“You know,” Daro said to the little boy while he sat down on the edge of the bed, “I was once very angry with your mother too, when she was still my sensei.”
Ichiru didn’t give any reaction and kept his back towards Daro.
Daro sighed and tried again. “I suppose I was really angry with your father.”
Those words had effect. The boy turned his head to glance at Daro.
Daro smiled at him. “I didn’t’ understand you know, why your mother loved him so much when he only caused her pain.”
Ichiru rolled on his back and looked at Daro with a tear struck face. He didn’t say anything, but stared at the older boy questioningly.
Daro looked at his hands. “I had heard about the things he’d done, that he was a vicious criminal, but your mother still loved him. She protected him. Because of that, people hated her. Even Gaara-sama was angry with her and I knew it made her sad. So I was angry. I didn’t want her to be sad. I didn’t understand why she stayed so loyal to him.” He smiled at Ichiru. “I shouted at her.”
Ichiru crossed his arms. “She deserved it.” His lip trembled. “He killed my dad and she knew. She let him live here.”
Daro nodded. “Yes, that’s true, but do you know why Sasuke killed your father?”
Ichiru sobbed and rubbed his eyes. “My dad killed his family.”
“Don’t you think Sasuke was just as angry and sad as you are now?”
“But he was ordered to,” Ichiru cried.
“Eh?” Daro blinked, “ordered?”
Ichiru sobbed again. “They told him to do it. And he did. And he told uncle Sasuke to kill him.” Ichiru turned his face away and cried in his pillow.
Daro stared at the boy as he tried to comprehend what Ichiru had just told him. Ordered to?
Suddenly a lot of things became clear. Taryn’s trust in Itachi. Why she never spoke about him, why she had taken Sasuke in. Sasuke’s anger.
“No one is supposed to know,” Ichiru’s voice was muffled by his pillow.
Daro placed a hand on the boy’s back and looked at him sadly. “You know,” he said, “I don’t know much about that, but I know your mother loved your father very much. And if what you say is true, then it must have been very hard for her to forgive Sasuke, especially after the war, but she did. And I know for a fact that they both love you very much.” He sighed. “Try to forgive them.”
Slowly he stood up and left the room.
…
Taryn was no longer inside, but when he looked outside, he found her at Itachi’s grave. ‘Is it true, sensei?” he thought, ‘did he act on orders?’ He could only guess at the reason, but it couldn’t have been easy. ‘I misjudged you, Itachi.’ He sighed. ‘I wish I had known.’ Perhaps he should have guessed when Taryn kept believing, but who could have guessed something like that? He had just assumed the stories were true.
Daro shook his head to clear his mind. He needed some time to think.
***
In all the time he had spent in Suna, he had never been here. He hadn’t even known about this place, but he supposed it made sense for Suna to have a KIA stone too.
“Anyone you know?”
Sasuke turned around at the sound of the voice. Behind him stood a woman in her forties. Sasuke turned back to the KIA Stone. “I’m not from here.”
“I know who you are,” she said kindly and came to stand beside him. “My son,” she pointed at one of the names.
Sasuke followed her finger and read the name. ‘Kodan Motou.’ Where had he heard that name before?
“He and Taryn-sama were on the same team as Genin.”
He remembered now. Kodan had been resurrected during the war and killed by Taryn herself.
“And my nephew,” the woman continued, “Suzaku Shiraki.”
“Shiraki?” Wasn’t that the last name of one of Taryn’s students?
“Yes. You must know his little brother Kuro.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Sasuke asked.
“Just making conversation,” she answered, “it would be awkward if we would both just stand here saying nothing.”
Sasuke didn’t reply. He stared at the stone, trying his best to ignore everything else, but the woman seemed determined to engage him into conversation.
“I remember when Taryn-sama was still a Genin. She had always been a stubborn child, adamant in her vision of right and wrong. I think that’s what Kodan liked about her. She was like a sister to him, even if she didn’t get along with Inari that well. She didn’t have too many friends. She was more skilled than her classmates and too young for the older shinobi to hang out with. When she got banished, it only became worse.” The woman smiled. “I’m glad Kuro is one of her students. Kodan would have liked that.”
“She’s still stubborn,” Sasuke muttered.
The woman laughed softly. “I believe you.” She sighed. “Come. I’ll make you some tea and something to eat.”
Sasuke looked at her oddly. “Why would you do that?”
“Because you look like you could use some distraction. You don’t have to tell me about it if you don’t want to. It’s not my business.”
“I don’t need pity.”
“Don’t worry. Pity is the last thing you’ll get from me.”
Sasuke sighed. After the talk with Ichiru, he didn’t have the energy to argue with this woman. It was easier to just give in.
“He knows,” Sasuke muttered, “he knows what I did.”
The woman nodded in understanding. “We’re going to need a lot of tea then.”
***
Kakashi stared at the contestants down in the arena. One team from Konoha had made it into the finals, as well as one team from Suna. He recognized one of the sensei from Kiri as Tai, who had befriended Taryn’s student. His team had made it to the final round too.
He sighed. Things had changed so much after the war. The Chuunin Exams were reestablished, but they were not as vicious a s they used to be. Perhaps it was a good thing, but he knew peace didn’t last forever. He hoped the new generation of shinobi wouldn’t loose sight of their purpose. They would have to be ready when duty called.
Kakashi glanced at Gaara. The girl, Matsuri was standing behind his chair, stealing glances at the young Kazekage. Kakashi smiled. He wondered how long it would take Gaara to notice.
“Why are you smiling?” Naruto asked confused.
“Hm? Nothing,” Kakashi said innocently, “just pay attention to the fights I want a report on your findings later. You tot Sai.”
Sai nodded.
“Right,” Naruto muttered skeptically, but he focused his attention on the Genin below where the first match was about to begin.
***
Taryn’s eyes were closed. She took a deep breath and tried to regain her calm. Things had become such a mess.
Two small arms wrapped around her neck.
“Momma?” a small voice sounded.
Taryn didn’t react.
“Mommy,” Ichiru whispered again, “I’m sorry.”
Taryn moved her body and pressed the boy close to her. She let out a sigh.
“Mom?”
“Hm?” Taryn muttered.
“I’m hungry.”
Taryn let out a sound that held between a sob and a laugh. She stood up, lifting Ichiru in her arms. “Then we’ll have to find you something to eat,” she whispered.
“I love you, mom,” Ichiru said softly.
“I love you too.”
***
Sasuke stared at the table. He had been sitting here for over an hour, not sure how to go from here. He couldn’t go back to Taryn’s house.
He looked up when a crate was placed in front of him.
Kodan’s mother handed him a knife. “You can chop the vegetables for dinner. I hope you like miso?”
Sasuke blinked confused. “It’s… okay.”
The door opened and a man stepped in. Kodan’s mother smiled and kissed his cheek. “Welcome home. I’ve just started on dinner.”
The man, Sasuke assumed to be Kodan’s father, nodded and glanced at Sasuke. “Are we having guests?”
“Yes, Sasuke is staying for dinner. I ran into him at the KIA stone and decided to invite him.”
The man turned to Sasuke and stuck out his hand. “Haru Motou.”
“Sasuke Uchiha,” Sasuke replied uncomfortably. He stood up. “Perhaps I should go.”
“Nonsense,” Kodan’s mother said, “we’re glad to have you. You didn’t come with Taryn-sama last time and little Ichiru couldn’t stop talking about you. We’re glad to have chance to get to know you.”
Sasuke flinched at the mention of Ichiru. He had never wanted to be a good person until Ichiru was born. The boy had changed his life. His brother’s child. The last thing he had of Itachi, his only family.
And he had ruined it. He had wanted to be honest to Ichiru and now he had lost everything.
…
Dinner wasn’t as bad as he had believed. Haru was a stern but honest man and Arisa was a kind woman that did what she could to make her guest feel welcome. She shared stories about Taryn and Kodan and Inari when they we younger and on the same team. About their Chuunin Exams and other things. It was actually pleasant, even if Sasuke didn’t add much to the conversation.
It was already dark when he left the house to return to Taryn’s. he’d have to face Ichiru sooner or later.
He sighed. There was a lot about Taryn he hadn’t known. Perhaps it would be better if he just left.
He hesitated before entering the house. Through the window, he could see Taryn cleaning the table. She looked tired.
Slowly he opened the door and stepped inside.
Taryn looked up when Sasuke entered the house. For a moment they only looked at each other.
“Hey,” Sasuke said.
Taryn nodded. She noticed him glance around the room. “He’s asleep,” she said softy.
Sasuke nodded in understanding. “How is he?” he asked, feeling awkward.
“Still a little confused,” Taryn answered, “ it’s gong to take a while.”
Sasuke nodded again, not sure what to say to that.
“How are you?” she asked.
How was he? He wasn’t sure. “I’m… gonna get some sleep,” he said instead and walked past her to his room.
But he was far from getting sleep that night.
A/N Another update! ^_^ If you want to read more about Taryn and her students, please check out Clash of the brats, written by Amaterasu and me. It combines our two stories, Crow's Feathers and Beauty is the Beast.