#my last two doodles were cute. today i am feeling like a menace

[skarloeyspa]

CALIFORNIA GURLS WE'RE UNFORGETTABLE DAISY DUKES BIKINIS ON TOP

[otome-writer51]

A Ninja’s Kin Part 2

Part 1

Now that both of my sons were busy with their punishments, I could relax. I let out a deep sigh, instantly regretting how harshly I had treated my babies.

‘They’re just children,’ I told myself as I raked my hands through my hair, ‘but they also wish to be just like their father some day. I also know that they cannot be coddled if that is the path they wish to take in life. They just made me so so angry. I just…’

“Mommy?” A sweet, honeyed voice reached my ears, pulling me out of my internal war with my emotions. My gorgeous girl was wanting my attention.

At some point, she seemed to have made her way over to me, nonetheless I answered her in a kind voice, “Yes, my sweet angel?”

“Can you braid my hair for me? It is pretty messy right now and it’s making me hot. I wanted to braid it for training, but I am not as good as you,” she looked at me, “PLEASE MOMMY!!!” she begged, spitting out every word so fast it was hard to tell where one began and one ended. I chuckled as she looked up at me with those big puppy dog eyes I could never say no to.

“Of course I will, my heart and soul. Anything for you.” Maybe it was because I was feeling very guilty for how poorly I had treated my sons, but I couldn’t help but be extra sweet to Sakura.

“That is great mommy! Let’s go back to the veranda.” Gently taking my hand, my baby girl pulled me to take a seat. She plopped herself down in front of me, handing me her favorite comb. I began to brush out her knotty hair.

“Wow!” I exclaimed in wonder, “Sweetie, you weren’t joking, your hair really is a mess!”

She giggled cutely, “I told you, it always gets like this... but training makes it worse.” How in the world was this girl able to survive with her hair like this? I couldn’t believe she lived the way she did, sometimes.

Although her hair was a tangled mess, there was something soothing about combing out her long locks. It was so soothing, in fact, that it cleared my mind of everything, except the one thing I was worried about the most; my boys.

‘Oh my brave, strong, kind boys. I was too harsh on you both. I was just frustrated to see you both so at each other’s throats. That is not how brothers should behave under any circumstances. It was cute at first, but then you two just lost your heads and I lost mine as well. To make my little boy run off in tears like that, I shall forever hang my head in shame. What can I do to possibly make it up to him? Someone please tell me what I can-’

“Mommy, you’ve been brushing my hair for a while, now. I think it's ready to be braided,” said my daughter, turning around to find out why I had not started to braid her hair already.

“Oh, I just got lost in my thoughts dear. I will start right away.” Parting her hair in my fingers, I began to twist the strands together, into a pattern.

And once again, I fell victim to my own thoughts. ‘Just what to do with my boys. ‘How do I make it up to them?’

And once again, that sweet voice brought me back to the surface. “I know it may not seem very wise coming from an eight year old, but… I think you handled the situation the right way mommy.”

‘Oh what’s this? My girl has seemingly figured out the cause of my distress. She is sneaky like her daddy, but she is also quite perceptive as well.’

She continued on, “We are just children, we don’t see the world the way you do yet. With the path in life we have chosen, we are destined to need strict teaching. We cannot be successful without it.”

‘Not wise for an eight year old, dear. Give me a break, you are schooling your own mother here.’

“They were in the wrong, they did not listen to your orders when you gave them to them. A ninja needs to be a master at leading, but should also know when they must follow in line. The two of them have yet to figure that out it seems.” Chuckling at her jibe at her brothers, she gave me one last piece of advice. “A ninja also needs compassion. I feel that you have scared them for long enough and that they are now due for a reward, yes. I say you should let them know that they were completely in the wrong, but you should also let them find comfort in you after all is said and done.”

It was in this moment that I realized how much like her father she truly was. Takeshi may look exactly like him and Haru might be cheeky like their father too, but my beautiful girl definitely is his replica in personality. She is so wise for her age, and I know it is because of how closely she watches him. It warms my heart to think about how much my children love and adore their father. They still are far away from where they need to be, but they are already far more ready than I ever dreamed they’d be at this age.

Finding my resolve, I figured out what I was going to do. ‘When Haru gets back I am going to hug him, and Takeshi, so tight; tell them they don’t have to worry about those chores, and that they will be allowed at supper. I will give them a talk too, along with their father tomorrow, but for today, I believe they have been punished enough.’

“Um, mommy, you’re doing it again.” For the final time that day, my daughter rescued me from the violent waves crashing down on me from above. “You stopped braiding a while ago. Are you ever going to finish?”

It was only now that I came to know what I had done, or what I hadn't done. I stopped intertwining her locks about two-thirds of the way down. I’d been so kept up in my own mind I neglected what I was doing in real life. Finding new found motivation, I finished her hair faster than I had before and then I tied the ribbon on, securely fastening her beautiful hair-do.

“Oh! I love it! I love it! I love it so much!! Thank you mommy,” she twirled, watching her locks fall around her in awe. She ran over to give me a hug and a kiss, both of which I happily accepted.

‘I love you so much my precious angel. It feels so good to have you in my arms. I only wish I could be holding all three of you at the same time. My fierce Takeshi, My beautiful blossom that is you, and my little light Ha-’ I froze, alarm bells immediately sounding in my head at the thought of my son.

“OH MY GOSH!!! WHERE IS HARU?” I yelled, my loud voice right in my daughter’s ear making her jump. Takeshi also raised his head in alarm towards me when he heard the desperation in my voice. “He should have been back a long while ago… Where could he possibly be?” I muttered, worry starting to run through me. The sky had begun to paint itself in beautiful and vibrant shades of orange, yellow, and magenta strokes.

“Don’t worry mom, I will go look for him,” Takeshi said reassuringly to me. He truly was my brave, brave boy. With the way he was acting earlier, you wouldn’t think he would want to go find his little brother. Takeshi turned, and set off to find his brother.

“Honey, don’t do that! I shall go.”

Takeshi smiled, but said in a determined tone of voice, “Thank you mother, but this is the least I can do to make it up to him for being such a jerk, and to you for being such an awful son.”

My heart broke at his remorseful tone. “My dear, you are not an awful son; you never have been, and never will be. I love you so much, my brave boy. If this is what you wish to do, then go do it. Go find Haru and bring him back here.” With a smile of a boy who knew exactly what he needed to do, Takeshi looked at me one last time before he turned to follow the direction in which Haru had gone.

“Thank you, mother. I will not let you down.”

After my boy rounded the corner, I turned around to my daughter who was currently executing her sneak attack on Yogurt. My feathery boy thought he was in the clear in his newest hiding spot. He didn’t account for the fact that his huntress was my daughter, and she would always find him.

Holding in my laughter, I continued to watch my girl who was almost upon the skittish chicken. Tip-toeing closer, she got onto her knees, reached out, and…

“Cock-a-doodle-doo!,” she yanked Yogurt out of his hiding place, unbothered by the ear piercing shriek he let out. Cuddling him tight to her chest once more, she whispered words of affection to him as he tried to get away.

“Hehehe,” a giggle was the only sound I could force out of my mouth. ‘She really does love that chicken.’ Watching her with him warmed my heart and, letting that warmth sooth my mind, I all but put my missing son out of my worries. That was until a look of fear, one I've never seen present on my child’s face, seemingly froze her to her core, making her drop Yogurt in the process.

“Sakura, what is wrong?” Frozen in her fear, she was unable to talk to me. In turn, I followed her wide eyes to… A very horrid sight indeed. ‘“Huh?!” I gasped, startled at the sight in front of me. There were my two boys, not back with the training sword but tied up and gagged, desperately pleading for help.

A man, standing at least seven feet tall, broad-shouldered and built, with scars ravaging his entire body, held both of my children by their waists. His menacing eyes bore into mine with a hatred that spanned more than a decade. This man looked as if he knew who I was, but I did not know of him. He was here to destroy, and I could bet my son's lives that he wanted to kill.

Frightened I might have been, but I had no time to waste on my fears. One mere second was the matter of life or death here.

‘If I wish for my sons to live to see another year, I must act now.’

“SAKURA! GO GET YOUR FATHER NOW!” I yelled to my princess, but she was still frozen in fear. “SAKURA!” Having heard me this time, she ran off to fetch her father, and hopefully anyone else along the way.

My full attention now was focused on my sons’ captor; his inhumane yellowish gaze, just that of a monster, followed my every movement.

Unsheathing my hidden sword from inside my robes, I barked at the creature, “State your name, order, and place if you wish to be alive for longer than the sunset.” I wielded my weapon, pointing it directly at the savage’s heart, daring him to speak.

“Ugggghhhh,” he threw my sons to the ground, and their muffled groans of pain infuriated me even more than I already was.

Surely, I yelled loud enough for the whole castle to hear me, “STATE YOUR NAME! PLACE! AND ORDER! Or, so help me if you do not, I will make you regret it even in death.” My tone could have sent any normal man into hell in seconds, but this was no normal man.

Stepping over my sons, he reached behind his back and withdrew his dual blades. Sizing me up, he finally spoke, “You do not deserve the dirt on my feet, you nasty bitch. All you need to know is that I am the one who is sending you and your disgusting filth of a family to hell tonight.”

His venomous voice wrapped its vice grip around my lungs, and squeezed the air out, chilling me to the bone. He eyed me, similar to an eagle stalking its prey, and I glared at him with just as much animosity.

“If you were wise, you would let my sons go and move your ass along, out of my home.” This man was severely testing my patience.

It was my policy to settle with words before violence. I should’ve known from the start that it would not work with this one. Chuckling darkly at me, what he did next pushed me over the edge and all of my self control came crashing down. ‘My babies!!!’ He raised his left blade to Takeshi’s head, and the other above Haru’s.

Before he could have even thought of striking my sons, I advanced, charging like a wild bull who saw red. “Haa!!,” I grunted as I swiped my sword across his torso, narrowly missing him as he leaped over me, rolling into his battle stance. Sliding in the dirt, I caught my footing, spinning around to charge once more.

Before I could, however, this time he made the first move. He was sprinting towards me with a very clear intent; I was not to survive. If I was any normal woman, I would’ve cowered in fear but, alas, I was no normal woman; I was the lord assassin Kirigakure Saizo’s wife.

While I stood my ground, ready to pounce, my assailant arrived. He thrashed at me wildly and I blocked every swipe, stab, and thrash. Moving in graceful harmony, to an outsider it would have looked as though we had rehearsed the final act of a play. Every attack I had a response for, helping me bide my time for my opportunity to lead this dance.

Part 3 Part 4 Part 5