Mother and Daughter Bonding 1

The Tsukami Inn, it was a relaxing place for travelers to rest before reaching the main village. It resides on a small hot spring and is a host to a variety amount of services. This was where Kari called home. Her father's family passed this resort down generation to generation. Now that Kari had become a ninja, it was unknown what would happen to it. Her father joked about having another child but Kari said that she would find a way to make it work. At least that was her promise before she left to attend the academy. While her mother had visited her time from time, Kari has not been back in a couple of years. Between a combination of constantly studying and the long commute, she never had the time. However now with her training complete, she managed to complete the trip in a day. Her mother claimed that she could make it in half a day if she pushed herself so Kari knew she had a ways to go.
 
Kari stopped in front of the entrance. A large wooden sign spelled the title with the model, "The Heaven in Haven," floated in the air with clouds painted under the words. Upon closer inspection, you would see tiny wires holding the sign up and anchoring it into the ground. These wires were strong enough to support people leaning on the sign but her dad would scold anyone who dare touch his artwork. It was like his baby, after Kari of course. She took a deep breath and stared at the wooden stairs. A wooden pathway shaded by temple theme roof shaded the path from the sun, rain, or whatever annoyance nature decided to throw at you. It gave the inn a palace like feel with the stone pillars guiding the guest to the front sliding door. It was too fancy for her taste. Too much attention and made her feel like a princess, but other people liked that feeling. 
 
She walked to the sliding door, ringing the bell in a particular pattern. All the workers had a special jingle and parents had a special pattern. This would signal the front desk whether how to act. There were a few other special jingles but Kari only practiced hers. The whole idea came from her due to her hatred of being, what she called, yelled at with a generic greeting. Her father loved the idea and turned it to eleven. As she opened the door she expected the front test to gently greet her with the, "Greetings little ma'am, would you like us to prepare your bath?" Her father insisted it gave the place a more regal feel so she compromised. It was that or something super dramatic that almost made want to run away from home. 
 
"My Baby, Welcome Home!" 
A red hair woman about a foot taller than Kari stood behind the counter instead of the usual brown hair man. She wore a special green cap reserved for the newer workers but the woman was more experience than anyone here, except for Kari's dad and Nana. That was because the woman was Kari's mother. 

"Mom!?" 
Kari was surprised, to see the woman working the counter. Her father normally forbad it because of how nice she was. She was too much of a people person and would talk to everyone distracting others from their work. She also would let employees leave early for silly reasons, and not tell anyone. Kari's mother was at the counter, which could only mean one thing. Her father was away.
 
"Don't worry dear; I only wanted to greet you personally. Akemi-chan is just grabbing a few things from the kitchen. I was thinking we could make special together." 
 
Kari stared at her Mom. The woman had her forever smile on. It was warm, genuine, something Kari could only dream of having. However, her eyes were close. She was hiding something. The woman was a train ninja, one who could deceive and lie at a moment's notice. This was one of her tells. It was something she did to Kari though the girl could never understand why. As the girl ran through her mind and history trying to figure out her mother's plan, Akemi returned. 
 
"Just in time, though my husband would say otherwise." 
Kari's mother giggled and moved from behind the counter. The woman face turned pale as she lowered her head. 
 
"S-sorry Ma'am... it won't happen again." 
 
Kari's mother placed her hand on her shoulder, basking the woman in the rays of her smile. This time her eyes opened. Color returned to Akemi's face. The woman felt like she was forgiven. Once again, her mother shown off another talent, something Kari long would be passed on to her. If she could learn something like that, maybe people would treat her better. That was beside the point.
 
"Mom, what did you want to make?"
Kari broke her glaze. She walked over, knowing what would happen next. It was almost tradition by now. Her mother picked her up and squeezed her, rubbing their cheeks together. Kari use to fight back but her mom was actually really strong. She learned the quickest way to get through the ordeal was to accept it. After a minute if squeezing the air out of Kari, her mother kissed her forehead and set her down. Then her mom grabbed her hand and dragged her through the inn and into the kitchen. 
 
Kari looked around and saw nothing but potatoes. The girl loved the vegetable. You could do cook them in so many ways but her favorite was potato wedges. She especially loved them when they were cut into small sticks and dipped in different sauces or seasoned with different spices. However, she did not like to eat a lot of them at one time. She feared it would make her sick of the vegetable and she was already feeling sick being around them all. However that did not explain why there were so many unpeeled potatoes here.
 
"So, remember when I promised to teach you a cool jutsu after you graduated." 
Her mom giggled while taking a potato out of a bag and placing it on the table.
 
Kari turned to her. Then she looked at the potato. Then she looked at all the potatoes. There was only one thing going through her mind but the woman would not do such a thing. Kari knew exactly what happened. 
"Mom, did you procrastinate again?" 
 
The woman chuckled and closed her eyes.
"What do you mean dear?"
 
"Did Dad ask you get these peeled before he got back?"
Her mom's laugh slowed down.
 
"Did you let your assistants have the day off, forgetting you had a lot of work to do today?"
Her mom turned to the potato defeated. Her daughter saw through every trick, right down to the motive. However she was not through, she knew her daughter's weakness. She quickly grabbed the girl's hands and placed them together. Then she opened her eyes and started deeply in Kari's. It was like night and day the two's behaviors. Then she sniffled and show had begun.
 
"My dear sweet daughter who's is so good at helping her loving mamma prepare food. Now a ninja with a super high IQ, she returns home and sees her mamma struggling because her father gave her too many chores as usual. I know in your heart deep down in your soul, which does exist despite the mean things your friends say, you want to help mama. Don't you?"
 
The woman's eyes started to sparkle, shining through the fake admiration she was showing or from the buildup of fake tears in her eyes. Kari knew it was a trap. It was a game she would play even when she was very little. However, the woman was good. She hit every button she needed to get a reaction out of Kari and even played up the girl's two flaws. In addition, the performance was grade "A" acting. Kari looked at the door and then at her mom. Then she gave the only answer she could.
 
"No."
 
Her mom's expression crashed into the floor like a glass masked. However she still was not done. 
 
 
"But uhh... I will teach you a new jutsu. Like you don't have a puppet yet, right?"
 
Kari debated responding. The longer you spoke with the woman, the better the chance of her getting her way. It was a scientific fact. However, she abided anyway.
 
"Right?"
"So while you lack a puppet, how about I show you how to make one out of the earth?"
"You can do that?"
"Darling, your mama knows everything trust me!"
"Sorry, can only perform water ninjutsu."
 
Her mom froze. Surely that would have worked. She had to think of something quick while her daughter was playing along. She grabbed a potato, and then it hit her. 
 
"Wait, watch this Kari-chan" 
Her mom set the potato down gently touching the end before letting it fall on the table. Then she raised her hand and two chakra strings reel from her hand. One attached to the potato and the other attached to the table. With her free hand, she pushes the potato through the chakra string and the potato was cut in half. Kari expression does not change under the guise of her cloak but she does gently clap her hands as if she was just shown a party trick. 
 
"So what do you say, want to help mama out?" 
 
For the next couple of hours, Kari and her mother cut through potatoes. Kari, being more focused, managed to get ahead and squeezes in practicing the technique her mother used. However, it does not work and her mother eventually catches up. They both finish and the mother calls in the chief who collects the food and heads off to make supper. With the chore out of the way, Kari's mother lies on the table. Bushing away potato peels, she readies herself or a nap but Kari moves next to her tugging at her apron. 
 
"You promised Mom."
 
The woman groans, and turns her head.
"Can we wait an hour?"
 
Kari takes a deep breath. She was going to hold her mother to her word.
 
"I wonder what dad would say, if he heard what happened."
 
The mother flinched but did not turn away. 
"You wouldn't tell on your mama would you?"
 
"Akemi-san," Kari called lazily in the strongest voice she could muster.
 
Her mother quickly stood up out of the chair stretching her arms and legs as if she was going for a jog. 
"What do you know, I feel super rejuvenated."
 
Her eyes were closed but Kari did not care. Unable to convince her daughter, she pulled out an apple and created another chakra thread.
"It's called Slicing Threads. It is a puppeteer's secret weapon. An advance level jutsu that should be used sparing for to use this jutsu, you limit control of your main weapon. Envision your threads as wires. Then use your chakra to sharpen the threads. This takes a lot of chakra control and uses up a lot of chakra." 
 
Kari nodded her head and watched as her mother cut off the skin of the apple. Then the mother gave Kari the apple and returned to her chair to lie down. Kari created a string and then closed her eyes. She picture different sharp objects such as knifes and swords. With the idea in mind, she pushed chakra into her string and then rubbed the apple along the strong. The strings did not cut the fruit. She stared at the apple and then to her mother. It could not be a trick. Her mother did not even want to teach her the ability. She would rather sleep.
 
Kari closed her eyes and imagined something different. The wind element was known to cut thing so she imagined a cutting wind. She pushed her chakra through the threads and then rubbed the apple on the string. However, there was no effect. She took a deep breath and then canceled her spells. Her mother said it was hard. Kari turned to the woman who was now in deep sleep. She quietly walked up to her and opened her arms. A moment of hesitation ran through her spine as she debated the risk. Then she stopped herself. This is what a normal child would do, so why should she not do it. She softly hugged her mother and returned to her room. 
 
"I will learn this Jutsu Mom."
 
She left the kitchen and was stopped by a maid. 
"Ma'am, is everything okay in the kitchen?" 

Kari kept quiet, unsure what to say. Should she tell on her mother? Should she have the maid leave her alone? 
"Madam, are you alright"
 
Kari sighed. She took too long to respond and the maid did not leave. Now she had to answer or be further branded as weird.
 
"Yes, mother is just resting from cutting all those potatoes by herself."
"The mistress was working hard?" 
The woman laughed but quickly settled down after seeing Kari's blatant stare.
"Does she need any help Ma'am?"
"No... but could you sweep up the kitchen. Also I will be eating alone in my room tonight." 

Before the maid could respond, Kari walked away. She answered the woman's question and did not care to make conversation. She made a chakra string between her thumb and index finger. She wanted to learn this jutsu. It seemed so simple. If her mother could do it so well, then she knew she could surpass her. Her mother was lazy after all. 
 
Upon reaching her room, she sat down and pulled out some paper. Then she took out a kunai and tested how easy it was to cut the paper. As expected, the paper took minimal effort to split apart. Then she tested her kunai on the apple. Judging the difference in difficulty, she imagined a kunai and then pushed her chakra through her strings. Sweat rolled down her head. She used too much chakra and her strength was fading. She moaned and slid the paper over the string. More sweat rolled down her face. Her aloof eyes focused on the edge. She just needed a small cut, tear, some sign of damage to the paper, but all she got was a fold. 
"Darn..."
 
Her strings dissipated from lack of chakra and the girl's head dropped onto the table. Her vision faded. Her head started to ache. Her hands ached. All she could do now was slowly wait for her body to shutdown. Her training tonight was over.
 
There was a voice. It was a female, someone older than Kari was. She could not make out any words. Everything felt surreal despite Kari's inability to move. With the sound of what could only be described as a distorted giggle, the girl realized her mom was back. What would her mom do? Kari moved her attention away from the woman. She could not stop her mother from her shenanigans so Kari decided to focus on trying to make her strings sharp. 
 
Then Kari felt something warm surrounding her. Her mother probably was using this time to sneak a hug. Since deciding to become a ninja, her mom was always looking for reasons to give her daughter a hug. This would be no difference since Kari was too exhausted to fully wake up, given she was even awake right now. After a minute, everything cooled down. Then her eyes opened and everything was dark. 
 
Kari sat up, realizing that she was in her bed. When she turned to her window and saw stars in the sky. She looked at her clock, wondering how long she was out. Did she get up on her own? No, it was her mother. She moved her hand to her arm and noticed that she was in a nightgown. The soft silk hugged her body and was a little small. This was excepted since the outfit was given to Kari several years ago. It was a reminder that she had not grown very much in the years. It was a token of the past of the life she gave up. She got out of bed and started to remove it. However she stopped. 
"Maybe it would not be so bad to live in the past for a little while."
 
She returned to her desk, which had a cold cup of tea and some cold potato sticks. She took a sip before turning to the paper. She had to be careful of her chakra usage else risking losing more time. She raised her hand and released a chakra string. However, her string did not touch the desk. Instead, it was a long piece of hair. No, it was a wire. It was durable, the type you would use to catch opponents. What made it strong was that should the enemy resist too much, the wire would dig into the skin. That was it!
 
Kari was not making a knife or a stabbing weapon. She was turning her strings into a thin wire. She cleared her desk and placed the apple in the center then she made a chakra thread between her hands and wrapped it around the apple. Then she closed her eyes and imagined a wire, one tiny yet strong, one that could slip through the natural softness of the peel without bruising it. She envisioned the apple being sliced by the wire as it struggled to escape. Then she pushed her chakra through the threads and heard a squirt like sound. She opened her eyes and the wire dug a little into the fruit. It was not much but it was progress.
 

To think her mother would drop such a hint. A liar, lazy, her mother was many things, but among those, she was smart. She knew Kari well which only left the question, why did she taunt the girl so much? Kari sighed and took a bite out of the fruit. The apple was the fruit of her labor and a better dinner than cold potatoes and tea.

Exit

WC: 3030
Stats: 15
Skills: 
3000 -> Puppetry Technique: Slicing Thread
30 -> Puppetry Performance: Skillful Achievement with a Human Body

Approved my guy