing to leave you with." I feel our foreheads touch gently. Her warmth is flowing through me.

"Fio...I'm so broken inside. I made so much progress, I stopped myself from falling apart, but still..."

"I'm sorry, Lili. I know that it's not enough to lift you on its own, but...I'm here for you. Even as much as I want to just make it all better, I know that it doesn't work that way."

"What do you think of me?" I ask. "I must be..."

"There's nothing wrong with you, and I'll say it over and over. You're not an awful person. You're Lili. And you always will be to me. I'll take up that burden along with you, for as long as it takes. I'll be a part of your new family, the one that has always loved you, and will keep doing it until the end of time. And I hope that one day, I can love you forever and ever as your wife. There's a space in your heart that I know won't be easily filled. But I can always start, and I can always try my best. I'll...I'll be the person that your father never was. You'll be whole again."

"Fio..."

"I know you came out on this journey to clear your head, and to face the darkness and nightmares inside of you. That's what I've been doing these past few months myself. As long as you continue the struggle, I know that things will get better. Nothing will ever truly be forgotten...but you have nothing to apologize for, Lili. Please remember that."

"I...I will, Fio. Thank you..."

"Yes. Anything for you, Lili."

I finally close my eyes, feeling Fio's hands squeeze both of mine gently. I squeeze back to let her know that I appreciate her. It's only a small bit, but...I can see light coming back properly into this dark space of mine. My precious friends, and now this...

For the first time in a while I feel...safe again.

"You're not alone, Lili."

I know that voice. I know that she's been watching over me this entire time...and that her wish was for me to be strong enough to make it through on my own. Without him.

I know that what she says is true...that I'm not alone. And I don't think I ever will be, no matter what path I take from here on.