A Murder

A Family

Even now, the youngest simply shrugged, looking as though even the insignificant action was a pain for her to perform.

The girl has always been like this as far as Umi could recall and if the elder girl didn't know any better she would say her sister was depressed. In all honesty, had it been anyone else that would be her definite conclusion.

But this was her baby sister. She couldn't fathom any reason why the child could be depressed.

Because by all means, they were lucky. Both their parents were alive and cared for all their children equally. They were financially well off. And none were plagued with any debilitating injury or illness.

True, they had several casualties from the clan due to the war, but in all honesty, they weren't all that close to the members which died so she very much doubted that was the reason for the girl's...apathy.

Maybe Umi just didn't think the way her sister did. She heard her parent and other relatives tentatively use the word genius when describing Sora. Could that possibly explain why the older girl was unable of figuring out how to help her sister?

Both Riku and her were able to tell their sister was smart, even smarter than she let on if by sheer virtue of the fact that the three spend a lot of time together. Even if her vocabulary is not all that advanced (well it most certainly is for a two year old but by this point they stopped thinking of her as a normal one anyway), Sora could listen and understand what was being said. Even when they couldn't. It was a bit embarrassing to have a five years younger sister and know she was smarter than you. Especially when you were as prideful as Riku. But the siblings loved their younger sister all the same.

So it hurt not knowing what ailed Sora or how to help her.

"Why don't you want to be a ninja Sora?" their father asked carefully; voice and expression neutral.

Looking up at the older man, Sora held his stare for an unnerving amount of time, keeping on that same bored look as she said:

"I don't see the point of becoming one."

Umi felt herself blink involuntarily. 'What do you mean you don't see the point?' she wondered, brows furrowing in confusion. It was like her sister had no pride in their family's name. In their village. People didn't need a reason to be a ninja. At least not people from clans like their's

And if Riku's odd, strangling-like sounds were entering to go by, he was holding in the urge to screech.

"What do you mean?" the older man pushed, not openly frowning at his youngest. His reply was merely another shrug but for a moment Umi could swear she saw a pain flash through her sister's eyes. 'What do you see that I don't?' the girl questions, the urge to reach across the table and smother her sister in a hug strong. But she held it in. She was trained enough to be able to reign in such an impulse when it was inappropriate to act upon it.

"It's not like the clan will be affected by my decision. The only real reason I should even become one is because the village needs to quickly fill in the gaps left behind by those who have died in the war," Sora volunteered further on her own. And Umi didn't know what surprised her more, that Sora was being uncompromisingly forthright in her answer or that she even bothered to share her thoughts with the rest of them. Though, either way it didn't seem like their father appreciated such an answer and even their mother was rather tense next to her.

"Sora, that's no way of speaking about our clan and comrades that died," the woman chided before Takeo could continue.

"But the truth is still the truth. It won't change regardless of how you phrase it. —by this point Umi was sure Riku was only a moment away from adding his own thoughts to the jar— Plus...it's not like anyone will end up having time to reap any benefits my becoming ninja could potentially bring," the youngest of the house said in a blasé tone.