Me Gua Gua

Shimiko pushed her baby stroller down the sidewalk towards Nariko's residence. It had been over a year since Ryuko declared herself Queen of the Kingdom of Thunder and Yondaime Raikage of Kumogakure no Sato. Nariko had served the village well and now she was enjoying a much less stressful life outside of the Raikage's Office. Likewise, Shimiko had put her career on pause so that she could have a child of her own. The Chinoike had never considered retirement as an option. She vowed to kill Kumo's and the Church's enemies until her dying breath and yet events of late had made her reconsider her outlook on life. She realized there was more to it than just racking up death notches. She had despised her own mother and with that came a desire to prove her wrong. She wanted to show Celestia that she could do a better job. But what was once a desire born of spite became a genuine longing. She had adopted the Twins and had come to love them as her own. She realized that she had gotten them later in their lives. They were older than her, not as mature, but they had experienced things and those things had colored their perception of the world. Shimiko had molded them but they were not blank slates. Shimiko realized that the only way to really find out if she was a good mother was to raise a child of her own flesh and blood. If that meant stepping away from the ninja lifestyle, then that was a sacrifice she was willing to make.

She had settled down with Vik and they had sired a beautiful little girl. Shimiko decided that the one battle she hated more than her fight with Nozomi was natal labor. After a grueling and fairly bloody process, Désirée Chinoike was born at a healthy eight pounds and six ounces. Shimiko's whole family was there: Miyu, Seigi, the Twins, Nariko, and of course, Ryuko. She had gone through all the proper Jashinist rites, all the welcoming Chinoike rituals, and of course, registered her daughter for eventual service in the country's military. It was a lot of work, but Shimiko found she enjoyed it more than anything else in the world. After all these years, she could finally say she loved being a mother even more than she loved being a murderer.

Unfortunately, the world wasn't so simple. The conflicts between Minor Nations had not subsided. Instead, they gave way to greater battles that were now drawing in global powers. Iwagakure had declared its independence and three of its minor nation neighbors had pre-emptively attacked it. The minor nations were backed by Konoha while Iwa was backed by Kumo. Shimiko wasn't sure how to feel about Kumo intervening to preserve Iwa's independence but she knew that she could trust Ryuko to identify and pursue the best course for the nation. If things continued down their current path though, the world could soon see open conflict between Major Nations and that was a war that she simply could not sit out. The threat of the Society was still looming large and Shimiko had a feeling that before she retired, she'd need to make this planet a safer place for her baby. The Necrossiah had also revealed to her that a great battle was coming and that he'd need her to fight in it when the time came. It would be a while longer before she could finally hang up her claws. Of course, with war came risk. Shimiko could no longer throw herself into danger for the thrill of it. She had a child to look after and that meant she needed to be careful about which conflicts she took part in. But as careful as she could be, death could take her at any moment. Shimiko wasn't afraid for her own sake, but she had to make sure that in the event something happened to her, Désirée would be cared for.

And so Shimiko finally arrived at Nariko's residence. The kunochi was wearing a fairly modest dress. She had given up her pigtails for a more mature look. A sign that her days as an assassin were more or less behind her. She knew her sensei was planning to retire and that now was probably not the time to ask for a favor, but Shimiko didn't really have anyone else to turn to. At least, not someone who she viewed in a maternal way. Nariko was all she had and even though that sounded sad, Shimiko was glad for it. She gave a light knock on the door and waited for Nariko to answer.

Nariko was at home relaxing for the first time in a long time, considering that she actually hadn't had the time to spend alone for a while. Now that she wasn't the Raikage anymore, she had a lot more time on her hands. While she'd tried to spend time training at the training grounds, it just didn't have the same spark for her as it used to. Really, she'd settled down a lot since she had become the Raikage, and her plans for being the Jounin Commander instead were more or less up in the air.

Fighting didn't hold the same ring to it, and having mellowed out a lot, she wasn't sure she wanted to do the Kunoichi life anymore. The new generation of Jounin and Chuunin and stuff had it all figured out, and she'd already come close enough to death with losing her Bijuu that she wasn't sure she wanted to do it again. Nobody would fault her for stepping down and retiring completely, in fact plenty of people already expected it.

A knock came on the door, and Nariko sighed, wondering who it could be that was disturbing her relaxation. She was dressed in a casual black tank top and grey sweatpants. Loungewear as she hadn't been expecting anyone, not that she would have dressed any differently if she had been. Her days of caring what people thought were over. "Yeah yeah, I'm coming!" she called, and got up from her couch. A bowl of chips was half eaten, and some empty take out boxes were present, inferring she'd been there for a while.

Plodding over to the door, Nariko opened it up, her hair a little bit of a mess in its ponytail. Nariko's normal look was far from the well put together Raikage everyone had been used to, and while she hadn't gone back to drinking, it was very similar to the way that she had looked often at the start of her tenure as the Kage.

"Oh! Shimi!" Nariko said, immediately a different tone than the exasperated one she'd called out with earlier. "And little Des!" she cooed at the baby. "C'mon in, make yourself at home." Nariko ushered the pair in.

Shimiko was happy to see Nariko so...at home. Quite a few snobs might look down on the Raikage answering the door while looking so disheveled, but those people didn't know how much work Nariko had put into making Kumo a superpower. The fact that Nariko felt comfortable enough to finally live life on her own terms warmed Shimiko's heart. Shimiko smiled and immediately apologized for disturbing her sensei's peace.

"Sorry if we're intruding Raik-," she caught herself before continuing "Nariko-sensei...if its a bad time we could come back later"

It wasn't like Shimiko to drop in unannounced but this was rather important and more of a spur of the moment decision. Working up the courage to set up a meeting was tough but dropping by while "in the neighborhood" just felt right and easier. Shimiko didn't mind having tough conversations but this was in a league of its own. Shimiko entered with the stroller and made her way to the living room. She didn't show any surprise or disgust at the state Nariko's home. Six years of cleaning up Kumo's chaos had earned her the right to a messy domicile. Shimiko wasn't sure where to sit so she stood for the time being. She gave a sigh and took off her hat, setting it on a nearby table. She didn't really care if it got dirty as she had "inherited" a fair number from her dearly departed mother.

Assuming Nariko was happy to host her, Shimiko continued:

"Des and I were in the neighborhood and....." Shimiko wasn't sure where to begin. She had committed to asking Nariko for her help but she never could find the right words or the right occasion. How could she put one of the biggest burdens of life on someone who had already sacrificed so much for her sake and that of the village? It wasn't fair. Shimiko knew it wasn't fair. So when confronted with this, all she could do was hesitate. She decided to start with some good news that she had been meaning to tell Nariko.

"...well...I wanted to stop by and tell you....you know in the hospital when we were all together and I said I couldn't think of a good middle name for Désirée? I....We...." Shimiko blushed. She and Vik had decided that there was only one name fitting to christen their daughter with. The name of an iconic and historic Kaminari woman. A woman that had been more of a mother to Shimiko than Celestia ever was. A woman that was willing to set aside a life of vice for a career of virtue and civil service. A woman with the determination and strength to defend her country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. "Nariko. Désirée Nariko Chinoike..." she managed to say. Shimiko looked at the take out boxes while the words hung in the air. The only sound was that of her baby cooing as if totally aware of the significance of her own name.

"No, not a bad time at all Gen-" Nariko replied back, using Shimiko's former title of genin as a joke to the slip up of almost calling her Raikage. "Oh, I mean, Shimiko. Please, come in!" Nariko would give a slight wink, over playing the mistake a little bit, but a lot more relaxed than she had been for a long time. It helped that there was a baby present, Nariko was so excited to see little Desiree.

Of course, she didn't really mind them dropping by at any point. When Shimiko gave the full name, Nariko's breath caught in her throat. Her student had named her daughter after Nariko. Tears welled up in her eyes. "You honor me too much Shimiko."

"Little Nari..." she peered into the stroller at the darling baby, and smiled. The world moved forward, whether she was a shinobi or not. There would be a new generation coming along one day. But these were the moments that made life truly worth living. She hadn't dreamt of there being a day like this in her life, but suddenly that's all she wanted. More moments like this. More for everyone.

"I hope to never dishonor the name you've given her. Thank you Shimiko. Thank you so much."

Shimiko returned the wink after catching onto Nariko's joke. She had come a long way since being a genin but she supposed that no matter what, she'd always be Little Shimiko to her sensei. When Shimiko revealed her daughter's full name Nariko's reaction was all that she could hope for. Joy. She could see it as plain as day. Nariko was proud of her decision and that in turned fueled Shimiko's courage to ask her favor.

"I know you wouldn't....and don't thank me its the least I can do. Your legacy was everything to me and I wanted to cement that forever."

Shimiko returned the smile, took a breath, and then asked her last favor:

"Nariko-sensei.....I didn't just come over to tell you about Desi's middle name....there's something else....things are getting really wild on the world stage. Really bad. I was hoping to go on reserve status and eventually retire but....Kumo needs me. I'm sure Seid can fill my shoes in time but he's not quite ready. He needs me there to guide him and fight alongside him. Our enemies haven't been laid to rest and there's still work to be done...."

Shimiko paused as if searching for the words.

".....I'm strong...stronger than anyone else in the world maybe...but I'm not immortal. I'm not afraid of death. When I was younger I relished the thought of dying for my country but now that I had Désirée all I do is worry. I can't turn my back on Kumo not now, but I need to make sure she'll be looked after. Vik is a great father and a fantastic husband but he has..."

Shimiko didn't want to say it but if Nariko was smart, she'd pick up on the sub-text. Vik had a lot of bastards by other women. Some of them older than Désirée and more established. They required his support, attention, finances, and love. They had been in his life far longer and legitimacy wouldn't change that. Désirée would be his priority in name but she could never truly be sure. With her around, she could force Vik to pay attention to their daughter and where he lapsed, she would make up tenfold. But if she was gone then what was to stop him from gradually pulling away. He had always favored his sons over his daughters and Shimiko stayed up late at night worrying what would become of her only child. She knew what it was like to be estranged from one's parents. It caused them to lash out. Whatever rage was in her blood had always been there but without guidance it had matured into something vicious. It was only through the grace of Jashin that Nariko, Ryuko, Seigi, and the Twins were able to pull her out before she lost herself to it. Désirée was her daughter and she might suffer from the same curse. She'd need a family around her to protect and guide her.

"...other concerns..." she managed after a sigh. "I-I need, if something happens to me..." Shimiko wasn't used to stammering and the moment was making her cry. Would she ever cease being a burden to her sensei?

"Nothing will happen to you Shimiko. Don't speak that into existence."

Nariko interrupted Shimiko. She knew what the girl was asking. It was a reason that a lot of shinobi retired when they had kids. Life was dangerous as a ninja, even in times of relative peace. But there was a war coming, and she was right. More and more it was becoming a when, rather than an if.

"If there is anything I know about you, its that you're stubborn. When you put your mind to something, you complete it. So put this into your head: You'll be safe. No matter what, you'll stay safe."

Nariko placed a hand on Shimiko's shoulder, given her a stern look for a moment, but then relented with a softer one. "But I promise. If the unthinkable happens, I'll take care of Désirée as if she was my own. You have my word. But you don't have anything to worry about. You surpassed me a long time ago. If there's anyone who can stay safe in uncertain conditions, it's you."

Nariko wasn't quite sure what she'd do if anything happened to Shimiko. She'd spent the most time with her, after all. Natsuru had left a long time ago, and Ryuko had spent much of their time together in a coma or reviewing the budget to prepare for her take over as Raikage, and then actually being the Raikage. Shimiko and Nariko had a more special bond, but Nariko had always tried to be more of a caring figure towards Shimiko. She had needed it the most.

When Natsuru had left, Nariko was sad, but understood the choice. When Ryuko had fallen into a coma, Nariko was grief stricken, but she had had faith that she'd persevere and come out of the coma. On life support, Nariko kept Ryuko alive, and never gave up hope that she'd come back. Even Nariko had cheated death herself, even after losing the Bijuu inside her. And Shimiko had spent a little bit of time in a coma as well. Sooner or later, it was going to stick, their luck would run out, and someone she cared about would die again.

"I don't have much family left, just you and Ryuko. Désirée even more so maybe. I'll always have your back. All of you. But especially the little one. She can't take care of herself yet. You and Ryuko I just have to trust and believe in."

Shimiko really needed to hear Nariko's encouragement. She was usually 100% confident in her skills but it seemed that each passing generation of shinobi got stronger faster. What took her years to achieve could take months for some. She had never let that stop her before but was still a startling development. When she looked at her daughter and saw how high the stakes were, out outnumbered the nation was, she couldn't help but fear the worst. If Nariko wasn't in her corner cheering her on she might be tempted to run away from it all. Desi's safety was the one thing she was truly afraid to risk.

Shimiko wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded. "I got this....I can do it" she muttered to herself. When Nariko agreed to do that which she couldn't find the strength to ask Shimiko embraced her. She held Nariko tight and whispered.

"Thank you Nariko-sensei...not just for this....for everything. You're like a mother to me. You are a mother to me. Jashin forbid...if something were to happen to me I can't think of anyone more suited to raise Désirée"

Shimiko then stood back and flashed a confident grin. She threw back her long blonde hair and added:

"But I'm not going anywhere. I might settle down once the war is over....but until then....Kumo has enemies that need to be eliminated."

Shimiko had mellowed out but in that moment Nariko would see the hunger in her student's eyes. The viciousness in her spirit had been tamed and controlled, but it was still there. It would always be there.

"Of course! Anyhow, join me for dinner. I need an excuse to cook and clean up a little." Nariko laughed and began to pick up some of the empty take out boxes. It took a little time, but eventually, the place was cleaned up, and food made, the two of them spending some time catching up as people, without all the talk about war.

Nariko let Shimiko in on a secret of her own. She was going to be retiring sooner rather than later, and just letting the next generation take over from here. She was finally okay with hanging up the hat and enjoying the rest of her life as a civilian. Her time as Raikage had been an interesting one, but everything came to an end, and her career as a Kunoichi had ended with it. It just meant she had more time to enjoy life. It had been up in the air as to whether she would actually go through with retirement, but with her being asked to take care of Desi in case something happened to Shimiko, she'd fully decided that retirement was imminent.

The scene faded out from there, pulling back on her house. They spent the rest of the day hanging out, but eventually it was time for Shimiko to leave. Nariko would bid her a farewell for the time being, but they'd see each other soon. Especially since she was going to be babysitting for Shimiko whenever the kunoichi was out.

---Exit---

"That sounds lovey! And yeah you kinda do!" Shimiko replied with a laugh. She allowed her sensei to clean up the apartment and would offer assistance if needed and accepted. The two would enjoy a meal together and when Nariko dropped the news of her early retirement, Shimiko would give her all the support in the world. Nariko had protected Kumogakure for six solid years. She had served and guided the village honorably and it was well within her right to retire on a nice generous pension. It was reliveing to hear that her daughter's potential adopted guardian wouldn't be an active duty shinobi but had all the influence and skill of one. The pair would enjoy each other's company until it was time for Shimiko to leave. They'd remain in touch not just for the moments when Shimi's little Nari needed to be babysat but for all the other times that family was supposed to count on one another. Shimiko would never forget the legacy that Nariko had left on Kumo, but most importantly, she'd never forget the impact that she had had on her life.

--Exit---