Scarlet Justice: Full Blossom – ep. 03
"Homeward Bound"

Rose was born late in May, just about a month after I was. Her personality is much like mine, and she is always eager to learn and grow. I celebrated my birthday with Midori and Luna again this year, but Rose wanted to share her special day with me regardless. After nearly a month of studying and playing together, we celebrated her third birthday, and my sixteenth one more time. My lovely older sisters provided a delicious cake and joined in on all the fun.

I did end up staying six weeks after all. As I predicted, it was terribly difficult to tear myself away from Rose, and from my lovely home. But difficult does not mean impossible...and so, over the past few days, I have been preparing myself to leave. The Hidden Leaf is calling to me once more.

"Everything should be set. A few extras to take home...I'll buy everything else I need when I get to the village proper."

I put on my small backpack and check over my things. Nothing out of place, from what I can see...outfit and hair is in order. I believe that I am ready.

"Good." I let out a breath. "Far too short a time, but it was an incredible one. I'll definitely keep my promise and visit more often, once the serious business is dealt with."

Breakfast was good, and it will hold me until lunch in a few hours at the least. If not, Touka has packed some goodies for me already. I walk through the mansion and greet the staff as I pass by, eventually reaching the front foyer where my mother and sister are waiting. Honda, as handsome and reliable as ever, presents me with the usual velvet-lined box of eye wear choices.

"Things should be fine here, Lili. A call or letter every so often will suffice." Emi sips at a mug of coffee while wrapped in a fluffy robe.

"You're sure, now."

"If something does come up, the village office will make contact with you through Magnolia House. But we're trying not to cross too many wires as it is. Things should continue smoothly as they are now."

"Understood." I pick out a gently tinted set of glasses with obsidian frames. Nice and light.

"Mistress, allow me to relieve you of that," one of the maids says gently. "Would you like a refill, by chance?"

"Ah, thank you. And no, I'm fine for now." Emi finishes her coffee and hands the mug off. The maid bows and heads off towards the kitchen.

"I'll keep in contact as much as I can, Mama. Though...if I have things right, I will certainly be going dark for an extended period. Keep that in mind if you don't hear from me in the usual intervals."

"Of course."

I kneel down to meet Rose. "Do you remember what I told you? About being a shinobi?"

"Yes, Lili-nee."

"Good. I don't know if you would ever want to follow this path...Mama trained in the same way you did, and made a different choice. But right now, there is a great amount of danger around us. It means that I might not be able to talk to you for a while. It also means there's a possibility that...I might lose my physical form, after leaving this world. Reaching you as I am is one thing, but beyond the living world...mm. It's difficult to explain, and I don't want to overwhelm you, my love."

"Danger..." Rose closes her eyes, and her brows furrow for a few seconds. She opens her eyes again to look up at me. "Lili-nee...it means that something bad might happen...and that I can never hold you again."

"Yes."

"The world...is what you want to change?"

"Yes, that's it exactly."

"I remember...feeling it. In my heart, when I close my eyes. Not seeing my most precious person is...scary. But I understand..."

"..."

"Every night, I want to pray and send energy to you, Lili-nee. Is it okay?"

I smile and nod. "That's more than okay. It's a very kind thing of you to do, Rose. Thank you. I know that your prayers and your energy will reach me, every night."

She nods and smiles, putting her hands over her heart. "It means you'll come back. And everyone will be happy. And you'll be a strong lady in charge of people. Like Mama, and Midori-nee."

"That is my goal, yes. Rose, you're so very clever. You understand almost perfectly at your age." I pat her head.

"Thank you, Lili-nee. B-be safe. So you can read to me, and we can have more naps together with the flowers."

"I make this promise to you, Rose. I will return to you one day with the crown of this nation around my neck. Believe in me, your ambitious older sister...the envoy of heaven herself."

"Yes." We share a long, warm hug together. At last, Rose is the one to separate herself from me first. A determined look is in her eyes as she holds my gaze, and we nod towards each other in acknowledgement. Even now, she is far more than some fragile little sibling. She is a partner, bonded to me in spirit...her mind cannot process every word and scenario as it is, but her heart and soul understand completely. I will treat her with the respect she deserves, as she does me.

"Seems like this world doesn't stand a chance against the two of you. Take care, Lili. Continue on your path to the top, and make sure you flatten anyone who gets in your way."

"Yes, Mama. You can count on it." We hug each other and she rubs my back gently.

"I'll keep guiding Rose here until she's ready for you. It should be enough, right?"

"Well, you've set a good enough example for her so far."

"I can take that as a compliment, though I'm not sure if I should."

"You're welcome."

She scoffs at me playfully before smiling. I smile back and put on my sunglasses, acknowledging Honda once more before leaving the mansion. Touka and Sakizuki are having a conversation while they wait for me outside.

"...should be enough, considering."

"I'll remember that, ma'am."

"No pressure, remember. Ah, Lady Lilith. It seems we're forced to part ways once more," Touka says to me.

"It is a bittersweet thing, yes. All I ask is that you continue your hard work, Touka."

"With your faith in me, it will be done. Lady Rose and Mistress Emi will be well taken care of, as long as I draw breath."

"Thank you." We share a warm hug. "And take care of yourself, most of all. Though, I suppose I'm one to talk..."

"It was a bit reckless of you, I have to admit."

I sigh. "Well, I couldn't miss her first birthday...the grief might have crippled me altogether. Nothing that I can reliably explain to normal people."

"I suppose not. But...as you say, it is not our place to worry about everything under heaven and earth. We must do what we can, when we can."

"Yes. Until the next, Touka."

"Until then, milady."

I take a peek inside of the carriage, and see that it's as luxurious as ever. No expense has been spared, as usual with Sakizuki. This time though, he's not burning through his own pockets to make it happen.

"I didn't change things too much. Touch of nostalgia."

"You would say such a thing." I turn and give him a smile. Same flat leather cap, and there's that wavy, slightly messy brown hair of his. I wonder if those perpetually boyish looks are what drew his wife's attention in the first place. "Have you been well?"

"Very. I owe you everything for getting me this gig in the first place. The Mistress has been behaving herself, too."

"That's always nice to hear. Touka has been asserting herself more lately."

"That woman is a force of nature, I'll tell you. Oh, Al is doing well, too. You know he never used to let anyone else ride him aside from us? Lady Rose got his attention one day, and I think the poor guy is smitten."

"Interesting." I go through my pockets and find the small scroll I want.

"Isn't it? But I guess it makes sense. She seems a lot like you, but her own person at the same time. If that makes sense to you, I mean."

"Perfectly so." I unseal the scroll contents: a candy bar and slices of apple with the seeds discarded. "Here you are, boys."

"Thanks."

Sakizuki takes his candy. Al nods his head before eating the slices out of my hand. He hasn't changed much, either. Still a strong and obedient child.

"Mm. Good stuff. Oh, there's a new diner along the usual corridor, popped up about a year ago. I know you like rustic food, ma'am, so I thought you would be interested. We'll reach it for lunch in about two days at our usual pace. Though breakfast and dinner are excellent, too."

"That sounds lovely. We'll have a look once we get there, then."

"Okay. If there's nothing else, we can head out in a few moments."

I nod and start on my way towards the carriage. "Sakizuki."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You didn't seem shocked to see me just now."

"I almost didn't recognize you, really. But when you started talking to Miss Touka, there wasn't any mistake," he says with a laugh. "You really have grown up, though. It's nice to see."

"Mm. And your family, how have they been?"

"Great. My wife is as relaxed as ever, and my daughter's in her third...ah, more like fourth year of university. Accelerated her courses. Whole thing is literally paying for itself now, since she's picked up all those grants and scholarships and the like. Really flew out of the gate, that one."

"Very nice to hear," I say as I step inside. "As always, you know to come to us if she should need any future employment."

"I've been getting plenty of reminders. Well, we can take off now, ma'am. Anything you need before that?"

"Nothing, darling. Thank you as always."

"Yes, ma'am." He smiles and closes the carriage door. I hear him get into his seat, Al letting out a breath, and finally the carriage begins to move.

"Let's see...time to catch up on current events."

I take the scroll I requested last week out of my pocket and unroll the first part of it, crossing my legs and settling in. It's a good idea to hit the ground running...I don't know what that Obito Uchiha and his friends are doing right now, but it's sure to be something unpleasant.

So I'm going to be ready for them. Without a doubt.

A few days of steady travel pass, and our pace towards the Leaf means that we can luxuriate in this lovely spring weather. The month's rest has allowed me to truly get acclimated to this world again...spending all of that time in caves saturated with nature energy is an intense experience, to be sure. Very dangerous if you're not careful.

"..."

And painful, to be honest. The first week or two was dedicated to regular clubbings if my energy balance got even slightly out of step. Across the shoulders and back, sometimes on the top and back of my head. But it was either that or screw up and turn into a statue forever. Fortunately, between the massages and headpats, I got over it quickly and stopped wandering into the danger zone. After the initial learning was done with, mastery of the sage chakra was a longer, more tolerable, and thankfully less physically painful road to travel. I've also gained an even greater appreciation of nature. That connection I had with it before was relatively thin, mostly expressed in the comfort I would feel while alone in the trees. Now, it's much, much more potent. If I connect more with the world around me, who knows what I can come up with?

"If that jutsu is real, maybe...I can recreate it somehow? And if I can figure out a jutsu like that, then..."

Hm. Those arts are definitely something I'll have to look into once I get the time. I can go far beyond what that Hanzo could ever dream of, hmhm.

We finally come to a stop where the lush forest starts to give way to flattened land. Lines of smoke rise up in the distance, fading out beneath puffy clouds. I pull on my high socks and secure my sandals once more.

"You're sure that you don't need to stay a bit?" I ask Sakizuki as I leave the carriage.

"We should be okay, ma'am. Al has enough energy in him to get us to the next rest stop."

"As long as you're sure. Take care, okay?"

"We will. Be safe with your shinobi stuff, and all of that. I'd miss driving you back and forth."

"You'll surely get the chance to do that again. There might even be a big promotion in your future, you know."

He laughs. "Looking forward to it, Lady Lilith. See you, then. And thanks for everything."

"You're quite welcome, Yuma."

He smiles and tilts his hat downwards before leaving. The main gate of the Leaf is just ahead, and it's just as I remember it. Old memories come flooding back immediately.

"So good to be home again. I've missed you."

The place where I first became a woman.

The Village Hidden in the Leaves.