Songs For The Heartbroken: That's What You Get

Chapter 20

None of them looked impressed, in fact, they looked everything but. Mostly the Hyuga member of team eight, his team mate, on the other hand, looked both confused and disgruntled while their jonin sensei seemed to be trying to hide just how bad a headache the situation had given him. Not quite the reaction I had expected.

"Following Akane-san's passing during the Uchiha Massacre, you, team eight, have been assigned a new team mate," Said Cat Taicho beside me. "This is Sumiko, an orphan from a civilian family who became collateral damage in the borders of Kusa during the last war."

He didn't even give them time to process what he was saying. As the wind blew around us, shaking the vegetation in training ground eight and making the dust rise in little whirlwinds throughout the clearing, he continued to explain.

"She belongs to no clan, has no royal descendence, she is of no importance to the shinobi world, and above all does not possess a bloodline limit or the possibility to awaken one."

All present nodded obediently, understanding my captain's words as orders and how imperative was secrecy in this whole ordeal. But unlike what I expected, they did not look happy with the new arrangements for the team.

"ANBU-san, may I ask for an explanation for this." Said Takahiro gesturing to my entire self with both his hands.

Dramatic little turd, could stop looking at me like I have the plague.

"Safekeeping. Now if that is all, I will be taking my leave. Sumiko, I want you at practice every day at sunrise or the deal is off. Well then." And with that he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

All the members of team eight turned to stare at me, and after a few seconds of silence, I bowed. There was a façade to keep.

"It's very nice to make your acquaintance, my name is Sumiko. I hope we can work well together and become stronger." Hotaka let out an exasperated sigh.

Well wasn't he thrilled with my return.

"Likewise, Sumiko-san. These are Hyuuga Hotaka and Amori Takahiro. I am Inuzuka Akira, your new jonin sensei."

"Oh, cut it out! I understand why the name change and the contacts, but why the hair? Like, seriously Ak-Sumiko-san, scarlet? It's a very bad pun if you ask me, and you look like an Uzumaki." Complained Hotaka

"I think it's pretty funny, besides it suits her." Added Taka with a shrug.

"Of course you'd like it. It's not like you and Akane-san used to bond over blowing up stuff or anything."

"I take it you liked Uchiha-san's black hair a great deal, then?" teased Sensei, rendering Hota to a silent blushing mess.

I laughed for the first time in what felt like years. I had missed them.

"But, if you don't mind me asking Sumiko-san, what was that about a deal? Are you not here to stay?" Asked Taka, forcing himself to use my new name.

"I need to report in to train every morning without fail, and make sure people know I'm Sumiko. Otherwise I'll go dark and probably never see the light of day again." I sighed tiredly, "It took me a month to convince Taicho, and I'll be on probation for a year until I'm allowed to stay permanently. But I guess it was worth the shot."

My team nodded in understanding, and after a few words of encouragement, a hug, and some reassurance that my new hair wasn't really that bad, we set off for our first official training as the new team eight. But we all knew it would be just as it had always been which was a great comfort for all of us in a way.