Deeper Than the Knife

Chapter 7- We Make A Full Circle Home

I came out of mine and Yukino's bedroom and into the living room. I spotted Yukino's cherry tree patterned kimono the moment I was in the living room. It was Yukino's favorite, she was always wearing it- like right now. She was seated at the low table that had cushions called zabuton surrounding it, with Yarah who was dressed in a water lily patterned mini kimono. It was recently discovered that water lilies were Yarah's favorite flower. Yukino's was the mountain laurel which was a dangerously poisonous plant, go figure. 

Yukino was helping Yarah practice her Japanese, she started learning it only about a month before we took her in. Their flashcards were scattered everywhere, and most of our household objects had their Japanese word labeled on them.

I should probably explain a little; back in Brazil, we had just entered the gathering room - the big round rooms where meetings take place every morning at 9 am- and we were immediately informed that it wasn't safe for us to stay in Brazil. We had to be moved for Yarah's safety, and our own.

We couldn't go to northern Africa like I wanted too, and we couldn't go anywhere like Russia or Canada- I refuse to freeze to death. Yukino and I argued, a lot, about where we should go, what would be best for Yarah.

But before we could actually come to an agreement, we got cut off by some shocking and terrifying news: Aiko of the Kōri no Kuma Clan had been found murdered by her own clan. I had immediately worried about Yukino and how she would handle the news, but when I looked at her- she was totally emotionless like a total ice queen. She refused- still refuses- to talk about it.

Yukino decided that we should go to Japan, visit the mother land and hide right under our enemies noses. Yarah jumped up in excitement, she said she wanted to see the cherry trees that she's heard about. Even if I didn't want to go, I no longer had a say.

We were given a big traditional house, hidden away in the Hida mountain range. The house came filled with lots of food- apparently me nor Yukino knows how to cook- and clothes, non of which that actually fit me which is why I'm currently wearing a mans kimono that Yukino was able to find in the back of a closest. The house was furnished in traditional furnisher, expect for the necessary modern stuff. Like our T.V. 

We've been here at our new house for about three days. Yukino had left out a lot of information about the order- I refuse to call them 'The Order Of Shadows'- like how they give the people who've come to them missions to complete. It would've been nice to know that Yukino. The main differences about the orders missions and the clans missions were that it wasn't for the clans or orders benefit. We got orders to kill corrupt politicians who were a danger to their country and their people, escaped prisoners who were far too dangerous to be out of prison- Yukino got to assassinate a pedophile last night, I stayed home to protect Yarah- corrupt business men who wanted to destroy the planet for money, etc...

As much as I was enjoying to get to know my daughter and play tea parties- Yukino insisted we use real tea- I was itching to go on a mission and kill someone. That's probably not the most motherly thing to say. 

But on the bright side, I have learned new things about Yarah. For one, she loves how high up our house is, and climbing the trees when we played outside. It turns out that she likes to chase butterflies and other animals when she's outside, and will run out of sight if you got distracted. Yukino discovered that Yarah's favorite animal is in fact not a shark but instead it was a panda bear. Yukino was very smug about that even though it wasn't a polar bear she, and I quote, said "it's close enough, ha.". 

Today it was decided that we were going to go shopping so we could get some clothes that actually fits me, and fabrics for a project I was working on, easy to make foods, and some toys for Yarah. Plus a bunch of other things we need.